UNIT MATH DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

UNIT MATH DB - Essay Example However, this approach of teaching is some times lacks as students are not motivated to remember (formulas) and it does not connect geometry to real life in the â€Å"real world†. There are different ways by which teaching of geometry, specifically surface area and volumes can be made more interesting. One way by giving students different types of shapes (cube, prism, cone, etc.) and asking them for calculating surface area and volume, or asking them how they will calculate. In another way, asking every student of class to explain calculating of surface area and volume of specific objects and let them choose the objects or it can be given to them by lottery systems. The most important aspect of teaching is to explain students how they can derive the formula they use for calculation. If a student knows, the basic idea behind the formula they use and how they are derived, than it will be lot easier for student to calculate surface area and volume of any other shapes or objects for which there is no formula given in textbook. Sometime we see different types of shapes that cannot be fit in any specific shapes such as cube, sphere, pyramid, or any other shape. Now , for calculating surface area and volume of these types of shapes (which do not have any specific shape), one must know the basic understanding of the subjects not just only remembering of formulas. In conclusion, there should be more emphasis on basic of the formula that are derived should be taught to students. In addition, students should be encouraged to find new shapes and study them and later discuss them with other classmates, whatever findings they come across. In addition, some types of projects should be given to students in which they make any specific types of shapes with the help of paper, cardboard, etc. and later calculate the surface area and volume of

Porter Generic Stratey Essay Example for Free

Porter Generic Stratey Essay The key drivers of competitive advantage are cost leadership and differentiation product †¢COMPETITIVE STRATEGY- the means by which an organisation seeks to achieve and sustain a competitive advantage†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Porter suggests that competitive strategy means taking an offensive or defensive action to create a defendable position to cope with the competitive forces- this would lead to greater returns †¢Porter suggests that a firm’s strengths fall into two headngs; cost advantage and differentiation. By applying these strengths in a broad or narrow focus, three generic strategies result: COST LEADERSHIP, DIFFERENTIATION AND FOCUS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦they are generic because they are not specific to a firm or industry. †¢4 strategies to gain a competitive advantage: COST LEADERSHIP-(superior profits through lower costs), DIFFERENTIATION-(higher profits by adding value the products areas that are of real significance for customers who are willing to pay a premium price), FOCUS STRATEGY-(concentrate on a specific area on the market) †¢COST LEADERSHIP- concentrates on becoming the lowest cost producer through economies of scale. With this, the organisation can compete on price with the potential to earn higher unit profits. Cost reduction provides the focus for the orgaisations strategy. Competitive advantage is achieved by driving costs down. There is room for only one cost leader †¢Firms that succeed in cost leadership have the following strengths: access to capital to make big investment, design skills, high level of expertise in manufacturing process, efficient distribution channels †¦. EXAMPLES- RYANAIR, TOYOTA, TESCO, AND WALMART †¢Cost leadership is often seen as a strategy that aims to attract customers with low prices made by low costs†¦.. ut this doesn’t necessarily mean the lowest selling price, but due to low costs, the profit margins are higher †¢DIFFERENTIATION- this strategy calls for a development of a product or service that offers unique and valued attribute by customers. The customers believe that the product is different than rivals. the uniqueness gives a product added value which enables companies to charge a higher price premium. Successful differentiation- differentiating products from competitiors, charging a higher price†¦. an base differentiation on omage, durability, after-sales customer service/ needs strong RD †¢HOWEVER, adding value increases a firms cost base for a product which reduces the unit profit margin- these costs can only be recouped if the consumer is willing to pay the premium price. Also, customers must recognise these differences†¦. EXAMPLES: BMW, MIELE (HIGHER QUALITY DOMESTIC APPLIANCES), BANG AND OLUFSEN, MERC, ETC †¢Benefit a chance of charging a premium price, demand for differentiated less elastic, above average profits, additional barriers to entry? Risks difficult to sustain, higher costs, risk of creating differences, comsumers may become too price sensitive, compititors who attain a focus strategy may achieve greater differentiation. †¢FOCUS STRATEGY- Like differentiation, but organisation concentrates on one or more segments of the market, this may offer the firm more security for achieving its competitive advantage†¦. However there are specific requirements for the focus strategy†¦. Firms benefit form specialisation, differentiation on a lower scale, so the costs are lower than full scale differentiation

Hatred in Notes of a Native Son Essay -- James Baldwin

The Destructive Nature of Hatred Hatred for white society was a common sentiment among the black community during the 1950s. These feelings were expressed through different mediums, ranging from music and art, to the written word. But James Baldwin, a popular black writer during this time period, does not harp on this subject. Instead of preaching about his hatred for white America, Baldwin utilizes his narrative and analysis techniques to illustrate the destructive nature of the black society’s hatred for white society in â€Å"Notes of a Native Son†. The hatred many African Americans possessed during the 1950s caused multiple riots. Baldwin touches on this in â€Å"Notes of a Native Son†, by mentioning the Harlem riots that broke out during the time of his father’s death. Baldwin states that â€Å"it would have been better to have left the plate glass as it had been and the goods lying in the stores† (Baldwin 82), but â€Å"it would have also been intolerable, for Harlem had needed something to smash† (82). The black community, infuriated by improper police action, exploded into a fury of anger. While Baldwin does not argue against the riots, he points out their futility. The riots, as Baldwin points out, did not cross the ghetto lines. Instead of wreaking havoc in white neighborhoods, the black mob simply destroyed its own area. The mob had succumbed to its hatred for white society, but in doing so, destroyed its own neighborhood. Thus, Baldwin points out the self-destructive nature of the black community’s hatred. Instead of causing damage to white society, or even white property, the black community ended up inflicting wounds on its own people. Baldwin does not stop with this event to illustrate the irony of the black commun... ... and from it learns two key lessons to prevent a similar destruction of his own life. Baldwin first states that one must accept that â€Å"injustice is commonplace† (84). Prejudice, according to Baldwin, will always exist in life, whether it is against race, color or creed. But while prejudice is ever-present, Baldwin concludes â€Å"one must never†¦accept these injustices as commonplace but must fight them with all one’s strength† (84). In order to succeed in this fight, one must keep his â€Å"own heart free of hatred† (84). Thus according to Baldwin, the real fight is not black society versus white society, but rather man versus himself. It is only by winning this battle that one can avoid the path of destruction. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

Padini Holding Berhad Essay

1.1 Background of the company Padini is a Malaysian-domiciled investment-holding company headquartered in HicomGlenmarie Industrial Park, Shah Alam. Incorporated in 1971 as proprietorship under the trade name Hwayo Garments Manufacturers Company, Padini was initially engaged in the manufacture and wholesale of ladies wear. The company subsequently added men’s and children’s lines to its offerings when it established its first three brands from 1975 – 1987. In 1988, Padini discarded its role as wholesaler to take up the role of consignor. Thereafter, the first single-brand store distributing Seed was opened in 1992 in Sungei Wang Plaza, Kuala Lumpur. The company has nine labels in its family of brands and retail in 330 freestanding stores, franchised outlets and consignment counters in Malaysia and around the world. The company’s subsidiaries include Vincci Ladies’ Specialties Centre Sdn. Bhd., which is engaged in dealing of ladies’ shoes and accessories; Padini C orporation Sdn Bhd., Seed Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Yee Fong Hung (Malaysia) SendirianBerhad (Yee Fong Hung) and Padini International Limited, which is engaged in dealing of garments and ancillary products; Padini Dot Com Sdn. Bhd. (Padini Dot Com), which is engaged in provision of management services, and Mikihouse Children’s Wear Sdn. Bhd. (Mikihouse), which is engaged in dealing of children’s garments, maternity wear and accessories. Tizio was introduced to the public with the opening of its first outlet in Mid Valley Megamall in Nov 2012 and subsequently in Paradigm Mall on 23 May 2013. Like almost all of the Group’s Brands, Tizio was developed in  -house by, and is registered to the group. Anticipate more presence from Tizio in the coming years as the brand has been slated to become an addition to the group’s portfolio of core brands.  On 5 March 1998, the group was listed on the Second Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (Bursa) and thereafter, transferred to the Main Board on 4 August 2004. The Main and Second Boards merged on 3 August 2009. Major shareholders of the group as at 8 July 2013 are Pang Chaun Yong with 44% and Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera with 5.0%.

Bench Strength

Any thriving business is cognizant of the fact that their success hinges significantly upon the services and loyalty of key personnel, as well as the ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified staff. Of course it does not stop with hiring and retention, the most important aspect of human resources is to be able to recognize potential leaders and train them accordingly so as to prepare them for more responsibilities and leadership roles as they grow with the company. The term bench strength refers to the depth of any given company’s pool of qualified and potential executives and managers.These short-listed people are being groomed to go up the corporate ladder, in a seamless succession of leadership that will bring stability and increased growth for the company. To make sure that the potential leaders will be up to the task, every company must invest in the training and development of their personnel. This training and development program is so designed in such a way tha t will harness the skills and strengths of these people, in the hopes that they will be able to steer the company through rough waters and towards higher grounds.Potential leaders must be identified, mentored, and exposed to all levels of the company’s operations. This way, these people are able to gain a broader and deeper insight of how the business functions, and as such, be able to contribute in all the levels of operation of the business. According to Conger (2004), â€Å"Succession management must be a flexible system that is oriented toward developmental activities, and not just a rigid list of high-potential employees and the slots they might possibly fill.† An effective bench strength strategy is to create a program that successfully marries succession planning and leadership training and development. This way, the company knows the skills required for leadership positions, and training will be aligned in such a way that these skills are successfully developed . Conger (2004) further maintains that the companies that have the most success in bench strengthening programs are â€Å"those that merge succession planning and leadership development in order to create a long-term process for managing the talent roster across their organizations. †Of course a company cannot develop a succession program if its fails to institute a hiring and retention program that would ensure the appropriate fit of employees to their respective job responsibilities. Human resources must be able to attract and hire the right people the first time. If a company fails in this regard, staffing will eat into the company’s resources, and cause disruption in the business because there is frequent change in personnel, leaving the business without any real sense of succession. (Burkholder, 2003, p. 150) In such cases, some companies are forced to hire outsiders for leadership roles.While this is not necessarily bad, personnel who have been groomed for sensit ive and executive positions are will require less adjustment both from subordinates and higher-ups alike. Companies must first look within and find potential leaders among the ranks. The sense of opportunity and career growth will inspire people and motivate them to work harder and give their best performance in every endeavor. Employees who know that their efforts are noticed and recognized have no reason to leave in search of greener pastures and better opportunities.A company with loyal and hard-working personnel will also have the pool of leaders that they need for a seamless succession of leaders. This internal development program not only saves on cots in terms of cost in time and additional compensation to attract and hiring outside people, but more importantly, boosts the morale of the personnel and ensures the stability of the company in terms of human resources. Therefore before any successful succession and leadership development can be designed, an effective staffing pro gram must first be put in place.Burkholder (2003, 151) maintains that staffing â€Å"must be aligned with the rest of the organization. † This means that staffing must take a proactive role in the company, and not just act on a need basis. There are many techniques to ensure an effective staffing program. One method is called the Baldridge process. This program requires a company to take self-assessment. This self-assessment is designed to help companies align their business processes and operations with fluctuating business needs and with the highly fickle labor market. By so doing, this recognizes the strategic role of the staffing group in the business.(Burkholder, 2003, 152) The main advantage of using the Baldridge process is that it empowers the staffing group and acknowledges their value in the business. Knowing that they have full support of the company, an empowered staffing group is thus able to create better and more efficient hiring and recruitment programs that w ill ensure the best matching of people to their spheres of responsibility. The entire business must operate as a single entity, with each department geared towards forwarding the business’ core values and achieving financial success for the company.When designing or implementing any type of staffing and retention programs, it is important to involve all the employees. It is a good idea to solicit their ideas and feedback. A cross-section of all departments must give their suggestions, this is to ensure that staffing and retention practices will be highly aligned with the needs of the company. After the programs have been implemented, there must be a system that will regularly monitor and evaluate the programs.Such a system allows dfor continued improvement; buttressing the good points and working on the not-so-good aspects of the program. (Harris & Brannick, 1999, p. 206) Every organization, regardless of its size will benefit from competent people. The issue that every compa ny must address is how to invite these people and keep them once they have been hired. The next step once you have retained these leaders, is to provide them with growth opportunities that would harness their skills and competencies to the benefit of the entire business.As the company grows, your key personnel should be made capable to handle decision-making responsibilities. To achieve this, your staffing group must be explicitly involved in the planning and implementation of the company’s business plan. By being aware of the objectives of the company, the staffing group has a framework by which to design its own hiring and retention procedures and programs in such a way that contributes to the realization of these goals. (Becker, 2001, p.29) Indeed when a department knows what is expected of them and how they can help the organization, all their energies will be focused towards the attainment of that common goal. Every company must endeavor to encourage a sense of community and participation across all levels of the organization. Only then can a business ever have a chance at carving a niche for itself in the highly competitive world of the free market. References: Becker, B. E. , Huselid, M. A. (2001). The HR Scorecard: Linking People, Strategy, and Performance.Harvard Business School Press. Brannick, J. & Harris, J (1999). Finding & Keeping Great Employees. NJ: AMACOM Div American Management Association. Burkholder, N. C. , Edwards, P. J. , Sartain, L. (2003). On Staffing: Advice and Perspectives from HR Leaders. NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Conger, J. A. & Fulmer, R. M. , (2003). Bench Strength: Grooming Your Next CEO. Developing Your Leadership Pipeline. Harvard Business Review. Vol. 81, No. 12. Retrieved on August 5, 2007 from http://hbswk. hbs. edu/archive/3855. html

Case Brief Essay Example

Case Brief Essay Example Case Brief Essay Case Brief Essay Phillip Rimmer Case Brief 10/24/10 1. Citation United States v. Collier, Jr. 29 M. J. 365 (1990) 2. Parties. United States, Appellee Sergeant William H. Collier, Jr. , United States Army, Appellant 3. Facts 1. The court of Military Review affirmed the findings and sentence. 2. The court of Military Review misapplied the test established by United States v. Brenizer, 20 M. J. 78 (CMA 1985) 3. Prosecution fails to properly utilize procedures to introduce evidence. 4. Prior Proceedings/ Procedural History 25th Infantry Division (Light) Special Court Martial, Convicted in violation of Articles 86, 91, 92 of the UMCJ, 10 U. S. C.  §Ã‚ § 886,891 and 892 (1982) United States v. Collier, Jr. , 27 M. J. 806 (A. C. M. R. 1988), which affirms conviction of the Special Court Martial. 5. Issue (s) 1. Admissibility to evidence of prior convictions. a. Did the lower court follow the legal guidelines of Mil R. Evid. 405(b) 6. Holdings This court holds that charges 1 and 2 and the sentences within the stated charges are reversed. The findings of guilty, to charges 1 and 2 are set aside. For charge 3 it is remanded back to the Court of Military Review. 7. Reasoning This court questions the reasoning of the lower courts. The main issue the court address is that of the evidence that was admitted by the lower courts. With that main issue there are sub-issues that are also addressed. The lower court misapplies the rule that test the admissibility of evidence. Even with the instruction form the judge the members of the court could use the information for an improper purpose. Under Mil. R. Evid 404(b) evidence is not admissible to prove the character of the accused. Under Mil. R. Evid. 609 a prior conviction offered for impeachment must be introduced by cross-examination or by extrinsic evidence. By allowing this evidence there is no evidence that there is an effect on charge 3. By allowing this wrongfully admitted evidence it opens the door to a prejudice effect in which concludes that charges 1 and 2 be vacated and charge 3 remanded for further actions. 8. Disposition Vacated, failure to go and willful disobedience convictions Affirmed dereliction of duty Remanded 9. Analysis Since there might be a prejudicial effect I would agree that the charges that may be affected be dismissed without prejudice. The other charge I agree that it should be remanded with instructions.

The eNotes Blog Louise Erdrich Wins 2012 National BookAward

Louise Erdrich Wins 2012 National BookAward It was a good morning for author Louise Erdrich, as she was announced the recipient of 2012s National Book Award for her novel  The Round House.   Like much of Erdrichs other work (Love Medicine, The Red Convertible),  The Round House  concerns the life of a Native American family in crisis and a culture in jeopardy. The Round House  is the story of a crime. Geraldine Coutts, an Ojibwe woman living on a reservation, is attacked. Neither her husband, Bazil, nor her thirteen-year-old son, Joe, were present when she was assaulted. Geraldine will not tell them who did it or or why; nor will she tell the police. Although Joe desperately tries to get her to tell him, or anyone, what happened, Geraldine refuses. She will not even leave her bed. Essentially motherless, Joe is left to fend for himself, although he is far from ready for the weight of adult  responsibilities. Joes father, Bazil, is a tribal judge but justice moves too slowly for the teenager. He begins his own investigation which ultimately leads him to the Round House, a sacred place of worship where, eventually, secrets are revealed. Runners Up: Speculation about who would win this year was a bit more contentious than in years past, as there were many strong contenders, both critically and popularly. One of those considered a good bet was Junot Diazs  This is How You Lose Her.   Ã‚  Nine stories intertwine, but at the center is Yunior, a young hardhead whose longing for love is equaled only by his recklessnessand by the extraordinary women he loves and loses: artistic Alma; the aging Miss Lora; Magdalena, who thinks all Dominican men are cheaters; and the love of his life, whose heartbreak ultimately becomes his own. While Diaz is undoubtedly disappointed by his loss, he certainly has a lot to console him, as this year, the 44-year-old writer was given a MacArthur Fellowship. You can listen to an interview with Diaz about that prestigious appointment here. A long shot, but a strong critical and popular favorite was not a novel but a memoir.  The Boy Kings of Texas  is about the experiences of Domingo Martinez as he grew up in the border town of Brownsville, Texas. The book is Partly a reflection on the culture of machismo and partly an exploration of the author’s boyhood spent in his sister’s hand-me-down clothes,  The Boy Kings of Texas  delves into the enduring and complex bond between Martinez and his deeply flawed but fiercely protective older brother, Daniel, and features a cast of memorable characters. Charming, painful and enlightening, this book examines the traumas and pleasures of growing up in South Texas and the often terrible consequences when two very different cultures collide on the banks  of a dying river. One of the stories from the work was featured in a must-listen segment of last weeks episode of  This American Life.  You can listen to the full episode here, or queue it up to Act III to hear Martinez read Mimis in the Middle. In another episode of the autobiography, the 13-year-old Domingo is a helpless passenger in his mothers car as she and Domingo follow his father, who is driving a truck full of marijuana, all of them hoping they do not get caught. Christmas is coming up, you know. How about adding one of these, or all three, to your wish list?

Smartphone Apps For College Students

Smartphone Apps For College Students If youre a college student, you know all about being busy with assignments, notes, appointments, dates and writing essays. You may need an extra boost of an organization in your lives. Whether you need a little help with getting and staying organized, or with keeping in touch with your family and friends, we have put together a list of the must-have smartphone apps for college students that can be used for different purposes. Just have a look! Voice Dream (iOS and Android) Whether youre a student who wants to be more productive or someone who prefer better listening than reading visually, Voice Dream is the right choice for you. Its an app for listening text documents, e-books, articles, and Web pages anywhere you want. Voice Dream has been suitably described as a Swiss Army knife for opening and reading audibly a wide range of file formats, ranging from Microsoft Word files to PowerPoint presentations. It also does a great job organizing and voicing PDF files, Plain text (TXT), Rich Text Format (RTF), Apple Pages (PAGE), Apple Keynote (KEY). Dragon Mobile Assistant (iOS and Android) With this app, you can send and receive text messages, emails, post Facebook and Twitter statuses, and much more. Dragon Mobile Assistant is using Nuances very accurate voice recognition technology, so you can set reminders, make appointments, and search the Internet – all hands-free. You can also ask about the weather or your upcoming appointments and be prepared for your day. Evernote (iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows and WebOS) If you need a place to track and keep notes from class, Evernote will do that for you. Also, with this app, you can record voice memos, to-do lists and notes and access them when you cant remember something that didnt get written down. You can store anything in your Evernote account and it will automatically sync with all of your devices with Evernote downloaded. This way, this app makes you notes easy to capture. Wi-Fi Finder (iOS and Android) If you need a quiet place to study, but also need an Internet connection, Wi-Fi Finder is your new best buddy. Its navigation is built to help you find the nearest Wi-Fi connection in more than 650,000 locations in 144 countries worldwide. The most awesome thing about this app is that you dont need to be online to view the list of available Wi-Fi networks. Dropbox (iOS, Android, Blackberry and Kindle Fire) If you are looking for a way to keep your files on the go, you should download Dropbox app. With this app, you can have everything (from videos and audios to papers and notes) with you on your smartphone, stored on Dropbox. This means that this app allows you to easily share files, photos, and/or videos across almost any device or platform. SoundHound (iOS, Android, Nokia and Windows) It happens all the time that you hear a great song while sitting in a hall or coffee shop, but you dont know the author? This app will help you to identify the song and artist. Additionally, you can also find out more information about the artist, videos, and much more stuff like share read lyrics with your friends. SoundHound is impressive with identifying new music as well as slightly less popular tracks. One more awesome thing, this app can identify songs that you sing or hum, which is perfect for those situations when you get an undetectable song stuck in your head. Tabata timer (iOS and Android) Everybody knows that its very important to regularly do the exercises and stay in shape. If you dont have much time for that, Tabata Timer is a great app for you. Its very easy to use the app for high-intensity interval training. This app helps you to do Tabata Training, to burn your fat fast and gain the same benefits of long drawn out workouts.

Contract Law Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contract Law Questions - Assignment Example A contract of sale meanwhile is a contract where one party called the vendor or seller obligates himself to transfer the ownership of and to deliver a determinate thing, while the other party called the vendee or buyer obligates himself to pay for the said thing a price certain in money or its equivalent. In the case at bar, there are two issues involved i.e. whether there is an employment contract between Abe and his prospective employer and whether there is a contract of sale between Abe and the supplier of the goods. A further issue is whether Abe can return the goods and get his money back. As to the first issue, there is clearly no meeting of minds as Abe merely presumed he will get the contract. There is no acquiescence to the contract on the part of the employer. There is no offer and there is no acceptance as mandated as essential in the case Adams v Lindsell (Furmston & Chevalier 2006,p.15). On the part of Abe, he may rescind if the supplier commits a breach of warranty agai nst hidden defects which also includes unfitness for the use intended or encumbrances upon the thing sold as illustrated in the case Re Moore v Landauer (Owens 2001,p.455). Since there is none of the above, there is no breach of warranty and thus he may not be allowed to return the goods he had bought. b). If a resprayed surface of the car may be considered as a hidden or redhibitory defect, it is not a serious or important defect that may render the car unfit or considerably decreases its fitness. The respraying only causes a slight change in the quality of the car, for better or for worse, and may not even be considered as a hidden defect. Thus I would advise Bert that there is no need to refund money because the act of respraying does not go into the root of the contract as held in the case HongKong Fir Shipping Co. Ltd. v Kawasaki.   c) The court held in the case Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists (Southern ) Ltd. that "the display of goods in a store constitutes an invitation to treat and not a contractual offer". Thus, I would advise Chris not to pursue and insist on his offer to buy the mixer at the price he desired because the price tag in the advertised mixer is not a contractual offer but a mere invitation to inquire into (Salzedo et al 2004,p.4).

Leadership Apollo 13 movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership Apollo 13 movie - Essay Example One of the key characters in the film is Jim Lovell; whose real name is real life is Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks depicts the qualities of a leader as depicted by DuBrin in his book â€Å"Leadership†. Jim Lovell portrays some of the most appropriate leadership character traits which deal with interpersonal aspects of a leader. According to DuBrin, Leadership has everything to do with motivation and change among other aspects (35). Other aspects that DuBrin classifies as part of a leader’s role are the administrative and planning aspects. Apollo 13 has the appropriate example of how a leader should act when there are challenges, which are unexpected in an organization. Jim Lovell is portrayed as a charismatic leader, one who is quick in action and a fast thinker when there is a crisis. This character trait is evident in one of the scenes where Jim Lovell and other astronauts approach their long awaited destination. Before landing, the craft’s power system starts having a problem and the crew’s supply of oxygen also runs out. This is the time Jim Lovell’s leadership skills are put to the test when the crew begins to panic. The crew members were aware that there was a problem and time was running out. From this scene, viewers get to see Jim Lovell as a democratic leader, as he favors no crew member when they start panicking and each member is allowed to contribute to decision making. As DuBrin indicates in his book, for a person to be considered an effective leader, he or she has to be aware of cer tain tactics of influencing people (263). On page 263, DuBrin’s point is that when such a person has the ability to influence, he has the power as a leader. Jim Lovell is also depicted as a hands-on leader. DuBrin states that hands-on leadership is required in all areas, if the leader is to be classified as an effective leader (250). Lovell is directly involved in the lives of his crew members. This can be evidenced in the beginning of the film, where Lovell decides

Wholefoods Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wholefoods - Case Study Example In the pre-industrial period all foods were whole foods. After industrialization the distinction was made (â€Å"Wholefood†). Industry’s Businesses and Economic Traits: There are several companies doing businesses with whole foods. Among them the Whole Foods Market, Inc. is the largest in the US. Among other companies Wild Oats Markets Inc. was a big name. The Whole Foods Market is a highly successful business entity as a retailer. It has almost 172 stores in USA. It has the reputation for selling good quality products and in terms of the labour employments. Wal-Mart is another big name in the retailing business of whole foods. The main economic traits of this industry is that these retailers purchase products directly from the producers, the farmers, and sale them in the market. These foods (mainly rice, vegetables, grains etc.) are necessary goods, hence demand for these food items are permanent and subject to be less affected by any changes in consumers’ incom e (Bluejay). Nature and Strength of Competitive Forces: The high necessity for these foods has made many retailers to supply these foods to the market. Hence, the competition is very much present. But the strategic decisions of few of the large business firms have lowered down the competition. The Whole Foods Market, the biggest name in the whole foods industry, has largely occupied the market. It had a tough competition from Wild Oats Market and hence on 2007 it merged with the Wild Oats Market. Wal-Mart is also creating huge competition in the industry. The competition lies mainly in the purchase of foods from the farmers at lower prices and also selling them at competitive prices. The acquisition of the Wild Oats implies the intention of the Whole Foods Market of charging high prices (Bluejay). Forces behind Industry Changes: The industry for whole foods is changing. The aggressive monopolization and hunt for more profits through high price and lower quality of food products, mer ging illegally with the small retailers, proving low prices to the farmers and low wages to the employees etc. are affecting the business of the Whole Foods Market and hence, the small retailers across the country are emerging. Not only that the farmers are getting encouragements from the government to supply their food products directly to the marketplaces. The government is also trying to purchase these products at subsidized prices from farmers and to supply them to market as public goods (Bluejay). Market Positions of Industry Rivals: The dominance of the Whole Foods Market in the industry excludes the dominance of all other rivals. In fact, the market shares for the rivals are not much at all. The Whole Foods have the advantage of local market that is growing rapidly and that they are the oldest in the industry and hence, they are getting more support from the local farmers. The acquisitions of different small whole grocers like the Portland Public Market, the Whole Grocers and the Wild Oats have helped it to acquire largest market share in the industry (Scarborough, Wilson and Zimmerer, 84-87). Next Strategic Moves of rivals: The dominant market share of the Whole Foods Market has marked the notable success in the industry. But this has also creates problems for the rivals. The rivals are getting marginalized in the market. Hence, the rivals are trying to initiate few strategies that will help them to earn good market share. They are trying to expand their business in outside USA. For example, recently Wal-Mart has decided to start business in South-East Asian countries. Also they are trying to initiate new pricing policies, such as charging lower price for the same food products as Whole Food is selling. They are also trying to get government help in terms of earning market

Persuasion and Argumentation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasion and Argumentation - Research Paper Example sitized children through operant and classical conditioning, while also presenting role models of violence; nevertheless, some of Grossman’s claims have to be checked for their accuracy and generalization effects. Grossman effectively uses ethos to establish his credentials as someone who knows what he is saying when it comes to training people to kill. He describes his profession and experiences with the army to underline that he has valid empirical and anecdotal knowledge, which can back up his claims. He says that he has travelled the world to train medical, law enforcement, and military personnel sharing knowledge about warfare conditions. He also claims to be an expert in â€Å"killology† because he is a psychologist and a former U.S. Army Scout Ranger. Killology is a new branch of science that concerns the study of how and why people kill each other during war, as well as the causes of violence. His credentials and experiences are important to ethos because he effectively establishes his background and proficiency on this matter. He stresses that he possess an insider experience and he can see valid parallels between training soldiers to kill and how the media trains children to kill as well. His beliefs support numerous studies, such as those from Daly and Perez in 2009 and Huston-Stein et al. in 1981, where exposing pre-school children to media violence increased aggressive behaviors and decreased pro-social behaviors. These studies are similar to the studies and experiences that Grossman mentions, which strengthens his credibility as a valid critic of the effects of violence in media on children. Grossman uses simple emotional images to evoke revulsion for media violence. In a study which explains the connection between TV violence and actual violence, he stresses that it takes fifteen years to condition people to kill. He says that the â€Å"prime crime age† is 15 years because â€Å"that is how long it takes for you to reap what you have sown when you

Criminal Justice in the Movie Gridiron Gang Review

Criminal Justice in the Gridiron Gang - Movie Review Example The Camp Kilpatrick serves as the "last stop" for juvenile offenders before they are finally transferred to jail with the adults. The essence of retribution is encapsulated in the statement: "Let the punishment fit the crime" which is actually reflected in Gridiron Gang. Under this context, the degree of the harshness of the crime committed should be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime that was committed. Simply put, retribution is somewhat a backward-looking type of theory which looks to the past in order to know what to do in the present. In the context of the film, this is manifested through the number of years that a convicted person should spend inside the jail. Meanwhile, deterrence is usually classified into two categories: general deterrence and specific deterrence. General deterrence basically uses the individual who is sentenced for a crime as means of inducing the public not to commit any forms of crime. On the other hand, specific deterrence means punishing the offender to prevent the offender himself from committing other crimes in the future. Their detention itself is actually a means to convey to the other people that these offenders must not be emulated; meanwhile, the offenders themselves would be discouraged to commit another crime given the stigma that they could get from the society. Meanwhile, rehabilitation asserts for changing the offender through correctional means like the football team that is initiated by Sean. It is a good way of motivating the teenagers to turn a new leaf and also serves as a good way of diverting their attention into worthwhile activities. Instead of thinking about the punishment that they are given, they would be more focused on forging camaraderie and sportsmanship among their teammates, as well as opponents in the game. Rehabilitation is considered more effective among first time and non-violent offenders. Â  

Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Paraphrasing - Essay Example This course changed my belief immensely and I have also found out why they acted the way they did during the rule of Nazi and eventually under Adolf Hitler. I came to know how propaganda was used within the said time in an effective manner by Hitler and Nazi to get as much support from masses as possible. I also came to know that Hitler was loved by people since they believed in his passion and desire to do something for them (Gutsman, 1990.p.132). They were of the view that his undertakings were for the sake of the people at large. In essence, I would like to fathom that I learned a great deal about nationalism within this course which is something that gives me immense heart as my learning domains have increased over a period of time. This is something that I see as my learning during the length of this course. I have learned quite a few new things about Germans and the country that all of us know by the name of Germany. My insights have banked on the realization that any enlightened society can become horrible if bias, prejudice and racist slurs creep in. Same is the case with Germany and its people. It has been haunting them to this day and has set a negative mindset all round within the world. I do not consider myself as an exception to this rule. Moreover, I have learned that manipulations within cultural values and settings do take place, and it is imperative that people are given the chance to observe both sides of a story before reaching a conclusion. My case is no different because I learned that Germans have been misunderstood and that they need to be given their relevant time and space to showcase their true selves. I also acquired that nationalism is an important manifestation which one needs to have b ecause it defines who he is and what he can learn about a distinct set of people. In the end, I would like to recollect that

Criminal Justice in the Movie Gridiron Gang Review

Criminal Justice in the Gridiron Gang - Movie Review Example The Camp Kilpatrick serves as the "last stop" for juvenile offenders before they are finally transferred to jail with the adults. The essence of retribution is encapsulated in the statement: "Let the punishment fit the crime" which is actually reflected in Gridiron Gang. Under this context, the degree of the harshness of the crime committed should be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime that was committed. Simply put, retribution is somewhat a backward-looking type of theory which looks to the past in order to know what to do in the present. In the context of the film, this is manifested through the number of years that a convicted person should spend inside the jail. Meanwhile, deterrence is usually classified into two categories: general deterrence and specific deterrence. General deterrence basically uses the individual who is sentenced for a crime as means of inducing the public not to commit any forms of crime. On the other hand, specific deterrence means punishing the offender to prevent the offender himself from committing other crimes in the future. Their detention itself is actually a means to convey to the other people that these offenders must not be emulated; meanwhile, the offenders themselves would be discouraged to commit another crime given the stigma that they could get from the society. Meanwhile, rehabilitation asserts for changing the offender through correctional means like the football team that is initiated by Sean. It is a good way of motivating the teenagers to turn a new leaf and also serves as a good way of diverting their attention into worthwhile activities. Instead of thinking about the punishment that they are given, they would be more focused on forging camaraderie and sportsmanship among their teammates, as well as opponents in the game. Rehabilitation is considered more effective among first time and non-violent offenders. Â  

Southern Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Southern Society - Essay Example In addition, they were not allowed to attend school, and those who had access to educational facilities were segregated so that they could not share the same facilities with Whites2. Although there were some free slaves who enjoyed more privileges compared to their completely enslaved counterparts, they were also limited to the fringes of the society. In other words, they were basically regarded as slightly privileged slaves. At the height of slavery, African Americans were considered inferior members of the society who, despite having been denied the most fundamental of rights and liberties, were also denied recognition for any notable achievements3. For example, in spite of the fact that many African American soldiers fought in the American Civil War and made vital contributions to the Southern cause, most of their achievements were concealed from mainstream knowledge until such a time that they could be revealed without much publicity4. Finally, African Americans also suffered brutality and mistreatment at the hands of their

The behavior in violent video games Essay Example for Free

The behavior in violent video games Essay In today’s society video games can cause many behavior problems. The violence in video games can affect children in many ways. Violent video games affect a person’s brain and health. At last, violent video games also affect the player’s personality in various ways. Acting violently and having nightmares are two ways of how violent video games affect children. Some games contain some graphic content, and may give children ideas that they do not understand. These games also make children believe that killing someone is acceptable and the reality of people dying can be compared to situations seen previously in games. Children’s learning abilities are also affected since they tend to do as they see, kind of like monkey see, monkey do. Basically, they learn to be violent so they will be violent in their life and react aggressively. The human brain is affected by violent video games in many ways. After so much playing the human brain believes the game is real. Video games stir up tension, and a feeling of fear, and this could have long term affects on the autonomic nerves. The autonomic nerves are connected with breathing and heart rate. If a person, who is playing video games, has suffered from seizures and continues playing, the chances over seizures coming back are extremely high. The video game player’s personality will be affected in many ways. For example, playing decreases prosocial behaviors, this includes activities such as giving to charity, volunteering, and overall â€Å"helping† behaviors. Some studies have proved that video game players lead to an increase in antisocial behavior. These frequently users rather isolate from others and play than socialize. When playing becomes an addiction, their personality has completely transformed into an isolated antisocial person. In conclusion, violent video games can cause many different behavior problems for children. It affects their brain, their health, and their personality. Finally, children should be careful when choosing the type of video game to play.

Explination Of Butlers Thesis :: essays research papers

Bret Hribar Q1:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Butler’s theory of desire separates all desires into two groups, the desire for â€Å"self-love† and the desire for â€Å"particular affection†, which are all other desires like hunger, sleep, or sex. â€Å"Self-love† is a person general desire for happiness, this, as Butler states is an internal desire, a desire for our own enjoyment and satisfaction. Butler separates this desire from the desire for â€Å"particular affections† because these are all external desires, the desire for objects around us that fulfill those desires. He says that these desires are not based on reason, but may follow from it. For example a person instinctively wants to eat or drink but may not know why he needs to eat or drink. Therefore that desire for food is not a conscious decision, â€Å"I should eat now because I need the energy to live,† but rather it is an innate desire, â€Å"I want food because I am hungry.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His distinction separates all the desires into the reasoning section of the mind, that a particular action would be in the best interest of themselves, â€Å"self-love†, and the animalistic desire for a certain thing. For example a person who wants to smoke a cigarette does so because of the need for nicotine, â€Å"a particular affection†, whereas the person knows the cigarette is bad for them and that they shouldn’t smoke, which is self interest. Q2:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to show that all actions are not motivated by self-love Butler gives reasons why all actions might be motivated by self-love and them tries to disprove them. He states that all desires are self motivated, even the ones that appear not to be. A person may donate money to help the less fortunate but they are not motivated to do so because of a need to decrease someone else’s suffering but are motivated by a need to ease their own guilt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The point he is making is that all actions done by a person are motivated by the desire for their own happiness and since all desires are ones own, all desires must be aimed at self-love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason, Butler points out, that this deduction is wrong is due to the target of the desire. Some things are pursued because we know that they will make us happier, the reason or target of this desire is internal, that self motivated action is self love. Not all desires are based on our own best interest though, you may hate another person and want to hurt them, but by doing so may not be in your interest, he might break your face.

Monica Lewinsky: Women in Society, Body Image and Feminism :: Essays Papers

Monica Lewinsky: Women in Society, Body Image and Feminism In the current post-impeachment proceedings the question becomes whom it has affected most and what it will mean to them and their agenda. Obvious groups that will suffer most from the impeachment that are subject to the after effects are the Republican Party and American politics in general. As far as individuals are concerned, Monica Lewinsky has a good deal of post-scandal baggage. But what about those who will experience the effects of Monica and what she represents as a woman in American society? The movement which has suffered the most in the standpoint of social and political agenda are the Feminists. Using Feminist criticism to analyze the discourse surrounding and as well as by the speaker, Monica, I aim to reveal how women's place in society led by the Feminist's has changed due the sex scandal and where it maybe headed next. In looking at this aspect of the scandal it becomes crucial not just to analyze the discourse of Feminists and Monica but to find it in a larger scheme of a society which shapes many of the gender roles and pressures put on individuals to look and act in certain ways. There is an evident change in the role of women in American society that has occurred as a result of the scandal which is important not just to the Feminists and their supporters but to any female who enters the public arena and is faced with pressures and expectations put on them as a result of their gender. As a leading special interest group, Feminists, who are politically active concerning gender roles in society, have been at the forefront of the Paula Jones case and the Lewinksy-Clinton scandal. What comes at odds with the Feminist stance in politics is a womanizing Democratic President that they support and his opportunizing and provocative young mistress. It was something the Feminists were neither prepared for nor easily responded to when given the option of a liberal President with sexual issues or the conservative, Republican moralists taking charge. We deplore his misconduct but we also understand the hypocrisy of his opponents. We Have years of progress at stake if the President is hounded out of office. But worse yet, We wish the ushering into power of a puritanical or fundamentaliststs, sex police which Speaks of freedom but allows government to destroy the right of privacy.

Dramatic tension Essay

This then, is clearly contrasted with the language used when describing a life spent as Willy’s has been, selling and buying. Biff speaks off such a life using words such as ‘suffer’ and ‘measly’ and again, the stage directions are clear in indicating his tone ‘with rising agitation. ‘ A dramatic tension is created then, between the different lifestyles, as Biff and Happy are portrayed as struggling with the inner conflict of conforming to their father’s ideals, or obeying their natural desires. The setting is also crucial in conveying dramatic tension. The use of scenery illuminates the attitude of Willy, and the audience is engaged in a sensory experience with the actor. Furthermore, the setting reflects the events taking place and can set the mood and atmosphere that are so important in creating dramatic tension. The house then, is a place of an increasingly dramatic tension. The house is an important part of the setting as it represents Willy’s flawed ambition. Details such as the single ‘silver athletic trophy’ being one of the only furnishings represents the importance of success but also the lack of it due to the bard setting of the home. The kitchen then, shows only ‘three chairs’ at the table. This may represent the absence of Biff as part of their lives. Dramatic tension is woven throughout, hinting at difficulties surrounding the return of ‘the prodigal son’ and the lack of selling success that is soon revealed to be haunting Willy. He built the house as a part of his success however; it has become overshadowed by apartment blocks. The street outside is packed with cars showing that success is now being achieved by many and in comparison; Willy’s small house is now insignificant, as is his dwindling success. Many of the events take place in the house, and most prominently, the family arguments. It is in the house that Biff comes to terms with flunking maths, that Biff and Willy argue about success, that Linda yells at her sons, and finally, Biff produces the rubber piping and confronts his father. These arguments create dramatic tension as what should have been the perfect family set-up and home becomes fractured, and so is Willy’s dream, to the point of suicide. The Garden or Backyard is also an important part of the setting. Willy attempts to plant seeds remarking ‘I’ve got to get some seeds, right away. Nothings planted, I don’t have a thing in the ground. ‘ The garden is a motif then, of Willy’s need and desire for success. It also represents the legacy that that Willy never leaves with his family. Though Willy attempts to plant his garden near the end of the play, this is too little too late. His life then, had already been a failure and he has left nothing remarkable by which to be remembered. This is a very high point of dramatic tension as the audience is very aware that Willy seems to sense the end of his life is incredibly close. Linked to the production of the rubber pipe only moments later, an overhanging reminder of Willy’s contemplation of suicide creates incredible tension. Dramatic tension is also created through the use of stage and sound effects as well as lighting. Miller uses all three methods as mood and atmosphere creators to enhance and create dramatic tension. Miller is very specific when describing the effects to depict the Loman house. Staging effects include transparent walls in order to make to whole house accessible to the audience. Furthermore, it creates a sense of vulnerability and rawness enhanced by the towering blocks surrounding the house. This vulnerability then, creates a sense defence from attack that enhances dramatic tension. Miller describes the Tower blocks as ‘tall angular shapes’ that reflect Willy’s feeling of inferiority and also claustrophobia and then create a threatening presence. Lighting is crucial in creating atmosphere and dramatic tension. The beginning scene is the most prominent example of this. At first Miller uses the ‘blue light of the sky’ to recreate a depressed and sorrowful mood. The dramatic tension arises when this becomes and ‘an angry glow of orange. ‘ This change suddenly shows a threatening and angry, harsh and dangerous mood. Tension is obvious as the two moods seem far apart but are obviously both linked to the events that will unfold in the Loman house. Sound effects are also important at this point and then throughout the novel. At this stage, the music of a lilting flute is described as fragile and small and fine. It can be seen to represent the better times of the family in which Willy was more successful. It also becomes associated with Willy’s self-delusion of success and his dream of fortune. This music is played then at varying points throughout the play, symboling to the audience a flashback or a sad remainder of a once optimistic dream. The dramatic tension is created as music appears before the events, leaving the audience with a sense of suspense. Other characters ‘theme music’ are that of Bens, and that of the boys, described as ‘gay and happy. ‘ Miller uses these ahead of the character appearance to show that they are about to become involved in the plot, creating dramatic tension as the audience wonders how this will effect the unfolding events. Miller uses more than just music to create dramatic tension. Sound effects such as the screech of Willy’s tyres as he commits suicide create vivid, realistic and highly tense moments. Miller also uses voices to create confusion in Willy’s last actions, thereby recreating the confusion and breakdown of Willy’s mental state. The tension is increased, as his next moves cannot be predicted. The voice of ‘The Women’ constitutes much dramatic tension. Upon hearing her voice and laugh, even beyond the ‘Boston Bedroom’ scene, we are then led to consider whether Willy has ended the affair and the consequences the relationship would cast. Combined with the way in which the family seems to further splinter, an incredible tension is created. Moreover, Biff’s growing agitation toward his indicates that he may be ready to reveal hidden affair. ‘The Woman’s’ laugh adds to this dramatic tension by sounding ironic and mocking, and this further exposes Willy’s vulnerability and confusion. Symbolism is also used throughout both to create dramatic tension and to link the past and the future. Perhaps the rubber piping creates the highest point of tension. It represents Willy’s insecurities and contemplation of death, a prospect that is in itself, an incredibly dramatically tense subject throughout as the audience is constantly left to wonder whether or not Willy will commit suicide. Furthermore, Linda knows of its existence but is reluctant to confront her husband. From the point that Biff decides to remove and keep the piping, we are aware that he now has two strongholds over his father, and tension is evident in his conflict between using this advantage over the now weakened Willy, and the reminder of the awesome respect he used to hold for his Father. In this final scene, Biff finally confronts his father by producing the tubing. Linda is horrified; Biff is angry and confused while Willy is left to defend himself. Such dramatic tension is highly powerful as it plays on the volatile emotional and relational ties found linking the characters. Their interactions then, are charged emotional, created by Miller as part of an incredibly tense sense of drama. Miller combines these methods of creating intense dramatic tension and as a result has produced a highly successful play that continues to capture the audiences rapt attention throughout.

Lean Management

LEAN IN PRODUCTION AND SERVICE The word term ‘’LEAN’’ was put together to describe and personalize Toyota’s business activity during the 1980’s by a research team headed by one Jim Womack, Ph. D. , at MIT’s international Motor vehicle programme. According to them, the concept of ‘LEAN’ was fathered by Taiichi Ohno of Toyota. Ohno developed a contrasting approach to the mass production methods of US car firms through necessity. Later, in 1996, Jim Womack’s team espoused the five lean principles and also lean tools that they believed were the secret for Toyota’s success. According to Oxford dictionaries, Lean means efficient and with no wastage. The core idea of lean is to minimize wastage and at the same time maximize customer value. Customer value is of utmost importance to a lean organization and the organization will focus on its key processes to continue increasing the value. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the perfect value creation process that has no wastage. To accomplish this value creation and zero wastage goal, lean thinking changes the focus of a management from optimizing separate technologies, assets and vertical departments to optimize the flow of products and services through entire value streams that flow horizontally across technologies, assets and department customers. By reducing or eliminating waste along the entire stream of value, we will be able to come up with processes that would need less effort, less space, reduced capitals and reduced time in order to make products and services at prices far less than normal and with fewer defects. Organizations will be able to be responsive towards changing customer needs and wants with a lot of variety, higher quality, reduced costs and with less throughput times. Information management will also be much simpler and much more accurate. Lean management is a concept which can be applied in every business and every process. It should not be compared with a cost reduction program or tactic because it is a way of thinking and acting that applies to the whole organization. Nowadays, it is common that businesses across all industries and services, including the health care and even governments around the world are applying the concept of lean as the way they think and operate their business. Many of these organizations does not use the word lean out of choice and tend to label their practices as their own system, such as the Toyota Production System or the Danaher Business System. It is done to instill a point that lean is not a simple programme or a short term ost reduction solutions, but the way the company operates. the term ‘Transformation’ or ‘lean Transformation’ are usually used to characterize a company that is moving from an old way to a lean thinking way. this transformation requires a complete transformation on how a company usually conducts their business, thus, requiring long term perspective and perseverance through the changing time. It is also interesting to note that the concept of lean in production and servic e has the touch of one of the greater management thinkers, W. Edwards Deming who had great influence in Japanese manufacturing. He believed that the present manufacturing scenario is a prison of interacting people and stressed the importance of re-inventing the management processes in order to achieve higher efficiency and value. In implementing lean in production or services, I will be following the concept espoused by Womack’s team that stressed on three important business issues that will be able to guide the transformation process of an entire organization into a lean organization. In order to achieve lean objectives in an organization, it is important first of all to note that the organization and the people leading the transformation need to have a lean vision. In order to develop this lean vision, we can concentrate on three fundamental business issues which are Purpose, Process and People. By thinking deeply into these three aspects, a lean implementer can try to answer critical questions on the vision of the organization. If we are able to answer the key questions that I have associated with each of the aspects, I believe that we can develop a vision for lean implementation in our organization. The questions would be:- 1. purpose what are the customer problems will the organization try to solve in order to achieve their own purpose of prospering? 2. Process: how will the organization assess each major value stream devised to make sure each step in the value stream is valuable, capable, available, adequate and flexible? 3. People: how will the organization ensure that every important process in the value stream has someone responsible for continually evaluating it in terms of business purpose and also lean process? How will everyone involved in the value stream be engaged actively in the process of operating it correctly and continually improving it? As for the next step that I would take, it would be on the possible implementation of the core lean principle into my organization. This, I believe would involve the core of lean which is basically waste reduction. Usually, in an organization including production and service oriented organizations, we can find seven basic types of waste, which I am listing below. ? Producing goods and services beyond the immediate need of the customers. Unnecessary movement of products due to poor layout planning. ? Wasted motions when working. ? Time idling and wastage. ? Implementing processes that are unimportant to finish a product. ? Poor inventory management. ? Many defects in the finished product or output. Usually, waste will be present in any activity that does not add any value to the finished product or services. By trying to eliminate waste, the materia l velocity will be increase drastically. This means products will reach the customers hand in a very quick manner. This is an advantage because it delivers high strategic advantages beyond the obvious cost savings. Bad quality will be eliminated and lead times are shortened effectively. Eliminating waste can be considered as a strategic goal in service oriented and manufacturing oriented organizations. As I have mentioned before, elimination of waste will ensure increase in strategic advantages such as increased income and increased customer satisfaction. In adapting lean processes and services, we may be confronted by some constrains and challenges. The adaptability of lean depends on the nature of our business. We have to remember that there is a vast difference in between the service and production industries, and it lies in the source that creates the variation that causes waste to happen. Logically, manufacturing operations are far more controllable compared to service industry, because of its laboratory like settings compared to the service industry. Uncertainty usually does result from material and labor inputs, but we can still anticipate those uncertainties and take steps to control it to a great extent. For example, Toyota, pioneer in lean management is production/manufacturing based organization, and the employees, product esign and the production tools are usually under the control of the operations to a great extent, rendering it easier for implementers to anticipate uncertainty and implement the efficient lean management. In contrast, service organizations operate in a vast sea of uncertainty and risks and when uncertainty is present, it is much harder to anticipate and control variability that will be present together with it, For example, a project management company. We know that each project that the company will receive or implement will be different in nature. The volatility of the service industry, in particular a project management company, requires that lean management principles is implemented on a case by case method, i. e. different implementation and methods for different projects. This nature of the service industry is contributed by a few causes. Let's look at these causes one by one:- ? Uncertainty in task times. It is the nature of service products that the execution of each and every service delivery has some uniqueness. Taking the example of the project management company, each project taken may not be similar to each other, thus making it difficult to judge the task time needed. This variability in the service industry leads to a negative exponential distribution of task times. This simply means to say that most of the tasks execution will fall within a tight range, and some execution will take a longer time. Considering airplane boarding as another example, there is uncertainty present in the sense that it will take different amount of time among different groups of customers to board the plane. ? Uncertainty in demand. While there are ways to forecast demand in service industry, we can’t claim that it is 100% perfect. Usually, manufacturers buffer this forecast uncertainty with some finished goods inventory, but this is not the case in the service industry for example, we can forecast that reservations for a hotel will increase during peak seasons but it depends on many other fluctuating factors. Sometimes it is very hard to predict the demand of individual customer. As an example, a wedding planner essentially does planning job for customers wedding, but this lanning differs based on customer preferences, budget and also other factors. This uncertainty renders each wedding and the process that the organization goes through to put together the wedding, a unique one. ? Customers' production roles. As we can see from both the uncertainties above, we can summarize that it has much to do with customers. This is because typically, customers have some role to play in the production of a service, w e introduce variability based on how well we perform our roles. Customers almost always have to provide some information to the service agents to initiate service, and we usually have some tangible tasks to perform. So, as I have already stated it before, this condition create unique situations that needs personal implementations of lean in order to make sure wastage is reduced and value is delivered to each individual customers. Lean implementation involves finding solutions that will be able to offset the challenges and difficulties that we may face in our organization to achieve a successful outcome that will support a competitive operations strategy. Professors Kent Bowen and Steven Spear (HBS DBA '99), drew on a framework of 4 principles of the Toyota Production System that they believed will reduce the constrains, difficulties and challenges to a minimum in order to enjoy leaner productions and service. The framework contains 4 easily implement able rules:- Rule no. 1: all work should be highly specific as to content, sequence, timing and outcome. Rule no. 2: every customer-supplier connections must be direct, and there must be an unambiguous yes or no ways to send request and receive responses. Rule no. 3: the pathway for every products and services must be simple and direct. Rule no. 4: any improvements must be made in accordance with the specific method, under the guidance of a teacher, at the lowest possible level in the organization. Basically, my plan for a successful implementation of lean depends on the 4 rules given above, but I am going to give it some twist with adding some additional techniques that I feel would encourage faster and easier ways to overcome challenges faced by organizations implementing lean. I am going to add a three step initiative taken by Wipro, an Indian software developer, which can boost the implementation of lean, which are:- †¢ Abolish Hierarchies. Devise a bottom-up organization that allows many people to have a field-wide view of the process to spot problems and identify efficiencies. †¢ Continuous Improvement. Using â€Å"kaizen† initiative. Encouraging organizational level knowledge sharing through effective and efficient work improvement. †¢ Lean Tools. Use of tools specific to the process based on lean principles which can be utilized to pinpoint wasted time and effort. A combination of both these initiatives, I believe can lead to a lean flow which will be the tool that I would utilize to mitigate the challenges that can be faced during lean implementation. Drawing up a process flow chart that represents each step that a product/service would go through is essential. It is advisable to represent these sequential processes graphically in a flow chart. This is the first step towards an error and waste free production. For each and every products or processes that are present in the process flow charts, another level of details is required. This involves the task-level work with associated , with associated work-content times, with associated work-content times, quality verifications and worker qualifications. We can also produce a product/process matrix with products on the vertical axis and processes on the horizontal axis. At every intersection of product and process, this matrix, or spreadsheet should be recording the total reasonable validated work times that has been devised. We must also be able to calculate Takt. Takt is a German word which basically mean beat, pace or rhythm. Businesses, especially service oriented business must march to the beat of the customers and we must keep up with our customers pace.. Takt, can be calculated as, work time per day divided by customer requirements per day. This calculation represents how often each process must be performed, and at what capacity level, to take care of your customer’s needs and demands and be able to meet it as soon as possible. In order to have sustainable lean benefits, the implementation of lean must bridge the gap from project to project and also business practices. Quality documents procedures, policies and measures must reflect and drive Lean as a way of life. This will ensure success in reducing waste. Planning and procurement drives daily lean execution. Lean manufacturing is more responsive, with shorter lead time and greater mix and volume flexibility. We must be able to change our planning to take full advantage of lean. Bibliography Womack. J. P, Lean Enterprise Institute Inc. 2009, What Is Lean (Online) Available at: http://www. lean. rg/WhatsLean/ (Accessed 20th October 2009) Ahlstrom, P (2004) ‘Lean service operations: translating lean production principles to service operations’ International Journal of Services Technology and Management, Vol 5, nos 5-6 pp545-564 Spear and Bowen 1999 ‘Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System’ Harvard Business Review Sept-Oct Womack, J. P. and D. T. Jones 1996 ‘Lean Thinking’ New York, Simon & Schuster. Taylor: FW 1998 ‘The Principles of Scientific Management’ Dover Publications: New York. First published in 1911 Ohno, T 1988 ‘Toyota Production System’ Productivity Press: Portland, Oregon. Translated from Japanese original, first published 1978 David McPhetrige, 2009, An industry consultant provides guidance on implementing a basic Lean plan. MPO magazine. (Online) Available at: http://www. mpo-mag. com/articles/2009/09/meeting-the-challenges-of-lean-flow (Accessed on 21st October 2009) Hanna. J, 2007, Bringing ‘Lean’ Principles to Service Industry. Harvard Business School (Online) Available at: http://hbswk. hbs. edu/item/5741. html (Accessed on 21st October 2009)

Marx and Freud: Comparing Their Views Of Human Nature Essay

In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels present their view of human nature and the effect that the economic system and economic factors have on it. Marx and Engels discuss human nature in the context of the economic factors which they see as driving history. Freud, in Civilization and Its Discontents, explores human nature through his psychological view of the human mind. Marx states that history ‘†¦is the history of class struggles’ (9). Marx views history as being determined by economics, which for him is the source of class differences. History is described in The Communist Manifesto as a series of conflicts between oppressing classes and oppressed classes. According to this view of history, massive changes occur in a society when new technological capabilities allow a portion of the oppressed class to destroy the power of the oppressing class. Marx briefly traces the development of this through different periods, mentioning some of the various oppressed and oppressing classes, but points out that in earlier societies there were many gradations of social classes. He also states that this class conflict sometimes leads to ‘†¦the common ruin of the contending classes’ (Marx 9). Marx sees the modern age as being distinguished from earlier periods by the simplification and intensification of the class conflict. He states that ‘Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps†¦ bourgeoisie and proletariat’ (Marx 9). The bourgeoisie, as the dominant class of capitalists, subjugates the proletariat by using it as an object for the expansion of capital. As capitalism progresses, this subjugation reduces a larger portion of the population to the proletariat and society becomes more polarized. According to Marx, the polarization of society and the intense oppression of the proletariat will eventually lead to a revolution by the proletariat, in which the control of the bourgeoisie will be destroyed. The proletariat will then gain control of the means of production. This revolution will result in the creation of a socialist state, which the proletariat will use to institute socialist reforms and eventually communism. The reforms which Marx outlines as occurring in the socialist state have the common goal of disimpowering the bourgeoisie and increasing economic equality. He sees this socialist stage as necessary for but inevitably leading to the establishment of communism. Human beings, which are competitive under capitalism and other prior economic systems, will become cooperative under socialism and communism. Marx, in his view of human nature, sees economic factors as being the primary motivator for human thought and action. He asks the rhetorical question, ‘What else does the history of ideas prove, than that intellectual production changes its character in proportion as material production is changed?’ (Marx 29). For Marx, the economic status of human beings determines their consciousness. Philosophy, religion and other cultural aspects are a reflection of economics and the dominant class which controls the economic system. This view of human nature as being primarily determined by economics may seem to be a base view of humanity. However, from Marx’s point of view, the human condition reaches its full potential under communism. Under communism, the cycle of class conflict and oppression will end, because all members of society will have their basic material needs met, rather than most being exploited for their labor by a dominant class. In this sense the Marxian vie w of human nature can be seen as hopeful. Although human beings are motivated by economics, they will ultimately be able to establish a society which is not based on economic oppression. Freud, in Civilization and Its Discontents, presents a conception of human nature that differs greatly from that of Marx. His view of human nature is more complex than Marx’s. Freud is critical of the Marxist view of human nature, stating that ‘†¦I am able to recognize that the psychological premises on which the [communist] system is based are an untenable illusion. In abolishing private property we deprive the human love of aggression of one of its instruments†¦but we have in no way altered the differences in power and influence which are misused by aggressiveness, nor have we altered anything in its nature’ (Freud 71). Freud does not believe that removal of economic differences will remove the human instinct to dominate others. For Freud, aggression is an innate component of human nature and will exist regardless of how society is formulated. He sees human beings as having both a life instinct (Eros) and an instinct for destruction. In Freud’s view of human reality, the source of conflict, oppression, and destruction in human society is man’s own psychological makeup. Because of Freud’s view of human nature as inherently having a destructive component, he does not believe that a ‘transformation’ of humans to communist men and women will be possible. Marx’s belief that the current capitalist society will evolve into a communist society is not supportable under Freud’s conception of human nature because the desires of human beings are too much in conflict with the demands of any civilized society. This conflict does not exist because of economic inequalities, according to Freud, but rather because it is in human nature to have aggressive desires which are destructive to society. Freud’s approach to the possibility of reducing conflict among humanity focuses on understanding the human mind, the aggressive qualities of human nature, and how human beings’ desires can come into conflict with the demands of human society. He does not believe that the problems of human conflict, aggression, and destruction can be solved by a radical reordering of society as the philosophy of Marx suggests. Instead, Freud looks inside ourselves to explore these problems. At the close of his work, Freud states, ‘The fatef ul question for the human species seems to me to be whether and to what extent their cultural development will succeed in mastering the disturbance of their communal life by the human instinct of aggression and self-destruction’ (Freud 111). Freud does not offer any radical solutions to human aggressiveness, but rather sees it as something that humans must continually strive to overcome. He states ‘†¦I have not the courage to rise up before my fellow-men as a prophet, and I bow to their reproach that I can offer them no consolation†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Freud 111). Freud can not offer some vision of a human utopia, but can only suggest that there is some possibility for the improvement of the human condition and society, but also warns that our success at overcoming destructive instincts may be limited. Marx offers a radical philosophy which also sees conflict as one of the constants of prior human existence. Unlike Freud, Marx believes that the aggressive and conflict-oriented aspects of human nature will disappear under the communist society which he sees as the inevitable product of capitalism. This is the hopeful element of Marx’s philosophy. However, if communism is not seen as inevitable or the possibil ities for reducing human conflict before a socialist revolution are considered, then Marx’s view of human nature locks humanity into constant conflict. If the future is to be like Marx’s version of history, then there is little hopefulness in this view of human nature. Works Cited Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. Ed. James Strachey. New York: W.W. Norton, 1961. Marx, Karl and Frederick Engels. The Communist Manifesto. New York: International Publishers, 1994.

Problems in Total Quality within the Workplace Assignment

Problems in Total Quality within the Workplace - Assignment Example Unfortunately, this in itself has been a perplexing task since TQM has had various definitions for different people. The TQM philosophy revolves around assumptions that are manifested in people, quality, corporations and the role of top management (Hackman & Wageman, 1995). The strategy outlines four core principles that bring about quality improvement. The first pertains to the process control and design which requires training at all levels of the organization (Hackman & Wageman, 1995). The second pertains to elimination of uncontrolled variance in process standards (Hackman & Wageman, 1995). The third relates to the methodical collection of data and finally, the fourth pertains to continuous improvement (Hackman & Wageman, 1995). However, the implementation of TQM and its application to industries is not as simplistic as its explanation; it is plagued by several problems. Recent research suggests that more than 80% of TQM efforts have failed to achieve desired tangible results since top management fails to set SMART goals (Kearney, 1992). Most organizations have failed to realize significant competitive edge through initiation of these efforts. TQM requires a culture whereby organizations are devoted to increasing quality, often at the expense of short term profits. However, several profit organizations take a myopic view when they aim for short term profits rather than quality. In organizations in the public sector, the issue is that of excessive government intervention and influence on the organization’s activities (Sarkar, 1991). State run organizations are often bureaucratic in nature and tend to deviate from quality improvement activities. In such organizations it is difficult to embed the TQM culture. Furthermore, in certain developing countries the culture is such that it negates change and does not encourage empowerment that is fundamental to the achievement

Ppaper on Illegal Physical or Internet Intrusion Essay

Ppaper on Illegal Physical or Internet Intrusion - Essay Example This paper discusses why data security is of importance to an organization. Furthermore it throws light upon what might be the physical or internet based threats to an organization’s database and lastly converges with a few suggestions that can be embedded in order to strengthen database security. WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SECURE AN ORGANIZATION’S DATA? An organization’s data is of imperative importance to it. The success of any setup is directly proportional to the security and integrity of that environment. This study is aimed at discussing the scope of threats that an organization faces with respect to its data. It highlights what measures could be taken in order to keep the data within the database of an organization secure from any kinds of physical and internet intrusions. The Deputy Commissioner and internal control officer of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue John Mynihan is said to have quoted as follows about the threats to the data of an organizatio n: â€Å"Any organization that collects data has to acknowledge that people are abusing it because they have access to it ... It's human nature.† (Mynihan, 2007) Database security is of inevitable importance because any malfunctioning done with the data in it, whether physical or virtual, if not corrected in a timely manner can result in the loss of system or data integrity. This, in turn can have severe consequences on the business processes themselves. The continued usage of corrupted data and thus the corrupted database system can result in the outcome of fraudulent and inappropriate decisions. In addition to this, unintentional and unauthorized disclosure of any sensitive data pertaining to the organization and its stakeholders can result in the loss of confidence of the organization’s stakeholders with it. Moreover, it can even lead to severe legal issues and stern embarrassment against the organization. TRUSTING INDIVIDUALS? A renowned fact that spreads widely wi thin business circles is that individuals should never be trusted such that an organization’s critical should be left at their disposal. This task of storing critical data and enabling it’s readily and convenient access is assigned to databases. Database stores all the critical data of an organizational setup. Since they hold so very much importance, their security is also a key concern for the organization. Senior director of security for Oracle, Wynn White mentions his observations about database security in the following words: â€Å"According to one recent Forrester study, 80 percent of data security breaches involve insiders, employees or those with internal access to an organization, putting information at risk. The big challenge for companies today – particularly as email and the Internet make sharing and distributing corporate information easier than ever - is to strike the right balance between providing workers with appropriate access and protecting s ensitive information as much as possible.† (White) The following text evaluates what a database’s security is and what are the potential threats faced by it. THE POTENTIAL THREATS The potential threats that are faced by a database with respect to its security can be summarized as follows: PHYSICAL INTRUSION/THREAT: This involves dangers such as theft fire/flood, power outage, earthquake or malicious damage. HUMAN ERROR: Mistake on the part of the authorized personnel manipulating the database. This may

Two Icons of Renaissance Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Two Icons of Renaissance Art - Essay Example While many renowned names involve in this artistic stream, there are few who hold their stands unmatched as the propagators of artistic cultures. Two of such names are Botticelli and Raphael who introduced and developed a personal insightful depiction of some contemporary concepts and universal portrayals. Two notable works of art from Botticelli and Raphael are The birth of Venus (Botticelli) and Mond Crucifixion (Raphael). Those two works of art are very much the representing pieces for their contemporary culture picking up classical foundations to mount with artistic rendering of subtle individual depictions. Heritage of classical ages During renaissance, new developments and imaginations of most artists had come out of the classical traditions of arts. Notably, modernism had not touched the world and breaking of rules was limited only up to the imaginations of artists. Thus, artist of earlier renaissance period opted to provide their insights to some traditional themes. Both The Birth of Venus and Mond crucifixion are grounded in deep Christian imagination of human conditions. As in The birth of Venus, the iconography does not entail a violation of themes dwelling in contemporary consciousness. Similarly, in Mond Crucifixion depiction of Jesus is portrayed as a calm figure even when crucified. Theological icons as Venus and Jesus had a very specific place in classical artistic culture. On the other hand church’s influences were quite dominant over artistic depictions till renaissance. However, during renaissance most of the painters and artists had been associated and were adorned by the church too. It is mostly the style, imaginative depiction of surrounding and use of different shades which had put those arts on steps ahead of the classical ages. Materials, Style and Colors As Botticelli belonged to an era when Oil paintings were not popularized up to an extent The birth of Venus was painted on tempera while Mond Crucifixion arrived at a time when popularity of oil paintings had overtook the use of tempera around whole Europe. Historically too, Oil paintings proved to be more facilitative compared to tempera. Tempera dries very fast and painters had to be very accurate in mixing the paint. Oil painting proved to be easier to use enhancing numerous opportunities to painters to use fast brushstrokes. Comparing The birth of Venus to Mond Crucifixion, the use of oil in the later provides much scope to paint the background while in The birth of Venus background is dissolved into sea with very keen strokes till the end which is quite essential in a tempera material. In both the paintings, use of colors and lights is straight away comparable as The birth of Venus provides a little fading effect towards the third dimension while Mond Crucifixion holds sharper colors and clearer lights to sustain with the aura of Jesus which is essentially to be preserved in the painting. The birth of Venus is visualized with the imaginative beauty of painter’s convictions to the relevant matter described by many earlier artists. Instead of the three Hours of Homer's hymn and Poliziano's poem, he shows us one fair nymph, in a white robe, embroidered with blue corn-flowers, springing lightly forward to offer Venus a pink mantle sown with daisies. In the laurel groves along the shore, we see a courtly allusion to the "Laurel who sheltered the

Messaging apps Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Messaging apps - Research Paper Example Some of the most common messaging apps that allow users to send free messaging texts, images, photos and free calls over a data connection include Whatsapp, Tango, Viber and iMessage, Skype among others (Olson, 2013). These apps have been a threat to the conventional message carriers considering that they have done away with the fees that people used to pay for the same services. As such, the traditional message carriers have to close shop or innovate better ways to attract customers. Therefore, the use of messaging Apps in sending contents through mobile networks has led to a transformation in the usage of mobile phones, making them ideal gadgets to communicate and receive content in real time. Messaging apps have challenged the incumbent social messaging sites such as Facebook and Alibaba. The apps facilitate chatting and sending of different contents a much better way compared to the conventional methods of sending the same contents. Tango is one of the most commonly used messaging apps. Currently, Tango has over 70 million monthly active users and enables members to send video and voice calls along text messages in real time (Kan 2014). Tango has capitalized on the fact that most of the calls that people make are not answered, especially at nights. As such, the company has come with special services to users that facilitate recording of messages, which are then viewed later after the person wakes up (Kan, 2014). Thus, the company has to store such messages in their servers, where they are accessible to any member with an android device, devices using apple operating system or through any web browser (Kan, 2014). The company plans to start making money by requiring that users pay minimal charges on using special services such as the Tango surprises that allows animations of messages. For instance, users of the Tango Surprises will get a single animation free of charge

There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or Essay

There are many qualities that are needed to be a good leader or manager. To what extent can these be learnt through study and tr - Essay Example While most management instructors now concur that headship is a behaviour and a skill, which displays that skilfulness, this dual explanation has bred additional incongruity over the extent to which leadership can be trained or taught. That query is the prime focus of this paper. Perceptions on Teaching (And Studying) Leadership Leadership has now occupied a conspicuous place within management education and research. Leadership has similarly become an inescapable subject of managerial research, practice and education. Leadership magazines have increased and leadership curriculums are nowadays a fragment of almost every key business school course in the country. Furthermore, there is a wide range of leadership investigation programs, institutes, and centres outside and within business institutes (Cunningham & Gephart 2008). Can Leadership Be Learned Some individuals have a predisposition to acquire some skills faster or efficiently than others, and evidently, some persons reflect more likable or charismatic features than others do.   However, many distinguished managers are not those that are featured on Fortune and Time covers.   Great leaders learn to attain outstanding results during their own environments.   Just like effective parenting has to be learned and enhanced so can effectual leadership. Work experiences, special projects, bosses, role models, and education all contribute in headship development (Hencley 2000). For instance, utilizing an analogy with sporting, not everybody can turn into an exceptional player regardless of coaching, however, most will gain and enhance their ‘game’. Few will continue to become leads or exceptional leaders through coaching, wide-ranging experiences, as well as personal drive.† Can Leadership Be Taught Assenting that some features of leadership may be acquired is not similar to stating that they may be taught, at best in the proper sense. A good number of the management instructors agree that c ertain leadership aspects can be taught; though there are variances on how efficaciously leadership abilities can be fostered through formal coaching and courses. Rendering to the many experts, the capacity to teach leadership is contingent upon the student and the teacher (Hencley 2000). Leadership can be trained, though only certain facets. Leadership is conjured of three dissimilar scopes: skills, dispositions, and perspectives. Much leadership expertise can be imparted, and slightly perspectives can be enhanced and developed via education. For instance, one can be taught how to communicate more brilliantly and present concepts more convincingly. People can be taught about facets of strategic thinking to broaden an individual perspective. Simultaneously, there is an acute contextual aspect to strategic reasoning that is an invention of involvement in one’s discipline and a mental aptitude to reason more theoretically (Stogdill 2010). These are hard to impart. In respect to dispositions, these are an outcome of family, life, and perhaps genes (Cunningham & Gephart 2008). Therefore, the last cannot be trained. For instance, a person cannot be taught to be determined or to remain more exposed to taking risks–  those are dispositional traits. The knowledge needed to perform strategic leadership contains both tacit and explicit elements. The

Database security in the cloud Essay Example for Free

Database security in the cloud Essay This chapter is mainly concerned with providing the research methods and the tools that were used to get the views of the respondents. They contribute a lot in the conclusion of the research. The methods that were employed in this research include sampling, questionnaires, and online surveys. With Web 2. 0 being in full force today, there are more avenues that have made it possible to get views from clients. These avenues include web forums, blogs, and review sites like ZDNet, and ZNet sites. This was a good method that was of paramount importance in this research. Use of interview This method was also a vital component of my research as its combination with other methods like observations and other statistical techniques yields optimum results. I ensured that I maintained the balance of emphasis which kept on shifting with the frame of reference and objectives of this study. Interviews also proved highly flexible especially given the fact that I handled it with care and achieved a considerably liberal atmosphere since questions that were not easily grasped by interviewees were rephrased and/or repeated emphatically and explanations given where it proved necessary. The use of interviews helped me in the study of human behaviour during the process and helped me to secure very intimate and personal knowledge about my study. However, they had the following limitations: the use this tool proved to be time consuming as I had to conduct personal visits to the sample population severally due to some absentee interviewees which forced me to conduct several revisits and some appointments that I made sure to catch up to the required information (McEvoy, Schulze, 2008). Records and documentations also helped me in analyzing the legal basis of businesses, their past, current and projected status as regards capital input and output enabling me to deduce the history of ideas, prime philosophies and scientific thoughts that come with the projections (McEvoy, Schulze, 2008). Journals were also useful in my research as I got relevant information and used it for my analysis and compilations. Expressive Documents including personal letters; life or case histories in the form of diaries and accounts of small-group processes which created a solid background for sourcing information in this research. 4. 1. 2 Use of questionnaires I employed the use of close-ended questions where I provided the respondents with a variety of choices to pick from that reflected the trends and use of Information Technology and also open ended questions in which I gave the respondents room to formulate their own answers to my questions. Although its use proved to be cost effective, easy to analyze, familiar to most of the respondents and reduced biasness, their use has shown that they have low response rates which is a real curse to statistical analysis and can reduce the reliability of the results (Jha, Merzky, Fox, 2008). But I ensured a well designated study approach to the use of questionnaires to produce consistent and high response rates. 4. 1. 3 Online surveys/use of the internet The Internet proved very interactive in providing me with relevant information besides being affordable to administer, easy to modify and gave instant results for the study. The tool also had an advantage of making it easy to automate data creation, manipulation and reporting and made it user friendly. Although the use of the internet was efficient, it still had weakness of difficulty in determining and controlling selection probabilities, which is a hindrance to quantitative analysis of data collected (McEvoy, Schulze, 2008). 4. 2 Procedures The results were from 5 companies which have widely dealt with cloud computing and are concerned with the security of the databases stored in the clouds. These companies have their representatives and program officers who were very helpful in this research. This is because they are the leading in the development and development of cloud computing. Data was collected using SPSS program. The views from the employees of these companies were captured in a questionnaire which was sent online. They were asked how they perceive their achievement of the database security in cloud computing. They were then asked of their personal feel of the extent to which the war against attacks in the cloud has been achieved. In part 1, the respondents were told to give the things they feel are important when one is implementing cloud computing. They were told to give the issues they feel were paramount in implementing security in cloud computing environments. Participants were then asked a series of questions related to database security in cloud computing: the type of cloud computing they wish to implement (attribute vs. consensus), the type of information source (personal vs. impersonal), type of heuristics (independent self-related vs. interdependent self-related), decision speed, consideration set, product involvement, and product knowledge. In part 2, participants were asked a series of individual differences in their technologies they wished to b implemented. In part 3, participants were presented with demographic questions such as age, gender, nationality, race/ethnicity, and cultural identity. Once a participant finished the questionnaire, he/she was thanked and dismissed. McEvoy, G. , Schulze, B. (2008). Using clouds to address grid limitations. In Workshop on Middleware for Grid Computing (article 11). Retrieved May 19, 2010, from ACM Digital Library database. Jha, S. , Merzky, A. , Fox, G. (2008). Cloud computing and grid abstraction. Retrieved on May 17, 2010, from Open Grid Forum Web site: http://ogf. org/OGF_Special_Issue/cloud-grid-saga. pdf