Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Hamlet - Essay Example From the start, he needs to ensure that Claudius is extremely blameworthy of the homicide. One can see a Hamlet who needs to make certain of his uncle’s coerce before doing vindicate, and for that, he designs the play. He says â€Å"the play’s the thing, wherein I’ll get the soul of the king† (Act 2 Scene II). Nonetheless, the greatest error from his part that made his whole arrangement wander off is his executing of Polonius in his mother’s room. It allows Claudius to send Hamlet away and request to murder him, which is trailed by various passings prompting the terrible finish of the play. Also, it is his adoration towards Ophelia and his craving to get her far from the awful end that makes him show insensitive disposition towards her after the apparition uncovers reality to him. Altogether, however the play has a grievous end, he will likely do the retribution in such a way, that lone the liable is rebuffed. Altogether, he is a man of extraordinar y uprightness. Or on the other hand, Hamlet is â€Å"the most splendid image of human instinct in its most elevated state, little lower than angels† (Adams and Hackett, 4). II There is as yet a contention among researchers about Shakespeare’s aim in indicating Hamlet as distraught. Notwithstanding, an investigation obviously demonstrates that he isn't at all distraught. Rather, he is using that franticness as a veil to cover his ploy. For instance, in Act 2 Scene II, Hamlet answers the inquiries of Polonius in an absolutely unreasonable manner, causing them to presume that Hamlet has gone frantic. In any case, when his companions Rosencrantz and Guildenstem show up, he welcomes them with energy, and effectively causes them to uncover that they are spies of the lord. Actually, one can watch his capacity to plan and execute complex assignments effortlessly. To see if Claudius is extremely as liable of murdering his dad, he makes the troupe present a play which is fundame ntally the same as the executing of his dad, and from Claudius’ response, effectively induce that it is blame that makes Claudius stop the play. Moreover, one can see Hamlet giving express headings to the players that they ought not exaggerate as that will destroy the motivation behind the play (Act 3, Scene II, The Tragedy of Hamlet). Likewise, he has no other route other than carrying on like a lunatic since he needs to keep Ophelia away from the difficulties, however she doesn't. Be that as it may, one can likewise contend that the circumstance is agonizing enough for Hamlet to get frantic, and considering the arrangement of occasions he needed to go through, it excites little astonishment in the event that he truly gets distraught. III The most regrettable figure in the play, without a doubt, is Ophelia. She is the person who endures the most in the play for no blame of her. She cherished Hamlet without a doubt however when her dad prevents her from meeting Hamlet, she pr omptly concurs. As Gehrmann (13) calls attention to, she acts the way that is loved by the male-ruled society; consistently complies with her dad and disregards the sentiments of her own heart. In Act 3 Scene I, when Ophelia welcomes him with knickknacks he has given her, he lashes out at the young lady, and proposes that she should join a religious shelter, and asks â€Å"why wouldst thou be a reproducer of sinners?† (Act 3, Scene I). Likewise, while watching the play, she attempts to converse with him, however his reaction is threatening. (Act 3, Scene II) However, there are more issues for her in the pipeline hanging tight. She gets the updates on her father’

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Les Demoiselles De Avignon Essays - Visual Arts, Modern Art, Arts

Les Demoiselles De Avignon Les Demoiselles d?Avignon by Josh McDonnell As walked around New York City?s Museum of Modern Art , one specific work of art got me , shook me , then through me to the ground to examine its magnificent force. Like a hurricane of craftsmanship , Les Demoiselles d?Avignon , by Pablo Picasso , sent my feelings turning. I felt incredibly awkward looking at it , not to mention gazing at it intently for twenty minutes. The crude sexuality and pressure that Les Demoiselles d?Avignon emanated was totally overpowering yet exceptionally confounding. Other craftsmanship darlings in the room likewise communicated uneasiness as they looked at the tremendous 96x92 inch painting. The vast majority would just permit brisk looks in the middle of long gazes at the more run of the mill artworks on different dividers. I even heard one young lady comment ?it?s so gross!!? in an anxious and unsure voice. I needed to know why Les Demoiselles d?Avignon was doing this to me and the others in the room. Les Demoiselles d?Avignon was the result of a disturbed and anxious Pablo Picasso. In 1906 , Picasso started to feel burnt out on painting in the genuinely customary way that represented his works of art up to Les Demoiselles d?Avignon. His answer was to upset painting.1 Why was Picasso unsatisfied with conventional composition? Basically Picasso?s generally speaking disappointment for staying with anything for a significant stretch made him take up the troublesome mission of reforming painting. He was known to continually change the styles and mediums through which he made his craft. Andre Salmon, an artist and companion Picasso, was once cited as blaming Picasso for ?attempting to compel his companions to theorize in general issue of workmanship each time they took a brush in their grasp.? 2 This statement is recounting Picasso?s need to change and take care of creative issues. In 1906 he deserted the artwork conventions that extended right back to the Renaissance , and started Les Demoiselles d?Avignon. Les Demoiselles d?Avignon was the result of exceptional investigation. The remarks of Salmon , shed light on the force of the task; ?....He became uncomfortable , He turned his canvases to the divider and tossed down his paintbrushes. For some long days and evenings , he drew....Never was work less remunerated with happiness , and without his previous young energy Picasso attempted a huge canvas that was expected to be the product of his investigations.? 3 Every part of the artistic creation was deliberately arranged and executed. One may contrast his experimentation technique with that of a logical test. His examination started in late 1906. Throughout the following year Les Demoiselles d?Avignon?s subtleties experienced numerous progressions and changes. In Picasso?s own words; According to my first thought, there were additionally going to be men in the painting. There was an understudy holding a skull, and a mariner. The ladies were eating- - that clarifies the crate of organic p roduct that is still in the painting. At that point it changed and became what it is presently. Picasso in the long run chose to bar the two male figures , as he felt they were attempting to introduce a good to the painting.4 Instead he concentrated on the five bare female figures that we see today. Note that Picasso detested the title Les Demoiselles d?Avignon. Initially he didn't have a title at the top of the priority list for the artistic creation. The name was made by his companion Andre Salmon He felt that Les Demoiselles d?Avignon was a lot to delicate. It cheapened the cruel and monstrous reality that the work of art represented.5 Eventually he acknowledged the name because of his companions consistent utilization of it. Picasso at long last completed the work in July of 1907. He obviously welcomed all his dearest companions to investigate his progressive artistic creation. His companions , whom were viewed as contemporary avante-garde painters and authorities , were stunned . Gertrude Stein was stunned. Shchukin ,the Russian craftsmanship gatherer cried ,What a misfortune for French workmanship!. His future accomplice in cubism remarked that painting in such a route was as terrible as savoring petroleum the expectation of spitting fire. Matisse had the most brutal response. He swore vengeance on what he called an uncouth joke of current artwork. The

Monday, August 17, 2020

The Effect of PTSD on the Brains Hippocampus

The Effect of PTSD on the Brain's Hippocampus PTSD Related Conditions Print The Effect of PTSD on the Hippocampus By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD on January 23, 2020 twitter linkedin Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Medical Review Board Daniel B. Block, MD Updated on February 05, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children  Jetta Productions Inc/Getty Images Advances in medical technology, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have offered insight into the role the brain may play in different mental disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers have focused specific attention on the hippocampus in cases of PTSD. What Is the Hippocampus? The hippocampus is a part of the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system describes a group of brain structures that surround the brain stem. The brain structures that make up the limbic system play a major role in how one  experiences certain emotions (fear and anger), motivations, and memory.?? The hippocampus is responsible for the ability to store and retrieve memories. People who have experienced some kind of damage to their hippocampus may have  difficulties storing and recalling information. Along with other limbic structures, the hippocampus also plays a role in a persons ability to overcome fear responses.?? The Hippocampus Role  in PTSD Many people with PTSD experience memory-related difficulties. They may have difficulty recalling certain parts of their traumatic event.?? Alternatively, some memories may be vivid and always present for these individuals. People with PTSD may also have problems overcoming their fear response to thoughts, memories or situations that are reminiscent of their traumatic event. Due to the hippocampus role in memory and emotional experience, it is thought that some of the problems people with PTSD experience may lie in the hippocampus.?? How Might PTSD Affect the Hippocampus? Some studies suggest that constant stress  may damage the hippocampus.?? When we experience stress, the body releases a hormone called cortisol, which is helpful in mobilizing the body to respond to a stressful event. Some animal studies, though, show that high levels of cortisol may play a role in damaging or destroying cells in the hippocampus. While cortisol is released in higher amounts when a person is under a great deal of stress, either chronically or acutely, this process is actually more complicated than just elevated cortisol. The increase in cortisol also signals the immune system, which releases inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which in turn can activate cells called microglia. These in turn switch from production of serotonin to a higher production of glutamate, a very important excitatory neurotransmitter that, if present in excessive amounts, can lead to brain cell damage or death.?? Such a constant barrage of higher glutamate levels may be what damages the hippocampus. Antidepressants such as SSRIs (such as Prozac) and SNRIs (such as Cymbalta) help to block the transport of these inflammatory cytokines across the blood-brain barrier. Researchers have also looked at the size of the hippocampus in people with and without PTSD. They have found that people who have severe, chronic cases of PTSD have smaller hippocampi?? . This indicates that experiencing ongoing stress as a result of severe and chronic PTSD may ultimately damage the hippocampus, making it smaller. Does the Hippocampus Play a Role in Determining PTSD Risk? Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops PTSD. Therefore, researchers have also proposed that the hippocampus may play a role in determining who is at risk for developing PTSD. Specifically, it is possible that having a smaller hippocampus may be a sign that a person is vulnerable to developing a severe case of PTSD following  a traumatic event. Some people may be born with a smaller hippocampus, which could interfere with their ability to recover from a traumatic experience, putting them at risk for developing PTSD. In twin studies that focused on  identical twins, with one twin exposed to a traumatic event (combat) and the other unexposed, researchers are able to look at pre-existing vulnerabilities that may be present in both twins, as well as differences that may be due to trauma.?? Since twin participants share the same genes, studying identical twins can provide insight into the influence of genetics on developing certain conditions. For example, in this case, if the person who developed PTSD has a smaller hippocampus and has a non-trauma exposed twin who has a smaller hippocampus, it would suggest that a smaller hippocampus may be a sign of genetic vulnerability for developing PTSD following a traumatic experience. In fact, this is exactly what researchers have found. People with severe PTSD had a smaller hippocampus, and they also had a non-trauma exposed twin with a smaller hippocampus. Consequently, a smaller hippocampus may be a sign that a person is vulnerable or more likely to develop PTSD after a traumatic experience. Of course, it is important to remember that twins often share the same environment growing up, so it is difficult to tease apart the role nature versus nurture plays in the size of a persons hippocampus. So, the verdict is still out on the true relationship between the hippocampus and PTSD. How This Information Can Be Used There is still much to learn about the role certain parts of the brain play in PTSD formation. Knowing how PTSD affects the brain (and vice versa), however, is very important to study. Understanding which parts of the brain may impact PTSD can lead to the development of more effective medications for treating the disorder. In addition, this information may also help us better identify who is at risk for developing PTSD following a traumatic event.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Social, Political And Economic Implications Of Money

Throughout the course of this semester, we have examined the role of money in our society and have been introduced to scholars and economists that have offered rationale for the social, political and economic implications of money. One overwhelming theme that has lingered throughout most of the readings and lectures is the idea of inequality, particularly within the scope of the American economy. While other economies such as China or India are labor-based economies, I have found that America’s Capitalist economy is fueled by multiple facets racial inequality. The moral argument against racial inequality under an economic lens is simple yet, expected; when we deny opportunities for people of color in the same way we have them established†¦show more content†¦Black men are being denied the chance of a full life with all of the rights; privileges and opportunities of white men and similarly, the families/communities from which they come from are also at a significant di sadvantage. A National Bureau of Research study found that Black families between 2004-2008 were 54% more likely to be charged higher on their mortgage rates than white families. This fact alone drives two main issues I will explore in this paper: the implications of socioeconomics and how inequality drives the American economy through the lens of mortgage lending. One theorist I will use to explore these ideas of inequality is John Maynard Keynes. Keynes argued that capitalism is â€Å"a mere congery of possessors and pursuers† (Keynes 60) and he also asserted that â€Å"economic output is only based on the aggregate demand†. Between 2004-2008, when Black families were getting charged higher interest rates on their homes than white families with similar incomes, large banks were pocketing millions of extra dollars from these families as many of the rates today would have been considered â€Å"sub-prime rates†. This predatory act placed against people of color encouraged classism and as a result led to negative socioeconomic outcomes moreover, the notion of â€Å"white

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Robert Zemeckis Cast Away A Modernized Robinson Crusoe...

Popular culture is a term which describes how people in a society live. As time elapses, popular culture keeps on evolving and a societys values will consistently transform. In 1719 during the post-revolution, famous English novelist Daniel Defoe composed the well-received novel The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Remaining a popular adventure narrative, around three hundred years later, Robert Zemeckis directed the modern mainstream film Cast Away, a popular culture appropriation of Robinson Crusoe which entertains as well as powerfully reflecting the values and attitudes of the twentieth century responders. Although composed more three hundred years apart, both texts aims at mature audiences with†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, at this century, it was a time of slave trades, and Orientalism through the European culture was rather dominant. On the other hand, Cast Away was composed in the modern twentieth century. It was the time people tend to value romantic relationships and emotions more. Also, activities such as slave trade are manifestly politically incorrect, and books with an overly amount of such political incorrectness or racial insensitivity contents may even be banned. Although religions are valued, they were not as earnestly worshiped as three hundred years ago. The film Cast Away is a modern appropriation of Cast Away is and this is evident in so many ways. Both texts have a parallel plot which involves a mans travel of displacing himself out of his society into a different context and returning with a changed life. The lesson of self-interest is imprinted and glorified within both of texts. In Robinson Crusoe, Crusoe chose his own path obstinately in spite of his fathers advice, his courage took him to an unfamiliar location but he persisted to survive for thirty years. Whereas in Cast Away, Chuck Noland was completely alone, he fought against his loneliness by talking to an imagined friend Wilson the volleyball, and survived psychologically and physically. Chuck Noland takes the persona of Robinson Crusoe, in the sense that he is self-motivated, possesses many handy skills and was unfortunate

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Bankruptcy Law †1 Free Essays

One of the responsibilities as a paralegal is to conduct research. There is a list of basic and useful resources for practitioners and law students to utilize in researching a bankruptcy. The primary sources are Statues, Rules and Cases. We will write a custom essay sample on Bankruptcy Law – 1 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The secondary Sources are Bankruptcy Treatises, Internet Sources and Research Databases also known as Bankruptcy Reporter Systems. All these resources are relevant to explain the process in which each is needed to research bankruptcy issues. A statute is a codification of a law passed by legislature enactment and approved and signed into law by the executive branch of the government. These statues serve as source for answering all bankruptcy questions in the Bankruptcy Code itself by plainly finding the right Code section. The Bankruptcy Code defines the rules that collect and distribute the assets to creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding. The Code is well indexed, to start researching any bankruptcy issue. Careful reading, analysis and interpretation are the most important instruments to carry out an effective research. At the end of each code section, there is â€Å"Historical and Revision Notes† that are helpful in explaining the meaning of a particular provision and also a valuable secondary source to locate answers to bankruptcy questions. The two primary sources in the law library for the U. S. Code in print are United States Code Annotated (USCA) which was published by Thomson West and United States Code Services (USCS) which was published by LexisNexis. Both the USCA and USCS provide and include annotations of cases and articles. The online Statues widely used are in the Cornell University Law School, Lll/Legal Information Institute. Rules of the court are rules created by the highest court that govern court proceedings. Cornell University Law School, LII provides a link to information about the Interim Rules and Official Forms for the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. These Rules of Practice and Procedure in bankruptcy commonly known as the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy (Civil) Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence clarify the collective rules which are regulating the collection and distribution of assets to creditors in a bankruptcy proceeding. For example, instructions on what form is required, how and when a motion is filed, how and when a claim is filed, and the â€Å"how to† questions and so forth. USCA and USCS found in the law core collection have bankruptcy rules in volumes following the Title 11. Attached to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedures are forms called â€Å"Official and Procedural Bankruptcy Forms. † These forms present direction as to the content and appearance of the documents. In addition each Bankruptcy court makes its own local rules and local forms as long as they are not inconsistent with the Code or the Bankruptcy Rules. Local rules vary from district to district and can sometimes be the source of answering a practice or procedure question therefore; each federal District Court has its own Local Rules of Court, including United States Trustee Guidelines. Both The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence apply in bankruptcy proceedings but not all these rules apply to a bankruptcy case. Another primary source for paralegals to perform research is case law which is the law established by the outcome of former cases. There are several reporter systems that publish only bankruptcy cases. We can find cases online in LexisNexis Academic and Westlaw Patron Access. Collier also publishes a reporter system called Collier Bankruptcy Cases (Law Core KF1524. C62 1979). The largest reporter system is called West’s Bankruptcy Reporter (Law Core KF1510. A2 W47) and there’s also West’s Bankruptcy Digest (Law Core KF1510. 3 W47). All these reporter systems hold cases decided by Bankruptcy Courts, district courts, courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court that relate to bankruptcy issues. Another system which is acceptable to cite is called Bankruptcy Court Decisions (BCD). In addition, the bankruptcy system uses its own separate treatises. A treatise is a written extensive essay of facts and principles and conclusions. The most common resource used is Collier on Bankruptcy and they follow up with practice forms and guides entitled the Collier Bankruptcy Practice Guide. They consist of sample pleading forms and additional practice tools. These primary sources of researching bankruptcy issues start from codes and follows all the way to reporter systems and online. The internet by far has simplified the time of research in its entirety. Most questions can be answered successfully, proficiently, and quickly if you input the correct Code section or Rule that is related to the subject of the inquiry and then narrow it down to a word or phrase in the code section. The American Bankruptcy Institute (www. abiworld. org) is the most recognized website that gives daily news and report imperative case and legislative developments. The Federal Judiciary Home Page (www. uscourts. gov) can help you access your local court. Moreover, the virtual system in the courts has gradually been incorporating the ability to receive notices of pleadings. Furthermore, courts use the internet to remain current with the official state median family income and various IRS expense standards that must be applied to compute the formula. The internet also provides rapid access to debtor’s current credit report easing the process of waiting to receive it by mail and it also displays a list of management courses required to obtain to discharge individual bankruptcy cases. All in all, with respect to bankruptcy paralegal research, there are plenty of ways of managing a thorough a concise research based on the abundant supply of tools and resources available. It is only a matter of getting the knowledge and experience to accurately apply all the resources like code, statues, bankruptcy report systems combined with the internet to have the best outcome. References: 1. Basic Bankruptcy Law for Paralegals, Custom Edition Published by Pearson Learning Solutions By David L. Buchbinder 2. www. law. asu. edu How to cite Bankruptcy Law – 1, Essays

Monday, May 4, 2020

Economics and Quantitative Analysis

Question: (a) Provide a descriptive analysis of the two variables (e.g., mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum). (b) Develop a scatter diagram with retention rate as the independent variable. What does the scatter diagram indicate about the relationship between the two variables? (c) Develop and estimate a regression equation that can be used to predict the graduation rate (%) given the retention rate (%). (d) State the estimated regression equation and interpret the meaning of the slope coefficient. (e) Is there a statistically significant association between graduation rate (%) and retention rate (%). What is your conclusion? (f) Did the regression equation provide a good fit? Explain. (g) Suppose you were the president of South University. After reviewing the results, would you have any concerns about the performance of your university compared to other online universities? (h) Suppose you were the president of the University of Phoenix. After reviewing the results, would you have any concerns about the performance of your university compared to other online universities? Answer: The variables upon which the performance of a university is dependent upon are the graduation rate and the retention rate. The graduation rate takes account of the students that attain their degree rather than drop out of the college or graduate from the university, where as retention rate refers to the number of students that intend to continue their education from the particular institute or university rather than switching to the competitors. It should be noted that the graduation rate is directly proportional to the retention rate which means that graduation rate would increase as the retention rate increases because the students that are retained by the university are then graduated from that university however this is not always the case. Number of statistical tools has been used for this particular purpose and this objective. The first method to be utilized is to calculate the mean which then is used to develop second method which is the standard deviation method. Mean is the most observed and most common rate between the graduation rate and the retention rate where as standard deviation rate is volatility from the mean (Altman, 2010). Furthermore min and max amount method can be utilized in which the min amount would provide the minimum rate of retention and graduation where the max amount would provide the maximum rate of retention rate and graduation rate. Accordingly then a scatter diagram would be used to determine the relationship and correlation between the two variable in the given data. The results could provide a positive correlation or a negative correlation. In some cases, it is possible that there might not be any relationship between the variables. Furthermore the report follows with another statistical tool that is the regression model that shapes an equation that provides a relationship between the retention rate and graduation rate. PURPOSE: The objective of this report is to analyze the data of 29 online colleges statistically. The tools used in this process are statistical such as standard deviation, mean, min, max, regression analysis and scatter diagram. Regression analysis and scatter diagram would provide the relationship between the two variables which in this case are the retention rate and graduation rate. The mean is the centre figure in the provided data set which means it is the most common figure among the two variables in the data set. Whereas the standard deviation refers to the volatility from the mean calculated. The other method that is min and max would provide the minimum and maximum rate of the variables. Regression analysis and scatter plot would provide the relationship between the two variables, in which one would be independent and other dependent. In this case, retention rate would be independent variable and graduation rate would be dependent upon earlier variable. BACKGROUND: The statistical calculation is used upon the data set provided of 29 universities as it would provide a reasonable basis for understanding the relationship between the retention rate and the graduation rate. Such methods are also used by most analysts to determine the relationship among different variables. Among others, regression equation is most commonly used as it provides the relationship between the variables in a linear equation such as the one provided: Y=mX+C Where X is the independent variable, Y is the dependent one that depends on the value of X and C is the Y-intercept. METHOD Initially the most basic method to be used in this process is the determination of the mean. The mean provides the most common number for the retention rate and graduation rate in the data provided whereas standard deviation provides the volatility from the mean. Accordingly, the other two methods that are the min and max provide the minimum and maximum rate accordingly for the retention rate and graduation rate. The scatter plot would be used to determine the relationship between the two variables that are retention rate and the graduation rate. Relationship can be a positive relationship and it can be a negative relationship (Touchette, 2011). A positive relationship would suggest that the dependent variable is directly proportional to the independent variable which means that the dependent variable would increase if the independent one increases. A negative relationship would suggest that the dependent variable is inversely proportional to the independent variable meaning if the i ndependent variable increases, the dependent variable would supposedly decrease. For example if more electronics are used then more electricity would be consumed. In such case number of electronics would be an independent variable and amount of electricity consumed would be the dependent variable. However it is not necessary that a relationship would always be positive as there could also be a negative relationship meaning both variables behaving in a completely opposite manner. For example, more a student studies, less there would be chance he would fail. Another relevant example would be higher the expenses of a company, lesser the profits earned. Sometimes there is no relationship between the variables for example the relationship between hunger and intake of water or taking a nap. Although there is no point to identify the relationship between the two variables, however some analysts think that the relationship should be further explored using other methods and models (Denis, 20 12). Another model that can be used to determine the relationship between the retention rate and graduation rate is the regression analysis. This method would provide an equation that would explain the relationship between the two variables. Supposedly those two variables are graduation rate and retention rate. The graduation rate is X and retention rate would be Y. A positive relationship is found between the two variables i.e. retention rates and graduation rates as it was observed that X increases as Y increases. RESULTS The results are explained along with the table of data sets below DISCUSSION It can been be said from the above table that the most common number for retention rate i.e. the number that majority of the universities have achieved as retention rate is calculated 57% where as the most common number for graduation rate is 41%. However the standard deviation from such means for retention rate was calculated 23% whereas standard deviation from mean for graduation rate was calculated 9.9%. The max provides the maximum retention rate among the institutes and maximum graduation rate amongst the institutes. The min provides the minimum retention rate among the institutes and minimum graduation rate amongst the institutes. From the above calculations, the maximum graduation rate was determined as 61% where the maximum retention rate determined was 100%. However from the above calculations the minimum graduation rate was determined as 25% and minimum retention rate determined was 4% from the data set provided. The scatter plot for the analysis is presented below It is observed that within the range of 40% and 80% the relationship between graduation rate and retention rate cannot be determined accurately however if whole graph is considered, it can be reasonably determined that the relationship is a linear relationship as the graduation rate is increasing as the retention rate is increasing. This is due to the fact that if a student chooses to stay in a university where he was previously studying; there are high chances that he will graduate from the same university in which he was retained (Gulliksen, 2009). There both variables that is graduation rate and retention rate are positively correlated. Regression analysis statistically determines the relationship between two different variables by producing an equation using the two variables. From the two variables, one is an independent variable where as second variable is dependent of the first one. The equation used in this method is Y=mX+C In the above equation, X is the independent variable as it does not depend upon other factors; however Y is the dependent variable which depends upon the changes is X and it is y, we are aiming to determine. And c is the Y intercept. For the data provided of the 29 online universities, the regression chart is provided as follows The relation between the graduation rate and retention rate can be observed to be linear one from the above table as it can be seen that universities with higher retention rates provide higher graduation rates. A positive correlation serves that if Y increases if the Y increases. This is due to the fact that y is dependent upon the value of X which is independent of any influences. The above calculation provides 0.28 slope, Y as the graduation rate and X as the retention rate whereas the Y-intercept was calculated as 25.4. This proves that mostly students are satisfied with the existing standard of education provided to them and are motivated to continue their further education from the same university which effectively increases the graduation rate of the university. Although mostly universities have linear relationship between the graduation rates and retention rates, however there are some universities with higher retention rate and lower graduation rate and there are also some universities with higher graduation rates and lower retention rates suggesting that some of the data provided do not fit in the linear equation. However such figures are immaterial and can be ignored (Lin, 2011). So in conclusion it could be said that the graduation rate is directly proportional to the retention rate suggesting that mostly student prefer to complete their education rather than to drop out which effectively increases the graduation rate. RECOMMENDATIONS The retention rates and the graduation rates are most favourable and highest for University Of South but as the president of the university it highly concerns me that there some universities that have high graduation rates but lower retention rates as described earlier it not every but a minor and immaterial number of universities. However in the same way, South University possesses a very favourable retention rate but the graduation rate is very disappointing and not what is expected. The issue should be discussed the senior management or at least with the instructor as he would have knowledge regarding this and would provide guidance regarding this matter. It is possible that such low graduation rate would be due to high dropout rate of students having financial issues and cannot afford further education. The graduation rate of Phoenix University is higher but its retention rate is quite low which suggest that students switch to universities during the final period of their educati on. Finally it could be said that the issue should be resolves as soon as possible as it would increase the graduation rate of the university which would in turn improve the overall raking of the South University as it would have higher graduation rate then its retention rate. This issue should be the priority of the president and his main concern so that the graduation rate could be increased. It should also be ensured that the issue is discussed with the instructor and the ex-students that have left the university to determine the cause of their departure. References Altman, D.G., 2010. Standard deviations and standard errors. BMJ Journal, pp.52-58. Denis, D., 2012. THE EARLY ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCATTERPLOT. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, pp.103-30. Gulliksen, H., 2009. A mechanical model illustrating the scatter diagram with oblique test vectors. Springer Journal, 16(2), pp.223-38. Lin, D.Y., 2011. Linear regression analysis of censored medical costs. Oxford Journals, 1(1), pp.35-47. Touchette, P.E., 2011. A scatter plot for identifying stimulus control of problem behavior. US National Library of Medicine , pp.343-51. Economics and Quantitative Analysis Questions: 1. In 2003, when music downloading first took off, Universal Music slashed the average price of a CD from $21 to $15. The company expected the price cut to boost the quantity of CDs sold by 30 per cent, other things remaining the same. What was Universal Musics estimate of the price elasticity of demand for CDs? If you were making the pricing decision at Universal Music, what would be your pricing decision? Explain your decision. 2. In May 2009, iTunes raised the price of 33 songs from 99 per download to $1.29 per download. In the week following the price rise, the quantity of downloads of these 33 songs fell 35 per cent. Taking this into account calculate the price elasticity of demand for these 33 songs. 3. A 5 per cent fall in the price of chocolate sauce increases the quantity of chocolate sauce demanded by 10 per cent; and with no change in the price of ice cream, the quantity of ice cream demanded increases by 15 per cent. Calculate the price elasticity of demand for chocolate sauce. Calculate the cross elasticity of demand for ice cream with respect to the price of chocolate sauce. Are ice cream and chocolate sauce substitutes or complements? Why? Answers: 1. In the 2003, the average price of the CD of Universal Music was changed from $21 to $15. It is expected that the reduction in price would boost the sell of the CDs by 30%. The percentage change in quantity was found to be 30% and the percentage change in price was found to be [($15 - $21) / ($21)] * 100 = - (6/21) * 100 = 28.57% (decrease) (Thimmapuram and Kim 2013). The price elasticity of demand for the CDs of Universal Music is given by (% change in quantity) / (% change in price) = - 30 / 28.57 = -1.05. It is seen that the demand in this case is inelastic as the price elasticity of demand is negative. The pricing policy of the CDs of Universal Music would be that the company must raise the price of the CDs in order to gain the revenue of the company (Rassenfosse and Potterie 2012). The relationship between price and quantity was found to be negative and thus Universal Company must decide to raise the price of the CDs. 2. In May 2009, the price of 33 songs was raised from 99 cents per download to $1.29 per download. $1.29 = 129 cents Percentage change in price = [(129 99) / 99] * 100 = 30.30% It was seen that during this period the quantity of download fell by 35%. Therefore, change in percentage of quantity was found to be 35%. The price elasticity of demand of the download of 33 songs is given by (% change in quantity) / (% change in price) = 35 / 30.30 = 1.155 (Lin and Prince2013). It is seen that the demand in this case is elastic and there is a positive relationship between price and quantity of this product. 3. Percentage in fall of the price of chocolate sauce is 5%. The percentage of increase in the quantity of demand of chocolate sauce is 10%. It is seen that the percentage of change in price of ice-cream is 0 while the quantity of demand of ice cream increased by 15%. The price elasticity of demand of chocolate sauce is (% change in quantity) / (% change in price) = - 10 / 5 = 2 (decrease). The cross elasticity of demand of ice cream with respect to the price of the chocolate sauce is given by (% change in quantity of ice cream) / (% change in price of chocolate sauce) = - 15% / 5% = 3 (decrease). It is seen that the cross elasticity of demand of ice cream with respect to the price of the chocolate sauce was found to be negative (Dutkowsky and Sullivan 2016). Thus, it can be interpreted that the products chocolate sauce and ice cream are complement of each other as the negative relationship shows that with the increase in the price of chocolate sauce, the demand of ice cream decreases. References Dutkowsky, D.H. and Sullivan, R.S., 2016. Excise taxes, over-shifting, cross-elasticity, and tax revenue.Applied Economics Letters, pp.1-4. Lin, C.Y.C. and Prince, L., 2013. Gasoline price volatility and the elasticity of demand for gasoline.Energy Economics,38, pp.111-117. Rassenfosse, G.D. and Potterie, B.V.P.D.L., 2012. On the price elasticity of demand for patents.Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics,74(1), pp.58-77. Thimmapuram, P.R. and Kim, J., 2013. Consumers' price elasticity of demand modeling with economic effects on electricity markets using an agent-based model.IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid,4(1), pp.390-397.

Monday, March 30, 2020

Analysis of Phosphate Essay Example

Analysis of Phosphate Essay analysis Date: 29 September 2012 Analysis of Phosphate Introduction The aim of the experiment is to determine the concentration of phosphate ions in unknown samples. A series of dilution of known concentration is performed from the phosphate working solution. Each of the prepared working standards, the unknown samples and the blank are then made to react with a mixed reagent which have been prepared after acid wash of the glasswares Glassware * 2 Beakers * 11 conical flasks * 9 Volumetric flasks 50 ml * 1 Volumetric flasks 1000 ml * Pipette type 1 Pipette 25 ml * Stir rod * 11cuvette * Spectrophotometer Chemical needs; hazards and safety precautions: 1. Sulphuric acid It is very hazardous in case of skin contact. It is classified as corrosive, irritant and permeator. Safety needs: Lab coats,safety goggles and gloves should be worn to minimize risk of contact. In case of: †¢Eye Contact: Check for and remove any contact lenses. In case of contact, immediately flush eyes with plent y of water for at least 15minutes. Cold water may be used. Get medical attention immediately. †¢Skin Contact: In case of contact, immediately flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Cover the irritated skin with an emollient. Cold water may be used. Wash clothing before reuse. Thoroughly clean shoes before reuse. Get medical attention immediately. †¢Serious Skin Contact: Wash with a disinfectant soap and cover the contaminated skin with an anti-bacterial cream. Seek immediate medical attention. †¢Inhalation: If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Get medical attention immediately. 2. ammonium heptimolybdate Ammonium heptimolybdate e is harmful if swallowed or inhaled. It causes irritation to the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. It affects kidneys and blood Safety measures: Lab coats,safety goggles and gloves should be worn to minimize risk of contact. 3. Potassium antimonyl tartrate Slightly hazardous in case of ingestion. Non-corrosive for skin. Non-sensitizer for skin. 4. Ascorbic acid Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Phosphate specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Phosphate specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Phosphate specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Safety measures: Lab coats, safety goggles and gloves should be worn to minimize risk of contact. 5. Hydrochloric acid Concentrated hydrochloric acid forms acidic mists. Both the mist and the solution have a corrosive effect on human tissue, with the potential to damage respiratory organs, eyes, skin, and intestines. The HCL should be used in a fume hood and personal protective equipment such as rubber or PVC gloves, protective eye goggles, and chemical-resistant clothing such as lab coats should be used to minimize risk when handling hydrochloric acid. Procedures and calculations. * All of the glassware’s to be used are to be washed with acid (HCL) and then with distilled water. * Nine standards, a blank and 2 random sample are going to be analysed. * Prepare a series of working standards in the range of 10-500 µg NO2-N/L * To 50 cm3 of each working standard and sample add 1. 0 cm3 of sulphanilamide, mix and stand for 2 minutes Calculations 1ml = 0. 5  µg of NO2- 1000 ml of solution contain = 10 ml of NO2- (100  µg) 50 ml of solution contain = 1 ml of NO2- (10  µg) SN| Volume of standardPHOSPHATE solution (s)| Volume ofwater| Concentration| Absorbance| 1. | 1. 0| 49| 10| 0. 003| 2. | 2. 0| 45| 50| 0. 035| 3. | 3. 0| 40| 100| 0. 058| 4. | 4. 0| 35| 150| 0. 074| 5. | 5. 0| 30| 200| 0. 099| Blank| 0| 50| 0| 0. 000| Sample A1| | 0. 022| Sample B1| | 0. 068| Result A Graph of absorbance (OD) against concentration ( µg). Using the equation (y=mx+b) to determine concentration of samples. Let Y equal the concentration. This is what will be solved for. Let X equal the absorbency of the sample. This is the absorbency measured by the spectrophotometer Allow â€Å"to equal the slope and b to equal the y-intercept y= 0. 019 x + 0. 947 Concentration of Sample 1 Absorbance of sample A1 = 0. 022 y= 0. 019 (0. 022) + 0. 947 = 0. 947 Concentration of unknown sample 2 Absorbance of sample B2 = 0. 068 y= 0. 019 (0. 068) + 0. 947 = 0. 948 Discussion The concentration phosphate ion in of samples D and E were determined In this experiment I determined the concentration of phosphate ion in samples D and E. These values were determined by obtaining data from solutions of known concentration. These solutions were placed in the spectrophotometer and then by plotting a graph of absorbance vs. concentration, an equation was produced from which the unknown concentration were determined Conclusion From the result of the experiment, it was determined that the relationship between concentration and absorbance is linear. The amount of light absorbed by a solution varies directly with solute concentration.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Judicial Bench and Racial Discrimination essays

Judicial Bench and Racial Discrimination essays Regardless of how people might promote the role of the judiciary in curbing racial discrimination, there will always be some people who would complain of lack of judicial assistance and some might even claim that justice system is designed to keep the racial order intact. Despite these claims, it is worth mentioning that over the years, courts in the United States have decided many cases of discrimination and while some may have appeared biased, most actually sought to curb or reduce racial discrimination in all facets of life. In this regard, we have the 9th, the 13th and the 14th amendments that were proposed by Congress and were repeatedly interpreted by the courts to give them meaning and to make it easier for people to understand what their rights were under these amendments. The ninth amendment was meant to protect the rights of those who are not specifically covered by the Constitution. But amendments or laws are nothing with interpretation and thus Supreme Court interpreted the ninth amendment on various occasions. In Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), the court explained: While the Ninth Amendment - and indeed the entire Bill of Rights - originally concerned restrictions upon federal power, the subsequently enacted Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the States as well from abridging fundamental personal liberties. And, the Ninth Amendment... is surely relevant in showing the existence of other fundamental personal rights, now protected from state, as well as federal, infringement. Similarly the courts again invoked the ninth amendment in the famous case of Roe v. Wade where the decision went in favor of a "Ninth Amendment right to choose to have an abortion."[Roe v Wade, 1970] Apart from the ninth amendment, we also have the 13th amendment that seeks to protect property rights of all minorities thereby reducing the chance of racial discrimination in the disposal of property. The amendment seeks to abolish slavery and any...

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Effects of Different Mathematic Instructional Techniques for Learning Research Paper

Effects of Different Mathematic Instructional Techniques for Learning Disabled Students - Research Paper Example The idea of this research emerged from the author’s interest and fascination in how two different teaching techniques could ensure better results for students with learning disabilities that were struggling to learn how to solve mathematical word problems. Teaching young students that have learning disabilities can be difficult as they must overcome hurdles that other children do not. This analysis is imperative to help find new ways to teach young students so that they are more successful in learning a technique to solve math problems so they will not be hindered by their learning disability and instead be able to take these techniques and apply them to their future adult lives. The hypothesis of this research is that one of the two techniques will help students progress in learning how to solve word math problems though it is not initially clear how the two instructional techniques differentiate until farther into the experiment. There are multiple points in the literary ana lysis by that can shed light on the two different teaching techniques on how to teach problem-solving in the sector of mathematics that would impact how it could help students with learning disabilities improve.   One main point in this research is to increase awareness to teachers, students and parents alike that mathematical problem-solving skills are crucial to students in their futures, regardless of whether or not they have learning disabilities.  

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Discuss the historical, cultural and philosophical context of a 20th Research Paper

Discuss the historical, cultural and philosophical context of a 20th or 21st century art - Research Paper Example with songs inspired by the current events of their time and the experimentation with the singing brought out by the psychedelic drugs and, of course, their own ever increasing talents. This was the band’s eight album that was released in 1967. By that time, the group had become quite frustrated with all that they did and all that was expected from them. According to McCartney, they â€Å"were fed up with being the Beatles† (Frontani 127). Despite their talent and newfound experience, they were still thought of as boys instead of men. Not being taken seriously annoyed them, they were â€Å"artists rather than just performers† and being asked to repeat the same type of performances in every concert was also not conducive for the learning of more skills (Frontani 127). It is because of this that Paul McCartney brought forward a proposal on which Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band is based on. The idea was for the four men to invent fake identities, think of themselves as someone else and then write and sing songs as that fake individual. It is this work of theirs that has known to have sparked off the idea of a concept album even though there are still mixed views whether it is actually one or not. A concept album is basically one which has songs that follow a certain theme, there is a connection between them all, a telling of a story. According to Bill Martin, â€Å"Sergeant Pepper’s do not qualify according to this criterion (†¦) only a relative handful can truly be considered concept albums in the thematic sense† (Martin Jr. 41). However, it is also said that it â€Å"has been recognized almost universally as the first concept album† with â€Å"music, words, and visual art (†¦) all combined to convey a specific concept or program† (Letts 9 - 10) . Either way, it was this album that introduced the idea of a concept album into the minds of the people which continues to be followed by some of the singers today. A random thought that occurred during a flight led

Monday, January 27, 2020

Plight of street children in India

Plight of street children in India Until 1993, the term street child was not present in the Official Vocabulary in India. Until 1993, the Indian government did not fulfill their duty by protecting the rights and freedom of children. Until 1993, India had failed to completely recognize and acknowledge their growing street children epidemic. Street children can be defined as both market and homeless children. All around the world, innocent children are stripped away from their sovereignties and placed on the cruel streets of their cities forcing them to create a living on their own. Both developed and developing countries, including Russia, Vietnam, Romania and Brazil, are negatively affected by the growing population of street children. Unfortunately, India is the home to the worlds largest population of street children eighteen million and counting. Throughout the last couple of years, India has achieved many accomplishments, including the rise of their economy and recognition around the world. However, neglecting th e street children epidemic is unjust and overshadows their economic boost. According to Article 27 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it states that Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the childs physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Street children are denied of each one of these rights, instigating the fact that innocent children are not being supported and cared for by their families, friends and the government. Street children in India are deprived from proper protection due to the negligence of their family, the unstable economic situation in the country and the lack of focus on their health care.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Street children are excluded from stable protection because children are neglected from the attention of their loved ones. When a child is born, he/she is entitled to be cherished, loved and sheltered. Children are extremely vulnerable and naÃÆ' ¯ve; they do not know how to differ from right and wrong. When a child is abandoned and left isolated on the streets, they are uneducated about why they are alone. Thousands of kids blame themselves for their desertion, even though they are not to blame. In India, many street children are sexually, physically and mentally abused by their parents, and living on the streets leads them to being further exploited to child labour and prostitution. One of the main reasons that street children are abused by their parents in India is due to gender discrimination. Over the past generations, boys are undoubtedly favoured than girls. Boys are considered an asset since they can carry on the family name, help with the fa rmland and can continue their education longer than females. Sixty percent of the labour force in India is based on agriculture, meaning that men are more suitable for this intricate occupation. On the other hand, girls are regarded as a liability because parents have to raise dowry in terms of getting their daughter married, girls cannot carry on the family name and a vast majority of females do not receive the same amount of education as males, since parents do not look at schooling as an obligation. In accordance to Article 26 in the Universal Declaration of Independence, it states: Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Pilfering education from a child handicaps them and is one of the worst forms of punishments in the world. Even though women have triumphed and broken down bigotry barriers over the last decades, favoritism is evident in several parts of the world. In India, the female/male ratio is 927/100 0, which is incredibly low in comparison to other countries. In some developing parts of India, girls may get aborted or killed at birth solely due to their gender.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a child is neglected from their loved ones, it creates long-term psychological problems. Maslows hierarchy of needs outlines the basic needs of an individual: self-actualization, esteem, love/belonging, safety and physiological. Street children in India are extremely far away from reaching the top of Maslows hierarchy, since homeless children are not introduced to proper health care, are not protected from the precarious people on the streets of India, are not accepted by their families thus leading to a low self-esteem. Street children are forced to face unwanted and awful obstacles at an extremely young age. Both girls and boys do not have a role model to follow, and try to survive day by day. Furthermore, when Charles Darwin introduced natural selection, in which he explained that individual organisms that are better adapted to their environments have a better chance of surviving; humans began to receive education, create reputations and establ ish families for themselves. In order to survive on the streets, children can go to extreme levels in order to have clothes and food. When parents neglect their own children, kids are negatively affected and conform to the other street children around them; monkey see, monkey do. With no one to tell them whats right and whats wrong, whos to stop them?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Street children are robbed from social security because they are not given the proper financial support that they deserve. Indias economic situation changes on a weekly basis. Similar to other developing countries, the prices of production and labour inflates and/or deflates regularly. Following the world-wide recession, India has dealt with the economic problem better than some developed countries, such as the United States of America. The developing economy in India is great for the government, but what about the people? Even though Indias monetary condition is reasonably settled, some rural and urban parts of the country are being faced with poverty and street children. 56.4% of Indias population is in debt and the unemployment rate in India is 9.1%. People are having a difficult time paying off their debts, since the competition in the workforce is increasing and not enough jobs are available for everyone. With an increasing population, there is an increased demand for needs. We, as humans, meet those needs by consuming more resources. Consuming more resources declines the availability of supplies, which negatively harms the environment. The environment destruction and declining resources leads to scarcity and poverty. Resource scarcity explains the fact that if there is not enough food, hunger arises. If there is not enough water, people become thirst. If jobs are scarce, the unemployment rate rises. If money is scarce, poverty augments. Street children do not have enough food, water and a source of income in order to survive in India. Due to the need for basic necessities, children are forced to work for their money. Some of the activities that street children participate in are collect/sell paper, clean cars, sell newspaper, work in small hotels, beg, steal, and tend to animals and domestic labour.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being a developing country, the government of India is unable to entirely support all 1, 166, 079, 217 citizens; however that is not a justification for everyone. If an individual decides to have a baby, that human being is entitled to take care of that child. In India, many children are introduced to poverty; the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support. In certain circumstances, children from both middle and lower income families are forced to go onto the streets of their town in order to bring in more cash for the family. Are the parents being selfless or selfish? Parents who are telling their children to have no respect for themselves and bang on car doors simply to earn a rupee or two are utterly and shamefully selfish. Furthermore, families of lower caste systems are more prone to allowing their children to remain on the streets for days and nights. Caste systems are described as specific rankings that distingui sh a lower class family from a higher class family. This system is originated from the city and/or town that a family lives in, the last name of that family and the amount of land a family owns. In foreign countries, such as Canada and the United States, it is difficult to comprehend the caste system, yet in India the system is completely straight forward. Families from lower castes are prone to force their children, both males and females, to plead on the streets of India.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Street children are stripped from their rights when children are not being taken care of when he/she is affected by a health issue. In both developed and developing countries, both men and women tend to avoid the topic of health care. India has the largest number of street children in the age group of eight to eighteen years; these children are exposed to a risky social environment daily. Being on the streets instigates diseases because street children live and work amidst trash, animals and open sewers. The risk of getting diseases increases dramatically since dozens of Indians are immigrating and emigrating, in order to visit their relatives and be introduced to new environments. A majority of street children are not vaccinated and protected from harmful diseases including H1N1, Diphtheria, Polio and Tetanus, significantly raising their possibilities of getting seriously ill and possibly facing death in the upcoming future.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Developing Customer Relations Essay

1.0 Introduction Customer service is the provision of service to customer before during and after a purchase also it’s the ability of an organisation to recognise and consistently meet its customers’ need Employees may find them self in a situation that they sold a product and the customer is been arrogant saying it is faulty they need to stay calm 2.0 Providing Customer Service A new employee can provide good customer service by been well presented on their first day and wearing their uniform appropriately greeting the customer politely. 3.0 Presentation Skills In this section I am going to say why presentation skills are important to customer service Skill Why it is important As this is merit grade work, I need to expand each box. You need at least three points for each on why this is important Examples from business You need a couple of examples from businesses in each box Personal presentation e.g. personal hygiene, uniform/ dress, hair, makeup jewellery The way an employee presents himself identifies who they are. It is important because your presentation of your self and the business is the customer first opinion if they business is dirty then the customer wouldn’t come there again Customers in Tesco & Sainsbury’s wear uniform to make them look smart and they have to wear the uniform properly for example an employee might wear his uniform but not wear it smartly like not tucking in his shirt in companies like B & Q the employees dress to stand out by wearing bright orange Also in the police force it is required to wear uniform Body language e.g. posture, facial expression, smiling, gestures, eye contact Body language has an impact on the customer’s perception of how friendly the staffs are. The body language of an employee is important because it shows how the employee feels about the customer and how approachable they are If a customer ask a staff in a company like Primark â€Å"where is the T shirts† and they are frowning it means the staff there is unfriendly In JD Sports if it is empty and there are no customers in there and the employees have a conversation then a customer comes in and has a query, the employee might frown when he comes in because he is interrupting his conversation Presentation of work area and equipment The presentation of the work area shows how prepared the staff are and how good the environment, it is important because it shows how prepared they are to start business and also the presentation shows how hygienic they are If in McDonalds the tables are dirty it will put off customers and they wouldn’t eat in there Greeting Customers, Courtesy, Confidence, Interest, Thoughtfulness It is important because it shows that the employee cares that a customer is there and it makes the customer feel welcome If you greet a customer every time they come in to your business they would attract more customers to your business by telling them how polite employees in the business are Responding to different customer behaviour, Tact, Efficiency It is important to adapt to different customers and situation because all customers aren’t the same and they will have different attitude towards the employee/ business If a customer complains about how bad service is and you respond to them quickly it would show that you’re sorry Of voice, pitch, language e.g. technical language, use of slang How you communicate to customer is important because all customers are usually different e.g. you talk to old people different from teenagers When you talk to an old lady you talk slowly so they can hear you properly but when you are talking to teenager you can use some slangs Also in a company like Pc World if someone was about to buy a computer you would speak to them in technical language e.g. the computer has 512mb ram e.t.c and if the customer doesn’t understand it you explain to them Listening, body language, appropriateness to customer situation Your listening skills to a customer is important because if you don’t listen to them while you are talking to feels rude and employee should be able to adapt to different situations because there are different kinds of customers If a customer asks a question like where is the toilet and you keep on telling them to repeat it. They wouldn’t come back again to the business. Also there might be 4.0 Interpersonal Skills In this section I am going to say why interpersonal skills are important to customer service. Interpersonal Skills relate to the way you behave when you are dealing with other people and they are important because it makes communication clear. Attitudes, Behaviour, First impression are aspects of interpersonal skills The attitude of a staff to customer the first time they come in matter because that is their first impression and that’s what they will tell other people about the business In a Supermarket if a customer asks where an item and the employee replies â€Å"go away† is to the customer it will put them off and they wouldn’t come back Behaviour this is closely linked to attitude because this influences what you do and why you do it. A friendly person will normally behave in a cheerful way also if u enjoys working with people you will normally behave in a courteous and thoughtful way 5.0 Communication Skills In this section I am going to talk about communication skills Communication Skills are important to customer service. It is crucial that information is clear and accurate. In customer service employees must be able to explain company’s policies to customers and answer question about product and service. Tone, Pace, Pitch of voice, Slang and Listening are aspects of communication skills Tone is difference between the way you talk to a supervisor and your friend. Tone is how informal or formal you are and the tone of your voice Slang includes word used informally such as waste of space, chill. None should be used in business when talking to an external customer. Pace relates to the speed at which you speak and should be varied depending on your audience. Listening skills are invaluable in business particularly in the following situations e.g. when a customer is telling you about his or her needs or preferences, when you are been given information to give to someone. Pitch of voice relates to how you sound. A low pitched voice is deep and gruff, a high pitched voice easily sound shrill. Varying your pitch makes you sound more interesting and enables you to hold people attention better if you speak in a monotone 6.0 Customer Service Situations I am going to explain which skills are important in the following situation face to face, on the telephone, email, urgent situations, and difficult situations; either it is Interpersonal Skills, Presentation Skills, Communication Skills. Face to Face: I assume communication skills are the most essential skills when an employee is facing a problem face to face because although your presentation and interpersonal skills is important the employee is facing them and the way he communicates matter. The most important communication skills is their listening skills because it will show how effective they are to deal with the problem Telephone: I assume communication skills are the most essential skills when an employee if dealing with a problem on the phone because

Saturday, January 11, 2020

To what extent does business process reengineering improve sustainable competitive advantage

Rationale / Background Due to the increasingly competitive and evolving environment of modern business, a significant focus now lies on business restructuring in order for firms to meet the demands of the global economy. Buhalis and Owen (2010) see this necessity as the driver behind business process reengineering and as a result the practice is widespread, for instance Attaran (2004) highlighted a study in which 87% of businesses were found to engage in the process. Much research has been conducted in this area (see Kettinger and Grover 1995), which points towards competitive advantage as the primary focal area. Based on Porter’s original five forces model (Porter 1979) companies now look to business process reengineering to create a sustainable competitive advantage for their firm. Whilst research done by Ansoff and McDonnell (1990) focuses on more traditionally held beliefs about a firm’s unique resources, many has since changed their beliefs on what is considered a dynamic capability wo rthy of creating a sustained competitive advantage. Meed et al (1994) cited a company needs to transform in order to adapt to its environment, and Osborne (1997) suggested that the very nature of the issue requires ever evolving material. Thus there is becoming an increased focus on the more subjective capabilities of modern organizations, as Barney’s 1999 article noted how strategic resources tend to be evenly distributed across firms and so there is a new focal point of knowledge being central to the business reengineering process and to creating a sustained competitive advantage for modern businesses. According to Grint (1994) reengineering quickly became the buzzword for businesses in the 1990’s, set on organizational improvement and change. Business process reengineering is defined as â€Å"a requirement to study fundamental business processes, independent or organization units and information systems support, to determine if the underlying business processes can be significantly streamlined and improved† by Langer (2008) and is based on operational objectives in order to improve performance. For instance a firm may wish to simplify their processes, improve communication procedures or speed up their operational turnover (Sayegh 2005.) As mentioned previously the very nature of business process reengineering requires a circular flow of communication in order for business processes to continuously improve, as Guha et al (1993) suggested the process reengineering cycle to be implemented into organizations in order to quickly tweak any issues with a new process with a minimal delay on output. The subject of business process reengineering is still relatively new and so there are suggestions for future improvements, as a significant focus now lies on not only creating the information systems but using them effectively. This requires what Earl et al (1995) called alignment, that a process must not only be operationally efficient it must also be aligned not only with the company’s other materials and systems but also with the existing knowledge of the firm’s staff. This view is supported by Burgelman et al (2008) who focused on the links between not only different management levels but also between different strategic levels of the business. The suggestion by Burgelman et al being that organizational knowledge is unevenly spread and so needs to be aligned more thoroughly. According to Brynjolfsson and Renshaw (1997) business process reengineering does suffer from low success rates, due to a lack of tools for managing the change proces s. Brynjolfsson and Renshaw proposed utilising a matrix of change in order to help managers identify and deal with critical issues. In this sense the importance of organizational knowledge is evidently the weak link in making business process reengineering reach its potential. Therefore much work has been done to attempt to bridge this success gap between the operational processes of a business and people’s ability to use them (see Khosrowpour 2006.) Attaran (2004) believed information technology to be a key element of a successful reengineering approach, citing Bill Gates’ comment on the 2000’s focus being on velocity. Therefore it is feasible for a company to rely on information technology to understand processes if they operate in a particularly fast paced industry like the example Bill Gates was referring to. In fact Johnson and Vitale (1998) believed innovations in information technology to be the future source of competitive advantage for firms, using exam ples of where it has been essential for business success for instance linking systems between an organizations diversified functional areas. Organizational knowledge is therefore seen to be one of few sources of a sustainable competitive advantage for modern firms. Tacit knowledge means that no two companies are the same (Collis and Montgomery 1995) and so as a dynamic capability knowledge appears to fulfil the necessary criteria, seen by Ambrosini and Bowman (2002) as being difficult to imitate, difficult to substitute or transfer and being scarce. Especially vital in the modern business environment is the speed in which knowledge can be created or transferred, as Saint-Onge (1996) noted how a company’s intellectual capital needs to be in line with rapid technological developments.This focus on human capital led Saint-Onge to cite the â€Å"knowledge era† of modern times. A key application for business process reengineering of this focus is the need to constantly reinvest in organizational knowledge, due to the attrition effects of competition decaying the casual ambiguity that knowledge creates (Reed and D efillippi 1990.) Therefore the real challenge for modern companies is how to undertake this required reinvestment in business process reengineering. Cavusgil and Calantone (2003) pointed out in their study on tacit knowledge that the primary issue is sharing knowledge throughout the firm. Howells (1996) noted that in order to be fully utilised tacit knowledge can be transferred on a variety of levels as in many cases knowledge should not only be transferred horizontally but vertically in firms, i.e. that managers must pass on their knowledge to their staff and vice versa. This vertical transfer is vital for informational systems as in many cases practicalities experienced by lower level staff are not considered by upper management. Due to the difficulty in representing tacit knowledge acknowledged by Lubit (2001) the suggestions on how to transfer knowledge throughout the firm focus on more informal means. Lubit believed social mechanisms to be the best option, citing how formalis ed processes will always leave gaps. Similarly Ambrosini and Bowman (2002) found that techniques such as individual questionnaires and storytelling were most suitable for demonstrating tacit knowledge. Description Project Aims and Objectives: To uncover relevant links between organizational knowledge and the firm’s business process reengineering, and the role of knowledge management in facilitating the reengineering process. To examine theoretical approaches to business process reengineering and empirical evidence of their respective success rates. To investigate the impact of business process engineering on sustainable competitive advantage from a theoretical standpoint. Research Methodology Due to the theoretical approach being adopted in this study, secondary research would be utilised in accomplishing the aforementioned research objectives. Based on this approach, the study would adopt an interpretivist epistemology. According to Saunders et al (2007), â€Å"Interpretivism is an epistemology that advocates that it is necessary for the researcher to understand differences between humans in our role as social actors†. Interpretivism relates to how people make sense of the world around them, and how they interpret social phenomena. Compared to the positivist view, the interpretivist view relates essentially to the interpretation of findings by those collecting data, and a common risk is that there may be issues of reliability and validity due to its subjective nature (Collis and Hussey, 2003). Based on recommendations by Collis and Hussey (2003), an inductive approach would also be utilized in conducting the research, as this involves analyzing the theoretical da ta concerning business process reengineering and competitive advantage, and drawing up a conclusion (after indepth analysis), on how both factors may be related. Data collection and analysis within this study would involve the systematic review of literature, reviewing previous studies on business process reengineering, knowledge management and competitive advantage to establish the relationship between all 3 variables, and ascertain if and how they the reengineering of business processes could actually lead to an improved competitive advantage within an industry. Through the combination of a number of results from a number of studies, the researcher hopes to uncover reasonable, reliable and valid insights into the subject area. Relevant databases such as Business Source Premier, Ingenta Connect and Emerald Insights would be utilized in finding these researches. Further research would also be conducted on institutes of business, such as those who may have statistics on how business processes affect competitive advantage. An entire subchapter would also be devoted to critiques of business process reengineering, particularly in its relevance to competitive advantage, as this allows for a balanced critical research and helps support the study’s reliability. Secondary research has been adopted as opposed to primary research, as it essentially bases our findings on more extensive research that may have been done in the past. These literatures are usually wider ranging and cover a lot more aspects of BRR than this research could have, if it adopted a primary approach. Deliverables This project intends to deliver clear conclusions and recommendations on the following: The relationship between business process reengineering and knowledge management within organisational settings. Do they necessarily impact on one anotherDoes effective knowledge management particularly promote better results when processes are reengineered Empirical findings on the success and / or failure rates of business process reengineering activities that have been conducted over the past decades. These could be differentiated based on industries, and conditions, such as whether the organisations properly utilised information technology or knowledge management systems. Empirical or theoretical evidence suggesting that business process reengineering does promote sustainable competitive advantage. Particular emphasis would be placed on how it was accomplished and the secondary factors (such as information or knowledge management technology) that may have acted as catalysts. Schedule Secondary research (literature search) to be completed within two weeks of the project’s s tart. Cross-examination of literature is to be completed within a week of the final data being collected. This will encompass all of the data to spot any clear patterns. Checking of the discovered patterns to ensure their viability, reliability and generalisability will also be aimed to be completed within the same week that the original cross examination has been completed. The Introduction and Methodology chapters would be written within a week from when the data has been gathered. This would help in the structure of these chapters. The systematic literature review would be written up and conducted using the thematic approach. Meaning that each of the project deliverables would be separated into different themes and analysed as such. Overall project timeline – A maximum of 4-5 weeks from starting to accumulate the relevant data to having a clear, presentable set of results. Resources Required No hardware resources are required, except for computer hardware to use in researching, analysing and writing up the project. Access to literature sources such as the journals mentioned above, and empirical results on business process reengineering may require library access to such journals and in-depth Internet research. The researcher is confident that he has the skills to accomplish all of these. References Ambrosini, V. And Bowman, C. (2002) Tacit Knowledge: Some Suggestions for Operationalization. Journal of management studies, Vol 38, Issue 6, pp 811-829. Ansoff, H.I. and McDonnell, E.J. (1990) Implanting strategic management. Prentice Hall New York. Attaran, M. (2004) Exploring the relationship between information technology and business process reengineering. Information and management, Vol 41, pp 585-596. Barney, J. (1999) Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, Vol 17, No 1, pp 99-120. Buhalis, D. And Owen, R. (2010) Business Process Reengineering. Business Process Management Journal, Vol 6, Issue 2, pp 113-121. Burgelman, R.A. Christensen, C.M. and Wheelwright, S.C. (2008) Strategic management of technology and innovation. McGraw- Hill / Irvin. Cavusgil, S.T. Calantone, R.J. Zhao, Y. (2003) Tacit knowledge transfer and firm innovation capability. Journal of business and industrial marketing, Vol 18, Issue 1, pp 6-21. Collis, D.J. and Montgomery, C.A. (1995) Competing on Resources: Strategy in the 1990s. Harvard Business Review, July-August. Earl, M.J. Sampler, J.L. and Short, J.E. (1995) Strategies for business process reengineering: evidence from field studies. Journal of Management Information Systems, Volume 12, Issue 1 (June 1995.) Grint, K. (1994) Reengineering History: Social Resonances and Business Process Reengineering. Organization, Vol 1, No 1, pp 179-201. Guha, S. Kettinger, W.J. and Teng, J.T.C. (1993) BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING Building a Comprehensive Methodology. Information systems management, Vol 10, Issue 3. Howells, J. (1996) Tacit knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. Technology analysis and strategic management, Vol 8, No 2, pp 91-106. Kettinger, W.J. and Grover, K. (1995) Special section: toward a theory of business process change management. Journal of management information systems, Vol 12, Issue 1 (June 1995.) Khosrowpour, M. (2006) Advanced topics in information resources management. Vol 5. Idea group publishing. Langer, A.M. (2008) Business process reengineering. Analysis and design of information systems. Lubit, R. (2001) Knowledge Management : The Keys to Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Organizational dynamics, Vol 29, Issue 3, pp 164-178. Meed, J.W. Bots, P.W.G. and Sol, H.G. (1994) A hard core for soft problems: A business engineering case study within the Amsterdam municipal police force. TCBAUS IFIP Information systems international working conference, Gold Coast, Australia. Osborne, T. (1997) Business process reengineering. PACIS 1997 Proceedings. Porter, M.E. (1979) How competitive forces shape strategy. Harvard business review. Cited by Smit, P.J. (2000) Strategic planning: Readings. Juta and Company Ltd. Reed, R. and Defillippi, R.J. (1990) Causal Ambiguity, Barriers to Imitation, and Sustainable Competitive Advantage. The academy of management review, Vol 15, No 1 (January 1990) pp 88-102. Saint-Onge, H. (1996) Tacit knowledge the key to the strategic alignment of intellectual capital. Strategy and leadership, Vol 24, Issue 2, pp 10-16. Sayegh, F. (2005) Business process Reengineering. EFS Technical report No.21. (December 15th 2005.)

Friday, January 3, 2020

The, Democracy, And Leadership - 1486 Words

We have argued in this course that there is nothing more paradoxical than the focus and emphasis of Ancient Political Thought in Greek culture. Of course, this may be because of our modern preoccupation of our current political foundation have lead us to believe that people associate democracy and leadership as an antidote to conflict and corruption. This may also be the case since Greek culture illustrates that the polis was the final form of political association during the time when Aristotle was setting out his ideas. But even if this was the case, there is still much about politics we can learn. Despite the current understandings surrounding leadership and democracy as an antidote to stasis, it will be argued that both of these ideas†¦show more content†¦In addition, the metaphoric of the ship points to the way that the antidotes of stasis, democracy and leadership, would actually be considered as anarchy in modern times, and therefore the ship represents a conflict to democracy or an undemocratic polis. To summarize and give context behind the ship, we are going to be taking a look at this very famous metaphor for the state. This ship has a pilot, and the Greek word for pilot is kubernà ©tà ©s , which is also the root for our word for Governor. The pilot steers the ship as they are in charge of the ship. Socrates’ story is meant to illustrate the real world of actual politics in the city. The city, polis, is like a ship, and the ship is owned by an ignorant man who knows nothing about seamanship. As a direct result of this, these sailors on the ship are left to their own devices, and do fight among themselves to see who will gain control of the rudder and therefore would become the pilot of that ship. The sailor who wins this competition against other sailors would become the pilot. The real thrust of the parable is that the person who is good at winning the competition to gain the rudder of the ship and become the pilot knows nothing about seamanship. Though the true pilot who is a person genuinely knowledgeable about how to steer the ship is both unconcerned with the other sailor and the