[WATCH] How to start your own business according to CEO, Veronika Scott

[WATCH] How to start your own business according to CEO, Veronika Scott Too often we don’t pursue our dreams because we’re overwhelmed by the journey that lies before us, and nobody has had a more improbable journey than Veronica Scott.   Veronica was an art school graduate who came up with an idea – a coat designed for homeless people that turned into a sleeping bag at night.   Not only was her concept targeted for an audience that didn’t have the capacity to pay for them, but Veronica had no product development or manufacturing experience from which to build upon.Undeterred, she moved forward and now oversees a $6 million operation, The Empowerment Plan, that is changing lives for thousands of homeless people throughout the United States, by providing these special coats, as well as creating employment opportunities to manufacture them.Veronica sat down with Daily Fuel to share the best advice she can to anyone who finds themselves in the same situation she did; having a vision but not knowing how to take that first step .Source: [DailyFuel]

Ebay Essay Example

Ebay Essay Example Ebay Essay Ebay Essay Case Analysis: eBay Customer Support Outsourcing | | Name: Qiong HuangStudent #: 500423506Course #: MT 8216For: Professor BabinDate: December, 10, 2010| Situation eBay. com, â€Å"the world’s online marketplace†, is an online auction and shopping website in which people and business buy and sell a wide variety of goods and services worldwide. It is managed by eBay Inc, which is founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar. eBay’ mission was to provide a robust trading platform where practically anyone could trade anything. It was recognized as the largest and most popular person-to-person trading community on the Internet. eBay Case, 2006) eBay posted US $8. 7 billion in revenue with a net income at $2. 4 billion in 2009. eBay is experiencing a 15% year-over-year increase. eBay’s marketplaces also benefit from a noticeable growth in its international business market, which accounts for around 60% of its market revenue in the 4th quarter of 2009. The marketplaces succ ess comes from the strong growth of its fixed-priced format, the continuing success of its highest rated sellers, and double-digit growth in sold items. (eBay 2009 Financial Report, 2010) Whitman purposed that eBay community of users was the foundation of the company’s business model. eBay Case, 2006) Customer service is substantial for e-commence business to survive and develop. The customer support organization in eBay was made up of two major units: general support, trust and safety. Most of the customer contacts were handled by the general support unit, and approximately 94% of customer service volume was email-based. Also, live chat and phone inquiries were growing. (eBay Case, 2006) To meet the inquiries of its customer base’s growth, eBay first hired remote contractors to respond customers’ emails. Then, eBay deployed Kana technology to improve its efficiency of customer services and to raise the customer satisfactions. However, those initiatives still could not keep up with the demand of growing customer bases. Thus, eBay operated an outsourcing pilot program in 2002. (eBay Case, 2006) Complications Outsourcing increases the productivity and quality of eBay’s customer support. Based on these benefits that were brought by the outsourcing, eBay increased the email volume of customer service sent offshore, even phone volumes in 2003. Yet, it arises some issues. One is the community reactions. More and more complaints from the community directed to the standardization of English, especially after outsourcing the phone volumes. These complaints refer to written English, accents, and language comprehensions. The other big concern is the customer relationship management. Customer support to PowerSellers and potential PowerSellers are not dedicated. eBay does not optimize its customer support to generate revenue. Besides that, eBay lacks of the talents who have rich experiences with outsourcing. Key Questions Should eBay continue to expand its outsourcing? Which outsourcing model can balance a competitive cost for eBay and retain its community? Is BOT a good alternative for eBay? Solutions To stay abreast of the continuing growth customer base and achieving cost differentiation, eBay should continue to expand its outsourcing. However, BOT is too advanced to eBay. It could not address the issues that eBay has now. Near-shoring is a better choice rather than outsourcing to India and Philippines. Compared to the other models of off-shoring outsourcings, near-shoring is to outsource in a nearby country, which shares a broader with own country. As for eBay, Canada, or some rural areas in both America and Canada are all good location choices. This first can solve the problems of language and culture issues as well as reduce the costs for eBay. Second, near-shoring is easier to manage. That ensures these outsourcing services can maintain the same standard with those services in the home country. Another alternative for eBay to optimize its customer support is to deploy CRM software. Customer relationship management is substantial to every company, especially to those e-commerce companies. As I discussed above, community is the foundation of the business model of eBay. Being first-to-market in the e-commerce world is frequently a competitive advantage. (eBay Case, 2006) The application of CRM software helps eBay not only to better serve its existing customers, but to develop new customers. It improves the efficiency and effectiveness in selecting, segmenting the customers and serving them, especially for those potential PowerSellers. This helps eBay to optimize its customer support. Conclusion Outsourcing is considered as a visible way for eBay to reduce costs, scale the demand, and leverage its investment. As for eBay, near-shoring will ground well in customer support, and CRM software will help to optimize the customer support. Reference eBay. (2010). Retrieved at December 10, 2010, from ebayinc. com/who. eBay Financial Report. (2010). Retrieved at December 10, 2010, from http://files. shareholder. com/downloads/ebay/1101818908x0x345224/b455630d-4bb9-4ba5-adb1-40dcf29e82ce/eBay_Q409EarningsRelease. pdf. Newman, S. , Crikscheit, G. , amp;Verna, R. (2006). eBay Customer Support Outsourcing. Indiana University CIBER.

Analysis poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Analysis poem - Essay Example The first two sentences of the poem represent the poet’s opinion of love and friendship. â€Å"Love is like the wild rose-briar; / Friendship like the holly-tree† (1-2). The poet uses two similes to describe it love and friendship in a more lively and specific way. The beauty of love is described through the rose-briar and friendship is compared with the holly-tree. (The definition of rose-briar, according to Oxford Dictionary, is a wild bush with thorns, especially a wild rose bush). Bronte thinks love is represented as â€Å"wild rose-briar† (1). This kind of plant is considered to have a beautiful and charming blossom, but its beauty is temporary, unstable and dangerous. (The definition of holly, according to Oxford Dictionary, is â€Å"A widely distributed evergreen shrub, typically having prickly dark green leaves, small white flowers, and red berries†.) Bronte uses a good simile to represent friendship. The holly-tree’s leaves never wilt and i t could signify the characteristic of friendship. It shows that that friendship can be forever and I believe the same A good friend may be an ordinary and inconspicuous person, but is a person who we can rely on and trust in any situation. The relationship between love and friendship could be two parallel lines or two intersecting lines. The poem says â€Å"The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms. / But which will bloom most constantly? † (3-4). These two sentences make people to think about which one of the two might be constant. In my opinion, I cannot say definitely whether it is love or friendship that is constant because people are changeable. In addition, there are also many external factors that affect people’s relationships. People could change their minds due to some specific reasons or specific environmental factors. For example, friends or lovers go to different

Places of Worship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Places of Worship - Essay Example Christians have worship place known as church in which the Christians come and obey their lord. Church is the scared place for the Christians where Christians come and pray in order to get internal satisfaction and inspiration. Churches are built in the shape of a Cross on which Christians believe that Jesus Christ was given punishments and then he died. There are different parts of a church for example the aisle and stairs are designed to give the shape of the stairs towards the heavens. The heavens are given the shape of the junction. Churches are present in every corner of the world. There is a need to inculcate the importance of churches because of the fact that Christianity is the fastest growing religion in the world. Cathedrals are some important types of churches. The role of pastors or bishops is really interesting and of colossal importance in church. The bishop is the one who leads theprayers, conducts all theceremonies and prayers in a church. No official activity can take place without the presence of the pastor or bishop. Many Christians visit the churches often in their routine; some of them visit the churches on Sunday because there arespecial prayers on Sundays. The marriage ceremonies of the Christians also take place in churches because Christians think that if they consummate their marriages in churches, it will bringpeace, pleasure and harmony in their lives. The Masjids Worship place for the Muslims is known as Mosque or Masjid. Muslims are supposed to come in the mosque five times a day for prayers. The prayer timings are set according to the movement of sun. There are three prayers in the day timings and two prayers after that among which, one is on the sunset and the other one is at night known as â€Å"Isha Prayer†. ... During the player, the Muslims stand from shoulder to shoulder in order to inculcate and depict the unity among them. The worship place is packed with people on Friday prayers. Friday prayers are specially obligated on Muslims and during the Friday prayers, all kinds of business activities are forbidden. Worship place of Muslims known as masjid has also a separate place for ablution in which the Muslims clean themselves from water by washing their hands, face, mouth, toes and hair because purification is the first and foremost pre-requisite of the prayer of the Muslims. Muslims are also directed to stand and face one direction known as â€Å"Kaabah†. The Kaabah is the place situated in Saudi Arabia and Muslims are supposed to face its direction in order to give a depiction of unity and oneness. Eid prayer is also one of the most important prayers in the Muslims worship place. Eid days are scheduled two time in a year in which Muslims from all over the world celebrate these eve nts with great enthusiasm and zeal. The masjid is also situated in many main places of the Muslims communities. The masjid is a sacred place for the Muslims and even non also come from different places to see the historical mosques around the world for example Turkey has some of the best and historical mosques where many people come and visit to see the glimpse of the historical places. The Mandirs The sacred worshipping place for the Hindus is known as Tempe or â€Å"Mandir† which is a word of Sanskrit language and it means â€Å"gladdening†. Like other worshipping places, there is always a need for the leading personality to be present in the worship place to complete the official prayers and

The Sound of Music Essay Example for Free

The Sound of Music Essay The sound of music was by far the greatest musical success for the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. I chose this musical because of the lyrical and musical talent of these two men. I have enjoyed watching this classic numerous time throughout the years due to my mothers influence. She exposed my brother and I to many different types of music, teaching us to appreciate the style of each artist. The Sound of Music was directed and produced by Robert Wise, although he was not the first choice, he did indeed prove to be the best. Richard Rodgers wrote the music with the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The music was arranged and conducted by Irwin Kostal with the choreography by Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood. Filming of The Sound of Music began in 1964, in and around the area of Salzburg, Austria. It then premiered in early 1965, where it stayed on the circuit for more than four years. The film won five academy awards, including Best picture in 1966. The setting for the movie was to represent the late 1930s in Salzburg, Austria, with the looming threat of Nazi occupation. The movie was adapted from the real life stories of Maria von Trapp, who had a book published about her family life during this time. The title is The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. The opening scene pans across the mountains with the sound of wind blowing snow as it crosses over and down the other side. Once the forest and lake come in to view the music changes to birds chirping and the light sound of flutes playing. It continues to pan across hills and valleys with the tempo (xxi) of the music changing as instruments are added. The scene unfolds reaching Julie Andrews up on a hilltop surrounded by mountains. Here the musics dynamic level (xxvii) becomes more intense. When she starts to sing the music decreases in volume, matching her vocal range as she sings the title theme. The music that accompanies the abbey scene shows nuns walking slowly, heads bowed as if in prayer, gives the impression of spiritual devotion and a peaceful setting. In the court yard several nuns are discussing Maria with the Reverend Mother and do a call-and-response type of song called Maria. Maria is sent to Captain von Trapps as a governess for his children. The music in these next few scenes has a dissonance quality that sets the mood for her arrival at the von Trapp household. Maria soon finds out how strict the Captain is with his children and that music is not allowed since the death of his wife. She decides that God has sent her to bring joy and music back into their lives. The children come to Marias room during a scary thunderstorm. She tries to calm them with a song called A Few of My Favorite Things. This is a very light, happy, rhyming song that soon has the children forgetting their fears and having some fun. That is until the Captain walks in with a frown and sends the children scurrying to their rooms. While the Captain is away in Vienna, Maria introduces the children to having fun with music. She takes them on an outing in the hills and finds out that they dont know any songs at all. Maria teaches them Do-Re-Mi which uses the scales and has a call-and-response theme. The harmony of this tune is a favorite of mine, showing the melody of the song and timbre of each voice. When the Captain returns with the Baroness and Uncle Max, the children sing for them the songs they have learned. The Captain joins in as they sing The Sound of Music, surprising the children. Later after the puppet show they encourage their father to sing. Playing an acoustic guitar, he sings Edlewise with Lisel joining him. The song is softly played with some instrumental backup that is almost undetected. The waltz between the Captain and Maria in the garden just outside the ballroom is another favorite of mine. The orchestra playing the tune with  violins and flutes primarily in the foreground, setting the tempo of the composition as they dance and discover the attraction they have for one another. Maria escapes to the abbey after realizing she is in love with him. The Reverend Mother talks Maria into going back to face the situation and determine if the life of a nun is what she truly wishes. Upon returning to the von Trapp estate, Maria finds out from the children that their father is to marry the Baroness. Maria is heartbroken but wishes them well as they greet her. After the evening meal Gaylord sees Maria looking gloomy as she wanders the grounds of the estate. He realizes he has made a mistake and breaks it off with the Baroness. He then seeks Maria out at the gazebo, where he tries to encourage her to tell him the reason she left. Soft music plays as they declare their love for each other, becoming much louder as they start singing Something Good. The wedding scene, the music here is a rendition of Maria but, bolder with a marching tempo to it, as she walks down the aisle. Upon returning from their honeymoon the couple find that the Nazis have occupied Austria and are expecting the Captain to take a commission in Germany Navy. They use the folk festival as a front as they look for a way to escape into the mountains. They end up with help from the nuns at the abbey to get away from the Germans, and they cross the mountains into Switzerland. The music of Climb every Mountain is a very dramatic song as they show them walking across the mountains into freedom.

Understanding Chimpanzee Culture Essay -- primates biology and behavior

In primates such as chimpanzees it is imperative to look at their culture to understand their intelligence. Culture in this circumstance means a specific set of behaviors obtained through learning in a population/species. Chimpanzee’s intelligence is quite unique how they interact with their environment and use it to their benefit just like humans. They have the ability to overcome the obstacles of everyday life through learning and the ability to use tools to create a better quality of life. The complexity of their intellect is different from any other animal ever seen. A significant part of chimpanzee intelligence that sets them apart from other primates and puts them closer to humans is the way they exhibit social learning within their culture and interactions within their environment. When it comes to interacting with the environment tool use by chimpanzees is very vital to differentiating their intelligent within their culture. Chimpanzees are some of the very few unique primates that use a variety of tools which makes them stand out as very proficient tool users besides humans. According to David Watts chimpanzees use the tools to enhance their way of living. â€Å"Chimpanzees at several well documented sites mostly use tools in extractive foraging, and extractive tool use can substantially increase their foraging efficiency. They also use tools for hygiene and for several other purposes, including attracting the attention of conspecifics, as in leaf-clipping† (Watts 2008, 83). Subsequently chimpanzees are intellectual enough to alter an object to create a tool, and then use the tool for a precise purpose. Then on the other hand chimpanzees use tools to overcome everyday obstacles. As expressed by Watts chimpanzee toolkits mak... ...and put them in a whole different category from other primates. Unlike other animals there intellect gives them the ability to create, learn and flourish as primates. Even though they are not as intelligent as humans, they have a very significant cognition that puts them closer to humans. Works Cited Elizabeth E., Price. "A Potent Effect Of Observational Learning On Chimpanzee Tool Construction." Proceedings Of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 276.1671 (2009): 3377-3383. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. Horner, Victoria, Proctor,Darby . "Prestige Affects Cultural Learning In Chimpanzees." Plos ONE 5.5 (2010): 1-5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2013 Watts, David P. "Tool Use By Chimpanzees At Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda." International Journal Of Primatology 29.1 (2008): 83-94. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.

Abstract of Judgement & Decision Making Topics

Reading 1. 3 (Jackall, R. (1988)) : Looking Up and Looking Around In every corporation the crux of a manager’s charisma is his decision making prowess. Though there is an abundance of scientific theories and myths related to decision making, generally decisions are made in a highly rationalized context. A manager would prefer taking decisions that are based on well-formulated and generally agreed upon strategies rather than evaluating all the possible solutions to the problem in hand and then taking a well reasoned decision. In contrast, managers are highly uncomfortable when faced with situations in which there are no specific procedures. Managers vouch for their own safety, safety in terms of reputation and therefore tend to look around and see what others opinions are, the perspective of their superiors. In situations where their reputation is at stake, or huge sums of money involved, or even the company’s goodwill is at stake managers tend to hesitate and wait for an opinion not due to lack of experience but due to fear of failure. Another aspect why managers tend to look around is the accusation or blame time after a problem occurs because there is no means to track down responsibility. As a result of bureaucratic structure higher authorities can easily sneak out of such situations leaving the subordinates hung out to dry. A negative aspect in an organization would be milking a plant which is generally performed by a top level authority in order to maximize gains. The negative aspect in this is of course the organisation bears the brunt of it, moreover at the end of it all, the person assigned the charge of the milked plant eventually becomes the scapegoat. Another aspect is that if focus remains on short term profit it may not be the key to lasting achievements though it may be profitable for a short duration. Likewise individuals look out for their own interests instead of the organisations when there are immediate personal benefits. Experience: In my experience this occasion has occurred a number of times when my manager tends to avoid the risky or rather sticky situations. As a newly appointed sales engineer in a trading firm my manager used to pass on a number of sales quotations to me for processing and finalizing the deal. Since I was fresh to the field of sales I didn’t realize that he was forwarding me these sales orders just because those orders were from clients who weren’t credible enough. Though I managed to get a couple of orders, two of the orders went kaput in terms of payment for which I was held responsible. My manager washed his hands of me accusing me with not consulting him before I plunged to seal the deal. Though on the other profitable orders he too had a take on the credit but the blame only fell on me. Reading 4. 3 (Wildavsky, A. , and Dake, K. (1990)): Theories of Risk Perception: Who Fears What and Why? This article mainly focuses on the outlook of different kinds of people, outlook such as the perception of risk of different products and practices, the diverse effect of a particular practice or event on these different groups, the intensity of the effect on these groups and the varying concerns on an individual basis to a diverse range of risks so as to understand the patterns of risk perception. Fundamentally an individual perceives a hazard as a risk with greater anxiety if his wellbeing is likely to be in danger. If the hazard doesn’t seem to affect him or his beliefs in any way it wouldn’t be of any concern to him though it might be of ample concern to someone else who will be directly affected. By classifying people on the basis of social relations such as hierarchical, egalitarian and individualist, along with the cultural biases that support them, turned out to be the best way to account for the perception of risk. It was found that people who support egalitarianism would be more inclined to risk taking individually but as a social group would be more risk averse, whereas those who favour hierarchy tend to be the opposite. An individualist would be risk taking when it comes to technology as they see an opportunity for growth. These observations were in respect to technology and environment but in terms of personality structure there is no evidence as to variation in risk perception. In spite of these observations one cannot presume that risk taking is preferred by cultures of individualism and hierarchy neither can one presume that egalitarians are always risk averse this is because as risks pertaining to technology and environment are feared by egalitarians in a similar way social deviance is feared by hierarchists and the risk of war is feared by individualists. In conclusion, depending on the object of attention risk perception also varies. Experience: During my tenure in a shipping company as a procurement executive I had once the task to procure water pump for eight ships. Since this was a high priority requirement and involved huge costs I made sure I had researched the market well and decided on a particular brand (Grundfos) even though there was another pump (Davey) that perfectly suited our requirements. The reason was that Davey’s technical support was really bad. So I forwarded the research report to my MD who called for me and told me to go ahead with the purchase of the Davey pump telling me that it was profitable and worthwhile to get our own technicians trained since we could use more of their pumps. To me it seemed like a big risk especially since it involved a huge cost but to him it didn’t seem a risk at all. Reading 6. 1 (Lindblom, C. E. (1959)): The Science of â€Å"Muddling Through† The author compares and contrasts two different approaches to policy making – Rational comprehensive method (Root) and the Successive limited comparisons (Branch) and explains why branch method is a better approach in formulating policies. The root method starts from the fundamentals, improving on the past only if included in a theory. This method cannot be used for complex problems simply because the facts needed require a gigantic compilation of observations. Whereas the branch method continually springs up from the present situation in a step by step manner, varying in small degrees and is more appropriate for complex problems because facts requirements are small and are relevant to the policy. In the root method, initially values or objectives have to be clarified before the alternative policies are examined. Disagreement is unavoidable even when objectives are clearly stated. Another difficulty is ranking of conflicting values since objectives may not have the same relative values. Whereas in the branch method values and policies are selected simultaneously and only incremental values are focussed on making it simpler. Secondly, in the root method, ends are initially chosen in a means-end relationship and means are then developed whereas in branch method means as well as ends are simultaneously chosen. Thirdly, in the root method decisions are termed â€Å"good† if an objective is achieved even when the decision hasn’t been described. In the case of branch method where the objectives are defined only by the incremental values it is still possible to determine if the policy achieved the desired objective. Again in the root method it is impossible to take all factors into consideration due to limitations unless the complex problem is simplified whereas the branch method by limiting the policy comparisons to relevant ones only differing slightly from the current policy the problem is simplified. Finally policy is made and re-made endlessly in the branch method. Nevertheless, branch method does have its disadvantages but is far superior for decision making in complex problems. Experience: In a new start up firm generally new policies are made often or even old ones are amended. During my work as a business development manager in a newly start up firm, I along with another colleague had the major task to formulate policies for my division. We decided to put together basic policies related to our past experience from similar jobs. This served as the base to us and the other employees of the division. There were revisions to these base policies only when there was a need to amend it because it wasn’t working for us or when some mishap happened and a new policy was inevitable. But the fact was that the new policies didn’t vary from the old policies in such a large manner. So it wasn’t difficult for the employees to get accustomed to the new policy. And slowly we managed to put together a solid set of policies. Reading 7. 1 (McIntyre, R. M. & Salas, E. (1995)): Measuring and Managing For Team Performance: Emerging Principles From Complex Environments The author of this chapter focuses on a fairly neglected but critical aspect namely teamwork that develops as teams mature over a period of time. The base for this research was military teams but due to the similarities between military and any organisation the findings can be extended to teams in an organisation too. The model formed for this research was The Team Evolution and Maturation (TEAM) Research Paradigm. The TEAM paradigm program observed and measured a number of tactical decision-making teams. Interviews were conducted, data instruments and self-report questionnaire were developed and employed to assist in the research. The data analysed were scanned for evidence of behavioural trends that characterized team performance and the results were presented. Teamwork is the interactive behaviour between members of a team but depending on circumstance may include technical activities. Teamwork consists of four major factors-performance monitoring, feedback, closed-loop communication, back-up behaviour and also performance norms such as team’s self awareness and supporting interdependence among team-mates. Also effective teams modify their behaviour depending on the situation and do change over a period of time. Another category that led to a better understanding of team performance was Team leadership. A team leader must be able to serve as models of teamwork in order to maintain the team’s effectiveness by engaging in teamwork and improving the team performance, being prepared technically, by listening and benefiting from the knowledge of team members, accepting and providing feedback but at the same time being cautious about his leadership style and the respect he commands. The role of each individual team member was also important in this context. Team members should be individually competent so that effective team work can take place but at the same time be aware of the tasks of his team-mate. Also, a team member must not be dependent on an outstanding team member by evading responsibility. Experience: During my career in a software company a team was formed for every project. The team was formed depending on the requirement of the particular phase of the project, budget and duration. The team members were selected based on their experience. Meetings were conducted with the project managers on an individual basis as well as a team. New ideas as well as difficulties faced by each team member were noted. Another method employed by the company was the team appraisal form in which team members rated their team mates in different tasks. At the completion of the project too a review of the performance of the team as well as the project manager was conducted. For the next project the outcomes of these reviews were specially taken into consideration to form another team. What I observed was as a team our performance improved and tasks were completed with less difficulty among team members. Reading 5. 3 (Parkin (2000)): Expert Judgment This reading discusses about how the conceptualization of information can help in retaining information for longer periods of time and achieving expertise. It also classifies the characteristics of an expert and finally whether experts are better judges in their own domain. The short term memory in human beings can only absorb and process few chunks of memory and that too for a short period of time whereas to remember data for a longer period it is necessary to put them in long term memory. Some recent findings have shown that in order to support the short-term memory, experts developed their long term memory thereby overcoming the limited capacity of the short term memory. But again the storage capacity isn’t what makes a difference between a novice and an expert. It is the ability of an expert to visualize and analyse as well as reason the patterns and data in such a way that it provides room for more planning that differentiates him from an amateur. In order to have this ability of an expert, practice seems to be the only solution. Again being an expert in problem solving in a particular domain is not the only skill required by an expert but good planning skill too is critical. By deciding on the right methods and goals based on past experiences experts are more successful in predicting likely outcomes. Thus in order to facilitate quick retrieval of information from the long term memory it is necessary to conceptualize the largely disaggregated data that one acquires during education and training. Through a continuous series of trial, error and reliable feedback, information gets stored in memory and readily available. But in spite of these characteristics experts may not be better judges also in their own domains. An expert’s decision would differ from another one based on his knowledge and experience. But again agreement cannot be the only criteria to judge an expert. Experience: During my career as a computer engineer I had done multiple projects. But I remember one of the projects in the early days of my career which was a fairly complex one. It was a complex one only because in spite of learning that programming language in my undergraduate course and also having been rained for it in the company I had to struggle through the coding because I hadn’t practised it actually. But the irony was that the project manager was quite an expert at it and had an extensive knowledge in that programming language despite the fact that this language came into actual practice long after his graduation. I later came to know that he had successfully completed a number of projects using this program ming language. Thus practice and definitely the multiple projects he executed got him to this level of expertise. Reference 1. UTS November 2002, ‘Judgment and Decision making’, CN2118 Lectures & Reading Material.

Film Theory and Criticism Essay

Maya Deren is known as one of those in Hollywood who represented everything that was not Hollywood. A film theorist and film maker, among other things, Maya Deren was born as Eleanora Derenkowsky in Kiev, Ukraine. She was born into the film making industry, named after an Italian actress. After moving to Syracuse, New York, it was here where she began her interest in the socialist movement. It was also this move which influenced much of her life and her direction in movies. Maya Deren began her formal education at Syracuse University where she was an active member of the Trotskyist Young People’s Socialist League. She eventually went on to work with Katherine Dunham where she got her chance to work in Hollywood. Using the inheritance she got from her father, Maya Deren purchased a second hand 16mm Bolex camera with which she made what is perhaps considered as one of best films, Meshes of the Afternoon. This was recognized as one of the first seminal American avant-garde films during the time. It was originally a silent film that featured no dialogue, however, in 1957 a soundtrack was added by Teiji Ito. By 1943, she changed her name to Maya Deren. This was because of her beliefs at that time and reflected her political ideologies as well. By this time, she had already expanded her social circle within Hollywood to include such others like Andre Breton, Marcel Duchamp, John Cage and Anais Nin. A year later, she started her second film, At Land, and other films such as A Study in Choreography for the Camera in 1945 and Ritual in Transfigured Time, which was made in 1946, which explored the fear of rejection and the freedom of expression in abandoning ritual. Her efforts did not go unrecognized as in 1946 she was awarded with the Guggenheim Fellowship for â€Å"Creative Work in the Field of Motion Pictures. † While not the greatest of her awards, she was also given the Grand Prix Internationale for her experimental film Meshes of the Afternoon at the Cannes Film Festival. Her other great works include Meditation on Violence, which was made in 1948. This film portrayed the distinction between violence and beauty and is performed in by Chao Li Chi. Aside from her career in the film industry, Deren also distributed her films and gave promotional tours all over the world. During her career, she not only featured screenings in the United States, Canada and Cuba but she also lectured extensively on film theory and vodoun. This, however, did not stop her from building up her film career and she went on to write, direct and even star in most of her films. This was manifested during her time creating â€Å"New American Cinema† which paid homage to the experimental underground film of the United States. The legacy that Maya Deren left was more than just through the works that she made for the silver screen. In 1986, the American Film Institute honored her achievements by creating the Maya Deren Award for independent film making. There have also been numerous accounts of homage being paid to her achievements such as the tour by the Horse and Bamboo Theatre of the United Kingdom which created the Dance of White Darkness which is the story of Deren’s visits to Haiti. The most recent movies created in her honor include the film by Martina Kudlacek entitled In the Mirror of Maya Deren which featured the music of John Zorn. There was also a memorial that was written by Robert Stone to celebrate the achievements that Maya Deren had on not only the music industry but also to the arts. While the influence of Maya Deren will surely be remembered in her works, there is no other clear testament to her influence on the industry as is shown by the homage that she is continually given to this day. Bibliography: Deren, M(Orig. published 1963) Cinema: The Creative Use of Actuality in Mast, G and Cohen. M eds. (1985) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings Oxford University Press, Oxford. Pray, M(2007) Avant-Garde Film: Forms, Themes and Passions Wallflower, London. Sitney, A(1979) Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde 1943-78 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford

Yellowcake Essay Example

Yellowcake Essay Example Yellowcake Essay Yellowcake Essay Book Review Yellowcake I really enjoyed this book miellowcake by Ann Cummins. The beginning was hard to get involved with but past the first few chapters I found myself wanting to know what happens next. She really described the characters well. My favorite was Sam because he reminded me of my own dad. He was a free spirited man with his own agenda. This book takes place here in the four corner region and I was born and raised here. Which had the effect of feeling involved with the characters and their families. Ann Cummins had Navajo culture introduced through the Atcitty family. Reading the book, Cummins had great descriptions of the surroundings. I spent a lot of time this past summer at Morgan lake, and I was excited to read the part when Becky and her friend where there too. I again felt as if I was there with them in the story. I felt the purpose of her story was to tell the daily struggle of life these two families had to ncounter. For example, Ryland had a struggle with his sickness and how I affected him and his family. The constant worry if he was able to be a part of his owns daughters wedding or not. Beckys struggle with the passing of her dad, Woody. She knew it was coming for a long time, but she couldnt imagine a life without him. I believe she did a wonderful Job in the details of her story, but upset with the ending. It kind of left me hanging in what was going to happen next.

Lapses and Collapses

Lapses and Collapses Lapses and Collapses Lapses and Collapses By Mark Nichol This post lists and defines lapse and its family of related words that pertain to a passage of time or to falling. The words discussed below all derive ultimately from the Latin verb labi, meaning â€Å"fall,† â€Å"sink,† and â€Å"slip,† in addition to other related actions, by way of lapsus, meaning â€Å"falling† or â€Å"slipping† (figuratively or literally) or â€Å"passage of time† (from the sense of â€Å"gliding†). Lapse, as a verb, originally pertained merely to that last sense, but it later applied as well to something becoming invalid or void and acquired the additional meanings of â€Å"commit a sin† or â€Å"fail to retain religious faith.† As a noun, lapse means â€Å"decline† or â€Å"fall,† or â€Å"interval,† â€Å"interruption,† or â€Å"termination,† or it may refer to a mistake due to forgetfulness or inattention, or to abandoning one’s faith. The adjectival form is lapsed; the adjective labile once meant â€Å"prone to fail or fall,† but now it pertains to instability or propensity to change. (The adjective labial and other words pertaining to lips are unrelated.) Labefaction, meanwhile, is a rarely used word meaning â€Å"downfall† or â€Å"overthrow† in the sense of a weakening of civil order or moral principles. When time goes by, it is said to elapse. That word was at one time also a noun, but lapse has superseded it. In theology, several words with the root lapsarian pertain to various beliefs about the biblical account of the fall of humankind as told in the story of the Garden of Eden: postlapsarian (â€Å"after the fall†), prelapsarian (â€Å"before the fall†), sublapsarian (â€Å"under the fall,† which is also the translation of the synonym infralapsarian), and superlapsarian (â€Å"above the fall†). The verb collapse (literally, â€Å"fall together†) means â€Å"fall† or â€Å"fall apart,† â€Å"break down† or â€Å"lose effectiveness or significance,† or â€Å"fold down† or â€Å"give way† and as a noun refers to any of these actions. Something that can be collapsed, generally limited to the sense of â€Å"fold down,† is collapsible, and that quality is called collapsibility. When a body part falls or slips, it is said to prolapse (â€Å"fall forward†), and such an occurrence is a prolapse. A relapse (â€Å"fall again†), meanwhile, is an instance in which symptoms of a disease that had abated recur, and the word also serves as a verb. Lava is an unexpected cognate; the word describing magma, or molten rock, after it has surfaced from underground (in its molten state or after it has cooled and hardened) stems from lapsus by way of Italian. The adjective lavalike refers to something resembling the molten state. Lapidary, referring to cutting of gems and stones, is an unrelated word derived from lapis, the Latin word for â€Å"stone.† 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:When to use "on" and when to use "in"Hang, Hung, Hanged13 Theatrical Terms in Popular Usage

Environmental Scanning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Environmental Scanning - Assignment Example Bullying has been an issue that is likely to hinder the performance of Miami Dolphins significantly. The bullying behaviors among the players include physical and verbal abuse, which lead to the suspension of talented players. For instance, Incognito allegedly bullied Martin verbally due to racial differences (Shpigel, 2014). The bullying case led to the suspension of Incognito who was among the best players. On the other hand, Martin was not comfortable as previously as a result of the verbal insults, which affected him psychologically. The management of Miami Dolphins should ensure that the players relate to each other in a friendly manner. Cohesion of the players will make Miami Dolphins the best league. Racism is an issue that the team members should avoid by practicing racial diversity. In conclusion, environmental scanning allows an organization to identify the problems that hinder the progress. For instance, it has been apparent that bullying is an issue that has affected the performance of Miami Dolphins because of the suspension of the best players, as well as the psychological effects of verbal abuses (Shpigel, 2014). Therefore, Miami Dolphins will regain from the tarnished name by practicing racial diversity. Shpigel, B. (2014, February 14). ‘A Classic Case of Bullying’ on the Dolphins. The New York Times. Retrieved from

Decision Support Systems in Medicine Research Paper

Decision Support Systems in Medicine - Research Paper Example This computerized system would ease the timely calculation of the organization’s payroll and with very little chance of any errors in those calculations. Information Systems can be viewed as work systems where all activities are centered towards digital processing of data provided to them. An information system constitutes of: A Computing device, A storage device in order to store data being processed and also the outputs. Previous data bank Instructions and procedures. INFORAMTION SYSTEMS TYPES Categorically there may be several types of information systems. This categorization is with respect to the difference in the organizational levels that exist. The types may be narrated as follows: Transaction Processing Systems- example: Payroll systems, Order Processing System. Office Automation Systems- example: Word Processing Systems. Knowledge Work Systems- example: Engineering Workstation. Decision Support Systems- Clinical Support Systems. Management Information Systems  œ Sales Management Systems. Executive Support Systems – High Level Managerial Forecasting Systems MEDICAL INFORMATICS The infusion of Information Technology in the field of health and medicine has led to the rebirth of the said field. Technological advancements that have affected the field of health have affected the human society as a whole directly and have mostly proved to be beneficial rather than hazardous. Formally speaking, the definition of Medical Informatics, as quoted at openclinical.com, is stated as follows:   Medical Informatics  is the "scientific field that deals with biomedical information, data, and knowledge - their storage, retrieval, and optimal use for problem solving and decision making. It accordingly touches on all basic and applied fields in... According to the research medical informatics is the "scientific field that deals with biomedical information, data, and knowledge - their storage, retrieval, and optimal use for problem solving and decision making. It accordingly touches on all basic and applied fields in biomedical science and is closely tied to modern information technologies, notably in the areas of computing and communication (medical computer science)". Thus, in the light of the above-mentioned definition, medical informatics can very well be termed as the handling of data with respect to health and medicine with the assistance of computers and computer related systems. Medical information management, or simply put, the managing of all information related to health and medicine has become an integral part of the health care profession in the modern times. The present state of health and medicine cannot be executed without the involvement of information systems that are computer based. Decision support systems a re one of the types of information systems that assist in medicine. They can be termed as information systems that assist in decision making. Improved decision making can be achieved by information systems that are flexible, interactive and adaptable. Recent advancements in Health informatics pertaining specifically to the implementation of information technology in the present day hospitals is ideally referred to as a means of reduction of distress for the patient as well as the practitioner.