Innovation Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Innovation - Literature review Example This paper is a literature review of innovation as an important driver of firm profitability and performance, and as a vital source of competitive advantage in any industry. The ability of a business to arrive at creative and insightful designs and methods by which it may meet consumer demands and expectations has always been an attribute that culls consumer loyalty to its products and services. The same is true with the construction industry, where different construction firms are held to public scrutiny by such standards as cost, speed and quality of project execution, but also increasingly by its track record for safety and environment sustainability, its consistency with contemporary concepts of fair and ethical leadership, and the aesthetics and beauty of its design and craftsmanship. In comparative studies among various commercial undertakings, the construction industry noticeably lags behind in terms of innovation, research and development. Industry participants cite the overr iding emphasis on cost minimization in an era of constantly rising materials prices, skilled manpower costs, and administrative expenses. Recent institutional initiatives have been taken to promote innovation in construction, such as the formation of integrated teams and innovative leadership, the most efficient use of information transfer and knowledge management, radical breakthroughs in materials research and construction methods and techniques, and the education of the public to develop a culture more receptive to innovation. The enhancement of an innovative culture in construction requires a broad-based and concerted collaboration among industry firms, associations, regulatory agencies, and other entities in the value chain. Key words: construction, innovation, branded innovation, agile innovation, transformational leadership, information and communication technology, integrated teams Introduction The concept of innovation is often associated with the manufacturing, technology, and retail industries because of the necessity of keeping up with the tastes and preferences of a fickle consumer market. Construction is seldom associate with such dynamic changes, however, because the considerable investment and long-term duration of its products are seen to be better served by strict compliance with building codes, safety standards, and conventional practices to allow much leeway for experimentation and creative revision (Patterson, 2011, p. 18). Innovation in the construction business is a relatively novel concept that has developed in the recent few decades, the scope and scale of which still remains largely undefined as may be observed from the academic studies which have dealt on it. The following survey of related literature will seek to shed light on the generally accepted meaning of innovation in construction, the new paradigms and models emerging from a rethinking of this concept, and the importance of innovation to the construction business. Innovation: definition and effects According to Lundvall (1992, p. 8) innovation is described as potentially new processes, products or strategies that â€Å"result in radical breaks with the past, making a substantial part of accumulated knowledge obsolete.† It has also been defined as consisting of â€Å"the generation of a new idea and its implementation into a new product, process, or service, leading to the dynamic growth of the national economy and the increase of employment, as well as to a creation of pure profit for the innovative business enterprise† (Urabe, Child & Kagono, 1988, p. 3) The classic view espoused by Milton Friedman places priority on the profits realized by a business. In return for financial gains, business contributes much to the improvement of society. According to Ahlstrom (2010), the reverse is actually true – the principal goal of business is the development of innovative goods and services, which in turn generate economic growth and employme nt. Innovation thus improves peoples’

Community Preparedness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Community Preparedness - Essay Example As the study outlines EMI is resourceful in terms of preparing the knowledge of a person with regards to disaster. In this respect, it teaches one on the preparedness strategies which are common in all disasters. It informs a person on various hazards and emergencies which may affect a community. One can learn of the various hazards that may strike the community. This also includes the risks that are associated with these hazards. EMI also has information of the modalities that should be followed as plans for warning and evacuation. Through this resource, a student can acquire adept knowledge on classification of various hazards. The natural hazards include hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, thunderstorms and lightning, winter storms and extreme cold, earthquakes and volcanoes, tsunamis, wild fires among others. The technological disasters that a community may encounter include nuclear power plants and hazardous materials. The terrorism associated disasters include explosions, chemical t hreats, biological threats and nuclear blasts. EMI also has information on how to obtain spatial distribution of these disasters. This is by employment of hazard maps. EMI also imparts knowledge pertaining to warning systems and signals that the community should employ in cases of disaster incidences. A student can learn on the various methods that can be employed in warning the community about potential disasters. EMI also offers information pertaining to the methods of community evacuation in cases of disaster. It gives evacuation guidelines that are imperative to a community. It has information on the transportation arrangements and escape routes and what to do when evacuating. Through EMI, one can learn of the importance of emergency plans for various institutions in preparedness for disasters. One can also learn of the various water conservation tips.  

Human Relations Movement Essay Example for Free

Human Relations Movement Essay Human Relations Movement refers to those researchers of organizational development who study the behavior of people in groups, in particular workplace groups. It originated in the 1930s Hawthorne studies, which examined the effects of social relations, motivation and employee satisfaction on factory productivity. The movement viewed workers in terms of their psychology and fit with companies, rather than as interchangeable parts. The hallmark of human-relation theories is the primacy given to organizations as human cooperative systems rather than mechanical contraptions. George Elton Mayo stressed the following: Natural groups, in which social aspects take precedence over functional organizational structures Upwards communication, by which communication is two way, from worker to chief executive, as well as vice versa. Cohesive and good leadership is needed to communicate goals and to ensure effective and coherent decision making (Wilson Rosenfeld, Managing Organizations, McGraw Hill Book Company, London, p. 9. ) It has become a concern of many companies to improve the job-oriented interpersonal skills of employees. The teaching of these skills to employees is referred to as soft skills training. Companies need their employees to be able to successfully communicate and convey information, to be able to interpret others emotions, to be open to others feelings, and to be able to solve conflicts and arrive at resolutions. By acquiring these skills, the employees, those in management positions, and the customer can maintain more compatible relationships. (DuBrin, A. J. (2007). Human Relations Interpersonal Job-Oriented Skills, Pearson Prentice Hall, 9th. ed. , New Jersey, p. 2. ) Institutes where human relations are studied include: The Tavistock Institute, co-publishers of the Human Relations journal; the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science; The Oasis School of Human Relations, Masters Degree in Globally Responsible Leadership (Oasis Press publishes human relations books and manuals); Trevecca Nazarene University, Bachelors Degree in Management and Human Relations for working adults; the University of Oklahoma offers a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations, as well as a Master of Human Relations; Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) offers a Bachelor of Arts in Human Relations, as well as a Master of Human Systems Intervention.

The Marginalized Groups of Immigrants in Canada

The Marginalized Groups of Immigrants in Canada Imoghena Usman   Immigration to Canada may seem like a dream for many foreigners, since it arguably provides many opportunities. However, immigration causes difficulties in regards to settlement and integration into the country. Certain groups of immigrants face particular struggles when they arrive in Canada and try to navigate new and different social systems. They face obstacles in that institutions such as the government do not fully support them with the potential issues they face. This essay will argue that the experiences of illegal immigrants, migrant women and the school-aged immigrant children are full of hardships in which the Canadian government has created problems that have prevented them from fully integrating into the country. In the chapter, Illegalized Migrants, Charity-Ann Hannan examines the particular struggles that illegal immigrants have had to face. It can be argued that illegal immigrants face an increased set of challenges than legal immigrants. In Canada, the majority of illegal immigrants obtain this status when they overstay their visa or permit (Hannan 144-145). Without legal documentation, this leads to a number of issues they cannot escape. They are not able to fend for themselves from other institutions that try to hurt them. They are marginalized, as they are able to be exploited by their employers and cannot access government services (Hanson, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 145). Immigration becomes a hardship since illegal immigrants are used for their work and no one wants does not help them. In fact, it seems that they are being punished for being illegal, when they could be trying to live better lives for themselves. The chapter gives a history of the migration of illegalized migrants whic h highlighted cases of Canadas hesitance of bringing immigrants into the country. For example, in 1869, Canada passed its Immigration Act that did not allow criminals in the country (Makarenko, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 146), and employers hired immigrants to work for cheap with no chance for unionization (Avery, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 146-147). Without any way to come together and protect themselves, illegal immigrants arguably could not live good lives nor defend themselves from being exploited for their work. Immigration consisted of hard work without interests being fulfilled. The Chinese were specifically targeted as well. In 1885, the Chinese Immigration Act required them to pay an entrance fee, but British Columbia pushed the provincial government to deny entry, so the 1923 Immigration Act was passed to officially bar entry (Avery, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 147-148). By barring the Chinese from entering the country, the Canadian government demonstrated that it was opposed to immigration by certain groups of foreigners. By going after a specific ethnic community, this policy proves that immigration had a bad image because it was based on discriminatory practices. In 1967, Canada shifted the Immigration Acts focus onto skills (Hannan 148), and the 1976 version created classes for immigrants to enter through (Avery 1995; Immigration Act 1976-1977, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 148), which was to create the image that Canada was making a more fair and equitable immigration system, (Hannan 150). However, the government also implemented the TFW program, where if they stay past their visas, they become illegal immigrants (Hennerbry, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 150). The Canadian government may have tried to improve their image in creating these legislations that encouraged immigration, but they also created legislation that could be believed to have continued their legacy of discrimination against immigrants. This has continued into recent times as well; the 2002 Immi gration and Refugee Act restricted immigrant investors and sponsorship of family (Hannan 150). Immigrants continue to be restricted from being allowed into Canada, and this legislation portrays how the government is still prejudiced against immigration from specific categories. Temporary foreign workers of low skill work for four years and are forced back to their country of origin, but when the first period ended in 2015, it was predicted that there would be more illegal immigrants (Alboim and Kohl, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 150). This arguably caused the Canadian governments efforts to restrict entry to the country to be undermined by having temporary migrants becoming illegal immigrants, since the text indicated there will be an increase of illegal immigrants due to policy (Hannan 156). Canada illustrates a negative attitude towards certain groups of immigrants, in which their policies demonstrate that they are not wanted. This image is also seen through the work of migrants. In t he labour market, there is a secondary segment of work that has low wages, few benefits, poor working conditions, high labour turnover, and little chance of advancement, (Doeringer and Piore, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 153), which is where many migrants work in to address labour demand (Piore, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 153). This is seen with illegal immigrants, as they earn less then legalized migrants (Davila and Pagan; Mehta, Theodore, Mora and Wade; Phillips and Massey; Rivera-Batiz; Youn, Woods, Zhou and Hardigree, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 154). Illegal immigrants are in risk because they are put in a financially difficult position and do not have the resources to get out of it. They basically serve to work without any benefits, showing that Canadian immigration for this particular group possibly does not lead to any good outcomes. There are also other factors that divides them even more. Men earn higher wages than women (Cobb-Clark and Koussoduji 1999; Mehta et al. 2002; Rivera-B atiz 1999, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 154), as well as those who were employed in the manufacturing industry (Mehta et al. 2002, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 154). According to these examples, illegal immigration is based on division in which they have to fight for survival and rights. However, employers are the ones who benefit as illegal immigrants do not have protection so they cannot unionize (Morales, cited in Hannan 2015, p. 156), demonstrating that many illegal immigrants are to fend for themselves. In Chapter 10, Leslie Nichols and Vappu Tyyskà ¤ write about the experiences of migrant women. In Canadas colonized history, white female immigrants were portrayed as co-settlers with their male counterparts, (Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 250). There was number of cases in Canadian history where women of colour were targeted in racialized discrimination. One case was black Caribbean women, who worked as domestics after British and Finnish domestics came between 1900-1930 (Das Gupta, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 251). They only had temporary contracts, and had to go back home, the opposite experience of European women (Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 251). The blatant racism showed how non-white females never got a chance to prove their worth and to live a better life in a new country. The temporary contracts prove that there was a negative bias towards immigrant women because they did not want women of colour around for a long period of time; they were unwanted. In terms of economics, imm igrant women continue to struggle. This can be seen through the way they entered into Canada as, during 201257.6% of women entered through the family class, (Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2012, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 253). It can be inferred from the statistics that many women do not have the financial resources to provide for themselves. This is also demonstrated with the facts that less than half of immigrant women were employed (Statistics Canada 2011, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 254), and the most recent arrivals earned a median income of $15, 590 (Statistics Canada 2013, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 255). Women could be financially struggling because there are no jobs that are stable for them, so they need to be reliant on others. For example, men are the breadwinners of the family (Nichols and Tyyskà ¤, 255). They are also unable to learn necessary skills in order to live fully, such as not being able to attend language classes th rough the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada because childcare is limited to very young children (Pothier, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 256). It demonstrates that female immigrants are unable to get the skills needed because the government do not provide better alternatives/programs for them. They will remain financially dependent on others. Women also face challenges from within their families as well. With their spouses, if a woman becomes employed, the males would lose their breadwinner status and lose confidence (Ali and Kilbride, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 257), which causes them to become violent towards the family (Tyyskà ¤ 2005, 2008, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 257). When immigrant women do get jobs, it causes conflict with their spouses that can lead to a dangerous experience. This further causes them to become marginalized, and may deter them from finding work. Younger women face pressure to conform into cultural norms in ter ms of sex which they must pass on to their children (Handa; Tyyskà ¤, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 261), and are encouraged into practices such as arranged marriage (Ghimire and Axinn, cited in Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 2015, p. 261). Immigrant women are being suppressed by their families because they cannot integrate into Canadian norms, even if they want to, and lack the choice to make their own decisions. This may be due to patriarchal hierarchies in cultural groups (Nichols and Tyyskà ¤ 257). If males are dominant, then women lack the leadership to grow into their own person. This portrays an image of Canadian immigration where women are pushed into sexist roles, and cannot work to make better lives for themselves because the government and other factors continue to stop them. In Chapter 11, Mehrunnisa Ahmad Ali examines child immigrants and their schooling. A variety of immigrant children of colour experienced challenges in terms of race when entering into Canada in its history. One example is when black migrants moved from the United States to Canada (Joshee and Johnson, cited in Ali 2015, p. 275), black children were segregated from their white peers in legislated separate schools due to parental fear of their influence (Ali 275). It shows that black children would not be able to settle into the country without being ostracized by their communities. Since the schools were legislated (Ali 275), this proves that the government did not consider the wellbeing of immigrant children of colour; they were presumably left to fend for themselves. Another example was when a law was passed forcing Aboriginals to attend school, leading to forcible removal to residential schools where their culture was taken away from them (Ali 276). Immigration for children would be tough and not welcome by many. It proves that the discrimination of immigrants in Canada was not limited by age. This segregation has continued on into present day, where immigrants move to areas with a common culture and/or affordable, and those in low-income areas send their children to schools where there are many immigrant children (Ali 277). Immigrants are separated from permanent residents due to their situations and lack of similarities. This portrays a divide between the two groups. Immigrant children tend to struggle more in school; since they do not have the grasp of English, they fall behind in class and are put into non-academic streams which lead to lower status jobs then post-secondary education (Ali 278). Immigrant children will grow up to struggle into their adulthood, showing that they will most likely end up in difficult situations. It shows that Canadian immigration for children will pose more challenges for their futures. The government does not help them as wel l, as there is a lack of funding for English as a Second Language Programs and provincial benefits that only last for a short period of time (Ali 278-279). The significance of this is that the government has not fully learned from history by not providing the resources necessary to help them settle into their new lives. Immigrant children stand to suffer from the lack of services and the government does not seem to support them. The schools do not seem to look at their experiences and lifestyles as well; for example, the curriculum focuses on Canadian heroes and not how they were immigrants (Ali 2009, cited in Ali 2015, p. 281). Immigrant children are also segregated between themselves. Those who live in areas with poverty and high crime go to schools that focus more on dropout rates then academic achievement, while those who come into the country fluent in English or French can enter school more easily, but can face bullying if they have an accent (Ali 285-286). Depending on the ch ilds circumstances, there is always a chance of failure. Immigration, according to those three groups experiences, is basically a hardship. From past to present, there have been numerous examples where migrants of those categories struggle to make it into their new lives. From the evidence, it can be determined that there needs to be more done in order to make immigrants more comfortable in Canada. If they cannot feel like they are part of a community and have access to resources that can help them know the country more, then it would be difficult for them to feel like they are at home. In Immigration Policy, Settlement Service, and Immigrant Mothers in Neoliberal Canada: A Feminist Analysis, Yidan Zhu describes that not so many immigration settlement organizations provide parenting or mothering courses/workshops for mothers, (148). Zhu proves that if certain resources are not provided, then one would infer that immigrants would never be able to learn important information that could help them live better. In all three cases, there has bee n a division between immigrants and Canadians in which it could almost be categorized as a segregation. This division has cause conflicts between the two groups. For example, Canadian teachers want immigrant parents to raise their children with Canadian values (Ali 2012, cited in Ali 2015, p. 283). There should be a push to immigrants and permanent residents to work together, such as a call for global citizen education (Richardson, cited in Ali 2015, p. 280). If not, these issues will continue, such as how immigrant children face alienation and no sense of belonging in Canada due to discrimination (Omidvar Richmond, cited in Oxman-Martinez et al, p. 377). Immigrants should be able to feel like they are at home where they feel safe, instead of being separated from the rest of Canadians for being who they are. Finally, the Canadian government should be pushed in making more of an active effort in assuring immigrants of these groups are not marginalized. In all three cases, the govern ment contributed in the mistreatment and/or obstacles they have faced. Both individuals and communities must push to make them realize that immigrants need help instead of constant battles that they do not have the power to face. For example, Zhu explains that while the state provides immigration resources for women, their own experiences of mothering are considered unimportant and the state is made to look responsible for them as the parents (152). There needs to be more communication between the government and immigrants with push from the numerous immigrant communities and other resources because if not, then there will continue to be misguided actions that hurt the community. In conclusion, immigrants are blocked from reaching their full potential when they arrive in Canada. Illegal immigrants face exploitation, women are devalued and placed under sexist norms and children struggle to integrate into a school system that is not always welcoming. Meanwhile, the government continues to block any chance they have in succeeding in their new country, while outliers also affect their newfound status. Overall, there needs to be more change in order to allow these groups of immigrants to thrive in an unfamiliar world. Works Cited Ali, Mehrunnisa Ahmad. The Schooling of Children of Immigrants. Immigrant Experiences in North America: Understanding Settlement and Intergration, edited by Harald Bauder and John Shields, Canadian Scholars Press Inc., 2015, pp. 273-291. Hannan, Charity-Ann. Illegalized Migrants. Immigrant Experiences in North America: Understanding Settlement and Intergration, edited by Harald Bauder and John Shields, Canadian Scholars Press Inc., 2015, pp. 144-163. Nichols, Leslie and Tyyskà ¤, Vappu. Immigrant Women in Canada and the United States. Immigrant Experiences in North America: Understanding Settlement and Intergration, edited by Harald Bauder and John Shields, Canadian Scholars Press Inc., 2015, pp. 248-272. Oxman-Martinez, Jacqueline, et al. Perceived Ethnic Discrimination and Social Exclusion: Newcomer Immigrant Children in Canada. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 82.3 (2012): 376-88. Web. 26 Mar. 2017. Zhu, Yidan. Immigration Policy, Settlement Service, and Immigrant Mothers in Neoliberal Canada: A Feminist Analysis. Canadian Ethnic Studies, vol. 48, no. 2, 2016, pp. 143-156, Canadian Business Current Affairs Database; Political Science Database; ProQuest Sociology Collection, http://ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1815479346?accountid=13631.

The Representation of the Female in William Blake Essay examples -- Bi

The Representation of the Female in William Blake If William Blake was, as Northrop Frye described him in his prominent book Fearful Symmetry, "a mystic enraptured with incommunicable visions, standing apart, a lonely and isolated figure, out of touch with his own age and without influence on the following one" (3), time has proved to be the visionary's most celebrated ally, making him one of the most frequently written about poets of the English language. William Blake has become, in a sense, an institution. "Without Contraries is no progression. Attraction and Repulsion, Reason and Energy, Love and Hate, are necessary to Human Existence," wrote Blake in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Perhaps his most famous line, these words are the connecting thread through all of Blake's work, from The Songs of Innocence and Experience to Jerusalem. But what those words mean has been a point of contention throughout the years. What does that mean for the Male and the Female who are at the center of his work? If they are Contraries, then what does the Female in Blake's work represent? Just what did Blake mean? And from where did his ideas and perceptions spring? In 1977 Susan Fox addressed these questions in her well-renowned essay "The Female as Metaphor in William Blake's Poetry." As the first literary critic to comment on Blake's inconsistencies in his treatment of the Female, Fox explores the progression of the extended metaphor throughout the course of his career. She explains that Blake's vision of the Contraries became more clear to him as time went on; therefore, the contradiction lies in his earlier views of the Female, identified with weakness and failure, and his later attempt to rescu... ...cism 34 (1995): 255-270. Ostriker, Alicia. "Desire Gratified and Ungratified: William Blake and Sexuality." Blake: An Illustrated Quarterly 16 (1983): 156-165. Paglia, Camille. Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990: 270-299. Pavy, Jeanne Adele. "A Blakean Model of Reading: Gender and Genre in William Blake's Poetry." DAI 53 (1993):Emory University. Storch, Margeret. Sons and Adversaries: Women in William Blake and D. H. Lawrence. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1990. Webster, Brenda. "Blake, Women, and Sexuality." Critical Paths: Blake and the Argument of Method. Eds. Donald Ault, Mark Bracher, and Dan Miller. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 1987: 204-224. Wilkie, Brian. Blake's Thel and Oothoon. B. C. Canada: University of Victoria Press, 1990.

Competition :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION: Competition occurs between any organisms living in a mutual habitat. Whether it is for food, water, shelter, or a mate, competition can be harmful or helpful to each organism. There are two basic types of competition; intraspecific and interspecific. These terms refer to competition within a specific species and the competition between different species, respectively. In this lab, we conducted 3 basic experiments. Our goal was to observe the effects of the competition in each instance.The first one was to observe the intraspecific competition between the wheat plant species, the second was for the intraspecific competition between the mustard plant species. The third was the interspecific competition of the wheat and mustard species together. The latter experiment's data was divided into two sub groups of high density and low density, for purposes of graphing Dewitt diagrams. Dewitt diagrams are a way of expressing % yield and total productivity data so it can be evaluated and compar ed effectively. It has been noted that intraspecific competitions tend to be more intense than interspecific ones (Ciara, 1993). This is because members of the same species need the same types and amounts of nutrients. When these similar species are in the same habitat with fixed resources, then they consequently have to "fight " for their needs. This is was basis for our hypothesis. We hypopthesized that the species that were involved with the interspecific competitions would have greater production (by ave. weight of grams) than their counterparts involved in the intraspecific competitions. Furthermore, we hypothesized that as the density of the intraspecific and interspecific competition species increased, then the production of the plants (by ave, weight in grams) would go down. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six weeks previous to the conductance of this lab, Biology 108 section,planted wheat and mustard plants according to table#1 on page 3 of the Principles of Biology 108 Lab Manual . This table depicts all of the total pots and number and type of seeds planted in the pots. It accounts for the experiments of the intraspecific competition and interspecific competition. Replicates of each pot were planted to add precision and more acceptable statistics. Therefore, there were 40 pots, that is, 20 treatments conducted twice(Ciara, 1993). Each Biology 108 section planted these pots and the data from every section was to be combined for an overall data sheet. Our group in section 6 had the role of planting 5 of the experimental pots with the assigned number of wheat seeds or mustard seeds or both.

Long Term Academic Goals

My long term academic goal is obtain a bachelor's degree. That goal is first broken down into semesters in which I take two courses at a time. I am currently taking two courses, and this is my first semester. I break down the semester into weeks, doing work on a weekly basis. At the beginning of the week, which for me is Monday, I estimate how long it will take me to complete that weeks reading assignment. I divide that time by five days, as I prefer not to read on the weekend, and I read that many hours each day.So, for example, if I estimate that I have five hours' worth of reading or the week, I would read for an hour each day. In regard to priorities, I establish them by due date of assignments, and amount of work due each class. I try to do the heaviest work load first. My support group consists of my family and friends. I usually talk to them on a daily basis on my commute to work, and I tell them about the work I am doing for each class each week. They listen attentively, and offer advice on how to complete the work in a timely fashion, such as setting aside time each day for school work.My brother is particularly supportive, as both he and I started college when we were both young, and he is Curious as to the changes that have happened over the years. My backup plan in case my computer goes down is twofold. First, I have my laptop on which I can access the internet. On the laptop, I have MS Word, so I can do my assignments. If both my main computer and my laptop go down, I have access to my brother's laptop, which has MS Word on It as well. I also have access to the internet via my local public library.Finally, I keep track of my assignments and due dates via a paper desktop calendar and my Blackberry. The desktop calendar Is on my work desk. I write every assignment on the date that It Is due on the calendar. When I complete an assignment, I check It off with a purple highlighter. I also put the assignment Into my Blackberry calendar, and set an alarm to go off at 10:00 AM of the date the assignment Is due. Since assignments are not due until midnight of the day they are due, If the assignment Is still outstanding, I have fourteen hours to complete It. This gives me adequate time to still complete the assignment.