Monday, September 30, 2019

Global Supply Chain Presentation Briefing Notes

You do not need to conduct in depth analysis using the equations we have looked at in supply chain planning or in global supply chain design You can consider the different variables which are used in these equations, which impact on supply chain planning and network design Part of the task is to manage the level of content in the time period you have. In your future careers you will be asked to present on projects for which you have undertaken considerable work; the skill is ensuring you get across what you think are the key points to your audience, which makes them want to find out more.Don't be afraid to question the approach your client is taking – they are obviously experts in their field for their company and you have had limited insight into their operations and they know this. However, we are asking you to consider your role to be that of a consultant, to bring in a different perspective, to question. As long as you are taking a logical approach which is well supported, your recommendations and insight are welcomed! The Task Critically analyse the challenges that your company faces managing their global supply chains.Outline how the company has addressed these challenges where possible and present your recommendations. You must ensure that you cover the key aspects of global supply chain management which we have discussed in topics one to five; however we would advise that you focus your presentation on just one or two of these topics which you consider to be especially relevant to your company’s operations. You must therefore justify why you view these topics as being of particular importance for your company. Each group must include application of appropriate frameworks in their presentation.Presentations which are mainly descriptive will be marked down as per the assessment criteria. All material must be clearly referenced using Harvard. The Topics and Some Questions to consider in relation to the challenges they face†¦ As outlined above, you need to demonstrate your understanding of the following topics – they do link together, but you do not need to cover every element in detail – focus on one or two areas which you feel are particularly relevant to exploring the challenges the company faces (but justify why in your introduction).Foundations of Global Supply Chain Management What are the macro trends impacting on their global supply chain? (ensure a balance, don't just focus on macro trends as one topic – you need to demonstrate how it links to the management of their global supply chain) Networks and Cycles in their supply chain? Supply chain processes; ‘Push' or ‘Pull' approach employed? Supply Chain structure to meet business objectives? Strategy in relation to nature of demand/supply – agile, responsive, efficient, risk hedging?Managing Supply Chain Performance: SCOR Plan, Make, Source, Deliver, Return – are there any areas of weakness or potential threats i n your client's global supply approach in these areas? Green strategy? Global Supply Chain Planning What forecasting methods are used? If not, what do you think might be some of the risks the company faces? Where do you think might be some of the ‘cost pressures' in their supply chain which would impact on profitability? Designing a Global Supply Network Location decisions?If you feel increased demand for their product may arise from new markets in say China, and you consider the location of your company's current manufacturing plants, what might be the risks associated with increasing capacity at their current manufacturing plant? If relocation is an option, what factors would you take into consideration? How might this impact on the overall design of their global supply chain network? Global Sourcing Make or buy decisions – challenges your company faces? Risks with their current strategy? Relationship with suppliers? Factors influencing the total cost of ownership?

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Children and Advertising Essay

Children are the most vulnerable to advertising. They are the most susceptible because their minds are immature and are unable to distinguish good advertising versus bad advertising. Television commercials have a huge impact on how it affects children. Commercials are the biggest form of advertisement geared toward children. â€Å"Children between the ages of two and eleven view well over 20,000 television commercials yearly, and that breaks down to 150 to 200 hours† (MediaFamily, 1998). Television advertisements geared towards children have the biggest market by far. â€Å"The advertising market in 1997 showed that children under twelve years of age spent well over twenty-four million dollars of their own money on products they saw on television† (Kanner & Kasser, 2000). Kanner and Kasser go on to say that advertisers have even hired psychologists as consultants to help the advertisers come up with fine-tuned commercials that attract children (2000). In 1999, a group of psychologists wrote to the American Psychological Association asking them to restrict the use of psychological research by advertisers to help sell their products to children. This letter also called for, â€Å"an ongoing campaign to probe, review and confront the use of psychological research in advertising and marketing to children† (Hays 1999). â€Å"Some child advertisers boldly admit that the commercials they use exploit children and create conflicts within the family† (Kanner & Kasser, 2000). Kanner and Kasser also say that, advertisers work very hard to increase their products â€Å"nag factor†. This term often refers to how often children pressure their parents to buy the item they saw advertised on television (2000). The effects on advertising to children can be very noticeable. There have been numerous studies done that document that â€Å"children under eight years old are  unable to understand the intent of advertisements developmentally, therefore  they accept the advertising claims as true† (Shelov, S., et. al., 1995). â€Å"The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to say that children under the age of eight cannot distinguish commercial advertisements from regular television programming. In addition, advertisers have become sneaky about the way they convey their product† (Shelov, S., et. al., 1995). For example, when the announcer says, â€Å"some assembly required† for a toy, it is at the end of the commercial and the announcer speaks very quickly. Sometimes, the disclaimers are written in small print and shown at the end of the commercial, and are not understood by most young children. Excessive television viewing often times causes higher obesity rates among children. Children often see foods that are high in fat and calories advertised on television and end up consuming too much of these foods. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that the bombardment of advertising for food and toys to children may result in the increased number of conflicts between parents and children. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that, â€Å"advertising directed toward children is inherently deceptive and exploits children under eight years of age† (Shelov, S., et. al., 1995). Cigarette advertisements seen in magazines or billboards are an area that is in need of change. â€Å"In 1988, teenagers alone spent well over $1.26 billions on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco† (Shelov, S., et. al., 1995). This number has rose significantly since 1988, and continues to rise rapidly. Although there is an advertisement ban of cigarettes on television, logos and billboards are prominent in televised sports. This makes television advertising of cigarettes very prominent. There were two studies down in the early 1990s on cigarette advertisements. This study looked at how familiar children were with the Old Joe Camel logo on Camel cigarettes. â€Å"These studied revealed that nearly one third of three-year-old children, and almost all of the children over the age of six could identify the Joe Camel logo. By the age of six,  the Joe Camel logo was as familiar to children as Mickey Mouse† (Shelov, S., et. al., 1995). The advertising campaign for Camel cigare ttes was more  effective among children and adolescents than it was among adults. â€Å"In 2000, a study showed that on average, eighty-two percent of children in the United States see the numerous magazine advertisements for cigarettes† (Siegel, 2001). Alcohol advertisements on television are another touchy area. â€Å"American children view nearly 2000 beer and wine commercials every year on television and these ads specifically target young people by showing the â€Å"advantages† of drinking† (Shelov, S., et. al., 1995). There is a public health interest in trying to protect children from alcohol and cigarette advertisements. â€Å"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends banning all tobacco and alcohol advertisements in the media, but some researchers believe that counter-advertising advertisements are more effective† (Shelov, S. et. al, 1995). Recently though, there have been counter-advertising campaigns aimed reducing the number of young people who smoke. In 2001, the â€Å"I Decide† campaign started airing on television. â€Å"This anti-smoking campaign, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health, is the current anti-smoking campaign in Illinois. The â€Å"I Decide† advertisement aired on local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and the WB networks in Winnebago, Macon, Champaign, Tazewell, Sangamon, Peoria, and McLean counties. I Decide advertisements also run on the following cable networks, ESPN, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, and TBS† (Illinois Department of Health, 2002). Alcohol and cigarette advertisements are still around and promote the wrong message to children. The effects on advertising to children can be very evident. There are laws and organizations out there to help protect children from advertisers. Advertising is a powerful tool in American culture today; it exists solely to sell  products and services. Advertising to children has not always been legal. ‘In 1750 BC, the Code of Hammurabi made it a crime to sell anything to a child without obtaining consent† (Shelov, S. et. al, 1995). Things in the advertising industry have changed significantly since then. In 1978, Michael Pertschuk, the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, tried to restrict television advertisements aimed at children under thirteen. Due to a  ferocious lobbying campaign, his proposal did not pass (Kanner & Kasser, 2000). In the last fifteen years or so, there have been a few laws passed about advertising to children on television. â€Å"The Children’s Television Act of 1990 mandated that all broadcasters must show either educational or instructional children’s programming in order to renew their broadcasting license. This act also limits commercial time to ten and a half minutes per hour on weekends, and twelve minutes per hour on weekdays† (Shelov, S. et. al, 1995). Shelov and others continue on to say that, the main problem with this law is that television stations can cite public service announcements to fulfill the Children’s Television Act. They also said that this Act also established the Children’s Television Endowment Fund, which encourages the development of new educational programming for children (1995). There is currently an organization called the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) that is part of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. CARU reviews advertising and any promotional materials directed at children in the media (Council of Better Business Bureau, 2000). The Council of the Better Business Bureau continues on to say that CARU’s main duties are to review and evaluate child-directed advertisements in all forms of media, and to review the online privacy practices if they affect children. â€Å"If the advertisements are inconsistent or misleading with CARU’s Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Children’s Advertising, they seek change through the voluntary cooperation of advertisers† (2000). They work closely with advertisers to promote educational messages to children that are consistent with the  Children’s Television Act of 1990. The CARU’s Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Children’s Advertising gives criteria for evaluating advertising that is child-directed. There continues to be many more organizations out there that help protect children from advertisements. Until advertisers stop targeting children, there will always be a need for organizations that help protect children from advertisemen ts. It seems to me that the best ways to protect children from what adults fear will harm them- alcohol, drugs or advertising, is to set an example by our own behavior. We can talk with them  and encourage them to talk about the subject. The effects of media are minimized when parents talk to children about them. Whether we like it or not media education begins at home. The Internet is also another medium where children are at risk. Numerous web sites feature advertising to children. † In fact, many web sites are set up exclusively for children, such as, Nickelodeon’s and Disney’s. A growing number of web sites are now eliciting personal information. Some even use incentives and gifts to get e-mail addresses or other personal info† (DeFalco 1996). There is a very important law that helps protect children on the Internet. In April 2000, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA) took effect. â€Å"This Act says that if any personable identifiable information about a child under thirteen years of age is collected online, a privacy notice must be posted† (Federal Trade Commission, 2000). â€Å"Website operators must also get parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing any personally identifiable information. In addition, this Act allows parents to review any personal identifiable information collected from their children. When the parents review their child’s personal information, they have the right to revoke their consent and ask that the information they collected about  their child is deleted from that website† (Federal Trade Commission, 2000). The Federal Trade Commission also says that site operators are required to list any third parties that the website operator gives information to, about a child. If the list of third parities changes, the website operator must have parental consent again (2000). The Center for Media Education (CME) is an organization that is dedicated to protecting children online by visiting websites to make sure that the COPPA rules are being enforced. CME is a national nonprofit organization, which dedicates itself to creating quality electronic media culture for children  and youth, for their families, and for the community. Their research focuses on the potential for children and youth in this rapidly evolving digital media age. â€Å"Over the years, CME has been the leading force in expanding both children’s educational television programming and fostering television and Internet safeguard for children and teens† (Center for Media Education, 2001). The Internet is an area that is growing rapidly, and is one area where children are the most vulnerable to advertising. Advertising to children also has many positive benefits, for both the marketers’ pocket and for the development of the child. â€Å"Kids are little human beings that need to grow up and learn valuable lessons, that throughout their lives they are going to want things that they can not have† (Fletcher and Phillips 1998). Also, in the media demanding society that we live in, learning how to decipher the truth of advertising messages is critical. Likewise, advertisers argue that parents still have ultimate control over household purchasing decisions. This presents an opportunity for children to learn to respect authority, which is another step critical to a child’s development. Additionally, advertising money helps pay for educational opportunities. â€Å"Without  advertising there would be a lot less toys and a lot less children’s programming such as Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network† (Fletcher and Phillips 1998). Marketers are also using their advertising dollars to benefit education in other ways. â€Å"Cadbury, Pentax, C&A and Coca-Cola are advertising in textbooks and other learning materials such as wall charts† (Marshall, 1997). Due to under-funded school budgets, money may have not been otherwise available to pay for these supplementary educational materials. Advertising to children definitely has both positive and negative benefits that help and hinder the development of the child. Regardless of the effects  that marketers have on our youth, advertisements will continue. Mainly in part due to the high amount of dollars involved. New areas of the ethical debate will also continue to grow. Some of these new issues are the controversies that are arising from the exponential growth of the Internet and of global marketing. Both governmental agencies and parents need to be aware of this continuing debate as these new issues arise. Also, awareness needs to be developed on how these new issues affect children based on existing psychological research so that parents and the government can react in the best approach possible. The boundaries in media and advertising are rapidly changing. Young people will benefit more by learning to make intelligent media (and consumer) decisions than by attempts to limit their exposure to information that they will inevitably be exposed to regardless of the regulatory climate. Works Cited Center for Media Education. (2001). About the center for media education (CME). Retrieved March 20, 2002, from Http://www.cme.org. Council of Better Business Bureau. (2000). About the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU). Retrieved January 30, 2002, from Http://www.caru.org/carusubpgs/aboutcarupg.asp. Federal Trade Commission. (2000). How to protect kids’ privacy online. Retrieved January 31, 2002, from Http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/kidsprivacy.htm. Fletcher, Winston and Phillips, Richard. (1998, May 29). â€Å"A children’s character for advertising; analysis of advertising which targets children.† Campaign, page 28. Hays, C.L. (1999, October 31). Group says ads manipulate children with psychology. New York Times, p. C6. Illinois Department of Health (2002). I decide. Retrieved March 20, 2002, from Http://www.idecide4me.com/html/campaign/schedule.asp. Kanner, A.D., & Kasser, T. (2000). Stuffing our kids: Should psychologists help advertisers manipulate children? Retrieved January 30, 2002, from http://www.commercialalert.org/ Marshall, Caroline. (1997, September) â€Å"Protect the parents; exploiting parents and children via advertising.† Management Today, Page 92. Mediafamily (1998). Children’s advertising and gender roles. Retrieved January 31, 2002, from Http://www.mediaandthefamily.org/research/fact/childgen.shtml. Mediascope (2000). Children, health, and advertising. Retrieved January 31, 2002, from Http://www.mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/cha.htm. Shelov, S., Bar-on, M., Beard, L., Hogan, M., Holroyd, J.H., Prentice, B., Sherry, S.N., & V. Strasburger. (1995). Children, adolescents, and advertising. American Academy of Pediatrics, 95(2), 295-297. Siegel, M. (2001). Tobacco ads still aimed at kids, experts advise stronger protection. Ca, 51(6), 324-326.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

ARID REGIONS IN JORDAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ARID REGIONS IN JORDAN - Essay Example (Tarawneh et al 2008) Background In uses of water in Jordan, agriculture consumes 68%, industry gets only 4% and balance is meant for individual consumption. Source: Ministry of Water and Irrigation, HKJ. Reference: http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/geo_env4.html Along with scant water resource, Jordan is suffering from non availability of natural energy sources such as oil, natural gas, and coal. Thus, Jordan’s water problem becomes more critical. Some of the demographics of the Jordan are worth enumerating: Area: Total: 92,300 sq km Water: 329 sq km Land: 91,971 sq km Population Distribution: 38% in Amman; 34% in Irbid and Zarqa; and 28% in the remainder of Jordan. ( About Jordan 2011) Looking at the present water scarcity and the population growth of the Jordan, multi pronged strategy is required to increase the supply of water for domestic consumption and surplus to be diverted to agriculture and industries. Options Various options are to be exploited based on the cost, availa bility of technology and time required to implement the plan. However, some of the options are essential to exploit to make the water availability to a decent level. Short term measures are required to be put in to action as they are must before thinking about any other long term solutions. Short-term Measures Replacing All Piping and Revamping Distribution Systems Stopping leakages and the spillages is essential and important need of an hour to make the optimum use of water. The distribution of water in Jordan is done through GI piping. The life of such piping is not found to be more than 15-20 years. It gets corroded during the period. It has been observed that total supplied water never reaches to the end users in full. A huge part of the supplied water is finished in leakages due to corroded piping. The replacement of the piping should be carried out at the earliest as water is precious and cannot be allowed to waste in this way. Currently, High density polyethylene piping is a most convenient mode of carrying the water for domestic supply. These piping lasts more than 100 years and quite sturdy and noncorrosive in nature. Underground Recharging with Rain Water Underground recharging with rain water throughout the region is the foremost necessity in a bid to tackle the water crisis. This option should be taken on priority basis and the community should be taken into confidence while implementing such plans as their involvement is necessary. Rain water as surface water in lakes or canals will have much higher evaporation losses and needs to be preserved through underground recharging. The neighbouring country Israel has successfully made the best use of artificial recharge technique and in a single year, way back during 1967-68, had recharged over 100,000,000 cubic meter of rain water. (Harpaz, Yoav 1971) Recycling and Treating the Domestic Streams for Agricultural Use In order to conserve the water, the next step in line is to collect all used water from t he town of Amman and taken to a nearby treatment facility where all suspended impurities will be removed and then to be treated for domestic pollutants. The treated water then is suitable for agricultural use and should be released to farms through pipe lines. This will conserve the fresh water for domestic purposes. In view of the shortages of fresh potable water for domest

Friday, September 27, 2019

Foodborne Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Foodborne Disease - Essay Example The means from the two groups were examined and a t-test was performed in order to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between their food safety knowledge. It was determined that there was a difference in food safety knowledge between the two groups and researchers recommended that a food safety educational program be administered to employees in order to reduce the incidence of food borne illness. In addition, it was recommended that this group be tracked for further incidences of outbreaks in order to determine the efficacy of that food safety program. 100 employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, contracted food borne illnesses in 5 consecutive years. It was determined that an investigation into food safety handling knowledge of employees would be beneficial in determining whether or not an educational program needed to be administered. 2 Two groups of participants were recruited, those with food safety education that occurred less than 10 years ago and those that had education longer than 10 years ago or no education at all. These participants were then administered a food safety test and test results were rated on a percentage basis. The means from the two groups were examined and a t-test was performed in order to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between their food safety knowledge. 2 In an examination of disease dissemination at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 4, it was discovered that 100 employees contracted food borne illnesses in a period of 5 years. It was deemed this investigator that this number of outbreaks was considered problematic and that inadequate food safety practices among employees were the likely culprit. Food safety practices are usually taught by health care practitioners, dieticians and through media outlets that attempt to inform consumers, food handlers and at risk population’s

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Advanced Business Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Advanced Business Structure - Essay Example e contained within a business model should address all functions of a company such as operating cost, revenues, operating strategies, corporate structure and sales and marketing measures. Twitter is finally stepping up and moving into the world where real businesses stride and this led to launch o the advertising model.Biz Stone the co founder of twitter posted a blog entry about unveiling the new promoted tweets advertising policy. Users will start seeing paid messages that will be labelled promoted. Ten percent or more will be able to see the promoted messages. Twitter will be in corroboration with bravo, red bull, Sony pictures, starbucks, best buy and virgin America which will initiate the first adverts. The founders of twitter believe that promoted tweets will not be rejected by twitter users because it will have built in quality features that reward tweets. Search business type, it acquired the search engine in the summer of 2008 which is common. It had the potential to subdue tweet’s servers, to such an extent that the first year, they did not set up a search box but hid the feature. This search is highly significant, as proven during the current Iran disruption when twitter was among few ways of getting words out (Siau, 74). E-commerce, many companies have used this method example Dell has sold millions of dollars worth of equipment through twitter. BTB customer support business model, best buy and Twitter began an experiment with @ TwelpForce. This enabled them to have thirteen thousand followers. This service ensures that all customer’s questions and enquires are answered. This is known to be the future of customer communications. Twitter 101, this is a sizeable lesson for companies to do business using twitter. This enables the company to find monetize their traffic. Verified accounts, twitter is known to be the first with verified accounts plan payment that verify clients are carrying out transactions with the company they are searching for and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Poverty has been a big economic problem in the world Term Paper

Poverty has been a big economic problem in the world - Term Paper Example Taking for instance, lack of income is brought out as poverty, but it is unreliable to measure. It may also be related to consumption. Poverty is mostly what is seen to be and what has been measured. The comparisons of these provide a scope that has an endless debate. Another angle can be taken as material lack or want. In this, it tries to refer to little wealth or lack of some of assets like shelter, clothing, TV’s and radios. The other definition refers to the deprivation in capability, so much focusing in what one can and what one cannot do or cannot be. This goes beyond the lack of want to further include the physical capabilities or even the self respect from the society. [Squire, L, 1993] In this era, where there is a global meltdown, the evil, which is breeding in most of nations, has increased poverty levels among people. The world is now faced with a condition where the rich are getting richer while the poor are continuously getting poorer. The global cause of povert y is less talked about and, therefore, very little has been done as a direct strategy in alleviating this poverty directly. There are interconnections, which are assured by the globalizations as well as the rules. Also, practices and the judgments that apply internationally count in these interconnections. These are mostly from the leaders of the affluent countries or the major global actors like the international organizations, corporations and the powerful people. With such manipulation from the global leaders, the governments of those who are underprivileged and the people who are in them are so much helpless in alleviating the poverty that affects them. It is in this that one sees many of the people struggling for survival while the few continue enjoying the riches at the expense of many. The statistics on poverty show that even in nations like the US, which are developed, 15 to 25 percent constitutes of poor people. They are not able to provide for basic needs like food, shelte r and these have high populations. Where there are many adults and children as well. Most of the population lives below a dollar a day. 2. Discuss the major impact to society of the problem The society has been affected by poverty in a very great way. Poverty as seen has deeper roots that if not uprooted properly, will lead to a cycle of poverty better known as the vicious poverty cycle. It is a process of activities that are in a cause and effect state. The sociological readings have revealed that poverty is transferred from one generation to another, from family values, from these routines and standards of living, which leave little room for development and which are beyond anyone’s day to day operations. The situation of a family inclined towards a moment to moment viewpoint. The main concern, which is to provide for food and shelter, has been the major concern. Being able to provide a better habitat for the children to live in, being self sufficient and having futuristic plans are very vital. The effect as of poverty has been seen to have the same effects as the consequences of not gratifying the needs of the individuals. It has been noted that the poor are mostly emaciated and unwell. They mostly live in under standard conditions. Poverty leads to drug abuse and addictions that affect the health of the people involved. The poor are not able to afford the drugs that are needed to cure the diseases that are affecting them. [IMF, 2001] They end up using those that have been left out.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Curriculum definitions and reference point Article

Curriculum definitions and reference point - Article Example Thus, the two settings where the notion of a curriculum did persist were Scotland and the United States. In the United States, the development of a structure for the curriculum, in administrative and managerial terms, proceeded rapidly. However, the concept of what the realm of curriculum might be became highly diffused, and two consequences persist. 1. The curriculum as a concept, as a discrete idea, was almost without boundaries. It could mean anything from the â€Å"bundle† of programs an institution offered, to the individual experience of a particular student. 2. Systematic description, that is, an orderly, technical terminology that enhanced insights on practice and linked ideas to application, had not developed. Often faculty at work on the curriculum had to invent their own labels to describe what they did. 1. The word can connote either formal structural arrangements or the substance of what is being taught (split in definition). Most faculty would side with the notion that â€Å"the structural aspects of the curriculum had much less to do with the quality†¦quality instead was more importantly linked to matters of substance.† In sum, application of the concept of â€Å"curriculum† spread in the United States, but it did not achieve the refined meaning, precise definition, or consensus among professors that standards of professional practice normally require. 1. The concept of the curriculum as a plan for learning is well developed based on a comprehensive analysis of the literature on the subject. Further field research among faculty led back to the course as the fundamental component of such a plan, not the curriculum. 3. The concept of system has been extended to consider the curriculum as a major subsystem of the university, thus opening analysis of inputs and outcomes. This approach can be characterized as â€Å"systemic curricular planning.† One great asset of the concept of

Monday, September 23, 2019

Teams are seen as a necessary condition in contemporary organisations, Essay - 2

Teams are seen as a necessary condition in contemporary organisations, but are they effective - Essay Example Teams should operate as functional units in which various knowledge stemming from individual group members becomes part of a collaborative environment. The question that has been asked is whether teams are effective, despite the literature which proposes its necessity in the contemporary business. The evidence provided suggests that teams are effective, so long as certain organisational and objective components exist. These include cultural knowledge, building commitment at the leadership level, the structure of the organisation or team environment, and the importance of communication. This report examines the literature associated with teams, offering a critical analysis of findings. The findings are important to organisational studies as what was uncovered in this analysis can act as a template to assist in leadership, culture and knowledge exchange designs in team environments. Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill (2005) first offer that specific business studies are confused between what individuals perceive the world to be versus what the world actually consists of. In the forming stage of team development, defining specific goals is a paramount objective after individuals have been recruited. During this stage of team development, uncertainty abounds in a variety of categories from job role identification to setting up group norms and rules that will drive the functional group. A special project team requires a specific set of regulations that will guide forward momentum, something especially important in a special project team with a clear and concise end result goal. In this team, cohesion and knowledge exchange may be the objective, however the actual reality is that the organisation, itself, is guided by a centralized and vertical hierarchy where individuals have grown accustomed to the organisational culture whereby decision-making is always delivered from the top-down.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Reggio Emilia Essay Example for Free

Reggio Emilia Essay The Reggio Emilia approach focuses on a childs natural development. Its child-centered and directed, taking the philosophy that learning must make sense to the student in order to be effective and meaningful. A childs point of view is completely respected and the student is encouraged to follow their own educational path. The method follow four key principles: The Reggio Emilia philosophy is based upon the following set of principles: children must have some say over what they learn; the senses play a big role in the learning process children must be able to touch, move, listen, see and hear in order to fully process something; children are encouraged to interact with other children and explore the world through material items and relationships; children should be encouraged to always express themselves and be given infinite means and opportunities to do so. Parental involvement is invited and encouraged. Many parents volunteer in the classroom and employ many of the methods found in the classroom at home. A variety of materials are used clay, paint, dramatic play among others. The approach was founded in the villages around Reggio Emilia, Italy after World War II. Parents were looking for a way to teach their children and found that the early years of development were the best time to help children figure out who they are as individuals. What is Documentation? Among many other possibilities, documentation is visible listening. The term documentation conjures up different meanings for different people. To our minds, one of the primary features of documentation as practiced in Reggio Emilia is a focus on how and what children learn. This focus is reminiscent of careful listening; thus, documentation, in many ways, is visible listening. Some of the elements of documentation include: conducting careful observations eveloping questions and tentative answers about how and what children are learning collecting evidence of individual and group learning interpreting observations and evidence in relation to your question(s) inviting others interpretations using the information to guide future teaching starting all over again Documentation can take many formsobservation notes, partial transcripts, audiotapes, a list of students responses to a prompt, photographs or videos of individual and group learning, and adult or student analyses of or reflections on student work.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Mother Essay Example for Free

The Mother Essay â€Å"The Mother: Remember the children you got that you did not get† Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem â€Å"The Mother† is ambiguous and totally unexpected. The narrator starts by speaking about abortion in a very accusatory tone. In the first part of the poem the narrator uses second person language and accuses mothers of getting abortions and talks about how all the mothers will be missing out on seeing their children grow. She is talking to readers about abortions in general. She talks to mothers and patronizes them, â€Å"Abortions will never let you forget. You remember the children you got that you did not get.† (1-2), she starts the poem with a paradox. The narrator sounds like an antiabortion and will speak for having a child; but as the poem came to an ending it seemed like she is trying to justify her own actions. As the poem goes on the speaker suddenly changes her language and starts to talk about herself in a first person language. She explains how she cannot forget how many children she has killed. From the second part of the poem she starts to talk about her children, which meant that she had not one but multiple abortions and now is haunted by it. She starts to talk about her pain and loss about not having a child, â€Å"I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children. I have contracted. I have eased. My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck. I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized your luck† (11-15). In these lines the speaker starts to blame herself; and then the tone becomes angry and helpless, â€Å"If I stole your births and your names, Your straight baby tears and your games, Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches, and your deaths† (17-20). In these last few lines she again is listing out the things she will miss about her children and reminds the readers that she is full aware of the things and is regretful, but she still does the abortion. Along with the title of the poem there is another irony here, she says she stole their deaths by not letting them grow, she is saying she did not naturally let them die and had killed them herself before they were born. Our class had an intense conversation about the lines â€Å"If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths, Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate .† (21-22), someone had suggested about how there is another paradox here. The tone has once again changed and she again tries to justify herself and her actions. She tries to explain that even though she had gone through with the procedure and succeeded in getting the abortion, it was not what she had  intended. Later on the narrator starts to sound very hypocritical, â€Å"Though why should I whine, Whines that the crime was other than mine? Since anyhow you are dead.† (23-25). Here the speaker is stressing over her own words, one moment her tone is sad and regretful and the next she is saying that there is no point as the child is already dead. The mother started the poem by accusing others of getting rid of their unborn, then she directly starts to talk to her dead children and now she is reasoning with herself about getting an abortion. She talks about a crime but does not call herself a criminal; somehow she tried to sound like the victim. She questioned if it was another’s fault. She tries hard not to take the blame on herself; in that particular line she is possibly implying that there may have been another person in th e scene that had made her do this, but none were mentioned, which indicates she is just looking for a way to share the blame with someone else, so that shame is not heavy on her. Once the mother’s intensions were established the tension between the mother and her unborn children and abortion was pretty luminous. She claims to have multiple abortions and explains her grief about giving up her children, yet she never apologized. She cannot get over the ghosts of all the children and is haunted by what could have happened, yet she is not apologetic, she never once mentioned that maybe she should have changed her mind and kept one child. Before she ends the poem she says, â€Å"Is faulty: oh, what shall I say, how is the truth to be said? You were born, you had body, you died. It is just that you never giggled or planned or cried.† (29-31). In those lines she tries to speak the truth and tries to accept that each child had a body and lived but it died. She even says it is faulty, but still does not blame herself for the abortions. She ends the poem by saying, â€Å"Believe me, I loved you all. Believe me, I knew you, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you All.† (32-34). It seems as though she tries to sound like a loving mother and tries to tell her unborn children that she loved them and vaguely knew them. Works Cited Brooks, Gwendolyn. The Mother. Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Peformance of pizza hut as a company

Peformance of pizza hut as a company Pizza Hut was develop in 1958; there are 5000 restaurants in UK and 20000staff. The number of the staff in the specific organisation is 38 persons, the turnover is very low, 20%, and it is very active in the global market and is one huge organisation. Pizza Hut history starts in Wichita. Kansas in 1958 by two brothers (Frank and Dan Carney) who had the idea of developing a pizza restaurant, a new concept in America and very quickly the dream came true. They borrowed $600 from one of their mothers and they rented a small building on a busy road in Wichita, they also bought some second hand equipment and they became very rich with a big and successful organisation. Pizza Hut franchises were launched in 1958. Although the Pizza Hut chain was able to develop both in the United States and overseas. Today, franchisees and joint venture partnerships account for nearly half of the Pizza Huts total restaurants. (www.everything2.com). Then Pizza Hut started to be international, the first international restaurant was in Canada in 1968. Pizza Hut started branching out quickly in the entire world, in Mexico, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Far East. Also Pizza Hut was cooperate with PepsiCo, actually was acquired by PepsiCo. Pizza Hut was share its position with the products of PepsiCo. PepsiCo in cooperation with Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell were make the largest restaurant group, the Trion global restaurant, in the world, in October 1997. Background information Theory Pizza Hut is with no doubt one global successfully organisation, which belongs to public sort of organisations. However, for a successful organisation, the culture is a necessity that will eventually lead to a good environment in the organization. Culture is the values and norms of an organisation, which determine its corporate behaviour and the behaviour of people within the organisation. (Thompson, 2001, p 1124). According with Pizza Huts information website (www.pizzahut.com) the staff is very friendly to the customers and that is the reason why, the customers are always coming again and again. For example, if the employees are working into a friendly environment then automatically they are friendlier to customers and as customers love to come to the restaurants because of the friendly environment. The working environment between the employees is very friendly and they all work like one team. Teamwork is a huge and important thing. A working team is obviously important for an organisation, a working team player is a person who can manage the roll of the self to fit the needs of a team. (Belbin, 2000, p 111) The structure of Pizza Hut starts from the restaurant manager, who decides for everything, he takes all the decisions. Then there is the area manager who replaces restaurant managers, after that there is the regional manager, the human resources, the director of operations and finally the chief executive officers. For an organisation, is important to be organised prioritised lists and well-planned schedules disperse the illusion of chaos(Lindenfield, 2003, p 73). In an organisation like Pizza Hut, there should be a functional strategy, strategies like marketing or finance. The strategies for the various functions carried out by an organisation, including marketing, production, financial management, information management, research and development, and human resource management.(Thompson, 2001, p 1125) from the information provided the company do satisfy all the needs of disabled people in the organisation, they use equipment which is friendly and not harmful at all to the environment. Also Pizza Hut food is also healthy and they produce pizzas with fresh ingredients. Additionally, Pizza Hut has recently started recycling. From now and then, the food packages are recycled and are just the first step of the recycling process. Furthermore, Pizza Hut is a flexible organisation which had being advertised by radio and of course television, through all media and through their main website, thus they have new marketing opportunities for captivating m ore customers, and as they considered is a very flexible organisation because they always change things. Management style Management in an organisation is everything because they all end up to this and because the managers can achieve and had the profit they want to if they work corrected. Manager is a person who has all the responsibilities, takes all decisions but also shared some responsibilities such as financial control, planning with directors. Management, is the process by which an organisation establishes its objectives, formulates actions (strategies) designed to meet these objectives in the desired time- scale, implements the actions, and assesses progress and results (Thompson, , 2001, p 1128). The manager must be democratic and his main activities are planning/coordinating, staffing, training/developing, decision making/problem solving, handling paperwork, exchanging routine information, monitoring/controlling performance, monitoring/reinforcing, disciplining/punishing, interacting with the outsiders, managing conflict, socializing/politicking (Wright, 1996, page 18). But beside the manager, leadership plays an important role as well. In a journal is written that there are no universal leadership characteristics. What works for one will not work for another. For all those who aspire to leadership, the challenge is simple-deceptively so. To be a more effective leader, you must be yourself-more- with skills(Goffee, Jones, 2006, p 47) according by Pizza Hut leaders are the main planners of the organisation. Leaders adopting an international perspective have some advantages, however defined, and that the educator is lacking an essential breadth if practice remains bound by the values and approaches which have emerged over time in any one location(Lumby, 2006, p 7). Leader is a generic term used to describe a manager who is responsible for changes in the corporate strategy. (Thompson, 2001, p 1128). In addition to this, leaders are very friendly and they dont behave selfishly, but instead of that, they work like one and they had harmonic relationship with each other. Whats more, they are really good friends. But the personality of a leader should have the charisma to sell ideas and automatically be ready for action. Understanding of leadership in which the focus on, leader is rejected, but asserts that the so-called leadership that relies on leaders is essentially flawed.(Gallagher, 2002, p 24) Any leader should have some personal features by make him a successful leader, like being always on time, being committed and being ready for action. Staying power is one of the most important yet least recognised attributes of successful leaders.(Black, 2003, p 25) Pizza hut manage to achieve that through their website and especially with advertisements in the media and every year they give financial information and they have 70 franchised delivery units, 118 companies owned, and they have weekly sales, food costs and utility costs. The manager of the restaurant is responsible for the employment of staff and what qualifications do they look for. They ask for skills in IT, they ask for the necessary things that a cashier must be aware of and also they look for customers skills. Moreover, they need good communication skills and they want employees with interpersonal abilities. In some cases they do train staff and if they have previous employment they ask for interpersonal abilities. Pizza Hut offered any rewarded or benefits to staff for motivating them. Another constraint upon organisations is wide acceptance of the idea that people want more from the employment relationship than just money: that they want rewards and satisfactions that are often psychological in nature(Elgood, 1988, p 10). External Influences on the organisation and Management of Change External influences are the main influences that an organisation may change, for instance external influences are influences such as competitors or the global market which is closely related to organisations (Elgood, 1988). The competitors of Pizza Hut, there are many such as McDonalds, Subway, but the most important one is Frankie Benny. The company tries to compete that by constantly introduce new products every 3-4 months. Each company has positive and negative aspects so the positive aspects of this organisation was anything new they produced, and the negative was taken away and delivery, also after Christmas time there are not many customers because customers spent their money. Another negative aspect that influences Pizza Hut is the building work around, that make people avoid eating at the organisation. In addition to this, seasonal changes are also a reason that can cause negative influence to Pizza Hut, for instance there are not any clientele in summer time because obvious ly most of them are going for holiday. But success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm (Churchill, 2003, p 20). External Analysis of the Organisations Environment Technological Development: The business already used technology more than before, such as new equipment. Economic Trends: Pizza Hut in UK support a charity, the Starlight Childrens Foundation. That charity is brightening the lives of some very ill children, trying to entertainment them and makes their wishes come true. Environmental Issues: Pizza Hut has recently started to use recycle packages. Legislation: Pizza Hut fill all the laws that government applied, they have all the necessities that a business should have. Ethical Issues: In an organisation such as Pizza Hut, should use food products that are not harmful or causing any environmental problems. Sheet indicating image, marketing The new way of marketing at Pizza Hut is very interesting, they do use the psychology. Many different voices was respond to the question Whos called the Hut?. That is a smart way of advertising Pizza Hut because firstly is a nice, funny view and secondly people are trying to imitate voices. People were imitate and that happened when it sank in. Conclusion Management is a generic term and subject to many interpretations. Our concern is with management within a structured organisational setting and involving the exercise of formal authority over the work of other people. The nature of management is variable. It relates to all activities of the organisation and is undertaken at all levels. Management is essentially an integrating activity which permeates all other aspects of the organisation.(Mullins, 2002, p 195) Culture is based in the behaviour of people in the organisation. For example, the way that staff is behave shows the environment, leading to create the culture. Culture means the values and norms of an organisation, which determine its corporate behaviour and the behaviour of people within the organisation (Thompson, 2001, p 1124). The term organisation means a consciously co-ordinated social unit created by groups in society to achieve specific purposes, common aims and objectives by means of planned and coordinated activities(Mullins, 2002, p 907). Organisation in a business and they have the same goals. Belonging to an organisation means that people were working peacefully and not egoistically. Leader is close related with manager, for example, a leader is responsible for changes in an organisation. But also leadership is influenced the behaviour of other people because of any change. In that case, leader should be democratic and friendly to the staff. According with all the managerial aspects I have analyse above the Pizza Hut as a company considered to be able to achieve all the criteria that the market is asking for development and recognition. Finally Pizza Hut is a well managed company with all prospects for improvement and monopoly.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Solutions to Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Chan

Solutions to Global Warming There are many solutions to reduce the amount of green house gases in the atmosphere, which causes Global Warming. A main culprit for global warming is the use of CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons). If the use of CFC's was reduced, the number of greenhouse gases will be reduced by a great deal (however there are many other thing that cause dramatic amounts of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide). The items that contain CFC's are regular house hold items, but they can have a devastating effect on the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They are found in aerosols, plastic foam and fridges. However now that the scientists have a greater knowledge on the effect of CFC's the government had banned the selling of objects with CFC's in; and also great care is needed when disposing of older items containing CFC's e.g. fridges. CFC's are 40 times more effective as a greenhouse gas then carbon dioxide. So reducing the amount of CFC's used will have a good effect on the atmo...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Essay --

Eileen Furnish Soc 343 Assignment #1 2/15/2014 The women I decided to interview is my boyfriend’s great-aunt Mary J. Spletter. I selected Mary J. Spletter because she has inspired and helped guide women through breast cancer. I also selected her because at the age of 25 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she still remained positive and strong. I’m currently 25 years old and it made me realize not to take things for granted and to always stay positive regardless of what situation your in. I’m interviewing Mary in The Bellevue Club on the shores of Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. This historical building has breathtaking views of Lake Merritt and a local bird sanctuary. We decided on this place because Mary is a member here. She also enjoys the rich history, having meals and takes swimming classes here. We decided to do the interview over lunch in the main dining room, which had high ceilings, marble flooring, and floral long curtains. This club was a former women’s social club and had a style of the 1920’s. Mary was born in Appleton, Wisconsin. While growing up she lived with her mother, her brother and youngest sister. Her father was in the military and eventually left them and moved to California. She lived a pretty good childhood, she attended church every Sunday and she was always interested in reading and writing. While growing up she saw her mother struggle to support 3 children but her mother was always strong and positive. Mary knew she wanted to do something with her life that inspired others and she knew that her writing could take her there. She also in enjoyed French and took many classes in high school and college. She graduated from University of Wisconsin, Madison with a Bachelor’s of Science in Journalism in ... ... Mary publish a book on breast cancer but she also counseled women who were going through breast cancer and undergone mastectomies. Her book has changed many lives and has opened our eyes on new procedures and treatments. Before dating her great nephew, my mother was also a breast cancer survivor who received Mary’s book â€Å"A Women’s Choice† and many other books on battling breast cancer. Even though Mary’s book was already outdated (my mom had breast cancer 14 years ago), my mother was able to gain knowledge on the certain points Mary explained in her book, it kept her mind off the chemotherapy she was doing and it also helped her stay positive. Mary J. Spletter wanted to help other women and share her story to the world since there weren’t many resources out there. She continues to mentor women and travels to speak with women about her personal experiences.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Advantages of a Small Company

Small businesses, or â€Å"mom and pop† organization are the backbone of this country. From the days when European settlers first founded our nation, entrepreneurs recognized an opportunity and strove to fill the needs of their clientele, even if it was only in exchange for a commodity like food. Today, in an economy filled with big box retailers like Wal-Mart, communications giants like AT&T and food and beverage conglomerates like Nestle, what is often missing is the human touch. Back when our parents were growing up, buying groceries meant a trip to the local market where the butcher cut your meat while you waited and a visit to the pharmacy often included a soda fountain treat served up by the teenager who lived down the street. Shopping was never a quick errand but also served as social time for chit chat between neighbors and friends. Bigger is not always better. The presence of huge corporations is slowly forcing the small business owner to either get out or find new ways to compete for business. Certainly you cannot call AT&T’s customer service line and find a relative on the other end of the line who will ensure you receive the utmost in care and maybe even include a recipe for that casserole you admired at last weekend’s Sunday social. Chances are that when you purchase a bag of dog food made by Ralston-Purina, a division of Nestle Foods, there will be no representative of the company asking after your satisfaction and your ill grandmother’s health. Modern-day society could only benefit from a return to the standards of small business practices such as used to be common. After all, wouldn’t a personal touch go a long way towards developing necessary relationships within our communities? References Fredman, Catherine, (June, 2007). Executive Secrets: Small Business, Big Impact. Retrieved August 13, 2007 from United Hemispheres: http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/jun07/executivesecrets.html   

Monday, September 16, 2019

Assessment Process

A1 Award 1 – Understand the principles and requirements of assessment. 1. 1 Explain the functions of assessment in learning and development. ? ? ? What is initial assessment and how does this identify learner’s needs? What is formative assessment and how does this track learner’s progress? What is summative assessment and how does this assess learner’s achievement? 1. 2 Define the key concepts and principles of assessment. ? ? ? ? ? How do you make assessment using set criteria in order to make judgements of learners’ knowledge, skills and competence?What is meant by validity and reliability? What role does evidence have in making assessment decisions? What is meant by evidence being authentic, sufficient and current the importance of objectivity and fairness to learners? What is the importance of transparency for the learner? 1. 3 Explain the responsibilities of the assessor: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? How do you ensure that you understand and apply the s tandards and requirements of the award you are assessing? How do you plan assessments to meet learner needs? How do you communicate assessment requirements to learners? Similar essay: Legal Issues, Policies and ProceduresHow do you carry out assessments? How do you compare evidence with set standards? How do you make assessment decisions? How do you record the assessment process and decisions? How do you provide feedback to learners? How do you take part in standardisation processes? What do you do that ensures you take part in continuing professional development? 1. 4 Identify the regulations and requirements relevant to assessment in own area of practice ? How do you ensure you implement the assessment requirements for the awarding organisation (i. e.City and Guilds) or regulatory body (i. e. Ofsted)? ? What do you have to do in order to comply with the above? ? Why do you need to comply with the relevant assessment strategy for that particular qualification? What is the importance of this process? 2. Understand different types of assessment method. 2. 1 Compare the strengths and limitations of a range of assessment methods with reference to the n eeds of individual learners Looking at a range of assessment methods and their strengths and weaknesses of each. 3. Understand how to plan assessment. 3. Summarise key factors to consider when planning assessment ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? How do you know what standards/criteria to be used when planning assessments? How do you pick what type and volume of evidence is required? How do you decide what assessment method to use? What do you communication to the learner about the assessment plan? What needs to be communicated to other people involved in the assessment process? How do you consider location and resources when planning assessments? How do you decide what time and duration the assessment planning process should take?How do you plan specific learner needs and decide on any support required? How do you manage the assessment process? How do you record the assessment processes and the decisions that you have made? How do you feedback to the learner? How do you comply with the relev ant assessment strategy of planning the assessment of a qualification? 3. 2 Evaluate the benefits of using a holistic approach to assessment. ? ? ? ? How can you ensure that you are efficient in the collection of evidence for the learner and for you as an assessor? How can you plan for evidence that can be used for more than one unit?How can you identifying how the learner integrates different areas into their practice to ensure that holistic assessment takes place. Understanding into their practice. 3. 3 Explain how to apply holistic assessment when planning assessment. How do you plan assessments so that a variety of required evidence can be derived from one assessment occasion? 3. 4 Summarise the types of risks that may be involved in assessment in own area of responsibility. How do you ensure that you assess risks in your role as assessor: 3. 5 Explain how to minimise risks through the planning process.How to manage assessments to minimise risks associated with, health and safet y, learner stress and potential for inauthentic evidence, collusion, unjustifiable support to the learner, fairness. 4. Understand how to involve learners and others in assessment 4. 1 Explain the importance of involving the learner and others in the assessment process. What are the benefits of involving learners in the assessment process? 4. 2 Summarise types of information that should be made available to learners and others involved in the assessment process.What information should be given to learners and others involved in the assessment process? 4. 3 Explain how peer and self-assessment can be used effectively to promote learner involvement and personal responsibility in the assessment of learning. Why should the learner and others contribute to formative assessment? What are the benefits of the learning developing a sense of ownership over the learning and the assessment process? 4. 4 Explain how assessment arrangements can be adapted to meet the needs of individual learners. What types of adapts regarding assessment may need to take place in order to meet the needs of the following: – language requirements / physical disabilities / particular learning needs and working patterns. 5. Understand how to make assessment decisions 5. 1 Explain how to judge whether evidence is valid, authentic, current, and sufficient? 5. 2 How do you ensure that assessment decisions are made against specified criteria and are valid, reliable, and fair? 6. Understand own contribution to the quality assurance of assessment 6. Evaluate the importance of quality assurance in the assessment process How do you ensure that you meet the requirements of quality assurance? How do you ensure the reliability of assessment decisions and the fairness to individual candidates? 6. 2 Summarise quality assurance and standardisation procedures in own area of practice What are the quality assurance and standardisation procedures for the qualifications that you assess? 6. 3 Summarise the r elevant procedures to follow when there are disputes concerning assessment in own area of practice. What are the appeals procedures relevant to own area of assessment practice? . Understand how to manage information relation to assessment of occupational competence 7. 1 Explain the importance of following procedures for the management of information relating to assessment. How do you ensure that you provide accurate information on learner achievement and contribute to quality and standardisation? How do you ensure that feedback is given to the learner and review the learning progress? How do you maintain records if required in regards to an appeal? 7. 2 Explain how feedback and questioning contributes to the assessment process.How does feedback help the learner develop? 8. Understand the legal and good practice requirements in relation to assessment 8. 1 Explain legal issues, policies and procedures relevant to assessment, including those for confidentiality, health, safety and welf are. What is the organisation, legal and awarding bodies policies and procedures in regards to the following areas: Health and safety, including leaner emotional welfare, confidentiality, transparency, record keeping, equal opportunities and diversity, compliance with the relevant assessment strategy if assessing a qualification.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Conflict: Government and Policy Team

Case Study3 : The Poisoned Chalice: By Matthew Mcdonald, University of New South Wales Joseph had been a team leader for two years and felt he was ready to take the next step in his public service career. He had begun his career as a graduate trainee in the Department of Agriculture after completing a double degree in commerce and environmental science. After his traineeship he was offered permanency as a policy officer, eventually rising to the post of team leader. As a team leader Joseph felt he had gained the trust and respect of his four staff member and had learnt the basic skills of being a manager.Joseph applied for various management positions within his own department without success. Undeterred, he applied for a position in another government department responsible for environment and heritage and was successful. The role involved taking over the position of manager of a â€Å"Taskforce† that had been set up five months previously. The taskforce was made up of 10 tea m members responsible for developing and implementing a set of government policies and programs designed to assist primary producers to manage better the environmental threats to their land.Joseph couldn’t have been happier with his new promotion and he looked forward to applying what he had learned as a team leader to the challenges of his new post. The taskforce itself was divided into two teams. The first team- â€Å"the policy team† was responsible for developing policies in consultation with the minister’s office that would underpin the programs to be eventually rolled put all over the country. This team was made up of highly experienced member. The second team- â€Å"the implementation team† was responsible for implementing the policies developed by the policy team.The job of the implementation team was to deal with the logistic of implementing the programs and working with the numerous stakeholders involved. For Joseph, everything started put well in his new position. He gradually got to know each of the team members, who seemed skilled and competent in each of their roles. He also began to understand better the job that the taskforce was required to do. However, as the days turned into weeks some major problems in the taskforce began to appear.The first major problem was that other sections within the department were unhelpful and difficult to deal with when he made requests of them or sought to initiate collaborations. When he asked his staff why this was the case, the most common response was that the department had â€Å"had it in† for the taskforce as posing a threat to their own positions. The bad blood between the taskforce and the rest of the department made Joseph’s position vary difficult because he and his staff were heavily reliant on other areas of the department for their expertise, advice and assistance in order to manage the project successfully.The second major problem was the taskforce itself, Joseph began to realize that the two teams were highly antagonistic towards each other. This was evident in taskforce meetings, where there was an obvious hostility between them. Joseph also discovered that very little had been achieved since the taskforce was setup, and found that it was now well behind the government’s schedule. However, the full implications of Joseph’s predicament became apparent only after a revealing conversation with Alison, a junior member of the implementation team, while working back late one evening.Alison told Joseph that the previous manager of the taskforce, John, had left the position because of the problems associated with it, everything had started out well; however, then the policy team had begun to treat the implementation team as inferior because the implementation team members were younger in age, were less experienced and had made a major blunder in the first few weeks by getting a national farmers’ union offside. After thi s blunder the policy team had begun to refer to the implementation team as ‘the idiots’.The policy team had also taken a superior attitude towards members of other sections within the department because of their close relationship with the minister’s office. This problem came to a head after a chain of emails had been leaked to the rest of the department by a member of the implementation team, who had inadvertently received them, in the emails, members of the policy team had made disparaging remarks about people from other section with whom they had been working, this had created a furors in the department.As a result, a number of formal complaints about members of the policy team had been made. Instead of dealing with this and the other problem associated with the taskforce, the previous manager, John, had closeted himself away in his office, hoping they would go away. Realizing that events were starting to get out of control, John’s manager. Max, had ste pped in to try and sort out the situation. He had done this by speaking with all of the taskforce members both individually and as a group.This had made a difference for a short time: however, the antagonism between the two teams in the taskforce had eventually returned, and it had seemed the nothing could be done to repair the damage inflicted by the leaking of the emails. It was at this point that John had resigned. Due to the taint that hung over the taskforce, no one in the department had been willing to apply for the now vacant position of taskforce manager. After speaking with Alison, Joseph realized he had been handed a â€Å"poisoned chalice† that nobody else wanted.He became very worried that the taskforce would not meet the departments’ and the government’s objectives and timelines, and the he would be blamed for its failure, adversely affecting his long-term career and future promotion prospects. Discussion Questions 1. Using the â€Å"model of confl ict processes†, identify the sources of conflict between the policy team and the implementation team. 2. Were Max’s actions appropriate in this situation? If so, why? If not, what should he have done instead? 3. What actions should Joseph take to ensure that the taskforce meets the government’s objectives and timelines?

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Night Vision Technology

NIGHT VISION TECHNOLOGY 1) Introduction 2) Definition 3) Types of Night Vision Technology 4) Night Vision Devices 5) Generation 6) Application INTRODUCTION Night vision technology is basically allows us to saw in night. It is originally developed for military use. All humans have very poor night vision as compare to other animals. With the poor night vision we cannot see a person standing over so far away (many miles) on a deep dark cloudy night. It is first time invented for military purpose to see the enemy in deep dark and target them easily. The german army gave the idea of night vision and from that time it is fastly develops so strong. They gave the idea in 1935 and start working on it so fastly to cover all battle condition in night time. Then they develop night vision items in their rifles and in other necessary materials of battle field. From there this technology is grown up and all other countries also make sure to use this technology and also to modify this according to their need. These all equipment are use in camera (either simple or in gun front) for the purpose of hunting at night time and in battle affected areas. But they are so advance technology made up of. Then with the help of this equipment they are visible clearly in front of human eyes as in full light to saw it clearly. Today also in houses security and high alert situation these technology is used in vast for the purpose of safety. DEFINITION The definition of night vision technology is basically the detail of its work that how this technology work and what is this in real word. Every one defines it in their own word of experiences, but in my opinion its definition is not its word of expression but its definition is expressed as:†Night vision technology is basically the ability to see things in dark night condition. (Whether by biological or technological mean).Night vision is the combination of two approaches. TYPES OF NIGHT VISION TECHNOLOGY There are two types of night vision technology: 1) Biological Night VisionSome animal like cat and deep sea animal can see in night because they are tissue present in their eye which is called tiputem lucidum. Which is present on the back side of retina? But this layer is not present in human eyes, thus they cannot able to see in night. They need to use some material to saw in night. RODOPOSIN is use for night see. This is a chemical. With help of this chemical human can see for few hours in dark and deep night. Biological is even God gifted senses in humans and animals, by which they saw things in night. These senses are used for night vision. Commonly green eyes of human have the ability to see in night and even in dark night. These all are the naturally created senses in humans and animal eyes. 2) Technical Night VisionTechnical night vision is working in two different ways.In this type of vision many lens are used to achieve pictures in night time. All the material use for this is released specific type of electron which is felt on the picture and they capture the same picture and show on the front of human eyes. Then they saw easily all the things in dark night. As same in the war situation the advance developed material for night vision is used to see the enemy easily in night and mountain dark then with the help of this advance technology they hit the enemy on exact target. Simply technical vision technology is those devices include in which advance technique is used to able one to see in night time in deep dark. Night Vision DevicesNight vision devices are called observation equipment. They observe and detect the pictures and other things in dark night. It is also some time known as night vision goggles. It does works as: the light from night vision excrete and felt on the targeted area this particle is made up of photons which includes all the colors. Then they reflect back and entered in the lens and the whole area is seen to be visible in dark, but it is so sensitive case. Its the same as we see in the games which is made in night scenes. There the whole environment is dark but we clearly saw the targeted area of enemies.All devices which are uses in night vision is shown below: these all devices is used in night time. GENERATIONS 1) 0 GENERATION: The early generation was establishing in (1950-1955) which is not in complete vast Form. 2) 1st GENERATION: In the first generation tubes are used in the equipment in series. They work so will. They also work so perfect than 2nd and 3rd generation. But one defect is present in this generation that the image is show clear at the center but it can distort at all its adages. This heaviest and largest one of first three generation, later is modified and the name has change in other generation. 3) 2ndGENERATION: This generation was made in (1970-1972).A high micro channel plate is used in it. And it is also called high electron multiplier. They also magnify the image in clear form. Its magnifier and resolution is under well developed technology. These channels are built from millions of microscopic hollow glass, and each glass is of 0.0125 in diameter. Sensitive lenses are used in it; they detected the images by its sensitive wavelength. 4) 3rd GENERATION: the previous generations are made advanced and name as 3rd generation. The advancement take place in (1971-1978).the photocathode rays is used in it as an ion barrier. Then they detect images from far distances clear in dark night. It is much better than firstly built generations but not perfect because further development take place fastly in very day life in advance technology world. 5) 4th GENERATION: The American army made advance the 3rd generation with highly developed photocathode lenses and rays and made sure the work of these devices to detect all images in deep dark night clear at center and all of its edges. The ion barrier is also removed which is used in 3rd generation for the purpose to finish the background noise. The switch on and off system made sure rapidly. This generation is used all over the world because it is well developed equipment at all. Higher magnifying lenses are used in it. They are full of all needed and advanced technology materials. APPLICATION The main purpose of night vision technology is to detect enemy target in dark night. Security officers, police officers and also investigating officers use night vision technology broadly according to their need. They trace their position and places in dark night and then perform action on it. Application of night vision is as under below: I. For hunting purposes II. For military purposes III. For security purposes IV. For law enforcement V. For entertainment VI. For navigation purposes VII. For hidden object detection VIII. For surveillance IX. For wildlife observation X. And for automatic brightness control purposes.

Brain Computer Interface

Modifying the human body or enhancing our cognitive abilities using technology has been a long-time dream for many people. An increasing amount of research tries to link the human brain with machines allowing humans to control their environment through their thoughts. Research on BCIs began in the 1970s, but it wasnt until the mid-1990s that the first working experimental implants in humans appeared. Following years of animal experimentation, early working implants in humans now exist, designed to restore damaged hearing, sight and movement. The common thread throughout the research is the remarkable cortical plasticity of the brain, which often adapts to BCIs, treating prostheses controlled by implants as natural limbs. With recent advances in technology and knowledge, pioneering researchers could now conceivably attempt to produce BCIs that augment human functions rather than simply restoring them, previously only the realm of science fiction. 2. Brain Machine Interface (Brain Computer Interface): In this definition, the word â€Å"brain† means the brain or nervous system of an organic life form rather than the mind. Computer† means any processing or computational device, from simple circuits to silicon chips (including hypothetical future technologies such as quantum computing). A Brain Machine Interface (BMI), sometimes called a Direct Neural Interface or a Brain Computer Interface, is a direct communication pathway between a human or animal brain (or brain cell culture) and an external device. In one-way BCIs, computers either accept commands from the brain or send signals to it (for example, to restore vision) but not both. Two-way BCIs would allow brains and external devices to exchange information in both directions but have yet to be successfully implanted in animals or human. Brain-computer interface (BCI) is collaboration between a brain and a device that enables signals from the brain to direct some external activity, such as control of a cursor or a prosthetic limb. The interface enables a direct communications pathway between the brain and the object to be controlled. In the case of cursor control, for example, the signal is transmitted directly from the brain to the mechanism directing the cursor, rather than taking the normal route through the bodys neuromuscular system from the brain to the finger on a mouse. By reading signals from an array of neurons and using computer chips and programs to translate the signals into action, BCI can enable a person suffering from paralysis to write a book or control a motorized wheelchair or prosthetic limb through thought alone. Current brain-interface devices require deliberate conscious thought; some future applications, such as prosthetic control, are likely to work effortlessly. One of the biggest challenges in developing BCI technology has been the development of electrode devices and/or surgical methods that are minimally invasive. In the traditional BCI model, the brain accepts an implanted mechanical device and controls the device as a natural part of its representation of the body. Much current research is focused on the potential on non-invasive BCI. At the European Research and Innovation Exhibition in Paris in June 2006, American scientist Peter Brunner composed a message simply by concentrating on a display. Brunner wore a close-fitting (but completely external) cap fitted with a number of electrodes as shown in fig. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity from Brunners brain was picked up by the caps electrodes and the information used, along with software, to identify specific letters or characters for the message. The BCI Brunner demonstrated is based on a method called the Wadsworth system. Like other EEG-based BCI technologies, the Wadsworth system uses adaptive algorithms and Pattern-matching techniques to facilitate communication. Both user and software are expected to adapt and learn, making the process more efficient with practice. During the presentation, a message was displayed from an American neurobiologist who uses the system to continue working, despite suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs disease). He was able to send the following e-mail message: I am a neuroscientist who (sic) couldnt work without BCI. I am writing this with my EEG courtesy of the Wadsworth Center Brain-Computer Interface Research Program. EEG Pattern Recognition This project aims to improve performance of NASA missions by developing brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies for augmented human-system interaction. BCI technologies will add completely new modes of interaction, which operate in parallel with keyboards, speech, or other manual controls, thereby increasing the bandwidth of human-system interaction. The research will extend recent feasibility demonstrations of electromyographic (EMG) methods for neurocontrol to the domain of electroencephalographic (EEG) methods of neurocontrol. These methods will bypass muscle activity and draw control signals directly from the human brain. BCI technologies will provide powerful and intuitive modes of interaction with 2-D and 3-D data, particularly for visualization and searching in complex data structures, such as geographical maps, satellite images, and terrain databases. . Model train control via brain interface machine: Hitachi has successfully tested a brain-machine interface that allows users to turn power switches on and off with their mind. Relying on optical topography, a neuroimaging technique that uses near-infrared light to map blood concentration in the brain, the system can recognize the changes in brain blood flow associated with mental activity and translate those changes into voltage signals for controlling external devices. In the experiments, test subjects were able to activate the power switch of a model train by performing mental arithmetic and reciting items from memory. The prototype brain-machine interface allows only simple control of switches, but with a better understanding of the subtle variations in blood concentrations associated with various brain activities, the signals can be refined and used to control more complex mechanical operations. In the long term, brain-machine interface technology may help paralyzed patients become independent by empowering them to carry out actions with their minds. In the short term, Hitachi sees potential applications for this brain-machine interface in the field of cognitive rehabilitation, where it can be used as an entertaining tool for demonstrating a patient’s progress. NOTE: The earliest interfaces developed in this breakthrough field of research require scientists to insert electrodes into the skull in order to physically tap directly into the brain, and researchers are currently trying to develop technologies that will enable them to access neurological activity through minimally invasive techniques. It is hoped that some day brain machine interfaces will be able to read neural signals non-invasively, from outside the skull, and that devices will be operated involuntarily, without deliberate conscious thought. Thus, for example, fighter pilots wearing specialized helmets may be able to operate some controls automatically, just by thinking. 4. Neuroprosthetics: Neuroprosthetics (also called Neural Prosthetics) is a discipline related to neuroscience and biomedical engineering concerned with developing neural prostheses, artificial devices to replace or improve the function of an impaired nervous system. The neuroprosthetic seeing the most widespread use is the cochlear implant, with approximately 100,000 in use worldwide as of 2006. There are several types of neuroprosthetic as follows: I. Sensory Prosthetics: i. Visual prosthetics: One of the prominent goals in neuroprosthetics is a visual supplement, noting roughly 95% of all people considered blind suffer significant impairment but have some capability (for example, seeing some sort of blur) only about 5% of blind people are totally blind. By the 1940s, researchers had established the concept of artificial electrical stimulation of the visual cortex, and in the late 1960s, British scientist Giles Brindley produced breakthrough findings with a system for placing electrodes on the brains surface. When specific areas of the brain were stimulated in blind volunteers, all reported seeing phosphenes that corresponded to where they would have appeared in space. However, experiments were discontinued because of the uncomfortably high currents required for stimulation on the surface of the brain. Encouraged by this work, the National Institutes of Health undertook a project to develop and deploy an interface based on ultra fine wire (25 to 50 micrometers) densely populated with electrode sites that could be implanted deep into the visual cortex, thus requiring less current than Brindleys original design. This work led to new electrode technology—finer than the width of human hair—that could be safely implanted in animals to electrically stimulate, and passively record, electrical activity in the brain. The efforts produced significant advances in neurophysiology, with publication of hundreds of papers in which researchers attempted to develop an electronic interface to the brain. ii. Auditory prosthetics (cochlear implant): A cochlear implant (or bionic ear) is a surgically implanted device that can help provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. Unlike hearing aids, the cochlear implant does not amplify sound, but works by directly stimulating any functioning auditory nerves inside the cochlea with electrical impulses. External components of the cochlear implant include a microphone, speech processor and transmitter. iii. Prosthetics for pain relief (Spinal Cord Stimulator): The Spinal Cord Stimulator or (Dorsal Column Stimulator) is used to treat chronic neurological pain. It is implanted near the dorsal surface of the spinal cord and an electric impulse generated by the device provides a tingling sensation that alters the perception of pain by the patient. A pulse generator or RF receiver is implanted in the abdomen or buttocks. A wire harness connects the lead to the pulse generator. II. Motor prosthetics: . Bladder control implants (Sacral anterior root stimulator): Where a spinal cord lesion leads to paraplegia, patients have difficulty emptying their bladders and this can cause infection. From 1969 onwards Brindley developed the sacral anterior root stimulator, with successful human trials from the early 1980s onwards. This device is implanted over the sacral anterior root ganglia of the spin al cord; controlled by an external transmitter, it delivers intermittent stimulation which improves bladder emptying. It also assists in defecation and enables male patients to have a sustained full erection. The related procedure of sacral nerve stimulation is for the control of incontinence in able-bodied patients. ii. Sensory/Motor prosthetics: In 2002 an implant was interfaced directly into the median nerve fibres of the scientist Kevin Warwick. The electrode array inserted contained 100 electrodes, of which 25 could be accessed at any one time. The signals produced were detailed enough that a robot arm developed by Warwicks colleague, Peter Kyberd, was able to mimic the actions of Warwicks own arm and provide a form of touch feedback via the implant. Fig: Electrode array Fig: Robot arm iii. Cognitive prosthetics: Sensory and motor prostheses deliver input to and output from the nervous system respectively. Theodore Berger at the University of Southern California defines a third class of prostheses aimed at restoring cognitive function by replacing circuits within the brain damaged by stroke, trauma or disease. Work has begun on a proof-of-concept device a hippocampal prosthesis which can mimic the function of a region of the hippocampus a part of the brain responsible for the formation of memories. . BMI versus Neuroprosthetics: Neuroprosthetics is an area of neuroscience concerned with neural prostheses — using artificial devices to replace the function of impaired nervous systems or sensory organs. The most widely used neuroprosthetic device is the cochlear implant, which was implanted in approximately 100,000 people worldwide as of 2006. [2] There are also several neuroprosthetic devices that aim to restore vision, in cluding retinal implants, although this article only discusses implants directly into the brain. The differences between BCIs and neuroprosthetics are mostly in the ways the terms are used: neuroprosthetics typically connect the nervous system, to a device, whereas the term â€Å"BCIs† usually connects the brain (or nervous system) with a computer system. Practical neuroprosthetics can be linked to any part of the nervous system, for example peripheral nerves, while the term BCI usually designates a narrower class of systems which interface with the central nervous system. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably and for good reason. Neuroprosthetics and BCI seek to achieve the same aims, such as restoring sight, hearing, movement, ability to communicate, and even cognitive function. Both use similar experimental methods and surgical techniques. 6. Future Trends and Scopes: Recent advances in cortically controlled brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) have demonstrated that goal-directed movement of external devices is possible in real-time using multi-electrode recordings from cortex. A number of challenges are currently being confronted to further advance BMI research to the next level. These include choosing the optimal decoding algorithm for the type of control to be performed, localizing the optimal cortical site for reliable control, and focusing on the most suitable electrophysiological signal for practical use in a BMI. We present results that attempt to address these challenges based on multi-electrode recording from multiple motor cortical areas in behaving monkeys. . Conclusion: Although brain–machine interfaces are often talked about in relation to disabled people, we can expect they will also be used by the non-disabled as a means to control their environment especially if the devices are non-invasive and no implants are needed. To date there has not been much public discussion of the implications of brain machine interfaces, the amount of public RD funding they receive, and control, distribution and access to these devices.

Friday, September 13, 2019

In what ways did the Puritans influence America in economics politics Essay

In what ways did the Puritans influence America in economics politics and religion - Essay Example This pragmatism and idealism was carried through subsequent generations on high flights of thought. The Yankee pragmatism and Puritan idealism became the two sides of the American coin, which united in the New England character for a primitive synthesis of the native mind Influence of Puritans on the American Economics To the Puritan, therefore, the drama of salvation, with its quest of certainty, seemed like an economy of redemption, with its promise of success. In the influence of the American economy, the New England Puritan was engaged in a great game of transcendental politics, playing in the market of chance with a sovereign god whose dice were always loaded. However, Fey (19) supported that, the Puritans’ typos influenced the economy of redemption thus balancing and harmonizing the economy of the 18th century that gave way to a more radical evolutionary conception of the economy in nature. Puritans looked favorably on the economic success, another characteristic of indi vidualistic values. Puritanism balanced the endorsement of economic activism with the aim of deterring behavior that led to poverty. In addition, Puritan moralists readily admitted that the poor were part of the human community and that charity could not earn spiritual merits. They suggested that those of means had a moral obligation to assist those poor whose poverty was no fault of their own. Puritan ethic affirmed human relationships. Some economics in America have considered a society’s view on the legitimacy of market-pricing and the charging of interest on loans to the main indicators of its friendliness to capitalism. As noted earlier, these issues were relatively small compared to the much broader issues of economic morality. But on pricing and marketing issues, the Puritans hewed to their logic: individual freedom in pricing and interest-collecting was endorsed, but this freedom was considered being absolute in the American economy. For instance, extreme price increa ses in time of scarcity were viewed not as a morally neutral, technical process that involved the supply and demand ideologies but as potential exploitation of others during the time of hardship. Various merchants including Robert Keayne discovered such limits on the market freedom when he was tried for excess profiting. As noted, property rights, wealth, and freedom to change interest or set prices were never viewed as absolute rights of individuals, but were contingent on serving a common good as well. Puritans were individualistic expressed mainly through a relational individualism that resisted tears in the human fabric (Frey 19). Influence of Puritans on the American politics According to Johnson (51), Christians of the early Roman period and for Puritans of the 17th century, prejudice was neither racist nor sexist but religious. That is what was commonly defined by many as cultural impact. This culturist behavior distinguishes exclusively most of the ideologies on the basis of moral character between some sense of the elect term and moral conscious. The same ambiguity was applied in large groups at the top and bottom of the social pyramid that English Puritanism characterized as the unproductive and parasitical individuals thus categorized as the apathetic. Cultural prejudice is a declining influence in modern American life. In it the conservative Puritan politics speak to a need for the accumulation of minorities; a mainstream theory of national identity as opposed to the mosaic theory for which most liberal minority leaders express preference. The Puritans made the social revolution to be slow in reaching the country. That allegation has been exempted not because the problem was solved, but

Thursday, September 12, 2019

What's worth preserving-King Kong 2005 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What's worth preserving-King Kong 2005 - Essay Example But paired with a brilliant script and good direction, the maker’s of Kong 2005 knew it was a recipe for success, and not just the box-office kind. No other remake of a fiction film was able to reflect realities or tell truths than the original in such a thrilling and tear-jerking fashion. And truthfully speaking, that’s what really counts. To say that the film took audiences at the edge of their seats is an undeniable understatement. Even without seeing Kong, the scene with the savages is enough to make one suddenly â€Å"goosebumpy†. King Kong then finally arrives and a screech from Ann Darrow confirms the presence of the big beast. And lo, Kong never looked more like a real gorilla. Cheers to science! Thanks to science and the filmmaker’s reference to it that kids watching the movie can easily identify with what their watching. With its massive size, huge fangs, and intimidating bearing, one might think that fear is something that’s instantly instilled in innocent minds as they realize that there are real beings bigger than their parents looking exactly like it. And spectacular as the wrestling scene was with the T-rexes, the big ape is now alone with a human being, â€Å"Is it dinner time?† But then, all fear of the girl being eaten is suddenly gone as they all see that the 50-foot monster is, indeed, the gorilla that they learned in school—it eats plants. And speaking of learning, I remember a story of a friend who shares the same sentiments as I have on the film. He watched the movie with his cousins and their families and their little nephews and nieces watched too. When it came to the particular scene I just mentioned, he laughed quietly as his cousin says to her son, â€Å"See Andre? If you want to be big and strong like King Kong, you have to eat vegetables too.† Again, cheers to science! The film goes on and we realize that Kong of 2005 is more of a gorilla than