Week 4

Assignment 11
1. A narrow valley
2. The separation of mind and body
3. Knowledge about's one memory processes
4. Techniques used to assist students' comprehension of reading materials
5. A flood of rain

Assignment 12
1. Answer the question: geirriteerd
Meaning of the word: geirriteerd
2 Answer the question: slijmbal
Meaning of the word: sociopath
2. Answer the question: boos
Meaning of the word: vijandelijk

Assignment 13 & 14

Accelerating towards crisis: a PR view of Toyota's recall

Japanese carmaker Toyota seems to be having done everything right it’s crisis communication. Still after analyzing Toyota’s handling some flaws show up. The central problem is its perceived delay in identifying and addressing the situation. Corporate denial appears to have been the order of the day. This problem is caused
by two elements in the company’s culture.

- An obsession with quality, if anything is less than perfect denial follows.
- A hierarchical approach to management and a lack of open communication.

Another problem is that the malfunction struck Toyota at its core. The company is build on trust and reliability. If this happens swift measures are to be taken. Toyota failed and it seems they are responding to events rather than setting the agenda.

In a crisis the executive manager should be the face of the company, however this does not mean that he should be the spokesman of the company. Toyota’s GB's managing director,Miguel Fonseca, probably causes more confusion and concern in an interview on the BBC Breakfast on Friday.

Concluding Toyota has made some vital mistakes in its crisis communication. Hopefully Toyota's recent troubles encourage more businesses to recognize the impact that crises can have on a business's long-term reputation and take steps to protect themselves as a consequence, then at least some goodwill has come from recent events.

Inside Al Qaeda
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/04/inside-al-qaeda.html

Nine years after 9/11 the 16 year old Afghan boy Hafiz Hanif tells his story. He has been and Al Qaeda soldier for 16 months.

Hanif’s parents never approved his running to the jihad. He’s a bright student, good at math and fluent in English and Arabic as well as Urdu and Pashto.

Eventhough Hanif has seen many of his associates killed, he has also seen a constant stream of willing recruits replacing them. He’s seen how even the tiny number of Qaeda operatives can act as a force multiplier, making other groups more deadly in their war against America. Hanif grew up among Taliban warriors and has dreamed of joining since the age of 7.

One day early last year he was recruited by Baitullah Mehsud, who is notorious for using young suicide bombers. Within days he was taken to the jihad-controlled North Waziristan, but he never reached the city. On his journey he met a few Taliban warriors and decided to join them.

He learns to drive a car and motorcycle, and to make a suicide vest in only 4 hours. He was training with boys no older than 12.

Hafiz is a dedicated Al Qaeda warrior willing to kill himself to become a shadid.