Managing Capabilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Managing Capabilities - Essay Example The adoption of new technology on regular intervals has boosted the marketing capabilities of ASDA. For any organization to stay competitive in the world it is very important to adopt the strategic changes. For ASDA the distribution channel in connection with the internet by online stores has helped the company a lot to expand the range of services and providing the customers with various purchasing options. Another approach used by ASDA that enhances its overall capabilities is the process of acquiring more information related to the product while the customer is in the process of taking decision. Online services also serve as sales tool. ASDA is the second retail store to offer this online service. ASDA has also brought in structural changes like removing the top layer hierarchy and the freezing wages. This change brought in positive change in the performance of the organization. The transparency has helped the company win the name of the best employer in the UK today. This led to an increase in the shareholder value. ASDA is the second largest supermarket chain in UK and has about 17% of the market share. It is a powerful retailing business and is well reputed for the products it has and the convenience it gives to its customers. The primary focus of ASDA is to save money and keep the costs as low as possible. The company has a strong technology system that supports its operations. If we talk about the weakness of the company so it can be regarded as the lack of convenience stores and the small supermarkets (Ackerman, 1997). Talking about the biggest competition to ASDA that is Tesco it is found out that almost two third of its total... Managing Capabilities Structuring tools and strategy frameworks are main keys to assess the situation of the business. Value trade-offs and risks are made explicit that lead to proposals that are concrete for adding value and reducing the risk. The frameworks that have been discussed in this study and the Pestle analysis in specific are likely to help ASDA in the identification of related laws planning and conform to decrease any distraction associated with them. To retain the customer base ASDA meets the customer needs, customizes the service, ensures lower prices, helps in making better choices, continuous flow of in-store promotions. These analysis will help the company in assessing the possible success for opening new stores, that are small in any area, which is the need to stay in competition. These analyses are likely to assist in identifying the policies, regulations and laws that govern the competition and monopolies. This is a challenge faced by ASDA in its pursuit to expand its business. Under t he European Union law, the unfair competition and the large market share (dominant) can lead to low quality services and products that consequently will increase the prices of services and goods. ASDA needs to keep this in mind as it aims to increase the number of its stores and move to new areas. This study can be of great help for ASDA to maintain its strong position and implementation of the frameworks given in this study can further assist the company to enjoy the heights of success.

Financial crisis of Amazon and Apple Research Paper

Financial crisis of Amazon and Apple - Research Paper Example Amazon.Com Inc, on the other hand, operates as an online seller internationally but headquartered in Seattle, Washington, in addition, this online seller company operates such websites as amazon.com and amazon.ca. These websites enable retailers to sell their products through online advertising. Amazon offers other services such as website development, marketing, and company branded credit cards.In 2008, the financial challenges that faced the world led to reduced profits by these two tech companies. The profits reduced because the two companies’ products are not basic necessities that are compulsory for human survival. Basic necessities are food, housing, and basic health care. To the contrary, iPhones, iPod and iPad are that a human being can survive without and, therefore, forgone.Financial analyst and other world leaders, however, put in place measure that saw the crisis recede and thus an increase in consumer purchasing power. The crisis slightly diminished shown especial ly by improving sales in the New York stock market. Elsewhere, sales reports of leading multi-national businesses across Europe were picking up. Apple thus diversified four strategies to help it recover the lost profits. Apple marketing strategies were product design, price of products, promotion and their distribution.In product design, Steve Job, the Apple Chief Executive Officer, creativity contributed to more sales. He designed specifically, the operating system MAC OS X, which helped distinguish the Apple computer from other competing PCs.

Singapore Assessing the impact of the regionalization strategy

Singapore Assessing the impact of the regionalization strategy Has the regionalization strategy succeeded in sustaining Singapores economic competitiveness in Asia for the period from 1995 to 2010? Explain your answer with supporting evidence. The formulation of national strategies to leverage upon global resources for economic development has always been part and parcel of Singapores drive to engender continued economic growth since independence in 1965, based upon the reallocation of economic resources via the Developmental State Model (Evans, 1995). To this end, the Singapore government engaged in foreign direct investment (FDI)-oriented growth models from the 1960s to the 1990s, investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure to achieve economic growth and enhance the countrys economic competitiveness through the creation of a secure and pro-business environment. (Yeung, 2001) State investment on infrastructure and human capital was also seen as a means of benefiting from developmental effects such as the generation of employment, earning of foreign currency, and transfer of technological or managerial expertise (Chang, 1999). The subsequent onset of globalisation and advances in information and communication technologies (ICT) from the 1980s onwards led to structural changes among the economies of the developed world, necessitating a shift from labour-intensive, low value-added manufacturing towards high-tech, high value-added industries and financial services. At the same time, several governments in the region, including those of Malaysia and Indonesia, sought to liberalise their economies and capitalise on lower average labour, land, and raw material costs in order to attract foreign investors (Tongzon, 1998), emulating the FDI-oriented strategies adopted previously by the economies of Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. By 1990, rising labour and land costs in Singapore had led many transnational corporations to relocate their lower value-added operations to the regional newly-industrialising economies (NIEs), where overall operating costs were lower by as much as 75%. (Kumar Lee, 1991) The Singapore governments response vis-Ã  -vis this rising competition for capital investment in the industrial and manufacturing sectors was to ensure Singapores continued relevance in the new global marketplace despite her resource constraints and limited domestic market (Singapore Economic Development Board (SEDB), 1995a) by implementing new national strategies for economic development, marking the onset of the regionalisation strategy, aimed at creating an external economy through participation in the dynamic growth opportunities of regional economies in the Asia Pacific. (SEDB, 1995b). This essay aims to demonstrate that the regionalisation strategy has succeeded to a large extent in sustaining Singapores economic competitiveness in Asia for the period from 1995 to 2010, given its central role in facilitating Singapores transition from an export-oriented manufacturing centre to a knowledge-based economy and global business hub in the Asia Pacific, although it should be recognis ed that these regional initiatives do not reduce Singapores external dependence but instead augment her economic vulnerabilities. Regionalisation 2000 To harness external economic space and overcome local supply-side constraints (Regionalisation Forum Proceedings, 1993), the concept of Regionalisation 2000 was introduced in the 1990s to encourage greater investment and business in the Asia Pacific region, rationalised by the liberalisation of foreign investment controls occurring in large Asia Pacific markets such as China, Vietnam, and Indonesia, and by the high growth rates being achieved by these economies. (Okposin, 1999) Explicitly designed to enhance Singapores competitiveness within the regional and global economies (Wong Ng, 1997) given Singapores decreasing comparative advantages in the industrial and manufacturing sector due to its significantly higher labour, land, and raw material costs vis-Ã  -vis the Asian NIEs, Regionalisation 2000 consisted of programmes for creating a knowledge- and service-based economy via four main regional initiatives comprising regional headquartering, regionalisation of local enterprises, r egional investment, and regional industrialisation, with regional investments and regional industrialisation projects constituting the major transnational aspects of Singapores regionalisation drive. According to the Economic Development Board (1995), The strategic intent of the regionalization programme is to build an external economy that is closely linked to and which enhances the domestic economy by participating in the growth of Asia. This programme seeks to form a network of strategic zones in key markets with emphasis on building good linkages between our regional projects and domestic clusters. (SEDB, 1995, p. 8) The regionalisation strategy should therefore be conceptualised as an economic programme explicitly designed to carve out a new economic niche for sustaining Singapores competitiveness and relevance, particularly during a period when its former economic strength in manufacturing was being eroded by rising competition with Asian NIEs and structural changes in the world economy. In this regionalisation drive, as in prior economic development programmes, state intervention and collaboration played an important role, with the governments regional headquartering and regionalisation of local enterprises programmes representing instances of state intervention within national boundaries. Construed as the twin objectives of further internationalizing Singapores indigenous firms and assisting the transnational restructuring and cost-competitive endeavours of hosted foreign TNCs in an adaptive context (xxx), the government aimed to encourage foreign and local enterprises to invest and establish business ventures in the region, using Singapore as a headquarters for high value-added operations such as product development, customer support, and financial services. To this end, the government has invested in institutional infrastructure and the enhancement of local factors of production such as workforce quality (Ho, 2000), offering tax incentives and supporting services in its self-conceived role as stakeholder, facilitator, and partner (Perry Yeoh, 2000) to strengthen the competitive advantages of transnational corporations and domestic enterprises in their outward expansion into the region. To complement regional headquartering and the regionalisation of local enterprises, regional investment and regional industrialisation programmes were introduced to further facilitate Singapores embrace of economic globalisation through investment-driven economic growth (Porter, xxx) and economic restructuring through the relocation of local low value-added industries to Singapore-managed industrial parks in the region. Noting how some transnational corporations had been reluctant to relocate operations from Singapores secure business environment to the emerging NIEs due to a scarcity of high-quality industrial infrastructure and management (Kumar Lee, 1991), the Singapore government sought to build and manage industrial parks across Asia at locations such as Batam in Indonesia, Suzhou and Wuxi in China, at Bangalore in India, and in Thailand and Vietnam, combining Singapores expertise in industrial development with the low cost of regional land, labour, and raw materials, whilst ma ximising the use of savings and state revenue through investment in regional investments to further profit from the economic growth in Asia. Serving as interesting examples of government intervention outside of national boundaries, given their transnational nature, the governments intention to export Singapores expertise in industrial infrastructure development across the region (Perry, 1995) is therefore implicit in the regionalisation strategy, promoting regional economic linkages and the concept of Singapore Incorporated based upon close cooperation between the Singapore government and a wide range of Singapore business entities. Has the regionalization strategy succeeded in sustaining Singapores economic competitiveness in Asia for the period from 1995 to 2010? Explain your answer with supporting evidence. Regionalisation 2000- A Success? According to the Singapore Department of Statistics (2011), the first 15 years of the regionalisation drives implementation from 1995 to 2010 was characterised by overall strong GDP growth, from S$124,581.8m in 1995 to S$284,560.7m in 2010, with Singapore registering double-digit growth in 2010 from the previous year. Negative economic growth, however, occurred in the years 1998, 2001, and 2009, following poor regional or global economic performance, and this is attributable to Singapores vulnerabilities and dependence on external economies for economic growth. In terms of real economic growth, the states economic transition into a knowledge-based economy is evident from Figure 1, given the overall decreasing percentage share of manufacturing in GDP from the years 2000 to 2010, whilst business and financial services together account for approximately 22 percent of GDP as of 2010, on par with the percentage share held by manufacturing alone. FDI in Singapore has grown from strength to strength, pointing to a successful sustenance of foreign investment inflows by the governments regional headquartering strategies aimed at attracting high value-added industries and investment to enhance Singapores niche as a global business hub in the Asia Pacific. From 1995 to 2005, FDI in Singapore more than tripled from S$93b to S$311b, representing an average growth of 13% per annum, with FDI in professional, technical, administrative, and support services gaining importance and increasing from 1.7% to 3.1%. (Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat), 2007). Europe, Asia, and North America constituted important sources of FDI, accounting for up to 82% of the total, with Asian FDI more than doubling from S$31b to S$74b (SingStat, 2007). Of this FDI, 87% was concentrated in diversified sectors such as financial and insurance services, high value-added manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, electronics, and petrochemicals, wholesale and retail trade, and hotels and restaurants, reflecting Singapores attractiveness to foreign investors as a business hub (SingStat, 2007). It can be surmised, therefore, that Regionalisation 2000 has succeeded in this regard, ensuring Singapores transformation into a regional business hub in the global market, sustaining its economic competitiveness in Asia through the creation of new economic niches in product development, customer support, and financial services for foreign and local enterprises. The other transnational aspect of Singapores regionalisation programme has, however, proved less successful. Direct investment abroad by Singapore has not managed to exceed levels of FDI in Singapore itself (Figure 3), indicating that the regional headquartering programme along with FDI were responsible to a large extent for Singapores economic growth over the past 15 years. The onset of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998, in particular, significantly negated the regional industrialisation, regionalisation of local enterprises, and regional investment programmes, causing many projects to suffer financial loss due to a severe contraction in demand for industrial products from both consumers and producers in the region. (Henderson, 1999) Still, despite no actual reports of the regional industrialisation programme being profitable (xxx), and the absence of verifiable information on Singapores investment performance by Temasek Holdings and GIC in the long period spanning 1995 to 2010, it can be argued that the regional industrialisation programme was designed to supplement the domestic economy in the long run, since infrastructural projects require large initial investments of capital resources. The regional industrialisation programme brought about positive economic benefits, not least for those companies which relocated their lower value-added operations to the regional industrial parks, facilitating Singapores shift towards a higher-tech and higher value-added economy. In the case of the Batam Industrial Park, most of the enterprises that chose to occupy these it generally established additional units instead of shifting all operations overseas, and also tended to upgrade the remainder of their operations in Singapore (Kumar Lee, 1991) Furthermore, investors located in Singapore-developed industrial parks were reported to be highly satisfied with the operation and management of these industrial parks, especially in terms of cost savings (Kumar Lee, 1991). The regional industrialisation and regionalisation of local enterprises programmes thus served as strategic outlets for transnational and local corporations to reduce operating costs and improve profit margins, sustain ing Singapores economic competitiveness and relevance in the region to a large extent despite the limits of state intervention in transnational business environments. Instead of focusing solely on profits generated, a long-term view of Singapore Inc. indicates that it is built upon strong business fundamentals, as exemplified by the sound infrastructure and superior administration of the regional industrial parks. These offer the potential of future profits for the Singapore government in times of strong manufacturing demand for industrial products, having proven its feasibility based on the high take-up rate of industrial space in Singapore-developed industrial parks prior to the crisis, and growing demand for industrial units after 1999 (xxx). Evaluating Regionalisation 2000- A Success to a Large Extent Singapores regionalisation drive has therefore exposed her external dependence and vulnerabilities with regards to the external economic environment, which most negatively affected the regionalisation programme, rather than failings in the strategy itself. In contrast to the domestic success of the regional headquartering programmes in attracting FDI to Singapore, the experience of Singapores regionalisation strategy overseas has shown that the achievement of national competitiveness in the global economy cannot be brought about by the states policies and support alone, with the external environment and availability of global opportunities playing an equally important role, given the states limitations in economic, political, and social resources, and factors beyond its control in the regional economy and investor confidence. The Suzhou Industrial Park, in particular, has often been alluded to as an example of a foreign venture gone wrong, with the Singapore government divesting its ownership and management of the Park to the Suzhou municipal authorities. Much media attention has also been devoted to the financial losses incurred by Temasek Holdings in foreign investments and acquisitions, and these notable examples further demonstrate that the success of Singapores regionalisation drive does depend to a large extent on international economic cycles. The regionalisation strategy, though, has succeeded to a large extent in sustaining Singapores economic competitiveness in Asia for the years 1995 to 2010, mainly due to its success in ensuring Singapores continued relevance in the global economy by exploiting new economic niches. The overseas regionalisation initiatives hold the promise of success given their strong fundamentals, and possess potential for much greater returns, if not much greater risks, and are instrumental in Singapores embrace of economic globalisation if she desires not to be out-competed by NIEs in the region. Indeed, the main thrust of Singapores economic development since independence has been to thrive in change, and the overall success of the regionalisation programme is reflected in Singapores been ranked the worlds easiest place to do business. Singapore, too, is ranked among the top few when it comes to cities with best investment potential, foreign trade and investment, business legislation and efficiency, quality of human capital, and minimal corruption. (SEDB, 2011) To further sustain and improve its regional economic competitiveness in the years ahead would require Singapore to further improve its attractiveness to foreign FDI, given its success so far, particularly in the services sector, which is still relatively underdeveloped, and regional tourism, which is also seeing success since the opening of the two Integrated Resorts, with overall visitor numbers to Singapore increasing and reaching a peak of approximately 11m in 2010 (SingStats, 2011), indicating its potential. The years from 1995 to 2010 have also afforded the government extensive opportunities to adapt and modify its transnational investment strategies for maximal success in differing socio-political environments, allowing future success. Conclusion Singapore has, over the years, proven itself capable of mobilising economic, social, and political resources to create economic space, despite its resource constraints and small domestic market. Through regionalisation, it has managed to tap into the lower land, labour, and raw material costs of neighbouring NIEs in the region, ensuring its economic dominance through export of the Singapore Inc. concept throughout Asia and the world, making Singapore a top choice for transnational and local enterprises to do business today. The regionalisation strategy has therefore succeeded to a large extent in sustaining Singapores regional economic competitiveness since its onset, despite the cultural and political complexities of external economies diminishing the efficiency and commercial viability of overseas ventures in tandem with the uncontrolled external environment. These difficulties, however, are outweighed by the potential successes these ventures can bring if the Singapore government manages to learn from its errors, successfully creating an external economy which serves as a launching pad for Singapore into the global economy.

Evaluation of The Woman In Black Essay -- Drama

Evaluation of The Woman In Black On the 26/6/05 we went to see a performance called the women in black with all the pupils who chose drama as their gcse. We made our way to the coach and got ready to leave. The coach drove into London and everyone was very enthusiastic about seeing this play as it was supposed to be scary and most people there hadn’t been to the theatre. First we went to the theatre where we were given a preview of how they used lighting and sound on the stage. I was incredibly interested at how the lighting was such a big part in a performance! It affected the whole mood of the audience meaning that the sound and lighting director can control our mood before the actors even get on the stage. This I think is vital for the actors, for example if the lights were very bright and you were trying to pull of a scary scene it just wouldn’t work or it would be very hard to pull off. But if the lights were dim or even on black out then the mood would change, darkness is a good tool to use, but used too often can ruin a play. Darkness played a major part in the play; it was used two or three times, but only one being used to scare the audience. This created tension as sometimes, nothing scary would happen when the lights got dim. Sounds were also used with the lighting to create or make you use your imagination on the stage. Different sounds were played, but I found that the best â€Å"trick† they used was the journey the main character does on the...

Instructional Materials Essay

Social Studies can be defined as a discipline in which we can learn about our world and man’s interaction with his immediate and remote environment. Since Social Studies deals with how men interact with its social and physical environments, how can this interaction of physical and social environment be learnt by the pupils? This can be learnt in the classroom where teaching and learning cannot be conducted by the teacher by merely feeling his pupils with facts and information. There is need to expose the pupils to varied activities. The environment of the child is rich in varied resources. The teacher should utilize these varied resources to promote or stimulate learning among his pupils. Pupils learn positively not by hearing alone but by seeing and doing. How can the teacher stimulate the pupils’ interest? This can be done by the use of instructional materials. Instructional materials are meant to stimulate pupils’ interest in the classroom for meaningful learning to take place. They also afford the pupils the opportunity to make use of more of their senses in the process of learning experiences which are not available in the classroom or school environment, are â€Å"brought† to the classroom for pupils’ attention through the use of instructional materials. For example, the use of the map of the world in teaching some topics in social studies enables the teacher to bring to class these learning experiences. â€Å"This is why instructional materials is said to be aids to learning rather than teaching†. 1.2. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The study was planned mainly to: a. Provide useful information which will contribute in some ways to the improvement of the teaching of social studies in Nigeria primary schools through the effective use of instructional materials. b. Generate data that will help school administrators in their policy formation as regards the use of instructional materials in schools. c. Make available valuable information that will be helpful to educational technologist in their design of appropriate instructional materials for schools. 1.3. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Nigeria is a potentially a great Nation. But for the Nation to fully attain the enviable position of greatness, her citizens must be dedicated honest, patriotic and hardworking. This is why the federal Government of Nigeria is at present embarking on the project of re-branding the country with the theme, great Nation, good people. Educators have rightly identified social studies as one subject that can help to make these lofty dreams of greatness a reality. Therefore, it cannot be overemphasized on the need to effectively teach this subject through the use of instructional materials. Here has the importance of this study. It will be expected that result of this study may be useful in the following ways: a. Enabling social studies teacher to realize more than ever before the importance of the use of instructional materials while teaching especially social studies. b. Providing more useful information for social studies teacher as regards the various instructional materials they can employ in teaching. c. Providing more useful information for prospective designs of instructional materials on the need to provide suitable instructional materials for use in schools. 1.4. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM It is the consensus among scholars in Nigerian that social studies is one subject that is crucial to the realization of the Nigeria dream of greatness. This is the reasons why social studies in one of the cone subjects at the primary school and junior school levels. However, it seems the teaching and learning of the subject is hampered by the problem of lack of in adequate use of instructional materials. Therefore, the problem of this research is to look at the problems surrounding the use of instructional materials in the teaching of social studies in primary schools. Specifically, this study has attempted to provide answers to the following research questions. 1.5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. Do primary school teachers use instructional materials while teaching social studies? 2. Are primary school social studies teachers aware of the benefits of using instructional materials in teaching? 3. Does the use of instructional materials in teaching have any impact on pupils’ performance in primary school social studies? 4. Could the non use of instructional materials in the teaching of social studies in primary schools be as a result of their being inadequate? 5. What contribution does the use of instructional materials have on the teaching and learning of social studies? 1.6. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of this research has been limited to some selected primary schools in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State. The project is to examine the impact of instructional materials in teaching of social studies in selected primary schools in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Areas. And also to know how learning can be stimulated in primary schools pupils. The limitation is due to financial and time constraint. 1.7. DEFINITION OF TERMS 1. SOCIAL STUDIES: Social Studies can be defined as a study that equips learners with tools such as attitude, values and skills necessary in solving personal and community related problems. Social Studies is also a study of a man and his environment. It is also the study of many interactions with his physical and social environment. It is a study of how man lives in the society, what he does, how his life is affected by things, people as well as social practices around him. 2. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: These are the resources used to facilitate teaching and learning. 3. TEACHING: This can be defined as the conscious and deliberate efforts by a matured or experienced person to impact knowledge, information, skill, attitude and beliefs to an immature or less experienced person. Is also a systematic way of impacting knowledge on to the people. 4. ENVIRONMENT: These are what we interact within our surroundings likes highlands, lakes, rivers and vegetations e.t.c. 5. LEARNING: Advanced knowledge gained by careful study. Is also a permanent changes in behavior due to past experiences. 6. FACILITATING: Make learning easy without any difficulty 7. ABSTRACT: These are what we cannot see in our surroundings 8. IMPACT: The important or the value one devices from doing something 9. STIMULATING: The art of reasoning quickly and thought and feeling CHAPTER TWO 2.1. LITERATURE REVIEW The art of teaching and learning involves the interaction of both the human and materials resources in a classroom setting. Since human beings are social animals and they cannot live in isolation, they have to socialize and interact among themselves and with environment. This brings us to the question† What is Social Studies†? Social Studies can be defined as study that equips learners with tools such as attitudes, values, skills necessary in solving personal and community related problems. Information and knowledge gathered from reading books, journals, research works may reveal the area which have not been adequately researched into to us. Furthermore, reviews of literature sometimes provoke the urge to carry out a research based on what we read in the books or journal. Teaching and learning materials can be defined as any device piece of equipment, graphic representation, sound reproduction or illustration that helps the pupils to learn. Generally, instructional materi als are used to reinforce and to enrich the mastery of the subject matter. The roles of instructional materials have been of great importance to teaching in primary schools. According to Awosolu et al (1997), quoting Alani et al (1995) he said that since most pupils in primary schools are still very young, their intellectual abilities may not allow abstract presentation in facts without having to complement the content with concrete materials. It is in this regard that instructional materials are perceived as â€Å"aids to learning rather than aid to teaching†. Lawton and Dufour and Dahunsi (1979) classify social studies instructional materials in the following: 1. PICTORIAL MATERIALS: These include globes, maps, posters, flip and well charts diagrams. 2. PRINTED MATERIALS: These include textbooks, reference books, supplementary books, work books, journals, newspapers and magazines. 3. BOARDS LIKE: Chalkboard, Flannel or felt boards 4. MECHANICAL AIDS: These are audio-visual equipment and materials. Having known the various instructional materials, they serve as information carriers which are designed specifically to fulfill objectives in a teaching learning situation. In fact, learning resources in social studies are multi various and limitless. Social studies by its nature and content deals with the realities of men living in his complex environment. Hence, anything has to do with man’s behavior and interaction as a social behavior qualifies as an instructional materials in social studies. It is therefore possible to employ as many instructional materials as possible when teaching any topic in social studies because they help to stimulate pupils’ interest and reduce the numbers of verbal responses. A lot has been written on the impact of instructional materials in teaching and learning of social studies. Agun (1988) asserts that many curriculum innovations like inquiry or problem solving method of instruction or learning how to learn may not be meaningfully and effectively implemented without the use of a wide variety of learning resource. Generally, instructional materials are used to reinforce and enrich the mastery of the subject matter. As a matter of fact, Durojaiye (1978) declared that there is a large number of failure due to the fact that teacher are not doing their work as conscientiously as they should. The critics feel that schools no longer offer true learning and creativity to their pupils. Supporting the vies of these critics. Popham (1971) feels that social studies teachers and curriculum designers in the schools do not make any significant impact on pupils due to the lack of the use of instructional materials. According to Adusual (1982), instructional materials size could affect teacher’s effectiveness because, the smaller the shape the greater the degree of contact, and more effective the teaching and learning interaction. Assuming that there were adequate number of teaching aids it can be give to each of the pupils, therefore, the teaching of social studies without making use of instructional materials is not helping his pupils to learn. 2.2. THE IMPORTANCE OF USING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS It is pertinent for teachers to become aware of the benefits that accrue from the utilization of instructional materials in order to intensity their efforts at achieving effective result in their teaching activities. Weaver and Bollinger (1949) identified the following advantages: 1. They attract and hold intention: A verbal explanation become more effective in attracting and creating interest when supplemented by a visual aid. 2. Instructional materials help retention of information and visual images. The major part of the things people heard are forgotten in a relatively short time and it becomes difficult to recall accurately what is heard. On the other hand, the things they see make a more lasting impression and they experience considerably less difficulty in calling the object or process with increased accuracy. 3. They help informing correct images: People often interpret information in term of their own background of experiences. Consequently, it is possible and quite probable for a group of learners to form entirely different ideas about the same things as a result of verbal description. The use of instructional materials helps to eliminate this inconsistency. 4. They assist in understanding proper relationships of components parts. 5. More of the benefits, teachers can reap when instructional materials are used in the teaching process: According to Ogunmilade (1984) the ability it provides in the share of expertise, helping knowledge to reach a lot of people. Simultaneously preservation of records and documents. Bringing before us what otherwise could have looked imaginary or far-fetched; enriching learning and allowing students to learn at their own rate. Furthermore, using of instructional materials makes teaching more effective and facilitates also to master the topic taught to the learner. Finally, using of instructional materials make learning easier and pleasurable at the same time concretize the learning process in the learners. 2.3. PROBLEMS FACING THE USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN SCHOOLS In spite of the numerous benefits accruing from the use of instructional materials in teaching and learning situation its application in our schools has been discouraging because of the following process: 1. Lack of Direction: This is characterized by lip service, paid to use to educational technology in high quarter. Apart from the meager budgetary provisions often made by governments for instructional materials, when it comes to implementation, the funds are hardly released. 2. Resistance to change on the part of the teachers. 3. Lack of readiness of teaching staff to use audio-visual techniques and charge their methods and tools within the classroom. 4. Lack of insfrastructures and facilities that might make the use of instructional aid more meaningful such as lecture halls, audio-visual, libraries, studios, independent study spaces, audio-visual resource centre e.t.c. 5. Inadequate personnel or specialist to train users of instructional materials in schools. 6. Fear of failure in their use 7. Fear that new technology would replace teachers. 8. Inadequate instructional materials: Since the inception of social studies programme, teachers have consistently complained about the problems of quality and quantity of instructional materials. The problem is traceable to lack of good textbooks, cost of textbooks, commercialization of materials, non-functional libraries and resources centres, gap between publication and dissemination of instructional materials, lack of quality control of textual materials and so on. In most cases, teachers rely on outdated and stereotyped textbooks which hardly reflect the needs of pupils. 9. Lack of Fund: This is one of the big problems confronting teachers in general, and social studies teacher in particular. The problem here is lack of motivation and incessant agitation by teachers for improved condition of service. Thus, primary school teachers including social studies teachers have lost interest in teaching even though they are still called teachers. Those who have the slightest opportunity leave the classroom for greener pastures. The incessant replacement that follows such frequent resignations leads to lack of continuity in social studies classrooms. The pupils are usually the worse hit by this. Furthermore, funds are not available for the provision of instructional materials, thereby leaving teachers to either improvise or teach without any in majority of the cases. CHAPTER THREE 3.0.RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter is concerned with the techniques used by the researcher in the collection of data for investigation. It covers explanation on the choice and description of instrument employed for the collection of data. Also included are the sampling techniques, method of administration of the questionnaire and the data analysis method. 3.1.RESEARCH INSTRUMENT The research instrument used for this study is the questionnaire. The choice of the questionnaire is because of its advantage of allowing respondents to answer questions without any outside influence such as facial appearance that may influence respondents as in the interview method. The questionnaire used is in two parts. The first part deals with the personal data of the respondents while the second part contains ten statements which attempt to find out the impact of the use of instructional materials have in teaching social studies. 3.2.SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE The sample of this study consists of 60 primary school teachers. The sample was chosen from five primary schools in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State. The sampling technique used in selecting the sample for the study was the systematic random sampling. The sampling technique removes bias in the selection of the elements, and it is convenient and more accurate than the random sampling. 4.3. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 1. Most social studies teachers aware of the need for instructional materials in teaching of social studies. 2. Most primary schools have inadequate instructional materials in the teaching of social studies 3. Majority of the social studies teacher do not make use of instructional materials during their lesson 4. Most of the social studies teachers agree that the chalkboard is one of the instructional materials which aid effective teaching of social studies. 5. Most of the teachers take their pupils on field trips majority of social studies teachers use community resources like red objects and resources persons because they promote learning in social studies. Most social studies teachers do not have overhead projectors, audio-visual equipment which can promote learning in social studies. 6. Almost all the teachers of social studies said that inadequate equipment is one of the problems which they face. 7. Most social studies teachers agree that effective use of instructional materials contribute positively to learning process. 4.4. DISCUSSION From the research study most primary school teachers are aware of instructional materials for the teaching of social studies. This observation is consistent with the assertion of Nduanya (1986) that teachings are more effective when teachers locate and use appropriate resources. Furthermore, it is observed that most primary schools lack instructional materials be it concrete or abstract to teach social studies. This shows that most primary schools in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government either lack or have inadequate instructional materials for the teaching of social studies. From the research study, it can be observed that majority of social studies teachers do not make use of instructional materials during social studies lessons. This is as a result of inadequate instructional materials which is due to lack of fund to provide instructional materials. This findings agrees with Agun (1988) who asserts that many curriculum innovations like inquiring or problem solving method of instructional or learning how to learn may not be meaningful and effectively implemented without the use of a wide variety of learning research. In fact, it can be deduced from the research study that most social studies teachers make use of chalkboard as an instructional material which is most important aids to effective teaching. This implies that the chalkboard is one of the instructional materials that is the most available instructional materials in every school. There is no school which will have inadequate instructional materials and will not have a chalkboard. Indeed, the chalkboard as one of the instructional materials is commonly used by the teachers. This findings on the use of chalkboard agrees with Ajimoko (1973); Dahunsi (1979), Akanbi (1982) and Osofisan (1982) they said apart from the chalkboard, the textbook was the next most frequently used of the instructional materials. Consequently, from the findings it can be observed that majority of social studies teacher take their pupils out on field trips. Pupils are taking out on excursion to relate their experience with the theory they have been taught in the classroom. When pupils are taking out on field trips they learn more about their surroundings as the nature of social studies and learning becomes more permanent in them. From the findings it shows that majority of social studies teachers makes use of resources centres. This indicates that pupils need to be taken out of the classroom to appreciate the fact that learning does not end within the premises of the classroom. When pupils go out, they need to be trained to observe event and learn without the teacher being around them. This finding agrees with Preston and Herman (1981). These resource centres become social studies laboratory in which pupils becomes young social scientists. From the research study, it can be deducted that most social studies teachers do not make use of audio-visual materials because they don’t have them. This finding agrees with Akibote (1983) on the very limited uses of electronic materials in school within Ondo Local Government Area. This is as a result of the teacher’s inabilities to manipulate any of the equipment since they do not have teacher training. Another related problem may be due to lack of electricity because majority of the schools do not have electricity. Another finding of the study deduced that in teaching of social studies, inadequate equipment is one of the problems faced by social studies teachers. This implies that some social studies lessons are done in abstract. So, effective learning cannot be facilitated. This negative effect may be as a result of lack of funds to provide adequate instructional materials in schools and teachers are not ready to improve because of their salaries are very inadequate. The results also shown that most of the social studies teachers agrees that most of the social studies teachers agrees that the effective use of instructional materials combine positively to learning process. The effect is that when instructional materials are effectively used, they facilitate learning and stimulate pupil’s interest. They also make their lessons more interesting and relief the pupils from the burden of tiredness while learning. CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of instructional materials in the teaching of social studies in primary schools. In this chapter, the summary of the major findings will be highlighted. The discussion will also include suggestions for policy making and areas where future research on the topic may be directed. 5.1. SUMMARY One of the major findings of this research is that most social studies teachers agreed on the importance of teaching the subject with instructional materials. Another outcome of this project is that there are inadequate instructional materials for teaching social studies in primary schools. So many instances, teaching is done without instructional materials. It was also revealed from the research that the chalkboard that is always available in schools is one of the instructional materials which aids the effective teaching of social studies. This study also reveals that although most primary schools do not have audio-visual aids, social studies teachers compensate for this by making use of real objects, resource persons and by taking their pupils on field trips. Finally, from this research, it was revealed that the use of instructional materials in teaching social studies contribute positively to the learning of the subject 5.2. SUGGESTIONS Although this study has not claimed to be complete, some suggestions based on its findings could be made on how to improve the teaching of social studies in primary schools through the effective use of instructional materials. In the first place, because of the importance of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of social studies in primary schools, the various ministries of education and school boards in the country should ensure that adequate instructional materials are supplied to primary schools. Secondly, the government should ensure that there is regular supply of electricity and schools in the villages that lack electricity should be provided with generators. This will enable the schools to make use of audio-visual aids such as television, projector and VCD. Thirdly, regular workshops and seminars should be organized by the various school boards for primary school teachers on how to make simple instructional materials and on the use of the various instructional materials. Finally, inspectors of education should constantly visit schools to ensure that the instructional materials available are judiciously used by teachers for teaching. 5.3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES Like with most researches, this study cannot claim to have exhausted all that is to be said on the use of instructional materials in teaching social studies in primary schools. Instead, this survey should be regarded as a guide for further research. Therefore, as regards the future, this researcher suggests some specific projects. First of all, a further investigation should be carried out to find out how use of instructional materials or lack of this affects pupils’ academic performance in social studies. In addition, social studies teacher should consider the instructional materials when teaching social studies at the same time there is need for education technology practitioners to write texts more relevant to Nigeria situation and needs such texts should contain model and samples of instructional materials and the procedure for making them by individual teachers. Furthermore, there should be a study on the suitability or otherwise of the available instructional materials that are being used in teaching social studies in primary schools. DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ADENIRAN OGUNSANYA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, EPE CAMPUS, EPE. RESEARCH PROJECT 2013 QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE IMPACT OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON THE TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IBEJU-LEKKI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF LAGOS STATE REFERENCES Alani, R.A; Oduyemi, O.G and Agagu A.A. (1995): Teaching Aids; Reading in Subject Methodology; Ijebu-Ode, Olaf Association, Page 29-34. Awosolu, E.O. and Fasasi A.K.(1996): â€Å"Teacher’s use of Instructional materials in Primary Social Studies in Epe Metropolis† The Beagle, Journal of Primary Education,, Vol. 1 and 2, page 71-77. Awosolu, E.O. and Fasasi A.K. (1996) â€Å"Teacher’s use of Instructional Materials in Primary Social Studies in Epe Metropolis† quoting Agun 1988, Nduanya 1986, Imogie 1988, Alani et al 1995, Dufour and Dahunsi 1979, Ajimoko 1973, Preston and Herman 1981, Akibote 1983, Akanbi 1982, and Osofisan 1982 in the Beagle, Journal of Primary Education, Vol 1 and 2, page 71 – 77. Olowoye, B. (1996): Principle and Method of Teachings. Ibadan, Afolabi Press Limited Page 107 – 120 Osunkalu, A.S. (1973): Instructional Media quoting Adesina 1982, Durojaiye 1978 Welberg 1970, Nwaogu 1980 and Pophas 1971 in a Journal of Teachers Guide Vol. 2 page 21 – 26. View as multi-pages

No Man’s Land Essay

I tiptoe through the night, scared for even my sweat to make the slightest noise as it drips off my face and onto the ground. I am not thinking of anything at the moment but my survival and how my life will be once I am free of the Soviet grip around my wrists. My heart feels like it is breaking through my ribs and protruding out of my chest with every breath I take as I run faster and faster towards the barrier that has incarcerated me over the years. As I throw myself over the eleven-foot concrete wall with barbed wire at the top, I can hear gunshots all around, and I pray they are not intended for me. I hit the cold, hard ground on the other side, but I am not even close to being safe any time soon. I am in no mans land now. I would be better off asking for someone to shoot me than to make it out of here alive. I have only one chance. At least that is how I imagined it would have been like if I were in trapped in the tribulations of East Berlin trying to escape into the desired West Berlin between 1961 and 1989. However, it is a gray December day in 2004, and if it weren’t for remains of the Iron Curtain and Checkpoint Charlie, people would not be able to relive that part of history or be reminded of the dictator that destroyed so many lives. The temperature was eight degrees Celsius as the gloomy sky attempted to cough up snow onto Berlin. Before that moment I had only heard of the Berlin Wall through history books and stories. I would sit and listen to travelers tales told by my courageous father who had walked through Checkpoint Charlie and into East Berlin in seventy-five. He told me how he had to exchange West Berlin money into East Berlin money at Checkpoint Charlie before entering East Berlin. Then going back into West Berlin he had to drop it in a rusty tin can at Check Point Charlie because you were not allowed to keep East Berlin money. He witnessed two tourists getting assaulted by the guards for trying to smuggle East Berlin money into West Berlin. My only expectations of Berlin came from the adventures of my dad. I expected Checkpoint Charlie to be a barricade miles long with tollbooths that have the arms that swing up and down. Similar to the tollbooths that run across the freeways of really large cities, or at the airports you go through after short-term parking. Once you pass through the chomping arms of the tollbooths I imagined East Berlin to be scattered with desolate buildings and run down streets. But as I approached the once controlling wall and Checkpoint Charlie I realized nothing was as I imagined it at all. It was like walking down any other street in a big city. A few people who were always pushing their way through the gaps that opened up between the wandering men and women, obviously in more of a hurry than anyone else on the street. Christmas lights clung to the tall buildings that ran down the streets of Berlin. People popped in and out of the busy stores, squeezing their last bit of Christmas shopping in before the Holiday. Suddenly the bustle of people slowed like a murmur in time as I stood right before the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie which are now surrounded by the commercial buildings of downtown Berlin. My gaze dropped to an engraved brick in the ground that now serves as a commemorative plaque for the Berlin Wall. A chill ran from the tip of my toes all the way to the ends of my hair as I realized how lucky I was to be standing right there in no mans land. I can now speak of the Berlin Wall, not as hearsay from a history book, but as a memory. No mans land, a memorial now, is where 171 people who attempted to escape into West Berlin were shot, and left to bleed to death like a deer on the side of the road. This area contained walls on either side with mines and stern East Berlin guards to make it almost impossible to escape. As I stood in the middle of no mans land facing East Berlin, I looked over my left and my right shoulders only to see black, wooden crosses a little taller than I am. The crosses looked as if snow had only given them the pleasure of its company and nothing else around them, when really it was just white sand covering the ground. I took a deep breath in as if I was trying to swallow it into my memory, making sure to keep it forever. I am motionless. Where the median strip of the road would have been, an American soldier’s somber picture was enlarged and hoisted up on a pole staring out towards West Berlin. On the opposite side was a Russian Soldier keeping close watch over East Berlin. Below the soldiers’ pictures was Checkpoint Charlie. Wilted flowers surrounded this one room shack that once controlled the passage of people from East to West Berlin. Now it also stands as a memorial for people who died crossing over into West Berlin. On either side of me, there were remains of the wall still standing. I got an eerie feeling as I stared at them. My sense of time was completely altered. There I stood at one of the most historical sites imagining what it would have been like to be boxed in by a concrete wall that was suffocating you more and more each day. But when I looked around I was in the middle of one of the largest cities in Germany. It was like time slowed when I was walking through no mans land, but everything else around no mans land and Checkpoint Charlie was full of life. I was in my own little bubble. I walked about a block and returned to the normal noises and the packed sidewalks of what use to be the Soviet controlled East Berlin. My view of Berlin has been altered for the better, with a greater understanding of the saying â€Å"seeing is believing.†