A case study of Walmart Stores Inc. with SWOT,internal and external elements which add to the company success.

A case study of Walmart Stores Inc. with SWOT,internal and external elements which add to the company success. IntroductionWalmart Stores Inc. is synonymous with low prices and name brand quality products. The company basis of success and foundations cannot be credited to the current CEO Lee Scott but famed Sam Walton. Walmart formula for success simply put is their relationship with customers,employees, and technology that assists in forming relationships with their suppliers;places Walmart Stores Inc. as the top discount retailer.History,Development, and GrowthSam Walton led Walmart to become the top discount retailer. The mega corporation has eliminated top competitors such as Kmart and Sears to reign supreme over the discount retailing market. Following World War Two, discount retailing evolved due to frugality during the war. Walton opened the first Walmart in Rogers,Arkansas in 1962. The philosophy Walton acquired to start Walmart began with his earlier experience at JC Penny. The philosophy is based on delivering products based on quality and value combined with superb customer service .walmart beijingWalmart initially set out by expanding in small towns and gained not just a reputation for low prices but a family friendly company. The departments were wide and varied to include:family apparel, toys,lawn and garden,health and beauty,household goods,crafts, fabrics,jewelry and most recently pharmacies,electronics,tire and lube and the latest gas stations.Sam Walton strategy was to gain dominance by deep discounting,listening and forming relationships with employees and customers and assuring the consumer quality product.Product is displayed in a distinctive way by stacking and drawing attention to the eye. Expansion is done at an aggressive level. The company did moves strategically by town to town and then on a state by state basis mainly in the Southeast and Southwest in the beginning. This strategy continued until 1991, one year before Sam Walton death; Walmart had acquired 1,573 stores located in 35 states. Walmart had become the largest retailer and largest...

Inspiration free essay sample

Inspiration, that’s what I see my dad as. I have seen him get hurt and not being able to work. What he always tells me is, â€Å"Todo lo que hago es para que tu y tu hermana tengan una vida major. I have never heard him say, â€Å"I can’t do this.† He always works harder to accomplish something that may seem difficult or even impossible. His father died when he was only 10 years old. He didn’t have an example to guide him to teach him how to work or how to become a man. He tells me how he really wanted to continue going to school. He wanted to be someone in life. But, he didn’t have enough money to continue going to school, so he dropped out and began to work. He later saw that it was hard to earn enough money in Mexico to support my grandma and aunt. We will write a custom essay sample on Inspiration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He decided to cross the border and come to America when he was only 17 years old. He tells me all this so I can see how easy it is in this country and to stay in school and graduate. My dad pushes me to not give up and just keep working hard. He wants me to be better than him to finish high school and go to college and graduate. My dad has taught me when you work hard good things happen. I want to make him proud by actually becoming something in life. I want to show him that all the hard times he went through. I will repay him by finishing school and becoming better than him. I will begin to repay him by being the first one to graduate from high school. Go to college and just become a successful and respectful person. I want my dad to proudly say, â€Å"That man is my son.† Inspiration free essay sample â€Å"I have a dream.† One of the most inspirational speeches ever presented. It not only enabled us to evolve as a society but to grow and mature individually. Some of us would go so far as to say that this speech is equal to that of which made us who we are today. As we all unfold and develop we learn to reminisce on not only the mistakes we’ve made but to look at the success we have accomplished. We all have that one prominent moment that we feel significantly altered our future, that one moment that allowed us to distinguish a sense of individuality and understand our character as a whole. My experience, although less of a moment and more of a tragedy, led me to become what many would consider admirable. Growing up, I was the cliche â€Å"daddy’s girl.† I was spoiled with gifts and surrounded by happiness and love. We will write a custom essay sample on Inspiration or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But that lifestyle was no longer mine for the taking. On Mother’s Day of 2004, my house had been destroyed by flames and taken over by clouds of smoke. Everything I owned was now destroyed and ruined. From my favorite skirt to my award winning uniforms, my prized possessions were nothing more but piles of ash. Not only did I lose such materialistic belongings, I lost my hero, my motivation, my dad. And although my mom made it out okay, with little harm, losing one of such meaning left me to be nothing more than a helpless mess. It was late into my eighth grade year, when this had all taken place. I allowed this tragedy to take control of every aspect of my life. By the time I had returned to school, after missing many weeks, the year was already over. Summer was spent replacing my life. I had to start brand new and buy everything, from my toothbrush and toothpaste down to my shoes and socks. When 9th grade rolled around, I had changed, but it was only for the worst. I lost w ill power and lacked effort. I felt as if there was no reason to continue with such ambition when my dad was no longer there to smile at my every moment. I had made it through ninth grade but my grades never met my full potential. During the completion of tenth grade, my attitude towards life remained the same. I held back my abilities and talents only to go against everybody else, as though it was their own fault. When I reached my junior year of high school, I was able to confront myself. I was able to look back and realize that rather than â€Å"going against the grain† as many would say; I should have used this tragedy to provide me with motivation. Motivation that would allow me to put forth my expertise day after day and achieve goals I had set my whole life. So I set aside my prior experiences and filled my self with aspiration. As the year went by I maintained a grade point average of 4.0 quarter after quarter. I watched as not only my teachers, but my friends, were impressed with my academic achievements. It was my mom though, that gave me a sense of acknowledgement. The look on her face could tell me with out words that she grew more and more proud of me every day. Moments like these let me know I was on the right path. It’s now my senior year and as I look back at myself, and at who I have become, I look at how I’ve grown into one with more maturity and independence. I apply myself now in ways that I never knew I could. I can say now with much self confidence that I will be able to overcome any given obstacle with not only courage and determination but with pride and dignity.

How Long Is the SAT With Breaks

How Long Is the SAT With Breaks SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT is a marathon that takes up your whole Saturday morning. But exactly how long is it? How long is the SAT with breaks? How long is it with the Essay section? Without it? This article gives the answers to these questions and also offers a few key tips on how to use SAT breaks to your advantage on test day. What Is the Total Time for the SAT Plus Essay Test? Including breaks, the SAT is exactly four hours and seven minutes long.This time includes all sections (Reading Test, Writing and Language Test, Math No Calculator Test, Math Calculator Test, and optional Essay) as well as all breaks. Here is the exact breakdown of time by section: Section Order on Test Total # of Questions Total Time (Minutes) Reading 1 52 65 Break 1 2 - 10 Writing and Language 3 44 35 Math No Calculator 4 20 25 Break 2 5 - 5 Math Calculator 6 38 55 Break 3 7 - 2 Essay (Optional) 8 1 50 There are three breaks throughout the test.There is a 10-minute break after the Reading section and a five-minute break after the Math No Calculator section. For these two breaks, you can leave the room, use the restroom, eat a snack, etc. However, for the final break, which is after the Math Calculator section, you're given just two minutes to stretch next to your desk; you may not leave the room at this time. Use a watch to keep track of your time! What If You're Taking the SAT Without the Essay? If you're taking the SAT without the Essay, the order and timing of the test are the same, except you'll leave right after the Math Calculator section and will not stay for the Essay. The total time for the SAT without the Essay (with breaks) is three hours and 15 minutes. Here is the SAT without Essay chronological timing breakdown: Section Order on Test Total # of Questions Total Time (Minutes) Reading 1 52 65 Break 1 2 - 10 Writing and Language 3 44 35 Math No Calculator 4 20 25 Break 2 5 - 5 Math Calculator 6 38 55 How to Use SAT Breaks to Your Advantage The breaks alwayscome after the 1st, 3rd, and 4th sections, so use themto recharge.Move, stretch, use the restroom, drink water, and eat energy-packed foods.Bananas are great! If you need help picking a snack, we've got alist of excellent ones. It can be hard on your body to sit for so long, so definitely use the breaks to move around. Also, remember that the breaks get shorter as the test continues.The second break is your last chance to use the bathroom or grab a snack before almost two more hours of testing, so be sure to use it! Minions are awesome. What’s Next? Preparing for the SAT? You should read our free ultimate SAT study guide. And if you're taking the test soon, learn how to cram for the SAT. Not sure where you'd like to go to college? Learn how to do college research right, and get help finding yourSAT target score. Hoping to be accepted to atop school? Check out our guides to getting into Harvard and Stanford. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Conscription Australia essays

Conscription Australia essays Conscription is a system of compulsory enrolment of men and women into the armed forces. It is now a major issue in todays society due to the Great War, starting in 1914. At the moment Australia is totally relying on voluntary enlistment, now in 1916, two years into the war soldiers numbers are declining, and the need for more recruitments is required. Prior to this enlistments exceeded the numbers the army could accept! For us Australians we see the war as a great opportunity to win a place in the empires traditions! We all feel the need for the empires support to feel secure, safe and protected. How were we supposed to win a place in its traditions if we dont have enough men willing to fight for the country, let alone the empire!! All other countries in the war including Britain are fighting with conscripted military forces and we believe Australia should also take part in this system. Our main topics in our debate for conscription will cover issues such as politicians, political parties, pro-conscriptionists, loyalty to the empire, employment, mateship, heroic views, self-discipline and Australias independence. Conscription is a great system that entitles men to experience a once in a lifetime adventure as well as being able to fight for a great and noble cause! It also teaches young men self-discipline and life skills such as cooking, cleanliness, obeying rules, communication skills and co-operating with others. These skills allow individuals to have much more independence. It is unfair for men to be allowed to avoid their duty while family, mates and those who have volunteered are out there fighting for them!! This represents Australian men as cowardice, and very unegalitarian. These issues all take part in understanding why Australia desperately needs conscription in order to reach expectations of the empire. Without conscription Australia will be represented as ...

Corporate reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate reporting - Essay Example Accountants use corporate reports to check on the firm’s activities in line with the management’s transparency and accountability. On the other hand, other external users such as banks use corporate reports to establish the firm’s ability to repay loans. Corporate reports indicate the profitability of a firm on a periodic basis. Corporate reports are through three different sources such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the respective company and other federal regulators (DiPiazzaJr and Eccles, 1997). Benefits of corporate reporting include provision of reliable information, flexibility and accountability. On the other hand, corporate reporting improves accuracy, diversity, corporate governance, ease of communication, transparency and attainment of company targets. Corporate reporting promotes flexibility through the directors’ ability to break down any key financial changes hence making it less complicated to achieve. The corporate report’s accuracy and validity are through an auditors’ letter. Since auditors also use corporate reporting, this improves transparency as well as attainment of a firm’s objectives. Diversity and ease of communication are through the use of IFRS and IABS requires a company to produce different types of reports including equity statement, cash flow and income statements respectively. Additionally, the ease of comparison and its usefulness to different users makes it an efficient tool for communicating Easy jet’s progr ess (Hooghiemstra, 2000). The primary disadvantages of corporate reporting include excessive information hence making it difficult to analyse the information since the information has not been two different users. On the other hand, there is over emphasis on the primary users (investors) instead of focusing on the real company events, as well as other users. In some instances, the information used may have been prepared using out-dated accounting methods hence useless for the business

The Co-operative Bank Brand positioning Project Essay

The Co-operative Bank Brand positioning Project - Essay Example Brand positioning of an organization involves the following steps: 1. Identification of the direct competition of the business (including players offering products or services amongst bigger portfolio of solutions) 2. Understanding of the brand positioning of the competitors in the market. 3. Documentation of the own positioning of the company. 4. Comparison of company’s positioning with its competitors in order to identify the possible areas of differentiation. 5. Development of distinctive differentiated and value based brand positioning concept. 6. Creation of a positioning statement with customer value propositions and messages used for the purpose of communication development throughout the target audience. In order to develop a distinctive place in the operational market, an organization should choose a target market followed by the creation of a differential advantage in their mind. Thus, brand positioning is the medium by means of which the company can convey to its cu stomers that what it desires to achieve for them. It can be said to be an activity of creation of the brand offer in such way that it will occupy a separate value and place in the mind of the target customers. It includes identification and determination of the similarity as well as difference for ascertainment of the correct brand identity and creation of proper brand image. An effective brand positioning helps in directing the marketing strategy by explanation of brand details, distinctiveness of the brand, its similarity and dissimilarity with competitive brands and specific reason for using the brand. It is the base of development or increase of required knowledge or perception of its customers. It is the only feature which distinguishes the products or services of a company from its competitors. Financial condition of Cooperative banks in Europe The financial crisis situation of the countries and financial institutions are not over. The financial condition is far away from its stability and the confidence of the public in the financial institutions is very weak (Groeneveld, 2011). The Cooperative Banking Group has weathered/battered present and previous periods of the financial distress situation relatively well (Acadia, et al., 2010; EACB, 2010; Wyman, 2008). The cooperative banking group has recovered from the financial crisis situation of the period of 2007-2008 in a better pace as compared other shareholders value or the listed banks. The financial crisis leaded to the critical assessment of the business principles, models and rules in the banks. The top priority is given to safeguard of the stability in the global financial system. A major effort was given on the restoration of confidence of the customers on the financial sector. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has announced high capital and liquidity requirements for the financial systems and banks as the preventive measures for reducing the financial crises to some extent (Basel Committe e on Banking Supervision, 2010). This regulatory reform will result in the shift of the funding structure from the short term and volatile sources to long term and stable sources like capital and other deposits (Kodres and Narain, 2010). This financial crises situation has resulted in the increased awareness of the investors related to the capital endowments of the banks. Thus, it is likely that the market participants will request for additional buffers above

AARP (outline) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

AARP (outline) - Research Paper Example The organization targets members of the society that are 50 years and above, since this is the segment of the population that is retired active participation in the professional field. According to Bouchard, Blair and Haskell (2012), this age bracket is also the most vulnerable to the effects of health, and poverty. Therefore, it is essential that their welfare is taken care of, and this is where AARP intervenes. It also advocates for the welfare of its members and has significant influence among the lobbyists in the US. The organization boasts of a membership of 38 million individuals, making it one of the largest organizations based on membership numbers in the US. The status of the organization came under scrutiny with the senate discussing whether it should be classified as a business or if it should be given the status of a nonprofit. Eventually AARP was cleared though some doubts over its operations still lingered. According to Schmidt et al. (2012), AARP is a non-partisan organization in that it takes a neutral stand in matters of politics. This means that the organization does not openly endorse political candidates or takes part in fundraising activities for aiding a political candidate to be elected. They take this stand in order to avoid a clash of interest when carrying out their mandate (Schmidt et al, 2012). According to information posted on the organization’s website, the organization is aiming to ensure that the elderly realize their rights in order for them to remain an integral part of the society. This can only be achieved when the elderly can access the basic needs, and have financial independence. This will make the elderly feel secure, hence improving the quality of life of their members (AARP, 2012). The organization is famous for the mandate that it carries out among the American population. The organization has taken up the task of addressing the issue affecting the elderly

Observe behavior - you as a researcher (Psychology) Essay

Observe behavior - you as a researcher (Psychology) - Essay Example A study of college students stress found that stress is self-imposed surprisingly often (Weiten & Lloyd 65). Further enhancing available research that links college activities to self-imposed stress, this researcher noted a particular instance in which a student manifested not only outward indications of self-imposed stress, rather the student began to exhibit behavior toward self-fulfilling prophecy in which the students unrealistic expectations about academic performance caused her negative assertions to become reality. In an attempt to justify a hypothetical linkage between self-imposed stress and self-fulfilling prophecy, this researcher engaged the student to become an It became a crucial determining factor to this case study to witness how the participant functioned in an academic environment and for this researcher to observe behaviors which could be linked to self-imposed stress and self-fulfilling prophecy. The subject was observed frantically reinforcing her impending failure to an upcoming class examination, exclaiming on several occasions that she was "stupid" and could not manage to secure an acceptable understanding of her curriculums material. This researcher allowed the subject to openly express her misgivings with her academic performance and twice witnessed the subject toss her study materials in frustration. Further forward in the subjects study session, the student publicly refused to continue studying because she perceived the activity as a "useless effort" and that she was "doomed to work at a car wash for the rest of her life" and would never attain her degree. As part of our association, it was commonplace for this researcher to offer study assistance by quizzing the subject on her study material. After reviewing the information, this researcher was able to conclude that the subject comprehended

Is Henry Rollins a good poet Discuss with specific reference to his Essay

Is Henry Rollins a good poet Discuss with specific reference to his work - Essay Example When Henry Rollins is criticized for being a lesser poet, and not so good a performer, what these critics miss is the totality of the artist that he is. Of the different categories of performers he belonged to the category of super active performers. In 1980s when he was with the punk rock group the Black Flag his pre show appearances on the stage were very critically acclaimed. He would come on stage in only a pair of black shorts while the rest of the band is tuning up before the concert. He will pace up and down the stage grinning and grinding his teeth. According to sub pop critic Calvin Johnson, â€Å"Henry was incredible. Pacing back and forth, lunging, lurching, growling; it was all real, the most intense emotional experiences I have ever seen† (as quoted by Azzerad Michel, in Our band could be your life: scenes from the American Indie Underground PP38) This shows that Henry Rollins was more a performer than a poet whose energy is more in performing poems rather than wi th in the poems. So the poetry is only one of the media he uses to perform before the world. For him a poem is not a whisper as it is too many poets, but a big shout out. It is this aspect as a performer poet that is missed out in the criticism of the poems of Rollins. Every word uttered is made into a performance by Henry Rollins. That’s why his spoken-word performances are so popular, receiving good reviews from respectable journals and News papers everywhere. In many of his interviews Rollins confesses himself to be workaholic.† I don’t have a great deal of love life. I love my work, but don’t know many people.† He explains in his interview with another poet/musician/actor, Saul Williams. Work with out love and the years flying away is almost a perpetual theme in Rollins poems. The agony of loneliness is getting denser here. The inability to love or to reach out to the lover is getting graver which is summed up so poetically and beautifully as â€Å"my silence spit in your

Things Fall Apart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Things Fall Apart - Essay Example The protagonist of the novel, Things Fall Apart, is Okonkwo who is also considered symbolic of the village, Umuofia. Okonkwo has his own identity and dignity as a reputable member of the village, Umuofia but he is shown as a willful and lose-tempered person. He loses his temper due to which, he tries to kill his second wife. Okonkwo has to suffer exile on the basis of his killing a boy for seven years. Okonkwo has ambitions to become the leader of his tribe. When he is exiled from his village, he leaves to his mother’s village, Mbanta. He waits anxiously for his return to his own village for seven years. In the meantime, Europeans enter Africa and subjugate people. Europeans try to steal away the identity of Africans by means of their missionary preaching of Christian religion. The native populations of Umoufia, Mbanta and other African villages and lands have their own traditions, laws, customs and ideology to pass their lives. However, Europeans enter Africa and try to subjugate the people of Africa by means of their religion. When Okonkwo reaches back to their village after seven years, he gets surprised by seeing the condition of his village. Along with many other villagers, his own son, Nwoye, has changed his native religion and converted to Christianity. Although, it is true that his village has economic prosperity and development but that is given to them on the basis of their giving up their identity. Through colonialism, the Europeans attacked on the native culture, customs and laws of African people. When the missionaries tried to convert people from their native religions to Christianity, they took away the identity of Africans. Okonkwo tries to maintain his identity and adheres to his traditions and recognition. He does not convert into a Christian. He also tries to help out the other members of his village. Okonkwo is also one of the egwugwu, which are masked spirits of the ancestors. On one occasion, when the tribe is busy in its

Financial Ratio Analysis for HSBC

Financial Ratio Analysis for HSBC HSBC is the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, established by Thomas Sutherland, in 1865. HSBC is one of the leading banking group on the financial market in the world today. In 2000, it ranked fifth largest global company in the world. HSBCs headquarters is located on the HSBC tower, Canary Wharf, London. HSBC bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Holding plc. The shares of HSBC bank are not publicly-traded, but those of HSBC Holdings plc are traded on the London, New York, Hong Kong, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges. The HSBC Corporation has been expanding rapidly with merger and acquiescing and it ranked second with assets for worlds wealthy company. HSBC has $1.861 trillion in assets as compared to Citigroup, which has $1.884 trillion, 31 Dec 2006. Nearly 22% of HSBCs earnings are derived from Hong Kong, which is one of its major operational bases. HSBC has grown into one of the largest global financial institutions with 9,500 offices in 79 countries and identity of HSBC brand have been well recognizing in the worldwide since it established. Known as the worlds local bank, HSBC has a history of helping millions of customers for their financial needs. FINANCIAL RATIO ANALYSIS Financial ratios for HSBC (2005-2009), for the industry of Foreign Money Center Banks are provided below. Industry 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2009 Net profit margin(%) 9.0 6.1 20.6 20.7 25.1 11.9 Return on Equity(%) 4.5 6.1 14.9 14.6 16.1 12.6 Return on Assets(%) 0.2 0.2 0.8 0.8 1.1 7.9 Debt to equity 1.38:1 2.23:1 2.12:1 2.33:1 2.90:1 3.68:1 Current Ratio(2:1) 1.05 1.03 1.06 1.06 1.07 1.40 Interest Coverage(times) 1.3 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.7 1.2 Profitability Ratios Profitability ratios are show effectiveness of the business with generating profit. This ratio is popular that assessing a business to assess the amount of wealth generating for the amount of wealth invested. In 2009, HSBCs net profit margin ratio (9.0) is dramatically lower than year 2005. In 2005 net profit margin ratio is the highest (25.1) in other years. The lowest net profit margin ratio appeared as a 6.1 in 2008 and that had brought by global economic recession. There is slightly lower ratio (9.0) on net profit margin compare to its industry (1.9) in 2009. The higher net profit margin explains HSBC has good financial performance and cost of sales lower than other years in 2005. Liquidity Ratio HSBCs liquidity ratios are almost remained the same, between 2005 and 2009. Although, HSBC is slightly less liquided than the average firm in the industry, with both a current ratio and a quick ratio that is lower than the industry average. If a both ratios are lower than its norm (current ratio2:1, quick ratio1:1), it could be face liquidity problem. Capital Gearing Ratios Capital gearing is concerned with the relative sizes of the funds provided by share-holders, on the other hand by loan creditors. HSBCs Debt/equity ratio has dropped from (2.90) in 2005 to (1.38) in 2009. The lowest figure (1.38) occurred in 2009 on debt to equity and its dramatically lower than its industry (3.68). Debt to equity ratio indicated that HSBC is less leveraged than other firms in industry. This lower leverage shows HSBC has good financial performance in its industry. Management efficiency 2010 (1st quarter) HSBC Barclays Industry SP(500) Income/employee 22,226 36,763 66,753 99,430 Revenue/employee 238,067 303,095 396,097 896,721 Net profit margin 14.0 11.6 11.9 HSBC has net profit margin higher than other firms in industry and SP(500). But if we look at productivity of HSBC, and compare to Barclays, its industry and SP(500), its dramatically lower than any other those. Which means productivity is poor and $14,537 ($36,763-$22,226) lower than Barclays productivity of per employee. Therefore, there is a conflict between practice and theory of (productivity and net profit margin). According to theory productivity should be high if net profit margin high, in that case they are not. Perhaps HSBC need to consider about poor fixed and indirect cost. Conclusion We need to consider about market efficiency (which form of efficient market hypothesis). Seems to me, the efficient market hypothesis is involved in semi-strong form, which means we able to use all available public information including firms data (annual reports, income statement, exchange commission etc.), competitors financial situation, macro economic factors etc. . .Before we invest 250,000 pound to buy some share of HSBC. HSBC has strong balance sheet, income statement is perfect except some losses between mid 2008 and early 2009 and price earning per share higher than its main competitors of Barclays, SP500, and its industry. The management efficiency little bit poor but the management performance getting strong and they making their share price uptrend dramatically since the economic recession (in 2008). HSBCs net profit margin was 9.1% in 2009, now it is increased at 14% in 1st quarter of 2010. Which means the management performance is strong and marketing is effective in the market place. The history of share price chart is illustrated the share price increased slightly from at the price of 81.00 GDP in September 2005 till at price of 90.00 GDP in December 2007 and it is peaked up at 100.00 GDP in January 2008. January effect is very strong in HSBCs share price. The share price huge difference between End of December and January of every new a year and since 2005, the investors were making profit (3.00 GDP to 5.00 GDP) on per share in 3 weeks. I would like to recommend that we need to make an investment on HSBCs share with 250,000 GDP before January effect (end of December most of the stock holders want to sell their stocks, because of tax issue). The strategy of stock investment is buy-and-hold. That would be good investment for buying HSBCs shares.

The Media In India Media Essay

The Media In India Media Essay Looking at the history of news coverage of the war and internal crisis situation, it is quite evident that the news from the area of operation has always interested the mankind. Media these days has now assumed a status which it had seldom enjoyed earlier. Starting as an institutionalized approach to generate awareness and inform masses, media has become an instrument to govern our lives. A close scrutiny and study of Mahabharata would expose to us the nuances of battle that went on between the two adversaries and till date it remains a great testimony to what the quality of battlefield reporting analyses was during the epic period in India. If we were to identify a war correspondent in correspondingly modern India, possibly William Howard Russells name could be the first one to be cited as he reported upon the first war of independence in India in 1857.The coverage of the war and internal crisis in present day scenario has taken an interesting turn with the near real time to live co verage of the events showing pictures from the crisis zone instantly. Media has been playing a vital link to the rest of India on the ongoing insurgency/militancy in Kashmir and North East. Media coverage took an upward surge almost nearing a deluge during the Kargil conflict. Twenty four into seven channels began churning the battlefield in a hunt for not only the latest stories but a series of stories eclipsing the previous one thereby arousing public interest and forming opinions. Never had there been so much support to the war effort in the recent history as was evident during the Kargil conflict. Why did it happen the way it did-did media play a role in it? Do we expect the media to be as supportive during future operations as it was during Kargil? Would the part of media that is controlled and financed by people from outside the country continue to play the ball the way it did during the Kargil conflict? Today, the images of war, for that matter peace, can decisively draw the contours of a nations public opinion even before the authorities can confirm or repudiate the authenticity. Therefore, it is all the more essential to critically analyse the role media can pl ay and how best can it be optimized without compromising any of its essential elements. Press council of India 1. Press Council is a mechanism for the pres to regulate itself. The raison detre of this unique institution is rooted in the concept that in a democratic society the press needs at once to be free and reasonable. If the press is to function effectively as the watchdog of public interest, it must have a secure freedom of expression, unfettered and unhindered by any authority, organised body or individuals. But, this claim to press freedom has legitimacy only if it is exercised with due sense of responsibility. The press must therefore scrupulously adhere to accepted norms of journalistic ethics and maintain high standard of professional conduct. Where the norms are breached and freedom is defiled by unprofessional conduct, a way must exist to check and control it. But, control by government or official authorities may prove destructive of this freedom. Therefore, the best way is to let peers of the profession, assisted by a few discerning layman to regulate it through a properly stru ctured representative impartial machinery. Hence, the Press Council. 2. The Press Council of India was first set up in the year 1966 by the Parliament on the recommendations of the First Press Commission with the objective of preserving the freedom of the press and of maintaining and improving the standards of press in India. The present Council functions under the Press Council Act 1978. It adjudicates the complaints against and by the press for violation of ethics and for violation of the freedom of the press respectively. The Press Council is headed by a chairman, who has by convention, been a retired judge of Supreme Court of India. The council consists of 28 other members of whom 20 represent the press and are nominated by the press organisation/news agencies recognised and notified by the Council as all India bodies of categories such as editors, working journalists and owners and managers of newspaper, five members are nominated from the two houses of the Parliament and represent cultural, literary and legal fields as nominees of Sahitya Academ y, University Grant Commission and Bar Council of India. The members serve on the Council for a term of three years. The Council was last reconstituted on May 22, 2001. The Press Council of India has the following function:- To help the newspaper to maintain their independence. (ii) Medium of Media Role of Media 2. Role of media is that of mediation between the government and the people of the nation. Due to its responsibilities, media is the fourth pillar of the democratic India. After 63 years of achieving independence and quest towards becoming number one power of the world by 2020 through economic growth, the role of media is somewhat uncertain and putting a question mark on the Indian journalism. Before moving ahead we need to ask ourselves and think as to is Indian media playing the role for what it has been known that is the fourth pillar of the state? If not then what role media should play? The obvious answer to this question is that the media should be fair, reliable, impartial, accurate analysis/reporting and work in an integrated manner towards the overall benefit of the people of the nation. As far as news is concerned, media should analyse the news in a very rigid manner, how it has happened and what is the very existence of the news to go to the root cause of the problem inste ad of being biased to any facts and figures available of hand or floated by anybody. But the fact remains very often rather going deep into any problem, journalists are blindly accepting the news as truth which is being formulated and carefully manipulated by the evil elements and disseminate the same publicly. Well, the entire community of journalist s cannot be placed under suspicious category for the inappropriate reporting or misdeeds of few journalists. 3. Medias basic role is to inform, influence, entertain and help develop economy of state which involves news evaluation, analysis and assessment and finally dissemination. Newspapers have a dual role; it is a quasi public institution and a free enterprise and same holds good for the electronic media also. However when the media overlooks its responsibility to the people of a nation and lays more emphasis on being free enterprise that is the problem starts. Another problem is what news is worthy and what is not, and most important is what news need not be published or broadcasted is decided by whom? The journalist is neither to be considered as a detective nor a historian but as mediator in conveying its readers all about the event. Major General Winant Sidle of the US Army says, The appropriate media role in relation to the government has been summarised aptly as being neither a lap dog nor an attack dog but, rather, a watch dog. Apart from acquisition, interpretation and disseminat ion of news, role of media can be summarised as; to create public opinion and attitudes, act as watch-dog for citizens in terms of human rights issues and abuses by institution of power, inform public with events that are balanced and finally maintain national morale by responsible news coverage. The Constitution of India and Press Freedom 4. The Constitution of India, specifically in the chapter on Fundamental Rights, surprisingly, does not mention freedom of press. Later on, Dr. Ambedkar however had mentioned that being part of the guarantees of Freedom of Speech and Expression in Article 19 (1) (a) of the constitution it was not necessary to stipulate the freedom of press separately. Freedom of expression as mentioned in the Constitution implies all forms of opinions, thoughts, ideas and conviction and thus covers most of what is needed for the freedom of press. Censorship is no way covered in any provisions of the Indian constitutions. However during an emergency under the Indian Constitution, Fundamental Rights including Freedom of Expression and Speech stands suspended. The Article 19 (2) of the Constitution of India states that the freedom of the press can be restricted for reasons of sovereignty and integrity of India, preserving democracy and the security of the state, besides some other contingencies. 5. Freedom of the media in actual facts is tempered by hard ground realities such as power and influence of the ownership on editorial policies, commercial orientation of the media, government control over key resources such as newsprint, communications and advertisements. Very often media misuses the freedom given to it and it is evident from a number of issues. Media these days are more engaged in dramatization of an event or news rather than reflecting the informative part. More often, unnecessarily intruding into private lives/personal matters of the people and especially focussing on the distress victims and their families. Media has been in highlight for being involved in corrupt practices and favouring the publishers, political parties, business houses, religious institutions to name a few. Biased publishing, journalist and editor block some news while highlighting others for the reasons of there own. There have been instances where media play up regional emotions leading to s trong appeal and wide spread commotion. During reportage of war or any operations related to internal crisis situation, many a times media has show immaturity and is irresponsible in its reporting by sensationalizing and escalating the conflict. Police, politician and corporate can still be considered for double standards, but how can we expect the same standards from our journalist community. When one pillar collapses, the whole building is likely to fall down. Media being the fourth pillar need to be strong enough in breaking the ice and put forward news and make the truth distinct from ambiguous or falsehood which will entail death of social evil and the people of the nation and the state itself will live in peace. This is the responsibility than needs to be understood and taken up by the Indian journalism. Now, how they are going to shape, direct and lead the new generation of India towards to a peaceful nation as a whole is matter of time and the self awakening. Media ethics 6. Media both print and more so the electronic media plays an important catalyst in shaping the public opinions, sentiments and dogmas by promulgating accurate and desirable information and knowledge. Due to the vast intrusion of television news in public life, it has the power and can create an enduring impact on society, culture and security of a region. These days media is generally facing a qualitative crisis pertaining to the news disseminated by it and it seems as the news channels in India have their respective doctrine charted out presenting anything as news which leads to an departure from the ethical issues of journalism. They have metamorphosed themselves towards packaging of information and have adopted a policy of corporate culture wherein their basic motto has transformed from disseminating information to earning television rating points. With numerous news channels being beamed to our houses the thirst for the actual news by the public is not met due to lack of content , quality and authenticity which have deteriorated over a period of time. Electronic media in India has been irresponsible in presenting news and sensitizing crucial events without understanding and realising the impact and implications on the people and security of the nation. Investigative journalism is the in thing now where in the channels has become a self proclaimed investigating agency which to some extent is instrumental in bringing out the truth but slowly the channels are being used as a means of personal vendetta or gains by insiders as well as outsiders. 7. Media used to be known as the voice of common people and a medium to grab knowledge of the world. Media had over a period of time had built some ethics which was appreciated but with the rapid development, mushrooming of news agencies and requirement of growth it is loosing its credibility. Print media compared to electronic media was known for its accuracy and its ethics and with passage of time everything has become part of marketing and news turned into commodity. The so called free media talks the language of the agencies they are benefited from. The ethics which is being talked about is what should be written or shown and what shouldnt be. The overall aim should to add to society, nation building for a better tomorrow. Contrary to this, media coverage includes matters which are of no use to the citizen but surely for their own mileage. News is supposed to connect the world and not a soap opera in which media ethics, duties and purpose is lost. Reach of mass media 8. It is important for a country like ours to know the capabilities of available mass media facilities, readership, listener ship and viewer ship habits of the people to gauge the reach of media. But do we know when it comes to the reach of various mass media individually and in combination among the diverse population in the country. There many question which arises like how many in the country are exposed to or read newspaper, view television, listen to radio, surf internet, etc? Which one of the available media and how frequently? How many and who all read more than one newspaper, which one and where in India? During what period of the day and how frequently do the people watch TV and listen to radio? What is the duplication/overlap of programmes between different media and many more intricate questions like such will determine the influence the media will create in the people of a nation and gauge its reach. 9. In the year 2006, National Readership was carried out in India which is considered the largest survey of its kind in the world, with samples from 2,84,373 house interviews to measure the media penetration and exposure in both urban and rural India and obviously the readership of publications. According to the survey, today average urban adult is spending 44 minutes per day reading magazines and dailies. Readership of dailies continue to grow as compared to the previous year however there is a decline in magazine readership both in urban and rural India. Satellite television has grown in leaps and bound and has a considerable reach: TV now reaches 112 million Indian homes. Internet has also spread predominantly with a reach now exceeding 12 millions. Resurgence of radio cannot be ignored as its reach has increased to 27% of the population tuning in to any radio station in the average week, almost equaling the number of readers. This boom in media reach and penetration will play a v ital role towards national perception and national security as such. Media Ownership and control in India 10. In February 1995 in a landmark judgement, Supreme Court of India ruled that the airwaves are public property and no longer under government control. In 1996 a Broadcasting bill was formulated and an autonomous Broadcasting Authority was vested with regulatory powers. The ministry of information and broadcasting in June 1998 allowed private Indian satellite channels to uplink from India. With the media being liberalised entry of foreign media was eminent, now the question which comes to mind is; do foreign media impact the policy decisions, a tool of cultural imperialism, western business and foreign policy interest in turn hampering national security. The positive side may be in favours of foreign media on the ground of plurality, competition and readers right to know. Their influence will mould the perception of the population as they wield through their agenda. 11. It is very interesting to know as to who controls the various media entity in India and obviously it will stem out from the ownership. A very popular news channel NDTV, is funded by gospels of charity in Spain which supports communism. CEO of this company is Prannoy Roy who is related to Prakash karat, the General Secretary of communist party of India. CNN-IBN is funded by Southern Baptist Church with its branches all over the world with its HQ in US. Times Group which includes Times of India, Mid-Day, Nav Bharat Times, Stardust, Femina, Times Now (TV news channel) and many more is owned by Benet and Coleman. Star TV is managed by an Australian, who is supported by St. Peters Pontifical Church, Melbourne. Birla Group owned Hindustan Times have changed hands which is presently owned by Shobhana Bharatiya and working in collaboration with the Times Group. English daily, The Hindu started over 125 years has been taken over by Josua Society, Berne, Switzerland. The Indian express in which ACTS Christian Ministries have a major stake. There are many other regional news print who are privately owned by Indians which have more reach and impact in the rural, semi-urban and to some extent urban population. Regional TV network like Enadu is controlled by Ramoji Rao who has connection in the film industry. 12. The ownership explains the control of media in India by external agencies be it foreigner or Indian. The news will be biased by their owners and the product that filters down to the common man will distort. The result is obvious; we are going to be fed with tailor made news by the companies who are holding the strings. Media responsibility 13. Freedom of press might have potential unintended effect while engaged in the internal crisis situation especially when considering modern media as a force multiplier. Many a times the media is in an awkward position when it is covering terrorist events. Medias role to protect the societys right to know comes in direct conflict with the states (military, law enforcement and investigating agencies) mission is to protect and serve, and maintain order when covering internal crisis situations. The precarious balancing act that the press faces while covering terrorist incidents is like having censorship on one side of the weigh scale and freedom on the other side. During internal crisis situations, press needs to be always vigilant about balancing their freedom relating protecting the peoples right to know against their responsibility to play a constructive role. The more the freedom and accuracy goes into reporting, the more the coverage favours the terrorists and vice versa. Issues f acing the governments and media outlets before, during and after a terrorist incident need to be closely examined by both the agencies towards dissemination of information which will strike a balance. The terrorist and governments agendas tend to dramatically oppose, while the media position is often judgment call. Media is a force multiplier stuck in between complete censorship and total freedom of the press. It is important that the media continues to play a constructive role during times of local and national crisis but it is also critical that the media be allowed to continue to provide a counterbalance.

The Use Of Symbols In Macbeth Essay -- essays research papers

The Use of Symbols in Macbeth   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the play Macbeth, Shakespeare uses many symbols to add to his story. His use of blood, water, light, dark, rampant animals, and even the witches are examples of how he used symbols to add depth to his play. These symbols were often times recurring and they were all related to the central plot of the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare used blood in this play several times. Blood is first mentioned by Macbeth shortly after he had slain Duncan. The subject of blood was introduced again when Duncan's murder was brought up by Lady Macbeth, as well as others later in the play. In the aforementioned circumstances, blood was used to symbolize the guilt, and pain that Macbeth and his wife were experiencing as a by-produc...

Descriptive Essay - The Meadow -- Descriptive Essay, Descriptive Writin

The Meadow      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On a crisp autumn afternoon, I sat idly under an enormous oak tree watching as a whirlwind whisked across the rolling hills of   the meadow.   As it passed by me, the whirlwind scooped up a dormant pile of leaves lying next to the oak tree.   The leaves appeared to come alive twisting, turning, and dancing about the meadow.   They were sporting their new fall colors of red, orange, brown, and yellow.  Ã‚   The brittle autumn leaves seemed to be having a party.   As the party moved out of sight, I began to think about the last time I visited the meadow.   The memories of my last visit are vivid with relaxed and peaceful thoughts   motivated by the images, scents, and sounds of the meadow.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The beauty of the meadow in the summer is unequaled.   My memories contained many images of this special place.   Snow covered mountains extend high above the heavens; thus, setting the backdrop to the meadow.   Wildflowers speckled the base of the mountain becoming more abundant   near the babbling brook.   The brook ran through the midd...

Effective Communication Paper Essay

One way to share information and ideas is by working in teams. â€Å"A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, who work together to achieve a shared purpose and who hold themselves mutually accountable for its accomplishment† (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007, p. 76). â€Å"Teamwork is essential in the provision of healthcare. The division of labor among medical, nursing and allied health practitioners means that no single professional can deliver a complete episode of healthcare† (Leggat, 2007, p. ). Through teamwork, people work together to accomplish the goals set forth by members of the team or organization. Teamwork requires leadership, commitment, and understanding. Through these aspects, team members can learn how to operate together, achieve high levels of task performance, and membership satisfaction. When team members work together they can pull their resources together and come up with the best outcome possible for any problem they may have or goal they want to achieve. Working in teams also has a huge impact on individuals’ needs, attitudes, and performance. Teams can be good for members and the organization and provide benefits, such as â€Å"increasing resources for problem-solving, fostering creativity and innovation, improving the quality of decision making, enhancing members’ commitments to tasks, raising motivation through collective action, helping control and discipline members, and satisfying individual needs as organizations grow in size† (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007, p. 6) They may feel that their ideas are the best because of more training or experience. Others may just feel like being on a team is not a good for them because they can work better alone.   In a healthcare environment teamwork can be applied to benefit the organization and patients. Managers are responsible for choosing individuals they see best fit for working together to achieve the maximum goals for the organization. In a healthcare setting individuals specialize in many areas. When patients have multiple illnesses or injuries, nurses, doctors, and specialists can work together, pull resources from all areas, and share their knowledge to achieve the best results for treatment plans so the patient always receives the best care possible. One downfall would be putting a couple of specialists in the same field together and them not agreeing on the same treatment. This could delay treatment for the patient while the team is trying to decide on what to do for the patient Technology can have a great impact on the success of teamwork. While the team members are sharing their knowledge of the issues at hand, the Internet is readily available as a resource tool. If any questions arise about success rates, techniques, treatments plans or options, or side effects, the team members can research the information to make the final decision. They may also look at the history of the patient through electronic medical records to see if any previous issues would be the cause of new symptoms, the patient has any medical allergies, or to see if any treatment plans did not work for the patient in the past if the issue is a recurring one.

Educational policy Essay

On Tuesday May eleventh, 2010 David Cameron became the British Prime Minister after forming a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition. This followed five days of negotiation as the general election had produced a hung parliament. While the Conservatives were the largest party, they held an inadequate number of seats to meet the threshold for majority rule, and so formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, (guardian.co.uk, 2010). Even prior to becoming Prime Minister, David Cameron spoke at length on the Conservatives’ education election manifesto by announcing plans to attract the most educated professional teachers into the classroom. Central to his party’s focus on education was his party’s desires to improve the standard of teacher’s education, he said, â€Å"The most important thing that will determine if a child succeeds is not their background, the curricula, the type of school or the amount of funding, it’s the teacher,† (daily mail.co.uk, 2010). This paper intends to examine the evolution of the Academy school system under the current coalition government, make a comparison between the current the education policy under the coalition government and the tripartite system of the 1944 Butler Education Act. It will examine the effects of both systems on the pupils within them, whether in fact pupils will benefit from the Academy and free school systems or is it the case that there are also be some pupils who are disadvantaged by this  system. There will also be an examination of what will happen to pupils who are not educated in either the academy or free school systems and the influence that market forces will have on the establishment and success of schools. Education is the delivery of knowledge, skills and information from teachers to students; the process of becoming an educated person, (Carr & Kemmis, 1986). Education promotes the abilities to perceive accurately, think critically and act effectively to achieve self-sele cted goals and aspirations, (Gelber Cannon, 2011). It allows individuals to map their experiences and provides a variety of reliable routes for individual’s to return to optimal states when they find themselves facing difficult decisions and life events. Crucially in modern era, education itself is seen as a vital resource for global economies, in fact most first world economies are characterised as ‘learning economies’, (Tze-Chang, 2011). It is the acquisition and retention of knowledge that drives global economies which, in previous generations, were based entirely on pure market forces, (Avis, 1996). Consequently an economy based exclusively on market forces would be unable sustain learning and innovation, (Morgan, 1997). For modern economies to flourish they must develop a combination of a ‘learning economy’ with market forces, (Beckett & Hager, 2002). It is for these reasons that successive governments have recognised the essential value of a higher educated population and have improve the way in which the population is taught from school age right throughout life, (Wolf & Evans, 2011). Even Prior to the Coalition Government taking power, there had been a move towards Neoliberal ideology from the previo us two governments. From 1997 New Labour brought about changes within educational policies that Tony Blair stated were part of the ‘Third Way’. This was intended to evolve social democratic ideals into encompassing the Neo-liberalism that had been prevalent for the decade under Thatcher’s Government, (Hill,2001). Neo-liberalism attempts to evolve away from social democratic principles such, redistributive policy, taxing the very wealthy, defending equal opportunities with a strongly proactive sense of achieving more equal outcomes, relying on the high standard qualifications of professional groups (such as teachers) and regulating these professionals in the interests of equal opportunities. Neo-liberalism focuses on the continuation of the national curriculum which has had a strong influence from central government. So for instance, Margaret Thatcher insisted that events of the previous twenty years had not to be included in history lessons, (Thatcher, 1980). Even today many teachers believe the national curriculum prevents them encouraging creativity and innovation, focusing on a narrow curriculum and a strict testing regime, (McCormick & Burn, 2011). Neo-liberalism encourages the competition of schooling through supporting market forces with the spread of selective `specialist schools’, (Hursh, 2005). New Labour called these ‘Modernising’ comprehensive education’ by encouraging ‘selection and diversity’, (Kassem et al, 2006). One important area of neo-liberal ideology is marrying of private organisations with public services such as education; New Labour termed these `creating new partnerships’, (Clarke et al, 2000). These ideologies question of `standards’ achieved in school tests expecting that education focus on achieving good test results and making these a requirement for entry into Higher Education, (Rowden, 2011). There are concerns that neo-liberal education policies increase in inequalities in terms of social class, (Hill, 2003). In many ways the new school systems will create winners, those who attend new inspiring buildings that are full to the brim with facilities and opportunities for the pupils, however there will also be losers, those who continue to attend buildings possibly built in the 1950’s with teachers who are not amongst the highly paid or highly educated, (Griffiths, 2007). Investment by the private sector, (which is prone to the nuances of market forces) and reduction in public spending on education is considered `increased public expenditure’, from a neoliberal approach, (Goodwin, 2011). The Importance of Teaching, The Schools White Paper 2010, was published 24th November 2010, its intention was to improve the standard of education for teachers and allowing head teachers to recruit and set pay for the highest educated teachers. Following this the Coalition formulated their plans for the future of education in the UK. This would in some respects follow on from New Labour’s neo liberalistic approach of including private organisations in the creation of new ‘Academy Schools’, (Gunter & Forrester, 2008). The first academies were introduced under the Labour government in 2002, (Higher Standards, 2005). Academy schools are independent from local  education authorities and are state funded with assistance from external organisations; these can include businesses, charities or other governmental bodies. The idea followed the inception of charter schools in USA, (Budde, 1988). They were also influenced in part by the Swedish School system. Charter schools are American schools which are independent from their ‘public school system’, (Finn et al, 2000). They were intended to allow the schools themselves more freedom to be more innovative, while being accountable to local education boards for improved student achievement. Charter schools were meant to create partnerships between educators, parents and students. Many Charter Schools began in the 1990’s; however there has been widespread criticism of the Charter school system. One criticism is that funding has in fact not followed the schools, which were often built within deprived areas. This in fact has meant that many have actually lost funding and have gone into administration, (Buckley & Schneider, 2007). Kunskapsskolan schools were established in Sweden in 1999, it translates into ‘Knowledge School’s and currently operates 30 secondary schools in Sweden. Kunskapsskolan schools are privately managed, non-selective and non-fee paying, with funding for these schools provided by the Swedish government, (Eiken, 2011). The Kunskapsskolan model in Sweden has produced higher than average results and is currently the model behind a number of the UK academy schools. The Kunskapsskolan model was based on personalised learning with every student following a long-term learning and attainment plan which is formulated between the student and the student’s Personal Tutor and their parents. The learning plan was designed to ensure that every student achieves the very best results that he or she is capable of. Kunskapsskolan students are offered the opportunity to work at their own pace, using their own learning style to achieve their own goals and those set by accrediting bodies. Parents are encouraged to actively engage in their children’s education, participate in setting goals and are able to monitor their child’s progress through online reporting systems, (Ball, 2008). New Labour intended that the establishment of academies would drive up standards by replacing failing schools in struggling education authorities, (Chitty, 2009). Under New Labour’s guidelines the academy schools could be established only if they held a sp onsor and could raise two  million pounds in independent funding. The government would then contribute  £25 million, (Pennell & West, 2007). The academy would then run the school outside of the local education authority’s (LEA) funding control, but still operate within all the national requirements for curriculum and standards, (Griggs ,2010). The Coalition Government has greatly expanded the number of Academy schools. The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, initially asked every head teacher in England if they would be interested in achieving academy status. By 31st August 2010, 170 mainstream schools had made an application to convert to academy status and as of 1st April 2012 there are 1776 academies in the UK, (education.gov.uk, 2012). The Academies Bill opened up the possibility of applying for Academy status to all schools and no longer required these schools to hold sponsorships or raise the initial  £2 million, (Wilson, 2011). All other schools, irrespective of their ‘Ofsted’ rating, were also able to apply to become academies if they are part of a group which includes a high performing school or if they join an existing successful academy trust. For the first time since its inception primary schools are also permitted to apply for Academy school status, (Bassett et al, 2012). Ofsted refers to the acronym used for the Office for Standards in Education. It monitors and is the overall regulatory body for the provision childminding, child day care, children’s centres, children’s social care, state schools, independent schools (including Academy schools) and teacher training providers, colleges and learning and skills providers in England, (ofsted.gov.uk, 2012). It also monitors the work of the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Following this, The Coalition Government introduced The Education Bill into the House of Commons on Wednesday 26th January 2011 and received Royal Assent on 15th November 2011, (legislation.gov.uk, 2011). The Education Act specified that from now on all new maintained schools must be setup as either an academy or ‘free schools’. So in effect there will be no new state schools, (Needham et al, 2006). Prior to this they launched a new initiative to introduce what they termed ‘Free School’s into the education arena. Free schools are proposed and governed by local community groups such as groups of parents, faith groups or other interested parties. They are free at source to parents and are all-ability state-funded schools set up in response by local people to meet the needs of local communities and in order to improve education for children in their community, (Leo et al, 2010). The first Free Schools opened in September 2011. Alongside Academies and Free schools, The Government also proposed other types of secondary educational settings governed by local community groups such as the University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools were launched. The process of creating a free school begins with the Secretary of State entering into an Academy Arrangement with a person, group of people, or an organisation. These arrangements usually take the form of an â€Å"Academy Agreement†. In this agreement, the government agrees to provide funds for the school in exchange for certain undertakings, including that the school provides provision for children with special educational needs and different abilities. that the curriculum is balanced and broadly based, that in the case of secondary schools, they provide an emphasis in a particular subject such as sport, science or the arts, and that the pupils are drawn wholly or mainly from the area in which the school is located, (Gunter, 2011). One concern voiced is the claim that Academy schools will be completely outside of the control of not only education authorities but national overarching governmental control, (Woods, 2011). However even the regular state schools have increasingly less control by local education authorities and it is certainly the case that successive reforms over the past two decades have given all schools much greater autonomy, (Bangs et al, 2010). Most legislation that governs schools is currently derived from national government or national bodies, such as the national curriculum or Standard Assessment Tests, Ofsted, or government legislation on issues such as safeguarding or Every Child Matters, (Field, 2010). Local education authorities, in fact have increasingly less control over individual schools. LEA’s continue to be responsible for the provision of school places, sitting appeals when a child does not gain a place at their chosen school and taking responsibility when a school fails, (Bradley & Taylor, 2010). LEA’s also continue to have responsibility for the provision of educational psychologists and special educational needs support. Nonetheless, Academy schools system does provide an increasing  amount of freedom not only for head teachers and teachers, in what they teach, how they are structured, pay structures, freedom to adapt the national curriculum and the freedom to vary the length of the school day and how the school sets its holidays, (Bassett et al, 2010) They also offer freedom to pupils in the sorts of the subjects they study and even in fact the kinds of examinations they gain, for instance, the English baccalaureate, (Taylor, 2010) When asked by the BBC’s Mike Baker in 2010, â€Å"what exactly makes an academy different?† The Former Schools Commissioner, Sir Bruce Liddington, stated that they are more, â€Å"a state of mind more than anything else†, (bbc.co.uk, 2010). Sir Bruce Liddington is the director-general of E-Act (formerly Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust), which is responsible 14 academies and free schools which aim to target the education of children in Britainâ⠂¬â„¢s most deprived areas. However critics have voiced concerns in regards to E-Act’s expansion plans in that they wish to create a â€Å"super-chain† of 250 academy and free schools within five years. There has also been criticism of how these schools will be run and the way market practices will influence the teaching, such as buying and selling of intellectual property, (guardian.co.uk, 2011). The Education Secretary, Michael Gove has stated that â€Å"outstanding† schools may possibly no longer have to undergo the Ofsted inspection, freeing them to concentrate solely on education and not preparing for audits. He has also made the link between â€Å"outstanding† schools and Academy schools, by allowing all â€Å"outstanding† schools to automatically achieve Academy status. Clearly this equates academies with quality, (Dept. of Education, 2010). New academy schools will not be able to select purely on ability, however Grammar schools which have converted to Academy status c an continue to do so, (Miller, 2011). Nonetheless Academies can and do select according to the behaviour of the child, (Sales et al, 2010). Much available research points to there being an increase in challenging behaviours amongst children and young people who come from deprived backgrounds, (Wickham, 2011). Michael Gove himself stated, in a speech at Durand Academy in London, ‘There is a direct line to deprivation which begins when children are failed in primary because their behaviour is not policed with proper boundaries and they are not taught how to read properly. When these young people arrive in  secondary school they cannot follow the curriculum and cover up their failure with a show of bravado, acting up in class’, (politics.co.uk, 2011). Michael Gove also made the link between children who have no positive male role model in their lives and, ‘the Educational underclass’, who he believed would ultimately continue on to become, ‘NEETS’ (not in education, employment or training), again making the links between behaviour and social and economic deprivation, (Attewell & Newman, 2011). The attempt to bring children out of poverty and encourage participation in education has been a central theme for the Neo-liberalism policies of the Coalition Government and the previous New Labour Government, (Hall, 2011). However it was the Coalition Government alone who expanded on the idea of the Academy Schools to Include ‘Free Schools’ and the thinking behind such proposals as the University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools. Free Schools are a recent concept introduced by the Coalition Government, making it possible for the first time parents, teachers, faith groups, charities and businesses to set up their own schools, (Morris, 2011). They are non-fee paying and supported by government. Free schools are subject to the School Admissions Code of Practice, other than that they are permitted to accept only those children they chose. The government has stated that Free Schools must meet the same admissions criteria as the National Admissions Code, however they will have the flexibility to select based on their own criteria. These types of schools are an extension of the existing Academies Programme. Free schools are expected to offer a broad and balanced curriculum. They are still su bject to Ofsted inspections and are expected to comply with standard performance measures, (education.gov.uk, 2011) The first 24 free schools opened in autumn 2011. They represent the most overtly market-oriented policy as part of the neo-liberal Coalition government’s school reform policies in England. There is some degree controversy, as these schools are led by market forces and again to achieve success will be motivated to accept only children from a particular group (for instance those of a particular faith). This could lead to some democratic discrimination if they are not made to be fully accountable in terms of the application process, the governance of free schools, and their effect on local authorities, (Hatcher, 2011). There are also some concerns that some free schools will be run for profit. So for example, it was reported in The  Guardian Newspaper,(guardian.co.uk, 2012), that the head of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch; who is currently being investigated on charges of telephone hacking had had secret meetings with The Education Secretary Michael Gove expressed an interest in applying to set up a free school, (guardian.co.uk, 2012). One example of a free school will be the Phoenix Free School in Oldham which was conceived by Tom Burkard, a former teacher and military instructor. The school itself will be run by ex-military staff and will have a focus on discipline. Burkard says the school will teach children between the ages of 11years and 18years, and will encourage high standards of behaviour, literacy and numeracy, (localschoolsnetwork.org.uk, 2012). University Technical Colleges are described as a new concept in education which offers secondary age pupils from age 14years to 19years olds vocational courses at specialist colleges. There initially proposed by New Labour but had cross party support. The former education secretary, Lord Kenneth Baker proposed them as a means to promote the concept prepare younger people for work. He said, â€Å"We want to forge a partnership between vocational education and universities, further education colleges and employers.† Each university technical college (UTC) will be sponsored by a university or college of further education. They will develop their own specialism, usually to reflect the university’s a rea of excellence. The colleges are intended to be small, with numbers no more than 800 students. Funding is intended to come from sponsorship and from government. The university will not be required to provide funds; however, their assistance is needed for curriculum development, teaching support and guiding student’s education progression. These sorts of courses are intended to reflect a normal weekday and the students will embark on high quality vocational courses rather than purely academic ones. However, there is a requirement that the pupils continue have a background in academic study. Following post sixteen education, the pupils can progress onto apprenticeships utilising support from local employers for day placements with the most up to date equipment. This enhances the employment experience of students and is intended to encourage the development of a work ethic. Pupils can progress on to study for diplomas, A-levels other related qualifications, (edge.co.uk, 2012). There have been  some concerns voiced about the UTCs. For instance, John Bangs who is the head of education at the National Union of Teachers, fears this could lead to reintroducing widespread selection at 14, â€Å"Academies and UTCs are predicators of the kind of pessimism that kids are forever destined for one or other route. It sorts the sheep from the goats, which I’m very opposed to†, (guardian.co.uk, 2010). But Professor Alison Halstead, who is heading a UTC sponsored by Aston University, due to open in 2012, says fears are unfounded. â€Å"Nobody wants academic selection. This type of technical institution is not going to be suitable for all youngsters, and, if it’s not, there are 76 other schools in this area to choose from†. However the Department of Education has strict selection criteria which currently allow UTC’s to select only 10% of pupil admissions based on their aptitude and states that all of new the new school types must comply with the School Admissions Code, (Clegg, 2011). The Studio School is a yet another new concept in education, which seeks to address the growing gap between the skills, and knowledge that young people require to succeed, and those that the current education system provides. Studio Schools are designed for 14-19 year olds of all abilities. They are small schools for 300 students; and with year-round opening and a 9-5 working day, the emphasis will be on creating an environment more like a workplace than a school, (Fuller & Unwin, 2011). Working closely with local employers, Studio Schools will offer a range of academic and vocational qualifications including GCSEs in English, Maths and Science, as well as paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area. Students will gain a broad range of employability and life skills through the skills framework, and will have the option to go on to university, further training, and into employment. There are also the concerns that these sorts of education facilities, like the free schools could have influence from market forces, (Bonell et al, 2011). Evidence in the past has suggested that this has a negative effect on children’s education and reduces their life choices in later life, (Gorard, 1997). As mentioned previously, many of the Charter Schools in USA have since failed many because they failed to attract the investment of businesses. The reasons for this are diverse, however some commentators highlight that many were developed within deprived inner city areas. Business ventures did initially contribute funding to set these  schools up but ultimately withdrew support as the area’s the schools were built in, were not in positions to sustain market involvement. It appeared that many were unlikely to become self-sustaining without on-going support from philanthropic communities, (Minow, 2000). It is the frailty of involving market forces into education that causes concerns for many. There are also issues as regards future life choice, for example, would a child whose school was funding entirely by a bank and who experienced the full weight of that bank’s marketing focuses, make another choice as regards their banking when they reached adulthood, (Adkins, 1999)? With all these new types of education structures there appears to be central themes of freedom and flexibility for teachers and head teachers with new opportunities for children, however alongside this there are concerns that these schools will create divisions within the education system. Also what of the children who will not get the opportunity to attend one of these new types of schools? Will they ‘suffer’ from attending less prestigious schools? What of teachers who do not hold prestigious qualifications? Although the new schools are not able to select purely on intellect, they can make some selections which state schools cannot, they can also select out children who have behaviou ral problems. As has been discussed earlier, this does tend to discriminate against children from deprived backgrounds and these were part of the criticisms that the ‘tripartite system of education’ was charged with in the 1960’s In 1944 The Butler Act brought about radical changes for the British Education System with the basic aim was to give every pupil an equal opportunity to develop his or her talents and abilities to the full, within a free system of state education, (Dent ,1948). For the first time the structure of Education in England and Wales was divided into three stages; Primary schools which taught children from 5years old up to the age of 11years, secondary from the age of 11years until 15years (This was increased to 16years from 1973) and then finally optional post-16yrs education in either an academic setting and on to Higher education or vocational qualifications via the further education route. The most important aspect of this was that for the first time, free secondary education became compulsory for all. At the time the Butler Education Act received cross party support, (Boyle, 1972). The Butler Act proposed three  different types of schools; grammar schools (which were intended for the most academic of children), secondary technical schools (which were intended for children who were gifted in the arts, technology or crafts) and secondary modern schools (For everyone else). This became known as the tripartite system. The tripartite system did allow for a small number of schools to combine all three types of school into one ‘Comprehensive system’, however in reality this did not happen, (Francis, 1995). Pupils were assessed by a tests called ‘the eleven plus’ which was administered to them at age 11years. This was a once only test after their 11th birthday. The system was intended to allocate pupils to the schools best suited to their â€Å"abilities and aptitudes†. However increasingly there were many criticisms directed at this system. For instance, the once only test decided a child’s future, the late developers, or children who were ill on the day, children with dyslexia or social problems were expected to achieve the same as any other child. It was almost certainly true that the test which was given by more or less exclusively middle class teachers was biased towards middle class children, for example it might ask a question which related to classical composers, something a middle class child would be more likely to answer right than a working class child, (Moore,1996). The intention had been that there would be parity of esteem between the three types of school, with none holding a more prestigious position than the other two. However, there were often only two types of school available in practice, those pupils classed as ‘Technical’ were denied the opportunity to attend Secondary Technical schools as very few were built. As a result Technical children went to Secondary Modern schools, (Elder, 1965). It was official policy to mark down female scores, so girls on the borderline of the academic threshold were denied a Grammar school education just because of their gender which resulted in them going to Secondary Moderns, (Deem, 1981). In effect, these meant that it became a one opportunity to pass or fail the eleven plus. Those who passed were granted the opportunity to attend Grammar schools, those who failed would be forced to attend Secondary Moderns, (Hendrick, 1997). Ultimately the result that vast majority of children went to Seco ndary Modern schools, (around seventy percent), and only about five percent were accepted into Secondary Technical schools. Consequently the majority of children were automatically considered to have  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœfailed’ the eleven plus, (Simon, 1986). Middle class children certainly derived the most benefit out of the tripartite system, and this was directly at the expense of the working class. Children from middle class homes were more likely to be focused to achieve within education, (Tomlinson, 1991). Middle class children were taught and tested by mostly middle class teachers which asked questions about experiences they were familiar with, (Welford, 1968). Working class children, in particular experienced the democratic prejudice that has more recently been a major criticism of the New Academy school system. For instance the eleven plus was seen as culturally biased towards the middle class; questions related to table place settings for example, something a middle class child would be more likely to be aware of than a working class child, (Marwick, 2003). Children attending the Secondary modern schools were not intended to achieve academic success or enter into the professions. Curriculums were developed out of the interests of local employers, such as manufacturers and agriculture and consequently taught subjects with a practical dimension. As there was no external examinations to be taken at the end of the pupil’s education and pupils were not under pressure to achieve, (Heath, 1984). There was a possibility of staying on for a further year and in the 1950s there was a growing tendency to do so. Those who continued into the 5th year could sit the General Certificate of Education (GCE) and a very small number did continue on to Higher education and the professions, (Little & Westergaard 1964). However this system did change things for many school children. It ensured secondary education was free for all and one of the results of the Act was to educate and mobilise women and the working class for the first time ever (Thompson, 2000). The Tripartite System was abolished by the new Labour government of 1974 and The 1976 Education Act finally ended any selection of pupils by ability thus officially ending the Tripartite System, (Aldrich, 2002). Although certainly there are a small number of Grammar schools who continue to operate and continue to select based entirely on ability. This is in part due to The Thatcher government allowing selection once again in 1979, and it was used increasingly by individual schools eager to choose  the best pupils, (Chitty, 1989). In 1986 the first City Technology Colleges were proposed, arguably inspired by the Technical schools. Although currently there have no further attempts made to restore the Tripartite System, the perceived failure of the Comprehensive System gave New Labour and currently the Coalition Government the impetus to propose â€Å"Beacon Schools†, â€Å"Advanced Schools† and an â€Å"escalator† or â€Å"ladder† of schools, (Brighouse, 2003). So will the new school systems create disparity? Certainly for pupils attending Academies do appear to gain much more from their state school counterparts; often built in brand new or newly renovated buildings, with smart new uniforms, lots of facilities and the best, most engaged and most highly paid teachers, (Gewirtz, 2009). As was discussed earlier, there has been a move by the Coalition Government to increase professional standing amongst teachers, by only allowing those with a first class honours degree to even enter the profession, (education.gov.uk, 2012). As a consequence these young teachers will obviously be sought after and will be attracted to the schools that pay the most, (Avis, 2011). Clearly Academy Schools, who can set their own pay scales, are more likely to attract the best educated teachers, (Lupton, 2011). So what of the rest? Michael Gove has often made the link between non-academy schools and ‘failure’. Immediately thrusting these children in a position of being ‘written off’ as ‘no hopers’ and failures; destined to a life of being a NEET or ending up in youth custody, (politics.co.uk, 212). Will these children in the future, become ‘the rest’ who under the tri-partite system ended up in secondary modern schools, those who were never quite good enough to meet the standards for a grammar school education? In April 2012, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers’ union (NASUWT) meeting for its annual conference voiced concerns that academies will be used to dismantle national teacher’s pay agreements and will attack the stability of existing state schools, (bbc.co.uk, 2012). Michael Gove has also suggested that organisations of individuals who oppose the changes in the school systems are, â€Å"happy with failure†, (bbc.co.uk, 2012). However in fact, the Academy school system itself has not produced the outstanding educational results expected, (Barker,2012 ). Barker (2012) stated that the changes in the school system  were more likely to, ‘provoke a crisis than to sustain the last government’s drive for improved effectiveness’. There have also been other anxieties voiced by individuals, such as the celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver who accused the Government of attempting to make profits from school children by de-regulating school meals and allowing schools to utilise private companies and his biggest worry, fast food outlets to provide meals for school children, (bbc.co.uk, 2010). For British society to compete in the Global market place, it has to continue to educate its young people. The United Kingdom (UK) can no longer rely on its manufacturing base or the products of commonwealth nations. In the future the UK’s most saleable commodity will be its knowledge. Any Government will need to invest in its young people, encouraging in them a desire to learn and stimulate participation. The UK’s current market is dominated by financial services, especially in banking and insurance. For these services to continue to maintain the prestigious place they hold globally they must supported by continued inn ovation from information technology, architecture, science and the arts. However education is vital not just for the contributions the next generation will provide in creating wealth but as a part of human life in of itself. The importance of education to children and to British life is beyond question. It therefore should continue to attract the highest levels of investment from Government. Government’s led by individuals who most understand what it means to teach children; teachers. Teachers should be the ones to set standards, not big businesses. Children should be encouraged to participate because school is a place where they can feel valued and happy. Schools should ensure safety, not just within buildings or against school bullies but free from the influence of market forces. Governments should encourage parity across all schools and not attempt to make links between certain types of school and failure. The tripartite system benefitted one group of children with the exclusion all others. Modern education policies should not continue to do the same, because as Ghandi said, ‘You must be the Change you wish to see in the world’. References: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10187148, (accessed, 2012) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17803918, (accessed, 2012) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17637793, (accessed, 2012) http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/apr/25/rupert-murdoch-michael-gove-free-schools?newsfeed=true, (accessed, 2012) http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2012/03/14/academy-schools-fewer-gcses-study, (accessed, 2012) http://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2012/04/another-proposed-free-school-offers-carrot-to-complete-forms, (accessed, 2012) http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2012/apr/26/rupert-murdoch-live-blog, (accessed, 2012) http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/may/12/david-cameron-nick-clegg-coalition, (accessed, 2012) http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/nov/07/bruce-liddington-eact-academies-salary, (accessed, 2012) http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/aug/10/university-technical-college?INTCMP=SRCH, (accessed, 2012) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1244212/David-Cameron-Ill-transform-schools-brazenly-elitist.html, (accessed, 2012) http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies, (accessed, 2012) http://www.edge.co.uk/media/16991/considerations_for_university_technical_colleges.pdf, (accessed, 2012) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/21/contents/enacted, (accessed, 2012) http://www.ofsted.gov.uk, (accessed, 2012) http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-12/academieshl.html, (accessed, 2012) http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2011/09/01/gove-speech-on-the-underclass-in-full, (accessed, 2012) Adkins S., Cause related marketing: who cares wins, chap 26, pp670-693, The Marketing Book, Butterworth-Heinemann,1999 Aldrich R., A Century of Education, Psychology Press, 2002 Attewell P. & Newman K. S., Growing Gaps: Educational Inequality Around the World, Oxford University Press, 2011 Avis J.,Work-Based Knowledge, Evidence-Informed Practice and Education, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol 51, Issue 4, 2011 Avis J., Knowledge and Nationhood: Education, Politics, and Work, Continuum International Publishing Group, 1996 Ball S.J.,Education Plc: Understanding Private Sector Participation in Public Sector Education, Taylor & Francis, 2008 Bangs J., Galton M. & MacBeath J., Reinventing Schools, Reforming Teaching: From Political Visions to Classroom Reality, Taylor & Francis, 2010 Barber M. & Mourshed, Shaping the Future: How Good Education Systems Can Become Great in the Decade Ahead, Report on the International Roundtable, Singapore, 2009 Bassett D., Haldenby A.,Tanner W. &Trewhitt K., Reform, 2010 Bassett D., Lyon G. & Tanner W., Plan A+ Unleashing the potential of academies, The Schools Network, The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, 2012 Beckett D. & Hager P.J., Life, Work and Learning: Practice in Postmodernity Psychology Press, 2002 Bonell C., Fletcher A., Sorhaindo A., Wells H. & McKee M.,How market-oriented education policies might influence young people’s health: development of a logic model from qualitative case studies in English secondary schools, J Epidemiol Community Health, 2011 Boyle E., The Politics Of Secondary Sschool Reorganisation: Some Reflections, Journal of Educational Administration and History, Vol 4, Issue 2, pp 28-38, 1972 Bradley S. & Taylor J., Diversity, Choice and the Quasi-market: An Empirical Analysis of Secondary Education Policy in England, Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Department of Economics, University of Oxford, Vol 72, Issue 1, pp 1–26, 2010 Brighouse T., Comprehensive Schools Then, Now and in the Future: is it time to draw a line in the sand and create a new ideal?, Forum, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2003 Buckley J. & Schneider M., Charter Schools: Hope Or Hype?, Princeton University Press, 2007 Budde R., Education by Charter: Restructuring School Districts. Key to Long-Term Continuing Improvement in American Education, Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast and Islands, 1988 Carr W. & Kemmis S., Becoming Critical: Education, Knowledge, and Action Research, Psychology Press, 1986 Chitty C., the Privatisation of Education, Forum, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2009 Chitty C., Towards a New Education System: the victory of the new right?, Routledge, 1989 Clarke J., Gewirtz S. & McLaughlin E., New Managerialism, New Welfare?, Open University, SAGE Publications 2000 Clegg N.,HM Government, Opening Doors Breaking Barriers: A Strategy for Social Mobility, 2011 Hill D., The Third Way in Britain: New Labour’s, neo-liberal education policy, University College Northampton, 2001 Eiken O., The Kunskapsskolan (â€Å"the knowledge school†): a personalised approach to education Kunskapsskolan Education, Sweden, OECD 2011 Elder G.H., Life Opportunity and Personality: Some Consequences of Stratified Secondary Education in Great Britain, Sociology of Education, Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 173-202, 1965 Field F., The foundation years: preventing poor children becoming poor adults, The Report on the Independent Review on Poverty and Life Chances, Great BritainCabinet Office, The Stationery Office, 2010 Finn C.E., Manno B.V. & Vanourek G., Charter Schools in Action: Renewing Public Education, Princeton University Press, 2000 Gelber Cannon S., Think, Care, Act: Teaching for a Peaceful Future, IAP, 2011 Francis M., A socialist policy for education?: Labour and the secondary school, 1945†51, History of Education: Journal of the History of Education Society, Vol 24, Issue 4, pp 319-335, 1995 Fuller A. & Unwin L., Vocational education and training in the spotlight: back to the future for the UK’s Coalition Government? Special Issue: Educating 14-19 Year Olds in the UK in the New Political and Economic Context, London Review of Education, Vol. 9, Issue 2, pp 191-204, 2011 Goodwin M., Education governance, politics and policy under New Labour, University of Birmingham, 2011 Gorard, S. ‘Market Forces, Choice and Diversity in Education: The Early Impact’ Sociological Research Online, vol. 2, no. 3, 1997 Griggs C., Education and the Private Finance Initiative, Forum, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2010 Gunter H. & Forrester G., New Labour and School Leadership 1997-2007, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol 56, Issue 2, pp144-162, 2008 Gunter H. M., the State and Education Policy: The Academies Programme, Continuum International Publishing Group, 2011 Higher Standards, Better Schools for All: More Choice for Parents and Pupils, Great Britain Dept. for Education and Skills, The Stationery Office, 2005 Hall S., The Neo-Liberal Revolution, Cultural Studies, Vol 25, Issue 6, pp 705-728, 2011 Hatcher R., The Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government’s â€Å"free schools† in England, Special Issue: â€Å"Education, Education, Education†: New Government, New Policies?,Educational Review, Vol 63, Issue 4, pp 485-503, 2011 Heath A., In Defence of Comprehensive Schools, Oxford Review of Education, Vol 10, Issue 1, pp 115-123, 1984 Hendrick H., Children, Childhood, and English Society, 1880-1990, Cambridge University Press, 1997 Hill D., Global Neo-Liberalism, the Deformation of Education and Resistance, Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies,Vol 1, No 1, 2003 Hursh D., Neo-liberalism, Markets and Accountability:transforming education and undermining democracy in the United States and England, Policy Futures in Education, Vol 3, No 1, 2005 Kassem D., Mufti E. & Robinson J., Education Studies: Issues And Critical Perspectives, McGraw-Hill International, 2006 Little A. & Westergaard J., The Trend of Class Differentials in Educational Opportunity in England and Wales,The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 15, No. 4 pp. 301-316, 1964 Lupton R., ‘No change there then!’ (?): the onward march of school markets and competition, Journal of Educational Administration and History, Vol43, Issue 4, pp 309-323, 2011 Marwick A., British Society Since 1945, Volume 13, Penguin, UK, 2003 McCormick B. & Burn K., Special Issue: Reviewing the National Curriculum 5–19 Two Decades On, Curriculum Journal, Vol 22, Issue 2, pp 109-115, 2011 Miller P., Free Choice, Free Schools and the Academisation of Education in England Department of Arts & Education, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom, Research in Comparative and International Education, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011 Minow M., Partners, Not Rivals: Redrawing the Lines between Public and Private, Non-Profit and Profit, and Secular and Religious; 80 B.U. L. Rev. 1061, 2000 Moore R., Back to the Future: the problem of change and the possibilities of advance in the sociology of education, International Perspectives on the Sociology of Education, British Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol 17, Issue 2, pp 145-161, 1996 Morgan K., The Learning Region: Institutions, Innovation and Regional Renewal, Regional Studies, Vol 31, Issue 5, pp491-503 1997 Morris D., Building a big society: will charity’s creeping reach generate a new paradigm for state schools?, Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, Vol 33, Issue 3, pp 209-226, 2011 Needham C., Gleeson D. & Martin B., Academy schools: case unproven, Independent study, 2006 Pennell H. & West A., Parents in the Driving Seat, Parents’ role in setting up new secondary schools, Centre for Educational Research, Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2007 Rowden R., Impacts of IMF Policies on National Education Budgets and Teachers, Exploring Possible Alternatives and Strategies for Advocacy, Education International Research Institute, 2011 Sales R., Lopez Rodriguez M., D’Angelo A. & Ryan L., A guide to Schooling In England for BME and Newly Arrived Migrant Parents, Commissioned by Action for Social Integration, 2010 Siegel L.J. & Welsh B.C., Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law, Cengage Learning, 2011 Simon B., The 1944 Education Act: A Conservative measure? History of Education: Journal of the History of Education Society, Vol 15, Issue 1, pp 31-43, 1986 Taylor J., The English Baccalaureate: how not to measure school performance. Working Paper, The Department of Economics, Lancaster University, 2011 Taylor A. & Evans K., Improving Literacy at Work, Taylor & Francis., 2011 Thompson J., Women, Class, and Education, Psychology Press, 2000 Tomlinson J. R. G., Comprehensive Education in England and Wales, 1944-1991, European Journal of Education, Blackwell Publishing, Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 103-117, 1991 The Importance of Teaching, Great Britain: Department for Education, The Stationery Office, 2010 Tze-Chang L.,Open Education and the Creative Economy: Global Perspectives and Comparative Analysis, Educational Policy, Organisation & Leadrshp, University of Illinois, 2011 Wickham I., A Comparative Evaluation to Determine the Effectiveness of the Behaviour Support Classrooms and other Positive Behaviour Management Interventions in Designated Disadvantaged Schools, Dublin City University, 2011 Welford A.T., Society: Psychological Problems and Methods of Study, Taylor & Francis, chap 12, 1968 Woods P.A., Transforming Education Policy: Shaping a Democratic Future, The Policy Press, 2011