iGE iPhone app review - Emphasis

iGE iPhone app review iGE iPhone app review Apple boasts that there are now more than 500,000 iPhone apps available. Some are useful, and some less so (we particularly love the virtual stapler). But which camp does University College London’s Interactive Grammar of English (iGE) app fall into? For many, grammar is an alien and intimidating world of confusing concepts and unlikely vocabulary; a world they would rather avoid. But for anyone who relies on language, is there really a choice? As the app wisely states on its welcome page: ‘Quite simply, if we know how English works, then we can make better use of it.’ A logical progression The iGE is both a reference guide and an interactive course, beginning at word classes and building up logically through phrases, clauses and sentences to form, function and further reading. UCL linguistics experts developed it using research from their Survey of English Usage (SEU). The exercises use text taken from SEU’s million-word database of spoken and written English. This means the example sentences are somewhat more realistic than your typical grammar textbook (one can show only so much interest in where an aunt keeps her stationery). There is also an extensive glossary. Apparently the target market is school, college and university students, as well as learners of English as a second language. UCL Professor and Director of SEU Bas Aarts says: ‘The SEU team have developed the app in response to students and teachers who say that many existing learning tools †¦ often fail to meet their English language learning needs.’ Hold on to your hat Perhaps the worst that could be said of the resulting program is that, after it has met those needs, it promptly gallops off to a more highbrow party. On first use, the app almost feels too comprehensive. And for anyone who finds grammar daunting, it could be a little overwhelming. (Ever wanted to know the difference between syndetic and polysyndetic coordination? Well, you can find out here ) Throughout the course, technical terms are hyperlinked to their entry in the glossary, as well as to dropdown menus of related words and subjects. While cross-referencing is undoubtedly useful, the extent of it means you can easily become sidetracked amid the many layers (imagine a Russian doll of the population of Russia) and lose track of where you began. The overall verdict This aside (and it does feel churlish to complain of being given too much information), the app is intuitive to use and explains terms clearly. And you can take your time getting to grips with each part, as it will hold your place when you exit. Just a couple of notes of caution: it’s probably best to follow the course from the beginning rather than diving right into the hyperlinks and labyrinthine glossary, or you risk feeling like Alice being swallowed up by the rabbit hole. Still, if – like her – you can learn to just fall in and embrace it, you will probably also end up emerging somewhat wiser, if a little bit dazed. Score: ****

Henry VIII persue new foreign policies Essay Example

Henry VIII persue new foreign policies Essay Example Henry VIII persue new foreign policies Paper Henry VIII persue new foreign policies Paper Essay Topic: History When accessing how far Henry VIII pursued new foreign policies in the period 1509-1514, it is important to take into account the idea of change and continuity. Henry VII established some very strong and clear foreign policies, however Henry VIII wanted to very much distance himself from his fathers work and ethos. It is essential to look at the policies that Henry VIII changed and the reasons behind this, but also whether he kept any of his fathers strategies. It is vital to remember that many factors contributed to the characters of both Henry VII and Henry VIII. I will continuously focus on the theme of their childhood and upbringing, and how these factors may have contributed to their behaviour in adulthood, and how well they were prepared for the role of a king. Henry VII was perceived as a miserly character, whose enigmatic and distant nature caused him to be disliked by many. He was, however, very independent and was governed by none, which ensured that everything was overlooked by him. Similarities between Henry VIII and his father were that they were both good at networking and highly intelligent. On the other hand, Henry VIII enjoyed spending his money on the nobility and lavishing himself with a hedonistic lifestyle. In my opinion, this major difference stemmed from the fact that their upbringing was so different. Henry VII grew up and gained training as a king not only in a studious way, but he also had the chance to experience court politics and learn through gossip and observations. His mother was a great influence over him, and she fully supported her sons political interests. Henrys uncle, Jasper Tudor, was the only constant figure in his life, and always gave Henry stability, loyalty and a political role model. Henry VII fought for the crown, against the Yorkist king Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth. He had a fierce determination to become king, and become secure dynastically. Henry VIII on the other hand, was guarded against the exposure of having to take responsibility. His older brother Arthur was expected to be heir to the throne, and therefore Henry was untrained as king and left to enjoy his youth. I believe that this is very influential over the methods in which Henry VIII dealt with the decisions of a king, especially when concerning foreign policies. Henry VII believed that securing the throne was the most important contribution that he could make, as did Henry VIII. However the way in which they went about doing this differed. Henry VII always maintained a peace policy. He realised quite rightly that foreign relationships had to be secure, in order to decrease the chances of being attacked and overthrown. Henry VII used peace treaties to his advantage. He ensured that Britain became a nuisance to France, and so France was forced into having to sign the Treaty of Etaples, if they wanted to get rid of Henry and his army. This helped Henry greatly, as the treaty meant that war was avoided with one of Englands closest neighbours. Henry also signed the Treaty of Medina del Campo, which promoted peace between England and Spain. Henry was very much aware of the importance of these treaties, as they encouraged trade, protected pretenders and most importantly, improved the relations between foreign countries. Henry VII realised that a strong king coincided with the idea of a rich king, and so a peace policy meant a cutting down on the expenses of war. Henry VIII was opposed to his fathers idealistic view on foreign policy. Even though Henry VIII wanted to secure the throne to provide a reassuring and safe life for his heirs, he went about seeking to provide this in a different manner. He wanted glory. He wanted to be seen as the warrior king. I believe that this is where the influence of his childhood is most significant. Henry VIII was brought up with the idea that past family members, in particular Henry V, were extremely victorious in wars. This affected Henry so much, that not only did he want a parallel glory to Henry V, but he also commissioned a translation of a book about Henry Vs early life. Henry VIII was also made aware of the fact that it was only 80 years since Henry VI had been crowned king of France, which meant that according to him, he rightfully inherited the French crown. Unlike his fathers peace policy, Henry believed in a more traditional interventionist policy. Henry wanted prestige and military glory, which he gained when winning the battle of the spurs. This was very successful through Henrys eyes, as it was the first territorial gain in France for 75 years, and did much to heighten his popularity. Henry persued this idea of being militarily successful, but I do not believe he achieved this. Henry was in France whilst James IV was victorious at Flodden, which made Henrys gains become overshadowed by James IV victory in England. Even though this was a victory for England, it is questionable as to whether it was a victory for Henry. The treasury became bankrupt and to maintain territorial gains would result in great financial cost. However, Henry was mainly concerned about his reputation, and instead of being cautious with finance, spent his money lavishly. In fact, the war with France (1512-1524) cost i 892,000, a startlingly large amount during the Tudor period. This clearly shows how determined he was to persue a new foreign policy of military power a foreign policy that was completely set apart from his fathers. To ensure the throne was as protected as possible, Henry VII was very adamant that it would be arranged for his son, Prince Arthur, to marry the king of Spains daughter. Henrys eldest daughter, Margaret, married James IV of Scotland, which was intended to bring future peace between Scotland and England, both renowned for being traditional enemies. Henry himself also married Elizabeth of York, a woman who was a Yorkist. This enabled him to reduce the possibility of future Yorkist claims to the throne, which was significantly important after the War of Roses. Henry VIII was slightly more reckless with his heart. Even though he aimed to carry on his legacy, he had in total six wives. He viewed the point of marriage as being able to produce legitimate heirs to the throne, however unlike his father, he enjoyed courting and charming the women in his life. This could possibly be because not only did women constantly surround him, but also his bedroom was also next to his fathers and 100 servants. This undoubtedly allowed him to witness many things and possibly shape his strange outlook on women, as well as put his own interests first, above the idea of marrying for dynastic security. On the other hand, he did marry Catherine of Aragon (though this was his fathers idea) which he understood was necessary. I believe in this way he persued and maintained this element of foreign policy, and continued his fathers ideas on the importance of international relations through marriage. The nobility affected Henry VIIIs decisions towards foreign policy. They supported his policy of aggression, and were determined to go to war. Henry was generous with patronage, and gained the nobilitys support through a subtle form of bribery. The nobility welcomed this, as it was a large difference to the way that Henry VII treated them. Henry VII through the learned council was very harsh with bonds and recognaisances. He did not want the nobility becoming strengthened, and so held back with patronage. He used Empson and Dudley to collect taxes from the nobility. Henry VIII changed this policy by executing Empson and Dudley, the two men that worked so closely with his father. This gained a lot of respect with the nobility and clearly signified the fact that his way of ruling, and deciding upon policies was opposite to his father. Henry VIIIs need to persue new foreign policies, and in fact domestic policies, stem from the fact that he could see how unpopular his fathers way of ruling was. It is thought that Henry VII was hanging by a thread, and by the end of his rule was not at all secure. Henry VIII wanted to distance himself from this, and expectations were upon him to act differently to his father. He persued foreign polices that were dissimilar to Henry VIIs, and, apart from the idea of continuing and securing the Tudor dynasty through arranged marriages, every other policy was a contrast. I believe that this is due not only to society expectations at the time, but also Henry VIII had clear expectations for himself from an early age. Growing up in the shadow of his older brothers legacy may have been difficult for Henry, and so when he was given the power, he used it to the maximum, always with full determination, sometimes with naivety. As a child, he was constantly thinking of the past generations, and their glory and patriotism, and how they were respected and adored, usually due to their military connections. It is no surprise that Henry VIII persued the foreign policies that he did. Regardless of whether they were successful or not, he did everything in his power to follow his own path, and neglect his fathers legacy.

Report on EGG bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Report on EGG bank - Essay Example According to this reform, banks are required increase their amount of capital in order to support their activities. Banks are still unsure how strong the reforms will be and what will be its affects. The credit crunch has also had its affect on the UK banking sector. Bank of England is slightly changing its monetary policy as a means of quantitative easing hoping that the economic conditions would become better. UK is also working in close collaborations with China in order to develop the financial and capital markets. Many jobs have been lost due to economic slowdown that has had a huge impact on the thinking and the demand of the population. People are now looking away from the banks as they have no means of re-payments of loans from the banks. Also many people are indifferent to the products that are offered by the banks and are looking for some better options in which they could invest. Technological breakthroughs are occurring all over the world and not just in UK. The banks that were operating offline are now establishing themselves over the internet offering more products for different segments than they were doing in their offices. The rapid progression of banks on the internet has introduced a new banking industry called e-banking. Banks are now fighting to capture more target markets than their competition by means of heavy online and offline marketing. The legal issues concerning the banking industry is where they would invest people’s money as the customers demand details and guarantee on their returns. The paper work and documents on the customers’ information as well as the banks’ information is now of vital importance before entering into any type of transaction due to increased fraudulent activities. Banks are deriving their campaigns toward green and friendly environment as a means of attracting new potential

Cybercrime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Cybercrime - Essay Example The most feared setback in computer technology is cyber crime (Ross 2010). Cybercrime is a criminal activity that is done through the use of computers and the internet as a tool to target a victim. This illegal activity involves downloading illegal music files to the theft of millions of dollars from online banking systems. It also involves non-monetary crimes such as distributing and creating viruses on other computers or even the posting of confidential business information and data on the internet. On the other hand, cyber crime is classified into three different groups (Kiesbye 2012). This occurs among the government and a business entity through the use of unauthorized access over the computer system without knowing the owner. It is also meant to send programs with the aim of crashing the computer system virus trafficking software. Cybercrime has developed to become one of the fastest growing areas of crime. An increasing number of criminals have been exploiting the convenience, speed and anonymity that the modern technologies offer so as to commit a diverse range of criminal activities. Moreover, the world’s nature of internet usage has given criminals an opportunity to commit any criminal activity any place around the globe. This has made it important for each and every country to adapt domestic offline to detect and cover crimes committed out in cyberspace. In recent years, cybercrime has evolved. In the past it was committed by small groups or by individuals. Nowadays, there has been an emerging trend where traditional organized crime syndicates and criminal minded technology experts working in hand in combining their resources and expertise (Stefoff 2009). There are two types of cybercrime. They are cybertheft and cybervandalism. Cybertheft is the activity of using the internet to steal property or interference with another person’s enjoyment of resources through computers for making illegal

Work Family Conflict Essay Example for Free

Work Family Conflict Essay Consequences Associated With Work-to-Family Conflict: A Review and Agenda for Future Research Tammy D. Allen, David E. L. Herst, Carly S. Bruck, and Martha Sutton University of South Florida A comprehensive review of the outcomes associated with work-to-family conflict was conducted and effect sizes were estimated. A typology was presented that grouped outcomes into 3 categories: work related, nonwork related, and stress related. Issues concerning the measurement of workfamily conflict were also discussed. The results demonstrate the widespread and serious consequences associated with work-to-family conflict. On the basis of the results of the review, an agenda for future research was provided. Striking changes in the nature of families and the workforce, such as more dual-career couples and rising numbers of working mothers with young children, have increased the likelihood that employees of both genders have substantial household responsibilities in addition to their work responsibilities (Bond, Galinsky, Swanberg, 1998; Gilbert, Hallett, Eldridge, 1994). These radical changes have prompted considerable research related to work and family issues. The topic of work-family conflict has been of particular conflict interest. Recent research indicates that 40% of employed parents experience work-family at least some of the time 1993). Moreover, (Galinsky, Bond, Friedman,  Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek, and Rosenthal (1964) suggested that work-family conflict is a type of interrole conflict in which role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible to some degree. That is, work-family conflict occurs when demands associated with one domain are Kopelman, incompatible with demands associated with the other domain (Greenhaus Buetell, 1985; Greenhaus, Connolly, 1983). Although early  research treated work-family conflict primarily as a unidimensional construct, recent research (Frone, Russell, Cooper, 1992) suggests that it is reciprocal in nature, in that work can interfere with family (work-to-family conflict; WFC) and family can interfere with work (family-to-work conflict; FWC). WFC and FWC are generally considered distinct but related constructs. Research to date has primarily investigated how work interferes or conflicts with family. Outcomes associated with excessive work interference with family include job dissatisfaction, job burnout, turnover, depression, life dissatisfaction, and marital dissatisfaction (e.g., Adams, King, King, 19%; R. J. Burke, 1988; Frone et al., 1992; Greenhaus Beutell, 1985; Netemeyer, Boles, McMurrain, 1996; Thomas Ganster, 1995). Despite the rapidly growing body of literature examining WFC, few efforts have been made to review empirical findings. Over a decade ago, Greenhaus and Beutell (1985) reviewed the studies that had investigated sources or antecedents of WFC. More recently, Kossek and Ozeki (1998) conducted a meta-analysis examining the relationship between WFC and two specific outcomes: job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Kossek and Ozekis work was much needed and an informative addition to the literature. However, there are many additional outcome variables that have been empirically related to WFC that were not included in Kossek and Ozekis study. The  Galinsky et al. reported that workers who started a new job within the past 2 years stated that the effect of the job on family life was second in importance to open communications when formulating their decision to accept the job. Likewise, Galinsky, Johnson, and Friedman (1993) cited a study conducted by the New York Times indicating that 83% of working mothers and 72% of working fathers reported experiencing conflict between their job demands and their desire to spend more time with their families. These findings underscore the importance of the topic of work-family conflict to both organizations and employees. Tammy D. Allen, David E. L. Herst, Carly S. Bruck, and Martha Sutton, Department of Psychology, University of South Florida. Aprevious version of this article was presented at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Atlanta, Georgia. We thank Mark L. Poteet, Lillian T. Eby, and Paul E.  Specter for their helpful comments regarding various aspects of this article. Correspondence concerning this article should he addressed to Tammy D. Allen, University of South Florida, Department of Psychology, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, BEH 339, Tampa, Florida 33620-8200. Electronic mail may he sent to [emailprotected]  purpose of the present article is to fill this void in the literature. This review provides a comprehensive summary and evaluation of empirical research of the outcomes associated with WFC, including an organizing framework and suggestions for future research. An extensive review is needed for several reasons, One area of concern is the l imited amount of integration in the field. The work and family research arena is fractionated because of diverse types of individuals working in it. For example, individuals working in disciplines such as psychology, sociology, business, and social work have contributed to work and family research. This tends to lead to an emphasis on different issues (e.g., sociologists are more concerned with family-related outcomes, whereas organizational psychologists are more concerned with work-related outcomes) without an examination of similar work in other disciplines. As noted by Russell (1991), implications associated with fractionation and isolation are that progress in research and practice is not systematic or integrated. Separate, disjointed theories may develop across fields as a result. This limits the progress that could be made by taking a broader, more integrative perspective that builds on previous research. By providing a summary of existing research organized under one framework, we hope that researchers from various disciplines will become more familiar with one anothers work, facilitating the integration of findings from various subfields and subsequent theory building. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the area should help clarify and underscore the widespread negative effects of WFC. A better understanding of these effects might aid in efforts to manage the work and family interface. Moreover, highlighting the dysfunctional and socially costly effects  associated with WFC may help convince policymakers of the need to provide interventions that can help mitigate WFC. For clarity and parsimony, our article is restricted to a review of the outcomes associated with work-tofamily conflict (WFC). In some cases, results were reported in which researchers combined WFC with FWC or asked about work and family conflict in general. Those cases are noted in the review. This review is divided into four major sections. First, the criteria used to identify articles for the review and to conduct statistical analyses are briefly described. Second, we examine issues concerning the measurement of WFC. Third, we present the results of our review for the three categories of outcomes followed by a summary and suggestions for additional research for each. Finally, a general discussion of findings and future research are provided. Method Relevant articles were identified through manual and computer searches. Computerized searches were conducted through PsycLJT and OVID information bases using the key words work and family conflict.11 A manual search was conducted of all articles published from 1977 through 1998 in Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision-Making Processes, and Academy of Management Journal. Additionally, the reference list of each identified article was manually cross-checked for other potential articles. Attempts were also made to locate articles that used slightly different terms such as interrole conflict and multiple role stress1 to refer to WFC. Our criteria for inclusion in the review were twofold. One, WFC had to be a quantitatively measured variable in the study. Thus, we eliminated articles that were not empirical. Two, the study had to measure the relations hip between WFC and one or more variables that could theoretically be considered outcomes of WFC. This eliminated articles that focused solely on sources or antecedents of WFC. It should be noted at this point that the majority of studies in the work and family arena have been cross-sectional in nature, precluding firm causal inferences regarding the direction of the relationships studied. For the purposes of the present review, we included variables that seemed more reasonable or plausible as outcomes of WFC rather than as causes. It is not  our intention to infer that reverse causality is not feasible. A total of 67 articles were located that fit these criteria. Statements regarding significance are based on the zeroorder bivariate correlation between WFC and the outcome variable reported in each study. Except where noted otherwise, relationships cited in text are in the expected direction (e.g., greater WFC was associated with less job satisfaction). Figure 1 provides a framework of the variables included in the study. To provide an estimate of the effect size associated with each of the relationships reviewed, we followed meta-analytic procedures described in Rosenthal (1991). Both unweighted and weighted by sample size average correlations were computed. Only studies that included a zero-order bivariate correlation between WFC and another variable were included in these analyses. In circumstances in which a study involved a sample that was a subset of the same sample used in another study, the study with the largest sample was included in die analysis. An exception was made if sample selection criteria were clearly different. If a study assessed several specific indices of WFC (conflict between parent and worker and conflict between spouse and worker) these were combined to form a general assessment of WFC. A similar approach was used in analyzing several outcome variables. For example, if a .study examined overall mental health and psychological distress, the correlations were combined for the statistical analyses. In studies in which separate correlations were reported for different subgroups (e.g., male vs. female; single-earner vs. dual-earner), the correlation for each subgroup was weighted by sample size and combined. For consistency purposes, we reversed the sign of the correlation in cases such as when a high score on the WFC measure.

The Language of Machines :: Technology Communication Essays

The Language of Machines Computers are language machines. By saying this I mean both that language processing is a valuable metaphor for understanding computer computation and that, in a fundamental way, computer computation is language processing; no more, no less. The language understood by a modern computer when it first comes off the assembly line is quite simple. The alphabet of this language consists of two letters, 0 and 1 (or a and b or any other two characters, it doesn't matter), which is stored internally as two intensities of an electrical signal (either high or low). The grammar of this language has two rules: (1) Sentences consist of one word and (2) Words are all of a single specified length (probably either 16 or 32 characters). This computer knows in two ways. It knows what every word in the language means (i.e., what action to perform upon reading that word, information which is stored in the design of the processor), and it knows all of the words it has stored in memory. Each time a comput er reads a sentence (executes a command), a change results in memory, dependent on what the sentence says and what is already in memory. Modern computers are Turing machines (named after the British mathematician Alan Turing), which means that they are language machines which can simulate other language machines. In other words, given a special type of text to read (a program), a Turing machine that understands the simple language described above (for example) can act as if it understands a much more complicated language. This is why modern computer keyboards have more than just 0's and 1's on them. A modern computer comes complete with many virtual computers built on top of it, so to speak, enabling the computer to understand much more complex (although mathematically equivalent) higher-level languages. These are mathematical languages, of course; they have much more rigid structure and precise meaning than natural languages. They lack in many ways what Derrida calls "play." But must they? Is there an intrinsic fundamental difference between mathematical and natural languages, or is the difference instead that we hav e more control over mathematical languages because we know their rules and can understand the system in which they work, while with natural languages we know neither, because we are not in conscious control of their creation and we can not fully grasp how they operate in society and in our heads?

Padini SWOT Report Essay

Padini is a leading brand in Malaysia. There are wide range in style and pricing of the brands that PADINI carry on. Padini carries SEED, VINCCI, MikiHouse, P&Co, PDI, Padini Authentic and more. Their products not just stylish yet also neutral which is suitable for all type of consumers. Padini having more than 330 retail outlets in Malaysia and around the world of Padini Holding Berhad. Within these a lot of retail outlet, Padini is making sure that they are unbreakable for their competitors. We can found Padini outlet almost every shopping centre. Padini is among the famous brand established since 1971 in Malaysia. It strategically located factors and warehouses to ensure they having wide market coverage in Malaysia. Beside that, Padini always ensure the quality of their products is in higher aspect for their brand and in ouse brands under them, having good quality control. They also ensure their products is suitable for all ages of consumers, like Mikihouse selling child and mater nity wear, VINCCI selling lady accessories. The weakness of Padini Holding Berhad is the profit is unstable. The consumers spending the budget on garment are depending on the season. In Malaysia, the profit will be at the highest peak where there is festival season like Chinese New Year or Hari Raya. Another weakness of Padini is they have no online shopping website. For customer, they can just buy Padini’s product in stores which is not very convenient for the customer especially everyone are busy on working nowadays, they may have no free time to shopping. It also not all the customer is living in the city and near to shopping centre. Actually Padini can using the power as market leadership to expand their business. As a market leader in the retail business, Padini having a huge power and opportunity to expand their business to next level. Padini also can open more branches to cover loss of potential online customer. So far, Padini consider as a famous brand in retail business which is clothing, lady accessories, shoes, children’s and maternity wear and more. Within this areas of business, potential customer is more interested in window shopping rather than online shopping. We think it is a good strategy for PADINI to open more branches in order to attract their customers. Those improvement also will bring threats to Padini Holding Berhad. It will increase competition while they open more branches and expand their business. Competition is appear where there are numerous other brands which operate at the same location as Padini. The other brands compete not only for market share and floor space.Even though Padini have no celebrity endorsement, Padini still manage to be the led brand in Malaysia. So it means. the power of Padini this brand itself is powerful enough to cover the treats in the business. To strengthen their brand, Padini should consider offering a celebrity endorsement.

Online Shopping Essay

Online shopping has become a popular shopping method ever since the internet has declared a takeover. There are many individuals that are looking for other amazing alternatives shopping and online shipping is just the fix for that. There are many advantages of online shopping; this is the reason why online stores are a booming business today. If there are advantages, most likely there will be disadvantages. Despite the success of purchasing through online shopping stores, there are still some disadvantages that most people complain about. The advantages There are many advantages of internet shopping, firstly is it save time. Do you have the specific list that you want to buy? With just a couple of clicks of the mouse, you can purchase your shopping orders and instantly move to other important things, which can save time. Second is save fuel. The market of fuel industries battles from increasing and decreasing its cost every now and again, but no matter how much the cost of fuel are it does not affect your shopping errands. One of the advantages of shopping online is that there is no need for vehicles, so no purchase of fuel necessary. Third is save energy. We admit it, it is tiresome to shop from one location and transfer to another location. What is worse is that there are no available stocks for the merchandise you want to buy. In online shopping, you do not need to waste your precious energy when buying. Forth is comparison of price, the advanced innovation of search engine allows you to easily check prices and compare with just a few clicks. It is very straightforward to conduct price comparisons from one online shopping website to another. This gives you the freedom to determine which online store offers the most affordable item you are going to buy. Fifth is available in any time. Online shopping stores are open round the clock of 24/7, 7 days a week and 365 days. It is very rare to find any conventional retail stores that are open 24/7. The availability of online stores give you the freedom to shop at your own pace and convenience. Sixth is no need to waiting in lines. When buying items online, there are no long lines you have to endure, just to buy your merchandise. The idea of shopping online is cutting down those bad habits of standing in a long line and just waiting. Every online store is designed with unique individual ordering features to purchase the item. Lastly is easy to search merchandise you want to buy. You are able to look for specific merchandise that includes model number, style, size, and colour that you want to purchase. In addition, it is easy to determine whether the products are available or out of stock. The disadvantages There are few disadvantages of internet shopping despite of advantages. Firstly is personally check the item. If you are one of those shoppers who want to touch, see, and test the product personally, at online shopping, you are not able to do so. Online stores are only showing product description and photos of the merchandise, which can be a disadvantage for many online shoppers. Second is diminished instant satisfaction. Unlike buying at retail stores, you are able to use the product instantly after you buy it, which can be satisfying. However, online shopping requires patience to wait for the item to arrive at your door step about 2 to 3 days or even longer depending on the location you’ve ordered it from.

Process Model of the Transformation of Goods and services produces a business model

Process Model of the Transformation of Goods and services produces a business model Many people in the workforce, including those in management positions, have no concept of how operational systems interact with systems models. When maximizing usage of an effective systems model is utilized, the ability to maximize productive output in a streamlined operational system with happy workers is often much more attainable. The intention of this paper is to distinguish what a systems model is and how it is used in an operational system.Through research found in the automotive industry, I have identified 7 basic components (AMS, 1) necessary to maintain an effective operational system in the automotive industry. They are listed because they appear to be generic to be applied to many other types of companies rather than just limiting them to the automotive industry.1)Clearly Stated Expectations2)Established and Communicated Standards3)Communicated Policies4)Provided/Listed Resources5)Coached Activities6)Help Ensure Consistency7)Provide the Basis for trainingTo relate these f undamentals to the content of the week 4 lecture, I have 'borrowed' the illustration included from the lecture notes pertaining to knowledge as a system.Cranial Facial Pumpkin Model Competition GVSU SLP ...It appeared that this figure could help to define some of the core components of what an operational system is and some of the steps that relate back to the Automotive Management Systems content.According to the figure presented in the week 4 lecture notes, a model might appear as follows:The four points on the illustration are:1)Learn, Create, Discover, Acquire2)Transform into goods services3)Harvest, Product, Sell, Consume4)Innovation: breathing new life into existing technologies, goods and servicesNow, to come full circle and relate this back to the AMS content it is important to realize that the AMS content is related to the successful techniques associated with the optimization of the transformation process.

Laurie Halse Anderson - Award Winning Young Adult Author

Laurie Halse Anderson - Award Winning Young Adult Author When Laurie Halse Anderson was Born: October 23, 1961 in Potsdam, New York Her Background: Anderson grew up in Northern New York and from an early age loved to write. She attended Georgetown University and graduated with a degree in languages and linguistics. After graduation she worked several different jobs including cleaning banks and working as a stockbroker. Anderson did some writing as a freelance reporter for newspapers and magazines and worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She published her first book in 1996 and has been writing ever since. Anderson is married to Scot Larabee and together they have four children. (Source: Scholastic) Laurie Halse Anderson’s Books: Anderson’s writing career is prolific. She’s written picture books, fiction for young readers, nonfiction for young readers, historical fiction, and young adult books. Here are some of her most well-known books for teens and tweens. Speak (Speak, 2006. ISBN: 9780142407325) Read Speak Review Twisted (Speak, 2008. ISBN: 9780142411841) Fever, 1793 (Simon and Schuster, 2002. ISBN: 9780689848919) Prom (Puffin, 2006. ISBN: 9780142405703) Catalyst (Speak, 2003. ISBN: 9780142400012) Wintergirls (Turtleback, 2010. ISBN: 9780606151955) Chains (Atheneum, 2010. ISBN: 9781416905868) Forge(Atheneum, 2010. ISBN: 9781416961444) For a complete list of all her books, including out of print books, visit the Laurie Halse Andersons  Web site. Awards and Recognition: Anderson’ s award list is long and continues to grow. Besides being a New York Times bestselling author and having her books listed multiple times on the American Library Association’s many teen lists, she has received starred reviews from the Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library Journal. Her most prestigious awards are the following: Speak 1999 National Book Award Finalist2000 Printz Honor bookEdgar Allan Poe Award Finalist Chains   2008 National Book Award Finalist2009 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction   Catalyst  Ã‚     2002 Odyssey Book Award   (Source: Authors 4 Teens Web site) In 2009 Anderson received the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Award for significant and lasting achievement in young adult literature. The award focused specifically on Anderson’s books Speak, Fever 1793, and Catalyst. Censorship and Banning Controversies: Some of Anderson’s books have been challenged based on their content. The book Speak is listed by the American  Library Association as one of the top 100 books challenged between the years 2000-2009 and has been banned from some middle and high schools for sexuality, situations of suicidal thoughts in teens, and gritty teenage situations.  School Library Journal interviewed Anderson about Speak after a Missouri man tried to get it banned.  According to Anderson, there was a huge outpouring of support with people  posting comments and stories.  Anderson also received several requests for interviews and comments.  (Source: School Library Journal) Anderson takes a strong stance against censorship and discusses the topic along with her books on her Web site. Movie Adaptations: A movie adaption of Speak was made in 2005 starring Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame. The Author Online: Anderson stays in touch with her fans and provides materials for teachers and librarians on her Web site. Laurie Halse Anderson Trivia: Anderson milked cows and worked on a dairy farm to earn money for college.She loves listening to Mozart’s’ Requiem.A motto that Anderson lives by is: When life gets tough, pick up a book and read. (Source: Simon and Schuster Web site)

Managing a Diverse Workforce in Organizations Essay

Managing a Diverse Workforce in Organizations - Essay Example A diverse workforce also includes people with both physical and mental disabilities, immigrants and people with varying lifestyles. For a diverse workforce to function effectively, the human resource has to understand both the advantages and disadvantages of a diverse workforce. The human resource professional must also be in a position to manage a diverse workforce. In future, diversity will tend to increase with many organizations realizing its benefits. Organizations that enforce immediate action and develop a diverse workforce may experience its benefits. However, there are associated challenges as well. Development and implementation of workplace diversity are important factors that determine organization’s success and competitiveness. There are multiple benefits associated with developing and handling a diverse workforce. A diverse workforce increases the organization’s adaptability to the market. A company handling a diverse workforce has a better chance of solvi ng problems in service and allocation of resources. Employees from diverse backgrounds introduce individual talents and experiences to the organization that ensures increased flexibility in adapting to fluctuations in both the market and customer demands. A diverse workforce increases the level of productivity for the organization (Bedi, Pooman, and Ekanshi, 2014). Development and implementation of workplace diversity are important factors that determine organization’s success and competitiveness.

Leadership handbook scoring rubric Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership handbook scoring rubric - Term Paper Example The handbook is cohesive and has a consistent look and feel. Score: 2 Comments: the book is cohesive and consistent. The flow of information is consistent and the topics follow each other in a logical sequence Overall Presentation (visual elements, report format) The overall presentation of the handbook is not satisfactory and does not include visual elements or a report format. The handbook presentation is satisfactory for some of the sections but not for the entire handbook. The handbook provides an effective overall presentation with visual elements and all articles are in report format. Score: 1 Comments: most of the book is presented in a satisfactory way. There are however some cases in which some improvements such as in the table in page 14. Comprehensiveness The handbook does not provide comprehensive coverage of the selected leadership topics. The handbook provides some comprehensive coverage of the selected leadership topics but does not include major content areas critical for a new manager. The handbook provides a comprehensive coverage of the selected leadership topics and includes the major content areas critical for a new manager. Score: 2 Comments: the book chooses several topics and goes on to address them comprehensively. The book covers the major content areas that would be helpful to a new manager. ... Part B: Leading a Team Introduction From the various tasks that I have been engaged in, I have aimed to maintain a high level of integrity in my work, and remain accountable in the line duty. I have strived to ensure that the quality of my work is as expected. However, I have the self-awareness to recognize that I do have my strengths and weaknesses. The strengths that I possess enable me to be more efficient at my work while the weaknesses may sometimes hinder me from producing the best possible results in my work. Question 1: How the Team can Make Use of My Strengths A notable strength that has helped me achieve success in my work, which may enable me achieve the set objectives in the workplace is the ability to meet the set deadlines within the required amount of time. In meeting the deadlines I was still able to come up with work that was of high quality. This attribute can be used in the team to ensure that the members do not lag behind which would slow the entire team. The team can also make use of this strength to ensure that people do not do the work hurriedly without taking into consideration the quality of the work. Question 2: How to Improve on my Weaknesses One of the weaknesses that I have is that I lack the ability to contribute to a collaborative team environment. During the teamwork, I failed to effectively contribute to the team’s collaborative effort. In improving this weakness, I resolved to be more proactive in group activities as opposed to remaining passive, and only performing the duties that were assigned to me. This will help me develop the ability to be an effective team player. Question 3: How My Team Realized its Goals The team was able to achieve the purpose for its establishment. The team met its