Saturday, August 31, 2019

Great expectation Novel vs Film

In 2012, Mike Newell created a film replicating one of Charles Dickens's famous novels Great Expectations. Both novel and film both are set in Kent, England and recount us through the life of a young commoner named Pip. Pip eventually moves to London and has wealth bestowed upon him by an anonymous benefactor. With the money he receives, Pip is able to become a gentleman.The film was not an effective representation of the novel because the omission of certain characters, the haracters are presented differently than they are In the book and the story Is told through dialogue instead of narration. Due to the film being so fast and compressed, some of the Characters are left out. For example, the character that was missing In the film was a menacing, broad-shouldered, loose-limbed (15. 35) cruel man named Orllck. Dickens uses these types of characters In his novel to set a cruel nature and to give an unpleasant feeling of threat.The omission of Orllck Is significant because it does not allow the audience to see PIP's final repentance. This is important because it is when pip realizes his guilt and disloyalty towards his loved ones, Joe and Biddy. Another instance is when Orlick is interested in Biddy, as a result she becomes frightened, and this leads to his hatred and disgust towards Pip. Orlick began to bully Pip. Without Orlick, viewers are unable to see the characteristics of his cruelty, and the unpleasant feeling, atmosphere that he gives towards people and the protagonist.Another difference between the novel and the film was that some characters are represented differently. Dickens portrays Estella as a cold hearted, unloving and one whose goal is to break others men's hearts in the novel. She shows no feelings of love towards men and especially not towards Pip. In the film, Holliday Grainger, the one who played Estella poorly presented Estella. For example, when Pip comes back to see Estella and Miss. Havisham, She speaks to him with care and love, showing her feelings and affections towards Pip.Another character that was poorly presented in the film was Wemmick. In the novel, Dickens howed his dual personality between his â€Å"Office â€Å"and â€Å"Walworth† personality. Although his â€Å"Walworth† personality was shown in the film, his office personality was not. At the offce, he seems to have his loving and kind personality towards others and especially to Pip. These changes make the viewers view Estella and Wemmlcka completely dfferent way, not the way that Charles Dickens's intended. In the film of Great Expectations, there was no narration.Dickens wrote the novel from the point of view of the protagonist Pip. Throughout the novel, Pip usually spends most of his time expressing his feelings and thoughts through narration. In fact, Newell did not portray fully the details of PIP's love for Estella. In the novel, through the narrations, Pip expresses his feelings and love for Estella and his love for her was the reason why he wanted to become a gentleman, wanting to Impress her. In the film, It seems that Pip only lust over Estella and makes It seems that he Is only attracted to her because of her appearance.Jeremy Irvine, the actor of PIP uses dialogue and ctions to portray Pip's feelings and emotions. Although the dialogue and actions help the audience know about Pip's character, viewers are unable to identify the true similar in comparison to Dicken's novel. However the omission of certain characters, the way characters are presented, and the narration make the film different enough to illicit a different response from the viewer as opposed to the reader. This difference in response indicates that the film is not an adequate representation of the novel.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Econ 101

Economics: intro †¢Economic questions arise bc we want more than we can get. †¢Inability to satisfy want: scarcity †¢Incentives: rewards that encourage action or penalties that discourage action. †¢Economics studies the allocation of scarce recourses among people †¢Alfred marshell (1842-1924) shaped macro economics †¢Joan robinson: â€Å" the main reason to study econ is to avoid being fooled by it Two main parts: A) Microeconomics: studying the choice of individual decision makers. And how they interact in markets B) macroeconomics: how the overall economy performs. 2 big questions 1.What, how and for whom do goods and services get produced? 2. When do choices made in self interest align with the social interest? Answer 1) †¢what: goods and services are objects that people value and are produced to satisfy human wants †¢how: factors of production. A) Land: natural recourses. B) labour: work time & effort. â€Å"quality of labour† (huma n capital). C) capital: tools, equipment, machines, computers, buildings.. D) entrepreneurship: human resource hat organizes the above. †¢For whom: who gets good: services depends on the incomes people earn. oLand=rent oLabour=wages oCapital=interest oEntrepreneurship=profitAnswer 2) †¢We make choices in self interest oChoices you think are best for you †¢Choices that are best for society are said to be in the â€Å"social interest† oUses resources efficiently oDistributes goods â€Å"fairly† When does self-interest align with social interest? (important) †¢Environmental issues †¢Bad corporate responsibility The â€Å"Economic† way of thinking Choice under scarcity => trade offs Opportunity cost: the highest valued alternative that you give up to get something. Choices at the â€Å"margin† †¢We look at the tradeoffs â€Å"at the margin† Marginal benefit (MB): benefit from an incremental increase in an activity.Marginal cost (MC): opportunity cost from an incremental increase in an activity. People respond to incentives MB>MC=> do more of an activity MB does less of an activity Lesson 2 Recap: †¢Economics oMicro oMacro †¢2 big question owhat, how, for whom oself interest vs social interest †¢opportunity cost otrade-offs †¢thinking at the â€Å"margin† Lesson 2 Water vs. diamonds Water: essential but almost costless Diamonds: not essential but very costly What is value? What gives things value? Labour theory of value: the value of a commodity is proportional to the amount of labour that goes into it. Abandoned: ex. Cement lifejacketEconomists think about value differently: 1. the value of something is what you’re willing to give up to get it. 2. Economists think about marginal value instead of total value. Water is plentiful= marginal value low Diamonds are scarce= marginal value high Positive and normative statements Positive: statements of facts about observable data Normative: statements about what ought to be. Value judgments Ex. 20% of teens smoke†¦ Positive: †¢Are you more likely to smoke if your parents do? †¢Does living location affect likelihood of smoking? †¢Are smoking rates different across education levels? †¢Self reported reasons for smoking Do prices affect smoking rates? Normative: †¢Kids shouldn’t smoke Cause and effect: Just because two things happen together doesn’t mean that one causes the other. Ex: ice cream sales & deaths by drowning †¢Both related to temperature Economists try to unscramble cause and effect by building models. Model: a purposeful simplification of the real world. Ex: paper airplane Simplification. Learn about: aerodynamics, wind structure†¦ Cant learn about: thrust, fuel capacity, engines†¦ Maps are models: Subway map †¢Lines †¢Stops Doesn’t show curves or turns Road map †¢Street names †¢Turns/curves Satellite photo à ¢â‚¬ ¢Adds detailGraphs: Reveal relationships between variables 3 main types: 1. Time series 2. Cross sectional 3. Scatter plots Lesson 3 Recap: water/diamonds†¦ Value: what you’re willing to give up to get something †¢Positive vs normative †¢Cause & effect oModels †¢Graphs in economics The Economic problem †¢Production possibilities frontier (ppf) Model: focus on tradeoffs between 2 goods. (holding other goods constant) PPF shows boundary between what we can produce and what is unattainable Building a PPF: First good: â€Å"numbers† Ex. X + 3=7 Second good: â€Å"words† Our PPF for X’s & words EX. In textbook PFF’s show marginal cost. opportunity cost of producing one more unit† Preferences& marginal benefit †¢your â€Å"likes† and dislikes marginal benefit: what your willing to give up to get an additional unit of something what does MB look like? Principle: the more you have of a good, the less you†™re willing to pay for an additional unit. Allocative efficiency: $ up the left side of graph, pizza across the bottom. MC is a positive incline, MB is a negative decline at pt Awe have allocative efficiency. We cant produce more of any one godd without giving up some other good that we value more highly lesson 4 recap: †¢allocative efficiency (MB=MC)Economic growth isn’t free 2 key factors †¢Technological change oresearch and development †¢Capital accumulation oDevote resources to production of capital Both require resources that could be used for current consumption †¢Economic growth doesn’t eliminate scarcity †¢Opportunity cost of growth is reduced current consumption Consuming outside your PPF. †¢Gains from trade Imagine if you produced everything you consume†¦(â€Å"Autarky†) Producing one (or a few) goods and trading with others is called â€Å"specialization† Gains from specialization come from exploiting  "comparative advantage† Absolute Advantage: More productive at somethingComparative Advantage: Producing at a lower opportunity cost Ex: textbook smoothie bar example†¦ On lined paper Liz: absolute advantage in smoothies. And comparative advantage in smoothies Joe: no absolute advantage but comparative advantage in salads Where does Comparative advantage come from? †¢Over time people or countries can develop comparative advantage through repeated production. â€Å"learning by doing† (dynamic Comparative advantage) Economic Coordination? †¢Who organizes all this? Centrally planned economy: USSR, china†¦ Decentralized market system: most countries Decentralized markets rely on 4 institutions†¦ON MIDTERM . Firms: hire and organize factors of production 2. Markets: any arrangement that connects buyers and sellers 3. Property Rights: social arrangements that govern ownership and use 4. Money: any commodity or token that is generally accepted as a mea ns of payment Markets coordinate economic activity through price adjustments. Lesson 5 Demand and supply In a market system, economic coordination happens through price adjustment Competitive markets: many buyers and many sellers †¢Prices determine the rate at which goods can be exchanged Money Price: number of dollars Relative price: $price of one good relative to anotherEx: coffee:$2, gum$1 (Money), one coffee costs 2 gums Demand: different than â€Å"want† †¢To demand something you must: a. Want it b. Be able to afford it c. Plan to buy it Law of demand: holding everything else equal, the higher the price of the good the lower the quantity demanded 2 effects cause this: a. Income effect: when price increases, your money doesn’t buy as much b. Substitution effect: when a price increases people substitute to purchasing other goods Ways of representing demand: a. Demand schedule b. Demand curve: When the price of this good changes we move along the demand cur veChanges in Demand: when things other than the price of the good change, the demand curve shifts. Things that shift demand: †¢Nature †¢Quality †¢Tastes/preferences †¢Income †¢Price of other goods oComplements: consume these goods together (Ex. Shoes, always need both) oSubstitutes: consume one or the other †¢Expected future prices †¢Population Supply: a firm supplies a good if it†¦ a. Has the resources and technology to produce it b. Can profit from producing it c. Plans to produce and sell it Law of supply: holding everything else equal, the higher the price of a good, the more is supplied The supply curve:IN binder Example Changes in Supply: †¢Input prices †¢Prices of related goods produced †¢Expected future prices †¢Number of suppliers †¢Technology †¢nature Lesson 6 Market Equilibrium Equilibrium: a state where opposing forces balance each other †¢consists of a market price and quantity Changes in equilib rium (pg 74) 1. French fry demand 2. Market for cocaine 3. Market for kitchen sinks 4. Market for barrels of crude oil 5. Market for fresh orange juice Midterm exam review †¢20 multiple choice †¢2 short answers †¢Multiple choice worth 2points †¢Short answers worth 10 †¢Exam worth 60 †¢Chapters 1-3 Ch 1 †¢What is microeconomics Scarcity and tradeoffs †¢What is value †¢2 big questions owhat how and for whom oself interest vs. social interest †¢positive vs normative statements †¢graphs in econ Ch 2 †¢ppf and opportunity cost †¢marginal benefit and marginal cost †¢allocative efficiency †¢growth †¢specialization and trade †¢absolute and comparative advantage †¢economic coordination Ch3 †¢demand curve (law of demand) †¢movement along vs shifts of the demand curve †¢factors that shift the demand curve †¢supply curve (law of supply) †¢movement along vs shifts of the supply curv e †¢factors that shift the supply curve †¢equilibrium pg 74, 75 changes in equilibrium Lesson 7 October 11, 2011 Modeling demand 1. Demand schedule (table) 2. Demand curve (picture) 3. Demand equation Ex: in notebook In general: P=a-bQ. (a and b are some numbers) A: vertical intercept B: absolute value of slope Modeling supply* 1. G 2. G 3. Modeling equilibrium †¢At equilibrium price (P) quantity demanded equals quantity supplied Equilibrium quantity Q Ex: finding equilibrium Demand: p=800-2Q Supply: P=200+Q †¢Make the right hand side of each equation equal 800-2Q=200+Q 600=3Q 200=Q Elasticity (Ch 4) Law of demand: when price increases quantity demanded falls This gives us direction Elasticity measures how much demand changes Ex: Good X †¢Price increases by 1$ †¢Demand drops by 100 unts Good Y †¢Price increases 200$ †¢Demand drops by 1000 units Cant compare the 2! In order to compare goods we need a measure of responsiveness Price of elasticit y demand= % change in quantity demanded over % change in price Ex: ticket price 21$- 9tickets/hr 19$-11 tickets/hr Find elasticity of demand 1. % change in quantity =change in Q =2/(over) 10 (from 9 to 11) over Average Q Fuck it. In notebook What does elasticity number mean? In notebook Lesson 8Elasticity of demand = % change in quantity demanded/ over % change in price If elasticity is 1 elastic Tuesday October 18, 2011 What affects elasticity? 1. Closeness of substitutes 2. Proportion of income spent on a good 3. Time since price change Other Elasticities 1. Cross elasticity = %change in demand for x % change of price of good Y if X & Y are: Substitutes: positive Complements: negative 2. Income elasticity = %change in demand %change in income bigger than 1: income elastic. As income increases demand increases a lot Between 0 &1: income inelastic. Income increases, demand increases by a littleNegative: inferior good. Income increases, demand decreases Elasticity of Supply = % Chang e in quantity supplied % Change in price What affects supply elasticity? 1. Resources substitutions possibilities 2. Time frame for supply decisions Efficiency and Equity (Ch5) Markets are one way of allocating goods Do they do a good job? A. Efficiency (do the goods go to those that value them the most? ) B. Fairness Ex. X pins†¦ how should we allocate them? 1. Contest: 5 highest grades Ex sports, performance bonuses Pros: †¢May encourage effort Cons: †¢Goods may not go to those people that value them the most 2.First come, first serve: first 5 people to show up get them Ex: walk in clinics Pro: †¢People who value the good highly will line up early Con: †¢May get allocated to those with a low opportunity cost of their time 3. Command System: I decide who gets them Ex: how tasks get allocated inside a firm Pro: †¢May work well when tasks/people are familiar and authority well defined Con: †¢ I can’t tell who values the good the most 4. Lotte ry: draw names from a hat. Ex. Dorm rooms Pros: †¢Fair†¦everyone gets an equal shot Cons: †¢No reason to expect that high value people will get the good 5. Majority rule voteEx, voting politicians Pro: everyone gets an equal say Con: special interest group 6. Personal characteristics If you have a brown belt Ex. Relationships Pros: may work if characteristic highly related to value people have for the good Cons: discrimination 7. Force: everybody fights Ex organized crime/war Cons: strongest might not value the highest Pros: Force can work well in the background oCourts can forcibly reallocate goods 8. Market Mechanism oWhoever is willing to pay the price gets the good Pros: people who have high values are willing to pay more and are more likely to get itCons: people might not have enough money Tuesday October 18, 2011 Midterm #2 November 3 (Ch 4,5,6) †¢Demand and supply †¢Elasticity (ch 4) †¢Efficiency and equity (ch 5) Obstacles to efficiency †¢P rice and quantity regulations (gov’t actions) †¢Taxes and subsidies (gov’t actions) Externalities: your actions impose costs or benefits on others Ex. Smoking. A person might take into account only their own personal benefits and costs but ignore social costs. (second and smoke) OR. Pollution. Firm doesn’t account for external social cost that its production creates. Public Goods A.Consumption by one person doesn’t â€Å"use up† the good. B. Anyone can consume the good without paying Ex: lighthouse: people want to use these goods without paying. â€Å"freeriding†. These are usually under provided Monopoly: a single firm sets the market price †¢Price is higher, quantity is lower Fairness 1. Utilitarianism, (Jeremy bentham, John Stuart mill) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Greatest Happiness for the greatest number† †¢people are roughly the same †¢the marginal value of money is lower when you have more of it †¢Redistribute wea lth to achieve equality (tax rich, subsidize poor) Problems: A) taxing income: less income generation (work)B) taxing capital: less capital produced (slower growth) C) costs in administering taxes (more fair but size of the â€Å"pie shrinks) 2. Rawls: theory of Justice †¢Fairness of society judged by the well being of the person who is poorest †¢(Equal shares of a small pie) may be worse than (unequal shares of a larger pie) 3. Fairness in Rules, not outcomes †¢Emphasis on equality of opportunity Robert Nozick A. Strong private property rights B. Private property should only be transferred through voluntary exchange Problems: A. No room for redistribution after the fact B. No taxes or government since these aren’t voluntaryGovernment Actions in Markets (Ch 6) Price ceiling: gov’t regulations that makes it illegal to charge a price higher than some specified level †¢Set above equilibrium price= no effect †¢Set below equilibrium price= Example in notebook Black market †¢Illegal market in which price is higher than price ceiling †¢Graph in notebook †¢ Thursday October 27, 2011 20 m/c few short answer midterm review: †¢Note on demand on supply equations (end of ch 3) †¢Elasticity (Ch 4) know how to calculate and know what it is †¢Efficiency and equity (Ch 5) *consmer and producer surplus †¢Government actions in markets (Ch 6) Price ceilings oPrice flooring oTaxes Price Floors: Mandatory minimum price Ex. Minimum wage Graph in notebook †¢Unemployment increases search costs †¢More power to firms in hiring decisions †¢Black markets oEx. Illegal labour markets where people are paid below the min wage oIn notebook Taxes: When the government taxes a good the price paid by consumers and the price received by producers are now different Ex. Gov’t puts a $5 (per unit) tax on producers In notebook Tuesday November 1, 2011 Midterm Thursday Material: 1. Note on demand and supply equations. (end of Ch 3) 2. Elasticity (Ch4) †¢Price elasticity Elasticity and total revenue (figure 4. 5 in text) †¢Cross elasticity and income elasticity †¢Supply elasticity 3. Efficiency and equity (Ch 5) †¢Alternative allocation methods †¢Consumer and producer surplus †¢Efficiency of equilibrium †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"fairness† 4. Government Actions (Ch 6) †¢Price ceilings †¢Price floors †¢Taxes Tuesday November 14, 2011 Global Markets Many of the goods and services you consume aren’t produced in Canada Ex. Iphones (all over), clothes (china), tech support (india) †¢Part of the globalization process oImports: goods we buy from other countries oExports: goods we sell to other countriesGlobal Imports: Exports in 2008 =$35 trillion Canada: †¢exports: $535 billion. Agriculture, forestry, energy, mining, machinery, automotive, aircraft †¢Imports: $503 billion In binder example Tariffs: a tax imposed by the importing coun try on goods that come from another country Arguments for protection 1. Infant industry Argument †¢We need to protect domestic industries when they start so that they can mature enough to compete on world markets. †¢Develop comparative advantage †¢Everyone can argue this 2. Barriers to trade to protect jobs. †¢Trade costs jobs †¢There isn’t a â€Å"fixed number of jobs† †¢Trade also creates jobs

Secrets (Speech)

Right now there are over 7 billion people in the world who are lying and keeping secrets the average person has kept or is still keeping at least over 100 and in a world of over 7 billion people that is a lot of secrets and lies people are keeping or telling people often ask â€Å"why do people keep secrets? there are 3 main reasons people do; the first one is the fear of being rejected, people dont want to face the feeling of being rejected by the person it is just an awful feeling to have two is that people want to keep the peace they dont want to hurt each other by telling them something they dont want to hear. And the last one is that people don’t want to be confronted by whatever they did Secrets and lies are very closely linked to each other the person is keeping the secret because instead they lied.When you lie you are just creating problems for yourself because then you are going to have to remember what you said and the fact that you are telling a lie means you are k eeping a secret from someone When it comes to ‘lying’ there are different types like remember when your parents told you about ‘farther Christmas’ or the ‘tooth fairy’ they were telling white lies to let you have a child hood but they knew one day you were going to find out then your life would be crushed but only for a little while.But then you get people who lie about serious stuff like stealing something or not doing homework or telling your mom you feel violently ill just to miss something you don’t want to go to or even worse stealing her money to buy those cute shoes you saw at the shops.And this isn’t just that rare one person who lies and tells secrets it’s mainly all of us everyone has at least told a lie or kept a secret and it won’t just be one it will be quite a bit more than that But why can’t we all just be honest and tell the truth its less things to remember and less things to try forget? Simpl e you can’t everyone will lie society is a cruel place and there will never not be secrets or lies and if you say you haven’t ever kept a secret or told a lie†¦ stop lying to yourself†¦ because you probably have everyone has.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

International Business Organisation Management Report Essay

International Business Organisation Management Report - Essay Example The Bunnings Group Ltd is Australia and New Zealand's leading retailer of home and garden improvement products and is also a major supplier of building products. Its home building section especially targets small - medium builders. It became a public company in 1952 and in 1994 Wesfarmers acquired it. (Bunnings Warehouse Property Trust - BWPT website, 2006). The trust was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in September 1998. The BWPT properties are on long-term leased to Bunnings Pty Ltd. typically for a period of 10 - 15 years. (BWPT History Overview 2006) 2001 was the year of extensive growth for Bunnings as Wesfarmers took over Howard Smith Ltd, which resulted in Bunnings fully integrating Howard Smith's Australia and New Zealand's BBC hardware operations known as Hardwarehouse, BBC and Benchmark. The Bunnings brand was to replace all three previous brands (Wesfarmers website 2006). Bunning's is in the pursuit of sustainability within their operations by striving to making the operations socially responsible, environmentally aware and economically viable. Bunnings took shape in 1886 when Arthur & Robert arrived in Perth, WA from London and soon won a government building contract and soon founded the group of companies known as Bunnings Bros Pty Ltd. The company has since seen many milestones. In 1952, Bunnings became a public company and expanded into retail. In 1994 Wesfarmers Ltd., one of Australia's largest public companies acquired Bunnings and Wesfarmers has given an able leadership and direction to the company. All the departments and divisions are being managed very professionally with. Organisational Structure Bunnings is structured around a team-based belief in providing the best service alongside the widest range of home improvements at the lowest prices. On a company level, they are structured to pursue sustainability in all its departments and through all their supplier relationships. A manager is manages the trust which in turn is run by a board of directors. These directors and management control the general everyday activities of the business. The management chain goes down to the state manager followed by the regional manager and then individual store managers. A store manager controls the business which has his/her group of employees broken into teams depending on their department or specialty. For example, there may be up to 5 different teams, with a team leader in control of the employees of that team. The team leader has an important role as he/she has to manage and motivate the employees. Each Bunning's store has a strong emphasis on teamwork and each employee is valued in the business. A key factor that all team leaders have at every Bunnings warehouse stores is that they have "reward power". This is where they have the ability as a manager to give or withhold tangible and intangible rewards such as pay rises, bonuses and verbal praise. As a result members of the organisation are more motivated to perform at a higher level; managers will have a highly motivated workforce as efforts are appreciated. This is a fine example of the 'path goal theory' model. Bunnings Encourages empowerment by expanding employee's tasks and responsibilities, giving employees authority to take decisions, be responsible for their outcomes, improve quality, and cuts costs - and provide feedback

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Employee Reward Systems Presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee Reward Systems Presentation - Essay Example Many reward systems exist in the workplace, and they may reflect the organization of the staff, or the type of work. For instance, at the University of Virginia's Department of Athletics as well as at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, employees can nominate each other for a particular award. In these cases, efficient teamwork and group leadership are assets that contribute to the award. This type of recognition can be particularly surprising and exciting for workers. Nomination-based reward systems can promote a friendly atmosphere, but unfortunately, this system may become more like a popularity contest. In other companies, such as the State of New Mexico Human Services Department, specific criteria must be fulfilled for the award to be given. These companies are organized differently, and particular tasks can qualify a worker to achieve a higher rank in the company. These reward systems are appreciated by employees that prefer to know exactly what they must do to move ahead in the company. In general, straightforward reward systems are more highly regarded by employees because they promote structure in the workplace and a defined sense of purpose. The actual rewards can be many things, from a monetary bonus or gift certificate, to a hand-written note of recognition and approval from a supervisor.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Communicable diseases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Communicable diseases - Essay Example Approximately 2 billion persons in the world are infected with TB. In the United States (US) for instance, almost 15 million people are infected with TB. When it becomes active, TB kills 60% of the people who do not quest for medication. This percentage correlates with 3 million deaths experienced worldwide every year. In the US, approximately 20,000 TB infections take place every year (Denholm, Eisen, McBryde & Street, 2012). TB has treatment; when treated, about 90% of the active TB patients survive. Various governments including the federal government of Canada are working towards reducing the incidence, as well as the burden of TB. Among the efforts put by Canada include conducting investigations in order to enhance early detection as well as treatment of individuals having TB so as to control the spread of the disease. â€Å"Early detection as well as treatment of individuals with latent TB infection who are at high risk of progression to active TB disease† (Tuberculosis, 2012) is also one of the key component of not only an effective TB prevention, but also control program. The occurrence and spread of TB are highly influenced by social determinants related to health. In connection with this assertion, many governments are championing collaborative actions so as to address the risk factors for TB. According to Public Health Agency of Canada (2014), the environmental factors related to TB include overcrowding housing, poor ventilation as well as homelessness. Additionally, the Public Health Agency of Canada also claims that unsanitary living conditions, as well as lower income levels, contribute significantly to the occurrence and spread of TB. In connection with CDC assertion, it is evident that overcrowding as well as poor ventilation exposes people to fluids containing the TB bacterium. As introduced above, it is clear that TB is regarded as a â€Å"disease of the poor and socially disadvantaged† (Chandler,

Monday, August 26, 2019

IT Systems Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

IT Systems Strategy - Essay Example Many organisations continue to invest heavily on information technologies with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of their operations and information systems. However, technology tools alone cannot be used to address discordant organizational information structures. According to Petrides (2004) such technology-focused problem solving strategies may in fact do the opposite, which is to prevent organisations from successfully capitalizing on their use of technology because they tend to overlook organisation-wide symptoms. One major area that the above strategies fail to capture is the information tacitly held by employees that is critical yet rarely documented. Knowledge is universally recognized as the most important strategic asset that an organisation has. The challenge though is that knowledge cannot be managed directly. According to Streatfield and Wilson in Henczel (2000) only the information about the knowledge possessed by people in organisations can be managed. This i s why the need for information auditing becomes critical. Good information management an essential prerequisite to knowledge management. Information audit will therefore be the first step in developing a knowledge management strategy or improving the strategy that Primark Stores Limited may already have to ensure that the organization is managing the knowledge it needs to manage to remain competitive and successful. There is no universally accepted definition of an information audit. According to the Association for Information Management in the UK, an information audit is â€Å"the systematic evaluation of information use, resources and flows, with a verification by reference to both people and existing documents in order to establish the extent to which they are contributing to an organisation’s objectives (Henczel, 2000, p.215)†. With regard to purpose, the information audit process will enable Primark Stores Limited to achieve the following four key functions: (1 ) to identify Primark’s information needs and assign each of these needs their level of strategic importance; (2) to discover and classify the resources and services currently provided to meet Primark’s information needs; (3) to map information flows within Primark and between Primark and its suppliers, buyers and rivals; and (4) to analyse inefficiencies, duplications or gaps and areas of over-provision so as to detect where changes need to be made. By fulfilling these functions, an information audit will enable Primark track and identify each resource and service that supports organizational objectives. The audit will also allow Primark to rate each resource according to its strategic significance. In which case, the information audit could be structured to include an examination of IT tools that can aid effective information management. At the corporate or strategic level, the results of an information audit will provide a knowledge base that can be used for making management decisions about information sources, identify strategic information needs via information needs assessment and can be used as the basis for formulating an organisational information policy. The Financial Director of Primark Stores Limited needs to understand that an information audit reflects the organisation in its entirety and how it works. The process is, preferably, conducted by an independent team so as to

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Learning Styles and Lifelong Learning Process Research Paper

Learning Styles and Lifelong Learning Process - Research Paper Example Guild and Garger (1998) implied on their studies that by completely understanding an individual’s style of learning would allow educators to construct adequate teaching methods that would promote higher learning. For the last fifty years, many researchers have understood the concepts of learning styles. Sims and Sims (1995) have specified that students will be able to develop higher levels of learning through these concepts of learning styles and how these styles influence educators to construct sufficient teaching methods. Studies of Dunn and Dunn (1992) presented that individuals respond to learning in a more positive manner through the utilization of adequate teaching methods that suit them. With the case study, students have manifested greater learning when they were taught using their preferred teaching methods because they were able to absorb the concepts of the subject matter easily. These students have shown improved scores when it comes to tests and exams. It is said that if an educator makes use of the students preferred teaching methods, the students tend to be more attentive. This just shows that if educators would be able to grasp solely their students’ preferred learning styles, these educators would be able to promote enthusiasm among their students to learn more. Through effective teaching methods, the study stated that the students reflected more aggressive behavior toward learning, which means that these students are more willing to learn if they will be able to understand their educators’ method of teaching. In short, learning styles and teaching methods have a deeper association. As stated earlier, I took some tests that would determine my preferred learning style as a student. Before I present the results that I got, let me first introduce to you what learning styles are all about. Ross, Maureen, and Schultz (2001) stated on their studies that learning is often times a process of remembering concepts and putting these concepts into actions after  further studies. They further added that learning is a two-way process, gathering information and then utilizing the information.  

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Thinking - Essay Example Performing a critical analysis is not usually easy for an individual because of the abundance and ambiguous status of the facts pertinent to the scenarios that are to be analyzed. Some cases require further scrutiny to uncover unknown details, which are really important thus initial skepticism and open-mindedness are often required in developing good critical thinking. (Bloom's Taxonomy Internet) Take for example a certain job regarding work relation in a specific office. A certain piece of valuable went missing and the whole work community in the office is already chattering blaming a shy and timid employee as the thief who stole the missing valuable. Employing critical thinking would not let someone to hastily judge that employee because of his social diffidence. Instead of inappropriate judgment, analyze first the case at hand and evaluate the details pertinent to it to find clues and information leading to the solution. Failure to practice critical thinking will only lead to inac curate and often wrong conclusion thus neglecting the purpose of the human logical capabilities. Proper judgment requires the critical thinking and analysis of the available information and specific details. It is very important that one must first utilize his or her brain before jumping to any hasty judgment to avoid mistakes and further aggravation of the problem already at hand. Thus, solution and accurate knowledge can only be attained by having critical analysis of the facts leading to the plausible conclusion. Several factors of education explain a person's pattern of learning. The aspects of philosophy of thinking and learning which merely refers to the thought provoking a person to have a yearning for learning usually helps an educator determine the progress of his student with regards to what he is teaching and what his student is able to grasp for learning.(King 3) The following paragraphs shall discuss the mentioned factors of education and shall clarify some points of consideration concerning the principles of learning involved in education. (King 4) Learning involves the utilization of reality. What does the context of reality actually mean Reality as defined refers to the facts that are present in the society. These so-called facts support the existence of several things in the environment. Through the utilization of the realties in educating a person, an educator is supposed to help the student reject the impractical and visionary aspects of learning. Through this matter of teaching, a student is able to see the importance of what is obviously seen and not what is simply imaginary. Gaining knowledge through this way would naturally help a person understand his being and his environment as well based on constructed foundation of belief. Naturally, learning in a perennial way gives an individual the most important knowledge he has to learn from life. His experiences are generated to become sources of practical understanding, which in turn would help him cope up with life's challenges due to the fact that he has learned to face h e said obstacles through his experiential learning. (King 5) One's ability to value what he learns follows the process of learning. His capability of applying the knowledge he has gained is the turning point of his learning and the fact

Friday, August 23, 2019

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Business Ethics - Essay Example It is now again trying to sell itself inviting offers from Qwest and Verizon, both of who are also recovering from debts. They are trying to outbid others and making promises which they may not be able to maintain as business deteriorates. This is again a matter of concern because ethics are compromised under such circumstances. The Corporate Governance norms were violated at WorldCom, which is unexpected of the Directors and the CEO. Over ambitiousness of the CEO to acquire several companies with the stocks of WorldCom led him to boost the company’s profits artificially by as much as $3.9 billion (Bhattacharya, 2004). Costs were considered as capital investment which helped the company to sustain its apparently smooth and rapid earning growth. They even claimed depreciation of the ‘capital investments’. The behavior of the CEO and the CFO were the driving forces behind the unethical conduct. The CEO utilized the company loan of $400 million to buy ranches and other personal properties, which is unethical. He used the services of the CFO to ensure rising stock prices so that his personal stake would provide the security for the loan. They hid the information from the external auditor. Additionally, the big names in auditing and accounting have failed to detect the irregularities or to gu ide the firms. This would amount to hidden complicity between the auditors and WorldCom. The audit committee did not have a financial expert. Besides, they had the sole authority to appoint, retain, compensate, evaluate and terminate the company’s independent auditors (Petra, 2006). WorldCom had crumbled because of its unethical practices. MCI on the other hand was reputed for its â€Å"integrity, innovation and value† (Thurston, 2007). WorldCom’s name was changed to MCI as a part of the reorganization plan filed in the bankruptcy court in US. According to the executive vice-president, they wanted to re-establish

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Evaluating NAPLAN as a Performance Measurement System Assignment

Evaluating NAPLAN as a Performance Measurement System - Assignment Example According to the ACARA website, the NAPLAN testing widely reflects the aspects related to numeracy and literacy, which are common to the curricula of all the states and territories (â€Å"My School Fact Sheet†). The test formats as well as questions are chosen in such manner that they remain familiar to the students and teachers all across Australia. It is designed in such manner that it can be taken on the same date in any particular year all across the country (â€Å"National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy 2010†). Problems associated with design or use of NAPLAN Management accounting enhances the decision making by suggesting methods and methodologies. In this part of the project, the problems in the design and framework of NAPLAN would be reflected by taking into consideration the management accounting theory. Three problems associated with NAPLAN are given below: The content coverage of the NAPLAN test: With 40 questions in every test, NAPLAN always assess es fragments of the student achievement. This is not appropriate because testing a portion of the curriculum does not give indication about any student’s learning in all the curriculum areas. The result of the students in this test reflects the percentage of questions that could be answered by them out of all the questions present in the questionnaire. However, the test fails to reflect achievement of the entire numeracy and literacy domain. The bureaucrats have explained it as a test score gap, where they stated that there is an achievement gap between the students and the schools. As the NAPLAN test only assesses limited aspect of the learning of Australian students, the result is not useful for inferring the overall achievement. Moreover, achievement related to any student must not be so narrowly confined to only the grounds of literacy and numeracy. There should be assessment made on other grounds as well, such as critical thinking, creativity, capability of following any inquiry, motivation, compassion etc. But test on these grounds are not assessed by the NAPLAN. In contrast to this, the Australian teachers know about the ability of the students in much broader way apart from numeracy or literacy. Accuracy in the identification of overall level of the students in grounds of numeracy and literacy: The test instrument comprising of a set of only 40 questions cannot judge and separate the students accurately on grounds of literacy and numeracy. The NAPLAN does not provide any additional information, which a teacher does not have with him/her. For identifying the student level much more accurately, there should be long tests conducted. Matching the assessment procedure with the curriculum: In order to assess the achievement of the students on grounds of literacy and numeracy, it is very important that the assessment matches with the curriculum, which is being taught by the teachers. ACARA states that the test item is informed to the teachers by Ã¢â‚¬Ë œNational Standards of learning for English’. But the document based on which the test would be taken remain unknown to the teachers in most of the schools. It is not an appropriate process of planning the NAPLAN test on the basis of new Australian Curriculum because there are still some states, which did not adopt the curriculum yet. Moreover, even after adopting the curriculum, it would require time for these schools to implement them. As the learning of the

McDonalds Essay Example for Free

McDonalds Essay Our assignment is to carry out investigations into two companies from two different sectors; these sectors are the private sector and the public/voluntary sector. The private sector are all about making profit rather than providing a service. The public/voluntary sector on the other hand want to concentrate on providing a good and efficient service for their customers such as the NHS, they provide a medical service for residents of this country, of course this isn’t to make a profit because their service is free, whereas companies in the private sector just want to make money to then develop further and release more products which they hope will make even more profit. The company from the private sector I have chosen is McDonalds. The company I have chosen from the public sector is Oxfam. About The Companies: McDonalds were founded in 1940 Richard and Maurice McDonald and Ray Kroc, they started off as one fast food branch on East street California, and over the last 70 years have rapidly become the most profitable and biggest fast food company in the world, competing against other fast food such as KFC, Burger King, Subway and Pizza Hut. No matter what these rivals threw at them they always have come right back with something new and better which is why McDonald’s have stayed at the top of the fast food chain. Oxfam are a non-profitable company, they are the UK’s largest charity which prides itself in helping 92 countries all over the world who are trying to fight extreme poverty including Ghana, Cambodia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Oxfam rely on donations by the public which is why the advertising campaigns have become stronger and more persuasive as the demand for help and support in countries around the world has rocketed they have needed more and more donations to support families in serious poverty, people who don’t even have access to running clean water. Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff Matrix is a marketing technique that all companies in the private sector use, without using the structure of the Ansoff Matrix a company like McDonalds would not be able to survive or expand their brand to a different market. If a company uses its existing products to sell to its existing markets this is called Market Penetration. If a company takes its existing products to a brand new market, to a new country for example, this is called Market Development. If a company decides they are going to release new products to their existing market, like the Big Tasty at McDonalds, this is called Product Development. But if a company wants to try something completely different by taking new products to a new market this is called Diversification. Growth Strategies: Oxfam The image of a pie chart below shows how every  £1 donated to Oxfam goes to different parts of the charity, 7p of every  £1 is invested into the company to generate future revenue. 36p goes towards the emergency response system to give aid to countries that need the help immediately, such as the victims of the Pakistan earthquake in the summer of 2010. Oxfam provide water and sanitation facilities for 2,000 families living in the camp. 40p goes towards development work in LEDC countries and other worldwide projects in countries such as Tanzania where they have set up a local jewellery business and a primary school. 7p goes towards campaigning for change, another 7p goes towards fundraising costs and the final 10p goes towards the support and running costs for transport etc. Survival Strategies: Oxfam Because of the recent recession the rate of unemployment has rocketed in the UK, Oxfam offer a wide range of voluntary work that of course doesn’t offer pay for their labour but by doing voluntary work it counts as work experience and this looks great on a CV so people will want to apply so in the future they get a better chance in their future job interviews etc. Also the 7p of every  £1 donated to Oxfam is invested into the company to generate future revenue in the charity. Advertising: Oxfam The main advertising campaign used by Oxfam is putting on television adverts that are shown all over the country on channels such as ITV1, C4 and FIVE. These adverts normally show families in LEDC’s like Kenya for example, that are in extreme poverty with barely and food or clean water, so they are struggling to survive, they show this normally at a time when families in the UK are sitting at home eating their family meal, so when they see this family with no food whatsoever they begin to have sympathy for them, and seeing that for just  £3 a month they could sponsor this charity so the family they can see on their television could eat a satisfactory meal or at least food to survive. Relationship Marketing: Oxfam One way Oxfam have used relationship marketing is great customer service, all Oxfam employees and volunteers go through a various amount of training courses before they qualify to work at a branch or travel around the world to give aid to people in poverty. This is good because if someone walks into an Oxfam branch to maybe give some of their belongings to the shop so they can sell them or if they go and sign up to sponsor them they will be greeted with a smile and a happy tone, which makes the customer feel comfortable straight away, and of course if someone feels comfortable in a place where they are receiving a service they will want will to come back again to support this cause further because they trust them. Growth Strategies: McDonalds McDonalds use a wide range of growth strategies, one of these are Franchises. A Franchise is where a company (McDonalds) sell a branch of their business to someone and give them the right to sell their products, but of course because it is still a McDonald’s branch it will still draw in more customers as more McDonald’s Franchises pop up around the world, because eventually there will be more McDonald’s branches to the square mile than ever before, which will increase the popularity of McDonald’s compared to its rival fast food outlets. Another growth strategy is introducing new products such as the McFlurry, the McFlurry has been sold for 14 years at McDonalds, throughout the 14 years they continuously release new flavours of the product an example of this is the McFlurry Flake, which has been released this year. This is a growth strategy as the company improving its flavour range so demand for the product will rise and therefore McDonalds will earn more profit. Survival Strategies: McDonalds One survival strategy that McDonald’s currently use is the 99p Saver Menu. The 99p Saver Menu is a special offer that McDonald’s promote in majority of their advertising campaigns, it consists of a selection of products which they have reduced the price to 99p such as the cheeseburger, the mayo chicken and the classic McFlurry, the menu also have other desserts such as the Apple Pie and donuts. This is a survival strategy because they want to increase sales, the want the demand of products to go up so they will earn more profit and the customers believe they are getting a good deal so they will buy food from the 99p Saver Menu again. Another survival strategy is the way that throughout the course of the year they rotate their menus, such as the introduction of different twists on the classic McFlurry, such as the Flake McFlurry and the Chocolate Fudge Brownie McFlurry, by doing this they are bringing new products into the market which will grab the eye of customers, if they see that a new McFlurry has been released they will more than likely want to try it to see what it is like, and of course if they like it they will want to buy it again and want to try the next one that comes out when the menu rotates once more. Eventually by doing this there will be a higher demand for the McFlurry so there will be a rise in sales and their profits will also increase. Another survival strategy currently enforced at McDonald’s is the removal of less profitable products, like the Angus Burger for example, this was released in 2006, for a short while there was a high demand for this product because it was new and exciting, but after a couple of months, less people bought the Angus Burger, which meant the demand for this product decreased, and so did McDonald’s profits. McDonald’s realised they had made a mistake with the Angus Burger so they removed it off their menu’s and stopped selling the product to prevent further loss in sales and a bigger decrease in profit. Advertising: McDonalds Because McDonald’s is a worldwide company they have advertising campaigns set up all around the globe, all year round. The advertising technique that most people will be able to relate to is their memorable â€Å"M† logo and their catchy slogan â€Å"I’m lovin’ it† because this advertising technique is so simple this makes it exceptionally effective because people remember it, if they are driving along and see a sign with the â€Å"M† on it they will know that there is a McDonald’s nearby, and if they are abroad where there are many McDonald franchises more people will want to eat there because they know they can get good fast food from a place they are used to eating at back home. Another advertising technique McDonalds used this year in particular is that alongside Coca Cola they were the main sponsors for the London 2012 Olympic Games, they have been a proud supporter of the Olympic movement for nearly 40 years, and this year have called themselves the â€Å"Official Restaurant Of The Olympic Games†. McDonalds commitment to the Olympic Movement began in 1968 when the company airlifted hamburgers to U.S. athletes competing in Grenoble, France. They first became an Official Sponsor of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, and in 1984, McDonalds and their franchisees provided the funds to build the Olympic Swimming Stadium in Los Angeles. In 1998 they became a worldwide sponsor at the Nagano Olympic Winter Games and continued that commitment through the London 2012 Olympic Games. Relationship Marketing: McDonald’s At McDonald’s there are many perks than can be experienced just by sitting in their restaurant, free Wi-Fi is one of these, and modern comfortable seating is another, if someone would like to sit back comfortably and continue their work into their lunch break while eating a nice Big Mac meal then they can, internet access is installed into most McDonald’s franchises. Another way McDonalds use relationship marketing is the Happy Meal, with statistics showing that the amount of children and teenagers becoming clinically obese there is no wonder why this option on the menu is so popular, it is basically a small kid’s size meal, it comes in a nice card box with puzzles and colouring sides on it which to a child is attractive enough, but all year round they also include a toy inside the happy meal box, usually related with what is big at that specific time, like a new children’s movie being released for example, the toys in a Happy Meal will more than likely be characters from that movie, this is a great use of relationship marketing. Comparison: Both Companies In this task I have had to explore into the marketing techniques of one company in the private sector and one company in the public/voluntary sector, to see how effective their growth strategies, survival strategies, their advertising techniques and the way they use relationship marketing in store and in other parts of the company. After looking at both of their growth strategies I have noticed no similarities with the way they use them with the points I have stated due to the fact that McDonald’s use the Ansoff Matrix a lot in their growth strategies and Oxfam do not, they prefer to promote the fact that 84% of your money goes directly to giving aid to poverty stricken countries, 9% goes towards support costs such as transport and the remaining 7% is invested into the company to generate future revenue. After looking at the other aspects of the company I have discovered that although Oxfam has a very strong marketing technique with highly trained employees with their great cu stomer service, and their flawless advertising campaign, nothing can compare to the strength of the McDonald’s empire’s marketing techniques.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Benefits Of Water Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay

Benefits Of Water Pollution Environmental Sciences Essay Effects of Water Pollution: The effects of water pollution are wide-ranging and these are highly dependent upon the type of chemicals that are dumped into the major water sources. Water pollution has an adverse effect on plants and creatures living in the water. In nearly all situations, the effect is destructive not only to the areas and individual species, but also to the natural biological populations. Sources of Water Pollution: The sources of water contamination are classified as being a point source or a non-point source of contamination. Point Source: Point sources of contamination take place when the damaging substance is produced straight into the stream. Example of a Point Source: A pipe spewing toxic substances straight into a waterway is an example. Non-Point Source: A non-point source takes place while there is run-off of contaminants into a river. Example of a Non-Point Source: When fertilizer from a field is carried into a river by surface run-off. Cost of Water Pollution: In the leading inclusive evaluation of its kind, the SEI (Stockholm Environment Institute), grounded at Tufts University, has presented a white paper with a title Valuing Floridas Clean Water. The document discovers that plankton and red tide outbreaks produced by water contamination cost the Floridians around 1.3 billion dollars to 10.5 billion dollars every year. The EPA will decide soon either to accept the state-written water contamination plan or to step in with more powerful federal rules and administration. Why the Cost of Water Pollution is Measured: Water that is fresh in our sources, ponds, rivers, coves and oceanic masses provides clean water, numerous fish, oyster and crab populations, enjoyable and safe swimming and boating prospects and various other advantages, for example attractive water views, increased values of property and healthier aquatic life. When this fresh water becomes contaminated through excess sediments, nutrients or poisonous chemicals, it requires the cleaning up water and minimizing the chances for the occurrence of contamination. Moreover, there are several other expenses that result to travel and leisure loss, recreational and fisheries-based financial systems, the difficult-to-value and the property values, but impossible to substitute environments, animals and plants that are really dependent upon healthier waters. Benefits of Water Pollution: There can be various advantages to certain kinds of fish or sea creatures. Such as, a species of carp may not be impacted much by contaminated water, but a trout-fish will die from the contamination. Therefore, the carp will possess the advantage by having no other fish to contest with for finding the food and region. Hence, the carp specie will grow in a better way. Though, there are valuable things that are the reasons for the occurrence of water contamination. Manufacturing plants, energy production plants, oil drilling rigs and chemical manufacturers all offer powerful advantages to community, but unfortunately, this leads to serious water contamination. However the contamination is not valuable, the reason is, and hence cannot be done away with. Such as, would we slightly have oil or amazingly clean oceans? Noticeably, oil is more valuable in that case. This is the major reason why there is contamination control which helps to minimize the disadvantages. There are advantages to the polluters as well. It is less expensive to release the waste products into the closest water resource or soil as compared to process or treat that rubbish. However, this is not a benefit to humankind in general. Problems of Water Pollution: Various water systems near metropolitan areas (towns and cities) are highly contaminated. This is the outcome of both rubbish thrown out by people and dangerous substances lawfully or unlawfully thrown out by production sectors, health industries, educational institutions and market places. The major issue caused by water contamination is that it destroys the life of living organisms that are based on these water bodies. Crabs, dead fish, sea gulls and birds, dolphins, whales, and various other creatures usually wind up on seashores, killed by contaminants in their environment (living environment). Pollution also interrupts the natural food chain. Pollutants for example cadmium and lead are eaten by tiny creatures. Then, these creatures are consumed by shell-fish and fish, and hence the food chain carries on being disturbed at all advanced levels. Ultimately, people are also impacted by this process. The human beings can get illnesses for example liver disease by the consumption of poisoned sea-food. In any third world countries, there is always occurrence of cholera and illnesses due to the inadequate water treatment from infected waters. Ecosystems (the collaboration of living organisms at a place, based on one another other for life) can be seriously changed or damaged by water contamination. Several areas are now being exaggerated with reckless human contamination, and this pollution is returning to hurt people in several ways.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Reconfiguration of 11KV Feeder

Reconfiguration of 11KV Feeder Introduction CE 2.1 I did this project as a graduate Electrical Engineering while pursuing my Bachelor of Engineering in the field of Electrical Engineering from Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Balochistan. I wanted to conduct a project that would be challenging and would involve how to improve the existing power grid by helping the current or load at a given time. I wanted to create a system by improving the power factor or changing the conductor size or substituting the cables with conductors. I was able to improve my written and oral presentation skills as well as my interpersonal skills by the successful completion of this project. Background CE 2.2 For this project as an undergraduate student in electrical engineering, I wanted to start working on a project that would be challenging. I wanted to learn about the different and commonly used electrical/electronic components, the working mechanism and the implementation in a common every-day system. Feeder configuration is a very important step to enhance the quality and reliability of a distribution system. During my studies, I had learned that traditionally, in Pakistan, the feeder configuration is done by opening/closing or tie sectionalizing the switches in order to alter network map and thus the flow of power from substation to customers. I had studied during my bachelors that the reason Feeder configuration is done is to reduce system power loss and also for load balancing. As the loading conditions change, it is important to reconfigure it to reduce power losses in the network. And it is due to this reason that I selected the Reconfiguration of 11KV Feeder for my project. CE 2.3 The objective of my project is to design a system to reconfigure the network for loss reduction for 11KV feeder. Or the reconfiguration of the distribution network under normal operation to reduce active losses and to balance loads in the system. CE 2.4 CE 2.5 I first had to conduct a detailed literature review to find the best applicable approach to this system for reconfiguration. I decided to use Branch exchange and Loop cutting methods along with a theoretical Heurestic approach to achieve my objectives. I used the computer software for ELR to analyse the feeder and to calculate the results. I initially, used an existing configuration based on actual data to calculate the current Energy Loss Reduction (ELR) I then tabulated all the results and obtained a schematic diagram to show my results. I completed the project within the time frame specified by the university. I presented my findings to my supervisor. Personal Engineering Activity CE 2.6 I approached a senior professor with an idea of conducting a project about the power grid. Along with my group members, I had a lot of brainstorming sessions and review meetings with my project supervisor to select a suitable topic. I suggested that I work on a project that was concerned with restructuring the power grid to minimize distribution losses and we suggested that we select a suitable location for this project to be carried out and thus the topic Reconfiguration of 11KV feeder came in to being and the supervisor agreed to this and asked us to begin working on this by first conducting a literature review on all the components we would require and the working of this project and to start working on this project. CE 2.7 I decided to select a Surab Town feeder of 11KV which starts from the 132KV Pakistan Railway Grid Station. I found that this grid has two transformers connected in parallel having a capacity of 10/13MVA each and 132/11KV. This particular feeder provided power of mixed loads to residential, commercial, agricultural and gas power plants. I carried out the Physical Survey of the existing 11KV Surab Town Feeder and plotted a Single line diagram of existing Surab town feeder. I calculated the energy losses and voltage drop of existing distribution system keeping in view the QESCO requirements. The length of feeder is 42.62km with annual energy loss 457898.1kWH and maximum percentage voltage drop is 6.5%, which is beyond the specified limit of QESCO i.e. 5.0% and is not acceptable as shown in the table below. Month Max Hour KWH Reading in Year-3 (KWH) Units Sent in Year-3 (KWH) Units Sold in Year-3 (KWH) Losses KWH % January 0920108 0922574 1954326 1020746 933580 47.8 February 1809123 1811499 1504110 785804 719490 47.8 March 2577218 2580502 1233398 1324005 -90607 -7.3 April 2944920 2946703 1695002 1472175 223911 13.2 May 4197868 4199507 1758256 1693000 65256 3.7 June 4483081 4485732 1472868 1392621 84892 5.8 July 5663010 5665217 1452128 1146852 303276 21.0 August 6179532 6174379 1272432 1263513 8919 0.7 September 72162 76150 1636414 5107276 129138 7.9 October 1747258 172496 2070467 1654039 418057 20.2 November 4868322 4873227 2704009 1584898 1119111 41.4 December 6046270 602780 3086286 1626763 1459523 47.3 I used the following simple algorithm for the algorithm: Start with an existing configuration. Read Input data..Run ELR program..Display results..Compare KWH losses, If KWH loss CE 2.8 My test system is a high loss, problematic distribution feeder of QESCO. In first, the existing Grid and feeder data are collected from Surab grid station. The data made run in ELR Software, which results high losses due to overloads. As the ampere load accedes then 300 amp on main Dog conductor , To overcome these overloads we recon figurate the feeder by using three different methods i.e. Branch Exchange Method, Loop Cutting Method and then we applied bifurcation method to isolate the existing feeder into two parts. I collected data from the Head office QESCO in Quetta, Pakistan and found that the monthly Peak Load is between 600-700 Amps and the off peak load between 5-90 Amps with the lowest being in November. I conducted a Load flow analysis was done using ELR Program with the following input Parameters at 5% annual Load growth rate Load in Amp.=395 Amp @ 5% for 5 years Bus Voltage=11KV Feeder load factor=6.29% Existing power factor=0.78% Proposed power factor=0.79% Capacitor installed=2Nos. I proposed the following one line diagram of QESCO feeder as prepared on the basis of field visits is shown below in figure. This figure clearly shows the difference between actual and proposed configuration of the feeder. In this figure 154 node are shifted. Also the route of power flow has been changed there by feeding all the consumers. This configuration has reduced the line losses too as evident from the load flow analysis. The details are feeder given below. Power T/F # ÃŽâ„ ¢ÃƒÅ½Ã¢â€ž ¢ Feeder code 020201 Power T/F capacity 10/13 MVA Number of node 92 Number of transformers 66 Number dog conductor 18 Number rabbit conductor 73 Total length of line 18.42 KM Total KVAS 5350 KVA I also proposed and conducted a Load flow analysis using ELR Program with the following input Parameters at 5% annual Load growth rate. Load in Amp= [emailprotected]%for 5 years Bus Voltage = 11KV Feeder load factor= 6.29% Existing power factor = 0.78% Proposed power factor = 0.95% (Improved Due to capacitor Placement) CE 2.9 I conducted this project successfully and found that the ELR program could be used sappropriately and properly to find the optimal configuration of 11KV feeder, demonstrating the feasibility of such an approach for the solution of this problem. However, refinements to the algorithm may be necessary in order to achieve satisfactory performance on large, real-world systems consisting of thousands of buses. The following were my results: Losses (KWH) minimized from 457898 to 332944 Voltage drop improved from 6.5% to 4.4% Power Factor improvement from 0.78% to 0.95% (Result of proposed configuration) B/C Ratio is 24.25 CE 2.10 My contribution during this project was: Gathering Exact Grid data on realistic approaches. Gathering feeder data, one line diagram preparation physically through field visits. Exact measures and distances of node-to-node and exact electrical parameters informations. Keeping in view different constraints, like Cost, Obstacles, Load. Losses, Environmental / social constraints, Betterment of WAPDA as well as general public. Re-notification of existing configuration and finding the optimal configuration by repetition the results obtained after execution of ELR Program. Removing haphazard road crossings and reducing the length of feeder. Load Balancing. Placement of Capacitor at best locations for obtaining best results. Summary CE 2.9 I successfully completed the project titled Reconfiguration of a 11KV Feeder along with my team members. I learned how to reconfigure a 11KV feeder and about the different approaches by execution of the ELR program I learned how to gather Grid data for realistic approaches to improve loading. By the successful completion of this project, I was able to improve my written, oral and interpersonal skills. I was also able to improve my team work. The main objective of this research is to develop methodology and guide lines for distribution engineers to show that by reducing the energy losses of distribution system, available capacity of the system may be conserved without putting up additional capacity. A generalized computer program is used to evaluate any given HT/LT system and propose capacitor banks at different points, different conductor sizes in different portions of system. This results in improving the stability as well as energy handling capacity of the system at minimum cost.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Questions To Ask Before Hiring A North Carolina Private Investigator :: North Carolina, Private Investigator, hiring,

There are many reasons why an individual may have to hire a North Carolina private investigator. There are a vast majority of investigators that have previously been police officers or some that served in the military. They wanted to continue working in this type of field so they chose to become investigators. Most states require an investigator be licensed. When it comes to doing an investigation it is a lot of hard detailed work and most individuals would not be able to begin doing the detailed search involved in finding out the information needed. Investigators have to spend a great deal of time doing boring research or going through records to find some of the information needed. Most people think of cheating spouses when the term private investigator comes up, however, they do a lot more than just spy on spouses. An investigator is perfect for finding someone who is missing such as runaway children or long seen family members. Many times an investigator will be hired by a corporation to do a background check on possible employees. They also may be hired to investigate possible fraud cases by the government for individuals receiving state or government money they may not deserve to get. For example, if an individual is receiving money for workers compensation yet there have been reports of them working in physical work. An investigator can be used as a witness in certain court cases when they can provide relevant information. They are also bound to confidentiality for any information unless they are aware of information that could do harm to someone. Should you have the reasons to consider hiring an investigator you should check to verify if they are currently licensed as an investigator. You can request references, however, most of the time an investigator will not be able to provide personal case references as they have a duty to their previous client to keep them and their information confidential. You could and should inquire about any experience they have and the amount of time they have been an investigator. You must ask what the fee will be and exactly what the fee covers. Often if an investigator needs to travel for your case there will be additional fees for hotels and other travel expenses. Let the investigator know you would like a plan of action, in other words you want to know what they intend to do in regards to your case.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Effects of computers on society :: Computer Science

Effects of computers on society Internet The internet was a major break-through in computing. It enabled people to communicate and transfer information. The internet has been around for about 30 years and is always changing. It has many different uses. It can be used for video and teleconferencing, finding information, buying products, downloading programmes and music and much more. I think that the internet has helped society a great deal. On the other hand, it does have its disadvantages as anything can be found on the internet, whether it is good or bad. If the internet is in the wrong hands it can be a very bad thing as it could be held responsible for things like rape etc. I am saying this because it is very easy for an adult to go into a chat room and pretend that they are a teenager. They could then arrange to meet up with someone, and this person would be thinking that they are a teenager. This is the disadvantage of the internet, but I feel that the good points over-power the bad. CCTV Without CCTV, crime rates would be higher and many criminals would go uncaught. Thanks to CCTV, this has changed. CCTV allows several cameras to film several different areas at the same time. If someone commits a crime and it is caught on camera, it is then taken to court and used as evidence against them. I think that this is another huge benefit to today's society. Credit Card Use/Fraud Computers allow people to use credit cards to pay for products that they buy in shops. This makes it much easier for people to buy something instead of having to pay with cash or a cheque, which takes a while to clear; they can just pay instantly with a card. Fraud is one major problem faced with credit cards. If the card it stolen, it would be relatively easy for someone to pay for products that they buy with the card, especially over the internet where no signature is required to make the payment. This is another disadvantage of the internet, that anyone's credit card can be used without consent. I think that, although fraud is an issue with credit cards, credit cards still benefit society greatly. Availability of Information This topic links in with the internet, as well as using programmes like encyclopaedias on the computer to find information. The internet has such a broad range of information on it that it would be almost impossible to not find what you are looking for. Almost any word can be typed into a search engine (e.g.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Coffee Ulbs Essay

Coffee is a brewed beverage with a distinct aroma and flavor from the roasted seeds of the coffea plant. Coffee comes in many types of colour such as dark brown,white,beige,black,light brown,and more. Coffee was first discovered in the northeast region of Ethopia. Cofee cultivation first took place in southern Arabia,appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi shrines of Yemen. According to the ancient chronicle,Omar who was known for his ability to cure sick through prayer was once exiled from Mocha,Yemen to a desert cave near Ousab. Starving,Omar chewed berries from nearby shrubbery but found them to the bitter. He tried roasting the seeds to improve the flavor,but they become hard. He then tried boiling them to soften the seeds,which resulted in a fragrant brown liquid. Upon drinking the liquid,Omar was revitalized and sustained for days. As stories of this ‘miracle drug’ reached Mocha,Omar was asked to return and was made a saint. In production of coffee,it consist of many steps such as processing,roasting,grading the roasting seeds,decaffeination,stored,brewing and finally be served. When processing the coffee,the berries of coffee have been traditionally and selectively picked by hand,only the berries at the peak of ripeness would be selected. After that,green coffee is process by one of two methods. Whether by dry process method or wet process method. Then,it will be sorted by ripeness and colour. After that,the seeds are fermented to remove the slimy layer of mucilage still present on the seeds. When the fermentation is finished,the seeds are washed to remove the fermentation residue. Then,the seeds are dried. Finally,the coffee is sorted again and been labeled. The roasting process influences the taste of the beverage by changing the coffee seed both physically and chemically. During roasting,caramelization occurs as intense heat that breaks down starches,changing them to simple sugars that begin to brown,which alters the colour of seeds. Then the seeds will be grading depends on the colour of roasting seeds. It will be labeled as light,medium light,medium,medium dark,dark or very dark. The degree of roast has an effect upon coffee flavor and body. Many methods can remove the caffeine from coffee,but all involve either soaking the green seeds in hot water or steaming them and using a solvent to dissolve caffeine that containing oils. Once roasted,coffee seeds must be stored properly to preserve the fresh taste of the seeds. Coffee seeds must be ground and brewed to create a beverage. Almost all methods of preparing coffee require the seeds to be ground and mixed with hot water long enough to extract the flavor,but without overextraction that draws out bitter compounds. The roasted coffee may be ground at a roaster,in a grocery store or in the home. Then,the coffee may be brewed by several methods such as boiled,steeped,or pressurized. Once brewed,coffee may be served in a variety of ways. As an example,the white coffee was made into dairy product such as milk or cream or dairy substitute or as a black coffee with no such addition. It may be sweetened with sugar or artificial sweetener.

Criticism of V for Vendetta

Criticism on V for Vendetta â€Å"Remember, remember, the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot† is the sentence that begins the film. â€Å"V for Vendetta† is a story of vengeance against the government in England. V is a man that was being held in a concentration camp and suffers from the experimentation by the hands of the scientists’ government. Then, he destroys and escapes from the facility and slowly hunts down his tormentors and gathers the citizens of England to form revolutionaries towards the totalitarian government (Armstrong, 2006).After that, he turns out to be a terrorist that wear dark clothes and a Guy Fawkes mask that murder and explode buildings with his tricks in order to achieve his goals. Then, he saves a girl, Evey, which is being abuse by the government’s rape-hungry secret police known as â€Å"Fingermen†. He made Evey to be his supporter and pr oceed his strategy on governmental destruction well by awaken and empower the people of England to form a revolution. He convinces the people by saying, â€Å"If you want to see who is responsible, look no further than a mirror,† he tells the country’s citizens. I understand, you were afraid,† he says by way of forgiving them. It’s the people who put Britain’s corrupt, hate-driven government in power, and it’s the people who must stop it. â€Å"People should not be afraid of their governments,† pronounces V, â€Å"governments should be afraid of their people† (Tyler, 2012). In fact, there are ideas in this film which relates to the mass society theory in terms of society and politics. For instances, V’s belief stated that, â€Å"People should not be afraid of their governments.Governments should be afraid of their people†. Hence, this film can be strongly influence the society to use the idea of forming a revolutio n to against the monarchs of their particular country. Consequently, the film director, James McTeigue, noted that, â€Å"We felt the [graphic] novel was very prescient to how the political climate is at the moment. It really showed what can happen when society is ruled by  government, rather than the government being run as a voice of the people† (Ott, 2010).Besides that, another idea that is being point out from this film â€Å"Politicians lie to hide the truth, artists tell lies to reveal it† (Tyler, 2012). From that sentence, it is assuming that politicians tend to cover up their wrongdoings by many lies meanwhile artists uses lies to reveal the truth in something. Thus, this may create a perception from all the audiences who have watched this film that politicians are not very trustable and deceitful. According to Ott (2010), he conducted a study on the role of political affect in cinema by analyzing â€Å"V for Vendetta†.He argued that, â€Å"Vendetta h as an array of visceral resonances, pulsations, intensities, and sensations to invites viewers to reject a politics of apathy in favor of a politics of democratic struggle†. Furthermore, he also mentioned that in this film it has a relationship with politics and mass. In political rhetoric, the film would urged audiences not to keep silent as their rights and liberties were being restrict and also empowered them to speak out against their government. In conclusion, â€Å"V for Vendetta† film is one of the true examples on how the society will be influence by the idea of the film is illustrating.By relating this film with the mass society theory, it has the significant connection between political and society. References Armstrong, A. (2006, March 17). V's Vendetta Can't Ground Freedom. Retrieved June 14, 2012, from Colorado Freedom Report: http://www. freecolorado. com/2006/03/vendetta. html Ott, B. L. (2010). The Visceral Politics of V for Vendetta: On Political Affect in Cinema. Critical Studies in Media Communication , 39-54. Tyler, J. (2012). V for Vendetta. Retrieved June 14, 2012, from CinemaBlend. com: http://www. cinemablend. com/reviews/V-for-Vendetta-1472. html

Friday, August 16, 2019

Future Trends of Human Resource Essay

1. Introduction What does the human resource information system look like in the future? It is hard to find an accurate answer for me. Every year, thousands of HRIS specialists trying to predict the future trends of HRIS and, of course, their prediction differ. However, despite of what prediction they had made, I think social media will play an important role in next few years. In this paper, I will try to discuss what social media means to human resource and discuss three major players in the field—Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. 2. Social Network Site vs. HR According to the 2011 Kelly Services Global employees Index research, published by the famous human resource service organization Kelly Services, social network site is becoming the â€Å"edge tool† in the future workplace. According to the research, social network site (SNS) is changing the way of life and work. It expanded its function from only entertaining to boosting working efficiency and enhancing the success rate of job applying. The research shows that over 80% of workforce is using SNS every day, while over 60% of workforce considers it as a work booster. According to the research, a lot of employees think they can develop an instant synchronized â€Å"expert tank†, from which they can acquire relative knowledge, skill and experience, so that they will be support by experts wherever, whenever. They also regard SNS as a pipe cleaner of the networking. By using SNS, they can manage their networking just within few clicks. It is a cost efficiency and personalized way. In addition, they also use SNS to relieve work pressure. According to the research, SNS is now penetrating to the area of traditional recruiting. The advantage of it includes no limits of time and space, cost efficiency and high reliability. The research indicated that over 90% active job seekers are now using SNS at least once per week. It also indicated that job seekers who age below 25 are more willing to use SNS as a tool to find job, while who age over 35 are more possible to find a job by using it. The research suggests that company should pay attention to what SNS may change the future workplace. According to the research, the most common worries toward SNS are affecting productivity, occupying internet and threating the information security. It also report that there are a lot of companies are now start using SNS to recruit, manage market, promote public relation and guide career development by setting new policies and using latest antivirus technics. 3. Facebook Facebook is a SNS launched in February 2004, owned and operated by Facebook, Inc. By the time of October 2012, Facebook has over one billion active users, more than half of them using Facebook on a mobile device. According to the research, 23% of Facebook users check their account 5 times or more per day. By the time of May 2012, Facebook received more than 1.6 billion visits per week. There are over 1,000,000 links shared on Facebook every 20 minutes. If you regard Facebook merely as an entertaining SNS, you will be absolutely wrong. In the era of internet, Facebook is now developing different social platforms. It transforms its function from just connecting and entertaining people to job bank and social synergy. By Facebook recently launched job applying app â€Å"Jobvite†, people can find, refer, and match jobs to friends with Jobvite’s proprietary matching technology, providing better access to opportunities for job seekers and more quality hires for employers. Users can connect and apply to jobs completely within Facebook; and they can see their status in the hiring process at any time, creating a positive, transparent relationship for companies and candidates. By using another job applying app â€Å"jobandtalent†, users can discover and leverage their existing Facebook network to find job opportunities and stand out to top companies. Jobandtalent claimed that they are working with world top companies like Goldman Sachs, Deloitte and Google. The fact is that the data stored on Facebook not only including job relate area, but also including other areas, such as daily life. Employer can acquire 360-degree background information of candidates via Facebook. â€Å"It is easy to track record of candidates on Facebook. These records may imply personal interests, personality and other attributes† Said an HR specialist, â€Å"Traditional resumes are monotonous, like masks, but these records are alive and we can totally tell a difference.† It is not surprisingly true. Tell me if I wrong, if the records of a candidate show that he use the â€Å"f† word all the time, dare you or dare you not hire him? Job applicants like him will lose his opportunity from the beginning. Facebook is now challenging LinkedIn by this advantage. According to the survey conducted by Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost half of companies are now using Facebook in their recruitment process, such as Boeing and Dell. They use Facebook not only for job posting, but also for background investigation. However, research shows that there are different between social media behavior and real life behavior. It is to be studied whether it is reliable to investigate candidates via SNS. 4. LinkedIn LinkedIn is a SNS for professional people. Launched on May 5th, 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. By the time of June 2012, LinkedIn reports more than 175,000,000 users in more than 200 countries. Monster is one of three largest job posting web site, however, its financial report showed a significant decline in business revenue. According to the market analyst, because of the blooming of LinkedIn, companies like Monster are losing market share in a large scale. Just like Facebook, LinkedIn founded upon the theory of Six Degrees of Separation. Also it was not designed for recruiting; LinkedIn became the major way to recruit in the U.S. by the time of 2006 and achieve profitability. LinkedIn is known as its high accurate matching rate. It can even â€Å"push† eligible candidates to employers by preset standard. According to the co-founder Reid Hoffman, it is more and more important for people to utilize their networking in the future. If you want to change you r job every two or three years, you have to maintain your networking to find new opportunities. SNS is the easiest way to do it. You don’t have to make call after call and desperate to find topic to cottoning up, you don’t have to visit people with gifts door after door. The only thing you have to do is just within few clicks, and you can make connection with people you want to. In his opinion, the value of LinkedIn is â€Å"concentrate in the value moment†. Also Facebook has more user base and more stickiness; it is not safe to say that LinkedIn is losing the game. The orientation of these two web-sites is different. The business scope of Facebook is wide and the â€Å"killer app† of it is social game and â€Å"Share†, while LinkedIn concentrate in professional occupations. In a way, the overlap of these two web-sites is small. People regard Facebook as â€Å"individual† and LinkedIn as â€Å"professional†. Compare to strong interaction of Facebook, LinkedIn is not that strong. However, this weak interaction as â€Å"professional community† is where it value lies. For the user of LinkedIn, log in every day and post threats is meaningless and way far from the identity of professional, it will only imply that you are not in the working status. In other word, user stickiness makes little sense for LinkedIn. In addition, compared to Facebook, LinkedIn is a real-name, high quality user concentrated SNS. In other word, the user group is rich and high-educated middle-aged professions. This user group is known as high business value. According to the statistics from Quantcast, in the United States, the proportion of user over 35 is over 70%, the proportion of user with bachelor or above education is over 75% and the proportion of user with over $100,000 incomes is over 39%, compared to Facebook with only 32%, 53% and 32% (Chart 1). Chart1 Demographic Analysis of Facebook and LinkedIn What’s more, in business related area, LinkedIn is highly recognized than Facebook. According to a research conducted by Jobvite, in job applicants who are now using or will use SNS to find jobs, more than 95% indicate that they will choose LinkedIn. Only 59% chose Facebook and 42% chose Twitter. In people who already find a job by using SNS, 89% of them used LinkedIn, 28% used Facebook. To sum up, although Facebook is now challenging LinkedIn in professional SNS area, LinkedIn is still No.1 in the field. 5. Twitter Twitter is an online social networking service and micro blogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as â€Å"tweets†. Launched in July, 2006, the service rapidly gained worldwide popularity. By the time of 2012, over 500,000,000 active users generating over 340,000,000 tweets per day and handling over 1,600,000,000 search queries per day. Twitter has been described as â€Å"the SMS of the Internet† Unlike Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter has its own characteristics. Firstly, there is a limit of characters for each tweet. You can only send up to 140 characters in one tweet. This limit made information fragmented. This kind of fragmented information eliminated the time of reading, and by this elimination user can spread their thought more accurately and more efficiency. Secondly, you don’t have to get â€Å"approval† to follow somebody. This character makes Twitter more like a broadcasting station. Users could follow the Twitter of their favorite celebrity, brand and company to acquire latest trend. Likewise, the later will use Twitter to improve public relation to the target user group. Thirdly, most of user write and read tweets by using mobile devices. That means you will get first hand news via Twitter. An interesting statistic shows that within Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter has second largest influence of commercial both in B2B and B2C. Facebook has the largest influence of B2C commercial while LinkedIn has the largest influence of B2B commercial (Chart 2). Chart 2 Influences in Commercial For human resource, Twitter has two major functions. The first function is to use Twitter to improve company image. More and more companies now hiring Twitter specialist to manage company Twitter. The other is to recruit. Compare to Facebook and LinkedIn, Twitter is more cost saving, speedy and simple. According to William Fisher, the founder of job searching web site TwitJobSearch, there are more than 340,000 jobs posting in Twitter per month. TwitJobSearch release two apps—Job-Deck and TweetDeck. Users can sort and find job posting related tweets by using these two apps. 6. Cites http://recruiting.jobvite.com/company/press-releases/2011/jobvite-launches-social-job-app-on-facebook-to-power-referral-hiring/ http://callcenterinfo.tmcnet.com/news/2011/10/03/5822750.htm

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Assess the usefulness of different sociological approaches to suicide

Durkheim wrote in the 1890s and was one of the first sociologists right at the forefront of establishing and defining sociology as a scientific discipline. Durkheim argued that it was not only possible to apply scientific principles to social phenomena but that it was essential to do so in order to produce useful sociology. His 1897 book suicide: a study in sociology uses his scientific methods to explore suicide. Durkheim chooses suicide deliberately, because as the most individual, private and psychologically driven act it was considered by most not to be a social phenomenon.If sociology could identify social factors and causes of suicide, this would demonstrate the power and impact of society on individual behaviour. So in Durkheim’s view he believes our behaviour is caused by social facts and they are said to be external from the individual, constrain individuals and be greater than the individuals. After Durkheim’s analysis of official statistics on suicide it reve aled some social groups are more likely to commit suicide than others. For Durkheim, the social patterns of suicide he discovered is not a random individual act but as stated by Luke’s social factors play a key role.Durkheim’s work showed a correlation between suicide and social facts like suicide rates were higher in predominantly protestant countries than in catholic ones, Jews were the religious group with the lowest suicide rate, married people were less likely to commit suicide and those with higher education had a higher suicide rate. Durkheim said different forms of suicide related to how much integration and regulation there was in society and this would provide us with a fourfold typology. The term social integration means socialisation into the norms, values and lifestyles of social groups and society.Regulation meaning the control that society and social groups has over an individual’s behaviour. With these two factors Durkheim brings upon egoistic su icide not enough integration. The individual isn’t successfully integrated into groups or society, anomic not enough regulation society has insufficient control over individuals, altruistic too much integration an over integrated individual sacrifices their life for the group and fatalistic too much regulation the individual is too highly controlled by society. Durkheim’s work can also be applied into type of society.As Durkheim states modern societies and traditional society differ from one and other in their levels of integration and regulation. Durkheim discovers that modern industrial societies have lower levels of integration due to lack of freedom this weakens bonds and give rise to egoistic suicide. Whilst, traditional pre-industrial societies have higher levels of integration as the group is more important than the individual and this gives rise to altruistic suicide. Durkheim has been criticised by other positivist sociologist.Halbwachs largely supported Durkh eim’s conclusion but pointed out that the impact of rural versus urban lifestyles on suicide rates hadn’t been considered. Also, Gibbs and Martin argued that Durkheim hadn’t used vigorous enough scientific methods even though he’d stressed how important they were. The key concepts of integration and regulation weren’t defined closely enough to be measured statistically. Gibbs and Martin query how anyone can know how anyone can know what â€Å"normal† levels of integration and regulation are.Interpretivist sociologists have devised alternative theories of suicide they say social reality is not a series of social facts for sociologists to discover, but a series of different meanings and interpretations that each person brings to and takes from each situation. Durkheim’s work is fatally flawed from this perspective because he relies on the unquestioning use of official statistics. According to interpretivists, statistics are not fact the y are a social construction based on the definition of the people who compile them.Douglas takes an Interactionist approach to suicide and he is interested in the meaning that suicide has for the deceased, and the way that coroners label death as suicides. He criticises Durkheim’s study of suicide on two main grounds. One of them being the use of suicide statistics because the decision to classify death as a suicide is taken by a coroner and this may produce bias in verdicts reached. So Douglas feels these are the patterns Durkheim found and that well integrated have friends and relatives who may deny death and this explains their low level of suicide.So Durkheim indicates that suicide verdicts and statistics are based on interactions and negotiations between those involved like friends, doctors and police as they may affect death being labelled as a suicide, rather than it actually being one. That’s why people feel integration plays no dividends. Douglas second point criticises Durkheim for ignoring the meanings of the act for those who kill themselves and for assuming that suicide has a fixed or constant meaning.Douglas backs this up as he notes the cultural differences by Japanese samurai warrior who kill themselves because they have been dishonoured by western society. Douglas also states that we need to categorise suicides according to their social meanings because the triggers and response to suicide are different in different cultures. These social meanings consist of transformation of the soul, transformation of the self, achieving sympathy and achieving revenge.Douglas can be criticised, as he is inconsistent, sometimes suggesting that official statistics are merely the product of coroner’s opinions. At other times, he claims we really can discover the cause of suicide-yet how can we, if we can never know whether a death was a suicide and all we have is coroners opinions? Douglas also produces a classification of suicide based on the supposed meanings for the actors. However, there is no reason to believe that sociologists are any better than coroners at interpreting dead person’s meanings.