Saturday, August 31, 2019
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer's â€Å"The Canterbury Tales†is more than just an entertaining collection of stories and characters; it is a representation of the society Chaucer lived in. In the late 14th century England the traditional feudal system was changing as the church was losing its importance and more people were becoming part of the emerging middle class. Chaucer's â€Å"Canterbury Tales†is a microcosm of this society because it demonstrates the social divisions known as the Estates, it illustrates the growth of the middle class and the decline of the feudal system, and it shows the corruption and power of the Church, and it embodies most aspects of the Middle Age.Feudal society was traditionally divided into three â€Å"estates†, which were roughly equivalent to social classes. The â€Å"First Estate†was the Church, the â€Å"Second Estate†was the Nobility, and the â€Å"Third Estate†was the Peasantry. The rigid division of society into th e three traditional â€Å"estates†was beginning to break down in the late 14th century England, and by the time of Chaucer, there was a rise of the middle class. In The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer is highly conscious of the social divisions known as the â€Å"Estates.†While the genre of The Canterbury Tales as a whole is a frame narrative, the General Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is an example of â€Å"Estates Satire,†a genre which criticizes the abuses that occur within the three traditional Estates.Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales embodies most aspects of the Middle Ages, whether it is in the form of immoral religious clergyman, poor, virtuous farmers, or the honorable knight. All these characters provide excellent examples of the many omnipresent themes of the Middle Ages. The prevailing values and themes of the Middle Ages included violence and revenge, religion and corruption, and social status and hierarchy.The times in which Chaucer's The Cant erbury Tales is set are tumultuous and are filled with suffering, conflict, and general animosity; as such, the ideas of revenge and thus violence are fairly prevalent. In a great many of Chaucer's tales, this theme is framed perfectly. An example near the end of the Reeve's tale after the miller discovers the scholars' treachery. â€Å"He [the miller] grabbed Allan by the Adam's apple, and he, in return, roughly grabbed the miller and hit him on the nose with his fist†(Chaucer 83). In this instance, not only a quick resort to violence is exhibited, but violence is used as revenge as the miller attacks Allan after realizing that he has slept with his wife. Evidenced by this, violent tendencies were often the most common, and the most appropriate response.In all of England, violence was seen as something of a way of life Curtis Gruenler, in a literary analysis, states, â€Å"[V]iolence on a large scale held English attention as spectacular victories against the French ear ly in the Hundred Years War were followed by a series of costly, disastrous campaigns†(Gruenler). War was a profession of many people in England including a character of Chaucer's, the Knight had fought in at least 15 battles and had essentially built out his entire livelihood based upon the battles he was called upon by his lord to take part in. In essence, violence was a universally recognized form of justice and retribution something that was explicitly pointed out in Chaucer's stories.Yet another theme is the presence of religion, or more specifically, the presence of corruption within religion. Many members of the pilgrimage have ties to religious office, and all but the Parson have in some way violated their vows or otherwise acted somewhat out of their bounds as a high ranking member of the Church. Chaucer illustrates this elegantly in the form of the Pardoner's prologue where he states â€Å"make an offering to my relics in this church [. . .] make an offering in the name of God, I shall absolve them by the authority of which was granted to me by papal bull†(Chaucer 288).After telling the pilgrims of this trick, clearly aimed at pocketing a good deal of money, he explains, â€Å"By this trick I have gained a hundred marks year after year since I became a pardoner†(Chaucer 288). The Pardoner is not, however, the only immoral religious character involved in the pilgrimage. The Friar, for example, has broken his vows as a clerical member of the Church, most prominently his vow of chastity.The Friar has engaged in relationships that have violated this vow, and when a child comes as a result of this interaction, he has gone so far as to marry the woman to her lover so as to cover his own tracks. All of these aspects of church corruption in The Canterbury Tales eventually come down to a desire for pleasure and money, something that plagued the legitimacy of the Catholic Church and eventually led to the religious reformation.Among th e characters a sort of social hierarchy became quickly apparent in the midst of these many travelers. A general character emerged that separated the pilgrims based upon their economic and social standings. There was a rather large contrast between the richest of the travelers and the poorest. For example, the Franklin was an owner of a large estate and lavish personal goods. Although he is deeply in debt, his social status is still far higher than that of say, the Plowman. The Plowman is one of the poorer members of the pilgrimage, but despite this he is one of the more cheerful and charitable members of the pilgrimage. This can be seen as Chaucer's means of expressing his feelings toward the social hierarchy of the times.Chaucer also weighs in on feudalism, the socioeconomic system of the time. â€Å"[Chaucer represents the] feudal arrangement of society [. . .] around the figure of the knight as a conception of nobility, and around the labourer a conception of commonality†(Morgan 8). Chaucer seems to see feudalism as a system that divides people into the wealthy nobles and the poor laborers. Chaucer also seems to recognize the presence of a middle class that seems to rise out of feudalism. For example, the figure of a merchant who gains his wealth by his own accord, specifically money trading, and is almost entirely independent of the feudal system.The Merchant is described in the general prologue as â€Å"[a] responsible man [who] kept his wits about him [. . .] Nevertheless he was really a worthy man†(Chaucer 6). In short, Chaucer saw the social structure of his time and saw certain things he had disapproval of, but indeed, he saw some other parts of it as beneficial to the betterment of society.To close, Chaucer's masterpiece The Canterbury Tales exhibits many prevalent themes and in such a way paints a picture of the times. He does this by talk of violence, religious corruption, and social structuring, all of which were very pertinent bit s of society in the time as they all formed a system that is looked back on and interpreted through works of fact and fiction such as The Canterbury Tales.
Friday, August 30, 2019
BBC The Next Five Years Essay
Introduction The purpose of this study is to investigate the information strategy of the BBC. Having reviewed the various modes of enquiry, we have decided that the unbounded mode is the most appropriate in this instance. Using this, we have investigated the BBCs’[1] IS strategy, examining the external factors that may have an affect upon its planning and design. In addition we have reviewed other issues pertinent to the BBC to determine the possible negative of these might have on the strategy. Finally we have looked at the next five years to evaluate the relevance that significant advances over that period might have on the BBC IS strategy. Enquiry system            In compiling this report we need first to decide what method we are going to plan our research upon. There are five basic enquiry modes ranging from the simple to the complex and innovative. Enquiry Modes 1) Inductive-Consensual            As the words suggest this mode of enquiry relies upon one reaching a single conclusion by using a restricted range of interpretations, for example from previous researches into the subject matter. The result is influenced by the general consent of these opinions. For example if one asked the question â€Å"Is public service broadcasting superior to commercial,†and this was only put to BBC employees, the consensus is likely to answer affirmatively. 2) Analytic-deductive            This mode approaches the problem or enquiry from a different aspect. In this case the problem is broken down into its component parts. Each one of these parts is then analysed and tested for logic. Once this process is complete a formula is used to build the results from the analysis of those parts into a single solution that addresses the problem. 3) Dialectic            One of the more complex of the enquiry modes, the dialectic mode is based upon conflict or different viewpoints. It does not question the data, simply the views that are expressed about it, working on the basis that by discussion of the variance a logical conclusion will be reached. A relevant argument for this mode would be the discussion about whether the BBC should be allowed to sell advertising space in the same way that the commercial media does. 4) Multiple reality            Multiple reality recognizes that people will approach problems from a predetermined viewpoint, based upon their own experience and training. For example an Accountant will look at the commissioning of a new revolutionary BBC sit-com from a different angle of the program planner. This process therefore relies upon the problem being addressed from a number of viewpoints, which will essentially come up with a range of conclusions. 5) Unbounded systems thinking            This modes works on the basis that, in any given situation, all modes of enquiry are automatically brought to bear, and therefore cannot be separated. Thus, when addressing a problem every viewpoint and conclusion needs to be taken into account. Similarities and differences            All of the modes described above have similarities. All five rely upon the fact that there is a situation to be addressed in the first place. Additionally the point of the exploration, review and analysis of this problem, for all of the modes is to a) gain knowledge and b) reach a conclusion based on that knowledge, or a solution to the hypothesis or problem posed. Modes 1 and 2 above are similar to the extent that they both have a singular approach to the subject matter, relying upon one viewpoint (or consensus) being the input and the result.            With modes 3 and 4 the similarities are that both look for a range of viewpoints from which to approach a subject and neither attempt or profess to reach a singular conclusion, preferring instead to provide multiple conclusions.            Mode 5, in theory, displays the most similarity to all of the others. This is simply because it works on the premises that, in the real world, none of the enquiry systems and modes described can operate independently.            Equally there are some major differentials between these systems. The key difference is in their approach to a given situation. Mode one differs from the others in that it relies upon a consensus of opinion from a limited range of sources and seeks a single conclusion. Mode two differs from three to five for the same reason, but it also differs from one in the it analyses the component parts of the problem, rather than relying solely on interpretation. Mode three and four differ from each other in that they treat the conclusion in a different manner, three allowing differing conclusions to be presented, and four, seeking argument between different conclusions. Mode fives similarity is also its difference to the others, namely that it does not limit itself to a particular enquiry mode, instead using all formats. Strengths and weaknesses            Inherent in all enquiry modes are strengths and weaknesses, which need to be recognised. Inductive-Consensual. The strengths of this mode rest in the fact that it is focused in one direction, making it simple to use and relatively quick to apply to a given problem. Its weaknesses lie in the limitation of approach and its reliance upon consensus of opinion. There is no attempt to check the validity of core data. Using the BBC example used in the mode description, there is no guarantee that the consensus of agreement is based on a genuine or, because they are employees of the BBC, biased and inaccurate opinion. Analytic-deductive. In this instance the strength comes from the fact that the component parts have been analysed before arriving at a conclusion. It bases that conclusion on logic. Its weakness comes from the fact that, like mode 1, it relies heavily upon a single source of operator to address the problem or situation. Both modes 1 and two have a strength that is also a weakness. This relates to the fact that both seek to arrive at a single conclusion. This is strength when given a task that asks for a definitive solution and the receiver does not want to input into this, but a weakness when asked for an opinion or range of solution.  Dialectic. The major strength in this mode is that it does allow for differing viewpoints to address a situation, thus relating itself more closely with a real world scenario. Similarly, the fact that it does result in a range of conclusions, and allow these to compete against each other to reach a conclusion is good when seeking a final unified approach. It means that all the options have an opportunity to be considered and discussed. The argumentative aspect can be strength insofar as such an approach can often lead to a tempering of divergent views. Weakness may Multiple reality. Like Dialectic, the multiple approaches have the strength of numerous viewpoints. In this case though, it presents all of the options. This allows the receiver to consider the options from their own particular viewpoint, before they make the final decision. Unbounded systems. The strength of this system is in its unlimited approach to a subject. Using this method ensures that it covers all possible aspects, resulting in a wide range of probable solutions. Its weakness rests in the fact that it is cumbersome and, if used as a tool for a conclusive result, could not facilitate this. In addition it would be a time consuming project. For the purpose of this study we will be using the multiple reality mode. Information Systems strategy – External environment Socio-political            The BBC is a public service broadcasting organisation. Because of this there are more socio-political factors that impact upon the corporation and its operations than with most other businesses. From a social point of view one has to look at both society as a whole as well as individual groups. Such groups can consist of ethnic, class and disabled minorities. All of these groups expect to receive equality of service from the corporation. This means that the corporation needs to ensure that it represents each group within all of its programme output. For example, it needs to ensure that within the public face of its broadcasting such minorities are adequately represented, be that in a factual or fictional environment.            On the political front the BBC also has to deal with a number of factions. In line with other businesses it has to pay heed to governments and judicial legislation, although the difference that exists with the BBC is that has a closer link in that it is a public corporation. Similarly, like other media, regulatory bodies overview its product and output. However, in addition to these, the BBC has two additional political factors to deal with. These are the Royal Charter, which has recently been reviewed (2006) and the BBC Trust.  Technological            Trust is one of the key issues, which dictates the rate at which new technology is taken up. Often the speed at which technology develops is the one thing that makes trust difficult to achieve. No sooner has a user familiarised themselves with one system than this is rendered obsolete by a new one. Davis (2002) in his paper written for the Joint Information Services Committee posed the question that many users were asking. â€Å"How sure can one be that the outcome of an interaction is what it purports to be?†As it operates within the business medium, the BBC has greater access to technology than other organisations. It is an integral part of their broadcasting environment. This includes such areas as Broadband, digital and interactive technology. Internally it uses similar modern technology to other media businesses, in terms of computers, network systems in addition to the TV and radio broadcasting technology. The latter includes such things as cameras, film equipment and outside broadcast vehicles. However, as Paul Cheesbrough, BBC head of technology for production and technology direction, admitted in his interview with Miya Knights (2004), their internal systems do need updating in a number of areas, where he says, â€Å"Internally, our processes for producing and authoring content have been the same for many years and are still very physical. It’s a very distributed set-up with lots of physically-based processes in between.†The internal technology of an organisation is important (Glasson 1996) Economic – Geographical            The BBC, unlike the commercial broadcasting media, does not receive money from other businesses in terms of advertising revenue, nor much in the way of sponsorship. It is funded in the main by a system of revenue from the television and radio licence, together with the annual financial support that it receives from the British government. Despite the wish, within some factions of the corporation to change this situation, so far this has been rejected. The only other of funding available to the BBC is the commercial sales it makes of its programmes to other broadcasting media throughout the world, including joint ventures, and sales of its products through other medium, such as books and publications, CDs and DVDs.            From a geographical point of view, the BBC is predominately a British based broadcaster, although it does have a world service for radio, originally set up with the intention of providing a link for armed forces overseas. Historically it has concentrated upon this limited geographical area through which to develop and market its products. However, it does produce programmes relating to and based upon many areas of the world. Nowadays it is also making use of the Internet through which to extend its audience. To add to its home-based productions, the BBC also buys programmes from other media throughout the world. Impact on IS strategy planning and design â€Å"The social, legal, political, ethical, and ecological issues facing business have never been more complex or more difficult to comprehend,†wrote Stephen Wartick (1997). This statement is particularly applicable to the BBC. The factors mentioned previously form an intrinsic element of its Information Services at the planning and design stage. From a social point of view the BBC is required to cater for all sectors of society. The means that part of its strategy has to be geared towards minority groups. In addition it has historically been seen as a provider of learning, necessitating part of its information system strategy to be used in that direction. Political issues also impact upon its planning and design because, as a result of the need to divert resources to other areas set within its charter, this means that there are fewer resources available to pursue avenues that it might otherwise wish to develop. There have been instances in the past where the political forces have tried to introduce a modicum of pressure onto the corporation and, knowing this is a possibility, must impact on the corporation strategy. The area where the BBC does appear to both holding its own, and in some respects, making significant advances, is in technology. Whilst internally there are areas that need addressing, from an external and production standpoint the organisation is keeping up to date. Here it has encompassed the changes that have occurred since the Information era began in the 1970’s, using modern technology to maintain its reputation as possibly the best broadcaster in the industry. The planning and designing stages are very important. As Paul Cheeseburgh (2004) observed â€Å"The term ‘digital islands’ means a lot in our industry, but there’s no point in moving from analogue to digital processes if those islands are disconnected.†Nevetherless they have made some of their processes more cost competitive as a result of technology, with the use of digital technology being an example of this. Economics probably has the greatest impact on the businesses IS strategies and their planning. Because its funding is subjected to restrictions than other broadcasters, this means that some of the innovative ideas that the BBC might wish to develop may not be possible due to financial restrictions. Similarly, it has a finite budget from which to take advantage of technology advances in the way that it would like to. Geographical issues have an impact on the IS strategy. Being a media corporation means that they have to plan for communication access sometimes to even the remotest parts of the world, and have a variety of climates to contend with. In the equatorial countries for instance, the corporation has had to make use of refrigerated broadcast vehicles. Impacts on IS strategy Risk Categorization Scales            As has been widely publicised, Information systems and Technology attract risks and these manifest themselves in a number of ways. In all areas of life and business, there is the risk of sabotage (Stewart 2000) Technology for instance, suffers from hacking, virus and other dangers instigated from outside sources. Then there are the mechanical and accidental risks.            Knowing that these events are likely to happen even in the best protected of systems, it is vitally important that this eventuality is recognised and addressed at an early stage. Kim Andersen (2005) in his book on the subject, shows â€Å"how getting things right†helps the information system. This is particularly relevant in a broadcasting organisation such as the BBC. At all stages of the development of an IS and IT strategy plan a consequence analysis should be carried out, this is relevant at each subsequent change as well. Within this process one needs to identify where the possibility of risks lies, what type of risks could attach themselves to the area in question and what the effect of those risks might be. Figure 1 (see appendices) gives an example of a consequence matrix. Effect/probability/Action Grid            Having analysed the areas of risks and the types of risks that could occur, one then has to categorise and evaluate the risk. This means that one needs to first work out what the effects of that risk will be. Will it be in favour of the organisations and its IS and IT, or will it be fatal. Or will it be somewhere between the two. The next step it to ascertain the probability factor. What is the likelihood of the risk occurring, negligible or certainly? Armed with this information one can then work out what action to take in terms of prevention, assuming that the risk is not to the businesses advantage. Figure 2 (see appendices) shows a simple grid detail the possible results of this analysis. Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA)            Following on from the previous analysis, the organisation needs to work out what impact this potential risk will have on the business. This can be categorised in three ways. Firstly there is confidentiality and privacy. The BBC IS and IT systems contain a lot of sensitive data, both from an internal and external point of view, such as staff and financial details. It could be embarrassing and costly if this information were to be obtained illegally, in addition to the fact that it could see the organization facing legal action for breach of confidentiality. This area will impact on the information system, (Mwangama 2006)            The second impact of risk could be to the integrity of accuracy of the data. If information is tampered with or altered in any way this would have serious consequences for the business.            The third area of impact is when the data or system is corrupted of deleted. In this case the system or database would be unable to operate and, in an extreme case the contents and data non-recoverable. Potential Negative Impacts 1) Technical            From a technical viewpoint the negative impact of the consequences of risk will attach to the strategy planning and design. For example the BBC would need to ensure that, by the introduction of new and more versatile systems and upgrades, this does not increase the risks. If this appears likely then the direction of the strategy will need to be reappraised. Similarly, if by installing new software the system becomes less secure in terms of the data access, the necessity and cost benefit of new software should be evaluated. This may result in technology and information system upgrades being delayed until such time as the security of the hardware can be guaranteed to be as risk proof as possible. 2) Non-Technical            The organisation also needs to look at the negative issues that the consequence of risk may raise in relation to human and business processing issues. Employees and others involved with the Corporation have a right to expect personal information to be maintained in a confidential and secure manner. The shoulders of the organisation that has the information, to keep it secure. In addition to this is the damage of such a risk to the business processes. It is not only losing of the programmes, which would prove costly enough, it is also the potential of lost data, which in some areas could be irreplaceable. Ethical Issues            Added to all of the above are the ethical issues surrounding risk. The BBC, like all organisations that keep sensitive and personal data, is subject to both the data protection ACT and their own professional code of conduct and ethics. These include a duty to not harm those for whom you are responsible for and to respect their right to privacy, which includes ensuring that any personal information that they give to you are kept safe. Thus it cannot be passed to a third party, either by the organisation itself or by the intervention of an outside party. Even if that third party is committing an illegal act it does not absolve the corporation from liability. In the modern legal environment, if such an event occurs, the possibility of legal action being taken the organisation is very likely. The code of conduct for the BBC also states that it sees part of its duty being to respect and honour human rights. This extends to ensuring that the technology that is installed within its systems offers the same rights.            In addition to the rights of the individual whose rights have been violated there is the impact that such a breech will have on the corporations’ own reputation. According to a newspaper report written by Owen Gibson (2005) the BBC recently revised their code of ethics to take account of some of these issues. The Next Five Years            Strategic planning for the future of information systems is important. (Ward & Peppard 2002) A business needs a â€Å"clear vision of where it is trying to go.†(Andersen 2004) and to produce the correct strategy the BBC needs to know what events will impact on the strategy. External changes In terms of the future, the next five years are likely to produce changes of significance in terms of IS and IT in a number of areas, in hard and software (Mark Haggerty 2006). The advances in wireless technology are one area where these advances are proving to be particularly rapid. This development will allow both television and computers to become really possible, with consumers able to carry the receivers in pockets. They will then be in a position of being able to view at any time and in any place. Wireless technology development will also have an impact on broadcasting in that it will allow ease of access for people involved in news reporting, such as with the BBC. Using these systems, particularly in their news department, the corporation will be able to achieve instant news reporting from almost anywhere in the world. In addition the reports will be able to be accessed and reported on air in real time, in other words as it happens. Continued development in satellite technology will also improve the ability of the BBC to achieve its strategy of moving closer towards a more â€Å"on-demand†consumer environment. Video conferencing is set to be one of the main growth areas in technology over the next five years. (Laura Hailstone 2006). This technology is already being used and implemented by a growing number of businesses. In addition to the business use, this technology is set to move into the private sector, allow for projects such as games shows to be conducted with participants not having to move from their home. With increasing computer technology being incorporated within television sets, the opportunities are available for television presenters to be able to interact directly with the consumer. There will be continued developments in the field of interactive media. The continuing improvements in this area will eliminate the need for there to be two or three machines in a household in order to give the consumer flexibility and choice. Within the next five years the facility of recording direct from the TV should improve substantially, allowing additional onset recording facilities, improving upon what systems such as sky offer already. Interaction will also affect the BBC’s learning facilities leading to closer interaction between teacher and learner, (G. Conole et al 2000). B. Davies (2002) also showed how modern and future information system developments are impacting on users in the education arena. An area of significant relevance to the BBC is the continued development of compact storage systems, such as the MP3. From an internal point of view this will mean less space utilised for storage of produced material, therefore reducing the corporations costs in the area of storage. With the increase in globalisation, business systems will also witness significant innovation over the next five years. Such programmes as the multi-national, multi-lingual supply chain software could be implemented within the BBC, providing it with more accuracy and accessibility in terms of its global operations, allow it to work more closely with the stakeholders who supply the corporation and ensure that the quality of the product is maintained. Internal changes            The BBC will see changes in a number of areas of IS and IT. It is expected that within the next five years media broadcasters will need to keep updating their technology and systems to meet the increasing demands from the public in the way in which programmes are presented. Digital development is something that the BBC sees as having a significant effect over their programming abilities over the next five years. From the point of view of the production side of their programmes, a test run on one programme has shown that it produces a significant cost reduction. More developments of this nature are planned. Development of the digital technology for the end user is also seen as a means of being able to extend the ability of the viewer to have more control over the way in which they organise their personal viewing or listening schedules. The corporation is planning to use this to restructure the way in which it produces programmes and extend the range of interaction with the consumer. Further developments on the World Wide Web are also being looked at. This will provide the BBC with the ability to make its services available in a number of new ways, including providing a service where programs can be downloaded and watched for a limited period, thereby avoiding the possibility of this being stored and affecting others possible sales of the programmes. As part of this development they are working with all of the major software organisations in the development of products, which will open new opportunities in terms of programming. The BBC sees, what its Director-General Mark Thompson (2005) â€Å"On Demand†television as the way forward in technology. In addition to this the BBC are also developing ways in which their programmes can be transmitted for screening on a range of portable devices. From an in house perspective the BBC sees that IT developments over the next five years will enable it to integrate all of its in house operations, linking together internal systems that previously have been disconnected. Internally there will also be changes in terms of office systems and other related technology usages. Microsoft’s chief technology officer, in his interview with Chris Nuttall (1999) stated that â€Å"every five years there is a revolution in the computer industry.†Therefore it is necessary that organisations like the BBC have a strategy prepared for it. Evidence Research shows that all of the changes outlined are evidenced. Tafazolli, Rahim (2006) comments â€Å"that the days of the totally wireless technology are close and that soon consumers will be able to access the media wherever they are.†Future Tech (2006), have noted that one organisation is already well advanced on a system of voice recognition for the purpose of media viewing, amongst other applications. The article also reveals that MIT are developing the computer glasses, which will make operation of computers and televisions much less tiresome, allowing the consumer to operate TV and Computer without using hands. The article also reveals that hardware companies are working to make the computer less visible. This means that, instead of the current box on the desk, they may be incorporated in the TV or portable devices, which can be, located and operated from anywhere. The BBC launched â€Å"Creative Future Project†. Part of the remit for this project is to continue to monitor the advances in new technology with a view to using the technology as part of its development strategy for the future. The project, and the BBC’s IT department are working with a number of the largest software houses, such as Microsoft and Apple, to development programmes and systems which can assist in the development of broadcasting. Energy consideration is already an area that the BBC is aware of. In the future the role of Information systems and technology will take on more significance in terms of its contribution to energy conservation, (J & R. Franchi 2004) Bibliography Andersen, Kim Viborg. (2004) The Past and Future of Information Systems. Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd Carpenter, Leona, Shaw, Simon and Prescott, Andrew (eds) (1988) Towards the Digital Library, The British Library, London Conole, G., Jacobs, G., Squires, D (ed) (2000), The Changing Face of Learning Technology. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1-3. Davies, B. (2002), How new technologies are impacting on users, Joint Information Systems Committee. Retrieved 17 July 2006 from: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=pub_inform2 Franchi, John. R. Franchi (2004) Energy, Technology and Directions for the Future. Elsevier Academic Press. Future Tech. (2006) Future Computing. Retrieved 12 July 2006 from http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jwb24/newtech/integrate.html Gibson, Owen. (2005) New Ethics Code for BBC. The Guardian Glasson, Bernard, C, Vogel, Doug, Bots, Pieter and Nunamaker, Jay (1996) Information Systems and Technology in the International Office of the Future. Chapman & Hall. UK Haggerty, Mark. (2005) GMS Software development. The next five years. Clientside News Hallstone, Laura (2006). VC market set to grow over the next five years. Retrived 16 July 2006 from www.vcunet.com Knights, Miya (2004) Interview with Paul Cheeseburgh: BBC sees new technology horizons. Retrieved 18 July 2006 from http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/analysis/2132111/bbc-sees-technology-horizon Mwangama, Ena. (2006) Information in the Next Five Years. Retrieved 18 July 2006 from http://www.comptechlib.com/326.html Nuttall, Chris. (1999). Windows to lose its crown within five years. Retrieved 10 July 2006 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/253592.stm/ Press Release (2006) Response to the white paper. Retrieved 16 July 2006 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/03_march/14/white.shtml Review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. (July 2006). Retrieved 17 July 2006 from http://www.bbccharterreview.org.uk/pdf_documents/BBCRoyal%20Charter_july06.pdf Stewart, R.A. (2000). Dam Risk Management (Invited Paper). Proceedings of the International Conference on Geotechnical and Geological Engineering (GeoEng2000). Melbourne, pp. 721-748. Tafazolli, Rahim (2006) Technologies for the Wireless Future. Wireless World Research Forum. UK Thompson, Mark (Director General) (2005) Creative Future Project. Retrieved 16 July 2006 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/thefuture/text/creative_future.html Ward, John and Peppard, Joe. (2002) Strategic Planning for Information Systems. John Wiley & Sons Wartick, Stephen L. (1997) International Business and Society. Blackwell Publishers [1] British Broadcasting Corporation
Toolwire
The immune system factor in both Blake's and Kevin's issues this week helped them by not letting them get sick. Both Blake and Kevin were present around some individuals that where sick. If you have a healthy strong immune system it will fight off infectonist diseases. The most common disease that is transfered or caught from one another is a cold. To prevent yourself from catching this infection cover your nose and mouth with you sleeve or shirt. Make sure you have and sanatizer with you at all times.After you touch a surface of a busy place or like for an good example say your in a hospital and there is people all around you sneezing and coughing you could go get a face mask and put it on. There are many ways you can prevent getiing an infection by carry hand sanitizer, or wash your hands, cover your mouth and nose around other people who are sick, or just stay home. These are just some suggestions. The immune system plays a very big role in everyones life. Some people have a very weak immune system unlike Blake and Kevin they could get sick or catch the infection faster than Blake and Kevin.Q1: 5 From what i have learned i will strat eating more healthier foods. I will cut back in going to a fast food resturaunts. i will get out and exercise more. I will also start reading foos labels when i go in the store with my mom to get grocreies. I will also tell my mom to start reading food labels and start getting more healhier food such as broccoli, carrorts, and more organic type foods. I will also cut back on using salt while cooking. I will try to get outside and exercise more. I will walk for about 3 miles one day. On another day I will jog for about a mile.Then on another i could ride a bike till i get tired. But before i do all that I will stretch muscles and strat off at a slow pace. Then i will start walking my dogs one day at a time. Walking them all at the same time will not workout. instead of me walking them they will be walking me. But maintaining a he althy diet and excersie daily and stay away from junk food will make you feel better. It will boost up your engery leave and you will be able to do more. Q2: The main health issue in June's apartment was the ventalation system. She found out that her a apartment building was old and had mildew in the are.This was such an easy problem to fix. She could either move to a different apartment or get a air purfirer. She did not want to move because she did not want to leave her parents. So they brought her a air purfirer. This seems to help her out alot better. She seemed to like that better than having to move and leave her parents behind. The air purfirer works pretty good in June's condition. It kept her from having to move all belongs out of that apartment into a new one. And she would have to try and look for one about the same price or more than what she has to par for her apartment.It also saved her money from having the inspector people come and look at because the mold can real b ad and they tell her the can't come back in her apartment for a few days or a few weeks depending on how bad the infestation is. But i think she made a right choice by geting the air purfirer. Q3: This experience of being a health coach improved my understandin of health and wellness by showing me that i need to start eating healthy and making the right decison when it comes to eating. It will also help me stick to a regular diet.It helped me understand how i could start doing things to better my life. It will help prevent me form getting diabetes, cancer, or developing cardiovascular disease. Being fit and healthy will also change the mood your in. If i was to eat better foods than i do now i wouldn't be grouchy all the time. But it's going to be hard for me to change my eating life style because i'm use to eat non healthy foods. I know this is making my risk high for getting an disease such as diabetes, cancer, or cardiovascular disease or make getting all three at the same time.W hich will be really bad. I'll try to start eating better and getting more help with maintaining a healthy diet. But if eat healthy will help me for getting one of those diseases even though it runs in my family i'm up for the challange. Being healthy is a big part of life. Being healthy will make your days more enjoyable, happier, and full of engery. This will also make you havean positive attitude towards that day and alos towards the people you work with. I think i need to start eating better and i would be less grumpy everyday.
Thursday, August 29, 2019
History of the Olympic Games Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
History of the Olympic Games - Term Paper Example Zeus, an Olympic god, was said to be the father of humanity. Zeus is said to have fought a god known as Cronus in a struggle for the throne with other gods. The demigod, Heracles, staged games in Olympia in honor of Zeus. The games aimed at encouraging good relations among the cities of Greece and showing the physical qualities accomplished by the youth in Greece. The ultimate importance of the games was religion. During the first recorded Olympic Games, a nude runner, by the name Coroebus, won the sole event at the competition. He was a cook from Elis, a town in Greece. He competed in 210 yards or approximately 192 meters and became the first Olympics champion in the history. The ancient Olympic Game events continued to occur every four years for the next 1200 years. In 393, CE, Theodosius I, the Roman emperor, decided to abolish games, claiming they had pagan influences. Emperor Theodosius was a staunch Christian. About 1600 years later, Pierre Coubertin, a young French aristocrat, began to revive the games. Coubertin was born on January 1st, 1863. Coubertin was only seven when Germans overran the French. The period was known as the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. This young French aristocrat witnessed the defeat of French military and he attributed it to a lack of vigor. According to Coubertin, sports were among the motivating factors needed to have France regain its place. He concluded that Americans, Germans and the British did not have any superior education compared to the French. His proposal was not met with much enthusiasm. His persistence to get France interested in sports continued. He planned and founded a sports organization in 1890. The union named USFSA was launched, and two years later he pitched the idea to have the Olympic Games revived (IOC 10). The games mainly featured athletics. Later, chariot racing and combat were introduced as Olympic events. All conflicts occurring during the games were postponed until the events were completed. To many, the origin of the Olympics games is shrouded in mystery. Another myth suggested that the first games occurred in 775 BCE after some inscriptions were found in the city of Olympia. The ancient Olympic Games featured boxing, javelin, running and equestrian events. The myth concurs that Olympic Games had a fundamental religious importance. Another similarity with the earlier myth is that ritual sacrifices were offered in honor of Zeus which was a famous statue. The idol was a divine hero and an alleged god of Olympia. According to the Greek traditions, a four-year period was known as an Olympiad, which was a unit of time. This is said to be the source of Olympics (â€Å"Olympic Movement†4). The Olympic Games became part of a cycle called Pan-Hellenic games. They included Isthmian, Pythain, and Nemean games. In the 5th and 6th centuries, the Olympics reached what was known as zenith. With the rise of the Roman Empire, the Olympic Games declined in terms of their importance. The Roman Empire gained power and influence over Greece. Emperor Theophilus II ordered the destruction of all Greek templates in 426 CE. This caused the Olympic Games to be officially ended. According to Coubertin, the revival of Olympics was necessary to bring peace and create friendship among nations. He planned and organized a meeting of seventy-nine delegates representing nine countries in just two years. The meeting was held in an auditorium decorated with neoclassical murals. In the
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Maternal & paediatric care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Maternal & paediatric care - Essay Example Rheumatic fever is an infection that can be compared to an inflammatory disease. It is said to develop two or three weeks after a group A Streptococcal infection. This type of infection is referred to through a scarlet fever or a strep throat.The basis of this kind of infection is found in cross reactivity that is created through a conflict between antibodies. Such an infection can affect various parts of the body. This includes the heart, joints, skin and brain (Robbins Basic Pathology). An acute version of rheumatic fever is said to appear in children who fall between the ages of five and fifteen. Adults are inflicted at a lesser degree with this fever. 20% of adults are thought to be affected by a first time attack of this disease. The results of this disease are said to leave a life long mark on the patient (American Heart Association). There are not many differences between a rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. While rheumatic fever can be caused by an inflammation, the heart disease caused by this kind of fever is known as rheumatic heart disease. The damage done by this infection to the heart is a direct result of the fever itself. Any patient who has suffered from this kind of fever is more susceptible to suffering from the heart damage which follows. This is the reason why patients who have undergone this kind of fever are given a monthly dose of antibiotics for the rest of their life. Any problems caused to the heart by the fever can lead to an increased risk to the heart and further complications such as infective endocarditic. Rheumatic heart disease leads to a clogging of the heart valves. Thus, rheumatic heart disease is a direct cause of the fever in itself and has the same symptoms and cure. There are many symptoms to a rheumatic fever. They are usually preceded by a strep throat that is responsible for causing the inflammation as mentioned previously which can later develop into a fever, chest pain and skin rashes. There are several ways to cure this type of a fever. It can be done with by reducing the inflammation in itself. This can be done using several ways. Anti inflammatory medicine likes aspirin or corticosteroids to help reduce the infection. If this medicine is not taken then the patient can suffer from acute rheumatic fever. Antibiotics can also be taken to cure the strep throat. Later in life, a recurring fever can be prevented by eradicating the infection with the use of antibiotics. Dehydration Dehydration is not a disease or illness. It is caused by an excessive loss of water in the body (MedicineNet). Another term for it is hypohydration where water is removed from an object. Because the water in the human body is responsible for possessing so many solutes a loss can lead to severe deficiencies. Thus, while the body losses its water it is coupled with the loss of important solutes needed by the body as well. Dehydration can be caused by a variety of reasons. These states or diseases can lead to the body's inability to impair water. The first of this can be blamed on external causes. Physical activity which can lead to sweating without the consumption of adequate water can cause this problem. Another is the exposure to humid weather which can lead an individual to lose water in an atmosphere of dry air. Along with this the individual's health can also affect their levels of hydration. These include vomiting, diarrhea or hyperthermia, any of which can cause a severe loss of water in the body. Infectious diseases can also be held responsible for dehydration: such as cholera, gastroenteritis or yellow fever. Another reason for dehydration is malnutrition which can lead to an individual receiving a reduced amount of water required for the body. The symptoms of dehydration can be easily discovered depending on the degree it has reached in the body. A mild dehydration can lead to
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Our Town The play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Our Town The play - Essay Example Although many of them may not realize this in particular, yet it is a fact that a vast majority of people living in the town of Grover’s Corners necessarily find time from their everyday schedule to get together, interact with one another. This is a means of promoting social relations and networking. An in-depth analysis of the play suggests that the most obvious interpersonal association exists in the form of romance in which is engrossed the courtship of Emily and George. Wilder is of the view that love symbolizes the innovation and achievement of humans. Although the plot of Our Town fundamentally revolves around romance, yet the range and variety of bonds that humans can build between each other as talked about in the play is quite vast. The range developed by Wild constitutes both platonic and significant kinds of relationships between individual characters of the play. In the very first scene that comes right at the conception of the play, the Stage Manager introduces hi mself to the audience as the story’s narrator and tends to build a rapport with the audience. This is essentially the narrator’s attempt to develop ties between the audience sitting offstage and the various characters that form part of the play and perform onstage.
Monday, August 26, 2019
Marketing Planning and Strategy (Organizations or Individuals) 1 Assignment
Marketing Planning and Strategy (Organizations or Individuals) 1 - Assignment Example A consumer is more important to the marketer since the marketer takes into account the disliking and liking of the consumer to produce goods and services in that regard. Studying consumer behavior is important in reference to research conducted by Gilligan (2012) on factors that influence purchase decisions made by consumers such as social influences, cultural influences, psychological factors and personal factors. Furthermore, Pride and Ferrell (2006) noted that these factors are especially vital when applied as marketing strategies. Some of the cultural influences that concerns marketers in marketing are religion, nationalities and lifestyle of the targeted consumers. Psychological considerations include how consumers feel, reason, think and select different alternatives. Also, Sorger (2011) stated that customer service considerations after marketing products, builds strong relationships between the organization and the consumers and enables companies to gain valuable information that helps in designing future marketing efforts that are more effective. Sorger (2011) further noted that social influences are values and norms that are held by the community that is marketed and they vary by ethnicity, way of life and race. If a marketer has the capability of analyzing these features of their potential customers, then they can tailor their marketing strategies. The understanding of utilizing information obtained from consumers is the key to a successive organization. Marketers can then utilize this information to focus on producing services and/or products that the targeted markets are specifically interested in and also figure out ways of developing effective
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Assignment 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3
Assignment 4 - Essay Example The alternative remedies or solutions must be solicited from the present employees of the company; and each suggestion/opinion must be fully considered in terms of its advantages and disadvantages for the financial upkeep of Sunbelt Video. If an alternate plan, aside from cutting hours and laying-off has been considered – then a significant period of time must be given to make the aforementioned alternate plan work. It is vital in any company operation for employees to actively partake in decision-makings with regards to the longevity of the company. After all, it is their bread and butter on the line. Relatively speaking, persons in authority must discern that leadership is mainly creating a goal and paving the way for others to follow. However, this means that those following the pre-set objective do not have any idea on how to accomplish the goal. Thus, it would be quite difficult for others to carry on where somebody has left off should any difficulties arise during the course of achieving the objective (Team Technology, n.d.). On the other hand, management that lacks leadership usually just handle things according to set principles and traditions, making sure that everything should conform within a pre-set guideline (Team Technology, n.d.) hence innovations are often dismissed and are rarely considered. professional manner where she must have a one-on-one conversation with him. During the course of the exchange, Bob must be made to understand the financial plight of the company and must be told that if he has any kind of grievances to air regarding management’s decision or otherwise, then he must approach the proper authority and discuss them accordingly. In true to life situations or circumstances, it is essential to consider all the factors so that the risk which will be undertaken or any unforeseeable risk as a result or consequence of a decision or action is minimized. In addition, real situations must be analyzed
Saturday, August 24, 2019
4_11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
4_11 - Assignment Example In realization of these, players in various sectors have to keep pace with the rising competition to give their consumers the best experience so as to remain relevant; otherwise, they face the danger of being faced out. The healthcare sector is one of the sectors where competition is common and helpful. The beneficiaries of competition in healthcare are the patient whose needs are met to the best of their expectations. This paper examines how various organizations in the healthcare sector are coping with competition. It will look into measures taken by these organizations so as to remain more competitive, and also on how they seek to offer the best experience to their customers. A research by The Heritage Foundation on Competitive Markets in Healthcare ‘The Next Revolution’ shows that competition in healthcare offers patients greater quality, more options, and lower costs. The research, conducted in the US, discusses several ways that the US government has over time tried to make its healthcare more competitive. One of the ways its federal and state lawmakers came up with was to instill competition, and make the industry operate like a traditional market. The study establishes that previous measures to make its healthcare more competitive had not yielded the expected results of financial gain. It takes the example of 2012, when the Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Douglas Elmendorf, turned down the proposal of a competition-based Medicare Premium Support Proposal. His explanation to the House Budget Committee (HBC) was that, based on the evidence of previous measures to enhance competition, there was no quantitative proof of i ts benefits. However, this study differs with Elmendorf’s assertion by explaining various instances where competition in healthcare has proven gainful. One of the fields where the research found competition to be beneficial is the utilization of care. The research depicts a perfect example of the
Friday, August 23, 2019
Tactics to reconstruct the completed buildings due to shifting of Case Study
Tactics to reconstruct the completed buildings due to shifting of project layout by the government agency - Case Study Example As the 5 individual buildings were privately owned and the external road works was under the auspices of the government, it means that the real situation at hand had to do with an amicable private-public sector engagement. A major climax of the private-public sector engagement came about when the client who is on the government side issued notice to the contractor to re-establish the settings of the all the 5 buildings to ensure that they do not conflict with the external road. It is important to note that construction had also started for all the buildings. Once the notice was received by the contractor to re-establish the settings of the road, he engaged with the owner and informed him about the demolition, a situation that merited claim for additional time and cost for the project. As a person tasked with the responsibility of Senior Contracts Administrator, I had a role of reporting to contractors Project Manager. This means that my role was very crucial in ensuring a successful engagements and negotiations between the owner and the contractor. The private-public sector engagement widened the stakeholder base of the project, giving rise to both external and internal stakeholders. Externally, representations from the GRA, beneficiaries of the external road, financiers and third party quality control administrators on the project were all stakeholders. Internally, the project owner, people living in the community, contractor, all employees under the cont ractor, including project manager, and other internal auditors and inspectors were part of the project’s stakeholders. Given the nature of the stakeholders, the stakeholder theory which sees the true ownership of a project as belonging to all people who may be directly or indirectly affected by the project applied. As part of the principles of construction and
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Was the Iraq war of 2003 driven principally by US interest in oil Essay
Was the Iraq war of 2003 driven principally by US interest in oil - Essay Example It is only in December 2011 that the US completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq. Since the post war era, a great attention has been raised as regards to the US motives of getting involved in Iraq. The Bush Administration proposed different justifications for its decision to invade Iraq. At the beginning, it singled out the threat to US national security caused by the alleged assembling of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by the Saddam administration and connection with international terrorists. Then, it emphasized the necessity to spread democracy in the Middle East in addition to also stressed Saddam Hussein's tyrannical regime and human rights misuse (Boot, 2003). However, many sceptics consider that all of these justifications were just distractions and bureaucratic arguments. In their view, the real key driver was US interest in Iraqi oil as it is one of the main components of global power. The Persian Gulf is the heart of the world petroleum industry. It holds 65 perce nt of the world’s oil reserves and 34 percent of the world’s natural gas reserves (Everest, 2004). The Gulf has strategic importance as the global race for oil has grown. Since the end of World War II, domination in the Middle East and control its oil supplies have been very important to US foreign policy. In pursuit of these objectives, the US made various actions – political and military pressure, overthrowing governments and even menacing the use of nuclear weapons. The subordination of repressive Arab rulers, the support of Israel and Shah’s regime in Iran are good examples of US attempts to control the Middle East. There are many disputes surrounding the role of the Iraqi oil in US invention of 2003. It is argued that one of the main reasons for this war was for the acquisition of the second largest oil reserves in the world. As it has become the major factor of today’s global military-economic-political balance (Fawn & Hinnebusch, 2006). Ther e are many arguments that this was mainly commercial purpose in order to maintain the US economy and oil lobbyist. Moreover, it is widely argued that Iraqi oil has great strategic value for the US as it could decrease dependency on the undemocratic oil producing countries and undermine their economic and political situation (Alkadiri & Mohamedi, 2003). This essay will analyse the oil factor in Iraq war 2003 and its role in American hegemony. It will analyse the case for the numerous attempts made in a bid to have control over Iraqi energy resources and analyse its relationship with the US policy in the context of this war. We however observe an almost failure for the Iraq case which further resulted into the US getting weaker in terms of global domination and in terms of energy security. This study is divided into various sections. The first section of the essay provides a positive opinion about the struggle for Gulf energy resources being a major requisite of Iraq war. The second s ection of the paper offers an in-depth analysis of US interest in Iraqi oil while the third section identifies the implications for US policy in achieving their main goal in Iraq war. What was the main origin in Iraq war? President Bush has been indicted by many people for concealment of his real motives for the Iraq war of 2003 (Pfiffner, 2004). To gain an in-depth understanding of the origin of the war, the essay will examine several sets of
Nature & Nurture Essay Example for Free
Nature Nurture Essay Is a childs development influenced primarily by genetics and biological predisposition? Or, could the majority of influence be found in the childs environment? This nature/nurture question is possibly one of the oldest theories debated in psychology (Bee, 2004). Today, it is commonly accepted that most aspects of a childs development are a product of the interaction of both nurture and nature (Bee). Both sides of the nature/nurture argument present compelling evidence of how each factor impacts development. It is no longer a question of whether it is nature or nurture, which influence development, but more importantly in what ways, and to what extent. The Impact of Nature on Development Nature, which is also known as heredity, is the genetic code you are born with. It is passed on to you from your parents. Some examples of nature or heredity could be your height, behavior, and IQ just to name a few. The issue of nature having a great impact on a childs development can be illustrated in the studies of twins. Flanagan (2002) explored the Minnesota study in which a set of twins was raised separately. In one case, a set of identical twins was raised apart, known as the Jim twins. They did not meet until they were almost forty and had many similarities even though they were raised apart. There was no real explanation for all their similarities except that nature must play a crucial role in development. The Minnesota twin study concluded that on multiple measures of personality and temperament, occupational and leisure-time interests and social attitudes, mono-zygotic twins reared apart are about as similar as are mono-zygotic twins reared together (Flanagan). This is a prime example that nature plays a significant role in our development. Another example of nature is the study of adopted babies. Families with adopted children share the same environment, but not the same genetic code (Flanagan, 2002). The Texas Adoption Project found little similarity between adopted children and their siblings, and greater similarity between adopted children and their biological parents (Flanagan). This example also shows how important the role of nature plays on a childs development. Knowing that nature plays a role in a childs development, educators can use this to determine possible disabilities. For example, if two parents have a reading disability, it is more likely that their child may develop a reading disability as well. It gives teachers a heads up on what to look out for. This can help educators be proactive and intervene at earlier ages. The Impact of Nurture on Development The influence of a persons environment on their behavior is a very commonly accepted factor. The question is how much can the environment affect the behavior and abilities of a person. Some basic factors such as nutrition can be shown to have an important influence on the abilities of a person. It has also been demonstrated that fears, through the experiences of children, can be learned. Most importantly, some behaviors, if not learned from the environment, will never develop. Environment plays a significant role in development as humans. When considering a persons environment in influencing ability, nutrition plays an important example. In one study, a group of children were given vitamin and mineral supplements for eight months. They were given intelligence tests before and after the eight-month treatment. The result was improvements in scores as compared to another group whom we not given vitamin and mineral supplements (Nature vs. Nurture, 2001). The results suggest that environment plays a role in the intellectual ability of people. It is not an illogical leap to understand this will probably extend to physical abilities as well. Another example of environmental influences in the behavior of people comes from a study done to an infant of 11 months. The infant was subjected to a terrible noise whenever he attempted to touch a white rat in the room with him. The child later displayed fear whenever he came in contact with anything white or furry (Nature vs. Nurture, 2001). A last example of environmental influences in behavior comes from France in 1799. A boy of 12 or 13 was found running with wolves. When he was discovered he was brought back into society. He never developed as a normal human and had tremendous difficulties in society (Nature vs. Nurture, 2001). This suggests that much of what we consider human behavior is socially learned. While no one would suggest that nurture is the only factor that needs to be considered in discussing behavior, it is definitely a significant factor in how we behave as humans. By ignoring the environment, we would miss a large part of what shapes and guides us in life. In conclusion, both sides of the nature/nurture debate present evidence which supports its impact on development. Studies have shown that heredity is a major factor in developmental similarities among twins raised separately (Flanagan 2002). Studies have also shown that nutrition plays a significant role in cognitive development (Nature vs. Nurture, 2001). Most experts agree that most aspects of a childs development are a product of the interaction of both nurture and nature (Bee, 2004). Interestingly, in recent years, new technology has enabled scientists to gain a deeper understanding of the genetic component of development, increasing interest on this side of the debate (Bee). Although no longer an all or nothing issue, the extent to which nature and nurture affect development will likely be debated for years to come. References Bee, Helen (2004). Child and adolescent development (Section 1, pp. 3). Retrieved July 28, 2004, from University of Phoenix website: www. myresource. phoenix. edu Flanagan, C. (2002). Nature and nurture: why are siblings so different? Psychology Review, 8(3), 23. Retrieved July 28, 2004, from the InfoTrac Database. Nature vs. Nurture (2001). Planet Papers. Retrieved July 28, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www. planetpapers. com/Assets/3492. php.
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Market structures in the Agriculture industry
Market structures in the Agriculture industry There are many types of market structure which are perfect competition, pure monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly. The market structure of Agriculture is perfect competition and sometimes referred to as pure competition. Agriculture firm is a perfect competition because it market structure characterized by a large number of firms so each of the firm in perfect competition produces an insignificant percentage of total market output and thus that no single firm can influence or control over the ruling market price. Â (Geoff Riley, 2006) Besides, the agriculture product is said to be standardized or homogenous. Its means that, agriculture product is a product where buyer cannot differentiate in terms of quality, packaging or labeling. Therefore, in agriculture market customers dont care which specific firm they buy from because it is absolutely identical. Therefore, the firms cannot charge different prices for the same product in the market. (AmosWEB Encyclonomic) Besides that, There are freedom of entry and exist from the market in perfect competition. This type of market is feasible in the long run and no firm will dominate the market and evict other firm. (Geoff Riley, 2006) Furthermore, each firms product supplied to the markets that are prefect substitutes for the product of others firms, so the demand for each firms product is perfectly elastic. Therefore, the firms in the perfect competition have no power to set the price they have to sell the product at the going market price. This type of firm are said to be price takers. (AmosWEB Encyclonomic) As a price taker, individual firms in perfect competition will sell their product at the equilibrium price. This can be shown in both figure 1a and figure 1b. Market Firm Price Price S P* P D Quantity Quantity Figure 1a Figure 1b At the equilibrium price, the quantity demand and quantity supply of the market is balance. The equilibrium price can be shown in figure 1a, where the supply and demand curve intersects with each others. The equilibrium price is at P*. At any price below P*, the market shortage of the product would exist. At this price the quantity demand is higher than quantity supply therefore it will causes excess demand in this product. Due to the product shortage, the buyer would bid among themselves for the limited supply and price would rise to eliminate the shortage. (Grey Parry and Steven Kemp, 2000). Conversely, if the price is above the P*, the market surplus of the product would exist. Therefore, it will cause excess supply in this product. Sellers will want to eliminate the surplus by lowering prices. That is because, when the price falls, the quantity of demand would rise to eliminate the shortage. (Grey Parry and Steven Kemp, 2000). When either supply or demand changes, the equilibrium price will change. As shown in figure 2a below, the increase of food demands from D1 to D2 cause the both price (P1 to P2)and quantity sold(Q1 to Q2) to increase. At the old equilibrium price of P1, quantity demanded will now greater than the quantity supplied. Therefore, the excess demand will result the quantity supply movement along the supply curve to a higher equilibrium price where the quantity of demand and supply is once again in balance. A decrease in demand for food would have the opposite effect, the equilibrium price will decrease and the quantity also will decrease. (Grey Parry and Steven Kemp, 2000) Food Price D2 S P2 D1 P1 Q1 Q2 Quantity Figure 2a A change in demand will result in number of factors which are: Bio-fuel production increase Furthermore, the diversion of food for making bio-fuels has lead to increased demand for bio-fuel raw material, such as wheat, soy, maize and so on. Therefore, the increasing in biofuel production causing less food available for human consumption and the price of food crops were increase dramatically. The most clearly example are the use of corn in the United States for the production of biofuels. In the about 25 to 30% of corn output in the US is used for ethanol biofuels. (CNET News, 2008 )Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75 per cent and these prices are higher than the previously estimated, a study by the recent report of World Bank (Sumanjeet Singh, 2009) As shown in figure 2b below, when the supply of food increase from S1 to S2, the food price will fall from P1 to P2 and the quantity demand will be movement along the demand curve to a new equilibrium price where the supply curve intersects with demand curve. Finally the new equilibrium price and quantity will P2 and Q2 . Food Price D S1 P1 S2 P2 Q1 Q2 Quantity Figure 2b A change in supply will result in number of factors which are: Natural disaster First and foremost, that cannot denied that the natural disaster bring a seriously influence on the food production. The worst drought happened in Russia last year damaged a largely number of wheat crop and cause the Russian government to cease grain export for the year. Seriously flooding in Australia also damages wheat crops and causes some of the crops were downgraded for use only as animal food. Consequently, the wheat crops were faced shortage in the past year and cause the price of grain food has risen sharply. (Dr. Grary Peters, 2011) Negative climate changes Beside that, the word agriculture suppliers were significantly decreased due to the global warming. Therefore, in the global warming period will result in additional price increase for the most important agricultural crops such as rice, wheat, maize, and soya beans. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute showed in December, it states that the global warming will increase the price of corn, wheat and rice by at least two-thirds by 2050. (Bloomberg, 2011) Beside that, according to the Integrated Regional Information Networks, IRIN, it state that within the next four decades maize prices could rise by up to 131 percent due to the global temperature and some of the African farmer might have to give up agriculture if the weather are getting hotter. (IRIN News, 2010)
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Signaling and Screening Approaches in Car Manufacturing
Signaling and Screening Approaches in Car Manufacturing Signaling and screening are key approaches to minimize judgmental errors in situations where there is asymmetric information. One such situation occurs when a firm wishes to assess individuals for consideration as a prospective employee. This report reviews and applies the different concepts studied to a car manufacturing company, Audi. The structure of the paper will be as follows: elaboration on various signaling approaches, an evaluation of the firm’s effectiveness and relative costs with respect to Audi, followed by showing the business outcomes subsequent to the use of different approaches. Finally, recommendations are made to allow Audi to boost its effectiveness in identifying the most suitable applicants. The Audi Group (AG) has been named one of the most successful car manufacturers in the premium and supercar segment. A total of 1,751,007 cars have been delivered by the company to clients compared to the 1,634,312 cars in the past fiscal year. Conversely, a new record was constructed when the main brand ‘Audi’ amplified its total number of units delivered by 8.3% to 1,575,480 vehicles. The AG manufactures in ten sites worldwide and these production sites consist of two plants in Germany while another eight other facilities are in Belgium, China, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Russia, Slovakia and Spain. Moreover, its front-line logistical practices; synchronised Audi assembly system and an extremely competent workforce of approximately 73,751 assure uniform standards globally. Since each Audi production site attains high standards of excellence, productivity and conservational suitability, this could be the reason for the many awards received by the AG in 2014 which includes the ‘Best Employer Award ’and ‘World Car of the Year’. While some theories hold common views, others have conflicting ones. For instance, the human capital theory identifies that an increase in level of education has critical impacts on profitability and productivity. On the other hand, pure signaling theory states that education does not result in productivity towards the society and questions the investments which individuals made when seeking them. Under human resource management, signalling often occurs during the recruitment process. This is illustrated by Spence (1973), where it shows that signaling theory is concerned with reducing information asymmetry between two parties. Spence (1973) developed the labour market to showcase education as a signal. As employers have limited information regarding on the quality of job applicants, these applicants thus obtain education to signal their quality and reduce information asymmetries. Hence, Spence’s model emphasises on education as a way in transmitting characteristics that are unobservable of job applicants. The next signaling theory utilises two variables- high and low quality firms. In this model, imperfect information exists, where firms know its own worth, while external sources such as investors and customers do not. A choice is then made by each firm on whether to signal its true qualities to outsiders, based on the different payoffs that are presented to them. For each of the different quality firms, two payoffs will result for the various decisions made. The high-quality firm will receive payoff A if it chooses to signal and B if it chooses not to. As for the low-quality firm, it will receive payoff C and D for the respective decisions. Since both firms are assumed to make rational decisions, they would choose whichever option which gives them a higher payoff so as to be better off. With this assumption, there would be a separating equilibrium where high-quality firms are motivated to signal and low-quality firms are not (i.e. when payoff A is greater than payoff B and payoff D is larger than payoff C). It also effectively enables external sources to identify high-quality firms from low-quality firms. However, a pooling equilibrium occurs when both types of firms benefit from signaling (i.e., A > B and C > D) and outsiders can no longer differentiate between the two firms. From the financial economists perspectives, firm debt and dividends are used as representation of signals on firm quality. These signals will influence the external environment of its opinions on the quality of firms. Ross refers to this quality as ‘‘an unobservable skill of the business to earn positive cash flows in the future using financial structure and/or managerial incentives as signals’’. By doing so, only firms of high-quality are able to make interest and dividend payments over a long period of time as low-quality firms cannot bear such payments. Understanding the concept of quality is important since it is a distinctive factor in most signaling models. Quality refers to the fundamental, unnoticeable capability of a signaller to satisfy the demands or needs of an outsider observing the signal. This idea of quality may be similar to reputation and prestige, but are essentially derived from the signaler’s unnoticed feature. Based on the understanding of concepts from various approaches, three elements of the signaling process are identified: the signaller, the signal and the receiver are looked upon. Moreover, each of these elements below will be illustrated using Audi, the selected manufacturing company. Firstly, signallers are known as insiders that can acquire information concerning an individual, product or organisation that external parties are not entitled to. The insiders include directors or executives of the Audi Group. Information obtained can either be positive or negative and usually consists of confidential and high level details on Audi’s products or facilities. As the information is confidential to the insiders, it allows for some aspects of privileged perception on the primary quality of the individual, product or organization. The next element is the signal itself. This is the point when insiders make a decision on whether to share the information to external parties. In a signalling theory, the focus is on relaying positive information to achieve positive organisational attributes. For example, distribution of shares is a form of negative signal which displays that executives believe the company’s stock price is overvalued. The insiders’ main aims are to reduce information asymmetry while the negative signals sent are often an unplanned consequence of the insider’s action. An efficacious signal comes in two forms signal observability and signal cost. ‘Signal observability’ refers to the extent to which external parties are able to notice signals. When the steps taken by insiders are not easily detected by outsiders, communication with receivers will become unlikely. ‘Signal cost’ under the signaling framework will contain the fact that a number of signallers can absorb the associated costs better than others. For instance, the costs related with gaining ISO9000 certification (a certification which considers different aspects of quality management) are high due to the process of accreditation being relatively time consuming as well as preventing false signaling. Nevertheless, a high-quality manufacturer would find ISO9000 certification less costly unlike a low-quality manufacturer as a manufacturer that is of lower quality would need to implement more changes in order to be presented the accreditation. False signaling occurs when a signaller does not have the basic qualities connected with the signal but trusts that the benefits of signaling outweigh the costs of producing the signal. Therefore, in order for signaling to remain effective, signaling costs have to be planned so that false signals do not pay. The final element is the receiver. Based on the signalling models, receivers are the exact opposite of signallers whereby receivers do not have access to information regarding Audi but wants to have it. Hence, there is a conflict of interest such that any deceit would allow the signaller to have an advantage over the receiver. Signaling ought to have a strategic outcome which typically comprises selection of the signaller in favour of other possibilities. The approach on this signaling is that outsiders will benefit directly or collectively with the signaller from the decision made based on the data attained. To illustrate, the receiver can choose between hiring, purchasing, or investing. By reading the signals carefully, interested applicants will be able to identify if the skills and capabilities that the individual have are the right fit for respective firms and thereby do a self-selection for the firm to consider the applicant on hiring prospects. Audi engages using various aspects, besides putting in place attractive monetary benefits, to send out indirect but positive signals to show that Audi cares about the employees’ well-being. These aspects include the provision of job security, professional development, and healthy working environment between coworkers and supervisors along with other attractive non-monetary incentives. Audi is dependent on the skills and commitment of employees of excellent traits. Thus, feedbacks are often performed amongst employees to measure the extent of satisfaction levels. Due to its prominent existence and continuous international growth, Audi is capable of using its national and international ratings to signal themselves as an attractive employer worldwide. For example, it is known that Audi has the biggest manufacturing facility in Germany and has even invested in an institution that provides training and learning opportunities to employees. This effectively allowed Audi to become the few top employers in the region with over 33,729 employees. Employers need to find ways to motivate employees in order for signaling to be effective as dedicated and well-trained staff is vital for Audi to progress and succeed. One way is through personnel development where employees are led, challenged and cheered on in the beginning so that their fortes and ideas can be applied. Thus, an organized, intensive and reliable model for the ideal improvement of all workers is being executed. The organizational structure of Audi is another signal that attracts many job applicants. What the company looks for is neither the rank nor the period of service of an employee, but rather the loyalty, performance and capabilities that makes them an asset to the firm. This shows that Audi has a decentralized hierarchy where specific knowledge is required and responsibility is at all levels. Hence, being a recruit may not necessarily be a disadvantage. Moreover, supervisors evaluate an employee’s performance by making the decision on his/her wages increment and future prospective of the individual by communicating with each other. This method is also closely linked to promotions where Audi uses the concept of ‘‘good performance – good opportunities’’. It gives an employee the opportunity to learn as much as possible from various divisions through a manner of ‘on- and off-the-job’ selection. Most companies use salaries to signal applicants and/or employees. Audi has effectively put the signal to right use when the rewards received by employees are considerably greater than the initial negotiated amount. With profit-sharing distribution, satisfaction levels are likely to increase, in turn driving motivation. Each individual employee’s credentials, proficiency and former experiences determine the amount of remuneration he/she receives. Audi ensures that new entrants are assured a healthy work life environment where a range of benefits are available and entitlement to ‘‘open-ended contracts’’. These benefits cater to families where childcares are taken into account for employees; and to individuals where health insurance is of utmost importance to maintain as a strong health-focused workplace. More importantly, Audi takes care of its employees even after retirement through the ‘old-age pension scheme’. This may be the reason for Audi’s recent achievement of the ‘‘Best Employer 2014’’ title as employees are never hesitant about praising the company to others. The above section desribed many effective signals which Audi uses to attract potential employees. However, due to the outcome of demographic change and overall value formation processes, Audi still faces the risk of a shortage of professionals and/or skilled workers. As such, the human resource division are found to be focusing heavily on individual development, supporting the employees with extensive training programs to help them develop multiple skills. However, Audi failed to realise that these signalling approaches are very costly to the firm and needs to be reviewed through the following recommendations which could reduce cost significantly and at the same time achieve efficiency. In this model, there are two periods considered: the probation period and the non-probation period. Audi can adopt the probation model by first assessing employees during the probationary period with a relatively lower pay. If the worker is able to pass this probationary period, then a high wage is given subsequently. This effectively ensures productivity and constant monitoring of employees so that the right type of applicants is attracted to the company. By having an ‘old-age pension scheme’ for its retiring employees, it shows Audi’s valuation and treatment of its employees. A suggestion to allow senior employees of various specialties to join the senior management or board of directors for recruitment assessment of new applicants could be a relatively more cost-effective measure and the risks of selecting the wrong applicants would definitely be lowered as senior employees have the knowledge and experience to screen for potential employees. Self-selection, in the context of recruitment refers to a process whereby the right employees for the business decides to apply while the wrong employees does not. Hence, it is crucial for organisations to send signals to attract applicants and it would be an added bonus if signals are presented such that individuals perform self-selection for consideration. Bearing this in mind, Audi may consider a ‘‘piece-rate contract’’ which indicates the pay levels received by the individual when he/she attains a certain level of productivity. Thus, Audi will be able to deter less skilled workers from applying and only skilled workers are being screened. Besides conducting satisfaction surveys, Audi should instead implement a suggestion scheme where employees can provide valuable inputs to improve productivity and ensure the safe operation of manufacturing. To encourage participation, a reward in the form of extended off-day leaves or sponsored specialized education can be provided to the employee whose suggestion is acted upon by Audi. Audi can consider including other forms of incentives which consists of individual incentive plans and/or team incentive plans. Individual incentive plans can be ‘‘straight piece-work’’ system where work is less challenging and more acceptable by employees since it can be easily understood. This ensures that employees are more comfortable with the task given and will be motivated to produce efficient work. While it has been noted that Audi uses profit-sharing distribution on top of bonuses, it would probably be a better incentive for the firm to use stock ownership or options as awards instead since the effect on financial statements would be minimum and the additional profits earned by the firm could be used for further enhancement in research and development. Overall, the signaling theory is a useful indictor to describe the conduct of individuals or organizations when information is available. Normally, the sender will decide on the method and audience to send its signals to while the receiver learns to interpret those signals. However, the use of signalling approaches needs to be an appropriate fit to the business so that additional cost would not be incurred at the extent of the organisation’s and employer to employee relationship growth. Taking Audi as an example, if Audi is able to improve on its signalling approaches, the business will continue to be an attractive employer worldwide in the long run.
Monday, August 19, 2019
Leonardo Da Vinci :: essays research papers
     Leonardo Da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and naturalist. He was born in Vinci, Tuscany and was the son of a notary. He studied painting with Verrocchio in Florence. He worked at Ludovico Sforza’s court in Milan as an architect, military engineer, inventor, theatrical designer, sculptor, musician, scientist, art theorist, and painter.      Leonardo wanted his paintings to express the laws of light and space and of sciences like anatomy, botany, and geology. He often accompanied condemned criminals to their execution to study the expressions on their faces and he dissected thirty cadavers to perfect his knowledge of anatomy. He was fascinated with the dynamic movement to be found in nature. He was considered a genius and a very handsome man and is still thought of as on e of the most gifted men in the human race.      One of the things that fascinated everyone about him was the enticing smile he painted on the faces of some women. It was called â€Å"more divine than human†and seemed to move before our eyes. The mystery of the smile is most often associated with the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous images, but it first appeared 20 years before in the angel from The Madonna of the Rocks.      There are several theories as to whose smile cast such a spell on Leonardo. One of them is Cecilia Gallerani, who was celebrated for her beauty and was painted by Leonardo when she was seventeen. However, no one knows where that portrait is. It is said that he painted her again as Lady with an Ermine and then as the angel in The Madonna of the Rocks. He seems to have loved the painting of the angel so much that he kept it for himself and painted another one.      Another theory is that, previous to Leonardo, painters outlined their figures, so that they stood away from the background in stiff, immobile poses. He deliberately omitted outlines, blurred and softened the corners of the eyes and mouth, blending light into shadow, giving life to his figures.      Lastly, during the Renaissance, well-born maidens were carefully schooled to â€Å"charm†. Women were advised to close their mouths from time to time at the right corner with a suave movement, and open it slightly at the left as if you were smiling secretly and perhaps Leonardo was just painting the way a thousand well-born ladies smiled in his day.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
How changing the concentration changes the rate of reaction. :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation
How changing the concentration changes the rate of reaction. Introduction We are going to look at the following factors during this investigation: 1 Why altering rate could be an advantage 2 Good ideas to control the rate of reactions 3 Briefly mention the factors that can change the rate of reaction such as: - Temperature Surface Area Catalyst Concentration I am going to find out if changing the concentration of nitric acid in water and see if it has any effect on changing the rate of which precipitate is formed when reacts with sodium thiosulphate. Prediction I think that a faster reaction will happen with a higher acid concentration as there will be more successful collisions with sodium thiosulphate, which will result in a faster reaction because the product will be produced quicker. Apparatus 1 Conical Flask 2 Beakers 3 Measuring Cylinders Paper with a black cross on Stopwatch Nitric Acid Sodium Thiosulphate Water Safety Glasses Method For my experiment I will measure out 25cm ³ of Sodium Thiosulphate and put it in a conical flask. I will put the flask on top of a piece of paper that has a black cross drawn on it. I will then measure 15cm ³ of Nitric Acid and add this to the Sodium Thiosulphate in the conical flask. The two should react together to make a cloudy precipitate and we are going to time how long it takes for the liquid to turn cloudy until we can’t see the cross underneath the glass anymore. We are going to carry this experiment out a number of times but each time we will decrease the volume of Nitric Acid by 1cm ³ and add 1cm ³ of water. Each time we will decrease the Nitric Acid and increase the volume of water to see which one holds the fastest reaction. Our final amount of Nitric Acid should be 5cm ³ and 10cm ³ of water. I will repeat the experiment 3 times to make sure that my results are as accurate as they can be. I will then record my results onto a graph so I can compare them better and make a line of best-fit graph to show my results even clearly. How will I make it a fair test? To make sure that my experiment is fair I will always use the same amount of Sodium Thiosulphate and the only factor I will change will be the volume of Nitric Acid and water but only to total 15cm ³ so the depth of the liquid will always be the same. Also, I will always use the same conical flask and wash it out after every time I have used it. Evaluation First of all we put our safety goggles on, and then we added 25cm3 of
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Alike or Different Essay
We can try and change ourselves, by changing our appearance, putting on makeup, wearing different clothes, jewellery, etc. But it’s not just a case of appearance, but it also involves the person underneath that mask everyone tries to hide behind. Nobody has ever tried to look at the person underneath before judging them. It’s just ego that stands in the way. What will the result be when people are stripped of all their accessories, when that mask is removed? What we get is a rollercoaster of emotions. Things that people can never guess are hidden underneath. And that’s yet another similarity, which makes mistaken judgment also put into account. Feelings are also something to look at. For example, people do get happy, angry and sad in different situations, but everyone still gets those emotions at times, regardless of reason. And everyone goes through the same life cycle, how they’re born, turn to children, then the teenage, middle aging comes after, then being old, and finally death. Everyone will face death someday. And everyone is made by God, and made of the same materials, as some believe. Everyone eats and breathes, everyone has the five senses, nobody can live without a vital organ, and no one can have supernatural powers. And these are all similarities. * A lot more people don’t believe in that saying, they believe that people differ in a lot of things, and the things that they have in common with others can be looked at from a different angle, making them into another difference. For example, everyone is a human being, but everyone is a different kind of human being, depending on personality, looks, and abilities. And the fact that everyone has a dream that is to be fulfilled can also be a difference, like everyone has a different dream and a different goal for the future. As for the life, everyone does have a life, but it depends on how they live it, and how everyone uses it that makes a difference. Besides, some people are born to have the personality to be good leaders, and others have the power and will to work hard in what they’re good at, while others don’t treasure their abilities, and instead they use it for their own good, to get the better out of things, while they cause hurt to everyone else around them. That’s an example of being and not being able to be a useful person, to not use life wisely, and another way why people are different. Some believe that people differ in how they look (both on the outside and the inside), how they react to things around them, their personality, beliefs, ethics and religions. What can also count as a difference is how everyone is raised, what they’re taught to believe, where and when they were born and who they lived with. People often adopt habits from those they live with, which can sometimes be good, and sometimes be bad. That can make a lot of differences compared to someone who was born rich, lived rich, and died rich. Another way of looking at things is people’s appearance. Some people really care about how they look, and always try to look their best at times. Some wouldn’t give that subject a second thought. Some do care, but not so much. And that’s related to both personality and physical appearance. Language spoken is also a difference. And the fact that some of us can do something that others can’t, which comes down to ability. Furthermore sometimes people have disabilities that others don’t have. Sometimes there are illnesses and diseases that run in families, and some inherit that disease and some don’t, which is another difference. If we try and list these differences they will not have an end, and just thinking would take long too. So it’s not a case of what is the same and what can be different, it’s just how people think about things in their own point of view. So regardless of what there is that can be used as an argument, and however we think the ones who think the opposite are wrong, and no matter which angle we use look at things, it all goes back to opinion, and opinions are very important. And my opinion stays the same, but what about yours? And what’s more important is to reason why we look at things from that point of view, and if we really are being fair, or if we are just judging others by what we think of them, and how we think of them. And most importantly, are we really being fair, or do we just think we are?
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