Barriers to identifying and Treating Older Adults with Substance abuse Problems

Substance abuse among older adults is a serious social problem. Detection of this problem, according to specialists, is hampered by barriers . This is all the more serious considering the fact that substance abuse is a serious problem among older adults but is seldom addressed because of the barriers. The need to identify and break down the barriers is important because it is important to identify and cure substance abuse patients from older adult age group bracket.This is to consider the implications of such condition to older adults – impairment of senses and mental capabilities; the health danger of mixing alcohol and other substance with medication older adults take; the threat of malnutrition considering the inability of the body to take in food; and lastly, the consideration on overall physiological effects of substance to the aging body which deteriorates because of old age and the everyday wear and tear. This is an important consideration why it is important to identif y the barriers that hinder or hamper the identification and cure of older adults suffering from substance abuse.II. Discussion Many research endeavors and researchers have already ascertained the fact that substance abuse is a problem among older adults who are addicted to different substances like alcohol as well as prescription drugs and illegal drugs. Studies are already available regarding the number of older adults in the society who are suffering from this problem . The complex way of life and how way of life differs from one place to another depending on and based from customs, tradition, cultural characteristics, etc. , has strongly affected many important aspects of life.Many professionals believe that this consideration plays an important role in the condition of the society being unable to identify older adults with substance abuse because of perceived barriers. It is important to know what these barriers are, discuss and analyze them to be able to understand these barrie rs and if possible provide solutions so that these barriers are removed and the health of the people with substance abuse problems be allowed to improve through intervention. What exactly are these barriers that hinder the identification and treatment of older adults with substance abuse problems?A. Psychological barriers Psychological barriers are present in this condition. Older adults tend to have psychological issues leading to their cases of substance abuse, as well as psychological issues when it comes to coming out and seeking help for their problem. Often, they have preconceived notions about how the society will treat them if they openly discuss their problems with substance abuse especially considering the stigma that substance abuse and the society places on the individual. Because of that, they are not overly enthused in seeking help.â€Å"Compared to younger adults, older adults are less likely to seek out and use mental health or substance abuse services . † For example, they might have the tendency to feel that professionals may look at their case as hopeless and useless to cure since they are already old and have only few years to live that intervention would have little effect. Others think that admitting substance abuse at this stage is something that is shameful. There are many other preconceived notions that deter individuals to come forward.More importantly, it is hard for those suffering from substance abuse to admit that they are addicted and for them to accept cure. This is a significant barrier. This is deterrent enough for these people to hide in the shadows. When they do, professionals, who try to seek them out, finds it more and more difficult to do so. Because of this, psychological consideration becomes a significant barrier in identifying and treating older adults with substance abuse problems. This psychological and social condition results to two things which strongly affect the efforts to identify and treat older adults with substance abuse problems.First is the lack of cooperative instincts or tendencies on the part of the individual or his or her close family and friends because of the feared repercussions. Second is the absence of the voluntary action to come forward and instead undertake efforts to further shield this addiction from being detected by professionals. Analysts are already conscious of this problem and barrier and are already suggesting ways to counter this, like the identification of ideal and useful approaches to this. Barriers are identified and later on removed and resolved to help the older adults.â€Å"In addressing alcohol problems or prescription medication misuse in later life, the use of nonjudgmental, motivational approaches can be a key to successfully engaging these patients in-care . † B. Target population Another barrier is the focus on target population. Often, adults, especially older adults, are perceived as individuals who are already capable, in control and are not as prone to substance abuse compared to younger adults who are in the early or middle part of their career, or even underage individuals who are more vulnerable to the temptations of substance abuse.This creates a misguided focus. Professionals and the society often look at a particular demographic alone and often ignores the older adult group in this kind of problem. This focus on traditional target demographics limits. Even blinds, professionals from exploring older adult groups, and the medical community should reevaluate paradigms, break traditional notions and stereotypes and consider the fact that every age group that is capable of accessing and ingesting substance that could lead to abuse can be an ideal target for substance abuse patients.In many research studies as well as in popular culture and mass media, often, the individuals portrayed as suffering from substance abuse are young to middle age adults. Efforts to study and identify substance abuse are often fo cused on selected groups and often not including older adults. C. Screening and social indicators Social indicators also mislead professionals into believing older adults are sober and are not explored for cases of substance abuse. According to professionals, social indicators like substance abuse symptoms seen at work, in the neighborhood, on the road, etc are often not common with older adults.This means older adults aren't the target of complaints for poor performance at work because of substance use and abuse; families and friends seldom complain about older adults in the household suffering from substance abuse, etc. â€Å"Older adult drinkers tend to have fewer social indicators of abuse . † Of course, this is not to mention that there are fewer indicators among this group of people considering how they are grossly outnumbered by the youth and the young adult and how figures involving older adults are overlooked.Those from younger age groups are bigger and appear more s erious, more chronic and more important, which is an incorrect perspective. What also hinders professionals from identifying and treating older adults with substance abuse is the screening process. Professionals believe that the social condition often makes older adults as individuals who are not commonly screened for any physiological or psychological signs of addiction. â€Å"It is second barrier that elders are not routinely screened for alcohol abuse by medical and mental health providers .† There are many reasons as to why this is the case. For example, it is convenient to explore the possibility that screening is often focused on younger individuals who are more vulnerable to substance abuse than older adults, creating a practice wherein older adults are often not subjected to screening. III. Conclusion Substance abuse is a serious problem. This is a kind of problem that is not limited only to young individuals but to adults and the older adults as well, including the e lderly.Evidently, there remains many significant barriers that make it difficult for professionals to identify cases of substance abuse among older adults and enforce medical as well as psychological intervention on the matter. These barriers are not easily broken down. It needs to be identified first and it is often deeply entrenched and deeply buried in the socio cultural practice and way of life of the people. Such barrier becomes formidable and hinders the entry of substance abuse recovery and rehabilitation assistance from professionals.In the end, what is important is not the mere identification of the presence of a barrier or certain barriers. More importantly, it is important to know how these barriers can be broken so that older adults with substance abuse problems are identified and provided with medical attention, care and intervention they needed to get over this kind of mental and physical health problem. On a positive light, it is indeed good to know that somehow, prof essionals are showing new ways and methods to identify substance abuse among older adults , which is significant in fighting off the barriers and allowing identification and intervention to take place.To identify the barriers and more importantly to address them by acting upon it to remove such barriers, it is important that change takes place: change in the perspective and outlook of the medical professionals; change in the perspective and outlook of health care individuals and entities; and most importantly, change in perspective and outlook of the people and the society in general so that identification is easier and the intervention administered faster and more efficiently. References Doweiko, H. E. (2006). Concepts of chemical dependency.California: Cengage. Edelman, C. L. and Mandle, C. L. (2005). Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span. Pennsylvania: Elsevier Health Sciences. Hales, R. E. and Yudofsky, S. C. (2004). Essentials of clinical psychiatry. Virginia: American Psyc hiatric Publication. Maddux, J. E. and Winstead, B. A. (2007). Psychopathology: Foundations for a Contemporary Understanding. New Jersey: CRC Press. Ries, R. K. , Miller, S. , Fiellin, D. A. and Saitz, R. (2009). Principles of Addiction Medicine. Pennsylvania: Wolters Kluwer Health.

Research Paper the Maltese Falcon: Existentialism Essay

Dashiell Hammett, father of the American hard-boiled genre, is widely known for producing a suffocating world of realism in his works (â€Å"Hard-boiled fiction†). According to Paul Abraham’s â€Å"On re-reading The Maltese Falcon,† the realistic atmosphere of Hammett’s third novel is reactionary to the post-war turmoil in which the work was born (97). This provides the ideal foundation for subtle philosophical concepts of existentialism such as, quests for truth, self identification, and the significance of existence to build throughout the novel. Richard Layman, in his critical review of Hammett’s novel (also titled The Maltese Falcon), proposes that the philosophies of Hammett’s generation can be found within the text of his novel (71). Hammett conveys an existential theme in his work The Maltese Falcon through his use of themes of inquiry and self absorbed characters as well as his Flitcraft parable. Existentialism, in a simple form, is a philosophy concerning existence and its significance. Layman asserts that â€Å"[existentialism] had its roots in the mid-nineteenth century and flourished in the United States from the 1930s until the 1960s† (71). According to the web-article â€Å"World War I† from the New World Encyclopedia, subsequent to the Great War, â€Å"the optimism for world peace of the 1900s was entirely gone. † Therefore, without the blinders of social optimism, American society could question ideas such as, the occurrence of mass destruction in a â€Å"just† world and the significance of existence in such a world. Hammett’s firsthand experience with the existential crisis—caused by what the historical context from the website â€Å"The Maltese Falcon† presents as global wars, the Great Depression, and other struggles of the 1930s—leads Hammett to employ different techniques throughout his work, providing subtle allusions to existentialism. One method through which Hammett conveys existentialistic thought is through his themes of inquiry in The Maltese Falcon. The plot is centered on the continuous quest for an idolized icon—the Maltese falcon, a precious bejeweled bird. Hammett incorporates an ecclesiastical theme through this pursuit of an icon. The quest for their icon ultimately leads to the demise of the characters involved in its search. It steals the identity and climatically the life of the mob-boss Gutman. Brigid, the femme fatale, also loses in this pursuit, for she is left to the mercy of the law in the final pages. Whether death or imprisonment plagues the characters involved, the quest for an icon consumes their lives. Hammett illuminates the detrimental consequences of such quests through the aforementioned loss of identity, life, and freedom. This message is countered by the existentialistic denouncement of all icons. Existentialism provides a simple solution for such futile quests: lives are not wasted in the search of an icon. In pursuit of a precious icon, all characters lose themselves—a root of the existentialist crisis: loss of self, questioning of existence (â€Å"Existentialism†). Another theme of inquiry in Hammett’s novel deals with the constant search for the truth. Spade, the protagonist, is tormented by the ambiguity of truth throughout the novel. Spade is forced to discern lies from the truth within the first pages of the novel, where he meets Brigid, or rather â€Å"Miss Wonderly† as she is dubbed upon primary introduction. Brigid, notorious for her deceitful ways, confesses to Spade, once an invested relationship is established between the two: â€Å"I am a liar. I have always been a liar† (353). Layman observes that â€Å"the challenge for Spade in the book is to make up the rules as he goes along; to decide for himself, without outside guidance, what he believes and what he believes in† (71). These decisions shape Spade’s actions and help to define his character. Spade, concerning himself â€Å"with the quest for relevance and authenticity,† as David Pickus writes in his expose on existentialism, is not the only character involved in the search for truth (17). Brigid, Gutman, Cairo, and Wilmer are forced to come to terms with the quest for truth and authenticity when it is discovered their falcon is a mere fabrication of the true Maltese falcon. After shaving the black enamel from the base of the falcon Gutman exclaims â€Å"it’s a fake. † Gutman reacts with his â€Å"breath [hissing] between his teeth† and â€Å"his face [becoming] turgid with hot blood† (430). This is representative of the anger Gutman possesses upon the realization of this on-going search for authenticity. Another method in which Hammett unveils existentialistic undertones is through his self-absorbed characters. Layman writes about Spade: â€Å"He is defining who he is. That is the simplest statement of the philosophy of existentialism†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (71). Spade relies solely on himself and often stretches the hands of the law. He undermines the police in order to prevent interference within his investigations, denouncing their authority. For example, when Dundy, a police officer tells Spade, â€Å"You’ve gotten away with this and you’ve gotten away with that, but you can’t keep it up forever. † Spade nonchalantly replies: â€Å"Stop me when you can† (341). The article from the Philosophy website, titled â€Å"Existentialism† states that â€Å"an existentialist believes that a person should be forced to choose and be responsible without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions. † Spade epitomizes this idea with his actions throughout the novel. Brigid is another character who does not function within the realm of laws and rules; however, she is a less responsible character than Spade. Brigid’s efforts are invested into self-preservation. She continuously fights to stay one step ahead of everyone through creating a web of lies, which ultimately becomes a defining element of her character. Her deceitfulness and obsession with obtaining her desires without concern for consequence or reputation demonstrates her loss of self in pursuit of something worthless; she becomes nothing more than a wanton woman with no true identity. In addition to his characterization, Hammett also utilizes the Flitcraft parable as a means of conveying existentialistic thought. Martin Harris writes: â€Å"The Flitcraft parable has been examined closely by those who see the story providing an important key to Hammett’s feelings about the meaning (or lack thereof) of human existence† (241). The Flitcraft parable tells the story of a man who completely changed his life in consequence of one random event. Flitcraft, a satisfied family man, encountered a near death experience via a construction beam plummeting into his path. This event made him contemplate the randomness of life—there are no certainties. Spade tells Brigid: â€Å"[Flitcraft] felt like somebody had taken the lid off life and let him look at the works† (335). Flitcraft understood the uncertainty of life after this experience. With this epiphany Flitcraft began a new life; he took the randomness of life and incorporated it into his existence. Aware of mortality and the significance of one’s identity, Flitcraft exposed himself to an alternate life. While Flitcraft ultimately ended up settling back into his prior lifestyle, the afterglow of his near death experience permitted him to revel in existentialism, for according to the web-article â€Å"Existentialism† the search of self-being is a fundamental element of the existential philosophy. Whether it is through various themes, characters, or a well placed anecdote, the undertones of existentialism exist within the pages of Hammett’s novel. Hammett effectively incorporated themes from his era into his literature. In a time where the â€Å"spirit of optimism in society was destroyed,† Hammett acknowledged realism within the text of his art (â€Å"Existentialism†). While existentialism no longer has an intoxicating hold on modern society, it lives in the pages of influential authors. The Maltese Falcon’s subtle cues to such great philosophical ideas assist in the significance that Hammett’s works hold to this day. Works Cited Abrahams, Paul P. â€Å"On re-reading The Maltese Falcon. † Journal of American Culture 18. 1 (1995): 97-107. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 15 July 2010. Dooley, Dennis. Dashiell Hammett. New York: F. Ungar Pub. , 1984. Print. â€Å"Existentialism. † Philosophy. AllAboutPhilosophy. org, 2010. Web. 01 Aug. 2010. . Hammett, Dashiell. The Novels of Dashiell Hammett. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1965. Print. â€Å"Hard-boiled Fiction. † Encyclop? dia Britannica, 2010. Web. 30 July 2010. . Harris, Martin. â€Å"Hammett’s Flitcraft Parable, The Stepfather, and the Significance of Falling Beams. † Literature Film Quarterly 34. 3 (2006): 240-248. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 15 July 2010. Layman, Richard. The Maltese Falcon. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Print. â€Å"The Maltese Falcon. † The Big Read. National Endowment for the Arts, 2010. Web. 16 July 2010. . Metress, Christopher, ed. The Critical Response to Dashiell Hammett. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1994. Print. Pickus, David. â€Å"Paperback Authenticity: Walter Kaufmann and Existentialism. † Philosophy and Literature 34. 1 (2010): 17-31. Philosopher’s Index. EBSCO. Web. 31 July 2010. â€Å"World War I. † New World Encyclopedia. 09 May 2008. Web. 06 Aug. 2010.

Rodney King Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rodney King Case - Essay Example The driver of the speeding vehicle was Rodney Glenn King. He and two fellow passengers were intoxicated at that time. When the car chase ended, the other two did not resist arrest but Rodney King did. According to the police officers present at the scene, he acted aggressively, seemingly threatening the officers. So, they beat him. In fact, within a few minutes 4 officers had badly kicked Rodney King, shocked him, and used a taser gun and batons. Rodney King sustained eleven skull fractures and major kidney damage (VanHise, n.d.). Had it not been for George Holliday no one would have known of this in-humane behavior. George lived in a nearby flat and happened to have a camera with which he recorded the entire incident. He later gave the tape to a local news channel and by the next day, March 4th 1991, the video was playing on news channels everywhere (BBC, 2002). LAPD maintained that officers acted in self-defense. But the now infamous George Holliday video showed a merciless beating of a man who apparently possessed no weapons of any kind and was under the influence of alcohol and looked to be harmless. The video tape got humongous publicity, and due to the public outrage brought on by it, prosecutors filed charges against some of the police officers involved that night (BBC, 2002). ... Everyone reacted with disbelief but for many, the very first emotion they felt was anger. Jury’s decision was the last spark needed to ignite riots from thousands of people from suppressed communities of Los Angeles (CNN Wire Staff. 2011). Three days of rioting ensued causing a loss of nearly $1 billion in L.A. alone. The riots then extended to other U.S. cities as well leading to 12000 arrests, 2000 reported injuries and 55 deaths. The extensive riots led to a federal civil rights trial of the four accused officers (Delk, 1995). This time around justice was served. The grand jury returned indictments against the officers on the 4th of August. The indictments were for three of the police officers for knowingly and deliberately harming an unarmed individual. Koon was accused because he allowed this illegal act to proceed and did not make an attempt to prevent it from happening. A compensation of 3.8 million dollars was given to Rodney as well (Linder, 2011). That beating on Mar ch 3, 1991 was not King’s last run-in with the law. In the years following the trial he was arrested many times. He has been arrested on charges of domestic abuse, DUI, robbing a convenience store and beating the clerk. Most of his problems stem from his addiction to alcohol. King’s parole officer Tim Fowler, describes him as a guy who can intelligently function in society. His problem, according to Tim, is alcoholism. King started drinking at an early age. Born is Sacramento in 1965, King was an exceptional athlete at his school and was attached to his father who passed away sooner than King would have liked. King helped his father in cleaning commercial buildings taking the late night shift of 5 pm to 2 am. This really disturbed his

Media Impact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Media Impact - Essay Example The sophisticated video games of present day require players to pay constant attention to the game and actively live the characters/roles they are playing in the game, rather than passively watching a movie. This whole experience has both positive and negative repercussions on the players. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of these media on children. Since children are directly exposed to video games right from the age of childhood to adolescence and then teenage and in some cases even when they are old enough; video games nowadays are one of the strongest factors that impact on social behavior of the youth of tomorrow. Television has been a ground breaking invention for broadcast pictorial display of programmes and entertainment for the whole mankind. However, over the decades of development and progression, T.V. has been transforming into a guiding hand for the society; one that sets the trends and tells the latest fashion, that tells you how to behave with elders, peers, young ones and fellows, which dictate your overall behaviour (Slater). Examples of Negative Impact: â€Å"CSI† a famous TV serial has a huge viewership since it began airing and has been actually guiding juries in actual life to not to make decisions without inappropriate evidence (Tyler). However, a great disadvantage is also significantly impacting many parties to different cases. In article published by Arizona State University, Jeffery Heinrick states that jurors nowadays have, at an increasing rate, started demanding unnecessary forensic tests and reports which are in most cases useless and a waste of precious money that could have been utilized productively otherwise. This has led commercialization of this profession. In 1999 University of West Virginia had 9 graduate of forensic science, in year 2004, 400 graduated with a forensic degree. Richard Gallagher, who is director at the NYU Child Study Center's Parenting Institute, has stated that players who become occupied in first-person shooting video games, for example, many a times become aggressive and usually conside r their society with a hostile view. Research & Statistical Evidence In an article from Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, â€Å"The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence†, the authors state that (Anderson): â€Å"Research shows that violent video game exposure increases aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal, aggressive behaviors, and decreases helpful behaviors.† The researchers conducted an experiment and concluded that those violent game players were less stimulated physiologically by real life violence as compared to their non-violent counterparts. This led them to conclude that individuals who play violent video games accustom to all the violence and ultimately become physiologically insensitive to it. Conclusion Thus, after reviewing so many research papers and articles, it can be said that the modern entertainment media landscape should be no doubt used to illustrate as an effective and systematic violence desensitization tool. Works Cited 1. Anderson, Craig A. "An update

How successful has the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Essay

How successful has the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia been in running the Australian economy over the l - Essay Example Trade policy in Australia supports open trade as well introduction of Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations which promoted economic growth for 17 consecutive years just before the global financial crisis. This writing analyses the degree of success that the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia been in running the Australian economy over the last two years. Australia’s economy is believed to have performed successfully in the recent years due to policies and strategies that the government and the Reserve Bank of Australia have made. Although there have been challenges and some sort of inconsistency in the economic growth for the last two years, the government has done tremendous things to boost the economy. According to Greber (2013, n.p), the Australian government has attempted to curb debt but the budgetary position has not fared on very well in the last few years leading to higher deficits and high level of unemployment. Additionally, there has bee n a reduction of revenue accompanied with increase in expenditure, which has greatly strained Australia’s budget for the last two years. However, the budget deficit was lower than the Europe’s making Australia to be in a somehow better situation compared to the region. Australia’s credit rating is currently AAA but the credit rating agencies have received strong criticism since the 2008 financial crisis. The agencies could not detect the jumble financial products that led to eventual fall of various financial institutions thus raising lots of questions regarding reliability of credit ratings. It is therefore apparent that dynamics of microeconomic indicators be used in determining the strength of Australian economy. On the other hand, Australia is one of the largest capitalist economies in the world and in 2011; it was position 13 in terms of national economy. The economy is dominated by service sector which makes up a bigger percentage of the GDP although econo mic growth mostly depends on the mining sector. According to Australian Government (2013), the government has somehow enhanced economic freedom thus making her economy the most free in 2013 index. The free economy has been consistent for the last two years especially freedom from corruption and business freedom. The government’s commitment to economic freedom as well as openness to investment and global trade has made Australia to rebound so quick from the global recession. This is actually plausible because most countries have not been able to recover from the crisis. Unfortunately, the government has not done much in terms of labor and poor management of expenditure. According to Thirlwell (2013, n.p), government and the Reserve Bank of Australia have ensured stabilized fiscal and monetary policies thus allowing banks to withstand the global financial crisis. In addition, public finances have somehow been managed well thus reducing the national debt compared to other econom ies. The government has created a stable and transparent climate for doing business making it one of the most steadfast and appealing place for entrepreneurs. There is also an independent judicial system, which has ensured protection of property rights and further allows easier and reliable enforcement of contracts. There is a tradition of clean and fair government that has smoothly worked for the last two years thus reducing bribery of public officials. Moreover, Australian government has boosted and attracted investors

Testicular self-examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Testicular self-examination - Essay Example icular self-examination to men within that age bracket is important because it has been proven that men rarely seek medical advice unless they have serious symptoms and this contributes to the high morbidity and mortality of men due to cancer, as compared to women (American Nurses Association, 2010). Interventions are, therefore, necessary to reduce the current trend of mortality associated with testicular cancer in males. They should however be aimed at behavior change as opposed to information insemination since previous interventions have shown that although men may be educated on how to perform the testicular self-examination, just a few of them actually do it. Availing information on testicular cancer and testicular self-examination can have a positive effect on health promoting behaviors in men. This can be done through education using posters and other media such as videos and pamphlets put in strategic places such as in changing rooms and washrooms. Demonstrations using models peer-training and during health check-ups by a physician are other ways in which this information can be availed to the men. In conclusion, it is important that men check their testicles regularly since this can help detect testicular cancer in its early stages and increase chances of recovery (Benjamins, 2010). Testicular self-examination can help to reduce the incidence of testicular

Press Release assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Press Release assignment - Research Paper Example The next step would be to ensure that the information contained in the press release is true, accurate and has been certified by the company in question. The next step would be to ensure that the news headlines should be catchy to the audience. They want something that they can relate to and that can get their attention. The body copy should be written and it should be written as it should appear in the news story. There should also be clear communication that states out the six major things that would make the reader know everything they need. These five major things would include; what, when, who, where, why and also how (Gorton, 2007). It should be applicable to the audience and clean. Such an announcement of such information should be enhanced across the social society through the use of social networking sites and also other sites that may have a huge fan base. The press release needs to be able to spread the news across another spectrum and this will ensure that the message is passed onto the intended target. In an effort to ensure that it keeps its customer base and attracts more customers, J.C. Penney has offered discounts to those who bring in reusable bags. Some may call this a hoax, but the reality of the matter is that reusable bags brought in will earn the individual a discount. Call it earning money the simple

Short review and critique on a specific Article

Short review and critique on a specific - Article Example This paper is a critique of the article Dating and Relationships, on the relevance of this research, it identifies the hypothesis and measures the success of the methods used in testing the main hypothesis. Purpose of the Study The study presented in the article has three main goals. One is to identify how each of the five conflict management styles influences satisfaction in both the GCDRs and LDDRs. The second aim is to establish how each of the conflict management styles influences communications satisfaction in both types of dating relationship. The last aim is to compare the effect of the conflict management style on GCDRs and LDDRs to establish whether there is any significant difference. The author says it is important to study LDDR because of their increase in prevalence. He says that it has been reported that around 75% of college student were involved in LDDRs. It is thus important to study them in comparison with the GCDR to understand the increasing number of such long di stance dating relationships. I think it is important in understanding what makes relationships last. This is because relationships can be complicated as people have a diverse way of dealing with them (Anon). It could be possible that being in geographically different areas create an aspect in the relationship that makes it last long. Main Hypothesis The study is based on several hypotheses. The most important hypothesis in this study is that there are notable differences on how conflict management approaches affect relational and communication satisfaction in both LDDRs and GCDRs. The variables in this hypothesis are the conflict management styles and the type of relationship. This hypothesis is directional since the conflict management style is expected to give satisfactory outcomes or cause dissatisfaction ones (Anon). Design and Measurement Because of the conflict arising from the definition of LDDRs, the definition was based on how the subjects defined their relationships. The s ample consisted of college student taking communications class in Midwestern University. It was made up of equal numbers of student form each kind of dating relationships who would answer the exact same questions. The volunteer had met the requirement of being in a heterosexual relationship for more than three months. The response to the queries was through emailing a link to each participant who would have one week to submit the responses. In measuring the conflict management styles, the Rahma Organization Conflict Inventory II (ROCI II) would be used. This is used to measure the avoiding, compromising, accommodating, collaborating and competing conflict management style. The scale ranges for strongly agree to strongly disagree with the highest score showing nonalignment with that conflict management style. Dependant Relationship Satisfaction Scale (RAS) was used to gauge relational satisfaction. In measuring communication satisfaction, the Interpersonal Communication Satisfaction Inventory (ISCI) was used (Anon). This measures the kind of satisfaction depending on the level that individual communication expectations are met in a relationship. The analysis would be carried out by developing four dissimilar multiple regression analysis that measures the different hypothesis. Critique The methods of data collection and measurement of the variables do match with the hypothesis. This is because the study utilized good measurement tools to measure the three

Journal Article Review Assignments Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Journal Review Assignments - Article Example One of the principal objectives of institutions of higher learning such as colleges and universities is to impart skills that enable its clients [the student] of whatever level to think critically while analysing problems in order to find implementable solutions that best fit the dynamic nature of the changing and challenging dimensions in the 21st century. As the title suggests, this article critiques the Teaching Practices used by instructors to achieve that very end. The authors’ argue that instructors teaching critical thinking at these same institutions do not explicitly understand the very nature of critical thinking, and as such lack the expertise to effectively transfer such knowledge [critical thinking skills] into their students’ immediate and later endeavors (Shim & Walczak, 2012, p. 16). The study, as the two co-authors explain, investigates the effects of different teaching practices used by instructors in different institutions of higher learning to sharpen the critical thinking ability of students. Shim and Walczak cite evidence from varied authors with prior interest in the same, effectively unearthing massive disagreements from how to define the concept at hand to its components. Accordingly, instructors apply varied instructional practices with no clear-cut boundaries on their suitability on course related tasks, the level of study, disciplines and/or institutions. To be sure, a standardized measure informing appropriate roadmap on the same is non-existent. Buoyed by the evidence gathered, the two dug deep into the transfer of critical thinking skills through a survey investigating the benefits derived from varied instructional methods commonly used by instructors. Like their predecessors, their findings seem to validate organized presentations, interpretation of abstract concepts, posing challenging questions and certain types of class assignment in bolstering critical thinking. The study, however, went against past studies disapproving class presentations and group projects towards the same course (Shim & Walczak, 2012, p. 24); a clear lead as to where the lack of problem solving skills needed in the workplace emanates from. Reference Shim, W., & Walczak, K. (2012). The Impact of faculty teaching practices on the development of students’ critical thinking skills. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(1), 16-30. 2. Arkoudis, S., & Tran, L. (2010). Writing blah, blah, blah: Lecturers’ approaches and challenges in supporting international students. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education , 22(2), 169 - 178. While the institutions of higher learning that do admit international students into their programs reap significantly in terms of revenue and sociocultural value exchanges, which includes but not limited to enhanced institutional reputation, the sustainability of such institutions with regards to the diverse needs of the students, particularly concerning an even out academic environment, remains much in doubt. Arkoudis and Tran (2010) point out that despite English language being a mandatory entry requirement for the international students in certain universities, such as those in Australia, the Language and Academic Support (LAS) programs established to assist such students in horning their English language skills are more often inaccessible, leaving a non-consultative flow of endeavors from both lecturers and their students; individual efforts that rarely converge towards the desired objective from ends. In this particular study, the authors, thus, set out to investigate the strategies used by lecturers with the view of offering

To write a production paper of my 5 minutes film “The Hole” Essay Example for Free

To write a production paper of my 5 minutes film â€Å"The Hole† Essay Observation and real experiences of sex, desire and the various aspects related to sexuality inspired our group to produce a film, which narrated and discussed regarding this topic. While browsing through the early literatures, our team came across the events related to the Peloponnesian war, which was fought during the 5th century B.C. One member in our team suggested that Aristophanes has presented this event in the work, Lysistrata. This work properly presents the sex and concepts of sexuality. The women of the region decided that they should declare and enact ‘sex strike’. It was thought that this was the only way to stop this war. Our reading of this event inspired us to produce a film on the subject of power of sex, desire and sexuality. We began to think that there is a need to produce a film, which accurately depicted the informations concerning the sex and sexuality in the pre modern and modern context in a realistic and artistic way. For this film, we decided not only to define and interpret sex and desire but also to go beyond the simple definitions of the sex. Here, each and every individual becomes the subject and object of desire. Here, ‘the hole’ becomes the realistic and artistic representation of   sexuality. We planned that ‘the hole’ should become the centre of the main scene of the film wherein a male character drills a hole to see the female characters to satisfy his sexual desire and the female characters also respond and they try to satisfy their sexual desire by making use of the same hole drilled by that character. It was decided to use the medium of TV to represent the objects and subjects of desire. Even the TV character shows interest in the person who was watching TV and there is interaction between the TV artist and the TV viewer. Through these methods, our group intended to present the aspects that related to sexuality. And this was to be done without the use of dialogue. In this film, our main attempt was to show that each individual is an object of desire of another individual. The hole also symbolically represents the theme of sexuality. Our main method of achieving these aims was to present the characters with the help of special lighting, camera and sound effects. Before actual shooting began, we experimented with various kinds of cameras and selected the relevant cameras required for this film. Production Process The production of the film, â€Å"The Hole†, comprised pre-production process, production process and post-production process. Our team in the pre production meetings, contemplated regarding the method of presentation of these aspects. There was a suggestion that we should concentrate only on the ancient classical drama, which clearly depicted the theme of sexuality. Another argument by one team member was that we should connect between ancient and modern themes regarding sexuality and hence, we thought that the scenes on TV would consist of the events related to representation of sexuality in the ancient world. Connection could be maintained between the ancient and the modern characters through the medium of TV characters that begin to interact with the modern characters of the film. Thus, we could not completely concentrate on the ancient representations of sexuality. Suggestions were given by the group members regarding the method of translating the theme of sexuality in ancient and modern world to a film of only five minutes. One member suggested that we should not utilise many cameras, as it is expensive to use many cameras for this film. However, other group members did not agree with this idea and they suggested that there is need to use many cameras. It was thought that the film should have a dialogue. However, for a five minutes film, it was not possible to have dialogues. Hence it was decided not to include dialogues. Instead, characters would demonstrate their expressions through their activities such as drilling the hole, dancing, and, the acts related to sexuality. All the members of the team offered suggestions in the meetings.  Ã‚   In the pre-production process, the team had a discussion regarding the use of the script and the different kinds of cameras with variety of technical specifications for the production of this film. The various possible difficulties of shooting of this film were discussed. One potential problem was that there was the need for many cameras to show the characters in different rooms and their movements.   Hence, we decided to use three cameras to show the characters from different angles. One camera with zoom was required to show the activity of the individuals who would peep through the hole. Cameras were required in the two rooms, to show the peepholes, to show the TV and activities on the corridor. In addition to this, there was need for special lighting and sound effects as light and sound were important components of the film. Postproduction process was the most difficult one for our group because there was need for editing of the film. It was very problematic to select the particular part of the film for deletion. After discussion and deliberation, our group selected the relevant scenes, which remained part of the film, and some other aspects were deleted. In the post production process, sound effects were given at the relevant contexts. We used the latest technology in giving these sound effects to demonstrate the various expressions of the characters of the film. Evaluation Our attempt was not simply to directly narrate the events but to give the symbolic interpretation of the actions and behaviour of individuals. We were mostly successful in achieving the aims and objectives while producing this film. The greatest challenge which we faced while producing this film was the fact that the various events, issues such as drilling of the hole, peeping through the hole and seeing the female characters, behaviour of female characters, expression of sexuality, embarrassment of the male characters, all these had to be presented within five minutes which was a great disadvantage. To achieve this goal, the production team planned the schedule of pre-production, production and post-production. The group meetings in the pre production process were the most useful in this production process because everything related to the film was planned in these group meetings. There was great scope for the use of sophisticated technology since there was the need to shoot the scene, which is presented, through the hole. Interaction between TV character and TV viewer implied that there was scope for editing during the post production process.   We learnt that without dialogues also it is possible to produce a film. We also learnt that through light and sound effects and actions, the characters can express their various emotions. In the future ventures also we decided the follow the similar techniques of production.   There were problems with co-ordinating the different sections of the film production such as shooting and editing the film. To avoid these problems, extra time was given while planning during the pre production meetings. This aspect was very useful in achieving all the aims of the film. Successful attempt was made to symbolically present the theme and narration of the events related to the film.   The most unique aspect of the film was the use of zoom cameras to present the vision seen through the hole. This was a groundbreaking achievement of our production team. This technique helped in properly achieving our aims of producing this film. This innovation was necessary, as ‘the hole’ becomes the central part of the film.

How To Overcome Cross Cultural Communication Barriers English Language Essay

How To Overcome Cross Cultural Communication Barriers English Language Essay Which aspects of the local culture would you wish to observe and understand in order to avoid problems of cross-cultural communication? Culture means the customary beliefs, social norms, values, material traits, and behavior patterns transmitted from generation to generation that distinguish groups of people. Cultural background affects how individuals communicate and how they interpret messages received from others. Corporate Culture: Five generally recognized core cultural dimensions are ethnicity, race, gender, age physical disability. In addition to these core cultural dimensions for individuals, organizations such as corporations have behavioral expectations, values, and patterns of operation that are referred to as organizational or corporate culture. Large corporations such as Microsoft seek personnel diversity that represents the multicultural environment in which the organization operates. The Standards of Conduct for Microsoft states the belief that retaining and fully engaging diverse talents leads to enhanced innovation in products and services. Cross-Cultural Communication The ability to successfully foster, improve form relationships with the members of different cultures is known as cross-cultural communication.. It is based on other cultures manners, values, decision-making practices, social structure perceptions, and the way of communication of group members in person, verbal or non verbal, or in writing. 1. For understanding to take place, both people must have some form of knowledge or awareness regarding the norms or customs that exist in each others culture. 2. It is essential that people understand the potential problems of cross-cultural communication, and make a conscious effort to overcome these problems and important to assume that ones efforts will not always be successful, and adjust ones behavior appropriately. 3. For example, one should always assume that there is a significant possibility that cultural differences are causing communication problems, and be willing to be patient and forgiving, rather than hostile and aggressive, if problems develop. One should respond slowly and carefully in cross-cultural exchanges, not jumping to the conclusion that you know what is being thought and said. 4. If words are used differently between languages or cultural groups, however, even active listening can overlook misunderstandings. Active listening can sometimes be used to check this out-by repeating what one thinks he or she heard, one can confirm that one understands the communication accurately. 5. Intermediaries are helpful in translating both the substance and the manner of what is said. The impact different cultures have on peoples behavior, emotions and thought processes are the focus of cross-cultural psychology. The norms and values within a culture go a long way toward shaping a persons psychological make-up and how she interacts with her environment. 6. Cross-cultural research examines how different cultures compare in terms of human behavior. The purpose of this research is to address the growing conflicts and global concerns that arise as a result of cultural differences. Impact of Cross-Cultural Differences on Employees behavior: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Individual behavior in organizational setting varies across cultures. The behavior patterns are likely to be widespread and pervasive within an organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Culture itself is an important variable for this variation. There are also other factors like differing standards of living and varied geographical conditions which cause variations in behavior. However, culture is a significant factor. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Although behavior within organizational setting remains quite diverse across cultures, organizations themselves appear to be increasingly similar. Hence, managerial practices at a general level may be alike, but the people who work with in organizations differ markedly. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The same manager behaves differently in different cultural settings. A manager may adopt one set of behaviors when working in one culture, but may change those behaviors when moved into a different culture. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cultural diversity can be an important source of energy in enhancing organizational effectiveness. More and more organizations are realizing the virtues of cultural diversity, but surprisingly, little do they know how to manage it. Issues in Cross-Cultural Communication: 1. Language: When people do business, they need to be speaking the same language. Even if two folks are not naturals of a certain language, there must exist a certain consistency in the verbiage in order to avoid some potentially catastrophic circumstances. 2. Workplace: More and more managers are seeing problems within their own workplace because of a lack of understanding of other cultures. It simply involves two people of a different ethnic background who do not understand the other culture well enough to effectively communicate with each other. 3. Lack of communication: This most often occurs when managers and upper level management do not feel the need to communicate with their workers because they do not know how. 4. Use of jargons: workers do not mean to harm anyone when they choose hurtful words, but the damage can often times be irreparable. In this case, it is always better to be safe than to be sorry. Barriers of Communication: A number of communication barriers exist when we are interacting with people from different cultures. These are: (a) Discrimination Harassment: 1. Discrimination is showing favoritism toward or prejudicial rejection of people because of differences. 2. Business communication between the sexes calls for a clear understanding of remarks and actions that could be construed as sexual harassment. 3. Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature or with sexual overtones. It may occur for men as well as women. 4. A victim of continued offensive behavior should report the harassment to the proper person in the organization. b) Lack of knowledge understanding of cultures: An understanding of cultures means being aware that individuals within each culture have similarities and differences. It means responding to people as individuals while recognizing that cultural backgrounds and experiences influence behavior and communication. c) Cultural Relativism Ethnocentrism: 1. Cultural relativism compares the values and behavior of different cultures and usually means judging them against standards of right and wrong. This approach to other cultures becomes a barrier when you assume that cultural beliefs, values and behaviors are wrong if they differ from those of your culture. 2. Ethnocentrism is the inherent belief that your own cultural tradition and values are correct and superior. People around the world are ethnocentric to a degree. Beliefs, values, and behaviors that differ from those of your culture may seem peculiar, strange and even wrong. d) Language: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ An increase in multicultural interactions presents language challenges. When organizations communicate with the large number of people who speak the languages other than English misunderstandings may occur. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Non verbal language influences the receivers understanding and acceptance of a spoken message. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ If the message receiver perceives a difference between the senders verbal and nonverbal messages, he or she is more likely to believe the non-verbal than the verbal communication. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In multicultural business communication, non verbal signs vary as much as spoken languages do. Nonverbal greetings vary from a bow to a handshake or from a hug to an upward flick of the eyebrows. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Not understanding cultural differences in nonverbal messages causes communication problems. How to overcome Cross-Cultural Communication barriers? 1. Introducing employees who will be working together in a non-threatening environment enables a good working relationship long term. Learning about another cultures language, rules and norms for acceptable behavior helps prepare your employees to deal with situations as they arise. 2. Conducting activities to demonstrate how dependent we are on language. 3. Provide workshops, tips and techniques for communicating effectively in cross-cultural work environments. 4. Coach employees to mediate conflicts related to cultural misunderstandings. Provide opportunities for employees to respond to situations from viewpoints different than their own. Multicultural Communication Guidelines: (a) Understand your own culture: Improve communication with others by increasing awareness of your own culture and its influences on your beliefs, values, and behavior patterns. Recognize that your cultural background and experiences shape how you think, what you value, and how you communicate. (b) Identify and adapt to language differences: If you are communicating with persons from another culture, learn how that cultures verbal and nonverbal languages differ from your own. Observe and learn the meaning of nonverbal communication signal such as facial expressions, social distance for conversing, and hand gestures. Avoid nonverbal signals that may be offensive. (c) Keep an open mind and respect diversity: Learn about other cultures, beliefs, and customs without judging them by your own cultural identity and unexamined biases. This is not to suggest that you change your beliefs or disrespects your own culture, but rather that you recognize that cultural values affect beliefs and behaviors and that understanding how others interpret verbal and nonverbal language helps your communication receive the intended response. High Context vs. Low Context Cultures: S.No. High Context Low Context Indirect communication patterns Direct and specific communication 2. Fewer words, more nonverbal clues High value on words rather than shared background. 3. Simple, ambiguous messages Structured messages with technical details. 4. Highly verbal people perceived as unattractive; smiling associate with nervousness. Informal, smile frequently, and frequent use of hand gestures and facial expressions 5. Reliance on long term relationships and underlying messages. Transitory personal relationships; shared background not assumed for meanings. 6. Long term view of time. Short term view of time. 7. Appointments considered flexible, on time may be within a half hour , week, or month Emphasis on appointments, management of schedules, and punctuality. 8. Vague, non confrontational language preferences Focus on getting a job done, succeeding, and profitability 9. Honor and face more important than business; defer to power and position Transitory personal relationships; ideas and people assumed as equals. Strategies for Effective Communication: http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTuQKF8lZfBNthoB1APi30XXqaOXA0uGktFUVy1f4sKgvz7HhcewA Aspects of Japanese Culture Communication Relationships: 1. On the basis of personal relationships, Japanese prefer to do business. 2. Greetings or seasonal cards maintain good relationships. 3. The person should be good correspondent to maintain communication relationship with the Japanese. 4. Being recommended by someone who already know the Japanese company also have good relationships would create a good impression. Business Negotiation: 1. Person must be vigilant at observing Japaneses non-verbal communication as they have crucial time saying no. 2. Japanese are non confrontational. 3. Japanese prefer broad agreements. 4. Never raise your voice or loose temper during negotiations. 5. Be patient as Japanese remain silent for long time. 6. A gesture of goodwill using Japanese lawyer. Meeting Etiquette: 1. Wait to be introduced. 2. Formal greetings ritualized. 3. Impolite to introduce yourself. 4. Show correct amount of respect. 5. Traditional form of greeting bow. Understanding Foreign Ways: 1. They dont expect foreigners to speak or read in Japanese language. 2. As long as respect is shown, mistakes are allowed. 3. They are ready to help always but often feel embarrassed due to lack of knowledge of English. Non-Verbal communication of Japanese: 1. Frowning is considered as a sign of disagreement when someone is speaking. 2. An impassive expression is maintained by Japanese while speaking. 3. Japanese rely on tone of voice, posture facial expression to tell them what someone feels. 4. Staring at another persons eyes is considered disrespectful. 5. Scratching the eyebrow, inhaling through clenched teeth, scratching back of the head tilting the head are some expressions to watch out. Dining Etiquette: 1.Remove shoes put on slippers before entering. 2. For dinner, arrive on time. 3. Dress formally until youve not been told that the occasion is casual. 4. Put on the toilet slippers before going to the toilet then remove it when youre finished. Dress Etiquette: 1. Men should wear conservative, dark colored suits. 2. Business attire is conservative. 3. Women should dress conservatively. Business Meeting Etiquettes: 1. Rather than sending fax, letter or email, its better to telephone for an appointment. 2. Appointments should be made in advance for several weeks. 3. Arrive on time for meetings. Be punctual. 4. Japanese may take several weeks to be comfortable with you. Be patient and calm. 5. To prove trustworthiness ability, respond quickly. 6. Present the senior most member of the company with a gift , at the end of the meeting. 7. Never refuse a respect by Japanese, as they believe in Long-term relationships. 8. A small amount of business may be awarded as a trial tto know if you meet your commitments. 9. The most senior Japanese person will be seated furthest from the door, with the rest of the people in descending rank until the most junior person is seated closest to the door. 10. Being a group society is ready for a group meeting, even if you are expecting to meet only one person. 11. Always provide a package of literature about your company including articles and client testimonials . . .

Formal Recommendation To Purchase A New ATV Essay -- essays research p

Summary This report shows how the maintenance department can increase work efficiency. The improvements will result from purchasing a new ATV.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This report focuses on the aspects of purchasing a new ATV to reach the maintenance department’s goal. The evaluating criteria include: rack capacity, towing capacity, ground clearance, fuel capacity, and cost. To improve the work efficiency of the maintenance department, the 2000 Yamaha Grizzly should be purchased. INTRODUCTION This report recommends the purchase of a new four wheel drive ATV. Using the internet for resources, the choice has been narrowed to two: 2000 Yamaha Grizzly and 2000 Honda Foreman ES.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each ATV has been evaluated using the following criteria, in descending order of importance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rack Capacity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towing Capacity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ground Clearance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fuel Capacity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ■  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cost The current 1987 model ATV does not meet the new required standards for the maintenance department. The 1987 model ATV does not have a front cargo rack and the rear cargo rack has a maximum capacity of only 75 lbs. The towing capacity for the 1987 model ATV cannot exceed 500 lbs. Ground clearance for the current ATV is a mere 5 in. The fuel capacity for the current ATV is just 1.9 gal. Table 1 (shown below) shows the standard for each criteria. __________________________________________________________________________ Table 1. New Standard Criteria vs. Current ATV __________________________________________________________________________ Criteria Standard Current ATV Rack Capacity  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   75 lbs/150 lbs 0 lbs/75 lbs (front/rear) Towing Capacity 800 lbs 500 lbs Ground Clearance 7.5 in 6.5 in Fuel Capacity Largest 1.9 gal Cost Cheapest N/A __________________________________________________________________________ DISCUSSION In each of the following criteria sections the desired standard for the two ATV’s being compared will be stated. The information p... ...nbsp;  Ã‚  30 March 2000. â€Å"Grizzly Information.† Yamaha. 2 pages. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.yamaha-motor.com/atv/grizzly/info.html. 30 March 2000 â€Å"Honda Fourtrax Foreman ES-Honda ATVs for 2000!† off-road. 4 pages. Online. Dogpile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Available: http://www.off-road.com/atv/honda2000/TRX450ES.html. 30 March 2000. â€Å"Honda Motorcycles Models.† ATVS. 1 page. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.atvs.com/models/print.html?category=atv&model_name=FourTrax_Foreman_ES.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30 March 2000 â€Å"Honda Motorcycles: 300EX Engineering.† HondaMotorcycle. 1 page. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.hondamotorcycle.com/models/atv/foreman_es/eng2.html. 30 March 2000 â€Å"2000 Grizzly Specifications.† Yamaha-motor. 2 pages. Online. Dogpile. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.yamaha-motor.com/atv/grizzly/specs.html. 30 March 2000

Hawaiis political economy :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hawaii’s political economy went through some major changes. The development of plantations and tourism paved the path for how Hawaii’s economy is today. I will discuss how tourism, ethnicity, gender and education both constrain and enable opportunities in contemporary Hawaii.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Captain James Cook and his crew came to Hawaii in 1778. Bringing along many diseases such as, syphilis, gonorrhea, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis.(Blaisdell, p.44) Native Hawaiians were not immune to these diseases, they were unable to be cured therefore died and a massive depopulation occurred. An estimated 500,000 Hawaiians were living in Hawaii before Western Contact, and in 1878 less than 45,000 Hawaiians remained.(Trask, p.10). With the rapid decrease of Hawaiians, also came the fact that their culture was in danger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Foreign exploitation began, when Cook replaced the traditional island subsistence-sharing economy by the for-profit barter and afterward the money economy. Firearms, and sandalwood lumbering where just a few items that brought foreign economic and political control of the ruling ali’i, who were tricked by many greedy Western merchants. The Great Mahele of 1848 and the Kuleana Act of 1850 contained a major land redistribution act, which was forced onto the monarchy by Westerners(Blaisdell, p.44). Bringing fee simple ownership to Hawaiians, these land divisions actually alienated the land from them. The Mahele divided the lands between the chiefs, king and government. The Kuleana act supposedly guaranteed to the makaainana fee simple title to small plots of land, which would eventually separate the individual from the group. (Trask, p.10) Hawaiians depended on the land, they were not use to â€Å"private property†, which led to many problems, and the c hiefs and the government were heavily indebt to the Western merchants.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A small company of thirty-four New England missionaries came to Hawaii between 1820 and 1930, were the first modern immigrants. (Lind p.59) Missionaries were powerful agents of cultural destruction, coming to Hawaii to settle and teach their ways and beliefs. Bloodthirsty priests and despotic chiefs had ruled one reason for missionaries arriving and settling in Hawaii, due to the fact that they believed ancient Hawaiians. (Trask p.14) Bringing along cultural havoc by establishing a western style educational system, which included the first textbook as the Bible. The most critical change was in the use of language as a tool of colonization. Language had once been inseparable from the Hawaiians and their history by communicating their heritage between and among many generations, now came to be used as the very vehicle of alienation from their habits of life.

Why College Athletes Should Get Paid

The single most debated topic when it comes to compensating student-athletes concerns whether student athletes should be paid beyond the full cost of attending school. The pay for play doctrine, in which athletes would earn a portion of the revenue they help generate, is a highly controversial topic that has become more popular in recent years. The arguments in favor of pay for play originate from the fact that the players are the reason why the NCAA is able to make television contracts. These contracts include $11 billion over 14 years Just for the television rights to March Madness.Without the players of different sports and genders, the NCAA would not exist, let alone be able to sign huge contracts like that. Also, the report on â€Å"The Price of Poverty in Big Time College Sport† found statistics that show that these athletes deserve to be compensated. By using NFL and NBA collective bargaining agreements to estimate the fair market value of FBS football and basketball pl ayers, the study found that football players attending the University of Texas and basketball players at Duke have enormous fair market values. Football players at Texas have a fair market value of $513,922, while basketball players atDuke have a fair market value of $1 according to the study. I don't feel that these players need to be paid that much because that is more than minimum salaries in both professional leagues, but from a business standpoint it isn't ethical for these athletes to not be paid. Representative Bobby Rush of Illinois attended a congressional roundtable discussion on college sports in Washington, DC and described what the NCAA does as â€Å"a systemic, ongoing, prolonged abuse of thousands and thousands of innocent young men and women who are only trying to make a life for themselves and live the American dream.Athletes from the football got in trouble because their athletes received improper benefits would argue that pay for play would put an end to the blac k market for paying players. Many argue that these athletes are at school to get an education, but some come from families that could use the extra money for necessities. If these athletes were to get paid to play it could give them an incentive to not sell merchandise and to stay in school and get their degree.Also, Rob Gilmore who is an ESPN college football analyst states that at least 42 of the 119 division 1 football coaches earn more than $1 million per ear, but the athletes are the ones out on the field. So if it wasn't for the performance of the athletes, the coaches would not earn those salaries. When he played for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Terrell Pryor was a superstar of the game. Not only was he one of the best quarterbacks, but overall was one of the best players and that is why him selling memorabilia, was so widely publicized.Like I stated in my introduction, more and more players are selling memorabilia because of necessities that loved ones may need in time of their absence from home. In an article covered y ESPN Terrell Pryor was quoted saying, â€Å"The reason why I did it was to pay my mother's gas bill and some of her rent. I was telling the NCAA, ‘Please, anything that you can do. I gave my mother this so my sister wouldn't be cold, so my mother wouldn't be cold. ‘ They didn't have any sympathy for me. Pryor also told reporters that he sold his pants for $3,000 but friends of Pryor's said that he made off of autographs. The point is there is going to be stars of the college game that take advantage of their stardom and ones that need the extra help to support their family when they leave for college. By paying these athletes a fair amount you could be doing them a well deserved Justice as well as doing away with a lot of the behind the scenes scandals. Not only is paying athletes the ethical thing to do, but when other people benefit from their pay it is possible for the law to be broke.One law that the NCAA violates when prof iting of the student-athletes is the right of publicity. The law is defined as â€Å"The right of publicity prevents the unauthorized commercial use of an individual's name, likeness, or other recognizable aspects of one's persona. It gives an individual the exclusive right to license the use f their identity for commercial promotion. † This also shows that the NCAA violates the law by not allowing the student-athletes to profit off their own personas. One example of how the NCAA violates the Right to Publicity is through Jersey sales.Up until recently they did this in two ways; one way was selling game worn Jerseys to retailors, the other which has been stopped was selling replica Jerseys on the NCAA online store. Under the common law of Right to Publicity the NCAA should not be able to sell used Jerseys to retailors without consent of the player and should also include some compensation for the sale. The player whose Jersey is being sold would not have as high of value if t he said player would have never played for an NCAA school.The NCAA uses the success of an athlete or program/school to make a profit on its Jersey sales. Contrary to the success of a team where it's not the name on the back you play for but it's the name on the front, Jersey sales are based more on the name of the player on the Jersey or of the player who wore it. This stays true even in professional sport, When Lebron James moved from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat he still stayed in the top 10 in Jersey sales. This shows that the of his own publicity that he makes money.The other way the NCAA made money from Jersey sales was from selling them on the online store. Even though the NCAA ended this in September it is still very relevant. This aspect of Jersey sales was brought into the spot light when Texas A&M Johnny Manziel football player was put into the spotlight when he was accused of selling merchandise and making a profit, an NCAA violation. When his status as an am ateur athlete, which would make him ineligible to compete in the NCAA, was in question; many former NCAA athletes came to the defense of Manziel.One former Duke Basketball player, Jay Bilas, accused the NCAA of being hypocrites when he went on their store and was able to search any players Jersey by name and buy it, even though the NCAA is not allowed to use players names in their sale of Jerseys. The NCAA suspended their direct merchandise sales in September due to the outrage over the issue. These two examples, selling used Jerseys and selling replica Jerseys, show that the NCAA was in violation of the Right to Publicly.The NCAA either needs to forego all merchandise sales tied directly to its athletes or they need to offer some compensation for any ales that the NCAA benefits from its athletes. Another way the NCAA violates the right to publicity is in the video games they create partnered with EA Sports. This is currently a hot topic and is being argued in courts. Former UCLA ba sketball player Ed O'Bannon filed a lawsuit against the NCAA for using his image in a video game. The NCAA and EA Sports currently make video games for football but in the past had made them for basketball and baseball.The video games do not use player names but they do use their numbers and accurately portray player's skill sets and body types. O'Bannon has gained tremendous support from former athletes saying that they deserve compensation because the NCAA and EA Sports both profited from the players likeness. So far EA Sports has settled for 40 million dollars, which will be distributed between 200,000-300,000 current and former NCAA athletes. The current lawsuit between O'Bannon and the NCAA is ongoing.Many people covering the lawsuit are calling the NCAA hypocritical because they do not allow student-athletes to profit off themselves but the NCAA has taken many steps to make money from the student-athletes, none of which is seen by the student-athletes. The fact that EA Sports settled in its case shows that they understand that the NCAA did something wrong. The fact that the NCAA will not admit to that and still withholds its student- athletes from making money off themselves while he NCAA continues to do so Just shows that the system needs to be adjusted to better help the student-athletes.The NCAA is an organization that should be looking out for the best interest of its student-athletes. For the most part the NCAA does this but when it comes to compensation the NCAA needs to adjust. The way the NCAA has treated its student- athletes would rival forms of theft. Between the sale of Jerseys and profiting of layers personas in video games, the student-athletes should have earned some compensation for being the driving factor behind the revenues made from these two activities.From the examples listed above the NCAA needs to revise its bylaws that deal with players and making money/being compensated. It is not legally and morally correct to be withholding mo ney from student-athletes who had a large part in generating the money.

Nathan “Songs of Silence” Essay

The chapters of Songs of Silence hold together as a chorus of songs from one community, but shaped by the recollections of a narrator whose perspective ranges from the innocence of childhood to the maturity of a young adult who emerges unbroken from a failed relationship. One such chapters is ‘Nathan’ and here the narrator is the reflective adult with a sophisticated notion of the wide range if meanings ‘silence’ holds. Through the character of Nation she is able to present some aspects of this theme, which runs throughout the text in many different ways. Nathan acts strategically without words, but with potent meaning – revenge (poking Tony’s eye). Silence is a characteristic feature of Nathan’s personality, which is deep and profound even though he uses few words. The absence of words can mask/hide a great deal (still waters run deep). Nathan’s deep and profound silence was evident even from his birth and the close connection he had with his sister, the narrator – ‘†¦soulmates, welded together by our common need for silence.’ They both started speaking late. However, her silence was different from his – ‘he was a man of dark blue silences,’ while hers ‘hers was a silence of moons.’ Here the narrator suggests that contrary to the saying ‘silence means consent’, silence does not always mean ‘consent’ or agreement nor are all silent people to be treated the same. The ‘manna manna manna mahkita’ game establishes the communication between the narrator and Nathan. It has unspoken personal meaning for them and suggests that its ritual is saturated with almost religious or spiritual significance. It shows that codes of communication which may appear insignificant or meaningless to others looking on, may be a way of expressing connections that (known) words cannot express. The different silences of the siblings allow them to explore, define and find their own authentic selves in their own ways. (E.g. The narrator and the ants, Nathan and his tightfistedness with money). Silence, like money, can express identity.

English vocab

The annoyed kid had an acrimonious reply when asked to clean his room. Antonym† pleasant In the newspaper article, the cruel senator cast aspersions on his political rival. Antonym- approval Most public schools strongly agree to censure any bias toward religious holidays. Antonym- agreement The famous artist critiqued his students work because there was a lack of expression. Antonym- applause The Journalist defamed the popular celebrity because of his recent arrest. Antonym† flatter; honor The murderer was derided by the police officer when he pleaded guilty on his sixth arrest. Antonym- admireThe devious politician impeached the motives of his running opponent, claiming they were false. Antonym- exonerate Are you making an innuendo that I'm carless? Antonym† evidence The soda addict remonstrated with the school to have the vending machines placed back. Antonym- approve The makeup artist upbraided his apprentice for failing to make the actor look the role for his mo vie. Antonym† compliment In the newspaper article, the cruel senator cast aspersions on his polltlcal rival. 1 OFS Antonym† applause arrest. Antonym† admire were false. Antonym† exonerate back. Antonym† approve Antonym† approval Antonym† agreement

Iphone 5C price decision Essay

The fist factor that important in the pricing decision of iPhone 5C is by considering costs. For instance, since Apple Inc. wants to maximize its profits through establishing new products, the price should be set at the point where marginal revenue equals to marginal cost. We know that iPhone 5C is in the perfectly competitive market, the company can reach its maximum profit at equilibrium at X* and P*. To determine the price, Apple Inc. needs to do the marginal analysis. According to profits (Ï€) equals to total revenues (TR) minus total costs (TC), which is Ï€=(P*X)-(fixed cost+variable costs per unit *X), X is the number of units sold by Apple Inc. Of course, manager needs to ask several departments and contractors to know the cost of their product and services. From online websites, I get to know that producing a 16Gbyte iPhone, total BOM and Manufacturing Cost is about $173.45, for a 32Gbyte iPhone 5C is approximately $182.85(which accounts only for hardware and manufacturing costs and does not include other expenses such as software, licensing, royalties or other expenditure)(Andrew, 2013). The manager can differentiating the fixed costs and variable costs based on cost behavior, and plug those numbers into the equation and get an equation between Ï€ and X. then differentiate the equation and set it to zero, the manager can get the number of units when profit maximizing. Finally, plug X into assuming demand function, the manager can get the price and make a decision. But, in the real world, it is not easy to implement the marginal analysis method. So, managers usually try to combine cost-based approaches and market-based approach to make a profit satisfying approach, for example full cost-plus target profits, variable costs-plus percentage markup can both assess to pricing decision. However, the common and basic factor for the methods is costs. The second factor that important in the pricing decision of iPhone 5C is product line and competitors. Strategy analysis is the company needs to consider about the Competitors as well as the whole industry, and then assess to firm’s plan. We can figure out that the competitions in the smartphone market are quite intense, there are numerous competitors and are almost equal size, such as Samsung, Microsoft. So, Apple Inc. has to investigate the cost leadership and the unique producers in order to make a competitive price in the smartphone market. The website take the example of Moto X, which has 18 kinds of colors and the functions are really similar to iPhone 5C (Darren, 2013). The price of Moto X is $599, so the manager should decide a lower price than it to gain a competitive advantage. In particular, the competition is not just from the external market, we know that Apple Inc. promoted iPhone 5C as well as iPhone 5S at the same time. To iPhone 5C, the manager needs to consider about the plastic case, which is $42 less than the metal case cost of iPhone5S (Ben, 2013). So manager should also compare the 5C’s price to 5S. It is an important thing to keep secret of the product’s price before they coming out. The manager of Apple Inc. can survey the expected price of the public, or conduct some historical sample tests before making the final price decision. The third factor that important in the pricing decision of iPhone 5C is the manager should estimate the demand. Assume that we are suffering a financial crisis, most people don’t have extra money to pay for new electronic devices. They have already owned iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S and do not want to pay for another similar product. Then the manager should decrease the price of iPhone 5C to fit for people’s expectation of low pricing, using the profit margin per unit to trade for higher quantities. As I mentioned above, the estimation of demand function is also important in the marginal analysis. In order to estimate the demand, the manager should also make market survey to analyze the targeted customers. According to Pew Internet’s report, Teens and Technology 2013, 37% of U.S. teenagers now own a smartphone (which compares to 23% in 2011). And the increases of U.S. wireless carriers’ family data plans, intensive the parents to buy smartphones for their kids (Jason, 2013). Because the iPhone5C is colorful, has proper functions and easy to control, it must a first-choice for kid’s cellphone. Aimed at attracting teenagers group, the Apple Inc. manager should make the price to a certain level. What’s more, we also have to consider whether buyers are sensitive to price. In economics, we call it price elasticity of demand, which means the percentage change in the numbers of units sod to the percentage change in the price of the product. Assume most people are price sensitive, if the price of iphone5C is much higher than they expected, they will not buy it, which decreases demand a lot. So, listen to the public opinions on price is quite important. Before iphone5C facing to the public, a lot of individuals forecast that the selling price should be low enough to satisfy the low-end customers needs. Somebody was kidding that iPhone 5C is iPhone for China or iPhone for cheap. Apple Inc. wants to occupy more market percentage in developing countries, so they advertised that to make a colorful low-end smartphone. However, the price of iPhone 5C is not as low as we expected. The data shows after releasing the iPhone for 72 hours, both in China, Australia, U.S., the sales of iPhone 5S is almost 4 times compare to iPhone 5C. Especially, the graph says in the â€Å"target† country China, where the 5s is outselling the 5c five to one (Christopher, 2013). So I think the price of iPhone 5C is not reasonable. There are several reasons to explain iPhone 5C price is not appropriate. Firstly, compare to iPhone 5S, people claim 5C just looks an iPhone 5 with a candy-colored plastic shell. According to a report published by UBS, the same memory for 16 Gigabyte iPhone, 5S costs $213 in materials, whereas a 5C costs $156IPhone 5S has metal shell, Touch ID fingerprint scanner, more advanced A7 chipset, Motion Coprocessor and True tone flash for camera. The different price due to plastic case of $42 and finger print sensor of $7. However, the price of iPhone 5C is only $100 less than iPhone 5S. The UBS also estimates the gross margins of iPhone 5S is 45-55% and for iPhone 5S is 48-54% (Ben, 2013). As a rational consumer, I will buy iPhone 5S instead of iPhone 5C, since 5S has much more functions, which is not at a so much higher price. Secondly, the factors of competitor also have huge effects. Samsung is the key part for apple to make its â€Å"retina display† screen, as well as apple use Sony’s sensor in its camera. We know that Samsung and Sony are competitors. Apple Inc. is hiring, relying and paying them. But if someday, Samsung or Sony stop providing essential parts to apple, what will happen? I think Apple Inc. has to produce all manufacturing parts by themselves under a big amount of fixed cost, which will have a big effect on Apple’s price decision. Thirdly, the price of iPhone 5C is not as low as rumored. It brings the question to us, who exactly is Apple targeting? We know that Samsung has galaxy series, which with large-screen and liked by fashion people and developing markets. In china, there are a lot of really cheap phones under 1000RMB, those phones have varieties function and beautiful looking. So when Apple Inc. can really open the market to low-end customers? The price decision and targeting customer is not clear and accurate. I am kind of thinking there must be some sailing strategy when apple promoted 5C and 5S at the same time, with a huge cost performance in my opinion. Maybe Apple Inc. just wants to stimulate the sales of 5S, after people comparing these two products.

Review of Monique and the Mango Rains

Review of Monique and the Mango Rains Monique and the Mango Rains is a memoir about a friendship that develops between Kris Holloway, and a midwife in the village of Nampossela, Mali. Kris Holloway served in the Peace Corps and was assigned for 2 years to be stationed in Mali. Kris was trained to â€Å"give health demonstrations, repair wells, build fuel-conserving stoves, plant trees, and protect the shoots from the ever hungry mouths of goats† (11). Kris meets and assists Monique Dembele in her struggle to improve health care for the women of this village and surrounding areas.Monique, having apprenticed for two years as a midwife, and studied for nine months in a health services program, is the only health worker in the village. She performs prenatal consultations, gives health demonstrations, births babies, administers vaccinations, solves the health problems she can treat and is forced to accept the fate of those who suffer from more serious illnesses and have no access t o further medical care. But not only is Kris helping Monique, they develop a relationship that becomes a very real friendship as their lives intertwine and Monique brings Kris into the circle of her family.Despite all the things that might make it difficult, these two women create a partnership as they both try to better the lives of the women and children in the village. Women of Mali In Mali, the women’s role is to be confined to her home and yard. A Malian woman is first and foremost valued in her roles of spouse and mother. Placement into these family roles starts early; young girls are expected to help with housework and look after younger siblings. The women of Mali have arranged marriages from an early age.And even though they are arranged, the husbands are usually married to other women also. Irreconcilable differences like lack of communication, spousal incompatibility, and unhappiness between marriage partners are some of the things Monique complains about. She has more education than her husband Franois, she speaks a different language than he, and came from a much different city than the one he grew up in. As Kris gets to know Monique better, she learns of her friend's deep unhappiness with her marriage.Monique also reveals that she's having an affair with the man she would have married, had the cultural practice of arranged marriage not existed. The village of Nampossela has a clinic and birthing house. Monique was able to help the mother’s in the prenatal stages and the birthing process, teach them how to clean water, make baby food and wash their hands to stay clean and prevent the spreading of germs. She weighted the babies to show the mothers if their children were in a healthy weight range or if they were in the dangers of being malnourished.She could provide some vaccinations and administer first aid to wounds. Women of Mali faced many health risks. Since women were to have many children they were at danger during childbirth. à ¢â‚¬Å"I knew that Mali had one of the highest rates of maternal death in the world. I’d read a sobering statistic that placed a Malian women’s lifetime risk of dying in pregnancy and childbirth around one in twelve, compared to a women’s risk of one in over three thousand† (8). Excessive bleeding, straining after pregnancies, unsanitary conditions are some of the risks for women.Female genital cutting (FGC), was common amongst the women in Mali. At a young age they experience the cutting of their genital area, because they are not to experience pleasure during intercourse. This process is painful. It causes problems with childbirth, urinating, sitting comfortably and even death. It is often used with an instrument that is not sanitized and can cause the spread of diseases. The most troubling threat to the women was spousal abuse. â€Å"The lantern light was dim, but I could see that one side was swollen, her eye half closed with puffy tissue.She met my st are, lowered her gaze, and quickly draped the scarf back over† (51). The practice of arranged marriage usually led to close-knit families in Nampossela, but Korotun's defiance by marrying against her family's wishes left her stranded without any relatives to turn to in her time of need. Another danger to women that existed was rape. â€Å"He forced you? Yes, she shrugged. It was painful and then it was over† (130). Holloway finds it difficult to tell her friend of her own similar memory.Despite the difference in the ways these two address this subject of rape, it is heartbreaking that women from two completely different worlds are able to find a common ground in the act of rape. All of these risks to the women of Mali happen to the women in America as well. And shows that even from two different worlds, it seems things are not so different. Cultural Relativism No culture is superior or inferior to any other. Kris had to accept the differences about Mali without judging them or believing that her culture was the right way things should be done.Kris knew it was wrong and against women’s basic human rights to have their genital’s cut. Monique couldn’t believe that Kris hadn’t had her genitals cut. â€Å"I have never met a women like you, who has not gone through koloboli. I thought every woman had it† (114). She did not think it was right that the women of Mali were victims of domestic violence, physical violence or of rape. She felt that all children should be receiving adequate health care and that women should have the right to take contraceptives to not want to have anymore children. But this was apart of their culture.And it was up to them to change these problems. And that was what Monique wanted and was trying to do. Conclusion I really like this book. It is a personal story in an international setting about women who inspire and succeed. Kris Holloway's book is easy to read and has a perfect blend of her ref lections of her Peace Corps experience, her romance, Malian village life, Monique's individual life, and the care of women in the village of Nampossela. This book has funny moments that made me laugh, moments where I felt sorrow, and stories of the goodness in people that made me hopeful for humanity.Holloway's friendship with Monique is at the heart of this book and it is tender, inspirational, educational and heartbreaking. It is because of the relationship of these two women, who are from very different backgrounds, and have become such good friends that this book works. I feel like I get to see Monique through Holloway's book and can see how selfless, giving, strong, smart, and funny she was. I would recommend this book for anyone who is wanting to know about the culture in different parts of the world.

Developing a Strategy for Sustainable Relationship Case Study

Developing a Strategy for Sustainable Relationship - Case Study Example Because it enjoyed a wide client profile, Merryweather had no problem filling its accommodations to capacity, especially since summer is a naturally busy time for vacation sites. With more income-generating opportunities available, the company tended to maintain a relatively large staff base, assigning each guest relations officer a maximum of eight clients at a time. As a result, visitors were provided high-quality, personalized service. The firm promoted a culture of innovation among employees to reinforce its "customer is king" orientation. As such, its marketing-led business style and acute sense of customer service were, perhaps, Merryweather's most important contribution to the merger. Tennyson Ski maintained a diverse mix of properties - from chalets and apartments to hotels - to serve the winter vacation industry. Because this is a mass market, it might have entailed high operating costs. Furthermore, the facilities were not full-staffed; one representative attended to as many as 30 guests. Therefore, clients did not experience the level of indulgence that they might expect from luxury accommodations. According to Pate and Platt (2002), "a merger can only benefit a weak business if operating efficiencies, product synergies, or other marketing, financial, or managerial advantages are achieved". While not necessarily a "weak" company, Tennyson Ski certainly had more to gain from the merger. Meanwhile, Merryweather Sailing "should move cautiouslyconduct thorough due diligence investigations, and formulate realistic business plans for the combined organization" (Pate & Platt, 2002). Tennyson Ltd. thought it best to move forward by (1) developing a new strategy (2) discarding products and services that no longer fit the new business. This was no mean task; the two companies had been targeting two completely different segments, albeit in the same general category. Tennyson Ltd. started by adopting Merryweather Sailing's mission: "To be the best tour operator to go on holiday with and invest in." There were other critical issues. The new conglomerate needed to set a direction for growth and identify the different lines of business that would best match the strategy. Also, Merryweather catered to a specialist market, while Tennyson used a shotgun approach in its marketing. Post-merger, the company had to settle on a viable segmentation strategy, which would then guide the company in resource allocation decisions. With the merger, who then would be the customer of Tennyson Ltd. This was not a simple either-or decision between the two market segments; it required careful consideration. Need for Rationalization To be able to move forward with a new strategy - and emerge with a

The Lewis Spacecraft Mission Failure Investigation Board Report Term Paper

The Lewis Spacecraft Mission Failure Investigation Board Report - Term Paper Example After launch and successful insertion into orbit, the spacecraft lost contact with the ground station and later became a total loss. An Investigation Board inquired into the loss and determined that a problem with the Attitude Control System led to the loss (NRC & NASA 54). They also identified several factors that may have contributed to the catastrophic loss in the management and engineering rigor applied in the project. This paper relates to the shortcoming and the lesson that a systems engineer in charge of a similar project can learn from it. The Lewis Spacecraft Mission Failure Investigation Board (LSMFIB) identified two direct factors, and several indirect factors contributing to the mission failure. The first direct factor identified was flawed design and simulation of the Attitude Control System (ACS). The design of the ACS was such that in safe mode, the spacecraft would be in a â€Å"power positive orientation† (LSMFIB 9). However, an imbalance in the thrusters caus ed the spacecraft to face away from the sun in such a way that the sun’s rays hit the edges of the solar panels powering the spacecraft. This led to draining of the batteries at a quick rate because of the â€Å"power subsystem and thermal subsystem Safe Mode design† (LSMFIB 9). ... The first reason was that there was pressure on the spacecraft development team to cut costs hence they implemented a single shift. This made the discovery of anomalies very difficult. In fact, the actual problems occurred when no one was on duty. The second reason is that the ground crew failed to declare an emergency even after noting problems that would have justified such a declaration. These problems included the fact that the spacecraft was using the B-side processor when it reached orbit instead of the A-side processor. The second anomaly was that the â€Å"solid state recorder would not play back the data previously recorded†, which included the flight data that would have shown the anomalies that affected simulation (LSMFIB 11). The third anomaly was that the ground crew failed to get the space telemetry signal only for the spacecraft to reappear with an â€Å"uncontrolled attitude† (LSMFIB 11). The fourth anomaly was that after leaving the spacecraft in safe m ode for duration, it took on spinning with the edges of the solar panels facing the sun. Any of these anomalies warranted the declaration of an emergency, which did not happen. The indirect causes of the mishap were actions taken that did not conform to industry standards. If the development teams stuck to the standards, then it is likely that the catastrophic failure would not have occurred. These include project scope creep, cost and schedule pressure, inadequately planned relocation of some production units that affected technical review and testing, frequent changes to the personnel working on the program, and insufficient engineering and management discipline (LSMFIB 12-14). The reasons