Library Database Exercise #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Library Database Exercise #4 - Essay Example By using database a person is able to obtain information not freely available on the internet. Secondly, the information obtained via a general search may not authoritative and credible, online websites are sometimes by people who are novice on the subject. Finding credible information is critical in doing research and by using library databases one can always get accurate and reliable information. The information obtained from the library database is from reliable sources such as: academic journals, popular magazines, newspapers, trade journals and scholarly reviewed articles. The information is written by credible authors such as: journalists, researchers, and experts in the particular subject. Thirdly, search engines give millions of results making it hard for people to scan the results and find the exact information needed. However, by using databases one can access thousands of articles and books, charts and images and databases that are focused on the particular topic. Library databases have powerful search tools that enable a person to have more control over the search results. The tools suggest additional keywords for users to use and narrow down the results. Conclusions are that databases have the following advantages: They provide credible information, a person spends less time searching, have powerful search tools, and better

Bsop 434 lab 5 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bsop 434 lab 5 - Case Study Example The organization chart depicts this. Both local and overseas operations fall under one VP while separate Vice Presidents would be looking after the other four domains of the company. The current legal, human relations and procurement Vice Presidents will retire in a few months. Therefore, theses posts have been removed. 2) The revised organization chart shows physical presence of the sales and marketing department in Minnesota, Duluth. This is because the main plants were in Duluth. However the headquarters have been moved to Chicago. If the organization structure should focus on sales, then physical presence at Head Quarters and the main plant is important. This is because the largest numbers of sales take place in Chicago. It is the epi-center of all their revenue, hence major presence in Chicago will prove to be very lucrative for the team. 3) The figure shows a centralized structure in which everything is managed from home. The head quarters are in Minnesota and so are the plants in both Minnesota and Oregon. From here, all departments closely manage the affairs of CLPC’s presence in other States such as Chicago, Denver, Atlanta and NY. It is centralized structure because it now has one State operating as the main center and everything micro-managed from that center only. This means all personnel handling, inventory, fore-casting, and packaging will be centralized. In a decentralized structure, there is no center. All major decisions are taken on the field. In the case of CLPC, all operating activities and decisions that fall under their domains will be taken care of them on the field only as shown in the figure. It is not being operated from a core center. Field work is dispersed according to the presence of the company and its operations country wide. 5) Irwin Buchanan could offer his services as a third-party logistics provider to CLPC. The firm’s logistics handling is scattered at the

Bilateral Ankle Fusion in Leak Syndrome Induced Deformity

Bilateral Ankle Fusion in Leak Syndrome Induced Deformity ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Systemic capillary leak syndrome is a rare condition of unknown etiology defined by sudden episode of hypotension, high hematocrit and low serum protein concentration due to capillary hyperpermeability. Several treatments have been published for this pathology and eventual compartment syndrome but not for the disabling consequences. This clinical case highlights the negative orthopaedic consequences of a severe systemic attack and reports a subsequent deformity treatment option that resulted in patient quality of life improvement. To our knowledge, orthopaedic surgery for systemic capillary leak syndrome induced foot and ankle deformity is presented for the first time. CASE PRESENTATION: A 40-year-old caucasian female patient was referred to our institution for bilateral foot and ankle deformity after compartment syndrome during systemic capillary leak syndrome attack. She presented a bilateral rigid equino-cavo-varus-adductus deformity causing walk impairment. Bilateral ankle fusion by retrograde nailing was performed in a two-staged procedure. Rigid claw toes were also surgically addressed in an additional procedure. Radiologically, apparent ankle fusion occurred at 3 months post-op in both sides. Deformity correction allowed the patient to regain walking capacity. A right ankle tibiotalar failed arthrodesis was noticed at 24 months post-op. Prophylactic human immunoglobulin therapy was initiated after the last surgery with no recurrent attack registered during the 38 months follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Bilateral ankle fusion improved this patient quality of life by restituting walking capacity and lowering the probability of lower limb deformity related ulcers and infections. Major and minor complications are also discussed. This report contributes to the global knowledge about this syndrome and elicits the importance of the induced deformities surgical correction. Keywords: systemic capillary leak syndrome, (SCLS), compartment syndrome, equino-varus, ankle fusion, ankle retrograde nailing, human immunoglobulin. INTRODUCTION Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS), describedby Clarkson et al. in 1960 [1], is a rare condition defined by sudden episodes of hypovolemic shock, elevated hematocrit and hypoalbuminemia without albuminuria [2, 3]. The etiology is still unknown, although several possible triggers have been reported as upper respiratory tract infections, sustained physical effort and menstruation [1, 4]. It results in generalized or segmental edema and, in severe cases,compartment syndrome requiring emergent fasciotomy [2-5]. The sudden intracompartimental high pressure often originates vascular and neurological damage and consequent lower limb deformity [3, 6]. Prolonged hospital stay may also aggravate this condition with osteoporosis following a long-term immobilization or limb disuse. Deformity frequently leads to walk impairment and decreased quality of life [7]. A few retrospective studies report ankle fusion for correction of compartment syndrome induced deformity. None of them included SCLS etiology for compartment syndrome [6,7]. Several treatments have been published for SCLS and compartment syndrome [1-5] but not for the disabling consequences. To our knowledge, orthopaedic surgery for SCLS induced foot and ankle deformity is presented for the first time. CASE PRESENTATION A 40-year-old caucasian female patient was referred to our institution due to bilateral foot and ankle deformity. She had been previously diagnosed with systemic capillary leak syndrome after sudden episode of hypotension, high hematocrit and low serum protein concentration. This acute phase was managed by fluid resuscitation.The consequent generalized compartment syndrome was treated with extensive fasciotomies of both arms, forearms, hands, thighs and legs. She stayed three weeks in the intensive care unit and eight months hospitalized. Although an intense physical therapy program was applied, she was unable to walk and autonomy was limited to a wheelchair. On examination she presented a bilateral severe stiff equino-cavo-varus-adductus deformity with retraction due to subcutaneous and muscle scarring and neurological deficit. Claw hallux and lesser toes were also present bilaterally. Plantigrade weight bearing was not possible (Fig. 1). American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score was 20 points. Plain radiographs showed bilateral equinovarus ankle deformity with supinated feet (Fig. 2). Achilles, posterior tibial and flexor digitorum longus tendons lengthening was performed by medial approach associated to right tibio-talocalcaneal arthrodesis with a retrograde locked intramedullary nail (PANTA ® IntegraTM) by lateral approach. Distal fibula bone was used as an autograft. At 8 weeks of follow-up, plastic surgery applied a free skin graft over a persistent post-operative medial blister (Fig. 3). Apparent fusion was obtained at three months post-operatively (Fig. 4). Six months after the initial surgery, fusion of the left ankle was performed in exactly the same fashion. Surgical wound dehiscence was the short-term complication and was resolved with dressing changes. Fusion was obtained at three months post-operatively. (Fig. 4). Fourteen months after the first surgery, we documented recurrent dorsal proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints inflammation with shoe wear. Right foot Moberg osteotomy, resection arthroplasty of PIP joints and flexor tendon tenotomy of all the lesser toes were performed. Left foot Moberg osteotomy, PIP joints fusion of the 2nd and 3rd toes with intramedullary guide implant (Ipp-On ® IntegraTM), PIP joints resection arthroplasty of the 4th toe and flexor tendon tenotomy of all the lesser toes were performed. Failure of the left hallux Moberg osteotomy staple caused hardware removal at 6 weeks post-op (Fig. 5). The rehabilitation protocol included immediate weight-bearing with walking boots and lower limb drainage. Prophylactic human immunoglobulin therapy was initiated after the last surgery. She regained walking capacity with balanced shoes and returned to work four months after left foot surgery. AOFAS score was 61 points. No toes related complaints, pressure ulcers or terminal necrosis of the toes were found. Twenty-four months after initial surgery she complained of right ankle pain de novo with weight bear and local swelling. Radiologically, failed arthrodesis with tibiotalar and subtalar bone reabsorption, peri-implant proximal radiolucency and distal calcaneus screw fracture were shown (Fig. 6). No local drainage or blood test infection parameters were found. Only symptomatic treatment and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were prescribed. At 38 months of follow-up the patient refers no significant right ankle pain and no SCLS attacks recurrence were registered. DISCUSSION This high-risk patients and the unpredictable course of the disease required a multidisciplinary treatment options discussion. The patient never accepted irreversible autonomy loss and was aware of all the possible negative surgery consequences when she signed the surgery consent. There are few treatment options for long-term sequelae of compartment syndrome that include arthroscopic assisted arthrodesis, fusion with external fixator or internal devices such as plates or intramedullary nails. Arthroscopic arthrodesis is an excellent option when sparing the soft tissues is needed, however, this correction is limited to mild deformities. External fixation represents a serious risk of pin tract infection with no consensus about prevention treatment [8] and therefore we advocate as a potential risk for SCLS relapse. Fusion with plate and screws implies a considerable aggression to the already damaged soft tissues, although it represents a high stiffness construct. The authors managed this clinical case as an equino-varus-cavo-adductus deformity after lower extremity compartment syndrome. Retrograde nailing avoided extensive striping and Berend et al. has demonstrated better biomechanics stiffness compared to crossed screws [9]. Wang et al. [6] described excellent satisfaction rate after retrograde nailing for lower extremity compartment sequelae. No tendinous transfers were considered due to neurological deficit, scarred muscles and stiff joints. Claw toes deformity has a high risk of pressure ulcers by shoe wear conflict. Local infection in SCLS patients may represent a potential trigger for relapse and therefore must be corrected. Considering the stiff interphalangeal joints, hallux claw deformity was managed by bilateral Moberg osteotomy. Lesser toes were addressed by resection arthroplasty of PIP joints with the exception of the stiffer left second and third toes that were fixated with an intramedullary guide implant [10]. Fusion rate of only 50% (1/2 ankles) was low compared to another published study that show rates around 91% of primary bony union after bilateral ankle arthrodesis. However, none of these patients had post-compartment syndrome ankle deformity and related sequelae [11]. With no signs of infection, late failed arthrodesis may be related to compartment syndrome, local vascular and neurological damage, technical error or even SCLS per se. Three minor complications were registered. One large posteromedial blister required skin grafting six weeks after right ankle procedure. A left ankle lateral surgical wound dehiscence healed by secondary intention only with dressing changes. Failure of left hallux Moberg osteotomy staple was managed by hardware removal. These complications are relatively common and have been previously described in foot and ankle deformity correcting arthrodesis [6, 12]. They are usually due to poor skin and vascular conditions. No delayed weight bearing was noticed in rehabilitation program due to prompt and successful treatment. Concerning deformity correction, the results were very satisfactory. The AOFAS score increased from 20 to a total of 61 points even after tibio-talocalcaneal arthrodesisthat does not allow any hind foot movement. Moreover, the painless plantar support permitted walking without crutches after 24 months confined to wheelchair. Returning to work was also an important milestone for this patient. At 38 months of follow-up the patient is now asymptomatic with minor local right ankle edema and no walking limitation. Radiologically the bone reabsorption appears to have stabilized. Anecdotal evidence has shown good results in ankle arthrodesis revision after compartment syndrome [6]. However, one must consider unpredictable consequences of fusion revision in a SCLS patient, including a severe attack during the anaesthesia or post-op infection with potential lethal consequences. This patient has been diagnosed with idiopathic form of SCLS. Although no direct cause was identified she had been taking azithromycin for a respiratory tract infection which may represent a potential trigger [4,13]. Monoclonal gammopathy was also present at follow-up lab blood tests as seen in more than 90% of cases [2, 4]. There are several possible prophylactic treatments, which include B2-agonists, thalidomide, calcium channel blockers and chemotherapy with limited evidence considering the rarity of the disease. Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered in the last 12 months of follow-up with no relapses adding to the hypothesis that this may represent an effective prophylaxis [4,14]. CONCLUSION Bilateral ankle fusion improved this SCLS patient functional outcome by restituting the walking capacity. One late failed arthrodesis was the major complication and may require a secondary procedure although the patient is currently asymptomatic. Four surgeries were performed with no SCLS attacks recurrence registered at 38 months follow-up period. Prophylactic human immunoglobulin may have contributed to the absence of relapses. Although surgical correction of SCLS skeletal deformities sequelae represents an orthopaedic challenge, we believe that this treatment should be considered in previously autonomous highly motivated active patients. REFERENCES 1. Clarkson B, Thompson D, Horwith M, Luckey EH. Cyclical edema and shock due to increased capillary permeability. Am J Med. 1960 Aug;29:193-216. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0002934360900188 2. Atkinson JP, Waldmann TA, Stein SF, Gelfand JA, Macdonald WJ, Heck LW, Cohen EL, Kaplan AP, Frank MM. Systemic capillary leak syndrome and monoclonal IgG gammopathy; studies in a sixth patient and a review of the literature. Medicine (Baltimore) 1977 May;56(3):225-39. http://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Citation/1977/05000/SYSTEMIC_CAPILLARY_LEAK_SYNDROME_AND_MONOCLONAL.4.aspx 3. Sanghavi R, Aneman A, Parr M, Dunlop L, Champion D. Systemic capillary leak syndrome associated with compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2006 Jun;34(3):388-91. http://www.aaic.net.au/document/?D=2005303 4. Gousseff M, Arnaud L, Lambert M, Hot A, Hamidou M, Duhaut P, Papo T, Soubrier M, Ruivard M, Malizia G, Tieulià © N, Rivià ¨re S, Ninet J, Hatron PY, Amoura Z. The systemic capillary leak syndrome: a case series of 28 patients from a European registry. Ann Intern Med. 2011 Apr 5;154(7):464-71. http://annals.org/aim/article/746914/systemic-capillary-leak-syndrome-case-series-28-patients-from-european 5. Kyeremanteng K, DEgidio G, Wan C, Baxter A, Rosenberg H. Compartment Syndrome as a Result of Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome. Case Rep Crit Care 2016;2016:4206397. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5027304/ 6.   Wang X, Ma X, Zhang C, Huang JZ, Gu XJ, Jiang JY. Ankle fusion with a retrograde locked intramedullary nail for sequela of lower extremity compartment syndrome. Chin J Traumatol. 2012;15(3):140-4. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1008127515302911 7. Lintz F, Colombier JA, Letenneur J, Gouin F. Management of long-term sequelae of compartment syndrome involving the foot and ankle. Foot Ankle Int. 2009 Sep;30(9):847-53. http://fai.sagepub.com/content/30/9/847.abstract 8. Jennison T, McNally M, Pandit H. Prevention of infection in external fixator pin sites. Acta Biomater. 2014 Feb;10(2):595-603. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706113004790 9. Berend ME, A biomechanical comparison of intramedullary nail and crossed lag sure fixation for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis. Foot Ankle Int. 1997; 18(10). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9347301 10. Coillard JY, Petri GJ, van Damme G, Deprez P, Laffenà ªtre O. Stabilization of proximal interphalangeal joint in lesser toe deformities with an angulated intramedullary implant. Foot Ankle Int. 2014 Apr;35(4):401-7. http://fai.sagepub.com/content/35/4/401.long 11. Henricson A, Kamrad I, Rosengren B, Carlsson Ã…. Bilateral Arthrodesis of the Ankle Joint: Self-Reported Outcomes in 35 Patients From the Swedish Ankle Registry. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2016 Sep 7. pii: S1067-2516(16)30176-4. http://www.jfas.org/article/S1067-2516(16)30176-4/abstract 12. Asomugha EU1, Den Hartog BD, Junko JT, Alexander IJ. Tibiotalocalcaneal Fusion for Severe Deformity and Bone Loss. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2016 Mar;24(3):125-34. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26829585 13. Amoura Z, Papo T, Ninet J, Hatron PY, Guillaumie J, Piette AM, Blà ©try O, Dequiedt P, Talasczka A, Rondeau E, Dutel JL, Wechsler B, Piette JC. Systemic capillary leak syndrome: report on 13 patients with special focus on course and treatment. Am J Med. 1997 Dec;103(6):514-9. http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(97)00272-6/abstract 14. Marra AM1, Gigante A, Rosato E. Intravenous immunoglobulin in systemic capillary leak syndrome: a case report and review of literature. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2014 Mar;10(3):349-52. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1586/1744666X.2014.882771

Trafficking from Africa to Europe :: essays research papers

Morocco’s slum swarm with desperate African refugees risking their lives to go to Europe. The human smugglers are their rescuers - because all legal roads to the European Union end blind. In this essay I will look in the situation on the Straight of Gibraltar and see how the smugglers work. This summer I went from Tangier, a harbor city in the north of Morocco, to Ceuta, crossing the border from Morocco into Spain. The control was extremely tight and it took a very long time to get permission to enter Ceuta because we went through passport check 3 times. Around us, there were a high fence, which was impossible to jump over, and there was police everywhere, also in the sea where they were constantly on patrol. It was really strange to go from a poor, messy place, cross the border and suddenly be in the European Union. And even more strange to look back and imagine all those refugees and poor people behind us, for whom to enter Europe is their biggest dream, though they aren’t getting permission to cross the border because they have a passport from the wrong country. In the slum district of Tangier most of the refugees begin their risky journey to Europe, crossing the dangerous Straight of Gibraltar. This place is also where the Moroccan mafia works and a lot of money is being earned. A human smuggler can in one night earn $ 10,000, which is more than a yearly wage for a Moroccan fisherman. But the work can be very dangerous. Many of boats have gone down because of the strong currents in the straight and because the boats are always extremely overloaded. If you ask a human smuggler, this is not what they are most afraid of. As a result of the European Union’s police cooperation, the Spanish coast patrol has increased the hunt for illegal Moroccan sailors and the punishment for human smuggling has been increased. If you get caught in smuggling people, you will now get 2 to 3 years of prison in Spain and even more in Morocco. Before, it was only Moroccan refugees who crossed the straight, but today people come from very distant places such as Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Mali and other West African states. The price they have to pay is $ 1000 for the 14-kilometer-long journey, but the smugglers only get one-third of that amount. The rest is for the Moroccan mafia which job it is to make the contact to the Africans and organizes the trips.

Joseph Stalin Essay

Stalin: Evaluation of His Leadership At the time, Stalin seemed like he was the greatest person on Earth. He made himself seem as if he was above everybody, both physically and mentally. After all of the revolts that were occurring in Russia, he just took over. He went into power right after Lenin had died and took his place, over Trotsky who also wanted to rule over Russia. Well he didn’t and we can’t change that. All we can do is remember Stalin and remember all of the things he did to make people support him and his cause to industrialize Russia. Let’s talk a little but about how Russia was before Stalin came into power and changed up the whole game for Russia. As soon as the Czar of Russia (Nicholas II) was kicked off his throne, Russia’s peasant population came strong and in numbers. These peasants all set up something that was called the Provisional Government. The Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd, and was led first by Prince Georgy L'vov and then by socialist Alexander Kerensky, a prominent member of the Duma and a leader of the movement to unseat the Tsar. This government had really good intentions but they just couldn’t make it happen. And the fact that they made some not so smart choices doesn’t help too much either. The people of Russia wanted this government gone which launched the November Revolution led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks. What they wanted to do was to gain freedom, land and political strength. And so they did; they overthrew the fragmented government and finally had accomplished what they set out to do. But just like the Provisional Government, the Bolshevik government was sure to fail too. This is where Stalin comes in; this is where he takes over. Joseph Stalin took over right after Lenin had died and in December 1924, Stalin declared himself the new Leader of the USSR and became the Dictator of Russia. Now at first, Stalin didn’t seem like such a bad guy. He actually seemed like someone who was going to bring Russia to their prime. Just look at Document One. He’s explaining to his people how far behind they really are compared to the rest of the world and that if they don’t do something soon, they’re done. All he wanted to do was fix Russia, to bring them out of their â€Å"hundred year lag† and to make them more powerful. That was the goal of his 5 Year Plan. Stalin had extremely high expectations for Russia now that he was in power, and he would do anything to achieve them. If you look at Document Two, you can see how high he set his expectations. And then again, if you look at Document Three, you could see the amount of success he had with both of his Five Year Plans. Production in some areas were increasing at a very rapid pace. He wanted to more than double the production that Russia was putting out. You can see how much better he wanted to make his country, but he would do anything for it. Joseph Stalin was a very determined man and he would do anything to get what he wanted. This is where his use of propaganda came in. What is propaganda? You can think of it as information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause. If you look at Document Ten, you can see how he was portrayed by many different artists. Well, the artists really didn’t have a choice but to portray him in a positive way. This is where you can finally see the â€Å"evil† side of Joseph Stalin. He used force to get what he wanted and many people didn’t see it. Eventually, his Five Year Plans backfired and really sent the peasants into an even deeper level of poverty. Not only did he send some of the peasants into even more poverty that they were already in, he even killed some of them or put them in work camps and starved them to death. (Document Seven). He wasn’t going to let anybody stand in his way and if they tried, he would kill them off just like that. So as you can see, once Stalin came into power, he really didn’t want to lose his command over the Russian country. He did anything he had do to keep power and although all his intentions seemed good, he was really a dictator who made things a lot worse for the lower class of Russia. It’s too bad that many people couldn’t do anything about it because he would kill off anybody that revolted against him. So although he was one of the most terrorizing rulers of Russia, nobody ever really knew because of all the things he did to hide his truly evil side. To the people, he remained pure and an amazing leader; but we all know about things he did to make himself seem that way. Sure, his intentions were good (industrialize Russia and catch up to the rest of the world), but all we can do is remember all of the methods he used to make people support him and his cause.

Gambino cleaning products salesman Essay

Description of the proposed system Description of the problem A new system of calculating and reporting on cleaning products salesmen is to be designed and implemented. Cleaning products salesmen commission is based on a set of data which is the monthly sales of cleaning products sold by the salesmen. Objectives The new system must: Â  Be automated as far as possible, needing no thorough knowledge of spreadsheets, databases or any other software in order to operate it. Â  Have fitted controls to ensure precision and completeness of data input. Â  Take into account commission payments from monthly sales. Print commission reports for each of the salesmen, and a summary report showing total paid to each salesman and overall total. Include an option to delete commission records previous to a given date so that the file does not increase for an indefinite period. The proposed new system can be shown in a level 0 data flow diagram as follows: A level 1 Data Flow Diagram of the proposed system is as follows: User functions 1. The Commissioning Salesman in the Sales Department will be responsible for entering all details of new cleaning products salesman and new products. 2. An Accounts clerk will have special responsibility for the commission system. 3. The Accounts clerk will enter each month the sales of each product, giving quantity sold and gross sales value (i. e. quantity X cover price). 4. Every 6 months, the Accounts clerk will produce the Commission reports for each cleaning products salesman. This will show the commission that has been earned in the previous 6 months. A payment is then recorded and a cheque issued to each cleaning products salesman to whom commission is due, together with the Commission statement showing sales details, and the statement from the Accounts system the total amount due. Database specification Menu structure The many functions of the Commission System will be accessed by means of a front-end menu, which will have the following structure. The data model There are three main entities in this system related in the entity relationship diagram shown below. Because a many-to-many relationship cannot be applied in a relational database, an additional entity named Salesman/Product is introduced. The ERD can now be drawn as follows: The database for Gambino cleaning products salesman system specification will have the following tables: tblSalesman (SalesmanID, Surname, FirstName). Foreign key in tblSalesman/Product ProductName Text (40) Product title tblProduct SalesTeam Text (40) All salesman who sell a product tblProduct Price Currency Product price tblProduct StandardCommission Number Percentage commission on each product sold 1-10 tblSalesman/Products BonusCommission Number Bonus percentage commission on each products sold 11-20 tblSalesman/Products SalesNumber Number 1=Standard commission 2=Bonus Commission 1 or 2 tblSales QuantitySold Number Number of products sold tblSales GrossValue Currency Data Dictionary Input Specification Three input forms will be required. frmProducts. This will be used to enter product details. frmSalesman This will be used to enter details of a salesman and all products on which they receive commission. The commission percentages for each product will be entered in a subform of the main form. Validation methods: The Product ID will be selected from a drop-down list of existing Product ID’s. Once a Product ID is entered, the product name will be automatically displayed. frmTransaction This form will be used to enter transactions. Validation methods: Only valid dates will be accepted. The Product ID will be selected from a drop down list of existing Product ID’s. Once a Product ID is entered, the product name will be automatically displayed. Selecting a radio button so that only a valid alternative can be selected will choose the transaction type. Process Specification Commission Calculations To calculate the commission for a given transaction, a query has to be performed to combine attributes from tblTransaction, tblProduct, tblProduct/Salesman and tblSalesman. The calculation of the commission is performed as follows: If TransactionType = 1 (i. e ‘sales’) ThenRate = StandardCommissionRate ElseRate = BonusCommissionRate endif Amount = Rate * GrossValue. These processes will be carried out in qryCommission. This query will be the source of both the commission report and the summary report. Maintenance Each year, transactions prior to a given date will be removed from tblTransactions. This prevents the transaction file from becoming too large and slowing down the system. The maintenance will be carried out as follows: Run a Delete query to delete records from tblTransaction. Test Plan Tests will be carried out using valid and invalid data and data at the extremes of acceptable values. The following test data will be used. tblSalesman Salesman ID Surname Firstname STEVED Stevens David. Test urpose Expected result 1 Select enter data from main menu, then select Products. To check if the menu options work and that a Products form opens at a new record. Products form opens at a new record. 2 Enter data from test data set. Try entering an invalid date i. e. 3/9/2001 To check the menu options work and that the Salesman form opens at a new record. Salesman form opens at a new record. 3 Select Enter Data from Main menu and then select Salesman. To check if the menu options work and that the Salesman form opens at a new record. Salesman form opens at a new record. 4 Enter data from test data set. To check if valid data is accepted. All valid data accepted. 5 Try entering product ID of BB113. Test that no product can be entered unless it exists on product table. Record rejected. 6 Select Enter Data from Main menu and select Sales To check the menu options work and that the sales form opens at a new record. Sales form opens at a new record. 7 Attempt to enter a new sale with date 3/9/2001 To test if date is validated. Error message will appear on leaving field. 8 Select reports from Main menu then select Product details. Test to see if the Product details display all products entered. All products appear on the report. 9 Select report from the Main menu then select Commission report. Check to see if Commission report details are correct. User is asked to enter start and end dates for report. All commission is calculated correctly. 10 Select Reports from Main menu the select Summary report. Check that Summary report is correct. User is asked to enter start and end dates for report. All totals are calculated correctly. 11 Add 2 transactions for dates in 1999. then select Maintenance from Main menu and identify deletion of records prior to 31/12/1999 Check that Maintenance option deletes records prior to date user enters. The two records are deleted from table. 12 Add a transaction for 31/12/1999. then select Maintenance from Main menu and identify deletion of records prior to 31/12/1999. Check that maintenance option deletes records for date user enters. The record is deleted from table. 13 Select Exit from Main menu To check if the main menu option works correctly. Database closes. Development Plan The planned schedule for development is given below. Week beggining Task Comments 29/01/2004 Detailed design spec 29/01/2004 Tables created 01/02/2004 Input forms created 15/02/2004 Queries and reports created Reports on products and salesman 21/02/2004 Standard commission report created 27/02/2004 Procedures for clearing file developed Clearing records prior to given date 29/02/2004 Testing and modifications 03/03/2004 Testing and modifications 06/03/2004 Documentation 08/03/2004 Installation and entry of master file data. A period of parallel running will follow with reports produced from old and new systems. Conclusion The system will be implemented by Microsoft Access 2000. It will run on any existing PC. The database will be accessible from any of the Departments which are responsible for keeping the data up to date. These departments include Accounts and Sales departments. The system is expected to be tested and installed by the end of April 2004. Sunit Dhadra 12K AVCE ICT AVCE ICT Unit 1 Sunit Dhadra 12K AVCE ICT.

Growth of Nys Business essays

Growth of Nys Business essays For a number of reasons, business enterprise in New York grew by leaps and bounds between 1825 and 1860. New York's growth between the years 1825 and 1860 can be attributed to a number of factors. These include but cannot be limited to the construction of the Erie Canal, the invention of the telegraph, the developed of the railroads, the establishment of Wall Street and banking, the textile, shipping, agriculture and newpaper industries, the development of steam power and the use of iron products. On October 26, 1825 the Erie Canal was opened. The canal immediately became an important commercial route connecting the East with the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. With tht time of travel cut to one-third and the cost of shipping freight cut to one-tenthof the previous figures, commerce via the canal soon made New York City the chief port of the Atlantic. The growing urban population and the contruction of canals, railroads and factories stimulated the demand for raw materials and food stuffs. In 1836 four-fifths of the tonnage over the Erie Canal came from western New York (North, 10 5). Much of this cargo was in the form of agriculture goods. The farmer become a shrewed businessaman of sorts as he tended to produce whatever products would leave him the greatest profit margin. The rise of the dairy industry was by far the most significant development in the agricultural history of the state between 1825 and 1860. Farmers discovered that cows were their most relliable money-makers, since both the domestic and foreign market kept demanding more dairy products (Ellis, 273). Price flucuations became increasingly important for the farming population between 1825 and 1860. Prices rose from the low level of the early 1820's until the middle 1830's and the farmer's shared in the general prosperity (271). Although the rapid industrialization and urbanization of New York had a great deal to do with the success of agricultural market...

Free Essays on Wal-Mart

Table of Contents I. Title Page II. Table of Contents III. Executive Summary IV. Situation Analysis a. Environment b. Industry c. Firm d. Marketing Strategy V. Problems Found in Situation Analysis a. Statement of Primary Problems b. Statement of Secondary Problems VI. Strategic Alternatives for Solving Problems a. Description of Strategic Alternative  · International Expansion b. Description of Strategic Alternative  · xxxxxxx c. Description of Strategic Alternative  · xxxxxxx d. Description of Strategic Alternative  · xxxxxxx VII. Selection of Strategic Alternatives and Implementation a. Statement of Selected Strategy b. Justification for Selection of Strategy c. Description of Implementation of Strategy VIII. Appendices a. Sustainable Competitive Advantage b. Application of:  · Porter’s five forces  · Michael Porter’s â€Å"Diamond of National Advantage.† c. III Executive Summary Sam Walton is the founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. which was established in Rogers, Arkansas 1962 due to the introduction of a new type of retailing concept called discount retailing. At the same time there was also the emergence of two well known competitors K-Mart and Target which only solidified that the American consumer was shifting more towards a different type of a general store. Walton had recognized a growing market for discount retailing and with extensive research in the United States and overseas he developed the concept â€Å"Sell name brand merchandise at low prices† which soon became the model for all Wal-Mart stores to follow. Wal-Mart from in its early stages began to aggressively expand. Sam Walton has had experience in the retailing industry prior the company’s actual creation with his starting point at J.C. Penny’s as a management trainee, and after WWII branched off in the acquisition of a series of Ben Franklin variety stores. Apparent in the makeup of Wal-Mart cultur... Free Essays on Wal-Mart Free Essays on Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Abstract Sam Walton, a leader with an innovative vision, started his own company and made it into the leader in discount retailing that it is today. Through his savvy, and sometimes unusual, business practices, he and his associates led the company forward for thirty years. Today, four years after his death, the company is still growing steadily. Wal-Mart executives continue to rely on many of the traditional goals and philosophies that Sam's legacy left behind, while simultaneously keeping one step ahead of the ever-changing technology and methods of today's fast-paced business environment. The organization has faced, and is still facing, a significant amount of controversy over several different issues; however, none of these have done much more than scrape the exterior of this gigantic operation. The future also looks bright for Wal-Mart, especially if it is able to strike a comfortable balance between increasing its profits and recognizing its social and ethical resp onsibilities. Why is Wal-Mart so Successful? Is it Good Strategy or Good Strategy Implementation? In 1962, when Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas, no one could have ever predicted the enormous success this small-town merchant would have. Sam Walton's talent for discount retailing not only made Wal-Mart the world's largest retailer, but also the world's number one retailer in sales. Indeed, Wal-Mart was named "Retailer of the Decade" by Discount Store News in 1989, and on several occasions has been included in Fortune's list of the "10 most admired corporations." Even with Walton's death (after a two-year battle with bone cancer) in 1992, Wal-Mart's sales continue to grow significantly. The Wal-Mart Philosophy Wal-Mart is successful not only because it makes sound strategic management decisions, but also for its innovative implementation of those strategic decisions. Regarded by many as the entrepreneur of the c... Free Essays on Wal-mart Table of Contents I. Title Page II. Table of Contents III. Executive Summary IV. Situation Analysis a. Environment b. Industry c. Firm d. Marketing Strategy V. Problems Found in Situation Analysis a. Statement of Primary Problems b. Statement of Secondary Problems VI. Strategic Alternatives for Solving Problems a. Description of Strategic Alternative  · International Expansion b. Description of Strategic Alternative  · xxxxxxx c. Description of Strategic Alternative  · xxxxxxx d. Description of Strategic Alternative  · xxxxxxx VII. Selection of Strategic Alternatives and Implementation a. Statement of Selected Strategy b. Justification for Selection of Strategy c. Description of Implementation of Strategy VIII. Appendices a. Sustainable Competitive Advantage b. Application of:  · Porter’s five forces  · Michael Porter’s â€Å"Diamond of National Advantage.† c. III Executive Summary Sam Walton is the founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. which was established in Rogers, Arkansas 1962 due to the introduction of a new type of retailing concept called discount retailing. At the same time there was also the emergence of two well known competitors K-Mart and Target which only solidified that the American consumer was shifting more towards a different type of a general store. Walton had recognized a growing market for discount retailing and with extensive research in the United States and overseas he developed the concept â€Å"Sell name brand merchandise at low prices† which soon became the model for all Wal-Mart stores to follow. Wal-Mart from in its early stages began to aggressively expand. Sam Walton has had experience in the retailing industry prior the company’s actual creation with his starting point at J.C. Penny’s as a management trainee, and after WWII branched off in the acquisition of a series of Ben Franklin variety stores. Apparent in the makeup of Wal-Mart cultur...

History of Gamelan Indonesian Music and Dance

History of Gamelan Indonesian Music and Dance Across Indonesia, but particularly on the islands of Java and Bali, gamelan is the most popular form of traditional music. A gamelan ensemble consists of a variety of metal percussion instruments, usually made of bronze or brass, including xylophones, drums, and gongs. It may also feature bamboo flutes, wooden stringed instruments, and vocalists, but the focus is on the percussion. The name gamelan comes from gamel, a Javanese word for a type of hammer used by a blacksmith. Gamelan instruments are often made of metal, and many are played with hammer-shaped mallets, as well. Although metal instruments are expensive to make, compared with those of wood or bamboo, they will not mold or deteriorate in Indonesias hot, steamy climate. Scholars suggest that this may be one of the reasons that gamelan developed, with its signature metallic sound. Where and when was gamelan invented? How has it changed over the centuries? Origins of Gamelan Gamelan seems to have developed early in the history of what is now Indonesia. Unfortunately, however, we have very few good sources of information from the early period. Certainly, gamelan seems to have been a feature of court life during the 8th to 11th centuries, among the Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms of Java, Sumatra, and Bali. For example, the great Buddhist monument of Borobudur, in central Java, includes a bas-relief depiction of a gamelan ensemble from the time of the Srivijaya Empire, c. 6th-13th centuries CE. The musicians play stringed instruments, metal drums, and flutes. Of course, we do not have any record of what the music these musicians were playing sounded like, sadly. Classical Era Gamelan During the 12th to 15th centuries, the Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms began to leave more complete records of their doings, including their music. Literature from this era mentions the gamelan ensemble as an important element of court life, and further relief carvings on various temples support the importance of metal percussion music during this period. Indeed, members of the royal family and their courtiers were all expected to learn how to play gamelan and were judged on their musical accomplishments as much as their wisdom, bravery, or physical appearance. The Majapahit Empire (1293-1597) even had a government office in charge of supervising the performing arts, including gamelan. The arts office oversaw the construction of musical instruments, as well as scheduling performances at the court. During this period, inscriptions and bas-reliefs from Bali show that the same types of musical ensembles and instruments were prevalent there as in Java; this is not surprising since both islands were under the control of the Majapahit emperors. During the Majapahit era, the gong made its appearance in Indonesian gamelan. Likely imported from China, this instrument joined other foreign additions such as stitched-skin drums from India and bowed strings from Arabia in some types of gamelan ensembles. The gong has been the longest-lasting and most influential of these imports. Music and the Introduction of Islam During the 15th century, the people of Java and many other Indonesian islands gradually converted to Islam, under the influence of Muslim traders from the Arabian peninsula and south Asia. Fortunately for gamelan, the most influential strain of Islam in Indonesia was Sufism, a mystical branch that values music as one of the pathways to experiencing the divine. Had a more legalistic brand of Islam been introduced, it might have resulted in the extinction of gamelan in Java and Sumatra. Bali, the other major center of gamelan, remained predominantly Hindu. This religious schism weakened the cultural ties between Bali and Java, although trade continued between the islands throughout the 15th to 17th centuries. As a result, the islands developed different forms of gamelan. Balinese gamelan began to emphasize virtuosity and quick tempos, a trend later encouraged by Dutch colonists. In keeping with Sufi teachings, Javas gamelan tended to be slower in tempo and more meditative or trance-like. European Incursions In the mid-1400s, the first European explorers reached Indonesia, intent on elbowing their way into the rich Indian Ocean spice and silk trade. The first to arrive were the Portuguese, who started out with small-scale coastal raids and piracy but managed to capture the key straits at Malacca in 1512. The Portuguese, along with the Arab, African, and Indian slaves they brought with them, introduced a new variety of music into Indonesia. Known as kroncong, this new style combined gamelan-like intricate and interlocking musical patterns with western instrumentation, such as the ukulele, cello, guitar, and violin. Dutch Colonization and Gamelan In 1602, a new European power made its way into Indonesia. The powerful Dutch East India Company ousted the Portuguese and began to centralize power over the spice trade. This regime would last until 1800 when the Dutch crown took over directly. Dutch colonial officials left only a few good descriptions of gamelan performances. Rijklof van Goens, for example, noted that the king of Mataram, Amangkurat I (r. 1646-1677), had an orchestra of between thirty and fifty instruments, primarily gongs. The orchestra played on Mondays and Saturdays when the king entered the court for a type of tournament. van Goens describes a dance troupe, as well, of between five and nineteen maidens, who danced for the king to the gamelan music. Gamelan in Post-Independence Indonesia Indonesia became fully independent of the Netherlands in 1949. The new leaders had the unenviable task of creating a nation-state out of a collection of different islands, cultures, religions, and ethnic groups. The Sukarno regime established publicly-funded gamelan schools during the 1950s and 1960s, in order to encourage and sustain this music as one of the national art forms of Indonesia. Some Indonesians objected to this elevation of a musical style associated primarily with Java and Bali as a national art form; in a multiethnic, multicultural country, of course, there are no universal cultural properties. Today, gamelan is an important feature of shadow puppet shows, dances, rituals, and other performances in Indonesia. Although stand-alone gamelan concerts are unusual, the music may also be heard frequently on the radio. Most Indonesians today have embraced this ancient musical form as their national sound. Sources: Bali and Beyond: A History of Gamelan.Gamelan: Venerable Lake of Honey, University of MichiganJavanese Gamelan: A History of Gamelan MusicSpiller, Henry. Gamelan: The Traditional Sounds of Indonesia, Volume 1, ABC-CLIO, 2004.Sumarsam. Gamelan: Cultural Interaction and Musical Development in Central Java, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Qualities of a good leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualities of a good leader - Essay Example He placed great effort on how to guide the sales team and the very obvious way is about closing a sale and hit their target. Hitting the target sales for the month or so is not easy because of some factors. However, the sales supervisor whom I have known has to motivate the team in order to achieve their target. He personally motivates his sales team through tangible and intangible matters such as financial or emotional support. Based on his functions, he is required to listen to his team. For instance, listening to his team allows him to better understand the specific response of the market to their product or service offerings. He is also required to have persuasive character not only because he needs to convince their customers, but above all his own team. Most of the time, he needs to execute things for the good of the team, but at some point it has become a challenge for him to do so especially in the implementation process. A good sales supervisor has to set everything clear in order for his or her team to follow the right direction just like what he exactly has been doing. In sales department, it is required of the manager or supervisor to guide, motivate, inspire, listen and persuade the whole team in order to close a sale and hit their sales target at the specified time. Today, this is one of the most obvious approaches done in varying organizations in order to be a cut above the other. People at the sales department are required to be business oriented more than the other personnel in an organization such as those in the technical and accounting department. In marketing activity, the manager or supervisor has to think ahead of everyone else and it is in this reason he or she moves ahead aggressively especially on how to create a need for their service and product offerings, and eventually close a sale. In order to effectively and efficiently do this, the sales manager or supervisor must be able to stand as good

Four Internaional Accounting Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Four Internaional Accounting Questions - Essay Example From a creditor’s perspective, they want to be confident that the companies or debt securities their citizens (or the countries themselves) purchase are accurately represented by the published financial statements. 2a. Ever since the onset of modern business and the taxation of corporations, accounting in the US has been rules based. Any major change in the philosophy of accounting will be a challenge. The rules based accounting system dictates exactly how certain transactions should be recorded. The principle based accounting system has few rules. Instead general principles are published and companies are required to ensure their financial statements fairly and accurately represent these principles. I see the main challenge in converting from rules to principles based system will be in the consistency of financial statements. Another challenge will be in educating the investor. Under the principles based system the accountants have much more latitude in the recording of trans actions. For example, depreciation of assets will vary depending on the accountant’s view of useful life.

Foreign language courses in public school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign language courses in public school - Essay Example According to (Dillon 2010), this is a distressing news that many schools nationwide have stopped teaching foreign languages overlooking the fact that a greater number of linguists are present needed in America in an order to look after the global business and diplomacy. The talk about necessarily requiring the American students to take foreign language courses at the schools is weighty and fraught with positive merits because research shows that younger children are more able to develop familiarity with foreign languages and learn to speak them fluently than senior people are. Young school students are of that age when acquiring knowledge about new and difficult things does not create much hurdles for the students and they are able to go all the way through to acquire control over foreign languages, which are sure to assist them a lot in their later lives when they would have to survive in a culturally diverse society and interact with people speaking different languages. There are m any jobs which essentially demand the candidates to be bi-lingual. Jobs in the fields of teaching and business require an individual to be able to socially interact with many people from different backgrounds and who may be speaking different languages. Moreover, according to (Peckham, n.d.), â€Å"children in foreign language programs have tended to demonstrate greater cognitive development, creativity, and divergent thinking than monolingual children.† ... elds of teaching and business require an individual to be able to socially interact with many people from different backgrounds and who may be speaking different languages. Moreover, according to (Peckham, n.d.), â€Å"children in foreign language programs have tended to demonstrate greater cognitive development, creativity, and divergent thinking than monolingual children.† Early foreign language learning is also important because children are the future of a country and arming them with the tool of speaking foreign languages can help them in accepting different cultural beliefs. Even proponents believe that being bi-lingual is important and beneficial in the 21st century since globalization is a prominent feature of the present America, still they obstinately stand by the viewpoint that making the foreign language courses mandatory at school level is not a wise step and should be re-considered in many educational setups. Proponents suggest that though learning foreign langua ges has its merits, still importance of an individual’s freedom should never be forgotten and in the end, it should be the student him/herself and no other authority that should decide whether taking foreign language classes is important at school or not. Proponents also claim that essentially requiring the American students to take foreign language courses at schools is not a wise step because there is already a complex and tough academic course for the students that may virtually leave the students with no excess time for learning foreign languages. This claim may be true to some extent but can be suppressed by adjusting the curriculum in such a smart way that the students would not have to face troubles in adjusting their time between other courses and additional foreign language courses.

Journey from LPN to RN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Journey from LPN to RN - Essay Example ctations, educational/professional outlooks, and personal encounters which have helped to transform the experience of this author from an LPN to an RN. Ultimately, for me there were two paths which could have been taken with regards to transitioning from an LPN to an RN. These paths are as follows: upon completion and residency as an LPN for a period of approximately one year, I could have applied for a bachelor’s of science in nursing (BSN) degree double ultimately translate into an RN. An alternate means to achieve the same goal is after completing university to apply for and complete a Master’s of Science in Nursing degree which serves as something of an accelerated LPN to RN program without any requirements for prior work experience. Although the secondary option is perhaps the more strenuous, it cannot be said to be more difficult due to the fact that it does not have any type of residency or prior work experience requirement attached to it as does the first alternative. With regards to the personal experience of this individual, the path from LPN to RN has taken the first path which has been mentioned. Even thou gh hindsight is perfect, if it was possible to make the choice over again, it would necessarily be the same as it was the first time. This is due to the fact that this particular path has been able to provide me with a high degree of hands on experience and the application of knowledge directly into the field that pursuing the Masters program directly from the LPN would not have been able to provide. Likewise, upon entering the program, I had a strong personal desire to further my education due to the fact that my husband was suffering from a very serious condition; further encouraging me to do all that I could and pour myself completely into studying the requirements that were placed in front of me. Another primary reason that I chose this path was with regards to the fact that the RN’s scope and job responsibilities allowed for a far greater

Labor economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor economics - Assignment Example This is meant to increase efficiency in their work (Murnane, 2012). The painting in slide number 4 show skilled labor and painting in slide number 2 show unskilled labors. Workers become more skilled by doing the particular job they want over and over again. In order for one to perfect his or her skills, one has to do the job make a mistake, note the mistake to ensure no repeat of the same mistake. By so doing, one gets to acquire more and more skills as you continue working. The painting number 50 shows workers whose job is more specializes while the painting number 37 shows workers that are self- sufficient and independent. The specialized workers have unity and depend on one another for the processes to be fully completed. This is because every worker is only specialized in a certain level of production that is. In so doing work gets to move faster, and they get to do a large volume of production. For the self sufficient and independent workers the advantage is that they cut down the wages because they tend to employ very few workers but with several skills and therefore can do all steps of production by him or herself. This takes a lot of time because one or two workers cannot work as fast as many workers would. It is only applicable in the production of goods that do not move fast and therefore time of completion is not an issue (Murnane, 2012). Capital goods are shown in the painting number 6. These goods are complemented to the skilled labor so as to make their work easier and to therefore finish on time. The unskilled labor will not learn more skills by being given these goods. They should learn the hard way so that when they are given the capital goods they only use them to perfect the skills. The painting number 68 shows that the changes in technology have made people change the kind of work they do. This is so because the technology is meant to make work easier and therefore people go for less tiring jobs. The painting number 45 shows

Implementation of Infrastructure Research Paper

Implementation of Infrastructure - Research Paper Example A structured communication network is always required for a company to maintain a smooth and viable information and communication system in the company. If it is not sustained, it will surely create problems in the overall operation of the company. An inefficient communication network will increase the employee working problems. Due to impending difficulties, the workers would delay in accomplishing their work and get frustrated in their professional life. Significance of the ProblemThe information technology (IT) sector is grossly responsible for the growth of the global economy since 1980. Efficient IT in U.S. is responsible for its competitive advantage over many economies in the world. This division has not only helped in the development of the military segment of U.S. but has also helped for the industrial progress of the country. Since 1990, the Internet has become a popular topic of public discussion forums. Business firms and individuals have started using computers for both information manipulation and communication. This has augmented importance of IT in the economy. The information learned from this research will help any IT company to set up an appropriate communication system that would, in turn, serve its smooth operation (Samuelson & Varian, 2001). In order to show the empirical relevance of the research, the researcher has introduced a primary survey, which encompasses a questionnaire session to a random sample of 37 IT professionals within the age group of 18 to 45 years.... but has also helped for the industrial progress of the country. Since 1990, the Internet has become a popular topic of public discussion forums. Business firms and individuals have started using computers for both information manipulation and communication. This has augmented importance of IT in the economy. The information learned from this research will help any IT company to set up an appropriate communication system that would, in turn, serve its smooth operation (Samuelson & Varian, 2001). Statement of the Research Question The research question for the project is: Q1. Will an efficient and optimal communication network help a company reduce its gross cost and save more money? Q2. Does improper networking result in extensive time and revenue expenditure for a company? Data Sources In order to show the empirical relevance of the research, the researcher has introduced a primary survey, which encompasses a questionnaire session to a random sample of 37 IT professionals within the age group of 18 to 45 years. Instrument Reliability The sample chosen for the questionnaire session is not stochastic in nature. The result and conclusions will be same, no matter what random sample of individuals is drawn from the IT market. Instrument Validity The researcher will not alter the validity for the sample survey. The sample will be 100% valid as per the mentioned features. Survey Questions The researcher may add this additional question: Q1: What is the speed of your processor? Option 1= less that 3 GHz; Option 2.66 = greater than or equal to 3 GHz. Distributional Method The survey questions will be distributed to the IT professionals through SurveyMonkey or any other popular websites. Treatment of the Data The researcher has used an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test to

Labor economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Labor economics - Assignment Example This is meant to increase efficiency in their work (Murnane, 2012). The painting in slide number 4 show skilled labor and painting in slide number 2 show unskilled labors. Workers become more skilled by doing the particular job they want over and over again. In order for one to perfect his or her skills, one has to do the job make a mistake, note the mistake to ensure no repeat of the same mistake. By so doing, one gets to acquire more and more skills as you continue working. The painting number 50 shows workers whose job is more specializes while the painting number 37 shows workers that are self- sufficient and independent. The specialized workers have unity and depend on one another for the processes to be fully completed. This is because every worker is only specialized in a certain level of production that is. In so doing work gets to move faster, and they get to do a large volume of production. For the self sufficient and independent workers the advantage is that they cut down the wages because they tend to employ very few workers but with several skills and therefore can do all steps of production by him or herself. This takes a lot of time because one or two workers cannot work as fast as many workers would. It is only applicable in the production of goods that do not move fast and therefore time of completion is not an issue (Murnane, 2012). Capital goods are shown in the painting number 6. These goods are complemented to the skilled labor so as to make their work easier and to therefore finish on time. The unskilled labor will not learn more skills by being given these goods. They should learn the hard way so that when they are given the capital goods they only use them to perfect the skills. The painting number 68 shows that the changes in technology have made people change the kind of work they do. This is so because the technology is meant to make work easier and therefore people go for less tiring jobs. The painting number 45 shows

Meaning of Life and Success Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Success Essay The most important thing in my life is thought to be happiness. In order to achieve success you must adjust to very situation with ease. Success is it the process of doing a task and receiving a positive result, or is it simply achieving one’s own personal goals. According to The American Heritage dictionary success is, â€Å"the achievement of something desired, planned, or attempt†. The word success itself means to achieve your goal or get the point that you looking for. Some people success meant to them to be rich or to finish school and work high pay jobs. But for me success means more than that. Success means to me have peace and love; also to get married and to enter heaven after this life is over. To be sure, everybody who has peace and love is a successful succeeding person. Without peace and love there is no success. You wake up in the morning and you don’t worry about anything that day; that is success for me, because the life is short, you don’t have to be concerned about anything. Also if you have a family that loves you and is always happy for what you are doing, that is success. In addition, if you take care of your old parents and they love you and they live a happy life, which is success for me. Additionally, success is also something that is viewed differently in the eyes of everyone. This is because success means doing what I have always wanted do being where I have always wanted to be. My goal in life is to eventually get married to a good wife and have many happy children and if I accomplished that, then I could view myself as having success. Lastly, meaning of success for me is to enter the heaven after this life is over. We know that life in this world is too short, and we don’t know when we are going to die and what we are going to get after this life. That is a simple answer; do good deeds in this world and you are going to be successful in the life hereafter. That means you enter the heaven for sure and that is big reward from God to his mankind. There is no dying after this life; that means if you don’t enter the heaven you will be the loser and who ever go in the heaven will be the winner. In conclusion, I still agree with the idea I presented: however according to the dictionary and many other resources, success means to them achievement. But according to my own opinion success means to believe the ones of God, and to have peace and love in your whole life, and to get in heaven the life hereafter.

British Punk Movement Causes

British Punk Movement Causes Was the Punk movement in Britain merely a working class response to the advent of Thatcherism and free-market ideas? Im in love with Margaret Thatcher; that is what the Notsensibles ironically sang, or let us say yelled, in 1979 (Im in love with Margaret Thatcher). Maggie, Maggie you cunt! added violently the Exploited in 1985 (Maggie, Horror Epics). The corpus of songs written on, or rather against, Margaret Thatcher is quite extensive, not only during the Punk years, which is not surprising since she was the only British Prime Minister in the 20th century to win three consecutive terms-May 1979, June 1983 and June 1987. At the time of her resignation in November 1990, she was Britains longest continuously serving Prime Minister since 1827. During the eleven years she spent at number 10, the change of style she imposed on British politics and economy was tremendous to the extent that to some commentators there was no turning back (Jones et al. 666) and it would be a euphemism to say that nobody remained unconcerned about Mrs Thatchers revolution. No wonder then, that between the Punks wearing their leather jackets, smoking sixty cigarettes a day and staying up all night on speed (Savage 133), and the dressed up to the nine woman from Grantham, who was an Oxford educated Conservative and a Methodist, the clash was inevitable. That is the reason why it is chiefly interesting to ask the following question: Was the Punk movement in Britain merely a working class response to the advent of Thatcherism and free-market ideas? In other words, is it possible to relate to a major shift in politics one of the most famous, aggressive, contradictory, and yet ephemeral phenomenon of British popular culture? If such a question might appear quite obvious given the contemporaneousness between the emergence of the Punk culture-or subculture-and Thatchers rise to power, it will nevertheless require a balanced answer. Indeed, one of the key elements of our analysis will be, first, to take a closer look at the sociopolitical context in order to break the stereotypes. We will then be led to wonder whether the message conveyed by the Punks was rather concerned with a certain type of society at large. Finally, we will observe that the artificiality of Punk music and its merchandising definitely challenges the so-called proletarian revolt against a new political and economic order. There is nothing easier but to systematically oppose Thatcherism and the British Punk movement since they approximately emerged at the same time. Margaret Thatcher had become leader of the Conservative Party in 1975 and had begun formulating her own brand of Tory policy while the following single from the Sex Pistols-probably the most famous and influential Punk band in Britain-was released in November 1976: Anarchy in the UK (Savage 563). Nevertheless, that would be forgetting that most of the social strain had been accumulated under the Callaghan-Labour-government: By July 1975, England was in recession. The unemployment figures for that month were the worst since the Second  World  War . . . . Not only had output shrunk, but public spending had risen to 45 per cent of the national income, and was threatening to unbalance the whole economy. (Savage  108) Dave Laing, in One Chord Wonders, analysed the subject-matter of the lyrics on the debut albums of the first five punk groups to achieve prominence in 1976-7 (27) and very interestingly concluded that the overwhelming number . . . of social and political comment lyrics came from the first Clash album [The Clash] (29). That proves that social (economic, political, etc.) preoccupations were already there before Margaret Thatchers first premiership, before a truly Thatcherite government was ever established. Therefore, the idea according to which the Punk movement would be a mere response to Thatcherism is being challenged quite importantly here. We have used the word Thatcherism several times already, but what does it really mean? An attempt to define what that could be might prove very useful to our analysis. According to Overbeck: Thatcherism is a reasonably coherent and comprehensive concept of control for the restoration of bourgeois rule and bourgeois hegemony in the new circumstances of the 1980s . . . The central elements in the Thatcherite concept are the reorientation of Britains foreign policy and the redefinition of its place in the world; its attack on the position of the trade unions and the Labour Party (Thatcher aims to eliminate socialism as a serious political force); the restructuration of the role of the state in the economy; and finally a reordering of the balance of power between different fractions of capital in Britain. (in  Jessop  et  al. 3) That long definition seems to establish Thatcherism as a political theory, an ideology, such as Marxism for instance. Nevertheless, most modern commentators share the . . . view that Thatcherism does not represent a coherent ideology (Evans 2). Indeed, as Peter Riddell reminds us: the [first] Thatcher administration has not followed a pure free-market or monetarist programme, though strands of both have clearly been important (6). He suggests another definition: Thatcherism is essentially an instinct, a series of moral values and an approach to leadership rather than an ideology (7). We have to leave there the definitional considerations for it would be too long to go through all of them-full books have been written on the matter-but it was interesting to point those out because since some specialists argue that there is no such thing as Thatcherism, we could have a hard time trying to prove that the Punk movement in Britain merely was (or was not) a working class response to it. As far as the working class is concerned, when one reads the lyrics of Maggie, a song by the Exploited we have already alluded to in our introduction, it is true that it clearly refers to its financial difficulties: Twenty five quid to live on, seven days a week to survive! Five and twenty pictures of the queen! You wont see the starvation in her eyes! Twenty five quid to dish out and youre already ten in debt, so with fifteen singles left over the landlord gets the rest! Maggie, Maggie you cunt! Maggie, Maggie you cunt! Maggie, Maggie you cunt! Maggie, Maggie, Maggie, Maggie you fucking cunt! Twenty five reasons for trouble! Three million mouths to feed! Theyre destroying your mind and body while they increase their own needs. Twenty five quid of insult! Two meals soon kills your health! They want to see you suffer! They want to see you dead! (Horror Epics) Indeed, despite the end of the recession in 1982, unemployment continued to rise [and] reached a peak of 3.2 millions in 1985 and the cost of unemployment benefit . . . on those in work continued to increase (Evans 29). One of the government counter-measures was to ma[ke] it less easy to qualify for unemployment benefits (op. cit.). But, nevertheless, if we take a look at the structure of the popular vote in the 1979 and 1983 general elections we observe that the working class-a shrinking category-vote swung from the left to the right. This is a phenomenon called dealignment, which Peter Dorey defines as such: the changing allegiance and electoral behaviour, particularly with regard to identification with, and regular support for, a political party (154). The reasons for dealignment are numerous and we cannot go through all of them here but let us just say that, among other things, the crisis had brought on a great uncertainty about the future and that Labour was not trusted anymore to solve social issues. Furthermore, Mrs Thatchers law and order policy was appealing to people living in poor and unsecure areas. As a result, Labour . . . witnessed its working-class support fall to 50 per cent in 1979 (and to 42 percent in 1983) (Dorey 155). Finally, British punk bands political orientation was ambiguous: La semaine oà ¹  «Ã‚  God Save the Queen  Ã‚ » sortit, les Sex Pistols furent simultanà ©ment accusà ©s dà ªtre communistes, anarchistes et mà ªme dappartenir au National Front (Chastagner 80). Thus, it was hard to see who they were fighting for-but themselves. Moreover, as Laing points out: Right to work by Chelsea was one of the best known of the early punk songs. Its title echoed the slogan of a left-wing campaign against the rising jobless totals of the mid-1970s. But though the song is a protest about standing around just waiting for a career, its diagnosis of the cause of unemployment was impeccably right-wing: the lyric blames the power of the trade unions. (31) Bearing in mind all those considerations, we should now wonder whether the Punk movement in Britain was a reaction against a certain type of society as a whole rather than just a working class response to Thatcherism and free-market ideas-for that view proved being too restricted and often even wrong. The Punks were born in a society which had left them very little hope for the future-in God Save the Queen (Never Mind the Bollocks, Heres the Sex Pistols) the terms Theres no future for you and No Future are repeated many times and were even taken as a leitmotif to describe the punk generation later on-and they reacted violently against a social system which had deprived them of their very essence. To exist, their only chance was then to incorporate the conventional symbols of that society and to throw them back at people in the most absurd and incomprehensible manner-thus foreshadowing post-modernism: quelle que soit la rà ©ussite [des] diffà ©rentes sous-cultures à   exprimer le d à ©sarroi de groupes sociaux, gà ©nà ©rationnels ou ethniques et leur identità © collective, cest bien leur fonction de rà ©sistance symbolique qui est soulignà ©e (Le Guern 46). Otherwise, who could understand the significance of a safety-pin used as a jaw piercing for instance, or the blurred political messages conveyed by the successive punk bands-from Stalinism to Nazism? Of course, what we called a kind of society as a whole also includes music and we should not forget that the Punk movement was also a response to the rock establishment: Rocks neo-elite no longer spoke to this new generation . . . and rock superstars were overindulged rich men who lived in foreign countries to avoid paying taxes that helped to service the working class. As a form of protest against the rock establishment, punkers adopted the attitude of rebellion and dressed themselves in the leathers of the original teen rebels of the American fifties, a sharp commentary on the twisted values of establishment rock. (Eliot 188) As Chastagner pointed out: Le mouvement punk redonnait la musique aux sans-grade, aux malhabiles, aux frustes. Pas besoin dapprentissage, dinitiation, nimporte qui pouvait monter sur scà ¨ne et jouer (81). The One Chord generation was born and their music was vilified by many. Analysing how punk rock was described in the daily and weekly newspapers, Dave Laing noticed a great variety of words pertaining to the following semantic fields: mental illness, physical illness, unpleasant effects, and violence (100). One could think of such an opposition as being the main cause of the short-lived punk experience but it actually was reinvigorating; according to Philip H. Ennis: punk concentrates all the passion once carried by mature rock into an explicit repudiation of adult life (366). Therefore, punk rock could both be seen as a political, social, and artistic movement (independent and nurtured on new trends, such as International Situationism), and as the renaissance of rocknroll in its true form, i.e. before the latter became a product of the consumer society. Rock Roll was once loathed-Franck Sinatra declared: Rock n Roll is the most brutal, ugly, desperate, vicious form of expression it has been my misfortune to hear (in Burnett 29)-and produced by independent labels; it is this existence on the fringe of society that also gave to punk music its apparent authenticity: If BBC radio 1 had been willing to give immediate heavy rotation treatment to, say, the Sex Pistols God Save the Queen the day it was released, then the disc would probably never have been conceived. Popular culture, if it is to be progressive, must embody an element of opposition to the establishment, provocatively questioning the status quo. (Bennet 167) It is definitely not surprising then, that in the case of the Sex Pistols it was their arrival at commercial stardom [that] marked the end of their social relevance (Eliot 188). But we will look into that more extensively later on. For now, we would like to shed light on some of the Punk movements intrinsic contradictions. We have just alluded to independent labels in the previous paragraph. It is relevant to observe here, that many of the anti-Thatcher records were released on independent labels-arguably themselves models of Thatcherite entrepreneurial flair (Heard  BBC News). Moreover, we must remember that Mrs Thatcher asserted the primacy of the individual (Savage 110) and that she valued very much self-reliance, obviously derived from Samuel Smiles notion of self-help described in the late 19th century (Self-Help). We cannot help thinking that those values were not totally incompatible with the kind of selfish attitudes that had emerged during the events of 1968 and which extensively developed in the 1970s along with the Punk movement-one of the Sex Pistols first singles, released in 1976 along with Anarchy in the UK, was titled I Wanna Be Me (Savage 563). To Muggleton: subcultures are manifestations of self-expression, individual autonomy and cultural diversity (167). After those reflections on punk musics relationship with society and culture, we are now obviously led to question the credibility of the Punk movement. We have gathered some obvious clues so far, but what will put another nail in the coffin of Punk music is its artificiality. Indeed, it developed mainly under the influence of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, whose preoccupations were very often far from the working class: La naissance du mouvement punk doit beaucoup à   Malcolm McLaren,  «Ã‚  crà ©ateur  Ã‚ » des Sex Pistols. Il ny a rien de spontanà ©, rien de la rà ©volte brute des opprimà ©s, aucune rà ©bellion des damnà ©s de la terre dans le travail de McLaren. Cest un intellectuel, ancien à ©tudiant des Beaux-Arts et nourri des à ©crits situationnistes. Fascinà © par mai 68, il essaya, avec sa compagne de là ©poque, Vivienne Westwood, de faire violence au corps social britannique en se servant de la mode. Ils ouvrirent une boutique de và ªtements sur Kings Road, à   Londres. . . . Le succà ¨s narrivant pas assez vite, McLaren eut lidà ©e de se servir dun groupe de rock comme vitrine pour ses và ªtements et porte-parole de ses thà ©ories. . . . On se rend bien vite compte que la naissance des Sex Pistols et le mouvement punk qui en a dà ©coulà © nest pas une rà ©action spontanà ©e aux conditions sociales de là ©poque. Il y a au dà ©part . . . une stratà ©gie bien à ©l oignà ©e de la rà ©volution prolà ©tarienne. . . . La rhà ©torique  «Ã‚  classe ouvrià ¨re  Ã‚ » est surtout un argument publicitaire. (Chastagner 77-78) The first Sex Pistols concerts took place in Art Schools, it was not a music born in the streets-unlike what is very often said-and it could then be seen as a form of art which message was primarily dedicated to an enlightened university educated elite, and delivered with a fake working class accent. Dave Laing stresses that Lydons pronunciation was very artificial, notably in the song Anarchy in the UK in which the unnatural rhyming of the last syllable of Anti-Christ with Anarchist shifts the attention away from the message to the rhyme-scheme and could momentarily set up an ambivalent signal about the sincerity of the whole enterprise (58). The artificiality was also found in the names. Johnny Lydon was rechristened Johnny Rotten-the legend says that it was because of his very bad dental hygiene-and John Simon Ritchies stage name was Sid Vicious. Moreover, McLarens will to sign his group with a major company is another proof of punk musics ambiguity: it seemingly struggled to fit in the very system it was claiming to reject, to destroy. We witnessed to a love-hate relationship with the music industry, particularly with the very famous EMI episode: The Pistols received a $100,000 advance upon signing, only to be released two days later after a wave of protests from shareholders.  .  .  . (Eliot 188). The band changed record companies several times before finally becoming one of Virgins best selling artists-even though the relationship with Virgin was very tense too. It is also interesting to point out that God Save the Queen was originally titled No Future but that the name was changed into a more commercially effective one to coincide with Elizabeth IIs jubilee and, according to Eliot, [the song] shot to number two, and the group disbanded. Success killed the message; a familiar rock scenario (189). As early as the summer of 1977, cracks started to appear within the punk movement; it looked like things were being made safe again, opposition was being channelled and recuperated, rebellion commodified (McKay 73). A new vanguard known as the post-punks denounced the business punk music had become, even giving a new lease of life to the formerly declining record companies while the punk message had always been-at least, politically speaking-to clearly dismantle the establishment. But as Laing observes: Whether or not punk rock was dead after 1978 [i.e. after the Pistols fragmentation], the punks themselves were not. . . . By 1981 the performances of bands such as The Exploited had all [the characteristics of punk music] (109). He continues, referring to Crass who attacked punk bands who had sold out' (113). Crass is very interesting to look into since they were seen by anarchist thinkers to be the only band carrying the political-musical line forward.  .  .  . (McKay 77) and b ecause one of their bà ªtes noires was, of course, Margaret Thatcher. Their opposition to the Iron Ladys Falklands war was very strong and gave birth to no less than two songs: Sheep Farming in the Falklands, which was one of the best-selling punk records of 1983. . . . (Laing 113), and How Does It Feel (To Be the Mother of a Thousand Dead)? (McKay 81). Crass found themselves largely alone on the punk scene in . . . criticizing the actions of the British government. . . . [Nevertheless, they still managed] to avoid recuperation [and] to maintain political and artistic autonomy in the music industry of all places. That is such an achievement. If punk was a discourse of authenticity, . . . Crass must be placed at the centre of [it]. (McKay 81-82) However, we do think that their do it yourself, DIY attitude-described by McKay as a strategy of bricolage (78)-seems to echo Thatchers thought in an uncanny fashion: recovery can only come through the work of individuals. . . . And the worst thing a Government can do is to try to smother it completely with a sort collective alternative (Speech to Conservative Rally in Cardiff). Some individualistic values were shared-we already observed that before with the Sex Pistols-both by the Punks and Margaret Thatcher, therefore it remains impossible to clearly oppose them. To conclude, we shall remember that we attempted to demonstrate that, for various reasons, the British Punk movement was not a mere working class response to Thatcherism and free-market ideas. Firstly, punk social protests started before the emergence of Thatcherism-if such a political doctrine can even be considered to exist at all. Plus, both the lack of clarity in the punk political message and the working class disillusionment for left-wing ideals led us to think that the issue was far more complex. That is the reason why we then tried to briefly analyse the implications of the Punks criticism of society, notably as a strong symbolic force, and as a vehement opposition to the establishment in general. However, we finally realized that the artificiality of the Punk movement, along with its intrinsic ambiguities pervading our analysis, prevented us to define it as being truly anti-Thatcherite, proletarian, or opposed to free-market economy.

Jamaican Artists and Producers :: Essays Papers

Jamaican Artists and Producers Music has been a dominant source of change in our society, throughout the world, and spanning the generations. It is a source of change, expression, culture, symbolism, and in Jamaican music, particularly reggae, it can even be a silent, peaceful revolution. There are various ideas of what reggae is, or what it does, which will be a main concentration. The music of Jamaica is a changing structure as well, from mento to ska to rocksteady to reggae to dub. Dozens of people are responsible for the spread of the popular music of the Caribbean island known as Jamaica. There are the big producers, such as Dodd, Reid, Buster, and there are others like Perry, Blackwell, Higgs, and Gibbs. Without them the music of Jamaica would have been contained there, and never would the world have learned in quite the same personal way about the vast unhappiness and oppression of the majority of Jamaican society. Artists like Jimmy Cliff, Toots, U Roy, Winston Rodney, and especially Bob Marley have create d a significant part of the culture of Jamaica through their lyrics of angst and frustration at their political and economical situation. Because music is also an industry of ever-changing circumstance, the lineage has proven to be much harder to trace and follow than previously expected. A fitting statement was made by a reggae musician concerning the mystery of the island and it's music:"Jamaica: fragment of bomb-blast, catastrophe of geological history (volcano, middle passage, slavery, plantation, colony, neo-colony) has somehow miraculously-some say triumphantly-survived. How we did this is still a mystery and perhaps it should remain so. But at least we can say this: that the secret and expression of that survival lies glittering and vibrating in our music."(Edward Kamau Brathwaite, reggae artist) The music of Jamaica began five centuries ago, when Columbus colonized the land of the Arawak Indians. This dates the start of oppression in this small island in the Caribbean. After the Spanish came the English, both extremely ethnocentric groups when dealing with"inferiors", or"minorities". Blacks were brought in as slaves, and although Jamaica has had it's independence since 1963, the tension of authority and control still reigns menacingly. Jamaica is a story of injustice, international influence, ineffective governing, and unequal distribution of wealth; all of these elements provide a solid base for the theme of oppression and the need for a revolution and redemption in

Description, Function, Attribution, and Analysis of a Red-figure Type B

The durability of clay has brought forth an immense abundance of Greek pottery, a craft mastered by Athenian artists. Archeologists have found hundreds of varieties in creation, shape, function, style, and artwork in Archaic vases. The museum has been blessed with one of these priceless artifacts; it is the duty of this establishment to accumulate as much data as possible surrounding the vase. In first identifying technique, dimensions, and condition, as well as describing shape, ornament, and figural scenery, one may then begin to analyze the vase. This serves the general purpose of understanding where the artifact stands in Greek culture and history. Through the examination and research of figural scenes, it is then possible to compare these to other scenes and styles of the same and other painters. Finally, one can then hypothesize where, why, and how this piece was used. The Athenian vase can be identified as a red-figure Type B Kylix. The height of the vase vacillates between 12.1 and 12.3 centimeters, and the diameter of the foot is roughly 12.5 centimeters. Whereas the diameter of the mouth varies between 33.1 and 33.5 centimeters, the diameter with handles is close to 41.5 centimeters. The vase is completely restored, a condition in which pieces on the body of the vase are glued back together. The bottom of the foot is decorated with subsidiary ornamentation, but the design cannot be distinguished due to the condition of the kylix. A reserved save band runs around the step of the foot. Beneath the artwork is subsidiary ornamentation in the style of circumscribed and horizontal palmettes. A reserved line lies where the lower body meets the stem. The body of the kylix joins into the stem without an abrupt junction, and the foot is convex in profile. Along the exterior, two handles curve upwards along opposite sides of the kylix. Both the upper surface and the inside of the handles are reserved, with the area of the body behind them. The single figural scene on the front body of the kylix roughly depicts a battle between centaurs and human characters. It also includes animal figures. Starting from the left, there is a bearded and mustached male centaur with long, pointed ears. Above the waist, his head and bare torso are human; below the waist, his buttocks, legs, and hooves resemble the body of a horse. He clenches a spear from behind in his left h... ...comparing the kylix with those of an earlier and later date, one can see that the Greeks were an extremely progressive culture that could make leaps and bounds in art in only a matter of two decades. Though the ideal Greek concept of hero depicts Heracles as impassive and undaunted in this kylix, Euripides suggests that the society also honored his grounded qualities like love, emotion, and sympathy. These conjectures are an important addition to current knowledge of ancient Greece as archeologists move towards further exciting discoveries. Alan H. Griffiths, â€Å"Centaurs†, Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth, 2003, The Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 309 J.D. Beazley, 1984, Attic Red Figure Vase Painters, Vol. 2 (New York: Hacker Art Books), 124-127 A.T. Clark, 2002, Understanding Greek Vases (Los Angeles: J Paul Getty Museum), 53 M.G. Kanowski, 1984, Containers of Classical Greece (New York: University of Queensland Press), 63-67 J. Boardman, 1975, Athenian Red Figure Vases, The Archaic Period (London: Thames and Hudson), 121, ill. 170 J. Falconer and T. Mannack, 2002, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 925, ill. 19

Understanding Child and Young Person Development

Unit title: Understand child and young person development Unit number: CYP Core 3 Question 4 4. 1 Analyse the importance of early identification of speech, language and communication delays and disorders and the potential risks of late recognition. It is essential that speech, language and communication delays and disorders are noticed early so the relevant interventions can be used to support the child or young person. Answer the questions below. 1. How can observation be used to identify speech, language and communication delays? 2. What should you do if you have concerns about a child’s development of speech, language and communication skills? 3. What would be the risks if these delays were not identified? Use your answers to help you analyse the importance of early identification of speech, language and communication delays and disorders and the potential risks in late recognition. The early years are a time for rapid learning and development in a child’s life. Language is very important to learning since it helps the child to store information in an organized way and to express the child’s thoughts. If a child has difficulty in communicating with others due to a speech and language delay or disorder the child will be at a disadvantage. The child will have many problems. The child may fail to understand instructions given by the adult and this may be interpreted as misbehaviour. For example the child has been instructed to put away the task and line up to go for the music lesson to another room at school. However the child has not understood what has to be done because of his inability to process the information. Instead the child goes and has a drink of water and takes out his lunch box. Teaching in schools is usually done through verbal description and instruction. The adult presents learning situations with the use of language or speech. Failure to understand means the child will be unable to store or use information provided. For example the child has to play a board game with three other children and so has to follow specific instructions shown by the adult according to the rules of the game. A child with language delay has limited resources for demonstrating knowledge and explaining their reasoning. For example the child wants to explain to the teacher the properties of a three dimension solid but finds it difficult to do so because of language delay. Oral language serves as a precursor to literary skills. For example the child first has to be a good communicator and then uses this skill to interact with others. Then the child uses vocabulary to understand and experience stories, songs, poems and rhymes. The child begins to enjoy reading and writing. Language ability is central to the ability to establish friendship with other children. The child has to be able to communicate and talk to his peers and form social relationships with them. For example the children use language to imagine at role play and develop social skills. There are a number of reasons why children experience difficulties and delays in speech, language and communication development. The causes may be due to ear infection where the child is unable to hear words or hear distorted sounds, or find it confusing and tiring to focus on verbal communication. The ear fluid may pose a problem for the child and sounds are muffled and not clear to the child’s hearing. The child may be experiencing specific difficulty in using their oral muscles effectively and this may affect speech. For example a child with cerebral palsy does not have much control over the mouth and the muscles around it and so cannot form the words properly. The child may say ‘b’ sound instead of ‘v’ and so the meaning of the word could be totally different-base for vase. Sometimes speech and language difficulties are passed down families. For example stammering or lisping. Problem’s during pregnancy and birth can also affect the child’s developing brain and contribute to speech and language difficulties as part of a wider developmental delay. For example a mother may experience bleeding of the placenta during pregnancy and this may affect the unborn child. The child born thus may be able to say certain sounds but not be able to speak clearly as the vocal chords may be affected or due to damage in the brain that controls language. There may be a recognised syndrome or disorder that causes language difficulty for the child and is not able to communicate with others. The child may have a lack of stimulation and support to provide the rich language experience necessary to develop speech, language and communication skills. For example at school, the setting may not have an enabling environment to stimulate the child’s different interests necessary for acquiring language. The books, music, songs and so on may not stimulate and interest the child. For most children there is no clear reason as to why there is a delay in the development of speech, language and communication skills. Therefore, an adult should never assume that the child’s speech, language and communication problems are due to hearing loss. It may be that the child is experiencing communicating difficulties that are unrelated to their hearing problems because the child may not have acquired the vocabulary necessary to express his thoughts and actions. It is important to observe the child carefully, closely and to listen to them in different situations to ensure that the teacher is clear about what their needs are, their strengths and difficulties. It is important to observe the child in a range of settings and in both structured and unstructured situations. For example the child can be observed in the classroom; playground or lunch hall and the assessor can identify the child’s needs and plan the next step for the child’s development in speech, language and communication skills. Some children who begin settings with an apparent delay in their skills quickly progress as the child experiences language rich activities. Other children who are shy take a while to develop confidence to speak and express themselves because the child may be shy or reserved by nature. The most reliable assessor will take into account the child’s views, parents’ knowledge of the child and observations from all professionals who are involved with the development of the child. Assessment should be a continuous process and over a period of time so that one can gather evidence to inform and enable appropriate and timely support and provision for the child. The assessor should never be tempted to â€Å"wait and see†. There is a â€Å"window of opportunity†: if a child’s speech, language and communication skills are similar to his peers by age 5 12years then the child is making good progress. If it is not, then the child needs support at an early stage over a period of 2 years so that the child can progress and be at the same level as his peers so it is always better to start now when the problem has been identified. The assessor will enquire about the child’s hearing and request a test if necessary. The assessor will check physiological factors affecting development like vision, cleft palate, motor difficulties. The assessor will show particular awareness and sensitivity to, the needs of a child learning English as an additional language. To encourage and develop the child’s speech, language and communication skills most effectively, the adult needs to position herself face to face as the adult plays and talks to the children. The adult needs to shift her gaze between the activity the child does and the child. For example when the child sees the face of the adult it allows the child to understand the facial expressions and the lip pattern help the child to understand words. The adult must make sure that the child is paying attention each time the adult talks to the child. For example at circle time the teacher must ensure that the child is facing her and not be distracted. The child must be able to concentrate and not play with a piece of string found on the mat. The adult must keep language simple and avoid long and complicated sentences when talking and giving instructions to the child. Long winded sentences confuse and distract the child and the child may not be able to follow. At group time the adult must make sure that the child is seeing the adult’s face. This will help the child to understand emotions and facial expressions when the child is being read a story. The adult must use gestures since this will help and encourage the child to become good communicators. Learning to listen and speak emerges out of non-verbal communication like eye contact, facial expressions and hand gestures. The adult must ensure that there is no background noise that will affect the ability of the child to hear what the adult is saying. If there is noise the child will distracted and lose interest in the lesson. The adult should have knowledge of the child’s use of a dummy at home and should discourage parents to use it because problems arise in speech and the child may not be able to speak and pronounce words clearly. Sucking habits impede progress in speech, language and communication skills since the child interacts less socially with his peers and people around the child. The movement of the tongue is restricted and the child does not talk as much if the child did not have the dummy in the mouth. The dummy should be given to the child at bedtime or when really required and not to keep the child quiet. The adult should talk at a natural pace. If the adult speaks too fast the child will not understand what is being spoken. If the adult speaks very slowly the child loses interest and attention gets diverted since the child has a short attention span. If a child is shouted at and given commands then the child’s speech gets hampered. Shouting, by the child is viewed as unpleasant and jarring to the ear and the lip pattern gets distorted. The child may develop a fear and become withdrawn and afraid in the adult’s presence. If an adult in the school setting is concerned about the speech, language and communication skills of a child then the adult must discuss it with the parents. The adult can approach the parents in a sensitive manner and say the child has a problem with these particular speech sounds and not say that they cannot understand what the child says. With permission the school can seek specialist help so that the child’s needs can be supported appropriately at the right time and right age keeping all the other factors that help towards the building of good speech, language and communication skills. If the child has a delay in speech development, the child will not understand language spoken to them. The child will develop a range of sound speech inappropriate for their age. The child will not develop use of words and sentences appropriate to their age. The child may use language inappropriately. For example saying phrases that do not make sense in context or repeating chunks of language without any meaning. The child may find it unusually difficult to follow rules or join in conversation by looking, taking turns, sharing, interest in a subject and so on. The child may show frustration and be upset and may withdraw from conversation due to non-fluency in language. Sometimes the parents are very anxious about the child’s speech and then this reflects on the child’s behaviour and development. If an adult observes that the child is non-fluent that continues more than 6 months then the adult have to take serious action and appropriate measures should be adopted because it has been seen that with extra support, the child makes good progress. Speech, language and communication difficulties are common among children. Early identification therefore prevents difficulties later on especially in talking, listening, literacy and making friends.