Saturday, August 31, 2019

A Broken Taboo

Several weeks ago the news about tragic death of a famous talented Hollywood actor of Australian origin Heath Ledger shook the world up. The 28-year-old actor is widely known for many roles, including his work in a controversial movie Brokeback Mountain, directed by a Far Eastern filmmaker Ang Lee.This movie became a milestone motion picture in the whole history of Hollywood, which sparked a lot of criticism and public debates. For the first time in cinema art male homosexual relationships were shown with a great frankness and openness, and there are certain concerns that breaking this taboo can have some far-reaching negative ethical consequences in the nearest future.The plot of the movie is based on complex and unorthodox love affair between two young cowboys, who were hired by a Wyoming ranch owner as herds, so they had to spend several months in isolation on the Mountain of Brokeback. Within this time a special bond was developed between the two men, which eventually evolved int o a deep emotional and physical relationship.After finishing their job, the cowboys separated and started living their lives, had families, but the unique feelings they shared on the Brokeback Mountain were left as scars on their hearts to be carried on to the rest of their lives.Certainly, it was not the first motion picture featuring male homosexuality. Such movie stars as Antonio Banderas, Jason Alexander or Tom Hanks have portrayed homosexual characters before. But it is hardly possible to disagree that Brokeback Mountain demonstrated more frank and intimate sides of gay relationships which have been never shown on cinema screens to general public before. In my opinion, the movie with its several scenes involving affectionate embraces, a kiss, and so on, had too close focus on physical aspects of gay relationships, which were always skipped in modern media, especially in cinema art.That is why public reaction on Brokeback Mountain was absolutely contradictive. While many liberal critics and art specialists in America and Europe were pleased with the depth of the plot, good acting, music and high-quality production, many social activists from Christian fundamentalist or Family-oriented social groups expressed their concern about possible negative effects (especially on teenagers and youth) of publicizing male homosexual relations.Moreover, since homosexuality is a terrible irremissible crime in Islam, in more conservative and religious countries of the Middle and Far East, including the director’s homeland Taiwan, the film was banned or censored.Undoubtedly, Brokeback Mountain was not a cheap â€Å"B† movie. Many were fascinated with convictive acting of young Hollywood performers, and numerous awards received by the cast are the best recognition of this work. Besides, the movie teaches being tolerant and respectful to the feelings of other people.Nevertheless, with its too forthright covering of homosexual relationships, this motion picture c an become the first step on the way to more frequent and freer employment of gay themes in modern cinema, as well as to more open popularization of the idea of male homosexual love. Certainly, it will affect our moral principles and aesthetic sensibility to a great extent.Brokeback Mountain is a multifaceted, unusual and quite difficult movie which evokes strong emotions and makes the viewers empathize. But the question remaining after viewing this screen version of a tragic story about gay cowboys is: whether our society is really ready to enjoy watching such relationship or not?Will the majority of us find beauty in male homosexual intimacy? In my opinion, the answer is not clear enough, because certain moral stereotypes and traditional values are still very strong in our modern society, even in such open-minded country as the U.S.Works Cited:Harris, Paul. â€Å"Hollywood to Break Last Taboo with Gay Cowboys.† The Guardian. Guardian Unlimited. 18 Jan. 2004. 11 Feb. 2008 .

Friday, August 30, 2019

Housing & Development Board Analysis Essay

This is the highest rate of increase this year compared to the 0. 1-per cent drop in the first quarter and the 0. 4-per cent increase in the second quarter. It was also higher than the flash estimate of 0. 5 per cent released earlier this month. Meanwhile, resale prices of Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats in Singapore hit a record high. HDB’s Resale Price Index (RPI) rose from 194 in the second quarter of this year to 197. 9 in the third quarter. This represents an increase of two per cent over the previous quarter, the same as that of the flash estimate released on October 1. – Evidence for an increase demand for resale flats  But with a bumper crop of 27,000 Build-to-Order flats being rolled out this year, analysts said the resale market may be showing signs of moderating. Growth for the first three-quarters of this year is 3. 9 per cent. This is lower than the annual RPI growth of 14. 1 per cent in 2010, and 10. 7 per cent last year. Donald Han, special advisor at HSR Property Consultants, said: â€Å"Buyers who are able to wait for the product to be completed in 24 to 36 months are getting better value proposition in terms of cheaper prices, and perhaps better amenities compared to one who’s buying a resale flat. The volume of resale transactions also fell for the first time in 12 months. Resale transactions also fell by about six per cent from 7,011 cases in second quarter to 6,560 cases in the third. – Number of buyers dropped The last fall in resale transactions was in the third quarter of last year when transactions fell from 6,581 in the second quarter, to 5,903 in the third. Analysts said that this might not be because buyers are staying away, but because there is a short supply of resale flats in the market. – Reason for the decrease in the demand (Isnt this is for supply? The number of sellers in market. ) They added that this has pushed the median cash-over-valuation (COV) up by S$4,000 to S$5,000 compared to the last quarter. According to real estate firm Propnex, COVs hovered between S$25,000 and $28,000 in the first two quarters, before rising to $30,000 in Q3. This means a 20 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter. Chris Koh, director of Chris International, said: â€Å"Regardless of whether there are BTO flats, if private property prices are too high, many are unable to afford private property. So they turn to a resale market to buy a flat instead. So you still see a strong demand from those not eligible to buy brand new flats, those who can’t afford private property and have to buy a resale flat. – Reason for the increase in the demand. (Price of related good) â€Å"There’s one more group, I call them the ‘downgraders’. They have cashed out their private property, that’s why they don’t mind paying a premium for some of these resale flats. † In the rental market, subletting transactions rose by about four per cent. The number of cases increased from 6,891 in the second quarter to 7,142 cases in the third quarter. The total number of HDB flats approved for subletting also rose to 42,920 units in the third quarter, compared to 41,814 units in the second. Mr Han said: â€Å"In the last five years, prices have not gone south. In fact, prices have grown by 92 to 93 per cent since five years ago†¦ So, a lot of the able sellers are keeping it for hopefully higher capital returns for the next 12 months. (supply) If you look into a rental proposition, HDB rental flats – if you look at average four-room or five-room, you’re looking at roughly about S$2,000 to S$2,500 per month. It provides a very good fertile ground support for tenants out in the market looking for cheap accommodation. â€Å"The yield coming from HDB apartments is fairly attractive as well, compared to other classes of residential property. We’re looking at yields of 4. 5 to five per cent, compared to private properties which would be about 2. 5 to about 3. 5 per cent. â€Å" Mr Koh added: â€Å"I’m not sure if there’s a co-relation, but I won’t deny that if prices of resale flats are too high, some would not be able to afford it. So the next best option will be to rent and wait for prices to come down. â€Å"- Reason for decrease in demand when price rise. (Taste and preference? ) The HDB said it introduced a new e-service on Monday to enable the public to search for the market rentals of entire HDB flats rented out by owners. It is hoped that this will allow better transparency in the subletting market, and help potential tenants and flat owners make informed decisions.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Cultural Imperialism in the Film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Essay

Cultural Imperialism in the Film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Essay Example The history of immigration to the United States and their contribution to succeeding generations of American-born racial groups are indispensable in United States' social, economic, political, and cultural history.By 1870, a huge flood of Chinese immigrants (8.6 % of the total populace of California forming 25% of the labor force) arrived in the U.S., mainly on the West coast between the beginning of the California gold rush in 1849 and 1882, until the U.S. Congress ratified federal law in 1882 to avert Chinese immigrants from coming in or staying in the U.S. ... Â  government policy that excluded or limited by quota immigration by Japanese, Filipinos and the whole range of peoples from Asian nations by an agreement called the Gentlemen's agreement (The Chinese Exclusion Act, lehigh.edu). It was an accord between the United States and Japan in 1907 making Japan to end the migration of its workers to the United States and t United States stopping to victimize the Japanese living in the United States. This accord ended in 1924 by the act of Congress ruling out immigration from Japan, as immigration from China had been earlier prohibited (Gentleman's Agreement, multied.com). Â  Academics like Carol Gigliotti consider that all artistic decisions and expressions essentially have a moral implication. Therefore, Spielberg's action-adventure movie(To critics, like Daniel Griffin, it is more like a pasty Tarzan film rather than an action movie of old westerns genre, or, superhero serials, and war pictures), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is not just an escapist fiction movie but a post-colonial distortion of Indian culture and traditions. So, modern India is demonstrated here as immature, sub-human and crude "reality" forcefully, credibly, and intentionally built by Spielberg (Kotwal, The Film Journal). Â  Edward Said's definition of the Orient and its relation to the West, mainly Europe, consist s of matters concerning the Settler and the settled. Said studies the upshots of the colonized when the colonizer goes away. He examines the mind of the colonized already looted of its economic, social, cultural, religious, political, historical bases and future potential, in absence of the colonizer.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Research - Essay Example All these have made networking quicker and involve less strain on the part of participants. However, this comes at a colossal cost to the married and those in committed relationships. There are many glitches that come about as a result of networking in the social media and there’s no denying it, the upsurge of social media has left an utmost significant fingerprint on our society. To begin with, Social networking has an addictive effect which causes negative issues in a relationship. This comes about when a partner spends more time on social media than in the relationship and this ultimately leads to hurt and negative feelings. For example, cell phone owners in a marriage or partnership may feel that their spouse or partner is distracted by their cell phone when they are together. Also, internet users in a committed relationship may have a squabble with their spouse or partner about the time one of them is spending online and those in a committed relationship may get upset at something when they find out that their spouse or partner is doing online. Furthermore, excessive social networking can be a sign of internet addiction. This is an instance when someo ne is constantly online chatting, viewing images, posting personal details and photos or checking for updates from friends. Also, the use of social media in networking can make us lose our warmth; when a couple uses social networking as a means of communication, the warmth that comes about in the physical information will disappear. Also, Social networking can be a path to indefinite. Although not every person will cross the line between just creating friends and being more than friends, due to its easy nature, social media can create a good loophole for infidelity and marital ills. This is made possible due to the prompting and tempting nature of social media. People can post their pictures and other personal details. Thus, a person who is in a relationship, but are constantly

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Windows Server 2012 Proposal Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Windows Server 2012 - Research Proposal Example The two varieties, a developer preview and a better version, were actually unconfined by the time of expansion. This particular software was generally obtainable to customers from September 4, 2012. Dissimilar its to its forerunner, this type of server has got no delivery for itunium-based PCs and also has four types. As an IT consultant, this paper describes the how i will supply WAI with a solution which describes the implementation and configuration of their core IT services within this company. New features in Windows Server 2012 In Windows Server 2012, there are a lot of new features that has that any other person can take advantage of when installing windows operatig system. As an administrator of WAI, it will be of great advantage for both the two stations in Los Angeles and New York. First, the most thrilling feature is the Active Directory Domain (AD DS) that makes it very simple for an IT administrator to position domain controllers, very supple and calmer to audit and auth orize access to the files with Dynamic Access Control, and also informal to tasks directorially at scale maybe nearby or even distantly, through reliable graphical and scripted organization knowledge. The second feature that will actually help me in using Windows Server 2012 in installing IT services at WAI that they will take advantage of is the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) that will help in lowering the administration burden as well as complexity of the configuring host on a TCP/IP- based net, such as private network in an organization such as WAI. There is also another good feature that will interest me in installing Windows Server 2012 at WAI, the Deployment Service that will actually help to deploy windows operating system. It can be uset to configure fresh computers through the use of network-based installation. Again, the last feature may be the file ans well as the storage services. This provides a good number of new scalabilty, managements as well as functiona lity improvements in this type of Windows Server. Otherwise the new features here will make WAI a successful organization in realizing its objectives. Deployment and Server Editions In this case,server groups of two can be created and managed through the user experience. Aserver group con taining all the machines working on IIS, for instance, a group of all database servers, and giving out information on any of them. This is a big benefit for organizations like WAI, without really dedicated monitoring software in place. Using standard or datacenter really epends on whether you want to run up to two computer-generated machineries as guest or if you would favor limitless guest virtualization. As for the cas of WAI, i would prefer the Datacenter since it is highly virtualized, has unlimited virtual instances rights even though it is very expensive compared to standard. The stress for windows has altered to a GUI that is elective. By the time you install the operating system, you are as ked to choose between a full installation and a core installation. You should opt for a core installation because you will be able to flip on a GUI easily through installing the role of GUI. Active Directory There is a big possibility of having one domain for these two differet sites, that is New Yorka and Los Angeles. This is becauses Windows Domain brings out a security boundary while the Active Boudary clearly brings a location as well as the boundary of speed. In this case, i will need to have a DC at Los Angeles nad New York, the same make and model of router/firewall combination at each site, there will be need for static IPs at every site and then enable site-to-site VPNs with the IPSec as well as Perfect Forward

Monday, August 26, 2019

Fair Values in Accounting for Financial Instruments Assignment - 1

Fair Values in Accounting for Financial Instruments - Assignment Example AASB 139 defines a fair value as â€Å"the amount for which a liability or an asset may be exchanged between willing and knowledgeable parties in an arms length business deal†. Therefore, fair value accounting is a financial measurement of liabilities and assets of a company at fair value (Kemp, 2005, pp. 1-2). As a consequence of the synchronization of international accounting standards and additional disclosure requirements regarding risk and volatility, companies are changing from historical cost accounting to fair value accounting. Fair value accounting provides the users of financial statements present economic state of affairs of a company and presents a better manifestation of market values liabilities and assets, and consequently, the actual company’s worth. The companys financial statements become more relevant and useful in the marketplace for decision-making. In addition, fair value shows changes in economic conditions; thus, application of fair value for all financial assets allows investors to obtain a fairer and truer view of the actual financial situation of a company (Ryan, 2008, pp.3-4). Fair value accounting offers more comparable, accurate and timely information to investors and reflects recent information regarding future cash flows. Furthermore, in view of the fact that fair value reveals current conditions of the market, it offers comparability of the financial instruments value purchased at dissimilar times in determining the risks and value of financial instruments range (Landsman, 2006, pp.4-5) Fair value accounting also comprises of the significance and probability of all promising future cash flows and brings up to date the sharing of cash flows in future for fresh information regularly. Consequently, stakeholders and capital providers become more up to date when there is an adverse sharing of cash flows in future. Fair value accounting

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Summary of Crime and Violence and Political Rights Essay

Summary of Crime and Violence and Political Rights - Essay Example Democracy lacks strength here due to which crime rate is alarming and public safety is a major concern. The authors try to analyse how public’s thinking influences democracy and to what extent. It was found that there is definitely a strong relationship between public’s ideas and possible support for democracy. Both factors are inextricably linked to one another. In fact, regardless of socioeconomic background, any citizen’s perception is as important to predict support and stability for democracy as any other heavily considered socioeconomic variable. The findings of this research report are of great value because they succeed in establishing a relationship which is extremely important to further establishment and consolidation of democracy in any country. These findings can help to acknowledge what exactly was missing before which needs more work to secure democracy. The value of widespread awareness about democracy among citizens was unknown before which is an area where more efforts should be invested. The article authored by Josà © Miguel Cruz aims to explore why there is a less crime and violence rate in Nicaragua than other Central American countries like El Salvador and Honduras where crime violence is a big national issue. This research study is based on Central America. Nicaragua is the largest Central American country, yet the crime rate here is lower compared to the rest of the region under study. Owing to myriad unexpected political transitions, wars, and troubled conditions, all Central American countries suffered from a lot of ordeal and a state of unexpectedness which gave birth to socioeconomic underdevelopment and poor public affairs. But, it is told that none of these reasons explain why Nicaragua is blessed with a lower crime rate as compared to its fellow countries. Guatemala is a richer country than Nicaragua

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 37

Case Study Example Due to having a good reputation and success Creative Bus Service management must ensure that they come up with a good strategic plan. With the board meeting’s conclusion of expansion of profits they have to choose a good strategy that will ensure growth of profits. Mr. Ghosh market survey can be presented clearly through the Internal Rate of return (IRR), Net Present Value (NPV) and Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR). These will clearly state the outcome of the proposed projects by the Creative Travel Bus service. The success of the company revolves around the top management ability to manage effectively projects B operating from Delhi to Patna and A operating from Delhi to Joypur. Mr. Ghash should address congestion that hinders bus transport to the management to seek a way out in order to ensure their customers enjoy efficient services and they maintain the good reputation and name the company possesses (The World Bank, 2011). Being the most reliable transport system in India it has to make a decision so as to uphold their name and services to customers. The World Bank, (2011). India Transport sector. Retrieved on 27th November 2012

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Case Study Denver International Airport (DIA) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Denver International Airport (DIA) - Case Study Example Such changes may also delay completion of a project and inflate involved costs. This paper summarizes a case study on Denver International Airport in which the original plan that was formulated without incorporating stakeholders’ interest and ideas led to subsequent reviews of developed plan and consequences on the stakeholders. The paper also discusses relevant topics to the case and possible incorporation of the topics’ concepts into the case. Summary of the case The case involves a decision that was made for construction of the Denver International Airport and the involved consequences on the construction process and stakeholders to the decision. The decision followed increasing demand for services in the city and the construction offered benefits to both Denver and the Federal Aviation Administration that recognized the poor condition of the then city’s airport and its vulnerability to bad weather conditions. Original plans were developed and implementation b egan without incorporation of airlines that preferred operations from the then existing airport. The airlines alienated themselves from the plans because they were opposed to the project but sought involvement after noting that the project was bound for implementation. Such an entry prompted changes such as alteration of baggage handling system with a resultant delay in the official opening of the airport. Major issues in the case are development of the project’s strategic plan, financing of the plan and implementation of the plan. Strategic planning The Denver International Airport project was realistic because of the need that it offered to meet in the city’s air transport. The city is geographically away from other cities and air transport is the most suitable means. Denver also needed expansion in air transport facilities because of demand that was projected to increase and could undermine the then Stapleton Airport and its backup at Front Range Airport. Expansion of the airport further offered investment opportunities from international airlines and its strategic location for international flights enhanced its potentials. The project’s strengths included modern design and layout, optimization potentials, expansion potentials, support from the city, FAA and United Airlines, and high borrowing potential. Other strengths include environmental conservation and easy traffic control. Major weaknesses for the project were long distance from other cities, reliance on borrowed capital, high costs, lack of close industrial packs and possibility of unavailability qualities labor. Major opportunities were growth probability, creation of employment opportunities, commitment from cargo carriers, facilitated investments in the surrounding and development of a centre for air transport while identifiable weaknesses included poor passenger flow, high maintenance costs unhealthy competitions among airlines and competition from Front Range Airport. The D enver city, Denver International Airport management, airlines, and the Federal Aviation Administration were the stakeholders to the in the case. The United Airline did not support the plan until its realization was eminent and United Airline opposed the plan to expand Front Range Airport because the government’s involvement would liberalize operations and disadvantage high cost carriers. The airlines’

Friday, August 23, 2019

Love - How Information Technology can enhance a business Essay

Love - How Information Technology can enhance a business - Essay Example Digital score keeper will improve the service delivery by reducing the time wasted in manual score tallying as well as reducing score disputes between putt-putt groups. Online advertisements like use of social media and websites will enable the company to market its new services and improve the customer care services. Huge screens for indoor games will add variety to the services offered while digital boards on golf course holes will advertise other available services. The use of information technology and modern communication systems will enhance the operations and competitiveness of the business (Allen, Semenik & O’Guinn, 2012). Modern information technology developments have been used in production, provision of services and communication with customers and suppliers (Allen, Semenik & O’Guinn, 2012). Information technology offers numerous efficient, cheap and faster channels of communication like the e-mails, instant messages, and short messaging system servers. Information technologies like business software systems have been used by the management in decision making since they have the capacity to capture, store, process and retrieve information as per the requirements of the user (Allen, Semenik & O’Guinn, 2012). Information technologies like electronic commerce have enabled businesses to trade in the global markets without having physical presence in those markets. E-commerce offers 24 hours business trading activity he nce customers can shop from any location of the world and at their convenience (Allen, Semenik & O’Guinn, 2012). Information technology has enabled businesses to attract and retain customers. Through the use of websites, social applications sites and messaging systems, many businesses have overcome the location barrier in their marketing efforts hence increasing the market size. Information technology has enabled businesses to conduct market intelligence on the changing customer needs. Information technology facilities the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Qvc Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Qvc Case Analysis Essay Case QVC Author: NA HG495 – Case Analysis Instructor: NA Abstract This case analysis will be focused on the company QVC (Quality, Value, and Convenience). We will perform an analysis review, which, will provide a comprehensive insight into the company’s historical and current business structures, strategies and efficiencies in their operations. It will include a detailed SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) (Humphrey) and the primary activities of the Value Chain Analysis (Porter), to provide greater insight into the firms’ competitive advantage. These key concepts will be used to analyze QVC’s business model, define potential challenges and initiate a plan of execution. We will then recommend solutions such as advocating products with higher profit margins, finding evolving technologies and untapped markets and streamlining logistics. These strategies would expand the customer base and create higher ROI (Return of Investment), positioning the company towards timely growth. Introduction: QVC is a multimedia retailer, specializing in televised home shopping, broadcasting in five countries (US, UK, Germany, Japan and, Italy), 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to over 90 million households in the United States and 160 million homes worldwide. They offer a wide range of products with over 1500 major brands and 50,000 products, including beauty, fashion and accessories, jewelry, craft and leisure, home electronics, garden, and do-it-yourself (DIY), and clearance goods. The company has store operations in the US, which includes Delaware and Pennsylvania. QVC also has a lucrative website called iQVC (www. qvc. com) that generates over 1 billion of sales on its Internet operations. Since it was launched in 1986; QVC has rapidly grown to become the largest television shopping network. By 2006, its reach had extended to over 95 percent of all U. S. cable homes, as well as, over 25 million satellite homes. It shipped over 140 million packages during 2006 to customers around the world, resulting in almost $7. 1 billion in sales and over 1 billion operating profit. Sales were made to over 10 million customers, who watched its shows across the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Italy. Problem: Doug Rose, QVC’s vice president of merchandising brand development, claims that the interactivity in all aspects of the firm’s business and operations, including its television shopping channel, will need to become more pronounced. Making it easier for customers to act on what they see. QVC believes that it still has a lot of room to grow, since only about 2% to 3% of its television viewers currently purchase at any given time. Bringing that percentage higher is the main problem that affects the major revenue stream and would require an internal/external analysis (balance scorecard) to bring in new viewers/customers to purchase their products. There are other challenges that can attribute to generating more revenue, such as, selling products with higher margins and offering shopping channels to customers outside North America. They could also add more interactive features that would allow more access.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Effect of Whipped Egg Whites on Soufflé Volume

Effect of Whipped Egg Whites on Soufflà © Volume R. Ardura THE EFFECT OF WHIPPING EGG WHITES OVER ITS LEAVENING CAPACITY IN SOUFFLES INTRODUCTION We may all agree with the grand statement Nicholas Kurti said over his presentation â€Å"The Physicist in the Kitchenâ€Å": â€Å"It is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus, we do not know what goes on inside our soufflà ©s† (Barham, 2001). Soufflà ©s, sponge cakes, meringues, and bread are some examples of baked foams. Foams â€Å"allow [the diner] a better perception of the texture of a dense mass in the mouth and enhance the perception of odors† (This, 2009). Understanding how foams work under dynamic conditions is crucial for any chef to achieve a better end product and give the consumer a greater enjoyment. Egg whites are commonly used as an aerating agent because of its foaming properties. Their foam assists in the leavening process, although the actual leavening agent is air. Foam simply allows air to be incorporated into baked goods (Figoni, 2011). The end goal is to capture and retain as much air inside the soufflà © to achieve an airy, light and delicate end product. Foams are a colloidal system of a gas dispersed into a liquid continuous phase (Pawel et al, 2014). In the case of soufflà ©s, the continuous phase is water with egg white proteins, lipids and carbohydrates dissolved in it—which will strengthen the dispersing medium—, and the dispersed phase is air (McWilliams, 2012). Oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and some of the other components of air are mostly hydrophobic. In other words, air can dissolve in water but only in tiny amounts (MyHrvold, 2011). The mechanical action of beating pushes air bubbles into the continuous phase of the forming foam while the protein of the egg whites unfold to form a monolayer film at the surface of the air pushed inside. This stage of foam forming is called absorption (Cherry, 1981). The hydrophilic part of the egg white proteins will be attracted and bound with water and any hydrophilic component present in the solution, while the hydrophobic end will be oriented inwards surrounding the gas phase and stabilizing the bubble (MyHrvold, 2011). When talking about foams in food products, it is of interest to know the foam’s stability and volume. Any solids, such as sugar, present in the continuous phase of foam add viscosity to the liquid base. Different levels of viscosity, or resistance that a fluid poses to shear forces, changes the mouth-feel of the product and duration of the foam. In general, the more viscous a liquid is, the longer its bubbles last (Pugh, 1996). We should also keep in mind that a greater resistance to shear forces means a smaller increase of volume from air expansion. Therefore, the recipe used in this study has minimal foaming agents and foaming stabilizers to ensure that the outcome truly reflects the impact of the whipping stage on the increased volume and stability of the soufflà ©. The rate and extent in which albumin unfolds to form a film at the surface of the gas, also called the absorption rate, increases as shear force is applied to the egg white when beaten (Damodaran and Song, 1988). As protein unfolds and entraps gas to form new bubbles the overall volume of the solution grows. Foam becomes opaque and can be pulled into soft peaks. While some bubbles collapse, others are surrounded with a second monolayer. The second film covers any coagulated regions, caused by over beaten proteins, from the first monolayer (Cherry, 1891). The bubbles progressively become smaller and foam gets tighter until stiff peaks are formed (McWilliams, 2012). This is usually the stage egg whites are brought to for making soufflà ©s. It is a common belief that bringing the egg white foam to this stage will make a more stable soufflà ©. The normal pH value for egg whites is from 7-8, but as they age their pH goes up. However, the rate and area to which proteins unfold and reposition at the interface is conditional to the protein’s intermolecular limitation to form new bonds. The overall egg white foam stability is optimal at or near the isoelectric pH of albumin—pH5.5 (Cherry, 1981). This is due the convex shape bubbles take near the pI of albumin, which exhibit a slower liquid drainage rate than decay from gas diffusion and disproportionation (Damodaran, 1994). As a result of less liquid drainage the foam films remain thick enabling dry foams of high stability to be formed (Malysa and Lunkenheimer, 2007). Furthermore, the addition of an acid boosts the number of free-floating hydrogen ions in the egg white slowing down disulfide bonding and exposing hydrophobic regions that result in further adsorption sites (Murray, 2007). In order to generate the same variables for this study, all egg whites were ti trated to pH 5.5 creating a more suitable protein conformation for entrapping and holding air dispersions. Foam will start to form when the number of new and accumulated bubbles exceeds the number of rupturing ones. The stability of foam does not only depend on the solution’s composition but also the state of the bubble’s adsorption layers (Malysa and Lunkenheimer, 2007). Most studies focus on the stability of foams under static conditions where a tight bubble network and high stability are formed. Considering that in the soufflà © production process foam is subject under dynamic conditions, surface elasticity may become of significant importance when analyzing foam expansion and stability on such systems. In addition, even though it would seem logical that a highly flexible unfolded protein would cover a greater surface area than a compact folded protein, Damodaran and Song found that one of albumin’s folded intermediates occupies a greater surface area (Damodaran and Song, 1988). Therefore, in order for a protein to entrap the maximum amount of gas in foam and exert the most favorable reduction of the surface tension, it should be processed (whipped) until an optimum degree of unfolded and folded coils are achieved (Damodaran, 1989). The physical law that animates the phenomenon occurring in a soufflà © was discovered by the French scientist and balloonist J. A. C. Charles. Charles’ law states, â€Å"†¦the volume occupied by a given weight of a given gas is proportional to its temperature† (McGee, 2004). Some may conclude that the greater amount of air bubbles trapped the greater the volume will raise as the soufflà © is baked. Others may believe that it does not matter the stage the egg white has been whipped to because gas will always expand a fixed amount. However, bearing in mind Damodaran and Song’s discovery and the assumption that surface elasticity could play a determining roll on foams expansion and stability under dynamic conditions, there might be the possibility to believe that stiff peak is not the optimum stage at which the egg white must be whipped to achieve the maximum final volume in soufflà ©s. This study will focus on the effects different stages of whipped egg white foams have on the final volume of soufflà ©s. After this study a chef will know the best possible utilization of egg whites for soufflà ©s and other food preparations where egg whites act as a leavening agent. Learning about egg white’s surface rheology through measurements recollected over a range of timescales will help to understand how the protein structure on whipped egg whites relate to the final volume of soufflà ©s. It may also suggest a better way to produce other backed foam products as sponge cakes, meringues and bread. WORKS CITED Barham, P. (2001). The Science of Cooking. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag GmbH. Figoni, P. (2011). How Baking Works (3rd ed, pp. 258, 267, 300 303) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons. McGee, Harold (2004). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (1st ed.), Egg Foams (pp.109-113). New York, NY: Scribner. McWilliams, Margaret (2012). Foods: Experimental Perspectives. (Seventh ed., pp. 113, 114, 116, 384-387, 412). New Jersey: Pretince Hall. MyHrvold, N., Young, C. Bilet, M. (2011).The Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking(1st ed., Vol 4, pp. 74, 240-255). Bellvue, WA: The Cooking Lab. This, H. (2009), Science of the Oven. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Pawel, P., et al. (2014). The Physical and Linear Viscoelastic Properties of Fresh Wet Foams Based on Egg White Proteins and Selected Hydrocolloids. Food Biophysics, 9:76-87 Cherry, J. P. (1981). Whipping and Aeration. In Cherry McMaters (Eds.), Protein Functionality in Foods (pp. 150-153). American Chemical Society: USA. Damodaran, S (1994). Protein functionality in food systems. In N. S. Hettiarachchy G. R. Zeigler (Eds.), Structure-Function Relationship of Food Proteins (pp. 15-17). Chicago, IL: Institute of Food Technologists. Damodoran, S. (1989) Interrelationship of molecular and functional properties of food proteins. In J. E. Kinsella W. G. Soucie (Eds.), Food Proteins (pp. 21-22). Champaign, IL: The American Oil Chemists’ Society. Damodoran, S. and Song, K. B. (1988). Kinetics of absoption of proteins at interfaces: Role of protein conformation in diffusional adsorption. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 954:253. Malysa, K. and Lunkenheimer, K. (2007). Foams under dynamic conditions. Current Opinion in Colloid Interface Science, 13 (2008), 150-162. doi:10.1016/j.cocis.2007.11.008 Murray, B. S. (2007) Stabilization of bubbles and foams. Current Opinion in Colloid Interface Science. 12 (2007), 232-241. doi:10.1016/j.cocis.2007.07.009

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Virtual University System Limitations

Virtual University System Limitations Virtual University:  Literature Review Technology today allows us to record, analyze, and evaluate the physical world to an unprecedented degree. Enterprises in the new millennium are increasingly relying on technology to ensure that they meet their mission requirements. It is important to note here that, â€Å"Educational organizations have been referred to as complex and arcane enterprises† (Massy, 1999). For educational institutions, this reliance on technology will require new mission statements, revised catalogs and other materials, different learning environments and methods of instruction, and, perhaps most significantly, new standards for measuring success. To achieve these objectives, several initiatives in the form of web based systems, simulations, games etcetera are being developed and tested. Among these approaches, simulations and games are found to be the most effective ones (Massy, 1999). The author will review one such initiative, namely ‘Virtual U’ also known as Virtual University (Vi rtual U Project, 2003). The author will begin with a brief review of the use of simulation and gaming approaches in educational institutions. In the last decade, behaviorist approach has given way to constructivist approach in the field of instructional design. Behaviorist approach is an instructor led approach in which formal concepts and systems can be transmitted to students by giving them formal descriptions in combination with the presentation of examples (Leemkuil et al., 2000). On the other hand, Constructivist approach is a student led approach in which the students learn through activity or social interaction such as games, simulations, and case studies (Jacques, 1995). Gaming is considered to produce a wide range of learning benefits like, improvement of practical reasoning skills, higher levels of continuing motivation, and reduction of training time and instructor load (Jacobs Dempsey, 1993). Games are effective communication tools because they are fun and engaging (Conte, 2003). Simulations are also very close to games. Simulations resemble games in that both contain a model of some kind of system and learners can provide both with input and observe the consequences of their actions (Leemkuil et al., 2000). Virtual U was conceived and designed by William F. Massy, a professor and university administrator and the president of the Jackson Hole Higher Education Group (PR Newswire, 2000). The project was funded by $1 million from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in New York. Data were provided by the Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania (Waters and Toft, 2001). In designing the game, Massy and Ausubel (Program Director, The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation) included detailed data from 1,200 U.S. academic institutions, as well as information culled from government sources (Schevitz, 2000). The first version of Virtual U which was released in the year 2000 was produced by Enlight Software of Hong Kong and was sold commercially for about $129 (Goldie, 2000). The Virtual University system was developed along the lines of the popular game known as, ‘SimCity’. The primary objective of the Virtual U game was to develop the skills of the players for managing an educational institution. According to Moore and Williams (2002) ‘Virtual U will let you test your skill, judgment, and decisions’, while managing an educational institution. This game based environment has been designed specifically to enable any person to tackle various scenarios and problems that are usually encountered in an educational institution. â€Å"The game is driven by a powerful simulation engine that uses a combination of micro-analytic and system dynamics methods and draws on an extensive compilation of data on the U.S. higher education system† (Massey, 1999). Technically the system was developed using C++ in a windows based environment. Virtual U in its current state does not run on the ‘Macintosh’ based systems due to the us age of proprietary windows based graphics. However, it is envisaged by the authors that a version for Macintosh users will be developed in the near future. The Virtual U game employs several strategies and allows the user or the player as per his/her requirements (Rainwater et al., 2003). In general the player is appointed as the University president and allowed to manage the University as a whole. In this role the player is concerned about institution level policies, budget etcetera. Then there are scenario based strategies like improving teaching or research performance in a particular faculty, where the player assumes the role of a faculty head (Rainwater et al., 2003). Lastly there are a possible 18 chance cards. Chance cards are emergency situations that arise during the game play and require immediate attention. Overall, Virtual University not only allows players to explore secondary and tertiary effects of a couple of years worth of actions they might take as academic administrators but they can also customize it by adjusting everything from the size of the faculty and student body to the cost of maintaining campus roads and buil dings (Conte, 2003). Moore and Williams (2002) identify a few limitations in the Virtual university system. 1. One needs to have extensive administrative knowledge or experience to play Virtual U effectively. The amount of prior knowledge required may prohibit some of the audiences to use the system. 2. Second limitation is pertaining to performance indicators. There is lack of assessment-informed decision making in the game. The â€Å"teach better† goal is one of the game scenarios, yet there is nowhere a link between the teacher quality and the student learning. 3. Educational quality and prestige indicators are the two performance indicators the developer advises the player to pay close attention to. Within the educational quality framework, one has access to quantitative inputs and outputs (for example, number of degrees granted) rather than measures of quality. Also there are a limited number of variables which a player can chose or adjust (course mix, number of students shut out of courses, level of faculty teaching talent, class size, faculty morale, and faculty time devoted to teaching activities). The prestige indicator is even more limited. 4. A final Virtual U limitation identified by Moore and Williams (2002) is its lack of flexibility in the area of faculty management. While a player may reallocate departmental resources, teaching loads, and priorities in hiring new faculty, he cannot actually fire or remove faculty. The developers acknowledge on several occasions that the game is fairly complex and is not easy for beginners to start with (Massey, 1999). The author of this review believes that learning a complex game will be fairly difficult and time consuming for the users (administrative) who are already on a tight time schedule. Even postgraduate research students seldom get time or would like to play games if not related to their own research. Younger students would be easily attracted to such complex games and learn them quickly even though it might not be of much use for them in the short term. In addition to these factors the availability of a windows only version of the system will restrict an ever growing community of ‘Macintosh’ users in the United States educational institutions. Despite the above mentioned limitations, Virtual U is a useful and laudable effort (Moore and Williams, 2002). On the whole the Virtual U is a good introduction to those that wish to get a feel fo r the day to day operation of a university (Waters and Toft, 2001). References Conte, C. (2003). Honey, I shrunk the deficit! Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=77042147Fmt=7clientId=8189RQT=309VName=PQD Ellington, H.I. Earl, S. (1998). Using games, simulations and interactive case studies: a practical guide for tertiary-level teachers. Birmingham: SEDA Publications. Leemkuil, H., Jong, T. d., Ootes, S. (2000). Review Of Educational Use Of Games And Simulations. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://kits.edte.utwente.nl/documents/D1.pdf Goldie, B. (2000). A computer game lets you manage the university. The Chronicle of Higher Education Retrieved February 17, 2006, fromhttp://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=47712857Fmt=7clientId=8189RQT=309VName=PQD Jacobs, J.W. Dempsey, J.V. (1993). Simulation and gaming: Fidelity, feedback and motivation. In: Leemkuil, H., Jong, T. d., Ootes, S. (2000). Review Of Educational Use Of Games And Simulations. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://kits.edte.utwente.nl/documents/D1.pdf Jacques, D. (1995). Games, simulations and case studies a review. In: Leemkuil, H., Jong, T. d., Ootes, S. (2000). Review of Educational Use Of Games And Simulations. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://kits.edte.utwente.nl/documents/D1.pdf Leemkuil, H., Jong, T. d., Ootes, S. (2000). Review Of Educational Use Of Games And Simulations. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://kits.edte.utwente.nl/documents/D1.pdf Massy, W. F. (1999). Virtual U: The University Simulation Game. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://www.virtual-u.org/documentation/educause.asp Moore, D. L., Williams, K. (2002). Virtual U. Assessment Update Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphan=10350107loginpage=Login.aspsite=ehost PR Newswire, (2000). Virtual U Released; University Management Goes High Tech Computer Simulation Tackles the Management Challenges of Higher Education. February 17, 2006, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=55540413Fmt=7clientId=8189RQT=309VName=PQD Rainwater, T., Salkind, N., Sawyer, B., Massy, W. (2003). Virtual U 1.0 Strategy Guide. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://www.virtual-u.org/downloads/vu-strategy-guide.pdf Schevitz, T. (2000). University Game Plan / Professor emeritus computer simulation lets players test skills as college administrators. San Francisco Chronicle, February 17, 2006, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=47957859Fmt=7clientId=8189RQT=309VName=PQD Virtual U Project. (2003). Virtual U. Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://www.virtual-u.org Waters, B., Toft, I. (2001, October) Virtual U: A University Systems Simulation. Conflict Management in Higher Education Report Retrieved February 17, 2006, from http://www.campus-adr.org/CMHER/ReportResources/Edition2_1/VirtualU2_1.html

Monday, August 19, 2019

a lesson before dying Essay -- essays research papers

Lesson Before Dying The Right to Be Free In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, although Grant is an educated black man in the era of a racist society he has struggles greater than most men of his decent. I feel sorry for him because of his limitations, even though I view him as a coward. He cannot break free of his background and family. The three main female characters in the novel, Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian, restrict and limit Grant's choices. Grant realizes that freedom means leaving his small town and creating a new life, yet each woman holds a chain that keeps him from his destiny and the right to be free. First, Tante Lou, his aunt holds Grant from his dreams by refusing to let him go his own way. Tante Lou wants Grant to stay at home with her and take care of her. But, in the time the novel takes place, it wasn't common for young men stay with their elders and help out, especially when Grant has a college degree and can accomplish so much. Tante Lou took advantage of this in any means necess ary, using the fact that Grant is family and in essence owes it to her to stay and help out. We can see this on page 14 when Tante Lou forces Grant to talk to Mr. Henri about seeing Jefferson. You are going up there with us Grant, or you will not sleep in this house tonight. Tante Lou denies Knodt 2 Grant choices that men his age have. Next, Miss Emma, who doesn't have a family relation to Grant, also restricts his choices in life. Miss Emma plays an important role in the nov...

Assyrian Crisis Essay -- essays research papers

THE ASSYRIAN CRISIS, A TIME OF GROWTH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Assyrian Crisis in Judah appears, from the surface, as a time of great luck for the people of Jerusalem. However, by examining the situation with a more powerful lens, one can see the powerful religious infuence such an event could have on a resident’s theology. If I were a Judean during this time, my faith would have faced the toughest test of my life. Going into such a conflict with a nation as strong as Assyria, I could not help but be afraid. My bones would tremble at the thought of destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem, of the people of Judah, and of my own being. Although I would have believed in God, I would still be filled with fear. This fear would escalate when I heard a messenger for the king of Assyria, as stated in Isaiah 36, mocking God, insulting His power and doubting His saving grace on Jerusalem. He goes on to try and convice us, the people of Jerusalem, that Hezekiah is not trustworthy, and that we will not find help in Egypt becau se they are not reliable. Finally, knowing the path of destruction that Assyria has already created, and their hunger for more, in addition to the messenger’s statement that the Lord has commanded Assyria to go and destroy Jerusalem, my feelings of fear and doubt would uncontrollably well up inside me. We are, after all, only human, and fear is a common feeling, despite where we stand with God. No man lives without fear, but though fear our faith is tested and strengthened.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon hearing and experiencing the truth of Isaiah’s claim that God will spare Jerusalem and force the Assyrians back home, my faith in God would be fortified. In the times of fear, I would have realized how weak, how immature, and how far I must go in my faith and trust in God. But once I heard Isaiah’s prophecy, I would use it as a way to do away with my fear. Knowing that God was going to save His Holy City, and that He was going to continue with His perfect plan for mankind that dated back as far as the times of Abraham and held a future for the arrival of the Messiah, I would know that my God follows His plans and keeps His promises. Through this, I would have peace. I would soon learn that I can trust Him in everything because as it says in Scripture, “if God is for us, who can be ... ...of mockery and insults directed towards God. By attacking the Christian faith in this way, the king of Assyria was trying to prove the Christian’s God was just like all other gods, powerless. Similarly, Paul persecuted Christians by going to Damascus to capture them and bring them back to Jerusalem. He hated the Christian faith and persecuted it without mercy. He, however, converted to Christianity later and became an awesome tool of God’s for spreading the Gospel. Living such a life against God in his past, Paul could have easily compare himself with the king of Assyria. Paul would gain great peace and thankfulneess when he realized God’s punishment to the king of Assyria was death, and that he escaped such punishment and was saved by God. Additionally, seeing the successes of Hezekiah, like returning Judah to the luxury it once experienced, being saved from the Assyrians, and being given 15 extra years to live after his illness, Paul would soon realize that th e only reason God was so gracious and merciful with Hezekiah was because he kept his eyes on Him. This would teach Paul that, if he were to be successful, he must keep his focus in life on God. Assyrian Crisis Essay -- essays research papers THE ASSYRIAN CRISIS, A TIME OF GROWTH   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Assyrian Crisis in Judah appears, from the surface, as a time of great luck for the people of Jerusalem. However, by examining the situation with a more powerful lens, one can see the powerful religious infuence such an event could have on a resident’s theology. If I were a Judean during this time, my faith would have faced the toughest test of my life. Going into such a conflict with a nation as strong as Assyria, I could not help but be afraid. My bones would tremble at the thought of destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem, of the people of Judah, and of my own being. Although I would have believed in God, I would still be filled with fear. This fear would escalate when I heard a messenger for the king of Assyria, as stated in Isaiah 36, mocking God, insulting His power and doubting His saving grace on Jerusalem. He goes on to try and convice us, the people of Jerusalem, that Hezekiah is not trustworthy, and that we will not find help in Egypt becau se they are not reliable. Finally, knowing the path of destruction that Assyria has already created, and their hunger for more, in addition to the messenger’s statement that the Lord has commanded Assyria to go and destroy Jerusalem, my feelings of fear and doubt would uncontrollably well up inside me. We are, after all, only human, and fear is a common feeling, despite where we stand with God. No man lives without fear, but though fear our faith is tested and strengthened.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon hearing and experiencing the truth of Isaiah’s claim that God will spare Jerusalem and force the Assyrians back home, my faith in God would be fortified. In the times of fear, I would have realized how weak, how immature, and how far I must go in my faith and trust in God. But once I heard Isaiah’s prophecy, I would use it as a way to do away with my fear. Knowing that God was going to save His Holy City, and that He was going to continue with His perfect plan for mankind that dated back as far as the times of Abraham and held a future for the arrival of the Messiah, I would know that my God follows His plans and keeps His promises. Through this, I would have peace. I would soon learn that I can trust Him in everything because as it says in Scripture, “if God is for us, who can be ... ...of mockery and insults directed towards God. By attacking the Christian faith in this way, the king of Assyria was trying to prove the Christian’s God was just like all other gods, powerless. Similarly, Paul persecuted Christians by going to Damascus to capture them and bring them back to Jerusalem. He hated the Christian faith and persecuted it without mercy. He, however, converted to Christianity later and became an awesome tool of God’s for spreading the Gospel. Living such a life against God in his past, Paul could have easily compare himself with the king of Assyria. Paul would gain great peace and thankfulneess when he realized God’s punishment to the king of Assyria was death, and that he escaped such punishment and was saved by God. Additionally, seeing the successes of Hezekiah, like returning Judah to the luxury it once experienced, being saved from the Assyrians, and being given 15 extra years to live after his illness, Paul would soon realize that th e only reason God was so gracious and merciful with Hezekiah was because he kept his eyes on Him. This would teach Paul that, if he were to be successful, he must keep his focus in life on God.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

How to Escape from American Consumerism and Materialism Essay -- Expos

How to Escape from American Consumerism and Materialism We all know we live in a highly materialistic culture in which conspicuous consumption governs much of our lives. We strive to acquire goods which will define us to ourselves and to others and somehow satisfy our human need to justify existence. At the end of the day, we also all know that there’s a trap built into the system: the more you consume, the more you are pressed to consume more because whatever satisfaction possession of things brings us is always fleeting thus driving us further and further down the material path of life seeking nirvana around the next corner at the mall. Many modern philosophers have pondered this question, often giving rise to scathing critiques of consumerism as shallow; the product of a decadent and decaying culture. This is where most people turn away, not because they reject what the philosophers say, but precisely because they know it to be at least partially accurate and this is unbearable. It’s unbearable because while we know the meaning of life can’t be reduced to a new SUV, we don’t know what on earth we would replace consumerism with if we were to abandon it as the bedrock of our daily lives. What would we do with our time? Why would we work overtime? Why would we get up in the morning? I don’t propose here to rehash the arguments about why consumerism is evil, but I would like to propose some solutions to the conundrum of modern living: how to find satisfaction through consuming differently and thoughtfully. 1. Value what you have The first step is to look around your space and start to appreciate the sheer number of labour-hours that are invested in the things that you already own. Imagine having to make them you... ... you to pause at least for a moment†¦ Consuming for its own sake is indeed a great temptation, but like all others it can be overcome. This doesn’t require a twelve-step program to wean us permanently from the habit, afterall it’s only human. It does require that we acknowledge what makes having things satisfying: social relations with other people. If we recognize our links to others through the products they make and we consume, and if we assume the responsibility that comes with that recognition, we can consume less, consume differently and garner much more satisfaction from the act. We need to ignore the spin doctors and their promises of eternal happiness or salvation and realize that we are the authors of our own happiness and that happiness cannot be branded, packaged or sold by the pound. Step down from the gerbil wheel and take a moment to think about it.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

How the Medical Model of Psychopathology

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA THE MEDICAL MODEL * POSSIBLE MEDICAL CAUSES FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA * SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA * DISCUSSION OF THE DSM-IV-TR THE FAMILY SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION In this assignment I will show how the medical model of Psychopathology and the family systems model reflect linear and circular causality respectively by referring to the causes of Schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia is characterised by a broad spectrum of cognitive and emotional dysfunctions that include delusions and hallucinations, disorganized speech and behaviour and inappropriate emotions.It disrupts social, occupational and recreational functioning and almost every other aspect of daily functioning. It is usually chronic with a high relapse rate and recovery from Schizophrenia is rare. MEDICAL MODEL The DSM-IV-TR is based on the medical model. The basic assumption is that psychological disorders are diseases and are treated as such. In his definition of the medical model, Blaney (1975) stated that mental disorders are in fact organic diseases. He further explained that the visible evidences of disorders are merely manifestations of an underlying condition.According to him, the individual has no responsibility for his/her behaviour. The medical/biological model reflects a linear view of the causes of Psychopathology. Linear causality means that a particular cause (or more than one cause in combination) leads to a specific effect (e. g. a virus causes an illness). Thus, from this perspective, event A causes event B (A -> B) in a linear (unidirectional) fashion. In this linear way of thinking, our reality is considered to be separate from us. We are thus seen as reacting to our reality rather than creating it (Becvar, 2003). Possible medical causes for Schizophrenia: Genetic influences – Inherited tendency (multiple genes) are responsible for making some individuals vulnerable to Schizophrenia * Neurotransmitter imbalances – This refers to brain chemistry such as abnormalities in the dopamine and glutamate systems * Developmental disruptions such as prenatal / birth complications – A viral infection during pregnancy or a birth injury can affect a child’s brain cells. * Brain structure – Research by Eve Johnstone (Johnstone et al, 1976) showed, by using computed tomography (CT), that there is an enlargement of the lateral ventricles in some patients with chronic Schizophrenia. Psychological stressors have also been named as a possible medical cause. Symptoms of Schizophrenia Positive symptoms: Delusions are false personal beliefs that are firmly and consistently held despite disconfirming evidence or logic, for instance: delusions of grandeur or persecution. Perceptual distortions (hallucinations) e. g. hearing voices, seeing people or objects and smelling peculiar odours. It is important to remember when diagnosing a patient that hallucinations aren’t path ognomonic. Disorganized thought and speech as a symptom comes through when communicating with the Schizophrenic person.The individual may jump from topic to topic, talk illogically or reply tangentially to questions. Disorganized motor disturbances such as extreme activity levels, strange gestures and grimaces, catatonic immobility, waxy flexibility and peculiar body movements and posture. More examples of behavioural problems are bad personal hygiene, inappropriate dress and affect. Negative symptoms would be to not show emotional expression (flat affect), avolition (an inability to become goal-orientated or to take action) and alogia (a lack of meaningful speech).DSM-IV-TR DSM-IV-TR recommends that clinicians examine and evaluate the individual’s mental state with regard to five factors (axes). Axes I, II and III addresses the individual’s present mental and medical condition. Axes IV and V provide additional information about the person’s life situation and f unctioning. The DSM-IV-TR is based on a prototypical approach. Axis I – Clinical syndromes and other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention Axis II – Personality disorders and Mental retardation Axis III – General Medical conditionsAxis IV – Psychosocial and Environmental problems Axis V – Global Assessment of Functioning When using the medical model, the focus is always on the individual. If an individual has a possible psychological disorder, they need to be assessed clinically. This is done by systematically evaluating and measuring the individual’s psychological, biological and social factors. This can be done by interviewing the individual and taking an informal mental status exam of the ‘patient’. This can be followed by psychological tests, personality inventories and neuropsychological testing.Before a diagnosis can be made and before one can classify anything on Axis I, it is imperative to determine that t he above factors (psychological, biological and social factors) meet all the criteria for a specific psychological disorder. The DSM-IV-TR distinguishes 5 types of Schizophrenia – paranoid, disorganised, catatonic, undifferentiated and residual Schizophrenia. The DSM-IV-TR criteria for Schizophrenia needs to be met before one can diagnose an individual as Schizophrenic on Axis I. Taken from Sue et al (2006) the DSM-IV-TR criteria for Schizophrenia are as follows: A.At least two of the following symptoms lasting for at least one month in the active phase: delusions; hallucinations; disorganized speech; grossly disorganized or catatonic behaviour; negative symptoms (exception: only one symptom if it involves bizarre delusions or if hallucinations involve a running commentary on the person or two or more voices talking with each other). B. During the course of the disturbance, functioning in one or more areas such as work, social relations and self-care has deteriorated markedly from premorbid levels. C. Signs of the disorder must be present for at least 6 months. D.Schizoaffective and mood disorders with psychotic features must be ruled out. E. The disturbance is not substance-induced or caused by organic factors. The medical model subscribes to linear causality. It is thus based on a cause-effect relationship as mentioned previously. Schizophrenia as a disorder can be used to illustrate linear causality within the medical model. One or more of the causes of Schizophrenia (i. e. genes) causes the individual to become schizophrenic (cause) and then the individual is diagnosed as Schizophrenic because he/she displays certain symptoms (effect) such as hallucinations, voices talking etc.Thus, cause-effect (A causes B) = linear causality. Let’s say our ‘patient’ meets the DSM-IV-TR criteria to be classified on Axis I as Schizophrenic. As a Schizophrenic, the individual will probably show certain behaviour such as difficulty in maintaining s ocial relationships which could lead to social isolation, experiencing problems with his/her primary support group, education, occupation, housing, health care and economic problems. These problems will be indicated on Axis IV of the DSM-IV-TR as they are psychosocial and environmental problems.These problems will most probably affect the individual’s psychological, social and occupational functioning. The patient will be given a rating for the level of functioning at the time of the evaluation. This rating is displayed on Axis V of the DSM-IV-TR – the Global Assessment of Functioning which is used to report the clinician’s judgement of the individual’s overall level of functioning and carrying out activities of daily living. This information is useful in planning treatment and measuring its impact, and in predicting outcome.A 100-point scale is used for the rating in which 1 indicates severe impairment in functioning and 100 indicates superior functionin g with no symptoms. FAMILY SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE The family systems model is based on cybernetics (circular thinking). Circular causality places emphasis on reciprocity, recursion and shared responsibility. A and B exist in the context of a relationship in which each influences the other and both are equally cause and effect of each others’ behaviour (Becvar et al, 2003).Thus, circular causality means that two or more elements reciprocally cause each other (A causes B and B causes A). So where the medical model makes use of linear causality, the language of systems theory is based on the notion of circularity (A and B mutually influence each other). The contrast between linear and circular causality has to do with the direction of cause. Linear causality = A -> B. Circular causality = A B. Example of circular causality: A teenager (A) with Schizophrenia begins to withdraw socially as she has difficulty forming relationships.Her sister (B) starts mocking her because she has no f riends and isn’t popular. Because her sister (B) mocks her and breaks her self-confidence even more, the teenager (A) withdraws even more and becomes even more isolated (even within her own family system because her sister is ‘against’ her as well). A loop forms (circular causality) where A causes B and B causes A and so on. Thus, the one ‘feeds’ the other. There are a few systems concepts that are important to the systems theory. Boundaries are formed by a system’s rules and it is these rules that distinguish a system from other systems.These boundaries (rules) are invisible but do exist and are inferred from the repeated patterns of behaviour of a system, it is what makes each family unique. It delineates individuals and subsystems and also defines the amount and kind of contact allowable between members of a family. The ideal boundaries for a family to have are clear boundaries as they are firm yet flexible. Feedback occurs in systems theor y and also emphasis the circular causality in the theory. Feedback is the process whereby information about past behaviours is fed back into the system in a circular manner.There is positive and negative feedback, but it must be understood that both processes may refer to something that is good and/ or bad. Positive feedback acknowledges that a change has occurred and has been accepted by the system (error-activated process). Negative feedback indicates that the status quo is being maintained (stability). When working with a Schizophrenic patient, systems theorists see the Schizophrenia as symptomatic of family disturbance. Thus, the symptom of Schizophrenia is not abnormal in a dysfunctional context.Actually, the maintenance of a system is associated with complex reciprocal feedback mechanisms with and between systems (Becvar 2003). So, every symptom has a function in the system. In a Schizophrenic person’s family system, his Schizophrenia (the symptom) helps maintain the sy stem, as all the blame for the dysfunction of the family falls to the Schizophrenic family member. The other members do not look to their own dysfunctions and issues. It is clear then that the dysfunctional pattern the family is carrying out, is maintained by the Schizophrenic family member who is targeted as the only problem or reason for the problems in the system.This way of doing things gives the family a dysfunctional homeostasis, which refers to the tendency of the family to regulate its internal environment. CONCLUSION I believe that both the medical model and the family systems perspective can contribute towards an accurate and successful diagnosis and treatment process for the Schizophrenic individual. REFERENCES * Barlow, D. H. , & Durand, V. M. (2005). Abnormal Psychology: An integrated approach. (4th ed. ). Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning * Becvar, D. S. & Becvar, R. J. (2003). Family therapy: A systemic integration. (5th ed. ). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. * Blaney, P. H. (1975). Implications of the medical model and its alternatives. American Journal of Psychiatry, 132, p. 911-914. * Johnstone, E. C. , Crow, T. J. , Frith, C. D. , Hurhard, J. & Kreel, L. (1976). Cerebral ventricular size and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Lancet, ii, p. 924-926. * Sue, D. , Sue, D. , & Sue, S. (2006). Understanding abnormal behaviour. (8th ed. ). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Friday, August 16, 2019

How Does of Mice and Men Present the Life of a Migrant Worker

John Steinbeck did represent the lives of migrant workers in his novel Of Mice and Men. The lives of migrant workers were hard, challenging and unrewarding. Migrant workers suffered from poverty because they were low-wage workers. They were forced to travel between American states in search of seasonal work . In the novel; John Steinbeck shows the harsh reality of their lives. During the Great Depression most men were forced to move around on their own to make money to send home to their families. Most felt isolated and found it hard to make friends as they moved around so much because of the nature of their work. Loneliness is a theme in this novel that is reflective of the time period in which the novel was written. Steinbeck shows the loneliness of the migrant ranch workers through Curley when one of the characters says â€Å"Curley ain’t giving no-one a chance,† this shows how reserved the workers become as a result of constantly being on their own and having no stable relationships. George and Lennie are different however, and do have someone they can talk to and throughout the novella most characters are suspicious of their close relationship. During the time when the book is set The American Dream was very much alive. During the time of The Great Depression many people packed up their families and headed for LA as that seemed to be the best place to go. Each individual had their own interpretation of their ideal situation for life. For many this would be fame or fortune but George and Lennie had their own idea. George and Lenny both shared â€Å"The American. Dream† of owning their own small farm house. This is what keeps both of the characters motivated throughout the novel. ‘Some day – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and –‘, George and Lennie constantly repeat this phrase continuously throughout the novella. When George talks about the dream ranch Lennie gets really excited about it even though he has heard it a thousand times. Lennie finds that having the â€Å"dream ranch† repeated to him, soothes his mind and makes him feel happy. Also, it allows him to have something to look forward to. Many times during the book Lennie mentions taking care of rabbits. Lennie likes the fact that he will be able to have something to take care of and that they will be his own. Also, letting him know that he will tend the rabbits works as an incentive for him not to get in trouble, the quote â€Å"But you ain’t going to get in no trouble, because if you do, I won’t let you tend the rabbits† proves that Lennie will try to stay out of trouble as much as he can.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Forgotten Group Member

Case Study 7: The Forgotten Group Member Developed by Franklin Ramsoomair, Wilfred Laurier University The group is in storming stage right now. Every member of the group is in tension. Unannounced meeting shows that they are forming cliques. They could have easily informed every member of the group to discuss the project. Christine, the leader of the group could have managed the team in a better way. Group in this stage need more communication, training, supervision, and controlling. But she did not provide any of it. Knowing the stages of group development was also an issue within Christine’s team. The team never went through the forming stage. They never got to know one another. Clear expectations were not set amongst the group. Frankly, Christine probably wasn’t a good pick for the team lead because of the ongoing distractions she was experiencing with her grades in school. That was more important to her, not the team’s success. Janet or Steve would have been a better choice for the team’s leader. Basically, this group never got passed the storming stage. Christine never took the time to evaluate the situation. She just preceded status quo. The group is facing many problems. The main problem is, Christine is not an effective leader for the group. She didn’t assign work to the team or we can say the team never went through the forming stage. They never got to know each other. Even Christine did not know her team very well and did not take any steps to improve it. No clear work was assigned to the team members, no meeting were set in advance. Christine failed to cater to everyone’s need within the group which was evident because necessary steps weren’t taken to ensure Mike would be able to join the team for meetings. Christine failed to pack them in. Had she paired Mike up with Janet whose more reliable and always over achieve when it comes to the group Mike would not have felt excluded from the group. She could have even paired Mike with Steve who’s more businesslike being that he ensures that things are on point and according to plan for the teams meetings. She failed to promote creativity and definitely lacked communication within the group. With the latest technology, other means of communication should have been used as a resource. She could have suggested or used video conferencing, teleconference, or simply resulted to a simple email or chat to delegate tasks for the group’s project which ties into the constant communication with the group. Communication can make or break any relationship, especially in the workplace. The failed communication was evident when members didn’t know the team was meeting. Everyone should have been informed of all upcoming meetings well in advance so they would have been prepared to be in attendance and effectively contribute to the team’s project during the meetings. This could have promoted creativity, innovation, and initiative amongst all group members which would have resulted in group motivation. Christine did more managing tasks and not leading the group. A good leader would do things somewhat differently when compared to a manager. I'd prefer a leader when picking someone to build a team for this task based on my thread earlier. I personally think that leaders have more motivational traits versus managers. I have been in both shoes. To summarize the difference between Christine’s traits versus that of an effective leader I have provided a useful table that will help summarize the differences and really drive home what it takes to be an effective leader. Upon reviewing the characteristics below of a leader versus a manager by subject matter you will get a clearer picture. This is a very useful table that I came across while researching this topic for our class discussion threads. Based on this information, managers tend to have more demotivating traits while leaders have more motivating traits. I would rather have a leader! The Forgotten Group Member Case Study 7: The Forgotten Group Member Developed by Franklin Ramsoomair, Wilfred Laurier University The group is in storming stage right now. Every member of the group is in tension. Unannounced meeting shows that they are forming cliques. They could have easily informed every member of the group to discuss the project. Christine, the leader of the group could have managed the team in a better way. Group in this stage need more communication, training, supervision, and controlling. But she did not provide any of it. Knowing the stages of group development was also an issue within Christine’s team. The team never went through the forming stage. They never got to know one another. Clear expectations were not set amongst the group. Frankly, Christine probably wasn’t a good pick for the team lead because of the ongoing distractions she was experiencing with her grades in school. That was more important to her, not the team’s success. Janet or Steve would have been a better choice for the team’s leader. Basically, this group never got passed the storming stage. Christine never took the time to evaluate the situation. She just preceded status quo. The group is facing many problems. The main problem is, Christine is not an effective leader for the group. She didn’t assign work to the team or we can say the team never went through the forming stage. They never got to know each other. Even Christine did not know her team very well and did not take any steps to improve it. No clear work was assigned to the team members, no meeting were set in advance. Christine failed to cater to everyone’s need within the group which was evident because necessary steps weren’t taken to ensure Mike would be able to join the team for meetings. Christine failed to pack them in. Had she paired Mike up with Janet whose more reliable and always over achieve when it comes to the group Mike would not have felt excluded from the group. She could have even paired Mike with Steve who’s more businesslike being that he ensures that things are on point and according to plan for the teams meetings. She failed to promote creativity and definitely lacked communication within the group. With the latest technology, other means of communication should have been used as a resource. She could have suggested or used video conferencing, teleconference, or simply resulted to a simple email or chat to delegate tasks for the group’s project which ties into the constant communication with the group. Communication can make or break any relationship, especially in the workplace. The failed communication was evident when members didn’t know the team was meeting. Everyone should have been informed of all upcoming meetings well in advance so they would have been prepared to be in attendance and effectively contribute to the team’s project during the meetings. This could have promoted creativity, innovation, and initiative amongst all group members which would have resulted in group motivation. Christine did more managing tasks and not leading the group. A good leader would do things somewhat differently when compared to a manager. I'd prefer a leader when picking someone to build a team for this task based on my thread earlier. I personally think that leaders have more motivational traits versus managers. I have been in both shoes. To summarize the difference between Christine’s traits versus that of an effective leader I have provided a useful table that will help summarize the differences and really drive home what it takes to be an effective leader. Upon reviewing the characteristics below of a leader versus a manager by subject matter you will get a clearer picture. This is a very useful table that I came across while researching this topic for our class discussion threads. Based on this information, managers tend to have more demotivating traits while leaders have more motivating traits. I would rather have a leader!

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Halloween – creative writing

Once there was a boy he was 6 years old, and his name was Michael Myers, his sister was only 15 when on one Halloween Michaels mum and dad went to a parents evening. So his sister was looking after him for the night his sister Samantha decided to invite her boyfriend round Michael had always thought that no one loved him. So he decided that tonight was the night to get revenge his sister was in her bedroom getting ready. So Michael went down stairs into the kitchen and got a very large bread knife he went upstairs his sister Samantha was brushing her long brown hair when suddenly she felt a sharp pain in the left hand side of her back. She turned to see that her brother had a Halloween mask on and he had his sister's blood all over the knife and his Halloween suit. When his Mom and Dad arrived Michael went to the door and his mom said to him â€Å"Why is there blood all over your costume†? But he didn't say why! So his mom and dad went upstairs to see where his sister was they both went into her room and saw her dead on the bed!! â€Å"Oh my god†Micheals mother yelled, Michael's dad Gavin said â€Å"What happened Michael† he never answered them, His mom went to call the police and an ambulance, she slowly picked up the phone her hand was shaking as she dialled 911, she felt sick, Gavin had hold of Michael â€Å"What happened son, did someone come in and kill Sammy† he yelled, then suddenly Michael said â€Å"No dad it was me, I killed Samantha† His dad stood there in shock! Jill† he shouted â€Å"Jill Michael killed Samantha† he muttered, â€Å"is this true Michael† she said softly â€Å"yes mom its true I killed Samantha† he yelled, just as he said it the police and ambulance arrived † A murder has been committed mam? The police officer said, â€Å"erm yes my daughter she has been murdered† Jill said sadly â€Å"Im officer Brown could you tell me what exactly happened† Officer brown said â€Å"Well Samantha was babysitting Michael whilst me and Gavin where at Michaels parents evening, and when we came back Michael was outside covered in blood with a bread knife, and next minute I went to see Samantha and she was dead† She sobbed , the officer was writing everything down , he looked at Michael . Has your son ever done this before† officer brown said, â€Å"Of course not my son isn't a murderer† she yelled â€Å"Well Michael is going have to go to a murderer unit† he said â€Å"You mean he is going to have treatment and will not be allowed out for some time† she questioned, â€Å"Yes mam that is right† officer brown said Gavin came up to officer brown and told him everything what will happen to Michael,†but why Michael why did you kill her † Jill yelled, he didn't say anything he just stared at his mom . The officer took out his phone â€Å"what is going to happen now† Gavin asked â€Å"Well sir Michael is going to be Mental hospital , we have got to get at the bottom of this† officer brown said, â€Å"well when we he come out† Gavin said â€Å"Im just going to ring the mental hospital to get Dr Campbell here to discuss the matter further† he said! Officer brown dialled Dr Campbell, â€Å"Could you come to 7865 Tulip block† Officer brown put the phone down † He will be here in 5minuites† he said, Michael, Jill and Gavin sat on the kerb questioning Michael. Shortly after Dr Campbell arrived â€Å"ok who is the victim and who has the murderer† he softly said â€Å"Well sir Samantha Myers is dead, and this young man Michael Myers killed her† Officer brown said

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Air Asia Case analysis summary Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Air Asia analysis summary - Case Study Example The firm is one of the airline organizations who are more centered on the strategy of how to decrease inefficiency and incorporate the lowest fare in the world as possible. With low complexity, cost-efficiency and productivity, the company has the cornerstone elements of building a strong business (Porter, 2007). In addition, according to Rhoades & Jr. (2005), the most flourishing carriers came to control their hub markets permitting them to exert greater control over capacity and pricing. Founded on this statement, the present issues in AirAsia organization are how to accomplish being the least expensive carrier in the world and still make their profits. In relation to these issues, Rhoades & Jr. said that AirAsia the most thriving carrier in the airline industry permitting them to exercise greater control over capacity and pricing (Porter, 2007). A critical solution to AirAsia achieving its dreams is through utilizing IT and employing E-commerce in their business. These days, E-commerce is becoming a commerce instrument. Also, E-commerce has turned into a vital strategic management technique, which allows a company to advertise, sell products, purchase supplies, track inventory, bypass intermediaries, share information and eliminate paperwork. All in all, electronic commerce is reducing the cumbersomeness and expense, higher profitability and improved products. According to this report, E-commerce can transform the manner of doing business these days. E-commerce becomes a key success to a company to make efficiency and effectively in their industry. AirAsia is one of the organizations, which is employing E-commerce and utilizing their IT usage to make the effectively and efficiency in their company, which will lower the cost of operation of the carrier. AirAsia has an extremely strong management staff with strong relations with airline

Marketing Red pull Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Marketing Red pull - Assignment Example The study has selected UK as target international destination for Red Bull in order to develop marketing plan. In order to develop three-year marketing plan for Red Bull, the study will focus on three key issues. Issue 1- analyze the macro and micro environmental dynamics pertinent to UK and conduct environmental appraisal for Red Bull. Issue 2- on the basis of environmental appraisal; identify two new target segments appropriate to Red Bull in the U.K. market. As part of new target market selection, customer profiling, age group, characteristics of target group and positioning of the brand ‘Red Bull’ will also be discussed. Issue 3- on the basis of new target market selection; develop differentiated marketing mix for each target market identified. In the report, marketing objectives and control mechanism for individual marketing mix projected for particular target group will also be discussed. Red Bull is regarded as most popular energy drink across different countries in the world (Farris, 2010). Although, the Red Bull products were developed by TC Pharmaceutical during early 1980’s but Dietrich Mateschitz rejuvenated the product and established the brand as ‘Red Bull Energy Drink’ in Austria during 1981 (Red Bull, 2014a). From the initial years, market position of Red Bull Energy Drink was strengthened through unique positioning, integrating research and development (R&D) activities with product innovation and customization of marketing activities (Farris, 2010). In the last 26 years, the company has established its distribution channel in more than 55 countries. As of 2012, Red Bull sells more than 5 billion cans annually (Red Bull, 2014b). During 1980s, Red Bull was sold as medicine containing caffeine that can boost energy level upon consumption but the company has successfully repositioned the brand through streamlining

Monday, August 12, 2019

Explaining governmental organizational structure Essay - 2

Explaining governmental organizational structure - Essay Example It has a local economic impact that annually support more than 1370 jobs in the town leading to Annual Earnings of about $78,025,500 and annual economic activities that are amounting to about $214,144,300. It’s a source of employment to the residents of Babylon in different fields like accountants, managers, and aircraft control staff. Since the airport is self-supporting, none of the towns earning from tax is spent in funding any of its operations. In addition the airport together with its residents also contributes over 600,000 dollars as tax to the town. The airport is also the home to the famous American Air power museum which invites air travel enthusiasts from all over the globe. The facility hence adds to the income of the town and the airport. It is also the home to Long Island Republic Airport Historical Society which keeps the important displays of the airport. Finally, the airport has led the town to attain national publicity. It hence hosts world class events like golf. This also earns the town much income. In a recap of all these economic developmental benefits that the airport generates to the town of Babylon, we can conclusively sum it up by saying that the republic airport is an economic pillar to the town of

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Outsourcing implications and impacts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Outsourcing implications and impacts - Essay Example With the passage of time, when the size of companies increases as compared to their resources then â€Å"outsourcing† becomes a final choice In this scenario, they outsource their business operations to some outside firm and put attention on their core business activities. However, throughout the outsourcing procedure, it is essential for the company to clearly explain its particular organisational requirements, select the exact suppliers, administer the change process efficiently, manage the outsourcing relationship with suppliers effectively, and simultaneously build up a continuing affiliation with the supplier (Cooke et al., 2005). This report discusses a detailed overview of the concept â€Å"outsourcing†. This basic aim of this research is to explore the implications of outsourcing and the longer-term impact of outsourcing for the strategic and operational roles of the logistics and supplies functions. Outsourcing: An overview After 1990 there emerged a fashion in business reformation towards a ‘focus on core processes’ and outsourcing of other activities in different corporate operations. In this scenario, corporations looking for to pay attention on their core business have a propensity for outsourcing non-core processes to other firms that are experts in these domains. Outsourcing is defined as the agreement with a different corporation or individual to perform a specific job. Approximately every business subcontracts in several ways. Usually, the task being subcontracted is recognized noncore to the corporate. For example, an insurance company might outsource its janitorial as well as background processes to businesses that focus on those kinds of work as they are not associated to insurance or else premeditated to the company. In this regard, the outside firms those are offering the subcontracting services are called 3rd party supplier, or as they are further normally acknowledged as service suppliers. At present, outsourci ng includes a lot of varieties. Additionally, the corporations so far engage service supplier to effectively manage different business functions, for instance remuneration administration. On the other hand, some businesses outsource the entire operations. In this scenario, the majority ordinary types of outsourcing include information technology outsourcing (ITO) and business process outsourcing (BPO). In simple words, outsourcing is a practice of contracting computer related operations, telecommunication networks, call center services or application development to external vendors (Sourcingmag, 2011; Flecker, 2009; Yakhlef, 2009; Laudon & Laudon, 1999, p.381). Implications In ever-increasing competitive business world, corporations put attention on core processes and subcontract non-core processes to other firms. At present, majority of businesses is accepting business process outsourcing (BPO), which refers to outsourcing of non-core business activities in addition to supporting i nformation technology. Moreover, at present for the companies can outsource virtually anything they could care for. There are lots of outsourcing examples such as graphic design work, marketing company products and services, by means of a mixture of virtual assistant services (Adam, 2009), (Maelah et al., 2010; Banerjee & Williams, 2009). A lot of organisations have outsourced their business processes to outside firms for instance, last year Hewitt Associates bought Exult and recently more than 420 USD were paid by the Electronic Data Systems in scenario of human resources outsourcing division of Towers Perrin. There is another example in which the services of Mellon Financial Corp.'s human resources consulting

Saturday, August 10, 2019

See word Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

See word - Assignment Example Sharing personal details and daily agenda on their social network can be hugely dangerous for them as cyber criminals can access them through hacking and exploit the same for their vested interests. Opening emails from unknown source and downloading information from non-trusted sites could seriously threaten the information security. Most importantly, as social network sites are most vulnerable to cyber-attacks, users must avoid using them through corporate setting as important corporate information could be leaked and go to unscrupulous hands. When personal computers are turned into ‘zombie computer’ through the malicious software like malware by cyber criminals who have hacked the personal accounts of individuals, the users do not require any actions as they are unaware of the fact. This is a critical issue as users’ not being aware that they are being tracked by cyber criminals, tend to work on computer and internet as normal, using passwords to log on to their individual/ corporate accounts on corporate site or sharing personal information on their social network. Consequently, unintentionally they disclose their confidential passwords to attackers and allow them access to their private and confidential information, including corporate