Pride and Prejudice Essay

   When Elizabeth refuses to say whether or not she is engaged to Darcy, Lady Catherine says, ‘Obstinate, headstrong girl! †¦ Is this your gratitude for my intentions last spring? ‘ (p294) From this quote, we can see that Austen believes that people of the aristocracy do not expect to be disobeyed. Mr. Collins is a prime example of how Lady Catherine expects people who are below her social status to act around her. He is eager to please and show off, as discussed earlier; he is proud of his dealings with Lady Catherine. He may be eager to please many above his social status, but conveys hate upon those whom he is even related to. Mrs. Bennet is torn between revulsion for him (not because of his character, but because the house is entailed to him) and liking him as a potential husband for one of her daughters, so that the house will be entailed to them if Mr. Bennet dies. ‘My cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases. ‘ Mr. Collins also has the desire to do things ‘properly,’ the fortunate chance of him meeting Lady Catherine when life in Hunsford became vacant, resulted in a good house. He also obtained a sufficient income due to being a clergyman traditionally, as he is the second son of the family. With his good house and income he chooses to seek a wife from one of the Bennet daughters as it would prevent the family from being thrown out of the house once Mr. Bennet passes away. This displeases Austen as Mr. Collins is choosing to marry for business rather than love and soon concludes this business by proposing to Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s refusal of marriage is because she simply didn’t love him. ‘You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last women in the world who would make you so. ‘ (p90) Austen presents her thoughts of marriage through her main character Elizabeth. This forces Mr. Collins to look elsewhere and when Charlotte Lucas accepts his proposal of marriage, Elizabeth is shocked because of Charlotte’s reasons for accepting him. ‘I am not romantic you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. ‘ Austen disapproves of Charlottes actions as Charlotte is marrying for money rather than love, which Austen is against. The Bingley sisters are the most prominent of the characters. Caroline, although bright, is proud and prejudiced in her reactions to the Bennets, particularly Jane and Elizabeth. ‘†¦.. Her jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded her affection for the other. ‘ They are introduced in the novel when Mr. Bingley arrives in Netherfield. They are very proud and consider themselves to be people to aspire to, but are highly sarcastic and condescending towards Elizabeth. ‘I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild. ‘ (P. 28) From this quote, we can see that characters such as these do not expect to be at all associated with characters such as Elizabeth and because of this, Austen condemns them using sharp wit and satire. Miss Bingley soon observes and suspects enough tension between Elizabeth and Darcy to become jealous and feels that Elizabeth isn’t fit for Darcy because of her parents and the fact that she has no connections. On the other hand, Darcy thinks nothing of Miss Bingley’s comments and calls Elizabeth ‘the most handsome girl. ‘ An opinion that has changed since the first ball. This quote shows that there is no reason for Darcy to be fond of Elizabeth other than love. In the first few chapters Miss Bingley is assumed to be Jane’s friend but as Jane and Mr. Bingley become more infatuated and Miss Bingley realizes Mr. Bingley’s intentions, she becomes rude to Jane by keeping her away from Mr. Bingley and compelling him to go to London. Miss Bingley’s expectation that Darcy will find her flirting irresistible shows how shallow she is compared to Elizabeth, whose calm, demeanor amid the sniping at Pemberley sets her apart from the other women. ‘Pray, Miss Eliza, are not the-shire militia removed from Meryton? They must be great loss to your family. ‘ Mrs. Bennet is almost certainly the most earsplitting character of them all with the fact that she is honest enough to give her thoughts and opinions about anyone that displeases her. She is by no means a model for her daughters and throughout the novel, Mrs. Bennet herself is a social embarrassment, shallow and snobbish. She clutches at her lost youth through indulging Lydia and Kitty and is concerned more with marrying her daughters into money, than because they are in love. ‘Of having another daughter married to Mr. Collins, she thought with equal certainty, and with considerable, though not equal pleasure. ‘ This quote shows how Mrs. Bennet ranks Elizabeth as her least favorite child due to Elizabeth’s refusal of Mr. Collins marriage proposal. Mrs. Bennet married above her position in society to Mr. Bennet. She is in juxtaposition with him and their marriage is an illustration of what may well happen between Lydia and Wickham. When Lydia leaves with Wickham, Mrs. Bennet becomes extremely immature and stays in her room until the entire problem is resolved. ‘Why did the Forsters ever let her go out of their sight†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. I always thought they were very unfit to have the charge of her; but I was over-ruled, as I always am. ‘ (p. 235) This quote shows how Mrs. Bennet blames every person who had any part in this and feels that she is the victim in this. When Mrs. Bennet discovers that Lydia is to get married, her ill thoughts of everything and mainly Wickham become violent forms of delight. ‘This is delightful indeed! -She will be married! -I shall see her again! -She will be married at sixteen! ‘ This quote shows Mrs. Bennet to have inappropriate behaviour as everyone else is still in shock about what has happened but she proceeds from being the worst effected to the most excited. In conclusion the novel reveals rewarding depths of comedy and irony as well as leaving us fulfilled and contented, rather than miserable and frustrated at the end. In the end Elizabeth and Darcy change and lose their pride about their positions but the satirical characters don’t because they are either high up in social status or they have married financially rather than for love and so preserve their pride. I think Austen’s satire is effective when using characters such Mr. Collins and his proposal to Elizabeth which brings her ‘so near laughing that she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him farther’ Sefket Birdane Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

How to Make Kool-Aid

There are five simple steps on how to create this candy tasting drink. Choosing the proper packet of flavoring is the first step in making Kool-Aid. Check your local grocery store’s shelf for a variety of flavors, from Mountain Berry Punch to Tropical Blue Hawaiian. They are very cheap, usually under 65 cents. After choosing the flavor that suits you, the second step is making sure you have the correct and necessary equipment for making Kool-Aid. You will need a two-quart pitcher. Next, find a long spoon, a one-cup measuring cup, a water faucet with drinkable water, white sugar, and an ice tray full of ice. Then, you are ready to mix the Kool-Aid. Third, grab the left edge of the kool-Aid packet between your thumb and index finger. With your other hand, begin peeling the upper left corner until the entire top of the envelope is removed. Next, dump the mix powder of the envelope into the two quart pitcher. The powder will float before settling on the bottom of the pitcher. Then, take the measuring cup and scoop two cups of white sugar into the pitcher. At this point you will be adding the water next. Place the pitcher under the water faucet and slowly turn on the cold water. After the pitcher is filled within two inches of the top, turn the water off and prepare to stir. With the long spoon inside the pitcher, stir in a clockwise motion until all of the powder is dissolved. Taste it. If the Kool- Aid is not sweet enough for you, feel free to add as much sugar as you please. Fourth, when you are finishing the Kool-Aid to your liking, rinse off the spoon and the measuring cup. Take a eight to 32-ounce cup and add ice. Then fill the glass with Kool-Aid. Go to your favorite lazy-boy chair, put your feet up, turn on the Football game that’s going on and drink away. After all, Kool-Aid makes the world go round. There are many other ways and methods of making different types of Kool-Aid. You can go ahead and try it my way or you could always go online and check out all the other different ways to make this delicious drink. Whether it is just for the family, work, or for parties.

My Science Fair Project Essay

My science fair project is about the sound transmission through different veneers. A veneer is the outer part of the house. It can also be called a siding. The veneers I used were brick, cement fiber, and vinyl. I used these because they were three very common veneers. I thought if I used common veneers it would make the project mean more because people can see sound transmission through common sidings. The way I built the cement fiber and vinyl siding boxes was, I cut plywood sides. After I cut the sides I nailed them together to make a box. After I made the box I wrapped the houses in house wrap. House wrap is used as a moisture barrier. My purpose for the house wrap is not to stop water from coming in, but, I used it because most houses use it. After I wrapped the houses I nailed the siding on. I then used wood putty to fill the holes. The brick box was a different procedure. After I wrapped the brick box I had to build a platform then I had to lay the brick with mortar. I had to attach the brick to the plywood with the wall ties. I tested my buildings by putting a transistor radio into the plywood box. After I put it in the box I turned it on at a low level, I then put the lid on the box and I used my sound level meter. This meter measures the amount of decibels coming out of the house. A decibel is a unit of measurement for sound. I also did the same thing on a loud and a medium sound level. I did this with all of the boxes. The brick box produced an average of 10.33 decibels at a (80) 43 decibel volume, an average of 13 decibels at a (90) 53 decibel volume, and an average of 19.66 at a (100) 63 decibel volume with a total average of 14.33 decibels. The cement fiber box produced an average of 19 decibels at a (80) 43 decibel volume, an average of 22 decibels at a (90) 53 decibel volume and an average of 30 decibels at a (100) 63 decibel volume. The Vinyl box produced an average of 27 decibels at a (80) 43 decibel volume, an average of 26.66 decibels at a (90) 53 decibel volume and an average of 33 decibels in a (100) decibel volume. My results of my project proved my hypothesis of brick producing the least amount of sound transmission.

Managers learn better through experience. Theory has nothing to offer Essay

Managers learn better through experience. Theory has nothing to offer - Essay Example Management on the other hand, includes supervision of people, managing projects, and managing a budget. Therefore, management incorporates responsibility and thus it requires a lot of practice in order to acquire enough skills liable for management (Culpan 2002, P. 79). Managers learn better through experience and theory has nothing to offer. This statement is true to some extent and on the other hand, the theory has some importance. It is very true that experience is important to managers since the more they practice managing, the more they become efficient in their managing skills. On the other hand, an individual may learn the theory and harbours the knowledge without practicing what is learnt can make the individual lose the knowledge and eventually the theory ends up not helping the manager in any way. On the other hand, theory can help the manager in case he learns and practices it thus he acquires some experience greatly helps him or her. In the field of management, various le arning models try to explain the effect of the experience curve and the efficiency found in the output or the gains or investment made out of the effort applied (Burtles 2007, P. 36). Following the learning curves observed in the 19th century, it follows that experience suggests that the more times an individual performs or practices a task, very less time is required in the subsequent repeat of the same task. Statistics show that in 1936, in the United States, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base whereby they came up with the resolution that the time required for labour of a double production of aircraft, requires a less percentage of labour time. This means that when the production of an item doubles the time used becomes less. This concept applies to the acquisition of knowledge and skills by the manager, the more an individual practice, the less time he or she uses in the labouring and thus the knowledge acquisition is fast. According to human psychology of how the human brain wo rks, human brain retains knowledge easily when practicing (Warwick & Bolton 2008, P. 135). Therefore, learning curve suggests that in every double quantity of items produced, the cost for that decreases at the same rate. Thus, in theory alone has nothing to offer to the managers. Managers need learning experiences. The effect of experience curve shows at the production or in the quality of the output of the service and doubling the volume of the cumulative decreases, the cost of the values added at the same percentage. The main reason for the application of the experience and the learning curves in management is the complexity of the learning processes. Experience effects become very important because of the labour efficiency. Many employers and companies require managers who have enough experience since they are sure of efficient labour hence efficient output. Experience curve is also important because of the Technology-driven learning. In order for a manager to posses some efficie ncy qualities, he, or she has to be pro-efficient in the technology. Learning technology requires practice since it is more of a practical subject than being a theoretical subject. Another importance of the experience curve is for the better use of equipments. An individual has practiced, experiment, or experience to use equipments correctly. Other importance of the experience curve includes, standardization, specialization, and methods of improvements, redesigning of the products, building networks and in the

Police and Affrimative Action Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Police and Affrimative Action - Research Paper Example The main areas in the police selection process where affirmative action has had its effects include physical agility testing and use of written assessments. Today, people from the minority groups hold a significant number of positions in the police department. Affirmative action is a policy developed in United States in order to create guidelines to use either directly or indirectly in awarding jobs, promotions, and resources to persons from minority groups. Persons from minority groups who seek employment in the police force must prove their membership in a protected group for them to be employed. This move by the US government aimed at compensating people believed to be from minority groups for past discrimination. The main objective of the affirmative action includes ensuring that the number of women and racial minorities in the police department approximates the number of the majorities. The introduction of physical agility testing and written tests in the police selection process marked the beginning of reforms that were to be experienced in the police department. The use of physical agility testing used standards on height and weight at its inception. The process later adopted health based physical agility screening to end the inefficiencies of use of height and weight. The use of health based testing procedure incorporated gender based norms, which reduced gender based biases that occurred when physical agility testing was in place (COOP, 2005). Application of written tests was mainly concerned on the way minorities performed in the written tests. The use of written tests revealed that minorities had poor performances on police written selection tests compared to their majority counterparts. This appeared to be a form of racial discrimination and it discouraged the minorities from choosing policing as a career. Therefore, various concerned groups forwarded recommendations on the need to improve the use of written tests

Views of Cultural Ecologists on Religion and Magic Research Paper

Views of Cultural Ecologists on Religion and Magic - Research Paper Example The history of religions tends to adopt an evolutionary view where it appears that the horizon of religion developed from the earth to heavens. The evolutionary approach mainly supported by cultural ecologists tends to support the connection between religion and ecology. Cultural ecologists focus on discovering the similarities and differences of different cultures with the interest of understanding why people live the way they do and why certain things are unique to some cultures. Ecologists present different views on religion with a particular consistent disagreement with the thinking of outsiders that the more isolated tribe style cultures believe in magic. This paper shows how cultural ecologists view religion and magic, how they relate, as well as why some cultures might believe in one, or both. According to Debnath (2003), the oldest layer of religion, under headings, such as natural religion, hunting magic and agrarian religion, is intimately linked to the relationship between humans and nature. One of the renowned cultural ecologists, Marvin Harris takes pleasure in finding concrete ecological pragmatism everywhere in the history of religion, from Aztec human sacrifice to the Hindu veneration of the cows. The ritual engagement with nature, whether in hunting magic or agricultural fertility rites, often contains an element of magic and thus the attempt to gain power nature. Cultural ecologists view magic as an attempt to gain power over nature, a concept that greatly differs from the religious views where nature appears to influence the way things are and they are not. From an ecological perspective, magic remains an old dream of humankind which has been partially fulfilled in the modern error (Olson, 2010). Religion and magic are viewed as cognitively instrumental, where they provide an explanation of the world in terms of superhuman agency to believers and by extension a religious or magical technique by which they can exert significant control over th eir surroundings. A distinctive difference between religion and magic revolves around the concept of reason and faith in which the reason belongs to the latter while faith and rituals belong to religion (Debnath, 2003). Reasons Why Some Cultures Accept either Religion or Magic or Both Cultural ecologists assert that good or evil fortune follows from one’s choices of habitation. For example, Feng-shui is recognized to have a strong magical or religious component, in which it was believed that cutting down the Feng-shui grove often translates into a disaster to town, and the more old the trees were found the more good luck it conferred to the town residents (Sutton & Anderson, 2009). The magical component associated with the tree is widely accepted in south China, serving to persuade millions of peasants to sacrifice personal gains for the long-term community benefit. This example explains the connection between magic and environment and its role in the conservation of the ecos ystems. The Chinese community widely accepts the concept of magic than any other part of the world owing to its close association to their environment and the perceived benefits in believing in certain magic components in the ecosystem. In many case, religion is widely accepted due to its detachment from the individual figure compared to magic which focuses on the capabilities of the person performing the magic. In addition, the concept of realism and the basis fiction that surround magic further

Shopping Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shopping Behavior - Essay Example They kept asking one another about the items they prefer to buy, at the same time, they listen to their friends' comments and suggestions. Most teenagers who spent time with friends displayed a unique sense of individuality and self-expression. The girls displayed interest in fashion, food and technologies. They were excited to buy wide variety of products. To name some of these products purchased include: Trendy clothings, bags and accessories; Food like cold beverages, potato chips, soda and ice cream; CDs, video games and multi-media accessories. Despite these buying behaviors, the teens were able to spend significant proportion of the budget they have, yet, they also managed to keep the rest of their money. Participant Observation was employed as the research design for this activity. Undeniably, there was conflict of roles during the period of observation. Observer cannot concentrate entirely on the observation process conducted. The observer acted as if one of the shoppers in the mall and occasionally took the opportunity to examine the subjects' gestures, to hear some of their commentaries and gain insights about the verbal and non-verbal forms of communication manifested by the subjects of the study in order to acquire the true and more clear picture of the teens' behavior.

Running Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Running Economy - Essay Example Unfortunately the authors did not report the extent of the improvements in running performance. Yet it is well known that even a small increase in running economy dramatically improves running performance. Secondly in a study by Paavolainen et al, (1999) found that 9 weeks of explosive resistance training (plyometrics) improved running economy by 8.1% and this resulted in a 3.1% improvement in 5km running time without an increase in VO2max. The authors claim improved neuromuscular characteristics lead to this improvement. Running economy can be improved with resistance training and all endurance athletes studied performed resistance training without causing a reduction in VO2max or other endurance measures, thereby dispelling the myth that resistance training will hinder aerobic performance. However more studies are needed in this area to support these observations in already highly trained runners. All future studies should also always include a measure of performance e.g. Improved race time or time trial performance. It is well documented that the main physiological prerequisites for success in endurance events are VO2max, lactate threshold and running economy (in running events). In elite athletes, the VO2max has been found to be the dominant factor of success in endurance events. Traditionally, the training in endurance events such as long distance running and cross-country skiing has been targeted to improve the function of the cardio respiratory system to increase the VO2max, aerobic and anaerobic thresholds. There has been little attention to the anaerobic performance ability in endurance events. It is well documented that explosive strength and speed training cause specific adaptation to the neuromuscular system improving explosive force production ability such as rate of force development, increased rate of activation of motor units, improved anaerobic energy production and neural adaptation. When endurance athletes (runners, cross-country skiers) have engaged in explosive strength and sp eed training, it has been found that the endurance performance was improved significantly. Also, it has been noted that endurance athletes performing well in explosive strength tests outperformed their fellow athletes in endurance tests. Paavolainen et al. (1991) reported that national level cross-country skiers who engaged in explosive type strength training in addition to their normal training, were able improve their force-times i.e. improve their ability to produce a given amount of force in shorter time. This was also described by a significant improvement of jump heights in both static and counter movement jumps, whereas their counterparts in control group did not. The authors concluded that the explosive type strength training is beneficial to the cross-country skiers, which improves their force production ability without reduction in aerobic capacity. In another study, Paavolainen et al. (1999) studied the effects of explosive-strength training on 5-km running performance. In this study, the endurance athletes were able to improve their 20-m sprint time, 5-jumps and maximal isometric force in leg extensors as a result of explosive-strength type training. What was interesting, these athletes were also able to improve t

Outline presentation+PP presentation slides Essay

Outline presentation+PP presentation slides - Essay Example In the past, electronic cigarette has been seen as a media ploy. However, with technological change, it is possible to develop unique products and services. The E-cigarette is a product of innovation and intelligent product. The amount of money spent on cigarette has been increasing over time due to increasing costs of production. However, with the production of the E-cigarettes have been effective in reducing the cost of cigarette consumption (Malaval and Benaroya 89). The research by the Howie Zee, the average consumption cost reduces over year, and the graph below illustrates the changes in costs after the uptake of the new product. The results are based on the personal consumption rate of one pack per day The graph above illustrates the performance of E-cigarette compared to the tobacco cigarette which has been in use for a long time. However, the establishment of the e – cigarette brand has been poor due to poor investments over the years. Media use has improved the performance of the cigarette for the last decade with the main beneficiary being the Blu brand of E-cigarette. The blue cigarette has been developed with several flavors making it diversified with exceedingly many options. The product comes with seven flavors namely cherry crush, classic tobacco, Java Jolt, Magnificent Menthol, and vivid vanilla. Other flavors are peach schnapps and Pinna Colada. The variety offered makes the products better in providing options in the cigarette industry. The products do not have smoke, ash or smell making them valuable especially when used in public areas. The products contain rechargeable packs and the flavors are presented using cartridges in order to facilitate easy change of flavors (Preston 23). The flavor cartridge has great vapor and come with a single design, and each cartridge is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. In addition, the company obtains smoke juices, which are manufactured in Wisconsin and the flavors

The Socioeconomic Background of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Socioeconomic Background of Kuwait - Essay Example Kuwait's official language is Arabic, but English is widely spoken. The Kuwaiti Dinnar (KD) is the official currency, and it is further divided into 1,000 Fils. The average exchange rate is 0.3KD:$1.00US. Kuwait is an Islamic country. Most of her citizens worship in mosques around the country and follow the principles of Islam which also provides a legal foundation for the country. Kuwait adopted a democratic constitution in 1962 that guarantees freedom of liberty, speech, press, and worship. Kuwait is governed by an emir of the al-Sabah dynasty and a fifty-member National Assembly. The National Assembly holds much of the power and has played a critical role in the political, economic and social development of Kuwait. Much of Kuwait's importance derives from its geographical location as the gateway to the Arabian peninsula. Linking the desert and the ocean, its strategic position has led to Kuwait's development as a significant trading center. At the beginning of the 1700s, immigrants from Saudi Arabia came to the area that is now Kuwait. They settled in small villages and at that time only a few thousand people lived there. They took advantage of Kuwait's strategic location and began trading goods. In 1756, the leader of the al-Sabah family became the first Emir of Kuwait, and his ancestors have ruled continuously to the present day; the current Emir is sheik Sabah al-Sabah, the thirteenth in the line. Kuwait continued to grow as a commercial center in part because of political turmoil and war between Persia and the Ottoman Empire. This caused a number of trading families to relocate, and these families played anbig role in the commercial development of Kuwait (Alsabah 1980). England's East India Company also fled the instability in Basra, Iraq and set up a new headquarters in Kuwait to act as a terminal and staging area for goods from east India to England. In 1875, the Suez Canal opened, and the East India Company left Kuwait, but by then, the country had grown and developed. The economy had also diversified somewhat. Pearl diving, fishing, and sea transportation became the foundation of the Kuwait economy. Small family-run businesses carried out these activities without large amounts of working capital; income on a per capital basis was low. The most important industry was pearling which was the economic base of Kuwait and the entire Arabian Gulf. Pearls were exchanged for primary products and consumer goods from India and Bahrain. Pearling employed the most people and also contributed the most to the economy. For example in 1920, 25% of the population was employed in pearling (Al-Fraih, 1993). The industry declined in the 1930s when Japanese pearls overtook the world market. Kuwait's strategic location was also conducive to seafaring and trade. Kuwaiti vessels plied the entire Indian Ocean carrying passengers and cargo among Iraq, India, and the east coast of India. One of the principle commodities was date; they were loaded in Basra Iraq and traded throughout the Arabian Gulf and India. Of course to carry out this trade and collect pearls, the Kuwaitis became excellent boat builders. Indeed, Kuwait became the boat-building hub for the entire Gulf. Woods for construction was imported from the coast of Africa and south Asia. Fishing -- another related activity -

Qualities I Lacked to Work Effectively in a Group Personal Statement

Qualities I Lacked to Work Effectively in a Group - Personal Statement Example Being an egocentric person, the situation was too difficult for me to survive. Being a person who always liked to outperform others and too intolerant in failures, I found the situation humiliating far beyond my expectations. Along with these, the hard reality hit my mind that my abilities were not as good as I expected and I had a long way to go to prove my mettle. It became a nightmare for me to work in a group in the field. Many a time, I found my seniors engaging other members in the team with works that I could do better and adding to my woes, I always erred or had insufficient knowledge in the ones I was handed. I was getting criticized but had no way to react as I found myself in a world where no one seemed interested in recognizing the talent of another one; instead, everyone was looking for ways to undermine others. It was a picture that I never dreamt of. There were two things that I lacked; lack of knowledge in certain specific areas and lack of experience. It was too conf using for me to take a decision; on one hand, I wanted to quit the profession forever and on the other, I wanted to prove my abilities after getting the required qualifications. Finally, I decided to put off my ego and asked my tutor about the future course I had to adopt. She was more than ready to provide advice and on her advice and support, I decided to join this course so that I can improve my knowledge and have a new beginning with sufficient knowledge. In addition, I wrote to MSF after joining my course and I am advised to complete my studies to apply for even better positions in MSF. Now, I am happy that I did not lose heart and give up the idea. Feelings – looking in The incident made me look deep into the wide variety of emotions that ruled my mind at that time. As I already mentioned I had an egalitarian nature and I had a problem accepting suggestions and advice and I always nurtured the feeling that I am better than others and it was so in my academic pursuit. Ho wever, out in the field, I found it hard to digest that what I do just goes wrong or the workplace requires more ability than I possessed. It was totally indigestible and unbelievable in the beginning as my ego did not accept it that easily. Still, I knew very well that I could do much better than what many others did but had no opportunity. I found it humiliating as I was very often criticized for the lack of knowledge. Now I have to accept the fact that the reason behind my misery at work was mostly because of my ego and lack of knowledge compounded with my dislike to seek help from others. However, the feeling of utter disappointment made me seek help, though reluctantly, and when I sought advice and became ready to accept, the solution was immediate.  

Application of Statistics in Daily Life Report Essay Example for Free

Application of Statistics in Daily Life Report Essay Inheritance is the process of creating new classes from the existing class or classes. In  C++  and  C,  classes  can be defined as deriving from a  base class. A  derived class  inherits all of the ancestors protected and public  methods  and data  members. With inheritance if a method is made virtual in the base class then the derived class can override it with different behaviour. This makes possible  polymorphism. Types of classes: Definition:  In  C++  and  C#  OOP, a derived  class  is any class that  inherits  from any other derived class or  base class. Definition:  In  C++  and  C#  OOP, the base  class  is the highest class and does not  inherit  from any other class. Other classes can inherit from a base class. They are called  derived  classes. Forms of Inheritance: Single Inheritance: If a class is derived from a single base class, it is called as single inheritance. Multiple Inheritance: If a class is derived from more than one base class, it is known as multiple inheritance Multilevel Inheritance: The classes can also be derived from the classes that are already derived. This type of inheritance is called multilevel inheritance. Hierarchical Inheritance: If a number of classes are derived from a single base class, it is called as hierarchical inheritance Definition of class:When you define a class, you define a blueprint for a data type. This doesnt actually define any data, but it does define what the class name means, that is, what an object of the class will consist of and what operations can be performed on such an object. Classes ;amp; Objects in Detail Class member functions: A member function of a class is a function that has its definition or its prototype within the class definition like any other variable. Class access modifiers: A class member can be defined as public, private or protected. By default members would be assumed as private Constructor ;amp; destructor: A class constructor is a special function in a class that is called when a new object of the class is created. A destructor is also a special function which is called when created object is deleted. | | | C++ copy constructor: The copy constructor is a constructor which creates an object by initializing it with an object of the same class, which has been created previously A  friend   function is permitted full access to private and protected members of a class. | C++ inline functions| With an inline function, the compiler tries to expand the code in the body of the function in place of a call to the function. | The this pointer in C++| Every object has a special pointer  this  which points to the object itself. | Pointer to C++ classes| A pointer to a class is done exactly the same way a pointer to a structure is. In fact a class is really just a structure with functions in it. | Static members of a class| Both data members and function members of a class can be declared as static. ENCAPSULATION Definition:  In  Object Oriented Programming,  encapsulation is an attribute of  object  design. It means that all of the objects data is contained and hidden in the object and access to it restricted to members of that class. C Programming| C++ Programming| C follows the procedural programming paradigm| C++ is a multi-paradigm language(proce dural as well as object oriented)| In C language focus on procedure and steps. | C++ focuses on the data rather than the process| In C data hiding and data security is not possible. Data hiding and data security is present. | C uses Top-Down approch| C++ uses Bottom-Up approach| C is a function driven programming language| C++ is a object driven programming language| C does not support overloading concept| C++ supports overloading concepts like operator overloading and function overloading| C does not support namespaces concept| CPP supports Namespaces concept. | C not support exception handling| C++ supports Exception Handling| C is structured programming language| C++ is object oriented programming language. C does not support inheritance, reusability, polymorphism, data abstraction| CPP supports inheritance, reusability, polymorphism, data abstraction. | C language only support Early binding| CPP supports both Early and Late binding| C uses standard input, output functions like scanf and printf. | C++ uses input fu nction cin and output function is cout. | There are all data is available to end user. No data security| There is data abstraction. Not complete data is available to End user|

Laws Governing Our Behaviour Philosophy Essay

Laws Governing Our Behaviour Philosophy Essay à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the very fact that a man obeys the law is due to his goodness. (Aquinas: 96) The gap between how people actually behave and how people ought to behave is so great that anyone who ignores everyday reality in order to live up to an ideal will soon discover he has been taught how to destroy himself. (Machiavelli, The Prince, p. 48) But fear restrains men because they are afraid of punishment, and this fear never leaves them. (Machiavelli, The Prince, p. 52) It is essential that anyone setting up a republic and constitution for it should assume that all men are wicked and will always give vent to their evil impulses whenever they have the chance to do so. (Machiavelli, Discourses, p.92) Men never do anything good except when forced to. (Machiavelli, Discourses, p. 93) Laws do not make men good. Critically compare Aquinas and Machiavellis responses to this claim Laws cannot make people good and virtuous, it should be people who have to make laws good Human beings do not just exist as biological creatures, they are also social creatures. Humans have to fulfill some responsibilities to live in a commune, for that reason every individual have to obey the spoken and the written rules. Society without law is impossible to think of. It can only regulate and work properly with laws. However laws do not make men good. People do not need laws and rules to know what is right or wrong. This knowledge is to be inside of every individual. Basic issue that my term paper needs to examine is that laws make men good or not. I will explain Machiavellis and Aquinas response to these questions then I will explain my argument. According to Machiavelli, virtu is skill and ability in ruling. It is not a moral thing. A man that has virtu means he is extremely good at what he is doing. To survive and lead to victory, he believes, sometimes prince should act unjustly. The virtuous man is the one who has the qualities that lead him to success in his actions. Prince is a decent man but sometimes he should act without morality.(Prince,18). If he wants to hold on to power, he should learn how not to be good. Because, in some circumstances, his goodness would damage him if he cannot use it skillfully.But even virtue cannot guarantee success. So fortune is an important term for prince to achieve his goal.( Prince,20). Some events happening in our lives and we are not able to change it. Machiavelli says that fortuna determines one half of our actions but it also leaves us to control the other half.(Prince,74). A ruler who only depends on his luck will not survive long because when his fortuna changes, it will destroy him. If one knew how to change, as times and circumstances change will survive with his luck. Virtu depends on fortuna and Machiavellis prince needs fortuna to survive long. Both luck and skill needed him to overcome problems. He says the way that people behave and should behave is differ and they obey the rules not because they are good but because fear restrains them (Prince,48). Hence laws do not make men good, people pretend to act good and they only obey it because they are forced, we cannot say law contribute them to be act virtuously. People can easily corrupt and it is their nature to want to be ambitious and to be greedy. Where there is a freedom of choice, they will immediately abuse it. So they only act justly when they are forced to.(Prince,93). Obeying rules does not make them just, they behave this way because they fear. On the other hand, Aquinas supports that law is a measure and rule which governs peoples acts.(Aquinas,77). It is a kind of teacher that teaches people how to act virtuous. So for Aquinas, human laws are required not only to prevent the vicious acts, but also to lead them to be virtuous. Law, even by forcing and punishing, leads men to act good.(Aquinas,100). For him, happiness is the final end of human life and lawful acts tend to produce happiness and blessedness to reach the final end.(79). He also believes there is a natural law in people. He points out that every individual understand what is good or bad for himself and human laws derive from the natural laws. Laws are the guardians against the human nature because people would corrupt the freedom if they are not restrained. However rules are not enough to make people good. It just help us to understand people who are tend to bad things. We do not need rules and laws to know what is wrong or right. This knowledge we should have inside. If law compels citizens to act good and they only obey it because they are forced, we cannot say law contribute them to be act virtuously. It is a fact that human beings react in different circumstances in different way of acting. Virtue is something which people acts morally without any external force. So for that reason it frees people from obligation because virtuous person is choosing to act morally by his own. It is a fact that if laws restrain a man not to kill anyone it can never leads him to have virtue. It must be chosen voluntarily otherwise it does not make him good in real. In conclusion, the thought of fear and punishment restrains peoples acts. To ensure the peace, human laws are required. However when people act involuntarily good, it does not make them really good. Acting virtuously is a choice that people accept it freely. It is impossible to improve people as virtuous by putting control mechanisms. They may act just today but when things change they can easily corrupt and act the way they please. If some people who tend to act badly have the chance, will not hesitate to do what they pleased. So laws cannot make people good and virtuous, it should be people who have to make laws good. Glossary Prince: Machiavelli uses prince not to mean a kings song. His term means ruler. This ruler should be both loved and feared, but since it is difficult to be successful in both at the same time, it is much better to be feared. Virtu: Machiavellis understanding of virtue is quite different from the common understanding of the virtue. Of course his virtues include courage, justice, prudence and honesty but he accepts all this actions when they are successful. Virtu means for him skill and ability in ruling. It is not a moral thing. A man that has virtu means he is extremely good at what he is doing. To survive and lead to victory, he believes, sometimes Prince should act unjustly. The virtuous man is the one who has the qualities that lead him to success in his actions. Prince is a decent man but sometimes he should act without morality.(Prince,18). If he wants to hold on to power, he should learn how not to be good. Because, in some circumstances, his goodness would damage him if he cannot use it skillfully.Both luck and skill enable him to overcome problems. Fortuna: According to Machiavelli, even virtue cannot guarantee success. So fortune is an important term for prince to achieve his goal.( Prince,20). Some events happening in our lives without our reaction. Machiavelli says that fortuna determines one half of our actions but it also leaves us to control the other half.(Prince,74). A ruler who only depends on his luck will not survive long because when his fortuna changes, it will destroy him. If one knew how to change, as times and circumtances change will survive with his luck. Virtu depends on fortuna and Machiavellis prince needs fortuna to survive long. Underlying problem Basic issue that my term paper needs to examine is that if law makes men good or not. I will explain Aquinas and Machiavellis response to this claim then I will critically discuss it in my argument. The questions that will help me; Do people act justly because of they forced? Is it beneficial to act justly? Do laws always illustrate the rights? Are there natural laws? Philosophers response According to Machiavelli, the way that people behave and should behave is differ. Hence, they obey the rules not because they are good but because fear restrains them.(Prince,48).Laws do not make men good. They act colorable. People are easily corrupted and they are selfish. Where there is a freedom of choice, they will immediately abuse it. So they only act justly when they are forced to.(Prince,93). But acting justly does not make them just because they behave this way because they fear. On the other hand, Aquinas claims that law is a measure which governs peoples acts. It is a kind of teacher that teaches people how to act virtuous. So for Aquinas, human laws are required not only to prevent the vicious acts, but also to lead them to virtue. My Argument In my essay, I will support the Machiavellis idea and will refuse the idea of Aquinas. I will argue that laws do not make men good. Laws cannot make people good and virtuous; it should be people who have to make laws good. Of course there are natural laws exist which accepted by majority. They are unique and inconvertible. But natural laws are not enough for ruling the city. So to ensure the peace, human laws are required. Fear and punishment restrain peoples acts and lead them to act just. However when people act involuntary good, it is impossible to say that they are virtuous.

Reflective Essay on Leadership | Critical reflection

Reflective Essay on Leadership | Critical reflection This report will discuss the importance of leadership in an organization. To achieve an objective, an organization will rely on individuals it employed. These individuals will then have to collaborate with each other in order to perform a task. However, there is a need for those involved to be directed and motivated to perform this task. The directing and motivating of the personnel is being done by an individual or a leader. The leader is important as they will ensure that the objective or goals of the organization can be achieved within the scope and time limit. The leader must be able to influence and motivate the people around him. This report will briefly explain some model or theories that leader can use to achieve the task. The first section of this report will discuss on the literature review about the leadership and team work. I will discuss various research articles in relation to leadership, management strategies and team work theory. Although there are numerous organizational behaviour based articles available, my literature review will focus on the following five areas which are Lewins Leadership Styles, Blanchards Situational Leadership Model, Transformational Leadership, Thamhains Nine Ways to Influence on Projects and Tuckmans Model to Team Development. I will also include some additional related published materials which will help me to fully understand the whole concept of leadership and team work strategies. Based upon the theories implied within the literature review, I will discuss the type of leadership my peer possesses. In this section I will discuss the leadership and management style that my peer used in order for us to complete the task. The discussion will also take into consideration on how my peer influences, and the method used to motivates the other team member. I will also discuss the positive and negative side of his leadership style and some recommendation based upon the leadership theories presented in the literature review. In the next section, I will reflect upon my whole team performance based upon the literature review. The process will take into consideration on how the Tuckmans Group Development Model is used to explain the development of my work group. I will also discuss the importance of having an effective team and how our project team can be identified as an effective team. In the last section, I will conclude my report based on my personal observation and findings on the whole leadership and team work process. The opportunity to work together as a team for 12 weeks has also broadened my perspective on leadership and on the importance of having an effective team. Literature Review Good leadership is essential for businesses, groups and organizations to succeed in achieving their goals. Nelson and Quick (2006) defines leadership as the process of guiding and directing the behaviour of people in the work environment. Leaders can influence others through their ability to motivate, inform, inspire and communicate effectively. There are a number of different leadership styles and strategies that can be used to accomplish their organizations goals and objectives. Each style or strategy of leadership can be used depending on the situation or organization. This section will discuss on literature review based upon Leadership Theories. The literature review is based upon the articles provided by the unit instructor, printed materials, electronic databases and search engines such as Google Scholar. Leadership Styles Theory The earliest researches on leadership style were conducted by Kurt Lewin who identified three basic styles of leaders that are autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire (Nelson Quick, 2006). These three basic styles of leadership can be use on a team and it may be changed accordingly based upon the situation. The autocratic leader usually rules based upon strong discipline and controlling in nature. This type of leader will usually dominate the group and is suitable if the group is newly formed and still lack of direction. The democratic leader on the other hand is more responsive, and takes into consideration the ideas from their subordinate. A democratic leader will encourage members within the group to actively participate in giving out ideas and helps in setting the direction of the group. This type of leadership is helpful in creating strong relationship between all members. The laissez-faire style leader usually did not implement authority and responsibility and let the subordi nate do all the things. This type of leadership is useful especially when all the team members are highly skilled and fully understands their objective. Leadership Strategies Theory Leadership Strategies is about how the leader can influence the performance of the group. One of the approaches suggested in this unit is to use the Situational Leadership Model developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard. This model can be adjusted or changed as the project progress. This model is done by matching the leadership style to match the readiness of the group members based upon two characteristic of the leader, which are task behaviour and relationship behaviour (DuBrin, Dalglish, Miller, 2006). In the task behaviour, the leader will spell out the duties of each individual or group. However, in the relationship behaviour the leader will engage in personal communication which includes listening, encouraging and coaching. This results in four styles which are identified as Telling, Selling, Participating and Delegating. A leader should use the telling style where the follower is unable and not willing to do the task. This includes providing direct instruction while closely monitoring the individual or group. When a follower is unable but willing to do a task, the leader can use the selling style where he/she will explain decisions and provides opportunity for the follower to seek clarification. In the participating leadership style, the leader involves the group in the decision making process. The delegating style is where the leader delegates responsibility to the group and is informed of the progress. However, based upon numerous researches done on Situational Leadership Model, it does not really work in reality (Graeff, 1997;Thompson Vecchio, 2009). The model which was first introduced in 1969 underwent a few changes in order to adapt to its critics. However, as Graeff (1997) discovered in his research, there are a few inconsistencies between the two version of the Situational Leadership Model which creates more confusion. Another group of researcher, Thompson and Vecchio (2009) conducted research by comparing the versions of Situational Leadership Theory plus an additional version. It was found that based upon the feedback, this model is applicable only to certain type of employees. In comparing the multiple version of the model, they also discovered that the revised version was a poorer predictor of subordinate performance and attitude than the original version. In summary, they recommend that Situational Leadership Model be taught as a starting point in discussing the interac tion between the leader and the follower. Liz Lee-Kelley (2002) discuss in her published article about the situational approach which is not in direct relation to the Situational Leadership Model. In the article she discusses about the possibility for a leader to change style to manage based upon the situation. Lee-Kelly suggested that from the evidence, there is no single style that is right for every manager under all circumstances. The study also confirms that a managers ability to control and influence the team or situation have impacts on his management style. Research in leadership field is ongoing as it is an important aspect of the organizational behaviour. Two types of leadership style which was recently introduced are the transactional and transformational leadership style. Transactional leadership is characterized by leaders and followers being in exchange relationship (DuBrin, Dalglish, Miller, 2006). This type of leadership relies on rewards and punishment to deal with followers. Meanwhile, the transformational leaders rely more on their personal attributes to inspire and excite followers to high level of performance (Nelson Quick, 2006). Bass (2010) encouraged organizations to train their leaders to be a transformational leader as it will greatly impact the motivation and work ethic of the employees around them. By having the transformational leaders within their organization, it will boost up their corporate image not only internally but publicly as well. This leader will attract more intelligent prospects to join the organization which in turns increase the value of the organization. Management Strategies Theory Employees have choice in their work life, if they dont like the job, they can leave or switch department. In order to be successful, organization must be able to retain the people to do the job, as training new people will consume more time and other related resources. As pointed by Schwalbe (2007), H.J. Thamhain and D.L. Wilemon conducted a research on the approaches a Project Manager use to deal with workers and identified nine influence bases available for them: Authority the legitimate hierarchical right to issue order Assignment the project managers perceived ability to influence a workers later work assignments Budget the project managers perceived ability to authorise others use of discretionary funds Promotion the ability to improve workers position Money the ability to increase a workers pay and benefits Penalty the project managers perceived ability to dispense or cause punishment Work challenge the ability to assign work that capitalizes on a workers enjoyment of doing particular task, which taps an intrinsic motivational factor Expertise the project managers perceived special knowledge that others deem important Friendship the ability to establish friendly personal relationship between the project manager and others. It is also found out that project are likely to fail if the project managers relied too heavily on using authority, money or penalty to influence people (Schwalbe, 2007). However, if the managers use work challenge and their expertise to influence the people, the project were more likely to succeed. Art Pretty (2009) in his e-book writes about why a Project Manager needs to develop their leadership skills in order to succeed. Leadership according to him is learned through practise and a leader must not be afraid to try it in their work environment. Pretty also touches on the term of culture sensing where the project manager must be able to quickly understand the how things happen or work within an organization. His e-book also highlights the importance of communicating effectively up and down the organizational ladder. This will help a Project Manager to successfully and effectively manage the whole project. A project manager whom possesses leadership qualities will drive the project towards success is also emphasized in the article written by Ruffin Veal III (2004). Veal addresses four project management processes that can be used to promote success. The processes are creating an agenda, developing a team, execution of the agenda and evaluation of the outcome. He also clearly outlined the differences in terms of responsibility, function and activity between the management and leadership for each processes. This guidelines will definitely helps an individual appointed as the project manager to evaluate his/her own capability. Team Work Theory To achieve success within an organization, each individual must work as a team. By establishing an effective team, work can be done faster and with higher quality. A work team is identified by Hayward (1998) as a group of people who have responsibility for completing a task or project, or reaching a particular goal. Bruce Tuckman in 1965 introduced a four stage model of team development which is forming, storming, norming, and performing. In the forming stage, members get to know each other and start to learn to work together. In the storming stage, there will be differences and conflicts reappear. The team will focus on managing the conflict in the norming period. The group will work together to accomplish the goals during the performing stage (DuBrin, Dalglish, Miller, 2006). Based upon this four-stage model, various researches were undertaken and most of it confirms the model. Later, in 1977, the model was modified to include an additional stage which is called adjourning (Tuckman Jensen, 1977). In this adjourning stage, the group which was created through the initial four stage model is dissolved. Tudor Rickards and Susan Moger (2000) suggest that in terms of creating an innovative product or solution, the Tuckman model had no way of explaining what is regarded as outstanding creative performance. What is lack is the Creative Leadership which will enhance the team capabilities. Parker (2008) suggests that there are four team player styles that are critical to the success of any team which are the contributors, collaborators, communicators and challengers. He also described in detail the 12 characteristics of an effective team and how each characteristic has been impacted by the changing team landscape. Characteristics of an Effective Team as described by Parker are: 1. Clear Purpose The vision, mission, goal or task of the team has been defined and is now accepted by everyone. There is an action plan. 2. Informality The climate tends to be informal, comfortable, and relaxed. There are no obvious tensions or signs of boredom. 3. Participation There is much discussion and everyone is encouraged to participate. 4. Listening The members use effective listening techniques such as questioning, paraphrasing, and summarizing to get out ideas. 5. Civilized Disagreement There is disagreement, but the team is comfortable with this and shows no signs of avoiding, smoothing over, or suppressing conflict. 6. Consensus Decisions For important decisions, the goal is substantial but not necessarily unanimous agreement through open discussion of everyones ideas, avoidance of formal voting, or easy compromises. 7. Open Communication Team members feel free to express their feelings on the tasks as well as on the groups operation. There are few hidden agendas. Communication takes place outside of meetings. 8. Clear Roles and Work Assignments There are clear expectations about the roles played by each team member. When action is taken, clear assignments are made, accepted, and carried out. Work is fairly distributed among team members. 9. Shared Leadership While the team has a formal leader, leadership functions shift from time to time depending upon the circumstances, the needs of the group, and the skills of the members. The formal leader models the appropriate behaviour and helps establish positive norms. 10. External Relations The team spends time developing key outside relationships, mobilizing resources, and building credibility with important players in other parts of the organization. 11. Style Diversity The team has a broad spectrum of team-player types including members who emphasize attention to task, goal setting, focus on process, and questions about how the team is functioning. 12. Self-Assessment Periodically, the team stops to examine how well it is functioning and what may be interfering with its effectiveness. Reflection on my peers Leadership First of all it is hard to choose who in our group should be elected as the project manager. It is hard to make the appointment as all of us did not know each other well. However, in order to complete our task, we have to work as a team and therefore we must have someone to lead us. From my view point, a leader should be the one who must have trust and respect from the other group members. Based upon the Belbins Personality assessment conducted within the tutorial, we have agreed to elect the person who is categorized as a Coordinator to be the leader. We strongly believe that the leader should be a well organized person and is trustful. As per described in by Belbins personality test, our group leader performs well in managing all the group activities and keeping track of all our documentation. He introduces www.zoho.com which is a website where we were able to collaborate and upload all our resources. He organizes the folder so that all the related materials are kept organized. All the documents edited or modified have to be versioned correctly so as to ensure that no one reads or retrieved the out dated ones. He encourages us to have our discussion via a web forum and thus reducing the need to make a phone call to each team members. This is being done to ensure that we are able to trace back whatever points that have been discussed prior to submitting the final product. From my view, he is also very much influential in terms of motivating us to furnish the best ideas. We are able to come out with good ideas and suggestions with his direction. As our project manager has experience in broadcasting, he is able to share his knowledge on how things are done. His ability to communicate effectively in terms of the overall project requirement makes each and every team member understands what is expected out of them. From my observation, our Project Manager employed a democratic leadership style where hes the one who set the overall direction of our team. He also encourages us to participate actively in all the decision where we all have to vote for the best available option. Although the decision is group-based, he still has the full authority to have the final say. I really think this is good in our team as we are all able to raise our ideas and concerns. However, as everyone tend to speak out their ideas, not all ideas are work related and thus we waste much of our time arguing irrelevant ideas. This is I think the areas he lacks, controlling the individuals within the group. I would say that he sometimes have to assert his authority especially when things are out of control. In terms of the completing the task, the project manager have outlined or broken up the tasks into several sections. This is done prior to the team meetings. Initially, he would ask each individual to which task they are comfortable to work with. This is to ensure that each team members knows their responsibility and thus can concentrate to the task at hand. Apart from dividing the task, each individual member is also assigned additional task which to check on another team members outcome. The evaluation or corrective task was delegated based upon the ability of the individual to read and write well in English. The project manager will then be the last person who will consolidate and check the overall output. Each task was also provided with separate timelines. The project manager put a very high priority on meeting the deadline set. If an individual is unable to meet the deadline, he will personally look into the individuals assigned task and provides some solution on how to tackle the issue. This would in turn makes the individual somewhat felt embarrassed of his inability to meet the deadline and thus ensure that he/she wont be making the same mistake again. During our group meeting, I also noticed that our Project Managers leadership style or strategy changed from time to time. In the first few weeks, our Project Manager adopts a style where he is the one who have total control of all documentation, set the direction of the team and closely monitors our progress. This is somewhat in relation to the telling style as mentioned in the Situational Leadership Model by Hersy and Blanchard. At a later stage, the team leader use the selling style when each of us is individually assigned a task with the knowledge that we can have him clarified on how to do the task. At one stage, the project manager acts as the facilitator when every team members presented their ideas which are similar to the participating style suggested by the model. During the last stage, as each team members already knows what they are supposed to do, our Project Managers leadership style changes to the delegating style. By employing this style, each team member is able to p ropose their own ideas and at the end all present it to the team. By doing this, each member feels that they are fully responsible of their own work and in turn makes them feel important to the team. Reflection on my Project Teams Performance In this section, I will discuss on the reflection of the teams performance. In our initial meeting, we simply try to get to know each other and try to bond. Based upon the Tuckmans Group Development Model, this phase is called forming. During this stage, everybody seems to carefully choose their words and try not to offend each other. Questions are asked based upon individuals experience especially in relation to their studies. There are also questions based upon the requirement of the project and what each members can contribute. Once we got to know each other, we progress to the second phase in what is called the storming. Based upon the Tuckmans model, this stage is when conflict emerges especially in the issue of who is to become the leader or project manager. However, as we are all able to think collectively and openly plus with the help from the tutor, we were able to stick as a team. During this stage, we are still unable to agree upon the meeting schedule as every team member is busy at work during the day. As the day progress, we arrived to the next stage which is the norming stage where we were able to set the direction of the project team. We were able to understand each individual strength and weakness and try to work around it in order to achieve our goal. During this stage, we are more open to each other and argument is made for the sake of the project. Once the overall team structure was set and agreed upon, we are able to think collectively and the group is ready and motivated to works towards the objective. This stage is described by Tuckman as the performing stage. Based upon our initial group meeting, we have agreed that we will spend most of our time discussing issues on the forum, email or website. The meeting which was set up to be about two hours every Monday and the agenda will focus more on issues that cannot be resolved online. After about 12 weeks working with the team, I can conclude that my team is an effective team based upon the 12 characteristic of an effective team specified by Parker (2008). We all have the clear purpose of the vision, goals and each individual understands and was able to finish their assigned task. Our meeting are conducted in an informal way where the environment is comfortable and relaxing. We were all able to listen, understand and argue each others ideas and if there was disagreement, we try to resolve it by compromising. Most importantly, every decision made was by a consensus decision. The way our group work was that each individual was assigned a task and required to upload the write up on the collaborative website. Once it is uploaded, each team member is required to check the other team members submission and write a comment on the forum. By providing the feedback online, it will help the team member to reply to the feedback at any time convenient for him/her. Another major advantage on posting the feedback on the forum was that each individual will have the time to really read and understand the posting. This will also help in gathering everyone opinion towards one particular issue where everyone had the opportunity to post a reply. By providing positive feedback toward each others work, it will reduce the conflict and create a more openness for the group. In our group, we also have a diverse team player type which helps in getting the work done in time and of high quality. The diversity is required as it will produce a check and balance to each and every task performed by members. Questions will be asked if the submission is unclear or does not relate to the main task. The fact that each individual team members work really hard to finish their task on time made the management of this group fairly easy. Each individual are prepared to help each other in trying to finish the project early before time. Some team members were also helpful in finding out resources although it was not within his/her job scope. Based upon the action described above, we were able to finish the project on time. Although the draft version of the whole document was prepared a few weeks earlier, we were still not able to finalize it a few days before date of submission. This was due to the fact that we have to ensure that each individual write up is free from spelling and grammatical error. The reason was that our entire team member comes from Asian countries where English is our second language. We also have problem where the team member could not communicate well in English and it takes us a while to understand what they are trying to say. However, this does not hamper them from providing the best solution and with the other members help, they were able to communicate is clearly. Another negative side of this team work is that we had to wait for reply as most of team member were busy with work during the day. It also frustrates the individual who posted his/her work earlier and have to wait for feedback. However, as the time progress, some team members especially the project manager was able to influence the whole team member to finish the job within the time frame with his excellent work ethic. Conclusion Today, in most organizations, team are set up to work together to identify and discuss solution to completing a task or project. Everyone in the team need support and direction from time to time. It is up to the project manager to lead the team. Ones leadership style and personality will affect the outcome of the team. Leadership style can be changed according to the status or situation of the team. In the beginning, the leader has to be somewhat autocratic as he has to set the teams direction and ensure that each individual within the team knows the objective. Once the team have bond together, the leader should be more diplomatic and let all team members participate in the decision making. This is to ensure that each team member contributes and feel that they are a valuable asset to the team. The leader must be able to influence and encourage the team member to think out of the box. The leader in our group applied some of the leadership style based upon the style mentioned in the literature review section. There are changes in his leadership style based upon the situation. At times he uses the autocratic style especially when the group is somewhat disorganized in the beginning. Later, when all team member starts to build trust with each other, he adopted the democratic style where all of us get to discuss on how to complete our task. It is also important to note that personality of the leader also plays an important factor to the success of the team. Our leaders ability to organize the work really helps in supporting the team. His work ethic encourages each member to emulate this and in turn promotes them to work effectively. The leader also encourages us to make full use of the technology available on the Internet. He introduces us to the collaborative website where each member is able find and share resources easily. For an effective team, every team member must have clear direction about the objective of the team. The teams structure and communication setup will effect on the way members interact with each other. The most important aspect in having the team to work together is open communication and trust. Each team members must be able to participate freely in the decision making process. Although individually, each member has their own set of strength and weakness, the team must be able to use that to their advantage. In working together, each individual member should have the chance to choose which task suits them as this will contribute to the projects success. Although there are conflicts during the decision making process, it can easily overcome as the team member discuss it openly. The leader also has the role in resolving this conflict by taking authority over the issue. In our working team, I found that we are able to work as a team as there is trust and open communication between the five of us. We are able to discuss openly and informally on any issues in relating to the task. Each individual is assigned an appropriate work load and managed to deliver their task on time. Initially the task is not at the highest quality with lots of spelling and grammatical error, however the team work together to solve it. By using Skype, the team was able to communicate even late at night to get the work done. It is great to see that each individual was willing to work together via the Internet. As a conclusion, leader plays an important factor that can influence and motivate a group in achieving its goals. A great leader should be able to change his leadership style based upon the situation or organization. However, having a good leader does not necessarily translate to an effective team. For a team to be able to work effectively, it must have a clear vision of its goals or objectives. Team members must be able to communicate effectively and openly with each other. Based upon my 12 week experience working together as a team, I can say that I have good leader within my team. With this team, we are able to effectively achieve our task. Barclays Bank: PEST, SWOT and Five Forces Analysis Barclays Bank: PEST, SWOT and Five Forces Analysis Jump to: Barclays Bank PEST Analysis | Barclays Bank SWOT Analysis | Barclays Bank Porters Five Forces Barclays bank is providing its services in India in some their selected business divisions. Barclays bank now wants to expand its services in India with other corporate units. This report is a helping tool for their expansion as it provides basic information needed for this expansion. External Environment Analysis by the help of PEST, SWOT and Porters five forces provides essential information for the management of Barclays bank while making and implementing business strategies with more knowledge, authority and control. Task 1: Business Structure of Barclays Bank: Barclays is one of the leading British based multinational banks having branches in 5 different continents across the world. Barclays bank has strong position due to its asset estimation of more than 2.3 US dollars. Banking structure of Barclays is divided into Personal and corporate banking, Investment banking, Investment management and the unit of credit cards. The main headquarter of Barclays is located at London and the customers base of Barclays bank is more than 48 million in different continents including Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America. The basic structure of Barclays is divided into two clusters: 1. Corporate and investment banking plus Wealth and investment management. 2. Retail and Business Banking The further business units division is already explained. Barclays bank also plays part in providing consultancy services for people in operating their small scale business. The unit of personal banking provides its services to manage the investment of small scale businesses. The security and easy access ability level for borrowing purposes makes Barclays one of the standard financial service sectors. The business unit provides consultancy for personal banking borrowing. They provide innovation to start different small level businesses and provide attractive financial services and opportunities for personal loans. Corporate banking is one of the profitable units of business unit of Barclays as it has more than 50,000 customers in five different continents. Risk management unit is also important to provide advisory for businesses which have potential to invest and get profit and also provide opportunities for investment. Wealth and Investment management unit works in more than 20 countries to provide its services. The basic functions of this unit are international and private banking services, investment management services, fiduciary services and brokerage services. Business structure of Barclays bank allows world class banking solutions for corporate customers as well as personal banking clients. Using up to date technology in term of online banking solutions and mobility services provide an edge on competitors due to the latest procedures used in these services. Barclays rely on its global relationship approach. Different relationships teams work across the world to add value to the business of corporate and personal clients. Impact of Market Structure The basic purpose of Barclays is to increase its business in term of customers and profit, looking for potential customers all around the world, looking for growing economies and to expand in such economies to fulfill its vision of growth. Barclays bank is working in India for more than three decades. Investment banking division was the initial business of Barclays banking in India. Now Barclays bank is providing its corporate and personal banking services in India. This technique of using selected divisions is because of the market structure of India which is different as compared to Europe, Africa or America. People hesitate to deposit in banks and also there was less focus on borrowing from banks. The trend is changing due to awareness and availability of latest technology. The businesses of selected divisions in India shows that market structure have impacts while working in international economy. Changes in business structure while working internationally are basic requirements due to different values, structures and perceptions of the customers living in international market. Task 2: Causes of Globalization The change in the trends of international economy damaged the working of different organizations. The negative trend of economy of different European and American business environment allows organizations to look for new markets, customers and better economic regions. This is one of the biggest causes of globalization. The other cause is the advancement in technology and the availability of easy ways of doing business. People came to know about latest processes, new innovations in products and services, the differences in the quality of products and services and new ways of communicating. These cause international companies to expand their business across the borders to target the needs and wants of such customers. The concept of international free trade also caused globalization to take place due to the incentives associated with free trade. Availability of better suppliers in the international market causes organizations not to rely on domestic suppliers. Availability on quality su ppliers on competitive basis is a reason of globalization. Lower wages rates in other regions as compared to domestic labors in Europe and America encouraged organizations to expand their business in Asian countries which are less costly for infrastructure and low rate employees. All of the above mentioned reasons are primary causes for globalization. Advancement in technology, use of internet, emails, mobiles, and better traveling provided the basis for globalization to take place. The advancement in online technology provides basis for improved Management Information System to collect and analyze data all around the world to make investment decisions. Implications of Globalization Better business control through internet, mobiles and MIS provides comfort for organizations to handle business from anywhere in the world. This has made strategic decision making easy and fast as response from customers and management is speedy as compared to previous systems. The improvement in the living style and standard are implications of the availability of international standard products and services in those regions. People came to know about the variety and quality of products due to increased and reliable products and services as a result of international expansions. One can now see and buy products through online websites, emails and mobiles phones as these are easy and less costly way of communication now days. Now people have more choices in term of products, services and prices. One can compare product quality and prices by the help of internet and websites to buy more reliable products according to their budget. The other implications of globalizations are E-Commerce , better procedures, improved manufacturing techniques, computer simulations and low cost products and services due to availability of reliable suppliers and processes in region. World Trade Organization There are different causes and implications of globalizations but still there was a need of laws and procedures for globalization and international business. WTO is an international organization to provide standard rules and regulations for global businesses. Providing guidelines for business expansions in other countries by taking inputs from host and guest countries. Providing a list of social, legal and moral responsibilities to both parties for better business is one of the tasks of World Trade Organization. Different members across the world have provided their inputs and suggestions to generate standard laws for global businesses. Every organization and country has to wok according to these laws. Providing soft barriers for investment organizations and implementing the concept of free trade for global business are the major tasks of World Trade Organization. (THE ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS EXECUTIVES, 2011) Task 3: PEST Analysis of Barclays External Environment Analysis of Barclays Bank Analysis of business environment through PEST analysis, SWOT analysis, Force Field Analysis and Porters Five Forces provides authentic and important information to decision making unit before formulating or implementation of business strategies. The macro and micro forces can impact the strategies of management due to their dynamic nature. External environment analysis is not a onetime process; it is a continuous process to make changes in strategies according to external environment. (T R JAIN, MUKESH TREHAN, RANJU TREHAN, 2009) PEST Analysis Analysis of Political, Economic, Social and Technological elements which can affect the strategies and decision made by management is done under PEST analysis. (P)olitical Analysis India is a country where people choose their members of parliament through elections in a fix time period. The member of parliament makes policies for foreign investors and multinational companies. There is no clue of intervention of any third power in the political system. Opposition provides suggestions for policies. So, there are fewer chances of changes in the policies for foreign investors which are a good thing for Barclays bank. (E)conomic Analysis One of the growing economies of the world with have emphasis on research is an attractive place for foreign investors to invest. The continuous growth in the GDP for the last 10 years provides opportunities for Barclays and other foreign companies to expand in India. (S)ocial Analysis One of the countries having high population and high growth rate of population in future provides opportunities for Barclays bank to have more targeted customers. Increase in literacy rate and awareness about latest and up to date services in region provides opportunities for Barclays bank to invest in India. (T)echnological Analysis Use of internet banking, mobile banking, ATM, credit cards, e-commerce and social media provides a lot of opportunities for Barclays bank to introduce their up to date and latest services in growing economy of India. Barclays can provide their services to improve banking operations in India which is the reason why India allowed Barclays operations three decades back. SWOT Analysis of Barclays Bank (BARCLAYS BANK PLC.)Using strengths of Barclays bank in term of latest technology and operations to get benefits of opportunities available in India in term of large term of customers and markets can be possible by having knowledge about these internal resources and external business environment. SWOT analysis provides this information. (S)trengths Global Leader in providing financial and investment services in five major continents. Strong brand name in corporate banking system having more than 50,000 corporate clients all over the world. High credibility in the growing market of Pakistan which is also based in Asia. Personal banking with no limit on minimum deposit provides an edge on majority of competitors. Focus on risk management. (W)eaknesses Need of bailout in UK due to economy crises in recent past. Bad impact on image due to government funding issue in Zimbabwe. Less innovation in marketing campaigns related to Indian culture. Barclays is working in India for a long time but they fail to adopt market orientation related to Indian culture (O)pportunities Past business experience of India provides an extra advantage to make an expansion decision. Growing banking sector of India, focus on corporate banking and increased personal funding due to reliability and credibility of Barclays bank. Investment opportunities in IPL and other Indian leagues due to corporate image of these leagues can provide global promotional opportunities for Barclays bank. India is a country with wide geographical area and second highest population. India can provide a lot of potential corporate and personal customers by making an expansion decision in other parts of India. (T)hreats Increase in interest rates has decreased the funding from personal banking sector. Government banks and investment policies provides more attraction for personal investors due to bigger output of these services. Domestic banks with cultural related strategies is a threat for Barclays More international banks are moving towards Indian market due to the availability of business and customers. It can increase the scale of competition in India. Porters Five Forces Entry Barriers The entrance of new multinational banks like HSBC and other are expanding their businesses in India due to soft barriers of entering and availability of customers. This situation can increase the competition scale and number of saturated markets in India. Rivalry with Industry Services provided by different local and international banks are of the same type. So, it is important to change interest rates and services charges to attract more customers as compared to other banks. The switching of financial services for customers to other banks is easy and not much costly so banks need to develop latest and up to date processes to facilitate customers. Threat of Substitutes Innovations in the products and services provided by banks, including car financing, house financing and education financing provides opportunities for bank to focus not only on traditional banking system. The local financing institutes with less interest rate for personal borrowing are also a threat for banks in India. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Reserve bank of India takes actions regarding monetary suppliers which impact the supply of money in the economy. Customers provide supplies in deposits for personal banking and majority of banks are offering same interest rates. So, there is a need of innovation in services to attract financial suppliers. Bargaining Power of Buyers Providing alternative services in term of finance for car, houses, education, businesses and consultancy can bring the bargaining power of customer low as all the banks are providing same type of services with same interest rates. (Barclays, 2008) Task 4: Business Objectives of Expansion Capturing the potential customers in other attractive regions in other cities Boosting the current market orientation of Barclays bank in India Increasing the number of divisions working in India to capture more opportunities Investment in Global promotional opportunities in tem of Indian Premium League and other Leagues which have global impacts Focusing on international revenue to carryout domestic and international operations. India can provide opportunities for larger scale of revenue due to its population and geographical area as compared to domestic branches in UK Providing E-Commerce services in India due to increased level of interest showed by Indian customers for online operations Capturing corporate customers of India as Barclays bank has strong base and experience of dealing with corporate customers. These customers can provide vast opportunities for revenue as compared to personal or investment banking. Having more than 50,000 corporate customers is good enough experience for Barclays to target corporate banking in India India is growing economy as compared to major European countries so it can provide more opportunities for business in India. There are number of corporate sectors in India and number of Billionaires businessmen who can provide a lot of opportunities for Barclays bank through their operations Resistance from Employees Making any change in the business structure or operations can help to bring employees out of the comfort zone. This is the reason why some of employees resist against any type of change in structure of operations. Making an expansion decision in Indian market means there will be a lot of changes to be made to formulate and implement strategies for new geographical areas and segments. Altering the operations of employees to take their assistance in expanding operations can bring resistance from employees. Providing them incentives associated with successful expansion of Barclays bank can help to bring down any resistance from employees. Expansion can bring a lot of opportunities for managerial positions in new branches. Good human resource management can communicate these opportunities with existing employees by giving them attractive growth and career paths for potential employees to bring down the level of resistance from employees. (T R JAIN, MUKESH TREHAN, RANJU TREHAN, 2009) Recommendations Focusing on promotional activities associated with global marketing can help Barclays in Indian and international market. Recent Olympics, Indian Premier League, Formula race and other global events in India can provide a lot of help for Barclays in their promotional activities if they use these events for marketing purposes. Proving online services in domestic languages can provide a differentiation edge and USP for Barclays to target more customers. Barclays should invest in social activities of education and green environment to build a better corporate social image in India Focusing on innovation in term of substitute products can help to bring more revenue and customers to Barclays bank.

History, Theory, and Applications of Capacitors :: capacitor electronics

Static electricity was discovered in 600 B.C., but it was not until the mid 1700's when energy storage properties were discovered. 'With the discovery of the first Leyden jar, it was referred to as a condenser because electricity was thought of as a fluid which could condense. The Lehden jar is a glass partially filled with water that has a wire inserted through the top of an insulating stopper (cork). When the wire is charged by static electricity, it holds the charge until the wire comes into contact with a conductor which will discharge the glass. It was roughly one hundred years later when Michael Faraday discovered a variable capacitor. He did this by measuring the varying capacitance of different dielectrics on capacitor.'(4) When the first aluminum capacitor was discovered, some thirty years after Faraday's work, the SI unit used measuring capacitance was named a farad (F) in his honor. 1F = 1 C / V In words: one Farad is equal to one Coulomb per Volt Since the farad is a large unit of capacitance, most capacitors have units of picofarads (pF) or nanofarads (nF). To this day only one type of capacitor has the ability to store enough energy to warrant measurements using a farad as the standard unit, and this is the super capacitor. A capacitor consists of two conducting surfaces separated by an insulator (dielectric). The value of capacitance depends not only on the geometry of the capacitor, but the dielectric as well. (1) "Since capacitance (C) of a capacitor is the ratio of the magnitude of the charge on either conductor to the magnitude of the potential difference (V) between them: " (1) : When a DC voltage source is applied to the 10 mF capacitor shown to the left, a charge is stored on each side of the electrode. A mulitmeter is used to measure resistance, it is shown that when the capacitor is charging, current is moving and when the capacitor is fully charged, the current will stop flowing, because there is no change in electric potenial, so the resistance goes to zero. You can see that when the electodes are switched, the resistance again goes to zero when the capacitor is fully charged. AC current is allowed to pass through the conductor continuously because it works similiar to the way the probes are switching, so the current is allowed continuos flow. The main function of a capacitor is for it to store energy and to act as a filter, passing current (AC) and blocking current (DC).

Inaccurate Portrayal of the Dinosaur Face :: Anthropology Essays Paleontology Papers

Inaccurate Portrayal of the Dinosaur Face As time goes on, Paleontologists discover more and more fossil remains, and with that more and more information about dinosaurs. Yet even with the great deal of fossils that have been discovered in the past century, scientists are still forced to make educated guesses about certain dinosaur behaviors, traits, and appearance. Dr. Lawrence Witmer’s recent research addresses this issue. Dr. Witmer argues that the fleshy nostril of dinosaurs lies in a different place than has been assumed and portrayed for over the last one hundred years. Dr. Witmer’s discovery was published in the August issue of Science magazine in 2001 and may change how we envision dinosaurs forever. Movies like â€Å"Jurassic Park† and the BBC’s â€Å"Walking with Dinosaurs† portray dinosaurs with fleshy nostrils which lie very high on their head. Not only in popular media is this true but in sculptures, kids’ books and scholarly journals. How could so many scientists have been wrong for so long? Very easily. When a dinosaur fossil is discovered it has an extremely large nasal cavity in its skull, sometimes several feet in length. Since flesh does not preserve all too well over the course of millions of years, paleontologists have been forced to make an educated guess as to where the fleshy nostril lies within the larger nasal cavity. Since the 1880’s scientists assumed that the nostril existed near the top of the head. The reason for this is that when sauropods (long necked dinosaurs) were discovered, it was thought that they must live under water in order to avoid crushing themselves under their own weight. This would explain their long necks. It would also follow that the fleshy nostril would be near the top of the head so the creatures could breathe easily while their bodies were under water. Even after it was realized these dinosaurs did not live under the water, the idea that the fleshy nostril existed near the top of the head persisted. The idea was also spread to most other dinosaurs that were discovered thereafter. Perhaps you have noticed this in a drawing or movie, that Tyrannosaurus Rex’s large nostrils do not lie in the front of his face but instead halfway up his head. Witmer believes his years of research with his â€Å"DinoNose† project prove that dinosaurs’ fleshy nostrils actually exist on the front end of the nasal cavity instead of the back end as was once believed.