Interpretation of Regression Results Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Interpretation of Regression Results - Essay Example For the hypothesis to be true, the signs of the coefficients are expected to be positive. The positive coefficient signs would indicate the positive relationship between the independent variables (temperature, humidity, wind and dummy variables) and the dependent variable (bundled load). Coefficients: The signs of all coefficients of variables are positive whereas, that of intercept is negative. The negative value of coefficient of intercept means that the regression line intersects with Y-axis below zero. The positive signs and significant values of coefficients reflect a positive relation between the dependent and independent variables. The value of coefficient of temperature is 47.64. It means that if temperature or x1 variable increases by 1 degree Fahrenheit, the bundled load will increase by 47.64 Megawatt/hour provided all other variables are constant. If humidity increases by 1 percent, the bundled load will increase by 11.52 Megawatt/hour. Similarly, if wind speed increases by 1 mph, the bundled load will increase by 10.15 Megawatt/hour. Moreover, the coefficient of dummy1 is zero, showing no relation between the dummy1 and bundled load whereas; the coefficient of dummy2 is 49.73, showing a positive relation between dummy2 and bundled load. The standard error shows the amount of variability of the data points around the regression line and in this regression analysis, the standard errors for all the variables is very small. The small values of the standard errors show that the data points are closely distributed around the regression line. The value of p is greater than 0.05 for three independent variables including temperature, humidity and wind speed. However, for the dummy1, it is zero and for dummy2, it is less than 0.05. If the p-values for all the variables would have been equal or less than 0.0, then the null

Professionalism and the Accounting Profession Essay

Professionalism and the Accounting Profession - Essay Example This avoidance of their core responsibility is therefore described as being ethically incorrect. Engaging in activities that are contrary to social expectations is unprofessional (Johnson 1982, p. 267) Instituting initiatives whose main aim is to violate the existing rules and regulations is as well unethical and unprofessional. The available information and research findings have indicated that accounting firms in developed countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom have over the years devised schemes intended at impeding their role of paying taxes to the state. This evasion plays a significant role in spoiling the image of the accounting profession that was once held in high regard. Clever accountancy initiatives aim at fulfilling selfish interests of individuals and firms that seek to evade paying taxes (Habermas, 1976). In this way, clever accountancy does not support state projects and interest. The accounting profession claims to be high in profession alism. However the sale of tax evasion schemes casts them in negative light as regards their claims to professionalism. In application of the Weberian theory, paying taxes is a daily noble responsibility of everyone in the society. Weber describes that the daily activities of individuals in society is defined by practical rationality. Former American President Franklin Roosevelt once said that taxes are the â€Å"dues that we paid for the privileges of membership in an organized society†. Paying taxes is therefore considered a noble activity that one would engage in. In fact, a vast majority of business persons and private individuals pay their taxes effectively and... This essay aims to define clever accountancy, how it came about, how it serves the public interest and how it is cursed by the tax collector. The researcher of this essay also points out how it has massively affected the public image of the accounting profession. In this regard, different academic theories were cited to explain how clever accountancy has led to professionals being painted in bad light. Historical as well as contemporary evidence were documented to support some claims and opinions. The essay, among all other things, discusses how accounting could be done more professionally today. Clever accountancy was at first seen to enhance professionalism in the accounting field. It has, however, played as paying taxes is a major ethical responsibility of the members of the society to the state. Everyone in the society has an important part to play in paying taxes to enhance service delivery. However, accounting firms constantly use their social position and influence in the econ omy to evade their core responsibility of paying taxes. The researcher then concluds that accounting profession is the major culprit in the evil when it comes to unethical practice as it is often the main tool of the crime. A change for the better for the profession can help in alleviating the problem. The accounting profession, as indicated earlier, wields a lot of power in the current world. With such power it ought to be on the frontline in championing for positive social ideals. This can have ripple effects considering the power it has.

Challenges Facing Airport Management

Challenges Facing Airport Management Air travel remains a large and growing industry. It facilitates economic growth, world trade, international investment and tourism and is therefore central to the globalization taking place in many other industries which results in various challenges the airport authorities are facing in the 21st century. In the past 10 years, air travel has grown by 7% per year. Travel for both business and leisure purposes grew strongly worldwide. Scheduled airlines carried 1.5 billion passengers last year. In the leisure market, the availability of large aircraft such as the AIBUS 380 made it convenient and affordable for people to travel further to new and exotic destinations. As the economies of developing countries grow, their own citizens are already becoming the new international tourists of the future. There are various Challenges facing Airport management in the 21st Century. Different airports have different problems but one thing is for sure that some of the issues like the core issues remain the same. These are basically security of the airport especially after the 9/11 attack on US soils and the ic184 hijack in Katmandu. The rise in people travelling through the air travel has also lead to increase the facilities at the airport and new planes like A380 aircraft which results the airport to increase its infracture of the airport right from the runway to the passengers lounges to the aerobridges. As more and more companies are buying A380 there would be large requirement for the airports to upgrade their facilities according to the requirements. Bigger the infracture, more the passengers traveling bigger the facelift of the airport required and more up gradation of the facilities like parking of the passenger cars. Let us start of with the various security issues the airports are facing around the world. Large numbers of people pass through airports. This presents potential targets for terrorism and other forms of crime due to the number of people located in a small area. Similarly, the high concentration of people on large airlines, the potential high death rate with attacks on aircraft, and the ability to use a hijacked airplane as a lethal weapon may provide an alluring target for terrorism. Airport security attempts to prevent would-be attackers from bringing weapons or bombs into the airport. If they can succeed in this, then the chances of these devices getting on to aircraft are greatly reduced. As such, airport security serves several purposes: To protect the airport from attacks and crime and to protect the aircraft from attack, and to reassure the travelling public that they are safe. Process and equipment Some incidents have been the result of travelers being permitted to carry either weapons or items that could be used as weapons on board aircraft so that they could hijack the plane. Travelers are screened by metal detectors. Explosion detection machines used include x-ray machines. Explosive detection machines can also be used for both carry on and checked baggage. These detect volatile compounds given off from explosives. A recent development is the controversial use of full body scanners to detect hidden weapons and explosives on passengers. These devices require that the passenger stand close to a flat panel and produce a high resolution image. There are misunderstandings about how x-ray backscatter personnel scanners function, but they do use ionizing radiation and the x-rays emitted from them penetrate skin as well as clothing. While the risk of cancer from a single backscatter check is probably low, the cumulative risk of repeated exposure to radiation is a threat to public he alth, especially for people working in the airline industry and frequent travelers. A technology released in Israel in early 2008 allows passengers to pass through metal detectors without removing their shoes a process required as walk-though gate detectors are not reliable in detecting metal in shoes or on the lower body extremities. Alternately, the passengers step fully shod onto a device which scans in under 1.2 seconds for objects as small as a razor blade. Generally people are screened through airport security into areas where the exit gates to the aircraft are located. These areas are often called secure, sterile and airside. Passengers are discharged from airliners into the sterile area so that they usually will not have to be re-screened if disembarking from a domestic flight; however they are still subject to search at any time. Airport food outlets have started using plastic glasses and utensils as opposed to glasses made out of glass and utensils made out of metal to reduce the usefulness of such items as weapons. In the United States non-passengers were once allowed on the concourses to meet arriving friends or relatives at their gates, but this is greatly restricted now in the United States. Non-passengers must obtain a gate pass to enter the secure area of the airport. The most common reasons that a non-passenger may obtain a gate pass is to assist children and the elderly as well as for attending business meetings that take place in the secure area of the airport. In the United States, at least 24 hours notice is generally required for those planning to attend a business meeting inside the secure area of the airport. Other countries, such as Australia do not yet restrict non-travelers from accessing the airside area, however non-travelers are typically subject to the same security scans as travelers. Sensitive areas in airports, including airport ramps and operational spaces, are restricted from the general public. Called a SIDA Security Identification Display Area, these spaces require special qualifications to enter. In some countries, specially trained individuals may engage passengers in a conversation to detect threats rather than solely relying on equipment to find threats. In the United States the TSA has run several dummy tests in several major airports to measure the success of catching people with bombs. In 2002, the TSA reported that roughly 60% of fake bombs or component parts to bombs were missed by covert screeners. In 2007, that percentage rose to 75%, although this increase alone is misleading. The tests are done by using undercover agents to carry fake bombs/parts in their carryon luggage and counting how many are successful with getting through security checkpoints. The TSA runs covert tests every day and when a screener misses an undercover agent carrying dangerous items, they are immediately sent to remedial training. Throughout the world, there have been a few dozen airports that have instituted a version of a trusted traveler program. Proponents argue that security screening can be made more efficient by detecting the people that are threats, and then searching them. They argue that searching trusted, verified individuals should not take the amount of time it does. Critics argue that such programs decrease security by providing an easier path to carry contraband through. Another critical security measure utilized by several regional and international airports is the use of fiber optic perimeter intrusion detection systems. These security systems allow airport security to locate and detect any intrusion on the airport perimeter, ensuring real-time, immediate intrusion notification that allows security personnel to assess the threat and track movement and engage necceassary security procedures. This has notably been utilized at Dulles International Airport and US Military JFPASS. Developing countries like india which have a high rate of terrorists attack have a very extensive way of dealing with security of the airport. : Security at the Indira Gandhi International Airport has been revamped with the integration of anti-sabotage detection and intrusion systems of both international and domestic terminals along with the anti-terror commando squad. After the commissioning of the world class T3 terminal on July 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the security of the airport will be brought under a unified monitoring system known as the Security Operations Control Centre (SOCC). Entry, frisking, scanning, baggage checking, anti-sabotage and quick reaction deployment will be brought under a single umbrella. The new control centre, aided by improved scanning and surveillance software and hardware, will be monitored by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which is the agency protecting the sensitive airport and its periphery. The ambitious and much-awaited Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) to secure 37 kms of the airport periphery from illegal intruders will also be connected to the SOCC, a senior airport security officer said. With the security management of both the domestic and international terminals coming under an umbrella, the facility would enable a better coordination for security of passengers and other airport staff, the officer said. A special squad of the National Security Guard (NSG) black cat commandos, stationed at a newly-built airbase next to the airport, will also be associated to the new control centre. A host of new services like the Delhi Metros airport link will connect to the airport and hence the multi-tasking of security drills will grow manifold. The integrated security terminal will help in achieving the daunting task, the officer said. The control centre will also monitor the almost 3,000 CCTV cameras and 352 screening machines spread across the sprawling airport premises. The new terminal would be able to handle as many as 34 million passengers per annum against the present 26 million, as it would have eight levels with a built-up area of 5.5 million sq ft. It would have a common check-in concourse with 168 counters and 24 mobile ones apart from the most modern five level in-line baggage system for faster processing. Around 5000 CISF personnel will be deputed at the IGI airport in view of the new T3 terminal and the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. Large Size of A380 Brings Large Challenges The A380 is expected to impact the industry in two ways. On the one hand, the immense capacity of the aircraft opens up opportunities to increase passenger flow through airports without increasing the number of aircrafts. This is likely to enhance efficiency of airports as well as minimise unit costs, an important advantage considering the limited number of slots at airports. The flip side of this is that airports will need to restructure their facilities and invest heavily in infrastructure to enable future operations of the A380. However, it appears that many airports are more than prepared for the projected expenditure since they expect to gain multiple advantages from the future operations of the jet. The sheer size of the Airbus A380 brings with it immense potential but equally big challenges. Currently, the greatest challenge facing the industry is the need to adjust their facilities to accommodate an airplane code F, when most of the major international airports have the required infrastructure for aircraft code E. Although Airbus initially developed the A380 to operate on runways of code E standard, subsequent rulings by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) stated that it belonged to code F category and called for airports to expand their facilities to accommodate it. Hence, airports are spending millions of dollars for investment in this infrastructure, says the analyst. However, regulators and the aviation industry representatives have now struck a compromise that allows airports to be certified for A380 operations while minimising capital expenditure and operational disruption. Overall, airports are divided in their attitude towards the A380 and the modifications it demands depending on their current position in international air traffic. While some airports feel they have no choice but to embrace the changes, some others are deciding on the feasibility of preparing their facilities and handling the jet after carrying out a cost-benefit analysis. The remaining airports fall into the category of those that voluntarily make the required adjustments in an attempt to increase the airportà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s appeal in the international arena and thereby, attract new airlines operating the A380. CHANGI MODIFICATIONS CAAS is spending S$60m on modification works to get Changi Airports Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 ready for A380 operations. Besides modifying gate F31, CAAS has completed the expansion of one more A380-compatible gate holdroom in Terminal 2, gate E5. This includes the installation of an additional gangway and a third PLB. Nine other existing gate holdrooms in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are being similarly modified. The future Terminal 3 will have another eight A380-compatible gates, bringing the total number of A380-compatible gates at the airport to 19. Each of the 19 gates will have three PLBs. In addition, three out of four baggage claim carousels serving A380 flights in Terminal 2 have been extended to accommodate more luggage, while two A380-ready baggage claim belts in Terminal 1 will be ready in 2006. Other modification works will include the widening of runway shoulders as well as runway-taxiway and taxiway-taxiway intersections. Besides making modifications to existing infrastructure, CAAS has constructed two new freighter aircraft stands and two remote aircraft parking stands for A380 flights. Shields have also been installed along each side of a taxiway bridge to contain the effect of the A380 jet blast. Similar shields are being installed at another taxiway bridge at Changi Airport. In preparation for the A380 operations at Singapore Changi Airport in 2006, CAAS has been carrying out modification work to the existing airport infrastructure as well as incorporating A380 requirements into the design and construction of Terminal 3. As the A380 aircraft is wider and heavier than the Boeing 747-400, Changi Airports airfield must be modified to the design requirements of the ICAO for Code F aircraft. At Changi Airport, the existing runway length of 4000m and width of 60m meet the requirements for A380 operations. The existing separation distances between runways, taxiways and nearest obstacles also meet the international norms specified for A380 operations. However, the existing runway shoulders have been widened by 4.5m on each side to allow the A380 aircraft to operate safely. The aircraft pavements at runway-taxiway and taxiway-taxiway intersections are being widened to allow pilots to manoeuvre the giant A380 aircraft safely at the turns. CAAS is spending S$60m on modification works to get Changi Airports Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 ready for A380 operations. Shields have been installed along each side of a taxiway bridge to contain the effect of the A380 jet blast. Similar shields are being installed at another taxiway bridge at Changi Airport. To facilitate passenger movements from the terminal buildings to the aerobridges, existing fixed gangways (which link the gate holdroom to the aerobridge) are being modified at the designated gates for A380 operations. Each of these gates will be installed with an additional fixed gangway and a third aerobridge. They will also be enlarged to serve the increased number of passengers that the A380 will carry. Two of the existing gates, F31 and E5, in Terminal 2 are now A380-compatible. Similar works have been scheduled to modify five gates in Terminal 1 and four other gates in Terminal 2. Terminal 3 will have eight gates that can serve A380 flight operations when the terminal opens. In all, Changi Airport will have 19 enlarged gate holdrooms to accommodate A380 flights. To accommodate the larger volume of arrival baggage from A380 flights, the presentation frontage of existing baggage belt carousels in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 has been extended to about 90m. Extensions to three of the four belt carousels in Terminal 2 serving A380 flights have been completed and in Terminal 1 two belts were lengthened in early 2006. Four belts in the upcoming Terminal 3 will be custom-made to serve A380 flights. Two new A380-compatible freighter aircraft stands and two new A380-compatible remote aircraft parking stands have been constructed. Some of the key features of the new terminal are: -Sixth largest in the world after those at Dubai, Beijing, Singapore, Bangkok and Mexico City -One pier each for international and domestic operations spanning 1.2 km from one end to other -A city within, with a super-structure spread over 5.4 million sq ft -78 aero-bridges, against less than 10 at the current international terminal -63 elevators, 35 escalators and 92 automatic walkways -168 check-in counters and 95 immigration desks -One pier each for international and domestic operations spanning 1.2 km from one end to other -Over 20,000 sq meters of retail area, including a large food court -Capacity to handle 12,800 bags per hour, with 6.4 km of conveyor belts -Multi-layer parking facility that can accommodate 4,300 cars -Exotic plants, material imported from Thailand, Mexico, Bahrain. The analysts were looking at GMRs work on Terminal 3 aka T3 at Delhi Airport a symbol of the so-called Modern and Bold India, considering it is among the worlds largest airport terminals and constitutes the largest infrastructure asset in India today. While the language may be a bit technical, it does give some insight into two important subjects: a) how companies are assessed; and, more importantly from a big picture angle, b) the dynamics of Indian infrastructure growth. For more on this crucial subject, see tomorrows Featured Analysis, which compares the dynamics of Chinese and Indian urbanization for the next decade and a half. Check notepad. 1.3.1 London Heathrow London Heathrow will be used as the baseline airport in this study for several reasons: _ Large number of expected A380 operations. _ Extensive operational data readily available. _ Arrivals and departures are always segregated. _ Operation at close to runway capacity throughout the day. Under In November 2009 London Heathrow accommodated 4 daily Heathrow operations (2 ights to Singapore, one to Dubai and one to Sydney), this _gure will rise substantially as Airbus delivers more aircraft across the world given that Heathrow is a major international hub. Heathrow is also likely be the base of operations for the 18 A380s to be operated by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. In addition to the volume volume of future A380 operations Heathrow is a useful baseline airport given the wealth of data available about operations at the airport as well as the simple operational modes of its runways. Heathrow always operates one runway for arrivals and one runway for departures (to minimize the noise impact on communities under the approach path [6]). Heathrow also operates close to its runway capacity for most of the day due to slot controls at the airport. These factors 4 of 15 Airport Systems: Term Project Alexander Donaldson together mean that a simple runway capacity model described in Section 2.1 should yield an accurate estimate of arrival capacity at Heathrow. 1.3.2 New York JFK An American airport was included in the study in order to examine the e_ects of the more stringent separation requirements impose by the FAA as well as the e_ect of the lower aircraft size seen on average in the U.S. New York JFK (JFK) is likely to be one of the top U.S airports in terms of A380 operations1. JFK is also an interesting contrast to London Heathrow because its runways are frequently operated in a mixed-mode con_guration, with arrivals and departures sharing the same runway. Figure 3: New York JFK Airport Layout[7] 1.3.3 Dubai International Dubai International Airport (DXB) was chosen as the third airport in this study due to the potentially unmatched future level of A380 operations asa result of Emirates Airlines 1Los Angeles International (LAX) my handle more A380s however it was not used in this study due to the complications imposed on A380 operations by its closely spaced parallel runways and the uncertainty surrounding the resolution of these issues. 5 of 15 Airport Systems: Term Project Alexander Donaldson (based at DXB) large order for 58 of the type (Figure 1). The airport also adds a third distinct separation standard by applying the ICAO recommendations without modi_cation. Like JFK, Dubai International has a pair of parallel runways assumed to be operating independently with mixed arrivals and departures for the purposes of this study.

Exposed Sin vs. Hidden Sin in the Scarlet Letter Essay -- Nathaniel Ha

Exposed Sin vs. Hidden Sin Since the beginning of time we have shown our imperfections as human beings. As detailed by the Bible in the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge committing the original sin. This infraction against God resulted in Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden, and set the foundation for the judgment of mankind. The word sin derives from Old English synn and is defined as something shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong. In this essay I will be comparing exposed sin to hidden sin as related to The Scarlet Letter, and the effects it has on people. In Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne represents the exposed sin while Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth represent the hidden sin. Hester Prynne’s sin is exposed on the scaffold in front of the townspeople. For punishment she is made to wear the letter “A”, for adulteress, on her bosom. Hester’s daughter, Pearl, is herself a symbol of the scarlet letter. Pearl is always seen with Hester just as t...

Digital Fortress Chapter 66-70

Chapter 66 Becker crossed the concourse toward the rest room doors only to find the door marked CABALLEROS blocked by an orange pylon and a cleaning cart filled with detergent and mops. He eyed the other door. DAMAS. He strode over and rapped loudly. â€Å"Hola?† he called, pushing the ladies' room door open an inch. â€Å"Con permiso?† Silence. He went in. The rest room was typical, Spanish institutional-perfectly square, white tile, one incandescent bulb overhead. As usual, there was one stall and one urinal. Whether the urinals were ever used in the women's bathrooms was immaterial-adding them saved the contractors the expense of having to build the extra stall. Becker peered into the rest room in disgust. It was filthy. The sink was clogged with murky brown water. Dirty paper towels were strewn everywhere. The floor was soaked. The old electric hand blower on the wall was smeared with greenish fingerprints. Becker stepped in front of the mirror and sighed. The eyes that usually stared back with fierce clarity were not so clear tonight. How long have I been running around over here? he wondered. The math escaped him. Out of professorial habit, he shimmied his necktie's Windsor knot up on his collar. Then he turned to the urinal behind him. As he stood there, he found himself wondering if Susan was home yet. Where could she have gone? To Stone Manor without me? â€Å"Hey!† a female voice behind him said angrily. Becker jumped. â€Å"I-I'm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he stammered, hurrying to zip up. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Becker turned to face the girl who had just entered. She was a young sophisticate, right off the pages of Seventeen Magazine. She wore conservative plaid pants and a white sleeveless blouse. In her hand was a red L. L. Bean duffel. Her blond hair was perfectly blow-dried. â€Å"I'm sorry.† Becker fumbled, buckling his belt. â€Å"The men's room was†¦ anyway†¦ I'm leaving.† â€Å"Fuckin' weirdo!† Becker did a double-take. The profanity seemed inappropriate coming from her lips-like sewage flowing from a polished decanter. But as Becker studied her, he saw that she was not as polished as he'd first thought. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and her left forearm was swollen. Underneath the reddish irritation on her arm, the flesh was blue. Jesus, Becker thought. Intravenous drugs. Who would have guessed? â€Å"Get out!† she yelled. â€Å"Just get out!† Becker momentarily forgot all about the ring, the NSA, all of it. His heart went out to the young girl. Her parents had probably sent her over here with some prep school study program and a VISA card-and she'd ended up all alone in a bathroom in the middle of the night doing drugs. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked, backing toward the door. â€Å"I'm fine.† Her voice was haughty. â€Å"You can leave now!† Becker turned to go. He shot her forearm a last sad glance. There's nothing you can do, David. Leave it alone. â€Å"Now!† she hollered. Becker nodded. As he left he gave her a sad smile. â€Å"Be careful.† Chapter 67 â€Å"Susan?† Hale panted, his face in hers. He was sitting, one leg on either side of her, his full weight on her midsection. His tailbone ground painfully into her pubis through the thin fabric of her skirt. His nose was dripping blood all over her. She tasted vomit in the back of her throat. His hands were at her chest. She felt nothing. Is he touching me? It took a moment for Susan to realize Hale was buttoning her top button and covering her up. â€Å"Susan.† Hale gasped, breathless. â€Å"You've got to get me out of here.† Susan was in a daze. Nothing made sense. â€Å"Susan, you've got to help me! Strathmore killed Chartrukian! I saw it!† It took a moment for the words to register. Strathmore killed Chartrukian? Hale obviously had no idea Susan had seen him downstairs. â€Å"Strathmore knows I saw him!† Hale spat. â€Å"He'll kill me too!† Had Susan not been breathless with fear, she would have laughed in his face. She recognized the divide-and-conquer mentality of an ex-Marine. Invent lies-pit your enemies against each other. â€Å"It's true!† he yelled. â€Å"We've got to call for help! I think we're both in danger!† She did not believe a word he said. Hale's muscular legs were cramping, and he rolled up on his haunches to shift his weight slightly. He opened his mouth to speak, but he never got the chance. As Hale's body rose, Susan felt the circulation surge back into her legs. Before she knew what had happened, a reflex instinct jerked her left leg back hard into Hale's crotch. She felt her kneecap crush the soft sac of tissue between his legs. Hale whimpered in agony and instantly went limp. He rolled onto his side, clutching himself. Susan twisted out from under his deadweight. She staggered toward the door, knowing she'd never be strong enough to get out. Making a split-second decision, Susan positioned herself behind the long maple meeting table and dug her feet into the carpet. Mercifully the table had casters. She strode with all her might toward the arched glass wall, pushing the table before her. The casters were good, and the table rolled well. Halfway across Node 3, she was at a full sprint. Five feet from the glass wall, Susan heaved and let go. She leapt to one side and covered her eyes. After a sickening crack, the wall exploded in a shower of glass. The sounds of Crypto rushed into Node 3 for the first time since its construction. Susan looked up. Through the jagged hole, she could see the table. It was still rolling. It spun wide circles out across the Crypto floor and eventually disappeared into the darkness. Susan rammed her mangled Ferragamo's back on her feet, shot a last glance at the still-writhing Greg Hale, and dashed across the sea of broken glass out onto the Crypto floor. Chapter 68 â€Å"Now wasn't that easy?† Midge said with a sneer as Brinkerhoff handed over the key to Fontaine's office. Brinkerhoff looked beaten. â€Å"I'll erase it before I go,† Midge promised. â€Å"Unless you and your wife want it for your private collection.† â€Å"Just get the damned printout,† he snapped. â€Å"And then get out!† â€Å"Si, senor,† Midge cackled in a thick Puerto Rican accent. She winked and headed across the suite to Fontaine's double doors. Leland Fontaine's private office looked nothing like the rest of the directorial suite. There were no paintings, no overstuffed chairs, no ficus plants, no antique clocks. His space was streamlined for efficiency. His glass-topped desk and black leather chair sat directly in front of his enormous picture window. Three file cabinets stood in the corner next to a small table with a French press coffeepot. The moon had risen high over Fort Meade, and the soft light filtering through the window accentuated the starkness of the director's furnishings. What the hell am I doing? Brinkerhoff wondered. Midge strode to the printer and scooped up the queue list. She squinted in the darkness. â€Å"I can't read the data,† she complained. â€Å"Turn on the lights.† â€Å"You're reading it outside. Now come on.† But Midge was apparently having too much fun. She toyed with Brinkerhoff, walking to the window and angling the readout for a better view. â€Å"Midge†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She kept reading. Brinkerhoff shifted anxiously in the doorway. â€Å"Midge†¦ come on. These are the director's private quarters.† â€Å"It's here somewhere,† she muttered, studying the printout. â€Å"Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet, I know it.† She moved closer to the window. Brinkerhoff began to sweat. Midge kept reading. After a few moments, she gasped. â€Å"I knew it! Strathmore did it! He really did! The idiot!† She held up the paper and shook it. â€Å"He bypassed Gauntlet! Have a look!† Brinkerhoff stared dumbfounded a moment and then raced across the director's office. He crowded in next to Midge in front of the window. She pointed to the end of the readout. Brinkerhoff read in disbelief. â€Å"What the†¦?† The printout contained a list of the last thirty-six files that had entered TRANSLTR. After each file was a four-digit Gauntlet clearance code. However, the last file on the sheet had no clearance code-it simply read: manual bypass. Jesus, Brinkerhoff thought. Midge strikes again. â€Å"The idiot!† Midge sputtered, seething. â€Å"Look at this! Gauntlet rejected the file twice! Mutation strings! And he still bypassed! What the hell was he thinking?† Brinkerhoff felt weak-kneed. He wondered why Midge was always right. Neither of them noticed the reflection that had appeared in the window beside them. A massive figure was standing in Fontaine's open doorway. â€Å"Jeez,† Brinkerhoff choked. â€Å"You think we have a virus?† Midge sighed. â€Å"Nothing else it could be.† â€Å"Could be none of your damn business!† the deep voice boomed from behind them. Midge knocked her head against the window. Brinkerhoff tipped over the director's chair and wheeled toward the voice. He immediately knew the silhouette. â€Å"Director!† Brinkerhoff gasped. He strode over and extended his hand. â€Å"Welcome home, sir.† The huge man ignored it. â€Å"I-I thought,† Brinkerhoff stammered, retracting his hand, â€Å"I thought you were in South America.† Leland Fontaine glared down at his aide with eyes like bullets. â€Å"Yes†¦ and now I'm back.† Chapter 69 â€Å"Hey, mister!† Becker had been walking across the concourse toward a bank of pay phones. He stopped and turned. Coming up behind him was the girl he'd just surprised in the bathroom. She waved for him to wait. â€Å"Mister, wait!† Now what? Becker groaned. She wants to press invasion-of-privacy charges? The girl dragged her duffel toward him. When she arrived, she was now wearing a huge smile. â€Å"Sorry to yell at you back there. You just kind of startled me.† â€Å"No problem,† Becker assured, somewhat puzzled. â€Å"I was in the wrong place.† â€Å"This will sound crazy,† she said, batting her bloodshot eyes. â€Å"But you wouldn't happen to have some money you can lend me, would you?† Becker stared at her in disbelief. â€Å"Money for what?† he demanded. I'm not funding your drug habit if that's what you're asking. â€Å"I'm trying to get back home,† the blonde said. â€Å"Can you help?† â€Å"Miss your flight?† She nodded. â€Å"Lost my ticket. They wouldn't let me get on. Airlines can be such assholes. I don't have the cash to buy another.† â€Å"Where are your parents?† Becker asked. â€Å"States.† â€Å"Can you reach them?† â€Å"Nope. Already tried. I think they're weekending on somebody's yacht.† Becker scanned the girl's expensive clothing. â€Å"You don't have a credit card?† â€Å"Yeah, but my dad canceled it. He thinks I'm on drugs.† â€Å"Are you on drugs?† Becker asked, deadpan, eyeing her swollen forearm. The girl glared, indignant. â€Å"Of course not!† She gave Becker an innocent huff, and he suddenly got the feeling he was being played. â€Å"Come on,† she said. â€Å"You look like a rich guy. Can't you spot me some cash to get home? I could send it to you later.† Becker figured any cash he gave this girl would end up in the hands of some drug dealer in Triana. â€Å"First of all,† he said, â€Å"I'm not a rich guy-I'm a teacher. But I'll tell you what I'll do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I'll call your bluff, that's what I'll do. â€Å"Why don't I charge the ticket for you?† The blonde stared at him in utter shock. â€Å"You'd do that?† she stammered, eyes wide with hope. â€Å"You'd buy me a ticket home? Oh, God, thank you!† Becker was speechless. He had apparently misjudged the moment. The girl threw her arms around him. â€Å"It's been a shitty summer,† she choked, almost bursting into tears. â€Å"Oh, thank you! I've got to get out of here!† Becker returned her embrace halfheartedly. The girl let go of him, and he eyed her forearm again. She followed his gaze to the bluish rash. â€Å"Gross, huh?† Becker nodded. â€Å"I thought you said you weren't on drugs.† The girl laughed. â€Å"It's Magic Marker! I took off half my skin trying to scrub it off. The ink smeared.† Becker looked closer. In the fluorescent light, he could see, blurred beneath the reddish swelling on her arm, the faint outline of writing-words scrawled on flesh. â€Å"But†¦ but your eyes,† Becker said, feeling dumb. â€Å"They're all red.† She laughed. â€Å"I was crying. I told you, I missed my flight.† Becker looked back at the words on her arm. She frowned, embarrassed. â€Å"Oops, you can still kind of read it, can't you?† Becker leaned closer. He could read it all right. The message was crystal clear. As he read the four faint words, the last twelve hours flashed before his eyes. David Becker found himself back in the Alfonso XIII hotel room. The obese German was touching his own forearm and speaking broken English: Fock off und die. â€Å"You okay?† the girl asked, eyeing the dazed Becker. Becker did not look up from her arm. He was dizzy. The four words smeared across the girl's flesh carried a very simple message: FUCK OFF AND DIE. The blonde looked down at it, embarrassed. â€Å"This friend of mine wrote it†¦ pretty stupid, huh?† Becker couldn't speak. Fock off und die. He couldn't believe it. The German hadn't been insulting him, he'd been trying to help. Becker lifted his gaze to the girl's face. In the fluorescent light of the concourse, he could see faint traces of red and blue in the girl's blond hair. â€Å"Y-you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Becker stammered, staring at her unpierced ears. â€Å"You wouldn't happen to wear earrings, would you?† The girl eyed him strangely. She fished a tiny object from her pocket and held it out. Becker gazed at the skull pendant dangling in her hand. â€Å"A clip-on?† he stammered. â€Å"Hell, yes,† the girl replied. â€Å"I'm scared shitless of needles.† Chapter 70 David Becker stood in the deserted concourse and felt his legs go weak. He eyed the girl before him and knew his search was over. She had washed her hair and changed clothes-maybe in hopes of having better luck selling the ring-but she'd never boarded for New York. Becker fought to keep his cool. His wild journey was about to end. He scanned her fingers. They were bare. He gazed down at her duffel. It's in there, he thought. It's got to be! He smiled, barely containing his excitement. â€Å"This is going to sound crazy,† he said, â€Å"but I think you've got something I need.† â€Å"Oh?† Megan seemed suddenly uncertain. Becker reached for his wallet. â€Å"Of course I'd be happy to pay you.† He looked down and started sorting through the cash in his billfold. As Megan watched him count out his money, she drew a startled gasp, apparently misunderstanding his intentions. She shot a frightened glance toward the revolving door†¦ measuring the distance. It was fifty yards. â€Å"I can give you enough to buy your ticket home if-â€Å" â€Å"Don't say it,† Megan blurted, offering a forced smile. â€Å"I think I know exactly what you need.† She bent down and started rifling through her duffel. Becker felt a surge of hope. She's got it! he told himself. She's got the ring! He didn't know how the hell she knew what it was he wanted, but he was too tired to care. Every muscle in his body relaxed. He pictured himself handing the ring to the beaming deputy director of the NSA. Then he and Susan would lie in the big canopy bed at Stone Manor and make up for lost time. The girl finally found what she was looking for-her PepperGuard-the environmentally safe alternative to mace, made from a potent blend of cayenne and chili peppers. In one swift motion, she swung around and fired a direct stream into Becker's eyes. She grabbed her duffel and dashed for the door. When she looked back, David Becker was on the floor, holding his face, writhing in agony.

Activities of Investment Banking Essay

The Investment bank is the financial institution which assists the governments, corporations and the individuals in raising the capital by acting or underwriting as the agent of the client in issuance of securities. The investment bank can also help the companies which are involved in acquisitions and mergers, and offer ancillary services like the trading of the derivatives, market making, foreign exchanges, instruments of the fixed income, equity securities and commodities. Unlike the retail banks and commercial banks, the investment banks don’t take the deposits. There are commonly two main channels in the process of investment banking. Trading the cash for securities like market making, facilitating transactions or for cash or for the promotion of the securities like research, underwriting is known as the sell side, while correlate with the mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds and investment public comprises the buy side. Various companies have sell and buy side components. What are the main activities of the investment banking? The investment banking is generally split into back office, middle office and front office activities. While the big service investment banks provide all the channels of the business both buy side and sell side. The little sell side investment companies like as the small broker dealers and the boutique investment banks focus on the trading/sales/research and investment banking respectively. The Investment banks also provide services to both the investors buying securities and the corporations issuing securities. For the corporations, the investment banking provide information on how and when to place the securities on the open market, this activity is very much important to the reputation of any investment bank. Thus, the investment bankers play a key role in issuing the new offerings of the securities. Other activities of the investment banking: Apart from the main activities, there are some additional activities, in which the process of investment banking is involved. These are: †¢ Global transaction banking: This part is the division of investment banking which offers custody services, cash management, security brokerage and lending services to various institutions. Hedge funds with Prime brokerage is especially a risky as well as profitable business. †¢ Merchant banking: This process is also known as the â€Å"very personal banking†. The merchant banks provide capitals in exchange for the share ownerships and also provide information on strategy and management. The term merchant banking is also used to define the private equity part of any company. †¢ Investment management: This service offers professional management of several securities like bonds, shares and of other assets like real estate to meet with certain goals of investment for the profit of the investors. These investors can be institutions like pension funds, insurance companies, corporations and many more or the private investors. †¢ The investment management division of an investment bank is generally divided into separate groups, often known as Private Wealth Management and Private Client Services. †¢ Merchant banking is also a name used to describe the private equity side of a firm.Merchant Banking: Past and Present Current examples include Defoe Fournier & Cie. and JPMorgan’s One Equity Partners and the original J.P. Morgan & Co. Rothschilds, Barings, Warburgs and Morgans were all merchant banks. (Originally, â€Å"merchant bank† was the British English term for an investment bank.) Reference: http://classof1.com/homework-help/finance-homework-help/

Free Essays on South Sister

SOUTH SISTER Redmond Oregon is where my brother lives. The town is located near the Oregon’s cascade range where there are several large snow covered volcanoes. I well be focusing on the south sister, which is the youngest and highest of a trio of closely grouped volcanoes called the three sisters. The south sister could be a threat to my brother because he lives only a few miles away, and according to sources the volcano may be coming to life. South sister is a composite volcano 10,358 feet high, it cone is comprised of adesite, dacite and rhyodacite, and is relatively young compared to its neighboring volcanoes. The latest eruptions on south sister occurred in two closely spaced episodes about 200 years ago. The eruption was a modest eruption producing small pyroclastic flows and tephra. But preceding that, similar style eruptions up to ten times larger occurred during and just before the last ice age 30,000-15,000 years ago. These larger eruptions produced pyroclastic flows that covered over a very large area from sisters to bend(see map) and tephra fallout deposits as thick as 42 feet. Such an eruption would be catastrophic today due to the mass population located near the base of the volcano. The wilderness around the volcano is becoming increasingly populated. Some 110,000 people live in areas that were criss-crossed by rivers of hot ash and rubble in previous Sister eruptions. According to (Ann Carns, 2002) the south sister volcano is beginning to show signs of activity after several thousand years of slumber. About a year ago scientist at the (USGS) detected a bulge in the earths crust near the base of the south sister. Using radar data they found that the ground of the south sister swelled about 4 in since 1996. This swelling has continued at a rate of about 1 in per year. In addition to the swelling small amounts of gas (chloride and sulfate) from molten rock are showing up in some spring waters around the bulge... Free Essays on South Sister Free Essays on South Sister SOUTH SISTER Redmond Oregon is where my brother lives. The town is located near the Oregon’s cascade range where there are several large snow covered volcanoes. I well be focusing on the south sister, which is the youngest and highest of a trio of closely grouped volcanoes called the three sisters. The south sister could be a threat to my brother because he lives only a few miles away, and according to sources the volcano may be coming to life. South sister is a composite volcano 10,358 feet high, it cone is comprised of adesite, dacite and rhyodacite, and is relatively young compared to its neighboring volcanoes. The latest eruptions on south sister occurred in two closely spaced episodes about 200 years ago. The eruption was a modest eruption producing small pyroclastic flows and tephra. But preceding that, similar style eruptions up to ten times larger occurred during and just before the last ice age 30,000-15,000 years ago. These larger eruptions produced pyroclastic flows that covered over a very large area from sisters to bend(see map) and tephra fallout deposits as thick as 42 feet. Such an eruption would be catastrophic today due to the mass population located near the base of the volcano. The wilderness around the volcano is becoming increasingly populated. Some 110,000 people live in areas that were criss-crossed by rivers of hot ash and rubble in previous Sister eruptions. According to (Ann Carns, 2002) the south sister volcano is beginning to show signs of activity after several thousand years of slumber. About a year ago scientist at the (USGS) detected a bulge in the earths crust near the base of the south sister. Using radar data they found that the ground of the south sister swelled about 4 in since 1996. This swelling has continued at a rate of about 1 in per year. In addition to the swelling small amounts of gas (chloride and sulfate) from molten rock are showing up in some spring waters around the bulge...

expression essays

expression essays Ideology is an ever-present factor in our everyday lives. A good amount of the information we receive is tainted by ideological values. These values, unique to the source of the information are windows or reinforcements on their standings regarding any number of topics. When we receive the information at hand it is then subject our own individual ideological beliefs and values that we hold true. Ideology in film is such a powerful factor that in my opinion it is the biggest factor that should be consider when analyzing the information of the film. When it comes down to it film is a direct result of what someone is showing you. What that person is showing you is what they want you to see and what they dont want you to see, tainted by their own ideological standings. Oliver Stones explicit left-wing film Natural Born Killers uses ideologies as an underlying theme being examined by the bi-polar categories of Relative versus Absolute, Secular versus Religious, and Outsiders versus Insiders. In this paper I hope to dissect and explain the bi-polar categories regarding ideology. In the film Natural Born Killers Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis are Mickey Knox and Mallory Wilson, two young, attractive mass murderers in love in Stone's wild-eyed satire on the American fascination with criminals. After killing Mallory's loathsome parents, the pair perform a ritual "marriage" and take off on a "honeymoon" killing spree that wipes out 52 people pursued by a bad cop just as criminal. Bloodthirsty t.v. reporter Wayne Gale (Robert Downey Jr.) reports their every move to an adoring public. While warden Dwight McClusky (Tommy Lee Jones) is only too eager to welcome such celebrities to his prison for his own gain. The underlying ideological expression of Stone in this film is what I thought made it so powerful. Comparing the bi-polar category of Relative versus absolute and th ...

Transitional Expressions - Definitions and Examples

Transitional Expressions s Definition A transitional expression is a word or phrase that shows how the meaning of one sentence is related to the meaning of the preceding sentence. Also called a  transition, transitional word, or signal word. Though important for establishing cohesion in a text, transitional expressions can be overworked to the point that they distract readers and obscure ideas. Overuse of these signals can seem heavy-handed, says Diane Hacker. Usually, you will use transitions quite naturally, just where readers need them (The Bedford Handbook, 2013). See Examples and Observations below. Also see: Exercise in Identifying Transitional ExpressionsTransitionCoherenceCohesion Exercise: Combining and Connecting SentencesCohesion Strategies: A List of Transitional Words and PhrasesCue WordSample Paragraphs: Junk Food Junkie and Confessions of a Slob Paragraph Transition Transitional Paragraph Examples and Observations Far to his left, in the northeast, beyond the valley and the terraced foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the two volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl, rose clear and magnificent into the sunset. Nearer, perhaps ten miles distant, and on a lower level than the main valley, he made out the village of Tomalà ­n, nestling behind the jungle, from which rose a thin blue scarf of illegal smoke, someone burning wood for carbon. Before him, on the other side of the American highway, spread fields and groves, through which meandered a river, and the Alcapancingo road.(Malcolm Lowry, Under the Volcano, 1947)The secret is that our holidays should rest not only our minds and bodies but our characters too. Take, for example, a good man. His goodness wants a holiday as much as his poor weary head or his exhausted body.(E.V. Lucas, The Perfect Holiday, 1912)Over the years his family had turned ironical and lost its gift for action. It was an honorable and violent family, but eventually the violence had been deflected and turned inward.(Walker Percy, The Last Gentleman, 1966) Santayana was the last aesthetician to describe beauty without self-consciousness; and that was in 1896. As a result, we now live in a relativists world where one mans beauty is another mans beast.(Gore Vidal, On Prettiness, 1978)If Larry shoots field goals at 0.6 probability of success, he will get five in a row about once every thirteen sequences (0.65). If Joe, by contrast, shoots only 0.3, he will get his five straight only about once in 412 times. In other words, we need no special explanation for the apparent pattern of long runs.(Stephen Jay Gould, The Streak of Streaks, 1988) Using But as a Transitional ExpressionLearn to alert the reader as soon as possible to any change in mood from the previous sentence. At least a dozen words will do the job for you: but, yet, however, nevertheless, still, instead, thus, therefore, meanwhile, now, later, today, subsequently, and several more. I cant overstate how much easier it is for readers to process a sentence if you start with but wh en youre shifting direction. . . .Many of us were taught that no sentence should begin with but. If thats what you learned, unlearn ittheres no stronger word at the start.(William Zinsser, On WritingWell, Collins, 2006) Using Specific TransitionsTransitional expressions within a paragraph and between paragraphs help the reader move from one detail or supporting point in an essay to the next. When first learning to organize an essay, beginning writers may start each body paragraph and every new example with a transitional expression (first, for example, next). These common transitions are useful and clear, but they can sound mechanical. To improve the flow of your ideas and the strength of your written voice, try to replace some of these expressions with specific phrases (at the start of the meeting or in some peoples minds) or with dependent clauses (when drivers use cell phones or as I approached the intersection).(Paige Wilson and Teresa Ferster Glazier, The Least You Should Know about English, Form A: Writing Skills, 11th ed. Wadsworth, 2012) It turns out . . .Incidentally, am I alone in finding the expression ‘it turns out’ to be incredibly useful? It allows you to make swift, succ inct, and authoritative connections between otherwise randomly unconnected statements without the trouble of explaining what your source or authority actually is. It’s great. It’s hugely better than its predecessors ‘I read somewhere that . . . or the craven they say that . . . because it suggests not only that whatever flimsy bit of urban mythology you are passing on is actually based on brand new, ground breaking research, but that it is research in which you yourself were intimately involved. But again, with no actual authority anywhere in sight.(Douglas Adams, Hangover Cures. The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time. Macmillan, 2002)

A Teachers Role in the Lives of Students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A Teachers Role in the Lives of Students - Essay Example These qualities include being honest, patient, humble, understanding, affectionate and exhibiting an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. The teacher as a role model must have some â€Å"sterling qualities of head and heart, which the child gets impressed by† (Matthew, n.d.) A teacher is also a provider of experiences. Teachers spend a lot of time with their students, as such, they must be able to provide an environment which is free of fear but rather, one which is a â€Å"warm and protective environment but at the same time professional† (Csun.edu, n.d.). A teacher’s role goes beyond textbooks and the course syllabus. They help the child experience the challenges that go with education. The learning experiences that teachers impart are not confined to the ABCs or the 123s; they also teach how life is beyond the four walls of the classroom. Through the teacher, a child learns how to become a student, a classmate, a friend, a leader, a follower and a responsible citizen of the country. These experiences are provided through lectures, role-playing activities, and extra-curricular activities. Students are able to experience independence depending on the activities introduced by the teacher. Teachers guide students in facing the different chal lenges that life offers. The teacher as an interactor stimulates students towards classroom interactions. The interaction should not only be between student and teacher but also between the student and the other students. As interactors, teachers must act as facilitators so that students interact well with each other (Mwalim, 2011). Moreover, the students must be motivated to become creative and be critical thinkers. On the issue of time spent by children in front of the computer, there are several statements which a teacher may use to help a child expand, specify, problem solves and clarify.  

Organisational Change Management Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Organisational Change Management - Dissertation Example The decision made, the way it should be implement and other aspects D2 will have to deal with, are analysed and explained with respect to the 5D framework. Although the decision and plan made seems to be a feasible one, its implementation and execution is of utmost importance. A regular and continuous feedback, assessment and if required, change of plan accordingly will be the key to survival of D2 Introduction This analysis is of a car components manufacturing company called D2. D2 is a France based company. It has many plants. Two are based in France, one in UK and additional plants in Spain. Since operations D2 has put in an extra effort to increase shareholder value and achieve a formidable return on its investments. This has been made possible by investing in new technology and encouraging innovation with respect to the manufacturing of products. D2 managed a competitive position in the market of manufacturing automobile parts while competing with even those manufacturing compan ies that were based in a low cost country. Ever since the economic recession has hit, the situation has changed drastically. The economic downturn has forced D2 to change it strategy and now produce fewer products and benefits from economies of scale rather than producing a whole variety of products. Secondly D2 is now more focused on cutting costs which may lead to plant closure and redundancy of staff. This is a major concern for both, the employees and management. However, the decision is yet to be announced. Appreciative Inquiry: The 5D approach Appreciative inquiry is a method of solving a problem. This was pioneered by David Cooperrider in the mid-1980s. from the Case Western Reserve University. This method can be best understood by understanding the meaning of both of the words The first word, Appreciation,  refers to the recognition of contributions or attributes of people and things that surround us. The second word, Inquiry, refers to  the act of exploring and discover ing. This reflects on the attitude of being open to any new possibilities. Combining both words together means that with the help of appreciating and acknowledging what is valuable and good with respect to the present situation. We may be able to discover the future in a positive manner. Using Appreciative Inquiry: The 5D Approach It is important to focus on the positives while applying such approach. A positive approach may help in building on ones strengths, just as conventional problem-solving may lead to minimizing ones weaknesses. Hence it is important to consider that the strategy under consideration by D2 is a feasible one. Below is an analysis of the situation of D2 with respect of the 5D framework. The 5D framework constitutes of five elements namely, Definition: the phase in which a problem is defined Discovery: the phase in which ways to solve the problem are found Dream: the phase in which a company sets up its future objectives Design: the phase that determines how thin gs should be implemented Destiny: the phase that sees the planning and implementation of the strategy Definition Before one can analyse a problem, the problem is to be defined. Economic downturn may suggest a precise definition of the problem faced by D2. It is important to understand what may happen to organisation when they face economic downturn or recession related problems. Many business analysts and researchers have narrated their views of such situations, a few of which are below. Zeidner,

Manufacturing process of concrete Research Paper

Manufacturing process of concrete - Research Paper Example Earlier clay was also used as bonding material to prepare the concrete by the Assyrians and Babylonian. The Egyptians introduced the use of lime and gypsum cement to make concrete. In 1756, the first modern concrete was invented by the British engineer John Smeaton. He used pebbles as coarse aggregate substances and mixing powered bricks in to the cement for the formation of concrete. In 1984, English inventor by Joseph Aspdin first time made the Portland cement that still play major role in the composition of modern day concrete. It is believed that the invention of Portland cement is the first and major landmark achieved in the history of modern concrete because it was the first true artificial cement produced by burning of limestone and clay together (Stella, 1996). Due to burning some chemical changes occurred in the properties of limestone and clay and their combination become stronger cement as compared with that produced with the plain crushed limestone. Along with cement aggr egates are also used in the composition of concrete like sand, crushed stones, slag and ashes etc. Along with time several new materials were added as aggregate to bring variations in concrete. For instance, the reinforced concrete or Ferro-concrete was introduced in which metal like steel is imbedded. This concrete was invented in 1849 by a Parisian gardener Joseph Moneir. He made several garden pots and tubs with the concrete in which he used meshed iron as aggregate. His invention was exhibit in 1867 in Paris Exposition in which he not only show the use of reinforced concrete for making tubs and pots but also for the construction of railways, pipes, bridges and arches (Robert and Hutchinson, 1999). The invention o f the reinforced concrete was another important... After mixing the material is transported to the site where the concrete is placed and compacted. This process occurs just after the mixing process in order to avoid the separation of any ingredient from the mixture and to prevent the entrance of air bubbles into the mixture. An internal or external vibrator is used for compacting of the concrete or it is also done with the help of vibrating tables in which there are two shafts rotating in opposite directions for creating vertical vibration.   After placement, the concrete is cured so that it could be prevented from drying too fast (Neville and Brooks, 1987). The moisture level at the time of hardening of the concrete determines the durability and strength of the concrete. When the concrete dries it decreases in size because the cement solidifies and reduces the size of the concrete. The concrete becomes week if the concrete is prevented from contracting and tensile stresses also develop in the concrete so the concrete is kept damp for several days when it is set for hardening. After curing the necessary quality assurance checks and tests are conducted using quality assurance charts and other tools that assure the strength of the concrete before it is used for the construction purpose (Lancaster, 2005).   Properties of concreteThe concrete could be examined according to its properties including strength, elasticity, tension and shrinkage cracking and expansion and shrinkage.   The simple tensile strength of concrete is usually around 10-15 percent.

Organized Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organized Crime - Essay Example oods and services, including but not limited to gambling, prostitution, loan-sharking, narcotics, labor racketeering and other activities of the members of the organization’ (Mallory, 2006). There have been many famous gangsters who have run their crime syndicate with huge success and instilled fear and hatred in the mindset of the general public. But Al Capone of Chicago and Pablo Escobar of Columbia have been notorious for their violence ridden mass murders, rapid increase in their illegal activities and successful evasion of the law and legal network. Though both these criminals existed at different places and time, their modus operandi was quite similar and both were never actually tried for any of the cold blooded murders that they had committed through their henchmen. Despite the open knowledge of their organized crime by the state agencies, the law was always one step behind mainly because of their linkages and affiliations within the powerful political and legal arena which both of them deliberately cultivated. Al Capone was born on 1899 in Brooklyn and grew up in a neighborhood which was renowned for its unlawful activities. From the early age, he was involved into petty crimes and was member of two ‘kid gangs’, the Brooklyn Rippers and Forty Thieves Juniors (Al Capone,internet). He started on to his career in organized crime when he was employed as bouncer and bartender in Harvard Inn, run by the then notorious gangster Frankie Yale. After getting indicted in a murder case where he had killed two men in New York, he was released because of lack of evidence; he relocated to Chicago, along with his family and started working for John Torrio, another notorious gangster who was involved in bootlegging business. Capone gained the trust of his mentor and later became his partner. After Torrio moved from Chicago, Capone became the head of the ‘outfit’ and expanded and controlled the syndicate which was operating various gambling joints, brothels,

To what degree should organizations depend on the analysis of large Case Study

To what degree should organizations depend on the analysis of large databases and other IT resources to formulate basic strategy - Case Study Example Information technology is more often seen to be a tool that is used in making decisions. The type of technology that is in question will determine the types of decision making approach that is being adopted in an organization. With databases and data mining now being adopted widely for many organizations, it is now easier to adopt information technology while making important decisions (Browman 1998). Senior managers are adopting the use of information technology in making very important decisions. Decision making partially relies on the available information and functions that supports the process. For instance, when the objectives of management are absent mainly due to lack of sufficient information, the basis of search will be destabilized. If information search is not done, there will be limited information for comparison thus leading to undesired results (Kueh 2008). The type of information that is required at different levels of management varies. For instance, senior managemen t need information to aid them in business planning, a more detailed information is essential for middle level management to assist them in monitoring and controlling of day-to-day running of the business, and lower level management where majority of the employees lies only require information that will help them administer their duties (Nobel 2010). It is through organization decision making processes’ complexity information system has been categorized as per the level in which it is addressing. Executive information system is meant to assist top level management is making strategic decisions. The role of this system is collecting, analyzing and summarizing of both internal and external information that can be of benefit to the organization. The Executive Support System does more of analyzing data and tool modeling, for instance, â€Å"what if†; this will thus lead them into making a good strategic decision for their organization (Nobel 2010). Information technology

Globally, what is the commercial and residential use and reliance on Research Paper

Globally, what is the commercial and residential use and reliance on oil - Research Paper Example Department of Energy, 2008). Distillate fuel oils which include diesel fuel and home heating oil have a wide range of applications. They are used as fuel in diesel engines, electrical power generation, railroad engines, and agricultural machinery. Distillate fuel oils make up about 23.5% of all oils used in the U.S. (U.S. Department of Energy, 2008). Kerosene-type jet fuel is used in aircraft engines powered by turbines and contributes to 9.2% of total oil and oil products used in the U.S. The manufacture of electrodes and chemical products involves the use of petroleum coke as a raw material. This oil product is produced as a residue from oil distillation process in oil refineries. Petroleum coke is also used to generate heat in steel industry ovens (U.S. Department of Energy, 2008). This accounts for 4.9% of oil used in the global market. Refining process also produces residual fuel oil which is a heavy fuel used in shipping, factories, and for the generation of electric power. Residual fuel oil accounts for 3.8% of all oil uses in all sectors of the global economy (Duggan-Haas et al, 2011). The heaviest residual in the oil refineries called bitumen is used in various constructions in works such as playgrounds, highways, sidewalks and roads. Petrochemicals used in the manufacture of synthetic goods are also manufactured using oil as the raw material. Moving parts of machines wear out due to friction. Oil lubricants such as grease are used in moving parts of engines, machines, and equipment (U.S. Department of Energy 2008). Most of domestic lighting and heating uses kerosene as fuel. Kerosene is one of the lightest products from the oil refinery process. Other products of oils refining process such as olefins, methane, and ethane among others are used in petrochemical manufacturing. They are used in domestic gas cookers and other gas tanks. Currently fossil fuels and natural gas contribute 87 percent of

To what degree should organizations depend on the analysis of large Case Study

To what degree should organizations depend on the analysis of large databases and other IT resources to formulate basic strategy - Case Study Example Information technology is more often seen to be a tool that is used in making decisions. The type of technology that is in question will determine the types of decision making approach that is being adopted in an organization. With databases and data mining now being adopted widely for many organizations, it is now easier to adopt information technology while making important decisions (Browman 1998). Senior managers are adopting the use of information technology in making very important decisions. Decision making partially relies on the available information and functions that supports the process. For instance, when the objectives of management are absent mainly due to lack of sufficient information, the basis of search will be destabilized. If information search is not done, there will be limited information for comparison thus leading to undesired results (Kueh 2008). The type of information that is required at different levels of management varies. For instance, senior managemen t need information to aid them in business planning, a more detailed information is essential for middle level management to assist them in monitoring and controlling of day-to-day running of the business, and lower level management where majority of the employees lies only require information that will help them administer their duties (Nobel 2010). It is through organization decision making processes’ complexity information system has been categorized as per the level in which it is addressing. Executive information system is meant to assist top level management is making strategic decisions. The role of this system is collecting, analyzing and summarizing of both internal and external information that can be of benefit to the organization. The Executive Support System does more of analyzing data and tool modeling, for instance, â€Å"what if†; this will thus lead them into making a good strategic decision for their organization (Nobel 2010). Information technology

Ell Assessments Essay Example for Free

Ell Assessments Essay With the rise in immigrant students comes a rise in students who do not speak English. Schools are facing the need to not only teach these students their regular academics but also a new language. In Guthrie, Oklahoma, there may seem like there would not be as much need for such programs but the fact is that English language learners are also here. ELL students need assistance from the schools they attend in order to master their English skills and be able to become productive citizens when they graduate. Schools have had to come up with procedures to identify ELL students, assess and monitor their learning and proficiency, keep teachers informed, and ensure ELL students access to grade-level content and develop language simultaneously. When a new student enters school in Guthrie, Oklahoma first they are required to fill out a home language survey form, (Oklahoma Department of Education, 2012). This form basically asks what the primary language spoken at home is. If another language other than English is spoken then students are required to take the WIDA placement test, (Miles, 2013). If a student scores below a 5. 0 they are considered to be an English language learner, (Miles, 2013). That is how they identify ELL students at Guthrie Public Schools. Parents also need to be informed of these tests wither 30 days before school starts or within two weeks of school starting, (Oklahoma Department of Education, 2012). Throughout the school year schools have to assess ELL students to determine their progress. At Guthrie public schools ELL students in elementary school are monitored for progress every quarter by a bilingual tutor, (Miles, 2013). In junior and high school students are monitored daily by their teachers for progress, (Miles, 2013). The tutor and teacher monitor students social activities, their regular classroom environment, their activity in class, behavior, learning comprehension, as well as formal assessments. Formal assessments are tests done every quarter to see how much a student has progressed from the previous quarter. If a student is being social with other students during recess, actively participating in class, and learning the curriculum being taught then the ELL student is considered to be learning and comprehending English. ELL students are exempt from taking standardized tests for two years so they can become proficient in how to read, write, speak, and understand English, (Miles, 2013). Students must show proficiency in English in order to not be considered ELL anymore, (Oklahoma Department of Education, 2012). Another important part of ensuring the progress of ELL student is keeping their teachers informed of ELL students status. The way Guthrie public schools inform teachers of the ELLs status is by sending them and email or letter with a copy of their test scores, (Miles, 2013). Teachers need to make accommodations for the students because they want the ELL students completely immersed in English. ELL students attend regular classes with regular peers, (Miles, 2013). Teachers assess ELL students daily just like they assess non ELL students. They do informal assessments like how they participate and communicate in the classroom to assess how they are progressing in English language proficiency and comprehending the curriculum. Formal assessments teachers may do would be homework sheets where students need to fill in the blank with the correct word or a spelling test. Teachers take the grades ELL students make in their class and assess if students need extra help like a tutor to better their English proficiency skills, (Miles, 2013). The way a school helps an ELL student achieve proficiency will vary depending on the requirements of the school district and state. Guthrie public schools is located in central Oklahoma. In the 2009-2010 Guthrie public schools had 108 English language learners out of 3,309 total students enrolled in the school district, (USA. com, 2011). They have adapted all of the state requirements which meet the federal No Child Left Behind act. Regardless, of the number of ELL students or location of the school, there school always be a way to identify, assess progress and proficiency level, keep teachers informed of ELLs language proficiency and ensure ELL students have access to grade-level content and develop new language skills simultaneously. Schools should always be prepared to receive new students into their school and welcome them with a positive school spirit. REFERENCES Miles, S. (2013). Phone interview, Head of ELL department for Guthrie Public Schools. Oklahoma Department of Education. (2012). Identification and Exit Criteria for Oklahomas English Language Learners. Retrieved from: http://ok. gov/sde/sites/ok. gov. sde/files/Bilingual-ID-ExitCriteria. pdf.

Practice In Uk Mental Health Area Social Work Essay

Practice In Uk Mental Health Area Social Work Essay This study takes up the examination of social work practice in the area of mental health in the UK. It is based upon the experiences of the author in the course of her work as a Mental Health Professional in a multidisciplinary team in a community care setting. Mental health issues, more specifically mental illnesses, have troubled humans from the dawn of human civilisation. The history and literature of all historical societies reveal numerous instances of mental disorders among people and the inevitably associated ostracism and discrimination faced by such people. Mental illnesses in the UK, till even some decades back were associated with abnormal, deviant and dangerous behaviour and thousands of people with different types of mental issues were housed in high security asylums against their will for years on end. Such blatant violations of fundamental human rights were carried out at the behest of the medical fraternity with the active support of the government, the judiciary, the legal system, enforcement agencies and society. Social workers entered the area of mental health in the UK in the early decades of the 20th century and progressively increased their interaction and work with mentally ailing people. The involvement of social work practice in the area grew slowly until the 1960s but increased rapidly thereafter. Greater involvement of social work practice led to the development of psycho-social models for providing assistance to people with mental ailments and helped in changing societal perceptions towards such persons. The post Second World War period also witnessed a very substantial shift in governmental and medical approaches towards people with mental health disorders. The last full fledged asylum for housing the mentally ailing was closed down in . Medical disorders are now viewed to be strongly related to various social and economic conditions as also to phenomena like racism, oppression and discrimination. The overwhelming majority of people with mental health ailments are now treated in the community, in the midst of family and friends, and institutionalisation is resorted to only in extreme cases and that too for limited periods of time. Social work practice has become very relevant to the area of mental health. Qualified social workers like the author of the study, known as mental health professionals, work with medical professionals like doctors and psychiatrists and play active, even leading, roles in the assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation of people with mental health disorders. This study takes up the case of Maya, a 68 year old Asian woman, who lives in East London. Maya is a first generation immigrant and has spent much of her life in an alien society. She suffers from depression and has been referred to the local social work authorities. Mayas case is fully described in the appendix to this study and is thus not elaborated here. The essay examines various aspects of Mayas life and experiences in order to crystallise the various factors are contributing to her current mental difficulties. Special emphasis is given to the challenges faced by people suffering from depression and to the high incidence of depression among South Asian women. The study takes up the application of social work theory to practice, the role of oppression and discrimination in the development of mental ailments, the role of social workers in helping mentally ailing persons and the importance of adoption of anti-oppressive approaches in dealing with them. It also details the social services that are available to such service users and how such services can help Jaya. Causes and Consequences of Depression Maya has been intermittently suffering from depression for the last 27 years and has undergone medication and counselling on five occasions. She was specifically referred by her GP to the local social services department following an episode of some severity. Crippling depression is one of the biggest reasons for misery in modern day Britain. It is a submerged problem of immense dimensions that is kept out of sight by family shame. The Psychiatric Morbidity Survey reveals that one in six of UK residents are liable to be diagnosed with depression. It would surprise many people to know that 40% of all physical and mental disabilities are caused by mental illness, even as 17% of such ailments are caused by depression alone. The incidence of depression among people is more than 3 times that of cardiac disease. Psychologists agree that mental illness constitutes the most important predictor of human distress in the UK and is far more powerful than poverty or various other types of disability. With few forms of deprivation being worse than chronic depression, it is evident that social workers should give the highest priority to care for persons with depression and other mental health ailments. Much of research on the causes of depression has necessarily being medical in nature. A number of medical studies reveal that depression can arise out of a range of factors like medical and physical disabilities, the death of loved people, social isolation, exclusion and loneliness, and abusive relationships, separation and divorce. Depression can also be initiated by economic and other types of stress, estrangement from family members, the compulsion to care for ailing family members and relocation. Social work research on the other hand reveals that social phenomena like racism, discrimination and oppression can play significantly causal roles in the emergence of depression. Individuals from different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds have often been subjected to discrimination in the UK. The decades after the closure of the Second World War witnessed a large influx of people from erstwhile British colonies in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean into the UK. Such immigrants, many of whom came to the UK to escape from lives of poverty, hardship and violence in their home countries, were often subjected to various degrees of oppressive and discriminatory treatment, both in the workplace and in the community. Such discriminatory treatment manifested itself in areas of employment, education and access to public facilities. Immigrants were treated differently and subjected to discrimination because of their lack of familiarity with the English language, their different physical appearances, religious traditions, cultural and social habits and their clothes. Such discrimination sometimes assumed distinctly undesirable dimensions like in the case of Christopher Clunis. A mentally disturbed person of African origin, Clunis murdered Jonathan Zito, a young white man, at a tube station in 1992.Whilst subsequent enquiries revealed that Clunis was mentally disturbed and he was subsequently institutionalised, the British media built up a picture of Clunis, (as a large, clumsy, unkempt and violent man), with strong overtones of racism. The numerous incidents of discrimination and ill treatment of persons of Asian origin in the USA after the September 11 attacks reveal racism and social discrimination to be a latent phenomenon that continues to work under the surface in societies and surfaces in response to different types of provocation and perceptions. Immigrants and their families even today have much poorer levels of education, income, health and public participation than members of the mainstream white majority in the UK. Maya is a first generation immigrant who was uprooted from her familiar North Indian environment when she was still in her teens and thrust into alien surroundings; she was unfamiliar with the local language and found it extremely difficult to communicate with others. Her social life was perforce restricted to the local Indian community in east London, which itself was very small when she came to England. Her husband and children, who had to adjust to the local community and its demands and expectations in order to survive and enhance their life chances, would have in all likelihood faced numerous incidences of discrimination and oppression over the course of their lives. Mayas domestic problems were also intensified because of her compulsion to stay with her husbands parents, a tradition that is still widely followed by the Asian community in the UK. Depression among Women from South Asian Communities in the UK A number of social work surveys and studies indicate that the incidence of depression is significantly high in South Asian women. Whilst such women originate from a large and ethnically diverse area that comprises of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Ceylon, many South Asian women suffer from similar causes for mental depression. Fenton and Carlsen, (2002) state that the main causes for depression amongst such populations are experiences of racism, family difficulties, financial problems, poor physical health and lack of employment. Women from these communities experience excessive mental pressure on account of community influence and reputation. Some of them have to cope with unsuitable marriages and unhappy relationships with their in-laws. Such circumstances create enormous difficulties and life challenges and moreover do not provide any avenues for escape. Some women have described how their families and the larger Indian community made them feel inadequate and repeatedly impressed upon them that they were failing in meeting their familial obligations. Such women also feel pressurised because of social isolation, lack of friends and acquaintances, inadequate education and stressful living conditions. The case study reveals that Maya has often been subjected to stress because of her difficult and strained relationship with her mother in law. It is also evident that the option of setting up home independently was never explored by her husband. It needs to be noted that whilst joint family living is common in South Asian communities, it is also often economically necessary because of straitened financial conditions and the additional costs that are likely to be incurred if children opt to live separately from their parents. Depression evidences itself in symptoms like change in eating and sleeping habits, lack of interest in normal daily activity, withdrawal from children, family and friends, overlooking of necessary activities at the home and outside and finally self destructive tendencies. Depressed people are prone to self harm and develop suicidal tendencies. Maya suffers from irregular sleeping habits, often sleeps late at night, gets up late in the mornings and is sometimes unable to cook for her family. She has reduced her interaction with outsiders and is becoming distant from her immediate family. She often suffers from headaches and cries for no reason. Such manifestations and symptoms constitute strong reasons for addressing depression in an elderly person like Maya. Not treating depression can place her and other older people at increased risk for additional physical and mental health problems. The disinclination to get out of the house and exercise can increase her hypertension, lead to diabetes and faster deterioration of the heart, lungs, bones and muscles. It can also lead to deeper, debilitating depression. Implications for Social Work Theory and Practice Social work theory and practice is fundamentally concerned with the improvement of the social and economic circumstances of disadvantaged individuals and groups and the challenging of oppression and discrimination in all its forms. Systems theory in particular, whilst abstract in nature and not applied systematically, has helped social workers to move from linear and causative medical models to significantly greater multi-causal contexts for the understanding of human behaviour. General systems theory provides a conceptual scheme for realising the interactions among different variables, rather than by reducing behavioural explanations to one reason. This is clearly evident in the area of mental health, where depression in people and their resultant behaviour is associated with a number of interacting social, biological and psychological factors. Systems theory requires social workers to examine the multiple systems in which people interact. Assessment of mentally ailing persons will for example require social workers to obtain information from different sources and place them in appropriate family and community contexts. Knowledge of social constructionism theory on the other hand enables social workers to realise how language has been used by medical experts and other dominant groups to build up images of the mentally disturbed as people who cannot look after themselves and their families and who need to be treated by medical experts. Modern societys perceptions about mental illnesses are significantly shaped by medical models, which state that medical ailments represent serious conditions that can make it hard for persons to sustain relationships and engage in employment. They can lead to self-destructive and even suicidal action (Walker, 2006, p 71-87). Social constructionism theory states that such perceptions are built by purposely developed vocabularies of medical models, which are bursting with complex nomenclatures for mental ailments and fixed on deficits. Walker, (2006, P 72), argues that vocabularies of medical models, including that of mental illness, are social constructs, comprising of terms that detail deficits and view humans as objects for examination, diagnosis and treatment, much like machines. Such perceptions result in treatments that is focused on removal of symptoms and do not take account of actual client needs (Walker, 2006, p 71-87). Social constructionism can assist social workers in realising the disparaging chimeras that have been built by existing medical models about the mentally ill. Social workers must also be informed by the theories of oppression and discrimination that condition and shape the behaviours of people, both the oppressors and the oppressed, towards poor, isolated and disadvantaged segments of society. Neil Thompsons PCS theory of oppression (2001), states that oppressive and discriminatory attitudes in people are socialised over the course of their life by three strong influences, namely personal perceptions and cultural and structural influences. Personal perceptions about the mentally ill can arise through reading about such people, viewing them on cinema, thinking about them and other such associated activities. Cultural influences comprise of numerous cognitive inputs from school, friends, family and the larger community about the mentally ill and unstable. Structural influences arise from the various embedded factors in the larger environment like their lack of fitness for employment and their need to be bodily restricted. These PCS factors s hape the minds of individuals and build up strong discriminatory attitudes that rest below the surface and are manifested in various ways. The media outrage over the Clunis incident and the construction of the person into a larger than life image of a socially dangerous person represents the way in which such discriminatory attitudes can often shape the behaviours and actions of people. Chew-Graham et al (2002), state that whilst the incidence of depression among South Asian women is significantly higher than the national average, such women faced numerous barriers in accessing social services because of internal and external barriers. Whilst internal barriers occurred because of family structures and community pressures, external barriers happen because of their unfamiliarity with English, difficulty in communicating with local social services departments and the disinclination of social workers to come to their aid. Services thus tended to be accessed only at points of desperation if at all and increase the tendency of such women to engage in self destructive activities. Dominelli (2002), states that discriminatory attitudes are deeply embedded in the existing social work infrastructure and can be eliminated only if there is a genuine and widespread feeling among social workers to do so. The labelling theory states that the self identity of individuals is often de termined by the terms that are used to describe them.

La Investigación de Mercados :: Los Ensayos

En el siguiente ensayo se va a analizar el impacto de la Investigacià ³n de Mercados en la toma de decisiones empresariales. La Investigacià ³n de Mercados siempre ha sido una tarea que ha favorecido a los encargados de las compaà ±Ãƒ ­as a examinar el entorno, controlar la actividad de su empresa pero sobre todo en la toma de decisiones. â€Å"El objetivo de la investigacià ³n de mercados consiste en satisfacer las necesidades de informacià ³n y proporcionar a la gerencia con informacià ³n actualizada, relevante, exacta fiable y và ¡lida† (Malhotra, 1997). Por lo tanto la investigacià ³n de mercados impulsa el crecimiento empresarial aportando informacià ³n significativa, ya que â€Å"las decisiones apropiadas no se basan en intuicià ³n, juicio de valor o sexto sentido† (Merino, 2010). En la actualidad la investigacià ³n de mercados es una necesidad fundamental en el à ¡mbito empresarial. Esto se debe a que independientemente de la actividad que la empresa realice, es esencial conocer las caracterà ­sticas que tiene el mercado donde se quiere entrar o en aquel que ya se esta operando. â€Å"Las estrategias de competencia, las motivaciones, los hà ¡bitos de compra y las tendencias del entorno, son algunos de los elementos que requieren de previo conocimiento para que la administracià ³n tome decisiones adecuadas para el diseà ±o y curso de su actividad† (Castillo, 1999). Los tres principales aspectos para que una empresa adopten una investigacià ³n de mercados, son los siguientes: En primer lugar por la extensià ³n de mercados, en la actualidad los mercados que se atienden son cada vez mà ¡s amplios por lo que es mà ¡s difà ­cil alcanzarlos. La segunda se concentra en el cambio de las necesidades, ya que las organizaciones no pueden concentrarse à ºnicamente en producir aquello que la gente necesita, sino tambià ©n en aquello que los clientes desean, tomando en cuenta sus gustos y preferencias. Y finalmente porque ahora, â€Å"el precio no es el à ºnico factor determinante para los consumidores, al momento de realizar una compra, hay otras factores que influyen como las marcas, estatutos y el prestigio de las mismas† (Castillo, 1999). Los tres objetivos primordiales por los cuales la investigacià ³n de mercados es necesaria para evitar errores en el proceso de toma de decisiones, se basa en tres distintos à ¡mbitos. En primer lugar en el à ¡mbito social, esta relacionado con conocer al consumidor, saber cuales son sus necesidades, costumbres, motivaciones y deseos. Para poder ajustar el plan de negocios a los consumidores es indispensable conocerlos y hacer un buen estudio de mercado.

Arpanet :: essays research papers

The USSR launches Sputnik, the first artificial earth satellite. In the late 1960's the U.S. military was desperately afraid of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union. The United States formed the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) within the Department of Defense to establish a bombproof network to connect military bases. ARPANET's physical network was established in 1969 to enable universities and research organizations to exchange information freely. The first two nodes that formed the ARPANET were UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute, shortly after the University of Utah was added to ARPANET. The Network Control Protocol (NCP) was initially used as the ARPANET protocol, beginning in 1970. By 1971, a total of 23 hosts at 15 locations were connected to the ARPANET. The following year, the first international connections occurred, linking the University College of London (UK) and the Royal Radar Establishment (Norway) to the ARPANET. The way ARPANET was set up is so that if one of the network links became disrupted by enemy attack, the traffic on it could automatically be rerouted to other links. Fortunately, the Net rarely has come under enemy attack. In the 1970s, ARPA also sponsored further research into the applications of packet switching technologies. This included extending packet switching to ships at sea and ground mobile units and the use of radio for packet switching. Ethernet was created during the course of research into the use of radio for packet switching, and it was found that coaxial cable could support the movement of data at extremely fast rates of speed. The development of Ethernet was crucial to the growth of local area computer networks. The success of ARPANET made it difficult to manage, particularly with the large and growing number of university sites on it. So it was broken into two parts. The two parts consisted of MILNET, which had the military sites, and the new, smaller ARPANET, which had the nonmilitary sites. On January 1,1983, every machine connected to ARPANET had to use TCP/IP. TCP/IP became the core Internet protocol and replaced NCP (old ARPANET language) completely. Thanks to TCP/IP MILNET and ARPANET remained connected through a technical scheme called IP (Internet Protocol); which enables traffic to be routed from one network to another as necessary. All the networks connected to the Internet speak IP, so they all can exchange messages. Although there were only two networks at that time, IP was designed to allow for tens of thousands of networks. An unusual fact about the IP design is that every computer on an IP network is just as capable as any other, so any