Wednesday, November 27, 2019
The History of the Olmec Site of La Venta
The History of the Olmec Site of La Venta The Olmec capital of La Venta is located in the city of Huimanguillo, in the state of Tabasco, Mexico, 15 kilometers (9 miles) inland from the Gulf coast. The site is perched on a narrow natural elevation approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) long which rises above the wetland swamps on the coastal plain. La Venta was first occupied as early as 1750 BC, becoming an Olmec temple-town complex between 1200 and 400 BC. La Venta was the primary center of the Olmec culture and likely the most important regional capital in non-Maya Mesoamerica during the Middle Formative period (approximately 800-400 BC). In its heyday, La Ventas residential zone included an area of ~200 hectares (500 acres), with a population numbering in the thousands. Architecture at La Venta Most of the structures at La Venta were built of wattle-and-daub walls placed atop earthen or adobe mudbrick platforms or moundsà and covered with a thatched roof. Little natural stone was available, and, apart from the massive stone sculptures, the only stone used in public architecture was a few basalt, andesite and limestone foundational support or internal buttresses. The 1.5 km (~1 mi) long civic-ceremonial core of La Venta includes over 30 earthen mounds and platforms. The core is dominated by a 30 meter (100 foot) high clay pyramid (called Mound C-1), which has been heavily erodedà but was likely the largest single building at the time in Mesoamerica. Despite the lack of native stone, La Ventas artisans crafted sculptures including four colossal heads from massive blocks of stone quarried from the Tuxtla Mountains approximately 100 km (62 mi) to the west. The most intensive archaeological investigations at La Venta were conducted in Complex A, a small group of low clay platform mounds and plazas within an area of about 1.4 hectares (3 acres), located immediately north of the tallest pyramidal mound. Most of Complex A was destroyed shortly after the excavations in 1955, by a combination of looters and civic development. However, detailed maps of the area were made by the excavators and, due primarily to the efforts of archaeologist Susan Gillespie, a digital map of the buildings and construction events at Complex A has been made (Gillespie, Gillespie, and Volk). Read more on Complex A at La Venta Subsistence Methods Traditionally, scholars have attributed the rise of Olmec society to the development of maize agriculture. According to recent investigations, however, the people at La Venta subsisted on fish, shellfish and terrestrial faunal remains until about 800 BC, when maize, beans, cotton, palm and other crops were grown in gardens on relict beach ridges, called tierra de primera by maize farmers today, perhaps fueled by long-distance trade networks. Killion (2013) conducted a survey of paleobotanical data from several Olmec period sites including La Venta. He suggests that the initial founders at La Venta and other Early Formative sites such as San Lorenzo were not farmers, but rather were hunter-gatherer-fishers. That dependence on mixed hunting and gathering extends well into the Formative period. Killion suggests that the mixed subsistence worked in the well-watered lowland environments, but that a wetland environment was not suited to intensive agriculture. La Venta and the Cosmos La Venta is oriented 8 degrees west of north, like most Olmec sites, the significance of which is obscure to date. This alignment is echoed in Complex As central avenue, which points to the central mountain. The central bars of each of La Ventas mosaic pavementsà and the four elements of the quincunxes in the mosaics are positioned at intercardinal points. Complex D at La Venta is an E-Group configuration, a specific layout of buildings identified at over 70 Maya sites and believed to have been designed to track movements of the sun. Archaeology La Venta was excavated by members of the Smithsonian Institution, including Matthew Stirling, Philip Drucker, Waldo Wedel and Robert Heizer, in three major excavations between 1942 and 1955. Most of this work was focused on Complex A: and the finds from that work were published in popular texts and La Venta quickly became the type site for defining the Olmec culture. Shortly after the 1955 excavations, the site was badly damaged by looting and development, although a brief expedition did retrieve some stratigraphic data. Much was lost in Complex A, which was torn up by bulldozers. A map of Complex A made in 1955 formed the basis for digitizing the field records of the site. Gillespie and Volk worked together to create a three-dimensional map of Complex A, based on archived notes and drawings and published in 2014. The most recent archaeological studies have been undertaken by Rebecca Gonzlez Lauck at the Instituto Nacional de Antropologà a e Historia (INAH). Sources Clark JE, and Colman A. 2013. Olmec Things and Identity: A Reassessment of Offerings and Burials at La Venta, Tabasco. Archeological Papers of the American Anthropological Associationà 23(1):14-37. doi: 10.1111/apaa.12013 Gillespie S. 2011. Archaeological Drawings as Re-Presentations: The Maps of Complex A, La Venta, Mexico. Latin American Antiquityà 22(1):3-36. doi: 10.7183/1045-6635.22.1.3 Gillespie SD, and Volk M. In press. A 3d model of Complex A, La Venta, Mexico. Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage (in press). doi: 10.1016/j.daach.2014.06.001 Killion TW. 2013. Nonagricultural cultivation and social complexity (with commentary). Current Anthropology 54(5):596-606. doi: 10.2307/276200 Pohl MD, and von Nagy C. 2008. The Olmec and their contemporaries. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology . London: Elsevier Inc. p 217-230. doi: 10.1016/B978-012373962-9.00425-8 Reilly FK. 1989. Enclosed ritual spaces and the watery underworld in Formative period architecture: New observations on the function of La Venta Complex A. In: Robertson MG, and Fields VM, editors. Seventh Palenque Round Table. San Francisco: Pre-Columbian Art Research Institute. Rust WF, and Sharer RJ. 1988. Olmec Settlement Data from La Venta, Tabasco, Mexico. Science 242(4875):102-104. doi: 10.1126/science.242.4875.102
Saturday, November 23, 2019
AP Test Dates 2020 Complete Calendar
AP Test Dates 2020 Complete Calendar SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Looking for the 2020 AP exam dates? We have the complete 2020 AP test datesas well as advice for getting through the busy May exam season. Keep reading to stay on top of your 2019-20 study schedule and to get tips for dealing with the stress of endless AP tests! 2020 AP Exam Dates Here are the AP exam dates for 2020. All exams take place during the first two weeks of May (you'll receive your results in mid-July). Note that there is not an exam for AP Studio Art, but the portfolio deadline falls during the exam period. All AP test dates have been confirmed by the College Board. If youââ¬â¢re taking two AP classes whose exam times conflict, talk to your school counselor; the College Board will work with you to give you a late testing slot for one of them. Week 1 AP Schedule (2020) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Afternoon (2 pm) Monday (May 4) United States Government and Politics Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Tuesday (May 5) Calculus AB German Language and Culture Calculus BC Human Geography Wednesday (May 6) English Literature and Composition European History Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 7) Chemistry Japanese Language and Culture Spanish Literature and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Friday (May 8) United States History Art History Computer Science A Friday, May 8, 2020, is the deadline for AP Studio Art (2-D Art and Design, 3-D Art and Design, and Drawing). It's the last day for Coordinators to submit digital portfolios (by 8 pm ET) and to gather students in 2-D Design and Drawing for portfolio assembly. Teachers should have already forwarded completed digital portfolios to Coordinators before this date. Week 2 AP Schedule (2020) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May ) Biology Chinese Language and Culture Environmental Science Tuesday (May 12) Seminar Latin Spanish Language and Culture Psychology Wednesday (May 13) English Language and Composition Microeconomics Music Theory Thursday (May 14) Comparative Government and Politics Italian Language and Culture World History: Modern Macroeconomics Friday (May 15) Computer Science Principles Statistics French Language and Culture Want to get a perfect 5 on your AP exam and an A in class? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. How to Stay Focused During the AP Exam Period It can be tough to manage your time in May and feel prepared for each AP test- whether youââ¬â¢re taking two AP exams or five! Iââ¬â¢m actually pretty familiar with the AP time crunch. In my last three years of high school, I had multiple exams every May, and each year had a different but equally challenging schedule. Sophomore year I had three AP tests in one week. Junior year I took two tests in two days. Senior year was more of a marathon: I took four tests, stretching from the first day of testing to the last! Whether your AP schedule feels like a sprint or a marathon, you can expect it to be challenging. From experience, I know it can be challenging to keep your energy and motivation up during the exam period. So my main piece of advice is to memorize your AP exam schedule as early as possible so you can start preparing for May. As an example, if you realize youââ¬â¢re going to have three AP tests in three days, you should get all of your studying out of the way before AP exams start. This way you can focus on staying rested during the exam period and not stress yourself out with last-minute cramming. On the other hand, if you have tests on the first Monday, the second Monday, and the last Friday of the exam period, you should plan to do some studying during May for your last two tests. That said, definitely prioritize the test youââ¬â¢re taking soonest, and make sure youââ¬â¢re prepared for it before May rolls around. Consult the tables above and figure out what your AP exam schedule looks like for 2019. Next, follow our rules for staying focused and motivated during May. #1: Donââ¬â¢t Cram! By May, you should have learned all major concepts and taken at least one practice exam for each AP test you're taking. Trying to pull off last-minute studying during the exam period, such as by rushing through a prep book or taking tons of practice exams, will just stress you out. Youââ¬â¢ll study more effectively if you give yourself plenty of time. If you finish major studying before May, you can use any extra time to review tricky concepts and to ensure you're getting enough rest. #2: Focus on Your Weak Points If you have one exam that you know is going to be the hardest for you, prioritize any extra time you have in May toward that test. For example, if youââ¬â¢re taking both AP Calculus AB and AP US History- and youââ¬â¢re pretty confident about Calculus- you can use any extra time in May to keep working on AP US History. Memorize dates, practice essay questions, or review your notes. If you try to spend equal time on every upcoming exam in May, you risk spreading yourself too thin. Again, this is why it's so important to begin studying early so you have enough time to learn all the major concepts for your tests well before May! #3: Timing Is Everything When doing practice sections in April or May- either multiple choice or free response- be sure to time yourself strictly so you're prepared for actual AP test timing. Earlier in the year, itââ¬â¢s appropriate to take a few untimed multiple choice or free-response sections. But right before your AP tests, you need to make sure that you're prepared for what the actual exam timing will be like. Do this, and it'll make taking the AP tests much less stressful, since you'll be used to the time constraints! #4: Donââ¬â¢t Burn Yourself Out If you have multiple exams in a week, or two days in a row (or two in a day!), limit heavy studying during that time and instead confirm that youââ¬â¢re getting enough rest. Right before an AP test, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy, balanced breakfast or lunch will do far more to improve your score than will memorizing a few more facts or doing one more practice test. #5: Be Self-Reflective If youââ¬â¢re the type to obsess over studying and get really anxious about tests, try to actively make time to do something fun or get some exercise in during the AP exam period. Whether that's doing yoga, going for a run, or reading your favorite book, taking time to relax is key, since anxiety can (and will!) negatively affect your performance on test day. However, if youââ¬â¢re having a tough time staying motivated late in the year and have been slacking on studying, definitely take the time you have left in May to do some practice sections or review key terms. Remember, finishing strong and doing well on your AP tests is important to getting the most out of your AP classes! #6: Donââ¬â¢t Forget Your Other Classes Most teachers should be sympathetic about homework and assignments during the AP test period, but you still want to be surethat your schedule isnââ¬â¢t crammed with cramming in case you have to deal with non-AP class assignments, too. Your high school GPA is very important for college admissions, so don't let AP exams completely distract you from your other classes! #7: Remember Your Goals Whether youââ¬â¢re hoping to ace AP Spanish so you wonââ¬â¢t have to take a language in college, or you're aiming for high scores across the board to make you competitive for top schools, don't lose track of your goals during May. Even though it can be exhausting and stressful to have a handful of AP exams, make sure to keep your reasons for taking the tests in the back of your mind. This will give you the motivation you need to finish strong and pass your exams! What About AP Test Dates for Future Years? You might be wondering what the AP exam schedule is for 2021 and beyond. Unfortunately, we cannot predict the schedule exactly. This is because the AP Calendar tends to change a bit from year to year. Since there are always slight changes, we canââ¬â¢t say for certain what the 2021 calendar will look like- even though the changes from year to year are often minor. Here are the schedules from the last three years, with changes from the previousyear highlighted in yellow: 2019 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2019) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 6) United States Government and Politics Chinese Language and Culture Environmental Science Tuesday (May 7) Seminar Japanese Language and Culture Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 8) English Literature and Composition European History French Language and Culture Thursday (May 9) Chemistry German Language and Culture Spanish Literature and Culture Psychology Friday (May 10) United States History Computer Science Principles Physics 2: Algebra-Based Week 2 (2019) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 13) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Tuesday (May 14) Calculus AB Art History Calculus BC Human Geography Wednesday (May 15) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May 16) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 17) Microeconomics Computer Science A Music Theory Latin 2018 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2018) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 7) Chemistry Psychology Spanish Literature and Culture Tuesday (May 8) Seminar Art History Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 9) English Literature and Composition Japanese Language and Culture Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 10) United States Government and Politics Chinese Language and Culture Environmental Science Friday (May ) German Language and Culture Computer Science Principles United States History Week 2 (2018) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 14) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Music Theory Tuesday (May 15) Calculus AB French Language and Culture Calculus BC Computer Science A Wednesday (May 16) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May 17) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 18) Human Geography Latin Microeconomics European History 2017 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2017) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 1) Chemistry Psychology Environmental Science Tuesday (May 2) Computer Science A Art History Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 3) English Literature and Composition Japanese Language and Culture Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 4) United States Government and Politics Chinese Language and Culture Seminar Friday (May 5) German Language and Culture Computer Science Principles United States History Week 2 (2017) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 8) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Music Theory Tuesday (May 9) Calculus AB French Language and Culture Calculus BC Spanish Literature and Culture Wednesday (May 10) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May ) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 12) Human Geography Latin Microeconomics European History 2016 AP Testing Schedule Week 1 (2016) Morning (8 am) Afternoon (12 pm) Monday (May 2) Chemistry Psychology Environmental Science Tuesday (May 3) Computer Science A Art History Spanish Language and Culture Physics 1: Algebra-Based Wednesday (May 4) English Literature and Composition Japanese Language and Culture Physics 2: Algebra-Based Thursday (May 5) Calculus AB Chinese Language and Culture Calculus BC Seminar Friday (May 6) German Language and Culture European History United States History Week 2 (2016) Morning (8am) Afternoon (12pm) Afternoon (2pm) Monday (May 9) Biology Physics C: Mechanics Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Music Theory Tuesday (May 10) United States Government and Politics French Language and Culture Spanish Literature and Culture Wednesday (May ) English Language and Composition Italian Language and Culture Macroeconomics Thursday (May 12) Comparative Government and Politics Statistics World History Friday (May 13) Human Geography Latin Microeconomics There was quite a bit of change in AP test scheduling from 2018 to 2019- nearly half of all the AP exams moved around time- or day-wise (although most of the change happened to tests in the afternoon of week 1). From 2017 to 2018, just four changes in the AP schedule took place. These were as follows: Spanish Literature and Culture switched from the afternoon in week 2 to the morning in week 1 AP Seminar shifted from the afternoon late in week 1 to a morning slot earlier in week 1 Environmental Sciencechanged from week 1 in the morning to week 1 in the afternoon Computer Science A went from a week 1 morning slot to a week 2 afternoon slot There were also some minor schedule changes between 2016 and 2017.The Calculus AB/BC and US Government and Politics tests switched slots in weeks 1 and 2, while European History moved from week 1 to week 2. Lastly, 2017 welcomed the new Computer Science Principles test, which began as an AP course in 2016. If you look back five or even 10 years, the dates change more, and the exams evolve as well. Some AP tests have been added over time (such as the new Physics exams), and some have been taken away, such as French Literature and Studio Art. In short, you can expect the AP test schedule for the next year or two to look somewhat similar to the 2020 schedule- but you canââ¬â¢t do any longer-term planning beyond that! Whatââ¬â¢s Next? Learn more about AP tests- how long they are, how many you should take, and which ones are the easiest and hardest for students. Also studying for the SAT or ACT? Develop a target SAT score based on your top schools (ACT version here). Studying for the SAT? Check out our complete guide to the SAT. Taking the ACT instead? Then get a complete guide to the ACT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Fiscal aspects of health care delivery Research Paper
Fiscal aspects of health care delivery - Research Paper Example Although health insurance had developed much, there was shortage of health facilities in US. To increase the number of health facilities, the Hospital Survey and Construction Act of 1946 was enacted. The sources of money for construction of healthcare facilities came from the state and local sources. As the mode of delivery of health care improved, the cost of health care increased and many people were unable to pay the cost. In 1960, thirdââ¬âparty payment systems for health care were created and they acted as the standard mode of health care cost payment in the country. The growth of third-party payment systems increased further the cost of health care. This is because many patients were able to access health care services without out-of-pocket expenses. Those uninsured found it more difficult to access health care services. In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid programs were established to give people more access to health care services. These programs were meant to cater for the elderly, disabled and the poor. Several acts were enacted between 1940 and 1993 and all were meant to improve the delivery of health care services. The acts were as a result of the demands and improvements in medical fields (Kotecki, McKenzie and Pinger, 2008). The US economy is concerned with the rising cost of health care services. Over the last decades the cost of healthcare services has been rising every year. Health care inflation will greatly affect the economy in the coming years due to a number of factors concerned with the delivery of these services. The number of uninsured people is also increasing and this is a concern because many of these people are low income earners, poor, elderly or disabled. Their accessibility to better health care services is very minimal (Jonas and Kovner, 2008). Quality of health care services has been reducing and it is estimated that between 40, 000 and 100, 000 Americans die each year due to medical
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Risk management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words
Risk management - Assignment Example In management of risk, the recognition, evaluation and prioritization of risks is done which is then followed by synchronized and estimated application of revenue and resources to reduce, supervise and control the probable happening of an unfortunate incident so as to maximize the usage and benefits of opportunities. There are different principles of risk management; the following are as proposed by the International Organization for Standardization. They are: To create value To be an essential part of the processes within the organization To play a role in the decision making process Openly discuss the risks Maintain a structured approach which is systematic Be tailor made The human factors be given importance and acknowledgement The policies should be fool proof BURJ KHALIFA Burj Khalifa which was initially known as Burj Dubai is located in Dubai and its construction was carried out by Emaar Properties. Its construction lasted for six continuous years starting from 2004 to 2009 and it is used for a lot of purposes be it residential, entertainment or business facilities; Burj Khalifa offers all. Its construction was done with the aim of making it into such a building which is diversified and convenient in its use; its interior boasts a dining area, a fitness club that stretches up to four stories, 37 floors that are dedicated for office use, 160 rooms that serves as the residing area for guests, 144 private residential suites, a park of 11 hectare, 6 features of water, swimming pools, a are garage that has the capacity to accommodate 3000 cars, an observation deck and approach to the scrupulously planned Dubai downtown which grants more packages and facilities to the investors of Burj Khalifa. (Frederic, 2010) RISK MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS OF BURJ KHALIFA Risk is a term that applies to an uncertain happening that may occur and impose a positive or negative effect on a certain task. Risk has a 100% chance of occurring or otherwise hence risk management aims at c ontemplating the possible causes that may contribute to a risk; thus strategies are developed to cope with it and prevent. Risk taking is a bold step and is often considered by some organizations during a project since it might in cases produce positive results. Certain risk management strategies are meticulously applied in the construction of Burj Khalifa. A few of them will be discussed here in detail. The frontage of the 01 tower in Burj Khalifa is constructed in a unique manner; the entire facade is perforated with openings which are 1,000 in number. If looked from a distance, these perforations look like Oââ¬â¢s however a close glance at them reveals them to be as diamond or oval shaped. This design was an innovative attempt to design Burj Khalifa and was presented by Reiser-Umemoto and RUR Architecture. A competition held by the Dubai Properties gave birth to this exclusive concept in which Shahab Lufti had encouraged the group to come up with a design for the new building that would become the tallest skyscraper in the world. It is a very simple structure in which a diagrid is made of concrete and has openings that change through 4 different scales that range from 2.5m to 6.5m. This would prove to be very beneficial since the concrete frontage was designed in such a manner that would serve the purpose of a sunscreen in Dubaiââ¬â¢
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Ocean of information Essay Example for Free
Ocean of information Essay Information seeking skills are needed whenever there is a search for new information. With the advent of the internet there is suddenly a lot of information available at the click of a mouse and yet, one needs to have some knowledge and skills to obtain the relevant information from the vast ocean of information on the internet. When it comes to searching on the internet, there are many search tools available: search engines, subject directories / virtual libraries, invisible (deep) web databases, Meta search engines, etc (Barker, 2007). Search engines such as Googleâ⠢, AlltheWeb, MSN, Teoma, AltaVista and Wisent provide specific information (Bazac, 2006). Metasearch engines such as ez2Find, Division, Info Grid, Info NetWare, boogie, etc can be used when searching for a unique search term, or in-depth information on a particular subject (Bazac, 2006). Web directories such as Googleâ⠢ Directory, Open Directory Project (ODP), Yahoo! Zeal, JoeAnt and Gimpsy provide general information on popular topics, and scholarly information is best got from virtual libraries such as Librarians Index to the Internet, INFOMINE, and Internet Public Library (Bazac, 2006). Real time information is best obtained through deep web which are specialized databases (MU, 2007). Examples of excellent invisible web databases are Profusion, Invisible-web. net, Complete Planet, Resource Discovery Network and direct search (Moore, 2007). Robert Muldrow Cooper Library, attached to the Clemson University, is known for its automated information retrieval system, the Clemson facilities (CU, 2007). Numerous periodical indexes are housed on-line and available for automated searching. The collections deal mainly with agriculture, natural and physical sciences, economics and technology. Many of the databases that include full text of many articles are available for access through the internet. There are many links to web indexes, search engines, and tips on searching and evaluating sources (CU, 2007). The essential steps in an internet-based search strategy are having a focus, identifying and understanding the key concepts of the topic, finding alternative terms for these concepts and identifying the place for searching and this includes synonyms, plural/singular forms, spelling variations, variations of root words and acronyms (MU, 2007). If the initial information is too little or too much, the search terms should be modified. A search may be broadened by any of the following steps: reducing the number of concepts, using an OR search, looking for alternative terms, using more general search terms, using subject headings as search terms or using alternate spellings. On the other hand, a search may be narrowed by using an AND or NOT search, looking for more specific alternative terms, using subject headings as search terms, or using more precise terms (MU, 2007). Journal websites that can provide full text articles for nursing students and professionals include NursingCenter, Medscape, Hardin MD and Online Journals (Research Medical Library). CINAHL sources provide links to websites of interest to various journals of interest to nursing and allied professions (CINAHL, 2007). CINAHL stands for Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Other important websites for nursing information include Medscape, Toxline and AIDSLINE, Journal of Nursing Management, NursingCenter, and The American Journal of Nursing (AJN). The AJN site allows one to find articles from more than 50 trusted nursing journals, including AJN and Nursing2007. Registration is free (AJN, 2007). Thus, the internet is a treasure trove of information for the searcher with the right set of searching skills. Bibliography: CINAHL (2007). http://www. cinahl. com/csources/csources. htm Barker, Joe (2007). Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial. http://www. lib. berkeley. edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo. html MU (Monash University) (2007). Library Online Tutorials. http://www.monash.edu/library
Friday, November 15, 2019
Poem XVIL by Emily Dickinson :: Poetry
Poem XVIL Even though this poem is only two very short paragraphs, it has a very strong meaning behind it that can be explained easily. What this poem is saying is that even through Dickinson has never seen the ocean, ever prayed to God, or ever gone to church, she can still imagine what the waves look like on the ocean, rolling over each other all day and all night. She can also imagine what itââ¬â¢s like to be one of gods people, having a great and loving connection with him. What sheââ¬â¢s saying is that she doesnââ¬â¢t need to SEE something with her own eyes to know the general idea of what it does. She can simply look at a painting of the ocean to see what the waves look like. Or talk to one of gods people to figure out how they felt about having god in their lives. Even though she doesnââ¬â¢t experience things first hand, she can use her common sense to fill in the gaps of what she doesnââ¬â¢t know. Common sense is one of the big things that makes this poem American. We, as Americans, are always looking for that back door, that easy way out, a way to skip a few steps to get to the finish. We will try to fix the car or computer ourselves before looking at the instruction manual that tells us exactly how to do it, thinking it may save us some time. We use our common sense. We believe that we can fill in the gaps with what we already know. Are we right in not looking at the instruction manual first? Sometimesâ⬠¦ But sometimes we will only make it worse. Many people or ideas in America have become miss-understood because no one wants to look deeper into it, and they simply go along with what the bandwagon says about that person or those ideas.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
How did Eratoshenes Measured the Circumference of the Earth? Essay
About a matter of two hundred decades ago, Greek astronomers valued the erudition that the shape of the Earth is correspondingly a sphere. And as the moon passes through the shadow of the earth, or that which is called a lunar eclipse, the Greeks have observed the circular shadow casted by the Earth. Since that time, it was already an established intellect that only spherical objects cast a circular shadow, thus, the conclusion that the Earth is likewise spherical in shape. The mere conclusion of the Earthââ¬â¢s shape, nevertheless, did not achieve contentment to the Greeks. A Greek astronomer by the name Eratoshenes discovered a possible way in measuring the Earthââ¬â¢s circumference. It started when he had heard some reports from one of Egyptââ¬â¢s city, Syene, which was located on the equator of the earth. The reports have informed Eratosthenes that the sun shows vertical wells down on Syene during the first day of summer. However, the astronomer did not observe any similar phenomenon anywhere by his home; therefore he arrived at the supposition that in his home, Alexandria, which lies 7 degrees north of the city of Syene, the sun never does reach zenith. Eratoshenes further presupposed that the sun is in line with the potential measurement of about 7 degrees south of his residencyââ¬â¢s zenith during summer solstice or the first day of summer. Provided such conclusion, the distance from Alexandria and Syene was believed to be 7/360 or 1/150 that of the circumference of the Earth ( a complete circle has a 360 degree measure). Additionally, way back Eratoshenesââ¬â¢ time, ââ¬Å"stadeâ⬠was the known standard unit of measurement, which then is equal to 1/6 of a kilometer. Consequently, there are 5,000 stades from Syene to Alexandria and from such logic, the Earthââ¬â¢s circumference was calculated to be: 50 x 25,000 stades = 42,000 kilometers. Accordingly, the accepted modern value of the Earthââ¬â¢s circumference is 40,000 km, hence Eratosthenes was correct. References ââ¬Å"The Earth and Moon, Size of the Earth cont. â⬠Publication retrieved on 10 Sept 2007 from http://inkido. indiana. edu/a100/earthmoon7. html
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Physiological Education Essay
Harvard President Lawrence Summers caused quite a stir in January 2005 when he proposed that women are lagging behind in science and mathematics because of ââ¬Å"innate differences between the sexesâ⬠(Angier and Chang, 2005). Angier and Chang at the New York Times agree. They write that research has found that there are a lot of discrepanciesââ¬âthe architecture of their brains, in quantitative test scores, attitudes toward math and scienceââ¬âbetween men and women (Angier and Chang, 2005). The New York Times report found that boys have outscored girls in the math part of the SATs by as much as 35 points, while verbal scores are very similar. On the other hand, the report notes that there are more boys with attention-deficit disorder, learning disabilities, and autism (Angier and Chang, 2005). Boys, on the other hand, fare rather poorly with reading and writing. NAEP writing tests results in 2003 showed that boys scored 24 points lower than girls. The trend can be seen as early as the fourth grade all the way through college (Connell and Gunzelmann, 2004). Kate Melville explains that girls mainly use a system that is involves more memorization and association of words, while boys rely on a system the deals with the rules of language. Melville, citing a study by Michael Ullman, adds that both boys and girls are using different neurocognitive brain processes in learning language, and information processing (Melville, 2006). Jasna Jovanovic and Candice Dreves sums it up in saying that over the years, the notion is that boys have superior spatial abilities, which helps them in math. While girls are better at language and writing (1995). Do girls learn differently from boys? This paper will provide proof that they indeed do, and will try to delve into why and how they learn differently. Lastly it looks into recommendations for addressing such learning disparities between the genders. Preferences in Learning Styles Erica Wehrwein and her fellow researchers identify the learning style preferences of students to include visual, auditory, read-write, and kinesthetic. They also found that a little more than half of the females preferred a single mode of presenting information, as opposed to only 12. 5% of males (Wehrwein, et. al. , 2007). More than a third of the females favored the kinesthetic mode, followed by the read-write mode at16. 7% (Wehrwein, et. al. , 2007). On the other hand, boys preferred auditory, read-write and kinesthetic evenly (Wehrwein, et. al. , 2007). The researchers conclude that there is a significance difference in learning style preferences between boys and girls. Brain-based Differences Nikhil Swaminathan at the Scientific American says that a growing body of studies over since the 1960s have documented that girls have superior language skills. Swaminathan cites a journal report from the Neuropsychologia that says that girls completing a linguistic-related task showed greater activity in the areas of the brain that are responsible for language encoding, and abstract deciphering of information. The boys showed more activities in the visual and auditory areas, depending on how the words were presented (Swaminathan, 2008). Swaminathan concludes that in a classroom, it implies that boys have to be taught visually and orally (through texts and lecture) to gain a full understanding of the lesson, while girls can pick up the concepts by using one of either (Swaminathan, 2008). The study monitored the brain activities of 62 kids (31 of each) from 9 to 15 years old (Swaminathan, 2008). CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Kaledin cites a study conducted by University of California at Irvine psychologist Richard Haire, which shows that at the very least, menââ¬â¢s and womenââ¬â¢s brains work differently (Kaledin, 2005). Kaledin also cites Dr. Jay Geiddââ¬â¢s studies showing that boys and girls have different brain development, with girlsââ¬â¢ brains maturing faster than boyââ¬â¢s, except in the area involved in mechanical skills (Kaledin, 2005). Dr. Leonard Sax offers a much more empirical example, saying that at 12, the geometry area in a girlââ¬â¢s brain is equal to that of an 8 year old boy, while the language area of a boyââ¬â¢s brain is three or four years behind that of a girlââ¬â¢s brain. Dr. Sax concludes that boys and girls see, hear and respond differently (Kaledin, 2005). The Environmentââ¬â¢s Role In an interview Parent News, Jasna Jovanovic stresses that there are no genetically-based differences between girls and boys. Jovanovic, however, says that girls will benefit more from teaching methods that include performance-based assessments, hands-on, active approaches, and cooperative learning. Jovanovic also reiterated that the difference might lie in the childââ¬â¢s environment. Jovanovic laments that societal expectations and stereotypes tell girls that they are not good in math or science, so they shouldnââ¬â¢t be very interested in it (Understanding Genderâ⬠¦ , undated). Jovanovic participated in a single-sex education in grades K-12 roundtable discussion sponsored by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation. Jovanovicââ¬â¢s view is shared by Barnard President Judith Shapiro who adding that while nature may form part of the loss of interest among girls in science, there is also the nurture part (Kaledin, 2005). Donna Milgram, expounding on the gender differences in math, science, engineering and technology, says that the reason why many girls are floundering in these areas is that they have less experience in the hands-on application of learning principles than boys. Milgram says that the studies show that gender differences, most likely, stems out of nurture, not nature (Milgram, undated). Milgram adds that another important area of concern is that of perception and confidence. Females are most likely to succeed in science, engineering, technology and math if they feel confident that they could master it (Milgram, undated). Recommendations Jovanovic and Dreves recommends that child care providers and teachers give every child the chance to learn math and science. Staff should be trained on the equal treatment of boys and girls in the classroom, as well as be given the necessary resources and materials to give the children hands-on experiences in both subjects (Jovanovic and Dreves, 1995). Jovanovic, in the Parents News interview, also suggests a smaller class size, a core curriculum approach, more personal relationships between teahcers, students and administrators, more higher-order thinking-related activities (Understanding Genderâ⬠¦ , undated). Teachers, as well as students, need to be aware of learning style preferences. That way, they can tailor-fit their instruction, activities and tasks to optimize learning. Dr. Leonard Sax says that itââ¬â¢s very important to understand and pay more attention to the learning differences between girls and boys, and even in the differences in the way they develop. Dr. Sax points out that if we continue to ignore these differences, chances are at age 13, weââ¬â¢d have girls who think they canââ¬â¢t do math and boys who think that poetry is a waste of time (Kaledin, 2005). * * * The body of evidence, the growing of research, the viewpoints held by various authorities may differ, at the very least, and contrasting and confusing at the most. Whatââ¬â¢s clear, however, is the fact that girls and boys differ in they ways that they learn something. It may be attributed to physiological factors, or it may stem from the childââ¬â¢s environment. The debate, however, is important not because we need to determine whether boys are more intelligent than girls. That is way beside the point. Our role as educators is to make sure that our students learn, in a manner thatââ¬â¢s easy for them. While suggestions have been brought to extremes like a single-sex classroom setting, the bulk of the responsibility rests on our shoulders. We need to understand these differences, be it physiological, or environmental. We need to understand our students. We need to understand their learning patterns. Having understood their strengths, and the innate differences, we can tap it to make it easier for them to learn. We need to find out the proper and optimal mix of instruction, of lectures, of the use of materials and resources. We need to be creative, innovative in the classrooms and outside it, in order to capture our students and interests in they way they were wired to appreciate it. Lastly, and perhaps, most importantly, we need to create a supportive classroom environment where boys and girls can be themselves, and make both understand that each of them are there to learn in his or her own style and pace. Itââ¬â¢s the only way we can safeguard their self-confidence and esteem. References Angier, Natalie and Chang, Kenneth. (2005). Gray Matter and Sexes: A Gray Area Scientifically. New York Times. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Connell, Diane and Gunzelmann, Betsy. (2004). The New Gender Gap. The Instructor, March 2004. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Kaledin, Elizabeth. (2005). Intellectual Gender Gap? CBS News. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Jovanovic, J. and Dreves C. (1995). Math, science, and girls: Can we close the gender gap? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Melville, Kate. (2006). Big Gender Differences In Language Learning. Georgetown University Medical Center. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Milgram, Donna. Gender Differences in Learning Style Specific to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Swaminathan, Nikhil. (2008). Girl Talk: Are Women Really Better at Language? Scientific American. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Understanding Gender Differences that May Occur in Classroom Settings. Adoption. Com. Retrieved on 15 April 2008. Wehrwein, Erica, Lujan Heidi and DiCarlo, Stephen. (2007). Gender differences in learning style preferences among undergraduate physiology students. Advances in Physiological Education. Retrieved on 15 April 2008.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Business process re engineering The WritePass Journal
Business process re engineering Introduction Business process re engineering IntroductionTHE IMPACT OF BPR ON AN ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE CONCEPT OF BPRADVANTAGES OF BPR DISADVANTAGES OF BPR ROLE OF IS/IT FUNCTION IN BPRIT PROCESSES AND DEVELOPMENTIMPORTANCE OF IS/IT IN BPRCONTRIBUTIONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMIMPACT OF IS/IT IN AN ORGANIZATIONLIMITATAIONS TO TECHNOLOGYCONCLUSIONRECOMMENDATIONSBIBLIOGRAPHYREFERENCESRelated Introduction A management approach concerned at making the improvements and developments to the business by raising the efficiency and effectiveness of the processes that exist within and across the organisations. The key for an organisation to success the business process reengineering is to look at their business processes from a clean slate prospect in order to determine how they can improve and better build these processes to lead their businesses. THE IMPACT OF BPR ON AN ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE The people and the processes are the foundation of any organizations and business process reengineering renovates an organization in ways that directly affect performance. If the individuals are motivated and working hard, than the processes of the businesses are manageable and the nonessential activities remain, the execution of organization will be poor. The key to transforming how people work is business process reengineering, which becomes visible to be minor changes in processes and can have dramatic effects on cash flow, the delivery of the service and the satisfaction of the customer. The best technique to map and improve the organizations procedures is to take a top down approach, and not undertake a project in isolation. Beginning with mission statements, which define and describe the purpose of the organization, what it apart from others in its sector or an industry. Producing vision statements which define where the organization is going, to provide a clear picture of the desired future position. Establish these into a comprehensible business strategy, which derives thereby the objectives of the project. à Defining behaviours, which makes possible for the organization to obtain its goals. Produce the key power measurements to seek out progress. In relationship of the efficiency improvements to the culture of the organization. Identifying initiatives that will improve performance. CONCEPT OF BPR The concept of BPR generally includes the use of computers, information system and Information technology to organize data, project trends, etc. Many large companies are giving high importance to software integration, they want to build strong links between business systems and make information flow better and avoid to access data stored in multiple systems. Let us take an example, suppose a person wants to place an order over the internet. An integrated software solution take that order, shift it and allocate them to the manufacturing plant on one hand and place order for the raw materials on the basis of the stock, update the financial position of the company with respect to suppliers and the inventory on the other hand and so on. Different names have been given by the people to the integration of ERP, SCM, BPR and CRM. These names include e-business, c-business, m-business and KM etc. There are many softwares that do these integration activities. To name a few software these are known as Baan, Fourth Shift, Frida, JD Edwards One World, Manage 2000, Masterpiece MP/Net, Micro strategy, Oracle e-Business Suite, People Soft and SAP R/3. ADVANTAGES OF BPR It locates the customer at the midpoint of the organisation. It helps to reorganize business functions, identify the core activities and processes as well as inefficient or obsolete ones. It helps them to focus on overall corporate objectives and promotes greater staff involvement. It reduces the new product development and process activity times and can condense the response of the customer as well. It can lead to `quantum leap improvements and developments in business resultsif planned and implemented carefully. It can improve the current industry position, an inefficient and reorganize business processes and can make them the industrial leader. DISADVANTAGES OF BPR It is more suited to products and services that involve logical sequences in production. It may be less suitable for highly variable processes. It may require a high level of investment in IT and requires good teamwork and a high degree of planning and implementation expertise. It can be seen as a real threat to jobs. Success is not automatically guaranteed. ROLE OF IS/IT FUNCTION IN BPR Top management must have the full support to BPR to succeed. The leader must be willing to drive change, even to the point of ruthlessness, if resistance is encountered. ââ¬Å"Although, BPR has its roots in IT management, it is primarily a Business Initiative that has broad consequences in terms of satisfying the needs of customers and the firms other constituentsâ⬠. (Davenport Stoddard 1994) The IS/IT group may need to play a behind-the-scenes advocacy role; convincing senior management of the power offered by IT and process redesign. It would also need to incorporate the skills of process measurement, analysis, and redesign. It is essential to differentiate between information technology (IT) and information systems (IS) to understand the role that information systems play in todayââ¬â¢s business environment. IT is the term employed to describe the hardware of computer, the software, and the tools of infrastructure of network in other words, technology itself. IS describes the broader prospect in which IT is employed by the management to create and the systems of support which make it possible for the organization to chase and achieve its strategic goals. When discussing IS, it is important to consider all three of its dimensions: IT, management, and organizations. As a practical matter, it should be noted that the terms IT and IS are often used interchangeably, particularly by those who are not directly involved in the IS or IT field. Information technology is persistent in all the organizations and society as a whole. Businesses are based on IT and telecommunications to achieve their day-to-day goals. In fact, the collection, storage, and retrieval of data and information are both more sophisticated and more ordinary than they have ever been. The information which a company gathers about its procedures of management is a valuable tool of resource for planning.The organizations are able to create and implement new strategies by the innovative use of existing information technologies and systems of information. For example, FedEx upgraded its parcel tracking system to provide the direct access through the website of the shipment information to its customers. This upgrade reduced the cost to provide the service to the customers and simultaneously increased the quality and the availability of the service. This example shows the possibilities of IS while adopting new strategies. IT PROCESSES AND DEVELOPMENT Today, we find a great number of advances in the ITââ¬â¢s has being employed in the companies. In one way, the remarkable advances in personal computers and the communications make it possible to employees to work outside the office while still being always connected to the office. The employees can work of the house or other places. The communication systems of multi-media, which send and receive audio and video signals, help us by making decisions by employing the email, the transfer of file, or the videoconference. The techniques of computer-aided design/manufacture/technology (CAD/CAM/CAE) take account of the design of products, manufacture, and the coordinating activities of technology. By gaining new IT tools, it enables companies to gain important advantages such as: 1) Cost savings, improvement and recovering the accuracy of exchanging information. 2) Avoiding inherent human errors so complex and repetitive tasks are used. 3) Saving money because it reduces errors and the time it takes to accomplish tasks. 4) Integrating and coordinating several functions immediately. 5) Improving the effectiveness and the effectiveness of organization by elimination delay, the administrative intermediaries, and the unessential stages of transformation and by providing a better access to information. The environment of today quickly requires companies to develop and offer the products which will satisfy the needs for customers. The companies cannot be able to do this if they apply processes with many stages and rare collaboration. Consequently, this environment forces a change of the processes of businesses to the mediation reduced by device and increased collaboration. To diminish the degree of mediation and increase the degree of collaboration, Firstly companies must reduce the degree of mediation in processes. That is, they must convert processes with a great number of stages of intermediary of processes which take part directly in the final results. The ITââ¬â¢s that make this modification easy might be: 1)à Shared databases: Different functions are allowed to take part directly by employing information stored in the data bases. Each function can approach, write, or recover the information of this data base the moment when it is necessary. 2) Imaging technology: Several people may work at the same time on a digitalized image of documents or graphics. 3) Electronic data exchange and electronic funds transference. Furthermore, shared computing resources make it possible for different functions to have access to information at any time. Second, the companies must increase the degree of collaboration in the processes so that the implied functions share information. IT that makes the collaboration easy among the different people can be technologies of communication. These allow the transfer of information by using tools such as the email, the videoconference, and the File Transfer Protocol. IMPORTANCE OF IS/IT IN BPR All organizations would like to grow and extend. In order to reach this growth and prosperity, organizations place long-term goals. Their roles as a financial manager are to be helped to develop the organizational strategies which facilitate and obtain those goals. The future growth and prosperity of any organization is essential in an effective management and use of information technology (IT) and information systems (IS). In todayââ¬â¢s organizations, the vast majority of the data to support organizational activities and decisions comes from IS, which incorporates IT, data and information, and business procedures. Organizations with poorly designed information systems face numerous problems. Consider the case of the Hershey Foods Corporation, which found it unable to effectively ship candy for the Halloween season following the implementation of a new computer system. The company faced a 19% drop in profitability because of this problem. Yet at the same time, organizations that effectively design and manage their information systems can gain tremendous benefits. A recent study by Jeanne Ross and Peter Weill found that organizations that effectively manage their IT decision making experience financial performance levels about 20% higher than those with less effective IT management. IS/IT should not be used as a cure-all for organizational problems because technology can create as many problems as it solves if it is not understood properly and its applications are not actively managed. The key to developing a good strategy to achieve an organizationââ¬â¢s goals is to build well-designed and well-managed systems. CONTRIBUTIONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM IS contributes to organizational goals when people use data, information, and information technology through a set of procedures. IMPACT OF IS/IT IN AN ORGANIZATION All medium to large organisations depend on information technology (IT) for their continuous survival. Consider organisations like British Gas, British Telecom, the Power and Water companies having to manually calculate, millions of customer bills every month or quarter. Similar opinion applies to many other organisations such as the high street banks, central and local government. A recent article in the Daily Telegraph IT supplement suggested that many large organisations could last no longer than 24 hours without IT support! There should be a little wonder that attitudes to the development of information systems have changed over the years from an ad hoc almost cavalier approach to a professionally managed, disciplined, planned, and engineering approach. IT can prove to be useful during the process of redesign and reengineering analysis. The graphics software and the tools of CASE can produce the charts of process maps, the spreadsheets and the costing software take account of the analysis of the cost activity-based, the data base can track the satisfaction and the complaints of the customers and display boards of E-mail of ââ¬Å"lamp-shadeâ⬠can be introduced to capture suggestions of the employees. Moreover the E-mail and the groupware can facilitate the communication and coordination through the geographical and organizational barriers. It is recommended that during the process of implementation stage, companies follow these basis rules: Recognize that IT is only part of the solution: it allows managers to collect, store, analyze, and communicate and distribute information better. Cut and paste the IT tools needed. Bring in an internal or external IT expert: their knowledge, skills, intelligence, and experience are invaluable. After implementation, continually monitor IT performance and keep up with new IT developments. Mentioned below are some examples of the companies experience that show the role and implementation of IS/IT in business process redesigning To exhibit the advantages of BPR, Ford Motor was chosen by Hammer [1990]. By applying the data bases shared in the process of accounts payable, which includes the purchase, receiving, and the accounts payable, Ford reduced its labour of the employees by 75 percent. Hewlett-Packard changed the functioning model of its salesmen. Using the portable computers, they were connected to the data base of the inventory of the company. They obtain the information of period on time, activate and apply directly for promotions, changes of the prices, or discounts. Pointless to say, their time devoted to the customers has increased by 27 percent and sales, of 10 percent. When Citibank transformed its system of analysis of credit by reducing paper dispensation, it obtained an increase of 43 percent at time devoted to gather new customers. The credit of IBM took two weeks to finish a claim of financing because there were five stages to the process. By redesigning the process and while making take part the general practitioners who work with data bases and telecommunications networks, it takes now only four hours. LIMITATAIONS TO TECHNOLOGY There are limits to what a technology may accomplish. For example, when the video conferencing technology of communication became the first time available, much were excited about the prospect to employ the visual communication to finish the need for business trip, or reduce-the least substantially it. While there is no question which the visual communication can be employed for some aspects of communication of businesses, it did not finish the need for travel, partly because of the nature slightly limited of the medium and the human desire for the contact head to head. Still another, and really undefeatable, the question which limits the use of the video conferencing communication is physical distance and the notion of the time zones. Consider a situation where a senior executive in Vancouver tries to arrange a video conference with sales offices in Eastern Canada, Europe, and in Asia. Taking account of the time zones, there is no overlapping time of covering during the normal working hours which will allow parts in these four geographical regions to meet. CONCLUSION To be successful, business process reengineering projects need to be top down, taking in the complete organization, and the full end to end processes. It needs to be supported by tools that make processes easy to track and analyze. BPR is a methodology by which important improvements are obtained, although it requires big changes in organization and work style. This involves the need to change or even increase working styles, job functions, needed knowledge, and organization values. Reengineering requires long-time dedication, resources, and effort. These are made easier by using elements called enablers. Its role is crucial because it allows a company to alter processes in two ways: collaboration grade increase and mediation grade decrease through the implementation of shared databases and communication technologies. So, IT may help companies to obtain important improvements on variables such as costs, quality, and delivery time. Although these are not the only important elements, also bear in mind structural changes, company culture, and human resources. RECOMMENDATIONS BPR must be accompanied by strategic planning, which addresses leveraging IT as a competitive tool. Place the customer at the centre of the reengineering effort concentrate on reengineering fragmented processes that lead to delays or other negative impacts on customer service. BPR must be owned throughout the organization, not driven by a group of outside consultants. Case teams must be comprised of both managers as well as those will actually do the work. The IT group should be an integral part of the reengineering team from the start. BPR must be sponsored by top executives, who are not about to leave or retire. BPR projects must have a timetable, ideally between three to six months, so that the organization is not in a state of limbo. BPR must not ignore corporate culture and must emphasize constant communication and feedback. BIBLIOGRAPHY Berman, Saul, Strategic Direction: Dont Reengineer Without It; Scanning the Horizon for Turbulence, Planning Review, November 1994; Pg. 18. Brown, Tom, De-engineering the Corporation, Industry Week, April 18, 1994; Pg. 18. Cafasso, Rosemary, Rethinking Reengineering, Computerworld, March 15, 1993; Pg. 102. Caldwell, Bruce, Missteps, Miscues Business Reengineering Failures, InformationWeek, June 20, 1994; Pg. 50. Chew, Angie, How Insurance Firms Can Reengineer for Success, Business Times, June 20, 1994; Pg. 11. Cone, Edward, Technology Chief of the Year; All the Right Moves Tom Trainer of Reebok International Successfully Teamed Business Reengineering with Information Technology, InformationWeek, December 26, 1994; Pg. 35. Davenport, Thomas H., Will Participative Makeovers of Business Processes Succeed Where Reengineering Failed? Planning Review, January 1995; Pg. 24. Economist Newspaper Group, Reengineering Reviewed The Economist, June 1994, Pg 24. Ettorre, Barbara, Reengineering Tales from the Front, Management Review, January 1995; Pg. 13. REFERENCES http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=390451promo=100511tag=bn-left teamtechnology.co.uk/business-process-reengineering.html comp.glam.ac.uk/pages/staff/tdhutchings/chapter1.html#head1 scribd.com/doc/396076/Foundations-of-Information-Systems-in-Business netlib.com/bpr1.shtml#recom entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/100012316_2.html kmbook.com/bpr.htm susanto.id.au/papers/BPEASAP.asp
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Famous Quotations About Literature and Writing
Famous Quotations About Literature and Writing We see, enjoy, and criticize the end result of writers work, but theres so much more to these pieces than what the public consumes. After all, millions of books get published every year, joining the vast libraries that have been built up over time, but we regard few as classics, greats or masterpieces. So what makes the difference between just another piece of writing and a literary success? Often, its the writer. Heres a collection of thoughts from world-famous writers on what literature means to them and why they pursued the written word as a means to express themselves. Quotes About Writing and Literature Henry Miller: Develop an interest in life as you see it; the people, things, literature, music-the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls, and interesting people. Forget yourself.Ezra Pound: Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree.Joseph Heller: He knew everything about literature except how to enjoy it.John Steinbeck: I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature.Alfred North Whitehead: It is in literature that the concrete outlook of humanity receives its expression.Henry James: It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.C. S. Lewis: Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.Oscar Wilde: Literature always anticipates life . It does not copy it but molds it to its purpose. The nineteenth century, as we know it, is largely an invention of Balzac. G. K. Chesterton: Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.Virginia Woolf: Literature is strewn with the wreckage of those who have minded beyond reason the opinion of others.Salman Rushdie: Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.William Somerset Maugham: The crown of literature is poetry.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: The decline of literature indicates the decline of a nation.Robert Louis Stevenson: The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean. Like a Woman Who Gives Herself Without Preference Anatole France: The duty of literature is to note what counts and to light up what is suited to the light. If it ceases to choose and to love, it becomes like a woman who gives herself without preference.E. M. Forster: What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote.Samuel Lover: When once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen. But if you have not a pen, I suppose you must scratch any way you can.Cyril Connolly: While thought exists, words are alive and literature becomes an escape, not from, but into living.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Analyzing consumption trends between consumption theories Essay
Analyzing consumption trends between consumption theories - Essay Example It can be stated as a matter of fact that these two theories, relative to the concept of consumer consumption, was introduced at a wide difference of nearly four decades and certainly focuses on distinct assumptions which often tends to contradict each othersââ¬â¢ view point. As in the case of Veblen approach, consumers are termed to have no such influence on the price of the commodity; whereas, in the neo-classical theory, customers are considered as one of the major catalysts to influence the commodity price (Himmelweit & et. al., 2001). The concept of consumer consumption is often demonstrated as the pattern of expenditure made by the consumers in exchange of a particular commodity. It is further stated by economists that consumer consumption or the decision taken by the consumers to buy a commodity depends on the price of the product or the services rendered, their requirement or individual preferences, the availability of the product and quality of the commodity served among others. Thus, it may vary according to the changes occurring in relation to any of these variables (Lee & et. al., 2009; Himmelweit & et. al., 2001). However, as mentioned in the theory of ââ¬Ëconsumer sovereigntyââ¬â¢ by the neo-classical approach, individual preferences, amid the other factors tend to be one of the strongest influencing factors of consumer consumption. This theory further depicts that these preferences are endogenous in nature and thus tends to be highly influenced by the external factors such as choices favored by the society (King & et. al., 2006; Oââ¬â¢Hara & Stagl, 2002). Based on these assumptions, according to the consumer consumption behavior demonstrated by neo-classical theory, the buyers are termed to be one of the major drivers of price change that subsequently leads to change in quantity. The theory further assumes that price and demand for a particular commodity is conversely related which depicts the equilibrium to be as
Friday, November 1, 2019
Cuban Missile Crisis Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Cuban Missile Crisis - Movie Review Example The missile placement was being done as a means of deterring future invasion from enemies like United States. The result of Soviet Unionââ¬â¢s decision was what became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, which was influenced by different points of views held by leaders of the three countries involved. In this paper, the perspectives of the three countries are reviewed, as well as the result of the agreement reached between the countries. The review is done exclusively by using BBCââ¬â¢s documentary on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. From the video, there are strategic and psychological analyses that the EX COMM makes to President JFK that come to represent the larger U.S perspective or view point of the Cuban Missile Crisis. From a strategic analysis point of view, the United States perceived that the Soviet Union had a motive of balancing forces to their favor so that the country would be freer to challenge the interests of the United States. But to make this possible, the Soviet Union had to have a capacitated force behind its remaining 50 ballistic missiles, which could range only to hit European countries. By placing the missiles in Cuba, the Soviet could have a closer range to target and attack the U.S. Indeed another strategic analysis that is perceived from the United States point of view was that the Soviet Union wanted to put the credibility of the United States into doubt by placing missiles at a position that can best be referred to as the backyard of the United States without the United States knowi ng of it. Then from a psychological analysis, there was a U.S held point of view that the Soviet leader Khrushchev perceived JFK as a weak leader from his inability to have firm positions against the Soviet leader in their 1961 summit. But seeing herself as the superpower of world, the US would not allow its voted leader to be taken for a weak leader who could not react to the missile laying in Cuba. The Soviet Union also had a perspective of the Cuban
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