Saturday, August 31, 2019

Office Space

Office space, a critically acclaimed film, although it may seem like this was a comically movie, it tells a much deeper story. Peter Giffins goes to work every day and really hates what he does until a hypnotist brakes the cycle of mundane and boring days . This movie sheds like on the stereo type of cubical America, in the 90s. My analysis will focus on emotional competency; the stress brought on to Peter and how he effectively dealt with it, identity management, listening responses, communication climate, and conflict management styles that take place in this movie.Peter has quite the identity management crises over the course of the movie. Identity management (page 445) is the communication strategies people use to influence how others view them. Peter does this by changing his actions from when he is at work and when he is at home. When peter is at work he acts like a happy employee, but when he is at home all he can do is complain about work and think about work. He even at one point in the move told the hypnotist â€Å"Every day is worst then the last†. That doesn’t sound like a man who loves his job.Peter also manages his identity by using nonverbal communications At one point in the movie, office space, peter uses his hands to communicate a strong gesture of hate as he pretends to shoot up his office building. The main actor peter also uses plenty of facile expressions to also help drive his hate in. Nonverbal communications do not even have to be gestures they can be as simple, as his boss, Lumbergh’s not making eye contact when he talks to his employees, or the way he stands when talking to petter.Peter meets a lovely waitress, in the move, Joanna, who is played by Jennifer Anderson. Joanna’s boss communicates with her by using his, language illustrate concerns by using vague terms, abstractions and constructively. He does this by asking her about only having 16 pieces of â€Å"flair†. The minimum requirement for her job, at Chotckeys, as a waitress is 16 but the â€Å"over achiever† waiter has 36 pieces of â€Å"flair†. Her boss beats about the bush and basically states â€Å" Brian has 36 pieces of â€Å"flair†. He could have used more sincere language and just asked her to put more â€Å"flair† on. Peters boss, Lumbergh, shows poor listening responses by not even looking a peter when he is talking to him. Lumbergh also does not even respond correctly to the rebuttals from peter about the cover letters. Peter told his boss at one point in the movie, office space, â€Å"I already have the cover sheet, right here. † Lumbergh responds by saying â€Å"I’ll have a copy sent to you. † Lumbergh’s shows a complete disregard for what peter told him.Our book states(page 237) that mindless listing, occurs when we react to others’ messages automatically and routinely, without much mental investment. Lumbergh’s responses are all mindle ss responses thought out the movie, office space. In the movie office space the communication between managers and employees are disconfirming by the simple fact that no one lesions to any one or knows any one, one example of this is when another employee doesn’t even know the peters friends names when she hands back the mail.

Explain How the ‘Ansoff Matrix’ Can Be Applied to Help Develop Strategic Marketing Options for an Enterprise.

Explain how the ‘Ansoff matrix’ can be applied to help develop strategic marketing options for an enterprise. What  other analytical tools and techniques can be employed to develop alternative marketing strategies? Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. The Ansoff Matrix 3. Market Penetration 4. Product Development 5. Market Development 6. Diversification 7. Limitations of the Ansoff matrix 8. Other analytical tools and techniques 9. Conclusion 10. References Introduction From my working experience I have discovered, an organisation that knows its shortcomings, and can make relatively strategic decisions to meet the right objectives, will achieve its desire to become successful and remain relevant. Successful organisations in Nigeria always attribute their success to unique strategies which they employed efficiently. Strategies are developed at different levels within an organisation, it therefore follows that objectives (what it wants to achieve) are also set at the different levels. The setting of these objectives will usually produce a discrepancy between what is currently being achieved and what needs to be achieved. Marketing strategies are the explanation of how this gap is going to be closed and the objectives realized. Ansoff matrix is a useful framework for looking at possible strategies to reduce the gap between where the company may be without a change in strategy and where the company aspires to be (Proctor, 1997). The Ansoff matrix which is the focus of this work is one of the models alongside others like the Porter matrix, BCG, SWOT, PESTEL, DPM matrix and Gap analysis etc used by marketers to set objectives which assist strategic decision making. The Ansoff matrix is also used in marketing audits (Li et al, 1999). I will attempt to explain within the limitation of word content, how the Ansoff can be applied to help develop strategic marketing options for an enterprise. Some of these other analytical tools and techniques will also be discussed in the second section this work. The Ansoff Matrix The Ansoff matrix presents the product and market choices available to an organisation. Herein markets may be defined as customers, and products as items sold to customers (Lynch, 2003). This matrix helps companies decide what course of action should be taken given current performance. The Ansoff matrix is also used in marketing audits (Li et al, 1999). The Ansoff matrix entails four possible product/market combinations: Market penetration, product development, market development and diversification (Ansoff 1957, 1989). Ansoff Product-Market Growth Matrix [pic] Source: Ansoff (1957, 1989) A market penetration strategy is used when and organization wants to achieve and increased share in the market. A market development strategy in contrast involves the organization searching for new markets in which to sell its current product. A product development strategy involves identifying new needs within the existing market and developing products to meet these needs while the diversification strategy involves the organisation entering new markets with new products. I will now elaborate on these four strategies to show how they help develop strategic marketing options for an enterprise. Market Penetration Market penetration occurs when a company penetrates a market with its current products. It is important to note that the market penetrations strategy begins with the existing customers of the organization. This strategy is used by companies in order to increase sales without drifting from the original product-market strategy (Ansoff, 1957). Companies often penetrate markets in one of these three ways: by gaining competitors customers, improving the product quality or level of service, attracting non-users of the products or convincing current customers to use more of the company’s product, with the use of marketing communication tools like advertising etc. Ansoff, 1989, Lynch, 2003). This strategy is important for businesses because retaining existing customers is cheaper than attracting new ones, which is why companies like BMW and Toyota (Lynch, 2003) and banks like HSBC engage in relationship marketing activities to retain their high lifetime value customers; same applies to Diamond bank in Nigeria which won the award for Bank of the Year in Thisday Awards 200 9 (Thisday Style magazine). Diamond bank is one of the market challengers in Nigeria’s banking industry and has consistently increased its market share by penetrating the market with targeted special promotions, very low interest rates on loans, and maintaining a highly receptive and comfortable atmosphere in its banking halls. Product Development Product development occurs when a company develops new products catering to the same market. Note that product development refers to significant new product developments and not minor changes in an existing product of the firm. The reasons that justify the use of this strategy include one or more of the following: to utilise of excess production capacity, counter competitive entry, maintain the company’s reputation as a product innovator, exploit new technology, and to protect overall market share (Lynch, 2003). Often one such strategy moves the company into markets and towards customers that are currently not being catered for. For example, McDonalds is always within the fast-food industry, but frequently markets new burgers. Another good example of the product development strategy is the constant innovation within the home computer market where products can become obsolete within a matter of years. Frequently, when a firm creates new products, it can gain new customers for these products. Hence, new product development can be a crucial business development strategy for firms to stay competitive. Market Development When a company follows the market development strategy, it moves beyond its immediate customer base towards attracting new customers for its existing products. This strategy often involves the sale of existing products in new international markets. This may entail exploration of new segments of a market, new uses for the company’s products and services, or new geographical areas in order to entice new customers (Lynch, 2003). For example, Arm & Hammer was able to attract new customers when existing consumers identified new uses of their baking soda (Christensen et al, 2005). Lucozade was first marketed for sick children and then re-branded to target athletes. Also, an organisation found that the gel they produced for removing residual oil from heavy machinery could also be used to clean domestic ovens and baking tins. This revelation enabled them to target a new market of professional cooks and baking enthusiast. These are good examples of developing a new market for an existing product. Diversification Diversification strategy is distinct in the sense that when a company diversifies, it essentially moves out of its current products and markets into new areas. It is important to note that diversification may be into related and unrelated areas. Related diversification may be in the form of backward, forward, and horizontal integration. Backward integration takes place when the company extends its activities towards its inputs such as suppliers of raw materials etc. in the same business. Forward integration differs from backward integration, in that the company extends its activities towards its outputs such as distribution etc. in the same business. Horizontal integration takes place when a company moves into businesses that are related to its existing activities (Lynch, 2003; Macmillan et al, 2000). It is important to note that even unrelated diversification often has some synergy with the original business of the company. The risk of one such manoeuvre is that detailed knowledge of the key success factors may be limited to the company (Lynch, 2003). While diversified businesses seem to grow faster in cases where diversification is unrelated, it is crucial to note that the track record of diversification remains poor as in many cases diversifications have been divested (Porter, 1987). Scholars have argued that related diversification is generally more profitable (Macmillan et al, 2000; Pearson, 1999). Therefore, diversification is a high-risk strategy as it involves taking a step into a territory where the parameters are unknown to the company. The risks of diversification can be minimised by moving into related markets (Ansoff, 1989). Virgin Cola, Virgin Megastores, Virgin Airlines, Virgin Telecommunications are examples of new products created by the Virgin Group of UK, to leverage the Virgin brand. This resulted in the company entering new markets where it had no presence before. Limitations of Ansoff Matrix While Ansoff analysis helps in mapping the strategic options for companies, it is important to note that like all models, it has some limitations. By itself, the matrix can tell one part of the strategy story but it is imperative to look at other strategic models like SWOT analysis and PESTLE in order to view how the strategy of an organisation is formulating and might change in the course of its future. For example, the Ansoff analysis of Virgin Cola shows that the brand has been launched in the UK and USA using a market penetration strategy, which essentially reflects that the brand needs to increase its brand recognition (Vignali, 2001). The SWOT analysis conducted by Vignali (2001) showed an opportunity that Virgin Cola could explore diversification into new ranges of Virgin Cola products. PESTEL analysis of Virgin Cola showed that there was need to constantly evaluate the soft drinks industry in all countries, in order to reflect customer trends, thereby allowing the brand to gain market share and also predict trends faster than the competition. Therefore, the steps to be taken while conducting a strategic analysis of an organisation include SWOT analysis, PESTEL and Ansoff matrix as fundamental models of analyses, which should be used in conjunction and not in isolation, to view the complete strategic scenario. Also, recommendations made on the basis on only one of the models are not concrete and lack in depth. While the role of analysis in making strategic choices cannot be undermined, it is imperative to note that judgment plays a crucial role in making critical strategic choices that may change the future of the firm (Macmillan et al, 2000). Lastly, the use of Ansoff matrix as a marketing tool may not be really useful as the matrix is critical for analysing the strategic path that the brand may be following, and does not essentially identify marketing options. Other Analytic Tools As mentioned earlier Ansoff matrix is not all exhaustive and so there are other analytical tools and techniques which are valuable to marketers for strategic decision making and can actually be used alongside Ansoff matrix. I will just throw some light on SWOT, BCG matrix and Porter’s Generic Strategy. SWOT Swot analysis is a simple framework for generating strategic alternatives from a situation analysis. Swot (sometimes reffered to as TOWS) stands for Strengths, Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats. It is applicable to either corporate level or business unit level and frequently appears in marketing lans. Its advocates say it can be used to gauge the degree of ‘fit’ between the organisation’s strategy and its environment, and to suggest ways suggest ways in which the organisation can profit from strengths and opportunities and shield itself against weaknesses and threats (Adams, 2005). The internal and external situation analysis can produce a large amoun t of information, much of which may not be highly relevant. The SWOT analysis can serve as an interpretative filter to reduce the information to a manageable quantity of key issues. The SWOT analysis classifies the internal aspect of the company as strengths or weaknesses and the external situational factors as opportunities or threats. Strengths can serve as a foundation for building a competitive advantage, and weaknesses may hinder it. By understanding these four aspects of its situation, a firm can better leverage its strengths, correct its weaknesses, capitalize on golden opportunities, and deter potentially devastating threats. Because SWOT is such as familiar and comforting tool, many students use it at the start of their analysis. This is a mistake. In order to arrive at a proper SWOT appraisal, other analyses need to be carrier out first. BCG Matrix BCG matrix is a management tool that serves four distinct purposes (McDonald 2003; Kotler 2003; Cipher 2006): it can be used to classify product portfolio in four business types based on four graphic labels including Stars (Stars are leaders in high growth markets. They tend to/should generate large amounts of cash but also use a lot of cash because of growth market conditions) Cash Cows (), Question Mark (Question Marks have not achieved a dominant market position, and hence do not generate much cash. They tend to use a lot of cash because of growth market conditions) and Dogs (Dogs often have little future and are big cash drainers on the company as they generate very little cash by virtue of their low market share in a highly low growth market). [pic] According to experts (Drummond & Ensor 2004; Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003), surplus cash from cash cow products should be channeled into Stars and Questions in order to create the future Cash Cows. The BCG matrix can be used to determine what priorities should be given in the product portfolio of a company; to classify an organisation’s product portfolio according to their cash usage and generation; and offers management available strategies to tackle various product lines. It is based on two dimensional variables: relative market share and market growth. They often are pointers to healthiness of a business (Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003). In other words, products with greater market share or within a fast growing market are expected to wield relatively greater profit margins. Porter’s Generic Strategy Companies can achieve competitive advantages essentially by differentiating their products and services from those of competitors and through low costs. Firms can target their products by a broad target, thereby covering most of the marketplace, or they can focus on a narrow target in the market (Lynch, 2003). According to Porter, there are three generic strategies that a company can undertake to attain competitive advantage: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. [pic] Source: Porter (1985) Cost Leadership; The companies that attempt to become the lowest-cost producers in an industry can be referred to as those following a cost leadership strategy. The company with the lowest costs would earn the highest profits in the event when the competing products are essentially undifferentiated, and selling at a standard market price. Companies following this strategy place emphasis on cost reduction in every activity in the value chain. Differentiation; When a company differentiates its products, it is often able to charge a premium price for its products or services in the market. Some general examples of differentiation include better service levels to customers, better product performance etc. in comparison with the existing competitors. Porter (1980) has argued that for a company employing a differentiation strategy, there would be extra costs that the company would have to incur. Such extra costs may include high advertising spending to promote a differentiated brand image for the product, which in fact can be considered as a cost and an investment. Focus; Porter initially presented focus as one of the three generic strategies, but later identified focus as a moderator of the two strategies. Companies employ this strategy by focusing on the areas in a market where there is the least amount of competition (Pearson, 1999). Organisations can make use of the focus strategy by focusing on a specific niche in the market and offering specialised products for that niche. This is why the focus strategy is also sometimes referred to as the niche strategy (Lynch, 2003). Therefore, competitive advantage can be achieved only in the company’s target segments by employing the focus strategy. The company can make use of the cost leadership or differentiation approach with regard to the focus strategy. Conclusion In conclusion, it has to be restated that the Ansoff matrix is a useful, though not an exhaustive, framework for an organisation’s objective setting process and marketing audits. The differences in strategic choices of organisations can often be attributed to the type of market in which the company operates. Changes in business environment play a crucial role in the strategic options that an organisation may pursue over its life stages. There are risks associated with all of the four strategic options entailed in the Ansoff matrix. Market penetration is generally considered as a low risk strategy while diversification, on the other hand, is deemed as a high risk growth strategy as it involves moving simultaneously into new products and new markets. Diversification remains a popular strategic option for firms in today’s competitive business arena. Lastly, Ansoff matrix as a strategic model has certain limitations. The use of SWOT and PESTEL analysis is recommended, along with Ansoff analysis, to be able to capture a holistic view of the strategic scenario of an organisation. I would have elaborated more on other analytic tools but for the word limit given me. References Ansoff Analysis. Website. http://university- essays. tripod. com/ansoff_analysis. html. 27th March 2009 Ansoff, I. H. (1957), Strategies for diversification, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 35, No. 2, p. 113-124. Ansoff, I. (1989), Corporate Strategy, rev. edn, Penguin, Harmondsworth BCG Growth-Share Matrix. Website. http://university- essays. tripod. com/bcg_growth_share_matrix_boston_consultin g_group. html. 3rd March 2009 Christensen, C. & Cook, S. & Hall, T. 2005), Marketing malpractice: The cause and the cure, Harvard Business Review. Hill, W. L. C. & Jones, R. G. (2007), Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach, 7th ed. , Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston: New York. Li, S. & Duan, Y. & Kinman, R. & Edwards, J. S. (1999), A framework for a hybrid intelligent system in support of marketing strategy development, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 17, No. 4. Lynch, R. (2003), Corp orate Strategy, 3rd ed. , Prentice Hall Financial Times. Macmillan, H. & Tampoe, M. (2000), Strategic Management, Oxford University Press. Module 1, Unit 2, (2006) MN7002/D, Strategic Marketing, (ed. 10th), England. Pearson, G. (1999), Strategy in Action, Prentice Hall Financial Times. Vignali, C. (2001), Virgin Cola, British Food Journal, Vol. 103, No. 2. Porter, M. E. (1987), From competitive strategy to corporate strategy, Harvard Business Review. Porter’s Generic Strategies. Website. http://university-essays. tripod. com/porters_generic_strategies. html. 3rd March 2009 Proctor, T. (1997), Establishing a strategic direction: a review, Management Decision, Vol. 35, No. 2. Product-Market Growth Matrix. Website. ttp://www. businesspme. com/uk/articles/strategy/61/Product- Market-Growth-Matrix. html. 15th February 2009 Osime R. (2009), Thisday Awards ’09, Thisday Magazine, Volume 14: No. 5026 SWOT Analysis. Website. http://www. netmba. com/strategy/swot/ 27th March 2009 SWOT Analysis. Website. http://university- essays. tripod. com/swot_tows_analysis. html. 3rd March 2009 Thompson, A. A. & Strickland, J. A. (2003), Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, Thirteenth ed. , McGraw-Hill. What is Ansoff Analysis? Website. http://www. coursework4you. co. uk/ansoff. htm. 15th February 2009

Friday, August 30, 2019

Night †Devotion to God Essay

Under certain circumstances, one’s perspective towards their faith in God may change, which is demonstrated in the memoir Night. Wiesel’s initial devotion to God and his faith undergoes a radical transformation in the face of his horrendous experiences, resulting in apparently soils and cynical atheism, but his faith survives to some degree in spite of overwhelming odds, and in subsequent years move have revived enough to motivate this memoir. At the age of twelve, Wiesel began to question God and analyze the cabbala with his fellow friend Moche, and together there faith became stronger than before. Then, under circumstances, Moche was sent away, and returned as a different man. The motif of his eyes demonstrated his loss in the faith of God. He cried to the people to believe that the horrific experiences he said was true, but no one could pull themselves together to believe. Moche’s faith was gone, and that only made Wiesel’s faith stronger. Wiesel’s devotion never disappeared as he stated, â€Å"I continued to devote myself to my studies. By day, Talmud, at night, the cabbala† (18). Yet, his faith began to take a turn when the Germans took over the life of the Jews. He described his experiences as hell, describing that god was trying to say that hell wasn’t any worse than the experiences they were going through. Wiesel kept thinking of god, thanking him for every joyful moment that he came across. Wiesel’s faith became then weakened when he came across a rabbi. â€Å"Here came the Rabbi, his back bent, his face shaved, his pack on his back. His mere presence among the deportees added added a touch of unreality to the scene† (26), Wiesel faith weakened because seeing this rabbi left him in shock, making it so surreal. After the rabbi experience, Wiesel’s faith went downhill from there. When the night came along no one prayed, out of fear of the next day. Wiesel came across horrific experiences, making him question god. He saw babies and humans being burned, for no apparent reason. Angered, Wiesel came to a solution by stating â€Å"Why should i bless His name? † (42). At times, Wiesel’s faith was totally gone because he was angered towards how people were treated, and why God didn’t do anything about it. Wiesel’s relationship with God remained as he believed that God was out there, just hidden saying â€Å"I did not deny God’s existence, but I doubted His absolute justice. † (53). Then time passes and Wiesel’s relationship with God is then questioned when he is influenced by the people around him. One day he came across three victims being killed, and listening to to people saying â€Å"Where is He? † (72). Wiesel was also influenced by Akiba Drummer, as the motif in his eyes showed that he lost total faith in God. Wiesel no longer blessed God because he realized that there was no point of blessing God when he allowed so many horrid things to happen. Wiesel also stopped praying, since he had no time to do so. All this resulted to an extent of Wiesel being spiritually dead. Wiesel lost total faith and spirit in God, because of the horrid experiences he went through, which changed his perspective on certain things. After the concentration camp, Wiesel’s spirit and faith revive. Looking back at his experiences, as he writes his memoir, he realizes how harsh he was to God. Wiesel acted bitter towards God, as he lost faith, not because he chose to, it was because of the circumstances he was under. Wiesel’s faith and spirit was probably gained as he slowly began to realize that God had nothing to do with the repulsive experiences he went through. The reason he lost faith in God was because he needed someone to blame, someone to take his anger out to, and that was probably understood a while after he was rescued. Overall, Wiesel’s perspective towards faith in God changes, which is demonstrated in the memoir Night. To conclude, Wiesel’s initial devotion to God and his faith undergoes a radical transformation in the face of his horrendous experiences, resulting in apparently soils and cynical atheism, but his faith survives to some degree in spite of overwhelming odds, and in subsequent years move have revived enough to motivate this memoir. In certain situations, one’s relationship with God can take a change, for the better or worse.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Ralph Ellisons Battle Royal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ralph Ellisons Battle Royal - Essay Example "Battle Royal" holds a permanent interest because its underlying themes are human ones, with those being the battle against prejudice and the struggle to find a place in society. On the surface, Ellison's focus is upon the racial prejudices which confronted African Americans during a specific time in history. As that time has passed, the theme should have no continued, relevant current interest. The fact that it does is because racial prejudices are not the only form of discrimination which confront people. Any and all differences are a cause for prejudice and discrimination. In this sense, Ellison addresses all people and in the grandfather's words, provides advice for survival against prejudice. As the grandfather advises: "Live with your head in the lion's mouth. I want you to overcome'em with yeses, undermine'em with grins, agree'em to death and destruction, let'em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open" (Ellison, 1952: 938). While it may have been offered to a young black male in the pre-civil rights era, this advice is valid for all. It warns against confrontation, insists upon the possibility of defeating one's enemy through passivity and, inde ed, provides a strategy for survival.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Essay - 4

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS - Essay Example These contracts use the laid down legislation to develop a binding agreement, which guides the employer and employee in their final period of interaction (Pozgar, 2012). This essay looks at the issues that employers and managers should consider when drafting settlement agreements with their employees in the context of a health organization. The agreement must consider the reasons behind the termination of employees. Different reasons will affect the nature of the contract that the employer enters with the terminated employee. For example, employees who are terminated due to breach of contract cannot enter into the same contract with those who are terminated due to other factors beyond their control. Furthermore, the decision of termination is a responsibility of a qualified manager who understands the risks associated with the termination (Pozgar, 2012). Compensation is one of the issues that the termination agreement should consider. The employer must consider paying the employee an amount of money that will compensate him or her for the termination. This especially happens when the reasons for the termination are not due to the inconsistencies and the incapability of the employee. If the reasons for termination are market driven, then the employer must consider the fate of the employee who has nothing to do with the turn of events, which is called the unemployment compensation (Hospital Employees’ Union, 2013) Insurance policies and taxation are other issues that the agreement should consider. Most of the workers in the health sector are insured against risks in the workplace and other risks in their lives. Therefore, the contract must consider the nature of the policies that employees had before their termination. The consideration should be as to whether the employee will continue enjoying protection or the contract will be cancelled. The settlement agreement

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Synthesizing Sodium Ferrate Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Synthesizing Sodium Ferrate - Lab Report Example NaClO is an active component of bleach. Very concentrated solutions of bleach are used as â€Å"liquid chlorine† for swimming pools. NOTE: This synthesis will be performed in the fume hood. The solution will be very basic, so goggles will always be worn while performing this synthesis. Any solution got on hands will be immediately washed with soap and water. 20 mL of commercial bleach is to be poured into a 50 mL beaker. A stirring bar will be added to the beaker and placed on a stir plate. 10 g of NaOH pellets will be added to the beaker of bleach and stirring will be begun. This is an exothermic reaction so the beaker will get warm. 0.50 mL of 0.30 M FeCl3 will be pipetted using the plastic pipette into the dissolved NaOH solution while it is still warm. The mixture will be allowed to stir for approximately 10 minutes. The solution will be allowed to cool for another 3-5 minutes. The formation of the Na2FeO4 will cause the solution to appear purple. Any foam that appears on the surface will have to be removed by blotting with a paper towel. A suction filtration apparatus will be assembled with due consultation of the GSA). A sintered glass filter will be used on top of the vacuum filtration flask, the vacuum will be turned on and the sodium ferrate solution will be added slowly. ... The volume of ferrate solution that was prepared using a graduated cylinder will be measured. The sodium ferrate solution will be stored in a plastic bottle. The bottle will be labeled with this information; Name of the Team Manager, â€Å"Sodium ferrate in water†, concentration of sodium ferrate (will be determined later), date, and the lab section number. Part 2. Calculation of the Percent Yield of Ferrate Produced In the reaction that was just performed, FeCl3 was the limiting reagent. After the theoretical yield (review is on pages133-139 in the textbook, Tro 2nd edition) of sodium ferrate has been calculated in moles, its theoretical concentration, in molarity (M) will be determined with the help of the total volume of solution that was measured in the Part 1. The actual concentration of sodium ferrate in the solution will be calculated with the help of the spectrophotometer and Beer’s Law. The SpectraVis spectrometer will be calibrated with the help of a cuvette o f DI water. The SpectraVis should be in full spectrum mode when calibrating. The DI water will be removed with a plastic pipette so that all the water droplets from the inside corners as well as from the sides of the cuvette can be removed. The sodium ferrate solution will be added to the cuvette (slightly more than half full). The absorbance of the sodium ferrate solution will be recorded at 510 nm. NOTE: If the absorbance at 510 nm gets above 1.5, the ferrate solution in the cuvette will be diluted (not the original solution) until the absorbance is between 1.0 and 1.5. The volume of ferrate solution that was diluted as well as the amount of water which was added to calculate the concentration of the original ferrate solution will be kept track of. The ferrate solution will be

Monday, August 26, 2019

Cooperative Learning Supports Culturally Responsive Classrooms Assignment

Cooperative Learning Supports Culturally Responsive Classrooms - Assignment Example Students from different backgrounds should be made to work in different groups and group tasks and assignments should be assigned. The tasks and assignments should allow all students to equally participate in these tasks. When students work in pairs and groups, they obtain ideas and opinions from each other and students tend to provide ideas and understanding of topics from their own cultural perspectives, which helps students from other cultures, learn about each other’s culture and this makes students flexible with other students coming from different cultures. In such class room settings, teachers and educators do not need to heavily interfere in the groups business. The task is assigned by the teachers, the students then start working to gather, they generate different ideas about how to solve the assigned problem, these ideas are then evaluated by all students and finally an idea is selected by all the member of the groups. This process increases student involvement and s tudent participation which helps in making students comfortable and welcoming to each

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The Altar of Zeus Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Altar of Zeus - Term Paper Example It was originally situated in Pergamon, with dimensions of 36.4 meters by 34.2 meters, and made mostly of marble, as stated in the online article of Michael Lahanas entitled The Pergamon Zeus Altar and the Gigantomachy. The Altar is primarily composed of four parts. Its most prominent part is found in the frontal frieze which displays the mythological epic called the Gigantomachy. Inside the Altar is another famous frieze that depicts the story of a Greek historical figure named Telephos. Contrary to the frontal frieze which exudes the elements of violence and dynamism, the inner frieze is more subdued both in its style and narrative. In order to better understand the significance of the Altar of Zeus, this paper is to be divided into three parts. The first part will provide a historical background behind the construction of the Altar. The second part will extensively examine the Altar by studying its aesthetic form, as well as its socio-political significance. The third part will an alyze the observations obtained in order to justify why the Altar is deemed to be an essential piece of art. Historical Background of the Altar of Zeus The historical background of the Altar is tied closely with the history of Pergamon itself. After the death of Alexander the Great during the Hellenistic Age, his companions divided his vast empire alongside the accumulated wealth among themselves. However, a struggle soon ensued among his successors. This led to the victory of Lysimachus, a Macedonian leader who then transferred most of the treasure to Thrace, as stated in Robin Hard’s book called The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology. He relocated the remaining portion in Asia Minor, in which he assigned Philedairos as the leader and protector of wealth. After Philedairos’ death, his treasure was passed on to his nephew, Eumenes I, who stood as the leader of Pergamon. Eumenes I and his successors were able to effectively handle the wealth by spending it mostly on security—financing mercenaries and paying off the nearby enemies to prevent their invasion. Aside from this, Eumenes I also spearheaded massive construction projects that were aimed at modeling Pergamon after the Athens of ancient Greece. In this light, the Altar of Zeus is said to symbolize the triumph of the Pergamene people against the Galatians—Celtic people who came from central Europe. Historically, the Gauls were notorious for antagonizing Pergamon and for being the enemies of various Hellenistic kingdoms as stated in Nigel Spivey’s book called Greek Art. Before 241 B.C., the city of Pergamon had paid tributes to the Gauls to avoid their attacks. This arrangement was put in finality when Attalos I assumed the role as the Pergamene leader in 241 B.C. and decided to engage the Gauls in battle. After their victory, the Pergamene people commemorated their success by narrating the historic events in legendary stories and by creating various works of art. The s uccessor of Attalos I, Eumenes II, soon sponsored the building of the Altar of Zeus at around 180 B.C. in order to honor the victory of Rome over the allies of Antiochus the Great of Syria, eight years earlier. By winning this battle, Eumenes II was able to acquire a significant portion of the Seleucid Empire. Through the brief review of the Altar’s historical background, it can be said that the material not only immortalized the success of Eumenes II’s empire against the Syrians, it also highlighted the significance of the Grecian or Athenian culture in the lives of the Pergamene people, as seen in the depiction of the battle between mortal creatures and gods. Closer Look at the Altar of Zeus At this point, it is crucial to

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 19

Reading response - Essay Example Southern states viewed this law as a threat because, in their view, it would increase the political influence of the West. Therefore, the law was passed during the first civil war when there was no Southern opposition. Signed into law in February 1881, this act was sponsored by Massachusetts Senator H.L Dawes, to provide for the granting of landholdings to Native Americans for replacing communal tribal holdings. This act aimed at including social divisions into the national society. This act also formed a trust fund to gather and disseminate the proceeds from timber, oil, mineral and grazing leases on the lands of Native Americans. Legislators hoped to complete the absorption process through division of reservation lands into privately owned lands (Kutler 220).They wanted to put an end to the communal life-style that the Native Americans had been living, by imposing Western values within the small household units. Allotments could be sold after a 25-year period, which was the statutory period, and non-allotted surplus land opened to settlers. After years of the act, it had the negative impact on the unity, culture, and self-government of the Native Americans. Immediately after the discovery of oil, Rockefeller was immediately attracted to this business. In 1863, he joined hands with partners to create a refining business. In 1870, he teamed with his brother to form the Standard Oil Company, which employed several devices to gain control of 90% of the oil business. Rockefeller bought every component demanded for producing oil barrels, and this way, he was able to keep his competitors away because he had monopolized the business. The Standard Oil Company cut its prices to withstand short term losses. This rate war strategy ensured that smaller competitors were kicked out of the market since they could not keep pace. Rockefeller also believed in intimidation, and, on

Friday, August 23, 2019

Dracula define monstrostiy within the context, who is the real monster Essay

Dracula define monstrostiy within the context, who is the real monster - Essay Example Although the vampires threatened Harker, Dracula identified him as his victim. This made it evident that the Count was capable of more harm than the vampires. The fact that he had the command that allowed him to maintain Harker for himself translates to the fact that he was more powerful than the three sexually –oriented vampires who threatened him. The Dracula definitely ordered for the confinement of Harker, causing him surging fear. The victim identified the fact that Count Dracula had supernatural powers and ambitions that appeared fiendish (Conner, Espinosa, and Stoker 56). With such devilish ambitions and goals, it was evident that he was a leading monster who took his time to plot out his future missions in the evil realm. It appeared that he controlled other vampires that resided in his proximity. After the death of Lucy, who succumbed to attacks by vampires, all characters sought to conduct a vampire slaying ritual for both Lucy and progress to Count Dracula, who had remained a vampire for a long period. The power commanded by the count became evident from the diary entries made by Seward and Harker (Conner, Espinosa, and Stoker 60). ... The fact that they wanted to terminate the vampire problem, and only were after the Count Dracula, ascertains that he was the greatest threat. From the family history that the count Dracula produces, it is evident that he originated from a family of lords, explaining why he was nostalgic of the days when his family members were renowned rulers of the region.as part of the benefits of growing up in such a family, he still managed the title of lord in Transylvania (Conner, Espinosa, and Stoker 78). The fact that he had such powers is a reason for him to abuse his supernatural powers in the destruction and tormenting of others. Moreover, the pride of his family that he was trying to uphold was the capacity to exercise control over others. This ascertains that although other monstrous characters are depicted in the story, his social standing coupled with the devilish accomplishments make him a real monster. In addition, it is evident from the sediments expressed by the count Dracula that he longed for the possession of immense power that would enable him to have all the humans under his subjection. This longing also serves to explain his increased desire to carry out devilish missions with his supernatural powers reveals that he had intentions of harming people in all senses. Moreover, his expression of the interest in carrying out a revenge mission also indicates that he had the potential and the intention of carrying out monstrous missions. Although the entire group struggles to track down the Count Dracula and perform the rituals that would send him powerless. He has the powers to connect with his victims especially Mina,

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Namesake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Namesake - Essay Example Inside Bengali belief, Gogol ought to have been the character's nickname inside their home and Nikhil is his official name for his documents. However through a sequence of catastrophes, Gogol is what bonds and this neither Indian-nor-American label comes to put up with his battle with identity, customs together with everything amidst. Just like in the composition of Amy Tan "Mother Tongue", she talk about various matters including language as well as cultural barriers tackled by her and her family members during the time when she was growing up. This is also the same with the encounters of Gogol when he was growing up. Mother Tongue, similar with The Namesake also discusses labels and lack of value being conveyed by their ethnic background also the struggles produced by being Asian inside America. Both narrations talked about communication difficulties between the relatives and the society. And the obstacles faced because of this verbal communication crisis that their family holds with the rest of society. Both realized how much the environment as well as people can transform the way you apply and discover the English language for both the good as well as for the bad. Gogol's remoteness from his parents is not very much an effect aligned with being Indian as it is a comm

Social Equality in Childrens Literature Essay Example for Free

Social Equality in Childrens Literature Essay Student Name Professor Name Subject 20 June 2012 Social Equality in Childrens Literature To begin with, we should say what social equality is in general. Social equality is a state of social affairs where all the people within the same group or any other formation have the same rights and, what is more important, the same status in certain respects. Some basic differences may divide people in social hierarchy. The main ones are gender, race, or wealth. But why is it so significant especially in children literature? To my mind, the second question is whether there is any social equality in children literature. I think there are a lot of books which show this problem. To traverse this problem we’ll discuss some children books. And in the books under analysis people suffer from race division. Unfortunately, race is an outdated concept for distinguishing people. Racism has always been the greatest problem for the USA, especially considering African Americans. Equal rights and social value is a matter that needs to be taken extremely seriously. Martin Luther King Jnr, Gandhi, Jesus, Malcolm X, Pope John II, The Dalai Lama, St Francis of Assisi and even John Lennon all believed that social rights and being equal, no matter who you are, is one of the most important things in the world to conquer. Maybe, children books are the first sources of anti-racism and helpers to fight with social inequality. Let’s think broader to understand this. The first book to discuss is The Watsons Go to Birmingham by C. P. Curtis. It is a historical fiction book. And there is 16th Street Baptist Church bombing  in Birmingham. This moment was a critical catalyst of the American civil rights movement. Could we judge a historical book as children one? Let’s dwell on the details. Because Kenny, the main character, tells the story of his family’s trip to the Deep South, the reader gets to experience what is was like to grow up during the height of the civil rights struggle. In the first part Kenny introduces his family, so called â€Å"Weird Watsons†. They live in Flint, Michigan, while Grandma Sands lives in Alabama. Both places are under rather intriguing seasons. The family have to run away to save themselves. That is not the only reason. Kelly is bullied at school. This is both because of his being an excellent student and some civil inequality. But to my mind, children become to bully, as for a civil aspect, only after their parents’ words or actions. They are too young to judge a person properly. Anyway, the book remains just a story about a family, but some moments, such as the church bombings or the murder of Emmet Till, makes it very powerful. What is more, Birmingham, as the centre of action, also is the centre of civil fights and maybe it could be a symbol of that time. As for national equality, not the whole book, but significant moments in it are the greatest examples of the problem. But to understand everything it is better to read and fell it. The second book under analysis is Monster by W. D. Myers. It is a drama novel. To continue our discussing according to the theme let’s say about the characters and the problems described in the novel. Steve Harmon is an African American who is on trial for felony murder in New York City. Peer pressure is the main theme which then affected how Steve ended up. As for humanity, Steve is called â€Å"Monster†. He starts thinking over it. This book could be named autobiographical, because Myers was often laughed at at school. And this story is scribbled on the pages of the novel, as the author took his school teacher’s advice and wrote at night after work just as then Steve did. Although the novel is focused on moral and then social issues, it definitely touches some social problems. Some comment about being black that already may make a person guilty brings up a long-standing social issue about discrimination against African Americans in law enforcement. The question of social equality appears in bullying, and it becomes much greater during the trial. I think Steve is accused as guilty only because of his skin color. Myers was highly prized for his book as the contribution to children’s literature. The next book to pay attention to is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by M. D. Taylor. It was even adopted as TV series what can say the author is a master. Action takes place in Depression time. That time was harder than ever for the whole America. There are two points of view in this book: fortunate Logans and a lot of people both black and white – are living as sharecroppers. This makes racially motivated crimes common. The novel shows the necessity in owing the lands. But the main theme, to my mind, is the effect of racism. The first sign of racism appears even at school in the state of books. For white students they are new and for black ones the books are in poor condition. The Logans prove that even being black doesn’t prevent anybody to become rich. The Wallace family is the most racist and all the sharecroppers’ families fear them. But as for Cassie, the narrator, and the families, her one owns, the Wallaces don’t play rather great role. The main life lesson Cassie takes is that material independence may be the key to ethical independence. This type of narration enables Taylor to juxtapose childhood innocence and show wonder of bigotry and racism. And the author, through the child’s eyes, without any polemics or even bitterness, shows the greatest problems of that time with surprise and growing disappointment. Taylor doesn’t make any effort to soften the affect of racism problems and shows the influence events of the 1930s had on the civil rights formation and famous Black Power movements of the 1950s and 1960s. And this enables the reader to understand those feelings the girl had. The novel is highly prized by most critics. Now we go to Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography by Andrew Helfer ; Randy DuBurke. This book is like a philosophical reflection. It shows the thoughts about black pride, Black Nationalism and pan-Africanism. Some critics name this book as the most read and influential book among young people of any racial background. What is more interesting, some chapters were silenced by FBI. Characters in the book mostly associate with other people to meet them and treat them like objects rather than human beings. And this aspect is pointed out in the autobiography to show how hierarchy of social status affects self-esteem. Neither his friends nor his family recognizes Malcolm as a person. The use his skin color as demonstration of their tolerance and broadmindedness. The only wish is to gain the status for them. But Malcolm uses his girlfriend as the same symbol or status and then this action turns to him: Malcolm becomes a symbol of the Nation of Islam’s vitality. This all makes any person to degrade. Only after passing through so many phases and seeing the race problem from so many different points of view Malcolm is able to settle on a philosophy in which he truly believes. Malcolm is represented in the book in a lot of guises, beginning from Malcolm Little and then Malcolm El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz appears. And through all this changing eyes we see racism problems and Malcolm’s attitude on them. All problems about equality are surrounded about racism. In this case it is not white people against African Americans but believes in so called â€Å"Black Pride† or black power. Malcolm, using people as marionettes, becomes a marionette partially in fate’s hands and then in the hands of nationalistic organization. Only faith in himself may save Malcolm from losing his soul in the fight for status in â€Å"equal† hierarchy. And at last our attention goes to I Know Why The Cage Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. The book is autobiographical. I was written in 1969. The name speaks for itself. Caged in racism and trauma, a person can overcome it with the help of strength and love. Angelou describes such problems as identity, rape, racism and literacy. All this affects her life less or more. It happens so, that Stamps, Arkansas, is so segregated, that the girl can’t even believe that white people exist. But getting older Maya is confronted by rougher incidents of racism. Children books describe all the events which are no for children at all. BT described from the child’s point of view, they make the reader fell everything by himself with the same curiosity and then growing disappointment. Just skin color makes even her name a great problem. There are also some social events described in the book. Their importance for African Americans is unbelievable. But social realities remain unjust. And all this confine and demean Maya and her relatives. She comes to thoughts that living in racist society and so being under pressure shapes the character, both hers and the members of her family, but she finds some power to surmount them. The book was used for teacher education. As for censors, the prohibited book’s usage at school, because of some scenes, e. g. eight-year-old girl’s raping. To my mind, such books should present in school curriculums to prevent racism development or to teach children how to cooperate with such problems if it happens so. We discussed five different but, at the same time, so equal books.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Electric Vehicles And Their Effect On Society

Electric Vehicles And Their Effect On Society With the depletion of the earths ozone layer and the shortage of our oil supply becoming an issue, we have had to look at alternative fueled vehicles that will not harm the environment, but will still provide us with a reliable source of transportation. Compared to gasoline powered vehicles, electric vehicles are considered to be 97 percent cleaner, producing absolutely no tailpipe emissions that can place particulate matter into the air. Particulate matter can increase asthma conditions, as well as irritate respiratory systems. Because Electric Vehicles produce no emissions, there are no requirements for Electric Vehicle owners to ever take in their vehicle to an Emissions Testing Facility for an emissions inspection. Another factor that makes these vehicles so clean is that since they dont use half of the parts that a gasoline powered vehicle does (including gasoline and oil), they are not at risk of shedding any worn out radiator hoses, fuel filters, etc, to be dumped in our over crowded landfills, and leaking contaminated oil into our water supply, killing plant and animal life. Exceptionally quiet, Electric Vehicles produce no noise pollution. In fact they are so quiet that manufacturers are thinking that Electric Vehicles may one day require some kind of noise device on them to alert pedestrians that they are within the area. In a gasoline powered vehicle, the then engine must be kept running even when the vehicle is idle. When an Electric Vehicle is idle, the electric motor is not running and the vehicle is not using any energy. On hot days, a few hundred gas-powered cars sitting on the freeway produce an unimaginable amount of pollution. Electric Vehicles can run during hot days, cold days, at night, and can accelerate or remain idle and not produce any pollution. Many people claim that Electric Vehicles merely relocate the source of pollution to the power plants. Even though Electric Vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, they still need electricity to be recharged, which means they need power plants to produce the electricity. These people fail to realize, however, that many modern power plants (especially in states like California) are clean, meaning they produce no pollution. Examples of clean power plants include nuclear reactors, windmills, hydroelectric plants and solar panels. Also, it is much easier to deal with isolated pollution sources such as power plants than it is to deal with millions of automobiles, each a source of pollution. As more and more power plants become clean and as more people realize what Electric Vehicles can do for the environment, Electric Vehicle use will increase, and our environment will become much nicer. Electric cars have been thought of as one answer to our dependence on fossil fuel burning vehicles. Their main appeal is that they produce no air pollution at the point of use so provide a way of shifting emissions to less polluted areas. Unfortunately also out of sight are the environmental consequences of manufacturing and recycling the lead- acid batteries electric vehicles require to run on. A recent drew attention to the problem of lead batteries in electric cars: Smelting and recycling the lead for these batteries will result in substantial releases of lead to the environment. The researchers compared the power, efficiency and environmental effects of electric cars with gas powered vehicles. Not only are electric cars comparatively slower and far more restricted in the distance they can travel but release more lead into the environment as well. The study showed that an electric car with batteries made from newly mined lead releases 60 times more lead than that of a car using le aded gas. Although the lead discharged in lead smelting and reprocessing is generally less available to humans in the U.S. than that dispersed by leaded gasoline cars driving where people are still using leaded gasoline. Even when precautions are taken there are still significant hazards. Lead processing facilities release lead into the air and waterways, and lead in solid waste leaches slowly into the environment. Clearly electric cars, despite their good for the environment image create far more of a problem than leaded gas cars and unleaded gas cars. In addition if a large number of electric cars are produced, the demand for lead for batteries will surge, requiring more lead to be mined. Manufacture needs to be halted until an alternative safer power source is found. These rules out current alternatives such as nickel-cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries which are also highly toxic and far more expensive. Researchers speculate that lithium-polymer technologies may eventuall y be used. Should cities with a population in excess on 5 million such as LA, New York or Mexico city, which suffer from the adverse effects of smog, implement an electric car society, or a car tax by 2009 or would these measures be too costly to execute and burdensome for the average citizen. The creation of an electric car city would be a grueling task indeed. For it follows that the car in many countries is ubiquitous. A cultural symbol that is deeply embedded in the worlds psyche from the day it was created. To some it seems as though it is an impossible task, that we replace so many cars or that we limit the number of cars in the populated areas Although many argue that it is the car that contributes to the blight on this earth, spewing its pollutants into the air, and that a society without them would be a better one. The nature of todays world and in todays modern cities demands that we have a form of fast transportation. We would not function at all without it and walking, while it woul d make us all healthier, would consume too much of our time. I feel that if carefully planned and thought out, we neednt get rid of one without having to lose the benefit of the other. It is felt by many that the cause of urban pollution is as a result of too many cars. The poor design of many cities with regard to transportation has caused urban congestion. Consider of course the fact that many cars right now in cities are running but not moving. For example, in New York City, trying to find a parking space is both a cause and symptom of poor urban design. Clearly when there is not enough space in the city to house all of our cars, when parking space is considered a rare commodity then we have a problem. But in other cases such as Mexico City or Los Angeles the problem of poor urban design is even worse. Clearly when these cities were built the planners did not foresee the large number of gasoline chugging vehicles that would clog them. In addition there are various health problems that are suffered by urban dwellers as a result of the pollution. Asthma is a prime example, as it is the fastest growing childhood disease in urban areas, and most likely the result of the billions of particulates spewed into the atmosphere. Electric vehicles have more than technical hurdles to overcome: Some experts fear that the vehicles environmental impact is no lighter than that of gas-powered vehicles. And the biggest concerns center on the vehicles all-important batteries. Now researchers have published the first in-depth environmental analysis of electric cars using lithium-ion batteries, and have found that they beat their gas-fueled counterparts. When experts consider batteries environmental footprint, they worry about a range of issues, including the impacts of mining the necessary metals, the chemical manufacturing process, and whether the batteries end up in landfills or get recycled. According to the researchers analysis, about 15% of an electric vehicles total environmental burden comes from manufacturing, maintaining, and disposing of the lithium-ion battery. Most of those costs, about 50%, stem from mining and manufacturing the copper and aluminum used in the battery and its connecting cables. Extracting the necessary lithium produces only 2.3% of the batterys total environmental footprint. Still, the largest contributor to electric vehicles total environmental burden comes from recharging the battery. These operational costs were three times greater than the battery alone, but they fluctuated when the researchers looked at other electricity sources besides the typical European power mixture that includes nuclear power, hydropower, and fossil fuels. When the vehicles charged up on electricity from coal-fired plants alone, their total environmental impact increased by 13%, but it dropped by 40% when the electricity came solely from hydropower. Overall, when the researchers compared battery-powered vehicles to their gas-fueled counterparts, they calculated that a car with an internal combustion engine would need a fuel economy of about 60 to 80 mpg to achieve a lower environmental impact than a battery-powered electric vehicle that recharged using Unites States power sources. Overall, Electric Vehicles are stating to change the way people think about à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Going Greenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ . With the advancement of battery technology and alternative fuels, these vehicles are producing fewer emissions and going further than ever before. We need to start relying on these technologies to start reducing our carbon footprint. As the years continue to pass, these vehicles are going to start changing the way we live, and operate in society. Bagatelle-Black, Forbes. EV WORLD: Electric Vehicles and the Environment. 27 Nov. 2007. Web. 04 May 2011. . Electric Vehicle. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 04 May 2011. . Gustafson, Sven. How Would Electric Cars Affect Our Environment? Michigan Local News. 14 Feb. 2008. Web. 04 May 2011. . Zemanta. The Negative Impact of Electric Cars on the Environment. News and Reviews on Electric Cars, Hybrids, Plug-in Electric Vehicles 9 Mar. 2010. Web. 04 May 2011. .

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Simulation of IV Bag Decanting

Simulation of IV Bag Decanting Base Design and Equations The setup of the simulation is given below. The point at the top of the fluid in the IV bag is denoted with a subscript 1. The point at the exit of the catheter into the patient’s arm is denoted with a subscript 2. Assuming that the patient does not move his/her arm during the procedure, we can set point 2 as a static, whereas point 1 is moving dynamically as the bag empties. Bernoulli’s Equation in the units of energy is given as: Setting point 2 as the height of ground, excluding the pumping term and combining pressure terms into a pressure difference, but measuring PÂ ­1 and P2 in gauge pressure and assuming P1 to be atmospheric yields the following equation: Where Where For laminar flow (Re And for turbulent (Re > 2100): Mathematical Development Derivation of equations pertaining to the IV bag What is needed first is a way to find the volume of fluid still within the bag when only knowing the height of the fluid in the bag. Taking the central axis of the bag as an independent variable and viewing the radius of the bag at that point as a dependent variable yields the following straight line: Which has the equation: And performing a solid of revolution about the h axis: It is know that and that by mass balance assuming no accumulation in the pipe But: Finally for the frustum IV bag: Friction terms development Comparing the Reynold’s number in the pipe and the catheter: But by mass balance and assuming no accumulation: Which is always less than one. Therefore if flow in the catheter is laminar, then flow in the pipe has to be laminar too. This leaves 3 cases of flow in the system. The first is flow is laminar in the catheter and pipe. The second case is flow is turbulent in the catheter, but laminar in the pipe, or flow is turbulent for the catheter and pipe. For the first case where flow is laminar in both the catheter and the pipe: If the flow is turbulent in the catheter, then the friction term is the sum of the friction from the pipe and the catheter: Simulation Program Development Solving velocity of fluid leaving the catheter for any fluid height h The above Equations 1-9 are easily incorporated into matlab functions (Appendix A: Calculations functions). The first problem that the program must solve is calculating the instantaneous velocity of fluid out of the catheter at any height of fluid in the IV bag. First the flow in the catheter is assumed to be laminar (this is just a starting point for iterations). The correct velocity of the fluid leaving the catheter is the point here Equation 1 is stable. Since the equation contains a square root, for the answer to be reasonable then there has to be a positive root. i.e: Substituting equations 3 and 5 Since is very small, it’s square may be neglected (checked with given simulation values it was on the order of 10-10) The velocity that satisfies the stable solution of Equation 10 must therefore lie between 0 and for laminar flow speeds. This means that Equation 10 may be solved by bisection method, giving the instantaneous velocity out of the catheter for a certain height of fluid in the IV bag. If the maximum and minimum velocities do not generate the proper conditions required for the bisection method (one function value must produce a number greater than zero, and the other must generate a number below zero to imply a root between the two numbers on a continuous function), then the flow velocity must be such that the flow is turbulent in the catheter. If it is the case that flow must be turbulent in the catheter, then we can set an initial guess of v2 at the minimum velocity required to have turbulent flow in the catheter. Using this as an initial velocity, it can be iterated until a stable solution is found. See Appendix B for this programming logic. Comments have been added to aid understanding. Fluid flow out of the IV bag In order to calculate how fluid flows out of the IV bag, we set the program to take small time elements and determine the velocity of the fluid flowing out of the catheter for a set fluid height. Since that time element is small, we assumed that the velocity did not change appreciably in that small element. Volumetric flow is the product of linear velocity of flow and cross-sectional surface area, and assuming no accumulation in the pipe for mass balance: Now we need to know what the height is of the bag for that volume, which is simply the real root that solves Equation 2. This entire process is iterated for each time element until the bag empties or the fluid velocity leaving the catheter is zero. This logic may be found in Appendix C. Concatenating Results Finally a matrix is constructed that holds all data of the catheter fluid velocity, bag volume, fluid flow rate and height of fluid in the bag and is concatenated with a time vector. This resultant matrix now holds all of the data of the simulation, which is parsed to the primary class that is running the simulation to produce the graphs, and find numerical values for points on the graphs. Results of Simulation The following data was fed into matlab: P2 = 90.228/760*101325; Lcat = 43.703/1000; Dcat = 0.711/1000; Lpipe = 1.383; H = 22.8/100; R = 0.3829*H; hd = 1.377; Dpipe = 3/1000; rpipe = 0.5*Dpipe; mu = 1.142/1000; rho = 1017; X = calcX(R,H,rpipe); h0 = 0.8*X; beta = (R-rpipe)/X; The simulation was run using the following command to retrieve the results matrix: VhvQt = generateVhvtQMatrix(rho,Dcat,mu,Lpipe,Lcat,Dpipe,beta,h0,rpipe,9.81,hd,P2); Solution graphs were plotted as follows: plot(VhvQt(5,:),VhvQt(2,:)); xlabel(Time in seconds); ylabel(Height of fluid in bag in meters); Bag volume is row 1, height of bag is row 2, velocity of fluid in the catheter is row 3, flowrate is row 4 and row 5 is the time vector. To find the total time taken for the bag to empty, the command was used: VhvQt(5,end) = 3122 Similar commands were used to find exact datapoints at any period in time. Discussion of Simulation Results The values of the viscosity and density of the 5% w/v glucose solution – more commonly known as D5W, Dextrose 5 Water or Intravenous Sugar Solution, were looked up from Wolfram Alpha’s material database, and had the values of and . (Wolfram Alpha) The purpose of the simulation was to calculate and plot the graphs as well as answer how long it takes for the bag to drain. It took 3122 seconds for the bag to drain, or just over 52 minutes. At the last second of the simulation, the height of fluid in the bag was less than 4 millimetres, which corresponds to a volume of 0.045 mL. Figures 3-5 all show a negative exponential function, which is to be expected since the flow rate is a function of the head pressure, which is a function of the conical shape of the bag. Initially, the high flow rate that corresponds with the higher head of fluid does not change very much, as the level of fluid in the cone does not drop significantly quickly. However, after about 2500 seconds (80% through the time of the simulation), the velocity of fluid leaving the catheter begins to change. While this change is clearly not linear, it is not really significant when compared to the absolute changes in values. From the start of the simulation until 80% through the simulation (2500 seconds), the velocity of fluid in the catheter only changes from 0.8655 to 0.6922 m/s, or 20.02%. It is only in the last period of time just before the bag empties is there a significant change in the velocity of fluid entering the patient, with the final velocity being 0.4707 m/s just as the bag empties, which is itself only a change of 45.62%. This phenomenon is most apparent in Figure 6, where it can be seen that the volume of fluid left in the bag appears to decant at an almost linear rate (differential of volume/time is flow rate). Only just after 2500 seconds does the steepness of the graph very slightly begin to change upward indicated a slow in the flow rate of fluid leaving the bag. This phenomenon does, however, make sense. The height that the bag is lifted above the catheter is hd = 1.377 meters. The height of fluid in the bag at the start of the procedure is h0 = 0.1793m, or only 13.20% of hd. The means that the driving force behind the IV procedure (which is the height above the IV bag is placed above the catheter in the patient’s arm) that creates the pressure difference to overcome the venous pressure of blood in the patient’s veins only changes by 13.2%, and remains changed by only 20.02 % during the initial 80% of the procedure – in other words, it doesn’t change by much, and therefore we expect that the flow rate won’t change very much until very close to the end of the procedure, which is what we see in Figure 3. In real world application, this means that in general the flow rate of IV solution to the patient is mostly a function of how high above the patient the IV bag is placed, and not necessarily how empty or full the bag its self is. In fact, general practise used by doctors is simply to place the IV bag above the heart level of the patient (Dr. Chen-Maynard, 1999). In application, a desired flow rate of IV fluid into the patient may controlled by lowering or lifting the IV bag a certain height above the patient. Nomenclature References Dr. Chen-Maynard, P. R. (1999). Calculating Parenteral Feedings. California: California Department of Health Science and Human Ecology. Wolfram Alpha. (n.d.). Comprehensive Material Data Sheet for D5W. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=5%+(w/v)+glucose

Monday, August 19, 2019

Reluctant Learners and the Causes :: essays papers

Reluctant Learners and the Causes In order to discuss how technology motivates reluctant learners, we must first agree upon what exactly a reluctant learner is. According to Joyce M. Herzog, a reluctant learner is one who "is not interested in life at all, is not interested in what you are teaching, and is not able to learn in the time-frame or manner of presentation" (2002). There are several reasons as to why the student may feel the way he/she does. As a teacher, one must be very careful to make sure to take into consideration all of the reasons as to why a student may feel reluctant to put forth the necessary energy in the classroom. One reason may be that the student suffers from a learning disability, which is defined by the educational dictionary Wordsmyth as "any of various conditions thought to be associated with the nervous system, that cause difficulty in mastering a basic skill such as reading" (2002). "Various disabilities include ADD, communication disorders, and behavioral disorders" (Woolfolk, 200 4, p.124-131). Students with these disabilities are often seen as disadvantaged when it comes to learning in a typical school setting. Problems at home could also be a cause for reluctancy of students. According to BJUP.com, the primary stimulation for a child to develop and maintain enthusiasm for learning should come from the home. Families who are a solid unit and do activities together tend to have more motivated children (Let's Talk Motivation, 2005). Students who have supportive parents that foster learning are less likely to show reluctancy to learn in the classroom, while students whose home life is full of fighting and little academic support may show less interest in the classroom (Let's Talk Motivation, 2005). Another reason why a student may not be motivated to learn could be because of a low-socioeconomic status (SES). According to Woolfolk, low-SES students suffer from "poor health care, low expectations, low self-esteem, and learned helplessness" (2004, p.158-159). These students have much more on their mind than learning. One final reason why students may be reluctant to learn is because they have fallen into the stereotypes of gender traps. Knudson-Martin argues that "perceived gender differences are rooted in power differences that limit relational development for both women and men" (Knudson-Martin, 1999). This means that in a co-ed classroom, teachers may challenge boys more often than girls, attributing male fa ilure to a lack of effort and female failure to a lack of ability.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Africans in Colonial Mexico Essay -- Research Papers Anthropology

Africans in Colonial Mexico The history of Africans in Mexico is an oft-neglected facet of the cultural complexities of that country. In 1519, Hernando Cortes brought 6 African slaves with him to Mexico; these individuals served the conquest as personal servants, carriers, and laborers.[1] In the years to come, slavery would become a critical component of the colonial economy with approximately 2,000 slaves arriving each year 1580-1650; it is estimated that a total of 200,000 Africans were brought to Mexico during the colonial period.[2] Given this large number of slaves, the lengthy period of their importation, and the inevitable mixing of races, which took place throughout the colony, the historical and cultural significance of bozales, criollos, mulattoes, and zambos is far-reaching. The colonial period provides an excellent starting place for an examination of the significance of these groups not only because the institution of African slavery was introduced to New Spain at that time, but also because t he regular influx of native Africans combined with the close attention paid to color-based castas in official records allows historians to trace the influence of African culture more readily during that period. The early years of colonial Mexico were a time of great change, as the native Indian populations were decimated by disease and increasingly dominated by the Spanish social and economic structure. Under the encomienda system, the initial flood of Spanish immigrants were provided with a support structure in New Spain, as the Indians’ land and labor were put at their disposal in exchange for moral guidance.[3] As Spain sought to reap the benefits of its new colony, the need for dependable labor in Mexico’s agr... ...Andrew L. â€Å"Yellow Fever and the Late Colonial Public Health Response in the Port of Veracruz.† Hispanic American Historical Review 77, no. 4 (1997): 619-644. 6. Love, Edgar F. â€Å"Negro Resistance to Spanish Rule in Colonial Mexico.† The Journal of Negro History 52, no. 2 (1967): 89-103. 7. MacLachlan, Colin M. and Jamie E. Rodriguez O. The Forging of the Cosmic Race: A Reinterpretation of Colonial Mexico. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980. 8. Meyer, Michael C., et al. The Course of Mexican History, 7th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. 9. Palmer, Colin A. Slaves of the White God: Blacks in Mexico, 1570-1650. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1976. 10. Richmond, Douglas. â€Å"The Legacy of African Slavery in Colonial Mexico, 1519-1810.† Journal of Popular Culture 35, no. 2 (2001): 1-17. Africans in Colonial Mexico Essay -- Research Papers Anthropology Africans in Colonial Mexico The history of Africans in Mexico is an oft-neglected facet of the cultural complexities of that country. In 1519, Hernando Cortes brought 6 African slaves with him to Mexico; these individuals served the conquest as personal servants, carriers, and laborers.[1] In the years to come, slavery would become a critical component of the colonial economy with approximately 2,000 slaves arriving each year 1580-1650; it is estimated that a total of 200,000 Africans were brought to Mexico during the colonial period.[2] Given this large number of slaves, the lengthy period of their importation, and the inevitable mixing of races, which took place throughout the colony, the historical and cultural significance of bozales, criollos, mulattoes, and zambos is far-reaching. The colonial period provides an excellent starting place for an examination of the significance of these groups not only because the institution of African slavery was introduced to New Spain at that time, but also because t he regular influx of native Africans combined with the close attention paid to color-based castas in official records allows historians to trace the influence of African culture more readily during that period. The early years of colonial Mexico were a time of great change, as the native Indian populations were decimated by disease and increasingly dominated by the Spanish social and economic structure. Under the encomienda system, the initial flood of Spanish immigrants were provided with a support structure in New Spain, as the Indians’ land and labor were put at their disposal in exchange for moral guidance.[3] As Spain sought to reap the benefits of its new colony, the need for dependable labor in Mexico’s agr... ...Andrew L. â€Å"Yellow Fever and the Late Colonial Public Health Response in the Port of Veracruz.† Hispanic American Historical Review 77, no. 4 (1997): 619-644. 6. Love, Edgar F. â€Å"Negro Resistance to Spanish Rule in Colonial Mexico.† The Journal of Negro History 52, no. 2 (1967): 89-103. 7. MacLachlan, Colin M. and Jamie E. Rodriguez O. The Forging of the Cosmic Race: A Reinterpretation of Colonial Mexico. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980. 8. Meyer, Michael C., et al. The Course of Mexican History, 7th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. 9. Palmer, Colin A. Slaves of the White God: Blacks in Mexico, 1570-1650. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1976. 10. Richmond, Douglas. â€Å"The Legacy of African Slavery in Colonial Mexico, 1519-1810.† Journal of Popular Culture 35, no. 2 (2001): 1-17.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Despite the Australian context, The Removalists, is able to dramatize convincingly issues, which are relevant to any society

In the play, The Removalists, Williamson uses the Australian context to help dramatize various convincing issues, which are relevant to society. The use of typical colloquial language and idioms in the play are the only features particularly related to the Australian context. Other features such as setting, stagecraft, lighting, and costumes remain common and universal to all society. Together with the characters of Simmond, Ross, Kate, Kenny, Fiona and the removalist, the central themes of power, authoritarianism, violence, confrontation between sexes and prejudice are well illustrated. It is through The Removalists that Williamson make the audience aware of the corruption in society and contrary within life. The title of the play, The Removalists, directly and metaphorically suggests the police are â€Å"removing† the scandals from society through which abusive power is used. It also implies that the corruption of authorities and power within public forces is being removed from the control of law and order. These ideas of power are enhanced through characters and series of incidents of the play. The imbalance power relation is directly introduced in the beginning of the play when Simmond was â€Å"auditioning† Ross for his duty in the police force. Immediately, Simmond's relaxed sitting position in contrast with Ross' uncomfortable and uneasy standing position depicts the different power status between the two. The motion of Simmond â€Å"circling† Ross further distinguishes the different amount of power and authority held by each character. Other than the application of stagecraft, physical body language also plays an important part in portraying social issues. As particularly highlighted by the character of Simmonds, it is common that power and violence, some of which are illegal and invalid, are being overused within the society for various reasons. In the case of Simmonds, he viciously and repulsively beats up Kenny in order to gain power, establish control and obtain his desires and wants. His continuous use of violence and power throughout the play reflects the obsession of power within society. People are often blinded by the sense of power and authority that they simply strive greedily and endlessly for power and neglect the serious possible consequences that may bring in return. The sudden explosion of violence of Ross on helpless Kenny shows that everyone in society, even those of the least expected, do possess a certain kind of aggressive instinct within his/herself. This idea is enhanced through suspension atmosphere and the imagination of the audience while the violent bloody scene between the two characters occurred off stage. The use of silence and pause after the bashing furthermore creates tension, which highlights the hidden power and ability within people in society such as Ross. The misuse of authority and abusive violence by officials are prominently examined in The Removalists, mainly through the characters of Sergeant Simmonds and Constable Ross. The two police officers use Kenny as a punching bag in order to work out on their repressions and frustrations, and they can do so because they have come to take their own power as a matter of course. This effectively reflects that there are tremendous prejudices and pressures towards conformity in Australian society, which is reinforced by an implied threat of violence. Williamson also explores the unbalanced power held between different classes. For instance, as depicted by the character of Kate, who belongs to a wealthy high-class family, tends to have power and control over her sister, Fiona, who belongs to a rather low-class one. This is also reflected through the contrasting costumes wore by the two as Kate is â€Å"more expensively dressed and more elegant than her younger sister†, who has â€Å"an easy innocent sensuality†. Not only does Kate often manipulate and took advantage of Fiona's innocence, but Simmond also dominates Fiona and the prostitutes at the brothel. This shows that the ones positioned at the top of the hierarchy tend to hold control and scrutinize those at the bottom of the hierarchy. The attempt of solving problems with more violence in the end of the play after Kenny's death shows that part of society is tremendously corrupted by violence. Once a pattern of violence is accepted for any circumstances, it becomes acceptable in all circumstances. As a result, people will subconsciously apply violence in an uncontrollable manner just as â€Å"the fight almost takes on the air of frenzied ritual of exorcism†. Insults, assaults and aggressive use of words can also be seen as violence, as shown by Simmonds, who more often attack others verbally. He speaks of strong, harsh language, often containing swearwords and black irony in his speech to challenge and insult his target opponents. Perhaps in Simmonds' attitude to his junior, Constable Ross, especially after Kenny's death, aggression is expressed by the old towards the young. This reflects the deep and bitter resentment felt by the old against the challenge to their moral and institutional power. Knowledge and experiences are another important aspects, through which power is established. For instance, Kenny uses the knowledge of Kate's private life and adultery to gain control over Kate. Similarly, the power of the removalist is neither exerted nor influenced in any way for he holds evidences and knowledge of real situation and the illegal violence involved. He is prepared to use this power of knowledge if his status is being threatened. It is also this power of knowledge that Simmond has over Ross, Kate and Fiona's background that places him at a higher and more powerful status. The community itself is partially responsible for such corruption in society, as they are the ones who tolerated such to occur. The removalist is a representation of this, as he refuses to help out or get involved into the bloody situation between the police officers and Kenny, instead he allows the scene to happen. The attitude of the removalist being â€Å"if nobody interferes with me then I don't interfere with nobody†. This effectively reflects not only the attitude of the community against illegal acts and conducts but also shows their selfishness and ignorance. The victims, who are mistreated and encountered unfairness, are also to be blamed as they are often reluctant to complain or take legal action because they fear reprisals of one sort or another. The community simply has a natural unwillingness to cross swords with established power such as the police force. The result of their impotent rage will in turn be expressed in fresh acts of violence on other victims. Those law-abiding and decent members of the force are another factor that helps to give immunity to criminally violent police. As represented by Constable Ross, the decent members generally failed to take actions necessary to halt their law-breaking colleagues. Instead help the unlawful ones to cover up or even participate in the abusive violence with others. This is further enhanced by the removalist's rhetorical claim, â€Å"Do you think they'd [the police] come down and collar their own mates?†. Unlike a regular violent incident, police brutality embodies a corruption of the law itself. When the law itself is the culprit, people in the community have no security and no avenue of redress. On the other hand, in the past people's view and attitude towards â€Å"wife bashing† is rather negative. It is a common saying at the time that † Never arrest a wife basher if he missus is still warm†. At the level not so much of approval, but rather of unthinking social acceptance, is that the male-female relationship is rested on a frightening sub-stratum of violence. The popular language of sex is violent. The deep repression and frustrations expressed by Sergeant Simmonds in his outburst against Kate and Fiona are endemic in this culture. The society's code of aggressive masculinity involves the positive isolation of women in their role as sexual objects. This implies an inhuman violence in sexual relationships, against which women are fighting and protesting for in recent years. The continuous change of power among characters throughout the play effectively suggests that power is mostly created, recreated, depoliticized and routinized within one's language and action. This is displayed as Simmond's control over situation fluctuates as Ross and Kate challenges repeatedly challenges his power. Kate mainly gains her power by sharing with Simmond. Her approach of sitting on Simmond's desk and letting him to place his arm around her, are evidential of the loss and gain of power between individuals in society. Moreover, Williamson explores subtle ideas in regards to the prejudice and racism in society. This is depicted through insulting language and name-calling to those that are different to the norm in society and with a different ethnic background. For instance, Christians are being named â€Å"mick†, which is just as insulting to the extent of calling Afro-Americans â€Å"negro†. This reflects that certain unfair and irrational conventions in society are passed on from the past and remains in present days. Through the character, stagecraft and playwright, Williamson prominently provoked many subtle ideas and social issues. As he examines and manipulates different forms of power in the play, Williamson proficiently convey the idea that â€Å"power is a cancer that eats at the heart of all civilized society†. In order to overcome such corruption in societies, the most realistic solutions lie in the fields of education, and more humane, and human-centered urban development. Through The Removalists, Williamson not only highlighted many social issues, but also more importantly, initiated in the field of education to provoke the community of their wrongs and fraud.

Construction Process

INTRODUCTION Construction is a vast process where a lot of obstacles are faced. It can be because of the conditions of the terrain where a construction is on-going or because of the nature of the construction itself which causes the difficulties. So to overcome some of these or most of it there is always surveys done before a construction is started. Therefore a survey is a part of the construction process.And these surveys can be of different types depending on the situation of the construction process for example the surveys done before the start of the construction and at the surveys during the construction and after finishing the construction varies hence the purpose of these surveys as well as the instruments and the procedures for the surveys varies. Since then it is important to know some of the obstacles which we face at the different faces of constructions and how we deal with them to bring a solution to make the process of construction easier and safer.This assignment is a partial fulfilment of the Geomatic Engineering (ECV 3213) coursework, this will cover an explanatory report on how to overcome the obstructions to horizontal distance measurement using tape, permanent tests and adjustments for accuracy in theodolite, digital terrain modelling and verticality check / control for multi-story building works during construction. The report will discuss three examples of obstructions to horizontal distance measurement while using tape and how it is dealt to overcome this or solutions for these obstructions.For the permanent tests and adjustments for accuracy in theodolite, the collimation in azimuth, the spire and plate level tests will be taken as consideration and deliberated. Also more explanations on the remaining two items will be discussed. In the report purpose of the instruments or methods used, the procedures, the advantages and disadvantages, some practical applications with examples will be discussed. Further more relevant illustrations and sk etches will be included.The aim of the assignment is to carry out a literature search and read about the above mentioned four important items in the field of surveying and learn and understand the significance of these for the construction process hence for the surveying. The objective is to give the readers a clear cut Image of the topics and how it is practically applied in the field and provide the readers with relevant and understandable information.

Friday, August 16, 2019

A Qualitative Analysis on How Administrators Understand Learning Difficulties

Allington, Frazen and Schick (1997) in their qualitative analysis of â€Å"How administrators understand learning difficulties† tried to determine the different ways in which school administrators define learning difficulties and how they have respond to the needs of students with learning difficulties in their own schools.The researchers interviewed administrators and principals in six different school districts that had a record of increased retention and transitional grade placements as well as having at-risk students in learning disabilities classrooms. Previous literature on learning disabilities has showed that the trend of the identification of students as learning disabled had been increasing over the last 20 years and continues to do so at present. It has been found that the number of students identified as learning disabled have grown to alarming proportions.A number of researchers have proposed that the increase in the number of students identified as learning disab led have been due to the more valid and reliable assessment tools available to schools, the influence of special interest groups and the actual presence of students who do need special education services.Moreover, it has been observed that whenever funding for remedial programs decline, enrollment in special education classes increase indicating that some students identified as learning disabled may actually be placed in special education classes out of necessity. This study therefore attempted to provide evidence that school administrators and principals place at risk students to special classes for students with learning difficulties based on funding and tests scores.MethodThe researchers developed a system which enhanced the validity of the data gathered in this study considering that it is a qualitative design. The researchers conducted their data gathering procedure by prolonged and persistent fieldwork that included interim data analysis and collaboration to maintain the accur acy of research findings and participant reality by utilizing and analyzing a series of data sets generated as part of a larger study (Allington & McGill-Franzen, 1992a, 1992b, 1995; McGill-Franzen 1994; McGill-Franzen & Allington, 1993 found in Allington, Frazen & Schick, 1997).This was in response to the researcher’s observation that the internal validity of their data might be compromised since over the years principals and administrators have remained in their positions and the school system in general have remained unchanged while the social culture and economic status of their students have been transformed through the years.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Assess the Corporate Social Responsibility of Telecommunication Industries

Mobile telecommunication industries in this country with time have increasingly played major roles in not only the lives of the people within the community in which they are situated but also in the total economic well being of the country as a whole through their social responsibility activities.The Mobile telecommunication industry in this country has increased tremendously within the past couple of years, and have increasingly played major roles in not only the lives of the people within the community in which they are situated but also in the total economic well being of the country as a whole through their social responsibility activities. The idea of Social Responsibility has developed differently around the world because of different histories, culture and institution. Steiner George 2000) In the past years, the multi-faceted problems made it almost impossible for indigenous industries to undertake social activities in developing countries. However, corporate social responsibi lity (CSR) research has blossomed in this new millennium. This is due to the increasing concern expressed by policy makers and individual bodies about corporate social responsibility and the pressure exerted on organizations to demonstrate high ethical standards.This project is very important because Ghana may need a new code of conduct, laws and regulations and multi-stakeholder agreements and private voluntary initiatives as new businesses are beginning to emerge into our system. Telecommunication industry is a typical example of a fast growing industry within our system. It is therefore imperative that we acknowledge the significance of their corporate contribution to the societies and the nation, for this foresight to be smart and articulate. 1. 2 BACKGROUND STUDYThe precise concept of CSR is understood in different ways, having different representations of the concept relatable to different paradigms and concerns. Aside all the differences pertaining to the nature and content o f CSR, a number of the concepts includes human rights, environmental responsibility, diversity management, sustainability, and philanthropy, meaning that it is a complex area with an interdisciplinary focus. It is generally agreed that CSR involves corporations voluntarily exceeding their legal duties to take account of social, economic and environmental impacts of their operations.For example, the European Commission defines CSR as: â€Å"A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interactions with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis† (European Multistakeholder Forum on CSR, 2004: 3) Corporate Social Responsibility also relates to those management philosophies, policies, procedure and act that have advancement of social welfare as one of their primary objectives (By Boone and Kurtz 1987) CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society.Its conce rn is related to certain aspects of the company’s operations such as the quality of their management – both in terms of people and processes, and the nature of, and quantity of their impact on society in the various areas. The term â€Å"CSR† came in to common use in the early 1970s, after many multinational corporations were formed. The term stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organization's activities have an impact, was used to describe corporate owners beyond shareholders as a result of an influential book by R Freeman in 1984. 2] ISO 26000 is the recognized international standard for CSR Public sector organizations. It is widely accepted that CSR adheres to similar principles but with no formal act of legislation. The UN has developed the Principles for Responsible Investment as guidelines for investing entities. Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate responsibility, corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, responsible business , sustainable responsible business (SRB), or corporate social performance,[1] is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.Ideally, CSR policy would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its support to law, ethical standards, and international norms. Consequently, business would embrace responsibility for the impact of its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. Furthermore, CSR-focused businesses would proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality.Essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honoring of a triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. Stakeholders are taking an increasing interest in the activity of the company. Most l ook to the outer circle, that is, what the company has actually done, good or bad, in terms of its products and services, in terms of its impact on the environment and on local communities, or in how it treats and develops its workforce.Out of the various stakeholders, it is financial analysts who are predominantly focused – as well as past financial performance – on quality of management as an indicator of likely future performance. Developed countries have worked out a way around ensuring that local and international businesses or companies make contributions towards community development. Sainsbury’s and Tesco for instance are typical examples of companies that have contributed towards every community they operate.The contrast however in Africa is that the key people within the community are just contented to accept a bottle of Scottish Whiskey or Schnapps or local spirit over a businessdeal. Ghana needs to get a grip of how best our laws would work for us if we involve businesses co-operation into helping with our community developments. Understanding how international law works and how it can be used to further both national and international CSR objectives. 1. 3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The mobile telecommunication industry in this country has increased tremendously and continuously growing at a very high speed over the past ten years.The researcher’s aim is to throw more light on the real impact of this industry on the economy through their social activities. The research also works towards assessing whether or not the individual activities are achieving their desired impact on society. The view of the public is also a major concern to the researcher. This research is to find out the level of recognition the mobile telecommunication industries receive for their social activities and also to identify the level of benefits they receive in terms of increasing customer base and overall image of the industry upon undertaking such corporate social responsibility.1. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The significance and contribution of the mobile telecommunication industry in this country cannot be over emphasized. The main aim of this study was to assess the level of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices by the Mobile Telecommunication Industry in the country. * This study sought to ascertain and document the extent of recognition and appreciation, nature and content of socially responsible actions by mobile telecommunication firms located in Ghana. * Based on this study the researcher anticipates that the information they have provided will be beneficial to the government and policy makers. Another motive for this research is to helping the industry be more aware of their CSR and acknowledge its importance to not only their image and customer base, but also as a major contributing factor towards economic development.* This study will interest students, academics and practitioners who might be undertaking furthe r research on issues relating to the topic. | 1. 5 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY * To outline the social, economic and political factors driving the development and implementation of CSR of the mobile telecommunication industry Ghana. The study is to identify the contributions of mobile telecommunication network towards social and economic development with specific reference to MTN. * To assess the challenges they go through in complying with the expectation of the society * To address the contested nature of CSR, in particular in terms of its instrumental or normative value. * To assess individuals notions of the role and nature of corporations with respect to corporate social responsibility. 1. 6 RESEARCH QUESTINE * What are the corporate social responsibility activities undertaken by mobile telecommunication agencies? To what extent, and in what way can or should mobile corporations be held morally responsible?* Is there a significant contribution of CSR towards economic development? * Are their CSR activities a strategy for distinguishing and protecting their image and creating trust, and to attract and retain both potential employees and consumers? * Are the benefits of their contributions worth the harm they may be causing to the societies? * Are they giving back enough to the society relative to what they are receiving? * Are the people satisfied with their services and contributions? . 7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY Primary and secondary data was used as a source of information. The researchers also had to design proposed questionnaires to access information from the users of the mobile industry concerning their opinions, this was however done randomly.The research is aimed at assessing the nature and content of the corporate social responsibility activities undertaken by the various organizations within the telecommunication industry and its contribution to the society and in turn the economy of the nation. . 8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Some of the limitations of this study included; * Lack of sufficient information; This was as a result of the reluctance of officers within the industry to give out all the information required for the research. * Time factor; The combination of academic demands i. e. Lectures and exams with the working on this project made the period of submission quiet short for undertaking all the requirements for assessing information for the study. 1. 9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDYThis research is presented in 5 chapters with subdivisions. * Chapter 1 begins with an introduction to the topic stating its relevance, the background study, statement of the problem, research question, and objective of the study, significance of the study and scope and limitation. * Chapter 2 outlines the literature review :definition and explanation of terms, nature of Social responsibility, levels and dimensions of social responsibility, problems associated with social responsibilities, Chapter 3 tackle the Theoretical Review of the research, which comprises of the population, sample and sampling procedures,Research instrument , Administration of instrument and method of data Analysis. * Chapter 4 relates to the Empirical Review, which contains a brief historical background of the individual mobile telecommunication industries in Ghana, types of social responsibility activities in which they engage themselves into, effects of such activities on their customer base and profitability, problems encountered while undertaking/for filing their social responsibility Chapter 5 deals with presentation of findings, this consists of findings and summary, and conclusion of findings and recommendations. 1. 10 DEFINITION OF TERMS Ten CSR Themes Social Responsibility Agreements, Ghana Drivers of and Constraints to PRIVATE Sector Engagement