Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Binary Oppisition Essay - 1035 Words
Binary Opposition In Greek tragedy there are many themes that are contrasted with each other. This is known as binary opposition, which s defined as a contrast of themes that are the opposite poles of each other. There are many conflicts in Euripidesââ¬â¢ Medea and Bacchae: perhaps the three most conspicuous oppositions are rational versus irrational, foreigner versus natives, and stereotypical dichotomy of female and male. The first binary opposite in Euripides plays are rational versus irrational thinking, his characters are changing constantly within the plays; there are a couple of characters that stays in a rational thinking which they do not favor any side of the conflict. In Medea, Euripides showed rational thinking through theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦As they were on their way to worship Dionysus they see Pentheus and stopped to talk with him (212). Pentheus started to speak about how he was out of the city and heard rumors of the women leaving their homes and rather engage in ââ¬Å"c ult gathering and each lady is slinks off in a different directionâ⬠(216-225). He speaks about how ââ¬Å"[Semele] lied about her union with Zeusâ⬠and that he is not a god (244). But Tiresias replies back to Pentheus that ââ¬Å"[w]henever a wise man sets out to argue an honest case itââ¬â¢s no great undertaking to argue wellâ⬠(266-67). Tiresias also states that Pentheus ââ¬Å"rejoice whenever crowds gather at the palace gates and the city glorifies [your] nameâ⬠¦ Dionysus too, â⬠¦ takes delight in receiving [the same] honorâ⬠(319-21). In the mean time Cadmus also explains that ââ¬Å"[e]ven if the god does not exist, as you claim, let him be considered a god in your eyes. Lies for good causeâ⬠¦ In this way [Semele] might seem to have given birth to a god and honor might accrue to our entire familyâ⬠(332-36). Equally important, that Pentheus and Dionysus constantly change from rational to irrational thinking throughout the play. Pentheus thinks irrationally about what the women behavior is while they are in the mountains (354). He believes that the women are in acts of lust with ââ¬Å"Aphroditeââ¬â¢s pleasureâ⬠(225). As for Dionysus irrational thinking is when he punishes his family for their hybris acts towards him (1347). Although there is a rational and irrational
Monday, December 16, 2019
Five External Elements In Organisational Environments Commerce Essay Free Essays
Customers plays indispensable portion in every concern. Pull offing the client experience has become a serious organizational purpose. It ââ¬Ës a agency to protect and develop trade name trueness and therefore that person ââ¬Ës economic and advocacy value to the administration. We will write a custom essay sample on Five External Elements In Organisational Environments Commerce Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Body store is a good established administration around the universe, which produces pure natural cosmetics for everyone. Because of high monetary values merely few clients can buy their merchandises, remainder prefer other trade names, which are available in low monetary values than Body store. That will impact the company by lower net incomes. Rivals: Rivals are administrations that produce goods and services that are similar to a peculiar administration ââ¬Ës goods and services. Presents, cosmetics are indispensable portion of the life, many rivals are entered into the market by presenting their merchandises with low monetary values to vie with others. Then, everyone could prefer those merchandises, which are available in market with low monetary value and same natural merchandises. That can be show difference in gross revenues of trade name of Lââ¬â¢oreal. Economic forces: Economic factors have a enormous impact on concern houses. The general province of the economic system, involvement rate, phase of the economic rhythm, balance of payments, are cardinal variables in corporate investing, employment, and pricing determinations. The impact of growing or diminution in gross national merchandise and increases or decreases in involvement rates, rising prices are considered as premier illustrations of important impact on concern operations. To asses the local state of affairs, an organisation might seek information refering the economic base and hereafter of the part and the effects of this mentality on pay rates, disposable income, unemployment, and the transit and commercial base. The province of universe economic system is most critical for organisations runing in such countries. For illustration, during recession clip, adult female do nââ¬â¢t travel to purchase expensive merchandises, so, prefer to purchase low monetary values merchandises. Technological Forces: Technological forces influence organisations in several ways. A technological invention can hold a sudden and dramatic consequence on the environment of a house. First, technological developments can significantly change the demand for an organisation ââ¬Ës or industry ââ¬Ës merchandises or services. Changing engineering can offer major chances for bettering end accomplishments or endanger the being of the house. Technological prediction can assist protect and better the profitableness of houses in turning industries. Social forces: Social forces include traditions, values, social tendencies, consumer psychological science, and a society ââ¬Ës outlooks of concern. Determining the exact impact of societal forces on an organisation is hard at best. However, measuring the altering values, attitudes, and demographic features of an organisation ââ¬Ës clients is an indispensable component in set uping organisational aims. ( B ) Briefly explain in item one unpredictable dynamic external factor which adversely impacted in Lââ¬â¢Oreal gross revenues of organic structure store trade name merchandises in 2008 One of the major unpredictable dynamic external factor is recession. Recession is a lessening in the economic system of the state. Peoples stop purchasing cosmetics. That decreases the gross revenues and hard currency spending of Body store. Womans are regular clients for cosmetics, adult female do nââ¬â¢t travel to purchase expensive merchandises, so, prefer to purchase low monetary value merchandises. That adversely decreased the gross revenues of organic structure store in 2008. ( C ) Briefly explain the difference between a dynamic V stable component in the organizational environment impacting on Lââ¬â¢Oreal. Give an illustration of each type of component. Dynamic elements: Suppliers Customers: Customers are really of import for any concern. Lââ¬â¢Oreal cusmotics are rather expensive than other trade names, merely affluent people prefer Lââ¬â¢Oreal trade names. Because of those cusmotics are made by nature elements, so they neââ¬â¢er go back to pass money, whatever it is low monetary value or high monetary value. Rivals: Example of Lââ¬â¢oreal rivals are Revlon, Shiseido Economic forces Technological forces Demographic forces Political forces Stable elements: Distributors Barriers to entry Social cultural factors 2. ( a ) Briefly explain what company civilization is, it ââ¬Ës major dimensions and how a company can promote a positive civilization. Every workplace has a civilization Basically, organisational civilization is the personality of the organisation. Culture is comprised of the premises, values, norms and touchable marks of organisation members and their behavior. the corporate civilization is the operating work environment that is set and shaped by the executive: The manner people dress The manner people conduct their work The manner people interact with public. Company cultures develop and they change over clip. As employee leave the company and replacings are hired the company civilization will alter. If it is a strong civilization, it may non alter much. However, since each new employee brings their ain values and patterns to the group the civilization will alter, at least a small. As the company matures from a start up to a more constituted company, the company civilization will alter. As the environment in which the company operates alterations, the company civilization will besides alter. The company civilization will alter and it is of import to be cognizant of the alterations. Major dimensions of company civilization is Invention and hazard pickings Attention to detail Results orientation Peoples orientation Team orientation Aggressiveness Stability Those features can do company civilization strong. By offering publicities, fillips and increasing rewards can actuate employers into positive civilization. That will assist company turn strongly and maintain civilization alive. ( B ) Brief explain what a learning company civilization is, and how company can make a learning civilization. An organisation ââ¬Ës ââ¬Å" learning civilization â⬠as its ability and willingness to encompass single and organisational acquisition as a strategic portion of its concern scheme. Learning company civilization describes company policies, environment, codification of frock, company profile. If we want to be successful at a company, and bask where we work, we need to accommodate to the company ââ¬Ës civilization. Companies look for the people for occupation who know and esteem the company ââ¬Ës civilization wage attending to expected norms of behavior physique and maintain positive working relationships with supervisors, colleagues and clients value constructive unfavorable judgment as a agency to better and enhance personal public presentation show involvement in the company keep a positive attitude company can make learning administration by following features: Personal command Mental theoretical accounts Team acquisition Construct a shared vision Systems believing Personal command: company allow directors to authorise employees and let them make and research something different to larn company civilization in order to develop company. Mental theoretical accounts: this theoretical account can make employee to make task better without find harder. Team acquisition: This method is more of import than single acquisition. All the determinations are largely made by squad. Team acquisition can better employee believing power by larning new thoughts. Systems thought: This is a conceptual model that allows people to analyze concerns as delimited objects. Learning organisations use this method of believing when measuring their company and have information systems that measure the public presentation of the organisation as a whole and of its assorted constituents. Construct a shared vision: This is really of import in actuating the staff to larn, that provides concentration energy for larning. Individual vision of employees are most of import in administration. The shared vision is frequently to win against a rival. How to cite Five External Elements In Organisational Environments Commerce Essay, Essay examples
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Benefits of Integrated Business Planning â⬠MyAssignmenthelp.com
Question: Discuss about the Benefits of Integrated Business Planning. Answer: Introduction Entrepreneurship is crucial for starting a new business venture in the market. Today, entrepreneurs are focusing on starting the business at the global level for getting more and more profit. Entrepreneurs develop and generate new ideas for the business venture at global level. There is well known that the idea of business is the starting of the business procedures. A new business idea is helpful the entrepreneurs to discover various chances and capability to start up the new venture beneficially (Dudin, 2015). So, this report focuses on the new business idea for the new venture in the market. The report is focused on the new business venture of a caf along with the effective business model. New business start-up is based on the business model canvas which is very effective for the success of business venture. Basically, this report is all about running a new and creative coffee shop and meets the needs and requirements of the customers in the Australian market. Objective of this rep ort is to understand the role of business model canvas based on the analysis of market information and essential aspects (Toor Dhir, 2011). This report describes a new business venture i.e. a caf. Name of this caf would be Culture Coffee Bar. There are many coffee shops in Australia but the current coffee shops only meet the basic demand of the customers i.e. demand for the coffee and various drinks. In other words, consumers generally go to the coffee shops as they do not have time to prepare coffee. In many shops, there are no specialists for retaining the consumers. Their sets of choices are simple including fundamental food items such as packed drinks and refreshments and iced coffee. Some coffee shops try to improve the effective image by providing some additional services such as live music and games but they are not enough to improve the image and to retain the customers. So, by analyzing the enormous demand of the customers in the market, Culture Coffee would spend huge amount of capital in creating positive image of the caf. For this manner, company would focus on creating relaxing atmosphere for the customers along with the core products of food, beverages and other services. Because of the value of time in the current time, the caf would offer the service of free delivery of the products so that the consumers can enjoy the products in office timings also. By this service, caf would be able to maximize its ability to diversify itself among the customers in the coffee market. Like other coffee shops in Australia, main revenue for Culture Coffee shop would come from the drinks and coffee for meeting the needs of the customers. Along with this, caf will offer many different beverages to the customers. So, price of the products would be set as the high level pricing but affordable for the customers in the industry. Apart from the drinks and coffee, the customers will also get variety of products i.e. snacks, food, cakes and live music nights in caf. Business model Based on the business model canvas theory, this model will be applied in the new business venture along with its nine building block structure. This model would effectively able to achieve the goals and objectives of the company. The applied business model in the Culture Coffee bar will be the presentation of the services of the company. The business model will provide the understandings of who company serves, what activities it is carrying out, from where it will get its suppliers and how to minimize the cost to generate more profit in the business (Osterwalder Pigneur, 2010). So, for the caf Culture Coffee Bar, the business model canvas is described below. First and important part of the business model canvas is identifying key partners for the caf. Culture coffee bar will always focus on the food safety to achieve sustainable development in the market. For this manner, company would make reliable partners. Company would make partners to the leading coffee brand in Australia to get fresh and healthy products. To design the furniture, a furniture company would be second partner (Filet, 2013). There would three major activities of the caf for achieving growth and success in the market. Those key activities are marketing, selling and supporting. In the marketing activities, there would be drinks and food preparations, delivery of food and cleaning and decorating caf. Selling activity would include training, sales call and advertisements on various platforms i.e. magazines, newspapers, and Facebook. Support activity would include hiring people for the administrative work and outsourcing brands and singers for caf. For achieving significant growth and success, there are two most essential resources i.e. value proposition and activities which including well skilled employees and inside design of the caf. The employees and staff of the caf will be trained in the in the proficient manner so that they can serve the customers in the better way. They will wear professional uniforms and have the knowledge of foreign languages. Further, company will also invest in the furniture and interior design of the caf to build up an Australia style coffee shop for the entertainment and enjoyment. This would create a positive image of caf among the mind of consumers (Gavrrilova, 2014). Value proposition From the perspective of the potential customers, caf will provide such atmosphere that will be enjoyed by the customers. Customers could enjoy variety of beverages i.e. drinks, fast foods and cakes served by the trained employees and staff in the caf. Caf will provide such atmosphere which would make the customers relax after hectic schedule of work or study. Further, Caf will provide various quiet spaces where businessmen can make their meetings and appointments. Along with this, caf would also conduct some live music nights to generate more activities for the potential customers. By all these activities, customers will have new experience with the relaxing place (Sinfield, Calder, McConnell Colson, 2011). It is well known that effective relationship with the customers is very important for the success of the business. In terms of the importance of the relationship with the customers, Culture coffee caf will plan to provide coupons and VIP cards to the customers so that they would get for their allegiance towards the products (Mason, 2015). The VIP cards with the special offers will be distributed to the loyal customers who would come at least once in the week. Further, less regular clients will also receive 10 to 25% off coupons and discounts. It is believed that this strategy would be helpful in maintaining customer loyalty and improve the visit facility (Teece, 2010). In terms of distribution of products, there would be two ways to use the products of caf i.e. in store and delivery of products. Caf will suggest the customers to visit on the store and order their products. This would generate opportunity for the caf and employees to provide better quality experience to the customers. Further, if the customers are busy and demand for their desired products, then free delivery service or delivery with the extra charges would be provided to transport the products to the customers hand. The time of the services can be shortened as much as possible to provide guaranteed quality products (Burns, 2014). The potential customers for the caf will be identified based on the age and profession. In terms of the age of potential customers, the caf would serve the customers from 15 years old upwards. Further, in terms of profession, the consumers are differentiated from the students, employees, businessmen and performers. The reason is that the students spent lots of time hanging around in the coffee shops after their schools and colleges. Further, employees and businessmen have high and middle income and they are highly demanding for the coffee shops where they can settle down, make their activities and enjoy the drinks. Located in Australia, the caf would be oriented towards providing services to the artists who make high income and need quality products (Fifield, 2012). It should be noted that the target customers have different styles and habits. It is observed that in the age of 15 to 22, there are students of high schools, colleges and universities. Although these people are not earning money but they get money from their parents so these consumers have high demand of coffee after their school and colleges. The customers will be approached by the internet and social media platforms. Other target customers are the employees and business people who are working full time to create their money. These customers are willing to pay for their desired product. These customers will be attracted by the TV commercial, internet and magazines. Further, there are artists who will be attracted by the company. Advertisements in newspapers and magazines will be helpful and effective to approach those customers (Armstrong Cunningham, 2012). Cost structure The cost of the rent would be responsible for the crucial part of the operating cost of the company. Along with this, there are other operating costs including raw material, staff, outsourcing and marketing of the products. These costs would be estimated in the financial part of the caf. Key revenue stream of this new venture would be generated by the purchases of the customers i.e. beverages and varieties of coffee such as Espresso, Flat White, Macchiato, Americano, and Cappuccino which are the core products of caf. Along with this, caf will also collect the amount of revenue by the event of live music on every weekend. Further, there will be additional services i.e. appointing or meeting area which would be free of charge. It is expected that the customers segments i.e. teenagers having age of 15 to 22 and working people having the age of 22 to 40 would bring about 35% to 45% out of total revenue. Meanwhile, 10% revenue from the customers having age above 40 would also be generated (Baraban Durocher, 2010). Conclusion This report focuses on the importance and role of the business model canvas in the new business venture. From the above discussion, it is observed that new venture of caf needs to prepare its business model canvas for getting high level of growth in the market. There are nine blocks in the business model canvas and all the blocks have significant role in the success of the new venture. Main objective of this report is to create a new business venture and formulate business concepts with the business model canvas theory. Second objective was to provide the overview of how the business model canvas would be helpful to achieve the desired goals and objectives in the new business venture. This report provides brief overview about the coffee market and the requirements and preferences of the customers. Based on the analysis, target market is decided for the caf. Business model canvas is the important part of the study to analyze the detail of the company along with the understanding about the new venture. In conclusion, this report provides the theoretical information on formulating the business model for new business venture of coffee shop based on the huge demand of the coffee in the Australian market. References Armstrong, G., Cunningham, M. H. (2012). Principles of marketing. Australia: Pearson publication Baraban, R. S. Durocher, J. F. (2010).Successful Restaurant Design. USA: John Wiley Sons Burns, P. (2014). New venture creation: a framework for entrepreneurial start-ups. USA: Palgrave Macmillan Dudin, M. N. (2015). The Innovative Business Model Canvas in the System of Effective Budgeting: Asian Social Science. 11 (7). 290-296 Fifield, P. (2012). Marketing strategy. (2nd). Berlin: Reed educational publishing Pvt Ltd Filet, E. (2013). Conceptualising Business Models: Definitions, Frameworks and Classifications: Journal of Business Models. 1 (1). 85-105. Gavrrilova, T. (2014). Modern Notation of Business Models: Visual Trend: Foresight-Russia. 8 (2). 567 Mason, H. (2015). Trend-Driven Innovation: Beat Accelerating Customer Expectations. John Wiley Sons Osterwalder, A. Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Sinfield, J. V., Calder, E., McConnell, B. Colson, S. (2011). Corporate Strategy: How to identity new business models. MITSloan Management Review. Teece, D. J. (2010). Business Models, Business Strategy and Innovation. Long Range Planning. 43. 172-194 Toor, T. P. Dhir, T. (2011). Benefits of integrated business planning, forecasting, and process management: Business Strategy Series. 275-288
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Society Is a Conformist Environment with Technology Essay Example
Society Is a Conformist Environment with Technology Paper The population of modern day society will begin to enter a dark and drab environment where conformity is expected if we continue to rely on technology. With the use Of modern technology controlling lifes basic skills of communication and conducting relationships our basic social skills will be destroyed. With the media trying to model these skills from a screen that we sit in front of we wont be learning about and to debate, discuss or express emotion. What the media is teaching us and what we need to know are very different outcomes, People will be afraid to show emotion, contest n opinion or ask for help if we continue to rely on technology. As seen in the short story The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury all of our basic skills are being lost to technology. Society will become detached from others because of the overuse of technology and a conformist society will mean no originality, no creativity and no new ideas on how to make our world a better place. The unsaid rules of conformity that everybody seems to follow will lead to manufactured personality and negative effects of peer pressure. How long ill it be before people start to ask themselves if this is how they really want to live life? The exploitation of nature and humans is becoming more and more evident as time evolves. Having a social network in the current era is important as ever, in the work force it is not about what you know it is about who you know, most people will have contacts in their area of expertise who they lean on for advice and assistance but as time evolves having a profile online is just as important. We will write a custom essay sample on Society Is a Conformist Environment with Technology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Society Is a Conformist Environment with Technology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Society Is a Conformist Environment with Technology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When asking people in todays world, especially managers most will agree that they spend much of their time on their social media site like Faceable, Twitter and Mainstream, these sites have the potential to have a positive influence on society like staying in touch with family and friends overseas on Faceable or finding out what the latest news is on the other side of the world on Twitter, but the way people use these sites at the moment to cyber bully others and share personal information with strangers the users of these sites are vulnerable than ever to exploitation and corruption. The exploitation of humans must stop, as well as online and electronic, exploitation Of nature it is happening all around us. The depletion of natural resources, unsustainable extraction of non-renewable resources and fossil fuels, over-hunting of animals (hunt rabbits, wild birds, fish), intensive agriculture, deforestation, degradation of forest and water pollution and rising temperatures are pressuring the real-world water supply, these factors are making the earth harder to live in and harder to support. The exploitation of humans and nature is dangerous; the population must question whether this will have a positive effect for not only themselves but their children, grandchildren and generations of family to come. It wont be long before the world could be headed to living in a place like Pane in The Hunger Games where citizens are exploited by the government to and children must fight to the death for something as pointless as entertainment, work in districts run by the capitol and follow the level of status and hierarchy among the districts. Society should not accept this and fight against exploitation. The technological development in the world today is a strong as ever; new discoveries are being made each day from the latest idea on how to cure disease to finding a new way to illegally download hours of video, musical and software content. Technology is consuming valuable time and social lives of the general population. The negative effect the use of technology is having on society is extremely evident in The Hunger Games and the gap between who has the power of technology is highly apparent. It is clearly evident that sustaining and promoting technological development in The Hunger Games is an absolute priority for the government. Many things for the games in the film have been mastered by the use of technology. The arena the games are in is manmade, where the environment is planted and planned for the soul purpose of entertainment, the weather and genetically engineered wildlife is designed and made by the modern technology. All of the features are controlled by the governments game makers. This abusive and overuse of technology is where the current population is headed it keeps being used this way.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Care Essays - The Lost World, Jurassic Park, Levine, Free Essays
Care Essays - The Lost World, Jurassic Park, Levine, Free Essays Care THE LOST WORLD by Michael Crichton This story takes place six years after the Jurassic Park disaster. The book starts out with Ian Malcom giving a speach on his theory of extinction at a place called the Santa Fe Institute. As he's talking, a tall man stands up. His name is Richard Levine. He's a paleontologist, and he is fairly wealthy. He interrupts Ian to tell him that he doesn't think dinosaurs are really extinct. He believes there's a lost world on an island somewhere off Costa Rica. "I'm quite serious. What if the dinosaurs did not become extinct? What if they still exist? Somewhere in an isolated spot on the planet?" (5) Ian tells him this is nonsense, and continues on explaining his theory. Outside of the Santa Fe Institute, Ian meets up with his long time friend, Sarah Harding, a well-known biologist who studies large predators in Africa. They discuss what Levine said, and they come to the mutual conclusion that Levine probably doesn't know what he's talking about. Meanwhile, Levine is secretly preparing equipment for a jungle expedition. He enlists the help of a man called Doc Thorne, who was a college engineering professor, but now designs souped-up vehicles for expeditions and searches. He also enlists Doc Thorne's best mechanic, Eddie Carr. Levine has Doc Thorne and Eddie rig a Ford Explorer and a motorcycle to run on batteries. He also has them build reinforced trailers to house biological labs. Lev...
Friday, November 22, 2019
Definition and Examples of Meaning in Linguistics
Definition and Examples of Meaning in Linguistics In semantics and pragmatics, meaning is the message conveyed by words, sentences, and symbols in a context. Also calledà lexical meaning or semantic meaning. In The Evolution of Language (2010), W. Tecumseh Fitch points out that semantics is the branch of language study that consistently rubs shoulders with philosophy. This is because the study of meaning raises a host of deep problems that are the traditional stomping grounds for philosophers. Here are more examples of meaning from other writers on the subject: Word Meanings Word meanings are like stretchy pullovers, whose outline contour is visible, but whose detailed shape varies with use: The proper meaning of a word . . . is never something upon which the word sits like a gull on a stone; it is something over which the word hovers like a gull over a ships stern, noted one literary critic.(Jean Aitchison, The Language Web: The Power and Problem of Words. Cambridge University Press, 1997) Meaning in Sentences It may justly be urged that, properly speaking, what alone has meaning is a sentence. Of course, we can speak quite properly of, for example, looking up the meaning of a word in a dictionary. Nevertheless, it appears that the sense in which a word or phrase has a meaning is derivative from the sense in which a sentence has a meaning: to say a word or phrase has a meaning is to say that there are sentences in which it occurs which have meanings; and to know the meaning which the word or phrase has, is to know the meanings of sentences in which it occurs. All the dictionary can do when we look up the meaning of a word is to suggest aids to the understanding of sentences in which it occurs. Hence it appears correct to say that what has meaning in the primary sense is the sentence. (John L. Austin, The Meaning of a Word. Philosophical Papers, 3rd ed., edited by J. O. Urmson and G. J. Warnock. Oxford University Press, 1990) Different Kinds of Meaning for Different Kinds of Words There cant be a single answer to the question Are meanings in the world or in the head? because the division of labor between sense and reference is very different for different kinds of words. With a word like this or that, the sense by itself is useless in picking out the referent; it all depends on what is in the environs at the time and place that a person utters it. . . . Linguists call them deictic terms . . .. Other examples are here, there, you, me, now, and then. At the other extreme are words that refer to whatever we say they mean when we stipulate their meanings in a system of rules. At least in theory, you dont have to go out into the world with your eyes peeled to know what a touchdown is, or a member of parliament, or a dollar, or an American citizen, or GO in Monopoly, because their meaning is laid down exactly by the rules and regulations of a game or system. These are sometimes called nominal kindskinds of things that are picked out only by how we decide to name the m. (Steven Pinker, The Stuff of Thought. Viking, 2007) Two Types of Meaning: Semantic and Pragmatic It has been generally assumed that we have to understand two types of meaning to understand what the speaker means by uttering a sentence. . . . A sentence expresses a more or less complete propositional content, which is semantic meaning, and extra pragmatic meaning comes from a particular context in which the sentence is uttered. (Etsuko Oishi, Semantic Meaning and Four Types of Speech Act. Perspectives on Dialogue in the New Millennium, ed. P. Kà ¼hnlein et al. John Benjamins, 2003) Pronunciation: ME-ning Etymology From the Old English, to tell of
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Examine the causes of the increase in Somali-led piracy off the Horn Essay
Examine the causes of the increase in Somali-led piracy off the Horn of Africa during the past 5 years - Essay Example years, the threats from the pirates increasing day by day even though international community and UN Security Council have strengthened the counter measures in the Somali coastal areas. Patrolling in the Somali coastal areas have been strengthened by multinational naval force including warships from America, Britain, India and Australia. Anthony Bergin, Director of Research Programs for the Australian Strategic Policy, arguing that the protection of international shipping is of high strategic interest to Australia. The Gulf of Aden is of vital strategic importance, with more than 20,000 vessels travelling between Europe and the Middle East, Asia and Australia passing through the waterway every year (Liss, 2009). 2. According to the defense correspondent of Sydney Moring Herald, Jonathan Pearlman, ââ¬Å"Australia is looking to deploy a warship to act against pirates off the coast of Somalia after winding down operations to protect Iraqs oil terminalsâ⬠(Pearlman, 2009). According to Australian Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston ââ¬Å"Australian ships and passengers regularly travelled through the waters off the coast of Somalia and benefited from the enhanced security provided by the multinational anti-piracy forceâ⬠(Pearlman, 2009). 3. ââ¬Å"The annual cost of piracy to the global economy ranges between $7 and $12 billion, by some estimatesâ⬠(Ploch et al, 2011, p.ii). According to certain reports by international maritime organization, piracy is causing big threat to the lives of the people and immense damages to the shipment activities through Somali coast. Shipping cost has been increased drastically since insurance companies forced to increase the premium amount of the shipment goods insured and transported through this region. There are many reasons cited for the increasing piracy in the Somali coastal region. This paper analyses major causes of the increase in Somali-led piracy off the Horn of Africa during the past 5 years. According to the final
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
TEMPERAMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
TEMPERAMENT - Essay Example In this period, children develop a sense of freedom and exploration (Feldman p. 187, 2010). Children have been observed to have many different types of temperaments, which have been broadly classified as easy babies, difficult babies and slow-to-warm babies. Easy babies have a consistent behavior, which can be adapted easily to patterns of eating, sleeping and other routines. Difficult babies are very irregular and irritable in their patterns making it harder for them to adapt to changes. Slow-to-warm babies tend not to be very irritable, though their behavior is negative and they recede from public (Feldman p. 188, 2010). Common sense dictates that temperament should effect the development of a baby into a good or bad individual, or a healthy or unhealthy individual. But researches have shown that this is not the case, although temperament does have an indirect effect. The overall effect combines temperament and the societal nature and the general atmosphere around a person also. Temperament directly affects the attachment of babies with their parents. A recent research has shown that the parental attachment can also govern the development of a childââ¬â¢s temperament. Easy to handle babies are generally highly attached to parents (Smith, 2009). Behavior of a mother post-partum is a very important factor in determining a childââ¬â¢s temperament. Women with a higher level of maternal education are able to cope with babies better, having a lesser negative post-partum impact on their children (Smith, 2009). It has been observed that the mode of delivery has a very direct impact on the motherââ¬â¢s emotional stability. Natural and planned cesarean births fare far better than emergency cesareans and epidurals. These can also affect the temperament of children indirectly (Smith, 2009). Scientists are still unsure whether temperament is a completely psychological aspect of a human, or is there some biological effect too as
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Emergency Medical Technician and Past Firefighters Essay Example for Free
Emergency Medical Technician and Past Firefighters Essay Having to see other people get hurt and not being able to help happens to me a lately. In life many accidents occur whether we want them to or not. There are several movies like ââ¬Å"The F456y7allenâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Ablazeâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Bad Day on the Block,â⬠among others, that show how firefighters overcome the flames and save peoplesââ¬â¢ lives while risking their own. Seeing these movies and looking at how accidents happen has inspired me to become what we call a ââ¬Å"hero,â⬠meaning a firefighter. To become an amazing leader such as a firefighter you need to be not only trustworthy and courageous, but you must also be able to work and communicate with other people under stressful conditions. One aspect of this profession that you not have considered is how incredibly varied and intense the job of a firefighter is. Firefighters solve many different kinds of problems every day, from simple medical emergencies to complex incidents like fires, floods, terrorist-related incidents and traffic accidents. In order to complete these tasks, they have to have courage. Although it is dangerous, they can save many people from dying or getting hurt. Being respected by many children and adults is something that makes me want to become a firefighter (Aspiring Firefighters). If you are wondering how much I would work, most commonly firefighters work in 24-hour shifts, reporting to work at 7:30 am and working until 7:30 am the next day. On the average firefighters work a total of 56 hours per week, but since these hours are worked on a continual basis, firefighters enjoy a lot of time off. On the average firefighters work ten 24-hour shifts each month, leaving them to enjoy 20 days each month where they are off duty. (Aspiring Firefighters) Firefighters are scared while performing their jobs. If any firefighter tells you that he or she has never been in fear for his or her life, they are either new to the fire service, donââ¬â¢t want to frighten you, or perhaps appear weak (Aspiring Firefighters). A fireman suit has three layers of structural firefighting gear. The outer layer, which is water resistant and protects from puncture, is usually made of a Nomex/Kevlar blend. The thermal layer protects from heat. The Moisture Barrier keeps most moisture out, this is also usually made from some sort of nomex/kevlar blend This suit usually weighs up to 60 pounds. Although this suit is heavy it isnt impossible to wear and with many practice i will be able to succeed in helping people. If i am selected to be a firefighter, I will have to go through several stages of rigorous training. This lasts 2 months, 5 days a week from 7am to 5PM. If I complete the firefighting portion you will move on to your EMT-B (emergency medical technician) class. This lasts 3 months, 5 days a week from 7AM to 5PM. You will also have 2 hours of physical training a day; this is usually running and weight training. If you complete your EMT-B you will move onto EVOC (emergency vehicle operation class). This lasts about 1 month, 5 days a week from 7AM to 5AM. Once your training is complete, you will be placed in a station where you will be required to complete a 1 year probation period under the supervision of a preceptor as well as the company officer. International Firefightersââ¬â¢ Day (IFFD) is a time where the worldââ¬â¢s community can recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions. There are many different qualities that make a firefighter a hero. They not only risk their lives to save other peopleââ¬â¢s, but they overcome many obstacles like having to go thru many different types of training, such as ââ¬Å"EMT-Bâ⬠and ââ¬Å"EVOCâ⬠. They have to wear special clothing that weighs up to 60 pounds and work from about 7:30 am to 7:30 am the next day. Not every person could become a firefighter it takes courage, desire, and heart to be as dedicated to the job as these men and women are. I am definitely willing to overcome these obstacles to help and save many lives that are in danger. As renowned scholar and philosopher Joseph Campbell once said, ââ¬Å"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. ââ¬
Thursday, November 14, 2019
The Lightbulb Essay -- essays research papers
Among all of the inventions created in 1750 -1900, the light bulb was perhaps one of the most effective to the everyday lives of people. Its invention is credited to Thomas Alva Edison, an American inventor and businessman, who created it in 1879. The design of his light bulb was a carbonized filament inside a glass bulb with a screw base. It glowed when an electric current pass through it, possessed high electrical resistance, and lasted a lot longer than previous sources of light had. Before Thomas Edison's light bulb, gas was the best source of lighting so people turned to candles, oil lanterns, and gas lamps to light up their rooms. It would take many candles, oil lanterns, or gas lamps to fully light up a good-sized room. Not only would they burn out after a few minutes, but they were also very messy and hazardous. Gas would leave large quantities of soot everywhere, potentially causing explosions and fires. Its imaginable how hard it would be to have to keep children, fine furniture, and pets away from these dangers. The soot had t...
Monday, November 11, 2019
How Is the Continual Battle of Nature vs Human Technology Represented Essay
Explain how Bradbury uses this story to question humanââ¬â¢s reliance on technology The house was created for the sole purpose of serving mankind. The house cannot save the family, or humans, from the viciousness of a nuclear bomb. By the time the reader is exposed to the house, the owners have been eradicated, ââ¬Å"their images burned on wood in one titanic instantâ⬠. The house continues to make breakfast, have little robotic mice that clean the house, and even read poetry for, essentially, no one. When the story begins, it appears that machinery has triumphed over humans. Humankind might have fallen beneath the powerful nuclear bomb, but technology has not. Furthermore, while the family relied on the house to take care of them, the house does not require them to survive. However, as the story proceeds, the reader watches as the house is attacked by a fire. As the house scrambles to save itself, there is a sense of panic. ââ¬Å"Doors sprang tightly shutâ⬠and ââ¬Å"blind robot faces peered down with faucet mouths gushing green chemicalâ⬠. In the end, the house succumbs to the blaze and crumbles. The only bit of technology remaining is the dying voice of the house, proclaiming the current day to be ââ¬Å"August 5, 2026â⬠. While technology has ultimately lost the battle of survival, humans lost the war long ago. Bradbury uses this story as a warning of just how little technology and nature care for the endurance of humanity. ââ¬Å"Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree, if mankind perished utterly. And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn. Would scarcely know that we were gone. â⬠This is seen throughout the story, as the house continues to function without the aid of the family that owns it. Humans developed this technology to help them, but the technology does not care if humans are around to use its services. Ultimately, Bradbury warns not about the advancement of technology but rather the complete dependence on it. The conveniences that the house provides appear to be beneficial, but in the end are completely useless. Bradbury also points out the lack of ââ¬Å"humanityâ⬠within the machinery of the house. Instead of a family having to cook and clean, the house does it for them. There is no love within the house. While it would require more work, perhaps it would be more meaningful for a family to work together to keep their house running properly. Instead of being a mere house, it would become a home. Techniques Bradbury uses throughout the story? 1)Personification 2)Foreshadowing 3)Suspense 1)The most often used literary technique to describe the house is personification, where you give inanimate objects human-like characteristics. The stove is given human actions, ââ¬Å"In the kitchen the breakfast stove gave a hissing sigh and ejected from its warm interiorâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . This passage shows that Bradbury has given a breakfast stove the ability to hiss a sigh. Stoves are not physically able to sigh. Rain is personified, ââ¬Å"And the rain tapped on the empty house, echoingâ⬠. The rain did not literally tap on the house, it means that the rain was making noise as it fell and came into contact with the house. 2)Bradbury uses is foreshadowing, hinting clues that suggest events that will later happen. The voice-clock sang, worriedly, ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ Ticktock, seven oââ¬â¢ clock, time to get up, time to get up, seven oââ¬â¢ clock! As if it were afraid that nobody wouldâ⬠. This shows that the house was sensing something was going to be different today. It foreshadows that something bad may happen. There is a fire in the house, ââ¬Å"Smoke and silence. A great quantity of smoke. ââ¬Å". The silence is foreshadowing that the house has given up and died. Foreshadowing is used by Bradbury to hint later events. 3)Bradbury uses suspense to create an effective story. The dog is injured from the nuclear bomb. ââ¬Å"â⬠¦once huge and fleshy, but now gone to bone and covered with soresâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ . This creates suspense because it makes the reader wonder if the dog is going to survive. When a fire is ablaze in the house. ââ¬Å"The fire burst the house and het it slam flat down, puffing out skirts of spark and smokeâ⬠. It makes the reader wonder what will happen next and how the house is going to result. Suspense is used to build up the excitement of the reader making them want to read on to find out. In conclusion, personification, fore shadowing and suspense are used to create ââ¬Å"There Will Come Soft Rainsâ⬠. Bradbury uses literary elements to make a successful short story.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Girls and poverty Essay
The gap between the worldââ¬â¢s rich and poor keeps widening. Over the last 20 years, the market share of the least-developed countries (700 million inhabitants) has decreased from 1 percent to 0. 6 percent of the worldââ¬â¢s total commerce. ââ¬Å"The majority of the population in black Africa is poorer today than a generation ago,â⬠writes French economist Philippe Jurgensen in Challenges magazine. In Ethiopia, for example, 67 million people live on one third the wealth of Luxembourgââ¬â¢s 400,000 inhabitants. Jurgensen notes that European farmers are entitled to receive a daily subsidy of 2. 5 euros per cow, whereas some 2. 5 billion people live on less than that each day. Thus, in many parts of the world, ââ¬Å"a poor person is worth less than a cow,â⬠says Jurgensen. (Bowler, 1983, 15) The present society today is composed of a vast population that is so much divided by the economic status of each individual. There are those who have strived and attained the wealth that they wanted, and there are those who remained in their state and stayed poor all their lives. This is the situation that social Darwinism suggests. (IRN Zimbabwe, 2003, 19) The vast income divide between rich and poor segregates people and even countries from one another. Not long ago the fortune of the richest man in the United States surpassed the combined net worth of more than 100 million of his fellow Americans. Globalization has also favored the growth of rich multinational companies that have practically taken over the world market for certain products. In 1998, for example, just ten companies controlled 86 percent of the $262-billion telecommunications business (Gelb, 1986, 17). The economic clout of these multinationals often exceeds that of governments and, as Amnesty International points out, ââ¬Å"human rights and labour rights are not a priority on their agenda. (Gelb, 1986, 10) Because of this fact, economic prejudice and oppression of the poor is very eminent within the communities of any nation. At so many situations, it could be noted that the poor are the ones discriminated from receiving the needed provisions that they ought to receive from the governments. Their rights are duly suppressed simply because of the fact that they have not much financial source to support their need or even their rights. Sadly, the situation of the poor becomes even poorer every second that the society advances ahead through technology, while the rich ones become richer because of their capability to use capitalism as a source of business, which would give them even more financial freedom. At this point, the existence of social Darwinism already becomes clear. Yes, Social Darwinism clearly portrays the psychological distraction that the poor ones get from their situation in life. Being poor have naturally made people commit the biggest mistake of simply accepting what they are. Their blinded mind that focuses on their misery has dragged them to the dreadful situation of helplessness that they are dealing with right now. Certainly, in relating the said theory to the actual situations of the humanity, it could be observed that the idea of Darwinism is indeed true and is obvious. Because of the fact that there are those who have power, mainly because they have the capability to gain the said authority due to their accumulation of wealth, the oppression of those who do not have the sources to attain power continues to rise. How is this proven? The following paragraphs that would pertain to the actual current issues shall clearly state the situation of the society regarding social Darwinism. With the existence of Social Darwinism as it is, it could be noted that most of the victims of poverty around the world [particularly in America and Africa] are young children and teenage girls as well. Obviously, the main attack of poverty directly affects the lives of the young ones as they stand as the most vulnerable elements of the society during these particular events and social dilemma. To understand better, the situational elements that contribute to poverty both in America and Africa are to be identified herein. Elements of Poverty Poverty is indeed wide spread in the whole world. Because of the lack of ability of the world governments to accurately provide people with what they need due to the fast-growing population, many among the human society are set aside and pushed towards poverty. Hence, as a result, their offspring and the generation that follows their line then remain in the said economic status. There are only a few among the many who are able to succeed in running away or struggling hard to change their status in the community. (Korten, 2001, 17) As a result, those people steadied in their situation of being poor already loose hope in coping up with their needs. The fact that they are suppressed in having the things that they need because of their incapability to pay, they then develop the idea that there are no ways for them to survive from their miseries in life except for the fact that they need to live by and accept their life as it is. It might then raise curiosity among readers on ââ¬Å"what are the real causes of poverty among people in the society? â⬠In the diagram that follows, a summarized presentation of the said issue shall be addressed showing what is actually driving the poor sector of the society remains the way that they are. Analysis of Diagram: In the diagram presented above, it could be observed that there are three major reasons why the poor remain poor. The said reasons are as follows: â⬠¢ Economic Imbalance This factor pertains to the fact that that worldââ¬â¢s wealth is not evenly distributed to every person making up the population of the society. Because of the fact that there are those capitalists that aim to put up their own businesses to be able to gain more profit from their original amount of money invested on the said business entity. It is through this that they are able to gain power over the others who are struggling for survival from being poor. â⬠¢ Population Growth It is an irony that those who are poor are the ones bearing many children, children of which they are not able to support. This is because of the idea that they believe in that their children would be the ones who would struggle for better life for them. The more children they have, the faster they would be able to recover from their misery in poverty. However, this idealism has been proven a fallacy. For a fact, as the children of the poor sector add up, the more they feel the terrifying experience of their situation. â⬠¢ Psychological Disposition Based on psychological findings, poor people tend to ease their burden by telling themselves that they are already contented in the lifestyle that they are living in, and that they have nowhere else to go. As a result, the capitalists feed on this thought by contributing to the idea that without ample finances to support their needs, they are not going to get what they actually ought to have for a living. Basing from these three reasons, it could be observed that poor people simply tend to remain the way they are and the rich ones try to support the said situation by gaining more and not sharing what they have to those who are actually needy. As a result, people who are poor gain three major reactions to the situation. The said reactions include contentment on being poor, lack of self-trust and subjection to social discrimination; these are the things that the poor sector of the society needs to deal with everyday. Hence, America, being surrounded by capitalists and investors, has the rich and the poor sectors which are widely separated from each other. The fact that these capitalist know what to do with the money that they have, they are able to come up with ways by which they can still increase the wealth that they already posses. On the other hand, those who are poor have lesser ideas as well as courage in creating new ways to find a way of living. Certainly, the rich ones who have greater education have greater chances of creating possibilities for themselves to attain financial success in their lives. More often than not, the rich ones who are already settled in their situation are the ones who have greater chances of increasing their authority and power in the society through the use of their finances (Gelb, 1986, 22). Meanwhile, the poor one who are receiving lesser than needed are focusing on the things that they could only attain. They have lesser time spent on thinking how to increase their finances since they are already only trying to live by with what they have, and they do not have enough hopes of spending their time in planning, since they are already so consumed with their present situation. The Teenage Girls and their Reactions to Poverty There are likely three major results of poverty among young girls both in America and Africa. The said three major results are as follows: Diagram 2: The effects of Poverty on Young Teenage Girls in America and Africa Explanation: From the diagram presented herein, it could be observed that girls from both Africa and America who for some reasons are afflicted by poverty react in almost the same way to the level of being directly affected by the situation (Tanenbaum, 2000, 13). Most likely, their health and their safety becomes the most vulnerable element that needs some attention from the governing authorities who have concern over the situation (Riordan, 2004, 18). Undeniably, although the said societies are separately identified as somewhat different in terms of economic standing in the world trade, the reasons behind their poverty levels are somewhat identical that brings the results of the said situation in the society towards the teenage girl-population of the said communities somewhat common and identical as well. (Vendela, 2004, 18) Conclusion The belief behind the existence of the poor and the reasons behind the said situation is naturally noted as something that needs to be closely identified to be able to help solve the issues that bind poverty with that of human society today. The young ones, being the main target of the situation [teenage girls in particular] are facing a great challenge of remaining strong in facing the said issues of lacking the needed strength. Psychologists and other government authorities could help much in defining the different solutions that are made available for the ones affected by the afflictions brought about by poverty in both industrialized and still-developing countries such as that of Africa. References: â⬠¢ IRIN News South Africa: Land ownership remains racially skewed May 24, 2005 â⬠¢ IRIN News Land reform in Southern Africa July, 2003. â⬠¢ IRIN News Zimbabwe: Land reform omits farm workers Land reform in Southern Africa July, 2003. â⬠¢ Bowler, Peter. The Eclipse of Darwinism: Anti-Darwinian Evolution Theories in the Decades around 1900. Baltimore, 1983. â⬠¢ Gelb, S. A. ââ¬Å"Henry H. Goddard and the Immigrants, 1910-1917: The Studies and their Social Context,â⬠Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences 22 (1986): 324-332. â⬠¢ Rosenberg, Charles E. ââ¬Å"The Bitter Fruit: Heredity, Disease and Social Thought,â⬠Perspectives in American History 8 (1974):189-235. â⬠¢ David C Korten. When Corporations Rule the World. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. (2001): 345-346. â⬠¢ Founou-Tchuigoua, Bernard Food self-sufficiency: Crisis of the collective ideology African agriculture: The critical choices. United Nations University Press (1990) ISBN 0-86232-798-9 â⬠¢ Milich, Lenard (1997) Food security in Pre-Colonial Hausaland . World Commission on Protected Areas (1995-2006) WCPA West and Central Africa Region Key Issues The World Conservation Union National Academy of Sciences Lost Crops of Africa:Grains ISBN 0-309-04990-3 publication announcement March 4, 1996 â⬠¢ Future Harvest With time running out, scientists attempt rescue of African vegetable crops. News Feature November 29, 2001 â⬠¢ Gouse, Marnus et al. Three seasons of subsistence insect-resistant maize in South Africa: have smallholders benefited? AgBioForum Volume 9, No. 1 (2006) â⬠¢ Singh, B. P. (2002) Nontraditional crop production in Africa for export. p. 86ââ¬â92. In: J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds. ), Trends in new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA. â⬠¢ Leora Tanenbaum. (2000). Slut! Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation. Harper Paperbacks; 1 edition. â⬠¢ Teresa Riordan. (2004). Inventing Beauty: A History of the Innovations that Have Made Us Beautiful. Broadway Publishing. â⬠¢ Vendela Vida. (2000). Girls on the Verge: Debutante Dips, Drive-bys, and Other Initiations. St. Martinââ¬â¢s Griffin; 5th edition.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
SAT Historical Percentiles for 2010, 2009, 2008
SAT Historical Percentiles for 2010, 2009, 2008 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you took the SAT from 2008-2010, you may be wondering what your percentile score is on the SAT. Is a 2000 on the SAT in 2010 the same percentile score as a 2000 in 2008? Do percentile scores change over time? In this article, I will explain SAT percentile scores, how they change, and I'll provide the percentile scores for SAT combined scores and section scores for 2010, 2009, and 2008. What Are Percentile Scores? Percentile scores reveal how well you did in relation to other people. If you scored in the 99th percentile, then you did better than 99% of the people who took the test. If you scored in the 40th percentile, then you scored higher than 40% of the people who took the test. The College Board determines its percentile scores annually from the scores of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT. The higher your percentile score, the better you did relative to other high school seniors. Do Percentile Scores Change? Generally, percentile scores for equivalent SAT scores stay the same from year to year. For example, a combined SAT score of 1800was the 81st percentile in2010, 2009, and 2008. However, percentile scores for the same combined and section scores can change very slightly. A combined score of 2100 was the 96th percentile in 2010, but it was the 97th percentile in 2009 and 2008. Similarly, a score of 640 on Critical Reading was the 88th percentile in 2010 and 2009, but it was the 87th percentile in 2008. The SAT does try to utilize its scoring system so that equivalent SAT scores are indicative of the same percentile scores and skill level, regardless of when the test was taken. The purpose of the SAT is to provide a valid way to compare students. A score of 1700 from April 2015 is supposed to be equivalent to a 1700 from both May 2015 andMay 2007. How Should You Use This Data and Why Is It Important? Your percentile score is the most straightforward way to determine if you got a good or badSAT score. If you scored higher than the majority of test-takers, then you did well. However, when you apply to a specific college, you're being compared to the other students who apply to that school. Most colleges publicize their 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores. If you want to be competitive for admission at a certain college, then your target score should be aroundthe school's 75th percentile score. Also, percentile scores help put your scores in context. There may not seem to be much difference between a 680 on the Critical Reading section and a 600 on Math, but that Critical Reading score is the 93rd percentile while the Math score is the 74th or 75th. Raising each section score by 100 points would raise the Critical Reading percentile ranking by 6 points but the Math by about 15. If you're considering retaking the SAT, your percentile scores can help you determine how you should prioritize your time. Similarly, a small composite score increase can have a huge impact on your percentile score if you received a middle score. For example, a 1520 is the 51st or 52nd percentile but a 1760 is the 77th or 78th. Raising your score 250 points can raise your score from average to among the top 1/4 of test-takers. Finally, seeing the percentile scores for multiple years shows how little variance there is between percentile scores for the same SAT composite or section score in different years. If you're worried about how an older SAT score stacks up with more recent scores, take a look at these charts to get an idea of how it compares. Frii Spray/Flickr Composite Score Percentiles, 2008-2010 Score 2010 Percentile 2009 Percentile 2008 Percentile 2400 99+ 99+ 99+ 2390 99+ 99+ 99+ 2380 99+ 99+ 99+ 2370 99+ 99+ 99+ 2360 99+ 99+ 99+ 2350 99+ 99+ 99+ 2340 99+ 99+ 99+ 2330 99+ 99+ 99+ 2320 99+ 99+ 99+ 2310 99+ 99+ 99+ 2300 99+ 99+ 99+ 2290 99+ 99+ 99+ 2280 99+ 99 99 2270 99 99 99 2260 99 99 99 2250 99 99 99 2240 99 99 99 2230 99 99 99 2220 99 99 99 2210 99 99 99 2200 99 99 99 2190 98 98 98 2180 98 98 98 2170 98 98 98 2160 98 98 98 2150 98 98 98 2140 98 97 98 2130 97 97 97 2120 97 97 97 2110 97 97 97 2100 97 97 97 2090 96 96 96 2080 96 96 96 2070 96 96 96 2060 95 95 95 2050 95 95 95 2040 95 95 95 2030 94 94 94 2020 94 94 94 2010 94 94 94 2000 93 93 93 1990 93 93 93 1980 92 92 92 1970 92 92 92 1960 91 91 91 1950 91 91 91 1940 90 90 90 1930 90 90 90 1920 89 89 89 1910 89 89 89 1900 88 88 88 1890 87 87 88 1880 87 87 87 1870 86 86 86 1860 85 86 86 1850 85 85 85 1840 84 84 84 1830 83 83 84 1820 82 83 83 1810 82 82 82 1800 81 81 81 1790 80 80 80 1780 79 79 80 1770 78 79 79 1760 77 78 78 1750 76 77 77 1740 75 76 76 1730 75 75 75 1720 74 74 74 1710 73 73 73 1700 72 72 72 1690 71 71 71 1680 70 70 70 1670 68 69 69 1660 67 68 68 1650 66 67 67 1640 65 66 66 1630 64 65 65 1620 63 64 64 1610 62 63 62 1600 61 62 61 1590 59 61 60 1580 58 59 59 1570 57 58 58 1560 56 57 57 1550 54 56 55 1540 53 55 54 1530 52 53 53 1520 51 52 52 1510 49 51 51 1500 48 50 49 1490 47 49 48 1480 46 47 47 1470 44 46 46 1460 43 45 44 1450 42 44 43 1440 41 42 42 1430 39 41 41 1420 38 40 39 1410 37 39 38 1400 36 37 37 1390 35 36 36 1380 33 35 35 1370 32 34 33 1360 31 33 32 1350 30 32 31 1340 29 30 30 1330 28 29 29 1320 26 28 28 1310 25 27 27 1300 24 26 26 1290 23 25 25 1280 22 24 24 1270 21 23 23 1260 20 22 22 1250 19 21 21 1240 18 20 19 1230 18 19 18 1220 17 18 17 1210 16 17 17 1200 15 16 16 1190 14 15 15 1180 13 14 14 1170 13 14 13 1160 12 13 13 1150 11 12 12 1140 11 11 11 1130 10 1 11 1120 9 10 10 1110 9 10 9 1100 8 9 9 1090 8 8 8 1080 7 8 8 1070 7 7 7 1060 6 7 7 1050 6 6 6 1040 5 6 6 1030 5 6 5 1020 5 5 5 1010 4 5 5 1000 4 4 4 990 4 4 4 980 3 4 4 970 3 3 3 960 3 3 3 950 3 3 3 940 3 3 3 930 2 2 2 920 2 2 2 910 2 2 2 900 2 2 2 890 2 2 2 880 1 2 1 870 1 1 1 860 1 1 1 850 1 1 1 840 1 1 1 830 1 1 1 820 1 1 1 810 1 1 1 800 1 1 1 790 1 1 1 780 1- 1- 1- 770 1- 1- 1- 760 1- 1- 1- 750 1- 1- 1- 740 1- 1- 1- 730 1- 1- 1- 720 1- 1- 1- 710 1- 1- 1- 700 1- 1- 1- 690 1- 1- 1- 680 1- 1- 1- 670 1- 1- 1- 660 1- 1- 1- 650 1- 1- 1- 640 1- 1- 1- 630 1- 1- 1- 620 1- 1- 1- 610 1- 1- 1- 600 Enokson/Flickr Section Score Percentiles Here are the percentile scores for each section for 2008-2010. Critical Reading Score 2010 Percentile 2009 Percentile 2008 Percentile 800 99 99 99 790 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 770 99 99 99 760 99 99 99 750 98 98 98 740 98 98 98 730 97 97 97 720 97 97 96 710 96 96 96 700 95 95 95 690 94 94 94 680 93 93 93 670 92 92 92 660 91 91 90 650 89 89 89 640 88 88 87 630 86 85 85 620 84 84 83 610 82 82 82 600 80 79 79 590 77 77 77 580 75 75 74 570 72 72 71 560 69 69 68 550 66 66 65 540 63 63 62 530 59 60 58 520 56 56 55 510 53 53 51 500 50 49 48 490 46 46 44 480 42 42 41 470 39 39 37 460 35 36 34 450 32 32 31 440 29 28 27 430 26 26 25 420 23 22 22 410 20 20 19 400 17 17 17 390 15 15 15 380 13 13 12 370 11 11 10 360 9 9 9 350 8 8 7 340 6 6 6 330 5 5 5 320 4 4 4 310 3 4 4 300 3 3 3 290 2 2 3 280 2 2 2 270 2 2 2 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 220 1 1 1 210 1 1 1 200 Mathematics Score 2010 Percentiles 2009 Percentiles 2008 Percentiles 800 99 99 99 790 99 99 99 780 99 99 99 770 98 98 99 760 98 98 98 750 97 97 98 740 97 97 97 730 96 96 97 720 95 95 96 710 94 94 95 700 93 94 93 690 92 92 92 680 90 91 91 670 89 89 89 660 87 88 88 650 85 85 86 640 84 83 83 630 82 81 81 620 80 79 79 610 77 77 76 600 75 74 74 590 72 72 71 580 70 69 68 570 66 67 66 560 64 63 63 550 61 61 60 540 58 58 56 530 54 55 53 520 51 51 50 510 48 48 47 500 45 45 43 490 41 41 40 480 38 38 36 470 35 35 33 460 31 31 30 450 28 28 27 440 26 26 25 430 23 23 22 420 20 20 19 410 17 17 16 400 15 15 14 390 13 13 12 380 11 11 11 370 9 9 9 360 8 8 7 350 6 6 6 340 5 6 5 330 4 5 4 320 4 4 4 310 3 3 3 300 2 2 3 290 2 2 2 280 1 2 2 270 1 1 1 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 230 1 1- 1 220 1- 1- 1 210 1- 1- 1- 200 Writing Score 2010 Percentiles 2009 Percentiles 2008 Percentiles 800 99+ 99+ 99+ 790 99 99+ 99+ 780 99 99 99 770 99 99 99 760 98 99 99 750 98 99 99 740 98 98 98 730 98 98 98 720 97 97 97 710 96 96 97 700 96 96 96 690 95 95 95 680 94 94 94 670 93 93 93 660 92 92 92 650 90 90 90 640 89 89 89 630 87 87 87 620 86 85 85 610 84 84 83 600 82 81 81 590 79 79 79 580 77 77 76 570 75 74 73 560 72 72 71 550 69 69 68 540 66 66 64 530 63 63 62 520 60 59 58 510 57 56 54 500 53 52 51 490 50 49 47 480 46 46 44 470 43 42 40 460 39 39 37 450 36 35 33 440 32 32 30 430 29 29 27 420 25 25 23 410 22 22 20 400 19 19 18 390 17 17 15 380 14 14 13 370 12 12 11 360 10 10 9 350 8 8 7 340 7 7 6 330 5 5 5 320 4 4 4 310 4 4 3 300 3 3 3 290 2 2 2 280 2 1 2 270 1 1 1 260 1 1 1 250 1 1 1 240 1 1 1 230 1 1 1 220 1- 1- 1- 210 1- 1- 1- 200 What's Next? Check out the SAT historical percentiles for 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011, and learn more about how to understand your SAT scores. Also, you may be interested in this post about whether SAT scores predict success. Finally, read this article if you're wondering if you need SAT scores to transfer colleges. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Using Spanish Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns
Using Spanish Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Perhaps the most difficult aspect of grammar for most Spanish students when learning how to use pronouns is learning how to use and distinguish between direct-object and indirect-object pronouns. Direct-object and indirect-object pronouns have similar functions, and the pronouns themselves are the same in the first-person and second-person familiar forms. Direct vs. Indirect Objects First of all, some definition of terms is in order. Direct-object pronouns are those pronouns that represent the nouns directly acted upon by the verb. Indirect-object pronouns stand for the noun that is the recipient of the verbs action. In both English and Spanish, a verb may have no object (e.g., I live, vivo), a direct object only (e.g., I killed the fly, matà © la mosca), or both direct and indirect objects (e.g., I gave her the ring, le di el anillo). The construction of an indirect object without a direct object isnt used in English, but it can be done in Spanish (e.g., le es difà cil, it is difficult for him.) In the third example, the direct object of the verb is the ring (el anillo), because it is what was given. The indirect object is her, (or le) because the person is the recipient of the giving. Another way of looking at indirect objects in Spanish is that they could be replaced by a prepositional pronoun or sometimes para prepositional pronoun. In the example sentence, we could say di el anillo a ella and mean the same thing (just as we could say in English, I gave the ring to her). In Spanish, unlike English, a noun cant be an indirect object; it must be used as the object of a preposition. For example, we could say I gave Sally the ring in English, but in Spanish the preposition a is needed, le di el anillo a Sally. As in this example, it is common, although not strictly required, to include both the pronoun le and the named indirect object.) Similarly, note also that in Spanish the indirect object pronoun must refer to a person or animal. In English, we use the same pronouns for both direct and indirect objects. In Spanish, both types of object pronouns are the same except in the third person. The third-person singular direct object pronouns are lo (masculine) and la (feminine), while in the plural, they are los and las. But the indirect object pronouns are le and les in the singular and the plural, respectively. No distinction is made according to gender. The other object pronouns in Spanish are me (first-person singular), te (second-person familiar singular), nos (first-person plural) and os (second-person familiar plural). Following in chart form are the object pronouns in Spanish. The direct objects are shown in the second and third columns, the indirect objects in the fourth and fifth columns. me me Ella me ve (she sees me). me Ella me dio el dinero (she gave me the money). you (familiar) te Ella te ve. te Ella te dio el dinero. him, her, it, you (formal) lo (masculine)la (feminine) Ella lo/la ve. le Ella le dio el dinero. us nos Ella nos ve. nos Ella nos dio el dinero. you (familiar plural) os Ella os ve. os Ella os dio el dinero. them, you (plural formal) los (masculine)las (feminine) Ella los/las ve. les Ella les dio el dinero. More About Using Object Pronouns Here are some other details of using these pronouns you should know: El leà smo: In some parts of Spain, le and les are used as direct-object pronouns to refer to masculine human beings instead of lo and los, respectively. Youre not likely to run into this usage, known as el leà smo, in Latin America. Se: To avoid alliteration, when le or les as an indirect-object pronoun precedes the direct-object pronoun lo, los, la or las, se is used instead of le or les. Quiero drselo, I want to give it to him (or her or you). Se lo darà ©, I will give it to him (or her or you). Placement of object pronouns after verbs: Object pronouns are placed after infinitives (the unconjugated form of the verb that ends in -ar, -er or -ir), gerunds (the form of the verb that ends in -ando or -endo, generally equivalent to the -ing ending in English), and the affirmative imperative. Quiero abrirla, I want to open it. No estoy abrià ©ndola, I am not opening it. brela, open it. Note that where the pronunciation requires it, a written accent needs to be added to the verb. Placement of object pronouns before verbs: Object pronouns are placed before verb forms except those listed above, in other words, before nearly all the conjugated forms. Quiero que la abras, I want you to open it. No la abro, I am not opening it. No la abras, dont open it. Order of object pronouns: When both direct-object and indirect-object pronouns are objects of the same verb, the indirect object comes before the direct object. Me lo dar, he will give it to me. Quiero drtelo, I want to give it to you. Obviously, there are quite a few rules to learn! But youll find as you read and listen to Spanish that the rules will become a natural part of your understanding of the language.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
International Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
International Security - Essay Example The conflict between Israel and Palestine is mainly facilitated by the religious disparity seen in the region with the Palestine being Arabs and the Israeli people being Jewish Christians. This essay will look at the international security situation in Israel while referring to the information from the various wars and conflicts between the country and other nations, the internal conflicts that have lasted for years and the role played by various countries in either assisting or resisting its attacks on other countries (Slater, 2006). Israel has been in conflict with Egypt, Jordan and also with Palestine with the peace talks and reconciliation process yielding little despite the effort that has been put by the international bodies to end the conflicts. The conflicts have been due to border issues and the control of fertile areas, the failure to recognize some people and regions and the control of Jerusalem and certain Israeli settlements. One of the most enduring conflicts in the history of Israel is the one with Palestine. This can be dated back to about one hundred years ago with the same arising from the right to own the land between the Eastern Shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the River Jordan. The Palestinians who are few and less armed when it comes to military empowerment have witnessed about one hundred years of suppression and occupation of the land which they considered as theirs by the Israelis. The suffering and loss that has been caused by the occupation of the land has led to their fight to be recognized as a state with their struggles having little fruits to be seen. The Jews on the other hand refer to the land they have been fighting for as the land of their fore fathers and so it is their rightful inheritance that should be given to them without much fighting or conflict. Having a two state solution has been one of the options that has been proposed to
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Apple's Strategy in the PC and MP3 Player Industries Essay
Apple's Strategy in the PC and MP3 Player Industries - Essay Example Apple made the difficult transition by having the chief elements of a successful strategy in place that allowed the company to formulate and execute the right moves: (1) high quality people such as managers, engineers, designers, marketing support, etc.; (2) a solid set of core competencies and competitive capabilities, and (3) the right company structure. These three key elements define Apple as a business organization and account for its success in launching innovative products that were profitable and that grabbed a major share of the market (Thompson & Strickland, 2006). First, Appleââ¬â¢s workers are among the most creative and smartest in the industry. It has managed to attract an overwhelming number of applicants for each job vacancy on the basis of its corporate image and the privilege of working for a corporate icon of the computer industry, a company package that includes CEO Steve Jobs who started the personal computer revolution. The companyââ¬â¢s compelling vision of making technology more accessible to the masses by promising to have a beautifully designed quality technology product for almost anybody attracted these workers. Second, Apple has a core set of competencies and competitive capabilities. It has a substantial amount of brand equity, which means that the Apple brand is easily recognizable and associated with a set of attractive features that create an emotional impact on customers. Its blockbuster successes in designing products have given it an edge in product differentiation, allowing the company to command a premium price because it enjoys a first mover advantage that continuously attracts a relatively stable market to buy its products. By coming up first with products that incorporate new technological developments in an elegant and easy-to-use form, such as the graphics user interface, the mouse, the special look and feel that enchants first-time computer users and makes them loyal customers, and now the iPod and its derivative products, Apple shows how it integrates its Research & Development (R&D) function to bring innovations to market in a profitable manner.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Discussion Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Discussion Question - Essay Example McDonaldââ¬â¢s has mastered the art of change management. We can verify that through many examples. The McDonaldââ¬â¢s launch in France, according to the ââ¬ËInternational Journal of Business Managementââ¬â¢, where customers are ââ¬Ëresentful of the fast-food chainââ¬â¢s incursionââ¬â¢ was successful mainly due to an adaptation of the local culture and demands of the market. French are particular about fine dining and hence McDonaldââ¬â¢s underwent serious changes, such as comfortable armchairs, hardwood floors, an addition in their menu of items such as espresso, brioche and upscale sandwiches etc and ââ¬Ësuccessfully responded to ââ¬Ëthe preferences of the local area (Richard L. Daft). ââ¬ËIn the other countries the situation is the same. For example, in Canada, McDonaldââ¬â¢s has introduced new Canadian feature breakfast. In Belgium, the McCicken Premiere has been added to the menu.ââ¬â¢ (International Journal of Business Management, Nov 2008). Jing Han. (2008, Nov.) The Business Strategy of McDonaldââ¬â¢s. International Journal of Business and Management. Volume 3, No. 11. Retrieved from:
Sunday, October 27, 2019
The Business Transformations Organizational Context Information Technology Essay
The Business Transformations Organizational Context Information Technology Essay Business Transformation, in an organizational context, is a process of profound and radical change, focussing an organization on a new direction and taking it to a new level of effectiveness. Transformation implies a basic change of character and little or no resemblance to the past configuration or structure (www.businessdictionary.com, 2010a). IT enabled business transformation is the use of technology in order to fundamentally alter the way business is carried out within an industry and organizations implementing these changes can competitive advantages (Rau, 2006). Information Systems enabling business transformation has evolved greatly over time. The early 70s saw data being centralized and systems linked to a very few business functions and the operations of the bulky main frames. The 80s saw the installation of PCs and LANs and departments set up computer systems, using end-user computing with word processors and spreadsheets making departments less dependent on the IT department. The main focus was central control and corporate learning. The 90s Wide Area Networks became corporate standards with senior management looking for system and data integration. Main focus was central and corporate learning. The millennium brought with it Wide Area Network expansion through the internet to include global enterprises and business partners supply chain and distribution. Senior management look for data sharing while the main focus is on attaining efficiencies and speed in inventory, manufacturing and distribution. (University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, n.d ). The roles and responsibilities of the CIO are ever evolving. Ross and Fenny (1999) highlight the varied roles of the CIO during three eras; mainframe era (1960s 1980s), distributed era (late 1970s onwards) and the web-based era (mostly mid 1990s onwards). The mainframe era CIO was is most cases a Data Processing/Information Systems manager. The key tasks demanded were to deploy new systems to time and budget, and ensuring systems reliability during operations. The distributed era saw the CIO hit turbulent times. CIOs had to learn and master multiple roles in order to survive and prosper. The four main roles of the CIO were Organizational Designer, Technology Advisor, Technology Architect and Informed Buyer. During the web based era, the evolving CIO focuses on business change through new business models, management processes etc. The CIO also argues for greater measure of central coordination and also work with executive colleagues to improve leverage so as to fulfil the need for st rategically aligning operations to IT in a bid to attain higher levels of efficiency and competitive advantage. Lanka Bell is the second largest fixed line telecommunications operator in Sri Lanka with over 1.2 million CDMA and fixed wired lines. It is also the ISP with the largest international backbone in Sri Lanka. Lanka Bell was established in 1997 and was later acquired by Milford Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of the Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL) in 2005. Under new management, Lanka Bell was the first Operator to introduce CDMA into the Sri Lankan market and is presently has the largest CDMA customer base of more than 1.2 million subscribers. In 2008, Lanka Bell invested US $27 million to link Sri Lanka to the Falcon section of the FLAG fibre optic undersea cable, which is owned by Indias Reliance Communications and has more than 87 points of presence (POPs) worldwide. Lanka Bell is the Sri Lankan operator with the largest international backbone capacity. Further, the Lanka Bell team more than quadrupled from about 350 employees in 2005 to about 1500 today. Lanka Bell curren tly has 65 branch offices, and also strategic ties to Abans, Softlogic, Arpico Shopping Malls and multiple banks in easing the obtaining of services and the settlement of bills. In mid 2008, Lanka Bell was the first Sri Lankan operator to commercially launch WiMAX operations. WiMAX is currently being deployed island wide in the provision of data and voice solutions. The WiMAX network enables the coupling of voice and data solutions including Broadband, Leased Lines and VPNs. It also provides for a centralized monitoring and fault locating. WiMAX is one of the most recent technologies to hit the telecom industry in the provision of high speed data, voice and streaming media. Lanka Bell is just 13 years old and as Sri Lanka is a developing country, it cannot be assumed that Sri Lanka has the infrastructure and know-how currently available in more developed nations. In place of a CIO, Lanka Bell has an individual with the designation of General Manager IT. Presently Lanka Bell is upgrading IT/IS infrastructure and data and voice networks to support future expansion and create efficiency. The IT/IS division has presently taken over the IT/IS operations of 16 companies coming under the parent DCSL group and manages all technology related issues. This provides for improved efficiency and significant cost savings on man power and other resources. Further, Lanka Bell is testing the use of HP Blade Servers in collaboration with DMS Electronics (Private) Limited. The Blade systems are state of the art new server systems which support for advanced data processing, storage and redundancy option through SAN (Storage Area Network). These Blade systems consume less po wer, less space and support virtualization, which will enable multiple servers to be installed and managed on one system, which is the technology of tomorrow. The positive outcomes of this could be newer, faster and reliable systems supporting centralized storage and management and thus lowering the overall hardware costs, power costs, maintenance cost and labour costs etc. Tests are also being carried out on mobile CDMA. This technology has already established infrastructure and the company may have a considerable income if the system could be implemented. The organization also conducts tests on the WiMAX network with multiple vendors, testing inter vendor compatibility and the overcoming of identified issues etc. These experiments are being conducted to enable reduction of costs of operation and to also provide a wider range of products and services to customers at more competitive rates. The role played by IS/IT in the telecom industry worldwide is immense. Cansfield (2008) states à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦value in telecoms is created by the IT systems that create the services that run on the network and are purchased by customers. Cansfield (2008) further states à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦the performance of the IT systems should be placed under as much scrutiny as the balance sheet. As mentioned in the above paragraphs, it can be seen that IS/IT enabled business transformation is a continuous process and as change occurs, so does the role of the CIO have to evolve. It can be understood from the overview of Lanka Bell that as the company enforces changes to business strategy, it needs the IS/IT strategy to evolve too. For these changes to occur smoothly, the CIO should be able to evolve to match the situational requirements. Literature mostly covers the two areas of IS/IT enabled business transformation and the evolving role of CIOs as separate areas of study; neither providing sufficient comparisons nor emphasizing the relationship existent. Based on initial studies, congruency between the evolving role of the CIO and IS/IT enabled business transformation can be noted. This research is conducted so as to identify how the evolution of IS/IT enabled business transformation influences the change in the roles of CIOs and also to formulate guidelines and recommendations to Lanka Bell. These guidelines and recommendations are intended to assist the top level management match the changes in business environment with the level of IS/IT enabled business transformations and provide a clearer view for the CIO to conduct operations. 6.0 Literature Review: IT enabled business transformation has many definitions by different academia. Rau (2006) defines IT enabled business transformation as the use of technology in order to fundamentally alter the way business is carried out within an industry and organizations implementing these changes can competitive advantages. Oestreich (2009) says of IT enabled business transformation that it is the integration of all activities and functions along business processes into a single process agile value chain. Similarly, Markus and Benjamin (1997) also view the transformation as a business process that crosses several functional lines. In studying the above definitions, it can be summarized that Rau (2006) views IT enabled transformation as the use of technology in attaining competitive advantages, while Oestreich (2009) views it as the integration of processes. Markus and Benjamin (1997) view is integration across functions. Based on the above, a definition can be formed where IT enabled transformat ion is the use of technology to attain competitive advantages by integrating processes across functional lines. Ever since the commercialization of computers in the late 1950s, IT has been an enabler to business transformation. Ross and Fenny (1999) differentiate the levels of IS utilization during three eras. The mainframe era commenced with the automation of clerical tasks and overtime developed transaction processing capabilities. It was during this stage that Electronic Data Processing was initiated in the accounting function. In good time, firms began automating other functions until mainframe computing affected the organizational activities or most large organization. The distributed era commenced with the development of business applications for mini computers and personal computers and typically targeting needs of knowledge workers. This initially resulted in islands of computing within organizations. IT was increasingly perceived as a tool for cross-functional integration and collaboration. It was at this stage that certain companies took IT as a competitive weapon and strove to innov ate along the supply and distribution chains. Further changes evident were globalization and business process re-engineering. Towards the end of the era, ERP systems emerged and they seamlessly integrated all required transaction processing within a distributed network. Organizations invested huge sums in ERP development. The web-based era brought with it the development of the internet, extranet an intranet based applications for business. Organizations began to realize they could offer low cost value-added services via the web. Intranet applications linking the organization provide for data sharing and business process standardization. Knowledge management is a key development of the web-based era. Extranet applications have also developed to link an organization with multiple partners in supply, distribution, manufacturing etc. Rouse (2005) states in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a whole new segment of interactive computing emerged. In the late 1960s, Digital Equipment Corporat ion (DEC) minicomputers dominated the interactive computing market while in the mid 1980s, Apple came out with the Macintosh, which became the industry standard in the sense of its features and benefits. He further states that most of todays attention has been dominated by the internet. The process of transformation in itself is of complex nature and many academics have suggested models. Venkatraman (1994) provides a framework based on two dimensions: the potential IT benefit range and degree of organizational transformation, and states the benefits from deployment of IT are marginal if superimposed on existing organizational conditions. In cases where investments in IT functionality are complimented by organizational changes in characteristics, benefits accrue. A diagram of the model is given below: Source: Venkatraman (1994) Ventakraman (1994) further describes the distinctive characteristics of each stage: Localized Exploitation covers the leveraging of IT functionality to redesign focused, high-value areas of business operation. Internal Integration covers the leveraging of IT capability to create a seamless organization process reflecting both technical interconnectivity and organizational interdependence. Business Process Redesign addresses redesigning the key processes to derive organizational capabilities for competing in the future as opposed to simply rectifying current weaknesses; use IT capability as an enabler for future organizational capability. Business Network Redesign is articulating the strategic logic to leverage related participants in the business network to provide products and services in the marketplace; exploiting IT functionality for learning from the extended network as well as for coordination and control. Business Scope Redefinition is the redefining of the corporate scope that is enabled and facilitated by IT functionality. Venkatraman (1994) conclusively states that, successful companies will be differentiated by their ability to visualize the logic of the new business world and leverage IT to create an appropriate organizational arrangement internal and external to support business logic. The transformation trajectory is a moving target, shaped by fundamental changes in the competitive business world. Managements challenge is to continually adapt the organization and technological capabilities to be in dynamic alignment with the chosen business vision. Rouse (2006) in his book provides a broad systems-oriented view of transformation and a theoretical view on the forces that prompt transformation and the nature of how it is pursued. He also addresses the issue of transformational leadership and organizational and cultural change. Towards the end, he provides a collection of transformational case studies. Perumal and Pandey (2008) define the process of transformation as, a drastic change in the way of running a business. This change may span across processes, people, technology, policies, vision or any other business component, and has a direction for meeting a specific business goal. They provide a table containing the stages of the transformation process and further state that any business transformation impacts in one or more of the following ways; workforce culture becomes manageable, processes become efficient, automation of manual activities, business rules are altered, strategy gains direction. The following is an illustration of the various transformational process stages: In analysing the above paragraphs, it can be noted that Ventakraman (1994) defines the stages or levels of transformation based on two variables; the range of potential benefits and the degree of organizational transformation. An organization can map itself into one of the five stages, given it matches the required criteria. Perumal and Pandey (2008) state transformation spans across processes, people, technology, policies, vision or any other business component, and has a direction for meeting a specific business goal and provide seven stages for transformation. Each stage has sub-steps and if conducted in the correct manner, each element of business gets favourably transformed during the process. The Booz Allen Hamilton (2010) transformation life cycle defines five stages for transformation. It also defines the key enablers to successful transformation which are people, process, technology and physical infrastructure. The model also illustrates the process areas of capability devel opment, ownership building and program stewardship, each are related collectively performed sub processes to achieve a set of predefined goals. In analysing the above paragraphs, Feldhues (2006) presents the Gottschalk set of CIO Leadership Roles. These nine roles described can be applied to a CIO and also to the role expected of a CIO. Furthermore, Edwards et al. (2009) presents five types of present day CIOs and describes them against six criteria he has defined. Also, Kaufeld et al. (2000) provide Charis extended IT Leadership Growth model in emphasizing the role of IS/IT management. This model divides the IS/IT leadership into a four stage process where, when the leadership evolves, the characteristics of the previous stages are included in the new stage, thus improving and increasing competencies and abilities. Lanka Bell was incorporated in 1997 and since inception has been a key player in the telecom and Internet Service Provider (ISP) industry in Sri Lanka. Lanka Bell commenced with around 300 members of staff and very limited technology and systems. Most of the processes at inception had a lot of manual processing involved as they were only partially automated. As operations progressed, the influence of IS/IT upon operations increased. IS/IT was always a part of the business as the telecommunication industry is very dependent on IS/IT systems (Cansfield, 2008). The hierarchy of IT leadership at Lanka Bell also evolved over time with new designations being created and others removed. Currently, the role of the CIO at Lanka Bell is played by the General Manager IT. In 2005, as Lanka Bell saw a new management takeover, the strategic importance of IS/IT and the need for good leadership was recognized. Research can be classified as primary and secondary research. Primary research refers to the researcher collecting his/her own data rather than depending solely on published literature while secondary research refers to the researcher seeking out literature from a number of sources including journals, books conference proceedings etc with a view to show he/she is well read in the area (Biggam, 2008). Further to the above, research methods in general can be classified as action research, experimental research, case study approach, computing research are some examples. The Lecture notes (2010) mention Kock (1997) describes action research as research where the researchers aim is to directly improve the organization studied while also generating scientific knowledge, while Oates (2006) describes experimental research as a strategy investigating cause and effect relationships and seeking to prove or disprove the relationship between a factor and an observed outcome. It also mentions of Yins (2003) description of the case study approach as an empirical study investigating in real life context, even when boundaries are not clearly evident. Computing research is mentioned as being composed of eight major approaches (Galliers, 1992). Dr. Bandu Ranasinghe
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