University of Phoenix Material Essays - Communication, Behavior

University of Phoenix Material Communication Process Complete the following table. Review the steps of the communication model on in Ch. 1 of Business Communication. (See Figure 1.3). Identify one personal or business communication scenario. Describe each step of that communication using your personal or business scenario. Use detailed paragraphs in the boxes provided. |Steps of communication |Personal or business scenario | |model | | |Sender has an idea. |Reconfigure a receiving room to fit all | | |essential equipment and stock. | |Sender encodes the idea |The sender organizes a meeting with store | |in a message. |manager to arrange reconfiguration with the | | |help of two other team members. | |Sender produces the |Sender holds meeting with manager and the two| |message in a medium. |other team members to discuss labor costs and| | |plans for reconfiguration of the receiving | | |room. | |Sender transmits message|Sender sends official email to all team | |through a channel. |members and manager about upcoming | | |reconfiguration of receiving area. | |Audience receives the |Manager and team members receive message via | |message. |secure work email. | |Audience decodes the |Managers and team members look through email | |message. |and study information provided by sender to | | |understand what the course of action will be | | |for reconfiguration proposal. | |Audience responds to the|The manager understands and responds to | |message. |message from sender effectively and | | |articulates what they think the message was | | |indicating and how to move forward with the | | |proposed idea. | |Audience provides |Manager and team members give positive | |feedback to the sender. |feedback to sender by showing enthusiasm in | | |person about the idea of reconfiguration of | | |the receiving area. | Additional Insight Discuss how mobile technology is changing the practice of business communication. Define ethical communication. In the digital age, explain how the widespread use of social media has increased the attention given to the issue of transparency. Communication Process Worksheet Ashley Natusch COM/295 06/12/2017 Glenn Shivers Communications Process Describe how mobile technology is changing the practice of business communication. The rapid, constant change in mobile technology has had an impressive impact on the way businesses operate on a daily basis not only with their customers, but also each other and other business partners as well. Businesses, small and large can do business all over the country and the globe with little to no issue all due to laptops, smartphones, and tablets connected by wireless networks. All of these recent advancements in technology drive the demand for enhanced wireless connections that are faster, more dependable, and safer than ever before. The U.S. wireless industry is worth an estimated $195.5 billion, which is more than other major industries like motor vehicle manufacturing and motion pictures. The wireless industry is booming in response to our need for wireless connectivity in business, as well as our personal lives. According to Green Mountain Communications "There were the following percentages of American adults having or owning these different mobile devices: 90% have a cell phone; 58% have a smartphone; 32% own an e-reader; and 42% own a tablet computer". While tablets and e-readers are still on the rise, it is evident that cell phones, and now smart phones, have become an integral part of our lives and the way we conduct business on a day-to-day basis. "It is forecasted that by 2015 smartphones will be used by 81% of cell phones users", according to Green Mountain Communications. Define Ethical Communication Ethical Communication refers to the moral aspects of group interaction. This type of communication enhances the human worth and dignity by fostering and providing truthfulness, fairness, responsibility and personal integrity for the respect of one's self and others. In small groups ethical communication all members need to take responsibility towards themselves and the other members. Expression and the freedom to use it wisely and responsible decision making play an important part of communication through ethics as well. Understanding others feelings and values or questions and answers can be important as well. Being a team player either in large groups or small can make conversations and emotions throughout the group run smoothly and prevent any conflict that may arise. Explain how the widespread use of social media has increased the attention given to the issue of transparency. This concern regarding the increase on the issue of transparency and social media has increasingly gained attention with the nation and even the government since whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked secret NSA files in 2013. The rise of social media has everyone on edge as to

Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay Example

Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay Example Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay Boost Future Potential With An MBA Program Online Program Essay You already have your bachelor’s degree, but more training would make you more competitive. In this ever-changing market, every advantage counts. If it’s time to advance your career and increase stability, an online MBA can provide you the edge you need. Going to school via an online university degree program is a little different than the traditional experience. Still, there are some distinct advantages to taking this route. In fact, many of the differences are also seen as strengths for this type of program. If you’re interested in an online MBA program, you’ll discover these differences between a typical classroom and learning from the comfort of your own home or office: More individualized attention – While online degree programs can vary in their structure, in most cases, students enjoy a more personalized relationship with their instructors. This can greatly benefit returning students who are intimidated by the size of traditional classrooms. Plus, it can be a real boon for those who prefer to work at their own pace and on their own level. In many cases, this type of learning opportunity enables students to spend more time on topics that they find difficult while gaining the benefit of assistance from a professor. Greater convenience – Getting an online MBA means enjoying a tremendous amount of flexibility. This can be very important for students who are currently employed and would like to stay that way. Online MBA classes are much easier to work around a schedule than classroom-bound programs. While online MBA programs used to be offered by schools that no one had ever heard of, this is no longer the case. Private and public universities all over the country are expanding their offerings to the online world. As this happens, the prestige of online degree programs is rising rapidly. When it’s time to go back to college to better secure the future, online programs can make a difference. Although this style of learning is different than the traditional, it does offer its own advantages.

Who Am I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Who Am I - Essay Example Having listened to their experiences, I used to feel so lonely when I realized I was alone. My family only had me and my two parents. There was no 4th individual in our family. I always used to wish I could expect a sibling if I did not have one. I wished I had a brother with whom I could fight or a sister that I could take care of. But why I never had them, I did not know. Occasionally, I would speak of my loneliness to my parents. In turn, they would console me and get me distracted one way or another. One day we had a gathering at our home. All of my cousins were there. Elders were all busy gossiping in the living room. I was in my room with my cousins. One cousin of mine, Stuart, was quite older than me in age. I was showing him my rackets. He said to me, â€Å"Who do you play with when you are at home?† I said, â€Å"Mummy or daddy, depends on who is available.† I added, â€Å"At times, I play against the wall.† He said, â€Å"Do you know why are you alone?† I thought he was close to giving me the answer I was longing to listen. So I expressed my interest in knowing what he was about to tell me. He said to me, â€Å"Alan, you are an adopted child.† I felt like I was electrocuted. It felt like someone had buried half of me into the earth and was hammering on my top to insert the other half. I was stunned and shocked. Five years have passed since then and I still do not know why he did that to me. Of all the people in the world, why would he do this to me? Of all the things in the world, why would he say that to me? These are the questions I have been asking myself ever-since that happened. But I could still find no answer to my own queries. My world changed from that day onwards. I did not believe Stuart in the start.

Testing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Testing - Research Paper Example Test methods include, but are not restricted to, the process of using an application or program with the aim of finding software errors, bugs or other defects (Humble & Farley, 2010). Testing begins the same time as the system design. Test groundwork is carried out by a unique group to make sure that each and every element is correctly handled. Unit test is managed by the programmer who creates the code. Every programmer tests their own code. Any bug found is rectified by the programmer, and the programs are reevaluated till clean (Humble & Farley, 2010). When testing has been done to all the programs, and no error has been found, the test begins. The division of debugging from testing was originally introduced, in 1979, by Glenford Myers (Ammann & Offutt, 2008). Even if, his goal was on breakage testing ("an effective test is one that locates a bug") it demonstrates the need of the software engineering society to divide fundamental development actions, such as repairing, from that o f authentication. Concerning the periods and the diverse objectives in software testing, diverse roles have been set: manager, test lead, test designer, test analyst, tester, test administrator and automation developer. Ammann & Offutt (2008) classified the goals and phases in software testing in the following stages: Debugging oriented (1956) Demonstration oriented (1957–1978) Destruction oriented (1979–1982) Evaluation oriented (1983–1987) Prevention oriented (1988–2000) How Testing is Controlled Test control can be considered as the test management tasks needed throughout the test procedure so as to keep the testing aligned to the software development procedure, the requirements of the project, and the requirements of the firm wanting to use the software (Miller, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2004). These tasks take place as stipulated, based on the decision of the test manager, as well as other associates of the project team, and can also occur on a premeditated basis (Miller, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2004). Testing is controlled by ensuring that Software Quality Control is set up. Software Quality Control refers to a set of protocols used by companies to make sure that a software product will fulfill its quality objectives at the best value to the client, and frequently to improve the firm’s capacity to produce more software products in the future. Software quality controls are specified requirements, both functional and non-functional, such as supportability, usability and performance (Cangussu, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2002). It also refers to the capacity for software to perform effectively in unpredictable scenarios and maintain a fairly low fault rate. These premeditated procedures and requirements bring about the idea of software testing, Validation and Verification It is different from software quality assurance, which incorporates reviews of the quality management system alongside a standard. While software quality control refers to contr ol or management of products, software quality assurance, on the other hand, is a control of processes. This function checks whether or not a software project follows its premeditated procedures and processes, and that the project brings out the anticipated internal and external products (output) (Miller, DeCarlo & Mathur, 2004). Managing Creativity When managing creativity with regards to software management, it is vital to differentiate two main viewpoints: activity-level (or task-level) analysis, as well as process-level analysis. The activity-level viewpoint pertains to the issues of how pockets of creativity are typified and how they can be endorsed (Sommerville, 2006). The process-level

Same sex couple SHOULD BE allowed to marry Essay

Same sex couple SHOULD BE allowed to marry - Essay Example Countries like Belgium, Netherlands and Canada give legal assistance to homosexual marriage. Above all as the same sex couples love each other and ready to live together it is their right to pursue their option (Filer, 2010). Denial of same sex marriage is offensive in anyway and many supportive aspects could be found in this regard. First of all being a homosexual or lesbian does not deny a person his or her citizenship. So, all the citizens of a nation should have equal rights. There should not be a division on the basis of their gender. As the heterosexual has the freedom to marry the person whom he or she loves the person who prefers same sex should also be allowed to marry the one whom he or she likes. The constitution of a country is written for all the citizens of that country and the denial of their rights is unjust on the part of the constitution. Government should not interfere in peoples’ private affairs and the denial of marriage to a certain segment of population is clear discrimination. Marriage should take place on the basis of the love between two persons and gender is not a determining factor of one’s love. It is the fundamental right of every citizen. As love is the main f actor of married life denial of union between two loving hearts just because of same sex is cruel and barbaric. People who stand against same sex marriage say that marriage is for procreation. But that is a wrong idea as marriage primarily aims at loving and caring of two persons. More over there are a number of heterosexual couples who do not procreate. There have been attempts to portrait gay as deviants and overturn their right to marry as per their will. Most probably religious are there behind it, especially the catholic. But one should bear in mind the fact that the constitution is written not exclusively for any particular religious group and it is not a religious document (Homosexuality and

Marketing Plan For Fragrance Direct Marketing Essay

Marketing Plan For Fragrance Direct Marketing Essay Fragrance Direct is a toiletries retailer who sells branded, discounted perfumes, aftershaves, cosmetics,hair care, skincare, cosmetics and beauty products. This report investigates and discusses the Fragrance Directs current marketing situation in an intensively competitive marketplace and to prepare an appropriate two-year marketing plan which could lead the company to increase its market share. The report was prepared after critically considering all marketing theories and tactics in context of Fragrance Direct like e-business strategies, product development, marketing decision making and organizational strategy, marketing segmentation and positioning, SOSTAC planning model etc. A projected budget was prepared and justified for the projected marketing plan. Marketing plan Regardless of types of business, any business needs a concrete marketing plan if they were to succeed. Brassington Pettit (2006) define, Marketing plan is a detailed, written statement specifying target markets, marketing programmes, responsibilities, timescales and resources to be used, within defined budgets. A two-year marketing plan is made for Fragrance Direct which could aim to help them to achieve a growth in market share. SOSTAC planning model Many approaches can be used to make a marketing plan. SOSTAC planning model is the one which includes all essential marketing plan and it is the most useful one. Here I used Smiths (1997, pp 32) SOSTAC planning model to make a two-year strategic marketing plan for Fragrance Direct: S- Situation Analysis (where are we now?) At present, direct selling businesses are booming due to increased home broadband services. The case suggests that Fragrance Direct is one of a number of specialist internet-based retailers at the moment. Their strength is they can sell products cheaper than any other competitors who trade through physical stores. According to their website, they are able to offer highly competitive prices and this is done by keeping overheads low. There is no shop, no middlemen as they supply their products directly to the customer ( Fragrance Direct, 2009). So the company is in a good shape and has the ability to grow even further. O-Objectives (where do we want to go?) Though the company has been growing rapidly but according to the case scenerio in order to achieve their medium-term growth targets they need a major push to broaden their customer base and increase market share. There is opportunity for the company to do that. So the key objectives Fragrance Directs management should adopt right now are to target new segment while maintaining existing products portfolio and develop new products for the targeted segments. This way they can manage to retain the present market share as well as there is possibility to increase their customer base with the help of launched products. S-Strategy (how do we want to go there?) Selecting the correct segment and correct proposition is the key to success. Kotler Armstrong (2006) point out that the market consists of many types of customers, products and need. The marketer has to determine which segments offer the best opportunity for achieving company objectives. Traditionally Fragrance Direct have not focused in male grooming audience yet although the case report suggests mens fragrace market is worth over 500 million US dollars and the demand is steadily increasing. So as an existing market player this the segment where Fragrance Direct should exploit if they want to increase their market share. Most of the existing toiletries market players targeted young man while the report indicates this segment is declining. On the other hand older segment is increasing so Fragrance Direct should target this segment with widen products base. Market segmentation is important for any company like Fragment Direct as it helps to target its marketing mix more closely and p recisely. T-Tactics (the details of strategy) Tactics tend to be short term and flexible, whereas strategy is longer term and more enduring. When strategy is agreed the next job for marketers to develop tactics. Smith Chaffey, (2005) hinted that E-marketing tactics focuses on deciding the optimum marketing mix (pp 338). Marketing mix The marketing mix concept is one of the core concepts for marketing. 7Ps framework for marketing has achieved high degree of acceptance. Armstrong Kotler (2007) define A marketing mix is the set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market. Here, the 7Ps marketing mix tactic has been discussed in context of Fragrance direct: 1. Product: Products should be developed in accordance with customer demand and developed products should meet the need of targeted segment of the market. At present the male grooming product market is confined with aftershave fragrances and a limited range of hair care products. So there is scope to broaden the sell of different others new products like mens bath and body, mens skin care, mens sun care, mens accessory etc. as the demand is consistently increasing. 2. Price: When determining the price it is important to remember that whether customers are willing to pay the price or not; they have the ability or not. Wrong pricing could lead the market failure. According the companys website their one of the aims is To keep prices as low as possible to make high street shopping a thing of the past. However they are under intense compitition from traditional sellers lke chains of chemists (pharmacists, drugstore) and supermarket chains who have started selling health and beauty products thorough their physical stores as well as through internet and they are capable to offer cheaper price. So new products should be priced as cheap as as possible as a penetrating price while continue to offer existing cheap price for others products. 3. Place: The place is where customers buy the product. For Fragrance Direct place is internet from where customers by their products. Products must be delivered in right time, and in the right quantity in order to maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction. Fragrance Direct aims to make shopping online quick, easy and convenient and to provide an excellent level of customer service. They also aim to make their site fun, interesting with bargains and a range of products (Fragrance Direct, 2009). To mainten these services storage, inventories and distribution should be maintained appropriately. 4. Promotion: Through promotion activities a company delivers messages to its cusomers about the products, brands using variety of media and communication tools. Smith Chaffey (2005) suggests that the ten promotional mix (advertising, selling, sales promotion, PR, sponsorship, direct mail, exhibitions, merchandising, packing and word of mouth) -can be used to communicate or promote in the online or offline world (pp 54). Fragrance Direct should use all of these means to fulfill their mission-To be the first name you think of when buying fragrance and cosmetics on the internet. The case article suggests that male style magazines such as GQ, FHM and Loaded have huge impact on male in the UK so they should specially promote the site with those magazines. 5. People: We could assume the online business as service marketing. In service marketing people or staff is a very important part of marketing mix. The challenge for Fragrant Direct is to continue recruiting right people, train them and reward them appropriately. 6. Process: Process in a web-based company includes internal and external process as well as transactions, internal communications etc which are necessary to run a business. All processes have to be executed excellently to make the business a success. Fragrance Direct must keep an efficient process by keeping site updated to indicate if any number in stock changed, product specification, price change, dealing with customers e-mail enquiries, product dispatch etc. 7. Physical evidence: In an online business, the quality of the site is the physical evidence (Smith Chaffey; 2005, pp. 66). Normally customers buy intangible services from Fragrance Direct through their site so there is an amount of uncertainty in the process. So Fragrance Direct must ensure customers buying the services must meets acceptable standards of speed and ease of use. A- Action (or implementations-putting the plans to work) Smith Chaffey (2005) states that action stage reveals the details of tactics. Actions implement the tactics. Any kind of project action plan can be used like critical patch or Grant chart. Following is the Grant chart which reflects a two-year action plan for Fragrance Direct: Table 1. Grant chart for Fragrance Direct Activity April 2009 June 2009 July 2009 Dec 2009 Jan 2010 March 2010 April 2010 September 2010 Oct. 2010 Dec. 2010 Jan 2010 March 2011 Get approval for new product development Product development Build information/brochure Run banner campaign on website Offline press launch of new products Website update C- Control (measurement, monitoring, reviewing and modifying). In any marketing planning, details should be added about how the plan would be monitored, measured and controlled. If any components of the plan are not working it should be reviewed, modified if necessary even should be stopped. The following diagram shows a two-year Control system for Fragrance Direct: Table 2. Model of Control systems for Fragrance Direct (two-years) Quantified objectives Means of measuring Frequency of measurement (quarterly) Accountability Cost Action (Who needs to be alerted?) Building information/brochure June 2009 Marketing executive  £2000 Marketing executive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sept. 2009 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Dec. 2009 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. March 2010 June 2010 Sept. 2010 Dec. 2009 March 2011 The 3Ms In any marketing plan all company resources required to be included. Smith Taylor (1997) state that the three resources, 3Ms, cover: 1. Men/Women (the human resources) Skilled professionals (men/women) need to brought in to make the organization run as well as existing human resources need to be retained with training, rewarding. However it was discussed before in the marketing mix people section. 2. Money (budget) 3. Minutes (time) These two points are discussed in the later section. Timeframe Any e-marketing plan must contain timescales, schedules and deadlines. It must take time for Fragrance Direct to analyze their recent market situation, targeting, segmentation, new product development, promotion campaign etc. So everything should be done according to timeframe as time seems often the most tight of the resources. Without a proper timeframe the marketing plan may get uncontrollable. There is a time frame for fragrance Direct: Table 3. Timeframe Activity Timing Market research 6 month Product development 3 month à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Projected budget An adequate budget is required in order to achieve the plan. Like any other retailer Fragrance Direct now have to face the tough competition from competitors. Retailers are cutting prices in a desperate bid to sell their goods. A research by Ramasesham (2000) found that even prices are cut to a level where extra sales are made at a tiny gross margin. At the same time retailers are facing cost rises which are in many cases higher than the rise in selling prices. The following projected budget is made according to Ramasesham (2000) research where he investigated from marketing budget how much money should be spent in different marketing activities e.g. 33% of total marketing budget should be spent for advertising and so on. Table 4. Projected marketing budget Item of Percentage of total marketing expenditure accounted for by item Advertising 33 Promotion 15 Personal selling 28 Storage 2 Order filling 4 Delivery 2 Clerical sales, accounting 5 General and administrative 5 Research 1 Credit 1 Others 4 Total 100 Recommendations conclusion Fragrance direct is a successful company who posseses the ability to offer products at great prices, whilst still concentrating on a high level of service. So it is possible for them to out perform their rival and increase market share if they have been able to follow a perfect strategic marketing plan. It is strongly recommended that they strictly follow the suggested two-year strategic marketing paln in accordane with tight controlling measures. It is also recommened that this is the time to concentratte on suggested marketing segment, penetrate the market with new developed products and apprppriate marketing mix. References Armstrong, G. Kotler, P. (2007) Marketing: An introduction. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Prentice Hall Brassington, F. Pettitt, S. (2006) Principles of Marketing. 4th edition. England: Pearson Education Limited Fragrance Direct (2009) About Us [online] http://www.fragrancedirect.co.uk/Customer-Services/About-Us/page/aboutus [accessed 9 April, 2009] Kotler, P. Armstrong, G. (2006) Principles of Marketing. 11th edition. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Prentice Hall Ramasesham, B. (2000) Research Note: Marketing Budgeting Practices of Retailers Retailers Marketing Budgeting. Smith, P. R. Chaffey, D. (2005) e Marketing eXcellence. 2nd edition. Oxford, England: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Smith, P. R. Taylor, J. (1997) Marketing Communications. 4th edition. London: Kogan Page

Computer Illiteracy :: Computer Illiteracy

Society is currently in a period of rapid technological change. Computers are becoming a household item as well as a highly advanced tool for most every workplace. The entire world is interlinked through the Internet and information is being transferred across the globe in a matter of seconds. Computers are getting smaller and quicker and the amount of information they can store is getting larger. In this information society that we are becoming, a new advanced form of literacy threatens to debilitate anyone who refuses to step into the computer age. Computer illiteracy endangers not only the individual but our nation’s economy. Whether you like it or not, computers are the new language and those who refuse to accept this will be left in the dust . Computer illiteracy must be addressed now or there will be a whole new population of specialized illiterates in America. There is no doubt that computers are firmly implanted in our nation’s daily existence. Everyday I use a computer at least once, either writing a paper, surfing the Internet or checking my e-mail. On a recent trip to the library to do research I was quickly escorted by a librarian to the variety of computer databases, which are the fastest and most current source of information I found a survey in Statistical Abstracts of the United States comparing students use of computers in kindergarten through college from 1984 to 1993. A total of 27.3% of students used computers in schools in 1984, while a total of 59.0% used computers in 1993. This shows a steady rise in scholastic computer use and these figures are probably greatly inflated by now in 1997. Sadly, many people refuse to face the onslaught of computer technology. A 1994 survey conducted by Dell Computers indicated the 55% of Americans are phobic or resistant to computers (Column). In addition, many important people, including CEOÕs of major companies, are rumored to be computer illiterate (Column). The former CEO of IBM even admitted to never using a computer (Column). Fortunately, PC’s are becoming more and more user friendly as the technology improves. Fewer errors, less maintenance and quicker functioning should encourage many reluctant people to finally step into the new era. Computer literacy requires that an individual be able to word process and have a basic knowledge of CD-Roms, database and the Internet. These are the basic objectives of computer literacy, just as composition may be the objective of regular literacy.

Learning Knowledge for Effective Performance Essay

It instills organizations with new ideas and information which is a essential component of learning organization. Peter Senge’s 5 disciplines are essential for a learning organization. Systems Thinking is the crucial discipline which brings all the other factors together into a balanced theory and practice. Figure 1: The 5 Basic disciplines of a learning Figure 2: â€Å"The Fifth Discipline† by Peter organization Senge It allows organizations to see the big picture and differentiate learning patterns within the organization. Using this principles, organizations can work with a system to create solutions to challenging problems in every field as Senge believes that current problems are results of solutions that were applied in the past. Systems thinking involve learning to distinguish general behaviours and create new ones to familiarize with special terms and tools that aid decision making and also allow employees to participate in decision making. It also helps managers to detect repetitive patterns such as common ways of solving problems, present goals and policies that restricts the growth of the organization. It is similar to single-loop learning. Although it takes time to be implemented, it promises a wide range of benefits to companies and improve overall achievement (Delio, 1998). Toyota For example, TPS (Toyota Production System) is an approach created by the founder of Toyota, his son and his engineer that manages logistics, manufacturing and interactions between customer and supplier. TPS was created to bring consistency to the system and enable an effective production process, which eliminates waste. As a result, TPS worked well and has increased production and improved quality of cars. The system has made what Toyota is today: a leader in the automotive manufacturing and production industry.   Personal mastery is the discipline that describes personal growth and learning. Individuals who have a high degree of personal mastery are continuously seeking learning opportunities because they â€Å"are acutely aware of their ignorance, their incompetence and their growth areas† (Senge, 1990). Their self-improvement and self-discovery abilities motivate a learning organization as they are self confident and have great commitment and responsibility towards work. Personal mastery allows one to distinguish what is important and picture the real world more clearly. Therefore, managers must help to create the environment to change by creating an atmosphere that promotes personal mastery within organization where employees should feel comfortable to create personal visions. Managers who are serious in delivering personal growth will send a powerful message to his or her employees. Disney At Disney, successful films are not made only from the ideas of managers. In fact, the top management attends an event called ‘Gong Show’ three times a year where an employee at any level is encouraged to throw ideas and story lines. Employees at Disney feel comfortable to create their personal vision. Managers then respond immediately and reward the employee. The results would be an extraordinary concept of animated film.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Mental models are deeply held internal images of how the world works, images that limit us to familiar ways of thinking and acting† (Senge, 1990). Mental models are the way how one sees things, learn and react to situations on a daily basis. Generally, people do not do what they say but they behave according to their mental models. Mental models are very important in an organization because it is relates to consequences that occur. It is rather difficult to develop systems thinking if mental model is fixed in past experiences. For example, a manager will find it difficult to handle with interpersonal problem in the organization if he or she has a different perception on an employee. Many organizational learning fail when managers ignore the power of mental models. When managers in an organization develop the ability to work with mental models, it will be necessary for employees to learn new skills and orientations. Both systems thinking and mental models fit together as systems thinking concentrates on how to modify assumptions in order to show causes of problems and mental models look at revealing our hidden assumptions (Taggart. J, 2009). Therefore, it is worthless for managers to engage in systems thinking until their mental models change. Apple Japan Apple introduced the concept of learning organization into their workplace. Apple was advised to embark upon the Five Disciplines which are important to a learning organization. Each employee had a mental model of the way the organization operates. The learning process was more efficient when each employee’s mental model was brought in-line with the rest. Managers at Apple also encouraged Personal Mastery to staffs to place reasonable goals. The essential discipline was Systems Thinking, where it facilitated each employee to make decisions, taking the whole system into account, instead of analyzing specifically on their own problems. All the 5 disciplines were implemented through a program of education and it marked improvement in sales and growth. (Adapted from: Case Studies of the Learning Organization, n. d. ) SHARED VISION Senge’s (1990) shared vision is not an idea but a deeply embedded belief shared by many that provides focus and is a vital part of generative learning. Shared vision is derived from personal vision. Therefore, managers should encourage employees to develop personal vision so that organization’s vision succeeds as both vision are engaged. It provides the focus and energy for learning making it an important component of a learning organization. Shared visions encourage new ideas and concepts within organization while encouraging experimentation. Senge claims that managers should understand that their high position in an organization does not mean that their personal vision is also the organization’s vision. Although visions are mostly visualized by top management, it is not consider a shared vision until others in the organization connect it with their personal vision. General Motors In General Motors (GM), a group of executives decided to implement a new approach in automobile manufacturing as well as a new friendly working environment. Pfeffer and Sutton (2000), discuss creating an organizational learning environment with a shared vision in a case study based on Saturn. The Saturn employees were labeled as risk takers. Later, these staffs sought and embraced a systemic change in Total Quality Management . As a result, Saturn developed into a successful car company due to its shared vision among employees. TEAM LEARNING Team learning is where a group of people work together to create results that they truly desire. Team learning is built on the discipline of personal mastery and shared visions but these alone are not enough to act wholly. Team learning involves two primary ways of communication among members which are dialogue and conflict. These are essential ingredient for learning. Dialogue among members in a team creates a language that helps deal with difficult situations and focus on structural issues. It helps members to learn how to recognize the patterns of interaction which provides an opportunity for members to interact with one another and discover possibilities. Conflicts is a norm in team and teams must know how to deal with disagreements well. A well handled conflict is important in a team as t often leads to effective brainstorming and problem solving matters. According to Senge, 1990 â€Å"the difference between great teams and mediocre teams lies in how they face conflict and deal with the defensiveness that invariably surrounds conflict. † General Electrics An example here is Jack Welch, CEO of General Electrics ( GE) came up with a solution call the Work-Out program to ‘clean upâ€℠¢ GE and improve productivity. It got every employee to get involved in challenges and problems. It has adapted a learning culture among employees which make GE a learning organization. As a result, GE increased its market share from $13 billion in 1981 to $500 billion in 2000. Figure 3: The Work-Out program implemented in 1981 increased Market capitalization by $487 billion.   Figure 4: Kolb’s Cycle of Experiential LearningDEFINITION Concrete experienceConcerned with something that has happened to you or that you have done. Concerned with adopting your new ideas into practice. Reflective ObservationConcerned with reviewing the event or experience in your mind or exploring what you did and how you, and others feel about it. Abstract ConceptualizationConcerned with developing an understanding of what happened by seeking more information and forming new ideas about ways of doing things in future. Active ExperimentationConcerned with trying out the new ideas as a result of the learning from earlier experience. Table1: Brief definitions of Kolb’s cycle of Experiential Learning. Figure 4 and Table 1 adapted from ‘Reflection on and in the workplace by L Allin and C Turnock, 2007. One may begin at any stage, but must follow each other in the sequence: †¢concrete experience (or â€Å"DO†) †¢reflective observation (or â€Å"OBSERVE†) †¢abstract conceptualization (or â€Å"THINK†) active experimentation (or â€Å"PLAN†) Kolb, an American educational theorist explains how experience is translated through reflection into concepts, which is then used as a guide for current and new experimentation. This can be applied in the several forms of informal and formal learning in the organization where learning becomes more effective as employees gets hands on experience on the knowledge they have gained. It also improves performance at workplace and influences the behavior of the learner and as such employees can enhance their performance as they are able to understand and learn better. Learning increases ability to contribute to the organization’s success. It also contributes to a better understanding, increases communication, improves quality of decision making within organization. Organizational learning is essential for innovation ( Laundry, 1992). Innovation is vital for organizations to survive in the competitive world today. Organizations are required to think out of the box and practice continuous learning to remain top in the market. Organizational learning has affected performance of individuals as well as organization as a whole in a positive way. Most firms these days are categorized as learning systems. Organizations such as Fiat, Toyota, Motorola and a few others have improved tremendously after learning took place. They had both formal and informal ways of knowledge acquisition, sharing and implementation of knowledge and skills. Motorolo today is a well developed organization because of its learning processes and culture where employees are fully committed to total quality management. Organizational learning fosters a great opportunity for meeting goals, visions and values. Here, a manager plays a huge role not only as a charismatic leader but also as a motivator that guides employees towards change, shapes the design and structures of the organization and overall creates a positive impact on the organization. The factors that add to effective performance through organizational learning are the skills developed by employees, resources that are available in helping them learn, reward system given by employers, environment and culture. Competitive advantage is a strength a company has over their rival firms. It is an bility to operate at minimum cost, produce quality goods, and invest in Research and Development. Through organizational learning, a firm can develop the necessary knowledge that is vital for effective performance. Intrinsic knowledge can also be applied in organizational learning. Intrinsic knowledge is the knowledge which resides within the organization in terms of work relationships, attitudes and behavior. They are difficult to transfer f rom one to another. Employees in a company which has developed strong intrinsic knowledge will be able to use them in the operations and gain productive performance. It will help them to show a higher proactive personality together with commitment. It becomes a competitive advantage to the firm as it will be hard for competitors to follow. Federal Express’s efforts and approach of investing heavily on team learning among employees has enhanced quality and gained success. It is the ability of the firm to practice continuous learning that made it what it has become today. Although learning is a slow process, once initiated, it feeds on itself and will continue to grow and improve efficiency of employees. Today, more organizations are realizing the importance of learning to be successful in their respective markets. Knowledge within learning organizations must be discovered and shared among employees so they can work in a team to enhance problem solving, decision making and response to challenges. Therefore, managers in organizations should take the necessary steps to shift from organizational learning to a learning organization. Organizations such as Totoya, GE, Disney and others are clear examples of how learning efforts have helped these firms to achieve high performance and compete against competitors in the 21st century.

The Affects WWII had on America essays

The Affects WWII had on America essays World War II had an immeasurable affect on the United States; socially, culturally, politically and economically. The post-war era possessed many significant changes in the lives of Americans. Even to this day, it contributes to our daily lives. Women played a great role during this era, socially and culturally. Their wartime duty to produce the goods needed for victory was replaced with their postwar obligation to withdraw from the labor force and attend to their homes and subject there husbands to the jobs they were performing. Although, this was a negative anticipation at the time and made women view government cynically, but gave them a chance to prove their worth and rights. Making history and changing every woman after her time. These affects of the war also caused massive migration of families into urban industrial centers. Created tremendous instability in the home life and personal lives, teen dropouts and child deliquesce. The divorce rate also tripled when soldiers came back home (1946). Daily habits and even values of ordinary people changed as the economy became more service-oriented and the opportunity to buy a host of new products intensified the growth of culture based consumption. The television itself developed major changes. Money became a much larger force in politics than ever before, because candidates needed to raise huge sums for expensive TV spots. Television was a major component to communication for the Americans. In America, many minorities found themselves part of the civil rights movement, African Americans conducted the most dramatic challenge to the status que of the post war era, as they sought to break the chains that had replaced the literal bonds of slavery. African Americans played an extraordinary role socially and culturally in the post-war era. It changed many perceptions and aspects of their lives to be. African American soldiers and civilians alike resolved that the return to ...

And The Winner Is… Orange Bubble Power!

And The Winner Is†¦ Orange Bubble Power! And The Winner Is Orange Bubble Power! And The Winner Is Orange Bubble Power! By Daniel Scocco The Short Story Competition 2 has finally come to an end. The voting session last week was pretty interesting, with different stories taking the lead in different days, and in the end Orange Bubble Power won. Congratulations to Violet Toler! Both Violet and Easton Miller, the runner up, will get a free license to the executive edition of the WhiteSmoke writing software, which costs $310. Thanks WhiteSmoke for sponsoring the event as well. Finally, a big thank you to all the readers who supported the competition with their votes and comments. Below you will find the winning story once again. Orange Bubble Power by Violet Toler I love to write. I hate housework. However, some mundane chores just won’t wait. One look at the bathroom sink caused me to grab my trusty Orange Bubble Power Wipes dispenser. Too bad those cute little scrubbing bubbles from the commercial aren’t real. I’d love to let them do the job while I compose the next NY Times best seller. Might as well get it over, I thought, as I hurriedly opened the lid and snatched at the wipe. The tip tore off in my hand. Irritated, I pulled on the stub more forcefully this time. It ripped again. Grabbing the last smidgen that barely peeked through the slit, I yanked hard. Out came the rest of the wipe–unattached from the rest of the roll. The second wipe should have fed through the X-shaped cut in the plastic top. It didn’t. Impatiently I jerked the lid off to feed the darn wipe through from the underside. The orange lid was stiff and unyielding. â€Å"I don’t have time for this!† I grumbled. Accentuating my words with action, I vigorously crammed the wipe out the other side. That’s when my troubles began. One-half inch of my index finger now protruded through the hole with half a wipe. A stream of Orange Bubble Power Wipes drooped between my hand and the open container on the hamper. Try as I might, I couldn’t get free. I tugged and the blasted lid worked like Chinese handcuffs. The harder I pulled, the tighter it stuck. I twisted and turned, but remained trapped. Every movement sucked my fingertip in tighter still. Within minutes, sharp V-shaped points were digging into my flesh cutting off circulation. How humiliating. This situation was far beneath my dignity. After all, I was a professional woman. I couldn’t allow anyone to see me like this, especially Stephen, my proper gentleman husband. I was determined to solve this problem by myself in privacy. God knows I tried. I lathered my finger with soap. I pried. I twisted. I pulled. Nothing helped. Oh, gosh durn, I thought, this hideous contraption is going to eat me alive! Orange Bubble Power indeed! I wondered if my finger was only an appetizer for this plastic vampire. It appeared voracious. Panicked, I swallowed my pride and called for help. My urgent tone brought Stephen down the stairs two at a time. He burst through the bathroom door, out of breath. When I saw his concerned expression, I regretted frightening him. However, as he surveyed the situation, worry fell off his face so fast, I swear I heard it hit the floor. His dignified manner disappeared as his lips twitched, then his whole face rippled as he broke into laughter. This was no mere grin or snicker, but was a total knee-slapping belly laugh. I stood there, annoyed, humiliated, and in pain. He finally regained his composure, held my finger tight, and tried to unscrew the lid, so to speak. His plan went awry. So did my usually mild demeanor as I told him what I thought of his attempt. He poured half a bottle of liquid soap and some cooking oil over my finger. It added goop to the mess, but didn’t penetrate the orange grip of death. Imagining the worst, it dawned on me that my finger could die without blood. For all I knew, I could be facing amputation! Panicked, I ran through the house for my sewing shears. Ten feet of Bubble Power Wipes streamed behind like crepe paper from a Main Street parade. The empty container rolled onto the floor with a thump. With my left hand, I grabbed the scissors and tried to cut myself free. No luck. Stephen took over, but my scissors couldn’t grip the slimy lid. We tried again after rinsing, but the rigid material was unrelenting. So was the pain! Stephen headed for his basement workshop for tin snips leaving me helpless and alone for what seemed an eternity. By this point, I was ready to stoop to just about anything. I seriously considered dialing 911 with my good hand, all the while picturing the Jaws-of-Life rushing to my rescue. Stephen finally returned. I wailed shamelessly as he snipped at the blasted lid. Jagged points bit deeper with every clip. After several distressing snips, he pried the plastic apart and set me free. My poor finger had four pointed indentations that resembled tooth marks and a bloodlessly white tip. Other than that, I had escaped the Orange demon. My hero tried to manage a straight face. â€Å"What on God’s green earth were you trying to do?† â€Å"Believe me,† I pronounced grimly, â€Å"Those Scrubbing Bubbles may look cute on TV, singing their little high-pitched song, but don’t let them fool you. Those sweet grins hide sharp, powerful, orange teeth that are just waiting to attack! Lucky for me, you were here. They would have done their dirty deed, wiped up the mess, and you’d have never known what became of me.† He left the room muttering something about finding a support group for husbands of imaginative writers. Me? I headed for the computer to write this story one-handed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?The Difference Between "will" and "shall"English Grammar 101: Sentences, Clauses and Phrases

Energy Transfer in electrical circuits Research Paper

Energy Transfer in electrical circuits - Research Paper Example Home appliances and industries transform energy into other forms to a desired form. Electric circuits are utilized for these operations. Energy is not in the form of matter that can be saved. â€Å"Energy can neither be created nor it can be destroyed, it can be changed from one form to another form† (Moan & Smith, 2007). The phrase â€Å"source of energy† or â€Å"sources of energy† is a wrong phrase as energy is impossible to create. We can only alter it from one form to another form. Battery converts chemical energy to electrical energy. Battery does not generate energy. A power plant converts chemical energy of fuel to electrical energy. Fossil fuels had converted solar energy to chemical energy (Moan & Smith, 2007). An ideal energy conversion system is that that has no losses. One form or energy is converted to the other desired form without any losses. The efficacy of such a system is 100%. It means that the ratio of inputs and outputs equal 1. Practically it is impossible to have an ideal system. A practical energy conversion system does have some losses and thus the desired output is always less than the input. In power generation, internal combustion engine are only 40% efficient. 60% of the input energy is wasted as heat energy that is undesired. If a combined cyclic plant is utilized to convert energy, 80% efficiency can be achieved, as a carefully designed heat recovery system recovers most of the thermal energy that goes to waste. In the similar manner, an electric motor does not convert all the input energy to mechanical energy, some of the energy is dissipated as heat and bearing losses. An electric bulb wastes about 95% of energy, which is dissipated in the form of heat and converts only 5% of the energy to light energy (Bbc.co.uk, 2014). There is much difference in energy and power. Energy yields power. Electrical energy is the product of electrical power and time. If electrical energy is denoted

Slavery and Paternalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Slavery and Paternalism - Essay Example The official system was also not a choice for slaves to rely on for aid as they had no official rights. Douglass stated his story when he was a slave. He declares many horrible acts committed by the slaveholders in Talbot County (his birthplace). Douglass declares that in Talbot County slaying or punishing a slave is not considered as unusual or offensive. He further explains the story of a slaveholder who kills two of his slaves and despite of his declaration of the two murders neither anyone put him in jail, nor taken any action against him. Douglass gave some more examples of such horrible deaths of slaves for their minor mistakes. He stated the story of his own cousin who was beaten harshly by a lady with an oak stick just because he fell asleep while watching the lady's child. Such harsh and horrible behavior and dreadful murder of a slave needed to be noticed and forwarded for some solution but this horrifying murder did not seem enough to take action against the lady. One more declaration was that an old slave of Colonel Lloyd was shot just because he encroached mistakenly onto private land. The killer visited Colonel Lloyd to clarify what occurred and the entire issue settled down. Douglass declares quiet repulsively and regretfully that 1"it was worth a half-cent to kill a 'nigger,' and a half-cent to bury one." Chapter 4, pg. 69 Douglass disagrees with the statement that the slaveholders take care of their slaves from their birth till their death and he also refused that slaves have any kind of freedom. As he declares, 2"The whisper that my master was my father, may or may not be true; and, true or false, it is of but little consequence to my purpose whilst the fact remains, in all its glaring odiousness, that slaveholders have ordained, and by law established, that the children of slave women shall in all cases follow the condition of their mothers; and this is done too obviously to administer to their own lusts, and make a gratification of their wicked desires profitable as well as pleasurable; for by this cunning arrangement, the slaveholder, in cases not a few, sustains to his slave the double relation of master and father." Chapter 1, pg. 49 Douglass stated the whole period of his slavery in pain and did not like the rules that were just in favor of the slaveholders. He wanted to escape from this disgraceful and terrible County where the slaves were not even considered as human beings. He hated the behaviors of slaveholders with their slaves. The statement of Douglass further points toward the cruelty and fear of the white men (slaveholders). 3"A single word from the white men was enough-against all our wishes, prayers, and entreaties-to sunder forever the dearest friends, dearest kindred, and strongest ties known to human beings." Chapter 8, pg. 90 To support his argument he gave many examples of murders committed by the masters and their cruelty even as a result of the minor mistakes. Colonel Lloyd had a lot of slaves that he does not recognize them all and they do not all recognize him. It is stated that one day as Colonel Lloyd was on a trip; he meets up a slave and inquires him about his master. As the slave answers that he belongs to Colonel Lloyd, he inquires the slave if his master takes care of him. The slave, unaware of