Maintaining and improving operations

Abstract The supermarket industries are among the largest economic upholds in the U.S. The expansion of the customer base is a noticeable consistent growth of the supermarket industry that deals with diverse products. The global expansions plans require enhancement of more effective promotional strategies in order to overcome the economic challenges. Comprehensive financial predicaments affect the consumer behaviours and, therefore these end-users tend to change their purchasing styles due to a lack of trust and confidence.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Maintaining and improving operations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Financial strains also causes the consumers to demand for lowering of prices and at times the situation causes shift of the consumption patterns, for instance the expenditure tends to incline more on the food products over the non-edibles. This is mainly attributable to the reduction of dispos able income, and eventually such kind of trend affects the industry’s financial performance. This report focuses on the performance of food industries with a special attention to Wal-Mart as a global retailer. Overview of Wal-Mart Recent financial recessions affected the economic routine of Wal-Mart, but the firm came through and managed to improve the economic global presentation. The reduction on the number of clients visiting the stores globally during the financial crisis of 2007 did not pull back the overall performance. According to Hoovers AD B Company (2010), Wal-Mart stores were still able to pull out a marginal sales growth of 0.7%. This resulted to only a minimal reduction in the firm’s financial performance. It equally came about due to the consumer trust, but one of the major concerns that various global stores must deal with connects to the safety, quality and value of the edible products. Different states’ administrations as well as the nongovernm ental organizations have had to heighten the food regulation policies within the industries. A good example is directive that governs refrigeration, which ensures that firms in the food retailing industries observe various environmental concerns. Extra tax policies are also set to ensure compliance with new guiding principles. Six Components of Wal-Mart’s Supply Chains Information The effectiveness of a supply chain depends highly on the accuracy and speedy flow of information from the consumer to the production line. The competitiveness in the food industry has seen Wal-Mart incorporate technology into its operations as a measure of enhancing operational efficiency. Innovation demands for a streamlined information flow through computer networks as a measure of enhancing proper movement of inventory as per the demands. Information also entails implementation of the accounting systems, inventory management systems, systems for planning resources and global communication networ ks. Wal-Mart growth also has a connection to its ability of soliciting and facilitating online transfer of goods and services. This enables the firm to provide the customers with the right products as per the demands at the right time.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Production To attain a competitive advantage, Wal-Mart differentiates some of the food products according to categories for instance, the stores ensures differentiation according to buyer’s age. One question the industry has to answer is what does the consumer want or demand? The key importance of addressing production falls upon the quantity and type of products. The firm has to know which and how many parts of production require outsourcing form competent suppliers. The firm must face up to needs of finding the exact or approximate quantity required for each of its stores without a compromise on quality and customer satisfaction. The resource planning team can be of great assistance in this case since there is need for proper schedule to meet demands, control of quality, and balance of the workload beside the overall maintenance of the production line. Supply The resource planning system of the industry is strongly required to ensure enhancement of supplies. To guarantee that supply strategy succeeds, Wal-Mart invests in market research. The strategy makes certain that there is continuous value addition to the firm’s products and that the supplies go as per market demands. Repetitive customer market research enables Wal-Mart to identify the varying consumer tastes and preferences particularly in connection with food products. Supply management also requires value analysis since changes on demands require products analysis and equivalent adjustments. The main challenge in this case is the ability to attain as well as maintain competitive edge by ensuring supplies integrates to demands especially on matters concerning tastes and preferences. Inventory Inventory management is ability to determine the amount of products required in the warehouses. The challenge that Wal-Mart must deal with in this case involved management of the right quantity of inventory. Too much inventory means more costs, while too little can sabotage firm’s growth due to lost consumer trust, therefore the firm must meet demands. Management of optimal stock levels at each supply chain store ensures satisfaction, thus enhancing trust and fluctuation of demands as required in retailing industries. A resource planning system at the order points can assist in monitoring of levels to control supplies. Inventory levels are critical since excess production or supplies can affect other business operations mechanically or financially. Location The global investment requires close monitoring of the demand trends and preferences. Wal-Mart has strategized its production and supply units t o support distribution and inventory management.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Maintaining and improving operations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Long-term plans of a retailing industry such as Wal-Mart requires practical strategic location of production and stocking facilities, for instance the light and non-technical products can be closer to the end-users. Heavier products demands for bigger production and supply units thus must be closer to the raw materials. The decisions concerning location also require a resource planning system for close analysis especially during global distribution. Transportation According to Levy and Weitz (2001), transport decisions have a close relation to inventory management and consumer demands. Various means of transportation differ in terms of cost, cargo quantity and speed. A good percentage of the production cost fall within the transportation schedules; therefore, use of the right channel is critical. The transportation mode must meet the inventory measures for effective supply as per the demands. This is often a strategic operational decision that ensures smooth supply of goods. Global Operation Processes of Wal-Mart Currently, there are high hopes over future performance of the industry considering that there are notable improvements of the global economy after the 2007 recession. Wal-Mart is a global retailer with global reach of potential clients and ability to monitor as well as react on time to overcome possible economic crisis. Global accomplishment also enables the firm to financially strategize and hence recover its other financial sectors. Wal-Mart’s Approach to Solving Operational Problems One of the main challenge the firm faces is ability to form a financial defence over its ability to attain global reach through expansion of retail stores to different countries. Financial commitment and strategies guarantees the attainability of global expansion. The firm must ensure that the chain stores acquisition strategy meets the quality policies. Wal-Mart formulates acquisition of stores through analysis of demands at the domestic markets. The global expansion increases financial recovery while picking a strategy that lowers the financial costs. Globally, Wal-Mart has had financial difficulties over remittances for operations due to the fluctuation of the foreign exchange rates. The drop on Wal-Mart’s financial growth in the recent years is therefore attributable to reduced financial performance. However, stability of the foreign exchange rate causes the global economic recovery of the industry (Wal-Mart annual report, 2010). A resource planning system can monitor the economic recession by finding possibilities of future reductions on consumers’ disposable income, thus reduced levels of consumption. The system can also assist to monitor consumption trend among the end users and consequently advice o n upgrading choices (Levy and Weitz, 2001).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Wal-Mart’s Performance Chart The financial performance of Wal-Mart has been on an upward trend for the past three financial years. There has been a steady increase in the revenue level, resulting in an increase of the firm’s earnings per share. The table and chart below indicated the performances. (In million $) Revenue Gross profit Operating income Total net income Earnings per share January 2009 405,607 99,449 23,082 13,400 3.39 January 2008 378,799 92,284 22,301 12,731 3.13 January 2007 348,650 84,498 20,777 11,284 2.71 Source: Financial reports: (Hoovers AD B Company, 2010) Wal-Mart’s global expansion strategy causes the net sales to rise. References Hoovers AD B Company. (2010). Wal-Mart Financial Records. Web. Levy, M. Weitz, B. (2001). Retailing Management. New York, NY: Irwin/McGraw-Hill Publishers. Wal-Mart annual report. (2010). Wal-Mart Performance. Retrieved from http://c46b2bcc0db5865f5a76-91c2ff8eba65983a1c33d367b8503d02.r78.cf2.ra ckcdn.com/6c/20/87b0b3df469ebee838a2630c2c1a/2010-annual-report-for-walmart-stores-inc_130221021765802161.pdf This essay on Maintaining and improving operations was written and submitted by user Ernesto Haley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Ann Pudeator (Victim of the Salem Witch Trials)

Ann Pudeator (Victim of the Salem Witch Trials) We don’t know Ann Pudeator’s birth name or date, but she was probably born in the 1620s, still in England. She had lived in Falmouth, Maine. Her first husband was Thomas Greenslade. They had five children; he died in 1674. She married Jacob Pudeator in 1676, the year after his wife died. She had originally been hired as a nurse to his wife; her  trouble with alcohol refers to her as an â€Å"alcoholic†, but this is anachronistic. Jacob Pudeator died in 1682. He was relatively wealthy, leaving her somewhat comfortable. She lived in Salem Town. Ann Pudeator and the Salem Witch Trials She was accused mostly by Mary Warren, but also by Anne Putnam Jr., John Best Sr., John Best Jr. and Samuel Pickworth. Her son had testified as an accuser against George Burrough’s trial May 9 and 10, and Ann was arrested on May 12, the same day as Alice Parker was also arrested. She was examined on May 12. She was held until her second examination on July 2. She petitioned the court saying that the evidence against her in court â€Å"were all of them altogether false untrue†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Among the charges were the usual one of forcing Mary Warren to sign the Devil’s book, possession of witchcraft objects which she claimed were grease for soap-making, and using witchcraft to cause the death of her second husband’s wife, whom she had been nursing, and then the death of her second husband himself. She was indicted on September 7 and on September 9, she was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang, as were Mary Bradbury,  Martha Corey,  Mary Easty, Dorcas Hoar and Alice Parker. On September 22, Ann Pudeator, Martha Corey  (whose husband had been pressed to death on September 19), Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Mary Parker, Wilmott Redd, Margaret Scott and Samuel Wardwell were hanged for witchcraft; the Rev. Nicholas Noyes called them â€Å"eight firebrands of hell.†Ã‚   It was the last executions in the Salem witch craze of 1692. Ann Pudeator After the Trials In 1711, when the province’s legislature restored all rights to those who had been accused in the trials, including a number of those executed (thus re-establishing property rights for their heirs), Ann Pudeator was not among those named. In 1957, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts legally exonerated the remaining accused in the trials; Ann Pudeator was named explicitly.  Bridget Bishop, Susannah Martin, Alice Parker, Wilmott Redd and Margaret Scott were included implicitly. Motives Her occupation as a nurse and midwife may have been a motivation for others to charge her with witchcraft. She was also a well-off widow, and there may have been property issues involved, though that is not documented explicitly. It’s interesting that, though she had descendants, no family members participated in the suit leading to the 1710/11 reversal of convictions of others who had been executed. Ann Pudeator in  Fiction Ann Pudeator does not appear as a named character in either The Crucible (Arthur Miller’s play) or the 2014 television series, Salem.

Typical Course of Study - 7th Grade

Typical Course of Study - 7th Grade By the time they are in 7th grade, most students should be reasonably self-motivated, independent learners. They should have a good time-management framework in place, though they will likely still need guidance, and parents should remain actively involved as a source of accountability. Seventh-graders will move onto more complex reading, writing, and math skills and a more in-depth study of previously-learned concepts alongside the introduction of new skills and topics.   Language Arts A typical course of study for 7th-grade language arts includes literature, composition, grammar, and vocabulary building. In 7th-grade, students are expected to analyze text and infer its message, citing the text to support their analysis. They will compare different versions of a document, such as a book and its film  version  or a historical  fiction book with a historical account of the same event or time period. When comparing a book to its movie version, students will learn to notice how elements such as lighting, scenery, or musical score affect the message of the text. When reading text that supports an opinion, students should be able to state whether the author supported his claim with solid evidence and reasons. They should also compare and contrast the texts of other authors presenting the same or similar assertions. Writing should include more in-depth research papers that cite multiple sources. Students are expected to understand how to quote and cite sources and build a bibliography. They are also expected to write well-researched and fact-supported arguments in a clear and logical format. Seventh-grade students should also demonstrate clear, grammatically-correct writing across all subjects, such as science and history. Grammar topics should ensure that students know how to correctly punctuate quoted text and use apostrophes, colons, and semicolons. Math   A typical course of study for 7th-grade math  includes numbers, measurements, geography, algebra, and probability. Typical topics include exponents and scientific notation; prime numbers; factoring; combining like terms; substituting values for variables; simplification of algebraic expressions; and calculating rate, distance, time, and mass. Geometric topics include the classification of angles and triangles; finding the unknown measurement of a triangles side; finding the volume of prisms and cylinders; and determining the slope of a line.   Students will also learn to use a variety of graphs to represent data and to interpret those graphs, and they will learn to compute odds. Students will be introduced to mean, median, and mode.   Science In seventh grade, students will continue to explore general life, earth, and physical science topics using the scientific method.   Although there isnt a specific recommended course of study of 7th-grade science, common life science topics include scientific classification; cells and cell structure; heredity and genetics; and human organ systems and their function. Earth science typically includes the effects of  weather  and climate; properties and uses of water; atmosphere; air pressure;  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹rocks, soil, and minerals; eclipses; phases of the moon; tides; and conservation; ecology and environment. Physical science includes  Newtons laws of motion; the structure of atoms and molecules; heat and energy; the Periodic Table; the chemical and physical changes of matter; elements and compounds; mixtures and solutions; and the properties of waves. Social Studies Seventh-grade social studies topics can vary greatly. As with science, there is no specific recommended course of study. For homeschooling families, the topics covered are usually influenced by their curriculum, homeschooling styles, or personal interests. World history topics may include the Middle Ages; the Renaissance; the Roman Empire; European revolutions; or World War I and World War II.   Students studying American history may cover the Industrial Revolution; the Scientific Revolution; the early 20th century including the 1920s, 1930s, and the Great Depression; and Civil Rights leaders.   Geography may include a detailed study of various regions or cultures, including the history, foods, customs; and religion of the area.  It may also focus on the geographic influences on significant historical events. Art There is no recommended course of study for seventh-grade art. However, students should be encouraged to explore the world of art to discover their interests.   Some ideas include learning to play a musical instrument; acting in a play; creating visual art such as drawing, painting, animation, pottery, or photography; or creating textile art such as fashion design, knitting, or sewing. Technology Seventh-grade students should use technology as part of their studies across the curriculum. They should be competent in their keyboarding skills and have a good understanding of online safety guidelines and copyright laws. In addition to using standard text and spreadsheet applications, students should learn to use tools for collecting data and conducting polls or surveys.  Ã‚   They may also want to publish or share their work using formats such as blogs or video-sharing sites.

A Framework for the Management of Oil Spillage Risks in Oil Dissertation - 1

A Framework for the Management of Oil Spillage Risks in Oil Exploration Programmes - Dissertation Example The aim of this paper is to develop a framework that will help the companies in order to control their oil spillage risks in oil exploration programs.  The objectives will be to investigate the nature of oil spillage risks; identify and summarize the existing understanding about oil spillage risk management; discover good practices in managing oil spillage risks and to provide a new framework that summarizes the findings and can be used further for managing oil spillage risks. Besides this, the paper has also focused on different methods used to manage the risk of oil spillage.  The oil industry is concerned with a long history of spills on the North Slope and the probability of future spills is high. Indeed, there has been an oil spillage once a day, on average, from the time when gas and oil development began on the North Slope. In order to make the subject worse, ocean currents move the chemicals and oil hundreds of miles. Further, in the Arctic Ocean, cleaning up oil spills w ould lead to enormous challenges. Suppression and recovery at sea hardly ever leads to the removal of more than a comparatively small fraction of a large oil spill, i.e. only 10-15% and often significantly less. Till date, no technology subsists in order to clean up oil in the sea ice circumstances and late-season spills would stay behind until the following year.  Oil spillage refers to an unintentional release of oil in a water body due to human activity and is regarded as form of pollution.  

Issues in the Field of Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issues in the Field of Engineering - Essay Example The carbon dioxide laser cutting and wielding machines applies the use of energy state transition which occurs between the rotational states and the vibration states of the carbon dioxide molecule to help in the emission of light long infrared. This wave1lengths often occurs at about 10 Â µm. The carbon dioxide lasers helps in the maintenance of continuous and high levels of the power applied, making them suitable in cutting and marking applications. They are often applied in the cutting of steel and super alloys at various power levels ranging from 1 to 5 kW. The lasers are also applied in the laser eye and in the correction of the laser vision. (Krar 51) Some of the specifications for the cutting and the laser wielding machines which includes the transverse speed, power, Y-axis travel, X-axis travel and the Z-axis travel. Usually there are three different types of carbon dioxide lasers: transverse gas flow, axial gas flow and the sealed tube. For the various sealed tube lasers, the power output is 40 to 80 watts (W) per meter of the each of the tube length. The lasers are usually pumped by flash lambs, near IR laser diodes and also the gas discharge lambs. A number of the specialty laser cutting and welding laser cutting machines are applicable in the cutting of pipes tubes, films, adhesives and composite materials. The laser cutting and welding machines helped in the cutting of machines are specifically designed in the cutting of rubber, plastic, stone, marble, metal, foam, granite and the composite material. Some of the laser cutting and welding machines include integral interface and computer interface. Other systems include moto rized heads, robotic arms, guidance modules, pallets, gantry tables, monitoring systems, cabinets, sensors and laser optics. Various laser cutting and welding machine helps in the designing of applications with highest demand on the cutting speed. The fields of application

The Opening Scenes of Othello, King Lear and Macbeth Essay Example for Free

The Opening Scenes of Othello, King Lear and Macbeth Essay The influences of feminine powers from the Shakespearean plays, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, portrayed during the opening scenes have affected the courses of male instincts and literary arguments throughout the play. In this study, the emphasis is given to the powers of feminine influences portrayed in the opening scenes and the effects of these to male characters and arguments throughout the play. The three plays of Shakespeare have shown significant interests on how females provided influential to seemingly manipulative roles throughout the play. In the opening scene of the play Macbeth, the feminine force of Lady Macbeth only becomes evident in the latter scenes (Act I: Scene V), but her character and roles in the play have shown immense manipulation and creative enticement that lures the role of her husband Macbeth from general to king. Lady Macbeth has shown a personality of a domineering wife that pave the way for her husband’s royal disposition. In the story, her presence and feminine influence are evidently illustrated by her manipulation of her husband’s decisions. The powers of Lady Macbeth portray the similarity towards the militaristic domination of her husband’s task in the military, yet also give contrast to their roles and dispositions, which emphasizes her enticement. On the other hand, the feminine influences present in King Lear are evidently multi-faceted through the roles of characters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Shakespeare is able to centralize the literary course through the discreet and indirect manipulation of character of Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear. In opening scenes this play, the feminine roles are very much intertwined with the concept of sibling rivalry and patriarchal inclinations, which is more patterned to â€Å"Electra† complex of Freudian psychosexual theory. The character of Cordelia has shown her distinct attachments towards the King of France as her husband and the King Lear as her father, while the two sisters, Goneril and Regan, implicate love towards themselves and their husband’s disposition to the society. Cordelia’s depiction of feminine influence is the main emphasis of the discussion due to her distinct attachments to significant male characters as well as her diverse portrayal in the opening scenes of the play. Lastly, the play of Othello gives rise to the character of Desdemona who have entangled the hearts of two gentlemen, Othello and Roderigo. In the opening scenes, it is already indicated that Roderigo lost the hand of Desdemona to his competitor Othello, who actually became the husband of Desdemona. In the novel, the roles of women, including Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca, have become the turning point of argument among men. Shakespeare has evidently utilized the imagery of womanhood in order to create the sense of love rivalries, issues of jealousy, scenarios of betrayal and the instinctive manly lust linked to their pride as military personnel and as male human being. The feminine influence is very much intense and evident even in the opening scenes of the play; however, it portrays a different perspective in the form of love triangle between Othello, Desdemona and Roderigo. Discussion The Opening Scenes of Othello The setting of the opening scene involves the two characters Roderigo and Iago arguing about the secret marriage that occurred between Othello, Roderigo’s literary rival, and Desdemona, the woman who captivated Roderigo. During the first scenes, Roderigo acts furiously and blatantly exaggerates his hatred and defeat towards Iago due to the fact that Desdemona can no longer be with him. Even from the very start, the character of Desdemona is already causing an indirect influence towards the male characters through the depiction of erotic triangle between Othello, herself and Roderigo. In the advent of Roderigo’s jealousy, he is easily manipulated by Iago’s lying tongue that causes them to further lay down their conflict to the Desdemona’s father, Senator Brabantio. â€Å"Iago: Call up her father, rouse him: make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen and, though he in a fertile climate dwell, plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy, yet throw such changes of vexation ont, as it may lose some colour. (Act I: Scene I)† Brabantio, being influenced again by the role of Desdemona as his daughter, becomes protective over her and enrages as he learn the marriage between his pure bred English daughter to a moor. Othello is known as the noble moor in the novel; hence, creating issues of classicism in terms of racial origin. Despite Othello’s military rank (General), he is not welcomed with full acceptance by Desdemona’s patriarchs. â€Å"Brabantio: It is too true an evil: gone she is; and whats to come of my despised time is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo, Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl! With the Moor, sayst thou? Who would be a father! How didst thou know twas she? O she deceives me (Act I: Scene I). † Literary angles would consider the enticement and manipulation brought by Iago; however, the clear spot on Desdemona, being the subject of argument among men in the opening scenes, is the clearest influence of feminine powers. Brabantio’s patriarchal protectiveness and Roderigo’s lustful intent insist to revoke the clinging of Othello to Desdemona; however, even with progressive accusations (e. g. witchcraft, unreasonable seductions from Othello, etc. , Othello is able to defend himself and his love for Desdemona. Prior to the frank arguments between Brabantio’s allies and Othello, the noble moor already declared his affection towards Desdemona. â€Å"Othello: But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition put into circumscription and confine for the seas worth(Act I: Scene II). † Shakespeare portrays a different power of female captivity in the initial conflicts of opening scenes. Even without the appearance of Desdemona in the opening scenes of the play, her presence and manipulation over the male characters are already evident. The protectiveness of Brabantio, the jealous love of Roderigo and Othello’s proof of love for Desdemona have all indicated a tremendous male influence through a simple decision made by Desdemona, which is her marriage with Othello. Evidently, the female character of Desdemona invisibly influences the subjects of arguments (e. g. Iago and Roderigo, Brabantio against Othello, and Roderigo against Othello) present in the opening scenes of the play. The Opening Scenes of King Lear In the play of King Lear, the female parties under the portrayals of the three sisters, Goneril, Regan and King Leer’s most favourite, Cordelia. The play opens with King Lear and his daughters providing their best interpretations of their patriarchal affinity. Goneril, being the eldest and married daughter, casts well-stated praises for the king but less affinity for a father. â€Å"Goneril: †¦No less than life, with grace, health, beauty, honour; as much as child eer loved, or father found; a love that makes breath poor, and speech unable;†¦ (Act I: Scene 1). † Meanwhile, Regan, the second daughter, resembles more of her eldest sister’s remarks although, she places more emphasis on the insufficiencies of Goneril’s description. It is a higher bid, a bold comparative and an assertion that Regan can love better than the eldest. Regan mentions that, â€Å"In my true heart â€Å"†¦I find she names my very deed of love; only she comes too short: that I profess myself an enemy to all other joys, which the most precious square of sense possesses; and find I am alone felicitate in your dear highness love (Act I: Scene I)†, which gives the hint of her total love for King Lear. Shakespeare’s King Lear somehow illustrates the role of women to please men of the contemporary European society simply through words, which sometimes even blinds them of the real picture. However, despite the alluring statements provided by the two sisters, Shakespeare decides to have the youngest, Cordelia, as the turning point of feminine enticement in the story, which even influenced the entire literary course of King Lear. Upon the first entrance of King Lear, a significant symbolism of favoritism has already been portrayed for his youngest daughter. His concern over her is vastly impressive and evident as he acknowledges the non-implied burden of Cordelia’s suitors, King France and Lord of Burgundy. However, this affection of King Lear has been seemingly declined by Cordelia during her turn to state her love for the king. Corderlia’s thoughts assures to her confidence that her tongue is not match for her affection towards her father. â€Å"Cordelia: Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave, my heart into my mouth: I love your majesty according to my bond; nor more nor less. (Act1: Scene 1)† This is turning point plays the most significant feminine influences over males in the opening scenes of the play. King Lear becomes enraged, disowns his daughter and leaves her to the King of France to marry. However, Cordelia still provides the greatest affinity towards the king compared to her two sisters. The feminine influences of the three daughters to their father provide a multi-faceted approach. Goneril and Regan compete for their interest in the king’s inheritance, but their intents show selfish and masked affinity. On the other hand, Cordelia manifests a strong attachment to her father. Despite of the knowledge that failure to gratify the king through word praises might cause the lost of her part in the kingdom shares, she still preferred to announce her honest verdict. In the opening scene, King Lear, with the instinctive manly characters, is easily manipulated by the feminine lingual enticement, which even blinds his site from truth. King Lear prioritizes his pride and instinct as a man, which blinds him from the real identities and intentions of her daughters. The linkages of the sisters towards the king are related to the patriarchal attachments that should be natural to such familial relationships. The Electra complex depicted in the play and the process on how feminine enticement can manipulate male’s decision is the main influence of feminine roles throughout the play. The Opening Scenes of Macbeth In the Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the feminine influence is greatly portrayed by the role of Lady Macbeth over her husband, Macbeth. In the story, the three witches have provided their prediction of kingly lineage to Banquo, a military general and Macbeth’s best friend; however, as Lady Macbeth learns of the predictions, she decides to use this together with her husband as an opportunity to own the crown. Lady Macbeth is able to convince Macbeth that the only way to the royal lineage is to eliminate the current monarch, King Duncan. During the conversations of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the manipulation of Lady Macbeth becomes evident in her efforts to convince Macbeth for the killing plot. â€Å"Lady Macbeth: And when goes hence? Macbeth: To-morrow, as he purposes. Lady Macbeth: O, never shall sun that morrow see! .(Act 1: Scene V) Lady Macbeth: What cannot you and I perform upon the unguarded Duncan? What not put upon his spongy officers, who shall bear the guilt of our great quell? † (Act 1: Scene VII). The feminine cunningness of Lady Macbeth has entices her husband for her plot of putting Macbeth in the royal sit. She is even confident to take the overall burden for the sake of her husband’s new position in the royal chambers as evident to her statements, â€Å"Lady Macbeth: †¦to alter favour ever is to fear: Leave all the rest to me†¦ (Act I: Scene V). The influence of Lady Macbeth is also the main weapon that she chooses in order to fulfill the plot of killing. She decides to lure the king to her enticement prior to the killing and, with that, her cunning statements begin to manifest. â€Å"Duncan: Give me your hand; conduct me to mine host: we love him highly, and shall continue our graces towards him. By your leave, hostess (Act 1: Scene VI)† The female influences portrayed in the character of Lady Macbeth illustrate the manipulative and non-offensive strategy of female mind in directing the male’s decision according to their preferences. Evidently, Lady Macbeth manifests a domineering attitude towards her husband, Macbeth, whom she even considers as innocent and helpless in some non-implied way. Considering the pride of men by nature and the manly instinct suggesting the negation of female position, especially during the contemporary European society, Macbeth is enticed to abide the plans and plots of Lady Macbeth. Moreover, as illustrated in the opening scenes, Macbeth is the one who shows hesitancy over the plot of his wife. â€Å"Macbeth: If we should fail? Lady Macbeth: We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and well not fail. When Duncan is asleepWhereto the rather shall his days hard journey soundly invite himhis two chamberlains (Act I: Scene VII)† It is important to note that the culture and tradition from the time of Macbeth’s writing prohibits the insubordination of males by females; however, Lady Macbeth is able to create an illusion of caring character to mask her manipulation. Somehow, the concept maybe contradicting to the prevailing culture of their time, but the strength of feminine influence and dominancy is very much evident in the role of Lady Macbeth to the point that even Duncan acknowledges her bravery. Following the latter scenes of the play, it is Lady Macbeth who works behind the kingly figure of Macbeth indicating the powers placed by Shakespeare in the woman’s tongue in his Macbeth. Analysis of the Three Plays In the three plays of Shakespeare analyzed in this study, the play Othello mentions the power of Desdemona’s decision in marrying the noble moor, while Goneril, Regan and Cordelia use the feminine touch of patriarchal influence in order to create significant impact in King Lear’s decisions for his kingdom, and lastly, Lady Macbeth who issues direct but properly strategize dominancy and manipulation over her husband, Macbeth. These women in the following three plays have all shown significant feminine influences towards the male characters of the plays. Despite the different forms and strategies, the feminine image in the contemporary period of society has always become a part of major influential force. The portrayals of feminine influences have all been cited from the openings scenes of the play, and yet, each of the female character in these plays has already provided their significant place in the literary course. In consideration of Othello’s Desdemona, even without her initial appearance, her single decision of marrying Othello has initiated the conflicts between three male personas, Roderigo, Brabantio and Othello. The conflict between these males stand in the motives of racial discrimination of Brabantio for Othello’s Moroccan origin, and Roderigo’s desire for Desdemona that is halted and ended by their secret marriage. In the opening scenes of Othello, Desdemona has not even mentioned any words but only the decision of secret marriage, and yet the uprising between the three main characters has already climbed the higher intensity. Meanwhile, the sisters and their king, from the play King Lear? are provided with the scenario of lingual enticements. Goneril and Regan are able to entice their father through their praises full of masked thoughts. However, despite of their masked or seemingly unreal feminine allurement, Goneril and Regan are given portions of the kingdom under the King’s verdict. Meanwhile, the youngest, Cordelia offers the most honest answer he can give, which is the love of expression than love through words. However, due to Corderlia’s failure in enticing the male pride and instinct of King Lear, she has been banished from the throne including her right as the daughter of the king. The feminine influence being portrayed in this novel is on the aspect of pleasing the male pride, which holds the key in manipulating their superiority and grants – as with the portrayal of Goneril and Regan. Lastly, the dominance of Lady Macbeth towards her husband Macbeth has led to their plot of killing the current minister, Duncan, and subduing the kingdom under Macbeth’s leading. The portrayal of Lady Macbeth has provided the illustration of the aggressive form of female manipulation through a well-masked intent towards rule and power. Conclusion The feminine influences of the characters Desdemona, the three sisters and Lady Macbeth have all illustrated diverse forms on how females in the contemporary plays of Shakespeare can influence the male society. As for Othello’s wife, Desdemona, she is able to influence the uprising of the male characters in the opening scenes through her simple decision of marrying the racially discriminated individual, Othello, the noble moor. Meanwhile, the two sisters, Goneril and Regan, are able to entice their patriarch’s affection leading to the favor of having the kingdom’s inheritance. Cordelia, on the other hand, symbolizes how men’s pride can be blinded by false feminine allure, which sometimes hinders male’s judgments of truth. Lastly, Lady Macbeth who provides the portrayal of dominant manipulation over her husband in order to attain higher positions through the royal crown.

Tragic Triumph :: essays research papers

It hardly takes a discerning eye to realize that life does not consist of fairy tale endings. That fact is all too apparent in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, a work which has been labeled a tragedy by many critics. Robert Heilman defines a tragedy as a work of literature in which a character divided within the self makes choices, bears the consequences of those choices, gains a new awareness, and suffers victory in defeat. As you will see, John Proctor is a perfect protagonist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main choice which Proctor must make is simple enough to recognize: lie about his participation in witchcraft or proclaim his innocence and be hanged; however, the actual process of making this decision is not as easy. Proctor vacillates between dishonesty and the upholding of society's and his own morals. In Act IV, anxiety permeates the air as Proctor puts his name on the confession; but somewhere between the quill and the quintessence of the tragedy, Proctor has a change of heart. I believe that the precise point at which he realizes the exigency of the situation is when he emits the soul-wrenching cry, 'You will not use me!'; (142). And so, with these words, the first provision of a tragedy is furnished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Miller spares us the full repercussions of Proctor's decision by ending the play before the hangings. Still, it is evident what the consequence of Proctor's insistent grip on integrity will be: death. I find it much more fitting that Miller excludes the most disparaging part of the play and instead instills in our minds the positive side. Elizabeth plants the seed of this thought when she proclaims of John, 'He have his goodness now'; (143). This statement creates perfect balance in the conclusion of the play, allowing the reader to experience the full psychological weight of the Salem Witch Trials while permitting the presentation of the optimist's viewpoint.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before his untimely death, Proctor gains an awareness of life possible only to those who hold it in insufficient hands and observe it sifting through their fingers like the Sands of Time. His epiphany occurs just after the destruction of the confession, when all havoc breaks loose. In many prior instances throughout the play Proctor's integrity had been alluded to, although the taint of lechery prevented any confirmation of our suspicions. Proctor finally admits it both to us and to himself in saying, 'I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor'; (144). Although it is uncertain whether characters such as Hale ever reached this same point of Tragic Triumph :: essays research papers It hardly takes a discerning eye to realize that life does not consist of fairy tale endings. That fact is all too apparent in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, a work which has been labeled a tragedy by many critics. Robert Heilman defines a tragedy as a work of literature in which a character divided within the self makes choices, bears the consequences of those choices, gains a new awareness, and suffers victory in defeat. As you will see, John Proctor is a perfect protagonist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main choice which Proctor must make is simple enough to recognize: lie about his participation in witchcraft or proclaim his innocence and be hanged; however, the actual process of making this decision is not as easy. Proctor vacillates between dishonesty and the upholding of society's and his own morals. In Act IV, anxiety permeates the air as Proctor puts his name on the confession; but somewhere between the quill and the quintessence of the tragedy, Proctor has a change of heart. I believe that the precise point at which he realizes the exigency of the situation is when he emits the soul-wrenching cry, 'You will not use me!'; (142). And so, with these words, the first provision of a tragedy is furnished.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Miller spares us the full repercussions of Proctor's decision by ending the play before the hangings. Still, it is evident what the consequence of Proctor's insistent grip on integrity will be: death. I find it much more fitting that Miller excludes the most disparaging part of the play and instead instills in our minds the positive side. Elizabeth plants the seed of this thought when she proclaims of John, 'He have his goodness now'; (143). This statement creates perfect balance in the conclusion of the play, allowing the reader to experience the full psychological weight of the Salem Witch Trials while permitting the presentation of the optimist's viewpoint.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before his untimely death, Proctor gains an awareness of life possible only to those who hold it in insufficient hands and observe it sifting through their fingers like the Sands of Time. His epiphany occurs just after the destruction of the confession, when all havoc breaks loose. In many prior instances throughout the play Proctor's integrity had been alluded to, although the taint of lechery prevented any confirmation of our suspicions. Proctor finally admits it both to us and to himself in saying, 'I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor'; (144). Although it is uncertain whether characters such as Hale ever reached this same point of

How to become an effective member in an Interprofessional Team Essay

Using Gibb’s reflective cycle and the Inter professional Capability Framework explain how your knowledge, skills and attitudes considered on this module will enable you to become an effective member of an inter professional team in your working environment The National Health Service (NHS) employs more than a million employees; therefore, a system that allows the services to run in sync with the skilled and responsive workforce cannot be denied (Daly, 2004). However, does it give us the privilege to say we have overcome the barriers to collaboration and communication within NHS? Certainly not otherwise, cases like the death of Victoria Climbe and Baby Peter would have been avoided, whereby consistent failing in communication and collaborative working among various concerned professionals and agencies was unearthed (Jelphs & Dickinson, 2008). Because of the word limitation for the essay, the essay will only seek to explore the interprofessional capabilities (i.e. knowledge, skills and attitudes) about collaborative working and communication that can enable me becoming an effective team member of an inter professional team in the future. To achieve this, I am going to exploit the first domain of the interprofessional capability (IPC) framework namely collaborative working using Gibb’s reflective cycle. The first stage of Gibb’s (1988) reflective cycle requires the description of the events (Jasper, 2003); Approximately 800 students undertook the Interprofessional education (IPE) module from various disciplines of health and social care courses. IPE can be defined as â€Å"education that occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes† (WHO, 2010 pp-7). The interprofessional group I was allocated to comprise of a mental health nurse, a midwife, two adult nurses, a physiotherapist and myself, a diagnostic radiographer. It was within the group; we had to undertake various facilitated activities as well as independent group works. The module was to offer awareness and learning about the issues of collaborative working, communication and many other topics; collaterally, it was also about demonstrating my knowledge, skills and attitudes towards these problems according to my experience as well aslearn from other   team members. By the end of the event, I was not only exposed to the notions of collaborative working and effective communication, but also to the barriers that can stop us from achieving them. The second stage of Gibb’s (1988) reflective cycle is about expression of the feelings about the event (Jasper, 2003). Initially, I was unsure about the benefits of ‘common learning’ however, it became clear as we progressed through the module (Barr, 2003). Everyone was friendly, showed respect and trusted other people’s knowledge. Moreover, a group work approach was apparent rather than an individual approach to the problems we encountered. I felt valued within the team because I could share my perception about the problems and discuss them effectively with other team members. I also observed that although some cases were not directly related to my profession, however, the team members ensured that I was on board with what they were proposing, hence maintaining a supportive and collaborative learning environment. There was a sense of all team members wanting to work collaboratively and effectively to perform well. Nevertheless, I was little annoyed when two of the nursing students were not engaging fully with the group work. However, it was interesting to note that as soon as they apologised about their inappropriate behaviour, justified why it happened (stress about doing another essay) and agreed not to repeat it; it had a really positive effect on me, and I was easily able to let off their behaviour. Although with hindsight, I think this may have a negative effect on the group if they had carried on repeating such behaviour (Jelphs & Dickinson, 2008). Furthermore, there was one of team members who did not attend any group works sessions in the second week, and even did not communicate with the team about her non attendance, which I thought was an unprofessional behaviour at this level. Nevertheless, the support given by the teaching team during facilitated sessions was commendable. Overall, my feeling about the whole event was quite positive. The third stage of Gibb’s (1988) reflective cycle involves evaluation of my experiences encountered during the event (Jasper, 2003). Gorman (1998) suggests that considerate amount of attention should be given to the structure of the team, the culture (interprofessional relationships) and processes as they can influence the behaviour of the team i.e. leading to collaborative working or hindrance. This was well recognised by all members at the beginning itself and therefore time was spent on discussion about it, as a result of which  the team was found to have congruity about shared commitment throughout the module. All the team members became clear about the roles of the professionals involved and their interaction with the patient-care pathway. Thus, it provided a good outline about role clarity, which was maintained throughout without any conflict (West & Markiewicz, 2006). Any challenges encountered within the group were well focused to the relevant question or working practice. Thereby, better understanding and sharing of accountability were seen. All these helped reduce the hindrance to effective collaboration. Also shared was information about the problems experienced at the clinical placement namely incorrect filing, assumption made about illegible handwriting, acronyms and short abbreviations, etc. that can often risk the patients care and can be seen as potential source for errors. The team leader maintained a well balance about the time that was to be spent for each activity. Therefore, we were all able to share successfully our values and perceptions about the issues relating to communication and collaboration. No personality issues were encountered (Jelphs & Dickinson, 2008). There were some brilliance movement of innovation and creativity seen, e.g. during poster creating activities and rich picture activity and each member participated in one way or the other e.g. I and a physiotherapist student put forward to present it to the other groups. Thus, overall I felt there was a good positive attitude maintained by all the team members as everyone was willing to collaborate and communicate effectively. I felt that synergy produced by contribution from everyone through interprofessional group works had far exceeded the potential of what I could have contributed individually (Jelphs & Dickinson, 2008). Although there was no absence of trust and fear of conflict among the group members however, lack of commitment was present as consistent non attendance was an issue for one of the team member, and it was felt that there was avoidance of accountability as that person did not feel it important to inform the team (Lencione, 2002). Another issue about inattention from two of the team members was resolved effectively by the team leader through good communication skills he possessed and it was a good learning example for me. Therefore, team leaders are required to facilitate the group to stay focused and help stop getting fragmented (O’Daniel & Rosenstein, 2006). I also learned about other factors that may contribute as  barriers to effective collaboration which included social conformity, risk shift, group think and diffusion of responsibility (West & Markiewicz, 2006). The stage four of the Gibb’s (1988) reflective cycle includes analysis of the event. The fact that in the UK, communication is still one of the commonest roots of problems described in complaints against the professionals should make us realise that communication should not take for granted (Health and social care information services, 2006 cited from Jelphs and Dickinson, 2008). The Oxford dictionary (2010) defines communication as â€Å"the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.† And Mehrabian (1972) suggests that non-verbal communication (body language) can contribute around 70%, when interacting. Therefore, it is vital that the healthcare professionals are not only effective in communicating verbally but also non-verbally. We all agreed and aware that every one of us had in their codes of professional conduct about clearly documenting any intervention offered or given to the patient (HPC, 2009; The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2005; NMC, 2009). As a result, I felt that the team were unified on decisions made about poor documentation that were noted within the examples/cases given and videos shown. As a group we all agreed that clear documentation can help reduce the risk of breakdown in communication and increase the likelihood of adequate sharing of information and hence quality of care. As whenever any critical information is transmitted through any medium there is always a risk of miscommunication attached to it and that is why effective communication is much more difficult to achieve in practice (O’Daniel & Rosenstein, 2006). Although this was conflicted with what the Nursing students (mental nurse and adult nurse), and physiotherapy student mentioned during the debate as they felt that there was the surplus amount of paper work to be done, which was affecting the quality of care provided to the patients, especially during handovers. Unlike in radiography, this is not the case as we often x-ray the patients without any notes, but a request form (legal document) is required indicating the type of examination required. Nevertheless, every patient needs to be registered on the system before we can do x-rays, which can take a while. However, we have to schedule the in-patients needed to be done out of ours and therefore, have to communicate with the ward nursing staff and porters. Furthermore, during any emergency situation requiring  mobile x-rays or Computerised Tomography examination effective communication with the accident and emergency (A&E) is necessary as otherwise it can delay the treatment and jeopardise patient’s well-being. Besides, I observed that the ‘nurses’ role was quiet at the core when it came about caring patients in the hospital. Therefore, I felt that it was necessary to work collaboratively and maintain good communication with the nurses in practice as they can help me by providing crucial information about patient’s physical and psychological status that I may need to consider when taking the x-ray’s requiring some adaption of techniques (Burzotta & Noble, 2011). The group did well to work in collaboration maybe because good communication was maintained all the time between the members. Mead and Ashcroft (2005) suggest that working in collaboration is vital as it helps to avoid any misunderstandings and hence keeping it immune from barriers of interprofessional collaboration. Nevertheless, an interprofessional team can comprise of individuals from different professional background and have a possibility of sharing same skills and knowledge, in which case clarity about their role and scope of responsibilities should get agreed as otherwise it can easily become a potential source of conflict for the teams (Thompson, Melia & Boyd, 2000). Care priorities can be affected by the codes of conduct, e.g. the main focus of doctor will be on patient’s medical condition, a physiotherapist will mainly remain concerned about the mobility issues; a social worker priority will be making available required care and support at home, nurses’ priorities to coordinate patients discharge, transport and medications to take home. Therefore, although we see everyone wanting to work collaboratively their priorities can differ (Thompson et al, 2000). I felt there was a positive feeling until the last day between the team members, and everyone felt proud about this opportunity through which we all mutually enjoyed. I am convinced that the experience gained will certainly enhance my practice as well as attitude towards other professionals with whom I will come in contact. Overall, I have gained a profound understanding and knowledge about how individuals’ responses and behaviour can influence others and the events, the need for good communication not only with service users and their family members, but also with other team members through this experience. I had become self-aware about my interprofessional skills and factors that contribute to  communication; and feel that this experience will be a very useful to support my understanding of how to be an effective member of an interprofessional team in the future. Also, as a healthcare professional I should always try to act responsibly and try to develop stronger relationships with other team members, therefore, allowing every chance of working collaboratively and communicating adequately, which could result into better health and well-being of patients and reduce the risk of failures (Jelphs & Dickinson, 2008; DOH, 2000). The next stage of Gibb’s (1988) reflective cycle includes discussion about the action plans. Therefore, if faced with similar scenarios or situations experienced while undertaking this module, I will ensure that the knowledge and skills acquire are well implemented to the situations and seek help from other interprofessional team members without any prejudice, but with pride (Daly, 2004). I also feel that to become more effective as a team member, continuous interprofessional development and active participation in these areas should not be neglected. Reading and reflecting through IPC framework domains can help me identify my progress as well as help me to engage and assimilate more within the interprofessional team (Interprofessional Capability framework, 2010). To conclude, this module has really helped me get myself out of my normal area of practice and to reach out for other disciplines; learn and relate positive and negative outcomes about working in collaboration and communication. In hindsight, the module was an eye-opener for me as, despite being aware about the need for collaborative working and importance of communicating appropriately; consistency of its application in practice was seen to be lacking. Nevertheless, it will be unfair to say that we have completely failed in these areas. I am quite convinced that although the ethos of working in collaboration can arguably be seen as a challenging aspect, however, the truth is real-life problems are always more complicated to be dealt single-handedly. Therefore, fostering of collaborative working culture through Interprofessional education can revolutionise the thinking of students as it has done mine too, thereby helping me prepare to become an effective member of future interprofessional teams, who will have collaboration and communication as one of their core parts of their practice. REFERENCES: Barr, H. (2003). Undergraduate interprofessional education: Education Committee Discussion Document. Retrieved December 10,2011, from http://www.gmc-uk.org/Undergraduate_interprofessional_education.pdf_25397207.pdf Burzotta, L. & Noble, H. (2011). The dimensions of interprofessional practice. British Journal of Nursing, 20(5),310-315. Daly, G. (2004). Understanding the barriers to multiprofessional collaboration. Nursingtimes.net. 100(09) 78. Retrieved December 22, 2011, from http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinical-specialisms/management/understanding-the-barriers-to-multiprofessional-collaboration/204513.article. Gorman, P. (1998). Managing multidisciplinary teams in the NHS. London: Kogan Page. Health Professional Council (2009). Standard of proficiency. Retrieved January 01,2012, from http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10000DBDStandards_of_Proficiency_Radiographers. Interprofessional Capability Framework (2010) Mini-guide. Interprofessional Education Team, Facult y of Health and Wellbeing, Sheffield Hallam University. Higher Education Academy. Jasper, M. (2003). Beginning Reflective Practice: Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Jelphs, J. & Dickinson, H. (2008). Working in teams. Bristol: The Policy Press. Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunction of a team. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Meads, G. & Ashcroft, J. (2005). The Case for Interprofessional Collaboration – In Health and Social Care. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Mehrabain, A. (1972). Nonverbal communication. Chicago: Aldine Atherton. Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2009). The Code. Retrieved January 2,2012, from http://tinyurl.com/6kdup6. O’Daniel, M. & Rosenstein, A. H. (2006). Professional communication and team collaboration. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. ‘Retrieved December 19,2011’, from http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/docs/O’DanielM_TWC.pdf Oxford Dictionaries (2010). Oxford University Press. Retrieved January 01,2012, from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/communication. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. (2005). Rules and standards. Retrieved January 2 ,2012, from http://tinyurl.com/6aptc99 Thompson I.E., Melia, K & Boyd, K. (2000). Nursing ethics. (4th ed.). London: Churchill Livingstone. World Health Organisation.(2010). Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice. Retrieved December 22,2011, from http://www.who.int/hrh/resources/framework_action/en/. West, M. & Markiewicz,L. (2006). The effective partnership working inventory. Working Paper. Birmingham: Aston Business School. Department of Health (2000) A Health Service for All the Talents: Developing the NHS Workforce. London: Department of Health

Age of Computer Essay

Eras in the history of art and architecture may be distinguished by styles such as Renaissance, Gothic, Impressionist or Surrealist, and so on. Techniques too have marked different eras over the centuries: from the primitive tools of the Stone Age, to the Industrial Age marked by steam and electrical power and the discovery of turbines, and engines. Today, we have entered a new era: the computer age – an age which owes everything to inventors. Charles Babbage, an English mathematician, is considered to be the great-grandfather of the computer. Over 150 years ago, in 1840 to be exact, he invented a sophisticated calculating machine, and called it the â€Å"Analytical Engine.† As with many inventions, his creation was far in advance of its time. It took another 100 years before the first computers were built, and as you know, they were huge and incredibly heavy. Take, for instance, the famous Mark I. It was the world’s first electro-mechanical computer and was used during World War 2 by the U.S. Navy. In comparison to 20th-century systems,  it could be likened to a battleship: 2.6 meters high, 16 meters wide, 2 meters deep, and weighing a massive 5 tons! The machine – the hardware – could not develop without the software to match, of course. In this respect, two women mathematicians played key roles. Ada Lovelace Byron, daughter of the poet Lord Byron, wrote in 1843 what today we’d call programs for Charles Babbage’s â€Å"Analytical Engine.† She was a pioneer and is considered to be the very first programmer in history. That’s why 130 years later, the U.S. Department of Defence gave her forename – Ada – A-D-A – to one of the most important computer programs in the world. It is used not only by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force but also by big industry, universities, and other centers of research. Grace Hopper, an American woman, invented in 1952 the very first compiler of all times, a program which translates a programming language so that it can be understood by computers. It was a sensational breakthrough which opened doors to automatic programming and thus directly to contemporary personal computers (PCs). Today, computers are at the center of thousands upon thousands of other inventions. They are the heartbeats of the modern world. Computers are every-where – from kitchens to concrete mixers, from planes to pockets. They listen. They speak. They act. Never in world history has one invention had such an influence on humanity as a whole. Without the computer age, there would be no global awareness. Internet, in particular, has created a brand new environment. A new culture has been born – free, rapid, and universal – where people share their knowledge and expertise. Information and communication techniques have been turned upside down, distance has been eliminated, frontiers abolished. A tremendous interactive potential is burgeoning on our planet Earth today. Like it or lump it – none can stop it! I would like to mention something concerning Internet. The inventors in 1990  of the World Wide Web (WWW), which revolutionized the contemporary computer world, did not become millionaires. British Tim Berners-Lee and Belgian Robert Caillau, both researchers at European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, did not make any money through their invention of the WWW. They refused to patent it. They feared that in so doing, the use of the Web would prove prohibitively expensive preventing its use worldwide. Thus, they passed up a fortune so that our world can learn and communicate today, and we should be grateful to them for their foresight. The invention of the computer with its multitude of programs and new information technologies is transforming the traditional perception of an inventor. A more positive image is emerging. No longer personified by an eccentric crackpot, a crackpot male genius working alone in attic, garage or basement, today’s inventors resemble more and more millions of other scientists, industrial researchers and entrepreneurs in workshops or laboratories surrounded by a computer station. All use the â€Å"mouse† instead of a pencil, and their drawing boards are computer screens. Women inventors have also contributed to this change in the traditional image of the inventor, particularly in certain fields such as chemistry, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, not to speak of computer software. In the USA, for instance, the number of women inventors with patents in the field of chemistry increased three-and-half times during the period from 1977 (2.8%) to 1988 (9.9%). It would be interesting indeed to see what further increases have taken place over the past 10 years. Another popular fallacy is not only that the large majority of inventors are eccentric and male, but they are also perceived as being raZther ancient! The truth is that, thanks to the computer, people are actually inventing more and more at an increasingly youthful age. In Silicon Valley, a 30-year old inventor is considered already long in the tooth, and many newcomers to the inventive world are in their 20s. Some predict that in a few years time,  there’ll be a new generation of 14-year-old millionaire inventors appearing in Silicon Valley! Unfortunately, this new generation of inventors – women and very young people – is insufficiently present among representatives of most inventor associations worldwide. These are still run by people who, although totally dedicated to their work, were neither born nor grew up in the computer age. Therefore they find adaptation difficult. Information technology frequently passes them by. This is often a cause of very real problems. lighbulbInternet.jpg (1394 bytes) Let’s now consider some of the ways inventors can make use of the new technologies of the computer age. We all know that inventors need a lot of information. Technological information contained in patent documents is essential at the very earliest stages of invention. It can avoid duplication in research work. It can provide ideas for further development of existing technology. It can also give a glimpse of the technological activities of competitors. That is why Patent Offices have put their patent documentation databases on the Internet. Access is not only fast, but easily accessible, and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It’s also free in the sense that it doesn’t cost the inventor a single cent to consult such documentation! Time-consuming travel to Patent Offices or libraries storing patent documents is a thing of the past. The inventor also has access to much more data than through a single database. Obviously, the ideal is one huge library, containing millions of patent documents from all over the world. The European Patent Office (EPO) has tried to create this world library of patent documents. I am glad to inform you that IFIA Web site allows surfers to visit this EPO site, and through it, to jump to the major providers of patent information in the world, whether they be Patent Offices or private  enterprises, such as IBM. A further advantage is the constant updating of all these databases by each of the providers. In brief, it’s sufficient to click on one address, the EPO address, to access millions of documents: . lighbulbInternet.jpg (1394 bytes) For many inventors, the marketing stage often starts with a prototype to prove that the product works satisfactorily, and what’s more, works safely. The greater a model’s perfection, the greater the chances of selling a license to a manufacturer. But a professional prototype, as close to the final product as possible, can rapidly become extremely expensive. One fantastic and inexpensive alternative to a physical prototype is a computerized model. Basically, it amounts to modelling the invention from all angles on a computer, with self-running commentary, demonstrations and animation of all the invention’s functions. The diskette or ZIP disk can be duplicated in as many copies as necessary, and sent via regular mail. The computerized prototype can also be loaded onto a video tape and copies made. Busy executives – prospective investors, licensees or buyers – seem, however, to prefer a diskette which is easy to put into the computer, in addition to the fact that most offices do not have a TV and VCR. The video tape would seem more appropriate when presenting an invention at an exhibition or fair. On the subject of invention shows, let me stress in passing that virtual exhibitions exist already. One of IFIA’s members, the Hungarian Association of Inventors, even launched an international competition of inventions last March with a virtual jury, each member sitting serenely in front of his/her computer screen, somewhere around the world. lighbulbInternet.jpg (1394 bytes) With the computer age upon us, we are also moving slowly but surely away from the traditional paper system of filing patent applications to the new  electronic filing system – a rapid and cheap transmission system of text and image data. Patent Offices are now engaged in preparing the necessary tools to assist inventors and other applicants in this form of electronic commerce. Naturally, their Web sites will have to provide links to reference material, technical guidelines and instructions on filing applications. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, provides inventors and industry with an advantageous route for obtaining patent protection worldwide. Starting from January 1, 1999, the PCT is offering a reduction of US$ 200 (two hundred) for every electronic filing. That’s quite an encouragement to use this system! However, no system is perfect. It still remains a fact that Patent Offices are faced with serious technical issues related to information security. Namely: How to ensure the security and authenticity of the transmission and exchange of unpublished – therefore confidential – data? The next question to arise is: Who will be responsible in case of third-party intrusions? The Patent Office? – or the applicant? Because of the international nature of the patent system, it has been decided recently that all information security issues will be examined in the framework of WIPO. To better understand some of the many issues involved, I would like to give two examples as described in a WIPO document discussed a few days ago in Geneva: † †¦ any exchange between applicants and examiners requires excellent levels of security and data privacy. Furthermore, many of these activities require some assurance of the identity of one party or another. For example, if an applicant is exchanging information with an examiner, the examiner needs to know that the individual is indeed authorized to provide  information, (e.g. proof of identity), and the applicant needs to be confident that he or she is indeed in contact with a patent examiner and not a clever hacker. [†¦]† â€Å"The exchange of priority documents provides another interesting example. If a priority document is to be exchanged in electronic form, it needs to be validated by the originating party. In other words, the document needs to be signed to demonstrate its authenticity, it needs to have a guaranteed time stamp associated with the transaction, preferably by a third party (to prevent presumed or actual forgery of dates and times), and it needs to have some guarantee of accuracy, so that a party obtaining the document can tell if tampering occurred†¦Ã¢â‚¬  lighbulbInternet.jpg (1394 bytes) Every now and then we hear some people say, â€Å"There’s hardly anything left to invent. Everything has been invented already!†. What a silly remark! You can be certain that inventors will continue inventing, and new discoveries will be made, right up to the very last minute before the world comes to an end! But to return to today, with the computer age, the possibilities of invention are endless and in all possible fields. It has also been said that the computer will eventually invent the inventor. By that I mean that one day, the computer will replace the inventor. Up to a point, I must agree – but only to a certain extent. You can feed the computer with billions of data. One has even beaten a world chess champion. Nevertheless, the computer has no humanity, no imagination, no sensitivity or affectivity, and no inherent wisdom. Can it smell the perfume of a rose? †¦interpret the color of a sunrise? Can it caress the cheek of a child? †¦or savor the taste of Hong Kong’s dim sum?! Above all it’s a machine – a fantastic machine – but remember, it’s only a machine. So let’s not make a new god out of the computer, as some tend to do. But rather use its possibilities to a maximum †¦ and through it, try quite simply to build a better world. That should be our motto.

Everything Felt Right In Black And White essays

Everything Felt Right In Black And White essays Everything Felt Right In Black and White In the last forty years Americans have gone from watching I Love Lucky, Lassie, and Little House On The Prairie to viewing harsh reality television. I strongly agree with the article Harsh Reality Written by Dusty Smith and Published in the Dayton Daily News. Dusty Smith describes the damage that is done to people who willingly sign up to participate on these new reality shows. Equally important, is the fact that Americans tune in every night to watch these painful, humiliating, and mean spirited shows? As a society, we need to re-examine why we enjoy watching a person be humiliated, but more important, what motivates a person to participate in these types of shows. Television accurately represents the values of our culture today. As we look at our society today, it is first important to examine previous society values. For example, in the 1960s when people honored and believed in the institution of marriage and vows were kept, it was further represented in those television programs. Communicating without cursing and keeping a promise after you made it was the theme of programming in black and white. However, over the last forty years our values have changed television. This is why it is so important to figure out what has caused the motivations of our current culture. Most Americans are motivated by a hope, a dream, or a desire to be famous. All three of these can be fulfilled usually through love, money or fame; and therein lays the motivation. America raised the stakes by offering it all. For some, their dream is bigger than the consequences of being humiliated by Simon Cowell on American Idol. Also, men and women are competing with one another on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette to find true love. We all want to be the exception or the one selected but certainly they cannot possibly believe that experience will provide them true...

Barriers to Effective Communication Paper

Barriers to Effective Communication Paper Tametrius Walker Mrs. Alsup CJA 363 February 2, 2011 In this paper I will be discussing the process of communication and its components, discuss the difference between listening and hearing in communication, talk about the formal and informal channels of communication, talk about the different barriers to effective communication, and lastly discuss the strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers. Communication is very crucial in the criminal justice system; it is the key element for success. From a rookie all the way up to a chief, every police officer must be able to speak, listen, and understand without excuses. There is no room for poor communication in the criminal justice system, because it is a waste of time and a waste of everyone’s energy. An author named A. Richard in 1928 gave the best definition of communication he said, â€Å"Communication takes place when one mind acts upon its environment and that another mind is influenced. In that other mind an experience occurs just like the experience in the first mind, and is caused by that experience† [(Wallace, 2009)]. Communication is not an isolated event, it is a process. It is five steps that the communication process contains and it is transmitting an idea, sending the idea through a medium, receiving the message, understanding the idea, and providing feedback to the message sender. The communication process becomes flawed, when failure occurs during any of the five steps, and the information that is at hand will not flow in a smooth and accurate manner. The first step to communication is transmitting an idea. This step is the information of several thoughts and the desire to express the ideas. Sending the idea through a medium, which is the second step means that the message needs to be sent once it is formed. Transmitting an idea can be done in writing, orally, or by action. Each method is interpreted in a different way, no matter what medium is used to send a message. The critical part of communication is receiving the message. This is the reverse of message transmission. In order for the message to be effective, it must be received and acted on. An important part of communication understands the idea. What is the point of transmitting the idea in the first place, if nobody can comprehend the message? The sender should always take into consideration the person or people that are receiving the information before the message is even sent, putting themselves into receiver’s shoes so that that the essence of the idea is communicated. Providing feedback for the message sender is the last step in the communication process. The communication loop comes to an end, when this step occurs. At this point the recipient let the sender know if the information that was received was understood or needs clarification. Exchanging information that involves at least two people is the primary reason for communication. The communication process is the essence of our lives and how we get everything we do across to the rest of the world that is why it is so important. There are two steps when it comes to communication. Step one is hearing and step two is listening. Both of these words are different. In order for the communication process to be successful you have to hear first and then listen. Hearing is when a person ear picks up sound waves and then sends it to the brain. Listening which is the active process is the second part of communication. You need to be an active participant in other words. The active listener not only evaluates the message before they respond, they also think as the speakers relay the message. The thought speed of listeners is a lot faster than the speaking speed of listeners, which will result in lagging and may lead to day dreaming. A listener must concentrate on the message so that they may become an active listener to be successful in communication to overcome this. The traditional communication method in an organization most of the time is formal and informal. In formal communication this channel follows the chain of command, which is typified by detectives, formal orders, and written memorandums. These forms provide order and security. The use of excessive and exclusive communications has certain disadvantages. Strict adherence to formal channels can be personal and time consuming, this is one disadvantage. Memorandums must go through the chain of command, then forwarded to the right personnel in order to be drafted carefully. It will also require written records and a lot of people do not like putting their information on paper because it will restrict the flow of the written information, this is another drawback of formal channels. Formal communications also have advantages, however. Formal communication makes it easy for officers because the new information that are about crimes that need to be given to all officers, can make the situation critical, then formal communication is very clear and less confusing regarding the contents. Informal channels which is departmental gossip. This is used between detectives and patrol officers. Using informal channels can save time when time is critical. Instead of going through the entire process, informal channel allows an officer to take the short cut and pass the information on quickly and responsibly. It is also used so different departments can share information. For instance, if a robbery crime resulted in a homicide. This situation allows both departments to team up and solve the crime. When it comes to barriers to effective communication, there are four different types; they are emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers, and ineffective listening. An emotional barrier means that everyone takes a situation in their own way. Emotional barriers happens in the sender or receiver of a message, majority of the time an individual will let their experiences get in the way while transmitting or receiving information. Examples include fear, anger, and hostility. A physical barrier is anything that allows the free flow of information difficult. A semantic barrier is studying the meaning and development of words. For instance, officers interpret juvenile delinquent in different ways such as youth acting out, hard core, or under age youth. It can result in bad communication having the inability to understand one another. Ineffective listening which is the last barrier is failure to receive or hear another individual message. There are many strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers. When it comes down to emotional problems peer support system will help because this allows officers to work with one another to solve roblems. When addressing physical barriers, not allowing anything to slow down the flow of information will overcome communication barriers. If semantic barriers are guarded against it will help officers to agree on the meaning of terms, which will help them to effectively communicate. Lastly, I think the best way to overcome communication barriers is to help people improve their listening skills. It will help the criminal justice department if officers will use these strategies because it will overcome all their barriers to communicate. As you have read communication is very important. In every aspect of the criminal justice system, it is the key element for success. Not only will it better ourselves as officers, with these skills of communications, but we can also strive for better goals which will not only help the department, but also the judicial system and our communities. We can overcome barriers and encourage others that are striving to do the same, As long as we push forward and follow these strategies. Reference Harvey Wallace J. D. , C. R. (2009). Oral and written communication

A position for the development of a moral corporate culture Essay

A position for the development of a moral corporate culture - Essay Example The paper tells that when corporations fail to make profits and lose to the competition, they will try to find solutions to restructure their business. When corporations do this, they should be more concerned about providing services that are ethical and will provide better customer service. Corporations get their revenue from consumers otherwise they will not make money. In fact, successful corporations should collect data on most of the issues the world is facing today and make the best strategy on how they can eliminate such issues. There are some particular directions that would achieve â€Å"Moral Corporation,† which are providing equal employment, eliminating discrimination, and preserving the environment. Having a moral corporation is good because it gives back to the community. How this can be done is by putting into place protective measures for the environment, organizing and writing a code of ethics, and choosing to provide help in world issues staff are interested in. This paper seeks to study why Moral Corporation and the relevance of corporate culture and ethics to Moral Corporation. It is found that moral culture and ethical behaviors are necessary for the sustainability of the corporations as well as environmental protection and development for sustainable development of society. Corporations are made up of persons. A corporation can be as responsible as a citizen. Responsibility goes hand in hand with rights and duties. Living a life with morals is a personal responsibility of an individual. If the corporations can enjoy legal rights of the citizens, for example, to sue and to be sued, responsibility automatically devolves on them. The negative externalities refer to environmental consequences of business decisions. When a company manufactures a product, environmental pollution arising out of such activity is borne by the society. This effect on society or cost relating to it is not factored into the pricing of the products. Therefore, t he producers should be made responsible for these costs associated with negative externalities and their customers should bear this cost.