Assessing Young Learners’ Speaking Ability in the Fifth Grade of Three Elementary Schools in Padang Essay

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Problem Communicative view development in English learning makes the focus on English teaching changed. What once became structurally focused, it now moves toward meaningful language-focused. Students are not asked to memorize structure-based dialogues without knowing the meaning anymore. There are no more grammatically controlled sentences for students’ meaningless repetition. Dialogues, if used, center around communicative functions and are not normally memorized (Richards & Rodgers, 1986). That makes the teaching of speaking becomes the core part of English teaching. Just like the adults, young learners today are also taught speaking meaningfully and communicatively. However, young learners have distinctive characteristics compared with adult learners. One of them is children are still developing cognitively, linguistically, socially, emotionally, and physically (Teaching Knowledge Test Young Learners: Handbook for Teachers, 2010). In other words, in teaching speaking to them, teachers need to consider children’s development of skills in the native language first. Young learners also enjoy rhythmic and repetitive language more than adults do. They are more likely to play with language than adults are, and they can be more effectively engaged through stories and games (Peck, 2009). The different techniques and approaches in teaching speaking to young learners lead to different ways in the speaking assessment. This is the problem faced by Indonesian young learners’ teachers nowadays. Most teachers do not know how they should assess their young learners’ speaking ability; some finally choose to skip the speaking assessment and focus on pencil-paper-tests. Thus, this research is conducted to discover and reveal ways of assessing young learners’ speaking ability. B. Identification of the Problem Based on the background above, the speaking assessment techniques used for young learners should be different from the adult. It should be suited with their cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development. As we looked upon Language Assessment: Principles and Classroom Practices by Brown (2010) and integrated it with curriculum standard in Indonesia, KTSP 2006, young learners will be better to be assessed in imitative and intensive speaking categories, such as imitating teachers’ saying, directed response tasks, read-aloud tasks, and dialogue completion tasks. Alternative assessments such as interviews and conferences can also be applied for them. C. Limitation of the Problem In this research, the problem will be focused on the speaking assessment techniques in the fifth grade of three selected elementary schools in Padang. D. Formulation of the Problem * What kind of speaking assessment technique used by elementary school English teachers? * Why do they use such techniques? E. Purpose of the Research The purpose of this research is to discover and reveal the technique used by English teachers to assess elementary school students’ speaking ability. F. Significance of the Research Theoretically, this research is aimed to give a description of how speaking assessment for young learners done in Indonesia. Practically, some techniques used by English teachers provided here can be a source of alternative speaking assessment. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. The Nature of Assessment There has been various explanation of what assessment is. Brindley (as stated in Linse, 2005) refers assessment as â€Å"collecting information and making judgments on a learner’s knowledge†. It means that in assessing students, we need to find out what students know about the subject being taught and how far that understanding has reached the learning indicator. In the same line with Brindley but with an addition, Brown (2010) states assessment as â€Å"an ongoing process of collecting information about a given object of interest according to procedures that are systematic and substantively grounded.† In his statement above, Brown implies that the process of collecting and judging students’ understanding is not done orderly in one single time; it is done continuously. Harris and McCann (1994) also give an essential note that in doing assessment teachers have to measure the performance of their students and the progress they make, as well as diagnose the problems they have and provide useful feedback. In other words, collecting and judging students’ intelligence is not enough; finding out what becomes students’ problem and giving advice to them to overcome the problems is also important to create a more successful learning process. Based on the theories above, it can be seen that assessment involves collecting information about students’ knowledge and judging their understanding in order to diagnose the learning problems they have so that students can get useful feedback to be more-successful learners. B. The Nature of Speaking As stated in the previous chapter, today’s English teaching focuses more on communicative purpose of language learning than in the past. It leads to the more important consideration of speaking skills than in previous time. Just like assessment, there is also various definition of speaking. One of them is from Lingua Links (1998) that defines speaking as productive skill in the oral mode that involves more than just pronouncing words. Referring to today’s communicative view, of course speaking cannot be thought as just pronouncing words; it needs to be meaningful, and communicative. Furthermore, Noonan (2003) states that, if pronunciation included, speaking involves three areas: mechanics (pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary), functions (transaction and interaction), and social cultural norms and rules (turn-taking, rate of speech, etc). All of them are connected to each other and prove that speaking is not only about what is uttered, but also the meaning and social purpose. C. The Nature of Young Learners Young learner is a child who is in their first six year of formal education, from age 6 to 12 (Teaching Knowledge Test Young Learners: Handbook for Teachers, 2010). Many experts argue that it is beneficial to teach the children English since young age. TKT Young Learners (2010) notes one of the advantages that those children will have positive self-esteem toward English and it will help them to learn English more once they are adult. That is why teaching English to young learners considered important today. However, young learners have characteristics that make them different from the adults (Teaching Knowledge Test Young Learners: Handbook for Teachers, 2010). First, they are still morally, cognitively, psychologically developed. Based on Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, children in age 6-12 years old are still in concrete operational thought stage, they already have the ability to do logical reasoning and understand reversibility with the help of concrete objects (Santrock, 1998). It means that explaining theory will not do for them, we need to make them move, do games, sing, etc. Second, young learners often have no obvious reason for learning English. Unlike adults who want to do it because of the career-related reasons or teenagers that do it to pass an exam, young learners do not have concrete reason why they must learn English. However, it does not mean they are not motivated to learn English; their goodwill, energy, and curiosity to learning overcome that. Third, they may not always have well-developed literacy skills to support their learning of English. Many children in the age of 6-12 years old are just getting to know their first language. It means that as a teacher we need to not have too-high expectation and do more. Fourth, young learners often learn slowly and forget quickly. It is related to the first characteristic that young learners are still developed morally, socially, and cognitively. Their still-ongoing developments in those basic things make them forget easily and learn slowly. This is why songs, agmes, and chants do best for them. D. Principles of Assessing Young Learners According to METU Open Course Ware (2006), principles of assessing children’s language learning are: 1. Assessment should be seen from a learning-centered perspective. It means that we cannot get a true assessment by testing kids what they can do alone. It has been stated by many experts that the goal of learning English is to be able to communicate meaningfully in English. Testing students, let alone young children, as a tool to get true assessment will not congruent with the real goal of English learning and it will just be wasting time. 2. Assessment should support learning and teaching. This is something that is not also becomes a problem with young learners, but also with the adult. Before performance-based assessment is introduced, teachers chose paper-and-pencil tests as their source of assessing (Puppin, 2006). It becomes a problematic then since students do not see the connection between the learning and the test they are doing, ; they see them as two different incongruent things. If the assessment done is congruent with the learning they did, children will feel that what they have learned is useful. 3. Children and parents should understand assessment issues. Their understanding will make the assessment process more meaningful since they can participate and supports greatly on behave of children’s English development. On the other hand, if they do not understand why the teacher does this and that, there will be no good communication between these three subjects to help children’s development. E. Techniques of Speaking Assessment Brown (2010) states some techniques of speaking assessment based on students’ language development level: Imitative Speaking This kind of assessment is intended to see whether students can imitate saying in English correctly. Eventhough it focuses on the accuracy of repeating words, it does not mean that it cannot be communicative and meaningful. Besides, in recent years many experts have discovered that an overemphasis on fluency can sometimes lead to the decline of accuracy in speech. Intensive Speaking There are four tasks in this kind of assessing: directed response task, oral questionnaire, and picture-cued task. In oral questionnaires, students are first given time to read the dialogue to get its main idea and to think about the appropriate lines to fill in. Then, as the tape, teacher produces one part orally; the students respond. In directed response task, students elicit a particular grammatical form of a transformation of a sentence. Such tasks are clearly mechanical and not communicative, but they do require minimal processing of meaning in order to produce the correct grammatical output. Picture-cued task requires a description from the students. Pictures may be very simple, designed to elicit a word or a phrase, or composed of a series that tells a story or incident. This task is meaningful since sometime a little sense of humor is injected. Responsive Speaking Assessment of responsive tasks involves brief interactions with an interlocutor, differing from intensive tasks in increased creativity given to the student and from interactive tasks by somewhat limited length of utterances. The kinds of this assessment are question and answer, giving instructions and directions, and paraphrasing. Questions and answers involve oral interaction with teacher.

National Livestock Development Policy

NATIONAL LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT POLICY 1. Introduction Livestock plays an important role in the national economy of Bangladesh with a direct contribution of 2. 95% percent to the agricultural GDP (Bangladesh Economic Review, 2006) and providing 15 percent of total employment in the economy. The livestock sub-sector that includes poultry offers important employment and livelihood opportunities particularly for the rural poor, including the functionally landless, many of whom regard livestock as a main livelihood option.About 75 percent people rely on livestock to some extent for their livelihood, which clearly indicates that the poverty reduction potential of the livestock sub-sector is high. According to Bangladesh Economic Review, (2006), the growth rate in GDP in 2004-05 for livestock was the highest of any sub-sector at 7. 23%, compared to 0. 15% for crops, and 3. 65% for fisheries sub-sector. These changes have been prompted by a rapid growth in demand for livestock products due t o increase in income, rising population, and urban growth.It is an established fact that high quality animal protein in the form of milk, meat and eggs is extremely important for the proper physical and mental growth of a human being. In Bangladesh, around 8% of total protein for human consumption comes from livestock (BBS, 2000). Hides and skin of cattle, buffaloes, goats and sheep is a valuable export item, ranked third in earnings after RMG and shrimp. Surprisingly, Bangladesh has one of the highest cattle densities: 145 large ruminants/km2 compared with 90 for India, 30 for Ethiopia, and 20 for Brazil. But most of them trace their origin to a poor genetic base.The average weight of local cattle ranges from 125 to 150 kg for cows and from 200 to 250 kg for bulls that falls 25-35% short of the average weight of all-purpose cattle in India (â€Å"Agriculture for 21st Century in Bangladesh† by Z. Karim, 1997). Milk yields are extremely low: 200-250 litre during a 10-month lac tation period in contrast to 800 litre for Pakistan, 500 litre for India, and 700 litre for all Asia. Despite highest cattle densities in Bangladesh, the current production of milk, meat and eggs are inadequate to meet the current requirement and the deficits are 85. , 77. 4 and 73. 1% respectively (DLS, 2000). If 5% GDP growth rate is considered then the current production of these commodities need to be increased 2. 5 to 3. 0 times by the year 2020 to feed the growing population in the country. This illustrates how urgent is the need to increase the production of milk, meat and eggs. The PRSP (Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper) stresses the importance of the livestock sub-sector in sustaining the acceleration of poverty reduction in the country. The dynamic potential of this emerging sub-sector thus requires critical policy attention.In the past, due importance was not given to the development of the livestock sub-sector despite its significant contribution to the national economy. In the Financial Year 2006-07 the livestock sub-sector received only about 1. 0 percent of the total budget allocation, or only about 3. 5 percent of the agricultural sector budget. Though production of animal protein has maintained an upward trend, daily per capita availability of animal protein presently stands at around 21 gm meat, 43 ml milk and 41 eggs vis-a-vis the recommended intakes of 120 gm meat, 250 ml milk and 104 eggs.Shortage of quality inputs, inadequate services and physical infrastructure, institutional weaknesses in terms of weak regulatory framework and enforcement, limited skilled manpower and resources, and inadequate research and technological advancement are all continuing to act as constraints to livestock development. The growth opportunities in the livestock sub-sector vary significantly among the species.Qualitative rather than quantitative development of large ruminants (cattle and buffalo), a parallel increase of the productivity and population size of the small ruminants (goat and sheep), and poultry keeping emerges as promising to offer substantial growth potentials with a positive impact on nutrition, employment and poverty alleviation. Research and technological development merit priority to counteract allied problems in the fields of feed, breed and disease and meet the challenge of the country’s livestock sector in the 21st century National Livestock Development Policy has been prepared to address the key hallenges and opportunity for a comprehensive sustainable development of the Livestock sub-sector through creating an enabling policy framework. 2. Objectives of the National Livestock Development Policy The general objective of the National Livestock Development Policy: To provide the enabling environment, opening up opportunities, and reducing risks and vulnerability for harnessing the full potential of livestock sub-sector to accelerate economic growth for reduction of rural poverty in which the private sector wil l remain the main actor, while the public sector will playa facilitating and supportive role.The specific objectives of the National Livestock Development Policy: 1. To promote sustainable improvements in productivity of milk, meat and egg production including processing and value addition; 2. To promote sustained improvements in income, nutrition, and employment for the landless, small and marginal farmers; and 3. To facilitate increased private sector participation and investments in livestock production, livestock services, market development and export of livestock products and by-products. 3. Legal Status of the National Livestock Development PolicyAll the government and autonomous organizations, multi-national institutions, NGOs, CBOs (community based organizations), and persons who are working within the geographical territory of Bangladesh for the management, development and conservation of Livestock resources, import-export or other business related to the livestock sub-sec tor will be under the preview of National livestock Development Policy. 4. Scope of the National Livestock Development Policy The following ten critical areas have been identified for formulating the National livestock Development policy: i.Dairy Development and Meat Production: ii. Poultry Development; iii. Veterinary Services and Animal Health; iv. Feeds and Animal Management; v. Breeds Development; vi. Hides and Skins; vii. Marketing of Livestock Products; viii. International Trade Management ix. Access to Credit and Insurance; and x. Institutional Development for Research and Extension The key policy issues for each of these critical areas are outlined in the following section: 4. 1Dairy Development and Meat Production Dairy Development The opportunity for development of large-scale dairy is limited in Bangladesh due to scarcity of land.However, the potential for development of smallholder dairy is high. Over the last few years, small-scale dairy farming has increased significan tly with the support of credit, feed, veterinary services and provision of self-insurance systems. Small-scale dairy farming provides employment for the poorer segments of the population. The availability of this form of traditional self-employment to rural dwellers, not least women, is important where there is scarcity of alternative income generating opportunities. Smallholder dairy thus widens the scope for the poor with limited access to land to enhance their income.Dairy animals can playa crucial role in household food security, through improved income and nutritional of the low-income groups. Daily farming in Bangladesh is affected by myriads of constraints such as: (i) limited knowledge and technical skills of smallholder dairy farmers; (ii) scarcity of feeds and fodder; (iii) poor quality of feeds; (iv) frequent occurrence of diseases; (v) limited coverage of veterinary services including poor diagnostic facilities; (vi) lack of credit support; (vii) limited milk collection and processing facilities and low prices at collection points; (viii) lack of insurance coverage; (ix) absence of market nformation; (x) lack of appropriate breeds; and (xi) absence of a regulatory body. Policy framework for dairy development is: 1. Cooperative dairy development (Milk Vita model) would be expanded in potential areas allover the country; 2. Successful pro-poor models for community-based smallholder dairy development including appropriate contact farming schemes would be replicated; 3. Smallholder dairy farming, integrated with crop and fish culture would be promoted; 4. Supply chain based production, processing and marketing of milk and milk products would be promoted; . A National Dairy Development Board would be established as a regulatory body to promote dairy development; 6. â€Å"National Dairy Research Institute† would be established to carryout research in various aspects of dairying. Meat Production Around 3. 5 million cattle are slaughtered annually i n the country of which 40 percent are imported through cross-border trade. Around 15 million goats are slaughtered annually mostly of local origin. Of the total slaughter of cattle and goats, around 40 percent is performed during Eid-ul-Azha.Increased demand for quality meat, beef fattening has become an important income generating activity for small fanners, and a potentially important tool for reducing poverty. Beef fattening is considered to have high income generating potential, but faces constraints such as lack of appropriate breeds, knowledge gaps of farmers, lack of proper veterinary services and quality feeds. Most meat is handled under unsatisfactory sanitary conditions in both rural and urban areas. Enforcement of legislation relating to slaughtering or meat inspection is weak.There is generally poor pre-slaughter conditions, sanitation, removal of waste materials, and disposal of offal. The Black Bengal goat is a highly prolific local breed, resistant to many diseases an d can be easily raised under most environments on low quality feed and with little investments. Rearing of Black Bengal goat is an appropriate option for many subsistence farmers. Its demand is growing in both domestic meat markets and internationally for its skins and high quality leather goods.Policy framework for meat production: 1. Animal Slaughter Act, Animal Feed Act and Animal Disease Act would be approved and enforced in order to promote hygienic production of quality meat; 2. Butchers would be trained on scientific methods of slaughtering, meat processing and preservation techniques; 3. Development of beef breeds for increased productivity at farm level; 4. Development of backward and forward linkage system to help improvement of existing cattle fattening system into private enterprises; 5.Private sector would be encouraged to establish mechanized slaughter houses with Static Flaying Frame in Divisional cities; and Local Government would be encouraged to establish slaughter slabs in municipality and Upazila headquarters; 6. Production of Black Bengal Goats would be promoted by ensuring disease prevention, availability of quality bucks and semen for artificial insemination, and knowledge transfer through special projects; 7. Buffalo and sheep farming would be developed in selected high potential areas through special projects. 4. Poultry Development The backyard poultry units require minimum inputs and are often part of integrated crop- aquaculture-livestock farming systems. Their level of production is relatively low but profitability can be high due to low inputs costs and recycling of on-farm by-products. Commercial production systems use birds of improved genetic stock and reared under semi- intensive or intensive management. There are currently an estimated 120,000 commercial poultry farms in Bangladesh, supported by 04 Grand Parent Farms and 69 Parent Stock Farms.While the growth of the poultry industry has contributed to economic growth and inco me of commercial farmers, indiscriminate and unplanned growth of breeder farms and commercial poultry farms, particularly in and around cities and towns is creating environmental hazards. There are at present no guidelines for environmental protection and bio-security when establishing poultry farms. The use of antibiotics in feeds is thought to be common and a cause of public health concern.The constraints facing the sector in general include: (i) lack of infrastructure beyond the Upazila Head Quarters for providing services to poultry farmers; (ii) shortage of skilled manpower; (iii) shortage of quality chicks and breeding materials; (iv) shortage of poultry , feed/feed ingredients and high prices; (v) poor quality of inputs; (vi) lack of quality control facilities for medicine, vaccines and biological products, feed and feed ingredients, chicks, eggs and birds; (vii) drug and vaccine residues in poultry meat; (viii) shortage of vaccines; (ix) lack of organized marketing systems; (x) poor provision of veterinary services; and (xi) insufficient credit and capital especially for the poor. The possible threat of Avian Influenza exacerbates some of these concerns and shortcomings and would require additional measures to be taken. Policy framework or Poultry Development: 1. Successful pro-poor models would be replicated for semi-scavenging poultry development; 2. Formation of poultry smallholder groups, CBOs, and producers associations would be facilitated; 3. Quality control of poultry feeds and feed ingredients would be ensured through establishment of a legal body and enforcement of regulations; 4.Production and consumption of safe (antibiotic residue free) including organic meat and eggs would be promoted; 5. Criteria and guidelines would be established to ensure supply of quality day-old chicks; 6. Specific guidelines would be developed and enforced for establishing environment-friendly commercial poultry farms; Small commercial farms would be converted into profit oriented large farms following cooperative system. 7. Poultry farms of the DLS would be utilized as breeding and multiplication farms / centres for smallholder training, technology testing and demonstration etc 8. Smallholder production and marketing of ducks and minor poultry species (e. g.Quail, Goose, Pigeon, Guinea fowl) in selected areas would be promoted; 9. National Reference Laboratory for detection of Avian Influenza virus and other emerging diseases would be established; and 10. National Avian Flu Preparedness Plan would be implemented. 4. 3Veterinary Services and Animal Health Inadequate veterinary services are one of the major obstacles for livestock development in Bangladesh. The ratio of Veterinary Surgeons to farm animals and birds was estimated at I: 1. 7 million in 1995, and according to a 2003 estimate only 5-10 percent of farm animals receive routine vaccination. Private sector investment in the animal health sector remains low and is only expanding slowly .The quality and quantity of vaccines produced and delivered by the DLS are inadequate. The use of subsidies in vaccine production in present form is a possible deterrent to private investors. There is no. Independent authority to check the quality of domestically produced or imported vaccines. Vaccination is done in a haphazard manner without any strategic plan for controlling the targeted diseases. There are no provisions for movement control and quarantine during disease outbreak or epidemics. No registration is required for feed additives such as toxins binder, antibiotics, and vitamin- mineral premixes, animal protein, many of which are potentially detrimental to human health.Most of the drugs traders and shop keepers have no formal training on drug handling, transportation, storing and dispensing, and readily sell drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, and sedatives across the counter without prescription. Disease diagnostic facilities are limited. The DVH (District Veterinary H ospitals), Regional FDIL (Field Diseases Investigation Laboratories), and the CDIL (Central Disease Investigation Laboratory of DLS are responsible for providing diagnostic services. However, due to shortage of skilled manpower and non-availability of funds they cannot provide the intended services. There IS no provision for residue analysis of drugs, heavy metals, hormones, pesticides and toxins in foods of animal origin.There are only few local veterinarians trained in clinical pathology to diagnose diseases properly. The disease surveillance system is almost non-existent. ‘The Veterinary Public Health Unit in the DLS has the mandate to perform diagnosis, surveillance and control of zoonotic diseases, ensure food safety of animal origin, and liaison with the Health Department. The Unit is however, suffering from serious shortages of human capital, funding and laboratory facilities. It has no legal framework to implement its mandate. Coordination between animal and human heal th bodies is virtually non-existent. Veterinary research is similarly constrained due to shortages of staff and funds.Very limited fund is available for veterinary research. There are important areas of public goods services like veterinary epidemiology, veterinary public health, food safety and diagnostic techniques within which research needs to be expanded urgently. The Animal Quarantine Act was recently passed by the Parliament, but quarantine stations, manpower and funds to enforce the Act are not in place yet. Laws and Regulations are essential for high quality service delivery and quality assurance of products for trade. Some laws and regulations are in place but overall regulatory framework and implementation remain very weak. Policy framework for Veterinary Services and Animal Health: 1.Soft loans would be provided to accelerate the development of private veterinary services; 2. Community-based veterinary service would be developed through special projects; 3. An autonomous Quality Control Agency would be established to ensure quality of veterinary drugs, vaccines, feeds, feed ingredients and breeding tools and materials; 4. A licensing system for veterinary pharmacists and a quality monitoring system of veterinary services would be introduced; 5. Veterinary research would be strengthened in critical areas, particularly those related to provision of public goods and services; 6. Veterinary public health services would be strengthened and closer linkages with the Department of Health would be established; 7.Capacities of disease investigation network of DLS would be strengthened for disease surveillance, quarantine services and emergency planning to manage major disease outbreaks including Avian Influenza and other emerging diseases; 8. Specific strategy would be developed for controlling economically important trans-boundary animal diseases; 9. Veterinary Council would be strengthened to help ensure quality veterinary services; 10. â€Å"National Liv estock Health Disaster Committee† would be formed including all trade organizations to combat such crisis; 11. A separate â€Å"Veterinary Cell† would be established in Department of Drug Administration for facilitating decision making on veterinary drug registration and approval in Bangladesh. Animal Health Companies Association and related trade association would be included in the committee to represent the private sector. 12.Promote and encourage private sector to set-up compliant veterinary diagnostic center, clinics and hospitals to cater the needs of the farmers and other beneficiaries. 4. 4Feeds and Animal Management The acute shol1age of feeds and fodder is one of the single most impOJ1ant obstacles to livestock development in Bangladesh. The main constraints for feeds and feed management include: (i) shortage of feeds and fodder; (ii) scarcity of land for fodder production; (iii) seasonal fluctuations of feeds and fodder; (iv) low quality feed; (v) high feed p rices; and (vi) poor husbandry practices. Feed resources for large livestock are primarily derived from crop residues and cereal by- products as well as grasses, tree leaves and aquatic plants.Very little grain is available for animals. Feed concentrates contribute only a small portion of the feed. Feed resources for scavenging rural poultry comprise scattered grains from threshing floors, left over grains, pulses, broken rice, kitchen wastes, green grasses, insects, worms, left over boiled rice, etc. Because of increasing demand for human food land is intensively used for cereal production. Neither sufficient grazing land, nor spare land is available for growing fodder. This has resulted in shortages of quality forage for ruminant livestock, causing stunted growth, reproduction problems, reduced lactation, working inability, lower growth rates, and reduced productivity.Most of the dairy and poultry farmers are facing the problem of adulterated and inferior quality of commercial fee ds and feed ingredients. Feed labeling and control is inadequate. Most feed millers do not disclose the necessary information on the packaging with regards to feed composition, ingredients, date of manufacturing, date of expiry, storage guidelines, energy levels, and protein and vitamin contents. Feed millers are widely suspected of minimizing feed production costs either by use of inferior quality ingredients and/or inclusion of lower proportions of high value ingredients. Poor packaging materials contribute to reduced quality and shelf life. Policy framework for Feeds and Animal Management: 1.Feed and fodder development strategy would be developed for community- based fodder cultivation along roads and highways, rivers and embankments, in Khas lands, and in combinations with crops; 2. Necessary support would be provided to the private sector for utilization and promotion of crop residues, agro-industrial by-products and unconventional feed resources as animal feed; 3. An Animal Fe ed Act would be approved and implemented to ensure feed quality; and 4. Resources would be provided for training of dairy farmers on improved animal management and husbandry practices. 5. Organizational support system development for coordination of support services for smallholder dairy development in private sector; . Private sector support system development for strengthening manufacturing and marketing of feed and feed additives; 7. Human resource development. 4. 5Breeds Development Livestock development through the application of science-led methods of breeds and breeding in Bangladesh is still at a rudimentary stage. There is however enthusiasm for applying breeds and breeding interventions to enhance livestock performance. Lack of a national breeding policy, use of inappropriate breeds, weak infrastructure (human capacity, national service delivery, breeding farms), and limited technical knowledge has constrained the development of improved breeds.Available high yielding seed materials (in cattle and chicken industry) are mostly exotic and imported. However, not all of these imported exotic species adapt well under Bangladesh climatic conditions. There are a number of promising well-adapted native livestock breeds in the country (e. g. Red Chittagong cattle, Black Bengal goat, Bengal sheep, Naked Neck chicken etc), which could be developed into high yielding breeds through cross breeding in a systematic manner. Importation of inappropriate genetic material coupled with indiscriminate crossbreeding and a clear neglect of indigenous breeds has created a situation, where a number of native breeds of livestock are under threat of extinction.Unplanned and sporadic attempts that were made for breed improvement of various species failed, because the initiatives were not based on thorough breed/ genotype testing results and not based on well-thought out and sound breeding goals, breeding criteria, animal recording systems, animal evaluation procedures, and anim al selection and mating plans. Breeds and breeding program inherently requires heavy initial investments and regular and timely flow of resources. Sustained funding support for breeding work has not been forthcoming. As a result, the limited expertise available in this field remains underutilized. There is no regulatory body or national Breeding Act to regulate breed imports, prices of breeding materials, merits and quality of breeds, breeding materials and breeding services. Within the existing cattle breeding services (including artificial insemination), farmers have little or no idea of the merit and quality of the semen being provided for insemination.The same is true for other species such as goats and buffaloes, and applies also to imported germplasm (live animals, semen, embryos, etc). Policy framework for Breeds Development: 1. A National Breeding Program would be finalized and approved; 2. Conservation and utilization program of potential indigenous breeds for poor smallhol ders in the pertinent locality would be developed; 3. A comprehensive human resource development program in animal breeding would be developed; 4. Frozen semen production unit would be established for wide scale artificial insemination of Black Bengal Goats to face the challenge of service storage of proven buck throughout the country; 5. Breeders Association’ would be established for monitoring and coordination of livestock breeding activities in the country. 4. 6Hides and Skins Leather including crust as well as finished leather and leather goods is an important export earner contributing about 6 to 7 percent of total export earnings. A large proportion of leather materials are however downgraded and rejected due to poor quality. Leather defects are reported to be responsible for a more than 50 percent cut in the value of leather. Cattle and goats are the major skin and hide producing species followed by buffalo and sheep. Most slaughtering takes place with inadequate facil ities for electricity, water, and sewerage.There are an estimated 192 improvised slaughter houses at district level, 1215 at Upazila level and more than 3,000 slaughtering points in hats and bazaars as well as by road sides of cities and towns. Hides are in most cases removed by unskilled persons using inappropriate tools, giving rise to irregular shapes and flay cuts. Defects in goat and sheep skins have been significantly reduced in recent years with the introduction of hang and pull systems of flaying. Besides hides and skins, the slaughtering of animals generates potentially valuable by- products including blood, bones, hoofs, rumen and visceral contents, hairs, etc. Only a part of certain by-products, generated mainly in organized slaughter houses, are collected and processed by cottage level factories.Most of these by-products are discarded and thrown away, resulting in large economic losses and environmental pollution. Tannery operations are further impacting negatively on th e environment. Financing is a major problem, particularly the primary market intermediaries like farias and beparis suffer due to lack of adequate working capital and inadequate access to finance. The shortage of capital reduces the purchasing capacity of intermediaries and consequently, a large quantity of hides and skins are pilfered in the neighbouring country, especially during Eid-ul-Azha. Ful1hennore, prices drop during Eid-ul-Azha, when large quantities of hides and skins are produced.The low prices in turn provide little incentive for proper flaying, handling and preservation. Policy framework for Hides and Skins: 1. Butchers and merchants (Farias, Beparis and Aratdars) would be trained on basic knowledge of flaying, curing and storing for improved management and quality of hides and skins; 2. An autonomous agency would be established for quality control and cet1ification of hides and skins; 3. Environmental legislation on slaughter and tannery operations would be framed and enforced; 4. Private sector would be encouraged to establish small to medium scale industries to utilize slaughter and tannery by-products for producing high quality feed supplement for animal feeds; and 5.Access to micro-finance and banking facilities would be improved for intermediaries. 4. 7Marketing of Livestock Products Milk: There is no systematic marketing network and market information system for milk and milk products to support smallholder dairy farmers in the rural areas. Farmers sell milk either in the local market or to goal as (traditional milk collectors) who continue to render useful services to the rural community, and sometimes work as supplying agents to private firms. Commercial marketing of milk started in the late 1970s by Milk Vita. Milk Vita has established milk-processing plants in various places and collects milk from its cooperatives members.BRAC, Pran and CLDDP (Community Livestock and Dairy Development Project) have also recently installed milk processi ng, and a small number of other private farms are dealing with pasteurized milk. These enterprises however, only cover a part of the country. Most small-scale dairy farmers in rural areas sell their milk in local markets at around a third to half of the price at which milk is sold in the cities. Low prices and price fluctuations are found to be important constraints to increased production and higher income of milk producers. Milk production costs are largely determined by feed prices (wheat and rice bran), which are increasing, in some cases rapidly. Meat: There is a high demand for meat in the local markets. In the past, the beef price was relatively low due the ready supply of cattle from neighbouring country.The supply has recently been restricted and as a result meat prices have increased sharply. Constraints to long-term development of the beef industry include lack of improved breeds, low meat quality, and limited access to credit and insurance amongst smallholders. Eggs: The egg marketing system can be characterized as oligopolistic, under control of the Aratdars who extend credit to the poultry farmers who in turn are obliged to sell through the Aratdars for loan repayment. The price of eggs in large city markets is usually not known to the rural poultry farmers The time and distance from collection to marketing is often long with traditional means of transportation. Spoilage and broken eggs are commonPolicy framework for Marketing of Livestock Products: 1. Farmers groups and cooperatives formation would be encouraged and supported for collective marketing of livestock products by community based organizations and associations; 2. Access to micro-finance and insurance schemes for poor smallholders including women would be improved; 3. Farmer's information network for price data and processing of trade related information would be established with private sector support; 4. An Internet-based communication system would be established alongside regular b roadcasting of trade related information and monitoring and forecasting of prices of livestock products; 5.Management Information Systems (MIS) would be established in the DLS on livestock product marketing; 6. Government if required will intervene the market to ensure minimum price of egg and meat for farmers; 7. Private sector would be encouraged to be involved in egg processing and other value added product manufacturing industries. 4. 8International Trade Management In order to derive the full benefits of globalization and trade liberalization, Bangladesh must further develop its export products to satisfy product standard requirements of importing countries and obtain up-to-date information from different markets. Bangladesh is signatory of the WTO (World Trade Organization) Agreement on Agriculture (AOA).The AOA provides a framework for the long-term reforms of agriculture trade and domestic policies to move forwards market orientation in agricultural trade. The obligations an d disciplines incorporated in the AOA relate to four aspects, viz, i) agreement on market access; ii) agreement on domestic support; iii) agreement on export competition/subsidy; and iv) agreement on SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) measures. Bangladesh is not fully able to meet the recommended safety and quality standards for livestock products consistent with the SPS guidelines as regulated by the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.The main problem stem from: (i) inadequate veterinary services; (ii) lack of skilled human resources; (iii) lack of diagnostic facilities; (iv) lack of financial support; (v) lack of disease surveillance and monitoring of animal health; (vi) lack of updated food legislation; and (vii) need for an improved national food export inspection and certification program. Incidences of TADs (trans-boundary animal diseases), such as foot and mouth disease, are preventing Bangladesh from entering potential markets for live stock products. As the problem of TADs is being addressed on a larger scale, regional initiatives are becoming important and Bangladesh will seek the opportunity to enter into regional agreements to control TAOs.This will necessitate significant changes in the veterinary service system, particularly within diagnostic services and veterinary public health. Most export-oriented enterprises are small and medium size, with limited capacity to undertake market research, invest in technologies, and collect, store, and process trade information. Other important challenges relate to meeting labour and environmental standards, improving design and packaging, and accessing and using up-to-date information on consumer preferences and trends in global markets. Many enterprises have neither the in-house capacity to gather the necessary trade-related information nor the networks to access such information. Policy framework for International Trade Management: 1.Focal points would be set up in the OLS and the MoFL (Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock) to deal with the international and regional trade agreements and ensure implementation of notifications and obligations; 2. Training would be provided to the officials in the OLS, MoFL and livestock related industries to enable them to fully appreciate and deal effectively with international and regional trade agreements; 3. Requirements of trade related technical assistance for the DLS, MoFL and private exporters would be assessed and required assistance would be provided; 4. The capacity of DLS would be developed through institutional reform to address SPS and HACCP requirements; 5. An Internet-based communication system would be established to facilitate international market networking for livestock products; 6.MIS (management information systems) would be established in the OLS and MoFL for international trade management of livestock products; and 7. Private sector people would be included with all activities of internationa l trade management. 4. 9Access to Credit and Insurance Credit The effective coverage of micro credit programs in Bangladesh was around II million households in 2002 of which around 80% were below poverty line. It is estimated that less than a fifth of the total micro credit disbursed by NGOs till June 200 I, was given to the livestock sub-sector mostly to poor women in rural areas. Financing of agricultural and other rural economic activities have not in the past attracted adequate interest of banks and institutional lenders.As recently as 2003 livestock attracted less than 5% of the total credit disbursed in the agricultural sector by state-owned lending institutions, although the trend in recent years has been sharply upwards. The livestock development has accelerated the demand for concentrate feeds, drugs, vaccines, and veterinary services. These trends are expected to continue in the coming years with resultant increases in demand for credit support. Expansion of livestock oper ations among poor smallholders and commercial livestock producers, as well as input suppliers (feed mills, drug producers, etc. ) and processors of livestock products is thus expected to increase the demand tor finance throughout the sub-sector, and will be needed to help facilitate continued horizontal and vertical integration.The following constraints and challenges in particular characterize the micro-credit sector: (i) insufficient funds; (ii) inappropriately packaged loans for production cycles of livestock; (iii) red tape and collateral requirements effectively reducing credit access for smallholders, notably the poor; (iv) inadequate loan supervision; (v) insufficient training in financial management and business planning (applies to both loan providers and takers); (vi) inadequate technical support; (vi) inappropriate interest rate policies and practices; (vii) conflicts of interest within NGOs providing both technical and credit support often to the detriment of the former; (viii) smallholder vulnerability and risk from natural and man-made disasters; and (ix) better servicing of the hard-core poor. Policy framework for Increasing Access to Credit: 1.Formation of CBOs (Community Based Organisations) linking them with DLS, NGOs, commercial banks, and insurance companies would be encouraged for delivery of appropriate livestock credit packages to the doorstep of small scale livestock farmers including poor women; 2. A Livestock Credit Fund would be established in the Bangladesh Bank for distribution of subsidized credit to small scale livestock farmers through CBOs; 3. Micro-finance packages better tailored to the production cycles of various livestock species would be promoted; 4. Micro-finance packages targeted towards and appropriate for the hard-core poor including women would be promoted; 5. Training would be provided to smallholder groups in livestock-related business planning and financial management; 6. Monitoring and supervision of micro financ e institutions would be enhanced for adherence to international best practice; and 7.Provision of micro-finance services from technical services would be separated where necessary for clearer regulation. Insurance Livestock production is subject to the risks of animal disease, accident, and death. The result is often a serious decline in farm income and consequent failure on the pa11 of especially poorer farmers to maintain their livelihoods. Livestock insurance can: i) provide protection against loss of livestock from accident or disease, stabilizing income; ii) raise credit worthiness; iii) contribute to a reduction in the incidences of animal death and accident by requiring certification of a minimum standard of animal husbandry practices; and iv) encourage development of cattle breeding and dairy industries.Out of 62 insurance companies in Bangladesh, 60 are private companies of which none are involved in livestock insurance. Only a state owned insurance company, SBC (Sadharan B ima Corporation) has since 1980 been providing livestock insurance. It covers only projects financed by BKB (Bangladesh Krishi Bank) and other nationalized Commercial Banks. SBC insured 7. 567 dairy animals between 1981 and 2003, indicating only very negligible insurance coverage for livestock. No modifications of the SBC insurance program have been made since 1985 to address the changing scenarios in the dairy and poultry industries. There are at present none or only very few private sector companies with the skills or funds to initiate livestock insurance.There are no collaborative arrangements between insurance companies and public sector organizations to assist the companies in setting up insurance schemes. Milk Vita and CLDDP have developed a self-insurance scheme for their cooperative members and farmer groups/associations, which appears to be working well, Smallholders may not, however yet fully recognize and appreciate the implications and potential benefits of livestock ins urance. Experience suggests that some level of subsidy for smallholder livestock enterprises may be necessary, at least during the initial period. Policy framework for Increasing Access to Livestock Insurance: 1. In consultation with insurance companies, CBOs and NGOs and other stakeholders, a strategy for expansion of livestock insurance coverage would be developed; 2.A Livestock Insurance Development Fund would be established in the Bangladesh Bank, 3. Self-insurance systems for poor smallholders including women through community-based livestock development programmes would be promoted; 4. A national database on livestock mortality, disease incidence and productivity of livestock would be developed and maintained at the DLS; 5. Awareness among smallholders on the benefits of livestock insurance schemes would be raised; and 6. Successful experiences of insurance models of other countries in the region would be studied and emulated. 4. 10Institutional Development for Research and Ex tension Livestock ResearchTo carry out livestock research in the public sector BLRI (Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute) was established under a Presidential Ordinance in 1984 as a semi-autonomous body. It is organized into eight research divisions and an administrative division, called the support service division. The research divisions are: (i) Animal Production; (ii) Poultry Production; (iii) Animal Health; (iv) System Research; (v) Socio-economics; (vi) Goat and Sheep Production; (vii) Biotechnology; and (viii) Planning, Training and Technology Demonstration. The 1984 Ordinance was amended in 1996 as an Act in line with the amendment of the Act of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC).The functions of BLRI are not sharply focused and its structure has a number of deficiencies. There are many important new issues that are not reflected in the functions. Dramatic changes that have taken place in recent years within Bangladesh and internationally (globalization and trade liberalization combined with WTO regulations and OIE requirements), which have changed both domestic and the international market scenarios. In the context of these changes, the functions of BLRI need to be sharpened. Major deficiencies exist in veterinary research, planning and management, human resource management, and information management. There is no Unit and staff to deal with planning, evaluation and monitoring.Veterinary research is done only on a limited scale under the Animal Health Division, There is no provision of a Director (Research), responsible for research planning, coordinating and monitoring the implementation of research projects; evaluating and reporting research outputs on a regular basis; and maintaining direct contact with DLS and sister research institutions, as well as liaison with other concerned Depal1ments. There is no management information system (MIS) for research at BLRI and Information management is generally weak. The shortage of operat ing funds for research is acute in BLRI. The annual allocation shows a declining trend in real terms. BLRI has been entirely depending on the development budget and contract research grants from BARC (also under development projects) for carrying out research.This has restricted BLRI in developing and undertaking meaningful research programs to support the poverty reduction program of the Government. BLRI has problems with training of its personnel. There is no provision for staff training or a built-in system of carrier progression within the research divisions like in the research institutes in the crop sector. This has created a high rate of attrition of qualified scientists. Policy framework for Livestock Research: 1. Research capacity of BLRI headquarters and its Regional Stations would be enhanced to address national priority and untapped potential regional livestock resources; 2. Private and NGO initiatives in livestock research would be encouraged and supported; 3.The mandat e, functions and structure of BLRI would be sharpened including provision of a Director (Research), with a view to enhance the capacity to coordinate, maintain liaison with other concerned Departments; and conduct livestock research for pro-poor sustainable development; 4. Research capacity of BLRI would be extended to ensure safe production of animal products and by-products, animal protein supplement, feed additives, premixes, probiotics and mineral and vitamin supplements as inputs for poultry and livestock development; 5. The Act of BLRI would be amended to give greater autonomy to the Management Board and the Institute to bring it at a par with the crop research institutes; 6.Enabling environment should be created to develop quality manpower to undertake challenges for emerging livestock resource development in the context of global reformation; 7. Service structure and rules of business would be framed for BLRI to improve its management and to provide career development opport unities for talented scientists; 8. Research budget of BLRI would be increased to 40 per cent of its total annual budget. to meet the research operating costs. Livestock Extension For the extension of Livestock Services the Directorate of Livestock Services was established in 1960 and renamed as the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) in the late 1980s.Since 1960, the mandate and functions, structure, organization and management systems of DLS have remained almost unchanged. DLS is organized into five divisions, headed by their respective Directors: (i) Animal Health and Administration; (ii) Research, Training and Evaluation; (iii) Extension; (iv) Officers Training Institute; and (v) Production. The divisions are functionally split into sections to deal with different subject matters. Other entities of DLS include a LRI (Livestock Research Institute), a CDIL (Central Disease Investigation Laboratory), 7 FDIL (Field Disease Investigation Laboratories), a CVH (Central Veterinary Ho spital), and 64 DVH (District Veterinary Hospitals).DLS has a number of training facilities such as the OTIs (Officers Training Institute) and VTI (Veterinary Training Institutes) and LTI (Livestock Training Institute), but remain grossly underutilized due to lack of funds. The structure of DLS offers insufficient focus on the issues that matter most. The functional Divisions are not structured in a logical fashion. Elements of veterinary services are scattered throughout different divisions/sections and function in an uncoordinated manner. The Veterinary Public Health Section exists but is neither equipped nor does it have the funds to deal adequately with disease surveillance and reporting, food safety and control of zoonotic diseases, and other public health issues. It has no linkages to the Health Department and the Public Health Institute.It also does not have a supporting legal framework to implement its mandate. Almost nothing is done on disease surveillance, including trans- boundary diseases. The major challenges facing DLS were identified as: (i) inappropriate mandate and functions; (ii) structural and organizational deficiencies; (iii) frontline services at the Upazila level is thin and weak; (iv) weak linkages with research organization including BLRI; (v) weak management system and MIS (management information system; (vi) slow recruitment and promotion system; (vii) shortage of skilled manpower; (viii) lack of regular skill development training; and (ix) limited budget allocation.In the context of increasing participation by the private sector and NGOs in livestock development, there is an urgent need to redefine the mandate and functions of DLS in a fashion that will allow it to gradually withdraw from private goods services, engage increasingly in delivery of public goods services viz. disease surveillance and reporting, food safety, enforcement of . laws and regulations, and quality control of feeds/drugs/vaccines/semen and breeding materials an d facilitate private sector involvement. Policy framework for Livestock Extension: 1. Private sector, NGOs, and CBOs would be encouraged to provide private goods livestock services, viz. veterinary services, vaccination etc 2. DLS would be reformed to enhance its role as a provider of public goods services viz. regulatory measures, quality assurance and control, monitoring function, food safety function, disease surveillance, etc. ; 3.Livestock extension services frontline would be extended up to Union level in stages to make it available close to villages; 4. Resource allocations to DLS would be increased to make it effective in delivery of public goods services; 5. Autonomous unit/institute would be established for quality assurance and certification of livestock products, vaccines and biologics, and consumer’s rights protection; 6. Retraining program would be developed and implemented to equip DLS staffs with new knowledge and skills within the framework of a clearly defin ed human resource development action plan; 7. Besides staff training, DLS training institutes would be opened for all eligible candidates from private sector, NGOs and CBOs for livestock services extension training. 8.A special cell in all DVH would ensure round the clock service for emergency purpose. 9. DVH would further extend to TVH (Thana Veterinary Hospital) to ensure better service & protection of the animal population, and 10. Extension-research-NGO linkage would be strengthened for field testing and dissemination of livestock technologies. 5. Implementation Strategy of the National Livestock Development Policy The implementation strategy would be to provide support that will specifically target factor productivity, investments and risks as follows: a. Public investment would be increased in livestock infrastructure to provide public goods and services delivery, and promoting private investment; b.Public investment would also be increased in livestock research for technologi cal innovations to enhance productivity, income, employment; c. Market regulatory measures would be taken to shifts in relative prices of inputs and outputs to correct market distortions, rationalize the incentive structures for investment and mitigate negative impacts on environment; d. An appropriate legal and regulatory framework would be put in place; and e. Institutional reforms would be carried out and good sectoral governance would be put in place making both public and private sectors more transparent, accountable and mutually supportive. Policy framework for dairy development is: Cooperative dairy development (Milk Vita model) would be expanded in potential areas allover the country; †¢Successful pro-poor models for community-based smallholder dairy development including appropriate contact farming schemes would be replicated; †¢Smallholder dairy farming, integrated with crop and fish culture would be promoted; †¢Supply chain based production, processing and marketing of milk and milk products would be promoted; †¢A National Dairy Development Board would be established as a regulatory body to promote dairy development; †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"National Dairy Research Institute† would be established to carryout research in various aspects of dairying. Policy framework for meat production: Animal Slaughter Act, Animal Feed Act and Animal Disease Act would be approved and enforced in order to promote hygienic production of quality meat; †¢Butchers would be trained on scientific methods of slaughtering, meat processing and preservation techniques; †¢Development of beef breeds for increased productivity at farm level; †¢Development of backward and forward linkage system to help improvement of existing cattle fattening system into private enterprises; †¢Private sector would be encouraged to establish mechanized slaughter houses with Static Flaying Frame in Divisional cities; and Local Government would be encouraged to esta blish slaughter slabs in municipality and Upazila headquarters; †¢Production of Black Bengal Goats would be promoted by ensuring disease prevention, availability of quality bucks and semen for artificial insemination, and knowledge transfer through special projects; †¢Buffalo and sheep farming would be developed in selected high potential areas through special projects. Policy framework or Poultry Development: †¢Successful pro-poor models would be replicated for semi-scavenging poultry development; †¢Formation of poultry smallholder groups, CBOs, and producers associations would be facilitated; †¢Quality control of poultry feeds and feed ingredients would be ensured through establishment of a legal body and enforcement of regulations; †¢Production and consumption of safe (antibiotic residue free) including organic meat and eggs would be promoted; †¢Criteria and guidelines would be established to ensure supply of quality day-old chicks; †¢Speci fic guidelines would be developed and enforced for stablishing environment-friendly commercial poultry farms; Small commercial farms would be converted into profit oriented large farms following cooperative system. †¢Poultry farms of the DLS would be utilized as breeding and multiplication farms / centres for smallholder training, technology testing and demonstration etc †¢Smallholder production and marketing of ducks and minor poultry species (e. g. Quail, Goose, Pigeon, Guinea fowl) in selected areas would be promoted; †¢National Reference Laboratory for detection of Avian Influenza virus and other emerging diseases would be established; and †¢National Avian Flu Preparedness Plan would be implemented.Policy framework for Veterinary Services and Animal Health: †¢Soft loans would be provided to accelerate the development of private veterinary services; †¢Community-based veterinary service would be developed through special projects; †¢An autonomous Quality Control Agency would be established to ensure quality of veterinary drugs, vaccines, feeds, feed ingredients and breeding tools and materials; †¢A licensing system for veterinary pharmacists and a quality monitoring system of veterinary services would be introduced; †¢Veterinary research would be strengthened in critical areas, particularly those related to provision of public goods and services; †¢Veterinary public health services would be strengthened and closer linkages with the Department of Health would be established; †¢Capacities of disease investigation network of DLS would be strengthened for disease surveillance, quarantine services and emergency planning to manage major disease outbreaks including Avian Influenza and other emerging diseases; †¢Specific strategy would be developed for controlling economically important trans-boundary animal diseases; †¢Veterinary Council would be strengthened to help ensure quality veterinary services ; †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"National Livestock Health Disaster Committee† would be formed including all trade organizations to combat such crisis; †¢A separate â€Å"Veterinary Cell† would be established in Department of Drug Administration for facilitating decision making on veterinary drug registration and approval in Bangladesh. Animal Health Companies Association and related trade association would be included in the committee to represent the private sector. †¢Promote and encourage private sector to set-up compliant veterinary diagnostic center, clinics and hospitals to cater the needs of the farmers and other beneficiaries. Policy framework for Feeds and Animal Management: Feed and fodder development strategy would be developed for community- based fodder cultivation along roads and highways, rivers and embankments, in Khas lands, and in combinations with crops; †¢Necessary support would be provided to the private sector for utilization and promotion of crop re sidues, agro-industrial by-products and unconventional feed resources as animal feed; †¢An Animal Feed Act would be approved and implemented to ensure feed quality; and †¢ Resources would be provided for training of dairy farmers on improved animal management and husbandry practices. †¢Organizational support system development for coordination of support services for smallholder dairy development in private sector; †¢Private sector support system development for strengthening manufacturing and marketing of feed and feed additives; †¢Human resource development. Policy framework for Breeds Development: A National Breeding Program would be finalized and approved; †¢Conservation and utilization program of potential indigenous breeds for poor smallholders in the pertinent locality would be developed; †¢A comprehensive human resource development program in animal breeding would be developed; †¢Frozen semen production unit would be established for wi de scale artificial insemination of Black Bengal Goats to face the challenge of service storage of proven buck throughout the country; †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœBreeders Association’ would be established for monitoring and coordination of livestock breeding activities in the country. Policy framework for Marketing of Livestock Products: Farmers groups and cooperatives formation would be encouraged and supported for collective marketing of livestock products by community based organizations and associations; †¢Access to micro-finance and insurance schemes for poor smallholders including women would be improved; †¢Farmer's information network for price data and processing of trade related information would be established with private sector support; †¢An Internet-based communication system would be established alongside regular broadcasting of trade related information and monitoring and forecasting of prices of livestock products; †¢Management Information Systems (MIS) would be established in the DLS on livestock product marketing; †¢Government if required will intervene the market to ensure minimum price of egg and meat for farmers; †¢Private sector would be encouraged to be involved in egg processing and other value added product manufacturing industries. Policy framework for Livestock Research: Research capacity of BLRI headquarters and its Regional Stations would be enhanced to address national priority and untapped potential regional livestock resources; †¢Private and NGO initiatives in livestock research would be encouraged and supported; †¢The mandate, functions and structure of BLRI would be sharpened including provision of a Director (Research), with a view to enhance the capacity to coordinate, maintain liaison with other concerned Departments; and conduct livestock research for pro-poor sustainable development; †¢Research capacity of BLRI would be extended to ensure safe production of animal products and by-pro ducts, animal protein supplement, feed additives, premixes, probiotics and mineral and vitamin supplements as inputs for poultry and livestock development; †¢The Act of BLRI would be amended to give greater autonomy to the Management Board and the Institute to bring it at a par with the crop research institutes; †¢Enabling environment should be created to develop quality manpower to undertake challenges for emerging livestock resource development in the context of global reformation; †¢Service structure and rules of business would be framed for BLRI to improve its management and to provide career development opportunities for talented scientists; †¢Research budget of BLRI would be increased to 40 per cent of its total annual budget. to meet the research operating costs. Policy framework for Livestock Extension: †¢Private sector, NGOs, and CBOs would be encouraged to provide private goods livestock services, viz. veterinary services, vaccination etc †¢DL S would be reformed to enhance its role as a provider of public goods services viz. regulatory measures, quality assurance and control, monitoring function, food safety function, disease surveillance, etc. ; †¢Livestock extension ervices frontline would be extended up to Union level in stages to make it available close to villages; †¢Resource allocations to DLS would be increased to make it effective in delivery of public goods services; †¢Autonomous unit/institute would be established for quality assurance and certification of livestock products, vaccines and biologics, and consumer’s rights protection; †¢Retraining program would be developed and implemented to equip DLS staffs with new knowledge and skills within the framework of a clearly defined human resource development action plan; †¢Besides staff training, DLS training institutes would be opened for all eligible candidates from private sector, NGOs and CBOs for livestock services extension tra ining. †¢A special cell in all DVH would ensure round the clock service for emergency purpose. †¢DVH would further extend to TVH (Thana Veterinary Hospital) to ensure better service & protection of the animal population, and †¢Extension-research-NGO linkage would be strengthened for field testing and dissemination of livestock technologies.Implementation Strategy of the National Livestock Development Policy †¢The implementation strategy would be to provide support that will specifically target factor productivity, investments and risks as follows: †¢Public investment would be increased in livestock infrastructure to provide public goods and services delivery, and promoting private investment; †¢Public investment would also be increased in livestock research for technological innovations to enhance productivity, income, employment; †¢Market regulatory measures would be taken to shifts in relative prices of inputs and outputs to correct market distor tions, rationalize the incentive structures for investment and mitigate negative impacts on environment; †¢An appropriate legal and regulatory framework would be put in place; and †¢Institutional reforms would be carried out and good sectoral governance would be put in place making both public and private sectors more transparent, accountable and mutually supportive.

Critically examine Essay

The four items from the book all say that women have the majority of the expectation to do more of the domestic tasks. These tasks include such things like caring for the children emotionally, washing clothes and making sure the house is tidy etc. The man is seen to be the main breadwinner and has little to do with such domestic tasks. There are views that say, however, that men are getting more actively involved, for example item D from M. Denscombe says that â€Å"The amount of time fathers’ spend with their children has increased fourfold over a generation between 1961 and 1995. † But it is very hard to do research within a family unit unless you are in the unit already and can research from within. Item B from M. Jones suggests that the domestic division of labour is not in proportion to the division of employed work, even though there is evidence to suggest that this is sometimes the case, â€Å"generally studies indicate that inequality rather than symmetry is the defining characteristic of the majority of present day marriages. † There are many different sociologists that believe that the division of labour in the home is getting more equal in the present day. Item A involved a huge survey of 543 parents and found that working mothers spend more time on housework than on their full time job. It says that mothers in full time employment spend 56 hours on housework compared to men’s 31 hours a week. This shows that even when the mother is working there is still the expectation for her to be the main carer and house worker; this sort of division of labour, which is expected, is called the â€Å"dual burden†. Item C is from M. Leonard and suggests that women accept the role of the housewife because they want to be seen as a good wife and mother. For this reason they are more likely to accept an unequal division of labour. Willmott and Young (1973) introduced the idea of symmetry, which basically meant that the roles of the husband and wife were equal and balanced. They still agreed that women would take the main responsibility for the childcare and domestic tasks, but said that men were spending about the same amount of time as the women in the home doing home-related activities. The idea of symmetry meant that the domestic tasks would be shared equally, but this would not be strictly true as men were still seen to do the practical jobs such as â€Å"do it yourself† tasks or decorating, while the women would wash up. This meant that they did about the same amount of time on domestic tasks, but they were not shared completely equally. This â€Å"symmetrical† division of labour made the relationship more â€Å"home-centred† and they would spend more of the leisure time together, providing a stronger relationship. Willmott and Young would agree that the domestic tasks have become more equal between the husband and wife. This sort of marriage is called the egalitarian marriage where the tasks are more joint. Burghes would agree with Willmott and Young who say that fathers are more active in childcare these days than they were in the 1960’s. Benston, a Marxist-feminist argues that women are used as reserve army of labour and that the work that they do and the way they work benefits the capitalist system because they are easily employable and can be let off work easier than men. The capitalist system promotes the traditional nuclear family where the man is the breadwinner and the wife is the carer and looks after the house this is because of the capitalist system that treats women as slaves, â€Å"women are the slaves of wage slaves† Rosser and Harris agree with Wilmot and Young’s theory and say that nowadays the husband is expected to help with the household chores, to stay at home or go out for the evening with his wife, to help with the children, to push the pram, to share the major family decisions. The case studies of young married couples confirmed this marked change in the conjugal relationship and the marked contrast within the recent past. This is a big change from years past as the husband is getting more involved with the children and helping out more within the home. Elizabeth Bott argues that the conjugal roles in the home are both segregated and joint. This means that the jobs round the house are shared in terms of time doing them, but they are segregated because the wife would do different tasks to the man. The man would do such jobs like looking after the car and getting things fixed around the house, while the woman would do jobs which are associated with the mother figure, these are such tasks as making sure there is a dinner on the table and looking after the children while they are playing. Bott also argues that the norms and beliefs of the middle class would eventually filter down into the working class. At the moment the middle class has a different system when it comes to domestic division of labour, they tend to have the joint domestic task system, where as the working class have a segregated division of labour. By saying that this will filter down means that eventually the working class will change their division of labour so that the tasks between the husband and wife are joint. In conclusion I think that the roles within the family are being a lot more shared, so are becoming more symmetrical. The husband and wife are beginning to share their domestic tasks and this will bring them closer to each other, this point agrees with that of Willmott and Young when they say that more of the leisure time that they have will be spent together in the home. I also agree with the view from Beck who says that fathers need an identity, which in this modern world is not provided by their work anymore so they look to other places to provide it. More and more fathers are taking an active role in the development of their children, which provides them with the identity, which they need. The involvement should not be exaggerated though because compared to the mother they still don’t play a huge role in the care of the children. This view agrees with Item D, which is the Item that I agree with most as it describes the change of involvement of fathers with their children form the 1960’s to the 1990’s.

Crime and The American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Crime and The American Dream - Essay Example The American has adopted a capitalistic society that leads to lack of social control and deviant behaviour. The American Dream refers to broad cultural ethos that has a goal of success open to competition. Americans are socialized to believe that they can achieve it regardless of nay obstacles, since it is a free country of equal opportunities (Messner, & Rosenfeld, 2012). This Dream has a distorted the values of Americans where they focus on monetary success and disregard happiness with commitment to acquire material gains. This has created a culture of prioritizing material gain using illegitimate methods to gain success that results in anomic imbalance in the society (Maume, & Lee, 2003). The Anomies means disintegration of social controls that produce high likelihoods of deviant behaviour that leads to the breakdown of morals in the society. America has a set of norms and values that distinguish its culture from others which explains the foundation of Americans are resistance to social control and hence culpable to criminal temptation, This means that norms and values that are supposed to mould the cultural and social stamina in America is the main motivator of high rates of criminal behaviour, and the values are individualism, achievement, orientation and materialism. The American society looks at its social worth by what it accomplishes since it is the primary objective. The methods used to get to such a point are disregarded since the focus is the end goal. In the pursuit of success, this means that one must also achieve their own success thus creating competition in the society rather than moulding collaboration. This demotivates use of legal means especially to those with limited resources (Agnew, 1992). These values mould the minds of Americans in such a way to legitimize harmful means of achieving success, and this creates an obsession with crime. The Anomie theory integrates the concepts why American Dream leads

The Lady With The Toy Dog Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Lady With The Toy Dog - Essay Example The story ends with the two of them preparing to take on the beginning of their mysterious relationship. The relationship that Gomov was trying to create with Anna was similar to the relationship he had built up with his wife. He had loved his wife, but found himself waning in his attraction to her. This was something that he did not see coming. Gomov was looking for something new, but the ending of the story, which is no ending at all, reveals that his new relationship with Anna is as uncertain as his relationship had been with his wife. The lack of a proper ending suggests that what happens to Gomov and Anna is as unexpected as what took place between Gomov and his wife. The relationship was perfect at first, but then Gomov started to stray. By not ending the short story, Chekov carries on the concept that anything could have happened to the new couple, just as anything happened to the previous couple. The majority of the relationship between Gomov and Anna was based on silence, another aspect of mystery and uncertainty. Their togetherness and love was built on silence, as was the growth of their relationship. Chekov strengthened this silence by continuing to remain silent as to Gomov and Anna’s future, playing on the mystery that their relationship was already shrouded in. This same mystery covers every relationship, fictional or real. There is no definite outcome for any relationship, but there will always be something more, though it will remain a mystery until it

Project Proposal Of How CSR Improves Organisations Competitiveness Essay

Project Proposal Of How CSR Improves Organisations Competitiveness though Its Interactions with HRM and Marketing - Essay Example According to Amato & Amato, (2007) full implementation of the requirements of CSR I company management and business operations enhances innovative potential of the various regions of concern thereby increasing their competitiveness. Companies’ competitiveness through effective implementation of the fundamental principles of CSR can be envisioned at various levels. Castelo & Rodrigues, (2006) notice this improved competitiveness at four basic levels: the micro level, regional level, sectoral level and at the national or macro level. In regard to the topic of this proposal, increased competitiveness of companies through effective and efficient implementation of the guiding principles of CSR will be focused at the sectoral level. Effective human resources management through CSR is focused upon intersectoral improvements in terms of quality production and efficient delivery of services. This intersectoral improvement is what sets a company higher in the competition ladder compared to others in the same line of production across the globe. The goals of sustainable development are pegged upon effective industrial and companies’ management. This move ensures effective use of production resources such as human resources and other resources used in industrial production with an aim of improving the companies’ competitiveness while using as little resources as possible. Regarding this aspect, this research aims to investigate how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) improves organizations’ competitiveness through its interactions with HRM and Marketing. Effective company management looks into improving performance and competitiveness of the company by improving the quality of production and service provision in all sectors of the company’s operations. Concerning this argument, Halme, Roome, & Dobers, (2009) defines sectoral level competitiveness as the performance of a given company or industry in a given region

Health Care Marketing Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Care Marketing Reflection - Essay Example This assignment looks into healthcare marketing techniques and trends; it also focuses on the possible impact on consumer trends. Nowadays, the healthcare industry is a fast changing sector coupled with increased awareness among consumers. The advent of Information Technology and particularly the internet has led to easier access of information by consumers. Equally, consumers demand better provision of services and a variety of choices in delivery of healthcare. Adequate marketing is, thus, crucial to achieve the organization’s goals in a fast paced world. Marketing involves all those activities geared towards the achievement of long term goals while also looking into the needs of the parties involved and the provision of goods or services better than the competitors. Utility and satisfaction of the wants of the parties involved is achieved after a thorough analysis. In an organization, integrated marketing presents a challenge for the staff members from the top most to the custodians in satisfying particular needs correctly at the correct price and place (Eckrich& Schlesinger, 2011). In view of the changes taking places in the online media, effective pharmaceutical marketing would have to integrate the use of the internet besides the other traditional media. The online media is an integrated system with easier channels of communication. The contents in websites ought to be user friendly to their target audience for better user satisfaction. Strategies in the social media should also be integrated with the traditional media and their monitoring done thereafter. Healthcare marketing is effective in influencing marketability of brands. Through the social media, there is the creation of a strong online presence and creating powerful brands and good relationships. There are better opportunities for consumer preference especially among the youth when a brand is viewed favorably. Bad comments and reviews can be quickly picked up by other online users leading

Three- dimensional echocardiography Research Paper

Three- dimensional echocardiography - Research Paper Example   Three-dimensional echocardiography has evolved at a fast rate since it was first used about forty years ago. In its different stages of evolution, the use of three-dimensional echocardiography was at a point reduced to the research side of cardiology and not in the clinical setting. Only until very recently has 3D echocardiography been used by cardiologists, and echocardiographers in hospitals and clinics. Another interesting thing is the fact that transthoracic three-dimension ultrasound has been trumped by three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography, especially in the operating room and surgical setting.The development of three-dimensional echocardiography (3D TTE) can be traced back to almost four decades, just a short period after the arrival and development of 2D echocardiography. In the year 1974, at Stanford University, Dekker et al produced the results of their work: A System for Ultrasonically Imaging the human heart in three dimensions.2D images were retrieved ac cording to electrocardiographic and respiratory timing. This data was developed off-line by interpolation, then reconstructed into a three-dimensional image. Using the same off-line interpretation and reconstruction process as 3D TTE, three-dimensional echocardiography was introduced and was first performed in the year 1992. In Comparison to transthoracic echocardiography, the trans-esophageal perspective, as seen by cardiologists and echocardiographers, more often showed superior anatomical detail.  

Organisations and Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisations and Behaviour - Essay Example This document will attempt to focus on the literature, journals and websites that are most relevant to the issues of supply planning and control. Survey of the month: Mixed results for supply chain management jobs. (2010). IOMA’s Report on Salary Surveys, 10.5, 1-4. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/365779321?accountid=12598 The article happened to have been written by an unknown author but it contains an overview of the supply chain job and what its average salary is. According to the article, the average salary was around $90,000 and the salary has been in cumulatively over all the nations. The author lists the increase that have been realized over the past few years then goes ahead to look into other factors that may have contributed to the increase one of them being job satisfaction. In the job satisfaction there was mixed results as some industries or jobs there was an increase in job satisfaction ranging from 5%-10%. Where there was high increase in job satisfaction was in the field of logistics and the fields where job satisfaction was low the main reason was due to lack in advancement and poor payment. This article is important because it enlightens on the performance of supply chain management. It also collects the views of people about supply chain management in general. ... 37094/13A291Fa1C446390891/42?accountid=12598 The authors’ main message in this article is about customer’s satisfaction in connection with supply chain. They go ahead to highlight how a good supply chain is beneficial to the shareholder an example is how the supply chain can add value of the shareholders if it is efficient well enough. According to their research, they discovered that there was a relationship between an excellent supply chains with customer’s satisfaction. When the supply chain was excellent, customers were satisfied and through their satisfaction the shareholders value in the company increased. It is not just a matter of profit maximization as the authors attempt to see that each and every customer is happy with regard to the supply chain used. Profit can only be made through sale and it is the customers that buy the products. For this reason it is important to make sure that the customers are happy and satisfied because they are the people who determine the company’s success. In my view I think the authors here were addressing the managers so that they can take a closer look at their supply chain and see if it satisfies the customers so as to maximize the profits. Customer satisfaction is the theme in this article which is relatively an important factor to consider in the supply chain management. Christian, L. R., & Kelivin, J. D. (2010). Job types in the supply management profession. Journal of Suppy Chain Management, 46.3, 40-56. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=http://search.prquest.com/docview/845503015?accountid=12598 The theme of this journal is to explain what is expected in supply chain jobs. In other words the journal speaks of the responsibilities that come with the supply chain job. Rosetti and Dooley in this article

Impact of Labour Unrest for Business (Production) Essay

Impact of Labour Unrest for Business (Production) - Essay Example Labor unrests are generally organized and strike actions carried out by labor unions in the case of the failure of solving such labor disputes. The employees and the overall workforce alter the normal production routine process, thus impacting the shareholders of the production business; the key reason for these unrests is the workers articulating for the increase in wages and labor rights (Silver, 2003). The impacts of labor unrests on a production firm or a business can be discussed as follows. Lower Production levels Labor unrests have a significant impact on the businesses dealing with production, as they lead to lower production levels. Strikes by workers affect greatly the production levels, because most of the production businesses do not have production schedules where one day stock is taken as surplus. Thus labor unrests can lead to the drastic decrease in the production volumes, which can impact the key wholesalers and retailers negatively, as the business production is a c ountrywide supplier (Silver, 2003). Shift in consumer demand Labor in the production business causes shifts in the demand of consumers, notably in the case of strikes. Typically, most of the manufacturing companies keep a significant volume of inventory in their warehouses purposely, as a precaution against labor unrests, which can only represent not more than a month inventory. This production schedule approach ensures that companies continue with their normal production and supply operations for some time after the unrests, thus providing a period for solving the labor dispute without much effect on their business operations (Silver, 2003). In the case of the dispute taking long to be resolved, consumers may wait for the return of the normal operations or shift to the available competitors. Overlap impacts Labor unrests of higher degree of magnitude such as nationwide strike have a direct as well as an indirect impact on the related markets. Such labor unrests are characterized by work stoppage in the production manufacturing company, and this has a great impact on its major outlets and other stakeholders that have frequent transactions with the company. Labor unrests can lead to a standstill of operations in its markets. Companies operating as providers of complimentary services to the production company are the highly affected, because its services or commodities will loose it major market share due to the slowdown of operations at the production company’s plants. This situation may lead to these stakeholders’ decision to go to other markets and the suppliers’ decision to go to the market outlets (Silver, 2003). Loss of revenue and profits Labor unrests cause slowdown and, at times, standstill in the operations at the manufacturing plants. These standstills and slowdowns have an impact of reducing the volume of sales. Lower volume of sales translates into lower revenue realized from them, leading to lower profitability as compared with the period of labor stability (Silver, 2003). This impact is commonly expected to extend to the major outlets, as the level of supply will go down and the company is a nationwide distributor. In this case the company will go at a loss, since the overhead fixed cost will remain the same, straining the less realized revenue and the profits. Impact on employee performance An

MBA project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MBA project - Essay Example The study is made on secondary data. Qualitative analysis of the information collected leads to the inference that the bank has excellent human resource practices which is guided by a deliberate overlapping of the business initiatives with the employee training needs for the organizations. Recommendations have been made on the basis of this study. These are aimed at improving the bank’s performance in the future. ... This sector is regulated by â€Å"the Sharia law of Fiqh al-Muamalat (rules of transactions)† (â€Å"Islamic Banking Trends - the Future of Arab Banking†). Employee training and development plays an important role in the banking sector in all the gulf countries. Level of involvement of the employees depend on two most important factors; personal characteristics of the employee as well as the culture in the organization. Training and development of the employees of the banks in the Saudi Arabia takes into account factors such as education and age of the employees and the rank held by them in the organization, tenure in the organizational and the pay received by them (AlKahtani 67-78). 1.1 Background Global The Al Rajhi bank is not only a big financial institution in the Saudi Arabia; it is the biggest Islamic bank in the whole world. It has significant influence in the country’s trade and commerce with the rest of the world. Hence, human resource of the bank casts notable impact on the business sphere at the global level. Continental The gulf region is closely knitted with the banks whose business practices are guided by the Islamic culture and religious beliefs. These banks are a part of the financial system of Saudi Arabia and have majorly contributed to the entire continent of Asia. Indeed, performance of these banks is currently considered as the measure of the economic health of the gulf region and also of Asia (Al-Dukheil 56). According to Al-Dukheil, the private sector is becoming increasingly important in the financial sector and contribution of these banks is set to increase further. National There is high Islamic awareness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (At-Twaijri 11-16). This creates barriers for the organizations in adopting a generalist employee

Electrinic and Digital Media Paper Essay Example for Free

Electrinic and Digital Media Paper Essay Historically the role of media in our society was one of delivering news and information for the sake of knowledge. According to Vivian, the news media served as the major watch dog in the gathering and sharing of information across the world. Traditions of a culture, such as China, have long been created an opportunity for free creative and artistic expression as a means of media exposure in countries where there is great government regulation. Now in a more contemporary role, media has become so integrated in people’s lives that many are swimming in a mass media ocean of communication. Media multitasking has become such of a normal routine for most people, that without media their lives would be empty (Vivian 2011). Over the years mass media has advanced in so many areas, becoming the technological assisted transmission of messages to mass audiences (Vivian 2011) of photography, sound, and transmission. Technology has been the foundation of mass communication in the media industry for years. If not for the invention of the printing press, books and newspapers may have never been published. Mass media has become almost solely dependent on the technology of today. Technological development of the Internet offers the potential, if appropriately utilized, to be an enabler of a more sustainable future (Ahmed 1999). Mass communication has evolved through the years with the emergence of various technologies such as printing, chemical, digital, and electronics. These technologies have contributed to media growth far beyond what anyone could believe early in the history of Mass communications. Particularly with the emergence of Chemical and Electronic technologies movies became popular and the radio and television mediums sky rocketed in popularity. Photography early on helped to increase the power of the printed word by bringing words to life by leading the charge in producing pictures in books, newspapers and magazines. The recording industry has evolved from the phonograph to the iPod allowing for radio to be everywhere and communication being transferred through airwaves for audiences which printed sources could not reach. Much of the technologies from above have become more of a necessity rather than a luxury by which only a few persons can benefit. With the invention of the printing press the newspaper industry has been able to mass produce a product from an initial template of an idea. Cameras and projectors have moved past capturing a moment into creating a moment vision, by understanding the eye retains a vision of a period of time, and if multiple photos could be taken, linked together, and flipped quickly, the human eye could be tricked into visualizing motion of an object. Creating a continuous motion, which later became known as â€Å"Film† and now digital photos. With the development of digital technology there has been great efficiency brought to various aspects of many people’s lifestyles. (Vivian 2011). Bell Labs lead the way in revolutionizing a new media avenue known as â€Å"The Net†. The internet in the early 1990’s was vastly evolving into the next means of mass communication. Bell Labs was in the forefront of the digital age by walking us into a media convergence. Where bits of data, we commonly refer to as messages, could be transmitted over the internet in large capacity at a certain rate of speed and reassemble as readable text upon reception at its destination. Now in 2012 because of the efforts of Bell Labs the digital age has advanced throughout time to where we once dialed a phone number from memory, we now speak a name and our phones dial for us. Smartphone devices have opened up a new world where everything is truly at your finger tips. Where Companies once relied on Trucks and warehouse for logistical need for distributing their products, they now have cut cost by utilizing the internet. Products such as books, magazines, and newspapers, printed media, have bought in to the immediate delivery of their brands in a matter of minutes versus days or weeks even. In the last 20 years all of the new trends and developments within the electronic and digital media industry the role of mass media has changed but yet still remains the same in its function. Persons, who once in casual conversation referred to their business as the newspaper business, now have restricted their verbiage and now work in the news business. References CREATIONISM Study teaching; MASS media; GREAT Britain; ROYAL Society (Great Britain); RELIGION science; REISS, Michael Ahmed, Pervaiz K.; Hardaker, Glenn. Business Strategy the Environment (John Wiley Sons, Inc). Jan1999, Vol. 8 Issue 1, p75-81. 7p Vivian, J. (2011). The media of mass communication (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon.