Project Management Essay

A. The Five Project Management Process Groups The five project management process groups begins with ‘The scoping process group’ which can also be referred to as the initiating process. The process includes all processes that relate to one question ‘What is the task?’ and ‘What do you need to do?’. Thus, NASA’s vision is to constantly develop flight technologies and from this NASA embarked on on the Autonomous Rotorcraft Project. The project entails developing an unmanned helicopter that ideally operates with the decision making skill of a piloted aircraft. The scoping process means that project management team can establish what is need to achieve the clients needs, in this project they include; -manoeuvre around obstacles without human supervision  -accomplish top level mission goals -conduct vehicle health management activities, which is diagnosing and fixing problems on the machine automatically – to be able to re plan the mission if unforeseen obstacles occur. Secondly is the process of project planning process relates to the question ‘How will you do it?’. The complexity of this process is unrealised as it requires technologies that are yet to be discovered. For example, just to travel from point A -B the autonomous helicopter will need to sense, classify and identify surrounding landmarks and then reconcile those landmarks with stored maps. It will then have to localise itself with those specific landmarks, rapidly compute a path that would keep it away from various oncoming obstacles and closely follow its chosen path. These ideas remain difficult in the project planning stage as there is a lack of available autonomous technologies and resources. Not only do NASA want to create an Autonomous Rotorcraft it also seeks to advance unmanned vehicle operations for future projects( Whalley, 2003). After the project planning process, comes the project launching process. This process includes all processes related to recruiting and organising the team and establishing operational rules. It also largely includes getting the project started. The project manager allowed the team members to incorporate changes and agree on their own responsibilities as it allows them to carry out their tasks in a more efficient manner. To ensure this was the case was to schedule regular demonstrations of the teams accomplishments, ensuring a specific amount of work was completed before it was presented. The monitoring process, includes all processes related to the ongoing work of the project. An example of this is the ARP project website that was created to keep information of the project so upper management and stakeholders are aware of the projects progression. The last process group is the closing process, this specially entails the notion of ‘How well did the project go?’ After the completion of the project, the project manager learned that the needs needed to be met of each team member and communicate individual responsibilities effectively. Whilst there was not too many on going challenges the project manager learned that the time spent scheduling flights took long than expected, it will be taken into consideration for the future to minimise any delays. B. Classify the project Risk: Is an integral part of this project. It usually includes; risk identification, risk assessment, risk mitigation and risk monitoring. Risk regarding project management is a future event which happens with probability and induces change. The autonomous rotorcraft is subject to risk, these can most commonly include delays which can create a loss for the project, and therefore subjecting the project to cost increases. Business Value: The notion of business value supports the companies strategic goals and meets user information requirements. Thus it needs to be a good investment for NASA. Consequently the autonomous rotorcraft is an investment for the organisation as it allows future developments to be based of this project for other differing autonomous vehicles. Duration: The duration of the project began in 2002 and was up for ARP teams nominations for 2005 project of the year. It has been flying autonomously since March 2004 and has been flight tested weekly for 30-60 minutes per flight. The system in the current Rotorcraft has been flown in the same configurations since November 2005. Complexity: The complexity of this project is very difficult as mentioned earlier, this is because the rotorcraft is unmanned and needs to make various decisions through its Linux based software. Technology: The technology used in the Autonomous Rotorcraft is complex and due to this faced many hardships and obstacles. The technology is complex. NASA’s mission was to extend its technology and expertise regarding automated systems. Specifically the project management team would create a flying laboratory consisting of technologies such as advanced flight controls, a reactive planner and an all digital camera system with tracking and passive ranging capabilities. The Autonomous rotorcraft is a Yamaha RMAX helicopter, which was selected as the project UAV platform. It was originally developed for remote control seeding and spraying and therefore was notably sturdy and reliable. Due to this numerous modifications were made to the rotorcraft to support autonomous operations. These include the additional avionics which in turn carries out navigation and flight computer control, an experimentation computer, a GPS receiver and radio communications (Freed, 2006). Cost: The cost for this project has not been disclosed, although budget was kept. C. How did the project fit against the nine Project management Knowledge areas Integration Management focuses on the larger tasks that must be done for the project to work. Thus it is the practise of ensuring that every part of the project is coordinated. The project manager must be very competent at this to ensure that the project runs smoothly. The Autonomous Rotorcraft project manager planned well, as they took many things into consideration regarding this. As mentioned earlier, the project manager used techniques to establish motivation for team members. The main technique was scheduling regular meetings and demonstrating the teams current accomplishments. From these meetings the project manager could then provide additional recourses for the project in areas that need supplemental information. Thus the project was executed successfully and a high level of integration management was achieved. The second knowledge area of Scope Management is the details and processes of the project. It is important to have a detailed plan before beginning the project. This meaning a clear goal. Which is very clear; ‘To develop an unmanned helicopter’. Whilst it is beneficial to understand the scope of the project it is also important to understand that changes may occur during the project, which fall under this specific knowledge area. Due to the favourable outcome of the project, scope management was achieved, as challenges and communication were met effectively. Similarly to this is time management, the ARP met all scheduling goals and completed each phase with no scheduling delays. Thus it is understood that, the project had sufficient resources and a good time management plan. Cost management is just as valuable as time management. This knowledge area includes cost estimating and budgeting. Once the cost for the ARP project was estimated, the project manager must control the cost and make changes to the budget as needed. The cost of the project would have been fluctuating as the accuracy changes as the project would have progressed. Furthermore, quality management is an important knowledge area as the ARP would have had to have been measured against a similar predetermined acceptable measure. The project manager would of created a quality management plan early on in the project, as this effects other areas such as scope, time cost and most importantly risk. Human resource management is responsible for the project organisation, the selection of team members on the ARP (assigning staff) and project organisation. Whilst the project manager assesses the performance of the team, so does human resource management from a different perspective – this also includes the project manner. Along with this comes communication management, which is very important in the ARP. This includes the ARP project website, that was created to keep NASA computer information and communications technology program for upper management and stake holders to be aware of the projects progression. The team also provided project updaters to potential customers, which include; The Department of Homeland Security, the National Technology transfer centre and other NASA researchers. . This type of communication management offers dual benefits as it is marketing the rotorcraft and maintaining a strong customer base for future projects. As well as this, all the material communicated was accessible to the team via the website, these included; flight plans, authorised documents, scheduling and media. Another project management area is Risk management, this involves how risks are managed on the project. The project manager must identify these challenges and plan how the team will respond to them in a positive manner. These risks included, coordinating the ARP project team, as it consisted of people from a plethora of different backgrounds and thus the project manager ensured communication stayed strong. Another challenge that the team was faced with as scheduling flight tests, this took more time than originally anticipated and therefore ran risk of delays, to combat this more time was put foreword to ensure that there was no future delays. Lastly is procurement management, this is a set of processes that links to the supply chain sector of the ARP project. It is when goods or services need to be obtained from an outside organisations. The project manager plans these purchases of products that cannot be provided from their own company. This is important as it links directly with quality management, this is because it is difficult to ensure quality is delivered from an outside supplier at an appropriate cost that meets budget. Conclusion It must be reiterated that The Autonomous Rotorcraft Project was executed successfully. There are many areas that need to be covered by the project team in order for this to be a smooth operation. Whilst there are some areas that are of more importance to others, it is ideal to have a team that can respond to all positive and negative situations that the project may encounter. The ARP project, fitted well against all nine Project Management areas, thus NASA expressed a high level of satisfaction with the project.

‘Of mice and men’ Several Characters Essay

Q: In ‘of mice and men’ several characters show they have hopes and dreams of a better future. Explain why you think this is what the character gain or lose from their dreams. A dream is something you indulge in, to escape for a moment from life. This seems to be the circumstance that John Steinbeck intended his characters in Of Mice and Men to dream in. They are all craving for something – in the case of George and Lennie, that something is land. They are not the first travelling ranch hands to summon up images of their own land, or of being their own bosses. This dream is similar to the Great American Dream, that you can achieve anything if you have the mind and desire to do it. However I will explain how the characters in ‘Of Mice And Men’ gained and lose from their dreams. To begin with, the two main characters, George and Lennie. Their dream is to have call their own land, but that is mostly George’s dream, Lennie wants to look after the rabbit, since he likes to tend soft things. Lennie is introduced in the novel as a animal imagery, ‘a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulder; and he walked heavily dragging his feet a little, the way bears drag his paws.’ He acts like a little child and he looks up to George as guidance. At times George wishes he didn’t have to put up wit Lennie, but you realise that they cant live without each other, they need each others company, ‘I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you.’ Yet carrying on about George and Lennie’s dream, there is a gain and lose of the dream. They have a sense of hope, ‘we got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.’ This means by George and Lennie having each other, the there would be a sense of hope with their dream, for their future, for them to look forward together. During their bad times at the ranch, they have the dream to look forward to, which the dream gives a sense of purpose, to escape from reality. When their dream will come true, they will be free from prejudice; they wouldn’t have anyone treating them with disrespect. Also one of the most important facts that George will gain is to be in charge of own destiny, a sense of ownership, ‘an’ it’d be our own.’ He has an idea of the kind of place he is looking for, ‘got a little win’ mill. Got a shack on it, an’ a chicken run. Got a kitchen, orchard, cherries, apples, peaches, `cots, nuts, got a few berries. They’s a place for alfalfa and plenty water to flood it. They’s a pig-pen†¦.’ However there is a lose of this dream, a lose of hope and touch with reality. When they arrive at the ranch where they will be working the first person that they meet is an older gentleman named Candy. Candy has lived a long and hard life on the ranch and has nothing to show for it. During his time on the ranch he has lost his hand, grown old, and feels that he has become worthless. The name â€Å"Candy† is an interesting one for this character though. When you think of candy you see children eating it while running around in the yard having a good time without a care in the world. This is the exact opposite of what the character in the novel is. The restless fiend of age has caught up with him and he is not able to move as fast as he once did; even his dog is unable to move about. Candy and his dog have good bond relationship; they have each other like George and Lennie. When George and Lennie reveals their dream, Candy become interested and wanted to share the dream, ‘s’pose I went with you guys. Tha’ three hundred an’ fifty bucks I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?’ Candy wants to share this dream since he wants to be use, since how candy’s dog was treated. His dog was killed, since it was no use and candy doesn’t want to be useless.

Law in relation to Data Protection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Law in relation to Data Protection - Essay Example In the present set-up of the society, a lot of people's data are misused by others for money laundering, loans, misrepresentations and other similar occurrences which sometimes creates unfavorable scenario those who owns such data. In doing such, the people who handle data must realize that they are the ones who are being trusted to keep such variables and their primary concern is to keep those as confidential as possible. The case of Creative is no different from the aforementioned premise as they deal with numerous data from the people who in one way or the other factors for them to generate income. In this case, they must bear in mind that they should be responsible in storing and keeping such entries. Also, the awareness of Creative that they are accountable to the law should there be cases of leakage and mishandlings of data. In dealing with similar occurrences, the example of Creative computers suggests that this company has the freehand of access of data from both the buyers and sellers of the computers. Upon reviewing their process of data, one might say that Creative Computers is organized in sorting the information of data from the buyer and seller which is a practical way of referencing. In this case, the data would help Creative computers track transactions that entered the company and therefore it is very crucial to have these kinds of data. Also, several factors including the profile of the person who sells the computer unit is a vital data for Creative Computers as this kind of practice assures them that the quality and the origin of the computer units to be sold. It is a common thought that computers do not have serial numbers and they are not subject for registration like vehicles in which in case of loss and similar instances could be traced down because of its plate numbers. The move of creative company to obtain details from the two parties would also help them locate the sellers if in case there are problems that would arise-instances such as warranty concerns, theft and other related phenomenon are of big help in resolving these kinds of problems. The sorting out of data is indeed a good step for the sake of classification which would prevent confusion in the future should there be changes in the company or with these two parties. However, in handling these data, there are a lot of queries that are in need of answers. There are things that are needed to be clarified in order to ensure that the data that are being obtained are kept within the prescribed bounds of law. On the second thought, Creative Computers must be aware that there would come a time that problems might arise with regards to handling of data. There are scenarios that might confuse Creative Computers with regards to handling of Data. For example, a certain customer who bought the computer from the seller wishes to obtain the information from the seller as police authorities accused the latter as involved in fencing as it was known to them that the computer set was stolen. The problem is, does creative computers owns the right of divulging the information to the buyer Another scenario would be there is a mistake committed by the seller as he sold the other item rather than the intended one. To be able to obtain the computer set

Challenging the process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Challenging the process - Essay Example It is the role of the organization leader to recognize this and ensure smooth implementation of the proposed changes (Paton & McCalman, 2008). 2. The leader of the organization should assess the sustainability of the organization in its current state and the benefits of change. If change will make the organization sustainable and the status quo is unsustainable, then the leader should take measures into convincing, and involve the organization’s members in the expected change. 3. The leader creates a vision for the future. This guides the need for change. The organization’s leader then develops a change coalition. This is appropriate to eliminate any resistance to change. It is also important for effective implementation of the new processes. The leader then mobilizes the commitment. Employees and other stakeholders of the organization have to be committed to what the organization intends to achieve. Lastly, the manager leads the change process (Paton & McCalman, 2008). 4. Change processes are initiated for various reasons. Sometimes organizations need to update the system in all the departments and to deal with such a system requires change in certain processes. Sometimes focus is on improving the performance of the organization by adopting a new culture. The organization may have new distribution centers or markets to exploit, requiring changes in its systems (Paton & McCalman,

Aristotle's argument that women are subsidiary to men Essay

Aristotle's argument that women are subsidiary to men - Essay Example Aristotle, despite his appreciation of some attributes of women, including their intelligence, he was of the opinion that that they were subsidiary to men and because of this they had to submit themselves to men in their lives since women are â€Å"more mischievous, less simple, more impulsive... more compassionate† (Aristotle 28). Aristotle justified his opinion by actively supporting those laws that denied women the right to own property, and if they got married, with the said property it should be transferred to their husbands on such an occasion. Considering that he also believed that women had to stay only in female quarters of the household, except during extreme need, shows his belief that women had to be contained, which in essence was similar to enslaving them. Aristotle was an extremely prominent scholar of the ancient world and he had a lot to say concerning women and their subservience to men. While his writings seem to indicate that he was exceedingly liberal abou t the roles of the various sexes in many aspects of life, it is a fact that he was a believer in the inferiority of women to men (Francis 144). Despite the fact that he may have seemed to be a liberal in some matters concerning the sexes, Aristotle, being true to his era, had some positive things to say concerning women, but while he did so, he also showed that he still believed them to be subservient. It is possible that perhaps Aristotle’s teachings, which might be considered liberal, would have had a deeper meaning, displaying that while women were a gifted lot, they were supposed to remain in the background, since that was their designated place in society. This scholar was known, from time to time, to deviate from the norm concerning the role of the sexes in his society. Aristotle’s writings, while being conservative in nature, display a characteristic that was particularly common among the writers of that age; they were liberal to a certain extent and their opini ons were openly stated. However, when it came to undertaking something to change their societies so that they would conform to their liberal views, they took no action. Therefore, it can be said that although Aristotle in his writings displayed several instances of being liberal concerning the roles of the sexes in the society, most of his comments concerning this issue remained conservative â€Å"†¦.the courage of a man is shown in commanding, of a woman in obeying.† He continued to advocate for a male dominated society, supporting the role of a subservient woman, who had to submit to the will of man (Klosko 163). In a majority of his works, Aristotle displays respect for the competence of women, which is truly surprising for a man of the ancient world, where women were considered nothing more that bearers of children. Most of his works about women are based on the influence of his societal, physical and mental opinion of them. In some of his work, he states that women are much more emotional because of the belief in the ancient world that women are particularly closely tied to the earth than men. Aristotle in general shows a strong admiration for women, and he states that they are more gifted than their male counterparts. Alongside this admiration is also his belief that women are

Financial modelling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial modelling - Assignment Example This diversification was given a priority in the study and thus the tests were carried out on 10 different stocks. The study was very important in that it would assist economists and even future ones to understand the magnitudes and signs such as the relationship of beta to the prevailing market returns. With the understanding, they would be able to balance them and with this, the market force would be at a balance. The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) was very influential in that it provided us with the required resources for the study. In the review of the previous literature in the provided topic, the Capital Assets Pricing and Markets model it was identified that the relationship between the beta and the average return is minimal that what is provided. This is opposed to the major notion that the relationship between the beta and the expected return is explained by the difference in the beta (Pahl, 2009, 27). It was also identified that when carrying out the calculations of the expected returns for small or rather low business markets, the Capital Assets and Pricing Model may not be the best method to use. With regard to the previous studies carried out in the topic, our hypothesis and results are superficial. This is due to the fact that there has been the inclusion of the Fama and French’s three factor model. When this model is put alongside the Capital Assets Pricing Model, it tends to show the benefits and the limitations of the model. The CAPM model has it that a linear relationship is provided between the lone assets and the accompanying risk. This is the major problem associated with the model. The Three Factor Model has an upper hand in this case as the returns are distributed in two groups (Bringham, 2009, 47). There are those that major on the big stocks and there are those that major in small stocks measured using ratios. The model also adds two more factors that are not included in the CAPM.

Physics project 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Physics project 2 - Essay Example In work on floating bodies he demonstrated that the orientation of a floating objects is the one that makes its center of gravity as low as possible. He developed mathematical techniques for finding the centers of gravity of objects of uniform density of various well-defined shapes, in particular a triangle, a hemisphere, and a frustum of a circular parabolic. The center of gravity is an important point on an aircraft, as it defines the amount of mass forward or behind the center of gravity that needs to be moved in order to pitch the plane up or down without applying any external forces. In conventional designs the Co G is often located very near the line 1/3rd back from the front of the wing. That is the line where most wings generate their lift, known as the center of pressure (Co P), so by balancing the plane at that point, the lift and weight balance out with no net torque. The Co is sometimes moved slightly to the rear of this line in order to provide the plane with a natural "nose up" tendency when lift increases (like when applying more power). If the balance of the plane is moved too far from the Cog, the control surfaces may have trouble controlling the plane. The actual force generated by the surfaces is typically quite small (a few pounds) but due to their location at the end of the tail (typically) they generate considerable torque to pitch the plane. If the Co starts to move away from the Co P there will be an increasing amount of constant torque they have to counteract, and if it moves too far, it may be more than the controls can counter. The center of gravity is a geometric property of any object. The center of gravity is the average location of the weight of an object. We can completely describe the motion of any object through space in terms of the translation of the center of gravity of the object from one place to another and the rotation of the

Open topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Open topic - Essay Example Democracies can either be direct or representation. In direct democracy, the public is allowed to directly participate in their government. In representative democracies, citizens are always allowed to elect representatives who will represent them in the decision making processes. Despite being popular, democracy cannot be referred to as the best form of governance. This paper aims at proving that democracy has greatly failed as a form of governance. Democracy can be said to be faulty in the sense that it is a form of governance that it is always determined by what the majority wants and not what is good for the country. The question here is what will happen in a situation where the majority is wrong. This will mean that whatever will eventually take place will not be the best thing for the country at large. The majority can always be wrong as a result of misinformation or being fed with completely wrong information by influential figures for their own selfish gain. This will definit ely lead to a governance error that might haunt the country for decades affecting even generations that were not part of the faulty decision making (Diamond and Plattner 184). Democracy can also be said to be a highly expensive form of governance. There are a lot of resources that always go to literal waste during democratic processes. A country always spends a lot of money just trying to make sure that democratic elections are always free, fair, and accurate. Despite all these efforts, there are always complaints about elections not being free and fair. This would raise the question of whether democracy is really governance by the people as is commonly referred to. Other resources also go to waste in the form of resources used during election campaigns. These resources are usually used for the purpose of influencing the choices of the public during political elections. The resource used during the political campaign would rather be used for other activities that are much more profi table and productive. In comparison to a monarchy form of governance, democracy would be definitely unreasonable expensive. Democratic processes can also be said to be faulted by baseless preferences of leaders. Democratic elections involve a battle for supremacy of races, ethnic groups, religions and many other forms of grouping. People will always vote for certain candidates on the basis of their ethnicity, race, religion, and not their capability to be good leaders. This leads to situations where the ethnic, racial, or religious groups with the highest number of citizens always carry the day. The obvious result of such an election is a government that lacks diligence and expertise. As much as one group might pride of being successful during the elections, the consequences of having incompetent leaders will be faced by the whole country( Adler and Weismann 221). Democracy can lead to the imbalanced development in a country. Since the leaders are always elected by the majority, the y will always strive to those who voted for them at the expense of those who did not vote for them. For instance, if a leader was highly voted for in a certain region of the country and rejected in others, they will always tend to favor those who voted for them when it comes to developmental projects. This is mainly due to human nature, which makes it almost impossible for a person to respond to bad deeds with good ones. In the same manner, it will be

Decline of USSR after the Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decline of USSR after the Cold War - Essay Example The collapse of the Soviet Union is regarded by the West as "a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism." (Fall of the Soviet Union). The fall of the Soviet Union can rightly be understood as the fall of communism and the subsequent spread of democracy as a better form of government. The growth of communism in the USSR can be traced back to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. The newly formed Government after the revolution was based on socialistic and Communist ideologies and the aim of the Bolsheviks was "to overcome national differences, and rather to create one monolithic state based on a centralized economical and political system." (Fall of the Soviet Union). Later, the state was transformed into a totalitarian state which was controlled by the communist leadership. However, the totalitarian government could not assimilate the non-Russian ethnic groups in the country and the economic planning g of the state proved to be inadequate to meet the need of the time and its arms race with the United States proved to be disastrous for the nation. By the time, Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union's last leader, assumed power in the nation, the economic and political problems in the country was at its peak.In 1985, the election of Mikhail Gorbachev to the position of G eneral Secretary of the Soviet Union led to more political and economic liberalization in the Moscow regime. The Gorbachev era witnessed many radical economic reforms like perestroika in the USSR. The Glasnost offered greater freedom of expression and offered freedom of press which can be marked as the first step towards democracy in the nation. The Glasnost had far reaching effects in the USSR as the media brought to spotlight many of the social and political issues that the people were dissatisfied with, and this brought about a sort of new nationalism and resulted in ethnic tensions. In January 1987, Gorbachev moved a step forward to democratic way of multi-candidate elections and later his reforms were aimed at reducing the Communist party's hold in governmental affairs. The ultimate result of these reforms was that the central Moscow government lost its absolute control over the USSR's constituent republics and brought about decentralization of power. Gorbachev's radical reform s, in a way, offered opportunity for the constituent republics to demand autonomy and independence. It was the Baltic region under the government of Estonia that protested against the Moscow regime in 1987. Later Lithuania and Latvia came out with similar upheavals and culminated in the coup d'etat of 1991. There were massive protests in the nation and the military refused to suppress the protestors who were led by Yeltsin. After the failed coup attempt there were public demonstrations demanding democracy in the nation and finally on December 25, 1991, Gorbachev had to resign and the "Commonwealth of Independent Republics" replaced the communist regime. Boris Yeltsin resigned from the communist party and declared Russia's independence. This stirred the

Movie comment Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Comment - Movie Review Example The film was revealing both racially and regarding gender roles. The film considered not only how a liberal white couple would potentially judge a black son-in law; but how his family might react, how other whites and blacks might react. The question did not concern conflict, it concerned the future problems a mixed race couple might face in 1967. It is reasonable to review this potential problem today, much less 40 years ago. The women in the movie influenced the men, perhaps manipulated them, as a diplomatic back channel. Although the men tried to rationalize their positions, they argued emotionally, including name calling. Although the women felt the hearts should decide, they discussed the situation calmly. These scenarios reveal the real power structure in these homes. Tillie’s outburst assumed John was making a black power statement by marrying a white girl. She was protecting Joey, and commenting generally on the black male persona. The parents concerns symbolized the à ¢â‚¬Å"special problems† the couple would face. If the parents could not accept the relationship, how would the rest of the world? These moments and questions were revealing, not phony.

Richard III by William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Richard III by William Shakespeare Essay This essay is to assess how much sympathy the naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve and harmless Hastings deserves after being fooled by the cunning Richard III and falling into his trap of trusting him.  In Act I Scene I, Richard plays the loving, faithful and devoted brother when Clarence arrives at the tower, and sympathises greatly with Hastings. He pretends to be worried by the news of Edwards poor health, suggesting not simply his family loyalty, but also his concern for the nation. In his conversations with both Clarence and Hastings, Richard slanders Queen Elizabeth and her relatives, blaming them for all of the ills that have befallen both Clarence and Hastings, claiming that is was she that convinced the king to have them sent to the tower in the first place. Throughout the conversation with Hastings, Richard flatters his victim, telling him what he wants to hear and as Hastings does not like Queen Elizabeth due to previous events, he is taken in by what Richard has been telling him. More pity that eagles should be mewd While kites and buzzards prey at liberty (1.1.line132-3). In this quotation, Hastings is using a metaphor describing his opinion on the matter of being sent to the tower by claiming that the eagles are he and Clarence who are trapped, whilst the kites and buzzards are the followers of the Queens court, who are allowed to do as they please. The shared dislike of Queen Elizabeth between Hastings and Richard kindles a friendship between them, and as the audience, we arent taken in by his false concern and so know that this technique Richard has used to intrigue Hastings is extremely effective, and Hastings has fallen into the trap of trusting Richard. In this scene, some empathy is directed towards Hastings because in only the first scene we have seen Richard cast Hastings under his spell and Hastings becomes captivated, oblivious to the apparent corrupt and depraved qualities of Richard. As the audience, from the outside looking in, we know a lot more about the sinister Richard than the character of Hastings due to the revelations in the opening soliloquy delivered powerfully by Richard, confessing his plans and motives to become king of England. In Act I Scene III, Old Queen Margaret, widow to the murdered King Henry and mother to the murdered Prince Edward enters a courtroom where persons such as Richard, Hastings, Buckingham and Queen Elizabeth are already present. She opens by reminding those attending of Richards earlier crimes interrupting the dispute to threaten and blame the assembled company that for overthrowing her husband, Henry IV. She is then accused of playing a part in the death of Richards brother, Rutland. Although attacked with allegations, Margaret is not deterred from her aim and proceeds to curse each of the characters in turn and prophesies their destruction. After cursing most of those surrounding her, when she reaches Hastings, she predicts And so wast thou, Lord Hastings, when my son Was stabbd with bloody daggers. God, I pray him, That none of you may live his natural age, But by some unlooked accident cut off (1.3.line 210-213). By saying this, she foresees that Hastings will not live his life to a natural age and will be beheaded. This curse comes true and Hastings happens to remember her prophecy in his last speech before his death. Margaret warns the company against Richard, Thou elvish-markd, abortive, rooting hog, Thou that was seald in thy nativity The slave of nature and son of hell (1.3.line 227-229). Margaret continues to argue with Richard, cursing him continually and then leaves. Rivers and Buckingham seem disturbed by her heavy-handed words but by way of contrast, Richard remains calm and pretends to repent the wrongs that he did Margaret. At the time when Hastings is cursed he seems displaced by Margarets words as he doesnt reply, but later shakes it off by remarking False-boding woman, end thy frantic curse, Lest to thy harm thou move our patience. (1.3.line 246-7) and seemingly does so to prove to the others that he is not worried about the denunciation by overtly putting on a bravado. In this scene, not much sympathy is inflicted towards Hastings, as although he seems to be deterred by the curse, he puts it to the back of his mind, attempting to impress those surrounding him, especially Richard after striking up a friendship, and therefore appears arrogant. Act II Scene I begins with the ailing Kind Edward attempting to make peace between all of his friends and family, endeavouring to tie up all ends before he soon dies. He asks Hastings, Rivers, Dorset and Buckingham to profess their loyalty to each other and for sake of one of the last of wishes of a dying man, they pretend to do so. King Edward, on his deathbed, is attempting to reunite his friends and family, trying to make sure that he can die in peace, knowing that his family is content.

Drink and Creative Writing Planning Essay Example for Free

Drink and Creative Writing Planning Essay Sometimes people choose to try things for the first time because they want to or they like trying new things or they are forced to. It was the day I was always waiting for, my first ever 9th grade party. I was so thrilled that the person even invited me, only the ‘cool’ people were invited to huge parties and well let’s just say I was an ordinary girl. My friend Adriana and got ready at my place with excitement and off we went to experience our one life opportunity with the popular groups. I walked in the big huge giant building I started to have goose bumps all over my body, my heart started to race as fast as a rocket, I was so nervous. It was all dark and the music was so loud my ears felt as if I was on a plane and about to take off. Everyone was dancing, drinking and doing all sorts of things I only thought happened in movies. I looked on my right and there was Adriana with some guy sitting on his lap and drinking, she moved quit fast. I went over to check if she was okay. She said she was but she sure didn’t look okay. I was already starting to regret coming to this party. I didn’t fit with these people, I was with all the ‘popular’ people but I still felt like an outcast. Sitting in the corner alone, then a loud voice crawled into my ear â€Å"Hey, what are you doing sitting down alone? Come with me! † I had never seen this girl in my life, or maybe I have but she was just covered by the heavy make-up. The strange girl handed me a drink, and told me to drink it, it’s nothing. Mum warned me about this, not taking drinks from random people. I hesitated and told the girl I don’t want the drink. But she kept implying that I should just take a little bit and I was in the middle of all her friends and I didn’t want to be humiliated. I took my first sip of alcohol and then I saw myself dancing and making a complete full of myself. The room started to spin uncontrollably. I don’t remember half of the things I even did; it was like I was a different person. I look to my right and I see two people fighting and Adriana in the middle. I was so worried she was in trouble so I headed over there to help her. I was pushed and shoved around trying to get to Adriana and all I remember is some aggressive boy picking up a bottle and I was on the floor. All I could see was a blurred vision of Adriana screaming my name and it all went blank. That night would have to be the worst night of my life. One single drop of alcohol changed my whole night. I regret every single decision I made that night. I wish I can take it all back. Who would’ve thought the impossible could be possible.

The Tokugawa Ancestral Law Of Seclusion History Essay

The Tokugawa Ancestral Law Of Seclusion History Essay There is widespread agreement in traditional western and Japanese historiography of Tokugawa Japan that during the period 1630 to 1853, the Japanese empire was completely isolated from the rest of the world. Discussions have highlighted the various edicts in the 1630s which on the surface were designed with a secluding purpose in mind, yet despite evidence of the limitations in trade and access as well as the expulsion of Catholics, there is irrefutable evidence which would support an alternative viewpoint. Kazui considers that the term sakoku the most popular term to describe Japanese international relations during the Tokugawa period, since Engelbert Kaempfers works were translated, is in fact not of Japanese origin and its literal definition closing the country diverges from the facts.  [1]  The contemporary term used to refer to the policy was kaikin meaning maritime restriction, appears more applicable when considering evidence of continued trade and diplomatic relations in the period. Historians have commonly come to describe the foreign policies and practices of Tokugawa rulers as based on seclusion and the widespread usage of the term Sakoku has arguably led to the misinterpretation and generalisation of Tokugawa foreign relations. The main historical focus has been limited to the role of Christianity demonstrating an intolerance to Western religion and of the port of Nagasaki as the only window to the world during the period, yet Ronald Toby and other recent scholars have examined the issue from a broader perspective including reference to the context of Japans North East Asian relations with China, Korea and Ryukyu and other examples of maintained foreign intercourse in order to give a clear outlook of the characteristics of foreign exchange during the Edo period. Whether or not the Tokugawa Shogunate intended to seclude Japan from the rest of the world is debateable despite the fact that foreign relations were minimised, especially with Europ e. It is also considered that the fear of foreignness was actually concerned more with the West than Japans Asian neighbours. There must be an appreciation of the individual examples of foreign relations as well as the changing nature of Japans socio-cultural character as a whole. While the traditional historians of the period give evidence for the assertion that the ancestral law of seclusion was rigidly observed, there are those who outline evidence refuting the claim that sakoku defined Japans foreign relations. The cultural and socio-political make-up of Japan was defined by a neo-Confucian feudal system ruled by provincial daimyo meaning self-sufficiency and a system of self-contained policy was naturally kept to during the period. Due to the nature of Tokugawa rule, contact with the outside world was seen as unnecessary, therefore foreign relations during the Tokugawa period are traditionally discussed in terms of developments in Japans European policy. This is understandable as there are two main connecting events which are easily identifiable as practical examples of a pattern of seclusion in Tokugawa foreign relations: the expulsion of the Portuguese in 1639 and the eradication of Christianity. The period is considered to be defined by seclusion, yet this may have been due to a combination of fear concerning foreign elements in society and Bakufu concern for Japans traditional culture. The position of Christianity as a religion influenced from the outside world gradually became untena ble as it was seen as a threat to Tokugawa legitimacy. Under the policies of Shogun Hideyoshi, the success European missionaries had enjoyed in Japan from 1600, effectively ended as the dynamics of Japanese politics were altered: through anti-foreign and anti-Christian policies. The seclusion edicts led to Christianity being persecuted and finally crushed an example of the proposed Bakufu reaction against globalisation.  [2]  The further example of the ban on Portuguese entrance into Japan makes it seem as though sakoku was observed at least in terms of securing the regimes own cultural traditions. Yet by barring the Portuguese and the removal of Christian influences shows the Bakufu leaders sought to eliminate only elements of unchecked intercourse such as the fear of foreign imperialism and Catholicism.  [3]  More favourable elements of foreign relations remained as proven through the allowance of the Dutch into limited ports. In this perspective, historians have come t o consider Tokugawa foreign policy as selective rather than a pursuit of total isolation. The discussion of the strictness of sakoku is not a straightforward one, as those historians who agree seclusion was observed differ in their opinions concerning the benefits and merits of the system. Varley argues that from the 1630s, there was an identifiable policy of national seclusion which actually created the conditions for the Great Peace of more than two and a half centuries. Varley proposes the intention of the Bakufu differed from the literal definition of the 19th Century term sakoku; it is conceivable that the law of seclusion was carried out in order to preserve national hegemony, At the time of its inception, the seclusion policy was more intended to establish a new international order in East Asia, with Japan at the centre than to seal the country off permanently from all but minimal ties with the outside world.  [4]  Furthermore, evidence of increased productivity in the 17th Century, as a result of the policy, makes the seclusion laws seem more positive and not for purposes of isolation. Varley notes that different historiographical viewpoints consider the termination of intercourse with Western Europe along with the repressive feudal controls over its people as arbitrary and reactionary and ignore the economic and social benefits to the measures. In this traditional perspective, the seclusion appears to have been simply for isolationist purposes yet the security of the regime was at stake and the Tokugawa rulers arguably needed to impose seclusion due to these threats. By considering that Japan took until the 19th Century to begin western style technological and scientific developments, the assumption that the seclusion policies were observed rigidly is plausible this must be true in some measure yet as Westerners still saw Japan as in the furthest extremity of the World and therefore inaccessible to an extent geographically, the advancements may not have been hampered by the proposed rigid observation of seclusion. Moreover Japan was no t alone in acting as it did, but one of several countries of the Far East that minimised or restricted trade and cultural ties with the Western world in the 17th Century. As analysis has traditionally been focused on the restriction of European relations, Japans diplomatic relations in Asia have largely been ignored, yet it becomes clear that generalisations about Japans foreign relations based on the exclusion of certain people, are inadequate to explain foreign policy with other Asian countries. For instance it is apparent that the Ieyasus edict expelling Catholics from Japan in 1639 cannot be regarded in the same light as other foreign policy. From the 1970s, Japanese and American historians have challenged the traditional view of a unique isolation policy by showing that Bakufu leaders kept Japan engaged with in trade and diplomacy, in order to emphasise the positive aspects of Japanese foreign policy specifically with neighbours in Northeast Asia. Ronald Toby, considers that an examination of Japans non-European relations highlights there was less discontinuity in Japanese relations in 1630s than is traditionally thought.  [5]  Trade and dip lomatic relations in fact continued in Northeast Asia, with Korea, Ryukyu and China all engaged in intercourse with the Tokugawa Empire. In terms of the development of trade specifically, Kazui refers to the request by the Bakufu for the Dutch to supply silk to the Japanese markets soon after the exclusion of the Portuguese. In this respect, there was undoubtedly a selective motivation for the Edict expelling the Portuguese in 1609, yet as the Dutch were given trading rights instead, the practical observation of the seclusion laws are more complicated under the surface as trade prospered through certain ports. Therefore the term kaikin, meaning maritime restriction is more applicable to the historical context. Therefore, in practice, each Edict should be considered in their own merit and not as part of a general theme of intended isolation. The Bakufu knew that new relations were equally as important to its stability as the foreign relations which it terminated,  [6]  and by ma intaining maritime trade relations with certain countries Japan recognized the advantages and disadvantages to the countrys security, as well as its economical and cultural goals. Recent historiography concedes that some aspects of the Tokugawa ancestral law of seclusion may have been observed rigidly yet highlights that these aspects may have been consistent with Japanese economic relations at the time anyway. The attention to Bakufu political actions, both domestic and international, give a more concrete expression to the sense of legitimacy it was trying to foster.  [7]  Toby deduces that Japans foreign policy goals were influenced by consistent legitimising principles and it was these which were observed and not the proposed isolationist seclusion: The Bakufu genuinely wanted to hold on to Japanese culture and perhaps were only minimally isolated but only because of the determination for legitimacy and security. The limit on foreign trade and ports was another practical means of satisfying the governments legitimisation goals and brought economic stability. The various examples of Japans continued trade: especially with its Northeast Asian neighbours a nd the Dutch, albeit from restricted ports, serve to invalidate the traditional view that that the seclusion laws were observed rigidly and were meant to isolate the country from the rest of the world. Granted, there are examples of changes in relations but these were in line with Bakufu goals in order to preserve national hegemony and secure Japans best economical interests. More recent historiography, both American and Japanese, is tremendously useful in examining the observance of the ancestral seclusion laws. It is arguable that a new generation of historians are able to examine Japan without the traditional emphasis on the countrys failings in comparison with the Western development and focus on the Bakufus eagerness to increase certain imports and the selective process of Japans international commercial activity.  [8]  Ronald Toby highlights that the restraint on Japanese people from travelling abroad is also disputed in Japanese revisionist historiography, questioning a chief representation of proposed isolation in the period. A balanced interpretation of this matter would examine the foreign influence especially of the Dutch in the period, to undo the exaggerations, yet it is conceivable that this element of sakoku did exist: the restrictions of movement under the Tokugawa reign were kept to as part of the fear of foreignness and was considere d at the time to be vital to the great peace and unprecedented economic productivity. There is disproportionate historiographical emphasis on the importance of the arrival of the United States in 1853 making the opening of Japan seen more drastic than it actually was. Hellyer notes that Japan was able to be diplomatically and commercially engaged with foreign nations, The Edo-period system of foreign relations allowed Japanese leaders to remain flexible and pursue nuanced approaches to intercourse with the outside world.  [9]  If Japan was open to trade and diplomatic relations then the seclusion laws could not have been observed in terms of the closed definition of sakoku, as conservative historians propose. However, the policies of the 1630s, exterminating Christianity and blocking European access to trade ports suggest a possibility that these differences were due to rigid observance of the seclusion laws. Yet the Tokugawa rulers limited and tightly controlled the access to political, economical, and ideological influences from the outside world, in particular, the West because they were concerned with the long term process of looking after Tokugawa legitimacy and not because they wanted to isolate Japan. It was these concerns which led to selective observance of elements of the seclusion laws as well as constant changes in diplomatic and trade practices. Furthermore, the stark differences between Japanese and Western development in the nineteenth century do add credibility to the more conservative scholars interpretations. Yet, there are examples of other countries such as China which also fell behind in development, due to its global position. With an appreciation of the instances of continued and in some cases increased commercial activity, there is a strong argument that the law of seclusion was not detrimental and neither were its considered isolationist elements observed with any rigidity.

American Oil Dependence Essay -- Economy Economics Oil Essays

American Oil Dependence Since the oil embargo of 1977, there has been an increased awareness of our nation's energy security. As global population and energy consumption rise, the need for a stable energy supply has become a hot topic and a politically volatile issue. As our negative trade balance grows larger by the day, the United States finds itself in a rather precarious position. We are becoming more and more dependent on Middle East oil. Indeed, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) predicts that domestic petroleum consumption will increase to 60 Btu by the year 2025. This statistic, in and of itself, is a matter of concern with respect to the greenhouse gas emissions that result from petroleum combustion. However, perhaps more disconcerting is the fact that U.S. oil production peaked in 1970 and has continued to fall since then (Campbell et. al., 1998). Therefore, the American public has turned to foreign oil, in particular Middle Eastern oil, to supplement its increase in demand. In an age where terrorism is at the forefront of people's minds, we still continue to import oil from the same nations that supposedly harbor so-called terrorist groups. The fact is that we are unwilling to responsibly face our energy future and instead choose to maintain a policy of increasing oil supply through importation. One of the main problems with this strategy is that it is a short-term remedy. Studies conducted by M. King Hubbert in 1956 predicted the rise, peak, and subsequent decline of global oil production. He predicted that global oil production would rise until around 2002 and then start declining (Campbell et. al., 1998). If one takes the oil embargo of 1977 into account, effectively decreasing the rate... ...to a fuel that, upon exhaustion, will mark our retreat from the global economic spotlight. Works Cited: Campbell, Colin J., Laherrere, Jean H. "The End Of Cheap Oil." Scientific American Mar. 1998: 78-83. Flo, Gary. "Lecture on Fossil Fuel Consumption." 8 Sep. 2003 N.A. "Environmental Advocates Statistics In Hand." 2003: www.geocities.com/Rainforest/Canopy/2743 Assoc. Press. "U.S. Auto Sales Hit 2003 High In July." USA Today 1 Aug. 2003: www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2003-07-31-autosales_x.htm Mills, Mark. "25 Years After OPEC's Embargo." Environmental News Jan. 1999: www.heartland.org N.A. "www.skyaid.org." 2003: www.skyaid.org/skycar/us_auto_statistics.htm Staff Writer. "Bureau of Land Management Maximizing Energy Development, Minimizing Environmental Protection." NRDC 7 Aug. 2003: www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/airenergy_publiclands.asp#1383

Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers

His name was Alphonse Capone. His background, along with thousands of other Italians, the Capone family moved to Brooklyn. It was a new beginning in a New World. The Capone’s were a quiet and peaceful family. Nothing about the Capone family was disturbed, violent, or dishonest. The children and the parents were close. They really enjoyed baseball and were often at games. There was no mental disabilities, no traumatic event that sent the boys into the dangerous life of crime. They did not display sociopath or psychotic personalities; they were not crazy. They were a law-abiding, unremarkable Italian-American family with conventional patterns of behavior and frustrations. They displayed no special genius for crime. Family Parents-Gabriele and Teresina Capone Brothers-Vincenzo (James), Raffaele (Ralph), Salvatore (Frank), Alphonse (Al). Home-The Capone’s lived in a cold-water tenement flat that had no indoor toilet or furnishings. The neighborhood was virtually a slum. Th e family moved to better lodgings in an apartment over their father’s barbershop at 69 Park Avenue in Brooklyn. This move exposed Al to cultural influences well beyond what was supplied by the Italian immigrant community. Most of the people living around Park Avenue were Irish, although Germans, Swedes and Chinese were also in the neighborhood. Moving into a broader ethnic part of town allowed Al to escape from the all-Italian neighborhood. In their spare time, the ragged children gave the streets an explosive vitality as they played stickball, dodged traffic, brawled and bawled. To be a kid growing up in immigrant Brooklyn, you had to be in a gang (Italian, Jewish or Irish gang). They were not the vicious urban street gangs of today, but rather groups of territorial neighborhood boys who hung out together. Capone was a tough, scrappy kid and belonged to the South Brooklyn Rippers and then later to the Forty Thieves Juniors and the Five Point Juniors Education-The school system was deeply prejudiced against them and did little to encourage any interest in higher education. Al Capone found school a place of constant discipline relieved by sudden outbreaks of violence. At fourteen, Al lost his temper at the teacher; she hit him and he hit her back. He was expelled and never went to school again. The immigrant parents expected their children to leave school as soon as they were old enough to wor... ...0th. 1918 they gave birth to their son Albert â€Å"sonny† Francis Capone. Capone had by then turned Illinois into a lawless state. People were actually afraid to pass threw this state because of it. People didn’t understand Capone, yeah he was a dangerous man but only to the people he need to be dangerous against. He wouldn’t just walk up and kill you, unless you deserved it. Plus he never did his â€Å"dirty† work he had hit men for that. Capone was later sent to Alcatrez prison for tax evasion. They never caught him for the many murders he plotted, the brotha’s, the alcohol only tax evasion. After about a year Capone had escaped. He went back to his power that was slowly dying. He rose again. After awhile he got sick of Syphilis. Later that year he had passed away on January 25th,1943. Although he had died his power still remained. The cops eventually cracked down on it releasing his power and having Chicago return to its original state. Al C apone had once said â€Å"You can go a long way with a smile, but a lot further with a smile and a gun.† Capone had proved that quote he made. He had always had a smile on his face and a gun in his hand with that he became America’s most popular mobster. Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers His name was Alphonse Capone. His background, along with thousands of other Italians, the Capone family moved to Brooklyn. It was a new beginning in a New World. The Capone’s were a quiet and peaceful family. Nothing about the Capone family was disturbed, violent, or dishonest. The children and the parents were close. They really enjoyed baseball and were often at games. There was no mental disabilities, no traumatic event that sent the boys into the dangerous life of crime. They did not display sociopath or psychotic personalities; they were not crazy. They were a law-abiding, unremarkable Italian-American family with conventional patterns of behavior and frustrations. They displayed no special genius for crime. Family Parents-Gabriele and Teresina Capone Brothers-Vincenzo (James), Raffaele (Ralph), Salvatore (Frank), Alphonse (Al). Home-The Capone’s lived in a cold-water tenement flat that had no indoor toilet or furnishings. The neighborhood was virtually a slum. Th e family moved to better lodgings in an apartment over their father’s barbershop at 69 Park Avenue in Brooklyn. This move exposed Al to cultural influences well beyond what was supplied by the Italian immigrant community. Most of the people living around Park Avenue were Irish, although Germans, Swedes and Chinese were also in the neighborhood. Moving into a broader ethnic part of town allowed Al to escape from the all-Italian neighborhood. In their spare time, the ragged children gave the streets an explosive vitality as they played stickball, dodged traffic, brawled and bawled. To be a kid growing up in immigrant Brooklyn, you had to be in a gang (Italian, Jewish or Irish gang). They were not the vicious urban street gangs of today, but rather groups of territorial neighborhood boys who hung out together. Capone was a tough, scrappy kid and belonged to the South Brooklyn Rippers and then later to the Forty Thieves Juniors and the Five Point Juniors Education-The school system was deeply prejudiced against them and did little to encourage any interest in higher education. Al Capone found school a place of constant discipline relieved by sudden outbreaks of violence. At fourteen, Al lost his temper at the teacher; she hit him and he hit her back. He was expelled and never went to school again. The immigrant parents expected their children to leave school as soon as they were old enough to wor... ...0th. 1918 they gave birth to their son Albert â€Å"sonny† Francis Capone. Capone had by then turned Illinois into a lawless state. People were actually afraid to pass threw this state because of it. People didn’t understand Capone, yeah he was a dangerous man but only to the people he need to be dangerous against. He wouldn’t just walk up and kill you, unless you deserved it. Plus he never did his â€Å"dirty† work he had hit men for that. Capone was later sent to Alcatrez prison for tax evasion. They never caught him for the many murders he plotted, the brotha’s, the alcohol only tax evasion. After about a year Capone had escaped. He went back to his power that was slowly dying. He rose again. After awhile he got sick of Syphilis. Later that year he had passed away on January 25th,1943. Although he had died his power still remained. The cops eventually cracked down on it releasing his power and having Chicago return to its original state. Al C apone had once said â€Å"You can go a long way with a smile, but a lot further with a smile and a gun.† Capone had proved that quote he made. He had always had a smile on his face and a gun in his hand with that he became America’s most popular mobster.

How to Find and Buy Quality Websites :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

How to Find and Buy Quality Websites Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com Most buyers don’t realize that very few of all website buyers are successful in buying a quality website. VotanWeb receives email form website buyers daily and the frustrations I hear from them are usually pretty much the same. Buyers need to know how the game works when buying a website. It is a lot like finding that great job – it takes a lot of work and patience. Most website buyers are unprepared, unrealistic, and think they will easily find that perfect website. If you are thinking of buying a website, you need to carefully read and follow the points below to be successful. To successfully buy a website you need to: 1. Have a one page â€Å"Acquisition Criteria/Resume† ready at all times - this info consists of the types of websites you are looking to purchase, what amount you have are willing to invest, how much adjusted net income you expect from the website you are buying i.e. return etc. Make sure you have your name, address, all phone numbers to be contacted at, email address, and fax number. 2. You need to understand as a buyer that most websites listed for sale have little or no value – you need to know this when you go searching. Searching for a website to buy is not like looking for a house to purchase. Houses may be overpriced, but most houses listed for sale have some inherent value. Most websites offered for sale have no value at all. 3. Take confidentiality agreements seriously. If you are going in with someone else to buy a website (like a partner) make sure you both sign and get it back to the owner immediately – don’t expect much information about the website without signing one. Keep all info about websites you look at confidential – you break the agreement and you will never have access to any other confidential information about any website on the internet. Of course, there are also legal ramifications in many instances. 4. Never ever tell a website owner these things: â€Å"Don’t worry I have plenty of money to buy a website – it’s none of your business†, â€Å"I’m looking at all websites for sale – I am not picky† – when website owners hear these comments and other nonsense from buyers they know you’re not a professional and they will usually pass on you.

Organizational Development

CASE STUDY MODULE 17 ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PQHRM/53-025 H E B MARASINGHE Contents Acknowledgement3 Introduction to the case study4 Literature Review5 What is OD intervention ? 5 Factors That Impact the Success of OD Interventions can be listed under two main headings,5 Intervention Categories7 The process of Organizational Development9 Change management11 Report to be given to CEO of Nuran food products12 Implementing an effective and successful OD process12 Impact of Closing down of plant in Kandy15 Recommendations16Acknowledgement I would like to thank all the lecturers at the Institute of Personnel Management, specially to all the tutors who guided and helped me to complete the 17th module case study successfully. And all my friends who helped me in numerous ways to complete the case study and to understand the subject matter. Introduction to the case study Nuran food products (NFP) is supplier of processed bottle food products to leading super market chain. Presently two fac tories are operating one in Kandy and the other plant in Colombo.Both of the plants uses traditional simple techniques in the production process, and these plants are operated by extremely loyal employees to the organization but not very educated and with very limited English knowledge. Presently the company is enjoying a good market share and the management has considered renovating the factories with state of the art equipment with the view of enhancing the production capacity. If new machinery is bought in the Colombo plant itself alone can meet the current market demand, and the Kandy plant could be closed down to minimize the overhead cost and to maximize the revenues.The new processing machinery equipment requires sophisticated skills from production operators including reading technical manuals, operating computerized equipment and performing a wide variety of other tasks. The vendor suggests that the new equipment is most effective when the employees are organized in to self managed teams. Presently the workforce is 65, and with the new modernized plant it will only require 55 employees. A manager who is supporting the modernization process has said that only 10 jobs are affected, and the HR implications are minimal.Under the case study a detail study will be carried out on all implications of the plant modernization in Colombo and Closure of plant in Kandy. Literature Review Considering the above scenario the organization is planning to do a development to the current organization. What is organization development? Organizational development is concerned with the planning and implementation of programmes designed to enhance the effectiveness with which an organization functions and responds to change. Overall, the aim is to adopt a planned and coherent approach to improving organizational effectiveness.An effective organization can be defined broadly as one that achieves its purpose by meeting the wants and needs of its stakeholders, matching its reso urces to opportunities, adapting flexibly to environmental changes and creating a culture that promotes commitment, creativity, shared values and mutual trust. An organization is the planned coordination of the activities of a number of people for the achievement of some common explicit purpose or goal, through division of labor and function, and through a hierarchy of authority and responsibility – (Edgar Shein) An organization development is done through planned organization interventions.What is OD intervention ? The term Intervention refers to a set of sequenced, planned actions or events intended to help an organization to increase its effectiveness. Interventions purposely disrupt the status quo; they are deliberate attempts to change an organization or sub-unit toward a different and more effective state Criteria for Effective Interventions In OD three major criteria define the effectiveness of an intervention: 1. The Extent to Which it (the Intervention) fits the need s of the organization. 2. The degree to which it is based on causal knowledge of intended outcomes 3.The extent to which the OD intervention transfers change-management competence to organization members. Factors That Impact the Success of OD Interventions can be listed under two main headings, 1. Factors relating to Change Situation: These relate to the environment of the organization and include the physical and human environment. 2. Factors Related to the Target of Change: These relate to the specific targets at which OD interventions are targeted. The targets of change can be different issues of the organization and at different levels Factors relating to Change Situation I.Readiness for Change: Intervention success depends heavily on the organization being ready for planned change. II. Capability to Change: Managing planned change requires particular knowledge and skills including the ability to motivate change, to lead change, to develop political support, to manage transition , and to sustain momentum. III. Cultural Context: The national culture within which an organization is embedded can exert a powerful influence on members’ reactions to change, and so intervention design must account for the cultural values and assumptions held by organization members.IV. Capabilities of the Change Agent (OD Consultant): The success of OD interventions depend to a great extent on the expertise, experience and talents of the consultant. Factors Related to the Target of Change: A. Organizational Issues I. Strategic Issues: Strategic issues refer to major decisions of organizations such as what products or services to offer, which markets to serve, mergers, acquisitions, expansions, etc. II. Technology and Structure Issues: These refer to issues relating to how organizations divide their work amongst departments and how they coordinate between departments.III. Human Resource Issues: These issues are concerned with attracting competent people to the organization, setting goals for them, appraising and rewarding their performance, and ensuring that they develop their careers and manage stress. IV. Human Process Issues: These issues have to do with social processes occurring among organization members, such as communication, decision-making, leadership, and group dynamics. B. Organizational LevelsOD interventions are aimed at different levels of the organization: individual, group, organization and trans-organization (for example different offices of the organization around the globe; or between organization and its suppliers, customers, etc. ) Intervention Categories Human Process Interventions A. The following interventions deal with interpersonal relationships and group dynamics. I. T Groups: The basic T Group brings ten to fifteen strangers together with a professional trainer to examine the social dynamics that emerge from their interactions. II.Process Consultation: This intervention focuses on interpersonal relations and social dynamics occurring in work groups. III. Third Party Interventions: This change method is a form of process consultation aimed at dysfunctional interpersonal relations in organizations. IV. Team Building: This intervention helps work groups become more effective in accomplishing tasks. B. The following Interventions deal with human processes that are more system wide than individualistic or small-group oriented. I. Organization Confrontation Meeting: This change method mobilizes rganization members to identify problems, set action targets, and begin working on problems. II. Intergroup Relations: These interventions are designed to improve interactions among different groups or departments in organizations. III. Large-group Interventions: These interventions involve getting abroad variety of stakeholders into a large meeting to clarify important values, to develop new ways of working, to articulate a new vision for the organization, or to solve pressing organizational problems. IV. Grid Organ ization Development: This normative intervention specifies a particular way to manage an organization.Techno-Structural Interventions These interventions deal with an organization’s technology (for examples its task methods and job design) and structure (for example, division of labor and hierarchy). These interventions are rooted in the disciplines of engineering, sociology, and psychology and in the applied fields of socio-technical systems and organization design. Consultants place emphasis both on productivity and human fulfillment. I. Structural Design: This change process concerns the organization’s division of labor – how to specialize task performances.Diagnostic guidelines exist to determine which structure is appropriate for particular organizational environments, technologies, and conditions. II. Downsizing: This intervention reduces costs and bureaucracy by decreasing the size of the organization through personnel layoffs, organization redesign, and outsourcing. III. Re-engineering: This recent intervention radically redesigns the organization’s core work processes to create tighter linkage and coordination among the different tasks Human Resource Management Interventions I. Goal Setting: This change program involves setting clear and challenging goals.It attempts to improve organization effectiveness by establishing a better fit between personal and organizational objectives. II. Performance Appraisal: This intervention is a systematic process of jointly assessing work-related achievements, strengths and weaknesses, III. Reward Systems: This intervention involves the design of organizational rewards to improve employee satisfaction and performance. IV. Career Planning and development: It generally focuses on managers and professional staff and is seen as a way of improving the quality of their work life.V. Managing workforce diversity: Important trends, such as the increasing number of women, ethnic minorities, and phys ically and mentally challenged people in the workforce, require a more flexible set of policies and practices. VI. Employee Wellness: These interventions include employee assistance programs (EAPs) and stress management. Strategic Interventions These interventions link the internal functioning of the organization to the larger environment and transform the organization to keep pace with changing conditions. I.Integrated Strategic Change: It argues that business strategies and organizational systems must be changed together in response to external and internal disruptions. A strategic change plan helps members manage the transition between a current strategy and organization design and the desired future strategic orientation. II. Trans organization development: This intervention helps organizations to enter into alliances, partnerships and joint ventures to perform tasks or solve problems that are too complex for single organizations to resolve III.Merger and Acquisition Integration : This intervention describes how OD practitioners can assist two or more organizations to form a new entity. IV. Culture Change: This intervention helps organizations to develop cultures (behaviors, values, beliefs and norms) appropriate to their strategies and environments. V. Self-designing organizations: This change program helps organizations gain the capacity to alter themselves fundamentally. It is a highly participative process, involving multiple stakeholders in setting strategic directions and designing and implementing appropriate structures and processes.VI. Organization learning and knowledge management. The process of Organizational Development Source : http://roblamothe. hubpages. com The Organizational Development (OD) process is complicated and it takes long time to complete the process. It takes minimum of one year and sometimes continues indefinitely. There are different approaches to OD process but the typical process consists of seven steps, viz. , initial diagn osis, data collection, data feedback and confrontation, action planning and problem solving, team building, inter group development and evaluation and follow up. . Initial Diagnosis: If executives recognize that there are inadequacies within organization which can be corrected by OD activities, it is necessary to find out the professional and competent people within the organization to plan and execute OD activities. If competent people are not available within the organization the services activities are to be taken. The consultants adopt various methods including interviews, questionnaires, direct observation, analysis of documents and reports for diagnosing the problem. 2. Data Collection:Survey method is used to collect the data and information for determining organizational climate and identifying the behavioral problems. 3. Data Feedback and Confrontation: Data collected are analyzed and reviewed by various work groups formed from this purpose in order to mediate in the areas of disagreement or confrontation of ideas or opinions and to establish priorities. 4. Selection and Design of Interventions: The interventions are the planned activities that are introduced into the system to accomplish desired changes and improvements.At this stage the suitable interventions are to be selected and designed. 5. Implementation of Intervention: The selected intervention should be implemented. Intervention may take the form of workshops, feedback of data to the participants, group discussions, written exercises, on-the-job activities, redesign of control system etc. Interventions are to be implemented steadily as the process is not short, quick for organizational malady. But it achieves real and lasting change in the attitudes and behavior of employees. 6.Action Planning and problem Solving: Groups prepare recommendations and specific action planning to solve the specific and identified problems by using data collected. 7. Team Building: The consultants encourage the e mployees throughout the process to form into groups and teams by explaining the advantages of the teams in the OD process, by arranging joint meetings with the managers, subordinates etc. 8. Inter group Development: The consultants encourage the inter group meetings, interaction etc. , after the formation of groups/teams.After identifying organizational development interventions the organization development process needs to be carried out. once the development is done the change process should take place, that is migrating from the old system to the new system. No matter how successful or suitable the OD process is if it fails to manage the transition period. Change management Above change management activities should be given priority. while appointing a change agent to drive the change management through. Report to be given to CEO of Nuran food products To: CEO of Nuran Food ProductsFrom: Harindra Marasinghe of XYZ company Subject: Implications of the proposed plant modernization in Colombo and closure of the Plant In Kandy Company is looking at an organization development process, that is it has shown the interest in improving its existing process in order to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency while gearing itself to meet external environment competition. This report will consist of following three sections, 1. Implementing an effective successful OD process 2. Impacts on closing down of Kandy Plant 3. RecommendationsImplementing an effective and successful OD process This OD process should make sure that it full fills the following, * It should be planned, * Implemented organization wide * Increase health and effectiveness of the organization * Planned interventions * Using behavioral science knowledge to understand people, business systems and their interactions How successful this process will be depending on the following, 1. How well this process suits the organization 2. what is the knowledge we have about the relevance of inputs and out puts o f this process 3.How well we can sustain this change management process Considering the above it is evident that the first two conditions are met beyond doubt, but the question is will it be sustainable? will the employees be able to adopt to the change? it is said by the vendor that the employees should be able to read the manuals which are in English and to operate the computerized equipment to get the most out from the new machinery, with the educational level the current employees have will they be able to cope up with this? Following could be suggested to overcome the present situation,Make the employees ready for change Let the employees understand why this change process is taking place and why it is important, what should be there contribution towards this process to be successful, listen to their suggestions and proposals. Make them a part of this change process. Give necessary skills to face the change situation The new processing machinery equipment requires sophisticated skills from production operators including reading technical manuals, operating computerized equipment and performing a wide variety of other tasks.The vendor suggests that the new equipment is most effective when the employees are organized in to self managed teams. Most of the employees have very limited English knowledge and reading the manuals will be a huge barrier, to overcome this it will be much easier to translate those manual to whatever language that they are familiar with rather than trying to teach them English which will be much time consuming and costly. Cultural Context The process have to suit the current traditional culture where supervisors make decisions and gives orders. his culture is successful in the company and should be maintained. Appointing a suitable change agent A change agent is an event, organization, material thing or, more usually, a person that acts as a catalyst for change. He/she should have a thorough have a understanding of the organization an d the process. Apart from the above following characteristics are vital, 1. Sensitivity to changes in key personnel, top management perceptions and market conditions, and to the way in which these impact the goals of the project. 2. Setting of clearly defined, realistic goals. . Flexibility in responding to changes without the control of the project manager, perhaps requiring major shifts in project goals and management style. 4. Team-building abilities, to bring together key stakeholders and establish effective working groups, and to define and delegate respective responsibilities clearly. 5. Networking skills in establishing and maintaining appropriate contacts within and outside the organization. 6. Tolerance of ambiguity, to be able to function comfortably, patiently and effectively in an uncertain environment. 7.Communication skills to transmit effectively to colleagues and subordinates the need for changes in the project goals and in individual tasks and responsibilities. 8. I nterpersonal skills, across the range, including selection, listening, collecting appropriate information, identifying the concerns of others, and managing meetings. 9. Personal enthusiasm in expressing plans and ideas. 10. Stimulating motivation and commitment in others involved. 11. Selling plans and ideas to others by creating a desirable and challenging vision of the future. 2. Negotiating with key players for resources, for changes in procedures, and to resolve conflict. 13. Political awareness in identifying potential coalitions, and in balancing conflicting goals and perceptions. 14. Influencing skills, to gain commitment to project plans and ideas from potential skeptics and resisters. 15. Helicopter perspectives, to stand back from the immediate project and take a broader view of priorities Above described is contingencies related to change situation. or this process to be implement smoothly following organization development interventions could be recommended, Human Proces s Interventions The following interventions deal with interpersonal relationships and group dynamics. 1. T Groups: The basic T Group brings ten to fifteen strangers together with a professional trainer to examine the social dynamics that emerge from their interactions. 2. Process Consultation: This intervention focuses on interpersonal relations and social dynamics occurring in work groups. 3.Third Party Interventions: This change method is a form of process consultation aimed at dysfunctional interpersonal relations in organizations. 4. Team Building: This intervention helps work groups become more effective in accomplishing tasks. The following Interventions deal with human processes that are more system wide than individualistic or small-group oriented. 1. Organization Confrontation Meeting: This change method mobilizes organization members to identify problems, set action targets, and begin working on problems. 2.Intergroup Relations: These interventions are designed to improve interactions among different groups or departments in organizations. 3. Large-group Interventions: These interventions involve getting abroad variety of stakeholders into a large meeting to clarify important values, to develop new ways of working, to articulate a new vision for the organization, or to solve pressing organizational problems. 4. Grid Organization Development: This normative intervention specifies a particular way to manage an organization. Human Resource Management Interventions 1.Goal Setting: This change program involves setting clear and challenging goals. It attempts to improve organization effectiveness by establishing a better fit between personal and organizational objectives. 2. Performance Appraisal: This intervention is a systematic process of jointly assessing work-related achievements, strengths and weaknesses, 3. Reward Systems: This intervention involves the design of organizational rewards to improve employee satisfaction and performance. 4. Career Plan ning and development: It generally focuses on managers and professional taff and is seen as a way of improving the quality of their work life. 5. Managing workforce diversity: Important trends, such as the increasing number of women, ethnic minorities, and physically and mentally challenged people in the workforce, require a more flexible set of policies and practices. 6. Employee Wellness: These interventions include employee assistance programs (EAPs) and stress management. above attention towards human resource will prepare the employees both mentally and physically to the change process. Above mentioned is the Human resource element of the OD process. ince the organization is changing techno structural intervention is important to the organization I. Structural Design: This change process concerns the organization’s division of labor – how to specialize task performances. Diagnostic guidelines exist to determine which structure is appropriate for particular organiz ational environments, technologies, and conditions. II. Downsizing: This intervention reduces costs and bureaucracy by decreasing the size of the organization through personnel layoffs, organization redesign, and outsourcing. III.Re-engineering: This recent intervention radically redesigns the organization’s core work processes to create tighter linkage and coordination among the different tasks Impact of Closing down of plant in Kandy Out of the 65 employees most of the employees who are attached to Kandy plant must be from surrounding neighborhood. As per HR manager the proposed new work force of 55 is adequate for the new operation, but the problem arises whether employees from Kandy are willing to travel to Colombo on daily basis, and even if they do what will be their output? If we terminate 10 employees what will be the mental impact on other employees? his might create questions about job security among other employees as well, and termination might have a negative imp act from the social perspective. Recommendations Human resource is the most vital asset that an any organization has. Nuran food products have been successful as result of its human resource. Changing the organization overall process will have a huge impact on all the employees and terminating the excess 10 employees will create an additional pressure on the work force. As mentioned above for the employees who are willing to travel from Kandy it is recommended to provide them with accommodation and other benefits.Naturally some of the employees will resign as a result of travelling distance problem, and it should be always kept in mind that this loyal work force have brought the company to its present situation, and it is recommended to keep all existing 65 employees. for future a good planned recruitment process should be laid down, educated people should be recruited and they should be properly trained to maximize the outputs. It is a good strategic decision to close down the Kand y plant provided content of the above report is taken in to consideration.

Healing Hospital: a Daring Paradigm Essay

Healthc ar grantrs pick out to r separately people on a personal level. The ideal of the heal infirmary paradigm research reveals that particularised archetypeion changes in healthc be environments fork over constrain affected role of straining and whollyeviate the consequences of that accent mark. These changes ass in addition help reduce medical checkup errors and hospital-acquired infections, while improving cater esprit de corps and efficiency (Kreitzer, 2011). This paper go forth rate the concepts of a better hospital, advances in engine room, the strong-arm design of the hospital and culture which bear on a holistic approach to patient care.Physical Environment The heal environment goes beyond just the basic facial fashion materials that make up the hospital. An actual meliorate environment is constructed to help patients and families cope with the stresses of nausea, and are giving from overhead paging, in-room intercoms, loud machines or n oise at the nurses station (Eberst, 2008). Hospitals drive to be free from personal disturbances which tail cause stress for the patient and their family. galore(postnominal) hospitals are under(a) constant saying. The loud noise of this verbal expression pile inhibit mend.Healthcare providers need to be sensitive to this and be patient advocates to ensure that the construction noises are at propagation when the patient is not in a suspensioning state. They can coordinate construction times during optimal patient call forth times. This will allow patients with adequate rest periods to promote better. Patients need internal break to completely heal. Human aura is an expression of what is taking place within the mind, the soul, and the nip of the individual. When considering this the air of the environment plays a deep part of the ameliorate environment.The use of chromotherapy, color healing, is essential when considering a healing environment. immature is consider ed the universal color for healing (Stefanidakis, 2001). use colors appropriately in the hospital environment can encourage frantic responses to enhance healing. If the incorrect colors are utilized the patient may chip in with symptoms of irritability instead of peacefulness or cheerfulness which could inhibit healing. Furthermore, the hospitals internal plays a major(ip) role in the healing outgrowth. eldritchity will be promoted if the interior reflects the hint of a religious cash machine such as exercising specific religious artifacts ghostlyity will be promoted. Hospitals can also incorporate open-plan visiting, decorative fountains, fireplaces, skylights and healing gardens to help provide a relaxing environment which decreases stress for their customer population. Technology Technology can help provide an overall healing environment. Medical advances in medicine and symptomatic procedures help provide airinessment for the physiological affection.Historically phys icians treat physical illnesses, psychiatrists treat mental illnesses and hospital chaplains deal with unearthly issues. Many times the physicial treatment of illness is the main focus of hospital staff. However, technology can also provide a way of better communication among staff and physicians with the use of cell ph stars. wire slight monitoring systems and alarm silence mechanisms can provide a quieter, calmer environment with less patient stress which promotes a healing environment. Although technology helps promote the healing of physical illness patient blessedness can be improved when a holistic approach is taken.The healing hospital incorporates technology and holistic patient care to provide body, mind and spiritual healing (Chapman, 2007). Spiritual Healing Spirituality is the search to live on our true selves and discovering the real nature of instinct (Russell, 2006). Many times healthcare providers think of patients based on their diagnosis. This thought proce ss depersonalizes the patient. This can lead to care that is not holistic. Healing hospitals promote staff precept and administrative support to provide patients with holistic care.If staff members enter patient live in a calm and unhurried manner the patient perceives this as a loving environment (Chapman, 2007). This approach to each patient encounter allows the staff to cover up all of the patient inevitably. In this stead patients will open up to the staff so that all patient ask are identified. The staff can accordingly recognize these needs and utilize all available resources to aid the patient in the healing process. Spirituality plays a major role in the patients ability to cope with stress and illness (Ashcraft, Anthony Mancuso, 2010). Biblical PassageIn times of illness people turn to their conviction and pray for help. The bible states The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness (Psalm 413, unexampled International Version) . This reinforces the healing the concept of the healing hospital and the power of prayer. Prayer is one of the most helpful ways of invigorate hope in our patients and families. This passage reinforces the look that spirituality is essential in the healing process. As healthcare providers we must be sensitive to our patients spirituality and incorporate this in our patient care.This is a paramount of the healing hospital paradigm. Incorporating spiritual healing provides holistic care that is essential in the restoration of health. Culture The concept of the healing hospital is gaining the attention of healthcare professionals when they consider holistic care. It is essential that hospital administrators as well as the staff embrace this concept to achieve holistic patient care. If everyone is not on the identical page, holistic care cannot be achieved. Many times administrators are dollar focused. In this process they lose site of the medical prognosis of holistic care.Many h ospitals struggle financially and in a knee-jerk reaction jobs are eliminated. This often results in fewer nurses with bigger patient loads. It also results in change magnitude work demands of other employees. Cutting corners to maintain dollars affects all aspects of patient care. Patients often tone of voice like a number or diagnosis and the personal aspect is lost. Patients emotional and spiritual needs are not met. How can hospital employees produce a healing atmosphere and provide holistic care to their patients with these obstacles? Holistic care can only be achieved in a loving, caring environment (Chapman, 2007).This atmosphere will produce better patient satisfaction scores and enhanced revenue for success. This also provides employee satisfaction which promotes better patient care. These concepts go hand in hand. The healing hospital implements processes based on subjective theories as well as scientific prove based practices to promote all aspects of healing. determ ination The healing hospital paradigm concept encompasses an all-inclusive treatment to meet patients needs for complete restoration. The components of this theory are a culture of loving care, a healing environment and technology with a unite work design.