Monday, December 30, 2019
Effects Of Depression On Adolescents And Young Adults
In the DSM IV major depressive disorder is classified by depressive episodes lasting at the least two weeks at which a depressed mood is shown including a loss of enjoyment in previously pleasurable activities and or loss of interest a sad or irritable mood, a significant change in weight or appetite, problems sleeping or concentrating, and feelings of worthlessness. When this intense sorrow begins to tatter with your self-worth and causes you to feel hopeless for a period of time enabling you from performing normal daily routines it may very well be clinical depression one may be suffering from. Clinical Depression is a mood disorder that is treatable. The symptoms of a depressed individual often reflect: hopelessness, agitation, guilt, feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, significant weight loss, insomnia and thoughts of suicide. Depression can distort the way that an individual views their lives, self or even the things around them. The effects of depression are expressed in numerous different ways among various age groups. For adolescents and young adults symptoms may include irritability, sadness, avoidance of social interactions and anxiety. This is the time when emotional turmoil and heightened sensitivity are more prevalent. Thus allowing â€Å"depression to become the most common psychiatric disorder†(Khan McCrae).Depression has a wide range of factors making it easy for anyone to obtain which eventually allowed this to become a communal among many different groups ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on Teen Depression1653 Words  | 7 PagesClinical depression is capable of ruining the future. In a few years, teenagers will be moving up in the world and beginning their lives as contributing members of society. Each one of them will have a job, and will encounter countless other individuals. The dilemma that the world faces is about 17% of teenagers will suffer from depression before they become adults (Canada). This impacts connections not only in the political/business world, but their personal lives and growth as well. TeenageRead MoreTeen Depression In Teens1284 Words  | 6 Pages2017 Depression in Teens Depression is a mental disorder or an mental illness that impacts people all around the world. In America, it has grown tremendously since 1980 and has been affecting younger and younger people, it was once only affecting adults but in recent years has been getting to adolescents and children. Most recently more than 10 percent of adolescents develop a depressive disorder before the age of 18(Collins, 2017). In this paper you will see the differences between adult and teenRead MorePsychological and Emotional Effects of Technology 1405 Words  | 6 PagesA young girl wakes up early in the morning to get ready for school. Before she gets out of bed, she checks her Facebook with her phone that sits in its’ place on her night stand. In class, she checks if she has any text messages from her friends under the table, making sure her teacher does not catch her. When she gets home from school, she sits on her couch, surfing the internet for a few hours before finally starting her homework. When she is about to go to bed, she checks her Facebook once moreRead MoreThe Problem Of Adolescent Depression1489 Words  | 6 PagesToday, adolescent depression is a very significant problem. In most cases, depression is the leading cause of why adolescents tend to make rash decisions and cause problems to themselves and also for others. Emerging adulthood coincides with adolescents as it is a time of feeling in-between. A child is growing to become a teen, a teen is becoming a young adult, and the young adult is becoming an mature, independent adult. Throughout this time, there are many paths to choose from, hardships to overcomeRead MorePsy 230 : Fall 2016 Paper Assignment Essay1064 Words  | 5 Pagesof LGBT young Adults, Journal of Child and Adolescence Psychiatric Nursing, Volume 23, pp. 205-213 Research Question. In this article, the key research questions and hypothesis proposed are: 1) does the family acceptance and supportive behavior predicts show a difference in †¦self-esteem, social support, general health status, depression, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and behaviors (cite?) and can be influential to the health and mental health of LGBT adolescents and young adults? 2) CanRead MoreSocial Acceptance And Its Impact On Adolescence945 Words  | 4 Pagesdetrimental effects on teens and young adults. Some of the effects can be self-esteem, peer pressure, drug and alcohol abuse, sex, depression and even suicide. Social rejection can influence emotion, cognition and even physical health. According to Amber R. Tolley she wrote in, Conformity: Drug and Alcohol Abuse, within Adolescent Communities, Lincoln Memorial University, â€Å"Social development refers to a person’s capacity for more mature interactions with individuals and groups. Young adolescents haveRead MoreDepression And Its Effects On Depression1316 Words  | 6 Pagesthe thought that depression is something that all of us have experienced at some point in our lives. It focuses on adolescents because during this period we are young and vulnerable and may not know how to cope with situations or circumstances that may lead us into depression. Factors such as going through puberty and issues at home with parents can all cause depression. This paper will talk about what is depression, how families can affect depression in the child, and how depression can lead to longRead MoreBipolar Disorder And Its Effects On The Human Mind987 Words  | 4 Pages Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness that has m any effects on the human body and mind. It’s found in young adults and children as well. Statistics show that the disorder affects about four million people in the United States and is becoming one of the most common disabilities in the United States today. People with bipolar disorder undergo two types of mood swings: depression and mania. Those two are then divided into subcategories: Bipolar 1 Disorder, Bipolar 2 Disorder, and Cylothymia. This paperRead MoreHow should Childhood Depression and Anxiety be Treated/Dealt with?1350 Words  | 6 Pagesquestion: How should childhood depression and anxiety be treated/dealt with? Introduction: Clinical depression, depression, biological depression, and major depression, all refer to the same thing: feeling sad for weeks or months on end. Depressed individuals struggle with feelings of dispaer, hopelessness, and no energy; things like getting out of bed, taking a shower, and eating become hard to do. Recent evidence has validated clinical depression in children as young as age 3, but not much dataRead MoreSsri s For Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor1651 Words  | 7 Pagesantidepressants. Antidepressants first started being marketed in the late nineteen nineties to adults for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Studies done during this time showed that SSRI’s had less negative side effects compared to depression medications that were already being used. Prozac was the first drug in this classification of antidepressants. Today not only are SSRI’s used for the treatment of depression and anxiety but they also are prescribed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, and
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Critically Evaluate the Main Potential Advantages and...
Which way to grow? The question is, should the company expand horizontally or should the company diversify or expand vertically? There is no clear cut answer to this question. There are advantages and pitfalls to each of these methods and there are many examples of organisation where a certain choice has proven extremely profitable and vice versa. This essay will provide advantages and disadvantages of horizontal expansion by comparing it with vertical and diversified growth. The reader will be presented with the facts and at the end will be allowed to make his own decision. One major deciding factor on growth strategy will be the organisations long term strategy and the behaviour of the Markets, and its competitors. Horizontal†¦show more content†¦BMW have also started to offer financial services in the UK. Horizontally expanded companies are extremely vulnerable to fall in sales and cyclical downturns. Advantage of diversification is that the firm can provide a stable profit stream by offsetting losses in one area to increasing profits in another area. The obvious reason for horizontal expansion is the benefit of cost reduction. As the firm increases its scale of operation it generally experiences a reduction in long-run average costs. After the merger the company can rationalise its operation which leads to instant reduction in overheads. But it’s important not to become to big that leads to diseconomies of scale. Another reason for the reduction in costs is due to the benefit attributed to the learning curve. The learning curve was responsible for the reason why European plan manufacturers could not compete with Boeings’ production efficiency in the 1950s. A firm producing 100 units a day learn faster then a firm producing 10 units a day. A company can also improve its efficiency by merging with a company that already has benefited from the learning curve. The question is how easy the knowledge can be transferred? One major disadvantage of firm that has only expanded horizontally is that it becomes reliant on it suppliers and distributor. If these suppliers have aShow MoreRelatedEbay in China - Case Study4122 Words  | 17 PagesChina, listing both the advantages and disadvantages of its acquisition strategy Assessment of the potential benefits and risks of eBay ´ s joint venture with Tom Online Assessment of both companies: eBay and Tom Online, decisions on their respective percentage of stake Strategic recommendation on International Commercial Strategy for eBay I- The input stage ï‚ · C.A.G.E. analysis Cultural with †¦ Different attitudes in life Different sales practise To prefer local companies Different language, ethnicitiesRead MoreEbay in China - Case Study4108 Words  | 17 PagesChina, listing both the advantages and disadvantages of its acquisition strategy Assessment of the potential benefits and risks of eBay ´ s joint venture with Tom Online Assessment of both companies: eBay and Tom Online, decisions on their respective percentage of stake Strategic recommendation on International Commercial Strategy for eBay I- The input stage ï‚ · C.A.G.E. analysis Cultural with †¦ Different attitudes in life Different sales practise To prefer local companies Different language, ethnicitiesRead MoreIbe International Business Questions Essay example9943 Words  | 40 PagesTopic 1: International Business 1. Why companies engage in international business? There are three major operating objectives that underline the reasons for companies to engage in international business: -expanding sales: pursuing international sales usually increases the potential market and potential profits -acquiring resources: foreign sources may give companies lower costs, new or better products, additional operating knowledge -minimizing risk: international operations may reduceRead MoreStrategic Management5568 Words  | 23 Pagesan extended period of time. So they require substantial resources, such as, physical assets, money, manpower etc. 3. Affect the firm’s long-term prosperity: Once a firm has committed itself to a particular strategy, its image and competitive advantage are tied to that strategy; its prosperity is dependent upon such a strategy for a long time. 4. Future- oriented: Strategic management encompasses forecasts, what is anticipated by the managers. In such decisions, emphasis is placed on the developmentRead MoreManagement Accounting Project Report - Cvp Analysis for a Firm Under Expansion Phase8127 Words  | 33 Pagesthis statement for a unit under expansion phase | | Abstract Companies commonly face major uncertainties in their product markets, particularly in the manufacturing industry where competition is often fierce and consumer tastes change rapidly. Managers need to estimate future revenues, costs, and profits to help them plan and monitor operations and to decide the mix and volumes of goods or services to produce and sell. They also use this information to evaluate profitability risk. Cost-volume-profitRead MoreBusiness Strategy: Sainsbury’s7299 Words  | 30 PagesThis paper critically analyses the past and the current market trend, operations, and marketing strategies of Sainsbury’s Company. Different models of analysis were employed to clearly understand the current and previous state of Sainsbury’s. Some of these models include SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, CORE analysis, Porter’s Five Forces model, Key Success Factors, and Ansoff’s Matrix These models help in understanding all aspects that play a role for the success and the failures of the company that includeRead MoreWalmart vs Carrefour26545 Words  | 107 Pages6 Analysis of Wal-Mart and Carrefour’s Strategies (82) 6.1 Assessment of Two Giants’ Strategies 6.1.1 Entry Strategies 6.1.2 Expansion Strategies 6.1.3 Positioning Strategies 6.1.4 Local Adaptation 6.1.5 Sourcing Strategies 6.1.6 Human Resource Management and Public Relations 6.2 Resource-Based Theory and Their Strategies 6.2.1 Entry Strategies 6.2.2 Expansion Strategies 6.2.3 Positioning Strategies 6.2.4 Local Adaptation 6.2.5 Sourcing Strategies 6.3 Summary (82) (82) (84) (86) (88) (90)Read MorePeople Management Development22130 Words  | 89 Pages10 13 14 15 16 21 Section 2 Assignments 29 Introduction 29 Leadership and Management Assignments 31 General Notes Managing for Results Assignments Managing in a Strategic Business Context Assignments Managing Information for Competitive Advantage Assignments Managing and Leading People Assignments 31 31 34 38 42 People Management and Development Assignments 45 General Brief 45 Consolidated Assignment Document 3 Generalist Electives Assignments 47 People Resourcing AssignmentsRead MoreMergers and Acquisitions in Ghana20927 Words  | 84 Pagesstarted to decline sharply. To be able to attain the merger objectives of achieving synergy, reducing cost of operations and improving market performance and profitability of the joint iii  operations and other performance benefits, the company should strengthen its business processes, restructure its capital base and improve its cash operation cycle.               iv  DEDICATION To my parents, Mama Afua Daalon Seidu and the late Seidu Lienyuri Read MoreAnswer Key - Fund. of Management Chpt 1-7 Essay10238 Words  | 41 Pagesare so closely interrelated, understanding the fine balance between them is an important part of how you become an effective manager. 3. Using any of the popular business periodicals (such as BusinessWeek, Fortune, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company), find examples of managers doing each of the four management functions. Write up a description and explain how these are examples of that function. Answer - Students answers will vary depending on the articles selected, but each should include
Friday, December 13, 2019
Unit 4 Per Diary Task Free Essays
Unit 4 Practice Evidence Record Diary 4. 1- During my time at placement I have had to encourage children to use resources in a safe and controlled way. For example while working outside in the settings back garden the children wanted to play on the slide. We will write a custom essay sample on Unit 4 Per Diary Task or any similar topic only for you Order Now For children to be playing on the slide they will need to climb up from the one side where there are steps. However I made sure that I was close by in case a child injures themselves. While supporting the children I also allow myself to encourage the children to hold onto the handrail allowing them to have a steady balance, preventing them from falling. Due to keeping children safe and secure I am able to acknowledge that I am suppose to be asking the children not to run to fast and ensure that I am providing positive instructions for example to take turns on the slide allowing all the children to have a chance in playing on the slide I also supervised the children during the activity to make sure they were safe. It states in Tassoni. P ^et al^ Heinemann 4th edition child care and education cache level 3 that P. Tassoni, 2007, page, 218 says  health and safety policy- this will give guidelines on how to keep children, parents and staff safe, for example guidelines on handing over children at the end of a session safely. However this practice shows that I am able to follow all policies and procedures such as the Health and Safety Work Act 1974 or the Equal opportunity policy. How to cite Unit 4 Per Diary Task, Papers
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Company To Incur A Huge Amount Of Loss †Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Discuss About The Company To Incur A Huge Amount Of Loss? Answer: Introduction: The process of capital budgeting is one of the most important processes that are used by the management of the company. This process is used for budgeting of the financial assets. The financial process is used for the determination of the different projects that include a capital outlay for the company. This includes the building of a building or a piece of equipment or buying it. There are the assets that any company invests in and hence, are of an utmost importance for the company (the balance, 2017). Also, then there are independent and mutually exclusive capital investment projects in which the company makes an investment in. these are the projects that are of an utmost importance and the decision with regard to this is made by the business owner since it includes an increased amount of money. If this decision is not taken wisely, then that could lead the company to incur a huge amount of loss. There are many factors that have to be considered when making a capital investment decision. The rate of return on each one of the project has to be compared and the same would be kept in as against the weighted average cost of capital of the company which is as such not as simple as it sounds. The management of the company has to go through a number of different financial analysis so as to derive at the correct analysis. Also, the business would always want to estimate in the cash flows that would generated for the company due to the project. The hardest part of the cash flow is the esti mates which tries in to determine in the rate of return of the project. There are many of the cash flow forecasting techniques that would help the company in choosing the projects (Radiomariamiami, 2017). Techniques: The process of capital budgeting is the method through which the investments that are of a longer duration are assessed and the various investments on the purchase or the replacement of the property, plant and equipment along with new line of the product and the other projects would be assessed. The techniques through which capital budgeting could be done include the following: Payback Period Discounted Payback Period Net Present Value Accounting Rate of Return Internal Rate of Return Profitability Index All of these above stated techniques are based upon the comparison of the cash inflows and the cash outflows that are related with each one of the project but follows different approaches when being applied. The following a very brie outline of each one of the technique which is used: Payback period which helps in the measurement of the time which the initial flow of the cash is returned in by the project. These cash flows are not discounted and a lower payback period is always preferred. Net present value which equals to the difference between the net cash outflow and the net cash inflow. The project with the higher net present value and the investment is selected only if the net present value is positive. The accounting rate of return of the project is the profitability of the project which is discounted using the projected total amount of the net income which is divided by the initial or the average investment. The net income derived from each project is not discounted. Internal rate of return is the arte of discount in which the net present value of the project would become 0. The higher this return, the better it is for the company. Profitability index is the ratio of the present value of the future cash flows of the project kept as against the investment which is required in for each one of the projects (Accounting explained, 2017). The above techniques are sued when the cash inflows that the company would receive over the time of the project are certain but what about the times and the projects when the cash inflows are not certain. Each and every project is connected with an uncertainty and hence, the risks that affects the way these decisions are made. The larger companies mainly uses different techniques such as the ones that have been explained below for the purposes of making the decision: (Colostate, 2017). Break even analysis: this is one of the most useful techniques which points out the project as being loss making or profit making. The management has to make the decision as to the level of output that must be reached so that the company at least meets its costs. The following is an example of the calculation of break-even point. This is usually expressed in units but then it is also true that the company sometimes need to know the amount if the sales that must be realised for making those sales. Particulars Amounts in $ Selling price 8.00 Variable cost 6.00 Fixed expenses 5,500.00 1 Break even units Fixed costs/Contribution per unit 2,750.00 Contribution per unit=Selling price-variable cost 2 Break even units in sales Number of break even units*selling price per unit 22,000.00 (CSUN, 2017). The break-even analysis helps in studying in the relationship between fixed costs, variable costs and the return. It is the point at which a positive return is determined graphically. It helps in computing the volume at which the company would make no loss and no profit. The production below this level would lead to a loss for the company and the production higher then this level would lead to a profit for the company. Hence this is the minimum level of sales for the company (BEU, 2017). Scenario analysis: This is the second technique which is used by the management in the process of decision making. This is the method of analysis which helps in the evaluation of the expected value of the proposed investment or the business activity. The statistical mean is the highest probability event which is expected in situations. By the way of creating these scenarios, one may be able to combine the same with probability that they would occur and an analyst would be able to determine in the value of the investment or the venture of the business and the probability which calculates in the expected value that actually occurs. This call for the determination of the probability distribution of the investment which is equal to the risk inherent in that stated investment. by the way of comparing in the expected return with the expected risk along with the overlaying of the risk tolerance of the investor, one would be able to make better decisions about whether to invest in the new project or not. The h istorical performance data is required in many of the cases which helps in gaining in depth knowledge about the variability of the performance in the investors and would also help in the investor in making the risks that is borne by the shareholders. The examination of the periodic return data would help in the assessment of risk in the past which is connected with the investment. In order to illustrate, wherein an investment which provides an equal return each year is expected to give equal and the same return each year, then that investment is termed as being less risky when compared with the return on the investment which gives out either a positive or a negative return which fluctuates. Though both of these investments would provide in the same return for any given investment horizon, the periodic return would help in the demonstration of the risk which differentiates in these investments. There are stricter regulations over the calculation and also in the presentation of the pa st returns which compares in the return on the information all across the securities. The past performance would not provide in the guarantee about the future risk or the return on the investment. This technique would help in understanding the potential risk and the return profile of the company. This is achieved by creating the probability distribution for any business enterprise. The examples of this technique include the performing of the multi factor analysis in the ways such as creation of a fixed number of scenarios such as determination of high or low spread ad creation of intermediate scenarios and performing the random factor analysis which includes many ways to infinite number of scenarios and Monte Carlo analysis (Udemy, 2017) Sensitivity analysis: whenever any project is being considered to be undertaken, then there are certain assumptions that needs to be made about the stated project. The number of units to be sold, the time that the project would take to complete, the cost of capital for the company. Hence, the management would need to undertake this technique so as to know the reliability of these assumptions and the way in which the project change that the company would go through in case wrong assumptions are undertaken. This is the way of measuring in the way in which the sensitivity outcome of the various assumptions about the project are taken. This changes the assumptions of the project assuming the other changes to be the same. This determines in the way in which the net present value and the internal rate of return undergoes a change. (Small business chron, 2017). This technique of sensitivity analysis can be very useful for a variety of reasons, the first being the support of the decision making or the development of the recommendations for the decision makers. The example include testing of the robustness of the result. Another advantage of the same is the enhancement of the communication from the modellers to the decision makers. There is an increase in the understanding and the quantification of the system and also there is a development of a model such as searching for errors in the model. Monte Carlo simulation: under this method, the statistical distribution of each one of the input is estimated. Inflation, risk etc in order to illustrate. Then these simulations are run in order to see the way in which the inputs undergo a change and the way in which it affects the output. This simulation is of an utmost importance since there are multiple of inputs involves that would go in for change and could also be unrelated. These simulations could be applied in to the different areas of business such as the bond pricing and are useful when it comes to the estimation of the base case which is quite difficult to be done by hand. For the purposes of accounting in of complex, interconnected factors that affects the financial outcomes, the companies must go in for the use of statistical methods. This is the method which solves in the issue which simulates in the underlying process and then helps in the calculation of the average result of the stated process (NTU, 2017). It helps in simulating the various sources associated with uncertainty. It also affects the value of the investment, portfolio, investment in question etc. this technique is designed for the purposes of finding out as to what happens to the outcome on an average when inputs undergo a change. Each one of the potential factor is assigned in a probability or statistic distribution. Suppose, an investor could estimate the return of 20% on a bond. This merely means that 20% of the time, he would not be able to earn back his principal. If he assumes the mean of 3% which is the inflation rate and 0.5% as the standard deviation, then he could assess and estimate the probability or the distribution of each one of the factors that would result in the change in the investment. This would mean running each distribution across many simulations of all of the inputs to ascertain the way in which the output would be affected and the average output would be found out. The main advantage of the stated method is the fact that this method would be able to handle in multiple moving and also possible related inputs. As the factors increase, it becomes harder for the company to figure out the base case (Lumen learning, 2017). References: Accountingexplained.com. (2017).Capital Budgeting | Techniques | Introduction. [online] Available at: https://accountingexplained.com/managerial/capital-budgeting/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. economics.az. (2017).Capital budgeting. [online] Available at: https://beu.edu.az/~faliyev/books/b_leverages.pdf [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. Courses.lumenlearning.com. (2017).Scenario and Simulation Assessments | Finance accounting. [online] Available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-finance/chapter/scenario-and-simulation-assessments/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. extension.colostate.edu. (2017).Break-Even Method of Investment Analysis. [online] Available at: https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/farmmgt/03759.pdf [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. homepage.ntu.edu.tw. (2017).Project Analysis. [online] Available at: https://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~jryanwang/course/Financial%20Management%20(undergraduate%20level)/FM_Ch09.pdf [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. Radiomariamiami.com. (2017).Capital budgeting. [online] Available at: https://www.radiomariamiami.com/stores.html [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. Smallbusiness.chron.com. (2017). Management Analysis for Capital Budgeting. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/sensitivity-analysis-capital-budgeting-10153.html [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. The Balance. (2017).Don't Make a Capital Investment Decision Without This. [online] Available at: https://www.thebalance.com/capital-budgeting-and-its-importance-in-business-392912 [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. Udemy. (2017).Sensitivity Scenario Analysis for CA / CFA / CPA Exams. [online] Available at: https://www.udemy.com/sensitivity-and-scenario-analysis-in-capital-budgeting/ [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]. www.csun.edu. (2017).Topics in Capital Budgeting. [online] Available at: https://www.csun.edu/~jpd45767/303/8%20-%20Topics%20in%20Capital%20Budgeting.pdf [Accessed 15 Sep. 2017]
Thursday, November 28, 2019
All About Halifax, the Capital of Nova Scotia
All About Halifax, the Capital of Nova Scotia Halifax, the largest urban area in Atlantic Canada, is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia. It sits in the center of Nova Scotias east coast and is an important seaport that looks out over one of the worlds largest natural harbors. Its been strategic militarily since its founding for just that reason and is nicknamed Warden of the North. Nature lovers will find sandy beaches, beautiful gardens, and hiking, birding, and beachcombing. Urbanites can enjoy the symphony, live theater, art galleries, and museums, along with a lively nightlife that includes brewpubs and a great culinary scene. Halifax is a relatively affordable city that provides a mix of Canadian history and modern living, with the constant influence of the sea. History The first British settlement that became Halifax began in 1749 with the arrival of about 2,500 settlers from Britain. The harbor and the promise of lucrative cod fishing were the main draws. The settlement was named for George Dunk, Earl of Halifax, who was the main supporter of the settlement. Halifax was a base of operations for the British during the American Revolution and also a destination for Americans loyal to Britain who opposed the Revolution. Halifaxs remote location hindered its growth, but World War I brought it back into prominence again as a shipping point for supplies to Europe. The Citadel is a hill overlooking the harbor that from the citys beginnings was valued for its view of the harbor and surrounding lowland and was from the start the site of fortifications, the first being a wooden guard house. The last fort to be built there, Fort George, stands as a reminder to the historical importance of this key area. Its now called Citadel Hill and is a national historic site that includes re-enactments, ghost tours, changing of the sentry and walks around the inside of the fort. Statistics and Government Halifax covers 5,490.28 square kilometers or 2,119.81 square miles. Its population as of the 2011 Canadian census was 390,095. The Halifax Regional Council is the main governing and legislative body for the Halifax Regional Municipality. The Halifax Regional Council is made up of 17 elected representatives: the mayor and 16 municipal councilors. Halifax Attractions Besides the Citadel, Halifax offers several interesting attractions. One not to be missed is the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which includes artifacts from the sinking of the Titanic. The bodies of 121 victims of this tragedy in 1912 are buried in Halifaxs Fairview Lawn Cemetery. Other Halifax attractions include: Pier 21: Canadian Museum of ImmigrationProvince House, the Legislative Assembly of Nova ScotiaArt Gallery of Nova Scotia Trans Canada Trail Halifax Climate Halifax weather is strongly influenced by the ocean. Winters are mild and summers are cool. Halifax is foggy and misty, with fog on more than 100 days of the year, especially in spring and early summer. Winters in Halifax are moderate but wet with both rain and snow. The average high temperature in January is 2 degrees Celsius, or 29 degrees Fahrenheit. Spring comes slowly and eventually arrives in April, bringing more rain and fog. Summers in Halifax are short but beautiful. In July, the average high temperature is 23 degrees Celsius, or 74 degrees Fahrenheit. By late summer or early fall, Halifax may feel the tail end of a hurricane or tropical storm.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Frankenstein Essays (382 words) - Frankenstein, Free Essays
Frankenstein Essays (382 words) - Frankenstein, Free Essays Frankenstein This is an English book report on "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley Frankenstein The story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is about a man who created something that messes with nature, and nature came back to mess with him because nature is more powerful than man. Victor Frankenstein was very interested in natural philosophy and chemistry and basically tried to play G-d by creating life. When he found the secret of activating dead flesh, he created a superhuman being composed of rotted corpses. What he did was considered unthinkable, and he was haunted by his own creation. When the monster escaped, Frankenstein knew that he had to deal with the consequences of what the monster might do. Frankenstein received a letter one day which informed him of his younger brother William's murder, and immediately suspected that he was responsible, for he was the creator of the hideous monster. A friend of the family named Justine Moritz was the "presumed" murderer, and Frankenstein was determined to prove her innocent. Circumstantial evidence, however, led the courts to believe Justine guilty, because found in her pocket was a photograph which had belonged to William. Justine had been put to death, and Frankenstein had yet to find his creation. Finally, upon their meeting, the monster confessed to his creator of what he had been through, how he was rejected by society, and finally, how he had come to kill William. When William had revealed his name to the monster, the monster immediately figured that by killing the young boy, he would have revenge on Frankenstein for giving him life. The monster did not understand the concept of right and wrong and he especially didn't mean to kill anybody. His expression of anger ended up being violent, even fatal to the victim, and it just worked out that he killed people. As the monster's story continued, he demanded of Frankenstein a female mate who he can be with until his end, and promised to live away from society. Frankenstein, meanwhile, tried to restore the monster's demented mind so he could live a normal life. Although at first Frankenstein agreed to create a friend for the monster, he changed his mind for fear that between the two of them, his life, as well as many others, would be in danger. The creature wanted revenge, and so everything important in Frankenstein's life ended up being destroyed, including his wife and best friend.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Anatomical features Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Anatomical features - Essay Example Radiometric analysis gives ‘Ardi’’s age as 4.4 million years, making her the oldest known hominid species to date. Ardi’s skeleton suggests a unique versatility and provides evidence of both biped and quadruped locomotion. The study of Ardi’s feet shows the markedly splayed big toe which facilitates the grasping of tree limbs, marking her as a quadruped in the trees. However, the presence of a small bone inside a foot tendon, which is absent in both chimps and gorillas, increases the rigidity of the big toe. This feature, in combination with other toe modification, promotes biped locomotion on the ground. Similarly, the pelvis shows both the large flaring upper bones which facilitate steady bipedality, and the lower pelvis which accommodates the huge hind limb muscles used in climbing like an ape. Again, unlike the strictly rigid wrist bones of chimps and gorillas, which are geared towards hanging from trees and knuckle-walking on the ground, Ardiâ⠂¬â„¢s highly flexible wrists and finger joints indicate that Ardi walked on her palms on tree limbs – like primitive apes. (Shreeve. October 1, 2009. National Geographic News). The most famous fossil remains of Australopithecus afarensis are the skeleton, "Lucy" found at Hadar, Ethopia, in 1974, the infant found at Dikika, Ethiopia, in 2006, and the 3.7 million years old footprints found in volcanic ash plus fossil bones found at Laetoli, Tanzania in 1978. The anatomical features in all these cases suggest that Australopithecus afarensis was capable of both bipedal and quadruped locomotion. Lucy’s long arm bones, and the ridge formed by the tendons attached to the humerus, indicate the strong chest and upper arm muscles required for tree climbing. However, her short, broad pelvis supported her upright body and her angled-in thigh bones maintained her weight directly above her knees – both optimum features for walking. Likewise, while Lucy’s compact,
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Food Ads That Are Like Wolves in Sheeps Clothing Essay
Food Ads That Are Like Wolves in Sheeps Clothing - Essay Example Once they watch a commercial about a food product with their favourite cartoon character, that is the image that will stick to them and then they will ask their parents to buy it for them and argue that the commercial says it’s good for them. They become enamoured with the products that are like adorable sheep not knowing that it is only the disguise of the wolves inside just waiting to prey on these naà ¯ve consumers. The video entitled â€Å"We’re Not Buying It: Stop Junk Food Marketing To Kids†(Prevention Institute, 2011) exposes how vulnerable children are to the power of food advertising especially if it caters to their interests. The video asks how the food industry can even penetrate schools with the guise of supporting charity projects but are actually marketing strategies promoting their unhealthy food and beverage products. The video also revealed that most advertised food and beverage products have too much sugar, salt and fat in them but are packaged as healthy food in order to be sold. Since children are bombarded with thousands of such food ads every year, and even incorporated in movies and their favourite video games, then they consume much of this food and drinks in their unhealthy diets. Hence, 1 in 3 children is expected to be prone to Diabetes when they grow up like 40% of their diets come from added sugars and unhealthy fats (Prevention Institute, 2011). I can relate the message in the video with some theories from Sharma & Romas (2012) taken up in class. Health Belief Model discussed in class proposes that one’s health is determined by his personal beliefs or perceptions, and if children believe the message that advertisements convey, then they get sucked into unhealthy diets and lifestyles.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Organizational Changes at PayPal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Organizational Changes at PayPal - Essay Example The rapid growth enjoyed by this company has been as a result of changing its strategy to suit the needs of the customers and at the same time ensure maximum safety for online transactions. Being a leader in online payments, PayPal was finding it challenging to address all the needs of the millions of customers they served. There were a number of challenges the company was facing that drove it to change its business model. These challenges were as a result of the growing customer numbers, stiff competition, regulatory issues and safety concerns. First, PayPal operates in a highly sensitive and competitive market segment. The threat from other companies offering more or less similar services has been a major concern for the company. Since its inception, PayPal has had to deal with the threat of competitors. For example, two years after its establishment, PayPal faced competition from Citibank, who introduced the c2it service. Citibank partnered with Microsoft and AOL, and the c2it presented a significant threat to the growth of PayPal. In another example, Google introduced the Google’s Checkout system, which allowed customers to retrieve their financial information and give it to merchants whenever it needed. With such a system, PayPal was facing the risk of being thrown out of the online payment market. An even bigger threat came from mobile service providers. For example, companies like Verizon and ATT were facilitating P2P payments, services that allow customers to send and receive money using their mobile phones.
Friday, November 15, 2019
An Open Innovation Business Model Commerce Essay
An Open Innovation Business Model Commerce Essay It is very important to know what innovation is before we can further proceed in answering the question. An innovation is a product or service with a bundle of features that is new in the market, or that is commercialized in some new way that opens up new uses and consumer groups for it. Innovation is invention implemented and taken to market (Chesbrough 2003). Invention however is the creation of something that was previously unknown (Chesbrough, Vanhaverbeke et al. 2006). In summary, INNOVATION= INVENTION+COMMERCIALIZATION. Today companies who, want to deliver consistent organic growth to their shareholders, customers, and their employees can do that only through innovation (Chesbrough 2006). So what is Open Innovation? Illustration 1: Concept of open innovation Open innovation is the use of purposive inflows and outflows of knowledge to accelerate internal innovation, and expand the markets for external use of innovation, respectively. [This paradigm] assumes that firms can and should use external ideas as well as internal ideas, and internal and external paths to market, as they look to advance their technology. (Henry Chesbrough, Open Innovation: Researching a New Paradigm). As mentioned by Chesbrough, there are a total of 5 paths to Open Innovation. Firstly, the old fashion model. It work like a fortress, the firm will take ideas internally to market. This path works the same as a closed innovation concept. The second path would be opening up the abilities for others. This can be achieved by bringing in ideas internally; ideas that does not fit into the firm business but might be useful for others. The third path would be acquiring ideas externally. Ideas are everywhere; firms can acquire ideas from university, individuals, start-up companies and etc. They can then come out with new opportunities and solutions using these acquired knowledge by taking them to a new market; a market that the firm might not have gotten into. The forth path would be to bring in external technologies and ideas to fill the gap that the firm might be facing problem with. Without open innovation, companies might need to use more resources to fill the gap. Lastly, an internal project that does not look promising until a certain level of development can be taken out and allow the team to continue working on it outside. This process can help to raise new money, acquire new customer and hire new employees (Specialist) to further develop the project. At certain point, if it seems feasible and viable, firms have the option to bring the project back if it turns out to be strategically interesting. The 5 paths are very important in helping use to understand why firms are moving towards the open innovation business model. The opposite of Open Innovation-The Closed Innovation In order to understand Open Innovation better, we will need to know the opposite of it- the Closed Innovation. In short, Close Innovation is a paradigm that successful innovation requires control and ownership of the Intellectual property (IP). A company should have full control of everything that relates to ideas. Some companies therefore decided to run their own research and development (RD) units. The entire new product development cycle was then incorporated within the company where innovation was done in a closed and self-supporting way (Wikipedia). It has always been the case whereby internal Research and Development (RD) was regarded as a strategic asset and it creates barrier to competitive entry in many industries. Only bigger firms with substantial resources and long-term research programs are capable to compete within their respective industries. This eventually led to higher profit margin as well. Competitors had to start their own laboratories using their own resources in order to compete. Therefore firms invested heavily in internal RD, which eventually led them to breakthrough innovation that enabled them to create new products and services to generate more revenue and profit margins (Chesbrough 2003). Therefore the protection of intellectual property in a closed innovation paradigm is very tight. It is so tight that firms will store their technologies until they are ready to use it. In the meantime, firms will also minimize or rather ensure zero leakages incident of information that relate to the technology. (Chesbrough 2003) Differences between closed and open innovation Table 1: Open Innovation Principles, Source: H. Chesbrough (2003) One major difference between closed and open innovation are how firms filter their ideas. In any RD process, researchers must separate the bad proposal from the good ones and eventually only the good proposal will be commercialised and the bad ones will be discarded. Both open and closed model can remove false positives (that is bad ideas that initially look promising), but open innovation can revived these false positive and false negatives (ideas that initially seem to lack promise but turn out to be surprisingly valuable) to recoup losses incurred during the RD process. A classic example will be Xerox and Palo Alto Research Centre (PARC). Researcher there developed many breakthrough technologies such as Ethernet and Graphical User Interface (GUI). However Xerox main focus is on high speed printer and copier, hence these technologies were not viewed as promising by the firm. This is what we call false negative. GUI was eventually used by APPLE in Macintosh operating system and Micr osoft in Windows operating system respectively. Why open innovation? Today, in many industries, the traditional logic of supporting an internally oriented, centralized approach to RD has become obsolete. Ideas must be used with alacrity as useful information and knowledge can be obtained easily. A firms ability to exploit external knowledge is a critical component of innovative capabilities (Cohen and Levinthal 1990) instead of exploiting only internal knowledge. In short, firms that can integrate external ideas to advance their own businesses while leveraging their internal ideas outside their current operations will likely thrive in this new era of open innovation. As time passed by, Closed innovation model begin to obsolete fundamentally and ultimately eroded. This eventually led to closed innovation giving place to open innovation paradigm (Chesbrough 2003). Increase in availability and mobility of skilled workers encourage firms to go into an open innovation business model. This is because the labour market is linked to the market of know-how (Teece 2000), these labors are likely to be lured by better compensation package which will then led to information leakages. This makes the labour market highly mobile which encourage companies to shift from a closed innovation model to an open innovation model. Also, ideas can no longer be stored on the shelf anymore. Failure to utilize own technologies might result in firms seeing their own technologies ended up being exploited by other firms. This is due to a widespread of knowledge pool among companies, customer, suppliers and other parties. Hence the closed innovation business model is once again proven to be less useful to many firms. Rising development costs and shorter product life-cycles has resulted in firms finding it increasingly difficult to justify investments in innovation (Chesbrough 2007). This actually made the open innovation model important. It is very important for firms to process knowledge at a faster pace to prevent worker and venture capitalist to steal their ideas. It is not surprising at all that external suppliers offer better quality work of what a company can achieve internally (Chesbrough 2003). Hence, in today context, most of the bigger firms actually engage the services of external suppliers so that they can apply their investment to cover more areas in less time. However it is important to note that this allows other firms to move faster and cover new markets as well. An example of this would be Samsung and Apple. Apples A5 chip is built by Samsung à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ½, the processor that powers Apples iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is being manufactured in Texas by rival Samsung. As mentioned earlier in this essay that a company such as XEROX that is too focus internally (closed innovation approach) will eventually miss out numerous opportunities because many will fall outside the firms current businesses or will need to be integrated with external technologies to unleash their full potential. As RD functions are organised as separate function within organisations, there bound to have some technologies that are under- or unutilised. These ideas are kept on the shelf of the knowledge bank until downstream business is ready and willing to use them (Chesbrough 2003). Firms will do well if they are able to make full use of extensive technologies (Chesbrough, Vanhaverbeke et. al. 2006). Its also possible to innovate with discoveries of others (Chesbrough 2003). Firms can leverage on external knowledge instead of ignoring it and pursuing only internal RD (Chesbrough 2003). Valuable ideas come from inside or outside the company and can go to market from inside or outside the company as well (Chesbrough 2003). Both external and internal ideas are equally important. Firms can focus on a particular area without having to do everything (Chesbrough 2003). Therefore Open Innovation offers lower costs for innovation, faster times to market, and risk sharing with others. (Chesbrough 2006). Open innovation does not mean that internal RD must be removed from a firms RD process. A firm can achieve additional benefits when implementing internal RD in Open Innovation context as the internal RD can fill the gaps (leveraging on external) in what others are doing. Firms that adopt Open Innovation business model do not need to invent the most novel or best technologies and knowledge in order to thrive and lead in their respective industry. Firms just need to be sure that they are making the best use of internal and external knowledge in a timely manner and innovate to create new products or services. Smaller firms such as SMEs have more reasons to move towards the Open Innovation business model. This is because they have less internal RD capability, less market power which mean weaker ability to capture value and IP enforcement are often costly to them (Henry Chesbrough 2008). Markets that is too small for larger firms might be attractive for SMEs. Smaller firms are able to execute plans at a faster rate because there are less internal politics (Henry Chesbrough 2008). Eventually larger firms will value this collaboration with smaller firms and they will create platforms that seek supporting investment from SMEs and SMEs can expand globally at a lower cost. As for larger firms, the Open innovation business model plays an important role. Radical innovations were viewed as an approach to generate growth for large established company as they depend on breakthrough innovation to move to the next platform for growth. However larger firms are lacking of supportive infrastructure to enable breakthroughs to be commercialized. Open innovation model can aid firms in building this supportive infrastructure. Larger firms can then focus on building deeper core competencies. Example 1: Intel Firms can benefit from innovation even if they do not own the technologies they use. An example would be computer processor maker, Intel. Intel has been successful for years without conducting much basic research on its own. All development took place within existing production laboratories as Intel does not have any development facilities. However Intel decided to take a change at a later stage, three research laboratories with different focus in their respective areas were established later. In addition to that, Intel actively promotes linkages between its research laboratories and external research community. They held conferences, research forums and seminars in attempt to bring both internal and external researches together. (Chesbrough 2003) Strong connections between them and newly incorporated firms allow Intel to extend its business strategy by leveraging on the advantages that these start-ups possessed. Intel benefitted tremendously from this far-sighted approach with corporate venture capitalist. To sum up, Intel actually adopted the third and fourth path to Open Innovation as mentioned earlier in this essay. Their primary focus is on accessing and leveraging on external knowledge (Chesbrough 2003). Example 2: The rise of Adobe and fall of Metaphor Computer We all know that Adobe systems owe its success to their first product, the PostScript. Postscript created a new industry segment within personal computer industry, known as desktop publishing. This technology was initially developed within Xeroxs Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). Within PARC, what was then called Interpress was a means of allowing Xeroxs laser printers to print what was displayed on a Xerox Star workstation. This capability became known as WYSIWYG, or what you see is what you get. John Warnock and Charles Geschke, who both worked on this technology while at PARC, wanted to create a standard around Interpress. However, their management within Xerox resisted this, because they did not want to give away one of the primary differentiating features of the Star system. Extracted from Intel ® Technology Journal. From the extract above, we can see that both John and Charles innovation does not look promising to PARC at that point of time. Eventually Hewlett Packard and Canon agreed to bundle in the Technology which was later labeled as PostScript as a standard item in their laser printers, while Apple agreed to support PostScript in its software. If back then PARC adopted an Open Innovation business model, they would have benefited. This is mentioned earlier on as the fifth path to Open Innovation business model. However HP, Canon and Apple benefited from the model as they have all taken the third and fourth approach to Open Innovation business model. And lastly Adobe uses the first and second approach, which eventually led them to success. Unlike Adobe, Metaphor chooses to adopt a closed innovation approach. Nothing was carved out and shared with other firms. Lack of third-party support eventually led them to their downfall. Conclusion As ideas and technologies become obsolete at a very fast pace (Chesbrough 2006) and many useful knowledge has been widely spread, open innovation is vital for firms as they can use external as well as internal ideas and paths to market as they look to advance their technology (Chesbrough 2003) while pursuing lower costs for innovation, faster times to market, and the chance to share risks with others (Chesbrough 2006). In order to thrive in this new era, firms must adopt an open innovation business model. However it is important to note that, closed innovation is still applicable to certain industry such as the Pharmaceutical industry. Open Innovation business model is merely an evolution of closed innovation as it consist partial traits of the latter. ******** The End ********
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Hamlet: Hamlets Sanity :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays
Hamlet: Hamlet's Sanity â€Å"Great wits are sure to madness near allied, and thin partitions do their bounds divide.†Though John Dryden's quote was not made in regard to William Shakespeare's Hamlet, it relates very well to the argument of whether or not Hamlet went insane. When a character such as Hamlet is under scrutiny, it can sometimes be difficult to determine what state he is in at particular moments in the play. Nonetheless, Hamlet merely pretends to be insane so that he can calculate his moves according to the situation at hand. There are many situations throughout the play that are enough to bring Hamlet to insanity. Take, for example, Act IV, scene II, after Polonius's death. Hamlet's day has been hectic; he finally determines that Claudius has killed his father. The chance to kill Claudius confronts him, and he comes very close to convincing Gertrude that Claudius killed his father. Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius and finally, the ghost of his father visits him. Though at this point these situations create plenty of reasons for Hamlet to be insane, he remains sharp and credible. â€Å"[Hamlet] concocts this state of madness...his intellect remains clear, his discourse sound and comprehensive,†(Harris, p. 129). Hamlet reveals to his friends and his mother of his plans to pretend act insane. He tells Horatio that he is going to "feign madness," and that if Horatio notices any strange behavior from Hamlet, it is because he is putting on an act. (I, v). Hamlet also tells his mother that he is not mad, "but mad in craft." (III, iv). In addition to his confessions, Hamlet's madness only manifests itself when he is in the presence of certain characters. When Hamlet is around Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he behaves irrationally. When Hamlet is around Horatio, Bernardo, Francisco, The Players and the Gravediggers, he behaves rationally (Bevington, p. 59). Some of the characters themselves come to realize that Hamlet is not mad. Claudius confesses that Hamlet's "actions although strange, do not appear to stem from madness." (III, i). In addition, Polonius admits that Hamlet's actions and words have a "method" to them; there appears to be a reason behind them, they are logical in nature. (II, ii). Hamlet is also able to make smart remarks to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, comparing them to sponges. "When he (Claudius) needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you and, sponge, you shall be dry again," ( ). This is random and unexpected, as many of his actions, but the comparison makes sense; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern soak up all the kings
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Belonging Pactise Essay
For a person to belong into a certain group, class or society, they must learn to fit in with that certain group, class or society and learn the rituals, language, behaviour responsibilities and culture. The sense of belonging to one of these social groups gives one a sense of belonging, and cancels out the feeling of exclusion and isolation. The journey into fitting into these groups can be a challenging task, which involves class clashes and other obstacles. Through the study of Educating Rita, we see the benefits of belonging, but contrasting them with the negatives in belonging. In order to fit in to a new class, one must learn the aspirations, culture, interests and language, otherwise they will not be able to communicate and feel the sense of belonging to the new class. In Educating Rita, the struggle Rita goes through in order to transforms her old self, into a new and improved Rita, shows us that in order to belong to a social class one must first have self-actualization, knowing what their purpose and aspirations are in life, in order to pursue the correct class for them. This is the problem that Rita has from the beginning of the play, the lack of self-actualization causes her the excessive want to change and to fit into the higher social class. Rita’s epiphany only comes towards the end of the play, but the struggles and obstacles that lead to the epiphany show us the importance of self-actualization. Throughout the play, we can clearly outline the differences between the two social classes, the working-class and the middle-class. These differences in language, culture, aspirations and rituals cause the obstacles to fit in. The task that Rita is pursuing is a very challenging one, that may not even be achieved. From the beginning of the play we see the struggles she is going to have, when she struggles to open the door. This is symbolic to the struggles and obstacles she will face during the process of trying to belong. The difference between language and education is shown when Frank is discussing the book Howard’s End, and Rita’s lack of education leads to the misunderstanding of the book’s title, and mocks the pun. The ambition and desire to belong into the higher social class is caused because of the lack of self-actualization. When Frank asks Rita why she has enrolled into the class, she answer, â€Å"I wanna know†¦ Everything†, this shows her lack of understanding about her own ambitions and aspirations, and shows that she is still looking for something to fulfil and enrich her life. The disproportionate use of tag questions suggests Rita’s lack of confidence, which reflects on her lack of self-actualization.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Hamlet Analytical Essay Essays
Hamlet Analytical Essay Essays Hamlet Analytical Essay Paper Hamlet Analytical Essay Paper And if I stay it will be double, which provides an explanation of all the murders and suicides that were a result of Hamlets decision to not end his life. !! The conscience drives ones decision making, which determines the end, and the ate of the afterlife. Hamlet has demonstrated how overthrowing can lead to unlawful deaths, and how one will pay for their sins in the afterlife. However, Hamlet and his family are Christians, and if they followed their own beliefs, the outcomes would have been different. Hamlet would have a clear conscience, no deaths would have taken place, and their afterlives would have been saved. Through this play, Shakespeare teaches the important lesson of morality. Do right, and one will be saved. Do wrong, and one will be punished. !
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Picture of a House
Picture of a House It is said that every family has skeletons in the cupboard. If only old houses could speak, they would tell a lot of fascinating stories about bad and good times of their inhabitants. At first glance, an old house in the picture may seem to be a mere building consisting of walls, windows and doors, but its atmosphere and every its part would mean a lot for several generations that were born and grew up in it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Picture of a House specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A paved path leading to the terrace steps looks so inviting that it is hard to resist the temptation and enter the building. Stepping on this winding trail, a guest would inevitably think of those people who had walked this path millions of times day by day in the past. It is possible that these were small children who ran skipping along and perhaps even fell after stumbling over one of the stones on the path. These could also be elderly people who went slowly because it was already difficult for them to walk. Young people could walk this path in a hurry from and to work without even noticing beauty of the house. With all these thoughts in mind, a guest would find himself/herself on a desert terrace. Knocking on the door, the stranger would imagine children playing games on this terrace and an elderly man sitting in a rocky chair. However, now there are no lights in the window and the terrace is desert. Nobody would open, and it seems that now only memories and family secrets live in this house. Not able to enter the house, a stranger would stay outside and walk in the garden. It is autumn, and the bare trees share the mood and loneliness of the house. However, there are no leaves on the lawn, and it means that somebody has collected them. Someone who is now invisible has gathered the autumn leaves and neatly cut the lawn. The presence of invisible but caring owners surround the house with atmosphere of mys tery. The red tiling on the roof of the house and a gabled tower make the building look like a castle from a fairy tale. There is a small chimney on the roof, and obviously small children growing up in this house were waiting for Santa Claus to come through it every Christmas Eve. Children grew up and do not believe in miracles anymore, but a small chimney remains as a commemoration of those old good times. The large windows of the house are similar to somebody’s curious eyes and connect the inhabitants of the building with the surrounding world. It is obvious that there are even more windows in this house than it is necessary for lighting the rooms in a proper way. Most rooms of the house have two or even more windows which demonstrate the openness of the inhabitants and make the building look even more inviting. It is possible that previously the house was more hospitable than on this autumn morning and guests crowded on its small terrace and in its brightly-lit rooms. Howe ver, now the house looks desert and sleeps, hiding all its secrets behind thick curtains on the windows.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Looking at the exterior of the house in the picture, strangers can only make guesses concerning the lives of its inhabitants and the true meaning of the elements of the building. A winding path, bare trees in the garden and large windows would seem only the elements of the construction to a stranger, but would tell much more to people who have spent at least a part of their lives in this house.
Monday, November 4, 2019
Choose a specific characteristic of yourself (it can be a physical Assignment
Choose a specific characteristic of yourself (it can be a physical feature, an ability or a type of behavior) that you believe to have been affected by your environment (physical, social, or both) - Assignment Example I know these seems like the habit picked up by an older generation or by a group of gentlemen but it is a trend being picked up by even the younger generation which prefer it to taking alcohol or smoking the real cigarettes which are more harmful to the health. Ever since my social circle expanded, I have had to attend a few too many social gatherings (the intimate kind with only a few friends or members and not open to the general public). In all these social gatherings, the people I consider my friends or allies smoke these kinds of cigars and I was initially the only odd one out. For a while (months) I resisted the temptation both from the friends and myself to indulge in this behavior but eventually I threw in the towel and started smoking them only because I didn’t want to be left out anymore. The social environment had been the one that enticed me to start the behavior. Had I not been involved in these social gatherings, I would not even have known how to buy a cigar let alone be an expert smoker. The most interesting bit about this behavior is that it happens only when I am in these social meetings but once done, I do not even feel the slightest urge to smoke a cigar. I do not feel left out or a loner anymore and actually a sense of belonging settles in once everyone removes their cigars and starts smoking them even if for only a few minutes (Kirst-Ashman, 2007). Observation is the best research method to find out whether for certain it is the environment that has brought about this behavior in individuals. This research can be conducted among the same circle of friends I have as it is the easier target and data will be collected easily without invading the privacy of most people. Observation can take place outside the social gatherings for example in their offices, homes or in between classes. The observation will not be hard as I interact with these people often in
Friday, November 1, 2019
Week 2 response papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Week 2 response papers - Essay Example sidering that controlling people’s values and temperance is difficult, this may not be the ultimate solution to the current and impending environmental problems. In agreement with the student post, teaching people and making them aware of the consequences of their actions can play a lot in changing people’s negative behavior. As the student notes, people may end up being less wasteful as they understand the kind of situation that may result due to their actions or inactions. While laws help in bringing sanity, they alone too reduce people’s freedoms as noted by the student. A world with numerous freedoms taken away is not a healthy world in my personal view. The world would indeed be a better place if sustainability was upheld without necessarily imposing prohibitions or restrictions to such things as procreation as noted by Dasgupta (2007). As suggested b the student, it would be a noble idea to start teaching people about the issues of sustainability and environmental conservation at a tender age, giving them the opportunity to make informed choices about their preferences and actions. The second student has presented very strong and interesting ideas. The notion that there are already too many laws, regulations and prohibitions is only the truth. However, these laws are broken every so often; even by the very same people who enact them, in some cases. Furthermore, individual freedoms are reduced or altogether abolished with almost every single law that is enacted. Considering the above facts, education seems to be a better option in dealing with issues related to sustainability. When people are educated, they are in a better position to use their common senses to solve or avoid problems (Heal, 2009). Yet another commendable suggestion by the student is the idea that experimental tests should not be conducted in the atmosphere but under simulated conditions. It is common for scientists to simulate how things would work under certain circumstances
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Humanities- World Cultures (Week 3) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Humanities- World Cultures (Week 3) - Term Paper Example Various forms of Art that depict history, including war, have also been used for many centuries by various cultures. One of the world’s best examples of this is the Bayeux Tapestry, dubbed the world’s first comic book strip, which depicts the invasion of England by the Normans, led by William the Conqueror. Many times history is presented to the world by the victors of a conflict, and it is for this reason that it is very likely that the Bayeux tapestry was portrayed from the Norman perspective. There are many examples of this form of propaganda which is still being used today. For example, Ronald Maxwell’s God’s and Generals, which depicted the American Civil War from a Confederate soldier’s point of view, portrayed the Confederacy as God-fearing, morally sound, Christian people. The bias presented in the film is also evident by the fact that there are very few scenes that actually deal with the issue of slavery. Architecture is another example of religious expression in art form. The Chartres Cathedral, which was constructed during the 12th century, displays some of the greatest examples of stained glass windows in the world.
Monday, October 28, 2019
Working arrangements at Richer Sounds Essay Example for Free
Working arrangements at Richer Sounds Essay The majority of the people Richer Sounds employ are employed on a permanent basis. All these people are issued with a written contract of employment. Permanent workers are given a 20 day paid holiday each year, this increase after six years by 1 day extra holiday per year, so if they work for 10 years they can get up to 25 days paid holiday a year. They are also entitled to sick pay, where they will be paid their normal wage for the first 10 days, then half of the wage for the next 20 days and after 30 days they will need to claim for government statutory sick pay. People who come to work on a temporary basis wouldnt be issued with a written contract of employment. Temporary employment is mainly done during busy periods such as Christmas, where colleges will be employed for a short time and their work will end as soon as the sale period is over. Most colleagues in Richer Sounds work full time although their hours vary, because not all stores have taken the new working arrangement, which is to work from 12 noon to 7pm. A normal working week will be a total of 42.5 hours per week and for the stores who have changed to the new working arrangement it will be less. Contract of employment The contract is a written legally binding document provided by the employer for employee, the contract states in detail of what the employees terms and conditions are. The terms of employment for colleagues in Richer Sounds are that they obey the rules of employment and codes of conduct; these are the two main and most important terms in Richer Sounds. The rules of employment are split into two sections. Section A are rules that Richer Sounds have decided for the company and section B are rules for the colleagues of Richer Sounds. Richer Sounds Advertise for new colleagues by advertising their vacancies within every edition of the in-store catalogue and website. Usually these vacancies are for needs of new sales person or need of new employees to work in the departments. This generates ongoing applications (CVs) from many interested people. If there are no vacancies at the time, then the company keeps a record of all the people who have applied for Richer Sounds, for a max of six months. These adverts saves the company major amounts of money, because if they were to publish it on the newspaper then they would have to pay a certain amount of money to the newspaper company, therefore the idea of publishing vacancy adverts on their catalogues and website is a really good way to save money. If the company doesnt receive any phone calls or reply from any people regarding an interest in the job, then the company will have to publish the ad in the newspapers, this way a wider range of people would be able to view it. Colleagues in Richer Sounds are also advised to introduce his/her friends or relatives to the business; however these applicants must also follow the same rules of the application process as all others do. Richer Sounds Advertise for new colleagues by advertising their vacancies within every edition of the in-store catalogue and website. Usually these vacancies are for needs of new sales person or need of new employees to work in the departments. This generates ongoing applications (CVs) from many interested people. If there are no vacancies at the time, then the company keeps a record of all the people who have applied for Richer Sounds, for a max of six months. These adverts saves the company major amounts of money, because if they were to publish it on the newspaper then they would have to pay a certain amount of money to the newspaper company, therefore the idea of publishing vacancy adverts on their catalogues and website is a really good way to save money. If the company doesnt receive any phone calls or reply from any people regarding an interest in the job, then the company will have to publish the ad in the newspapers, this way a wider range of people would be able to view it. Colleagues in Richer Sounds are also advised to introduce his/her friends or relatives to the business; however these applicants must also follow the same rules of the application process as all others do.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Classification Of Computers :: Computer PC Desktop Technology
Classifications of Computers According to the U.S. Census "Forty-four million households, or 42 percent, had at least one member who used the Internet at home in 2000" (Home Computers 2). Today, no doubt, even more family members in the United States use computers. Most people are aware of the desktop computers which can be found in the home and in the workplace. What are the different types of computers and what are their purposes? Computers can be classified into three different categories of home computers, portable computers, and business computers including workstations and super computers. First, what is a computer? "While the term computer can apply to virtually any device that has a microprocessor in it, most people think of a computer as a device that receives input from the user through a mouse or keyboard, processes it in some fashion and displays the result on a screen" (What are the Different p. 1). Home computers are being used by children, teenagers, and adults. The PC or personal computer is designed to be used by one person. The term, Mac, is a PC, but most people link computers with Windows software such as Windows 98, Windows 2000, or Windows XP. A PC is actually a desktop that is designed to be used in one set location. "Most desktops offer more power, storage, and versatility for less than their portable brethren" (What Are p. 3). Many desktop computers are used at home and at work. Various types of software have been designed to meet individual needs of the computer user. The use of home computers or PCs can be for various purposes such as education, w ork at home, personal communication through e-mail, to gain knowledge about different topics, to find recipes, and even to play games. The second classification of computers is portable computers. This type of classification includes lap tops and palm tops. The personal digital assistant or PDA was designed to help people stay organized. This was expanded upon and now PDA's offer a variety of services. PDA's are "easy to use and capable of sharing information with your PC. It's supposed to be an extension of the PC, not a replacement" with many different types of services (How PDAs Work p. 1). Many PDA's are even capable of connecting with the Internet and act as global positioning devices. Other portable computers are now available. Another portable computer is the palmtop.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Adult Assumptions On Teenagers :: essays research papers
Adults Assumptions On Tennagers Everyone knows that throughout life, assumptions and stereotypes are made. Whether they concern age, gender, race, class and so on, it does not matter. Stereotypes are always made in some form or another, some can be referring to positive aspects, while others can be bad. Whether good or bad, stereotypes should not be made, if a person has not met someone, they shouldn’t presume to know them or their ‘type’. No two people are identical and so they should not be treated as though they are. Many people have similar interests and characteristics, but not identical. A common group that receives a lot of stereotyping is the youth of today. Not everyone, but a lot of people follow the assumption that the youth of today’s society are nothing but bludgers. Youth usually have plenty of negative assumptions placed upon them such as being known as ‘Know alls’, ‘Trouble makers’, ‘Druggies’ and irresponsible. This names just a few of the negative assumptions that youth have placed upon them nearly, if not, everyday. There are also some positive assumptions made in regard to the youth of today, these are statements like they (the youth) are beginning to understand the importance of education in order to have a chance at a secure future. Youth are very out going and don’t have a concern for tomorrow as they prefer to live for today. Youth have a creative imagination, not just towards art and work, but towards life in general and are willing to learn new skills in order to forward their knowledge, and are being thought of as the future generation. I believe that all of these as sumptions have an element of truth, but in the way of being stereotypes. To certain individuals, these assumptions may be true, but not every youth is a trouble maker or a drug addict and so on. As I said before, everyone is an individual and so should be treated as one, and not just as ‘one of them’. The reason I think this is because I know that I wouldn’t like it if someone treated me the same as other people who are nothing like me. I know that I’m not a ‘Druggie’ or a ‘Know all’ and so I do not want to be treated the way people treat these sort of youths. I know that this is sounding as though I am stereotyping but I am not, I am saying that people do put these groups under headings such as ‘Druggies’ and they then treat them different.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Is It Possible for Organizations Operating in Dynamic Environments to Achieve Person-Organisational Fit to Improve Organizational Effectiveness?
Today we live in a world where change is inevitable. Organisations today face dynamic environments characterized by substantial and often unpredictable technological, political and economic changes. The key to survival and succeeding is adaptation, in dynamic environments often an organisations only option is to literally â€Å"do or die†with regard to change. Tyagi & Gupta (2005) indicates that the central point of personal and organisational effectiveness is a sense of being able to make contributions and make somewhat of a difference in any way possible. As individuals we feel content and fulfilled when we make positive contributions to our communities, families and organisations. Similarly organisations can only achieve their potential when they positively impact the lives of various stakeholders and related entities. However the opportunity to contribute only arises if there is a fit between what people want to achieve and what the organisation wants to achieve. Thus creating a fit between the person and organisation allow both to be effective. In the past few years the concept of Person-Organizational fit (P-O) has been in a state of flux, with many theorists putting forward conflicting views on the conceptualization of fit, its measurements and its boundaries. In the broad sense of the word it is defined as the compatibility between the person and the organisation (Li, 2006). As many organisations operate in dynamic environments; many changes take place and organizations have to cope with these changes by adapting their business and strategies to the turbulent environments. This essay goes on to explore the effects the changes mention have on the P-O fit and if dynamic environment allow organisations to achieve person-organisational fit in order to enhance and reach organisational effectiveness. According to evidence it can be seen that it is possible to achieve P-O fit in dynamic environments however it would not be the ideal tool to implement to improve effectiveness due to the evolving nature of the environment as it hinders growth and discourages innovation which would not lead to organizational effectiveness (Tyagi & Gupta, 2005). P-O fit refers to the extent to which and individual and the employing organization are compatible. There are however many definitions that have been put forward over the years such as value congruence (O’Reilly et al. , 1991), Goal congruence (Vancouver et al. , 1994), needs and supplies demand abilities (Edwards,1991) in addition a personality-climate fit (Ryan and Schmit, 1996). However the most commonly used definition is the value congruence perspective. Verquer et al (2003) value congruence as the extent to which individual and organizational values match. Rynes and Gerhart have gone a step further and pointed out that the P-O fit is more than a mere match, as it usually implies a sense of chemistry (Bellou, 2009). Another way of conceptualising the compatibility between the person and organisation uses the distinction between supplementary and complementary fit. Supplementary fit occurs when a person supplements or possesses characteristics that are similar to other individuals in an environment. This congruence can be differentiated between complementary fit, which occurs when a person’s characteristics make whole the environment or add to what is missing (Tyagi & Gupta, 2005). Further more Cable and Parsons (2001) states that P-O fit is a crucial factor in maintaining a flexible workforce and creating a high degree of organizational commitment in a tight labour market and a competitive business environment. Supporters of P-O fit state that the construct is crucial in the study of organizational effectiveness because it has made improvements to the traditional view of matching skills, knowledge and abilities in predicting if an individual will be successful in a particular organization (Chuang & Sackett, 2005). Ambrose et al, 2008 posit that individuals whose values will result in positive contributions to organizational effectiveness and lower turnover. These models may be under the assumption of static environments; one must apply the dynamic nature of the current environments organisations operate in today. Kammeyer-Mueller (2007) proclaims that even though static and dynamic perspectives are portrayed as mutually exclusive alternatives, they need not be opposed to one another. Research goes on to show that constant external shocks injected into the organisations may result in changes been implemented that affects the P-O fit. These changes may sometimes lead to negative results such as turnover and intention to leave as the employees feel they no longer â€Å"fit†with the organisation. In addition Chatman et al (2008, p. 64) notes that, because a lack of congruence is aversive, â€Å"misfits†are unlikely to remain with that organization. There are also instances when individuals no longer are compatible or unhappy with the fit between the organisations and themselves due to adaptations the company undergoes however choose to remain with the organisation solely because they have no other job options. In instances where â€Å"misfits†remain as they perceive that it is their only choice they bring about many negative aspects into the organisation such as demotivation, low commitment, this is mainly because they try to overcompensate and manipulate the work input output equation to fill the missing void. On the other hand the Social identity theory suggests that another mechanism by which individual dispositions might influence fit within a dynamic context. The social identity argues that the self-concept is a patchwork of various identities, such as demography, occupation, organization, department and workgroup which provide proscriptions for behaviour (Ashworth & Johnson, 2001). It also states that depending on the pressures applied the identity a person adopts will differ. This however does not change the fact that the individual still has within himself or herself, the same core set of identities. Interestingly at least in Oriental Chinese societies, leaders or managers may change their leader behaviours to create a better person-organisation value fit. This study shows that behaviours have positive effects on person-organisational fit. A crucial finding in this study was that even among employees who have been below average O-P fit can be influenced in terms of motivation commitment and trust in their leader by leader behaviours. For example employees working under high team oriented leaders had higher motivation and commitment and trust compared to those under low team oriented leaders. This goes on to show that even though the dynamic environment may affect and the person-organisation fit and sometimes lowers the P-O value fit , organisations can still effectively operate and manage those employees with the proper management and leadership methods (Li, 2006). However this method might not an appropriate universal method to implement as business environments vary across nations due to cultural, legal and other aspects that are followed. However the P-O fit may not be in the best interest of the organization at times and lead to negative results. For example, extremely high levels of person-organization value fit may lead to high levels of conformity and homogeneity. High levels of conformity and homogeneity will bring about a range of adverse effects which may hinder the success of the organisation, by making the organisation and its members far less adaptable to the changes surging in the dynamic environment as well as less innovative (Li, 2006). Some evidence even go to the extent of pointing out that organisations with slight internal variation in employees perspective lead to better performance in the short run but worse in the long run , presumably as a result of inferior adaptation (Li, 2006). Person-Organisation Fit in theory sounds like a tool that should be implemented by every organisation. Taking a closer look one can see that even though initially achieving a fit will lead to organisational effectiveness in the long run it will cause the organisation more harm than good. This is due to the fact that organisation operating in dynamic environments thrives on adaptability and innovation which is opposed by the negative by products of long term P-0 which include homogeneity and high levels of conformity. This does not mean that the concept of P-O should be completely ignored as evidence shows that it has a greater impact on individuals in an organisations resulting in positive results in comparison to organisations as a whole. In an ideal situation the individuals should adapt with the environment and perceive the changes as a learning experience to mould them to achieve the best, keeping in mind that sometime change is the key.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Thirty-Nine Steps Essays
The Thirty-Nine Steps Essays The Thirty-Nine Steps Paper The Thirty-Nine Steps Paper How does John Buchan create suspense in the book The Thirty-Nine Steps? The Thirty Nine Steps by John Buchan is about a man who has to escape London to find the real criminals behind a political assassination. The author throughout the story uses many techniques to create suspense through using the main character Richard Hannay. In the first chapter sets the scene by giving some background history of Hannays life before he gets a visit for Scudder. Buchan in the first few pages of the book is already creating the feeling of suspense when Hannay and Scudder meet outside Hannays flat. The line, Is the door locked? He asked feverishly. This gives me the image that Scudder is really nervous. I feel this creates the impression that something quite serious is going on and that the rest of the story is also going to be exciting. Buchan ends the chapter quite suddenly by finishing with, My guest was lying sprawled on his back. There was a long knife through his heart which skewered him to the floor I feel this ending made it very clear that the man who had confided in Hannay had been killed and left me wondering what was going to happen next in the story. The second chapter deals more with the thoughts of Hannay, who is devising a plan to try and leave London. He does this by stealing the uniform of a milkman. Hannay way gives exact details of timing, six thirty passed, then six forty and At one minute after the quarter to seven. I feel that the exact details of timing keeps the reader involved in the story as it creates a much stronger feeling of suspense and what will happen next. As Hannay sets out to travel to Scotland his decides he must disguise his voice so that he wont be caught out, in my broadest Scots. I feel this continues the deception of Hannay trying to hide from the Police and it also adds to the suspense that he may be caught out at any time and wont be able to stop the political assassination that is about to happen. As Hannay is in a manhunt in Scotland is becoming scared, Crouching low in the tunnels of the bog, I ran till the sweat blinded my eyes. This shows that Hannay is now becoming scared and he could be found at any time. Throughout the story Hannay fools the people he meets and causes suspense because I wonder if the people will believe his story. I pitched him a lovely yarn Hannay had been told lies by Scudder when been told about his situation. The little man told me a pack of lies I feel this created suspense because Hannay is now lost and if it wasnt for Scudders notebook he would have to give himself in. After Hannay is nearly caught by a policeman, I felt that he had no longer any who could help him, it was as if it was him against everyone. my friends at the inn had come to the understanding, and we were united in desiring to see more of me. Then follows an action packed section of the story. The plane that found him before finds Hannay and then he crashes the car and his nearly killed. This gave great suspense as I was faced with the idea that he might be killed at any time, and he would not be able to stop the political assassination that was about to happen. When Hannay spots his enemies in the hills of Scotland he begins to think clearly. He thinks of the time he changed roles with the milkman when he was trying to leave London and thinks he must do the same now. He spots a road worker and swaps role with him. Ill take on your job for a bit and see the surveyor. Here Hannay who was seconds away from death he still managed to think clearly which created suspense. Hannay is starting to struggle with hiding from his pursuers. My lack of local knowledge might very well be my undoing. By showing that Hannay was struggling, I feel that Buchan is building the reader for an exciting ending, which then creates suspense. After Hannay has found safety in the house of an old man he realises that he has made a big mistake. After being locked in a room that hid him from the men who where chasing him, he found himself held at gunpoint. I turned, and saw two men-servants who had me covered with pistols. I think this action packed section of the story has made the story far more exciting as I wondered if Hannay would be killed or would he escape and tell of the political assassination that is about to happen. Hannay realised that he had to get away. I was doing an experiment as simple as Gut Fawkes fireworks. His small knowledge of explosives might just let him escape. In this part of the story great suspense was created here. I wondered would Hannay blow himself up or manage to escape. After managing to escape he headed for a hideout. I feel at this stage in the story that Hannay might actually get free. The final section of the story is action packed when he finds out where he will be able to meet the enemy and find out their plans for the political assassination. Thirty-nine steps-I counted them-High tide, 10. 17pm. I was now very much interested as Buchan as built the story about this section. I also became interested in the story as I thought to myself Hannay might now save the day. As Hannay begins to figure out what the thirty-nine steps are, I become more positive that he would save the day. I felt that there was a lot of suspense here so Buchan could give the ending a maximum impact. When Hannay burst in on the group of criminals he thought he had made a terrible mistake but he noticed that he had seen on of the men from when he was held at gunpoint. I had stood before him in the moor land farm, with pistols of his servants behind me. Everything had now fallen in to place and I knew Hannay would catch the group of criminals. Hannay and his troops chased them and caught them. I feel that John Buchan has succeeded in creating suspense through use of the main character Richard Hannay. Which I thought made the story action packed and interesting.
Monday, October 21, 2019
How To Calculate the Variance and Standard Deviation
How To Calculate the Variance and Standard Deviation Variance and standard deviation are two closely related measures of variation that you will hear about a lot in studies, journals, or statistics class. They are two basic and fundamental concepts in statistics that must be understood in order to understand most other statistical concepts or procedures. Below, we’ll review what they are and how to find the variance and standard deviation. Key Takeaways: Variance and Standard Deviation The variance and standard deviation show us how much the scores in a distribution vary from the average.The standard deviation is the square root of the variance.For small data sets, the variance can be calculated by hand, but statistical programs can be used for larger data sets. Definition By definition, variance and standard deviation are both measures of variation for interval-ratio variables. They describe how much variation or diversity there is in a distribution. Both the variance and standard deviation increase or decrease based on how closely the scores cluster around the mean. Variance is defined as the average of the squared deviations from the mean. To calculate the variance, you first subtract the mean from each number and then square the results to find the squared differences. You then find the average of those squared differences. The result is the variance. The standard deviation is a measure of how spread out the numbers in a distribution are. It indicates how much, on average, each of the values in the distribution deviates from the mean, or center, of the distribution. It is calculated by taking the square root of the variance. A Conceptual Example The variance and standard deviation are important because they tell us things about the data set that we can’t learn just by looking at the mean, or average. As an example, imagine that you have three younger siblings: one sibling who is 13, and twins who are 10. In this case, the average age of your siblings would be 11. Now imagine that you have three siblings, ages 17, 12, and 4. In this case, the average age of your siblings would still be 11, but the variance and standard deviation would be larger. A Quantitative Example Let’s say we want to find the variance and standard deviation of the age among your group of 5 close friends. The ages of you and your friends are 25, 26, 27, 30, and 32. First, we must find the mean age: (25 26 27 30 32) / 5 28. Then, we need to calculate the differences from the mean for each of the 5 friends. 25 – 28 -326 – 28 -227 – 28 -130 – 28 232 – 28 4 Next, to calculate the variance, we take each difference from the mean, square it, then average the result. Variance ( (-3)2 (-2)2 (-1)2 22 42)/ 5 (9 4 1 4 16 ) / 5 6.8 So, the variance is 6.8. And the standard deviation is the square root of the variance, which is 2.61. What this means is that, on average, you and your friends are 2.61 years apart in age. Although it’s possible to calculate the variance by hand for smaller data sets such as this one, statistical software programs can also be used to calculate the variance and standard deviation. Sample Versus Population When conducting statistical tests, it’s important to be aware of the difference between a population and a sample. To calculate the standard deviation (or variance) of a population, you would need to collect measurements for everyone in the group you’re studying; for a sample, you would only collect measurements from a subset of the population. In the example above, we assumed that the group of five friends was a population; if we had treated it as a sample instead, calculating the sample standard deviation and sample variance would be slightly different (instead of dividing by the sample size to find the variance, we would have first subtracted one from the sample size and then divided by this smaller number). Importance of the Variance and Standard Deviation The variance and standard deviation are important in statistics, because they serve as the basis for other types of statistical calculations. For example, the standard deviation is necessary for converting test scores into Z-scores. The variance and standard deviation also play an important role when conducting statistical tests such as t-tests. References Frankfort-Nachmias, C. Leon-Guerrero, A. (2006). Social Statistics for a Diverse Society. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.
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