Extracting Dna from Human Cheek Cells

The probable reason for the tinted brown shade in the human epithelial DNA and not the strawberry DNA is that human epithelial DNA is extracted from one's mouth in which there can be many germs that could change the color of the original DNA. Furthermore, in order to avoid these germs from affecting the human epithelial cell DNA greatly, the experimenter is only asked to rinse their mouth with distilled water while in truth, Just a rinse with distilled water does not eradicate all possible germs that could be living in one's cheek cells.However, some probably factors for why the strawberry DNA and the human epithelial DNA were so similar Is because both Dana were extracted using the same methods. For Instance, In both experiments detergent and ethanol were used to separate the DNA from the nucleus and proteins Inside the cells. Thus, although there are many differences and similarities between the strawberry and human epithelial DNA, in the end they both had the characteristic of bei ng standstill and clumpy. There were man's steps to this experiment.The major steps in this process of DNA extraction begin with rinsing the experimenter's mouth with plain water, then using a toothpick to scratch the inside of the cheek, and then rinsing the mouth again but this time with distilled water which is eventually spit into a cup. The reason this step is conducted is because it cleans the experimenter's mouth so that germs are limited from entering the cup and detaches the cells Inside the experimenter's cheek. Making them easily come out along with the spit Into the cup In the end.Once this step Is over, the spit In the cup is transferred to a test tube, ml of detergent solution Is added, and the test tubule Is mixed. The spit Is transferred to the test tube because it makes the spit easier handle. Furthermore ml of detergent, also called DEBT solution, is added to the test tubule to help break down the cellular and nuclear membranes of the cells in the spit, thus making the DNA more accessible. Finally, this new solution is mixed so that the DEBT solution is mixed well into the original spit and has caused almost all of the nuclear and cellular membranes to break down.Once these steps are over, ml of ethanol is added to the solution and after waiting for bout 3 to 5 minutes, the DNA can be extracted with an inoculating loop. The reason ethanol is added to this solution is because ethanol breaks the DNA apart from the other organelles inside the cell and does not allow the DNA to dissolve since DNA Is not soluble In alcohol. By not allowing the DNA to dissolve, after the 3 to 5 minutes wait, the DNA will automatically be visible near the top of the solution Inside the ethanol since the DNA can no longer mix with any of the other organelles.Thus, the wait is essential since it gives the DNA time to become visible and once it is, the e seen and touched by the experimenter. With this, the experiment is concluded and the experimenter can decide what th ey wish to do with their DNA. This procedure was effective in several ways. For example, the DEBT solution and the ethanol were extremely important to this experiment and were very effective in separating the DNA so that it was clearly visible towards the end. However, one way this experiment can be improved is by using plastic pliers to extract the DNA at the end of the experiment instead of the inoculating loop.This suggestion would be ore effective since with the inoculating loop there is a lower probability of extracting the DNA successfully than with the plastic pliers. This is because the DNA can slip out of the inoculating loop's loop while it is highly unlikely that the DNA will slip out of the plastic pliers grasp. Therefore, although this experiment was extremely effective, one adjustment that could be made is to replace the inoculating loop with plastic pliers. To conclude, there are many applications in the world where this experiment could be extremely important. One ex ample is law and crime.In court, Just as engineering can be an extremely useful tool in finding the true culprit, using the DNA found at the crime scene can be equally as important. This is because each person's DNA is unique and unlike anyone else's. This can quickly identify who the true culprit is in court and also be extremely helpful in the field of science and genetics as well. This is because DNA is the instructions to life and by studying this DNA, scientists and researchers can soon find ways to not only manipulate but enhance human life. Thus, it can be seen that this experiment can be useful in many different fields of study in today's society.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 4

Micha â€Å"She's already got you all hot and bothered.† Ethan sips on his soda. â€Å"Look at you. Drunk after eight months of sobriety and I don't believe it's a coincidence it happened on the same night she showed up.† I slam another shot back and wipe my lips with the back of my hand. â€Å"I'm fine man. And I can't blame what I do on anyone else but myself. This isn't Ella's fault. â€Å" Ethan laughs, tipping his head back, bumping it on the edge of the cupboard. â€Å"Who the hell are you trying to convince? You know just as well as every single person in the room knows that you two are each other's problem and it's never going to be fixed until you fuck and get it over with.† I punch him in the arm, harder than I planned. â€Å"Watch it. You're walking on thin ice tonight.† He holds up his hands, surrendering. â€Å"Sorry, I forgot how you get when you're like this.† I grab a fist full of his shirt and jerk him toward me. â€Å"Like what?† Again, he forfeits up his hands. â€Å"Micha man, calm down and go drink some coffee or something. You're trashed out of your mind.† I release him and rake my fingers through my hair, frustrated with something I can't grasp. â€Å"Coffee's a myth†¦ And I need something else.† My eyes travel to the back door window, and suddenly I understand what I need. I pat Ethan's shoulder. â€Å"Clear everyone out before my mom gets home, okay?† â€Å"Alright, man will do,† he replies confoundedly. â€Å"But where are you going?† â€Å"On a walk.† I knock people out of my way, and stumble out the back door. Regaining my balance, I trip across the grass and climb over the fence. Ella's dad's Firebird is parked in the driveway, so he must be home from the bar. Doesn't matter, though. He won't notice or care if I sneak in. I've been doing it since we were kids. Although, my intentions did get a bit dirtier the older we got. I stare up at her bedroom window until I reach the tree. After a drunken struggle, I make it to the top and I inch along the branch to the window. Cupping me hands around my eyes, I peek inside. The lights are off, but the glow of the moon lights a trail to her bed. She's fast asleep. I inch open the window, slicing my finger on a rusty nail. â€Å"Mother†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I suck on my finger tip, the taste of blood and vodka bitter against my tongue as I head dive through the window and hit the floor with a soft thud. Her friend shoots upright from the bed on the floor, her eyes wide. â€Å"Oh my God.† I put my finger to my lips as I get to my feet. â€Å"Shh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She still looks worried so I dazzle her with my most charming smile. That seems to win her over and she settles back in her bed. As carefully as I can, I step over her bed and crawl in with Ella. She's always been a heavy sleeper and doesn't stir. I press my chest against her back, drape my arm over her waist, and feel the rhythm of her breathing. God, I've missed this way too much. It's not healthy. I burrow my face in her neck, smelling the scent of her hair, vanilla mixed with something that's only her. I shut my eyes and for the first time in eight months, I fall into a peaceful sleep. Ella I sleep horribly for half the night, tossing and turning, like the princess sleeping on a pea. Only I am far from a princess and the pea is my guilty conscience. I don't know why I feel guilty about blowing off Micha. I've done it breezily for the past eight months. Although, he wasn't living right next door with his sad puppy dog eyes and charming sexiness. My sleep deprivation only got worse when my dad stumbled into the house in the middle of the night, bumping over cups and bottles, drunk off his ass. Later, I heard him crying in the bathroom my mom died in. It still hurts to hear because his tears are my fault. Once I fall asleep, I am out and it ends up being the best night's rest I've had in ages. When I wake up in the late afternoon, I feel refreshed and calm. Until I realize why. Micha is in my bed and has me in his long, lean arms. His body is curved into mine, so every single part of him is touching me. I know it's him by the smell of his cologne mixed with mint and something else that only belongs to Micha. I pretend to be asleep, engulfed in a wonderful dream, refusing to wake up until he leaves. â€Å"I know you're awake,† he whispers in my ear. His voice is hoarse and his breath is stale with booze. â€Å"So open your eyes and quit avoiding me.† â€Å"You know it's illegal to walk into someone's house without permission,† I say with my eyes shut. â€Å"And sneaking into someone's bed – that's the move of a pervert.† â€Å"I didn't walk in. I fell in,† he says, amused. I pinch his firm chest and he laughs. â€Å"Now there's my feisty girl.† He brushes his soft lips across my forehead. â€Å"I've missed you, Ella May.† Opening my eyes, I wiggle in his arms. â€Å"Please don't start. It's too early.† His eyes are guarded and his hair is a mess. He chuckles lowly, a sound that ripples deep inside my core. â€Å"Pretend all you want, pretty girl. You and I know that deep down you're secretly glad to be pressed up to my body.† He urges our chests together as he snakes his legs around mine. My eyelids flutter against his warmth. God, I've missed this so much. Way too much and so has my body, evidently. â€Å"So where did you go?† he asks, crushing my moment of bliss. â€Å"To school in Vegas? Because it kind of surprises me. You never really liked school.† My mind snaps back to reality. â€Å"I don't want to get into this right now. I just want to have a relaxing summer and then I'm headed back to campus.† He blinks, his eyelashes fluttering against my forehead. The feel of him sends a warm tingle up my thighs and I seal my lips to keep from moaning. His eyebrows knit. â€Å"It's like you've been kidnapped by a bunch of nuns or something.† â€Å"Maybe I was,† I say submissively. â€Å"It wouldn't hurt anyone if I was.† He considers this and an artful smirk curves at his lip. â€Å"That's not true. Nuns can't have sex and I still haven't fulfilled my lifelong dream of having sex with you.† I open my mouth, my tongue locked and loaded with an equally perverted comeback, but I bite down, remembering I'm not that kind of a girl anymore. â€Å"I need to wake Lila up. She's got a long drive ahead of her.† With one swift roll, he has me pinned down beneath his body and my arms trapped above my head. His aqua eyes search mine and it's like staring at the endless ocean. He sucks on his lip ring, lost in thought. â€Å"You're going to tell me, pretty girl,† he asserts, tilting his head so his lips are next to my cheek. â€Å"You always tell me everything.† â€Å"Micha, please†¦.† I despise how breathless I sound. â€Å"You know why I left. You were there that night†¦ you saw me†¦ I can't do it again.† Anxiety claws up my throat and my muscles tense beneath the weight of his body. â€Å"Please let me up. I can't breathe.† He props up on his arms. â€Å"You could have talked to me, instead of running away. You know that.† I shake my head. â€Å"No, I couldn't. Not that time. That time it was different. You were part of the reason I had to leave.† â€Å"Because you kissed me?† he asks, dipping his voice to a husky growl. â€Å"Or because I found you that way†¦ that night.† I swallow the giant lump in my throat. The kiss was part of it. It was an earthshattering kiss, one that stole breaths, stopped hearts, and scared the shit out of me because it surfaced feelings I'd never felt before, ones that rendered me helpless. â€Å"I don't want to talk about it. Now get off of me.† I wiggle my arms between us and push on his chest. He sighs and rolls off me. â€Å"Fine, don't talk about it, but it doesn't mean you can run away from me again. I'll chase you down this time,† he threatens with a wink as he climbs off the bed, and the chain hooked to his studded belt jingles. â€Å"Get dressed and meet me out in the driveway. You have to go visit Grady today.† â€Å"No, thanks,† I decline and tug the blanket over my head. â€Å"And I told you last night I have stuff to do today. Besides aren't you hung over from last night? You were pretty wasted.† â€Å"Don't do that,† he says, aggravated. â€Å"Don't pretend like you have some deep insight into me anymore. You've been gone for eight months and a lot has changed.† I'm speechless. â€Å"Micha, I†¦ â€Å" â€Å"Come on, get out of bed. You're going to see Grady, whether you like it or not.† He yanks the blanket off me and tosses it on the floor, so I'm lying there in my plaid shorts and skin-tight tank top with no bra on underneath. He gives me a prolonged once over, with a dark, lustful glint in his eyes and goosebumps sprout all over my skin. I cover myself with my arms. â€Å"I'm not going to Grady's. I just got home and I have things to do.† â€Å"He's got cancer, Ella.† He backs for the door, tucking his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans. â€Å"So get your bratty, split-personality ass out of bed and go see him before you can't.† My arms fall to my sides as I sit up. â€Å"Why didn't anyone tell me?† â€Å"If you would have told someone where you were, we would have,† he says. â€Å"Although, I'm pretty sure your father knew where you were, he just wouldn't tell anyone.† I don't deny it. â€Å"Besides, I told you in the voicemail I left yesterday,† he says, glancing at my phone on the desk. â€Å"But I'm guessing you haven't listened to that?† I shake my head. â€Å"No, I was too surprised to see your number on the screen.† He bites on his lip ring, something he does when he's nervous. â€Å"Yeah, you should probably just delete that. I don't think you're ready for it yet.† My gaze moves to my phone. What the hell is on it? I climb out of bed, arching my back and stretching like a cat. â€Å"How bad is Grady?† He swallows hard. â€Å"He's dying, so you need to get dressed and let me take you to see him.† I begin to object, but rethink my initial stupidity. Grady is the one part of my past that I could never run from. At one point, he was like a father to Micha and me. I even called him from Vegas once, although I didn't tell him where I was. I nod. â€Å"Let me get dressed and I'll be out in a second.† â€Å"See you in a few.† He winks at me and vanishes into the hall, leaving the door wide open behind him. Lila quickly springs up from the trundle bed, clutching the sheet. â€Å"Oh. My. Hell. What was that about? I mean, he crawled in here through the window in the middle of the night, and just climbed into bed with you.† â€Å"That's what he does.† I open the window letting in the gentle breeze. Loose pieces of my hair dance around the frame of my face. â€Å"Oh, no.† Lila stretches her arms above her head. â€Å"What's wrong?† I reluctantly look at her. â€Å"I think someone might have confused your car for a canvas.† She jumps out of bed and elbows me out of the way to get a look at the damage done to her beautiful, nearly brand new Mercedes. â€Å"My poor baby!† I pull a skirt and a pink tank top out of my duffel bag. â€Å"Get dressed and we'll go check out the damage.† She pouts, looking like she might cry. â€Å"I can't drive it home like that. My parents will kill me.† â€Å"I know plenty of people who can fix it for you,† I say, opening the door. â€Å"Or I use to, but I'm sure it's all the same.† She nods and I go to the downstairs bathroom to change, avoiding the upstairs one. I turn on the shower so the mirror will fog up and hide my reflection. I comb my hair until it flips up at the ends naturally. Then I apply a light shade of lip gloss and head out the door, but run into my dad on the stairway. â€Å"When did you get here?† His breath smells like gin and his eyes are red. His cheeks have sunken in over the last eight months and his skin is wrinkled like leather with sores. He's in his late forties, but looks like he's pushing sixty. â€Å"Last night,† I tell him, taking his arm and helping him up the stairs. â€Å"I was in bed before you got home.† He offers me a pat on the back. â€Å"Well, I'm glad to have you home.† â€Å"I'm glad to be home,† I lie with a smile as we reach the top of the stairs. He moves his arm away from my hand and rubs the back of his neck. â€Å"Do you need anything? Like help carrying in your boxes?† â€Å"I think I can handle it on my own, but thanks.† I decline, sticking my arm out as he teeters toward the stairs. He nods and his eyes drift to the bathroom down the hall. He's probably thinking about how much I look like her. It hurts his eyes, at least that's what he told me the night I went to the bridge. â€Å"I guess I'll talk to you later then. Maybe we could go to dinner or something?† He doesn't leave me time to answer as he zigzags down the hall to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. My dad started drinking when I was about six, a few months after my mom got diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. His drinking habit wasn't that bad back then. He would spend a few nights at the bar and sometimes on the weekends, but after my mom died, beer and vodka took over both our lives. When I return to my room, Lila is dressed in a yellow sundress, with her blonde hair curled up and there is a pair of overly large sunglasses concealing her eyes. â€Å"I feel like crap,† she declares, putting her hands on her hips. â€Å"This place has that effect on most people.† I grab my phone, noting the flashing voicemail as I slip on my flip flops. We go outside, leaving the smoky air behind and step into the bright sunlight, surrounded by the scenery of rundown homes and apartments. The neighborhood is filled with motorcycle engines revving and far in the distance are the sounds of a lovers' quarrel and Micha is nowhere to be seen. A long time ago, it felt like home, back when street racing and running wild felt natural, but now I just feel lost. Lila starts biting at her fingernails as she gapes confoundedly at her car. â€Å"It looks worse up close.† I circle her car with my arms folded, assessing the damage. It looks like a fruit basket, only instead of being filled with fruit it's crammed with innuendos and colorful words. I'm on the verge of laughing for some reason. â€Å"They got you good.† She shakes her head. â€Å"This isn't funny. Do you know how much it's going to cost to fix this?† Lila's dad is a big shot lawyer over in California. Her parents are always sending her things like clothes, money, cars. She has never worked a day in her life and gave me a hard time for my waitressing job at Applebee's, begging me to take time off to go to parties. â€Å"So what do we do?† She chips at some green paint on the headlight with her fingernail. I point up the street. â€Å"There's an auto body shop not too far from here.† She glances down the road, which is covered in potholes and lined with filthy gutters. â€Å"But this is a Mercedes.† â€Å"I'm sure painting a car, no matter who the maker is, is all the same.† â€Å"But what if they do something to it?† â€Å"Like spray paint it again after they paint it?† I say sarcastically and she scowls. â€Å"Sorry. We'll find someone, okay? We can take it to someplace in Alpine. It's a little nicer over there.† â€Å"I can't drive it when it looks like this,† she complains, motioning at the car. â€Å"It's hideous.† â€Å"I'll drive it, then,† I offer my hand out for her to give me the keys. â€Å"Are you joking?† She pats the hood of her car. â€Å"This is my baby. No one drives it but me. You know that.† â€Å"I think your baby is in serious need of some plastic surgery.† Micha strides off the porch of his house and onto the driveway. He's changed into black jeans, a fitted grey t-shirt, and his blonde hair hangs in his eyes. Using his long legs, he jumps over the chain-linked fence between our yards. â€Å"I know the perfect place to get it fixed and it's here in town, so you won't have to drive it so far.† He gives Lila a wink. â€Å"I'm Micha, by the way.† â€Å"Hi, I'm Ella's roommate or old roommate anyway,† she says with a warm smile and slides her sunglasses down the brim of her nose. â€Å"We're not sure if we're sharing a dorm room next semester.† He presents her with his player grin. â€Å"Sharing a room with Ella? That had to be tough.† He shoots me a mischievous look, trying to get a rise out of me. She laughs and returns her glasses over her eyes. â€Å"No, she's a pretty great roommate, actually. She cleans and cooks and everything. It's like having my own house maid.† â€Å"Ella was always good at that stuff,† he agrees, knowing the real reason why. Even before my mom died, she was never good at taking care of the house. I had to learn how to take care of myself at a very young age, otherwise I'd have starved and rotted away in a rat-infested house. â€Å"So do you want me to take your car to that shop I was talking about? Like I said, it's really close.† â€Å"Yeah, that sounds great.† She shuffles her sandals against the concrete. â€Å"I'd rather go someplace close.† I mentally roll my eyes. Leave it to Micha. He can get any woman to contradict herself if he wants to. He swings his arm around my shoulder and kisses me on the forehead. â€Å"But I have to take pretty girl over here to see an old friend first.† â€Å"Please stop calling me that,† I beg. â€Å"I've never liked the nickname and you know that. I never even got why you called me it.† â€Å"And that's the appeal of it, pretty girl.† He tempts me closer to him and caresses my cheek with his lips, giving me a kiss that brings warmth to my skin. â€Å"Now are you ready to go see Grady? You can come, too, if you want†¦ is it Lila?† â€Å"Yeah, it's Lila. Lila Summers.† She offers her hand and Micha shakes it. â€Å"And sure I'll go. This place makes me a little nervous.† â€Å"Isn't your family expecting you to be home tonight?† I escape from underneath Micha's arm. â€Å"I'll text them and tell them I'm not leaving until tomorrow.† She retrieves her cell phone and scrolls through her contacts. â€Å"The car will be done by tomorrow, right?† â€Å"It's hard to say,† Micha says. â€Å"Ethan is the best, but a little slow.† Her head snaps up and there's delight in her eyes. â€Å"Ethan as in Ethan from the party last night? The one with the sexy hair and the really big hands?† Micha bites down on his lip, stifling a laugh, and flicks me a sideways glance. I can't help but smile. â€Å"Yep, that's the one,† he says. â€Å"Do you feel better about taking your car to him now?† â€Å"Well, yeah, if you think it's okay?† she checks. â€Å"I'm very picky about who works on my car or at least my dad is very picky about who works on it.† â€Å"It'll be fine,† he assures her with a wink. â€Å"I've never disappointed a girl yet.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† Lila laughs, glancing at me uneasily, like she's worried she's stepping on my territory. â€Å"So are we going to go or what?† A ping of jealousy pinches inside my chest. â€Å"Yep, let's go, beautiful.† Micha leads the way around the fence and up his driveway to the garage. When I step inside, my mouth falls open. Parked in the middle, between the walls lined with shelves and tools, is a shiny 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS. It's painted in a smoky black with a cherry red racing stripe down the center. â€Å"You finally fixed it up?† He pats the shiny flawless hood, his eyes sparkling with excitement. â€Å"I finally got around to it, after talking about it for four years.† His eyes find mine, seeking my approval. â€Å"So what do you think?† â€Å"It's kind of old.† Lila pulls a face at the car. â€Å"And really big.† â€Å"I thought you liked things big?† Micha teases. I punch him in the arm and he laughs. â€Å"Ow, I meant hands. Jeez get your mind out of the gutter.† I roll my eyes. â€Å"You did not, you pervert.† He shrugs, his eyes lustrous in the sunlight filtering through the gritty windows. â€Å"So what. It got you to lighten up, didn't it?† â€Å"Are we driving it to Grady's?† I opt for a neutral voice. He slips his keys out of his pocket and tosses them to me. â€Å"Yeah, go ahead. It's all yours.† I swiftly shake my head and throw the keys back at him, like they're scorching hot. â€Å"No thanks. I don't want to.† He cocks an eyebrow, looking sexy. â€Å"What do you mean you don't want to?† â€Å"I mean I don't want to drive it.† It nearly kills me to say it. I walk around the front of the car, open the door, and gesture for Lila to get in. â€Å"But it has a blown 572 Big Block in it,† he says astounded with the keys hanging loosely from his fingers. â€Å"How can you not want to drive it?† My insides twitch to drive it, but I won't buckle. â€Å"It's fine, Micha. I'd rather be the passenger.† â€Å"What does that mean? A blown big block or whatever you said?† Lila wonders as she walks to the side of the car. â€Å"Wait, are you guys talking cars? El doesn't like cars. In fact, she made us take the bus most of the time when we left campus.† â€Å"Oh really?† His tone implies otherwise. â€Å"That's news to me.† â€Å"It's a waste of gas,† I lie, attempting to mask the truth; that I miss it. The rush, the speed, the adrenaline high. Lila ducks inside the car and into the backseat. I climb into the passenger side and Micha opens the garage door. He revs up the engine, letting it rumble, teasing me, before backing down the driveway. â€Å"I'm starting to think that the Ella you knew isn't the same one as I know.† Lila buckles her seatbelt up. He spins the tires down the road. â€Å"I think you might be on to something Lila, because the one I knew loved cars. In fact she used to hang out in the garage all day with the guys while the other girls played with their hair and makeup.† He flashes me a dangerous grin. â€Å"She used to get all excited when we'd go racing.† No matter how hard I try to hinder myself from getting energized, I can't. Those hot summer nights, flying down the highway, neck and neck with another car, the rush soaring through my body. Micha trails his finger along my neck and rests it on my pulse. â€Å"You're getting excited just thinking about it.† His touch spreads a longing through my body. I swat his hand away, cross my arms, and focus on the window, watching the neighborhood blur by as he cruises over the speed limit. Micha shifts the gears and the engine thunders louder, begging to burn rubber. â€Å"Is it legal to be driving this fast?† Lila asks nervously. We glance back at her and she grips the edge of the leather seat. â€Å"It just seems like we're going really fast, especially in a neighborhood.† Micha holds my gaze resolutely as he downshifts and pumps up the rpms. â€Å"What do you think? Speed up? Or slow down?† I want to tell him to slow down, pull on my seatbelt, and look away, but a passion that was dead raves. He throttles the gas pedal, keeping his eyes on mine, venturing me to look away first. â€Å"Um†¦ I don't think this is a good idea.† Lila's voice is far away. The car surges faster down the narrow road and his eyes dare me to tell him to slow down and part of me wants to. Desperately. But as he shoves the shifter into the next gear, going faster and faster, my body pleads to let go. Suddenly, Lila screams, â€Å"Stop sign!† Micha's eyes sparkle like sunlight reflecting into the ocean. He slams on the brakes, squealing the car to a halt, and throwing us all forward. My hand shoots out and I brace myself from hitting the dashboard. â€Å"Are you crazy?† Lila's voice cracks as she situates back into the seat and realigns her dress over her legs. â€Å"What is wrong with you two?† Micha and I look at each other and my body is burning with a hidden desire that I won't admit exists. My heart beats in my chest, rock steady and alive again. For a second, I'm back in the place I lost. Then Micha ruins it. â€Å"See, the same old Ella still lives.† He grins arrogantly as he drives through the intersection. â€Å"She just needed a little push out.† I click the seatbelt locked, proving a point. â€Å"No, she doesn't. She's gone forever.† â€Å"Try all you want, but I'm bringing her back.† He bites his lip, refocusing on the street as he mutters, â€Å"I won't let that night ruin you forever.† But it did. It broke me into a million pieces and blew them away in the wind, like crumbled leaves. That night was one of the most incredible nights I've ever had. Then I quickly plummeted toward rock bottom.

How successful have development policies been in Latin American Select Essay

How successful have development policies been in Latin American Select one country and assess its economic evolution from Impor - Essay Example The economic strategy which is known by the name â€Å"Import Substitution Industrialization† arose in relatively under-developed countries as a response to global markets. It was clear that many Latin American countries in particular could not keep up with the fluctuations and demands of a free market system. Many of the participants in the world markets possessed vastly superior technologies, infrastructure and buying power due to their more developed status and stronger currencies. This left weaker economies very vulnerable and so their governments stepped in to guide industrialization in ways which assisted in the development of the country as a whole, rather than just successful trade between individual companies and external customers. The focus was on the internal market rather than on the export market, and the aim of this strategy was to reduce reliance on foreign goods and at the same time encourage local manufacturers to supply more and more goods. As one of the larger South American states, Brazil has played an important part in the economic development of this sub-continent. In the period from the middle of the nineteenth century until the Great Depression in 1929-30 the majority of Latin America enjoyed a phase of export-propelled growth. The combination of reduced buying and selling capacity in industrialized countries and the huge disruption of the Second World War caused great fluctuations in the world markets and this in turn prompted countries like Brazil to focus more on expanding their own internal market. This is where import substitution was devised, as a method of driving forward industrialization while at the same time reducing the country’s need for outside goods and foreign currencies. ... This encouraged innovation, and schemes were set up that allowed foreign companies to invest in Brazil, and transfer technology into that country so that the demand for finished goods could be met. Hirschman notes that countries who come late to industrialization can benefit from the knowledge that other countries have learned before them, for example Britain and other European states, and as a result of this the introduction of new working practices is much smoother. By the early 1960s import substitution industrialization in Brazil was judged to be a considerable success in the short term, but with some rather negative effects in the longer term. (Macario, 1964) One long term effect was that Brazilian industrialists became complacent, and they got used to the lack of competition that ensured their continued success, regardless how efficient they were. There was no external incentive to improve quality or efficiency, and so when Brazil wanted to participate in the world markets to o btain modern goods, it was found that Brazilian products fell far behind those of competitors. There was also very little independent decision making in the industrial sector, since most of the leadership came from government initiatives. When looking at the import substitution period in Brazil from 1930 onwards it is important to understand the significance of political changes which were introduced by the charismatic leader Getulio Vargas. By setting up a Ministry of Labor he managed to get dialogue going between industrialists and government and this eventually cemented his control over all aspects of the economy. (Roett: 2010, p. 38) This central control deepened import substitution policies and allowed various beneficial reforms such as

Team Building 3 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Team Building 3 - Term Paper Example However, there are a number of various exercises that help to minimize conflicts and get ready to them (Schellenberg, 1996). One of the best team-building exercises to avoid conflicts is a hands-in exercise that helps to distinguish a workplace incivility. It is entitled Are You Part of the Problem? To do this exercise the participants are to answer eight questions and then analyze the results. The questions are the following ones: 1) Did you pay little attention to the information given by someone else or demonstrate little interest in his/her point of view? 2) Did you make demeaning, derogatory or rude remarks about some person? 3) Did you make any unwanted attempts to draw some person into a discussion of any personal issues? 4) Did you make fun of someone at work? 5) Did you make any religious, ethnic or racial jokes at work? 6) Did you curse someone at work? 7) Did you publicly embarrass some person at work? 8) Did you play a mean prank on someone at work? It is recommended to d o this exercise with all employees in the end of every year. This gives an opportunity to analyze the relationship between people and the probability of conflict situations. It is necessary to prepare the cards with questions for this exercise. Each card should include the above-mentioned questions and a scheme for points. It may be printed the following way: Never Often 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 The employees should choose one point for each question and then draw conclusions. The results may be the following ones: 8-16 means good organizational citizen 17-31 – careful, one’s mean streak is showing 32-40 – there is a real social porcupine The above-mentioned exercise is also very helpful if it is necessary to find out if there are any personal conflicts at work. It is rather important to do that as such conflicts prevent people from working more successfully. Moreover, according to statistics, there are about four hundred twenty various psyc hological disorders that may cause conflicts at work. So, the necessity of the above-mentioned exercise is evident. However, it is not very easy to make it a part of team work. That is why it is also important to create some plan or strategy to apply the exercise and motivate very employee to take an active part in it. Every person should understand that he/she should test his/her disposition to conflict situations at work. I suggest the following plan for applying an exercise suggested above. 1) The first thing to do is to prepare an exercise. So, it is necessary to create cards, print questions and scale for analyzing the results on them. It is better to use bright colours to make cards, because this will help to establish friendly atmosphere during answering the questions. 2) Then, it is necessary to prepare the employees to the exercise. This cannot be done spontaneously. People should know when and how they will take part in interrogations. Moreover, they should be aware of the purpose and necessity of the things done by them. So, the employees and the one who is in charge of doing an exercise should have a talk in order to capture the people’s attention to the exercise. 3) It is important to deliver a lecture about conflict before doing an exercise. This will help to understand that it is important to

Nternational Business Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nternational Business Finance - Assignment Example This can be done through preparation of the net previous and cash flow which are used in the estimation of the capital cost that is best estimated by the WACC method (Weighted Average Cost of Capital). This can be determined as indicated below: Debt cost is stated in our case and is given as 6%, and the Equity coast is taken as 10%. The shareholders have an option of either using the equity for financing or debt financing depending on their appropriateness. The debt ratio: Equity ratio is taken as 0.6:04 as given in our case. This means that 60% is used to raise funds from the public through IPO and 40% from debt-financing. The financial leverage of the company is 60%. We, therefore, need to calculate the WACC that is given as indicated below. We get the WACC as 0.1128 or 11.28% given from the above calculation. After computation of the capital cost the statement of cash flow statement. The flow for the year 0 and year 1 is taken as -â‚ ¬ 1,200,000.00 and -â‚ ¬ 800,000.00 respectively as it is mentioned that the flow in the form of investment .A percentage of 15.00% has raised this cash flow annually. The business cost of operating will be deducted from the inflow of cash. There is no requirement for deduction of the operating expenses from the inflow of cash. Additionally the incurred depreciation is adjusted. Operating expenses will increase by a rate of 2.5%, and the inflation of 2.5% is also considered It is crucial to note that the sterling pound is used in conversion to the Euros. This is purposeful for calculation of the net cash flows for the period. The spot rate which is given as  £0.7320/â‚ ¬ has been considered for conversion. It is assumed that the rate of conversion for the time remains unchanged over the studied period, which is four years. This corporation has a vast capitalization of the market with at least 2.5 B Euros and sales turnover of 60 M Euros annually globally and gains over the last 5 considered

Role Of Women In Ancient Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Role Of Women In Ancient Egypt - Essay Example Hatshepsut reigned until her death in 1457 B. C, despite the constant threat by her co-ruler Thutmose III, who was at the time old enough and ready to take back his throne. Upon her death, most of her monuments were destroyed, and her name erased from the Egyptian records. Ancient Egyptians were religious, and women had several roles to play in religious activities. First, there were several female goddesses worshiped by the Egyptians. Women were also musicians and priestesses in the temples where religious ceremonies were held. In the role of the temple, women were musician-priestesses and held an important and honorable place in Egyptian religious society. They performed music and sung for the god Amum for his entertainment. In the social role, women were supposed to offer companionship and love to the Egyptian men. They also held the role of childbirth. During child delivery, other women acted as midwives to help the expectant woman through the whole process. Women were also responsible for the raising up of the children. Economically, women were allowed to start and run businesses of their own. In addition to this, several jobs were available to them. They included perfume makers, bakers, and weavers among others (Flux 19). To sum it up, in ancient Egypt, unlike other ancient societies, women were given same legal and economic right. Women were allowed to own, manage and even sell their private properties. Through building projects, Hatshepsut ensured the divine property of both herself and her people.

Capitalism Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Capitalism Structure - Essay Example When a company is going to liquidation due to bankruptcy, it has to repay the debt capital first. The equity shareholders will be paid back their investment only after setting off the secured creditors, debenture holders, preference shareholdersetc. So the companies should deeply analyze financial implications before taking capital structure decisions. In United Kingdom, a secured creditor can even proceed with liquidating the company and claim the amount due to him by the company. Even though the cost of capital plays an important role while taking decision regarding the capital structure, the bankruptcy code also plays a prominent role in the decisions. Therefore, care must be taken while deciding capital structure. The companies cannot make changes in the bankruptcy code, but they can make adjustments in the debt-equity combination (capital structure) of their financial structures in order to accommodate bankruptcy code considerations. This assumes importance since the interests o f equity holders would be compromised or endangered if debt capital is allowed to mount beyond reasonable proportions or as needed by the organisation. Increase in equity capital does not endanger the company's existence or survival, however creditors and loan syndicates could call back their loans, or bring action for claim settlements, thus, putting the company at the doorsteps of bankruptcy. The UK bankruptcy code is a creditor-supportive and a debt-friendly code. That means the debt holders will be having right in deciding the liquidation of the companies. "If the cash flows generated by the project are insufficient to meet debt payments, the firm is in default. Continuation decisions in default are regulated by the bankruptcy code in place." (Acharya, Sundaram and John, p.2). If a company is taking effective and efficient decision regarding the capital structure, it can easily overcome the problems which may arise due to unfavourable bankruptcy code. So while deciding on the ca pital structure, an optimum combination should be selected. While discussing the effect of bankruptcy code in the capital structure decision, the asset-specificity should also be considered. Asset-specificity can be defined as "aspect or feature of an asset (such as a specialized machine) that makes it useful for one or few specific purposes and which, therefore, cannot easily be sold off quickly in a fire-sale." (Asset Specificity: Definition. 2009). If a company has low asset-specificity, it can use more debt capital in the capital structure. If the company is in a situation of liquidation or bankruptcy, it can easily sell off its assets and meet the debts like repayment of creditors, preference shareholdersetc. In other words, if the companies whose assets are fit for providing as security for funds borrowed, can use more debt capital in the capital structure. Because at the time of bankruptcy it will not face any difficulty in repaying the loan or borrowed money as it can sell o ff such assets. Whatever combination is used in the capital structure, the objective of the company should be to increase the wealth of the equity shareholders. If the bankruptcy code of a country is debt capital friendly, it is not better for the companies to follow 'trading on equity' (trading on equity refers to using more debt capital

INFORNO operating system Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

INFORNO operating system - Research Proposal Example Here, the term varied computing systems involves not just desktop computers but a range of devices such as palm tops, laptops, set-top boxes and other communication equipment. The challenge in writing applications for a distributed and hybrid environment is threefold: firstly, the development environments vary greatly, secondly, systems and the way these systems present resources vary greatly and finally a varied network has varying security and authorization policies that may not necessarily synchronize across the network (vitanuaova.com, nd). Inferno was developed as a successor of Plan 9 OS primarily with the help of Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson in the Bell Labs computing Sciences research centre in New Jersey, USA in 1995 (operating-system.org, 2008). The entire team of INFERNO includes Sean Dorward, Rob Pike, David Pressotto, Dennis Ritchie, Howard Trickey and Phil Winterbottom. The primary motivation behind INFERNO is generating the capability to include a range of everyday use hardware devices into a distributed network. INFERNO OS facilitates the creation and support of distributed services in the new and emerging world of network environments, such as those typified by CATV and direct satellite broadcasting systems, as well as the Internet (Dorward et al 2002). Inferno is designed to accommodate the diverse providers of content and services from equally diverse transport and presentation platforms. From the above discussion it is evident that the main strength of INFERNO lies in its portability across several dimensions. Primarily, it is portable across various processor architectures. Currently it works with Intel x86, Intel XScale IBM Power PC, ARM, SunSPARC and MIPS (vitanuova, nd). Secondly INFERNO is portable across platforms. It can run as either a stand-alone operating system or as an application under the regular operating systems such as Window s and Linux (Dorward, Pike, Pressotto, Ritchie, Trickey and Winterbottom, 2002). Inferno's underlying architecture, the STYX protocol is the reason behind Inferno's interoperability. The protocol has been designed such that all communication is essentially handled through the file system which is very similar to UNIX OS (electronicdesign, 2000). Almost all of the INFERNO's capabilities and functionalities are based on Limbo, which is the programming language of Inferno. The primary reason for choosing Limbo to support INFERNO is because of its ability to support distributed computing. Multi-tasking is supported directly by the Limbo language. It supports multi-tasking with the help of independently scheduled threads that can be spawned, and coordinated which enable communication between tasks. It supports modular programming, strong type checking, interprocess communication, automatic garbage collection and simple abstract data types (Ritchie, 2005). Another motivation behind Limbo is its similarity to commonly used languages such as C and PASCAL (Dorward et al, 1997). So, if one needs to port INFERNO from one hardware or a system to another all one has to do is to modify a few hardware dependent functions. This is how it turns out to be an excellent operating system for all types of hardware and distributed computing. The system can be used to build portable client and server applications

New product development is the key to 'Apple's marketing success Coursework

New product development is the key to 'Apple's marketing success. DISCUSS - Coursework Example ounced the launch of iBooks 2 for iPad which would feature iBooks textbooks, iTunes U application for iPhone, iPad and for iPod touch (Apple Inc-a, 2012). Apple aims to bring the best experience for its customers through its product and services. The business strategy of Apple is to leverage the unique abilities of designing and developing the company’s own operating system, software and hardware in order to provide its customers with superior products and innovative designs. The company believes in innovation which is the key strategy for the success of the company; as a result, Apple invests in its research and development in order to introduce new and innovative products. Apart from its R&D, the company also invests in its marketing and advertisement as a part of Apple strategy to stay ahead of its competitors. Apple strategy also includes expansion of its distribution network to reach more clients and provide the potential customers with high quality of sales and post purc hase experience (Apple Inc, 2011, p.1). Any changes made to a product are termed as new product development. New products can be defined as products which are new to the concerned company but it’s not new in the market; there are products which are completely different from the existing product and form a good replacement; finally, products which are new, innovative and unique (Chaturvedi, et.al, 2009, p.1). Apple is known for its pioneer work strategy being one of the most innovative companies. New product development is one of the key strategies of Apple; it is through new product that the company has been able to taste success being one of the leading companies globally. Apple launches new product in the markets to stay ahead of its competitors, to continue the product life cycle, to give the customers what they need, and to enhance the strategy. According to Steve Jobs, new product lines tend to give people the products which are needed by the consumers. The company expresses its

The influnce of Socrates and Plato on ancient philosophy and modern Essay

The influnce of Socrates and Plato on ancient philosophy and modern western philosophy - Essay Example Nonetheless, Socrates was a well-known and contentious personality in ancient Greece. Socrates was a philosopher of ancient Greece who is acknowledged for establishing the basics of modern Western philosophy. Socrates has had a vast influence on ancient Greek or, generally, on Western philosophy, together with apprentices Plato and Aristotle. Even though most of the influence of Socrates is in the field of ethics, his contribution to the discipline of logic and epistemology is notable as well. On the other hand, the contributions of Plato to Western philosophy, such as his most celebrated masterpiece, the Republic, are widely considered as presenting the personal philosophy of Plato, where the primary character effectively represents Plato himself. His contributions merge metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, ethics, and moral psychology into a methodical and unified philosophy (Tejera, 1997). This reflective piece will discuss the contributions to and influences of Socrat es and Plato on their own societies and how they perceive and challenge their social realities. This reflective piece will also include the influences of Classical philosophy, specifically of Socrates and Plato, on contemporary philosophy. This reflection will be based on the two videos entitled ‘Ancient Greece: Socrates and Plato’ and ‘Great Books: Plato’s Republic’. ... The Greeks exercised their ingenious potentials to enlighten experience by resorting to architecture, comedy, history, art, and tragedy. However, their artistic potentials were also exercised to ‘create’ philosophy, named the ‘love of wisdom’ (Tejera, 1997). Philosophy, on the whole, emerged when the Greeks realized their discontentment with legendary and mystical accounts of reality. Eventually, Greek philosophers started to think that there was a coherent, rational, or valid order to the universe. Socrates, the most brilliant and righteous citizen of Athens to have ever existed, came out among the Sophists; what can be certain about the life and actual influence of Socrates to his society was that he was noteworthy for being a living example of his own teachings. Asking for no payment, Socrates began and ruled a debate wherever the bright and young would pay attention, and people sought his counsel on issues of educational dilemmas and practical behavior. The young people of Athens gathered to beside him as he traveled the directions of the agora (Taylor, 2000). These Athenian youths adhered to his every teachings and ideals. The influence of Socrates on his society is immeasurable. Plato revered his mentor and was the main biographer of Socrates’s life and influence. The influence of Socrates is evidently proven by the fact that academics are predisposed to separate Greek philosophy into the Pre-Socratic era and the period after Socrates. Socrates looks for the absolute, perpetual, permanent ‘truth’ or ‘reality’ underneath the obvious ironies. The main transformation Socrates set off was the shift of emphasis from nature to human essence. The exploration of Socrates for the ultimate

Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay The themes that are introduced and emphasised in Chapter 8 of Charles Dickens Great Expectations are a near complete summary of the themes of the novel as a whole and of the conditions in which the English people had to live with in the 1800s. This chapter epitomises the circumstances in which English people lived and the situations that they faced, and it looks at many different perspectives and takes into account many different factors. The Industrial Revolution was a period in time when everything in England changed rapidly, and Dickens made sure that he captured Englands huge transition in every light he could. Dickens himself lived in poverty for a number of years, and his main motive for writing books (such as Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby) was his desire to see change. These books are based around injustice and the divide between wealth and poverty. Chapter 8 of Great Expectations clearly defines the issues that Dickens sought to deal with through writing. The very first thing that happens in Chapter 8 Pips uncomfortable breakfast with Mr Pumblechook. Pip states in his narrative that on politely bidding him Good morning, Pumblechook immediately asked him a mathematics question. The breakfast then proceeds to continues in this manner (before I had swallowed a morsel, he began a running sum that lasted throughout breakfast. ) This is a prime example of control. This is one of the themes that come to the fore as the novel progresses. Pip finds that he very rarely has a choice in matters, he is either forced to do something or it would be very foolish or insulting to decline making certain choices. His life his almost completely influenced by others, and he often has no control over it at all. In Chapter 8, he is controlled by Pumblechook (as afore mentioned), Estella (You are to wait here, boy. ) and Miss Havisham (Play! ). In particular, Miss Havisham manipulates the lives of Estella and Pip to suit her own twisted, selfish needs to the point where she is remorseful of her actions. Dickens stresses the point that, in this era, the wealthy people dictate the actions of the poorer people. The fact that Pip is sitting back and enjoying the ride, so to speak, is a result of the people around him ordering and demanding things of him. Pip rarely has a choice to make, and is manipulated and used by many people, some with good intentions (Magwitch), some with evil intentions (Miss Havisham and Compeyson). Control and the gulf between inferiority and superiority are perpetual forces in the novel.

Differences Between Pediatric and Adult Patients

Differences Between Pediatric and Adult Patients Sabrija Cerimovic Introduction The primary focus of this essay will be based upon the unique anatomical and physiological differences between a pediatric patient and an adult one, and how these differences may affect the treatment and/or presentation of a child in a pre-hospital environment. Furthermore, this essay will include and explore how these differences can affect the A-E assessment most importantly the underlying airway and breathing differences. Although one may think that treating a child is the as treating a grown adult, it is not. They differ in weight, shape, anatomical size and major bodily systems such as cardiovascular and respiratory. Similarly another aspect to consider is that children are often psychologically different to adults in many ways. For example, in interpreting pain; all which play a critical part in providing the best care for the patient. One of the biggest priorities and challenges when it comes to treatment as a paramedic is being able to maintain and control the airway of the individual regardless if its pediatrics or not, due to the anatomical challenges that are more prevalent in pediatric patients. Therefore, it is essential to understand and recognize these differences as they will have a direct impact towards the treatment/management of the patient. Respiratory failure is a frequent cause of cardiac arrest in children, regardless if it’s pre-hospital or not, consequently being able to r ecognize early respiratory compromise from airway obstruction is critical to prevent respiratory failure thus reducing the chance of cardiac arrest. The goal of airway management is to predict and recognize potential respiratory compromise and to provide support and stabilization of the airway in a timely manner. (Derek, 2007) Young infants/children have a relatively large occiput (back of skull); which when lying supine on a flat surface results in neck flexion and potential airway obstruction. Even a small degree of obstruction can significantly affect the pediatric patient’s oxygenation and ventilation (Seid, 2012). Along with this, neonates naturally breathe through their nose for the first 6 months, thus their narrow nasal passages are easily blocked by secretions or congestion and can be damaged by treatment methods such as a nasogastric tube (Macfarlane). Furthermore, pediatric patients have a smaller internal diameter when it comes to the upper and lower airways which in return predispose children to have a higher airway resistance. An example of this is described by Ponselle’s law where it is explained that if the radius is decreased by half the resistance is increased by sixteen times, this in its self is an example of how delicate the pediatric airway/breathing system is, where mild airway obstruction or even inflammation can present moderate or severe respiratory distress. (Weathers, 2010) Infants are largely reliant on a functional diaphragm for proper ventilation as opposed to the accessory muscles compared to adults which depend more on accessory muscles than infants. Therefore, a non-functional diaphragm often leads to respiratory failure.Additionally, the probability of respiratory difficulties in infants and younger children can be attributed due to infants having a relatively lower percentage of type 1 muscle fibers or slow-twitch skeletal muscle in their intercostal muscles and diaphragm; these fibers are much more unlikely to fatigue. (Santillanes, 2008) The position of the larynx can play a vital role of visualization of the airway, compared to the larynx of an adult which sits between 6th -7th cervical cerebrate. A young child’s larynx sits higher than an adults around the 2nd–3rd cervical veritable, making intubation much more difficult compared to an adult. (Adewale, 2010) Breathing differences not only vary between adults and young children but can vary greatly between different age groups of children. This is presented by the following example where the breathing rate for an infant of 1-3 years old can be between 30 to 60 breaths per minute compared to an adolescence teenager who has a breathing rate close to adult’s 12-16 breaths per minute (Anatomical and Physiological Differences in Children, 2012). Furthermore children have a much higher metabolic rate compared to adults, by body surface area children have much higher oxygen consumption in relation to their body size which can result in rapid hypoxia if respiratory distress is present. Pediatric patients breathing can account for up to 40% of the cardiac output, particularly in stressed conditions (Kache, 2013). Along with this smaller children are also at risk of developing acute hypoglycemia due to their livers being unable to store glycogen and usually have a reduced supply of glucose, coupled with the fact that the metabolic rate is typically higher in children puts the children in a much higher risk of hypoglycemic. Compared to adults and older children, infants produce approximately twice as much carbon dioxide and consume twice the amount of oxygen relative to body weight.(Davey, 2012) In some situations the simplest factors can be over looked if you are not aware of the differences between adults and pediatrics. For exa mple, pediatrics patients can develop hypothermia much easier compared to their adult counterparts due to pediatric bodies having a surface area to volume ratio four times higher than adults and only one and a half times heat production compared to adults. This difference in ratio can leave children much more predisposed to hypothermia. Pediatric patients may have not fully developed the muscular system to deal with this drop in temperature, such as having the ability to shiver or vasoconstriction which is essential to produce muscular heat in such a situation. Furthermore children have smaller amounts of adipose tissue stored which is essential for insulation which results in the core body temperature dropping further.Interesting anatomical difference in children is that the head is comparably larger than the rest of the body and tend to balance out around the type of adolescence; this in return causes an unbalanced weight distribution between the body and the head, which can cause the head to act as a projectile and due to the larger head its prone to head larger head loss (Pediatric Assesment, 2012). Conclusion When it comes to the presentation of a pediatric patient in comparison to an adult patient, it is essential to be able to differ between the two. Although more can be said about the anatomical and physiological differences and how these affect further treatment, it is quite clear from a paramedic point of view that just from the airway and breathing aspect that pediatric patients are not like miniature adults. References Anatomical and Physiological Differences in Children. (2012). Retrieved 4 1, 2014, from Emergency Medical Paramedic: http://www.emergencymedicalparamedic.com/anatomical-and-physiological-differences-in-children/ Pediatric Assesment. (2012). Retrieved March 30, 2014, from Long Beach Regional Fire Training Center: http://www.lbfdtraining.com/Pages/emt/sectiond/pediatricassessment.html Adewale, D. L. (2010). Anatomical Considerations of the Paedatircs Airway. Retrieved 4 1, 2014, from Europian Society for PAediatric Anaesthesiolgy: http://www.euroespa.org/klant_uploads/berlinlectures/ANATOMICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF THE PAEDIATRIC AIRWAY.pdf Davey, A. J. (2012). Wards Anaesthetic Equipment. Elsevier. Derek, S. (2007). Pediatric Critical Care Medicine: Basic Science And Clinical Evidence. Springer. Kache, S. (2013). Pediatric Airway Respiratory Physiology. Retrieved 3 28, 2014, from Standford School of Medicine: http://peds.stanford.edu/Rotations/picu/pdfs/10_Peds_Airway.pdf Krost, W. (2006). Beyond the Basics: Pediatric Assessment. Retrieved March 30, 2014, from EMS World: http://www.emsworld.com/article/10322897/beyond-the-basics-pediatric-assessment?page=2 Macfarlane, F. (n.d.). Paediatric Anatomy and PHysiology and the Basic of Paediatic Anaesthesia. Retrieved 4 1, 2014, from Anaesthesia UK: http://www.anaesthesiauk.com/documents/paedsphysiol.pdf Santillanes, G. (2008). Pediatric Airway Managment. Retrieved 4 1, 2014, from Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics,: http://blog.utp.edu.co/maternoinfantil/files/2010/08/V%C3%ADa-a%C3%A9rea-en-pediatr%C3%ADa.pdf Seid, T. (2012). Pre–hospital care of pediatric patients with trauma. International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science, 1-2. Weathers, E. (2010). The Anatomy of the Pediactic Airway. Retrieved 4 1, 2014, from Respiratory Care Educational Consulting Service, Inc: http://www.rcecs.com/MyCE/PDFDocs/course/V7110.pdf

Roland barthes and his semiotic theory

Roland barthes and his semiotic theory Abstract Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980) is one of the most recognised names in the field of Semiotics. His Semiotic Theory has been the inspiration behind many aspiring students and teachers alike. His rise to fame coincided with the release of his 1957 book Mythologies, which was a collection of essays he had authored. The public was so fascinated by his ideas that his opinion was often sort in the public arena. Signs range from speech, body language and symbols to paintings, music and Morse code. Barthes Semiotic Theory broke down the process of reading signs and focused on their interpretation by different cultures or societies. According to Barthes, signs had both a signifier, being the physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses and the signified, or meaning that is interpreted. Barthes also believed that every ideological sign is either a Denotative sign system or a Connotative sign system. A Denotative sign, which is a strictly descriptive system, is the result of the signifier image and the signified concept combining. A Connotative sign is one that has lost its historical meaning. This could be due to a number of things including: changes in culture or terminology, an event, or even just evolution. Semiotic Theory is an ‘Interpretive theory that can be applied to most aspects of everyday life although most people would not realise it. Introduction Purpose The purpose of this report is to gain insight into the world of Roland Barthes in terms of a brief timeline of his life. Also of particular focus will be to gain a basic outline and understanding of his Semiotic Theory. This will include the key issues involved in the theory, along with its application in everyday life and an evaluation of the theory. A few of my own views on this theory will also be included. Scope This report will focus on the basic concepts of Barthes Semiotic Theory. It will only look into the most basic concepts as going into great detail would involve a much more involved and lengthy research process given its complexity. An attempt to gain an understanding of the theory will be sort in order to assess it relevance in todays society. Limitations In the process of researching this topic it quickly became apparent that it would be difficult to gain a clear and concise understanding of it. The availability of ‘easy to read information sources seemed few and far between, with the majority of available material worded in a nature that was at times impossible to decipher. It was also found that many of Barthes work is not freely available, access to it was more than once accompanied with a monetary contribution of some sort. Research Methods A number of different research methods were used in the acquirement of information for this report, all with varying success. The primary source was the internet because of its easily accessible pool of information. Using this method it was possible to gain immediate information on most topics, although it did occasionally have its limitations. The use of books was also another primary information source. Finding books that were easy to read was difficult but a number of them were of great aid. Periodicals were also used to acquire information although the available articles were of little use due to the nature of the language and terminology used. Structure of the Report This report will first outline the life and times of Roland Barthes including his upbringing and education. It will then go on to outline his Semiotic Theory and describe some of its most basic concepts. This will flow on into how the theory can be applied to everyday life as well as an evaluation. Literature Review Book Reference One Hall, S. (2007). This Means This, This Means That. A Users Guide to Semiotics. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd. Summary Although this book uses fairly basic language to describe the concepts it is trying to portray, it does not ‘water down the text so much as to make you feel stupid. Given that semiotics can be quite a difficult subject to explain, this book does a decent job of explaining a number of different concepts with graphical examples. The graphical examples it supplies helps to give a greater understanding of the idea/s that is being put across, and gives readers the opportunity to first interpret what they are viewing from their own perspective, before reading the explanation describing the theory behind the graphic, or sign. This interaction gets the reader involved in a lot of creative thinking which is a great way to re-enforce the points and concepts being laid out by the text. Given its graphical nature, this book will also be extremely useful for presentation purposes. Accuracy and Validity The author of this book, Sean Hall, is the Leader in Contextual Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. Although not a ‘big name in semiotics, his previous studies, academic status, and proven track record in research goes a long way to proving the accuracy and validity of his work. The extensive bibliography provided in this book shows that he has sourced many areas for his research and consulted many different individuals. Semiotics is a subject that has no body of knowledge to fall back on. For this reason it is difficult to determine whether or not any information is accurate as everything about semiotics is subjective and open to scrutiny. Book Reference Two Cobley, P., Jansz, L. (2004). Introducing Semiotics. (2nd ed.). Singapore: Tien Wah Press Ltd. Summary I found this book to be rather difficult to follow due to the nature of the layout. It is set out in almost a comic style, or storyboard type approach, which can be a little difficult to follow at times. This is also not helped by the absence of a contents page, forcing the investigation of particular ‘ideas to be located through the index at the back of the book, or else recalling exactly where in the book that it was originally read. It is difficult to determine exactly what information will be useful from this book. Some information, such as that about particular theorists, will be somewhat helpful; however, many of the other concepts covered may not be of any use due to the difficulty of finding it again – and the comic book type nature. One topic, which is covered at the beginning of the book, is a pre-history of semiotics. This information is extremely helpful as information of this nature has been difficult to locate. As previously stated, this book opens up with a brief history and a little about the very first researchers in the area of semiotics. It then goes on to outline how some of the earlier historical figures contributed to the early understanding and significance of signs. This is followed by an attempt to give an understanding of the concepts involved with semiotics and also includes reference to some of the more recent researchers of this field, including Roland Barthes. Accuracy and Validity Dr Paul Cobley, the man responsible for the text in this book, is a Senior Lecturer in Communication at London Guildhall University. He has authored as number of books in the area of Semiotics as well as Communication Theory, and his record in these areas is exceptional. I have found that a lot of his work has been used as reference by many of the other information sources I have used. This shows that his work is highly regarded by many in the field, and that the accuracy and validity of his work is widely recognised. Library Database Reference One Petrilli,S.(2008). On Communication: Contributions to the Human Sciences and to Humanism from Semiotics Understood as Semioethics.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),193-236.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836621). Summary This article was extremely difficult to decipher and not very helpful. For this reason I find it particularly challenging to review it as it made little to no sense to me. This article was chosen more out of necessity than anything else as finding useful database articles proofed to be difficult. Accuracy and Validity Susan Petrilli teaches Semiotics and Philosophy of Language at the Department of Linguistic Practices and Text Analysis at Bari University, Italy. Her list of studies and publications is extensive, as is her work in the translation of research done by Charles Morris and Thomas A. Sebeok from English to Italian. There is little doubt that information sourced from Susan Petrilli is viable, it is just a shame that in this case it was of little use as it was not valid. Library Database Reference Two Petrilli,S.(2008). The Relation with Morris in Rossi-Landis and Sebeoks Approach to Signs1.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),89-121.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836581). Summary This article authored by Susan Petrilli and featured in The American Journal of Semiotics, outlines the work done by Ferruccio Rossi-Landi and Thomas Sebeok, which in turn was based on the work of Charles Morris. Charles Morris (1901 – 1979), is quite a controversial character in the world of Semiotics. Some credit him with the recognition of Semiotics as a science field, and others accuse him of copying the work of another theorist, Charles Peirce. Either way, the work he did or didnt do was influential in the works of other theorists. It gave new direction and recognition to semiotics and helped pave the way for future study and research. Both Ferruccio Rossi-Landi and Thomas Sebeok have helped to advance the science of semiotics but it is important to highlight that the work they have done was in most cases an extension of Morriss research. This article highlights that fact and expands on it in much greater detail. Whether or not this article will directly influence my studies is debatable, it does however, give a greater understanding about the evolution of semiotics and how it came to be recognised. Accuracy and Validity Susan Petrilli teaches Semiotics and Philosophy of Language at the Department of Linguistic Practices and Text Analysis at Bari University, Italy. Her list of studies and publications is extensive, as is her work in the translation of research done by Charles Morris and Thomas A. Sebeok from English to Italian. Web Article Reference One Barthes, R (1957). Mythologies: The World of Wrestling. Retrieved 1 September, 2009 from http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/Barthes-Mythologies-Wrestling-1957.pdf Summary Having access to an actual essay by Roland Barthes proved to be a great help in the research process. This essay picked apart a wrestling event by applying his theories to it. It was an excellent way to explain certain aspects of the theory. This ranged from the physical appearance of the competitors and their general mannerisms, to the cultural or public interpretation of what was unfolding before them. It explained the theatrical side of wrestling and how it is catered to the needs of its audience. Everybody at the event knows what is going on because of the different signs expresses by the ‘actors. Accuracy and Validity Given that this report is based on Roland Barthes theory, the accuracy and validity of the information needs little clarification. Everything in this report is based on his ideas and concepts so the accuracy needs not be questioned. Web Article Reference Two Wikipedia.(2009). Roland Barthes. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Barthes Summary This article on Roland Barthes was a great starting point in the research process. Without being too technical it gave a nice brief outline about Roland Barthes including a little about his works and theory. Accuracy and Validity Not always an accurate source of information, I was initially reluctant to take any information from Wikipedia at face value. However, this did slowly change as my research went on and verification of the content was discovered. The great thing about Wikipedia is that it has its own references meaning that it paves the way for more in depth research. Findings Roland Barthes Roland Barthes is considered to be one of the biggest names in Semiotics and much of his work has been the primary inspiration and information source for many aspiring students, as well as teachers, in the field of Semiotics. Born in Cherbough, France, on the 12th of November 1915, Roland Barthes had what he called â€Å"Not an unhappy youth†. Less than a year after his birth his father was killed in a naval accident forcing his mother to move with him to Bayonne. Here he spent the early part of his childhood before moving again in 1924, this time to Paris. It was in Paris that he attended school at Lycà ©e Louis-le-Grand and Lycà ©e Montaigne, both being well renowned secondary schools in France. In 1934 he contracted Tuberculosis and spent a number of years in Sanatoriums. Although this often meant he was unable to undertake his doctorate studies, it did give him the time to pursue other interests, the most dominant being reading, â€Å"What else did you ha ve to do except read?† He also started to do a little writing and cofounded the magazine Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre populaire. There was one positive to come out of his ill health – it kept him out of military service during World War II. Barthes went on to study at the Historic University of Paris, or Sorbonne, where he received a degree in Classical literature, as well as in grammar and philology. This was followed by various teaching positions including appointments in France, Romania and Egypt. He had made an intentional avoidance of major degree awarding universities throughout his career which lead to these ‘unusual posts. In 1957, Barthes had a book called Mythologies released. In this publication Barthes used the concepts of semiotics to analyse myths and signs in contemporary culture. The release of this book coincided with the rapid rise of fame for Barthes. The ideas and concepts within the book seemed to strike a chord with scholars and the general public. This pop ularity lead to material from the book being referred to in newspapers, films, shows, and exhibitions. Auto manufacturer Renault found his work so compelling that they temporarily hired him as an advertising consultant. During the early 1960s, Barthes spent much of his time exploring the fields of semiology and structuralism. This was accompanied by various faculty positions around France and a continuation in the production of his more full length studies. During his career, Roland Barthes published more essays than substantial studies. He often presented his views in a concise, subjective way that differed from the theoretical approach used by the majority of scholars. It was this approach that not only made him a standout in various fields but also a somewhat controversial character. Many other academics and theorists had a love hate relationship with him. Roland Barthes died on the 25th of March 1980 from injuries succumbed from being hit by a van a month earlier. Outline Of Roland Barthes Semiotic Theory Among other fields studied by Roland Barthes, his Semiotic Theory is one of the most famous and well renowned. Although he changed his mind about the way signs work more than once over his career, most practitioners follow the concepts of his original theory. Semiotics, or Semiology as it is often referred to, is concerned with anything that can stand for something else. It is the study of sign processes, meaning what signs signify and how, what signs are communicating, as well as how meaning is constructed and understood. In short it is the study of everything to do with signs. Although arguably not a recognised field until the work of Charles Morris, Semiotics can be applied to almost every aspect of life because it is an interpretation of everything around us. Signs are not only the visual aspect that we all immediately think of but also extends to include areas such as gestures or body language, music, clothes, poetry, paintings, Morse code, food, and graffiti. These are all cons idered to be signs that fall into the category of Semiotics because they can all mean something other than the obvious. For example, an apple can mean healthy and a crown can mean king. These meaning are however, very dependent on the context in which they are referred too. Spots on your chest need to be deciphered in a medical context and road signs will be judged in a transport context. According to Barthes theory, every ideological sign is either a Denotative sign system or a Connotative sign system. A Denotative sign, which is a strictly descriptive system, is the result of the signifier image and the signified concept combining. In other words the apple is the signifier and healthy is the signified. A Connotative sign is one that has lost its historical meaning. This could be due to a number of things including: changes in culture or terminology, an event, or even just evolution. It is important to note that Barthes description of a sign as the correlation between the signifier and the signified came directly from the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. The best way to describe the difference between the signifier and signified may be to refer to Barthes essay ‘The World of Wrestling which was published in his 1957 book Mythologies. In this essay he describes the image portrayed by the wrestlers and the resulting portrayal by the fans resulting from the wrestlers image. As Barthes (1957) states: As soon as the adversaries are in the ring, the public is overwhelmed with the obviousness of the roles. As in the theatre, each physical type expresses to excess the part which has been assigned to the contestant. Thauvin, a fifty-year-old with an obese and sagging body The nausea voluntarily provoked by Thauvin shows therefore a very extended use of signs: not only is ugliness used here in order to signify baseness, but in addition ugliness is wholly gathered into a particularly repulsive quality of matter I know from the start that all of Thauvins actions, his treacheries, cruelties and acts of cowardice, will not fail to measure up to the first image of ignobility he gave me; I can trust him to carry out intelligently and to the last detail all the gestures of a kind of amorphous baseness, and thus fill to the brim the image of the most repugnant bastard there is: the bastard-octopus (p.2). This description of the wrestler Thauvin contains a number of signifiers. His physical image: â€Å"fifty-year-old with an obese and sagging body† accompanied by his general mannerisms, are all signifiers. The immediate impression gained by these signifiers lead us to the signified â€Å" all of Thauvins actions, his treacheries, cruelties and acts of cowardice, will not fail to measure up to the first image of ignobility he gave me†. The impression we gain of ugliness and evil by way of the signifier and signified form an image of a villain – which is the sign. This example of a Denotative Sign System is easily dissected because of its theatrical nature. The ability to clearly define the signifier and signified, and therefore the sign, is not always so easily achieved. Application of Theory Semiotic Theory can be applied to many aspects of everyday life and includes activities carried out by most people. Signs have become a part of everyday living and are everywhere. In many societies they are essential, for without them there would be chaos. A simple task such as driving from A to B could become a real nightmare without knowing where you are going, what the road rules are, or how fast your car is travelling. The application of signs in society gives us rules and order. But signs are not always so clearly displayed, read, or interpreted. A married couple can tell each others sad state of mind whereas anyone else may not realise that anything is wrong or out of place. A farmer can tell a sick animal from a healthy one, others will see absolutely no difference. A systems analyst will interpret the clients needs better than a programmer (in most cases). More often than not experience in reading or interpreting a sign is essential in gaining meaning to it and a better understanding of what it is trying to get across. If signs were always clearly interpreted, the number of system projects failing wouldnt be so great; a clear thorough understanding of what is needed would be more easily obtained. Evaluation of Theory Semiotic Theory seems to be based on a mainly Interpretive Approach but does include a small number of Scientific or Objective Approach qualities. The process of deciphering a sign involves many interpretive aspects. While a particular symbol may mean something in one culture, it may mean something different in another. It is how that culture interprets that symbol which determines its meaning. An example can be taken from ‘The World of Wrestling essay by Barthes, â€Å"As soon as the adversaries are in the ring, the public is overwhelmed with the obviousness of the roles.† (p.2). That particular culture (public) has a clear interpretation of what they think the wrestlers are portraying. This is clarified further on in the essay: â€Å"It has already been noted that in America wrestling represents a sort of mythological fight between Good and Evil (of a quasi-political nature, the bad wrestler always being supposed to be a Red [Communist]).† ( Barthes, 1957, p.3). This tells us clearly that it is the American publics interpretation of events which gives the desired meaning or effect. The same ‘show being played out in another culture will likely have very different results. This clearly shows an example of ‘Clarification of Values. Over the course of his career, Barthes reviewed his theory and even changed his mind about certain aspects. This ‘evolution as it has been referred to, shows that it was very much under scrutiny and social reform. Given that it in no way could be ‘scientifically tested, many other scholars or likewise had their own opinion on Semiotic Theory – some for and other against. Either way, it was all very much how it was interpreted. Conclusion Summary of Points Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980) is one of the most recognised names in the field of Semiotics. His Semiotic Theory has been the inspiration behind many aspiring students and teachers alike. His rise to fame coincided with the release of his 1957 book Mythologies, which was a collection of essays he had authored. The public was so fascinated by his ideas that his opinion was often sort in the public arena. Signs range from speech, body language and symbols to paintings, music and Morse code. Barthes Semiotic Theory broke down the process of reading signs and focused on their interpretation by different cultures or societies. According to Barthes, signs had both a signifier, being the physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses and the signified, or meaning that is interpreted. Barthes also believed that every ideological sign is either a Denotative sign system or a Connotative sign system. A Denotative sign, which is a strictly descriptive system, is the result of the signifier image and the signified concept combining. A Connotative sign is one that has lost its historical meaning. This could be due to a number of things including: changes in culture or terminology, an event, or even just evolution. Semiotic Theory is an ‘Interpretive theory that can be applied to most aspects of everyday life although most people would not realise it. A Critique of the Theory Roland Barthes often caused controversy because of his often non-scholarly point of view, and the subjective nature of his essays. Barthes 1963 study ‘Sur Racine was one such series of works that caused such controversy. Another ‘Racine scholar name Raymond Picard, took particular exception to this work and criticised Barthes approach in some of his work. In turn, Barthes responded by writing an essay which implied that criticism should become a ‘science. Generally such criticism of Barthes work was rare, and his approach often had fellow scholars intrigued. It is my opinion that this theory is an over-analysis of what should be a simple act of reading a sign. Constantly analysing every aspect of life would easily become very painstaking and I can imagine some ‘enjoyment of life would be lost due to this. The concept of the signifier and signified forming the sign seems relatively simple in theory and if left at that would be. The constant in-depth analysis of even the simplest of tasks seems to be rather pedantic and unnecessary – hence the reason I am not a Semiotic Theorist. Glossary Of Terms Amorphous – Having no definite form. Baseness – Despicable, Untrustworthy, Treacherous. Connotative – In Semiotics connotation arises when the denotative relationship between a signifier and its signified is inadequate to serve the needs of the community. Connotative Sign System – A mythic sign that has lost its historical referent; form without substance. Denotative In semiotics, denotation is the surface or literal meaning encoded to a signifier. Denotative Sign System A descriptive sign without ideological content. Ideology – Knowledge presented as common sense or natural, especially when its social construction is ignored or suppressed. Ignobility – Not noble in quality, character or purpose. Myth – The connotative meaning that signs carry wherever they go; myth makes what is cultural seem natural. Philology the study of literature and of disciplines relevant to literature or to language as used in literature. Sanatorium – an institution for treating chronic diseases, typically tuberculosis. Sign – The inseparable combination of the signifier and the signified. Signified – The meaning we associate with the sign. The idea or thing that that the Signifier represents. Signifier – The physical form of the sign as we perceive it through our senses; an image, object or word being referred too. References / Bibliography Amazon.com. (2009). Universe of the Mind: A Semiotic Theory of Culture. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Mind-Semiotic-Theory-Culture/dp/025321405X Australia Donna. (2009). Susan Petrilli. Retrieved August 7, 2009 from http://www.australiadonna.on.net/english/prof/petrilli.htm Barthes, R (1957). Mythologies: The World of Wrestling. Retrieved 1 September, 2009 from http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/Barthes-Mythologies-Wrestling-1957.pdf Chandler, D. (2002). Semiotics: The Basics. Great Britain: Routledge. Chandler, D. (2005). Semiotics for Beginners. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem01.html Cobley, P., Jansz, L. (2004). Introducing Semiotics. (2nd ed.). Singapore: Tien Wah Press Ltd. Goldsmiths, University of London. (2008). Hall, Sean. Retrieved August 10, 2009 from http://www.gold.ac.uk/design/staff/hall/ Griffin, E. (2009). A First Look at Communication Theory. (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Hall, S. (2007). This Means This, This Means That. A Users Guide to Semiotics. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd. Halton, E. (1992). Charles Morris A Brief Outline of His Philosophy with relations to semiotics, pragmatics, and linguistics. Retrieved August 7, 2009 from http://www.nd.edu/~ehalton/Morrisbio.htm Liukkonen, P. (2008). Roland Barthes (1915 – 1980). Retrieved September 1, 2009 from http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/rbarthes.htm London Metropolitan University. (2009). Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design. Staff Research: Media and Communication. Retrieved August 10, 2009 from http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/jcamd/research/staff-research/mc/paul-cobley.cfm No Author. (1992). Websters Dictionary. (1992 ed.) United States of America: Leisure Entertainment Service Co Inc. Petrilli,S.(2008). On Communication: Contributions to the Human Sciences and to Humanism from Semiotics Understood as Semioethics.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),193-236.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836621). Petrilli,S.(2008). The Relation with Morris in Rossi-Landis and Sebeoks Approach to Signs1.The American Journal of Semiotics,24(4),89-121.Retrieved August 7, 2009 from Research Library. (Document ID:1608836581). The Stewardship. (n.d.). Semiotic Theory. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://the-stewardship.org/research/semiotics.htm Wikipedia.(2009). Roland Barthes. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Barthes Wikipedia.(2009). Semiotics. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotics Wikipedia.(2009). Semiotic Information Theory. Retrieved July 22, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotic_information_theory

Knowledge Management Software :: essays research papers

I will attempt to inform you on what Knowledge Management Software (KMS) is. I will also attempt to give you a brief history and specific benefits the KMS adds to our specific global organization. First let’s talk about knowledge management (KM), and define what it is? I had the opportunity to talk with three coworkers and for them to give me a definition that I myself had no idea about until I decided to do some research. Well, my first interview went with Tasha who’s a Supply person. She had no idea; she thought it could not be such a thing as KM. Secondly, I interviewed Michelle our unit secretary. She said she’d heard of it but couldn’t possibly tell me what it meant. And lastly, I interviewed Tonya, our personnel specialist. Tonya said she knew what knowledge was. According to her, knowledge had something to do with knowing information and management according to her is knowing what to do with the information. Well, that gave me a starting point. Well, what is knowledge? Let’s see, knowledge has two basic definitions of interest. The first pertains to a defined body of information. Depending on the definition, the body of information might consist of facts, opinions, ideas, theories, principles, and models (or other frameworks). Clearly, other categories are possible, too. Subject matter (e.g., chemistry, mathematics, etc.) is just one possibility. In addition, knowledge also refers to a person’s state of being with respect to some body of information. These states include ignorance, awareness, familiarity, understanding, facility, and so on. Now that was a mouthful. Management on the other had has some of the similarities as Tonya mention above. When I researched the definition for management it means to manage or be responsible for controlling or organizing someone or something especially a business. After reviewing both and putting those together KM means - the processes of finding, collecting and sharing information within an organization. This has taken the business community by storm in the last five years. It is about making optimum use of the intellectual capital (skills, ideas and knowledge) of employees. The history of KMS has many faces. With continuously emerging work roles, the unlocking of an enterprise's information to members at every level has become essential to ensure that each has the knowledge, skills and authority to be productive. These new work roles demand that every individual have access to the correct data and knowledge in order to make their own effective business decisions.

Differences Between Business Strategies and Functional Tactics Essay ex

Differences Between Business Strategies and Functional Tactics 1. FUNCTIONAL TACTICS Functional tactics are the key, routine activities that must be undertaken in each functional area that is human resource management, marketing, finance, production/operations and research and development to provide the business ‘s products and services. Hence functional tactics translate thought (grand strategy) into action designed to accomplish specific short- term objectives. Every value chain activity in a company executes functional tactics that support the business’s strategy and help accomplish strategic objectives. 1.1 Differences Between Business Strategies and Functional Tactics - Functional tactics are different from business or corporate strategies in three fundamental ways: i. Time horizon. ii. Specificity. iii. Participants who develop them. Time Horizon - Functional tactics identify activities to be undertaken â€Å"now† or in the immediate future. Business strategies focus on the firm’s posture three to five years out. - The shorter time horizon of functional tactics is critical to the successful implementation of a business strategy for two reasons. i. First, it focuses the attention of functional managers on what needs to be done now to make the business strategy work. ii. Secondly, it allows functional managers to adjust to changing current conditions. Specificity Functional tactics are more specific than business strategies. Business strategies provide general direction. Functional tactics identify the specific activities that are to be undertaken in each functional area and thus allow operating managers to work out how their unit is expected to pursue short-term objectives. Specificity in functional tactics contributes to successful implementation by: - Helping ensure that functional managers know what needs to be done and can focus on accomplishing results. - Clarifying for top management how functional managers intend to accomplish the business strategy, which increases top management’s confidence in and sense of control over the business strategy. - Facilitating coordination among operating units within the firm by clarifying areas of interdependence and potential conflict. Participants Different people participate in strat... ... Beecham Kenya 2000 - 3. Flat organizations – Microsoft and dotcom companies - - 4. Increased responsiveness to customers NB. BPR requires maintenance of Key Performance Indicators on Quality, Lead time, Cost and Service. CONSEQUENCES - As BPR efforts progress, one of the first phenomena is excess capacity. As processes are re-engineered, even more capacity is discovered. The most frequent response is downsizing. - BPR suggests that old practices must be â€Å"obliterated† and new processes designed from scratch to fully leverage new technologies and business realities. In practice, few managers have the luxury of re-designing their processes or organizations from â€Å"clean sheet of paper† - people, equipment and business knowledge cannot be so easily scrapped. Furthermore, organizational change almost inevitability becomes a learning process in which unanticipated obstacles and opportunities emerge. Reference: - Pearce & Robinson – Strategic Management - Readings on bus 6020 - Henry J. Johansson – Business Processing Engineering