porter Essays

porter Essays porter Essay porter Essay According to Porter (1985), the sustainability of a firms competitive advantage was, firstly, dependent on the ability of a firms strategies to resist erosion by competitive activities and, secondly, the firms ability to anticipate the evolution within the industry which it competed in. By strategies, Porter refers specifically to the three generic strategies of low cost, differentiation and focus which Porter posits could be a source of competitive advantage for the firm. However, for the strategy to ucceed the firm must possess some barriers that make imitation of the strategy by competitors difficult. The evolution within the industry refers to changes or challenges within the industry structure that could render the abovementioned competitive advantage ineffective. In addition, having a competitive strategy was insufficient. It must be translated into an above-average performance in the long run a sustainable competitive advantage. Porters generic strategy matrix, which highlights cost leadership, differentiation and focus as the three basic choices for irms, has dominated corporate competitive strategy for the last 30 years (Pretorius, 2008). According to this model, a company can choose how it wants to compete, based on the match between its type of competitive advantage and the market target pursued, as the key determinants of choice (Pretorius, 2008). Porters (Porter, 1998 and Porter, 1985), generic strategy typology remains one of the most notable in the strategic management literature (Salavou, 2010). A business can maximize performance either by striving to be the low cost producer in an industry or by ifferentiating its line of products or services from those of other businesses; either of these two approaches can be accompanied by a focus of organizational efforts on a given segment of the market. Any organization that fails to make a strategic decision to opt for one of these strategies was in danger of being stuck in the middle. The organization in failing to decide, tries both to be the cost leader and differentiator and achieved neither, and in the process confused consumers.

Utilitarianism and Morality essays

Utilitarianism and Morality essays Utilitarianism is often defined as the greatest good for the most people. It is also considered to be the greatest good with the least amount of pain. John Stuart Mill was amongst the few who thought this way. His utilitarian ideas advocate a hedonistic ethical theory. In this theory, he believes human beings, or agents, actions should be contingent upon the consequences. The end of all human conduct should be happiness. Mill defines utility as pleasure itself, together with exemption from pain... (Philosophical Classics, 949). Mill suggests that utility should be the foundation of morality. He says, the foundations of morals Utility or the Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure. (Philosophical Classics, 949). Peoples moral actions should increase the overall amount of utility. This would limit people from pursing personal pleasures at the expense of others. However, this type of philosophy can eventually lead to serious social problems. The absence of natural rights in Mills ideas can result in unethical choices and social turmoil. Mill believes that we should assess the consequences of our actions. In doing so, we are not supposed to include our motives, characters, or traits when making a decision. We are to simply choose the path which yields the most overall pleasure. Happiness comes from both intellectual and sensual pleasures according to Mill. He argues that there are different kinds of pleasures, and It is quite compatible with the principle of utility to recognize the fact, that some kinds of pleasure are more desirable and more valuable than others. (Philosophical Classics, 950). Higher&qu...

Management issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management issue - Essay Example Naturally, business environments are dynamic and volatile; however, information systems have to deal with the volatile nature of business requirements thus Information systems in an organization can easily be outdated. IS environment is changing at an increasing rate since technology which is apparently up-to-date becomes outdated at a high speed. IS flexibility is the ability of an information system to respond to changing technology and business environments. For instance top enterprise technology companies like Microsoft, Citrix, Dell, IBM, HP, and Cisco embrace NVIDIA GRID thus offering organizations flexibility of the GRID enabled solutions and servers. Use NVIDIA GRID technology is crucial in helping companies grasp the gains of virtualization like flexibility, manageability and security, while at the same time offering a complete PC experience to users. IT departments grapple with the challenge of employees increasingly bringing their gadgets to work expecting great mobility a nd experience offered by virtualization through secure and consistent access to company resources; however, this is often done at the expense of performance and features nevertheless, GRID eliminates the compromise. Enterprises are taking advantage of the globalization trend and mobility through virtualization of desktops together their applications to offer users the ability to work anytime, anywhere on any gadget while ensuring security of company IP address (NVIDIA, 2013). To operationalise information system flexibility, there are three categories of application and they include personnel, integration of data and functionality and the module of system components. With the multidimensional nature of information system flexibility, recognizing and assessing the necessary levels of flexibility required to respond to change is changeling for organizations. Nevertheless, contingency theory emphasizes the fact that managers make decision in accordance with the prevailing conditions an d act on aspects that are vital to the situation. For instance managing IS flexibility in an organization various aspects are considered like IS requirements, IT staff and the end-users. Management has to consider the degree of fit between ideal IS and its capability; even though, the environment is conceptualised with uncertain forces like complex competition, global challenges and market shifts as well as the rapid technological developments like e-commerce. Due to the changes in environmental forces, there is need to address the turbulent changes in order to effectively deal with opportunities brought by the changes. Since there is increasing pressure on businesses to respond and deal with the environmental changes efficiently, it is essential that organizations be flexible and adaptable. A flexible information system is a crucial element of organizational flexibility; thus, IS has to quickly and inexpensively adapt to new situations in the business. Information system changes in volve changes in both internal and external business requirements and changes in IT in the implementation of information systems. The system theory states that a system consists of objects, attributes, internal relationship with its objects and it exists in an environment; thus, a system is a set of entities that affect one another in an environment to form a large pattern different from any of its parts. In an open system, information is received which

Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements Paper Essay

Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements Paper - Essay Example However, some industrial scholars also have the idea that litigation has already replaced common sense and compassion in the workplace, given the fact that there are very stringent legal, regulatory requirements in the workplace, and that disagreements in the workplace are already commonly settled through litigation. In this case, this paper aims to answer the following question: have common sense and compassion in the workplace already been replaced by litigation? In order to answer this question, the researcher would primarily rely upon three main sources: the United States Department of Labor (United States Department of Labor, n. d.), the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (U. S. EEOC, n. d.), and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA.gov, n. d.). One of the main agencies of the United States government that oversees working place relations in the country is the United States Department of Labor (United States Department of Labor, n. d.).

Common Traits of the Filipinos Essay Example for Free

Common Traits of the Filipinos Essay Common Traits It is difficult to define and ascertain the very core of what it is to be a Filipino. History tells us that the Filipinos as we know now had an untraceable origin. All that we can do now is to determine the common traits that are common to all of the Filipinos. Common traits among Filipinos can be traced throughout its existence, from the pre-colonial era up to the present era that we have now. There is something that is particularly common and at the same time unique from among all of us as oppose to different races from Asia. And from this point of view we can depart and establish in some commonalities what it is to be a Filipino which is unique in particular throughout Asia and in general throughout the world. A. Hospitality One of the common traits of a Filipino is the word Hospitality. Hospitality comes from the Latin word, â€Å"Hospes†meaning â€Å"Host†, â€Å"guest†, or â€Å"stranger†. Hospes is formed from hostis, which means â€Å"stranger† or â€Å"enemy† which is synonymous to hostility. In a nutshell, Hospitality means welcoming the guest, stranger, or even the enemy into your own house. According to Derrida there two(2) types of hospitality, the first one is Conditional Hospitality, and the second one is the Absolute Hospitality. In the vernacular language, Conditional Hospitality means, you welcome the stranger, guest, or even the hostile within the bounds of condition e. g like they should only sleep in the master bedroom and only sleep in the couch or sala, they cannot go into the bedroom or they should not touch anything. In other words, they are bound to certain restrictions. On the other hand, in contrast to Conditional Hospitality, Absolute hospitality is a form of welcoming the other with open arms up to the point of embracing the other unconditionally. Absolute hospitality knows no boundaries, in fact, welcoming the other might be dangerous because this other’s personality is unascertainable, maybe he is a convict or any other psychopath but absolute hospitality will welcome any other stranger that will knock into your own homes even if such stranger would kill you. And this Absolute hospitality is the kind of hospitality that is present and predominant among Filipinos, this is a kind of hospitality that is selfless at its purest up to the point of even sacrificing his own family just for the sake of the visitor or guest. And this was clearly depicted by the historian Teodoro A. Agoncillo when he wrote that: â€Å"Perhaps you happen to drop in at an unholy hour of the day or night. Sensing that you are hungry, he prepares the best food for you, ignoring the fact that there would not be enough for the next supper for his family. Meanwhile, he gives you something with which you could eat whiles away your time. You hear him or his wife puttering about the kitchen desperately hurrying up the preparation of the food in order not to keep you waiting. There is always a sense of urgency in his movements, for he does not want to inconvenience you. He makes you feel that he is honored by your invasion of his privacy at an unholy hour of the night. † This Absolute hospitality is the one that is being misunderstood by foreigners, especially by the Spanish colonizers, who thought that such trait is an embodiment of inferiority and obsequiousness. And only that such trait is also prone to abuses made up by the Foreign colonizers which proceeded to tell their hearers that they fell victims to the wiles of the Filipino women. B. Close Family ties The family is one of the oldest and most important social institutions on earth in it is the basic institution of the government, all starts from and within the family it is the primordial institution of our society. With this, it is noteworthy to mention Anthropologist Margaret Mead,she based her research and affirmed the centrality of the nuclear family in human society. She said: â€Å"As far back as our knowledge takes us, human beings have lived in families. We know of no period when this was not so. We know of no people who have succeeded for long in dissolving the family or displacing it†¦ Again and again, in spite of proposals for change and actual experiments, human societies have reaffirmed their dependence on the family as the basic unit of human living—the family of father, mother and children. ’’ In consonance with such research, one of the traits among Filipinos is its close family ties because even up to time immemorial Filipinos are still dependent and interdependent with their families, that even some are already at the age of 40 and having produced so many kids, his existence is still closely related to his Parents. Parents up to the end of the adolescent period of their sons or daughters still have the capacity to support and even provided sustenance to their own sons or daughters. Unlike in foreign countries, particularly in the U. S wherein the their sons or daughters have achieved the age of 18, they are already free to go out of the boundaries of their home and eventually establish a life outside the reach of their family, they can already rent their own apartment and have a job. Which is particularly remote to the traits of a Filipino, if such person was allowed by their parents to live in own life and establish his own stance then eventually such Family would be treated or lookup upon with unbecoming eyes, like such parents is not a worthy parent to father their own child. In Filipino Family, it ordinarily consist of the grandparents, the parents and the children. The Father is the head of the family, but while he rules, the mother governs. For it is the mother that reigns in the home, she is the educator, the financial officer, the accountant, the censor, the laundry woman, and the cook. But above the ruler and the governor are the grandparents, who opinions and decisions on all important matters are sought. Will a newborn child be baptized? The grandparents are consulted and what they say carries much weight. It is the grandparents that have the last word from every decision that the family would make, would they consult a doctor in case the child or sick? The answer depends on the grandparents since they would prefer a herbolario (herb doctor) It is in their experience that will go against any written knowledge that their sons and daughters have achieved, it is with experience that they will use to override you knowledge. And besides such characteristics, one of the predominant characters of the Family is its hierarchical status, since the Philippines is a predominantly catholic country, the impact of such religions echoes even up to the deepest depth of the Family which is embodied in its patriarchal stance. Every decision if you would not be consulted with the grandparent should be consulted with the Father, and nothing more nothing else. The mother may have to say many things, but if the head of the family started to talk then it is the end of the line for is words, would be the law and only the prevailing law of every family. C. Respect for the elders In addition to the power of the grandparents, every grandparents should be treated with respect in all kinds of behavior towards them. In casual conversation, the should be an additional words of respect like â€Å"po† and â€Å"opo. † It is unthinkable for a Filipino do utter words of ingratitude to their elderly. If in other country, they just call their elderly in their own names as oppose to the Filipinos which they approach their elderly in a courteous manner characterized by words of gratitude and respect. And the respect for the elderly includes respect for the elder sister and brother. It is the responsibility of the elder brother to perform the duties of the father and mother to the younger members of the family. One finds that among Filipino family the elder brother or sister sacrifice his career for the sake of the young ones who must have an education. Even after his marriage, the elder brother sets aside a small part of his salary for his younger brother and sisters. The latter, in turn, are expected to look up to their elder brother with awe and respect. Kissing the hands of the parents and old relatives or neighbors as a sign of respect is extended to the elder brother or sister. Among â€Å"old† and â€Å"respectable families,† even cousins kiss the hands of their elder cousins as a sign of respect. D. Fatalistic Filipinos are intrinsically fatalistic. Fatalism is defined as a doctrine that events are fixed in advance so that human beings are powerless to change them. In other words, everything is determined, it is a doctrine that amplifies the subjugation of all events or actions to fate. Philosophically, fatalism generally refer to these ideas, that humans are powerless to do anything other than we can actually do, e. g the power to influence the future which is very similar to pre-determinsm. An attitude of resignation in the face of some future event or events which are thought to be inevitable, that actions are free, but nevertheless work toward an inevitable end, and lastly that acceptance is appropriate, rather than against inevitability. These fatalism is best symbolized in the phrase â€Å"Bahalana,† a phrase that defies translation but which may be rendered loosely as â€Å"come what may. † Can you go through that wall of fire? Bahalana. Are you sure you can convince him to give up his plan of leaving home? Bahalana. There are dangers ahead, Bahalana. Such fatalism has bred in the Filipino a sense of resignation. It is tis that he faces disaster or tragedy with resignation. HE appears indifferent in the face of graft and corruption. He appears impassive in the face of personal misfortune. Yet this â€Å"Bahalana† attitude prevents him from being a crackpot. E. Loyalty As Joyce Mayanrd puts it, â€Å"A person who deserves my loyalty receives it. † Loyalty is defined as a faithfulness or devotion to a person, country, group or cause. For Josiah Joyce loyalty is the willing and practical and thoroughgoing devotion of a person to a cause. The cause has to be an objective one. It cannot be ones personal self. It is something external to oneself that one looks outward to the world to find, and that cannot be found within. It concerns not ones own person, but other people. The devotion is active, a surrendering of ones self-will to the cause, that one loves. Moreover, according to Royce, loyalty is social. Loyalty to a cause unites the many fellow-servants of that cause, binding them together in their service. That is why loyalty to a friend or benefactor is one trait that is very strong with every Filipino. Do him a little favor and he remembers you to the ends of his days. And such trait is best described and characterized as â€Å"utangnaloob. † For the Filipino, friendship is sacred and implies mutual help under any circumstances. A friend is expected to come to the aid not only of personal friend but also to the friend’s family. That is why when the Americans gave their help to oust the Japanese imperial army here in the Philippines, such help was inculcated to every minds of the Filipino people and throughout the history books, the such a friend help you in such detrimental situation. For the Filipino, it is hardly conceivable that the United States should turn out to be an ingrate, knowing that they stood by her in the darkest hour. Such attitude is beyond the comprehension of the Americans, for the latter understands of friendship is different from that of the Filipino. The American is ruthlessly businesslike and will not allow sentimentalism to stand in the way of fulfilling his destiny or objective. This â€Å"ruthlessness† the Filipino does not understand. Thus, it can be considered as a misplaced loyalty, which is an unreciprocated loyalty, because the Americans would only be loyal only to such an end that it will satisfy their desires and needs, and as long as they are being benefited with such they would not care if such things would be treated as sentimental as the Filipino’s see as it is. F. Tendency to be indolent For Luc de Clapiers â€Å"Indolence is the sleep of the mind. † It is a state where the body and mind of a person is idle. Nothing innovative to do nor to say. This trait is common to every Filipino, as Rizal explained, the Filipinos has this tendency to be indolent as the result of the tropical climate which makes even the Westerner indolent in these parts of the paradise. But aside from the warm climate, indolence may partly explained by the abundance with which Nature has endowed the country, a fact which makes the Filipino exert less effort in the belief that he does not have to work hard to make both ends meet. Then too because of the close family and personal ties, the Filipino is assured of three square meals every day if only e would have the nerve to go from one relative to another. He knows that no relative or friend would turn him out and so he imposes himself on his willing or unwilling victims. G. Jealousy For Lawrence Durrell, â€Å"it is not love that is blind, but jealousy. † One of the trait of a Filipino is the feeling of being jealous. For every Filipino does not look with favor on a woman who flirts with several men. To him the sweet heart’s or the wife’s eyes are meant only form him and for no other. Even his closest friend cannot kiss his wife with impunity on the pretext that it is a brotherly kiss. The Filipino, therefore, requires complete faith and loyalty of his wife or sweetheart. A deviation from this unwritten law oftentimes leads to a bloody mess. Among the many examples is when a Jealous husband stabs his wife and hacks his neighbor, It is in a fit of jealousy that a husband stabbed dead his wife then attack the woman’s alleged paramour in barangay Yati, Liloan, northern Cebu. Police said that the husband was furius when his 41 year old wife, admitted to him that she and a married neighbor in 39 years of age had a relationship. It was their daughter who told the police that she heard her mother shouting for help in the 1:30 a. m in that morning. The daughter ran to her parents room and saw her knife wielding father standing in front of her mother, who was lying bloodied on the top of the bed. Her mother died because of multiple stab wounds. It is not only this instance that the jealousy of a betrayed husband was actualize there are many instances wherein such things had happened, bloody killings, are often enough reported in the daily newspapers, and are frequent and usual upshot is jealousy, for to a Filipino blood is required to was the stain of his honor H. Camaraderie Pakikisama or camaraderie among other nation is also one of the best traits that Filipino possesses. The spirit of comradeship makes Filipinos trustworthy beings. The idea of bayanihan was established because of Filipino camaraderie. Filipino shows no elements of deceit, dishonesty and selfishness. Everybody is willing to help one another is the other is in need of help. I. Regionalism Regionalism is defined as a Political subdivision of an area into partially autonomous region, which characterize by loyalty to the interest of a particular region. A Feature of such is an expression, a pronunciation, or a custom, that is characteristic of a geographical area. It is also a quality in literature that is the product of fidelity to the habits, speech, manners, history, folklore, and beliefs of a particular geographical section. That is why a Filipino, does not think in terms of national boundaries but in regional oneness. This feeling is an extension of the closeness of family ties. Invariably, the Filipino believes that the person known to him, no matter how bad is btter than the one unknown to him no matter how. Good. Thus one finds college or university students calling a meeting of all those who come from the different parts of county. [ 2 ]. C. Lewis, Elementary Latin Dictionary (Oxford Univ. Press, 2000), p. 371. [ 3 ]. Who is derrida [ 4 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, CE publishing Inc. ,2012, p. 6-7 [ 5 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 7 [ 6 ]. Editorial, Familiy Ties, Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 20, 2011 [ 7 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 7 [ 8 ]. Hugh Rice ,Fatalism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved December 2, 2010 p. 71 [ 9 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 9-10 [ 10 ]. Martin, Mike W. ,Virtuous giving: philanthropy, voluntary service, and caring. Indiana University Press. p. 40. [ 11 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 10 [ 12 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 11 [ 13 ]. Teodoro A. Agocillo, History of the Filipino People eight edition, p. 12.

Depression Essay -- essays research papers

Depression is a psychiatric disorder characterized by feelings of worthlessness, guilt, sadness, helplessness, and hopelessness. It is different then normal sadness or grief from the loss of a loved one because it is persistent and severe. Clinical depression has many related symptoms trouble sleeping, eating disorders, withdrawal and inactivity, self-punishment, and loss of pleasure. People that are depressed do not like to do things they may usually like to.Surveys that have been taken that show approximately 20 in 100 people suffer from depression at any one time. About one if four Americans will suffer from a depression over the course of their lifetime. Depression strikes men and women of all ages, in all races, but most studies indicate that women are more often afflicted.There are two major forms of depression that people get. One form is called depressive disorder. It is diagnosed only by episodes of depression. Episodes can be short or long but are usually brought about by an incident in a persons life. An example of this is if someone close to them dies. The other kind is called bipolar or manic depressive illness, it is recognized by alternating depressed and manic episodes. This is an actual brain dysfunction. In the major depression or the depressed phase of bipolar illness, a depressed mood predominates, even though the patient may not be aware of feeling sad. Typically, he or she loses all interest in activities. Symptoms include sleep disturbances, not ab...

Firepower Kills

â€Å"Le feu tue† (‘Firepower kills') Henri-Philippe Petain – 1916 Verdun. World War 1 is often called â€Å"the first modern war†. During World War 1 many new kinds of weapons and technology were invented and improved. Some of these weapons included tanks, chemical gases, grenades, and machine guns. Chemical Warfare was used for the first time on a large scale in World War I. many advancements were made during the war; in the air, on the ground, and in the sea. World War 1 started by a conflict and was fought between countries that were equipped with modern weapons. Some of these weapons rose and were very powerful like machine guns and others declined like bayonets. Both weapons and technology made a drastic impact on World War 1.Land battles were mostly fought on both the Western and Eastern fronts. Soldiers were surrounded by new technology and weapons that helped throughout the battlefield but also caused danger/death. Soldiers experienced a great deal of hardship while fighting on the fronts. The western front consisted of small parts of Europe, most of the fighting took over in France and Belgium. The eastern front was made up of battlefields in Eastern Europe, especially in Russia. â€Å"But on the last day, an astonishing number of English field guns opened up on us with high-explosive, drumming ceaselessly on our position, so that we suffered heavily and came back only eighty strong† (1.4). land war started by the use of Machine guns. Machine guns were the first and most famous weapon used in war, they are claimed to be the most dangerous weapon because the killed numerous lives during the war. Machine guns were invented by the Americans, however, the idea was stolen by the Germans. Machine guns at the time could fire up to 500 rounds per minute, but they were very heavy and they were very heavy. They had to be used by well-trained men who knew how to setup a gun and operate it quickly.Tanks were armored steel plated, belt tired, and heavily armed combat vehicles. First use of tanks on a battlefield was the use of British mark 1 tank at the battle of flers courcelette in 1915. The French soon followed the idea and created Renault FT, which established the look of the tank we see today. The Germans never got to producing their own tanks in WW1. The only German design of war was the A7V.Flamethrowers were first invented by a German inventor named Richard Fiedler. The flamethrower was designed to be carried on soldiers backs. It had two tanks, one that carried flammable liquid and the other that carried propellant gas. The squeeze of the trigger would send shooting flammable liquid up to 18 meters away, it was a weapon used to shoot big flames of fire against its enemies. It was used to burn soldiers and wooden obstacles such as bunkers. The Germans used these flamethrowers to attack more than 650 soldiers, mainly the British and French.Small bombs thrown by hand or shot by a rifle attachment were called grenades/bombs. Germans are the ones who created and mostly used these grenades during the war. The British made their own model of a grenade but it needed more work. By the year of 1917, all troops were required to carry extra grenades to capture and hold them against their enemies.Poisonous gas was introduced by the Germans in 1915. It is toxic smoke that can be very deadly if inhaled by humans. When the gas is inhaled it burns and liquidizes your lungs which causes death. If wind currents occurred while soldiers threw the gas at their enemies then it could easily be brought back to them and kill them. The only way to avoid the poisonous gas was to urinate on a cloth and hold up to ur mouth and nose. However, over time gas mask kits were provided to the soldiers. Airplanes were very recent they were invented by the Wright brothers 11 years ago. Airplanes were simple machines, more like to birds than anything else. The first missions were carried out as an observation. Most airplanes at the time were slow/flimsy contraptions with barely enough power to lift a single pilot and perhaps one passenger. Airplanes technology developed throughout war they became very important/useful.At the beginning of the war, most soldiers used the planes to spy on their enemies strategies. These planes usually carried a pilot and a photographer who would photograph the soldier's positions. The use of planes became very popular during the war, it became a crucial part of achieving victories. One of the first contributions in the war was at the first battle of Marne were reconnaissance planes spotted a gap in the German lines. The allies attacked the gap and were able to split the German army and drive them back. Fighter planes came into the war when they wanted to stop the reconnaissance planes. With more planes in the skies, enemy pilots began to fight each other in the air. At first, they tried throwing grenades at each other or shooting with rifles and pistols. It was useless and it didn't work very well. Pilots soon found out that the best way to shoot down an enemy is to mount a machine gun to the plane. However, because the machine gun was mounted to the front of the plane the propeller would get in the way of the bullets. Soon a new invention called the â€Å"interredur† was invented by Anton Fokker, it allowed the machine gun to be synchronized with the propeller, all planes started using this invention. As the war progressed, both sides began to use airplanes to drop bombs on enemy locations. The first planes used for bombings were made by the Russians and could only carry small bombs and they were very powerless to attack from the ground. By the end of the war, faster long-range bombers were built that could carry much larger weight bombs.Germany used zeppelins to drop bombs on targets from far away. These were slow moving but could carry a large load of explosives. Zeppelins were filled with hydrogen, so a small spark could blow up the entire aircraft. Germans used these zeppelins to bomb London and eastern England. â€Å"Germany's enemies, however, soon found that zeppelins, which were filled with hydrogen gas, quickly became raging infernos when hit by anti-aircraft guns† (Spielvogel, McTighe, 331). As the war continued it became useless because of the fast fighter planes that were used. The battles at sea were known as naval battles. These battles mainly took place in the northern sea and the Atlantic. The wars were mainly between Britain and Germany. Britain was trying to stop Germany from traveling or trading with the rest of the world across the north sea. that meant Germany could not receive important resources like food. Germany reacted by using u-boats to attack the ships that were trading and sending resources to Britain. Germany is the first one to create U-Boats and used them to destroy many enemy ships. U-Boats were dangerous and accurate. â€Å"U-boat is an abbreviation of the German unterseeboot and is a synonym for submarine†(Axelrod, 127). On September 1914, a U-Boat sank 3 British ships. In the U.S. U-boats turned its public opinion against Germany. This increased when Germany ordered a new policy of unrestricted submarine warfare, they sank every boat seen on the surface. This eventually made the U.S start sending ships into the war. Later on the British liner, Lusitania was sunk by a U-boat which carried innocent British and American civilians. Then on February 1, 1917, Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare effective, But on February 3, 1917, Germany stopped unrestricted submarine warfare. Britain, France, Russia and the U.S had all developed submarine forces before Germany began development on the U-Boats in 1906, but during WW1 submarines were associated with the Imperial German Navy, which used the submarines to try to bridge the gap in naval strength because it struggles compared to Britain's Royal Navy. Longer-range U-boats were developed and torpedo quality improved during the war. Submarines could strike long bombs from beneath the waves with torpedoes but also surfaced them to use as their deck gun. An unsuccessful post-war effort was made to ban submarine warfare.Torpedoes are self-propelled missiles that can be launched from submarines or ships, or dropped into the sea from the undercarriage of planes. The first torpedoes were produced in the 1870s, it ran on compressed air and was slow and inaccurate. By 1914 German torpedoes could travel at up to 75 kilometers per hour over a range of several miles. This gave German U-boats a deadly advantage over the Allied ships. As the war progressed the British made rapid advances in torpedoes and sank at least 18 German U-boats with them. Mines were large explosive bombs planted underground, they were either remotely activated or by the impact of the soldier's footsteps. Navies also used sea mines which floated on the ocean and exploded when in contact with ships. Trench soldiers often dug tunnels to plant huge mines under enemy trenches and positions. One example of an incident occurred at Hill 60 during the Battle of Messines (June 1917) where Australian tunneling specialists exploded 450,000 kilograms of underground explosives, killing thousands of German troops.So it is clear that although the war was very deadly it still inherited many new weapons and technologies that helped throughout the war. Weapons and new technology really did affect the war it changed many lives, it brought innovation, creativity, and originality. WW1 weapons and technology proved to other countries who fought that humans will adapt to difficult environments and strategies that come by.

Communication Assignment Essay

Describe the main differences between communicating with adults and communication with children and young people (3. 2) Although there are some factors of communication that should be present regardless of age or development such as respect and courtesy, as adults and teaching staff we should adapt our communication and language with who we are talking to and their age. There is a need when communicating with children and young people to be clear and unambiguous. This helps children and young people understand what we are saying and expressing as well as helping them develop language and communication skills to use for themselves. As teaching staff when communicating with a child or young person it is important not to use too much language as the message or request could become confused and lost by the child or young person. It is important to ensure that the child or young people understand what is being asked of them and that teaching staff should ensure that this level of understanding is achieved and remember to be patient and mindful of age and development. It is also important to bear in mind that child and young people will copy adult behaviour and it is therefore imperative to model the kind of communication you would expect from them. This is why ensuring respect, accepting contributions and differences of opinions, being polite and courteous are crucial when communicating with children/ young people and adults. Identify examples of communication difficulties that may exist (3. 3) Communication is a crucial skill and helps us express feelings, make choices and aids us in all aspects of life, there are many pupils that struggle with communication and areas of difficulty can arise for a variety of reasons. This could be due to special needs or because of attitudes and beliefs. Physical Factors These could include speech impediments such as a stammer or more serious physical conditions or special needs which effect the ability of communication. Working in a special needs school I work with many students that are not able to verbally communicate for a number of different reasons such as severe autism, severe developmental delay and down syndrome. Although these students are fully supported and often have other ways to communicate they can often become frustrated that they cannot communicate their feelings. It also affects their independence. Confidence Confidence could be another barrier to communication. Confidence can be developed with practise; a pupil’s self esteem is linked to feelings of self-affirmation and belonging. As teaching staff it is important to empower pupils and give them the confidence that assists communication for example this could be done by giving a pupil enough time to respond and by being sensitive. Cultural Differences There may be communication difficulties due to cultural differences. This could be created because of different expectations created by culture. An example of this could be that a student in a school maybe part of a culture where eye contact is not encouraged this could mean that people may not pick up as many non verbal cues. Describe how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs (3. 4) It may be necessary to adapt the way in which you communicate if you are communicating with someone who has difficulties in this area. The following techniques can be used †¢ Speak clearly and appropriately when communicating. †¢ Slow your speech if necessary. Use visual aids such as pictures, photograph or flashcards. †¢ Use a translator if necessary. †¢ Use sign language. †¢ Maintain good eye contact and use positive body language. †¢ Use facial expressions and hand gestures. Working in a school for severely disabled young people, many of the students have communication difficulties, for many their communication skills are not representative of their age. This has meant that staff in the scho ol have to adapt to enable the students ways to communicate their feelings/wants/needs appropriately. Although teaching staff try to encourage speech there are other techniques that are used. For example * Makaton signing Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken word order. * Symbols/ Visual aids/ Visual timetables Symbols can be used to re enforce a message or a request used along side speech, an example of this could be handing a student a stop sign and saying â€Å"stop† if the student was being silly. Symbols can also be used as part of a visual timetable, these are usually used in autistic classes, symbols (or words) that represent the activities the students will be doing that day and in the correct order so they are aware of what they will be doing. * Electronic speakers Some students that are not able to communicate verbally use an electronic speaker; these are specialised computers that enable people to communicate. The user presses different buttons to communicate what they are trying to say, the speaker says the different words out loud. * PECS Picture, exchange, communication system (PECS) is a system of communication in which the student hands symbols to an adult to request something or to communicate a feeling. It tends to be used in autistic settings and gives students the opportunity for spontaneous communication. Describe how to deal with disagreements between; * The practitioner and child/ young people There can often be disagreements between teaching assistant staff and young people. This could be because staff have to put boundaries and rules in place which the young people may not agree with. In the case of a disagreement it is important to address the situation. The staff member should stay calm and collected and explain why they have taken the action that they have taken. In this case, of a disagreement because of boundaries the staff team should be consistent. Depending on the nature of the disagreement it may also be an idea to discuss it afterwards when everybody is thinking rationally, this could be an opportunity to talk about why it happened and how to prevent in the future. In my care setting there have been occasions that young people have targeted staff for unknown reasons. This can be difficult for the staff, in this case it’s important to provide support as a team. The staff member may want to do activities and tasks with the young person in the future to develop relationships. * The practitioner and other adults (3. 5) It is likely that when working along side people in a work setting that there will be disagreements. This could be for a number of reasons, including poor communication or clashes of personalities and ideas, as adults we can sometimes misread situations and information given, we can also be defensive and lead by our emotions. In these conflict situations it is important to be sensitive as well as keen to resolve the situation and soon as possible. Being open and honest about thoughts and feelings can help resolve a situation and ensure that both parties do their best to prevent it happening again. It is also important to remember that as an employee you are contracted to be professional. If employees are not able to resolve a disagreement they should refer to the schools grievance policy or procedure.

Killing Us Softly a film review essays

Killing Us Softly a film review essays One of the films that struck me the most was Killing Us Softly, the documentary on how advertising and the whole media in general can basically run this entire world. Sounds a bit drastic, but I really believe that this statement is true because of the many horrible incidents that happen throughout the world today. The documentary effectively demonstrated how easy it is for advertising to send across many different hidden meanings that can cause tremendous effects like bulimia, rapes, murders, disrespect towards women and vise versa, and several other things like making a weak minded person go crazy. For example, if for decades all the media has been showing is women who barely weigh 110 lbs, dont you think every girl who weighs over 130 lbs is going to try to do the impossible to try to fit into what society thinks is the norm only because the media has planted it into our subconscious minds without us even noticing it. Another example that is extremely disturbing to even hear about is the J B Ramsey case. Obviously the person who committed this crime was a Bergen Pines basket case, but I think that if the media wasnt so big on showing 6 yr olds as beautiful models dressed up to look provocative, these pedophiles wouldnt get much of a chance to view such pageants. The more exposure we g et of something, the more acceptable it becomes in our society whether its wrong or right. Personally Ive realized that, the media brought about even my style of dressing. If you see a commercial on TV or in a magazine for a shirt you thought looked good, wouldnt you buy it? I know I would. I guess thats my problem. Killing Us Softly relates to several other works studied in the course. For example, in The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter the media basically controlled every American society by turning women into the reciprocal of what they were used to...

5 tips on how to keep employee turnover low

5 tips on  how to keep employee turnover low One core aspect of successfully running a business- regardless of its size or the industry it’s operating in- is keeping staff happy and motivated so that they continue to perform at effective levels. It also helps to reduce levels of employee turnover- something that strategic, forward-thinking management teams should always consider.Why is employee turnover so crucial to manage carefully? Simple- its potential negative effects on an organization can be profound, and can impact every aspect of a company’s ability to operate efficiently.Entrepreneur published an insightful article on the hidden costs of employee turnover  in which  Toronto-based human resources consultant Tom Armour discussed the hidden ways turnover can have a financial effect on a company, including:The cost  of  the work that isn’t getting done when an employee is missingCo-workers not being able to work to their full potential because they’re picking up the slack from missing e mployeesA loss of credibility for management when a work environment has a reputation for excessive turnover and employees grow discouraged that they will thrive thereSo, it’s clear that employee turnover is a potential problem for any business and that its potential effects are wide and deep. That said, there are some strategic steps that key management, HR teams, and hiring personnel can take in an effort to minimize its prevalence. Forbes recently published an article that highlights several key ways to reduce employee turnover.Consider using these 5 strategies in your company.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});1. Hire the right people.Keeping employees starts with hiring the right employees. You likely  hire employees  who have strong skills that match your open position. But, how well do your employees fit in with your business’s culture?You must hire employees who are behavioral and cultural fits for the job. You can ask emplo yees  behavioral interview questions  to find out how they react in certain situations. Also, during interviews, be sure to show candidates around your business and tell them about your workplace culture. Candidates will hopefully eliminate themselves if they don’t fit in.If employees don’t fit in with your work environment, I guarantee they won’t be happy. They won’t fit in, they won’t get along with their co-workers and they’ll feel lonely. An outstanding candidate that doesn’t match the behaviors and culture of your business won’t stay around long. They’ll take their skills somewhere where they fit in.2. Offer competitive pay and benefits.People want to be compensated well. They need to cover standard expenses like housing, utilities, and food- and most people want enough money for extras, too. If you don’t pay your employees well, they’ll find a business that will.When determining compensation for y our employees, it’s good to do market research on wages. Find out what your competitors pay their employees. Research a  competitive salary range  based on similar jobs in your local area. For example, if you want to hire an IT specialist in San Francisco, you should consider what other businesses in San Francisco pay their IT specialists.And you can’t simply give employees paychecks and be done. Employees want good benefits, too. You must offer competitive benefits that your employees want. Learn about  common employee benefits. Then, find out what benefits competitors and other businesses in your area offer.3. Give praise freely and often.Your employees need encouragement and recognition. When they do something right, show your appreciation. When they finish a large, difficult project or submit a project before the deadline, congratulate them. Show them that you see their hard work.Of course, don’t feel like you have to shower employees with praise for e verything they do. You don’t have to praise employees for small, everyday tasks. But, when employees truly do something worth congratulations, give it.The goal here is to create an encouraging, positive work environment. When employees feel respected, acknowledged, desired, and motivated, they are more likely to stay. Best of all, this method to decrease employee turnover is free. You just have to use your words.4. Guide employees down a career path at your company.If employees stay stagnate in one job for too long, they might search for another job where they can advance. Most employees want to increase their skills and knowledge and move up the career ladder. Showing employees a projected career path gives them a sense of direction and purpose.You should lay out an ideal plan for your employees. Where can they go from their current position? Maybe it’s an upward or lateral move. Or, maybe your employees can earn more responsibility in their current position. Whatever it is, let your employees know how they can advance.After you’ve set up a plan with them, you can help employees advance along their career path. Provide them with coaching quarterly by recommending ways to advance. You can also offer employees training opportunities. Give them plenty of chances to learn new skills and put them into practice in their current job.5. Don’t shy away from flexibility.If it’s possible, allow  flexible work schedules that let employees adjust their work time and location. That way, employees can create a work-life balance for themselves. Your workers can pursue things beyond work, go to appointments, and take care of their families- all while getting their work done on time.Flexible work schedules might not be possible for all businesses; your employees might need to be at your business at specific times. But there still might be ways you can offer flexibility, such as the option of working from home one day a week or adjusting a s tart time for the day.There you have it- if you’re interested in minimizing the effects of employee turnover in your organization, take advantage of the tips listed here to help keep your business operating effectively.

Endocrine Disorders Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Endocrine Disorders - Term Paper Example In some diseases abnormalities occur in the gland which cause irregularity in the secretion of these thyroid hormones. The most common abnormalities of thyroid gland are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism means the excessive secretion of thyroid hormones from thyroid gland whereas Hypothyroidism is the decreased secretion of thyroid hormone from thyroid gland. ETIOLOGY Graves disease is an autoimmune disease whereas Myxedema is a disease caused by hypothyroidism. In autoimmune diseases our immune system produces antibodies against our own organs or organ system. In Graves disease our immune system produces antibodies against thyroid gland which increase the secretion of the thyroxine from thyroid gland. These antibodies are called thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI). Thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins bind to the receptor and imitate the action of thyroid stimulating hormone in releasing thyroxine from the thyroid gland. The effect of thyroid stimulating immuno globulin is excessive and causes increased production and secretion of thyroxine from the thyroid gland. Another type of immunoglobulin that is formed by our immune system against the thyroid gland also acts on the TSH receptors and stimulates the growth of thyroid gland excessively. These immunoglobulins are known as thyroid growth stimulating immunoglobulins (TGI). These antibodies are the primary cause because of which Graves Disease occurs in an individual. Myxedema on the other hand is a condition caused by hypothyroidism and not hyperthyroidism which is seen patients with Graves Disease. The reason for which edema occurs in hypothyroidism is not clearly known but it is said that the increased deposition of chondrioton sulphate and hyaluronic acid in interstitial spaces causes it. The causes of hypothyroidism that eventually lead to myxedema are autoimmune diseases, thyroiditis or surgically removed thyroid gland. In other words Myxedema is a condition caused by lack of thyroid hormones whereas Graves Disease itself leads to excess activity of the thyroid gland. Myxedema and Graves Disease are both concerned with the abnormality of the thyroid gland. SYMPTOMS The patients suffering from Graves disease show diffuse hyperplasia of thyroid, anxiety and tremor of hands. The patient also loses weight and suffers from muscle weakness. The patient will experience extreme fatigue but will be unable to sleep properly. The skin of the patient will be soft and warm. Intolerance to heat and extreme sweating are also seen in the patients suffering from Graves disease. Increased gastrointestinal tract motility also occurs which leads to mal-absorption of food and diarrhea. Exophthalmos is also seen in these patients which is the protrusion of eyeball. The patients with myxedema on the other hand show sluggishness in mental and physical activity. The patients suffering from myxedema show difficulty in speech and intolerance to cold. Sympathetic activity is decreased whi ch in turn decreases the gastrointestinal motility and sweating. The decreased gastrointestinal motility in turn causes constipation. Due to decreased sympathetic activity the blood flow in these patients is low and so the patients looks pale. These patients have coarse facial features and enlarged tongue. The voice becomes deep in myxedema. TREATMENT In Graves disease the

Analysis of Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers judgment Essay

Analysis of Campbell v Mirror Group Newspapers judgment - Essay Example In the final judgment the House of Lords noted the words of Lord Wolf in A v B and C when he said, ‘for our part we would observe that the fact that an individual has achieved prominence on the public stage does not mean that his private life can be laid bare by the media. We do not see why it should necessarily be in the public interest that an individual who has been adopted as a role model, without seeking this distinction, should be demonstrated to have feet of clay.’1 The facts of the case are necessary for an appreciable understanding of this pronouncement. Following the publication of articles with accompanying photographs showcasing model Naomi Campbell’s therapy and attendance at Narcotic’s Anonymous meetings, Campbell filed a complaint in the High Court for damages for invasion of privacy. The High Court found in her favor. On appeal to the Court of Appeal the High Court’s judgment was reversed and the Court of Appeal found that on the facts, ‘that since Ms Campbell had courted publicity and gone out of her way to promote a drug-free media image, the Mirror was entitled to put the record straight, irrespective of the methods it used to uncover the story. The Appeal Court judges decided that "therapy" did not qualify for legal protection in the same way as treatment by a doctor, and that publication of the details of Ms Campbells therapy was necessary to lend the story credibility.’2 On appeal to the House of Lords, the Court of Appeal’s findings were rejected and the High Court’s ruling was upheld. The House substantiated its findings by striking a balance between privacy and freedom of expression as contained in Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 3 Lord Hope, in delivering his opinion for the House of Lords said of the Court of Appeal’s findings, ‘they