Hospitality - Chinese Student Placement - Dissertation Example

?Chinese Advanced Placement Issues I. Introduction Background of the Study The rapid globalization and growing diversity of the hotel industry have come up with various advancements and issues. Competition has also become a major problem for organizations. Companies are faced with the challenge of outperforming their competitors. Due to such advancements and toughening competition, organizations are challenged to enlist highly competent and qualified individuals. This entails that there is a great pressure for students to perform well. One of the initial steps in building a strong foundation for an organization is through recruiting competent and reliable individuals who could perform well as individuals while lining their outputs with the goals of the organization. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is something every organization should find highly relevant to ensure their continued success and capability to compete in the market. It goes without saying that no organization ever attained their level of success by relying on employees with substandard skills and performance; nor did any of them manage to stay competitive by hiring employees unable to maintain a consistent level of output. This being the case, it would be instinctual – practically second nature – for organizations to go for those applicants who exhibit the greatest skill and/or potential, or to train them to achieve an ideal level of competence. Organizations that fail to do this should themselves prepare to fail. It is important to note that employers are able to pick out individuals with high potential out of a pool of applicants. Thus, several recruitment practices are followed by employers. In certain cases where an employer has biases, Chinese applicants often have lowered chances of getting enlisted. With the growing need for highly capable individuals, employers have narrowed their eyes into spotting well-rounded applicants who could fill the needs of the organization (Bloch, 1994). This has become a major issue especially for individuals who belong in the minority, who in this case are the Chinese graduates. This gave rise to various forms of discrimination in the recruitment practices of employers (Bloch, 1994). Acquiring highly capable individuals are not the only problem of an employer; employee retention has also become one of the greatest problems among organizations. In the broad sense, employee retention refers to the effort of the employer to retain present employees in their workplace (Carsen, 2005). Employers are faced with the challenge to minimize employee turnover. Typically, this is done through hiring and training practices along with efforts to increase employee job satisfaction (Connell and Phillips, 2003). Additionally, organizations that were able to hire highly competent employees value the capabilities of such employees, since they are able to perform well while attaining both their professional goals and the objectives of the organization (Connell and Phillips, 2003). Thus, losing such effective individuals could lead to poorer workforce performance. It has become a great challenge for Chinese graduates to look valuable in the eyes of the employer. To achieve this, Chinese individuals must be trained well especially through their educational backgrounds. The Advanced Placement program is a great opportunity for Chinese students to learn the operations and processes that occur in their chosen disciplines, which in this case is the hospitality business. There is a need to identify the weaknesses of Chinese students in order to address their issues through various training programs especially the Advanced Placement program. Moreover, in order for Chinese employees to be of value to their organization, they must be well-prepared so that they could perform productively, effectively and efficiently. It is very important for Chinese students to have a solid educational background that would equip them with the skills needed to perform well in the Hotel industry. Research Objectives This study aims to determine the weaknesses of Chinese students in order to develop and improve their performance in the Advanced Placement curriculum and in their future jobs. By determining the weaknesses of Chinese students, the researcher should be able to come up with recommendations on how to hone the skills of the subject in order to improve or eliminate such weaknesses. Moreover, the researcher aims to conduct with the thought of improving the chances of Chinese students especially those in the Advanced Placement curriculum. Significance of the Study The findings of this study shall be helpful to students, teachers, and employers since the study aims to identify the weaknesses of Chinese students. By pointing out such drawbacks, teachers are able to adjust their lessons and course outline in accordance to the needs of the students. This entails that a much better and improved Advanced Placement program could be offered to students; thus Chinese students benefit from such program adjustments that generally aim to address their weaknesses. Moreover, employers could start to formulate training programs that could further sharpen the skills and develop the weak points of fresh graduates. II. Review of Related Literature Student Placement: An Overview The concept of students allocating a part of their undergraduate courses in the industry for actual practice is not new. However, it is significant to realize that there is inadequate literature with regards to the best practices for the management, evaluation, and support for each placement (Neill and Mulholland 2003). Over the previous decades, there have been issues regarding the traditional educational programs that have failed to meet the needs and demands of both potential employees and the industry. The necessary preparations among young individuals for future employment have led to various developments, such as those of national curriculum and concerns regarding core competencies for those between 16 to 19 years old. It has also become an objective for individuals who seek a higher education qualification to develop various competencies and qualities that can be relevant to the industry. These skills, knowledge, and attitudes should be primarily obtained, in part, through work that is experienced in actual industry settings that should be evaluated by both the employer and the educational institution. This can be normally achieved by allocating a sufficient period of time in an industrial environment, particularly through a compulsory placement year as an essential component. This way, the structure and funding of higher education in the United Kingdom can be further developed to effectively address their needs over the next decade or so. It has been recommended that all educational institutions should identify and provide opportunities in order to improve the potential of programs that can support students in becoming familiar with job experiences and assist them in reflecting on these encounters. After being able to recognize the processes relevant to the student placement process, the Quality Assurance Agency in the United Kingdom defined a successful learning opportunity for student placement as an experience in which the desired learning outcomes are defined in a clear manner, thereby enabling all involved parties to understand such aims. The responsibilities taken on by the education institution, placement provider, and student learners are all explained in a precise manner (QAA 2001). The University of Ulster (2001) produced a document that described the primary goals of student placement and work experience programs. This included the aim to increase the awareness of students with regards to the nature of work and allow them to establish constructive reflections in relation to such work; to help students in understanding and assessing the relationships among their work experience, personal development, and future development; to develop and enhance personal attributes, skills, and knowledge in relation to how organizations operate; to extend the academic program and allow the effective integration of professional practice; to establish and maintain the associations among the educational institution, placement provider, and the public; and to reinforce the application of learned theories to actual practice. Aside from the roles and responsibilities of all involved parties, the process should clearly define the ways with which students will receive the necessary preparations for placement, monitored during the actual placement, and evaluated during and after the process is carried out. Consequently, the significance of reflection once the placement has been completed is highlighted along with the ideas on how the remaining goals should be achieved (Neill and Mulholland 2003). Student Placement in Hospitality Sector Programs that support and enhance hospitality and tourism studies are primarily focused on the development of their students as they pursue their careers for the service industry; thus, this emphasized the essential relationship between educators and practitioners (Airey and Tribe 2000). Aside from focusing on the structure and content of the course design along with the desired skills, knowledge, and attitudes required from the students, courses require that a strong and continual link between education and industrial experiences is successfully maintained (Jameson and Walmsley 2006). The delivery of hospitality and tourism programs over the year has clearly demonstrated the perceptions that educators play the role of suppliers, similar to other service industries. While this is the leading viewpoint among many, it is also essentially inconsistent due to a number of issues. For instance, it has been assumed that all employers clearly know what they are looking for in their employees or would want in the future. Moreover, it has also been assumed that the needs of employers are similar to each other and that such needs are standardized among all employers. Within the hospitality industry, there have also been debates about training and skills development programs for students, such as who will provide the financial resources for this educational provision or who influences the objectives of the educational system (Gleeson and Keep 2004). In the United Kingdom, it has been reported that employers have the primary influence in providing vocational education. Modern Apprenticeships or the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative have all been carried out to meet employer needs, although there have been evidence of their ineffectiveness. Despite these series of initiatives, many organizations continue to experience shortages in skilled workers and difficulties in filling up certain job vacancies. Lack of competencies has also been shown to hamper innovation and reduce the potential for competitive advantage (Lashley and Rowson 2009). There has been little evidence of considerable improvements in the level of skills neither among hospitality workers nor in the quality and quantity of workplace training programs. In the United Kingdom, for instance, its educational culture has been characterized by limited requirements for employers to provide training for their management and staff; employers are also less active when it comes to engaging with educators and do not place value and importance on the skills and education of their employees (Thomas et al 2000). Although there are organizations in the hospitality industry that allocate time and resources for the recruitment and development of their members, others avoid training (Lashley, Thomas, and Rowson 2002). Jobs commonly vary with regards to their range and level of required skills as well as the amount of good judgment that employees are needed to practice in their work. While majority of services jobs have been associated with “McDonaldization” that employs a low skilled workforce with which members are considered as disposable commodities (Ritzer 2000), it remains erroneous to presume that every job in the hospitality industry is characterized by low levels of competencies. On the whole, there have been major difficulties for higher education professionals when it comes to engaging with the hospitality industry. In the United Kingdom, it has been a common tendency to fail to recognize and value education and competencies as well as the important function of academics in the business performance. Significant differences exist when it comes to employment strategies, services offered to customers, and organizational operations, thus the need to apply an effective process of integrating the academic aspects of students with the actual work settings. Chinese Students: Weaknesses and Difficulties In multicultural environments, higher education has become a great phenomenon in many countries. Well-developed nations that promote higher education, such as the United Kingdom, have attempted to establish and maintain their reputation as providers of training and education by declaring international education policies, attracting students at an international level. However, despite a wide range of opportunities, students from certain nationalities, including the Chinese, have experienced various challenges in adapting to their academic and work environment compared to local citizens (Hanassab and Tidwell 2002). For example, language ability is known to be one of their most common weaknesses with language inability can result to inefficiencies and inconveniences (Sun and Chen 1997). Academic performance has also been adversely affected in such a way that teaching and learning styles between the UK and China are greatly different; therefore Chinese students experience great challenges in academic adaptation. Aside from the unfamiliarity of rules and regulations along with language inefficiencies, actual interactive settings in the UK also greatly differ from those of China in which the Chinese demonstrate high levels of respect for authorities. This then prevents them from asking questions or challenging their supervisors for fear of negative impressions and other adverse consequences. The lack of communication and restrictive culture for ethics has also served as obstructions towards the learning of Chinese students in the UK setting. This has also been associated with social adjustments with which Chinese individuals have been reported to be inexpressive of their personal problems and have difficulties in establishing relationships with their peers (Ditommaso, Brannen, and Burgess 2005). Consequently, this can lead to low levels of security and self-esteem as well as increased likelihood for psychological problems and ineffectiveness. Due to such evidence that the Chinese students have been experiencing a wide range of personal and academic difficulties in the UK setting, the need for increased support and development for these individuals should be emphasized. Empirical Studies Advanced Placement courses are offered to high school students who aim to have an edge by the time they reach college. The longitudinal study conducted by Dr. Hargrove found that students who took and completed Advanced Placement courses significantly outperformed students who did not take advanced courses (Hargrove, 2007). The group concluded that students who had Advanced Placement credit were able to perform better in more advanced college courses. Findings indicated that Advanced Placement graduates were more prepared for the academic challenges in college. In another study conducted by Brown and Conley (2007) regarding the level of success among first-year college students, results showed that the curriculum in high school and in college should be vertically aligned. This yielded better levels of academic performance among first-year students who usually undergo an adjustment stage also known as the high school to college transition stage. Moreover, Brown and Conley (2007) stated that better alignment of the curriculums is challenging, but far from impossible. The study of Richardson and Blakeney (1998) supported the view that Advanced Placement courses offer a number of benefits for students in the placement year. Additionally, the ethnographically gathered data indicated that the benefits may be acquired in unexpected ways and contexts (Richardson and Blakeney, 1998). High school courses prepare students for college. It is important for students to undergo rigorous high school studies since these hone their skills enabling them to perform better in college. Moreover, drop-out rates were found to be lower for Advanced Placement graduates. The study of Santoli (2002) conducted in Yale, Duke, and Michigan Universities found that Advanced Placement students not only superior as compared to their peers, they were also more likely to perform better in a four-year college course. Another study was conducted on first year students in nine colleges who had at least 1 as their Advanced Placement grade. There were 1,115 students who were studied for four years. The findings stated that Advanced Placement students were found to have better academic grades as compared to students who didn’t take these advanced courses. Moreover, students who took rigorous courses were better prepared for college work and were more likely to acquire a bachelor’s degree in college. Furthermore, the drop-out rate among Advance Placement students was only at 15% while none Advanced Placement students had a 25% drop out rate. The Associated Press published an article in 2005 entitled the “U.S. Colleges Drop-out Rates Sparks Concern” (Preston, 2009). The article stated that in 1997, only 54 percent of the students entering their fourth year in college were able to acquire a degree by 2003. The Advanced Placement program became a significant consideration as a potential solution to this problem. Klopfenstein and Thomas (2005) stated that student who took Advanced Placement courses had higher college completion rates. Moreover, the study found that students who took Advanced Placement courses were more likely to maintain relatively high GPA and graduate from college with honors as compared to students who did not take such advanced courses. In the work “the Role of Advanced Placement and Honors Courses in College Admissions,” Geiser and Santelices (2004) found that taking the official College Board Advanced Placement examination and acquiring a score above 3 indicated the probable college grades of an individual. The study was conducted by Dillon (1986) on the top 50 colleges to have the most Advanced Placement program scores enabling them for credit. Results indicated that Advanced Placement on a transcript was accepted to serve as a proof of rigorous academic preparation, which is worth of special admission considerations. Significantly, students who graduated from Advanced Placement were found to have learned scientific inquiry, reasoning, analysis, and problem solving, which are all necessary in enhancing the performance of the student (Dillon, 1986). Students who have taken Advanced Placement classes are considered to have learned scientific inquiry, reasoning, problem solving, and analysis, all of which enhance course quality” (Dillon, 1986 from National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1982). Conclusion The Advanced Placement program is a great opportunity for Chinese students to build up their personal worth. Moreover, this program would train and prepare Chinese students in order to perform well in the work environment, specifically the hotel. These advanced courses also increase the academic success of Chinese students once they reach college. Moreover, studies have found that there is a great need for college level studies in high school; this a great indicator of the necessity to take up advanced courses if one aims to have an edge and head start in college. Furthermore, the Advanced Placement program was proven to have a direct relationship to the performance of college students. Those who took advanced courses were able to outperform their peers and even graduate with honors. Furthermore, Advance Placement graduates had higher chances of completing college, together with higher college performance. College performance is a great indicator of job performance. This is primarily the first thing employers look into. Thus, in order to increase the chances of Chinese students to perform well in the Hotel industry, a solid educational foundation is essential. III. Methodology Introduction This study aims to determine the specific weaknesses of Chinese Students in order to develop and improve their performance in the Advanced Placement program and in their future jobs as well. This section shall discuss the research approach, design, and strategy. Moreover, this section would also elaborate on the sampling and data gathering procedures. Research Approach The quantitative research approach follows the principles of positivism. This approach is characterized to be simple, straightforward, and efficient. Positivism breaks down a complex phenomenon into its simpler constructs which enables the researcher to have a better understanding of the larger subject (Gall, Gall and Borg, 2003). Reality is measured through empirical and numerical observations which are done through a structured set of procedures (Bryman, 2001). In addition, the research proper could be carried out while being efficient with time, effort, and resources. The quantitative research approach also has the capacity of gathering information from a large pool of respondents without sacrificing efficiency. In certain cases, researchers may opt to carry out supplementary qualitative procedures to further clarify the quantitative findings. Quantitative research commonly uses survey questionnaires as the data gathering instrument, which could be administered personally or through mail. Statistical analysis comes after the collection of data in order to make sense of the gathered survey questionnaire results. On the other hand, interpretivism capitalizes on factual and observable data, specifically the experiences of an individual. However, in order to collect comprehensive data, objectivity has to be sacrificed (Silverman, 1997). Subsequently, the researcher has to always keep in mind being objective when interpreting data. The qualitative research collects data in the form of narratives and text. Moreover, this approach works well in determining the experiences of individuals rather than coming up with universal laws and generalizations. Qualitative research collects information generally through interviews and focus group discussions. For the purposes of this study, the researcher decided to use both the quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The quantitative methods shall be used to collect data in large volumes in order to have a broad understanding and wider perspective of the population in its totality. In addition, follow-up qualitative procedures shall be carried out to clarify the gathered quantitative findings. Furthermore, the follow-up qualitative methods shall provide a deeper insight and comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand. Research Design The research design serves as a guide on the flow of processes in the collection of data, measurement of variables, and the statistical analysis of information (Gall, Gall, and Borg, 2003). This study utilized a descriptive-correlational design. The descriptive aspect of this research comes in the real-time observation and recording of information without any manipulation of data nor interference by the researcher (Bryman, 2001). The correlational aspect comes in the identification of significant relationships among the variables and in determining the strength and direction of such relationships. Research Strategy The quantitative methods are known for its structure and straightforward clarity. It requires intensive planning of the data gathering procedures and its analysis. Since this method is straightforward, the survey is comprised of closed-ended questions that could be answered by a fixed set of responses. Due to the standardized manner or responses, the depth of the findings is quite shallow. In order to compensate for this issue, follow-up qualitative data gathering procedures was carried out, specifically interviews and group discussions. The survey questionnaire served as the main instrument for gathering primary data, while certain responses of interest required follow-up interviews and group discussions. The reason for prioritizing quantitative procedures over qualitative methods is that quantitative procedures are more efficient with time, effort, and resources. Qualitative methods were only carried out in cases where interesting responses required deeper insights. Respondents were informed of their anonymity and the confidentiality of their personal information. This helped the respondents feel comfortable in the research environment, enabling them to provide candid answers rather than responses that are socially acceptable. In totality, the findings were more reliable and valid (Bryman, 2001). Sampling Procedure In enlisting the respondents for this research, purposive sampling procedures were carried out. Purposive sampling is a type of non-probability sampling wherein participants are selected based on their significance in the study. Respondents are selected by how well they qualify for the criteria set as the ideal and appropriate respondent. The criteria for selecting the participants were: Students 1) Must be Chinese 2) Must be in an Advanced Placement program within the last 6 months Teachers 1) Must be currently teaching in an Advanced Placement program Hotel Employee 1) Must be currently working in a hotel 2) Must be in the recruitment and human resources department The total respondents enlisted were 20, specifically 5 Chinese students, 7 teachers and 8 hotel employees. Data Gathering Procedures The first task in data collection is to gather secondary data from relevant literature. The secondary data would serve as the concrete background for this research. Related literatures were collected from various academic and online sources. The academic sources included journal articles, books and serials which were collected from libraries and other academic collections. Online sources, which were mainly articles, were gathered by using online search engines. The keywords used in searching online were: “Chinese student academic issues”; “Advanced Placement”; “Chinese employee training”; and “how to develop Chinese students”. Search results were reviewed accordingly. The researcher kept in mind that only articles in the context of the Hotel industry would be collected. Moreover, majority of the gathered online sources were in the top 6 of the list of search results. In building the sample, purposive sampling procedures were carried out. All in all, 20 respondents were enlisted, which was made up of 5 students, 7 teachers, and 8 hotel employees. The researcher sent out consent forms for the respondents in order to ascertain that only willing participants would go on with the research proper. This step is also essential in increasing the reliability and validity of the study. The survey questionnaires were administered personally by the researcher. There were several cases where the researcher had to conduct follow-up interviews and group discussions in order to clarify and have a better understanding of specific responses of interest. The accomplished survey questionnaires were gathered and encoded into the Microsoft Excel and was later inputted into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. The SPSS would generate tables that comprised of percentages, frequencies, means, standard deviations and other statistical units. The tables would be statistically analyzed in order to make sense of the raw survey findings. Summary This research aims to identify the weaknesses of Chinese students in order to develop and improve their performance in the Advanced Placement programs as well as in their future profession. The researcher decided to conduct both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. In addition, the descriptive-correlational design aims to determine significant relationships among the variables of this research. The respondents were enlisted through the purposive sampling method, where 20 respondents were recruited, specifically 5 students, 7 teachers, and 8 hotel employees. The researcher personally administered the survey questionnaire and conducted follow-up interviews and group discussions in order to clarify and have better insights of several answers of interest. The completed survey questionnaires were gathered and encoded into the Microsoft Excel and was transferred into the SPSS version 16.0. The program generated tables and graphs that were used for statistical analysis. The outcomes of the statistical analysis were used in order to come up with relevant conclusions. Appendix A- Questionnaire for Student Placement 1. What was the main reason as to why you preferred to undertake placement? 2. What were the good things about your placement? 3. What were the difficulties that you experienced? 4. Were you provided with clear information about the purpose of the placement, such as the learning outcomes or its role within the degree program? 5. How was the placement experience relevant to your course and future employment? 6. Did the placement experience improve the acquisition of skills necessary for your future work? (e.g. communicational skills, interactional skills) 7. How did the assessment process of your placement affect your degree classification and academic activities? 8. How would the placement experience prepare you for the world of work? References Airey, D, and Tribe, J 2000, “Education for hospitality”, in C Lashley, and A Morrison (Eds), in Search of hospitality: theoretical perspectives and debates, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. Bill, G 2000, Developing a questionnaire (pp. 45-53), British Library, London. Bloch, FE 1994, Antidiscrimination law and minority employment: recruitment practices and regulatory constraints, University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Brown, R, and Conley, D 2007, Comparing state high school assessments to standards for success in entry-level university courses, Educational Assessment, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 137-160. Bryman, A 2001, Social research methods, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Gall, M, Gall, J, and Borg, W 2003, Educational research: an introduction, Allyn and Bacon, Boston. Carsen, JA 2005, HR how to: employee retention, CCH Incorporated. Connell, AO, and Phillips, JJ 2003, Managing employee retention: a strategic accountability approach, Butterworth-Heinemann. Dillon, DH 1986, The advanced placement factor, Journal of College Admissions, vol. 113, pp. 14-17. Ditommaso, E, Brannen, C, and Burgess, M 2005, The university of relationship characteristics: A cross-cultural comparison of different types of attachment and loneliness in Canada and visiting Chinese students, Social Behavior and Personality, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 57-68. Dougherty, C, Miller, L,and Jian, S 2006, The relationship between advanced placement courses and college graduation, National Center for Educational Accountability. Geiser, S, and Santelices, V 2004, The role of advanced placement and honors courses in college admissions, University of California, Berkeley. Gleeson, D, and Keep, E 2004, Voice without accountability: the changing relationship between employers, the state and education in England, Oxford Review of Education, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 37-63. Hanassab, S, and Tidwell, R 2002, International students in higher education: Identification of needs and implications for policy and practice, Journal of Studies in International Education, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 305-322. Hargrove, L 2008, AP students significantly outperform peers according to two landmark studies by University of Texas at Austin researchers, Office of Public Affairs. Huntley, HS 1993, Adult international students: problems of adjustment, Available at: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/25/aa/cf.pdf. Jameson, S, and Walmsley, A 2006, A review of hospitality management education in the UK, Council for Hospitality Management Education, May. Klopfenstein, K, and Thomas, KM 2005, The link between advanced placement experience and early college success, Available at: http://www.utdallas.edu/research/tsp.pdf Lashley, C, and Rowson, B 2009, Lifestyle businesses: insights from Blackpool’s hotel sector, International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 511-519. Lashley, C, Thomas, R, and Rowson, B 2002, Employment practice and skills shortages in greater Manchester’s tourism sector, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds. Neil, N, and Mulholland, G 2003, Student placement- structure, skills, and e-support, Education and Training, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 89-99. Quality Assurance Agency 2001, QAA Code of Practice- Placement Learning, Available at: www.qaa.ac.uk/cop/COPplacementFinal/letter.htm Preston, SM 2009, The completion of advanced placement courses as an indicator of academic success in first-year college students, Liberty University Richardson, S, and Blakeney, C 1998, Accounting Education: An International Journal, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 101 – 121. Ritzer, G 2000, The McDonaldization of society: new century edition, Pine Forge Press, London. Santoli, S 2002, Is there an advanced placement advantage? American Secondary Education, vol. 30, no. 3, p. 23. Silverman, D 1997, Qualitative research: theory, method and practice. Sage Publications Ltd, Thousand Oaks. Sun, W, and Chen, GM 1997, Dimensions of difficulties mainland Chinese students encounter in the United States, Paper presented at the 1997 International Conference in Cross-Cultural Communication, Available at: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/26/a7/7d.pdf Thomas, R, Lashley, C, Rowson, XY, Jameson, S, Eaglen, A, Lincoln, G, and Parsons, A 2000, The national survey of small tourism and hospitality firms: 2000 – skills demands and training practices, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds. University of Ulster 2001, Faculty Placement Guide for Students and Employers, Available at: www.infc.ulst.ac.uk/informatics/placements/ Read More