Impact of Iraq war on us

  Impact of Iraq war on us

India and Iraq have always been traditional allies, Friendly ties between Ancient India and ancient Iraq (Mesopotamia) dates back to 1800 BCE. The friendly and collaborative ties had seen some setback around the time of the gulf war, but ties were normalized after 2003.

The recent civil war in Iraq   fought by ISIS on one side and the Iraqi government on the other side has brought unforeseen challenges to the new dispensation set up in the center.

Foreign Policy Challenge

The unexpected civil war caught the Indian citizens working in Iraq off guard. Many of them are stranded for want of conveyance and few of the citizens have been taken as hostages. The state governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Punjab and many other states have written to the center seeking its intervention in providing a safe passage to the stranded people. 

The new government must open all channels; establish contact with the concerned governments (Iraqi as well as its neighbors), explore all avenues and ensure the safe arrival of the Indian citizens caught in the crossfire. India’s handling of the hostage crisis will reflect on its own foreign policy skills as India cannot be seen as taking sides between Shia’s and Sunnis.

The Economic Challenge

India imports crude oils from the Middle East and one of the chief suppliers of crude oil is Iraq. The crisis in Iraq will certainly set obstacles to India’s economic recovery from its recent bout with inflation. 

The Indian government has speculated that the crude oil price may increase to as high as $120 per barrel. The potential impact of this rise will supposedly cost Indian budget at least Rs.200 billion. Yes, if crude oil prices increase then the current account deficit will instantly see a spike too. 

Rise in cost of oil price will lead to increase in inflation subjecting the shaky economy to extreme stress. Once the crude oil price rises, so will the prices of the precious commodities like diesel and petrol, the  leap in  petrol and diesel prices will lead to an upsurge in transportation cost too, ultimately affecting the spending powers of common man.

The rupee which was reeling under inflationary pressure from a long time has weakened further; the stocks too have seen a downswing contracting the growing fears of Iraqi war backlash on the economy.

The current government has to tread carefully while taking measures to cap the inflation worries due to the impact of rising global crude oil prices. The government will have to modify some of its measures, including limiting the scope of tax incentives.

Despite this gloomy scenario, the RBI governor sounds upbeat about India’s ability to withstand Iraq’s Civil war crisis. According to him, India is better placed  vis a vis  of last year, the current deficit is low and that there is sufficient foreign exchange reserves to tide over the crisis at the  moment. 

Another reason to feel so buoyant is the fact that Iraq’s oil sector is largely unaffected by the ongoing civil crisis. India has also been proactive and has already geared up to import crude oil from other OPEC countries in case the war spreads to all parts of Iraq

Modi government appears prepared to tackle   both the foreign policy challenge as well as economical challenge by being proactive in getting the trapped citizens back as well as initiate reforms to put the economy back on the rails, thereby reducing the inflationary pressures on the common man.

30 topics [GD, Essay, Extempore] asked last year...

30 topics [GD, Essay, Extempore] asked last year...

BANNING OF TRADE UNIONS WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE ECONOMY [FMS]
ULTIMATE POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR INDIA [IITD]
TV & MOVIES INFLUENCE CHILDREN MORE THAN PARENTS [MDI]
INDIAN DEMOGRAPHICS IS IT AN ADVANTAGE [IIFT]
SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES DISCONNECT RATHER THAN CONNECT PEOPLE [IIFT]
NUCLEAR POWER AND ITS ROLE IN INDIA ENERGY SECURITY [IIFT]
AUCTION IS THE BEST WAY OF ALLOCATING METAL RESOURCES [IIFT]
LEVERAGING TELECOM SECTOR FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT [IIFT]
FDI IN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES [IIFT]
PEOPLE WHO DRINK TO DROWN THEIR SORROW SHOULD BE TOLD THAT SORROW KNOWS HOW TO SWIM [IIMC]
ENGINE IS THE HEART OF A AIRPLANE AND THE PILOT IS ITS SOUL [IIML]
IN HUMAN CHESSBOARD EVERY MOVE IS POSSIBLE [IIMK]
THE ONLY RICH PERSON IS ONE WHO HAS A RICH STOREHOUSE OF MEMORIES [IIMK]
YOUTH IS THE BEST TIME FOUND ON FALLACY. BUT AS WE GROW OLDER WE BECOME MUCH MORE HAPPIER [IIMK]
HELL HAS THE HOTTEST PLACE FOR THAT PERSON WHO REMAINS NEUTRAL UNDER MORAL CRISIS [IIMK]
BUSINESS LEADERS MAKE EFFECTIVE POLITICAL LEADERS? DO YOU AGREE? [NEW IIM’S]
UID & NANDAN NILEKANI [FMS]
WILL TAXING SUPER RICH HELP THE ECONOMY? [IITB]
ARE MEMORY ON ISSUES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE VERY SHORT? [TAPMI]
CHILD LABOUR IS A NECESSARY EVIL AND ITS SOCIAL IMPACT [IMI]
SACCHAR COMMITTEE REPORT [IMI]
IS GLOBAL COOLING MORE DANGERS THAN GLOBAL WARMING? [SCMHRD]
INDIAN POLITICS HAS BECAME A BAD WORD FOR INDIAN YOUTH [SIBM]
VIRTUE IS ITS OWN REWARD [SIBM]
JUDICIARY COURT SYSTEM SHOULD GO FOR REHABILITION OR RETRIBUTION [SIBM]
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE [SIBM]
E- COMMERCE IS STILL DEVELOPING IN INDIA [XLRI]
LIBERALIZATION WILL LEAD TO CORRUPTION FREE INDIA [XLRI]
MOVIES MADE BY APARNA SEN [FMS]
SMILE MAKES YOU HEALTHY [FMS]

One of the best for preparation of gdpi

Grooming Essentials :MEN & WOMEN

Here are some tips for dressing appropriately for an MBA interview:

Dress professionally: Wear a suit or formal business attire, such as a dress shirt and slacks or a skirt. Avoid overly casual clothing like jeans or t-shirts.

Choose neutral colors: Opt for neutral colors like black, navy, or gray for your suit. Avoid bright or flashy colors, as they can be distracting.

Pay attention to details: Make sure your clothing is clean and well-maintained, with no visible stains or tears. Iron your clothes and polish your shoes to make a good impression.

Avoid distractions: Avoid wearing bold patterns or excessive jewelry, as these can be distracting and take attention away from your skills and qualifications.

Consider the culture: Consider the culture of the organization you're interviewing with and try to align your attire with their norms. For example, if the company has a more casual culture, you might opt for a blazer and slacks instead of a full suit.

Grooming Essentials: Men

•Wear calf length cotton dresssocks that match your suit

•Wear low heeled conservative dress shoes that are color coordinated with your suit, ideally black.

•Make sure your shoes are well polished

•Carry a leather folder in black/brown to carry your CV/other documents.

•Hair: Get a professional Haircut before the interviews. A short hair cut is the best bet for men

•Clean shaven is the best way to go. If you have beard, goatee or moustache, shave it off for interviews

•When it comes to wearing a fragrance, always remember not to over do it. Keep the fragrance mild.
Recommended post : Examples of WAT/GD

Grooming Essentials:Women

•Make up should be subtle. Choose neutral or light shades for nail varnish and lipstick. Bright colors are a absolute no no

•Tie your hair in a neat hairstyle with hair pulled back from face.

•Clip nails short, along their shape

•Earrings should not dangle below the earlobe. No more than an inch is acceptable

•For business wear, footwear should be closed toe and closed heel. No Strapy sandals, chapals. Plain leather footwear works best. Heels not more than 2-3 inches

•Avoid chunky jewellery, bangles or anklets or anything which creates sound

•Carry a leather folder in black/brown to carry your CV/other documents

For those of you who are planning to wear a shirt n tie, make sure you keep the following pointers in mind: 
1) Ideally, go for a solid shirt with striped tie
2) DO NOT wear checked shirts with striped ties or vice versa. If you are wearing a check or striped shirt, wear a solid tie. 
3) Stick to blues and whites. Do not experiment too much with colors on Interview days
4) Your shirts should be crisp n well ironed. Buy a new shirt if you can
Recommended post : Examples of WAT/GD

XLRI GD PI EXPERIENCE _4

  

1.       XAT Interview Centre Bangalore

2.       Date of interview : 26/02/13

3.       Interview Stream: BM

4.       XAT Percentile (Overall): 97.25

5.       GK Score: 6.67

6.       Stream of Education: Engineering

7.       Work Experience: '1-2

8.       Brief Profile Description: 

  10th: 86.3
12th:90.2
B.E: CGPA 8.99/10
Work Ex: 18 months.

 GD Topic: Indian Population - Is it a boon or bane?
Number of people: 11
Summary of discussion: Not a peaceful GD, sometimes tending towards a fish market. Everyone got an opportunity to speak. Everyone asked to summarize in 2-3 sentences.

1.   Interview Experience: P1:
1. Asked me about the GD, what we as a group could have done better
2. Asked me to elaborate on the points I contributed.
3. What is a fuse and what is a filament?
4. Draw a basic electrical and electronic circuit.

5. Asked me to pick one among sports, news and politics. (I picked sports)
6. The no.1 ranked women's and men's tennis players.
7. What happened at Nadal's comeback tournament?
8. Why is Venus Williams ranked so low?
9. Would you pick BM or HRM if you get both?

P2:
1. What did you think of the railway budget?
2. Some people say it's not a populist budget, what do you think?
3. What is GDP?
4. What is repo rate and reverse repo rate? How does it impact growth?
5. What is Nifty and Sensex?

P3:
1. Asked me about work experience and my role.
2. Switches over to Geography - What are the 7 sister states?
3. Tell me the capital of any three of them.
4. What was the capital of Assam before Dispur?
5. Where do you find dolphins in India?
6. Which is the highest lake in India? (Said Dal lake, but found out later that it's not )
7. Which is a lake which has brackish water?
Recommended post : Examples of WAT/GD

XLRI GD PI EXPERIENCE _3

  

1.       XAT Interview Centre Bangalore

2.       Date of interview : 24/02/13

3.       Interview Stream: BM

4.       XAT Percentile (Overall): 98.26

5.       GK Score: 6.33

6.       Stream of Education: Engineering

7.       Work Experience: 2-3

8.       Brief Profile Description: 

  Educational Profile
X: 89.33
XII:91.40
Undergrad Major - GPA: 6.99 Btech CSE

Work profile
Number of months :24
Sector/Industry :IT

 GD Topic: Topic: Human Rights in Western Countries is a myth!
Number of participants: 12
Duration: 15 mins
Brief snapshot of discussion:

Everyone pitched in and it was a good GD. I had some valid points in the discussion.

At the end, everyone was asked to summarize the discussion in 3 sentences!!1.   Interview Experience: Panelists Intro:Three People, lets name them P1, P2, P3.They were more or less of the same age group..They were all cordial, except P2who kept quiet for most of the interview

PI Questions:

P1: So, tell me about the current company you work
Me: Answered about what our company is, what we do and what my role is

P1: What is a pvt. Limited company?
Me: Sir, its a company owned by a handful of people. Our company is owned by 2 people.

P1: How many people can own a pvt ltd company
Me: Sir, I m not sure, but I think its in the range of 1 to 5( which, I later found out, is a big blunder)

P1: Can a private ltd company issue preference shares?
Me: Sir, I dunno what preference shares are, but a private ltd company can issue shares after intimating and getting the permission from SEBI

P1: What is SEBI?
Me: Sir, its Securities and Exchange Board of India. It monitors all the public companies

P1: Only public companies?
Me: Yes sir, I think so

P1: What are listed companies?
Me: Sir, Listed companies are those that are listed either in BSE or NSE

P1: Whats the difference between those two
Me: Sir, NSE is National Stock Exchange, located in Delhi and BSE is Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai. And they have different indices with NSE considering 50 companies and BSE 30.

P3: ok
P1: So, you have talked about Drug lords in Mexico. What is that?
Me: (Prepared this while waiting for the interview) Sir, Mexico is facing a big problem with drug lords who are criminal organizations fighting against each other for gaining positions and many civilians are being killed in the process. And, the government, to reduce drug trafficking, has given lot of powers to military and the military is using them for inhuman activities like torturing etc..So , Mexico is facing a big human rights violation challenge.

P1: ok, What about Colombia?
Me: Sir, I dunno about the details but Colombia is also facing the problems of drug trafficking

P1: Ok, why do you think this is happening only in these two countries?
Me: Sir, its not just these two countries sir, there are a lot others. But, why it is huge in Mexico is because Mexico is right below US and hence it has huge opportunities to transport drugs over to US illegally.

P1: So, what should US do?
Me: They must strengthen the border security, tighten their drug policies and help these countries with manpower

P1: No, what must US do in their country to reduce this problem?
Me: I guess, they can provide better facilities to treat drug addiction. And as this addiction falls, demand for drugs comes down and hence the problem might lessen.

P1: Ok..(and looks at the other members)
P3: So, which branch are you from
Me: CSE sir

P1: So, why do you want to do MBA
Me(I had to ask the question again as I couldnt understand him the first time): Told ..
and they looked convinced to me!!

P3: So, you said "Human rights is obviously a myth"
Me: Yes sir, but what I actually wanted to say was "Human rights is in fact a myth"

P3: Thats correct. So why do you think so
Me: I tried to explain something saying that its related to a nation

P3: Are you sure that human rights is related to a nation, or is it individual?
Me: I m not sure sir

P3: What are Human rights?
Me: Its a set of basic rights through which a human can lead a decent life

P3: there you go
Me: (realizing) Yes sir, Human rights is related to the individual

P3: Ok, then
Me: And human rights can never be completely implemented. If we consider US after 9/11, their retaliation against Afghanistan and later Iraq are seen as good by americans, but these countries have suffered a lot sir

P3: Tell me a situation where human rights are violated in Afghanistan
Me: There are many cases where Americans tortured Afghanistan prisoners and there was a recent news where a picture was printed

P3: U think Osama Bin Laden violated Human rights
Me: Obviously sir, he has bombed numerous people for no proper reason and that itself is a direct violation of human rights

P3: What about Saddam? Did he violate any human rights when he captured Kuwait?
Me: Sorry sir, but I have not much idea about Saddam capturing Kuwait

P3 then cracks a joke about Saddam and all laugh

Me: Sir, I dunno about Kuwait, but in general, he was responsible for torturing of many people in Iraq and so he also violated human rights. Also, he was responsible for mass deaths too


P3: Yes, mass murders..true


P2: What other exams did you give
Me: Told

P2: What calls you got from them
Me: Told

P2: So, how did you prepare for your interview?
Me: Said that I have attended a few mock interviews

P2: They asked all these questions?
Me: No sir, just the basic questions like "why mba" and all

P2: And you have answered them all to us now
Everybody smile

They looked at each other and signal its over

I thanked them all and left!

XLRI GD PI EXPERIENCE,

  

1.       XAT Interview Centre Mumbai

2.       Date of interview : 24/02/13

3.       Interview Stream: BM

4.       XAT Percentile (Overall): 99.69

5.       GK Score: 8.67

6.       Stream of Education: Engineering

7.       Work Experience: 2-3

8.       Brief Profile Description: 

  IT,28 mnths.

 GD Topic: Topic: Should there be any relaxation in the subsidies in the agriculture sector.

was a healthy discussion.no fish market.

1.   Interview Experience: About the panel
Panelists Intro: Mr. Apalak Khatua(AK), Mr. Ashis Pani(AP) and Mr. Prantik Ray(PR)
Some words about the panel and its general behavior/conduct:
AK - My university alum..was cool
AP - Good.Was staring at me all the time.Was there solely to judge ur body language.
PR - Asked questions at the speed of an amoeba.
PI Questions:

1> Where do u stay?
2>Tell me the name by which ur college was known as?
3>Why are manholes round?
4>Tell me about some industries in ur belt?
5>Future of jute industry.
6>Which industry has replaced jute industry?
7>Name the three most importamt things u hv learned during ur engineering?
8>What is a SEZ?
9>Name some SEZs.What are its advantages and disadvantages?
10>Are u superstitious?
11>3 reasons we shud select u...prof explicitly told that plz don mention commitment,hard wroking etc...we have been hearin this for past many days.

12>1 reason we shud not select u.

Thank you!
u may leave now.A: I said snakes are colour blind sir and see in Grayscale...
A few questions on this more..
Q:What is TRAI?
A: Answered
Q:Its head?
A:Kapil Sibal (Dammit why did I say this)
Q: How did Telecom Boom in India?
A: told about license raj,PV Narasinha Rao and new and improved policies with FDI in telecom and reduction in price of spectrum..
Q: So which is the gravest threat to telecom market now?
A:Spectrum refarming,High price of spectrum... blah blah
Q: Ok Dhruv tell me why we shouldnt select you?
A: I talk too much at times(Not articulate) and am a little dominating..(they laugh)
Q: So what qualities a manager should have?
A:Blah blah...
Q: Ok Dhruv do you want to tell us anything lese than this?
A:Told about hobbies..

Ok Dhruv Thanks,
ME: May I ask a question sir?
Them:Sure
Me: What does the logo of XLRI mean after redesign?
Them:Told something that its just a logo.. doesnt mean much

I thanked them and left.
Total duration = 20 mins
Chilled out panel with 1 prof very sweet and smiling,1 prof normal and 1 prof not smiling at all!

All in all a good experience

Result: Awaited.. though I dunno how they are judging.. ATB to others as well
Just remain calm and think before you answer..

                

XLRI GD PI EXPERIENCE-2

  

1.       XAT Interview Centre Bangalore

2.       Date of interview : 19/02/2013

3.       Interview Stream: BM

4.       XAT Percentile (Overall): 98.73

5.       GK Score: 2.8

6.       Stream of Education: Engineering

7.       Work Experience: 1-2

8.       Brief Profile Description: 

       Educational Profile
X : 87.8%
XII : 81.2%
Undergrad Major - : 81.45 (IPU,Delhi)
Any other professional certification or course undertaken: IP Certification,Ericsson
Work profile (if applicable) : Network Engineer
Organization : Ericsson Global India
Number of months :18
Sector/Industry : Telecom
Special achievements at work : Power Award,IP Certification
       GD Topic: Topic: Shall India abolish death penalty ?

No fish market, everyone presented their own views and points and finally everyone was asked to summarize in 30 seconds

1.   Interview Experience: Panelists Intro:
3 panelists all male profs..
Dont remember their names .. also faces are blurry so cant look them up

Some words about the panel and its general behavior/conduct:
Great panel. No stress at all, started my PI with a smile and finished it smiling .

PI Questions:
Q:Why did you start the GD?
A: Told it gives me confidence and I believe I did it nicely.
Q:What is your height?Does it give you confidence as well?
A:Yeah.. blah blah...
Q:Why did you bring up Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi party?
A:Told about anti-corruption the sole direction of the party...
Q:How will Kejriwal be as a PM?
A:Told will focus on Anti-corruption,Jan Lokpal Bill.. but too early to tell what other he has to offer.
Q:What are you currently reading in the news?
A:Chopper gate .. blah blah
Q: Oh you are from Telecom...
A: Yes sir
Q: So tell me about the motion of a snake and how it senses the surroundings ?
A: Told vibrations sensing etc..
Q:No draw the graph and show me ..
A: Drew an analog curve with an equation y=mx+c where c is ambient noise in environment,y is percieved vibrations by snake, m is distance of source , x is intensity of sound source..
Q: Ok ok,can Snakes see red colour?
A: I said snakes are colour blind sir and see in Grayscale...
A few questions on this more..
Q:What is TRAI?
A: Answered
Q:Its head?
A:Kapil Sibal (Dammit why did I say this)
Q: How did Telecom Boom in India?
A: told about license raj,PV Narasinha Rao and new and improved policies with FDI in telecom and reduction in price of spectrum..
Q: So which is the gravest threat to telecom market now?
A:Spectrum refarming,High price of spectrum... blah blah
Q: Ok Dhruv tell me why we shouldnt select you?
A: I talk too much at times(Not articulate) and am a little dominating..(they laugh)
Q: So what qualities a manager should have?
A:Blah blah...
Q: Ok Dhruv do you want to tell us anything lese than this?
A:Told about hobbies..

Ok Dhruv Thanks,
ME: May I ask a question sir?
Them:Sure
Me: What does the logo of XLRI mean after redesign?
Them:Told something that its just a logo.. doesnt mean much

I thanked them and left.
Total duration = 20 mins
Chilled out panel with 1 prof very sweet and smiling,1 prof normal and 1 prof not smiling at all!

All in all a good experience

Result: Awaited.. though I dunno how they are judging.. ATB to others as well
Just remain calm and think before you answer..

                

XLRI : interview Experience 1

  

1.       XAT Interview Centre :              Mumbai

2.       Date of interview : 18/2/13

3.       Interview Stream: BM

4.       XAT Percentile (Overall): 91.7

5.       GK Score: 8

6.       Stream of Education: Engineering

7.       Work Experience: 1-2

8.       Brief Profile Description: Mechanical Engineer(University of Pune)
Worked in Tata Technologies Limited for 13 months

Extra curriculars - Published 2 papers, Done 3 internships (1 Marketing and 1 vehicle design), A national level award for paper presentation and 2 state level awards, Robotics level 1 and 2, Elementary and Intermediate level Hindi exams - High distinction.

9.       GD Topic: Topic: Shall India abolish death penalty ?

No fish market, everyone presented their own views and points and finally everyone was asked to summarize in 30 seconds

1.   Interview Experience: Stress Interview. I was a bit nervous already, they made me more, but I answered almost all the questions except a few .. Asked me about Rubik's cube and algorithms ( I had mentioned it in my hobbies).. A few questions on marketing which I answered well (I think) .. A question on e-government and a few out of the box questions like "Why does USA use left hand drive system and India uses right hand drive system?", "Differentiate between left side of your brain and right side of your brain". A few questions regarding my work .. After I finished, they asked me if I had some questions.

Overall, a very nice panel and a decent interview. :)

Best of luck to everyone .. You shall get in if you deserve :)

                

Essay : Domestic-Violence

Statistics you can use while writing Essay:

- One in five adolescent girls will experience a form of sexual or physical violence in her lifetime, according to the journal or American Medical Association. 

- In the US, a woman is abused every nine seconds.

- The AMA and the FBI estimate that 4 million women are abused every year.

- Family violence kills as many women every five years as the total number of Americans killed in the Vietnam War – 54000 men and women.

- Approximately 50% of all homeless women and children in the US are fleeing from domestic violence.

- Child witnesses of domestic violence are victims of child abuse at a rate 1500% higher than the national average.

- Ina 36 month study of 147 children, ages 11 to 17, from homes where wife beating was a major problem, all sons over the age of 14 attempted to protect their mothers and 62% were injured in the process.

- 63% of young men between the ages of 11 and 20 who are serving time for homicide have killed their mother’s abuser
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Domestic violence is about control. Abusers use the power they have, social and or physical, to establish control within an intimate relationship, They use a pattern of behaviours to intimidate, manipulate, and physically violate their partners. Abusing is a choice and solely the responsibility of the abuser. Most people have a difficult time thinking of abusing as a choice, and describe abusers as ‘losing it’. But try to remember how we all make decisions to meet our own needs. We identify what we want and all the possible ways we can accomplish our goal. We decide how to reach our goals based on what we believe is OK or what we are willing to do. Abusing is no different. Women continually describe how their partners go from one tactic to another when they want something. Some abusers will go as far as emotional abuse, isolation, or intimidation. Some will choose to control economic resources or threaten physical harm to the victim, her children or loved ones. Some ultimately choose violence to get what they want, and the underlying threat of physical violence affects the every aspect of a relationship. Whatever the tactics if you are forced to make decisions on how your partner may hurt you physically or emotionally, your partner has behaved inappropriately; and when violence is used, they have acted criminally. Using violence and/or other controlling behaviours is not acceptable. No one deserves to be abused

Essay:A Day Without Electricity

Capstone Experiences in Career and Technical Education

Capstones are culminating experiences in which students synthesize subject-matter knowledge they have acquired, integrate cross-disciplinary knowledge, and connect theory and application in preparation for entry into a career (Fairchild and Taylor 2000). Durel (1993) evocatively describes them as a "rite of passage" or "liminal threshold" through which participants change their status from student to graduate. A capstone course should be both a synthesis—reflection and integration—and a bridge—a real-world preparatory experience that focuses on the postgraduation future (Fairchild and Taylor 2000; Rhodus and Hoskins 1995). In career and technical education (CTE), capstones are most often found in postsecondary business, agriculture, and allied health programs; in their emphasis on integration, experiential learning, and real-world problem solving, they would be valuable in any CTE field. This Brief discusses the rationale for capstones, presents evidence of their effectiveness, and describes ways to use them in CTE.

Why Capstones?

Many types of work now require more than technical expertise (Fairchild and Taylor 2000; Magney 1996). In many fields, a wide range of nontechnical skills is now essential: leadership, teamwork, problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, information management (Fairchild and Taylor 2000; Rhodus and Hoskins 1995). For example, in organizations with flatter hierarchies, management responsibilities are now being downshifted to technicians (Magney 1996). Information technology graduates need not only specialized technical skills but also project management skills and awareness of global concerns and business practices (Novitzki 1998). Nurses must be prepared for change management, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the volatile health care field (Rains, Richardson, and Fowler 1999).

To achieve these outcomes, the objectives of a capstone course, project, or experience typically include the following (Fairchild and Taylor 2000; Rhodus and Hoskins 1995; Thomas 1998):

. To provide students an opportunity to synthesize knowledge from formal and informal

learning and apply it to contemporary issues in the field

. To help prepare students for a successful career by providing experiences that

enhance their labor market advantage

. To increase students' understanding of the big picture, including ethical and social

issues related to the field

. To help students understand the relevance of theory and research to practice

How Effective Are Capstones?

What benefits do students receive from capstone experiences? Agriculture capstone graduates (Andreasen and Trede 1998) recognized the application of knowledge from other courses as the most beneficial outcome. Those who intended to teach felt the course prepared them for their first professional job. Fairchild and Taylor (2000) report that students who have completed capstone courses typically require less on-the-job training. In an evaluation of an agriculture and applied economics capstone that was selected as a national model ("Outcomes Assessment" 1998), 100% of completers said that it developed problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, and human relations skills.

In a nursing capstone, traditional students and registered nurses completing bachelor's degrees experienced different outcomes (Rains et al. 1999). Registered nurses viewed the course as an opportunity to rethink and refocus their careers; traditional students appreciated the holistic view of nursing it provided. The value of a culminating course was captured in one student's comment: "Final semester is when we are ready to hear" (p. 54). Sonner's (1999) research showed that performance in a capstone delivered via distance learning methods was higher for students who had previously taken at least one distance course. She speculates that capstone characteristics—integrative, creative, independent, self-motivating—may reflect the demands made of distance learners.

Hartenian, Schellenger, and Frederickson (2001) found that students in an integrated business course were extremely challenged by the demands of developing a semester-long case study of a manufacturing firm. They felt unprepared for teamwork and for shifting their perception of course activities from academic exercises to a real-world project involving an actual business. Their findings, as well as those of Sonner, Rains et al., and Novitzki (1998)—whose management information systems capstone worked well with nontraditional adult learners—suggest that a combination of student characteristics and preparatory experiences helps make capstones effective.

Using Capstones in Practice

"When learning activities and instructional techniques based upon the principles of experiential learning are applied in the capstone setting, the quality and benefits within these courses are improved" (Andreasen and Wu 1999, p. 76). Based on their findings, Andreasen and Wu developed an experiential learning model for capstones that has these components (pp. 75-76):

. Receive: An activity or experience is received by the learner. This activity or

experience may be developed by the facilitator, may occur during the capstone

course, or may have occurred during previous courses.

. Relate: Relating learned experiences to previously gained knowledge ties

experiential learning to the capstone course philosophy.

. Reflect: Reflecting upon the experiences received and relating them to each other

distinguish experiential learning from other types of learning.

. Refine: The refinement process causes further contemplation concerning the

applicability of this knowledge and its association to and with other knowledge.

. Reconstruct: Learners synthesize the subject-matter content and integrate it into

their knowledge base. They should then be able to apply what was learned to other

situations.

Within such a framework, capstone objectives should be matched with appropriate methods and activities, taking into consideration such contextual factors as student background, instructor's teaching style, and available resources (Thomas 1998). Common methods include case analysis, multiple role play, living cases, storytelling, and simulations and games.

Case Analysis. The case method has a long tradition of use in business education. Well-developed and appropriate cases can engage critical thinking and communication skills, bridge theory and practice, and expose learners to true-life problems (Thomas 1998). However, traditional cases can be static and dated, are read passively, and rely on text alone. In a business administration capstone designed around adult learning principles, Mundell and Pennarola (1999) applied a model that avoids these problems. Students are given an abundance of raw information sources; using groupware, teams reconstruct cases themselves from the data. They actively engage in interpretation and synthesis. The information sources are in interactive multimedia formats, including video. This model works best when students are, as in this example, adults with prior experience of teamwork, or when students are given training in group dynamics and the use of groupware.

Multiple Role Play. In this experiential method, students assume different roles in a hypothetical organization. In the semester-long case described by Hartenian et al. (2001), students were assigned roles in a fictional manufacturing company that were not the same as their major and were placed on cross-functional teams. In addressing case incidents, students had to consider the impact of their decision choices on their own function as well as others. They drew on their expertise (their majors) but also had to learn how to research and perform in other functions, in a realistic setting.

Living Cases. In a variation on case analysis, student teams work with local organizations to develop strategic plans or conduct projects. This approach develops research skills and fulfills the goals of integration and appreciation for the big picture. In a nursing capstone course, students attended seminars on leadership, assessment, and goal setting (Mellon and Nelson 1998). Then a self-directed student team created a health fair project for pregnant teens in collaboration with community agencies. They developed research skills through the collection of baseline data on their population. The project was actually implemented and evaluated as it would be on the job.

Storytelling. Storytelling is a part of organizational culture, communicating values, traits, and dynamics. Organizations use storytelling to make sense of their situation, induct new members, and bring about change (Thomas 1998). A capstone student teaching course in business education was conducted concurrently with the student teaching assignments (Keil and Olivo 1996). A primary function of the course was to provide student teachers a place to tell their practice stories, share ideas, discuss problems, and give and receive moral support. The capstone thus began the teacher induction process, fulfilling the bridging function of transition to professional careers.

Computer Simulations and Games. Widely used in business capstones, computer-based simulations "create an environment in which investigation can occur and students develop and use skills in hypothesis formulation, development, and testing" (Thomas 1998, p. 494). Fairchild and Taylor's (2000) agribusiness capstone uses The Business Strategy Game: A Global Industry Simulation by Thompson and Stappenbeck, in which students develop and implement a strategic business plan for a hypothetical firm and evaluate its financial impact on the organization's success. "The business strategy simulation makes business decisions and their consequences a reality, seriously challenges students in a team-based competitive framework, brings everything they have learned in the curriculum together in a meaningful manner, and creates new understanding from old material never before fully appreciated" (ibid., p. 13).

Successful capstone experiences depend upon the choice of activities and methods as well as characteristics and preparation of participating students. Some of the most effective teaching practices are requiring intensive writing and speaking, focusing on group work and team cooperation, using critical thinking to solve real-world problems, and involving real clients or representatives from business and the community (ibid.). Some hindering factors may include time constraints for both students and faculty; lack of retention of previous course material; lack of computer, team, writing, or communication skills; and difficulty developing or locating appropriate, high-quality projects, case materials, or activities (ibid.; Novitzki 1998).

In a capstone, which requires demonstration of mastery and self-direction, the instructor clearly takes the role of facilitator. However, "instructors sometimes have trouble becoming facilitators, and students very often have a great deal of trouble becoming self-motivated, self-directing learners" (Fairchild and Taylor 2000, p. 14). Capstones will best achieve their goals when the issues of student and instructor preparation for facilitation, teamwork, self-direction, and other requirements are addressed throughout the curriculum leading up to the culminating experience. Then students will be ready to bring together all their fragmented knowledge and skills into a coherent whole and to negotiate a successful passage from "the relative safety of the well-defined college learning environment" (ibid.) to the relative ambiguity associated with the world of work.