Leisure and Recreation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leisure and Recreation - Essay Example Also what new ideas you would bring to that particular sports program.   Worth 25 points   b) Is there one thing that you’ve learned this quarter that has changed your mind about recreation? What is it? How did it change your perception of recreation? Explain in a minimum of 350 words. Give a strong defense of your point of view. Tell me and your classmates why you feel strongly about your position.   Worth 25 points   Answer these 3 Questions on Leisure and Recreation   (Question #1)   What are the benefits of leisure to you? Explain?   (Question #2)   In your personal life, do you leave enough time for leisure and recreation. If so, what do you like to do? Explain.   (Question #3)   What trends do you see in the future for leisure and recreation?   Without a doubt, instructional sports are vital to the development of any organization. Instructional sports incorporate discipline, organization, and vital teamwork that is necessary in to thrive in real-lif e. It influences individuals to focus and train on a consistent basis and enjoy the competitive nature of it. In addition, instructional sports are pivotal it enables children to grasp rules and tactics that are associated with sports. It develops knowledge and skill that are undoubtedly crucial if an individual wants to pursue particular sport as their profession. One key element that is vital in instructional sports that is not found in any other recreation is the fact that it builds leadership and collaboration. These leadership skills are vital as they cultivate an aura of experience that most children lack in their life. With experience, individuals can portray their willingness to perform and excel in sports. However, the challenge in recreation sports is to seek instructors and tutors who truly understand the game and know how to mentor individuals. Without proper mentoring, individuals will not be able to taste the true essence of instructional sports. These dynamic skills e nable individuals to mature and embed these crucial skills in real life. Hence, instructional sports are critical since they are a foundation of forming discipline, organization, and collaboration. In order to enhance instructional sports, I would bring professional athletes to mentor these kids. I truly believe that these athletes possess experience and instincts that can be truly valuable to this program. In addition, I would give incentives for students if they achieve certain milestones. For instance, if they are playing competitive football, merits would be based on goals achieved in their position. Moreover, I would try to attach the socialization agent with instructional sports. Instructional sports require team dynamics. Thus, allowing peers to collaborate with each other in a social environment can truly add a new aspect to instructional sports. Lastly, I would add technology to instructional sports, visual game simulation to mimic real life situations in a technical settin g. My perception of recreation has changed in many ways. First and foremost is the fact that recreation sports do allow individuals to experience their passion for sports and compete at a decent lever. Many individuals dream of competing at a professional stage. Unfortunately, they might not possess the talent to play in the professional standard, but they can portray the love of the game through intramural sports. Individuals who have other priorities can truly indulge in recreational sports without feeling the pressure of succeeding.

Analysis of the Allegory of the Cave Essay Example for Free

Analysis of the Allegory of the Cave Essay Plato’s â€Å"Allegory of the Cave† presents a visualization of people who are slaves that have been chained in front of a fire their whole lives. These people observe the shadows of different things shown on the cave wall that is in front of them. The shadows are the only â€Å"reality† the slaves know. This is because they have never seen anything else to compare them to. Plato argues that there is a critical flaw in how people mistake their limited perceptions as reality, as truth, and as what they believe to be what is good. The allegory reveals how the flaw affects our education, our spirituality, and our politics. The flaw that Plato speaks about is how people trust what they see and think it is real. In The Allegory of the Cave, the slaves in the caves know that the shadows, shown on the wall by the fire behind them, are real. If they were to talk to the shadows echoes would make the shadows appear to talk back. To the slaves, as Plato puts it, â€Å"the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images†¦. † The allegory also talks about how a slave is later brought out of the cave, in what Plato refers to as â€Å"the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world. † Once out of the cave, the slaves discover that what they thought was real is not. They learn to understand all of these new images as what is real and what is true. Since the slaves have been in the dark for all their lives, both literally and metaphorically, the light blinds them. Representing knowledge, the light is too brilliant for them to see and comprehend. The slaves must be re-educated. They have to learn that the reflections are truer than shadows and the objects truer than reflections. They must deal with a new reality that does not exist within the cave. Plato says that these people who are brought out of the cave must go back into the cave to educate the other slaves. But the only people who should be allowed back into the cave are the ones who are willing to go back. The people must teach the other slaves about the reality outside of the cave, and what is outside of the slaves’ reality. These are representing the philosophers in the allegory. The capacity to learn exists in the soul. Humans need to use their whole soul to learn, not just use their eyes. The allegory states that, â€Å"†¦the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already; and that just as the eye was unable to turn from the darkness to light without the whole body, so too the instrument of knowledge can only y the movement of the whole soul be turned from the world of becoming into that of being†¦. † According to Plato, human beings’ misperception about â€Å"reality† also affects the spiritual growth of that person. When the slave makes the ascent out of the cave that they have been in their entire life and sees the sun, they will be reminded of God. Plato wrote about how the slaves may even mistake the sun for God because the slaves would have no real perception of what the sun or what God looks like. Having moved from darkness into light, the slaves come to the conclusion that this bright light must be God. Plato argues that one’s soul holds knowledge of what is true. When one learns, one simply remembers. People originate from Heaven where they knew the truth. In the Bible it even talks about how on the outside people are wasting away every day but on the inside they are being renewed every day. One is renewed day by day by remembering things that their soul knows, but that they have forgotten. Also, Plato discredits a government run by the people in the cave who are uneducated and yet still fight for power. He also argues that the people who have made the ascent from the cave must govern, for they know what is real and what is not real because they understand that the shadows are only dreams, or something that is unreal. Plato says it is difficult to go back down into the darkness after somebody has seen the light, but they must. They must educate the slaves about the world above, so the slaves understand that power is not the greater good. Even though it will be about ten times harder to readjust to the darkness after descending into the cave again they will see about ten times better, because now they know the shadows are not real. They will govern with knowledge of good and truth. I believe that the Allegory of the Cave simply states that we must question reality and we must not trust just what our eyes tell us. We must know more than just what the eyes see. The slave in the allegory that makes the ascent and eventually rejects the truth of the shadows comes to know a truer truth. But then they believe what their eyes show them that is on this world. They have forgotten that they must question reality, because how are they to know that this reality is realer than that of the caves’? Somebody may wonder what if we are the shadows in the cave. And who knows. It corresponds to having an imaginary friend when a person is younger. The imaginary friend is very real to whoever the befriended person is, but as the person gets older or makes the ascent to the world of knowledge, they will mostly likely reject their childhood imaginary friends. Everybody is faced with a different reality where they start to believe that what their eyes show them is the only truth. They forget to question things and don’t realize that maybe there is yet another ascent, out of this bigger â€Å"cave† of the light. It may be something that nobody will know about until they reach the point of ascent. Human beings’ knowledge of goodness, reality, and truth will forever be limited by their fear of new ideas and new perspectives. As long as people are afraid of questioning what they cannot see, they will be stuck, chained up as slaves who are trapped in the darkness of the unknown in their very own cave.

Legal Research Assessment

Legal Research Assessment Question 1 Could Vincents security staff be given power to issue fixed penalty notices for disorder? Issues What is a fixed PND? Who legally can issue? How does this apply to these particular facts? Research Lexis Halsburys Laws of England – search â€Å"penalty notice for disorder† Result – 639 Directions as to Defendants good character – reference to Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s2(1) Search Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s2(1) – Part 1 deals with Provisions for Combating Crime and Disorder and within this section 2 with Penalty Notices S2(1) â€Å"a constable who has reason to believe that a person aged [10] or over has committed a penalty offence may give him a penalty notice in respect of the offence.† Note subordinate legislation Penalties for Disorderly Behaviour (Amendment of Minimum Age) Order 2004, SI 2004/3166 no reference to under-age drinkers in the facts so not following up further Reviewing rest of Part 1 and noting that under s(4) a â€Å"penalty notice† is defined as â€Å"a notice offering the opportunity†¦to discharge any liability to be convicted of the offence to which the notice relates.† S(1) lists offences leading to penalties on the spot and noting that these include â€Å"being drunk in a highway, other public place or licensed premises† , â€Å"disorderly behaviour while drunk in a public place† and â€Å"behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress† Halsburys Laws of England 542 penalty notices and penalties Halsburys Laws 543 deals with procedure Therefore appears that in addition to the police â€Å"accredited persons† may be able to issue PNDs subject to certain exceptions. Westlaw Searching for Police Reform Act 2002 s41 – accreditation under community safety accreditation schemes Applies where under s(1) a chief officer of police has entered into arrangements with an employer for the purposes of carrying out community safety functions Schedule 5 sets out the powers that may be conferred on â€Å"accredited person† Under s41 (4) chief officer of police must be satisfied that (a) the employer is a â€Å"fit and proper person to supervise† [the carrying out of the function of the accredited person], (b) the person themselves is a suitable person to exercise the powers (c) the person is capable of carrying out the function and (d) the person has received adequate training Under s41(5) chief officer of police may charge a fee for considering and granting applications Accreditation only applies while AP is employee of the person with whom chief of police has entered into the arrangement and for specified period, although can be renewed. S40 Police Reform Act 2002 – community safety accreditation schemes – under s40(1) chief officer of police of any police force may establish such a scheme Business Link website www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1084582443type=RESOURCES Guidance also found on the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/penalty-notices/212291 Essex Police website – details of accreditation scheme on â€Å"about us† page http://www.essex.police.uk/about.aspx Question 2 Would male customers have any cause of action against the Club for being charged twice the entrance fee of women on a Wednesday or Thursday night? If so, where could this action be instigated? Issues Is this sex discrimination? Where can proceedings be brought? Research As mentioned in memo that threatened to complain to Equal Opportunities Commission – looked for its website. Comes under Equality and Human Rights Commission (EOC) at www.equalityhumanrights.com/ Main legislation is the Equality Act 2010 which came into force 1 October 2010 and brought into one place the fragmented existing laws against discrimination. Guidance on EOC website suggest that businesses need to avoid unlawful discrimination which includes setting conditions – eg â€Å"ladies nights† would almost certainly fall into this. Says EA applies to both public and private sectors, Human Rights Act 1998 – to public bodies Also referred to Human Rights Law and Practice, Third Edition Lexis Nexis 2009 – EHRC is non-departmental government body Lexis Equality Act 2010 s13 Direct discrimination (1) A person (A) discriminates against another (B) if, because of a protected characteristic, A treats B less favourably than A treats or would treat others. s29 Provision of services, etc. (1) A person (a â€Å"service-provider†) concerned with the provision of a service to the public or a section of the public (for payment or not) must not discriminate against a person requiring the service by not providing the person with the service. (2) A service-provider (A) must not, in providing the service, discriminate against a person (B)— (a) as to the terms on which A provides the service to B; (b) by terminating the provision of the service to B; (c) by subjecting B to any other detriment. Part 9 deals with enforcement – s113 with proceedings, 114 jurisdiction, 118 time limits and 119 remedies. Important points – bring in county court in area where business based within 6 months of discrimination. Westlaw Equality Act 2010, Part 2 (4) and (11) â€Å"protected characteristic† includes sex. Recent news – Hall and Preddy case (unreported) – same sex couple who were not allowed to stay in bed and breakfast received  £1,800 each in damages Question 3 Is Lucca entitled to the additional 6 months leave? If so, does Vincent have to keep his job open for him? Issues What is the entitlement to paternity leave? Can Lucca return to the same job? Research Westlaw Search â€Å"paternity leave† – Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1055) came into force 6 April 2010. Under Employment Rights Act 1996 requirement to make regulations entitling fathers to paternity leave – 2 consecutive weeks within 56 days of birth. Work and Families Act 2008 inserted s80AA and 80BB into ERA – reference to ordinary and additional leave. Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002/2788 gave entitlement to 2 weeks paternity leave. Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1055) Additional paternity leave where child due on or after 3 April 2011 – up to 6 months and entitled to return to same job after leave. Internal Report Memo From: Trainee To: Supervising Partner Date: 30.03.11 Re: Vincent Grubnic, managing director of the Vortex, Night- Club Dear Supervising Partner Thank you for your memo dated 29.03.11 in which you requested I conduct some research ahead of your meeting with Vincent Grubnic next Thursday, focusing particularly on the following issues: 1. Could Vincents security staff be given power to issue fixed penalty notices for disorder? 2. Would male customers have any cause of action against the Club for being charged twice the entrance fee of women on a Wednesday or Thursday night? If so, where could this action be instigated? 3. Is Lucca entitled to the additional 6 months leave? If so, does Vincent have to keep his job open for him? Summary In relation to issue 1 Vincent can apply to the local police force for accreditation for his security staff to be given the power to issue penalty notices. In relation to issue 2 it is likely that the promotion described would fall foul of sex discrimination law and the complainant could bring proceedings in the county court and possibly be awarded damages. Therefore it is advisable that the promotion is changed. In relation to issue 3 it is again likely that Lucca will be entitled to the additional leave and, if his job is not held open for him, there is a risk of Lucca bringing an employment claim. Issue 1 Fixed penalty notices for disorder The starting point is the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (CJPA), Part 1 of which deals with Provisions for Combatting Crime and Disorder. This legislation created the power for the police to issue penalty notices for certain offences. A â€Å"penalty notice† is defined as â€Å"a notice offering the opportunity†¦to discharge any liability to be convicted of the offence to which the notice relates† . Therefore a person given a penalty notice, assuming they elect to pay the specified amount, will not be convicted of the offence detailed in the notice. If, however, they do not pay the specified amount they are likely to be charged with the offence and may be convicted. The offences which may lead to on-the-spot penalties include â€Å"being drunk in a highway, other public place or licensed premises†, â€Å"disorderly behavior while drunk in a public place† and â€Å"behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress .† The amount of the penalty is specified by order of the Secretary of State with the fixed amount for most of the listed offences being  £80, or  £40 in case of person under 16. The notice must include specified details including the alleged offence, the circumstances in which it occurred and the persons right to ask to be tried for the alleged offence in place of paying the fixed amount. Initially, under CJPA, it was envisaged that penalty notices would be issued by the police . However, this was later widened to include Police Community Support Officers as well as people accredited under a community accreditation scheme . The Police Reform Act 2002 (PRA) created the power for the chief officer of a police force to set up a community accreditation scheme. Under such a scheme, an â€Å"accredited person† has similar powers to the police to issue notices and therefore the chief officer must be satisfied that that their employer is fit to supervise them carrying out their role, that the person themselves is suitable to the role and that they have received training. Under s41(5) PRA the chief officer of police may charge a fee for considering and granting applications. Accreditation schemes are aimed at particular types of work including staff of private security firms . My research suggests that Vincents staff may therefore be able to obtain accreditation, assuming Vincent is prepared to pay the necessary fees for the application and training and that both he and the staff are deemed suitable to participate. If this is something Vincent would like to pursue, there are further details about the local accreditation scheme on the Essex Police website . Issue 2 Sex discrimination in promotions In order to consider this issue, I firstly reviewed the law in relation to discrimination on the grounds of sex. The legislation in relation to the various types of discrimination has recently been brought into one place in the form of the Equality Act 2010 which came into force 1 October 2010. I note that the student who made the complaint had threatened to complain to the Equal Opportunities Commission. The EOC now comes under the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) which provides a wide range of guidance and advice to both service users and businesses. The guidance suggests that businesses need to avoid setting conditions in promotions which favour either sex and suggests that â€Å"ladies nights† would almost certainly fall foul of the requirements of the new legislation. . This guidance is confirmed by the legislation itself. The Equality Act 2010 (EQA) states that â€Å"a person (A) discriminates against another (B) if, because of a protected characteristic, A treats B less favourably than A treats or would treat others.† The sex of a person is a protected characteristic. The EQA makes specific references to service providers and that discrimination is not permitted in the terms in which A provides a service to B. My view is that it is clear under the EQA legislation that service providers such as Vincent cannot offer a service at one rate to men and at another rate to women without breaching requirements in relation to discrimination. Turning to enforcement, this is dealt with under Part 9 EQA. The student could issue proceedings in the county court in which Vincents business is situated, which in this case would be Colchester County Court, and would have 6 months from the action complained of in which to do so. While he cannot make a claim through EHRC it may provide assistance if there is sufficient interest in the matter. If the students case was successful, he may be awarded damages and it is therefore advisable commercially that Vincent changes the promotion as soon as possible. While this would not prevent a claim, it would limit its impact and the interest of the EHRC. Issue 3 Additional parental leave Finally, I turn to the question of the bar manager, Lucca. The Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) states that the Secretary of State shall make regulations entitling fathers who meet specified conditions to a period of 2 weeks of paternity leave. This was carried out through secondary legislation in the form of the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002. The Work and Families Act 2008 then inserted s80AA and 80BB into ERA making reference to â€Å"ordinary† and† â€Å"additional† leave. Following this, the Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 (APLR) came into force on 6 April 2010 and made provision for entitlement to additional leave where the baby was due on or after 3 April 2011. It appears that Vincent does not dispute Luccas entitlement to the 2 weeks ordinary paternity leave. However, it appears that Lucca also meets the criteria for additional paternity leave under the APLR having been employed for more than 26 weeks, being the father of the child and, along with the mother, apparently expecting to have the main responsibility for bringing up the child. In addition, the baby is due after 3 April 2011. Lucca wishes to take 6 months leave beginning 6 months after the birth, which he is entitled to do providing he gives notice 8 weeks prior to the start of the leave . The notice must be in writing and include both employee and mother declarations that the purpose of the leave is for Lucca to care for the child while the mother is at work. The APLR also confers a right for Lucca to return to the same job providing he does not take more than the 6 months intended leave . If Vincent does not keep the job open for Lucca then it is likely that he will have been unfairly dismissed which may give rise to a claim. I hope this is helpful. Please let me know if you have any queries or would like me to do any further work on this matter prior to your meeting, such as contacting Vincent to ensure he brings along identification if he is a new client.

Computer Systems Analyst :: essays research papers fc

Computer Systems Analyst   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I push the button, I hear a noise, the screen comes alive. My computer loads up and starts to process. I see the start screen for Windows 95, and I type in my password. Even though this takes time, I know that I will be able to do whatever I want to do without any trouble, without any glitches, without any questions. My computer is now easier to use and more user friendly because computer systems analysts have worked out the problems that many computer systems still have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It appears to me that a career choice needs to contain a number of different features. The first being: Will this area of interest mentally stimulate me as well as challenge me? The second being: Is there a way of making a living in these areas of interest? And finally: Do I enjoy the different activities within this area of interest? From the first day that I started my first computer, I have grasped the concepts quickly and with ease. But the computer as well as I will never stop growing. I have introduced myself to all topics of word processing to surfing the web. After reviewing a number of resources, I have noticed a relatively high demand for technologically integrated hardware and software positions available with companies that wish to compete with the demand for â€Å"networking†. (â€Å"Computer Scientists† 95) This leads me to believe that future employment prospects will be high and of high quality pay within the next eight to ten years. The past, present, and future have and will see the computer. Since I have seen the computer, I have enjoyed the challenges and countless opportunities to gain in life from this machine. From school projects to games; from the Internet to programming languages; I have and always will feel like that little kid in the candy store.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Job Description   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Computer Systems Analyst decides how data are collected, prepared for computers, processed, stored, and made available for users. (â€Å"Computer Systems† COIN 1) The main achievement as a systems analyst is to improve the efficiency or create a whole new computer system that proves to be more efficient for a contracting company. When on an assignment, the analyst must meet a deadline. While striving for a deadline, he must create and comprehend many sources of information for the presentation. He must review the systems capabilities, workflow, and scheduling limitations (â€Å"Systems Analyst† 44), to determine if certain parts of the system must be modified for a new program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, a computer programmer writes a program that he thinks will be

Impact of the Internet in Our Life

Available online at www. sciencedirect. com Computers in Human Behavior Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 www. elsevier. com/locate/comphumbeh Impact of the Internet on our lives: Male and female personal perspectives Ann Colley *, John Maltby School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Henry Wellcome Building, Lancaster Road, Leicester LE1 9HN, UK Available online 30 October 2007 Abstract Gender di? erences in Internet access and usage have been found in a number of previous investigations. The study reported here extends this work by providing an analysis of the impact of the Internet on men’s and women’s lives.A content analysis of 200 postings from men and 200 from women, on the topic of ‘‘Has the Internet changed your life’’ invited by a news website, was undertaken then examined for gender di? erences. Results showed more women’s postings mentioned having made new friends or having met their partner, renewin g old friendships, accessing information and advice, studying online, and shopping and booking travel online, while more men’s postings mentioned that the Internet had helped or given them a career, positive socio-political e? ects, and negative aspects of the technology.The results are interpreted as supporting the view that the Internet represents an extension of broader social roles and interests in the ‘‘o? ine’’ world. O 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Internet; Gender; Gender roles; Gender di? erences 1. Introduction ‘‘The Internet is my job, my high street, my supermarket and my international social playground’’ (Female participant 63). Usage of the Internet continues to increase worldwide. In the UK 57% of households now have access, in comparison to 46% four years ago (National Statistics, 2006).The * Corresponding author. Tel. : +44 (0) 116 229 7188; fax: +44 (0) 116 229 7196. E-mail address: [ema il  protected] ac. uk (A. Colley). 0747-5632/$ – see front matter O 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10. 1016/j. chb. 2007. 09. 002 2006 A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 Digital Future Project in the US has found that 78. 6% of Americans went online in 2005, with an accompanying increase in the amount of time spent per week on the Internet (Centre for the Digital Future, 2005).A number of factors have been found to relate to access and use, including socioeconomic variables, demographic variables, and education (e. g. Bimber, 2000; Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005). One signi? cant area of research over the last decade has investigated the impact of the Internet upon di? erent social groups and inevitably work on gender di? erences has been at the forefront, with concerns about the presence and impact of a ‘‘gender gap’’ in Internet access and usage. A number of investigators (e. g. Sherman e t al. , 2000) have investigated this gender gap in Internet use.Bimber (2000) found gaps in both access and use among US adults, and concluded that, while access di? erences can be accounted for by socioeconomic and other factors that a? ect women and men di? erentially, the gap in use was due at least in part to gender-speci? c factors such as the male stereotype of computers, cultural associations between gender and technology and gendered cognitive and communication preferences. However, there is growing evidence that the gender gap in access is closing or has closed with more women coming online, and that the gap in use of the Internet is still present but may also be closing (e. . Cummings & Kraut, 2002; Ono & Zavodny, 2003; Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005). There continues to be a gender gap in usage in the UK: the latest ? gures from adults in a nationally representative sample of UK households show that 40% of women had never used the Internet in comparison with 30% of men , and 55% of women had used the Internet within the 3 months prior to the survey in comparison with 65% of men (National Statistics, 2006). In addition, there are further gaps in the frequency and nature of use that appear to remain (Odell, Korgen, Schumacher, &Delucchi, 2000; Ono & Zavodny, 2003; Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005). One of the issues that was highlighted early on in investigations of the gender gap, concerns the negative e? ect of the link between the Internet and computer technology. This area grew from work on gender di? erences in computer attitudes and use more generally, which showed more negative computer attitudes (Durndell & Thomson, 1997; Whitley, 1997), lower female self-con? dence and higher computer anxiety among females (McIlroy, Bunting, Tierney, & Gordon, 2001; Todman, 2000).The possibility raised in the literature was that girls and women were being discouraged from using the Internet because of its delivery via a computer interface, and because of t he association of the kinds of operations required to interact with it with traditional masculine technology. Indeed, computer attitudes and Internet attitudes have been found to be linked (Liaw, 2002; Schumacher & Morahan-Martin, 2001), and experience using the Internet has been found to predict both (Liaw, 2002). Durndell and Haag (2002) found higher computer self-e? acy, more positive Internet attitudes, longer Internet use and lower computer anxiety among male than female students, and gender was independently linked to Internet experience. Similarly, Joiner et al. (2005) found that a signi? cant relationship between gender and use of the Internet remained, after controlling for Internet identi? cation and Internet anxiety. This may be due to a number of other factors, and Joiner et al. suggest that self-e? cacy and expectancy of success may be fruitful areas to pursue. In addition, it seems that there are di? erential e? cts of experience upon anxiety in using the technology am ong men and women: Broos (2005) found that experience decreased anxiety among men but had little e? ect for women. Alongside investigations of the gender gap in use of the Internet, there is a growing body of research on di? erences in the use of the Internet for di? erent functions by males A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 2007 and females. This is a crucial area to pursue in order to understand the gender gap, since amount of use is inextricably linked to the functions erformed and the bene? ts of them for an individual. The number of potential functions of the Internet is very substantial and the activities are diverse. The current top Internet activities in the US are e-mail (top), general sur? ng, access to news, shopping, reading entertainment news, ? nding information about hobbies, online banking, accessing medical information, instant messaging and accessing information about and booking travel (Center for the Digital Future, 200 5).The available evidence points to variations in exploiting these functions of the Internet by its male and female users: women are more likely to regard it as a tool or means to an end, while men regard it as technology to play with and master (Singh, 2001; Turkle, 1984). For example, Tsai and Lin (2004) found gender di? erences in perceptions of the Internet among adolescents: males perceived its use as a source of enjoyment or ‘‘toy’’, while females took a more practical approach and perceived it as a ‘‘tool’’, ‘‘technology’’ or ‘‘tour’’ (providing the ability to navigate around di? rent sites and people). One area of Internet use that has attracted attention among investigators is interpersonal communication. This is due to the association of functions facilitated by electronic communication with the expressive and communal aspects of femininity, such as the potential for use in self-expression and the facility to communicate readily with family and friends. Thus, it was expected that women might engage with the Internet for such purposes, despite having lower self-e? cacy in relation to computer use.Jackson, Ervin, Gardner and Schmidt (2001) predicted that women would use e-mail more and men use the Web for information more, based on the greater interpersonal orientation of women and greater task orientation of men. This prediction was supported in a large sample of Anglo-American undergraduates, even after computer self-e? cacy, loneliness and depression were controlled for. Wasserman and Richmond-Abbott (2005) found that women use e-mail slightly but not signi? cantly more than men but that men use chat rooms more. A similar ? nding was obtained by Sherman et al. 2000) who found higher participation in chat groups among men, but higher e-mail use among women, and these di? erences remained among successive cohorts of students in the late 1990s, despi te generally higher use of the Internet. Women’s preference for e-mail and men’s for chat rooms re? ects the di? erent purposes of the two types of communication: e-mail facilitates personal contact with friends and family, while chat rooms can be anonymous and provide an arena for the display of power di? erentials present in society more generally (Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005). There are some null ? dings with respect to gender di? erences in e-mail use (e. g. Joiner et al. , 2005; Schumacher & Morahan-Martin, 2001), but methodological di? erences between studies may account for such disparities. With respect to other uses of the Internet, there is evidence that some of these too are gendered. Men are more likely to use game web sites (Joiner et al. , 2005; Sherman et al. , 2000; Weiser, 2000), download material (Joiner et al. , 2005; Teo & Lim, 2000), browsing or seek specialist information (Jackson et al. , 2001; Joiner et al. , 2005; Teo & Lim, 2000; Weiser, 2000). These ? dings provide additional support for the notion that men’s use of the Internet is more task-oriented than women’s, and the tendency for women to use e-mail more accords with their greater interpersonal orientation (Jackson et al. , 2001). They also support the male ‘‘toy’’ versus female ‘‘tool’’ distinction (Tsai & Lin, 2004). The research literature on gender and the Internet suggests that gender stereotypes play a powerful role in this as in other areas of human activity. Sherman et al. (2000) concluded 2008 A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 hat we need to appreciate that ‘‘online behaviors and attitudes are extensions of o? ine social processes and relationships’’ (p. 893). If that is the case, what impact has the Internet had on the everyday lives of the men and women who use it? With respect to women, Morahan-Martin (2000) concl uded that it has brought both promise and peril. The perils are an inevitable consequence of the features that empower – freedom of expression and free access to information, since these also permit the ampli? cation of behaviors and perspectives that support the gendered power di? rential. What has been its impact upon men? Is the Internet just another arena in which gender is performed? The empirical research reviewed here has focused upon usage and patterns of usage, rather than impact from the point of view of the user. The purpose of the data analysis reported here is to provide a picture of the impact of the Internet on the everyday lives of men and women. 2. Method 2. 1. Participants and data collection On 24th July 2006, the BBC News website posted a topic for discussion on its ‘‘Have Your Say’’ discussion section (http://news. bbc. co. k/1/hi/talking_point/default. stm), with the title ‘‘Has the Internet changed your life? â€⠄¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. The invitation issued to prospective contributors was to post personal stories about life in the digital age and how the Internet has changed their lives. The majority of contributors to this site used names rather than pseudonyms. There were substantially more postings from men, but the site was monitored until there were 200 postings from female contributors, then these together, with 200 postings randomly selected from among the male contributors were downloaded for analysis.The sample came from approximately 1200 postings during the period 24th July and 4th August. Selection for analysis was only undertaken if the name of the contributor was unambiguously male or female. The majority of the postings (92%) gave the town or country of origin, with 48% of the total postings being from the UK, 25% from the US and Canada, 7% from mainland Europe, and the remainder from the rest of the World. 2. 2. Data coding A content analysis was undertaken to derive category frequencie s for analysis.Coding was undertaken based upon content categories derived both from the existing literature and from a sample of the postings. These categories were: 1. Easy and cheap contact with family and friends (through e-mail, instant messaging etc. ) 2. Made new friends (through chat room, discussion forum, etc. ) 3. Renewed contact with old friends/family 4. Met partner/spouse (through chat rooms, dating sites etc. ) 5. International news sites 6. General information acquisition/research 7. Therapeutic/medical advice 8.Support for those with access/mobility problems 9. Entertainment (music, radio, movies, games, hobbies) 10. Travel booking A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 2009 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Online education Trading Banking Shopping Job enhancement (increased e? ciency/? exibility) Job hunting Assisted career path Job in industry Studying online Socio-political e? ects (global access to information, democ ratization of information, bringing humanity together) 21. Negative e? cts (pornography, phishing, spam, viruses, bad use of time, addiction, reduction of face-to-face contact, availability of illegal items, proliferation of uncensored information, etc. ) Reliability of coding was established in a 20% sample from the postings. Across all categories this yielded substantial agreement (Cohen’s Kappa = 0. 78), with no individual categories yielding ? gures below the substantial range (Landis & Koch, 1977). Gender di? erences were then examined using v2 tests. 3. Results Gender di? erences were found in the frequency with which a number of the categories were present in the postings (see Table 1).Chi square tests revealed that a higher proportion Table 1 Frequency of appearance of coding categories by gender Category Contact with family and friends Made new friends Renewed contact with old friends/family Met partner/spouse International news sites General information acquisition/ research Therapeutic/medical advice Support for access/mobility problems Entertainment Travel booking Online education Trading Banking Shopping Job enhancement Job hunting Assisted career path Job in industry Socio-political e? ects Negative e? ects * ** % Men 25. 0 10. 0 4. 0 8. 5 9. 5 25. 5 2. 5 4. 0 12. 5 1. 5 2. 0 3. 0 6. 12. 5 6. 0 1. 5 12. 0 12. 0 12. 5 31. 0 % Women 30. 5 20. 5 20. 0 22. 5 19. 5 36. 0 7. 0 5. 0 10. 0 6. 0 6. 5 7. 0 7. 0 20. 5 7. 5 3. 5 4. 0 6. 0 5. 0 21. 0 v2 (1) n. s. 8. 53** 5. 50* 14. 97** 8. 07** 5. 18* 4. 48* n. s. n. s. 5. 60* 4. 98* n. s. n. s. 4. 63* n. s. n. s. 8. 70** 4. 40* 7. 05** 5. 20* p < . 05. p < . 01. 2010 A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 of women’s postings mentioned having made new friends, having renewed contact with old friends or family members, having met their partner or spouse online, access to international news sites, being able to ? d information easily, accessing medical or ther apeutic advice, studying online, booking travel online and shopping online. A higher proportion of men’s posting mentioned that the Internet had played a role in their career path, that they had found employment in the industry, positive socio-political e? ects and negative aspects of the Internet. 4. Discussion The ? ndings from this study extend those of existing research on Internet usage by providing information on what men and women perceive as important to them. In some cases the ? ndings accord with the usage data, while in others they do not.With respect to interpersonal communication, our ? ndings show no di? erence in the frequency with which Internet-assisted contact with friends and family was cited as being an aspect of the Internet which had changed the lives of men and women. It is worth noting however, this was the second most frequent category occurring in postings from both sexes. Studies of usage have produced a range of results on gender di? erences in the use of e-mail, although on balance the ? ndings have suggested slightly more or signi? cantly more use by women (e. g. Sherman et al. , 2000; Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005). Our ? dings suggest that the impact upon men’s and women’s lives may be similar, although of course there may be di? erences in the way in which men and women enact relationships electronically (Boneva, Kraut, & Frohlich, 2001). Di? erential impact is evident in women’s higher frequency of mention of using Internet sites to make new friends, meet partners and renew old acquaintances, supporting the notion that women’s interpersonal orientation will in? uence their Internet behavior (Jackson et al. , 2001). This ? nding is of interest in the context of men’s greater usage of chat room sites found by Sherman et al. 2000) and Wasserman and Richmond-Abbott (2005), although our content category was not speci? c to chat rooms alone. It is nevertheless possible that men and women use such sites for different purposes and gain di? erent kinds or rewards from them: our data suggest that women place greater value on the facility to expand their social networks, whereas it is possible that men’s motives may be more mixed. Wasserman and Richmond-Abbott’s suggestion that men may be more likely to use them to play interpersonal games and display power may be relevant here, and accords with ? dings that men are more likely to be dishonest in chat room interactions (Whitty & Gavin, 2001) and lie about their sex, education, income and occupation (Whitty, 2002). There is a growing literature on the nature of online relationships and the characteristics of those who participate in them (e. g. Cheng, Chan, & Tong, 2006; McCown, Fischer, Page, & Homant, 2001) and it would be pro? table to examine gender di? erences in motivation to engage in interpersonal behaviors on the Internet in more detail. The most frequently cited positive e? ct overall was the abil ity to access general information on the Internet, although it was present in a higher proportion of women’s than men’ postings. This result contrasts with the usage ? ndings (Jackson et al. , 2001; Joiner et al. , 2005; Teo & Lim, 2000; Weiser, 2000), but supports the notion of women’s more practical approach and stronger perception of the Internet as a ‘‘tour’’ (Tsai & Lin, 2004), which may also explain their more frequent mention of news sites. The women’s more practical approach is also evident in their higher frequency of mention of accessing A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 011 online education, therapeutic advice, booking travel and shopping. However, gender differences were not present in other practical uses such as trading, banking and accessing sources of entertainment. In order to explain the pattern of ? ndings, it is necessary to take into account the broader context of g ender di? erences in social role demands and accompanying gender-related traits (e. g. Eagly, 1987; Eagly, Wood, & Diekman, 2000), in which the domestic vs. external distinction di? erentiates the focus and interests of women and men. Our data suggest that this distinction may underpin the impact of the Internet on men and women.The Internet in? uences women’s lives more than men’s in facilitating new interpersonal interactions, providing access to information from the domestic sphere, and facilitating the purchase of goods, and in? uences men’s lives more than women’s by providing employment or assisting career development. In addition there was greater evidence in the postings from men of awareness of the global impact of the technology, for example, ‘‘Never have so many people been empowered to make a real di? erence and get their message heard’’, (male participant 159).This external awareness is also evident in men’s m ore frequent mention of the negative impacts, ‘‘A disadvantage is the anonymity. . .. idiots can spread their madness, insult others etc. all without fear of being uncovered. A 60-year-old suddenly becomes an 18-year-old and vice-versa’’, (male participant 108). The gender di? erence in relation to negative impacts, however, raises several further possibilities. One may be that women’s greater interpersonal orientation simply results in a tendency to emphasize the good rather than the bad in responding to the discussion issue on the site.Alternatively, women’s more domestic focus may make them less concerned about the broader context and in particular the ‘perils’ of the Internet in relation to power and exploitation (Morahan-Martin, 2000), so ironically, one outcome of the tendency of the Internet to re? ect traditional gender divisions may be to reduce women’s awareness that this is the case. There are some limitations as sociated with using this kind of methodology which are shared with studies of computer-mediated communication in discussion lists (e. g.Herring, 1993), and which relate to the lack of information on the sample. For example, no data on age is available and this may be a relevant variable in relation to impact, since younger users will have grown up with the Internet, while older users will have adapted to its use. However, there is no reason to assume that their distributions among the males and females in the sample should vary and introduce a systematic bias. There is no information available on experience, which may show a gender di? erence since women’s widespread use of the Internet has been more recent than that of men.Whether or how length of experience might in? uence perceptions of the impact of the Internet cannot therefore be answered here but would be a suitable topic for further investigation. Finally, the sample is drawn from those who visit a news website rather than users of the Internet in general so could be regarded as representing a part of the population with a particular pro? le of interests. However, news websites are visited by a signi? cant proportion of the population: this was the third largest use of the Internet in a US survey for 2005 (Centre for the DigitalFuture, 2005) and 35% of a recent sample of UK citizens had accessed on-line news in the last three months (National Statistics, 2006). One signi? cant advantage of using this kind of data is that the areas appearing in the sample of postings are those that spontaneously occur to those submitting them, without prompting from an investigator. Consideration of the advantages and limitations of using the postings as data raises a further gender di? erence, which relates to the acquisition of the quota sample used. There were very substantially more postings on the site from men than women, even when ambiguous 012 A. Colley, J. Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2 005–2013 names were discounted. While this may partly re? ect a residual gender gap in access, it also provides a clear illustration of the di? erent uses of the Internet by men and women, which are attributable to socio-cultural factors and therefore likely to remain (Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005). Interestingly, Fuller (2004) found that use of the Internet by men and women in the US for political activities, such as accessing information was broadly equal but that women were less likely to post to a political discussion group.It seems, therefore, that it is the opportunity to engage in an anonymous form of interpersonal interaction in which knowledge and power may be displayed (Wasserman & Richmond-Abbott, 2005) that attracts more male postings to sites like the one studied here. The analysis of this sample of postings has produced a picture of what men and women who use the Internet regard as the areas with major impact on their lives. Our content analysis produced a number of gender di? erences which show that the perceived impact of the Internet broadly re? cts the concerns and motivations associated with men’s and women’s gendered social roles. McGert (2000) argued that viewing online behavior as separate from o? ine behavior produces an unhelpful dichotomy, and in order to understand the impact of Internet technology it is necessary to situate it within the gendered practices that impact on people’s everyday lives. Our data support that view and the conclusion of Sherman et al. (2000) that gender di? erences in online behavior will continue for as long as they exist more generally. References Bimber, B. (2000).Measuring the gender gap on the Internet. Social Science Quarterly, 81, 868–876. Boneva, B. , Kraut, R. , & Frohlich, D. (2001). Using e-mail for personal relationships. The di? erence gender makes. American Behavioral Scientist, 45, 530–549. Broos, A. (2005). Gender and information and communication technologies (ICT) anxiety: Male self-assurance and female hesitation. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 8, 21–31. Center for the Digital Future (2005). 2005 Digital Future Report. Los Angeles: USC Annenberg School. Cheng, G. H. L. , Chan, D. K. S. , & Tong, P. Y. (2006).Qualities of online friendships with di? erent gender compositions and durations. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 9, 14–21. Cummings, J. N. , & Kraut, R. (2002). Domesticating computers and the Internet. Information Society, 18, 221–231. Durndell, A. , & Haag, Z. (2002). Computer self-e? cacy, computer anxiety, attitudes towards the Internet and reported experience with the Internet, by gender, in an East European sample. Computers in Human Behavior, 18, 521–535. Durndell, A. , & Thomson, K. (1997). Gender and computing: a decade of change? Computers and Education, 28, 1–9.Eagly, A. H. (1987). Sex di? erences in social behavior: A social role interpretation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Eagly, A. H. , Wood, W. , & Diekman, A. B. (2000). Social role theory of sex di? erences and similarities: A current appraisal. In T. Eckes & H. M. Taunter (Eds. ), The developmental social psychology of gender (pp. 123–174). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Fuller, J. E. (2004). Equality in cyberdemocracy? Guaging gender gaps in on-line civic participation. Social Science Quarterly, 85, 938–957. Herring, S. C. (1993). Gender and democracy in computer-mediated communication.Electronic Journal of Communication 3, http://ella. slis. indiana. edu/herring/ejc. txt/. Jackson, L. A. , Ervin, K. S. , Gardner, P. D. , & Schmitt, N. (2001). Gender and the Internet: Women communicating and men searching. Sex Roles, 44, 363–379. Joiner, R. , Gavin, J. , Du? eld, J. , Brosnan, M. , Crook, C. , Durndell, A. , et al. (2005). Gender, Internet identi? cation, and Internet anxiety: Correlates of Internet use. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 8, 371–378. Landis, J. , & Koch, G. (1977). The measure ment of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics, 33, 159–174. A. Colley, J.Maltby / Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008) 2005–2013 2013 Liaw, S. -S. (2002). An Internet survey for perceptions of computers and the World Wide Web: Relationship, prediction and di? erence. Computers in Human Behavior, 18, 17–35. McCown, J. A. , Fischer, D. , Page, R. , & Homant, M. (2001). Internet relationships: People who meet people. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 4, 593–596. McIlroy, D. , Bunting, B. , Tierney, K. , & Gordon, M. (2001). The relation of gender and background experience to self-reported computing anxiety and cognitions. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 21–33. McGert, L. -J. (2000). ‘Nobody lives only in cyberspace’’: Gendered subjectivities and domestic use of the Internet. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 3, 895–899. Morahan-Martin, J. (2000). Women and the Internet: Promise and perils. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 3, 683–691. National Statistics (2006). Internet access. Households and Individuals. London: National Statistics. Odell, P. M. , Korgen, K. O. , Schumacher, P. , & Delucchi, M. (2000). Internet use among female and male college students. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 3, 855–862. Ono, H. , & Zavodny, M. (2003). Gender and the Internet. Social Science Quarterly, 84, 111–121.Schumacher, P. , & Morahan-Martin, J. (2001). Gender, Internet and computer attitudes and experiences. Computers in Human Behavior, 17, 95–110. Sherman, R. C. , End, C. , Kraan, E. , Cole, A. , Campbell, J. , Birchmeier, Z. , et al. (2000). The Internet gender gap among college students: Forgotten but not gone? Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 3, 885–894. Singh, S. (2001). Gender and the use of the Internet at home. New Media and Society, 3, 395–415. Teo, T. S. H. , & Lim, V. K. G. (2000). Gender di? erences in internet usage and task preferences. Behavior and Information Technology, 19, 283–295.Todman, J. (2000). Gender di? erences in computer anxiety among university entrants since 1992. Computers and Education, 34, 27–35. Tsai, C. -C. , & Lin, C. -C. (2004). Taiwanese adolescents’ perceptions and attitudes regarding the Internet: Exploring gender di? erences. Adolescence, 39, 725–734. Turkle, S. (1984). The second self: Computers and the human spirit. New York: Simon & Shuster. Wasserman, I. M. , & Richmond-Abbott, M. (2005). Gender and the Internet: Causes of variation in access, level, and scope of use. Social Science Quarterly, 86, 252–270. Weiser, E. B. (2000). Gender di? rences in Internet use patterns and Internet application preferences: A twosample comparison. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 3, 167–177. Whitley, B. E. Jr. , (1997). Gender di? erences in computer-related attitudes and behaviour: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 13, 1–22. Whitty, M. T. (2002). Liar, Liar! An examination of how o pen, supportive and honest people are in chat rooms. Computers in Human Behavior, 18, 343–352. Whitty, M. , & Gavin, J. (2001). Age/sex/location: Uncovering the social cues in the development of online relationships. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 4, 623–630.

Free Essays on Growth Of Holden Caulfield

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel written by J.D. Salinger in 1951. Holden Caulfield is the protagonist who tells the story of â€Å"this madman stuff that happened to me around last christmas†(Salinger,1). It is a very popular novel that frequently provokes strong reactions both positive and negative. Salinger wanted to capture the identity crises which many young adults of Holden’s age are caught in. he focuses on the character development. Holden narrates its own story from a psychiatric facility a few month after it. The story cover a time period of about three days which are greatly important as they relate the passage from his youth into maturity. Though his innocence has already been lost, he still hopes to protect others children from knowing about adult subjects. Throughout the book, he will change and will become much more mature, although his perception of the world as a corrupt and ‘phony’ place is not modified. Holden’s central goal is to resist to the process of maturity and to resist to the hypocrisy of the adult world. He is an atypical adolescent with special needs. Two traumas put him in an emotional statue: the death of his brother Allie and the suicide of one of his schoolmates therefore he suffers from depression which stems from a desire not to grow up. Traumatized, holden is terrified by the idea of change and disappearance; the symbols of the ducks in Central Park symbolize that change is not permanent. Even if they leave the lack every winter, they return every spring; therefore, some vanishing are temporary. It is a direct result of his inability to come to adult world. These had made him suicidal: â€Å"What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide† (Salinger,104). He is extremely immature and has a fixation on childhood. For him, it is a world of innocence, curiosity, and honesty. His glorification of children, his admiration of Phoebe (his youngest sis... Free Essays on Growth Of Holden Caulfield Free Essays on Growth Of Holden Caulfield The Catcher in the Rye is a novel written by J.D. Salinger in 1951. Holden Caulfield is the protagonist who tells the story of â€Å"this madman stuff that happened to me around last christmas†(Salinger,1). It is a very popular novel that frequently provokes strong reactions both positive and negative. Salinger wanted to capture the identity crises which many young adults of Holden’s age are caught in. he focuses on the character development. Holden narrates its own story from a psychiatric facility a few month after it. The story cover a time period of about three days which are greatly important as they relate the passage from his youth into maturity. Though his innocence has already been lost, he still hopes to protect others children from knowing about adult subjects. Throughout the book, he will change and will become much more mature, although his perception of the world as a corrupt and ‘phony’ place is not modified. Holden’s central goal is to resist to the process of maturity and to resist to the hypocrisy of the adult world. He is an atypical adolescent with special needs. Two traumas put him in an emotional statue: the death of his brother Allie and the suicide of one of his schoolmates therefore he suffers from depression which stems from a desire not to grow up. Traumatized, holden is terrified by the idea of change and disappearance; the symbols of the ducks in Central Park symbolize that change is not permanent. Even if they leave the lack every winter, they return every spring; therefore, some vanishing are temporary. It is a direct result of his inability to come to adult world. These had made him suicidal: â€Å"What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide† (Salinger,104). He is extremely immature and has a fixation on childhood. For him, it is a world of innocence, curiosity, and honesty. His glorification of children, his admiration of Phoebe (his youngest sis...

Shizue Ishimoto essays

Shizue Ishimoto essays One can hardly imagine the reaction of the young bride Shidzue Ishimoto (later Kato) when she first arrived at the small mining town in Western Japan soon after her marriage to Baron Ishimoto, an engineer with ideals of social reform. Descended from the Samurai origins, Shidzue was born into rank and privilege and raised in the mores of pre-modern Japan. The environment she encountered here was so much different. Sweet home' Isn't he teasing me' How could one live in a place like this among dust and the noise of engines'' At this my long dream was broken and I had to realize that it was indeed Kattachi where my husband and I were to live from now on. A poor and shabby village it was. (148) In her autobiography Facing Two Ways: The Story of My Life, Shidzue Ishimoto covered in detail the terrible lives of the mining families in the mid- to late 1800s. Men, women and children all worked in dark, unhealthy and dangerous tunnels for least 12 hours a day. Because of the low heights, most of the workers could barely stand up during working periods. Women had to creep into these passages like wiggling worms to pull baskets of coal out to the place where the wagons stood. A huge contrast existed between this mining experience and Shidzue Ishimoto's first two decades as described in the beginning chapters of Facing Two Ways. Because of her family's prestigious background, she lived in a two-story house, was cared for by maidservants and spent weekends in a country farm. At school, however, she met many "illegitimate little girls (51)," and noticed their life a tragedy. This part of her autobiography foreshadowed her later concerns for unwanted children. At 17, Shidzue Ishimoto was betrothed to Baron Ishimoto from "a family of wealth and honor" (105). Her "mountainous" trousseau consisted of jewelry and furniture. Wit...

Imperialism in the United States essays

Imperialism in the United States essays As Americans, it is our destiny to expand the size of our nation. Now, at the turn of the century, the United States needs to expand to support our growing county. Here is our chance to join the European imperialist powers in Europe and establish colonies overseas, such as the Hawaiian Islands. Imperialism is a global trend and if we, as a nation, want to fit in with the superpowers like England and Germany we must extend our economic, political, and military powers over weaker territories. Advances in technology are enabling Americans to produce far more than Americans alone can consume. However, the United States is in dire need of materials for our factories. As an imperialist, the solution to the American economic crisis is foreign trade. If we can trade our overproduced products for the raw materials that we need to keep our factories up and running, then the United States will be economically sound for years to come. As long as we export more than we import, our glorious country will be a leading economic power. Another reason for American imperialism is our desire for military strength. Because many of the countries around the world are establishing military presence in areas other than their home countries, I feel that it would be wise for the United States to build up our own military strength before foreign superpowers can take advantage of us. We need a strong navy to defend our shipping lanes during peacetime to ensure American economic growth. We also need a strong navy to protect our country in times of war. In the event of a war, the United States must be prepared to defend everything that we have worked so hard to achieve. With a strong navy and a canal in Panama, the United States would be the strongest country in the Western Hemisphere because we could easily trade with Europe and Asia. Along with ships to protect shipping lanes, the United States should have strategically placed naval bases in...

Death penalty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death penalty - Research Paper Example People have the natural fear of death, even if one is not thinking consciously about it. Criminologists have been studying on the matter to see whether the death penalty can influence the murder rates. In the early 20th century the results were inconclusive. Later in 1973, Isaac Ehrlich put forward a new method of analysis through which he displayed more reliable results. From his studies he describes that for every inmate who was executed, seven lives were spared because others were pulled back from committing murder (â€Å"Arguments†). The death penalty can also become a deterrent to crime. The early societies had always used punishments to discourage the would-be criminals from committing any crime. As it is a matter of great importance to prevent crimes, we should use the strongest method of punishment available to deter crime, and the death penalty suits to that. If the execution of the prosecuted criminals are carried out at pace, the soon-to-be murderers will be forced to think twice before killing somebody. The legal system of Singapore can be an example for how death penalty becomes a deterrent to crime. Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. In Singapore, â€Å"carrying over 30 grams of heroin† will result in the same punishment as murdering a human being (â€Å"Singapore†) so criminals will have to think before breaking the law, whether it is really worth their lives. There is a wide gap between the legal policies of Singapore and the United States. The US system of justice is very lenient to the criminals. â€Å"A murderer even with physically powerful evidence against him has the chance to appeal† against the death penalty. Contrary to the United States, in Singapore there will be no twenty year old trials or governors scooping into for supporting the convicted and the execution will be carried out swiftly (â€Å"Singapore†). It is advisable for all nations to adopt this policy. When compared to other forms of punishment such as â€Å"incapacitation†, a form of lobotomy or punishing a criminal to solitary imprisonment for 30-50 years, the death penalty is more humane. A person sentenced to life without any parole will never again see the daylight. He has to ponder over the consequences of his crime until his death. Looking through an emotional perspective, this type of lengthened, extreme level of suffering for a prisoner could be avoided. A widely spread definition of justice describes, â€Å"Let the punishment fit the crime† perhaps the best one ever existed and ever will. All the human beings have the innate tendency of craving for justice. It is the justice that prevents the society from falling into a tyrannical confusion where a normal person is always subjected to anger, violence, and stupidity of criminals. The law and the justice of a society secure the lives of its citizens. The Death penalty and justice are bilaterally connected. For the solidity o f the society, fair and fleet justice must always exist. The people who would obliterate the society through crimes should be completely detached. No other punishment serves this purpose better than death punishment. Looking through the perspective of justice, death penalty, in a society performs the function of wiping away its worst subject; the criminal one. As the governments change as do their policies too. A person imprisoned for life without the possibility of getting parole does not always mean that

Exercise Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Exercise - Coursework Example One can rely on violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act. The law however prohibits discrimination based on age. Section 622 sub-section 3(a) say, â€Å"It shall be unlawful for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, conditions, terms, or privileges of employment, because of the individual’s age.† It continues in sub-section 3(b), â€Å"It shall be unlawful for an employment agency to fail or refuse to refer for employment, or other ­wise to discriminate against, any individual because of such individual’s age, or to classify or refer for employment any individual on the basis of such individual’s age...† (Eeoc.gov, 2014). In the United States of America, tobacco smoking employees are protected by state statutes — Smoker Protection Laws. At the moment, twenty-nine states plus the District of Columbia have such laws operational. Although these laws vary from state to state, employers are generally legally prohibited from either firing or refusing to hire an employee for consuming any tobacco product during non-working hours and away from the employers property. Consumption of such products in the employer’s premises or during working hours is however not protected (Provine, 2007). In Colorado and New York there is no law related to tobacco use in employment relations. Smokers are however protected under other broader state statutes that forbid employers from discriminating against an employee who engages in a lawful activity seeing as consumption of tobacco is legally

Meeting the Needs of Millennial (Gen Y) Students in Higher Education Research Paper

Meeting the Needs of Millennial (Gen Y) Students in Higher Education - Research Paper Example The technological and sociological changes have influenced greatly upon the educational needs of millennial students. Internet has been the main influence on the educational process on the Generation Y students. Their needs are very different from older generations and educators have been trying to find how they can meet the needs of millennial students. In this paper we will review some existing literature and identify the gaps that exist in the researches done on identifying and meeting the needs of millennial students in higher education. Later in the paper personal perspective will be given on the issue of meeting the needs of higher education students. It is very important to first and foremost identify the needs of higher education students of Generation Y students. Much work in done in this regard as student needs are not only important for educational needs but also for business purposes. It is very important for universities and college to assess the needs of students and fulfill them in order to attract more and more students. New methods are being employed in universities in order to facilitate learning. The use of technology is one of the most basic improvements in educational facilities in the past decade or so. The infusion of technology is considered necessary in order to fulfill the requirements of millennial students as they belong to the information age (Dede, C. 2004). Computer technology is being made available to the students on campuses. Universities invest heavily on computers and internet because for young students these technologies have become a part of life and without it learning process cannot continue. Wireless internet services are now part of almost every university. This should be seen as an attempt by higher education institutions to meet the needs of millennial students. Universities are not only investing in computer technology and internet but they are also using

Technology Forecast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Technology Forecast - Research Paper Example It is for this reason that smart phone devices are ever power stingy. A Neuromorphic chip refers to minute microprocessors which are configured to replicate the work of the human brain. The neuromorphic chips replicate the functioning of the biological neurons that are found in the human brain. The chips provide an insight on how the brain of a rational human being processes information. If the technology is actualized, it would lead to the development of electronic systems that are extremely fast, utilize minimal power and can easily make sense of sensory input and undertake to deliver in real time the tasks that are user defined (Rothenbuhler, 2013). More significantly, devices that are based on the neuromorphic chip will have the ability to interact with the world in exactly the same manner a human being would. Robotic medical devices will be in a position to track a patient’s response to medication over a certain time period and learn to review the dosage limit and catch other problems just like a doctor would. Just by wearing a smartphone gear, it may work with the brain to establish who one is thinking about and in that instance place a call to that particular person. Alarms in the schedule might go off in the expected time even though such alarms were not preset. . Toby Delbruck and Shih-Chii Liu (2012) observe that conventional technology has always been far outpaced by biological efficiency and it is for this reason that neuromorphic engineering designers have set out to develop electronic systems which have a similar computational style with the human biological system. The authors observe that neuromoprhic engineers are already making notable milestones characterized by the ever increasing number of sensory applications and sensors that have the capacity to communicate through signals that resemble the neural spikes in a human brain. Other pointer towards the expected breakthrough and large scale deployment of the neuromorphic chips

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 21

Marketing - Essay Example In this paper, we will define this product category as clearly as possible and we will then examine it thoroughly. As mentioned in the introduction section, the product category chosen is apparel. Apparel is clothing in general. This could range from t-shirts to dresses to cardigans to skirts to denim wear. Some people may even include under garments in this category but for our purpose, we will only consider outer garments or attire. We will later consider companies who make these, other products and product categories that compete with these also. Outer garments or clothing may range from casual, inexpensive t-shirts to sophisticated, costly and maybe even branded suits. Companies who sell (and/or make) casual clothing include Abercrombie and Fitch, Gap, Guess, Old Navy etc. Companies or designers who sell expensive branded clothing are Armani, Prada, Chanel, etc. There are several others that sell both types of clothing or only one of them that are not mentioned above. The point that I am trying to make is that clothes as a product category is not singular. It has many different branches, as mentioned above. We will mainly consider casual apparel retail products. Another way of further categorizing the clothes category is in terms of gender and also age. For example, some companies provide apparel for women only such as Ann Taylor. Others provide clothing for only men or most retailers sell both men and women apparel. Another sub-category of the apparel product category is clothing in terms of age, for example, Toddlers, Children, Teenagers. There are retailers that provide one of them or all of them. Some retailers may specialize in providing only apparel for new born babies, toddlers and pregnant women (maternity apparel) such as Mother Care. There are many different retailers in the apparel retail industry in the US. According to a report by Nielsen Net Ratings,

Can People Govern Themselves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Can People Govern Themselves - Essay Example According to blog â€Å"a†, a business that only puts qualified people in leadership positions gives out good result while democracy lets any fool who is elected have power and the results are chaos. To an extent, I agree with the above statement because democracy is the rule by vote and a person can be popular based on other factors other than credibility and efficiency. It is not strange to find a company that was running well on profits suddenly collapse due to poor governance based on elected leader. While it is fair to include the views of the people in running an organization or a country, it is also wise to include serious scrutiny of their character and their effectiveness to the position they are being given. Democracy is not entirely bad as sometimes people’s judgment of character can be right through various interactions with the person or people vying for a leadership position; they can be able to tell whether the person will be effective. A person with soci al skills is highly favored as he or she is thought to understand and solve problems fairly. Choosing leaders based on qualifications is the other alternative. People with high qualifications and references are thought to have a proper managerial skill, organized and goal oriented. Their dedication to their studies is believed to be also reflected in the work they are entrusted with. However, people can be highly qualified but lack the necessary values needed to work in an organization such as honesty. In summary, democracy cannot work effectively on its own.

Technology Forecast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Technology Forecast - Research Paper Example It is for this reason that smart phone devices are ever power stingy. A Neuromorphic chip refers to minute microprocessors which are configured to replicate the work of the human brain. The neuromorphic chips replicate the functioning of the biological neurons that are found in the human brain. The chips provide an insight on how the brain of a rational human being processes information. If the technology is actualized, it would lead to the development of electronic systems that are extremely fast, utilize minimal power and can easily make sense of sensory input and undertake to deliver in real time the tasks that are user defined (Rothenbuhler, 2013). More significantly, devices that are based on the neuromorphic chip will have the ability to interact with the world in exactly the same manner a human being would. Robotic medical devices will be in a position to track a patient’s response to medication over a certain time period and learn to review the dosage limit and catch other problems just like a doctor would. Just by wearing a smartphone gear, it may work with the brain to establish who one is thinking about and in that instance place a call to that particular person. Alarms in the schedule might go off in the expected time even though such alarms were not preset. . Toby Delbruck and Shih-Chii Liu (2012) observe that conventional technology has always been far outpaced by biological efficiency and it is for this reason that neuromorphic engineering designers have set out to develop electronic systems which have a similar computational style with the human biological system. The authors observe that neuromoprhic engineers are already making notable milestones characterized by the ever increasing number of sensory applications and sensors that have the capacity to communicate through signals that resemble the neural spikes in a human brain. Other pointer towards the expected breakthrough and large scale deployment of the neuromorphic chips

Can People Govern Themselves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Can People Govern Themselves - Essay Example According to blog â€Å"a†, a business that only puts qualified people in leadership positions gives out good result while democracy lets any fool who is elected have power and the results are chaos. To an extent, I agree with the above statement because democracy is the rule by vote and a person can be popular based on other factors other than credibility and efficiency. It is not strange to find a company that was running well on profits suddenly collapse due to poor governance based on elected leader. While it is fair to include the views of the people in running an organization or a country, it is also wise to include serious scrutiny of their character and their effectiveness to the position they are being given. Democracy is not entirely bad as sometimes people’s judgment of character can be right through various interactions with the person or people vying for a leadership position; they can be able to tell whether the person will be effective. A person with soci al skills is highly favored as he or she is thought to understand and solve problems fairly. Choosing leaders based on qualifications is the other alternative. People with high qualifications and references are thought to have a proper managerial skill, organized and goal oriented. Their dedication to their studies is believed to be also reflected in the work they are entrusted with. However, people can be highly qualified but lack the necessary values needed to work in an organization such as honesty. In summary, democracy cannot work effectively on its own.

Mark Rydells On Golden Pond Essay Example for Free

Mark Rydells On Golden Pond Essay Mark Rydells On Golden Pond is a drama that emphasizes the stages people of various ages endures. Utilizing Erik Eriksons Psychosocial Stages as learned in class, each of the main characters can be placed within a stage and their age-related crises analyzed. The film being so close to a familys life, it becomes relatable to the audience, prompting personal reactions as well as implementing life examples of some of the theories studied in class. As there are plenty of characters that all develop changes throughout the movie, the most influential would be the main character, Norman Thayer. Throughout the movie Norman shows many prime examples or physical, cognitive, and emotional changes. All of these are tied into Normans challenge of accepting the fact of his own age and maybe the idea of death. On Golden Pond is based off of accepting the fact of age, family, and dying. With this being the main focus the story goes deep and wraps around Normans physical state. Norman is approaching his Eightieth birthday, and one can only imagine a persons physical appearance at this age. He is wrinkled all along his body, kind of like a shriveled up prune. Glasses rest upon his face, and he has very little hair, which he hides with a fisherman hat. Norman has many health problems such as arthritis and palpitations, but his most pressing health issue is his slow mental decline. He knows he is not at the top of his game anymore so grumpiness and a sharp tongue is his cover. According to Eriksons stages Norman would be considered in the Late Adulthood category. The physical state of people in this category is everything that Norman is facing. Vision becomes worse, hence why Norman wears glasses. The skin starts to become wrinkled and tough, hair loss occurs a lot faster. When this point in your life is reached the person is supposed to take the time and find meaning and satisfaction in their life  rather than to become bitter and not resolve the conflict of integrity versus despair. When a person is unsuccessful at doing so they tend to feel as if their life has been wasted and will go on with many regrets. They then will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair. Norman faces this problem because he cannot find it in him to love his life, or to accept what is happening to him as he ages. Along with physical changes throughout a persons life comes cognitive development. These are the strongest developments and changes a person goes through in their life because they affect the person the most, without us realizing whats actually happening. Throughout the movie Norman experiences cognitive development and it really shows through. When a person enters their Late Adulthood cognitive development includes many things. McGraw-Hill (2006) states the following: Some aspects of memory, such as sensory memory, semantic and procedural memory, and priming appear nearly as efficient in older adults as in younger people. Other aspects, mainly the capacity of working memory and the ability to recall specific events or recently learned information, are often less efficient. This information goes along perfectly with the character Norman. One of Normans toughest challenges is his loss of memory, and he is in denial about it. A scene in the movie where this is present is when Normal proceeds to tell his wife Ethel that he has gotten lost in the woods. While Norman is on his walk he becomes disoriented and scared, wandering off the trail and into the woods. After a short run that causes him to pant heavily, he finds his way back to the cottage without giving Ethel any suspicions of the incident. He then soon begins to confess to Ethel that he got lost on his walk and needed to rush back to her. She embraces him and reassures him they will go on that same walk together to regain his memory. He wonders why she loves him so much. Norman throughout the movie also has other incidents of decline in his memory. Throughout all the years he was known for taking his boat out on the pond and going fishing, this year when he tries its almost like he forgets how to steer it. It gets so bad that Billy takes over the boat, and Norman actually leads him into a patch full of rocks, which  damages the boat and throws Norman overboard. Womens childhood relationships with their fathers are important to them all their lives. Regardless of age or status, women who seem clearest about their goals and most satisfied with their lives and personal and family relationships usually remember that their fathers enjoyed them and were actively interested in their development. (Chess, Stella). Among from all the other twists and turns a person goes through in their lifetime, emotional development is by far the best and the worst. In this movie an emotional relationship is what its solely based off of. Norman has lived his whole entire life without having a relationship with his daughter Chelsea. In fact she hasnt seen him in years and for the first time she is coming to spend time for his big birthday. When Chelsea arrives the tension and resentment is so present with both the characters. Normans problem is that he doesnt realize his words and actions strongly affect Chelsea in more than one-way. One scene that really shows how Norman feels about life and that can really affect Chelsea is when they assemble for his birthday cake. He states that he has little to say for living for four score years. Instead of expressing his love to his daughter he makes her feel as if she has had no impact on him what so ever. That very next day Chelsea tells her mother Ethel that even though she is all the way in Los Angeles he makes her feel inadequate from a distance. Now every person knows that in order to build a relationship it takes two. Another relationship Norman builds throughout the movie is through Chelseas stepson Billy. Billy gives Norman a run for his money and shows him that not everyone will take his negativity. Norman and the boy slowly begin to bond and share laughs with each other. Their biggest bonding experience is when they go fishing out on the lake to catch the big fish they call Walter. These experiences that Norman shares with Billy make him realize all he has missed out on with his own daughter Chelsea. Rougemont-Bucking (2013) research states the following: In particular, it focuses on the fact that the limited capacity of the working memory to process now-relevant information can be turned into an advantage, when the individual is occupied by dealing with unpleasant emotion. Based on a  phenomenon known as dual-task interference (DTI), this emotion can be chased by intense arousal due to clearly identifiable external stressors. This research on emotional development fits perfectly with Late Adulthood and maybe as to why Norman is so distant with his daughter. Since his memory is going slowly declining, his mind doesnt find it hard to deal with unpleasant emotion. Norman is kind of like a rock he is just there and doesnt feel much. To go back to the quote from before Womens relationships with their fathers are important to them all their life†¦ This quote ties my paper together perfectly. As much as it is a quote more to Chelsea than Norman it strongly shows how a daughter can be so affected without a fathers love and support. This movie is not only based off of Normans aging and one of his last summers but it is about the growth of a daughter and fathers nonexistent relationship. Throughout the movie Norman shows many prime examples or physical, cognitive, and emotional changes. We as an audience go into the mind of Norman Thayer and learn that even as a grumpy old soul, somewhere deep down in there is a huge heart with lots of love to give. WORKS CITED Gilbert B. (Producer), Rydell M. (Director). (1981) _On Golden Pond_ (Motion Picture). United States: Universal Pictures Papalia, D. E. Olds. S. W. Feldman. R. D (2006). Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood. _Higered.mcgraw-hill_. Retrieved November 28, 2013, http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com. Rougemont-Bucking, A: Grivel J. (2013). Risk Perception and Emotional Coping: A Pathway for Behavioral Addiction?. European Addiction Research (20.2), 49. (November 28, 2013) from Proquest on the World Wide Web: http://proquest.umi.com/pdqweb

Problem Solving Creative Thinking And Decision Making

Problem Solving Creative Thinking And Decision Making Problem solving is a skill. Managers and leaders spend much of their time solving problems and making decisions. The nature of the problems can be small, large, complex or simple and its the role of the manager to establish an approach to resolving the problem. Being faced with problems often results in people becoming uncomfortable and afraid, trying to find a solution immediately without analyzing the problem and looking for someone to blame. Problems occur every day and cannot be escaped. It should be viewed as opportunities to improve systems and relationships within organizations. The tendency to try and find a solution immediately is one of the fundamental mistakes in problem solving as the solution should be founded at the end of the process rather than at the beginning. Using an approach that worked previously can leave you solving the same problem over and over again. We are born problem solvers and build our confidence when we solve problems. Having a good process and approach to problems can solve them quickly and effectively. 2. Problem Solving and Decision Making Framework Organisations struggle with inherently the same problems year after year. The lack of a comprehensive and structured process is the reason for this failure. An organized approach using simple principles and a clear defined approach can facilitate permanent solutions. The 7 step problem solving process is an effective problem solving process that consists of a sequence of sections that fit together. Within each section, there are various tools that can be used to work through the problem and find out what is really going on. It is useful to have such a structure to ensure that nothing is overlooked. Figure : 7 Step Problem Solving Process 2.1 Define/Identify the Problem At this point, people react to what they think the problem is. Instead, we should seek to understand more about why we think there is a problem. It is imperative to deal with the real problem and not the symptoms. With input from yourself and others, a serious of questions on the problem should be addressed. Use the 5 Ws and an H to collect statistics on the problem: a) What can you see that causes the problem b) Where does it occur c) When is it happening d) Why is it happening e) With whom is it happening f) How is it happening At this stage, a problem statement should be developed and written down. This will ensure that you are tackling the actual problem and not a side issue or part of the problem. A problem clearly stated is a problem half solved. (Dorothea Brande). Writing the statement will ensure that everyone can quickly understand what the problem is. The problem can be re-phrased as a goal objective. This provides a focus and direction for the problem-solvers that is measurable. The problem statement should also attempt to have a target date identified and scoped so that it can be realistically tackled. 2.2 Analyse the Problem In this stage of the problem solving, critical input from people who have noticed the problem and who are effected by the problem should be gathered and sifted. The problem needs to viewed from a variety of viewpoints. Several questions should be asked to gather the required information : What is the history of the problem? How long has it existed? How serious is the problem? What are the causes of the problem? What are the effects of the problem? What are the symptoms of the problem? What methods does the team already have for dealing with the problem? What are the limitations of those methods? How much freedom does the team have in gathering information and attempting to solve the problem? What obstacles keep the team from achieving the goal? Can the problem be divided into sub problems for definition and analysis? Understanding where the problem is arising from, its fit in the current development and what the current environments are, is critical when working out if a solution will work or not. The problem definitions validity can be checked here by stepping back and assessing the current situation and what needs to be changed. The cause of the problem should be written down in terms of what is happening, where, when, how, with whom and why. 2.3 Generate Possible Solutions At this stage, the team and yourself should generate a number of possible solutions. No evaluation of the solutions should occur but rather the effort should be concentrated on generating as many solutions as possible. Various techniques can be used to solve problems. 2.3.1 Brainstorming This is a technique designed to help a group generate several creative solutions to a problem. It is focussed on developing imaginative and innovative solutions. It is a simple means of generating a large number of ideas from a group of people in a short space of time. Steps: A groups members are presented with a problem and all its details. Members are encouraged to come up with as many solutions as possible, putting aside all personal judgments and evaluations. Piggy-backing off another persons idea is useful. All ideas are recorded so the whole group can see them. Ideas are evaluated at another session. 2.3.2 Reverse Brainstorming Reverse brainstorming uses a combination of the reversal technique and brainstorming. This technique involves starting with two reverse questions: a) How could I possibly cause the problem rather than How do I solve or prevent this problem? b) How could I possibly achieve the opposite effect rather than How do I achieve these results? Brainstorm the reverse problem to generate reverse solution ideas. The ideas should be allowed to flow. No idea should be rejected. The ideas from the reverse problem should now be reversed for the original problem. 2.4 Analyse the Solutions This stage is where you investigate the various factors about each of the potential solutions. The good, the bad points and other relevant items to each solution is noted. There are several ways to evaluate the chosen solutions, and writing them all down will help the group to choose the best solution to the problem. a) Making a T-Chart to Weigh the Pros and Cons of Each Idea The T-chart can be used where team members write down the advantages and disadvantages for each solution. This method will illustrate the strengths and weaknesses of each solution. b) Develop and Assign Weights to Criteria All the criteria people are thinking about should be listed and weighted. This way, all group members are clear as to what criteria others are using. c) Prioritize the Criteria The next step is for the group to agree on how important these criteria are in relation to each other. For example, is cost the most important criterion, or low resistance by others, etc. The criteria should then be rated in terms of importance. Assign a number to each criterion so that all criteria together total 100. d) Rate Proposed Solutions Using Criteria Using the four to six possible solutions, score (on a scale of 1 to 10) each solution against each criteria. Repeat this for each criterion. Multiply this score to the weighting, then add the weighted scores for each solution. This exercise will help compare alternatives objectively. 2.5 Select the best Solution The various influencing factors for each possible solution is reviewed and solutions are kept or eliminated. The group should be concerned with whether or not the solution chosen solves the problem or just minimizes it. The solution must be workable in relation to the problem. During this step, decisions need to be made. Weighting of the previous step can be used to select the best solutions. The T-chart can be reviewed for advantages and disadvantages. The facts and information gathered must be consistent with the proposed solution. Solutions can be voted for and then those can be shortlisted. Shortlisted items can be analysed and further refined and voted on. There is a possibility that no solutions may work. The problem may need to be re-evaluated or generation of solutions may need to be re-visited. This maybe the result of a problem definition that is not well defined. 2.6 Develop an Action Plan An action plan involves writing down what is going to next now that a potential solution is available.. This plan will realise that the solution happens. The plan can consist of sequential tasks identifying who is doing what, when and the timeline for completion. The following questions should be answered for the action plan : What is the overall objective and ideal situation? What is needed in order to get there from here? What actions need to be done? Who will be responsible for each action? How long will each step take and when should it be done? What is the best sequence of actions? What training is required to ensure that each person knows how to execute each step in the plan? What standards do we want to set? What resources are needed and how will we get them? How will we measure results? How will we follow up each step and who will do it? What checkpoints and milestones should be established? What are the make/break vital steps and how can we ensure they succeed? What could go wrong and how will we get around it? Who will this plan affect and how will it affect them? How can the plan be adjusted without jeopardizing its results to ensure the best response and impact? How will we communicate the plan to ensure support? What responses to change and other human factors are anticipated and how will they be overcome? 2.7. Implement the Solution The solution can be implemented as a project using the action plan as the baseline. Tasks should be monitored and reported on. The Gantt chart could be used to monitor this progress. Regular meetings should be held with relevant stakeholders to communicate progress on the solution and advise if any slippages or blockers exist on the project. Contingency plans can be devised and implemented to recover from slippages. 2.8. Verify the Solution Once the solution is implemented, it can be tested be reviewing the normal operation of the organisation. Adjustments may be required to improve the effectiveness of the solution. A lessons learnt document/memo should be created highlighting what changes should be made to avoid this type of problem in the future, considering changes in policies and procedures, and training. 3. Creative Thinking Effective problem solving requires creativity. Creativity in problem solving process sparks new solutions and concepts in changing environments. There are various tools that can be used: 3.1 Six Thinking Hats This is a tool for group discussion and individual thinking. The technique allows you to look at decisions from a number of important perspectives. In meetings it has the benefit of blocking the confrontations that happen when people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem. Each Thinking Hat is a different style of thinking. These are explained below: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢White Hat: This hat requires you to focus on the facts and data available. Review the information you have, and determine what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account of them. This is where you analyse past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Red Hat: Team members state problems using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. This is a method of harvesting ideas. Also try to think how other people will react emotionally. This method can use post-it notes to allow a quick system of voting, and creates a clear visual cue that creates rapid if incomplete agreement around an issue. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Black Hat: Using black hat thinking, looks at all the bad points of the decision. Team members identify risks and hazards. Decision are looked at to see why it might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan. It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or prepare contingency plans to counter them. Plans can become tougher and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Yellow Hat: The yellow hat helps you to think positively and identify with an idea or decision. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Green Hat: The Green Hat allows you to develop creative and new ideas solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Blue Hat: The Blue Hat stands for process control and discusses the thinking process. This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. Having a facilitator maintain this role throughout helps ensure that the group remains focused on task and improves their chances of achieving their objectives. 3.2 Mind Mapping This is a technique that encourages creative thinking as it holds information that the mind finds easy to identify with and review. Mind mapping allows you to quickly find and understand the structure of complex problems. Mind maps are often used during brainstorming. The technique requires that a model such as a tree with branches be used. The main parts of the problem are draw on the bigger branches and smaller issues on the secondary branches. Creativity is applied to each part of the issue rather than the whole. 3.3 Unfreezing This technique is used where you cannot think of any more ideas. Helps you when your thinking process is blocked or shut down and you cannot find any solutions. 3.4 The 5 Whys This is useful for dealing with problems that have hidden agendas. The technique drills into situations to find the real problem and clarify issues and forming creative solutions. 4. Problem Solving of Functional problem Altech UEC specialises in the design, development, supply and support of integrated hardware and software solutions for the world-wide digital Multimedia industry. In the project management field that I function within, the key focus is to deliver product on time, within budget and at the acceptable quality standards. The one area in 60% of all projects that fails to deliver successfully is the mechanical design of the enclosure. I will use the framework developed in 2 to realise the solution to this problem. 4.1 Define/Identify the problem a) The mechanical design for each product is only a concept rendering that is unique to each product offering. b) It occurs in the engineering and product management departments. c) During project development of a new product. d) Each offering to the customer is unique with no-reuse of existing mechanical enclosures. e) With mechanical engineer, product manager, customer f) An expected 12 weeks delivery of mechanical enclosure is taking 24 wks to complete Problem definition Why does the mechanical enclosure take 24 weeks to complete instead of the planned 12 weeks As a goal objective : What must be done to reduce the mechanical enclosure development to 12 weeks. 4.2 Analyse the Problem This problem has existed approximately 5 years, since the customer was allowed to decide on the aesthetic look of the set-to-box. This is a critical issue to the delivery cycle of product to the customer. The average delivery cycle of a complete unit in production and to the customer should be 6 months. Causes of the problem maybe Unknown technologies being used, Concept rendered drawings rather than mechanical design models, and Customer requiring changes after design was approved. The effect is that there is longer design cycles and longer to market delivery cycles. The mechanical team have tried to model various options but due to unknown electronic affects such as thermal testing and electrical grounding may affect the design. 4.3 Generate Possible Solutions Brainstorming was used to work out possible solutions. Ideas generated were as follows: 1) Altech UEC generates a set number of enclosures to match the various offerings available. The only change will be on the fascia view of the product. 2) The mechanical engineering team designs the model and develops the mechanical model before the product is released to the customer for approval. No acceptance to be done or released to customer on unrealised designs. 3) Tooling manufacturers external to UEC are contracted to be involved in the modelling stages to reduce occurrences of designs that will not work 4) Review existing procedures and signoff against international standards and make necessary changes where applicable 5) Outsource the mechanical design to a 3rd party and performs this as its core business 4.4 Analyse the Solutions The solution were rated against practicality and cost. The highest rated idea was (1), (5), (2), (4) and (3). It was also thought that a combination of (2), (3) and (4) could be considered as a combination idea. 4.5 Select the best Solution The best solution selected by voting was (1). The vote was decided by key stakeholders in the organisation such as the product development team, mechanical team and manufacturing team. 4.6 Develop an action plan The action plan answered the questions as follows: a) The mechanical enclosure is available at the start of the project. There is no major development to the design of the STB. Only changes will be to the fascia aesthetics. b) A listing of the full product road map is required to determine the categories of enclosures to be supported. All mechanical design such as clipping of parts together and thermal cooling to be completed in each category. c) The Engineering Manager will be responsible for driving this through the organisations as a Product Design unit initiative. The Product managers will be the custodians of the product categories. d) This is a 6 month initiative with the first step being the product categories. The next step will be the actual design of enclosures to these categories bedding down the mechanical design and product. e) Regular meetings are being held to discuss progress and determine if the plan is in action f) The realisation will be the use of the first mechanical design on zapper low cost products. g) The Engineering manager will be the sponsor of this project to ensure all stakeholders keep their eyes on the prize 4.7 Implement the solution A Gantt was created to allocate tasks and monitor progress. 4.8 Verify the solution The product line is being developed according to specific category mechanical model implementations. Effectiveness of the solution will be seen on new products that will go from design into mass production. The cycle time of mechanics can then be measured. 5. Conclusion In times were there is a constant change in technology and product development, it is essential to have effective problem solving frameworks. The lack of such framework will lead to problems recurring when they should have been solved. Organisations cannot afford such costly mistakes if they are to be globally competitive. A successful problem solving organization will be a successful organization.