Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Team-based Programming Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Team-based Programming Skills - Essay Example Each member is dependent on the other and higher the understanding among the members, higher the productivity level of the whole organization. When working in a team as a programmer, the most important skill that you need to have is communication skill. A programmer working in a team may not require a vast amount of knowledge compared to a programmer working alone. (Layman, et al. 2006) In web programming, content is of the utmost importance. When different sets of mind are working together, they produce content that is of high quality, has a lot of variety, attractive, dynamic and is well planned. There are various teams that are made that have a specific task so that they can create something that captivates the audience (Layman, et al. 2006). In teams there is the transference of knowledge as well. A person who is skilled in web programming can share his knowledge and wisdom with the people he is working with. (Sharp & Robinson, 2008) This helps in the overall productivity of the whole team which in turn affects the organization. When a programmer is working alone he needs a vast amount of knowledge concerned with the design of the website. Although communication skills are not that important but still they are required. The programmer must be expert in all areas because he is in charge of all the things. Organizations that are small require web developers that can work alone (Anon., 2014). However there is a downside of working alone as well. The content made is not that captivating when the programmer is working alone because a single mind is working on it. (Burdmann, 1999) There is a lower degree of creativeness as it is born out of interaction. There is limited knowledge and the programmer might lose confidence in his abilities. In today’s world it is important for an organization to build teams and strategies for them. When a team is built up, a specific strategy and specific tasks are allotted to

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Communications in business

Communications in business The concept of networks contains the competencies which can enable organizational members to produce better products and services. I worked for a company which provided IT support and maintenance, field services, design, consulting and system administration for a wide range of IT products. In 2001, the company sold its equities to outside investors. Since then the investors have become the majority shareholder, causing the family to largely lose control of the company. The corporate culture has been gradually changed, from ‘family corporate umbrella’ to ‘corporate umbrella’. However, the CEO, a member of ‘family corporate umbrella’ culture, has not yet adapted to the new scenario. The new psychological, communicative and social frameworks do not help the CEO understand how individuals and nonhuman agents could work. In the ‘corporate umbrella’ environment, no single theory can help motivations, which can forge, dissolve, or sustain knowledge of the grapevine network with other nonhuman or other human agents. The grapevine communication network could include authority relations and trust five years ago in the Irish company. At that time, the communication network had been impacted by other influential organizational networks within the family as well as the relations specified by the underlying family culture, the closed-internal networks. I was challenged by the concept of organizational family, psychological mechanism, and communicative network. When the company changed its legal entity, from proprietorship to company owned by many investors, the transition has been discouraged and undermined by the ‘corporate umbrella’ concept. The COO, nominated by the investors, has taken over the CEO position, who might not get used to the ‘corporate umbrella’ concept. The CEO has not shared any attributes to the corporation. In fact, corporate exchange environment might reflect that an individual might look for grapevine network with another individual, if the other can somehow reciprocate and offer something in return. The assumption, based on mutual interest, might suggest that any individual will help contribute to a certain responsibility only if other members in the grapevine are willing to do so, which might help explain why at a global level, the entire network could be successful. Additionally, I believe that individuals tend to look for information from those who they think are knowledgeable. The CEO is under the pressure of being audited by the customers. Major banking organizations and the FDA on behalf of the pharmaceutical clients have scrutinized the company operation. Publishing serves more as a sign about which individuals understand and are responsible for certain areas. However, in the company the responsibilities of CEO and COO are overlapped and not clearly defined. The CEO, high-school graduate and non-corporate experience, cannot offer expertise in area in exchange. Managing grapevine networks procedures can be developed. The COO leverage emerging technological capabilities, implement the new communication community and change the company culture, from ‘family corporate umbrella’ to ‘corporate umbrella’. The new infrastructure and new social communication have been implemented in the company. As a CTO (Chief Technology Officer), I was working closer to the operation side and involved with day-to-day activities. The pressures of stakeholders have caused the COO many concerns. Contrast to traditional communication, the ‘family corporate umbrella’ culture, I have come to realize that I was in a highly knowledgeable intensive and connected in organizational world. The structural interconnections have determined what the people in authority, COO and CEO, can know, can do, or cannot do. I understand that the explosion of work, international codes have crossed many disciplines, not just corporate culture. The financial principals, the pharmaceutical regulations, ISO 9001:2000 standards and the Sarbanes Oxley Act seem burdened to the CEO at high school education level. Concurrently, the amount of knowledge about the network and communication has grown after the company has been taken over by investors for five years. As Morgan believes, corporations can be viewed as biological organisms. [1] The simplest structures can be divided into cells and retain the characteristics of life. Usually start-up as a sole trader, proprietorship, a single person operation can begin the corporate life and perform many functions in my company. Thirty years ago, the company was operated under the ‘family corporate umbrella’. At this time, communication was easy since a person could contact within his own environment. Communications should be changed to adapt to the environment. ‘Many companies do not listen to their environment; they simply wait to speak. This means that 80 per cent of information flows outwards from the organisation and only 20 per cent flows inwards.’ [2] The organizational boundary is coupled with the ideas of organizational identity. In fact, at any given time, the boundary can impact the usage of intellectual capital and capability by the company and vice versa. The organization transforms from ‘family corporate umbrella’ to ‘corporate umbrella’. Leveraging intellectual capital by organizations operating might cause more dynamic in open environment. Furthermore, ‘complex organisms are good at differentiating between long-term and short-term communication mechanisms and goals. The nervous system, for example, deals with short-term adjustments to the organism over minutes and hours. The sympathetic nervous system controls responses to external stimuli, while the parasympathetic nervous syste.’ [3] If this concept had been efficiently implemented in my corporation, the staff turnover would have been much lower. I believe that where any procedures, expertise and human resources are properly shared, organizational boundaries can become indistinct. This might rise to new issues of organizational identity, integrity and ownership of intellectual capability. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs[4], social needs become prominence in employees’ feeling and thinking. Their social needs can be fulfilled when they surround themselves with others who understand and generally approve their day-to-day life choices. In fact, once secure in my social life, I sought to fulfill my need for esteem. I was discouraged by CEO. As a CTO, at this stage I would ignore money motivators for the sake of the all-important respect and job title. http://www.itstime.com/maslow.htm[5] I am building a social life to match my growing need to make people proud of me, and to be proud of myself. I have seen many professionals in the company oscillate between social needs and esteem needs. The CEO should understand that managing organizational transformation is related to the dynamic, competitive and interconnected to the economic context as well as the open environment. The ‘corporate umbrella’ metaphor can help him explore issues of the organization integrity and identity; he can understand the cognitive and adaptive behaviors of employees in his company. I believe that if the company can be self organized, good corporate culture, which represents considerable elegant communication, responsive to local change while trying to maintain to organization integrity through intelligent networks, internal communication, and relational contiguity, it can be globally positioned. It can locally generate at its best capability and fineness of control in interacting with open environment. The CEO can help generate robustness and challenge the changing conditions. In short, workplace violence, such as threats, abuse, physical assault, aggressive and abrasive behavior, is an issue that companies have responsibilities to assess. Control measures should incorporate protective, preventive and even encouraging measures. Transformation of ‘family corporate umbrella’ to ‘corporate umbrella’ should be well informed, implemented, and educated in the corporate framework and operations. As a result, effective risk measurements can be undertaken in consultation with employees, and avoid negative emotions developing. Bibliography Maslow, A H. 1970, ‘ Motivation and personality’, 2nd ed. New York: Harper Row. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, viewed January 10, 2007, http://www.itstime.com/maslow.htm> Morgan, G 1998, Nature intervenes: organizations as organisms, Executive ed., 1st ed. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Sage Publications, San Francisco, California. Vincent-Wayne, M, Jackson, P. 2006 ‘the nature of corporate communication’.European Business Forum.London, no.26,p.37 Page 1 Footnotes [1] Morgan, G 1998, Nature intervenes: organizations as organisms, Executive ed., 1st ed. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Sage Publications, San Francisco, California. [2] Vincent-Wayne, M, Jackson, P. 2006 ‘the nature of corporate communication’.European Business Forum.London, no.26,p.37 [3] Vincent-Wayne Jackson 2006 [4] Maslow, A H. 1970, ‘ Motivation and personality’, 2nd ed. New York: Harper Row. [5] Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, viewed January 10, 2007, http://www.itstime.com/maslow.htm>

Friday, October 25, 2019

Investigate Osmosis :: GCSE Biology Osmosis Coursework

Investigate Osmosis Aim:To investigate osmosis. The student is going to see what happens to the weight of a potato when it is placed into different solutions of sodium chlorides and water. Prediction: The student predicts that potato placed in distilled water will undergo a gain in weight and potato placed in salt solution will lose weight. Potato placed in mixed concentration will have no change in its weight. This prediction has been made using scientific knowledge of the special type of diffusion known as osmosis. In osmosis, each individual cell is surrounded by a cell membrane. The cell membrane allows small molecules to pass through it, but not large ones. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration (weak solution) to an area of low water concentration (strong solution) through a partially permeable membrane. Water moves in both directions to try and make the concentrations inside and outside of the cell even. If there is more movement one way, it is said that there is a net movement of water into the area where there is less water. If the potato is placed into distilled water, the concentration of water outside of the cell will be greater than the concentration of water inside the cell. There will be a net movement of water from the area of high concentration to the area of low concentration and as a result of this the cell will contain more water, it will become turgid and weigh more than it did when it had a smaller concentration of water. If the potato is placed into a salt solution the concentration of water will be greater inside the cell than outside, osmosis will take place and the water will once again move from the area of high concentration (inside the cell) to the area of low concentration (outside the cell). This will cause the potato to lose weight as it loses its water. If the potato is placed in a mixed solution then the concentrations inside and outside of the cell should be equal, the water molecules will move by osmosis but the concentrations will remain equal. Apparatus: - 125ml of 1ml sodium chloride solution. - 125ml distilled water. - 15 cylinders of potato each weighing 5.3g. - 15 beakers (150ml). - 2 measuring cylinders (50ml) - 2 potato borers (one large one small). - 1 set of digital weighing scales. - 1 calculator - 1 small scalpel - 1 stop clock Method: The student will use a potato borer to cut out 15 cylinders of potato to the same size and weigh them, the weights will be recorded in the table of results (each piece of potato should be the same

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Experiment to Measure the Heart Rate and Ventilation Rate Before, During and After Moderate Exercise Essay

I predict that during exercise the heart and respiratory rate (RR) will increase depending on the intensity of exercise and the resting rates will be restored soon after exercise has stopped. I believe that the changes are caused by the increased need for oxygen and energy in muscles as they have to contract faster during exercise. When the exercise is finished the heart and ventilation rates will gradually decrease back to the resting rates as the muscles’ need for oxygen and energy will be smaller than during exercise. Experiment: 1. To start with the experiment we measured the persons resting heart rate and respiratory rate where there was no strain on the muscles. We continued to check both pulse and respiratory rates at 30 second intervals during the course of exercise. 2. We decided to make the length of each consecutive exercise 30 seconds long. Between each session we allowed the student’s pulse and respiratory rate return to their resting rates, otherwise the results would not be fair if both rates were higher at the start of the exercise. 3.  Throughout each exercise the student made sure that equal paces were maintained so that it would not affect the heart or respiratory rate in a different way. Immediately after exercise the subject sat down in a chair so that both the heart and respiratory rates could be taken. The pulse rate was measured first for 15 seconds, if we had taken the pulse rate for 1 minute the pulse rate would have slowed down. As soon as the pulse rate was taken we then took the respiratory rate for 15 seconds. We then waited for both rates to return to their normal resting rates before starting the next exercise. Fair Testing: Our experiment was about how the heart and respiratory rates are affected by exercise. Unless we use a stethoscope we cannot measure both rates directly. We measured the pulse rate on the carotid artery. This will keep the experiment fair because each heart beat set up a ripple of pressure which passes along the arteries. The ripple can be felt as a pulse as the artery’s muscular wall expands and relaxes. Measuring the pulse rate is measuring the subject’s hearts beats except there is minimal lapse between the beat and the pulse. The diastole and systole produce a very distinctive two tone sound which is very easily felt. So to make sure we do not count twice we will always count the first pulse of the two. (Boyle and Senior Pgs. 160 – 161) Tiffin (Northumberland College Notes Jan’12) Sources of Error: The sources of error in this experiment that we would have to include are: * Subject being fit / unfit †¢ Healthy / Unhealthy * Smoker / Non-smoker †¢ On regular medication * Drinker / Non-drinker †¢ Suffer from any illnesses * No ECG Monitor †¢ Male / Female We have to make sure that we keep the same person throughout. This is because every person has a different diet, fitness level, weight, stature or is a different gender. All these factors affect a person’s heart or respiratory rate. If the person was changed during the experiment the results would not be reliable or fair. The subject’s resting heart and respiratory rates would be different and their body’s reaction to exercise would also be different. The pace of the subject will affect their heart and respiratory rates. They may start off at a quick pace, but go slower when they begin to tire. The subject must rest between each exercise so that all the lactic acid and CO? can be carried away. The tiredness of the student will affect the pace at which the subject performs their exercise. This is why it is crucial for fair results throughout the exercise. It is also necessary to allow the subject to recover before carrying on with their exercise. We must measure the subject’s pulse and respiratory rates in the same position as we did their resting rates. If we do not, we would not get accurate results. If we were to take the subject’s pulse rate standing up the heart rate would rise because the muscles are working to keep the subject upright. The heart rate would have to work harder in order to keep their muscles working. We decided to measure the subject’s pulse and respiratory rates whilst sitting down because there would be no additional stress on their heart, which would increase their heart rate. Their heart rate should also return to its resting heart rate due to the decrease of muscle use. I have placed the results from our experiment in form of a table and will use the average results to form a graph. I have also prepared a graph to show the results throughout the exercise. As the results show the highest increase in the pulse rate is in exercise 2 where the pulse rises by 44 BPM and the respiratory rate by 8 RR. Thereafter it continues to rise by 40 BPM and 8 RR. We did however experience a higher respiratory rate in the second lot of results in exercise 4 where the respiratory rate did rise by 12 RR. During exercise, the subject’s heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and their cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped per heart beat) all increase to maintain a state of balance, known as homeostasis. Homeostasis is a self-regulating process by which the human body maintains internal stability under fluctuating environmental conditions. Blood flow to the subject’s heart, their muscles, and their skin increase. Sweat glands secrete a salty solution that evaporates from the skin, taking heat with it. Their body’s metabolism becomes more active, producing CO? and H+ in the muscles and consequently lowers PH. The subject breathes faster and deeper to supply the oxygen required by this increased metabolism. With strenuous exercise, their body’s metabolism exceeds the oxygen supply and begins to use alternate biochemical processes that do not require oxygen. These processes generate lactic acid, which enters their blood stream. The subject’s cardiovascular system, their breathing system and their muscles work in conjunction with each other in order to perform their tasks more efficiently. A vital process of exercise is respiration (the production of energy). Principally, respiration is the breakdown of oxygen and glucose into carbon dioxide, water and ATP. Aerobic respiration requires oxygen and has the ability to break down both fatty acids and glucose. Anaerobic respiration takes place when there is a lack of oxygen, a lactate is formed and fatty acids cannot be broken down. (Boyle and Senior Pgs. 62, Pg. 215 and Pg. 222) Tiffin (Northumberland College Notes Feb’12) Glucose + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water – C6H12O6 + 6O? —–>6CO? +6H? O+Energy Oxygen is taken into the subject’s lungs and then diffused into their bloodstream. Cells need oxygen to respire so more oxygen needs to be transported to muscle cells. This then causes the subject to breathe more deeply. Thei r intercostal muscles (muscles in between the ribs) contract up and out, moving the subject’s ribs and diaphragm up and out (a sheet of muscle at the bottom of the thorax, chest cavity). This increases the subject’s space available in their lungs for air to fill. More air in the lungs means there is more oxygen, so that more oxygen can be diffused into the bloodstream. The number of the subject’s breaths increases too, to maintain a high concentration gradient. Heart rate also needs to increase to keep their blood flowing through the lungs. The subject’s heart and respiratory rates rise because during exercise, their cell respiration in the muscles increase, so the level of carbon dioxide in their blood rises. Carbon dioxide is slightly acid, the brain detects the rising acidity in the subject’s blood, their brain then sends a signal through the nervous system to their lungs to breathe faster and deeper. Blood flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. The area of high pressure is the pressure created by the contraction of the subject’s ventricles, which forces blood out of their heart into the aorta. Resistance is caused by friction between the blood and the vessel walls. Gaseous exchange in the subject’s lungs increases allowing more oxygen into their circulatory system and removing more carbon dioxide. The subject’s brain then sends a signal to the sinoatrial node (SAN) to make the heart beat faster. Heart rate is controlled by the SAN. The subject’s rate goes up or down when the SAN receives information via their two automatic nerves. (Boyle and Senior Pgs. 160-162) Tiffin (Northumberland College Notes Jan-Feb 2012) †¢ Their sympathetic or accelerator nerve which speeds up their heart rate. The synapses at the end of this nerve secrete noradrenaline. †¢ Their parasympathetic or decelerator nerve, a branch of their vagus nerve, slows down their heart rate. (Boyle and Senior Pg. 162) A negative feedback system controls the subject’s level of carbon dioxide. During exercise, their blood level of carbon dioxide starts to rise. This is detected by chemoreceptors situated in three places: the carotid artery, the aorta and the medulla. Nerve impulses travel from these receptors to the subject’s cardiovascular centre. In response, their cardiovascular centre sends impulses down the sympathetic nerve to increase the subject’s heart rate. Their heart rate returns to normal after the cardiovascular centre sends impulses down the parasympathetic nerve once carbon dioxide levels have dropped. Boyle and Senior Pg. 162) Tiffin (Northumberland College Notes Feb’12) At rest During Exercise These images illustrate the alveoli and a red blood cell during rest and activity. This is the site where the red blood cells exchange carbon dioxide molecules for oxygen molecules to transport throughout the body. Notice the increase of both molecules as activity increases. (Zygote Media Group, Inc. ) The heart’s natural pacemaker – the SA node – sends out regular electrical impulses from the top chamber (the atrium) causing it to contract and pump blood into the bottom chamber (the ventricle). The electrical impulse is then conducted to the ventricles through a form of ‘junction box’ called the AV node. The impulse spreads into the ventricles, causing the muscle to contract and to pump out the blood. The blood from the right ventricle goes to the lungs, and the blood from the left ventricle goes to the body. (SADS Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome) Conclusion: I have concluded, with the evidence provided in the graphs and table, in which the pulse and ventilation rates do increase during exercise. Overall, the results confirm the initial prediction that the heart and ventilation rates increase during exercise and return to normal level shortly after exercise has been completed. Heart and ventilation rates increased during the high intensity exercise to feed the body’s need for more oxygen and energy have been decreasing gradually immediately after exercise has finished as the muscles did not need more energy than usually. It is important to take into account each individual’s personal health, fitness and lifestyle when considering the effects of exercise. Generally, the fitter the individual, more quickly the resting rate is achieved.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Fiedler’s Contingency Theory Essay

The contingency Theory shows the relationship between the leader’s orientation or style and group performance under differing situational conditions. The theory is based on determining the orientation of a leader ( relationship or task ), the elements of the situation ( leader-member relations, task structure and leader position power), and the leader orientation that was found to be most effective as the situation changed from low to moderate to high control. Fred Edward Fiedler in his landmark 1964 article, â€Å" A contingency of Leadership Effectiveness. studied and emphasized the importance of both the leader’s personality and the situation in which that leader operates. Fiedler found that task oriented leaders were more effective in low and moderate control situations and relationship oriented managers were more effective in moderate control situations. Fiedler and his associates studied leaders in a variety of contexts but mostly in military context and their mo del is based on their research findings. They outlined two styles of leadership namely task-motivated and relationship-motivated. Task refers to task accomplishment, and relationship-motivation refers to interpersonal relationships. He measured leadership style leadership style with the Least Preferred Co-Worker scale (LPC scale ). According to Northouse ( 2007 ), the leaders scoring high on this scale are relationship motivated and those scoring low are task motivated. Northhouse further indicated that, central to contingency theory is the concept of the situation, which is characterized by three factors. One, leader-member relations which deals with the general atmosphere of the group and the feelings such as trust, loyalty and confidence that the group has for its leader. Two, task structure, which is related to task clarity and the means to task accomplishment. Three, the position power, which relates to the amount of reward-punishment authority the leader has over members of the group. These three factors determine the favorableness of various situations in the organization. Definitions of factors in Contingency Theory Situational elements One, is the leader-member relations. The regard with which the leader and the group members hold one another determines in part, the ability of the leader to influence the group and the conditions under which he or she can do so. It therefore follows that a leader who is accepted by the group members is in a more favorable situation than one who is not. Two, is the task structure which is determined by the following questions in mind; can a decision be demonstrated as correct? , are the the requirements of the task of the task understood by everyone? , is there more than one correct solution?. If the group’s task is not structured, and if the leader is no more knowledgeable than the group about how to accomplish the task, the situation definitely becomes unfavorable. The third factor is the leader position power. This is determined by the rewards and punishments which the leader officially has at his or her disposal for either rewarding or punishing the group members based on how they perform. The more power the leader has, the more favorable the situation. Leader Orientation Fiedler used the Least Preferred Co-worker scale commonly known as LPC scale to measure leadership style. LPC helps management identify the human relations orientation and task orientation of possible leaders. He analyses leader orientation as follows. One of the factors is relationship orientation in which he said that high LPC leaders are more concerned with personal relations, more sensitive to the feelings of others, and better of heading off conflict. Such leaders use their good relations with others to get a job done. This also enables them to deal with complex issues when making decisions. These leaders tend to have an LPC score of 73 and above. In high control situations, these leaders tend to become bored and are no longer challenged. They tend to seek approval from their superiors ignoring their subordinates or they may decide to reorganize he task. They often become inconsiderate toward their subordinates as a result, become more punishing and more concerned with performance of the task. In moderate control situations, they focus on group relations. They reduce the anxiety and tension of group members and thus reduce conflict. They handle creative decision making groups well. They see this situation as challenging and interesting and perform it well in it. Lastly, in low control situations, they always try to obtain group support often at the expense of the task. In fact under extremely stressful situations, they may also withdraw from leadership role, failing to direct the group’s work. The second factor is task oriented. According to Fiedler, the LPC score for leaders here is 64 and below. Low LPC leaders are more concerned with the task, and less dependent on group support. They tend to be eager and impatient to get on with work. They quickly organize the job and have a no-nonsense attitude about getting the work done. In moderate control situations, they are anxious and less effective. They become absorbed in the task and pay little attention to personal relations in the group. They tend to be insensitive to the feelings of their group members, and the group resents the lack of concern. However, in high control situations, these leaders are relaxed and develop pleasant relations with subordinates and they are easy to get along with. As work gets done, they do not interfere with the group or expect interference from their superiors. And lastly in low control situations, the leaders devote themselves to their challenging task. They organize and drive the group to task completion. They also tend to control the group tightly and maintain strict discipline. Fiedler and associates concluded that if a leader’s LPC scores fall between 65 and 72, then the leader must carefully analyze their leadership style as they learn more about the relationship oriented and task oriented styles. However, it is important to note that there is no single leadership style that is effective in all situations. Rather, certain leadership styles are better suited for some situations than for others. Fiedler further pointed out that the effectiveness of the leader is contingent upon the orientation of the leader and the favorableness of the situation.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The French Lieutenants Woman essays

The French Lieutenant's Woman essays In The French Lieutenants Woman by John Fowles, the author explores the parallel processes of reading and writing (Hagen,439). In chapter 47, Fowls uses both romance and mystery as an effective strategy for provoking reader interaction. Patricia Hagens Revision Revisited: Reading (and) The French Lieutenants Woman helps to further explain this idea. Throughout the book and especially in this chapter, Sarah Woodruff maintains a sense of mystery that proves to be essential in bringing about an interaction between the readers, characters, and the author. By this point, the plot has fully developed and it is no longer the authors decision of how the story line will end, but the choice of the characters. In chapter 47, Charles realizes that Sarah was a virgin, and must deal with the fact that everything she has said and done was based on a lie. Throughout the novel, Charles has always seen Sarah as an angel, but now views her as the exact opposite, mad, evil, enlacing him in the strangest of nets...but why? (Fowles,354). This question fundamentally changes Charles from a character to an actual person. Based on this moment in the novel, the reader is forced to look at Sarah and Charles as more than just plot objects, but simply as human beings. Through this lens, the reader (re)constructs not only characters, plot, setting the traditional elements of fiction- but also the writing process itself (Hagen,443). Charless impression of Sarah changes, creating the potential for a twist of events. Consequently, the reader becomes so drawn with the writer and characters that the novel is no longer thought of as a finished work of literature, but a text in the process of becoming (Hagen,443). Nonetheless, Charles is confused as to why Sarah has lied to him. However, she herself is unable to explain her actions. This emphasizes her mysterious nature that keeps t...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Horned and Frilled Ceratopsian Dinosaurs

Horned and Frilled Ceratopsian Dinosaurs Among the most distinctive of all dinosaurs, ceratopsians (Greek for horned faces) are also the most easily identified - even an eight-year-old can tell, just by looking, that Triceratops was closely related to Pentaceratops, and that both were close cousins of Chasmosaurus and Styracosaurus. However, this extensive family of horned, frilled dinosaurs has its own subtleties, and includes some genera you might not have expected. (See a gallery of horned, frilled dinosaur pictures and profiles and a slideshow of famous horned dinosaurs that werent Triceratops.) Although the usual exceptions and qualifications apply, especially among early members of the breed, paleontologists broadly define ceratopsians as herbivorous, four-legged, elephant-like dinosaurs whose enormous heads sported elaborate horns and frills. The famous ceratopsians listed above lived exclusively in North America during the late Cretaceous period; in fact, ceratopsians may be the most All-American of dinosaurs, though some genera did hail from Eurasia and the earliest members of the breed originated in eastern Asia. Early Ceratopsians As stated above, the first horned, frilled dinosaurs werent confined to North America; numerous specimens have also been discovered in Asia (most notably the area in and around Mongolia). Previously, as far as paleontologists could tell, the earliest true ceratopsian was believed to be the relatively small Psittacosaurus, which lived in Asia from 120 to 100 million years ago. Psittacosaurus didnt look much like Triceratops, but close examination of this dinosaurs small, parrot-like skull reveals some distinctively ceratopsian traits. Recently, however, a new contender has come to light: the three-foot-long Chaoyangsaurus, which dates to the late Jurassic period (as with Psittacosaurus, Chaoyangsaurus has been pegged as a ceratopsian mostly because of the structure of its horny beak); another early genus is the 160-million-year-old Yinlong. Because they lacked horns and frills, Psittacosaurus and these other dinosaurs are sometimes classified as protoceratopsians, along with Leptoceratops, the oddly named Yamaceratops and Zuniceratops, and, of course, Protoceratops, which roamed the plains of Cretaceous central Asia in vast herds and was a favorite prey animal of raptors and tyrannosaurs (one Protoceratops fossil has been discovered locked in combat with a fossilized Velociraptor). Confusingly, some of these protoceratopsians coexisted with true ceratopsians, and researchers have yet to determine the exact genus of early Cretaceous protoceratopsian from which all later horned, frilled dinosaurs evolved. The Ceratopsians of the Later Mesozoic Era Fortunately, the story gets easier to follow once we reach the more famous ceratopsians of the late Cretaceous period. Not only did all these dinosaurs inhabit roughly the same territory at roughly the same time, but they all looked unnervingly alike, save for the differing arrangements of the horns and frills on their heads. For example, Torosaurus possessed two big horns, Triceratops three; Chasmosaurus frill was rectangular in shape, while Styracosaurus looked more like a triangle. (Some paleontologists claim that Torosaurus was actually a growth stage of Triceratops, an issue that has yet to be conclusively settled.) Why did these dinosaurs sport such elaborate head displays? As with many such anatomical features in the animal kingdom, they probably served a dual (or triple) purpose: horns could be used to fend off ravenous predators as well as to intimidate fellow males in the herd for mating rights, and frills could make a ceratopsian look bigger in the eyes of a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex, as well as attract the opposite sex and (possibly) dissipate or collect heat. A recent study concludes that the main factor driving the evolution of horns and frills in ceratopsians was the need for members of the same herd to recognize each other! Paleontologists divide the horned, frilled dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous period into two families. Chasmosaurine ceratopsians, typified by Chasmosaurus, had relatively long brow horns and large frills, while centrosaurine ceratopsians, typified by Centrosaurus, possessed shorter brow horns and smaller frills, often with large, ornate spines projecting from the top. However, these distinctions shouldnt be taken as set in stone, since new ceratopsians are constantly being discovered across the expanse of North Americain fact, more certaopsians have been discovered in the U.S. than any other type of dinosaur. Ceratopsian Family Life Paleontologists often have a hard time distinguishing male from female dinosaurs, and they sometimes cant even conclusively identify juveniles (which may have been either the children of one genus of dinosaur or the full-grown adults of another). Ceratopsians, though, are one of the few families of dinosaurs in which the males and females can usually be told apart. The trick is that, as a rule, male ceratopsians had bigger frills and horns, while those of females were slightly (or sometimes significantly) smaller. Oddly enough, the hatchlings of different genera of horned, frilled dinosaurs seem to have been born with pretty much identical skulls, only developing their distinctive horns and frills as they grew into adolescence and adulthood. In this way, ceratopsians were very similar to pachycephalosaurs (bone-headed dinosaurs), the skulls of which also changed shape as they aged. As you can imagine, this has led to a fair amount of confusion; an unwary paleontologist may assign two grossly different ceratopsian skulls to two different genera, when they were actually left by differently aged individuals of the same species.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Salutary Neglect Overview

Salutary Neglect Overview The term salutary neglect stems from the colonial era. Even though England believed in a system of mercantilism where the colonies existed for the benefit of the mother country, Sir Robert Walpole decided to try something different to stimulate commerce. A View of Salutary Neglect Walpole, the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, espoused a view of salutary neglect whereby the actual enforcement of external trade relations was lax. In other words, the British did not strictly enforce commerce laws with the colonies. As Walpole said, If no restrictions were placed on the colonies, they would flourish. This unofficial British policy was in effect from 1607 to 1763. The Navigation Act and Trading Companies, merchants and independent corporations went about their business in these colonies on their own without a lot of overlook from the British government.  The beginning of trade regulation started with the Navigation Act in 1651. This allowed goods to be transported to the American colonies on English ships and prevented other colonists from trading with anyone other than England. Passed but Not Heavily Enforced While there were several renditions of these acts, the policy was expanded to include certain products that were only allowed to be transported on English ships, such as indigo, sugar and tobacco products.  Unfortunately, the act was often not enforced due to difficulties with finding enough customs officials to handle the management.  Because of this, goods were often snuck in with other countries including the Dutch and the French West Indies.  This was the very beginning of the triangular trade between the North American colonies, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. The Triangular Trade Britain had the upper hand when it came to the illegal triangular trade. Despite it going against the Navigation Acts, here are a few ways Britain benefited: The trade allowed New England merchants to get wealthy. In turn, merchants bought manufactured goods from the British.Despite Walpole attempting to solve this issue by offering positions of government, these officials granted had often taken bribes from merchants.The colonies were supplied with slaves on top of being given a market for raw goods.The colonies received finished European products that they were unable to make themselves. Calls for Independence The salutary neglect period ended as a consequence of the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War, from years 1755 to 1763. This caused a large war debt that the British needed to pay off, and thus the policy was destroyed in the colonies. Many believe that the French and Indian War affected the relationship between the British and the colonists by leading to the revolution. This is because the colonists were not worried about France if breaking away from Britain. Once the British government became stricter in their enforcement of commerce laws after 1763, protests and eventually calls for independence became more pronounced amongst the colonists. This would, of course, lead to the American Revolution.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Design thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Design thinking - Essay Example Just like problem solving, design is a ubiquitous and natural human activity. The beginning of the design process is where dissatisfaction and needs with the current state summed with determination that an action must be taken to solve a particular problem. Scientist from the scattered parts of the world acts as designers in their careers not knowing that they are participating in the design process (Frisendal, 2012). Design thinking has also gained attention in the setting of business. The reason behind the increased attention is that the design of services and products is a great component of business competitiveness. Most well known companies have indeed committed themselves to being design leaders. Though design thinking has recently become an important part of engineering fields, design, and business, it can bring positive effects to the 21st century education across many disciplines. The positive impacts can be since it involves creative thinking in delivering solutions to problems (Menges, 2011). In academic environments students are expected to read critically, think and reason in a logic manner and solve problems that are complex. Therefore, to help students succeed in the digital, interconnected world, educators should provide pupils with systems thinking, design thinking, and teamwork skills. In doing so, it will help them nature their skills of problem solving and prepare them for higher education and career (Ingle 2013). In many fields, knowledge is accumulated and generated through action. Thus, knowledge is utilized to produce work, and work is evaluated to produce knowledge. People who are creative usually work in two different ways. They can work as makers or finders. Finders show their creativity through discovery while makers, though are equally creative they are driven to synthesize what they are aware of in concepts, compositions, constructions, arrangements and patterns.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Sports Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sports Science - Essay Example Though it not a new theory, yet it should be recognized that majority of research is based on experience from dealing with sporting activities, which have been practiced to underpin physical education for many years. The remarkable theory about LTAD is that it brings the variety of theories practiced by different bodies under one umbrella with codified structures and systems. LTAD has 'packaged' the theories for mass understanding and has adopted more effective mechanism for applying the theories to integrate whole sports system which includes coaching, training, playing and competition. The basic principles on which LTAD is based are: It is necessary to devote 8-12 years of consistent practice in order to achieve the level of an expert in that field. Research confirms that this is true about developing any skill, such as learning to play musical instrument or playing sport. This is also referred to as '10,000 hour rule' which relates to practice of 3hours a day for ten years. This requires focused and consistent commitment, and not most players would achieve it. The objective is to encourage and enable all young people to develop confidence in their basic movement skill which are fundamental. Expose young children to wide variety of sports at an early age, which prepares them with better attitude for lifelong participation in sport, because their self-perception of their sporting ability is positive. It also better prepares them to achieve their full potential. The objective is to identify those stages during child's physical and psychological development that offer optimum opportunities to develop movement skill-agility, balance, co-ordination; basic sport skills like running, jumping, throwing and striking; which are necessary attribute for sports related activities. Missing these optimum stages can have impact on reaching their highest potential. LTAD is systematic training in childhood and adolescence which opens the window of opportunity for future success as an athlete. "A specific and well-planned practice, training, competition and recovery regime will ensure optimum development throughout an athlete's career" http://www.sportdevelopment.org.uk/html/balyi2004.html The ultimate objective to ensure sustained success which comes from training and performing well over long term rather than winning in short term. Athletic preparation is serious commitment and there is no escape from hard and consistent practice. There is no short cut to Athlete training. LTAD is a sports science which is based on training, competition, and recovery plan which is based on the developmental age which is the maturation level of the child rather than the chronological age. "The program is athlete centred, coach driven, and administration, sport science, and sponsor supported. Athletes who progress through LTAD experience training and competition in programs that consider their biological and training ages in creating periodized plans specific to their development needs" http://www.ltad.ca/content/home.asp LTAD has developed two specialization models: Early specialization model focuses on these areas; Training to train stage Training to compete stage Training to win stage Retirement/ retainment Late specialization model, focuses on these areas; Fundamental stage Learning to train stage

TEAM PROCESSES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TEAM PROCESSES - Essay Example As a part of customer service, it was required to assist the customers to select the merchandize and offer them suitable products as per their needs. In terms of handling the complaints of the customers, the role had to comply with the company policies of no refund but only exchange. Thus the entire team was dynamic in its work functions with specific purpose of adhering to the company policies and in maintaining the overall profitability of the retail business. This was achieved through improved customer service that played the role of attracting the customers time and again to the retail store. A situation was encountered when the customer wanted a refund of money due to the non-receipt of a free product that was offered with the product. It was found that the stock of the free product was depleted in the retail store for which it could not be provided while selling the primary product to the customer. However, the customer had a non-negotiable approach on his demand. This created an undesired situation which occurred due to lack of effective communication and non-fulfillment of roles and responsibilities of the team. Analysis of team activity: overall effectiveness, limitations, challenges, interactions with other teams The analysis of the overall effectiveness of the team activity has been given below. The activities in the retail sales in the store demand healthy interaction of the different functions of the retail sales. The spontaneous interactions lead to strong co-ordination between the teams and its members. Due to exchange of information, the areas of concern within the team could be addressed. The experience encountered was solely due to lack of co-ordination among the team members and non-availability of updated information on the product sold to the customer. The non-availability of stock of the free offerings with the product was not communicated to the sales person by the store manager who did not inform the same to the customer. The customer af ter buying the product checked later on to find that the free offer was not packed with the sold item by the retail store. This created a sense within the customer of being cheated. For this reason, the customer wanted a refund from the store as the contract of buying and selling was breached by the retail store. This shows the limitations of overall effectiveness of the retail business in dealing with their customers. This is a challenge faced by the team as the there was no free exchange of information. The integral function of the retail store is an aggregation of the individual retail functions (Brannick,  Salas and  Prince, 1997). The communication with other teams is thus important for delivering effective customer service and in sustaining the profitability of their business. Key recommendations for improvement In order to deal with such situation in the future, the key recommendations for improvement of the retail operations are given below. There should be respect among the team members for each other and they should be aligned to overall retail sales activity. The alignment of the roles towards common interest of the overall work of retail sales triggers action from the individual roles that are aimed to make the system error free. In this experience in retail sales, the team members should have exchanged information on

Discussion Questions 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Questions 2 - Coursework Example Achieving of these targets and thus successful strategy creation can be done through utilizing a series of â€Å"hows† that enables the company to plan its business growth, to meet customers’ needs and to prepare to the changing market conditions. The process of strategy implementation includes managing of operations aimed to achieve organizational goals and objectives. This part of converting strategic views into the concrete actions requires managers to direct organizational actions, be able to motivate people in order to meet the performance targets. A strategy is a distinctive way that allows the company to understand where it wants to be from the current situation, how to manage future direction and how to get there. It is also about how the company would be set apart from the rivals, respond to the changing market conditions, manage business, improve the performance gaps in order to achieve its competitive edge. These are the main conditions and reasons for the businesses to develop a strategy and why it is so important. Once a strategy is developed, an organization in ready to make decisions and involve stakeholders for future performance. As business model represents an economic spectre of making money, a viable business model allows an organization to have a material profit from its products and services but it also gives consumers a benefit from using them. Under such conditions, each part of the business, its owners and stakeholders, are satisfied with the outcome, which is profit for the company and good service or product for the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

English Grammar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Grammar - Essay Example Through this class I have learned that no matter what I write, the piece will never reach its zenith without proper grammar. I enjoyed English class in elementary school. I don't believe that I found much inspiration in the subject because I knew it was a core class and I was expected to get the all important "A". It was not until middle school that I actually began to loose points on other tests because of poor grammar. I became aware of the importance of grammar during my first Social Studies test and lost ten points because of improper grammar. I can recall readying myself to do battle with my teacher and demanding my well earned "A" and watching my imagined victory deflate as my teacher explained to my classmate that they were lucky they did not receive a "F" because of the poor grammar on their test! Erroneously, I presumed that my grammar would improve with my widening repertoire of vocabulary. I had hoped that by writing for my school newspaper, I would be the new maven of journalistic news, not so. My grammar held me back. I found my articles being consistently edited due to my lack of grammatical skills and realized that if I did not do something about it, my grades would fall, I would be thrown off of the newspaper and fail the SAT's! I realized that any point that I tried to make in writing would be belied by horrid grammar use. It was then that I realized that grammar skills are the common denominator to all subjects. I sought tutoring in high school from my English teacher and we began from square one. Slowly but surely I gained confidence in adverbial placement. Additionally, I became determined to not rely upon the spell and grammar check feature in my computer. Obviously, I felt intimidated when I began this course. I am not a scholar, nor am I looking to be. I had expected everyone to be far more advanced than I. To prepare myself for this course, I began tutoring myself on a website called Edhelper.com. I studied acrostic poems, conjunctions, collective nouns and I began to study adjectives. Once this class began, I felt that I was starting with solid footing, but I soon came to learn that "composition" means far more than a simple name to a class. This class in English composition has taught me to compose. I have learned to take thoughts and bring them together to create a vision. As I mentioned earlier, I do not consider myself a scholar or the next Pulitzer prize winner. I do believe however, that my progress in grammar has affected my writing in a positive way not just in prose but in speech as well. I am a mature woman now. I am not a child, adolescent or young adult. My grammar usage, both written and oral gives the reader and listener respectively, their first impressions of me. I want them to be positive impressions. Grammar usage, whether we care to admit it or not, is a reflection of our intellect and our wit. This class has been the most challenging by far as applied to grammar. I am well aware of the fact that I have not mastered grammar and I am learning to proof read my work because I am a reactive writer. Nonetheless, I think this is my most successful class because I am confident in grammar usage both verbal and written. I appreciate all of the advice that I have received and the encouragement that greets me as I read my feed back

Managing Attention in an Office Environment Essay

Managing Attention in an Office Environment - Essay Example Sitting at a desk or in a cubicle all day doesn’t provide much stimulation, and minds will inevitably wander. The human desire for variety, fed by a diet of fast-cut films and 30-second commercials, inevitably leads employees away to something more engaging or entertaining than another spreadsheet, another email, other earnings report. This distraction, this need for stimulation and entertainment, is death to productivity, and thus to profitability.   It would be easy to say that one should simply install blocking software to keep social networking sites, game sites, media sites, political blogs, and so on. However, that â€Å"and so on† is murder. Either employee will find ways around the software or, if the software is good enough and the ban comprehensive enough, they will lose the ability to find needed information online. Even if a perfect distraction firewall existed, employees would still flick balls of paper at the ceiling to relieve boredom. If a ban on paper-flicking is introduced, a new distraction will be invented. The solution to the problem of distraction should not be playing Whack-A-Mole with the concept of boredom.   The most addictive video games work on the concept of a â€Å"dopamine drip,† a steady flow of feedback, of minor feelings of accomplishment and pleasure, that is doled out in response to the player’s actions. If a game were designed so that nothing the player did matter or changed anything in the game until the very end, nobody would want to play it. Even if they did, they would find more entertaining things to do while playing.   An employee who tosses crumpled pieces of paper across a corridor, trying to sink them into the wastebasket, isn’t having a wildly entertaining time. The game of it, however, is providing him that feedback. Every time he nails that wastebasket, he feels a sense of progress, of accomplishment.   

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

English Grammar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English Grammar - Essay Example Through this class I have learned that no matter what I write, the piece will never reach its zenith without proper grammar. I enjoyed English class in elementary school. I don't believe that I found much inspiration in the subject because I knew it was a core class and I was expected to get the all important "A". It was not until middle school that I actually began to loose points on other tests because of poor grammar. I became aware of the importance of grammar during my first Social Studies test and lost ten points because of improper grammar. I can recall readying myself to do battle with my teacher and demanding my well earned "A" and watching my imagined victory deflate as my teacher explained to my classmate that they were lucky they did not receive a "F" because of the poor grammar on their test! Erroneously, I presumed that my grammar would improve with my widening repertoire of vocabulary. I had hoped that by writing for my school newspaper, I would be the new maven of journalistic news, not so. My grammar held me back. I found my articles being consistently edited due to my lack of grammatical skills and realized that if I did not do something about it, my grades would fall, I would be thrown off of the newspaper and fail the SAT's! I realized that any point that I tried to make in writing would be belied by horrid grammar use. It was then that I realized that grammar skills are the common denominator to all subjects. I sought tutoring in high school from my English teacher and we began from square one. Slowly but surely I gained confidence in adverbial placement. Additionally, I became determined to not rely upon the spell and grammar check feature in my computer. Obviously, I felt intimidated when I began this course. I am not a scholar, nor am I looking to be. I had expected everyone to be far more advanced than I. To prepare myself for this course, I began tutoring myself on a website called Edhelper.com. I studied acrostic poems, conjunctions, collective nouns and I began to study adjectives. Once this class began, I felt that I was starting with solid footing, but I soon came to learn that "composition" means far more than a simple name to a class. This class in English composition has taught me to compose. I have learned to take thoughts and bring them together to create a vision. As I mentioned earlier, I do not consider myself a scholar or the next Pulitzer prize winner. I do believe however, that my progress in grammar has affected my writing in a positive way not just in prose but in speech as well. I am a mature woman now. I am not a child, adolescent or young adult. My grammar usage, both written and oral gives the reader and listener respectively, their first impressions of me. I want them to be positive impressions. Grammar usage, whether we care to admit it or not, is a reflection of our intellect and our wit. This class has been the most challenging by far as applied to grammar. I am well aware of the fact that I have not mastered grammar and I am learning to proof read my work because I am a reactive writer. Nonetheless, I think this is my most successful class because I am confident in grammar usage both verbal and written. I appreciate all of the advice that I have received and the encouragement that greets me as I read my feed back

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Scientific and Critical Management Theories Article

Scientific and Critical Management Theories - Article Example The slaves were simply organic tools fed just like cows or horses in order to create more tools or goods. Through coercive compulsion, subjugation is attained; through cultural conditioning, subjugation is maintained. These few examples show that while the Homo Sapiens create and command tools, they also possess the uncanny instinct to exchange and thereby evaluate their own kind as tools. That notion of human beings considered as tools and valued more for his or her productivity than anything else is the compelling force behind Critical Management Studies (CMS). Its is hinged on the overarching framework of Critical Studies, which seeks to dismantle hegemonic structures in society by first stripping them of their seemingly-benign coverings. Critical legal studies (CLS), for instance, a branch of Critical Studies, does away with the all-too-convenient givens of a legal system - that there is but one set of "correct" rules and that legal decisions are but logical outcomes of tested principles that are empirically-replicable (Altman, 1986). It aspires to expose the ideological content of the law obscured by layers upon layers of social conditioning by demonstrating how the large areas of legal indeterminacy provide fertile ground for the cooptation of the legal system to reinforce existing power arrangements. In like manner, Critical Management Studies attempts to unmask and expose the ideological agenda behind traditional management structures, obscured and sterilized by such terms such as "scientific" and "objective". Such school of thought in the words of Grey and Willmott is nothing more than "a recycled version of the thinking of elite groups institutionalized as received wisdom." (2005) The crux of Scientific Management Theory (SMT) is that the interests of labor and capital are one and the same, and that any antagonism between the two could only result in detriment for production. To quote Frederick W. Taylor (1911), "No one can be found who will deny that in the case of any single individual the greatest prosperity can exist only when that individual has reached his highest state of efficiency; that is, when he is turning out his largest daily output." This paper will analyze these two divergent schools of thought - Critical Management Theory and Scientific Management Theory - in terms of how it affects the hegemonic structures of organizations and society with an end in view of determining which school of thought can provide the better lens by which society at large can be viewed, analyzed and, it is hoped, reformed. Ontology and Epistemology of Scientific Management Theory "Scientific Management Theory" was coined in a social milieu wherein the benchmark of success of a business organization was the size of its assembly line. Work was

Monday, October 14, 2019

Humans Are Selfish By Nature. Discuss.

Humans Are Selfish By Nature. Discuss. Humans are selfish by nature is a generalisation which is both refuted and supported by religions and moral codes around the world. However, from my experience as a learner, I believe that the validity of this statement is subjective, a matter of personal interpretation; as with many other ethical and moral issues in our lives. I have selected Christianity and Scientology to illustrate two major perspectives on this, and I believe they can both be considered to validate this quote, although in very different ways. The first discrepancy of this statement arises when we consider what is meant by the word, selfish. According to the Collins dictionary, to be selfish is to be unduly concerned with personal profit or pleasure  [1]  . Already this is a subjective matter, because who decides what degree of personal regard is unduly, or excessive, and thus considered selfish? The alternative viewpoint exists in the Webster 1913 dictionary where selfishness is described as believingthe chief motives of human action are derived from love of self  [2]  . This definition can be considered to reflect a more positive opinion, because love of self implies general respect for ones well being, instead of egotism. I believe that in our society we are generally expected to accept the word of authority to be an appropriate way of finding truth, but the variations between these two authoritative sources make me question whether or not it is the most effective way of finding truth about selfishness. Is it ri ght therefore, to simply accept what one reads in a chemistry textbook as concrete fact? I believe such inconsistencies should encourage us to ask questions as learners, because it is always possible that an authoritative, educational source might be mistaken! Another way of finding truth about this is through faith. Are humans selfish, in light of either definition, as a result of nature? If we are to accept the Collins definition of the word and apply it to Christianity, then I believe the answer is yes. Selfishness is mentioned in The Bible as being a false way of obtaining wisdom or truth, informing believers that where you haveselfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every other evil practice[because] such wisdom does not come down from heaven but isof the devil  [3]  . This implies that selfishness is not only a trait of mankind, but rather a sinful way of knowing instead of obtaining truth through God, or faith, and serving others. Thus, the validity of the statement, humans are selfish by nature, in terms of Christianity comes down to; are people sinners by nature? For believers, The Bible also provides the answer to this just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sinin this way death came to a ll men, because all sinned  [4]  . This informs followers that we are all born as sinners, and thus by faith in The Bible and the belief that selfishness is a sin, humans are indeed selfish by nature. Even the most selfless or perhaps godly of acts can be considered selfish. For example, if I was to complete my service hours for CAS purely for my personal ambition of completing the IB diploma, I would actually be considered selfish and thus sinful, because I am applying wisdomof the devil. If this is true for the Collins definition of selfish, then what did Webster mean by, love of self? According to L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, it means to maintainconfidence in self[because] what is true for you is what you have observed yourself  [5]  . This code thus asks its believers not to find truth by faith, but rather through personal perception. This principle can be considered selfish according the Webster definition, or even by the Collins definition if someone else perceives this personal regard to be unduly, as everyones truth is different and no consideration is given to anyone elses perspective. But is this principle selfish by nature or nurture? This can be answered in some form through young children, because they very often act as a result of nature, or instinct, as opposed to developed habits  [6]  . For example, when I was about four years old, the ball I was playing with rolled onto my road. My first instinct was not to check for cars, but to re trieve the ball because that was the only object I was able to perceive at the time. By nature, I believed there was no risk because I assumed that the ball, which was of utmost importance to me in that instance, was equally as significant for everyone else. It was only when I learned from my parents, figures of authority, that it is dangerous to cross the road without looking that I began to doubt myself. This shows I naturally had a selfish view of the world because of my own biased perception, and it is only when perceived authoritative figures offer an alternative perspective that we doubt ourselves. Hubbard believes that nurturing this self-doubt, and in this context selflessness, means you have lost everything, because you no longer respect your own personal perception of the world. However, I believe that if we did not have the ability to consider other peoples perspectives then we would be blinded by our own self-importance, and of course unable to write TOK essays which att empt to consider more than one viewpoint! Through exploring these alternate perspectives, we can see that even acts of service can be thought selfish based on intent in Christianity, whereas in Scientology selfishness might simply mean confidence in self. However, despite their differences, both moral codes validate that humans can be considered selfish by nature regardless of how one acts, because it is a matter of personal perception and interpretation. If that is so, is it actually selfish for us to seek truth about this statement, when our motives are based on innate curiosity and ambition? Words (excl. footnotes): 984

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Antigone :: essays papers

Antigone3 Often in plays, there are conflicting issues. This is what creates the storyline, or plot. Usually, each play has an antagonist and a protagonist. A protagonist is the main driving force in the play, whereas the antagonist the force that goes against the protagonist. Deciding who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist are really matters of opinion. In the play, "Antigone" by Sophocles, there are different opinions about who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist. In "Antigone," Creon and Antigone have distinct conflicting values. Creon's regard for the laws of the city causes him to abandon all other beliefs. He feels that all should obey the laws set forth by him, even if other beliefs, moral or religious, state otherwise. Antigone, on the other hand, reveres the beliefs of the gods. She feels that the laws of the gods should be obeyed above all others, especially when in respect to family. Creon has a very strong opinion about the laws of the city and the laws passed by him. His method of enforcing them is very strict. In "Antigone," Creon orders that Polynices, Antigone's brother, will not be buried because of his dishonor towards Thebes. Furthermore, if anyone is caught burying him, they will be killed for disobeying his order. Polynices is being punished because he attacked Thebes and betrayed Creon and the people of Thebes. Creon says "Remember this: our country is our safely. Only when the voyages true on course can we establi sh friendships, truer than blood itself." (Antigone 210-213) Creon's harsh punishment on those who disobey the law makes many fear him and dare not to go against him. One example is Ismene's regard for Creon's laws. She tries to talk her sister out of burying her brother because of what could happen to her if Creon found out that she went against him. Ismene says, "I'm forced, I have no choice-I must obey the ones who stand in power." (Antigone 78-79) Not only do the people of Thebes obey the laws of the city because of their fear but because it is a shame to dishonor the king. To go against the king's claim and dishonor the law is to die a more shameful death than Antigone's mother and father.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe Essay -- essays research papers

Unlocking the Secrets of the Universe Increasing our knowledge of Physics, using the scientific method to make observations and test hypotheses is essential to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Energy is one of the most fundamental elements of the universe. Throughout history, man has endeavored to expose, understand, and explain how and why things work. This drive to expand our understanding eventually led to the development of the scientific method and what is commonly considered to be the king of the sciences, Physics. The effects of energy on the physical world are of great interest to Physicists. The scientific method was developed during the seventeenth century. It is based on collaborative efforts of the great scientists and mathematicians who lived during that period such as Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilee, Johannes Kepler, and Rene’ Descartes. These men realized that true knowledge must be based on empirical observation and verified by experimentation. Recently, physicists have been searching for a un ifying theory to bring all of the fields of Physics together under a single umbrella theory expressed as a short equation. This so called unifying field theory will usher in a new era in physics and greatly increase our understanding of the workings of the universe Physics is the king of science, and Sir Issac Newton is the king of Physics. Physics deals with matter, motion, force, and energy. In order to understand motion, one needs to look no further the Sir Issac Newton. Newton’s studies eventually led to the development of three distinct, but related theories dealing with velocity, acceleration, inertia, friction and momentum, these theories are so widely accepted that they are commonly called â€Å"Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.† These laws, after almost three hundred years of testing and scrutiny, remain as fundamental principles governing the world we live in. By increasing our understanding of energy and the laws governing it, Newton’s laws have dramatically changed our world and promise to continue to change it in the years to come. Newton’s first law states that if the vector sum of the forces acting on an object is zero, then the object will remain at rest or remain moving at constant velocity. This means that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by a net force. It also means that an object in motion will rem ain in moti... ... http://www.safetyline.wa.gov.au/institute/level2/course15/lecture92/l92_01.asp â€Å"OVERVIEW† This site is basically just a lecture that explains the structure and naming of aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds in a basic manner. The site has some information on organic chemistry, which are synthetic carbon chemicals which are grouped with the natural ones. The site also has information about which organic compounds are used in our everyday life. (5) http://www.chemguide.co.uk/basicorg/bonding/benzene2.html â€Å"BONDING IN BENZENE† Jim Clark maintains this site. In order to have a good understanding of this site, it is a good idea if you have knowledge about the bonding in methane, and the bonding in ethene. This site has real good information on how benzene is built and the benzene ring. (6) http://members.aol.com/profchm/con_isom.html â€Å"How do you go about determining Constitutional Isomers of a Molecular Formula?† R.H.Logan maintains this site. This site lets you know that Isomers are compounds that have the same molecular formula. The site also shows you how to you can find out if you have equivalent isomers and what an isopropyl branch is. This is a dull site, but pretty informative.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Conflict Resolution in Office Romance Essay

Conflict is inevitable. It is a normal way of life. How we as individuals perceive each other depends on our ability to effectively resolve problems and how we cope with managing change. Some of us are unable to adapt to change therefore, it is expected that conflict will occasionally occur. There are different types of conflict that occur in our daily lives as well as in the workplace. However, the topic I choose to discuss as part of this conflict resolution paper is office romance that causes conflict. As we all are aware office romance is very common today in our society. It is no secret that people often find love on the job. There is a level of comfort and closeness that we share with our subordinates that we sometimes tend to fall in love with them. Office romance is dependent on a number of factors. Office romance can have both positive and negative effects on the working environment as well as work performance. It can cause conflict in the workplace, especially if it is a supervisor-subordinate relationship. It can affect the productivity of employees and may lead to sexual harassment and other claims. It can make co-workers uncomfortable and it can be dangerous because it can lead to conflict within the organization. Accusations of favoritism may occur and it may hinder the work performance of the parties involved as well as the co-workers. After analyzing the office romance that took place within the organization and the impact on which it had on employees, the recommended course of action to resolve the actual conflict that will make a difference to the future performance of the organization is to educate the employees on the issue of office romance. Develop a policy that declares what managers expect when it comes to office romance. The parties that are involved give them options such as disclosing the relationship to their boss and deciding who will leave the job if it gets too tough to handle and the parties do not want to terminate the relationship. Explain to them the actions that management will take if they do not solve the issue themselves. Enforce the rules on sexual harassment and office romance. Although, management cannot prohibit office romance, there are steps that they can take to ensure that it does not become a problem in the workplace, thus hiring a consultant that will help solve the issue is a good idea.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Dannon Case Study Essay

Danone, Dannon’s parent company, was one of the largest health-focused food companies in the world. Danone traced its heritage back to 1919 in Barcelona, Spain, when Isaac Carasso wanted to create yogurt with inherent health benefits. Through the years and different lines of succession, Danone continued to grow, but never lost its core vision of providing better health to people through their products. When this case was written, Danone’s global business focus was on fresh dairy (Activia yogurt), bottled water (Evian), medical nutrition, and baby nutrition. Danone viewed the United States as an emerging market for yogurt, thus Dannon’s marketing efforts needed to focus on growing U. S. yogurt consumption and expanding the category, while also growing its brand. (Marquis, p. 1) Dannon entered the US market in 1941 and by 2010 was poised to become the leader in America’s domestic yogurt sector. This was a major accomplishment for the simple fact that America’s yogurt market was practically non-existent at the time! A new product, called â€Å"Fruit at the Bottom† changed that and became an instant success. In 2007, even though Dannon had success, U. S. yogurt consumption was only 11. 8 lbs versus 62. 4 lbs in Switzerland and 42 lbs in France (Marquis, Exhibit 2) The implication of the latter statistics to Dannon was the U. S. was a high potential market for the next 5 to 10 years. (Marquis, p. 5) Dannon had maintained a strong commitment to CSR and was integrated into the company’s overall mission of â€Å"bringing health through food to as many people as possible. † Their CSR mission, however, was very internally focused and few customers knew about its activities. (Marquis, p. 1) Dannon’s CSR activities fell under the Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Department and focused around three key themes: nutrition and health, nature, and people. The case identified notable accomplishments in each of these areas, to include the U. S. Dannon Institute (nonprofit foundation dedicated to promoting excellence in the field of nutrition) with its many noteworthy educational programs. The question behind this case, as proposed by its senior director of public relations, was how Dannon’s long-standing, deeply ingrained corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts could play a role in achieving Danone’s and Dannon’s overall marketing strategy. Discussion with Key Dannon Leaders brought out the following pro’s and con’s concerning the proposed idea of communicating Dannon’s CSR efforts to its consumers: Pro Con Possible increase in marketing of Dannon’s social mission Hard to measure ROI and benefits would be mostly intangible Possible increase in marketing individual products Limited, short-term sales impact Consumption of products might increase Impact of consumption might not be immediate Potential tax incentive or government assistance to promote health programs Competitors could take advantage of hallo effect Opportunity to communicate what Dannon stands for at the product level Change in overall budget priorities and expenditures for new program Opportunity to use Danone global brand Critics could say CSR efforts were only for publicity Brand campaign would have halo effects down to Dannon’s individual products Customers could perceive effort as disingenuous. Dannon employees would feel better about the company they worked for People don’t buy products just because they like the company’s CSR stance Would help build social interests May not support business interests Message might be too complex (Pro and Con information taken from case study, pages 9 -14) To Communicate or Not to Communicate? Dannon seems to be very focused on its Return on Investment (ROI) for marketing and communication dollars spent. While the question of whether or not to communicate its CSR seems very simple, research shows this important undertaking is very complex and there is no easy cookie-cutter answer for Dannon executives. What consumers feel does not always translate to what they buy. According to a 2010 survey, more than 75 percent of consumers surveyed say that social responsibility remains important to them despite the recession. In addition, 38 percent of these respondents indicated that they would spend the same or more on products or services from socially responsible companies compared to 2009. Yet, according to the very same survey, these sentiments do not have a significant impact on favorability and purchase intent — only 13 percent of folks actually proactively seek out CSR friendly brands and purchase them. (Lester, 2010) The latter finding seems to agree with other academic research. According to another survey, CSR impacts a very small group of people, namely the affluent. This report went on to state in its conclusion, â€Å"consumers with strong social preferences (and high income) buy CSR products and consumers with weak social preferences (or low income) buy non-CSR products. (Etile & Tyessier, 2011) General â€Å"assumptions† about CSR and consumer purchases may not be telling the whole story, though. Further research indicates consumers attach more CSR importance to certain industries. For example, the food and healthcare industries had an 88 percent importance rating for CSR initiatives – two of the top three in the entire survey (the other was energy). â€Å"Drilling down† even further shows the sector where CSR is both important to the consumer and CSR communications has performed extremely well is in the food industry. (Lester, 2010) One of the most telling findings in the 2010 CSR branding survey was the importance of tying social responsibility to a product. Its conclusion was consumers are more likely to select the product with an added social benefit hen given a choice between similar products. (Lester, 2010) Research shows a consumer’s loyalty to specific products also has an impact on a company’s overall brand. In an online article of The Economist, the author writes about the importance of brand in the context of specific product purchase. Once customers trust a certain product, they tend to look for the brand associated with it when selecting dissimilar products or services. (Case for Brands, 2001) This all being said, the flip side of the power and influence of a brand is its growing vulnerability – a single failed advertising campaign or hint of scandal can send customers fleeing. According to another article, â€Å"brands—and the multinationals that are increasingly identified with them—are not more powerful, but more vulnerable. Consumers will tolerate a lousy product for far longer than they will tolerate a lousy lifestyle. † (Who’s wearing the trousers, 2001) Pulling all of these points together lead me to the following conclusion: If Dannon intends to tie CSR into its product marketing, it should do so at the individual product level, and If Dannon intends to include CSR as part of its marketing and communications strategy, it needs to be sustained and intentional to have an affect (i. e. measurable ROI). My recommendation is Dannon follows my two suggestions above! Dannon has a distinct advantage in being a well-known name in both the health and wellness sectors as well as the food sector. Customers surveyed tend to research a provider’s reputation more stringently in these areas, as such, a combined external CSR and CR campaign would be, in my opinion, advisable. Dannon’s current CSR strategy, which is mostly internal, is good for its culture and employee retention. However, it does not maximize profitability and overall goodwill. Therefore, an external strategy must be added for full ROI maximization. Impact of a Corporate Parent Dannon is a wholly owned subsidiary of Danone and has a significant fiduciary responsibility to them. According to our case, Dannon is obligated to meet annual targets for profitability, operating free cash flow, manufacturing safety, and environmental sustainability. Dannon’s decision to change its marketing strategy, either as a branding exercise or for a specific product, would absolutely impact several of these obligations. (Marquis, p. 1) Obligation Potential Positive Impact Potential Negative Impact profitability a successively executed plan will increase customer sales and loyalty, both having a long term impact to the parent company’s bottom line. If customers feel the CSR communications are disingenuous, they will discontinue buying Dannon products, thus losing market share and reducing overall profits. operating free cash flow Increased profitability should increase overall free cash flow. Sustained marketing costs a lot of money and will reduce the company’s cash flow; assuming a long-term commitment, this will become a drag on profits if not successful. manufacturing safety No impact If cash flow is reduced, new equipment of safety training may not be purchased, thus allowing for accidents to happen. environmental sustainability No impact When cash flow is reduced, local operators might look for ways to cut expenses. One way to do that is to cut corners, especially in the ways waste is disposed of. customer loyalty A good campaign will increase the number of Americans buying Dannon products as well as the amount being consumed. Market share will increase and provide opportunities for new Dannon products to be distributed. All the reverse of the positive outcomes. Looking at our case, I think the impact to Danone is very minimal. It seems that Danone’s culture is to trust the country-based units and train its leadership to think globally. From my perspective, if Dannon executes a successful CSR campaign for a single product, the likelihood of success is extremely high. The Communication Strategy As indicated in the â€Å"To Communicate or Not to Communicate? † section of this paper, Dannon should take advantage of being in the market sectors where CSR impact is very high (health/wellness and food) and select a single product to use as a CSR marketing and communications platform. Because of its market penetration and dominance, I would use its top proactive health product, Activia, as the product. Danone and Dannon’s sustainable development model focuses around Nutrition and Health, People, and Nature. These three areas and how they relate to Activia would be my focus, with the specific bottom line result being how Activia contributes to a customer’s â€Å"personal health and nutrition naturally. † Once this is done, I would test my new outreach models in focus groups, specifically those that are already purchasing Activia (existing clients) and those that aren’t (potential clients). All successful marketing plan needs to keep both groups in mind; if no new clients are drawn to this approach, then go back to the drawing board. This strategy falls in line with Dannon’s desire to focus on growing the yogurt industry and proving its relevance to Americans. (Marquis, p. 5) When both groups trended positively toward the new marketing strategy, I would roll out a multi-faceted plan that includes print, web, television, internet, and social media. I would also tie this new communication in with the community grant programs that Dannon is already known for. This plan would need to be executed for 90 or 120 days and then measured for tangible ROI, specifically on the Activia product and secondarily on increases in other brand sales. Conclusion In conclusion, I believe that Danone was created with a definite CSR culture as part of their overall operating strategy. As such, all facets of their global organization reflect these core values, to include Dannon. I think this bodes well for an expanded, external CSR communications strategy because: Dannon risks very little in detractors saying they are simply communicating their CSR accomplishments as a profit motive – their legacy as a company, both locally and globally, state otherwise. Dannon is fortunate enough to be in the right sectors where CSR and CR are highly regarded. As such, they can leverage this fact to impact their product marketing even more. Dannon’s consumers, especially the health conscious, tend to have more disposable income and be more drawn to sustainable products and brands. Dannon has a single product, Activia, that is very high in market penetration and fits into both health/wellness and food categories. Again, this can be leveraged. Dannon can test the impact of communicating their CSR philosophy with a single product before exposing their entire brand. If Dannon’s product-based approach works well, then they have set a positive template to add new products, both within the United States and beyond. If it does not, then Dannon can quietly drop their marketing campaign without tainting all their products or the overall Danone brand. In the final analysis, I think Dannon is an ideal company to further communicate their CSR values. As a global company, they can impact and influence other organizations within the food industry. References Etile, F. & Tyessier, S. (2011). Corporate Social Responsibility and the Economics of Consumer Social Responsibility. Paris School of Economics. August 2011. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://ageconsearch. umn. edu/bitstream/120399/2/Etile_Fabrice_359. pdf Lester, B. (2010). Corporate social responsibility branding survey. Penn Schoen Berland. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www. psbresearch. com/files/CSR%20Branding%20Survey%202010%20EXTERNAL%20FINAL. pdf Marquis, C. , Shah, P. , Tolleson, A. , & Thomason, B. (2011). The dannon company: marketing and corporate social responsibility (A). The Harvard Business School. Revised September 28, 2011. File number 9-410-121 The Economist. (2001, September 6). The case for brands. Economist. com. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www. economist. com/node/771049 The Economist. (2001, September 6). Who’s wearing the trousers? Economist. com. Retrieved May 18, 2013 from http://www. economist. com/node/770992

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Organic Food Market in Hong Kong †Environmental Scan Essay

?Global trend of organic food In 1950s, consumers are starting to aware of organic product and in 1970s to 1980s, organic sector start to develop, e. g. set up regulation and certification around the world. In 1990s, the organic food market has a sharp growing, expanding at 20% a year. In 2006, the sales of organic baby food were increased 21. 6%. There are also has dramatically increase in variety, availability and decreasing the cost of organic food. ?Local trend of organic food. At the end of 1980s, there were many cases happened in Hong Kong that poisonous crops which are contaminated with pesticide, people in Hong Kong raise their awareness of health. Until 1990s, Organic foods have been selling in Hong Kong, most of them are imported from North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Japan. In the few years ahead, consumption of organic food is increasing. In 2000s, the local market has a strong demand on fresh organic foods. International Trade Centre (ITC ) done a set of survey and observed some trends of Hong Kong. For example, there are more convenience organic food such as pre-packed organic salads; some public canteens and catering buy more organic food; provision of organic products with biodegradable packaging. Major competitor In Hong Kong, there are three major type of retail shops is selling organic food. First type is supermarket, e. g. Park n’ shop and Welcome are two major chains. Second type is department stores, e. g. Citysuper, Seibu, Jusco, Sogo. Third type is specialty healthy food shops, around 50 to health food shops selling organic, health and diet-supplement foods. Consumer ?General type of consumer Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre (HKORC) release the result of a survey on 7 Jan 2005, it shows that 30% of the respondents had purchased organic foods. It also shows us the people who are interested in buying organic food are high education qualification, executives, managers or professionals, and they are usually with a higher total household income, married and/or with children. The meaning of organic food in consumer view In Hong Kong people’s mind, â€Å"organic food† has the similar meaning as â€Å"healthy food†, they also care about the nutritional value and image of the product. The best selling of organic foods in Hong Kong are baby food, rice cake, grains, fruit juice and breakfast cereals, so we can see Hong Kong people are more health-conscious now.

Pilosophy of Community Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pilosophy of Community Policing - Essay Example The notions of team work and leadership management are those to be learnt by the police of today and future (Trojanowicz & Bucqueroux, 2004). Community policing officers are â€Å"to be particularly thoughtful, creative problem solvers†, and preferably to be of the local residents (Carter 1997). After you’ve got the people you need, it is necessary to provide training, fair working conditions, permanent evaluation, appraisals, professional development, and always be ready for changes. Community policing requires unique strategies and decision in each locality, ability to build strong and lasting relations, based on co-operation and trust. It is a long-term, on-going, iterative process, demanding constant attention and flexibility. This all requires funding and governmental support. These features and requirements of the philosophy make it not that easy to implement the community policing everywhere and simultaneously. 2. Brock University Campus Security Services (2007) describes five generally accepted and interrelated components of Community policing, including: Enforcement, Continuous learning, Community development, Security Service re-engineering, Community/Security partnerships. Enforcement is an active component responding to the safety concerns. Each platoon is responsible for the community involvement into objectives determining and enforcement priorities. Continuous Learning is an imperative for both the police of all ranks and community members. It is key for revealing the commitment to the philosophy. Community Development suggests the full partnership of community and police in developing crime prevention program and public education, development of communication and cooperation. Security Service Re-engineering presupposes on-going, iterative, adaptable strategy in developing programs addressing the needs of the community. Community/Security Partnerships means â€Å"a full and equal partnership and meaningful dialogue with internal and

Monday, October 7, 2019

How software engineering differs from other fields of engineering Essay

How software engineering differs from other fields of engineering - Essay Example The concept is applied with reference to engineering and computer science principles and practices, when exploring the development, operability and the maintenance of software systems. This paper will explore the aspects that differentiate software from other fields of engineering like mechanical and electrical engineering. The paper will also discuss the specific characteristics of the ‘software’ product, which differentiate the field from other engineering domains. The differences between software engineering and other traditional engineering disciplines The field of software engineering, unlike other traditional fields of engineering, can be traced to the growth in the field of computing and information technology. The growth in the field of computing and information technology has prompted the tremendous growth of the field of software engineering (Ghezzi, Jazayeri and Mandrioli, 2003). On the other hand, other fields of engineering can be traced to the development a nd the growth of respective fields of study and practice, and not necessarily the field of computing and information technology (Sommerville, 2008). ... erent from traditional engineering disciplines, in that many of the other fields of engineering – including civil, chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering – can be traced to the discrete application of mathematical basements. On the other hand, software engineering can be traced to the application of technical computer and mathematical science principles, which resulted from the need of maintaining and improving software systems (Ghezzi, Jazayeri and Mandrioli, 2003). This difference shows that the field depends, mainly, on the principles of discrete mathematics, particularly that related to logic (Jones, 1995). Software engineering is different from traditional engineering fields, in that many of the engineers practicing these other fields construct real artifacts, but software engineers construct virtual/ abstract artifacts. This points out that the products developed by software engineers may not be subjected to the evaluation and the testing which is releva nt to those produced by the engineering practicing in the traditional fields. Additionally, traditional engineering fields are mature fields incorporating continuous mathematics and physical sciences, but software engineering is more immature, and reliant on discrete mathematics and computer sciences (Herbsleb and Goldenson, 1996). In traditional engineering, there are two major concerns about the products produced, including the costs of production and the reliability of the product, which is a function of time and failure (Jalote, 2005). On the other hand, in software engineering, the main concerns related to the products developed include the costs of development and the reliability of the virtual product, which is a function of the number of errors noted for every thousand lines of the source