Computer sciences and technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Computer sciences and technology - Essay Example Today, the internet has become an indispensable tool to every facet of the human civilization; be it political, social, or economical. As clichà © as it sounds, it made the world smaller. By connecting people thousands of leagues apart, it altered the way the world interact and helped the culture of each nation evolve towards a more globally centred one. If one will ask any high school student about the essence of the internet, the answer he will probably get is, â€Å"to be connected to anyone in the world†. With the advent and dominance of social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter, it is not surprising at all to have such a mainstream response. After all, the internet is every bit about connectivity. It is about building bridges from one part of the world to another; about destroying the barriers of each culture in order to let them grow and embrace positive changes. The internet has allowed the social scope of every culture to focus not only on a single-race interaction, but rather to foster a multi-racial relationship. Forty years ago, before the internet was born, social interaction is on a more personal level. People can talk just about anything under the sun – from the things they are interested the most to the not so interesting topics at all – with them conversing face to face. Although interaction through the internet can never be as personal as before, the integration of a multi-cultural perspective makes every topic of conversation as interesting, if not even more. This mixed perspective is the primary factor pushing socialization to greater horizons The internet has played a great role in reshaping the face of Politics, particularly its dynamics. It has completely revolutionized how political campaigns are carried out. It can be a highly effective platform with which political views can be shared to persuade people to vote for a candidate. Social networking sites and blogging are now being tapped as a way to

We Should End War in Middle East Essay Example for Free

We Should End War in Middle East Essay â€Å"American soldiers killed in attack. † This is the latest headline out of Iraq, yet stories like these are all too common, even while the armed forces do their best to censor the reality of the war from reaching the home front. The brutal realities of the war in Iraq cannot be sufficiently censored to prevent Americans from finding out the horrible toll our soldiers pay each day, losing their humanity by killing and losing their minds by having to see their friends’ arms or legs blown off. The American public has finally started to voice its opposition to the protracted war in Iraq, as recent polls and presidential approval ratings show that the public is increasingly upset with the direction the war has taken, even though support for the troops continues to remain high. As it stands, opposition to the war also continues to grow and the polarization that marked the early days of the war is diminishing, as citizens, politicians, members of the armed forces, and even those in the Bush administration are realizing the errant decisions that led to and sustained the war have cost far too muchin billions of taxpayers’ dollars, international economic and political status, and most importantly the lives of tens thousands of Americans and many more Iraqis. Few issues have polarized the political community and general population in the United States as the sustained war in Iraq. While most of the country agreed that invading Afghanistan was necessary to combat terrorism, the decision to invade Iraq was met with mixed feelings at best. At the time, the Bush administration used everything in its power to convince the American public and the world of the righteousness in attacking Iraq. The many reasons, with varying degrees of honesty and accuracy, ranged from the threat of weapons of mass destruction to Iraq’s participation in terrorism to the plain fact that Saddam Hussein was a bad man. Unfortunately, many Americans who would normally be in the middle of the road on such issues were blinded by the administration’s continued propaganda about having to support a president during wartime, regardless of the terrible decisions or unexplained actions he takes, and many also believed that Iraq was involved in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. A Washington Post poll of 1,003 adults taken in August of 2003 found that nearly 70% of Americans polled believed that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in Al Qeada’s attacks on the United States; a Time/CNN poll conducted around the same time found Americans more closely split on whether the military action in Iraq was worth the price in America lives, taxpayer dollars and other costs — 49% said yes, 43% no and 8% were unsure (â€Å"Poll: 70% Believe Saddam, 9-11 Link†). With its aims justified in the eyes of the misinformed American public, in March of 2003 the Bush administration got its wish to expand the war in the Middle East to include Iraq. This initial invasion was a showcase for the massive military industrial complex that provided scores of new technological advances in recent years designed to maximize death. Memorable images from the invasion include the â€Å"shock and awe† campaign of large bombs and missiles tearing up Baghdad, the famous toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue by Iraqi civilians, and President George Bush landing in a fighter jet upon an aircraft carrier, only to give a speech in front of a large banner that read â€Å"Mission Accomplished! † The tragically comedic irony of that banner can only be understood in hindsight, and only by those fortunate enough not to have been in Iraq. Over four years later, the mission has not been accomplished, unless the mission was to create the highest possible revenues for international oil companies at the expense of young American lives. Additionally, the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq eroded much of the international good will created by the September 11 attacks. Many countries that supported the U. S. invasion of Afghanistan see the invasion of Iraq as unnecessary and nothing more than the act of a bully, the world’s lone superpower. However, most Americans chose to dismiss the loud opinions of the international community as being shortsighted and not relatable. The economic impact of the war in Iraq is felt by all Americans each time they pump gas. In the four years since the U. S. invaded Iraq, Iraqi oilfields and associated infrastructure have sustained 400 attacks, and oil production in the country has fallen from 1. 95 barrels per day during the first quarter of 2007, short of the U. S. goal of 2. 5 million barrels per day and the previous mark of 3. 7 million under Saddam Hussein (Miller). It is also highly reported in the media and amongst citizens that companies like Haliburton, associated with Vice President Dick Cheney, have benefited immensely from the reconstruction contracts in Iraq, leading many to believe that the war is solely for oil. The fact that oil companies are now making record profits seem to reinforce these ideas. But, another consequence of U. S. action in Iraq is that the dollar is losing its international value. The dollar has weakened against the euro, gold, copper, and other assets, and when Bush came in to office, a dollar equated to . 987 euros while now it is at . 5 (Miller). While oil gets more expensive, the dollar weakens, in large part due America’s overwhelming dependence on it and the massive expenditures of oil, resources, and money on the war in Iraq. The business side of the war in Iraq seems to have little benefit for common Americans, who are really the ones paying the most for it in terms of dollars. Top economists estimate that the total costs for the war will exceed $2 trillion. The Bush administration predicted in 2002 that the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion, but according to a 2006 study by Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph E.  Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes, after factoring in long-term healthcare for wounded US veterans, rebuilding a worn-down military, and accounting for other unforeseen bills and economic losses, the total could reach far above the $700 million it has so far cost for the war effort alone (Bender). With so many domestic issues requiring effort and money to rectify, this extended war does little to provide health care for the millions of Americans without it, or maintain the country’s infrastructure. A former economic advisor to President Bill Clinton, Stiglitz based the study on past conflicts, the current war’s impact on the ballooning federal deficit, its ripple effects on overall economic growth and investment, and losses in productivity (Bender). The increasing economic costs, combined with the economic downturn experienced during Bush’s time in office is borderline catastrophic, but actually compares little to the greatest cost of the war, which is the cost of human lives. As this speech is being written, the war has cost a total of 4,000 U. S. oldiers’ lives according to the latest body counts, and the violence continues to not on maintain its horrible pace, but even shows signs of increasing, as daily reports of not only American casualties but Iraqi civilian casualties roll in. In the same report the daily violence against civilians included a suicide truck bomber in the Sulaiman Bek city hall, a predominantly Sunni area of northern Iraq, which killed at least 16 people and wounded 67; add to this at least 21 other Iraqis that were killed or found dead in attacks nationwide and life in the U. S. -occupied country becomes more apparent (Gamel). While it is impossible to say that Iraq was a peaceful country under the regime of Saddam Hussein, it is easy to say that it is not at all peaceful under the regime of George W. Bush. This has led to a negative view of the United States by many of the Iraqi that are supposed to be helped. According to Iraqi author, Abdul Hadi al-Khalili, who was kidnapped in broad daylight by gunmen and forced to pay $30,000 to be released, this is a product of American occupation: â€Å"Crimes like carjacking, murder, and kidnapping were nearly unheard of during the years of Saddam’s repressive police state. The United States successfully dismantled Saddam’s government but completely failed to bring a sense of law and order to the nation of Iraq† (Al-Marashi and Hadi al-Khalili). It is apparent that the war in Iraq is bad for Americans, Iraqis, and creates a world in which countries are afraid of what the next unilateral action of the U. S. will be. An invasion of Iran, perhaps? There has been discussion along these lines, but one can only hope common sense prevails over fantastical dreams of hawks in the government. One of the quietest statistics from the war is the number of servicemen and women wounded in action. Because the armed forces keep such firm control on media and personal reports by the soldiers, the American public is largely unaware of the sheer numbers of soldiers that come back from Iraq gravely wounded. According to the latest reports by the Department of Defense, the total U. S.  Iraq War casualties stand at over 56,000; this figure includes the nearly 28,000 wounded by hostile action and almost double that amount for soldiers who were evacuated for illness and non-hostile action, a blanket description that also includes soldiers who commit suicide (White). The thing that differentiates the war in Iraq from previous wars is that the fatality rate is misleading and the casualty rate is significantly higher than Vietnam and Korea, which experienced fewer than three people wounded for every death, and the World Wars, in which there were less than two (Bilmes). Some of this can be attributed to better medical technology and the use of body armor, but the overall theme is that there are and will continue to be a large amount of wounded veterans, both physically and psychologically, coming back to the United States needing treatment on an already grossly understaffed and under-funded Veteran Affairs administration. So far, more than 200,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have been treated at VA medical facilities — three times what the VA projected, according to a Government Accountability Office analysis; of these veterans, more than a third have been diagnosed with mental health conditions, and thousands more have crippling disabilities such as brain and spinal injuries (Bilmes). The Veterans Benefits Administration has 400,000 pending claims, some which will never be honored, and of the 1. million service members involved in the war from the beginning, 900,000 are still on active duty, which will only lead to greater problems when their time is up (Bilmes). The conservative estimate of the price wounded veterans will cost the U. S. taxpayers in between $300 billion and $600 billion, not to mention the price the veterans themselves have already paid. No matter what the reasons for fighting the war in Iraq may be it is apparent that those who fought it and those who paid for it will continue to pay for years to come. There is little to suggest that the war in Iraq is justifiable or will have a positive outcome. It has created ill-will towards America from the rest of the world that may last for generations; it has killed possibly hundreds of thousands of humans, and maimed many more; it has left a country in complete shambles with little hope to pull out of it anytime soon; and, it will end up costing far more than it is worth in time, money, and lives. As Americans continue to learn the truths about Iraq and the administration that led us there, it will continue to oppose the poor decisions. As the elections of 2006 showed, Americans are ready for a change. The only thing that remains to be seen is if the American public is ready to initiate that change or blindly maintain the status quo. Their decision is more important than they could ever realize.

Case Study: Mattel Toy Recall, 2007

Case Study: Mattel Toy Recall, 2007 I. Introduction : Mattel Toy Recall 2007 Case Study About Mattel In 1945, Ruth and Elliot Handler and Harold Matt Matson form a partnership called Mattel Creations in Southern California in a garage workshop that manufactured picture frames and dollhouse furniture. The worlds largest toy company, Mattel, Inc., also known as â€Å"the worlds premiere toy company today and tomorrow,† designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes a variety of toy products all over the world. The companys products include a number of core toy lines, including Barbie dolls (which eventually became the best-selling toy ever), clothing, and accessories; Hot Wheels vehicles; Harry Potter, Batman, Superman, and Looney Tunes products; the American Girls Collection of books, dolls, clothing, and accessories; Fisher-Price infant and preschool toys, and toys based on Disney and Sesame Street characters; and games such as Scrabble and UNO. Mattels toys are produced in company-owned manufacturing facilities in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand, and independe nt contractors located in the United States, Europe, Mexico, the Far East, and Australia. The companys three main retail customers include Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Toys R Us, Inc., and Target Corporation. Throughout the years, Mattel continued to create and market popular toys such as Hot Wheels, merge with profitable manufacturers Fisher Price in 1993 and Tyco Toys, Inc. in 1997, partner with Disney, Sesame Street, and Nickelodeon, obtain licenses and rights to manufacture Cabbage Patch Dolls and Harry Potter merchandise, and acquire Pleasant Company (maker of American Girl brand) in 1997.Since 1945, the Mattel Company works hard to ensure it is considered a trustworthy company for children and the community. Mattel established the Mattel Childrens Foundation to make â€Å"a meaningful difference in the lives of children in need globally.† In 1997, the corporation formed the Global Manufacturing Principles (GMP), establishing Mattel as the first company to create a framework to ensure responsible manufacturing, assembly, and distribution is conducted through consistent standards on a global level. In 1998, Mattel began a unique $25 million multi-year donation partnership to th e UCLA childrens hospital, renamed the Mattel Childrens Hospital at UCLA to assist and serve children from around the world with nationally recognized health care. With so much positive philanthropy projects, Mattel has not always been able to maintain an image of child-like and trustworthy purity. Mattel has experienced many criticisms for stealing ideas for toy-lines from children competing in toy invention competitions. In 1974, investigators revealed that company officials produced and issued false and misleading financial information to make it appear as if the company was continuing to successfully grow. And of course, Mattel has also had its share of recalls (the accurate number of recalls is debatable but it ranges from 17 to 28 recalls). But in August 1997, Mattel faced the biggest recall in the companys history. Brief Background There are two separate reasons why Mattel recalled 19 million toys from August to September of 2007. The fact that both recalls occurred at the same time makes this the biggest recall in the companys history. The first toy recall was due to defective magnets. The design of the toy magnets included parts with high-energy magnets typically used for industrial purposes that easily come loose and posed a threat to young children and infants who could easily swallow the magnets which could then adhere together in the digestive tract and rupture the stomach tissue. The strength of the magnets combined with Mattels poor design of the toys made the products a critical hazard for young children. Mattels website (http://corporate.mattel.com) lists 71 models and makes of toys that were recalled because of faulty magnets. The second toy recall was due to high levels of lead-based paint found on the surface of many toys. Mattel had previously given manufacturers in China a list of eight approved paint suppliers to use, but in order to reduce costs, subcontractors decided to employ unapproved suppliers. In some cases, the lead content was over 180 times the legal limit. Lead-based paint is dangerous for children because elevated levels create learning and behavioral problems, slow muscle and bone growth, hearing loss, anemia, brain damage, seizures, coma, and in some rare cases, death. Mattel recalled 91 models and makes of toys because of harmful levels of lead paint. China Since 1997, China has experienced many tribulations with the quality and standards of the products manufactured within the country. For instance, pet food, toothpaste, seafood, tires, and toys are just a few of the products recalled from homes in the United States because of serious, sometimes deadly, manufacturing inaccuracies. The business relationship between Mattel and China seemed to be a strong partnership. Mattel manufactured 65 percent of its toys in China, and before the recall, was a company others used as a model for successful global manufacturing. Mattel was criticized for placing too much faith in the partnership with China as well as careless inspections on the quality of the manufacturing sites abroad. TimelineIn November of 2006, Mattel recalled Polly Pocket sets sold with magnets that posed a threat to children. In July 2007, a European retailer discovered high levels of lead content on various Mattel toys. Once notified, Mattel began an investigation and closed operations at the factories producing the toys. During the investigation, Mattel discovered millions of products available since 2003 that did not pass safety standards. On August 1, 2007, Fisher-Price recalled 1.5 million toys due to high levels of lead-based paint 60% of which were all manufactured in China. After further investigation, Mattel recalled 18 million more products on August 14, 2007 because of the possible hazards of children swallowing faulty magnets. And on September 4, 2007, Mattel recalled another 848,000 toys due to high levels of lead-based paint. The U.S. Senate Committee began scrutinizing American safety standards for childrens toys and clothing and stated the possibility of creating new legislation to keep hazardous toys and clothing from children. Despite the fact that a larger number of toys were recalled because of faulty magnets and not lead-based paint, the framed communication made China appear culpable for the recalls in order to reduce reputational damage and the Chinese media stated that Mattel should be accountable for the mistakes rather than blame China. Mattel eventually listened and on September 21, the company issued an apology to China taking full blame for the recall crisis. Mattel also posted news releases and video interviews on the company website to keep the public informed. June 8, 2007 Mattel receives information on possible lead paint contamination June 9, 2007 CPSC deadline to report the problem June 10, 2007 Mattel fails to report problem to CPSC July 26, 2007 Mattel files full report to CPSC August 14, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 17.4 million products September 4, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 850,000 toys with lead paint October 25, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls Go Diego Go! Rescue boats coated in hazardous lead paint November 6, 2007 Mattel voluntarily recalls 155,000 choking hazard toys manufactured in Mexico OBJECTIVES Mattels management has expressed the overall company vision as â€Å"The Worlds Premier Toy BrandsToday and Tomorrow.† Management set five key company strategies: 1. improve execution of the existing toy business 2. globalize the brands 3. extend the brands 4. catch new trends 5. develop people The company also adapts its definition of truthfulness by:  · Collecting and disseminating all information about the recall to the public accurately, quickly, and efficiently.  · Reassuring the public, especially parents and retailers, that the company is devoted to producing safe toys and improving honest communication.  · Taking responsibility for the recall, solving the crisis, and maintaining a working relationship with China. CRISIS PLAN Mattel is known for their 100-page crisis plan and a well-planned crisis response infrastructure tested from 28 recalls since 2000. Mattel speaks with one voice, communicates consistently through a crisis, acts quickly, and responds with public apology and any other expectations. All steps of the plan are code of a successful crisis plan and response. When Mattel realized the company was facing a serious crisis, their first act was to contact the federal agency overseeing toy issues and product safety. When federal officials publicized the first Mattel recall, Mattels crisis management team instantly arranged for open communication channels with reporters from the top media outlets. The team sent e-mail alerts with the recall press release, invited reporters to a teleconference with company executives, and arranged for the media to interview key personnel employed with Mattel. The day of the recall, Robert Eckert, CEO of Mattel, met with reporters for television and phone interviews. Mattel established a help line, answered over 300 media requests in the United States, and placed full page ads in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal by the end of the week. Mattel also started an online movement to notify consumers about the recall with updates posted on a regular basis, chat rooms, message boards, and social media. Mattel has consistently been open with the media and consumers testifying new company policies with very high standards and quality and safety testing procedures, although carefully stating â€Å"no system can be perfect.† Mattel also made it clear that they are doing all that they can to assess the situation on the manufacturing level. Apology to China Mattel prematurely placed disproportionate blame on Chinese manufacturers encouraging China bashing in the media across the world damaging Chinas reputation. On September 20, 2007, Mattel issued an apology to China in a meeting with Li Changjiang, the Chinese product safety chief. In the apology, Debrowski states â€Å"Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys.† China accepted the apology saying â€Å"Mattel should value our cooperation. I really hope that Mattel can learn lessons and gain experience from these incidents, [and they should] improve their control measures† and anticipates that China will restore consumer confidence in products â€Å"made in China.† Result of Crisis Mattel appeared to handle the crisis by appearing to be up-front and open about the massive toy recall. Mattels homepage contains a dedicated bold red link to toy recalls containing information about recalls affecting all countries, what toys are being recalled, where to bring recalled toys, and defining Mattels three-point safety check system: 1. Mattel will make sure that manufactures only use paint from certified suppliers and they will test every single batch of paint from all vendors. If the paint isnt up to Mattels standards, it wont be used. 2. Mattel is increasing control on every level of the production process and conducting random inspections at all vender facilities. 3. Mattel pledges to test all finished toys vigorously before they reach the consumer. The toys must meet a series of strict safety standards before they are put on the market. Mattel assures customers that all venders are aware of these new procedures and Mattels strict enforcement of them. ANALYSIS Applying SCCT * Good o Public apology from CEO o Coupons offered o Stressed stringent inspection processes and company improvement * Bad o Placed initial blame on China, later making an apology to China o Stated media and government escalated the crisis Media Coverage Most of the media information that covered the Mattel toy recall discussed the lead-based paint recall and did not include the magnetic toy design flaw crisis which led to the China bashing products replying â€Å"Made In China should be viewed as a warning label.† Many media outlets reported the importance of China creating strict safety standards before putting more lives in danger.Media coverage of Mattel was very different since the focus was on Mattels timely apology and quick release of recall information. The fact that key Mattel executives spoke with the media provided a favorable reputation for the company. What China Has Done China continues to build manufacturing trust with the United States while improving problems within the country. US Regulatory Structure after the crisis The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is â€Å"charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agencys jurisdiction. â€Å" In order to ensure the safety of childrens toys, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) stopped the use of lead paint in toy manufacturing. CPSC Chairman stated that the Work Plans â€Å"show significant forward progress in the agencys efforts to bring Chinese-made consumer products into line with the U.S. safety rules. This is an important signal from the Chinese government that it is serious about working with CPSC to keep dangerous products out of American homes. We will be looking for meaningful cooperation on the ground that means not just with the Chinese government, but also with industry at both ends of the supply chain.† The CPSC also plans to increase consumer product inspections manufactured for the United States and will review the plans effectiveness after one year to discuss and implement improvements. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act includes strict guidelines of Childrens product safety for: * Sec. 101. Childrens products containing lead; lead paint rule. * Sec. 102. Mandatory third party testing for certain childrens products. * Sec. 103. Tracking labels for childrens products. * Sec. 104. Standards and consumer registration of durable nursery products. * Sec. 105. Labeling requirement for advertising toys and games. * Sec. 106. Mandatory toy safety standards. * Sec. 107. Study of preventable injuries and deaths in minority children related to consumer products. * Sec. 108. Prohibition on sale of certain products containing specified phthalates. Personal interest as a mother During the Mattel toy recall crisis, I was in my third trimester with my first child. Imagine what went through my mind as a soon-to-be-new-mother already filled with angst. And so, a new Fleenor rule was born all products made in China were not welcomed and banned from our home. Easy enough I thought. Our son would have toys, clothing, food, and furniture made in the USA only easy enough I thought. So we discussed our decision with family and friends that all items with the â€Å"Made in China† label would be returned. Shopping became a difficult task because about 80 percent of toys, clothing, and furniture sold in America are made in China. I soon realized that I needed to shop online for specialty â€Å"Made in the USA† stores, find local artisans to build furniture and toys, and plan on entertaining my child myself with books, funny faces, and outdoor adventures. While I am still cautious of â€Å"Made in China† products, I am much more relaxed as I take responsibility in becoming an informed consumer through product recall email alerts from cpsc.gov, maintaining open communication with my childrens pediatrician, and still acting as the main entertainment source for my two children. What we learned Mattel dealt with the toy recall crisis precisely the way Coombs recommends companies to deal with image damaging crises. Mattels experience with recalls definitely ensured precise and smooth execution of their well documented crisis management plan. The company and CEO were visible, available, and publicly apologetic. And more importantly, Mattel told the truth and took immediate action to fix the problem allowing the company to focus on a positive solution and restoring the companys dependable reputation. It is often difficult to know exactly where and how consumer products are manufactured and how products are inspected in todays ever-changing global economy. The toy recall crisis also allowed us to realize that we are also facing an economic crisis with global manufacturing. While the United States is doing the best to ensure our safety through strict product regulations, we need to realize the difficult challenges we face when heavily relying on outside countries to manufacture such large quantities. â€Å"It would be far to easy to attribute this summers recalls to Chinas poorly regulated export manufacturers. Regulatory deficiencies, shoddy business practices, and the forces of globalization all play a substantial role in this catastrophe. There is enough blame to go around,† Representative John Dingell (D-Mich.) said during the Sept. 19, 2007 hearings. Similar recalls The RC2 Corporation of Oakbrook, Ill. recalled approximately 1.5 million Thomas and Friends train sets on June 13, 2007 because of high levels of lead-based paint used by Chinese contractors. The R2C Corporations recall was not as grand in scale as Mattels, but the company quickly posted an apology to consumers on the company website, terminated business contracts with manufacturers not complying with RC2 paint specifications, and employed a six-point safety check system. On February 6, 2007, Hasbro recalled 985,000 Easy-bake Ovens because young children could easily insert their hands in the over and get their hands caught and burned. Summary â€Å"I think Mattel handled the problem very well overall. Its a problem that isnt unusual for them to have. Product defects and difficulty with suppliers are pretty typical in their line of work and they took responsibility. They were willing to talk about it and understood the ramifications,† stated Paul A. Argenti, Professor of Corporate Communications at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. What should Mattel do now? Plan for tomorrow and be more conscientious using domestic and international manufacturers. Again, Mattel took responsibility for the entire recall, which not many companies are willing to be held accountable for Toyota is the best example today. Owning up takes courage and actions in good times and bad should express the companys character. Mattel should continue to identify possible problems, enforce strict manufacturing regulations to produce safe toys, reassure consumers that child safety and product safety is the bottom line, and collaborate with i nternational suppliers and government agencies to ensure public well-being. Mattel has to be prepared for other problems and continue risk management audits. â€Å"There are always going to be problems. But if Mattel can lead the change for toy manufacturers to create a more responsible industry, they could become the hero.† Bibliography AudraAng, â€Å"China Calls for More Testing of Exports,† June 6, 2007 Brian Hartman, â€Å"Thomas Friends Wooden Railway Toys Recalled, â€Å"http://abcnews.go.com, June 13, 2007 Brief Review of China Toy Industry in 2006. (2006). Retrieved February 2010, from China Toy Association: http://www.toy-cta.org/mail/en/7/ Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI). (2007). Retrieved February 2010, from Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI): http://www.bsmi.gov.tw/wSite/mp?mp=2 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. (2010). Retrieved from CPSC: http://www.cpsc.gov/ CPSC Chairman Inez M. Tenenbaum Keynote Address via Video Recording, APEC Toy Safety Initiative Open Dialogue on Toy Safety. (2010, January 12). Retrieved February 2010, from CPSC: http://www.cpsc.gov/PR/tenenbaum01122010.html Ebenkamp, B. (2007). Toymakers Plotting New Game Plans After Recalls. Brandweek, 48(30), 9. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database Eric Lipton, David Barboza, â€Å"As More Toys Are Recalled, Trail Ends in China,† The New York Times, June 19, 2007 Laws and Regulations. (2007). Retrieved February 2010, from General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the Peoples Republic of China: http://english.aqsiq.gov.cn/ Mattel Consumer Relations Answer Center. (2010, February). Retrieved from Mattel: http://service.mattel.com/us/recall.asp Orey, M. (2009). Taking on Toy Safety. BusinessWeek Online, 20. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database Palmeri, C. (2007). Mattel Takes the Blame for Toy Recalls. BusinessWeek Online, 17. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database Recalls. (2010). Retrieved from Recalls.gov: http://www.recalls.gov/ â€Å"Toys Made in China Set Recall Record, Alarming Parents and Regulators,† http://www.mercurynews.com, June 19, 2007 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2006). Handbook for Manufacturing Safer Consumer Products. Bethesda: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Difference In Physical And Chemical Properties

The Difference In Physical And Chemical Properties Everything type matter is branded in the physical world with properties that define what it is and how it behaves when in the presence of other substances. These properties give the substance, whatever it may be, its own distinctive features that can be used to identify it. These properties can be determined by measuring and observing the material under different conditions. But any substance will have not just one set of properties, but two sets of different properties. These two sets will be physical properties and chemical properties. A physical property is a feature of a substance that can be observed without changing the identity of the substance. Many of these properties are properties that we can see with our eyes or feel with our hands, such as texture, shape, color, size, or smoothness. Even things such as conductivity, malleability, and ductility are physical properties. There are also two different kinds of physical properties. Intensive physical properties are features that will be the same no matter how much of the substance is present. On the other hand, extensive physical properties are properties that do depend on the amount of the substance present, such as mass, volume, length, and height. These are all physical properties because they can all be observed without making the substance into a different substance. As soon as the substance is turned into a different substance, it is considered a chemical property. Chemical properties describe the ability of a substance to change its identity. Anything that can be done to a substance that will change its identity is considered a chemical property, such as its flammability (in case of a fire) or its reactivity (how it reacts to other chemicals). If a substance changed into a different substance through a chemical reaction, then it has a chemical property related to that change. The change it went through is a chemical change. Chemical changes can also be called chemical reactions. In a chemical change, the identity of a substance will be changed, and it will have different properties. These changes can be shown in a chemical equation, like this: HCl + NaOH Æ’Â   NaCl + H2O This equation shows than when HCl, a strong acid, reacts with NaOH, a strong base, the chemical reaction results in sodium chloride (NaCl) and water (H2O). Physical changes can also occur. The difference is that instead of the substance changing its identity, it changes form. After a physical change, the properties of the substance will remain the same. There are three main types of physical changes. The first is mechanical physical change, such as tearing, crushing, or breaking a substance. Second, a solution could be made, like when salt is dissolved in water. No new substances are formed even though the salt is dissolved. The salt could still be filtered out. Thirdly, changes in the state of matter are also a physical change. Water that changes from a solid to a liquid to a gas is all physical changes. The equation to show this looks like this: H2O(s) Æ’Â   H2O(l) Æ’Â   H2O(g) The letters in the subscript convey what state of matter the H2O is in. The s stands for solid, the l for liquid, and the g for gas. The reason it is a physical change is because the chemical make-up of the substance is still the same throughout. If the chemical make-up of the substance changes, then it is a chemical change. Problem: To carry out several chemical physical changes to judge whether they are chemical or physical. Hypothesis: It is expected that the chemical changes will cause much more noticeable observations Materials: -Match Eyedropper -Candle (held stationary by clay) -10 drops of 0.1 M AgNO3 (silver nitrate) -Wooden splint -One piece (about 3cm) of Magnesium (Mg) -2 Watch Glasses -10 drops of 6 M HCl (concentrated hydrochloric acid) -Small spatula of NaCl -Tongs -10 mL of water (divided up into 2, 5mL divisions) -Bunsen Burner -2 Test tubes -Mortar and Pestle -Test tube cork -CuSO45H2O (Copper II sulfate pentahydrate) -A few filings of Fe (iron) Diagrams: *On attached pages* Procedure: Light a match and use it to light a candle held stationary by a piece of clay. Observe the flame, the wick, and the wax for several minutes. Record observations. Obtain a wooden splint and break it in half. Place the end of one half of the wooden splint into the candle flame. Extinguish the flames of both the candle and the splint. Place the splint into a watch glass and observe. Record observations. Dispose of the wood in the designated waste container. Place a small spatula of NaCl (sodium chloride) into a small test tube. Add 5 mL of water. Cover the test tube with a test tube cork and shake the contents of the tube. Record observations. Save the product for Step 4. Use an eyedropper to add 10 drops of a 0.1 M AgNO3 (silver nitrate: do not get this on you!) solution to the salt-water solution which was made in Step 3. Cover the tube with a cork and fully invert several times to mix properly. Record observations. Dispose in the designated waste container. Obtain one piece of Mg (magnesium) ribbon about 3 cm long. Tear it into 2 pieces. Place one piece into a test tube. Use a pipet to add 10 drops of 6 M HCl (concentrated hydrochloric acid). Record observations. Dispose in the designated waste container. Handle the other piece of Mg with tongs. Place the Mg into the hottest part of the burner flame at the front lab table for a few minutes until a noticeable change occurs. Caution: Do not look directly into the light! Place the product on a watch glass. Record observations. Dispose in the designated waste container. Use a mortar and pestle to grind several crystals of CuSO45H2O (copper II sulfate pentahydrate) into a uniform powder. Record observations. Place a small spatula of the CuSO45H2O powder into a test tube. Add 5 mL of water, cap it with a cork, and invert fully several times to mix. Record observations. Save the product for Step 8. To the test tube containing the water and CuSO45H2O, add a few Fe (iron) filings. Cap it with a cork and invert fully several times to fully mix. Look very closely into the test tube. A keen observer gets the proper results. Record observations. Dispose in the designated waste container. Data: Step Physical Properties of Starting Materials Observations of The Change 1 Candle looks waxy, with few drops dried on the side. It is a pale white color. It appears to be slightly burnt. The bottom clay is a bright yellow and has a smooth texture. Wax on the top melts and forms a liquid. Tip of wick is a bright red color. More drips start to appear on the side of the candle. As the wax drips down, it changes from clear to pale white, while also hardening. 2 Wood is smooth, light brown in color, and very brittle. It is small and rectangular. The watch glass is clear, with cloudy material on bottom of glass. The wood starts to wilt and shrivels, while turning black, with a red tip. Little bits of ash appear. Smoke rises from the flame, and it smells faintly of ham. 3 Sodium chloride looks clear, crystalline, and very granular. Some of the NaCl sticks to the side of the container. NaCl dissolves into the water to make a solution. Clear liquid in test tube. 4 AgNO3 looks cloudy on the surface of the water. It is an opaque white color and sticks together. Seems to form a heterogeneous mixture, with white specks of AgNO3 floating in the water. The water solution became chunky and cloudy. 5 Silver in color, malleable, small, thin, rectangular in shape. It is smooth on the surfaces and kind of sharp on the corners. It is 3cm in length. Test tube gets hot; piece of magnesium starts to disintegrate. At the end, ash is left at the bottom and what looks like smoke rises from the top. Liquid looks slight yellow. 6 Piece of magnesium looks the same as above. Magnesium starts to burn and then quickly turns into a bright white light as the flame gets really intense. There is a slight change in heat because the amount of flame increased. 7 Crystals look deep blue. There is no odor present. They look smooth, but clear-cut. They hold their shape. The water turns blue and the powder is dissolved. The liquid does look see-through. 8 (see part 2 of step 7) The liquid turns into a dirty brown color. The Fe seems to sink to the bottom of the test tube. It doesnt look like Fe anymore, though. It looks like copper because of its color. Questions: Intensive properties are properties that will not change based on the amount of a substance you have. Some examples from the lab are the waxiness of the candle, the color of the magnesium, or the malleability of the magnesium. An extensive property will change based on the amount of a substance you have. Examples of these properties (from the lab) are the size of the wooden splint, the length of the magnesium strip, or the height of the candle. a. Lighting a match: Chemical. The physical make-up of the wood and its head is changed. b. Melting wax: Physical. The wax is still wax, its just in a different form. c. Burning a wick: Chemical. The wick slowly burns down and changes its make-up. d. Freezing wax: Physical. It is still wax. e. Breaking wood splint: Physical. It is still wood. f. Burning wood: Chemical. It is a different material after you burn it. g. Dissolving sodium chloride: Physical. It is still salt. You could filter the salt back out of the solution. h. Reacting NaCl and AgNO3: Chemical Change. The two compounds change their molecular make-up. i. Breaking and sanding Mg: Physical. It is still magnesium; its just in a different form. j. Burning magnesium: Chemical. The magnesium is no longer magnesium and goes through a chemical reaction. k. Adding acid to Mg: Chemical. In the reaction, the Mg is changed. l. Crushing copper II sulfate: Physical. It is still copper II sulfate; its just been changed to a different form. m. Dissolving copper II sulfate: Physical. It is still the same material. n. Adding Fe to copper II sulfate: Chemical. The Fe changed because it bonded with So4. The change involving a candle is both chemical and physical because the candle wax is melting, which is a physical change to the candle, but the candle wick is also burning, which is a chemical change. The candle wax is remaining as wax; its just changing from a solid to a liquid. When it cools down, it forms a solid again. The wick, however, never returns to its previous state after being burned. It is no longer a candle wick. Two changes in the experiment that were exothermic were the wooden splint burning and the magnesium reacting with the hydrochloric acid. Wooden splint had a flame on it (when it was burning) that gave off a lot of heat. The magnesium caused the test tube to become extremely hot. A change in the experiment that was endothermic was when we melted the candle wax. The wax had to take in a lot of energy from the flame in order to do a physical change into a liquid. In chemical changes, the formulas of reactants compare to the formulas of the product because they are different. The substances are changed in a chemical change, so their molecular make-up will also change. For example, in Step 8, we had the reactants CuSO4 and Fe. But the products werent the same. CuSO4 Æ’Â   Cu +FeSO4 The iron bonded with the SO4, leaving copper behind. In a physical change, the formulas will be the same on each side. The only thing that might change is its state of matter. H2O(s) Æ’Â   H2O(l) The chemical make-up is still the same, but it did change from a liquid to a gas. The formulas on each side have to stay the same though. Data Analysis: Based on the observations collected, 3 of the 8 steps performed were physical changes. Step 1, the burning of the candle, was surprisingly a physical change. What made this clear is that it could be observed that the wax is only melting, not changing to a different substance. Due to background information, it can be concluded that this is a physical change. Step 3 involves dissolving NaCl in water, which is also classified as a physical change. Step 7 is just like step 3 in that a substance was dissolved in water, so this is also a physical change. Several chemical changes also occurred. Step 2, the burning of the wooden splint, marked a chemical change because the step started out with a piece of wood observed as smooth, light brown in color, and very brittle. After the change, it wilted and shriveled to a black substance with all new properties. Since it has transformed into a new substance, it can be concluded that this is a chemical change. The AgNO3 in step 4 reacts with the NaCl and the H2O to form a new substance in the liquid, which creates small, floating particles. Since a new substance was formed inside the liquid, this is also a chemical change. The magnesium reacting with the acid as well as being burned in the Bunsen burner was both chemical changes because neither of the changes warranted any magnesium afterwards, so it is known that a chemical change occurred. Lastly, the CuSO4-2 reacted with the Fe+2 to create different substances, namely Cu and FeSO4. It can therefore be concluded that this was also a chemical change. Error: A few things may have caused errors in this experiment, but because the results were not dependent on extremely precise amounts of any substance, getting the appropriate results was fairly easy. However, if the wrong substance had accidentally been placed in a test tube instead of another substance, the results will be completely different than what they are supposed to be. This could also result in a dangerous situation depending on what substance had been replaced. Another thing that may have hindered the results of the burning of the magnesium is if the flame wasnt hot enough to burn the magnesium or the piece of magnesium was somehow flawed, where it wouldnt burn. Another thing that would obstruct the correct results is if any test tube broke while it was in use, for it couldnt be used to observe the changes occurring anymore. If the candle (from step 1) had so much wax that the wick wasnt exposed enough to light, then it would have made it difficult to perform the first couple s teps of the experiment. Error can come from many different sources, but human error is the most frequent type of error. Conclusion: It was attempted to perform a variety of experiments to carry out chemical and physical changes. Then, it was judged what kind of change it was. Success was reached in doing this. Chemical changes were observed, such as the wooden splint burning, the magnesium bubbling, and the SO4-2 bonding to the Fe+2. Physical changes were also observed, such as the candle wax melting, the NaCl dissolving in the water, and ripping the magnesium strip in half. A lot was definitely learned about the difference between chemical and physical changes, and how to distinguish between the two.

Immigration in America Essay -- essays research papers

Coming to America†¦Maybe Immigration has been a part of the United States ever since its inception. When Christopher Columbus made his way across the Atlantic Ocean he discovered a land that was almost entirely inhabited. The colonists, essentially the first immigrants to what would be the United States, began to come over group after group until they finally decided that there were enough people living in America that they were a strong enough power to be a separate entity. In 1776 the Americans declared their independence from Great Britain and through the revolutionary war, created the United States. Views from varying sources as well as some insight from North Dakota representatives will be used in order to examine current immigration laws, explain how and why changes should be made, and determine who will be affected by the changes. Early in its history, the United States was often called a melting pot because it was a new nation with no distinctive culture at the time it was established. As immigrants came to the United States, oftentimes they quickly lost their original culture and integrated into the new nation rapidly. Although the United States has been shaped by successive waves of immigrants, Americans have often viewed immigration as a problem. Established Americans often look down on new immigrants. The cultural habits of immigrants are frequently targets of criticism, especially when the new arrivals come from a different country than those in the established community. This type of behavior towards immigrants can be found throughout the nation. When interviewing my district representatives what they were currently doing with immigration laws I received a very common answer from all three of them. They all said that currently they weren’t dealing with any immigration laws because they are usually determined at a national level. Representative Ole Aarsvold said in an e-mail response, â€Å"Immigration is primarily a federal concern but we have had a couple of bills dealing with this issue, very generally, in this legislative session in ND. I will do some research for you.† This led me to open my eyes to the national scope of immigration laws. The United States had no type of immigration laws during its colonial years. Leonard Dinnerstein is a Professor of American History and Director of Judaic Studies at University of Arizona. His Encarta entr... ... Americans declared their independence from Great Britain and through the revolutionary war, created the United States. Views from varying sources as well as some insight from North Dakota representatives were used in order to examine current immigration laws, explain how and why changes should be made, and determine who will be affected by the changes. Work Cited Aarsvold, Ole. â€Å"Re: Thoughts on Immigration.† E-mail to State Representative 22 Mar. 2001. â€Å"American Presidents Talk About Immigration.† American Immigration Law Foundation 1997. 27 Feb. 2001. . Dinnerstein, Leonard. â€Å"Immigration.† Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. 2000. â€Å"Ellis Island Lesson Plan (Immigration).† MSNBC Pencil News. 2000. 27 Mar 2001. . Goldsborough, James. â€Å"Out-of-Control Immigration.† Foreign Affairs. Sept. 2000: 89 Hicks, Chester. â€Å"Remaking the political landscape: how immigration redistributes seats in the House.† Spectrum: the Journal of State Government. Spring 1999: 17. Vialet, Joyce. â€Å"Immigration Legislation and Issues in The 106th Congress.† Migration World Magazine. Sept 1999: 41.

Essay --

For D.D. Williamson the clear-cut blend of projects in a portfolio can signify the distinction involving organizational development and expensive setbacks. By strategically prioritizing projects, the company can capitalize on how it can move forward with major projects and properly assign resources that make certain only those projects that best line up with company’s vision makes the cut. Since reactions to the projects often ran high when making these kinds of decisions the idea of a structured senior management team to work through criteria selection process that allowed them to pick two project per senior management sponsor (Kloppenborg, 2012). This achieved the results the company was looking for and providing another strength in the company minimizing weakness. One tool used by the management team is a prioritization matrix it provided a way for the team to group an assorted set of items into an order of importance. It also recognizes their qualified importance by developing a numerical assessment for the priority of each item (Gosenheimer, 2012). Using a prioritization matrix...

Legal and ethical implications for classroom Essay

There are many legal and ethical pitfalls for teachers when considering classroom management. Teachers face pressure from administrators, state agencies, parents, and students to have successful and effective classrooms. Over the years, the standard has moved and is constantly changing with initiatives such as Common Core and No Child Left Behind. Teachers need to be aware of the changing landscape of laws and what is acceptable by society. In this essay, I will look at four articles that examine classroom management and analyze them in respect to my future classroom management style and current societal norms. First Article LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM 2 The first article I looked at was â€Å"Consideration for Gender-Friendly Classrooms†. This article discussed the use of gender bias strategies. It highlighted the differences between general learning styles of boys and girls. The highlight of the article was that it recognized the societal gender norms not only impact students, but also teachers as well (Kommer, 2006). Kommer went on to build a case for a mixture strategies that would play on the strengths of both boys and girls. Depending on the culture, girls and boys are said to be the same. Kommer contends that the goal is not to make boys and girls the same, but to have equity in teaching styles (Kommer, 2006). Analysis and Application This article is driving me to make sure my classroom management policies are fair to both boys and girls. I need to make lesson plans that seek to teach the most students and not what I feel comfortable teaching. I have a tendency to relate to boys, well because I was once one. I was never strong in Language Arts, but had an affinity to Math and Social Studies. I was in the Honors Program in my high school for Math, yet in Language Arts, I was n average student. I  realize that I have to make a conscience effort use examples that relate to both genders. I cannot have all my examples and analogies be sports related, but I have need to find things that young lady would relate to, as well. Additionally, I need to make sure my discipline models are effective for both genders. I teach Sunday School for fourth graders. I have a large number of boys and they are rambunctious. I have to make sure that my discipline fits the child. Many of my boys would find 20 pushups and effective deterrent to misbehaving, while many of my girls would find separation from their friend a much worse punishment. Discipline can be a tricky area, as I would not want to be accused of showing favoritism. Teachers need to be cognizant of how they are administering discipline that it is perceived to be constructive and fair to all students. LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM 3 Second Article The second article is â€Å"Classroom Management: A Critical Part of Educational Psychology, With Implications for Teacher Education†. This article discusses the importance of a teacher’s competency in classroom management. Emmer and Stough contend that teachers need to have a minimal level of proficiency in order to be effective in other areas (Emmer & Stough,2001). They also assert that the teacher’s emotions play a major part in how they perceive behavior (Emmer & Stough, 2001). Analysis and Application This article compels me to make sure my classroom management style is buttoned up. If I expect my class to learn and succeed, I have to ensure that I am prepared to handle all situations that occur in my classroom. Good classroom management will prevent a large majority of misbehavior issues. Children internally desire structure and as the authority figure in the class in it imperative that, I bring the needed structure. When I was in high school, I had a Social Studies  teacher that had been rumored to be very hard. He had a reputation of being stricter than the other teachers. I had him for American Government my senior year. He had a very direct classroom management style. He would have leaned toward Morrish’s theory. He set very strict ground rules. As the semester progressed, he became more lax in his rules and allowed us to have more freedom as a class. After the end of class, I realized that the teacher was not mean or cruel, but wanted his students to understand the material that he was teaching. I learned more about American History in that class, than all others combined. In addition to having proficiency in classroom management, I need to make sure my emotions are controlled. A teacher cannot allow their emotions to dictate how they address students. Dealing with children is naturally emotional. These people are relying on us as teachers LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM 4 to be the authority and example. For many of the children, the school is the only sense of normalcy that they will see. I read article all the time, where a teacher has made a horrible choice. Any teacher that would choose to have an inappropriate relationship with a student is not in control of their emotions. In order to remain ethically balanced, teachers need to remain under control at all times. When the emotions are high, they need to find a way to bring the balance back into classroom. I am not saying teachers cannot show emotions, but it needs to be tempered. Third Article The third article I read was â€Å"Increasing Teachers’ Use of Evidence-based Classroom Management Strategies Through Consultation: Overview and Case Studies†. This article argued that many education programs do not adequately prepare teacher to manage their classrooms effectively (MacSuga & Simonsen, 2012). MacSuga and Simonsen went on to explain how using  evidence based classroom management can benefit teachers in managing their class. They did a case study of two teachers and found that the teachers were successful in controlling their classroom misbehaviors. Analysis and Application I enjoyed how the article discussed using measurable goals. As a teacher, many of the measures will be based upon standardized test and not what is truly going on in the classrooms. I think administrators and government agencies, force teachers in to a precarious position by telling them that they must have perfect classrooms and perfect test scores in order to be judged as an effective teacher. Having checklist and measurable goals for classroom management helps to protect the teacher. My current boss always says that the numbers tell a story. If as a teacher, I can show measured improvement for a struggling class, I am able to deflect criticisms. LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM 5 Additionally, having documentation allows teachers to analyze themselves and see areas of opportunity. Fourth Article The last article I read was â€Å"The Good Student Game: Behavior Management for Diverse Classrooms†. This article discussed The Good Student Game as a technique to help with classroom management (Babyak, Luze, & Kamps, 2000). Babyak, Luze, and Kamps state that children can find satisfaction through their proposed method and that they will self-monitor. They admit that this method will not eliminate all misbehavior issues, but it can be seen as a tool. Analysis and Application I found that this article oversimplified classroom management. The authors said this method was most effective in a grade school setting. The authors contend that children will self-monitor. I believe this to be naive, I have taught children in a church environment for years and even the best of young kids will make bad choices when it comes to behavior when left to  their own devices. The philosophy hinges on providing tangible reward for completion of the game. Growing up I was a good kid, but if you put candy as the prize and I was allowed to monitor my own behavior, I believe I would have not always been honest about my assessment of my behavior. As teachers we need to set up our children for success and giving them treats every time they behave may set an incorrect assumption of how the world really works. Teachers ethically are bound to help train children to be productive citizens. In conclusion, these four articles all looked at different approaches on how to manage ac lass. I agreed with three of the four and was able to garner some wisdom for my future class. Teachers need to be diligent to stay trained on current trends and acceptable practices. Many teachers that I had in school would not be able to use the same methods today, as they used thirty LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM 6 years ago. Regardless of when the teacher is teaching, effective teachers learned to engage their students and help them see the benefit of proper behavior ethically and legally. LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR CLASSROOM 7 References Babyak, A. E. , Luze, G. J.  , & Kamps, D. M. (2000). The good student game: Behavior management for diverse classrooms. Intervention in School & Clinic, 35(4), 216-223. Emmer, E. T. , & Stough, L. M. (2001). Classroom Management: A Critical Part of Educational Psychology, With Implications for Teacher Education. Educational Psychologist, 36(2), 103-112. Kommer, D. (2006). Considerations for Gender-Friendly Classrooms. Middle School Journal, 38(2), 43-49. MacSuga, A. S. , & Simonsen, B. (2012). Increasing Teachers’ Use of Evidence-based Classroom Management Strategies Through Consultation: Overview and Case Studies.