Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Gestalt Approach

The Gestalt approach was about how people represent a problem in their own minds, and how solving a problem involves a reorganization or restructuring of this representation. The first central idea of Gestalt problem solving is how a problem is represented in a person’s mind. This means what do they think about the problem? They would give people a problem and then see how they could figure out how to solve it by restructuring the problem. Then the second idea of Gestalt is insight. Insight is when you have a sudden realization of how the problem should be solved.Gestalt assumed that when people were figuring out problems that when they finally have the answer this is insight. Insight is like that Aha! Moment you get when you finally figured the problem out. They believed that restructuring the problems was directly involved in solving insight problems. One of the major obstacles to solving these problems was fixation. Fixation is when people tend to focus on one specific prob lem area of the problem that keeps them from seeing the real problem, and being able to solve it. When looking at a problem some people tend to have a preconception of how the problem should be solved.This is called a mental set. The mental set is a preconceived notion about how to approach a problem, which is determined by a person’s experience or what has worked in the past. The Information- Processing Approach is Newell and Simon’s approach to solving problems. They saw problems in terms of an initial state. An Initial state is the conditions at the beginning of a problem. Then you have the goal state which is the solution of the problem. They used the Tower of Hanoi problem, which is three discs stacked on the left peg and the goal state as these discs stacked on the right peg.During this problem they introduced the idea of operators which is the actions that take the problem from one state to another. Each step of the problem created and intermediate state. When a problems starts it starts with the initial state and continues through a number of intermediates states that finally reach the goal state. All of these together, the initial state, goal state and all the intermediate states for the problems are called a problem space. A person has to search the problem to find the solution to it, and one way of directing the search of finding the answer is a strategy called means-end nalysis. The goal of means-end analysis is to reduce the difference between the initial state and the goal state. This is achieved by sub goals. Sub goals are the intermediate states that get you closer to the goal state. Analogical problem solving involves three steps according to Gick and Holyoak. Step one is noticing. You have to notice that there is an analogous relationship between the source story and the target problem. This is a crucial step in analogical problem solving. The second step of this is mapping. Mapping is when you have to correspond between the sou rce story and the target problem.You have to map the different parts of the story together in order to help you solve the problem. Then, the third step is to apply. Applying is you take all of the connections you made during mapping and apply them so you can successfully solve the problem. One thing that makes the first step difficult is that people tend to focus on the surface features of the problem. Surface features are the specific element that makes up the problem. Then you have the structural features. Structural features are the underlying principle that governs the solution.Studies have shown that when people are able to get enough sleep they are able to perform better when it comes to figuring out a solution to a problem. If someone has studied and then are able to go to sleep without any interruption they are able to process more of what they studied, because our mind will take it all in. If someone studied and then had to stay up a while before they went to sleep they are open to more distractions, and this can cause them not to be able to think about what they know and help them solve the problem effectively.If I had to pick out three of the objects on our paper to create something it would be the, circle, the rainbow shape and the cross. I would take the circle and make it like a tire that would bounce, and then connect to cross shape to it to make a back for a seat and use the rainbow shape as a handle so I could hold on. In order to use this for transportation you would sit on it and bounce to where ever you needed to go. It would also make a nice chair to just be able to sit on. If you were to use it as a scientific instrument you could use it see how far it would bounce from point a to oint b, and then measure the distance in between. I’m not really sure how it would be used as an appliance, unless you wanted to use it as a heater. If you bounce up and down enough times it would warm the body and you would no longer be cold. Kids would love this to be able to bounce on all over the place, so it would make an excellent toy that could keep a child entertained for hours. If I was to use this as a weapon I could pick it up and throw it at someone and hope it knocks them out, while I run the other direction.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Limit Pricing and Oligopolies

Limit pricing is the type of pricing wherein firms discourage entrants to the market by choosing a low price that is below short-run profit maximizing price but above the competitive level. Firms who engage in limit pricing are forfeiting current profits to earn future profits. The output is being maintained despite the presence of entrants. However, there are still issues whether the application of limit pricing models is profitable for firms (2002). A firm engages in limit pricing by choosing its price and output while an entrant cannot sufficiently cover the average total cost of the remaining market demand. An established firm that is threatened by an entry in a single-period could use limit price as the highest price. This will block the entry. As first explained by Modigliani in 1958, it was assumed that entrants would expect that incumbent firm will continue production at an entry-limiting output with an entry present. It is the same as the Cournot Competition wherein firms believe that its competitors will continue production at the current levels (McAuliffe, 1997). On the other hand, â€Å"classic limit pricing† is another pricing policy where limit pricing allows established firms to earn economic profits while they are preventing the occurrence of entry. It happens if there are economies of sale in production even if the entrants and the incumbent firms have the same costs (McAuliffe, 1997). Another model is explained by Gaskin in 1971, called the dynamic limit pricing. It happens if there are threats from potential competition to a firm for current and future periods. The firms would now depend the rate of entry from the difference between the current price and their marginal costs. If a firm would want to earn high profits at current period, it will set a high price. However, the number of entry will also increase while the price and profit are likely to decrease in the future. On the other hand, if an established firm decided for a lower price, both the entry and the profits will decrease. Moreover, if the firms do not have any cost over the entrants, it will lose its position then the market will be competitive. The competitive outcome of the market however is not astonishing at all since only the price is used by the firm (McAuliffe, 1997). Both in the classic and dynamic limit pricing, the market power of the established firms are restricted due to the potential competition. In the end, they have no choice but to set the price under monopoly level. However, the expectation from an entrant that a firm would always maintain its output is not always true. After the entry period, both firms would earn high profits through high prices and restricted output. An established firm therefore with maintained output after the existence of an entry is not always a threat for an entrant. Otherwise, the established firm should bind for the current period   in order to obtain high profits with high output for the next periods (McAuliffe, 1997). Successful limit pricing could affect the market structure however few firms do set prices equal to or below the monopoly level to discourage entry. Major American companies use different strategies such as advertising and product proliferation  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to discourage entry (McAuliffe, 1997). Competition is important in the American economy system but what if there is only a small number of competing companies? This condition falls under the oligopoly market. Unlike the monopoly where there is only one seller and many buyers, in oligopoly there is more than one seller (Schenk). In oligopoly, there may be homogenous or heterogeneous products; however entry is deterred by legal restrictions such as banking, minimum efficient scale such as overnight mail service , or strategic behavior (2008). Oligopoly has different models such as the Cournot-Nash Equilibrium of Duopoly and the Collusive Oligopoly. Cournot focused only on duopoly where there are only two firms competing assuming that both sell the same products produced at zero marginal cost. Both firm engage in output that is profit-maximizing expecting that the output of the other firms is maintained or held constant (Lipsey and Crystal, 2007). Under Cournot-Nash equilibrium, duopolists are competing for the quantities where each produces less than a monopoly. However, the sum of the production of both duopolists is more than the monopoly but their economic profits are less than the monopoly. The price is always less than monopoly level but not more than the competitive price (2008). Under Cournot equilibrium, firms would earn less than a monopoly because the duopolists’ outputs are more then the monopoly output. They would earn however more than the perfectly competitive firms since they could decrease the price upon increasing output (Lipsey and Crystal, 2007). Each competing firm is expected to adjust their outputs. However, if they cannot make any more adjustments then equilibrium is reached (Hobbs, 2001). Unlike Cournot-Nash equilibrium with doupolists as competing firms, in collusive oligopoly the firms cooperate in order to have a monopoly power. They may agree in setting price and dividing the output therefore gaining the quantity a monopoly produces and earning the economic profits a monopoly can. The firms are now earning more than doupoly profits (2008). There are many factors for collusion such as the number of sellers, personalities, equality of shares, costs of each firm, and others. There is a possibly that a collusion might disintegrate especially if the firm begin competing and cheating with the other firms (Schenk). Monopolies in the U.S. are most likely to be regulated by the government unlike the oligopolies. Price-fixing by the collusive oligopolies however is not allowed unless for agricultural cooperatives and professional sports league (2006). Collusion oligopolies, just like the doupoly, could turn into competition as well. Firms begin violating the production limits and producing more than they have to. Besides, the price tends to be lower. In the end, the collusion becomes unsuccessful. Bibliography OECD 2002, Limit Pricing, viewed 6 May 2007, . NC State University 2006, Collusive Oligopolies, viewed 6 May 2008, . 2008 Oligopoly, viewed 6 May 2008, . Hobb, B.K. 2001, Cournot Equilibrium, viewed 6 may 2008, . Lipsey, R. G. & Crystal, A. 2007, Doupoly. Oxford University Press, viewed 6 May 2008, . McAuliffe, R. E. 1997, Encyclopedic Dcitionary of Managerial Economics, Blackwell Punlishing, viewed 6 May 2008, . Schenk, R. The Theory of Few Sellers, viewed 6 May 2008, .         

Monday, July 29, 2019

An application for funds from NORAD foreign aid program Essay

An application for funds from NORAD foreign aid program - Essay Example The focus in this paper is in the Southern Sudan, the newest state in East Africa. Having gained independence from the north last year, the country has numerous challenges to address. One of the main challenges the country faces is a lack of capacity to provide its people with clean water. The country lies in the sub-Saharan region where water scarcity has prevailed for a long time now. In addition, the country lacks the financial capacity to run projects that can ensure that every individual has access to clean drinking water. According to the latest statistics, only 37% of the Sudanese population is lucky enough to access clean water. The rest of the population must trek for long distances in order to find a water source. Since the precious resource is very scarce, 63% of people living in south Sudan rely on water that does not meet the World Health Organization’s standards for clean drinking water. These people result to using this water because they lack a choice.   The fact that the water is unclean for human consumption presents new challenges for the country. The susceptibility of water-borne diseases has been increasing. Diseases such as cholera, guinea worm, and typhoid are becoming an everyday case in South Sudan. Provision of clean and safe drinking water is a leading priority in the globe today. It is unfortunate that approximately 6 out of 10 people from south Sudan lack access to a basic resource.   Women and girls have to make long treks before getting a reliable water source. The scarcity of water has led to numerous detrimental effects. As described above, the country must battle with multiple diseases that result from unsafe drinking water. These diseases cost the government a lot in the health sector. In addition, it increases the mortality rate among children and adults. In a globe that commits itself to reducing to increasing life expectancy, the low life expectancy in children is a sad irony for the country. Future prospects predict that the higher percentage of children born today will not live to see the next five years. Without access to water, sanitation deteriorates and the reality of this is evident in Sudan, where sanitation levels are very low. The world water statistics mentioned the sub-Saharan region as the worst affected by water scarcity and low standards of sanitation (UNEP 195). In addition, the same report indicates that the region registers high mortality rates. These statistics also highlight a leading cause of deaths in southern S udan, diarrhea. South Sudan accounts for a great percentage of the 2.2 million deaths resulting from diarrhea. The cause of diarrhea is significantly due the use of unclean drinking water. Current Projects Currently, south Sudan has numerous projects under way in a bid to provide water for the people. Although south Sudan gained independence last year, it realizes the enormous challenges that lay ahead (Dagne 14). Despite the limited financial capacity, it has been making steps towards the provision of solutions to the water challenge. The government realizes that it cannot stand alone and has sought the financial and technological aid from other countries. Financial challenges have denied South Sudan the opportunity to provide water to its people. The government cannot afford the machinery necessary for the process. In addition, the country lacks trained personnel that would operate the machinery even if it were available. Therefore, the country can only rely on foreign machinery and personnel in most of its contracts. The ongoing projects have focused on drilling boreholes that have been the only available source of water for most of the people. In addition, these boreholes account for the 37% population mentioned as

Sunday, July 28, 2019

E-Commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-Commerce - Essay Example "E-commerce" essay overviews a news small business methodology, which addresses the demands of opportunity individuals, individuals, and organizations via using online. E-commerce enables the opportunity to be carried out electronically through the use of pcs. This has minimal the need for physical currency inside of the conduct of organization. E-commerce is perpetually progressing and it's changing into additional considerable to organizations aided by the enhancement of technology. Through the inception of e-commerce as well as online, prospects have improved for both people and establishments. This has manufactured a good deal more possibilities for earnings and company progress, whereas designing way more programs for the clients. E-commerce has its limitations, that may be averted by way of moral online business tactics and reasonable decision-making. There will be numerous components that buy essays online must be thought of as before beginning an e-commerce internet business sooner or later, just like really good promoting approaches. Like systems may aid corporations to prosper and turned into successful in an e-commerce setting.Customers know about goods and services sitting at home. The manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and services providers let the consumers know about their products quality. This essay includes: Title, Navigation, Main Article, References, Tables. With this educational masterpiece, you can have no worries about your academic progress and marks. Don't mess up and finally get your highest A!

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Essay

Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Essay Example As far as the ages of the two characters are concerned it is more than the gap of a father and daughter. Can a grand father indulge in wild love with his grand daughter? Then, what is love? That is what the creator of the novel has attempted to establish throughout the work. Thus the word ‘melancholy whores’ is best suitable term that fits right to express the author’s experience of a sorrowful joy. Lust is the dais on which love has to be adorned and admired. Unfortunately the empty dais is adorned everywhere. Love is ‘caring’. Anything associated with caring is love but how lust is construed as something connected with love? It is naturally an instinct prevalent in all beings that is meant for mutual attraction. Gabriel Garcia Marquez in his Memoirs of My Meloncholy Whores has splendidly marked this difference. To bring about the contrast into the light he has prudently selected a love of an elderly old man falling in love with a young girl that too a whore. A perfect selection to highlight the contrast is personified by the age gap of the lead characters in the fiction. Gabriel put that lust is purely biological for which he portrayed the unnamed protagonist of the fiction to pay for every experience of his aphrodisiac experience. Can one love his pair of shoes, which carries its owner throughout its life? Then how the male dominant society pretends to have love d women who are considered objects of desire? It is utterly mean and non-altruistic. Gabriel in the fiction has softly hinted this apparent contradiction in any society. Gabriel’s conventional style of telling stories not in first person is purposefully over ruled in this case of Memoirs of My Meloncholy Whores. The narrator of this story has been given the complete right to wield his bold stick of tearing the masquerade of the society that cunningly lauds woman hood and

Respiratory assessment of patients presenting with COPD(chronic Essay

Respiratory assessment of patients presenting with COPD(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) including subjective and objective data gathering- history takin - Essay Example It is a long term condition that leads to damaged airways, causing them to become narrow, making it harder for air to get in and out of the lungs† (COPD National Service Framework, 2008). There are â€Å"currently 300 million people have asthma; 210 million people have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) while millions have allergic rhinitis and other often under-diagnosed chronic respiratory diseases† (World Health Organization, 2008). Therefore, a sound knowledge of respiratory disease and skills to effectively manage these patients are essential in the delivery of care. In line with this, I have chosen two pieces of evidence regarding COPD. For the first piece of evidence, we will be looking into the subjective and objective respiratory assessment of patients with common respiratory disorders such as asthma and COPD. Furthermore, on the second piece of evidence, I have chosen to deal with acute breathlessness due to exacerbation to COPD as well as its possible medical interventions. I will also take into consideration the psychosocial impact/s of this disease to the patient and also about patient education for self-management initiative. â€Å"Respiratory diseases kill one in five people in the UK and has a mortality rate higher then coronary heart disease† (British Thoracic Society, 2006a). Respiratory diseases accounts for a large part of the total medical admission to the hospital, wherein the most common is asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (Roussos & Koutsoukou, 2003). It is estimated that there are about 600,000 patients in the UK with diagnosed COPD and there may be as many again who remain undiagnosed. Nearly one in three (29%) episodes of finished consultant episodes for patients over 60 years and one- fifth (21%) of bed days used for respiratory disease treatment are for chronic obstructive lung disease (British Thoracic Society, 2006b). These figures give us a clear picture as to how

Friday, July 26, 2019

Staffing shortages and medication errors Research Paper

Staffing shortages and medication errors - Research Paper Example This shortage may be attributed to the fact that most nurses shun this job due to unfavorable working conditions in hospitals, nurses moving to outpatient care, managed care service and some into business. In addition, nursing does not attract many young applicants, thus the retiring nurses have no other people to replace them. In another dimension, nursing teachers are not paid well. This leads to less nurses taking up the teaching job, subsequently nursing schools enroll few students who will be well attended to by the few staff (Garrett, 2008). Research has proven that some of the leading causes of severe effects in inpatient care may be directly attributed to the current nursing shortage in hospitals. The result of understaffing of nurses may lead to medication errors that may end up causing deaths among patients. Shortage of nurses in hospitals leads to patient monitoring and pain checking being ignored. This comes about due to the fact that the few available nurses are being ov erwhelmed by their work, and may end up forgetting about other patients, something that may be fatal if the patients are in a critical state or may lack the time to conduct the routine check up on some patients (The point of care 2001). Shortage of nurses may also lead to the available workers being overworked by working overtime, something they cannot refuse due to the fact that according to the American Nursing Association, they are liable to losing their jobs or their working licenses being revoked. Due to overworking the nurses accumulate stress and fatigue may lead to them giving medication to the wrong patient or giving wrong doses or even missing a dose entirely. Fewer nurses may also lead to neglect of patients by the nurses. This may be seen in that, in the process of attending to a patient, a more seriously ill patient may be brought in, and this may lead to the nurse abandoning the patient. Nurse under staffing has also been established to be having an effect on urinary t ract infections and pneumonia. Studies show that nurse staffing and have adverse effects. The class of care rendered to most patients, and their safety is jeopardized by the Shortages of nurses in medical facilities. This problem is brought about by the fact that nurses concentrate on many patients at a time, thus inhibiting patients from acquiring quality attention. Understaffing of nurses leads to them not having a conducive working environment. Most hospitals necessitate them to work overtime leading to burn outs. This is attributed to the fact that nurses are not able to handle the pressure from the working environment. This pressure results in reduced performance. Overworking leads to medication errors that nurses do not provide when prescribing drugs, administering drugs or carrying out medical tests. Also, nurses do not take the right precaution when caring for patients, which ends up affecting patients’ result and may lead to death (Garrett, 2008). Quite a number of p atients suffering from acute diseases die as a result of medication errors. There are legislations passed to help prevent medication error. Medication safety language was added to the tax relief and health care act of 2006. Inclusion of hospital quality requirement in the bill allows patients to get information they need; that is, report from hospital illustrating whether it meets established safety standard; thus people are able to protect themselves

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Industrial Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Industrial Pollution - Essay Example people engage in such as dumping plastics are all part of massive chain reaction that ultimately results in the destruction or decimation of millions of lives both human and animal world over. Inevitably, every form of pollution has an impact on the environment and the animals in it, the effects may range from minor discomfort to serious conditions such as cancer and physical deformities. Industrial pollution contributes to the greenhouse effect that results in climate change disrupting weather patterns resulting to widespread famine, and it is the leading cause of health and enviromental challenges affecting animals and plants resulting in ill health and even death. The seepage of pollutant matter from industries is without doubt the biggest threat to human health with the pollution of water air and land resulting in illness and loss of life on a massive scale. Studies have proven the existence of a direct connection between outdoor air pollution and hospital admission records, showing that within every 10 micrograms of particulate matter in the air, the risk of respiratory conditions like lung cancer go up by 1%. Over 1.2 billion people have no access to clean water because of the high levels of pollutant matter in water bodies. The consequence has been that waterborne infections account for a significant fraction of the infectious diseases, it is approximated that over 5 million people, half of whom are children die from unsanitary living conditions directly attributed to the pollution of their environment (Briggs, 2014). While conceding that the impacts of industrial pollution are very serious, it is not too late to take preventive actions. This can be achieved through collaboration by the shareholders who are in this case; governments, citizens and the corporates that mostly run the suspect industries. Firstly, the policies for reducing the amounts of emissions as well as regulating waste disposal more so in landfills and other water bodies should be

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

I have a dream arthin luther king Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

I have a dream arthin luther king - Essay Example Martin Luther King delivered in his speech that African Americans should focus on oneness of people and do what they could in order to bring sanity within their lives as well as others. Martin Luther King’s speech remains relevant even to this day, even fifty years after he delivered it. It is because his speech outlined the fundamental need that the African Americans faced and still are going through in this day and age. His speech remains relevant because the present day America has more racism prevalent within it than ever before and there is a greater need to understand the American Dream that he spoke about (Author Unknown 1963). Martin Luther King was right when he suggested that African Americans must plan for their own selves what kind of lives they want, and then go about having it with ease and inner satisfaction. His speech therefore serves as the catalyst of a better change for the people of

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Look at the Picture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Look at the Picture - Essay Example Possibly he and his partner, camera person, have taken a trip into the wild and have finally come to a point where they feel they need to capture the moment of their achievement. Again this does not fully explains why the boy holds a stack of stones in the picture. Why is the boy holding a bunch of stones with such pride as if he is holding a trophy? It could be that he has reached a place of significance, and the stones are from its rubbles. It could be a historical building which they have discovered. But if that were the case why have the boy and his partner taken a photograph of the stones and not of the building itself? This possibility could not be so. Perhaps it is not an old building but rather an old tree against which the boy is standing. The multiple layers of roots in the picture indicate that the place where the boy is standing is under a tree root or a trough of dirt. Maybe the boy is proud to have discovered an ancient tree which is about to collapse, and he wants to c apture the moment of discovery. The stones are merely mementos of the place, and he is proud of having discovered this minor but significant

Monday, July 22, 2019

Port of Rotterdam Essay Example for Free

Port of Rotterdam Essay Particularly, our intention is to focus in the way the Port Authority manages all the issues that come up and how they could improve the functionality of the port. We are greatly aware that the world of freight transport is growing rapidly and to grow with it, a port needs to be in continuous development. The Port of Rotterdam is one of the most important ports all over the world. It is situated on the Dutch coast and its main channel extends along 40 km offshore. Its a huge infrastructure that handles more than 400 million tons per year. Thus, every year more than 4 million containers go through this port, this means 400 per hour and more than 3000 daily. 1 The economic importance of the Port of Rotterdam becomes apparent from quantitative indicators such as the direct and indirect value added and employment. Its industrial character is reflected by the number and range of industries located in the Port of Rotterdam related to logistics (transport, storage and distribution), production (such as maritime and transport equipment, petroleum, chemicals and food) and (commercial) services. All these activities are taking place in a relatively limited area2: Despite of this figures, currently the PoR is losing a big market share, especially in the container market, on behalf mainly of the ports of Antwerp and Hamburg. Hamburg’s port has very good rail connections and also it is really well located to distribute Eastern Europe. Besides, the port of Antwerp enjoys a strategic central position with immediate access to Europes road, rail, and water transportation networks and direct connections to Europes major consumption and production centers. Therefore, our aim is to implement solutions to the problems that currently exist in the PoR. We want to make this port the most competitive, innovative and sustainable in the world and to do that we will focus in three main goals: 1CM55 – Port of Rotterdam Authority Handle the lack of capacity until Maasvlakte 2 is finished. If we want this port to grow, we should manage this issue correctly. Manage the congestion of the highway infrastructure. Solve the problem of the loss of market share due to the growth of ports like Hamburg or Antwerp. 3 First of all, we would like to analyze the current situation of the port. We think that the most important way to do so is with a SWOT analysis, so we are able to identify both the internal and the external factors which are favorable or unfavorable to achieve our goals. 2. SWOT Analysis Strengths ? Geographical Location ? Vast Knowledge of the market ? Great Experience ? Large Influence ? Intermodal Network ? Competitive pricing ? Width and large draft ? Cheap Transport possibilities Opportunities ? Growth expected with Maasvlakte 2 ? Automation of several processes ? Possibility of implement biofuels flow Weaknesses ? Capacity Shortage ? Saturation of the port ? Both rail and roadways connections are not enough ? Environmental problems ? Delays due to failures in the distribution management ? Susceptible to storm surges Threats ? Constant growth of the containers ? Administrative regulations due to pollution ? Competition in the Le Havre-Hamburg range Strengths: We could subdivide the strengths into two groups: Characteristics of the Port: Its privileged situation allows the best distribution through the hinterland. Reaching the major industrial and economic centre’s of Western Europe within 24 hours is feasible due to this fact. Besides, its great width and large draft allows the biggest ships to load and unload in it. 1CM55 – Port of Rotterdam Authority Experience: The Port Authority has a wide knowledge in ports management: handling of shipping in the port of Rotterdam and the offshore approaches to the port. Opportunities: The future expansion of the PoR is extremely needed in the future. It is known that the container market is growing exponentially and the current terminals of the port (Maasvlakte and Eem/Waalhaven) are about to saturate. With Maasvlakte 2 they will be able to handle a bigger amount of ships and therefore obtain a bigger profit. Weaknesses: The problem of being one of the most important ports worldwide is that you need to have the best distribution channels in order to be able to make the shipping as efficient as possible. The PoR needs new ways of shipping because railways and highways are already congested. Threats: To overcome the recent growth of its neighbors’ market share, the PoR should try to fortify its strengths and to take advantage of its opportunities. Otherwise they will keep losing benefits because of them. The port should also be aware of the regulations, because nowadays the â€Å"green mind† is getting more and more important. 3. Alternatives 3. 1 Rail Transport Rail transport consists of long merchandise train with a lot of wagons circulating on dedicated way or on common way with the civil transport trains. This mean of transport is the cheapest one for a relatively fast, reliable and frequent transport of huge quantity on long distance. That is why it is used to transport bulky product, container and raw materials on distances higher than 200km. The typical capacity of a train is actually about 120 TEU, equivalent to 60 trucks. The network of railroad is already well installed but this mode of transport meet some limits. Indeed, the passenger trains are priority on the railroad and when a section of the way is not reserved for the freight, the train has to make way for passenger trains. This problem is growing up 1CM55 – Port of Rotterdam Authority with the passenger traffic figures. The best solution is to create special railroad only for the freight transport in order to avoid sharing the passenger railroad. This solution has already started to be implemented in the Netherlands with the creation of the Betuweroute. This railway is design to allow freight train to go straight to Germany through the country. We think this route should be used more than it is nowadays. We are greatly aware of its importance due to the fact that it makes possible the just in time delivery between the PoR and any point connected with it. Results of using this route could be seen: One of the most important problems of the port, the capacity shortage, is reduced thanks to the reduction of freight stock due to this route. . 2 Intermodal Transport This way of transport aims to avoid the transfer of the merchandise from on transport mode to another. For example, if a container needs to be first charged on a truck, then continue on a train to finish on again on a truck, the intermodal transport gives solution to avoid the lost of time during the transfers. Thus, the container is lay once on a truck and then the truck itself goes on the train till the destination. At the end, still the same truck finishes the transport by road. This technique is called piggyback and reduces a lot the roblem of congestion due to the charging time. This also permits to reduce the road congestion by moving the trucks on the railroads when it’s possible. This method reduces cargo handling; therefore security is improved by reducing both damages and losses. Besides, with this way of transport the time of delivering is significantly decreased. A reduced cost versus over road trucking is the key benefit for intra-continental use. Actually, we are not going to focus that much on this part, because we think the other ones are more interesting than t his one and more benefit could be obtained. 3. 3 Barge Transport Barge transport was traditionally used for bulk cargo (this means ore, coal or oil products). Nowadays, however, barges carry a wide range of finished products including chemicals, palletised goods and bigbags. Barge transport is suitable for carrying all types of freight, in dry or liquid form. 1CM55 – Port of Rotterdam Authority Even containers are highly suitable for transport by inland waterway. The barge transport sector is well equipped to meet the trend for more and more goods to be sent by container: container barges have a capacity of 20 to 500 TEU, while pusher convoys can take even more. The importance of large, modern container barges cannot be over-emphasised. 5 Although it is a really cheap transport, the main problem it has is that it is slow and therefore the delivery times are higher than with other ways of transport. Currently, the concentration in barge operations is low due to this issue. However it is increasing not only because highways are getting congested, but also because people are looking forward to cleaner ways of transport and everybody knows that trucks and trains are note efficient ways of transport at all. Thus, we have come up with an idea that we think could be very profitable if implemented. Nowadays, the existing way in which the freight is delivered using barge transport is with small vessels. It would be better if instead of small vessels the PoR, through the barge companies, uses larger barges so they can carry more containers. Furthermore, this larger barges could be used to replace some trucks so the number of them is reduced and with it the congestion of the highways. Hence, using this enhancement, we reduce both the barge and road traffic. 4. Conclusion It is known that hinterland transport could improve its productivity if the number if terminal visits in the port is reduced. To do this that it could be useful to re-organize small containers which come from different terminals with some kind of specific distribution services. Cost improvement could be obtained depending always on the distances and other significant factors. The most promising solution for such a reduction can be found in the transhipment costs of containers. If transhipment between the trunk line section and the collection distribution section can be achieved by one move (i. . board-to-board transhipment) this would substantially improve the competitiveness of these split services. 6 From our point of view it would be very interesting if larger vessels are used, as we explained above, in order to make every single trip more efficient and therefore save some costs.

The Issue of Female Identity in the Novel The Trick Essay Example for Free

The Issue of Female Identity in the Novel The Trick Essay This paper examines the issues of gender within Janice Galloway’s novel, The Trick is to Keep Breathing. The paper considers the identity crisis that the character of Joy Stone in the novel faces and discloses how this crisis is triggered as a result of social oppression. The Trick is to Keep Breathing is primarily a story about the mental health of an individual and tells of how she has suffered to such an extent that she has been plummeted into depression, self-loathing and anorexia. One of the key themes in the book is that of alienation. The main character, Joy, is suffering from a loss, a loss that is not recognized in the eyes of society; she is the mistress of a dead man. Whilst the family of the man are able to openly grieve and be acknowledged for their position in her lover’s life, she is forced to hide her feelings away, together with her knowledge of her lover’s feelings for her, in her own secret prison. Her position as a mistress leaves her with no place to grieve and the social constraints of society entail she is restrained from mourning. Social institutions mean that she has no justifiable relationship with Michael and therefore is without purpose, she has no existence. She is thus socially oppressed and such oppression acts as means by which Joy’s identity and place in the world is stripped from her. Joy has no real control over her life. . She is thus trying to grief alone and quietly but her inability to publicly release her feelings and gain recognition for how significant she was in her lover life mean that loses all self respect and she subsequently endures a lifestyle that is devoid of any significance. She completes her daily chores with very little feeling and her future stretches before her in a daunting and formidable fashion. Even time is meaningless to her. Joy’s depressed and emptiness plays out on both a psychological and a physical level. She is obsessed with her own image and allows her self perception to be negatively impacted by the magazines she reads and the inferior way in which they make her feel. The only way in which she seems capable of having some control over her feelings is through denying herself food. She attempts to rid herself of her sense of loss and her frustration with the way in which society treats her by starving herself and thus intertwines her identity crisis with her physical body. But the physical manifestations of her oppression only serve to enhance her feelings of loss, â€Å"Empty space. I had nothing inside me† (147). She is increasingly becoming separated from the world in which she lives, the people who surround her and even her own body. Gender is of extremely relevance within the novel and her relationships with various male figures such as the doctors, an ex boyfriend and her boss form an important element of the story. All of the men she encounters are dominant, overpowering characters who, in their own ways, wish Joy to submit to their wishes. Her memories of her ex-lover control her, the doctors think they know what is best for her and wish for her to do as she is told and other characters simply want to seduce her. However, Joy has lost all ability to adhere to the men’s wishes and she suffers a form of breakdown; one which rebels against what is socially expected of her and strives for freedom from the entrapment of the male gaze and their endless orders. She learns to create meaning for herself, not by adhering to what society deems meaningful but by defining this for herself. By stripping things of the meaning attributed to them by society she is able to rid herself of her oppression and see life in a new light. She learns that she is happier if she doesn’t live by society’s rules and, whilst this may her appear chaotic to an outside audience, it frees her from her personal prison.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Expectancy Theory of Motivation

Expectancy Theory of Motivation Introduction When we talk about motivation, we can see motivation as the strength arising from the mind / mental effort that dictates how an individual will behaviour in an organization or work place, how much effort this individual has on his/her tasks and how this person continues firmly on his /her tasks whenever hurdles face him/her. To managers, their interest is to ensure implementation of strategies and thus they have the obligation to motivate their workers because loosing an employee can be very costly. In addition, managers need to motivate workers so that they can retain the valuable ones as well recruit the best to join the organization as this translates to success in implementing strategies. Through intrinsic reward (self-satisfaction on completing a task) and extrinsic reward (being recognized by others for good work done), employees are able to perform as managers expect, thus managers have to ensure they motivate their employees. As there are several motivation theories, only thr ough comparing and contrasting one can establish which ones motivate workers more than others. Maslows pyramid or hierarchy of needs theory of motivation has greater motivation to employees than Vrooms expectancy theory. Comparing First, Maslows hierarchy theory as an earlier proposition, it creates the base on which Vrooms expectancy theory, a later edition, builds on. Secondly, both the Expectancy and the Maslows hierarchy of needs motivational theories, they both enable a person to modify his/her input (efforts to undertake a task) depending on the importance they have on the expected result in the entire procedure of undertaking that task and what they understand about input and output. For example, Maslow theory of motivation as a commonly known theory, it addresses needs of an individual in a hierarchy manner. It considers a single need and this need depends on already other satisfied needs. From an arrangement of how these needs need to fulfilment in a hierarchy manner, one can establish those that require early fulfilment than others. In addition, both theories allows an individual to establish which results are most likely to motivate people and this will dictate the best measures to take as factors o f their experiences and expectations ( Droar 2006). Maslows understanding on the effect of unsatisfied needs relates to expectancy theory in that like Maslow, Vroom indicates in the expectancy theory that the need to fulfil unmet demands is what motivates individuals where such a person will make a concerned decision to undertake a certain task in a manner that he/she understands as satisfying that need. Therefore, high motivation will manifest where there is concise and quantified goals that for example in a team the team members understand how a task as achievable and how it would benefit them considerably. In cases of low motivation, team members usually become frustrated as they cannot define the best ways to undertake different tasks and for what rewards these tasks can bring to them (Yeatts and Hyten 1998, p. 64). In addition, whenever an individual understands that he/she is lacking an essential item/want necessary for wellbeing, then this understanding will establish a need for that individual to undertake activities or behave in a manner that will lead to satisfying that particular need. Moreover, if someone understands that certain need is being satisfied, then this person will lack motivation to manifest characters/behaviours that associate with fulfilling the need (Yeatts and Hyten, 1998, p. 63). Considering this perspective in a work place, what this indicates is that financial benefits will act as a significant motivation tool until an understanding that the money is a way of fulfilling different categories of demands (basic needs). Contrary to this, if these people understand that such demands are fulfilling, then these people/employees will lack motivation to fulfil such needs and will rather establish other ways of fulfilling higher ranked needs touching self-esteem. The more the ex pectations employees have on their job, the greater the motivation they will have to perform. These approaches are common both the Maslows hierarchy of needs and Vrooms expectancy theories of motivation. Contrasting As suggested by Victor Vroom and unlike Maslow theory, the expectancy theory of motivation does not focus on needs but concentrates in the results. When Maslows hierarchy of needs theory concentrates on the association of internal needs of an individual and the expected effort needed to satisfy them such as time and money, Vroom puts apart effort (a result of motivation), performance, and results/outcome. What this means is that for anyone to get motivated, the drive behind effort should associate with execution of relevant tasks and the outcome. To connect the drive/effort with performance, expectancy helps one to believe that extra dedication on a task will improve performance, meaning hard work pays. For the hard work to be fruitful there has to be right resources (adequate time, appropriate skills, and support). Linking performance and outcome will be instrumentality that helps one perceive that whenever an individual performs excellently, then a worthy outcome is viable and fina lly valence connects outcome and effort as dictated by the main motivation. For example, if cash motivates someone, then taking leave would not be valuable to this person because he is not making money. In Maslows theory of motivation, individuals get motivation from something extra as compared to only cash/financial benefits and job fulfilment. Therefore, the broad consideration of varying factors improves motivation of individuals/employees. Expectancy theory on its part only illustrates motivation as not applying to all cases as the understanding of whatever one wants to achieve/objects relates to efforts on a task and performance of that task, performance and compensation/gain, gain and objective fulfilment. As these will differ for different individuals as well as locations, to design rewarding systems, managers should thus always consider respective organizational structure so that the rewards offered relate to individual goals in such environments (Gunkel 2006, p. 15). Expectancy Theory of motivation proves to be most sophisticated comparing to Maslows theory in motivating employees because the effort to undertake a task will relate to the surrounding and capability to dictate the resulting achievement/performance of a person (Griffin and Moorhead 2009, p. 99). This theory to significant number of people and situations, might fail to apply. For example, it is more difficult to change management practices of an organization to meet individual needs, which might appear as outdated ways of doing things to many people and thus expectancy theory viewed as an individualized theory rather than management oriented (Hassard and Parker 1993, p. 93). Contrary to the expectancy theory, Maslows hierarchy of needs theory has the option that working towards self-actualization, rather than actually achieving it may be the ultimate motivation for most people (Griffin and Moorhead 2009, p. 88). As currently, some people find themselves leaving high paying jobs that fail to satisfy their job objectives to low paying jobs that satisfy. Maslows gives a sense of understanding without conscious reasoning thus common to many practicing managers and gives a general structure to classify demands as needs will not necessary fit to Maslows model. In the manner in which the needs rank, the bottom needs will be termed as physiological needs (food and water) and they determine when the following batch of growth needs (knowing and perceiving ones needs) will start fulfilment. It is only when the growth needs are fulfilled that one is at peace to attain his/her potential such as self-actualization (example) after which one can overcome his/her self-es teem (example) to assist others (Droar 2006). This is a more realist arrangement that enables one to progressive exploit his/her potential through satisfaction from preceding level of needs unlike expectancy theory that limits only on reward and job satisfaction. The expectation theory to managers will base their reward on individual achievement as to how better that individual relates input and output paying attention of any possible changes in the process to reduce risk. Furthermore, managers are required to utilize organizational structure that hold rewards and performance together as well as ensuring rewards are worthy to employees, and should involve in training to improve employees ability and understanding that extra effort yields good performance. This can be challenging as the process might turn out to be complex for some mangers. However, Maslows hierarchy of needs theory will give the flexibility for managers to allow development up the ranks of their employees in the best way they feel satisfied increasing motivation. In addition, Maslows theory allows managers to understand the significant needs active for specific employee ensuring motivation. Conclusion In summary, Maslows hierarchy of needs theory has greater motivation to employees compared to the expectancy theory. Although they compare in some aspects, the significantly differ in others. These two theories compare in Maslow theory creating a base from which expectancy theory develops from, both enabling a person to modify his/her input depending on the importance they have on the expected result after performing a task, as well as allowing an individual to establish which results are most likely to motivate them or others. Contrary to the similarities, expectancy theory concentrates on the needs rather than the results on a particular task where else Maslows theory focuses on how the different needs associate with themselves and what it calls fro to satisfy them and allows managers to understand the significant needs active for specific employee ensuring motivation. Expectancy theory separates effort, performance, and achievement of a certain task making it difficult and sophist icated for many individuals to explore their potentials because the effort to undertake a task will relate to the surrounding and capability to dictate the resulting achievement/performance of a person. This can be a complex process. Therefore, Maslows hierarchy of needs theory of motivation is more realistic and cheaper in motivating compared to expectancy theory of motivation. References Droar, D., 2006. Expectancy theory of motivation. Available at: http://www.arrod.co.uk/archive/concept_vroom.php [accessed 18 March 2010] Griffin, R. and G. Moorhead, 2009. Organizational behavior: managing people and organizations. 9th ed. Connecticut, US: Cengage Gunkel, M., 2006. Country-compatible incentive design: a comparison of employees performance reward preferences in German and the USA. New York: Springer Hassard, J. and M. Parker, 1993. Post modernization and organization. London, UK: SAGE Yeatts, D. and C. Hyten, 1998. High-performing self-managed work teams: a comparison of Theory to practice. London, UK: SAGE

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Self-employment in Do the Right Thing Essay -- Working Films Movies Ca

Self-employment in Do the Right Thing Self-employment is often confused with capitalism. This is because the word capitalism has come to mean "free markets" and "free enterprise," rather than a specific type of economic system. However, the conflation of the term capitalism with these other terms reduces the concepts available for doing social scientific analysis. We need to be able to identify the traditional capitalist system: a system based on free wage labor creating products that are owned by capitalist directors who are distinct from these original wage laborers. Self-employment is then distinct from this capitalist economic system precisely because it is based on free independent labor creating products that are owned by the individual direct producers. In other words, a self-employed laborer is very different from a capitalist laborer. This difference is, without question, of great consequence and worthy of social scientific analysis. Most past conceptions of the self-employed direct producers have regarded this unique economic system as of only minor importance (if even that) in a world dominated by feudalism and/or capitalism. However, historically self-employment has played an important role in many societies, including the United States, and continues to do so today. The relative prevalence and particular types of self-employment in society influences other social processes, including political processes, cultural processes, and individual psychology. In a society where self-employment exists, it is simply not possible to adequately understand and explain social change in the absence of a concept of self-employment (and a concept that is clearly distinct from other types of production and distributio... ... way that is very different from the relationship between producer and product in other class processes. It is, therefore, all the more tragic in the film when the pizzeria is destroyed. It is not simply the destruction of a work place, but the destruction of Sal's identity as a self-employed producer (although this identity can, persumably, be resurrected in a new structure). For Mookie this is better than harm having been done to Sal, the person, and this is why he redirects the hatred of the crowd away from Sal and his sons to the building. But for Sal, it is difficult to take a great deal of solace in this diversion (although in the end, he seems to harbor no ill will towards Mookie, perhaps because he understands the context in which Mookie threw the garbage can through the pizzeria window) because some essential aspect of his identity has been destroyed.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Evening of Bluegrass :: essays research papers

An Evening with the Dickel Brothers It was 9:30 on a chilly Thursday night when our little trio finally found a parking space in the Richmond District. Already drunk, we wove quickly through the neighborhoods by foot. Finally we arrived at the Last Day Saloon, uneasy that we had not purchased tickets in advance for what was sure to be one of the highlights of this years San Francisco Blue Grass and Old Time Festival – the fabulous Dickel Brothers. Our fears of a sellout were quickly allayed, as was the sense of unease that having four quarts of Irish whiskey strapped to ones person tends to instill. We were home free, for now, anyway. After purchasing our tickets, we proceeded upstairs to catch the opening act, which, to our delight, turned out to be five perfectly agreeable old geezers calling themselves the Roadoilers. Their sound was pure old-school bluegrass, heavy on melody, light on lyrics. Their artful rendering of the Bill Monroe standard Uncle Penn, made for a memorable encore. Next up, we were subjecte d to the shrill vocal styling of The Stairwell Sisters. Don’t get the wrong idea, I am certain that the particular brand of old-time mountain music that the sisters are peddling is faithfully rendered. The problem for me was simply that the clog-happy cutsieness of their presentation was enough to make even the most dyed in the wool harmony junkie run gasping for the nearest fire exit. And that is exactly what we did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We figured the most sensible course of action was to hole up in the alleyway outside the club and wait for the fervent toe tapping to subside. I had barely finished my first cigarette when a lanky figure dressed something akin to Tom Joad on his way to church approached our little assemblage. I recognized him at once as Stephen Dickel, banjo player of the headlining band. â€Å"Anyone know where a fellah can get a bottle of whiskey in this neighborhood?†, he asked plaintively. Jill shrugged, explaining that we were from the East Bay, and thus, had little idea where he might try. Jill, apparently sensing the desperation in his face, thrust a small flask of Bushmills into his hand. After a great deep swallow, he proceeded to explain his sad situation. â€Å"This goddamn hippy club issued only two drink tickets to each of us. How, for the love of Mary, do they expect us to play in this condition?