Tunnel connection

An ethical hacker is a person who performs most of the same activities a cracker does, but with the owner or company's permission. T 2. Even though the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CHIPS) certification is not geared toward the technical IT professional, it has become one of the standards for many security professionals. F 3. To retrieve e-mail from a mail server, you most likely access port 119. T 4.An octal digit can be represented with only three bits because the largest digit in octal is seven. T 5. A hex number is written with two characters, each representing a byte. 6. Macro viruses are hard to create. 7. Computer crime is the fastest growing type of crime worldwide. 8. To limit the amount of information a company makes public, you should have a good understanding of what a competitor would do to discover confidential information. _F 9. The HTTP CONNECT method starts a remote application-layer Lubbock of the request message. 0. A Entries name does not ne ed to be unique on a network. Multiple Choice Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question. C 11. Hacking Security testing b. Cracking takes penetration testing to a higher level. D. Packet sniffing A 12. Some hackers are skillful computer operators, but others are younger inexperienced people who experienced hackers refer to as script kiddies packet snifters repetition monkeys crackers D 13.The International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants (SEC- Council) has developed a certification designation called . A. Compact Security+ CUSTOM professional security -rested (POST) Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CHIPS) Certified Ethical Hacker (CUE) A 14. The Stamina,Audit,Network, Security (SANS) Institute offers training and IT security certifications through Global Information Assurance Certification (IAC) can be created that welcomes new users Joining a chat session, D 15. A even though a person isn't actually present to welco me them. . Byte switch packet boot can replicate itself, usually through an executable program B 16. A attached to an e-mail. A. Shell Kellogg virus retrofit _C 17. Which of the following provides the most secure method of securing a company's assets? A. Rotary locks card access combination locks deadbolt locks D 18. Can be used to gather information useful for computer criminals, like many phone directories, financial reports, interoffice memos, resumes of employees, etc. A. Shoulder surfing Piggybacking Footprint Dumpster diving _C 19.In an JACK scan, if the attacked port returns an REST packet the attacked port is considered to be † open unfiltered closed unassigned Completion Complete each statement. 20. In the TCP/IP stack, the _ Transport_ layer is responsible for getting data packets to and from the Application layer by using port numbers. In addition to a unique network address, each network must be assigned 21. A(n) _subnet which helps distinguish the network address bits from the host dress bits. Mallard is malicious software, such as a virus,worm, or Trojan program, introduced to a network for Just that reason. 3. Antivirus software compares signatures of known viruses against the files on the computer; if there's a match, the software warns you that the program or file is infected. 24. In computer Jargon, the process of finding information on a company's network is called _footprint_; 25. The HTTP HTTP(S) method is used with a proxy that can dynamically switch to a tunnel connection, such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL). 26. What makes the _ Opens_ tool unique is the ability to update security heck plug-ins when they become available. 27.To determine what resources or shares are on a network, security testers must first determine what services footprint. Is being used via port scanning and 28. Nesses can be used to enumerate Windows Joss, as well as Linux systems. 29. RPC stands for Short Answer Remote Procedure Call . 30. How can DNS be used fo r footprint? DNS uses name servers to resolve names. After you determine what name server a company is using, you can attempt to transfer all the records for which the DNS server is responsible. This process, called a zone transfer, can be done with the Dig

Project Manager

A project manager is responsible for all of the aspects of the implementation process. This is includes but not limited to the responsibilities of task assignments, resource availability, maintenance, project documentation, budget and timeline oversight, and communication among all of the project team members. A company may run into several errors before, during, and after a system is implemented it is critical for a plan to be formed and followed to try to reduce the amount of errors. To begin the process of implementing a system the project needs three major components completed in the establishing plans and controls phase.These three components are the breakdown of the project into various phases, specific budgets applicable to each phase, and specific timetables applicable to each project phase. For a project to be managed effectively the project needs to be broken up into multiple phases to try to prevent as many bugs as possible. If a project is broken up it becomes easier to m anage and precede smoother. Because a project of implementing a new system has multiple people involved it becomes unrealistic for there to be a standard method for breaking down the task.This is because there are several different opinions and requirements for each phase. To the extent possible, tasks should be broken down to a level where task definition is sufficiently clear to enable individual personnel to be assigned to specific tasks. Making an accurate timeline is difficult to do since there are regular setbacks when implementing a system. The timeliness will depend on the project manager and whether or not the manager has had previous experience with the company. The previous experience will help with estimating the amount of time given to each task based on the previous project.The time estimate will involve the four basic steps of work measurement: identify the task to be estimated, for each task estimate the total size or volume of the task, convert the size or volume es timate into a time estimate by multiplying the estimated processing rate, and adjust the estimated processing rate to include circumstantial considerations such as idleness or complexity. Executing Implementation activities is the next critical phase when implementing an accounting system. This involves the actual finishing the design plan.This includes activities such as employee training, acquiring and installing new computer equipment, detailed systems designs, documenting the new system, file conversion, and test operations. Not all of these activities may be applicable depending on the software being implemented. Employee training is critical because the employees are who is going to be using the system. This will help with making the transition into the new software smoother. Some additional design work will be completed during the detailed systems design activity.This is the activity that might reveal that some of the design plan will be unworkable, and plans may need to be c hanged at this point. Documentation is one of the most important activities when implementing a new system. The documenting can be used to help with training employees, provide programmers with useful information for the future, information for auditors, and assist with design expectations. The implementation plan will allow adequate time for data screening since errors occur during the file conversion.File conversion can be one of the most time consuming activities, and will be provided a lengthy timeline. For testing operations the parallel approach will be used despite the expenses. If the direct approach was used the errors from the system failing could equal the expenses that could be spent in the parallels approach to ensure system effectiveness. The final step in the planning process is the evaluation of the new system after it has been implemented. The new system will still need to be monitored and changes may be needed to the system afterwards.This will help ensure that the system is running appropriately according the original plan that the company decided on. Feedback will be imperative from the employees who are actually using the new system daily. The monitoring will be done through observations and questionnaires. References Bodnar, G. , & Hopwood, W. Accounting information systems . (Eleventh ed. ). Upper Saddle River: Pearson. Hoyt, J. (2009). 5 steps to a successful implementation of your new accounting system. ERP Software, Retrieved from http://www. erpsoftwareblog. com/2009/11/5-steps-to-a-successful-implemention-of-your-new-accounting-system/ Project Manager A project manager is responsible for all of the aspects of the implementation process. This is includes but not limited to the responsibilities of task assignments, resource availability, maintenance, project documentation, budget and timeline oversight, and communication among all of the project team members. A company may run into several errors before, during, and after a system is implemented it is critical for a plan to be formed and followed to try to reduce the amount of errors. To begin the process of implementing a system the project needs three major components completed in the establishing plans and controls phase.These three components are the breakdown of the project into various phases, specific budgets applicable to each phase, and specific timetables applicable to each project phase. For a project to be managed effectively the project needs to be broken up into multiple phases to try to prevent as many bugs as possible. If a project is broken up it becomes easier to m anage and precede smoother. Because a project of implementing a new system has multiple people involved it becomes unrealistic for there to be a standard method for breaking down the task.This is because there are several different opinions and requirements for each phase. To the extent possible, tasks should be broken down to a level where task definition is sufficiently clear to enable individual personnel to be assigned to specific tasks. Making an accurate timeline is difficult to do since there are regular setbacks when implementing a system. The timeliness will depend on the project manager and whether or not the manager has had previous experience with the company. The previous experience will help with estimating the amount of time given to each task based on the previous project.The time estimate will involve the four basic steps of work measurement: identify the task to be estimated, for each task estimate the total size or volume of the task, convert the size or volume es timate into a time estimate by multiplying the estimated processing rate, and adjust the estimated processing rate to include circumstantial considerations such as idleness or complexity. Executing Implementation activities is the next critical phase when implementing an accounting system. This involves the actual finishing the design plan.This includes activities such as employee training, acquiring and installing new computer equipment, detailed systems designs, documenting the new system, file conversion, and test operations. Not all of these activities may be applicable depending on the software being implemented. Employee training is critical because the employees are who is going to be using the system. This will help with making the transition into the new software smoother. Some additional design work will be completed during the detailed systems design activity.This is the activity that might reveal that some of the design plan will be unworkable, and plans may need to be c hanged at this point. Documentation is one of the most important activities when implementing a new system. The documenting can be used to help with training employees, provide programmers with useful information for the future, information for auditors, and assist with design expectations. The implementation plan will allow adequate time for data screening since errors occur during the file conversion.File conversion can be one of the most time consuming activities, and will be provided a lengthy timeline. For testing operations the parallel approach will be used despite the expenses. If the direct approach was used the errors from the system failing could equal the expenses that could be spent in the parallels approach to ensure system effectiveness. The final step in the planning process is the evaluation of the new system after it has been implemented. The new system will still need to be monitored and changes may be needed to the system afterwards.This will help ensure that the system is running appropriately according the original plan that the company decided on. Feedback will be imperative from the employees who are actually using the new system daily. The monitoring will be done through observations and questionnaires. References Bodnar, G. , & Hopwood, W. Accounting information systems . (Eleventh ed. ). Upper Saddle River: Pearson. Hoyt, J. (2009). 5 steps to a successful implementation of your new accounting system. ERP Software, Retrieved from http://www. erpsoftwareblog. com/2009/11/5-steps-to-a-successful-implemention-of-your-new-accounting-system/

How do you evaluate the economics discourse of sustainability Essay

How do you evaluate the economics discourse of sustainability - Essay Example Unfortunately many debates and studies about the measurement of sustainability do not define, or even derive a common understanding, about what is to be measured. Nonetheless, the context of sustainability cannot be separated from its measurement. In simple words, experts argue that there is need to consider economic, environmental and social indicators to measure sustainability. For example, economic indicators are income level in society, inflation, unemployment, exports / imports statistics, GDP, FDI, Public and Foreign Debt etc. Social indicators may include Suicide rates, people living below poverty line, difference between rich & poor, rate of urbanization, spread of diseases, mortality rates, educational and health spending etc. Environmental factors include carbon emissions and pollution. Together, the evaluation of these aforementioned indicators helps determining the level of sustainability in a particular nation or society. It should be pinpointed that economists, statisticians and business professionals have developed various quantitative models and tools to estimate economic betterment and real growth rates. Nevertheless, the nominal growth is not considered as true representation of economic sustainability, growth and expansion. Some of the best examples of quantitative methods for measuring sustainability include Liverman and Sustainable Seattle (that ranges from the simple to complex), Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW), Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), Moody’s Credit Rating etc. Economists, indeed, claim that a country’s reliance and use of local resources for domestic production (without any violation of environment and business laws) and need fulfillment of local + foreign consumers leads to accumulation of wealth and sustainability in that country. In addition, it reduces dependence on foreign countries, donor agencies and international community, which later enhances its political and economic power, reputation and

Analizes of a case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analizes of a - Case Study Example The company always used outside the box thinking in its business strategies such as buying idle production time from manufacturers in other industries. One of the reasons for the success of the firm in the furniture business was its introduction of self-assembled furniture. This concept help the firm reduce its prices because it eliminated two of the highest cost drivers in the industry which are assembly and delivery. The company’s managerial philosophy is to have an open system in which nobody is superior to others. Input from the employees is always welcomed at IKEA. The management process stressed simplicity and attention to detail. Being cost conscious was also a part of the business culture of the firm. IKEA penetrated the United States marketplace in 1985. In the 1990’s the company was exposed to bad media when a revelation was made to the public that IKEA was dealing with suppliers in Asia that used child labor. Stakeholders Ingvar Kamprad – Founder of th e firm. His values and beliefs are embedded in IKEA’s culture. Using child labor goes against everything he stands for. He does not want to hurt the reputation of the company through a child labor scandal. Marianne Barner – IKEA business area manager for carpets division. She is responsible for finding a solution to the problem. Shareholders – The shareholders of the firm are worried about the problem of child labor because its occurrence will hurt the image and reputation of the company which will negatively impact the price of the common stocks of the company. Asian children – The children population in Asia are at risk due to employment exploitation by IKEA suppliers. The children are the biggest victims in this scandal. Issues By the mid 1990’s the company had grown tremendously. IKEA had 98 stores across 17 countries worldwide. Its supply chain had become extremely complex since the firm had almost 2,300 suppliers. It had become extremely diff icult to monitor the actions of its suppliers. To make things worse those 2,300 suppliers were scattered across 70 countries. The firm was sourcing around 11,200 products. During the 1980’s environmental problems occurred with some of the products IKEA sold. In the 1990’s a new and extremely serious issue occurred as the company was accused of doing business with suppliers that used child labor. Child labor is a growing problem in our society with over 250 million children working in the labor market (Humanium, 2010). IKEA in the 1980’s faced new regulations from the Denmark government that redefine the limits of formaldehyde emissions permissible in product building. At concentration above 0.1 mg/kg in air this material caused watery eyes, headaches, burning sensation in throat, and difficult breathing. The company was fined by the government of Denmark and it was heavily criticized by the media. IKEA sales in the aftermath of this scandal drop by 20% in Denmar k. The company reacted quickly to the problem by establishing stringent requirement regarding formaldehyde levels. At first the problem was not simply to attend since suppliers bought from sub-suppliers that were exposed to formaldehyde. The firm resolved the problem by dealing directly with glue producing chemical companies. A decade later the firm was once again facing issues with formaldehyde in Germany. Its best selling bookcase series had high levels of

Living in the Digital World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Living in the Digital World - Essay Example It is therefore evident that this evaluation may be subject to distortion and give incorrect data. Self-reported data may be subject to an individual’s aspirations, circumstances and comparison with others. Hence, an individual may intentionally give invalid information in regards to his or her happiness. The article accepts this shortcoming in measuring happiness but does not come up with strategies to overcome the possibility of collecting data (Blanchflower, 2003, p. 3). The author suggests that human happiness cannot be understood without listening to what people say about themselves. However, it is possible to collect accurate data given the fact the world has become more digital. Accurate data can be recorded to evaluate a person’s level of happiness by analyzing his or her activities both online and offline. It is necessary to take precaution when collecting data online as people may give information that cannot be substantiated. Boerro and Pascoe (2007) also not ed that the lack of real-life interaction in social networking sites can make respondents feel less obliged to give real information. The study â€Å"Money, Sex and Happiness† does not explore the possibility of alternative ways of collecting reliable data from the responds. The author stresses the significance of sex in relation to a person’s happiness by pointing out that almost all adults engage in sex quite often in their lives. According to Magnet (2007), sex was rated as the activity that produced the single largest amount of happiness. Thus, the study indicates that sex is an empirical determinant of happiness in the society. The authors are not clear on how the information on the sexual activity of individuals will be collected and substantiated. The article notes that, â€Å"[a]lthough, for the sake of persuasive identification, it would be desirable to have instrumental variables for sexual activity, in this paper we follow the simpler route of providing sin gle-equation estimates with no adjustment for possible endogeneity† (Blanchflower, 2003, p. 4).  

Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Research Paper - Essay Example The research supports conformity because it promotes this imitation of behavior of people who have better and more valid sources of information. Research ensures this conformity by bringing about informational social influence (Aronson, Wilson, and Akert). This type of influence motivates common public to put trust in the way more learned people interpret confusing or ambiguous situations. Conformity is supported when people believe that this other version of interpretation is more reliable than their individual versions. This sort of conformity helps people see the right way amidst much darkness and go for the right course of action. Researchers are known for passing on more efficient and innovative behaviors to the rest of the world by using the tool of informational social influence. This suggests that particular groups in society have the power to design behavioral conventions on basis of evidence-based knowledge which are not yet witnessed in other groups. These particular group s then pass on their conventions to other groups and make them conform to them. People who do not show interest in conforming to new ideals have to try harder to gain social acceptance than people who demonstrate the tendency to conform (Aronson, Wilson, and Akert). This means that research or experimentally induced innovations lead to change things via conformity in people. People conform to be socially accepted. Comparing Turkey and America side by side in context of conformity reveals that on a general basis, people in Turkey show more willingness to engage in conforming behavior than Americans. They think less of themselves as individual beings and strive to align themselves with others or social norms. There is not as much freedom to be seen in Turkey as in America because less people go for the option of living by personal philosophies. Rather, a majority of population considers it safe to conform. This is because of two factors.

Implementing a taser program into a law enforcement agency Essay

Implementing a taser program into a law enforcement agency - Essay Example Taser stun guns have recently come under close scrutiny and critiscm because of the risks they pose to the public and their intended use. This has also been fuelled by the increased use of these devices, especially in the United States, and their intended use in the United Kingdom (Feakin 2007). Taser stun guns have been touted as the non-lethal alternative to deadly force and guns (Driscoll 2003, ACLU 2005), which has been viewed as an advantage when it comes to apprehending crime suspects, as it avoids needless deaths and injuries. However, there are figures which show that between 1999 and September 2004, approximately 71 individuals died in North America as a result of the use of the Taser stun gun (ACLU 2005). Whilst some may claim that these deaths are still less than those that come about as a result of the use lethal weapons, this still does raise some issues about whether Taser stun guns should be used at all, and if so, should their use be restricted to certain individuals. There are also figures which show that at the end of 2004, the fatalities from Taser stun guns had increased and there is evidence to suggest these deaths are a result of the incorrect or overuse of the device (ACLU 2005). For instance, there was an incident in the US where a young man was stunned for up to 17 times by the Taser stun guns (ACLU 2005) and this is thought to have contributed to the individual's death. Such incidences have most likely to have been the cause of the public concerns about this device, as it seems that the use of the Taser stun gun device is contributing to deaths, instead of preventing them. In addition to this, the manufacturers of the Taser stun gun have denied any claims that their device has directly contributed to the deaths of any individuals (Driscoll 2003, ACLU 2005). Despite these safety concerns, the appeal of the Taser stun gun to law enforcement agencies worldwide is appealing. For instance, law enforcement agencies in the UK, do not carry guns and the purchase and use of Taser stun guns is highly attractive as an alternative to considering lethal devices. In the US, law enforcement agencies already carry lethal devices and Taser stun guns are an attractive option to counter-act concerns regarding the deaths of innocent civilians caught in the cross-fire or in instances of mistaken identity. However, the concerns over the current use of Taser stun guns seem to be related to their application and over-use of the device. This has been acknowledged by the International Association of Chiefs of Policy (IACP) which has recommended the re-evaluation of Taser training and the establishment of policies (ACLU 2005), to minimise the deaths from the use of this device. This acknowledgement from the IACP does recognise that the use of t

Economic Analysis Of Schoolhouse Lane Estates Winery Essay

Economic Analysis Of Schoolhouse Lane Estates Winery - Essay Example Thus, the case study opens with Jane (Jan) Thaw having considerable difficulty responding to information she had just received from her cousin, Stan White pertaining to the state of affairs in the wine industry which had begun to decline owing to reduced demand of wines selling above $25 per bottle at retail price. This is against the background of Thaw’s intended plan to expand her Schoolhouse Lane Estates winery located in Cutchogue on the North Fork of Long Island. This brings uncertainty to her business strategy following a negative development in the wine industry. The level of analysis of Schoolhouse Lane Estates winery is Level 1 since it is related to industrial issues. Of great concern is the fact that the wine industry is mature where there are many competitors ranging from vineyards owners as well wineries. This shows that this is a lucrative industry in which competition exists as illustrated by Porter’s analysis in (Appendix 1). The problem to be overcome by Schoolhouse Lane Estates winery is that of competition where there has been a decline in the demand for wine seen as expensive owing to large supply on the market. (Porter’s analysis in Appendix 1 illustrates this). The wine industry is characterized by strong competition. In 2004, it can be noted that there were 56 Vineyards and 30 wineries and 20 largest firms produced approximately 90 % of all American wine. During the same period, it can be noted that imports were also gaining popularity on the market which further shows that there are many actors in the market. It can be noted that during the late 90s, white and blush/rose wine sales declined to about 40% and 21% respectively where red wine considerably gained an increase in its sales. It is important for the marketers to be aware of the consumer needs and wants so as to be better positioned to satisfy them profitably. It can be noted that the market is dynamic and is susceptible to inevitable changes such as the macro environment. Consumers’ spending is also greatly influenced by monetary factors as well as the nature of products available in the market.

The Aviation Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Aviation Industry - Essay Example As the essay declares an industry for consideration would be the aviation business. The aviation industry is composed of all companies, private or otherwise, that partake in the air transport. This includes both passenger travel and cargo freight. It is a rapidly growing industry and being the fastest means of transport, it is the most preferred by many. The airline industry is demarcated into various sub-sections consisting of commercial passenger transport, private charter firms, cargo freight companies and, more recently, the introduction of emergency flying doctor services. Due to this, the delineation of boundaries for this industry poses a number of challenges to the industry players. As such, rifts may occur among industry players with each firm only associating itself with its niche and generally avoiding interaction with others outside its scope. This paper stresses that the negative impact comes evident when a firm supposedly offers services in a niche not considering its specialization. The other companies in that specialty would view this as territorial infringe. This often puts different industry players at war against each other. Moreover, the establishment of national air space also sets an avenue for differences among countries. Considering these, the delineation of boundaries in the aviation industry curbs affable relations among the industry players and this eventually means limited opportunities for progress and at times, keeping the consumers stuck with services that are not top-notch, hence it hampers competitiveness in the sector. Apart from the above, certain structural factors form the interplay of the industry leaders in an industry. Among these are advancements in technology. Therefore, in the aviation industry, technological dynamism is a critical factor that plays a significant role. The majority, if not al l, of customers or air travel fanatics are only thrilled by the prospect of boarding a

Artist michelangelo biography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Artist michelangelo biography - Essay Example There, Michelangelo learned the technique of panel painting for a few months. He was supposed to stay there for not less than three years, but an extraordinary opportunity opened to him. At the recommendation of Ghirlandaio, he moved into the house of Florentine ruler Lorenzo the Magnificent. One of the powerful Medici family, where he studied classical sculpture in the Medici gardens. This is a great time for Michelangelo; his experience with the Medici group, permit him access to the social elite of Florence, which allowed him to learn under the respected sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni, Donatellos pupil, and introducing him to prominent poets, Humanists and scholars . Piero de Medici initiates Michelangelo to the Augustinian friars from the Church of Saint Spirit in Florence, who was hosting the young talent within their convent. He was given a special permission to learn cadavers for insight into anatomy, through the introduction to corpses he had an adverse effect on his health. These combined factors laid the basis for what would become Michelangelos unique style: a muscular concept and reality combined with a touching beauty. As a sign of appreciation to the friars, Michelangelo made a wooden Crucifix, which is still inside the Church of Saint Spirit. Slightly before the Medici family were banished from Florence, Michelangelo moved to Bologna hosted by Gianfranco Aldrovandi and then to Venice, where he continued his studies of literature and sculpture practice. He returned to Florence in 1495 where he begun the work as a sculptor, modeling his style after masterpieces of classical antiquity, In 1496, Michelangelo moved to Rome as a result of the famous Sleeping Cupid affair which had made him a reputation. He hoped to find new donors for his creations. He started modeling a marble Bacchus, under the patronage of the banker Jacopo Galli. On August 27, 1498 Michelangelo signed his first break through

To calculate the acceleration due Essay Example for Free

To calculate the acceleration due Essay Find acceleration due to gravity using ball drop method Amine Alami IB1-3 Lab Report Aim: To calculate the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a ball from a certain distance and recording the time Hypothesis: it is expected that the gravity should be within the same range for each trial Variables: The independent variable = the distance The dependent variable = the time Controlled variables are: the mass of the steel ball the position of the trip plate -the length of the plumb line Equipment: meter stick , half meter stick 1 steel ball. Boss and clamp Electronic Timing Device Release mechanism Plumb bob -trip plate Procedure: A steel ball was inserted between the jaws of the release mechanism The height was adjusted to 1 meter and half a meter, measured from the bottom of the ball to the trip plate The plumb bob was used to locate the centre of the trip plate , to ensure that the ball falls on it and to make sure the release mechanism is perpendicular to the surface of the plate a circuit was made between the release mechanism, the trip plate and the electronic timer. it was configured to start counting as soon as the ball is released and to stop counting when it touched the plate The timer was switched on and RESET was pressed the thumbscrew was pressed to release the ball, it was held straight rather than curved to achieve better results when the ball hits the plate, the spring comes up and the timer stops the time was measured The distance ( independent variable) was varied by moving the clamp upwards or downwards until the distance from the bottom of the ball equals 0. 5 m or 1 m The time was read from the electronic timing device. The same steel ball was used through out the experiment and the plumb bob was kept in the same length through out the trials for each length 20 trials were performed and averaged the distance the ball travels was measured after every trial Data Collection: Table 1. The time it takes the ball to fall 1 meter Trial Displacement(s) iThe time it takes the ball to fall half a meter Trial Displacement(s) i 0. 5mm Time(t). Data Processing and presentation: Average Time in table Percentage uncertainty of gravity 2= (0. 4/9. 95)x100 = 4. 02% Conclusion: The results were in the same range. The firs gravity was very close to the ideal gravity Evaluation: The method used was fairly accurate -but there are many sources of error which may affect the result obtained using it Sources of Error: Air resistance is an error, but it has a slight effect The thumbscrew is clicked twice The thumbscrew wasnt pressed properly The ball might not fall in the centre The clamp may move slightly upwards or downward after every few measurements The same person should press the thumbscrew through out all the experiment The thumbscrew should be pushed with quickly and firmly.

Key Issues Influencing Localization Commerce Essay

Key Issues Influencing Localization Commerce Essay The speed at which international business takes place has increased substantially and international managers need to react more quickly to economic, strategic and organizational imperatives than in the past as it is more costly to make mistakes today. The cost of reversing a decision due to the speed of international business makes making such mistakes extremely costly as while firms fix problems, competitors surge ahead. Standardization of MNCs is usually defined as standardization of subsidiaries towards following in line with HQ practices. Successful chains such as Mc Donalds have standardized products and management practices across the world and at the same time allowing for a local adaptation to the practices to suit local needs. Most MNCs commonly localize their marketing, promotion and distribution practices even though they have a global advertising strategy. Integration/responsiveness debate cannot be resolved by declaring one position more important that the other (Bartlet t Goshal). To be truly successful in the globalized world, MNC are required to balance between the two. Multinational companies must decide whether to manage their subsidiaries based on local culture or to make them all in line with the global standardization and decide which route is more effective and efficient for them. MNCs have considerable advantages compared to local based companies as they have previous experience from home countries and managerial knowledge and spread best practices around the world (Martin Beaumont, 1998). Host countries however pose several new factors that managers must consider to counterbalance the effect of standardization (Quintanilla and Ferner, 2003). Changes in the strategic orientation of MNCs as reflected in increased levels of interdependencies between organizational (sub-) units will thus rely on IHRM to help achieve this balance. HR management is considered to be the most sensitive to local context (Gooderham et al. 1999). Pressures to adopt global strategies require higher level of global intergration of key HRM -processes. Many MNCs have moved towards more deeply integrating these HRM practices but face resistance due to local culture, legislation and tradition (Lindohlm et al. 1999). Different approaches to HRM in MNCs are closely related to international strategies of the firm (Downling et a. 1999; Scullion 1999). For example, companies with an ethnocentric approach grant little power to their foreign subsidiaries and key positions are fulfilled with PNC nationals, i.e expatriates. For example, Aeons key staff in Malaysia are fulfilled by Japanese expatriates. On the other hand companies with polycentric approaches allow major decisions to be made by local employees and key positions are held by local staff. This leads to more localized solutions in the HRM. Regiocentric and geocentric approaches are simi lar where key positions and solutions are decided by staff of the same region or location. The key issue is the extent to which MNCs should take their global integration (standardization) versus local responsiveness. International management is complicated due to the dimensions involved and the difficult issues of strategy formulation and implementation. Multinational managers however need to identify the opportunities hidden in the complexities of such international situations. This paper will be divided into two parts, the first examines the key issues that influence the degree of localization. Secondly, the paper examines global strategies towards increasing global standardization of HRM while balancing localization so as not to compromise local responsiveness. In both parts, the paper will go examine the role HRM plays towards achieving standardization and localization. Thirdly, it will examine situations of when best to move towards localization rather than standardization and vice versa. 2.0 Key issues influencing localization Distinct local culture and motivation for local employees may not be similar to that of the home country making it difficult to apply similar incentives and expect the same outcome. Hofstede described national culture as the collective mental programming which distinguishes one nation from another. The issue is how much influence cultural differences would bring to the workplace. Different approaches towards collectivism and individualistic cultures, according to Hofstedes will create a number of negotiation points for managers to consider. Some cultures are individualistic where working as an individual is more appreciates whereas some are collectivist. Human resource management has aspects that are legally and culturally determined by the host country but is still responsible for the strategy and implementation plan (Stone, 2008). It therefore must determine what sort of strategy would work in the host country. For example, in Hong Kong as a measure of reducing staff turnover, HRM offered a $1000 increment towards a dental plan, as a result the companys turnover reduced by 4% (Medland, 2004). While such a proposition may not work across other countries, it indicates that managers need to be aware of the different motivations in different countries and why pay and work conditions should not be standardized in MNCs. Research needs to be done to identify motivations similar to the dental work scheme in Hong Kong. There are three different perspectives for understanding diversity: the cultural perspective, the institutional perspective and the network perspective (Evans et al. 2002). In the cultural perspective, individuals are cultured through a socialization process where they instill values and beliefs with which he uses to interpret the world also known as mental programming (Hofstede 1985). It is therefore inappropriate to take management practices developed in one culture and apply them on another and expect the same results (Hofstede, 1985). Cultural differences need to be taken into account, as some of these practices may not be well received in the new subsidiary. Members of that subsidiary may view these kind of practices as unusual and it may not be well received and lead to unexpected consequences hindering a subsidiarys performance. From the cultural perspective extensive global standardization of HRM-practices, will not be an easy fit between organizational practices and the loca l culture. However, the cultural perspective does not take into account the ability of people from different cultures adapting to foreign practices (Evans et al. 2002). The institutional perspective takes a broader view of the national context where it identifies that the key to understanding business in a foreign country lies in the correlations between financial, education, legal, economic, and political systems (Evans et al. 2002). The extents to which MNCs are able to implement their global standards are closely tied to the nature of these institutions. For example, the relative strength or weakness of these institutions in exerting influence on the ability of an MNC to import its own approaches to HRM. This is often the case when MNCs try to put expatriates in key positions leaving local staff in the more menial positions. Often these institutions will exert influence and move towards forcing MNCs to train or employ staff to fill such positions. The network perspective indicates that MNCs are not only influenced by the social norms and cultures of their home country but also by industry standards (Evans et al. 2002). This influences the amount of standardization able to be implemented by MNCs or forces them to provide such standardization. The cultural and institutional perspective help identify the localization needs within the HRM-function; the network perspective identifies the role of interorganizational networks in defining the nature of industries and organizational practices. Key reasons for a localization approach within HRM include issues such as being responsive to the local authorities and institutions. Keeping up with public opinion by providing benefits to the local populace such as job opportunities and providing a higher level of organizational commitment among locals are also prime reasons for localization of HRM practices (Evans et al 2002). However, there are often problems with this as finding suitable candidates with the necessary skills may prove difficult. For example in China, a major problem is the lack of suitable candidates given a shortage of finding mid-level and top-level leadership. http://www.bizresearchpapers.com/17[1].Plessis.pdf 3.0 Global strategies toward increasing global standardization A major issue that international managers face is forces that require both local responsiveness and global integration of subsidiaries with the overall structure of an MNE. MNEs must find ways to combine their firm-specific capabilities with local knowledge to create the best value proposition to suit the local culture and its needs. Some subsidiaries have created a layer where they have been isolated from the overall structure of an MNE that it is unlikely to cooperate and share knowledge with other units of the MNE. This is particularly the case where subsidiaries have competed with each other for resources from headquarters which promote inter-unit rivalry (Fairclough and Boussebaa, 2010). MNes need to make use of the strengths of its internal network set up across its subsidiaries. Managers have to incentivize compatibility among internal agents and incentivize coordination between its internal agents. The challenge for international managers is to foster a sense of coopetition b etween these subsidiaries and designing control structure to implement to foster this relationship. If designed incorrectly, these structures have the potential to create a conflict of interest in the subsidiary, causing it to focus its resources to its own benefit rather than that of its parent company (Clark and Geppert, 2010). To create value, parties or units cannot act in isolation. They have to recognize their interdependence (LAdo, Boyd Hanlon, 1997). Within a multinational enterprise, inter unit coopetition occurs where cooperation and competition occur simultaneously as subsidiaries are enticed or enforced to collaborate but encounter conflicts arising from competing for the limited resources offered by the parent. Even within the same parent umbrella, subsidiaries rarely share similar interest in all aspects as a result of rivalrous pressures from heightened local responsiveness and national adaptation particularly for MNEs emphasizing on multidomestic strategies. Therefo re, managers need to create a flow of the sharing of knowledge and cooperation so that subsidiaries can leverage on the distinct core competencies of other subsidiaries. Interest in a standardization approach has been increasing due to the globalization. Global integration has become more popular and is becoming a necessity in a number of markets to stay competitive where decentralized strategies were more popular previously (Evans et al. 2002). Using a global strategy approach has several drawbacks; the main weakness is the weakness in the firms ability to respond to the changes in the market (Evans et al. 2002). Creating harmony between global strategy and national response is inevitable (Hammerly, 1992). There has to be balance between standardization versus the localization as fully localizing a subsidiary does not make full use of the core competencies and skills that an MNC should leverage on to separate itself from the local competition. A critical method of doing so is to determine what belongs to the core of the organization and what does not. This will enable firms to integrate global activities appropriately and also adapt local activities efficiently. This core should be replicated throughout the firms subsidiaries worldwide. Global standardization does not mean the synchronizing all areas of a firms business, but may be limited to a certain product, function or value chain segment. Therefore, while adopting a global strategy, MNCs still have the option of changing particular areas within the operations so that they do not disrupt the culture of the organization while still being able to keep their core competencies. Giving power to the subsidiary also helps the MNC keep the standardization of the key sectors of the business while allowing subsidiaries to make decisions that need local adaptation. For example, looking at KFC in China, it can be observed that the power to make changes by the subsidiary has allowed them to take a considerable lead in comparison with its competitors. They allowed an adaptation to the market for its menu to better suit the local tastes, however they maintained the core elements of the b usiness which is the supply chain and the business model. The development of international HRM can be divided into a four-phase organizational life cycle (Adler and Ghadar, XXXX).The central idea is that firms should find the best fit between their environment, strategy and human resource policies. The following summarizes some of the suggested links between the phases of internationalization and HRM. Phase Description Domestic Foreign markets served by exporting unchanged products. No real international HRM International Products developed to fit local needs. Expatriates fill general management and important posts in subsidiaries. Locals occupy roles which need understanding of local conditions. Multinational Worldwide coordination used to achieve economies of scale. Selection focuses on best person for international management roles. Aim is to develop a management corps who shares organizational values to help achieve integration. Management development is the spearhead of International HRM. Global High quality at minimal cost through global integration and local responsiveness This analysis shows the flow of how an MNE develops its understanding of international HRM, the focus of HRM shifts from the management of expatriates to the development of international management. This highlights the role in which HRM plays in developing individuals within the company so they build up a bank of knowledge from exposing these individuals to trips to overseas subsidiaries (Kamoche, 1997). This indicates the role of HRM in developing individuals so that they are able to experience different work cultures and be able to adapt. Having experienced these work cultures of different subsidiaries prepares the expatriates for culture shock and being able to work in different work cultures. This allows them to better facilitate standardization as they would understand the practices that would be best accepted in that particular culture after being exposed to it. 4.0 Levels of standardization vs localization In order to be globally competitive, MNCs must make the decision of when to best make changes to the subsidiaries in terms of the level of standardization and localization. The following points will discuss the issue. Companies must ensure that they focus on the core competencies and replicate these core competencies across its subsidiaries as they are key to separating themselves from their competitors. Without this unique trait, there will be little to differentiate themselves from their competitors and may be detrimental to the success of the company. In this highly competitive market, it allows competitors the opportunity to gain market share. Therefore, when core competencies are being considered, MNCs need to use standardization. This makes full use of the very core strengths that identify a company as a leader within an industry. However, the term core competencies should be used selectively and consider that not everything within a company should not be considered a core comp etencies. Whenever core competencies are not involved and when subsidiaries have a need to adapt to specific local cultures or institutional circumstances in order to be successful in the particular field, then MNCs should consider allowing firms to conduct localization. There are several schools of thought that propose several strategies towards the degree to which MNCs should standardize or localize. Some alternatives are provided to balance between the extremes of fully localizing the company or standardizing it. (1) The adaptation strategy where a basic strategy is is adapted to meet market forces and needs but never to the degree of a localized strategy. This means that the marketing mix is only changed to a certain extent and adjusted to the local situation when needed (Hovell Walters, 1972) (2) Sub global strategy where clustering foreign markets into groups which are more or less similar and standardizing them according to region (Hovell Walters). (3) Worldwide segmentation strategy where customer segments exist worldwide and can be offered a standardized product (Fatt, 1967) An example of this would be Coca Cola and Apples worldwide segment. (4) Combination and mixed strategies where global companies can offer both worldwide strategies and local strategies to benefit from both (Hovell Walters, 1972). Another opinion posed by Quelch Hoff is that firms are able to standardize global strategy up to a certain degree and upon which they adapt marketing strategies to suit local differences (Quelch Hoff, 1986). This is more visible when viewed from a marketing strategies basic components of the 6ps: product, price, place, promotion, power and people (Kotler, 1986). Each marketing component can have its own standardization and at the same time still be tailored to suit local needs. For example, in terms of price, having a standardized product across all subsidiaries but altering price to suit the local markets price points is a common practice within MNCs such as PG. Companies like Unilever, Nestle, Proctor and Gamble follow a mixed approach. They have standardized offerings in terms of their brands, but they blend and adapt their 4Ps to suit the needs of the local culture. Their offerings are generally standardized but t he implementation strategy local (http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/courses/110105029/pdf%20sahany/module%207l-36.pdf). Penrose, E. 1959. The Theory of the Growth of the Firm. New York: Oxford University Press BBC. (2010). BBC Persian. Retrieved 10 3, 2010, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2010/09/100928_l38_iran_majles_ahmadinejad.shtml Unilever. (2010). Introduction to Unilever. Retrieved 2010, from Unilever: http://www.unilever.com/aboutus/introductiontounilever/?WT.GNAV=Introduction_to_Unilever Hofstede, G. (1980) Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-related Values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

The Psychology Of Team Sports

The Psychology Of Team Sports Hardy and Grace, (1997) outlined the importance of team building research in sport when they suggested whether a team is successful or not is frequently attributed to the effectiveness of their teamwork. To develop the effective team many team building programs attempt to increase cohesion amongst a group as team cohesion can affect performance (Eys et al, 2005). Different areas of group dynamics can be used to increase team cohesion, this section of the report will focus on the research conducted on leadership, role ambiguity and goal setting. Leadership is an important component for developing cohesion in sports teams (Carron et al, 2005). It has been suggested that effective leadership is a vital contributor to member satisfaction (Reimer Chellandurai, 1995). Leadership behaviours and styles adopted can have a big impact on team cohesion and subsequent performance. (Carron et al. 2005) An early study, investigating the relationship between (the coaches) leadership behaviours and team cohesion within sports teams, found adopting a democratic style produced higher levels of task cohesion (Lee et al. 1993). In addition, a variety of studies reported that an increase in social support behaviour increased task cohesion (Lee et al. 1993, Westre Weiss, 1991; Riemar Chellandurai, 1995). One study, Riemar Chellandurai, (1995) went further and examined the leadership behaviours preferred and perceived by players depending on their position. They found defensive athletes perceived and preferred higher levels of social support and democratic and autocratic styles then the offensive athletes. They also found member satisfaction was greatly influenced by social support. More recent research has tended to focus on the role of the athlete as a leader within the team, for example, the captain. Research has suggested athlete leaders are in fact better than coaches at administering leadership behaviours, such as; a democratic decision making style and social support (Loughead and Hardy, 2005). Whats more, further research has been conducted to assess different types of athlete leadership. For example, Loughead et al, (2006) discovered two types of leader within a sports team; a team captain and a peer leader (supplies leadership to at least 2 team members). In addition, Eys et al, (2007) investigated how 218 athletes perceived the athlete leader distributions within their sports teams. Their results suggest that members of a team are more satisfied when 3 leadership roles (social, task, external) are performed to the same extent regardless of how many are leaders present within the team. Carron et al, (2005) identified individual clarification of role responsibilities to be one of the most important factors in sport. The vast majority of research on role states in team sports has been on role ambiguity (role clarity) and its relation to performance using the conceptual model proposed by Beauchamp et al, (2002). The effect role ambiguity had on both task cohesion and task self efficacy was investigated by Eys Carron (2001). They concluded that members within basketball teams who were unsure of their role responsibilities, reported lower levels of attraction towards the team and felt their team was less unified in their task approach. Another study, Eys et al, (2003) demonstrated that team members perceptions of role ambiguity decreased throughout a competitive season. Additionally, although perceptions of role ambiguity are individual, members of a team could share the same beliefs. Finally, new editions to the team are more likely to perceive role ambiguity compared to experienced members of the team at the start of the season. Nevertheless, as the authors suggested, the results of this study will be difficult to apply to other team sport settings (e.g age group, competitive standards) as it was undertaken on a homogeneous population (Eys et al, 2003). It has also been reported that greater role ambiguity and role clarity could affect an athletes self efficacy, satisfaction and performance. These factors could not only affect the individual but the team as a whole (Forsyth, 1999). Beauchamp Bray (2001) investigated university athletes perceptions of role ambiguity and role conflict among their respective sports teams. Results demonstrated that members who perceived greater levels of role ambiguity and conflict had lower levels of efficacy and were less inclined to perform their role responsibilities. This is concurrent with Bandura, (1997) who suggested a decrease in persistence and effort will occur if the athlete is unclear of their role. The associated performance is also likely to suffer (Bandura, 1997) as indicated by Beauchamp et al, (2002) who found a negative relationship between role efficacy and role performance. Additionally, the relationship between leadership and role ambiguity could prove further understanding of thi s subject (Eys et al, 2003). The more detailed, specific and challenging yet realistic a goal is the more effective it will be (Gould, 1993). However, research found team members often set themselves unclear and generally descriptive goals (Brawley et al, 1992). In addition, when Dawson et al, (2002) interviewed varsity athletes to determine their goal setting habits, they found team members set personal goals and their respective teams had group goals. Research has indicated that team as opposed to individual goals are better for improving team sport performance (Johnson et al, 1997). The authors demonstrated how subjects who set team goals improved their bowling performance in cricket, yet subjects who set personal goals did not. The addition of team goals to a group has proven successful in the past. Lee (1988) found that adding team goals to female hockey teams had a positive effect on team performance. This was concurrent with Senecal et als, (2008) study of female basketball players. Over a season long intervention, they found team cohesion significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control groups when they utilised team goal setting. Furthermore, Mellalieu et al. (2006) found a goal setting program with professional rugby players to have a positive impact on performance. It has been suggested that goal setting can enhance team cohesion by providing a team focus (Widemeyer Ducharme, 1997). Focusing on one goal can improve group communication, commitment and satisfaction, improving group cohesion and subsequent performance (Carron Spink, 1993) Nevertheless, there have not been many studies carried out in sport that have investigated the effect of team goals on team performance (Widemeyer Ducharme, 1997), with the majority of studies conducted outside of the sport setting (Weingart, 1992). Team building intervention A team goal setting program was chosen as the intervention topic to improve team cohesion (see appendix a). Early research from Widemeyer et al, (1992), as cited in Widemeyer Ducharme (1997) found athletes felt having a team goal was the most significant contributor to task cohesion from a choice of 35 variables. More recently, Stevens Bloom (2003) found team goals to be the most effective topic to utilise in a team building intervention. The following team building intervention applied principles from Eys et al, (2006) in Senecal et al. (2008), Widemeyer Ducharme, (1997) and Widemyer McGuire, (1996) in Carron et al, (2005). Step 1: Developing Long term goals Firstly, the athletes and coaches will work together to decide the long term goal of the team (Kyllo Landers, 1995) for example, achieve a top 3 position in the league. This will take place during an all day workshop during the first week of pre season. The athletes will work in small sub groups of 3-4 and discuss long team goals for the team (Eys et al, 2005). Once the sub groups have decided a long term goal, the coach will write the goals on the white board and the team will discuss together (Dale Wrisberg, 1996), narrowing down to one specific and measurable goal (Gould, 1993). The Long term goal will then be posted in the changing rooms for the remainder of the season, to help motivate the athletes (Weldon Weingart, 1988). Step 2: developing short term outcome goals To achieve the long term goal, specific and measurable (Carron et al, 2005) short term goals will be set as stepping stones (Kingston Hardy, 1997), for example, win the next 3 out of 5 games. To decide the goals, the coach will remind the players of last seasons statistics (eg. Wins, losses, league position) (Widemeyer Ducharme, 1997). After the long term goals are decided, the players will use these statistics and repeat the same procedure as in step 1 by getting into subgroups (Eys et al, 2005). Once discussed, 5-6 specific and achievable short term outcome goals will be decided (Widemeyer Mcguire, 1996) Step 3: Developing short term performance goals In addition, the players will set performance goals during a second all day workshop, 2 weeks into the pre season. The use of multiple goal setting strategies has been shown to be more beneficial to performance (Filby et al, 1999). For this intervention, the players will only be working towards team goals as previous research has suggested team goals are better for improving team performance (Johnson et al, 1997) and that individually hidden goals have no significant impact on performance (Kyllo Landers, 1995). The performance goals will be decided through the use of performance profiling (Dale Wrisberg, 1996). This will be a group profile for the team as a whole. Firstly, the players will discuss what characteristics they believe a successful football team has. The players will express their opinions to the coach while they write them down onto a white board. The characteristics will need to be specific, so if there too general they will be re-evaluated until clearer. When the athletes and coach are happy that at least ten appropriate characteristics are on the white board, the players will individually and anonymously write all the characteristics off the white board on to paper. Examples of characteristics could be; putting 100% effort into every training session and game, winning over 80% of their aerial battles. The players will then proceed to evaluate their teams characteristics between a scale of 1-10, with 1 being weak and 10 being strong. Once completed, each characteristic will be calculated as a mean. The lowest mean scores will be the areas developed into performance goals that the team will aim to achieve. Additionally, the coach will use the same procedure to demonstrate their perceptions of the team. At the next group meeting the team will discuss the results (lowest scores) and agree on 5-6 performance goals to improve their perceived weaknesses (Dale Wrisberg, 1996). When the specific performances goals are established, the team needs to decide realistic yet challenging target levels for these goals (eg. more than 5 shots on target per game) (Carron et al, 2005). To make sure their realistic and challenging the coach will again provide the athletes with statistics from last season (eg. shots on goal, tackles won). The sub group procedure used in step 1 and 2 will be utilized to achieve this (Eys et al, 2005). After negotiations the team will conclude the appropriate targets for their team. This process will be repeated during the middle and the end point of the competitive calendar (Dale Wrisberg, 1996) so that the performance goals can be updated throughout the season Step 4: Monitoring and evaluation of short and long term goals The Long and short term goals will be continually monitored throughout the intervention. Prior to every match and practice session (1 of each per week) throughout the pre and competitive season the team will be reminded of the goals they set for themselves in attempt to provide a focus for the team and help motivate the players (Weldon Weingart, 1988). To do this team goals will be written on the white board in the changing rooms, the coach will then highlight the importance of these goals during their team talk. In addition, after each match team statistics (eg. goals scored and corners won in that game) and the statistics for the agreed performance indices will be posted in the changing rooms. The team members can then look at the statistics and measure their progress towards their target levels. Step 5: Updating team goals After every 3-5 games, the coach and players will work with the intervention specialist on evaluating and possibly updating the team goals if needed, eg. Removing or adding performance goals and changing the target level (Senecal et al, 2008). This will be achieved using their performance statistics from the previous 3-5 games and the characteristics of their next 3-5 opponents (Widemeyer McGuire, 1996). Again, the procedure demonstrated in step 1 will be used to administer the changes. Stage 6: Praise continued progress toward team goals During the intervention the coach will continually openly praise his team when they do well and progress toward their team goals, feedback on goal progress may enhance the use of team goals (Widemeyer Ducharme, 1997). Step 7: post intervention check. 1 week after the intervention was completed; A 5 question, post intervention questionnaire (Stevens Bloom, 2002) was completed by every player to assess the effectiveness of the intervention (Senecal et al, 2008). In addition, 1 and 3 months after the intervention is completed interviews will be conducted with each player (Stevens Bloom, 2003). Players will be instructed to relax and openly discuss their opinions of the TBIs effectiveness. Critical analysis of team building interventions in sport Team building interventions are designed to improve group performance by increasing group cohesiveness (Carron et al, 1997). However previous studies have produced mixed results on the effectiveness of team building interventions (TBI) on improving cohesion. Some were effective (Voight Callaghan, 2001; Senecal et al, 2008; McClure Foster 1991; Mellalieu et al, 2006) and some were unsuccessful (Prapavessis et al, 1996; Cogan Petrie, 1996; Stevens Bloom, 2002). One study, Steven Bloom (2003) found their TBI to be effective during the pre season but not throughout the competitive season. Nevertheless, Brawley Paskevich (1997) have highlighted many methodological concerns with the research conducted using team building interventions. For example, the pre-test, post-test experimental design employed by various TBI (Voight Callaghan 2001: Senecal et al, 2008; Prapevessis et al, 1996; Stevens Bloom, 2002; Mellalieu et al, 2006) makes it difficult to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Although three of these studies were effective (Voight Callaghan 2001: Senecal et al, 2008; Mellalieu et al, 2006), due to the absence of measures throughout the competitive season, although likely it makes it difficult to determine whether or not it was the TBI that improved performance or outside interference, questioning the validity of their results. For example, Brawley Paskevich, (1997) suggested leadership change; a less competitive calendar or the loss of an unsettling member could have all influenced team cohesion independent of the TBI. Some studies that employed a quasi experimental design (Cogan Petrie, 1996; Stevens Bloom, 2003) reported their TBI to be ineffective at improving team cohesion. The design could be the reason for their lack of significant results. A quasi experimental design rarely includes random assignment making it difficult to determine whether factors such as differences in coaching style and team atmosphere affected the results (Stevens Bloom, 2003). Randomly assigning members to different teams, allows experimenters to observe which treatment of the TBI infers change (Brawley Paskevich, 1997). One study employed an experimental design (Mclure Foster, 1991). The results of their study suggested their intervention was effective at increasing cohesion among gymnasts. The positive results of their study could be attributed to the experimental design as this method includes random assignment. Therefore they were able to notice a difference in cohesion amongst randomly assigned athletes with out interference from some of the problems mentioned above. Furthermore, some studies did not utilise a control group, one was effective at improving cohesion (Voight Callaghan 2001) another was ineffective (Bloom Stevens 2002). The absence of a control group however, questions the validity of Voight Callaghans (2001) results. As suggested by Brawley Paskevich, (1997) it is difficult to establish whether their TBI was actually the cause for the improvement in performance as there were no control or placebo groups to compare the results to. In addition, as Stevens Bloom (2002) did not include a control group, whether or not cohesion levels would have decreased over the season and therefore whether or not the intervention was helpful to the team is unclear. Additionally, the duration of the TBI is another methodological concern identified by Brawley Paskevich (1997). It has been suggested interventions are fairly slow processes (French Bell, 1984) and at least 1 season of a TBI is needed to produce results of any significance (Brawley Paskevich, 1997). Therefore the results of studies that lasted less than a season (Prapavessis et al, 1996; Mellalieu et al, 2006) may not portray the long-term effects of the intervention. Studies that have lasted at least a season (Senecal et al, 2008; Mclure Foster 1991; Stevens Bloom, 2002; Voight Callaghan, 2001; Stevens Bloom, 2003; Cogan Petrie, 1996) are more likely to provide clearer results. In addition, although the vast majority some of these studies administered post intervention checks (Cogan Petrie, 1996; Senecal et al, 2008; Mellalieu et al, 2006; Stevens Bloom; Voight Callaghan, 2001; Prapevessis et al, 1996; Stevens Bloom, 2002) none of these studies administered any questionn aires 3 or 6 months after the intervention to examine the long term effects of their intervention. Sampling size can be another methodological concern for researches conducting TBIs. Two studies had a very small sample size (Mellalieu et al, 2006: 5 participants; McClure Foster, 1991:15 participants. Some studies have only used a slightly larger sized sample consisting of no more than 45 participants (Cogan Petrie, 1996; Voight Callaghan, 2001; Stevens Bloom, 2003; Stevens Bloom, 2002). Only 2 studies have used relatively large sample sizes: Senecal et al, (2008); (n=86) Prappevessis et al, (1996); (n=137). Nevertheless, all studies have reported sufficient details such as gender, age, sport and team ability (Cogan Petrie, 1996; Voight Callaghan, 2001; Stevens Bloom, 2003; Stevens Bloom, 2002; McClure Foster, 1991; Mellalieu et al, 2006; Senecal et al, 2008; Prapavessis et al, 1996) However, some of the characteristics reported in the studies can be vague. Many studies have failed to state appropriate details, such as race (Voight Callaghan, 2001; Prapevessis et al, 199 6; Senecal et al, 2008; McClure Foster, 1991; Stevens Bloom, 2002; Mellalieu et al, 2006). Furthermore, the majority of studies also seem to be generalized to similar populations. For example, the majority of studies were conducted on females (Voight Callaghan, 2001; Senecal et al, 2008; McClure Foster, 1991; Cogan Petrie, 1996; Steven Bloom, 2003; Stevens Bloom, 2002), on ages ranging between 18-24 (Voight Callaghan, 2001; McClure Foster, 1991; Cogan Petrie, 1996; Steven Bloom, 2003; Mellalieu et al, 2006) and on high school or university teams (Cogan Petrie, 1996; Steven Bloom, 2003; McClure Foster, 1991; Senecal et al, 2008). In addition, the studies that indicated the race of the subjects were predominately on Caucasians (Cogan Petrie, 1996; Steven Bloom, 2003). As these studies are on similar populations the generalizability of these interventions is limited. Therefore, the results are difficult to apply to a wide range of sports teams, as member characteristics s uch as age, gender, race and ability can vary greatly per team. Previous studies on sport teams have had the coach/manager as the main facilitator of the intervention, working with the intervention specialist. As a result, Some TBIs have taken a more indirect approach (Prappevessis et al, 1996) or used a combination of indirect and direct models (Steven Bloom, 2003; Cogan Petrie, 1996; Mellalieu et al, 2006). However, Brawley Paskevich (1997) identified indirect models to have weaknesses. The authors explain that coaches/managers may not be capable of undertaking a TBI as they do not have the knowledge, time and commitment to make it successful. On the other hand, direct models have the advantage of often allowing the intervention specialist to work directly with the participants. In addition, the team members become more involved in the decision making process during the intervention. Bloom, (1996), suggested the involvement of the athletes is a key factor in improving team performance. 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(1996). â€Å"The use of a performance profiling technique in a team setting; Getting the athletes and coach on the same page†. The Sport Psychologist, 10, pp261-277. Dawson, K. A., Bray, S. R., Widemeyer, W. N. (2002) â€Å"Goal setting by female intercollegiate sport teams and athletes, Avante, 8, pp14-23 Eys, M. A., Carron, A. V. (2001). â€Å"Role ambiguity, task cohesion, and task self-efficacy. Small Group Research, 32, 356-373. Eys, M. A., Carron, A. V., Beauchamp, M. R., Bray, S. R. (2003). â€Å"Role ambiguity in sport teams†. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 25(4), 534-550. Forsyth, D. R. (1999). Group dynamics (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Eys, M, A., Patterson, M. M., Loughead, T. M., Carron , A. V. (2005) â€Å"Team building in sport†. In Hackfort, D., Duda, J. L., Lidor, R., Handbook of Research in Applied Sport Psychology: International Perspectives (pp219-233). Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology Eys, M. A., Loughead, T. M., Hardy, J. 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The Openings Of The Time Machi :: essays research papers

The openings of the Time Machine and Lord of the Flies seem like a description of paradise. In what ways does this turn out to be deceptive? The Time Machine is about the possibility of time travelling. In the story, one man succeeds in building a fully working time machine, and he uses it to travel into the future. The story was written during the Victorian times (1895), by H.G. Wells.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lord of the Flies involves a group of boys who crash land on an island, in the middle of nowhere. It begins as paradise, but as the story goes on it turns out differently to what they expected. William Golding wrote the story, during the Cold War era. It was written after the Second World War. The times, in which wells and Golding lived in, reflected on what was written in each of their stories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wells lived in a time of peace and stability, as there hadn't been a major war for 30 years, which was in 1865. This had an impact on what Wells wrote about in his story. There was an influence on who and what the characters were in the story, and how they lived and did things. The Morlocks are very similar to the miners of the Victorian times. The Morlocks lived underground and in the dark. The miners didn't live underground, but they did spend most of their time working there. I would have thought that the Morlocks would be like slaves to the Eloi, because that's what the miners were like to the upper class people. However, this wasn't so, the Morlocks were in complete control of the Eloi, who were just food for them. The Morlocks were the more intellectual out of the two species, and had power over the Eloi. The Morlocks worked underground and were clever enough to work the complicated machinery. The Morlocks were a lot stronger than the Eloi, which gave them m ore authority over the Eloi. Wells wrote the Time Machine in a similar time to what we are living in at the moment. We are both very near to the turn of a new century, which involves new beginnings and new achievements in life. Wells wrote his story just before the turn of the 20th Century, in 1895. And we are about to go into the 21st Century. In 1985 they weren't even thinking about the things which we have achieved today.

Euthanasia in Oregon Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Euthanasia in Oregon Oregon is currently the only state that gives the terminally ill the right to decide how and when they want to die. This is known as â€Å"Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act† which lets ill, competent patients, who have less than six months to live, choose their preferred lethal dose of medication after they confer with two doctors. Since this right is present in only one state, it causes controversy. David Sarasohn in â€Å"No Last Rights† discusses Attorney General John Ashcroft’s challenge to the 1997 Supreme Court decision, which gave doctors in Oregon the right to prescribe federally controlled substances intended to euthanize. Ken MacQueen in â€Å"Choosing Suicide† reflects on various cases of euthanasia, differences in lawmaking on euthanasia between Canada and Oregon, and illegal acts of euthanasia. Sarasohn begins his article by acknowledging how Ashcroft valiantly takes the task of confronting the voters of Oregon to contemplate euthasasia during a week when anthrax and 9/11 were pressing issues for Ashcroft. In the article, Ashcroft states how using federally controlled substances, for the purposes of assisting suicide, violates the Controlled Substances Act (Sarasohn 8). The author states broadly how Ashcroft throws out the Oregon euthanasia law, not specifying the effect his challenge had on the law. It is important to note that Ashcroft’s reversal of the 1997 Supreme Court ruling does not prohibit medically assisted suicide in Oregon. However, it does forbid the usage of federally controlled drugs to kill a patient. The conclusion of the article talks about the Bush administration commending the decision and how Ashcroft sent out a DEA administrator to implement the new ... ... of his explanations are unclear and vague, making the reader want to do additional research on the subject. Sarasohn’s article is extremely concise and it relies on many, elaborate quotes without much evidence provided by him. This drastically affects his credibility. On the other hand, Ken MacQueen’s â€Å"Choosing Suicide† presents the reader with a much more upbeat and detailed outlook on Oregon’s law. He sums up Ashcroft’s effect on the law in a few sentences while focusing on other important aspects of the concern. In the end, these articles entice the reader into wondering if Oregon state law on euthanasia serves as a model to the rest of the nation or as a poison to medicine. Works Cited MacQueen, Ken. â€Å"Choosing Suicide† Maclean’s v. 115 no31 (August 5 2002) p. 40-1    Sarasohn, David. â€Å"No Last Rights† The Nation v.273 no19 (December 10 2001) p. 8

Alvin Ailey :: essays research papers

Alvin Ailey   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was really impressive performance I ever seen. I like all programs and their performance was too attractive and interesting. I like lighting and music because it looked very decent with the performance. In addition, they organized it very well. I really like it. The following paragraphs give a few facts about Alvin Ailey and his background.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alvin Ailey was born in Rogers, Texas on January 5, 1931 and moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of twelve. There, on a junior high school class trip to the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, he fell in love with concert dance. Inspired by performances of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company and classes with Lester Horton, Mr Ailey began his formal dance training. It was with Mr. Horton, the founder of the first racially integrated Dance Company in this country, that Mr. Ailey embarked on his professional dance career. After Horton's death in 1953, Mr. Ailey became the director of the Lester Horton Dance Theater and began to choreograph his own works. In 1954, he and his friend Carmen de Lavallade were invited to New York to dance in the Broadway show, House of Flowers by Truman Capote. In New York, Mr. Ailey studied with many outstanding dance artists, including Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman and took acting classes with Stella Adler. In 1958, Mr. Ailey founded his own company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 1960, he choreographed Revelations, the classic masterpiece of American modern dance based on the religious heritage of his youth. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Ailey created some 79 ballets, many of which have appeared in the repertoire of major dance companies, including American Ballet Theatre, The Joffrey Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Paris Opera Ballet and La Scala Ballet.

Chinese Literature Essay

The first short story under consideration is â€Å"Iron Child† by Mo Yan. The piece of literature deals with industrialization of China, which aimed at establishing the socialist model of political system of this country in the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century. The outcomes of the political transformation of China, particularly, child labor, are described in the story. The story â€Å"Iron Child† is narrated by a five-year-old boy (Yan n.pag.). Another short story under analysis is â€Å"Dogshit Food† by Liu Heng. The events of this story take place in the period of the so-called Great Leap Forward (1958). â€Å"Dogshit Food† deals predominantly with the issues of social life in China and political transformation after the World War II. The author emphasizes the human perception of beauty and ethical aspect of interpersonal relations. The story is being delivered in the third person singular, which indicates author’s narrative. The protagonist of the novel is Yang Tiankuan (Heng n.pag.). In spite of thematic diversity and differences in the formal realization of subject matter in both short-stories, â€Å"Dogshit Food† by Liu Heng and â€Å"Iron Child† by Mo Yan, they have a wide range of similarities. In his short story â€Å"Iron Child†, Mo Yan deals with the issues of industrialization of China establishing the socialist model of political system. The writer also reflects upon the most acute and burning social issues, particularly, child labor. It should be mentioned that Mo Yan creates the reality in which children appeared to be the most vulnerable in  the face of decisions and choices of adults. The general tone of the novel is gloomy. The pace of revolving the plot is predominantly moderate, gravitating towards acceleration. The surrealist vision gives this short story the flavor of reminiscence, since the author, apparently, is recalling and reconsidering his childhood. The aspect of the surrealist vision is embodied in the Iron Child who is the protagonist’s friend. Iron Child is endowed with extraordinary abilities of consuming iron (Yan n.pag.). On the other hand, â€Å"Dogshit Food† by Liu Heng, above all, accentuates the inter-personal relations between Yang Tiankuan and his wife and Yang Tiankuan and the rest of community inhabiting the Flood Water Valley. According to the short story, the negative effect of reformatting the agriculture and economy of China is related to the issue of malnutrition. Apparently, the author is drawing a parallel between the affliction and the person’s character. The conflict between the appearance, the outer surface, and person’s inner world is revealed through the lens of Yang Tiankuan’s wife. Namely, the author analyzes the way she treats Yang Tiankuan and others and, consequently, the way she perceives the world (Heng n.pag.). Therefore, the issues dealt in both novels are social life in China in the age of the Great Leap Forward, childhood and the status of children in Chinese society, interpersonal relations, human perception, and understanding the beauty. The essence of social issues and their outcomes and, as a result, the cause-effect relations dealt with in both short stories constitute the commonness between these particular pieces of literature. Another important observation to be made concerns the aspect of distinctiveness and autonomy of Chinese literature in general and Chinese prose of the twentieth century in particular. The phenomenon of distinctiveness and autonomy of Chinese literature was predetermined by the geographical position of China as well as scientific, cultural, and political separateness of this region from the rest of the world. Coalescence, i.e. loss of individuality, of the Chinese historic-cultural frontier in Asia represented itself as a notable fact common to the second half of the twentieth century. Mo Yan and Liu Heng’s positions supported Chinese identity in the context of culture by all means. Considering the current situation, it is important to admit the process of introducing the realities of the Western world to East and China in particular. They were assimilated into Eastern ground. Mo Yan and Liu Heng’s short stories were called, above all, to communicate the idea of cultural identity to the audience across the world. In other words, these particular pieces of literature have no target audience. In its turn, the absence of target audiences indicates both self-sufficiency and self-sustainment of art in general and literature in particular. Self-sufficiency and self-sustainment are the markers of the postmodern art, philosophy and the concept of world. However, social determination of both pieces of art is obvious as far as their subject matter is concerned. In my considered opinion, the issues of identity, assimilation and social determination presented in both â€Å"Dogshit Food† by Liu Heng and Mo Yan’s â€Å"Iron Child† are important in terms of investigating and analyzing. Works Cited Heng, Liu. â€Å"Dogshit Food.† _Fiction Since 1976._ Trans. Deride Sabina Knight. N.p., n.d. 366 – 378. Print. Yan, Mo. â€Å"Iron Child.† _Fiction Since 1976._ Trans. Howad Goldblatt. N.p., n.d. 367 – 387. Print.

Modern Adaptation of Oedipus Rex (Scene)

Oedipus Rex Adaptation Original Scene: Laius meets the oracle and learns that his own son will kill him and marry his mother. Laius orders Jocasta to kill the baby. Jocasta hesitates and gives the baby to a servant so he could kill the baby. The servant leaves the baby to die in the sun. *A shepherd saves the baby and names him Oedipus. *optional to adapt Characters 1. King Laius / Lionel von Hudson – Jared Lionel von Hudson is a wealthy and powerful businessman. He comes from a line of elites and his family holds tremendous economic power in New York. . Queen Jocasta / Cassandra von Hudson – Ravina Cassandar von Hudson is the wife of Lionel von Hudson. She also comes from a long line of elites from the Hamptons. She is unwilling to kil her first born child. Sometimes, she’s also conceited and proud. 3. Oracle / Gypsy lady – Ratna A gypsy fortune teller who receives a vision and prophecy on the fate of the von Hudsons. Carries her fortune telling crystal w ith her. 4. Servant / Sherry the Attendant – Farah Sherry is the von Hudson’s attendant who act as both driver and personal bodyguard.A religious person but also fears her employers. She believes in fate. 5. * Corinthian Shepherd / Plumber – Jared A plumber who takes care of the sewer pipes. A person with a good heart. Setting: Modern day Upper East Side Manhattan, New York Scene 1 Setting: Outside Lionel’s office building Props: 2 chairs (car) and a â€Å"crystal† ball Lionel ask his driver to pull over at the office for a meeting. Lionel : Now, Sherry, the meeting will be till 2. I will be back at about 2:30. Sherry : Yes Mr. Lionel. I will be here. Have a good meeting Mr. Lionel, Mdm. Cassandra.Lionel and Cassandra exit the car and walk towards the office entrance when they were stopped by a gypsy lady with a crystal ball. Gypsy Lady : The couple there. Mr and Mrs von Hudson. [walks over to Lionel and Cassandra] Cassandra : Oh Lord woman. How do you know our names. But then again, we’re all over the news anyways. Gypsy Lady: I come with news, news you must hear, regarding your child and your fate. For I see your future. You are doomed Mr. von Hudson, doomed to death by the hands of your son. And you, Mrs. on Hudson, incest be upon you for when death befalls Mr. von Hudson, you will marry your child. Lionel: What nonsense. You foolish gypsy. Shut your mouth and stop this rubbish. I’m late for my meeting and you’ve just ruined my mood. Cassandra: I shall not believe in this nonsense either. Let’s go Lionel. Let’s leave this foolish lady. Lionel and Cassandra walks away. Gypsy Lady: [shouts] HEED MY WORDS VON HUDSON. FOR TRAGEDY WILL BEFALL YOU TONIGHT AND WE’LL SEE WHO THE FOOLISH ONE IS.Cassandra looks over her shoulder at the gypsy lady, a tinge of worry on her face. Scene 2 Setting: Elevator to the von Hudson’s penthouse. Props: none Lionel: What foolishness. That gypsy sur e knows how to get on my nerves. I’m still angry just thinking of her. Cassandra: Lionel dear, let’s not worry about her and open ourselves a bottle of champagne tonight. A fool will be a fool. DING! Elevator door opens. Lionel and Cassandra looks at their penthouse in horror and shock. Lionel : What in the world could have done this?! Look at our apartment.It’s trashed. Cassandra : Oh no. What if the Gypsy Lady was right? Lionel : SHERRY?! Sherry comes running in. Sherry : Yes, Mr. Lionel†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. [looks around in horror] I’ll get the maintenance to clear this up. Sherry runs out. Cassandra : Oh Lionel, what are we to do. She was right. Lionel : We have to save ourselves Cassandra. I will leave for a business trip tomorrow. When I’m back, I want the boy gone. Kill him before he kills us and land you in sin. Cassandra : But†¦ but he’s our flesh and blood. Lionel : It will be as I say. Scene 3Setting : Penthouse (clean again) Prop s: â€Å"baby† Cassandra : [on the phone] Sherry, could you come up here please. DING! Sherry : Yes, Mdm. Cassandra? Cassandra hands Sherry the baby. Cassandra : You have to do it Sherry. I can’t. Sherry: Do what madam? Cassandra : Kill him. Before he grows up and kill Lionel. Sherry : I†¦. I can’t†¦. Cassandra : You must. Cassandra covers her face and sobs. Scene 4 Setting: Sewers Props : â€Å"baby† Sherry : I’m sorry young master. What ordeal has come upon such a tiny soul. Oh God. Why?! I could not bring myself to do it.If it’s your fate to live, young master, then, may God send someone to save you. But if it’s your fate to die, let the crocodiles come to you first. Sherry leaves the baby on the ground and leaves. *optional Plumber walks in. Plumber: Now, where is that broken pipe? [hears baby’s cry, looks around and spots the baby] Oh dear god. Why? To an infant soul? [picks up baby] You poor thing. But I’ m too poor. I do hope that Mr. and Mrs. Goldstein would take him? They’ve been trying to have a child for ages. [looks at the baby, smiles] Hello there, Alfie.