Mobile application Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mobile application - Assignment Example The website will offer the latest technologies and games designed for popular mobile brands like Nokia, Vodafone, Motorolla, etc. A particular amount of money will be charged for these applications from the clients and memberships will also be offered to these people which will allow the users to download as many applications as they like for a particular amount of money. B: I believe this is a big opportunity for me because this business has a lot of scope and much room for progress. Everyone today owns a mobile phone and is interested in installing software that can help people connect easily with the world. Since mobile phones are now a necessity for children and adults, it is also becoming increasingly important for people to make their mobiles as convenient as they can. My website will provide exactly the kind of applications which are needed by these users. Since I am personally interested in Mobile phones and different applications and games, I think I will be able to maintain a good quality of the business and attract more customers. It will also help me learn more about the industry. C: This business is not just an opportunity for me but anyone else because of the nature of business. Online businesses are becoming increasingly popular with 78 per cent of the Americans doing their shopping online (Sterling, 2008). E-Bay, Home Store, and Amazon are some of the most popular businesses online. A full integrated mobile application online service has a lot of potential and can become one of the most popular businesses online. The main target of the business is the youth, which spends most of their time on social networking websites such as Facebook and Myspace. Mobile applications such as, Facebook for Android 1.3 attracts that youth as well as adults. If proper marketing is done and good quality is maintained, I think this business can become very successful in a very short time. D: I believe that the business is financially viable because the

Flash Animation Software Package Computer Science Essay

Flash Animation Software Package Computer Science Essay In this part of my assignment I would like to evaluate one software package. I would like to present basic information about Adobe Flash CS3 Professional. Also, I want to show you advantages and disadvantages of this program and describe where software could be improved. Adobe Flash  (Macromedia Flash) is a software  used to add  animations, video and  interactivity  to web pages. Flash is often used for games and advertisements. Flash was designed in 1996 and is now used by  Adobe Systems. It has been located as a tool for Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) Flash controls raster graphics and vector to give animation of text, images and drawings. Flash files are in the SWF format which is called (Shock Wave Flash) movies or flash games. Adobe Flash has included an option to add audio and video which makes your animation much more professional. Flash animation can be displayed on different computer systems and devices all the user need is Adobe Flash Player software which i s available to download for free. I have created a few animations using this program to meet assignment criteria. I never used this program before but I found it easy how to create simple animations. When I started to design my first animation I did not know how to use all tools that software provides. After 30 minutes I was able to create my first simple animation. It was not that professional like normal animation but it was something similar. I have spent a lot of time to create my first animation because I did not how to use these tools. I needed some help from instructions and sometimes I asked a teacher for help. I was testing my animations a few times with different combination of frames. This software provides very professional tools to create interesting animation. The program is made for everyone because is easy to use when you know how to use each of specific tools. I found out this software package is one of the best to design professional animations. I compared similar programs to create animations such as: pencil or 1-2-3 cartoon animation and I preferred to use Adobe one because it was so much easier to use for me. I enjoyed designing my animation in that software and I did not have any series problems to create simple animations. Flash has many good points some of there are: Using the software, web designers are able to use their ideas while building the website. There is no problem of browser compatibility. Data is uploading without any problems to any browser. Flash movies have a high loading speed. Flash is also very good drawing software and can create some interesting artwork. Very large software, easy to learn the basics for example; how to use specific tools or how to draw Everyone can create their animation very quick without spending time for long time learning the basics. Flash can be used to make; DVD productions, 3D animations, full movies, e-commerce and database on website, web advertising, drawing, software that can be used on websites. Flash can be used as educational software for children because tools are very easy to learn and use. 64-bit support for operating systems and 64-bit web browsers on Linux, Mac OS and Windows Audio and Video can be added while creating animation. It makes your animation more professional when audio is added. Also you can download a video to your animation to make your animation more interesting. Motion Tween technique is used in Adobes Flash animation software. Using this technique you are able to tweening a symbols from one position to a different position. Shape Tween technique is used in Adobes Flash animation software. This technique allows us to modify the shape of objects. By tweening objects, you can do something similar to morphing. Flash has a few bad points some of there are: The tools for writing and debugging the code are very plain. The code editor gives very limited functionality Takes long time to load files for example: images which are located on hard drive. It is also expected that some search engines may be unable to read the Flash texts It is slow in downloading images for example and the software works very slowly. Also the way that Flash works with text is one of major weakness. The support for HTML/CSS should be better, and especially there should be a way to deal with links, more advanced CSS features and complex formatting. WHERE SOFTWARE COULD BE IMPROVED? In my opinion the software could be improved because I found a few bad points of the software. Basically, the software takes long time to load and it can be annoying for users. That should be improved because it is a major weakness of Adobe software. Also the tools for writing and debugging the code could be better designed because are very plain and not very much professional. I found out opinions from people about Adobe Flash and they said that software sometimes may be unable to read the files. It is very annoying when the software is unable to read our files which are very important for us. In my opinion that should be improved very quick especially when many people describing this problem on forums. Also the code editor gives very limited functionality for uses and that could be improved. They should improve the code editor because it is very important thing for people who make professional animations. Also the poor integration could be improved between the Flash IDE and Flex Builder. Making professional animation is not very easy for beginners and sometimes any other software is needed. When the Adobe Flash has poor integration it is harder to make professional animation. Also the support for HTML and CSS should be better because is not fully supported. In my opinion these things should be improved straight away but the rest is absolutely fine and I cannot see any other problems. Conclusion In this part of my assignment I would like to make a conclusion about Adobe Flash Professional CS3. When I started desiging my first animation I did not know how to use the program at all. It was something impossible for me to make an animation and I was very disappointed because I did not even know how to start creating animation. I needed some help from instructions and also I asked my teacher when I did not know what to do. Anyway, after 30 minutes I was able to create my first simple animation. It was not really hard but I spent several minutes for practice and instructions. I did not even know that software is very simple and creating animation is fantastic with the Adobe Flash software. Everything is located very tidy and simple and is not that difficult to make animation. Also the instructions are available online on Adobes website so everyone can use them when help is needed. Actually, when you know the basic tools you should not have a problem with designing because the soft ware is simple. In my opinion the program is designed for beginners and professional animators because the software provides tools for professional animations and is very simply to use. The program is well known at schools, colleges or universities because it can be used as educational software. In my opinion the software is too slow but overall is designed very well and I enjoyed designing my animations and I did not have any series problems. I will recommend this program because in my opinion is the best for making animations.

Comparative Essay: Compare Nothings Changed with Vultures, Analysing :: English Literature

Comparative Essay: Compare Nothings Changed with Vultures, Analysing the Political Message Conveyed Introduction My essay is based on comparing the poems ‘Nothings Changed’ with ‘Vultures’. I am looking at the similarities and differences in the writing, characters, setting, structure, words and poetic devices used. I am also looking at the different emotions the different poets have used. How do the poets use setting to convey mood? ============================================ In ‘Vultures’ the poet uses sad and dull words to convey the mood. I know this because in the poem the poet has used words such as ‘greyness’ and ‘dead tee’. He has used these to express his emotions and to reinforce the atmosphere of the poem and what the poem is about. In ‘Nothings Changed’ the poet has used words to describe what he is looking at and how he feels. He has used words like ‘new up-market, haute cuisine’ and ‘working mans cafà © which sells bunny chow’. The words he has used are to enhance the setting and for the reader to acknowledge the comparisons between blacks and whites in the poem I think that the similarities in the poem are that both poems enhance the poet’s emotions and feelings. The differences are that in ‘Vultures’ has described his setting in a simple way, whereas in ‘Nothings Changed’ the writer has gone into detail. How does the poet use characters? The poet who has written the poem ‘Vultures’ has used his main characters as animals, which are vultures. He has also added the commandant. I know that the vultures are the main characters because the title of the poem is ‘Vultures’ and in there he has used sentences such as ‘a vulture perching high’ and ‘Nestled close to his mate’. The commandant has been introduced in the poem in the sentence ‘Thus the commandant’. As the word ‘Vultures’ is a metaphor it creates an image in the readers head to make the poem more effective and he commandant has been given two personalities to say what the character is like and to give more of an idea of what the poem is about. First, the commandant is said to be grouse, yet affectionate and capable as he stops at the sweet shop to buy his kids some sweets. The characters in ‘Nothings Changed’ are blacks and whites, which are against each other. The poet himself is also a character. The reason for this is that the poet tells how different whites are to blacks, as he uses setting and actions to suggest how the blacks and whites are seen to others. Sentences he uses are ‘New, up-market, haute cuisine†¦ Whites only inn’ and refers to the blacks in this sentence; ‘Working Comparative Essay: Compare Nothings Changed with Vultures, Analysing :: English Literature Comparative Essay: Compare Nothings Changed with Vultures, Analysing the Political Message Conveyed Introduction My essay is based on comparing the poems ‘Nothings Changed’ with ‘Vultures’. I am looking at the similarities and differences in the writing, characters, setting, structure, words and poetic devices used. I am also looking at the different emotions the different poets have used. How do the poets use setting to convey mood? ============================================ In ‘Vultures’ the poet uses sad and dull words to convey the mood. I know this because in the poem the poet has used words such as ‘greyness’ and ‘dead tee’. He has used these to express his emotions and to reinforce the atmosphere of the poem and what the poem is about. In ‘Nothings Changed’ the poet has used words to describe what he is looking at and how he feels. He has used words like ‘new up-market, haute cuisine’ and ‘working mans cafà © which sells bunny chow’. The words he has used are to enhance the setting and for the reader to acknowledge the comparisons between blacks and whites in the poem I think that the similarities in the poem are that both poems enhance the poet’s emotions and feelings. The differences are that in ‘Vultures’ has described his setting in a simple way, whereas in ‘Nothings Changed’ the writer has gone into detail. How does the poet use characters? The poet who has written the poem ‘Vultures’ has used his main characters as animals, which are vultures. He has also added the commandant. I know that the vultures are the main characters because the title of the poem is ‘Vultures’ and in there he has used sentences such as ‘a vulture perching high’ and ‘Nestled close to his mate’. The commandant has been introduced in the poem in the sentence ‘Thus the commandant’. As the word ‘Vultures’ is a metaphor it creates an image in the readers head to make the poem more effective and he commandant has been given two personalities to say what the character is like and to give more of an idea of what the poem is about. First, the commandant is said to be grouse, yet affectionate and capable as he stops at the sweet shop to buy his kids some sweets. The characters in ‘Nothings Changed’ are blacks and whites, which are against each other. The poet himself is also a character. The reason for this is that the poet tells how different whites are to blacks, as he uses setting and actions to suggest how the blacks and whites are seen to others. Sentences he uses are ‘New, up-market, haute cuisine†¦ Whites only inn’ and refers to the blacks in this sentence; ‘Working

Effects of a Strong or Weak Philippine Peso Currency Essay

Two conflicting stories came out of a national paper this week. One announced that exporters are badly hurt by the appreciating peso while the other states that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) claims that the surging currency is beneficial to the Philippine economy. Those stories seem to tell the Filipinos that we cannot have our cake and eat it too. Whenever there is a good effect, there is a corresponding draw back. Let us take the first statement. There are two types of exporters. One is who imports raw materials, processes it and exports the finished product. The other is one who buys or produces the raw material locally, processes it and exports the result. In the first case, we export only labor. In the second, we export labor and raw material converted by labor into finished product. When the peso is weak, more pesos are spent to buy raw materials. The product is sold to earn a strong dollar. Then labor is paid in weak peso. When the peso is strong, there will be less pesos spent acquiring raw material. Then the finished product is sold earning weak dollars. There will be more dollars needed to pay labor in strong pesos. What exporters are afraid of is our finished product will be less competitive in the world market if a strong peso raises production costs. Labor costs will rise because there will be more dollars to be converted to pesos to be spent for labor. What will be affected are the export processing zones. Finished products will be less competitive in the world market. Profits will dive and factories may close. On the other hand, the quality of the peso in the world market is raised. We will need less pesos to service our external debt in dollars. There will be more investors coming because they can earn more than when the peso is weak. Philippine economy will be stronger. There will be more investors coming because the strong peso earned will compensate their efforts. The BSP argues that the peso surge is but temporary. Market forces will eventually force the peso to seek its level. Overseas workers are the ones responsible for the strong peso. When remittances slow down the peso will depreciate. There is a tendency for the overseas workers to live permanently in the place where they work if the government of the country will allow. The sad part of the business is that even if the peso appreciates, it is never felt locally. Local prices will remain the same. Take for example oil products. If the world market for liquid petroleum gas rises, our local prices rise along with it. If it falls the peso price for Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) will remain the same. Even if the peso appreciates, there is still no roll back in LPG prices. There must be something wrong with our economics. Perhaps we would be much thankful that the peso appreciates. We are an importing country. Since birth we have been conditioned to believe that anything imported is excellent. Imported wines, whiskeys, cigarettes, chocolates, perfumes and cars are better appreciated than local products. With the appreciating pesos, plus the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff all imported luxuries will now be within the reach of the locals. The incoming dollars will go out again. Our overseas workers will have to stay longer if not forever just to keep our economy afloat. While economy is on the rise, we do not institute measures to keep it up. Our economic planners must pull their acts together. We still are not aware how the strong peso affects the small and medium enterprises. If there is any benefit from the surging currency, the influence must be felt locally in any way otherwise the natives will never be able to benefit from the situation. Is the surging peso beneficial or detrimental?

A Critique of Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

Barbara Ehrenreich’s book, Nickel and Dimed, was certainly a wonderful read and is verily able to open the reader’s eyes to a reality that is usually set aside by many. The book was originally a compilation of her researches as she went undercover to write about people who had to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Those people whose wages were below the minimum wage and were so busy with work they were not able to pursue their own interests and who were also supporting dependents. As a whole, the author was able to document her experiences as she wrote in her journal her everyday experiences. Through this, the readers were able to have a glimpse into the lives of people she had worked with as a waitress at Florida, a healthcare aide at Maine and a salesperson of Wal-Mart at Minnesota. To be able to do this properly, though, she had to fake her qualifications and disguise her motives from her fellow workers. As a journalist, she also had to restrain herself from pointing out her political views to her colleagues. I think her method of studying the people may have some flaws, some biases. Below would be several of them. First of all, she wasn’t really like them. These people has had different experiences and lived in a different environment unlike hers. Such factors would have made an impact on how the subjects would act as people, as workers. The author mentioned that her co-workers didn’t even ask about insurance or other possible benefits included on the job they were on and just accepted what their boss said. If the workers were people who knew about such things, they would probably ask. Then, again, even if they knew, most of them would not have time to think about such benefits as a whole because they would be too busy trying to ake ends meet anyway. Then, as one who had to experience the life of a poor worker, she was not able to live out the role very well. One, she did not have anyone who depended on her earnings—no family or siblings, unlike most of the subjects she studied. She did not feed anyone else other than herself nor did she have to consider the medical problems of other people. The author also did not trust religious organizations even when her coworkers were telling her that it would be a great help. She always refused to accept money from charities and other such organizations. People in actual situations would not be refusing such help; in fact, they would have been the ones who would be asking for help from such organizations, whether they believed in its cause or not. She also insisted on living alone, thus pay her rent by herself. She always seemed to talk about this issue but was never really able to solve such an easy problem. Real people would have gone and looked for roommates to share the rent of the house. That way, she could have saved more money and may even develop a relationship with other people. The last part of the statement was also one of the things she failed to do. Humans are social beings, that’s a fact even when there are a few who say they prefer to live alone. All people need each other and so far, the human race is progressing because of helping each other. The same principle still happens and is certainly one of the most effective ways to survive—to help one another. The author, unfortunately, was not able to build a proper relationship with her co-workers. She was not able to build a support network which most people actually have. I believe that this is one of the most vital parts in the lives of the working class. Yeah, they may be feeding more mouths and spending more, but the human companionship, the support, these extra people are giving to the workers actually motivate them to go on fighting and working. There was also this part on the book where she walks out in the middle of her shift as a worker in a restaurant just two weeks after being hired. The truth is, real people would not have done this, simply because they did not have the liberty to do so. They just could not afford to lose a job, however hard it is or low paying it is. And speaking of low-income, hard, stressful jobs, she also irresponsibly argues against corporations giving such small wages without considering the economics behind it like insurance and overhead. These things are work requirements and are deducted from the employees’ salaries. Of course, with those things, and probably additional loans, the employees would really get a small wage after all the deductions are done. Also, the fact that she seemed to give her own thoughts and comments on the issues that were tackled on the book made it less like professional journalism. Ehrenreich thought that the book was the product of undercover reporting, but it certainly lacked a bit of that sense because of the lack of objectivity of reporting the events. She was not even able to tell or relate the lives her subjects were living. She could have picked a person, tried to get to know him and be able to relate in the book more concretely the problems and issues the person was facing. Instead, the book was actually, in another point of view, mostly about her and how she coped up with living the life of such people. Sure, there were the other characters but it almost always seemed like she was the hero since the whole thing revolved around herself. The subjects she was supposed to be studying were like backdrops in her play. She really should have focused more on the lives of the people she was studying. She should have delved more on exactly how these people lived, what are the exact problems they were facing, if possible, what these people wanted, wished, they could do for themselves and what the government could do for them. I’m not saying that Ehrenreich was all the way wrong in her methods and because of that, her book was essentially ineffective. The truth is, although it would have been better with the above suggestion, it has, in effect, really opened the eyes of its readers of the many people who have jobs but still really are poor. The book certainly disproved the mindset that if one has a job, then everything’s going to be alright. It also might have made people reconsider their thoughts about the poor, saying that they are like that because they are lazy. The book shows that there are hardworking people, but unfortunately, even with all the jobs they are balancing, they are still not able to get out of the sticky web called poverty. Works Cited Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2001.

30 Sports Idioms

30 Sports Idioms 30 Sports Idioms 30 Sports Idioms By Mark Nichol This post lists and defines terms derived from two or more distinct sports that by extension serve as idioms in other realms of endeavor outside athletics. (The original meaning is provided in parentheses.) 1. ace: accomplish something with ease (slang term for when an opposing player or team fails to return a serve) 2. bench: keep someone from participating; as a noun, a figurative reference to the members of a group as a whole or to the depth of talent of the group members collectively (seating for players not competing) 3. bench-warmer: a person with a negligible role (slang term for a player who spends most or all of a game sitting on the team bench rather than participating in competition) 4. cheap shot: a hurtful or unfair critical comment (an illegal hit during a contact sport) 5. drop the ball: fail or make a mistake (lose control of a ball and thus give up possession of it in favor of the opposing team) 6. game changer: something that significantly and suddenly changes a situation (a play during a game that abruptly alters the likely outcome) 7. game plan: strategy (the approach athletes practice to achieve victory in a competition) 8–9. get/keep the ball rolling: start an activity or project, or maintain progress on an activity or project, respectively (putting and keeping a ball in motion so that regulation play continues) 10. goal line: an achievement or benchmark considered a success (the line on a playing field across which a ball must cross in order for points to be scored) 11. hat trick: a very clever or deft maneuver (a series of three consecutive achievements in a game or season, based on a tradition in which a cricket player was awarded a hat for such an accomplishment) 12. hotshot: a conspicuously successful or talented person, or one who believes himself or herself to be especially successful or talented; often used sarcastically or derogatorily (a player unusually successful in making shots, or goals) 13. level playing field: an equitable arrangement (a flat surface on which a competition is held so that a slope does not favor one team) 14. long shot: an effort, or a person or thing, with little chance of success (an attempt to score a goal from a far distance) 15. losing streak: a record of a series of failures (a sequence of successive defeats by an athlete or team) 16. make the cut: qualify (having one’s name remain on a roster from which the names of other prospective team members have been removed or struck out, signifying retention of the one who has made the cut and disqualification of the others) 17. on the ball: alert, successful (remaining close to, or gaining possession of, a ball in a competition in order to achieve victory) 18. on the sidelines: having an indirect or insignificant role (the area next to the boundary of the playing area where team members not participating in a competition watch game play) 19. out of bounds: not acceptable or appropriate (outside the field of play, where a ball may not be carried or moved to score a point or goal until it is returned to a prescribed place on the field and play officially resumes) 20. referee: a mediator or arbitrator (an official responsible for overseeing a competition and monitoring that rules are being observed) 21. ringer: a person with a striking resemblance to another person, or an unauthorized substitute (a competitor not authorized to play) 22. score: achieve or obtain something desired, or record outcomes or results; as a noun, the status of a situation, or pertinent information (the tally kept during a competition) 23. sideline: as a noun, an additional pursuit or product line; as a verb, keep or remove from participation; in plural form, the state of observing rather than participating (the line marking the boundary of the playing field) 24. stay ahead of the game: anticipate changes in a series of events or incidents (predicting how a competition will play out and using that knowledge to affect the outcome) 25. take sides: support one faction or position at the extent of the other (forming the prescribed arrangement of team members before a competition begins) 26. team player: someone who gets along well with others or is loyal to a cause (an athlete whose performance supports a team’s success) 17. stage of the game: a point during a series of actions or events leading to an outcome (the notion of a particular interval or moment during a competition) 28. time out: a pause or break to assess a situation or provide time for reflection, or removal of a child from an activity as a form of punishment (one of a prescribed number of interruptions in competition each team is allowed to take to temporarily halt game play to discuss strategy) 29. winning streak: a series of successes (a sequence of successive victories by an athlete or team) 30. workout: an exercise routine, or any strenuous effort (a series of activities or exercises an athlete undergoes to enhance physical conditioning) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†45 Synonyms for â€Å"Old† and â€Å"Old-Fashioned†13 Theatrical Terms in Popular Usage

Legal Writing Advice

Legal Writing Advice Legal Writing Advice

The Future Of Marketing Is Automation With Chris Davis From ActiveCampaign

The Future Of Marketing Is Automation With Chris Davis From ActiveCampaign Want to provide a better experience for your prospects and customers, and make your work life a little more efficient at the same time? That’s the dream behind marketing automation. It’s about delivering the right messages to the right people in the most effective way. Today, we’re talking to Chris Davis, director of education at ActiveCampaign. He teaches us that marketing automation goes beyond email marketing and shares ideas on how you can improve your customer experience with automation. Marketing automation is the process of employing technology to execute a marketing strategy Hire and train each tool that you use in marketing to solve a problem Owners wear many hats; marketing automation lets them do more of what they want to do in their business, than what they have to do Examples of automation include someone filling out a form and your company following up or giving away something for free to obtain email addresses Biggest mindset shift to automation is looking at your platform not as a way to send out emails, but as a way to collect data Sole purpose of marketing automation is to scale personalization and make people feel individualized; automation allows you to sort or segment contacts Before doing anything technical, define segments in your business; who are you going to be talking to? First 2 segments: customers and non-customers Simple things become complex when understanding isn’t in close proximity; most businesses struggle to understand marketing and technology Email can be the channel or means in which a message travels; send a message to customers to break the barrier of technology Marketing automation qualifies customers and determines who should follow-up with them; automation serves as a facilitator People prefer to buy online, rather than going into a store; their guards are down, but everybody still wants to be treated like a human being and individual Outsourcing marketing can be a mistake; you may need someone internal to your business that is involved in the day-to-day to unleash your marketing Links: ActiveCampaign Jobs to be Done Drip Write and send a review to receive a care package If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Chris Davis: â€Å"Our customers need optimization across the entire customer journey.† â€Å"When I think of marketing automation, it’s the process of employing technology to execute your marketing strategy.† â€Å"Your biggest mindset shift when it comes to marketing automation is to stop looking at your platform as a means of sending out emails, and look at it as a means of collecting data.† â€Å"The goal is to be able to do more of what you want to do in your business, than what you have to do.†

Complete this as a formal analysis ( There should be three paragraphs Assignment

Complete this as a formal analysis ( There should be three paragraphs to this analysis) - Assignment Example What Terry lacks in the duration of her experience, she more than makes up for in anecdotes, a very practical asset in her presentations. Throughout her talk, Terry gave excellent anecdotes to give emphasis to her points. She used no graphics which, if added, might have made her presentation better. Presentation Two is one delivered by the noted economist, John Kenneth Galbraith, who addressed a convention several years before he died. It is probably obvious that Galbraith can be forgiven for some of the shortcomings of his talk. At 92, he displayed some of the characteristics of his advanced age, but these took away only very slightly from his talk. For example, after his presentation was complete, he took questions from the audience. After he finished with each answer, he would step back to the high stool that he sat himself on until the next question was asked. In a way, however, this added to the meaning of his answers, since after each question was asked, he would put his hand t o his chin, as if in deep thought, and only after he rose and lumbered to the podium did he answer the question. This gesture gave emphasis to the thoughtfulness of the answers he was giving to the questions prior to answering He used no graphics in his presentation, but his knowledge of the subject was first-hand and colorful.

Leadership Blogs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Blogs - Assignment Example The progress of a leader is clear when the leader which an individual influences the group of individuals to attain a common goal/ One of the best attitudes that are seen in leadership is in the movie Remember the Titans. In one of the most exemplified films, leadership is depicted by both. Both men depict leadership development as they put aside their differences for the well-being of the team. It is clear to understand that this relationship extended beyond just football, it was a testament to the development of a collaborative effort. Leadership development is a process and not a sprint, it takes time to cultivate this experience as depicted by Julius and his teammate. Putting aside differences teaches a valuable lesson that collaboratively nothing is impossible. Leadership styles in different culture vary in midst of cultures because it is based on values that are different. For instance, eastern cultures often portray leadership via fear. Dictatorship for often is stemmed for embedding fear in people. Most people have leadership in other cultures have given a promise to people that have allowed them to be leaders. For instance, Hitler was a great leader because he promised people with incentives and glory. Leaders in other cultures have always tried to promote glory and nationalism which brought them power, prestige and wealth. In most cases, the people do not approve the leadership of these leaders and are forced to follow them. Dictatorship and autocracy in the Middle East and communism has been evident throughout history. Another great example can be depicted in leaders in Great Britain. Most British leaders are diplomatic, willing to compromise, and honest. However, at times they can also inflict they supremacy when necessary. From a modern perspective, leadership styles are more of followers pushing a leader to spearhead and take a proactive role. Leaders in the modern country are more prone to criticism and hence are more democratic.

Leadership Blogs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Blogs - Assignment Example The progress of a leader is clear when the leader which an individual influences the group of individuals to attain a common goal/ One of the best attitudes that are seen in leadership is in the movie Remember the Titans. In one of the most exemplified films, leadership is depicted by both. Both men depict leadership development as they put aside their differences for the well-being of the team. It is clear to understand that this relationship extended beyond just football, it was a testament to the development of a collaborative effort. Leadership development is a process and not a sprint, it takes time to cultivate this experience as depicted by Julius and his teammate. Putting aside differences teaches a valuable lesson that collaboratively nothing is impossible. Leadership styles in different culture vary in midst of cultures because it is based on values that are different. For instance, eastern cultures often portray leadership via fear. Dictatorship for often is stemmed for embedding fear in people. Most people have leadership in other cultures have given a promise to people that have allowed them to be leaders. For instance, Hitler was a great leader because he promised people with incentives and glory. Leaders in other cultures have always tried to promote glory and nationalism which brought them power, prestige and wealth. In most cases, the people do not approve the leadership of these leaders and are forced to follow them. Dictatorship and autocracy in the Middle East and communism has been evident throughout history. Another great example can be depicted in leaders in Great Britain. Most British leaders are diplomatic, willing to compromise, and honest. However, at times they can also inflict they supremacy when necessary. From a modern perspective, leadership styles are more of followers pushing a leader to spearhead and take a proactive role. Leaders in the modern country are more prone to criticism and hence are more democratic.

Motivation in the Work place Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

Motivation in the Work place - Dissertation Example This further enhances the challenge that organizations face. With the aim to ascertain how motivation affects the performance of employees in the workplace, three objectives and several research questions were presented in Chapter I. Based on a quality study comprising of secondary data, all the study objectives have been achieved. The study finds that the primary motivation factors continue to be financial incentives regardless of age and sector. However, once the basic needs are satisfied, individuals differ across their needs and consequently, motivation and thereby performance. This is where managerial competence is required. The study also finds that managers themselves are either ill-equipped or not satisfied with the motivation they receive. Nevertheless, they try to apply the same motivation techniques with their subordinates, which they themselves aspire. These include autonomy, authority in decision making and transparency. The study also finds that linking financial incent ives to performance usually do not work and other reinforcing factors such as appreciation, recognition, challenging assignments and clarity of job role have a role to play in positively impacting employee performance. In addition, effective communication, involvement, higher expectations motivate and lead to higher performance. Training is also critical to motivation and consequently employee performance. Transformational leadership has been identified as critical to managing employee motivation. The study concludes that motivation would differ across sectors and industries; it would also differ across individuals and their level of maturity. Therefore, there cannot be predefined motivation tools and techniques. However, managers would need to evaluate individual needs, talent and what drives them to enhance their performance. The study finds a definite correlation between motivation and employee performance. However, financial incentives are superior to other forms of incentives i n the beginning of an individual’s career. It is therefore recommended that managers should focus on individual employee needs and motivation. Effective communication, transparency, employee involvement, sharing of information and honesty could help managers understand employee needs and implement the most suitable motivation technique. Table of Contents Chapter I Introduction 1.1 Background

Medical oncologists job satisfaction in light of Medicare Dissertation

Medical oncologists job satisfaction in light of Medicare reimbursement cuts, new legislation such as the Sunshine Act and burno - Dissertation Example The levels of job satisfaction have a strong influence in the efficient performance of job related functions. In the case of the physicians and nursing professionals the lower the levels of job satisfaction, the less efficiency in the delivery o patient care, and lower the patient satisfaction in the care received (Burke, 2004). It is for this reason that more than four decades earlier a key factor in health care delivery was the emphasis in attempts to increase the job satisfaction levels among physicians and nursing professionals, with a lot of concentration on financial rewards and improved working conditions. Evidence from studies subsequently has shown that these efforts have not produced the desired results. Over the past decade physician job level satisfaction has declined significantly, and is gauged by the lack of willingness to repeat their studies in medicine, were the option available to them (Burke, 2004). A key dimension that has emerged in the delivery of healthcare cu rrently is the requirement for lowering the costs in the delivery of care, but at the same time maintaining higher levels of quality in the delivery care. In addition there are changes that have occurred in the market place involving increase in competition and legislative financial pressures that are consistent with the requirement for lowering costs and increasing quality in the delivery of healthcare. ... tant exposure to the suffering of their patients, loss of patients, and the grief of the survivors, and are expected to provide relief in all these circumstances. In other words the normal practice of medical oncologists is stressful (Cherny & Catane, 2004). In addition to work pressures, medical oncologists face added financial stress coming from legislative action that will cause cut in Medicare re-imbursement from 2012 onwards (Walsh, 2011). 2. Aim of the Study The aim of the study is to evaluate job satisfaction among medical oncologists in the face of the increased challenges that they face in their practice of health care. 3. Objectives of the Study This study has three objectives, which are: 1. Evaluate the impact of Medicare reimbursement cuts on job satisfaction among medical oncologists. 2. Evaluate the impact of the Sunshine Act on job satisfaction among medical oncologists. 3. Analyse the impact of burnout due to work and family conflict on job satisfaction among medical oncologists. 4. Significance of the Study The elderly population in the United States of America (USA) is growing, which will place increased demands on providing care for their health needs. The incidence of cancer is known to rise with age. In addition, derived from the benefits advances in medical science there is and increase in the survivorship of cancer patients. Hence there will be increasing demand for medical oncologists to meet the health care needs of the general population, as well as the growing elderly segment. In a recent study conducted by the American Society of Clinical Oncology there is already a shortage of medical oncologists that will only worsen over the next decade. The study forecasts that in 2020 12,547 oncologists will be added to the strength of practicing

International Trade Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Trade - Term Paper Example Therefore increasing economic activity and reducing unemployment and deflation are the ultimate production. The Keynesian theory indicates the critical actions at some micro-level of public sector and at individual level that restrict the cumulative macroeconomic upshots. Ultimately, the expansion and potential of the existing economy becomes lower and lower. IS-LM model of John Hicks, and the Phillips curve are the two basic theories of Keynesian macroeconomics which policy makers could use to grasp the business cycle in the country, however, both models are rejected by Post-Keynesians. IS-LM is an abbreviation of Investment Saving / Liquidity preference Money supply. This model has the same dominance as the Keynes actual analysis in formatting the actual policies both public and government sectors. The model correlates cumulative employment and demand to three vital capacities, i.e., government budget, money circulation, and the business prospects. During the great recession period of early 1930s, when numerous Neo-classical economists like Lionel Robbins, Edwin Cannan, Gustav Cassel and Arthur C. Pigou were using the further wage cuts policy to trim down the unemployment, Keynesian Theory was a revolutionary idea. IS-LM model and Phillips curve were widely used. For the prediction purpose, the economist used the IS-LM model. For instance, increment in the money would result higher productivity and employment and consequently Phillips curve was applied to predict an increase in inflation. The most appealing factor in the recognition of Keynesian Theory was that it provided theoretical guidance to policy-makers during the Great Depression era of 1930s. A lot of people considered that Keynesian Revolution was the outcome of rationale approach of government macroeconomic policy. The logical approach of Neo-classical economists looked like counterintuitive because

360 Degree Feedback Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

360 Degree Feedback - Assignment Example 360-degree feedback system may however not be effective in assessing result-oriented performance, which are more quantitative such as sales and market share. When compared to the traditional performance appraisal, the 360-degree feedback can be said to be advantageous in how it ensures active participation by major stakeholders including employees themselves (Kaye, 2010). Such participation is enabled because includes an employee self-assessment to start the process. This way, the eventual outcome of the appraisal can be said to be the exact representation of employee performance. The feedback system may however be disadvantageous when an organization has to deal with a very large employee size. This is because such large size of employee and the use of 360-degree feedback may be highly time consuming. This is situation could also delay the turn-around time to get employees assessed. When used to measure ineffective and effective performance, the 360-degree feedback guarantees an in-depth understanding of factors that account for employee performance. This is because of the qualitative nature of the feedback system. but in cases where an employee’s performance is dominated by quantitative and numeric outcomes, the feedback system becomes inappropriate in measuring effective and ineffective

International Trade Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Trade - Term Paper Example Therefore increasing economic activity and reducing unemployment and deflation are the ultimate production. The Keynesian theory indicates the critical actions at some micro-level of public sector and at individual level that restrict the cumulative macroeconomic upshots. Ultimately, the expansion and potential of the existing economy becomes lower and lower. IS-LM model of John Hicks, and the Phillips curve are the two basic theories of Keynesian macroeconomics which policy makers could use to grasp the business cycle in the country, however, both models are rejected by Post-Keynesians. IS-LM is an abbreviation of Investment Saving / Liquidity preference Money supply. This model has the same dominance as the Keynes actual analysis in formatting the actual policies both public and government sectors. The model correlates cumulative employment and demand to three vital capacities, i.e., government budget, money circulation, and the business prospects. During the great recession period of early 1930s, when numerous Neo-classical economists like Lionel Robbins, Edwin Cannan, Gustav Cassel and Arthur C. Pigou were using the further wage cuts policy to trim down the unemployment, Keynesian Theory was a revolutionary idea. IS-LM model and Phillips curve were widely used. For the prediction purpose, the economist used the IS-LM model. For instance, increment in the money would result higher productivity and employment and consequently Phillips curve was applied to predict an increase in inflation. The most appealing factor in the recognition of Keynesian Theory was that it provided theoretical guidance to policy-makers during the Great Depression era of 1930s. A lot of people considered that Keynesian Revolution was the outcome of rationale approach of government macroeconomic policy. The logical approach of Neo-classical economists looked like counterintuitive because

Married to Man. The Omnivore's Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Married to Man. The Omnivore's Dilemma - Essay Example Both the new and Native Americans totally depend on corn. In other words, it may be said that corn is married to a man. This explains its existence up to this time in life. Were it not for the continued planting of the same corn season after season by man, it would have experienced extinction. This article looks at how corn and man enable one another to survive and reproduce. Corn is found in husks and requires processing to separate the grains from the husk. This means that the grains are set free and can thus be grown and processed more easily on their own. This is where the human aspect comes in place. Man has come up with machines such as combined harvesters that separate the corn from the cob. Another method of separating the corn from the cob is by the use of the opposable thumb that is a characteristic in man. This therefore, brings out the dependence of the corn on man with opposable thumb. Corn, while still in the cob cannot grow into maturity. It may germinate but due to ov ercrowding, the young plants thin out and eventually die. Thus, for proper reproduction of the corn, there is husk removal, seed separation and planting. If the whole corncob were planted, it would germinate and move out of the husk, they would crowd up and may be die before having their second and third set of leaves. Corn hence, require assistance to grow more than any other domesticated plant. Therefore, corn depends on the humans more than the humans depend on it. For instance, man can decide not to consume any corn by avoiding planting it. At the same time, corn cannot decide on whom to have it planted. The marriage between man and corn can be viewed from the perspective of man having first domesticated the wild plant. This was later followed by selection and breeding of the best variety, were it not for man, it would be wild up to now (Pollan, 2007). Among the highly valued cereals by man is corn that in some countries is called maize. Corn has many uses more than any other ce real. One of the uses is making grits. In Africa and some parts of Asia, the grits from maize are ingested by humans. For instance in central and eastern Africa, the grits are used to make a staple food called ugali. This food is easily made and readily consumed with wide range vegetables. Grits can also be used to make porridge that is highly consumed by young children especially in Africa and some parts of Asia. This food product is believed to provide energy to the children who have higher energy requirements in general. Corn can also be used to make bi fuel. This is presently being done in the US of and is hastily replacing the fuels that are pollutants of the atmosphere. Corn is preferred to refined oil because of its availability and environmentally sound aspects. It is also used to make the brewers grits that are used in the beer industry. This is because it contains starches and sugars that undergo fermentation when provided with the required conditions. The medicine industr y also makes utilize corn in their processed form. Liquids sugar is made from corn. Its use is to make syrups and serves the purpose of sweetening them. The confectionary industry makes use of the corn sugar in sweetening their products. Without such sugar, their products may not be accepted. This may lead to losses especially on the part of the manufacturer. Having looked at the two sides of the issue of marriage to man, I take a stand that, it is the corn that is dependent on

Metaphor Assignment Essay Example for Free

Metaphor Assignment Essay Image by Josiah McElheny This pieced together sculpture by Josiah McElheny is like one of the mother stars which can be found in the galaxy. At first glance, the sculpture seems to be one of those science apparatuses which generate electricity. But on closer scrutiny, the sculpture just becomes one of those well-thought of displays found in stores or malls which seeks to call for the busy shoppers’ attention but which it fails to do so since the sculpture is just a m eregiant mass of spikes and lights put together meant to look like a star. Stars are meant to be admired at night and are meant to exhibit some form of magical and mystical light; however, this particular man-created star is admired because of its ability to be complicated in its simplicity. It exhibits magic and mystic in its ability to be menacing in its beauty. 2. Image by Marek Petryk – This painting by Marek Petryk is like a confusing and unsolvable puzzle—there seems to be no beginning and no end to its construction as if there was no concrete point in its creation. Though the colours are beautifully vivid that reminds a person of a teenager’s room or retro art or even of summer vacations spent by the beach, the painting does not create a solid and specific object. The painting can be anything from a cabinet door that was mercilessly experimented on by an artist or it can be anything that was created by an innocent child who drew an object out of sheer boredom or a complicated painter who aims to confuse people with his artworks that have some form of profound meaning hidden beneath its depths. 3. Image by Unknown Photographer – This last image which was found as a background of a website is a photograph that is like the gateways of heaven. Clouds with all its fluffiness would sometimes be associated with cotton candy, plain white cotton or a sheep’s wool but because this photo captures such breathtaking beauty, it can only be likened to the gates of Paradise itself or even to the homes of the Olympiads that interferes with the lives of mankind. But there is also a darker force in the photo which is the navy blue colour gathering in the background—and those are the forces of some evil Titans that seek to disrupt Zeus and his family. While this may be a farfetched interpretation to a mere photography of clouds amongst clear blue skies, it is more enjoyable and interesting than likening it to mere cotton or wool.

The Death Penalty: A Just Method of Punishment Essay examples -- Capit

Ever since the dawn of man’s search for justice, the death penalty, has been a consequence for particularly heinous crimes. Over the years society has debated whether the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. People who oppose of the death penalty view supporters as gun-slinging "rednecks" who live in the backwoods of America. Likewise, supporters view those who oppose the death penalty as uptight "suits" who live in mansions and believes that every person, no matter their crime, deserves to live. Those who oppose the death penalty argue that life in prison is a preferable solution to the death penalty. The supporters of the death penalty argue that Hammurabi’s code, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life, is an accurate mantra for the death penalty. The death penalty has a long debatable history, but it is a justifiable and fitting punishment for crimes that require more than a slap on the wrist and probation. The death penalty has been a form of punishment since the beginning of time. The first death penalty laws are dated back as far as the Eighteenth Century B.C. These laws were put forth in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon (Death Penalty Information Center, n.d.). Then around Tenth Century A.D. hanging became the new and usual method of execution (Death Penalty Information Center, n.d.). Today the chosen methods of execution are lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, hanging, and firing squad (Amnesty International, n.d.). According to Amnesty International USA, thirty-five of the states that have a death penalty use lethal injection as a form of execution (Amnesty International, n.d.). Also, according to Amnesty International USA, nine states use electrocution, six states use lethal ga... ... Center. National statistics on the death penalty and race. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/race-death-row-inmates-executed-1976. Death Penalty Information Center. Part I: history of the death penalty. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/part-i-history-death-penalty. Newport, F. (2007, October 7). Sixty-nine percent of americans support death penalty. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com. Harrison, K., and Melville, C. (2007). The death penalty by lethal injection and hill v McDonough: is the USA starting to see sense? Journal of Criminal Law, 167-180. Retrieved from http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/jcriml71&div=41&g_sent=1&collection=journals. ProCon.org. Top 10 pros and cons: should the death penalty be allowed?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002000#3

camp hill riot :: essays research papers

Camp Hill the day that lasted 72 hours On October 25, 1989 more than 1,300 inmates at the Camp Hill State Correctional Institution rioted. The rioters took at least 8 hostages, lighting 4 fires and caused millions of dollars in damage. More then 35 staff members, 5 inmates, 1 firefighter and 1 state trooper sustain injuries in the worst uprising in Pennsylvania history. Inmates returning from an exercise yard in the late afternoon overwhelmed correctional staff and seized hostages. Inmates were reportedly upset about overcrowding and suspended privileges. They set fires, which destroyed more then half of the 31 buildings and took hostages who were not only guards but also other inmates who were not willing to join in the rioting. The riot ended through negotiations and the inmates were confined to their cells. The superintendent informed news and officials that the riot was over. The next day the superintendent met with the inmates to discuss their grievances. Unknown to the superintendent or staff many of the cells which the inmates were confined to were not secure permitting the start of a second riot later that day allowing prisoners to escape and take more then 17 more hostages and injuring 138 officers. About 800 troopers were on the scene during the peak of the riots with hundreds more en route to begin shift changes as the riots continued for a 3 day period. Negotiations were again attempted, but the riot finally ended when state police forcibly entered the compound. The biggest problem at Camp Hill was that it was originally designed for juveniles but was transitioned to adult offenders with no consideration for the inadequacy of the physical facility or the necessary training. At the time the riots began Camp Hill’s capacity was 1,826 but housed more then 2,600 inmates running at a 142% capacity.

Epic of Gilgamesh and Hero Essay

People have been attempting to define the word â€Å"hero† for as long has man has existed on this planet. To define a hero one must first appreciate that there are many different types of hero’s. For example, a hero could be an epic hero such as King Gilgamesh, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, or a hero may a simple individual that serves his/her country or even a school teacher that devotes his/her life to the development of the youth. Hero’s come and hero’s go. Some hero’s even lose â€Å"hero status† over time; Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden were hero’s to followers during their lifetime. Hero’s come in many forms, a hero can be someone we look up to (father, mother, teacher). They can be a unique character passed down for thousands of years such as Odysseus, in The Odyssey. They can be someone we’ve never interacted with or someone by our side every day. They might be brave, courageous, truthful or dishonest. A hero could be male or female, black or white. A hero may be someone that simply affected a life in a positive way. One thing hero’s all have in common is that they provide drive and purpose for those the believe in them, they help some focus on dreams and they might provide a path when no path exists. In this paper will be defining a hero and the qualities an epic hero has with my definition. I will be using epic hero’s in, The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey to help shape my explanation. As noted before, there is no easy way to define what a hero truly is, as hero’s are often defined in the eyes of the beholder. Being a king or someone of status alone does not make a hero; nor does intellect, strength, or bravery. In short, a hero (as well as an epic hero) connect multiple heroic qualities . The Epic of Gilgamesh accurately defines this definition of a hero as he has numerous heroic traits. Gilgamesh is portrayed as a true hero through his abilities, intelligence, willingness to die for his quest, admiration, and his human qualities. We see examples of all of these attributes throughout this quest; starting with the introduction of Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh; â€Å"He knew the ways, was wise in all things† (1.4). From the start one is awed and intrigued with this character as being â€Å"wise† and knowing the â€Å"ways†, these are attributes often associated with many people’s view/definition of a hero. Reverting back to the (hero) teacher analogy; as a child most of us had a teacher that we believed knew everything there was to know. We looked up to that person to answer any question we might have. We were young and impressible, not unlike the armies that followed Gilgamesh, but that alone did not make him a hero. A hero of today, like an â€Å"epic† hero, must also have abilities that appear super human. Hero’s can do things that others cant or wont attempt. The epic hero Gilgamesh had this trait as well, as noted in The Epic of Gilgamesh, â€Å"opening passes in the mountains, Digging wells at the highlands’ verge, Traversing the ocean, the vast sea, to the suns rising,† (1.39-41). It is this final line that one can compare a hero of today to an â€Å"epic† hero from long ago. In today’s war time climate members of the military are often portrayed as hero’s. These individuals â€Å"traverse the ocean† on a quest of their own. They leave family members behind, they face life and death, and like Gilgamesh, are often changed forever by the loss of a close friend. The comparisons of a hero today and the epic hero Gilgamesh continue. A hero utterly believes in what he/she is doing and is willing to die for that cause. Gilgamesh, like a public servant (policemen, firemen) of today is willing to die for a cause that is greater than himself. We again see an example of this in The Epic of Gilgamesh, â€Å"Your heart should be urging you to battle. Forget about death, He who marches first, protects himself,† (IV. 182-184). I compare these lines to the first responders of 9-11. These brave men and women, with no regard for their own safety, â€Å"marched† into burning buildings with the sole purpose of protecting others. They were on a quest of their own, and just like Gilgamesh, ignoring the dangers of the beast Humbaba, first responders of 9-11 ignored the fact the buildings were doomed. Responders of 9-11 followed their hearts into a battle of another kind altogether. Gilgamesh is not the only epic hero that shares attributes of the modern day hero. Odysseus in Homers The Odyssey, shared some of the qualities used to define a hero’s of today as well. Odysseus might not have the super human vigor, endurance, and powers as written about Gilgamesh, but Odysseus was a courageous and knowledgeable warrior as well a master strategist and athlete. His persistence was unmatched as Odysseus schemed, lied, cheated, and talked his way out of trouble for over ten years in his quest to return home. We know Odysseus was a master strategist by the skillful design and deception that his Trojan Horse played in the Trojan war. This sly act, which became Odysseus’ trademark, was born from Odysseus’ clever imagination. I compare this with a modern day hero, the late General Norman Schwarzkopf, who used deception and propaganda into fooling the Iraqi army into thinking the United States would be invading from the sea, forcing Saddam Hussein to move large numbers of his forces to protect southern Iraq (Connelly 2012). Right, wrong, or indifferent, many people today view professional athletes as hero’s. While I personally believe professional athletes to be role models and not hero’s, I also feel that an athlete can be a hero as long as his/her off field actions communicative heroic traits. Odysseus was a world class athlete but did not need to boast about it. He only showcased his skill after being challenged and provoked by Euryalus. Homer writes of Odysseus athletic capability in The Odyssey, â€Å"He jumped up, cloak still on, and grabbed a discus, Larger than the others†¦As the discus zoomed overhead and finally landed, Far beyond the other marks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (VIII.205-213). Odysseus would never perform feats so bold unless it suited his purpose or cause. Unlike athletes of today, Odysseus was not one to brag, or show off in away; again as written in The Odyssey, â€Å"†¦I am not like The immortals, either in build or looks. I am completely human†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (VII. 221-223) This â€Å"quiet professional† trait is something the modern day athlete â€Å"hero† should be taught to emulate. Epic hero’s as well as modern day hero’s must take risks for a greater purpose. Odysseus was a risk taker in every sense of the word. A power example of this is during Odysseus encounter with Cyclops in Book Nine of The Odyssey, Homer writes , â€Å"We got to the cave quickly. he was out, Tending his flocks in the rich pastureland.† (IX.207-208). Odysseus risked everything by going into that cave. In his mind the risk was better than the alternative. His men needed food and taking the risk was worth the likelihood in confronting Cyclops. This event reminds me of a modern day hero named Chesley Sullenberger. This hero saved the lives of 155 people by landing a fully loaded, disabled plane into the Hudson river (Bomkamp 2010). Sullenberger was willing to take a risk for the greater good, and like the epic hero Odysseus, saved lives because he was willing to give his own life for a chance at saving his passengers. In conclusion, the definition of a hero will be different for everybody. Hero’s can be your wife, a friend, a teacher, or a fireman that chooses to walk into a building with total disregard for his/her own safety. Epic hero’s from a thousand years ago had many of the same characteristics that still define hero’s of today. We see examples of this in the text; whether that is the god like qualities as written of Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh, â€Å"Surpassing all kings, for his stature renowned,† (I. 30), or the cunning and intelligent protector of his men Odysseus, as described by Homer in The Odyssey , â€Å"All right, Eurylochus, you stay here by the ship†¦.I’m going, though. We’re in a really tight spot.† (X. 291-293). In the end, epic hero’s of the past and hero’s of today all share the quality that everyone of us has; in the end they have human qualities. Hero’s battle emotions, hero’s change over time, and all hero’s are on a quest of some sort. A quest can be as simple as finishing a college education , completing a marathon, or attending a AA meeting. A Quest can be as challenging as battling the fierce monster Humbaba, or traveling ten years to return to a loved one. Everyone has the potential to be a hero, it just depends on the definition that is being used.

Highlight on Nations Hostile to the United States: Outlook in Iran and North Korea Essay

The proliferation of nuclear weapons combined with anti-American sentiment in government and rogue groups in Iran and North Korea certainly give rise for concern in the United States’ government’s dealing with these countries. The nature of these hostilities must be uncovered in order to proceed with understanding how these sentiments arose historically, culturally, and as a potential part of religiosity. Certainly the political regimes of both countries have their similarities in the propaganda that is portrayed to each country’s citizens respectively. However, groups like Hezbollah in Iran certainly make this country unique, considering the rogue nature of this group as well as the religious underpinnings that help to support it and it’s militancy. However, North Korea is unlike Iran in that the citizens of North Korea are strictly under the hard and heavy rule of the regime without rogue groups and religions motivations to further complicate this anti-American issue. In looking at both political regimes, Iran is a theocracy with religion as it’s core base of decisions made for and against the Western and non-Arab world. North Korea is a highly rigid authoritarian regime that violates the human rights of it’s people consistently in order to scare them into submission. As well, the propaganda that is spread regarding the Western world keeps citizens in both countries in a very fearful and controlled environment. When this fear leads to anger, it is of no surprise that citizens turn to a militant way of thinking, in order to stave of their fear. However, in Iran religion also demonizes non-Muslim citizens and leaders of the United States as infidels, deserving of punishment. In North Korea, religion plays no motive, but the move to militancy is a way to stave of starvation and imprisonment, which is a common tactic of Kim Jong-il’s regime. This type of socialization experienced by the people of both countries is a part of the strict indoctrination by two regimes that employ fear as a weapon of mass control. Conversely, the American people are in fear of weapons of mass destruction and the divide between the American culture and the two Eastern cultures are vast. The regime of Kim Jong-il can be considered more of a cult with a cult following of the people of North Korea toward their leader, who is worshipped like a religious God might be. On the other hand Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is classed as a president of his country, through a supposedly democratic and theocratic election. However, many members of opposing parties have voiced concern over the fairness of these elections. Dissent toward Ahmadinejad has been met with violence and imprisonment, as well as dissent against Kin Jong-il. Therefore, it is fair to say that since Kim Jong-il is to remain North Korea’s leader throughout his lifetime and that there is much speculation that Ahmadinejad can unfairly rig elections, that the people have reason to be fearful of the power of the ruling party for an indefinite period of time. Certainly the religious customs associated with Islam can be upsetting to women, as they are oppressed and virtually voiceless in the cultural and military change that might be beneficial to peace and prosperity to the future of Iran. Men in this country, on the other hand, have little incentive to change, since their gender allows them much power. The fact that the government, as well, supports Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Palestinian terrorist organizations and has be known to harbor members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban also gives the men in this country a reason to see how militancy is a way to join in causes that have meaning to them culturally and have the potential to unite them with an entire movement across borders and with supporters in various countries in the Muslim world and elsewhere. Although it must be noted that this type of unified Arab ideal is a relatively new cultural trend, as much of the hatred that is aimed toward America is sourced to be from America’s support of Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War. As well, interpreting the Quaran as a source of inspiration for militancy can compound the problem with men in the country becoming a part of a militant group. Although, women cannot be counted out completely, most of the members of militant groups are men. The militancy of the people of North Korea can be contributed to the strict government policy that supports military strength and has allies with similarly strong governments with notably strong armies; China and Russia. Though the people of North Korea are in dire poverty, the military is one way of avoiding this and becoming part of an aspiring nation that simply refuses to stop acquiring and testing missiles despite sanctions imposed by the United States and their allies. Certainly when sanctions involve economic issues, such as cutting off needed food or equipment for farming, the already indoctrinated people of the country can easily back this leader when he makes hateful claims about and against America. As well, the nature of the country to be cut-off from modes of information from the outside world does nothing to help the citizens in realizing that their severely impoverished country with a horrible record of human rights violations is not always giving out correct and accurate information about their enemy, the United States. It can be stated that Kim Jong-il and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are in essence, terrorists themselves as they terrorize their citizens through oppression, indoctrination, and propaganda. The citizens of both countries are socialized from an early age to see the power of the ruling party and the futility of uprising against them. The fear that is instilled in the people can then translate in militancy and a feeling of being part of something powerful or productive. In the case of the military members of North Korea, poverty can be averted. In the case of Iran, a feeling of following the Quaran along with being united with Muslims all over the world can lead to a powerful military force either through the state of insurgency groups.

Easy Scholarships for International Students

Easy Scholarships for International StudentsOn this post we will do our best to find some great opportunities for Easy Scholarships for International Students that they can utilize. We will continue to add to this page, so be sure to check it out again. The United States is one of the prime destinations for students who are looking to benefit from a top notch and widely recognized international education. Being a student in USA, you are limited to very few scholarship options. To help you, we have collected information from several resources to come up with a list of Easy Scholarships 2017 for students in the USA as well as few scholarship opportunities granted by US government and institutions.Easy Scholarships for International Students – By the GovernmentForeign Fulbright Student Program The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year. Humphrey Fellowship Program The Humphrey Fellowship Program is for experienced professionals interested in strengthening their leadership skills through a mutual exchange of knowledge and understanding about issues of common concern in the U.S. and Fellows’ home countries. As a non-degree program, the Fellowship offers valuable opportunities for professional development through selected university courses, attending conferences, networking, and practical work experiences.Easy Scholarships for International Students by US Colleges and Universities American University Scholarships American University (AU) awards a limited number of generous partial merit scholarships. American University’s merit awards for international students are partial, not full, scholarships. They are highly competitive and based on a combination of outstanding academic achievement, excellent communication skills in English, leadership, volunteerism, and community service. AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Program The AU EGL scholarship covers all billable AU expenses (full tuition, room and board) for one international student who will need a visa (preferably an F-1 or J-1 student visa) to study in the United States. The scholarship does not cover non-billable expenses such as mandatory health insurance, books, airline tickets and miscellaneous expenses (approximately U.S.$4,000 per year). Amherst College Scholarships The award is sometimes called an â€Å"aid package† because it may include both self-help (employment) and gift aid (scholarships and grants). Students with lower financial need will be offered self-help. Students with greater need will be offered a combination of self-help and gift aid. Amherst College has replace all initially packaged, need based student loans with grant assistance and also offers $2,000 in an employment opportunity. Come back soon as we will continue to add to this page†¦ If you need help writing an Essay, feel free to contact us and check out our 6000+ free resources

Business Resources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Business Resources - Assignment Example In corporate and large organizations, well defined resource management teams are appointed to ensure optimum allocation of all resources and to avoid over or under allocation of same resources in multiple projects at a time. In this paper, allocation and management of human, technical, physical and financial resources will be evaluated. For the purpose of the study, the resource management techniques of Waitrose will be analysed for getting an insight of the company’s resource management. Waitrose is a UK based supermarket chain and retail division of Britain’s largest employee owned retailer John Lewis Partnership with headquarter in Berkshire. As per the reports of 2014, Waitrose currently has 317 stores across the UK including 30 Little Waitrose, making the retail based grocery superstore the sixth largest in the United Kingdom. The company also have the warrant of supplying groceries, wine and spirits to the royal family of Queen Elizabeth (Waitrose.com, 2015). Duri ng the course of study, how Waitrose has been successful in identifying and managing its critical resources to ascertain smooth running of such well expanded business will be examined in details. Recruitment documentation may be defined as the system of filling up information related to personal, educational and working qualifications, required at the time of applying for a job. The process consists of collecting copies of application forms and all supporting document of the information provided from all individuals present in the panel and interested in applying for the particular job opening. Recruitment documentation ensures consistency, standardization and streamlining the recruitment process for the HR and administrative personnel of a company (Armstrong, 2006). Requirement for recruitment documentation varies according to companies and job profiles. For instance, for a job profile of Supermarket Assistance in Waitrose, the requirements specified by the company show

Jet Blue in the United Kingdom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jet Blue in the United Kingdom - Research Paper Example As an MNE, Jet Blue also services Aruba, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Bermuda. Jet Blue is able to compete with much larger U.S.-based airline companies such as American Airlines as the business has been able to shed much of its high operating costs related to supply chain and fleet management by maintaining a lean operations methodology (Jet Blue, 2011). Price reductions in the form of lower and competitive ticket prices are accomplished through its lean business model that makes Jet Blue an attractive alternative to high-frills airline companies. A country where Jet Blue does not have market presence is the United Kingdom, a generally attractive market for foreign direct investment by the organization. The United Kingdom maintains a significant airline infrastructure that will assist Jet Blue in establishing a centralized hub in order to serve the UK market effectively. Major renovations to such airports as Heathrow International have provided more traffic space and feasibi lity for structured and timely arrivals and departures. Alongside the infrastructure exists recent government deregulation of the airline industry that had once controlled pricing and established anti-monopoly legislation by major carriers. This has removed some of the financial and regulatory barriers to new entry by airline competitors, making the United Kingdom a viable market for direct investment. Another advantage of investing in the United Kingdom is the economic environment. Currently, the United Kingdom still measures its currency against the Pound Sterling, a method of isolating volatility and risk associated with the current Eurozone economic crisis related to the Euro. The UK Pound Sterling is currently worth $1.61 as compared to a single U.S. dollar. Jet Blue currently has established a very viable and well-developed supply infrastructure within the United States, giving it many comparative advantages in relation to procurement. By investing in the United Kingdom, Jet B lue can establish a moderately higher pricing structure that is comparative to the British Pound Sterling, providing profit opportunities of approximately 60 percent, especially when moving materials procured in the United States into the foreign UK market where import pricing risks are dramatically reduced compared to this much higher-valued Sterling currency. Procurement costs for on-board operations management will be fundamentally less expensive than in the United States if not procured domestically in the United Kingdom. There is, however, a significant disadvantage to entering the United Kingdom for direct investment. There are currently many different low cost carriers, such as RyanAir and Air Asia, that provide similar low-cost and low-frills options for consumers and business travelers. Deregulation occurring in the last few years has removed entry barriers to these companies that now have high cash flow and considerable positive brand reputation with price sensitive consum ers. Even Virgin Airlines offers similar low-cost methodology allowing this carrier and those such as RyanAir and Air Asia to have comparative and competitive advantages in pricing and quality. Jet Blue is not a well-known brand name in the United Kingdom which could provide much higher cost allocation toward the promotional function (such as advertising and online marketing) in order to compete in this dynamic competitive market. Minimizing foreign exchange risks is not that complicated for Jet Blue, considering the currencies regularly traded in this market. The Euro and the Pound Sterling are both valued much higher than the

Mythical man-months Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mythical man-months - Essay Example One of the first problems that existed previously was that any activity was taken up with a sense of over-confident optimism with the belief that nothing could go wrong at all. But, even the biggest of corporations and the most intelligent of people make mistakes. Therefore, the industry experts have devised new techniques for debugging any errors that are encountered. Any occurrence of an error is considered as a risk and under such a scenario, Risk mitigation and monitoring management techniques (RMMM) are adopted. Under this approach, all possible risks that may arise in the development of the application are identified and they are prioritized according to their impact and efforts are made to eliminate them beforehand or whenever they are encountered. The second deficiency is with estimation of the Cost and effort. Though, the man-month is considered to be a fallacious concept, it is still used in estimation, with the only change being that industry has come up with certain concrete mathematical formulas under different techniques by which the man-months can be estimated and the effort can be calculated. One major observation in these modern techniques has been that the formulas for these methods has been devised using historical data from previous projects that have been taken up by the industry. Thus, the only limitation in this aspect is that any project may not conform to stay with the historical limits and may go out of range at any time. Thus, it is extremely important to devise concrete techniques even today.Earlier, scheduling the testing stage for any Software project was the most mismanaged aspect and the industry was not particularly concerned about it. But, today's software products are very specific and in order to s atisfy the customer, products are examined in minute detail. For this, the industry uses the concepts of '' and '' testing that uses the approach of enabling the user to assess the product and help the maintenance team to unearth all underlying errors. Even prior to this stage, the Spiral Model of Software development, which is popular in the industry today, is of a cyclic nature, which uses the concept of evolutionary prototyping and constant customer feedback, that minimizes the chances of any errors, thereby ultimately reducing the burden on the testing team.Today, Large software systems are developed in a planned and systematic manner, which eliminates yesteryear problems of understandability and clarity. Under this approach, complex tasks are broken down into simpler ones and each simple task (that is known as a module) is assigned to a team, wherein each individual solution is then assimilated through proper & preplanned interfaces that connect every individual module hierarch ically. Present software is developed in such a manner that there is always scope for adding enhancements and additional features to it. This is done under the concept of adaptive maintenance. The interesting thing with present SW engineering methodologies has been that such provisions for all possible add-ons are predetermined at the planning stage itself, with a major emphasis on reusability and platform independence.A major difference SW engineering and any other form engineering say in the construction domain is that analysis is much more complex, with some

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 228

Assignment Example The executive director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty David Kaczynski claimed that medicine is supposed to heal people; it is not sets as its purpose to heal them in order to kill. There appears to be a strong controversy. One point is that he conducted a crime and deserves death penalty. Another point is that he is not sane to be executed. Thus, Singleton has to bear the responsibility for own actions. The goals of court and medicine appear to be in a conflict regarding this issue. There are three main possible outcomes: he is being cured and killed; he is insane and would not be executed; he remains insane but still he is being executed – without conscious perception, just murdered like an animal. Each argument has its sense. Supporting the first variant, I cannot accept the second one. If a person conducted a crime, he has to face the consequences. If he is already a death row prisoner, no reason could be strong enough to change the decision. Another aspect is that he has to be conscious enough to realize the weight of the crime he conducted. Just eliminating him may help society, yet such extent of punishment has no conscious and moral element. There is a probable claim that medications and efforts of doctors are applied not properly. Doctors spend their time, drugs are bought and used for accomplishing a short-turn goal – to heal to execute immediately. It all may happen the same time when people are ill and suffering, they may have no money to buy medications; while the government spends money and medicine for those who will be executed shortly. It is a kind of waste of resources. If there is a person, who is dangerous and destructive, he or she has to be isolated; murder is a reason for death penalty. There are objections to such measure of punishment and debates are still held. Anyhow, doctors and medicines have to be used for healing people. Medicine values reject healing for killing. I would

Business & Society case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business & Society case Study - Essay Example Market stakeholders aid Disney Corporation in delivering its services to the community, notably the provision of job opportunities to the surrounding communities, though commuting from the less expensive surrounding community since the area is considered to being a business location and not for settlement. The first key market stakeholders are the creditors who play an important role in the day to day running of the business in most corporations as they provide the unavailable funds that companies and businesses require to invest in as the aim to boosts its business activities (James E. Post 6). Disneyland is a business location in which their major business is the tourist and resort centre which is a booming industry. The creditors of the companies involved in the tourism and resort business are the major stakeholders because they have lent their money expecting the returns of capital principal as well as the interest (James E. Post 15). The second key stakeholder in this case study are the employees who contribute the relevant knowledge and experience as the workforce to the company in which, in return, they get wages benefits, salaries and the chance for personal realization and satisfaction. The third suppliers who are the holding key backbone on the going concern of the tourist and resort business in Disneyland, the suppliers supply services, energy, raw materials, other various inputs in return for payments. The final non-market stakeholders are the wholesalers, distributors and the retailers who are the main chain of the distribution in the whole process thus aiding its movement to the final consumers (Post et al. 25). In this case, the non-market stakeholders are the surrounding society, the general public, media, non-governmental organizations and the business support groups. All of these non-market stakeholders are generally not affected by the economic exchange of the company. It is important to note that the decisions of

The Man of the House Essay Example for Free

The Man of the House Essay The Man of the House The book Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt is about a young man that retells his childhood, when he and his family move from America to Ireland. Throughout the book the three main characters are Angela Mc Court (Frank’s mother), Malachy Mc Court (Frank’s father), and himself. All three of the characters play a very important role in the book, and they also affect each other. The most complex character of the book is Frank. Frank is not only the protagonist of this book, but he is also able to express all of his feelings in all the situations he goes through, throughout this book. Frank is the most variegated character in this book. He is the one that has to deal with not only his problems but everyone else’s. As the book continues the protagonist, Frank is growing up to be a man by himself (324). Usually boys have fathers that help them grow up into mature men, but Frank never was able to have that. His father was out drinking, not worrying what was going to happen with his family, and being irresponsible and selfish, which is what happens to a person when they have an addiction. When his father abandons the family, the weight is then put on Frank to take care of his siblings and mother. He is then put in the spot of â€Å"the man of the house†. Frank doesn’t mind getting a job at all, in fact he rather get a job then get an education (261). He likes the idea of working because when you work you see the result right away, which is money, but when getting an education your reward is more long term than short term. He sees this as a responsibility, but he also looks forward to being a man, and bringing home the wages his father was never able to do (265). Frank goes through this struggle throughout the book, becoming a man without his father, but he also has a hard time with his religion. Frankie, at this point, goes back and forth with Catholicism. His whole family is catholic and he believes in God, but there has been so many times where the Catholic Church has shut the doors on him. All of the experiences that Frank has had with the church do not make him think of his Irish religion as a positive thing. Frank mentions that when he is out being the messenger boy the poor people of Limerick are the ones who will tip him exceptionally well, the wealthy people on the other hand, the nuns, and the priests do not tip at all (315). Mentioned  throughout the book are the sins that Frank makes, all of the sins he makes guilt him, and they just get worse as the time goes on. Frank, as any other protagonist, goes through a long journey that makes him the man that he grows into by the end of the book. He goes through many obstacles, which is why I think he is the most complex character. Frankie makes the most progress, he has a goal that he makes early in the book, and that is to go back to America, which he later on succeeds at doing. He keeps determination that comes from within, but from also people around him that believe in him and what he is capable of doing.

Effect of sleep quality on perceived academic performance

Effect of sleep quality on perceived academic performance Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of the quality of sleep of student of premier MBA institutes on their perceived academic performance. This study also aims to establish whether the burnout faced by students behaves as a mediator in the relationship between the sleep quality and the perceived academic performance. Finally, keeping work experience as a moderator, we also aim to study whether students with more than 12 months of work experience show any difference in the results when compared to those with less than 12 months experience. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire was designed using 3 pre-existing scales to measure Sleep Quality, Burnout and Perceived Academic Performance. This questionnaire was floated in the electronic format to students of XLRI Jamshedpur and other schools of business in India. A total of 163 students responded with completely filled in surveys. Findings: The study concluded that the Sleep Quality does not have a direct impact on the Perceived Academic Performance in the case of students without work-experience. However, the indirect effect is significant, and Sleep Quality affects Burnout, which in turn has an impact on Perceived Academic Performance. Research limitations/implications: One of the major limitations of the study was that majority of the respondents were from only one Business-school, viz. XLRI Jamshedpur. In order to generalize the result across all B-school students of India, more participants from other B-schools need to be contacted. Also, while the Academic Confidence Scale, used to measure perceived academic performance, is better than using only grades, a better scale needs to be developed to thoroughly measure the performance of students not only in examinations but also in class through learning capacity, etc. Originality/value: Previous studies have identified that there is certainly an impact of duration and quality of sleep on the academic performance of high-school (and younger) students, as well as on the organisational performance of professionals. However, no study has previously been conducted for students of MBA courses. Keywords: Sleep Quality, Perceived Academic Performance, Burnout, Exhaustion Paper Type: Research Introduction As the corporate world begins to get more competitive, greater demands are made by organisations from employees and even more from those in managerial capacities. These demands are met by working professionals who modify their lifestyles in order to dedicate more time and effort towards achieving the high standards set by a demanding corporate world. This includes habits such as skipping breakfast and sleeping less. Such characteristics are observed also among B-school students who live on or near campus. Apart from low duration of sleep, many students also have irregular sleeping patterns and their quality of sleep is often not very high due to disturbances and other reasons. This irregular sleep pattern and low quality of sleep result in a drop in perceived academic performance of students. The high levels of academic rigour encouraged by the premier B-schools of India result in a high requirement of hard work and a very large number of hours per week to be put into coursework. A continued high level of demand can result in students feeling a sense of burning out-which is defined by a drop in motivation levels to work, mental exhaustion and sometimes also leads to students questioning their courses and their own abilities. Irregular and poor quality sleep is likely to result in a quicker onset of burnout among students. It is to be expected that once students start burning out, their performance in class and their confidence in their academic capabilities begin to suffer. Prior studies have observed and established the effect of sleep quality on students of high-school and of younger ages. Some studies have also been carried out on students of under-graduate courses. However, our study is primarily aimed at observing these effects on students of Business schools only. We are also aiming to establish whether or not the burnout level of a student is a significant mediator on the effect of sleep quality on perceived academic performance. Research background and hypotheses Sleep Quality Sleep is a complex phenomenon to measure. Sleep quantity is considered universally as a good measure to evaluate this phenomenon but results indicate that for studies, researchers should use sleep quality than sleep quantity which includes many other factors other than just the duration of sleep (Vail-Smith et al, 2009). In some studies, sleep quality was measured by factors such as sleep environment, noise disturbances, other sleep accessories (Triangle Business Journal, 2010). Many other studies measured sleep by collecting information regarding not just the number of hours of sleep but also time awake in the middle of the night, time taken to fall asleep related factors (Business Wire, 2009) To suit our requirement for measuring sleep quality, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Sleep Medicine Index, 2010) was used. This index includes not only the number of hours of sleep but also any disturbances in sleep, sleeping waking up time, and the subsequent effects of the sleep pattern on the subsequent days functioning. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (Buysse et al. 1989a) helps to discriminate between good and poor sleepers. The different dimensions covered by this index are Subjective Sleep Quality, Sleep Latency, Sleep Duration, Habitual Sleep Efficiency, Sleep Disturbances, Use of Sleep Medications, and Daytime Dysfunction. It is comprises of 19 self-rated questions 5 questions that are by a roommate. In the end it generates seven scores by summing up the component scores of the seven components. For our research purpose, we have taken only the 19 self-rated questions only since in the B-School context many students stay in single rooms in hostels. Hence, including the other 5 questions will not aid in the research. For the scale items, see Appendix 1. Burnout No doubt the sleep quality affects the perceived academic performance but it alone will keep the research restricted. Hence, a mediating variable is used to explain the whole effect. So burnout is used as a mediator here. Burnout is a concept that is used mainly in the work related context. It is defined as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, cynicism or depersonalization, and reduced personal efficacy. Common symptoms of burnout are stress, exhaustion, fatigue, lack of concentration etc. As stated above, usually burnout is used in work related context especially for executives, CEOs etc (Anonymous, 2002); however, we have extended its usage for B-School students as well. Since a B-School environment demands meeting deadlines, toiling hard working for long hours- all of which are reasons that can cause burnout. To measure Burnout, School Burnout Inventory (SBI) is used. This inventory comprises of three dimensions- exhaustion, cynicism towards meaning of school sense of inadequacy. Out of these, only first two namely, exhaustion cynicism are used in our research; inadequacy is not measured since it is not applicable for our sample students. For the scale items, see Appendix 2. Perceived Academic Performance Instead of taking the academic Grade point as a measure of the academic performance of a student, we took the perceived academic performance as an effective construct to measure the capability of a student. Since academic performance means understanding, assimilating reproducing the teachings not getting good grades alone. This has been cited as the militation in many studies before. According to researchers, learning satisfaction from the course sheds more light on the topic of academic performance. (Garger et al, 2010) To measure the perceived Academic Performance for the B-School student, Academic Confidence Scale (ACS) is used. This scale has six factors namely, studying, understanding, verbalizing, clarifying, attendance grades. Out of these, verbalizing clarifying are not very relevant variables in a B-School context since these are basic skills which are expected from all students of B-schools. For the scale items, see Appendix 3. Work Experience as Moderator Research has been done linking sleep deprivation with burnout in corporate environment. The continuous stress that people in jobs feel is more especially at the higher levels in the organization (Anonymous, 2002). This continuous exposure to the high levels of stress gives students with more than 12 months of work experience more ability to handle low quality sleep and therefore, it should not affect their performance. Sleep Quality Burnout Burnout has a variety of causes and symptoms that erode the mental, emotional and spiritual quality of life. (Francis, 2006) Among other symptoms, sleep quality is considered as one of the major symptoms of burnout in humans. During sleep our body releases hormones etc which are used to repair damaged cells etc. Lack of sleep stops this process and hence leads to irritation, frustration, fatigue-all symptoms of burnout (Francis, 2006). Human body has a natural way of relieving stress through sleep (Spencer, 1987). Research has been done linking sleep deprivation with burnout in medical students (Dyrbye et al, 2006) corporate (Anonymous, 2002) but no such study has been done in B-School students. This research gap has been identified used in our model. Burnout and Perceived Academic Performance Students who feel energetic feel the vigour to perform give good academic results compared to their counterparts (Schaufeli et al, 2002). Burnout levels of students indicated by stress, fatigue etc cause low performance by students in academics this result is true not just for people of a particular nationality but has been proved for people of many countries (Schaufeli et al, 2002). This result can be used here as well for linking the burnout to academic performance of B-School students. Since in a B-School environment, there is a high stress work load which causes burnout to a large extend hence can affect the academic performance of the students. Sleep Quality and Perceived Academic Performance In the past, extensive research has been done in the area of sleep affecting academic performance. Most of the students who complained about sleep difficulties showed a drop in the performance compared to the others. (Anonymous, 2008). Regular proper sleep patterns among others are healthy habits which affect the grades a student gets. (Paul et al, 2008). Especially in a college environment, the students who take enough sleep, tend to score better than the others who sleep less. (France. 2009). Sleep patterns of college students are unique since it is influenced by work-related stress, parties, communal living arrangements etc. (Vail-Smith, 2009) This is an interesting observation as peoples attitude here are determined, to a large extent, by the group dynamics. Methods Sample The targeted sample consisted of B-school students studying in a 2-year full-time Post-Graduate course in MBA. Most of the respondents were students of the first year who have spent approximately 9 months in the course. However, some students of the second year have also been contacted to take their responses. The questionnaire, consisting of 33 items, was hosted online on Google Documents and the link to the form was sent personally to students via email and instant messages. The form contained no personal information that could be used to identify the respondents. In total, 163 respondents filled in the questionnaire. Of these, it is estimated that 131 respondents are from among the first and second year students of XLRI Jamshedpur. The remaining 32 respondents are from other institutes across India. Measures Our model consists of 3 constructs and one moderator as given below. The constructs were measured using modified versions of pre-existing scales as indicated below. Figure 1: Model Sleep Quality Work Experience Burnout Academic Confidence Sleep Quality Sleep Quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a 24-item scale that consists of various types of questions ranging from subjective questions to multiple-choice questions, as well as some questions based loosely on the Likert Scale. Of the 24 items present on the PSQI, we have modified the scale to exclude the last 6 items (refer Appendix 1), since these are not applicable to B-school students. These questions are to be answered if the respondent generally sleeps with a partner or room-mate, and if the room-mate has observed any irregular sleeping patterns. Burnout Burnout has been measured by the School Burnout Inventory, developed by Salmela-Aro et al (Salmela-Aro,K. et al, 2009). This inventory was developed to be used on higher secondary school students and contains 9 items that measure burnout on 3 dimensions-exhaustion due to coursework, cynicism towards school and inadequacy at performing well at school. Of these dimensions, we have chosen to study only exhaustion and cynicism, since inadequacy is not applicable to students of the age of MBA students. Therefore, the scale has been modified to include only 7 questions in the final questionnaire (refer Appendix 2). Perceived Academic Performance The perceived academic performance is measured by using the Academic Confidence Scale (ACS) (Sander, P. Sanders, L., 2003). This scale consists of 24 items based on 5-point Likert scale. The questions measure Academic Confidence in 6 dimensions-Studying, Understanding, Attendance, Grades, Verbalizing, Clarifying. Of these 6 dimensions, the last 2 are not applicable for students of B-schools, since it is assumed that these students would show an accomplished level of verbalizing and clarifying aptitude. Of the remaining questions, we have chosen 8 items (Appendix 3) that display the best coefficients for the remaining 4 dimensions. Analysis The analysis is carried out for both Moderator Analysis and Mediator Analysis. For types of analysis, we are using the four-step method developed by Baron and Kenny (Baron, R.M. Kenny, D.A., 1986). For Moderator Analysis, we initially select all cases for which the student has work experience greater than 12 months and carry out the analysis. Similarly, the same is carried out for students having greater than 12 months of work experience. Finally, all cases are taken to carry out the Mediation Analysis. In order to measure the significance of mediation analysis, the Sobel Test is carried out as well. Results Sleep Quality and Burnout The regression analysis was carried out to find out the relationship between sleep quality burnout. It was carried out for both the values of the bi-variate moderator. Relationship Significance Unstandardised coefficient Standardised coefficient R Square Work experience 0.000 0.453 0.405 0.164 Work experience > 12 m 0 0.428 0.444 0.197 Overall 0 0.461 0.442 0.195 Table 1: Results for Sleep quality Burnout As we can see from the above table, the relation is significant in all the three cases the impact is also almost the same. From the values of beta and B, we can interpret that for every B-School student a poor sleep quality leads to increase in burnout. This could be attributed to the fact that burnout is a physical a mental condition which is same for the all the human beings. Every human being needs sleep to recover energy though the time duration of the requirement may be different. But a minimum amount of sleep is necessary for all. Burnout and Perceived Academic Performance The regression analysis was carried out to find out the relationship between burnout and academic performance. It was carried out for both the values of the bi-variate moderator. Relationship Significance Unstandardised coefficient Standardised coefficient R Square Work experience 0.001 -0.53 -0.355 0.126 Work experience > 12 m 0.002 -0.541 -0.355 0.126 Overall 0 -0.527 -0.353 0.125 Table 2: Results for Burnout Perceived academic Performance As we can see, here also burnout level increase leads to a decrease in the perceived academic performance of an individual. This shows that a persons perceived academic performance is affected by the burnout level. This in turn proves the hypothesis stated and reinforces the previous researches done on the same subject. Sleep Quality and Perceived Academic Performance The regression analysis was carried out to find out the relationship between sleep quality perceived academic performance. It was carried out for both the values of the bi-variate moderator. Relationship Significance Unstandardised coefficient Standardised coefficient R Square Work experience 0.883 -0.040 -0.024 0.001 Work experience >12 m 0.009 -0.443 -0.302 0.091 Overall 0.081 -0.213 -0.137 0.019 Table 3: Results for Sleep quality Perceived Academic Performance As we can see that the significance level is within the confidence interval only for the values with work experience > 12 months. The likely reason for this can be that people with work experience are used to maintaining high pressures on the job. Working round the clock, meeting deadlines etc are a part of their lives and they dont feel much difference when they enter a B-School. In contrast to this, freshers (college graduates) are not accustomed to a hectic schedule. The model with the results is shown below: Figure 2: Model with the moderator values Values on the left hand side are values for work experience less than 12 months; Values on the right hand side are values for work experience more than 12 months *symbolises that the result is significant Discussions and Implications As we can see, that the total effect is significant but is attributed to the indirect effect only and not to the direct effect. Also, the net magnitude of the total effect is very less. The factors that can be attributed to these results can be as follows. Over a period of time, human body adapts itself to any routine. Here the timing of our research plays an important role. Most of our respondents are 1st year MBA students who have spent almost nine months in a B-School. Nine months is a long enough time for the human body to adapt to such any change in routine. Had this research been conducted when the students entered the B-School, results might have been different The age group of all the respondents is between 20 to 30 years. In this age group predominantly, the human body has the energy, stamina the will to withstand any adversities in the external environment. If such a study is conducted in people of a different age group, their body might not have the vigour and will to withstand harsh environment circumstances Also, as we saw that the direct relationship between sleep quality perceived academic performance is significant only in the case of people having work experience more than 12 months. As we know, across B-Schools in India, number of students with prior work experience is less compared to the others. Hence, had the research been conducted for B-Schools overseas as well, the results might have been different with a significant direct effect as well. This research highlights the relationship between poor sleep quality burnout of students in B-Schools. This further leads to a dip in their perceived academic performance. To avoid this, B-school administration should consider preparing the schedule or curriculum of the academic year in such a way that the students dont need to compromise on their sleep quality. This will help them maintain attentiveness, concentration, etc. this in turn will help them improve their perceived academic performance. Also, the hectic life-style in a B-school takes its toll on mental health of the students by making them cynical in their approach towards their courses/academics due to burnout. Limitations Following are the limitations we encountered during this research study: Sample size not large enough: Although, responses from 163 respondents were collected but, still larger number of respondents if covered would lend more accuracy to the research findings. Also, majority of the respondents (about 80%) are XLRI students, research findings could be much more accurate if we can collect more responses from other B-school students. Timing of the survey: Since, after spending about 9-10 months in a B-school environment, students become habitual to this kind of a life style, so the impact of sleep quality on burnout or their perceived academic performance subsides. Had this research been conducted when the students would have just entered the B-school, responses would have been more impactful. Age group of the respondents: Since, most of the students in a B-school are in the age group of 20 to 30 years, they have much more will power their capabilties in terms of adapting to the needs of the environment are much more. Thus, they easily adopt to the lifestyle requirements of a B-school. Homogeneous group: These responses are collected from the respondents belonging to the same race culture, thus, the group is homogeneous. Responses should also be collected from the students of foreign B-schools who belong to different race, culture, religon ethnicity then, the findings would be far more accurate diverse. Group Dynamics: Group Dynamics play a very important role in influencing the behaviour of B-school students. Since, almost everybody sleeps late in the night, so it becomes a norm nobody feels that he/she is not getting enough sleep or he/she is being sleep deprived. Future Scope The scope of this research can be extended in future as follows: Increase the sample size to include students from other B-schools also, not only students from top B-schools. Also, students from foreign B-schools can be included in the sample. Similar research can be done for students who are not B-school students but, tend to follow similar life-style, like aspirants preparing for competitive entrance examinations. As already stated above, this research should include the responses of the students studying in foreign B-schools. Probably, then we will be able to make general statements about the characteristics of all B-school students. We need to measure the effect of Group dynamics also in our research study since group behaviour is known to influence the norms in the group. The timing of the research study is very important. Research should be conducted at the start of the B-school session for new admits who have not become habitual to B-school lifestyle. References Anas, B. (2009), Sleepless On Campus, McClatchy Tribune Business News. Training Development Anonymous (2002), To burnout and back: CEOs are top candidates for stress overload. Admit it or face the consequences, Profit. Toronto: Sep 2002. 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(2009), Relationship Between Sleep Quality And Health Risk Behaviors In Undergraduate College Students, College Student Journal, East Carolina University, Vol. 43 Issue 3, p924-930 Appendix 1 Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index INSTRUCTIONS: The following questions relate to your usual sleep habits during the past month only. Your answers should indicate the most accurate reply for the majority of days and nights in the past month. Please answer all questions. 1. During the past month, what time have you usually gone to bed at night? BED TIME ___________ 2. During the past month, how long (in minutes) has it usually taken you to fall asleep each night? NUMBER OF MINUTES ___________ 3. During the past month, what time have you usually gotten up in the morning? GETTING UP TIME ___________ 4. During the past month, how many hours of actual sleep did you get at night? (This may be different than the number of hours you spent in bed.) HOURS OF SLEEP PER NIGHT ___________ For each of the remaining questions, check the one best response. Please answer all questions. 5. During the past month, how often have you had trouble sleeping because you . . . a) Cannot get to sleep within 30 minutes Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ b) Wake up in the middle of the night or early morning Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ c) Have to get up to use the bathroom Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ d) Cannot breathe comfortably Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ e) Cough or snore loudly Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ f) Feel too cold Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ g) Feel too hot Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ h) Had bad dreams Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ i) Have pain Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ j) Other reason(s), please describe__________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ How often during the past month have you had trouble sleeping because of this? Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ 6. During the past month, how would you rate your sleep quality overall? Very good ___________ Fairly good ___________ Fairly bad ___________ Very bad ___________ 7. During the past month, how often have you taken medicine to help you sleep (prescribed or over the counter)? Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ 8. During the past month, how often have you had trouble staying awake while driving, eating meals, or engaging in social activity? Not during the past one month _____ Less than once a week _____ Once or twice a week _____ Three or more times a week _____ 9. During the past month, how much of a problem has it been for you to keep up enough enthusiasm to get things done? No problem at all __________