How to Become an Effective Manger and a Good Communicator Essay

In order to stay on top, companies need to do more than just stay the same and keep them alive, they need to grow. And that means that their employees need to develop and improve their skills at the same pace. More than ever, managers are being encouraged to improve employee performance through effective coaching, but so few of them have the time or the knowledge. It takes to do it successfully. Based on my case study, and presentation from the other classmate, I am getting to know how they develop their most promising employees. Now in this article, I will talk about how to be an effective manager based on the staff that I have learned from BUAD 309 class. I will also talk about from problem solving to developing accountability as an effective manager. I am a table tennis coach myself, I needs to coach other players has total different back ground and age. When I am coaching people, my students are either improving fast or still remain the same, these are all good to me, because in my perspective, when people are not improving fast, means that they are absorb the knowledge I thought them. But In the business world, if you’re not growing, you’re dying. It’s a basic rule of life here on earth and in the business world today. It’s what drives most of us to be better at what we do and who we are. It’s the desire to â€Å"be more. † Because of this desire, the term â€Å"coaching† has caught the attention of both the personal growth and business worlds, creating a multibillion dollar business and a situation in which everyone wants a coach. More than ever before, employees are asking for developmental opportunities and managers are being told they need to â€Å"coach† their employees on a regular basis. We’ve even worked with managers who say they’ve been told to â€Å"stop managing and start coaching. This all sounds great in theory: managers coaching employees to grow and be more effective, but there’s one problem. Although many people agree that having a coach is a great way to move toward success, very few people know what a coach actually is or what a coach actually does. This leaves many managers scratching their heads as they try to fit one more ambiguous task into their already over-busy schedules. So what is a coach, and what is coaching? This is our definition: A coach is someone who helps another person reaches higher effectiveness by creating a dialogue that leads to awareness and action. Lorber, L 2008)By creating the space to step back, look in the mirror, and grapple with the tough questions, a coach helps a person examine and deal with their reactions to obstacles and, in a sense, â€Å"get out of their own way† as they achieve better results, in a more efficient manner. When we are faced with a task, there are three things that managers should help employees to get better and be as successful as possible: First, make sure you find and dig out the aptitude of your employees: make them understand their potential and capacity to complete the task at hand. Second, make sure your employee’s attitude right toward their jobs: make sure your employees are confidence, focus, and determination to complete the task at hand. Third, make sure you make your employees use all the available resources: make them use all the tools, equipment, and time that available that needed to complete the task at hand. Without these three components, we cannot be at the top of our game. The degrees to which each of them does or does not exist directly contribute or detract from our ultimate level of success. It can be thought of as an equation with variable components. Start with Aptitude, the most obvious component of the equation. Without the proper skills and know how to complete a task, we are left scratching our head and frustrated. Think of a kid on her birthday receiving her first shiny, new bike. She has the determination and excitement to ride her new wheels, but she lacks the skill and ability to go whizzing down the street as she envisions. (Greg P, 1993) After two or three wipeouts, you end up with a frustrated little birthday girl. Just as crucial to the equation is having the Available Resources to complete the task. Think of the last time your team at work had a great idea or new approaches to accomplishing success, but you lacked the budget, time, or people power to deal with it. You had the capacity to figure out a new solution, the drive and confidence to make it a reality, but lacked the money or people to pull it off. Not a fun place to be in, by any stretch of the imagination. As managers, and people, we are comfortable and see the need to focus on Aptitude and Available Resources. When things aren’t working in the office, managers are often very willing to train people in new skills or throw more money at the problem. However, it’s the middle part of the Success Equation. The keystone if you will that most people tend to overlook, forget about, or outright ignore. Attitude refers to things like the drive, confidence, focus, enthusiasm, determination, need, desire, fortitude, and inspiration to accomplish the task at hand. Although difficult to measure and manage, without the right Attitude, having only the Aptitude and Available Resources will get you nowhere. Unfortunately, managers often say things like, â€Å"why can’t people just do their jobs and leave all that other stuff at home. † Well, people don’t â€Å"leave all that other stuff at home† because as humans, we can’t. (Greg P, 1993) Understandably, many managers wish that this was not the case, because managing would be immensely easier if people could really â€Å"check their emotions at the door. † We got it, and, unfortunately, it’s not possible. Think of the time your work day has been affected because you were ill, or you had a fight with a family member. This doesn’t even include the events that happen at work. When rumors of a downsizing start in an organization, how many people are able to completely check their emotional reaction to the news and focus a hundred percent on their work? Not many. So, for better or worse, managers have to accept that our Attitude affects our Level of Success, and focusing on it is more than â€Å"a nice thing to do. † Like it or not, Attitude is hardwired into the Success Equation of humans, and not just as a variable on the periphery. Attitude is perhaps the most vital component in the entire equation, and focusing on it is a manager’s business imperative. Hardline business people are often most comfortable thinking of this in terms of sports. Anyone who has played sports has probably been told at one time or another to â€Å"get your head in the game,† â€Å"focus,† â€Å"get psyched up,† or â€Å"don’t think that you can’t beat these guys! † (Greg P, 1993) Sports coaches know that the confidence, drive, and determination of their athletes can make all the difference between playing and winning. I think this is the biggest connection between my sport and management. Other than the three things, I would like to talk about good communication skills as a good manager. Good communication skill means the ability to be understood, but it also means more than that. Have you ever noticed how good conversationalists have the ability to light up a conversation and inspire others to join in? You can learn to be like that too. Remember any good conversation is a two-way process. It’s only as good as the responses you get but you can really improve the number and types of responses you get by honing your communication skill. Here are a few aspects of what it means to have this skill to initiate and sustain an interesting, enjoyable conversation that everyone feels better for having participated in.

Respecting the environment Essay

Respected Principal and teachers, my dear friends. Assalaam alaikum Today I am going to talk about ‘Respecting the environment’. When we talk about the environment we mean everything in the world around us that surrounds and affects all life on earth, including the air, food chains, the water cycle, plants, animals and other humans. The oxygen we breathe comes from our environment, We get water from the rain which fills our wells and sea, We get food from the plants, animals, fish and birds. We get shelter from the materials we take out of the earth and from plants that grow in the earth to make our homes. We get warmth from the sun, fire, electricity and our clothing, these all come from our planet. The planet we call mother earth. Today the human population has grown to nearly 7 billion. The main reason our environment is changing is because people are adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The most important greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, which is released whenever people burn fossil fuels to do everyday activities like driving cars, and making electricity. When greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere, they cause the Earth to heat up, making our planet warmer. As a result the air we breathe gets polluted and too hot for plants and animals to survive. Our planet is changing. We need to help it change for the better and I’m asking for your help to do that!. A very simple thing you can do is to use less plastic bags. Plastic is very harmful for environment- once we use it, it will be thrown away –it then goes to the waste collection centre where it takes 500-1000 or more years for it be completely destroyed. Some people throw it to the ocean- when turtles eats it thinking its jellyfish, it kills them. It takes a lot of money and energy to destroy plastic bags, therefore, instead of plastic bags, choose to use paper bags. What else can we do? We can plant more trees. Trees are extremely important to human life on earth. Trees give us food, produces oxygen and help us to survive. But today people cut down trees to make room for new building, roads and cities. Trees are used to make newspapers, computer paper, furniture, houses and many other products. If we love planting trees instead of destroying it we could contribute in saving the environment. Did you know that planting trees help to make the ground stronger- Many islands of Maldives have weak land – if we plant more trees, we could save islands from getting completely eroded. Another very important thing we can do to help save our environment is to use less electricity. The simplest thing is to remember to turn the lights off when you leave a room! Even if you’re not using it, leaving something plugged in takes up energy from the Earth! Save Water. Water is life. Without water we cannot survive. Something as simple as turning off the water while brushing your teeth makes a HUGE difference for Planet Earth. Doing this one thing can help save up to 25 gallons of water each month! By just doing such a simple thing, you are doing a huge part to save Earth! Keep Your School Free of Garbage. The more we keep our Earth clean the happier it will be. Do your part by making sure you don’t leave your garbage lying around †¦ put it in the recycling or garbage where it belongs. Today I ask you, my dear friends to do your part to protect our environment. I ask you, my friends to be the superheroes who will protect our planet by .because I believe if the environment is safe†¦we are safe. Thank you

The Effects of Child Abuse

Trust issues Need for instant gratification II. Behavioral effects Problems in school Making friends Getting along with others understanding school work B. Engaging in drug/ alcohol abuse Trying drugs Drinking Partying C. Suited D. Eating disorders Anorexia Bulimia Binging E. Criminal behavior Vandalism Prostitution F. Abusing others Physically Psychologically Sexually Ill. Physical effects Insomnia/ nightmare Startled easily Racing heartbeat Aches and pains Fatigue Difficulty concentrating Edginess or agitation Muscle tension Nelson 1 Psychological abuse is considered to be verbal abuse, extreme punishment, irruption, and lack of affection.Psychological abuse is not only one of the most common types of child abuse, but it is also considered to be one of the most hurtful. The question is-?what effects does psychological abuse have on children? There are many consequences of psychological abuse, and most if not all of these effects are long term. Children can be emotionally affected b y psychological abuse. One emotional effect of psychological abuse could be low self esteem. A child with low self esteem brought on by this abuse may have sensitivity to criticism, bouts of hostility, trihedral from society, and excessive preoccupation with personal problems.These children may also suffer from depression. This depression may include a general sadness, an increase or decrease in appetite, feelings of fatigue, and thoughts of suicide. The abuse may also cause a child to become anxious which includes a general feeling of sickness, detachment, an inability to think clearly, and a constant fear of death. All of this can make a child aggressive. This can lead to a child physically or verbally attacking other which can cause injury to those people or to the hill itself. Children that are aggressive may also have personality disorders.Some common personality symptoms a child may have are stormy relationships, social isolation, trust issues, and demand for instant gratifica tion. A child's behavior can also be affected by psychological abuse. Psychological abuse may cause a child to have problems in school. Some of the problems these children may have are making new friends, getting along with others, and understanding their school work. These children also tend to go to parties and engage in drugs and alcohol. Some of the hillier may only try the drugs and alcohol once-?others may become hooked on the drugs or become alcoholics for the rest of their lives.Many of these children may commit suicide. Others may have eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, or binging. They are also involved in various criminal behaviors such as vandalism, drugs or alcohol, and prostitution. Because these children have known nothing but abuse their entire lives, they tend to be abusers themselves. They may verbally, physically, psychologically, or even sexually abuse others as they grow. Psychologically abused children also suffer from various physical effects of the abus e. Some of these physical effects may include insomnia.Whenever they do sleep they end up having intense nightmares. A child may also be easily startled which may cause him or her to have a racing heartbeat. Some other effects may be fatigue, difficulties concentrating, edginess or agitation, and muscle tension-?causing aches and pains. Psychological abuse is very hurtful and harmful to children. It greatly affects who they are as a person. The effects of this abuse are intense. It affects children emotionally and physically, and can also affect their behavior and personality.

Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management - Research Paper Example â€Å"The result of the innovation process is innovation – a creation that has significant value† (Cingula & Veselica). Innovation strategy is the manner by which organizations respond to challenges in market by way of research and development, product or process innovation, and by the use of technology or market forces; Analysis: 1) McDonald: McDonald’s Corporation operates its chain of business in a challenging market segment, and it employs an efficient competitive strategy against its competitors. To offer efficient service to those whom they cater, the company provides standardized training processes for employees. McDonald’s also competes by offering low price for high quality products. It necessitates efficient processes for the entire organization. The introduction of â€Å"Made for you† system offered standard food items that are not kept in a bin until they get sold. Later they realized that even if the new system offered fresh food, it wa s not time effective. Still, McDonald’s continues with the system, by adding new options to help the system work quickly. McDonald’s has planned to increase profits by increasing sales in its existing restaurants. They developed a â€Å"new taste menu,† where they offered a new type of sandwich for one week to offer a variety of options to satisfy customer’s desire. But, the new taste menu proved to be inefficient as customers were annoyed at the fact that they couldn’t purchase their new favorite sandwich again. Later they realized that people are more conscious regarding their health and they responded to this trend by adding salads and further lighter choice to their menu. McDonald’s has paid significant concentration to children who help them to build a stable business, by encouraging the entire family to visit McDonald’s. McDonald’s strategy to develop brand loyalty in children has turned out to be a great success. 2) Appl e: Apple exerts a combination of Bottom-Up and Top Down innovation strategy to generate new innovations. The innovation culture of Apple is closely attached with that of its leadership. â€Å"Innovation comes from saying no to 1,000 things, to make sure we don’t get on the wrong track or try to do too much† (A Leadership that Understands Innovation para. 2). The innovation process is facilitated by five leadership roles which include  Institutional Leader, Entrepreneur, Critic, Mentor and Sponsor.   The institutional leader produces organizational infrastructure needed for innovation.   The critic confronts investments and goals. The entrepreneur controls innovative units.   The sponsor procures and advocates, while the mentor counsels and advises. To maintain strategy of product differentiation, Apple has used these the five roles of leadership. The Innovation Factory which is the new build up of Apple, is the one that harnesses unrestrained creativity for its customers, enterprising new ideas & stimulating bold, steps, and being successful in innovations. Apple leverages its employees ecosystem, suppliers, customers, global networks and partners, proving the process of innovation, the idea that winning culture doesn't agree to second place, and to grab the new marketplace opportunities for the business to glow. 3. Microsoft: â€Å"

Segregation and the Racial Wage Gap Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Segregation and the Racial Wage Gap - Term Paper Example The image of the black man, being relegated to lower rung jobs, being inadequately compensated and constantly striving to prove himself has gone through a drastic change, report Mary Daly, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Kenneth A. Couch, University of Connecticut. Their study has pointed out that an increase in the weekly pay of black male workers rose substantially so as to narrow the gap between black and white earnings to its lowest historically recorded levels. (Gene Koretz) This Discrimination in wage earnings begins at an early stage in the careers of black men and these have a direct impact on the â€Å"future labor earnings.† This wage inequality starts with the first job and continues to grow during the first five years of â€Å"post-school labor market activity† (Renna, King, 2007) This gap in earnings is considerable, growing from 12.46% during the first post school job to 25.86% even five years later. The statistics concerning racial wage gap may reveal the narrowing of the phenomena, but in all economic matters, racial inequality is an undeniable fact. African Americans face unemployment two times more than their white counterparts and even when employed they may earn only 75 per cent of what their white colleagues receive as wages. (Council of Economic Advisers, 1998) In the first few years in the job market, the incumbent is at a lower rung due to educational qualifications, but over the years this factor ceases to have an impact on the wage potential, because the employer is aware of the productivity levels of the employee. Thus, while the wage gap narrows over the years, it shows a direct proportional decrease with the increase in the number of years spent in the wage market. The lower wage workers have seen an increase in their pay structure, and more importantly, the reduction in wage gap

Punic war and its influence on roman domination of mediterranean Essay

Punic war and its influence on roman domination of mediterranean - Essay Example The Romans developed a system of written communication and numbers that are still in use today and, with this ability to record information, were also able to develop elaborate feats of technology. They introduced the concept of civil engineering and developed many new forms of architectural design such as the Roman arch. They were able to exert this type of long-range influence thanks largely to their successes experienced during the Punic Wars. To understand the tremendous influence the Romans were able to garner out of these victories, it is necessary to have some background into the three wars that are collectively referred to as the Punic Wars, the reach of this influence and the way in which this influence managed to dominate the thinking and culture of what has become known as the ‘Western’ world. The first Punic War was fought on the island of Sicily in 264 BC (Hooker, 1996). However, the beginning of the war seems somewhat confused. â€Å"Carthage occupied the Sicilian town of Massana in 264 BC, after the Mamertines, a group of mercenaries, appealed to Carthage for help against Hiero II, king of Syracuse (a Sicilian city-state). This concerned Rome, since Massana is in the northeast corner of Sicili, very near the Greek towns of Italy which fell under Roman protection. Once the problem with Heiro II was solved, the Mamertines appealed to Rome for aid in fighting off the Carthaginians† (Stackhouse, 2007). While Carthage looked forward to winning a new port placed in an ideal position for achieving domination over the entire Mediterranean, Rome felt winning the city would provide them with a strong location for land defense. â€Å"Although the two powers had no quarrel before, they also had no shared racial or cultural heritage† (Stackhouse, 2007). With Rome bes ieging the cities, Carthage opted to break

Peer response Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

Peer response - Article Example In terms of concerns regarding sampling, the plan to obtain a representative sample through securing a list of students in remedial classes is deemed to be an appropriate mode. Soliciting these students’ approval to participate in the study is another issue that needs a good technique. Your suggestion to send email message to these students is an alternative. However, one suggests that you could directly endorse request letters to these students while in their traditional class settings. Of course, you have to request approval from the instructors, as well as from the academic authorities prior to solicitation of approval for participation. Thus, through a quick survey-questionnaire, these same students could respond immediately in the same traditional classroom setting to collect their responses. I believe this suggestion would also eliminate sampling biases since the survey would be conducted to all students taking remedial classes in their traditional classroom

Legal Foundations of Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal Foundations of Health Care - Essay Example Progress in health care facilities was also significant and began immediately into the century. The developments began in the year 1903 with Willem’s invention of electrocardiograph, a development that facilitated diagnosis and therapies. The â€Å"first basal metabolism apparatus† in 1906 was another development in the industry (Pozgar, 2012, p. 9). The â€Å"Wassermann test† followed this in the same year before invention of the â€Å"fluoroscopic screen† two years later. Tests on functionality of the pancreas were also developed by the year 1906. The progression in facilities also included equipments for taking blood based tests and tests on other body fluids as well as development of health care laboratories (Pozgar, 2012). Developments was further realized in establishment of training facilities for health care personnel, as was the case of the Foundation of the American College of Surgeons, in the year 1913. Progress in health care facilities however slugged after the year 1929 because of effects of the First World War and the Great Depression but was later facilitated by profit-oriented ventures in the health care sector. Computerization was another development in the period and was realized towards the end of the 20th century. Its features were vested in healthcare technology such as â€Å"computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography† (Pozgar, 2012, p. 10). These developments in medical technologies have also been the major identified elements of progression in the 21st century. The progression has adopted the developed trend in towards the end of the 20th century when care providers sought to resolve existing and emerging problems in the society and to a ttain efficiencies in their operations. Other developments in healthcare facilities in the period include development of antibiotics and equipments for managing infections, development of pharmaceutical products, establishment and

Impact of EU Enlargement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Impact of EU Enlargement - Essay Example Government expenditures needed to meet the cost of the EU regulations will also necessitate greater debt and higher taxes. As published by EU Observer, a daily newspaper in Brussels, the large expenses involved in accession, the new member states may have to ask private or public financial institutions for money and further the government may also have to adopt economic measures such as increasing taxes.(Marian L. Tupy, 2000:2) The fifth enlargement in 2004 was long awaited enlargement of EU which began in 1998 and culminated with the agreement of intergovernmental conference in Nice 2000, according to which Poland became signatory to the Nice Treaty in February 2001 and joined the EU in May 2004.(Poland and the issues surrounding EU Enlargement, 2004)2 Hanska (2008:3) in her paper work stated that Poland, from the geographical point of view is the sixth largest and one of the most populous countries within the EU and, because of this, considers itself as one of the more powerful member states at the same time.3 Polish society is one of the most pro European societies in the European societies in... sh people supported European Integration during 20034 referendum and polish membership in the EU because all the EU institutions were perceived by Polish people who were effective and less corrupted. The Polish supported the integration because they perceived the EU accession as strategic goal for Poland and majority of the society viewed it as inevitability. Even the polish farmers realized that EU integration is worth its promise and that it was real because of its subsidiaries. The EU integration opened labor markets which allowed getting legal works in countries like France, Netherlands and Italy. Prezmek Jaron (n.d.) analyzed that the accession has given international education opportunities for the Polish as other European member states, which was not permissible prior to the accession. And EU budget provides Poland with a chance to become the biggest beneficiary of EU financial support. The most important dimension of EU integration is possibility of traveling across Europe wi thout passport.5 Poland after EU accession possesses completely new political reality with their first ever election of Parliament and President in 2005 since 1989. (Prezmek Jaron, n.d) Poland is an important country with EU because of its size, geo-political position and its market. According to the data of Institute of Public Affairs, in the year 2006, 36 % of the respondents agreed that integration with EU brings personally more benefits than losses as compared to 27% in 2004 and 2005 respectively. While 28% (2006) agreed with as many losses as benefits compared to 32% (2005) and 29% (2004). And 16% (2006) gave consent to more losses than benefits against 23% (2005) and 23% (2005). While some of the remaining respondent's were not sure and others found it difficult. (Lena Kolarska Bobi

U.S Economy Cause and Effect Essay Example for Free

U.S Economy Cause and Effect Essay As America is going through economical disfunctions, Â  it is apparent that many people fear for losing their job because in such a depression it would make it impossible to be well off comfortably due to the demand of money needed for all the basic essentials especially in Orange County. Orange County happens the be one of the more expensive areas in the state and it is crucial to always have a steady income as life here is not cheap but well worth it. Many Americans are in search for work and are struggling to make a living. As the job hunting goes on, many job opportunities are overseen to due to programs such unemployment. The percentage of unemployment has sky rocketed over the past few years leaving it up to us, tax payers with job to pay for such needs. Unemployment is not fair for all, most people would say. There are a percentage of people who truly have no other choice of surviving unless they depend on this crucial unemployment program. Although unemployment is crucial for some, it is not necessary for a portion of the people due to the simple fact that they are not trying hard enough to seek new job opportunities. Instead they a letting opportunities slide right past them every single day they are not looking for work. Many people depend on unemployment alone, because most people would prefer to get paid for doing nothing while they have the chance too. Many people take advantage of this privilege and only it do they follow. A huge downfall due to unemployment for us people with a steady income and a consistent employment is the fact that we have to pay for the unemployed. Hardworking people work to support themselves also end up paying taxes which a percentage of that goes to the unemployed. By increasing our taxes the government collects money all around. This dramatically decreases the standard of living for us citizens. Although unemployment has its pros and is a huge opportunity for people in struggles or going through loss of unemployment. It also puts a major dependability on hard working citizens who are forced to pay high taxes which a certain percentage are collected to pay for the unemployed. Many people abuse unemployment for as long as they can and only pretend to seek work but instead just prefer to do nothing but make something which not only is unfair but also not right. Unemployment not only affects certain individuals but it also puts a decrease on the standard of living here in the United states which affects everybody around us.

Regenerative Battery For Human Electric Hybrid Bicycle Engineering Essay

Regenerative Battery For Human Electric Hybrid Bicycle Engineering Essay In this report, a proposed project, the human-electric hybrid bicycle, also known as Pedelec driven mainly by human pedalling force with additional assistance force from the battery powered electric motor that has a regenerative power feature during declining slopes. Introduction Automobiles have always been essential for people living in cities as a form of transportation to carry out their daily routine. According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, a staggering number of 77,609,901 cars and commercial vehicles were produced in the year 2010. A 25.8 percent change compare to the previous year (OICA, 2011). Based on a research report of the Fifth U.S. Climate Action Report, transportation activities contribute thirty-three percent of the worlds emission of carbon dioxide in 2007 and nearly up to sixty percent of emission came from the combustion of petroleum from personal transportation (U.S. Climate Action Report, 2010). Consequently, it is without doubt, cars are one of the major causes of global warming due to the emission of green house gasses. Currently, hybrid and electrical vehicles seems to be the preeminent solution to counter the problem that arises from petrol powered automobiles without eliminating its advantages. Ho wever, electrical powered vehicles have its own disadvantages as it requires a certain amount of charging time. On the other hand, electric bicycle are making huge waves among town communities because it is less strenuous compare to the standard bicycle, thus, enable users to travel longer distance without using much energy. Amount of time needed for charging still arises in electric bicycles. The Regenerative Battery for Pedelecs on declining terrains is able to solve the problem by enabling the user to automatically charge the bicycle battery during downhill slopes. Literature Review Electric bicycle, Hybrid Bicycle and Human-Electric Bicycles or Pedelecs have only recently become a worldwide phenomenon due to the rise in petroleum prices. The technology of these types of bicycles is still relative new and research popularity has merely beginning to rise in the past recent years. Therefore, there is lack of research papers and literature available in the area of hybrid or electric bicycle in scholarly journals or professional organization such as the IEEE. The following literature review evaluates on eleven scholarly journals to elucidate the technology involved in developing electric, Hybrid or Pedelecs bicycles and its performance characteristics. Among the eleven journals included, a report by Muetze and Tan (2007) gave a detailed and organized report based on the characterization of electric bicycle, both theoretically and experimentally. The report includes as well the requirements of different performances ideal for electric bicycles and obstacles faced to endorse it. Regulations and safety factors for electrics bicycles in countries such as Japan, Europe, China and United States are outlined. Research was done to discover the advantages and disadvantages of technical performances for different part type of the bicycles such as the assist type, motor, motor assembly, motor placement, throttle and battery type. The report also includes a power over speed graph collected from results collected with different parameters such as the influence of weight, influence of the slope and influence of wind. Results gathered from the report is able to provide a guideline for developing an electric bicycle suitable for the market trend a nd improve the performances of electric bicycles for future developments. While the assessment on the performance of electric bicycle is essential, energy management too must be given consideration. Morchin (1998) identifies the energy consumed by electric bicycle and emission of green houses gasses can be reduced by two methods. Such aspects can be achieved by optimizing the ratings of the battery and engine while delivering power output by each source under expected driving conditions (Morchin, 1998). In the report, an on-board energy manager was mounted on an electric bicycle to track the energy level in the battery and effectively divide loads between the battery and the engine. The Langranges theorem was used to calculate the energy consumed under affecting parameters of air drag, hill slopes and friction. However, the study done only applies to electric powered bicycles and not for hybrid bicycles or Pedelecs. Research can be done to extend for various types of bicycles and different type of terrains. The term hybrid used in the paper is rather misle ading because the paper focuses on fully electric bicycle while the term hybrid bicycle often refers a bicycle that runs on both petroleum gas and electricity or human pedal force with a battery powered motor. In a related research on power management in electric assisted bicycle, Brand and Ertugrul (2007) examines and discover that an in-hub direct drive located on the front wheel of the bicycle could give better performance by electric braking and stable manoeuvring. Furthermore, the report conducted experiments on 17 riders from different categories. All riders are evenly divided based on gender, weight, age, regular and irregular cyclist. The report is comprehensive and able to substantiate the effectiveness of the in-hub direct drive. Additionally , the report concentrate on evaluating riding conditions of various type of rider group to determine the optimum power requirement and does no focuses on designing an alternative for electric bicycles. It is noted in the report that aerodynamic streamlining and development of a high efficiency inverter can be a further developed from the report. Most of the study done about electric bicycles revolves around the battery storage system. Solutions may compromise of electric regeneration (Liu et al., 2008); (Somchaiwong Ponglangka, 2006), or petroleum-electric bicycle (Nagendran Senthil, 2010);(Xiong, et al., 2010) . Liu, et al., (2008) designed four regenerative braking strategies by turning mechanical energy into electrical energy to extend the battery life-span. Matlab and Simulink were used to create a model of the electric bike and the four proposed regenerative braking strategies. The four braking control strategies are Most Feedback Power (MFP), Most System Efficiency (MSE), Fixed Torque Control Strategy (FTC) and Fixed Feedback Current Control (FFC) (Liu, et al., 2008). Clear description and illustration were given on all the four purposed strategies. The report illustrates theoretically using computer simulations and there were no prototype build or practical experiment conducted with bicycle users. Alternatively, Somchaiwong and Ponglangka (2006) proposed a regenerative power control system to solve the increment of cycle speed of motor that are redundant for example, during a downhill path. The research experiments on the relationship between the voltages supplied and motor speed. The result shows that if the cycle motor runs on the specific speed requirement, the motor would in turn generate a specific output voltage. Another prevalent solution battery problems faced in electric bicycles are petroleum-electric hybrid bicycles. Nagendran and Senthil (2010) proposed a Hybrid Bicycle with Three Speed Transmission System to solve problems faces in current electric bicycles. The purposed idea of the hybrid bicycle runs on both electric and petroleum to recharge the bicycles battery storage system. An added feature to the purposed idea is a three speed gear for effective control the speed of the motor and IC (Internal Combustion) engine. The bicycle runs like an ordinary electric bicycle on Phase One. When the battery storage system is depleted, the motor would then runs on the internal combustion engine. A Change Over is installed to connect and disconnects the motor from the IC engine or vice-versa. A shaft coupler is used to connect the chain drive while a chain drive is used to obtain balance of the bicycle. The research does not illustrate the practical construction of the three speed transmission system. In a related topic, Liu, et al., designed a LPG (Liqufied Petroleum Gas) electric hybrid bicycle that is able to run on fully engine driven, fully electric motor driven or hybrid mode. Due to space limitation in the bicycle a four-stroke spark ignition LPG engine power system is introduced in the research. The gasoline engine was modified into a LPG engine by increasing the compression ratio, enlarging the spark advance angle and increasing the ignition energy. The research also includes the design of the transmission system and control system of the hybrid bicycle. A prototype of the design was developed and several tests were conducted on city traffic conditions. While most studies focuses on a single bicycle type such as electric bicycle or Pedelecs, Indulal Nair (2007) incorporates both types of bicycle and the implementation of Fuzzy Logic as a control system. The bicycle runs on three different modes, Manual Mode, Power Mode and Automatic Mode. Manual Mode works like an ordinary where pedalling is required with no extra assistance. Power Mode fully runs on electricity and does not require any paddling while Automatic Mode provides electric assistance on top of manual pedalling. Fuzzy Logic is implemented to provide comfortable riding and sufficient drive assistance under any conditions. After the completion of the design, arrays of inputs were fed to the Fuzzy Logic Controller using Matlab Simulation to study the outputs. Results from the simulation found that the performance of the system over various conditions were acceptable. The research states that the design can be further extended into larger vehicles. To optimize the potential of battery storage system, Sousa, et al., (2007) developed an electronic converter powered by two type power supplies, the battery and super capacitors. Batteries are the primary storage while capacitors are used to avoid deep discharging of the battery and as a backup storage. In this research, supercapacitors are used instead and can able to serve as a primary storage source. The developed system was built on the electric bicycle and results were gathered. A decision circuit is needed because the design is capable in increasing the autonomy of electric vehicles to avoid high current peak and fast discharges of the batteries. The research open doors for future work such as improving power circuit to increase efficiency and analyse the autonomy by altering the role of the battery and supercapacitor. Coates and Charkey (2002) states that batteries testing on Sealed Nickel-Zinc Batteries are conducted for electric bicycle applications because it provides the s ame amount of energy with half the weight compare to the standard lead-acid batteries. Hsu,et al., (2011) poses a solution to provide comfort and safety measure in different types of Pedelecs riding environment while optimizing the performance of the battery. The quality of riding conditions can be improved by overcoming three forces of nature, air drag, friction and hill drag. The key to the solution is the pedalling power and total power of the required power should be constant and sufficient additional power is provided to overcome any of the three forces. The design is also able to solve instability problem in Pedelecs when the motor abruptly occurs by keeping the instantaneous acceleration of the assisted power be kept within the Safety Zone and Comfort Zone. Real environment simulation scenarios were conducted on different road types and pedal force in urban areas. Results confirms the design has better energy utilization compare to existing conventional and delta learning rule based assisted power methods. The report provides room for further research on solving the method to automatically adjust the motor to the different type of physical conditions of the riders. After the evaluation of all the eleven journals, it can be concluded that most of the journals focuses on solving the problems currently faced by electric bicycle that provide insufficient energy in the battery storage and insufficient power assistance. There are ample room for further development on electric bicycles and Pedelecs because it technology is relatively new. Further research done on this area would benefit societies living in urban area to be used as a form of environmental friendly transportation as opposed to conventional cars and motorcycles. Problem Statement Based on previous research done on electric bicycles, most studies concur that the depletion of petroleum and the rise in the emission of greenhouse gasses are the factor that contribute to the advancement of electric bicycles (Brand Ertugrul, 2007; Hsu, et al., 2011; Indulal Nair, 2007; Morchin, 1998; Nagendran Senthil, 2010; Sousa, et al., 2007; Xiong, et al., 2010). In spite of this, there are still plenty of room for further development and enhancement in the area of electrical bicycles. The battery storage system incorporated in electric bicycles provides insufficient energy for long distance travels and does not carry self-charging capabilities (Coates Charkey, 2002; Nagendran Senthil, 2010). Electric assisted bicycles or Pedelecs confront problems such as an abrupt driving force when the motor is triggered (Hsu, et al., 2011). Project Background The project focuses on improving the overall performance of electric assisted bicycle or Pedelecs. Since there is a demand on electric bicycles, it would be beneficial for society and business organization to enrol the development of Pedelecs. In a report by Time News, most electric bicycles run on lead-acid batteries and are unsuitable for the rising requirements of daily transportation (Ramsy, 2009). Numerous solutions were established by various engineers and organizations to counter these problems. Some researchers focus on the regeneration of electricity from external sources (Somchaiwong Ponglangka, 2006; Xiong, et al., 2010). While some concentrate on using distinctive forms of power management (Brand Ertugrul, 2007; Hsu, et al., 2011; Morchin, 1998; Nagendran Senthil, 2010). For the proposed Regenerative Battery for Pedelecs project, it confronts both of these methods to solve the battery problems that arise from conventional electrical bicycle. In addition to replacing ca rs to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses, the regenerative power during a declining gradient reduces the dependency on electricity. The generation of electricity from Independent Power Producers (IPP) indirectly affect the environment. For instance, the construction of Hydroelectric Plant requires large areas particularly in remote areas and substantial quantities of fossil fuels are used to power up machineries (McKinney, et al., 2007). The natural habitat, home to both flora and fauna would be destroyed in the process. The proposed regenerative power is designed to reduce the power consumption in the battery storage while providing rechargeable power supply at the same time. The regenerative power incorporated in the design would be able to solve issues relating to the insufficient power in the battery storage system. It would be able to expand the life cycle of the battery for longer distance travels. Most electric bicycles owners today complain that electric bicycles do no t provide sufficient power assistance. The latest Pedelecs today has power-assistance during hill climbing or on irregular surface roads to provide the additional boost without having the rider to exert much force. However, Hsu,et al., (2011) states that there are insufficient power assist to overcome three forces, air drag, friction and hill drag. Air drag and friction does not require much power compare to hill drag. The motor of the power assist provides enough force to overcome hill drag, friction or air drag while the pedalling power by the rider remains constant. This would be enable riders to conserve energy for longer riding. Most seniors find that conventional bicycles are strenuous and dangerous. Therefore, some seniors would rather stay in the comfort of their homes without getting much exercise and fresh air. Pedalecs would be able to encourage seniors to overcome their fear towards conventional bicycles. In urban town areas, getting out buying some groceries would sometimes be a hassle especially if the grocery shop is not within walking distance. Most people today would rather drive their car out to buy some fruits and vegetables or to fetch the daily newspaper. It is a very unhealthy habit that began to manifest among the town citizens. Little did they know that getting fresh air by cycling or taking a daily stroll would improve the well-being of the person and reduces health risk such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. According to a Congressional Report, less than one trip in one hundred percent is by bicycle (Congress, 2002). The report also mentioned that frequent bike trips would also cure the addiction of smokers and alcoholics. Regenerative braking in electric bicycles is gaining popularity too. The Panasonic Vivi RX 10-S features a braking system that recharges a 10AH Li-ion secondary batter located next to rear wheel of the bicycle (Toto, 2008). Liu, et al., (2008) mentioned that braking control can be used to convert mechanical energy to electric energy by improving battery life-span. Using the same theory, the proposed design is able to make use of hilly areas to generate electricity. Since no energy is needed for bicycle going downhill, the bicycle still moves downwards due to the forces of gravity. For certain cases, with the regenerative power, braking is not required because the regenerator is able to reduce the speed of the overall bicycle while going downhill. Methodology The scope of this research is divided into five stages. The time scope of the project is expected to be completed in 9 months. Research At the beginning of the Final Year Project, intensive research on the area of electric bicycles must be done before designing of the project takes place. Research would be an explanatory research in the beginning to obtain an overview on the research area and to discover alternatives to the research objective. Evaluation on other research papers done to identify the new developments in technology and rooms for further studies is noted. Solutions can be developed by acknowledging the problem faced by the society today. Qualitative Research such as surveys and Questionnaires can be conducted to identify the current problem faced for further development. This is important because the success of a product is determined by meeting the demand of society today. Brainstorming sessions are required after the collected data is evaluated to determine the feasibility of the project and to acquire various alternatives to the problem. This stage is expected to complete within a month. Design The designing process takes place after the evaluation of the collected data is finalised. A basic concept should be achieved at this stage. All the knowledge on mechanics, electronics and programming is required to design the proposed idea. Computer simulations are to be use to design and test the feasibility of the idea. Autodesk Inventor can be used to construct the framework and provide a visual overview of the bicycle. Matlab and Labview can be used in the programming development of the regenerative power system. Computer simulations are used before the construction of the bicycle to virtually simulating the design while reducing unnecessary expenditure. This stage is expected to complete in 2 months. Implementation The implementation stage involves building the prototype based on the finalized design. A conventional bicycle is required as the main structure of the design. Motor, Lithium Ion Battery and Transmission System is needed to modify the bicycle into an electrical-assisted bicycle. Torque Sensors, Slope Sensors or Tilt Sensors are installed to sense when the motor is needed. The Slope or Tilt Sensors can be replaced by Apple Application known as Gyroscope for an extra appealing feature. Additional hardware such as a state-of-charge indicator, power tab hub and throttle switch can be added later on. This stage is expected to complete in 3 months. Testing The testing phase involves the practical assessment on the now fully built bicycle. Various tests would be performed to determine the performance of the entire system. Two types of testing can be conducted, laboratory testing and field testing. Laboratory testing involves a set of variables such as power, efficiency, cycle speed, life-span of the rechargeable battery and the motor. For field testing, a laptop with a PCMIA card is incorporated to the system to acquire the data. The testing would involve around twenty volunteers from different age group, gender, weight and physical fitness level. All volunteers have to go through a predetermine path with different type of terrain in an urban area. The laptop is used to record data such as pedalling torque, bicycle speed and applied power. The data collected is to be used to evaluate the performance of the system. A set of feedback forms could be given out at the end of the testing to gauge the satisfactory level of each volunteer towar ds the system. This stage is expected to complete in 2 months. Report Report writing is to be conducted at the end of all the four stages. The scope and design process in building the system are to be complied. The data collected are tabulated in graph and figures to illustrate the outcomes. This stage is expected to complete within month. Limitations There is some limitation that would be encountered in the process of implementing the system. Budget constrain would be a factor due to the costly hardware needed to construct the bicycle. A full-size prototype is more appropriate because a smaller-scale prototype would not be serving its purpose. In a newspaper report by The Star, due to safety issues, electric bicycles may be taken off the road if the Cabinet accepts a recommendation from the Transport Ministry (Kong, 2011). If the amendment of banning electric bicycle is implemented throughout the country; it may also affect the field-testing of the system. Research Objectives This study embarks on the following objectives: To produce an environmental friendly transportation as an alternative to petrol consumption cars To solve instability issues involving the abrupt acceleration when the motor is turned on To provide an alternative regenerative power on declining slopes to lengthen the life-span of the battery storage system To improve the overall performance to Pedelecs that are available in the market today To design a form of transportation for suitable in dense populated urban areas Research Question What are the current impact on the environment and ways to solve the problem? What are the current issues faced by electric bicycle? What addition or alternative regenerative power can be installed to conventional electric bicycles? What can be done to appeal to the market segment to buy the product? How to solve issues involving unhealthy habits of the society by relying on cars for short distance travels? Significance of the Project The proposed regenerative bicycle would be able to serve as a stepping stone for further development on electric assisted bicycles. Studies by other researches can be done by referring of the design system used and the data collected. Limitations and problems identified can be solved by future research. The proposed design hopes to significantly reduce the emission of greenhouses gasses emitted by petrol driven cars. If the design meets the demands of the society, manufactures would start producing more electrical assisted-bicycle which in return, reduces the market price of the system to reach out to all segments of the society. Expected Results The expected outcome of this project is to successfully develop a working actual size electrical assist bicycle prototype capable of converting mechanical energy to electrical energy. From the project, novel theories can be established that would indirectly benefit other areas of sciences. Furthermore, the theories presented would lead to implementation for future potential applications. The tabulations of data collected from the project is to also encourage potential researchers especially budget constrain researchers to engage in the area of electric powered vehicles. A stable handling electrical assisted bicycle is expected to be built to provide safe and comfortable riding experience. In return, physically fit or unphysical fit riders would be able to fill the joy of riding a bicycle for travelling or recreational use. The design and technology incorporated in the project is expected to appeal to the society and provide as an alternative to cars and motorcycles. This would direct ly reduce carbon footprint and slower the process of global warming.

The Importance of Ecumenism

The Importance of Ecumenism That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that you have sent me (John 17:21) Ecumenism must always be a concept that is central to good Christian living; it is a concept that should be alive and active and a concept that should always be served effectively through thought, through word and through action. Ecumenism is a word that is mentioned a lot within the wider universal church, but what exactly is it? What does it mean, and does it really matter? It is a concept within the Christian faith that aims to restore unity both amongst and within different Christian denominations. Central to the concept of ecumenism are the themes of unity, fellowship and collaboration. Christian unity and thus ecumenism is something that all Christians should be concerned with. For Catholics, ecumenism should be considered a vital mission of the Church, for it was Christ who gave us the gift of unity and thus all of us should strive to enhance, restore and maintain this gift as appropriate. In recent times, more than ever before, He has been rousing divided Christians to remorse over their divisions and to a longing for unity. Everywhere large numbers have felt the impulse of this grace, and among our separated brethren also there increases from day to day the movement, fostered by the grace of the Holy Spirit, for the restoration of unity among all Christians. This movement toward unity is called ecumenical (U.R., 1964). Quite often as Christians it can be all too easy for each of us to identify the divisions and obstacles between ourselves and those of other Christian denominations, but what unites us is far stronger than what divides us. If Christians are to be truly ecumenical in their outlook, then better relationships and better understandings of different Christian perspectives are essential both from an internal and external perspective on the part of the individual. Catholics in particular should remember that within the Roman Catholic Church there are many different rites and that while all are focused on the same God adored in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the different rites are often unique in terms of aspects of heritage, liturgy, tradition, customs and cultures. The key word with regard to the uniqueness of the different rites within the Catholic Church and between other Christian denominations is diversity and diversity should be a source of celebration and rejoicing rather than division and separation. The Ordinariate, for example, as a rite within the Catholic Church has a style and patrimony that is distinct from other rites and groups within the wider Catholic Church and what is important to remember is that diversity is not a bad thing but it is a good thing. Rather than looking at diversity as something that prevents unity or acts as a barrier to it, we should come to understand and appreciate that diversity is actually something that seeks to enhance unity. The Catholic Church embraces with hope the commitment to ecumenism as a duty of the Christian conscience enlightened by faith and guided by love. Here too we can apply the words of Saint Paul to the first Christians of Rome: Gods love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit; thus our hope does not disappoint us (Rom 5:5). This is the hope of Christian unity, which has its divine source in the Trinitarian unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (U.U.S., 1995). In a society where the message of the Gospels appears to be absent in so many ways, all Christian denominations should seek to work together to be people of faith in what can often be a dark and troubled world. Spreading the message of Jesus to those around us is part of our duty as Christians. We must also see the face of God in all of those around us and constantly seek to do what is right and just. For Catholics, working and engaging positively and in cooperation with other Christian denominations who worship or pray in a different manner from ourselves and who express their faith in different ways is essential for unity. What is important is that God must always be our focus, that individuals should strive to be dignified and reverent in their own style of worship and prayer. Further to this, Catholics should acknowledge their duty to engage with other Christian denominations at every opportunity. This can be through local partnerships and national initiatives, there are many opportunities for Catholics to engage with other Christians in a unified manner. For they are of the opinion that the unity of faith and government, which is a note of the one true Church of Christ, has hardly up to the present time existed, and does not to-day exist. They consider that this unity may indeed be desired and that it may even be one day attained through the instrumentality of wills directed to a common end, but that meanwhile it can only be regarded as mere ideal. They add that the Church in itself, or of its nature, is divided into sections; that is to say, that it is made up of several churches or distinct communities, which still remain separate, and although having certain articles of doctrine in common, nevertheless disagree concerning the remainder; that these all enjoy the same rights; and that the Church was one and unique from, at the most, the apostolic age until the first Ecumenical Councils. Controversies therefore, they say, and longstanding differences of opinion which keep asunder till the present day the members of the Christian fami ly, must be entirely put aside, and from the remaining doctrines a common form of faith drawn up and proposed for belief, and in the profession of which all may not only know but feel that they are brothers. The manifold churches or communities, if united in some kind of universal federation, would then be in a position to oppose strongly and with success the progress of irreligion (M.A., 1928) The need for greater care and attention to be shown to the whole human race is very much apparent in todays society and through common fellowship centred on Jesus Christ; Christians of all denominations can be a common and unified voice of faith in our society. The voice of Christians who are united is one that can promote the values of honesty, integrity, kindness, compassion, support and sensitivity throughout society and can show to society as a whole that valuing the human dignity and worth of every single person is something of great importance. The path to full Christian unity is an ongoing journey, but all of us must respect our brothers and sisters of different denominations, remembering that unity is something desired by God. Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time.Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me.The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit. (C.C.C., 2011) It is fantastic that the Year of Mercy was embraced by both Catholics and non-Catholics alike and even though the Year of Mercy has now officially ended, its legacy will live on for many years to come. In order for us all to be able fully to embrace the concept of Christian unity, forgiveness and mercy must be central elements in our approach to the idea of unity with all of us remembering that unity is like teamwork, it gives us all the potential to allow us to achieve far more collectively than we can on an individual level. In addition to physical action, prayer is a key component in achieving Christian unity. It is though prayer that we become closer to God and while praying may not always be easy, it is a way in which all of us can truly open our hearts and minds to God. Praying for Christian unity is something of great importance and is something we should all try to do, as is praying with our fellow Christians. We must remember that unity begins at the foot of the cross. As with teamwork, unity is a collective effort that has the potential to achieve far more than can be achieved on an individual level. As individuals, we are all precious in the eyes of God, we are all equal and though Christian unity we can all seek to glorify God in collective and sincere manners. Striving for unity both within the Catholic Church and within the Christian faith as a whole must continue. The challenges and barriers to unity must be constantly worked on in order for unity to be achieved. All of us have our part to play, through prayer, acknowledgement, understanding, appreciation, engagement and fellowship with all Catholics and people of the Christian faith. Ecumenism should not be seen as a trivial matter as its aim is ultimately for us all to be one, one with each other and one with God, the father of all. Christian unity is something all Christians should be concerned with. Perhaps we should all ponder on the first few words of Psalm 132 Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. All Bible quotes are from The Jerusalem Bible. Catechism Catholic Church, 2011. YOUCAT. English Language ed. s.l.:Catholic Truth Society. Web resourses: internet source 1: John Paul II, 1995. Ut Unum Sint (25 May 1995) | John Paul II. Available at: http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25051995_ut-unum-sint.html[Accessed 10th February 2017]. Internet source 2: Pius XI, 1928. Mortalium Animos (January 6, 1928) | PIUS XI.Available at: http://w2.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19280106_mortalium-animos.html[Accessed 11th February 2017]. Internet source 3: Vatican II, 1964. Unitatis redintegratio. Available at: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html[Accessed 10th February 2017]. Word count 1125.

Honesty and Trust Essay -- Dishonesty Ethics Morals Essays

Honesty and Trust Several decades ago I used to enjoy an occasional lunch in with the late Professor G. Warren Nutter, a distinguished economist who taught at the University of Virginia. Professor Nutter had considerable expertise in comparative economic systems, particularly that of the former Soviet Union. While he had a deep understanding of economic theory, he always stressed that markets do not operate within a vacuum and we gain a greater understanding of human behavior if we paid attention to the role of institutions and other non-market forces. At one of our luncheons, just out of the clear blue sky, and maybe just to tease me into an argument, Professor Nutter said that if we had to stop to count our change each time we purchased something, economic activity would grind to a halt. That’s a bit of exaggeration, but Professor Nutter was making the point that the institutions of trust and honesty are vital to human well-being. Honesty and trust are not simply matters of character and morality; they’re crucial for efficient human interaction and a smoothly working economy. To gain an appreciation for the significance of honesty and trust, consider what our day-to-day life would be if we couldn’t trust anyone. We purchase a bottle of a hundred folic acid tablets from our drugstore. How many of us bother to count the tablets to ensure that we in fact received a hundred? We drive into a gasoline station and the meter reads that we put ten gallons of gasoline into our fuel tank. When was the last time anyone of us bothered to verify whether in fact we received ten gallons instead of nine and a half? We paid seven dollars for a one-pound package of steak. How many of us bother to verify that it was in fa... ... honesty. Many More Victims The fact that honesty and trust are vital should make us re-think the treatment of the dishonest and untrustworthy. Dishonest people impose losses that go beyond those suffered by their direct victims. If pack-ages are stolen from people’s doorsteps, the rest of us incur costs when delivery companies stop leaving packages unless someone is home. If people rob bus operators and taxi drivers, all of us are required to have exact change or small bills. Considering the large economic effects of dishonesty and of not being able to trust one another, we should show little tolerance for violators. Fortunately, we live in a society where we can generally trust and accept the word of one another. That’s the good news. The bad news is there’s nowhere near the level of trust and honesty there was as recently as a half-century ago. Honesty and Trust Essay -- Dishonesty Ethics Morals Essays Honesty and Trust Several decades ago I used to enjoy an occasional lunch in with the late Professor G. Warren Nutter, a distinguished economist who taught at the University of Virginia. Professor Nutter had considerable expertise in comparative economic systems, particularly that of the former Soviet Union. While he had a deep understanding of economic theory, he always stressed that markets do not operate within a vacuum and we gain a greater understanding of human behavior if we paid attention to the role of institutions and other non-market forces. At one of our luncheons, just out of the clear blue sky, and maybe just to tease me into an argument, Professor Nutter said that if we had to stop to count our change each time we purchased something, economic activity would grind to a halt. That’s a bit of exaggeration, but Professor Nutter was making the point that the institutions of trust and honesty are vital to human well-being. Honesty and trust are not simply matters of character and morality; they’re crucial for efficient human interaction and a smoothly working economy. To gain an appreciation for the significance of honesty and trust, consider what our day-to-day life would be if we couldn’t trust anyone. We purchase a bottle of a hundred folic acid tablets from our drugstore. How many of us bother to count the tablets to ensure that we in fact received a hundred? We drive into a gasoline station and the meter reads that we put ten gallons of gasoline into our fuel tank. When was the last time anyone of us bothered to verify whether in fact we received ten gallons instead of nine and a half? We paid seven dollars for a one-pound package of steak. How many of us bother to verify that it was in fa... ... honesty. Many More Victims The fact that honesty and trust are vital should make us re-think the treatment of the dishonest and untrustworthy. Dishonest people impose losses that go beyond those suffered by their direct victims. If pack-ages are stolen from people’s doorsteps, the rest of us incur costs when delivery companies stop leaving packages unless someone is home. If people rob bus operators and taxi drivers, all of us are required to have exact change or small bills. Considering the large economic effects of dishonesty and of not being able to trust one another, we should show little tolerance for violators. Fortunately, we live in a society where we can generally trust and accept the word of one another. That’s the good news. The bad news is there’s nowhere near the level of trust and honesty there was as recently as a half-century ago.

Vertigo Essay -- essays research papers fc

VERTIGO   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo is a thrilling film filled with mystery and suspense. However, Hitchcock left many unsolved issues at the end of this film. In contrast, when comparing Vertigo to more recent films of similar genre’, mysteries are usually always solved and thoroughly explained by the end of the film. Ironically, Hitchcock’s failure to explain everything to the audience in Vertigo is one of the film’s best attributes. This lack of knowledge allows the viewer to use their own imagination and speculate as to what might or might not have become of certain characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vertigo boasted several different themes. However, the â€Å"Ideal Woman – Lost† theme was the most prevalent (â€Å"Handout #1†). This theme was brought on by an obsessed â€Å"everyman† type. Jimmy Stewart, otherwise known as Scottie in the film, played this â€Å"everyman† type whose personality was maliciously twisted into an overly obsessive man. His cause for obsession was a beautiful, young woman played by Kim Novak, known as both Madeleine and Judy in the film. Madeleine drew Scottie in so deep, that he literally became a different person. This film mirrored Hitchcock’s personal feelings and was considered to be his favorite film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While there are many scenes that prove the above theme, the following are three specific scenes that clearly spell out Scottie’s obsession. The scene where Scottie was sitting in his car alone after dropping Midge off at her home is a good first example. Midge and Scottie had just spent an afternoon together researching Carlotta Valdes’ history. Before Midge got out of the car she told Scottie, much to his dismay, that she was going view Carlotta’s portrait at the museum. As soon as Midge got out of the car, Scottie pulled out his brochure from the museum and turned to the page that hosted Carlotta’s portrait. As he stared at her picture for several moments, he began to visualize Madeleine’s face. Clearly this was one of the first signs of his growing obsession. An old college buddy hired Scottie to follow his wife, Madeleine, to discover where she was â€Å"wandering† off to. However, this job was consuming his life and S cottie was developing a serious intrigue for Madeleine, a very mysterious woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another good exam... ...of a character. Hitchcock does an excellent job at relaying Scottie’s swelling obsession to his viewers. Visualizing Madeleine while Scottie was looking at the picture of Carlotta, his invasion of Madeleine’s personal space, a so-called stranger, and whispering her name, and then trying to makeover Judy into another person who is supposedly dead are all very apparent signs of obsession. These signs successfully show the viewer that Scottie is thoroughly engrossed with his subject, Madeleine, who had been â€Å"lost†. The viewer is left to assume that Scottie will be unable to return to the emotionally stable person he was before the obsession took control of his life. Alfred Hitchcock was definitely ahead of his time and paved the way for many film-makers to learn from and expand on his expertise of being able to reach an audience, capture their attention, and make the audience feel what the characters are feeling. Works Cited Handout #1: Alfred Hitchcock & Notes on Vertigo Giannetti, Louis. Understanding Movies. 8th ed. New Jersey: Simon & Schuster, 1999. Stewart, James, perf. Vertigo. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Perf. James Steward, Kim Novak. Universal Pictures, 1958.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt VonnÐ µgut’s BrÐ µakfast of Champions criticizÐ µs AmÐ µrican sociÐ µty as a wholÐ µ, by addrÐ µssing aspÐ µcts such as racism and mans vulnÐ µrability towards mÐ µdia, which both spring from thÐ µ ignorancÐ µ of thÐ µ AmÐ µrican culturÐ µ. ThÐ µ continuous critical viÐ µwpoint of AmÐ µricanism and thÐ µ incÐ µssant quÐ µstioning of thÐ µ AmÐ µrican drÐ µam throughout this novÐ µl makÐ µ it a modÐ µrn artifact, a contÐ µmporary rÐ µprÐ µsÐ µntation of AmÐ µrican sociÐ µty, and a guidÐ µ to lÐ µarning out of past mistakÐ µs. As media and propaganda play a big role in the story, Vonnegut criticizes what an immense impact it has on the American and how its influence can lead to hysteria and madness.After Trout’s kidnapping, when the police questions him about the criminals, he cannot recall anything due to his blackout. His provocative reply,  «For all I know, they may not even have been Earthlings . . . that car may have been occ upied by an intelligent gas from Pluto » serves as the  «first germ in an epidemic of mind-poisoning » (76) amongst the credulous masses. As a reporter rewrites Trout’s recollection into a story with the headline  «Pluto Bandits Kidnap Pair,  » various papers soon copy the story and it all escalates to the point where all of New York is taught to fear a so-called ‘Pluto Gang’.People purchase locks for doors and gratings for windows, and the sensationalist media continually feeds the mass hysteria with this rubbish terror. No one questions the existence of the Pluto Gang and everyone believes what the media spreads across the country. Vonnegut goes on about the foolishness of these people, yet his style is  «both too funny and intelligent for many », who fail to recognize his  «earnestness » and critical voice due to his recurrent  «satirical sketches ». Racism and discrimination in American society is another aspect Vonnegut at-tacks and pla ys an important role in Breakfast of Champions as well.As the American College Dictionary defines racism as any  «belief that human races have distinctive makeups that determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others », it becomes clearer and clearer how filled with criticism about this certain practice this Vonnegut’s novel is. Again and again, does the word  «Nigger » come up in the novel to underscore the harsh treatment blacks were forced to undergo, and it is used in a particular manner by Vonnegut to express again, how pathetic, blunt and almost funnily absurd this entire notion of discrimination towards blacks was.Vonnegut purposely generalizes opinions on blacks when saying how  «White people were the only people with money enough to buy new automobiles, except for a few black criminals, who always wanted Cadillacs »(41). His striking generalities poke fun at those masse s that discriminate blacks and try to force them all under a certain, negative cliche. His blunt and exaggerated language also makes this particular discrimination seem absurd. Obviously, not every single Blackman feels the desire to own a Cadillac, but hearing this point presented in such a comical way brings across the stupidity of such bigotry.Vonnegut’s, seemingly depressed view of life, uses America to criticize mankind and to make people aware of their capabilities. He shows how people can act ridiculous, cruel, and naive. He criticizes to show humankind what mistakes have been made, so that future prevention is possible. His thoughts go under the skin and point out things everybody can learn from. America is such a good example to show this by, because this nation was founded on a dream of self-realization and happiness. This dream, however, can only be obtained through seeing past mistakes with a critical eye, learning from them, and fighting to achieve dreams.

How I Learned to Sweep by Julia Alvarez Essay

1. In which form is the poem written (for example, is it a sonnet? Free verse? Lyric poem This poem was written in 1996 in a conventional style form. The poem has 39 lines. 2. What is the setting and social context of the poem? The setting and social context of this poem is in America in the mid 90’s when the war in the Far East was going on as it is stated in the poem. It takes place in her home or apartment or wherever she stays. She is living with her mom because her mom orders her to sweep the floor. 3. Does the poem demonstrate a rhyme scheme? If so, what is it? The poem doesn’t really demonstrate a rhyme scheme. It is written in a pretty straight forward matter. 4. Point out any similes that you find in the poem. How do they contribute to the overall meaning of the poem? There are several similes present in the poem. One is when her mother says she wants to be able to eat dinner off that table. She was implying to her daughter that the floor was dirty and that it needed to be clean. It was indirectly said. Another simile is when it says, â€Å"Her floor was as immaculate as a just washed dinner plate† (Line 13). This implied that she had cleaned the floor so good that it was as cl ean as a clean dinner plate. Another simile was when it said, â€Å"I watched a dozen of them die- as if their dust fell through the screen† (Line 29). This implied that the violence that she was witnessing on television was so brutal and affected her that she felt that she had to clean harder. To get rid of the fallen dust that she imagined. All these contributed to the overall meaning of the poem because it makes you be able to vision some of the scenes and events that can be hard to understand if they weren’t written in that way. 5. Point out any metaphors that you find in the poem. How do they contribute to the overall meaning of the poem? The metaphors that were in the poem were the same as the similes. They contribute to the overall meaning of the poem because without metaphors one would not be hooked to what they are reading. Trying to imagine what the author is talking about is crucial when writing poetry, as it is usually a short piece and small instances of events that happen. 6. Point out any instances of personification that you find in the poem. How do they contribute to the overall meaning of the poem? The only instance of personification that I can find in this poem is when her mom inspects the work and says that she did a good job. Her exact words were â€Å"That’s beautiful†. There is not much personification in this poem otherwise. Personification contributes to the overall meaning of the poem because when you are referencing someone or something that is of importance it is important to tie that to something else that resembles that importance. 7. Point out any imagery that you find in the poem. How do they contribute to the overall meaning of the poem? There are many examples of imagery in the poem. When referencing to the war and how she swept harder and faster after imaging the soldiers dead ashes coming through her TV screen. Much of the imagery found in the poem was the same that was found in the simile and metaphor. They contribute to the overall meaning of the poem because without imagery one could not relate to a poem. It would be very difficult. With so many examples of imagery in this poem I was really able to imagine the outcome and overall meaning of the poem. 8. Are there other instances of figurative language that you see (metonymy, synecdoche, symbols, archetypes)? Discuss. After looking over the poem several times there were no other instances of figurative language that I could see. 9. Who is the speaker in the poem? What is the significance of the person who is speaking? The speaker in the poem is the author. It is written in first person. I think the fact that the speaker is the author makes it more real and personable. The story is probably something that the author experienced first hand. It makes it harder to write about someone or something when you haven’t experienced it first hand. 10. What is your personal reaction to what happens in the poem? My personal reaction to what happens in the poem is good. I think she learned a lesson of hard work and doing what you are told. There are people out there serving our country and making sure we are safe and we should do our part to work hard and be good citizens. Works Cited Alvarez, Julia, â€Å"How I Learned to Sweep†. Approaching Literature. Ed. Peter Schakel and jack Ridl. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 650

Database Implementation Plan for Riordan Manufacturing

Database Implementation Plan for Riordan Manufacturing Riordan Manufacturing has asked our firm, LTB and Associates, to develop a web-based plan to be used as a Business-to-Business web site in order to purchase materials from their vendors. We have examined Riordan’s products and business systems, interviewed Riordan’s employees, and have determined the best course of action to implement the plan. Riordan Manufacturing is a plastics manufacturer based in several locations across the world. With three plants based in the continental US, which are located in Albany, Georgia; Pontiac Michigan; and in San Jose, California, which is the company headquarters. A fourth plant is located in Hangzhou, China will not be part of the plan as they purchase materials locally. This where we explain how the database will be set up. Refer to the ERD, Sequence diagram, Use Case diagram, and Class Diagram that follow [pic] [pic] The following paragraphs will describe the considerations that Riordan Manufacturing will need to make in implementing the database plan.Database Management System and Data Where ever it is possible to for our firm to do so, LTB and Associates will make a recommendation on the choice to make. In order to implement the database properly, these recommendations should be implemented in order to offer the tightest amount of security that will be possible. Type of Online Processing Riordan Manufacturing will need to decide between real-time asynchronous processing and batch processing. Real-time asynchronous processing is applicable when the processing must be performed immediately or when the results must eventually be communicated back to an on-line user. One of the problems with real-time processing is that real-time timers and events are required; they are expensive as the computer resources that are used to raise, maintain and check events. Another problem with timer or even processes is that they create locking problems as they may contend with on-line processes for resources and for access the same data. Batch solutions are ideal for processing that is not real-time event based. Batch processes are data-centric and can efficiently process large volumes of data off-line without affecting the company’s on-line system. Batch processing will allow business function to execute on a periodic or recurring basis; or it can operate over data that matches a given criteria. After studying Riordan Manufacturing’s Inventory and Supply Chain processes, the recommendation is for the company to go with batch processing for replenishment of raw materials for the operations. With daily reporting of the materials used at the end of each manufacturing run as the current method of inventory control, batch processing will work well. While real-time processing works well for online shopping, it is not the best approach to take for this application. Access Privileges Normally it is not considered a good security risk to grant access to individuals/companies who are located outside of the normal company network and/or firewall. But in order to provide a better integration of the database between Riordan Manufacturing and vendors/suppliers it is necessary to allow limited access. Riordan shall determine the types of privileges to grant to vendors. These privileges include (a) view, (b) insert, (c) update, and (d) delete (logical deletion only). Riordan shall also determine the type of data vendor should be able to access. The data should only relate to the materials that have been used in the daily manufacturing run; materials that have been previously placed on order; and the estimated projections of materials needed for the upcoming week. This will allow both Riordan Manufacturing and the suppliers to determine the present and short-term inventory needs. Bandwidth High speed access of the Internet has decreased in cost in recent years and the increased utility and the increased ease of use versus the cost of acquiring and maintaining the access has become more financially feasible. LTB and Associates recommend that Riordan acquire the appropriate bandwidth that will allow for the effective flow of information and which will support concurrent access of the company database. Security With the ever-growing threats that are present in the web-based global economy, there is an increased awareness of security. This includes both corporate and political terrorism as well as the knowledgeable lone user bent on mischief. LTB and Associates recommend that the administration plan should ensure that there are methods of data security implemented as information travels over the internet. An effective firewall should be implemented to deny access to unauthorized people. Data should be encrypted. Whenever possible, a Virtual Private Network be established between Riordan Manufacturing and the larger and more critical suppliers Database Administration Plan To ensure the productivity, continuity, and performance of the database for Riordan, proper maintenance, database backup, and change management procedures must be developed and implemented. The database must be backed up regularly in case the system needs to be restored due to data corruption or the loss of the data center due to natural or man-made disasters. Database backups are also critical for testing upgrades, fixes, and enhancements that will need to be migrated into production. Periodic maintenance is also a key to database performance and continuity. Applying operating system patches and security updates to the servers that house the databases help keep the software updated and the servers performing efficiently. Consistent re-indexing of the database can help keep performance high as the database grows in size. Another very important part of administering a database is change management. Database upgrades, fixes, and enhancements must be tested and implemented in a manner that minimizes potential errors, disruption to users, and preserves an audit trail for troubleshooting and compliance issues. Database Backup Plan In order to minimize potential data loss and downtime, the database will be backed up each night and stored in a secure location on the network. Storing the backups on the network will help facilitate transferring the backup to the disaster recovery site. Once the backup is created and stored on the network, a copy will be encrypted and transmitted to the disaster recovery ite. The backup can then be easily restored at the disaster recovery site as needed, or used in a development environment for testing upgrades, fixes, and enhancements. Database administrators will also have the ability to create backups as needed for testing or emergency purposes. Database backups will be restored to the disaster recovery database at least bi-monthly to verify that the backups are generating correctly and that the disaster recovery-restore process is working as it should. Maintenance Plan Once a month, the database servers will undergo scheduled maintenance. Operating system patches, security updates, and database application patches will be applied to the hardware housing the database in order to ensure the system is kept up to date. Database hardware will also undergo diagnostic checks to ensure everything is working properly. At this time the database will also be re-indexed to preserve performance as the database grows. The patches, security updates, and database application patches will be applied to the development servers one week prior to implementation on the production server. Applying the maintenance related patches to the development system a week prior to implementation in the production system will allow time to monitor the development systems for any issues resulting from the patches and ensure the patches are safe to install into production. For emergency maintenance issues such as hardware failures or power outages, the disaster recovery database will be restored from the latest production backup and work should be closely coordinated with the server team to ensure proper procedures are followed. Change Management The backbone to any administration plan is change management. Maintenance, database backups, upgrades, and other events must be carefully tested, planned, and executed to minimize potential consequences including data corruption and downtime, and changes must be closely tracked to preserve the integrity of the database, maintain a log of changes for troubleshooting potential issues, and ensure proper testing and compliance controls are met. The database team will use Microsoft’s Visual Source Safe (VSS) as the main tool for version control. Patches, fix scripts, and any other code that applies to the databases will be stored in VSS and roper code check in and check out procedures will be followed to ensure the proper code changes are migrated to the database. Only database administrators will have the ability to migrate changes to the databases. Developers can check out and modify code, but cannot implement any changes in the databases. All changes will be properly tested in a development database and signed off on by the appropriate par ties. A network of IT and business â€Å"approvers† will be established for each business area (for example: accounting, procurement, sales, etc. ) and will be responsible for signing off on changes that affect their particular areas. There will be at least one main approver and one backup approver that are subject matter experts for their respective business areas so that all areas utilizing the database will have a representative. Approvers will be the preferred testers, but other users may test changes as long as the approvers review the test results prior to signing off on the test. Signoff for changes will be obtained via email using a template that details the change to be made, a tracking number for the change, and the location in VSS where the change is stored, so that the database administrators will be able to pull the change directly from VSS for implementation. Database administrators will not proceed with migration of a change until all appropriate approvers have responded in the affirmative. Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) While preparing a disaster recovery plan (DRP), it is essential to think about the hardware, software and data that will be used to allow for an organization to continue operations in the event of a natural disaster or a disaster caused by human hands. In considering the idea of protection of the database, this plan will not only help preserve the company’s investment but also secure the customers faith in Riordan. Some companies spend some 25% of their information technology budget on disaster recovery plans. LTB and Associates recommends the implementation of a DRP. The cost of implantation and the subsequent maintenance versus the cost of a data loss is negligible in the impact it would have. The first step in drafting a disaster recovery plan is conducting a thorough risk analysis of the database systems. Make a list all the possible threats to system operation and evaluate the likelihood of their occurrence. The threats can include electronic-based; such as virus attacks or data deletions, deliberate or accidental; and natural disasters, such as fire, flood, storm or earthquake. Once the threats have been identified and ranked in likelihood of occurrence; what can be done to minimize or limit the impact from these disasters. The more preventative actions we can establish in the beginning the better. It is better to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach in determining and documenting the DRP. The recovery procedure will be written in a detailed plan defining the roles and responsibilities of the IT staff. Defining how to compensate for the loss of various aspects of the network (databases, servers, communications links, etc. ) and specify who will arrange for these repairs and how the data recovery process will occur. Communication Plan During a disaster situation, all parts of the communication plan should be cleared with a central location. All information should be reviewed by management before being released. LTB and Associates recommend that the following steps be implemented. 1. Communication methods need to be established in advance. (Wireless or satellite telephone systems, email address, etc†¦) 2. Develop templates for press releases, and include the skill sets of key employees, customer information, supplier information. Include maps of locations that may be difficult to communicate in. Develop logs that can be used to track incoming and outgoing communications. 3. Make sure that these processes are easy to understand. 4. Develop a contingency plan should the computer network where data is stored is damaged. Use text files and several copies in different storage devices and store this information in a remote server or on removable media which is then stored offsite. 5. Determine what is to be considered as privileged/proprietary information; establish which levels of management and the key personnel to have access to the information; and the approvals for accessing the information 6. Develop a set of detailed documents and instructions that can be shared with employees. . Establish a set of technology based tools. 8. Develop a detailed training plan; be sure to include all key personnel, top management and support personnel that can interface with customer and/or suppliers. 9. Develop relationships with News Service agencies. 10. Establish and train employees as observers to watch for individuals with microphones and notepads; make sure they are aware of the proper channels of communications. 11. D o plan periodic mock scenarios and drills of disasters in order to review the DRP. LTB and Associates recommends that the follow items be purchased, maintained, implemented, and stringently adhered to at every Riordan Manufacturing plant in the continental USA. †¢ Prevention Plan †¢ An electronic manual. †¢ A printed hardcopy manual. †¢ Data and Software Backups †¢ Daily backups, local to each plant and stored offsite. †¢ Weekly backup, to be performed system-wide by the Atlanta, Georgia plant and stored offsite. †¢ Storage area networks. †¢ Surge Protectors and Power Supply Fault Switches. †¢ Anti Virus, Firewall and Security Software. †¢ Fire Prevention and Detection Smoke detectors and fire alarm systems. †¢ Fire extinguishers. †¢ Review and update insurance policies for all facilities and equipment. Disaster Recovery Process. In the event of a disaster occurring at any Riordan Manufacturing plant the following steps should be taken to restore the operation of the system to normal operation. The steps c an apply to any and all sites. 1. Contact the proper level of management and notify pertinent personnel a. Determine if the equipment is functional and has suffered no damage. b. Repair or replace the equipment as needed per the situation. 2. Retrieve the latest weekly backup from the Atlanta, Georgia server and/or facility. (Note – if the Atlanta plant is the affected plant, retrieve the last weekly back up from the offsite storage facility) 3. Restore the database to the server. Perform a system check for proper operation. 4. Retrieve the latest daily backup from the offsite storage facility. 5. Restore the database to the server. Perform a system check for proper operation. 6. Retrieve and key in any pertinent data that was recorded on hardcopy sources from the affected plant and double check accuracy with personnel if possible.