Case Study About Underemployment

Underemployment exists when employed persons have not attained their full employment level in the sense of the Employment Policy Convention adopted by the International Labour Conference in 1964.According to this Convention, full employment ensures that (i) there is work for all persons who are willing to work and look for work; (ii) that such work is as productive as possible; and (iii) that they have the freedom to choose the employment and that each workers has all the possibilities to acquire the necessary skills to get the employment that most suits them and to use in this employment such skills and other qualifications that they possess.The situations which do not fulfill objective (i) refer to unemployment, and those that do not satisfy objectives (ii) or (iii) refer mainly to underemployment. Most economists instinctively dismiss the term underemployment when they first encounter it. The conventional wisdom is that someone is working, seeking work, or voluntarily out of the l abor force. If they do not like their job or the number of hours worked per week, they will pursue opportunities until they find a better fit.However, a bit of reflection suggests that the concept of underemployment is quite relevant and important. While people have wide and continuous preferences for hours worked per day or week, most jobs available still require thirty-five to forty hours per week spread over five days. Thus, given this fixed hours constraint, most people are either underemployed or over employed. Consider the so-called trailing spouse where one spouse finds a very satisfying job in a place where there is no market for the special skills of their partner.Others find that they would have to relocate or commute long distances to attain a job that matched their training and abilities, but they value certain lifestyle patterns . In both of these examples, the person’s underemployment is voluntary. They could relocate and receive a wage commensurate with their h uman capital. Nevertheless, so long as they choose to live in a labor market that is too thin or sparse to provide them appropriate employment opportunity, they are underemployed and the local labor market has excess capacity.

The One Man Industry

If success is all there is in life, there would be no room for learning. Failure is an important aspect of one’s life for more often than not, it is through these debacles that one learns the real value of living and the essence of what he has. Amitabh Bachchan, the most popular and highest paid Bollywood actor is the epitome of a wheel. His life has gone through several failings, others serious enough to ruin his name in the Indian society, however, in the face of all the controversies he went through, he still managed to resurface and continue his life.Bachchan is the son of the well-known poet, Harivansh Rai Bachchan and socialite Teji Bachchan. He received his early education from Allahabad’s High School and finished his college art degree in Sherwood College and his science degree from the University of Delhi (bollywoodblog. com n. pag. ). Growing up, he already had his visions of becoming and actor so when he finally graduated, he worked his way to Bollywood. Howe ver, his Bollywood dream was not an easy aspiration to realize.He had to go through several trials before finally contributing his talent to the acting scene. Bachchan first worked as a freight broker in a shipping company in Calcutta (Noronha n. pag. ) then moved to Bombay to pursue an acting career. When he applied for an acting stint, he was refused because his stature was not of a Bollywood actor material. He is 6’3†, too tall for the Bollywood scene and he also had a fair complexion which was not too ideal for an actor (apunkachoice. com n. pag. ).He was given a break though as a narrator after Indira Gandhi, the mother of his friend, Rajiv Gandhi and the Prime Minister then, made a recommendation letter (indiazen n,pag. ). His baritone voice earned him several projects, not as an actor but merely as background voice. It was only after a few years that he was able to infuse the acting scene with his dramatic prowess. His first movie, Saat Hindustani in 1969 was not very successful and did not even earn him an award, nevertheless, it served as his passport to the acting industry.The movie which really gave him his first break was Abhimaan in 1973. This movie gave him the attention he needed to remain in the entertainment world. He starred in this movie with the famous actress Jaya Bahduri, who later on became his wife. They have two children, the other one is also engaged in the film industry (Noronha n. pag. ). After his first successful movie, Bachchan also starred in several others. Among these movies was Zanjeer which placed him on equal footing with famous Bollywood actors.The movie showcases a quasi-revolutionary fervor that is also linked to a private trauma (Mishra 134). Through the movie, Bachchan came to be classified as â€Å"the Angry Man† because of his role as a strict police officer. His portrayal showed rebelliousness, a feeling which was not normally featured in Indian films at that time. The rebellious attitude which h e established in the film did not only give a new taste in the film industry but it also showcased the emotion that was then reigning in the hearts of the Indian lower-middle and slum-dwelling classes (Mishra 134).Bachchan portrayed other roles depicting rebelliousness after the Zanjeer movie. Among the movies that he starred on were Deewar (Wall) in 1975, Sholay (Embers) also in 1975, Amar Akbar Anthony in 1977, Don in 1978, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar also in 1978, Laawaris in 1981, Silisila (The Affair) also in 1981, Namak Halaal in 1982 and Black in 2005. He did many others but these are the top ten movies that he starred on as classified by BBC news (n. pag). All of these films became spectacular and box office hits in the Indian community (entertainmentoneindia n.pag). Bachchan’s flare in the entertainment world cannot solely be attributed to his skills in acting but more on the attitude that he exude in the roles that he played. Unlike the famous actors before his time, he in troduced a new blend in the Indian movies—rebelliousness. He did not fall for the stereotype characters and plots that were reigning then, instead he depicted antagonism and rage. This new blend in the movies was well accepted by the Indians, not only because it was a new approach but also because this was a part of what they were then feeling.The movies which the actor made were more realistic, making the audience relate with what is being shown. Life to Bachchan is not all about romance and happy ending, life is more than that. It includes trials, conflicts and resentment. The approach that Bachchan infused into his films also destroyed the prevalent plot in Indian movies. Films that were prevailing before Bachchan’s time mostly revolved on the character rather than on the story but with his depiction of revenge and anger, the idea of a character was destroyed and the focus was placed more on the story.Mishra (128) enumerates some of the reasons behind the success of Bachchan’s carreer. The first according to the author, is the fact that he was conversant both with the Hindi language and the other dialects. He is the first partition major star who came from the Hindi-speaking heartland of Uttar and Pradesh and who was thoroughly conversant with standard Hindi as well as the other dialects, notably Avadhi (Mishra 128). Knowledge of the language and the dialects was necessary for an actor as this enhances his capacity to better communicate with his audience and beautifully portray the character that he wants to depict in the movie.This also gives him vantage point as compared to other actors who are not conversant with the dialects that he knows because it establishes a closer connection with the viewers. The closer the connection that the actor establishes, the better is the appreciation that the spectators will give to the performance. It must be understood that movies are not just about acting, it is also about communicating with the pe ople and trying to convey a message across. (The second reason for Bachchan’s success is the challenge that he posed) on the figure of the noble, transcendent Rama as the dharmik model of the hero.His roles deployed features that belonged to the antihero Karna in the (Indian epic) Mahabharata while the generic frames of his films destabilized the dominant cinematic form much as the baroque Traverspiel destabilized German tragedy. Finally, he projected this antiheroism into the very modern notion of the angry young man in rebellion and grafted this into the figure of a subaltern hero as an agent of national reconciliation. The rebelliousness thus synthesized reflected the disenchantment, the oppression, the hopelessness of the slum dweller who saw in Bachchan’s acts of antiheroism a symbol of his or her own aspirations.The rags to riches theme that always paralleled the narrative or personal revenge in Bachchan’s films was the imaginary fulfillment if the slum dw eller’s own fantasies (Mishra 128). All of these were not evident in the films that were crafted before Bachchan entered the cinema scene or if they were, it was not as emphatically portrayed as Bachchan did. He said that his commendable performance can be attributed to his genes and the influences of his father’s writings. As a child, he was exposed to the liberal and rebellious writings of his father and this somehow built in his system the same principles that his father advocated (Mishra 128).Many found it ironic that the son of a socialite is espousing the cause of the poor people in India. Nevertheless, his background was not a hindrance to his realistic performance of the lower class Indians. This might have been because of his early exposure to the problems that face the lower class Indian nationals. The source of his acting was not merely dependent on the script—it was beyond it. He was driving source for his acting from his own ideologies which were sh aped by his father’s principles. He had a deeper cause for his performance and exude greater realism.As a result of this, he dominated the Indian movies for quite sometime, leaving no room for the other actors. His influence to the Indian populace was so great that when he met an accident while filming the movie, Coolie, the whole nation prayed for his recovery. There was also a great number of Indians who donated blood for the actor. During the taping for the movie, Bachchan wanted a scene to be realistic so he suggested how the punch should be undertaken unfortunately, the acting got so intense that he ended up in pain.For several days, the doctors cannot find the source of Bachchan’s hurt, until one day, a doctor was able to detect a dark spot on his intestine. The dark spot was his undigested when the punch in his abdomen was made. After seventy-two hours of pain, the undigested food could have turned into poison (Mishra 142-143). His intestine was also ruptured as a result of his fall on the steel table after the punch administered by the stuntman (Chopra n. pag. ) The doctors opted for an immediate operation, however, while he was in the operating table, he lost signs of life.He was declared clinically dead until his wife, Jaya shouted that he saw him move his toe. After this remarkable statement of his wife, the doctors were able to revive him (Mishra 142-143). Throughout the period that he was in the hospital, his supporters speculated that the punch that he received was real and intentional—that it was meant to hurt him. However, no proof was established to back up the claim. After the recovery, Bachchan continued filming the movie to where he left off.He also thanked those who offered prayers for his recovery and the support that the entire nation devoted to him. To date, he is the only movie actor who received such sympathy. People from all walks of life showed all the support they can give and it was as if life in India stopped for Bachchan. Life only returned to its normal shape when it was declared that he is already safe (Mishra 142-143) Aside from acting, Bachchan also tried his luck in politics after he was swayed by his friend Rajiv Gandhi, whose mother was assassinated and won by sympathy vote.Bachchan was elected to a Parliamentary seat, however, this prestigious position did not prove beneficial to him as his name was included to a political controversy. Bachchan, his brother and Rajiv were accused with bribery. It was rumored that the Boffors company bribed Indian politicians to ensure that the government will buy tanks and other military equipment from them (Mishra 144). This hullabaloo seriously injured the name that Bachchan was able to established through time so he decided to quit politics two years after he first explored it.After his flop in the field of politics, Bachchan returned to his first love—film making. Bachchan is well loved by the Indians and his acting widely accepted, however, these love and acceptance were not enough to keep his star shining after the political controversy he faced. Mishra, however, points out that his breakdown in politics is not the direct cause of his collapse as a star. Just like the period when he started his sensational career as an actor, the people then were looking for variety, for something new to watch, the Indians also felt this way at some point when Bachchan was the king of the charts.The people were worn-out with the constant revenge and anger theme in his movies and were looking for something new—for a new approach in movies. This was the time when the need to revive Romanticism was felt. The revival of romance in the films brought back the idea of a character and once again motivation replaced generic predictability, something which Bachchan turned his back on (Mishra 138). For Bombay cinema to survive, the romantic twist had to return. And so, as Bachchan’s star waned, romance returned (Mishra 138 ). After his political stint and cinema flops, Bachchan shifted his attention to a new venture.He created a multi-faceted commercial enterprise known as the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited or ABCL. The company delved in production and distribution of films and other ventures that involved the movie industry. For sometime, the company enjoyed success in producing movies and even catered the Miss World pageant in India in 1996. However, in its latter years, it faced so many debts that it reached bankruptcy (Indiaoye). His failure both in the political and business worlds, prompted him to go back to where he established his name—the entertainment industry. At 55, he filmed his comeback movie, Mrityutada.It was not as successful as his previous movies but it was enough to sustain him in the entertainment field. Two years after his comeback film, he was named in a BBC poll as the Superstar of the Millennium. This title placed him in equal footing with Sir Lawrence Olivier, Ch arlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando. Aside from this, he is also the first Asian actor to be included in Madame Tassaud’s wax museum (hindi lyrix n. pag. ). According to Mishra, Bachchan’s success in his career is not only because of his talent in acting but also because of his skill in building his image outside the theater houses.The author suggests three stages in the life of Bachchan that moulded his image as an actor. First is his relationship with his leading ladies, particularly Rekha. Rekha, the daughter of the Hindi actor Ganeshan, is a tall and good looking woman who exhibited real acting talent. She was one of the few actors then who brought â€Å"real sense of character to the films†. She was suspected by journalists to have established a romantic relation with Bachchan and this suspected relationship was â€Å"extensively documented in the fanzines†. Mishra suggests that this added to the growth of the â€Å"quietly sanctioned counternarrativeâ €  by the actor himself.However, Bachchan imposed censorship when journalists began to pester him (Mishra 140). The affair of Rekha and Bachchan was better revealed in the movie Silsila (Continuity, 1981). In this movie the actors showed what they could not reveal in real life—depicting the love triangle that exists between Jaya, the wife; Bachchan, the husband; and Rekha, the mistress (Mishra 141). In real life, Bachchan denied all allegations of an affair that exists between him and Rekha but the latter had less disavowal in her system. She was more open although not explicitly with the relationship that he has with the Indian icon.Jaya also admitted that girls were a problem with Bachchan but she did not elaborate on his affairs. Bachchan reiterated in an interview that Rekha was just his leading lady and nothing else (cited in Mishra 140). The other two the Mishra talked about were his near death experience while filming the movie Coolie and the Bofors controversy. Dur ing the period that he was in the hospital fighting death and trying to survive, life in India seem to have been brought to halt. Temple houses and mosques were filled with people trying to offer prayers for the fast recovery of their beloved star.The Prime Minister then, his friend Rajiv Gandhi, cut his international trips to see him. The kind of emotion Amitabh has evoked among Indians across the globe is absolutely phenomenal, said film director Ramesh Sippy (Chopra n. pag). To reiterate, Mishra (146) said that no correlation should be made between Bachchan’s failure as a politician and the flop of his comeback movie. According to the author, Bachchan’s return in the film industry and the people’s cold reaction to the movies that he made is not the direct effect of the Bofors deal.Bachchan’s waning as a star can only be attributed to the return of romance in Indian films, something which the actor did not patronize. After his comeback movie, Bachchan b ecame the host of â€Å"Who wants to be a millionare? †. This undertaking proved successful for him as he was able to woo many Indians to watch his show. Movie theaters have adjusted the screening of their movies in order to accommodate the program time of Bachchan’s game show. Moreover, he has also tried acting in other genres like comedy and drama and he also proved triumphant in these fields. It only goes on to say that the king of Indian films has regained his thrown.Aside from going back to the film industry, he has also invaded the advertising industry. He is the most sought after promoter of products such as clothing among others. The Indian icon, now in his 60’s, remain to be active and show no signs of slowing down. Many Indians still look up to him despite his age not only because of his legendary achievements but also because of the way he plays his age. In a BBC new report (n. pag. ), it was stated that Bachchan has made aging cool. He acts his age a nd yet he still manages to go with the flow of modern times, something which only a few could do.More than his acting career, Bachchan is extraordinary for his attitude towards life. Despite the failures he faced and the narrow roads he walked through, he still manages to get up everytime and continue where he left of. He does not allow any fiasco to pull him to the ground level and never get up again. He also has established a certain charm with the Indian people that they keep on accepting him despite his failures and continuously gives him the chance that he needs. Without this charm, he would have had a hard time bringing back the luster of his name in the face of all the controversies that he had been through.Today, he continues to live up his image as the legend of Indian television. It must be remembered that Bachchan’s influence in the movies in India is remarkable because he defied the odds at a time when everyone was into romance. Through his acting abilities he was able to change the genre of the themes in Indian movies and provided variety. Without him, there would have been no variety in the Bollywood films and the film makers would have just stuck with the traditional portrayal of a character in the movie. He introduced innovation and experimentation in Indian movies.His significance as an actor and influence to the Indian populace is indelible because of the great contribution that he made in the movies and also because of the way his movies shaped the minds of the people. From the early 70’s until the 90’s he was the only actor who was patronized by the Indian people. It seemed that he was the only actor then existing thus the title, â€Å"one man industry†. It would take a really brilliant man and a well-skilled actor to be able to dominate the film industry which is considered to be the biggest in the world and holds a record high of movies produced annually in the world (MSN Encarta onlone encyclopedia n.pag. ). T o date, India is the country which has the highest number of movies produced annually registering 800 movies a year (Chopra n. pag). Only a few people could exert such an influence in a such a big industry. Films to the Indian people is very important and well patronized because to them, cinema is not just entertainment. It is all about passion. Since the dawn of film production in the country, the entertainment industry has produced 27,000 films in 52 languages. Everyday, people in India flock the 13,000 movie houses in the country and enjoy the song and dance that the movies offer (Chopra n.pag). Many of the films that Indians produce come from the factories of Mumbai or Bombay. The film industry in Bombay is what is known was Bollywood it is India’s Hindi film capital and the home of ten sprawling studios. The movies that are produced in this part of India have ranging budgets, some start big time amounting to five million dollars while the others have to content themselve s with a meager fund of fifty-thousand dollars and create the movie within ten to fifteen days.Many parts of India are also flustering with movie producers but nothing could still match Bollywood, the industry where Bachchan established his name. Bollywood according to Chopra has a wider audience reaching to Indians who are scattered across the globe and the stars are considered gods. (Chopra n. pag. ). Through the years, many changes have also been undertaken in the Hindi films. It has leaped giant steps in terms of the technical production but its themes are leaping like babies, one small step at a time. The themes that it used to foster traditionally remain to be evident in Hindi films. (Chopra n.pag). This only shows that Hindi films can hardly be infiltrated and changed overnight as they are influenced by culture and tradition and it took a really powerful man such as Bachchan to have changed the twist of Indian films for a certain period in history. Works Cited â€Å"Amitabh Bachchan Biography. † N. d. A punk choice. com. 28 April 2008. â€Å"Amitabh Bachchan. † N. d. Bollywoodblog. com. 28 April 2008 â€Å"Amitabh Bachchan. † N. d. Indiazen. com. 28 April 2008 â€Å"Amitabh Bachchan. † N. d. Hindilyrix. com. 28 April 2008. â€Å"Amitabh Bachchan: The Comeback Man. † N. d. BBC news. 28 April 2008 â€Å"Amitabh Bachchan. † N. d. Indiaoye. 28 April 2008 Chopra, Anupama. â€Å"Bollywood: India’s Star Machine†. n. d. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia side bar. 28 April 2008

Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King and Bobby Seale Research Paper

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Early american history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Early american history - Essay Example This followed a drastic change in the reforms at that time in America. The reforms that were made at that time included the following changes: All powers of legislation were transferred to a central body which was the Congress and constituted of the Senate as well as House of Representatives. Members from the House of Representative were to be reselected every two years and their qualifications were the basis of their selection. A minimum age of 25 was decided for political representation and the House of Representatives had the authority to choose their senior officials. There were to be two Senators from each state and each one will have equal representation. An annual meeting of the Congress would be held at the end of the year for discussing issues that arose in that year. Each House of Representatives was responsible for its actions and for regulating the behavior of its members, and had the right to punish or dismiss them if they did not follow the rules, regardless of their po sition. The House of Representatives shall be responsible for originating bills and the approved ones (the ones that had a simple 2/3 majority) shall be presented to the President for approval. The Congress had power to collect taxes etc. The judicial power will be entrusted to the Supreme Court before which a series of smaller courts would need to be passed. Congress will not make any kind of laws that prohibit people from practicing the religion of their own choice or hinder their freedom of any kind- speech or expression. Everyone will have rights such as the right to speak regardless of power and authority, race, religion or any other means of discrimination. Everyone was to be considered as having the same importance (Conlin, 1877). All in all, the source we are talking about here was not created for people who only want to read history because it is in their course work or just for the sake of it. The source is created by Joseph R. Conlin; students actually enjoy reading it an d read it by choice instead of force. The source basically describes the improvements that took place in the political scenario of America in the late 19th century but is does not tell us what America was before those changes occurred. The source tells all the improvements that were made at that time when changes were demanded by the minorities who were not treated equally, hence reforms were made so that political issues can be resolved, and there are central bodies that will deal with policies and procedures where everyone can participate with a certain qualification and each person has the right to get equal representation in the government regardless of position. Policies and procedures had become organized and more systematic and now there was a fixed procedure to get demands accepted. If two thirds of the Senate agrees to a certain point then that bill can be passed and presented to the President who may approve or disprove it because he has the final power. Moreover, courts a lso became very systematic and well organized. Supreme Court was the highest and any case would have to pass through the smaller courts to reach the Supreme Court which gave the final verdict (Conlin, 1877). Ultimately, it can be sad that the source explains the improvements very explicitly but only talks of the past very implicitly, if at

Outsourcing Supply Chain Support and its Effectiveness and Implication Dissertation

Outsourcing Supply Chain Support and its Effectiveness and Implication in R&D Environment in Singapore - Dissertation Example and Objectives 1.3 Research Methods 1.4Significance of Research 1.5 Dissertation Outline 1.6 Conclusions Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Information Sharing and Outsourcing 2.3 The importance of Information sharing in Outsourcing 2.4 The risk factors of Information sharing 2.5 How much information can be shared? 2.6 How to ensure effective information-sharing 2.7 Conclusion Chapter 3: Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Research Approach 3.3 Research Methods 3.4 Research Design 3.4.1 Sample 3.4.2 Method of Data Collection: Interview 3.4.3 Research Instrument 3.4.4 Method of Data Analysis 3.5 Research Validity and Reliability 3.6 Ethical Considerations 3.7 Conclusions Chapter 4: Findings 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Part A: Findings from i3lab 4.2.1 Challenges of Managing the Supply Chain for Support Products for i3lab 4.2.3 Performance Assessment of Outsourcing Partners 4.2.4 Outsourcing Partner Selection Criteria (size, capabilities, and geographical locations) 4.2.5 Outsourcing Partner Trust 4.2.6 Protocol for Sharing Information with Outsourcing Vendors 4.2.7 Channels of Communications Employed 4.2.8 Decisions Regarding Information Sharing 4.2.9 Managing Integrity of Shared Information 4.2.10 Importance of Information sharing and Concerns Regarding Integrity 4.3 PART B: Findings from the Interviews of Outsourcing Partners 4.3.1 Challenges and Problems faced during Supplying Components to Buyers 4.3.2 Channels of Communication Employed Between Outsourcing Partners and Buyers 4.3.3 Information Sharing with Buyers 4.3.4 Adequacy of Information Shared from the Buyer 4.3.5 Buyer Information Security 4.3.6 Suggestions for Buyer Information Security 4.3.7 Differences in Procurement Practices in China and Singapore 4.4 Summary Chapter 5: Discussion and... This paper tells that in the past decades, there has been experienced an acute shortage of supply chain support services, especially for Research and Development (R&D operations), There are multiple reasons for these shortages and these include outsourcing to foreign countries like China and India where cost advantages can be obtained, inflationary pressures on the costs of operations. Indices like the manufacturing unit labour costs have shown an increase of 15% while unit business costs have increase by 7.8% over 2010. In addition, there is also a shift towards knowledge based economy as opposed to manufacturing and engineering, which has led to the government focusing on other sectors. There is a lowering of demand in the ultra-precision engineering segment in Singapore. A recent survey by the Ministry of Trade and Industries (MIT) has revealed that there is a decline of 5.9% in the manufacturing sector in the second quarter of 2011. The Precision Engineering sector comprising of precision modules and components has shown a 10% decrease in 2011 from the year 2007. The above factors have made it lucrative for organizations in the in the ultra-precision engineering R&D activities to follow the path of outsourcing. However, while outsourcing leads to cost cuttings, it may also lead to a loss of control over standardization and problems of product quality. There is therefore a need to share information with the outsourcing partners. The current dissertation is aimed at evaluating how the ultra-precision engineering R&D need to manage their sensitive information while sharing knowledge and practices with their outsourcing partners.

Doing business with north Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Doing business with north Americans - Essay Example As a result, the major economic activities in Northern America can be traced back to the historical origins of most inhabitants of this continent. The North American region, which consists of countries such as United States and Canada, opened doors to civilization through diversity brought by the various cultural groups that immigrated into the area. Since then diversification and economic growth has been evident even in the modern day through institutions and trade agreements such as the North America Free trade agreement. Nevertheless, development in North America is gradually being hampered by disparities between North and South America (Moran et al, 514). With regard to Canada, Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, Native Americans who inhabited the region had thrived through their culture since they owned the land. However, most of them currently live below the poverty level since they have lost most of the property to the late inhabitants and the governments in the region (Moran et al, 520). As a result, the government in Canada has been increasing its efforts compensate the affected Native Americans. Moreover, the Priv ate sector has increased its efforts over the years to enhance business with Native Americans in Canada. This has involved enlightening the Native Americans on modern business practices and while allowing them to hold on to their tradition (Moran et al, 520). On the other hand, another business perspective with regard to North America can be based on the United States. United States is centrally located in North America â€Å"south of Canada and North of Mexico† (Moran et al 526). Unlike Canada, the terrain and climate in United States varies significantly among regions. However, the historical influx of inhabitants in America is similar to that of Canada that in this case contributes to the diversity in

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Law And Policy - Case Study Example An examination of the present legal environment reveals the effectiveness of policies in safeguarding business information and information systems. More than ever before, businesses are rapidly globalizing their operations due to the expansion of e-commerce abilities. This has resulted in the emergence of robust information systems that encompass vast quantities of business-related information. As a consequence, businesses have increasingly started depending on third-party vendors for diverse business operations, posing immense challenges to information security. Vendors such as contractors need to guarantee protection of valuable customer data. Complex systems are needed to handle these complex business opportunities and challenges. Consequently, information security policies are essential to effective everyday business operations. Policies encompass both government polices and organizational polices. With regard to government policies, the US is renowned for its development and imp lementation of robust information security legislation to deter exploitation and misuse of information and information systems and technology. Such legislation provides a reliable business environment, ensuring a stable economy (IT Governance Institute, 2004). Prominent government policies on information security include the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFA Act), which is the foundation of most computer and information-related federal laws. The 1996 National Information Infrastructure Protection Act amended the 1986 law, increasing penalties for information-related crimes. The degree of the penalties imposed depends on the essence of the information acquired and used and whether or not the information-related offense was committed for commercial advantage, personal financial gain or the perpetuation of a criminal act, for instance, fraud. The US Patriotic Act has modified various laws, allowing greater latitude to law enforcement agencies in order to deter terrorism-related ac tivities that encompass the use of information and information system; for instance, making information available for terrorist activities. However, perhaps some of the most important government legislation that govern information dissemination, confidentiality and integrity include the 1996 Telecommunications Deregulation and Competition Act, which regulates telecommunications, both foreign and interstate (IT Governance Institute, 2004). Additionally, the 1966 Freedom of Information Act facilitates disclosure of formerly unreleased documents or information controlled by the government, for instance, tax records. In order to protect businesses against illegal access to stored information on business and personal communications, the government established the Unlawful Access to Stored Communications. This law is particularly important since it deters access and dissemination of business and personal communications, especially those carrying vital business details. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which was last amended in 2006, helps to deter computer-related acts of unlawful information use, dissemination and access (IT Governance In

Project Outline Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Outline - Assignment Example rorists and other extremists groups can take advantage of this huge traffic at the ports to smuggle devices and other weapons that they can use to disrupt the peace and economic development of the country. The abstract also explains the need for security in the U.S. Seaports. Introduces the major concept and points in the paper, and states the thesis. Shows how the United States is one of the countries with the largest coastlines across the entire globe and provides a number or sea ports and sea shores to use in both transport activities, especially the exports and imports trade, whereby the country brings in new products from other countries while exporting its own products to different other countries. The introduction also illustrates how avenue of transport creates congestion at the seaports, offering possibility of security lapses for terrorist. It describes the Seaport industry in the United States. It illustrates how seaports act as entry and exit points for goods from the U.S, as well as into the U.S. The section also shows how these seaports are America’s gateways to the global trade because they facilitate both domestic and international trade, thereby connecting the United States to the rest of the world. It also describes seaports in the U.S. and the locations. It examines seaports as possible insecurity gateways leading to terror attacks. It demonstrates the mechanisms of enhancing security at the ports. These include security checks and frisks to ensure that only the allowed goods and services pass through the ports, and keep out illegal or banned products from entering or leaving the country. Measures also include checking for radioactive emissions or charges found in containers or luggage carried by passengers who use these ports. This is done to limit terrorist attempts and suicide bombers. The government set rules and regulations to govern the maritime operations are also discussed including programs such as CSI and CBP. This part

Do conflicts management styles Affect group decision making Annotated Bibliography

Do conflicts management styles Affect group decision making - Annotated Bibliography Example Conflict management style has been studied in this article while looking at three approaches; integrative, avoidance, distributive; focusing on conflict management rather than resolution because there is no ideal solution to a conflict, but the ability of the conflicting parties to work through their issues. (Tim Kuhn, 2000) Group conflict management is an all inclusive process as it does not stifle the group members’ diverse perspectives, allowing for a range of alternatives that are possible outcomes of the process. These possible outcomes are looked into while assessing the quality of decisions with an emphasis on the performance and subjective outcomes of the decision making process. A decision’s functional theory is guided by group interaction leading to critical thinking thereby directly shaping the final choice of the group. (Tim Kuhn, 2000) The article while analyzing the integrative, avoidance and distributive approaches, favors the integrative approach hypothesizing that the group using the integrative approach will have the highest level of effectiveness in their decision making process as opposed to the other two because it encapsulates several perspectives therefore fostering positive, subjective and objective outcomes. (Tim Kuhn, 2000) The article examines task complexity vis a vis decision making capabilities while using a study method that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative procedures. The study design employs direct observation of established groups over a period of time. The study uses data from videotaped meetings of the group because of the sheer size and extent of the study. Out of the 47 episodes of data collected, 45 were on video tape and 2 on audio tape. The subjects seem self conscious at first owing to the presence of the video cameras but warm up to the idea of having them around and consequently relaxed. (Tim Kuhn, 2000) Group conflict management style was identified by observing how

European Year of Education through Sport 2004 Essay Example for Free

European Year of Education through Sport 2004 Essay Research, analyse and critically examine the (European Unions) European Year of Education through Sport 2004, illustrating your answer with examples from European countries. Sport has been a major arena for the display of popular European values ever since the very first recorded Ancient Olympics were held at Olympia in 776 B.C. The Olympics of Ancient Greece and subsequently the modern Olympics gave rise to the ideology of Olympism, a way of life that embodies through sport these qualities and values. In the years that have passed, the changing face of sport has modelled and re-modelled itself in line with contemporary trends and technological advancements, but the core beliefs have remained the same. Whilst even then in its infancy, sport had to deal with bribery and corruption, with politics and commercialism; the same evils that have plagued the sporting world at the highest level ever since; sport has survived, and the ethos of sport and Olympism continue to be heralded as the archetype of health, vitality and virtue. In September 2003 a Eurobarometer survey was carried out, in order to establish the general public feelings towards education through sport. The results it returned were unswerving in their support. Almost two-thirds of the survey sample cited team spirit as the most important sporting value, whilst 70% were in favour of a harder crackdown on doping in sport. Amongst other revelations of a similar trend it is notable that the 2 highest responses when asked if the EU should do more to promote education through sport were those of Greece (90% said yes) and Portugal (85%). These of course will be the 2 main focal points for sporting excellence in 2004; hosting the Olympic Games and the European Football Championships respectively. It is clear that the officials of the European Union share the belief that the prominent values and health benefits that can be garnered from education through sport are desirable. Following the conclusion of the Eurobarometer survey and further research, a budget totalling à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.5 million was made available specifically for the initiative they dubbed The European Year of Education through Sport (EYES). The allocation of the budget is divided, in simple terms, as described on the InfoBase Europe website, (www.ibeurope.com): A budget of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.5 million will be available to support meetings, campaigns and events designed to further the aims of the Year throughout the European Union. Whilst à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.5 million may appear at first glance to be a substantial amount, further examination reveals otherwise. To be simplistic in analysis, let us say that the funds were equally divided amongst the European Unions 15 member states; this would leave à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½766,667 (or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½522,575 [source: www.xe.com]) per nation to distribute internally to cover the entire year. This would work out at around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14,744 or à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10,050 per week for the whole country, far less than the wage of some professional athletes. The UK branch of EYES has 3 key objectives: 1. Promote EYES in the UK and on a pan-European basis. 2. Give as many people as possible access to the work being undertaken during the EYES 2004 programme. 3. Engage more young people in physical activity and sport, enhancing other developments in the field in the UK. These objectives run parallel with those of the EU as a whole (see annexe 1). In terms of promotion, the initiative is being spearheaded by an All-Star team of popular former and current stars of European sport; the most familiar of these perhaps being Jurgen Klinsmann, Clarence Seedorf, Amelie Mauresmo and Sir Steven Redgrave. Alongside these 5 are another 37 individuals (as well as the Latvian National Football Team), ranging from internationally famed to somewhat obscure, all of whom are committed to actively supporting the campaign. (http://www.eyes-2004.info/254.0.html) There seems to be a solid base from which to build a real Europe-wide success. In addition to the All-Star Team, EYES can boast partners from all over Europe, from a variety of different sports as well as many Governmental ministries and Educational Associations, 4 TV Channels and, perhaps most significantly, Sponsorship from VISA and the German travel company Vietentours. There will certainly be a significant amount of publicity surrounding EYES as the year goes on. The logo, accompanied by its slogan (move your body, stretch your mind) will be on display at nearly 200 events during 2004, including the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games and Euro 2004. It appears that from a promotional point of view, as well as the infrastructure, the EU has got it right. There will be plenty of opportunities for people to find out about and participate in EYES. But then what? Even if we were to blanket the entire continent with an awareness of EYES; even if every school in every nation participated; what next? 2005 will not be the European Year of Education through Sport, II. Surely the priority must be to lay down the foundations for future and continuing education through sport throughout the continent? Any continuing legacy or suchlike goes unmentioned in the aims and objectives sections of EYES on both the official website and InfoBase. The focus seems to be on getting as many people interested in sport as possible, then assuming their enthusiasm will remain at a constant level without further promotion. It implies a level of naivety in terms of the EUs awareness of the seemingly obvious expendable novelty value that can be associated with most short-term governmental and pan-European events of this ilk. There is no function in place to prevent the project from slipping into history without having made any real long-term difference to the education of the public through continuing participation in sport. The official UK website (www.eyes2004.org) contains information for schools on how to get involved, news updates on EYES projects and media releases, and online challenges for schools to take part in by inputting results from different activities into a database to create live, on-line competition between schools (http://www.eyes2004challenges.org/splash.htm) This attempts to address the access aim of the website; whether or not it does this remains to be seen. In my personal experience, the efforts of the British arm of the project so far appear to have been poor, especially on the promotional side. Public awareness seems to be non-existent; I have mentioned EYES to many people, young and old, at every level of the education system; from my neighbours primary school children to my 16 year old brother, to my Mother, (a project manager at the local 6th form college). Neither any of them, nor any of the others I spoke to were previously aware of the EYES. Whilst I am aware that this casual sampling cannot be considered in any way to be indicative of the entire British population, they dont exactly imply a resounding success of the project in my local area. However, it is important to note that in this, as in all cases, only 4 months of the year have passed and there is still time for awareness to be created. There are 5 projects currently running here in the UK: The use of sport and education for the social inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees. (Loughborough University) Basic Skills and Education through Sport (Hull City Council) Clean Start programme (UK Sport) Learning Through Football: Euro 2004 (Football Association) Leeds Education Activity Partnership (Leeds City Council) http://www.eyes2004.org/projectnews.htm The first project on the list highlights the poor promotional aspect perfectly. Whilst it is being run here at Loughborough University; the level of awareness of the project itself and of EYES as a whole has been minimal. Continental Europe, however, may prove to be a different story. Whilst the British Physical Education system is comparatively relaxed in its decentralisation, possibly leading to the aforementioned ineffectiveness in the dissemination of the EYES message, the French political infrastructure, for example, may prove a far more effective and efficient vehicle for the promotion of EYES due to its highly centralised nature. Another aspect is to promote the value of voluntary work for the young and the benefits it can provide for informal education. An example of this is in Portugal where by The Portuguese Youth Institute supported by the European Voluntary Service are giving children under the age of 16 the opportunity to help out in European Football Championships 2004 as ball boys and holding flags and banners before games. The aim of the scheme is to bring young people from different communities and racial backgrounds together through voluntary participation in sport. It may also be argued that, whilst 2004 may have initially appeared to be the ideal year for EYES, with 2 internationally prestigious sporting events being hosted in Europe; the reality may be somewhat different in that EYES could well be overshadowed to the point of insignificance by both Euro 2004 and the Athens Olympics. To make a conclusive statement about the success of EYES at this early stage in the year would I feel be somewhat naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve. It can be said however, that the right building blocks have been put into place in order to make it a success. The infrastructure and the organisational aspect is far-reaching enough to be of use to the whole continent; whilst remaining centralised enough in key areas to focus on the same goals. The promotional side is again set up right, with representatives from many sports and many countries being involved from the high-profile to the less glamorous. Whilst the signs of implementation of EYES in schools are encouraging; LEAPS (Learning and education through activity and participation in sports) in Dublin; Basic skills and Education through Sport (Hull); Together in Sport for growing up (Italy); the true results of EYES success in schools may take some time due to the enormous amount of feedback required to get a realistic overview of all events and projects. The apparent lack of continuation in terms of the aims and objectives of the initiative can be put down to one of two things. One is that the EU are banking on the continuing success of a one-off push into sport, ignoring the possibility of a speedy return to the low participation rates of recent years. The more likely explanation is that, whilst the EU realise that the effects of EYES may wear off as the future years go by, it will be more effective, given the comparatively small budget available, to concentrate on getting the message out there to as many people as possible this year than to try to implement long-running programmes with less public awareness. Ultimately the deciding factor on the success or failure of EYES, as with most things, will be the budget. Even if, as suggested, the money is directed in the correct manner with minimal amounts of wastage, it is still a relatively insignificant sum on an international scale. I would predict that for there to be any lasting impression left by EYES on the future education through sport in this continent, the amount of funding behind the initiative would have to be substantially larger. Bibliography http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/Olympics/olympicorigins.shtml (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.ecdel.org.au/whatsnew/2003/sports.htm (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.ibeurope.com/Database/Factsheets/F050eyes.htm (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/sport/key_files/annee_eur/a_2004_en.html (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.xe.com/ucc/ (Accessed 15/03/04) http://www.eyes2004.org/splash.htm (Accessed 17/03/04) http://www.eyes2004.org/projectnews.htm (Accessed 18/03/04) http://www.eyes-2004.info/254.0.html (Accessed 18/03/04) http://www.eyes-2004.info/4138.0.html (Accessed 18/03/04) Annexe 1 The Aims of EYES (http://www.ibeurope.com/Database/Factsheets/F050eyes.htm) The aims of the European Year are: (a) to make educational institutions and sports organisations aware of the need for cooperation in order to develop education through sport and its European dimension, given the very great interest that young people take in all kinds of sport; (b) to take advantage of the values conveyed through sport to develop knowledge and skills whereby young people in particular can develop their physical prowess and readiness for personal effort and also social abilities such as teamwork, solidarity, tolerance and fair play in a multicultural framework; (c) to promote awareness of the positive contribution that voluntary activities make to non-formal education, especially of young people; (d) to promote the educational value of pupil mobility and exchanges particularly in a multicultural environment through the organisation of sporting and cultural contacts as part of school activity; (e) to encourage the exchange of good practice concerning the role sport can play in education systems to promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups; (f) to create a better balance between intellectual and physical activity in school life by encouraging sport in school activities; (g) to consider the problems relating to the education of young sportsmen and sportswomen taking part in competitive sports.

Detecting Plasma Leakage in Patients with DHF

Detecting Plasma Leakage in Patients with DHF CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Dengue disease is one of the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne viral disease in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. Dengue has become a major international public health concern. The incidence of dengue has grown dramatically around the world in recent decades. Over 2.5 billion people over 40% of the worlds population are now at risk from dengue. WHO currently estimates there may be 50–100 million dengue infections worldwide every year. Dengue is transmitted to humans by the bite of Aedes mosquitoes. According to WHO (2014), â€Å"Dengue causes a severe flu-like illness, and sometimes a potentially lethal complication called dengue haemorrhagic fever†. About 2.5% of those that are infected by dengue die since dengue has neither treatment nor vaccination.Plasma leakage is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with dengue hemorrhagic fever. So that early recognition of plasma leakage and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment are vital. There are only few researches which are done for plasma leakage detection in patients with DHF. Dengue virus infections may be asymptomatic or may lead to undifferentiated fever, dengue fever (DF) or Dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) with plasma leakage that may lead to Dengue shock syndrome (DSS). DF is generally an acute febrile illness, with severe headache, myalgia, arthralgia and rashes. Leucopenia and thrombocytopenia may also be observed. Although DF may be benign, it could be an incapacitating disease with severe headache, muscle and joint and bone pains. Occasionally unusual haemorrhage such as gastrointestinal bleeding, hypermenorrhea and massive epistaxis may occur. Undifferentiated fever and classical dengue fever can be managed as any other viral fever with symptomatic treatment. However, often it is difficult to differentiate DF from DHF in the early phase (febrile phase) of the illness. DHF is characterized by the acute onset of high fever and is associated with signs and symptoms similar to DF in the early febrile phase. Plasma leakage is the hallmark of DHF which occurs soon after the end of the febrile phase. There is a tendency to develop DSS due to plasma leakage. Therefore suspected DF and DHF patients should be closely monitored to identify patients with DHF. The degree and the rate of plasma leakage in DHF can vary. It can be minimal in some patients while in others it can be very significant. The leak usually starts slowly, increases gradually, slows down and then ceases altogether at the end of leakage phase (usually within 48 hours from the onset). (Ministry of Health, 2012) 1.1 Description of the Research project The main purpose of this research study was to design a system to detect the plasma leakage in patients with DHF by analyzing patients’ medical records .Further, by using this system doctors can intervene early treatment of shock. In recent years machine learning methods have been widely used in medical diagnosis. Medical diagnosis is one of major problem in medical application. Several research groups are working world wide on the development of neural networks in medical diagnosis. Neural networks are used to increase the accuracy and objectivity of medical diagnosis.Detecting plasma leakage is considered as a non-linear problem that shows the complex causal relationship between the variables. However, an artificial neural network that is suitable for problems of extreme complexity not addressable with conventional technologies, either by the conventional computer programming or statistical method. In this research project multilayer feed forward neural network was used to train and test medical records of patients with DHF and DF. The trained network used to test more records of DHF patients to see the network performance and in order to make system practical to use in a real time hospital setting. The diagnostic performance of the proposed network is validated with Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity. 1.2 Literature Survey 1.2.1 Current methods for plasma leakage detection 1.2.1.1 Hemoconcentration Currently, clinical identification of plasma leakage is difficult until DHF develops. The most common method of monitoring leakage relies on identification of haemo-concentration, determined by tracking changes in HCT measurements, with a rise of more than 20% from baseline considered evidence of significant leakage. However, this method can be rather insensitive, particularly if the patient is receiving parenteral fluid therapy, and it is also limited by the fact that an individual’s baseline value is rarely known. (Ministry of Health, 2012) 1.2.1.2 Ultrasonography Studies using ultrasound have demonstrated that pleural effusions, ascites and gall bladder wall oedema are common during the critical phase, and correlate with disease severity. In addition, serial ultrasound studies indicate that subclinical plasma leakage can be detected as days 2 to 3 of fever, and is better at predicting likely disease progression than other marker of plasma leakage such as HCT measurements. Gallbladder wall oedema appears to precede the development of ascites and effusions, and may therefore be a helpful early predictor of outcome. Thus ultrasonography is a useful monitoring tool, and where available, should be considered in the overall assessment during the febrile phase. However, there are certain limitations, particularly the lack of defined normal ranges for the parameters of interest, the variability in measurements obtained by different operators, and the lack of specificity of the findings. (Srikiatkhachorn, Krautrachue, Ratanaprakarn, al, 2007) 1.2.1.3 Chest X-Ray Chest X-ray is recommended to increase the sensitivity of detecting pleural effution. Pleural effusion detected clinically may not be obvious in a Chest X Ray (CXR)-PA, but may be seen only in a CXR right lateral decubitus film. (Ministry of Health, 2012) 1.2.2 Expert Systems An expert system can be divide into two sub-systems the inference engine and the knowledge base. The knowledge base represents facts and rules. The inference engine applies the rules to the known facts to deduce new facts. Inference engines can also include explanation and debugging capabilities CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND AND THEORY 2.1 Vital Parameters 2.1.1 Pulse The pulse is how many times a minute that our arteries expand and contract in response to the heart. This rate is exactly equal to the heartbeat. 2.1.2 Pulse Pressure 2.2 Neural network 2.2.1 Artificial Neural network vs Biological Neural Network An artificial neural network is a mathematical model or computational model based on biological neural network. In other words, it is an emulation of biological neural system. An ANN is a network of highly interconnecting processing elements (neurons) operating in parallel. Natural neurons receive signals through synapses located on the dendrites or membrane of the neuron. When the signals received are strong enough (surpass a certain threshold), the neuron is activated and emits a signal though the axon. This signal might be sent to another synapse, and might activate other neurons.(Gershenson,2003) 2.2.2 Model of Neural Network Artificial neuron is a highly abstracted model of the natural neuron. Inputs of artificial neuron behave like synapse of a biological neuron which are multiplied by weights (strength of the respective signals), and then computed by a mathematical function which is called Transfer function (also known as Activation function) in order to determine the activation of the neuron. The model of a neuron also includes an externally applied bias (threshold) that has the effect of lowering or increasing the net input of the activation function. 2.2.3 Multilayer Feed forward (MLF) Neural Network A MLF neural network consists of neurons that are ordered into layers. The first layer is called the input layer, the last layer is called the output layer, and the layers between are hidden layers. A neural network that has no hidden units is called a Perceptron. However, a perceptron can only represent linear functions, so it isn’t powerful enough for the kinds of applications. A multilayer feed forward neural network can represent a very broad set of nonlinear functions. Therefore, it is very useful in practice. 2.2.4 Transfer function The behaviour of an ANN depends on both the weights and transfer function that is specified for the units. There are three transfer functions most commonly used for multilayer networks. 2.2.5 Supervised Learning Supervised learning is an approach to find the input-output relationship based from the training using a set of data. Fig. 2.6 represents the block diagram of supervised learning. Learning system is fed with the input data and generates output, which is then compared with the target to compute the error signal by arbitrator. The error is sent to the learning system for further training until the minimum value of error is generated. (Muhammad Akmal Sapon, 2011) 2.2.6 Backpropagation Algorithm The backpropagation algorithm is used in feed-forward ANNs. Artificial neurons are organized in layers and send their signals â€Å"forward†, and then the errors are propagated backwards. The network receives inputs by neurons in the input layer, and the output of the network is given by the neurons in the output layer. There may be one or more intermediate hidden layers. The backpropagation algorithm used for supervised learning. The network computes the error that is the difference between output and desired target and the backpropagation algorithm calculate how the error depends on the input, output and weights. The backpropagation technique reduces this error, until the ANN learns the training data. 2.2.7 Training the network CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY AND IMPLEMENTATION In this research project Microsoft Excel 2010 was used to analysis the collected data and MATLAB R2013a (8.1.0.604), 64-bit(win64) software was used as a tool to implement and to train the Neural Network. 3.1 Data Collection The records of 10patients with DHF and 6 patients with DF from September 2013 to April 2014which are obtained from centre for clinical Management of Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic fever government hospital in Negombo. The data consists of total 1081 instances which 164 instances belonged to the leaking phase and 139 instances belonged to the non-leaking phase. Each data consists of 10 variables such as heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, PCV, Temperature and all are coded as numeric values. The patients are both male and female between 18 to 60 years old and who have over 50kg weight. These measurements are taken at equally spaced time points (hourly) since the patient was admitted to the hospital. 3.2 Data Preparation One of the most important parts in data preparation is to determine the best variables that contribute to the decision-making. The data selection step requires some detailed knowledge of the problem domain and the underlying data. Therefore, the selections of the variables are based on the advice of the doctors and also the review of the literatures. Even though there are quite a number of variables entered into the Observation Chart, only five variables are identified as the important variables that contribute to the detection of plasma leakage. They are as follows, 3.3 Neural Network Training The training method was supervised training. Input vector contained 490 data for leakage phase and 591for non-leakage phase. The respective target for each was2-element class vector with a 1 in the position of the associated leaking or non-leaking. A two-layer feed-forward network with 20 sigmoid hidden neurons was created. The tansig(Tan-Sigmoid) is chosen as the transfer function for both hidden and output layers. The input vectors and target vectors are randomly divided into training, validation and test sets. From input vector 70% are used for training set,15% are used to validate that the network is generalizing and to stop training before overfitting, and the last 15% are used as a completely independent test of network generalization. The network was retrained until the network performance approach a satisfactory level (beyond 85%) of supervised training by using different training algorithms and increasing number of hidden neurons. 3.4 Testing The trained neural network saved and it was used to test the new dataset. The new dataset consist of 50 leakage phase and 50 non-leakage phase data. Correct classifications and misclassifications were recorded. CHAPTER 4: DATA AND ANALYSIS AND RESULTS 4.1 Performance Performance is measured in terms of mean squared error, and shown in log scale below figure 5.1. It rapidly decreased as the network was trained. Performance is shown for each of the training, validation and test sets. The version of the network that did best on the validation set is was after training. This figure does not indicate any major problems with the training. The validation and test curves are very similar.If the test curve had increased significantly before the validation curve increased, then it is possible that some over fitting might have occurred. 4.2 Confusion Matrix Confusion matrix contains information about actual and predicted classifications done by a classification system for supervised learning system. In confusion matrix, diagonal cells (in green cells) show the number of cases that were correctly classified, and the off-diagonal cells (in red cells) show the misclassified cases. The blue cell in the bottom right shows the total percent of correctly classified cases (in green) and the total percent of misclassified cases (in red). In this study, as shown in above figure 5.2, accuracy of training, testing and validation process are 90.9%, 80.9% and 79.0% respectively. Overall accuracy for correct classification is 87.6% and misclassification is 12.4%.Therefore the results show fairly good recognition. 4.3 Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves The coloured lines (green and blue) in each axis represent the ROC curves for training, testing and validation. The ROC curve is another visualization of quality of the network. It is a plot of the true positive rate (sensitivity) versus the false positive rate (1-specificity) as the threshold is varied. A perfect test shows points in the upper-left corner, with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity. In this study, the network performs fairly good.

Updating the Setting of Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Modernization o

Along the crowded streets of Philadelphia the cars rush by and people are always in a hurry, but the poverty of the people that live in the neighborhoods can never be hidden. The name, the City of Brotherly Love, is almost ironic as crime and hate fill the streets of the city. There is a division between the people that can not be hidden, but only exaggerated by people’s interactions. This is the setting in which the Shakespearian play â€Å"Othello† will be interpreted. This modernization of this classic tragedy will be more appealing to the youth of today, who will be able to relate more to the characters and the setting of the play. The changes to the plot and the language of the play are minimal, but the changes to the setting and characters are drastic. The same issues, race, jealousy, and manipulation, still remain, but there is a twist to how they are portrayed. The setting of the play is dramatically changed from Venice and Cyprus to inner city Philadelphia. This one change alters the scenes and characters roles in society, but allows Shakespeare’s original plot to be carried out. It has been said that, â€Å"High school proved a neat setting for contemporary versions of Shakespeare’s comedies: Strong headed adolescent embarking on first love come with the fitting you’d struggle to find more sharply defined social strata or better opportunity for self-conscious humiliation† (Walters, 2002). By setting the film in a high school, characters are at a very vulnerable point in their lives as they are discovering new things about themselves, are forming relationships, and have insecurities about themselves. Often during these vulnerable years, teens use bullying and cruelty to get others to conform or get ... .... This modern setting and the contemporary characters help today’s audiences understand the complexities of human relationships and the destructive qualities of jealousy that Shakespeare wrote about in the original play. This film, just as the original play, is very much a tragedy where treachery and jealousy lead to the untimely deaths of Othello and Desdemona. Works Cited Bell, Millicent. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Moor†. Raritan. Vol. 21(2002): 1-14. Bent, Geoffrey. â€Å"Three green eyes monsters: acting as applied criticism in Shakespeare’s Othello†. The Antioch Review. Summer 1998: 358-73. Fierman, Daniel. â€Å"The Story of O†. Entertanment Weekly. 10 Aug 2001: 20-3. Walls, Lisa. Bullying and Sexual Harrassment in Schools. Committee for Children. http://www.cfchildren.org/article_walls1.shtml. Walters, Ben. â€Å"O†. Sight and Sound. February 2002: 56-7.

Mark Anthonys crypt Of The Shadowking: A Fantasy :: essays research papers

Mark Anthony's "Crypt of the Shadowking": A Fantasy Crypt of the Shadowking by Mark Anthony is a fantasy tale of the never ending struggle of good against evil. The Zhentarim, the hell-bent organization which is more concerned with making a profit than the greater good of all has taken over the city of a thousand spires. The Harpers, a loosely construed group of people who are always meddling in others affairs to keep the proverbial balance between good and evil in check, are ready to get the once bustling trade city back on the track it once was with the help of a former member. Through out the book there is never a dull moment, making it easy to read in just one or two sittings. Anyone who loves a good fantasy should read this book. After seven long years of traveling, the rough looking, worn out Caledan Caldorien is returning to his home town Ireaebor and finds it has been taken over by a tyrant known as Cutter. In Caledan's absence, Cutter has passed many ridiculous laws and anyone violating any of these is forced into slavery under the Tor which the city is set upon, where Cutter is mining to find the crypt of the Shadowking, where the nightstone, an ancient artifact of great and evil power, believed to be. Caledan finds this out through a connection within the slums and goes to find his old traveling companions who once made up the Company of the Dreaming Dragon. After reuniting, the company goes to find the tomb of Merrimeck to find the secret of the shadow song, the known power against the Shadowking and the nightstone. As the company travels to toward the Fields of the Dead, they encounter a shadevar, a horrifying and powerful foe thought to have been banished from the world of Toril long ago. After a wild battle, and the death of the shadevar, the company thief, Ferrit, searches the corpse and finds a ring which enabled the shadervar to communicate with the frighteningly powerful creature who summoned it, and through magic the mage, Morhion, finds that the master of the shadevar was not the lord Cutter as they had once thought but Cutter's own lord steward, Snake. After returning, Ferrit does a little spying and finds that Snake has made a pact with the Shadowking and to conspire against Cutter and eventually rule over all of Toril. The Company of the Dreaming Dragon devise a plan to free all of the slaves and through a little flag waving get all of the slaves and cityfolk alike to revolt against Cutter

Adoption of E-Prescribing in Healthcare Organizations Essay -- Health

Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) has the ability to improve the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of health care. Experts have predicted that e-prescribing could avoid over 2 million adverse drugs events annually, of which 130,000 are life-threatening. This report defines e-prescribing and the challenges that may be faced in adopting this system. E-Prescribing The eHealth Initiative defines e-prescribing as â€Å"the use of computing devices to enter, modify, review, and output or communicate drug prescriptions.† (Electronic Prescribing, n.d.) There are varying levels of e-prescribing systems ranging from Level 1 through Level 6. Level 2, which is a â€Å"stand-alone† application, enables providers to order medication electronically but does not include medical patient information. Level 6, which is the most sophisticated, is an integrated system which uses other electronic databases such as the Electronic Health Record (EHR), pharmacy, and Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) systems, which provide greater efficiency, patient safety and the largest return on the investment. The Medicare Part D prescription drug program more formally defines e-prescribing as: E-prescribing means the transmission, using electronic media, of prescription or prescription-related information between a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy benefit manager or health plan, either directly or through an intermediary, including an e-prescribing network. E-prescribing includes, but is not limited to, two way transmissions between the point of care and the dispenser. This allows the physician to electronically access information regarding a patient’s drug benefit coverage, medication history (including adverse drug events), and to submit the pr... ...ful use incentives. HealthImaging. Retrieved January 23, 2012 from http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?view=article&id=30707:nchs-more-physicians-applying-for Leavitt, M.O. (2007). Pilot Testing of Initial Electronic Prescribing Standards. Health Information Technology. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved January 23, 2012 from http://healthit.ahrq.gov/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=5554&mode=2&holderDispla yURL=http://wci-p Popovich, M. (2011, November). e-Prescribing Essentials: Get the Most Out of E-Prescribing. Practical Dermatology. Retrieved January 23, 2012 from http://bmctoday.net/practicaldermatology/2011/11/article.asp?f=e-prescribing-essentials-get-the-mo Wolper, L.F. (2011). Health Care Administration: Planning, Implementing, and Managing Organized Delivery Systems (5th ed.). Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Purusha Suktham

Purusha evaedaghm sarvam yad bhootam yach’cha bhavyam | uta amritatvas yeshaanah yad annenaa tirohati || 03 Yetaavaan asya mahima ato jyaaya aghascha poorushah | paado' vishvaa bhootaani sya tripaadasya ‘amritam divi 04 Tripaad oordhva udait purushah paado ‘ syehaa bhavat punah | tato vishvaan vyakraamat sa asana anasane abhi || 05 Tasmaat viraada jaayata viraajo aadhipoorushah | sa jaato atyarichyata pashchaad bhoomim atho purah || 06 Yat purushena havishaa devaa yajnam atanvata | vasanto asya ‘asee-daajyam greeshma idhma saraddh avih || 07 Saptaasyaa san paridayah trih saptah samidah kritaah | devaa yad yajnam tanvaanaah abadhnan purusham pashum || 08 Tam yajnam barhishi prokshan purusham jaatam agratah | tena devaa ayajanta saadhyaa rrishayas cha ye || 09 Tasmaad yajnaat sarva’ahutah | sambhrritam prishadaajyam | pashooghs taaghs chakre vaayavyaan | aaranhyaan graamyaas cha ye The great Purusha, brilliant as the Sun, who is beyond all darkness, I kn ow him in my heart. Who knows the Purusha thus, attains immortality in this very birth. I know not of another way to salvation.With innumerable heads, uncountable eyes, and multiple feet, He moves all over manifesting as all the creation. Verily, He is immeasurable, Beyond the grasp of the hands of men. That which is, was, and is to be, all of this is He alone, the eternal, beyond all end, He alone is Lord of that. The world is food, which hides, and ventures forth, He is that too. All that you see is but his glory. He is more than all of this. All of creation is but a fourth of him. Three parts eternal rest in him alone. Three parts of his are beyond all this. All of this, is but a part. Again and again, all that eats, and that eats not appeared from this one part of His.And even the knower of this world, desires no more but to adore Him. Who burns as bright as fire in the Gods, who is their priest, eldest, who is the essence, of what is, we worship Him. The Gods who experienced Hi m, spread this word as the foremost ‘He, who with his heart knows Him thus, even we will be bound by him. ’ Hree and Lakshmi are your consorts, Your two sides are the day and the night, the stars are your form. Healing are your words. Grant us our desires and our joys. You’re all. From the waters and earth does all appear As a builder he builds, as a smith he forges it. He, who was all before the all was. Tat tvam Asi Dr Sarma R V S N www. drsarma. in

Social Aspects of Personality

Gestures are generally widely understood, although they may have different meanings in other cultures. Illustrators -do not have specific meaning -add meaning to a verbal message examples: adjusting one's clothes, biting nail or playing with objects -these indicate to others that a person is upset or nervous. Affect displays -are person's body movements that convey feelings and emotions through facial expressions and body positions. * Adaptors -typically unconscious behaviors and are used when a person is tense or anxious. Must avoid the following: * Sitting or leaning back * Resting your chin on your hand * Crossed arms * Adaptors The Facial and Head Signals -are used in our everyday dealings with other people or even in our family. Are important in tourism and hospitality industry to provide excellent guest service, The Head * In hotel or restaurant, you will use your head to send a message. Rapidly nodding your head can leave the impression that you are impatient. On the other han d, slower nodding emphasizes interest. The Mouth SMILE is very important in the industry. It conveys a message that you are approachable and is willing to assist your guests. The Hands * Confident and positive handshake breaks the ice and in an interview. * No perspiring hands and dirty nails.The Feet * Avoid compulsive Jabbing of the floor, desk, or chair with your foot; this can be perceived as a hostile and angry motion and is likely to annoy a person. Facial Expressions and Eye Contact They are not body language but they are types of nonverbal communication that can have an effect on business relations. Communication in the Workplace Wherever we are, communication always exists. In tourism and hospitality industry, communication is very vital part towards the attainment of guest service satisfaction.Without proper communication, the smooth flow of operation in a hotel, restaurant, resorts or other businesses that deal with guest will be impossible. The Need for Communication in the Workplace * Communication is its lifeblood. * The management can send message to employees. The decision making and control are also being implemented through effective communication. Managers of any company spend as much as 95% of their time in interpersonal communication. An effective communication in the industry requires knowing the right time to talk and time to keep silent.The Communication Aphoristically barrier * Language barrier * Emotion barrier * Lack of subject knowledge * Stress Overcoming Communication Barriers * The best way to overcome barriers is depend upon the person. * It should be taken seriously to avoid miscommunication. Use simple and clear words. * Using ambiguous words and Jargon's should be avoided. * Identify the source of barrier and eliminate it. The Good Communication Skills * For tourism and hospitality industry professionals, mastering the art of communication is a very important skill required in the provision of excellent guest service. It is a lso a social skill that each individual needs to develop to improve relationships. Wars to Improve Communication Skills * Listen very well to the speaker * Never try getting your ideas in a hurry * Recognize different points of view Be considerate with whom you're talking to * Be wary of giving out ideas or expressing a feeling * Trying out new words in conversation * Try to elicit ideas from whom you are talking with to ensure that you understand each other.Good Communication skills include†¦ * Correct pronunciation of words * Correct use of the language/ sentence construction * Good diction * Proper stress on words Considering your speech In the tourism and hospitality industry you will be dealing with various guests, it is also important that you make an extra effort to learn the proper way of speaking to void communication barriers between the foreign guest and employee.Types of Accents * The Natural Accent – mother tongue or first language * The Neutral Accent * The Artificial Accent Talking about your social health You need to consider your social health because this refers to the ability to get along well with people around you, making and keeping friends, offering and getting help when needed. Characteristics of Socially Healthy Individual * Willing and can accept differences with other people. * Gets along well with family members. * Befriends people both sexes. Meets and interacts with people easily. Accepts other people's ideas and suggestions. On Being Proactive The ability to be involved in providing excellent guest service is being proactive person. Being a proactive person may mean to openness to dynamism, to change, to better options, for other possible things to be done and the ability to face in a positive way challenges that she/he might encounter. Proactive Person -Is actually smart, value-driven, more resourceful, more diligent, more creative and more cooperative. * Social Grace -Is more popularly known as good manners and etiq uette.This is very important to be in our character as it shows our ability to project ourselves in nay occasions especially when meeting various professional people in the tourism and hospitality industry. * Etiquette This refers to a pattern of behavior that one should have in order to have consideration for others, good taste, appropriateness and good conduct. Some practices that has to develop and master by the future Tourism and Hospitality professionals. * During conversation * During Introduction of People * During Invitation too Party/Social event * On dining * On the use of table wares and equipmentsBusiness Etiquette – It is another important thing to consider. Future tourism and hospitality professionals should start learning the etiquette required in a business and practice them in situation that is applicable for them. * Be on Time * Greet the people around you * Have that telephone manners * Be conscious of behavior during office occasions * Respect and apprecia te other people * Be conscious with company policies * Respect and appreciate each employee Etiquette in Public Places * In the Street. At the Bus. In a Train. At the Restaurant. At the Cinema. At the Church

How Steinbeck Presents the Relationship in ‘of Mice and Men’

The book was set in California in the 1930's when America had a great depression which affected everyone because everyone was unemployed and had to travel to look for work so it is showing George and Lennie traveling together to achive their dream, like everyone else in America, which is very unrealistic which is why they travel together. In the book there is a theme of loneliness. George and Lennie plan to buy a farm for just them two to live on so they wont have to worry about being lonely. â€Å"Well, we'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens.And when it rains in the winter, we'll just say the hell with goin' to work, and we'll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an' listen to the rain comin' down on the roof.. † There dream is giving them something to work for so they can forget about being lonely and have a great life. The writer presents George and Lennies relationship as close but George gets really protective of Lennie. ‘Hide in the brush till I come for you. dont let nobody see you. ‘ This shows that George does not want Lennie to get caught if he does something bad.But if he does get caught he wants him to be safe and so they can stay together. This is also giving the reader a little clue that he might get in trouble later on in the story. Without a doubt the writer succsessfully shows George and Lennies relationship as not very good at times. ‘When I think of the swell time I could have without you I go nuts. ‘ This is suggesting that George is getting very sick of Lennie always getting them both in trouble because whenever he does do something bad they both have to move and get a new job.He is also getting sick of Lennies childish behaviour and how he constantly has to remind Lennie what to do and tell him about their plans all of the time. When George says this Lennie tells him taht if he wants he will go off on is own and live by himself because he knows George cares about him but th inks he is too much for him to handle. This means that George doesen't want Lennie around all the time because he is too much bother and he is ruining Georges life. Also George wants them to stick together bacause it is during the great depression. The writer also shows George as a father figure for Lennie by how he tells Lennie what to do. Lennie, for god sakes, don’t drink so much’. This is because George cares for Lennie and doesn’t want him to get sick. It is like how a parent would tell their child not to drink too much and to not be greedy. When George syas for god sakes it shows how George is getting a bit annoyed at Lennie because he says it sort of snapping at him. ‘George raised the gun and steadied it and brought the muzzle of it close to the back of Lennies head’. George shoots Lennie because he is always getting them both into trouble and George is getting sick of it.The writer drags it out to build up the tension so the reader can imag ine how horrible it would be for George to do it after he promised Lennies aunt that he would look after him. George cares for Lennie so he doesn’t want him to get hurt, ‘Get him Lennie, don’t let him do it’. This is particularly effective because it shows how George wants Lennnie to be able to fight back and stick up for himself so he doesn’t have to fight for him all of the time, but doesn’t want Lennie to be pushed around all the time so it shows that their relationship is close. Where we going George? ’ ‘So you forgot already did you? I gotta tell you again? ’ Lennie forgets everything, so George always has to remind him of their plans and what they are doing which is why George gets very annoyed with him at times. When George says again this is showing that he has already explaind their plans to Lennie and that he is slowly getting sick of telling him. Also when he says already this is showing that George is expecting Lennie to forget what he told him but he didn't expect it to be quite so soon.Lennie looks up to George and copies everything he does. Lennie who had been watching imitated George exactly. This is because he follows George around all the time so he is like a father figure. Also because George does everything right, Lennie wants to be just like him. George tells Lennie to stay away from Curly and his wife because he knows that they are trouble and he doesn’t want Lennie getting them both in bother with Curly. This is showing George as being very protective of Lennie because he knows what Curly is like and he knows that he will end up getting hurt.In the beginning, Geeorge and Lennie are on their way to where they will start work because Lennie got them both in big trouble at their last job because he is clumsy and doesn’t think, which is why George has to tell hime what to do and keep him out of trouble like a parent and their child. George has to tell Lennie where to go if he gets in trouble because he knows he will get into trouble because he always gets into trouble but he wants to make sure that he is okay and that they can stay together and so George can look after Lennie like he promised his aunt.

Backus-Naur Form

The Backus-Naur Form, which is also called the BNF, the Backus Normal Form and or the Backus-Naur formalism, is a notation used in the description of a part of syntax of â€Å"sentences† of a language. In about 1959, the Backus-Naur Form was suggested by John Backus, a constituent or part of the thirteen members which comprise the Algol 60 committee. Moreover, John Backus, besides from being a constituent of IBM, is also a major figure responsible for FORTRAN.The Backus-Naur Form, has been used since then to describe the syntax of Algol 60. The BNF along wit its extensions have become standard tools for describing the syntax of programming notations, and in many cases, parts of compliers are generated automatically from a BNF description (Gries, 1981). The specification of the Backus-Naur Form includes a set of derivation rules. This set of deviation rules are written as â€Å" :: = . The in this formula is considered to be nonterminal.The sequences of symbols create the ent ire expression. Furthermore, sequences separated by a vertical bar â€Å"|†, may also consist the expression. The â€Å"|† sign is made use of in order to point out a definite choice. Expression which are not found on the left side, are considered to be terminals. In the present, Backus-Naur Form specifications are created in a form which it is easily read by humans and oftentimes, they are informal, including certain syntax rules and extensions (Bergin, 1996).Syntax rules and extensions state that optional items should be enclosed in square brackets, like in â€Å"[]† and that items which repeat or occur 0 or more times should be enclosed in curly brackets, such as in â€Å" ::= { }. † While, items which repeat or occur 1 or more times should be followed using a â€Å"+. † Syntax rules and extension also state that the non-terminals should be written or typed using plain text, instead of using italics and angle brackets. While the terminals appe ar in bold.Optional choices in a production should be separated through the use of the vertical bar symbol, like in â€Å"| . † If an item in the Backus-Naur Form is repeated, an asterisk â€Å"*† should be placed after the item and that simple parenthesis are used, by enclosing the item, to group the items (Chomsky, 1957). References Bergin, T. J. , & Gibson, R. G. (1996). History of Programming Languages. New York: Academic Press. Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic Structures. Mouton: The Hague. Gries, D. (1981). The Science of Programming: Springer-Verlag.

How Ford Motor Company Utilises The Marketing Mix To Influence Essay

How Ford Motor Company Utilises The Marketing Mix To Influence Consumer Buying Behaviour - Essay Example Ford maintains one of the most recognised brands in the world, creating brand recognition with historical emphases on quality and innovation. Currently, Ford is positioned under quality, with marketing emphasis on product in the marketing mix, utilising integrated marketing communications to give consumers the perception of product excellence, superiority and performance. Fortunately, global consumers’ having a high level of awareness of the brand makes it more simplistic for Ford to work on higher order aspects of marketing to build loyalty to the brand without having to concentrate on building brand recognition. â€Å"Ford is producing cars that critics and consumers are raving about† (Ritson 2010, p.2). However, how is the company able to establish positive perceptions about the brand and satisfy consumers so effectively to create such frenzy? This paper seeks to provide an explanation for how Ford builds brand loyalty toward the Ford brand. Various models of consume r behaviour serve to provide the necessary answer to this question. 2. Hierarchy of effects A considerable volume of consumer shopping behaviours are controlled in the subconscious and are not driven by cognitive awareness. In most consumption scenarios, â€Å"consumers are unaware that they are driven by motives† (Blackwell, Miniard and Engel 2006, p.216). This can complicate the process of building brand connection with consumer segments as consumers cannot always provide rational statements as to why they prefer one product over another. Because of this unconscious processing of consumer segments, it becomes increasingly important for marketers to understand the factors that assist in creating attitudes about a brand and what influences consumers about what brands to purchase. With a large amount of consumption behaviours being driven by instinctive or involuntary judgments, marketers must understand the factors associated with memory and cognition to create relevant and accepted promotional campaigns that build a more positive brand reputa tion. Figure 1: Hierarchy of Effects Model Source: Pauley Creative (2013). Hierarchy of Effects Model. http://www.pauleycreative.co.uk/2010/10/social-product-marketing-for-product-manufacturers-in-the-construction-industry/ The Hierarchy of Effects model indicates that consumers first build awareness and knowledge of the brand. The model illustrates that consumers go through a structured process that dictates how the consumer ultimately responds to marketing communications and brand, which is based on what they feel, think and perform (Pomoni 2010). The model illustrates that knowledge leads to linking and brand preference, ultimately allowing marketers to reward consumers for having conviction (preference) for the brand

Describe the international efforts to combat the trafficking of Essay

Describe the international efforts to combat the trafficking of cocaine, heroin and cannabis before evaluating their success using both qualitative and quantitative data - Essay Example According to Boivin (2013), international drug trafficking could be attributed to an interplay of geographic, economic, political and cultural factors. Over 40% of trade in cocaine, heroin and marijuana occurs in peripheral countries, with the 2006/2007 United Kingdom Threat Assessment of Serious Organised Crime indicating that criminals drawn from particular ethnicities, Turkish and Columbian traffickers common in the UK case, are largely involved in trafficking. Interestingly, a majority of countries postulated to benefit from the trade in drugs rarely appear among the top global economies. Drug trafficking, and indeed drug abuse, has been associated with negative socio-economic effects among nations (Lyman 2014). Therefore, drug trafficking has been fought against by the international community for many years now. Cocaine heroin and cannabis are among the most common forms of drugs that international focus has been given to prevent cultivation and distribution. Even with such efforts, drug trafficking still remains a rampant practice in a majority of countries across the world. Whereas governments have institutionalised programmes aimed at dismantling the illicit trade, no meaningful reduction in the trade has been experienced. Thus, this paper evaluates some of these efforts to determine their effectiveness. Nations around the world have adopted critical strategies to combat international trafficking of drugs. According to the Maxwell Knowledge Group (2007), four pillars have been adopted in a majority of these cases. As borrowed from the UK Drug Strategy, these pillars encompass prevention of young people from being drug users, reduction of crimes related to drugs, increasing the number of those who could access drugs and reduction of supply of illicit drugs. Combined together, these four efforts seek to eliminate drug trafficking across

Educational Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Educational Evaluation - Essay Example This would provide an opportunity to introduce the standards to teachers and allow them to infuse them into their curriculum and develop assessment based on their understanding of the critical/creative thinking standards. 4. Allow teachers the time to use these strategies and assessment principles in their classrooms in an attempt to help them develop their own individuality when designing and assessing instruction while at the same time providing them with innovative experimentation. 5. Reunite with teachers to dialogue about what they thought was effective and ineffective, their evaluation of the critical thinking standards, and what barriers they felt impeded their abilities to utilize this manner of instruction and assessment. Having a healthy dialogue with teachers about critical/creative thinking and then affording them the time to utilize methods and strategies for teaching and assessing thinking would allow teachers to think about and identify their own practices. Building metacognitive opportunities into the process, would allow teachers to think creatively and intellectually about their own teaching processes. This would motivate them to recognize what they thought was valuable and what they thought should be changed in their curriculum and instructional methods, along with recognizing where they might be able to learn more about critical and creative thinking and instruction. All good decisions and solutions to problems require a clear understanding of what the actual problem is. Helping students separate causes from solutions, symptoms from problems, and sub-problems from real problems is essential for teaching students to think critically. For example, defining the wrong problem can send a student down the wrong path to, at a minimum, irrelevant solutions, and ensure that she will not understand the subject matter or concepts she is examining. Helping students define problems to take what they are learning and phrase inquiry in the form of questions to be answered through research and collaboration is a goal of critical instruction. Helping students see the goals and objectives in what they are studying is essential to help them understand subject matter. Many problems with students' understanding of, for example, biology or history come with the fact that they do not know why they are studying biology or history what biologists and historians attempt to accomplish through their scholarly endeavors. By not identifying the goals contained within various disciplines, students cannot be expected to understand the discipline as a system. For example, without understanding what a biologist seeks to accomplish by studying cells, let's say, the student cannot possibly hope to identify biological problems in the area of cellular formation or development. It cannot be taken for granted that students understand what historians, biologists, mathematicians, artists, or journalists do; in fact, it should be assumed the opposite and engage students in discussions as to the purposes behind studying one subject or another. Simi larly,