Thursday, March 5, 2020

How to Pass Your AP Course Audit

How to Pass Your AP Course Audit SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Need to learn the ins and outs of the AP auditing process? You're in luck. Whether you’re a new teacher or just new to AP, check out this guide to make sure your course is approved! We will explain the auditing process in detail, including how AP courses are reviewed,how to submit your audit, andhow to write an appropriate syllabus. What Is Course Auditing? Why Do You Need It? AP Course auditing is what allows a school to officially give a course the â€Å"AP† label. Having classes with the official AP label is important for your students' transcripts, especially if they are applying toprestigious schools and scholarships. The AP label showscolleges and scholarship committees that your school’s courses have a high level of rigor. That said, a course does not have to carry the official â€Å"AP† label for your school to order the corresponding AP exams. For example, you could teach a course titled just â€Å"United States History† and still order the AP United States Exam for your class at the end of the year. But generally, if you’re teaching a course with the goal of your students taking the AP exam, it’s worth it to go through the audit to get the â€Å"AP† label to improve your students’ transcripts. AP course are auditedonce everyyear, but it’s the most onerous the first time your course is approved. Each year after your first audit you just go through a quick renewal process. During that first audit, you’ll submit a detailed syllabus of your AP course as well as an AP Course Audit form for review. For the rest of this guide, we will go over that first auditing process, explain re-auditing, and finally give some tips for writing your syllabus for the first audit. What Happens During My First Audit? For your first audit, you'll create an online account with the College Board and submit the AP Course Audit form and a copy of your syllabus (more on that process below). Once your form is approved by a Course Audit administrator, your syllabus will be forwarded to an external college faculty reviewer who will approve it. You’ll learn if your course was approved by the College Board within 60 days of submitting your forms. For a course to be authorized, the syllabus has to clearly show that each of the AP course's curricular requirements is included in your class. There are two possible outcomes of the first review: 1. Good news:Your reviewer finds that yoursyllabus meets all requirements, and your class is approved. You'll be notified via email, and then you'll be all done with the auditing process! Good news! 2. Bad news:The reviewer does not think your syllabus meets or exceeds the requirements, and your syllabus is passed on to a senior reviewer. If the senior reviewer agrees, the senior reviewer will send you an email with a rationale as to why your syllabus wasn't approved. You can then revise and resubmit your syllabus based on that feedback. If, after submitting a revised syllabus, the reviewers still don't think your syllabus meets the requirements, the College Board will provide a curriculum adviserto provide additional suggestions for how yoursyllabus should be revised. You will then have a third and final chance to revise and submit the syllabus. If your course isn’t approved on your third try, it won’t be authorized for that year. (Again, your school can still order and administer AP Exams for that subject regardless of the audit outcome.) You can re-submit materials for authorization starting next year. How to Start Your First Audit To start, you'll need tocreate an online AP Course Audit account with College Board. Through this account, you can submit the Course Audit form and your syllabus. The AP Course Audit form is where you list information about the class, your school, your district, and your students. It’s fairly straightforward and shouldn't take more than a few minutes. The syllabus is where you describe your course in detail and explain how it meets AP guidelines. Writing an appropriate syllabus is the most important and time-consuming piece of the auditing process. During the audit, theCollege Board isn’t looking at your background or credentials as a teacher, and it doesn’t require any specific professional development for you to get your course certified – they’re just checking to see if your course aligns with the AP class’s goals. And in case you're worried, the College Board isn’t going to randomly drop in during the year and monitor your actual class – you just need to get the syllabus right! We'll break down how to write an appropriate syllabus below. Re-Auditing Technically, even after your course is approved, you still have to re-audit every year if you want your class to keep the â€Å"AP† title. Fortunately,you don’t have to do much work for re-authorization. After you get your initial approval, you don’t need to resubmit the Course Audit form or a syllabus unless your course changes significantly, the AP course itself changes, or a new teacher is given the class. Beginning every August, Course Audit administrators can renew AP classes for the following year through their online AP Course Audit accounts. If you’re not sure who your school’s Course Audit administrator is, ask the head of your department or someone in your school’s administration. The Course Audit administrator isprobably someone who doesn't mind lots of paperwork. In short, your course should be re-approved without you having to do anything unless you make major changes or switch courses at your school. If a new teacher is assigned to an existing AP class, he or shemustresubmit the Course Audit form and syllabus. However, they can use the old teacher’s syllabus, so the approval process should be pretty quick. Writing Your Syllabus Like we mentioned above, the AP Course Audit is just the submission of a form and your syllabus, sothe syllabus is the main piece of work you have to complete. You can find detailed info about each AP class, including a checklist for the syllabus and example syllabi, right here. Definitely make use of this page as you write your syllabus! This guide will focus on AP English Language, the most popular AP class, but we will go through the general syllabus-writing process that you can use for any AP class. First, take a look at the example syllabi College Board has posted for your class. This will give you a sense of what College Board is looking for in your syllabus. As a guide, College Board has posted four example syllabi for AP English Language: Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 The first thing you'll probably notice in these syllabi is the cover page, which lists all the scoring components for the syllabus and where they are addressed: Source: The College Board Acover page is not required for submitting your syllabus, but using onecan help you keep track of the various requirements you need to meet for your syllabus. If you're overwhelmed by the requirements for your class, using an organizer like this cover page could be incredibly helpful. You can get a sample cover page for every AP class by going to the webpagefor each class, linked above. You will need to write a syllabus that explains your class’s assignments, structure, and reading list so that it fits into the AP guidelines. It’s going to be pretty long – at least 10 pages – so make sure you set aside some quality time to write it. In addition to using the example syllabi on College Board’s website as a guide, you can also reach out to another AP teacher at your school to learn how they approached their syllabus. They might have some tips for writing a College Board-approved syllabus or havemore inside information on the auditing process. If you're worried that you may have a hard time sticking to this incredibly detailed syllabus, don't stress. You’re never held accountable by College Board for sticking to this syllabus, so you don’t have to follow it to the letter. Finally, remember you’re given two additional chances to revise your syllabus if it doesn’t pass the audit the first time. Using the College Board's Self-Evaluation Checklist Afteryou’ve written your syllabus, go through the self-evaluation checklist that the College Board has made for your class. (You can find all AP course checklists at the link above.) Read through theitems on the list and make sure your syllabus addresses each one. In addition to the cover page, reviewingthe checklist should ensure that your syllabus meets all theCollege Board's guidelines and will be approved. As an example, this is the list for AP English Language and Composition: Have you read through the most recent AP English course description? Do you require students to write in several forms during the year (narrative, expository, analytical, and argumentative essays) as well as write about a variety of subjects (public policies, pop culture, personal experiences)? Do you have essays that go through several stages or drafts, with revision by you or other students? Do you also have students write in informal contexts (imitation exercises, journal keeping, collaborative writing, and in-class responses)? Do you assign nonfiction readings (e.g., essays, journalism, political writing, science writing, nature writing, autobiographies/biographies, diaries, history, criticism) to give students opportunities to identify and explain an author's use of rhetorical strategies and techniques? (If you use fiction and poetry, it should be to help students understand how various effects are achieved by writers' linguistic and rhetorical choices.) [Note: you can see a list of possible authors and works in the AP English Language course description.] Do you teach students to analyze how graphics and images both relate to written text and serve as texts themselves? Do you teach research skills, specifically the ability to evaluate, use, and cite sources? Do you assign a researched argument paper, which has students both cite and synthesize various sources to come up with their own argument? Do you have students cite sources using a standard style (like Modern Language Association or Chicago Manual of Style)? Do you give instruction and feedback on student writing focused on these skills: wide and effective vocabulary, variety of sentence structures, logical organization, balance of generalization and specific detail, effective use or rhetoric? The College Board's auditors will be using that same checklist to evaluate your syllabus. If your syllabus falls short on any of these questions, make sure to edit it before you submit it for review! It may alsobe helpful to have another teacher read through yoursyllabus andconfirm that itclearly meets the checklist guidelines. Other Syllabus Tips The deadline for your first submission to authorize a course taught in 2016-17is January 31, 2017. Make sure to start working on your syllabus well before that deadline! If your school has a multi-year course sequence leading to an AP class (for example, an honors biology class that feeds into AP Biology), only the course taken in the year that ends in the actual AP exam can carry the "AP" label.However,you should still submit syllabi from both coursesif the first year includes some AP class material. If your school has an interdisciplinary class, e.g. â€Å"American Studies,† that encompasses both history and literature, you can apply separately for AP the English Literature label and AP United States History label. Your final class might be called American Studies (AP English Lit/AP United States History). Just make sure you don't try to rename your final class something like "AP American Studies." Many AP science courses require a hands-on lab where â€Å"students manipulate, observe, explore, and think about science using concrete materials.† If you want examples of hands-on labs for the various science classes, check out the course’s page at the AP Course Audit website. Finally, if you want to read a first-person account from a teacher going through the audit process, including how a syllabus evolves to meet College Board standards, check out this blog post by Adrian Dingle. He writes in detail about how he had to edit his AP chemistry syllabus to get itapproved, even when the College Board's requirements didn't seem to make a lot of sense. For example, he says while trying to meet a requirement about connecting chemistry to the real world: â€Å"It seems as though they want me to describe an assignment with a specific topic for connecting chemistry to the real world. I’m just not prepared to do that at this stage – who KNOWS what current event might come up during the course that I think will make for a great opportunity to fulfill this criteria?† The main takeaway from his post is that even after extensive and sometimes annoying edits, he was still able to get his course approved by the College Board.Even though going through your first AP audit can be a bit nerve-wracking and time-consuming, remember that you have severalchances to revise your syllabus. Don’t feel pressured to get it perfect the first time! As long as you give it enough time and work to follow College Board's requirements, your syllabus should be approved. What’s Next? The audit process is fairly strict and not always a favorite among teachers. What are some other problems with the College Board’s AP program? Read in-depth about some of the AP program's problems. Are any of your students studying for the ACT or SAT? Does your school have an SAT/ACT class or tutoring program? If not, learn about the best way to teach the ACT / SAT to give your students the support they need. Teaching AP US History? We have a list of the best textbooks on the market. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Research and Analysis of Business Problems Essay

Research and Analysis of Business Problems - Essay Example (Anon. 2009) - 1. Its revenues are highly dependent on the sales of trucks and SUVs which are quite famous in the market. Of late, the demand for these heavy vehicles has started to dwindle due to the ongoing recession since 2007. 2008 has particularly been a very difficult year for the automotive as well as Ford motor company. Questions are being raised about its very sustainability because the demand for its famous products has fallen very drastically. Not only that, because the company did not think of catering to the small car market from past ten years, many loyal customers who are in need of such cars are now shifting towards other companies. The result of such lapse in conquering the small car market is the closure of 12 manufacturing facility units in North America. Not only that, several tough decisions like layoffs and attritions have also been taken in the recent past. Buyouts were also undertaken to reduce the U.S. payroll. These are the general issues which every automotive company would face. However, capturing the North American markets and entry into emerging markets through its small and midsize car production are the necessary actions to be taken up to ensure sustainability and improve on its balance sheet. For this, it needs to do responsible restructuring instead of downsizing the company. It needs to shift its workers from the production of the trucks and SUVs to small and midsized cars. Thus, it can address the ethical issues which encircled the organization during the previous attritions. Feasibility analysis has to be conducted to understand the expected demand for its small and midsized cars. According to that demand, it needs to estimate the production for which cost-benefit analysis has to be drawn out. This will clarify the term within which the company plans to return back to profitability. In this way, the previous miss-management of issues can be curbed to a large extent and the

Monday, February 3, 2020

The Article Religious Groups and Work Values Essay

The Article Religious Groups and Work Values - Essay Example This follows the fact that an employee will feel more motivated to work if the employer identifies with his religion and understands it to the extent of knowing what is allowed, and what is illegal. This is, addition to the surrounding people, for a company, is not only built by the staff but also the community in which is located. Therefore, a company is more likely to be successful by respecting its religion, and religion can only be respected if the employees together with the employers know the pros and cons of the religion. The authors go about this by focusing on the major religions of the world to determine how these specific groups affect the work values. This is after many pieces of research carried out indicating a significant contribution of religion to work values. The authors assert that the importance of this recognition is being influenced by globalization that is on a rapid increase. Therefore, the importance of religion comes in when multinationals want to venture into places that are distant (Parboteeah 58). This means that the places are of different geographical positions as well as cultural differences in terms of core values of the communities, and the religion they hold close to the heart. They also acknowledge the need for understanding this link of religion to work values because the technology has led into a globalised village where different people of different religions search for jobs anywhere that fit their specifications. The authors assert that there are two work values that a re affected by religion, and these are extrinsic and intrinsic values. Therefore given the fact that these values are socially expressed these work values can, thus, be derived from motivation (Parboteeah 55).  The authors, therefore, determine this relationship by relating the religion to principles that enable the living of people which is directly connected to the foundations of human society.  

Sunday, January 26, 2020

The goals needed in planned change

The goals needed in planned change There are many goals of a planned change. Basically the goals are aimed to improve the ability of the organisation to adjust to changes happening in the environment. Change in employees behavior is expected and these changes to lead to improvement in organizational effectiveness and efficiency. In this assignment we will discuss a case study on the strategic change management in the AEGON Company. As we have discussed in the training presentation the different aspects and reasons of strategic change management and the process of strategic change management involves developing an innovative vision for where the company needs to be, and then developing an equally innovative path for achieving the goal. This can only be done through the combined effort of all the company, its employees and the stakeholders. The discussion of this case reflects the following points: Develop systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change and develop a change management strategy with stakeholders. Evaluation of the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change. Explanation of what systems and processes would need to be/have been developed to ensure involvement of the stakeholders in the change. Strategy creation for managing resistance to change Review of the effectiveness of management actions to overcome any identified instances of resistance Discussion of the most important features in the successful implementation of organizational change, drawing upon at least two organizational models Plan to implement a model for change and develop appropriate measures to monitor progress. With the changing prospects of customers, organizations persistently require to adapt to stay competitive. Managers might look for situations which are common to them when experience pressures for change. It involves civilizing the traditions in which they function, gradually. This is incremental change. But improving gradually may not be adequate. The need is to adjust to all of the main changes in the surroundings. Lack of it results in strategic drift. When a company undergoes strategic drift, it does not make tough and major decisions to deal effectively with all of the changes in its business environment. Managers within the organization have to accept the change completely to let alone strategic drift. It results in a responsive organisation. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) AEGON Group is one of the worlds largest life insurance and pensions companies. AEGON owns pensions, life insurance, asset management and adviser businesses in the UK. The AEGON Group has 27,000 employees and over 25 million customers worldwide. Its major markets are in the USA and Netherlands. Since 1994, the UK has become another major and increasingly important market. In 1994 AEGON bought a large stake in Scottish Equitable. Scottish Equitable was a strong brand with a heritage that went back to the 1830s. Since then AEGONs UK business has grown both organically and by acquiring other businesses. As most of the acquired companies kept their existing identities, awareness of AEGON in the UK remained relatively low. AEGON realized that such low levels of awareness could impact on its ability to achieve its ambitions. Therefore, it needed to combine the global strength of its parent with the experience and reputation of the domestic company brands, like Scottish Equitable, that made up AEGON in the UK. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) In this assignment well discuss the success that accepting and practicing change has brought to AEGON in the UK. This change is helping AEGON move towards its goal of becoming the best long-term savings and protection business within the UK. Kurt Lewins change model In early 1950s Kurt Lewin a psychologist developed a model of change management. He described the freeze model of change which suggests that change involves a shift from one still condition by means of a state of activity to a different still condition. This involves a three-stage process of managing change: unfreezing, changing and re-freezing. Source: http://www.strategies-for-managing-change.com/kurt-lewin.html Stage 1: Unfreezing This stage implies getting prepared to change. It involves getting to a point of consideration that change is compulsory and getting ready to alter from our current comfort zone. (Kurt Lewin change management model, n.d.). Stage 2: Change or Transition The second stage of transition is known as change. Transition is the internal faction or voyage we make in response to a change. This occurs as we accept and make the changes that are required. (Kurt Lewin change management model, n.d.). Stage 3: Freezing (or Refreezing) The third stage is freezing, while many people refer to it as refreezing. As the name suggests this stage is about instituting stability when the changes have been made. The changes are acknowledged and turn into norms. People form new contacts and become contented with their routines. This will surely take some time. (Kurt Lewin change management model, n.d.). The 8 steps of John Kotters change model Each stage of Kotters change model acknowledges a key principle identified by him linking to peoples response and approach to change, and in which people see, feel and then change. For change to occur, it helps if an adequate number of people within an organisation want it. By developing a sense of urgency around the need for change it helps management to start the initial inspiration to get things moving. (John Kotters guiding principles for leading change, n.d.). Source: http://www.strategies-for-managing-change.com/john-kotter.html According to John Kotter the major challenge in front of leadership in a change process is just getting people to change their behavior. People modify their behavior when they are motivated to do so, and that can be done when you speak to their feelings. (John Kotters guiding principles for leading change, n.d.). AEGON UK had the following driving forces for organizational change. Financial restructuring in the United Kingdom. Growth in population and changes in demographic attributes. Cultural diversification in the UK. Changes in social dimensions of the United Kingdom. Evolution of political orientation and policies. Increase in the domestic purchasing power. Institutional and policies neglect regarding the financial products. High competitiveness and consequent challenges. Deficient Management practices. Inefficiency in processes The most suitable change model fitting to AEGON UK will probably be Kotters Eight Step Change Model. As it fully prepares the employees of the company before even the vision is created that will eventually helps in the change in the long run. There are some disadvantages as well to this model. This model is mostly suitable for the companies because of its simplicity and applicablity as considerable change is required for the divisions. This will also facilitate in the transition because the division has a long history comparable to rest of the company and people are not as set in the ways, as they would be if the division had been around longer. (Strategic change management, n.d.). AEGON UK strategic planning implies planning for the long-term. The time frame associated with this type of planning is from three to five years into the future. Due to this timeframe, there are several challenges associated with long-range planning. These include: creating a plan that is breakthrough in its orientation rather  than more of the same, getting all stakeholders to commit to the organizations strategies   and   to   follow   through   on   implementation   of   critical   activities,   and decreasing cycle time in the planning process. This sort of orientation necessitates approaches to strategic planning that involve all employees and stakeholders in the planning process and a planning process that can occur within a shortened time frame. The researcher will prefer to adopt Large Group Interventions Technique to address the proposed change in the chosen organization AEGON. (Strategic change management, n.d.). In   case   of   the   AEGON   UK   there   were   many   deriving   forces   that caused   the background   of change   in AEGON   UK. AEGON   UK   was although was bearing international repute but still it didnt had band awareness   by   the   name   of   AEGON   in   the   United   Kingdom.   The philosophy of the financial services products that were being sold by AEGON UK or its competitors were quite difficult to understand by the potential customers. Life expectancy in the United Kingdom has increased in the recent years so people can expect to be retired for  longer age and similarly many individual never think it worthy to plan about their retirement properly, on the other hand there was a derive from the government to reduce dependency on the state in old age so there was a need to make a social awareness among the people for the benefits of having the financial products sold by the AEGON UK to secure   their   fut ure   because   benefit   of   these   investments   usually realized in later years. AEGON was not well recognized in the areas other than pensions. Above stated reasons are the few of those that lead management to introduce change in the corporate structure and strategy of the AEGON UK Limited. (Strategic change management, n.d.). People who are directly affected by the decisions of an organization are the stake holders.   Stake holder may be internal (management, employees etc.) and they may be external (government, suppliers, banks, media, shareholders etc). Every stake holder has different expectations from the organization.   In the process of change, stakeholders can be involved in a number of ways like: Involve them in problem solving. Keep them up to date of standing towards corporate objectives Take actions on feedback received by them Mobilize the correct resources at the right moment to recognize the implementation plan (Strategic change management, n.d.). Involvement of stake holders to the process of change was done by the new chief executive officer of AEGON who carried out the following actions; Simplification of Financial Services The Chief Executive Officer of  AEGON adopted a customer focused approach. The CEO simplified the complex financial services in terms of their understanding and it was now made very simple to understand. The clients which know   that   what   they   are   investing   into   and   what   investment they get back   at   the   end   of   the   contract.   To date back customers have always been disturbed doing complex calculations. Now the customers are happy because they dont need any financial interpreter to understand the ins and outs of the products offered by the AEGON. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Workforce Development The most important stake holder of the organization is the employees. These are the people who are practically liable make the change process successful. New CEO took  the employees in confidence and told them about the fact that what AEGON stands today and what AEGON wants to stand in the future. He explained the factors behind this change. The CEO introduced job rotation which involves prospects from one job to the other job.   Hence it provided individual employees with a career path. CEO also arranged a Management Development Program in collaboration with a leading management college for  the training of the workforce. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Creating Distinct Market Place     To let revisit the brand identity of  AEGON into the minds of the people, the CEO carried out an external promotional campaign to highlight the relationship between the locally famous Scottish Equitable and AEGON. The CEO spoke to the media stating the reasons for the change and how the change will be beneficial for the stakeholders. (Strategic change management, n.d.). As we know that the stakeholders are critical to the success of initiating change in the organization. Stakeholder Management Strategy is an important discipline that successful people use to win support from others. Stakeholder Analysis is the technique used to identify the key people who have to be won over. Stakeholder Planning is done to build the support that helps organization to succeed. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The benefits of using a stakeholder-based approach The   opinions   of   the   most   strong   stakeholders   to   shape   change implementation at an early stage. They will support the company as well as their input can also improve the quality of the project Getting support from strong stakeholders can help you to win more resources There are more chance to achieve strategic goals successfully. By communicating with stakeholders early, you can ensure that they fully understand what you are doing and understand the benefits of your  aim. By this they will throughout support you actively. By anticipating what peoples reaction to your project may be, and build into your plan the actions that will win peoples support. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Strategy for managing  resistance to change in the organization Following strategies can be implemented for managing resistance to change in the AEGON. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There will be a workflow process in order to achieve results for mutual benefits for employees and organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There will be an Authority Process in order to direct behavior in the interests of the organization and its participants. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There would be a Reward and Penalty Process to induce people to behave in away required by the interests of the organization and its participants and / or to behave in a way making associated activity possible. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There will be a Perpetuation Process to maintain, replenish, and make adequate the quantity and quality of social and natural resources utilized by the organization and its participants. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There must be an Identification Process to develop a concept of the wholeness, uniqueness and significance of the organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There will be a communication process to provide for the exchange of  information, ideas, feelings and values etc utilized in all activities to the stakeholders. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There must be an evaluation process which establishes criteria for and defines levels of utility and value for people, materials, ideas, and activities and which rates them and allocates them to these levels. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Model for implementing  change in the organization Model for change implies towards the overall strategy to incorporate change into the organizational culture. Model of  change is usually implemented into the following steps; Access the necessity of change Forming a powerful alliance Creating an idea for change Communicate the vision Remove barriers Incorporate the change into organization. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The CEO of AEGON implemented  the same model  to inculcate change into the organization. The CEO realized the need for change and he came to the conclusion that the company is not doing well comparable to its competitors. The legislative restriction of price decreased the profitability Lack of brand awareness getting worst And difficulty of the  customers  understanding  the   aim  of  the  services offered by AEGON The above mentioned were the factors that required an immediate change into the organization at a large scale. The CEO conducted a SWOT analysis of the company and decided to develop a new behavioral framework for the staff which was known as 8 behaviors framework and also arranged managerial training for the workforce. He further addressed the stakeholders of the organization to communicate his vision to them by simplifying the financial services, developing a workforce and arranging a brand awareness campaign. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The CEO also communicated to the media about this change process and the reasons for change.   Hence   model   implemented   by   the   CEO   of  AEGON   UK   brought   about evident positive   change   to   the organization and gave it a new line of direction towards the desired goals and objectives. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Implementation of the model in  the organization, expected improvements and appropriate measures to monitor progress The plan for the change was implemented into the different stages like discovery phase to analyze where the AEGON is right now, where it wants to be and what actions are required to meet the objectives set by the head to become the best long term saving and   protection   business   into   the   UK. First phase revealed the reasons for changes and weaknesses and strengths of the organization. After the discovery phase the next step was to involve the appropriate stake holders into the process of change. The head of the AEGON involved various stakeholders in different effective manner as mentioned earlier.   The CEO further redeveloped the organizational behavioral framework and arranged the training of the staff members. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The   outcomes   of   the   efforts   made   by   the   CEO   were   extremely cheering and rewarding for the company. Before the change there was confusion among the people about the recognition of AEGON but after   the   strong   promotion   of   the   brand   AEGON   with   Scottish-Equitable created a more reliable image of the AEGON into the minds of the people. Moreover the brand carried a new more powerful and prestigious look as AEGON Scottish-Equitable. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The behavior of  the employees altered altogether. They behave with more customer oriented  approach.   Now   the   employees   are   concerned   to   provide   beneficial   services   to existing   and   prospective customers and the organization is always doing its level best to do what is really important to their customers.  (Strategic change management, n.d.). AEGON providing the levels of return guaranteed and being liable for any risks associated with doing so it reflects more probability about levels of income for the clients. As a result of the change applied by the CEO of AEGON, the company reconstructed its brand reputation, became more customer  oriented, started to provide more innovative services and became more popular amongst the consumers and finally the business has grown to a huge extent. The CEO planned to develop a new organizational behavior framework  to align the brand values of AEGON. (Strategic change management, n.d.). To entrench this culture, AEGON developed a behavior structure to maintain its brand values. It was intended to persuade how people at all ranks within the organisation might work and make decisions. These behaviors highlight the values of the organisation. They have assisted to build AEGONs culture and have also impacted its performance. AEGON also introduced a Management Development Program, supported by a top Management College. The eight behaviors are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Think customer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Embrace change à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage excellence à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Act with integrity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Decisive action à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work together à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn and grow à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Relate and communicate. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) Conclusion There is nothing permanent except change. It is continuous. The process of change is an expedition. Business organizations will always be influenced by external factors. AEGON responded to these factors by simplifying, clarifying and strengthening its brand in the UK. As organizations change, their patterns of behavior and business culture flourish. For AEGON, this is a cycle in which the business uses its knowledge to learn from its experiences. This has assisted AEGON as an organisation to move positively towards achieving its full potential and to stay competitive in a progressively difficult market. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) AEGON recognized a need to give itself a greater market presence. The change has made the organisation much more customer focused. As a result it is more effective.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Rationing of Healthcare

Due to the changing trends in lifestyle, there are a constantly increasing number of obese people in United States of America. Currently in America, more than 31% of the entire adult population is considered clinically obese while 16% of adolescents are also clinically obese. The numbers are even higher for younger children (WIN, 2009). Gastric by pass surgeries are also called bariatric surgeries. They entail reducing the size of the stomach and preventing the absorption of food by by-passing a part of the small intestine.There is an increasing popularity among the American population in the use of gastric by pass surgeries to facilitate weight loss. A normal bariatric surgery costs up to 25,000 US dollars (WIN, 2009). Apart from the surgery team and the healthcare workers, the surgery also requires additional follow up by nutritionists and psychologists. There are additional expenses for medication and medical tests before and after the surgery. Gastric by pass surgeries require in tensive patient care and in most cases are followed up by lengthy hospital admissions.Various complications may arise from gastric by pass surgeries often requiring readmission into hospitals. This is followed up by a lot of inpatient care which could otherwise be directed to other patients. 2) Selection Criteria For health reforms to facilitate cost reduction while maintaining clinical effectiveness, it is imperative that certain services be rationed unless in extremely critical cases. Gastric by pass surgeries have gained popularity in America as a quicker and less involving alternative to weight loss.Patients prefer gastric by pass surgery as compared to the effort it would take to loose weight normally through a change of lifestyle. More and more teenagers and young adults are filling up hospitals for gastric by pass surgeries. Gastric by pass surgeries should be exempted for all adolescents and young adults and in their place behavioral modification counseling should be emphasi zed. This will free up the already overworked nursing staff.When it is offered, it should only be given if there is a pre existing condition that prevents the patient from acquiring a more physically active lifestyle or modifying their diet. Currently, most insurance cover companies explicitly exclude obesity treatment or any type of weight loss treatment (WIN, 2009). Any related care incurred by the patient is not paid for by the insurance companies. Gastric by pass surgeries may however be paid for if the patient can prove a medical necessity leading to the need for the surgery.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples: No Longer a Mystery

Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples: No Longer a Mystery For others, it may seem to be tricky job. After discovering our website, you will no longer will need to bother friends and family with these kinds of requests. Several emails with attachments could be necessary. Please be aware, files ought to be in pdf format and cannot exceed 20 MB. Getting the Best Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples Choosing our service, you will understand that studying can be simple if you gain from the aid of competent experts. Because of the numerous risks, you're very likely to face when you order and pay for essay on the internet, you have to be careful when selecting the service to trust. Our customer support will gladly tell you whether there are any special offers at the present time, in addition to make sure you are getting the very best service our business can deliver. Location It is not clear but it might be among the strength elements for the GSA since they tried to draw the men and women in the cities and suburb girls. The workbook helps guide Scouts through the whole process from begin to finish, and ensures they are accountable and knowledgeable about their undertaking. You must demonstrate your eligibility to plan, develop and supply leadership on the project you select. It isn't important to us, whether you're too busy on the job concentrating on a passion undertaking, or simply tired of a seemingly infinite stream of assignments. It additionally provides a checklist to help keep tabs on your progress. Requests need to be made in person if at all possible, and thank you notes ought to be promptly written after receipt of the recommendation. Scholarships vary in the sum awarded. The Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples Game Attaining the Eagle rank is only a step on the very long journey. The Eagle Scout candidate was expected to plan, develop, and conduct a leadership service undertaking. Eagle Scouts aren't quitters. Becoming an Eagle Scout can provide you with many professional and individual advantages. Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples at a Glance It is a significant facet of emotional intelligence and an important part of maturity. Disciplinary actions are essential for a parent to accomplish being a great parent. While there are many qualities necessary to be a great parent, there are two primary qualities that each parent should consist of while raising their children. Fostering the capability to create friendships and working relationships. But What About Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples? Inside my opinion, family is where everything begins. I learned that all individuals are equal no matter their backgrounds. Therefore, many students and employees decide to purchase inexpensive essay rather than writing it themselves. It's work for which you won't ever be recognized, but it's the creative difference between residing in a well-constructed house and one where the builder cut corners. The plan is quite similar to the present badge. So because you can see the significance of the scout getting everything turned in whenever possible is critical. You must find the right set up for your house and get it installed. A Secret Weapon for Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples While it's a harmless gesture it's still a blow to my reputation as a critical instructor. Just remember to send your resume to us, and we'll contact you. Although she doesn't really discuss education that much. Along with possessing academic prowess, students who get the absolute most out of college is aware of what they want and are eager to work for it. Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples - Overview The cost of an essay is dependent upon the quantity of effort the writer has to exert. When it's tough to consider, think about any moment you did more than that which was expected of you, when you took additional responsibilities or any time you had the ability to aid someone in need. You should have your reasons, and our principal concern is that you wind up getting an excellent grade. Locate a quiet place and provide it some serious thought. Ideas for Eagle Scout Essay Samples: No Longer a Mystery If you already understand what you need your life to be about, this might be easy. Thus, give some thought about the story that you wish to tell. God has fostered the leaders and they'll be helpful for the perfect men and women in the proper way. He expects this man' (me) to be prepared and ready to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The United States Of The Declaration Of Independance

Calvin Coolidge spoke on July 5th 1926 in Philadelphia to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independance. Coolidge’s assertion was that over the 150 years we had remained true to the ideals in the Declaration. The basis of the document being all men were equal with unalienable rights is the backbone for our country and we had maintained it as our backbone. It may have been a bit of a rough road on the way but it had been done. He not only claimed we had remained true to the ideals, but because we had remained true we have moved forward in history rather than if we were to deny them which would lead us backwards toward the time where even if it was claimed all men were equal that claim was not used in society. Many different events in our history have supported Coolidge’s claims and assertions and a few of the key ones will be discussed throughout the duration of this essay. On December 6th 1865 the 13th amendment was ratified effective ly abolishing slavery in the United States of America. For almost 100 years slavery was legal based off of the original declaration. If we were to strictly follow the principles that were presented in the original document slavery would still be legal and a part of the country. This is where Coolidge’s assertion of needing a more modern view is correct. As we grew as a nation it became more apparent how slavery was wrong and something that needed to be taken out of our country. Our modern views acknowledgedShow MoreRelatedThe Declaration Of Independence By Elizabeth Cady Stanton937 Words   |  4 Pagessuffering from female discrimination, Women s Rights activist, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, wrote the declaration of Sentiments to declare independence for women from men. Stanton articulates how all men and women are created equal, in her declaration she outlines the injustices towards women by men in eighteen charges against the male dominant society. By modeling the declaration after Jefferson s Declaration of Independents she creates a patriotic tone in order to pursued all women and men, particularlyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Declaration Of Independance, Ain t I A Woman, And Letters From Birmingham Jail1153 Words   |  5 Pagesthe United States, the American Voice is the combined voices of the people who live in America and the mixing of thousands of different perspectives and ideas. The natural mixing of American culture leads to change whether for better or for worse, as time goes on, so does America and the American people. American literature commonly has strong themes of unity and equality. 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The whole point of this document being written was to declare to Great Britain and King George III that the British colonies in North America would no longer be a part of Great Britain, but rather of their own free states, thusRead MoreContributors to our Successful Government Essay853 Words   |  4 Pagesthe top contributors include; The Articles of Confederation, Thomas Paines Common Sense, Early State Constitutions, The Annapolis convention, And Thomas Jeffersons Declaration of independence ( the Preamble). In 1754, during the Revolutionary War the Continental congress created the Articles of Confederations, as a format for a United Government. The Articles of Confederation linked the 13 states together to deal with common problems, but in practice they did more than provide a legal basisRead MoreFeminism : A Feminist Perspective1083 Words   |  5 Pagesofficial delegate, and had only been denied permission because of her gender. This is what sparked her desire for equality. At the conference, The Declaration of Sentiments was presented. The Declaration of Sentiments was modeled in the same format as the Declaration of Independance. The declaration recieved signatures from 68 women and 32 men. The declaration demanded that women be recognized as citizens, just like the other half of the population. It presented some of the flaws in society and demandedRead MoreChristopher Columbus : What It America?983 Words   |  4 Pagescalled Hispaniola. He also explored the Central and S outh American coasts. July 4th 1776 Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independance was a letter from the thirteen American colonies (at the time), then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead they formed a new nation, the United States of America. Since then we have lost the actual signed paper but a signed copy that is knownRead MoreHow Revolutionary Was the American Revolution?1701 Words   |  7 PagesJersey all had significantly wealthy Representatives. In 1765, 36% of Representatives were classified as ‘Wealthy’ (over  £5000), 47% were classified as ‘Well-To-Do’ ( £2000- £5000), and 17% were classified as ‘Moderate’ ( £500- £2000). In 1785, for the State Legislatures, those respective numbers were 12%, 26%, and 62%. This shows, for one of the first times in history, the middle class is taking a role in politics. Contrary to the feudal, monarchical, and aristocratic governme nts in the past, the majority