The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost - 1286 Words

Everyone faces choices in life on a daily basis. You decide what you want to eat in the morning and if you wear pants or shorts that day. Everything is a choice, however, no one can tell how each path will turn out, so saying the road less taken is the better choice has no evidence and is a useless statement. In his poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken,† Robert Frost gives thought about taking the road less traveled and how it has made a difference in his life, however each road is actually equal in taking and both can have positive and negative effects and there is technically no actual â€Å"road less traveled†. Frost doesn’t say whether the difference is positive or not which leaves the overall theme of this poem unclear, especially seeing as he contradicts himself on many occasions. When someone faces a choice in their life they look at how each choice will play out. They look at the pros and cons of every choice and then they try to decide off of which will be the better choice. However, if they don’t know how the path will end out then they try to decide which to take just by a guess. Some people think taking the path that not a lot of people take is the better choice. Frost’s poem is perceived in this notion by some people. The beginning of Frost poem talks about the coming to the diverging roads. This is simple enough. â€Å"And sorry I could not travel both;†. Frost wants to travel both roads so he could decide which to take. This is the same experience everyone has when faced with aShow MoreRelatedThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost983 Words   |  4 PagesThe poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken was written by Robert Frost, a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner in poetry, and also a special guest at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration (Robert Frost Biography). Frost was born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, California and he died of complications from prostate surgery on January 29, 1963. Much of Robert’s popularity was gained throughout Europe (An Analysis of Robert Frost’s Poem: The Road Not Taken). Frost became a poetic force, and the unofficial poetRead MoreThe Road Not Taken by Robert Frost764 Words   |  3 PagesWritten by Robert Frost, â€Å"The Road Not Takenâ₠¬  deals with about making choices in life and how those choices affect your whole life. The meter of this poem is iambic tetrameter, for the most part. In most lines, the meter follows the rule with four iambs, which means that there is one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. But the meter is not normal since, in some lines, an anapest, which means there are two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable, is substituted forRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1173 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Frost, one of America’s well-known poets is highly regarded for his realistic illustrations of rural life and poetry which is still relevant in today’s society. After being honoured on numerous occasions, he became one of America’s most popular public figures. Frosts’ poems reflect his greatness and his life in a variety of ways after he was confronted with such despair and grief after the passing of his father due to tuberculos is at just eleven years of age and his mother who passed awayRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost995 Words   |  4 Pagesthey can only move forward hoping for the best. â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, Robert Frost, 1916. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken† a traveler is strolling through the woods and comes across two different roads he could take, and unable to travel both the poet eventually chooses which path to take. The theme conveyed is about making choices. Frost does this through the use of diction, the use of figure of speech, and the use of imagery. To start with, Frost displays the main idea of decision making by the wordsRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1055 Words   |  5 Pagesago. Either way, if you admit it now or in the wee hours of the night, like most people, you will come across this question at least once in your life. Robert Frost was able to grasp this raw, vulnerable life changing moment in the palm of his hand. Then he beautifully laid it out in the form of words in the narrative poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken†. Frost is able to take you back to a time when you have been faced with a life-changing decision. Then, causing you to ask yourself â€Å"Did I make the right choiceRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost940 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Road Not Taken† was written by Robert Frost in 1916, and it was the first poem in the collection Mountain Interval (Shmoop). Even though it was written many years ago, people of all ages still study this enticing poem. Frost wrote about coming to a fork in the woods and examining which path he should take and whether he might ever come back; the speaker believes each path is fine to take, but he takes the less used path (line 6). He wrote about this decision in clear, standard English. â€Å"TheRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost863 Words   |  4 PagesThe Poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, by Robert Frost is a detailed poem about a conflict in a person’s life, dealing with having to take the right path throughout life. The Narrator of this poem is faced with a predicament when he comes across two paths. The choices that he makes in his life, can alter the future for better or worse. This poem describes his attitude and emotion towards his choices as well as, shows examples of themes, mood, and different literary devices. The title of this poem canRead MoreThe Road Not Taken, By Robert Frost968 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Response 3 Title: The Road Not Taken Text Type: Poem Author: Robert Frost The poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost is about the â€Å"roads† and different paths we take in our lives. Frost wrote about a traveler who had to chose between two roads. He had to decide if he wanted to go down the well used or less used path. In the end, he went down the less used path. The theme of decision making and choices is shown in this poem. I think that this is a way of describing the choices we makeRead MoreRoad Not Taken, Robert Frost942 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 101 Burstrem October 7, 2009 The Road Not Taken Life is full of choices and decisions that could ultimately change the outcome of our lives. In the poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost, a traveler is destined to make that decision. This traveler man has to decide which road to take, one that is frequently traveled, and the one that is not. After contemplating which road to follow, he comes to the decision to take the road less traveled because he doesn’t want to follow inRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1100 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Frost reflects that poetry â€Å"begins in delight and ends in wisdom†¦.It runs a course of lucky events , and ends in a clarification of life—not necessarily a great clarification, such as sects and cults are found on, but in a momentary stay against confusion† (931). His poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a clarification of life. This paper will analyze and evaluate the formal elements of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† and consid er how these elements work together to fit the author’s purpose and clarification

Operations Management At Kudler Fine Foods Essay - 1405 Words

Table of Contents i. Introduction. ii. Business process affected and how they would be affected. iii. Effects on Kudlers supply chain iv. Quality control tools and performance standard needed. v. Conclusion. vi. References. Introduction Kudler Fine Foods founded by Kathy Kudler in 1998 to provide ingredients needed for gourmet meals in one location. Kathy began the company with one store, which turned a profit in the first year. The company now consists of three stores in different cities of California. The organization and culture at Kudler focuses on the customer and the employees. Based on it success in the business, Kudler intends to contract with local growers of organic produce, and in doing so bypasses the old method of†¦show more content†¦Previously, Kudler Purchasing Function receives the sales data from each location at the end of each shift. The sales data is combined, the applicable inventory accounts are credit, and the business rules determine if a purchase order should be submitted. Now, that Kudler buys directly, they need to have a modify the business rule concerning business order. Produces are seasonal, so in order to have all year long fresh produce, storage methods have to come into play. Failure to develop a fully functioning storage system can lead to a loss in terms of perishable inventory in terms of the produce. The purchasing unit now requires a knowledgeable agriculturist that helps them in their decision-making as far as the produce purchase is concerned. The quantity discount purchases and the number of days since last order no longer applies to the business rules created. The business rules for Kudler include but are not limited to: Quantity of inventory on hand, Quantity discount purchases, Number of days since the last order. (Kudler). Inventory at hand can be looked upon as to that which they now have in their storage that was previously purchased, but the quantity discount purchases given to them previously by their vendors no longer applies that they no but directly. Decisions are made on what merchandise to continue and discontinue selling. (Kudler) The decision-making on this part would be more difficult to make now, that they buy inShow MoreRelatedOperations Management at Kudler Fine Foods2693 Words   |  11 PagesKudler Fine Foods is a profitable upscale specialty and gourmet food store with three locations in La Jolla, Del Mar and Encinitas, California. Kudler’s mission is to provide customers with the finest in selected foodstuffs, wines, and related needs in an unparalleled consumer environment (Apollo Group, Inc., 2006). Customers visiting Kudler stores demand specialty and fresh organic foods. To keep customers satisfied, Kudler must offer excellent quality products and ensure product availability. Read MoreKudler Fine Foods Operations Management1429 Words   |  6 PagesKudler Fine Foods (KFF) was founded by Kathy Kudler in the San Diego metropolitan area in 1998. Kathy developed a business plan for the store due to a need for an upscale specialty food store in La Jolla. After opening KFF on June 18, 1998 and concluding a profitable year, she opened a second and third store (Kudler Fine Foods, 2008). KFF has seen strong success and now must ensure continued growth by expanding services, improving the efficiency of operations, and increasing the consumer purchaseRead More Creating a Problem Statement for Kudler Fine Foods Essay1158 Words   |  5 Pagesfor Kudler Fine Foods Kudler Fine Foods is a gourmet grocery store chain located in the San Diego California area. The vision of Kudler Fine Foods is to become the premiere gourmet grocery store for shoppers who are interested in purchasing the finest meats, produce, cheese and wines (Kudler 2003). After opening its first store in La Jolla, California in 1998, Kudler Fine Foods (KFF)Read MoreInventory Turnover1096 Words   |  5 Pagesratio showing how many times a company’s inventory is sold and replaced over the period of time. The risk of Kudler Fine Foods was to make sure that their perished goods had a fast inventory turnover rate. The importance of high inventory turnover was expected to protect the brand’s integrity and vision of keeping all goods fresh. Inventory turnover is considered a key measure of management efficiency. It is a measure of how often, during a course of a year, a company sells and replaces its inventoryRead MoreKudler Fine Foods Virtual Organization Essay931 Words   |  4 PagesKudler Fine Foods Virtual Organization Kudler Fine Foods is an upscale specialty food store touting the very best domestic and imported products in the San Diego metropolitan area. To understand the success of the organization this paper will show the primary functions of management and who is responsible for each function at Kudler. In this paper the subject to describe is how Kudler’s management uses the Internet and technology in daily processes for greater success. Finally, the paper will citeRead MoreKudler Fine Foods: Strategic Planning1729 Words   |  7 PagesKudler Fine Foods: Strategic Planning Kudler Fine Foods (Kudler), a gourmet shop, has recently decided to add organic produce to its product line up and implement a catering service. Actuating this business venture will affect Kudler s suppliers, employees, and consumers. The focus of this paper is to explore how changes in technology have created business opportunities for Kudler, identify the strategy that Kudler should pursue, explore some of the tactics the organization should implementRead MoreKudler Fine Foods: Analysis of the Market Structures and Strategic Planning1079 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract This paper presents an analysis of the market structures, strategic planning, market environment, and internal environment of Kudler Fine Food in order to suggest the best market structure which can be helpful for its long-term profitability and recommend strategies which can make it more competitive and successful among its industry rivals. Difference between Market Structures There are four types of market structures: Monopolistic Competition, Monopoly, Oligopoly, and Perfect CompetitionRead MoreOverview of Management at Kudler Fine Foods, Virtual Organization1423 Words   |  6 PagesThis text is about Kudler Fine Foods, a virtual organization, used for the purpose of give an overview of management. This will identify the primary functions of management through the description of whom is responsible for each function at Kudler, explaining how technology and internet are used nowadays and how affects the management of the organization, and illustrating each of the five forces from Porter’s Model. Kathy Kudler was the VP of Marketing of a large defense contractor company andRead MoreKudler Fine Foods: Overview of Management1109 Words   |  5 PagesKudler Fine Foods is an up scaled epicurean gourmet food shop that was founded in 1998 by Kathy Kudler. Kathy Kudler has opened three stores her first store opened in La Jolla in1998, her second store opened in Del mar in 2000, and the third store in Encinitas in 2003. Kudler Fine Foods uses the internet and intranet to keep up important records for their employees and customers. Allowing their management to follow through as needed on its employees and keep accurate data. The intranet allowsRead MoreNeed for a Change Process Within the Accounting Department of Kudler Fine Foods1586 Words   |  6 PagesHeader: KUDLER FINE FOODS VIRTUAL ORGANIZATION 1 Need for a Change Process within the Accounting Department of Kudler Fine Foods Virtual Organization Abstract The Kudler Fine Foods is located in the metropolitan area of the San Diego. It is a local upscale specialty food store. The very best imported and domestic foodstuffs are stocked in all the stores of this company. The Kudler Fine Foods has five departments, namely: Fresh Produce, Fresh Bakery and Pastries, Condiments and Packaged Foods, Fresh

Exposure Draft Differs Current Insolvency - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Exposure Draft Differs Current Insolvency? Answer: Introducation The current law on insolvent trading imposes a positive duty on directors of preventing insolvent trading.[1] By virtue of that law, a director is required to prevent a company from incurring debts if it is already insolvent or if by incurring those debts, it runs into insolvency. Section 588G (1) provides that there are reasonable grounds upon which a director may assume that the company is running into debt. A director is deemed to have engaged in insolvency trading if that company incurs debt and; becomes insolvent as a result of the incurred debt; there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the company would become insolvent; the director has knowledge of those grounds or a reasonable person in the same scenario would be aware; and the director did not prevent the incurring of debt by the company.[2] Section 95A defines insolvency as the inability to pay all the debts as and when they become due. The Australian Governments Exposure Draft titled Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Inventive No. 2) Bill 2017 makes proposals for amending the Corporations Act. The amendments in the draft Bill under Part 1, will exclude company directors from personal liability for insolvent trading by creating a safe habour in cases where a company undertakes restructure in particular circumstances. The intention of the Exposure Draft, particularly Part I of the same, is operating as a carve-out from the duties of a director to prevent insolvent trading.[3] Its objective is to save businesses and nurture a turnaround culture.[4] The major difference between the current insolvency laws and the Exposure Draft is that the current law is focused on the creditor and prefers the creditor to the rehabilitation of companies.[5] To fully capture the differences between the Exposure Draft and the current insolvency laws, the following section critically analyses the effectiveness of Part I of the Expo sure Draft. Discussion on the Effectiveness of Part I of the Exposure Draft and Critical Analysis The Exposure Draft has introduced a safe harbour from personal liability to insolvent trading. This it has done by introducing section 588GA just below section 588G, which contains the safe harbour provisions. The safe harbour is expected to operate as a carve-out to directors from the section 588G (2) provisions of civil insolvent trading. This paper notes that the Exposure Draft limits how the carve-out operates. For instance, directors must demonstrate that they were taking reasonable steps likely to achieve a better outcome for the entirety of the creditors and company. Directors are precluded from taking passive roles or from allowing a company to trade normally during financially difficult times or undertaking recovery plans. Furthermore, directors can only rely on the safe harbour if they were taking appropriate courses of action to ensure compliance with the companys duty of maintaining proper records and books, provision for entitlements to employees and tax reporting requir ements. Where a liquidator has already been appointed, directors who withhold books and records do not fall under the protection of the safe harbour. The Exposure Draft also outlines a list of factors that a court may consider to establish that a reasonable course of action was undertaken to lead to a likely better outcome for the company and creditors thereof. It is important to note that the limits set in the Exposure Draft are not intended at making provision for a company to trade past its viability. Accordingly, it is notable that discretion is left to the courts to determine if the circumstances of each case are meritorious for qualifying for the safe harbour. Also, it is noteworthy that the scope of mounting a defence based on a companys circumstances is considerable. The burden of proof is on a liquidator who alleges that section 588G was contravened to argue and prove that the safe harbour is not applicable since a director failed to take reasonable steps; Evidential Burden of Proof The Exposure Draft proposes the evidential burden mechanism. The Explanatory Memorandum explains that directors bear the burden of proof. The onus is on a director to furnish the relevant information, books and not to withhold any.[6] Such evidences are examined by the liquidator who then makes a determination of whether more material is required. For a director who seeks to place reliance on the safe harbour provisions, the initial evidentiary burden is lowered.[7] This evidential burden is reasonable since it gives room for identifying issues that are relevant. In addition, it is in line with the principle that a plaintiff establishes the wrong that a defendant is alleged to have committed. The safe harbour provision addresses numerous issues such as timing of insolvency. This gives ample opportunity to directors for undertaking rational decision making processes devoid of fear of liability. It also assists directors to make sure that the balance within the law is not fundamentally altered while offering protections to the company and creditors from recklessness where a company has already entered into debt.[8] According to ARITA, the safe habour provisions must not be deemed as relaxing the responsibilities of directors but one that heightens them. Beneficial and positive governance thresholds must be met before invoking the business judgement rule.[9] The Restructuring Advisor The Exposure Draft proposes the mandatory appointment of a restructuring advisor by a company that is in insolvency. Such appointment should be a recommendation and not mandatory to enable good corporate governance, which a company adopts voluntarily. This mandatory requirement is flawed and may give rise to unnecessary problems since it disempowers directors.[10] A myriad of issues affect business performance, for example, business cycles, international relations, demographic changes and the general economy, among other factors. A company may have adopted an appropriate strategy and all that is needed to manifest positive changes may be some more time or a few tactical changes. Engaging the services of an external advisor too early may not be favorable to a company or creditors and only serves the purpose of undermining the directors and not demonstrating confidence and trust in them. Hence, the reputation and morale of a company is likely to be affected adversely. If the appointmen t is mandated, it may only be a short while before it becomes mandatory to disclose the appointment. Even if the restructuring adviser is to be appointed by the company, the requirement for accreditation should be removed at the very least. The Australian Institute of Company Directors in their submission of 2016, at page 5, recommend an approach that is principle based rather than the prescriptive approach proposed by the Exposure Draft. Very business differs and under the ever changing circumstances, there is a plethora of needs. No accreditation can ever suffice to cater for the ever changing nature of business.[11] Accordingly, the decision for appointment of a restructuring adviser should be left at the discretion of the company if is so elects. It is important that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission keep a register containing the names and education, qualifications and codes of professional conduct of restructuring advisors. Viability The policy objective underpinning the Exposure Draft proposals in introducing a safe habour is provision of a moratorium where directors are able to turn around the business. The consequence is better returns for creditors and the continual use of assets in a productive manner as opposed to a fire sale. In this regard, this paper agrees that the restructuring advisers role would be formulating an idea as to the viability of a company. However, although it is agreeable that the test for viability should be avoiding insolvent liquidation, this paper does not agree that the appropriate method of determining viability is return to solvency. This is more so in light of the stringent test for solvency in the current law of the Corporations Act. In numerous instances where corporate groups have been successfully restructured, there are companies that were wound up when their business assets were sold, and this exemplifies a rescue of a business that is viable by selling it to a new owner. Disclosure This paper considers that any reforms made to the personal liability for directors for insolvent trading must not be at the expense of suppliers, customers, employees and innocent creditors who are bona fide in their dealings with the company assuming that it is solvent. In other words law reform on duties of directors as relates to insolvent trading should not be at the sacrifice of protection of creditors. Informed markets should necessarily be the cornerstone of approaches to laws on insolvency trading.[12] Under the Exposure Draft, directors are not required to reveal whether they are carrying on business in a safe harbour. Under the current law as constituted, confidentiality applies to situations where there are work-outs and restructurings. With regard, therefore to disclosure, there is no change between the proposals and the current law as creditors are still uninformed. It is noteworthy that trade supplier creditors are required to be secured by virtue of the provisions of t he Personal Properties Securities Act 2009(Cth). Hence even though the safe harbour provisions to directors in insolvency are introduced creditors who fail to protect themselves will lose their goods. With respect to public listed companies, the Exposure Draft is neutral, since it leaves the decision to disclose that the company is in a workout under the continuous disclosure rules to the public to the directors. This position is arguably reasonable since it would not be reasonable for a company to disclose such information at a time it is undertaking a business rescue. Effectiveness of the Exposure Draft Based on the above discourse, the question is how effective is Part I of the Exposure Draft. The answer to this question is not as straight forward as it may seem. It is a matter that is subject to much ongoing deliberation and analysis. The Australian Institute of Company Directors (2017, p.1) has noted that if the proposed reforms are effectively designed, they will foster innovation and entrepreneurship by encouraging directors and companies to take responsible risks. Accordingly, whether Part I of the Exposure Draft is effective or not is dependent on how effectively they will be designed. The design of the proposals will be achieved through incorporating the various views expressed by the respective stakeholders as above-discussed and thus making necessary adjustments to the law. However, overall, this paper strongly supports the reforms to Australias insolvency laws which are considered to be among the worlds strictest insolvency laws. Conclusion To answer the question as to: whether the amendments should proceed as drafted; or if the current law should remain; or if other amendments should be made, this paper answers as follows. There is no doubt, need for the proposed amendments as the current insolvency law is draconian, especially when benchmarked against global insolvency laws. The changes are needed to implement a cultural shift and minimize the impact of the stigma that attends to business failure.[13] Indeed, changes are necessary to strike a balance between creditor protection and encouraging entrepreneurship.[14] However, further amendments should be made to the Exposure Draft proposed amendments to fine tune the law and make it more economically viable. The following are the recommendations this essay makes. References ARITA (Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association) 2014, A Platform for Recovery 2014, Discussion Paper, October, p.13. Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws, Treasury.gov.au, 2016, https://www.governanceinstitute.com.au/media/881308/final_submission_insolvency_law_reform.pdf (accessed 18 September 2017), p.5. Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), National Innovation and Science Agenda Improving corporate insolvency law, Treasury.gov.au, 2017 https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2017/06/C2017-010_Australian-Institute-of-Company-Directors-UPDATED.pdf (accessed 20 September 2017). Australian Shareholders Association, Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2 Bill), https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2017/06/C2017-010_Australian-Shareholders-Association.pdf, 2017 (accessed 17 September 2017). Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Davis, H, Insolvency Law Reform - Submissions of Henry Davis York, https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2017/06/C2017-010_Henry-Davis-York.pdf, 2017 (accessed 17 September 2017). Dong, L, Submission Regarding Insolvency Law Change, 2017, https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2017/06/C2017-010_Dong-Lin.pdf, 2017 (accessed 17 September 2017). Governance Institute of Australia, Insolvent Trading: A safe Harbour for Reorganisation Attempts Outside of External Administration, Treasury.gov.au, https://www.governanceinstitute.com.au/media/37076/Final_submission_revised_business_judgment_rule_insolvency.pdf, 2010, p.2. KordaMentha Restructuring, Improving Corporate Insolvency Law Exposure Draft 2017, https://static.treasury.gov.au/uploads/sites/1/2017/06/C2017-010_KordaMentha.pdf, 2017 (accessed 17 September 2017). Law Council of Australia, Submission in response to the Treasury National Innovation and Science Agenda Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws, Treasury.gov.au, https://www.lawsociety.com.au/cs/groups/public/documents/internetpolicysubmissions/1176437.pdf, 2016 (accessed 18 September 2017), p.1. Productivity Commission 2015, Business Set-up, Transfer and Closure, Draft Report, Canberra, p.353. The Treasury, 2017. Explanatory Memorandum - National Innovation and Science Agenda - Improving corporate insolvency law. Canberra: The Treasury, pp.5-18. The Treasury, Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws Proposals Paper, 2016, Canberra: The Treasury, pp.10-15. Westpac Banking Corp v Bell Group Ltd [2012] WASCA 157 CACV 52 of 2009 pp. 517-18. Winter, J, Improving bankruptcy and insolvency laws Proposals Paper April 2016, p.1

KARMA Essays (2146 words) - Shabda, Reincarnation, Spirituality

KARMA The doctrine of Karma is a spiritual doctrine based on the theory of cause and effect. Although Karma does not exactly fit the definition of supernatural phenomenon it is a spiritual doctrine based on the philosophy that God is not responsible for the happiness or failure of an individual, rather, we as individuals are solely responsible for the consequences of our own behavior. The concept of Karma has two major interpretations; the most common approaches are to the idea of reincarnation, particularly in the West where the idea has almost no existence. In the East, people believe in reincarnation and hold a fatalistic idea of Karma. I favor neither westerner nor easterner extremist approaches to Karma Doctrine. I on the other hand favor only the basic concept of the Karma, since it has gradually inspired me to become a better person. It has motivated me to neglect the satisfaction of my enlarging ego and instead it has encouraged me to take responsibility for my actions; hoping tha t with this attitude, I might one day achieve peace of body and mind. The West shows almost no interest in the law of Karma. This is due to its strong links to reincarnation. Most westerners refuse to believe in the transmigration of souls. Believing that you could be a human being in one life and an animal in the succeeding life, is a basic idea of reincarnation that some of us refuse to accept. For example, the act of swatting a fly could be perceived as killing a person, perhaps your mother in a past life. I myself have a hard time believing in such occurrence. If in fact westerners show interest in reincarnation, it is only with a skeptical curiosity of knowing who they were in previous lives. In the west, no serious research is done on the subject. As stated in the short story The Politics of Being Mortal, "?the arrogance of Western science seeking to master rather to work with nature."(Making Contact, pg. 618). Western society refuses to attempt a true understanding of the spiritual and mystical forces in the soul and in nature. The influence of Christianity in the Western Hemisphere has left us with the belief that God chooses to punish or reward your actions in life and perhaps in heaven or hell. "Christianity which holds the soul works out its rewards or punishments in a single lifetime. The closest mentioning of Karma is in the biblical scripture: '?for whatever a man sowest, that shall he reap.' (Gal. 6:7)" www.sconline.com. The non-religious western believe that we are in full control of our own destiny, which we are to some extent, but that there is no greater law governing our life is not, in my opinion, entirely true. Good and bad Karma must not be regarded as a reward or punishment, but just simply as a consequence of your actions. The East is a devoted believer in reincarnation and consequently in the Law of Karma. In the east as well as in the west, Karma is viewed with extreme viewpoints. They believe that their status in this life is a consequence of their actions in a previous life. Drastically differing from the west, easterners humbly accept their destiny and believe it cannot be changed. Unlike westerners, fatalistic eastern people are not really curious to find out what they were in the past life. The eastern society believes that the reason for having an unhappy and miserable life is due to The Law of Karma. That is, they have no doubt that they deserve the misery they are in now because of the terrible person they once were in their preceding existence. It is within their beliefs that if they accept their punishment calmly and try to be good in this lifetime that they will be rewarded with higher status next time around. In my opinion, the acceptance of the Law of Karma on that basis is too extreme and even pathetic. The Orient's extremist viewpoint of Karma is clearly reflected in their failure of democracy and social happiness. Both the western and eastern perspective on the principle of Karma is too extreme. The western society is too unconcerned in respect to reincarnation. Westerners

Global Marketing Strategies

Global Marketing Strategies The global market has experienced a lot of competition in the recent past from rival companies of each service produced. The market has turned from being monopolistic to perfect competition market. One such example is the market of carbonated soft drinks simply referred to as soda.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Global Marketing Strategies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are various companies producing soft drinks including brands like the Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Schweppes. Of the aforementioned three brands, Coca-Cola is one of the oldest existing companies established in 1944 in the United States. In terms of market penetration, Coca-Cola has managed to distribute its products to over 200 countries round the globe (Mikkelson and Mikkelson, 2001, p.1). The dominance that Coca-Cola has globally is attributable to a businessperson by the name Griggs Candler, who after purchasing the company initiated strong marke ting tactics that led to its success. In order to perfectly venture into the market, Coca-Cola produces new brands of its soft drink including diet coke, caffeine-free Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola vanilla just to mention a few. In addition to this, the company distributes soda fountain concentrates to food service distributors as well as restaurant who prepare the drink at first hand to the customers. In addition to this, the packaging materials used by Coca-Cola are attractive and durable thus attracting more customers. In short, the marketing strategy of Coca-Cola Company is one of the best leading to its dominance in the global market. Pepsi-Cola is another company that specializes in producing soft drinks. The rivalry between Pepsi cola and Coca-Cola reached the top in the 1970s leading to the ‘cola wars’ (Louis and Harvey, 1980). In this, the Pepsi company came up with faulty results from tests they had conducted to suggest that consumers preferred their products to tho se of Coca-Cola. These are some of the marketing strategies that Pepsi has used over the years in a bid to conquer the market. Pepsi had a slogan that played on radio and the television to attract consumers to their products. In addition to this, the Pepsi Company made use of the services of an artist by the name Polly Bergen in order to promote its products. The most recent marketing strategy by Pepsi is that of re-designing their company logo. The logo together with the production of new brands of drinks such as the regular, diet and Pepsi max have been a breakthrough in the market penetration of Pepsi drinks.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Schweppes is another of the soft drinks brand produced by different companies depending on the location. This company has specialised in the production of carbonated water and ginger ales, making it different from the other t wo companies discussed above. The most common marketing strategy that the company has used is derived from the sound of gas that is normally produced in the process of opening the tin bottle. Therefore, most of their commercials on the television and radio use onomatopoeia of â€Å"Schhhhh†¦..Schweppes† which has helped in market penetration of their brands. In fact, the packaging used by Schweppes has greatly contributed to the success of the brand, as people prefer the tin cans to the glass bottles mostly used by other companies. From the above discussion, it is clear that the marketing strategy that a company chooses is the determining factor of it success (Kotler and Keller, 2009). The three companies discussed above, have different marketing strategies that they use to venture into the market and retain their customers. Reference List Kotler, P., and Keller, K. (2009). Marketing management (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. Louis, J. and Harvey, Z. (1980). The Cola Wars. Everest House, Publishers, New York, NY, USA. Mikkelson, B, and Mikkelson D. (2001). The Claus That Refreshes. snopes.com. Retrieved from https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-claus-that-refreshes/

How to Find the Best AP Practice Tests

How to Find the Best AP Practice Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As you begin to prepare for your AP exams, you’ll need to consider which kinds of study tools will help you make the most of your prep time and help you meet your target score. One of the most important study tools in your arsenal is the AP practice test. This is true no matter which AP exam you’re taking.In this article, I’ll go over why you should use AP practice tests, what roles they can serve in your studying process, and how to find the best AP practice examsfor any AP. Why You Should Use AP Practice Tests to Study There’s one major reason to use practice tests in your studying: so you become comfortable with the exam. The truth is that knowledge can only get you so far on these exams- you need to be able to parse and package that knowledge the way the College Board wants. You might know everything there is to know about Art History, but if you’ve never looked at an AP question or written a practice essay, you could still be totally blindsided on test day simply because you’re confused by the way questions are written or don't know how to structure your essay. Essentially, studying for an AP exam without looking at a single practice test is like preparing for a bicycle race by reading about bicycles, but never riding a bicycle. The knowledge will help, but riding the bicycle would make you much more prepared. So is looking at this picture making you better at riding bikes or... 3 Ways AP Practice Tests Can Improve Your Studying There are three main waysAP practice exams can make your preparation process more effective. #1: Practice Tests Make You More Familiar With AP Format and Question Styles When you first start studying, looking at practice AP exams will help you familiarize yourself with the way AP questions are worded- both multiple choice and free response. Familiarity will help you understand what kinds of questions will be asked on exam day. I also advise reading the most up-to-date official directions for the various sections; knowing the most current test directions backwards and forwards will help you save time on test day and clarify what tasks will be required of you on the exam. #2: Practice Tests Help You Identify Gaps in Your Knowledge and Skills Once you have a decent knowledge base in the subject, taking an AP practice exam and seeing what you get wrong will help you know where to focus your studying efforts. If you consistently miss questions about photosynthesis, or the Hundred Years’ War, or language listening, you’ll know those are areas you need to focus on. Similarly, if you are rocking the multiple choice but your short answers aren’t so great, you’ll know to work on your short answer skills. #3: Practice Tests Track Your Progress Over Time Taking practice tests and writing practice essays every few weeks/months (depending on your study timeline) will help you track your progress and see how you’ve improved. If you were consistently scoring a 3 two months ago and now you’re always hitting 4's, you’ll know that you are on the right track and that your studying methods are working. If, however, your progress stagnates below your target score, you’ll know that your studying methods aren’t really helping you improve, and you need to readjust. Are you focusing on exam skills when you should be focusing on learning content or viceversa? Is the real problem with time-management? And so on. Taking a practice test is like doing karate except you're sitting at a table quietly writing. High-Quality Practice Tests and Where to Find Them I hope I've convinced you how useful and important AP practice exams are as you study for the exam. Once you've resolved to use them, you'll need to know how to find the best practicetests. What makes a good practice test, and where can you find them? What Makes a High-Quality Practice Test The best practice tests are those that are the most like real, official AP tests. So, same sections, same distribution of topics, same kinds of questions, same question wording. These are the best because they will most mimic the experience of taking the actual exam. Not only will the best practice tests give you the most familiarity with the real exam format, which will make you more comfortable on test day, they will also give you a better idea of how well you will do on the actual exam. Practice tests aren’t very helpful if they don’t actually reflect the real testing experience. In those cases,you’re not really practicing for the exam per se- just quizzing yourself on the topic with some random assessment from the back of a bad prep book. Answer keys are essential- otherwise, how will you know how you are doing? Explanations of the answers are nice, too, although the most official source, the College Board, doesn’t generally include answer explanations for anything other than free-response questions. Where to Find the Best AP Practice Tests I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the College Board has the best AP practice tests. This is because they make the test! So their practice materials are going to be the most like the real test. You can even get old AP tests on the College Board websitebecause they release complete exams every once in a while. Note that,depending on how old the exam is, it might be in an outdatedformat. This doesn’t mean it’s not still useful study material; you’ll just want to make sure you know how the current exam is different, and skip any sections that aren’t offered on the most current exam. How and where can you get official College Board practice questions and resources? Well, there arethree different official College Board sources you can look for. 1, 2, 3; Peter, Paul and Mary...are all looking for practice tests. #1: Sample Questions From the Course and Exam Description Every AP course has an â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description† booklet thatincludes AP practice questions for all sections of the exam. These are a great resource for familiarizing yourself with question styles and the most up-to-date test directions. To get the booklet, click on your desired exam from the College Board’s list of AP courses; scroll down a little on the â€Å"Course Overview† page and you will see a link to the â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description.† #2: Official Released Free-Response Questions You can also getreleased free-response questions and sample responsesfrom many years back into the past. From the College Board’s AP exam information page, click on your desired exam; scrolling down will take you to the released free-response questions. #3: Complete Released AP Exams Complete, previously released exams are much harder to find, but they are out there!In fact, I couldn’t find any official released exams on the College Board website except by Googling. This is probably because the College Board also sells copies of previously released exams, so they don’t want to make it easy to find free released exams. If you want to find complete exams for free, your best bet is toGooglethe name of your exam with â€Å"previously released materials college board† or â€Å"complete released exams college board.† You should then be able to find the â€Å"previously released materials† page for your given exam, like this page for AP English Literature and Composition or this one for AP Chemistry.These pages have official College Board released exams from previous years. Here are the â€Å"previously released materials† pages for some of the most popular exams: AP English Literature and Composition AP Chemistry AP US History AP Psychology AP Biology AP Statistics AP Environmental Science AP Calculus AB AP US Government and Politics AP Macroeconomics You might also be able to find more recent complete released exams posted online by schools or teachers; your Googlesearch should pull these up as well. Sample questions from the â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description† document, old free response questions, and complete released exams: these are all the AP practice question resources available from the College Board. You may have a hard time hunting some of them up, but they are out there! If only there was a map of the vast internet. I'm Out of College Board Practice Tests- What Now? If you’ve answered every official practice question you could get your hands on and still want more, you may want to find high-quality unofficial sources for practice questions and tests. Most prep books have practice questions- and possibly even complete practice exams- in the back of the book. But not all of them are created equally! To help direct you in your search for high-quality practice materials, we have expert reviews of the best prep books for the following AP tests: Best AP Psychology Books Best AP Biology Books Best AP US History Books Best AP Chemistry Books It’s best if you can look in the book before you buy it (or get it from the library!) Compare their practice questions to some of your official College Board resources. Do the questions seem like they have similar wording and formats? That’s a point in their favor. You should also look at reviews of prep books and sites to see what other students have to say about their practice questions and tests. If students felt the practice materials prepared them for the exam, it’s a better bet than a book students have lukewarm reactions to. You might also check out the questions in your class textbook; if it’s a textbook specifically designed for an AP course, odds are the questions at the ends of chapters or in the back of the book track decently well with real College Board material. But still compare it to official materials to be sure. With these tips in mind, you should be able to build a robust library of practice exam resources for your AP studying purposes! AP Practice Exams: Key Takeaways AP practice tests are essential study tools for the AP exam.Practice exams will help you get familiar with the test- its format, the question styles, and the different sections.You can use practice exams to familiarize yourself with the exam, identify gaps in your skills and knowledge, and track your progress and improvement as you prepare for the exam. The best AP practice exams come from the College Board: they have sample questions, old free-response questions, and complete released exams. Beyond officialresources, compare practice tests from unofficial sources to official College Board exams and look for reviews to find the most high-quality material. The bottom line is that liberal use of AP practice tests as a study tool will help you meet your target score,so you should be using them! Especially because there are so many free, official resources available out there. Shine on, you AP diamonds! If you get overwhelmed, just initiate Blanket-Wrapped Dog Protocol. What's Next? Wondering when to start studying for your AP test? Read our guide and wonder no more! Maybe you'd also like to knowthe average scores for every AP exam to help you set your target score. Taking the SAT? See our list of the best SAT prep books, updated for the new 2016 SAT! If the ACT is your exam of choice, seeour list of the best ACT prep books. 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:

Business Ethics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Ethics - Case Study Example s ethical dilemma has to do with meeting the needs of its affected customers as well as the public at large while also maintaining or preserving its good name. This is almost impossible to accomplish because informing the public about the risk of consuming its products would naturally negatively affect the organization’s reputation. However, informing the public about the danger of consuming other foods until they are further tested would be the ethical or moral thing for the company to do even if it would result in the damage of the company’s organizations. Naturally, the Nutrition Foods Inc. has to come up with ways of dealing with this ethical problem before it degenerates any further. In the first place, the organization’s executives have to conduct assessments into determining how its products are being handled (Willenken, 2012). In such organizations, the process of product distribution is where employees are most likely to infect the produce unintentionally. The organization also has to make immediate moves that show customers that they remain the main and first concern of the organization (Vickers, James, Smallbone and Baldock, 2005). To implement these principles, the Nutrition Foods Inc. has to come up with contingency plans that will address this issue while also preventing the possibility of such an ethical dilemma arising again. There are different theories that can be used in determining the steps to be taken in order to deal with this problem. Ethical theories of teleological nature are usually consequentialist (Ridge, 2009). This means that they tend to emphasize the importance of taking ethically correct actions which will create a balance that will re-instate good actions over the bad (Worsfold, 2005). To use this theory in making decision, the Nutrition Foods Inc. will have to consider different possibilities in dealing with the ethical problem if faces. For example, when considering whether to clean up the scandal internally without

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES - Essay Example Moreover, the implementation plans become effective because they are based on priorities. The most important plans are executed first before considering the other plans based on a predetermined manner of ranking such priorities. Incorporation of short-term objectives to the functional tactics enhances the need of accomplishing implementation plans with urgency. Policies play a major role in the success of an enterprise. Their development aids in the protection of all the stakeholders of an organization through the principles they provide. Policy development leads to the development of an ethical structure followed by an organization for its success. The development of the policies also ensures an organization’s capacity as a going concern because they provide continuity for the organization over a long period (Blyth, 2009). Moreover, through the development of such relevant policies, an organization experiences effective management and accountability in its system. This occurs through the adoption of the principles and remaining committed to them as per the policies. Such principles are consistent and equitable, thus affecting the performance of an

Retained Surgical Sponge Legal Case Essay Example for Free

Retained Surgical Sponge Legal Case Essay In October, 2013 The Joint Commission (TJC) released a sentinel event alert pertaining to the prevention of retained surgical items. These retained items could have serious consequences for the patient. According to The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert, 2013 Issue 51, incidents of retained objects reported to TJC totaled 772 from 2005 to 2012, sixteen resulting in death and 95 percent of these cases requiring additional treatment. Over the course of my seventeen year career as an operating room circulator, the fear of being involved in a case resulting in a retained surgical item was always on my mind. This fear sparked my interest in researching a legal case involving a retained surgical sponge ultimately resulting in the patient’s death. I will present the case, provide an analysis, and the outcome of the Estate of Genrich versus Ohio Insurance Company, 2008 WI 67. Case Summary In July 2003, a male patient underwent abdominal surgery for an ulcer. He developed an infection and on August 8, 2003 it was determined a surgical sponge was left in the abdomen. He was taken to the operating room in order to remove the retained sponge. After this surgical procedure, he did not recover from the complications of sepsis and the patient died on August 11, 2003. His wife filed a law suit on August 9, 2006 against the doctors and staff involved in the initial surgery (Estate of Genrich v. Ohio Ins. Co. , 2009). RETAINED SURGICAL SPONGE 3 Analysis In my opinion, given the facts of this case, the wife had legal grounds for a lawsuit. Hardwired systems are in place in the operating room to prevent the adverse event of a retained surgical sponge. The surgical count is a standard procedure in operating rooms. As stated by Steelman and Cullen (2011), retained sponges continue to be an issue throughout the country. In cases involving retained sponges, the nursing documentation reflected the count as being correct. In my experience, counting is a standard of care in the operating room. The operating room circulator counts with the surgical technician to ensure that all sponges are accounted for at the conclusion of the case. The surgeon relies on the staff in the room to identify surgical counts as correct or provide notification of incorrect counts. Based on this information and upon a initial review of this case, I had no doubt the wife would receive monetary compensation for her lawsuit. The incident of a retained surgical sponge is negligent, and according to Stiller, Thompson, and Ivy (2010), fail to uphold the standards of patient safety and quality, resulting in the liability of the health care professional. Outcome To my surprise, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled in favor of Ohio Insurance Company based on the fact that the state of Wisconsin has a three year statute of limitation. To make this judgement even more complex, the wife filed her lawsuit on August 9, 2006, two days under the three year anniversary of his death (Estate of Genrich v. Ohio Ins. Co. , 2009). However, the court concluded that his injury resulted from the retained sponge, was the start of the three year limitation. The initial surgery occurred on July 24, 2003. The court determined that the negligent act occurred during the initial surgery. The sponge that was left in the RETAINED SURGICAL SPONGE 4 abdomen caused the infection which ultimately resulted in the patient’s death (Estate of Genrich v. Ohio Ins. Co. , 2009). Conclusion In my opinion, the legal system failed in this case. One fact missing during the research of this case is the reason the wife waited three years to file a lawsuit. I found myself continuing to ask why the lawsuit was not filed immediately upon her husband’s death. Regardless of this fact, the wife suffered the loss of her husband due to the negligence of the physician and staff. Granted, when humans are involved, error is inevitable. One can hope that there will be understanding by the victims of the human error factor. However, the fact is the sponge should have been counted prior to incision and upon abdominal closure. A discrepancy should have been noted and it was not. The court concluded that the moment the sponge was left in the abdomen, the legal clock started ticking. In my opinion, a wrongful death lawsuit can only be filed when a death has occurred, not when the incidents leading to the death occur. If this had been the case, the wife would have met the statute of limitations and the judgement possibly would have been in her favor.

Analysis of the Coca Cola Company Essay -- Businesses Coca Cola Market

Analysis of the Coca Cola Company History "Coca-Cola enterprises Incorporated, employees 66,199 operates, 444 facilities, 47,235 vehicles, 1.9 million pieces of cold drink equipment and sold 3.8billion unit cases in 46 states in the united states, all 10 provinces of Canada and portions of Europe including Belgium, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg and the Netherlands" (Coca-Cola facts 99). An, Atlanta Pharmacist Dr. John Slyth Pemberton founded Coca-Cola on May 8, 1886. The carmel colored ingredients, Coca leaves and kola nuts. Later the drink was striped of narcotics. The drink was first designed as a drug that will help people feel better. Pemberton sold his new drink for 5 cents a glass. Some time later carbonated water was added to the syrup and that is how Coca-Cola was invented. Dr. Pemberton sold Coca-Cola out of the pharmacy he worked at. The pharmacy was owned by, a man named Frank M. Robinson. Robinson suggested "Coca-Cola" as a name for Pemberton's drink. The two men took an old oilcloth sing and hung it in the window saying "Drink Coca-Cola". They averaged nine glasses sold a day. In 1886 Pemberton became sick he sold some of his portions of his interest too Asa G. Candler. In 1888 Pemberton died, and Asa Candler began buying all the out standing shares of Coca-Cola. Candler was and Atlanta druggist and businessman. Candler knew Coke was going to be something big. He then had complete control by 1891 for $2,300. In 1892, Candler and his brother John Candler, Frank Robinson and two other associates formed "Coca-Cola Company" in Georgia. Candler was a master at marketing. He handed out coupons for one free glass of Coca-Cola. He also promoted the beverage by painted walls, Clocks, outdoor posters, serving trays and fountain urns. Candler marketing stragety worked Coke was available everywhere. The sales took off. People started calling Coca-Cola "Coke" They urged the customers to call it by its full name, but "Coke" just stuck. "In 1894, the company opened its first syrup manufacturi ng plant outside Atlanta in Dallas Texas. The following year plants opened in Chicago and Los Angeles. Three years after the Coca-Cola Company's incorporation Candler announced in the annual report: "Coca-Cola in the now drunk in every state and territory in the United States" (History of Coca-Cola Company). Joseph A. Biedenharn, of Vicksburg, Mississippi installed ... ...ola's target areas are grocery stores, recreational areas, shops, malls and sporting events. The mass of distribution to cus Bibliography Bibliography Associated Press. "Coca-Cola Recalls More Tainted Drinks." Boston Globe [CD-ROM], 3 July 1999, National/Foreign Section, p. A4. Available: BOSTON GLOBE File: 631. Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. "Facts 1999." Atlanta: Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc., 1999. "Coca-Cola's Global Dominance." https://www.wiley.com:8082/schermerhorn/ oc/page01.htm (13 Oct. 1999). "Coke Insider." Investors Business Daily. Mahoney, Ed. Distribution Manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises. Group Interview. 4 November 1999. Pendergrast, Mark. For God, Country, and Coca-Cola. New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner's Son Publishing Co., 1993. The Coca-Cola Company. "Facts, Figures, and Features." Atlanta: The Coca-Cola Company, 1996. "The Coca-Cola Company Overview." Hoover's Company Profiles. wysiwyg:// bodyframe.14/http://ehostweb14.epnet.com/fulltext.asp (23 Sept. 1999). "The Coca-Cola Company." Profiles. http://www.coca-colacompany.com/ world/world.html (10 Nov. 1999). The Coca-Cola Company. "The Chronicle of Coca- Cola: Since 1886." Atlanta: The Coca-Cola Company, 1950.

Open University

Democratising higher education: the ignou initiatives Dr. Nayantara Padhi Assistant Professor, Centre for Corporate Education, Training & Consultancy, IGNOU, New Delhi Email:[email  protected] acin Starting with two courses and 4,000 students in 1985, IGNOU has reached the ladder of success being the world’s largest mega university, most diverse and inclusive institution offering over 3500 courses and catering to over 2. 5 million students.IGNOU is committed to be accessible to all by ensuring learner convenience through its unique ‘age no bar, place no bar and pace no bar’ approach. This approach of IGNOU falls in line with the objectives of democratizing higher education as the current initiatives of IGNOU indicate. During last few years IGNOU has been experimenting various innovative ideas and methods for meeting the above mentioned objectives and ultimately to cater to the diverse needs of people. This has resulted into successful launching of number of prog rammes, courses, medium and modules.To name a few, Community College establishment, programmes for physically challenged, providing second career opportunity to Indian Army: Gyan Deep, Convergence of distance education and higher education, starting of face to face programmes, use of 3G technology for imparting education , Flexilearning mode, satellite based communication etc. In this paper an attempt has been made to present an overview of the above mentioned innovations that has been carried out by IGNOU in order to align with the mission of democratising higher education. Also the current status of these innovations and the related issues are highlighted.DEMOCRATISING HIGHER EDUCATION: THE IGNOU INITIATIVES Vision Statement of IGNOU â€Å"Indira Gandhi National Open University, the National Resource Centre for Open and Distance Learning with international recognition and presence, shall provide seamless access to sustainable and learner-centric quality education, skill upgradati on and training to all by using innovative technologies and methodologies and ensuring convergence of existing systems for massive human resource required for promoting integrated national development and global understanding†. IntroductionThe Indira Gandhi National Open University was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985. Today the University is making all efforts to take higher education to the doorsteps of the hitherto unreached. The University imparts education and knowledge through various flexible means suited to the open and distance education mode, including Information and Communication Technologies, in order to fulfill the vision of democratizing higher education, it provides higher education and training to large sections of population, particularly the disadvantaged segments of the society.It promotes national integration and the integrated development of human personality; encourages, co-ordinates and assists open universities and distance learning systems across the country to improve standards in such systems. Learners from varied groups including rural and tribal areas, physically-challenged, jail inmates and rehabilitation houses, government and non-government sectors, parents and home-makers, the employers and the employed have been beneficiaries of the IGNOU programme.The University has put special focus on women, socially and economically disadvantaged groups, the north-east region, and other tribal and low literacy areas of the country. The University provides a multi-mode learning system comprising print, audio, video, radio, television, teleconferencing, interactive radio counseling, Internet-based learning and face-to-face counseling. IGNOU recently has also been involved in the National Skills Mission particularly in generating employment in line with the various schemes of the Central Government and State Government.The aim is to provide flexible knowledge and skill opportunities for the unemployed youth of India so as to meaningfully equip them with skills and opportunities. This approach of IGNOU falls in line with the objectives of democratizing higher education as the current initiatives of IGNOU indicate. During last few years IGNOU has been experimenting various innovative ideas and methods for meeting the above mentioned objectives and ultimately to cater to the diverse needs of people.This has resulted into successful launching of number of programmes, courses, medium and modules. To name a few, Community College establishment, growth, programmes for physically challenged, providing second career opportunity to Indian Army: Gyan Deep, Convergence of distance education and higher education, starting of face to face programmes, use of 3G technology for imparting education , Flexilearning mode, satellite based communication etc. All these noble initiatives of IGNOU are presented in the following paragraphs. A. Empowerment of Indian Soldiers- Gyan DeepGyan Deep is a bold initiative of Indira Gan dhi National Open University (IGNOU) to educationally empower the soldiers of the Indian army by granting of degree- a step aimed at providing the jawans with a second career option. Gyan Deep aims to equip the soldiers who join the force just after school. Nearly 50,000 Indian soldiers retire from the army every year after completion of 15 years in service. They constitute a young workforce but they lack any kind of professional skill to enter the job market after retiring from army.The soldiers would be receiving certification in knowledge and skills within the educational framework stipulated by IGNOU. With the imparting of formal degrees, the soldiers would be in a position to obtain a second career option and earn for themselves and their families reasonably well even after retirement. The certification and enhancement of educational qualifications would be within the broad framework of Community colleges, as set by IGNOU. Community colleges recognised by IGNOU will empower the already excellent training ystem within the Indian army and provide an opportunity for in service trainings to be benchmarked and credits issued for the Indian-Army soldiers to obtain a formal degree. In due course of time this innovative process will allow for lateral entry into the regular university system by allowing the candidates enrolled in Certificate, Diploma or Associate Degree courses to accumulate credits. Associate Degree of Community Colleges includes: †¢ Minimum two years/4 semesters of study †¢ Total of 64 credits 1st Semester: Basic Foundation Course (16credits) – compulsory subject – Basic Military Training – Certificate course. nd Semester: Applied Course in the chosen Programme Sector (16 credits)- compulsory subject –Advanced Military Training – Diploma (minimum one year). 3rd Semester: Army Class 2 Standards (16 credits) –Application oriented courses (8 credits) and elective courses (8 credits). 4th Semester: Army Class I standards (16 credits) – Elective courses, compulsory internship and Project work (16 credits). Degrees offered by IGNOU †¢ 64 credits obtained on successful completion of Associate Degree will become transferable towards the completion of 96 credits in total in order to obtain a degree. The 3rd year of 32 credits will be earned with IGNOU. †¢ Subsequent accumulation of credits and a third year of graduation with IGNOU can be taken within five years of completion of the Associate Degree. †¢ Degrees awarded may be BA, BCom, BSc. , BBA etc. , with varying specilisations. Towards achieving these goals, IGNOU will facilitate the registration of various Regimental Training Centers and Army Schools of Instruction/HRDCs of Indian Army as Community Colleges. If need be, IGNOU would also introduce new subjects in the curriculum.Upon completion of 96 credits, the degree awarded would be similar to the ones awarded to other students. B. Education for All: Co mmunity Colleges Community Colleges are an innovative but alternative system of education aiming to empower the individuals through appropriate skill development leading to gainful employment in collaboration with the local industry. Community Colleges aim at developing skills for self-employability of the marginalized and under-privileged sections of the society including urban-poor, rural poor and women.The methodology employed under the scheme of community colleges is the imparting of skill based training to the uneducated youth. Community Colleges generally have a two year curriculum leading to an Associate Degree by transferring to an undergraduate college or direct entry into an occupation or trade. Starting in July 2009, IGNOU commenced the scheme of Associate Degree Programmes through community colleges in various parts of India. The theme of community college embodies in itself the democratic goal of imparting livelihood based education to the disadvantaged section of the p opulation.Another major contribution of community colleges has been to expand access to post secondary studies for millions of students who would otherwise not have an opportunity to participate. Establishing one community college in each of the 600 districts in the country in the next five years as IGNOU Community College is one of the approaches of IGNOU in this direction. These colleges in different regions will be under the administration and academic control of the regional centres of IGNOU.Community Colleges will ensure vertical mobility for those who opt at a later stage for further education in the respective areas through credit transfer in the open university and distance education system in the country. Through IGNOU Community Colleges, the effort is to institutionalize the mechanism of providing skill based programmes in India till now undertaken by non-governmental organizations and training centres. The training in skills provided in these colleges will be recognized a nd formalized through various certifications. Functioning of Community Colleges . Eligibility for becoming community college An institution applying to IGNOU for registration as a Community College should be run by an educational agency/registered society/trust or corporate body rooted in community-based activites. Theymust be credible institutions with a minimum period of five years of proven service and be located in the community it seeks to serve. On receiving the application, IGNOU will scrutinize its feasibility based on the recommendations of an expert committee and the applicant will be informed of its eligibility.Prior to launching programmes, the agency should have done a need analysis of the local job requirements and opportunities and incorporate these findings into the curriculum. It should have active linkages with rural, agricultural,industrial and commercial organizations of the locality for empanelling part-time instructors, providing on job training to students and provide job placement to successful students. ii. Organisational Structure of Community CollegeThe college will constitute the following bodies to facilitate smooth functioning of its academic and administrative activities: Community College Board will be the Executive body of the college. The Board will manage the academic matters of the college relating to appointment of faculty, approval of programmes leading to award of Certificate/Diploma/Associate Degree, and regulate the finances of the college. Academic Committee will be the principal Academic body of the college responsible for the maintenance of standards of instruction, examination and linkages with the industry/community.The academic committee will: Make regulations regarding admission of students;Recommend to the Community College Board proposals for institution of new programmes of study;Advise the Community College Board on suggestions pertaining to academic affairs made by it;Prepare syllabi for various programmes; and Coordinate the industry/community linkages. Examination Committee will be responsible for the smooth conduct of internal assessments, mid-term examination and term-end examinations.It will be the custodian of processes related to evaluation such as question paper setting, answer script evaluation, moderation, timely announcement of results and handling of examination related grievances. Programme Structure †¢ Associate Degree Programmes are offered both full-time or part-time. †¢ Mode of delivery : face-to-face and Blended †¢ Mandatory apprenticeship. †¢ First year Foundation courses 16 credits per semester. Application oriented courses 16 credits per semester. †¢ Second year-Electives of 8 credits; Application oriented-8 credits, Internship and Project work-16 credits.Programmes under Community Collges: The following academic programmes leading to an Associate Degree may be considered: †¢ AA (Associate Arts) †¢ AS(Associate Science) †¢ AC S (Associate of Computer Science) †¢ AC(Associate of Commerce) †¢ ABA (Associate of Business Administration) †¢ AAT (Associate of Arts in Teaching) Academic Framework of Community Colleges Since Associate Degree is a new academic qualification in India, it is essential to have a common set of descriptors for the programme which articulate entry requirements, curriculum content, teacher qualifications and training and exit avenues. Entry Requirements Students who have completed School final are eligible for direct entry into the Associate Degree Programme. †¢ Alternatively students who have completed 10th standard may enroll in the Bachelor’s Preparatory Progrmmes and on completion of first year may transfer into the Associate Degree Programme. †¢ Non 10+2 (Eighteen years age) will have to complete BPP and Associate Degree Programme from Community college for lateral entry to third year of the Degree Programmme. Curriculum Design †¢ The curriculum of the Associate Degree Programme should include a substantial amount of generic skills with a major portion to be completed in the first year. First Year Courses (all foundation courses, 16 credits), Second Year (application oriented courses, 16 credits) and some of the basic electives in the respective subject of study worth of 32 credits to be completed in the first two years of Associate Degree Programme of the community college. The equivalence of the courses will be recommended by the Committee appointed. †¢ A number of existing courses of IGNOU may be appropriately combined for an Associate Degree. Challenges of Community Colleges †¢ Academic pathways- transfer of students to third year in IGNOU and other universities. Quality assurance – recruitment of faculty, standards in industry – based curriculum development. †¢ Avenues for technical and vocational teacher and trainer-training. †¢ Business/industry linkages including training contracts . †¢ Programmes to be rooted in communities – regional and local needs. C. Flexi Learn: Access to Quality Higher Education e-GyanKosh (www. egyankosh. ac. in), a repository of learning resources, is an initiative that was taken up by IGNOU in October, 2005 to store, index, preserve, distribute and share the digital learning resources developed by the IGNOU.Emerging as one of the world’s largest educational resource repositories, it includes digitized and uploaded storage of over 95% of the IGNOU’s self-instructional print material. With help of special channels like YouTube, IGNOU is providing with video programmes, through the metadata link in the repository. At present about 40,000 self-instructional print materials and over a 1,600 videos are available in the repository. After its public launch in June 9, 2008, the site already had received around 700,000 hits with an average of 1,000 visits per day from all over the world.At present, there are more than 60,000 active registered users of the repository. The facilities of e-GyanKosh are now being extended with a Flexi Learn platform to offer ‘open courses’ free of cost with course wise registration and assessment. IGNOU’s Flexi Learn platform will facilitate informed learning wherein anyone can register and explore courses free of cost to gain knowledge and skill in a particular area of interest. Certification for courses will be based on payment of the requisite fees. The Flexi Learn platform will provide an alternative way of awarding degrees and diplomas.The Flexi Learn platform offers courses in a complete open and flexible environment with following features. – Any visitor to the Flexi Learn site has the option to register for any particular course or a full length academic programme. A modular approach is followed wherein a registered learner can combine course credits to obtain a diploma or degree of their own choice. – The platform provides self learning environment with a list of Academic Advisors/Course Guides to act as mentors. The Personal Learning Environment (PLE) will have interactive tools like Discussion Board , Blogs, Wikis, Podcasting,RSS feeds, etc. Each course has option for both online assessment as well as an offline one as per the choice of the learner wherein a learner can take their exams ‘on demand’. The final exam will be in a proctored environment. The evaluation will be at three levels – diagnostic (where prior knowledge testing is required), formative and summative and will be designed by the faculty based courses requirements. Various of evaluation may be adopted viz. objective, short essay type, term paper, course projects, practical activities etc. A complete tracking mechanism is integrated in the platform through the e-portfolios of individual learners. The e-portfolio will keep a formal record of all formal and informal studies carried out by the registered learner. Cert ification of the course will be based on stipulated time spent on a course (for a 4 credit a minimum at 45 days) and completion of all learning activities identified by the faculty. The Flexi Learn platform provides an opportunity for prospective learners to sample a course before enrolling and also help them in choosing courses and programmes of study.Course wise registration facilitates offering topic specific continuing education progammes especially in skill based and professional areas. A flexible framework is provided through this model for Schools of Studies to identify and combine different courses already available, for offering new tailor-made and need based programmes. In the long run this will help in achieving IGNOU’s objective of democratizing higher education by taking it to the doorsteps of the learners and providing access to high quality education to all those who seek it.D. Convergence Scheme: Merger of ODL and Conventional Higher Education System The objec tive of the Scheme is to achieve the targets setout in the Eleventh Plan Document for Higher Education, and focusing on access and equity issues. Inclusion as a concept goes beyond just providing distance learning access. It takes into account the need to interface with the conventional system, use innovative technologies and to optimize the access to physical facilities, intellectual and knowledge resources in institutions to achieve its goals.The Scheme, jointly conceived by University Grants Commission (UGC) and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Distance Education Council and AICTE under the guidance of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, aims to focus on enhancing the quality and quantity of education delivery in the context of social dimensions of the country, with a thrust on capacity building and strengthening of the conventional university and collegiate education system. The success of the Scheme, announced in 2007, is not surprising. Many of the exis ting IGNOU courses have also found new takers with the announcement of the Scheme.Given a target of achieving 15% gross enrollment in higher education by 2015, the scheme aims to move it from the current enrollment ratio of 11% in the 16-23 age group. Under this Scheme, a student can be enrolled for obtaining a regular degree while pursuing another complementary course. Thus, a student can aim to get two degrees at the same time. Another programme, called Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme (BPP) enables the students who have not been able to get Pre-University/Senior Secondary education to become eligible for applying for bachelor’s degree courses.This is a boon to those who were not able to complete their schooling or pre-university courses. This is a six-month intensive training programme. While IGNOU has over 2500 Learner Support Centres by different names depending on the specific role they play such as Regular Study Centres, Programme Study Centres, Special Study Ce ntres, Recognised Study Centres etc. , the Scheme on Convergence has helped in developing synergies with well endowed colleges. This has resulted in qualified faculty and state of art infrastructure being made available to students, in addition to providing additional mentoring on a flexi time basis.In short, technology in Education, when applied creatively enhances the potential to address both access and inclusion issues, especially in India. E. 3G and Mobile Technology usage for Reaching the Unreached The significance of mobile technology is evident from the fact that increasing number of people have started using mobile devices, carrying mobiles with them all the time. Hence, any service provided to the students through mobile devices enables quick connectivity as compared to any other technology such as PC based internet technologies.IGNOU launched the SMS Alerts service on November 18th 2008. Since then, SMS Alerts Service is being used by various constituents of IGNOU includi ng its Regional Centres to communicate information to its students. Following are some of the applications of 3G technology to ODL system: †¢ ODL institutions can develop high bandwidth applications that can be used by prospective students to apply for admission using their 3G enabled mobile devices. †¢ ODL institutions can develop 3G enabled student response systems.These response systems can respond in real time with information such as Study Centre allocation etc. †¢ Such 3G enabled student response systems can aid in providing responses to queries of students in real time. †¢ Most of ODL institutions send course material to their students by post as well as host material on the web for students to download. It is difficult for students to download course material which occupies large memory due to poor Internet connections. 3G technology enables faster downloads of course material to the student’s mobile devices.They can download course material wherev er they are, anytime. This ensures that the course material is available to every learner who is having a 3G enabled mobile device. F. Education through Digitally Enabled learning The National Mission of Education through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was launched recently with the broad objective of ensuring connectivity of the learners to the ‘World of Knowledge’ in cyberspace and to make them ‘Netizens’ in order to enhance their self-learning skills and develop their capabilities for on-line problems solving†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.The efforts of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) would be geared towards creating an open house for knowledge. The attempt is to harness a large number of knowledge resources in the manner that adds value to them by making them more personalized and useful to the lifelong learner/student. The effort would also involve content packaging and integration to suit specific needs of the students at various levels or with different kinds of talent/mental prowess. A budget allocation of Rs. 02 crores has been made in 2008-09 for the National Mission on Education through ICT. For bridging the digital divide and empowering teachers/learners to harness information and communication technologies for their empowerment through knowledge, the need of the hour is to provide digital literacy to teaching learning community in Higher Education. The aim has to be to ensure that this community should be able to operate the computer or other devices and connect to the knowledge network.It should be for the teacher/learner to identify the content from its suitable pictorial representation and to play the audio-visual content to derive knowledge from the relevant module of knowledge. Obviously, this digital literacy cannot be spread through the computer networks since it aims to empower the teacher/learner to use the network. Hence, digital literacy for teacher empowerment will have to be imparted through oth er means relying heavily on audio-visual material, non-governmental organizations, change agents and institutions established for them, and mass contact programmes.Provision of e-Books and e-Journals Free to the Learners Overall education has two parts, formal and informal. Both forms of education require text books, reading material, journals and magazines and access to them can be provided through digital libraries which would substitute comprehensive brick-and-mortar libraries. Since everything in the library would be available on line with concurrent access to multiple sites for a large number of students, good bandwidth around the year would be the key.Support for Generation of e-Content and Digitization and Indexing of Existing e-Content It shall be the endeavour of the Mission to continuously work for enriching the repository of e-contents of the nation. For the purpose it shall encourage the academicians, scholars and institutions to contribute to the world of knowledge in c yber space by creating e-knowledge content. The Mission shall also evolve a mechanism to rate the quality of the e-content generated before admitting it to the national repository. Evaluation of e-ContentBenchmarking learning content would ensure quality which is central to the philosophy of the Mission. As content generation shall take place at various places, by different sets of experts, the development of quality assurance procedures and testing mechanisms is essential. These tools shall be deployed on the Mission website so that anybody developing content can routinely use these to get proper feedback. The Mission shall also attempt to provide guidance to them in order to facilitate their search for quality material.Finance Assistance to Institutions of Higher Learning for Procurement of Hardware/Replacement of Obsolete Hardware In order to accomplish its major objective of utilizing latest technologies to make higher education easily accessible, the Mission shall provide finan cial assistance to all the institutions of higher learning for the procurement of hardware or replacement of the obsolete hardware essential for accessing to the world of knowledge in cyber space. National Testing ServiceThe Mission shall provide financial and technical support to a designated Government agency for establishment of a National Testing Service (NTS). The Mission shall be free to move for the establishment of a separate body to act as a National Testing Service in order to fulfill its objective of certifying the competence and skills acquired by the individual through formal or non-formal means of education and / or training in different disciplines/professions.This shall help them in gaining employment as also to continue their higher studies/training. Content Generation The National Programme of Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) was started by the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. A good number of quality material on v arious courses has been created by these premier institutions of the country. E-Contents are being continuously generated by the reputed faculty members of the premier institutions under NPTEL programmes.This programmes has been subsumed with the Mission to give it a new dimension. The Mission hopes that the e-contents generated under this programme shall be of great use for the engineering students enrolled in engineering colleges across the country. Standardisation and Quality Assurance of Contents & Certification /Automation of Certification The main objective here would be to evolve Quality Assurance (QA) Process for E-learning Content and to create an environment for Quality Audit of Content.The mission seeks to promote R&D in specific important areas of content creation and management for enriching the QA process and also promote multi-institutional involvement for definition of quality and dissemination of Quality awareness. Developing Suitable Pedagogical Methods for Various Classes and Intellectual Calibers and Research in e-learning Web enabled learning modules suffer from the absence of teacher and peer interaction/pressure. Many a times, the content developers develop the modules keeping in mind their own clientele of students or their own impressions of the student’s caliber, receptivity, etc.This may result in a â€Å"one shoe fit all† syndrome. It is well known that any given class would have very bright students, mediocre students and weak students. Even among them, the grasping power of concepts would vary based on their surroundings and the perceptions that the students have derived over a period of time. The most efficient pedagogical method would also depend on the extent of knowledge that the students has in that area. Development of Language Converter Tool KitThe focus of the National Mission on Education through ICT would be on content for all classes starting from nursery level to research level. Presently, the content bei ng developed for Sakshat under this Mission is in English. English content also makes it possible to tap into the convenient, open access educational resources available on the Internet, be they in text, audio, visual, simulation, animation, question answer or in any other form. This abundant resource, however, cannot be tapped in regional languages because of IPR restrictions.Hence, efforts will be made to convert knowledge modules into various regional languages and also to subsequently launch a movement for creating the above types of content in the regional languages. Development and Realization of Virtual Reality Laboratories and Supporting Facilities for e-learning The Mission shall work for providing all the institutions of higher learning, in the country, with access devices and connectivity through high speed broadband and VPN etc. It is estimated that approximately 20,000 institutions of higher learning shall reap this benefit.It shall be the endeavour of the Mission to en sure that the access devices are available with maximum number of learners in the country to enable them to become ‘Netizens’. To achieve this objective it shall support development of low cost and low power consuming devices through their field trials. The Central Government would also bear 75% of the cost of the connectivity having bandwidth up to 10-25 Mbps per college or per department of a University if remaining cost is borne by State Government or college/institution concerned.Development of Certification & Testing Modules for Virtual Technological Universities & Creation of VTU, Multi Media Research and International Programmes The proposed Virtual Technical University (VTU) shall serve as a nodal agency for imparting training to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as to the newly recruited teachers in the fields of Science, Technology, Management, Architecture, Pharmacy and other applied areas. The University will provide flexible, credit based cour ses to all registered participants using modern technology. VTU will help them in updating their knowledge and advancing their career objectives.G. Inclusive Growth for the Disadvantaged Group IGNOU with its diverse, low-cost programmes and a wide network has succeeded in attracting a significant group of learners from amongst the disadvantaged. However, a considerable cross-section of people still remains outside its reach. The University is mandated to reach them. The University has taken up a number of new initiatives mainly focused on empowering women, persons of the SC/ST category and the differently abled population of the country. Women’s Empowerment The University has been making conscious efforts to reach out to women, especially those from the remote and rural areas.Some of the initiatives in this direction are: a) Setting up the School of Gender and Development Studies in 2007: One focus are of study of this School is â€Å"Women‘s Studies†, which anal yses the status of women in society with the objective of strengthening individual and institutional efforts that enable women’s empowerment. The School is offering the following pertinent programmers: – Certificate in Empowering Women Through Self-Help Groups (under Women’s Empowerment Project sponsored by Department of Women and Child Development, MHRD, GOI). Certificate in Women’s Empowerment and Development (CWED). – Diploma in Women’s Empowerment and Development (DWED) – Ph. D in Women’s Studies. b) Establishing 26 women-specific study centres across the country. c) Setting up a Committee for Prevention of Sexual Harassment against Women (CPSHW). This committee oversees all work related to complaints of sexual harassment at IGNOU, besides carrying out awareness-raising workshops, seminars and other related activities.During the year 2008-09, the CPSHW prepared a document on the Policy & Procedures for the Prevention, Prohi bition, and Punishment of Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace, as per the Supreme Court guidelines. The document has been submitted to the University authorities for adoption in the form of an ordinance. SC/ST Empowerment The University has made extensive efforts regarding the empowerment of persons in the SC and ST categories. Some of the measures taken in this direction are: – SC/ST Cell: this cell looks after all issues pertaining to the grievances of SC/ST employees. Increased Access to ST Population: IGNOU has tried to increase its reach to the tribal population of Madhya Pradesh through a new scheme of mobile study centres, which has been found to be successful. – EEBB Centres: To provide access to people in the Economically and Educationally Backward Blocks (EEBB), identified by the Sachar Committee, efforts have been initiated to establish Special Centres in these blocks, irrespective of whether such centres fulfill the conditions normally expected of I GNOU study centres.Through these centres, aspiring learners of these blocks are given opportunities to pursue a variety of vocational programmes, besides BPP and bachelor degree programmes. – EDNERU: Initiative for North East Trbal population education and research. Empowerment of the Differently Abled A national Task Force has been constituted to make the IGNOU premises and its programes completely accessible to people with disabilities across the country. The access audit of the IGNOU campus at the headquarters was conducted on 22-23 October, 2008.In order to develop human resources in various areas related to disability for creating a disabled-friendly society as also promoting interdisciplinary study of disability with the purpose of removing barriers to empowerment of the persons with disabilities, the National Centre for Disability Studies (NCDS) was established in 2006. NCDS has launched a Post-graduate Diploma in Disability Management for Medical Practitioners, in col laboration with the Rehabilitation Council of India. The Pprogramme equips the medical practitioners with the skills and knowledge to effectively deal with persons with disabilities.H. Usage of Satellite The University endeavors constantly to make appropriate use of new technological solutions to achieve its mission of seamless education, cost-efficiency and borderless access to quality education. The University has enhance, in the recent past, its technological capabilities in the production and transmission of audio and video programmes through radio and television as well as the latest Web-enabled online services offered through the internet to learners spread across the globe.Gyan Darshan Gyan Darshan (GD) is a digital bouquet of four channels – GD-1, GD-2, GD-3, and GD-4. These channels beam programmes produced by IGNOU, UGC, NCERT, CIET, NITTTRs, IITs, DST and different ministries of the government of India. The transmission of GD channels is almost completely automated through the installation of the video server, GD-1 is a 24-hour channel which airs enrichment programmes produced by various government and educational organizations, and IGNOU curriculum-based programmes.GD-2 is the Interactive Distance Education Channel, dedicated entirely to distance education. Regular teleconference sessions and induction meetings are held through this channel for learners and trainees of the open university system and other apex bodies. During the year 2008-09,Gyan Darsha-1 and 2 have witnessed a tremendous growth in reach, since both channels were placed on the following DTH platforms – DD Direct Plus, Dish TV, TataSky, Sun TV, Big TV and AirTel. It was also available in the IPTV network for which an MOU with M/s Goldstone was signed.Further, GD-1has been declared a ‘must carry’ channel for all IPTV service providers and has been made available in many cities through the BSNL network. GD-1 and GD-2 are also being webcast through IGNOU†™s website . Test transmission of the Science Channel on GD-2 started, with effect from 23rd December, 2008 to broadcast programmes made by IGNOU,CEC, Vigyan Parsar, etc. Gd-3, â€Å"Eklavya†, was inaugurated on 26th Jan. 2003. It is a 24-hour channel dedicated to technical education and runs programmes generated at variousIITs, for students pursuing degrees n different disciplines in the area of engineering and technology. The signals are sent through microwave links, from where they are uplinked to the satellite. The nodal offer for this is at IIT, Delhi. GD-4, â€Å"Vyas Channel†, launched in Jan. 2004, is a 24-hour channel catering to the needs of students pursuing higher education under the university and college system in the country. The programmes are coordinated by the Consortium of Education Communication (CEC).The Vyas Channel has now become available on the DTH platform as well. Gyan Vani Gyan Vani, a ‘radio cooperative’ funded by the MHRD, i s the only FM Radio channel in the country devoted exclusively to education. Gyan Vani programmes include information relevant to students of pre-primary to post-graduate classes, it also carriers enrichment programmes for generating environmental awareness, awareness on female empowerment, legal literacy, capabilities in professional and science education. Each Gyan Vani has a range of about 60 kms.At present there are 26 GyanVani FM Stations functioning across the country at Allahabad, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chennai, Coimbatore, New Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Kolkatta, Kanpur, Lucknow, Mumbai, Mysore, Nagpur, Patna, Panaji, Raipur, Rajkot, Shillong, Varanasi and Viskhapatnam. Eleven new stations are on the anvil. Gyan Vani has made significant strides in recent years with all the 26 stations producing programmes. The radio programmes are contributed by NCERT, NIOS, IGNOU, NGOs and various State Government Departments.Gyan Vani has crea ted a Programme Exchange Unit and all the radio stations have access to the best productions of each station. Developmental and educational programmes from broadcasting organizations of countries such as Australia, Canada and Germany are also being aired on Gyan Vani stations. Gyan Vani, Delhi, is also webcast using IGNOU’s in-house facility. Interactive Radio Counseling (IRC) IGNOU runs at least one hour of live phone-in counseling programmes every week in the regional languages through the various Gyan Vani stations.The studio invites experts to clarify learners queries put across to them for their homes via the telephone. Both broadcast and non-broadcast modes of delivery were adopted by the University and the audio/video programmes produced at the University’s Electronic Media PrdocutionCentre (EMPC) were broadcast/telecast over Gyan Darshan, Gyan Vani, EduSat, AIR/Doordarshan Channels. In order to infuse interactivity in open and distance learning, one-way video a nd two way audio teleconferencing facilities are offered through GD-2.Important nation-wide programmes for IGNOU learners, lectures by eminent experts/dignitaries, discussions with RC staff, induction for new learners and convocation for graduating learners were conducted live through teleconferencing mode. Besides this, telecounselling and communication sessions were conducted for select application- oriented programmes such as nursing, information technology, MBA etc, in which the students got ample opportunities to interact with the faculty.The teleconferencing facility was also used by other institutions, such as the DAV College Management Committee (DAVCMC), National Board of Examination (NBE), Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), and the Department of Power, amongst others. EDUSAT is the first Indian satellite designed and developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) exclusively for serving the educational sector. It is mainly intended to meet the dema nd for an interactive satellite-based distance education system for the country.It is a collaborative project of the MHRD, ISRO, Department of Space and IGNOU. The satellite has six Ku-Band transponders and six Ext. C-Band transponders. One beam or Ext. C-Band covers the entire country, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It reflects India’s commitment to use space technology for national development, especially for development of human resources in remote and rural locations. The University has established 134 interactive terminals across the country with a two-way interactive facility. An EduSat Mini Hub has been shifted from ISRO, Ahmedabad, to EMPC.ISRO has also provided a new Learning Management System (LMS) for the network. A recent study was conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi, aimed at assessing the impact, effectiveness and sustainability of interactive media technologies being utilized in the delivery system of IGNOU. The study included Gyan Vani, Edust-based teleconferencing, the IGNOU slot on the national channel, Doordarshan, the web platform and internet facilities. The broad findings of the study as stated in the final report submitted, are as under:IGNOU Hour on Gyan Vani Forty percent of students listen to the IGNOU Hour programmes broadcast on Gyan Vani. Fourteen percent students listen to the IGNOU Hour programmes on a regular basis. Forty one percent students tune in sometimes and the rest do not listen to programmes broadcast on Gyan Vani . IGNOU Programmes on Doordarshan Forty seven percent of students watch IGNOU Programmes telecast on Doordarshan channel 1. Ninety three percent students who watch IGNOU programmes on Doordarshan’s main channel are comfortable with the language of telecast.Sixty percent students who watch the IGNOU slot on Doordarshan rated the content quality of programmes telecast as good. More than seven out of ten students said the programmes telecast on the IG NOU slot on Doordarshan are useful in the learning process. Sixty percent students who watch programmes telecast on Doordarshan felt it helped them in understanding their progrmme topics better. The awareness of students about IGNOU programmes on Doordarshan DTH is quite high as more than seven out of ten students were aware about it. Fourteen percent students of IGNOU were found to have Doordarshan DTH in their homes.Conclusion As India strives to become a knowledge society, IGNOU ensures that no section gets left behind, that’s where attaining the objective of democratizing higher education. From the above discussion, it is worth mentioning that IGNOU’s contribution in democratising higher education is commendable. The innovations of IGNOU to impart education anybody, anywhere anytime using all channels is visible from the initiatives and the current status. With the growing demand of skilled workforce across the globe, IGNOU is taking all steps towards this.Right to Education is very much evident from the above mentioned initiatives. To conclude IGNOU’ s initiatives in democratising higher education ,a dynamic and innovative university with a passion to educate all and reaching the unreached, IGNOU has become the People’s University†¦the university of a billion plus. References Annual Report 2008-2009, IGNOU. IGNOU, Celebrating 25th Year of Success in Open & Distance Learning 2009-2010, Vol. 1, Issue1. IGNOU, Education Without Barriers. IGNOU, Profile 2010. IGNOU, IGNOU Community Colleges. IGNOU, Flexi Learn. IGNOU, Gyan Deep. IGNOU, Open Letter. www. ignou. ac. in