Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Hamlet’s Delay Essay

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main character continually delays acting out his duty of avenging his father’s murder. This essay will discuss how Hamlet’s nature and morals (which are intensified by difficult events) prevent him from carrying out the task. In the opening scenes of the play, the Ghost of Hamlet’s late father reveals to him the true means by which King Hamlet died. The Ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius pouring poison into his ear caused his father’s death. He exhorts Hamlet to avenge the murder. Hamlet’s initial response is to act on the Ghost’s exhortation quickly. Hamlet says; â€Å"Haste me to know’t that I with wings as swift†¦May sweep to my revenge, (Roberts, pg. 1370).† Yet by the end of the same scene, his reluctance to murder King Claudius is evident. Hamlet says; â€Å"This time is out of joint, O cursed spite, that I was ever born to set it right, (Roberts, pg. 1374).† Hamlet is like a soldier that is thrown into a war where he has to do some things he rather would avoid doing, but under the given circumstances he bites his teeth and carries himself well (Stratford, 128). In this war, the circumstances brought on by Claudius’s murdering of King Hamlet are Hamlet’s enemy. His dead father is the destroyed country, painful truth that leaves so much hatred and resentment in his heart. Being a loyal prince and son, and one whom entire kingdom respected, he should seek revenge and bring justice back in the royal court. Many theories have been put forward as to the reasons for Hamlet’s delay in avenging the King from hereon in. One theory suggests that Hamlet wished to determine the nature of the Ghost before acting, for he says in Act II: Scene 2 that â€Å"The spirit I have seen may be a devil.† However, even after the ‘play within a play’ through which Hamlet has obtained his ‘proof’ as to the nature of the Ghost and confirmed that Claudius is guilty, Hamlet says † I’ll take the Ghost’s word for a thousand pound,† but fails to act and can only contemplate the event. Similarly, when Hamlet stumbles upon Claudius praying, he does not take the  opportunity to kill the King, rather he makes excuses, saying he does not want Claudius to go to heaven. However, this is little more than a delay tactic, and Hamlet also does not make any further plans to kill the King, for we seem to be puzzled by it (if we were in the audience, the whole scene would have lasted only moments, but as readers, we have the freedom to ponder about it). At least so was Professor Dowden, to name one critic, who holds that Hamlet â€Å"loses a sense of fact† because he puts every event through his mind, filtering it until every deed seems to have an alternative – in not doing the deed, but evaluating it even more (Bloom, pg. 66). In addition, Hamlet was a philosopher rather than a man of action, unlike Claudius and Laertes. He himself sees that one of his problems is to â€Å"think too precisely on the event.† He is intellectual and reflective, preferring to ponder rather than take action. Hamlet is very brave and impulsive Prince, but the plot seems to prevent him from finding an â€Å"external model or a simple solution for conduct,† so that he must depend more on thinking, and less on acting (Stratford, 105). He realizes that killing a King is a great crime The most plausible explanation is that Hamlet’s own nature and values continually hindered him from performing the task. Hamlet is a sensitive, introverted young man, who is naturally prone to melancholia. Coleridge and Goethe would agree with this, holding that Hamlet’s soul is too philosophical and it lacks ability to instinctually act on impulse, and that he is â€Å"too sensitive to avenge himself,† (Grebanier, pg. 159). But if one only reads what goes on in the play, Hamlet could by no means be called too sensitive or passive. The Ghost’s revelation and also the fact that his mother has remarried to King Claudius, intensify his already melancholic disposition. His mother’s remarriage is an abomination in Hamlet’s eyes. This is because the marriage was soon after his father’s death; King Hamlet was â€Å"But three months dead.† This shows little sensitivity to those who are grieving and also implies that their relationship was initiated before King Hamlet died. Secondly, the marriage was against canon law, which made it a sin. Hamlet says to his mother in Act III: Scene 4, â€Å"Have you not eyes? You cannot call it love. O shame! Where is thy blush?† These successive shocks  deepen Hamlet’s depression. In Act II: Scene 2 Hamlet says to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, â€Å"I have of late†¦lost all my mirth.† He falls deeper and deeper into the slough of fruitless brooding. In his first soliloquy he says; â€Å"O that this too solid flesh would melt.† Thus, the task is too onerous for the fragile, melancholic Hamlet. Hamlet also delays killing the King because he is unsure of the morality of carrying out such a task. This factor is important, as Hamlet is a very idealistic and moralistic person. Revenge was prohibited by ecclesiastical law, but the duty of ‘personal honor’ prevalent in Elizabethan times often won through. In the play, Hamlet debates the morality of revenge, saying that â€Å"Is’nt not perfect conscience and isn’t not to be damned to let this canke of our nature come in further evil.† At this stage it is clear that Hamlet is having serious doubts about killing the King. After all, to kill an anointed King, even in an act of revenge, was considered a serious offence. Furthermore, as Hamlet points out in the above quote, he would be carrying out the very act he was condemning. In addition, in regards to his mother’s sin, the ghost had told Hamlet to â€Å"leave her to heaven.† This creates a moral dilemma for Hamlet because if it is God’s duty to deal with his Mother’s sin, surely the same applies to Claudius. In conclusion, Hamlet delays in killing the King because of his own character; he is a philosopher and is of a melancholic disposition. External events in the play do not contribute to Hamlet’s delay, but are rather used to Hamlet’s advantage as excuses to further delay avenging his father’s murder. Works Cited Grebanier, Bernard. The Heart of Hamlet, The Play Shakespeare Wrote. New York:Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1960. Hamlet. Editor Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, a division of MaineLine Book Co., 1990. Hamlet. Stratford-Upon-Avon Study. London: Edward Arnold Ltd., 1963. Roberts, Edgar V. and Henry E. Jacobs. Literature: An Introduction to Readingand Writing, (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc., 2001),pgs. 1349-1451.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Project Management Tools/Methods Essay

Over the years, Information Technology (I. T) projects has been known to fail, that is, they are either completed with over budget or not completed within time and budget. Information Technology projects are often complex and detailed in nature and require cognitive knowledge and skills for its accomplishment. I. T projects are often difficult to estimate and manage as some projects are either cancelled or reduced in scope because of over budgeting and time overruns or failure to produce anticipated benefits (Kumar, 2001). Failure of I. T projects is often characterised by the inability to meet the customer’s requirement or change in requirements during the project. To achieve a successful project, monitoring and control process performance is important, that is, control of Information Technology projects involves the use of appropriate management frameworks/methodologies and planning tools. In this report, we are going to look at the various ways of we can monitor and manage I. T projects, evaluating some management frameworks/methodologies and planning tools used with critical analysis on their functions, benefits as well as their weaknesses. Project monitoring and control are steps taking to keep track of a project process to ensure its success. Project monitoring is the gathering of information to determine the current state and progress of a Project in relation to its expected state and success (McBride, 2008; Aljibouri, 2003). Despite efforts put into project planning, things do change or occur that cause our project to derail. At this point, an effective monitoring and control process is useful and required to get the project back on course. It is in the control and monitoring process that we keep track of the project process, identify deviations, and determine and implement corrective actions. Many Organisations tend to manage I. T projects in an unstructured or ad hoc manner throughout its life cycle with limited understanding of the relationship between I. T project implementation and traditional business performance metrics (Stewart, 2008). The attention to schedule and cost are of utmost relevance in project monitoring and control as well as the scope of the project, risk and change control plus the overall performance measurement and reporting. The essential purpose of project monitoring and control is to alert the project manager to any project inter-dependencies that are becoming critical in terms of delivery date, resource allocation, cost or benefits (Lycett et. al, 2002). The basic challenge of project management in achieving its goals it based on managing effectively its typical constraints which include time, scope, budget. The following activities are involved in monitoring and control of I. T Projects; * The adoption of appropriate management framework/methodology – reporting structure, assessing progress, communication. Use of Planning and scheduling tools/techniques e. g. Gantt chart, PERT, CPA, WBS e. t. c * Data control – reporting progress of risk or staff activities MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS/METHODOLOGIES Project management methodologies can be said to be a set of principles or guidelines that can be defined and applied in monitoring and control of projects. Project management framework defines and determines how to initiate and run a project. These various methodologies ensure; * Clearly visible and defined management process for project execution * Defined line of reporting and decision making Risk management * Staff are appropriately trained and suitable to handle and run projects * Commitment to the proposed project. There so many various methodologies available as it all depends which suits the organisation practice. Here are a few of some well known ones below: PRINCE 2 – It is an acronym for Project IN Controlled Environment. PRINCE 2 is a structured project management methodology and a widely used standard for managing I. T projects. It significantly provides assistance with the optimal usage of resources with risk management initiatives to manage projects. Elkington and smallman (2000), argues that though the PRINCE 2 method has greatly increased the success rate of projects, but it has little in the way of directing project managers in handling project risk. It offers no advice to project managers on risk estimation. PRINCE 2 promotes consistency of project work and also facilitates staff mobility, reduction of personnel change impact. The method also provides for the absolute recognition of project responsibilities in order for participants to understand each other’s role. The Prince 2 method helps you work out who should be involved and their responsibility. Due to the numerous changes attached to I. T projects, PRINCE 2 has a technique of controlling the impact of change in a project so as to prevent the project from derailing from the right direction. SSADM – Structured System Analysis and Design Method is a method widely used in information system development in the U. K. it is based on data flow diagram. SSADM divides a system development project into stages, steps and tasks and provides a framework for analysing projects in a defined way to manage project. It aims at improving project management and control, develop quality systems, and establish a framework for good communication among personnel in a project team. It also ensures project continuity if there is a loss of staff without any effect on the project success (Middleton and McCollum, 2001). However, some limitations occur in the use of SSADM as it puts much emphasis on the analysis of the system and its documentation. This causes the impact of over-analysing, and can be cost and time consuming. Also, due to various types of description method, consistency checks cannot be carried out. The outline diagram can become very unclear, especially with large systems because all relevant data flow have to be included. Agile Methodology – Agile Development is a term that covers several iterative and incremental software development methodologies. This agile methodologies includes Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Dynamic systems development method (DSDM), Crystal, Feature-Driven development (FDD) e. t. c â€Å"Agile Software development represents a major departure from traditional plan –based approaches to software engineering â€Å"(Dyba and Dingsoyr, 2008). Each of these Agile methods is unique in its specific approach, but they all share a common core values and vision. Agile method is a new system development methodology which is used by software development teams to improve the software development process in terms of increased productivity of I. T personnel and higher quality of the final I. T solutions (Chan and Thong, 2008). According to Chan and Thong, (2008); Reifer, (2002), agile methodologies, such as Extreme programming (XP) and Scrum have received praise from practitioners because of their abilities to deal with volatile requirements. Although the deployment of these agile methodologies by I. T personnel is still resistance, industry surveys have indicated that its acceptance in I. T organisations is still at an early phase with many respondents indicating a limited knowledge (Chan and Tong, 2008). Also, in as much as the agile method have generated quite a bit of controversy, but since its entrance into the software community, most projects have continued to deliver high quality software systems within time than the traditional processes. BASIC I. T PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLANNING AND SCHEDULING TOOLS Different types of planning and scheduling tools exists, but we are going to discuss some of the basic one used in managing Information technology projects like Gantt Charts, CPM, PERT, WBS Gantt chart and Critical path Analysis flow diagrams are two commonly used tools for detailed project management planning, scheduling, costing and budgeting. Gantt chart is a typical scheduling method for most types of projects. A Gantt chart provides a graphical illustration of a schedule which helps in planning, co-ordinating and tracking specific tasks in a project. A key feature of Gantt charts is its focus on systemic rather than algorithmic solutions to utilisation problems† (Wilson, 2003). It specifies complex task sequence, that is, a task or more can be required to be completed before other tasks can start. According to Maylor, (2001), he emphasizes that the use of Gantt chart in controlling information systems projects is beneficial as it shows clearly the overlap of scheduled task s, which commonly occurs in system development. Gantt chart supports modification of task dependencies, creation of new task connector as well as re-scheduling individual tasks. It also helps to evaluate the progress of a project. Although, Gantt chart is a widely used and beneficial tool which gives clear illustration of project status, it also has some limitations. Gantt chart do not show task dependencies of one task to another, that is, it is difficult for you to see or tell the effect of a task falling behind schedule of which PERT chart does. Also, Gantt chart does not show the necessity of completing one task before the start of another as Critical Path Analysis will do. Gantt chart is also often used as a reporting tool. PERT and CPM Type Program Evaluation and Review Techniques (PERT) and Critical Path Method (CPM) are useful tools that help to manage and schedule complex projects. Activities of a complex projects can be performed parallel and some sequentially. The collection of these activities can be modelled as a network. PERT type network looks for the schedule to minimize the objective function of the total elapsed project time, that is, it determines the start and the finish times of each activity or task. CPM type is based on the critical path method. It looks for the schedule with the minimum cost in a definite period of time (a case where the cost is associated with each task). CPM provides a graphical view of a project, helps predict the time required for project completion and shows which activities are critical to maintaining the schedule and which are not. â€Å"CPM execution can enable monitoring and control over various topics uniquely related to software projects† (Gelbard et al, 2002). The CPM considers a set of precedence relations between the tasks of a project, that is, some tasks must be finished before other tasks can be started (Conde, 2009). CPM helps to plan all tasks that must be completed as part of a project. When managing I. T projects, CPM helps to get a project back on course by showing you where remedial actions need to be taken as in the case of Gantt Charts. CPM type is deterministic as it uses a fixed time estimate for each activity. According to Chanas and Zielinski, (2001); Yakhchali et al (2009), they emphasizes that the importance of CPM is that the activities duration time are deterministic and known, but the assumption cannot always be fulfilled with satisfying accuracy. Therefore, in order to deal with imprecise durations, they suggested that PERT method be used, which has conception of random variable with beta distribution to model the activity times. However, CPM is simple and easy to understand, but it does not consider the time variations that can have a huge impact on complex project completion time. For less routine projects, there is more uncertainty in the completion times of which PERT network is an alternative as it allows a range of durations to be indicated for each activity. The reduction of time and cost required for project completion is one of the capabilities of a PERT network. PERT assumes that the time estimate for an activity lies within the range of earliest time and latest time. It uses a three time estimates (optimistic, most likely, pessimistic) to compute the expected average time. However, PERT technique provides less benefit if the uncertainty of time estimates is relatively small and irrelevant. Chanas et al, (2001) and Conde, (2008) agrees that the PERT assumes beta distributions for the individual task completion times but also that the assumption and some other conditions are not exempt for criticism. â€Å" Apart from that, PERT provides a scheduling mechanism that is based on resource reallocation and ordering the project activities for cognitively driven task like software projects and research/development projects. â€Å"The main drawback of PERT technique is the difficulty of obtaining the time estimates† Changes do occur in I. T development projects, of which most often result to failure of the overall project. Controlling changes provides stability to projects. Changes to project agreement must be evaluated and recorded accordingly. According to Wang et al, (2008), change control facilitates software flexibility by controlling risks due to unstable scope and run-away requirements. Change control is necessary in project monitoring as it ensures; * Prevention of unauthorized use of resources * Proper update of project plan, its scope, budget expectations, schedule and quality * That the recommended change is consistent with external agreements. Monitoring and control process is no doubt necessary in project development by use and application of methodologies, tools and techniques. However, evaluating the various ways, their functions and characteristics, it can be said that there is no better of f methods as they have their benefits and weaknesses in various areas which other encompasses and vice versa, in other words, there is no-one –fits-all methodology. In practice, project managers have found out that it is difficult to simply use a methodology or tool exactly as it stands. But, it can be said that a good and successful project which delivers quality result, within time and budget are generally dependant on the quality and effort of participants from the project board down to the individual team members.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Technology Implementation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Technology Implementation Paper - Essay Example There are numerous examples: travel and holiday agents are all linked by networks directly to the databases maintained by airlines, railways and holiday companies making possible virtually instantaneous booking, computing cash tills and bar-code readers in supermarkets are linked to computers and form part of an integrated stock control, ordering and sales analysis system without which modern supermarkets could not function. New technology is having effects on organization structures. Because of the easier and speedier communications and the increasing sophistication of automatic decision making by computers, middle management is tending to disappear in many organizations including service centers and manufacturing, hospitals and trade organizations, etc. (Frame, D.J., (2002). Organizations are becoming flatter and leaner because top management are able to monitor operations more directly and computers are now taking many decisions previously taken by middle management. Examples include: computerized stock and production control in manufacturing, automatic credit scoring and loan authorizations in banks. IT is also changing the nature of the debate about centralization versus decentralization. Properly planned technology systems with distributed data processing enable both more centralization of standards, performance targets and policies and more decentralization of operations through more immediate an d speedier service to customers (Bretschneider, Heintze, 2000). Also, restructuring involves changes in routine processes towards goals-oriented performance. Following Bohmer et al (2001) "The design of a technology often reinforces a habitual routine; for example, the design of a commercial aircraft's cockpit is conducive to certain standard operating procedures for takeoff and landing" (685). In this case, transaction processing systems are pre-specified and changes require the intervention of system specialists; transaction processing comprises: activity processing, report processing and enquiry processing. Businesses are increasingly being reorganized into processes rather than functions (Knop et al, 1998). This is known as process re-engineering and means that firms must identify their core processes and design them so that delays, confusion and demarcations are reduced or eliminated. For instance, the case of The Bell Group vividly portrays implementation of CRM (Customer Relationship management) system and its success for the company. The project includes such areas as accounting, manufacturing, warehousing, field service, and shipping systems. All technological systems were launched separately in order to avoid mistakes and errors (The Bell Group, 2005). It is now possible for managers to obtain information on organizational performance down to the level of specific transactions from just about anywhere in the organization at any time. This new intensity of information makes possible far more precise planning, forecasting, and monitoring (Schwalbe, 2005). A New Employee Managers must deal with new people issues because the changes brought about by technology definitely require a new kind of employee. The use of technology requires more problem solving skills and the ability to interpret data and is thus likely to lead to a widening gulf between skilled and unskilled workers. Routine tasks requiring a low level of skill are

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Martin Luther King Jr,s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Critical Essay

Martin Luther King Jr,s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Critical Analysis - Essay Example King attempts to persuade his readers that his position is valid. King defends his stand in the Birmingham Campaign by making skilful use of the rhetorical techniques of ethos, logos and pathos. King begins his letter by using the persuasive technique of ethos to establish his authority and his credentials. He asserts his position as the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which is affiliated with the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights (ACMHR). By categorically stating, â€Å"(I) am here because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here,† (King, 6), King makes it clear that his presence in Birmingham is at the express invitation of the ACMHR, and is eminently justified. He establishes his credibility as a spokesman for the protestors, and his right to participate in the campaign. King effectively foils his critics’ bid to depict him as an outsider. By acknowledging his critics to be â€Å"men of genuine goodwi ll† (King, 6), and demonstrating his willingness to give their views patient consideration, King enhances his own good-will and position as a fair-minded person. King emphasizes the common ground held by him and his critics. By addressing his letter to his â€Å"Dear fellow clergyman,† King emphasizes their shared religious calling. His repeated allusions to Christian belief and personalities, including his references to the Apostles and Christ, serve to reiterate his commitment to the church and vouch for his good moral character. He categorically states that his primary identity is that of â€Å"a minister of the gospel, who loves the church† (King, 13). Again, he declares that he is â€Å"the son, the grandson and the great-grandson of preachers† (King, 14). King unequivocally tells his critics that he is one of them. Having established his credentials through ethos, King goes on to use logos to convince his readers as to the reasonableness of his stand . His defense of direct-action is a remarkable study in logic. First, King justifies his form of protest by arguing that â€Å"In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action† (King, 7). He then takes up each of these steps in turn and provides evidence to support his direct-action program. First, he calls attention to the fact that â€Å"Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States† (King, 7). Second, he details the failed negotiation process. Thirdly, he gives an account of the preparation for non-violent protest. Finally, he justifies direct action, by eloquently describing it as â€Å"the need for nonviolent gadflies† to goad the authorities to negotiation (King, 8). Again, King logically supports his defiance of the laws by distinguishing between â€Å"two types of laws: just and unjust† (King, 9). He cleverly equates the segregation statute with unjust laws and puts the moral law of the Church above it. This effectively absolves him of any transgression of the law. King links his civil disobedience to that of the Christian martyrs, to Socrates, the American fight for independence and the anti-Gestapo resistance. These analogies support his logic and enable King to defend his argument. There can be no doubt that King is a past master in

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Procurement and Purchasing Strategies(Critique) Essay

Procurement and Purchasing Strategies(Critique) - Essay Example In this paper, this concept will be discussed in detail considering three scholarly articles in order to know what benefits does outsourcing provide to companies and what concerns companies usually have in deciding whether they should outsource the procurement process or not. Discussion The articles chosen for this discussion included ‘The Make-or-Buy Decision in the Presence of a Rival: Strategic Outsourcing to a Common Supplier’ by Arya, Mittendorf and Sappington, ‘The procurement function’s role in strategic outsourcing from a process perspective’ by Carter and Yan, and ‘Strategic procurement outsourcing: a paradox in current theory’ by Fernandez and Kekale. The main concept behind all of these articles is that outsourcing is basic need of today for companies to operate efficiently. For example, Carter and Yan (2007, p. 210) state that there are many benefits of adopting this approach some of which include reduced costs, improved compe titiveness, and increased focus on other business processes. Some more benefits of outsourcing the procurement function to external sources include improvement in efficiency levels and reduced transaction costs (Fernandez & Kekale 2007, p. 168). Procurement outsourcing also provides strategic benefits to companies (Arya, Mittendorf & Sappington 2008, p. 1749). Moreover, Fernandez and Kekale (2007, p. 168) also found that reduced cost is a very significant benefit of procurement outsourcing if we consider the increased percentage of external goods and services purchases. Fernandez and Kekale (2007, p. 168) also found that a company outsourcing its procurement functions can achieve at least five times more saving as compared to the savings that achieve from outsourcing other processes, such as, HR activities and financial operations. This figure suggests that procurement outsourcing is really a very beneficial aspect of doing business in the modern world where the competition is conti nuously increasing with every passing day. However, companies usually have some concerns regarding outsourcing their procurement functions to external sources. For example, managers of such companies feel that they will become dependent on other firms if they completely outsource the procurement function. They also feel that this approach will lead to downsizing ion their firms which will out a negative impact on the careers of many employees working for purchasing and procurement department. Manager also have other concerns like what they should actually outsource, whom should they outsource their procurement function, and whether outsourcing to a common supplier in presence of competitors will be a viable option or not (Carter & Yan 2007; Arya, Mittendorf & Sappington 2008). Some managers think that if they outsource their procurement function to a supplier which is also serving some of its competitors, it will increase the cost because of monopolistic power of the supplier. Howev er, in actual, there is no such case and the monopolistic input supplier serves all clients equally (Arya, Mittendorf & Sappington 2008, p. 1747). According to Cohen and Roussel (2005), the purpose of outsourcing is to add value to suppliers while reducing business costs. Procurement means to acquire those goods and services which a company needs to have for completing its manufacturing processes. If these goods and servi

Friday, July 26, 2019

Porter's Five Forces Model to the American automotive industry Research Paper

Porter's Five Forces Model to the American automotive industry - Research Paper Example Introduction In the automotive industry or any similar business field, an essential step is to identify the critical paths and limiting factors involved in profitability. Where does the power reside in a business situation? Based on the forces of supply and demand which party can command the most advantageous bargaining position? A number of business tools and theoretical models address these and other questions; the Five Forces model is among them. When the manager has a clearer understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of all parties involved in a potential transaction, it permits him or her to leverage the situation to maximum advantage, and prepare for the most likely responses from the other party (Samuelson & Marks, 2012) Overall, it is beneficial to acquire data allowing the manager to take a longer view of holistic market forces in order to define costs and risks in terms of doing business. In any competitive environment, an inevitable hierarchy will develop, likely throu gh a combination of simple random forces as well as actual merit. These forces are influenced by social and legal factors in a civilized environment, but within the competitive framework certain fundamental rules will remain universal. This analysis will focus upon Porter's Five Forces model as an explanatory tool to put these factors in perspective relative to the automotive industry. By 2009, the global recession crisis sent ripples through the banking sector, credit markets and then most productive industries across the industrialized world. The American automotive industry was no exception. Chrysler and General Motors were on the financial precipice, and Ford faced an uncertain future. 2008 automotive sales had plummeted to historic lows, with sharp declines in the disposable income and available lines of credit for the purchase of new vehicles. A loan process was deemed necessary in order to rescue these and other industries from total collapse, at the likelihood of further dam age to the American – and potentially the global economy. Industry Definition For the purposes of this analysis, the automobile industry will be defined as the American corporations involved in the direct manufacture of automobiles, and the challenges they have faced in light of the current financial crisis. The scope of this analysis will include the interests of car production as well as sale, and the companies in the United States that perform both functions. Specifically, this will focus on what are termed 'The Detroit Three', generally understood as Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors. Industry Profile With the immediate danger of total collapse averted as a result of the federal loans, it is necessary to take stock of the situation using sound theoretical planning in order to plot the next move forward for the automotive industry. Theoretical models to identify forces and threats must be given careful consideration during the planning process. The planning process must i nclude the prospects and profile of the 'big three' automakers as described above, specifically the damage to the economy that might ensue if they were allowed to go bankrupt and fail entirely. Structured bankruptcy agreements for General Motors and Chrysler were considered during the spring of 2009, with considerable national debate regarding the possible ripple effects from their collapse (McAlinden et al., 2009) Ultimately there were two approaches by which

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Book report - Essay Example textual idea is mainly attributed to the fact that these religions acknowledge the spirituality and sanctity of the presence of Jesus Christ as the set forth Son of God. This spiritual title is concrete supported by the facts explicitly presented in the texts of the Holy Bible. At the contemporary society, Christianity has already undergone many changes particularly in the structure of the general religion. Many sects and orders have sprung from the main body because of different views and interpretation of the message of the Holy Bible. However, all of the said division still carries in them one common philosophy, which particularly defines the principles of Christianity: love God and love your neighbors. Christian philosophy is generally characterized into two mainly originating from the ten commandments of the Hebrew Scriptures and the teachings of Jesus Christ documented in the Greek Scriptures namely, faith and God and its manifestation of loving one another. This principle transcends social norms such as society’s structure, division and discrimination and selfishness. With this principle, the religion of Christianity has given a new philosophy for the humanity during their time of turmoil and disparity. With this philosophy, Christianity has able to bind the people in the spirituality perspective of living in faith with God and the salvation the awaits them in return. With the teachings and principles of Christianity, this religion has given the humanity a new lifestyle of practicing spiritual faith towards the Creator manifested through exercising His commandments. Christianity has modified the beliefs and norms of the people with its teachings regarding the views and concept of right and wrong in accordance to the teachings of the Bible. The implementation of the Christian philosophy rekindled a new path of servitude in the name of faith and established the religious social structure to proclaim the teachings and morals of the Holy Bible. Christian

Thursday, July 25, 2019

General Factor of Creativity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

General Factor of Creativity - Assignment Example Biofeedback, or self-consciousness learning from and simultaneously influencing the environment, is an important structural model for my decision making and the day to day activities of awareness. I find I have to accept mistakes as a given in any undertaking but repeatedly refine and re-focus the will to attain goals that are based in the ideals and beliefs of the highest good and intended to benefit the evolution of human consciousness. (diCarlo, 2010) Activity is only one dimension of the self in my philosophy of creativity, but it is through the creative process that what is lasting and memorable will be achieved in life. Nevertheless, I feel activity should be based on an altruistic motivation to help and assist others in all manners of living, valuing what is shared in a manner equal if not more precious than what is packaged and sold. The balancing of competing interests and maintaining a consistent philosophy, free of hypocrisy, with its own interpretation and application is the key to establishing an identity in works of art or literature born out of the creative process. ... velopment, I believe the personality must come into tune or harmony with the creative spirit and become effortless self-expression in order to be successful. Personality cannot be considered determinant of creativity, for the creative spirit takes force across all personality types. An excellent review of scientific literature on the subject is available in Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic’s Personality and Individual Differences (2007). I find too much in technique in art is equivalent to other forms of overbearing social life and communication, and from this the importance of balance in mind and awareness is made evident. Nevertheless, across all of the moods in my personality, I believe there may be also shared patterns of behavior or thinking that can facilitate creativity by sparking new ideas, critical approaches, or methodologies. Artists and musicians, as well as scientists, generally learn synergetically through combining multiple influences and traditions into a new and uniqu e form at the highest levels of creativity. In this regard, I believe creativity can become related very closely to spirituality in personal self-expression. According to Jungian psychology, as the mind and awareness becomes conscious of more universal themes, the self-expression of the personality on all levels can be expected to change in accordance with this. (Rothgeb, 1992) In this manner, creativity and personality are essentially the same force of self-expression to me, acting across multimedia and other forms of communication or relationship. The open, balanced and conscience-aware personality that is based in altruistic generosity seems the best ideal to for me to strive for in personal relationships, but the subject matter of the subconscious and conscious struggles based on ideals and

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Business Process Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Process Management - Essay Example success of the ERP software implementation procedure, while the details of Hershey Company have communicated the reason behind the failure of the ERP system. The discussion has further communicated the major problems faced by organisations during the application of the system. It has also suggested a number of solutions to avoid these discrepancies. The system is developing its services by collaborating with various updated technologies such as mobile applications and cloud computing. It has also been illustrated that organisations are using different tactics to reduce the expenses regarding malfunctioning of the ERP system. The final outcome of this discussion has suggested that the ERP system is gathering great acceptance from different organisations industry sectors. It has also suggested that the technology is developing rapidly to accrue a huge market share worldwide. The study is based on the discussion about various aspects of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. This discussion will mainly focus on the importance of the usage of ERP system in different businesses. Two organisational case studies will be illustrated to analyse various implementation procedure of ERP system in business operations. The case study of Cadbury and Hershey’s company will demonstrate the success and failure of the ERP system implementation procedure in the organisational operations. A list of problems regarding the usage of the system in business process will be discussed. The study will also offer some solutions to the problem of ERP implementation. A number of recent technological developments of the ERP system will be illustrated in the report. These developments will enable business operations cope up with the ever changing market structure. Finally, recommendation will be made regarding the major vendors of ERP software and current level of usage of the system. ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning system is considered as business process management software which

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Williams Syndrome - Genetic Pediatric Illness Research Paper

Williams Syndrome - Genetic Pediatric Illness - Research Paper Example   After some time, A.J. Beuren came across his own set of 11 patients who also had the same symptoms as described by Dr Williams in the past. Thanks to his contribution to the study of what was then an unknown illness, the disease was named after the two men who contributed the most its understanding, Williams-Beuren Syndrome. However, the illness has also come to be known by other illnesses over the years. Physiopedia (2011) lists the other names as follows: Dr. Aneal Khan M.D., who authored an article regarding Williams Syndrome for Medscape Reference (2011) described the clinical manifestation of the illness to include; â€Å"a distinct facial appearance, cardiovascular anomalies that may be present at birth or may develop later in life, idiopathic hypercalcemia, and a characteristic neurodevelopmental and behavioral profile†. The disease does not seem to afflict anyone specific gender, ethnicity, race, or socioeconomic background. However, it does seem to be most prevalent among children, affecting 7500 of every 20000 births. The most common symptoms of the birth defect according to Dr Rob Hicks (2011) include but are not limited to: Various in-depth studies of the illness link Williams Syndrome to the genetic makeup of an individual. Dr Rob Hicks (2011), author of â€Å"Williams Syndrome† for BBC Health explained that WS afflicted individuals most often have a defect in the DNA chain of chromosome 7 with about 26 genes deleted from its long arm. Unfortunately, chromosome 7 is one of the most important elements of the human gene as this particular gene is tasked with the manufacture of the protein elastin which according to Dr Hicks (2011), is â€Å"is responsible for providing strength and elasticity to blood vessel walls. â€Å" Babies born with Williams Syndrome are often underweight upon birth with difficulty in gaining weight and have certain development defects such as speech problems with the ability to speak not becoming present until the age of 3. However, the most concerning matter of this illness is the widespread Cardiovascular complications associated with it.  Ã‚  

Monday, July 22, 2019

Brigade system Essay Example for Free

Brigade system Essay The next time a restaurant kitchen delivers a complex meal to the dining room, deftly timed and executed, consider the fact that this military precision is no accident. The traditional system of kitchen structure the brigade led by the chef has venerable roots in European military organizations. From the 14th century on, traveling armies had to be fed; cooks were selected from among the ranks. During peacetime, rulers set up tournaments to keep their warriors prepared for future battles; the military cooks followed knights to castles and ultimately became the cooks to kings and nobility, orchestrating huge and complicated meals and feasts for vast entourages. Trade guilds soon developed; these were carefully controlled monopolies for cooks that ensured the membership steady employment. Expensive and exclusive, these guilds adopted uniforms, rigid hierarchies, and systems of exhaustive apprenticeship. Until after the French Revolution and the subsequent rise of restaurants, this caste of cooks continued to work exclusively for the aristocracy. The classic double-breasted white jacket is vestigial it originated when chefs were servants of the king and presumably might be called upon to serve in battle as well as in noble households. By the 1820s, chefs were wearing uniforms purportedly based on those worn by soldiers in the Turkish army. White eventually became the standard to emphasize cleanliness and good sanitation. There are numerous unsubstantiated legends about the origins of the chefs tall white toque; one version attributes it to the tubular black hats worn by Greek Orthodox priests. Antonin Carà ªme, the 18th-century chef to Tallyrand and various Rothschilds, is also credited with bringing the toque into the kitchen. Supposedly inspired by a womans hat, he inserted a snappy cardboard tube into his cap, and the style caught on. Traditional stiff, pleated toques are about 8 inches tall, but executive chefs wear them up to 12 inches. The story told in my culinary school is that the extra-tall headgear enables subordinates in need of guidance to quickly spot the chef in a crowded kitchen. (Of course, the women students circulated an alternate theory.) Late in the 19th century, following a French army career, gifted chef Georges-Auguste Escoffier developed the modern brigade system in Londons Savoy Hotel. For maximum efficiency, he organized the kitchen into a strict hierarchy of authority, responsibility, and function. In the brigade, widely adopted by fine-dining establishments, the general is the executive chef, or chef de cuisine, assisted by asous chef. Subordinate are the chefs de partie, each in charge of a production station and assisted by demi-chefs and commis(apprentices). The number of station chefs can get exhaustive, including the saucier (sauces),poissionier (fish), grillardin (grilled items),fritteurier (fried items), rotissier (roasts), garde manger (cold food), patissier (pastries), andtournant (roundsman, station relief). Today, most restaurants use some simplified variation of Escoffiers kitchen brigade. Typically, the executive chef coordinates kitchen activities, sets standards, manages costs, and directs training and work efforts. The sous chef sees that the food is prepared, portioned, and presented according to the executive chefs standards. The line cooks run the stations and prepare menu items according to specifications, aided by assistants and apprentices.

Human Resources In US Healthcare

Human Resources In US Healthcare The healthcare industry is the largest employer in the United States, in 2002; this industry consisted of 518,000 organizations that employed 12.9 million individuals (Fallon McConnell, 2007). The healthcare sector employs 10.9% of all employment in the United States and has a 16% new job growth. The reason behind this growth is primarily due to two factors: increased in the use of technology and the continued aging of the population (McConnell, 2006). Large numbers of individuals are needed to provide, record, and bill for the services provided to the patients. Human resources are the backbone of the health organization because they address the need to ensure that each department is staffed with qualified and motivated personnel (Hernandez, 2009). In strategic human resources planning, the human resources department is an important member of the healthcare industry. The HR department is involved in a number of activates that together comprise of four major activity groupings: hirin g of employees, maintaining employees, retaining employees, and separating employees. To most people the human resources department is viewed as more administrative than advisory and as an enforcer of policies than the actual policy makers. Basically, people consider this department as where you go to get hired or to file your personal papers. There are times when other departments may look upon the human resources department negatively and this is due to the fact that other departments may not know the rules and regulations that HR must follow for example: a department manager may have a key position that has been vacant for a few weeks and because of the vacancy the other employees in the department has to work mandatory overtime (Bohlander, Snell, Reviews, 2009) An ideal candidate has been interviewed by the HR department and is then referred to the manager for another interview, the manager then tell HR that this is the exact person they are looking for and they would like this person to start in their department as soon as tomorrow, however, because of the proto cols that HR must follow they are not able to hire this person before a background check, references and a drug test has been done. The manager of the department may then complain to their senior manger that HR is taking their time or is unwilling to cooperate (Bohlander, Snell, Reviews, 2009). There are many departments within the healthcare field, from different types of physicians, nurses, administration and technicians. In hospitals the human resources has a part in hiring all of these people, in private facilities that is owned by one or two physicians the HR department will in most cases hirer everyone except the physicians. Physicians are some of the most important people that work in a hospital; they are traditionally the focus of the health care industry. The reason is because they are the people who primarily evaluate and diagnose patients conditions and prescribe treatment. When it comes to the hiring of a physician, it must be determine that their services will be an asset to the hospital because of their salary related costs. When there is a need for the hiring of a physician, the HR department must make sure he/she is competent, a background check must be preformed and they must make sure they are licensed to practice in the state where they are practicing. Ph ysicians must complete internship/residency which is a form of paid on the job training and this is usually done at a hospital. Nurses work closing with physicians because they provide the primary care to the patients in both hospital and clinic settings. The duties of nurses differ depending on the type of setting in which they are working. The different settings that nurses work in are: Hospitals Nursing homes Private practice Ambulatory center centers Managed care organization Worksites Government and private agencies Clinics Schools Retirement communities Rehabilitation centers Nurses are increasingly being employed by outpatient centers and home healthcare organizations because of the trends toward discharging patients from hospitals faster and performing many procedures in outpatient settings (Wolper, 2004). When a nurse is hired the human resources department must make sure that the nurse is licensed to practice. A nurses licensure is achieved by graduating from an accredited nursing school and completing a national exam. A physician that does not have a MD or a DO degree are non-physician practitioners, they provide health services in areas similar to those of a physicians. In 47 states and the District of Columbia, they can prescribe medication (Wolper, 2004). Human resources may be recognizable as 5 different models, these are: clerical, counseling, industrial relations, control and consulting model. Under clerical model, human resources perform the following duties: processor, file paper, keep records, and track various statistics and key dates and administrator of employee benefits plans. Under this model, the top manager of this department is most likely to be experiences as a benefits administrator or have a similar practitioner orientation. The counseling model is relatively common in hospitals because the total cost of employees represents a large portion of the budge and there is an emphasis on maintaining employees as effective productions. Under this model HR is likely to: function as an advocate for employees, place high priority on preserving privacy and confidentiality, actively stress training and development and function as a resource to managers for people problems, disputes, and disciplinary issues. The industrial relation s model develops in organizations in which the work force is unionized, and there are periodic contract negotiations and considerable activity having to do with grievances and arbitrations. HR functions specified by contract are performed automatically and as expected, with little room for flexibility or judgment in their performance. The control model observed in very few organizations offers the HR department substantial power, under this model little management action is taken without the clearance of HR; the HR department is current and knowledgeable concerning all legal requirements and the HR executive will be a key member of the organizations administrative team. The consulting model is usually found in larger organizations, under this model the HR practitioners are usually expert resources, relied upon by employees, department managers, and executive management according to need. There are alternative models such as managerial model and financial model, under the managerial model the HR has no particular strategic outlook or long range planning involvement. A HR function operating under the financial model displays maximum attention to HR costs, in particular, indirect compensation costs such as health and dental insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. The human resources department of any healthcare entity must protect and encourage the quality of the patients relationship with the healthcare entity, but it also must protect and encourage the quality of the employees relationship with the healthcare entity. The employees of the healthcare industry must provide compassion and they should consider care but their job satisfaction is important. The major managerial function surrounding human resources are: Strategic Planning Recruitment and Selection Retention Compensation and Benefits Performance Evaluation Training and Education Legal and Regulatory Issues Strategic planning is the process of matching the human resources of an business with its goals and objectives. In strategic HR planning, the human resources department is an important member of the executive committee. Recruitment and selection allow hiring of the best candidate with the needed skills. When recruiting people for a new position, it is important to recruit internally as well as externally, because a member of the current staff may be appropriate for the position. It is important that new recruits fit into the organizational culture but it is also critical to assess the organizational culture to ensure that it is not a source of retention problems. For example: doctors lack of respect for nurses in some organizations has created a retention problem for nurses. The process of recruitment, selection, and training is intensive and expensive, in both actual cost and opportunity costs. High compensation is a factor that will enhance retention of workers, benefits is also im portant in retention. Performance evaluation is a way to define the level of competence of an employee as measured against a certain standard level of skills and knowledge. To encourage the practice of performance evaluation, many health care organizations, especially integrated health care systems are implementing, pay for performance, compensation plans. Pay for performance can be based on individual, tem, organization goals. Human Resources not only have to deal with many challenges such as training and education mandates, health care organizations must be knowledgeable of the legal and regulatory issues related to the HR department in general. This is especially when it deals with safety in the workplace and union regulations, because of the potential for exposure to blood borne pathogens and radiological substance. Health care organization must have appropriate safety measures in place to protect their employee against injury, as well as appropriate training to facilitate the use of these safety measures. Another challenge in HR is planning is very important in the HR department; by planning correctly (McConnell, 2006). HR can avoid having a surplus or a shortage. If HR has hired too many employees for the health care faculty then there would be a surplus but it do not hire enough then there would be a shortage. The health care organization is very diverse, diversity means a wider range of people bring ing a greater variety of approaches to work, ideas, lifestyles issues and many other things. Human resource policies must address these differences in order to attract, retain, and maximize the contributions of all members of the changing workforce. Human resource planning in the 21st century is a much more comprehensive set of analyses and examinations to ensure that the HR department function optimally contributes to the organizations overall business success. Human resources function is striving toward creating stronger business partnerships within the organization, the need for thorough and accurate HR planning is likely to be unique to each organization. There are laws that affect different aspects of employment relationship, the human resources department must be aware of these pieces of legislation. A significant legislation was the Civil Rights Act of 1964; this legislation marked the beginning of significant changes in relations between the government and business in the United States (McConnell, 2006). Before the Civil Rights Act, businesses were free to treat their employees essentially as they chose, there were only two exceptions: wage and hour laws and labor relations laws. Prior to 1964, the only laws that had not iceable impact on the employment relationship were the Fair Labor Standards Act and related state laws, and the National Labor Relations Act. Employees payment of wages and other related conditions of employment were governed under the Fair Labor Standards Act (McConnell, 2006). The relationship between work organizations and labor unions were governed under the National Labor Relations Act. The Social Security Act provided low income elderly people with social insurance. In 1937 this act was expanded to provide benefits to survivors of covered workers who became permanently disabled. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) went into effect on July 1st, 1997; this law ensures that most persons who change jobs will receive continuous health insurance without regard to many preexisting health conditions (McConnell, 2006). Organization need to consider a variety of issues when analyzing the impact of HIPAA on their organization. Some issues that may impact their organization are: HIPAA is about improving the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the healthcare system. Limited resources, both in terms of dollars, staffing, and time Convergence of e-health strategies and HIPAA objectives, which are clearly connect in the areas of standardization and technical security measures. Constraining effects of legacy systems within industry, which add to cost of compliance as well as ongoing dependency on vendors. There will be a profound impact on overall healthcare industry electronic communications and transactions HIPAA have pave the way for increasingly sophisticated e-health and other healthcare e-commerce and communications applications as well as for new uses of evolving technologies, such as hand held devices and wireless access (Fallon, McConnell, 2007). There are a few healthcare industry forecasts that will directly impact job analysis. In healthcare technology is ever and quickly changing and such technology makes new procedures and treatment possible. These new treatments and procedures provide a solution that meets medical needs for a number of patients, which leads to an increasing survival rate and the rising life expectancy of the nation as a whole. It is believed that over the next 15 years, there will be a shortage of physicians in the United States. We may also see a similar trend in the supply of nurses. With the demand for quality healthcare increasing by an aging population demanding more health care service, the nursing shortage will be an important strategic human resource issue in the health care industry (Shi, 2007). Job analysis will play an important role. Since the healthcare industry is forever changing, the idea of strategic job analysis surely will become a major focus on healthcare organizations. Strategic jo b analysis is the identification and specification of future jobs takes and responsibilities and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform those jobs that currently do not currently exist but are anticipated to be needed in the future. There should be also be anticipation of the future changes in terms of laws and regulations, employee demographics, profession shortages, technology, information, technology, and other possible changes (Shi, 2007). It is important for human resources to know which jobs and associated tasks will be needed in the future, along with identifying the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other requirements needed to perform such jobs, will be a potential advantage for health care organization desiring to effectively compete in the future.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Kite Runner And Atonement | Analysis

The Kite Runner And Atonement | Analysis In this essay I pretend to demonstrate what betrayal is. In both books it presents a long variety of examples of betrayal. As we know betray is something that has existed in all over the world is also considered as a sin. Most of the people have been betrayed more than one time in their lives, but anyone can tell or express their feelings when they feel betrayed. The only way that people can express that feeling is writing, Khaled Hosseini and Ian McEwan show us in their books how betrayal is presented in the characters. The first time when Amir commits a betrayal is when he saw Assef raping Hassan when Amir won the Kites contest because Hassan denied giving up the Amirs blue kite to Assef; when Assef was raping Hassan said, A loyal Hazara, loyal as a dog. (Khaled Hosseini, 2003 the kite runner pages 71-78). With this quote I try to explain how betrayal is clearly presented because he betrayed his confidence. Amir should have tried to do something to help Hassan and stop that act of insanity. Also Amir felt that he deserved it because Amir comes from and high social class. Because their cultural differences are so strong, because Amirs and Hassans father is the same but he made love with the servant but Amir is a Pashtu and Hassan is a Hazara. In Atonement Briony betrays her sister, because Briony saw her sister having sex in the library with Robbie, When she took another few steps she saw then, dark shapes in the furthest corner. Though they were immobile, her immediately understanding was that she had interrupted an attack, a hand-to-hand fight. The scene was so entirely a realization of her worst fears that she sensed that her overanxious imagination had projected the figures onto the packed spines of books. This illusion, or hope of one, was dispelled as her eyes adjusted to the gloom. No one moved. Briony stared past Robbies shoulder into terrified eyes of her sister. (Ian McEwan, 2001, Atonement page 116), but when the twins carrot head escaped to their home, Briony was looking for them and suddenly saw that Lola was being raped by an unknown person, Briony thought that Robbie did it because she thought that he was a sexual maniac because she had read the letter that Robbie had sent to her sister. Briony betrays her sister because she told the police that Robbie tried to rape Lola, suddenly Briony showed them the letter that Robbie wrote to Cecilia. Briony never realized that she destroyed two lives (Cecilia and Robbie). Here I tried to explain in both books how families can betray their relatives and destroy a life, also these two books have are relation in the same way of betrayal. Why do I say this, well, because Briony and Amir had betrayed in one purpose; to feel secure themselves and demonstrate who is in charge or demonstrate that they are not weak. As we know when Amir came back to his real country he realized that his father had betrayed him, because his father Baba had sex with Sanaubar, a Hazara servant and he realized that Hassan was his stepbrother. We realized that Amirs father betrayed his family with the Zahara woman. As I said, most of the men betray women when they feel empty but they forgt the main purpose of getting married, when Baba had sex with Sanaubar, he never thought about his family and the consequences that would bring. I think that Robbie betrays Briony because she fell in love with him, I realized that because when they were in the swamp she jumped into the lake because she asked him if he will save her, Robbie got angry with her because no one has to do something like that only for love. Somehow these kinds of manners will be respected, because children always have a platonic love and are blind when they make or take unexpected actions and do not take a lot of responsibility on their actions. On the other hand children, in this case Briony, think that if they do things to attract the attention, of Robbie for example, somehow children experience the platonic love. But when you tell them the reality they get upset and may even hate people that hurt them, in this case Robbie hurts Briony. What are the cultural differences between Kite Runner and Atonement Next, Im going to explain what a cultural difference is for me. A cultural difference is a another way of think and act referring to other people, in this case referring to their society, religion, race, social class, color and the way you think. Several years the cultural differences made people create incertitude between people. When people believe in the cultural differences; they create manners, when these manners are out of control in which people lose their values and their culture for one purpose, around the world religions appeared in which unconformity between religions is created and they fight between them and against them. When these cultural differences make people hate or just get angry without purpose. When different people of different cultures get together on one platform like in a university, or in some multinational company, and then many problems arise, this is called cultural differences. One thing that is considered good in one culture might be felt as abused in the other culture. Like I have heard in one country green hats are worn by those people whose wives are not happy with them and in other cultures wearing cap of any color is not considered awkward. Similarly many other problems arise as well (http://www.blurtit.com/q306924.html) In The Kite Runner the cultural differences are strong because as I said Amir and Hassan, are from different culture Amir is Pashtu and Hassan is Hazara, both cultures are so different because the Pashtu culture thinks that their religion is the pure and the dominant than the Hazaras, they still thinking that the Hazaras only born to deserve the Pashtu families. We saw the cultural difference when Amir is playing in the Kite Runner contest, Hassan only helps Amir because he wants the respect of Amir, when Assef ask for the kite of Amir Hassan refuses to give it to him the Assef rapes Hassan, Amir witnessed the rape but he was to scare to intervene, but he thought that there is no problem because Hassan is a Hazara. Hassan goes to run the last cut kite, a great trophy, for Amir saying For you, a thousand times over. (Khaled Hosseini, 2003, The Kite Runner, page 2 and 67) Unfortunately, Hassan runs into Assef and his two friends. Hassan refuses to give up Amirs kite, so Assef exacts his revenge by raping Hassan. Hassan did not give up the kite because he wanted Amirs respect. Wondering why Hassan is taking so long, Amir Searches for Hassan and hides when he hears Assefs voice A loyal Hazara. Loyal as a dog. (Khaled Hosseini, 2003, The Kite Runner, page 72). He witnesses the rape but is too scared to intervene. He The Kite Runner page 2 and 67) 4 The Kite Runner page 72)5thinks that to himself, since Hassan is just a Hazara. In Atonement I saw cultural differences in the beginning of the novel when Bryony asked her sister why she does not talk to Robbie. The answer of Cecilia was because he is not like our social class, why she said this to her youngest sister, she tried to explain that different social classes exist, the high social class and the lower social class, Briony understood the differences because Robbies family was helped by Brionys family. Another factor that makes the difference in social classes is Robbie family because they live in the land of Brionys family. Robbies mother is a servant because she does the laundry and irons the clothes for the family. Brionys father helped Robbie to enter the College because he does not have money to support a university. The most important fact is when someone tried to rape Lola they believe in Briony and they really thought that Robbie did it. Another factor that I found in the novel is when Robbie is in the Second World War, their partners told him why a person who studied a lot and speaks another language is a soldier, and he told them that he was in jail and that is the reason why is in the army and also he said that he is no rich. The Kite Runner present us how the discrimination and social class is presented showing us how people are racist with different cultures in this case Pashtunes with Hazaras. For example Hassan is a Hazara, when Amir is looking for Hassan and he asked one of his classmates, Omar told him Your Hazara (Khaled Hosseini, 2003, The Kite Runner, page 68.) I realized that the cultural differences are strong because the Pashtunes think that they are the highest social class. Another fact that I realized is Amir asked the old merchant if he saw his friend, the merchant answered, what is a boy like you doing here at this time of the day looking for a Hazara? and he told him he needs to find him and the merchant ask him, what is he to you? And Amir answered Hes our servant son (Khaled Hosseini, 2003, The Kite Runner, Page 69.) here I totally realized that all Hazaras are hated by the Pashtunes and they treat them like a thing not like a person or like servants. When Hassan was trapped by Assef and his friends; Assef told him, but before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you? Have you ever wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? Ill tell you why, Hazara. Because to him, youre nothing but an ugly pet. Something he can play with when hes bored something he can kick when hes angry. Dont ever fool yourself and think youre something more. (Khaled Hosseini, 2003, The Kite Runner, page 72) here Assef is provoking Hassan because he wants to create a discord between Amir an Hassan but the loyalty of Hassan is stronger than a few words from Assef. The most important act of coward ness is when Amir didnt do anything to help Hassan of being raped because he was afraid and because he is from the highest social class Pashtu and Hassan is only a servant. Another important factor of betrayal is when Amir accused Hassan of stealing money and his gift for birthday because Amir cannot live with Hassan because he is a servant and he is a Zahara. The most of important thing here is the loyalty that Hassan has for Amir because he accepted that he stole the money and the watch, and Hassan really knew that Amir saw everything In that alley Amir thought that, He knew I had betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again, maybe for the last time. (Khaled Hosseini, 2003, The Kite Runner, page 105) Amir wants to start a new life without pain and he wants to breathe again, because he thinks that his father loves Hassan more than him, thats the reason why he do this to Hassan and his family. In Atonement I read how the army betrays Robbie and his group because they wants to return to their homes but the army man who was in charged told him that he has to wait because they are more soldiers that want to return to their homes. The government betrays all the soldiers because they were forgotten in the battlefield. Also the government promised them ships to take them over there, Robbie got angry because he is waiting for his outlet pass and find his love in this case is Cecilia. I realized this because the government promised something that is never accomplished because it always has excuses for not doing the right thing and leaving people without dreams. Also soldiers betray themselves because when they are in the middle of a fight they are scared and they forget their values and they start being demoralized and lose consciousness and go scared about it. In the book Ian McEwan explains how the war is the worst place to be as demoralizing as a person and makes you change your way of being and lose little innocence you have left. How Briony and Amir redeem themselves In both books I realized how Briony and Amir betray their families and commit a lot of crimes, well not crimes but they create unconformity in the family, they destroy the confidence between brothers. In The Kite Runner Amir, commits a betrayal, but he wants to redeem himself because he destroyed a family and he felt guilty because he realized that his step brother had died. He returns to Afghanistan and adopts Hassans son Sohrab and takes him to USA, because in Afghanistan Sohrab had been raped by Assef. At the end of the book Amir is trying to fly a kite but suddenly he felt a presence, it was Sohrab, Amir asks him if he wants to try to fly the Kite. With this Amir feels that he redeems himself, because he betrayed Hassan when he said to Baba that Hassan stole the money and the Watch, Amir is going to take care of Sohrab as his son. In Atonement Briony, commits a betrayal because he told the police that Robbie is the person, who tried to rape Lola, but Robbie is sent to the war and he died. Cecilia joins a nursery school and she is sent to the war too, but she died waiting for her boyfriend Robbie in a train station. Thats the reason why Briony wants to redeem herself for the betrayal that she committed with her sister and her lover because she had destroyed two lives because she always knew that she lied about Lolas rape. In conclusion both books showed us how people betrayed just only to get one purpose, but when these people realized that they are wrong they tried to redeem themselves because they cannot live with guilt, also most of the people commits some sort of betrayal but they redeem themselves because they help people who they betrayed. In The Kite Runner and Atonement Amir and Briony redeem themselves because they could not live with that guilt and they realized they needed to do something to become better people, they matured as people and the way they think and they grew because they realized the mistakes of the past. As a person I have made mistakes and Ive searched and redeem them, I think over time one begins to mature as a person and to correct errors that one had made because if you die, you will die with guilt. Most of the characters in both novels had suffered betrayal but the way for them to redeem themselves is correcting their errors and having a new life without pain and realizi ng that life becomes easy without guilty.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Women and Technolgy - The Gender Gap in Computer Science Essay

Women and Technolgy - The Gender Gap in Computer Science Abstract: This paper reviews the gender gap that exists in computer science. By analyzing the probable causes of the divide, solutions may be developed and possibilities of minimizing the gap increase. Although the general public’s efforts toward shrinking the divide subsist, modern society must change its views of women before the technological world can fully appreciate women’s talents. A gender gap undeniably exists in the field of computer science. Hundreds of headlines in newspapers, journal articles, and magazines continually demonstrate the divide to society, and studies performed by well-respected universities like Harvard and MIT highlight its continuing effects. More recent studies provide evidence that the number of women in computer science is decreasing, despite the recruiting efforts of the technology field. The underrepresentation of women results from stereotypes of computer scientists, weaknesses within the computing community, and the social construction of women in computer science. In order to boost women's presence in technology, society must have a firm grasp on the problems themselves, and address them with fundamental changes in the way we perceive women in computer science on the cognitive level. The increasing gender divide in computer science is well documented. As an issue of Technical Training recorded, â€Å"intake of [women] computer science students in the UK has dropped from 37 percent a decade ago to 5 percent in 1998.†[5] Other nations, including the United States, have noticed a decline in the number of women in the field. New Scientist found, â€Å"[w]omen dominate in several subjects, namely degrees preparing students to be infant sch... ...un IT, Bill Goodwin. [9] Newsbytes, January 16, 2001, 337 words, Gender Salary Gap Smaller in Tech Industry – Study, Dick Kelsey [10] Information Week, August 9, 1999, Women Make Gains in Top Management, Jennifer Mateyaschuk. [11] http://www.mills.edu/ACAD_INFO/MCS/SPERTUS/Gender/pap/pap.html Why are There so Few Female Computer Scientists? Ellen Spertus - 1991 [12] The Times Union, February 7, 2001, 565 words, Albany, N.Y., Council Meeting Offers Women Advice on Using Technology, Danielle T. Furfaro. [13] Achieving Gender Equity in Science Classrooms, 1996, NECUSE Colleges and Brown University students and faculty [14] Encouraging Women in Computer Science, 1996, Eric S. Roberts (Stanford University) [15] Electronic Engineering Times, February 12, 2001, 1261 words, Engineers Week Aim: to Reach Schoolgirls, Terry Costlow

Friday, July 19, 2019

Genocide in Rwanda Essay -- Rwanda History Historical Race Essays

Genocide in Rwanda   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, this inhumane act, known as Genocide, is briefly defined as follows, ?...acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group...? (Journal of Peace). Unfortunately, throughout history, such acts seem to be intervened upon when it is merely too late. In the country of Rwanda, over a period of one hundred days, over 800,000 people were murdered over their ascribed race. A similar situation is currently taking place at this moment in time in Sudan, where 30,000 people have recently been killed and the numbers are still rising. However, the international community has not yet responded to prevent further killings. These two countries seem to share similar histories which may have lead to the horrifying, ethnically grounded acts of genocide and racial cleansing. In this paper, we will compare and contrast the similar historica l and social-political conditions of these two countries. We will also evaluate the international community's response to the current situation in Sudan and the likelihood of a resolution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1994, genocide lasted in Rwanda for merely 100 days, killing over 800,000 people. ?This was the fastest, most thoroughly ruthless programme of ?racial killing? yet implemented in the world? (Journal of Peace). The victims were those who had the ascribed identity of a Tutsi. Those who belonged to Rwanda?s military or were of the Hutu identity, carried out these inhumane acts of racial purification. There has been conflict between these two identity groups of Rwanda dating back to pre-colonial times. Many blame the act of genocide on Rwanda?s past history between these two identity groups. Let us now take a brief look at Rwanda?s history and examine the accuracy of this argument.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The pre-colonial era of Rwanda consisted of expansion of the country into neighboring areas, belonging to both Hutu and Tutsi kingdoms. Class stratification of these two groups was unclear and based largely upon social status. As Rwanda began to develop, the term Hutu and Tutsi became status terminology rather then an ethnic identity. The Tutsi resembled those of the higher status, and within this class stratification you could even belong to bother the Hutu and the Tutsi, namely the Twa... ... and do not provide enough proof for the international community to stop this obvious case of genocide. There has been absolutely no meaningful international forces deployed that could have any affect on stopping the massacre.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The little response of the international community is disheartening. Because many feel there is no other way to categorize these acts, of no other then, civil conflict is outrageous. Genocide is a act that is extremely difficult to prove. Since there are multiple groups of ethnicity?s and religions affected by these acts, it is nearly impossible to prove genocide, because in order to do so, it must affect one specific group. This is why, many believe this to be an act of ethnic cleansing, a civil conflict, one the international law can not stop.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout our history there have been numerous accusations of genocide, namely the Nazi Holocaust and the Rwanda situation in 1994. It is very insignificant that we have not learned from our past, that these acts must be stopped and prevented. Apparently, what must be done is a change in international law. Allowing such acts as the one presently occurring to be stopped before it is too late.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚