Sir Walter Scott :: Essays Papers

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott was conceived in an apartment at College Wynd, in Edinburgh, on August 15, 1771. There is proof that he may have been conceived in 1770 and when his mom was gotten some information about it she said she had overlooked the detail of when he was conceived. There was no profound warmth among guardians and youngsters in the Scott family. The Scott family had no less than twelve kids and youthful Walter was the ninth. Him and his two different siblings were the main youngsters to endure. All other nine youngsters had kicked the bucket since they were untimely or they passed on soon after they had been conceived. At the hour of Walters birth his mom was thirty-nine and his dad was forty-two and having a kid was not energizing to them any longer. His folks had named one of their first kin Walter who was conceived and kicked the bucket in 1766 and after they named youthful Walter that he generally felt that he had a recycled name. Walter was a sound kid until he was around e ighteen months and he got a terrible fever, which saved him in bed for some time. At some point at the point when he was recouping he was in the shower and they understood he had lost the development in his correct leg. He had puerile loss of motion. Specialists attempted to support him and fix it yet it was an act of futility. He was not completely disabled yet his correct leg could never be the equivalent. His mom became pregnant again and she was unable to manage Walter while he was wiped out. Hence she sent him to him to his granddad's ranch at Sandy Knowe in the spring of 1773. He remained at this ranch until he was three and a half. It was hear that his granddad instructed him to walk and inevitably run. Everybody on the homestead likewise urged Walter to talk Walter's auntie; Janet Scott carried it upon herself to raise Walter. Throughout the following six years she was Walter's temporary mother and first instructor. Walter's relationship with his dad endured twenty-eight years and went however a wide range of stages. Commanding over everything else Walter realized that he was not a significant kid. Robert his most seasoned sibling didn't go to the High School like his siblings did yet was sent to a prevalent all inclusive school. He likewise had the opportunity to pick his calling not at all like Walter.

Music in My Life Persuasive Essay Example For Students

Music in My Life Persuasive Essay Music has been a gigantic piece of my life for a long time, since the time I concluded that I needed to play guitar my first year of secondary school. My companion said he would show me how to play, yet he disclosed to me that I ought to tune in to bunches of music first. I burrowed through my parents’ CD assortment and pulled out a Green Day collection titled â€Å"American Idiot. † That is the point at which my extraordinary love for music was conceived. We never truly began with the guitar exercises, I still haven’t figured out how to play guitar, yet now I am extremely enthusiastic pretty much all music. Each tune is excellent in its own particular manner, since it is a statement of human feeling. I used to take piano exercises for a long time, however I needed to stop since life was extremely occupied, it despite everything is. I can play a couple of good tunes on piano, however I never truly turned out to be acceptable at playing like my sibling. My sibling is a remarkable piano player. I began to show myself guitar toward the start of my senior year in secondary school, yet as I said my life has been very frenzied, and I am bad at rehearsing normally. I joined ensemble toward the start of my senior year also, and that has been one of the most stunning encounters I have ever experienced. The tunes we sing in ensemble are for the most part extremely wonderful, and something pretty much the entirety of the astounding, capable voices in the room singing as one sends chills down my spine. I am not very acceptable at understanding music and singing the note directly from the sheet music, be that as it may. I have to hear the notes played on piano to sing it effectively. It likewise takes me some time to peruse the notes and name which note they are and what key the music piece is in. Despite the fact that I am not very acceptable at understanding music, I am truly adept at tuning in to it. On the other hand, who isn’t? I appreciate tuning in to a wide range of sorts of music. Music like funk rock gets me into that kind of mind-set where I simply feel better. It’s not a sentiment of bliss, yet progressively like a sentiment of having a good time at that point. Underground rock can cause me to feel kind of siphoned up and set. Old style rock is a music sort that I like to tune in to when I am glad, and it keeps me feeling upbeat as I hear it out. Outside the box rock typically gives me a sentiment of satisfaction too, yet it’s likewise inspirational to me. It causes me to feel like I can take on the world and defeat my future difficulties. I love tuning in to various sorts of music, since they influence my state of mind from multiple points of view. Now and again they can assist me with feeling much improved and once in a while they help me think. This is one of the melodic ideas that I am keen on. The way that music influences our brains is so bewildering to me. I need to figure out how and why music does this. I am taking this course since I need to get familiar with the fundamentals of music so I can figure out how to play and sing better than I am currently. I need to retain the notes by heart and by ear so I will have a simpler time attempting to sing or play an instrument. I additionally need to become familiar with the numerous harmonies, and realize which harmony or harmony mixes will sound great together and make a specific inclination. I have just barely scratched the outside of music now, however I plan to learn considerably more about music later on. This class is the initial step to the progression into the field of music.

Genetic Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder

Genetic Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder BPD Print Genetic Causes of Borderline Personality Disorder By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University. Learn about our editorial policy Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Updated on September 20, 2019 Mixmike/Getty Images More in BPD Diagnosis Treatment Living With BPD Related Conditions Are you wondering about the genetic causes of borderline personality disorder? Youre not alone. Many people wonder why they or a loved one has borderline personality disorder (BPD). Unfortunately, there are no easy answers, but research is getting closer to understanding the causes of BPD. Genetics or Environmental Causes Studies of BPD in families show that first-degree relatives â€" meaning siblings, children, or parents â€" of people treated for BPD are ten times more likely to have been treated for BPD themselves than the relatives of people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. However, while this suggests that BPD runs in families, studies of this type do not tell us exactly how much of BPD is due to genetics. Thats because first-degree relatives share not just genes, but also environments in most situations. For example, siblings may be raised together by the same parents. This means that these studies may reflect, in part, any environmental causes of BPD as well. Twin Studies Show Genetics Play a Large Role in BPD A more direct, though still imperfect, way to study the influence of genes on BPD is to examine rates of BPD among identical versus fraternal twins. Identical twins have the exact same genetic makeup whereas fraternal twins only have similar genetic makeup, just like two regular siblings. There have been a few twin studies of BPD, which have shown that 42 to 69 percent of the variance in BPD is caused by genetics. This means that 58 to 31 percent of the variance in BPD is caused by other factors, such as the environment. This suggests that BPD is fairly strongly related to genetic causes. Yet, most likely an interaction of genes and environment leads to BPD in most people with the disorder. What the Genetic Factor Means   What does this mean for you? If you have BPD, it means that it is not your fault. You probably have a genetic predisposition to develop the disorder. Perhaps you have also experienced a few of the environmental events that seem to be linked to BPD in some cases, such as being abused as a child or losing a loved one. You do not have BPD because you are “weak” or “can’t handle things.” There is a reason why you experience the symptoms you do. If you have a first-degree relative with BPD, it means that you may have an increased chance of developing the disorder yourself. However, this by no means guarantees that you will develop BPD. In fact, chances are likely that you will not. Why Treatment Is Essential If youre concerned that youre showing signs of BPD, its important to get treatment early. This will reduce any risk factors and help alleviate your symptoms. Speak to your doctor about your symptoms, testing for a proper diagnosis, and treatment options. Borderline Personality Disorder Discussion Guide Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctors appointment. Download PDF If you are a parent and you have BPD, you may be concerned about whether your kids will have BPD too. While it is a possibility, know that even though genes are important, they are not the sole cause of BPD. There may be ways to ensure the environment you provide for your kids reduces their risk. Part of that is ensuring that you get treatment and that you stick with the treatment plan you and your doctor decide on. Psychotherapy may also be an option to help you learn effective parenting skills. The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs

Communication Accommodation Theory And Social Structure

This essay focuses on the communication accommodation theory along side the concept of discourse and social structure, and the power effects of labels. In intercultural communication, language facilitates understanding and although is an imperative role, at times, it can be a barrier. To assist this understanding, the communication accommodation theory focuses of the view that individuals adjust their verbal communication (p. 56). In intercultural communication, the partner’s ability to understand is done through strategies of convergence or divergence. This signals their attitudes towards each other because people adjust communication behavior based on the perception that an individual has of the conversation partner’s communicative behavior. Intercultural encounters are likely to entail more of an adjustment than communicating with an individual of a similar culture. Repetition of the message and perhaps animated gestures are more common in these interactions to make up for misunderstood verbal communication. Discourse refers to written or spoken communication. Therefore, when speaking of discourse analysis we can understand it as the study of language. However, discourse analysis goes ‘beyond the sentence’ and is not only concerned with the study of grammar such as semantics, phonetics, syntax and morphology, yet takes into consideration the larger discourse context. This allows for a clearer understanding in how the surrounding historical and social contexts canShow MoreRelatedThe Co Cultural Theory : A Wide Range Of Diversity Essay1324 Words   |  6 Pagesrecently adjusted to the social acceptance of The LGBT community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transsexual). It is important that we evaluate the implications that the LGBT minority group are faced with. We must use Orbe’s co-cultural theory in order to understand the issues that arise from the dominant heterosexual community. The co-cultural theory was created in order to assist in understanding the various ways in which people who are marginalised traditionally in dominant structures of society, communicateRead MoreExploration Of Holistic Development Within A Child s Life1442 Words   |  6 Pagesenvironmental contribution that was necessary to promote what was inherent in the organism’. The main focus of the essay is exploration of holistic development incorporated in a child’s life such as; physical, emotional, intellectual, language and communication (NCM, 2014). Holistic development views the child as a whole individual (Meggitt 2012); and considers the child’s health and life as a whole, in the light of them being connected (Rosecole, 2010). Cognitive Development Cognitive development isRead MoreConstructivism1400 Words   |  6 PagesConstructivism Learning Theory Constructivism learning theory is a philosophy which enhances students logical and conceptual growth. The underlying concept within the constructivism learning theory is the role which experiences-or connections with the adjoining atmosphere-play in student education. The constructivism learning theory argues that people produce knowledge and form meaning based upon their experiences. Two of the key concepts within the constructivism learning theory which create the constructionRead More##t, Piaget And Vygotsky, Repactivism And Constructivists731 Words   |  3 Pageshow best to guide learners in their construction of knowledge. Piaget believed learning was an individual endeavor, cognitive constructivism. Vygotsky believed learning was based on community, social constructivism (J. Byun, personal communication, November 13, 2017). Piaget believed that cognitive structures allow people to process information through connections to prior knowledge. People find patterns, identify rules and generate abstract principles to different applications. He believed peopleRead MoreVygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky (1934 – 1987) Vygotsky perspective on sociocultural1000 Words   |  4 PagesVygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Vygotsky (1934 – 1987) Vygotsky perspective on sociocultural theory, his focal point is how culture relates with beliefs, values, traditions and skills in social surroundings and how they are passed from generation to generation. Vygotsky sates that social interaction is very important and how children socialise with each other in cooperative play and how they use communication with extended people who surround them in society. It is how children obtain ways of howRead MoreThe Aspects Of Conflict Within The Workplace870 Words   |  4 Pagessignificant utility for understanding the strategic choices and institutional constraints faced by management in pursuing various employment relations strategies†. The framework consists of three approaches the employees can face: Avoidance, Accommodation and cooperation. All three approaches can advantage and disadvantage the organisation in different aspects. Human resources managers must strategically analysis the most suitable approach for their organisation. The cooperation approach is whenRead MoreResearch On Nature And Nurture Debate1607 Words   |  7 Pagesenvironmental contribution that was necessary to promote what was inherent in the organism’. The main focus of the essay is exploration of holistic development incorporated in a child’s life such as; physical, emotional, intellectual, language and communication (NCM, 2014). Holistic development views the child as a whole individual (Meggitt 2012); and considers the child’s health and life as a whole, in the light of them being connected (Rosecole, 2010). Cognitive development is associated with manyRead MoreVygotsky And Vygotsky Theories Of Learning1257 Words   |  6 PagesTheories of learning In this essay, I will compare and contrast jean Piaget and lev Vygotsky theories of learning. First, I will discuss Piaget followed by Vygotsky then I will compare and contrast both theorists. Jean Piaget was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher, he is known for his contribution to a theory of cognitive development. Piaget became interested in the reasons why children gave the wrong answers to questions that required logical thinking. He believed that these incorrectRead MoreConflict Styles With Face Negotiation Theory1022 Words   |  5 PagesConflict Styles With Face Negotiation Theory Introduction: In many aspects of our life, it is pervasive to work in a team. No matter in company, school, or another type of team it is necessary to be a part of a team and to achieve a team goal by corporations. People join a team with different personalities, goals, values, beliefs and needs. On the one hand, these differences can be a valuable quality of teams. On the other hand, these same differences inevitably lead to different levels of conflictsRead MoreCommunication Theory and Theory Application Example Essay811 Words   |  4 PagesCommunication Theories and Application Worksheet Fill out the different cells with regard to each theory definition. You are to identify the theory the example represents, who developed the theory (theorist), explain the relevance of the theory, and then provide your own personal or professional application example of the theory. Theory Definition Identify the Theory Theorist(s) Relevance of Theory Application Example from your Personal or Professional Life Theory explains why as relationships

The Radical Chlorination Of Chlorobutane - 1018 Words

Introduction The radical chlorination of chlorobutane is performed using AIBN and sulfuryl chloride. The purpose in doing this is so that the 4 different products yielded could be observed and analyzed. The four products produced are, 1,1-dichlorobutane, 1,2-dichlorobutane, 1,3-dichlorobutane, and 1,4-dichlorobutane. For each product the chlorine adds in a different location relative to the original chlorine. This is due to a number of reasons, including the degree of carbon substitution and proximity to the chloro substituent.. The goal with this in the experiment was to find out why each product is given in different yields. Experimentally, to determine the effect of the chloro substituent on the reactivity per hydrogen, a gas†¦show more content†¦Relative reactivity was also done by taking the reactivity per H of each divided by the reactivity per H of the 1,4 product. All this data points to the fact that the 1,3 product is by far the favored product. As for the reactivi ty of the carbons, it is observed that in general the further away the chlorine substituent is from the original, the better the yield. In this case however, the one furthest away is not the most yielded. This is because the 1,3 dichlorobutane is at the furthest secondary carbon from the chlorine. The 1,2 and 1,4 products share similar yields likely because the 1,4 is the furthest, but also not secondary, and the 1,2 is secondary but closer to the chlorine, making it have a larger partial positive charge. The 1,1 is formed so little because it is putting a chlorine geminal to the chloro substituent, making it have the highest partial positive charge. Also for the 1,3 product, the radical formed is the most favored radical of the 4 products formed. Discussion As for the reaction itself, the formation of the radical follows the 3 step process of Initiation, Propagation, and Termination. The short run down of this is that the initiation step makes the radical via hydrogen abstraction, the propagation step forms products, and the termination ends the reaction and gives stable products. The rate determining step in this reaction is in the hydrogen abstraction. During hydrogenShow MoreRelatedAbstract. The Free Radical Chlorination Of 1-Chlorobutane1103 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract The free radical chlorination of 1-chlorobutane resulted in a mixture of at least 4 different possible products from the reaction. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry helped in figuring out which of the products are most abundant in the sample product created as well as in discovering the ratio of relative reactivities of the hydrogens. This experiment showed that the ratio of relative reactivities was found to be 1.0 : 3.5 : 6.2 : 2.4, which indicates that the secondary hydrogens are moreRead MoreRadical Halogenation and Gas Chromatography1319 Words   |  6 PagesRADICAL HALOGENATION AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY Abstract In radical halogenations lab 1-chlorobutane and 5% sodium hypochlorite solution was mixed in a vial and put through tests to give a product that can then be analyzed using gas chromatography. This experiment was performed to show how a radical hydrogenation reaction works with alkanes. Four isomers were attained and then relative reactivity rate was calculated. 1,1-dichlorobutane had 2.5% per Hydrogen; 1,2-dichlorobutane had 10%; 1,3-dichlorobutane

Social Justice Or Injustice Domestic Violence - 1489 Words

Social Justice or Injustice Domestic violence (DV) has and continues to affect millions of, women, men, children and the elderly every day. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, defines Domestic violence as, â€Å"hurtful, repeated and intentional behavior that one person uses to maintain power and control over another in an intimate relationship.† (National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d.) Abuse impacts many individuals from various backgrounds. Abuse comes in many forms, verbal, emotional, physical, sexual and, covers a wide range of tactics to establish and maintain power and control. A predominant form of DV is Intimate Partner Violence is also known as (IPV,) which affects millions of people every year, primarily women†¦show more content†¦What I have learned in this process is that each victims process of understanding and dealing with domestic violence is different. There is no formula to can accurately tell you how to react, feel, describe, process what happens to you in that moment and what to do after. After talking to a few women and a man, what I was able to gather from my understanding is that there is the moment that takes place where the act of abuse happens, silence and then an apology. Granted I do not know or believe that this is a case for every victim, but based on the conversations I had with three victims these are commonalities is found. While I listened to their stories of events that took place, I found myself shaking my head, saying â€Å"oh my god† at one point I even asked a person if you were okay; She laughed and said â€Å"yea that was a long time ago.† For the victims, these events may have happened a while back but in that moment the actions the emotions were fresh to me. Having these conversations triggered my feeling sadness, hurt, sacred and disgusted, but at the end I also felt happy and relieved. I went into this experience hoping that I would not be judgmental and remain un derstandable. I would consider myself to be a person who may â€Å"know what I would do in a situation if it happened to me† without having it happening to me or having a direct tie to it. Being aware that may me a possible bias and hoping thatShow MoreRelatedDomestic Violence : The Horrific Effects Of Abuse1464 Words   |  6 PagesDOMESTIC VIOLENCE: The Horrifying Effects of Abuse â€Å"To those who abuse: the sin yours, the crime is yours, and the shame is yours. To those who protect the perpetrators: blaming the victims only masks the evil within, making you as guilty as those who abuse. Stand up for the innocent or go down with the rest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These are the words of an individual who sees too clearly the injustice which comes with domestic violence toward women. The United States government estimates one in every four women willRead MoreDomestic Violence and Abuse: A Global Epidemic Essay877 Words   |  4 Pages Domestic violence is a serious issue that negatively impacts women in our society. â€Å"Domestic abuse is a violent confrontation between family or household members involving physical harm, sexual assault, or fear of physical harm† (Domestic Violence). Although domestic violence can impact men as well, this type of abuse seems to be more prevalent among women. This abuse destroys families and can even lead to death in some cases. Even though there has been improvement in spreading awareness about thisRead MoreThe Violence Against Women Act914 Words   |  4 PagesPolitical Context Long before its enactment on September 13, 1994, the foundation for the Violence Against Women Act was being constructed. More than 140 years ago, members of the U.S. government were working to end the injustice of violence against women when, in 1871, Alabama was the first state to make it illegal for a man to beat his wife (U.S. Department of Justice, 2010). In 1967, one of the first domestic violence shelters in the country opened its doors in Maine; and from that time until 1994, progressRead MoreAnti Islam : Anti Oppressive Practice Essay1683 Words   |  7 Pagesapproaches. But it is not limited within those approaches. Anti-Oppressive social work is a practice represents the theories and approaches of social justice. Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP) is reflecting deferent types of views and theories in a practice approach. According to Baines.D (2007, p.4) : ‘Rather than a single approach, aop is an umbrella term for a number of social justice-oriented approaches to social work, including feminist, Marxist, postmodernist, Indigenous, poststructuralistRead MoreRacism And The Latino Culture1485 Words   |  6 Pagessquare home. I have witnessed silence imprison people of this community which has allowed injustices to occur. Of the several oppressions that occur within my community, sexism often times is ignored. Within my community the Latino culture is established, and within the Latino culture a patriarchy is set in place; where males are superior to woman, a machismo culture dominants the power of women and domestic and sexual harassment occur. Within my community internal sexism is experienced by many womenRead MoreInjustices : The Wrong Human Rights1459 Words   |  6 Pag esInjustices: The Wrong Human Rights In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article one states, â€Å"[that] all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,† (â€Å"The Universal Declaration . . . â€Å"). Although this is written and followed in many countries around the world, there are still countries that do not follow this statement. These countries are the ones where freedom are not given freely. People have to fights for rights that should be automatically given. Goal number sixteenRead MoreGulabi Gang and the Fight on Violence against Women1258 Words   |  5 PagesGulabi Gang and the Fight on Violence against Women In Uttar Pradesh, India, a group of women wearing pink saris and sticks called lathis (batons used by policemen) have been making news worldwide because of its radical method of beating abusive men / husbands to their wives with their sticks. This group of women is called the Gulabi or Pink Gang, and their objective is to provide justice to abused wives / women by beating their husbands with sticks (and in some instances, throwing chili to theirRead MorePeter Muniz : Social Ethics1538 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Muniz Social Ethics For the first 3 chapters, Melchin has said nothing about Christianity, yet his book claims to be an introduction to Christian Ethics! Whereas Philosophy tends to talk in terms of â€Å"injustice,† Christianity prefers the language of â€Å"evil† and â€Å"sin.† This stems from the Christian cosmology which asserts that the natural order (the universe in which we live) is distorted, defective and/or fundamentally screwed-up due to the exercise of human free will. In other words, God’sRead MoreNew Concepts That Generate Inspiration, Skepticism, Cognitive Shifts, And Derision Essay1511 Words   |  7 PagesThesis Traditional justice is vastly different from restorative justice as the former focuses on retribution. Indigenous people had a distinct way of approaching justice within their societies, their practice of restorative ways centered on a community approach. Offenders were made to accept responsibility for their deviant actions. The philosophy behind the practice is the community, victim, and offender coming together as one was needed to restore order and all move forward in a positiveRead MoreHow Domestic Violence Affects Children As Well As The Mental Health Of Its Victims1744 Words   |  7 PagesWhitney M. Young Jr School of Social Work LaShoney Frink Review of Literature The purpose of this literature is to deliver an extensive overview of the research topic. This chapter will provide a historical background on domestic violence, a historical perspective of the services provided and an overview of different forms of domestic violence. The goal of this literature review is to examine the statistical information that is presented as it relates to domestic violence. This literature review

Distillation Column free essay sample

The components that need to be separated are 1-propanol and 2-propanol. These two compounds are isomers with fairly close boiling points. They are separated based on their physical propertis. With the battch distillation might be almost impossible to do the sepapration. Capacity of the reboiler is 20 L. The Supply of pressure and steam is regulated by a newly-established controll system consisting of a steam pressure sensor, a Fieldpoint data communication and aquisition module from National Instrument, an electromagnetic control valve, and a LabView control algorithm designed by dr. Jang. The data was taken frm one of the six computers near the column which had the control algorithm. The Fieldpoint module needed to be connected with the column via Internet. In this column at different stages there are 10 thermocouples (K type) inserted in each tray. Manual steam valve open 40%. Proportional gain or band (Kc) 2 Integral (reset) time ( Ti min) 0. 2 Derivative (rate) time (Td min) 0 Steam pressure set at 9 psig. We will write a custom essay sample on Distillation Column or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Used Peng Robinson model Inside the column, the downflowing reflux liquid provides cooling and condensation of the upflowing vapors thereby increasing the efficacy of the distillation column. The more reflux is provided for a given number of distilaliton plates, the better is the columns separation of lower boiling materials from higher boiling materials. Conversely, for a given desired separation, the more reflux is provided, the fewer distillation plates are required as in our cases 8 plates. A reboiler at the bottom of the distillation column provides the heat needed to generate the upflowing vapors inside the column. The reboiler can be a heat exchanger. Fig. 1 The liquid feed mixture to be distilled 1 propol and 2 propanol is placed into the round-bottomed flask along. As the mixture is heated and boils, vapor rises up the column. Some of the vapor cools and condenses on the glass platforms (known as plates or trays) inside the column and runs back down into the liquid below, thereby refluxing the upflowing distillate vapor. The hottest tray is at the bottom of the column and the coolest tray is at the top. At steady state conditions, the vapor and liquid on each tray is at equilibrium. Only the most volatile with hte lowest boiling temperature of the vapors stays in gaseous form all the way to the top. The vapor at the top of the column then passes into the water-cooled condenser, where it condenses into a liquid. The process continues until all of the most volatile components in the liquid feed boil out of the mixture. When a liquid mixture 1 propanol and 2 propanol is heated so that it boils, the evolved vapor will have a higher concentration of the more volatile 2 propanol (i. e. , lower boiling point) components than the liquid mixture from which it evolved. Conversely, when a vapor mixture is cooled, the less volatile components tend to condense in a greater proportion than the more volatile components. The heated feed is partially vaporized and rises up the column. However, as it rises, it cools by contacting the descending cooler liquid and partially condenses so that, while part of vapor continues to flow upward, the condensed portion is enriched in the less volatile component(s) and flows downward. As the vapor continues to flow upward, it undergoes partial condensation a number of times and each time becomes richer in the more volatile component). The column is kept at steady state temperatures, pressures, and compositions at every point within the column are essentially kept constant during operation.

Training Evaluation Designs

Free sample - British Petroleum History. translation missing

British Petroleum History. British Petroleum HistoryBP’s (British Petroleum) origins can be traced back to 1901 when William Know tried to explore oil in Persia. The first commercial oil discovery was made in the Middle East by BP in 1908. In 1935, the company prospered and was renamed the Anglo- Iranian Oil Company. Its exploration operations expanded into North America (mainly Alaska), South America, Africa, and Europe. Â  The oil crisis in the 1970s led to a renewed expansion in oil exploration into the North Sea and Alaska, and the diversification of energy sources into coal, gas, and solar sources. This led to acquisition of Standard Oil in 1987, formation of BP America and the acquisition of Britoil in 1988. In 1998, BP and Amoco merged to create BP Amoco, an international energy and petrochemicals group with global operations. At the time, it was the largest ever industrial merger. In 2000, BP Amoco acquired Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol, and changed its name to BP in 2001. BP acquired Veba Oel’s retail and refining assets in Germany and central Europe in 2001. This made BP the market leader in Germany and Austria and substantially strengthened its position in Poland and several other central European countries. BP also signed a number of agreements covering investments totaling around $1 billion to strengthen its presence in the growing Chinese energy market. The company also transferred the Mardi gas pipeline system in the Gulf of Mexico from exploration and production to refining and marketing, and a small US operation supplying petrochemicals feedstock from gas, power, and renewable (GPR) to olefins and derivatives. Subsequently in 2007, BP and its Libyan partner, the Libya Investment Corporation (LIC), signed a major exploration and production agreement with Libya’s National Oil Company (NOC). BP, on behalf of the Shah Deniz partnership, announced a major new gas-condensate discovery in the Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea, in the same year. BP Egypt made a significant gas discovery at record depths in the Nile Delta, in early 2008. Subsequently, BP and its partner, Marathon Petroleum West of Shetlands, announced new oil discovery in Block 204/23, following drilling on the South-West Foinaven prospect. In 2008, BP and ConocoPhillips formed of a joint venture company called Denali – The Alaska Gas Pipeline. Later on, BP and Verenium (a company engaged in producing alternative energy fuels), created a strategic partnership to accelerate the development and commercialization of celluloses ethanol. In June 2009, BP announced the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary, BP West Java (BPWJ), to Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina (Persero). In the same month, BP announced the sale of its ground fuels marketing business in Greece to Hellenic Petroleum for E359 million (approximately $500 million). Bp also made a giant oil discovery at its Tiber Prospect in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico, in September 2009. The well, was drilled to a total depth of approximately 35,055 feet (10,685 Meters) making it one of the deepest wells ever drilled by the oil and gas industry. In August 2010, BP agreed to sell its oil and gas exploration, production, and transportation business in Colombia to a consortium of Ecopetrol, Colombia's national oil company (51%), and Talisman of Canada (49%).

Evaluate the current Talent Management (TM) strategy at any well-known Essay

Evaluate the current Talent Management (TM) strategy at any well-known organization in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example These efforts are increasingly being directed towards growth of the companies along with the growth of the individuals. Today the same emphasis is provided by organisations to each phase of an individual employee continuum with the employment of such strategies that identifies high performing employees and providing them with greater opportunities for growth through career planning. Moreover, greater importance has also been generated towards the overall development of employees over long terms and towards their assistance for reaching their career goals and objectives. Organisations have shown their belief towards the development of a fulfilling and happy employee (Mabry, 2001, p.55). This has been achieved through recruitment, on boarding, developing career paths, and development of succession planning. The aim is to develop a happy and satisfied employee who would eventually be able to attain a high customer satisfaction and which would eventually result in adding to the organisat ion’s bottom line. ... Talent management encompasses the complete employee life cycle, starting from recruitment, managing performance, competency development, redeployment, succession planning, training, leanings management, career development, and finally employee retention and engagement (Davis, 2007, p.74). The present project aims to discuss and evaluate the talent management strategy undertaken in Saudi Aramco. It would emphasise on the various ways in which the company has been trying to attract and retain and develop the talents. It also presents an assessment of the effectiveness of the strategy in the present organisational context. The talent management strategy is prescribed for the organisation only after making a thorough study of organisation. It presents such strategies for implementation based on the identified talent gaps. The initiatives would be directed towards retaining the high performers in the core and strategic roles. The most promising challenge confronting the human resource pro fessionals in the organisation would be implementing the strategy successfully. Saudi Aramco- About the Company Saudi Aramco is a state owned oil company in Saudi Arabia which is a completely integrated and global petroleum organisation. The company has evolved as a leader in the production, exploration, shipping, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum in the world. The company manages reserves of crude oil amounting to 260.1 barrel. The fourth largest gas reserves in the globe, is also managed by the company, which amounts for a volume of 275.2 trillion cubic feet (Saudi Aramco, 2011, p.2). The company is committed to deliver the most reliable supply of petroleum and petroleum

First paper- about Mr.Sir. Second paper- about Stanley Yelnats. Last Essay

First paper- about Mr.Sir. Second paper- about Stanley Yelnats. Last two paper summery of the book HOLES' - Essay Example It can be said that he is selfish man as once after a nine hour cross-desert journey he didn’t offer the driver anything to drink while drinking water in full view of Stanley. He is always carrying a gun so that he doesn’t miss a chance to gun-down the yellow spotted poisonous lizards. He keeps reminding the boys that Camp Green Lake is not a ‘Girl Scout Camp’; this is a type of catchword used by him. Mr. Stanley Yelnats: He is the focalcharacter of the novel. Stanley is a fifteen years old overweight boy who doesn’t have any friends at school and is always intimidated by his classmates. His family was cursed by a gypsy named Madame Zeroni after which the Yelnats had a history of bad-luck. Stanley believes that it is because of this curse he ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even though his family is poor they always look at the brighter side of life and remain optimistic. Stanley is sent to the juvenile detentioncenter as he was accused of stealing a pair of shoes.The warden of the detention center believes that digging holes in the hardened soil will help build the character of the boys at the camp therefore the boys at the camp spend the whole day digging five feet deep holes in the hardened earth. ... The power of their bond of friendship benefits Stanley to develop the characteristics of courage, contentment, self-assurance and physical strength. SUMMARY Stanley was being sent to Camp Green Lake, adry place in Texas where young boys were penalized for character building, after being wrongly accused of stealing shoes belonging to a baseball player. His family has a history of bad-luck because of an old curse originating from his fore-fathers. Stanley believes that as a result of the curse he faced the misfortune of being accused which resulted in him being sent to the juvenile detention and correction facility for behavioral adjustment. However unlike the name, there is no lake there and the boys spend each day digging five foot deep holes in the sunbaked, hardened and dried lakebed. The warden at the camp believes that this would help the boys build their character however the ulterior motive behind this was to find the hidden treasure belonging to the legendary Kissin’ Ka te Barlow. While digging one of the holes Stanley finds a golden lipstick with the mark K.B etched on it however as Stanley doesn’t know anything about the treasure he gives the tube to another boy to give it back to the Warden. Seeing the lipstick tube the warden asks the boys to dig desperately in the area where she assumes the item was found whereas only Stanley knows where he found it. At the camp Stanley befriends the least popular boy named Zero (Hector Zeroni). One day Zero confesses to Stanley that he is uneducated and it was because of his fault that Stanley is imprisoned. After hearing this he decides to teach him but on a condition that Zero has to help him in digging the holes. Their friendship upsets the other boys at the camp and this result in

Critical Analysis of Business and IT (BIT) Alignment

Critical Analysis of Business and IT (BIT) Alignment Abstract This paper is a critical analysis of two academic papers from peer-reviewed journals, each investigating the Business and IT (BIT) alignment topic that has been a top concern for IT practitioners for two decades (Cahn, 2000). The papers have been selected as they adopt contrasting research strategies qualitative and quantitative. The objective of this analysis is to highlight the positive/negative points in both papers in terms of the researchs aim, objectives, design, and method and to propose an alternative research strategy for each paper. The investigation concludes that both papers had positive and negative points, regardless of their philosophical positions and design strategies. Choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods or mixing them depends on the studys questions; both methodologies have their strengths and weaknesses. The main issue for any research is the credibility of its findings, regardless of the researchers philosophical position. Introduction and Analysis Structure This paper is a critical analysis of two academic papers from peer-reviewed journals, each investigating the Business and IT (BIT) alignment topic that has been a top concern for IT practitioners for two decades. (Cahn, 2000) For many years, a number of researchers have emphasised the importance of BIT fit in organisations to achieve competitive advantage (Luftman et al., 2005). Reich Benbasat (1996) define alignment as the degree of IT strategy necessary to support a businesss mission, objectives and plans. Many studies have been conducted to understand and assess the relationship between business and IT in organisations, most of which have adopted a quantitative methodology to validate empirically the relationship between IT investment and organisational performance and to provide credible evidence of the positive impact of aligning IT strategy to business strategy. Therefore, it was difficult to find a good qualitative research paper in this area (Cahn, 2000). The first paper (paper 1), entitled Understanding the business-IT relationship (Coughlan et al., 2005), follows a qualitative methodology and the second paper (paper 2), entitled Factors affecting IT and Business alignment: a comparative study in SMEs and large organisations (Gutierrez et al., 2009), follows a quantitative methodology. It is important to note that this work is not a comparison of the two papers; therefore, the papers are analysed separately to achieve a clearer picture. This paper is organised in the following way. Section 3 covers paper 1, highlighting its positive/negative points in terms of the researchs aim, objectives, design, and method. In addition, an alternative research strategy is proposed. Section 4 covers paper 2 in a similar way. The conclusions and implications of adopting different research strategies are discussed in section 5. Paper 1 Introduction This paper provides an insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship (alignment) in organisations taking a communication-based view on the concept of BIT alignment (Coughlan et al., 2005:303). In other words, it provides contextual insight into the BIT relationship, with particular reference to the organisational communication process. The authors noted that organisations need to develop and sustain a strong BIT relationship to benefit from the value-added development in todays demanding economy. BIT alignment is a complex process that involves creating many crossover links between different parts of the organisation and requires a strong BIT relationship. However, this relationship has suffered a divide that stems from the failure to justify high IT expenditure compared to business benefit. According to Coughlan et al. (2005), communication problems are the main contributor to the BIT relationship divide; therefore, a social-oriented approach was proposed to understand the flo w of information in organisations. This is an interpretive research paper adopting a case study strategy with which to collect and analyse qualitative data via semi-structured interviews, in order to achieve an in-depth understanding of the communication process in the BIT relationship context. The lack of the literatures attention to communication issues in the BIT relationship context was the driver for this inductive approach (Saunders et al., 2007). Research Purpose The research aim is to provide insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship in organisations via the following objectives: Identifying the areas and issues that affect communications in organisations (Coughlan et al., 2005:307). Categorising communication issues in organisations (Coughlan et al., 2005:306). Mapping the connections between organisational issues to the way in which they relate to IT (Coughlan et al., 2005:306). Investigating how different facets of the communication process interact in real life (Coughlan et al., 2005:307). Rationale for conducting this study The importance of the research topic was well justified by addressing the following points: Communication problems within the BIT relationship context are a major concern for both researchers and practitioners (Coughlan et al., 2005). Communication problems are a main contributor to the BIT relationship divide (Coughlan et al., 2005). Poor BIT communications are normal in the financial sector; therefore, the banking industry has created a new organisational role the Relationship Manager (RM) to deal with relationship communication problems (Coughlan et al., 2005). Despite the importance of communication within the BIT relationship and implications for the RMs role, there has been little attention given in the literature (Coughlan et al., 2005). Previous social studies (structuration theory and actor network theory) have provided theoretical analyses of the complexity between an organisation and its IT infrastructure, therefore a more practical approach required to empower practitioners with solutions. Research design A four-dimensional communication framework (PICTURE), based on Shannon Weavers (1994) classic model of communications, was used to guide the study. PICTURE was originally devised to improve IT system design: The acronym PICTURE represents real life communication components and their application: (1) Participation and selection; (2) Interaction; (3) Communications activities; (4) Techniques Used for Relationship Establishment. (Coughlan et al., 2005:306). The framework was used to guide the identification of important areas in the complex communication process. A clearly articulated conceptual framework is an important tool for guiding semi- structured interview themes, and provides a structured approach to interpreting the findings (Smyth, 2004). The study was conducted on a major high street UK bank, referred to as FinCo for reasons of confidentiality. Furthermore, the study was conducted at one point in time, focusing on two key areas of the organisation retail banking and IT. The retail banking division was chosen specifically because it is the biggest customer of the IT division, and research suggests that retail banking has deep organisational divisions (Coughlan et al., 2005). FinCo is an informative case for the following reasons: It has a rapid and extensive uptake of IT. IT is closely integrated into the organisation to support its information management processes. FinCo starting a relation management programme to facilitate BIT communications. FinCo has separated BID activities, creating a divide. Yin (2003 34-14) defined a case study as an empirical inquiry which investigates a phenomenon within its dynamic real life context to allow researchers to understand complex issues, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. A case study strategy with underlying interpretive philosophical assumptions was an appropriate choice for this study, since the aim of this work is to provide insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship in organisations (Coughlan et al., 2005:303), adopting a behavioural and social-oriented view, with communication difficulties featuring as a major determinant (Coughlan et al., 2005:304). The authors addressed the framework limitation by noting that the framework was used in this study to identify areas that affect the communication process and not as a measurement tool. Recognising and noting the research limitations is always good practice, as it gives future researchers a starting point to continue the study in this area. Research Method and Data Collection According to Coughlan et al. (2005), the communication process is dynamic and complex, involving individuals with different perspectives. A qualitative data collection method was adopted to provide deep understanding of the processs state, with reference to FinCos retail and IT relationship. This method is appropriate because it focuses on uncovering participants perceptions and experiences, which are difficult to uncover with a quantitative method (Ghauri Gronhaug, 2002). Coughlan et al. (2005) used semi-structured interviews to collect data, which were conducted with top-level managers from both retail banking and IT to capture their perceptions of both organisational areas. Each interview session lasted an hour based on a set of prepared questions and extra questions to expand on the relevant question. The questions were designed to probe for experiences, thoughts and opinions relating to BIT relationship perceptions. There was no explanation as to why the semi-structured interview methodology was chosen over unstructured interview or focus group methodologies, which are better suited as unstructured interviews are often used in case studies to uncover information without limiting the field of inquiry (Punch, 2005). Although Coughlan et al. (2005) noted that the interviews covered the spectrum of top-level managers, there was no mention of the sampling method used to justify the chosen number of interviews. My assumption is that the judgemental sampling method was used, since it is a very popular choice in qualitative research and involves the choice of participants who are in the best position to provide the required information (Saunders et al., 2007). The authors did not discuss reliability, which is a common criticism of qualitative researches. However, qualitative researches argue that reliability is not an issue in qualitative methodology because research replication is not feasible due to the complexity of the research topic and context. Nevertheless, credibility could have been promoted through any of the following: audio recording of the interviews to reduce interviewer bias during data analysis (Ghauri Gronhaug, 2002); providing the interviewees with a list of interview themes to allow them to gather supporting organisational documents that could be used as secondary data (Triangulation); using a respondent validation technique by submitting research findings to the interviewees to confirm that the findings represent the social reality (Bryman Bell, 2007). Alternative Research Strategy The research problem should always drive the research method (Cryer, 2006). As discussed earlier, the aim of the study is to provide insight into the Business and IT (BIT) relationship in organisations identifying relevant areas and the issues (variables) that affect communications in organisations. A pure quantitative strategy is not an option for this study, as this can only be used when the studys variables are identified clearly. In other words, researchers generally have a very clear idea on what is being measured before they start measuring it. Nevertheless, a mixed methodology can be used to improve confidence in findings and to overcome qualitative strategy limitations. Mixed method studies attempt to bring together methods from contrasting research strategies. The authors could have started with a qualitative research method, e.g. in-depth interviews with BIT managers from different organisational levels followed by a thematic content analysis of the transcribed interview ma terial to help understand and identify communication issues in the organisation. Once they identify the communication areas and issues with reference to the BIT relationship in this organisation, they can test the credibility of the findings by conducting a questionnaire survey of other BIT managers in other organisations. An online questionnaire with close-ended questions is best here for ease of administration. Qualitative and quantitative methods can be complementary when used in sequence (Bryman Bell, 2007). Summary The research objectives and questions were not explicitly or clearly exhibited in this paper. In a well structured research paper, a research objective should be clearly defined and expressed within the research purpose section, and it is very important to clearly define the research questions to help form research objectives (Saunders et al., 2007). A comprehensive literature review was conducted to justify the importance of the research topic. A case study strategy with unstructured interviews would have been more suitable for an interpretive approach, but the research method section was very short, which affected transferability; qualitative researchers are encouraged to provide a detailed description of their methodology and findings to give others the option of adapting these findings to their environment. For example, a clear mapping between PICTURE components and the semi-structured interview questions would add more credibility to the study (Bryman Bell, 2007). Paper 2 Introduction The main aim of this study is to identify the organisational size impact on the way they perceive Business and IT strategic alignment and the relationship between the alignment factors and their planning integration strategy (Gutierrez et al., 2009). Gutierrez et al. 2009 noted that IT alignment remains one of the top issues for top-level IT managers, and for the past two decades many studies on Business and IT alignment have been conducted, starting with alignment definition, how to achieve it, factors affecting it, and its value to organisations. Most of these studies provided a theoretical understanding of this process, and a few of them provided practical solutions to measure alignment; however, these models could not be generalised as they were case-specific. According to Gutierrez et al. (2009), various alignment factors have been identified, e.g. prior IS success, the communication level between business executives, domain-shared knowledge and planning integration. Most of these studies were based on large organisations. The research approach is positivistic, seeking to identify and measure the importance of the business and IT alignment factors (variables) with reference to organisational size. It utilises an appropriate quantitative methodology, i.e. conducting a survey of a sample of top-level management respondents to collect data via an online questionnaire (Saunders et al., 2007). Research Purpose A positive aspect of the study is that the objectives were clearly depicted as below: To identify whether small, medium and large enterprises have different perceptions as to which of the factors described by Luftman (2000) in the strategic alignment model (SAM) are more relevant to attain alignment (Gutierrez et al., 2009:198). To identify whether there are any correlations between the factors and the planning integration strategy adopted in the organisations (Gutierrez et al., 2009:198). Although the research objectives were clearly defined in this paper, the research questions were not explicitly or clearly exhibited. Clear research questions leave the reader in no doubt as to exactly what the study seeks to achieve (Saunders et al., 2007). Research design Gutierrez et al. (2009) analysed many scholarly alignment assessment models systematically, which were categorised to identify practical models that used data analysis to score factors affecting alignment. The analyses helped to identify four sets of authors Reich Benbasat 2000, Hussin et al. (2002), Chan et al. (2006) and Sledgianowski et al. (2006) whose models are appropriate for the context of the study (see Appendix1). The latters work was based on Luftmans Strategic Alignment Model (SAM). The authors demonstrated that a critical literature review was conducted to justify the choice of Luftmans SAM and to include organisational size and planning integration factors, as they were not explored in enough detail. Justifying the above measures is a positive aspect of the paper (Saunders et al., 2007, p.54). Gutierrez et al. (2009) chose SAM as an assessment model for this research for the following reasons: It can be used to assess any level of alignment in an organisation. It has been validated via Sledgianowski et al. (2006)s extensive study. It covered most of the alignment factors used in the other three models (see Appendix A). The study adopted a comparative cross-sectional design to collect quantitative data from a large number of cases (managers) at a single point of time; the data were related to predefined variables (factors and attributes) (Bryman Bell, 2007). Research Method and Data Collection An initial questionnaire with twenty-one questions was tested by twenty-two professionals to assess the participants understanding of it. The feedback resulted in changing the questionnaire to include only twelve relevant questions to map to SAM factors: communication, competency/value measurement, governance, partnership, scope and skills (Gutierrez et al., 2009:203). In addition, the analysis of the pilot test data confirmed the importance of planning integration and its three stages independent, sequential and simultaneous. Pilot testing is crucial to a self-administered questionnaire in order to ensure there are no problems with the questions. Furthermore, it enables the researcher to assess the questions validity and the reliability of the collected data. An additional short questionnaire could have been used to obtain structured feedback (Saunders et al., 2007). Gutierrez et al. (2009) explained that conducting an online survey with a standardised set of questions was appropriate for this study, as there is no room for individual interpretation and it provides easy access to a large number of participants in different geographical locations. This is a positive point in terms of justifying the choice of the research method, but there was no explicit explanation as to the relationship between this method and the implicit positivistic research approach. This is a general criticism of quantatative papers. While Gutierrez et al. (2009) discussed the reasons for choosing executives, managers and top managers as targeted participants, it was not clear as to whether they were business or IT managers. This distinction should have been made very clear, as the questionnaire was designed to measure both IT and business peoples perceptions of the alignment factors importance, e.g. in the communication factor section of the questionnaire, participants were asked to rate two attributes. The first question rated the understanding of business strategies by the IT department (this should be answered by IT people to accurately represent the reality), while the second question rated the understanding of IT capabilities by the business department (this should be answered by business people) (Gutierrez et al., 2009:205). This is a two-way measurement and requires participants from both sides this is an extremely negative point that could affect the findings reliability and validity and could have been avoided by either describing the targeted participants in more depth, i.e. justifying this choice in terms of their suitability to provide representative answers, or by redesigning the questionnaire so that some questions could be answered by different respondent categories. Neither the limitations nor the sampling process are discussed. It is important to follow a sampling process that includes the following sequential activities: defining the population, choosing a sampling frame, selecting a sampling method, determining sample size, specifying an operational plan, and finally executing the plan. Following this process will help in achieving a representative sample and consequently help the researcher to be confident about the studys findings. Another positive outcome of this process is the ability to calculate the response rate, which is a decisive factor in evaluating the reliability of survey results, i.e. findings are seen as more accurate if the response rate is high. The response rate was mentioned very briefly: organisations around the world were requested to participate in the survey by telephone to achieve a better response rate (Gutierrez et al., 2009:206). In addition, the data collection section mentioned that a total number of 161 response s were collected and only complete questionnaires were used for data analysis. The questionnaire design was appropriate in terms of including the studys identified alignment factors. It had two parts, the first of which contained questions with regards to the respondents organisational profiles and the level of planning integration. The second part covered the factors prioritisation. Another positive aspect of the research design is that organisational size was defined to achieve consistency when referring to a small, medium or large organisation. Data Collection The data collection section was very brief; hence it would be very difficult to replicate the study. Moreover, the phrase organisations around the world (Gutierrez et al., 2009:205) is a very weak description of the population. According to Gutierrez et al. (2009), a total number of 161 responses were collected and only 104 complete questionnaires were used for the data analysis. The data collection section should be detailed to allow for replication, which provides some assurance of the results validity, reliability and generalisability. In addition, Gutierrez et al. (2009) used the term survey instead of questionnaire on more than one occasion throughout the paper. It should have been noted that there is a clear distinction between a survey and questionnaire the first is a method and the second is a tool used for this method (Saunders et al., 2007). Alternative Research Strategy The research strategy should always be driven by the research aim. An interpretive qualitative strategy is not applicable in this study, as the main objective of this study is to measure the relationship between well-defined variables. Qualitative methods are used mainly to study human behaviour and behaviour changes, and are more applicable if the research topic is new and there is not much in the literature to guide the researcher. As discussed earlier, many studies on Business and IT alignment factors have been conducted for the past two decades, during the process of which the alignment factors have been identified. Summary This paper is well structured in general and the research objectives clear. However, the research questions did not explicitly present the research strategy. The research design had a few negative points, e.g. a targeted population and the size were not defined clearly. Ideally, research papers should include a measure and measurement section to address the targeted population, concept indicators and instrument reliability and validity. However, not all researchers follow the recommended practices, e.g. some rarely provide information about stability tests and measurement validity and only 3% of research papers provide measurement validity information (Bryman Bell, 2007). The data collection method is appropriate for achieving the research objectives, as conducting a survey is a popular choice amongst positivist methods. Nevertheless, a clear justification for the choice of this data collection method in the light of the research design would add more credibility to the paper. No at tention was given to error control, e.g. sampling-related and data collection errors. The best part of the paper is the abstract section, which is very structured and clear. Additional structured interviews with Business and IT executives in other similar organisations, utilising the same questions used in the questionnaire, would help in overcoming the above gaps and confirm the studys findings. Conclusion Two research papers that followed contrasting research methodologies were analysed critically. Both papers had positive and negative points, regardless of their philosophical positions and design strategies. In any credible research paper, well-defined and clear objectives are vital, as they should lead the research design and, consequently, the method. Hence, defining the research problem is the first and most important step of the research process, as it is highly likely that an unsuitable research design and method will be selected if the research problems are not defined clearly. Choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods or mixing them depends on the studys questions; both methodologies have their strengths and weaknesses. For example, qualitative research provides complex textual descriptions of peoples behaviour that cant be provided by a contrasting methodology, since quantitative research focuses frequently on the study of meanings in the form of attitude scales. The main issue of any research is the credibility of its findings, regardless of the researchers philosophical position. This can be achieved by utilising multi methods (data collection triangulation within the same research strategy) or mixed methods (qualitative followed by quantitative and vice versa) (Saunders et al., 2007). Researchers are trying to find effective ways to incorporate elements of the contrasting strategies to ensure the accuracy of their studies. As a result, mixed, or combined, methodology research is becoming increasingly popular in the business and management field (Bryman Bell, 2007).

Figuring Out My World: Alison May Essay -- Disease/Disorders

Figuring Out My World: Alison May Alison’s story is the perfect example of what many families must go through when faced with the possibility of having a child diagnosed with a learning disability. Alison was not diagnosed with visual and auditory dyslexia until the summer before entering college. However, while still a toddler, her symptoms had been brought to her mother’s attention by her sister’s teacher. Alison’s mother then noticed her habits in repeating words incorrectly and how Alison would need tactile clues to follow directions. At the recommendation of her kindergarten teacher, Alison was tested for learning disabilities and the results from the school psychologists were that she was acting stubborn or disobedient. Her family did not stop with the school’s diagnosis. They had private testing completed that confirmed Alison did not have a specific learning disability. The final word came from a relative that happened to be a psychologist. He insisted Alison would grow out of her difficulties. So Alison continued on with her entire elementary, middle and high school journey as a student and daughter with an undiagnosed learning disability. Alison spent 12 years of her life learning how to learn. She was comfortable with conversation, but could not understand directions. This caused her a lot of self-esteem issues as a young child trying to fit in with all the other kids. She felt an enormous amount of pressure at both school and home. At age seven, she finally came to the realization that she just did not understand. That is when she began to develop coping mechanisms like asking others to repeat and clarify directions, spoken or written. She used the cues of those around her, and observed her classmates and reactions... ...yslexia http://www.tsrhc.org/dyslexia-take-flight.htm †¢ Intel Reader from Intel-GE Care Innovation http://www.careinnovations.com/assistive-reading-technology Agencies for Dyslexia †¢ Catapult Learning http://www.catapultlearning.com/ †¢ Children’s Dyslexia Centers of New Jersey http://www.mlcnj.org/ †¢ Dyslexia My Life http://dyslexiamylife.org/resour3.html †¢ Bridges4Kids http://www.bridges4kids.org/states/nj.htm †¢ National Disability Rights Network http://www.ndrn.org/ Organizations for Dyslexia †¢ Dyslexia International http://www.dyslexia-international.org/index.html †¢ The International Dyslexia Association http://www.interdys.org/ †¢ American Dyslexia Association http://www.american-dyslexia-association.com/ †¢ Davis Dyslexia Association International http://www.dyslexia.com/ †¢ National Center for Learning Disabilities http://www.ncld.org/

Philips vs Matsushita

Philips vs Matsushita: A New Century, A New Round HBS 9-302-049 Discussion Questions: 1. How did Philips become the leading consumer electronics company after the Second World War and what were its key capabilities? (NOs-organizational development) Post-war situation: * (At the very beginning, Philips made only light-bulbs, this one-product focus and Gerard’s technological prowess enabled the company to create significant innovations. * The labs developed a tungsten metal filament bulb that was a great commercial success and gave Philips the financial strength to compete against its giant rivals. Philips started to export in 1899. * In 1912, Philips started building sales organizations in the US, Canada, and France. In many foreign countries Philips created local joint venture to gain market acceptance. * In 1919, Philips entered into the Principal Agreement with General Electric, giving each company the use of the other’s patents. Philips conducted a decentralized sale s organization with autofocus marketing companies in 14 European countries, China, Brazil, and Australia. * During the period, Philips broadened its product line significantly. During the late 1930s, it transferred its overseas assets to two trusts, moved most of its vital research laboratories and top management. Therefore, individual country organizations became more independent during the war. * Built post-war organization on the strengths of the national organizations. (NOs) * Their greatly increased self-sufficiency during the war had allowed most to become adept at responding to country-specific market conditions-a capacity that became a valuable asset in the post-war era. After War: * Cross-functional coordination capability. Foreign operations. * Decrease the number of products marketed, build scale by concentrating production, and increase products flows across NOs. * Close the least efficient local plants and convert the best into International Production Centres, each sup plying many NOs. * Close inefficient operations and focused on core operations. * Designed various businesses as core and non-core. * * In 1912, as the electric lamp industry began to show signs of overcapacity, Philips started building sales organizations in the US, Canada, and France. In many foreign countries Philips created local joint ventures to gain market acceptance. * Built post-war organization on the strengths of the national organizations. (NOs) Their greatly increased self-sufficiency during the war had allowed most to become adept at responding to country-specific market conditions-a capacity that became a valuable asset in the post-war era. * In the environment where consumer preferences and economic conditions varied, the independent NOs had a great advantage in being able to sense and respond to the differences. Eventually, responsiveness extended beyond adaptive marketing. * NOs had the real power, they reported directly to the management board to ensure that top management remained in contact with the highly autonomous NOs. Each NO also regularly sent envoys to Eindhoven to represent its interests. * International Concern Council to formalize-regular meetings with the heads of all major NOs. * Cross-functional coordination capability * Foreign operations Problems In the late 1960s, the creation of the European Common Market eroded trade barriers and diluted the rationale for independent country subsidiaries. New transistor-based technologies demanded larger production runs than most national plants could justify, and many of Philips’ competitors were moving production of electronics to new facilities in low-wage areas in Asia and South America. * Simultaneously, Philips’ ability to bring its innovative products to market began to falter. Too decentralized, slow responding to global market because of cooperation complexity between NOs and PDs (CEO words) * The European market tended to become more centralized due to the disappearance of trade barriers in late 1960s. Philips’s formal globalized organization (strategy) shows its weakness and prevents Philips from further development. * IPC to control NOs—tilting matrix to PD, more centralized * Lack of global cooperation, like more manufacturing in developing countries * No strategy—life style—downsize unrelated products Marketing problem 2. How was Matsushita able to overtake Philips? What were its strategic competences and how were these embedded in its organisation structure? * How: Matsushita recognized the potential mass-market of VCR and considerably expanded through increasing VCR sales and licencing the VHS format to other manufacture. However, at that time Philips’ ability to bring its innovative products to market began to fa lter. Even if it invented the most superior format V2000 videocassette, it failed to commercialized it and had to outsource a VHS product which it manufactured under license from Matsushita * Strategic competences of Matsushita: internal competition among small business spurs growth by leveraging technology to develop new products, strong control as well as support from Japan promoted total efficiency * Organisation structure: Matsushita used the divisional structure(small businesses, corporate funds, CRL & product development) and maintained strong control over their operations through two ways of reporting, directly to appropriate product division or to METC 3. How did Matsushita’s capabilities and structure later lead to disadvantages? * As Matsushita grows bigger and bigger, more materials purchasing from the local and overseas countries claims more localization, communication between subsidiaries and Japan became difficult and control from Japan deteriorates * Expansion faced b ottleneck and Matsushita needed more creativity to promote growth, but the operation localizations lack of innovative capability as they act primarily as the implementation arms of Japanese-based product divisions 4. Why do both firms find it difficult to build new capabilities and what advice would you offer them?

Dear Abby Letters for Learning English

This lesson plan focuses on modeling a lesson on Dear Abby, written by Abigail Van Burenin, in order to practice a wide range of English skills including reading, vocabulary extension, writing, and pronunciation. Its a fun exercise that helps students practice concepts they have learned in class and is suitable for upper intermediate to advanced level students. Introduction to Dear Abby For those of you who have never heard of Dear Abby, Dear Abby is an advice column in the United States which is syndicated in many newspapers throughout the country. People from all walks of life write in with their problems — family, financial, but mostly relationships — to ask for advice from Dear Abby. Writers usually sign the letters to Dear Abby with a descriptive phrase such as Hoping to feel better soon or Looking for an answer. Abby then replies to the letters with sound advice that is usually quite reasonable, even for very complicated situations. Why Advice Columns in Class? Using advice columns in class allows students have quite a bit of fun with some crazy — or not so crazy — situations while, at the same time, practicing some very high-level skills and integrating quite a lot of new vocabulary related to relationships, family life, etc. I have found students enjoy themselves. However, they also feel challenged as they will need to communicate in both written and spoken form. Lesson Outline Aim: Practice reading, writing, and pronunciation with special focus on giving advice Activity: Reading, then creating and finally presenting and commenting orally on advice column letters Level: Upper intermediate to advanced Outline Begin by introducing advice columns by asking students whether they have ever read an advice column. If they are unfamiliar with this term, describe a typical reader letter and advice response as most students will be familiar with this type of column.Read or show the students an example Dear Abby letter provided as an example at the bottom of this page.Split students into pairs.Visit Dear Abby online and present a few letters and responses to your student. Its best if you use a projector in class, but using one or more computers can work as well.Ask each pair to read both the reader letter and the response of different columns. Students should take note of new vocabulary and expressions to share with the rest of the class.Once students understand their advice column, have them switch partners and each partner should explain the basic problem and response of the advice letter they read.After students have worked through their readings, list new vocabulary and discuss idiomatic usage with the entire class.Have each student write their own advice column letter. Go around the room helping the students with grammar and vocabulary issues.Once everyone has written their advice column letter, quickly review the concept of stress and intonation as a means of improving pronunciation skills.Ask students to mark up their letter by underlining content words to help with pronunciation.Have each student read their advice column letter to the class. Students should then choose an Abby to provide suggestions on their issue.If students have difficulty in understanding, request that the letter in question be reread by the student to the class. Advice Column Letters Worried about Love Dear ...: I dont know what to do! My boyfriend and I have been dating for over two years, but I feel like he doesnt really love me. He rarely asks me out anymore: We dont go to restaurants, or shows. He doesnt buy me even the smallest of presents. I love him, but I think hes taking me for granted. What should I do? - Worried About Love Response Dear Worried About Love: I think its clear from your description that your boyfriend doesnt really love you. Two years is not such a long time to be dating, and the fact that he treats you like a toy he can ignore speaks volumes about his true feelings. Get out of the relationship as fast as you can! There are many more wonderful men out there who will appreciate, and treasure your love - dont waste it on an oaf who clearly has no clue as to your worth!