Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 37

Case Study - Essay Example Just to keep employees on their feet, customer feedback cards are available in each store so that customers can contribute to helping the company to improve efficiency. Lastly, the company’s IT system has helped it to continue to stay one step ahead of its customers by providing products that they want before they know they do. All of these factors have helped to contribute towards Giordano’s competitive advantage in the marketplace by helping it stay ahead of the competition. 2) Giordano’s operations strategy is very consistent with its marketing strategy. The focus of Giordano’s marketing efforts is on two areas, high-quality service and low cost leadership, both of which Giordano are very successful at achieving. The test will come when Giordano is forced to move its marketing strategy away from low cost leadership to a combination of high quality products at considerable prices. If Giordano is able to adjust its operations strategy to take this new market positing into account, then the company has a very good chance of capturing a significant market share. 3) The biggest operations management challenge for Giordano as it expands into new territories is staying true to its principles. Although the company will need to adjust its marketing strategies based on the local culture, the focus still needs to be on excellent customer service along with high quality products. As of right now, Giordano does not allow its foreign subsidiaries to act independent of each other. Control is centralized in one region: Hong Kong. If Giordano is going to increase its market share in new markets, then it will need to rely more upon locals to increase performance and efficiency. There is nothing wrong with monitoring each foreign subsidiary from Hong Kong, but there needs to be some freedom given to subsidiaries so that they can become a force in their local market. 4) For Giordano’s operations strategy in the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Book Response Burned by Ellen Hopkins Essay Example for Free

Book Response Burned by Ellen Hopkins Essay Burned written by Ellen Hopkins Is a great novel, and worth the time to read. Burned is about a teen girl who was born and raised a Mormon; Pattyn Von Stratten she is like most teenagers growing up. Her family is extremely religious but in the same prospective her father is a drunk and very abusive. Pattyn is tired of living the fairytale of a Mormon lifestyle and ready to be energized with her own free spirit and way of life. Pattyn slowly starts to rebel against her family, school, church. While her father spends most of his time drunk; its left up to her mother to take care of the house hold and make sure everything is all in perfect running order to not upset Pattyn’s father. Pattyn begins rebelling even more so than she thought it would go. She gets suspended from school and gets sent to live with her aunt who she doesn’t even know. This is the beginning of it all the worst mistake her father could have made and where Pattyn makes decisions that are about to change her life completely. Pattyn soon falls in love with a boy names Ethan who she is bound to be attached to. Pattyn doesn’t see it but she is headed down the complete wrong path and when all she wanted is attention she’s going to get much more attention that she has intended to get. Ellen Hopkins is showing the themes of abuse and dysfunctional relationship, Pattyn’s father is an abusive drunk. I also think Hopkins is showing the theme of growing up and finding your destiny and who you are, when Pattyn is sent to live with her aunt in Nevada and basically create a whole new agenda for herself. Along with dysfunctional relationship, she’s displaying what love is like, too, when the character falls in love. I think she’s trying to prove that life doesn’t always go as planned and you have to work yourself around the problems that you find in life, and bad decision could change your life forever. I believe the main purpose of the novel is to reach out to teens. Ellen Hopkins expresses many different themes in her novel but one main theme I believe is im portant is physiological. Pattyn goes through many different stages of growing up and expressing her true self. She becomes more social with guys and becomes more of a social butterfly then the Mormon nerd she used to be. Pattyn lashes out and rebels against her family and church in many different ways. When Pattyn is set to live with her aunt she meets a boy and which she ends up in a relationship. Pattyn starts growing up and learning more about her sexual self and starts dreaming about all the what if’s. Pattyn starts to experiment with her new boyfriend Ethan and when she goes back home she shares the secret to her family that she is pregnant. Attempting to escape her fathers wrath, Pattyn and Ethan take off for California, unaware that Trevor, a perfect Mormon child who loved Pattyn, has written down the cars license plate number. When her father finds out, he calls his Highway patrolman friend to track them down, to find them on an icy road. Ethan speeds up in attempt to lose the patrolman, but loses control of his car and crashes. Pattyn wakes up in the hospital, to find out that both Ethan and their baby are dead. Her father disowns her, unable to bear the recent events. Pattyn is left with a life changing decision in the end; shoot and kill all those who caused her pain and Ethan and their babys deaths, or move on? Pattyn states that if her father would just say he loved her she would spare him. Ellen Hopkins is an amazing author and has a unbelievable way of relating to teens. Burned is just one of her fabulous novels all having a great meaning to the lives of teens. If I was asked if I would recommend Ellen Hopkins novels I would say she has a great way of reach out to teens in her books and educating them in a non-boring way and I enjoy reading and looking forward to any novel she creates.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Otosclerosis :: Research Hearing Essays

Otosclerosis Hearing serves a very important function in our lives. Much of the time, it is taken for granted. We tend not to appreciate it, until it starts to fail. There are many disorders that can cause a difficulty in hearing and hearing loss. One such disorder is otosclerosis. This disorder deserves a significant amount of research. Not only because we are dependent on our sense of hearing, but because its effects are far reaching. So much so, that it is hard to comprehend how we could ever live without it. It has even been said that Beethoven had otosclerosis. Toward the end of his career, he could not even hear his own music (Goldstein, 1999). Its effects are devastating and are well worth studying. Otosclerosis is a middle-ear disorder. The hearing loss is usually conductive, affecting the bones in the middle ear that conduct sound to the inner ear. This conductive hearing loss is caused by the growth of a spongy bone-like tissue that prevents the ossicles (bones of the middle ear) from moving well. One of the first signs is a small growth of the tissue in the middle ear. This is often in front of the oval window, which separates the middle ear from the inner ear. This can begin in early childhood or adolescence. The tissue may grow rapidly and become hard. The bone tissue grows over the stapes ossicle attaching it to the oval window. At first, hearing loss occurs in the low frequencies. High frequencies are affected next, followed by the loss of hearing in the middle frequencies. Otosclerosis usually begins in one ear, but the other ear often develops it as well (Otosclerosis, 1998). There are different categories of otosclerosis. "Subclinical Otosclerosis" occurs when the tissue does not interfere with the ossicles. A person may have this form for many years and not know it. Another category is "Clinical Otosclerosis." This type can be present in the teen years, but not detected until the young adult years. It is rare for it to occur after the age of fifty. The last category of"Histologic Otosclerosis" occurs when the tissue is present, but it may or may not cause hearing loss. "Cochlear Otosclerosis" has been used to refer to sensorineural hearing loss. This is caused by abnormal blood flow to the middle ear, rather than growth of tissue (Otosclerosis, 1998). Otosclerosis is the most frequent cause of middle ear hearing loss.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Oppression of Women and Their Movement Toward Individuality :: Essays Papers

The Oppression of Women and Their Movement Toward Individuality The theme of individual and society can be looked upon in many different manners. There is the concept of people separating themselves from society in order to become individuals and express their individuality. There is the concept of individuality and the consequences its expression may have. The situation exists in which individuality is limited by society. Each of these ways of looking at the theme of individuals and society is something that has affected women since the beginning of recorded time. Throughout history, women have been suppressed and undermined by those who claim superiority over them based solely on a difference in chromosomes, not a difference in intelligence, talent, or ability. These claims have been made based on ideas from Biblical representations of men and women to protecting women and ensuring their mental and physical well-being. Still, women formed a unity that had clear goals, valid supporters, and strong leaders that enabled them to overcome their oppressions. Many ideas of male superiority come from and began with the Bible. It can be noted that woman, in the second creation story in Genesis, is made from that which is man. It can also be noted that it is a woman who, in the Garden of Eden story in Genesis, initially commits the first act against God's wishes and therefore causes herself and her companion to be judged and punished. Throughout the Bible, women are rarely referred to by an actual proper name. Women are referred to as property, a mere woman in a world of men. Also in the Bible, women are presented to be focused entirely around the home and are property of men with the sole purpose of bearing children, as in the Abraham, Sarah, and Haggar cycle in Genesis in which the two women are property of Abraham, there only to provide him with an heir. However unfortunate, in the context and time it was written, this was the case. Still, today we cannot believe the Bible to be a guideline for the roles of women. Many ideas may be false concerning what has been inferred and what was actually written and its purpose. A closer reading of the text will prove that women played a vital role in many of the treasured beliefs of believers. Even without names, women had a voice and were a force to be reckoned with.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Psychology and Foot-in-the-door Tactic

1. Describe how differences between high vs. low self-monitoring could influence each of the five stages of information processing when a target is being presented with the foot-in-the-door tactic of interpersonal influence. That is, for each separate stage, analyze what might be different in the way high self monitors make sense of this sequential request technique in contrast to low self monitors. Each stage has differences between high and low self monitors; therefore focusing on each stage will allow the contrasts between the two.A high self monitor tends to read the social situation first and then present an appropriate face, as opposed to simply presenting a consistent image of self in every situation. A low self monitor behaves in accordance with an image of his â€Å"real† self. In the focusing stage, a high-self monitor is more than likely going to focus in detail and assess the situation more thoroughly than a low-self monitor.Thinking more thoroughly will help the f oot-in-the-door tactic because if it’s a well-thought out request a person is more than likely going to accept. The foot-in-the-door tactic is when a person agrees to a small request, which usually allows you to be better able to get them to agree to a later, larger request. In the storage stage, a high-self monitor is going to get in depth on the reasoning for why the situation is relevant and make more sense of the situation than a low-self monitor.By going in depth on the reasoning for why the situation is relevant and know why it makes sense, will help when using the foot-in-the-door tactic because you know exactly what you’re talking about which makes it easier for someone to believe you. During the integration and interference stage a high-self monitor is going to be able to assess the situation and assemble it in his/her mind whereas a low-self monitor might not be able to do that because they don’t like change at all.Drawing inferences and thinking of th ings that usually aren’t thought of might be hard for a low-self monitor because they tend to be single minded and stubborn on their opinions and thoughts. Using the foot-in-the-door tactic is going to be easier for a high-self monitor to use since a low-self monitor doesn’t have the will to change or think differently about certain things, which is going to make it harder to get someone else to agree with you if you’re stubborn and single minded.For the selection stage, it is going to be easier for a low-self monitor to label things because a high-self monitor is going to be worried about what other people are going to think about his/her labeling. A low-self monitor can’t put on different â€Å"faces†, or social identities, for different situations; they’re opinion is always their opinion and no one is going to change that, which might be hard when using the foot-in-the-door tactic.If someone doesn’t agree with you then they arenâ⠂¬â„¢t going to accept your request. Finally for the implementation stage, a high-self monitor is going be able to act upon it and relate the situation to other things easier than a low-self monitor because a high-self monitor is highly sensitive to external cues and can act differently in different situations, which will help when trying to figure out how something relates to other things.By using the foot-in-the-door tactic, a high-self monitor is going to be better at getting someone to accept their response because there are more flexible in adapting their leadership styles to changing situations; which is going to be useful when figuring out how to response or how to use things during this stage. 2. What role is played by self-schema in managing each of the interpersonal objectives when someone is dealing with the various stages of romantic relational dissolution (e. g. , trial rejuvenation)?That is, when a romance is â€Å"falling apart,† describe the relationship betwe en partners’ self concepts and their balancing of the separate â€Å"issues† they must simultaneously address when influencing and interacting with one another. Imagine you and your partner have created a separate identity; bigger then either one of you and full of each of you. Together you have created a â€Å"relational† schema. A living, breathing entity owned by both parties until the dissolution of your romantic relationship begins, occurs, and concludes. What happens when ours turns into mine?When we’re becomes I’m? Maybe a girl looks around at lunch and sees a cute guy and starts to imagine how things might be if they were in a romantic relationship. The possibility of the unknown versus what she already knows. Her boyfriend has no idea that water has just been added to his romantic relational gas tank. Breakups are never easy. Usually less then ten percent of college romantic relationships break up on mutual terms. So, typically, it is one person, usually the female, taking the lead, creating â€Å"the influenced† and the â€Å"influencer†.When the influencer, in this case lets say her name is Debra, changes her objective, the influenced, lets call him Bronson, has no choice but to be influenced. No one can change another person’s goals or objectives without influence and since we know Bronson is the influenced his are being altered by the dissolution of their romantic relationship. When two partners begin to remind each other that they are separate individuals and they have other concerns besides their relationship (differentiating); that is the beginning of the end.While an individual remembers that they have other goals that require other objectives, his or her self-schema is also changing. Differentiating will not only begin the dissolution process but will begin the initial steps of re-adaptation, for each individual, of self-schema. Throughout the dissolution of the relationship self-schema for each individual will be a product of the perception of the relationship, a sense of social sensitivity, and the objectives set to achieve each individuals overall goals. Self-schema, once realized and owned, will lead to new objectives.It will also be evolving constantly while the relationship continues to move toward a more self-schema based relationship as opposed to a relational schema, as defined in the book. Relational objectives change as the relationship deteriorates and ones self-schema will lead the way through the relational objective challenges because once an individual has a self-schema his objectives change. Each individual will perceive the relationship in his or her own way and without self-disclosure, circumscribing begins (usually in one partner).Social sensitivity in the dissolution of a romantic relationship is widely publicized in mass media, so much so that it’s almost a script now. Once communication has been restricted in circumscribing, stagnation sets in quickly. During stagnation there is less physical time spent together there might be room and cause to try for a hail marry. This might be a good place for the last chance effort to save the relationship by taking part in a trial rejuvenation. Maybe a weekend alone to get back to what’s important or just some along time to even out their relational keel is needed.But if the trials rejuvenation comes up short and leaves both parties with a sour taste in their mouths then each persons self-schema becomes more defined and more important to each individual then the relational schema. Following the self-schemas strength relational objectives change and the identity objectives start to become clearer. These changes in self-schema and objectives lead to avoidance. Avoidance is probably the most difficult step in the dissolution of the relationship. Initial discussions about breaking up are dealt with simultaneously as being interested in others.Individuals go out of their w ay to limit the amount of face-to-face interactions. The pain is too much for people to stand. Self-schema is â€Å"holding strong† but this is the most vulnerable point in ones self-schema. Both relational and instrumental objectives follow suit with self-schema but the identity objectives help to encourage the individual toward the final resolution. The final dissolution of the romantic relationship, that is not a physical or psychological departure, is termination.It usually consists of talk that prepares each individual for the end, otherwise known as the â€Å"grave-dressing phase†. Self-schema has developed into a â€Å"single† idea of self and the objectives an individual once held in such high regard while in a relationship are no longer in place. Relational objectives are more centered on family and friends and the time spent with each. Although there is no way to tell how long it will take to develop a pure self-schema that will not include a former pa rtner we do know when the process began†¦ the process began when â€Å"ours became mine†. . To what extent does a student’s level of psychological reactance to a professor’s attempt to change their behavior depend on (a) the student’s perceptions of the professor’s level of interpersonal power and (b) whether the student has a relatively high- or relatively low-level of cognitive complexity in the interpersonal domain? That is, how much does this type of mental reaction depend on both the social power of the agent as well as the social experience of the target?The psychological reactance to a professor’s attempt to change a student’s behavior depends greatly on the cognitive complexity of the student and interpersonal power of the professor. However, there will always be some degree of psychological reactance during the first class sessions. When the students and professors meet to create the learning environment they share certa in expectations like the fact that teacher is the agent and the students are the targets. The standards of the environment vary greatly from student to student and the instructor.However, students can expect to have instructor expectations laid out in the syllabus, home/class work, and tests. A professor can expect to have teaching skills, grading capabilities, and office time to provide to his students. The level of success the professor has depends on how much power he is perceived to have by the student. There are various powers that the professor could use to try to influence the student. The professor holds reward power in the form of grades. Coercive power can be used by the professor who gives pop quizzes, inspiring fear among his students.A professor has expert power in the form of knowledge, that’s why they are teaching and not the students. Referent power can be used through physical attractiveness. Finally, a professor can use legitimate power because he is a repre sentative of the establishment. We believe the most successful powers a professor can use to influence a behavior change in a student are legitimate, expert and reward power. Reward power in the form of grades is something tangible the student has to have in order to graduate. If the student has to change their behavior to achieve the grade, it will happen.Expert power in the form of knowledge shared is what we pay to have access to as students. Why would a student pay thousands of dollars to go to college if they aren’t going to listen and learn from the professors? Legitimate power plays along the same lines as expert power. The university has given this professor power over the student, trusting the professor to teach the student enough to have an understanding of the subject. The relationship can be altered at any time throughout the course by either party in how they interpersonally communicate with each other.For example, if a student has only one class and lots of time to complete work or discuss things with the professor, they may perceive the professors course as beneficial and would have little psychological reactance towards the instructor. On the flip side, if a student has multiple classes and little time to discuss things with the professor, they may perceive the class as pointless and may have more intense psychological reactance towards the instructor. However, the ideal outcomes of this shared learning experience re often diminished by the fact that either party’s expected standards are not always met in real life due to other circumstances. Therefore, a student’s level of psychological reaction has as much to do with their cognitive complexity as it does with the professor’s interpersonal power. For things to be ideal there must be a balance or mutual understanding between student and professor. Now a student with a relatively high level of cognitive complexity will be able to examine the situation and think of dif ferent possibilities.While a student probably won’t think of the situation in theory form, they would think of it from the past experiences viewpoint. A high cognitive complexity student can use what they have learned in the past from similar experiences to decide how to react to the professor trying to change their behavior. Now this says nothing about the social power of the professor. A professor would have more experience than the student, but not necessarily in the form of attempting to change the behavior.This is where things such as the reputation of the professor comes in, as well as impressions the student has formed of the professor. A low cognitive complexity student though, won’t think about the situation as much. They would probably remember a time or two from the past, but that’s about it. The student will most likely ‘go with the flow’ and either fall in with the professor’s wishes or be stubborn. If the professor has a strong sense of social power though, the student will probably fall in with his plan to change the behavior.The easier path is what will be more likely chosen by someone of low cognitive complexity because it is easier for such a person to follow the crowd then to decide what to do based on past experiences. This also means there will be less psychological reactance to the professor and what the professor is trying to encourage in the student’s behavior. Some students just expect to be let down or accept the fact they can’t change anything. The system and/or the teaching methods used are insufficient to meet the learning goals of the student.They know there are rules and they know they are the student, but being in that subordinate position is counter-productive to their lifestyles/goals (even though it’s socially expected to â€Å"move on with life†) and they may have increased psychological reactance towards the professor regardless of any circumstances. In su ch instances, reverse psychology can sometimes be a tool of influence. However, reverse psychology will work better for a low cognitive student compared to a high cognitive student.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Add Math Project Essay Example

Add Math Project Essay Example Add Math Project Essay Add Math Project Essay Experience classroom environments which are Hellenizing, interesting and meaningful land hence improve their thinking skills. Experience classroom environments where knowledge and skills are applied in meaningful ways in solving real-life problems. Experience classroom environments where expressing ones mathematical thinking, reasoning and communication are highly encouraged and expected. Experience classroom environments that stimulates and enhances effective learning. Acquire effective mathematical communication through oral and writing, and to use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas correctly and precisely. Enhance acquisition of mathematical knowledge ND skills through problem-solving in ways that increase interest and confidence. Prepare ourselves for the demand of our future undertakings and in workplace. Realize that mathematics is an important and powerful tool in solving real-life problems and hence develop positive attitude towards mathematics. Train ourselves not only to be independent learners but also to collaborate, to cooperate and to share knowledge in an engaging and healthy environment. Use technology especially the CIT appropriately and effectively. Train ourselves to appreciate the intrinsic values of mathematics and to come more creative and innovative. Realize the importance and the beauty of mathematics. Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to say Illuminable to Allah for giving me the strength and health to do this project work. Also, I would like to say thanks to my Additional Mathematics teacher, Pun Intra Ross Lezzy Bin Zinnia Abiding for helping me by giving the rubrics and guidelines for this folio. Not forgotten my parents for providing everything such as money to buy anything that are related to this project work and their advice which is the most needed for this project such as internet, books and computers. They also supported me an encouraged me to complete this task so that I will not procrastinate in doing it. To my beloved friends, thanks for all the ideas, advices and help that you shared with me. Finally, I would like to say thanks for those who involved in the making of this folio. May God bless all your kindness. Thank you. Calculus Calculus is the mathematical study of change, in the same way that geometry is the study of shape and algebra is the study of operations and their application to solving equations. It has two major branches, differential calculus (concerning rates of change and slopes of revues), and integral calculus (concerning accumulation of quantities and the areas under and between curves); these TV branches are related to each other by the fundamental theorem of calculus. Both branches make use of the fundamental notions of convergence of infinite sequences and infinite series to a well-defined limit. Generally considered to have been founded in the 17th century by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz, today calculus has widespread uses in science, engineering and economics and can solve many problems that algebra alone cannot. Calculus is a part of modern mathematics education. A course in calculus is a gateway to Other, more advanced courses in mathematics devoted to the study of functions and limits, broadly called mathematical analysis. Calculus has historically been called the calculus of infinitesimals, or infinitesimal calculus. The word calculus comes from Latin (calculus) and refers to a small stone used for counting. More generally, calculus (plural calculi) refers to any method or system of calculation guided by the symbolic manipulation of expressions. Some examples of other well-known calculi are propositional calculus, calculus of variations, lambda calculus. Part 1 INTERNET REFERENCE BOOK Leibniz was the first to see that the coefficients of a system of linear equations could be arranged into an array, now called a matrix which can be manipulated to find the of the system, if any.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Daoism and Confucianism

Daoism and Confucianism Introduction The Daoism and Confucianism have some similarities and differences. The research paper will be comparing and contrasting both through what they share and what they differ. Various aspects like their origins, their theories, dynasties and major focus will be discussed. The paper starts with differences:Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Daoism and Confucianism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The history of origin Confucianism is a philosophy that was introduced by a Chinese philosopher by name Confucius. This philosophy mainly based its arguments on the idea that logic and reason can create a solution to all challenges facing human beings (Yao 189). The Confucius opposed the excessive application of human emotions and superstition. According to the teachings of Confucianism, the use of early Chinese traditions is the best and most appropriate way of having an organized community. This philosophy a lso valued the traditional rituals and music as they maintain the harmony in the society. However, Lao Tzu initiated Daoism and its ideas are based on human beings living a balanced life according to the nature (Tang 76). According to Lau Tzu, he conceived the natural world as a teacher through whom human beings can obtain wisdom if only they observed and shaped their lives depending on the nature. He had a main goal of avoiding conflict and human beings to move according to the flow of things. Human cooperation and connection of nature The Confucianism is mainly known to encourage the cooperation among the human beings. It discourages the individualism as it teaches on the benefits of staying together as one community. The teachings of Daoism encourages on how one can survive well if only he or she associates well with the laws of nature. Even without the assistance of the fellow human beings, Daoism insists that anyone can survive in the society. Despite the fact that Confucianism encourages loyalty of leaders and superiors, it also gives people some rights to fight and oppose those rulers who are corrupt and treating other people unfairly (Renard 113). On the other hand, Daoism does not teach people on such aggression, as it calls for peace, humility and inaction. Dynasties believe in both Daoism and Confucianism The people in china have different believes as far as Confucianism and Daoism are concerned. A group believes in Confucianism while others believe in Daoism. This is facilitated by the fact that both have some truth and reasonable ideas that attract individuals. For instance, for those who follow Daoism, they believe that the most important aspect of a rational human world is not that matters a lot than the cosmic world of nature (Little 108). However, the followers of Confucianism value much the occurrences and events that affect people in their normal lives. Confucianism has a perception of human beings to enjoy their lives in the world to maximu m.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The teachings of Confucianism are human oriented because it valued the pleasures of life like giving birth, feeding on good diet, and enjoying life with relatives and friends. In order for people to enjoy their lives fully, the Confucianism insists on social responsibility and working hard for them to be prosperous and joyful. When considering the thoughts of Daoism, naturalness and spontaneity are the most emphasized aspects of human beings (Renard 207). The teachings of Daoism does not give room for teleology no matter the circumstances, it is non-mechanistic such bringing the idea of the world as an immoral one. Similarities in ideas Although they differed in their ideas, there were still some theories that the two philosophers shared. It was a common idea to both of them that it was ones responsibility to care for his or her personal life, to facilitate individual development, and to improve oneself in economically and socially. On matters of improvement and development, the Confucianism says that the efforts that one puts in doing so are rewarded in the rest of ones life on this earth (Renard 221). According to Daoism, a person has to work for improvement and development here in the universe but the rewards may be realized in the next life and not necessarily here on earth. For both the Daoism and Confucianism have assisted in promoting the satisfaction of personal desires a moral way that has guided the Chinese people and other interested followers to attain their personal goals and objectives in life. Conclusion In conclusion, the both philosophers have managed to compliment one another as both have set an example that can be followed by the Chinese people. Most of people followed them in pursuit of achieving development and growth. Most of people preferred the teachings of Confucianism becaus e it concentrated much on the current and present happenings in the society (Yao 195). Unlike the Daoism that insisted on what would happen in the future, where one is not so sure of being present. When people are doing their normal things in life, they prefer to be assured of what they will benefit from here on earth but not about the life after death. The Confucianism also encourages its followers to be ken on what their leaders are serving them. Incase of any incidence of abuse of power and authority, people should not remain inactive and watch things happen; instead they should act against such leaders. This would lead to improvement of individuals and the society as a whole. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Daoism and Confucianism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The picture of Confucius, who introduced the Confucianism (www.logoi.com) The picture of Lao Tzu, who introduced the Daoism (www.taopage.org ) Little, Reg. A confucian-Daoist Millenium. Michigan: Connor Court Publishing Pty Ltd, 2006. Renard, John. One hundred one questions and answers on confucianism, Daoism, and  Shinto. New York: Paulist Press, 2002. Tang, Yijie. Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, and Chinese Culture.  Beijing: CRVP, 2006. Yao, Xinzhong. An introduction too Confucianism. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Nelson Mandela - A Biography

Nelson Mandela - A Biography Nelson Mandela was elected the first black president of South Africa in 1994, following the first multiracial election in South Africas history. Mandela was imprisoned from 1962 to 1990 for his role in fighting apartheid policies established by the ruling white minority. Revered by his people as a national symbol of the struggle for equality, Mandela is considered one of the 20th centurys most influential political figures. He and South African Prime Minister F.W. de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 for their role in dismantling the apartheid system. Dates: July 18, 1918- December 5, 2013 Also Known As: Rolihlahla Mandela, Madiba, Tata Famous quote:   I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. Childhood Nelson Rilihlahla Mandela was born in the village of Mveso, Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918 to Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa and Noqaphi Nosekeni, the third of Gadlas four wives. In Mandelas native language, Xhosa, Rolihlahla meant troublemaker. The surname Mandela came from one of his grandfathers. Mandelas father was a chief of the Thembu tribe in the Mvezo region, but served under the authority of the ruling British government. As a descendant of royalty, Mandela was expected to serve in his fathers role when he came of age. But when Mandela was only an infant, his father rebelled against the British government by refusing a mandatory appearance before the British magistrate. For this, he was stripped of his chieftaincy and his wealth, and forced to leave his home. Mandela and his three sisters moved with their mother back to her home village of Qunu. There, the family lived in more modest circumstances. The family lived in mud huts and survived on the crops they grew and the cattle and sheep they raised. Mandela, along with the other village boys, worked herding sheep and cattle. He later recalled this as one of the happiest periods in his life. Many evenings, villagers sat around the fire, telling the children stories passed down through generations, of what life had been like before the white man had arrived. From the mid-17th century, Europeans (first the Dutch and later the British) had arrived on South African soil and gradually taken control from the native South African tribes. The discovery of diamonds and gold in South Africa in the 19th century had only tightened the grip that Europeans had on the nation. By 1900, most of South Africa was under the control of Europeans. In 1910, the British colonies merged with the Boer (Dutch) republics to form the Union of South Africa, a part of the British Empire. Stripped of their homelands, many Africans were forced to work for white employers at low-paying jobs. Young Nelson Mandela, living in his small village, did not yet feel the impact of centuries of domination by the white minority. Mandelas Education Although themselves uneducated, Mandelas parents wanted their son to go to school. At the age of seven, Mandela was enrolled in the local mission school. On the first day of class, each child was given an English first name; Rolihlahla was given the name Nelson. When he was nine years old, Mandelas father died. According to his fathers last wishes, Mandela was sent to live in the Thembu capital, Mqhekezeweni, where he could continue his education under the guidance of another tribal chief, Jongintaba Dalindyebo. Upon first seeing the chiefs estate, Mandela marveled at his large home and beautiful gardens. In Mqhekezeweni, Mandela attended another mission school and became a devout Methodist during his years with the Dalindyebo family. Mandela also attended tribal meetings with the chief, who taught him how a leader should conduct himself. When Mandela was 16, he was sent to a boarding school in a town several hundred miles away. Upon his graduation in 1937 at the age of 19, Mandela enrolled in Healdtown, a Methodist college. An accomplished student, Mandela also became active in boxing, soccer, and long-distance running. In 1939, after earning his certificate, Mandela began his studies for a Bachelor of Arts at the prestigious Fort Hare College, with a plan to ultimately attend law school. But Mandela did not complete his studies at Fort Hare; instead, he was expelled after participating in a student protest. He returned to the home of Chief Dalindyebo, where he was met with anger and disappointment. Just weeks after his return home, Mandela received stunning news from the chief. Dalindyebo had arranged for both his son, Justice, and Nelson Mandela to marry women of his choosing. Neither young man would consent to an arranged marriage, so the two decided to flee to Johannesburg, the South African capital. Desperate for money to finance their trip, Mandela and Justice stole two of the chiefs oxen and sold them for train fare. Move to Johannesburg Arriving in Johannesburg in 1940, Mandela found the bustling city an exciting place. Soon, however, he was awakened to the injustice of the black mans life in South Africa. Prior to moving to the capital, Mandela had lived mainly among other blacks. But in Johannesburg, he saw the disparity between the races. Black residents lived in slum-like townships that had no electricity or running water; while whites lived grandly off the wealth of the gold mines. Mandela moved in with a cousin and quickly found a job as a security guard. He was soon fired when his employers learned about his theft of the oxen and his escape from his benefactor. Mandelas luck changed when he was introduced to Lazar Sidelsky, a liberal-minded white lawyer. After learning of Mandelas desire to become an attorney, Sidelsky, who ran a large law firm serving both blacks and whites, offered to let Mandela work for him as a law clerk. Mandela gratefully accepted and took on the job at the age of 23, even as he worked to finish his BA via correspondence course. Mandela rented a room in one of the local black townships. He studied by candlelight each night and often walked the six miles to work and back because he lacked bus fare. Sidelsky supplied him with an old suit, which Mandela patched up and wore nearly every day for five years. Committed to the Cause In 1942, Mandela finally completed his BA and enrolled at the University of Witwatersrand as a part-time law student. At Wits, he met several people who would work with him in the years to come for the cause of liberation. In 1943, Mandela joined the African National Congress (ANC),  an organization that worked to improve conditions for blacks in South Africa. That same year, Mandela marched in a successful bus boycott staged by thousands of residents of Johannesburg in protest of high bus fares. As he grew more infuriated by racial inequalities, Mandela deepened his commitment to the struggle for liberation. He helped to form the Youth League, which sought to recruit younger members and transform the ANC into a more militant organization, one that would fight for equal rights. Under laws of the time, Africans were forbidden from owning land or houses in the towns, their wages were five times lower than those of whites, and none could vote. In 1944, Mandela, 26, married nurse Evelyn Mase, 22, and they moved into a small rental home. The couple had a son, Madiba (Thembi), in February 1945, and a daughter, Makaziwe, in 1947. Their daughter died of meningitis as an infant. They welcomed another son, Makgatho, in 1950, and a second daughter, named Makaziwe after her late sister, in 1954. Following the general elections of 1948 in which the white National Party claimed victory, the partys first official act was to establish apartheid. With this act, the long-held, haphazard system of segregation in South Africa became a formal, institutionalized policy, supported by laws and regulations. The new policy would even determine, by race, which parts of town each group could live in. Blacks and whites were to be separated from each other in all aspects of life, including public transportation, in theaters and restaurants, and even on beaches. The Defiance Campaign Mandela completed his law studies in 1952 and, with partner Oliver Tambo, opened the first black law practice in Johannesburg. The practice was busy from the start. Clients included Africans who suffered the injustices of racism, such as seizure of property by whites and beatings by the police. Despite facing hostility from white judges and lawyers, Mandela was a successful attorney. He had a dramatic, impassioned style in the courtroom. During the 1950s, Mandela became more actively involved with the protest movement. He was elected president of the ANC Youth League in 1950. In June 1952, the ANC, along with Indians and colored (biracial) people- two other groups also targeted by discriminatory laws- began a period of nonviolent protest known as the Defiance Campaign. Mandela spearheaded the campaign by recruiting, training, and organizing volunteers. The campaign lasted six months, with cities and towns throughout South Africa participating. Volunteers defied the laws by entering areas meant for whites only. Several thousand were arrested in that six-month time, including Mandela and other ANC leaders. He and the other members of the group were found guilty of statutory communism and sentenced to nine months of hard labor, but the sentence was suspended. The publicity garnered during the Defiance Campaign helped membership in the ANC soar to 100,000. Arrested for Treason The government twice banned Mandela, meaning that he could not attend public meetings, or even family gatherings, because of his involvement in the ANC. His 1953 banning lasted two years. Mandela, along with others on the executive committee of the ANC, drew up the Freedom Charter in June 1955 and presented it during a special meeting called the Congress of the People. The charter called for equal rights for all, regardless of race, and the ability of all citizens to vote, own land, and hold decent-paying jobs. In essence, the charter called for a non-racial South Africa. Months after the charter was presented, police raided the homes of hundreds of members of the ANC and arrested them. Mandela and 155 others were charged with high treason. They were released to await a trial date. Mandelas marriage to Evelyn suffered from the strain of his long absences; they divorced in 1957 after 13 years of marriage. Through work, Mandela met Winnie Madikizela, a social worker who had sought his legal advice. They married in June 1958, just months before Mandelas trial began in August. Mandela was 39 years old, Winnie only 21. The trial would last three years; during that time, Winnie gave birth to two daughters, Zenani and Zindziswa. Sharpeville Massacre The trial, whose venue was changed to Pretoria, moved at a snails pace. The preliminary arraignment alone took a year; the actual trial didnt start until August 1959. Charges were dropped against all but 30 of the accused. Then, on March 21, 1960, the trial was interrupted by a national crisis. In early March, another anti-apartheid group, the Pan African Congress (PAC) had held large demonstrations protesting strict pass laws, which required Africans to carry identification papers with them at all times in order to be able to travel throughout the country. During one such protest in Sharpeville, police had opened fire on unarmed protestors, killing 69, and wounding more than 400. The shocking incident, which was universally condemned, was called the Sharpeville Massacre. Mandela and other ANC leaders called for a national day of mourning, along with a stay at home strike. Hundreds of thousands participated in a mostly peaceful demonstration, but some rioting erupted. The South African government declared a national state of emergency and martial law was enacted. Mandela and his co-defendants were moved into prison cells, and both the ANC and PAC were officially banned. The treason trial resumed on April 25, 1960 and lasted until March 29, 1961. To the surprise of many, the court dropped charges against all of the defendants, citing a lack of evidence proving that the defendants had planned to violently overthrow the government. For many, it was cause for celebration, but Nelson Mandela had no time to celebrate. He was about to enter into a new- and dangerous- chapter in his life. The Black Pimpernel Prior to the verdict, the banned ANC had held an illegal meeting and decided that if Mandela was acquitted, he would go underground after the trial. He would operate clandestinely to give speeches and gather support for the liberation movement. A new organization, the National Action Council (NAC), was formed and Mandela named as its leader. In accordance with the ANC plan, Mandela became a fugitive directly after the trial. He went into hiding at the first of several safe houses, most of them located in the Johannesburg area. Mandela stayed on the move, knowing that the police were looking everywhere for him. Venturing out only at night, when he felt safest, Mandela dressed in disguises, such as a chauffeur or a chef. He made unannounced appearances, giving speeches at places that were presumed safe, and also made radio broadcasts. The press took to calling him the Black Pimpernel, after the title character in the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel. In October 1961, Mandela moved to a farm in Rivonia, outside of Johannesburg. He was safe for a time there and could even enjoy visits from Winnie and their daughters. Spear of the Nation In response to the governments increasingly violent treatment of protestors, Mandela developed a new arm of the ANC- a military unit that he named Spear of the Nation, known also as MK. The MK would operate using a strategy of sabotage, targeting military installations, power facilities, and transportation links. Its goal was to damage property of the state, but not to harm individuals. The MKs first attack came in December 1961, when they bombed an electric power station and empty government offices in Johannesburg. Weeks later, another set of bombings were carried out. White South Africans were startled into the realization that they could no longer take their safety for granted. In January 1962, Mandela, who had never in his life been out of South Africa, was smuggled out of the country to attend a Pan-African conference. He hoped to get financial and military support from other African nations, but was not successful. In Ethiopia, Mandela received training in how to fire a gun and how to build small explosives. Captured After 16 months on the run, Mandela was captured on August 5, 1962, when the car he was driving was overtaken by police. He was arrested on charges of leaving the country illegally and inciting a strike. The trial began on October 15, 1962. Refusing counsel, Mandela spoke on his own behalf. He used his time in court to denounce the governments immoral, discriminatory policies. Despite his impassioned speech, he was sentenced to five years in prison. Mandela was 44 years old when he entered Pretoria Local Prison. Imprisoned in Pretoria for six months, Mandela was then taken to Robben Island, a bleak, isolated prison off the coast of Cape Town, in May 1963. After only a few weeks there, Mandela learned he was about to head back to court- this time on charges of sabotage. He would be charged along with several other members of MK, who had been arrested on the farm in Rivonia. During the trial, Mandela admitted his role in the formation of MK. He emphasized his belief that the protestors were only working toward what they deserved- equal political rights. Mandela concluded his statement by saying that he was prepared to die for his cause. Mandela and his seven co-defendants received guilty verdicts on June 11, 1964. They could have been sentenced to death for so serious a charge, but each was given life imprisonment. All of the men (except one white prisoner) were sent to Robben Island. Life at Robben Island At Robben Island, each prisoner had a small cell with a single light that stayed on 24 hours a day. Prisoners slept on the floor upon a thin mat. Meals consisted of cold porridge and an occasional vegetable or piece of meat (although Indian and Asian prisoners received more generous rations than their black counterparts.) As a reminder of their lower status, black prisoners wore short pants all year-round, whereas others were allowed to wear trousers. Inmates spent nearly ten hours a day at hard labor, digging out rocks from a limestone quarry. The hardships of prison life made it difficult to maintain ones dignity, but Mandela resolved not to be defeated by his imprisonment. He became the spokesperson and leader of the group, and was known by his clan name, Madiba. Over the years, Mandela led the prisoners in numerous protests- hunger strikes, food boycotts, and work slowdowns. He also demanded reading and study privileges. In most cases, the protests eventually yielded results. Mandela suffered personal losses during his imprisonment. His mother died in January 1968 and his 25-year-old son Thembi died in a car accident the following year. A heartbroken Mandela was not allowed to attend either funeral. In 1969, Mandela received word that his wife Winnie had been arrested on charges of communist activities. She spent 18 months in solitary confinement and was subjected to torture. The knowledge that Winnie had been imprisoned caused Mandela great distress. Free Mandela Campaign Throughout his imprisonment, Mandela remained the symbol of the anti-apartheid movement, still inspiring his countrymen. Following a Free Mandela campaign in 1980 that attracted global attention, the government capitulated somewhat. In April 1982, Mandela and four other Rivonia prisoners were transferred to Pollsmoor Prison on the mainland. Mandela was 62 years old and had been at Robben Island for 19 years. Conditions were much improved from those at Robben Island. Inmates were allowed to read newspapers, watch TV, and receive visitors. Mandela was given a lot of publicity, as the government wanted to prove to the world that he was being treated well. In an effort to stem the violence and repair the failing economy, Prime Minister P.W. Botha announced on January 31, 1985 that he would release Nelson Mandela if Mandela agreed to renounce violent demonstrations. But Mandela refused any offer that was not unconditional. In December 1988, Mandela was transferred to a private residence at the Victor Verster prison outside Cape Town and later brought in for secret negotiations with the government. Little was accomplished, however, until Botha resigned from his position in August 1989, forced out by his cabinet. His successor, F.W. de Klerk, was ready to negotiate for peace. He was willing to meet with Mandela. Freedom at Last At Mandelas urging, de Klerk released Mandelas fellow political prisoners without condition in October 1989. Mandela and de Klerk had long discussions about the illegal status of the ANC and other opposition groups, but came to no specific agreement. Then, on February 2, 1990, de Klerk made an announcement that stunned Mandela and all of South Africa. De Klerk enacted a number of sweeping reforms, lifting the bans on the ANC, the PAC, and the Communist Party, among others. He lifted the restrictions still in place from the 1986 state of emergency and ordered the release of all nonviolent political prisoners. On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was given an unconditional release from prison. After 27 years in custody, he was a free man at the age of 71. Mandela was welcomed home by thousands of people cheering in the streets. Soon after his return home, Mandela learned that his wife Winnie had fallen in love with another man in his absence. The Mandelas separated in April 1992 and later divorced. Mandela knew that despite the impressive changes that had been made, there was still much work to be done. He returned immediately to working for the ANC, traveling across South Africa to speak with various groups and to serve as a negotiator for further reforms. In 1993, Mandela and de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their joint effort to bring about peace in South Africa. President Mandela On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first election in which blacks were allowed to vote. The ANC won 63 percent of the votes, a majority in Parliament. Nelson Mandela- only four years after his release from prison- was elected the first black president of South Africa. Nearly three centuries of white domination had ended. Mandela visited many Western nations in an attempt to convince leaders to work with the new government in South Africa. He also made efforts to help bring about peace in several African nations, including Botswana, Uganda, and Libya. Mandela soon earned the admiration and respect of many outside of South Africa. During Mandelas term, he addressed the need for housing, running water, and electricity for all South Africans. The government also returned land to those it had been taken from, and made it legal again for blacks to own land. In 1998, Mandela married Graca Machel on his eightieth birthday. Machel, 52 years old, was the widow of a former president of Mozambique. Nelson Mandela did not seek re-election in 1999. He was replaced by his Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki. Mandela retired to his mothers village of Qunu, Transkei. Mandela became involved in raising funds for HIV/AIDS, an epidemic in Africa. He organized the AIDS benefit 46664 Concert in 2003, so named after his prison ID number. In 2005, Mandelas own son, Makgatho, died of AIDS at the age of 44. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly designated July 18, Mandelas birthday, as Nelson Mandela International Day. Nelson Mandela died at his Johannesburg home on December 5, 2013 at the age of 95.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Marketing - Mini-cooper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing - Mini-cooper - Essay Example Demand in the United States, especially, has taken off, thanks to a marketing strategy designed to build mystique through stealth advertising and limited distribution†( Maynard) Mini Cooper has attracted world not only because of the unique features, but because of the innovative marketing strategies as well. The manufacturer BMW has created waves of innovation in marketing and advertising strategies adopted for their car Mini Cooper which captured the attraction of the worldwide people. This paper briefly analyses the features of Mini cooper and the marketing strategies adopted by BMW for marketing their product mini cooper in international market. â€Å"From the toggle switches for the windows and fog lights to the rocker buttons for the fan-speed controls, every switch and dial in the Mini feels of a piece with Mini and only the Mini. In truth, some of the components are gently massaged BMW parts, but thats not really obvious. And besides, BMW is a prestigious brand, so its not as if youre getting second hand Daewoo stuff in your Mini†( Frank). Mini Cooper is not only attractive in appearance, but it is filled with lot of useful features which other cars of same type may not possess. Its hatch layout is well designed, with a low well for groceries and with seat uprights that flip forward 50/50. Mini Cooper excels in safety features also compared to its competitors. It has defeated its competitors in most of the road tests and also excelled in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests. Moreover, it comes with six airbags (front, side, headliner), while its competitors only has standard front airbags. F or an additional $500, people can purchase a Mini Cooper with stability control that will help keep the car on track in an emergency situation. ‘A marvelous marriage of British character and German know-how, the 2009 Mini Cooper is stylish, fun to drive and remarkably good on gas. Stellar fuel economy, sharp handling, excellent all-around

Friday, October 18, 2019

Vincent Willem van Gogh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vincent Willem van Gogh - Essay Example The essay "Vincent Willem van Gogh" discovers the famous artist, Vincent Willem van Gogh. The name Vincent was a common name in the van Gogh family: his grandfather who was very learned was also called Vincent and he studied theology in the University of Leiden in the year 1811. His grandfather had six sons, three of whom were talented in the arts where they became leaders. The van Gough family was talented in the Arts and Religion. Vincent had two brothers Theodorus and Cor, and he also had two three sisters, namely Elisabeth, Anna and Willemina. It is said that as a child Vincent was silent, thoughtful and serious traits that saw him through the zundert village school from around 1860, history shows that a single catholic teacher taught approximately two hundred pupils this later changed in the year 1861 when he and his sister were home taught by a governess until 1864 when van Gogh was sent to a boarding school. Jan Provily’s boarding school was located at Zevenbergen about 32km away. Later as an adult Vincent disclosed that he was distressed on leaving his family. It was not until he went to the Willem 2 college in Tilburg that he met Constantijin C Huysmans, a renowned successful artist in Paris that he was taught to draw, but it is to be noted that his interest in art had began at an early age. As a child he used to draw throughout the years that made him come to the conclusion that he wanted to be an artist. His early drawings are expressive and well done but do not have the intensity.

Pros and Cons of each payment technology can be used in India Research Paper

Pros and Cons of each payment technology can be used in India - Research Paper Example s the fingerprints of a person and utilizes the trace to gain accessibility to individuals’ funds stored in a bank or a specific financial institution. One unique feature with biometric systems is that it does not require the use passwords because the system uses traces of fingerprints stored in their database to execute the operation. The biometric systems have a high level of accuracy since it does not use physical passwords thus more accurate. Besides, such systems are less susceptible to fraud since it is inaccessible by the second person. Moreover, biometric systems are more secure due to their use of advanced scanners that intercept the image making it more distinct from the finger print of another person making quite untraceable (Maltoni et al 303). Biometric systems are more reliable since a person ever moves around with his hands and has minimal chances of losing the confidentiality as compared to pin numbers, which can be forgotten or misplaced. Moreover, biometric systems offer mobility because the fingerprints are different and have same dermal ridge for sensing hence applied at any place accessible by the system (Maltoni et al 303). Although biometric systems provide positive merits to the organization, any institution planning such set up must be ready to face high costs of installation. This is attributed by the fact that biometrics cannot run as an independent system and must be supported by additional storage. Such integrations obviously incur additional expenditure to the organization. Moreover, it calls for further training cost for the employees in order to embrace the system, and this reduces the cost of productivity in the end. Consequently, implementation of such systems are faced by a lot of negativity since not many people are willing to disclose their biological traits while assuming that such disclosure are often associated to criminal contexts (Komarinski 3). Other than the biometric systems, MasterCard also part of the leading

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The implications of erecting additional Transmissions Lines in New Assignment

The implications of erecting additional Transmissions Lines in New Zealand by Transporter - Assignment Example The act took effect from the year 2011. The NZ government has authority to review the electricity pricing every five years. The government authorized Transpower to carry out the business to improve on the efficiency of power supply in NZ. Revenue collection by Transpower has control by the government for it not to exceed Maximum Allowance Revenue (MAR) (Sankaran, 2006). Transpower Company, however, negotiates with the NZ government for it to finance its operations including expansion of the national grid. The electricity company used its outstanding capital proposal as one of strategies to seek for the government approval to its revenue collection plan. The national grid of New Zealand This refers to the NZ main transmission line for electricity. The grid, owned by Transpower New Zealand Limited covers 11,803 kilometers carrying high voltage lines. The distribution of electricity takes place through 178 substations built by Transpower at different strategic locations all over the cou ntry. The main source of electricity in NZ is hydroelectric. The generating stations lie along large lakes and rivers in the southern region of NZ. The sitting of the stations depends on water availability and the head of water. Reaction turbines and impulse turbines perform well in power generation using water head (Sankaran, 2006). In NZ, most of power demand is in the Northern Island. This means that power transmission over a long distance is crucial hence the necessity of the grid. The grid, therefore, runs across Cook Strait, through the two Islands. Setting out a grid over such a long distance is a costly investment and; therefore, NZ commercial commission has to work in collaboration with the company. After negotiations, between NZ and Transpower, planning of grid expansion and upgrading of the necessary infrastructure took place. The project is to cost $5 billion over the duration of 10 years (Iyer, 2010). Typical power supply system Large generating station Step up transfor mer- Super grid Step down transformer-Grid substation Step down transformer- Grid transmission line (grid switching substation) Primary distribution- for heavy industries Step down transformer- high voltage sub station Step down transformer- for local distribution A map showing National Electricity transmission grid in NZ Source: Best, 2012 History The first hydroelectric power station in NZ was in Bullendale, which lie in Otago. The main purpose of the plant was to provide power at the phoenix-mining centre located about two miles away from the station. This was back in the year 1885. A transmission line linking the generation point and the mining site was necessary making the first ever power grid in the country. The development of other discoveries requiring electricity led to construction of more transmission lines with the first principal grid constructed between 1913 and 1914. The supply voltage in the first transmission lines was 3.3 kv but, as the transmission distance incre ased, transmission voltage increased (Sankaran, 2006). New Zealand has divided electricity business in various stages and assigned each stage to different companies. The stages include, authorized generators, distributors which include the electricity lines companies, retailers who sell the power to consumers, and transmission companies in this case the Transpower. Transpower, therefore, deal with high voltages

Individual reflective report. PR as a profession Assignment

Individual reflective report. PR as a profession - Assignment Example Their role expects them to check constantly the reliability or rather truthfulness and accuracy of any information before releasing it to the public (Robert 2003, p389). This shows that they have the good of the pubic at heart. Releasing of unreliable information would further bring about conflicts and innocent people may come to harm. Thus to be a public relations practitioner, one has top be very accurate and clear in their task as it a lot depends on their efficiency. In addition to the above information, public relations practitioner is also expected to display or rather reveal any information concerning acts of malpractice as well as unprofessional conduct. This is what is required of them when they follow the CIPR principles. Hence one is required to be true to their job description and avoid any wrongful act which would undermine the effectiveness of the CIPR code of conduct. Practitioners are thus called upon to be their own watchdogs as well as of others and are encouraged t o bring to light any illegal acts. Misleading clients is taken as a serious offense as it shows lack of professionalism and a sign of poor work ethics (Straughan 2004, p55). More so the code of conduct is broken when one decides wrongly manipulate their position. Due to occurrence of such instances practitioners are thus warned against engaging in such kind of behaviour. It does not show their integrity and honesty. Capacity, capability and competence By being a person with capacity, capability and competence leads to enhanced professionalism and promotion of good work ethics. A practitioner is called upon to display all the three characteristics so as to be effective in their work. Capacity basically entails that one is up to task and they have the required skills to foresee the successful completion of that specific task. Therefore, with reference to this, a public relations practitioner is required to be at full capacity, upright and has clear and innovative thinking which can gr eatly impact their performance. Being capable is more or less the same as being a person with capacity. A capable person is one who can engage in a task with the correct mindset and hence propel its effective completion. Competence entails one being always on time or rather on schedule and taking their work with the serious that it deserves. Abiding by the CIP code of conduct is covered under competence. A public relations practitioner is expected to know that professional capacity and capability has limitations. An individual cannot have the capacity and capability to tackle any task that they are assigned to. At times they need help from other employees who happen to be more skilled than they are in that specific task. The basic thing is a display of realism whereby the practitioner shows good professionalism by accepting to delegate work to other employees who have the right skills and resources for a specific task. In addition to this, they are also required to promote team work by collaborating with their colleagues so as to foster competition of a certain project. By displaying such characteristics at work, a practitioner would be abiding by the requirements of the CIPR code of conduct. In addition to this, good work ethics is also displayed. Transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest This principle which is under the CPIR code of conduct entails that any practitioner has the responsibility to disclose to

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The implications of erecting additional Transmissions Lines in New Assignment

The implications of erecting additional Transmissions Lines in New Zealand by Transporter - Assignment Example The act took effect from the year 2011. The NZ government has authority to review the electricity pricing every five years. The government authorized Transpower to carry out the business to improve on the efficiency of power supply in NZ. Revenue collection by Transpower has control by the government for it not to exceed Maximum Allowance Revenue (MAR) (Sankaran, 2006). Transpower Company, however, negotiates with the NZ government for it to finance its operations including expansion of the national grid. The electricity company used its outstanding capital proposal as one of strategies to seek for the government approval to its revenue collection plan. The national grid of New Zealand This refers to the NZ main transmission line for electricity. The grid, owned by Transpower New Zealand Limited covers 11,803 kilometers carrying high voltage lines. The distribution of electricity takes place through 178 substations built by Transpower at different strategic locations all over the cou ntry. The main source of electricity in NZ is hydroelectric. The generating stations lie along large lakes and rivers in the southern region of NZ. The sitting of the stations depends on water availability and the head of water. Reaction turbines and impulse turbines perform well in power generation using water head (Sankaran, 2006). In NZ, most of power demand is in the Northern Island. This means that power transmission over a long distance is crucial hence the necessity of the grid. The grid, therefore, runs across Cook Strait, through the two Islands. Setting out a grid over such a long distance is a costly investment and; therefore, NZ commercial commission has to work in collaboration with the company. After negotiations, between NZ and Transpower, planning of grid expansion and upgrading of the necessary infrastructure took place. The project is to cost $5 billion over the duration of 10 years (Iyer, 2010). Typical power supply system Large generating station Step up transfor mer- Super grid Step down transformer-Grid substation Step down transformer- Grid transmission line (grid switching substation) Primary distribution- for heavy industries Step down transformer- high voltage sub station Step down transformer- for local distribution A map showing National Electricity transmission grid in NZ Source: Best, 2012 History The first hydroelectric power station in NZ was in Bullendale, which lie in Otago. The main purpose of the plant was to provide power at the phoenix-mining centre located about two miles away from the station. This was back in the year 1885. A transmission line linking the generation point and the mining site was necessary making the first ever power grid in the country. The development of other discoveries requiring electricity led to construction of more transmission lines with the first principal grid constructed between 1913 and 1914. The supply voltage in the first transmission lines was 3.3 kv but, as the transmission distance incre ased, transmission voltage increased (Sankaran, 2006). New Zealand has divided electricity business in various stages and assigned each stage to different companies. The stages include, authorized generators, distributors which include the electricity lines companies, retailers who sell the power to consumers, and transmission companies in this case the Transpower. Transpower, therefore, deal with high voltages

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Ten Financial Management Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ten Financial Management Questions - Essay Example Add bracketed tax @ 34% $119,000 Add the cost of capital $ 35,000 Total $504,000 Less depreciation of the old helicopter $54,000 So the net cost of the new helicopter $450,000 Question 4: Mud Construction Co. is considering buying a new equipment with cost of $625,000 and a salvage value of $50,00 at the end of its useful life of ten years. The equipment is expected to generate additional annual cash flow for ten years with the following possibilities. Probability Cash Flow 15 $60,000 25 $85,000 45 $110,000 15 $130,000 a. What is the expected cash flow b. If the company's cost capital is 10% what is the expected net present value c. Should the company buy the equipment a. The cost of the equipment is $625,000 10 years post installation salvage value $50,000 With probability 15, cash flow $60,000 The inflow of income 60,000x10=$600,000 b. Salvage value after 10 years $600,000 Hence the present value 600,000/10=$60,000 c. The cash flow shows that the company gets a marginal profit, therefore it is not advisable to buy the equipment. Question 5: Explain how the price of a new security is determined Security is the condition of being protected against danger or loss. In the general sense, security is a concept similar to safety. The nuance between the two is an added emphasis on being protected from dangers that originate from outside. Individuals or actions that encroach upon the condition of protection are responsible for the breach of security. A security is a fungible, negotiable interest representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into debt and equity...What is the approximate yield to maturity of the bonds Question 3: Bar T Ranches Inc, is considering buying a helicopter for $350,000. The company's old helicopter has a book value of $85,000, but will only bring $60,000 if it is sold. The old helicopter can be depreciated at the rate of $13,500 per year for next four years. The new helicopter can be depreciated using the five-year MARCS schedule. The new helicopter is expected to save $62,000 after the taxes through reduced fuel and maintenance expenses. Bar T Ranches is in the 34% tax bracket and 12% cost of capital. Question 4: Mud Construction Co. is considering buying a new equipment with cost of $625,000 and a salvage value of $50,00 at the end of its useful life of ten years. The equipment is expected to generate additional annual cash flow for ten years with the following possibilities. Security is the condition of being protected against danger or loss. In the general sense, security is a concept similar to safety. The nuance between the two is an added emphasis on being protected from dangers that originate from outside. Individuals or actions that encroach upon the condition of protection are responsible for the breach of security. A security is a fungible, negotiable interest representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into debt and equity securities.

Comparative Paper on the Princess Bride and Copper Sun Essay Example for Free

Comparative Paper on the Princess Bride and Copper Sun Essay Even though the two heros in Princess Bride and Copper Sun have many similarities, they also have an abundance of differences. Amari is the protagonist of the book Copper Sun, which talks about her life as an abused slave. Wesley is the lead character of the movie Princess Bride; in the movie, he leaves his beloved Buttercup to make enough money to support them and has to come save her when she is about to marry Humperdinck, the prince and the man she does not love. These two stories may seem completely different but they have more in common than what meets the eye. Both Amari and Wesley survive their quests with determination and they fight for what they believe is important. A good example of when Amari shows determination is when she comes upon a river that lies between her and freedom, â€Å"We come too far to stop now† (Draper 84%). She is so close to her goal she is unwilling to stop now just like when Wesley is on the verge of death and he still forces himself to get up and fight for Buttercup, â€Å"I told you I would always come for you† (The Princess Bride). However, they have multiple differences, one of which is how Amari is not afraid to show emotion and Wesley’s emotion is in absence when he is the Man in Black. Both protagonists are very comfortable and secure in their hometowns, but they are both briskly ripped away from their comfort zone when they are obligated to start their quests. Amari lives in a relatively poor area of Africa and Westley lives on a farm in his medieval universe. These courageous heroes must find their way through a dangerous quest; their journeys have similarities and differences but the importance is what compels them to complete their quest. Amari and Westley’s heart and soul was shaped by this quest. The scars left behind by the quest will not heal and the memories will be burning in the back of their minds forever. Both of these strong willed characters went through impossibly difficult conditions and tests to accomplish their goal. Just in the beginning of the story, Amari has endured a gr eat deal of pain; she has been stripped from her village and family and the white men have treated her horribly, â€Å"This day she wanted to die† (Draper 2%). Another example is when Amari is reminded of her past and all she has left in her is shame this proves that not only has she gone through horrible memories but all that will never be forgotten. Wesley has started this quest with his own choice. Amari was taken abruptly and unlike Wesley. In conclusion they had their own reasons to start their incredible journeys. Risking your life just to find the lost is not something you do without motivation. Both of these exciting heroes have found themselves in the need to find either their lost true love or their perished freedom. Throughout these intriguing stories both Amari and Wesley have fought for what they thought deserved a battle. Wesley has swung his sword and punched his enemies and now he has finally came to the point where he has found Buttercup, â€Å"I told you I would always come for you† (The Princess Bride). Wesley is reassuring buttercup that no matter the risks he will always come, fight for her and that she is his mo tivation to put his life on the line. â€Å"You know, certain people are chosen to survive. I don’t know why, but you are one of those who must remember the past and tell those yet unborn. You must live† (Draper 13%). Motivation is the force that pushes and pushes the characters to continue with strength and this force is prominent in both Amari and Wesley. These quests have a rope slowly burning but finally the rope has come to an end and all that is left are the ashes. In the burning village that Amari used to call home, she had friends and family but once she was left to live and serve at the Derby farm she thought a friendship would never be something she could achieve. After a long time spent at the Derby farm, Amari and Polly have now realized that their lives are stringed together from then on. This came to a shock as Polly and Amari try to hide the fact that Mrs. Derby has had an affair with a slave situated at the farm as well, â€Å"She realized then how deeply her life was entangle with those of the slaves she had once so despised† (Draper 51% ). Polly has been with Amari through one of the worst and unpleasant journeys a character could have gone through, Polly no longer judges Amari by her skin nor does Polly think of slaves as filthy animals. Wesley has always had Buttercup’s love and even after his quest he still has her love, compared to Amari that no longer has Besa or his love. Wesley is trying to explain to Buttercup that their love is unbreakable, â€Å"Do you think this happens every day† (The Princess Bride). Amari had once eternal love but all was stripped away from her with every slash of the whip and every unbearable night spent with disgusting men. Many dangers and obstacles have been in the characters paths but now they survive with all that is left, the effects, results and memories. If the lost had never been misplaced then there would be no found or any quests. A quest starts with a loss of any sort, in this particular case it was freedom and love. Amari was just the matchstick that started the fire from within Polly and that lead to the roads made of gold in Fort Mose. Wesley just had to find Buttercup to keep his fire going. However, they all went through inexplicable danger and horror but all this just started as a quest to find what they thought was needed. Works Cited Draper, Sharon M. Copper Sun. Illus. Sonia Chaghatzbanian. First Simon Pulse Edition January 2008 ed. New York: Simon Pulse, 2008. Kindle File. Hobbs, Will. Crossing the Wire. Illus. Vince Natale and Hilary Zarycky. New York: HarperCollins e-books, 2009. Kindle File.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Time, Money, Morality and Self-Reflection

Time, Money, Morality and Self-Reflection Christina Trofimenko Abstract Gino and Mogilner’s study on time, money and morality (2013) presents findings that suggest that dwelling upon the general concepts of time and money can impact upon the moral choices that individuals make. The link found between time, money and cheating by Gino and Mogilner (2013) is very convincing. The methodology used to obtain these links is found to be very well verified by other studies (Bargh, Chen and Burrows, 1996) and also even superior than other methods (Bryans, Adams and Monin, 2013). Another conclusion that Gino and Mogilner (2013) come to is that self-refection is the cause of the effects, this however is not as convincing as they use self-awareness techniques to increase self-refection. Other research suggests that self-awareness does not always promote moral behaviour, meaning that the two concepts are different, (Vallacher and Solodky, 1979) thus Gino and Mogilner’s study has not effectively examined self-refection. Time, Money, Morality and Self-Reflection? The idea that time and money have the ability to impact upon one’s moral decisions is quite shocking (Gino and Mogilner, 2013). Prior to Gino and Mogilner’s study (2013) there have been links found between money and anti-social behaviour such as a diminished desire to help and work with others (Vohs, Mead and Goode, 2006). Time however has been connected with pro-social behaviour such as a stronger desire to socialise (Mogilner, 2010). Gino and Mogilner (2013) however go on further to link time and money to morality, attributing the amount of self-reflection elicited as the cause. They define self-reflection as the evaluation of how ones actions will affect their self-image, stating that acting morally will increase positive self-image which is more desirable (Adler, 1930 and Rogers, 1959 as cited by Gino and Mogilner (2013). The link found between time, money and morality seems to be very convincing, however the attribution of self-refection as the cause is not so. Thi s is due to definitional issues which would have impacted upon Gino and Mogilner’s (2013) methodology. The link between time, money and the likelihood of cheating was proven to be fairly significant by Gino and Mogilner (2013). Time and money were described as general concepts and it was seen that the intent was to examine how thoughts of these concepts would affect behaviour. Priming was used by Gino and Mogilner (2013) which has been shown to be a very effective technique which can reveal subconscious attitudes towards the concept being primed. Bargh, Chen and Burrows (1996) showed that when participants were primed with words that were associated with the elderly, they took longer to walk down a hallway than those who were not primed. Bargh et al. (1996) concluded that this effect was due to the activation of the elderly stereotype. It was also shown that participants that were primed with rude words displayed ruder behaviour than those who were primed with polite words (Bargh et al., 1996), showing that people can be easily influenced by exposure to concepts. Thus, the effects see n in Gino and Mogilner’s (2013) study can be certainly attributed to subconscious attitudes that participants had about the general concepts of time and money. The way in which morality was operationalised was specific to cheating behaviour, meaning that links drawn between time, money and morality can be extended only to immoral behaviour that is related to cheating. Cheating involves lying and stealing, both of which are involved in much immoral behaviour that has major impacts upon society (Gino and Mogilner, 2013). Gino and Mogilner (2013) employed a very effective technique to measure cheating behaviour that allowed them to determine whether cheating occurred and to which extent it occurred. By using secret identification numbers they were able to identify worksheets of participants who thought they were anonymous, without stirring up suspicion. Bryans, Adams and Monin’s (2013) study measured cheating by comparing the statistical likelihood that a person would think of an odd number first with people who are given a chance to lie and benefit financially. Their technique was able to determine the likelihood that cheating occurred , but results were not as definite as the ones in Gino and Mogilner’s study (2013). Thus the link between money, time and cheating behaviour is very strong as concepts were operationalised and measured very effectively. The link made between self-refection and time, money and morality however, does not seem to be as clear. Throughout their study, Gino and Mogilner (2013) use the terms self-awareness and self-reflection interchangeably, thus using techniques that increase self-awareness to increase self-refection in their study, namely the mirror technique. The mirror technique has been shown to increase self-awareness which in turn decreases cheating (Duval and Wicklund, 1972, as cited by Diener and Wallbom, 1976). However it has been found that when an individual’s ability or other internal factors are being attributed to their performance on a task, subjects that are more self-aware (i.e. had a mirror in front of them) will cheat more as self-defensive tendencies are triggered (Vallacher and Solodky, 1979). However when causes of failure are attributed to external factors such as luck, subjects who were self-aware barely cheated, in contrast to this non self-aware subjects cheated similarly in both cases (Vallacher and Solodky, 1979). If this indeed is the case, self-awareness will not always increase the likelihood of acting morally, thus self-reflection is not the equivalent of self-awareness in all cases. The results of Experiment 3 (Gino and Mogilner, 2013) showed that when a subject was made more self-aware by the presence of a mirror; the time and money conditions had the same amount and extent of cheating. However, Gino and Mogilner (2013) didn’t relate the individual’s success to internal factors and thus self-awareness in this context would have reduced cheating (Vallacher and Solodky, 1979). In this case, perhaps the mirror did not invoke self-reflection but rather self-awareness which in the context reduced cheating. In experiment 2, (Gino and Mogilner, 2013) different types of self-awareness were seen to have different effects on cheating levels such as was shown by Vallacher and Solodky (1979). When personality was attributed to success, cheating levels between time and money were the same. However, when intelligence was attributed, those prime d with money cheated more. The individuals in the time condition cheated equally in both conditions, suggesting that time does have an impact upon the way people behave. Whereas, attributing the cause of the effect on self-reflection does not seem to be as convincing since Gino and Mogilner (2013) failed to make a distinction between self-reflection and self-awareness in their methodology. In conclusion, Gino and Mogilner (2013) have found a convincing link between time, money and morality as concepts were well defined and operationalised. The causal attribution of these effects to self-refection however was not as compelling, as Gino and Mogilner (2013) failed to recognise that self-awareness is not the equivalent of self-reflection in all cases. Due to these definitional issues the conclusion made by Gino and Mogilner (2013) that self-refection is the cause of the effects may not be entirely correct. This would limit the applicability of the findings to the real world. References Bargh, J. A., Chen, M., Burrows, L. (1996). Automaticity of social behavior: Direct effects of trait construct and stereotype-activation on action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71(2), 230-244. Bryan, C.J., Adams, G.S., Monin, B. (2013). When cheating would make you a cheater: Implicating the self prevents unethical behaviour. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 142(4), 1001-1005. Diener, E., Wallbom, M. (1976). Effects of self-awareness on antinormative behaviour. Journal of Research in Personality, 10, 107-111. Gino, F., Mogilner, C. (2013). Time, money and morality. Psychological Science, 25(2), 414-421. Mogilner, C. (2010). The pursuit of happiness: Time, money and social connection. Psychological Science, 21(9), 1348-1354. Vallacher, R.R., Solodky, M. (1979). Objective self-awareness, standards of evaluation and moral behaviour. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 15, 254-262. Vohs, K.D., Mead, N.L., Good, M.R. (2006). The psychological consequences of money. Science, 314, 1154−1156.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Gods of Management :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Gods of Management The author, in the Gods of Management, attempts to classify four distinct management cultures that exist within all organizations. The author further uses the ancient Greek gods to symbolize these management cultures or philosophies. There are four types of management cultures or philosophies present within all organizations. The four cultures are the club (Zeus), role (Apollo), task (Athena), and existential (Dionysus) cultures. The first culture the author discusses is the club or Zeus culture. The author uses a spider web to represent the club culture. â€Å"[T]he lines radiating out from the center† represent â€Å"divisions of work based on functions or products† (Handy p. 14). The most important lines however â€Å"are the encircling [lines], the ones that surround the spider in the middle, for these are the lines of power and influence, losing importance as they go farther from the center. The relationship with the spider matters more in this culture than does any formal title or position description† (Handy p.14). The author also maintains that this type of culture is excellent for â€Å"speed of decisions† (Handy p. 15). However, the author also informs the reader that because of it’s speed, quality is dependent upon Zeus and his inner circle. This results in an emphasis being placed upon the selection and succession of Zeus. The club culture achieves its speed through empathy. This in turn leads to very little documentation within the organization and face to face meetings between Zeus and his subordinates or contacts. Furthermore, this culture is dependent upon networks of â€Å"friendships, old boys, and comrades† (Hardy p.16). Because of the high level of trust, the author asserts that this type of organization is cheap to operate. The only costs incurred in this type of organization are those of phone and travel expenses. In essence, these types of organizations value the individual, give him or her free rein, and reward their efforts. The second type of culture that the author discusses is the role or Apollo culture. This type of culture bases its approach on the definition of the role or the job to be done. The symbol the author uses to represent this type of culture is a Greek temple. The pillars of the temple represent the functions and divisions in an organization. â€Å"The pillars are joined managerially only at the top, the pediment, where the heads of the functions and divisions join together to form the board,

Friday, October 11, 2019

The Tech Museum of Innovation :: Technology Tourism Essays

The Tech Museum of Innovation "An abiding curiosity and an insatiable desire to learn how and why things work are the hallmarks of innovation . . . Creativity is nurtured by being receptive and encouraging" (Hewlett, 1998, p. 8). The innovation of computers and technologies are being developed enormously in order to serve the needs of mankind. The more people around the world that are eager to learn how to use new computers and technologies, the more I am proud that I am one who lives in a place that many people call, "Silicon Valley: the heart of computers and technologies in the world." I live in San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley (The City of San Jose, 1999, p. 1). San Jose is surrounded by a great number of hardware and software computer companies. There are a lot of job opportunities offered in this region. San Jose, thus, is called, the land of the Silicon Rush, which has replaced California's Gold Rush, which occurred fifty-two years ago (San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2000, p. 4). People aro und the world want to go to the land of the Silicon Rush such as businessmen, engineers, college students, and, of course, tourists. Considering tourists, if we look for tourist sites in San Jose, a tourist site that many people are recognized is The Tech Museum of Innovation. The Tech Museum is a museum of technology revolutions. It is a big mango-colored building located centrally in downtown San Jose, at the corner of Market Street and Park Avenue. Inside the Tech Museum, there are four theme galleries. The first gallery, Communication, global connections, is to experience how the Internet, television, and communication technology have brought the world together. The second gallery, Exploration, new frontiers, is to demonstrate an earthquake, investigate under the sea, and use imagination to take people to many different places. The third gallery, Innovation, Silicon Valley and beyond, is to allow visitors to become a Silicon Valley inventor by designing a roller coaster, microchip, and 3-D self-portrait. The fourth gallery, Life tech, the human machine, is to experience machines that keep humans alive and expl ore technologies which enhance human performance. Moreover, the Tech Museum provides an IMAX Dome Theater, the center for learning, Tech online, the national medal of technology, the center of the edge, and public art. Through this paper, I will articulate why I selected The Tech as the artifact of this study, what the mission of the Tech Museum I will explore is, what the sources I have collected are, which method will be employed, and how I will use this method.

Effects of computer games to students

The widespread belief that dopamine regulates pleasure could go down in history with the latest research results on the role of this neurotransmitter. Researchers have proved that it regulates motivation, causing individuals to initiate and persevere to obtain something either positive or negative. The neuroscience journal Neuron publishes an article by researchers at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellon that reviews the prevailing theory on dopamine and poses a major paradigm shift with applications in diseases related to lack of motivation and mental fatigue and depression, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, etc.  and diseases where there is excessive motivation and persistence as in the case of addictions.â€Å"It was believed that dopamine regulated pleasure and reward and that we release it when we obtain something that satisfies us, but in fact the latest scientific evidence shows that this neurotransmitter acts before that, it actually encourages us to act. In o ther words, dopamine is released in order to achieve something good or to avoid something evil,† explains Merce Correa. Studies had shown that dopamine is released by pleasurable sensations but also by stress, pain or loss.These research results however had been skewed to only highlight the positive influence, according to Correa. The new article is a review of the paradigm based on the data from several investigations, including those conducted over the past two decades by the Castellon group in collaboration with the John Salamone of the University of Connecticut (USA), on the role of dopamine in the motivated behaviour in animals. The level of dopamine depends on individuals, so some people are more persistent than others to achieve a goal.â€Å"Dopamine leads to maintain the level of activity to achieve what is intended. This in principle is positive, however, it will always depend on the stimuli that are sought: whether the goal is to be a good student or to abuse of dru gs† says Correa. High levels of dopamine could also explain the behaviour of the so-called sensation seekers as they are more motivated to act. Application for depression and addiction To know the neurobiological parameters that make people be motivated by something is important to many areas such as work, education or health.Dopamine is now seen as a core neurotransmitter to address symptoms such as the lack of energy that occurs in diseases such as depression. â€Å"Depressed people do not feel like doing anything and that's because of low dopamine levels,† explains Correa. Lack of energy and motivation is also related to other syndromes with mental fatigue such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia, among others. In the opposite case, dopamine may be involved in addictive behaviour problems, leading to an attitude of compulsive perseverance.In this sense, Correa indicates that dopamine antagonists which have been applied so far in addiction problems prob ably have not worked because of inadequate treatments based on a misunderstanding of the function of dopamine (http://www. sciencedaily. com/releases/2013/01/130110094415. htm) The effect of a dopamine agonist on dysarthric speech production: a case study.AbstractThe effect of Permax (pergolide mesylate), a dopamine agonist, was assessed in an individual with traumatic brain injury. The participant evidenced symptoms of hypokinetic dysarthria. His performance on and off Permax was evaluated in a BABA design. Measures were obtained across physiological systems. There were few differences in the on and off conditions. In the on condition, he evidenced an abnormally large velopharyngeal orifice area, dysfluencies in stimulus sentences, and less precise articulation. However, listeners perceived him to be more animated in the on condition. In addition, he reported better performance in the on condition.The study highlights potential discrepancies among participant report, listener perce ption, and objective measures. Learning outcomes: As a result of this activity, the participant will be able (1) to recognize the effect of dopamine agonists as an adjunct to other pharmacological interventions and (2) to determine potential discrepancies among participant report, listener perception and objective physiological and acoustic measures. (Transitional Learning Center, Department of Communication Disorders, University of Houston, TX 77204-6018, USA. [email  protected] edu/ http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmed/11565961)