Saturday, August 31, 2019

Grocery Gateway: Customer Delivery Operations Essay

Grocery Gateway was founded in 1997, by Bill Ni Nardo. In 2001, Grocery Gateway was Canada’s largest direct online grocer, providing a selection of 6,500 items from the GroceryGateway.com website. Nature of the Business: Grocery Gateway offers food products with a delivery service competing in the grocery industry. The service is offered to residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which is the largest urban area in Canada. Current Market Strategy: Grocery Gateways offers a 90-minute delivery window from 6:30am to 10:30 pm. The service provides a doorstep delivery service for maximum convenience, with the customer in mind. Statement from Claude Germain chief operating officer: â€Å"We Focus on low cost, high service logistics execution in one market. Some people focus on technology, others on merchandising, but right from the get go we focused on logistics execution. We wanted to get it right and have the lowest cost capability with the best service we could provide. â€Å"(pg.2,Johnson). Problem Statement: The present problem is that Dominique Van Voorhis, Vice President of industrial engineering and operation for Grocery Gateway needs to develop recommendations aimed at improving delivery operations at the weekly meeting in seven days. Sub-Problems: * Grocery Gateways has only been able to achieve 2.7 stops per hour. Falling shy of their aimed 4 stops per hour. Organization Objectives: With the stated problem in delivery time, Dominque Van Voorhis needs to increase driver stops within the hour. Grocery Gateway also wants to decrease the delivery windows from 90minutes to 30minutes. They want to initiate a 10 minutes of contact time with the customer and a 5 minute drive between customers, taking in consideration of residential speed laws. SWOT Analysis: Strengths: * Customer time saver- The efficient service saves time for the customer. Typically the average GTA resident consumes a lot of time just to get to work for their 9 to 5 job. This will allows most resident s to have time for other activities. * Product Selection- Grocery Gateway offers up to 6,500 products including dry goods, health and beauty products, meat fresh produce, frozen foods, wine and beer. * Convenience delivery times- Currently the delivery service is offered from 6:30am to 10:30pm. The offered times have a 90 minute window and customers can change orders up to 14 hours before the delivery. * Competitive prices- The cost of delivery is only 8 dollars on top of the customers grocery bill. All products offered are priced competitively. * Website- An website to advertise sales and available products. Also can order products through the website. Weaknesses: * Costumer Choice- Costumers have little to no say about which item to grab off the shelf. This may be a problem in situations when customers produce selections vary. This can cause delay in delivery and lost of time. * Customer absence- Customers may not be home and can cause large problems in time. * Unpredictable Conditions- Canadian weather can vary causes in delays in highways, roads, ect. Also, accidents can cause delays. Opportunities: * Delivery Price: Currently the cost of delivery is only 8 dollars on top of the grocery charge. 8 dollars is a small amount when the average amount of deliveries cost 135 dollars. Grocery Gateway has the ability to raise the delivery charge easily. * Expand Market- Currently Grocery Gate way deal with the Greater Toronto area and surrounding areas around it. The ability to increase the radius of delivery is there. Threats: * Competition- There are few direct competition, but many indirect competition. Many individuals may take it upon themselves to go to the grocery store. * Trust- Customers may not trust other judgment in selecting food and may want to do it themselves. Implications: Analyzing the situational factors it seems that the time factor is the main weakness that Grocery Gateway could encounter. With this evident they should work on delivery execution. Competitor Analysis: Direct: Mr. Case: Was developed in 1984, when a university student started to charge friends for picking up groceries for them. Today has become a lot larger and has a well designed website. The operation process of Mr.case is to order groceries before 11:30am and the groceries will be delivered in one business day of a day of choice after one business day. The charge is $3 for the deliveries is $3 for orders over $75 and $6 dollars for orders under $75. MR. case only delivers in the inner sections of the GTA and will put the groceries past your front door to any room in the customers house. They offer their deliveries Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am to 5pm. They accept online payment, by accepting VISA, Mastercard, American Express, cheques or PayPal. Front Door Organics: Was developed in 1997, trying to cater to the organic consuming community. They encompass a website that has organic box options. Customers can choose between a basic box that has various organic foods in it or they can choose to customize their own box. They offer 450 organic groceries and deliver between the hours of noon to 10pm. They allocate different days of the week to different areas of Toronto for deliveries. They accept cash, cheque, Visa or Mastercard as payment. Indirect: Grocery Stores: Grocery stores contain all the same products that Grocery Gateway does. This means there is another option for customers to pick up groceries instead of paying the charge for delivery. Restaurants: Restaurants offer food and most offer a delivery service for their food. This is mainly a short-term solution for customers, but it can solve their hunger instead of getting groceries.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Modeling Product Line Variants

CNC &CSEE – 2013 Complete Program Schedule Registration-8. 00AM— 8. 30AM Date:22-Feb-2013 Hall I Session 1 Time: 8. 30AM – 11. 15 AM Chair 1: Dr. Janahanlal Stephen ( Ilahia Chair 2: Dr. Yogesh Chaba ( Guru College of Engg & Tech, India) Jambheshwar University of Sc. & Tech. India) Paper ID Title Registered Author CNC2013 ­Ã‚  27  F On ­line  Power  System  Static  Security   Sunitha  R Assessment  in  a  Distributed  Computing  Frame Work CNC2013 ­Ã‚  30  F Multiple  Automatic  Design  Vector  Generation  for   Selva  Kumar  R   Efficient  Systolic  Architecture  using  NICCNC2013 ­Ã‚  32  F A  Rough  Set  Based  Feature  Selection  Algorithm   S  Ã‚  Muthurajkumar for  Effective  Intrusion  Detection  in  Cloud  Model CNC2013 ­39  F Sub ­feature  Selection  with  Privacy  in Hemanta  Kumar Decentralized  Network  based  on  Fuzzy Bhuyan Environment CNC2013- 54 F Active  Inductor  based  Tunable  VCO  for  UMTS,    J. Manjula CDMA  2000,  EDGE,  Flash  OFDM  and  802. 15. 4 Applications CNC2013 ­Ã‚  56  F An  Efficient  Design  Approach  for  Low  Leakage  &   Shweta  Singh   High  Performance  MTCMOS  Circuit;  with  NBTI Aware  Analysis CNC2013 ­Ã‚  61  F A  Novel  Fingerprint  Indexing  Technique  based   N  Ã‚  Poonguzhali n  Level ­1  and  Level ­Ã‚  2  Features CNC2013 ­Ã‚  68  F A  Review  on  Security  in  Vehicular  Network Bhagyashree Gadekar  (Dharaskar) CNC2013 ­Ã‚  72  F Personal  Authentication  based  on  Angular   K. Usha Geometric  Analysis  using  Finger  Back  Knuckle Surface CNC2013 ­Ã‚  76  F A  New  Trust  Management  Mechanism  for   A  Sudhir  Babu Improving  the  Performance  of  DSR  Protocol CNC2013- 85 F Framework of an Automata Capable of Modeling Arpit Reversibility along-with Concurrency and Probabilistic Environment CNC2013-534 F Computational Solution of First Order Linear Elayaraja AruchunanFredholm Integro-Differential Equations by QuarterSweep Successive Over Relaxation Method Tea Break 11. 15AM – 11. 30 AM Official Inauguration -11. 30AM—12. 00 PM Key Note-12. 00 PM—12. 45 PM Photo Session-12. 45 PM — 1. 00 PM Lunch Break- 1. 00 PM—2. 00 PM Date:22-Feb-2013 Hall I Chair 1: Dr. Janahanlal Stephen ( Ilahia College of Engg & Tech, India) Session 2 Time: 2. 00 PM – 4. 00 PM Chair 2: Dr. Deshmukh Ratnadeep (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, India ) Paper ID Title Registered Author CNC2013-535 F Efficient  computer  aided  system  based  on   B. Sridhar athematical  morphology  and  higher  order partial  differential  equations  for  breast  cancer detection CNC2013 ­544  F Fuzzy  Based  Node  Disjoint  QoS  Routingà ‚  in   Vijayashree  Budyal MANETs  by  Using  Agents CNC2013-546 F Trust Assessment Policy Manager in Cloud Ajay Basil Varghese Computing CNC2013-556 F An  Analysis  of  Linear  and  Non ­linear  Controller   A. Rameshkumar on  Quasi ­Resonant  Buck  Converter CNC2013-558 F Prefiltering Approach to the Non-Blind Beamforming Swapnil M. Hirikude Algorithm for Smart Antenna CNC2013 ­Ã‚  34  S A  Gaussian  Plume ­based  Population  Exposure   Manish  VermaApproach  to  Railroad  Transportation  of Hazardous  Materials CNC2013 ­Ã‚  44  S Artificial  Neural  Network  Based  Learning  in   Mithra  Venkatesan Cognitive  Radio CNC2013 ­Ã‚  50  S Speech  Recognition  using  Hidden  Markov  Model Varsha  N  Degaonkar CNC2013 ­525  S Optimization  of  Inter ­satellite  Link  (ISL)  in   Amandeep  Kaur Hybrid  OFDM ­IsOWC  Transmission  System Tea Break 4. 00 PM â€⠀œ 4. 15 PM Date:22-Feb-2013 Hall I Session 3 Time: 4. 15 PM – 5. 45 PM Chair 1: Dr. Yogesh Chaba ( Guru Chair 2: Dr. Deshmukh Ratnadeep Jambheshwar University of Sc. & Tech. (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada India) University, India ) Paper IDTitle Registered Author CSEE2013- 10 F Classification of Devnagari Handwritten Characters Dinesh V. Rojatkar using Single Hidden Layer Neural Network with Mixed Activation Function CSEE2013- 15 F Fuzzy Logic Controller with Maximum Power Point Arulmurugan R Tracking Using Creative Design of DC to DC Buck Converter for Photovoltaic Power System CSEE2013-519 F Power  Gating  Approach  for  Design  of  45nm  Low   Chhavi Saxena Ground  Bounce  Noise  Carry  Look  Ahead  Adder Circuit CSEE2013- 8 S An Optimization Approach for Power Factor S. Neelima Correction and Capacitor Placement in a Distribution SystemCSEE2013- 502 S Wireless  Sensor  Network  (WSN)  Using  Particle   Shekh  Md Swarm  Opti mization Mahmudul  Islam CSEE2013- 521 S Simulation and Design of SRF Based Control Gnanaprakasam D CSEE2013- 14 P CSEE2013-520 P Algorithm for Three Phase Shunt Active Power Filter Effect of Energy storage Devices in Hydrothermal Power Systems by Using Various Controllers Fuzzy Controlled Shunt Active Power Filter for Line Harmonic Mitigation B. Partheeban Durgalakshmi. K Date: 23-Feb-2013 Hall I Chair 1: Dr. Janahanlal Stephen ( Ilahia College of Engg & Tech, India) Paper ID CNC2013 ­Ã‚  65  F CNC2013- 11 S CNC2013 ­Ã‚  22  SCNC2013 ­Ã‚  33  S CNC2013 ­Ã‚  55  S CNC2013 ­Ã‚  57  S CNC2013 ­59  S CNC2013 ­Ã‚  64  S CNC2013- 71 S CNC2013 ­Ã‚  82  S CNC2013 ­Ã‚  87  S Session 4 Time: 9. 00 AM – 11. 00 AM Chair 2: Dr. Deshmukh Ratnadeep (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, India ) Title Registered Author K ­phase  Erlang  Distribution  method  in  Cloud Ayush  Agarwal Computing A Framework for Evaluating Web Service based on B Taslina Threat Patterns Integration  of  Customizable  Wireless  Sensor A  Ã‚  Lakshmi Node  with  Cascade  Control  System Sangeetha A  Meta ­Heuristic  Approach  to  Rail ­Truck Manish  Verma Intermodal  Transportation  of  Hazardous MaterialsWeMDAG:  Web  Sequential  Pattern  Mining  using   Srikantaiah  K  C Directed  Acyclic  Graph A  Semantic  Web  Approach  to  Verifying  Product Sheikh  Md. Alam Line  Variant  Requirements Hossain Privacy  for  Feature  Selection  in  Distributed  Data   Hemanta  Kumar   Mining  using  Knowledge  based  Data  Support Bhuyan An  Effective  Resource  Allocation  Scheme  in M  Ã‚  Prasad Relay  Enhanced  LTE ­A J. Sengathir Selfish  Aware  Mathematical  Model  Based  On Conditional  Reliability  Expectation  Coefficient A  Unified  Architecture  for  Surfacing  the G  Ã‚  Pavai Contents   of  Deep  Web  Databases Multi ­Objective  Clustering  Using  Artificial  BeeSeyed  Saleh Colony Rastkhadiv Tea Break 11. 00 AM – 11. 15 AM Date: 23-Feb-2013 Hall I Session 5 Time: 11. 15AM – 1. 00PM Chair 1: Dr. Janahanlal Stephen ( Ilahia Chair 2: Dr. Yogesh Chaba ( Guru College of Engg & Tech, India) Jambheshwar University of Sc. & Tech. India) Paper ID Title Registered Author CNC2013-514 S P Asha Mining  Interesting  Association  Rules  with  a Heterogeneous  Environment CNC2013-516 S Multilevel Cryptography Scheduler Chaitali Chandankhede CNC2013 ­529  S A  Review  of  Matrix  Converter  and  Novel  Control   K  V  Kandasamy Method  of  DC ­AC  Matrix  ConverteCNC2013 ­549  S Impact  of  Fin  Dimensions  and  Gate  Dielectric   Kiran  Bailey Thickness  on  the  Static  Power  Dissipation  of  6T ­ FinFET  SRAM  cell Reconfigurable  Supercell  Design  f or  Pseudo Inverse  Module  using  Xilinx  System  Generator CNC2013 ­37  P Comparative  study  of  Effects  of  delay  in  Load Balancing  scheme  for  highly  load  variant Interactive  Applications CNC2013 ­Ã‚  51  P A  Novel  Approach  For  De ­Noising  CT  Images CNC2013  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  52  P Highly  Parallel  Pipelined  VLSI  Ã‚  Implementation   of  Lifting  Based  2D  Discrete  Wavelet  Transform CNC2013 ­Ã‚  63  P Enhancing  the  security  framework  in  cloud C infrastructureCNC2013 ­511  P Challenging  Issues  in  Inter ­Satellite  Optical   Wireless  Systems  (IsOWC)  and  its  Mitigation Techniques CNC2013 ­513  P Policy  Driven  Dynamic  LUN  space  optimization   Based  on  the  Utilization CNC2013 ­515  P Challenging  Issues  in  VANET  Network  and  its   Routing  Algorithms ­An  Analysis CNC2013-562 S Shirly Edward. A Sampada  S Kalmankar Mredhula  Ã‚  L Jayaraj  U  Kidav Kiran  S Aparna  B  Bhat Amandeep  Kaur Taranisen  Mohanta Shashi  Kant Lunch Break 1. 00 PM – 2. 00 PM Date: 23-Feb-2013 Hall II Chair 1: Dr. Yogesh Chaba ( Guru Jambheshwar University of Sc. & Tech. India) Paper IDCNC2013-526 P CNC2013 ­532  P CNC2013 ­540  P CNC2013-545 P CNC2013-574 P CNC2013-576 P CNC2013 ­582  P CNC2013-560 T CNC2013 ­563  T CNC2013-577 T Session 6 Time: 2. 00PM – 3. 45PM Chair 2: Dr. Deshmukh Ratnadeep (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, India ) Title Registered Author Information Extraction in Knowledge Grid based on Praveen Desai Algebraic Approach using Software Agents An  Analytical  Approach  To  Analyze  The  Impact   Usha  G   Of  Gray  Hole  Attacks  In  Manet A  Comparative  Study  of  Different  Load Pooja  Gandodhar Balancing  Techniques  for  heterogeneous  nodes P. V. MuralidharSpectral  Analysis  Of  Shadow  Ã‚  Window ­FIR Filters An Integrated Framework for IT Infrastructure V. R. Elangovan Management by Work Flow Management using Hierarchical Tree Structure Evaluate  Combined  Sobel ­Canny  Edge  Detector   Luma Salal Hasan for  Image  Procssing A  Secure  Software  Engineering  Perspective Arun  Mishra Agent Based Aggregation of Cloud Services- A Sreedevi R. Research Agenda Nagarmunoli How  Unstable  is  an  Unstable  System  ? Garimella  Rama Murthy Service Selection using Non-Functional Properties K. Ponmozhi in MANETs Tea Break- 3. 45 PM—4. 00 PM Closing Ceremony 4. 00 PM – 4. 30 PM

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Artificial Intelligence for the Eldery

Artificial Intelligence for the elderly How AAA is being created to aid the elderly September 16, 2013 Christine ruff INFANT, Instructor: Sherry Soothers Artificial Intelligence can help keep our elderly out of our 16,000 overcrowded and under staffed nursing homes. In this paper I will discuss how AAA is being created to aid in the care of our elderly. I will also provide some amazing, staggering statistics and on how Artificial Intelligence is now and will provide this care in the very near future. Artificial Intelligence the theory and the development of computer systems able o perform tasks that are normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception. Speech recognition, decision making, and translation between languages. John McCarthy created the term Artificial Intelligence in 1956 and was a well- regarded professor of emeritus computer science at Stanford University for a large part of his professional career. Not only did he coin the term, but he continued to explain the field for more than 50 years. In a conference at Dartmouth he wrote the study is to proceed on the basis of the conjuncture that every aspect of learning or NY other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it. This was a huge milestone for computer science. In 1958 he invented the computer language known as LISP which is still used today. JOHN McCarthy was even working on exploring interstellar travel in the asss up until close to his death on 2011. There are so many ways AAA can be useful in healthcare, such as Melanoma Impenetrably-using insisting which was able to identify 7 targets that could be used in the development of new therapies for cancer patients. Nanotechnology is also being created to include early detection of a number of diseases, environmental contaminants and even biological and chemical weapons. Due to the diverse use of these applications Nanoseconds are expected to impact many sectors including but not limited to Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals. Another way AAA is making changes in our Healthcare is with Robots. Robots will be, in the near future a huge part of our Healthcare. Later I will explain the impact Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will have on our elderly. Robotic Surgery is a type of surgery that gives the surgeon the ability to perform a growing number of complex procedures using AAA computer like the Deviance S I This system allows surgeons to operate more adjectively and efficiently. This robot has two parts that are connected . The 1st part (the Tower) is place above the patient during surgery and with 3 of its 4 arms ,can hold a number of different surgical instruments and the 4th arm holds a ad-high -defy. Amerada. The console (the 2nd part) is where the surgeons sits and operates the arms while looking through a stereoscopic monitor which provide a ad view of the surgical site. Using biotic surgery allows the patients a faster recovery with less pain and minimal blood loss during surgery. Today in Europe there are trials with a robot called Hector which is part of the C ompanionable project run by a Professor ATT Baddie of the University of Reading in the I-J. This project integrates mobile assisted robot (hector) with a smart home e to better support elderly living at home. This err project is in its final stages in Holland and Belgium with elderly people. We hope Hector will help people stay independent for longer, receive care in their own homes and avoid unplanned capital admission(Professor ATT Baddie @ the university of Reading in the KICK). Len June of 2012 the final trials and demo for Hector, the Companionable Robot, where taking place. Hector is one way AAA can assist the elderly. Some of the care support Hector provides are memoir service, for an example . Reminders for taking medication on time, fall detection capabilities. Hector can help with falls by helping the remote control center asses how serious the fall is and what kind of emergency help is needed. This AAA robot offers solutions to suit various home setting to support assisted independent living. Artificial Intelligence will allow our elderly to stay in their homes longer instead of giving up everything they own to live in an over-crowded and under staffed nursing home that cost too much only to end up with additional costly medical conditions (such as bedsores, dehydration, falls and abuse),which can be avoided with the proper care and attention. The need for AAA in elderly care; As Americans get older and live longer so does the need for better more efficient Healthcare. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, over 13. % of the population is an older American (65+) and about 29% (1 1. Million) of the institutionalized older persons live alone. By the year 2030 there will be approve 72,1 million, that is 2 times their number in the year 2000. This brings the possibility of accidental falls up, and the chance of being place in a nursing home up as well. In 2007 there where a estimated . 4 million elderly living in nursing homes , 90% of which were too understaffed and over-crowded to provide adequate care. With all the early Baby boomers reaching the age of 58 to 67, there will be a demand or quality Healthcare and nursing homes shortly thereafter. An estimated 3. 3 million Americans will live in the nations 16,000 nursing homes during 2013. Which meaner 1 and 7 people ages 65 and up and more than 1 and 5 of those 85+ and older ,http:// healthiness. Ms. Mom/diseases/careening/us-news-best-nursing-homes-2013 This is a staggering number of people entering nursing homes which will bring the need for more nursing start. In April tot 2 3 the US DISH released a report, The US Nursing Workforce: Trends in Supply and Education that states that in forgot every 100,000 people there were only 920. Runs and for every 100. 000 people there were only 225. 0 Lips. These are Just a few of the statistics. Which brings me back to the reason we should employ Artificial Intelligence in our elderly homes to ensure a better quality of life. Hector the robot companion along with a smart home environment, elderly patients would have help in their homes which would relieve some of the help needed by family and nursing staff. Having AAA robots along with the smart home would prevent, over medication, give medications reminders, and give around the clock companionship and prevision . AI robots would also provide memory training, motivation suggestions and fall detection along with support. Ai would also help to keep our 16,000 nursing homes from continuously becoming over-crowded and understaffed. Artificial Intelligence would also help to lower the risk of abuse and neglect, because the elderly would be able to stay in their homes therefore the threat of abuse and neglect is no longer an issue. Neglect and abuse is caused by these facilities becoming desperate to fill the needed positions that some have overlooked criminal cords and under qualified applicants. Low pay and high turnover rate also makes it hard to properly train staff in the proper procedures needed to prevent bed sores, dehydration, over medicating and not giving the patient his or her medication at all. These all can be averted by implementing Artificial Intelligence such as HECTOR. PROS and CONS; Nursing homes, The biggest pro to having nurses is the personal care is they provide, which is vital to anyones recovery. A Nurse would be able to react to an emergency more quickly that a robot because of the physical training like CPRM. And finally employment of nurses will help keep the personal touch and our economy will also benefit with less unemployment. The cons to having nurses would have to be the inability to remain with the patient at all times, which can open the doors to falls, bed sores and other preventable deaths.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Accounting Education and the Development of Ethical Maturity Essay

Accounting Education and the Development of Ethical Maturity - Essay Example This is where the role and inclusion of ethics education in accounting becomes important. This discussion draws on the connection between accounting education and the development of ethical maturity and suggestions to possible alternative approach to traditional accounting education are also evaluated considering the work of pioneering authors in the field. There has been substantial research on accounting education and ethical development and how one could be related to the other. In a latest release by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the importance of ethics education has been highlighted. Academic institutions use different methods and levels of ethics education and place varying degrees of emphases on ethics teaching when students take courses in accounting. Adkins and Radtke (2004) discuss the difference between student perceptions of business ethics and how they are fundamentally different from perception of accounting faculty members. The advantages or disa dvantages of teaching business ethics to final year accounting students have been examined by O’Leary (2008) who reports data on a class of 155 students who were given five ethical scenarios on which to make ethical decisions and the students were then subject to different methods of ethical instruction. Some weeks later, the class students were again given the original ethical scenarios and in all cases, the mean responses were more ethical after the ethical instruction when compared with scores obtained prior to the ethics education. It seems the combined effects of ethical instruction have positive impact on ethical decision making and in general, ethics education could be highly beneficial. The goals and effectiveness of business ethics have been studied effectively although there have been controversies as to how far accounting faculty members are committed to accounting ethics education and how far accounting institutions are interested in adding ethics modules in busin ess courses. Smith and Smith (2005) described the ethics presentation to accounting and business students and highlighted the fact that the major corporate failures of Enron and Worldcom as a result of questionable accounting practices led to the necessity of ethics as important in the working of business and accounting. Financial statement analysis and regulatory requirements are central to doing business and Smith and Smith described the development and assessment of one approach to presenting ethics with a computerized slide show. The show was aimed to increase students' understanding of the role of ethics in accounting and business practice and following the presentation, the students reported a better recognition of the importance of ethics in accounting and business. Education in ethics teaches student to practice actions that are morally correct and this helps student not juts in school but also later in life while they work in corporations. There are claims that accounting education fails to adequately equip students to deal with ethical issues and accounting education in general is incomplete for the overall moral development of students. Thus there is a need to add business ethics as a module in accounting education. An information paper was released by the International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) in 2006 and this paper was based on a global research project on education of ethics in accounting and stimulated discussion and debate on the values of an ethics education in the accounting profession. The paper tried to answer questions on the use of ethics,

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

EUROPEAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT-Competition Essay

EUROPEAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT-Competition - Essay Example Such markets have been seen to offer new competition law challenges especially when there are new emergences for business platforms. Also attached to the same is the fact that there have been identification of the extent to which freedom for private law right has to rights and contracts of property (Egli 2005: 235). The main consideration in this aspect is on how these can be reconciled especially following demise of states offering important services to their citizenries alongside replacement of the same services on the basis of communal requirements accruing from either state or private initiatives. The European Union competition law’s background is pinned on aims and goals which were looked forward into by the European Union of establishing a single market for European Union Member States. So as to achieve this, a transparent, compatible and fairly homogenized framework of regulation of competition law was created. An act of Council Regulation was brought into existence thr ough constitutive legislation process. This was developed during evolution of European Commission’s supremacy law which was not yet established. ... ontrol of Dominance The European Union competition law came into being following the need to ascertain that government efforts were not altered with by corporations which mostly abuse market power. Following this, treaties reached on through European Union are a provision intended for ensuring that there is a liberalized competition prevailing within the union (Collignon 2007: 172). This is further meant to discourage monopolies and cartels who engage in fixing of prices and sharing out of markets. The European Union competition law operates through four major policy segments which according to Akman (2009) include: Mergers, control of proposed mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures involving companies that have a certain, defined amount of turnover in the European Union/European Economic Area. This is governed by the Council Regulation 139/2004 European Commission (the Merger Regulation); Monopolies or preventing the abuse of firms' dominant market positions. This is governed by A rticle 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). This article also gives rise to the Commission’s authority under the next area; State aid, control of direct and indirect aid given by European Union’s Member States to companies. Covered under Article 107 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union; and Cartels or control of  collusion  and other practices on anti-competition  that affect the European Union (or, since 1994, the European Economic Area). This is covered under Articles 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The European Union competition law was developed with goals which mainly number into two schools of thought yet not clear. Main opinion and view pertaining to these is that the only relevance is in consideration of

Monday, August 26, 2019

Academic software Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Academic software - Coursework Example In this paper we specifically highlight the benefits of Inspiration software to both teachers and students. Inspiration provides teacher with lesson plan books and visual learning tools. The lesson plan books give teachers practical ideas and step-by-step directions on how to engage students in activities that inspire creativity, thinking and learning. Teachers are also provided with examples of templates and diagrams that they can use to develop students’ cognitive abilities in a wide-range of subjects and topics. Teachers are therefore able to be more effective with regards to transferring knowledge to their students. Furthermore, by supporting visual learning Inspiration software caters for students with learning challenges such as autism, dyslexia, visual or auditory processing disorders and so on. On the other hand, the students benefit from the ability to visualize and develop their ideas using visual maps, and to communicate these ideas with their teachers or fellow stu dents. One challenge that many students face is visualizing what the teacher is explaining especially if it is a new concept, but with Inspiration the students can see what the teacher is explaining for example in courses such as Biology or Chemistry.

Essay about comparing and contrast methods of communication used 50

About comparing and contrast methods of communication used 50 years ago - Essay Example Verbal communication involves the exchange of words on an oral level; this mode is considered to be the most frank and shortest way to communicate. Examples of such communication may include personal interviews, telephone calls, seminars, meetings, conferences. The communication modes that were adopted for verbal communication 50 years back included minimal use of phones since they were not very common in those days. Mobile phones were not still in the phase of being invented. It is due to these reasons that face to face communication was mostly adopted to exchange information. The conventional face to face communication has been replaced with mobile communication and verbal communication facilitated by computer applications. The decreasing need for face to face interaction is making people aloof from the rest of the world and making them anti-social. Shim stated that the habitual usage of mobile phones and verbal communication applications is having an effect on the desire of the in dividuals (specifically teenagers) to interact with their family members, whereas family relations bore great relevance in the past generations. The quality and essence of written communication that was held precious in the past years seems to be fading away with the integration of new modes and technologies. Examples of written communication are regulations, publications and reports, circulars, memos, proposals and complaints. Government agencies also opt for written communication to ensure a long term record of data and circulation of information on low costs. The conventional modes of written communication included postal mail that took extensive durations to reach their destination. The receiving of this type of communication was not even guaranteed and could only be confirmed when it reached its destination. Such slow pace and unreliable mode of communication has been replaced with better technological modes, such as email, text messages on cell phones, messages on

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Search and rescue at sea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Search and rescue at sea - Essay Example The United States Coast Guard will have a definition for SAR, which defers greatly from the definition found in Australia for search and rescue. The US coast guard for example, uses a broad definition, which includes any actions taken to help a person even in potential distress using available resources. The Australian National Search and Rescue Council (NATSAR Council) uses a narrower definition (Thomas, pp. 29-33, 2007). They define SAR as serving those people who seem to be in a life-threatening situation. Their definition also emphasizes more on the fact that they provide assistance in searching and rescuing these people, rather than which resources they use (Australian National Search and Rescue Council, pp. 2, 2010). Another differing definition is the one used by the Maritime and Aeronautics Search and Rescue team of Hong Kong, who simply consider this an activity aimed to save lives (Security Bureau, pp. 3, 2006). While all these definitions differ, all these different organi zations have some basic characteristics in common. They all aim to save lives in emergencies and they do so by employing an ever-ready staff and available equipment. The importance of search and rescue is undeniable for any person. It is one field that a person living any lifestyle is bound to come across. Whether these people are present at home, in their workplaces, in the streets or in any sort of transport, they always face the risk of a life-threatening situation, during which they will need the help of a Search and Rescue agency involved. The importance of SAR is thus, imminent in the lives of every person. The importance of this issue also entails the fact that it is a social service that is often provided free of cost by the SAR volunteers, who wish for no more reward than to know that they are able to provide a valuable community service to people. Another factor (Thomas, pp. 35-41, 2007) that adds significance to the provision of this service is that

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Cholesterol and cardiovascular disease Research Paper

Cholesterol and cardiovascular disease - Research Paper Example Keywords: Cholesterol, hypercholesterolemia, heart attack, statins INTRODUCTION Cholesterol is a fat, a sterol. It is one of the main constituents of the cell membranes. Animal cells exclusively manufacture cholesterol, so it is an animal fat. Cholesterol is insoluble in water and is classified on the basis of density into very low density lipoproteins, intermediate density lipoproteins, low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins. The elevated levels of cholesterol in the human body play a very drastic role. The most crucial among all the effects is its effect on heart. The related symptoms may also arise depending upon the quantity of it in the blood and organs. REALTION BETWEEN CHOLESTROL AND HEART DISEASE When the level of cholesterol rises in blood, it starts getting accumulated in the inner walls of the vessels. Not all the fats are bad. There are two main types of cholesterol, we will deal here. One is the good cholesterol, HDL and other is bad one, LDL. These are t he two major types of fats in which they move around in the body. LDL clogs the arteries and HDL actually works opposite to it and helps clearing the cholesterol from blood. The total cholesterol level should be less than 200 mg/dL. The LDL level should be below 100 mg/dL. In general, higher the LDL levels, more are the chances of getting cardiac diseases. The LDL is of low density, it tends to accumulate in the blood vessels instead of circulating in the blood. Over the time, this buildup of LDL causes the hardening of the arteries. The arteries narrow down and blood flow gets slow. The blood is therefore, unable to carry the nutrients to the heart and person suffers from the chest pain. As the plaque deposit grows, it can block the main artery, coronary artery, causing heart attack (Webmd.com, 2013). RISK OF GETTING CARDIAC DISEASE Hypercholesterolemia is a modifying risk factor for coronary artery disease. There are many risk factors associated with an elevated level of cholester ol in body, some major are obesity, diabetes, heart failure, congestive heart disease, hormonal imbalance, glucose production inhibition, bleeding disorders, gynecological disorders like infertility, eye sight loss and many more. Heart attack is the major cause of death in the world. This heart attack and related cardiac diseases are due to the cholesterol. It is estimated that 54% of deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are due to CVS disorders. In Oman, it is about 49%, and 13% in Somalia. The deaths due to the heart problems in UAE are about 28%, 19% in Sudan and 52% in Lebanon. About 600,000 Americans die due to heart attack. Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of their death. Every year, about 7 million Americans have heart attack. Out of these, some might had had an attack and others suffer first attack. The risk factors contributing to these deaths are obesity, poor diet, excessive alcohol intake and high lipid intake. The most common among all is the diet having high levels of bad fats along with sedentary lifestyle. About 49% have these risk factors in general,

Friday, August 23, 2019

Public Sector vs Private Sector Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Sector vs Private Sector - Research Paper Example In practice, the method chosen for the evaluation of a project can highly vary depended on the project’s targets, the resources available and the environment in which the project was first developed. For example, if the project has been developed in the private sector its evaluation will be based on a method that will be different from those used in the public sector. Cost Benefit Analysis/ Cost Effectiveness Analysis The specific method of project evaluation is ideal for projects that have both economic and non-economic effects (Simic, Vratonjic & Beric 2011, p.114). When the costs involved in a project are difficult to be precisely estimated, then the Cost Effectiveness Analysis would be preferred. The Cost-Effectiveness Analysis has an important benefit: it gives the chance to choose among alternative projects so that the project related to the lowest costs is identified (Simic, Vratonjic & Beric 2011, p.115). ... Effectiveness Analysis (Simic, Vratonjic & Beric 2011, p.117) Setting project’s goals and purpose Setting ‘the conditions for the achievement of goals’ (Simic, Vratonjic & Beric 2011, p.117) Introducing alternatives; for each goal at least two alternatives need to be available, meaning alternative strategies/ methodologies for achieving a particular goal Introducing evaluation criteria; for example: ‘feasibility and availability’ (Simic, Vratonjic & Beric 2011, p.117) Introducing evaluation criteria related to costs; fixed cost criteria are preferred since they refer to a wide range of costs, including ‘research and development, project implementation and maintenance’ (Simic, Vratonjic & Beric 2011, p.117) Deciding on the quality/ appropriateness of alternatives Evaluating each alternative in terms of its sensitivity, i.e. whether it is vulnerable to changes. Evaluating each alternative in terms of its content, meaning especially the accu racy of costs involved The findings of the research over the quality of a project are further discussed and analyzed aiming to present all aspects of the project and of the alternatives available A different process for the evaluation of a project can be chosen, taking into consideration the economic and social environment and the project’s targets. For example, the African Development Bank Group tends to use a specific process for evaluating its projects; this process is presented in Figure 2 below. Figure 2 – Evaluation process of projects developed by ADBG (ADBG 2004, p.iii) Evaluation of project – Costs The costs of a project are usually categorized according to the nature of the project and its targets. In the case of BlueJay, costs would be divided into two major categories. A. Total ownership costs These are

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Glass Roses Essay Example for Free

Glass Roses Essay What does a child have to go through to have the courage to live his life for himself? The Glass Roses by Alden Nowlan highlights the conflicts within the main character, Stephen, a fifteen-year-old scrawny teenager working with his father in the woods. He has been brought up in an environment where there is a predetermined set idea of what It means to be a mam The protagonist either has to follow in the footsteps of his father or pursue his desires to embrace others and show compassion. The friendships he develops and the ideas he grasps from his so called outcast partner named Leka teach him more about growing up then his father ever did. But what really troubles Stephen is mustering up enough courage to change what the preconceived notion of what being a man really means and if those around him are willing to accept what being a man means to him. A glass rose can be seen as a fragile replica of what a real rose actually is. Glass needs to be handled with care, it is weak and is not given the same admiration and appreciation as the ones we find in nature. Although this Is completely up to the person, ltx safe to say that I speak for the majority of people. Earlier in the story Leka has nightmares and twists and turns in bed as the night goes on and Stephen always is there to wake him up. Stephen is the only one to do so among all the men. This shows that he Is undoubtedly the most caring of the group, and showing any kind of emotion isnt something his father would approve of. I believe that he truly cares for others but must only do so openly a man. Theres a part in the story where Leka and Stephen are getting along and begin to regularly speak softly to one another at bed time. Stephen wants to be just like his father but doesnt want to change in order to do so. Its clear that he has soft side, Men did not tell one another fairy tales about cathedrals. But his father and the men at the bunkhouse need never know. This line makes me think about Stephen as having a split personality, one being an aspiring prodigy of his father, the other being a completely different individual yearning to be himself. It appears as if he has to act a certain way and if he acts any different, he forces himself back into that narrow mentality. I feel sorry for him and the fact that hes struggling so much to find himself while having the expectations of his father watching over him and breathing down his neck as he lives his life. All this makes him panic in the face of decision and a hesitant Stephen always turns back to his fathers notion of a man when in doubt. I always had friends in my age group so my parents werent really concerned about older kids taking advantage of me. I also have learned that parents can always see things in others that we may not see for ourselves in our younger ages. Towards the end of the story, Stephens father pulls him aside and speaks to him seriously about his concerns of Leka. He mentions the touchy gestures he uses when he speaks such as pat and poke, things that Stephen never really picked up on. Once again it makes e think of the homosexuality hidden in the friendship they have and maybe that is why they outcast Leka. Them Wops and Bohunks and Polacks has gotta lotta funny ideas. They aint our kinda people. You gotta watch them in this line he hints to his son that Lekas intentions may not completely be friendly. Having to be told about one of his own friends is the same as questioning his own decisions, kind of like questioning his manliness. Just make that Polack keep his hands off you. IVe seen fellers like him before. As much as it is fatherly to look out for your son, it makes Stephen feel like less of a man. All this talk gets into his head, I know this because I know if my father was this concerned about one of my friends it would definitely about waking Leka during his nightmares. The story ends and personally I believe that Stephen has decided to take the risk of becoming a man outside of the beliefs of his father and co-workers. Hes brought it upon himself to define what it means to grow up for himself, his own choices give detail to his character and knows that nobody but himself needs to be satisfied in order for him to live his life. The final decision of waking up Leka shows me that he hasnt changed and trusts his own intuition.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Hubspot Case Question Essay Example for Free

Hubspot Case Question Essay 1. Analyze HubSpots Marketing Mix in the context of an overallMarketing Strategy 2. Do you agree with HubSpot that the rules of marketing have changed? If so, how? Is inbound marketingthe answer? Why or why not? 3. Is HubSpot finding and serving the right set of customers? Given its position as a start-up company,should it widen its focus to serve any customer that comes its way? Or narrow their target, by focusingexclusively on either Owner Ollies or Marketer Marys? Or by focusing exclusively on either B2B or B2Ccustomers? 4. HubSpot has begun to differentiate its products as it has learned more about its customers. Should it domore? Should its pricing strategy change too? Does the software-as-a-service (SaaS) pricing model workfor both Marketer Marys and Owner Ollies? Should HubSpot try to immediately capture more value for either of these customers? 5. Are Halligan and Shah being too stubborn by not doing any outbound marketing? Or should they continueto practice what they preach by focusing on inbound marketing alone? 6. Halligan and Shah want HubSpot to be to marketing, what salesforce.com is to sales. What would your plan of action be to make this happen? Why would you take these actions? What keeps you up at nightabout your plan? This case follows the growth of HubSpot, an entrepreneurial venture which faces significant challenges including:developing a market segmentation, deciding which customer to serve and which customers to turn away,configuring a pricing strategy which is aligned with the value being delivered to customers, and determiningwhether inbound marketing programs can generate enough scale to grow the business or whethertraditionaloutbound marketing methods need to be employed to accelerate growth. The HubSpot case focuses on issuesaround marketing channels, specifically inbound marketing and the use of Web 2.0 tools and applications suchas blogging, search engine optimization, and social media

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Self Determination Theory | Analyis

Self Determination Theory | Analyis Quality effective coaching is about interdisciplinary knowledge. As well as the ability to recognise implicit and explicit decision making. Coaching is essentially about problem solving, a good coach uses a procedural and declarative knowledge compilation to help towards problem solving. A good example of this would be the Kolbs Experimental Cycle (1984). It shows a continuous flow of development, including; reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, active experimentation and concrete experience. This implies that learning is a process where knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Within this essay I will be discussing an understanding of two different coaching science theories and how they can be applied to real coaching experiences. I will be critiquing both theories, showing how I can improve in aspects of the theory in my coaching and how they both incorporate reflective practice. Self determination theory (SDT) represents a broad framework for the study of human motivation and personality. The theory is based on the premise that individuals pursue self determined goals to satisfy their basic psychological needs to independently solve problems, interact socially, and overcome tasks. According to SDT, a concept that could explain the relationship between participants motivation and their experiences in exercise is due to the level to which their behaviours are autonomous. Autonomous is when a task is; fully volitional, freely pursued, and wholly endorsed by the person. When participants exercise experiences are controlled, i.e. pursued and directed by external or internal forces, it leaves participants feeling like they have very little or no choice. Research clearly supports the idea that individuals have different types of motivation, ranging from high (autonomous) to low (controlled) levels of self determination. Participants can be intrinsically motivated, when they engage in learning activities for their own benefit, and extrinsically motivated when they engage in activities for influential reasons. Intrinsic motivation represents the model of self determination, because a person is motivated to act for the fun or challenge entailed in the behaviour rather than because of external factors, such as pressures or rewards. In contrast extrinsic motivation embraces a variety of behavioural factors that vary in their level of self determination. Intrinsic and indentified regulations are self determined, whereas external and introjected regulations are non self determined forms of motivation (Tessier et al, 2010). Motivational characteristics are influential in shaping participants desire to persist in sport or to discontinue their sport participation. Self determination theory suggests adolescents are more likely to follow peer leaders who afford them autonomy to choose, an avenue for relatedness with the leader and other members of their group, and a sense of competence for the task they are doing (Ward et al, 2010). Although psychological and physical benefits can be obtained from participation in competitive sport (Mandigo and Holt, 2000), it can also lead to damaged self esteem and mood disturbances, particularly when youths experience performance pressure from close adults (Reeve and Deci, 1996). For these reasons, the influence of coaches and parents on youth participants sporting experiences is an issue of high importance in sport psychology. There is considerable research on the interaction of parents and coaches with sport participants. For example, parental pressure predicted decreased enjoyment in basketball (Brustad, 1988), and parental and coach positive emotional involvement predicted the enjoyment in football (Ommun dsen and Vaglum, 1991). Also, having an autocratic coach who provided little feedback decreased involvement and intrinsic motivation. Self determination theory proposes that humans have three fundamental needs that must be satisfied in the social context. The first need is to feel autonomous in performing an activity. Autonomy involves being volitional and acting in such a way as to represent your integrated sense of self (Deci and Ryan, 2000). Autonomy support can be enhanced by allowing participants within an environment to choose the things that they enjoy and really want to do. The second need is to perceive relatedness with others in the community of involvement. By working hard as or within a group, participants can achieve a sense of team bonding, which can in turn lead to strong friendships. A third fundamental need is to perceive competence in relation to the activity. Competence is widely regarded as fundamental to the expression of motivation in the sport context (Reinboth and Duda, 2006). Youth sport literature suggests that experiencing competence in sports is strongly related to being accepted by a pe er group and having positive peer relationships within a group (Weiss and Duncan, 1992). Results from Vazou, et al (2005) even suggested that youths perception of their own competence was related to the level of support and acceptance by peers in the group. This developmental process is about gaining a sense of accomplishment and believing in yourself to complete a task to the best of your ability. This can lead to motivational outcomes in self determination theory. However, this does not account for learning acquisition of new skills, like contextual interference theory. One challenge that many coaches encounter is how to best structure practice schedules that will facilitate the development of skilful movements (Porter, Landin, Hebert, Baum, 2007). Contextual interference (CI) is a functional interference in a practice environment which affects the structure of the session to improve learning effectiveness. The stage of learner development will directly affect the structure of the practice session. It is well established that interference during practice has substantial influence on skill learning (Guadagnoli and Lee, 2004). The contextual interference effect acknowledges that learning is enhanced when interference during practice is high, such as when participants practice multiple tasks in a random order. Results from studies investigating the effects of practice order on motor learning typically show that a random practice order enhances motor learning more when compared with that of a blocked practice order (Wright, Magnuson and Black, 2005). One way to control interference during practice of multiple tasks is to change the order in which the tasks are practiced. For example, a random practice order in which tasks are practiced in a quasi random order (i.e., 3-1-2, 1-2-3, 2-3-1), where each number represents a skill, is thought to introduce more interference than a blocked practice order in which each skill is practiced repeatedly prior to switching to the next skill (i.e., 1-1-1, 2-2-2, 3-3-3). Football, basketball, and volleyball are activities which require general strategies to be formed to cope with the unlimited variations of situations which arise within the game. These open skilled games require variety in training for cognitive generalization to occur, so that the participants can adapt to various unique competitive task demands. It is still important for athletes to experience a significant number of successful practices, whether for variable or specific skills, to achieve an eventual state of over learning (Chr istina, 1996). In a study by Porter and Saemi (2010), they showed that practicing with systematic increases in contextual interference for multiple days would perform better than equally skilled participants who practiced with traditional blocked and random scheduling. The participants practiced three different basketball related passes using either a blocked, random, or increasing contextual interference practice schedule. All participants practiced trials every day for five consecutive days. Participants completed an immediate retention test, and a 48 hr delayed retention test. The results of the immediate and delayed retention test showed that practicing with gradual increases in contextual interference resulted in superior performance compared to traditional blocked and random scheduling. These results were important because the 48 hr delay more accurately reflected a real world athletic environment. It is common for athletes to practice for multiple days in training, and then receive a one to two day break before a game. Therefore it is important to measure the learning of sport skills after one or two days without practice. The findings presented in this experiment suggest that coaches working with moderately skilled athletes can create effective learning environments by progressing from a blocked to a more random schedule during practice. The results further suggest that the benefits of an increasing contextual interference practice schedule can be observed when practice sessions are spaced over multiple days. One reason why a practice schedule that offers gradual increases in contextual interference may be beneficial is because it challenges learners at the appropriate level by creating an environment that becomes progressively more difficult as the athletes skill level improves (Porter and Saemi, 2010). The evidence for contextual interference is strong, when the skills practiced are dissimilar. However, when contextual interference is used, the performer actually spends less time working on any specific skill than if they were to use blocked practice (McMorris and Hale, 2006). The coach must determine how long to spend on any individual skill, this is completely reliant on the level and ability of the performer. Blocked practice may be more beneficial to an athlete wishing to fine tune a specific technique, which will require a lot more time spent practicing that skill technique, for example, a golf swing. On the other hand, for a beginner, the range of skill practices acquired during a contextual interference session may be more beneficial to them. This will allow them to practice a large variety of skills over a short space of time, possibly giving a better rate of retention long term. Both of these theories can be applied in a coaching setting to help participants learning and motivational needs. For a coach, the use of pedagogy and theory based practices are essential in developing a coaching session that is sufficient for the requirements of the participants. Each theory gives the coach a set of structure to the session, and allows the participants to get the most out of it. From personal experience of using both theories in real life practice, I can see that both have their advantages, although dependant on participants ability level and understanding of a specific sport. With regards to self determination theory, the coach can integrate forms of structure, autonomy support and involvement into a session using a variety of methods. Structure can be enhanced by using clear organisation and clearly stated procedures of participant expectation. Sessions should be challenging with maximum participation, allowing coaches to provide informative and timely feedback. F or example, positive and constructive feedback given throughout session to group and individuals encouraging work towards clear session goals, as long the feedback is given in an autonomy supportive manner. Autonomy support is given to the participants through explanation and provided rationale for the practice session, as well as encouragement of expression, choice and creativity for athletes. An example of this could be, avoiding controlling behaviours while coaching and acknowledging the participants feelings and perspectives on the session. The athletes should be allowed opportunities for independent work where they can use their initiative. Autonomy support can be enhanced by the use of student led activities, for example, student signalled starts; this encourages the participants to control how and when the session will progress. Involvement is provided by the relationship between coach and participants throughout the session, showing emotional support and a level of interest. Involvement can be improved within a session by expressing affection towards participants, learning their names and remaining within a close proximity to the athletes during the session. For example, this could be during refereeing by the coach or when giving positive feedback during the session. Self determination theory is a key aspect when trying to improve athletes motivation levels during practice. It does not however, affect the learning process and retention of skill acquisition like contextual interference theory does. When using contextual interference theory in real coaching practice, the coach must know the needs of the participants; this can be done through a needs analysis. According to the athletes sporting level, ability and environment, the session can then be constructed to include varied or random practice of skills. The level of contextual interference used is also determined by the coachs procedural and declarative knowledge on the subject. Although practicing under conditions of contextual interference does not always lead to immediate good performance, research suggests that it leads to better long term skill learning. It is also suggested that learning skills through contextual interference can work better if the skills are not too closely related biomechanically, or in a similar generalised motor program. By using a different array of skills, different motor pathways are being processed, facilitating better learning with a high level of contextual interference. It is usually traditional for coaches to begin the instruction process with blocked, constant practice of a single skill before progressing through drill practices towards random, variable practice conditions. A potential criticism of this approach is that coaches move too slowly through the development stage. According to traditional cognitive models of motor skill learning, such as Schmidts (1975) schema theory, variability in movement and context characteristics are essential to develop a more expansive and generalized motor program to cope with a variety of similar but different situations. The assumption is that when variability is introduced into the practice environment, the learner has to adapt the motor program differently from one trial to the next resulting in a more flexible and interchangeable movement schema (Schmidt and Lee, 1999). A low contextual interference practice schedule may involve practising one skill per session, or perhaps two separate skills, for example, shooting and passing in blocks of 20 30 minutes each (blocked practice). Higher levels of contextual interference would arise if a variety of skills, for example; shooting, passing and dribbling, were practised in a random manner throughout the session (random practice). In the most random practice schedule, a player never practises the same skill in consecutive tasks. The clear message is that to promote learning coaches should try to avoid repetitive, blocked practice by presenting a variety of skills within the same session. Both theories relate to the process of reflection, for coach and athlete. Reflection is a key aspect within learning development; it allows us to reflect on positive experiences to encourage constructive behaviour, as shown in the Gibbs reflective cycle (1988). Gibbs model is clear and precise allowing for description, analysis and evaluation of the experience helping the reflective practitioner to make sense of experiences and examine their practice. It also allows us to reflect on our negative experiences so that in future experiences we can control how to give ourselves the best opportunity for a positive outcome. Reflective thinking needs to be structured so that you can describe what happened to you in a given situation, come to some conclusions about the experiences and possibly decide how to act in dealing with future similar experiences.We learn from experience is a well known statement, but according to Dewey (1933) we dont learn from experience, instead we learn from reflec ting on experience. In order to increase my understanding of both of these theories, I intend to further use and improve in aspects of the theories during my coaching practice. From some of the research that I have done to complete this essay, I can already see areas of my coaching that can be improved upon. Some of these include, my ability to give positive, informative and timely feedback to participants, this will help autonomy support with the participants. I could also improve by knowing all of my athletes on a first name bases, this will help improve my relationship with the participants and increase my involvement with them, an area I feel I could improve on greatly. By increasing my declarative and procedural knowledge of each sport I feel as if I will be able to offer more in terms of opportunities for creativity and initiative within my sessions. All of these will help greatly improve motivational levels of my athletes which then in turn I hope will improve their performances. I have taken qui te a lot from STD theory, but I have also learned just as much from the contextual interference theory in relation to my coaching. This is especially true when I consider how I will be constructing all of my future practice sessions. By taking into account the sporting level and ability of my participants, as well as what skills I am considering introducing, my session will be structured appropriately with the correct level of contextual interference. I will be using a lot more varied and random practice within my sessions, especially for beginners and younger athletes, to help increases their long term retention of new skills. As a coach and a constant problem solver, I am continuously looking for ways in which I can improve my ability to coach at a high level. These scientific theories have helped improve my declarative knowledge of coaching in general, but I will be looking for further ways I can improve my overall performance as a coach.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Respect in a Scene from Death of a Salesman :: essays research papers

In every book there is a scene, one specific scene that the whole entire story can relate to. In The Death of a Salesman, Willy talks about a salesman, Dave Singleman who was well known and respected. Dave was a true salesman and Willy wanted that not only for himself but also for his son, Biff. Therefore he tried whatever he could to try and lead a life based on Dave. This scene portrays the respect that one person could have and the reflection and inheritance from one person to another. Willy Loman is an aged salesman who has found a fork in the road. Willy lost his job and so in this scene Willy tries to earn a job by explaining his story of Dave Singleman. Willy is telling this story to Howard, a businessman in which he wants to earn a job from. After explaining the story, hoping to gain respect from Howard, Willy has not succeeded because Howard had not given the Willy a job, and doesn?t plan to in the future. Though Willy still finds strength and determination in himself and soon turns to his son, Biff. Biff is an adult who has yet to find a job because of his failing math grade. Willy wants Biff to follow his footsteps and invest in a job as a salesman. Even though in this scene Dave is only mentioned once throughout the entire book, it takes on a lot of importance to relate his story to the book as a whole. Dave?s respect and gratitude towards others is what Willy had and what Willy wants Biff to have as well. In this scene Willy says how much respect Dave Singleman had as a salesman before he passed away. ? ?Cause what would be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people (Act 2, page 61). This sentence shows how Dave and Willy are alike because they both are known wherever they go. This shows how much they are respected and loved by their buyers and how Willy wants to pass this characteristic of a salesman on to his son Biff. In the book, many scenes show how well Willy was known and no one would forget his name. ? Because the man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead.

Groups Essay -- Communities Psychology Group Essays

Groups Group Processes and Structures One of the most elementary aspects of group formation may be the experience of common fate, the perception that ones outcomes are bound up with those of others. An even stronger form of interdependence is that shaped by the task goals of the group. Where these bring people into a positive relationship with one another then cooperation, cohesion and enhanced group performance are likely. Negative interdependence on the other hand leads to competition, reduced liking for others in the group and usually lower performance. As the group develops, the roles to be occupied by individuals emerge and develop This process of role differentiation emerges where there is a new group one individual may assume the task-leadership role other may emerge as well. Where the group has been in existence for some time and a member of the group leaves a newcomer may be specifically assigned to take over the role. This division of labour will contribute to peoples identities. As the group developes so also do the expectations members have about what rules and procedures might be appropriate to develop. This is the process of the establishment of group norms. Group members enjoy different amounts of power and prestige which gives rise status hierarchies in groups. Such status differences can generate expectations for group members behaviour. Closely tied to status differentiation are social comparison processes through which individuals can make a...

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Selling-Out the Asian-American Community in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club :: Joy Luck Club Essays

Selling-Out the Asian-American Community in The Joy Luck Club i wish i could join in the universal praise for amy tan and her best-selling novel "the joy luck club." i wish i could find the latest chinese-american literary dish as appetizing as the rest of the american public does. but i can't. before amy tan entered the scene, public images of asian america had not developed since the middle of the century. the asian american male did not exist except as a barbaric japanese or vietcong soldier. the asian american female remained the adolescent suzy wong pipe dream, toyed with for a while and then deserted. amy tan, a gifted writer, had the chance to change those images, to dispel the public's misconceptions and to forge a new asian american identity. instead, she copped out on her obligations, meekly reinforcing every conceivable stereotype. if you believe tan's first novel "the joy luck club," asian amerca is some mystical oddity, conforming to the mascot-culture view of the white thirtysomething women who predominated at tan's reading. san francisco chinatown is filled with hysterical chinese women playing secret mah jong games. china itself is a dreamlik landscape, filled with secrets and traditions, all exuding a delicate, storybook aura. chinese mothers are all one-dimensional, superstitious and ignorant. their chinese phrases are delightful italics with quaint meanings. of course, what chinese comedy would be complete without a couple of garbled english words? when tan was late for her berkeley reading, her white husband directed the audience to mimic her mother's amusing syntax: "why so late?" rimshot. amy tan's heroines are the white mother-in-law's dream come true. these china dolls talk and have strong feminine sympathies. as one of tan's heroines admits, "i used to push my eyes on the sides to make them rounder." futile self-denial, but, oh, isn't it cute? tan's heroines gain identity by separating themselves from and looking down on their culture. when the heroine in "the kitchen god's wife" hears about her grand auntie's "spirit money," she sneers are her aunt's attempt to "bribe her way along to chinese-heaven" immediately suggests a negative contrast to the "truer" western heaven. the same dichotomy is used with men as well. asian american men are inadequate -- they're either bothersome brothers or unsuccessful lovers who lead to "apathetic boredom." love with a white male, however, is different.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis of “The Responsibility to Conserve Wild Species”

Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"The Responsibility to Conserve Wild Species† â€Å"The responsibility to conserve wild species – A Consideration of Policy Implications: A Panel Discussion – In the Company of Animals† appears in the scholarly journal. Author, John G. Robinson, holds a Ph. D. in zoology and he is an active member and prominent position holder in several conservationist organizations including the Wildlife Conservation Society. He argues from his self-proclaimed conservationist viewpoint that all interventions to preserve wild species are justifiable.In the article, the milestones are fairly clear and seeing the issue occurs in the first paragraph. The author explains how the roles between human beings and wild animals have changed over time. He points out that most of us do not have frequent interaction with wild animals but asserts that we should care about the question of urban society intervening in the lives of wild animals. We should not o nly care about this question but care enough to take responsibility and action because of our increased presence in their lives.Judging by the author's persuasive pleas, this article is written to people who do not already share the author's views entirely or in part. The journal, Social Research, is primarily written to scholars and learned individuals, but I think the general population just does not have enough knowledge on wild species and/or the direness of their situations to feel greatly motivated to act. Here, he could have supplied more information for the less knowledgeable majority, though it is not really necessary because of the journal's target audience.In his writing, I think that Robinson assumes that humans want to take responsibility for dwindling numbers of wild species. This article would benefit here with logos. By using statistics as solid evidence he might supply an impetus for action. Robinson defines the problem beginning in paragraph two and continues throu gh the sixth paragraph. He first uses ethos in the form of a citation from Aldo Leopold: â€Å"A thing's right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise. † Robinson supports the idea from two perspectives.First from the utilitarian point of view, he explains that not attempting to conserve wild species jeopardizes resources that humans depend on. The second view, the bio centric position, he emphasizes that wild species have an ‘inherent right to exist. † Are there any other viewpoints that he ignored or tiled to see? I think there are, but Robinson does not even acknowledge the existence of other points of view. I think that to him there are just no other options and he does not want readers to begin to consider not intervening in the lives of wild animals in order to conserve them.Other than this, he does an excellent job of defining his position and then conservationists' ideas of integrity, stability and beauty. He moves on to claim that â€Å"human beings are the single largest contributor to this global degradation (of natural systems and biological diversity). † In the third paragraph, Robinson addresses the faulty ideas of words such as â€Å"pristine,† â€Å"undisturbed,† and even â€Å"wilderness. † These words refer to an unattainable ideal in our modern world. Humankind is everywhere and making an impact always. Throughout the paper an underlying persuasive argument is taking place.If you accepted Leopold's premise, then logically you should accept the idea that humans' primary responsibility â€Å"is to ensure the survival of species in nature. † This necessary acceptance that follows from logic is a little tricky. In the fourth paragraph, beginning the milestone of choosing a solution, Robinson shows us the faulty path of the least intrusive action of establishing protected areas. The return paths appear in the ne xt paragraph along with an example pertaining to mishaps experienced by the United States National Park Service and the Forest Service.Robinson shortly suggests a second solution but then quickly dismisses it. From my understanding, this solution is based in the first solution, and then the author expands upon it by offering to enlist the help of local communities. The fault in this solution lies in that the community would have to value the animals and thus they would become a resource. This would essentially destroy the goal of conservation in the first place. I believe the author could have expounded on this point and further explored details of this option.Is it really a good idea or a bad idea? Should we research this idea more for ourselves? At last, a final and most intrusive proposal is made in the sixth paragraph. Bringing wild animals into captivity is an area most all of us are familiar with because of our childhood visits to zoos and wildlife parks. This paragraph could incite some pathos which I believe the author should have capitalized on. He gives us three good reasons for supporting this option and even uses a bit of logos, though more would be appropriate in my opinion.In the second to last paragraph the author emphasizes from his conservationist perspective that all kinds of interventions are justifiable for the conservation of populations or species. In the concluding paragraph Robinson proposes the paradox of the current argument, â€Å"The more humans intervene, the more responsibility they must assume †¦ but to do otherwise is irresponsible. † I think this truly is the heart of the argument though sadly it is cyclical. From my point of view, the author could have addressed some more faulty paths, especially those of the opposing viewpoint.Robinson never even touched the idea of not intervening to conserve wild species except to say that letting nature take its course would not suffice for a solution. I think that overall, Rob inson made a good argument although he failed to elaborate on some key points. ? Work Cited Robinson, John G. â€Å"The responsibility to conserve wild species – A Consideration of Policy Implications: A Panel Discussion – In the Company of Animals†. Social Research. 1995: n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. 31 Mar, 2012.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Gates of Fire Book Report

Gates Of Fire Book Report Title: Gates Of Fire LCpl Yaccarine A. Jared Author: Steven Pressfield Publisher: Turtleback Books Published: 1999 This book is about the Spartans warrior culture and how it ties into the Marine Corps values, and the present day warrior culture of our Marine Corps. My opinion on this book is that it is a great and interesting read that captures the attention of the reader and ties in ideally to our Marine Corps values. It depicts perfectly on what it is to be a warrior whether it is past, present, or future.I think that every Marine should read this book or at least look into the history of the Spartans and their dedication to their way of life and culture of war fighting. I strongly believe the book should remain on the Commandants reading list. Introduction: My book report is on â€Å"Gates of Fire† by Steven Pressfield. He was a prior Marine leaving the Marine Corps in 1966, he was inspired to write this book based of the resemblance he saw with th e Marines he served with and the ones he met presently and the warrior culture of the Spartans.His book has been taught in multiple places of military significance including the Marine Corps Basic School at Quantico, and it is added to the curriculum of the Naval War College. The book itself is about the legendary battle of Thermopylae and the three hundred Spartans who fought that battle knowing that the outcome was certain death. When reading the book you can clearly tell the levels of Honor, Courage, and Commitment these men had, and how they were willing to sacrifice everything for their homeland.After reading this book readers will clearly see how the author found the link between the Spartans, and the Marine Corps. Body: The book starts off describing the very basics of the Spartan culture, what makes them Spartans, how they are made, and the trials they had to face to earn their place amongst the other Spartans. When Spartans are born from the day of birth they are inspected, the ones who seem weak or unfit are killed to preserve the warrior culture. From a early age the children are taken away from their parents and put through a series of trials, one of which is to kill a slave.At a young age the children are already forced to kill, steal, and survive in a merciless environment that in the future will give them the mental fortitude to be amongst the greatest warriors known to history. At the age of eighteen they are thrown into the wilderness to fend for themselves, with nothing but will they must do this, and if they can make it back to their society they will be official Spartans. The main character of the book King Leonidas is the one who ultimately decides to take his warriors to the Gates of Fire to delay the Persian army of King Xerxes as long as possible.He selects three hundred of his finest Spartans and departs knowing very well that they will not return. This is where the Spartan culture ties into that of the Marine Corps, King Leonidas and his men had the courage to go face overwhelming odds knowing that the chances of survival were slim if even there. Given opportunities of surrender or retreat the Spartans denied them choosing rather to die and give Sparta as much time as possible then to save their own lives.This can relate to the present Marine Corps in many ways, it is well known that the Marine Corps fights and wins battles, and that we do not surrender we win or we die that is what is expected of us. Just as the Spartans did in ancient Greece we have upheld those basics of a warrior culture even when others have not, and that sets us apart from other services, because we live by those values. Sometime during the battle King Xerxes seeing the prowess of the Spartans, and their ability for war sought to make a truce with King Leonidas.Promising wealth, and success Xerxes attempted to bribe Leonidas to join him telling him he could have it all if he would simply kneel before him. Leonidas quickly refused the offer , of power and told Xerxes that they will continue to fight. Outraged by this Xerxes sent wave after wave of his men into the Spartan formation. Leonidas had honor in his actions, doing the right thing, overlooking personal gain, and staying faithful to Sparta and his men. With the Marine Corps value of honor, we as Marines also do these things.With espirit de corps, and a unswerving loyalty to our country we have always been looked upon to do the right thing even when others will not. Even our motto Semper Fidelis is our promise to upkeep that honor. In the end of the book the Spartans end up being surrounded, their flanks taken and completely out numbered Xerxes asks Leonidas one last time if he will kneel. In one last act of defiance Leonidas and his men make a final stand and a attempt on Xerxes life fully well knowing that there was no escaping a certain death.Their commitment to their cause was unwavering believing fully in what they fought for they were committed to the point of willfully giving up their lives for their cause and they did so with pride. This one final act ties into how the Marine Corps is very much like the Spartans of old as the showed that final value that is used by our own warrior culture daily. Marines signing a contract many of them giving up four years if not more of their life fully committed to something they believe in. With many others giving up their lives for a cause that they truly believe in.Conclusion: Overall I think this book was great, it showed a clear link on our warrior culture, and the warrior culture of the Spartans. It showed that our Corps values are the values of a warrior culture and it was shown through one of the most infamous warrior cultures in history. It not only was a entertaining read but it taught valuable lessons, and gave a understanding of what it means to be a warrior and what is expected of warriors, and like the Spartans the Marine Corps using those values as a base will allow our actions to ec ho through out eternity. Signature: X___________________________________

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Netflix Business Plan Essay

Founded in 1997, Netflix is the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. Globally, the company has over 23 million streaming members. Netflix is in the Video Entertainment Industry. Some of the many streaming devices include: the Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, iPad, and iPod, to name a few. In all, there are more than 700 devices that are available for streaming from Netflix. Corporate Headquarters is located on 100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, CA 95032. The company has over 900 employees at the corporate headquarters. Netflix, Inc. trades under the NFLX symbol on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Netflix’s vision for the future is to become the best global entertainment distribution service, license entertainment content around the world, create markets that are accessible to film makers, and help content creators around the world to find a global audience. Management Team Netflix senior management team includes eight key players. Reed Hastings the Co-Founder and CEO, Neil Hunt the Chief Product Officer, David Hyman the General Counsel, Jessie Becker the Interim Chief Marketing Officer, Patty McCord the Chief Talent Officer, Ted Sarandos the Chief Content Officer, David Wells the Chief Financial Officer, and Jonathan Friedland the Chief Communications Officer. Most of Netflix’s management team share many roles. Reed Hastings, along with being the CEO of the company, he is also a member of the board of directors of Microsoft and of Facebook. Reed is also an active educational philanthropist and served as President of the California State Board of Education from 2000 to 2004. He received a BA from Bowdoin College in 1983 and an MSCS in Artificial Intelligence from Stanford University in 1988. Neil Hunt leads the product team, which designs, builds, and optimizes the Netflix experience. Neil holds a Doctorate in Computer Science from the University of Aberdeen, U. K. and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Durham, U. K.  Patty McCord and her team maintains the unique culture at Netflix, hire new talent, and keep the organization lean and flexible despite its growth. David Wells currently took over the position of Chief Financial Officer after he spent seven years at Netflix in a variety of strategic planning and analysis roles. He earned his Master’s degree from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and Harris School of Public Policy and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Virginia. Each member has a specific role that helps the company to continue to grow and the help the overall organization to succeed. The Business Netflix has revolutionized the way people watch TV shows and movies. Online streaming in the Video entertainment industry is rapidly growing and in order for Netflix to sustain competitive advantage Netflix continuously tries to improve what they have to offer. The core strategy at Netflix is to grow their streaming business domestically and globally as Mail-in DVD dies down. How the company achieves the strategic plan is setting a goal that is correlated with their strategy. The goal of Netflix is to maintain customer’s satisfaction while staying in the scope of the business parameters. Netflix tries to achieve its goal by continuously improving the customer experience, focusing on expanding their content, enhancing their user interface and extending out streaming service to even more Internet-connected devices. Being in the scope of business parameters to Netflix is to consolidate net income and operating segment contribution profit target. There are two main critical success factors that Netflix has achieved. The first is pioneering online streaming since 2007. Netflix was really the first company to successfully introduce online streaming to the video industry, which has transitioned the whole entire video entertainment industry. The second critical success factor is Netflix team of experts being able to enhance customer experience by offering customized recommendations based on what the consumer has watched. With critical success factors comes past achievements. Some of the major past achievements that Netflix has noted is the successful launch of the company going IPO in 2002. The initial public offering of 5,500,000 shares at $15. 00 per share on the Nasdaq. Secondly, not only was it a critical success but a major achievement to the company. In 2007 Netflix introduces streaming, which allowed members to instantly watch TV shows movies on their personal computers and since that time Netflix has been the leading company in doing so. However, with achievement comes a challenge the company has faced. The major challenge that Netflix has faced is the company rebranding attempt. Back in July 2011 Netflix announced that Netflix was dividing their services to two separate brands. The online streaming was going to remain Netflix and the Mail-in DVD was called Quixter. This would in turn increase member’s subscription. After the initial launch many customer where dissatisfied of Netflix choice and ultimately subscribers cancelled their subscription. As a result. Netflix is having a hard time gaining those customers back as well as gaining new subscribers. Another challenge that Netflix has is establishing an international presents. Back in 2010 Netflix initiated its international segment by starting to the north of United States, in Canada. Then in 2011 Netflix launched in Latin American and the Caribbean. At this point Netflix had a huge contribution margin loss of 103. million dollars. Then in the beginning of 2012 Netflix launched in the UK and Ireland, with even more of a contribution loss. Netflix is focusing on two major aspects of the business the first is to try to gain the subscriber’s hey have lost and to bring in new one by heavily marketing what the business has to offer. The second focus is that Netflix has also realized that they have not established a strong international presence and as a result the company has frozen future international launches until the given goal that was set out is achieved. Upon analyzing Netflix in the Online streaming industry there are many strengths that Netflix has. One is that Netflix revolutionized the industry by Differentiation. It is key to this industry being able to distinguish the company from its competitors. Secondly, Netflix is known for their recommendation system. This is more of their Niche strategy. They saw that now companies were doing this and from their research and development team they found that there was a market for this. However there are prevalent weaknesses that Netflix has such as: Customer loyalty, Market Vulnerability and relying heavily on one person set of skills. There are many competitions and many of Netflix customers are also customers at other online streaming websites. Secondly Netflix has not been around as long as Blockbuster and does not have the brand recognition that Blockbuster has. The online streaming industry has market vulnerability. The online streaming industry is rapidly changing, and Netflix solely depends on the partnerships and licensing they form. If contracts are not renewed that could adversely affect the business. Secondly, there are tons of competitors in the industry and Netflix may not be able to hold their subscribers. Netflix to maintain a competitive advantage Netflix must continue to build and maintain brand identity, increase customer loyalty by sustaining customer satisfaction. Product and Services The product that Netflix offers is a one month trial membership. The perks of having a Netflix subscription is there is no annual fee a year and you do not have to subscribe to it for one a whole year. It is a month-to-month subscription there is no cancellation fees. Initially Netflix had list of different subscription offers, currently when you sign up Netflix offers one main subscription offer that is 7. 9 a month for unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows then for an additional $7. 99 per month you can add the DVD by mail feature. Netflix is distributed two different ways online streaming and Mail-in DVD. The online streaming is via internet, smart devices, tablets or gaming consoles such as: internet TV’s, iPad, Android, PS3, Wii, and the Xbox 360. Currently, Netflix can be streamed from more than 700 devices. Industry Analysis The market value of the Video entertainment industry is at about 53 billion dollars and the competition is intense. The industry is rapidly changing due to the exponential growth of online streaming. The technical advances is a corporate to the exponential growth The technological advancements provides internet access virtually anywhere, the video process gets faster it seems like every couple month. With all the technical advances the online streaming business is more accessible and convenient to consumers. The size of the industry is rather large. it is about $56 billion dollars. This has a promising forecast for more profit. As you can see there is a lot of potential growth in the Video Entertainment industry. The Video Entertainment industry as a whole is in the early stages of the Mature Stage; however the online streaming sub-component is in the growth stage of the lifecycle and according to the Netflix financial statement the Barriers to entry is rather low. Competitors can launch a new business in the industry at a relatively low cost. The government regulations on the video entertainment industry are rather relaxed so that there are major risk involved such as Piracy and cyber security. Piracy is a major issue in this industry and although it is still a big problem. The United States has shut down one of the biggest piracy website: Megavideo. Which arguably has cost copyright owners 500 million dollars in lost revenue Cyber security is an issue because the internet can be a vulnerable place and as the technology gets more advanced the hackers get smarter. Cyber security remains an issue that U. S government is trying to minimize. Lastly, If the government were to heavily regulate the industry then copyright laws can change adversely affecting the industry. For example, Netflix like many business in the industry rely on the copyright, licensing and partnerships that they obtain if the U. S copyright laws changed then this can adversely affect the industry. The first sale doctrine provides individuals who knowingly purchase a copyrighted work from the copyright holder receives the right to sell, displays, or otherwise disposed of that particular copy, notwithstanding the interest of the copyright owner. The first sale doctrine plays a vital role in the United States copyright law. So the morale of the story is the government needs to find a happy medium where the industry is being a little more regulated than it is now to reduce piracy and cyber insecurity however, still allows business to obtain copyrights. Other factors that affect the industry or globalization and the political and social factors. Globalization has affected this industry. Many of the pirated movies that are available come from China and India. Secondly, for international segment the Political and Economic factors differs from United States. Failure to manage any of the risk associated with those factors could harm the overall business. Market Analysis We have determined that the industry is divided into two types of customers; the picky customers and the convenience customers. The picky customers are the ones who are looking for a specific movie or genre and are willing to wait a few days to get what they want. They also enjoy a rich movie watching experience and are unwilling to substitute for a different movie. The picky customer tends to be the older generation due to the time spent on choosing a movie. On the other hand, the convenience customers are those who want immediate access to a wide range of movies. They also want to be able to watch movies on multiple platforms such as on their phone, PS3, or their iPad. Since they use a lot online streaming to most of their movie watching, they are willing to substitute if the video they want is not available. The convenience customer is more tech-savvy which tends to be the younger generation. The trends that have been happening in the industry focus mainly on three aspects, convenience, cost and selection. Consumers want to be able to have a wide range of videos to choose from which are easy to obtain, at a low cost.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Fast Food Nation Essay

Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, is a stark and unrelenting look into the fast food industry that has ingrained itself in not only American culture, but in culture around the world. There is almost no place on earth that the golden arches has not entered. Aside from Antarctica, there is a McDonalds on every continent, and the number of countries that have fast food restaurants is growing on a daily basis. Schlosser describes in detail what happens behind the scenes, before the hamburger and fries come wrapped in environmentally safe paper and are consumed by millions of people daily. There are several stories that stick out in my mind. First is the one about a rancher in Colorado. He had resisted the idea of squeezing as many cows in an enclosed area as possible. Instead, he rotates where the cattle eat, what kinds of grasses they eat, and how often they eat it. His ranch was what cattle raising should be. This is in contrast to how a majority of cattle are raised today. They stand in paddocks their whole life where they hardly have the ability to move, and they are fed things that cows aren’t designed to eat ?corn, wheat, chicken parts, and even the leftovers of already slaughtered cattle. Then they are lead up a gangway, into a building where they are first shocked, then hung up by their hooves and have their necks slit, one after another. It harkens back to The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. After one hundred years, the conditions at the meat packing plants have not improved much. It is still the most dangerous job in America. Almost everyone who works there are injured at one point, be it from mechanical smashers or knives that had come too close to their arm. Hundreds of thousands of cattle are slaughtered every day, and that is to keep up with the demand from places like McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s. It saddened me to read later that the Colorado rancher committed suicide because he could no longer compete with the large cattle-growers and he was going to lose his livelihood. Another thing that stood out was they way these fast food places treat their workers. Their policy of automation has created a whole group of people that do not have to think to do their job. These people ? usually teenagers ? are paid minimum wage to push buttons and do all of the jobs that used to be done by hand. It gains government subsides for training people with no job skills, such as the poor, young, or disabled. The ironic thing is that they have admitted that they don’t want to have to train people. They want the job to be as easy and training-free as possible, due to their want for uniformity. Uniformity seems to be the way of things at McDonald’s ? uniformity and conformity. If you cannot conform to the mold of a McDonald’s worker, they will simply find people who will, and they don’t have to train them all over again, because the job only requires that you know how to push a button or respond to a light or a beep. The last thing that stands out is the amount of contamination that can occur because of the way these animals are slaughtered. One hamburger from Burger King can contain meat from a thousand different cows. If only one of those cows were sick, then the person eating it can get sick. Then you multiply by how many packages of meat or hamburger was processed that could possibly have that one sick animal in it, you have an epidemic. One sick animal can contaminate ? and cause the recall of ? over 400,000 pounds of meat. That’s a lot of meat to have to bring back, and there are countless people who may have already eaten it and gotten sick, or, like the 6-year-old in the book, died. All of these things ? and the whole book in general ? has turned me off of fast food forever I think. I’ll never look at McDonald’s in the same way again. The food is full of grease, fat, and bacteria that could kill. The food also has hundreds of chemicals in it to make it taste the way it should, rather than the way it does. Seems to me that if their food tasted the way it should in the first place, they wouldn’t need chemicals to do the job. The employment practices of the fast food chains also leave a lot to be desired. They are a great part of the reason that people need more than one job to survive. Because they have so many minimum wage jobs ? even managers only make about $10 to $15 an hour. That had become a norm in the US, where people don’t even make a livable wage. There were a few things I didn’t like about either the book or Schlosser himself. First, he was very liberal, and it showed throughout the book. He practically blamed both Bush administrations for every problem laid out in the book, then praised Clinton and his administration to try and stem the tide of the fast food giants. Then there was Schlosser himself. During his speaking engagement at the college, the first thing he said was that he wasn’t going to try to tell anyone not to eat fast food or go to McDonalds’s or Taco Bell or any other fast food restaurant. He then spent an hour trying to do just that. He said that people spend more time looking into buying a house than deciding what goes into our bodies. My first reaction was â€Å"Of course we do! A house costs tens of thousands of dollars, and a burger costs 99 cents. † I know what he meant by it, saying that the burger will be with us for the rest of our lives and will affect our health in both the short and long run, but it’s not seen that way. If we have high cholesterol, we cal take a pill. High blood pressure? There’s a pill for that, too. There are even pills to help people lose weight. The mentality is that we can eat what we want, and there will be a way to reverse it. The bottom line is that I enjoyed the book and I did learn from it. I’m never eating at one of those places again, and not just because the food is terrible. I refuse to support their employment and food acquisition practices. I’m only sorry that it took me 26 years to get to this stage. Hopefully my children won’t support them either.