Ipt Hsc Essay Example

Ipt Hsc Essay Information Processes and Technology Study Notes Project Management ? Project Management is a planned and ongoing process that guides all the development tasks and resources throughout a projects development ? A Project Plan organises the project by specifying who will do the task, what has to be done, how the task is done, what resources are required, and what is to be expected ? PROJECT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ? Active Listening: Listening to people is the main source of critical information required for a project to run smoothly. Listening is not the same as hearing; to listen requires attention and involvement ? Mirroring: Involves repeating back some of the speakers key words – indicating that you are interested and would like to know and understand more ? Paraphrasing: Listener uses their own words to explain what they think the speaker just said. The listener reflects feelings as well as meaning in their response ? Summarising: Listener confirms their understanding in the speakers mind, and hence helps to bring the conversation to an end ? Clarifying: Listener asks questions or makes statements that encourage the speaker to provide more detailed explanations ? Motivational: Encourage the speaker and reinforce in their mind that you are indeed listening and are interested in what they have to say ? Conflict Resolution: Need to manage conflict so that issues are resolved appropriately for all concerned, and in the best interests of the project ? Negotiation Skills: Negotiation should be a friendly exchange where differences are argued logically and in a reasoned manner. We will write a custom essay sample on Ipt Hsc specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ipt Hsc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ipt Hsc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This can even prevent situations leading towards conflicts ? TEAM BUILDING SKILLS ? â€Å"Tuckman† Stages of Team Development: ? 1. Forming – Team members are only just getting to know each other ? 2. Storming – People are beginning to feel comfortable with each other ? 3. Norming – Team members now recognise their differences ? 4. Performing – The team is now operating as an effective, productive unit ? Team Building – building a team of two or more people with complimentary skills, behaviours and personalities who are committed to achieving a common goal ? Advantages – The people within the team are much more productive, and the systems they develop are of higher quality ? Disadvantages – Financial loss, employment loss and missed opportunities – unable to meet deadlines, produce quality work and operate within financial constraints ? PROJECT PLAN INCLUDES: ? Gantt Chart: Indicates when tasks need to be completed by ? Journal and Diary Entries: The diary is a record of appointments, events and meetings. The journal is a detailed record of what happened at each meeting, how tasks have been allocated, and when tasks are to be completed ? Funding Management Plan: Record of the scheduling and costing of tasks, and other expenses ? Communication Management Plan: Record of when meetings are to be held throughout the development of the information system ? SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES ? The work environment, including health and safety issues such as ergonomic design of furniture, appropriate lightning, and appropriate noise levels ? Security of data and information during development ? Copyright issues including who will retrain the copyrights for the new system ? Respect for the rights of needs and individual team members – such as privacy ? 1) UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM ? Systems Analyst: A person who analyses systems, determines requirements and designs new information systems ? Requirements: Features, properties or behaviours that a system must have to achieve its purpose ? Key Question 1: What are the problems with the existing system? ? Key Question 2: How does the existing system work? An understanding of the operations of the existing system must be understood ? Key Question 3: How do you identify the problems with the existing system? ? Answer to Question 3: Interview and Survey PARTICIPANTS in the existing system – They are able to identify problems and often they also have ideas in regard to solving these problems ? Answer to Question 3: Interview and Survey USERS in the existing system – Most information systems are primarily concerned with fulfilling the needs of its users, so their views and opinions on the systems are vital ? Prototype: Needs to be developed, and is produced to clarify how the system works, as well as clarify the nature of the problem, and represent how the new system may work ? After all the information has been gathered, a REQUIREMENTS REPORT is produced – A statement about the purpose/requirements of the new information system ? A requirements report includes aims and objectives of the system, and how it will HELP the organisation ? 2) MAKING DECISIONS/PLANNING ? Economic: to determine whether the system is affordable. This involves cost/benefit analysis to determine both initial costs to implement the system, and then recurring costs to maintain the system ? Operational: to determine whether a system will be usable by the target customers. The users must be able to effectively use, or to operate, the system ? Technical: to determine what hardware and software (Information Technology) is currently being used, and then to determine whether the hardware and software to build the system exists ? Scheduling: to determine the time frame in which a system must be developed. To determine whether it will be able to be completed within the specified time frame, it is useful to use project planning tools, such as Gantt Charts ? Traditional (Structured): AS the name suggests, involves very structured, step-by-step stages, which each must be completed before proceeding to the next step. – 1. Understanding the problem, 2. Planning, 3. Designing, 4. Implementing, 5. Testing, Evaluating and Maintaining ? Outsourcing: Involves using another company to develop parts of the system, or even the complete system ? Prototyping: A CIRCULAR approach to systems development, and new prototypes of the system are constantly being made in a loop before implementation: Designing Testing/Evaluating Understanding the Problem Designing†¦. The prototypes eventually evolve to a point where they become the final solution, and are essentially ready to move out of the loop, and for the next stage implementation ? Customisation: An existing system is customised to suit the needs and requirements of the new system. In reality – most business systems are customised versions of existing systems ? Participant: Means that the same people who will use and operate the final system develop the system ? Agile: An approach that places emphasis on the team developing the system rather than following a predefined structured development process ? 3) DESIGNING SOLUTIONS/DESIGNING ? Design Tools: ? System Flowcharts are a diagrammatic way or representing both the flow of data and logic through an information system [pic] ? Data Flow Diagrams describe the path data takes through a system. No logic, and no attempt is made to indicate the timing of events [pic] Context Diagrams are used to represent entire information systems [pic] ? A Data Dictionary contains a comprehensive description of each field in one of the databases associated with the information system. It commonly includes (4): field name, data type, field size, and a description of the purpose [pic] ? Storyboards give a general overview of the information system. They are used to document the screens used in a system, and the f low between them. ? Storyboards emphasise the user interface of a system rather than the functions performed by the system ? Linear Storyboard: modules are arranged in a sequence [pic] ? Hierarchical Storyboard: modules are arranged in descending levels [pic] ? Decision Tables represent all possible conditions and actions that will result |CONDITIONS |RULES |- |- |- | |Mark = 80 |Y |N |N |N | |Mark = 60 and =45 and

10 Ways Identity Thieves Can Get Your Information

10 Ways Identity Thieves Can Get Your Information Identity theft is when someone fraudulently uses your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address, for their financial gain. These uses might include  to obtain credit, get a loan, open a bank, or a credit card account or obtain an I.D. card. If you become  the victim of identity theft, chances are it will cause severe damage to your finances and your good name, especially if you do not find out about it immediately. Even if you catch it quickly, you can spend months and thousands of dollars trying to repair the damage done to your credit rating. You can even find yourself accused of a crime you did not commit because someone used your personal information to perpetrate the crime in your name. Consequently, it is vital in todays electronic age to protect your information as best you can. Unfortunately, there are thieves out there just waiting for you to make a mistake or get careless. There are different ways that identity thieves go about stealing the personal information of others. Here are the most common methods used by identity thieves and ways for you to avoid becoming their victim. Dumpster Diving Dumpster diving is when someone  goes through trash looking for personal information that can be used for identity theft purposes. Identity thieves look for credit card bills, bank statements, medical bills and insurance, and old financial forms such as old tax forms. Stealing Your Mail Identity thieves will often target a person and steal mail directly from their mailbox. Thieves will also have all of the mail redirected through a change of address request made at the post office. The identity thieves are looking for bank statements, credit card bills, tax information, medical information, and personal checks. Stealing Your Wallet or Purse Identity thieves thrive by illegally obtaining personal information from others, and what better place to get it but from a purse or a wallet. A drivers license, credit cards, debit cards, and bank deposit slip, are like gold to identity thieves. You Are a Winner! Identity thieves use the temptation of prize winnings to lure people into giving them their personal and credit card information over the phone. The identity thief will tell the person that they have won a contest for a free vacation or some grand gift, but that they need to verify personal information, including their date of birth,  to prove they are over 18-years-of-age. They will explain that the vacation is free, except for the sales tax, and ask for the winner to provide them with a credit card. They usually make it sound like a decision must be made immediately, or the person will lose the prize. Skimming Debit or Credit Card Numbers Skimming is when thieves use a data storage device to capture the information from the magnetic strip of the credit, debit or ATM card at an ATM or during an actual purchase.   When skimming from an ATM, thieves will attach card readers (called skimmers) over the real terminal card reader and harvest data from every card that is swiped. Some thieves place a fake PIN pad over the real one to capture victims PINs (personal  identification  numbers) as they enter it. Another common way to do this is by installing tiny cameras to capture the PIN entered on the number pad. Shoulder surfing, which is when a person reads over the shoulder of the card user, is also a common way to obtain personal identification numbers. Once the thief has returned to the ATM and collected the file of stolen information, they can log into an ATM and steal money from the harvested accounts. Other thieves clone the credit cards to sell or for personal use. Skimming  can occur anytime someone with a digital card reader gains access to your credit or debit cards. It can be done easily  when the card is surrendered, such as in restaurants where it common practice for a waiter to take the card to another area to swipe it. Phishing Phishing is a scam in which the identity thief sends an email falsely claiming to be from a legitimate organization, government agency or bank, to lure the victim into surrendering personal information such as a  bank account number, credit card number or passwords. Often the email will send victims to a phony website that is designed to look like the real business or government agency. eBay, PayPal, and MSN are regularly used in phishing scams. ​Obtaining Your Credit Report Some identity thieves will obtain a copy of your credit report by posing as your employer or rental agent. This will give them access to your credit history including your credit cards numbers and loan information. Business Records Theft Business records theft involves the theft of files, hacking into electronic files or bribing an employee for access to files at a business. Identity thieves will sometimes go  through the trash of a business to get employee records which often contain social security numbers and customer information from charge receipts. Corporate Data Breaches A corporate data breach is when a corporations protected and confidential information is copied, viewed or stolen by someone who is unauthorized to obtain the information. The information can be personal or financial including names, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, personal health information, banking information, credit history, and more. Once this information has been released, it will likely never be recovered and the individuals affected are at an increased risk of having their identities stolen.   Pretexting Pretexting is the practice of obtaining someones personal information using illegal tactics, then selling the information to people who will use it to, among other things,  steal the persons identity, Pretexters may call and claim that they are calling from the cable company and doing a service survey. After exchanging pleasantries, they would ask  about any recent cable problems, and then ask if you mind completing a short survey. They may offer to update your records, including the best time of the day to provide service to you and the obtain  your name, address and telephone number. People will often volunteer information to cheerful, helpful company representatives who are good listeners. Armed with the personal information,  the  pretexter may then decide to  search for public information about you, and learn your age, if you are a homeowner, if you paid your taxes, places that you lived before, and the names of your adult children. They may look at your social media profile to learn about your work history and the college that you attended. They will then call companies you are associated with to gain enough information to get access to your  financial information, health records, and  social security number.

The Long History of the Rain Gauge

The Long History of the Rain Gauge One source has is that the son of King Sejong the Great, who reigned the Choson Dynasty from 1418 to 145, invented the first rain gauge. King Sejong sought ways to improve agricultural technology to provide his subjects with adequate food and clothing. In improving agricultural technology, Sejong contributed to the sciences of astronomy and meteorology (weather). He invented a calendar for the Korean people and ordered the development of accurate clocks. Droughts plagued the kingdom and King Sejong directed every village to measure the amount of rainfall. His son, the crown prince, later called King Munjong, invented a rain gauge while measuring rainfall at the palace. Munjong decided that instead of digging into the earth to check rain levels, it would be better to use a standardized container. King Sejong sent a rain gauge to every village, and they were used as an official tool to measure the farmers potential harvest. Sejong also used these measurements to determine what the farmers land taxes should be. The rain gauge was invented in the fourth month of 1441. The invention of the rain gauge in Korea came two hundred years before inventor Christopher Wren created a rain gauge (tipping bucket rain gauge circa 1662) in Europe. Rainmakers Born in Fort Scott, Kansas, in 1875, Hatfield claimed to have been a student of meteorology for 7 years, during which time he discovered that by sending a secret combination of chemicals into the air clouds could be produced in large enough quantities that rain was sure to follow. On March 15, 1950, New York City hired Dr. Wallace E Howell as the citys official rainmaker.

Performance Criteria Identified By Hillgren And Morse Essay

Performance Criteria Identified By Hillgren And Morse - Essay Example Hillgren and Morse (1998) established that similarities exist among high performing organizations. Their view of such organizations is based on financial accomplishments, employee motivation as well as service delivery and customer satisfaction. This paper critically compares the performance of Abercrombie and Fitch against the four performance criteria identified by Hillgren and Morse (1998). The multinational company deals with designer clothes. The paper highlights some practical examples related to the concepts, ideas and insights from their article titled â€Å"high performing organizations†. High Performing Organizations Direction is one of the basic elements identified by Hillgren and Morse (1998). Leaders need to ensure that the subordinates understand the organization’s principles. These are fundamental to its existence. The visionary leadership of Abercrombie and Fitch promotes a sense of purpose in the organization. The leaders understand the company’s vision and apply their skills to entrench creativity among the workers. Sensitization of employees regarding the achievement of the organization’s vision and core values is done regularly through staff meetings and weekly forums, which ensures that all team players in the various departments understand their roles in enhancing success. The sensitization approach corresponds to Hillgren and Morse’s assertion of â€Å"a clearly articulated and frequently communicated vision† (p 9), which is significant for high performing organizations. Behaviourization of values as proposed by Hillgren and Morse gives Abercrombie and Fitch a unique characteristic that enhances customer satisfaction. One of the core values is to ensure customer focused service delivery that is based on their needs rather than the company’s interests. Workplace diversity promotes strong interpersonal relationships among the staff, which helps in building talents and encouraging creativity. Exceptional contribution among staff is acknowledged and rewarded. The leaders act as role models of the organizational behaviour. Integrity is upheld and words correspond to the actions of staff members. The value metrics highlighted by Hillgren and Morse have been adopted by Abercrombie and Fitch. They help in establishing the level of customer satisfaction, which signifies the level of collaboration among staff. Value metrics are also significant in determining whether the organizational values have been upheld in service delivery to customers. Bhatt (2002) observed that â€Å"anything that gets measured gets done† (p 28). Abercrombie and Fitch’s value metrics are focused on the priority areas that are likely to be affected by the dynamics of the operating environment. For example, customers’ feedback offers a basis for the assessment of the level of satisfaction. After interacting with the company’s employees, the customers are given a chance to confi dentially rate and comment the quality of service offered to them. The management is able to determine the areas that require improvements as well as those that require reinforcement through assessing positive and negative feedbacks from consumers. The suggestion box also provides an opportunity to assess the organization’s leadership as well as the priority areas that need further consideration. Performance measurement is significant in assessing progress and planning for future improvements (Edwards et al. 2007). It helps in determining staff awareness regarding the direction of the organization. Abercrombie and F

Effect of inflation on wages Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Effect of inflation on wages - Research Paper Example Inflation denotes an unfavorable situation in the economy of a nation. On the other hand, wages refer to a form of remuneration offered to an employee by an employer of a particular company in exchange for services rendered. The paper will determine the fact whether inflation has a negative or positive effect on wages of employees in institutions of a particular country. Upon getting the findings, the paper will further analyze what is expected to be done to avert the effect on the inflation. In order to answer these critical questions, I will sample data from a few companies that will act as the representative samples of companies across the country. After the exercise of data collection, I will record it using favorable methods then analyze it scientifically in order to draw varied conclusions from it. By so doing, the research question will be answered. I have ensured that the methods used for data collection and recording are effective so that the findings drawn from the data are effective. I have used both quantitative and qualitative methods for the processes of data collection and recording. This will ensure that the data collected has no bias and is effective in answering the research question. To determine the rate of inflation, will need collection of values of inflation over time and the correlated change in the wages of employers that cut across companies in the country. The analysis of the collected data will; require scientific methods because issues to do with economies ought to be projected by professionals who are well versed with the research topic. This would require economic analysts in my research team. Choosing the methods for data collection is another important factor because some methods are more suited in collecting particular types of data as compared with others. Others are also more suited in recording some data types as compared to others. This disparity in the methods depends also on the nature of the respondents from which the da ta is collected from. Some may be willing to give data to a research team while some may be uncooperative in giving the data out. The research team is, therefore, required to develop a good rapport with the respondents so that they are able to collect optimal data for analysis. Another important thing in answering research questions is ensuring that the equipment for data collection are in a good order so that the research team is not frustrated in the fieldwork day for the actual process of data collection and analysis. To avoid any mishaps in data collection, all equipment should be investigated and checked days to the actual day of research. In discussing the research issue, I will first give a literature review of the research topic. I will then give a strategy for the hypothesis of the topic. The last section will illustrate the data methods used, their efficacy and the findings. I will then give a conclusion of the research topic. Literature Review Inflation is a noteworthy as pect of any nation’s economy. It is opposed to deflation which describes the downward spiral in the average prices of goods and services. It is, therefore, clear that the only difference in inflation and deflation is the aspect of price stability. There is also a strong link between inflation and money in any country. Because it is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services, it implies it is extremely linked to money. By being intrinsically linked to money, inflation has an effect on the economy of a country. It affects many aspects of the economy and the nature of cash flow in a country. As a result of this, it is extremely important to study the effect of

The paradox of omnipotence, and Mackie`s solution Essay Example for Free

The paradox of omnipotence, and Mackie`s solution Essay Omnipotence is inexhaustible, unlimited power. The attribute of omnipotence (being all powerful) is generally a quality of the God of monotheistic religions. There exists an argument, however, that the concept of an omnipotent being is paradoxical, meaning that it is logically impossible that an omnipotent being can exist. One of the more well-known renderings of this paradox goes: Can God create a rock that would be too heavy for him to lift? What this question is asking is essentially â€Å"can God can create something that he cannot subsequently control? This question presents a dilemma. If the answer is yes (because God can do anything, after all), it would mean that he is not actually omnipotent, for how could there exist something that an omnipotent being cannot control? If the answer is no (because how could God not be able to lift a stone—he’s supposed to be all-powerful), then he is not actually omnipotent, because here is something he cannot do after all (he cannot create something that he cannot control). Thus, with either answer, the conclusion is that God is not omnipotent. In his answer to this problem, John L. Mackie says that if an omnipotent being creates an uncontrollable thing, then controlling this thing would mean controlling an â€Å"omnipotently-made-uncontrollable† thing, which is logically impossible. Thus even the omnipotent being will not be able to control it, and his failure to control it would actually be an affirmation rather than a refutation of the his omnipotence. Rigid designator and non-rigid designators The concept of rigid and non-rigid designators is somewhat akin to the concept of proper nouns and common nouns. A rigid designator is a term in philosophy that â€Å"designates [or defines] the same object in all possible worlds in which that object exists and never designates anything else† (LaPorte, 2006). Inversely, a non-rigid (or flaccid) designator is a term that does not refer to the same object in all possible worlds. For example, the sentence â€Å"Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon† contains both a rigid designator (Neil Armstorng) and a non-rigid designator (first man on the moon). If events had been different, Neil Armstrong might not have been the first man on the moon, but Neil Armstrong (not just as a name, but as it refers to the man himself) will always be who he is.

Trapped :: essays research papers

Crash, Swish, Roar. The lonely empty silence is overpowered by a wall of foam rushing towards me. Wheels of sand are churning beneath my feet. My golden locks are flattened and hunched over my head to form a thick curtain over my eyes. Light ripples are printed against my olive stomach as the sun beams through the oceans unsteadiness. I look below me and can’t see where the sand bank ends; I look above and realize it’s a long way to the top. Don’t panic Kate, you’ll get through this. I try to paddle to the top but am halted by something severely weighing me down- My board. That’s what got me in this mess in the first place. I can see the floral pattern peeping through the sand that is rapidly crawling over it. I quickly rip apart the Velcro of my foot strap and watch my board float to the surface effortlessly as I attempt climbing through the water to reach the surface. The fin of my board becomes more visible to me as I ascend. Finally, an alleviating sensation blasts through my mouth. Air. Crash, Swish, Roar. Just as I get a breath, the powerful monster swallows me once more. It finally hits me that I’m going to be under a long time. These are 20 ft waves, I think to myself. There is no way I am getting out of here the easy way. I feel the blood surge to my head as the paranoia sets in. When I was 5 years old, Dad woke me up one morning and informed me that he was finally going to teach me how to surf. I was ecstatic. I used to watch my brothers in envy as I crouched on the damp sand with my head between my hands resting on my knees, sulking at the fact that I wasn’t allowed to surf until I was 5. Well, that time arrived when Dad was taking me, and nothing was going to hold me back. I watched Dad approach me as he returned from a blue and white hire tent with a long (well what seemed long at the time), bright yellow foam board. It had a small white fin sticking out its rear. We stayed shallow and like any impatient 5 year old I began to suffer from frustration as I continuously nose dived into the sand at my efforts to stand up.

Political Culture

â€Å"Drawing examples from any one Caribbean territory and using public opinion data from sources , to what extent is political culture less dependent on local culture as a result of recent technological developments. † Political culture is the particular set of orientations, beliefs, customs, and preconceptions which are shared by members of the society, which give meaning to their political process, and which provide the underlying assumptions that govern their political behaviour and public policies (Lawrence 6).On the other hand we have local culture, which Karen Lawrence describes as the history, family, politics, landscape, art, music and values and people melded into a sense of place that feels vibrant and cohesive and firmly rooted. Local culture is where and how one is connected to life and each other; it is the collective memory of a community. What is technology might one ask? Technology is the use of tools or instruments for any human activity.These human activiti es can be production, storage, exchange, transportation or even consumption. It is the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life society and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial engineering,  applied  science,  and  pure science. Politics is an area which manifests may aspects of our culture and in these modern times, political culture in the Caribbean territory of Jamaica has become dependent on recent technological developments.Globalization is a process of interactions and integration among people, companies, and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology. This process has effects on the environment, on culture, on political systems, on economic development and prosperity, as well as human physical well-being in societies around the world.Due to globalization, money, goods and manufacturing have become m ore mobile than they once were, and as a result corporations and businesses are allowed to finance, invest and move wherever they choose, they have a wider access to other countries across the world. There is a shift in the balance of power between international businesses and governments. National governments are less able to control the activities of mobile businesses than in the past, while corporations and financial institutions are in a better position to dictate to national governments.They do this by, purchasing the currencies of states whose policies they approve and abandoning, or threatening to abandon the rest. In 2003, Jamaica’s debt stood at $4. 4billion owing to the IMF, the debt required that 52 cents of every dollar earned goes for interest payments. By this time Jamaica had already paid back 17 times the amount of money originally borrowed. Farming and industry have been in crisis. There was a very high unemployment rate and there has been migration from the rural areas to Kingston, people in search of jobs and opportunities.There was an increase in crime and drug trade, which in turn have led to frequent police killings. Political violence and rioting has been seen in recent years. Responsible in part for this unrest and turmoil is globalization, ensnaring the country in enormous debt arranged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and other international lending agencies at high interest rates. â€Å"The structural adjustments that were imposed by the IMF had cause for an increase in interest rates to industry and farmers, so that they could no longer compete with the flood of subsidized or â€Å"dumped† foreign imports.These policies have driven down wages and forced the government to cut back funding for education, healthcare, and agricultural programs which benefit the poor (Harper 2003). † Again due to globalization there was civil unrest and mayhem in Jamaica. In 2009 there was an extradition requ est from the USA for Christopher â€Å"Dudus† Coke, a drug kingpin who enjoyed demigod status in the west Kingston stronghold of Tivoli Gardens. The United States wanted him for drug trafficking and gun trade.The then ruling party, the Jamaica Labour Party did not want to give up Mr. Coke, as he had close ties with the party. This included a construction company called Incomparable Enterprises, where Dudus was a partner, was awarded three government contracts by the JLP valued at $US 400 thousand, also a contract worth US $150,000 to transport materials to Riverton City landfill. Also the JLP was also responsible for campaigning and establishment of the â€Å"garrison† known as Tivoli. The USA said that they would cut all ties with Jamaica if Mr.Coke was not extradited. Jamaica depended on the US for money and imported products. Jamaica could not afford to lose America’s support, as so in turn, Dudus was extradited. This is a clear example of the influence of gl obalization. According to Alec Ross, one of the creators of technology policy for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, â€Å"We are well beyond being able to consider social media a fad. If you are not open to social media spaces then you are not attuned to the dynamics on the street and you sacrifice both understanding and power. The emergence of Social Media has caused for the political culture in Jamaica to be less dependent on local culture, due to this recent technological advancement. In 2007 statistics showed that 539. 543 per 1,000 people  in Jamaica used the internet, in 2005 3,042,000 people in Jamaica were telephone subscribers. Also in 2007 there were 2,700,000 mobile phone subscribers and 444. 079 per 1,000 people in Jamaica who had radios. In 2002, 70. 04% of households in Jamaica had televisions. These numbers are rising every year, with social media becoming more popular as the years go by.In Jamaica there are 7 local television channels; the two main local channels being CVM and TVJ (Gordon 89). These channels no longer focus on what is going on locally in the country or show many locally produced shows. The time slots for these stations are filled with American based television shows, cartoon and movies. The local news also doesn’t focus on what is happening in the country each day, but only gives us a brief overview and then skips to â€Å"international news† updating the public on what is happening in places such as USA, Canada, Asia and South America just to name a few.It is speculated that in Jamaica, the people know more about what is going on in America than they do about what is happening in their â€Å"own backyard. † In Jamaica during election time, the political parties use the media as a way to voice their opinions of the other parties and also articles and pictures are published in order to persuade voters to vote for a particular party or to persuade the public to vote in general. The media also help s with political socialization, this is the process by which people form their ideas about   politics and acquire political values, the two main political arties in Jamaica being the Jamaica Labour Party and the People’s National Party. Social media currently plays a huge part in the political culture of Jamaica. Jamaica tries to emulate the political culture of the United States of America that is using social media forums which include facebook and twitter as a way to promote political parties instead of sticking the usual means of newspapers and new channels. As technology develops, politics has to develop along with it.An example of this is seen by the creation of a facebook page called â€Å"Young Jamaica† which is an affiliate of the Jamaica Labour Party. The purpose of the page is to inform Jamaica’s youth about the JLP and to promote this party over the PNP. It encourages young Jamaicans to get enumerated and it also highlights the failures of the PNP and its members. Another example of social media forum is the seen by the creation of a facebook page called â€Å"Blame Bruce† which is an affiliate of the People’s National Party blaming past Prime Minister Bruce Golding for problems in Jamaica.There was also a â€Å"hashtag† on twitter called â€Å"Blame Bruce†. The Jamaican political culture is less dependent on the local culture. The most recent instance of the local culture being brought into politics was due to the Jamaica 50th celebration on August 6th 2012, Jamaica was an independent nation for 50 years. Due to technological developments, the political culture of Jamaica is less dependent on local culture. Globalization and Social media have had a huge effect on the political culture, as these seem to have more of an influence than the local culture.

Organizational Behavior Forces Discussion Paper

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR FORCES DISCUSSION PAPER TEAM B MGT307 APRIL 12, 2010 ANDY WAGSTAFF Organizational Behavior Forces Discussion In this paper Learning Team B compares and contrasts the different organizations of each of its team members. The team is made up of six students, each of which is employed by a different organization. It was with a collaborative effort that this group was able to discuss and analyze these organizations. The individual companies and business environments that were addressed in the learning team discussions include; a correctional facility, a variety of organizations that provide some form of health care or medical service, a retail store, an insurance company, and one member of Team B is employed at home as a homemaker/student. Team B participated in discussions and analyzed the organizational behaviors of each organization within their group. The purpose of this paper is to provide that analysis that describes some of the internal and external forces that have an impact on organizational behaviors. Team B intends to present an explanation summarizing the findings of the Learning Team discussions. The paper includes an analysis of the following internal and external forces: Restructuring Organizational Mission Competition Economy Customer Demands The following are personal descriptions of internal and external forces that impact organizational behavior within the organizations of each individual member of Learning Team B. Restructuring Restructuring, or rearranging, of an organization can turn a company upside- down and leave employees in a state of shock. This particular external force can have a huge impact on the organizational behaviors of any organization from a medical clinic to a correctional facility. It is customary for a company under restructure to use layoffs or reduce full-time positions to part-time to decrease the costs of employment. Another possible change made by a company trying to survive after downsizing could be to obtain lower employee wages. This could be done by moving the business to a facility in another state or country. For any number of reasons, a company may choose to move only part of its organization during the restructure. For example, a business’ medical records department holds confidential information regarding its employees. With this in mind, the restructuring team may want to select an outside source to perform medical records services during the restructure. This will ensure the confidentiality of its employees and safeguard their personal information. Understanding organizational behaviors brought on by internal and external forces is important for everyone involved whether it is an insurance company, a retail store, or a home health care agency. There is little known about the safety and health risks to workers who face or survive episodes of downsizing, or the effects of downsizing and outsourcing on the capacity of organizations to provide occupational health services and programs for workers {text:bibliography-mark} . Therefore, it is highly recommended that personnel meetings be scheduled to address the questions and concerns of a company’s remaining employees. Organizational Mission The organizational mission of the medical team at the Pendleton Prison System Department of Corrections provides inmate rehabilitation and medical care. The mission of the medical team at Pendleton is to reduce unnecessary morbidity and mortality and protect public health by providing patient-inmate timely access to safe, efficient medical care, dental, and disability programs. The mission statement of an organization affects the organizational behavior within the company by providing direction to each person’s duties within the company. Although the organizations of the members of Team B are significantly different in size and function, the impact of their organizational mission directly affects their organizational behavior and success. Most organizations define a mission statement and develop practices to control the organizational behavior of the organization to accomplish this mission {text:bibliography-mark} . Competition Competition is an external force that affects organizational behavior in retail as well as many other types of organizations. There are several examples of the different external forces that affect organizational behaviors, some of which include; creditors, customers, suppliers, and the labor market. Competitors Competitors are peers that perform similar functions within their professional discipline. Competitors contribute to the industry with their ability, supply, goods, and services, at competitive prices. Competitors’ contributions are usually of a high caliber and this is what gives consumers their choices. Creditors In contrast, creditors have an impact in retail because most businesses purchase goods and services to a large extent on credit. Generally, these businesses are given discounts or other incentives for buying in bulk. Customers Customers obviously play an essential part in the retail business. In fact, without any customers, there would be no business. In retail, it is important that a business know how to change with itscustomers. This will expand customer confidence and increase buying. Labor Market The labor market affects the number of qualified employees who a business will be allowed to hire. In comparison to expanding customer confidence, the lack of qualified employees at a business can lead any type of organization to customer dissatisfaction. Customer Demands Customer demand is the quantity of a product or service that customers are willing and able to purchase at a given price during a given period {text:bibliography-mark} . Meeting the demands of customers can be difficult at times. The medical field always has tried to satisfy its customers’ needs in the best way possible, but it is becoming more complicated because of the customers’ increased expectations. Here is an example of changes in organizational behaviors of employees at a medical clinic concerning customer demands. A patient is 15 minutes late for his or her appointment so e asked the patient to reschedule the appointment but instead, the patient refuses to leave the clinic until he or she was seen by a doctor. This is when behaviors have to change in order to meet the customer’s demands. There may be times, for instance, when the patient is not able to reschedule the appointment. To meet this customer’s needs, employees have to work even harder. F irst we try to make the customer feel as comfortable as possible until he or she is seen by the provider. We have to gain their satisfaction to go forward to improve our customer services. Second, we focus specifically on this customer. It is important to treat the customer as an individual person just as we want to be treated. One way that a medical clinic can work to improve customer demands is to have questionnaires available for the customers. When the questionnaires are reviewed the company will know what areas that they need to improve in and what areas they are doing well in. These questionnaires may very well lead the medical clinic to implement even more organizational behaviors if needed to increase customer satisfaction. Economy The economy has affected organizational behaviors in many American households. The following is a personal example from an American homemaker and student. My fiance is the bread winner in the household at one point and he was making enough money that I could sit at home and take care of the babies. But now, the economy is so bad that I am now trying to find a job so that we can make ends meet. His job as a correctional officer has stopped giving overtime to the employees. The bills are going up twice as much as they used to be and so now we do not have any extra money to have or to save. Conclusion In conclusion, the internal and external forces that impact the behaviors of an organization can have both a negative and a positive effect on the company itself as well as on the people within the company. These changes in behavior, or reactions from within an organization, are caused by forces such as the restructuring of a business, increased customer demands, technology, competition, or even from a fluctuation in the economy. Although internal forces are considered to be causes that people have either created or could have controlled, external forces are those in which people have no irect control. A business in comparison to people has many forces that can manipulate and form its common behavior and the organizational behaviors of the people within it. Organizations of every kind, from those that provide goods to those that provide services, still have to change continually and positively while searching for new ideas and opportunities to maintain a competitive advantage. This t eam’s belief ist; how a company reacts, how it manages, and how it adapts to changes, will determine its failure or success. References

Free Essays on Yucca Mountain

History For more than two decades, the Shoshone tribe, scientists, environmentalists, the federal government, Nevada citizens and politicians have wrestled over the fate of Yucca Mountain. Yucca Mountain is located within the Western Shoshone Nation and has long been a place of powerful spiritual energy for the Shoshone tribe. The water in the area is also sacred, as it is with many desert peoples. Yucca Mountain, and the surrounding area, was never actually deemed government land. According to the 1863 Ruby Valley Treaty that the Shoshone signed with the U.S. government, most of the area now used by the U.S. military for nuclear weapons testing and the proposed waste storage site was recognized as Shoshone land. However, the Shoshone are unable to control what happens on their ancestral land. Instead, legislators continue to try to persuade the Shoshone to accept financial compensation for their land, which most view as a way to overshadow native title and prohibit future land claims. In the late 1970s government scientists began to study Yucca Mountain as a possible repository for nuclear waste, and since 1987 it has been the only site considered for 77,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive waste. 98% of all the radioactive waste generated by U.S. nuclear reactors may soon be headed for the mountain. There is already more nuclear waste than the repository can hold, unless the 77,000 ton limit is raised. Though the facility will not open until 2010 at the earliest, reactor waste now sitting in pools of water around the country will fill Yucca Mountain’s tunnels and leave room for less than one third of the government’s nuclear defense waste, leaving 7,500 tons with no place to go. Commercial nuclear power plants produce 2,000 tons of high level waste per year, and by the time Yucca Mountain would be full in 2035, there would be 42,000 tons of newly generated civilian waste at reactors around the country. Th... Free Essays on Yucca Mountain Free Essays on Yucca Mountain THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY After much research and reading about the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste and repository, I have gained much knowledge of the situation. I will share with you the facts and what I have learned researching this topic, as well as the pro’s and con’s and my favorite part, my personal opinion. One would hope that they would find this topic an interesting topic. The controversial issue that is occurring with the Yucca Mountain area is not weather its right or wrong, but more of what we should do with our nuclear waste and where to store it. â€Å"In July 2002, president Bush signed a bill designating the Yucca Mountain site for development as a repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste† (orcwm.doe.gov). A valley not too far away from â€Å"Sin City† aka Las Vegas, Nevada, there is a remote desert where Yucca Mountain is in for consideration for storing nuclear waste. The U.S. Department of Energy began to study in this area in 1978 to determine whether it would be a decent place to contain the nation’s first long-term geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Spent nuclear fuel is the radioactive by-product of making electricity commercial nuclear power plants and high-level radioactive waste is by-product from production at defense facilities. However, back in 1982, Congress also established a national policy to solve the problem of nuclear waste disposal. This policy is a federal law called the Nuclear Waste Policy c ongress based this policy on what most scientists worldwide agreed the better way that would work to dispose of the nuclear waste that has been accumulating over the years. Yucca Mountain was not the only place Congress had in mind where to store the nuclear waste; they also came up with six other states for consideration as potential repository sites. The researchers did not just p... Free Essays on Yucca Mountain INTRODUCTION: Yucca Mountain is the possible site of a nuclear repository designed to store and dispose of spent nuclear fuel. It is located in Nye County, Nevada, which is about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas (this can be seen on Figure #1). This land is federally owned, and located on the edge of the Department of Energy’s Test Site. The repository would be located in the mountain and be approximately 1000 feet below the top of the mountain and 1000 feet above the groundwater level. The repository will be designed to hold well over the 77,000 tons of nuclear waste already accumulated. If the project receives approval, it would be the nations first geological repository for disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The Yucca Mountain site was chosen for several reasons. First of all, water is the main means of transporting waste out of a nuclear repository and into the environment. The Yucca Mountain site is located in one of the driest and remote places in the United States. The area receives less than 7.5 inches of rain per year, and 95 percent of that does not even reach the mountain. The site also has many natural barriers, which prevent what little water is available from entering the site. The possible site is also located on federally owned land, which eliminates the lengthy task of acquiring land from the state. There is also no risk that groundwater that serves any of the nearby cities will be contaminated by the site. This is not possible, because the groundwater system that encompasses Yucca Mountain is not connected to groundwater of the Las Vegas Valley. The groundwater system at Yucca Mountain is an isolated hydraulic basin; that is; it does not connect to any other water sources. Isolated hydraulic basins are a very rare feature, and it is very well suited for the site. For these reasons, Yucca Mountain was chosen as the possible site of the geological nuclear repository. COST: The Yucca Mountain p... Free Essays on Yucca Mountain History For more than two decades, the Shoshone tribe, scientists, environmentalists, the federal government, Nevada citizens and politicians have wrestled over the fate of Yucca Mountain. Yucca Mountain is located within the Western Shoshone Nation and has long been a place of powerful spiritual energy for the Shoshone tribe. The water in the area is also sacred, as it is with many desert peoples. Yucca Mountain, and the surrounding area, was never actually deemed government land. According to the 1863 Ruby Valley Treaty that the Shoshone signed with the U.S. government, most of the area now used by the U.S. military for nuclear weapons testing and the proposed waste storage site was recognized as Shoshone land. However, the Shoshone are unable to control what happens on their ancestral land. Instead, legislators continue to try to persuade the Shoshone to accept financial compensation for their land, which most view as a way to overshadow native title and prohibit future land claims. In the late 1970s government scientists began to study Yucca Mountain as a possible repository for nuclear waste, and since 1987 it has been the only site considered for 77,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive waste. 98% of all the radioactive waste generated by U.S. nuclear reactors may soon be headed for the mountain. There is already more nuclear waste than the repository can hold, unless the 77,000 ton limit is raised. Though the facility will not open until 2010 at the earliest, reactor waste now sitting in pools of water around the country will fill Yucca Mountain’s tunnels and leave room for less than one third of the government’s nuclear defense waste, leaving 7,500 tons with no place to go. Commercial nuclear power plants produce 2,000 tons of high level waste per year, and by the time Yucca Mountain would be full in 2035, there would be 42,000 tons of newly generated civilian waste at reactors around the country. Th...

Blooming Trinity Essay Research Paper English 1302018October

Blooming Trinity Essay, Research Paper English 1302.018 October 11, 2000 Blooming Three In the verse form? When Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? , by Walt Whitman, three of import symbols are introduced. These symbols of a star, the lilac, and a bird exhibit Whitman? s transcendental philosophy and service as an allusion to Abraham Lincoln? s life and decease. Whitman? s poesy, through these symbols, opens a window to the predominating societal attitudes, moral beliefs, and cultural temperament of his clip through his allusions to President Lincoln. To understand Whitman? s poesy one must foremost cognize something about the poet himself. Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in Long Island New York. Whitman disliked the thought of going a carpenter like his male parent and opted to seek his ain luck. The publication of Leafs of Grass, Whitman? s major literary work, was a major turning point in Whitman? s life. ? Before, he was a instructor, pressman, journalist, carpenter, and more. After, no affair what else he did, he was a poet? ( Wiener 14 ) . Whitman? s strong resistance to slavery gave him jobs subsequently on as in life. Langston Hughes relates when he says? [ Whitman ] had been an editor of the Brooklyn Eagle, but was fired at that place in 1948, because he refused to back up Governor Cass of Michigan who advocated the continuance of bondage? ( Wiener 196 ) . Whitman greatly influenced many people of his clip period but besides was influenced by other authors. Russell Blankenship, a professor at the University of Washington, relates this fact when he says that Whitman was? influenced by the august American author and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson? ( Wiener 106 ) . Emerson is normally known as a transcendentalist. A transcendentalist is a individual who is? idealistic and optimistic. They believed they could happen replies to whatever they were seeking. All they had to make was larn to read, through their intuition, the external symbols of nature and in terpret them into religious facts? ( Brulatour ) . Whitman? s transcendental philosophy is important in? When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? because of the usage of three symbols that serve as an allusion to Abraham Lincoln? s life and decease. President Abraham Lincoln was one of our state? s greatest presidents. Lincoln? s low beginnings and rise to go arguably the most powerful individual in the United States are a great representation of the American thought that anyone can go anything he aspires to be. One of Lincoln? s major parts was his engagement in the Civil War. As commanding officer and head of the Union ground forces, Lincoln had the duty of working with the generals of the brotherhood ground forcess to get the better of the Confederate ground forcess. Lincoln, like Whitman, besides felt that bondage was an abomination and? on January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared everlastingly free those slaves within the Confederacy. ? ( White House. ) After the Union ground forces won the war, President Lincoln was assassinated while watching a drama in Ford? s Theatre, Washington. The state? s bereavement was displayed as? a crowd of grievers gathered at each railroad station as the funeral train rolled westward toward the Illinois prairie, to Springfield, where Abraham Lincoln was buried. ? ( Groiler ) . Whitman? s verse form, ? When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D, ? efforts to demo the bereavement of a state every bit good as Whitman? s personal unhappiness. In the verse form? Where Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? the lilac has generated diverse readings. When I foremost read? Where Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? I thought of the lilacs as stand foring beauty and love, presumptively for the late president. Yet, with farther reading, I found that there are several other readings. Edwin Miller, a professor of English at New York University and recognized Whitman bookman, interprets the? branchlet as the season O f metempsychosis, the sense of odor ( The? get the hanging olfactory property? ) , twenty-four hours and physical life, love as the recollection of decease ( the lilac as a flowered testimonial on the casket ) ? ( Miller 187 ) . Another reading, by Kenneth Burke, writer of? Policy Made Personal: Whitman? s Verse and Prose? Salient Traits? , provinces? . . . the broken? branchlet? of lilac as the star? dropt in the dark? ; the? aroma strong? of the lilacs? in the dooryard looking an old farm-house, ? the olfactory property of the? corsages? placed upon the coffin, ? ( Miller 188 ) . Both readings by Burke and by Miller indicate that the lilac is most likely representative of the flowers placed on the coffin at Lincoln? s decease. Through the usage of the lilac in the verse form we come to understand that it is a realistic symbol with deeper significance. Whitman? s transcendental philosophy shows itself in the verse form by the usage of the lilac as a representation to Lincoln? s dece ase. Another symbol in? Where Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? is a bird described as a? lone? , ? grey-brown? thrush. When I foremost read? Where Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D, ? my readings of the bird included the possibility of Lincoln? s spirit, freedom, or even his idiosyncrasy. I thought of the thrush and Lincoln? s idiosyncrasy because Lincoln appeared as a lone person in the bulk of the images I have seen him in. I went back to my readings and found that in Miller? s reading? the bird has been associated with love, insight as cognition of decease, the? idea of mortality? and the poetic procedure itself ( the bird as the? brother? of the supporter ) ? ( Miller 187 ) . Burke takes another point of position when he relates that? the thrush besides has a complex symbolic intent: it is decease, love, poetic procedure, but more. Traditionally the bird is associated with the flight of the psyche after the decease of the organic structure? ( Miller 189 ) . I p articularly admired Burke? s input with the flight of the psyche. I concluded that the thrush in this verse form could be seen as a symbol of President Lincoln? s spirit or psyche and the? warbling vocal? of the thrush as either a bereavement vocal or possibly a vocal observing a great spirit. The last of the three symbols in? Where Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? is the star. The symbol of the? Western Star? is evidently a direct relation to President Lincoln since Lincoln was from Illinois, which was a western province at that clip. I besides thought of the star as something that was lighting, olympian, or possibly a mention to the American flag. Miller? s reading was that the star? has elicited greater understanding because of its obvious association with the President? s decease, although the symbol has been extended to included decease itself or the Western construct of decease? ( Miller 187 ) . After reading this reading, I besides thought that the star could be a representation of the rhythm of life. The forenoon: relating to birth and childhood ; the twenty-four hours: relating to maturity and old age ; and the starry dark: decease and liquors. Burke states that? the? drooping? star, the broken? branchlet? of lilac, and the supporter? s psyche before the blackwash which? sank? as the star? dropt in the dark? ( Miller 189 ) . The psyche of President Lincoln was non the lone thing that? sank? , both the state? s and Whitman? s lesson were besides unfavourably affected by decease of the President. In? When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? Whitman speaks of a? three? . The three is normally recognized as a symbol of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost but in? When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom? vitamin D? the three is one symbol stand foring three more. The symbols of the lilac, the thrush, and the star come together into one three to demo Whitman? s transcendental philosophy and service as an allusion to Abraham Lincoln? s life and decease. 370 Brulatour, Meg. What is American Transcendentalism? 1 Oct. 2000

The Effects that William Penn Building Has on Its Surroundings Research Paper

The Effects that William Penn Building Has on Its Surroundings - Research Paper Example Penn himself suggested the name the Latin name of "Sylvania" for this place, which means land of woods, but King Charles of England amended it to â€Å"Pennsylvania† which means Penn’s woods, in order to pay great regards for Penn. In the honor of the founder of the city, a huge bronze statue of Penn is mounted over the top of city’s hall building, also termed as the William Penn building. Penn was not only a good state developer, but he was also one of the early voices for democracy & the union of states. He had very good relations with the colonials & he was in favor of united states of Europe too, along with the United States of America. He proposed some principles for the Pennsylvanian government which are of great inspiration in today’s US constitution. He argued in his most writings that unity is the solution to the problems faced in that time particularly & there is no place for war & unnecessary occupation over people & places. Since his childhood he had seen many sufferings; he was a deep reader of human reaction to sufferings & epidemics & always preferred peace & harmony between people of every place & every religion. The William Penn building has been built on a public square termed by Penn as the Centre square since it is located at the middle of the city of Philadelphia. The centre square is one of the squares laid by Penn himself & planned that it would be a ten-acre place for public buildings. Hence according to his wishes, the Philadelphia city hall has been built at the place. The construction started in the year 1871 & since then many changes have been made to the building with a total cost of $24 million. It covers a total area of 58,222 m ² & is of 167  m height including the bronze statue of William Penn. The building was completed in the year 1901 & since then it has been one of the tallest buildings in the world. For many years, it was forbidden to build any building in the surroundings which gets higher than the statue of Penn, but then the restriction was lifted. It is also the largest  municipal building in the United States. It was designed by a famous architect of that time s John McArthur, Jr. in the second empire style of architecture.