Desperately Seeking Synergy and Competing on Capabilities Essay

I.) I didn’t think that synergy was that much big of a deal until I read this article. I am one of those who assume that synergy exists, can be achieved, and will be beneficial, I didn’t really think about the downsides of synergy. When I read the article, it seems that it would be better if executives give more attention and evaluation to find real synergy opportunities. It’s good that the writer included in his article about the four managerial biases because it’s true that all too often, the managers are the ones being blamed for the failure of a synergy program, when the ones who really are to blame are the corporate executives themselves. These four biases will help corporate executives evaluate better the managers and themselves, be more aware of the situation, and be able to make more successful synergy programs. The process of sizing the prize is also a good addition to the article. Being more precise as to what needs to be done rather than generalizing all the goals tend to be more efficient and successful. It clarifies the real costs and benefits of a synergy program, as the writer stated, sizing the prize is the first and most important discipline in making sound decisions on synergy. Overarching goals should be disaggregated into discrete, well-defined benefits, and then each benefit should be subjected to hard-nosed financial analysis. Pinpointing the parenting opportunity will clear up the parenting bias. Corporate executives must know when and how to intervene in the management. The article conveniently stated the three relevant cases as to when intervention must take place to help the corporate executives. Then there is this bringing downsides to light which can clear up the synergy and upside bias. I think that in every action which anyone may undertake, being more familiar with the consequences and downsides of that action can help the individual evaluate that action and be more successful. All in all, corporate executives must take note of the disciplined approach the writers recommend, which is clarifying the real benefits to be gained, examining the potential for parental involvement, and taking into account the possible downsides of synergy programs. In relation to business policy and strategies, corporate executives with the help of the managers must be able to make clear and effective business policies and strategies which can be implemented for the betterment of synergy programs within the organization. Good policies will be able to guide them and their future employees in engaging in more successful synergies. I think this is related to accountancy because good interdepartmental communication and cooperation will help accountants do their job more precisely and conveniently. As a future professional, knowledge of this article will help me become a more effective leader by applying the three disciplined approaches he writers has stated and a more efficient team member who can synergize well with my co-workers. II.) The article uses the success of companies like Wal-Mart, Honda, and MedEquip to familiarize the readers with capabilities-based competition which is great because seeing a concrete example of the principle at work makes the article even more interesting, realistic and not plain and boring. The focus of the article was on Wal-Mart and the secret of its success, which is the set of strategic business decisions that transformed the company into a capabilities-based competitor such as the warehousing technique of cross-docking. Included in the article are these basic principles of a capabilities-based competition which can help a traditional company change or shape its organization into a more capability-based competitor. First, is that the focus of their corporate strategy should not be on the products but on the business processes. Second, competitive success depends on transforming a company’s key process into strategic capabilities that consistently provide superior value to the customer. Third, companies should create these capabilities by making strategic investments in a support infrastructure for these strategic capabilities. Fourth, is that the CEO is the champion of a capabilities-based strategy. I think that this puts the pressure on the CEO because he will be the one responsible for the direction of his company and the decisions he make can shape the future of the company. To be able to be a good CEO, one must outperform the completion in responding quickly to customer demands and to incorporate new ideas into products, produce a product that unfailingly satisfies customer’s expectations, see the competitive environment clearly, adapt simultaneously to many different business environments, and generate new ideas and to combine existing elements to create new sources of value. It is obvious that the CEO has a very big responsibility. In summary, the article speaks about the new logic of growth today, being a capabilities predator, a company focusing and investing more on its capabilities to satisfy the customer. But a question comes to mind after reading this article, what is the future of capabilities-based competition? If some time ago, the traditional companies were successful and were replaced by the growth of capabilities-based companies, what will happen if most of the companies will become more capabilities-based? Will the growth of these companies be consistent? Or will there be a new kind of competitor that dominates the market in the future? One thing is for sure though, organizations are going to have to be very dynamic and adapt to the ever changing needs of the customers. This is related to business policy and strategy because to be an effective capabilities-based competitor, the company must start on its core processes and making an efficient business policy can help this process. The company’s strategy will also determine the direction of the company whether it wants to focus on its capabilities or its products. This article can be related to accounting because a good accounting system can be a part of an organizations’ relevant business process, they can focus on investing and improving their accounting system to better satisfy their customer. Lastly, as a future professional, this has kind of updated my point of view on what to focus on, because until I read this article, I always thought that a good product is enough for you to be successful but in fact, one should focus more nowadays to the business processes and compete on capabities.

Obamacare: a Threat to America

President Barack Obama has been written into the history books for becoming the first African American president of the United States. The president plans on changing history again by bringing universal health care into the United States, which has won him much popularity among Democratic voters. President Obama’s speeches are adored by his fans but raise many red flags for the majority of America. Major concerns Americans have with President Obama’s two proposed health-care bills are that health-care options will no longer be available, the real cost of Obamacare, and small businesses.As many Americans believe Presidents Obama’s health-care plan is what the United States has needed for decades, considering he did get elected, his polices will prove to be a bane for the United States. The main concern for many Americans about the Obama’s Health-Care plan is the fact that they will lose the freedom to choose. Choosing health-care benefits, doctors, and high -deductable coverage is important to every insured American citizen, so why would Obama change that?In his speeches, Obama has promised Americans that they will be able to keep their existing health-care coverage but the proposed bills tell a different story. Both bills necessitate that Americans buy approved plans that have a number of universal benefits or face penalties. Even with a five year grace period given to big employers to convert to the new plans, there will be no options if the bills are passed. Choosing what benefits are included in one’s health-care plan often times saves money that could put food on the table for a struggling family.Several states have already imposed a list of required benefits for health-care plans; everyone from â€Å"chiropractors to alcohol-abuse counselors† competes to be included on lists of required benefits (Tully). This competition is one reason health-care costs continue to rise. A few of the mandated benefits of the bills in clude coverage for prescription drugs, substance-abuse services, mental-health services, as well as insuring â€Å"children† until they reach 26 years of age. Before the bills are finalized, the Department of Health and Human Services will hire â€Å"experts† to complete he list (Tully). Thus, nobody will know exactly what this standardized list of benefits will include until the bills are passed. For some Americans, choosing their doctors is very important. Whatever the reason, some people feel more comfortable around certain doctors than others. Why would Obama take away such a simple freedom? With passing of the bills, Americans will be assigned primary care physicians who then will assign patients to specialists, if needed. It is up to the â€Å"gate-keeper† which specialist the patients sees and when.Of course, the choice is to be made on which route is the most â€Å"cost-effective† (Tully). The situation only gets worse when primary care physicians deny patients care, and still get paid. Another freedom Obama’s Health-Care bills will strip from Americans is the choice of high-deductable coverage. Currently about 5 million Americans take advantage of Health Savings Accounts (HSA) offered by their employers (Tully). These work when an employee puts money into the account, requiring the employer to make an equivalent deposit.Employees use Health Savings Accounts to pay for high-deductable coverage plans which, in turn, they use to cover several-thousand dollar medical bills. With high-deductable plans, patients are to cover regular doctor visits themselves; HSAs help cover these bills as well. The proposed bills cause great concern to HSA participants for the simple fact that they will no longer be able to choose a plan with â€Å"stripped† benefits. To rub salt on an open wound, John Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis says, â€Å"The government could set extremely low deductibles that would elimin ate HSAs..And they could do it after the bills are passed. † Mandating minimum benefit packages will only drive up medical costs for those who now rely on HSAs to cover medical expenses, ending â€Å"consumer-driven† care (Tully). By eliminating money coming in from independent consumers instead of big insurance companies, the proposed bills will snuff out any type of market health-care now has. Another major concern for Americans about Obamacare is a topic President Obama would rather not mention: cost.According to the Congressional Budget Office, the price tag of the bill coming from the Senate Health Committee would be approximately $1 trillion spanning ten years, and that would only cover a small portion of uninsured Americans. Even worse, the Congressional Budget Office estimates another bill from the Senate Finance Committee at over $1. 6 trillion (Reich). These numbers come at the worst possible time when the United States deficit has reached an all-time high at over $14 trillion as of January (Sahadi).This begs the question, how does Obama expect to pay for these tremendous bills? The answer: Obama plans to raise taxes. Though Medicare cuts and increased taxes will pay for much of the immediate â€Å"overhaul,† according to the proposed bills, the first sign federal tax credits will not be seen until 2013. Only eligible small businesses, up to 25 employees, can receive very limited tax credits up to 35% towards employee health coverage, which Obama hopes will persuade small businesses to offer employee health-care plans (Fox News).But in reality, the cuts affects only one-third of small businesses, leaving the nearly rest of America to get insurance through their big business employer or buy it themselves (Danner). The United States is less than $300 billion away from our debt ceiling, what would another $1 trillion in debt do to our country? Experts predict â€Å"crippling† results. Even in the best case scenario, the value of U. S. bonds and currency would be destroyed. If the U. S. did default, markets around the world would see the effects (Sahadi). If the U. S. overnment is about to lose the ability to pay its own bills, why is the president trying to reform health-care knowing it will add to the already outstanding debt? Small business are another key concern for Americans as President Obama is pushing harder than ever for his proposed health bills. In his campaign Obama ensured Americans that his bills will include benefits for small business, however that is not the case. Looking closely, the proposed tax credits for small businesses will put each small business through a series of tests to decide whether it is eligible for the credit and how much they could receive.With less than one-third of small businesses fully eligible under the restrictions, President Obama’s Health-Care plan will leave Americans with few options when it comes to health-care. Even more, the president neglects to me ntion is that his tax credits for small business are only temporary, six years at the most (Danner). After the credits run out, small businesses will be forced to pay full price for employee health costs, driving up the cost of business dramatically.Businesses that cannot afford the full price tag of employee coverage and newly imposed taxes will have no choice but go out of business. Small businesses created 64% of all new jobs in the last 15 years; the idea of unemployment taking another dramatic rise caused by the closing of numerous small businesses is something the current economy of the United States cannot handle (SBA. gov). There is no doubt Americans like President Obama but when a record number of Americans lose their jobs because of his bills, what will Americans think of him then?There is no doubt President Obama is an excellent speaker but his way with words hides truths that Americans need to know. Now that these truths have leaked out to the public, Americans are conc erned about many different aspects of the president’s proposed bills. Understand, the idea of every American citizen having health insurance sounds great to everybody, but at what cost? Major concerns of American citizens are that health-care options will no longer be available, the real cost of Obamacare, and small businesses.President Obama’s promise that Americans could keep their current plans has been proven bogus, he has neglected to mention the tremendous costs of his proposed health-care bills, and these bills could irreversibly damage the American economy; is Obama the change that America was searching for? As his 2,000 page documents conceal the truths behind his proposed ideas, President Obama’s health-care plan has proven itself to be yet another bane that could very possibly be placed on top the United States’ already weighted shoulders.

M•A•C (Makeup Art Cosmetics) Essay

Today, the cosmetic industry is a very innovative and competitive industry where product innovation and brand image is the key to success. One of the world’s cosmetics leading brands nowadays is M†¢A†¢C, standing for Makeup Art Cosmetics. The purpose of this essay is to present M.A.C’s branding strategies and it differentiation to the competitors. Brand Overview Makeup Art Cosmetics or M†¢A†¢C is one of the world’s fastest growing cosmetic brands. M.A.C’s creation was first in 1984 by two men, Frank Angelo, a successful businessman of a salon’s chain in Toronto, and Frank Tosken, a seasoned makeup artist and photographer. At first M.A.C was only used among the professional makeup artists. Then, by word of mouth, it spread to the public. After that, in 1994, M.A.C was purchased by the Estee Lauder who owns many of the world’s popular cosmetic brands, and headquartered in the United States in New York and in Canada, Toronto has the largest branch. M.A.C continues to be a testimonial brand, which is specialized for eyes, lips, face, skincare products, nails, brushes and fragrance. Brand Management M†¢A†¢C sells cosmetics of high quality that is intended for professional as well as everyday users, who are seeking for colorful, fashionable and creative makeup products. One of M.A.C’s brand personality traits is cosmopolitan, which has positioned itself for individuals of every color, race and ethnicity, which is reflected via its motto: All ages, all races, all sexes, all M.A.C. This brand is typically sold in high-end department stores. They also have their own stand-alone stores, as well as an online shop. Brand Differentiation The brand is very popular because of its delicate texture, artistry, creativity, durability and huge choice of colors from pale nudes to bright colors. The products are also very well tolerated on every skin type and its items are also suitable for women with sensitive eyes (MAC, 2007). The prices of the M.A.C cosmetics are comparable with other high quality world cosmetic brands. M.A.C is now part of the international authority of the production and marketing of high-quality skin care, cosmetics, perfume and hair care products Lauder COS. Consumers are a young and fashionable people. Lesson Learned I have learned the importance of branding and brand management from the course. Brand is very essential for all products and services. It can tell not only a name, sign and symbol of the goods and services of the sellers, but it can also be a competitive advantage for manufacturer, when consumers trust in the products and services. For consumers, brand is a symbolic device or signal of quality, which can refer to a promise and bond with maker of product(s) in every industry. With true creative, artistic and colorful make-up products, the brand â€Å"Makeup Art Cosmetics or M†¢A†¢C† is one of the world’s trustful products which has a successful brand management, positioning and differentiation. [pic] [pic] Reference 1. http://www.maccosmetics.com 2. http://www.holypod.net/tag/make-up-art-cosmetics/ 3. http://www.enjoy-your-style.com/mac-cosmetics.html

Fashion Blogging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fashion Blogging - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that in this highly competitive globalized world fashion has become an integral part of our lives. Fashion is no more a personal choice for one’s own happiness but knowledge of fashion to some extent has become a requirement in workplaces, universities, social gatherings etc. This increased following and interest in fashion has led to newer ways of searching latest knowledge about ever changing fashion. This has led to the emergence of the phenomenon of fashion blogging. A vague and somewhat loose definition of blogging is the practice of posting information on the website. It is a medium where a strong view point, a differing view or just an attempt to â€Å"be yourself† is employed to engage the audience. Personal blogs are the most common where personal affairs of a person are discussed that are of interest to their friends. However the popular type of blog is the topical blog. In topical blogs a topic of interest is discus sed and hence it has wider audience. Fashion blog is a kind of topical blog. Fashion blog provides the platform for the creation of an ideal self with one’s online identity. Fashion blog provides the intersection of this self created ideal self and the off line consumer. There are different types of communities of practice created from â€Å"top down† i.e. by the fashion industry itself and the â€Å"bottom up† i.e. by the women who are interested in fashion.... Another type of fashion blog is like a fashion magazine that gives a glimpse of the season’s offering at the comfort of your home. While some focuses on finding our own style instead of spending a lot of money trying to keep pace with the ever changing fashion. An example of it is Bargain Queen. Another type of blogs only focuses on some of the fashion items such as shoes, hand bags and other fashion accessories. Generally speaking a shopping blog shows realistically priced things affordable by many as well as some aspirational items which are admired by many but affordable by very few (Leung, 2008). The Rise of Fashion Blogs The role and importance of fashion blogging has increased so much that fashion bloggers are now an integral part of the elitist and the most exclusive of fashion functions which were previously reserved for fashion schools and fashion magazines. Fashion blogs has such profound influence over the people that the British fashion blogger Susanna Lau has beco me a minor celebrity of UK fashion with her blog Style Bubble. Her blog attracts more than 10,000 visitors per day. Same is true for the popularity of other fashion blogs such as BryanBoy, Fashiontoast, SomethingNavy, and TheBlondeSalad. The popularity of these fashion blogs has turned them into an effective marketing tool. This increased importance not only enhanced the number of bloggers on the web but also their role. Now the bloggers are not just satisfied with being invited at fashion parties but they have a professional role to play. Some of the bloggers are now becoming a part of the branded network that is conducted by web Media Company. However their role is different from online magazines because they are

Higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food Essay

Higher taxes should be imposed on soft drinks and junk food - Essay Example This essay approves that child obesity in the United States has posed a serious problem in children. Obesity rates are elevated among United States children; there have been increased rates of heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Restaurants and food industry allude to personal choice and lack of exercise. Reports indicate that unhealthy foods and drinks are cheaper, readily available and heavily marketable than healthy foods. Fast foods have changed our eating habits and the entire lifestyles. In early days, families were having their meals together which enable them have quality time with all the family members. The introduction of the fast-food industry has changed everything as people have found a faster and an easy way of eating. Because of this, family dinners are not often and this equal to neglecting of family time (Smith 696). Adolescents have the widest use of the junk foods and soft drinks. The most significant change in American diets for th e past decades is the food taken away from home. This report makes a conclusion that a tax on junk foods and soft drinks is a good government policy. This is because; obesity is caused by increased consumption of calories over what we burn. The excess calories are whether, in the form of protein, fat or carbohydrates are stored as fats in the body. These fats increase chances for heart diseases. For this reason, anti-obesity tax methods are intended to avoid targeting the extensive nutrients group. Rather, they target fast foods, processed food, and soft drinks.

Maths Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Maths Construction - Essay Example At 50⠁ °C the resistance is found to be 25.6 ohms and at 95⠁ °C the resistance is 36.2 ohms respectively. Find R0 and ÃŽ ± both algebraically and using graphical methods. Using graphical methods determines the resistance at 72⠁ °C. d) As an employee of company JR construction you have received a letter from a regarding the project your company is working on. It has a penalty clause that states the contractor will forfeit a certain sum of money each day for late completion. (I.e. The contractor gets paid the value of the original contract less any sum forfeit). If she is 5 days late, she receives  £4250 and if she is 12 days late she receives  £2120. Calculate the daily forfeit and determine the original contract value. Use both algebraic and matrix methods to solve this. e) Excel Electrical specializes in the batch production of electrical switchgear used in building services installations. The company has been asked to tender for equipment to be fitted in several hundred new stores planned by Setco Supermarkets. Data is available from ten previous production runs of components. c) Outline and apply an alternative means of assessing whether or not a linear relationship exists between the variables and determining the equation linking the two variables. Present and explain your conclusions. . (Singh & Baker, 2007, p.

Investment Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment Strategy - Research Paper Example An investment strategy for an inherited amount of  £ 100,000 suggested by a financial advisor seeks a balanced portfolio of investments consisting of building and bank deposits, individual saving accounts (ISAs), unit and/ or investment trusts, gilts, ordinary shares, and premium bonds. This write up contains a discussion on various strategic issues in order to facilitate the decision of financial advisor about the constituents of the investment portfolio. 1. Information required by financial advisor from investor to plan investment portfolio A financial advisor would seek following information from the investor before proceeding to extend his professional guidance for an investment portfolio of  £ 100000: Long Term goals and objectives The long term objectives of an investor differ from person to person. Objective may constitute arrangement of income after retirement, purchasing of a house property, or any other goal. These days investors seek some sort of financial independence. That implies that investors require certain amount of income from investment portfolio in order to maintain a particular standard or status of life without caring about the future. It is very important for investor to quantify these objectives and convey those in clear terms to the financial consultant.

The Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale For Barack Obama Article

The Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale For Barack Obama - Article Example Therein lies the crux of Dimmesdale’s battle within his soul, but it is telling that he conducts his penance privately rather than having the strength of character to admit his failings. Despite the repeated flagellation and the carving of the A upon his own flesh, Dimmesdale remains not just a hypocrite, but unfulfilled. Who is better suited to recognize the hypocrisy of others than one who is himself a masterful hypocrite? Hawthorne writes that â€Å"More than once, Mr. Dimmesdale had gone to the pulpit, with a purpose never to come down its steps until he should have spoken† the truth before his parishioners (173). The key personality traits of Rev. Dimmesdale is his recognition of hypocrisy and his inability to confront it openly. It must be therefore be suggested that Rev. Dimmesdale would be quick to recognize the hypocrisy that was a hallmark of the McCain/Palin campaign. Of course, all politicians carry the taint of hypocrisy, but what leads to the idea that Dimmesdale would be more offended by the obvious hypocrisy of John McCain and Sarah Palin than by any hypocrisy on Barack Obama’s side. Rev. Dimmesdale is, after all, the man who questions â€Å"Why should a wretched man, guilty, we will say, of murder, prefer to keep the dead corpse buried in his own heart, rather than fling it forth at once, and let the universe take care of it?† (130.) It is surely no great leap to believe that Rev. Dimmesdale would ask why John McCain would boldly declare himself day after day a person renowned for reaching across the aisle and finding common ground while his running mate assailed Barack Obama for being friends with terrorists.

Budgets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Budgets - Assignment Example Operational review enables the company to compare its current data with the past. By looking at the past trend and history of the company the company will establish its position in comparison with the past. Financial ratio technique enable the company to take current financial statement apply mathematical formulas to it and then coming up with a metric. Once financial ratios are applied in other companies then it becomes possible to compare one company to another. Financial ratio technique is the best because it enables a small company to compare itself with a bigger company (Platen & Heath, 2009). Financial ratio also makes it possible for companies that are equal in both size and capacity to compare their performance. Operational review will not be giving a company its true positions in the market because the company will not compare itself with others. 2 If the workload required to keep business fully in operation is not estimated correctly, this will drastically reduce the value of operating budget because before making any budget proposal one is first required to estimating the workload required to accomplish its activities so as to determine the budget allocation (Platen & Heath, 2009). ... the task of allocating funds to the operation of various departments or sections within the company organization, and thus making sure each area has what it needs to manage its assigned tasks efficiently Rigidity reduce the value of operating budget, operating budget ought to be adjusted from time to time because more often there are surprises within organizations. Changes should be allowed to be made to the budget because frequently there are shifts in the amount of revenues generated. At some point in the middle of the business there could be adjustments in regard to projected changes in consumer demand. 3 Time: How long will it take to implement a project right from its initial stage until its completion? This includes the time taken by staffs. It is the number of hours and days that a project or program take before its impact is recognized. A project that takes the shortest time to be completed is given a score of 5. The faster the project is the lesser the resources that will be used (Hope & Fraser, 2003). Every initiator or overseer of a project should ensure that he takes time seriously because time is of essence. If the project was intended for specific population within a specific time delay will render that project useless because it will no longer serve its intended purpose. Impact: The changes in a situation that results from the combined effects of project activities, or the extent to which the goal are achieved. Impact also refers to any unintended positive or negative changes that arise from a project completion. If project have a great impact it means that it is successful. A project with greatest impact is given a score of 5. For a project to be rated successful its impact must be felt across the board (Hope & Fraser, 2003). In the course of executing

Selling for entrepreneurs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Selling for entrepreneurs - Essay Example Personal selling is the personal presentation of products and services by the firm’s sales force for the purpose of making sales and building customer relationships (Kotler & Armstrong, 2004). Thus, personal selling is a tool used in the marketing communications mix and is regarded as the most effective at certain stages of buying process, particularly in building up buyer’s preferences, convictions as well as actions. This strategy is seen as most effective given that it involves personal interaction between two or more people so each person is better positioned to observe the other person’s needs. The effective salesperson needs to keep the interests of the customers at heart in order to build a long term relationship. As such, this sales report seeks to analyse the significance of personal selling in the operations of Forty Travel and Tourism Agency (FTTA). It also seeks to suggest a sales strategy proposal for the growth of business by about 30 per cent. The sales report is divided into different categories which include the following: the organisation’s short history, analysis of the organisation’s key players, overview of resources (people, premises, equipment, financial strength, intangibles, description of the products/services offered as well analysing the market structure. The last part of the report will outline a sales brief for the organisation and the strategies that can be implemented in order for it to gain a competitive advantage. History of the company Forty Travel and Tourism Agency (FTTA) was established on 18 February 2001 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Intekhab Jamal. The company has two offices at present and it specifically deals with offering services related to travelling and tourism. This can be categorised as a small to medium enterprise (SME) by virtue of its size compared to the other actors in the same industry. Like any other SME of this nature, FTTA operates on a small scale and it particularly targets individual travellers in its operations and much of the business is conducted through personal interaction with the customers though the company also uses other tools such as the internet and phones. Intekhab who is The President and the founder of FTTA is the major player in the company though he often consults with the branch managers. He established this business with the main aim of satisfying the private and individual segments of customers in the travel and tourism industry that were not fully covered by the large commercial organisations. Intekhab is a very creative and energetic person and he possesses great communication skills. The founder of this organisation has a strong background in marketing and the core business of the company is to market travel and tourism services such as flight and hotel bookings. FTTA is comprised of 19 employees and the Head office is located in the city of Fujaira. It also has another office at the Airport of Fujaira and t his office works as a Call Centre which is operational for 24 hours. The organisation has 17 computers, five printers, three copiers, three fax machines and six landline telephones. However, like any other organisation, FTTA was not spared from the negative impacts of the global financial crisis that gripped the whole world about two years ago. On a positive note, the company’s net profits began to increase gradually from the beginning of 2010. The company has a strong brand image that has been developed over time through networking and communication skills possessed by the employees. The organisation is primarily concerned with quality processes and procedures in a bid to create good reputation since this is seen as the major source of gaining a competitive advantage in this particular industry. FTTA is a travel company which is mainly concerned with offering intangible services such transport and hotel bookings to different people who will be travelling for business, leisur e or study. The company offers services that include boat cruises, hotel bookings, car rentals, travel

Health Care in Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Care in Australia - Essay Example Short). Be that as it may, anomalies exist in the health care system in Australia. The health care spread is uneven in Australia due to disparities in social and economic levels. The health scenario in the rural areas and place where indigenous populations live is not what it is in the urban areas. There are several reasons for this. The four key challenges to Australia's health systems are affordability of services, expansion of the health workforce to meet the needs of older population, treatment of chronic disease in the community instead of in hospitals, and the integration of complex services in care delivery (Health And The 2007 Federal Elections). The cost of health care is quite high in Australia. There have been attempts to integrate medical care with economy. Most researchers agree that social and economic conditions such as levels of education, types of work, and rates of unemployment, affect population health. A report produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that more than 23,000 lives could have been saved in 1998-2000 if the poorest 80 percent of the population had access to the same living conditions and quality of care as the wealthiest 20 percent. In the same period, that is, 1998-2000, the richest males and females lived 3.9 years and 2 years longer respectively than the poorest. The gulf between the rich and the poor is widening. Data from 1985-87 and 1998-2000 reveal that mortality inequality between the rich and the poor increased for all causes and almost doubled for cancers and cardiovascular disease (Karen Holland). Australia's health economy is expanding. However, despite this expansion the health care system is unable to deliver appropriate and timely care to Australians. There is continuing concern about waiting lists for surgical procedures and specialists consultations in public hospitals, long waiting times in the private sector for particular specialties and increasing disparities between the delivery of care in major centers and in the rural sector. The problem lies in the multiplicity of organizations that administer and fund the health sector, outdated industrial practices, and lack of willingness on the part of any of these groups to reorganize in order to provide more efficient services. A recent World Health Organization report estimated that there would be a global shortage of over four million doctors, nurses, midwives and other health workers over the next decade. This shortage is felt in health force in Australia too. The health workforce currently makes up just over 11% of the total workforce in Australia. The number should increase to around 20% (Peter Brooks and Niki Ellis). Aging population in Australia today poses significant problems to the healthcare system. The challenge is to move to an appropriate health care system for the 65 plus population with chronic disease. The Australian health system is struggling to care for this section of the population in an appropriate, cost-effective and timely manner (From Episodic Treatment To Chronic

The traditional role for soldiers in Elizabethan times Essay Example for Free

The traditional role for soldiers in Elizabethan times Essay The traditional role for soldiers in Elizabethan times was as a hero, very brave and fighting for the country. Black characters were normally seen as slaves and not important people. I agree with the title that Shakespeare has inverted these roles in Othello. I am going to study the two characters Iago and Othello. Iago plays a soldier who hates Othello and causes a lot of trouble. Othello is a black General who thinks that Iago is his loyal friend. In Iago Shakespeare has turned the idea of soldiers being brave, heroic and fighting for ones country to a villain who only looking out himself and has no sense of loyalty. Othello is different to traditional Black roles because he is seen as a powerful soldier who is sophisticated and respected instead of savage and low in society. Iagos philosophy is contrary to how soldiers are expected to behave. He is not following Othello out of loyalty In following him, I follow but myself. This shows he is only following Othello for personal gain, whereas soldiers are expected to fight for country and leaders. This would have intrigued the audience and given them something new that they werent used to. Unlike the traditional image of black characters in Elizabethan plays Othello is portrayed as sophisticated and important. When he is accused of witchcraft and corrupting Desdemona by Brabantio he stays calm and controlled handling the situation in a civilized manner, convincing Brabantio that maybe it is not a bad marriage after all. When Othello is talking to Brabantio he recounts the times he has told him tales from his life of being taken by the insolent foe and sold to slavery; of my redemption thence and portance in my travellers history this shows us that he has been through a lot so is worldly and experienced. His redemption shows us he is not a pagan as Brabantio described him. This would fascinate the audience who normally saw black characters in a very different light, and would shock them to see a black person in such a place of power. The impression we get of Iago as he persuades Othello is that he is very manipulative and cunning. He thought out his plan, scheming, almost like he playing a game of chess as each part of his plan falls into place. Iago knows that Othello is a bit insecure in his position so he uses flattery to get his trust. My Lord you know I love you. This makes Othello feel more secure. The way that Iago uses the things he knows about people shows us he is the one in control making things happen, as if he is the puppet master and all the other characters are just his puppets. Iago twists the story of how Desdemona and Othello she did deceive her father marrying you to make Desdemona look bad and untrustworthy. The audience like Iago because he is the one in control who makes everything happen. Without him the play would seem duller. He charms us with his cleverness and the way he speaks to the audience also makes them feel more like his friend. Soldiers were meant to be seen as people who follow the order of command instead of being the ones in control; Iago is the opposite of this. As Iago persuades Othello our opinion of him disintegrates and he starts to fit the traditionally weak character black people were given. His language becomes fragmented and disjointed No, not much moved: I do not think but Desdemonas honest. Not keeping the control he seemed to have at the beginning of the play. We can see that Iago has significantly influenced Othello as Othello takes on Iagos animalistic language I had rather be a toad and misogynistic terms impudent strumpet. Not only has he lost his controlled measured tone he also get to the point where he losses physical control and goes into a trance or fit. Othello takes on the villainous aspect of the traditional black role by the way he treats Desdemona Desdemona My Lord Othello I am glad to see you mad Desdemona why sweet Othello? Othello Divel. This shows us his darker side, as he is unforgiving and harsh even when she is crying. At the end of the play when Othello realises that Iago has tricked him he does regain some of the nobility he had in the beginning of the play. His speech returns to the eloquent and structured way he talked before although he still uses the animalistic tones he picked up from Iago as he describes himself as a circumcised dog. He is still insecure about how people see him so he explains of one who loved not too wisely but too well romanticising the fact that he has killed his wife which makes the audience feel sorry for him. He feels remorse and kills himself which makes it seem like a more valiant death instead acting like the savage villains black roles were normally given. Iago is the only one left at the end of the play alive that knows the whole story and what went on. He retains control by swearing not to speak leaving the other characters not knowing exactly what went on giving us an enigmatic ending. This shows us how very strong willed he is, as he has not changed but instead suspends our impression of him. I agree that Shakespeare inverts the traditional roles given to soldiers and black characters but I dont think that it is as straightforward as that. At the beginning of the play Othello is not very much like traditional black characters but as the play progresses we see him start to fit into that role more although he does redeem himself somewhat in the end. Iago shows no redeeming qualities that a soldier should have and is only working for his best interests right up until the end of the play. When Shakespeare wrote the play what was he trying to say? What he shows in this play is that on the outside a black character who is the leader of a white soldier, but looking deeper, we see that it is still the white person in control using Othello, exploiting him and eventually making him lose his life. Even when the black person is given power the white person is the one in control and it all ends tragically. Maybe in a society in which black people were not given many opportunities he was trying to justify this fact. Or maybe Shakespeare was just being a playwright trying to pull in large audiences by writing about sex, violence, exotic black characters and unconventional soldiers.

Example Medicolegal Report

Example Medicolegal Report MEDICOLEGAL REPORT Prepared for the Court Claimant:Mrs A Address:Unspecified Date of Birth:1958 Occupation:Housewife Date of Accident:15 February 2005 Examining Doctor:Dr D Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Statement of Instruction This report is prepared on behalf of the defendant, Dr D in connection with the complications following treatment of Endometriosis on Mrs A started from 23 April 2003. Case Summary Mrs A has suffered complications from foecal peritonitis and pulmonary embolism following the procedures of total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for the treatment of endometriosis. Case Details Mrs A was referred by her GP and attended the clinic on 23rd April 2003. Mrs A was complaining of constant, severe abdominal pain, per vaginal bleeding with irregular cycles for 2 months with a background history of tubal ligation in 1999. Dr D was unsure of the diagnosis as to whether it was due to endometriosis, polycystic ovarian disease, or tubal infection associated with the previous tubal ligation. Therefore Mrs A was admitted, prescribed with painkiller (Pethidine), and booked for laparoscopy the next day. The result of laparoscopy confirmed active endometriosis with 2 small fibroids and medical treatment of GnRH analogue (Zoladex) was discussed with Mrs A and agreed. Mrs A treatment was then to be reviewed in November 2003. On 5th November 2003, Mrs A attended the clinic and her medication was changed from GnRH analogue to Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera). On review in 4th February 2004, Mrs A was not happy with Provera and the prescription was reverted back to Zoladex. On review in 14th July 2004, side effects due to prolonged use of Zoladex were explained and she agreed to start on combined oral contraceptive pills (COCP). On 24th Novemeber 2014, Mrs A came in complaining of severe pain not resolved with COCP and painkiller. Surgical treatment was discussed and she was booked for operation for the removal of uterus, cervix, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries called â€Å"Total Abdominal Hysterectomy and Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy (TAH/BSO)† in February 2005 and for the meanwhile she was also prescribed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Mefenamic acid (Ponstan) and an opioid analgesics tramadol (Zydol) to relieve the pain. On 15th February 2005, Mrs A was admitted to the hospital for TAH/BSO. On 16th February 2005, Mrs A complained of pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, and sweating. On examination she was tachycardic, and on auscultation, there were coarse crackles on the right base of the lung and fine crackles on the left base. She was commenced on antibiiotics without delay – ciprofloxacin and gentamycin together with an anticoagulant low molecular weight heparin – Innohep post-surgery. On 17th February 2005, CT pulmonary angiogram confirmed pulmonary embolism on the right side with possibility on the left side. She was commenced on warfarin and Innohep was continued until INR stabilized. On 18th February 2005, Mrs A complained of non-pleuritic chest pain, numbness going down on the left arm and up into the neck, and tenderness over the left axilla. Cultures showed positive Gram negative coccobacili. Antibiotics treatment was continued and respiratory consult was obtained. On 21st February 2005, cultures showed anaerobic organism that usually comes from the gut – Prevotella loescheii. The antibiotic course was changed to include metronidazole. On 23rd February 2005, radiology report confirmed the diagnosis of foecal peritonitis. Stomatherapy was discussed and anaesthetic consult was obtained. This was day 9 post-TAH/BSO and Hartmann procedure was done to treat the peritonitis. On 24th February 2005, antibiotic treatment of cephalosporin (Cephradine), metronidazole, and gentamycin were continued. The Results of Investigation Mrs A was diagnosed endometriosis through laparoscopy and 2 small fibroids were also found. It was confirmed from the histopathology report. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed through radiological findings on CTPA and increased in D-dimer while sepsis was identified from the blood culture. Peritonitis was suspected from the finding of anaerobes on culture and clinical signs and symptoms together with CT scan of the abdomen formed the diagnosis of foecal peritonitis. The Nature of Treatments Received by the Claimant Endometriosis When Mrs A first diagnosed with endometriosis, she was treated by medical treatments – GnRH analogue for 6 months, then changed to Medroxyprogesterone for the next 4 months, back to GnRH analogue for another 6 months afterwards, and changed to Combined OCP. Mrs A condition was getting worse and surgical option of TAH/BSO was decided. Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and Sepsis Mrs A was prescribed with antibiotics and anticoagulant when lower respiratory tract infection or PE was suspected. When PE was confirmed, she was already on anticoagulant (Innohep). Warfarin was prescribed after the diagnosis made and antibiotics were continued due to suspected pneumonia or sepsis. The next day, blood culture result was out and confirmed positive. Peritonitis Mrs A was suspected of having sepsis and once culture showed the presence of anaerobes from the gut (Prevatella loescheii), metronidazole was prescribed to cover the anaerobic bacteria. When bowel perforation and foecal peritonitis were confirmed, surgery was carried out to clean up the abdominal cavity. Antibiotics, painkiller, and anticoagulant were continued post-surgery. Opinion on the Patient Management It was a regretful incident that Mrs A suffered complication from peritonitis secondary to bowel perforation, either secondary to adverse event where the operating surgeon unintentionally cut the bowel or due to advanced endometriosis. My review of the managements of this patient from her initial presentation of endometriosis are they are evidence-based, performed in a timely manner, and displayed the knowledge and action of an experienced clinician, and that the complications aroused were less likely due to poor management of the patient. In 1999, Mrs A underwent a laparoscopic tubal ligation and during the operation, there was suspected retrograde menstruation found which may possibly suggest endometriosis. It was in 2003 that the patient was actually diagnosed with endometriosis. However, this could be common where there was delay between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of the disease. There is no difference in the delay in diagnosis between mild to moderate and severe endometriosis. In a comparison study conducted in UK and US, the average delay before the diagnosis of endometriosis was 7.5 years and this will likely decreases the women’s capability to cope with the symptoms in which they would present to the formal healthcare [Ruth Hadfield, 1996]. The clinical evaluation of Mrs A was done in a sufficient and timely manner as the diagnosis of endometriosis was suspected in the first presentation since this will usually require high index suspicion due to the wide variety of symptoms and unpredictable course of disease (Lobo, 2007). Video-assisted laparoscopy was also carried out in the second day of admission showing that the clinician involved has a very high suspicion index of endometriosis from the beginning, as laparoscopy is the gold standard to reach a definitive diagnosis of endometriosis. [Bagan et al, 2003] The approach of the management of endometriosis was done properly and the choice of medical treatment as opposed to surgical treatment is wise. Unlike surgery for cancer, Adamson GD (1997) and Sutton et al (1997) said that in the case of endometriosis, surgery is relatively more effective for severe endometriosis rather than in mild cases such as in those with chronic pelvic pain and infertility and because of that, medical treatment is much preferable in the first presentation of endometriosis apart from it being non-invasive. A Canadian study of more than 53 000 admissions showed that 25% patients who had surgical treatment would need another surgery within 4 years and 10% would require hysterectomy and therefore, continual medical management is much preferred over serial surgeries [Weir et al, 2005]. Alifano (2003) mentioned that the prescription of GnRH analogue is recommended as it may have both diagnostic and therapeutic values. The prescription of not more than 6 months in this case was also supported by clinical literatures and Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecology (RCOG) guideline as the treatment may result in loss of 6% bone mineral density in the first 6 months [RCOG, 2006]. Extended treatment may result in further loss of bone minerals. Falcone (2011) recommended the commencement of combined oral contraceptive pills (COCP) following the cessation of GnRH analogue and therefore, the choice of COCP after GnRH analogue in this case was also supported by clinical evidence. Shakiba et al (2008) also described the usage of COCP as cost-effective, well tolerated, and clinically effective as danazol and GnRH analogue. The medical treatment is initially acceptable for this patient as earlier laparoscopy in June 2003 showed adhesions between the omentum and uterus with multiple spots of endometriosis and thick, stale, reddish green blood while the later microscopy findings in February 2005 showed well bordered white lesion and occasional white coloured spots that may be suggestive of healed or inactive lesions which should reduce the likelihood of invasive treatment. Brosens (1994) believed that the early and very active lesion would be in red, active and advanced lesion in black, and inactive or healed lesion in white, even though this might be varied from case to case. It is worth to note that there is currently no cure for endometriosis as current treatments aim at symptoms relief such as pain and infertility and organ damage prevention in severe cases. There is no randomized clinical trial comparing medical with surgical treatments; therefore the change of medical to surgical treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages [Sally et al, 2013]. From the record, there was a gap between the patient presentation of severe pain not improving with painkiller and COCP to the last clinic before surgery in November 2004 and the booked surgery in February 2005. This may be justified by non-invasive over invasive management; for example managing the pain by prescribing stronger painkiller such as in this case, tramadol. Since there is no relationship between the severity of pain with the severity of endometriosis, short delay in deciding on hysterectomy or watchful waiting may be an advantage for the patient and the clinician as well to see if there woul d be any improvement. Apart from that, there was no guarantee that surgery may treat the endometriosis. The decision of TAH/BSO was also recommended in this case as the preservation of one or both ovaries in some women may have left the problems with endometriosis behind. Whether the hysterectomy being subtotal or total, it would definitely improve the quality of life of this patient and thus should be considerable decision by the clinician. [Thakar et al, 2004] Even though all precautions and preventive measures have been made, while incidence of internal organ injury is rare, however it does happen especially when the risk is higher in the patient with history of pelvic infection, endometriosis, and adhesive diseases [John, 1997]. However, considerations that need to be taken into account is whether the complications aroused were due to an adverse event such as bowel perforation from the surgery, expected complication arising from the condition such as secondary to adhesions from endometriosis, or the combination of both. The risk of bowel perforation in this open abdominal surgery is much lowered compared to scope-assisted hysterectomy. Bowel injuries happen in about 0.2-1% of cases and primarily due to adhesions involving bowel or cutting within the pouch of Douglas – the space between rectum and uterus. Therefore, it was difficult to expect that this case was to be an addition to the 0.2-1% risk in the study. (Gary et al, 2004) Infection is a common complication following abdominal hysterectomy carrying the risk of 6-25%. Above all, about 33% of patients develop infection after the operation regardless of careful precautions taken [Rice et al, 2006]. Other than infection, severe complications that may occur involve lung collapse, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and clotting in the blood vessel (ie pulmonary embolism- clot blockage in the lung) with 4% risk. Greer (1997) mentioned that the risk of developing pulmonary embolism in patient following major general or gynaecologic surgery without clot prevention treatment (thromboprophylaxis) is very low at 0.2-0.9% while in another study, the risk of pulmonary embolism for patient receiving clot prevention treatment of anticoagulants is 0.2%. Therefore, this is a rare severe complication of abdominal hysterectomy that less expected to happen. Despite psychological effects following hysterectomy and prolonged hospitalisation, patient has benefit from the improvement in the quality of life in longer term. And even though multiple complications resulted from the procedure, most women are quite satisfied with the results of the surgery and with the significant symptom relief they experience [Kjerulff et al, 2000]. Conclusion Complications after surgery despite their rareness does happen and this was unexpected incident befall upon Mrs A. However, I believed Dr D, within his capabilities, has managed Mrs A with acceptable, sufficient, and evidence-based methods from the initial treatment until the last resort of hysterectomy to prevent any complications from happening. Duty of an Expert I understand my duty is to the Court; to help the Court on matters within my expertise, and I have complied with that. I understand that this duty over-rides any obligations to those by whom I have been instructed. I believe that the facts I have stated in the report are true and within my own knowledge and that the opinions I have expressed represent my professional opinion. BIBLIOGRAPHY Brosens I. Is mild endometriosis a progressive disease? Human Reproduction 1994; 9: 2209–2211. Adamson GD. Treatment of endometriosis-associated infertility. Seminars in Reproductive Endocrinology 1997; 15: 263–271. Sutton CJG, Pooley AS Ewen SP. Follow-up report on a randomized, controlled trial of laser laparoscopy in the treatment of pelvic pain associated with minimal, mild and moderate endometriosis. Fertility and Sterility 1997; 68: 170–174. AstraZeneca. Zoladex 3.6mg Implant. Summary of Product characteristics. 2012. Brown J, Pan A, Hart RJ. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues for pain associated with endometriosis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 12. Art. No.: CD008475. Falcone T. Lebovic DI. Clinical management of endometriosis. Obstetrics Gynecology. 118(3):691-705, 2011 Sep. RCOG. The investigation and management of endometriosis. Green-top guideline 24. 2006 Lobo R. Endometriosis: Etiology, Pathology, Diagnosis and Management. 5th ed. Katz VL, editor. Comprehensive Gynecology. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:473–499. Alifano M, Roth T, Broet SC, Schussler O, Magdeleinat P, Regnard JF. Catamenial pneumothorax: a prospective study. Chest. 2003;124:1004–1008. Bagan P, Le Pimpec Barthes F, Assouad J, Souilamas R, Riquet M. Catamenial pneumothorax: retrospective study of surgical treatment. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003;75:378–81; discusssion 81. Weir E, Mustard C, Cohen M, Kung R. Endometriosis: What is the risk of hospital admission, readmission, and major surgical intervention? J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2005;12:486–93. Shakiba K, Bena JF, McGill KM, Minger J, Falcone T. Surgical treatment of endometriosis: a 7-year follow up on the requirement for further surgery. Obstet Gynecol 2008;111: 1285–92. John D Thompson. Operative Injuries to the Ureter: Prevention, Recognition, and Management. In: John A Rock and John D Thompson. Te Lindes Operative Gynecology. Eighth. Philadelphia New York: Lippincott-Raven; 1997:Chapter 40 Pages 1135-1173. Thakar R, Ayers S, Georgakapolou A, Clarkson P, Stanton S, Manyonda I. Hysterectomy improves quality of life and decreases psychiatric symptoms: a prospective and randomised comparison of total versus subtotal hysterectomy. BJOG. Oct 2004;111(10):1115-20. Eskenazi B, Warner ML. Epidemiology of endometriosis. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. Jun 1997;24(2):235-258. Wykes CB, Clark TJ, Khan KS. Accuracy of laparoscopy in the diagnosis of endometriosis: a systematic quantitative review. BJOG. Nov 2004;111(11):1204-1212. Ruth H, Helen M, David B, Stephen K. Delay in diagnosis of endometriosis: a survey of women from the USA and the UK. Human Reproduction; 1996: vol.11 no.4 pages 878-880. Kjerulff KH, Langenberg PW, Rhodes JC, et al. Effectiveness of hysterectomy. Obstet Gynecol. 2000;95:319-326. Rice CN, Howard CH. Complications of hysterectomy. US Pharm. 2006; 31(9):HS-16-HS-24. Greer IA. Epidemiology, risk factors and prophylaxis of venous thrombo-embolism in obstetrics and gynaecology. Baillieres Clin Obstet Gynaecol 1997; 11:403. Garry R, Fountain J, Mason S, et al. The eVALuate study: two parallel randomised trials, one comparing laparoscopic with abdominal hysterectomy, the other comparing laparoscopic with vaginal hysterectomy. BMJ 2004; 328:129. Mà ¤kinen J, Johansson J, Tomà ¡s C, et al. Morbidity of 10 110 hysterectomies by type of approach. Hum Reprod 2001; 16:1473.

Study And Overview Of The Scientific Calculator Computer Science Essay

Study And Overview Of The Scientific Calculator Computer Science Essay The first scientific calculator that included all of the basic features above was the programmable Hewlett-Packed HP-9100A released in 1968, though the Wang LOCI-2 and the Mechatronics Mathatron had some features later identified with scientific calculator designs. The HP-9100 series was built entirely from discrete transistor logic with no integrated circuits, and was one of the first uses of the CORDIC algorithm for trigonometric computation in a personal computing device, as well as the first calculator based on reverse Polish notation entry. HP became closely identified with RPN calculators from then on, and even today some of their high-end calculators (particularly the long-lived HP-12C financial calculator and the HP-48 series of graphing calculators) still offer RPN as their default input mode due to having garnered a very large following. The HP-35 introduced on February 1, 1972, was Hewlett-Packards first pocket calculator and the worlds first handheld scientific calculator. Like some of HPs desktop calculators it used reverse Polish notation Introduced at US$395, the HP-35 was available from 1972 to 1975. HP continues to develop and market high-end scientific calculators, like the HP-35s and HP-49 series, which have been favored by scientists and engineers, in labs, offices, as well as in the field. INTRODUCTION The calculator was written by Rolf Hawarth in early 1996. A scientific calculator is a type of electronic calculator, usually but not always handheld, designed to calculate problems in science (especially physics), engineering, and mathematics. They have almost completely replaced slide rules in almost all traditional applications, and are widely used in both education and professional settings. A fully featured scientific calculator with proper operator precedence is implemented, including trig functions and logarithms, factorials, 12 levels of parentheses, logs to base 2 (a handy function for information entropists!), bitwise logical operator, hex, octal, binary and ASCII display. The calculator is written in Java Script and you are welcome to view the JavaScript source (visible within the HTML page) for personal educational purposes as long as you recognize that it is copyrighted and not in the public domain. This calculator is now available as part of Humming birds Enterprise Information Portal. All enquiries regarding licensing the calculator should be directed to Hummingbird Ltd. Basic Functions Modern scientific calculators generally have many more features than a standard four or five-function calculator, and the feature set differs between manufacturers and models; however, the defining features of a scientific calculator include: Scientific notation Floating point arithmetic logarithmic functions, using both base 10 and base e trigonometric functions (some including hyperbolic trigonometry exponential functions and roots beyond the square root quick access to constants such as pi and e In addition, high-end scientific calculators will include: hexadecimal ,binary, and octal calculations, including basic Boolean math complex numbers fractions statistics and probability calculations equation solving calculus conversion of units physical constants While most scientific models have traditionally used a single-line display similar to traditional pocket calculators, many of them have at the very least many digits (10 to 12), sometimes with extra digits for the floating point exponent. A few have multi-line displays, with some recent models from Hewlett-Packed, Texas Instruments, Casio, Sharp, and Canon using dot matrix displays similar to those found on graphical calculators. Addition The addition (sum function) is used by clicking on the + button or using the keyboard. The function results in a+b. Subtraction The subtraction (minus function) is used by clicking on the - button or using the keyboard. The function results in a-b. Multiplication The multiplication (times function) is used by clicking on the x button or using the keyboard * key. The function results in a*b. Division The division (divide function) is used by clicking on the / button or using the keyboard / key. The function results in a/b. Sign The sign key (negative key) is used by clicking on the (-) button. The function results in -1*x. Square The square function is used by clicking on the x^2 button or type ^2. The function results in x*x. Square Root The square root function is used by clicking on the x button or type sqrt(). This function represents x^.5 where the result squared is equal to x. Raise to the Power The raise to the power (y raised to the x function) is used by clicking on the y^x button or type ^. Natural Exponential The natural exponential (e raised to the x) is used by clicking on the e^x button or type exp(). The result is e (2.71828) raised to x. Logarithm The logarithm (LOG) is used by clicking on the LOG button or type LOG(). Natural Logarithm The Natural logarithm (LN) is used by clicking on the LN button or type LN(). Inverse Multiplicative inverse (reciprocal function) is used by pressing the 1/x button or typing inv(). This function is the same as x^-1 or dividing 1 by the number. Exponent Numbers with exponents of 10 are displayed with an e, for example 4.5e+100 or 4.5e-100. This function represents 10^x. Numbers are automatically displayed in the format when the number is too large or too small for the display. To enter a number in this format use the exponent key EEX. To do this enter the mantissa (the non exponent part) then press EEX or type e and then enter the exponent. Factorial The Factorial function is used by clicking the ! button or type !. PI PI is a mathematical constant of the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameter. Permutation The permutation function is used by clicking the nPr button. Combination The combination function is used by clicking the nCr button. Cube The cube function is used by clicking the x3 .The function results in x*x*x. Cube root The cube root function is used by clicking 3|x . Trig function Various trig functions are involved as:- Sine, cosine, tangent etc. Inverse trig functions Various inverse trig functions are also involved as:- sin`x,cos`x,tan`x etc. PROPOSED SYSTEM The following documentation is a project the Name of the term paper allotted. It is a detailed summary of all the drawbacks of the old system and how the new proposed system overcomes these shortcomings. The new system takes into account the various factors while designing a new system. It keeps into the account the Economical bandwidth available for the new system. The foremost thing that is taken care of is the Need and Requirements of the User. DESCRIPTION Before developing software we keep following things in mind that we can develop powerful and quality software PROBLEM STATEMENT Problem statement was to design a module: Which is user friendly Which will restrict the user from accessing other users data? Which will help user in viewing his data and privileges? Which will help the administrator to handle all the changes? FUNCTIONS TO BE PROVIDED: The system will be user friendly and completely menu driven so that the users shall have no problem in using all options. The system will be efficient and fast in response. The system will be customized according to needs. View Add Delete Modify SYSTEM REQUIRMENTS Operating system: MS Windows XP or Windows Vista Language: C Language Processor: Pentium IV Processor RAM: 512 MB Hard disk: 5 GB Flowchart Welcome to main menu of Scientific Calculator Enter Your Choice? On calculator Do your any task Do you want to continue? START Trignometery(sin,cos) Inverse (1/x) STOP Switch off calculator Yes No Uses Scientific calculators are used widely in any situation where quick access to certain mathematical functions is needed, especially those such as trigonometric functions that were once traditionally looked up in tables; they are also used in situations requiring back-of-the-envelope calculations of very large numbers, as in some aspects of astronomy, physics, and chemistry. They are very often required for math classes from the junior high school level through college, and are generally either permitted or required on many standardized tests covering math and science subjects; as a result, many are sold into educational markets to cover this demand, and some high-end models include features making it easier to translate the problem on a textbook page into calculator input, from allowing explicit operator precedence using parentheses to providing a method for the user to enter an entire problem in as it is written on the page using simple formatting tools. APPLICATIONS In most countries, students use calculators for schoolwork. There was some initial resistance to the idea out of fear that basic arithmetic skills would suffer. There remains disagreement about the importance of the ability to perform calculations in the head, with some curricula restricting calculator use until a certain level of proficiency has been obtained, while others concentrate more on teaching estimation techniques and problem-solving. Research suggests that inadequate guidance in the use of calculating tools can restrict the kind of mathematical thinking that students engage in. Others have argued that calculator use can even cause core mathematical skills to atrophy, or that such use can prevent understanding of advanced algebraic concepts. There are other concerns for example, that a people could use the calculator in the wrong fashion but believe the answer because that was the result given. Teachers try to combat this by encouraging the student to make an estimate of the result manually and ensuring it roughly agrees with the calculated result. Also, it is possible for a child to type in à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1  ÃƒÆ'-  Ãƒ ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 and obtains the correct answer 1 without realizing the principle involved. In this sense, the calculator becomes a crutch rather than a learning tool, and it can slow down students in exam conditions as they check even the most trivial result on a calculator. FUTURE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT Our project will be able to implement in future after making some changes and modifications as we make our project at a very low level. So the modifications that can be done in our project are: To make it screen touch so no need to touch key buttons and one more change which can we made is to add snaps of the person who use it.

adventures :: essays research papers

B orn in a liberate and democratic atmosphere, I as well as people around me take freedom for granted. In our eyes, freedom is innate, coming hand in hand with the very first cry. The seeming God ¡Ã‚ ¯s truth obviates the endeavor to obtain it, thus incarnating the equality of all inscribed in the Holy Scripture, which even in some part of the world today is still Arabian nights, let alone in turbulent climate then. The period during which the author Mark Twain lived could be called tumult itself when the legal rights for Afro-Americans had not yet been granted and the antagonism to slavery was in the prime. The uprising of John Brown brought the anti-slavery campaign to its zenith, promulgating the idea to numerous blacks who were enlightened only at this time. Their resistance to the planters, namely the interior force, together with exterior one from peace-loving people contrives to emancipate tens of thousands of slaves from the claws of racial discrimination. Living in a social background as such, Mark Twain, the advocate for democracy for all, embodies his noble thoughts in the novel. Jim, the maroon, escapes from the plantation and seeks his way to Cairo where a newly impartial life can be anticipated. For him, or rather, a host of fugitive slaves like him, freedom is not like air or sunshine that is ubiquitous, but like almost a catch-22. Great efforts should be made if they are to get freedom. The road to paradise is bestrewed with brambles. Throughout his hegira, Jim wades through difficulties and setbacks now and again. The same applies to the abolition of slavery, and later the elimination of racial discrimination. There is no social progress but is at the expense of some of its components. The emancipation of black slaves undoubtedly impinged the interests of planters who reckon themselves on the cheap labor force of these slaves, so it is understandable that they bitterly oppose the Act. Apart from freedom, another central theme of the novel is friendship, which is also vital to social well-being. As the saying goes, a father is a treasure, a brother a comfort, but a friend is both. In the book, true friendship between Jim and Huck is represented on a higher level. Albeit Jim is black, Huck simply pays no attention to that. Admittedly, there were millions of anti-slavery people then, I don ¡Ã‚ ¯t bracket Huck with them.

Comparing Society Today with Ayn Rands, Anthem Essay -- Government

Imagine a world where people are only expected to live up to 45 years old. In today's society, there are countries that experience this. In the novel Anthem, by Ayn Rand; there are many factors like lifestyle, government, medicine, and education that lead to this. There are a couple of ways where the world in the novel is similar and different to today's society. A reason why life expectancy is so short in the novel is because of the "Great Rebirth", the "Great Rebirth" led to a new world that doesn't have machinery or electronics. Because of this there was a lack of medicine. Life expectancy is so short in this society because there isn't any advanced medicine. They think that by cutting them open and letting them bleed the infections would go away. In fact, this would cause someone to bleed to death. This relates to us because in the beginning we didn't know much about medicine or technology, which lead to many deaths. Now, our society has greatly improved because medicine has been greatly developed and diseases that were once thought to be incurable now have a cure. Also, educa...

Psychology of Prediction Essay

Over the decades, there has been much controversy on the effectiveness of clinical predictions which are mostly based on experts’ intuition. Researches from the past decades have proven that statistical methods are more accurate than clinical predictions and other researches examined heuristic principles used in predicting and judging outcomes during times when there is uncertainty or insufficient information. Although relying upon these heuristics simplifies judgment to a certain degree, this may lead to severe errors. Basically, there are three heuristic principles proposed by Kahneman and Tversky (1974). The first is called the availability heuristic, wherein predictions are made based on the information available. The second is anchoring, wherein predictions are based on a series of numerical estimates or â€Å"anchors†. The third one is called the representativeness heuristic, wherein predictions are made based on the subsistence of apparently similar cases. This paper studies one of these heuristic principles namely, representativeness heuristic, to show how this heuristic can lead to bias on clinical predictions and hence, show that such heuristics are, indeed, less accurate than predictions based upon statistical methods. First, the author feels compelled to give a little background on a few studies over the on-going clinical-statistical controversy. In 1996, Grove and Meehl proved that statistical method â€Å"is almost invariably equal to or superior to clinical method† (p. 293) in terms of accuracy in prediction. They analyzed secondary data coming from 136 published English researches since the 1920s which dealt with the prediction of health-related phenomena or human behaviour. These researches should also contain at least one of each prediction — that is, at least one clinical prediction or one based on human judgment and at least one mechanical or statistical prediction. As have mentioned earlier, all of the researches they included in their studied proved that statistical method is indeed almost always equal to or superior to clinical method because statistical prediction obtained from organized data are almost always free from bias. These data are observed from actual experiences and are recorded with precise instruments instead of relying on unaided memory. Moreover, statistical inferences are more objective than the human mind which can be bias at times or which can neglect certain important attributes that are necessary before even concluding on the result and thus, sometimes resulting to severe errors in predictions. Hence, predictions obtained from these statistical methods produce unbiased results in contrast with predictions made from human judgment. There are many reasons and examples that can show the superiority of statistical method over clinical method. In this paper, one type of heuristic is presented based on the observations of Kahneman and Tversky in their paper On the Psychology of Prediction (1973). Their paper is chosen due to the fact that it presents how people, specifically clinicians, judge certain events based on similar events that happened in the past. In the end, this paper shows how such a heuristic (representativeness) can lead to certain and possibly severe errors in judgment as compared to the event of using statistical method. Data analysis, discussion and conclusion are all based upon the findings of Kahneman and Tversky (1973) and Grove and Meehl (1996). In 1973, Kahneman and Tversky discussed two classes of prediction, the categorical prediction, in which predictions are presented nominally and numerical prediction, in which predictions are presented in numerically. They first examined category predictions by dividing 248 participants into three groups — 69 participants for the base-rate ¬ group, 65 participants for the similarity group and 114 participants for the prediction group. The base-rate group was asked to guess the percentage of first-year graduate students in the US who are enrolled as of the time the study was in progress in each of the nine fields of specialization namely, Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Library Science, Medicine, Physical and Life Sciences, and Social Science and Social Work. The similarity group was given a personality sketch (see Kahneman and Tversky, p. 38) and asked to rank the nine areas in terms of â€Å"how similar is Tom W. to the typical graduate student in each of the following nine fields of graduate specialization? †. The prediction group, which consists of graduate students in psychology at three major universities in the United States was also given the same personality sketch as that given to the similarity group with some additional information (see Kahneman and Tversky, p. 239) and was asked to predict Tom W’s choice of specialization. Kahneman and Tversky compared the results of these three groups by presenting a table (see Kahneman and Tversky, p. 238) and computing the product-moment correlations between the columns of the table. In so doing, they confirmed their hypothesis that most people predict certain events based on representativeness. Kahneman and Tversky explained that this happens because all the participants ignored certain important features before drawing their conclusions. In this way, they violate the normative rules of information. The participants, basically, ignored the three types of information relevant in any statistical analysis namely, prior or background information (presented to the participants using base rates of fields of graduate specialization, specific evidence concerning the individual case (presented to the participants using the personality sketch of Tom W. ) and the expected accuracy of prediction. The statistically correct method of predicting Tom W’s choice of specialization would be to compare the relative weights assigned to specific evidence and prior information with that of expected accuracy. As Kahneman and Tversky explains â€Å"when expected accuracy decreases, predictions should become more regressive, that is, closer to the expectations based on prior information† (p. 239). However, the participants in their study predicted without even considering the prior probabilities assigned to the specific evidence as described in Tom W’s personality sketch. Kahneman and Tversky (1973) also examined in their paper how numerical predictions can also lead to bias judgments or severe errors. In a study designed analogously with their study on categorical predictions, they showed that people also tend to predict by representativeness. That is, most predict an outcome using a score that is most representative of the description they were provided. Kahneman and Tversky’s showed us that whether people were given nominal or numerical data, they tend to predict outcomes by representativeness. Most may think that predicting by representativeness is more efficient than statistical methods since one should only consider similar or representative events while statistical methods require rigorous (as most think) tasks such as observing and gathering data and computing for too many measures such as mean, standard deviation and the like. However, this can become less accurate since they fail to consider some important parts in their analysis before drawing conclusions whereas statistical methods consider all of the important parts required before completely analyzing a data. Such statistical and mechanical methods reduce bias since these methods rely on precise measuring instruments than heuristic methods which rely almost entirely to memory or past knowledge which are most of the time insufficient or cannot wholly represent a certain event. Moreover, results derived from heuristic methods such as representativeness can vary depending upon the perception of different people. Results from statistical method, on the other hand, vary only because of variation between groups or within-groups. But even if data is given to five hundred different people, as long as the data is still the same, it will still yield the same result.

4p’s on Marketing

The Marketing Mix Strategies 1. Product Nokia's main product is mobile phone and it has a wide range of product portfolio including over a hundred devices. Nokia has produced the first mobile phone with the antenna inside, the first built-in camera, the first changeable faceplate or short-message chat function and so on. Nokia offers various mobile phones with varied quality, shape, size and color. Product segmentation is very significant factor in the mobile device market to reach all consumers. Nokia cell phones can be divided into three categories which is business line, the multimedia line and the connect line.The business line refers to the mobile phones that have priority functions such as connectivity (Bluetooth, WAP, internet connection), time management applications such as a calendar. The multimedia line is targeted the young users with N-series mobile phones that enable users to watch video and TV, play games, listen to music and the other features such as navigation, larg e capacity hardware. The connect line category's users consist students who do not have disposable income or do not want to pay a lot of money for a mobile phone.These devices are still stylish and equipped some technological features such as internet, camera and mp3 player. The market researches of Nokia shows that the consumers make decisions in accordance with their own preferences, the product brand and the ability of the economy when supplied with the mobile phone products with the same quality. Thus, researchers in Nokia analyze the different personalities, divide consumer groups and decide what kind of mobile should be supplied to a particular consumer community. This process is products positioning.Designing professional mobile phones with suitable size that fits the requirement of the user and high technology-enablement is what defines the Nokia brand. Consumers view a brand as an important part of a product, and branding can add value to a product. Nokia keeps being good a t molding the good brand image by injecting individuality into product design. For example, Nokia designers believe that the screen of a phone is the â€Å"eye into the soul of the product†. In marketing mobile phones specifically, each mobile phone has a product lifecycle.Nokia could extend the product’s life to 2 years. Successful products progress through four basic stages: introduction, growth, maturity and decline. This progression is known as the Product Life Cycle. The introduction stage is concept of phone, growth stage is Nokia E-Series phone, maturity stage is Nokia N-Series phones, and decline stage is Nokia 3110. 2. Price Nokia understand that most of the consumer demand for portable multifunction device, so the budget of the target consumer for specific model is considered.Nokia price the products by comparing to other products with similar function in the market. Nokia Corporation, which targets all customer segments, has a wide range of price variations from the lower price group to the higher price group depending on customer's positions and needs. In the mobile phone market, the factors affecting Nokia's device prices are the cost of products, customer demand and competition. Nokia initially sells products at a higher price to gain profit. It is to reimburse the cost of investment and cost of research and development.After a period of time, the company reduces the high price for beginning depending on their competitor prices and they make less profit. However, there is still a large profit because of increasing amount of sales. Because of Nokia is establishing as branded so it has the power to sell products at the price they want or even lower price when compete with other company. This successful price strategy enables Nokia to gain competitive advantage in the market. The major method for Nokia to pricing decision is the Brand Life Cycle Model. This model is to set different prices based on different life cycle of product.Nokia set a high price for new products, medium price for second line products and low price for third line products. Nokia pricing on the basis of sufficient market research on consumer number mature an advance technology that a product has, it will successful once the consumers love and purchase the products. For example, Nokia 88 series and Nokia 89 series, consumers who have strong purchase abilities treat the mobile phone as a symbol of status. So this kind mobile phone has a high price and long life cycle and will seldom reduce prices because they will not change their obile phone too frequently 3. Place Nokia Company, which doesn't contact directly with consumers, uses some distributing channels to reach the customers and sells their devices through the mobile service operators such as Vodafone, T-mobile; independent mobile phone retailers such as Carphone Warehouse, The Link; some electrical suppliers like a Dixon and finally the Company's web site. This selling policy carried ou t in the all countries in which Nokia has got the market provides to reach all consumers. Company has made ease of ordering Nokia handsets all over the country.There are around 1, 00,000 distributors of Nokia handsets across the country. Launch of â€Å"Nokia Concept Stores† which makes consumer feels that he or she is standing in the middle of the cellular tech-hub. Initially, the distribution strategy was focused on urban population negating growing demand in rural areas. In order to become competitive, Nokia reformulated its distribution strategy with more focus in the rural areas which were previously served by local competitors. The new efforts made in revamping distribution strategy helped boost sales and increased market share as well.Nokia choose its local business agent based on 5C principle. Nokia will decide whom to choose according to their capital, credibility, channel, cooperation and management. Meanwhile, pay attention to the network marketing and try to take intensive marketing strategy in all domains. For example, Nokia chose new channel pattern called FD, which has ability to change the provincial agent into funds platform. This saves a lot of intermediate links. Through this method, most of Nokia monopoly stores can acquire the ability of direct supply which ensure its good post-sale service. . Promotion Promotion was done by Nokia to increase sales and their publicity. For instance, Nokia offered precious gifts such as get a chance to win Yamaha bikes and Toyota Vios. This is to attract consumers to purchase Nokia mobile phone. During festival such as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya, Nokia will always hold a promotions. In advertising part, there are printed advertisements used by the company to promote their products. There are newspaper, magazines, brochures, TV, radio, website banners, billboards and others.In the advertisement, the Company always emphasizes their well-known slogan â€Å"connecting people† to build relationships, to bring people together, to collaborate and communicate. Nokia invites famous actors to become spoke persons of the products. This will attract more buyers because many people will support their idol. Retailers and mobile phone operators generally carried out sales promotion for Nokia’s devices. Nokia promotes the product to retailers such as Carphone Warehouse, then they promote to consumers.Sometimes they can be joint promotions with a bank or credit card company. Moreover, the mobile phone operators offer campaigns including mobile phone and phone line are the most popular way of promotions. Public relations also play an important role in the Nokia's promotion strategies. The company supports financially some social programs such as educational activities, charities and accept being sponsorship for sports, music and television. Nokia has education, creative arts and civic engagement programs in 57 countries.These kind of social relations make Nokia more att ractive in the mind of consumers to ensure positive opinions about the company. Social media is the fastest, easiest and most cost effective ways of publishing news for a global audience in highly visible way. Nokia have creates and use Facebook Fan Page, Youtube videos to pass the messages to a wider audience. For instance, Nokia N9 is one of the products that have been promoted. It shows functions and strength of Nokia N9 with innovative way and with a suitable music to draw attention of potential buyers.

Developing yourself as an effective HR practitioner Essay

What are the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to be effective in your HRM/D role? The HR Profession map was designed and created in 2009 by leading HR specialists and generalists around the world. The map is used by many organisations and is universally acknowledged as the guidelines for the structure of the HR profession. The map is built up of ten professional areas, eight behaviours and four bands. The professional areas are different skills and specialisms that are within HR, employee relations and resourcing talent would be two examples. The eight behaviours are characteristics you need to have to be able to succeed as an HR practitioner, these include being a decisive thinker and being a role model. The bands show the level of competency and knowledge you are required to have at each stage of your career. The map can be used for an individual, a team or even the whole organisation. The map covers all aspects of the profession whether it be large or small. The core of the map shows two professional areas which are strategies, insights and solutions and leading HR. These are at the core because regardless what level you are at in your career you must be able to demonstrate the skills required in these two areas to be in any HR role. They are fundamental to any organisation. Insights, Strategy and solutions: This area focuses on the understanding of the organisation you work in and the development of that. This could include collating ideas and observations from colleagues and trying to influence policies and put forward ideas in band one to assessing the social and economic environment to create change in an organisation which would demonstrate skills from band four. Of all the behaviours there are some that are required more in certain professions. Being able to demonstrate yourself as a skilled influencer would be very beneficial in this area as you could be required to influence  the stakeholders or senior management to go ahead with your proposed changes or the need to influence the organisation with new policies. Being curious would be another behaviour required for this as you would want to seek ways to develop the organisation and add value, to do this you would need to actively develop understanding of the sector you are in and all that encompasses that to make effective decisions. Collaborative is another behaviour and this would link well with the curious behaviour as this one shows respect and empathy to all cultures and beliefs within band one and going up the bands you are able to effectively work with a range of people inside your organisation and outside. You are able to bring people together to make positive decisions for the organisation. Leading HR: This core professional area is about maximising the contribution you, the whole HR function or the specialist function make on the organisation. You should always be aware of any issues or threats to the organisation and prioritise the needs of the business. Within band one you are able to provide sound advice and understanding based in the organisations policies and within band four you are able to lead and develop whole functions or organisations. The development of being a role model is required in this profession as all the competency levels require you to lead by example and encourage positive change. You are able to set the standards required for the organisation which will then be conveyed to the rest of the business. The courage to challenge is going to always be a requirement for an HR practitioner and is an important behaviour. Within this professional area you would need to stand by your decisions and be ready to face difficult questions and provide substantial evidence to prove the need for your proposals. Driven to deliver is the underpinning of being a good HR practitioner as you need to show consistency and determination to deliver the best HR you can.  Showing ways to work efficiently and effectively are strong characteristics required for this behaviour and within the professional area of leading HR. Employee Relations: This professional area is necessary to be able to keep good working relations between employers and employees. The HR act as the go between to ensure the employers are acting appropriately and the employees are managed correctly. This is all done by having clear frameworks within the organisation and by abiding the relevant employment law. To be able to do this you need to be personally credible and able to develop your own skills and performance to convey the right message to others. Within higher bands your skills would be efficient to mentor and coach others across the organisation and to highly impact key decisions within the business. Within employee relations many situations could arise including uncomfortable and highly sensitive ones so being a decisive thinker is very important. You are able to identify the most appropriate solution which will resolve any employee issue but will also be supporting the organisation. Leading negotiations with unions and so forth would require decisive thinking and to not become complacent as this could damage the organisation. My current role is an HR Administrator for a manufacturing company that operate worldwide. I would place myself in band one at present but in some areas I show skills and behaviours from band two. My main professional area currently would be service delivery and information and this is where I have developed many of the band two competencies. I Maintain and develop the HR database, I also consolidate and send out information required by the business. My goal is to now develop myself and work towards achieving the skills within band two in the other professional areas to progress and move to an HR advisory role as a generalist in the not too distant future. Bibliography CIPD. (2014). CIPD. Available: http://www.cipd.co.uk/cipd-hr-profession/profession-map/profession-map-download.aspx. Last accessed 26th October 2014. Malcolm Martin and Fiona Whiting (2013). Human Resource Practice. London: CIPD. p289-p313. CIPD. (2014). Profession Map. Available: http://www.cipd.co.uk/cipd-hr-profession/profession-map/. Last accessed 26th October 2014.

Jean Baudrillard’s concept of the orders of simulacra Essay

‘A commodity appears at first sight, a very trivial thing, and easily understood. Its analysis shows that it is in reality, a very queer thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties’ (Marx). It has long been a condition of western culture to act for the accumulation of material objects. This is in part due to the capitalist nature of the world within which we live. Marx identifies in ‘The Critique of Capitalism’ the emergence of two new classes of people, namely ‘capitalists’ and ‘labourers’. The term ‘capitalist’ describes any person who has personal ownership of capital, which ‘consists of raw materials, instruments of labour and means of subsistence’ (Marx). In contrast a ‘labourer’ has only the value of his labour (life activity), which he exchanges with the capitalist for a wage and as such ‘the worker sinks to the level of commodity’ (Marx). Because the labourer produces for the capitalist a commodity of greater value than that of his wages and in addition those wages are paid back to the capitalist in return for subsistence, therefore social control in exerted over the working class, whilst providing the capitalist with excess commodity. The labourer consentingly becomes a slave to the system on which he depends. In addition Marx states that as the relation between capitalist and labourer (manufacturer and consumer) develops, so competition between rival capitalists becomes apparent. In effect the capitalist is forced to capture more of the market by selling goods more cheaply by the consolidation and exploitation of labour power e.g. by machinery. Such a strategy ultimately limits the demand for labour and so new industries must be developed for exploitation. These new industries are necessary because capital exists only in relation to its ability to command labour and social control and as such ‘they reciprocally condition the existence of each other’ (Marx). These forced increases in demand and therefore production are evident in the contemporary world market. Important to the development of Capitalism is the use of money which abstracts labour and commodity values to a common unit for the purpose of trade. In effect the labourer discovers that ‘the product of his activity is not the object of his activity’ (Marx) thus a level of abstraction occurs, which was consistent with the modernist values of the time. Karl Marx and early capitalism were mainly concerned with production which remains important but it was Situationist, Guy Debord, who gave the first insights into late capitalism and the theories that best apply to today’s world economics and culture of commodities. Debord, in his book ‘The Society of the Spectacle’, bases his examination of commodities around consumption, media, information and technology. As such Debord suggests that ‘in societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation.’ By this he means to describe the world and its products as mere appearances, where the real meanings and values of commodities are translated into signs. Essentially ‘it is a world vision that has been objectified’ (Debord). Debord explains the phenomenon of the spectacle as resulting from the ever increasing production of capitalism. Because competition between capitalists inevitably leads to an excess of produce, so consumer demand must be increased. Such an increase is controllable by the spectacle as ‘the real consumer becomes a consumer of illusions,’ (Debord) so he can be manipulated to believe he must consume beyond the basic necessity for survival e.g. leisure products. Therefore ‘the spectacle’s form and content are identically the total justification of the existing system’s conditions and goals’ (Debord). The spectacle is mediated in society ‘as information or propaganda, as advertisement or direct entertainment consumption,’ (Debord). The effects of the mediated spectacle tend to lead the consumer to an experience of alienation as the consumers’ want for commodities is dictated to serve and maintain capitalism. In addition the spectacle constantly reinforces itself, for example the television, which is in itself a product of the spectacle that is then used by the capitalist to implement the advertisement of other spectacles. Essentially the ‘spectacle is the nightmare of imprisoned modern society’ (Debord) and explains the transition from the ‘degradation of being into having’ to ‘having into appearing’ (Debord). Jean Baudrillard took Marx’s ‘Critique of Capitalism’ and Debord’s ‘The Society of the Spectacle’ to their conclusions with his own theory of simulation and simulacra. Similar to the idea of the spectacle, Baudrillard describes a world where the subject of everything has been replaced by a semiological value that has become more important than the original, ‘real’ meaning of the object. This object he calls a ‘simulacra’. In ‘Simulacra and Simulation’ Baudrillard adds extra complexity to these ideas by establishing a hierarchy of simulation, which he gives four orders. In the first order the object is a copy of an original and so can be linked to a basic reality, for example a photograph of an actual event. The second order of simulation misrepresents the original subject; in the example the photography has been digitally manipulated in Photoshop to present a non-occurrence. In the third order a reality is recreated from a simulation of an original reality, when in fact, through the process of simulacra, the original has been lost, e.g. a scene is recreated from the digitally manipulated photograph of the original event. Finally, the forth order of simulation is the combined process of the first, second and third order to such an extent that the object bears no relation to reality or the original, for example the photograph has become a virtual reality. In this instance the link between reality and the signifying systems is almost impossible to ascertain, thus creating a ‘hyper-reality’. It is the use of one simulacra as a basis for the formation of another simulacra that shows the first signs of relevance to post modernity. Consequently, in post modernism, everything is understood in relation to everything that has come before, which in design manifests itself in referencing. Post modernism is also concerned with the fact that there is no right or wrong and essentially that no real truth exists. It is of course possible for a sign to make a transition through all four of the orders of simulation, constantly abstracting meaning and widening the gap between simulation and reality. However due to the complexity of repeated abstraction and signification it becomes necessary for an amount of speculation and simplification to occur when examining transitional examples. If we take, for example, the now famous emblem of automotive company Rolls Royce, it becomes apparent the extent to which a symbolic object can be re-simulated, each time loosing a part of it’s original meaning. ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’, designed by sculptor Charles Sykes and mass produced in 1911, is a cast metal emblem representing the figurine of a girl with arms outstretched to hold the folds of her gown blowing in the breeze. To the present day this emblem has been displayed on the bonnets of Rolls Royce cars and is the first order of simulation in terms of it being a representation of a real person from which the sculpture has been modelled. The object also references the figure heads of classic sailing ships in an attempt to convey the automotive product as an elegant, quite and reliable vehicle, which were the mediated associations with the brand during the early development of the company. In this instance the object enters the third order of simulation as a real event (model posing for sculptor) is created from an existing symbolic object (sailing boat figure heads) in order to be recreated as a new symbolic object (Spirit of Ecstasy emblem). At this point it is important to note that this example as an investigation could examine many more stages of referencing prior to the sign’s use as figure heads, though this could prove too difficult and inaccurate, again reinforcing the existence of a hyper-reality. The tea pot, designed by Michael Graves in 1985 for Alessi, brings the symbol to its conclusion. The tea pot employs a plastic emblem of a bird that is attached to the spout of the kettle and creates a whistling noise when the water is boiled. This creates a pun between the whistling of a kettle and the singing of bird but more importantly, its similar visual appearance (i.e. the wings of the bird and the outstretched arms and gown of the girl) makes a reference of Rolls Royce cars. Because during the late 20th century the values associated with Rolls Royce have matured to convey the brand as one of top class and status, so it are these value that are associated with Grave’s tea pot, supposed to the original associations that Rolls Royce was referencing from classic sailing ships. Therefore the product has clearly entered the forth order of simulation is it holds no relation to the original meaning that the original object as sign attempted to represent. Also, by referencing past signs, it can be described as a post modern object. Like Debord, Baudrillard agreed that simulation was important to the survival of capitalism as it, through mediation, can control the level of consumption within society. Baudrillard used the term ‘valorisation’ to describe the process through which symbolic objects attain value. An excellent example of valorisation is Pokemon cards, which are essentially printed illustrations on card and so their use value is very low. However, via mediation, Pokemon cards have been given a simulated symbolic value that has made them desirable and powerful as a commodity. As well as design, Baudrillard’s theory of simulation and simulacra has also proved influential in film making, for example in ‘The Matrix’, directed by the Wachowski brothers. The Matrix is set in the future at a time when the real world has been reduced to a desert waste land by a war between humanity and machines; after the invention of artificial intelligence. Because the machines are dependant on solar power, the humans have caused the equivalent of a nuclear winter by blocking out sunlight. This has caused the machines to retaliate by imprisoning humans in gel filled pods so that energy can be extracted from them in the form of heat. In order to control the humans in this procedure a computer simulated world called the matrix exists, that all of the imprisoned humans are connected to, living their lives in what they believe is the late 20th century, oblivious to the fact that their real bodies are in stasis in the real world. The film therefore acts as a metaphor for contemporary western cultures. Firstly the matrix is an existence of the fourth order of simulation in that it is a system of mere signs that are completely detached from reality, i.e. hyper-reality. Just as in contemporary cultures, the people who live in the matrix are unaware that they are controlled by a system through simulation. â€Å"You are a slave, neo, like everyone else you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch, a prison for your mind†¦ What is the matrix? Control. The matrix is a computer generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this† (he holds up a copper battery) (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix). In addition the film suggests that the prisoners of the Matrix are also dependant upon it, to the extent that they will fight to protect it. Baudrillard’s idea of mediasation appears in the film when it is suggested that there was a machine â€Å"spawning a whole race of machines† (Morpheus talking to Neo, The Matrix), thus the social control of the machines (mediation of signs) increasingly exert themselves with every new generation. Interestingly The Matrix seems to offer a solution to simulation and social control by the system, which is one of enlightenment. Once Neo understands the systems and can see the signs (computer code) of the matrix for what they really are, then he can choose to follow a different set of rules thus gaining control of his environment. As well as a theological basis on Baudrillard, The Matrix tends to convey the story via symbolic references and thus is post modern by nature. For example the ‘follow the white rabbit scene’ employs a tattoo of a white rabbit, which is referenced from ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in order to convey the uncertainty in discovering the truth of an alternate reality. In the same scene Neo also opens a copy Baudrillard’s ‘Simulacra and Simulation’ in effect reinforcing links to that element of the film. In conclusion, I have identified the main themes surrounding Baudrillard’s orders of simulacra and simulation, shown how they relate to modern and post modern design and have given contemporary examples of their use in product design and film making. I believe that such an understanding of simulation has served well to better understanding referencing in post modernity. References Debord, G., (1977) The Society of the Spectacle, Black & Red Poster, M., (1998) Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, Polity Press Tucker, R. C., (1978) The Marx – Engels Reader Second Edition, Norton & Company Bibliography Hebdige, D., (1994) Hiding in the Light, Routledge http://www.geneseo.edu/~bicket/panop/baudrillard.ht http://www.artisanitorium.thehydden.com/nonfiction/film/matrix.htm http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/master_frame.html