Heart Rot Tree Diseaseâ€Prevention and Control

In trees, heart rot is caused by a fungal disease that causes the center of the trunk and branches to decay. The most obvious symptom is the presence of mushrooms or fungal growths, called conks, on the surface of the trunk or limbs. Most hardwood species can be afflicted with heart rot, and it can be a major problem for the logging and lumber industry since the center heartwood is the most valuable wood in a hardwood tree.   Causes of Heart Rot in Trees Heart rot in living trees can be caused by many different fungal agents and pathogens that can enter the tree through open wounds and exposed inner bark wood to infiltrate the center core of the tree—the heartwood. Heartwood  makes up most of a trees inner wood and support structure, so over time, this rot can cause the tree to fail and collapse. Heartwood cells have some resistance to decay but depend  on a barrier of protection from the bark and outside living tissue. Heart rot can occur in many hardwoods and other deciduous species but is especially common in oaks infected with the  I. dryophilus  and  P. everhartii decay fungi.  All deciduous trees can get heart rot,  while resinous conifers have some extra resistance. More on Heartwood It should be noted that heartwood is genetically programmed to spontaneously separate from living wood tissues that surround it.  Once heartwood formation has begun to lay down annual layers and increase in volume, the heartwood quickly becomes the largest part of the trees structure by volume.  When that living barrier of protection surrounding the heartwood fails, the resulting disease in the heartwood causes it to soften. It quickly becomes structurally weaker and prone to breakage. A mature tree that has a large volume of heartwood is more at risk than a young tree, simply because its heartwood constitutes more of its structure.   Symptoms of Heart Rot Usually, a conk or mushrooming fruiting body on the surface of the tree is the first sign at the site of infection.  A useful rule of thumb suggests that a cubic foot of inner heartwood wood has decayed for each conk produced— there is a lot of bad wood behind that mushroom, in other words. Fortunately, though, heart rot fungi do not invade living wood of healthy trees. Other than the resulting structural weakness heart rot creates, a tree can otherwise look quite healthy even though it is riddled with heart rot.   Economic Costs Heart rot is a major factor influencing the  economics of logging high-value lumber, although it is a natural  consequence in many older forests. The heartwood of tree is where the valuable lumber exists, and a badly rotten tree is of no value to the timber industry. A hardwood tree that lives long enough will likely deal with heart rot at some point, since it is a natural part of the trees life cycle, especially in native forests. A very old tree will almost certainly suffer storm damage at some point that will allow fungi to enter and begin the process of heart rot. In some cases, entire forests may be at risk if, for example, a catastrophic storm has caused major damage at some time in the past. The fungi spread very slowly within a tree, so it may be many years after the initial fungal infection that serious weakness becomes evident.   Heart rot is prevalent throughout the world, and it affects all  hardwood  trees. It can be very hard to prevent and control, although a tree that is carefully monitored over its entire lifetime may avoid it.   Prevention and Control of Heart Rot As long as a tree is growing vigorously, rot will be confined to a small central core within the tree. This behavior is called tree wood compartmentalization. But if the tree is weakened and fresh wood exposed by severe pruning or storm damage, decay fungi can advance into more and more of the trees heartwood. There is no economically feasible fungicide to use on a tree that hosts the heart rot fungi. The best way to prevent heart rot in your hardwood tree is to keep it healthy using proper management techniques: Minimize pruning wounds that expose large areas of wood.Shape trees at an early age so major branch removal will not be necessary later.Remove broken branch stubs following storm damage.Have trees you suspect of heart rot checked by an arborist to determine if sufficient live wood is present for structural safety.Check trees every few years to be certain new growth is maintaining a  sound structure. Large trunks and main branches with extensive decay may have little sound wood to support the tree.

Medical Model to Treat Psychological Disorders - 809 Words

Medical Model To Treat Psychological Disorders Abnormal Psychology The medical model of abnormal psychology treats mental disorders in the same way as a broken arm, i.e. there is thought to be a physical cause. Supporters of the medical model consequently consider symptoms to be outward signs of the inner physical disorder and believe that if symptoms are grouped together and classified into a ‘syndrome’ the true cause can eventually be discovered and appropriate physical treatment administered. Behaviors such as hallucinations are symptoms of mental illness as are suicidal ideas or extreme fears such as phobias about snakes and so on. Different illnesses can be identified as syndromes,†¦show more content†¦There is a debate on the ethics of using ECT, primarily because it often takes place without the consent of the individual and we don’t know how it works! In Conclusion, they began by examining two of the major approaches to psychopathology research and theory: the medical model and the biopsychosocial model. The latter has clear advantages over the former: a more sophisticated and comprehensive understanding of psychological disorder is possible. Such a biopsychosocial is really a call for interdisciplinary cooperation in the study of psychopathology, a cooperation that has not historically been a reality. Nevertheless, as they have seen, there are some criticisms that can be leveled at both the medical and biopsychosocial models. If they do indeed embody assumptions of weakness and deficits, then there may be undesirable implications for how we conceptualize and treat people with (so called?) psychological disorders. References McLeod, S.A. (2008). Medical Model-Treating Mental Disorders- Simply Psychology. http://www.simplypsychology.org/medical-model.html http://www.Show MoreRelatedAbnormal Psychology1154 Words   |  5 Pagesdue to psychological dysfunction that contains some features of deviance, potential injury, and distress. As various types of psychological dysfunction have been manifested throughout history, the field has developed to examine the causes and likely treatments of the dysfunctions. Therefore, abnormal psychology studies individuals regarded as atypical or abnormal, especially with the recent increase in psychological disorders. Origins of Abnormal Psychology: As psychological disorders have becomeRead More Clinical Psychology Essay1452 Words   |  6 PagesBeginning after World War II, when veterans were returning from war by the thousands with various psychological issues, psychiatrists and those in the medical field realized they did not have the workforce to treat every soldier. Therefore, in 1946, the Veterans Administration â€Å"requested 4,700 clinical psychologists be employed in the VA system† (Plante, 2011, p. 49). In 1947, The American Psychological Association Committee on Training in Clinical Psychology convened and worked toward the developmentRead MoreBehavioral And Emotional Problems Of Adolescent And Adolescent Population939 Words   |  4 Pagesthat 11-20% of children in the United States meet criteria for a behavioral disorder. Approximately half of the pediatric office visits in a primary setting involve emotional, behavioral, developmental, psychosocial, or educational concerns and 75% of children and adoles cents with psychiatric disorders are seen in the primary care office. Approximately 50% of adults with behavioral health problems report that their disorders emerged in early adolescence. Pediatricians often encounter these patients;Read MoreBiomedical of Health768 Words   |  4 Pagesbiomedical model of health states that the individual is not responsible for their illness and that the mind and body work independently from each other. Ogden J, (2004) However, for example, in the case of an individual who is suffering from an eating disorder i.e. bulimia, this indicates that there is a clear link between the mind and body due to the sufferer vomiting after ingesting food; therefore resulting in the sufferer being responsible for their physical illness due to psychological illnessRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa (Phychology)1084 Words   |  5 PagesEXPLANATIONS FOR MENTAL DISORDERS There are several approaches in psychology which attempt to explain mental disorders. The biological approach sees a mental disorder as a medical problem, it assumes mental illness to have a physical cause and the treatment offered is physical. Behavioural approach emphasise learned behaviour, its treatment is based on conditioning principles. New adaptive behaviours are learned. Other approaches which propose causes of mental disorders as psychological are psychodynamicRead MoreThe Biological Model And Cognitive Model850 Words   |  4 Pagesare several models of abnormality in use today (Comer, 2009) lists â€Å"The Biological Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"The Psychodynamic Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , The Behavioral Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , The Cognitive Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , The Humanistic-Existential Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , The Sociocultural Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p.33). The biggest contrasts would be the Biological model, and the other models. Comparing the biological model, and the cognitiv e model will highlight those differences. The Biological model looks at abnormal behavior as a medical condition, requiring medical interventionRead MoreThe Usefulness Of Animal Models1052 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the history of medical research, the use of animal models in relation to the brain and behaviour of humans has played a significant role in understanding many aspects of the human psychobiology, and ‘much of what we know about the relationships among anatomy, physiology, and behaviour has come from animal research’ (American Psychological Association, no date:online). Research on animal models ranges from simple behaviour observation to more invasive procedures such as the extraction ofRead MoreCognitive Behavior Therapy1349 Words   |  6 Pagespersonality. It has been found to be effective in more than 400 outcome studies for a myriad of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and substance abuse, among others, and it is currently being tested for pe rsonality disorders. It has also been demonstrated to be effective as an adjunctive treatment to medication for serious mental disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Cognitive therapy has been extended to and studied for adolescents and childrenRead MoreThe Death Of A Mad House By Elizabeth Cochran1292 Words   |  6 Pageslike: How do we define, diagnose, and classify mental disorders? At what point does sad become depressed? Or quirky become obsessive compulsive? Or energetic become hyperactive? What are the risks and benefits of diagnostic labeling, and how does the field keep evolving? When people think of psychology they probably most often think about the conditions that it s been designed to understand, diagnose, and treat--namely psychological disorders. From common problems that most of us will experienceRead More SCHIZOPHRENIA Essay821 Words   |  4 Pages Psychological behaviors occur in so many people. A lot of them don’t realize that they have a disorder, or a particular behavior, until someone points it out. Many people have disorders. In humans there are two types of main disorders and just to do a brief analysis on them. They are biological and psychological for the biological it is a disease of the body that can be cured by altering the body. The biological involves the use of the medical model that works with genes, hormones, neurons and the

Consumption Pattern in India Post 92 Free Essays

Change in consumption pattern in India since the 1950s due to the effects of liberalization, globalization and demographics changes Since 1950 the global economy has nearly quintupled. The American Dream has become a model for most developing nations. With the critical rise in Indian population the consumption increases significantly. We will write a custom essay sample on Consumption Pattern in India Post 92 or any similar topic only for you Order Now It’s an assertion of this research project that consumption pattern will change whether by design or by default. Introduction The one billion consumers in affluent nations are being joined by one billion new consumers in developing and transitional nations.Although these new consumers do not yet have the spending capacity of the established consumers, they have enough discretionary income to consume in far more expansive manner than the bulk of their fellow citizens. A good number can even buy cars; in 1997, more motor vehicles were sold in Asia than in Western Europe and North America combined. With potentially twice as many new consumers in the next ten years, the global community should be interested in the new consumers. This raises several fundamental questions: * Can the new consumers be enabled to engage in enhanced consumption in a manner consistent with sustainable development? What can they learn from the mistakes and positive experiences of the long time affluent n ations in order to keep their environmental impacts at acceptable levels? * How far can the established, affluent consumers be persuaded to adopt more sustainable lifestyles which could serve as models for the new consumers? Moderation in the growth rate has come with some good news, with the country’s per capita income expecting to more than double over the last seven years to Rs38,084 in 2008-09, reflecting improvement in the living standards of an average Indian.Per capita income, according to advance estimates for national income, is expected to grow by 14. 4% during the fiscal 2009, the highest growth rate recorded in a single year in the last decade. The country’s per capita income, which is an important indicator of economic development of a nation, was Rs18,885 during 2002-03. Consumption Pattern In India O n 15 August 1947, India woke to a new daylight of sovereignty: finally we were masters of our own vocation after some two hundred myriad years of British rule; the job of nation building was now in our own hands.The leaders of independent India had to decide, among other things, the type of economic system most suitable for our nation, a system which would promote the welfare of all rather than a few. India would be a ‘socialist’ society with a strong public sector but also with private property and democracy; the government would ‘plan’ for the economy with the private sector being encouraged to be part of the plan effort. The ‘Industrial Policy Resolution’ of 1948 and the Directive Principles of the Indian Constitution reflected this outlook. In 1950, the Planning Commission was set up with the Prime Minister as its Chairperson. The era of five year plans had begun. To increase the production of goods and services the producers have to adopt new technology. For example, a farmer can increase the output on the farm by using new seed varieties instead of using the old ones. Similarly, a factory can increase output by using a new type of machine. However, modernization does not refer only to the use of a new technology but also to changes in the social outlook such as the recognition that women should have the same rights as men. ________________ The economic reforms of India can be divided into mainly two segments- * Post-Independence Era Post Liberalization Era ————————————————- A PLAN spells out how the resources of a nation should be put to use. It should have some general goals as well as specific objectives which are to be achieved within a specified period of time; in India plans are of five ye ars duration and are called five year plans. Our plan documents not only specify the objectives to be attained in the five years of a plan but also what is to be achieved over a period of twenty years. The five year plans are supposed to provide the basis for the perspective plan.Our five year plans do not spell out how much of each and every good and service is to be produced. It is enough if the plan is specific about the sectors where it plays a commanding role, while leaving the rest to the market. Since the beginning of economic reforms and acceleration in the rate of growth since 1990, the Indian economy has followed a growth pattern, which, on the face of it, appears to be different from the one observed in the historical development of today’s developed countries and also from that being experienced by similarly placed developing countries today.This uniqueness of the growth pattern of India needs to be recognized, understood and analyzed and its implications for longer term development strategy and policy broug ht out. Liberalization In the year 1991, a major economic crisis surfaced in Indian economy. At that time, the economy was slowing down, balance of payment position was precarious, and inflation rate was very high. At the same time fiscal imbalances were persistent in the Indian economy. Those times the Govt of India introduced some economic reforms measures and it was of 4 kinds: 1. Trade and capital reform measures 2. Industrial deregulation . Disinvestment amp; Public Enterprise reform 4. Financial sector reform The liberalization measures taken by the govt are: 1. Area of business once reserved for public sector enterprise was opened to private sector business. 2. Loss making units of public enterprises was transferred to private enterprises. However, there were no takers at that time. 3. Disinvestment of highly profit making units of public enterprises was initiated by the govt of India to correct fiscal imbalances. 4. Economy was liberalized to private sector both at the domestic level as well as, the foreign market level. . Licensing system was removed; in fact it was very much liberalized. 6. The power of MRTP commission was curtailed and the ceiling of investment was raised very much. In fact there was no limitation of investment. 7. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), was permitted up to 51% in priority areas without the proper permission of the Govt. In another sector the Govt was ready to consider the proposal of investment relating to more than 51%. 8. All the sick units were referred to BIFR (Board of Industrial amp; Financial Reconstruction) for the rehabilitation of the sick units. 9.The policy of export and import was liberalized. The effect of liberalization was positively substantial on the consumption pattern in India. The industries started expanding rapidly after going to private hands. This became â€Å"pro bono† as it created more job opportunities. This enhanced income for public thus raising the purchasing power of the individuals. It ultimately improved the standard of living faster than the time that of pre-liberalization. Perhaps the most significant event occurred due to liberalization was establishment of (Security Exchange Board of India) SEBI.This gave a sense of security to people and thus people invested more and more. Due to stringent rules and regulations of SEBI, people became more conscious and by investment in equity they got a feeling of ownership. New companies started emerging due to liberalization. Removal of location restriction was a blessing for the domestic companies. So many new players came to the market. Investment limit was raised from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. So, people started investing more. This led to increase in national income. Modernization got its grip over culture. People could use upgraded technologies in their work.Due to financial reforms, banks adopted brilliant strategies concerning the quality and performance of their services in the eyes of customers. Globalization The term globalization has been defined by various business experts differently. Some says that globalization means extension of economic activities across the political boundaries of the nation states. Others say that globalization refers to integration of the country with the rest of the world. In India globalization has been taken to mean integration of the Indian economy with the economies of the world.It also means economic openness, inviting FDI, inviting MNCs to come and invest in Indian economies, encouraging Indian companies to form joint venture with the organization of the countries, compete in the world markets at their own cost without having help from the governments, main strategic alliance or form partnerships with the companies of the world. After liberalization and globalization free trade was possible between business entities. More and more foreign companies started investing and spreading to India. The consumers got a wider range of products, so they had options to choose now for the one that suits better for their need.People became more aware about various products and became brand conscious. The demand for better goods rose. So the companies became competitive about their services, price and quality. Now the paradigm had shifted from production orientation to consumer orientation. As a result of this consumers got better products at competitive price. The most significant effect was technological advancement. Foreign companies made mergers, partnerships and joint ventures with Indian companies. This impacted the sharing of superior technologies to Indian companies. This resulted in increased efficiency in production and product quality.Income due to globalization added to National income. Indian companies also started expanding to foreign countries. Trading abroad contributed to Indian foreign currency reserve. Because many companies shared and provided services in foreign industries, this created employment in form of BPOs and KPOs. As the economy opens up to globalization, households start to adopt food consumption patterns that differ from the traditional ones. The new dietary habits reflect global patterns, and could be quite unlike the habits that had developed locally over many generations.Consumers exhibit strong preferences for meat or fish, temperate zone foods such as apples and highly processed convenience foods and drinks all of which are readily available in the emerging supermarkets and fast-food outlets. A critical implication of globalization is the severing of the link between diets and the local availability of resources and local habits. In the second stage of diet globalization in particular, consumers have access to varieties of food that were not previously available to them. Thus, consumers are no longer constrained in their demand to purchasing local produce.Demographic Factor The market is divided into groups on the basis of variables such as age, family size, family life cycle, gender income, occupation, education, religion, race, generation, nationality and social class. Demographic variables are the most popular bases for distinguishing customer groups. The change in demography raised several questions before the companies like- which population should the firm serve? What geographical areas should the firm cater to? These questions point to segmentation, targeting and positioning for a particular product. The population of India has crossed above 1billion.That makes major chunk of world’s population as consumers. More people mean more diversity among their thought pattern, culture, income, perception. That becomes a challenge for a company to provide a product for all of them. Thus they started thinking about reaching every household and penetrating market. Recent trends indicate that the composition of nutritional intake in India is fast changing. Increasing income and urbanization demand more non-food grain products in the diet. The food grain consumption per person is decreasing in both rural and urban population.And the non-gain crops and animal products (dairy and poultry) are increasing their share of the daily nutritional intake. Increased per capita income has increased the standard of living. For the upper income group many brands have emerged. Ex- for watches- Titan Orion, for men’s apparels there are Park’s Avenue and Van Huesen, for shoe there’s Woodland and the list goes on. Conclusion It’s quite evident from the above research that India’s consumption pattern has changed greatly especially after liberalization and globalization. Consumers became the locus of control.In fact, it was them which drove the companies to go on. Liberalization and globalization actually became a blessing for India’s economic development and commerce cap. These are related to each other and crucially supplemented various growth patterns. Standard of living, per capita income, foreign currency reserve, brand consciousness, varied product range, etc. these are the fruitful results of globalization. Also, due to financial sector reforms, loans were made available easily, employment scope soared high, quality and package of service became richer, transactions were more secure.Technological advancement led to increased efficiency, detailed information and better quality product. Professionalism was introduced in the management of public enterprises. Furthermore greater autonomy was given public enterprises. How to cite Consumption Pattern in India Post 92, Papers

Business Information Systems Tactics and Tools

Question: Discuss about the Business Information Systems for Tactics and Tools. Answer: Improving Marketing and Sales The internet has changed the process of sharing the information worldwide. Many businesses are getting successful by marketing themselves into the world of the internet because this provides branding for the company and results in the increase in the footholds (Roberts and Zahay 2012). No matter what industry the business operates in the competition remains tougher in the market. Nowadays customers are the informed customers (Roberts and Zahay 2012) Marketing strategies for the August Online Technology Content marketing: One of the effective strategies for marketing is content marketing (Hollensen 2015). It includes Companys news and articles which are announced in public domain. This allows the company to build its rapport in the eyes of its targeted audience. The top B2B content marketing strategies include social media, blogs, articles, e-Newsletters and videos (Hollensen 2015). This trend suggests that the trend of advertisement on televisions and radios have become less effective. Social media marketing: The social media marketing takes the upper hand while following the marketing strategies (Sweeney MacLellan and Dorey 2015). The companies use make their own facebook pages and Instagram accounts but these days even Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+ have gained popularity and have provided the businesses with the new options (Sweeney et al. 2015). These methods prove to be efficient in producing more content in other media forms and build their channel of audiences (Sweeney et al. 2015). Use of search engine optimization (SEO): SEO runs on algorithms which plays an important role while searching on the Google (Hollensen 2015). The companies whose content are reliable and relevant are shown first in the search engine (Hollensen 2015). Use of Cookies: The cookies are used to track the websites the users are visiting. Once the users are navigating the sites the cookies can track the products and services the users are looking for and according to the users search the advertisements pertaining to that product and services will be shown to them. Employing the above-mentioned tactics the August Online Technology can improve its sales. Network Security Risks and Protection In the present epoch, Information technology permeates the whole landscape. Nowadays, variegated issues such as security risks, internet and network attacks have compounded the privacy affairs of the computer network. Coming to the main angle, internet security controls the whole gamut of computer security, particularly pertaining to the internet. It encompasses browser security and network security and it is applicable to other the operating systems. The experts claim that the swapping of information over the internet entails high risks and menace. The risks such as invasion or deceit, in a sense it generates phishing and spamming. Therefore, various methods have been adopted to shield the transmission of data, involving encryption and from the ground-up engineering (Pieprzyk et al. 2013). The user of computer is compelled to download software for the computer that bears spiteful intent. The software comes in various appearances such as viruses, Trojan horses, spyware and worms. Therefore, the users of the computer should remain cautious from beforehand. Malware, abbreviated term for malicious software, is a kind of software that distorts the computer operation. It gleans sensitive information and gain an easy access to the private computer systems. Computer Viruses are programs that can counterfeit the structures of computer by spoiling the files or structures on a computer. The computer network countenances various problems such as cracking and hacking. The cracking is a process that describes someone who deliberately bumped into computer systems for the accomplishment of a specific mission. Again, hacking is a process that entails the presence of a computer programmer with a perfect acumen. Data tampering and identity theft are some of the features of the security attack (Boyle and Panko 2014). The security tools that the help to shield the data and information of the computer. The tools such as encryption are a method that protects data by accessing particular mathematical algorithms. A firewall is a hardware or software created to evade the extraneous threats. Anti-Virus software is a program that protects the computer from viruses, Trojan horses and spyware (Andress and Winterfeld 2013). Reference Andress, J. and Winterfeld, S., 2013.Cyber warfare: techniques, tactics and tools for security practitioners. Elsevier. Boyle, R.J. and Panko, R.R., 2014.Corporate computer security. Prentice Hall Press. Hollensen, S., 2015.Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Pieprzyk, J., Hardjono, T. and Seberry, J., 2013.Fundamentals of computer security. Springer Science Business Media. Roberts, M.L. and Zahay, D., 2012.Internet marketing: Integrating online and offline strategies. Cengage Learning. Sweeney, S., MacLellan, A. and Dorey, E., 2015.3G Marketing on the Internet: Third-Generation Internet Marketing Strategies for Online Success(Vol. 1). Marketing Publications.

Tragic flaw Essay Example

Tragic flaw Paper To what extent is the Summer Song sequence, sung by the narrator, a watershed in the play Blood Brothers? The three main themes of Willy Russells Blood Brothers are superstition, fate and class divides. These themes are overtly represented throughout the play. Because the play opens with a scene of the two dead boys there is a constant dramatic irony to all actions in the play; this inevitable tragedy undermines all the happiness in an ironic way. Near the start of the play, the deaths are only suggestions in the boys futures, but as the play develops the themes become more evident, eventually Summer Song is the turning point, the point of no return, the point where everything is as good as it gets. Russell gives the play a very clear and simple structure. The audience knows they are to sympathise with Mrs Johnstone. Not only is she a single mother, she is poor and working class too. Her character is the most developed and given more stage time and songs. Foreshadowing is a very important component of the plays structure. During the childrens game with toy guns, Mickey says, I dont want to die. He is subconsciously appealing to the devil to change his fate. We begin to pity Mickey because he is so defenceless and weak. The narrator creates tension and a feeling of inevitability by using phrases such as hes gonna find y' He is often depicted as Fate, appearing before and after important events, sometimes during, as if to pinpoint the moment, such as when Mrs Johnstone must swear on the bible that she will give away her baby. We will write a custom essay sample on Tragic flaw specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Tragic flaw specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Tragic flaw specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer His snide and often ironic comments about the mothers are generally ambiguous and could apply to either mother (An did y never hear of the mother so cruel. ) The audience is told to come to their own decisions about the mothers (come judge for yourselves. ) The narrator creates tension, always hovering in the background, almost omnipresent, even wearing funeral clothes. He is like a vulture circling above the twins, waiting for their inevitable deaths. His constant presence on stage and in the script keeps the ominous tones going. As they get older, he appears more often, worrying and reminding you that the twins death is coming closer. The Summer Song is when the boys pass the middle of their lives, the peak of the mountain, and begin to accelerate downwards with an unstoppable chain of events leading to their certain deaths. The boys envy each other, I wish I was a bit like That guy, and events occurring to either of them are usually echoed or mirrored by the other. As children, Mickey is seen as the lucky one in the game of life, while Edward seems destined to watch from the sidelines. However, after the Summer Song, once the boys are adults, there is no time for laughter, the game has ended, and Mickey can no longer play and must now work. Edwards lifestyle becomes the ideal, which angers Mickey. Blood Brothers is structured like a Greek tragedy, using death as a spectacle, one main plot and a sad ending. It has a clear time frame, songs and music and, most importantly, a tragic hero (Mickey), someone who falls from grace due to their tragic flaw. Most events are mirrored, for example the childrens game with toy guns(I shot y), to Sammys air rifle(he produces an air rifle), to the gun at the fair, to the gun Sammy uses to shoot someone(an explosion from the gun), to the gun Mickey kills Edward with (the gun explodes and blows Edward apart). Before the Summer Song the guns are either imaginary or toys, safe and harmless. However, afterwards, they are still used as freely as the pretend guns, but take real lives. References to Marilyn Monroe are constant. Like bright young things, like Marilyn Monroe. Dreams all night of girls that look like Marilyn Monroe. In the first song (Marilyn Monroe) Marilyn Monroe is a symbol of youth and beauty, but throughout she changes into one of tragedy, referring to her drug taking and consequential death, which coincides with Mickeys addiction to his anti-depressants. Sexier than Marilyn Monroe to off the rails, treats his ills with daily pills, he was dead, Like Marilyn Monroe The childrens game is echoed after the Summer Song. In the first half I got y, I shot y, An y bloody know I did, And in the second, You shot him, you shot him. I know I bloody did. This is a conversation between Mickey and Sammy, his older brother.

Is the brain simply a computer essays

Is the brain simply a computer essays IS THE BRAIN IS SIMPLY A COMPUTER MADE OF MEAT? The brain is simply a computer made out of meat. First and foremost what is a brain and what is a computer? Chambers dictionary (Chambers 21st century dictionary, 1999) defines the brain, as a highly developed mass of nervous tissue that coordinates and controls the activities of the central nervous system of animals. It defines a computer as an electronic device, which processes data at great speed according to a program stored within the device. The brain is conscious and it controls most of the activity done by human such as seeing, feeling, moving, thinking to mention just a few. If the brain is simply a computer made of meat, then the computer should be conscious. Now lets define what we mean by being conscious. According to Chambers dictionary (Chambers 21st century dictionary, 1999) to be conscious is to be awake, alert and aware of ones thoughts and ones surroundings or the part of the mind that is aware of a persons self, surroundings, and thoughts and that to a certain extent determines choices of action. The computer is just a machine and it is not possible for a machine to be conscious. If a machine is conscious then it should be aware of its surroundings. A computer is not aware of its surroundings it can differentiate between being in one room and then taken to another. Now lets look at the question is the brain simply a computer made of meat? in the context of Artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence has come a long way from its early roots, driven by dedicated researchers. The beginnings of AI reach back before electronics, to philosophers and mathematicians such as Boole and others theorizing on principles that were used as the foundation of AI Logic. AI really began to intrigue researchers with the invention of the computer in 1943. The technology was finally available, or so it seemed, to simulate i...

Adult Program Design Part II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Adult Program Design Part II - Essay Example But the systems in every business also need to be audited in terms of their suitability and credibility. Before a business can be audited, it is wise to construct an audit design that will aid in the process of audit and not only look at the existing flow of transactions and their recording and reporting on financial statements and other records, but also recommend improvements and needed changes that will serve in terms of clarity, veracity and meet the laws and principles of the land. In this assignment we are going to design tests of controls, substantive tests of transactions, and analytical procedures for the acquisition and payment of the business called Apollo Shoes. The Acquisitions and Payments Process at Apollo Shoes It Is evident that we can only design an audit procedure or process around the existing flow of transactions and their processes at Apollo Shoes. Only in the case of massive fraud or circumstances warranting a detailed investigation would the complete revamping of existing procedures be understandable. According to the present Accounting and Control Procedure Manual as indicated in the Case Study details, all cash disbursements /payments are made by check, signed by the Treasurer, including those for petty cash transactions. Checks are always made out to a defined payee, never to cash. Blank checks remain in the custody of the Accounts Payable Department and the treasurer is not allowed to sign blank checks. Additionally, we see that checks are recorded in the cash disbursements journal using the date of the check, and in the general journal using the month of the check as a factor for recording these entries. Internal Control Procedures While it appears from the case study material especially the accounting and control procedure manual that some degree of internal control has been maintained over cash disbursements/ payments process, there are a few comments to be made. One factor is the separation of ownership and control. Since the tre asurer himself signs most of the checks, he can very well make them out to a fictitious vendor and then pocket the money himself after opening up an account in that name. The case of Comptronix as reported in Chapter 19 of the text indicates that collusion between unscrupulous individuals even in top management is not unheard of (Arens et al., 2006). Enron is another case in point. Secondly, the recording of transactions as per date made out on the check leaves some room for error and can result in reconciliation difficulties with the bank statement, as this is a common practice with nearly every business. It is better if a simple chronological order is followed date-wise in recording every transaction of whatever nature so that there is no ambiguity on this account. Concerning the purchase of fixed assets, the approval for the same is usually made in advance by top management. This ensures that they have approved the purchase. Budgetary allocation of funds is also evident, and all excesses of 10% or above to be signed off by the Treasurer. Payments once again are to be made by check. The automatic treatment of fixed assets of value of $5,000 and above as capital expenditure is questionable, and should be looked at on a case to case basis. Assessing Risk Factors Connected with the Acquisitions and Payment Process The risk factor involved due to concentration of the signing of all checks by the Treasurer has been indicated above. It is better that a combination of two signatures be required on every disbursed check. One can be the Head of Department or VP of the section of the business to which the check pertains, and the other would be the Treasurer. The

Information systems 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information systems 2 - Coursework Example Red Cross gets information about individuals during membership registration, blood donation exercises or during participation in charity activities. Individual details are regularly updated in these institutions as in Tesco updates are made when one shops online. Individual’s tastes and preferences are updated depending on his or her shopping basket. Too details are updated when one uses his or her Tesco credit card or club card when shopping. There are loads of concerns about personal data privacy. Privacy about personal information is of much concern like on financial status for example Tesco supermarkets can access accounts of its credit card holders. Health data should be held secret. Therefore people are afraid of hackers, email scams or phishing and cookies which may expose them to dangers. Data can be retrieved from different sources. The sources can be either internal or external. For Tesco, internal sources of data include sales from internal operations such as sales data, in cventory data, human resource data, systems data, product data and marketing data. These may include information from data from internal research, campaigns and promotions. External sources in Tesco include information from competitors’ sales and products, from website, and other third party data such as census data, survey data and demographics data. There are a number of assumptions that are made during warehouse building. For web sources it was assumed that conjunctive queries were enough to retrieve information of interest. Too the information collected was assumed to cover the whole population. The integrity of data was highly reliable. A decision support system is a computer based system or subsystem that is interactive and intended to assist in decision making. It employs the use of communication technologies, documents, data, and knowledge models to solve problems and make decisions

Critical Book Review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Critical Book Review - Research Paper Example He uses personal experience as the chairman of the council of economic advisors under the presidency of bill Clinton from the year 1993 and as the chief economist at the World Bank from 1997 to make his arguments. During this period, Stiglitz became disenchanted with the International Monetary Fund and other international institutions which he regarded as acting against the interests of the poor developing countries in favor of the developed world. He argues that the economic policies of the International Monetary Fund are based on unsound neoliberal assumptions that are only beneficial to the developed economies. The main precept of the book is that pro-globalization policies have the potential of benefitting all countries if properly undertaken and properly incorporated into the individual characteristics of each particular country. Otherwise the objectives of globalization will not be realized as it will only continue to serve the interests of the developed world leaving the developing countries lagging behind in all aspects. Globalization should therefore be embraced by all countries on their own unique terms. These countries should consider their own culture, history, and traditions while embracing globalization in order to ensure that it doesn’t work against them. The adoption of poorly designed or emulated pro-globalization policies often has the effect of being costly to the concerned countries. The resultant effect is increase in the levels of instability which renders such countries more susceptible to reduced growth, external shocks and increase in the levels of poverty. He goes on to argue that globalization has not been fairly pushed to benefit all because the policies of liberalization were haphazardly implemented in the wrong order using inadequate and at times wrong economic principles. The consequences of this as he has pointed out is that terrible results are now being felt including

Organizational Change In Lenovo Group

Organizational Change In Lenovo Group Business organizations have to change to adapt to the changing environment. Management of change has been a hot issue in academic research for years. One popular opinion considers that nowadays corporations will go to die without change. However, how to carry out right change is a challenging question for corporations. Bland and aimless change could be a disaster causing a fast fall to the organizations. Focusing on the issue of management of change in the organization, this essay attempts to take use of the relevant concepts to research and analyze the issue of change within a real organization. The target organization is Lenovo, one of the most famous IT companies in China, where the researcher had opportunity to work. Lenovo has experienced big changes in its development road, especially in 2005, it successfully acquired IBM Personal Computing Division. This acquisition is a milestone in Lenovos history, which has also been an earthquake within the organization. In this essay, the researcher tries to identify and analyze the issues brought by the change within the organization. There are three parts in the main body of this research. Firstly, Lenovos background will be presented briefly. In the second part, an overview of management of change will be made in the first place. Based on the theories and concepts, it moves to the case of Lenovo. The nature and type of change, and the triggers for change in Lenovo will be identified respectively. Moreover, problems caused by the change and Lenovos solution will be discussed in this part. In the third part, taking Lenovo as an example, this essay will provide recommendations for Chinese corporations pursuing change in its development. Company Background The company which this essay focuses is Lenovo Group, the leading IT company in China. Its main task is the manufacture and sale of personal computer. The history of this company can be dated back to 1981. The company was founded by only 11 employees and with the name of Legend, holding the philosophy that bringing IT to more Chinese consumers and businesses. With years of efforts, this company had become the top PC manufacture in China since 1996, and carries out internationalization steps from 2000. It changes the name form Legend to Lenovo, which is the combination of the Le from Legend with novo(meaning neew) from the Latin word in 2004. And year 2005 has witnessed the most significant change of Lenovo the acquisition of IBMs PC Division. This action is considered as a milestone in history of Lenovo, because it combines the leading PC manufactures both in US and China, making a new unified international PC leader. This business decision proves to be correct by the facts. With th is acquisition, Lenovo has become one of the largest PC manufacturers in the world scope. The annual revenue of the company has reached 21 billion US dollars, with a series of brands of PCs, like Thinkpad. Nowadays, Lenovo has been an international company, operating in more than sixty countries with 23,000 employees worldwide. The company has been the third largest PC producer and the fastest growing one in the world top 5 PC manufacturers, with a world market share of 10.2% (Lenovo Official Website, 2012). Change within Lenovo 3.1 Brief Review of Management of Change The necessity of change within the organization has been widely recognized. Though the cause for changes may be different for one corporation from another, the triggers could be summarized into two types, external factors and internal factors. According to Elving (2005), the business environment is constantly changing. Corporations have to keep pace with the changing environment to achieve their business aim according to the environment. This is the external trigger for organizational change. On the contrary, the internal triggers come from the organization inside. Elving (2005) points out that technique development and personnel promotion are important internal triggers. Diefenbach (2007) considers that companies demand of development is one significant internal factor for changing, especially when performance is declining. However, change needs careful consideration. Any imprudent action could be very dangerous. Successful changes are strategic and systematic. Brian and Walter (1993) identify the changes into different types according to the strategies used. They are planned changes, small changes and imploding changes. Donaldson (2000) divided changes into structure, personnel, and technique changes. Changes always face resistance from employees. According to Morrell et al. (2004), the root for resistance against change is peoples fear for risk. Some scholars go deep into the reasons for resistance. De Jager (2001) focuses on the old employees, indicating that changes are always resisted by old employees for their worries about losing the things and interest they have owned. Robbins (2009) emphasizes the cause of refusing change is due to peoples fear of uncertainty, as change could make things from familiar to unknown. Dent (1999) thinks that some resistance may come from employees consideration about the company goal and development instead of themselves. Hence, it is necessary for enterprises to effectively communicate with their employees to make them clear about the significance, purpose and method of change. According to Altman and Iles (1998), the ways of putting forward the change should be flexible and innovative. However, in some special situation, some tough measures c ould be used to show the organizations strong determination. 3.2 Analysis on Change in Lenovo In August 2004, the chairman of Lenovo Group, has officially announced the acquisition of IBMs PC Division with a total of $ 12.5 billion (Lenovo Official Website, 2012). It is completed in 2005. It is undoubted that this business action is an enormous change within the organization. The rapid growth of Lenovo after the acquisition has proved that this decision of change is correct and well handled. The experience of Lenovo makes a good example for those who are troubled by the change within the organization. Trigger for Change of Lenovo The acquisition of IBM is a big change for Lenovo. The process of this acquisition lasts for five years from 2000 to 2005. This change is carried out with careful consideration and prudent behaviors. As mentioned above, triggers for change could be external and internal. External triggers emphasize the changing environment which enterprises have to keep pace with so as to complete their business goal, while internal triggers come from the organization inside, such as technique, personnel, etc. (Elving, 2005) Looking into the case of Lenovos acquisition of IBM, it could be found that this big change is driven by both external and internal factors. The external triggers for this change are summarized as follows. First of all, it is a necessary step for Lenovo to fulfill internationalization. Nowadays, facing competition pressure, a number of successful enterprises go abroad for more chances and bigger markets. The internationalization provides enterprises opportunities for sustained development. Lenovos choice of being internationalized is to conform the world economic development, which strengthens its competitive edge. On the one hand, before the acquisition of IBM, Lenovo has been a leading company in Chinese PC market. The company has occupied 1/3 of the segment, and the top PC company in China for 8 years. For Lenovo, the market of China is too limited for Lenovo to pursue further development, and it has the capability to go internationalization. On the other hand, with Lenovos business becoming mature, the company faces more and more challenges. After Chinas entry into WTO, a number of famous PC companies pour into Chinese market, such as IBM, Toshiba, Dell. Besides the brand advantage s, these PC giants are strong enough to provide products at attractive price. This fierce competition causes price war in Chinese PC market. Under this circumstance, Lenovo bears unprecedented competitive pressure. To Lenovo, pursuing internationalization is not only for development, but also for survival. It is proved that the acquisition of IBM is a fast rout for Lenovo to carry out international expansion, which makes it the number five top PC producer globally. Secondly, through this change, the bargaining power with suppliers has been strengthened a lot. As mentioned above, the Chinese PC market falls into a price war. Thus, the cheap price raw materials are very important. The acquisition of IBM makes Lenovo the world leading PC company. It improves Lenovos position when bargaining with the suppliers. One of the most important internal triggers for Lenovo to conduct this change is to acquire the most developed PC technology. IBM is considered the pioneer in PC producing all over the world, and the IBM PC is generally acknowledged as high-ended brand. The acquisition of IBM makes it possible to access the most developed technique. Whats more, besides technique in research and development, tactics in management, production, marketing and after service are all valuable treasures for Lenovo. The technique and management skills sharpen competitive edge of Lenovo. According to Diefenbach (2007), companies demand of development is one important internal factor for change. Following this concept, Lenovo makes the decision of change in order to acquire the brand of Thinkpad, the word-famous PC brand, and to reach more customers. In this acquisition, Lenovo makes an agreement with IBM, that takes use of the brand of Thinkpad. This agreement avoids the risks of unrecognizing the Lenovo brand in international market. It is a safe step to introduce Lenovo to international market and makes it possible for consumers to try Lenovos products. Moreover, some of the foreign consumers hold negative opinions to products made in China, which are considered as low quality and lack of technique. The use of Thinkpad brand gains the access to the new customers and tries to change their impression on Chinese PC. Problems Arising with the Change within the Organization Changes always resisted by people for the uncertainty and risks. This change in Lenovo is an earthquake to the whole company, which faces a lot of problems. The most challenging one is about people. Human resources are considered the most valuable asset for modern enterprises. Generally, the turnover of employees in acquired company is always a critical issue for the buyers, Lenovo is no exception. IBM employees have strong enterprise culture background. How to minimize the turnover and make foreign employees accept the management of Lenovo, a Chinese localized corporation, is a big challenge for the company, especially in the high-level management team in US market. In addition, this change does not only concern the overseas employees but also is closely related to the original Chinese employees. How to balance the two groups and make them harmoniously integrate together are not easy tasks. Its known that the salary and remuneration system of the US and Chinese companies are totally different. Hence, the company needs to find out an effective way to satisfy both groups of employees, making them feel equally and well treated. Moreover, problem is also shown in culture integration. Cultural differences may cause misunderstanding and conflicts within the organization. For Lenovo and IBM, the cultural differences exist not only in the level of corporation but also the nationality. Peoples behavior and form of thinking are deeply rooted in the national culture. It is inevitable that the western and eastern culture collide with each other after the change. The point is how to improve the mutual understanding and make the two groups of people working in a harmonious environment. However, as a localized company, Lenovo has no enough experiences on culture integration. 3.3 Solution of Lenovo on Problems Caused by Change Considering the problems arising from the change, Lenovo carries out a set of measures to make the change grows in a positive way. On the one hand, at the first beginning of the change, Lenovo makes a survey to investigate employees opinion to the acquisition. Data collected shows that most of the employees both in IBM and Lenovo present positive attitude towards the event, though some of the foreign staff shows worries about the future. According to the survey result, Lenovo makes guarantees to the staff in IBM that the IBM PC division is managed in international style and the salary and remuneration system is not changed. This action eliminates the biggest worries from the IBM employees, and strengthens their confidence about the acquisition, which maintains a lot of IBM original staff. On the other hand, to the Chinese employees in Lenovo, the company offers a new set of salary and remuneration scheme, which deduces the gap of the treatment so as to balance between the two groups of employees. The efforts of Lenovo are effective and efficient, which reduces the resistance in the process of change. With regards of the cultural differences, Lenovo tries to find similarities between the two in corporate culture as the starting point. In the whole process of the acquisition, Lenovo seek common ground with IBM while reserving differences, which makes the employees in both teams set up a unified identify about the future of the company. But it does not mean Lenovo evades differences. The company takes use of tactics to increase the communication between the two. For example, it holds cocktail party, sets up culture integration discussion board, and builds cultural integration committee. For the management team, special training for cross-culture management and languages is also given to the employees in the company. Recommendations on the Resistance of Change The case of Lenovo makes a good example for Chinese enterprises, which are troubled by the resistance of Change. According to the case of Lenovo, this essay gives the following recommendations. First of all, as stated by Robbins (2009), communication is an excellent way to handle the resistance. In the case of Lenovo, the company pays attention to the effective communication with its employees about the change within the organization. At the very beginning of the change, it makes survey among employees in both US and China. Though this survey, the company conveys the initiative and the importance of the change. With data collected, the company knows about employees attitude towards and worries about this change. All the worries are carefully considered by the company, and solution and strategies are made accordingly, such as the guarantee about management system and the salary and remuneration system to IBM employees, and the adjustment of Chinese employees salary scheme. The fact proves that the communication before the acquisition is effective, which guarantees the change go smoothly. In general case, the resistance comes from employees feeling of uncertainty and fear of risks. Good communication could help the employees understanding about the whole facts, thus eliminate peoples doubt and resistance. Talks and discussion are two ways commonly used in communication. Additionally, one objective of communication is to know about employees thought about the change. Therefore, it is important for company to be willing to listen to different voices and accept the suggestions about the change. Making employees involved in the decision making process is an effective way to get their support (Lawrence, 1963). It should be noticed that to make the employees involvement contributes to the development of the company, employees training and development are necessary and important Secondly, conducting a change is a systematic work, which needs a careful plan. Blind action always causes failure. It takes five years for Lenovo to complete this change. During this process, Lenovo has never stopped for adjusting the plan for the acquisition, and it involves the management philosophy, human resources, corporate culture, technique, production, marketing etc. almost every aspects in a company. Although some changes may be very small, they still need careful plan in to ensure an effective implementation. Conclusion In conclusion, management of change has been a critical issue for enterprise. This essay takes use of the relevant concepts to research and analyze the issue of change within Lenovo, the leading IT company in China. It focuses on the event of acquisition of IBM, the biggest change within the organization, going deep inside of the issues brought by the change. The triggers for change could be external and internal. Enterprises have to be adopted to the changing environment. It is the external trigger for change. Internal triggers come from the organization inside, such as the technique, personnel. Moreover, the demand for development is another important internal trigger. The triggers for the change of Lenovo are the combination of the external and internal factors. For external triggers, on the one hand, internalization is the development trend for successful enterprises. On the other hand, the company faces strong competition from international PC companies like Dell, IBM. To enhance the competitive edge, the change for internalization is necessary. One of the most important triggers for Lenovo is the demand new technique from IBM. Whats more, through this change, Lenovo can acquire the brand of Thinkpad and reach out new customers in international market. According the theories of change, organization change is always resisted by the em ployees for the feeling of uncertainty and fears of risks. The biggest problem of this change for Lenovo also comes from people. On the one hand, IBM employees worry about changing to the Chinese management style, and losing interests in salary and remuneration. On the other hand, different salary and remuneration systems make Chinese employees feel unequal and dissatisfied. Whats more, this change may also cause cultural conflicts between the Chinese and the Americans. Recognizing these resistances, Lenovo takes some effective measures which ensure the implementation of the change. Lenovo sets up a good example for organization pursuing change. Its experiences are summarized and given as recommendations in this essay. Firstly, successful change is based on the effective communication with employees. Secondly, changes either big or small need careful consideration and plan. .

Theistic Evolution :: essays research papers

I do not wish to change anyone’s beliefs about Creation or Evolution, but wrote this in defense for people who tell me I am wrong unless I believe exactly what they do. This paper is short, incomplete, and is not in-depth. I am willing to provide more information, and hear arguments from your side of the story if you find this paper unacceptable. It is my opinion that the theories of Biblical Creationism and Evolution do not contradict each other. I believe that God gave this world a complete set of laws which are constant, unchanging, not limited to the moral laws given to us, and were as present in the beginning as they are today. I do not think that the idea of evolution takes away from the glory of God, but rather emphasizes it. I do not think it is an attempt to "explain" away the miracle God has done, for he has given us this observation in plain sight. Before giving the reasons for my belief, an assumption must be made that the Bible is meant to be interpreted instead of taken literally. Aside from the fact that there are already two different stories of creation found in the Bible (Gen 1 and Gen 2); I will support the idea of interpretation with two short examples which should be sufficient: Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches" to His disciples (John 15:5). This is not to be taken literally. PSA 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. JER 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. My faith accepts no contradictions; so again, this is an example of how the Bible was meant to be interpreted. According to the Bible, the Earth is flat. How can Young Earth Creationists accept this? They don’t. Why they selectively choose to believe certain parts of the Bible and not others is beyond me. Bishop Ussher calculated 6,000 years old, and the Flood at 2348 BC by using references from the Bible. Because there are so many written historical references of civilization before 6,000 years, Creationists conveniently extend the age of the Earth to 10,000 years. Which is it? By calculating dates from the Bible, is the Earth 6,000 years old or not?