Tsunami the Killer Waves free essay sample

Although the magnitude 9. 0 quake on Mar. 11, 2011, apparently did not collapse high-rise buildings, the ensuing tsunamis flattened vast areas along the northeast coast. The death toll is swelling steadily as bodies wash in on the surf, and citizens and Japan’s Self Defense Forces scour a landscape turned upside down by inconceivably powerful waves. The news recalls the estimated 250,000 people who perished, mainly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, in the 2004 â€Å"Christmas tsunami† that followed a huge, offshore quake. Both Japan and Indonesia are volcanic lands in the Ring of Fire, which partly surrounds the Pacific Ocean in a giant series of subduction zones and volcanoes. ) Shortly after Japan stopped shaking at 2:46 pm local time on Friday, March 11, we began hearing about troubles at a series of nuclear plants. After the reactors automatically shut down during the quake, emergency systems for removing heat still being generated in the reactors were routinely switched on. We will write a custom essay sample on Tsunami the Killer Waves or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But because the electric grid was down and the standby generators were damaged — perhaps by seawater — the emergency cooling failed. By Tuesday, March 15, three reactors had exploded, a fourth was burning, radioactive material was airborne, reactor workers were being evacuated, electricity was growing short in Tokyo, and the crucial containment vessels were under severe threat if not already breached. With the first nuclear meltdowns since Chernobyl, in 1986, under way, global stock markets were crashing. ENLARGE Photo:  U. S. Navy A helicopter flies over the city of Sendai, as it delivers more than 1,500 pounds of food donated by citizens of Ebina City, Japan, to survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. What causes tsunamis? As Japan licks its wounds, The Why Files wants to know what causes tsunamis. How do they travel across the ocean? How they have impacted coastal people through history? Can we reduce our vulnerability to nature at its most cataclysmic? Graphic:  Anthony Liekens Movement of the sea floor translates into waves at the surface. Tsunamis — once slangily called tidal waves — are extremely powerful waves caused by large undersea disturbances. (â€Å"Tsunami† derives from Japanese for â€Å"harbor wave,† reflecting the fact that harbors can concentrate their energy. True tidal waves are the slow oscillations that drive ocean tides in response to solar and lunar gravity. ) Although landslides and volcanoes cause some tsunamis, probably 95 percent result from underwater earthquakes that contain a strong vertical motion. Such quakes often occur where one of Earth’s tectonic plates dives, or â€Å"subducts,† beneath another. Like the  Sunda trench  near Sumatra, the subduction zone in the Japan trench is notorious for large earthquakes, says Timothy Masterlark, an associate professor of geological science at the University of Alabama. Although the timing is always uncertain, he says, â€Å"The history was known, big earthquakes were known, and even though the people and government went to great lengths to prepare, at some level †¦ there is simply nothing they can do. † Lessons from Sumatra Masterlark, who has studied the giant, 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Sumatra, says the magnitude 9. earthquake in Japan likely broke a fault stretching at a shallow angle from the sea floor roughly 150 kilometers beneath Japan, along a trench several hundred kilometers in length. We asked Masterlark how, if the slip was mainly horizontal, the rocks had enough vertical movement to cause a tsunami. â€Å"In Sumatra, we found a shallow slip created some vertical movement because the rock at the surface w as softer, so the fault became more vertical, which changed the slip from mostly horizontal to mostly vertical. To imagine how vertical movement of the seafloor causes a tsunami, imagine making waves by throwing a stone in a pond. Even though earthquakes disturb the bottom of the water, the analogy works: just as a larger stone, thrown faster, makes a larger wave, the size of the tsunami depends on extent and speed of the ocean-floor movement. The tsunami is usually most intense close to the earthquake: as waves spread from the epicenter in a typical arc-shaped pattern, their energy also spreads out. ENLARGE Photo:  Philip A. McDaniel, U. S. Navy A ruined village near the coast of Sumatra after the 2004 tsunami. Spread out, but still powerful One factor that distinguishes tsunamis from more familiar waves is their extreme wavelength. On the open ocean, the peaks of waves may be 300 kilometers apart, and they may travel at 500 to 600 miles per hour. Even though they can keep pace with a jetliner, you wouldn’t see a tsunami from the cockpit of a jet. A killer tsunami may be only 2 feet tall in mid-ocean — far too small to be noticed from an airplane or even a ship, yet it can carry huge amounts of energy across the Pacific. In some earthquakes, the biggest killer is not the shaking, but the walls of water created by undersea earth movement. By Tuesday, tsunami damage had caused three reactors to explode. A fourth was burning, and stock markets were reeling. All that kinetic energy can hide in waves we can barely see because long-wavelength waves are extremely deep, and the massive amount of water moving beneath the surface contains enormous energy. In deep water, boats can ride the worst tsunamis without noticing them; but when they reach shallow water and â€Å"run aground,† these waves become dangerous. Like all waves, tsunamis slow when the lower part of the wave encounters the upward-sloping ocean floor. But while the front of the wave slows, the wave behind is still moving faster, causing a giant pile-up at the front, and the kinetic energy that was spread through the ocean depth concentrates in a towering wave at the surface. Wild waves It is these surface waves — which can be 10 meters high or taller as they cross the beach — that cause the utter destruction of tsunamis. Like all waves, tsunamis have both a rising and a falling motion, says Masterlark. Depending on where you are with respect to the earthquake, you may first see a wall of water, or the opposite, the sea retreating. † In 2005, during a research cruise to Sumatra, â€Å"We were told that the tourists had heard that the ocean was retreating, and saw this as a great holiday, ‘Let’s walk on the seashore,† and this wall of water came in and killed them. This was a great warning, when they saw the water retreat, they should have headed away from the shore. † Tsunamis have other quirks. They can be spaced as much as one hour apart, so subsequent waves can kill those who return to help victims of earlier waves. In 1998, Harry Yeh, a civil engineering professor now at the University of Oregon, told us that tsunamis can have decidedly unconventional behavior. In one case, he said, a tsunami destroyed houses in a cove without damaging a house on an unprotected headland: â€Å"It’s the exact opposite of what a storm wave would do. † ENLARGE More of the tsunami’s aftermath†¦ Photo:  U. S. Navy A GRIM LIST Tsunamis have been attacking coastal people throughout recorded history: Nov. , 1755: Lisbon, Portugal A series of massive earthquakes levels Lisbon during the celebration of All Saints’ Day. Collapsing stone buildings kill thousands. As fires ignited by overturned candles ravage the city, residents seek relief from the heat near the waterfront. About an hour after the quake, a tsunami estimated at 50 feet tall sweeps in from the sea. T he combined cataclysm kills about 60,000 people; only 15 percent of Lisbon’s houses remain standing. August 27, 1883: Indonesia Krakatau, a volcano in the Sunda Straits, explodes with a gigantic roar audible 3,000 miles away. The explosions blow 20 cubic kilometers of rock into the sky. Undersea cracks allow massive amounts of seawater into a white-hot magma chamber. When the water turns to steam, the explosion causes tsunamis that cause most of the 37,000 deaths on nearby Sumatra and Java. Ironically, history’s most deadly tsunami is caused by a volcano, not an earthquake. 1896: Japan The Sanriku tsunami starts, as many do, when the sea withdraws with a great sucking and hissing sound. Striking a totally unprepared town during a festival, the wave kills 27,000 and destroys more than 10,000 houses. Fishermen at sea don’t notice the deadly wave and return to an ocean strewn with the corpses of loved ones and the wreckage of their homes. April 1, 1946: Alaska and Hawaii A large earthquake on Unimak, an island in the Aleutian chain, shakes the remote, steel-reinforced concrete Scotch Cap lighthouse, which stands about 100 feet above the North Pacific. Minutes later, a huge wave obliterates the lighthouse, leaving practically no trace of the five Coast Guardsmen inside. Five hours later, the tsunami slams into Hilo, Hawaii, obliterating the waterfront and killing 159. May 21-22, 1960: Chile and Hawaii An astonishingly strong series of earthquakes in Chile — culminating in one of the three largest quakes in the 20th century (magnitude 8. 9) sinks 300 miles of coastline into the sea, activates one volcano, devastates five provinces, and causes tsunamis that kill an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 people. Fourteen hours later, the tsunami arrives in Hilo. Ignoring warnings, many residents stay in homes near the bay, increasing the death toll by 61. December 26, 2004: Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India Following a 9. quake off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, over 230,000 people perished in the Indian Ocean tsunami, which struck 15 countries. At the time, Indian Ocean nations lacked an ocean-wide warning system, causing the tragedy to strike without warning. Even a warning system would have had limited utility to close-in coastal communities, given the jet-like speed of the waves. A warning Modified from original image by  NASA Location of foreshocks, aftershocks and the March 11 Japan earthquake (M 9. 0). Circle size represents quake magnitude. Dotted lines = foreshocks; solid lines = aftershocks The  Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, established in Hawaii in the wake of the deadly 1946 tsunami, is a nexus in the global warning network. Since almost all tsunamis originate in earthquakes, the warning centers rely on data from seismographs, many of them located on the unstable ring of fire. Tsunami warnings are now triggered automatically, says Masterlark, based on measurements of earth movement. â€Å"Seismographs are excellent because in seconds they can tell that a quake of some magnitude, big enough to trigger a tsunami, has occurred. This information can automatically trigger a warning in seconds. † In tsunamis, seconds saved can translate into lives saved. Researchers are working to use global positioning system (GPS) data to refine size estimates, Masterlark adds, to give â€Å"a more refined view of the potential risk, but this takes a little longer and is still in a research mode. † Further confirmation of the size of the wave may come from special purpose ocean buoys, if they are in the right place, Masterlark says. â€Å"But they only work once the tsunami has already arrived, so they can only confirm or help refine the warning. † Tricks of the tsunami trade In terms of generating tsunamis, not all underwater earthquakes are created equal, says Andrew Newman, assistant professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at Georgia Tech. â€Å"A few times a decade, we have what we call ‘tsunami earthquakes’ that create a tsunami that’s much larger than would be expected for the magnitude of the earthquake,† largely due to a shallow rupture. â€Å"Usually a magnitude 7. 8 earthquake would create a tsunami that might rise only 20 centimeters to 1 meter [when it reaches land], but one in Sumatra last year created a 17-meter tsunami. † ENLARGE Photo:  U. S. Navy Tsunami damage north of Sendai, Japan. These large tsunamis come from a smaller break in the ocean floor, and so contain relatively little energy and do not travel well across the ocean, Newman says. But they also offer less warning because local people do not feel the massive shaking associated with a major tsunami. Newman and colleagues have developed software to detect the peculiar signature of the tsunami earthquake, and are now running it on a research basis. â€Å"We get an earthquake or tsunami warning within four or five minutes, our algorithm starts processing, and a few minutes after that, the system sends email to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and the U. S. G. S. [Geological Survey],† Newman says. Although the Japanese had little time between the earthquake and the tsunami, Newman says the national warning system did work. â€Å"In some ways, you have to look at real success in Japan. They have developed a substantial tsunami warning system, and it worked in as quickly as three minutes. People did evacuate, for the large part. Much of the video you see is from helicopters, or people watching from two or three stories up in buildings. There is only so much you can do with these events; this is a massive force. But the rising casualty counts highlights the deadly role of proximity to the quake, says Masterlark. â€Å"The very sad part is that because the quake was so close to the coast, they had very little warning; the time between the earthquake and the tsunami was minutes. † More distant regions had adequate warning, Masterlark adds. â€Å"We had several hours before the wave reached Hawaii, and so were prepared. But Japan, unfortunately, even if you knew it was coming, you had only minutes, and that’s not enough time for many people to get to higher ground. † Photo:  Sarah Ruth Basic tsunami safety Public education and quick personal action remain the only ways to reduce the tsunami death toll: 1. Be on guard for strong earthquakes, which can spark a tsunami. If you feel one near the water, run inland. 2. Heed the warnings, and stay tuned to emergency radio stations. 3. Never go down to the beach to watch for tsunamis — they move much faster than you can run. People die doing this. 4. Most structures in the danger zone provide no protection. However, the upper stories of tall, reinforced concrete hotels can provide refuge if you have no time to move inland or to higher ground. 5. A tsunami s a series of waves. Don’t go near the water until you hear the all-clear from emergency authorities. Following fatal footsteps? Seismologists are loathe to predict earthquakes, but in the past decade or two, they have recognized that earthquakes occur in series along major faults in Turkey and Sumatra, as big quakes place extra stress on the adjacent fault. In Sumatra, a violen t series of quakes began in 2004 with a magnitude 9. 1, a magnitude 8. 7 in 2005, a magnitude 7. 6 in 2009, and a magnitude 7. 7 in 2010. The large quake in 2005 did not cause a major tsunami, but its timing, just three months after the Dec. 6 monster, suggests a compelling reason to focus intensively on the earthquake zone in the Japan trench, says Masterlark. â€Å"I am not trying to be alarmist, but I’m trying to look at where earthquakes have occurred along nearby faults to identify faults at risk. We’ll bring in numerical modeling and try to predict this as fast as possible. Time is of the essence, as we saw in Sumatra. † David J. Tenenbaum Terry Devitt, editor; S. V. Medaris, designer/illustrator; David J. Tenenbaum, feature writer; Amy Toburen, content development executive; Yilang Peng, project assistant Related Why Files Exploring a volcano * Sinkholes: When the ground collapses! * When earthquakes break * Trees: Natural Barrier to Tsunami Waves? * Tsun ami Warning! Bibliography 1. Google  crisis response. ? 2. NOAA: tsunami info. ? 3. NOAA: Honshu tsunami graphics. ? 4. Pacific tsunami  warning center. ? 5. USGS  tsunami research. ? 6. Surviving a tsunami. ? 7. National Geographic: tsunamis. ? 8. Science behind  the disaster. ? 9. Before and after  satellite pictures. ? 10. Tsunami footage. ? 11. Japan  tsunami news. ? 12. Earthquake  FAQs. ? 13. USGS  earthquake info. ? 14. Physics  of tsunamis. ? Share this: * * * * * * * Like this: Like  Loading Tags:  earthquake engineering,  earthquake safety,  Harry Yeh,  Japan Japanese,  natural disaster,  nuclear contamination,  nuclear energy power,  nuclear plant safety,  plate tectonics,  tsunami,  waves - Top of Form Bottom of Form Cool Science Images * Virtual Science! * Paper Bound: Book Reviews * Archives Why Files and Science Standards Classroom Activity Pages Talk to Us Join mailing list About this site  |  RSS  ©2013 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE NEWS

Don DeLillos Videotape Essays - Guggenheim Fellows, Copywriters

Don DeLillos Videotape Essays - Guggenheim Fellows, Copywriters Byron Williams 9/21/11 Critical Analysis Essay 1 Alexander Don DeLillos Videotape: The Attractiveness of Death among Humans At a point in our lives, we are introduced to death in an informal or a formal way. Everyone understands that people will die in our lifetimes. Often after death is viewed first-hand, we interpret this aspect of life as finalization of everything for the once living soul. You use memories to stimulate bond-tightening moments, but the same memories can also paralyze you. The numbness we feel when thinking about death will erode into peace and acceptance, but were forever scarred. Instantly, our attraction to death and how it takes place is heightened. .The attraction to death is focused upon the death of others who we know, if anything, little of. The end of an unfamiliar person is sadly a time when grief does not fall upon us in an extreme way. The grief is replaced by a sense of us having to know what happened and how. In DeLillos Videotape, he insures this claim with his paragraph structure, vivid descriptions of the emotions when viewing a videotape, and repetitive showing and viewing of the recorded death. He keeps many of the paragraphs between four and seven lines allowing us to gather a lot of information in small quantities, keeping readers on their toes. Also the occasional use of words like crime and victim hint at something bad, satisfying the human thirst for maliciousness. Finally, with each party in the story being obsessed with the video, it underlines our inability to look away from something that we know would crush our spirits if we knew who it happened to. DeLillo starts numerous paragraphs with the phrase You know about Using these three words, he taps into our thoughts of whatever he mentions next. This makes us more likely to agree with what he says, as we have almost all experienced it. In one paragraph DeLillo writes You know how families make up games and in another, mentions how You know about holidays and family celebrations and how somebody shows up with a camcorder He is fulfilling our desire to know as much as possible, just as the people in the story were analyzing the video so meticulously. DeLillo himself analyzed the video as if we were watching it personally, using phrases like the sputtering black-and-white tones, the starkness and wagging a handthat makes you like him. Finally, DeLillo controls our mental actions to a certain extent. It is evident that he imposes his will upon us in one of the paragraphs reading And you keep on looking. You look because this is the nature of the footage, to make a channeled path throu gh time, to give things a shape and a destiny. In the 3rd paragraph, the opening sentences read You know about families and their video camerasThey investigate the meaning of inert objects and they poke at family privacy. This paragraph serves to make us reach for our experiences with these instruments. He forges emotion that we feel when video cameras are on, or in use by, ourselves. DeLillos subject is the nature of the tape. He describes this nature in the statement superreal, or maybe underrealIt is what lies at the scraped bottom of all the layers you have added another reason why you keep on looking. So by striking a relationship between superreal or underreal (nature of the tape) aspects and surreal (feelings of morbidity) aspects, we are given a new way to look at our supposed obsession of death. Even the little girl is described to have been obsessed with what took place while she was recording. DeLillo writes head-shot, and the camera reacts, the child reactsthere is a jolting movement but she keeps on tapingshe keeps the camera trained on the subject as he slides into the dooras you see him die. He introduces the idea of human beings being prematurely attracted to death, even during a fictional shocking event like the one described. DeLillo forces us to analyze why death can cause so much pain but attract so much attention to a certain degree, through the use of extremity. And becoming emotionally attached to what is going on, we are mentally placed in, and obsessed

The possible use of ethanol as a replacement for petrol Essay

The possible use of ethanol as a replacement for petrol - Essay Example Ethanol is a type of alcohol that can be made using crops such as sugar beets, wheat or corn. As a fuel additive, ethanol boosts octane and substantially reduces toxic carbon monoxide emissions. Ethanol is not necessarily less expensive to produce than gasoline and would not be cost competitive without government incentives, but proponents of the alternative fuel point to other reasons to produce and utilize it. "It could be profitable for farmers to grow bio-fuels [at a time of high oil prices]. The market for bio-fuels such as ethanol is driven by the need for security of the energy supply and the recognition that greenhouse gas emissions are causing global warming,† said Margaret Beckett, environment secretary (Harvey, 2005). Ethanol has been demonstrated that it has a less severe impact on the environment than standard petrol as it releases carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned rather than carbon monoxide. As it expels fewer pollutants than petrol, it is also less dangerous to public health. Because the ethanol molecule contains oxygen, it allows the engine to more completely combust the fuel, resulting in fewer emissions. Most cars can run very well with up to 10 perc ent of low-emissions ethanol mixed in with their fuel. Doing so can also improve engine performance. From the economic point of view, it is thought to be good for the development of disadvantaged rural areas by promoting agriculture and manufacturing industries which creates jobs. â€Å"Furthermore it can help to reduce the dependence on oil imports and it may be regarded as a means to promote advances in biotechnology, particularly if one thinks of all the research that is going on in the biomass-to-ethanol sector. Ethanol has been promoted because it has a positive net energy balance that means that the energy contained in a tonne of ethanol is greater than the energy required to produce

Native Americans in Kentucky and their encounter with Daniel Boone Research Paper

Native Americans in Kentucky and Their Encounter with Daniel Boone - Research Paper Example In Kentucky, Boone founded a village BoonsBorough. Like any other revolutionary, Boone participated in the American war for independence. After the war, Boone worked as a surveyor and merchant where he became bankrupt after a failed land speculation deal. Boone’s reputation rested in parts, on his contests with Indians in Kentucky and his participation in the Indian campaign Known as Lord Dunmore’s War 1774, as the American Revolution. Boone surveyed frontier lands, operated a country store and tried his hand at planting tobacco. Men who had lost their land because of his faulty surveying sued Boone making him bankrupt. Boone escaped his creditors by immigrating to Spanish-held Missouri in 1799. 2. Literature Review The periods between the 18th Century and 20th Century have been crucial to the America social, economic and political development. Boone inspired a look west-move-west approach, where he opened the wilderness of America to development. Ried believes that Boone mirrored a very Central American concern, where civilizing the wilderness was an essential initiative. Through the epic exploration of the American West, Boone managed to build confidence in Americans. In fact, Boone historians rank Boone with people like Capt. John Smith who has a more central to the frontier experience than the former. 2.1 The Boone of the Wilderness The man Boone lived a wilderness life, one that worked out after a graduate providential plan that culminated in the triumph of a civilized life. For instance, Boone’s roles as an expert hunter and pioneer encouraged an irresistible advance of civilization. Hurt argues that Boone life continued a malleable public property. His exclusive interests in surveying and create settlement were instrumental in building the state of Kentucky. Boone heroic exemplar of the virtues of the Southern aristocracy oversaw his contribution in trade and settling more European in the mainland. As well, Boone led a complicated private life distancing his adventures from active politics. Convincingly, Boone was more interested in serving his end as a merchant and not the sake of history.

Practical Applications of Management Theories Essay

Practical Applications of Management Theories - Essay Example This theory views organization as a system of different components which help to accomplish the goals of the system. In general, a management theory is useful if it helps managers to understand relationships within organization. Furthermore, theory tends to simplify complex relationships by removing from consideration variables thought to be of lesser concern, in order to permit focusing on the variables of greater interest. Following Hoopes (2003): "some corporation prospered more than others, accumulating capital that in onrushing era of heavy industry created a new kind of special privilege, privilege of owing" (1). This statement can make it easier to understand cause/effect and other relationships among variables. It can help managers increase the accuracy and usefulness of predictions with respect to the variables. According to Deming (1986) "Management in any form is prediction" (cited Scherkenbach 1991, p. 7) managers have to act on the best knowledge they have to get anything done. This knowledge enables them to predict with approximate certainty that their efforts will pay off. Therefore managers must assiduously gather that knowledge that best enables organization to predict the outcomes of efforts that ensure success. And managers must do all they can to ensure that everyone in an organization acts in concert on the best knowledge. ... Building bureaucracy transferred power from subordinates to superiors (Hoopes 2003). Deming's theory allows organization to reach the desired goals and coordinate all activities in the best possible manner. Deming's theory is often connected with quality management and quality control. The Deming's theory is based on 14 principles which help organizations to improve the current and future performance. It is possible to say that this open and dynamic approach avoids the error of the other theorists, who thought of organizations as closed systems and analyzed their problems with reference to their internal structures and processes of interaction, without taking account either of external influences and the changes they impose or of the technology in the organization (Scherkenbach 1991). Deming's theory best meets organization needs because to helps to maximize productivity and reduce operational costs. For instance, "inspection," writes Deming, "does not improve quality and is costly and ineffective" (cited Scherkenbach 1991, p. 45). Quality does not come from inspection by management of everything that workers do (an unrealistic and impossible task anyway). Mass inspection by a principal, for example, is unwieldy and time-consuming. Moreover, it promotes complacency by establishing management-determined standards for employees rather than allowing them to establish and work toward their own standards in areas in which they have expertise. Mass inspection is antithetical to the belief that people will strive to do high-quality work where trust exists. This does not mean that there is no place for quality control, nor does it rule out peer assessment for the purpose of improvement. Deming's

Report on Performance management system at Infosys

Report on Performance management system at Infosys Introduction to Infosys Headquartered in Bengaluru, Infosys Technologies Ltd is a software behemoth in the Indian IT industry. A multinational IT services company, Infosys operates in 33 countries and has development centers in India, China, Japan, UK, Australia and Canada. Beginning as a mere US$ 250 company in 1981, Infosys has come a long way now, to become a global frontrunner with revenues of more US$ 5.38 billion. Infosys provides end-to-end business solutions, essentially helping clients to setup software infrastructure, develop it and maintain it. Infosys uses its Global Delivery Model (GDM)as a strategic outsourcing tool. GDM enables the company to take work to the place where it can be best performed, at least cost, and with minimum risk. The work on projects is carried out 24 hours a day, with teams located at different locations across the world, working round-the-clock on the project.GDM is one of the major initiatives of Infosys. Infosys offers solutions to an assortment of industries withservices like IT, Engineering, BPO and Consulting. The organization structure is complicated. The hierarchy is headed by Mr. N R Narayana Murthy who is the chairman and chief mentor of the organization. Next isthe CEO and Managing Director Mr. Gopalakrishanan S. Following him are the directors and the senior vice presidents. The COO Director, Mr. S Shibulal heads all the Industry business units and Horizontal business units. He also heads the SETLabs and Microsoft technology centre A typical project is headed by Delivery Manager. Role Hierarchy in a Unit from Top to Bottom is Delivery Head Senior Delivery Manager Delivery Manager Project Manager Business Manager Technology Lead Technology Analyst Senior Software Engineer Software Engineer Functionally, Infosys comprises various Industry Business Units (IBUs) and Horizontal Business Units (HBUs). These are Performance Management System Performance Management is a process for establishing a mutual understanding about what is to be achieved and how it is to be achieved. PMS assists organizations to plan, analyze and manage their performance, so that decisions, resources and actions can be better aligned with business strategies to achieve required results. Performance appraisal is a systematic and objective way of evaluating both work related behaviour and potential of employees. This is carried on a periodic basis. It mainly involves setting work standards, assessing employees performance relative to these standards and then offers feedback to the employee so that he or she can work on the deficiencies and improve performance. The focus of appraisals is on employee growth and development. It provides an opportunity for the manager and his/her supervisor to set mutual objectives. Purpose of Performance Appraisal The main purposes why organizations conduct performance appraisals are Career Development This provides an opportunity for discussion of career objectives. Also it helps to Provide an opportunity for career counseling Helps in succession planning. Plan for career development Provide a basis on which to base decisions about training and promotion Feedback Encouraged in both directions, ie from manager to employee and from employee to manager Provides constructive feedback to the individual on their performance Provides a structured format for the discussion of performance issues Feedback helps in reinforces performance strengths and an opportunity to find solutions for performance deficiencies. Administrative Uses of Performance appraisal Salary Promotion Retention/termination Recognition of performance Performance History Serves as a repository of performances and can be used for various decision making purposes Can be used to review past and present performance. Documentation for HR decisions Helping to meet legal requirements Organizational Goals Makes the individual aware of organizational expectations Provides opportunity review the performance from the organizational point of view Helps in assessing future promotion prospects and potential Performance Appraisal Steps Performance appraisal process include steps as follows Establish performance standards These are benchmarks against which performance is measured. They should relate to the desired results of each job. They must be clear to both the appraiser and the appraisee. Generally, these requirements can be deduced from the work description and divided into two parts: behavioral standards and work result standards. Choose the appraising method There are numerous appraisal methods, but no method is the best for all organizations. Within an enterprise, different methods can be applied to different positions, units or departments such as sales, production, marketing or administration department. Train the Appraiser Inappropriate appraisal methods or ill-defined standards results in bias. This could lead to unwise decisions on payment and rewarding. So it is necessary for leaders and appraisers to be trained on these skills. Discussing with employees on rating content and scope The content and scope should be discussed between appraisers and employees. The Appraisee should be clear about what he is doing and why he is doing. Actual Performance and Comparison Compare, analyze the actual result of staff with set standards. As far as possible, the appraising results must objective and not on the appraisers perception. Discuss with staff on the appraising result: The appraiser should have a discussion with employees on the appraising result. They should identify agreements and disagreements on appraising methods. Also give feedback on the strengths and weakness of the employee and suggestion on improving the weaknesses. The purpose of the meeting should be to solve the problems faced and motivate the employees to perform better. Identifying new goals Arrive at new goals for achieving superior performance. But it has been observed that most of the employees hate appraisal system. The main reasons are Lack of information about the purpose of appraisal Many employees are notabout the impact that appraisals can have on their career prospects. Time consuming process The highly complex questions which they have no answers to or highly complex competencies which they have never heard of confuse them. Difficulty in writing appraisals Many employees have poor language skills and they are unable to communicate their performance in right language and support with data. Lack of faith in the appraisal process Employees think that his/her manager doesnt write appraisals based on employees performance but bias his/her decisions based on their personal relations with employees. Lack of feedback after appraisal: Many companies do not provide feedbacks to employees on their performance. Benefits of Performance Appraisal The performance appraisal system benefits the appraise, appraiser and the organization Appraisee: Increased motivation and job satisfaction. Clear understanding of what is expected and what needs to be done to meet expectations. Opportunity to discuss aspirations and any guidance, support or training needed to fulfill these aspirations. Improved working relationships with the superior. Opportunity to overcome the weaknesses by way of counseling and guidance from the superior. Increased sense of personal value as he too is involved in the appraisal process Appraiser: Opportunity to develop an overview of individual jobs. Opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses of appraisees. Increased job satisfaction. Opportunity to link team and individual objectives with department organizational objectives. Opportunity to clarify expectations that the manager has from teams and individuals. Opportunity to re-prioritize targets. Means of forming a more productive relationship with staff based on mutual trust and understanding. Organization: Improved performance throughout the organization due to: Increased sense of cohesiveness and loyalty. Managers are better equipped to use their leadership skills and to develop their staff. Effective communication of organizations objectives and values. Improved overview of tasks performed by each member of a group. Identification of ideas for improvement. Creation and maintenance of a culture of continuous improvement. Communication to people that they are valued. Methods for improvement Making employees believe in fair evaluation of the job performance and making them actively participate in the evaluating process is a measure to improve job performance evaluation. Some of the steps that can be followed is as follows Roles of HR staffs Human resource staff should show that they are knowledgeable and interested in the work of the evaluated staff. Between supervisors and employees, there should be an agreement on the primary responsibility to perform the job. Human resource staff should coordinate with employees, asking them to participate in planning work as a basis of better assessment to exclude changes in the assessment. Training in performance appraisal Train and instruct the appraiser in the evaluation of job performance of employees. While training the real life situations should be taken in to consideration. Performance Management System of Infosys [Performagic] Infosys uses the web application Performagic to capture all the performance appraisal related activities. The appraisal is done twice a year, once in October and another in April. The cycle is initiated by the HR and the employee has to then add both appraiser and reviewer. The appraiser and reviewer for any particular employee are identified based on the projects the employee worked during the appraisal cycle. A normal appraisal process flow would look like the below diagram If the employee is not satisfied with CRR rating then the following actions can be taken. Data Capture in Performagic The employee is evaluated based on performance tasks, competency and behavioural tasks. The performance tasks are set based on the role and the project in which the employee is working. The manager has the flexibility to make necessary modifications according to his perception of the role and expectations from the employee. Competency and behavioural indicators are based on the official designation of the employee. The employee is given the option to rate any 10 options from the competency and any 5 from the behavioral tasks. There is also individual utilization measures set for each employee which has to be met by the employee to ensure a met expectations rating. The utilization measures set are broadly defined on the IBU level, but can be modified if the appraiser feels that its required. Based on the ratings give to the performance ratings and behavioural tasks the score for the employee will be calculated based on pre decided logic. The CRR for employees are decided based on this cumulative score that the employee scores. Methodology Personal interviews were conducted of few Infosys employees to evaluate their understanding and thoughts on the PMS. Questionnaire What is your role? How many time appraisal is done in a year and when? What procedure is followed in appraisal? Is there any formal training given to the appraiser? How much time do you dedicate for filling the appraisal form? On what parameters you do your self-appraisal? What are the performance standards on which appraiser appraise you? How subjective is the appraisal? Are all the questions in performagic relevant to your roles What happens in appraisal meeting? What type of feedback do you get? Who all are involved in the appraisal meeting? How does it affect your performance afterwards? What do you think are the problems in current appraisal system? How transparent is the appraisal system? Difference between present and previous appraisal system? How much importance you give to the performagic? How does the performagic rating affect your promotion? How does the CRR process work? Do you feel the peer group formation is correct? Suggest any improvement in the system? Responses Employees were not much concerned about the whole appraisal process Employees perceive that the appraisal data doesnt have any correlation with the CRR and further promotion There is no formal training given to appraisers. Each appraiser rates the employee based on his/her understanding. The CRR rating mainly depends solely on how the Manager/ Appraiser can put forth your case before the CRR panel The rule of directly mapping the Performagic score to CRR is not followed since a minimum percentage criteria has to be followed for CRR The chances of overturning a CRR is almost nil since there is a preset percentage for each rating Since its a comparative ranking method, employee can just put forth his/her arguments. The employee has no clue about the things that other person has done Employee submits a CRR profiler presentation to the manger in addition to the performagic. Mainly this data is used by the manager to showcase the contributions of the employee. Peer groups for CRR are decided based on the projects/ accounts/IBUs The size of normal peer group is 20-25 The formation of peer group is mainly based on the role of the employee. If there are more than 25 employees in the project, the peer group formation decision become contentious. The past system provided employees to add/delete tasks as per their convenience. So employees would give higher weightage to the tasks that they had performed better in that half. In the present system the tasks are decided upfront. But in case of project changes or IBU change scenarios, there would be difficulty in meeting the expectations. Current system is completely based on data. So if there is any activity for which no data is present, such tasks could not be clearly captured but the system. Regarding the feedback, most the appraisers try to motivate the employees If the employee doesnt receive a top rating then the common excuses made are visibility of the employee is low and the employee is not involved in organizational related activities. Past System Present System Flexible for task addition Not flexible Qualitative data can also be used Based on quantitative data Ratings given to the employee before CRR Ratings given only after CRR rating is finalized 4 CRR Levels 5 CRR Levels Competency ratings were subjective Competency ratings made subjective Comparison with Wipro Infosys Wipro 2 Appraisals/yr 2 Appraisals/yr Based on preset goals Based on preset goals CRR cycle not transparent Transparent process Less subjective Appraisal Subjectivity involved in appraisal Not linked to promotion Not linked to promotion Recommendations Train the appraisers and reviewers so that the appraisal process becomes consistent across the entire organization Make the CRR process more transparent. This could be achieved by having a session where each employee in the peer group is allowed to present his/her case before others. In this case everyone in the peer group is aware of what are the benchmarks against which the rating is given Make the performagic rating the only criteria for CRR. This would clear the ambiguity regarding the CRR process Employee should be given a chance to put forth his/her case before the performagic data is used for determining the CRR rating Appendix Performance Appraisal Methods Critical incident method The critical incidents for performance appraisal is a method in which the manager writes down positive and negative performance behavior of employees throughout the performance period Weighted checklist method This method describe a performance appraisal method where rater familiar with the jobs being evaluated prepared a large list of descriptive statements about effective and ineffective behavior on jobs Paired comparison analysis Paired comparison analysis is a good way of weighing up the relative importance of options. A range of plausible options is listed. Each option is compared against each of the other options. The results are tallied and the option with the highest score is the preferred option. Graphic rating scales The Rating Scale is a form on which the manager simply checks off the employees level of performance. This is the oldest and most widely method used for performance appraisal. Essay Evaluation method This method asked managers / supervisors to describe strengths and weaknesses of an employees behavior. Essay evaluation is a non-quantitative technique. This method usually use with the graphic rating scale method. Behaviorally anchored rating scales This method used to describe a performance rating that focused on specific behaviors or sets as indicators of effective or ineffective performance. It is a combination of the rating scale and critical incident techniques of employee performance evaluation. Performance ranking method Ranking is a performance appraisal method that is used to evaluate employee performance from best to worst. Manager will compare an employee to another employee, rather than comparing each one to a standard measurement. Management By Objectives (MBO) method MBO is a process in which managers / employees set objectives for the employee, periodically evaluate the performance, and reward according to the result. MBO focuses attention on what must be accomplished (goals) rather than how it is to be accomplished (methods) 360 degree performance appraisal 360 Degree Feedback is a system or process in which employees receive confidential, anonymous feedback from the people who work around them. Forced ranking (forced distribution) Forced ranking is a method of performance appraisal to rank employee but in order of forced distribution. For example, the distribution requested with 10 or 20 percent in the top category, 70 or 80 percent in the middle, and 10 percent in the bottom. Behavioral Observation Scales Behavioral Observation Scales is frequency rating of critical incidents that worker has performed.

The Stamp Act Essay -- British History

The Stamp Act   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The passing of the Stamp Act by Parliament in 1765 caused a rush of angry protests by the colonists in British America that perhaps "aroused and unified Americans as no previous political event ever had." It levied a tax on legal documents, almanacs, newspapers, and nearly every other form of paper used in the colonies. Adding to this hardship was the need for the tax to be paid in British sterling, not in colonial paper money. Although this duty had been in effect in England for over half a century and was already in effect in several colonies in the 1750?s, it called into question the authority of Parliament over the overseas colonies that had no representation therein.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the news of the passage of this act reached the American shore, the colonists protested vehemently. Nine of the thirteen colonies sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress, which sought ?to consider of a general and united, dutiful, loyal and humble representation of their condition to His Majesty and the Parliament; and to implore relief.? The resulting resolution caused almost as much resistance in England as the original act had in the colonies. Through studying some of the documents coming out of this period, one can see the very different opinions held by the colonists, supporters of Parliament, and American sympathizers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress were completed on October 19, 1765. These resolutions are a strong, logical argument against the Stamp Act, which appears to be very cogent. A major issue in the writing of these was the degree of rebelliousness that should be conveyed in the text. Because of the disagreements about this, the wording of the first resolution is very vague. The Congress began by asserting their allegiance to the crown and affirming their likeness to its other subjects, including the entitlement to certain inherent rights and liberties. It goes on to establish the need for representation in the government and the impossibility of representation for the colonists. It then goes on question the jurisdiction of Parliament in the passage of the Stamp Act in Resolution VII and petition the repeal of it in the conclusion: VII. That the late Act of Parliament, entitled, An Act for granting and applying certain Stamp Duties, and other Duties, in the British colonies and the plantations in America, etc., by impos... ...rn the colonies, taxing them was overreaching its jurisdiction: I am no courtier of America; I stand up for this kingdom. I maintain that the parliament has a right to bind, to restrain America. Our legislative power over the colonies is sovereign and supreme?but there is a plain distinction between taxes levied for the purposes of raising a revenue, and duties imposed for the regulation of trade?[Americans] have been wronged. They have been driven to madness by injustice. Will you punish them for the madness you have occasioned? Here Pitt is sympathizing with British America, comparing its people not only to slaves but also to the insane. He finishes his speech by asking that the Stamp Act be repealed ?absolutely, totally, and immediately? and that ?the reason for the appeal should be assigned, because it was founded on an erroneous principle.?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These are not all of the literature in response to the Stamp Act. Many others protested and supported in writing, speeches, and demonstrations. However, these examples do express the emotions that were drawn out during this time and the world of differences in the views of the colonists, Parliament, and American sympathizers.

American Health Insurance

The Impact of American Health Insurance System on Society’s Development The American healthcare system since the 1990’s had been undergoing issues and problems that remains unsolved and unanswered. According to World Health Organization, for the year 2000, US have been the top country when it comes to responsiveness and expenditures, what is puzzling however, is that the country only ranked 37th in overall performance and 72nd when it comes to the nation’s level of health. The US is the only developed country, except for South Africa, who doesn’t provide all its citizens the health care that they need.Furthermore, the uniqueness of this system that differentiates it from the world is the dominance of the private element over the public element. To start of, in 2003 only 15% of the non-elderly American’s populace were insured in public programs while 67% and 18% were insured in a private health insurance and uninsured respectively (Kao Ching Pua 2006 ). There are mainly 2 types of programs in the public insurance the Medicare and the Medicaid. Medicare is a federal program that covers individuals aged 65 and over, as well as some disabled individuals.It is a single-payer program administered by the government (the only entity to perform the insurance function of reimbursement). Medicare and Medicaid are financed by federal income taxes, a payroll tax shared by employers and employees, and individual enrollee premiums. Another program of the government is the Medicaid program that is deigned for the low-income and disabled. In the Private Insurance Sector there is the employer-sponsored insurance and the Private non-group or the individual market. Employer-sponsored insurance represents the main way in which Americans receive health insurance.Employers provide health insurance as part of the benefits package for employees while it also varies widely. In another note, the individual market covers part of the population that is sel f-employed or retired, as well as those who are unable to obtain through employment. Unlike the employer-sponsored insurance, the individual market allows health insurance companies to deny people coverage based on pre-existing conditions (Kao Ching Pua 2006). The emergence of American Insurance System is like a double-edged sword that can either have positive and negative effects on society’s development.If by far that the insurance program is discriminating in its clients by means that it incurs more than it gives out, then by all means it will simply deter the progress that the society aims for. If a well –organized and efficient American Insurance system is carried out, then more satisfied Americans can go on living, having enough stamina and vigor to face the daily challenges ahead which in turn will be good for the economy. The Three Key Initiatives: 1. The Need for better Access and Coverage IssueNagging issues such as inefficiency and failure in access to healt h care delivery system have taken root. In 2004, 45. 8 million Americans were uninsured (US Census Bureau) and expected to rise accordingly by 50 million in the next decade to come. Between 2000 and 2004 alone, the number of the uninsured had increased to 5. 8 million and among them was low-income families and the working middle class (Serber and Gauthler, 2005). The Degree of Risk The risk that in may turn be involved will be the emergence of dishonest and hoaxed companies that’s only goal is to benefit.It can be prevented if the government can steer hold of these from happening so a fair and competitive business can occur where one can mutually benefit with each other. The Internal and External Environmental Strengths and Weaknesses In which case, the government should step up by expanding their public insurance programs so that they can reach those who have low incomes and those who can’t access in ones due to inappropriateness or lack of credentials. It will be the lack of support and initiative from the government should the case be if ever disadvantages might hold.The Ability of the Organization to Respond to Risks The risks can be minimized if the government can strengthen or devise new laws in which it will create positive effects or support the said initiative. Willingness to Commit to Organizational Enhancement A number of private insurances had been emerging that promises better deals and coverage so that lessening the rate of the uninsured may come in due time. These insurance companies have notice the growing dissatisfaction of the American society and are now currently devising well-developed proposals that can answer to the growing demand.The search for a better proposal as one insurance company competes with the other will improve the system that we have today. The Barriers to Organizational Effectiveness There incurs more expenses in medical fees because individuals themselves are hesitant to approach medical care due to the amou nt of money he will lose without thinking of the future disadvantages that he might hold. The more a mild condition is prolonged without treatment, the more will the expense of fees he will gain when the condition becomes worse.It is because he is uninsured or underinsured, that he is unable to go for a check-up. The Three Key Initiatives: 2. the Need for a Better health insurance Policy Issue Problems (Serber and Gauthler, 2005) like gaps in insurance coverage makes it difficult for an individual to fill-out prescription, see specialists when warranted, undergo a medical test treatment or simply to seek advice for a medical problem. Administrative costs is what most of where the expenses in healthcare comes from. It is noted that in 24% of the dollars spent on health care go to administrative costs alone.If ever there is poor access and coverage in insurance systems, more people will incur more expense, because he will choose not to go to a hospital when what he’s feeling is still mild and only decides to when the conditioned that could be prevented earlier comes to worse. The Degree of Risk Policymakers should take into consideration the short-run and long run effects in the implementation or creation of a new policy as well as to extensively study the implications that may affect or contradict to other existing policies, otherwise it will only add up to the burgeoning problems ahead.The Internal and External Environmental Strengths and Weaknesses Government should devise ways in which to control the system so that worse case scenarios can be prevented and see to it that all can avail the program without any disparities or discrimination in income and race. They should be strict with their implementations and policies as well as provide enough space to allow the flow of things to occur and freedom for one to move freely without much fear. The strengthening of policies can discourage evil doings but the lose implementation can lead to the rise of under ground economies.Much will be received if much can be given. The Ability of the Organization to Respond Risks USA is one of the most powerful and wealthiest countries in the world. The amount of problems cannot be ignored but to sum it up, the government made a fairly great job in running the country and making a better policy on the health system wouldn’t be that much difficult if given attention to. This country is where great minds meet and freedom of thinking is welcomed. Willingness to Commit to Organizational EnhancementWith much received attention from the media, scholars and victims of negligent treatments, issues that will pertain on health will be given a solution to, by the government, hopefully. Its mandate after all is to serve the people. The Barriers To Organizational Effectiveness Up to now, some politicians and insurance choose to be blind saying that there is nothing wrong with the health care system, but as years past, it is becoming more and more visible t hat there is something wrong and unless that problem is acknowledge, then it would never be undone. The Three Key Initiatives: 3. The Need for better Information DispersionIssue There is a saying that if you want something done, you’ve got to do it yourself. The people should know what they want and learn to voice it out. There will be much response from the administrative body if there is a unified cry. The people should be better informed when it comes to the current problems as well as know how can they break down the existing barriers that obstruct their way in leading a better life. The Degree of Risk People may resort to unnecessary means such as violence and brainwashing just to be heard, distorting the truth and forgetting the real aim of the cause.Small problems become big when misunderstandings and hearsay from unreliable sources (e. g. hearsay and liberal media) accumulate. The Internal and External Environmental Strengths and Weaknesses In this manner, it is all u p to the individual of whether he will give response to the ones happening in his environment. There will be a push and pull effect of the truth from the biased. The Ability of the Organization to Respond to Risks An individual by nature is a social being. Americans are well capable of distinguishing which are or which are not to trust.In the end, the experiences that they will gain will guide them through these undertakings and they themselves will know what is true that will in turn help them to decide. Willingness to Commit to Organizational Enhancement There had been a lot of reliable and accessible publications that describes the truth on what is happening to our system. More and more people are now aware of the existing discrepancies and will meet up to the challenge of providing as system that will work for all. The Barriers To Organizational EffectivenessRepressive reports and biased opinions for the sake of personal gain and protection would shatter the cause to spread out the truth to the public creating a much confused and disorganized community. References Gumbel A. (2007). Sicko? The truth about the US healthcare system. Independent News. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://news. independent. co. uk/world/americas Kao-Ping Chua. (2006). Overview of the U. S. Health Care System. AMSA Jack Rutledge Fellow. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from www. amsa. org/uhc/HealthCareSystemOverview. pdf Serber M. and A. Gauthier. (2005).A Need to Transform the US Healthcare System; Improving Access, Quality and Efficiency. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www. commonwealthfund. org/publications/publications_show. htm? doc_id=302833 The US Healthcare System: The Best in the World or Just the Most Expensive? (2001) Bureau of Labor Education. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from dll. umaine. edu/ble/U. S. %20HCweb. pdf William S. Andereck. (2006). Modest proposal: health insurance for every person Drop Medicare, Medicaid and costly insurance. http://www. sfgate. com /cgi-bin/article. cgi? file=/chronicle/archive/2006/08/06/ING9HKAN4E1. DTL. (December 26, 2007).

Aspergers, a High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Aspergers, a High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder Aspergers Syndrome exists at the highest end of the autism spectrum. Children with Aspergers have excellent language and often good academic behavior which may mask the very real difficulties they have in academic situations. Often they are not diagnosed, or diagnosed late in their academic career, because their difficulties in social situations havent stopped them from succeeding academically. Their lack of good social skills and understanding of social interaction eventually inhibit their ability to function in upper elementary and middle school settings, where their academic skills often outshine their social challenges. They are frequently found in inclusive settings because of their ability to function well in academic settings, but challenge the general education teachers who teach them. Areas of High Interest and High Ability The movie Rain Man familiarized the American public with the notion of the idiot savant. Although a fairly infrequent occurrance, savantism may appear in children with autism or with Aspergers Syndrome. The hyper-focus or perseveration on specific top is typical of students diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Children may exhibit exceptional ability in language or math, and may have areas of extraordinary ability. I had one student who could tell you what day of the week your birthday might be in 5 or 10 years without referring to a calendar. Students may also have extraordinary knowledge about a specific topic, such as dinosaurs or vintage movies. This hyperfocus or perseveration may actually be the result of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which is not uncommon in children with Aspergers disorder. Physicians often can use appropriate medication to help manage the obsessive behavior and help students re-focus on a broader range of information and interests. Social Deficits One of truly human skills that children on the spectrum seem to lack is joint attention, the ability to join with other humans in attending to what they find important. Another deficit is in the area of theory of mind, the innate ability that most human organisms have to project their own emotional and intellectual processes onto other human beings. Early in development, typically developing children respond to their mothers faces and early on learn to respond to their parents moods. Children on the Autism Spectrum do not. Children with Aspergers syndrome often long to develop relationships, especially with peers. Since most children with Aspergers Syndrome are boys, they are especially interested in how to relate to the opposite sex. Many children with disabilities have weak social skills. They all benefit from social skill training, but none as much as children on the autism spectrum. They lack emotional literacy, and need explicit instruction in how to recognize and manage different emotional states. Tantrums are frequent in young children with Aspergers Syndrome, because they do not know how express their frustration nor how to negotiate with parents, siblings or peers. Use your words is often the mantra with students with Aspergers Syndrome, and often the challenge is teach them the skills they need to express their wants and needs. Executive Function Deficits Children with Aspergers Syndrome often have weak Executive Function. Executive function is the cognitive ability to visualize and plan ahead. It includes the short term ability to understand the steps needed to complete a task. Long term it involves the ability to anticipate the many steps that may be required to graduate from high school, to complete a degree, even to follow through on a science fair project. Because these children are often very bright, they may be able over-compensate in elementary or middle school for their lack of ability to visualize, anticipate and prepare for future eventualities. Children with extraordinary potential may end up as the 30 year old still in his or her own bedroom because they have not been able to prioritize and then master each of the steps necessary to get to a final goal. Gross and Fine Motor Skills Students with Aspergers Syndrome often have poor balance and poor gross motor skills. This can become exaggerated as they grow older because they often prefer watching television or using the computer to athletic activities. The preference may come from poor over all coordination rather than a learned preference. These same students may also have poor fine motor skills and may dislike using pencils and scissors. They may be very hard to motivate to writ. Unless students with Aspergers are really motivated to learn to write long hand, they should not be forced to learn to write in cursive. Keyboarding on a computer may also be a better investment of time than stressing handwriting. Academic Deficits Students with Aspergers syndromes often have areas of great strength and areas of academic weakness. Some students have strong academic deficits across the board, from language to math, and are often diagnosed late because their obvious intelligence and academic performance, challenged by deficits in social skills and executive function, struggle to perform in academic settings. English/Language Arts: Often students with strong language may struggle to develop the skills that they need to do well in English and Language Arts. Often they have strong vocabularies, especially when they have strong interests that they have read about. Some students with Aspergers gain strong vocabularies because they script, or repeat entire movies they have heard. Children with Aspergers with strong language skills often exhibit good reading skills, but not always are good readers. Once students reach fourth grade, they are expected to answer higher level thinking questions, such as questions that ask students to synthesize or analyze what they have read (as in Blooms Taxonomy.) They may be able to answer questions at the lowest level, Remember, but not questions that ask them to analyze (What made that a good idea?) or synthesis (If you were Hugo, where would you look?) Because of executive function and short term memory challenges, students with Aspergers syndrome often face challenges with writing. They may have difficulty remembering how to spell, they may forget writing conventions such as punctuation and capitalization, and they may face fine motor challenges that make them reluctant to write. Math: Children with strong language or reading skills may have poor math skills, or vice versa. Some children are savants when it comes to math, memorizing math facts quickly and seeing relationships between numbers and solving problems. Other children may have poor short and long term memory and may struggle with learning math facts. In all or any case, teachers need to learn to recognize students strengths and needs, using strengths to identify ways to approach deficits and build their over all functional and academic skills.

s Foriegn Policy

Nixon’s Foreign Policy Richard Milhous Nixon was elected President of the United States in 1968. In a low-key campaign, Nixon promised to bring peace with honor in Vietnam and to unite a nation deeply divided by the Vietnam War. Nixon defeated his two opponents, Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace. Nixon entered office in the midst of one of the gravest foreign policy crisis in American history. The Cold War was at its height, hundreds of thousands of American troops were in Vietnam, and the views of society were split down the middle. Nixon with the help of his National Security Advisor (and later became in 1973 Nixon’s Secretary of State) Henry Kissinger felt that it was crucial to change American foreign policy. Nixon and Kissinger felt it was vital to support our interest in the long run, Nixon and Kissinger considered it essential to have a balance of power throughout the world in order to ensure peace as well prosperity. One has to take into consideration geopolitics when discussing balance of power. The main purpose is stability by using different political philosophies based on geography, and self interest. If the main powers pursued their self interest rationally and predictably, and equilibrium would emerge from the conflicting interest (Cowan, par.1). Nixon knew that a strong America was essential to a global balance, and counted on stability to create it. Nixon believed there were three key factors essential to keeping peace: partnership, strength and a willingness to negotiate. Nixon imagined a future in which more pleasant relations among the major powers- the United States, the Soviet Union, China, Western Europe, and Japan- would allow for ventures profitable to all. Through international cooperation these nations might reduce revenue-draining Defense expenditures and prevent the occurrence of costly Third World conflicts such as the Vietnam War (â€Å"Nixon†). Nix... 's Foriegn Policy Free Essays on Nixon\'s Foriegn Policy Nixon’s Foreign Policy Richard Milhous Nixon was elected President of the United States in 1968. In a low-key campaign, Nixon promised to bring peace with honor in Vietnam and to unite a nation deeply divided by the Vietnam War. Nixon defeated his two opponents, Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace. Nixon entered office in the midst of one of the gravest foreign policy crisis in American history. The Cold War was at its height, hundreds of thousands of American troops were in Vietnam, and the views of society were split down the middle. Nixon with the help of his National Security Advisor (and later became in 1973 Nixon’s Secretary of State) Henry Kissinger felt that it was crucial to change American foreign policy. Nixon and Kissinger felt it was vital to support our interest in the long run, Nixon and Kissinger considered it essential to have a balance of power throughout the world in order to ensure peace as well prosperity. One has to take into consideration geopolitics when discussing balance of power. The main purpose is stability by using different political philosophies based on geography, and self interest. If the main powers pursued their self interest rationally and predictably, and equilibrium would emerge from the conflicting interest (Cowan, par.1). Nixon knew that a strong America was essential to a global balance, and counted on stability to create it. Nixon believed there were three key factors essential to keeping peace: partnership, strength and a willingness to negotiate. Nixon imagined a future in which more pleasant relations among the major powers- the United States, the Soviet Union, China, Western Europe, and Japan- would allow for ventures profitable to all. Through international cooperation these nations might reduce revenue-draining Defense expenditures and prevent the occurrence of costly Third World conflicts such as the Vietnam War (â€Å"Nixon†). Nix...

Mrs. Fields Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mrs. Fields - Case Study Example However, the main reason behind the dramatic success of the Mrs. Fields’ Cookies was its exceptional management philosophy and management information systems (Richman(a)). In the process excessive international expansion, Randy and Debbi, made sure that they have control over all branches and were not in favor of franchising the outlets. According to them, franchising would have resulted in hurting their management philosophy and quality of business (Richman, 5). Debbi believed in guiding the employees with example and regularly visited its stores in this regard. Management information system of the Mrs. Fields’ Cookies was designed in order to keep control over all stores and to provide the required information to all store managers in order to take better decisions. Information systems at each store helped the managers in the process of taking important daily operational decisions (Richman, 6). Hence, less autonomy is given to the store managers and employees. On the other hand, LPB had completely different management practices and philosophy. The store managers and employees of LPB were provided with the required autonomy and freedom to take important decisions regarding day to day operations at the bakery. Apart from this, LPB does not have the carefully and cleverly build information system. Randy and Debbi were not able to understand these differences and modify the information system according to the new requirements, which in turn resulted in losses after the acquisition of the LPB by the Fields. INTIAL ACTIONS OF FIELDS UPON ACQUIRING LPB AND ITS ANALYSIS: The first most action taken by the Fields upon the acquisition of the La Pettie Boulangerie (LPE) was the reduction of the overall staff of the bakery chain. The administrative staff was reduced to 3 from 53 (Richman, 9). The reason provided by the Fields for this was that all overhead activities and tasks were integrated with the existing management structure and organization, this inc ludes several important tasks like human resources, finance, training and several other. The three people kept belonged to operations and research and development department (Richman, 9). This step of reducing the staff and merging overhead functions with existing organization allowed to cut down the overall cost of operations. Apart from this, integration of the operations and reduction of staff was supportive to the management practices of Debbi and Randy and they could have gain more control. Although, this decision was taken by the Fields in order to manage the acquisition more effectively and efficiently but at the same time this decision would have resulted in resistance on part of the store manager and other employees of the LPB. The decision of reducing the staff would have discouraged and de-motivated the employees and at the same time the level of trust over the new management would have reduced. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FIELDS AND LA PETTIE BOULANGERIE: De bi and Randy were of the view that La Pettie Boulangerie (LPB) was similar to their own business. However, it was important to acknowledge first that the similarity between both businesses was only limited to the type of industry in which they were operating, as the products were related to each other. Debi and Randy wanted to enter into a whole new segment in the bakery industry and for this purpose acquired La Pettie Boulang

Reading Response Speech of Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont Essay

Reading Response Speech of Pope Urban II at the Council of Clermont - Essay Example and devoted themselves mainly to convincing the leaders and their subjects of the land where this cruel anger had affected to open the churches that were located on the east side. They solemnly ordered them at the Auvergne council on their achievement to such activities, as a groundwork for the reduction of all their evils (Krey, 2012). The Bishop of Puy known as Adhemar, who was the leader of this mission was constituted, and also told to embark on their stead. This was done so that those individuals who perhaps might be willing to undertake this voyage, must act in accordance with his rules, as if they were their own, and succumb completely to his bindings or loosing’s, to the extent that he will continue to be holding such a position. Additionally, he asserted that if there are any of the crusaders who feel God has motivated them to this undertaking, they should know that Adhemar will set forth with the assistance of God in the time of the supposition of the blessed Mary, and that this crusaders or followers of God should accord themselves to his teachings and follow his rules (Halsall, 1997). There can be no uncertainty on whether the response to Urban’s evangelization significantly surpassed his expectations. The Chronicles version might to some degree been swayed by the character of this response so that they twist what Urban said to prompt it. However, the historians are not in agreement with such a principle in defining the original themes of urban as well-maintained by the chronicles. The importance of this speech is that it will help the believers of Christ to follow the teachings of their church leaders as they will be aware that he or she is directed by God to lead them. This will assist the Holy City of Jerusalem to be delivered from the pagan