Sexual Harassment Laws Essays - 581 Words

Sexual Harassment Laws Sexual harassment is one of the biggest problems facing our schools and businesses today. A week rarely goes by without a reminder of the pervasiveness of sexual harassment as a social problem. The definition of sexual harassment is any unwanted or inappropriate sexual attention. That includes touching, looks, comments, or gestures. A key part of sexual harassment is that it is one sided and unwanted. There is a great difference between sexual harassment and romance or friendship, since those†¦show more content†¦The second element is acknowledged as with intent. This element states that the person who commits the harassment must intend to humiliate, offend or intimidate the complainant and/or the harassment must be of a kind that a reasonable person must th ink that the complainant might be humiliated, offended or intimidated by it. Furthermore, sexual harassment doesnt have to be repeated or ongoing to be against the law. Some actions or remarks are so offensive that theyre clearly sexual harassment, even if theyre not repeated. Other incidents, such as an unwanted invitation or compliment, are probably not harassment if they are ‘one-offs’. These laws were written in response to a number of cases where employees, particularly female employees, were made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace by harassment of a sexual nature. This type of conduct was discouraging women from entering the work force. By introducing laws against sexual harassment, the law aims to stop all members of society being susceptible to, or discouraged by sexual harassment. Furthermore, the element of unlawful harassment is described broadly. This ensures the protection of society from atypical behaviour, and bizarre acts which may never have been thought of. Subsequently, it remains obvious that attributableShow MoreRelatedThe Law For A Sexual Harassment Lawsuit1692 Words   |  7 Pages3. State the law for a sexual harassment lawsuit (consider the Prof as a supervisor) Based on my reading, Under Title VII, there are two types of sexual harassment claims: (1) quid pro quo sexual harassment, which occurs when submission to or rejection of [unwelcome sexual] conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; and (2) hostile environment sexual harassment, which exists [w]hen the workplace is permeated with discriminatory intimidationRead MoreSexual Harassment By The Gale Encyclopedia Of American Law1278 Words   |  6 PagesSexual harassment, as defined by the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law is defined as â€Å"unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment.† An early and extreme case of sexual harassment in the United States was the sexual assault of African American women slaves by their owners, without any form available for legal recourse for the victims. Sexual Harass ment wasn’t considered aRead MoreSexual Harassment By The Gale Encyclopedia Of American Law1814 Words   |  8 PagesSexual harassment, as defined by the Gale Encyclopedia of American Law is defined as â€Å"unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment.† An early and extreme case of sexual harassment in the United States was the sexual assault of African American women slaves by their owners, without any form available for legal recourse for the victims. Sexual Harassment wasn’t considered aRead MoreEssay about Employment Law - Sexual Harassment987 Words   |  4 PagesScenario Summary: Review the Sexual Harassment Tutorial found in the lecture. After viewing the Sexual Harassment Tutorial, completing the reading, and reviewing the lecture notes in conjunction with the TCO, answer the following questions about the tutorial scenario and facts. You’re Role/Assignment: 1. Based upon the scenario, does the employee have a legally viable claim for quid pro quo sexual harassment and/or hostile environment sexual harassment? What is the likely outcome? Read MoreSexual Harassment in the Workplace Essay1257 Words   |  6 PagesSexual harassment in the workplace is a real, widespread issue but is also a broad and ambiguous subject. Many employees and employers do not completely understand what constitutes sexual harassment or even who can be charged with a violation. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recognizes two forms of sexual harassment as illegal; quid pro quo (sexual harassment) and hostile environment harassment. Charges can involve harassment of a sexual nature or simply a hostile work environmentRead MoreSexual Harassment And The Civil Rights Act Of 1964 Essay1590 Words   |  7 PagesClair Gina Olmo December 15, 2016 Background of Sexual Harassment Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. Federal law as well as various state fair-employment laws prohibit employers with 15 or more employees from treating members of one sex or race differently from members of the opposite sex or another race in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment. The statutory and regulatory laws govern the entire employment process from pre-employmentRead MoreGovernment Oppression and Corruption: Women In Islam1737 Words   |  7 PagesGovernment Oppression and Corruption Groups demanding the enforcement and the alterations of laws dealing with sexual harassment have had difficulty maneuvering within political channels because of the government’s corrupt and inefficient state. Throughout his 30-year tenure, President Hosni Mubarak frequently rigged elections to remain in power. Specifically, in 2005, a Human Rights Watch report revealed that the government had actively submitted, â€Å"yes† ballots and disregarded â€Å"no† ballots duringRead More Sexual Harassment and Workplace Violence Essay1416 Words   |  6 PagesHarassment has plagued the world for centuries. Why should the workplace be any different? Sexual harassment and workplace violence are not only of historical roots, but contemporary issues are still present in the workforce today. Managers are addressing and combating modern sexual harassment and workplace violence, however instances still occur (Robbins, Decenzo Coulter, 2011). â€Å"Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted action or activity of a sexual nature that explicitly or implicitlyRead MoreSexual Harassment At The Workplace990 Words   |  4 Pagesyou are friends with your coworkers. But what happens when coworkers talk about other coworkers in a sexual context. Two male coworkers talking about female staff where coworkers in the area can hear. Your manager suggests that they can help you earn a promotion if you go out with them. This puts employees in awkward situations where they might not know if this is considered sexual harassment. If it is, an employee maybe unsure what to do about it. According to the U.S. Equal Employment OpportunityRead MoreWhat Is Sexual Harassment? Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is Sexual Harassment? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, sexual harassment is defined as â€Å"uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature especially by a person in authority toward a subordinate.† Sexual harassment happens in the workplace and it affects both women and men. There is a fine line between the occasional unwanted sexual advances and comments that someone may find inappropriate. These instances may not always be considered illegal, but if these instances

Examples Of Tragedy In Antigone - 713 Words

Antigone the Tragic Hero Antigone is thought to be a tragic hero because of everything that had happened to her throughout her life. She lost her father Oedipus through a curse and her brothers through battle. The only one that was left was her sister Ismene. Her brother Polyneices died in battle being a traitor to his family. There was a rule made from the king of Thebes stated that no one can mourn for or bury him. But Antigone did not care she still loved Polyneices and thought that he deserved to have a proper burial like his brother Eteocles. Foreshadowing, mood, and situational irony are used in the drama to explain peripeteia the reversal of fortune, nemesis fate that you cant avoid, and catharsis when the audience is feeling pity†¦show more content†¦Choking, his blood bright red on her white cheek† (Sophocles 973). With the strength that he had left he held Antigone close to him because he loved her. The audience was expecting for Haimon to kill his father but instead he pulled out hi s sword and kill himself to be closer to antigone. Nemesis and peripeteia are not the only things that are being used in the story, Another one is catharsis being used with mood. Catharsis is when the audience is feeling pity for the heros downfall. The audience feels pity for the characters because of how her death caused haimon to also take his own life. Which caused more grief in the story even if it wasnt only antigones family that have people that have dead. Almost everyone in her family is gone all thats left is her sister Ismene. â€Å"Her grief is too great for public lamentation and doubtless she has gone to her chamber to weep for dead son, leading her maidens in his dirge† (Sophocles 981). The messenger thought that antigone’s greif was to great to be crying in public. All of these signs of literary devices are to help the audience give more imagery as they are watching or reading. As stated in the intro paragraph these three devices of peripeteia, catharsis, and nemesis are there to be compared to the literary devices of foreshadowing, situational irony, and with mood. Antigone had to be the most important person in this story, she w as able to make caron even rethink his thoughts onShow MoreRelatedSophocles Antigone By Sophocles967 Words   |  4 PagesTragedy in Antigone Antigone is one of the greatest Greek tragic plays by Sophocles. The play portrays two main characters, Antigone and Creon, who undergo tragedy in the play. Various arguments have been put forth regarding who amongst the two characters is the actual tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. A number of people are for the idea that Creon qualifies since he does possess the real characteristics of what tragedy is all about, while numerous others believe that Antigone is the actual heroRead MoreThe Tragedy of Sophocles Antigone956 Words   |  4 Pages The Tragedy of Antigone nbsp;In the story of Antigone, Oedipus has already died, his two sons. Polyneices and Eteocles, left to contend for the throne of Thebes. In their contention for the throne, the two brothers slay one another, leaving Creon once again to be the acting regent of Thebes. With this power, Creon declares that Polyneices must be left to rot on the battlefield, the highest disgrace to any Greek. Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, is left torn between state of family, and in theRead MoreEssay on Antigone Is a Tragedy by Aristotles Rules1215 Words   |  5 Pagesto a tragedy? The play Antigone by Sophocles is considered a tragedy. There are five rules created by Aristotle that classify a tragedy. All plays must have catharsis, a tragic hero, a change in fortune within a character, must be poetic, and happen in one location, in one day, and it is all closely related. Two main characters are the king Creon and a girl named Antigone. Antigone is a tragedy because it exhibits and follows all five of Aristotle’s rules. The first rule of Greek tragedy is itRead MoreThe Tragic Criteria Present in Antigone by Sophocles861 Words   |  4 Pagesstory has its own occur of events. The main factors that always end a tragedy is through conspiracies, love, or hatred. In the story Antigone written by Sophocles, it demonstrates a tragedy filled with consequences to the characters. Antigone shows similarities to Aristotle’s paradigm because of the plot, characterization, and actions that were pursued throughout this story. In Aristotle’s Poetics, he puts his view of how a tragedy should be portrayed to make the concept of it more understandable towardsRead MoreOedipus The King And Antigone1264 Words   |  6 PagesKing and Antigone. The end of Oedipus the King was the beginning of Antigone. Oedipus the King is one of the strongest tragic Drama as it tells a serious story which evokes fear and pity through incidents that put sympathetic characters in threat and Oedipus the tragic protagonist (t he king) who suffer more than he deserved. Although, Antigone resemble Oedipus the King in many faces such as it is a tragic Drama, also it has two tragic protagonists, Antigone and Creon. Both of Antigone and CreonRead MoreTragedy in The Merchant of Venice1472 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to dictionary.com, a tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering; furthermore, it is a dramatic composition, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction. Tragedy elements are that in which a protagonist agonizes disconnection from society and also, he or she makes an error or shows awful decision making. There are typically deathsRead MoreEssay on Creon As The Tragic Hero In Antigone602 Words   |  3 Pages Sophocles’ Antigone is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tragedies ever written. There are many questions that somebody could ask about this work, but this one intrigues me the most: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone? Or could it be Creon? Antigone might be the name of the tragedy, but I believe that Creon is the winning candidate. His role in the plot of this tragedy, his sensible tragic fault, and his dynamic character are the obvious reasons why I chose him as the tragic heroRead MoreContrast Between Oedipus the King and Antigone by Sophocles744 Words   |  3 PagesContrast between Oedipus the King and Antigone Sophocles, a famous and renowned Greek dramatist, is the playwright to both the play Oedipus the King and Antigone. Along with Antigone and Oedipus Sophocles had also wrote Electra and Fete. Sophocles wrote many Greek tragedies which are plays in which the main character in the play suffers a tragedy due to some flaw of theirs. An example would be how Oedipus (thinking he is defying a prophecy) murders his father and weds his mother. His flaw was himRead MoreTragic Characters of Sophocles Antigone: Examining Creons Hubris 998 Words   |  4 Pagesread. The groups of literary works are known as genres. Within this category of genres are plays, and a subcategory is the tragedy. Though not so romanticized by contemporary authors, tragedies were particularly popular during the ancient times. Through out his lifetime, Sophocles wrote tens of plays, but one in particular, Antigone earned him his esteemed title. In Antigone, there is much debate present about who the tragic character is. A tragic character (sometimes called tragic hero) is a characterRead MoreThe Tragedy of Antigone Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesIt is plain to see what about the character of Antigone it is that makes this a tragedy. Tragedy is defined as a dramatic composition dealing with a serious or somber theme, and this story fits all these criteria. First of all, it involves a tragic course of events that involved both of her brothers dying and then being completely disrespected even in death. She felt she had to rectify this mistake, even though it was against the law, and the opposition was too great. Because of her attempt to rectify

Nestle Internal Communication free essay sample

Organisation Communication Nestle and Internal Communication Nestle announced in a press release on the 18th of April 2011 that it is setting up a new partnership with well-established, family-owned Chinese food company Yinlu (Nestle to enter, 2011). The company will take on a 60% share of its Asian partner. 1. Nestle’s decision to enter partnership with Chinese food company Yinlu Foods Group (Yinlu) is an example of a combination between merging and reorganisation. The companies signed a partnership agreement that allows Nestle to take a 60% stake in Yinlu. Once a manager has identified resistance to change from a certain source in the organisation, he has to choose the most appropriate way to reduce it, out of seven different methods (Robbins Coulter, 2009, p. 281). These methods are listed below. Education and communication – to inform the employees about the benefits of the change and teach them how to adapt to it. Participation – to have the change opponents take part in the decision-making. We will write a custom essay sample on Nestle Internal Communication or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Facilitation and support – to provide counselling, therapy, training or a leave of absence for the individual(s) to cope with the change. Manipulation – to influence the opposing group by means of dishonesty. Co-optation – a form of manipulation and participation. Selecting people who accept change – people open to risks and change. Coercion – the use of direct threats and support. 5. Managers’ role in the change process is crucial and multi-faceted. Their responsibility is to make the change take place smoothly and without getting in the way of the organisational objectives. When change occurs, managers must act as change agents, meaning that they take the responsibility for managing the change process. However, it is important to keep in mind that they must also be change leaders – assuming the responsibility to lead the change effort (Robbins Coulter, 2009, pp. 277-286). 6. The internal communication department plays an essential role in the successful life of a company. It deals with the exchange of information between all parties involved because the overall performance of the company depends on how well the internal relationships are managed.

Textbooks Should Be Replaced By IPad And Online free essay sample

Pads formerly exchanged textbooks with more than six hundred areas. Educational institutions in the USA really should reduce his or her beefy school textbooks and also transition to pads given that they expense much less, weight much less, are more successful, and also can be used whenever, exactly where. TO start with, school areas really should switch out his or her textbooks to pads since they are more affordable.References become out-of-date and also educational facilities need to invest in new textbooks, although with the apple pad tablet educational facilities can certainly revise all of them free of charge inconsequently they are able to utilize the ended up saving money pertaining to additional software programs. In an on-line paper content that declares, pads expense among $500 and also $600 bucks, that is what Brookfield Full of Connecticut estimations that stays for each college student on the yearly schedule pertaining to textbooks, (Saved 2).Educational institutions do nt need to expend $500 yearly pertaining to pads given that they past a bit which enables it to always be up-to-date. We will write a custom essay sample on Textbooks Should Be Replaced By IPad And Online or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Because theyre more very affordable, educational facilities really should turn his or her textbooks to Pads. Next, pads are lighter in weight as compared to several hefty textbooks and also notebook computers thus educational facilities really should change textbooks having pads. Inside high school graduation, textbooks have got an average of some. 8 kilos just about every, individuals most often have several classes that ends in several textbooks, that adds up (Glenn 3).A remedy to that particular can be an apple pad tablet, they solely ponder 1 . Thirty-three kilos which enables it to store practically all of your individuals textbooks (Apple 2). Study shows, Improper book bag employ may result in weak healthy posture, (Backpack 9). Major bags crammed can textbooks can cause poor backside, although considering that pads are lighter in weight backside can be ended up saving. Because of the ponder regarding textbooks, educational facilities really should transition to pads given that they ponder considerably less. Rd, educational facilities in the USA really should get rid of his or her textbooks and get pads given that they have an overabundance capabilities. A few may feel all of the programs are distracting even so the programs can make pads more efficient. In accordance with a piece of writing compiled by Simon Saved on the Rose Post, pads Absorb the necessity to invest in visual calculators, dictionaries, and other things that are found inside the unit, ( Saved 9). References cant accomplish people chores, although pads can potentially accomplish all of them having simply a faucet from the filtering.Obviously, pads really should change textbooks with educational facilities given that hey have got plenty of talents. Lastly, pads certainly are a much better option pertaining to educational facilities as an alternative to textbooks mainly because the product are available wherever anytime. These types of drugs are perfect for active school individuals. Liz Kola by Educational Search Highest regarded was in arrangement using this type of place as soon as the lady expressed, They would like so that you can discover at any time (even from 3: 00 am); wherever (even on the mall), (Kola 10).Pads make it Seibel for individuals gain access to his or her studying whenever rendering it better to manage to get their homework acc omplished. Clearly, pads certainly are a good replacement for textbooks with educational facilities mainly because individuals incorporate the use of all of them out and about whenever they remember to. To conclude, educational facilities in the USA really should get rid Of his Or her large textbooks and also transition to pads- First, theyre more cost-effective, thus educational facilities can certainly invest in additional software programs including theatre, audio, or anything else.

Free Essays on Oranges By Gary Soto

that catch the reader’s attention. This poem is just right. â€Å"Oranges† is about a young boy’s first walk with a girl. This poem shows how the simplest things in life may have the most tremendous impact on a person. This poem opens with a delicate flourish of description and detail and ends the same. Soto not only uses detail to describe the occasion, but also describes the weather. He describes the weather as, â€Å"cold, and weighted down (3).† Describing the weather that way creates powerful imagery. This eludes the reader to sympathize with the boy. It is cold outside but yet he is taking a girl out for a walk. This reminds the reader of the fragile nature of innocence of and youth. What grown man would walk with a woman when it’s cold and windy outside? Yet the young and idealistic boy sets out to try and impress his sweetheart on this seemingly inappropriate day. The sweet sincerity of this moment is not and cannot be lost on the audience. The poem continues with telling the reader that the boy has two oranges and a nickel in his jacket. Looking back, the reader questions the presence of the two oranges. Why on earth would a boy carry around two oranges? The answer to t his is found later on in the poem/story. He picks up the girl at her house, which he also describes as â€Å"the one whose/porch light burned yellow (10-11).† Little details about ... Free Essays on Oranges By Gary Soto Free Essays on Oranges By Gary Soto After reading â€Å"Oranges,† a poem by Gary Soto, the only words that run through my head are â€Å"how cute.† This poem is something a girl would call â€Å"the perfect date.† There are many details throughout this poem, which aid in keeping the reader intrigued. Detail can be a powerful tool for a poet, nonetheless any writer. Too much detail overwhelms the main idea, and too little makes the piece of work dry and bland. One can describe events in a simplistic style, without any figurative language or writing devices, or one can choose to fill their work with fancy words that catch the reader’s attention. This poem is just right. â€Å"Oranges† is about a young boy’s first walk with a girl. This poem shows how the simplest things in life may have the most tremendous impact on a person. This poem opens with a delicate flourish of description and detail and ends the same. Soto not only uses detail to describe the occasion, but also describes the weather. He describes the weather as, â€Å"cold, and weighted down (3).† Describing the weather that way creates powerful imagery. This eludes the reader to sympathize with the boy. It is cold outside but yet he is taking a girl out for a walk. This reminds the reader of the fragile nature of innocence of and youth. What grown man would walk with a woman when it’s cold and windy outside? Yet the young and idealistic boy sets out to try and impress his sweetheart on this seemingly inappropriate day. The sweet sincerity of this moment is not and cannot be lost on the audience. The poem continues with telling the reader that the boy has two oranges and a nickel in his jacket. Looking back, the reader questions the presence of the two oranges. Why on earth would a boy carry around two oranges? The answer to t his is found later on in the poem/story. He picks up the girl at her house, which he also describes as â€Å"the one whose/porch light burned yellow (10-11).† Little details about ...

Summer Word List for Writing Prompts or Worksheets

Summer Word List for Writing Prompts or Worksheets Children can forget a lot over the long summer vacation, which can last up to three months. To keep their skills fresh, help them retain what they have learned, and get them ready for the next school year, give them over-the-summer assignments containing summer-related words. Matching vocabulary to the fun summer vacation activities and topics will heighten student interest. Use this summer word list to create many summer activities such as worksheets, writing prompts, word walls, word searches, journal writing, and mini lists for students to memorize, either as sight words or using flashcards. The words are grouped in sections by alphabetical order to make it easier to find just the vocabulary you are seeking. Air Conditioning to Cooler Summer months tend to be hot, so terms like air conditioning and cooler are sure to be on students minds. But, there are also fun words associated with the season, such as amusement parks, baseball, beach, and berries- which are all prevalent during the summer.   Use these terms to create a  summer word search or crossword puzzle. The linked example printables can give you ideas and help get you started, or use the free worksheets, which contain some of the words on this list as well as other summer-related terms. Air ConditioningAmusement ParkApplesAugustBackpackBallBaseballBeachBerriesBucketCampingCarnivalCooler Daisy to Grasshoppers Kids love plants and insects, so tie these words in to  free science printables, which cover those topics as well as oceanography-related terms. Or use patriotic words, such as Fourth of July and flag, as writing prompts. Instruct students to write a short paragraph or essay (depending on their ages and ability levels) on what they plan to do on the Fourth of July or what the American flag represents and why they think its important. Alternatively, have students maintain a small garden (with their parents help) and keep a daily or weekly journal about their experiences. Who knows? They may even see a grasshopper or two along the way. DaisyDivingFamilyFarmFerris wheelFlagFlowersFourth of JulyFriendsFrisbeeGamesGardenGatheringsGrassGrasshoppers Hat to Shovel Use any or all of the words in this section to create a word wall. Type or print the words in big, bold letters on sheets of construction paper, and hang the words at various locations throughout the class, or create a bulletin board dedicated to these terms. Have each student draw a picture related to an assigned word, or have each of your older students write a paragraph about an assigned word or two. HatHikingHolidayHotHumidIce CreamJoyJulyJuly FourthJuneLightningOceanOutdoorsOutsideParkPicnicPlayingPopsicleRelaxRoseSandalsSandcastleSeaSeashoreSeasonShortsShovel Sidewalk Chalk to Zoo Buy some sidewalk chalk; then have students go outside and draw a picture of one of the assigned words or a scene featuring several words. (Make sure you get the principals permission first.) You can have students do this individually or in groups. Then, take pictures using smartphones, go back inside (or find a nice shady spot), and discuss the scenes or images students have drawn. Send the list of words in this section home with students and ask them to write a short paragraph over the summer using some of the words, based on the activities they participated in during the season. Students are sure to come back in the fall, excited to share their stories, which include their summer words. Sidewalk ChalkSnorkelSportsStarsStrawberriesSummerSunSunburnSundressSunflowerSunglassesSunhatSunnySunscreenSwimSwim TrunksSwimsuitTanThunderThunderstormTravelTripTubeVacationVisitWater ParkWater skiWatermelonWavesZoo

Controversy Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Controversy Analysis - Essay Example There are presently very violent military scenario games with some depicting ancient battles, a development that has led to the following thesis question: Are video games responsible for youth Violence in America? This essay will look at the two arguments on this topic; one is support and the other against, with reference to studies and relevant literature on the thesis question. Video games as we know them today, traces their origin from the start of 1950s when computer engineers and academicians began the design of simple games and artificial intelligence programs in their respective computer science studies. The popularity of video games however, hit the mainstream in the 1970s and 80s when home computers became available. From the 80s to present times, several generations of video games have been developed with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 from Sonny being the latest 8 generation games. As video games evolved, so did the technology and story lines behind them. Presently, there are games in all aspects of life from business to military combats with the latter being most popular among enthusiasts. Violence among youths on the other hand, has been around even before the invention of video games but the information age has seen new style of aggression among the youth (Levesque and Roger, 51). This has prompted analysts to establish if there could be a correlat ion between video games and contemporary youth violence given the many hours young people spend playing these games. So could there be a relationship between these two phenomena and is so, how? If not, what is the evidence of the lack of relationship? Roanna Cooper and Marc Zimmerman in their article, highlight youth violence as a significant public health issue with youth homicide among African-Americans aged between 14 and 24 years, being very high. Other than the Columbine tragedy that made headlines in 1999 when 12 people died

How Bingeing Became the New College Sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How Bingeing Became the New College Sport - Essay Example The author’s point of view is that this excessive drinking stems from the legal position, where students below the age of 21 cannot legally buy or consume alcohol, and it is is this repressive legal issue that is the main cause of the binge drinking seen in colleges. My experience in this aspect of excessive drinking in colleges is second hand, as I do not consume alcohol. I have seen my peers and friends indulging in such drinking, confirming the claim of the author. I have not come across any incident of excessive drinking causing an immediate and severe health problem. Still, I have seen and experienced the consequences of this excessive drinking at parties in the evening. It is not uncommon to see some of the participants coming to parties having consumed a lot of drink in their rooms, in the belief that it would help create a more lively atmosphere at the parties, but exactly the opposite happening, with their inability to be a part of it in their inebriated state. Some pass out, and some others throw up, and the rest more a less making a nuisance of themselves. I have heard of instances of unfortunate sexual experiences occurring when it was not meant to happen, but with alcohol dulling the appropriate senses, inappropriate actions take place. Alcohol in small quantities may help in brightening up party atmospheres, but the binge drinking in the rooms of students is seldom light and does create problems not just to those who consume it, but also to those who happen to be in the environment. Alcohol consumption by students below the age of twenty-one in their rooms in what is known as ‘pre-gaming’, is becoming a common practice in colleges. This excessive consumption of alcohol has even posed severe health risks to these students. Students below twenty-one tend to drink excessively in their rooms, as they are legally not allowed to buy or consume alcohol.  

Paris 36 Essay Example for Free

Paris 36 Essay Paris 36 starts with confession by the protagonist Pigoil(Gerard Jugnot) to a police officer, accused of murder. It turns to a flashback to the year 1936 depicting the unstable district in a Paris faubourg, suffered from depression and the rising pool of involuntary unemployment. Pigoil has lost his lifetime job in a liquidated musical hall and his wife runs off with another man. More miserably, Pigoil cannot keep the custody of his beloved son- JoJo(Maxence Perrin) because of his financial inability. Struggling to hold on, the trio of experienced stagehands- Pigoil, with Milou (Clovis Cornillac) and Jacky (Kad Merad) decide to take over the vacant musical hall, named as Faubourg 36, and produce some sorts of hit musicals. With the arrival of a young talented actress, Douce (Nora Arnezeder), the musical hall is a huge success and Pigoil can share the happiness with JoJo again. During the time, the hostile landowner Galapiat (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) ,who is fascinated with Douce, always wants to clutch her. When he later discovers that Douce is in love with Milou, he sends the gang to have Milou killed but they are in a mistaken notion and wrongly kill Jacky. Shortly thereafter, Milou argue with Galapiat face-to-face and Pigoil finally shoots Galapiat to save Milou. That is the confession and Pigoil is hauled off to 10-year jail. The film ends with a cheerless scene of Pigoils returning to the town after 10 years, yet a delightful projection for JoJos success as a professional accordionist performing in Faubourg 36.

Dead Poets Society :: essays research papers

When I first saw Dead Poets Society, it was nothing I expected. The film is quite serious and it is without question the best movie I've ever seen. It takes place in 1959 at Welton Academy, a private collage prep school for boys where discipline is the most important goal and any demonstration of a free thought is strictly prohibited . One voice stands out among narrow-minded administration-John Keatings, eccentric and inspiring teacher. He wants his students to "suck the bone of life to the marrow", "to seize the day", and to make their lives "extraordinary". Keatings teaches poetry, but his students get a lot more than that- they learn passion, courage, and romance. Group of his students dare to form Dead Poets Society, a secret organization. One of the boys, Neil, who wants to be an actor but whose overbearing father forbids him to , commits a suicide and dies . His roommate , Todd, is trying to live up to expectations after his brother becomes the school's valedictorian. At the end, Mr. Keatings is fired after being accused of having a negative impact on his students. Self-esteem becomes one of the centers of the movie. Neil's low self-esteem reveals itself only in the relationship with Neil's father, but leads Neil to his tragic end. On the other hand, Todd, with the help of Professor Keatings, was able to build up his self-esteem . John Keatings wasn't a regular professor: his teaching methods were very different from those of others in Welton Academy. The relationship between Todd and professor Keatings is quite interesting because we can see the transformation that Todd went through from being afraid to answer teacher's question to being the first one to show his appreciation for Mr. Keatings when doing so could lead to expelling from the school.It is very interesting to see how John Keatings establishes the relationship with his students. He is quite open with his students about his attitude towards the world and his ideas about the purposes of life, and other general things, however, at the same time he doesn't reveal his personal life. This is very understandable due to the fact that he is a teacher, and his role as a teacher prevents him from getting too personal with his students. Moreover, in my opinion, it was very important to keep this barrier between the professor and his students because otherwise they could've lost their respect for him as a teacher.

Polymers

It is possible to modify the properties of many polymers by 3 generating crosslink such as these. You will experiment with crosslink the polymer in Elm's glue. A number of different processes are used to turn synthetic and natural polymers into useful objects. These include molding, extrusion, foaming and casting. In this experiment, you will use the technique of extrusion-blow molding in which a tube of polymer is blown up while in the molten state inside of a hollow mold. Almost all Throughout the experiment, you will test the various properties of the polymers that you synthesize and modify.Some polymers have exceptional properties and capabilities that can make them extremely useful to us. You will observe the property of one such polymer, sodium polymerase (the sodium salt of polysaccharide). CHI An NH O NH This polymer can absorb up to 800 times its own weight of water. The ionic portion of the macromolecule is directed toward the center of the structure. When water is added to dry sodium polymerase, the water molecules are drawn into the center of the polymer in an attempt to dilute the salt, and the polymer expands.It is very important that you record careful observations throughout the experiment. You will be asked to describe the appearances and properties of the various polymers in your lab report. 4 Procedure Record detailed observations throughout the experiment. Polymer synthesis Addition polymer?polystyrene Place 20 drops of styrene into a disposable 13 x 100 mm test tube (provided by your TA). Caution! Styrene is a flammable liquid! Keep styrene away from all Bunsen burner flames. It is also a suspected carcinogen. Wear gloves!Using a wooden or plastic utensil, add a few grains of defensibly peroxide and shake the tube to mix. Caution! Defensibly peroxide is explosive when heated. Use only a few grains! Label the test tube with your name, and place it in a sand bath that has been set up by your instructor. Allow the solution to heat for 90 minut es. You may proceed with the rest of the experiment as it heats. When the material in the test tube has turned slightly yellow, remove the test tube from the sand bath and cool it on ice. Try to shake the polymer out of the test tube.If it has not separated from the glass sufficiently to do this, you may wrap the test tube in a cloth towel and carefully break it so that the polymer can be removed. Wear gloves when doing this! Describe the appearance and properties of your polymer. Test the solubility of the polymer by grinding a few chunks in a mortar and pestle and placing the powder in two test tubes. Add water to one of the test tubes and acetone to the other test tube. Record your observations. Dispose of the acetone mixture in the appropriate Laboratory Byproducts Jar. Discard the polystyrene in the appropriate Laboratory Byproducts Jar.Condensation Polymer?Glottal Resin The following procedure must be carried out in a fume hood! Obtain a paper cup. Place 5 Goff ophthalmic anhy dride and 0. 25 g of sodium acetate in a disposable 18 x 150 mm test tube (provided by your TA). Add 2 ml of glycerol. Using our test tube clamp, carefully heat the mixture over a Bunsen burner flame (see TECH I. D). Heat the top of the contents first and work toward the bottom as the mixture melts. Move the test tube in and out of the flame as you do this. Note when the mixture begins to boil and then continue to heat for 3 to 4 minutes.The solution Pour the solution into the paper cup. Allow the solution to thoroughly cool, then tear off the cup to recover your polymer. Dispose of the test tube in glass waste. Describe the appearance and properties of your polymer. Test the solubility of the polymer as you did for polystyrene. 5 Modification of polymers Experiment on crosslink with Glue It is recommended that gloves not be worn when working with Elm's glue. It is easier to remove glue residue from your skin than from the gloves. Obtain a plastic cup and pour 15 ml of Elm's white g lue into it.Add 15 ml of water and stir well. Next, add 10 ml of saturated borax solution (sodium borate, Nabbing) and stir well. Remove the solid material and pull it off the stirrer. The material will be sticky for about one or two minutes. Pour any excess liquid left in the cup into the appropriate Laboratory Byproducts Jar. Rinse the cup with warm water. Perform another crosslink experiment using 1 5 L of glue and different amounts of water and borax (from 5 to 15 ml of borax and from O to 30 ml of water). Compare the properties of the two polymers (strength, bounce, stretchiness, etc. ).Observe the properties of at least two other students' polymers who used different amounts of water and borax in their second preparation. Record these observations. Polymer fabrication Polyethylene bottle Heat one end of a 10-15 CM piece of polyethylene tubing in a Bunsen burner flame. When the polymer is in the molten state, crimp the end with crucible tongs to seal it off?allow it to cool som ewhat before opening the tongs. Re-heat the tubing at the loosed end by passing it in and out of the flame until 1-2 inches of the tubing is in the molten state (looks transparent instead of opaque).Place the molten tubing into a small wide-mouth Jar or vial. Blow air into the open end of the tube so that it expands within the Jar. Let the expanded tubing cool in the Jar for about 2 minutes. Because the polymer is flexible, you should now be able to easily remove it from the â€Å"mold†. Show your polyethylene bottle to your TA. Polymer properties Supersaturates Weigh 1 Goff sodium polymerase and place it in a 150 ml beaker. Add 50 ml of water to the beaker from a graduated cylinder. Record your observations. Add another 50 ml of water to the beaker. Record your observations.

Analyse the work of Louis MacNeice, entitled, The sunlight on the garden

In this essay, I shall analyse the work of Louis MacNeice, entitled, ‘The sunlight on the garden. ‘ It is a modern verse that offers a self-reflexive commentary on life and its key elements. In similarity to the traditional epic verse, the poem is an expression of the speaker's particular personalities and motives. I intend to explore these two subjects in greater detail in my essay. According to the Oxford English dictionary, a poetic analysis is the process, or ‘detailed examination of studying a poem†¦ o determine its nature, structure, or essential features. ‘ This is a common practice used by both reader and critic in the reading of prose and poetry and I will adopt this technique in my essay. MacNeice's poem from the thirties transcribes the period of great hardship in the Western World, as well as the speaker's self-hardship of love and death. The Wall Street Crash in 1929 started a worldwide economic depression that lasted for much of the decade and industries such as steel, ship-building and coal mining suffered. Moreover, unemployment in Britain soared which left a hollowed and pessimistic outlook on life. This had a strong impact upon poetry of the time, this particular poem illuminating the confusions and irresolvable issues of the common man. There are many social and political events that influenced MacNeice's work, the First World War being the most significant. Though the event took place decades before the poet's publication, there are strong elements of futility, death and decay in his language. The line, ‘we are dying, Egypt, dying' in particular, is reflective of the dreary society that both the poet and the people lived through. The poet's reference to the Shakespearian tragedy suggests that the speaker or even MacNeice himself suffered from heartache or loss. The line, ‘hardened heart' expands this idea, revealing a meta-level of vulnerability and self-consciousness of both the poem and its writer. Moreover, MacNeice's use of the pronoun ‘we' rather than, ‘I' highlights that this is a communal suffering, a contrast to the typical self-infliction of epic poems. There is great discussion as to the traditions of the poem, MacNeice's experiments with classic meter and rhyme making the poem difficult to follow. The partial-serpentine rhymes, ‘minute within it' for example, are demonstrative of his varying rhyme scheme and poetic technique. However there are evident poetic qualities which suggest that he is writing in the style of lyric-epic poets. Firstly, the poem's occasion is focused on the past rather than the present-self. The line, ‘but glad to have sat†¦ ith you' emphasises the speaker's preoccupation with past events and his constant struggle with time and death. Furthermore, the narration of events (combined with the speaker's emotional and reflective self-expression), creates an identity of the lyric self that is not found in the traditional epic. The speaker's constant preoccupation of the self and of death is a strong characteristic of elegiac poetry. Moreover, instead of using the typical third person perspective found in Greek epic poetry, MacNeice uses, ‘we' and ‘you', typical of the lyric-epics of the time. Perhaps the poet, like other modernist writers, aspired to move away from the traditional epic layout and create a more modernised work as this was a fashionable movement in the early twentieth century. The poet Wordsworth, for example, experimented with new styles and verse forms to re-invent and modernise the lyric. Having identified the poetic form and tradition, I am now going to analyse the language in MacNeice's work. The use of imagery in all forms of poetry is a common technique used to draw the reader into poetic experiences, primarily through the senses. This is a characteristic in, ‘The Sunlight on the garden', where the work's title immediately evokes a simple image of beauty, nature and hope. The first line however, immediately transposes one's expectations as MacNeice's speaker descends into a metaphysical state of suffering, ‘sunlight†¦ hardens and grows cold. ‘ Moreover, the imagery of Egypt ‘dying' also reveals the somewhat macabre state of his vision; absent in love, emotion and feeling, ‘hardened in heart. MacNeice's vivid poetic imagery such as the line, ‘nets of gold', arouses our senses and evokes the speaker's pure and simple vision. Furthermore, the imagery of, ‘birds' and ‘flying' appeal to not only our sense of sight but also to the speaker's hope for freedom. However, on a meta-level, again our understanding is transposed as the imagery of ‘Cage' and ‘net' enforces not freedom but a sensation of being trapped and confined in one's self. In addition to imagery, another dominant characteristic of MacNeice's poem is rhyme. The rhyming scheme follows the same pattern (ABCBBA) in each stanza. The partial-serpentine rhyme of the poem acts as an enjambment, the syllabic meter from the previous line being carried to the next. This is again similar to the continuity of time and death that the poet discusses. The enjambment of the first line in the poem follows a rhyming word which then follows another rhyming word (‘garden hardens†¦ cold'). In doing so, the unavoidable continuity of time and fate is highlighted. Moreover, the confusion of poetic forms and rhyme scheme add to the futility and the speaker's lack of power or control. The use of alliteration ‘cannot cage' emphasises the futility of one's attempts to stop time. Again the speaker's self-consciousness is exposed by the poet as he ultimately fails in this, the line, ‘we cannot beg' emphasising his vulnerability of self. The disjointed and reckless rhyme scheme, as well as the varied pentameter, trochaic and heptameter, sound more fluid when spoken orally to an audience. MacNeice continues this old tradition of verbal poetry and in doing so, the beauty of the poem overcomes the confusion of the poetic form, acting as a work of art for both the eyes and ears. Now that I have analysed rhyme and rhythm, I am going to look at the purpose of the poem and the issues the poet raises. One of the fundamentals purposes of the poem that presents itself is that the speaker has a constant preoccupation with love and regret. The line, ‘our freedom†¦ advances towards its end' is suggestive of a strong nostalgia and pessimism in the speaker. This is a self-consciousness that he readily admits to his audience, perhaps something that he could not have done through another medium. There is also a strong debate upon reading the poem that he could be talking to his lover. The sentiments in the last stanza, ‘glad to have sat†¦ with you' and, ‘hardened in heart' imply that the poem's purpose is a written expression of his feelings towards her, a romantic perspective on the traditional lyric-epic. However, the most prominent purpose for MacNeice's work is that the poem is the speaker's farewell to his loved ones. The line, ‘we shall have no time for dances' coupled with the endless discussion of time and indeed death, infers that life, indeed his life is running out and no matter how many a ‘net of gold' he uses, one cannot prevent it. Having analysed the purpose of the poem, I am now going to identify the implication of the poem on primarily the reader and the effects on society itself. At first glance, there is little political reference in the poem, something that one would not have expected, particularly at a time of economic turmoil and war. However there is a strong implication on our philosophical understanding of love, life and fate. The phrase ‘we cannot cage the minute', for example, highlights the delicacy and futility of time that not even the speaker can stop or control. This in turn, highlights the vulnerability and weakness of man who has no control over fate, despite ‘the nets of gold'. This weakness of man represents a nation under threat with the foreboding threat of another war, and the future economic difficulties in the thirties. There might also be a political implication in the line, ‘We cannot beg for pardon', relating in my mind to the horrors and mistakes made in the first word war. In conclusion, the poem, ‘The sunlight on the garden' written by Louis MacNeice, is a typical lyric-epic poem focused around love, loss and time. There are many other themes (the speaker's gender for example) and aspects the poem's structure that I could have looked at in greater detail, rather than focusing solely on imagery and rhyme. The poem educates us about the importance of time and the growing shift occurring in epic poetry, a movement which MacNeice evidently took part in and which in turn affected the evolution of poetry in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Ballet I Terms Essay

Ballet I Terms Essay Ballet I Terms Essay Natasha Pineda Professor Simone di Pietro Reche Ballet I 27 August 2013 1. Five positions of the feet I. First (Premiere)- The feet form one line, heels touching to one another. II. Second (Seconde)- The feet are in the same line as first position but with a distance of about one foot between the heels. III. Third (Troisieme)- One foot is in front of the other, heels touching the middle of the other foot. IV. Fourth (Quatieme)- The placement of the feet is similar to that in third, but the feet are parallel and separated by the length of one foot. This is the classical fourth position but it may also be done with the feet in first position, only separated by the space of one foot. The former is known as quatrieme position croisee, and the later is quatrieme position ouverte. Today the quatrieme position croisee is done with the feet placed in fifth, rather than third, position, parallel and separated by the length of one foot. V. Fifth (Clinquieme)- The feet are crossed so that the first joint of the big toe shows beyond either heel. Sometimes the feet are completely crossed with the heel of the front foot touches the toe of the back and vice versa. VI. Sixth- The feet are parallel with the knees, ankle bones, and big toes touching. 2. Positions of the arms(French method): the positions of the arms are not standard in all methods. The Cecchetti method has 5 standard positions. The French school has a preparatory position and five standard positions. The Russian school has a preparatory position and 3 standard positions. I. Bras au repos- Preparatory position where shoulders are pushed down and arms are down and wrists are about hip-level II. First- arms are bought up from the preparatory position with fingertips at about level with the belly button. Arms should be rounded as if holding a beach ball. III. Second- arms are extended from the first position opening out. Shoulders, elbows, and wrists should descend downward. IV. Third- one arm is in second position while the other is held at a high fifth position V. Fourth- one arm is extended in high fifth and the other id extended at a first position. VI. Fifth- arms are extended high from the first position. Arms are raised above the head, shoulders pressed down, arms imitating holding a beach ball 3. Plià © - A bending of the knee or knees. There are two principal plià ©s : a grand plià © or full bending of the knees and demi plià © or half-bending of the knees. 4. Battement tendu- An exercise where the working foot slides from the first or fifth position to the second or fourth position without lifting the toe from the ground. Both knees are straight, and when the foot reaches the position pointe tendue, it returns to the starting position. 5. Battment degage/jette- This is similar to battment tendue, bit is done at twice the speed and the working foot rises a small amount from the floor with toes pointed. It then slides back into first or fifth. 6. Releve- Raised. A raising of the body on the points or demi-pointes from plià ©. You can releve smooth and continuous, or with a little spring. Eleve- A releve but without the plià ©. 7. Fondu- Sinking down. A lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg. It can also be the ending of a step when the working leg is placed on the ground with a soft and gradual movement. 8. Passà ©/ Retire- Withdrawn. A position were the thigh is raised to the second position with the knee bend and turned out. The toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee. 9. Pas de Bourree- A movement, executed on the balls of the feet or on pointe, in which the you either skim smoothly across the floor or transfer the weight from foot-to-foot three times as a transition into another movement. A pas-de-bourrà ©e consists of bending both legs, extending one, then stepping up, up, down, finishing with bent knees. 10. Grand Battement- The working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought

Spinner Dolphin Facts

Spinner Dolphin Facts Spinner dolphins were  named for their unique behavior of leaping and spinning. These spins can involve more than four body revolutions. Fast Facts: Spinner Dolphin Size: 6-7 feet and 130-170 poundsHabitat: warm tropical and subtropical waters in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian OceansClassification: Kingdom: Animalia, Class: Mammalia, Family: DelphinidaeLifespan: 20 to 25 yearsDiet: Fish and squid; locate prey using echolocationFun Fact: Spinner dolphins gather in pods that can number into the thousands and are known for spinning and leaping.   Identification Spinner dolphins are medium-sized dolphins with long, slender  beaks. Coloration varies depending on where they live. They often have a striped appearance with a dark gray back, gray flanks and white underside.  In some adult males, the dorsal fin looks as if has been stuck on backwards. These animals may associate with other marine life, including humpback whales, spotted dolphins and yellowfin tuna. Classification There are 4 subspecies of spinner dolphin: Grays spinner dolphin (Stenella  longirostris  longirostris)Eastern spinner dolphin (S. l.  orientalis)Central American spinner dolphin (S.l.  centroamericana)Dwarf spinner dolphin (S.l.  roseiventris) Habitat and Distribution Spinner dolphins are found in warm tropical and subtropical waters in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Different spinner dolphin subspecies may prefer different habitats depending on where they live. In Hawaii, they live in shallow, sheltered bays, in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, they live on the high seas far from land and often associate with yellowfin tuna, birds and pantropical spotted dolphins. Dwarf spinner dolphins live in areas with shallow coral reefs, where they feed during the day on fish and invertebrates. Click here for a sighting map for spinner dolphins. Feeding Most spinner dolphins rest during the day and feed at night. Their preferred prey are fish and squid, which they find using echolocation.  During echolocation, the dolphin emits high-frequency sound pulses from an organ (the melon) in its head. The sound waves bounce off objects around it and are received back into the dolphins lower jaw. They are then transmitted to the inner ear and interpreted to determine the size, shape, location and distance of prey. Reproduction The spinner dolphin has a year-round breeding season After mating, the females gestation period is about 10 to 11 months, after which a single calf about two and a half feet long is born. Calves nurse for one to two years. The lifespan for spinner dolphins is estimated at about 20 to 25 years. Conservation The spinner dolphin is listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List. Spinner dolphins in the Eastern Tropical Pacific were caught by the thousands in purse seine nets targeting tuna, although their populations are slowly recovering due to restrictions placed on those fisheries. Other threats include entanglement or bycatch in fishing gear, targeted hunts in the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines, and coastal development which affects the sheltered bays that these dolphins inhabit in some areas during the day. Sources and Further Information American Cetacean Society. Spinner Dolphin: . Accessed April 30, 2012.Stenella longirostris (Short-Beaked) and Delphinus capensis (Long-Beaked)Culik, B. 2010. Odontocetes. The toothed whales: Stenella longirostris. UNEP/CMS Secretariat, Bonn, Germany. Accessed April 30, 2012.Hammond, P.S., Bearzi, G., Bjà ¸rge, A., Forney, K., Karczmarski, L., Kasuya, T., Perrin, W.F., Scott, M.D., Wang, J.Y., Wells, R.S. Wilson, B. 2008. Stenella longirostris. IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. Accessed April 30, 2012.Nelson, B. 2011. Why Does This Dolphin Have Its Fin On Backwards?. Mother Nature Network, Accessed April 30, 2012.NOAA Fisheries: Office of Protected Resources. Spinner Dolphin (. Accessed April 30, 2012.Stenella longirostris)OBIS SEAMAP. Spinner Dolphin (. Accessed April 30, 2012.Stenella longirostris)Perrin, W. 2012. Stenella longirostris (Gray, 1828). In: Perrin, W.F. World Cetacea Database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at marines pecies.org/aphia.php?ptaxdetailsid137109 on April 30, 2012. The Mammals of Texas. Spinner Dolphin. Accessed April 30, 2012.

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing plan - Essay Example The Nokia Company and products focus on providing an up-to-date and affordable mobile experience to people globally. With the rapidly increasing smart phone market, this company faces a challenge to accomplish better quality, superior and innovative mobile devices in a highly dynamic market. According to the Q1 Interim Report on Nokia, "Net sales for the devices and services got decreased 25% quarter-on-quarter to EUR 2.9 billion†. Also, the volume for the mobile phones decreased 30% quarter-on-quarter to 55.8 million units, which is higher than the estimated value by mobile phones". Hence, observing just the beginning quarter of 2013, it can be analyzed that Nokia, the once top seller in the mobile market has fallen badly. The factor responsible for this downfall is the poor and inert marketing strategy of the company. The company and its leaders failed to understand that the mobile market is one of the fastest growing in the world and when it had the largest share in the mark et, the company stopped innovation. Moreover, the company somehow managed to overlook the competition from Apple and Samsung and when the rivals were introducing astounding new products, Nokia continued doing what it was doing and did not introduce something as fresh as the others. The current issue in hand for the company is in the booming smart phone business. The strategy of market flooding has no clear picture and confusion exists. The company needs to comprehend and address the problem to deal with Nokia Lumia phones marketing and implement a smart plan to extend this line of products. The distribution of Nokia phones is done globally at outlets which are Nokia concept stores as well as multi-brand stores. It is significant to note that Nokia has stayed on the top as the largest global vendor of mobile phones from 1998 to 2012(BBC News, 2012). During recent years, Nokia has been a successful seller of low and medium end mobile phones. However, at the moment the smart phone is t he leading and commonly used mobile device and the company could not keep pace with that technology. The decline has been stunning. The stock traded at over $40 per share in 2007. It has now fallen to under $2 (Ogg, 2012). It once had a market share of over 30% and now it has less than 4% (Calkins, 2013). The market share fell as a consequence of the speedy use of touch screen smart phones from competitor companies. Since that downfall, Nokia tried to recover through the Microsoft partnership in 2011, changing the operating system of the its' smart phones from Symbian to Windows but sales of the Nokia smart phones dived extensively (Dediu, 2013). Nokia launched its first full fledge touch screen smart phone Nokia 5800 followed by N97 in 2009. The phones did not compete well in the smart phone market. The latest range of Nokia products are the phones from the Nokia Lumia series. On the market currently, are the Lumia 925, the  Lumia 920, the  Lumia 820, the  Lumia 720, the  L umia 620  and the  Lumia 520 and the  Lumia 1020. The dominant company is on its road to failure because of major competition by Samsung, Blackberry and Apple. Even though it has so many products from the Lumia series, Nokia is still facing major competition from principally the iPhone and devices running on Android. Users still have not seen anything as remarkable from Nokia as the Samsung Galaxy S3 or the iPhone 5. The iPhone has taken over the market due to its

To what extent was Malcolm X a typical American Or To what extent was Essay

To what extent was Malcolm X a typical American Or To what extent was Malcolm X a typical African-American A MUST At lease A- paper - Essay Example ntified himself as a Muslim and black American living in the white American society, there are characteristics that make him both typical American and African-American. Drawing primarily from his autobiography, specifically on the speeches he delivered during the height civil rights activism in the 1960s, this paper discusses the characteristics that make Malcolm X a typical American and African-American. This paper posits that religion is the common denominator found in Malcolm X’s being American and African-American. Malcolm X is a typical American because he subsists to the fundamentalist view of religion and politics: for him, African-American society should seek its own society independent from white American society and guided under the values and teachings of Islam. Malcolm X is also a typical African-American because he confronted his unique experience of oppression by subsisting to religion and faithfully following the teachings and religious principles of Islam. The first position this paper discusses is how Malcolm X became the typical American. As a Muslim fundamentalist, Malcolm X strictly adhered to the teachings of Islam, which includes the belief in establishing an independent society wherein the rules of Islam religion dominate and becomes the socio-political structure of this new, independent society. This is the proposition that has always been advocated by Malcolm X, citing how the religious teachings of Christianity have been used to oppress and take advantage of the African-American society. To demonstrate that the African-Americans always had the right to become independent from the white Americans, Malcolm X argued that the white man had ‘no sense of history.’ In his speech, â€Å"After the Bombing,† Malcolm X asserted that the Negro has a sense of history because all races take root from the Negro heritage—even the white man. From Latin America to Europe, the African-American race dominated the world, until the white

Governance Research and Analysis Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Governance and Analysis - Research Paper Example The Nova University was established in 1964 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It started as a small college with a small number of students. Initially, it offered graduate programs in physical sciences and social sciences. Gradually, the University also started offering programs in â€Å"law, business, education, computer science, psychology and oceanography†. In 1971, the Nova University was first recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In 1972, the institution started its first distance-learning program. Gradually, the Nova University grew into a reputed educational centre. Meanwhile, the Southeastern college of Osteopathic Medicine was founded in 1981 in the southeastern part of USA. During the period 1987-1991, this institution began offering courses on â€Å"pharmacy, allied heath, optometry, dental sciences and medical sciences† (Nova Southeastern University 2011). The College continued to expand and came to be known as the Southeastern U niversity of the Health Sciences. In 1994, the Southeastern University of Health Sciences joined with the Nova University and the Nova Southeastern University was born. (Nova Southeastern University 2011) Mission Though the NSU is a private organization, it is not guided by profit making motives. It offers its students a diverse range of academic programs both on its campuses as well as through the distance learning mode. The University encourages its students to pursue academic excellence, research opportunities and engage in intellectual enquiries by way of fruitful interactions with the faculty members. The institution is devoted to serving the society by shaping its students to be future leaders of the community who are capable of shouldering diverse responsibilities. (Nova Southeastern University 2011) Vision The NSU is not under the regulation of the State University System, but has its own identity as an independent University. The Board of Trustees of the NSU has been very c lear and categorical about maintaining the independent status of NSU. The administration, faculty and staff of the NSU provide its students with an independent opportunity to pursue academics of their choice. The educational courses offered by the University have been modified to meet student requirements. (Nova Southeastern University 2011) Values In its continuous pursuit of excellence, the NSU embodies the values of fostering collaboration, engaging in community service and engagement, encouraging diversity, providing educational access, promoting efficiency, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, maintaining its commitment towards integrity, ensuring the development of quality academic programs and encouraging active student engagement in scholarship and research. (Nova Southeastern University 2011) Other Relevant Information The NSU offers attractive facilities to its students which contribute significantly in making the University environment stimulating and conducive fo r the purpose of education. (Nova Southeastern University 2011) II. Institutional Leadership The NSU is headed by the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. George L. Hanbury II. NSU also has a Board of Trustees which has established the mission of the University. The Board consists of three types of members. The Board Members include eminent personalities who occupy important positions in the society. Ronald G. Assaf is the present Chairman of the Board Members. The

Vygotskys Theory of Psychological Development

Vygotskys Theory of Psychological Development Lev Semenovich Vygotsky was born in Russia in 1896, the same year with Piaget. He attended Moscow University and graduated with a degree of law in 1917 just before the start of Russian Revolution (Driscoll, 2005). After a while the Russian revolution where the Marxism replaced, Vygotsky worked in psychology. The new philosophy of the Marxist stressed socialism and collectivism in society. So his views represented Marxist ideas of social change to language and development. Vygotsky also studied various subjects in school such as philosophy, psychology, literature and art. He worked as a teacher at a teacher training institution where he founded a psychology laboratory. His main entry into psychology started with the second Psychoneurological congress in 1924. Vygotsky presented a paper and criticized Pavlovs reflexology theory. After his brilliant presentation performance, Konstantin Kornilov who is the director of Psychological Institute of Moscow University invited Vygotsky for a po sition in university (Gredler, 2005). His dissertation, in 1925,The Psychology of Art, was accepted for the Ph.D. degree. Vygotsky completed manuscripts, articles, and books and edited a journal until his death in 1934 because of tuberculosis. His major writings are about the role of cultural signs and symbols in the development of attention, abstraction, language, memory and reasoning ( Gredler, 2005). Most of his writings were published after his death. His concepts of cultural historical development of cognitive development remained incomplete at his death. After his death some basic concepts fixed with his studies were added his theory. Basic Principles of Vygotskys Sociocultural Theory To understand Vygotskys theory, to look at political environment of his time may be helpful. In 1917, after the Russian revolution, Marxism penetrated all society and emphasized socialism. Sharing between people and co-operating was supported, and the success of any individual was thought as the success of the culture. Marxism also took place on history, believing that every culture could be understood only by examination of the ideas and events that had formed it (Vasta,R., Haith, M.M., Miller,S.A., 1995, as cited in Riddle, 1999). Vygotsky also influenced Marxist theory of social change to language and development (Schunk, 2008). His theory covered these elements in terms of human being development that has been called as a sociocultural approach. According to Vygotsky, the ones development is a result of his own culture and development refers mental development including thought, language and reasoning process. These mental functions were believed to develop through social interactions with people and so represented the shared knowledge of the culture. Vygotksys theory is also a form of dialectical constructivist theory that emphasizes the social environment as a facilitator of development and learning. His sociocultural theory emphasizes interaction between people and their environment. For him, the processes of the human cognitive development are the part of the process of historical development (Schunk, 2008). Briefly, Vygotskys theory is based on the idea that learning begins with social interaction and then knowledge is constructed individually. Vygotskys theory has three basic assumptions. These assumptions are i) nature of human intelligence, ii) biological and sociohistorical lines of psychological development and iii) nature of psychological processes (Driscoll, 2005; Gredler, 2005). Vygotsky thought about the differences between animal and human behavior in terms of psychological development and thought that the behavior of modern cultured adult is the result of two different process of mental development. Firstly, in the human beings, biological factors dominate the early months of life and physical growth is responsible for perception and simple memory, and involuntary attention. The emergence of these mental functions is referred to as primitive development. And sociocultural development is responsible for development of complex mental functions (Gredler, 2005). Secondly, Vygotsky also believed that human mental abilities develop through interaction with the world. Vygotsky investigated how these social interactions turns in to psychological principles In order to explain this phenomenon Vygotsky mention about the terms signalization and signification. According to Vygotskys perspective, a child does not touch a hot stove after putting his hand and feeling pain is an example of signalization (Gredler, 2005). Also, signification process that is a process of assigning meaning to an active stimulus differ human behavior from other animals. These processes are transforming from primitive humans to humans who use signs symbols to change own mental functions. So, Vygotsky believed that psychological development includes the transformation of primitive mental functions to higher mental forms (Gredler, 2005). Vygotsky stated that development does not proceed toward socialization; it is the conversion of social relations into mental functions (as cited in Driscoll, 2005). The social environment influences cognition through its tools such as cultural objects, language and social institutions (Schunk, 2005). According to Vygotsky, humans use tools that develop from the surrounding culture such as speech and writing, to mediate their social environments. So, culture gives opportunities the children with the meanings to, what to think and how to think. Initially children develop these tools to make sense of their worlds as social functions, ways to communicate needs. The tools, cultural signs and symbols, can be technological or psychological. Cognitive change results from; using these tools in social interactions and internalizing and mentally transforming these interactions (Schunk, 2005). Vygotsky also gave importance the emergence of speech in terms of distinguishing humans from other animals. In Vygotksys view, language was the most important psychological tool that influences childrens cognitive development. By acquiring knowledge a child is supported the means to think in new ways and obtains a new cognitive tool for making sense of the world. For Vygotsky, the analysis of thinking and speech was a major task for psychology, and the central problem was the relationship of thought to word (Gredler, 2005). He identified three different stages in childrens use of language. At first, language is primarily used for communication. It refers social speech. For Vygotsky, speech begins to develop independent of thought. And then, thinking becomes verbal and children begin to use egocentric or private speech to guide their own thinking. Both Piaget and Vygotsky observed that as in problem solving situations pre-school children talking to themselves. While Piaget referred th e self directed behavior as egocentric speech, Vygotsky labeled to it as a private speech. He claimed that private speech originated in the childrens interaction with other people and with these interactions; they start to use their parents instructional comments to regulate their own behavior. Private speech such as talking aloud or whispering while performing a task refers speech for oneself. Researches indicated that children tend to increase the amount of self-talk when facing more challenging tasks (Gredler, 2005). Children start using private speech to organize (plan, direct, or evaluate) their behaviors. The use of private speech peaks during  preschool  years and then decreases. For Vygotsky, this decrease with private speech turns first into inner speech and then into verbal thinking. At last stage of language development, egocentric speech becomes inner speech and children start to use inner speech to guide their thinking and actions. The inner speech is speech for one self, not for communication without words (Gredler, 2005). This transition of speech from social to self-directed to internalized reflects the Vygotsky ´s concept of development as a process of internalization. With the internalization of private speech intellectual development that is the path of all higher mental functions occurs. It was described by Vygotsky in his law of the development of higher mental functions. He stated law of the development of higher mental functions: Every function in the childs cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). (Vygotsky, 1978; as cited in Gredler, 2005). Acording to Vygotskys view, development of complex mental functions involves two processes; mastering of the external means of cultural development and thinking (language, counting, writing) and learning to use symbols to master and regulate ones own behavior. Briefly, every higher mental function was external or social before it became an internal mental function. And also Karpov and Haywood stated that; All higher mental processes are mediated by such psychological tools as language, signs and symbols. Adults teach these tools to children in the course of their joint activity. After children internalize these tools they function as mediators of the childrens more advanced psychological processes (Karpov Haywood, 1989, as cited in Schunk, 2008). Mediation is the key mechanism in learning and development from Vygotskys perspective. When mediation becomes increasingly internal and symbolic higher mental functions are created. Vygotsky stated that mediation referred that interposing tools between people and their environment, to modify it and obtain benefits (Schunk, 2005). And also mediators such as tools and language help to people to accommodate to their environment. From Vygotskys point of view, higher mental functions include categorical perception, logical memory, abstract thought and voluntary attention (as cited in Gredler, 1992). These are the products of the sociohistorical development. Vygotsky distinguished the higher mental functions from the primitive mental functions. Primitive mental functions are biological in nature and higher mental functions are the part of the social and cultural heritage of child move from social plane to psychological plane, from interpersonal to intrapersonal, from socially regulated to self regulated, from assisted performance to unassisted performance and from social control to self control (Gredler, 2005). Zone of Proximal Development Zone of proximal development (ZPD) is a key concept for Vygotskys theory. ZPD defined from Vygotsky as the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers( Schunk, 2008; Driscoll, 2005). Briefly ZPD refers the gap between what children can do individually and what they can do with assistance from more knowledgeable person. Also Bruner (1984) stated that ZPD reflects activity in which those who have more knowledgeable or are more skilled share that knowledge or skill to accomplish a task with who know less. Vygotsky claimed that learning occurs in this zone (Riddle, 1999). In ZPD teachers and students work together on a task. With the help of more knowledgeable partner the child can complete a task when he cannot do unassisted. Working in ZPD requires a good deal of guided participation. Learners bring their own understanding to social interaction environment and construct meaning by integrating those understanding with their experiences in the context (Schunk, 2000). Level of performances development shows a change from self regulation to social regulation. Gradually require to the assistance decreases and capacity for self regulation increases. The progress in ZDP is gradual from assisted performance to unassisted and self regulated performance (Moll, 1990). The process in the ZDP described as a stage model which includes four stages which focuses on the relationship between social control and self control. In stage 1 learner has very limited capacity to complete task and parent, teacher or more capable peers offer directions and modeling. Learner response is acquiescent and imitative. Learner gradually understands how related the parts of an activity to one another. Understanding develops with conversation (Moll, 1990). In stage 2, there is a change of mental activity from intermental to intramental. Learners start to handle task without assistance. However, performance is not fully developed. In stage 2, self directed speech reflects development of profound significance. Key mechanism of self directed speech is self regulation (Moll, 1990) In stage 3, assistance does not require and assistance is no longer need. Performance is already developed. Task have been internalized and automatized. Vygotsky described this stage as fruits of development (Moll, 1990). And finally in stage 4, it can be thought that learning is lifelong. However, although a concept can be accomplished by an adult, another concept cannot be accomplished (Moll, 1990). For Vygotsky, teacher direct students while scaffolding process in ZPD and try to provide assistance about how the learner can achieve his goal even without the assistance. A Vygotskian teachers aim is creating self-regulated learners. In Vygotskys theory, role of teachers is to provide the guidance required for learners to bridge the distance between their current skill level and a wanted skill level. Educational Applications There are many educational applications of Vygotskys theory. Instructional scaffolding, reciprocal teaching, peer collaboration and apprenticeship are some of these applications (Schunk, 2008). Instructional Scaffolding Although scaffolding is not a Vygotskian term, in order to it fit nicely in the ZPD, it added by Wood, Bruner and Ross in the theory (Schunk, 2008). Instructional scaffolding is also the process of controlling task elements that are beyond learners capabilities (Schunk, 2008). It is the condition of sufficient support to promote learning. Supports can include some resources, a compelling task, templates and guides and guidance on the development of cognitive and social skills. In scaffolding process, the instructor becomes a supportive tool for the student in the zone of proximal development. The characteristics of an ideal teacher are those of a scaffold: provide support, function as a tool, extend the range of the learner, permit attainment of task otherwise possible, use selectively only as needed (Schunk, 2008; Driscoll, 2005). In short, instructor creates a ZPD and provides the scaffolding for students to be successful (Moll, 2001 as cited Schunk, 2008). Moreover, for scaffoldin g process prior knowledge have an important role for Vygotskain teacher. Because, teacher need to give less assistance if there is more prior knowledgeable person. Reciprocal teaching Reciprocal teaching is an instructional activity that takes place in the form of a dialogue between teachers and students regarding segments of text. Teacher and students take turns assuming the role of teacher in leading this dialogue (Schunk, 2008). The purpose of reciprocal teaching is to facilitate a group effort between teacher and students in the task of bringing meaning to the text. The dialogue is structured by the use of summarizing, question generating, clarifying and predicting (Driscoll, 2005; Schunk, 2008). Peer collaboration Peer collaboration is the notion of collective activity. When peers come together to accomplish a task cooperatively, this social interaction can lead learning. If each student has assigned the responsibility, researches showed that cooperative work is most effective (Schunk, 2008). Apprenticeship Apprenticeship is another application of Vygotskys theory. The purpose of cognitive apprenticeship is to help learners to learn the cognitive processes that experts use to overcome complex tasks through guided experience. While operating in ZPD novices and experts works closely in joint work related activities. For instance, student teachers work with cooperating teachers in schools. It is an example of apprenticeship. Apprenticeship is also a form of dialectical constructivism that depends on social interaction (Schunk, 2008). Critics about the Theory Vygotksky seems social interaction as only way of learning. According to Vygotsky all learning is a social process begins as social activities by interacting with other people and people internalize these processes and can use them independently. But researcher states that as it is known that cultures are critical and needed to be thought while explaining learning it is not only constrained social environment (Schunk, 2008). And it is showed that children learn certain concepts which do not depend on social environment (Geary, as cited in Schunk, 2008). However I agree with Vygotsky in terms of explaning learning from social context to individual context. In my opinion, Vygotskys theory is based on the idea that learning begins with social interaction with other people or environment and then knowledge is constructed individually. Implications of Vygotskys theory are considered by researchers as not clear (Wertsch, as cited in Driscoll, 2005). It is thought that there is no answer to the questions how it is explained the differences between the ZDP of children who have similar history and how it is account for the changing relation between subject and child development. I think the effect of the culture and social environment on learning is important. The culture and social environment affect how children can learn. And also we construct meanings and common shared knowledge of a culture. So we affect and are affected from our culture and history. And our leanings can come from this social environment. But it has still not clear enough to understand learning with only sociocultural theory, and how the teaching should be. Conclusion Although new learning approaches appeared in education, since the earlier in the 20th century Vygotkss sociocultural theory has lost influence on learning. Because Vygotksys theory contributed to development of constructivism with Piaget, Dewey, and Glaserfields theories. Many teachers are still using application of Vygotskys theory such as group works, class discussion or guided discovery consciously or unconsciously. And as Vygotksy claimed children begin to learn in social environment in classrooms with social activities by interacting with other people such as peers or teachers and they internalize these processes and can use them independently. Even though researches showed that children learn certain concepts which do not depend on social environment, the sociocultural approach certainly could not explain all human learning alone. It can explain learning particularly in terms of a social environment. Therefore it is termed as dialectical constructivist theory. To sum up, although there are some criticisms to Vygotksys sociocultural theory, it is clear that the study of human development has benefited from this theory from twentieth century to nowadays. It is clear that although Vygotksys theory remained in complete because of his early death, researchers could not ignore his theorys importance for learning and they developed his theory as we know today.

Essay example --

A 2006 Pew survey on the Internet use of American teenagers between the ages of twelve and seventeen showed that not only are ninety-three percent connecting to the Internet, but sixty-one percent of them are online at least once a day (Haugen and Musser 100). As society is becoming further dependent on technology for communication, cyberbullying is becoming increasingly prevalent among teens and young adults. Cyberbullying occurs when someone uses the Internet or digital communication to harass others; this includes texts, e-mail, social networking sites, and instant messaging (Parks 9). The problem of cyberbullying leads society ask how it can be stopped, which leads to the debate of whether or not cyberbullying laws are an appropriate solution. Implementing cyberbullying laws could decrease or even stop cyberbullying because the laws would allow for consequences, which multiple cyberbullies are avoiding by using the Internet to remain anonymous. Cyberbullying should be illegal be cause it is growing in popularity, worse than traditional bullying, and causing devastating effects to teens and young adults. Cyberbullying is only getting worse as technology becomes the primary source of communication. Peggy J. Parks addresses this popularity of cyberbullying in her book Cyberbullying. Assistant criminal justice professor and author Marie-Helen Maras states, â€Å"With cyberbullying, bullies no longer need to confront their victims face-to-face. Instead, young cyberbullies use communications technology to annoy, embarrass, humiliate, abuse, threaten, stalk, or harass other children or teenagers† (qtd. in Parks 8). Also, a survey of students between the ages of eleven and eighteen conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center showed tha... ... harassment of cyberbullies. Its growing popularity, ability to humiliate teens instantly, and harmful effects are all reasons why cyberbullying laws are needed to stop cyberbullies everywhere. Cyberbullying laws are needed to stop the growth of cyberbullying, as well as the bullies who are taking advantage of technology to harass others. Victims of cyberbullying are affected psychologically and all too often suicidal. Stopping cyberbullying would decrease the number of cyberbullying-related suicides, therefore, saving the lives of victimized teens and young adults. As of November of 2011, anti-bullying laws that include electronic harassment have been enacted in thirty-five states. Cyberbullying affects the lives of teens and young adults everywhere causing psychological harm and even suicide; laws against cyberbullying could be the answer to ending this epidemic.â€Æ'

Strategic Operations Issues

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS ISSUES Elizabeth Kelly ABSTRACT This paper identifies an operational issue of a national food-chain. The problem is identified with the demonstration of the functional relationships and process flow analysis. With the use of concepts of operations and process management, the problem is analyzed and methods sought to provide recommendations and an implementation plan. TABLE OF CONTENTS Background of Hi-Lo Food Stores†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Problem Identification†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 Background of the LINX Operating System†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 Analysis using Concepts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7Recommendation and Implementation Plan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 BACKGROUND OF HI-LO FOOD STORES Hi-Lo Food Stores is a supermarket chain operating in Trinidad since 1950. With 17 outlets spread throughout the length and breadth of the country, Hi-Lo Food Stores employs over 1800 employees. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION At Hi-Lo Food Stores, which is considered a mass service process type (Slack et al, pg. 114) customers are afforded the option of different payment methods. Payment methods include cash, credit cards and debit cards.In an effort to continue to provide better options for settling of payments to merchants and customers alike, the company Infolink was formed. Infolink is a joint venture company owned by the four commercial banks of Trinidad and Tobago whose focus is to provide state of the art financial transaction-switching technology by way of debit card payment. In recent times, it has been observed that on peak commercial periods, Hi-Lo Food Stores terminals have not been able to process debit card payments. The message ‘No Communication Field’ is generated when debit card transactions cannot be processed.The customer is either forced to use a credit card or use cash. The nature of the business of Hi-Lo Food Stores would in some instances cause for a large sum of money at the check-out terminal. Customers, who do not have a credit card facility available, are then forced to leave their merchandise at the store and locate an Automated Banking Machine (ABM) to withdraw cash and then return to the store to complete the transaction. Hi-Lo Food Stores is then faced with the issue of storing in a secure manner those items selected and already bagged for the prospective customer and can only be delivered until payment is tendered.This then causes a storage issue since these items are usually placed at the termina l the customer was accommodated at. Sub-issues of pilfering and bottlenecking of check-out counters have also been evident. The second issue arises when the customer does not return for reasons such as, no ABM facility within range of Hi-Lo, and then causes the customer to leave to a more convenient supermarket. This leaves Hi-Lo with spoilage and re-stocking of the items already held at the terminals. Customer dissatisfaction sets in and an erosion of brand loyalty occurs.The impact on Hi-Lo Food Stores can then be summarized to include increased check-out times at terminals, customer dissatisfaction and decreased sales. BACKGROUND OF THE LINX OPERATING SYSTEM In 1992 saw the advent of the LINX shopping experience to Trinidad and Tobago. Infolink Services Limited is the facilitator of the LINX Network where debit cards from any commercial bank in Trinidad and Tobago would be processed at all Automated Banking Machines (ABMs) regardless of the commercial bank the customer so belonge d.This system led the way for merchants to employ the LINX Network at their Point-of-Sale terminals thus allowing debit cards issued at any commercial bank in Infolink’s Accredited Partners to be accepted at these participating merchants. While the LINX system proved seamless during its pilot project phase of operations, in recent times as the service became more widely accepted by the general public, LINX seemed to be unable to manage the demand of merchants. Evidence has not been offered on the number of transactions over a structured period, in order to ascertain the workload capacity of the Infolink Services Limited’s system.As the writer has evidenced at Hi-Lo Food Stores, the debit card payment system seemed unable to handle the workload during peak periods of demand. ANALYSIS USING CONCEPTS The use of technology to supersede traditional methods of payment can be seen to deliver great advantages and benefits to Hi-Lo Food Stores. The process design of the debit c ard system in its conception can be seen to provide great advantages to the mass service process type. This payment method can be seen as an internally supportive method of increasing operations capabilities.For example, in times prior to the LINX operations, Hi-Lo Food Stores terminal processing time was generally a longer process. This could have been caused by the customer having to present a personal cheque for payment along with a cheque guarantee card, if applicable. The second step would be for the cashier to examine both card and cheque for validity. In instances where the cheque was written in excess of the card guarantee amount, a supervisor would then be referred to for authorization.A process that would guarantee a longer turnaround time than the now widely used LINX service, debit card payment option. In analysis of the process however, we must measure the impact of the unreliability of the service and how it causes delays and decreased outputs. These delays then impact on the cycle time at checkout counters. In carrying out a process analysis, it is obvious that the LINX operating system has a process capacity which has not yet been determined. In identifying the system’s capacity, resources may be input into the process for improved reliability and performance.As can be seen the debit card payment system when effective can have a positive strategic impact on operations performance objectives. By firstly, impacting on the speed by which customers is processed at check-out terminals. When you have a quick turnover time you reduce the traffic and congestion in the supermarket which can result in breakage and accidents. Secondly, the LINX system has impacted on flexibility by allowing the customer the option of choosing a more direct form of payment as opposed to credit cards.Dependability can be seen as a performance objective where the system can be relied upon. The above performance objectives, speed, flexibility and dependability have bee n negatively impacted on as the debit card system has become unreliable during peak operating times as such the issues Hi-Lo has experienced relates to its inefficiency of its customer experience, its quality of service is risked, thus losing the trust and loyalty of some customers. RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANIt is the writer’s recommendation that an immediate sourcing of an Automated Banking Machine (ABM) be allocated to all branches. This ABM facility will give the customer the ability to exact cash to the check-out terminal without leaving the premises. The ABM facility will have the effect of speeding up turnaround time at terminals for payment. The added advantage of the facility not only being available to check-out customers but the facility will encourage more traffic with customers who may need just the convenience of an ABM facility.The ABM facility will be strategically placed in an area just after the bank of check out tellers, but away from the main e ntrance point. This would force the person who came for the convenience of the ABM facility only to line up, surrounded by small convenient items that may encourage purchasing of candy, gum, magazines etc. In the hopes of a long term resolution, Hi-Lo Food Stores conduct a process design-analysis. This analysis will determine the throughput time and impact upon the flow rate of customers by measuring the number of successful or unsuccessful attempts using the debit card system.In conducting this analysis, list the customers alternate payment method used and whether immediate payment was affected. The system of process mapping can assess the processes for example, Hi-Lo Food stores must also account for those customers who are inconvenienced by having to visit an ABM to use cash as a payment method. List those persons who in fact will follow through and complete the transactions as against those persons who find it far too inconvenient to return to Hi-Lo.With the use of this data, Hi -Lo food stores will then be able to account for manpower used at the terminal for processing a void transaction, storage of items, spoilage of perishable items which may occur and hours of duty time spent re-stocking. Finally, Hi-Lo in conjunction with Infolink needs to formalize a structured plan of action to implement a larger capacity for processing of debit card transactions, and for Hi-Lo to ascertain its feasibility. ACTIVITY| TIME| OWNERSHIP/RESPONSIBILITY| 1. 1 Source a consultant | 2 weeks| IT Department| 2. 1 Identify number of transactions incomplete| 6 weeks| IT Department| 2. Identify time periods for ‘down’ time| 6 weeks| IT Department| 3. 1 Identify source of problem| 1 week| Consultant| 4. 1 Make recommendations| 2 weeks| Consultant| 5. 1 Implement changes and test| 6 weeks| IT Department| 6. 1 Gather feedback from customer| 2 weeks| Marketing Department| 7. 1 Make further recommendations| 1 week | Consultant| 8. 1 Implement and test| 3 weeks| IT Depart ment| | | | REFERENCES Slack, N & Chambers, S & Johnston, R & Betts, A 2009, Operations and Process Management, Principles and Practice for Strategic Impact, 2nd edn