Fear Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Fear - Essay Example However, I can now attest that my most terrifying experiences of fear began with just one disturbing adventure in house cleaning that I had. At that time fear entered my heart never to leave again. This first fear experienced in early childhood now seems to have permanently scarred my mind with the shock, never to be undone. While it has now been over 30 years, I remember the event as if it were yesterday. Even writing about it now sends a chill thorough me and I can feel my flesh crawl just thinking about it. This all happened when I had just turned 8 years old. There was a cleaning trip to what I had heard was a haunted house. My cousins had been there and talked about it for many weeks prior and I wanted to see it for myself so I volunteered to help my family clean out this spooky old house which they had inherited. It had been closed for several years and was filled with junk, dust, and mold. My parents did not want me to go, they said I was too young for such work and would probably just slow them down. My cousin, Peter, who was only a year older, was already going to go and I thought that it was just unfair of them not to allow me the same experience of exploring this house. I was not really much of a tomboy, but I really wanted to see this place and see if there were ghosts there. So, I grabbed a broom and dustpan and proceeded to the car, my parents shook their heads and gave in to me, since they knew I was headstrong and would sulk for weeks if I did not get my way, a trait I som etime exhibit to this day, much to the chagrin of most of my friends and family. We arrived at the house in the early morning; the sun was casting long shadows from the banana trees that surrounded the property and the shadow of the house itself folded over us as we parked the car. There was a slight mist in the air and a cool chill, my mother was right as usual I should have worn a sweater, but I did not want to get it dirty. The front of the house had a

The Keepers of the House Essay Example for Free

The Keepers of the House Essay There is an interesting part of history that goes unnoticed. The treatment of blacks in the South during the time of slavery plays an intricate part of America’s history, which gets frequently overlooked. The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau sheds light on this time period, following a family, living in rural Alabama in the 1960’s. Grau explains this family: â€Å"All in all the Howland’s thrived. They farmed and hunted; they made whiskey and rum and took it to market down the Providence River to Mobile (Grau 12). The story follows three generations of the Howland family living in a community that ultimately turns on them. Grau takes inspiration from the time period along with having multiple themes to craft an interesting and impactful Pulitzer Prize novel. The Howland’s were a family that lived in the same area for many years. William Howland, the fifth, lost his wife, leaving him to take care of his young daughter Abigail and a son William who dies shortly after. Abigail then marries a man who leaves her with her own daughter Abigail. William’s daughter dies and leaves him with a granddaughter to take care of. Soon after, William hires an African American, Margaret, woman as a housekeeper. Abigail talks of the lasting affects William and Margaret left on her: â€Å"I am caught and tangled around by their doings. It is as if their lives left a weaving of indivisible threads in the air of this house, of this town, of this county. And I stumbled and fell into them† (Grau 6). Around town, she became know as his mistress and mother of his other children. In secret, they marry for the children’s sake. Later, after the children grew up, they were sent up north so they could live as normal white citizens. Abigail later marries a man named John Tolliver who aligns with the Klu Klux Klan during his run for governor. Robert, the eldest of the Howland brothers was outraged by this and released an article hurting Tolliver’s cam paign. Tolliver and Abigail end their marriage near after. Back where the Howland’s live, the town is still outraged about the marriage between William Howland and the African American homemaker Margaret. Even though both of them had died, the town gathered and lit the barn on fire and killed many of their livestock. Grau writes, â€Å"The Howland they wanted was dead. His Negro wife was dead. Their children disappeared. And so they were wrecking the only thing that was left of him, of them. First the barn and then the house† (Grau 285). The novel comes full circle when Abigail gets revenge on the town’s people and ruins the entire local economy along with the town. It seems as though Shirley Ann Grau took inspiration from the history of this time period along with what it may have been like growing up at that time in that place to set a scene of exactly what this time period may have looked and felt like. Showing what the Howland family went through, along with the way they were treated set a scene for not only a family struggle but a national struggle as well. The way she describes the scenery, puts you there in at time. Grau writes, â€Å"November evenings are quiet and still and dry. The frost-stripped trees and the bleached grasses glisten and shine in the small light (Grau 1). As well as the scenery, Grau uses her deep characters in the story to highlight how people were affect by this issue. Abigail is the main character narrating this story. Grau tells the happenings of this time through her eyes as well as through the actions of William Howland, Margaret, John Tolliver and Robert Howland. Each of these characters makes an impact on this story, as well as the main character Abigail. For example, Abigail’s husband John Tolliver shapes her character into a tough skinned woman. He treats her unfairly as a wife but she learns from that and takes it with her. Grau writes, â€Å"I knew what John meant: I was the perfect wife for a candidate. He had chosen and trained me well (Grau 257). This marriage helps toughen up Abigail for the future as she fights for her family. There are two main themes taken from this novel: racism and family. Racism is a clear theme throughout this novel given the time period and scenario that takes place with a secret African American maid, wife and mother. Racism is shown through the scenario when Tolliver bashes blacks during his campaign for governor. Tolliver talks about African Americans in vulgar and horrible ways. When talking about William and Margaret’s children he says, â€Å"He couldn’t let his children be bastards, even if their mother was a Negro† (Grau 271). This is just one example of the way African Americans are talked about at this time. Also, the area where the Howland’s live, do not take the news of William marrying Margaret lightly just because she is African American. Family is another theme portrayed in this novel. The Howland’s go through trials and tribulations that test their family as a whole. For example, like stated before, the town completely turns on the Howland’s when they find that William and Margaret had married. Abigail takes a stand for her family and fights back. She stands up for her family and the house they have lived in for so many years. Grau shows just how much Abigail cares for her family and home. She writes, â€Å"Child, I thought you don’t even know, its possible to love a house and land that much (Grau 274). These two themes play a role in teaching readers about the time period and the struggles it caused. The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau sheds light on an issue sometimes forgotten about in society today: the treatment of African Americans in the 1960’s. Using things like history from this time and family themes, Grau establishes that this issue was serious and did exist. Abigail Howland ultimately stands up for what she believes in and protects her family but also puts a small dent in this civil rights movement. As her journey comes to an end she says, â€Å"I stood on that cold windy grass and saw what I had done. I saw that it wasn’t bravery or hate. It was, like my grandfather said, necessity. And that’s pretty poor comfort but at times its all you’ve got† (Grau 290). Abigail’s narration of her family’s story along with the use of strong and deep characters, shape for a wonderful Pulitzer Prize novel.

Virgil and Dante Essay example -- Virgil Dante Inferno Essays

Virgil and Dante In the note to Canto V regarding Francesca and Paulo, the Hollanders exclaim that â€Å"Sympathy for the damned, in the Inferno, is nearly always and nearly certainly the sign of a wavering moral disposition† (112). Indeed, many of the touching, emotional, or indignation rousing tales told by the souls in Hell can evoke pity, but in the telling of the tales, it is always possible to derive the reasons for the damned souls’ placement in Hell. However, there is a knee-jerk reaction to separate Virgil and, arguably, some of the other souls in limbo from this group of the damned, though, with careful perusal of the text, the thoughtful reader can discern the machinations behind their damnation. Although the dynamic between Virgil and Dante shifts dramatically through Purgatorio, throughout the Inferno, Virgil is the teacher and Dante the pupil, often bordering on an almost father-son relationship. It is the Roman, in Canto V, who asks the famous guiding question, â€Å"What are your thoughts?† (V.111), forcing the Florentine to pause and reason through what he is learning. Again, in Canto XXIV when Dante begins to weary, which is of little wonder: the poem begins at dawn with Dante lost from already being â€Å"so full of sleep† (I.11), Virgil manages to revitalize Dante’s spirits, calling for him to â€Å"Cast off sloth† (XXIV.46) and â€Å"Get to your feet† (XXIV.52), while reminding him of the â€Å"longer stair that must be climbed† (XXIV.55), Purgatory, which lies only a mere ten cantos ahead. Unarguably, this close relationship which forms between the two poets makes the reader’s heart pity Virgil’s damnation. This pity is doubled when one considers Virgil’s special situation: he is in Limbo, the circle of the virtuous pagans, thos... ...le to consider that Dante has erred in his placement of Virgil, noting how successfully that works with the rest of the allegorical levels. Perhaps then the answer and the problem which demands this answer, lies not with Dante or the poem, but within the reader. It is easy to identify with Dante, a man riddled with flaws; Virgil then becomes closer as a father figure. Thus, all the complex emotions wrapped in the bizarre web of paternity are translated onto Virgil. When one sees Virgil, one sees oneself; one sees one’s father. The damnation of the Roman I puzzling, paradoxical, and confusing, but not unjustified: many other souls in Hell fall under the same category. That to pity Virgil is to pity the part of ourselves which fears damnation and to pity our family before considering justice, is a lesson which can only be learned in the fire and ice of Hell. Virgil and Dante Essay example -- Virgil Dante Inferno Essays Virgil and Dante In the note to Canto V regarding Francesca and Paulo, the Hollanders exclaim that â€Å"Sympathy for the damned, in the Inferno, is nearly always and nearly certainly the sign of a wavering moral disposition† (112). Indeed, many of the touching, emotional, or indignation rousing tales told by the souls in Hell can evoke pity, but in the telling of the tales, it is always possible to derive the reasons for the damned souls’ placement in Hell. However, there is a knee-jerk reaction to separate Virgil and, arguably, some of the other souls in limbo from this group of the damned, though, with careful perusal of the text, the thoughtful reader can discern the machinations behind their damnation. Although the dynamic between Virgil and Dante shifts dramatically through Purgatorio, throughout the Inferno, Virgil is the teacher and Dante the pupil, often bordering on an almost father-son relationship. It is the Roman, in Canto V, who asks the famous guiding question, â€Å"What are your thoughts?† (V.111), forcing the Florentine to pause and reason through what he is learning. Again, in Canto XXIV when Dante begins to weary, which is of little wonder: the poem begins at dawn with Dante lost from already being â€Å"so full of sleep† (I.11), Virgil manages to revitalize Dante’s spirits, calling for him to â€Å"Cast off sloth† (XXIV.46) and â€Å"Get to your feet† (XXIV.52), while reminding him of the â€Å"longer stair that must be climbed† (XXIV.55), Purgatory, which lies only a mere ten cantos ahead. Unarguably, this close relationship which forms between the two poets makes the reader’s heart pity Virgil’s damnation. This pity is doubled when one considers Virgil’s special situation: he is in Limbo, the circle of the virtuous pagans, thos... ...le to consider that Dante has erred in his placement of Virgil, noting how successfully that works with the rest of the allegorical levels. Perhaps then the answer and the problem which demands this answer, lies not with Dante or the poem, but within the reader. It is easy to identify with Dante, a man riddled with flaws; Virgil then becomes closer as a father figure. Thus, all the complex emotions wrapped in the bizarre web of paternity are translated onto Virgil. When one sees Virgil, one sees oneself; one sees one’s father. The damnation of the Roman I puzzling, paradoxical, and confusing, but not unjustified: many other souls in Hell fall under the same category. That to pity Virgil is to pity the part of ourselves which fears damnation and to pity our family before considering justice, is a lesson which can only be learned in the fire and ice of Hell.

Essay --

Certain factors such as symptoms, risk factors, and medical history of the patient help in performing the diagnosis procedure for determining encephalitis. Some diagnostic tests for encephalitis include brain imaging, lumbar puncture, electroencephalogram, secondary lab tests, and brain biopsy. Many physicians often perform brain imaging first when symptoms start to suspect evidence of encephalitis. When brain imaging is conducted, results frequently depict swelling of the brain. The doctor may call for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or computerized tomography (CT) scan. A MRI scan provides cross-sectional images of the body and helps the doctor observe high-resolution pictures of the bones and tissues whereas a CT scan allows the doctor to go more in depth in observing the size, shape, and position of deep structures within the body. In a lumbar puncture, the doctor supplements a needle into the lower back to remove cerebrospinal fluid which is responsible for surrounding the brain. Blood cells and immune system proteins can indicate inflammation and infection in the brain...

Sociology and People

Hannah Wisnewski Period 4 Sociology Mr. Taylor Essays for Test 1. Clarify how folkways, mores, and laws vary in importance within American society. Give examples of each. Their importance of folkways, mores and laws within American society is that, in combination, they help maintain a civil society. Folkways are rules or standards that cover ways of thinking, feeling, and behavior but lack moral overtones. Folkways are socially accepted however not morally significant. They are norms for everyday behavior that people follow for the sake of tradition.But if the folkway is broken there is no moral or legal consequence. Folkways in the United States consist of supporting school activities, speaking to other students in the hall, and if male, removing hats in church. In society today we find people who always wear shorts with a suit or who talk loudly odd but society doesn’t consider them immoral. However if someone has obnoxious behavior at a party after excessive drinking can br ing in strong negative reactions from others. Mores are strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior. Mores deal with morality which is the right and wrong.Mores are norms of great moral significance. Conformity to mores conveys strong social approval whereas violation conveys strong disapproval. Following folkways is generally a matter of personal choice; though conformity to mores is a social requirement. An example of a more would be if someone attends church in the nude, s/he would offend most people of that culture and be morally shunned. Laws are norms that are formally defined and enforced by officials. Folkways and mores emerge together slowly and unconsciously created whereas laws were created and enforced.Mores are an important source for laws, for instant at one point the norm against murder hadn’t been written down. Then society advanced and the norm against murder became formally defined and enforced. Folkways can lead into and become mores or laws. An ex ample of a law is smoking. Up until the 1970’s smoking when mounting health convinced many people that smoking should be limited or banned in public places. As society developed, many states picked up the law against smoking in airports, government buildings, restaurants, and other open general public places. . Which theory of deviance best explains why people do deviant acts? Why? Which theory does not explain why people do deviant acts? Why? I think the control theory best explains why people do deviant acts because they conform to social norms depends on the presence of strong bonds between individuals and society. Social bonds control the behavior of people and thus preventing deviant acts. Most people do not conform since they do not want to â€Å"lose face† with family, friends, or classmates. Control theory is broken into 4 parts first and foremost attachment.This is when an individual has strong attachment to groups or other individuals. Next is commitment whic h is great commitment to goal the more likely a person would be to conform. The commitment is greater than the commitment of people who do not believe they can compete within the system. Next in the four is involvement which is participation in approved social activities increases the probability of conformity. Besides positively focusing an individual’s time and energy and the participation p connects contact with valuable opinions.Last is belief in norms and values of society promotes conformity. This belief appropriateness for the rules of social life strengthens peoples resolve no to deviate from those norms. I think the strain theory does not explain why people do deviant acts because it is merely a hypothesis of Durkheim’s concept of anomie, whereas control is the social bonds controlling the behavior of people. There are four parts to the strain theory, first is innovation which an individual accepts the goal of success but uses illegal means to achieve it this is the most obvious type of deviant response.An example of innovation is robbery, drug dealing and other criminal acts. Next is ritualism where the individual rejects the goal but continues to use the legitimate means. This is where people go through the motions without really believing the process. This could be a teacher going through daily lessons however not caring about the way the students turn out. Retreatism is a deviant response in which both the legitimate means and the approved goals are rejected.Alcoholics and drug addicts are retreatists, thus meaning they are not successful nor seek to be successful. Rebellion is people who both reject success and the approved means for achieving it. However at the same time they additionally add a new set of goals and means. Some of the militia group members demonstrate this response. However they live alone to pursue the goal of changing society by doing deviant things, such as creating their own currency, deliberately violating gun laws, and threatening violent behavior against law enforcement. . America’s prisons are at a crisis. Explain how bad the prison problem has become. What are some alternatives to prison? How would you solve the prison crisis? The problem with the prisons is that they have become increasingly over populated. Some alternatives to prison are a combination of prison and probation which a mixed or split sentence known as shock probation which is designed to shock offenders into recognizing the realities of prison life. Prisoner’s serve part of their sentence in an institution and rest on probation.Another alternative is a community-based program. These programs are designed to reintroduce criminals into society. At this time the prisoners will have the opportunity to become part of society however under professional guidance and supervision. The next alternative is diversion strategy which is aimed at preventing, or greatly reducing the offender’s involvement in the c riminal justice system. This alternative involves a referral to a community-based treatment program rather than a prison or a probationary program.If I could solve the prison crisis personally I would just build more prisons out in the middle of nowhere so I can keep everyone safe and protected. I feel like if an individual is in prison for something they have done then they deserve to be there away from society. Personally I don’t feel like going from prison to prohibition really does much because who’s to say they will not commit crime again? Maybe this time even worse than the last because the individual (criminal) could want revenge.

Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop

Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop Introduction This report is about the implications of MIS, and its influence on Top Shop business. It is written from the perspective of a management consultant who is to hand it over to a client company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The report will cover a wide range of topics some of which include organizational hierarchy, input, process and output, Hardware and software for the information system, process of decision-making, use of the management information system in strategic planning and E-commerce among others. The data for topic areas will be gathered from the secondary sources mainly books, journals, internet sources and as indicated in the references list. Organizational hierarchy Top Shop is a multinational organization with more than 20 outlets all over the world. It has its head office in London. Top shop spe cializes in women’s products such as clothes, bags and shoes. In terms of operation, it is partly owned by the Arcadia group (Barclay 2010). Top Shop management style is based on a hierarchical order, from the Managing Director Sir Phillip Green who is based in London. The MD is the overall authority in the company and operates with mandate from the Board of Directors. His role is to manage the company. Management entails â€Å"planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, motivating and controlling different activities of the company† (KK Enterprises 1993, p.12). In this regard, the managing director has been given the mandate of developing and expanding the long-term business strategies and plans of an organization. This also includes the process of making sure that the objectives of the Board are implemented. Although, the Managing Director is based in London, his role is to control the management system of the organization throughout the world from the h eadquarters. Mooney and Reiley explain that the MD is responsible for coordinating heads of functions or departments in the company (Mooney and Reiley, 2001).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, the management consists of Senior Managers in different sections of the company who are charged with the responsibility of leading and supervising various sections or departments such as human resource management, Finance, ICT, Finance and Logistics. The department heads are charged with the responsibility of making short-term decisions. The management level involves the middle managers who direct the products or services to the end user. Their main function is to implement the decisions and directives given by the senior managers or departmental heads and put them into practice. The end users who carry out all the work follow the middle and line manager. Largely, the management executes its duties through supervision, communication, leadership and motivation (KK Enterprises, 1993). Functions of Organization The functions of an organization are dealing with how various structures and aims operate, how the pools of human resources are utilised and how different departments or functions operate together. This is true for Top Shop Company that has many functions operating together. Top Shop is a chain of retail shop that mainly manufactures and supplies women’s designer clothes, accessories and shoes (Top Shop, 2012). It is a specialty in providing the latest designer fashions for women. Most of its collections are available through the catalogue. As an organization, Top Shop was invented in 1964 in the city called Sheffield, UK, by Peter Robinson. It has many franchisees and outlets all over the world. Its production of various products has brought lots of success to this organization. It also operates through mergers by coming into coo peration with other likeminded departmental stores in the US, the UK, Australia, and many others (Top Shop, 2012). Schonberg (1990) argues the successful organizations are those that have learnt to link their business functions with the demands of their customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Case study on management of information systems for Top Shop specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is something that Top Shop has successfully implemented. It also has large departmental stores in London, New York and Liverpool, which serve as the mother of all stores. These flagship stores are equipped with facilities like hair salons, tailoring services, nail bars, sandwich bars and sweet shops. The first area of Top Shop’s business function is the research and development that continually invests designs and produces new products on regular basis in line with customer demands. The second major business function is selling the products and continuous production of financial services. Top Shop continues to engage in vigorous marketing in a bid to market its brands. The company knows the demands of its customers and continually updates its products. More importantly, the sales department has learnt to work in close relationship with the marketing and production departments to meet its market targets. The third most important part is the personnel department that deals with the recruitment, retention and development of the huge human resource department. The staffs are entail the management, sales representatives, production staffs and those at the public relations office. There is a well maintained staff record and a proper channel for dealing with staff grievances and relationships (Butel et al, 1997). The third important business function is its marketing department that continually invents new marketing methods to meet the customer demands. This department works very closely with the Research and Department to produce new. In terms of advertisement, this company has placed an important value in advertisements, which involve celebrity figures. The involvement of the high-class celebrity figures and supermodels like Kate Moss, Stella Vine, Christopher Kane and Celia Birthwell positively influence the company (Barclay, 2010). According to Barclays, these flagship stores have totally changed the shape and operations of Top Shop. This company has a habit of mixing and matching the fashion demands of their clients by providing designer products (Barclays, 2010). Barclays asserts that the key factor in Top Shops success has been its concept of shopping as entertainment.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company has been creating unique design labels since 2001 to attract the attentions of the catwalk shows. It also supports young talents and sponsors graduation exhibitions popular with young people. Its involvement with young people has been hugely popular as it portrays itself as creators of young fashion gurus (Barclays, 2012) The fourth and perhaps the most important aspect of its business function is the IT department, which currently operates through the SALMON system. SALMON connects processes and transmits information across its large computer networks. It is used to transmit both raw and processed information to other departments. However, the members of the staff have been trained to handle the data carefully with confidentiality. Input, process and output The company deals with huge volume of works, therefore, managing its information system is an uphill task. It has to deal with the huge volume of producing, supplying, and marketing its services and products. As such , the company needs to come up with well-coordinated and programmed information systems across its internal organization structures. A massive company with volumes of work needs to develop proper information system that has the ability to maintain the objectives and strategic plans of the organization (Schonberg, 2009). The Salmon Information system seeks to coordinate functions of this company from the management, manufacturers, to suppliers. Products have been bar coded to keep track of the products in the shop and the stores. However, since this information system is complicated, it requires proper coordination and management. In most cases, computer experts employed to deal with such roles include computer support personnel, system analysts, computers operators, data base manager, computer programmer, information systems manager, technicians, and information systems manager. According to Schonberg, managers must come up with strategic plans to address and handle the huge technol ogical complexities behind the information systems. Hardware and software for the information system In order for the Information System to operate effectively, it has to incorporate other components like hardware and software equipment. Largely, both the hardware and software serve huge purpose of communication as well as collecting, processing, storing and retrieving of information from one network to another. An effective information system usually consists of three main scopes, which include the management, organization and technology. Concerning this case study, Top Shop is the organization, while the Technology is the information and computing system and the management ranges from the Managing Director to the supervisor on the shop floor. The computer system, which consists of the processor and its internal components must be regularly serviced and managed. This is because they grow old. There comes a time when such system age and need to be upgraded, repaired, and serviced. T he hardware disk includes video cards, in the like manner there is also the software part of the system makes the hardware to operate (Stair Reynolds, 2010). These systems need to be updated regularly. Some of the software include the anti-virus software to protect the company’s system from cyber criminals, fraudsters, and hackers. The security software protects the computing systems against loss, theft and destruction of data and provides back up for information in the event of accidental loss of information, breakage, or destruction. These software are always being updated (Stair Reynolds, 2010). A company like Top Shop must continually update its software systems in order to remain secure. In addition, as an enterprise it has well developed servers that run at high speed with the website being regularly updated and maintained (Top shop, 2012). Updating the information is something that is highly recommended by the experts. The manager may, from time to time, want to incl ude a piece of information on the website or convey a message across the organization. The information system is fast and efficient to be used in all managerial decisions (Stair Reynolds, 2010). Why use the information system? The emergence of the computers has revolutionized the world, human thinking, human relations, manufacturing and managerial operations. Most companies and organizations have today incorporated the MIS into their management program. MIS has become an effective method of translating information from one source to another, which makes it easier for managers to make appropriate decisions in their planning, controlling, and directing operations on a daily basis (Takahara Liu, 2006). For instance, Top Shop being a massive organization, the management has incorporated the Salmon information system as part of its management program. Since we live in the world of information, knowledge has become an important factor in managing firms and many companies like Top Shop h ave incorporated Information systems to achieve the competitive edge. Those companies that have fully implemented this system have obtained the competitive advantaged above the others in the market. Largely, the management needs to find out the relevant information that is appropriate for them and use it in their management programs. Moreover, almost all organizations need to incorporate the information system in their management structures. Furthermore, it has been discovered that information systems always assist the management make better informed decisions and judgments (Takahara Liu, 2006). Information system has become an important weapon for production and making strategic management decisions. It can also be used to empower staff enhancing the workers to make effective contributions to the development of the company’s overall goals (Stair Reynolds, 2010). For instance, Top Shop includes the information system to market its products locally and internationally. Proce ss of decision-making A Manager is someone who has been charged with the responsibility of making decisions that include short and long-term strategies. The decision making process often includes passing of information from one person to another, and managers use the information to make key decisions. Decision-making is a process that incorporates the production of choice or giving an opinion. Making a decision is not an isolated activity but incorporates an interaction with the environment and other factors. It may incorporate both rational and irrational process, based on facts or fictions. In every decision making process, there must be data to be processed. According to Sanders Ebrary (1999) in the corporate world, decision-making process incorporates identifying problems and assessing the outcomes. Largely, decision-making process also incorporates an element of problem analysis to find out the causes and effects of the problem to be solved. The problem analysis depends or rel ies on facts to come up with the right decisions (Saunders Ebery, 1999). Decision is then processed by analyzing and evaluating the information given. According to Fisher Ellis (1990), there are four main stages of decision-making process especially in a small group. These stages include the orientation phase that is about knowing each other in a group, and then followed by conflict characterized by misunderstandings and disputes between members in the group. The third stage is what is referred to as emergence phase, which is associated with the group giving their opinions, while the final stage is known as reinforcement; this is when a member of the group makes a decision and then justifies their decisions. Describe how the information system helps in decision-making The information system has become a vital tool for decision-making by gathering information from one source to another and the distributing it to others. Using information system, the management gathers the informati on needs, processes, stores and transmits it to relevant people. Sharing of the information can be either vertical or horizontally, to perform specific tasks within the business environment (Daft, 2011). The decision making process is about data management and maintenance of information that have been stored in either hard or soft disks to complex certain tasks. Management information system has become an effective tool for offering the information that can be used to make valuable decisions. Managers would initially use the data available to them to process information needed to make key decisions (Kallman Reinharth, 1984). Use of the management information system in strategic planning In addition, the management information system can be used for strategic planning within the business scenario especially in the case of Top Shop. The information that has been stored in the system can be retrieved, processed, and distributed between systems. Through the MIS, the management is able to control the flow of information from one point to another. Apart from strategic planning, the management information system becomes an important tool for ensuring that suitable information is protected and transmitted between suitable or relevant persons. The management would often use the information systems to process quality, reliable and well-planned information for strategic planning. Strategic planning is highly needed to compete in the highly competitive markets (Cassidy, 2006). E-commerce and its effects on business, e.g. EFT, B2B, and B2C communication As an introduction, e-commerce basically refers to electronic commerce, which normally entails conducting business transactions online. It is, thus, evident that there should be internet accessibility in order for e-commerce to take place. There are various types of e-commerce which the Top Shop management can make use of so as to increase its market base, as well as, increase the service delivery to the present customers or clients and suppliers. In the event that the Top Shop management realizes that a greater percentage of its suppliers along with customers are techno perceptive and more than ready to indulge in such transactions, then it will be appropriate to initiate them. E-commerce encompasses various business activities such as the transfer of funds electronically, online marketing, electronic data management just to mention a few. With regard to the nature of business being undertaken by the Top Shop enterprises, it will be more appropriate for them to indulge in online marketing, as well as transfer of funds electronically. Using B2B e-commerce, which is simply the business-to-business e-commerce, Top Shop will be able to make business deals with its suppliers without meeting them physically. Moreover, through e-marketing, the enterprise will be able to reach a wider market base without the need of establishing regional outlets. With the advancement being made technologically, majority of individuals are more interested in shopping online and do not like the physical shopping because it consumes most of their time. In that regard, Top Shop will definitely cut down its operational costs by indulging in e-commerce because the number of shop-attendants will be reduced significantly. However, the management will have to ensure that it has put in place vibrant secure measures to protect its clients from various frauds conducted through cybercrime (Laudon Traver, 2010). Benefits and drawbacks of the information system There are various benefits, as well as setbacks, which are associated with implementing an information system within a business enterprise. Top Shop management will enjoy various benefits such as having easy access to customers’ information along with being able to establish the customers’ preference by analyzing the data, which is already available within the information system. In that regard, it is evident that the information system will as sist the management in formulating strategies aimed at increasing its competitive edge within the market segment. In addition, information systems assist the management in the allocation of duties to its staff. It is easier to detect any staff member who has not been assigned any duty by accessing the information system. Besides, because there is information centralization through the information system, any queries brought up by clients are resolved in a timely manner without having to make consultations with the other staff members. On the other side, there are various setbacks associated with information system. The information systems entirely depend on the computer applications. In the first place, in the event that a hacker attacks it, the stored information may be interfered with. Secondly, the computers can in some occasions breakdown completely leading to loss of vital data. Lastly, in order to establish a vibrant information system, it is vital to seek the services of an I nformation Technology specialists thereby leading to additional costs (Ward, 2006). Conclusion In the advent of information and computing technology, almost every major international company has embraced the Management Information System (MIS). The Top Shop is an international retail company that produces designer clothes, shoes and bags for women. This firm has come from humble beginning from small shop to an international high street chain with many outlets in over 20 countries world. Its headquarters are situated in London under the leadership of the Managing Director, Phillip Green. The company has embraced MIS through the version of Salmon, which allows the managers make decisions, strategically plan, and implement changes. Top Shop has been successful in the recent past because of its brand and vigorous marketing strategies and plans. These include E-commerce and incorporation of celebrity figures to appeal to the younger generations. However, the information tends to have the biggest drawbacks being the external threats propagated by cyber criminals and hackers who may infiltrate into the system and steal people’s identity and information. It is in this regard that the information systems are continually being upgraded and repaired. Reference List Barclay, L. 2010, The unauthorized guide to doing business the Philip Green way: 10 secrets of the billionaire retail magnate. Chichester: Capstone. Butel, L., Curtis, T., McIntyre, J., Pearce, J., Rainbow, S., Smith, D., Swales, C., and Open Learning Foundation. 1997, Business functions: An active learning approach. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. Cassidy, A. 2006, A practical guide to information systems strategic planning. Boca Raton: Auerbach Publications. Daft, R. 2011, Understanding management. Mason: Cengage Learning. Fisher, B. A., Ellis, D. G. 1990, Small group decision making: Communication and the group process. New York: McGraw-Hill. Kallman, E., Reinharth, L. 1984, Information systems for p lanning and decision making. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. KK Enterprises. 1993, Business management. North Melbourne: KK Foundation. Laudon, K., Traver, C. 2010, E-commerce: Business, technology, society. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. Mooney, J., Reiley, A. 2001, Onward industry!: the principles of organization and their  significance to modern industry. Bristol: Thoemmes Press. Sanders, R., Ebrary, Inc. 1999, The executive decision making process: Identifying problems and assessing outcomes. Westport, Conn: Quorum. Schonberg, R. 1990, Building a chain of customers: linking business functions to create the world-class company. New York: Free Press. Stair, R., Reynolds, G. 2010, Principles of information systems: a managerial approach. Australia: Course Technology Cengage Learning. Takahara, Y., Liu, Y. 2006, Foundations and applications of MIS a model theory approach. New York: Springer. TOP SHOP. 2012, Top Shop Category Display, https://www.topshop.com/

How To Design a Science Fair Experiment

How To Design a Science Fair Experiment A good science fair experiment applies the scientific method to answer a question or test an effect. Follow these steps to design an experiment that follows the approved procedure for science fair projects. State an Objective Science fair projects start with a purpose or objective. Why are you studying this? What do you hope to learn? What makes this topic interesting? An objective is a brief statement of the goal of an experiment, which you can use to help narrow down choices for a hypothesis. Propose a Testable Hypothesis The hardest part of experimental design may be the first step, which is deciding what to test and proposing a hypothesis you can use to build an experiment. You could state the hypothesis as an if:  If plants are not given light, then they will not grow. You could state a null or no: There is no difference in the size of beans soaked in water compared with beans soaked in saltwater. The key to formulating a good science fair hypothesis is to make sure you have the ability to test it, record data, and draw a conclusion. Compare these two hypotheses and decide which you could test: Cupcakes sprinkled with colored sugar are better than plain frosted cupcakes. People  are more likely to choose cupcakes sprinkled with colored sugar than plain frosted cupcakes. Once you have an idea for an experiment, it often helps to write out several different versions of a hypothesis and select the one that works best for you. See  Hypothesis Examples Identify the Independent, Dependent, and Control Variable To draw a valid conclusion from your experiment, you ideally want to test the effect of changing one factor, while holding all other factors constant or unchanged. There are several possible variables in an experiment, but be sure to identify the big three: independent, dependent, and control variables. The independent variable is the one you manipulate or change to test its effect on the dependent variable. Controlled variables are other factors in your experiment you try to control or hold constant. For example, lets say your hypothesis is: Duration of daylight has no effect on how long a cat sleeps. Your independent variable is duration of daylight (how many hours of daylight the cat sees). The dependent variable is how long the cat sleeps per day. Controlled variables might include amount of exercise and cat food supplied to the cat, how often it is disturbed, whether or not other cats are present, the approximate age of cats that are tested, etc. Perform Enough Tests Consider an experiment with the hypothesis: If you toss a coin, there is an equal chance of it coming up heads or tails. That is a nice, testable hypothesis, but you cant draw any sort of valid conclusion from a single coin toss. Neither are you likely to get enough data from 2-3 coin tosses, or even 10. Its important to have a large enough sample size that your experiment isnt overly influenced by randomness. Sometimes this means you need to perform a test multiple times on a single subject or small set of subjects. In other cases, you may want to gather data from a large, representative sample of population. Gather the Right Data There are two main types of data: qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data describes a quality, such as red/green, more/less, yes/no. Quantitative data is recorded as a number. If you can, gather quantitative data because its much easier to analyze using mathematical tests. Tabulate or Graph the Results Once you have recorded your data, report it in a table and/or graph. This visual representation of the data makes it easier for you to see patterns or trends and makes your science fair project more appealing to other students, teachers, and judges. Test the Hypothesis Was the hypothesis accepted or rejected? Once you make this determination, ask yourself whether you met the objective of the experiment or whether further study is needed. Sometimes an experiment doesnt work out the way you expect. You may accept the experiment or decide to conduct a new experiment, based on what you learned. Draw a Conclusion Based on the experience you gained from the experiment and whether you accepted or rejected the hypothesis, you should be able to draw some conclusions about your subject. You should state these in your report.

Essential Tips to Complete a Hooking Sociology Personal Statement

Essential Tips to Complete a Hooking Sociology Personal Statement Essential Tips to Complete a Hooking Sociology Personal Statement Sociology is the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society. It is a fascinating area of study that is becoming increasingly popular making it increasingly difficult to secure a course place on the most highly-valued courses. One of the ways in which courses such as Sociology differentiate between the numerous candidates competing for the available courses places is through the use of a personal statement. Getting good grades is still very important, but a personal statement gives the assessors insights into the candidates beyond what a set of grades can tell you. In this article, we will look at what should be included in a Sociology Personal Statement, and we’ll give you some examples of how to ensure that your Sociology Personal Statement stands out from the crowd and helps you secure a place in the course to which you aspire. What Is a Sociology Personal Statement This is a written description of yourself, detailing your skills and experience, why you wish to study sociology, and why you have applied to this specific course. How to Write a Sociology Personal Statement When you are writing your personal statement, it is important that you are original. It is great to get some advice and assistance to complete the task, but you need to avoid simply copying someone else’s personal statement. Your personal statement needs to be authentic. It needs to be about you. It needs to accurately reflect who you are and what you believe. By being authentic, you will have a greater chance of securing the course place you are applying for. If you have simply copied someone else’s statement, then you will sound the same as everyone else and will not stand out from the crowd. Your personal statement should include the three following key aspects: What makes you think that sociology is the right career for you? What makes you think that this specific course is the right course for you? What skills and experience do you have that make you a good candidate for this course? Testing Your Sociology Personal Statement Make sure you get someone you trust to read your personal statement and give you some honest and constructive criticism. Friends and family are good, but ideally, this should be someone from your professional network who will have an understanding of what a high-quality personal statement should achieve. It is also important to get your sociology personal statement professionally proofread. There is nothing worse than messing up your application chances simply because of a few simple grammar or typographical errors. It is not easy to write a compelling personal statement, but it is a skill that will stand you in good stead. Start practicing that skill, draft up a personal statement and keep working at it. If you have a core draft that you are confident with, then you can tailor and adapt it depending on the institution that you are applying to. Your sociology personal statement could be the first step to the career that you have always dreamed about.

Reflection Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection Questions - Assignment Example These weapons were devastating to soldiers as death tolls during the Great War’s massive battles resulted to horrific loss of life due to these new weapons. Civilian populations were mobilized to many industrial factories as these weapons were needed to be manufactured at both high rate and volume. While Russia’s initial involvement in the Great War was seen in a positive light, most Russian soldiers were conscripts who were not close to willing to join in. Coupled by the lack of effective logistics, poor leadership of Russia’s many officers, and the eventual staggering casualties and desertions; it would be no surprise that such news would increase the discontent in the already disillusioned Russian population to the point of revolt. As Trotsky (1930) observed, â€Å"the revolutionary elements, scattered at first, were drowned in the army almost without a trace, but with the growth of the general discontent they rose to the surface† (p.15). The withdrawal of Russia would lead to military and political changes in Europe afterwards. Howard (2002) posited that â€Å"by then the Russians might well be out of the war and the Germans able to concentrate all their forces on breaking the Western allies†, this would add military pressure to the Western Front which France and Great Britain were engaged in. Politically, Russia’s humiliating withdrawal would lead to the downfall of the Tsarist regime and pave way for the rise of the Communist Soviet Russia. The Russian Provisional Government under the Kerensky administration insisted on remaining in the Great War in was to adhere to its obligations with Russia’s wartime allies to continue the fight against the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires. This did not make the soldiers feel any better since such an objective showed less concern for the country’s welfare and situation. Vladimir â€Å"Lenin† Ulyanov and Lev Bronshtein,

Analysis of Walmart Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Walmart - Research Paper Example More than 90% of respondents said that Walmart’s leadership style is result centred and people focused (Foroohar, 2012). The managers interviewed confirmed that the people elected into leadership positions are servant leaders with sharp business minds, global outlook and a clear vision for the company. The company’s elevation was guided by leaders who constantly inspired their subordinates to work hard and steer the business to the next level of success (Roberts & Berg, 2012). The observation exercise revealed that leaders were understanding, inspiring, thoughtful, kind, and considerate and involved their subordinates in decision making. The subordinates were very happy with their leaders and perceived them as very helpful and pleasant to work with (Creswell & Clark, 2007). More than 90% of respondents said that transformational leadership was effective because it encourages and motivates employees to form common organizational goals, which has seen the firm transform from a small business to a multinational retail corporation. 87% of respondents said that leaders’ behavior increases performance by motivating, training and pushing employees to give their best. More than 90% of employees (respondents) were happy to work for the firm. The dissatisfied group gave reasons such as poor working conditions and low pay as major dissatisfiers The research also revealed that Walmart has good leadership that is guided by strong business ethics. Most respondents were satisfied with the company’s leadership and adherence to business ethics. However, there were several instances of unethical behaviour that were reported by respondents. For example, Wal-Mart was accused of unethical behaviour when it continued to buy clothes from Bangladesh which were banned for export. It was also involved in major financial scandals such as the Mexico scandal that involved bribery, fraud, and concealing evidence

Essay on a Contemporary Issue in Financial Services

On a Contemporary Issue in Financial Services - Essay Example The loan departments in banks are charged with appropriately calculated loan risk and lending cash on a much higher charge as compared to what is statistically essential. In response, banks double dip by charging a risk taking premium for depositors.  Banks assure deposit returns in return for a discount.  This spread amid deposit interest compensated and loan interest charged equivalents to much of a bank’s revenue (Macneil & O’Brien, p.66). A Web 2.0 company that is attempting to upset the banking industry is ZOPA in the United Kingdom. Peer lending websites, like ZOPA (2011), intimidate the conventional banking model. These websites link conventional depositors with borrowers. These websites let depositors to turn into direct lenders and agree to risks usually received by bankers as well as project entrepreneurs. By presuming a little amount of risk, investors can get much higher returns. ZOPA also has a risk assessment department like a loan sanction department in a bank. For a little amount of added risk, depositors can receive more than 8 percent as compared to 1.5 percent on a CD or 4 percent on a treasury of 10 year (UK Government Decontamination Service, p.25). ZOPA (2011) was established in â€Å"London during March 2005, and by the end of January 2007, it had 40 workers as well as 105,000 registered member users including lenders and borrowers. ZOPA sets up more than 100,000 US Dollar in loans on a daily basis†. ... The standard project funds return on investment is more than 30 percent. Nonetheless, the majority of individuals can not access angel ventures or project investment. Websites like ZOPA (2011) exist in the middle of conventional banking and venture investment. They let standard individuals to guess some banking risk and create large profits for the problem (Reuvid, p.90). ZOPA (2011) is leading the ‘person to person’ lending model in the U.K. by means of the Internet to smoothen the process and produce what it describes â€Å"a community of like-minded individuals and lend to them and borrow from them in a trusting but secure way† (BPP Learning Media,, p. 66). ZOPA is a latest online market and an eBay for savers as well as borrowers. Apparently, this is a latest alarming danger to the quite a lot of year-old conventional banking models. Their objective is to group people’s investments and lend to other individuals on reciprocally approving charges subseque nt to spreading out the risk between adequate numbers of people. ZOPA is really innovating by creating the current conventional CU saving and lending procedure more clear for the end member or user and by leveraging the inexpensive Internet medium. Securing the Loans ZOPA ensures the conditions of borrowers by carrying out a credit rating research by the use of Experian, Equifax, or any alike corporation; by going through the borrower’s eBay ranking if it is available; by going through borrower’s profile provided that it is available online; by permitting only one account for each borrower; and by checking the chance of identity theft by a borrower by raising queries regarding previous borrowing, demographics, and so on (Finaccord Ltd, p.10). Additionally, ZOPA recommends lenders to

IFSM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IFSM - Essay Example will consist a member from each of the departments in the company and a training on how to use and implement the IT programs should be facilitated by Carol and her team. The methodology for IT governance in the company should be through data sharing with all the relevant departments who consist of the governing body. The responsibilities of the governance body include inspection of data available through the IT systems, suggesting news ways or areas that need IT programs and ensure the program runs smoothly. Carol will need the support of each and every member of the governing body to ensure that the IT strategic plan works out as expected. The prioritization of the IT projects should be guided by market demands, customer retention and competition. Carol and her team should explore the new IT approaches used by their competitors and implement them in the company in a better way. Tracking should be the first IT project to be implemented, following by a Mobile APP that enables customers to pay for services at the comfort of their

Questions and essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Questions and - Essay Example nomena† or â€Å"all there are,† the real thing or one that we cannot perceive but whose existence we know of is the â€Å"Will as thing-in-itself.† However, for Schopenhauer, this â€Å"Will as thing-in-itself† cannot be separate from â€Å"phenomena,† while Kant believed they were separate. According to Schopenhauer, the two aspects of the world that we experience are the objective world or the external world that is relative to each of us, and the subjective world of the will, which is internal to us. Thus, the movement of the hand is objectively the outward movement, but inwardly it is the will in the individual to move it. For Schopenhauer, the doctrine of the will to live means that everything in this world is an expression of the will and thus depends only on oneself. The world was therefore shaped through man’s will. Thus, when there is a will, there is life. Moreover, when one has the will to live, he does not fear death. This is the basis of the will to live or survive, which is the highest of all wills. For Schopenhauer, the physical body is the only object relative to the individual. The physical body is the object that experiences our will and is subjected to the laws of the universe, and the vehicle by which we experience emotions and action. It is the will that directs and shapes the body as it is. Schopenhauer believes that if humans see the truth of the world from a moral perspective, they would see suffering, death and all other repulsive things. Thus, the result would be their denial of the will-to-live, which some people express through asceticism. This is the human condition, thus the goal of philosophy is to teach people to embrace the will-to-live and thereby to direct it towards better ways. I agree with Schopenhauer on the human condition. Thus, I believe one should own all these bad circumstances that surround him, and thus accept the will-to-live in the process in order to change these bad things. According to Schopenhauer, one

IFSM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IFSM - Essay Example will consist a member from each of the departments in the company and a training on how to use and implement the IT programs should be facilitated by Carol and her team. The methodology for IT governance in the company should be through data sharing with all the relevant departments who consist of the governing body. The responsibilities of the governance body include inspection of data available through the IT systems, suggesting news ways or areas that need IT programs and ensure the program runs smoothly. Carol will need the support of each and every member of the governing body to ensure that the IT strategic plan works out as expected. The prioritization of the IT projects should be guided by market demands, customer retention and competition. Carol and her team should explore the new IT approaches used by their competitors and implement them in the company in a better way. Tracking should be the first IT project to be implemented, following by a Mobile APP that enables customers to pay for services at the comfort of their

The Military Art Reseach Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Military Art Reseach - Research Paper Example With the passage of time, technology has grown and revolutionized the world. This revolution has changed the contemporary nature of war as well. Different wars have led to different consequences as its affect on politics, economy and psychology of the masses depends on the nature of war. Total war not only affects the political system of a nation but can also affect the social and economic system. Total war deploys strategies and resources to defeat the enemy in every way possible which may even include the psychology of people. In this paper, we will discuss the transition in the nature of war based on our study of Napoleonic, American Civil and Franco Prussian wars. All three of these wars mark the transition from limited to total war. These wars hold great importance in our history as they have produced dire consequences because of their nature. Napoleonic wars were a series of wars, fought between France and several other European states between 1792 and 1815. These wars are impo rtant in the respect that they earned the title of first total war in western history. Previously Europe had seen limited wars which meant that armies avoided large scale battles, civilians could hope for merciful treatment from the enemy, Enemy officers were considered as honorable adversaries at the time of settlements and the wars followed the codes of aristocratic honor. The French revolution broke this tradition of limited war. It overthrew the country’s aristocracy and waged war under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte against several European states. In the Napoleonic wars not only were young men supposed to participate in war but women, children and the aged were also required to channel their energies into war efforts. The statistical results clearly identify the catastrophic casualties of this total war. â€Å"More than one-fifth of all the major battles fought in Europe between 1490 and 1815 took place in the 25 years after 1790. Before 1790 only a handful of ba ttles had involved more than 100,000 combatants; in the 1809 Battle of Wagram, largest in the gunpowder age to date, involved 300,000. Just four years later the Battle of Leipzig drew 500,000, with fully 150,000 of them killed or wounded.† (â€Å"Napoleon's Total War†). France alone counted around one million war deaths. In these series of wars, the whole population was mobilized which meant that every citizen was supposed to participate in the war in one way or the other. The technological aspect of these wars that aided in the transition from limited war was the advent of cheap small arms and mobile cannons due to which the number of citizen soldiers increased. Almost forty six years after the defeat of Napoleon at waterloo, the world witnessed another total war at another geographical area that is America. American Civil war (1861-1865) was another series of conflicts between American Union and American Confederacy. Most of these conflicts took place in the southern states of America. â€Å"The Union lost about 360,000 troops during the Civil War and the Confederacy about 260,000. This is almost as many soldiers as have died in all other American wars combined.† (â€Å"Civil War Guide†). American Civil war became known as the first total war of modern history because it brought various social and financial changes in the system. The civil war initially started as a limited war but it gradually changed into total war. It was a war between the people and not

E. Major Issues and Concerns Essay Example for Free

E. Major Issues and Concerns Essay Our world is richer than ever before, but it is also marked by enormous inequalities, both within and between countries. The average annual income of someone living in the world’s richest country, Luxembourg, is more than one hundred times larger than that of the average citizen of Sierra Leone, one of the world’s poorest. Such huge differences in living standards should be a matter of great concern, because they reflect serious inequalities in life opportunities. This calls for a robust policy response at both the national and international levels, so that all countries can achieve the Millennium Development Goals and other agreed development objectives (United Nations, Economic and Social Development Affairs, â€Å"2006† iii) . The process of globalization has not yet closed the income gap between poor and rich countries. On the contrary, the way in which world markets operate has been an important contributing factor to the rise in global income inequality. Richer countries, for instance, tend to have preferential access to capital markets, to attract more foreign direct investment, and to be more resilient than poorer countries in responding to shifts in global commodity markets. Efforts to reduce global inequality can promote growth and stability, and can help avert economic and social crises and even political instability. Part of the observed growth divergence is attributable to gaps in public investment in, and spending on, infrastructure and human development in these countries. Investments in infrastructure and human capital are necessary for growth. i) The need for improved infrastructure An adequate level of infrastructure is a necessary condition for the productivity of firms. It is difficult to imagine an economy without telephones, electricity or a road network. By its very nature, infrastructure is characterized by indivisibilities and countries will need to build up a threshold or minimum level of infrastructure (say, a minimum network of roads) to make a difference for economy-wide productivity growth. To reach that threshold, countries will need to sustain substantial public investment levels over prolonged periods of time. The failure to do so explains partly why Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa have fallen behind the East Asian countries that have sustained infrastructural investment. East Asian economies invested more in the quality and coverage of physical infrastructure. In sharp contrast, Latin American countries have witnessed a decline in infrastructural investment since the 1980s as a result of increased fiscal austerity. This has led to significant differences in the quality and availability of infrastructure. Since the 1960s, the road density in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa has barely increased, while it has tripled in East Asia. Also, the availability of telephone lines in East Asia is twice as great as that in Latin America and 10 times greater than in sub-Saharan Africa. The empirical evidence indicates that lagging infrastructural development could account for as much as one third of the widening income differentials between East Asian and Latin American countries during the 1980s and 1990s. ii) Human development Some empirical studies suggest that developing countries could catch up with the developed world if only they attained increased levels of human development. The links between growth and human development are complex, however. There are large disparities in indicators of human well-being, such as life expectancy and educational attainment. However, the world has seen more convergence among countries in terms of improvements in health and education outcomes than in terms of improvements in per capita incomes. The evidence in this report indicates that countries with a successful economic growth performance all had relatively high levels of human development at the beginning of their sustained growth process and showed substantial improvements in education and health as average incomes improved. Conversely, however, not all countries with relatively higher levels of human development managed to achieve high long-term economic growth rates. Human development is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for sustained economic growth. Lifting other constraints on economic growth and structural change will be necessary to create opportunities for a better-educated population. The dynamic creation of decent and productive employment is the crucial link in this regard. Recently President Bush unveiled a broad proposal to boost US economic competitiveness by injecting more than 136 billion dollars into research and education over the next decade. The programme would promote the private-sector investment in innovation and strive to make US children better in mathematics and science. The initiative is aimed at strengthening US economic leadership in the face of growing competition from countries like China and India. The President said that â€Å"The American economy is pre-eminent — but we cannot afford to be complacent,† (CNN). In fact, no economy can afford to be complacent when it comes to supporting the fundamental cause of education and human development.

Retained Facial Foreign Body Following Trauma in a Child

Retained Facial Foreign Body Following Trauma in a Child Abstract: Traumatic injuries in orofacial region often drive foreign bodies in the soft tissues. They are secondary to penetrating or abrasive trauma resulting in bleeding and deep wound. The foreign body may sometimes remain unnoticed. This case report is of a 32 month old male patient who reported to the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive dentistry with complain of thorn prick injury on right side of the face. On palpation, linear mass on the right cheek region measuring about 3-4 cm in length with small eruption on skin suggestive of healed opening was evaluated. Soft tissue ultrasonography (USG) was advised along with blood investigation. Soft tissue USG did not disclose any foreign body. Blood investigation was normal. Surgical exploration revealed a thorn measuring 17mm in size. The wound was debrided and sutures placed at the site of incision. The 6-month clinical follow-up revealed uneventful soft issue healing. Early and definite diagnosis correlating clinical and radiologic exa mination is important for conservative management of such lesion thus eliminating potential risk of developing larger infection. Key-words: Paediatric trauma, soft tissue injuries, maxillofacial injuries Introduction Trauma is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide.1Soft tissue injuries are more common than fractures in children who have sustained facial trauma, particularly in younger children whose facial skeletons are resistant to fracture.2However, in comparison with adults, maxillofacial fractures in children are relatively uncommon due to physiological and environmental factors.3-4According to NÃ ¸rholt et al.5, fractures of the pediatric maxillofacial skeleton are rare due to the resiliency of their bones, the relatively small size of their body in proportion to the head and the comparatively protected lifestyle of children. During initial assessment of any facial injury, it is important to review the mechanism and time of injury and determine whether it was witnessed. Knowing what caused the injury will be valuable during later exploration and debridement of wounds and the prediction of subsequent wound healing.Every effort should be made to cleanse the wound and remove all foreign material; this may have to be done in the operating room under anesthesia. These retained foreign bodies which are often missed at initial evaluation result in inflammation, pus discharge, and toxicity and delayed healing of wounds. Case description A 32 months old malepatient reported to the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, College of Dental Surgery, B.P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepalwith complaint of thorn prick injury on the right side of. (Figure1). The patient had fallen from a tree and was injuredtwo months back. No treatment was sought for the condition at the time of trauma. Medical history was not significant. On examination, a palpable linear mass on the right cheek region measuring about 3-4 cm in length with small eruption on skin suggestive of healed opening was evaluated. The mass was movable upon palpation in all directions. There was no pain or tenderness upon palpation. There was no history of fever and pus discharge. Soft tissue ultrasonography (USG) was advised along with blood investigation. Soft tissue USG did not disclose any foreign body. Blood investigation was normal. On the basis of clinical findings, a surgical exploration was planned under local anesthesia to remove the foreign body. Intra-dermal local anesthesia (Lignocaine hydrochloride 2%, adrenaline 1:200000) was administered. A small incision was given at the most fluctuant point of the scar with the help of a B.P blade. The lesion was explored with curved artery forceps and a wooden piece which was curved at one end and pointed at the other end and measuring 17mm was removed. (Figure2). The lesion was cleansed and irrigated with Betadine (Povidone-Iodine) solution and saline. A 3-0 silk suture was placed at the site of incision (Figure 3). The patient was prescribed with antibiotic and analgesic and was recalled after one week for suture removal.The patient was followed up till 6 months and the healing was uneventful (Figure 4) Discussion Soft tissue injuries, whether isolated or in combination with other injuries, are among the most common traumatic craniofacial injuries encountered by emergency department personnel and plastic surgeons. These injuries account for nearly 10% of all emergency department visits.6, 7, 8 Unintentional injury, defined as every disability occurring under accidental circumstances, is a significant health problem in children in the general practice, accounting for 9% of all new health problems in children.9Divided into three overlapping aesthetic subunits (infraorbital, preauricular, and buccomandibular), the cheeks are by surface area the largest subunit of the face. This size correlates with both a high frequency of injury to the cheek and underlying structures as well as a multitude of approaches that can be used for posttraumatic reconstruction.10 Foreign bodies can penetrate soft tissues through open wounds and laceration sustained during trauma or by direct impact against them. Such wounds harboring foreign bodies may appear to be deceptively minor and may not be accompanied by any major symptoms. But if these foreign bodies are left undetected in the tissues they can result in serious consequence days, months or years after initial trauma.11 Penetrating retained wooden bodies acts as foreign body, usually dirty and carry many microorganisms.12Because of their porous consistency and organic nature, provide a good medium for the growth of the microbial agents. Infection resulting from the retained wooden body may lead to complications such as abscess and fistula formation13.The case presented in this report also had a retained wooden foreign body for a period of two months but the patient did not develop any complications as such except presence of a linear scar on the cheek. The foreign body removal can be delayed in approximately one third of all foreign bodies, because they are initially radiologically missed or misdiagnosed.14Occasionally, foreign bodies can be retained for some time causing persistent and distressing symptoms.15It is often difficult to remove foreign bodies in the head and neck because they are usually near vital structures, or the difficult access.16The careful assessment is required for the identification and location of the retained foreign body, which is essential for the surgical removal.17 Early diagnosis and definitive treatment as well as good postoperative wound care are important when dealing with soft tissue injuries. Since the initial assessment of these patients may involve a Dentists, a properknowledge of the diagnosis and management of soft tissue trauma is necessary.

Microsoft IT Certification Tracks :: essays research papers

Introduction: The Microsoft IT1 certification tracks, is a complete program that provides students with the Internet technology skills essential in a universal economy. Microsoft Certifications delivers class-based learning, online examinations, student follow ups, labs, instructor training and support. Launched in 1995 in the USA, the Microsoft Certifications spread to more than 200 countries and all over the United States and Canada. Over 1.000.000 students have enrolled at more than 16000 training centers. Microsoft trains the training Centers on how to train teachers how to train student the Microsoft tracks. Microsoft’s partners from business, government and education form community which delivers the range of services and support needed to grow tomorrow's Microsoft generation. Initially created to prepare students for the MCSA (Microsoft Certified System Administrator), MSCE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer), MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator), and MCAD (Microsoft Certified Application Developer) certifications, it now expanded to include lower level courses. Some of the courses include: Web design; Web mastering and Windows Essentials; The Internet enables anytime, anywhere learning for all students, regardless of location, religion, gender, or race. The Microsoft Certifications track is continually updated. It includes the latest Microsoft software and OS. For example in MCSE it all started with Windows NT then was updated with windows 2000 and recently the released the windows XP version. The Internet has the power to change the way people learn, work, and play, and the Microsoft Certifications Tracks is the leading in providing, facilitating and transforming to this new way of education. Redefining IT: Network efficiencies, interactivity, multimedia, personalization, and network widening, made Microsoft come up with a multiple choice of courses to let workers and students have more efficiency, knowledge and specialization in the different IT tasks. The Microsoft courses integrate e-learning applications for authoring, management, and assessment with rich media content, delivery, and a network infrastructure. Implemented as the e-learning environment of the Microsoft IT certification Tracks in 1998. It brought many important new capabilities. These include global scalability, lack of extensive integration needed for implementation, a distributed architecture with sophisticated caching to avoid latency, the ability to deliver rich media and interactive components seamlessly, a clearly defined pedagogical hierarchy for authoring, personalized feedback, and the use of Web-based open standards. The Microsoft IT Certification tracks, is a worldwide effort designed to teach Internet technology skills to youth and adults. The Microsoft Certification track is also helping to transform education as the world's largest e-learning laboratory.

Alfred Hitchcock :: essays research papers

Films were a great form of entertainment from their debut in the early 1900’s and continued to grow more popular over the years. The film making business hit a growth period in the 1920’s. In Hollywood, the assembly line â€Å"studio† system of producing a movie was changed and refined, and the famous studious that dominate Hollywood production today, such as Universal Studious, were being put together. Censorship regulations were being formulated for the first time, and Wall Street began to take a more prominent, powerful role in film making. It was the era of short silent films that were backed by organists who could play a variety of famous composers such as Beethoven, and Sousa, and who mastered other sound affects for further enhancement of the movie. It was a time when movies came and went quickly and films that had no pretense of being art were made in mass. Nobody ever expected a movie to have an afterlife. They were made only for entertainment and to ma ke money, and were considered disposable back then. It took decades to develop movies as a concept of art. During this time of rapid change in the film making business, a certain aspiring director began his dream of working with cinema. Eventually, the talented and mysterious director, Alfred Hitchcock, played a huge part in establishing his and others’ masterpieces as an art. Born on August 13th, 1899, in London, England, Hitchcock’s childhood was that of a lower class Roman Catholic child who attended church regularly. His parents were greengrocers, William and Emma Hitchcock. A strict man, William once told a five year old Albert to go to the police station with a note from his father after some mischief making. Upon reading the note, a sergeant put young Alfred in a cell and left him there for ten minutes. The policeman returned only to tell him, â€Å"This is what happens to naughty boys.† This story and Hitchcock’s Roman Catholic background encompassed all the themes Hitchcock would later put in is his work such as terror inflicted upon the unknowing, and sometimes innocent victim; guilt, both real and the appearance of it; and fear and redemption. He grew up with his older siblings, William and Ellen Kathleen in Leytonstone, part of London’s East End. Fascinated by numbers and technology, Hitchcock was educated at the Jes uits’ St. Ignatius College, a day school for boys.

Compare and contrast Essay

F. Scott Fitzgerald, a well-known writer of Jazz Age, wrote fictitious stories but most of them were based on his real life experiences. His wild and tragic experiences and struggles of life are clearly reflected in his stories. Even the reader understands the sequence of the story and clearly imagines the time period in which it must have occurred. The border between a real life experience and a fictitious story completely vanishes while reading Fitzgerald’s stories. Fitzgerald tried to use experimental techniques in his fiction through his two stories, ‘May Day’ and ‘The Diamond as Big as he Ritz’ and that helped him in his later works as well. ‘May Day’ is one of the best examples of his realistic stories. The story takes place after World War II and has many artistic visual descriptions that make the reader imagine the whole situation and surroundings. In chapter 1 there is description of Gordon when he enquires about Phillip Dean in Biltmore Hotel. The enquirer was dressed in a well-cut, shabby suit. He was small, slender, and darkly handsome; his eyes were framed above with unusually long eyelashes and below with the lue semicircle of ill health, this latter effect heightened by an unnatural glow which colored his face like a low incessant fever. (Chapter – 1, May Day) Fitzgerald makes the reader view New York City as on May Day in 1919. Here the readers could experience everything like the society dance, scene that includes a disorderly crowd of war veterans and also office of a socialist newspaper. The protagonist in this story of Fitzgerald prefers to suicide rather than marry a lower-class woman who tried to seduce him. In 1922, Fitzgerald wrote another short story ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’ which ould be referred more accurately as a fantasy. In this story refined vindictiveness of the Washingtons, who live on the top of a diamond mountain and want to murder their guests to keep up the secret of the place. Fitzgerald, in fact wants to make the reader get aware of the situation in United States at that time along with its capitalism with the help of Washingtons and this story can be best termed as a political metaphor. The time when this story was written, the economy was flourishing and the political system was full of suspicion and sense of isolation. The Washington’s country was depicted as complete in itself with natural resources, political prisoners, own defense system and so on. The writer artistically visualizes the situation and the reader is left spellbound with it. Washingtons even tried to bribe God, which shows that they had taken their isolated country to an extreme, which could be symbolic for United States. This unique style of Fitzgerald of relating present symbolically through his fictions was quite admired by his critics too. The time when he was writing was very sensitive and ny kind of direct attack on politics or prevailing situation would create lot of problems for him. So this was the right and matured style of writing to approach target readers. This is the reason why most of Fitzgerald’s stories are favorites among readers specially ‘May Day’ and ‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’. Both the stories are different when plots are considered but the style and artistic visualizations used in both are remarkable. The characters and their feelings shown are quite natural and reader immediately gets into it.

Body Image

Today's media has become a huge benefactor for women in society's poor body acceptance. Although advertising aims to convince us to buy things, ads seldom portray people that look like us. The average female fashion model wears in-between a size two or four, while the average American woman wears a size 12 or 14. Although today's media portrays female models as alluring, and desirable by all men; it is also producing a â€Å"picture that is far removed from reality' and is fiercely â€Å"unreal, and unattainable† (452).Images of models in ads are often touched up, in order to disguise minor flaws or make the models appear even skinnier than they really are. These false body image ads, showing bodies that are not ell or representative of the general female population, have far-reaching effects. It might seem that it should be recognizable when an ad shows something not real; but we still tend to trust what is seen in the media and through that, body image can be easily confuse d. The constant barrage of unrealistically skinny women can stir up feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and depression.This is what leads to the development of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, in today's young adult population. Even before young woman were influenced by the images of media; they were being influenced tit America's top selling manufactured doll since 1 959, Barbie. The average American girl between the ages of three to 1 1 , grows up surrounded by the Barbie body image. Not every child is influenced by the toys they play with; but young children can be easily influenced, especially by their toys.Toys are designed to allow children to practice for roles they will take on as adults; that's why housekeeping toys, doctor kits, toy pots and pans, and baby dolls were manufactured. Through play, children learn about the world and their place in it. What do Barbie's teach children about the world? They teach children that is it desirable to be extremely thin, and to s trive for an unrealistic body image. Research done by the AND show that 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.The AND also shows, that the mortality rate associated with anorexia nervous is 12 times higher than the death rate associated with all causes of death for females 15-24 years old. Remember; these young women likely played with Barbie dolls, multiple Barbie's around these young ages. Not only can the media stir up feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression; but so can an unrealistically proportioned doll, that is portraying to adolescence what women should be. Body Image Today's media has become a huge benefactor for women in society's poor body acceptance. Although advertising aims to convince us to buy things, ads seldom portray people that look like us. The average female fashion model wears in-between a size two or four, while the average American woman wears a size 12 or 14. Although today's media portrays female models as alluring, and desirable by all men; it is also producing a â€Å"picture that is far removed from reality' and is fiercely â€Å"unreal, and unattainable† (452).Images of models in ads are often touched up, in order to disguise minor flaws or make the models appear even skinnier than they really are. These false body image ads, showing bodies that are not ell or representative of the general female population, have far-reaching effects. It might seem that it should be recognizable when an ad shows something not real; but we still tend to trust what is seen in the media and through that, body image can be easily confuse d. The constant barrage of unrealistically skinny women can stir up feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and depression.This is what leads to the development of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, in today's young adult population. Even before young woman were influenced by the images of media; they were being influenced tit America's top selling manufactured doll since 1 959, Barbie. The average American girl between the ages of three to 1 1 , grows up surrounded by the Barbie body image. Not every child is influenced by the toys they play with; but young children can be easily influenced, especially by their toys.Toys are designed to allow children to practice for roles they will take on as adults; that's why housekeeping toys, doctor kits, toy pots and pans, and baby dolls were manufactured. Through play, children learn about the world and their place in it. What do Barbie's teach children about the world? They teach children that is it desirable to be extremely thin, and to s trive for an unrealistic body image. Research done by the AND show that 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.The AND also shows, that the mortality rate associated with anorexia nervous is 12 times higher than the death rate associated with all causes of death for females 15-24 years old. Remember; these young women likely played with Barbie dolls, multiple Barbie's around these young ages. Not only can the media stir up feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression; but so can an unrealistically proportioned doll, that is portraying to adolescence what women should be.

The Influence of Deweys Philosophies in Modern Americas Education Research Paper

The Influence of Deweys Philosophies in Modern Americas Education - Research Paper Example This report declares that Dewey supported an interdisciplinary syllabus. This syllabus centered on linking many subjects and enabled students to enter and exit classrooms independently as they search for and pursue their interests and build their particular paths for gaining and applying knowledge. The teacher’s role in such a syllabus would be to act as an enabler more than an instructor. Dewey argued that the teacher’s role was to detect the interests of students, watch the directions they pursue naturally, and afterwards, act as an individual who assists in building problem-solving skills. This paper makes a conclusion that a teacher ought to convey context material information while students learn in groups. Conventionally, the classroom has been arranged with the teacher in front and students seated in rows. This model of classroom arrangements is practical in today’s education system and has been commonplace for decades. A teacher normally conveys information to a class, who then acquire and repeat it in a type of a written exam. In contrast, Dewey’s philosophy involves students learning in groups that were exploring various concepts under the teaching material. In Dewey’s education system, one would observe multiple dialogs a lot of cooperation. Although one might also observe a written exam, there may also be student assignments, slideshows, or other distinguished methods of assessment.

Knowledge, Truth, Belief Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Knowledge, Truth, Belief - Assignment Example Similarly in coherent theory, the truth requires appropriate proof that supports it for it to be true; hence it has to be factual. Conversely, correspondence theory does not emphasize on the facts rather than the theoretical view that is remarkable to realize (Mindus, 60-61). In my opinion, I think robust theory of truth might be possible when certain approaches such as correspondence and coherence theory are combined. Robust theory of truth involves a truth-bearer is true and right, and there is a truth-maker that can be referred to as a fact. The statement or factor being considered should have the enough evidences to prove the fact or truth-maker. The theory can be comprehended without intricacy when viewing it as a reaction to correspondence theory (Mindus, 60-61). Consequently, the ‘hybrid’ theory will work, since it merges the approaches that are used in corresponding and coherent theory. Joachim response to his critics who suggest that coherence theory of truth has no bearing on the way the world is in, and of itself is that his sketch was intended to show the truth of nature as ideal. He describes the nature truth as the systematic coherence that portrays a significant whole, which is an individual and personal experience. His response is convincing because the origin of the world is a mystery to everyone, and only few individuals came up with personal theories that describe the way of the world. Theories of truth such as correspondence and coherent theory explain the types of truths that exist in the society (Mindus, 60-61). Hence, identifying and differentiating the reality from the idealism among individuals becomes

Data Mining for Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Data Mining for Auditing - Essay Example However, with increased use of databases, comes a new challenge: how to make sense of the abundant data Auditors are overwhelmed with massive collection of data. Omnipresent personal computers, low cost multi-gigabyte disks, ubiquitous electronics and new generation database languages have made it very simple for companies to capture data and save it without any worries of loss of space, time or computing power. This benefit of databases to companies is also the bane to auditors. However, the effective utilisation of one robust technology will bring sense to the chaos generated by databases: Data Mining. Data Mining aims at converting data to sensible information. It intends to extract information from the data repositories in a manner as needed by the auditor. The auditors, with the help of data mining techniques can 'mine' for the relevant information needed to perform their assessment without having to bother about the irrelevant data. This report aims at analysing the benefits brought about by applying data mining technologies to auditing. As a part of the process of analysing the benefits, the paper also presents the technological overview of data mining, the problem faced by auditors and the tools and techniques data mining provides to alleviate the problems. Auditing: An Introduction to the Problem Domain Auditing is commonly defined as the process of accumulating and analysing information to detect the degree of conformance of the information with the pre-set criteria (Arens & Loebbecke, 2000). During its inception, auditing was an activity performed only to check financial compliance with the goals set. However today, it is an activity that is carried rigorously across all the domains of an enterprise. Auditing involves analysing the information from all departments including manufacturing, operations, human resource, finance and other verticals. Generally, companies hire independent auditors from outside the company to ascertain whether the statements of the company are in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). However auditing is facing very tough challenges. The demise of major companies such as Enron and Anderson are live examples to limn the depth of negative impact that can be brought about by improper auditing. The complexity of business transactions coupled with investor's complex business practises to gain more profits makes the job of an auditor very challenging (Vijayalakshmi, 2003). To ensure that an objective assessment is reached, an auditor must be presented with data at all levels. The company creates huge databases of statements, records and other data that an auditor is expected to analyse. However due to timing and cost constraints, auditors can not examine every detail behind the stacks of records. With massive improvements in technology such as the development of Supply Chain Management Systems and Enterprise Resource Planning applications, the amount of business transactions performed everyday has grown exponentially. Since, in most cases, a company hires an