Modern Philosophy Of The Modern World And The External World

Lauren Estes Modern Philosophy Prof. Corsa As humans, I do not think we know as much as we think we know. â€Å"Perhaps this is the reason why in matters of Philosophical research some claim to have discovered the truth, while others declare that finding it is an impossibility, and other are still seeking it† (SE Handout 31). The word â€Å"truth† in this quote is ambiguous. I believe that we will spend the rest of eternity seeking the truth. The truth can mean many things to many different people. What is true for you may not be true for me. Many of the modern philosophers dance around the question, â€Å"What is real and what is not?† Although there are many arguments for and against the internal world and the external world, I tend to lead towards the skeptics point of view. I do this on the simple notion that many of the skeptics arguments are hard to refute. Much like Sextus Empiricus, I argue that we cannot know anything with absolute certainty about the external world. â€Å"Those who say that Sceptic deny appearances seem to me to be ignorant of what we say† (SE Handout 38). Sextus Empricus does not deny appearances, he just is aware that we might not know for certain anything about the external world. Sextus Empiricus infers, â€Å"honey appears to use to have a sweetening quality. This much we can concede, because it affects us with a sensation of sweetness. The question, however, is whether it is sweet in an absolute sense† (SE Handout 38). Skeptics are not crazy humans that simplyShow MoreRelatedIdeas And Schools Of Thought By Rene Descartes903 Words   |  4 Pages and how people interact with the world around them are concepts that many philosophers have tackled in an attempt to discover answers. In these answers philosophers hope to find true comprehension; however, the questions and, consequentially, the responses that they illicit are different for different philosophers. This creates a well of divergent ideas and schools of thought withi n the study of philosophy. Even when focusing on a subject such as the philosophy of the body, there are varying theoriesRead MoreDescartes s Philosophy On The Mind And Consciousness Through Introspection1566 Words   |  7 Pages In modern philosophy, reality is viewed in a twofold manner: the immaterial mind on the one hand and the extended body on the other. Also, we think of reality and divided between the â€Å"I† subject and an external world of objects. This line of thinking is attributed to Rene Descartes, widely credited as the father of modern philosophy. Descartes was a proponent of metaphysical dualism. He believed that the mind and the body are distinct substances. To Descartes, we can reach certain knowledge aboutRead MoreEssay on Greek Philosophy673 Words   |  3 PagesGreek Philosophy Philosophy, the use of reason and argument in seeking truth and knowledge of reality. Throughout history man has searched for the origins of his existence, both on an outward and inward level, seeking truth and understanding of his world. The first culture to actively explore this idea of philosophy was the Greeks. Because their civilization placed less emphasis on religion and the masses didnt have to constantly answer to religious figures man had time to explore other thingsRead MoreSocrates697 Words   |  3 PagesWe live in a modern world conquered by wrong doings. Why, we tend to ask. What encourages individuals to move towards evil doing? Isn’t self-restraint a sufficient obstacle in the pursuit of evil? One of the many questions which strike us when we are surrounded by injustices is whether it is the wrong individuals or the collective society which drives those particular evil doings. In a sociocultural context, this may be a very subjective question due to the lack of universality in the definitionRead MoreWhat ´s Deconstruvist Architecture? Essay1015 Words   |  5 PagesRem Koolhaas, Daniel Liebeskind, Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid. Modern day ‘starchitects’ who - through their practice of deconstructivist architecture - have heavily influenced the overall approach to today’s architecture. But what exactly is deconstructivist architecture? Is it a derivative of postmodernist principles, or something of its own entirety? Through the analysis of particular modern day architects and their works, deconstructivism ascertains its emergence as a separate architectural formRead MoreThe Contemporary Views On Metaphysics1269 Words   |  6 Pagesmetaphysics have been laid as foundations, altered for society or simply changed for the better. As this world continues to grow and modernize, so have our views. The contemporary views on metaphysics are extended upon the more traditional views laid in the ancient or medieval times. Mart in Heidegger is a contemporary existentialist, who studied the reason of being. He was an important figure of philosophy in the 20th century. His views are very different from the ancient views of metaphysics. Plato wasRead MoreCulture and Worldviews990 Words   |  4 Pagessignificance. According to unit 4s lecture on western thought worldviews and culture culture is emergent and developmental: cultures are learned or invented through internal and external changes (western Thought-Worldview and culture, 2013, para 3). An example of cultural traditions made-up through internal and external changes is the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Thanksgiving holiday is a national holiday that primarily is celebrated in North America. The original purpose of this holiday was to celebrateRead MoreInternational Relations ( Ir )983 Words   |  4 PagesInternational relations (IR) is one of the fascinating fields of political science that different ancient and modern philosophers have written about. When reading for David Hume or Renà © Descartes, I have found many ideas that could be applicable to global politics and the relations between states. Even though these ideas might not be aligned with Hume or Descartes’s individual political philosophies, they are worth applying to the current global political system. The first idea is Descartes’s doubtingRead MoreEnlightenment Assessment : The Ideal Of Reason1270 Words   |  6 Pagesview of the world and a number of social upheavals, including the bloody French Revolution, which gave birth to dictatorship and terror. These forced to question the possibility of a â€Å"social contract.† Moreover, the awareness of the inhumanity of the capitalist system tarnished the ideals of absolute reason and progress. Gradually, the belief in progress and the human mind gave way to pessimism. The paper will assess the rationality of Enlightenment and its perception in the modern world. SinceRead MoreOrganizational And Numerical Methods Of Management1723 Words   |  7 PagesThis approach also gives the managaer to the organisationas a wholeand as part of the large external enviornment.This approch focus on systems that when put together forms a whole unit. Contingency aproach: This approach believes that there is no one system in managing the organisation. It plans to deal with the issues when they arise. These are the approaches used by the modern managers in 21st century. Modern managers are those people that have grown with social-economics and scientific institutions

HIV and AIDS Worldwide - 804 Words

Worldwide, HIV/AIDS poses an enormous challenge on the survival of mankind. HIV is the leading cause of mortality among women of reproductive age worldwide and is a major contributor to maternal, infant and child morbidity and mortality (1). 33.4 million People are estimated to be living with HIV worldwide; 15.7 million are women and 2 million are children younger than 15 years of age (1). With an adult prevalence of 5.2% in 2008, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been the most severely HIV stricken region, accounting for 71% of all new infections in adults and children, and about 90% of new infections among children worldwide (2). In 2009 the prevalence of HIV in Ethiopia was estimated at 2.3% with differentials: urban (7.7%), rural (0.9%), male (1.8%), and female (2.8%)(3). The number of people living with HIV/AIDS was 1,116,216 of which 84,189 were pregnant women, 72,945 were children under 15years and annual HIV positive births were 14,140(3). In the absence of any intervention of mot her to child transmission of HIV(i.e. exclusive breast feeding and use of antiretroviral drugs), the risk of a baby acquiring the virus from an infected mother ranges from 15% to 25% in industrialized countries, and 25% to 35% in developing countries. HIV transmission rate and time of transmission is estimated to be 5% to 10% during pregnancy, 10% to 15% during delivery, and 5% to 20% during breast feeding (4-5). In 2009, 53% of HIV-infected pregnant women worldwide received antiretroviral (ARV)Show MoreRelatedThe Hiv And Aids Disease Is A Major Worldwide Ongoing Health2041 Words   |  9 PagesThe HIV and AIDS disease is a major worldwide ongoing health epidemic. Which affects millions of people of all ages each year. HIV or the Human Immunodifency Virus has been speculated to have come from chimpanzees due to the similarities of the SIV virus found in the animal. SIV or the Simian Immunodeficiency virus is a virus that attacks the immune system of monkeys and apes. While HIV atta cks the immune system of humans. The region of origin of the virus is the Democratic Republic of the CongoRead MoreMany people especially teenagers are affected from HIV/AIDS. HIV is a worldwide epidemic, which600 Words   |  3 Pages Many people especially teenagers are affected from HIV/AIDS. HIV is a worldwide epidemic, which can be given from unprotected sex to sharing needles. HIV is a virus that can kill people by gradually killing their own immune systems. Therefore, the virus can take over all around the victims body. If someone is worried if they have HIV, it is important to go through diagnosis, treatments and prevention to HIV. Knowing how dangerous an epidemic like this is very important especially for someoneRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv )1324 Words   |  6 Pages　　　　The presence of a virus similar to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was first identified in a species of chimpanzee in Africa and researchers believed contact with an infected ape s blood to be the source of its transmission to humans. According to studies, this transmission may have occurred in the late 1800s. As years passed, the virus gradually swept across Africa and later into other regions throughout the world[1]. HIV, an infectious disease, tends to advance through body fluids such asRead MoreInternational Aids Vaccine Initiative ( Iavi )900 Words   |  4 PagesInternational AIDS Vaccine Initiative According to International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) (2016) in 1983, scientists and researchers discovered that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) directly causes the immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Unfortunately, over 40 million of people worldwide have died due to AIDS and other complications relating to AIDS (IAVI, 2016). HIV and AIDS have spread over the world in drastic speed and caused one of the most destructive pandemics ever recorded throughoutRead MoreAids Research Paper1428 Words   |  6 Pagestoday is the epidemic of AIDS. As a consistent killer throughout the world, AIDS has become an immediate concern to agencies and governments worldwide. In response, there are numerous international organizations that have been established to learn more about preventing, tracking, and treating the disease. Through extensive research and analysis, AIDS researchers are making gradual breakthroughs to benefit the struggle. However, since there is currently no cure for AIDS , researchers are rapidlyRead MoreHiv And Aids : Hiv / Aids Essay924 Words   |  4 Pages2.1 HIV/AIDS HIV is a latent virus that attacks and compromises the immune system and exposes the body to diseases and infections. AIDS is a disease of the immune system caused by a retrovirus known as HIV that makes the individual highly vulnerable to life threatening infections and diseases such as TB (FANTA, 2004). 2.1.1 TRANSMISSION OF HIV According to FANTA, there are three primary routes of HIV transmission; 1) Unprotected sex with a person carrying the HIV virus. 2) Transfusion of contaminatedRead MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv )901 Words   |  4 Pagesimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an obligate intracellular parasite found exclusively in humans. It is responsible for weakening the immune system and leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The first case of AIDS was diagnosed in the U.S. in 1981, and in 1984 it was first proven that HIV caused AIDS. There is currently a pandemic of HIV/AIDS, with the highest incidence rate in Sub-Saharan Africa and the lowest rates in Western Europe and North America, due to better healthcare. HIV is spread byRead MoreHuman Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv )1416 Words   |  6 PagesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been scouring the planet for over three decades. It has a powerful ability to deteriorate a human body in a small length of time. This deadly virus attacks the human body’s immune system and can only survive in the human as its host. The virus is only contracted through body fluid exchange, for example, vaginal fluid, semen, intravenous drug users, and sexual intercourse is the most common way of contracting it. The virus attacks the T cells (type of whiteRead MoreHiv And Its Effects On Children1149 Words   |  5 PagesHIV What is HIV? HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. Infection by this virus frequently leads to AIDS – acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Viral infection initially causes a flu-like illness characterized by fever, sore throat, headache, rash, gastrointestinal discomfort, and body aches (mylagias). The virus tends to stay dormant for months or years while it is slowly killing immune cells – especially CD4 cells. Individuals with high viral loads and low CD4 cell counts have high viralRead More Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Essay912 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Life History The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an obligate intracellular parasite found exclusively in humans. It is responsible for weakening the immune system and leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The first case of AIDS was diagnosed in the U.S. in 1981, and in 1984 it was first proven that HIV caused AIDS. There is currently a pandemic of HIV/AIDS, with the highest incidence rate in Sub-Saharan Africa and the lowest rates in

Stand by Me Cmm Theory Free Essays

1. Describe the development of Self Concept of Gordie’s character in the film. How is it different from Chris’? The film showcased Gordie’s thoughts and growth with his friends. We will write a custom essay sample on Stand by Me Cmm Theory or any similar topic only for you Order Now From his exterior of a young lad, wimpy and afraid, he had managed to mature in to an independent and confident individual. In the beginning of the film, he had been described, by himself, as a weird guy, since he wasn’t like his late brother, who was the favorite. He loved writing and was good at it, but the unfortunate reality he was in was comparison from his parents, who would rather have a popular kid with ‘normal’ friends later, made him diss his own passion. And this practice developed and later on gave him enough fright to accept his invisibility. His coward-ness of going against his father permanently shuts his mouth and just listen with what his parents had to say. However, Chris, a kid from a bad family, is a hopeful lawyer. But since everyone sees him as a juvenile, he never bothered to live his dream. His tough spirit and leadership skills lead the gang gave them courage. I think he’s influential like that, though he knows for himself he wouldn’t turn out good; he has good intention for his friends. Like how Gordie described him as a peacemaker of the gang. Chris is like the gang’s guardian. He always makes sure they’re okay and take care of them unlike how his alcoholic father. Nevertheless, the self-fulfilling prophecy of the two later on changed when Chris and Gordie changed after they found the body. Chris became a lawyer, though hard to get in with his status and Gordie became a writer, much to his joy that he took it. When they changed their views of themselves and how they acted, people had changed also with how they viewed them. 2. Choose any one of the characters and by citing specific scenes and dialogues from the film discuss how this character exhibited the Self-fulfilling Prophecy. Chris’ side: Gordie: Maybe you could go into the College-courses with me. Chris: That’ll be the day. Gordie: Why not you’re smart enough. Chris: They won’t let me. Gordie: What d’you mean? Chris: It’s the way people think of my family in this town. It’s the way they think of me. Just one of those lowlife Chambers-kids. Gordie: That’s not true. Chris: Oh it is. No one even asked me if I took the milkmoney that time. I just got a three-day vacation. Gordie: Did you take it? Chris: Yeah I took it. You knew I took it. Teddy knew I took it. Everyone knew I took it. Even Vern knew it I think. Maybe I was sorry and I tried to give it back. Gordie: Tried to give it back? Chris: Maybe, just maybe. And maybe I took it to Old Lady Simons and told her. And the money was all there. But I still got a three-day vacation because it never showed up. And maybe the next week Old lady Simons had that brand new skirt on when she came to school. Gordie: Yeah, yeah. It was brown and had dots on it! Chris: Yeah. So let’s just say that I stole the milk money but Old Lady Simons stole it back from me. Just suppose that I told the story. Me, Chris Chambers, kid brother of the Eyeball Chambers. You think that anybody would have believed it? Gordie: No. Chris: And d’you think that that bitch would have dared try something like that if it would have been one of those dootch bags from up on The View if they had taken the money? Gordie: No way! Chris: Oh no! But with me! I’m sure she had her eyes on that skirt for a long time. Anyway she saw her chance and she took it. I was the tupid one for even trying to give it back. I never thought – I never thought that a teacher– Oh who gives a fuck anyway? I just wish I could go to some place where nobody knows me. I guess I’m just a pussy, Gordie. Gordie: No way, no way. I think it was pretty brave of him to say what he has to say, but share his dream with his best friend and giving him his trust, is ve ry admirable. This dialogue further defined his thoughts and how he had accepted his fate as a delinquent. Everyone saw him as a low life and never bothered to hear his side because he was Chris Chambers, a son of an alcoholic drug addict, so he ever bothered to argue no more. But on the last line, he said â€Å"I just wish I could go to some place where nobody knows me† this simple phrase is also another way of saying â€Å"I wish nobody would judge me with my family. They don’t know the real me† 3. Choose any two(2) of the IC Theories we covered in class and discuss how each was made evident in the film. Social Penetration Theory: Gordie: Why did he have to die, Chris? Why did Denny have to die? Why? Chris: I don’t know. Gordie: It should have been me. Chris: Don’t say that. Gordie: It should have been me. Chris: Don’t say that, man. Gordie: I’m no good. My dad said it, I’m no good. Chris: He doesn’t know you. Gordie: He hates me. Chris: He doesn’t hate you. Gordie: He hates me. Chris: No, he just doesn’t know you. Gordie: He hates me. My dad hates me. He hates me oh oh God. Chris: You gonna be a great writer someday, Gordie. You might even write about us guys if you ever get hard up for material. Gordie: Guess I’d have to be really hard up, huh? Chris: Yeah. The moment when they had reached their goal, everything had hit Gordie like a cake thrown on the face. He mumbles his inner thoughts, agreeing to his uselessness to the family, completely in tragic horror about his brother’s death should have been his. This kind of talks only happens in intimate relationships shared, like Chris and Gordie’s relationship, which was built through the whole adventure or quest to find the missing body. Constructivism: As time went on we saw less and less of Teddy and Vern until eventually they became just two more faces in the halls. That happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of your life like busboys in a restaurant. I heard that Vern got married out of High-school, had four kids and is now the forklift operator at the Arsenal Lumberyard. Teddy tried several times to get into the Army but his eyes and his ear kept him out. The last I heard, he’d spent some time in jail. He was now doing odd jobs around Castle Rock. Chris did get out. He enrolled in the College-courses with me. And although it was hard he gutted it out like he always did. He went on to College and eventually became a lawyer. Last week he entered a fast food restaurant. Just ahead of him, two men got into an argument. One of them pulled a knife. Chris who would always make the best peace tried to break it up. He was stabbed in the throat. He died almost instantly. The writer or Gordie, now a father and a writer, reflects over what happened to them when they were twelve. His perspective of what happened was unforgettable and had imprinted on his life. Like what Chris said â€Å"You might even write about us guys if you ever hard up for material† and he did, he wrote their experience and described how each one of them had grown and how he could never forget their friendship. Because only through experience you learn how things are made and how you mature. How to cite Stand by Me Cmm Theory, Papers

How the Repercussions of Exercising Pride and Condescension are Conveyed free essay sample

A critical analysis of The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe, a lesson in pride and revenge. The following paper endeavors to explore how Poe utilizes the literary tools of repetition, contrast, foreshadowing, irony and symbolism to convey the dangers of pride and condescension and to evoke the feeling of utter hopelessness as projected by Fortunato and the sinister madness as projected by Montresor. Before conducting this undertaking, a synopsis of the story must be provided. The Cask of Amontillado is a story in the first person about a man (Montresor) who lures his enemy (Fortunato) to the catacombs, under the guise of requiring his expertise on wines to appraise a cask that he has just purchased of Amontillado. Upon reaching a niche deep in the catacombs, Montresor chains Fortunato to the wall and proceeds to bury him behind a wall of stone and mortar. When Fortunato gradually sobers up, he realizes the gravity of the situation he is in and pleads for his life. We will write a custom essay sample on How the Repercussions of Exercising Pride and Condescension are Conveyed or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Montresor mocks him and seals up the wall, leaving Fortunato there to die, knowing that no one else will venture down there to disturb him.

Sebastian Henderson Essays (178 words) - North Carolina,

Sebastian Henderson Prof. Browning 2 February 2017 ENG 112-63 ACC Football The Newspaper Publications I've reviewed were The Charlotte Observer and USA Today . The major difference between the two is how they cater to each audience. With the Charlotte Observer the main audience they focused on was charlotte residence and residences of surrounding counties. Throughout the article the Charlotte Observer article it mainly focuses on the impact it will directly have on Charlotte. It goes into in depth detail and describes what exactly this means for Charlotte and the forces of the HB2 bill. USA Today on the other hand, focuses more on the broad aspect of the effects in Charlotte. It covered not only ACC Football but March M adness and other events as well. It also talked about the cities that the ACC Championship could be moving to. It then went in very briefly about the HB2 bill. I feel like as we progress through the investigative article I feel that my writing style will become more aggressive and more persuasive.

Competition in Health Care Essay Essay Example

Competition in Health Care Essay Essay Example Competition in Health Care Essay Essay Competition in Health Care Essay Essay Essay Topic: Competition For this assignment the category was instructed to depict the different signifiers of competition that take topographic point among assorted types of wellness attention organisations. measure the benefits and booby traps of competition in wellness attention and suggest options if competition was non the primary driver of operations in the U. S. wellness attention system. explicate the elements of successful competition and the usage of competitory intelligence. depict the influence competition has on the services offered by wellness attention organisations and the picks patients have. Health attention as in all industries. competition among concerns has long been encouraged as a mechanism to increase value for patients. In the overpowering bulk of industries. houses compete with each other to sell more merchandises or services to clients. their purpose being to capture more of the customer’s dollar ( Spath A ; Abraham. 2014 ) . Many companies are free at any clip to offer wha tever merchandises they think people need at any monetary value they believe people are willing to pay. If clients will purchase their merchandise they will win ; if non. they fail. This considered the nature of competition. Competition creates victors and also-rans inspires houses to invariably better. Competition in many sectors of the health care industry maps otherwise. The usual free market rules of supply and demand are distorted by an extended regulative model at both the federal and province degrees of authorities. State regulators may non let all HSOs in one geographical market country to offer peculiar services. Price caps may forestall HSOs from bear downing whatever monetary value people are willing to pay for health care services. Pharmaceutical companies are free to develop any new medicine they want but must acquire blessing from the Food and Drug Administration before it can be sold in the United States. Insurance plans may direct people to have services from certain HSOs and non others. Hospital exigency sections must supply health care services to people even if they can non pay for those services ( Spath A ; Abraham. 2014 ) . In the wellness attention industry. competition has an impact on many relational positions. There have been several surveies analyzing the relationships between competition and quality of wellness attention. competition and wellness attention system costs. and competition and patient satisfaction. Some elements of competition in wellness attention are monetary value. quality. convenience. and superior merchandises and services. One type of competition that takes topographic point in wellness attention amongst the assorted types of wellness attention organisations is the business’s bing rivals. The bing rivals are the 1s that the concern has been covering with for many old ages. There are besides possible rivals. which are companies that are presently runing in another industry or market. but show involvement in come ining the business’s industry or market. Some illustrations are ; houses runing in other geographic parts seeking to spread out their markets. houses offering similar and related. but non straight viing. merchandises that wish to spread out their merchandise lines. client houses that decide to incorporate backward in the industrial value concatenation. providers attracted by borders may take to incorporate forward in the concatenation. a little. strategically weak house becomes a serious menace of entry when it is acquired by a company that can cut down or extinguish the failings. houses that feel threatened by a move into their markets might revenge by traveling in the opposite way. and houses that have a possible tantrum or synergism with the critical success factors in the industry ( Moseley. 2009 ) . Attention must besides be paid to indirect competition. those entities offering merchandises or services that may function as replacements to the business’s merchandises or services in the eyes of its clients ( Moseley. 2009 ) . Hospitals besides compete for doctors by offering more extremely trained supportive staff and/or better equipment. Hospitals are more likely to vie for patients by supplying more services. better comfortss. or discounted monetary values. There is a strong competition for cutting border engineering and medical endowment locally and globally. Hospitals besides have to vie for inclusion in insurer’s supplier webs. Insurance programs compete for cost to remunerators. quality of supplier webs. credentialing testing. and choice appraisal processs. Competition has played a critical function in determining the bringing of health care in the United States. Competition drives invention and finally leads to the bringing of better health care. Competition consequences in lower monetary values and broader entree to wellness attention and wellness insurance. Competition among and between infirmaries and doctors intensified with the development of managed attention organisations. In add-on to seting force per unit area on costs. managed attention programs have pressured suppliers to utilize shorter infirmary corsets and to offer alternate outpatient interventions ( Macfarlane. 2014 ) . This led to take down costs and an addition in pick without giving quality. Lower costs and improved efficiency has made wellness insurance more low-cost and available. Another benefit of competition in wellness attention is the invention in health care engineering ( endoscopic surgery. anaesthetic agents available in ambulatory surgery centres ) . There are many competitory success narratives in health care in the country of pharmaceuticals. pressing attention centres. and elected surgeries. Competition has some booby traps in health care that includes the clip and costs that it takes for health care organisations to vie against others. Other common booby traps are unexpected troubles when spread outing into new geographicss. over-optimistic projections in patient Numberss. grosss. and profitableness. misjudging local income degrees and ability to pay. and underestimating local competition. Another booby trap may be over puting in equipment. Competition has badly restricted coaction among service suppliers. An alternate to competition would be coaction between suppliers or fixed monetary values. Success is non achieved by disregarding your competition but instead by expecting competitory issues and influences so you can ever hold a proactive program and scheme for remaining in front of your competition. As in all industries including wellness attention the competition among concerns has long been encouraged as a mechanism to increase value for patients. There are many signifiers of competition that have an influence on services offered by wellness attention organisations. The competition comes from non merely other patterns. but can include anyone or anything that may act upon a prospective patient to non go a patient of an organisation. Organizations that fail to present merchandises that satisfy customers’ demands will shortly travel out of concern. Strategic thought and planning enables organisation to remain in front of the competition. MentionsMacfarlane. M. ( 2014 ) . Sustainable Competitive Advantage for Accountable Care Organizations. Journal of Healthcare Management. 59 ( 4 ) . 263-271. Retrieval from EBSCOhost. World Wide Web. ashford. edu/libraryMoseley. G ( 2009 ) . Health Care Competition. Strategic Mission. and Patient Satisfaction: Research Modeland Propositions. Retrieved from World Wide Web. ncbi. nln. nhi. gov/ . Spath. P. . Abraham. S. ( 2014 ) . Strategic Management for Healthcare Organizations. Bridgepoint Education. Inc. World Wide Web. ashford. edu/books.

Effects of non-verbal communication across cultures Research Paper

Effects of non-verbal communication across cultures - Research Paper Example The ability for one to exchange ideas with another, understand one another’s opinions, and solve problems is highly dependent on the effectiveness of the communication process (Agliati, Anolli, and Vescovo, 2006). According to Kirch (1979), verbal communication refers to the message content, arrangement and choice of words while communicating nonverbally addresses the message sent using body language. Non-Verbal Communication across Cultures The most common of all forms of non-verbal communication is facial expression (Levine and Adelman, 1993). Nevertheless, interpretation of the different facial expressions across cultures is quite hard. Lists of expressions exist with respect to situations, for instance; those that indicate happiness, fear, sadness and anger. This makes it hard for one to identify what expression is being conveyed and for what reason. Carey (1998) reports that â€Å"facial expressions are the most obvious ones that can be quite misleading, because most are pretty good at covering a lie† (350). ... A suitable example is the United States where eye contact and a firm handshake are considered a basic type of nonverbal communication whereas French people toss while looking at each other’s eyes as a symbol of respect and politeness. However, Kirch (1979) argues that other countries or rather other cultures consider avoiding eye contact as a sign of respect, for instance Africa, some parts of Asia and Latin America. Another common form of nonverbal communication used by people on a daily basis is body gesture (Carey, 1998). Good examples of using body gestures include greeting people using visual signals when initiating a presentation, and beckoning to a waiter instinctively. For instance, in a U.S bar, people walk over to the counter to get their bills while in Thailand, people snap their fingers to get their bills from the waiters in charge. In addition, Thai people greet each other by putting their hands together while in the U.S and with many Christians, people put their hands together while paying respect to the Lord God. In some cultures, bidding someone farewell is done by waving hands while in others it is done by embracing each other (Carey, 1998). Furthermore, people in other cultures hug and touch each other more. Habitats of Northern European countries do not fancy this type of bodily contact as compared to residents of southern countries. Some cultures have limited body contact between sexes to relatives only. Bulgarians nod their heads to signify rejection of a prevailing situation while other people in other cultures nod their heads to signify compliance (Carey, 1998). Culture and Nonverbal Communication The way in which people across different cultures communicate is greatly affected by the variations in

Human Resources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Human Resources - Assignment Example rly interested in the jobs they are performing but are only performing those jobs for the sake of getting paid and meeting their basic needs, this often signals a lack of employee motivation and interest. This can be harmful for the company in the long run as human resources are the main asset of a company and substantiate the company’s brainpower. Thus, it is highly in the interest of organizations to keep their employees fully motivated in order to ensure that their main assets are strong (Kishie et al, 2012). Accordingly, there are various factors, which influence employee motivation. Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation are both needed in order to encourage employees to do their best. However, some organizations mainly focus on extrinsic motivation and they are not as much focused upon intrinsically motivating employees. Several motivation theories focus on intrinsic motivating factors that develop interest and a desire to work hard within employees. It has also been seen that without intrinsic motivation, employees are not likely to be properly motivated (Kishie et al, 2012). This paper analyzes the human resource practices regarding employee motivation of a semiconductor intellectual property supplier by the name of ARM. While the company is highly successful in its business and conducts business worldwide, the company can attribute its success to the hard work and high motivation levels of its 2,050-employee workforce all over the world. ARM†s main human resource management strategy is directed towards global learning and development, talent management, and the provision of proper reward systems in order to enhance employee motivation and increase productivity. In order to do this, the company uses several intrinsic motivational tools, such as providing employees with proper training, opportunities to choose and manage their own challenges and assignments, rewarding them with shares and bonuses, and giving them the discretion to act as owners

External and Internal Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

External and Internal Environments - Essay Example 2. Influence of the external environment The outcome of an organization as well as the industry to which it belongs depends upon the affect of the external factors. USA is reviving slowly from the catastrophic financial distress. The financial distress wrecked havoc in all the industrial sectors. The banks and financial institutions suffered the most as well as the oil and gas industry (Stephen, 2012). This is because of the reason that the USA government provided significant amount of financial help in the form of rebates and commissions to the oil and gas companies. The financial distress reduced the financial help packages forwarded by the government to the companies by almost half. Thus it is important to analyze how the oil and gas industry adopted to the changing environmental factors. The company chosen for analysis is British Petroleum (BP). There are several factors affecting the outcome of the organization like the political, economical, social, technological, legal and env ironmental (Stigler, 2009). Among these only technological and economical factors are chosen since both these factors have the most significant influence over the outcome of the organization. ... BP has adopted several strategies to tide over the various environmental concerns. To improve the technological efficiency BP concentrated on the rapid improvement of the three most basic and important part of the whole operations. One is achieving operational excellence in the upstream activities, the second one is achieving operational excellence in the downstream operations and the third one is improvising the distribution system (Subramanyam, 2002). The improvement in the above three areas increased the generation of revenue by as much as 10% over the last ten years. The economical conditions are different across different countries from where BP operates. BP adopted the strategy of netting the transactions. Netting helps to bring balance in the overall transactions. Due to different economical conditions of the countries, transactional imbalance sets in. The transactional imbalance is nullified with the help of netting. Over the last couples of decades BO has formed strategic pa rtnerships with several small and medium oil and gas companies (Subramanyam, 2006). Other than that it has performed several mergers and acquisitions. These strategic partnerships and mergers and acquisitions have helped the company counteract the ups and downs of the economy across several countries. 4. Ways in which the company address the forces BP has a dedicated team of experts comprising of technicians, engineers, scientists and field specialists spread across different operational base. These teams of experts usually work far away from the actual operational site. Due the need to innovate and improve the present technologies, BP is contemplating to form dedicated research teams for each operational bases. This way the work load will get distributed (Teoh, 2003). As it is

Double Skin Façade Case Study

Double Skin Faà §ade Case Study Abstract Double skin faà §ade refers to a building faà §ade covering one or several stories with multiple glazed skins (Chan, Chow, Fong and Lin, 2009). The aim of this essay is trying to explore the definition, advantages and disadvantages of double skin faà §ade which was used in high rise building. Case study is the main method in this essay. The researcher has chosen three tall building cases which are Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, ARAG 2000 tower in Dusseldorf and Capital Gate Skyscraper in Abu Dhabi to explain the working principle of double skin faà §ade. Finally, it can be understand that double skin faà §ade is a kind of sustainable faà §ade strategy and It allows to lower energy consumption while making the interior spaces comfortable. It is cost effective in long term running but it will cost more to construct. Introduction Multi layer principle is applied on double skin faà §ade technology. They consist of an external faà §ade, an intermediate space and an inner faà §ade. The outer faà §ade layer is to provide protection against the weather and improve the acoustic insulation against external noise. It also allows ventilation through its openings between internal rooms of double skin faà §ade (S. Ahmed, Ali K. Abel, Rahman, Ahmed Hamza H. Ali and Suzuki, 2016). Gadgets and frameworks are for the most part incorporated keeping in mind the end goal to enhance the indoor atmosphere with dynamic or latent methods. (Poirazis, 2006). The historical backdrop of Double Skin Facades is depicted in a few books, reports and articles. Saelens, (2002) notices that in 1849, Jean-Baptiste Jobard,   an early form of a mechanically ventilated skin faà §ade mentioned at a museum in Brussels. Double Skin Facades are contracted by 3 primary components which are cantilever section structure, suspended structure and edge structure. Materials can vary as indicated by the outline yet metal, glass and timber are most uncommon ones. Considering the sort (geometry) of the hole they are divided into 4; Box window, Shaft box, Corridor faà §ade and Multi story double skin faà §ade. A comparable review by Heusler and Compagno categorise into three sorts of window, story and various stories. Context The Shanghai Tower is designed by Gensler Architects, a 127 story, 632 meter high, mixed use tall building located in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai, China. As of 2016, It is the highest building in the world by its highest usable floor level (Level 127, 587.4m). The new tower takes motivation from Shanghais convention of parks and neighbourhoods. Its bended faà §ade and spiralling structure symbolize the dynamic rise of present day China (GenslerDesignUpdate, 2010). The innovative design incorporates two free curtain walls; first is the external skin cam-molded in plan and the second is the inward one is circular. In-between the two curtain walls form atriums which house landscaped public areas at regular intervals throughout the building (GenslerDesignUpdate, 2010). Series of wind tunnel tests used by the architects to simulate the biggest problem of the site context; the typhoon, which also refined the shape of the building (Zeljic, 2010). These sky patio nurseries will enhance air quality, make visual connections between the city and the towers insides, and give a place where building clients can communicate and blend (GenslerDesignUpdate, 2010). Double Skin Faà §ade The primary element considered for the double skin faà §ade performance depends on a bio-climatic idea of a passive atrium system, where two skins are situated so as to make an expansive, full-high atrium space profiting by every one of the advantages that caught air-and the regular convection of air-can give (Zelji, 2010). As an author view, I think this greenhouse effect could not be achieved with the help of additional   cooling and heating systems when I consider its location and the amount of air pollution the location has. There are two types of curtain wall systems, curtain wall A and curtain wall B, are designed for the   Shanghai Tower. In Curtain Wall A, Vertical mullion emphasised V strike to house and bolster a thick LED lighting apparatus design. The difference between A and B is that B need to stay one-hour fire-rating (Zelji, 2010). Context The ARAG 2000 Tower is designed by RKW in Dusseldorf, in collaboration with Norman Foster in London. It is located in northern district of Norsenbroich, Dusseldorf, Germany. It is a 124 meters of high and 31 storey office skyscraper and divided into four eight story tiers by service floors. It is headquarter building of European Insurance company (Wikipediaorg, 2017). Office floors are basic and open in feel. Cellular workplaces and meeting rooms ring the edge while assembled meeting spaces involved in the focal point of the central formed arrangement over the city (Fosterandpartnerscom, 2017). This tower is unique by its environmental design, it has a high performance, double skin glazed faà §ade and as well as interior organisation. Double height sky gardens intersperse the working spaces at every eighth floor. Open access between office floors and the patio nurseries supports a friendly environment and in addition enhancing communication between the staff (Fosterandpartnerscom, 2017). Double Skin Faà §ade As a result of the to a great degree high road noise levels, brought on by being near an inward city traffic intersection, the double skin facade designed as a shaft box cassettes. Those corridors in between two facades; the interior and the exterior is closed in each floor level. They can be open only in extra ordinary situations such as fire and high pressure difference between each cassettes of the faà §ade (Boake, 2013). Shaft box type double skin faà §ade used. And those defensive external layer frames a climate shield and sun channel; an internal layer, with windows which are allowed to be opened, permits the working spaces to breathe (Boake, 2013). Context Capital Gate is a iconic skyscraper in Abu Dhabi located next to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre designed by RMJM Architects. It is a 160 meters of high and   35 stories mixed use skyscraper, it is one of the tallest buildings in the Abu Dhabi and it inclines eighteen degrees to the west. It house offices from the second level up to the sixteenth level, and a five star hotel from the eighteenth level right up to the top (Wikipediaorg, 2017). The shape of the building comes from the two elements; sand and water. The form meant to represent swirling spiral of sand and while the curved canopy known as the splash runs over the ground stand and rises on the building faà §ade, creates a wave effect which reflects the water (Schofield, 2012). The designers of Capital Gate, the 18 degrees in reverse inclining tower situated in Abu Dhabi, had a noteworthy sustainable plan for the project. The offset of the floors to accomplish the retrogressive incline makes two particular sorts of spaces and exposures which have brought about the utilisation of two sorts of double skin faà §ade frameworks (Boake, 2013). Capital Gate Skyscraper`s base structure is a vertical concrete center encompassed by a steel diagrid portraying the outer shape of the tower. Steel shafts traverse between the two supporting metal deck and solid composite floor sections. Steel supports span between the outside and inward diagrids, making column free floor spaces within a normal ranges of twelve meters (Schofield, 2012). Double Skin faà §ade The hotel rooms located at the after 19th floor has a jewel shaped pre-assembled shade divider framework is connected to the basic steel diagrid of the skyscraper and forms the outside layer which reuses inside air from the visitor rooms into the faà §ade pit while makes a protecting support between the cool inside and the to a great degree hot outside (Boake, 2013). Office Floors have unique skin called the sprinkle shelter. It begins at the ground level, ending at the projecting pool level located at the nineteenth floor which allows air circulation while blocking the solar radiation (Boake, 2013). Discussion According to those three double skin facades case studies, it can be concluded by the advantages and disadvantages of using double skin faà §ade in tall building. Huge amount of Energy can be saved by using double skin facades. Double skin faà §ade can maintain the internal spaces comfortable with the help of natural ventilation when cooperated with building management system. It is helpful to heat and cool the interior spaces. Maintenance costs much higher when compared with single faà §ade maintenance. Its construction is expensive compared by the single faà §ade construction. Conclusion All features of the double skin faà §ade usage in the tall buildings illustrated by analysing three tall building cases. As it is mentioned above, the advantages and disadvantages, it can be concluded by being agree on, although double skin faà §ade is much more expensive to construct compared to single faà §ade it is a sustainable design strategy which is helpful to cool and heat the interior spaces at the same time being great sound isolation to the building.

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald I want to introduce you to, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book is set in the â€Å"Roaring Twenties† as it takes place in the summer of 1922. It is the height of the jazz age as society is dissolves into the Great Depression. The protagonist is Jay Gatsby and narrated by Nick Carraway. The story is about jay’s love for a woman, Daisy Buchanan. And it is about Jay’ Gatsby’s will to achieve greatness as he perceives it. He is a driven by money and power. He was a man with a vision to succeed in life. As a child, Jay Gatsby grew up on a farm. He saw his parents as nothing but farmers. Gatsby knew exactly what he didn’t want to be and that was like his parents. They were people who were content with who they were. Gatsby, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He wanted to move on. Jay Gatsby wanted to be someone special, someone with prestige and someone definitely with money. Gatsby developed a self improvement plan to help him flourish as a young man. His plan detailed dumbbell exercises, studying electricity, practicing elocution and studying needed inventions. Even his parents knew he was driven. His father said: "Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolve like this or something. Do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind? He was always great for that". The structured drive let Gatsby prevail in his endeavors. However, there are some things people just can’t get away from. James Gatsby desperately wanted to achieve success in life. However, it is difficult to flourish with a background like Gatsby’s. So to escape his past, he changed his name at the age of 17 from James Gats to Jay Gatsby. Nonetheless, changing his name only did so much for him. Gatsby ended up living a life of lies because of his hidden identity. Nobody really knew Gatsby. So in the absence of people’s knowledge, they conjured up rumors. "One time he killed a man who found out he was a nephew of von Hindenburg and second to the devil". The rising action is Gatsby is meeting the young lady named Daisy. Daisy was very beautiful and came from a wealthy background. Nonetheless, Daisy’s background was the one thing preventing them from marriage.

Pestel Analysis of Automotive Domain in Germany

Brochure More information from http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/1202569/ PEST ANALYSIS – Automotive Sector in Germany Description: PEST analysis of any industry sector investigates the important factors that are affecting the industry and influencing the companies operating in that sector. PEST is an acronym for political, economic, social and technological analysis. Political factors include government policies relating to the industry, tax policies, laws and regulations, trade restrictions and tariffs etc. The economic factors relate to changes in the wider economy such as economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and inflation rate, etc. Social factors often look at the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, changes in tastes and buying patterns, etc. The technological factors relate to the application of new inventions and ideas such as R&D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. Synergyst’s PEST Analysis is a perfect tool for managers and policy makers; helping them in analyzing the forces that are driving their industry and how these factors will influence their businesses and the whole industry in general. Our product also presents a brief profile of the industry comprising of current market, competition in it and future prospects of that sector. Please note that the report compilation, presentation and dispatch may take 1-2 working days. Contents: SECTOR OVERVIEW — Current Market — Competition and Key Players — Market Forecast PEST ANALYSIS — Political Factors — Economic Factors — Social Factors — Technological Factors CONCLUSION Ordering: Order Online – http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/1202569/ Order by Fax – using the form below Order by Post – print the order form below and sent to Research and Markets, Guinness Centre, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland. Page 1 of 2 Fax Order Form To place an order via fax simply print this form, fill in the information below and fax the completed form to 646-6071907 (from USA) or +353-1-481-1716 (from Rest of World). If you have any questions please visit http://www. researchandmarkets. com/contact/ Order Information Please verify that the product information is correct and select the format(s) you require. Product Name: Web Address: Office Code: PEST ANALYSIS – Automotive Sector in Germany http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/1202569/ OC8HKQNSORVUU Product Formats Please select the product formats and quantity you require: Quantity Hard Copy: CD ROM: Electronic: Electronic: EURO â‚ ¬482. 00 + Euro â‚ ¬50. 00 Shipping/Handling * EURO â‚ ¬482. 00 + Euro â‚ ¬50. 00 Shipping/Handling * EURO â‚ ¬321. 00 EURO â‚ ¬535. 00 * Shipping/Handling is only charged once per order. Contact Information Please enter all the information below in BLOCK CAPITALS Title: First Name: Email Address: * Job Title: Organisation: Address: City: Postal / Zip Code: Country: Phone Number: Fax Number: * Please refrain from using free email accounts when ordering (e. . Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL) Mr Mrs Dr Miss Last Name: Ms Prof Page 1 of 2 Payment Information Please indicate the payment method you would like to use by selecting the appropriate box. Pay by credit card: American Express Diners Club Master Card Visa Cardholder's Name Cardholder's Signature Expiry Date Card Number CVV Number Issue Date (for Diners Club only) Pay by check: Please post the check, accomp anied by this form, to: Research and Markets, Guinness Center, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland. Please transfer funds to: Account number Sort code Swift code IBAN number Bank Address 833 130 83 98-53-30 ULSBIE2D IE78ULSB98533083313083 Ulster Bank, 27-35 Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Pay by wire transfer: If you have a Marketing Code please enter it below: Marketing Code: Please note that by ordering from Research and Markets you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions at http://www. researchandmarkets. com/info/terms. asp Please fax this form to: (646) 607-1907 or (646) 964-6609 – From USA +353 1 481 1716 or +353 1 653 1571 – From Rest of World

Marginal Benefits And Marginal Costs Essay

The first rule can be summarized with the undermentioned phrase â€Å"There’s ne'er a free lunch† every clip that you need something you have to give something in return. One illustration is an employee that needs a peculiar twenty-four hours off. He could merely lose work and non acquire paid or inquire for a alteration of agenda and non miss work. This allows flexibleness or via media between parties. Previous to doing any determinations on the trade off you should ever see the cost. At times the cost of some actions may non be evident at a glimpse. The cost of any given undertaking may reflect on the result of your determination. Never assume that everybody is rational. Rational people seldom decide in black and white but for the most portion their determinations are in the grey country. As you go deeper into economic sciences. you will meet houses that decide how many workers to engage and how much of their merchandise to fabricate and sell to maximise net incomes. Incentives. who doesn’t like a positive inducements? Keep in head that if there is positive inducement there can besides be negative 1s. Rational people will ever maintain in head the cost and benefits of a undertaking and they will react to the inducements provided for the completions of given undertaking. An illustration of fringy benefits and the fringy costs of consider an air hose make up one's minding how much to bear down riders who fly standby. Suppose that winging a 200 – rider plane across the United States costs the air hose $ 100. 000. In this instance. the mean cost of each place is $ 100. 000/200. which is $ 500. One might be tempted to reason that the air hose should ne'er sell a ticket for less than $ 500. In fact. nevertheless. the air hose can raise its net incomes by believing at the border. Imagine that a plane is about to take off with 10 empty seats. and a standby rider waiting at the gate will pay $ 300 for a place. The air hose in this illustration will inquire itself should I sell the staying seats at the cost of $ 300 per rider is cost effectual. The reply is yes it will be profitable to sell the staying place at this monetary value. While the rider pays more than the fringy cost of the place. An inducement that could take to another determination would be a rival air hose supplying the same trip for less or the same monetary value. Persons are prone to incentives if you provide them with pecuniary. intervention or any other benefits that will honor them for their attempts. The cardinal lessons about the economic system as a whole are that productiveness is the ultimate beginning of life criterions. that money growing is the ultimate beginning of rising prices. and that society faces a short-term tradeoff between rising prices and unemployment. In a market economic system. the determinations of a authorities are replaced by the determinations of companies and persons. Companies decide how many people to engage and what merchandise to fabricate. Persons decide which industries to work for and what points to purchase with their wages. A centrally planned economic system is when a authorities decides what points to bring forth and how much. Determine the allotment of scarce resources and who will bring forth and devour these goods and services. When the market economic system and the centrally planned economic system are combined and influenced by the control of the private and authorities sector. In decision economic sciences play an intrical portion of our day-to-day lives. It allows a state to turn or a company to drop. Decicion devising is an of import facet of the economic system and all decicions sing this topic has to be treated as a delicate subject. MentionsGregory. N. ( 2009 ) . Principles of Economics ( 5th ed. ) . Mason. Oh: South-Western Cengage Learning. Hubbard. R. & A ; O’Brien. A. ( 2010 ) . Economicss ( 3rd ed. ) . Boston. MA: Pearson Hall.

buy custom Diversity and Affirmative Action essay

buy custom Diversity and Affirmative Action essay Diversity and affirmative action are terms that work together to improve the representation of individuals that are underrepresented in organizations or groups; however, these terms are different (United States Government, 2011). Affirmative action is a term that is based on the legal directives, and it requires federal contractors when measuring employment practices, and it is used to develop a community reflective workforce. Affirmative action resulted from discriminatory employment practices; it was developed to ensure that qualified women and minorities are recruited, hired, trained and promoted like other groups (United States Government, 2011). Affirmative action does not only avoid discriminatory practices, but also necessitates and seeks to remove the damage caused by discrimination; it concentrates on taking positive directives to bring women and people from minority groups into the organization. Diversity, on the other hand, is the differences in a variety among employees in an organization; it includes race, gender, ethnic, competency, multiculturalism, nationality, sex orientation, physical appearance, religion and disabilities. Diversity is based on the believe that abilities of different employees benefits organizations more; the organization increases its productivity and profitability. However, when it is encouraged, it eliminates discrimination of women and minority groups. Diversity, unlike affirmative action, is not rooted in the law, it is a business strategy aimed at increasing importance of distinction among employees at workplace (United States Government, 2011). Beliefs People of different cultural diversity have difference beliefs and a clash in the beliefs can cause conflicts resulting to a hostile working environment. For instance, people from Muslim and Christian religion might have a different belief concerning women dressing code; this might cause conflict if it is not handled well (Brown, 2008). Perceptions When people of different cultural diversity come together in workplaces, they come with their different perceptions on the way of doing things and perception about certain groups of people. For instance, heterosexual people might perceive bisexual people as people who do not know their sexual identity and therefore, they might consider them as confused people (Brown, 2008). This perception might affect their working if not carefully dealt with by the organizational leadership. Language People from different races and ethnic groups come together in workplaces; these people might also have different languages, and the group with the largest number of people might choose to communicate in their language making others feel intimidated and out of place. If this issue is not addressed in time and effectively it might lead to discrimination in workplaces; this element should be addressed by advocating for the use of common language (Brown, 2008). Social groupings The element of social groupings arises when people of different social classes and beliefs come together in a diverse workplace; this people might intimidate others who feel that they do not fit in the socialgroups. Others might also feel discriminated, and this might affect their performance at work. Following the benefits that come with diversity, many organizations have embraced diversity in workplaces, however, organizational leadership need to address the challenges that come with diversity, for them to be successfully implemented. Communication in the workplace is significant for the better running of the organization and good relations among employees and between employees and management. A diverse workplace can be faced with barriers of communication such as language, cultural and perceptual differences, and if they are not addressed they can lead to ineffective communication in the organization (Brown, 2008). Therefore, the organizational leadership should address such communication barriers to avoid confusion and lack of teamwork, as well as low morale in the organization. When an organization chooses to diversify, there are employees who refuse to go along with the others; they do not accept the social and cultural changes at the workplace. They hold onto the old mentalities and ways of working, such employees also silence new ideas proposed by the company, if this is not addressed in time; it is likely to inhibit progress in the organization (United States Government, 2011). The organizational leadership should quickly address this issue by making employees realize the benefits of diversity, and involving them in diversity initiatives in the organization. Diversityrelated policies are challenging to implement, this is because not all employees are willing to enforce and implement the policies and if it includes employees in positions of authority, then the implementation becomes more difficult (Brown, 2008). Therefore, the organizational leadership should work hard to win most employees especially those holding positions of authority, this can be done by using employee assessment results, and research data to convince them of the benefits of diversity at workplaces, and presenting a strategy that is more effective in maximizing the benefits in the organization. Diversity management is another challenge that should be addressed by the organizational leadership for diversity to be effectively implemented; a department should be delegated the role of enforcing and implementing diversity policies. The department is expected to follow up and make sure that things go through according to plan and monitor its effects on the organizational performance. An organization that embraces diversity and equality is bound to grow, employees of different genders, races, physical abilities among other differences make the organization stronger and endowed with different skills. To ensure diversity in the workplace, an analysis should be carried out on the current employee population to check on statistics of gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, race, sexual orientation, among other aspects of diversity (La Trobe University, 2008). These statistics can be found in the employment database or in the Human Resource Departments employment report. After collecting the data and analyzing them for diversity, a diverse committee should be formed; the committee members should formed on voluntary basis. Thiis committee will discuss diversity in the organization, as well ideas that will promote diversity and equality. The committee will also set goals on diversity in the organization and come up with strategies that will help them achieve the goals. The committee will then review the equal employment policy of the organization to make sure companies comply with federal laws, this includes unfair treatment and harassment of employees (United States Government, 2011). The committee will also review the organization employment policy to make sure that it is up-to-date with the nations policies on employment. Recruit employees for new positions, and make sure that advertisements are placed in ethnic newspapers, and encourage women and people from minority groups to apply. Another way is giving incentives to current employees who recommend qualified employees with a difference in diversity (United States Government, 2011). This step will encourage recruitment of employees of different diversity in the organization. Training existing employees on diversity issues, encouraging them to cope with employees from different religion, sexual orientation among other diversities and learn to appreciate their fellow employees despite their differences in diversity; this will help employees to work together in harmony. Disciplinary measures will be put in place for those who will be found discriminating other employees because of their differences in diversity, and procedures put in place for filing a complaint against an employee who engages in discrimination. For those who will be found discriminating others will counseled, and put on probation or terminated. After implementation, monitoring of diversity is encouraged to ensure its effectiveness in staffing. Methods can be using in monitoring include tracking of applicant diversity, this involves checking the applicants profiles to check for diversity, the applicants should include people of different diversities, if that is not the case then it means that diversity was not considered when advertising for the job openings. Another method is checking for diversity of candidates who are invited for interview. This is important because applicants might be of different diversities but not invited for job interviews, the job interviews should also show a difference in diversity and then the criteria used for choosing people for interviews should be analyzed and reviewed for diversity. The hiring records from the time of implementation of diversity program can be tracked to find out if diversity is considered in new hires. This is to ensure that when hiring no one is discriminated because of the differences in diversity, and if diversity is not presented in new hires, then the hiring process should be reviewed for diversity (United States Government, 2011). The promotions should also be tracked for diversity to check its effectiveness, promotions should be awarded to employees of different diversity without any discrimination. If the promotion records exempt certain groups of people, it means that the criteria used in promotion is not sensitive to diversity; therefore, it should be reviewed (United States Government, 2011). Buy custom Diversity and Affirmative Action essay

The akan clan system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The akan clan system - Essay Example Additionally, the Ashanti Empire owed its prominence to its location because it was located with the regions richest goldfields. Today the tradition kingdom remains and significant national traditional and political force. This is because it is inseparably tangled to the functions and structures of the matrilineal ancestry system that forms the foundation of the Akan social order. The Akan’s make the biggest ethnic group in the two countries where they make up a population of about 20 million people. This essay will analyses the Akan clan examining their lineage, cultures and ritual functions and oral traditions, as well as, the political economy of the clan. The Akan Clan has a multitier segmentary structure that comprises of matrilineal clans. There are main matrilineages and minor ancestry parts where the clans are made up of eight clans that are not localized including the members throughout the kingdom. The Akan abusua include Agona, Aduana, Asakyrir, Asinie, Asona, Ekuona, Bretuo and Oyoko. Most individuals belong to the Asona abusua who make the largest group while the smallest is the Asakyiri (Shumway, 2011. P. 17). The origin of the clans has been attributed to the mythical female ancestors, but there have been no attempts made to trace back the descent lines to the founders of the clan. Abusua means a group of people that were derived from one great-grand mum on their maternal side. Where a clan is a confederation of four or five diverse groups of abusua that traces their ancestry via the same mutual ancestress. The Akan’s believe that a human being is made up of a soul (okra), blood (mogya), spirit (sunsum) and family (abusua). The kinship from the mother determines, which family group a person belongs to because the according to the Akan’s a kid is what his or her mother is. This means that a person can be an Asante because of the fact that their mother is an Asante. In the Akan clan, matrimony between members of an in-group is

The Impact of Nuclear Weapons on Humans and Environment Research Paper

The Impact of Nuclear Weapons on Humans and Environment - Research Paper Example Chemical weapons have known to be mainly unproductive within combat; biological weapons have not been positioned at some major level. Both forms must be better selected as weapons of fear against residents and weapons of threat for armed forces. Conditions of their transportation method fluctuate very much from those for nuclear weapons. They are capable of causing significant apprehension, fright, and mental illness without perimeters in huge elements of the people. Accumulation of biological weapons is not feasible for an extensive time scale. Merely nuclear weapons are totally indiscriminate by their unstable influence, heat emission as well as radioactivity, and only they should â€Å"therefore be called a weapon of mass destruction† (Croddy et al, 2004). From the end of the Second World War, there have been many settlements focusing on the constraints, declines, and eradication of alleged weapons of mass destruction along with their delivery systems. A number of the settl ements are mutual, some multilateral, or, in exceptional cases, global. In this paper, chemical, nuclear, and biological weapons will be examined with stress on the standards to eradicate them (Busch & Joyner, 2009). Literature Review By their character, chemical weapons have a comparatively inadequate range: they form local instead of international security issues and decrease the pace of functions. In this respect, they are militarily more similar to conservative weaponry as compared to nuclear or biological arsenal (Hashmi & Lee, 2004). Even lengthened utilization of chemical weapons had no significant effect on results of wars, had just local achievements and created conflicts to no use. Due to these and other reasons, it is hard to observe why they are there to begin with. Nonetheless, they had been developed in huge amounts, and humanity has to cope with their very expensive eradication. Impact on Humans Not only scientists should be blamed for their creation, fabrication, uti lization, and also for the removal of chemical arsenal; armed forces and politicians also claimed their creation. On the other hand, people need the aid of scientists for the complicated task of neutralising or removing them (Kort & Nolan, 2010). The utilization of biological means as war tools has constantly had a doubly unfavourable world opinion in comparison with chemical warfare. A SIPRI Monograph (Prelas, 2005) explains, along with other issues, the varying view of biological and toxin warfare means, the fresh invention of biological weapons, the altering position of toxin weaponry, a latest production of vaccines to be used against biological as well as toxin artillery, and its inferences. Allegations that biological means have been applied as warheads of battle can be seen in both the printed accounts as well as within the artwork of a number of early societies. At some point in 300 BC, the Greeks contaminated the wells and other supplies of drinking water of their rivals wi th the dead bodies of animals. Afterwards, the Romans and Persians applied the similar methods. During 1155, in a battle in Tortola, Italy, Barbarossa widened the possibility of biological combat, utilizing the corpses of dead fighters along with animals to contaminate drinking water. During the year 1863, in the US Civil War, General Johnson did the same with the dead bodies of sheep as well as pigs to contaminate d

Critically evaluate the reform and governance of China's national oil Essay

Critically evaluate the reform and governance of China's national oil companies - Essay Example The Deng Xiaoping led economic reforms that instituted capitalist market principles into China were clustered into two categories of which the first category to be implemented during the 1070s and the early part of the 1980s involved granting permission to entrepreneurs to set-up their own businesses, allowing foreign investors into the country, and de-collectivization of agriculture (Naughton and Yang, 2004). The second category of reforms that were implemented in during the late 1980s and 1990s involved eradication of protectionist policies, price controls, and privatization as well as contracting out of industries that were largely state-owned (Rene, 2013). However, Singh et al. (2013) noted that despite these reforms, the Chinese government still retained its monopoly on key sectors such as the petroleum and banking industry. This present paper is based on the petroleum industry and in particular, it seeks to critically evaluate the reforms that have so far being implemented with in the industry and the general governance of China’s national oil companies. The discussion will focus on three critical areas that include the relationship between the ownership and the corporate governance. Secondly, the regulatory environment of the China’s oil industry and the influences of the nomenklatura system on China’s national oil companies. The relationship between the ownership and corporate governance of China’s national oil companies A discussion about the relationship between the ownership and corporate governance of China’s national oil companies necessitate the analysis of agency theory. In the studies by Chen (2009), agency theory has been described as a concept that explains the relationship that exists between an agent and a business. Leng (2009) on his part wrote that the theory explains the relationship between two parties where one is the principal while the other is an agent working on behalf of a principal. In the busines s context, the common forms of agency relationship normally exist between stockholders and the managers of the business organization, whereby the managers are acting on behalf the stockholder, or owners of the business. To begin with, Singh et al. (2013) stated that the reforms instituted in the Chinese petroleum industry, which is dominated by three key players that include the China National Petroleum Corporation (Petro China), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation. The reforms were largely aimed at ensuring that the corporate governance within the corporations was sufficient to make the corporations highly successful. Leng (2009) on his part wrote that the reforms were geared towards introducing a new form of corporate governance that was capable of providing adequate incentives to the managers to ensure that they do their best to make the corporations successful. Secondly, to discourage them from misappropriating assets , and to have a legal framework to eject corporate managers who have proven to be incompetent. Leng (2009) wrote that in modern corporations there is a well defined distinction between control and ownership, and even the distribution of equity among investors. In regards to corporate governance, Thomas (2004) described it as an institutional arrangement whereby

History of H&M Essay Example for Free

History of HM Essay H M, (Hennes Mauritz AB) is a Swedish multinational retail-clothing company, known for its trendy fashion clothing for men, women, teenagers and children. It started out as a single womenswear store in 1947, and subsequently transformed to a global company offering fashion for the whole family, and their home. The business concept is to give the customer unbeatable value by offering fashion and quality at the best price. HM ensures the best price by having few middlemen, having a broad, in-depth knowledge of design, fashion, textiles, buying the right products from the right markets, and being cost-conscious at every stage. HM is driven by seven core values, namely; Keep it simple, Straight forward and open-minded, Constant improvement, Entrepreneurial spirit, Cost conscious, Team work, Belief in people. HM’s quality testing is extensive, coupled with hard work to make sure goods are produced with least possible environmental impact and under good working conditions. Production is outsourced to independent suppliers as HM does not own any factories. Apart from this, HM does not own any of its stores, as they rent store space from international and local landlords. HM is present in 43 countries and has employed about 94,000 people as of 2011. It has 2,325 stores at end of 2011 and 2,629 stores at end of August 2012. It is ranked the second largest global clothing retailer behind Zara and No. 1 user of organic cotton worldwide. Current Logistics process of HM HM does not own any factory, they have outsourced to external suppliers that managed two departments: Procurement and Production. The Procurement function focuses on customers, fashion and composition of the range. The clothing designs are created in Sweden by around 100 internal designers, 50 pattern designers and an estimated 100 buyers. HM’s method of production is customer-driven. The company puts emphasis into research and forecasting of emerging trends, both through traditional research methods and innovative ones such as street trends. This activity is conducted by central staff and national offices which are responsible for detecting new trends. The production function involves 21 production offices. HM purchases garments from about 750 suppliers, in which 60% of production takes place in Asia and the rest mainly in Europe. The production offices have a mediating function between the internal buying department and external suppliers. They ensure that the buyers’ orders are sent to the right supplier, the goods produced are of the correct price and quality and that the suppliers adhere to the company’s code of conduct. Additionally, production offices also deal with the checking and testing of sample garments, which contributes to reducing lead times. The decision of determining which supplier is the right one is not only a matter of cost-efficiency but is dependent on other factors such as transport times, import quotas and quality control aspects. To reduce risk, buying is carried out on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Continuous IT developments over the years have helped to support HM logistics. While the inventory management is primarily handled within the HM organisation, transport is outsourced to third parties. In terms of distribution, HM adopts sea transportation where their finished products are shipped to a distribution centre in Germany, which will serve as a transit terminal. The transit terminal will be en-routed to receive the goods from all the suppliers across the world. Upon arrival at the designated location, goods are inspected and allocated either in a store or in the centralised warehouse. The role of the warehouse is to hold and replenish inventory levels in stores according to selling trends.

Arguments Against Transformational Leadership Management Essay

Arguments Against Transformational Leadership Management Essay A person can have many distinctive qualities, leadership is among those qualities, not everyone possess such quality, which made this quality special and extraordinary. In the field of business, a decision often comes down to success and failure, leadership is one of the most important quality for a managerial person to have. As Thomas J. Watson, Jr. had put it: I believe the real difference between success and failure in a corporation can be very often traced to the question of how well the organization brings out the great energies and talents of its people. Leaders that can bring positive or beneficial effect to a group or enterprise are consider as a transformational leader, they are energetic, passionate, not only they focus on the systems and the structure of a business, they also focus on the individual employee to do well and to be successful as well. According to Cox (2001), leadership is divided into two categories: transactional leadership and transformational leadership. The distinction between the two, according to James McGregor Burns work on political leader (1978), are those ones who uses the policy of rewards to motive and earn his/her employees efficiency and loyalty, is called transactional leader; and those ones who gets involve with his/her employee, also possess determination and committed towards success as well as motivates its employees in exchange for their high performance, also their loyalty. However, in this ever changing world, business leaders needs improve his/her skill and ability in order to coordinate wit h the change. In this particular essay, the main focus will be on the transformational leadership and some of the arguments and criticisms against it, as well as some counter arguments in favor of the transformational leadership; along with supporting explanations, facts and various examples. Arguments against Transformational Leadership Theory: Study results shows that Transformational Leadership have its positive effect on organizations, improve its work productivity, performance and as well as the creativities, according to Bass and Avolio (1994), it can be found in every aspect of an enterprise, because sometimes transformational leaders are the type of leaders needed for an company to survive, according to Burn (1978): recognizes and exploits an existing need or demand of a potential followerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ looks for potential motives in followers, seeks to satisfy higher needs, and engages the full person of the follower. A transformational leader in an organization often break through its frame of organization culture and thrive, which made transformational leadership one of the most renewed and popular leadership theory in modern days, nevertheless, its resplendency is not without oppugns. There are many criticisms against the theory of transformational leadership, one of the criticism is transformational theory is very difficult to be trained or taught, because its components are too comprehensive; on the other hands, one of the argument against transformational leadership is that followers might be manipulated by leaders and there are chances that what they gain is so little compare to what they lost. Among them all, one of the important key criticisms against transformational theory is accusing it to be only for the selected individuals, which may lead to abusing of power. As Colonel Mark .A Homig (2001) have stated that: Transformational leadership is a double edged sword. Which means that, when a transformational leader over done his part in terms of leadership, his/her innate defect in personality or even later life experience can turn him/her into another type transformational leadership, the one on the opposite side-Pseudo transformation leadership. According t o Mark. A. Homig: has a potential immoral and unethical dimension that could be exploited by an unscrupulous leader inflicted on naive and unsuspecting followers. For example, Adolf Hitler was elected as the leader of Germany, he came into power during Germanys economic inflation and depression in 1920s, he did pull Germany out of its economic depression, however, after first couple of years honeymoon between him and the country, his follower later become so obsessed with him and followed him blindly into his conquest for his so called Lebensraum for Germany, which brought one of the worst disaster to Europe. Other example is Shoko Asahara, founder and leader of Aum Shinrikyo, also known as Aleph, a Japanese cult that is responsible for the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The second key argument against transformational leadership is the un-clarity of its definition and components, since the definitions of the four components (Inspirational, Intellectual, Idealized, and Individualized) associated with transformational leadership are overlapping each other. According to Brayman (1992), the transformational leadership looks more suited to be a set of personality characteristics rather than special requirements. There are other various arguments against transformational leadership as well, like the ones associated with ethics, according to Avolio and Howell (1992), qualities that makes a great leader can lead to unethical act, as the first key point in this section stated, such leader can make his/her follower to make unethical decisions and even commit crimes as well, according to Yukl.G. (1998). One example for this case is Hitler. Within this essay, the focus will be on the above arguments, in the following section, and in-depth analysis will be done. Supports for the Transformational Leadership theory: Two of the key arguments against transformational leadership theory primarily focus on the un-clarity of its concepts, and accusing it to be misleading. However, if we take a closer look at the details and examine the core components of the transformational leadership theory, one can easily notices the arguments against transformational leadership is losing its roots. Based on Benard. M, Bass (2006)s book on Transformational leadership, the qualification of transformational leaders are those who has great personality qualities and the ability to influence others in exchange for their loyalty, it focuses on the processes between the leader and followers. Therefore, those who uses negative examples of transformational leadership such as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini to fault the transformational leadership theorys core concept is false, because idea or the overall construction of the theory of the transformational leadership is solid, and does not varies when people interpolate it dif ferently. Arguments such as the requirements for transformational leadership are sets of personality traits, and it cannot be taught or learn, Oscar Arias have stated: More than knowledge, leaders need character. Values and ethics are vitally important. The basics of leadership can be taught. What is desperately needed is more responsible leadership a new ethic to confront the challenges of our day. Based on an interview and commentary essay done by Jonathan P. Doh (, many educators believes that transformational leadership can be taught, in fact all types of leadership can be taught and learned. Here are some of the quoted interviews from that report: Jay Conger (Professor of Organizational Behavior at the London Business School and Senior Research Scientist, Center for Organizations at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles) have :Yes, most definitely. Here work experiences, bosses, special projects, and role models, education all play a role in leadership development. Using an analogy with sports, not everyone can become an outstanding player despite coaching, yet most will benefit and improve their game. A few will go on to become stars or outstanding leaders given coaching, extensive experiences, and personal drive. Also from Kim S. Cameron (Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management at the University of Michigan Business School.) said that: Some people have an inclination to learn some competencies faster or better than others, of course, and some people reflect more charismatic or likable characteristics than others. But many great leaders are not those that appear on the covers of Time and Fortune. They have learned to achieve spectacular results in their own circumstances. Think of parents. Can people learn to become better parents, or are we just born either competent or not? Everyone would agree that effective parenting can be learned and improved. So can effective leadership. Leadership can also be taught, according to Jay Conger, Kim Cameron, and Steve Stumpf (cited in Jonathan P. Dohs interview essay), have all agreed that leadership can be taught, but only to a certain extent. The reason behind this is the three dimensions of leadership: skills, perspectives and dispositions. Just like in school, everything can be taught to students, but there are always some students do better than others, in terms of adapting knowledge, and the ability of applying the knowledge that they have learned. Skills can be taught, and perspectives can be trained, however, dispositions such as ambitions, mental capacity, etc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.is difficult to teach. Bottom line is, leadership can be taught and learned through education and training. There are a lot of examples of leaders that proved valuable to a company, just to name of few in this essay. Steve Jobs is one of the perfect example, he was fired from apple and later came back, and turned Apple into one of the most profitable technology company in the world. Another example is Gordon Bethune, CEO of Continental Airlines (merged with United in 2010), and he joined Continental Airlines during its bankruptcy, during that time, company was losing $55 million dollars per month, he, however, not only eliminated the debt they had at that not, but also increased Continental Airlines stock price from $2 a share to $50 a share. Conclusion: In conclusion, Transformational leadership theory have proved its value throughout the modern days, even if there are some criticisms, it still not enough to effect the core concept of transformational leadership theory. Counter arguments in support for the transformational leadership theory, have proved its aptitude in work performance, quality and earn their loyalty. Key arguments have been vindicated in this essay, even though, motive of a leader sometimes is questionable, but this does not change the core construction of the theory; transformational leadership theory or any leadership theory can be learned or taught, only difference is how well one can adapt and apply the knowledge of leadership. Transformational leadership is surely one of the most popular theory, and most likely will become the resolution for todays organization, as todays enterprises facing many tough challenges such as creativity, sustainability, and uniqueness.

Censorship - A Clash of Wills and Morals Essay -- Argumentative Persua

Censorship - A Clash of Wills and Morals A list of the greatest literature of the English language could be compiled almost solely by using a chart of the works most often censored by schools and libraries. Some people believe that the books most frequently banned consist only of trashy paperbacks and frivolous â€Å"beach-reading.† However, usually in censorship cases, there is a clash of wills and morals between the teacher or librarian who finds a work worthy of students’ and community members’ time and the parent or citizen who sees little literary value in the work of choice. Seldom is the teacher or librarian alone in thinking a work justified for reflection. More often than not, the controversial work has made it into several canons of great literature and onto several great books lists. The conclusion that may logically be drawn is that something about these controversial books is special enough to cause commotion on both ends of the critical spectrum. It may even be suggested that a book is censored for the very same reasons it is canonized. The great works of the literary canon are each striking texts that encapsulate a new voice, idea, point of view, or controversial subject matter; each of these works contains a new and exciting concept. If there were nothing striking about these works, they would never have been canonized. However, with these new ideas and points of view comes suspicion and fear. If one critic lauds a novel for giving a new perspective on a controversial issue, there is no doubt that there will also be a citizen looking to maintain the status quo and suppress these new ideas. It is quite clear that the controversial works of great lit... ....bb.com/bbbanned.cfm. Burress, Lee. Battle of the Books. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1989. Garry, Patrick. An American Paradox: Censorship in a Nation of Free Speech. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1993. Heins, Marjorie. Sex, Sin, and Blasphemy. New York: The Nex Press, 1998. Karolides, Nicholas J., Margaret Bald, and Dawn B. Sova. 100 Banned Books. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999. Kranich, Nancy. â€Å"Develop Yourself: Expose Your Mind to a Banned Book.† American Library Association, 2000. Online. www.ala.org. Levine, Michael G. Writing Through Repression: Literature, Censorship, Psychoanalysis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994. Noble, William. Bookbanning in America. Middlebury, VT: Paul S. Eriksson, 1990. Woods, L. B. A Decade of Censorship in America. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, 1979.

The Video Game Industry

Abstract This research paper will cover the different aspects of project management in video game development. Focus will also be on discussing and overviewing the project lifecycles as it pertains to game development. There is also interest in seeing within the realm of video game development how the application of knowledge, various skills, tools, and the techniques are used. The will also be focus on examining pre-production, production and post production in the gaming industry. Topics will explore issues pertaining to, but not limited to, stakeholder expectations, timeliness of implementation, and optimization of resources. Additionally, information will be given covering the concepts of meeting the needs of business's vision and mission regarding development and exploring how the identification of and addressing any issues that may arise in game project development.? Introduction The video game industry has been steadily growing for over almost four decades. From Nintendo to Sony, there have been a myriad of games that have been made for the platform over the course of the video game industry. The initial commercial history of video games and the birth of this industry inevitably begins with the US military's computer hardware and networks. At the time, infrastructure was beginning to shift towards facilitating both game development and market consumption. Over the course of almost four decades, many games have been made, but the question is, exactly how are these spectacular pieces of art being made. When people buy video games, their focus is not on the people who actually make the product, or even on the process it takes to create the game that they own. Consumers only see the end product that is distributed and hit store shelves. For most, their energies and focus are on purchasing the product and investing in actual game play. However, the process and ma n power it takes to create a game is an intricate undertaking. It is stated that the intricacy of modern video games requires workers with varied skill sets such as computer engineers and programmers, visual artists, audio engineers, animators, game designers, writers, and quality assurance testers (Weststar, 2015). For starters the biggest component to game development are video game developers (VGDs) (Weststar, 2015). Additionally, these projects can consist of a producer and studios have a range of upper managers and administrative personnel. Weststar stated that with project-based model the outputs of each new game are unique. In turn the environment is complex and uncertain. Coordination among project members is rooted in diffuse and informal power relationships in relation to their roles as it pertains to those that direct the work and those who perform it (Weststar, 2015). Thusly, with the consumer, the process of making video games is a non-factor, largely an unknown, and rarely registers in the thoughts in most people's minds. Many again just see the end product, of which is what is their main motivating factor of going to a retail store and purchasing it. However, there is a select pocket of individuals who are more cognizant of the game development process and they are more greatly invested. For this segment, they faithfully follow their favorite game, or for some developer, and will be a ware the specifics from the announcement of the game and will stay engaged until the game goes gold. This is, going gold, that the game is finished and ready to be put on a disc and distributed. The creation of each video game is a project with a well-defined production cycle of pre-production, production, and post-production phases of which reach require different and various resources (Weststar, 2015). HistoryBefore one can actually delve it the game development process, it is important to have some background understanding on the development of the gaming industry. Nolan Bushnell is credited as the pioneer of the worldwide commercial video game industry. Bushnell was the founder of Atari and is responsible for generations of home and arcade gaming hardware and software including the truly influential game, Pong (Grantham ; Readman, 2006). Arcades games were very popular and peaked in the early 1980s. As time progressed and newer technologies burst onto the market most titles were converted to play on the evolving home technology – home computers and consoles (Grantham ; Readman, 2006). It was also during this time of change and development, many independent develop ers and publishers started to emerge. One of the most noted and widely known, Activision for example, was founded by former Atari developers seeking greater ownership and control over their developments (Grantham ; Readman, 2006). Over time people have come to recognize software games as new and very popular mode of entertainment and an important application of technology. This outlook has become increasingly accepted and by people of all ages. In today's culture, technology is easily accessible and has become more convenient. In turn more and more people like to play games and are also becoming motivated to design their own games. Also, software games are gaining importance because they are not only used for entertainment, but also for serious purposes that can be applicable to different domains such as education, business, and health care (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, & Ahmed, 2016). Game Development ProcessPre-productionAs with any industry as it relates to project development, within the gaming industry, pre-production is the beginning phase of the life of a game, the project. It is during this phase that developers/project managers determine how long will it take to game to make, the personnel needed, and the budget needed to make the proposed project. During pre-production it is paramount that very specific goals are fleshed out of which will be essential to a successful project. Walfiz, Zackariasson and Wilson pointed out that certain elements are fundamental to projects: commitment to timing, staying within a budget, and producing an output (Zackariasson, Walfisz, & Wilson, 2006). Also, it is important to note that, these fundamentals are developed before the project starts, and thus commit both parties to specific activities/objectives. Drew Liming and Dennis Vilorio states that in the pre-production phase, the lead designers outline a game concept with the help of lead artists and programmers (Liming & Vilorio, 2011). Additionally, it is at this time that the lead designers might select special feature(s), such as an innovative gameplay element, or powerful graphics, that will make the game unique (Liming & Vilorio, 2011). It was also pointed out that when the game finally receives the funding needed, programmers begin building its technological framework (Liming & Vilorio, 2011). Pre-production considerations tends to produce a hierarchy of plans that guide the project and the pre-production phase is instrumental in producing the basis on which to build the game (Zackariasson, Walfisz, & Wilson, 2006). The over-ridding goal of pre-production is essentially to create a game plan that will be the road map in which the player(s) will finish the game. The game plan must include information of the game concept, the unique feature(s), the constraints that affect this concept, and analyzing risk assessment.Risk management is a necessary aspect of game project development. Alem, Carpatz and Ahmed states that the importance of risk management is essential for the efficiency of game development. Thusly this is often the focus for project management (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, & Ahmed, 2016). Alem, Carpatz and Ahmed also state, that it is with the upmost importance to identify risk factors early in the game development process (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, & Ahmed, 2016). During game development, the project manager is the game's producer and must bring together management, the technical components, and the appealing aspects to create a successful video game. They also identified two risk factors that must be addressed during this development process: failure of development strategy and absence of the fun factor (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, ; Ahmed, 2016). Additionally, it is important to realize that in game development, other important risk factors can have an impact such as the development strategy, the fun factor or extent of originality, scheduling, and budgeting. With these, there will always be some level of â€Å"the unknown† when addressing risk factors. Taking time early on to identify risks is paramount as there will always be unforeseen issues in a project. Working to minimize as many issues initially will decrease unadvantageous developments later in the project development/production cycle. Thus, efficient work done during pre-production will work to minimize or even eliminate unforeseen issues. Production Now that the risks, personnel, and assets are identified, for the project, it can now to enter the production phase. Thusly, the completion of the prototype signals the start of the production phase of development (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). During the production phase the project team can now move forth with focusing on the cusp of the project work. Energies can now finally be channeled towards actual development of the game. It is importance to note that certain aspects of the work can be initiated during pre-production. Thus, there can be at times, some objectives running concurrent and simultaneously with those that are just commencing. Even though the project team is in full stride during this phase, and most of the ideas are being carried out, some new plans can happen that may have an impact and thus alter work. For starters, assets can be added or even removed at this point. Accordingly, with these alterations, it is important that changes are accurately noted and are effectively communicated to the project team, the developer, studio upper management, and the publisher. Making such changes are crucial and essential and must be relayed in a timely manner. It is imperative that during development, the project document continues to remain as a point of reference for the entire project team. As pointed out by Liming and Vilorio, during the production phase, teams of designers, artists, and programmers use the project document as a guide to ensure efficient game creation (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). When the plan is communicated to the project team, it is the role of the project manager to remain vigilant on keeping the plan up to date. Ensuring that there is sound communication and a streamlined vision/design, will allow the project teams to collaborate to make the most of each other's expertise (Liming & Vilorio, 2011). There is feedback during production that helps the project team revise the document as needed. For instance, feedback might encompass how to improve a game's mechanics, or more so, remove an unfeasible feature (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Throughout production, developers continually build improved versions of the game. This allows for the creation of more content that is better looking, more streamlined within a design, and thus is more refined (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Liming and Viliorio also went on further to state that the conclusion of the production phase is that the fully playable game includes art, music, and sound effects. This milestone is referred to as â€Å"content complete.† (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011).Post production Production ends when the developer and publisher agree that no more features are needed; thus, no features are added during post-production. Instead, the main goal of this phase is to finalize software quality. The post-production phase starts at least three months before the end-of-project deadline. During post-production the focus is on playing the game to test for errors, called bugs, and on tweaking it to eliminate unwanted elements (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Post-production is key for the game develop process as quality assurance and process validation are critical components. The quality assurance staff tests the game by playing it and attempting to do things the development staff never considered (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). It is during this time that such things as bugs and compatibility issues are fixed. Additionally, work will be done to ensure that all coding is optimized. Process validation plays an important role in assessing game quality. Also, during this phase, the development process as a whole is analyzed. Collection and evaluation of process data from the pre-production phase through to the post-production phase can provide evidence that the overall development process produces a good-quality game. Congruously, analysis can depict either product errors, in-complement coding, or that the final product does not measure up to expectations. It is known, as the game testers find bugs, they document the errors and assign them to a programmer, designer, or artist to be addressed and fixed (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Efficiently identifying and correcting issues is essential for the game roll-out deadline. Additionally, the developer may sometime want the game put into consumer hands before official release. Such instances could be in the form of advance releases, or advance copies for select consumer testing and gameplay which is a marketing strategy in gaming. Developers also use beta testing. Beta testing in games is used to gage overall game functionality using external testers or a select segment of identified consumers (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, ; Ahmed, 2016). Beta testing is a kind of first public release for testing purposes by users. Game publishers often find it effective because bugs are identified by users that were missed during the in-house testing process (Aleem, Fernando- Capretz, ; Ahmed, 2016). Dealing with bugs and tweaks can make postproduction time-consuming. Thus, the process may take as long as production, especially for more complex games that have bigger budgets (Liming ; Vilorio, 2011). Conclusion The video game industry has grown tremendously over the last four decades. From Nintendo to Sony, a plethora of games have been made over the course of the video game industry. Games, the end-products, are the results of the efforts of many. The process of video game development is an intricate undertaking. The production cycle encompasses a myriad of derivatives which adhere to pre-production, production, and post-prediction phases. During the entire production cycle of a game key players such as computer engineers and programmers, visual artists, audio engineers, animators, game designers, writers, and quality assurance testers are involved. The pre-production phase helps lay out the groundwork and plan that will be followed as the game develops. During pre-production specific goals are fleshed out and key fundamental elements to the project are identified. It also during this phase that focus is on working to minimize as many issues initially. This works to decrease unneeded or potentially negatively impacting developments later in the project development/production cycle. During the production phase the project team's main focus is on the actual creation of the game. It is during the production phase that new plans can happen which can have impact and alter work. A project document is used to ensure efficient game development and thus the project manager must ensure that the plan is up to date. Additionally, the project manager will work to ensure that there is sound communication for the entire team. When the game has entered post-production, the focus is on playing the game to test for errors and other unwanted elements. There is a lot of focus on quality assurance. Within the gaming industry, testing can be done both in-house and the use of a select segment of consumer beta testers. Though most consumers only see the end product that is distributed and hit store shelves, there is a lot that has happened to ensure that the they will have a quality game playing experiences. Additionally, there is a select pocket of consumers who are more engaged development process and have a greater apperception for the game development process. Overall there is a great deal that transpires in the development of a game. From stakeholder expectations to timeliness of implementation, a lot of resources have been invested to create that end-product game. Understanding the life of a game through the lens of game development production cycle helps to foster a heightened appreciation for the final pro duct.