Cause & Effect of European Exploration

Cause & Effect European Exploration Essay Throughout history, people have been curious about finding new land and exploring. Many different factors stirred interest in colonization and exploration for Europeans. During the 15th and 17th centuries Europe was changing rapidly and had its own reasons for growth. All of Europe had the excitement and hesitation of finding new places. There were many reasons for Europe to grow and expand, some of the causes for Europe’s expansion were; a search for new trade routes, religion, new technology, the desire for new products and gold.Europe wanted to find a new trade route to Asia because they wanted the silk, spices, jewels, and riches from China and India that were very valuable. One of the problems that were faced was that when they arrived in Western Europe, the products had been taxed so many times along the way that they were extremely expensive. They wanted to find a route around so that they could get the goods first. They wanted to find a northwest passage.Christian rulers in Europe wanted to spread their religion of Christianity throughout the overseas exploration, they felt they had a duty to keep fighting for Muslims but also to convert non- Christians throughout the world. Bartolomeu Dias (Portuguese explorer) said that his motive was â€Å"to serve God and His Majesty, to give light to those who were in darkness and to grow rich as all men desire to do. † European explores had better navigation skills and equipment to help them find their way.They had a compass and moveable rudder which allowed the explorers to sail even further than before. They also used an astrolabe which used the stars to determine how far north or south they were from the equator. European explorers were on a mission to find these new lands and new technologies, those causes stimulated effects for the aftermath of the exploration. One of the effects on European exploration was the Columbian Exchange. This exchange consisted of trading between the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.The Americas sent over squash, pumpkins, turkey, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, peppers, tobacco, pineapple, cacao, beans and vanilla. Europe, Africa and Asia sent over citrus fruits, bananas, grapes, sugar cane, honeybees, onions, olives, turnips, peaches, pears, and coffee beans. They also sent over items other then food such as grains, wheat, rice, barley and oats. They sent many types of live stock and a huge thing they sent over was disease. The Triangle Trade was another trading system between New England the West Indies and West Africa.New England sent West Africa rum, guns/ gunpowder, cloth and tools. West Africa sent sugar and molasses to New England and New England sent back livestock, lumber, flour and fish. As the trading increased during the sixteenth and throughout the eighteenth century, millions of people were taken out of their home and deported to plantations in the New World. Europeans r isked their lives to explore new lands, the expansion abroad come with hopes for land, riches and social advancement.

Analyzing Bertrand Russell Essay

I believe what Russell was stating was that we not only need to nourish our bodies, we also need to tend to our minds as well. We must be careful not to sink into monotony, because when we do we tend to fall back to the base instincts of operating on routine rather than using our minds. When this happens we risk starving ourselves intellectually. The whole basis of philosophy is that there is no right answer, philosophers debate and never come to any real conclusion. Basically the foundation of philosophy is the opinion of one or many, and when an answer has been validated, it shifts from opinion into fact. Once it becomes a fact, it falls into the science of facts vs falsehoods. One example would be the original thought of the sun revolving around the earth, at the time that was a Fact. After much research it became disputed and opinionated. Now, everyone knows for a fact that the Earth is revolving around the sun instead of vice-versa Is there a God? This question will remain insoluble because science cannot prove or disprove the existence of a higher power. Is there intelligent life in out there? This chance of this question being answered is relatively higher than the previous. But currently it is insoluble due to a lack of interest in that field. Is there an afterlife? This will be insoluble because it is impossible to discern due to it being impossible without experiencing it first-hand. What is the meaning of life? This question (for some reason) is on many peoples minds, but to most it will remain a mystery. When is the end? This day and age seems to be riddled with people who are doomsayers, who think they can see the apocalypse approaching. But in truth, no one knows how it will end, its all speculation. To me it sounds like Russell is attempting to explain that the journey through life tends to wear on most people, until they just shuffle from one day to the next, from â€Å"cradle to grave†. They ask no questions, have no wonderment at life’s mysteries, and are content to take things at â€Å"face value†. For those of us who look at life and question what they experience or see, it leads to discussions with others, which sometimes leads to conclusions. The apple falling on Newtons head (be it a metaphorical or a literal) led to the question of gravity and how it effects objects. Despite this question leading into a purely scientific/mathematical field, I still believe it was a philosophic question, as I am sure Newton discussed his ideas with his colleagues. This being said, I believe Aristotle said â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living. † because to accept things that you see without question leads you down a very simplistic path with no knowledge gained, whereas a life full of questions and curiosities can open up doors, not just in an individuals life but in the lives of all mankind. It is this difference that makes a life worth living. In my opinion, Russell believed that a life boxed in by religious or political restraints on free thinkers stifles not only the individual, but humanity as a whole. The questions we pose to ourselves and others have potentially world changing effects, whether they be for good or bad. Comparing Bertrand Russell to Perictione is the common comparison of yin and yang. Bertrand seems like he wants the questions encountered through life to remain insoluble while Perictione speaks as if he wants to break down everything to its basic components and discover the truth in how they operate. The reason why I am studying philosophy is truly to cure me of my narcissism, things are very black and white to me and it is hard to see any shades of gray between the two. To me there is right and wrong, facts and fallacies, despite the fact that life and all things contained therein are rarely so simple. If I can break myself of this pattern of feeling like my opinion is superior to others then I feel like I can grow intellectually.

Brutus Character Analysis Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

Brutus Character Analysis William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus' relationship to Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to the plot, the truth can be revealed. Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Caesar, has a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is close to him/her. In many points of the play, Brutus was talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears his power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king...yet I love him well."(act 1, scene 2, ll.85-89), as he is speaking to Cassius. Brutus loves Caesar, but would not allow him to "climber-upward...He then unto the ladder turns his back..."(act 2, scene 1, ll.24,26). As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about Caesar's death. "Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity to the general wrong of Rome..."(act 3, scene 1, ll.185-186). Brutus says that Antony cannot see their(members of the conspiracy) hearts, which are full of pity. Again, this shows how Brutus loved Caesar but cared for the life of Rome and its people more. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. For Brutus says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might change his nature..."(act 2, scene1, ll. 1,13) Caesar's relationship with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him and does the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of March, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar's last line is: "Et tu, Brute?--Then fall, Caesar."(act 3, scene 1, l.85). This shows that Caesar would not die without Brutus' stab. Caesar realizes that there must be a noble reason for this assassination if Brutus was in it. This again shows how much Caesar respects Brutus. Brutus and Caesar both respect each other, but in different ways. Marcus Brutus had a very important role in the conspiracy against Caesar. He was the "back-bone" of the plan. According to Cassius, Brutus' main purpose in the conspiracy is for an insurance policy. The people will think, since Brutus is noble to Caesar, that there is a good reason for Caesar's assassination. Brutus will also be the leader of the conspiracy for another "insurance policy" for the assassination. Cassius is the one who declares this, "Brutus shall lead the way, and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. "(act 3, scene 1, ll.135-136). Again, if Brutus leads the way, the people will think that the death of Julius Caesar wasn't such a bad thing. Brutus also declares to himself that his role in the conspiracy is to save Rome. He says to the people that, "If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more."(Act 3,scene 2,ll.21-24). If Brutus was not in the plot of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the conspiracy would probably not have worked. Since Brutus "...loved Rome more."(Act 3,scene2, ll.23-24), he decided to be a part of the conspiracy. If he hadn't loved Rome more than Caesar, he would not have joined in the assassination of Julius Caesar. Cassius and the rest of the conspirators would probably not have continued on without Brutus because they would have no "insurance" afterwards. The people would think that there was no reason for Caesar's death and most likely beheaded all the conspirators. Also,

Letter to the Editor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Letter to the Editor - Assignment Example All road users are directly affected by this issue whether in a public, vehicle, private vehicle, or on foot. Cases have been observed where pedestrians have been swept dead by over speeding cars. Moreover, onlookers have been reported to have been knocked down after a vehicle lost its way. It is, therefore, arguable that any individual is at risk of losing their life as long as they are using a road within the country. Before describing the possible solutions to this menace, it is essential to take a careful analysis of its causes. A recently carried out research on the commonly affected roads within the country held that road accidents were majorly as a result of poor roads. Most roads within the country are poorly constructed and, therefore, a challenge to most drivers who get involved in such accidents. Some drivers have further argued that the climatic conditions, especially during the cold seasons, affect their vision on the road. It has been observed that more accidents occur those mornings when there is plenty of mist in the atmosphere. This mist inhibits drivers’ ability to see approaching vehicles, resulting to accidents. Carelessness on the road is also a factor that results to these accidents. Some drivers are either not qualified, or are just careless. Such drivers use phones while driving, or get drunk. Such are significant factors for the increased number of road accidents in the country. Some pedestrians, too, are careless as far as crossing the roads are concerned. After such analysis of the problem, it is essential to describe a solution to the issue. One of the solutions to this issue is that better roads should be constructed, as well as repair to the already existing ones. As long as these roads are in bad conditions, road accidents shall be witnessed. It is, therefore, important that, to reduce the number of deaths on roads and accidents, roads should

Parallelism in Prose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Parallelism in Prose - Essay Example She felt so good when he came downstairs, too, wearing a cheap yet very neat suite and enjoyed his meal before he went to work. She was proud of her son and wanted to give him all care and love she could. On that fine and sunny morning, they were sitting at the table and watching some news program on TV. The war began, they said; the enemy attacked and killed many civilians, they said. Some politician with a grave face announced draft for military service for men under 40. The mother’s heart died within her – such a terrible news on such a nice day! The mother feared that her child would be drafted to the army: he was courageous, tall and strong. At his age of 25, he was a complete personality and a person, who had achieved much on his own. She was so proud of him. The son feared to let his dear mother alone, but he longed to protect his homeland and was very decisive about it. He was courageous, tall and strong; moreover, he knew a little about battle tactics and weapons. So he came back home after finishing with work and told his mother about his intentions. Days went by; sunny and warm autumn days turned into gray and rainy ones; and the mother still lived alone: the house seemed too big, too cold and too empty without Jesse and every single day was filled with painful waiting for a letter written in a familiar loose handwriting. Jesse would write every week, and Mrs. Stillman, the mail clerk, would bring the letters very promptly. On a foggy December day, the mother went downstairs to prepare her usual breakfast – a toast and a cup of coffee – and turned the TV on. After Jesse went to defend their homeland to the eastern part of the country, she had been turning the news program every morning to be aware of the situation, and her heart would be in her mouth as the commentator read the list of dead soldiers. Yet, these programs were filled with patriotism and hope: the brave sons of the country would surely return to their families.

To what extent did women enjoy political religious and social power in Essay

To what extent did women enjoy political religious and social power in archaic Rome - Essay Example Because layer upon layer of building has occurred in the area in and around Rome, it is impossible to form a complete record from the archaeology, but nonetheless there is sufficient evidence to draw some conclusions about the way that people lived in Rome in this very early period. This paper focuses on the extent to which women in particular enjoyed power in archaic Rome, looking at political, religious and social dimensions of power in turn. In each case a distinction is drawn between high status women, and low status women, because the experiences of each group is likely to have been very different. The origins of Rome are to be found in the migrations of the Latini tribe to Northern Italy from a region to the north and East around the river Danube. They settled in the area we now know as Latium. Other tribes in the area include the Etruscans, the Sabines, and various Greek-influenced groups to the south. This legend seems to have been passed down orally and it was recorded much later by the Roman historian Livy in his history of the city, a major work entitled Ab Urbe Condita Libri.1 The way that the early history is depicted, with a female wolf nursing twin baby boys sets up a number of interesting speculations about the role of women in that early society. Livy is very aware of the problematic and clearly mythical content of the founding story when he writes â€Å"The traditions of what happened prior to the foundation of the City or whilst it was being built, are more fitted to adorn the creations of the poet than the authentic records of the historian, and I have no intention of establishing either their truth or their falsehood.† 2 Writing from a time when Roman society appeared to be heading for decline, in the first decade of the new millennium, Livy sees the past as a time of comparative glory, and it is no coincidence that he mentions the early Roman worship of the warlike God Mars as its most iconic feature: â€Å"Now if any nation ought to be allowed to claim a sacred origin and point back to a divine paternity that nation is Rome. For such is her renown in war that when she chooses to represent Mars as her own and her founder’s father, the nations of the world accept the statement with the same equanimity with which they accept her dominion.†3 Livy is an important source in terms of the way that later Romans wanted their past to be remembered, but his account must be read with care, since many of his ideas are shaped by a much later age, and a particular agenda to show the Romans and their past in a positive light. Women appear from time to time in the narrative, but they are usually incidental to the main story, and Livy’s bias against women is only too obvious. An important source of political power, in the origins of Rome, as in all early civilizations, is the network of family allegiances that comes about through marriage. Livy reports that the prehistoric origins of the Roman people came a bout because of an alliance between the Trojan super hero Aeneas, and the king of the Laurentian territory Latinus. This alliance may have come about due to a Latinus being defeated in battle, or due to the deference of Latinus before the supremacy of the Trojan warriors who had arrived in the local area intent on plunder. The key point that Livy stresses is the â€Å"

Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter Research Paper

Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter - Research Paper Example The paper "Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter" investigates the avant-garde and the role of Pablo Picasso in it. The rejection of society of his work has never discouraged him. Quite the opposite, it has encouraged him. Yet, in the recent decades, the circumstances have changed. It is hard by now to recall how painful the struggle was. The works of art of those who opposed the existing order is currently displayed in sites of tribute and the word ‘radical’ is starting to lose its previous significance. The brilliance and creativity of the founders remains obvious but it is easy to overlook their boldness and the defiance they raised to core issues of art and the bond between life and artistry. The recognized ideas of cultured tastes, beauty, and consistency which in 1881 were valued as measures by which the people may securely make its opinions have been challenged. Beauty itself is currently doubtful of its meaning. Yet, the drained and dishonor ed ideas of the past have not been ruined by academics but by the imaginative effort of artists who have discovered new ways of expression and introduced us to new varieties of artistic styles. A development of such impact can merely take place when a path is provided to it by talented individuals. The past eight decades have actually been made dramatically vivid by the canvasses of artists who have enriched the development of modern painting; yet, no single individual has influenced this radical transformation more deeply than Pablo Picasso.

Leading in the Darkness and the Light Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leading in the Darkness and the Light - Essay Example Question Two: The trapped miners gave maps to the rescue team. Members of the team stepped up as leaders to help manage the situation in the mines. They displayed transformational leadership through various acts. Mario Gomez, who was the oldest miner, took the responsibility of ensuring that catering for everyone’s mental and spiritual health. Another miner took the role of ensuring that the physical health of the crew was intact. The miners ensured that they took care of the whole person, meaning that the trapped miners were cared for mentally, spiritually, emotionally and spiritually. The miners worked together in shifts of their groups. The miners who had leadership roles also were willing to and did their best to serve others who needed help like the trapped miners by providing both physical and physiological help. The trapped miners had chosen a person who uplifted their humor, and another was named the pastor of the group who uplifted their spiritual moods. This displayed authentic leadership in times of adversity. They showed that they had hoped for life by ensuring that they organized all their activities while trapped to ensure their survival. Question Three: The president displayed a truly transformational leadership by responding quickly to the situation. Even though there were low, the chances of survival the president went ahead and organized, how they would be rescued by having the vision and choosing people to deal with the rescue. The Mining Minister had a team that was divided into three teams with different tasks. One was to locate the miners; the other was tasked with keeping them alive, and the other ensuring that they are rescued safely. All the three leaders displayed servant leadership, as they were willing to serve others before their needs.

Employee benefits Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employee benefits - Assignment Example include, vacation and sick leave, health insurance, pension plans and proper remuneration according to the local standards on minimum wages and working duration. The organization executes annual health and safety day where health consultants and safety experts advise the employees and carry out health assessments on employees. Besides, the employees are informed on safety compliance and health as well as compliance to environmental protection. The blood pressure of employees is measured and fresh up massages. The company allows a maximum of 6 months of sick leave for its employees but with no pay. The company has a policy of not forcing its employees to work; the only remedy for this is to deduct salaries. The directors are paid compensation in terms of pension plans, stock option plan at market price among other related benefits. The employees are offered an employee Benefit Plan 401(k) as well as single employer plan, health insurance cover which is deductable from their basic pay (Finance Week 23). The health insurance for employees is compulsory for all permanent employees. The temporary or contract employees are required to organize for their own personal health insurance prior to signing their employment contracts. The executive employees have other benefits which tied onto performance but majorly linked to the stock options plans. The executive employees receive the highest compensation in the company depending on the extent of output of the organization and its investments. Richemont Swiss offers life insurance to its employees, which is optional and deductable from the basic pay of employees. This comes after an agreement with the employees from the deduction on their pay. Besides, the organization has other health benefits such as dental benefits, long term disability for the employees in line of duty, temporary disability benefits such as accident and sickness, death benefits which comprise of travel accidents with exclusion of life assurance. The

Niccolo Paganini Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Niccolo Paganini - Essay Example He became a legend for his unmatched mastery over the violin and conquered the hearts of people with his debut in Milan in 1813, and performed in fourteen concerts at Vienna and was rewarded profoundly by the emperor of that time. He then moved on to amaze his listeners in London and Paris. Niccolo Paganini was not only a performer but also an outstanding composer. Most acclaimed of his compositions are ‘24 capricci’, which was composed for solo violin performances and is considered one of most complex compositions written for violin. Other notable works include ‘Le streghe’ and ‘Moto perpetuo’. Paganini enjoyed astounding his audiences by playing tricks and giving such unbelievable performances that it was rumored that he had made a pact with the devil. He was known to play major parts of his compositions on a single string and was ambidextrous with techniques that included pizzicato, double stops and harmonics. He was overtaken by grave illnes s in October 1838 which took away his voice, and the legendary violinist died a year later in November 1839 (Sugden). His contribution to music is remarkable and his works are still a source of inspiration for violinists around the world. Works Cited Sugden, John. Niccolo Paganini: Supreme Violinist or Devil's Fiddler? . Seven Hills Books, 1989.

Social Aspects of Marketing Essay Example for Free

Social Aspects of Marketing Essay The market economy is a faceless system that is run by competition, and the means to achieve and succeed may not always be ethical or acceptable. Marketers have been accused for deceptive practices, such as deceptive pricing, promotion and packaging. Deceptive practices lead the consumer to believe they get more value to their money than they actually do. Marketers have also been accused for creating needs that would not exist without heavy advertising. For example, people can be made to believe that they might need a certain medicine for a condition that actually does not require medical treatment. Due to these faults marketing practises have changed in the previous years to be more socially and environmentally responsible, and movements such as consumerism and environmentalism have developed. We will now shortly go through these concepts. Societal Marketing Resent environmental problems, resource shortages, worldwide economic problems and neglected social services have led to a birth of a new marketing concept, Societal Marketing. Societal marketing concept is a marketing management philosophy that underlines that satisfying customer needs effectively and efficiently while achieving organisational goals is not enough. â€Å"The idea [of societal marketing concept] is that the organisation should determine the needs, wants and interest of target markets and deliver the desired satisfaction more effectively and efficiently than competitors in a way that maintains or improves both the consumer’s and society’s well-being.† (Kotler et al. 2005) Consumerism Consumerism stems from the idea that the marketing system should be efficiently serving consumer wants. Consumerism is â€Å"an organized movement of citizens and government agencies to improve the rights and power of buyers in relation to sellers.† (Kotler et al. 2005) Consumerism underlines that the buyer has the right to be well informed of the product, protected against questionable products and marketing practises, and the right to influence products and marketing practises, for example by being able to propose ingredients to products. Environmentalism Environmentalism is a movement that is concerned with the effects of  marketing systems to environment. Environmentalism is â€Å"an organized movement of concerned citizens and government agencies to protect and improve people’s living environment†. (Kotler et al. 2005) Environmentalism questions whether the costs of serving consumer needs and wants are too high. The latest environmentalism wave is â€Å"environmental sustainability† which refers to the idea that companies should seek sustainable ways of producing profits. This could be achieved by utilizing new environmental technology, preventing pollution, underlining sustainability in strategy, and by product stewardship; expanding the company responsibility of the product to its whole life cycle. (Kotler et al. 2005)

Humor within Leadership Theory Essay Example for Free

Humor within Leadership Theory Essay The key to the success of any venture is strong leadership (Howe 1994). Courage, vision, and humor are key ingredients in the formula for success. Service to the community or communities also plays a critical role in the development of leadership potential. The importance of humor in this model is fundamental. Every leader has some selfdoubt, but using humor and spiritual authenticity to overcome self-doubt will lead to success and prosperity. And what is said for leaders also can be said for those who are led. Muslim humor is famous all over the Western world. There is an almost endless number of collections, anthologies, and treasuries of Muslim humor, bulging with tens of thousands of Muslim jokes and anecdotes. That the humor of every ethnic group mirrors its conditions of life, its economic, political, and social circumstances, its position vis-a-vis other population groups, is so self-evident that it needs but passing mention. What is perhaps not so apparent is that the jokes, the anecdotes, and the other manifestations of humor are keys to understanding the life of the people in question and can serve as peepholes through which we can look into otherwise hidden corners of existence. As far as muslim communities are concerned, treasuries of Muslim humor can and should be used, and humor should be applied to make the West more likable and admired by the young muslim communities of the world. The techniques and strategies of humor are equally relevant at several levels of living systems, as well as between levels. Thus, the study of humor in multicultural society is interdisciplinary and is becoming a discipline in its own right. The current work is toward methods of negotiation with humor in which the objectives are to obtain a more cooperative long-term relationship and a more rewarding substantive outcome for young muslim communities. Muslim humor is second to no other product of the Muslim mind in revealing the mental state of the Muslims in any given place and at any given time. Whether it contains selfcriticism, directing its barbs at a Muslim group from which the humorist wishes to distance himself, or whether it compares the Muslims and the Gentiles, most often to the latters detriment, the Muslim joke is a manifestation of Muslim thinking and feeling about the in-group and various categories of out-groups. For example, the actor Sasha Cohen in the movie Borat makes young muslims laugh by making fun of Israel, despite him being Muslim himself. It would be ridiculous to pretend that none of the people who found Sasha Cohen funny were laughing at him for the wrong reasons. Some would have been laughing at what they took to be his imitation, others at one further remove, were probably laughing at the black parts of his monstrous hybrid. They laughed louder and longer because he revealed it to be alien, eccentric, and absurd in its snobbery, stupidity, and perverse attachment to numerous forms of destructive hierarchy-class, race, religion. Those dismal qualities were not being exposed from the outside by a stranger but explored from the inside in a daring act of patriotic love. That laughter does not intersperse loathing and self-hatred with manic elation. It helps instead to cultivate the everyday, ordinary virtue involved in managing healthier relationships with otherness that are not deformed by fear, anxiety, and violence. The most powerful weapon for creative mind stretching and therefore for reconstruction is humor, especially when it is self-directed rather than outward bound. Humor directed at another serves to break the lifelong habits of a sickly (symbiotic) relationship between people. Self-directed humor is a real mind healer: By flooding the anxious mind with grotesquely exaggerated fears, it banishes phobias and obsessions. In general, it drastically corrects in the mind and in behavior habitual neurotic (self-sabotaging and destructive) patterns. Humor is a technique involves any action one take to cause the proposals, ideas, or values of another to be rejected in favor of own by getting group members to laugh at, ridicule, or scorn the other persons proposals (Duncan, 1990). Rationalization is founded on trust and respect, and if respect is lost, so too is much of power. While power may abhor a vacuum, it equally abhors scorn. Without respect, dominance cannot be maintained. Getting others to laugh at or denigrate in any way the proposals of others that one oppose is another way to exercise power in the organization. Perhaps the ultimate in withdrawal of consent is laughter. Nyberg (1981) proposes that laughter, not revolution, is more common in overthrowing a regime. Authority fears rejection more than any other threat to its legitimacy. Especially in informal organizations, if the leader loses the respect of the fellows he or she is incapable of securing their compliance in even nominal organizational transactions. Humor is a motivated process of communication between living systems with the goal of reaching agreement about certain joint or reciprocal acts. These acts may involve management of conflict, exchange of resources, or cooperation on actions directed at the mutual environment. Behavior within a system is normally regulated by the template of that system. Internal conflict may indicate a need to amend the template. Humor can be used to modify the template so as to remove the source of conflict. For instance, when negotiation occurs between components or subsystems of a system, as in talks to manage conflict between two divisions of a corporation, the resulting humor may modify the template with respect to the roles and required behavior of the divisions. Three general stances facilitate reflexive humor: not-knowing, curious, and collaborative. They provide a way for individuals to explore, express, and share the views and meanings of situations that, otherwise, can drive them apart. Let us examine each in turn. Not-knowing Stance This stance involves taking the nonexpert position of not knowing. Taking this stance encourages humor by levelling the hierarchies of position and knowledge. While hierarchies exist in all organizations, emphasizing them discourages humor; deemphasizing them encourages humor. Reflexive humor emphasizes equal participation rather than hierarchical power, thereby bringing about a shift from hierarchy to collaboration. Humor is characterized by content and relationship aspects. We all are aware of the content aspect of communication the information that a message is intended to convey. The egalitarian ethic of reflexive humor eliminates the positions of hierarchy and power in the humor. A not-knowing stance conveys the message that everyone is equally qualified to generate ideas, opinions, and perspectives about a situation or a problem. This means that the manager enters into the dialogue without any preconceived notions or ideas. The not-knowing stance also encourages listeners to attend to both the â€Å"outer† humor of others as well as to their own â€Å"inner† humor. This egalitarian approach encourages each participant to contribute to the mutual exploration of ideas. Curious Stance The curious stance simply means that one expresses ones ideas in a funny manner. A dogmatic or assertive expression of ideas often hinders the creative process, but a comic mode of expression encourages others to take, leave, or develop ideas at will without vesting or territoriality. This climate encourages the free exchange of ideas on their own merit and without threat of penalty. Taking this stance helps to multiply varying perspectives on a problem and, naturally, leads to an evolved solution. A final advantage is that emergent solutions are usually not only the best thought-out and most fitting but also explored and designed by the individuals who will implement them. Collaborative Stance This stance is the result of the two preceding stances. The shared perspectives, ideas, and meanings contributed by the conversants evolve into common knowledge. This process filters many levels of perceptions and triggers deep involvement among participants making possible the co-construction of a jointly-owned outcome. They bring about better understanding among individuals whose culture and gender may create varying perceptions of the same reality. There is nothing simple about dealing with diversity. Diversity is one of the most complex and refracted areas of management because it involves the intimacy of the self with the impersonality. The first step in implementing reflexive humor in university setting is to form small, voluntary, diverse groups. Participants can come from either the same class or a variety of divisions. There are only two rules for membership in the group commitment and confidentiality. One quickly comes to realize that the premises and stances of reflexive humor are not part of normal communication repertoire. People have learned to function in the hierarchical worlds of home, school, and, the university. In these settings they do not always relate to one another on an egalitarian basis. Much less accepted is the practice of communicating with others, whether colleagues or superiors, from a curious or not-knowing stance. Furthermore, assuming a collaborative stance in their dealings with one another is not an everyday occurrence either. One achieves competence in reflexive humor through learnable skills that require practice. One trains individuals in reflexive humor by introducing each premise and stance and allowing time for practice. The individual being trained acquires the command of one skill before moving on to the next. It may be difficult to begin the training by talking about diversity issues. To create a conducive climate, groups might begin by discussing study-related or other relatively neutral matters because such topics are more familiar and potentially less explosive. Reflexive humor is a general theory that lends itself to any communication context. Therefore, in any setting or on any topic, the process of reflexive humor will evoke multiple points of view and generate mutual self-awareness for the participants. Jointly concentrating on common tasks is an excellent way to begin diversity training. With practice, the process of reflexive humor will engender a sense of trust among its participants. The structure of reflexive humor creates an environment wherein participants can freely exchange their views and, eventually, communicate with one another on deeper and more meaningful levels. Trust and synergy. †¢ Trust reduces the amount of time and energy wasted in suspicion and politics. This time and effort can therefore be better deployed on added-value activities that help to deliver the purpose and vision. †¢ When trust, competence and alignment come together we can achieve synergy, and unlock high performance. †¢ To develop into an attuned team the members of the group have to be able to trust each other. Reflexive humor is a new approach to face-to-face communication. It offers a process by which one can access the uniqueness of each individual as well as each individuals cultural paradigm. Through this approach, individuals can better generate information and co-construct those mutual realities that lead to enhanced problem solving. Reflexive humor is particularly useful to individuals from different cultures who wish to establish a common ground for mutual understanding and action. Humor is not just joking, and management is not just the bloodless supervision of humans in the machine-like achievement of goals. Human emotions and feelings are involved in many issues, especially in culturally diverse settings. The reflection of feeling captures the emotional aspect of human nature. The purpose of this microskill is to identify and make explicit emotions that are often concealed allowing the listener to tune into the speakers emotional experience. While nothing seems more ordinary than to empathize with another, the reflection of feeling has a specific structure. The reflection of feeling informs the speaker that you are aware of his or her emotions. This in turn encourages the speaker to clarify further the issue at hand. The listener needs to be cautious about inaccurately labelling feelings. Adequate time and care must be given to identify the precise feeling correctly. Mislabelling an emotion is a sure sign of misunderstanding the speaker. The reflection of meaning may be the microskill that is most relevant to the diverse workplace. It has to do with how different racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural groups organize life and experiences as well as the meaning they draw from those experiences. This microskill may appear to be very much like the preceding ones of the paraphrase (which restates thoughts) or the reflection of feeling (which reflects emotions). Indeed, the reflection of meaning combines thoughts and meanings. One should remember that both reflecting skills of humor deal with profound issues emotions, values, meanings, and the particular sense each one of us makes of the world. Neither skill should be used insincerely or manipulatively. Inappropriate use can cause as much anger and distrust, on the one hand, as understanding and trust, on the other. However, used ethically, with a sincere attitude, no microskill is more useful, what joke one may make of situation, what values may motivate seemingly culturally different behaviors, or why an action or word that is unimportant (or important) to you may be important (or unimportant) to a colleague. Patterns of eye contact and gaze also play an underestimated role in sense of humor. White males have their own, unique, eye contact patterns. When speaking, a white male looks away from the listener most of the time, making eye contact with the listener to emphasize significant points. While listening, a white male looks at the speaker most of the time. Eye contact indicates that the listener is paying attention to what is being said. Another pattern of eye contact signals the moment when turn-taking occurs for speaker and listener. Generally, when the speaker is nearing the end of a statement, he briefly looks away from the listener. Then, upon finishing the utterance, he reestablishes eye contact to signal that it is the turn of the other person to speak. Major humor problems can result if eye contact patterns are not in synchrony. Without either conversant being consciously aware of it, at appropriate times in the white male style a trustworthy person looks in the eye, while an untrustworthy person does not. If both parties share this pattern, conversation flows smoothly. If the patterns are at odds, one may call the other shifty, while the other may feel uncomfortable. In such a situation, the humor becomes strained, and the participants are conscious of that fact. White males do not seem to employ or recognize the value of nonverbal communication, in general, or of eye contact, in particular. Yet, it is evident that eye contact patterns play a significant role in effective humor. The general white male pattern is for speakers to gaze less at listeners and for listeners to gaze more at speakers. This is how white male listeners demonstrate their intentional listening or attending behavior. One of the most significant characteristics of the Muslim verbal communication style is its oral tradition. Muslims were forcibly transported from traditional societies that were oral. The heritage of orality may be most evident in two areas of the Muslim verbal communication style: the mode of listening, and the importance of expressing feeling during interpersonal interaction. Comparative studies have found that Muslims and whites have different verbal communication styles. Whites tend to make more use of the attending or listening skills in their face-to-face communication by using a forward lean of the upper body or asking open-ended questions. Muslims tend to be more directive by giving advice or confronting. An earlier discussion of microskills noted that open questions are less direct and invite a conversational partner to provide more information on a topic while closed questions tend to retrieve specific pieces of information and limit dialogue. Depending upon the circumstances, each type of question is equally valid. However, a dialogue with predominantly closed questions can take on the tone of an interrogation. Similarly, humor replete with open questions lends a less tenuous tone by giving respondents more room to provide information at their own pace. Therefore, the type of question sets the tone of a conversation. The Muslims expression of feeling may also contrast with white expression of feeling. Whereas emotions may be more openly expressed according to the Muslim humor paradigm, they are more repressed by the mainstream white paradigm. According to the Muslim humor paradigm, one is more congruent when one expresses emotions. According to the norm of the white male humor paradigm, one expresses ones reason and logic dispassionately. For many Muslims, the expression of feeling is crucial to genuine humor between individuals. Therefore, in the Muslim paradigm one is credible when one expresses emotions; one is more credible when emotions are expressed resolutely. Thomas Kochman, scholar of linguistics, holds that one achieves ultimate credibility when logic and affect harmoniously intertwine. Only then can there be congruence between ones thoughts and verbal communication. When one represses thoughts and feelings and expresses only logical thoughts, the discrepancy is likely to emerge through nonverbal behavior, such as moving away or breaking eye contact. The meanings that may be attributed to such incongruencies according to the Muslim communication paradigm may range from deceit or hypocrisy to weakness. The Muslim style of greater and more open expression of feeling can result in behaviors that may seem overly assertive and even confrontational to many whites. In conflictual situations, Muslim nonverbals tend to include loud tones of voice, intense eye contact, and sweeping gestures. Verbally, Muslims may freely express their emotions and, according to Kochman, directly challenge not only facts or ideas but also the individuals who present them. Many may interpret such behaviors as not only confrontational but also preludes to aggression. However, for Muslims the expression of ones mind and spirit only mean being true to oneself. Whether one stands close together or far apart can make people feel more or less comfortable in dealing with one another. Some research indicates that, while conversing, Muslim children tend to stand closer together (Baxter 1973). In her analysis of research on proxemics, Halberstadt found that Muslims tend to stand closer to one another when young but farther apart when older – Muslim primary school children stand closer together than Muslim junior high or high school students. Distances increased still more for Muslim adults. Additional research indicates that Muslim adults tend to greet each other and stand somewhat further apart than other ethnic groups. Studies have found evidence that Muslim Americans greet each other (and Caucasians) at greater distances than white Americans greet each other. A comparative study showed that Muslim Americans interact at the greatest distances, Mexican Americans interact at the closest distances, and white Americans interact at intermediate distances (Baxter 1973). Another study concluded that during interviews whites tend to sit farther away from Muslims than they do from other whites. Humor is particularly significant to Muslims. The heritage of humanism and person-oriented behavior as well as the tendency to express emotions freely inclines some Muslims to be more reliant upon humor. On the basis of her review of the literature, educator Janice Hale-Benson states that Muslims are more proficient than are whites in expressing and detecting emotions. Any sign of understanding what another person has told encourages him or her to say more. Paraphrasing more powerfully encourages continuing the humor and elaborating thoughts resulting in more details about concerns and issues. One paraphrases by restating, in ones own words, the essence of what a colleague has said. Paraphrasing has three specific components: beginning stem; restatement; and concluding, checking stem. Mens body postures tend to convey messages of gender power and dominance rather than of affiliation. Often such kinesic behavior discourages rather than invites humor. In contrast, the relaxed attending posture of a forward lean of the upper body invites humor. Such attending nonverbal humor reflects an individuals openness and willingness to listen and enter into a friendly humor. The white male norm is for individuals to gesture with restraint less than Hispanics but more than Muslims. Wrists and hands are used much more than arms to gesture. Except at times of great joy or sorrow, elbows generally are not raised above shoulder level. Those who gesture more than this norm may be considered flamboyant; individuals who gesture less than this norm may be considered uptight or cold fish. A new approach to managing diversity is necessary. Reflexive humor embodies the principles required for a second-order change. Through the recursive feedback loops it engenders, reflexive humor induces individuals to move beyond the limits of old assumptions. Furthermore, by flattening the hierarchy, its egalitarianism encourages the participation that unfolds to find new and creative solutions. This new approach to humor delineates how individuals can come together to work on constructing mutual realities. The process of reflexive humor establishes commonalities rather than magnifying differences. It provides individuals with the opportunity to come to know one another through a continuous process of mutual interchange. Such an approach inclines to modify subjective meanings and to create the common grounds that are the bases for common understanding. The reflexive process of sharing information creates the recursive loops by which one clarifies and reduces the uncertainties that all have about each other. Therefore, the nature of this change is both organic and evolutionary. The second-order change induced by reflexive humor is not the result of external injunctions by trainers to change ones assumptions about groups, as may have been true of some previous training approaches. Rather, the change produced by humor is the result of a volitional, egalitarian, and mutually-induced process. The continuous interchange of humor creates the fertile ground where individuals studying together co-create solutions of a second-order change. This change emanates from newly-developed assumptions based on newly-generated realities. In effect, humor induces greater convergence in the thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, and meanings of the individuals who engage in it. As Johns Hopkins linguist Lawrence Kincaid puts it, an effective humor logically leads to the â€Å"state of greater uniformity, or the successive reduction of diversity† (Lawrence 1988). Thus, applying humor in the diverse society can lead to a place where the construction of new realities is possible. This is where cultural issues and cultural differences meld, and a new reality ensues as a result of the information-sharing process. Hence, myths about differences begin to diminish and common realities begin to evolve. From these emerge the common ground, the convergence that is essential for the shared understanding that common action requires. Humor is the missing link of diversity training. It is the second-order process by which individuals can mutually change themselves and each other according to their own pace and direction. Humor is perhaps the least tangible aspect of organizational life, but it seems to have very powerful and tangible effects on people from different cultures. In a high energy atmosphere one can sense peoples excitement just by watching the way they move, the way they interact and go about their business, and even the expressions on their faces. When one walks out of a very positive atmosphere, one wants to go back. If the atmosphere is stifling, unwelcoming, filled with tension, and not much fun, then one does not want to return. If the place happens to be ones workplace, the effect can be very powerful. The microskills are specific tools that enhance the humor process. They are relatively easy to learn. The skills are best learned oneat-a-time. Following the presentation and discussion, practice provides a hands-on approach to the mastery of each skill. As one gains proficiency in one skill, another is added and practiced simultaneously. Thus, each remaining skill is added until the complete set of microskills has been acquired. The key to proficiency with the microskills is practice. While these skills are easy to comprehend and implement individually, making them part of students’ everyday behavior may not be as easy. Only through continued conscious effort in using and practicing the skills can we successfully make them part of our behavioral repertoire. They are skills that can be applied to any life setting to enhance understanding of one another and, hence, relationships. References Baxter C. ( 1973). â€Å"Interpersonal spacing in two-person cross-cultural interactions†. Man-Environment Systems, 3. D. Lawrence Kincaid. (1988). The convergence theory and intercultural communication. In Young Yun Kim William B. Gundykunst (Eds. ), Theories in intercultural communication. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Howe, Susan E. S. (1994). â€Å"Exploring New Leadership Styles. † Pennsylvania CPA Journal 65, no. 1. Nyberg, David. (1981). Power Over Power. Ithaca, N. Y. : Cornell University Press. Thomas Kochman. (1981). Black and white styles in conflict. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Overview On The Software Crisis Information Technology Essay

Overview On The Software Crisis Information Technology Essay The term software crisis has been used since the late 1960s to describe those recurring system development problems in which software development problems cause the entire system to be late, over budget, not responsive to the user and/or customer requirements, and difficult to use, maintain, and enhance. The software development level is lower than the hardware manufacturing level because the hardware are manufactured fast and the software development takes more time. The construction of new software that is both pleasing to the user/buyer and without latent errors is an unexpectedly hard problem. It is perhaps the most difficult problem in engineering today, and has been recognized as such for more than 15 years. It is often referred to as the software crisis. It has become the longest continuing crisis in the engineering world, and it continues unabated. Software is the set of instructions that govern the actions of a programmable machine. Software includes application programs, sy stem software, utility software, and firmware. Software does not include data, procedures, people, and documentation. In this tutorial, software is synonymous with computer programs. Because software is invisible, it is difficult to be certain of development progress or of product completeness and quality. Index terms software crisis, Reasons, impact. 1. INTRODUCTION:- Poorly functioning computer software is nowadays probably the largest source of annoyance after traffic jams and bad weather. The most often heard complaints about software are that it is buggy, that it does not function adequately, that it is too expensive, and that it is delivered late. Of course, one can wonder whether these grievances are really very consequential; judging from the large amount of money spent on software, apparently it is worth it. However, it is clear that the public expects better achievement from the software industry. Many software engineering experts believe the development of software is a hard to control process for which there are no methods and techniques available .This state of affairs is often referred to as the software crisis. Software crisis is a term used in the early days of software engineering. The term was used to describe the impact of rapid increases in computer power and the complexity of the problems which could be tackled. This was with regards to the difficulty in writing correct, understandable and verifiable computer programs.   software is not manufactured like hardware; it does not have a production phase nor manufactured spare parts like hardware; it is typically custom-built, not assembled from existing components like hardware. Even in todays society, software is viewed with suspicion by many individuals, such as senior managers and customers, as somewhat akin to black magic. The result is that software is one of the most difficult artifacts of the modern world to develop and build. Software is often too complex to be entirely understood by a single individual. We can try to manage complexity by dividing the system into subsystems, but, as systems grow, the interaction between subsystems increases non-linearly. It is notoriously difficult to establish an adequate and stable set of requirements for a software system. Often there are hidden assumptions, there is no analytic procedure for determining when the users have told the developers everything they need to know, and developers and users do not have a common understanding of terms used. Perhaps the first mention of the software crisis in the secondary literature on the history of computing came in Michael S. Mahoneys landmark 1988 paper The History of Computing in the History of Technology. This was Mahoneys first published paper on computing, though by this point his interest in the topic had been growing for some years and he had already educated himself by auditing the core series of undergraduate computer science classes at Princeton. The interaction between the different parts of a system makes change difficult. Software is essentially thought stuff (that is, the result of a thought process) and much of what is important about software is not manifest in the programs themselves (such as the reasons for making design decisions). A requirements specification for a system contains, perhaps implicitly, an application domain model (for example, describing the rules of air traffic). Development of application domain theories is very difficult. Because software development depends on an educated workforce and good communications rather than on a fixed plant of any kind, software is inherently a suitable export product for developing countries. Although the US is still strong in software design and project management, the article notes that third world countries-notably India and Far Eastern countries-are capable of producing many more lines of code per dollar. Today software engineering is fairly popular academic field of study, with conferences, journals, and degree programs. However historians have noted with some frequency that basic debates over its identity were never really resolved and that the rhetoric of a crisis in software development has likewise endured for many decades. Nothing in the broad outline of this established narrative is altogether false. Yet the increasingly entrenched position of the software crisis and the 1968 NATO Conference in the historical literature has gradually led to the distortion of their actual nature, historical significance, and context. At the same time, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the actual background, experiences and intellectual interests of the conference attendees or to the spread of the software crisis concept after the conference itself. I begin with a review of the software crisis concept and 1968 NATO Conference in the secondary historical literature, from their first appearance in 1988 to the present day. Over time the implied scope of the software crisis has grown, as has the implied importance of software engineering as a new identity for programming practice. In the rest of the paper I go back to the original sources to try to reconstruct the actual significance of the meeting and its associated crisis, and to sketch some neglected aspects of the broader history of software and programming in order to better contextualize them. Term software has led to widespread misinterpretation of the scope of the crisis, which was initially understood to afflict only operating systems and programming languages. This leads to an analysis of the backgrounds and affiliations of the participants, from which I conclude that almost all were oriented toward research rather than development, and to systems software rather than applications. Among the groups not represented at the conference were data processing managers (responsible for administrative computing program development within computer using organizations), business school experts on computer use, the managers of large industrial software development projects, specialists in data base management systems, and representatives of software product companies. From the perspectives of these other groups, particularly data processing, neither the NATO Conference nor software engineering nor does the software crisis loom very large. Instead I document a range of computer rel ated crises and chronic complains from the 1950s onward, most of which are constructed as failure to meet the goals of the broader organization rather than being seen narrowly as failures of software. 2. Reasons The reasons for software crisis are as follows: 2.1 Poor/inadequate planning:-It is necessary to plan before what we are going to develop so, if the proper planning is not done then it results in poor software. 2.2 Lose control and review:-Formal and technical reviews ensures the software quality and helps in error finding so, if reviews are not done there will be not proper development. 2.3 Technical incompetence:-Good Technical support is very important because this include the function and the code which results the output. So, technical incompetence results in software crisis. 2.4 Non-engineering approach:-If the development is lacking the engineering approach. 2.5 Projects running over-budget:-Any project requires an amount in developing the project to meet the resources, human resource or machines. So if there will be less budget then the project development will be affected. 2.6 Projects running over-time:-It is very important that the project should be delivered at the right time. So the project running over time will result to software crisis. 2.7 Software was of low quality:-Software should be of good quality means that the output should be proper and the graphics should be user friendly. 2.8 Software often did not meet requirements:-The software should meet the requirements of user. In software validation this is checked that is the software is meeting the requirements of the user or not. 2.9 Projects were unmanageable and code difficult to maintain:-The unmanageable code results in difficulty in maintenance of the project . There are a number of reasons why software construction is an inherently hard process to master. Specification plays a central role here; therefore, better means of specification improve productivity. One way of achieving this may be the use of formal specification languages. 3.IMPACT The following are the impacts of the software crisis. 3.1 The software will be not up to the mark of hardware. The manufacturing speed of the hardware is faster then the development of the software which results the software crisis. so, the impact of this is that the level of the hardware produces is not matched with the software. 3.2 Incompetence between the hardware and the software. 4.REFRENCES: 4.1http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Software_crisis 4.2. Springer An Integrated Approach to Software Engineering, 3rd Edition.[14/571]. 4.3. SE-Pressman-SE-A-PRACTITIONERS-APPROACH [ 39 ].

Ellen Foster :: essays research papers

At the age of ten, most children are dependent on their parents for everything in their lives needing a great deal of attention and care. However, Ellen, the main character and protagonist of the novel Ellen Foster, exemplifies a substantial amount of independence and mature, rational thought as a ten-year-old girl. The recent death of her mother sends her on a quest for the ideal family, or anywhere her father, who had shown apathy to both she and her fragile mother, was not. Kaye Gibbons’ use of simple diction, unmarked dialogue, and a unique story structure in her first novel, Ellen Foster, allows the reader to explore the emotions and thoughts of this heroic, ten-year-old girl modeled after Gibbons’ own experiences as a young girl. Kaye Gibbons’ experiences as a child are the foundations for this breathtaking saga of a young girl’s tragic memories of her childhood. As with Ellen, Gibbons’ parents both died before she was twelve-years-old forming the basis of the plot and themes of this novel. The fond memories she possessed of her mother and the harsh ones of her father are reflected in the thoughts and actions of Ellen. The simplistic and humble attitude that both Gibbons and Ellen epitomize in the novel is portrayed through diction and dialogue throughout the novel allows the audience to gain a better understanding and personal compassion for both the character and author. The novel is written in a short, choppy sentence structure using simple word choice, or diction, in a stream of consciousness to enable the reader to perceive the novel in the rational of an eleven-year-old girl. One short, simple sentence is followed by another , relating each in an easy flow of thoughts. Gibbons allows this stream of thoughts to again emphasize the childish perception of life’s greatest tragedies. For example, Gibbons uses the simple diction and stream of consciousness as Ellen searches herself for the true person she is. Gibbons uses this to show the reader how Ellen is an average girl who enjoys all of the things normal children relish and to contrast the naive lucidity of the sentences to the depth of the conceptions which Ellen has such a simplistic way of explaining. Gibbons’ and Ellen’s harrowing past is related in the novel through Ellen’s inner thoughts and the dialogue between characters. However, when Ellen converses with other characters, Gibbons chose not to use quotation marks or any of the formal methods of documenting dialogue between characters; she Ellen Foster :: essays research papers At the age of ten, most children are dependent on their parents for everything in their lives needing a great deal of attention and care. However, Ellen, the main character and protagonist of the novel Ellen Foster, exemplifies a substantial amount of independence and mature, rational thought as a ten-year-old girl. The recent death of her mother sends her on a quest for the ideal family, or anywhere her father, who had shown apathy to both she and her fragile mother, was not. Kaye Gibbons’ use of simple diction, unmarked dialogue, and a unique story structure in her first novel, Ellen Foster, allows the reader to explore the emotions and thoughts of this heroic, ten-year-old girl modeled after Gibbons’ own experiences as a young girl. Kaye Gibbons’ experiences as a child are the foundations for this breathtaking saga of a young girl’s tragic memories of her childhood. As with Ellen, Gibbons’ parents both died before she was twelve-years-old forming the basis of the plot and themes of this novel. The fond memories she possessed of her mother and the harsh ones of her father are reflected in the thoughts and actions of Ellen. The simplistic and humble attitude that both Gibbons and Ellen epitomize in the novel is portrayed through diction and dialogue throughout the novel allows the audience to gain a better understanding and personal compassion for both the character and author. The novel is written in a short, choppy sentence structure using simple word choice, or diction, in a stream of consciousness to enable the reader to perceive the novel in the rational of an eleven-year-old girl. One short, simple sentence is followed by another , relating each in an easy flow of thoughts. Gibbons allows this stream of thoughts to again emphasize the childish perception of life’s greatest tragedies. For example, Gibbons uses the simple diction and stream of consciousness as Ellen searches herself for the true person she is. Gibbons uses this to show the reader how Ellen is an average girl who enjoys all of the things normal children relish and to contrast the naive lucidity of the sentences to the depth of the conceptions which Ellen has such a simplistic way of explaining. Gibbons’ and Ellen’s harrowing past is related in the novel through Ellen’s inner thoughts and the dialogue between characters. However, when Ellen converses with other characters, Gibbons chose not to use quotation marks or any of the formal methods of documenting dialogue between characters; she

Jane Eyre :: essays research papers

Passion and Responsibility In the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses Jane Eyre as her base to find out how a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with her responsibilities. . Mistreated abused and deprived of a normal childhood, Jane Eyre creates an enemy early in her childhood with her Aunt Mrs. Reed. Just as Mrs. Reeds life is coming to an end, she writes to Jane asking her for forgiveness, and one last visit from her. â€Å"Will you have the goodness to send me the address of my niece, Jane Eyre, and to tell me how she is. It is my intention to write shortly and desire her to come to see me at Madeira†¦I wish to adopt her during my life, and bequeath her at my death whatever I may have to leave.† (252) Regretting many things in her life, Jane is put into a situation in which the answer lies in deterring to redress the wrong or to keep the past where it belongs and do what Jane believes is ethical and morally right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obligations arise as Jane is forced to stay with Mrs. Reed. With out being nurtured, Jane receives unnecessary abuse and still feels as if she is yet to find â€Å"home†. Frustration slowly builds up in Jane’s mind and she awaits the perfect chance to let it all out, â€Å"You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so: and you have no pity† (33) With the anger and anguish built up inside of Jane, she finally finds a chance to move out, leaving behind a broken relationship with her aunt Mrs. Reed. Jane works towards living a better life, a more worthwhile life leaving what happened in the past, where it belongs. As Mrs. Reed becomes ill, she wishes to see Jane one last time before she passes away. This triggers the moral side of the Character Jane Eyre, and she is stumped on a decision she was to make, not realizing that her decisions will show her true character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether it is because of the obligation, out of love, pity or kindness, Jane believes she visit Mrs. Reed and fulfill her last wishes. â€Å"Forgive me for my passionate language; I was a child then; eight, nine years have passed since that day.† (253) Putting the hardships behind her Jane gives her full apologies to Mrs. Jane Eyre :: essays research papers Passion and Responsibility In the novel Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses Jane Eyre as her base to find out how a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with her responsibilities. . Mistreated abused and deprived of a normal childhood, Jane Eyre creates an enemy early in her childhood with her Aunt Mrs. Reed. Just as Mrs. Reeds life is coming to an end, she writes to Jane asking her for forgiveness, and one last visit from her. â€Å"Will you have the goodness to send me the address of my niece, Jane Eyre, and to tell me how she is. It is my intention to write shortly and desire her to come to see me at Madeira†¦I wish to adopt her during my life, and bequeath her at my death whatever I may have to leave.† (252) Regretting many things in her life, Jane is put into a situation in which the answer lies in deterring to redress the wrong or to keep the past where it belongs and do what Jane believes is ethical and morally right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obligations arise as Jane is forced to stay with Mrs. Reed. With out being nurtured, Jane receives unnecessary abuse and still feels as if she is yet to find â€Å"home†. Frustration slowly builds up in Jane’s mind and she awaits the perfect chance to let it all out, â€Å"You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so: and you have no pity† (33) With the anger and anguish built up inside of Jane, she finally finds a chance to move out, leaving behind a broken relationship with her aunt Mrs. Reed. Jane works towards living a better life, a more worthwhile life leaving what happened in the past, where it belongs. As Mrs. Reed becomes ill, she wishes to see Jane one last time before she passes away. This triggers the moral side of the Character Jane Eyre, and she is stumped on a decision she was to make, not realizing that her decisions will show her true character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether it is because of the obligation, out of love, pity or kindness, Jane believes she visit Mrs. Reed and fulfill her last wishes. â€Å"Forgive me for my passionate language; I was a child then; eight, nine years have passed since that day.† (253) Putting the hardships behind her Jane gives her full apologies to Mrs.

God Exists :: Descartes Philosophy Religion Essays

God Exists The existence of God has been a question since the idea of God was conceived Descartes tries to prove God's existence, and to show that there is without a doubt something external to ones own existence. He is looking for a definite certainty, a foundation for which he can base all of his beliefs and know that they are true. Descartes' overall project is to find a definite certainty on which he can base all his knowledge and beliefs. Descartes attacks the principles that support everything he believes with his Method of Doubt. The Method of Doubt is Descartes' method of fundamental questioning in which he doubts everything that there is the slightest reason to doubt. Think about it like this. Almost everything you believe to be true comes from the senses or through the senses. However, the senses are sometimes deceptive. Since the senses are not completely trustworthy, it is irrational to place complete trust in them. However, it is no small leap of faith to presume that everything our senses tell us is false. In fact, it seems almost absurd to say such a thing. Nevertheless, as Descartes points out, we have dreams regularly and in these dreams, everything we experience is a figment of our imagination, or at least not real in the physical sense. So, it is reasonable to doubt everything our senses tell us, for the time being. Now, using similar logic, we can say that everything we have learned from physics, astron omy, medicine, and other such fields are all doubtful. Descartes even believed we could say that such simple, logical statements as 2+3 = 5 or a square has 4 sides could be conceived to be false. "Since I judge that others sometimes make mistakes in matters that they believe they know most perfectly, may I not, in like fashion, be deceived every time I add two and three or count the sides of a square†¦" We are now at the point where we are doubting everything - the world around us, that we have a body, and anything else that we could possibly believe. Perhaps I even doubt that I exist myself. In doing this, I am in the act of doubting. How can I doubt something if I do not exist? Similarly, maybe I am deceived into thinking I do not exist by some other entity. Then I must exist for it is I who is being deceived.

Hand Made Music Boxes Essay

In a market where monopolistic competition exists, businesses operate in a manner wherein producers sell differentiated products from one another, yet similar. This means that the product is not homogenous. Firms can still market their products by the highlighting the slight differences in their output. The various producers in this type of market are selling their products, in this case handmade music boxes, which act as substitutes. Firms are able to control the prices in some degree within a narrow range of prices. They enter the market if the profits are attractive wherein they can maximize their profit and are left with excess production capacity. In a market where there is monopolistic competition, there are many firms, which each firm has a small market share and operates independently from each other. (Salvatore, 2007) Enterprise, natural, labor and capital are considered as the factors of production in the economy. Given a firm that operates a business in hand made music boxes, these factors of production are important as to gain profit and be able to be competitive in the market. In a monopolistic competitive market, it is assumed that all these factors of production are mobile, in which if these are not being used efficiently, they will move instantly to where they can be maximized. (Harvey & Jowsey, 2007) In an enterprise, entrepreneurial skills are needed to manage and direct the other three factors of production to enable a production of goods or services in the market. Operating a hand made music box needs skills from people that have managerial experiences that can lead the firm into a competitive advantage through effective planning and execution in producing the goods needed in the market. This will help in giving the business a competitive advantage wherein the characteristics of the hand made music box of a certain firm is made with quality than that of other firms in the market. (Case & Fair, 2007) No business can operate without natural or land as part of its factors of production. Land is where the business is being done. It can be a factory, building, agricultural land or office, but this should have a location for it to be established. An access to land is needed in setting up firms. (Case & Fair, 2007) Hand made music box business needs a factory for the assembly of parts and for storing. Moreover, this business needs a shop for the goods to be displayed so that the goods can be seen by the consumers that will buy the product. Access to land and property can raise the standard of production as well as be more competent in the market. (American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 2002) Businesses manage to exist because of its labor force. Firms do need people who can do hours of work for them. In making hand made music boxes, there can be a composition of various assembly lines. These assembly lines are made up of people that will do specific parts in making the hand made music boxes of the firm. Skilled workers help the firm in having competitive advantage in the market. In a competitive market, skills of workers are important to produce high quality goods that can be sold to consumers. This will result in a high advantage of a certain firm that employs highly skilled workers over those firms that employ lesser skilled people. (Harvey & Jowsey, 2007) In every business setting, capital should be present. Capital refers to equipments used by firms to produce goods. The workers of a hand made music box business need equipments for the production of the goods. These equipments will help the production be more effective and efficient. In a competitive market where different firms compete for products being sold to consumers, a firm needs capital that will increase the quality of the product. This will make the firm more advantageous in terms of output and quality in the market. (Harvey & Jowsey, 2007) Given that the situated market is in a monopolistic competition scenario, a firm’s demand curve will intersect the industry’s demand curve at the firm’s equilibrium level of output and price. (Weins, 1999) This explains why the demand curve is relatively elastic and downward sloping, which can be associated to a flat, but not horizontal demand curve. Firms in this type of market will have less control over price to charge their output. A firm that makes profit in the short-run will break even eventually because of a decrease in demand in the long-run, which in this case will result in a zero economic profit. (Duffy, 1993) Considering the law of supply, monopolistic competitive markets might not produce large quantities as a response to higher prices. The hindrance to the positive-quantity supply relation is the market control and downward sloping demand curve among monopolistic competitive markets. Monopolistic competitive firms are considered to be price-searchers rather than price-takers because â€Å"prices will change by the comparison of marginal revenue with marginal cost in every possible price along with the market demand curve. † Prices are not placed equal to marginal revenue; furthermore, it is not equal to marginal cost and price. Thus, as a result, firms do not essentially supply more quantities of goods at lower prices. (Harvey & Jowsey, 2007) In the short-run, individual firms behave like a monopoly thus they can raise their prices leaving the consumers options to buy similar goods from other firms. As for the long-run, there is a free entry condition where firms continue to occur in the market leaving the demand curve to continually shift leftward until the time when each of the firm earns a zero economic profit. Firms earn economic profit or loss in the short run, but eventually, new entrants will be attracted to profits thus would result to losses until these firms earn zero economic profit. The hand made music box firms will compete in the market for the available consumers that will purchase the goods.

The women in Othello are presented by Shakespeare as victims

This question requires knowledge of how women were treated during the period ‘Othello' was written and how they are treated during modern days. When this play was written, The Jacobean era, an overwhelming amount of evidence suggests that women were treated as inferiors to men. Women would usually be viewed as pure and divine before having sexual intercourse, but afterwards, they were often treated as low down human beings. In general, they were allowed to be beaten, forced into labour and most did not have the right to an education. So the church would play an important role in everyday life for women, it was an occasion to look forward to. Every female church-goer would learn about the two biblical stereotypes for women, Mary and Eve. Mary was worshipped for being pure and flawless but Eve was castigated for her impurity and deceitfulness towards God. At the beginning of the play, Desdemona was apotheosised especially by Roderigo. She was named a white ewe in Act I, which highlighted her gentleness and purity. But similar in the way Mary and Eve are contrasted, Emilia is reified and treated as an object by Iago; this was the usual treatment for women during Jacobean times. In ‘Othello' Desdemona is introduced as a woman that contradicts the stereotype of women during Jacobean times. She is described like a goddess by many men during the play, ‘She is indeed perfection' is how Cassio describes her in Act I. Othello begins to think of her as his trophy and prized possession, but despite all the attention and praise she receives, she does not become arrogant or boastful and remains eloquent and lady-like, showing how she is worthy of being deified. Even when Othello is strangling her, he comments on her soft, white skin, he says it feels â€Å"as smooth as a monumental alabaster† This very surprising for the audience because at the point of nearly killing her he still treats her like a goddess. However, Emilia is treated as an object of no value by Iago. He often rejects her and He refuses to treat her with even a semblance of kindness. She is treated like a whore because Iago believes she has slept with another man without any hard evidence. She completes a mischievous deed for Iago, displaying her loyalty and desperation for any sort of love shown back to her. Desdemona seems to be praised a lot during the first act. But in fact, she is treated like an object. Iago says to Brabantio â€Å"Zounds Sir, you've been robbed. † This is reifying her because he is describing her like an item. Iago then mentions â€Å"The wine she drinks is made of grapes,† which is showing the audience that he has a strong belief that there is nothing special about her and she is just another possession. Desdemona is then called â€Å"A Land carrack,† which Othello has boarded. This further proves that Iago has a condescending attitude towards Desdemona and women in general. When Othello and Iago are in Venice, Iago pounces on this opportunity to tell Othello of the fallacious women of Venice. He says â€Å"In Venice they do let Heaven see the pranks they dare not show their husbands. † He says this to make Othello think of how he and Desdemona compare to this statement, preying on Othello's ignorance. Shakespeare uses a lot of animal imagery during the play, sometimes in a complimentary fashion but most often, in a degrading manor. Audience from modern times will be shocked at the amount of sexist and racist animal imagery used. Iago calls her a â€Å"White Ewe† which many will probably view as a compliment, reflecting on her innocence and gentleness. But some might view it as an insult, saying that she is common and nothing special. Even Othello uses abusive terms towards women, he says to Desdemona â€Å"thou art false as hell† highlighting his complete lack of trust for Desdemona, both as his wife and as a woman. Yet Desdemona does not say anything of an abusive nature to Othello. In ‘Othello' many people do not think of Cassio as the sexist type, he is portrayed to be well mannered and respectful up until he calls Emilia a ‘common thing'. This surprises many of the audience who thought of Cassio as the sole man in the play who respects women. But Shakespeare was obliged to do this if he wanted to show the audience that Cassio was a ‘normal' Jacobean man. This suggests that he thought it was standard for men to call women such belittling phrases. Emilia is portrayed as naive and desperate when she is first introduced, she is so distant from her husband that she has no idea of what Iago has been trying to do. The most astonishing example is that after he steals the handkerchief for Iago, she still appears to have no idea of what he is trying to do, she just wants to do â€Å"nothing but please his fantasy. † Despite being made out to be the most naive woman in the play, she is the only woman to show signs of courage and feminism in her words. One of the first moments to do this is when she refers to men as ‘stomachs'. Even more significant is when she says â€Å"husbands fault if their wives do fall. † This is one of the earliest signs of feminism, or at the very least defiance in Shakespeare's play. Bianca is the only other woman in ‘Othello' along with Emilia and Desdemona. She is at first portrayed to be a prostitute and whore, although there isn't any evidence that this is indeed her profession. The men in ‘Othello' treat her like a ‘strumpet' and a stereotype of impure women during the Jacobean times. She is able to prove her stereotype wrong by standing up to some of the abuse she takes from Iago. In a manipulative fashion, Iago tries to use the condescending view towards Bianca to his advantage. He assumes nobody will believe her or take her seriously because many of the male characters believe she is a lying and deceitful whore. So he blames the injury of Cassio and death of Roderigo on her. When talking about the incident he says â€Å"this is the fruit of whoring,† which is referring to the fact he wants people to believe it was her. This statement is about whether Shakespeare has written a misogynistic play by presenting the women as victims'. Having established how the women are treated differently and similarly in the play, we can look at a very important scene which shows how the women in the play talk about their husbands. This scene is the willow scene where they talk about events that have happened and how their husbands are behaving. Emilia says that she would do something impure and evil if it would lead to her earning money. This is because Emilia has come from a poor background where money was scarce and very precious. But in Contrast, Desdemona says she would never do such a thing because money is not so important to her due to a wealthy background, this shows She uses morals as motivation rather than money. Then, to confirm to any doubters in the audience, she says she would rather die than cheat on her husband Othello. This is a very bold action that Shakespeare uses to highlight her purity and faithfulness. Desdemona has proved many stereotypes for white, wealthy women in Jacobean times wrong; she has married a Black man and firmly stated that she believes in strong morals. This proves that she is strong enough to stand up for herself despite the abuse and criticism she receives. It would be very unusual for this to be true, not that a woman would do these things, but that she would be able to stand up to the racism and sexism of those around her. Shakespeare is very quick to use the derogatory nature of men's views on women to add extra effect to the play. For many people, he is too quick and too eager to perceive women as victims. The definition of a victim is a ‘a person who is deceived or cheated, as by his or her own emotions or ignorance, by the dishonesty of others, or has suffered from destructive or injurious action'. But Shakespeare, during Jacobean times, may not have been seen to present women as particular victims of this play. In modern day life many people will agree that he is on the border of extremity with the amount of sexism in ‘Othello' whether or not he wanted women to be victims of this play. Many people will agree that the women are victimised by Iago and the people Iago he has manipulated. Othello was an equal if not greater victim than Desdemona, not because he died but he was a victim of his own gullibility, ‘his or her own emotions or ignorance'. He did not once think of believing what Desdemona said or even placing all his trust in her, his wife. So he is a much greater victim in this play than Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca put together. Although there are an overwhelming amount of incidents to show that women have suffered from this play, Shakespeare may have hidden a few signs of feminism in what Emilia said and the way Bianca stood up against the Jacobean stereotypes. We will never know why Shakespeare wrote this play, whether it was to be derogatory towards black men or perhaps to explore the possibilities of defying the sexist and racist stereotypes of Jacobean times.

Miss Julie Essay

August Strindberg was known as a father of naturalism. Throughout Miss Julie Strindberg uses animal imagery to explain the behavior throughout the play. In the play, Miss Julie is obsessed with the animals. The animals are used to symbolize her behavior. Jean the manor’s thirty year old valet describes Miss Julie as wild and crazy. At this point he is talking to Kristen, his fiance and the manor’s cook. In the play dog imagery is used a lot . For example when Jean was explaining to Kristin how Miss Julie acted towards her fiance right before the engagement ended. They were down at the stables one evening, and Miss Julie was training him–that’s what she called it. Do you know how? She made him leap over her riding crop, the way you teach a dog to jump. Twice he jumped, and got a cut each time; but the third time, he snatched the whip out of her hand, broke it into a thousand pieces and went off (Strindberg 72). According to Jean Miss Julie teaching her ex fiance to jump over her riding crop like a dog showed that Miss Julie’s had a dominant side. She was trying to make him into her slave she treated him like a dog. A dog is suppose to be a man’s best friend because dogs are suppose to be extremely loyal pets to their owners. Miss Julie saw it as her being the owner taking all the control and her ex fiance being the dog listening to every word she said. She kept treating him like a dog trying to train him until he got sick of it and broke her riding crop right before the engagement ended. Diana, Miss Julie’s dog is used to symbolize Miss Julie when referring to the social class status. It was said that Diana looked just like her Mistress. Miss Julie’s dog in the play got impregnated by the gatekeeper’s dog, a mongrel. Just like her mistress who’s trying to seduce her servant not caring about the different class he falls into. Miss Julie became very coquettish after her engagement ended and she started acting more wild and crazy than usual. I went with the Count to the station and on my way back passed the barn I just stopped by for a dance. And who do I see but her ladyship with the gamekeeper, leading the dance? But as soon as she claps eyes on me, she comes rushing straight on over and invites me to join her in the ladies waltz. And how she waltzed ! —I’ve never known the like. She’s crazy! (Strindberg 71). She would go out dancing more often in order not to face her father the Count. She considered Jean a very good dancer and would often ask him to dance as well. Miss Julie wanted someone who could lead and that would not make her look ridiculous on the dance floor. At that point all Jean said to Miss Julie was â€Å" As your Ladyship commands, I am at your service† (Strindberg 74). Miss Julie then replies â€Å" Don’t take it as a command. This evening we are all just enjoying ourselves together, and any rank is laid aside. So give me your arm (Strindberg 75). Miss Julie then goes off to dance with Jean leaving Kristin alone. Jean returns back alone to Kristin telling her how crazy Miss Julie is and what a way she has of dancing while people laughed at her behind closed doors. To benefit herself Miss Julie told Jean that class ranks did not matter at the moment. She wanted to have a good time with someone who knew how to dance and that could lead her in the dance as well. The sexual affair between the dogs represent the sexual affair between Miss Julie and Jean and how they both look down on each other. Miss Julie looks down on Jean for just being another one of her servants and Jean looks down on Miss Julie for seeming so easy, for the way she flirted with him and for acting so crazy and wild. Miss Julie starts to confess the love she has for him while he sat there and spoke all the pretty stories she wanted to hear before he switched the role and starting saying some awful things to her. He found Miss Julie giving herself up to him quickly that he took it to his advantage to use her for her money until she told him she did not have any money for the plans he had made.

Use Office Equipment

There are many different variations of equipment in my work area. One of these include the fax machine, this is mainly used for sending documents instantly to another fax machine through a standard telephone line. Most fax machines can also be used to make copies of documents and some can also be used as a computer, printer and scanner. Within my office the other types of office equipment are, telephone, printer, computer, laminator and photocopier. The features of the fax machine include speed; fax machines can transit a documents data at various rates of speed.This ranges from 4,800 bps to 28,800 bps. It takes a 9,600 bps machine about 10 to 20 seconds to send one page. It also includes a printer. Early fax machines generally used direct thermal printers, but over the past ten years inkjet printers have also become popular. Colour fax machines can only transmit to machines that are made by the same manufacturer. If the fax machine uses rolls of thermal paper it should come with a p aper cutter. Most models come with some form of paper feed so you can transmit multiple page documents without having to feed each page into the machine one by one.Also most fax machines come with a wide variety of dialling features. Some of them let you send the fax at a specific time of the day when the telephone rates are lower. There are many other time saving and easy to use features on fax machines such as redialling, caller ID, speed dial, contrast settings, distinctive ringing, fax forwarding, size reduction and resolution settings. I just use this to fax patient’s information to their local doctors and just do a copy of something that doesn’t need to be copied by a big industrial photocopier. The computers have lots of important features.A lot of confidential information and documents are kept safe in protected electronic files on the computer such as PAS (patient attendance system). We also have intranet, which I mostly use to access email and employee online . The computers have a mouse and a keyboard; they also have a card slot, which you can use to put a Smartcard in. In my line of work I do not use this, it is generally used by admin staff that need to access patient information. We also have an electronic time sheet on the intranet on which I can request annual leave and put my hours a day in.Microsoft Word is also on the computers, which I use to type up references/application forms usually but I also use Microsoft word in training for my NVQ course work. There is also a printer, which I just use to print off application letters and reference forms mostly. The printer is in the office where I work, me and my supervisor have a printer each so we can both print different documents at the same time. One of the features includes picking up the telephone when it rings, or my supervisor isn’t available usually on the phone it is a voluntary enquiry or a present volunteer phoning to let us know if they can’t make a shift etc .Also other members of staff ring. To make an external call I press 9 then I dial the number, internal calls are simpler all I need to do is dial the number. A scanner is an input device that scans documents such as photographs and pages of text. When a document is scanned, it is converted into digital format. This creates an electronic version of the document that can be viewed and edited on a computer. In my job I don’t use a scanner, I use a photocopier instead because I find them much easier to use and it is closer to the voluntary services office.Different types of equipment are chosen for different tasks to make tasks easier and more efficient. For example, the big industrial photocopier is an essential piece of equipment and very practical. This is located in the photo copying room on the first floor next to the general office. If the photocopier breaks down I get a member of staff from the general office to come and see if they can fix it. If not they ring the photoco pying company and someone comes to fix it. It is important to follow manufacturers instructions for your own safety and protect your product or purchase.Some instructions are in warning form while others are on how to use the product. Warning instructions are like ‘do not place in contact with fire’ this is because the product is flammable and not following this instruction can cause an explosion resulting to injuries. Manufacturers include instructions in their products having consumer safety in mind. Not following instructions can have devastating consequences. An individual may also lose valid information especially if dealing with complex products such as computers.For example, if I was to use the photocopier and it had black smears all over the page, I would follow the photocopiers instructions step by step. After doing this, if the problem still occurred I would go to the general office and explain to them the problem I am having. If a member of staff in the gener al office cannot solve the problem, then they would contact someone who could fix the problem. The purpose of following organisational instructions when using equipment can be to give a good and positive image.For example, the organisational instruction when answering a telephone is to say ‘Voluntary Services’ in a kind manner, it is important to make the caller feel comfortable. It is also important to use organisational procedures such as the photocopier as it ensures me that I won’t damage or cause any faults with the equipment. If a fault does occur, I know that it is something to do with the equipment and it isn’t anything that I’ve done. Also, by following the basic guidance I will not do anything that may harm me or others around and the equipment will last longer.There are many different types of procedures for different kinds of equipment. You must learn the procedures of your specific location and equipment by reading instructions, attendi ng a training class if needed, or receiving instructions from your supervisor or another designated person. Some health and safety procedures when using equipment include things such as do not have ant liquids near any electrical equipment as this could cause people to be electrocuted and this could cause the equipment to blow up.Other health and safety procedures include turning off all the equipment off at the main switch so that the equipment doesn’t overheat over night. In the coffee shops, we have to make sure we all do this to reduce the risk of fires. The purpose of following health and safety procedures when using equipment is to avoid injury or in some cases death, it is necessary to follow all applicable health and safety procedures when using any sort of equipment. Some of the points when you follow the correct procedures include; To stay healthy and safe To prevent or at least limit harm to humansTo protect equipment and facilities To get the most accurate results from the equipment To extend the life of the researches and the equipment. When using equipment it is important to maintain it and keep it clean to prolong the life of the machine and for you to get the most out of it. Cleaning your equipment after use can lead to less problems and increased efficiency. It is also courteous to clean something after you have used it to make it ready for the next user. Regularly cleaning the equipment can mean that it will last longer and save you money as well as producing a higher quality result.For example, if you did not clean a photocopier glass then you could end up with smear marks all over your work. An example of waste when using equipment in the office is when most employees will leave the computer on standby all night. However, even though it is on standby it is still using electricity and this is waste and they can easily just shut it down. Other examples of waste when using equipment include; Pieces of paper being printed incorrectly Bit s of paper that have been cut with the guillotine Old documents that are not needed anymore Ink cartridges and tonersOne of the best ways to reduce waste in the workplace is to reduce the amount of waste that is generated to begin with. The paper that has incorrect printings on them should always be recycled, we also photocopy double sided which doesn’t use as much paper which means if something is copied incorrectly not as much waste is produced. Waste in the workplace implies that something is discarded that has a cost to it, for example, office supplied, food etc. Because these items cost money, by minimizing waste, you are minimizing expenses. We reuse folders and envelopes if we can so then we won’t have to buy them as often which would save money.Some examples of office equipment problems include; Paper jams Electrical faults Ink cartridge/ toner failure Computer lead fault Faulty telephone line Button jam These may occur with photocopiers, printers, fax machines , computers, telephones and scanners. The purpose of following manufacturer’s instructions and organisational procedures when dealing with problems with equipment is so that I ensure that I am not making the problem worse and to make sure that I also don’t damage the equipment by trying to fix the problem myself. I also follow manufacturer’s instructions to make sure that I don’t create any further problems in the future.By making sure that I follow instructions and procedures correctly, I know that the equipment should perform at its best when I have finished dealing with the problem and the equipment is working again. If I have a problem with any piece of equipment such as the computer when I’ve switched it on as normal the most common problem is when it tells me to strike ‘F1’ which as happened to me many of times before windows loads up correctly and still happens, when I do strike F1 the computer loads fine though. The purpose of meeting work standards and deadlines when using equipment saves money, cuts cost and saves time.Also it is to ensure that I don’t waste or delay other peoples working time by taking a large amount of time with equipment. The importance of meeting deadlines has far reaching consequences in organisations; it also shows that I am competent and reliable when using office equipment. When I know that I will be using the photocopier for a long time I let my supervisor know so he can see if there is anything else needed copying, doing this will save making two trips and will not waste any time. If someone needed to photocopy something urgently, then I would let them go in front of me before I start to do my task that I have been set to do.The purpose of leaving equipment and the work area for the next user is to make sure that the documents do not get mixed up as they could be confidential information written in the documents. An example of this would be if I accidently left some doc uments around the photocopier that no one should have access to and one of my colleagues prints a lot of documents off too, they may get mixed up and picked up by mistake. It is also really unfair to leave working areas and equipment untidy on other colleagues as I would be leaving them to tidy up my mess that wasn’t mine, which could result in wasting other people’s time.For example, if the photocopier had ran out of paper after I’d finished with it and I opened a new bag of paper and left the empty bag, someone else would have to dispose of this. The purpose of leaving work areas tidy is also for the health and safety of me and others; leaving things on the floor or not placing things back in their correct places may result in injury if someone slips or trips and falls on someone etc. Depending on what the task is to be done, I would choose the equipment appropriate for the task.If I was asked to organise the rotas out for the following week I would need to us e the telephone to get in contact with volunteers to see who would be available and willing to come in to do a shift. If you don’t follow manufacture’s and organisational guidelines while using equipment, whatever guarantees or warranties will become null and void, and if you damage the equipment you will have to replace it out of your own pocket. Following organisational guidelines when using equipment is for the employees health and safety and to know what to do in certain situations.One of the best ways to reduce waste in the workplace is to reduce the waste generated in the first place. Regular maintenance of equipment helps minimise wastes since it makes the machine last for long. Preventive maintenance keeps the machines in good working order and eliminates the chances of throwing a way parts every now and then. When it comes to using and printing paper, use scrap pieces of paper rather than post it notes and print double sided to save more paper when printing. I t is important to maintain your equipment and keep it clean to prolong the life of the machine and for you to get the most use out of it.Cleaning your equipment after use can lead to less problems and increased efficiency. It is also courteous to clean something after you have used it to make it ready for the next user. Regularly cleaning equipment can mean that it will last you longer and save you money as well as producing a higher quality result. For example if you did not clean a photocopier glass then you could end up with smear marks on your work. When dealing with equipment problems, you need to take the correct action to fix the problem as quickly and safely as possible.If you follow manufacturer’s instructions then this will show you the best way to solve a problem and when the problem should be dealt with by a technician. If you do not follow these then you could cause more harm than good and further damage to the equipment. If you have been found to do this then it might invalidate your warranty and you will have to pay for a replacement. Organisational procedures are there to protect the health and safety of all workers and make sure that the problems are dealt with by the appropriate person.If you do not follow these then you could hurt yourself or others and get into trouble at work. Both these procedures are put in place to keep you safe and to solve problems quickly and effectively. If there were any problems required that i couldn’t solve myself, I would go to my supervisor for help. You would also then phone IT on the 4 digit extension number if it was something to do with the computer or fax machine. If it was the telephone or any other equipment then you would phone Estates on the 4 digit extension number and they would come out as soon as they could to deal with the problem.I make sure that all the final products meets and agreed requirements as it shows I am to follow all instructions properly and that I listen to what I am being asked to do to ensure that I complete my work tasks to the very best of my ability. I make sure that product is delivered to the agreed timescale because if I don’t complete a task in the time I have been given by my colleague or supervisor then this could result in my colleague or supervisor not being able to complete the rest of the task that they asked me to do part of.It also shows that I am reliable and my colleagues may then be confident that they then can give me more tasks to do for them and complete the task in time for them to carry it on. I always make sure that all equipment resources and work areas are clean and tidy ready for the next user so that it makes their time more efficient and so that it doesn't cause them to run behind with certain tasks they are set to do. Use Office Equipment There are many different variations of equipment in my work area. One of these include the fax machine, this is mainly used for sending documents instantly to another fax machine through a standard telephone line. Most fax machines can also be used to make copies of documents and some can also be used as a computer, printer and scanner. Within my office the other types of office equipment are, telephone, printer, computer, laminator and photocopier.The features of the fax machine include speed; fax machines can transit a documents data at various rates of speed. This ranges from 4,800 bps to 28,800 bps. It takes a 9,600 bps machine about 10 to 20 seconds to send one page. It also includes a printer. Early fax machines generally used direct thermal printers, but over the past ten years inkjet printers have also become popular. Colour fax machines can only transmit to machines that are made by the same manufacturer. If the fax machine uses rolls of thermal paper it should come with a p aper cutter.Most models come with some form of paper feed so you can transmit multiple page documents without having to feed each page into the machine one by one. Also most fax machines come with a wide variety of dialling features. Some of them let you send the fax at a specific time of the day when the telephone rates are lower. There are many other time saving and easy to use features on fax machines such as redialling, caller ID, speed dial, contrast settings, distinctive ringing, fax forwarding, size reduction and resolution settings. I just use this to fax patient’s information to their local doctors and just do a copy of something that doesn’t need to be copied by a big industrial photocopier.The computers have lots of important features. A lot of confidential information and documents are kept safe in protected electronic files on the computer such as PAS (patient attendance system). We also have intranet, which I mostly use to access email and employee online . The computers have a mouse and a keyboard; they also have a card slot, which you can use to put a Smartcard in. In my line of work I do not use this, it is generally used by admin staff that need to access patient information. We also have an  electronic time sheet on the intranet on which I can request annual leave and put my hours a day in. Microsoft Word is also on the computers, which I use to type up references/application forms usually but I also use Microsoft word in training for my NVQ course work.There is also a printer, which I just use to print off application letters and reference forms mostly. The printer is in the office where I work, me and my supervisor have a printer each so we can both print different documents at the same time.One of the features includes picking up the telephone when it rings, or my supervisor isn’t available usually on the phone it is a voluntary enquiry or a present volunteer phoning to let us know if they can’t make a shift e tc. Also other members of staff ring. To make an external call I press 9 then I dial the number, internal calls are simpler all I need to do is dial the number.A scanner is an input device that scans documents such as photographs and pages of text. When a document is scanned, it is converted into digital format. This creates an electronic version of the document that can be viewed and edited on a computer. In my job I don’t use a scanner, I use a photocopier instead because I find them much easier to use and it is closer to the voluntary services office.Different types of equipment are chosen for different tasks to make tasks easier and more efficient. For example, the big industrial photocopier is an essential piece of equipment and very practical. This is located in the photo copying room on the first floor next to the general office. If the photocopier breaks down I get a member of staff from the general office to come and see if they can fix it. If not they ring the photo copying company and someone comes to fix it.It is important to follow manufacturers instructions for your own safety and protect your product or purchase. Some instructions are in warning form while others are on how to use the product. Warning instructions are like  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœdo not place in contact with fire’ this is because the product is flammable and not following this instruction can cause an explosion resulting to injuries. Manufacturers include instructions in their products having consumer safety in mind. Not following instructions can have devastating consequences.An individual may also lose valid information especially if dealing with complex products such as computers. For example, if I was to use the photocopier and it had black smears all over the page, I would follow the photocopiers instructions step by step. After doing this, if the problem still occurred I would go to the general office and explain to them the problem I am having. If a member of staff in the general office cannot solve the problem, then they would contact someone who could fix the problem. The purpose of following organisational instructions when using equipment can be to give a good and positive image.For example, the organisational instruction when answering a telephone is to say ‘Voluntary Services’ in a kind manner, it is important to make the caller feel comfortable. It is also important to use organisational procedures such as the photocopier as it ensures me that I won’t damage or cause any faults with the equipment. If a fault does occur, I know that it is something to do with the equipment and it isn’t anything that I’ve done. Also, by following the basic guidance I will not do anything that may harm me or others around and the equipment will last longer.There are many different types of procedures for different kinds of equipment. You must learn the procedures of your specific location and equipment by reading instructions, at tending a training class if needed, or receiving instructions from your supervisor or another designated person. Some health and safety procedures when using equipment include things such as do not have ant liquids near any electrical equipment as this could cause people to be electrocuted and this could cause the equipment to blow up. Other health and safety procedures include turning off all the equipment off at the main switch so that the equipment doesn’t overheat over night. In the coffee shops, we have to make sure we all do this to reduce the risk of fires.The purpose of following health and safety procedures when using equipment is  to avoid injury or in some cases death, it is necessary to follow all applicable health and safety procedures when using any sort of equipment. Some of the points when you follow the correct procedures include;To stay healthy and safe To prevent or at least limit harm to humans To protect equipment and facilities To get the most accurate results from the equipment To extend the life of the researches and the equipment.When using equipment it is important to maintain it and keep it clean to prolong the life of the machine and for you to get the most out of it. Cleaning your equipment after use can lead to less problems and increased efficiency. It is also courteous to clean something after you have used it to make it ready for the next user. Regularly cleaning the equipment can mean that it will last longer and save you money as well as producing a higher quality result. For example, if you did not clean a photocopier glass then you could end up with smear marks all over your work.An example of waste when using equipment in the office is when most employees will leave the computer on standby all night. However, even though it is on standby it is still using electricity and this is waste and they can easily just shut it down. Other examples of waste when using equipment include; Pieces of paper being printed incorrec tlyBits of paper that have been cut with the guillotine Old documents that are not needed anymore Ink cartridges and tonersOne of the best ways to reduce waste in the workplace is to reduce the amount of waste that is generated to begin with. The paper that has incorrect printings on them should always be recycled, we also photocopy double sided which doesn’t use as much paper which means if something is copied incorrectly not as much waste is produced.Waste in the workplace implies that something is discarded that has a cost to it, for example, office supplied, food etc. Because these items cost money, by minimizing waste, you are minimizing expenses. We reuse folders and envelopes if we can so then we won’t have to buy them as often which would save money.Some examples of office equipment problems include; Paper jams Electrical faults Ink cartridge/ toner failure Computer lead fault Faulty telephone line Button jamThese may occur with photocopiers, printers, fax mach ines, computers, telephones and scanners.The purpose of following manufacturer’s instructions and organisational procedures when dealing with problems with equipment is so that I ensure that I am not making the problem worse and to make sure that I also don’t damage the equipment by trying to fix the problem myself. I also follow manufacturer’s instructions to make sure that I don’t create any further problems in the future. By making sure that I follow instructions and procedures correctly, I know that the equipment should perform at its best when I have finished dealing with the problem and the equipment is working again.If I have a problem with any piece of equipment such as the computer when I’ve switched it on as normal the most common problem is when it tells me to strike ‘F1’ which as happened to me many of times before windows loads up correctly and still happens, when I do strike F1 the computer loads fine though.The purpose o f meeting work standards and deadlines when using equipment saves money, cuts cost and saves time. Also it is to ensure that I don’t  waste or delay other peoples working time by taking a large amount of time with equipment. The importance of meeting deadlines has far reaching consequences in organisations; it also shows that I am competent and reliable when using office equipment. When I know that I will be using the photocopier for a long time I let my supervisor know so he can see if there is anything else needed copying, doing this will save making two trips and will not waste any time. If someone needed to photocopy something urgently, then I would let them go in front of me before I start to do my task that I have been set to do.The purpose of leaving equipment and the work area for the next user is to make sure that the documents do not get mixed up as they could be confidential information written in the documents. An example of this would be if I accidently left so me documents around the photocopier that no one should have access to and one of my colleagues prints a lot of documents off too, they may get mixed up and picked up by mistake.It is also really unfair to leave working areas and equipment untidy on other colleagues as I would be leaving them to tidy up my mess that wasn’t mine, which could result in wasting other people’s time. For example, if the photocopier had ran out of paper after I’d finished with it and I opened a new bag of paper and left the empty bag, someone else would have to dispose of this. The purpose of leaving work areas tidy is also for the health and safety of me and others; leaving things on the floor or not placing things back in their correct places may result in injury if someone slips or trips and falls on someone etc.Depending on what the task is to be done, I would choose the equipment appropriate for the task. If I was asked to organise the rotas out for the following week I would need to use the telephone to get in contact with volunteers to see who would be available and willing to come in to do a shift.If you don’t follow manufacture’s and organisational guidelines while using equipment, whatever guarantees or warranties will become null and void, and if you damage the equipment you will have to replace it out of your own  pocket. Following organisational guidelines when using equipment is for the employees health and safety and to know what to do in certain situations.One of the best ways to reduce waste in the workplace is to reduce the waste generated in the first place. Regular maintenance of equipment helps minimise wastes since it makes the machine last for long. Preventive maintenance keeps the machines in good working order and eliminates the chances of throwing a way parts every now and then. When it comes to using and printing paper, use scrap pieces of paper rather than post it notes and print double sided to save more paper when pri nting.It is important to maintain your equipment and keep it clean to prolong the life of the machine and for you to get the most use out of it. Cleaning your equipment after use can lead to less problems and increased efficiency. It is also courteous to clean something after you have used it to make it ready for the next user. Regularly cleaning equipment can mean that it will last you longer and save you money as well as producing a higher quality result. For example if you did not clean a photocopier glass then you could end up with smear marks on your work.When dealing with equipment problems, you need to take the correct action to fix the problem as quickly and safely as possible. If you follow manufacturer’s instructions then this will show you the best way to solve a problem and when the problem should be dealt with by a technician. If you do not follow these then you could cause more harm than good and further damage to the equipment. If you have been found to do this then it might invalidate your warranty and you will have to pay for a replacement.Organisational procedures are there to protect the health and safety of all workers and make sure that the problems are dealt with by the appropriate person. If you do not follow these then you could hurt yourself or others and get into trouble at work. Both these procedures are put in place to keep you safe and to solve problems quickly and effectively.If there were any problems required that i couldn’t solve myself, I would go to my supervisor for help. You would also then phone IT on the 4 digit extension number if it was something to do with the computer or fax machine. If it was the telephone or any other equipment then you would phone Estates on the 4 digit extension number and they would come out as soon as they could to deal with the problem.I make sure that all the final products meets and agreed requirements as it shows I am to follow all instructions properly and that I listen to wha t I am being asked to do to ensure that I complete my work tasks to the very best of my ability.I make sure that product is delivered to the agreed timescale because if I don’t complete a task in the time I have been given by my colleague or supervisor then this could result in my colleague or supervisor not being able to complete the rest of the task that they asked me to do part of. It also shows that I am reliable and my colleagues may then be confident that they then can give me more tasks to do for them and complete the task in time for them to carry it on.I always make sure that all equipment resources and work areas are clean and tidy ready for the next user so that it makes their time more efficient and so that it doesn't cause them to run behind with certain tasks they are set to do.