Benefits of Outsourcing Activities-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthlep

Questions: 1.Discuss about hte Effectiveness and Usefulness Evaluation of Learning Experience. 2.Discuss about the Usefulness of Learning Experience. 3.Discuss about the Objectivity within Learning Process. 4.Discuss about the Application of Learning Process. Answers: 1.Effectiveness and Usefulness Evaluation of Learning Experience The current research has increased my understanding on the fact that outsourcing research is highly theoretical that explains motivators for risks, profits along with advantages. The research has also revealed that in real life the companies have a tendency to conduct cost savings are not associated within outsourcing activities. I have learned from the research that there are several benefits of outsourcing activities, which provides competitive advantages long with maintaining enhanced sustainability to companies (Schniederjans, Schniederjans and Schniederjans 2015). From the framework that was developed in the research, I have learned that the motivators that includes advantages along with risks that can facilitate companies in taking outsourcing decisions. I have learned that outsourcing serves as a famous practice within a company considers manufacturing products, conducting activities or provide with services for other companies that might perform in-house. I have evaluated that the research explained the ways in which companies use outsourcing strategy for saving costs and expenses. The learning experience gathered will help in revealing the risk factors that restricts a company in attaining outsourcing conducts. Such learning can also be valuable in evaluating certain motivating factors based on which outsourcing can be considered as effective option for companies (Dinu 2015). I will implement the gained knowledge through analysing several benefits of human resource outsourcing for this can offer simple access due to demographic and geographic barriers. I have also learned that outsourcing functions facilitates companies for effectively using skills, competence along with knowledge of people those reside in a long distance. 2.Usefulness of Learning Experience The learning experience gather after accomplishing the research is expected to serve effectively in my course, future career, education program and in my general life. I will also transfer along with implementing new insights and knowledge in the upcoming years (Boscor and Baltescu 2014). Such learning experience will facilitate me in perusing my career within a reputed organization and will facilitate me in better decision making regarding implementation of outsourcing activities that can enhance company productivity, increased staff efficiency, risk minimization and increased employee development related with attrition rate of in-house staff. Through attaining knowledge from the current research, I will be able to implement learning regarding technological development along with integration that can serve as a great approach for me in evaluating the challenges and advantages regarding outsourcing operations in contrast risks and challenges intensity (Schoenmaker, De Bruijn and Herder 2014). Through attaining such knowledge, I have attained the capability to realising technological benefit of outsourcing for the research will help me in developing most effective solution for business operations. The current research will facilitate me in accomplishing tasks related with the subject in a faster manner through outsourcing for the reason that with improved technology for the time consumed is less performed operations (Boscor and Baltescu 2014). 3.Objectivity within Learning Process In the learning process regarding outsourcing, advantages and disadvantages I have gathered that outsourcing encompass certain factors including technology, human resource along with service and labour outsourcing (Boscor and Baltescu 2014). Moreover, the learning process made me realise that here are certain disadvantages and advantages of human resource outsourcing as it offers great access to evaluation of demographic barriers. The learning experience is deemed to facilitate me in dealing with certain major concerns that is faced in outsourcing functions in the organization within which I will work in future (Cesarani 2014). The learning from the current research will facilitate me in monitoring, controlling and managing all the functions that my future company will consider to outsource. The learning process will facilitate me in recognising risks and problems that is supposed to be shared by my future company that might deal with outsourcing operations and activities. The learning has made me realise that innovation risk serves as a vital challenge for companies conducting outsourcing. I have gathered knowledge on the fact that in my career I might face a situation where my company can be highly prone to innovation risks because of sharing data to all its suppliers (Vaxevanou and Konstantopoulos 2015). Moreover, the learning process as also elaborated the fact that there exist some risk associated with innovation though synergy development. In my career, I can be capable to have enough integration of several competencies along with process innovations of my future company that might be involved in outsourcing tasks to all suppliers (Boscor and Baltescu 2014). 4.Application of Learning Process From the current research, I have learned that the companies that are dealing with outsourcing operations and activities share the issues and risks. The learning gathered from the research will facilitate me in gaining benefits from advantages of outsourcing in my future company. I will employ the gathered knowledge from the research in my future company through risk sharing, decreasing recruitment and operational cost, gaining promptness and expertise along with focussing on major process other than the supporting ones (Fedorenko 2014). I have earned that after outsourcing the non-core activities of my future company, it will be capable to focus on its core business process and strengthen them. I will use my learning experience from outsourcing through using its advantages in hiring employees in-house that can facilitate in decreasing operation and recruitment costs largely (Boscor and Baltescu 2014). The research on outsourcing business activities has made it clear that through outsourcing certain non-core activities my future company will be capable to concentrate its skill in advancing the key business activities along with decreasing work relationships to contractual and simple agreements. Through the current research, I have gained knowledge on the fact that I will be capable to make service offering in my company better with exceptional deliverables along with reducing lead-time that takes a product to reach to its target consumers (Boscor and Baltescu 2014). After completion of the research, I plan to implement functions such as payroll, transaction processing along with inventory management. References Boscor, D. and Baltescu, C., 2014. Romania's competitive advantages on the global outsourcing market.Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Economic Sciences. Series V,7(1), p.149. Cesarani, M., 2014. Competitive dimension of outsourcing relations in global networks.Journal of Management Policies and Practices,2(4), pp.97-112. Dinu, A.M., 2015. The risks and benefits of outsourcing.Knowledge Horizons. Economics,7(2), p.103. Fedorenko, R.V., 2014. Development of outsourcing in the customs sphere. Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J. and Willcocks, L.P., 2015.The Handbook of Global Outsourcing and Offshoring 3rd edition. Springer. Schniederjans, M.J., Schniederjans, A.M. and Schniederjans, D.G., 2015.Outsourcing and insourcing in an international context. Routledge. Schoenmaker, R., De Bruijn, J.A. and Herder, P.M., 2014. The dynamics of outsourcing maintenance of civil infrastructures in performance-based contracts. InEngineering Asset Management 2011(pp. 677-687). Springer London. Vaxevanou, A. and Konstantopoulos, N., 2015. Basic principles the philosophy of outsourcing.Procedia-Social an

Solent Essay free essay sample

However, it is not the purpose of this paper to examine these in detail. Instead, it will present two perspectives. The first agrees that standards are in decline and suggests some of the reasons for this: that technology enables increased academic cheating leading to a lowering of skills gained by students; that some institutions are lowering their pass standards in order to retain students; and that the cost of a degree forces too many students into part-time work and away from their studies.The opposite perspective asks whether these factors have the greatest impact when competition for university places is constantly on the increase, and industry demand for graduates is also very high. It also argues that academic skills and standards are increasingly being replaced by vocational or pragmatic skills and standards by both the new universities and by employers. Stuart Dent 2 Falling Standards The first issue that has an effect on university standards is that of the use of technolog y for cheating. We will write a custom essay sample on Solent Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Recent surveys (such as that conducted by the Association of Teachers and lecturers reported in BBC News, Jan 2008) suggest that that plagiarism is on the rise, in large part due to the ease with which computer technology allows copying of other peoples work. For the detent, the act of plagiarism means they are not gaining the skills and knowledge they would through a proper academic approach. In 2004, 25% of university students admitted committing plagiarism to some degree although more were suspected of cheating.Now over 80% of higher education institutions use Turning, a plagiarism detection programmer which sends out alerts if a copy has been made. (Education Guardian, 2006) There has also been a rise in students buying off-the-shelf essays. This is a relatively new service run by certain websites where student can log on, tell a specialist what hey are meant to be covering in an essay, and for a small fee, the essay is sent directly to them. This is problematic for all parties i nvolved even reaching out to potential employers. The student will lack the various skills that the university has promised to provide and therefore they go into the work place ill-equipped for the job. The second issue falls on the other side of the grading equation: the falling standards in assignment marking. A recent case at Vermouth University alerted external examiners to the possibility of seriously falling standards in assignment marking. A Professor Backhand ailed a quarter of his students because he deemed their work not of university standard, and the externals agreed.However, another member of university staff stepped in and graded the papers so all the students passed. (Alderman, 2008) This case highlights the potential problems involved in individual institutions awarding their own degrees not set to a national standard. A third issue with an impact on falling standards in student writing, and their work in general, is the subject of money and fees. University fees for the 2008/2009 academic year stand at EH,145 for EX. students and EH,200 for Stuart Dent 3 international students at all institutions (AAAS,2008). Nowadays, students have to pay their own fees.For those choosing to go to university despite the cost, the danger is that part-time work will over-shadow studying as students will be forced to work long hours in order to pay their bills. On a student website a member asked whether it was worth becoming a prostitute in order to pay off their debts and a third of the 1 32 voters agreed that they would. (Guardian Notebook, 2008). Although this is an extreme case, it highlights the point that standards may fall as students are forced to spend all their study mime at work in order to fund their university experience. Rising Standards In contrast to the last issue raised, it seems that the EH a year fees have not put students off applying for university for the academic year 2008/09. There has been an 8% rise in applications since last year meaning that competition for places in higher education is very high. This year Oxford had to turn away approximately 5000 students who achieved three As in their A- levels. Bristol and Manchester Universities also reported similar situations (Curtis, 2008).The high cost of attending university brings up the possibility hat, outside an elite of students from high-income families, only people who really intend to do well in higher education will pay. Despite the fact that critics argue A-Levels are getting easier because a record number of students are achieving top grades (Ibid), it can also be assumed that more teenagers are working harder for the top grade in order to get into university. With more students applying for university, places are harder to come b y; more students want to prove that they are good enough to be accepted. With this rise in A-Level achievers, universities are putting up their offer grades for prospective students. Traditionally the top universities would offer a student a place as long as they achieved three A grades at A-Level Stuart Dent 4 which is a total of 360 AAAS points. This year, with the standard of students so high, some courses at places like Cambridge have a ISAACS point average of 552 which means that people are getting at least four As and one B.A second indicator of rising standards is that university graduates are still considered valuable assets to major companies. Competition for graduate jobs is also at a record high. With a large percentage of young people having degrees there can be several hundred applications for one job. Large corporate companies like Merlin and Lloyd TTS now run successful graduate schemes in order to train people to be an asset to their company, proving that graduate input to these businesses is invaluable. Graduates are accepted onto the schemes dependent on passing a series of assessment test that can be grueling and highly skills based. Without a university education, these tests would be near impossible, showing off that the graduates coming out with degrees are well trained and are capable of contributing to a large company. A further development which may seem to have an impact on the employability of university graduates, and hence give evidence to the high standards they achieve, is the growth in new universities providing vocational courses.Vocational courses are favored and praised by employers in the industry as they take the pressure off employers to train new employees, and students are getting a wider knowledge of their chosen area, meaning they are better informed to make business decisions (The Times, 2008). This is not in any way condemning the more traditional degrees; It simply shows that universities are producing more all-round graduates, capable of going into a wid e range of industries. In their nature, vocational qualifications depend less on traditional academic standards for their evaluation.A vocational course, whether technical or creative, may rely much more on practical evaluations such as lab reports, experiment records or portfolios that encourage students to participate in and develop the kind of work-specific tasks and skills they will need to go on to industry. Stuart Dent 5 Some academics may criticism the newer types of institutions offering vocational degrees, arguing that these devalue the core degrees (science, geography, history etc). However, university league tables show that the odder university is very popular.Further, the types of qualification and skills provided by these universities are vital to modern industry. Less Ebbed, Vice- chancellor of Bedsores University argues, The UK has the largest creative sector in the ELI. The creative industries account for 7. 3 per cent of the economy. Innovation-active universities have played a major role in contributing to the success of the creative industries, by providing graduate- level education. The creative economy has been a key driver in the revisiting of cities and regions previously reliant on manufacturing industry.The Government should work with partners to challenge popular misconceptions that some creative industry courses are academically trivial and lack professional relevance. (Times, 2008) Formerly lower-ranking institutions such as Nottingham Trend, Napier and Southampton Solvent are beginning to make more of an impression on league tables with more students going straight into jobs after graduation and scoring higher in teaching criteria. Southampton Solvent University in particular has climbed 8 places on The Times Good University Guide with a 71% student satisfaction rate (The Times, 2008).In the context of traditional academic standards, and specifically academic writing, it could be argued that vocational education leads to a dropping or lowering of standards, given the emphasis on more practical forms of assessment. However, the opposing and very persuas ive argument is that what is represented is not a drop of standards, but a change in expectations to reflect a much more pragmatic approach to what a well- rounded and work-able university graduate is capable of. The high demands of the workplace, and the expectation that graduates enter it skilled for employment make a shifting of standards inevitable. Stuart Dent 6The Future The rise of the new university means that the shape of higher education is changing and developing. Students are encouraged to be more creative, express their own opinions and explore what they want out of their careers. Academics may not approve but employers do and this is proved by the fact that vocational students are coming out of university and getting jobs. There will always be jobs for people who come out of Oxford and Cambridge with good traditional degrees but national industries are becoming more rounded due to the wide variety of people graduating and people do attend university in order to get the job they want.As a result, commercial forces may dictate that, rather than seeking graduates who have well rounded academic writing skills, they will be looking for graduates who can show evidence of skills that have a much more direct application in any given specific field of employment. The increase in technology-enabled cheating may not have such a dramatic impact on the quality of graduates as has been feared. Stuart Dent 7 Conclusion The increase in plagiarism nationally could signify that the standard Of some students work has dropped dramatically. Instances of university departments lowering their pass standards also suggest this.However, the increasing variety of both traditional and vocational courses leads to a change in university teaching and assessment, and a change in expectation of what skills a well-rounded university graduate should achieve. As the emphasis on skills moves from academic to practical, the threat of academic cheating is lessened. This is emphasized by the fact that graduates are increasingly in demand from industry because of the skills they bring to the workforce. In this country, the growing cost on individual students taking degrees has meant that more students need to take on work during their studies.

Why Leadership and Love for Learning Are Related

Why Leadership and Love for Learning Are Related Does Every Leader Need The Love For Learning? Its always hard to write things on leadership as you always keep thinking what would happen if people hate what you write? Could my article discourage them? Or can they misinterpret my ideas and use them to manipulate others? I know this will happen. But there will also be a great number of people who will be asking the question, trying to change something in their lives. This is what keeps me going. Effective Leadership Skills This is a touchy subject for me as we may spend hours arguing about what leader should look like but will never find the solution as it depends on the team, field, purpose, type of work involved, and so much more. Learning for leadership very often involves things like public speaking, project management, and critical thinking. But I would be lying if I didnt mention two qualities which I believe play the most crucial role and are important for almost any sphere or field: empathy and love for learning. Key Definitions Lets begin our article with some key definitions we may have to refer to in the process:leader (n) a person who willingly makes the choice of leading the team or group of people. They are not bosses, babysitters, or friends who will be there for you 24/7. learning (n) the continuous process of acquiring new skills, knowledge, and keeping things in perspective love (n) non-stopping affection for something or someone, similar to the basic need of the lasting presence of the object in your lifeSo you may have guessed we will be addressing the question of love for learning as a part of leadership character. It also important to remember that developing leadership character takes years of practice, devotion, and patience and its not something you can train during a weekend. What is the Love of Learning? Let me explain what is the love of learning is. Okay, first of all not all people who love learning are geeks. Learning is about finding something great about everything you deal with finding something important about it. So I would say that the love of learning incorporates next things:meaning and purpose of learning. You have to understand why this particular thing or subject is important to you and in what ways it can contribute to your learning opportunities vs. challenges. Are you capable of looking at troubles as challenges and converting challenges into opportunities? regular reflection. How often do you actually take time to evaluate where you are and feel good about yourself?So in other words, love for learning is a desire to turn problems into opportunities and learn from every single situation in your life. Easier said than done. Many people would do that if it was easy. How are Leader Learnings Different from Most People? I know I may be blamed for speculation here, but I have to warn you. Im talking about perfect circumstances and effective leadership skills, so this is a perfect cases scenario we are talking about. Most people think they have to learn from experts and leaders of industry only. While there is nothing bad about it, I have to say that great leaders can learn from everyone and everything taking ideas, beliefs, and insights from people in their lives. Most people learn only things theyve majored in or things in their fields. There is nothing bad about professional growth, but successful leader understands that studying across different fields brings the perspective and helps find a creative approach towards the most complex and complicated problems. Most people learn when they are forced to, meaning when they have to get the degree or want to earn promotion. A smart leader understands the need for life-long learning and can acquire skills before they actually need them. A key to effective leadership is the ability to is to inspire others to learn. Can that be developed or it is a natural feature? I sincerely believe that almost every trait humans have can be taught or trained, so the question remains: how to inspire the love for learning in people?Encourage personal interest: the better we relate to the certain subject, the easier it will be to find any sort of interest in it. Ask questions and let people ask questions by creating a safe environment and making sure people can open up. Inspire the growth of the mindset. People who are satisfied with what they are can be good people, but they will never actually achieve anything great. Develop your own love for growth. Inspiring others by showing your personal example is amazing, so pay attention and take care of your own love for learning.So you really can teach other people this quality, under one simple condition: you have to have it! Summary Good leaders learn. It is that simple and unbeatable at the same time. Leadership is a life-long commitment to learning and the best thing you could do is love what you have to do. What is much harder is learning to inspire others and share the love you have in order to ignite the spark in them. Among all aspects of leadership, love for learning can be the most contagious one yet it can be the most tricky to share with others.

Haven't decided Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Haven't decided - Essay Example Next, it explains the reason why the state of nature leads to war. Moreover, it defines the first, second, and third laws of nature and their interrelationships. Finally, it asserts that the role of coercive power allows people to obey the laws of nature. A law of nature refers to a general law that comes from human reason, wherein people are restricted from acting destructively against life, or from removing the means to protect life, and, at the same time, this law requires people to pursue self-preservation (Hobbes 80). This view of the law of nature indicates that reason follows the basic instinct for the preservation of human life above all, most especially, one’s life before others. Hobbes knows that people find it reasonable to want to protect their life; hence, it refers to a law of nature. The fundamental interest of people is to protect their life, although the means to attaining it can vary. Following this reason in the state of nature inevitably leads to war because of the perceived belief that people have a right to defend themselves or to attack others for the goal of promoting their personal interests. Hobbes believes that people, by nature, are competitive and selfish. For instance, a king who has a piece of la nd may naturally want to expand it to improve his wealth and power. As a result, he will go to war with another king or any other people or group who possess land. The law of nature compels him to go to war. Nevertheless, the same law of nature suggests that people can also value their self-preservation by agreeing on peace, which also protects their lives and allows them freedom to pursue other rights. A king who does not want war may say to another king who desires war that he is willing to yield power to the latter. In this case, the former king uses reason to preserve his right to life without necessarily resorting to

Graduate level Economic question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Graduate level Economic question - Assignment Example The outlook beyond 2012 is positive, where investments from the EU, Japan, China etc resume, and banking hubs like HK and Singapore resume expansion in developed economies. The deficit shall continue to increase for the foreseeable future. The government is printing like never before to keep the impact from its citizens. Due to this huge unsupported cash in the economy, the result shall be a hyper-inflationary trend that shall fuel an even tighter control on spending from consumers. The result will be a sudden loss of the US dollar’s purchasing power, causing other countries to exit long term treasury bonds to safer pastures (Williams 13). As soon as that happens, the bottom will fall out of the markets, as the others’ fear of American collapse will not fuel the support to the dollar, as the US shall have internally made it’s currency worthless. Federal reserve Policies will focus on a sustained purchase of gold to back the huge amount of dollars not backed by any assets, thereby causing gold to soar, and therefore become unaffordable to America itself. The feds will have to raise interest rates to protect the dollar, causing a fur ther slowdown in demand (Williams

Tour Operations Essay Example for Free

Tour Operations Essay Aim and purpose The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ understanding of the dynamic and challenging world of tour operations and for them to appreciate the variety of tour operators’ products and services. Learners will gain knowledge of how tour operators plan, sell and administer a package holiday programme and will also develop practical skills to plan and cost a package holiday. Unit introduction Every year millions of people turn to tour operators to provide them with holidays to all corners of the world. In this unit learners will explore how tour operators link with different types of travel and tourism organisations to provide a wide range of holiday experiences. They will see that tour operators must respond to legislation and external influences, and also face many challenges in the constantly changing travel and tourism sector. Learners will investigate these challenges and the ways in which tour operators respond to them. Tour operators are at the forefront of the travel and tourism sector, constantly seeking out new destinations and holiday experiences to satisfy the ever-demanding and ever-changing needs of today’s holidaymakers. Different types of tour operators will be identified and learners will examine how they develop an extensive portfolio of products and services to meet differing customer needs. Whatever their size, tour operators must work through the same processes when planning, developing, selling and operating their holiday programmes. These different functions will be examined and time scales identified. Learners will find that tour operators compete in a commercially sensitive environment and they will identify how commercial considerations inform many of the business practices. Practical skills will be developed in the planning and costing of a tour operator’s package holiday, allowing learners to appreciate some of the commercial decisions to be made in this competitive industry. Learning outcomes On completion of this unit a learner should: Understand the tour operations environment Know the range of products and services offered by tour operators for different target markets Know how tour operators plan, sell, administer and operate a package holiday programme Be able to plan and cost a package holiday. Unit content 1 Understand the tour operations environment Links with other component industries: travel agents; transport providers; accommodation providers; providers of ancillary products and services eg insurance, car hire; horizontal and vertical integration Links with trade and regulatory bodies: The Travel Association (ABTA); Federation of Tour Operators (FTO); Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO); UKInbound; Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Legal framework: EU Package Travel Regulations; consumer protection eg Trades Description Act, Consumer Protection Act, Disability Discrimination Act; contract law; licensing eg Air Transport Operators Licence (ATOL) External influences: environmental eg hurricanes, floods; political eg terrorism, strikes. taxes; economic eg currency fluctuations, price of oil; social eg UK demographics, exploitation in host country; technological eg internet, computerised reservation systems Challenges: eg dynamic packaging, distribution channels, integration, budget airlines, maintaining market share, trend towards independent travel, responsible tourism 2 Know the range of products and services offered by tour operators for different target markets Tour operator categories: outbound; inbound; domestic; specialist; mass market Products and services: components of standard package; tailor made; range of destinations; accommodation choices; transport options; ancillary products and services Target market: eg families, couples, solo travellers, specific age groups, special interests, people with specific needs 3 Know how tour operators plan, sell, administer and operate a package holiday programme Planning: research; forecasting; product development; methods of contracting; costing the package; data input; timescales Sell: brochure production; pricing strategies; distribution eg travel agents, internet, direct sell; promotions eg advertising, sales promotions, sponsorship; reservations; commission; late sales Administer: confirmations; rooming lists; passenger manifests; errata; cancellations; amendments; travel itineraries; ticketing Operations: consolidations; load factors; over-bookings; transport operations; duty office; UK and overseas resort liaison; health and safety; emergency situations; crisis management; quality control; customer service (pre-, during and post-holiday); excursion sales Commercial considerations: maximising profitability; links to different planning, selling, administrative and operational functions 4 Be able to plan and cost a package holiday Plan: destination; transport; accommodation; excursions (included, optional); activities; additional services Cost a package holiday: using load factors; mark-up or profit margin; currency conversions; fixed costs; variable costs Assessment and grading criteria In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria for a pass grade describe the level of achievement required to pass this unit. Assessment and grading criteria To achieve a pass grade the evidence must show that the learner is able to: To achieve a merit grade the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass criteria, the learner is able to: M1 discuss the impact of challenges facing tour operators To achieve a distinction grade the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass and merit criteria, the learner is able to: D1 evaluate the effectiveness of tour operators in responding to challenges facing the sector recommend, with justification, how a selected tour operator could expand its range of products and services for its current target market or adapt its range of products and services to appeal to a new market. P1 explain the tour operations environment and the challenges it faces P2 describe the products and M2 analyse how a selected services provided by different tour operator’s portfolio categories of tour operator of products and services for different target markets meets the needs of its target market(s) D2 P3 outline how tour operators plan, sell, administer and operate a package holiday programme, identifying commercial considerations plan and cost a package holiday for inclusion in a tour operator’s programme [CT 1, CT 2, CT 3, CT 4, CT 5, CT 6]. M3 explain ways of maximising profitability during the different stages of planning, selling, administering and operating a package holiday. P4 PLTS: This summary references where applicable, in the square brackets, the elements of the personal, learning and thinking skills applicable in the pass criteria. It identifies opportunities for learners to demonstrate effective application of the referenced elements of the skills. Key IE – independent enquirers CT – creative thinkers RL – reflective learners TW – team workers SM – self-managers EP – effective participators Essential guidance for tutors Delivery It is likely that learners will have already identified the role of tour operators when examining the structure of the UK travel and tourism sector in Unit 1: Investigating the Travel and Tourism Sector. A simple recap would be useful and this could be achieved by asking learners to produce their own definition of tour operators and a summary of their role within the sector, perhaps producing a diagram that highlights their position within the  structure. Holiday brochures will help learners to identify how tour operators link with other component industries when providing and selling holiday packages. Links with trade and regulatory bodies and the legal framework could be researched in small groups, culminating in short, informal presentations. Vertical and horizontal integration can be a difficult concept for some learners and they will benefit from being given simple definitions, followed by practical tasks using the internet and holiday brochures to research one of the large in tegrated organisations. Findings could be presented in the form of a diagram and could then be compared with one of the integration charts that are produced from time to time by the trade press. Tutors will need to explain how the travel and tourism sector is constantly changing (which is why textbook models of integration are likely to be out of date). Learners will need to read the trade press regularly in order to keep abreast of changes of ownership and takeovers. Tutors could initiate a debate or discussion on the impact of integration to determine whether integration is a good or bad force within the sector, and about the challenges integration creates. Research activities could be developed to examine external influences including environmental, political, economic, social and technological influences. Hurricanes, the credit crunch, unemployment and terrorist activities are just a few occurrences that can present significant challenges for tour operators. A noticeboard could be created in the classroom to display any topical events or issues. Learners need to appreciate that there are hundreds of different tour operators, falling broadly into the categories of outbound, inbound, domestic, mass market and specialist. Learners, in pairs or small groups, could research to identify tour operators within each of the categories, and the range of products and services they offer. The internet is an excellent source of information, as are holiday brochures; however, tutors should discourage indiscriminate collection of holiday brochures. Learners will find that most tour operators have products and services that target different market segments and this will be reflected in some of the accommodation, travel, destination and ancillary services choices provided. Learners need to understand that all tour operators, whether large or small, carry out the same functions when planning, selling, administering and operating the holiday package. Larger tour operators may  have separate departments to carry out a particular function whereas a very small tour operator might have just one person responsible for a range of functions. A practical task could involve learners organising a college trip and relating the activities they carry out to the functions of tour operating. A visit to a large- or mediumsized tour operator would be very beneficial so that learners can see how tour operators work and how the different functions are carried out. Additional tutor input on planning, selling, administration and operations will be required. Activities using case studies can reinforce understanding of aspects such as different methods of contracting, currency considerations and pricing strategies. It is essential that learners develop a sound understanding of all functional areas. Discussions are to be encouraged to help learners appreciate commercial considerations, the difficulties tour operators have in making a profit and to identify ways in which profit can be maximised within the planning, selling, administrative and operational functions. In preparation for assessment, learners will need to practise designing and planning a package. Working in groups to a specific brief, they could practise by planning a college trip. As part of the planning, they would need to consider transport options, type of accommodation and board basis, excursions and activities. Each group could present their proposals to the class and vote on the most interesting proposals. Tutors should explain the terms ‘load factor’, ‘mark up’, ‘profit margin’, ‘fixed costs’ and ‘variable costs’ and then work through simple costing exercises to show how these terms are used. When learners have understood the process for costing a package, exercises should be designed to put this into practice. Tutors may need to devise additional exercises before learners become confident in working with these calculations.

Learning Styles: Differences In Children’s Minds Essay -- essays paper

Learning Styles: Differences In Children’s Minds Many Community college students are unable to exit remedial college preparatory programs and advance into credit courses (Rochford 2003). Experts may say it is due to the inability of teachers to teach using methods. Different people may have different learning styles. Student populations have become more diverse, the ability to teach to the needs of different learners has become increasingly important (Haar, Hall, Schoepp, & Smith 2002). Learning styles refer to the way students concentrate on, process, internalize, and recall new and difficult information. Most people have preferences, but individual preferences differ. The stronger the preference, the more important it is to provide compatible instructional strategies (Rochford 2003). The Dunn and Dunn Learning-style model illustrates elements that influence that way people learn new material. Great achievement while introducing new material may be achieved if certain stimuli are considered:  · Environmental - sound, light, temperature, design  · Emotional – motivated, persistent, structure, responsible  · Sociological – alone, pair, peers, team, adult, varied  · Physiological – food, time, mobility  · Psychological – global, analytic (Rochford 2003). Understanding these stimuli is the first step in mastering the art of teaching the correct method to the correct learning style. The three basic learning styles include the visual, the auditory, and the kinesthetic learner. Each type of learner has distinct characteristics and skills. Visual Learning Visual learners need to see the material. Information seen in charts, diagrams, or pictures is remembered... ... http://bcps.org/offices/lis/models/tips/styles/html Miller, S, (2000). The learning styles survey. Retrieved October 16, 2004 from http://www.metamath.com/lsweb/fourls.htm Penn State York University. Auditory learners. Retrieved November 20, 2004 from the world wide web: http://www.yk.psu.edu/learncenter/acskills/auditory.html Rochford, R. (2003). Assessing learning styles to improve the quality of performance of community college students in development writing programs: a pilot study. Community College Journal of Research & Practice, 27.8, 665-677. Sabry, K., & Baldwin, L. (2003). Web-based learning interaction and learning styles. British Journal of Educational Technology, 34.4, 443-454. Svati, C. & Pratibha, M. Visual learners. Retrieve November 20, 2004 from the world wide web: http://www.nalandainstitute.org/aspfiles/visual.asp