Touching The Heart of Buddhas Teachings Term Paper

Touching The Heart of Buddhas Teachings - Term Paper Example Perhaps the best way to approach the core of Buddhism is to ask, first of all, what the word Buddhism means. Buddhism comes from the word Buddha, whose root word, budh simply means awake. The Buddha, whose root word, budh simply means awake. The Buddha, therefore, is simply one who is awake. In the Anguttara Nikaya, one of the major collections of Buddhist texts, we are told that a Brahmin (a Hindu priest) once encountered the Buddha and asked him a series of questions: â€Å"The Brahmin Dona saw the Buddha sitting under a tree and was impressed by his peaceful air of alertness and his good looks. He asked the Buddha: Are you a God? No, Brahmin, I am not a God. Then an angel? No, indeed, Brahmin. A spirit, then? No, I am not a spirit. Then what are you? I am awake.† (Bancroft 8). When the Buddha said that he was awake, what he implied was that he was once, like most of us, asleep. To be asleep is to be ignorant of our true nature. It means that there is so much about ourselves and the world that we do not understand. If we could only open our eyes and be awake, then we, too, can be Buddhas. This, in fact, is one of the central teachings of Buddhism: that each of us is a potential Buddha, that each of us has the seed of enlightenment. All we need to do is to work at it. All we need to do is to nurture the seed of enlightenment. This brings us to the life story of Buddha. What are the key elements of Buddha’s life story? Why are they so important? What do these teachings tell us? These are among the questions that I shall address in this paper. The Buddha was born around 560 B.C. in what is now Southern Nepal (Zukeran 1). He was Indian, and was born a prince. His name was Siddhartha. The story of his life starts right after he was born, when an astrologer came to the kingdom and predicted that Siddhartha would either become a great king or a great spiritual leader. When Siddhartha’s father heard this, the king made sure that Siddhartha would not be exposed to the difficulties of life. So the king surrounded Prince Siddhartha with all the possible pleasures one could possibly imagine, and he was not exposed to any difficulties or suffering whatsoever. However, the prince developed a great curiosity about the world outside the palace walls. When Siddhartha left the palace walls with this charioteer named Chandaka, he first noticed a bent, wrinkled old man. This was something he had never seen before. On another trip outside the palace walls, Siddhartha saw a man suffering from some kind of disease. On a third occasion , Siddhartha encountered a funeral procession and saw a dead body inside a box followed by crying relatives. He was horrified. On a fourth occasion, Siddhartha encountered a wandering mock who seemed very happy, serene, and contented. When he asked Chandaka who this person was, Chandaka said: â€Å"this is a holy man who has renounced worldly life and entered upon a life of homelessness† (Kohn 11). These key events are what led Siddhartha to a deep realization: that everything is ravaged by time; that we don’t live forever; and that life, at its very root, is filled with suffering. These facts motivated Siddhartha to look for a cure for suffering. In doing so, he vowed to continue sitting in meditation until he found the solution to the problem of suffering. One day, Siddhartha attained enlightenment. During this enlightenment, he was finally able to discover the cure that he was seeking. At first, he thought that he could not teach what he had discovered, since what h e had discovered seemed so profound. But he got up from under the tree, and met a few friends who had deserted him. It is to these friends that he gave his first sermon – the four noble truths. This is where Buddha’s life story becomes significant. The four noble truths are the foundational teachings of Buddhism. These teachings tell us that first, human existence is characterized by suffering. Second, that there

Factors That Influence Poverty

Factors That Influence Poverty The literature examined throughout this paper assumes that there are many contributing factors that can lead to poverty in the United States of America. The factors include but are not limited to increased immigration rates, the lack of education, illicit drug use, and family composition (i.e. single parent homes). Additionally the literature presented demonstrates the relevance of the previously mentioned areas while highlighting specific examples. In conducting research on this particular issue many scholars shared contradicting views on what truly influences poverty in the U.S. This may be contributed to the many factors including the areas in which the research was conducted and varying backgrounds. Thus my research question is What critical components contribute to the rising poverty levels in America? In answering this scrupulous question I will focus on factors including immigration, level of education and family composition. Poverty is an issue that affects us all because res earch indicates that increased poverty levels are proportional to increased crime rates, number of students that drop out of school, and lack of job opportunities. Uncovering the critical components that contribute to the rising poverty levels in American will allow individuals to find solutions to this growing issue. Abstract Introduction Many individuals believe that poverty is only found in third world countries, but contrary to popular belief it exists in wealthy countries as well. Poverty occurs when individuals are unable to satisfy their basic needs, which leads to a depravation of food, shelter, money, and clothing. Scholars suggest that factors including increased immigration rates, illicit drug use, varying levels of education and family composition play a major role in the rising levels of poverty in America. Poverty is an issue that affects us all, research indicates that increased poverty levels are proportional to increased crime rates, number of students that drop out of school, and lack of job opportunities. Likewise increased levels of poverty also tend to have a negative effect on our communities. For example rising poverty levels forces property rates decrease. Furthermore, the issues surrounding poverty are a great concern to many individuals living in the land of prosperity, because there are a lar ge percentage of individuals that are living below the nations current poverty line. This is a very troubling fact, thus my research question is; what critical components contribute to the increase levels of poverty in America? In looking at potential causes of poverty, one can begin to formulate solutions that would ultimately help decrease the national poverty rate. Through examining various data, the previously mentioned research question would shed light on what factors truly contribute to poverty in the United States. To conduct my research I will visit certain cities that have high poverty rates. While in those cities I will stay in low income housing, also referred to as section eight, and intermingle with the residents. By staying in community with those that are affected by poverty I will be able to interact with many of them on a personal level through participant observation. Researching the many components of poverty is important, because we are products of our community , as a result we should know what negatively affects it so that we build on improvements. Literature Review People living in poverty tend to be in clustered neighborhoods rather than being evenly distributed across a geographic area.  [1]  Alemayehu Bishaw suggests that measuring this concentration of poverty is important, because researchers have found that living in areas with many other poor people places burdens on low-income families beyond what the families own individual circumstances would dictate. This article, using a combination of statistical data shows the distribution of individuals living in poverty based on level of education, race/ethnicity, living environment, and marital status. This report deeply analyzes demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of census tracts, to determine what truly influences poverty. The persistence of poverty and economic inequality around the world has led many economists to question the model of an individuals self-determination when it comes to living in poverty.  [2]  In Poverty Traps authors Samuel Bowels, Steven Durlauf, and Karla Hoff, propose that there are many conditions that may trap individuals, groups, and entire economies in poverty. In using history and theories Bowels, Durlauf, and Hoff suggest that those born into poverty have it in their power to get out of poverty. This book argues that there are many conditions that can influence poverty such; as an individuals level of education, and ones living and socioeconomic environment. The authors propose that poverty informs much political debate while making a correlation between social and political institutions, beginning with corruption and not limited to social customs such as kin systems. Throughout the 21st/ century, poverty advocates and activists continuously propose that political mobilization is an effective mechanism to combat poverty in many western democracies, specifically the United States.  [3]  The Politics of Poverty: Left Political Institutions, the Welfare State and Poverty, investigates the impact of left political institution on a nations amount of poverty. Brady argues that, given the longstanding contention that left political institutions reduce social inequality, it is plausible that left mobilization potentially could contribute to poverty reduction. Through various research methods, it is suggested that the strength of left political systems has a significant and powerfully negative impact on poverty. While welfare remains a crucial determinant of poverty, left political institutions are crucial to the explanations of poverty from a historical viewpoint A question often asked is Can the wealthiest nation in the world do nothing to combat the steadily rising numbers of Americans living in poverty, or the millions close to living in poverty?  [4]  Poverty in America, using various methods examines and explains why poverty is growing, while illustrating steps that can be taken to prevent it. John Edwards, Marion Crain, and Arne Kalleberg Edwards, Crain, and Kalleberg recognize that in order to eliminate an issue, one must first, figure out what is causing the issue. In doing this, the authors give an adequate definition of poverty and many of the factors that contribute to the rising poverty levels. Additionally, Poverty in America discusses the repercussions that rising poverty levels are having on various ethnic groups. In conducting research, the authors uncovered that there is a disproportionate number of African-Americans and Hispanic families living below the poverty line. They propose that this is due to wealth inequalities and the growing income gap between the rich and the poor. In the United States, with the exception of those on Social Security, the only way for most individuals to avoid poverty is to work.  [5]  Ron Haskins the author of Combating Poverty: Understanding New Challenges for Families, using empirical data and research methods provides various poverty trends over the course of history. By doing such, Haskins suggests that the conditions within the United States virtually ensure high poverty rates because of the factors that influence poverty. Those factors including the declining of work rates, stagnant wages, family composition, inferior education, and the increase number of immigrants. Haskins suggests that the conditions in the U.S. ensure high poverty rates because the factors that influence poverty remain very strong. Furthermore, Haskins deeply analyzes each individual cause and sheds light on them through data, charts and graphs. Over the course of history the United States has experienced a rising standard of living, with the Gross Domestic Product per capita on a constant rise.  [6]  Hilary Hoynes, Marianne Page, and Ann Stevens, using exploratory research methods examines the trends in individual poverty rates. Poverty in America: Trends and Explanations examines the rise and fall of various social economic groups that are in poverty. Likewise, this source takes into account many of the components that are used when measuring the various levels and causes of poverty such as levels of education, overpopulation and job opportunities. Throughout this text the authors present charts and graphs to show the change in data over a certain period of time. Hoynes, Page, and Stevens provide a fundamental contribution to understanding poverty as a whole. What does it mean to be poor? This is a questioned posed be John Iceland in Poverty in America: A Handbook. While most people would be hard-pressed to give a precise answer, many feel that poverty is easily recognized when one sees it.  [7]  For example, a news story accompanied with images of malnourished children in an areas surrounded by filth can vividly display poverty. Iceland suggests that as one moves away from the obvious examples, it becomes more difficult to distinguish what people mean when using the word poor. In using a concise, accessible format the author produces an inclusive picture of the state of poverty in America. Additionally, Poverty in America: A Handbook shows how poverty has changed significantly over time. Likewise, Iceland adequately shows how poverty is both measured and understood, and how public policies have wrestled with poverty as a political issue, and an economic reality. Furthermore, in looking at conventional theories, Iceland asks the tough questions like: Is poverty unavoidable, and Are people more likely to live in poverty based on their race, class, and/or gender? There are many competing theories about the causes of poverty in the United States with a great deal of empirical evidence to justify support for each.  [8]  The Cause of Poverty Cultural vs. Structural, suggests that there are many different factors that contribute to poverty, while arguing that poverty is largely the result of social and behavioral deficiencies in individuals that make them less economically viable within a conservative society. Gregory Jordan proposes that the debate is divided among theorist and policymakers on whether the causes of poverty are cultural and behavioral or structural and economic. This article briefly examines the theoretical arguments behind both, while providing an analysis to determine the empirical relevancy of each. Additionally, this debate is popular across political party lines with republicans supporting the cultural and behavioral side and democrats leaning more toward the structural and economic causes. To a majority of Americans, illicit drug use and poverty go hand in hand.  [9]  Robert Kaesnter suggests that poverty is concentrated in inner-city neighborhoods that are often times known for high rates of drug use. Similarly, the homeless population primarily found in cities consists of a proportion of drug users. Kaestner argues that the public has a significant amount of evidence that links drug use to poverty. Using empirical data researchers are able to propose that drug use, although not the only factor, can lead to poverty. Likewise based on societys willingness to pay for and support antidrug programs, it appears that there is a widespread belief that drug use causes many negative social and economic outcomes including poverty. Additionally this article includes tables that support its main argument. The proportion of U.S. residents born in another country has increased significantly in recent years.  [10]  Immigration and poverty in the United States, highlights that international immigration accounted for over a quarter of the net population growth from 2000-2007.Using various research techniques, Steven Raphael and Eugene Smolensky suggests that immigration can affect the United States poverty rate in two ways. The first way is that immigrants tend to live in highly concentrated areas, where the level of formal education is low. Secondly, it is proposed that immigrants tend to work for lower wages and do not earn an annual salary. By not working for a steady salary immigrants are more likely not to have a consistent paycheck, thus forcing many of them to live in poverty. The authors argue that the combination of increased poverty among immigrants and a higher ratio of immigrants to the total population add to the national poverty rate. Buried in the Census report are startling figures revealing that the collapse of marriage is creating a poverty crisis.  [11]  The Poverty Solution: Marriage or Bust, proposes that a long-term root cause of poverty in the United States of America is unwed childbearing. Through various research methods Robert Rector illustrates that single-mother families are five times more likely to live in poverty than married couples with children. Consequently, nearly 70 percent of poor families in America are headed by single parents. Additionally Rector highlights that the unwed birthrate has increased by 22 percent since 2002. Overall, this article suggests that because the rate of single mothers has risen, so has the number of individuals living in poverty. Over the past 25 years significant structural changes have occurred in the United States that have influenced poverty, making current-day poverty different in some ways from poverty just a few decades ago.  [12]  Causes of Poverty illustrates structural changes include transformations in our economic structure such as the shift from manufacturing employment to service sector employment. Amy Rynell suggests that structural changes include but are not limited to the changes in the economic structure, diseases, welfare reform, immigration, and the increase number of individuals being incarcerated. Rynell, through rigorous econometric and statistical methods presents data based on the various causes of poverty, while showing that certain components affect various populations in different ways. America is always projected as a world superpower and a developed nation. While the term poverty may conjure images of destitute people living in dreadful conditions, this term assumes a new dimension when we speak of poverty in the U.S.  [13]  Causes of Poverty in America suggests that although America is the land of dreams, it does not differ from the rest of the world. Often times people associate poverty with third world countries, Ashwini K. Sule argues that this is far from the truth. Sule proposes that just as there are different definitions of poverty, the causes of poverty are also different. Furthermore, this article suggests that poverty is caused by a plethora of factors including unemployment, lack of education, the breakdown of family systems and the lack of willpower. Contrary to popular belief, the effects of poverty could very well be the causes of poverty. The Census Bureau conducts a national census every ten years that includes the America Community Survey (ACS); this survey includes a section that deals strictly with poverty. How to Define Poverty? Let Us the Ways discloses that according to the U.S. Census Bureau there are millions of people are living in poverty.  [14]  Louis Uchitelle, using various research methods actively defines poverty. In defining poverty, it is suggested that there is no single definition that can accurately characterize all of the components that go into poverty. This is mainly because there are numerous types of poverty. Although there is no one definition that defines poverty, Uchitelle proposes, that poverty in its most general terms is the lack of freedom to have or to obtain the basic needs of life. This article suggests that instead of trying to form a single definition, it is important to examine poverty from a holistic viewpoint. Poverty is increasing tremendously across many groups, from the suburban families to the very poor families. More workers are becoming discouraged and are giving up on the job market.  [15]  CBS News suggests that this issue can be attributed to the fact that the United States is considered to have a weak economy and fraying government. Because of the weak economy, the unemployment rate has significantly increased. Using various data tables and charts, this article shows that the official poverty rate will increase to 15.7 percent. This percentage is the highest the poverty rate has been since 1965. Poverty is spreading at record levels because of the lack of employment opportunities due to the fragile structure of the economy. It is also suggested that changes in the economy including outsourcing, immigration, and globalization have pushed the median household income lower. Research Design Poverty is a major issue within the U.S. today. Economical, political, social, and cultural factors all contribute to poverty. The United States Census Bureau defines poverty as an economic condition in which people have an insufficient income and amount of resources to obtain basic needs such as housing, clothing, food, and health care.  [16]  Poverty is generally separated into two sections, those being absolute poverty and relative poverty. Absolute or extreme poverty is a circumstance in which individuals are unable to pay the prices of basic necessities needed to survive. Secondly, relative poverty suggests that people may be able to obtain basic needs but are unable to maintain the living conditions that are deemed normal. Relative poverty usually focuses on comparing ones income to those in the rest of the society. The most frequent measure of poverty in America is the poverty threshold which is set by the U.S. government. This measure identifies poverty as a lack of those goods and services frequently taken for granted by individuals living in a conventional society.  [17]  The official threshold is typically adjusted for inflation to better fit society. As suggested by the literature review presented in the previous section, there are many components to consider when discussing what influences poverty in America. The literature at hand proposes that immigration, varying education levels, and family composition play a major role in increasing poverty rates. This section will discuss how the previously mentioned components negatively affect poverty rates in the U.S. through key examples. To conduct my research I will begin by going to areas that I frequently visit, that are stricken by poverty in Atlanta, New York, and California. In these cities I will live in low income housing most commonly known as section eight and intermingle with the residents. By staying in community with those that are affected by poverty I will be able to interact with many of them on a personal level through a participant observation. A participant observation is when a researcher actively participates in the daily life of the people under study while obser ving things that happen, listening to what is said and questioning people, over some length of time.  [18]  My goal is that the individuals under study would hopefully feel that they could trust me and in turn be open to answering any questions that I might have in regards to their living situation. In doing this I will observe on a first hand bases some of the factors that influence poverty in these areas by taking various polls based on individuals varying education levels, and family composition. Additionally, the cities under observation have very high immigration rates as a result I will be able to examine the affects immigration has on the rising poverty levels in America. Immigration Most studies of poverty conducted within the United States have usually focused on how widespread economic trends and social welfare affects the number of individuals living in poverty. Very few scholars have conducted research on the influence immigration has on the growing poverty levels in America. In gathering my research I propose that immigration increases the poverty rates by suggesting that newly arrived immigrants are on average poorer than U.S. citizens. When conducting my research I will first explore the effect immigrants have on the nations tax base. Additionally, I plan to focus on the impact immigration has on the poor already in America. Due to rising unemployment rates, low incomes, and the change in taxes, those living in poverty pay very little in taxes. Similarly, although many immigrants work when they arrive to the states they tend to receive payment under the table, thus they escape paying taxes. Furthermore, when looking at the programs designed to assist the less fortunate, many of them depend mainly on government assistance. Many individuals that are eligible to receive the services offered live below the poverty line. Because immigration adds to the number of individuals needing assistance, the funding needed to support welfare programs increase. This phenomenon suggests that if the U.S. continues to aid immigrants, we will not have the resources that are needed to help American citizens. Education Over the Thanksgiving holiday I had the opportunity to visit various communities in the greater Atlanta area where individuals are living below the U.S. poverty line. While visiting the communities I was able to talk to some of the residents about their educational background, and I quickly realized that many of the residents did not have a high school diploma or GED. The information gathered supports the idea that the impact of education on poverty can be assessed by examining how receiving a degree of higher learning can potentially enable individuals to obtain a better standard of living. Education plays a role in obtaining jobs, thus individuals that do not receive an adequate education are unable to provide for their families. With the job market in the U.S. being very competitive it is imperative to have an education. In todays society there are individuals that have multiple college degrees, and they still find themselves struggling to make ends meet. A person that does not re ceive an education is more likely not to receive a desirable income that would ultimately allow them to obtain all of the basic necessities needed to survive. Consequently, those without an education bring their family into a never ending cycle of poverty. This is not to say that those without an education will automatically live poverty, but it does place individuals at a higher risk of living below the poverty level. Although lack of education influences poverty, poverty itself can have a negative effect on children trying to attain an education. Family Composition Over the course of history the family composition in America has changed drastically. No longer is the two parent household considered the norm. In fact in todays society single parent households are rapidly increasing. Growing up in a single parent home, most of my life, I know that it can be extremely difficult for a single parent to provide the basic necessities for his/her family. Changes in family composition can be considered a major influence on the growing poverty rates in the U.S. Recognizing this, in visiting different communities over the Thanksgiving break I was able to observe on first hand bases the factors that contribute to the changes in family composition. For example divorce has the ability to cause great inconsistency in a households income. Consequently divorce takes away from the economic well being of custodial parents and their children. This is mainly due to the fact that men tend to have a higher earning power then women. Thus, after a divorce women and chil dren experience a significant financial decline as a result forcing them to live below the poverty lines. Similarly, single parent households can be tied to poverty because they normally have only one potential earner. When there is only one adult earner in the household, fewer hours are worked and fewer hours are available to be worked due to childcare responsibilities. Although the family composition can contribute to poverty levels, many single parent households are forced to live in poverty despite their efforts.

Proprioception Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Proprioception: How and Why There are five common senses that are discussed and learned from an early age: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. The I-function, the conscious part of the brain, is very aware of these senses. It voluntarily checks information obtained by these senses in order to experience the environment, and also when a strong enough stimuli has signaled attention to these specific receptors. There are other equally important sensory systems set up that are essential for normal body functioning, but these are not so easily recognized by the I-function because the nervous system keeps the input unconscious. One overlooked sense, known as proprioception, is as important, if not more important as the other senses, for normal functioning. Proprioception is "the process by which the body can vary muscle contraction in immediate response to incoming information regarding external forces," by utilizing stretch receptors in the muscles to keep track of the joint position in the body (1). Proprioception and kinesthesia, the sensation of joint motion and acceleration, are the sensory feedback mechanisms for motor control and posture. Theses mechanisms along with the vestibular system, a fluid filled network within the inner ear that can feel the pull of gravity and helps the body keep oriented and balanced, are unconsciously utilized by the brain to provide a constant influx of sensory information (2). The brain can then send out immediate and unconscious adjustments to the muscles and joints in order to achieve movement and balance. Why has the nervous system developed the sense of proprioception, and why is it an unconscious aspect of the sensory system? Proprioception, also often referred to as the s... ...tion seems to be one of the most complicated aspects of the brain. Was the I-function one of the last aspects to evolve in the human brain thus far? If so was it because the necessities for survival were accomplished by the species, proprioception allows movement and eating is instinctual to the brain? Why did evolution cause the human to develop the I-function? References 1)Proprioception, A simplified overview of anatomical structures and neurophysiological actions involved in joint stability. http://www.umds.ac.uk/physiology/mcal/posture.html 2)Mixed up in Space, An article concerning how the vestibular and proprioceptor systems react in space. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast07aug_1.htm 3)Why can't this man feel whether or not he is standing up?, The story of one man's loss of proprioception http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun98/touch.html

Adoption of new technology systems Essay

                 Health can be described as the state of physical or emotional well-being without necessarily the absence of a disease or any given ailments. Electronic Health Record, thereby, covers a wide scope in ensuring the electronic procedures through which the factors that lead to the health of individuals are ensured. This indicates that this practice involves the incorporation of technology such as the use of computers to ensure its implementation.                  In this research paper, therefore, one ought to undertake the role of a head nurse, and carry out the programs that will ensure the use of electronic health records system is incorporated in a facility. In addition, one ought to put his or her base of discussion in line with the Rodgers qualities that lead to the adoption of new technologies, especially in an organizational set up. This can, therefore, be discussed as follows:                  How to approach the present the Electronic Health Records to the nurses to win their approval            Nurses often play a greater role in ensuring the health care delivery to the patients, who in most cases seek medical attention. This owes to the fact that they put into consideration the patients’ issues from the moment they are registered to undertake treatment in a given facility. Furthermore, they are the individuals who make sure that the patients get proper and adequate treatment up to when they are discharged from the hospital.               Therefore, one way of presenting the Electronic Health Records system to them is by critically defining the roles they are to carry out. These run from the registration of the patients, admission procedures as in the case of patients’ illnesses, writing down of the nursing procedures. Other functions of the nurses include drug admission, dosage and their storage, carrying out of the minor surgeries and dressing of wounds.                As the Head Nurse in charge, I would clearly outline to the nurses their roles, and how the incorporation of the new electronic health record system would improve their daily activities in the delivery of healthcare. However, despite the advantages that are associated with the new technology, several cases of resistance can be noticed among the nurses. These can be in the whereby they mention that they lack the knowledge and the skills to use the methods and that it may consume their time, and lead t earlier retirement or even retrenchment of their jobs.               In such a given case, as a head nurse, I will ensure that they have adequate training on the use of the newly adopted system, and assure them that the only time they would be retrenched or dismissed from their duties would be on attainment of the retirement age. Moreover, I will ensure that new goals and objectives are set forth with the introduction of the systems to ensure a quality health delivery service. Furthermore, I would also provide some room for negotiation so that we come up with a system that will be favorable to all.               Applications as per Rodger’s theory, in the health facility setup.               The theory looks into the modes via which individuals can choose to adapt into a new system of technology, basing on the qualities that they possess. These include relative advantage/the benefits, compatibility with the current practices and the values, simplicity, trialability, and the results that are observed (the observable results). The relative advantage               In order to prepare the nurses for the implementation that is upcoming, I would ensure that the system will lay several benefits that will facilitate in the improvement of the existing one. An explanation that can be given to this is that, initially, the storage of the health records were done in a manual manner. Therefore, a lot of time would be taken to retrieve the information about the patients from the filing area, thereby leading to subsequent delays, and infectivity in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the loss of the files would be easier owing to their inadequate storage and management.               However, by the incorporation of the new technology, time taken to retrieve the information about the patients would be reduced due to their accessibility and efficient storage. This would in turn lead to faster and efficient treatment. These would also ensure that they are properly diagnosed with the diseases that they suffer from and reduce the excess costs incurred for example in the purchasing of their files. Compatibility with the existing values and practices               In the health setup, proper values need to be ensured so that the rights of the patients are not infringed on. These can be in line with the Nightingale Promises or laws, as in this case, for the nurses. Practices such as laboratory experiments and the observational routines, for example, recording of temperature, blood pressure tests, post natal and antenatal care too should be considered. As a result, in order for the nurses to adapt to the new systems, they need to understand how the technologies would be implemented as per the values and the practices. Simplicity               In the facility, several forms of resistance may arise due to the difficulty of the nurses to use the new methods as most of them may be computer illiterate. Therefore, there is need to use the simple models that they can be easily trained on and understand. An example of these may include the data entry forms like the use of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) basically, before getting to the more complex ones. Others may include the measurements of the temperature and pressure of the patients using equipment that can easily detect the variables from one patient to the next.                TrialabilityThese can be carried out as part of the training procedures that are given to the nurses. Therefore, they can be granted some extra time to familiarize themselves with the machines, make several trials and mistakes, and eventually come to terms with the proper modes of handlement. Observable results                  In most cases, these will be evident from the institutions that have successfully installed and used the systems in place, and the progresses that they have made in relation to the admission of an adequate healthcare. Thus, these can be the referral and the national hospitals from where a variety of diseases are handled. The role of nurses as change agents in facilitating the adoption of a new technology                Nurses aid in the adoption of the new forms of technology by ensuring digitalization in the admission of healthcare. These can be in the form of the mobile clinics that reach far and wide, within and outside the country. Moreover, it gives them a wider scope to classify diseases according to the signs and symptoms thus they can relate to patients through mediums such as webcam or even Skype for those who may not be able to get to the facilities in good time.                      These can therefore help to reduce the costs that can be incurred as in the case of distant travels by the patients who are critically ill, for example the aircraft ambulatory modes, and reduce more damages that would be caused to the patients by the use of roads. Additionally, several modes of treatment too can be sought out for by the nurses in line with the researches that they carry out through the internet, thereby improving the lives of individuals. References Archer, N., & Cocosila, M. (2011). A Comparison of Physician Pre-Adoption and Adoption Views on Electronic Health Records in Canadian Medical Practices. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3), 65.Devkota, B., & Devkota, A. (2014). Electronic health records: advantages of use and barriers to adoption. Health Renaissance, 11(3), 78.Mihalko, M. (2011). Cognitive Informatics and Nursing: Considerations for Increasing Electronic Health Records Adoption Rates. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26(3), 264-266. Peden, A. H. (2009). Factors affecting adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems in United States Hospitals. New York: Mac Millan. Rogers, E. M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press ;. Source document Adoption of new technology systems Essay Adoption of new technology systems Introduction                   Health can be described as the state of physical or emotional well-being without necessarily the absence of a disease or any given ailments. Electronic Health Record, thereby, covers a wide scope in ensuring the electronic procedures through which the factors that lead to the health of individuals are ensured. This indicates that this practice involves the incorporation of technology such as the use of computers to ensure its implementation.                   In this research paper, therefore, one ought to undertake the role of a head nurse, and carry out the programs that will ensure the use of electronic health records system is incorporated in a facility. In addition, one ought to put his or her base of discussion in line with the Rodgers qualities that lead to the adoption of new technologies, especially in an organizational set up. This can, therefore, be discussed as follows: How to approach the present the Electronic Health Records to the nurses to win their approval                   Nurses often play a greater role in ensuring the health care delivery to the patients, who in most cases seek medical attention. This owes to the fact that they put into consideration the patients’ issues from the moment they are registered to undertake treatment in a given facility. Furthermore, they are the individuals who make sure that the patients get proper and adequate treatment up to when they are discharged from the hospital.                   Therefore, one way of presenting the Electronic Health Records system to them is by critically defining the roles they are to carry out. These run from the registration of the patients, admission procedures as in the case of patients’ illnesses, writing down of the nursing procedures. Other functions of the nurses include drug admission, dosage and their storage, carrying out of the minor surgeries and dressing of wounds.                   As the Head Nurse in charge, I would clearly outline to the nurses their roles, and how the incorporation of the new electronic health record system would improve their daily activities in the delivery of healthcare. However, despite the advantages that are associated with the new technology, several cases of resistance can be noticed among the nurses. These can be in the whereby they mention that they lack the knowledge and the skills to use the methods and that it may consume their time, and lead t earlier retirement or even retrenchment of their jobs.                   In such a given case, as a head nurse, I will ensure that they have adequate training on the use of the newly adopted system, and assure them that the only time they would be retrenched or dismissed from their duties would be on attainment of the retirement age. Moreover, I will ensure that new goals and objectives are set forth with the introduction of the systems to ensure a quality health delivery service. Furthermore, I would also provide some room for negotiation so that we come up with a system that will be favorable to all. Applications as per Rodger’s theory, in the health facility setup.                   The theory looks into the modes via which individuals can choose to adapt into a new system of technology, basing on the qualities that they possess. These include relative advantage/the benefits, compatibility with the current practices and the values, simplicity, trialability, and the results that are observed (the observable results). The relative advantage                   In order to prepare the nurses for the implementation that is upcoming, I would ensure that the system will lay several benefits that will facilitate in the improvement of the existing one. An explanation that can be given to this is that, initially, the storage of the health records were done in a manual manner. Therefore, a lot of time would be taken to retrieve the information about the patients from the filing area, thereby leading to subsequent delays, and infectivity in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the loss of the files would be easier owing to their inadequate storage and management.                   However, by the incorporation of the new technology, time taken to retrieve the information about the patients would be reduced due to their accessibility and efficient storage. This would in turn lead to faster and efficient treatment. These would also ensure that they are properly diagnosed with the diseases that they suffer from and reduce the excess costs incurred for example in the purchasing of their files. Compatibility with the existing values and practices                   In the health setup, proper values need to be ensured so that the rights of the patients are not infringed on. These can be in line with the Nightingale Promises or laws, as in this case, for the nurses. Practices such as laboratory experiments and the observational routines, for example, recording of temperature, blood pressure tests, post natal and antenatal care too should be considered. As a result, in order for the nurses to adapt to the new systems, they need to understand how the technologies would be implemented as per the values and the practices. Simplicity                   In the facility, several forms of resistance may arise due to the difficulty of the nurses to use the new methods as most of them may be computer illiterate. Therefore, there is need to use the simple models that they can be easily trained on and understand. An example of these may include the data entry forms like the use of Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) basically, before getting to the more complex ones. Others may include the measurements of the temperature and pressure of the patients using equipment that can easily detect the variables from one patient to the next.                   TrialabilityThese can be carried out as part of the training procedures that are given to the nurses. Therefore, they can be granted some extra time to familiarize themselves with the machines, make several trials and mistakes, and eventually come to terms with the proper modes of handlement. Observable results                   In most cases, these will be evident from the institutions that have successfully installed and used the systems in place, and the progresses that they have made in relation to the admission of an adequate healthcare. Thus, these can be the referral and the national hospitals from where a variety of diseases are handled. The role of nurses as change agents in facilitating the adoption of a new technology                   Nurses aid in the adoption of the new forms of technology by ensuring digitalization in the admission of healthcare. These can be in the form of the mobile clinics that reach far and wide, within and outside the country. Moreover, it gives them a wider scope to classify diseases according to the signs and symptoms thus they can relate to patients through mediums such as webcam or even Skype for those who may not be able to get to the facilities in good time.                   These can therefore help to reduce the costs that can be incurred as in the case of distant travels by the patients who are critically ill, for example the aircraft ambulatory modes, and reduce more damages that would be caused to the patients by the use of roads. Additionally, several modes of treatment too can be sought out for by the nurses in line with the researches that they carry out through the internet, thereby improving the lives of individuals. References Archer, N., & Cocosila, M. (2011). A Comparison of Physician Pre-Adoption and Adoption Views on Electronic Health Records in Canadian Medical Practices. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(3), 65.Devkota, B., & Devkota, A. (2014). Electronic health records: advantages of use and barriers to adoption. Health Renaissance, 11(3), 78.Mihalko, M. (2011). Cognitive Informatics and Nursing: Considerations for Increasing Electronic Health Records Adoption Rates. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26(3), 264-266. Peden, A. H. (2009). Factors affecting adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems in United States Hospitals. New York: Mac Millan. Rogers, E. M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press ;. Source document

Value of Life

Value of Life Essay Is the glass half empty or half full? The age old question of whether you view life itself as predominantly negative or positive. In Hamlet's Soliloquy, written by Shakespeare, Hamlet questions whether suffering through life is worth the pride. In It's Not About the Bike, written by Lance Armstrong, his excitement for life is hard to miss. While Hamlet is correct in the fact that, yes, times can be painstakingly hard; Armstrong's point of view is one I would hope sticks to people the most.No matter your situation, there is always a brighter side to turn to. During Hamlet's Soliloquy, Hamlet argues with himself over whether or not life is worth living entirely. â€Å"To be or not to be- that is the question†(1). Hamlet is in a time of panic, where he is facing several devastating problems. In the moment, Hamlet has no high standard for how life will turn out eventually. â€Å"For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off of this mortal coil†(11). Hamlet's conclusion is that the only thing worse than life itself is the unknown afterlife.In Lance Armstrong's novel, It's not About the Bike: My Journey back to life, Armstrong is not unwilling to share he is enthralled to be alive despite his hard comings. â€Å"The truth is Cancer was the best things that ever happened to me†(17). It is obvious that the troubles, no matter how big, won't keep Lance Armstrong down. Armstrong admits that he had â€Å"shameful episodes† he says â€Å"I had to ask myself, ‘If I live who is it I intend to be? â€Å"(15). Lance Armstrong's inspiration for living was that he was going to strive to be a better person when he got through his life-threatening illness.During my life, I've been faced with thousands upon thousands of issues to work against, just like the rest of the world's population. Personally, When reading Hamlet's soliloquy, I agreed with a few of his points. Thriving through life is â€Å" taking arms against the sea of troubles†(3). There will be life-threatening and not so life-threatening problems to deal with no matter your age, race, personality, attractiveness, or any other variable. The worst part about life is that problems will continue to come throughout your lifetime, asHamlet illustrates. However we as a people cannot simply give up on something we were born into merely because it gets difficult. Shakespeare's character, Hamlet, had such low of view of life that it was hard not be somewhat depressed while reading the short soliloquy. Yet, after reading Lance Armstrong's excerpt of It's Not About the Bike, the value of life was clear to be pretty high. The journey through life is literally going to be the hardest thing you ever do, but regardless of the troubles you have, it's also going to be the best thing you go through. Value of Life Vivionna Correa Mrs. Hansen English 12 25 September 2012 What Is a Human’s Life Worth? Think of the moments that you wanted to give up, what kept you going? Generation after generation, societies change as time goes on. Maybe not so much the society itself, but the people in it do. Many of us Americans have different opinions. The value of life now differs depending on the different kinds of experiences people go through. As awful as it sounds, our society has placed a dollar amount on life.However, society should determine value to a human life by the way that we have overcome obstacles, a human’s health, and by the personality trait that they have acquired. â€Å"The concept of assigning a price tag to a life has always made people intensely squeamish. After all, isn’t it degrading to presume that money can make a family whole again? † (Ripley 1). After the tragedies of September 11, 2002 the federal government started a federal fund to help the victims and families who has suffered a loss.Meaning that the government will pay for the loss of the death that a family has had to face. The government thinks that a person who makes more money, compared to one who does not but loves their job, will have more to offer meaning that they will be worth more. Many of us Americans have had to face numerous amounts of obstacles. The good thing is that no matter what mistake would occur in our life’s, it would be something that we would be able to learn from easily. Life should be valued by how someone has overcome an obstacle.There are many obstacles that people have had to face in their lifetime, for instance insecurities, people telling them what they can or cannot do, and even their own family or relationship problems that they have had to overcome. â€Å"I saw more beauty and triumph and truth, in a single day that I ever did in a bike race. † (Armstrong 3). Health will play an immense role in everyone’s life. Lance Arm strong survived a long battle with cancer, and after this he came out with a whole new outlook on life. This comes to show on how life can end very quickly no matter what the circumstances.It will take people a majority of time in order to realize this, until they have been in a near death experience in which we realize on how important it is to treat our bodies well and stay healthy. How does the government know if the person who has past away, has a true genuine personality? A human’s value should be based on what that person had done and is willing to do for others. Usually the upper class society has the stereotype of being snobby, while the lower class society has the stereotype of being generous towards other people.An example of this would be a volunteer who loves their job and helps organizations in order to help others, other than themselves. Rather than someone who needed to get paid in order to make money and highly dislike what they are doing. Without a story ther e would not be a meaning behind someone’s life. Everyone has come from a different background and a different story to tell. Society should assign value to a human’s life by how we have told the tale to others about the life that our loved ones have lived. They should not assign value by how much income they have made, how well known they are, nor how much longer they have to live.Every human being is worth something more to their close relationships that they have encountered with. Value should not mean money for people, it should mean the importance that they have made in the world and other people’s life’s, not just their own. Works cited Armstrong, Lance, with Sally Jenkins. Excerpt from It’s Not about the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. New York: Putnam, 20001-5 The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education. â€Å"The Human Life Value Calculator. † LIFE. http://www. lifeline. org/build/human_life_value_calculator/index. php? pt= lfhlvc&m=l Ripley, Amanda. â€Å"What Is a Life Worth? † Time 11 Feb. 2002: 22-27

Creation and Cures essays

Creation and Cures essays Imagine not worrying about being perfect. Having IQ levels better than Einstein, but with an appealing appearance, singing better than the Backstreet Boys, and playing a favorite sport like a professional. Well, fortunately scientists have found a way of making those imaginative thoughts into reality through Genetic Engineering. Decades ago genetic engineering began, in its most simplest form, by cross breeding crops and cattle as well as domestic pets. Different traits were strengthened while other traits were lessened in these organisms. Now with a better understanding of the genome genetic engineering has taken on another level. Scientists can now insert or activate, genes within our DNA which results in turning on or off or adding and removing traits. Scientists should use genetic engineering to improve our lifestyle. Just by inserting or removing that extra gene they can examine a human before birth and prevent humans from having diseases. Positive eugenics encouraged parents displaying favorable characteristics to have large families. Superior intelligence, intellectual achievement, and artistic talent are examples. (Klug10). Almost every parent wants the best for his or her child and genetic engineering can provide some of those wants by transferring genes. In the future if genetic engineering is proposed, I for one would surely want to make my child into someone with a high IQ level, and I know many people would do the same too. Most parents take their children to piano lessons or swimming lessons and/or even pay for a school tutor, but if one could insert that one gene think about all the time and money one could save. I mean it is not like were not transferring genes right now; take vegetables as an example. Most scientist or farmers breed plants which consist of special genes for better results, and until this day they are sold across North America. Geneti ...

Term Paper Help

Term Paper Help Term Paper Help Term Paper Help Term paper help of high quality is rare today because most of the custom term paper writing sites hire inexperienced writers from poor countries.   As a result, you get a term paper of poor quality and full of mistakes. is a legal site offering professional paper writing service on any topic and within any deadline.   If you need term paper help, do not hesitate to take advantage of our custom term paper writing services! In addition, our term paper writing guide with tips and samples is absolutely free! Free Term Paper Sample All parents have ways of dealing with children and their behavior other than the physical laying on of hands. These comprise a variety of methods, many of which are identified in our case material. In four families, the customary device employed by the parents was to deprive the children of things or privileges which were much prized. This might mean the withholding of allowances, refusal of permission to play with the other children, absence from the movies, and the like. In ten families, the informants stressed the careful supervision and strict management by the parents, most often by the mother. Such management might be quite pervasive, to the point of being smothering, and was so described in several cases. The comments of the informants about their mothers in these cases are interesting. "She always knew what was going on." "She understood us better than we did ourselves." "Mother was a darned shrewd manager and manipulator." "Mother possessed that fortunate faculty of bringing about a desired result without seeming to use force or being possessive." Akin to the emphasis upon management were the references to the organizing abilities of one or both parents. Illustrative of this was a family with thirteen children. Here the parents stimulated active participation in school, church, and community activities, canalizing the energies of the entire family group in these directions. In addition, a strong sense of family pride was fostered, with the result that two informants from this family insisted that there had been no disciplinary problems in it. Child rearing in this case appears as incidental to the functioning of a well-organized family life. Emphasis upon a parent's capacity for leadership, expressed by the informants in eight families, is perhaps but another way of referring to the type of situation that has just been described. "My mother," writes a member of an intellectual family, "was not only an excellent manager and housekeeper, but she often was the leader in our activities and discussions. Mother was well read, she had a deep sense of understanding, about all kinds of things. True, she could be very critical of our friends, and several times forbade us to associate with persons we brought home. Yet withal, she had great confidence in us, and in turn we trusted her judgment. Term Paper Help Online: Custom Writing If you like the above term paper sample and need professional term paper help, do not hesitate to use our writing services. Our term paper writers are educated.   There is no term paper we cannot write!   There is no deadline we cannot meet!   All custom term papers are delivered with free plagiarism report!

How Inverters and Converters Work in Hybrids and Electric Vehicles

How Inverters and Converters Work in Hybrids and Electric Vehicles In a hybrid and other electric vehicles (EVs), two key elements work together to manage power and recharge the circuits. Here is how these critical components- the inverter and converter- work in tandem.   The Function of an Inverter Broadly speaking, an inverter  is an electrical device that converts electricity derived from a DC (Direct Current) source to AC (Alternating Current) of the type that can be  used to drive a device or appliance. In a solar power system, for example, the power stored by batteries charged by solar panels is converted to standard AC power by the inverter, which provides the power to plug-in outlets and other standard 120-volt devices.   An inverter serves the same kind of function in a hybrid or EV car, and the theory of operation is relatively simple. DC power, from a hybrid battery, for example, is fed to the primary winding in a transformer within the inverter housing. Through an electronic switch (generally a set of semiconductor transistors), the direction of the flow of current is continuously and regularly flip-flopped (the electrical charge travels into the primary winding, then abruptly reverses and flows back out). The in/outflow of electricity produces AC current in the transformers secondary winding circuit. Ultimately, this induced alternating current electricity provides power for an AC load- for example, an electric vehicles (EV) electric traction motor. A rectifier is a similar device to an inverter except that it does the opposite, converting AC power to DC power. The Function of a Converter More properly called a voltage converter, this electrical device actually changes the voltage (either AC or DC) of an electrical power source. There are two types of voltage converters: step up converters (which increases voltage) and step down  converters (which decreases voltage). The most common use of a converter is to a take relatively low voltage source and step-it-up to high voltage for heavy-duty work in a high power consumption load, but they can also be used in reverse to reduce voltage for a light load source. Inverter/Converter Tandem Units An inverter/converter is, as the name implies, one single unit that houses both an inverter and a converter. These are the devices that are used by both EVs and hybrids to manage their electric drive systems. Along with a built-in charge controller, the inverter/converter supplies current to the battery pack for recharging during regenerative braking, and it also provides electricity to the motor/generator for vehicle propulsion. Both hybrids and EVs use relatively low-voltage DC batteries (about 210 volts)  to keep the physical size down, but they also generally use highly efficient high voltage (about 650 volts) AC motor/generators. The inverter/converter unit choreographs how these divergent voltages and current types work together. Because of the use of transformers and semiconductors (and the accompanying resistance encountered), enormous amounts of heat are emitted by these devices. Adequate cooling and ventilation are paramount to keeping the components operational. For this reason,  inverter/converter installations in hybrid vehicles have their own dedicated cooling systems, complete  with pumps and radiators, that are entirely independent of the engines cooling system.

Contemporary issues in marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contemporary issues in marketing - Essay Example Business and promoting analysts direct the greater part of consumption examination to all the more correctly comprehend consumer inspirations and figure out what items consumers will purchase. To date, consumption is understudied in social science. Early social scholars treated consumption as a bit of hindsight. Marx (1972) alluded to consumption as an "item fixation," a social need that came about because of the investor mode of processing. Weber (1958) in his dissection of the "Protestant ethic," proposes that overconsumption is connected to indulgent propensities. Simmel (1997) prominent that form, shopping and mass consumption are strategies for self representation in current urban life. Furthermore, extensively, Veblen (1959) created the idea of the "relaxation class," where consumption is utilized to mean high social standing and class. Contemporary sociological examinations concerning consumption practices start with Bourdieu’s (1984) idea of "social capital," which clarifies how people utilize consumption to exhibit economic wellbeing and Ritzer’s (1996) hypothesis of the " Mcdonaldization of public opinion," where he contends that cutting edge consumption is supported by substantial enterprises. All the more as of late researchers are progressively examining non-monetarily judicious consumption drills. A subset of consumer’s utilization obtaining choices to help issues they feel decidedly about, and in a few cases use consumption as a political apparatus (Michelleti 2003). These consumers, who make non-monetarily reasonable obtaining choices to help social issues, are taking part in ethical consumption (Pelsmacker, et al. 2003; Tallontire, et al. 2001). The investigation of ethics has a long history, starting with exemplary works like Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (350 B.c.e.)[2002] about whether, subfields of ethics

Reading questions Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading questions - Case Study Example This strategy is effective when marketing a strong brand, which faces competition from other brands (Simonson, 72). Consumers make decisions after analyzing the choices on offer. Introducing a product that is inferior to the current product in the market would increase the sales of the superior product. Marketers use this strategy of introducing inferior products to increase the market share of superior products. For instance, designing a new model that has new features and pricing it at the same price as the old model would increase the sales of the new model. Most firms in the automobile industry use this strategy to increase the sales of their products (Simonson, 70). The manager at the local grocery stores can use alternative descriptions to influence the sales of the grocery’s products. Framing of product descriptions can help increase the sales of that particular product. The manager may also increase the sales of the grocery by offering a mix of products like onions and tomatoes. The sequence effect relates to the main points of an event. People will always consider the sequence in which a series of events took place. People consider events basing on the high and low points as well as the ending of the sequence of events (Chase & Dasu, 80). For instance, individuals donating blood will remember the long queues they had to follow, the stages they had to go through and the ending of the whole experience. One might improve this consumer situation by increasing the personnel to reduce the long queues. There is also need to reduce the stages through which a consumer has to pass before the end of the event (Chase & Dasu, 81). Finally, there is need for offering a meal to those who go through the blood donation experience. People’s perception of time is subjective. Increasing the segments of an activity lengthens its perceived duration (Chase & Dasu,

Smoking and Its Affects on Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Smoking and Its Affects on Americans - Essay Example This report approves that reasonable persons who happen to smoke, an overwhelming majority, acknowledge that actions such as smoking in a car with the windows rolled up while the kids are in the car is at least a mild form of child neglect. It is unreasonable for citizens not allowed the civil liberty to engage in any activity that does not harm other persons or their property. Smokers have actually become an oppressed minority in the U.S. As an example, smokers are commonly the victims of workplace discrimination due to their unfortunate cigarette addiction. Personal freedoms are an American birthright that is slowly but surely eroding over time. This essay makes a conclusion that smoking is now widely regarded as an activity that can be associated with numerous health risks, not only for the individual engaging in the activity, but also for those who are in the immediate vicinity and thus must partake of what has been termed ‘second-hand smoke’. For these reasons, it has been determined in a variety of different venues and states, that smoking in public and public-use places, such as libraries and government offices, restaurants and shopping malls, should be banned. While restrictions in closed-area spaces may be reasonable and justified, smokers argue that unreasonable restrictions on their freedoms such as enjoying a nice smoke after dinner in the designated smoking section or while outdoors crosses the line of reason and damages the concepts of liberty and personal freedom as defined by the nation’s founding documents.

Course work Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Course work - Coursework Example se; the answer of this synchronous communication is that the answer of the interviewer is more spontaneous, without an extended reflection (Pistone, Riccomagno & Wynn 2001, 78). Face to face interview can also be recorder if the interviewees give permission, making it more accurate than writing notes. It also enhances interviewer ambience; making use of a standardization of the situation. The use of questionnaire ensures there are already formulated questions that require responses, thus reducing time wastages during the interview. These formulated questions are quiet clear of the type of response that is required. A part from questionnaire being practical, large amount of data collected within a short duration of time make this method relatively cost efficient. It can also be carried out by any one with limited research analysis knowledge. On the disadvantage part, with the use of questionnaire it is not possible to determine the level of truthiness of the information they give and how much the respondent thought has put (Spurr & Bonini 1973, 156). In some cases, the respondent may miss interpret the question thereby, giving irrelevant response. b.) Standard deviation is the inverse of precision. A low standard deviation indicates that the data points tend to be very close to their arithmetic mean whereas high standard deviation indicates that the data points are spread out over large range of values (Barra & Herbach 1980, 45). Standard deviation of company A tends to cluster around the mean as opposed to the standard deviation of company B; hence larger standard deviation implies lower precision. In most countries, more than 50% of urban population have access to these social amenities; generally, there seem to be more access to the amenities in urban compared to rural apart from Gambia where the reverse is justified but by marginal difference. c.) The development agency should target the rural area part of West Africa. This is due to the fact that almost

The Chinese GM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Chinese GM - Essay Example Moreover, the automobile industry spends large amount of money in research and development purposes. Like the modern electric or hybrid cars are the latest creation of the automobile industry (LOC, 2007). A: Background of General Motors General Motors (GM) is a popular automobile company based in America. The company is a giant multinational firm, with its headquarters in Detroit Michigan. The company manufactures and sells vehicles along with vehicle parts. The firm also engages in the trading of financial services. The company is a giant car manufacturer and provides its services in more than 37 countries across the world. Chevrolet, Cadillac, Opel etc ere the various brands under which GM sells its cars. The company employs more than 212000 individuals in the global economy. Right form 1931 to 2007 GM has been awarded as the leading car producer in America (GM, 2013). Wholly owned subsidiary companies sell the cars of GM in most of the economies outside America. However, it should be considered that the company sells its cars in the emerging market of China via joint ventures. The company claims in its vision that by enjoying the source of large financial base, it would offer best cars to its customers and would always provide utility to its partners, employees and shareholders. The cars and trucks manufactured and traded by GM are not only said to be of efficient in quality and cost, but are also fuel economic and safe. It makes sure that its manufactured vehicles are never subjected to recalls in the market. By providing good cars with modern unique designs, the company attempts to build lifelong relations with its customers. This helps the company park potential affluent clients, who tend to repeat their purchases in GM (Creswell, 1998). The company invests large sums of money in research and development purposes. This helps it to make more technologically advanced models of cars and invent new models of vehicles. GM provides long term value in investment s to all its investors. The big business of the company continuously expands in terms of scale and scope, which gives complete confidence to the shareholders to invest in the shares of the company. Moreover, 212000 workers in the company, makes trading in more than 20 time zones in the globe possible, by acquiring the capability to communicate in more than 50 languages (Murphy, 2013). The company makes changes in its business operations according to the external business conditions in the global economy. It is empirically observed that since the last few years, the price of petrol is soaring significantly, moreover the extent of air pollution created by the traditional cars are also increasing rapidly. Since cars and petrol are complementary products, the demand for cars in the current market is falling due to the rise in price of petrol. Taking into consideration all such factors, GM has now started manufacturing electric cars that would run by battery or power. Such cars would not only be sustainable but would also avoid its dependence on petrol (Nieuwenhuis & Wells, 2003). B: Brief History of General Motors In July 13th 1956, China Central Committee along with the active support of Soviet Union established the first automobile manufacturing company in China named as First Automobile Works (FAW). Changchun China

Frankenstein's Attempt to abandon the Creature in the Real Monster Essay

Frankenstein's Attempt to abandon the Creature in the Real Monster - Essay Example Therefore, the rhetorical question that rises here is: â€Å"who is the real monster then?† On the surface level, it seems that since Dr. Frankenstein has created, he is the real evil or the real monster. But a deeper analysis will necessarily reveal that Dr. Frankenstein as a scientist who is good willed enough to discover the mystery of Nature in order to remove the imperfection is the monster; rather his disposition to abandon his creature (also his failure to socialize it) because of its ghastly appearance is the real monster in this case. The Real Monster: Frankenstein’s Refusal to Socialize the Creature Those who assume Dr. Frankenstein himself as the real monster argue that his attempt to create life is to be interpreted as a monstrous crime against nature and the will of God. The foundation of Frankenstein’s offense against Nature is: â€Å"Frankenstein is a rebel against nature when he tries not only to find the secret of life but also to remove life's defects† (Rohrmoser 3). Such proposal that like the legendary Prometheus, Doctor Frankenstein can be held responsible for offense against nature and God is further strengthened by the supposition that eventually Shelly’s protagonist has been punished by nature for committing such crime. But this proposal about Frankenstein’s offense against nature confronts a simple question, â€Å"Does Frankenstein intends to create a monster?† Textual evidences eventually will reveal that Doctor Frankenstein has no intention to create a monster; rather his sole objective is to amend the nature’s imperfection by grasping the secrets of life. Indeed his ignorance about how to nurture his creature that apparently looks like an evil causes the final havoc he suffers in the end of the novel. By effectively producing a naive imitative being, he primarily propounds that man can grab the secrets of life and death and searching for the secrets of life and death is nothing blasphemous. But Frankenstein’s monstrous crime lies in the fact that he abandons the lab-made creature because of its ghastly look instantly after its birth. Obviously he commits this crime being ignorant of his duty that greater knowledge imposes upon him and by refusing to play the motherly role of nurturing the creature. He has not committed any crime by seeking the secrets of life. Creation of a Naive Monster: A Success of Frankenstein’s Good-willed Research Mary Shelly’s attempt to endow the monster with humanly feelings and yearnings fundamentally refutes the claim that the creature is a monster. At the same time it also propounds that Frankenstein’s research in nature’s secrets is neither impossible not profane. The ghastly appearance of the creature is not enough to prove that Frankenstein’s monstrous intention to go against the will of God has failed. Indeed his success lies in the fact that he has successfully created a being that can learn like a man; that also has humanly yearnings to love and to be loved. The creature wants to have a female one. Such want proves its desire to love and to be loved. Instead of being disgusted by the creature’s ghastly appearance, Frankenstein as a responsible scientist could socialize him. But like an ambitious scientists, his ambition drives him to achieve fame without being responsible towards his creation. Frankenstein himself recognizes the flaw of his ambition in the following sentences, â€Å"How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who

The Chinese GM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The Chinese GM - Essay Example Moreover, the automobile industry spends large amount of money in research and development purposes. Like the modern electric or hybrid cars are the latest creation of the automobile industry (LOC, 2007). A: Background of General Motors General Motors (GM) is a popular automobile company based in America. The company is a giant multinational firm, with its headquarters in Detroit Michigan. The company manufactures and sells vehicles along with vehicle parts. The firm also engages in the trading of financial services. The company is a giant car manufacturer and provides its services in more than 37 countries across the world. Chevrolet, Cadillac, Opel etc ere the various brands under which GM sells its cars. The company employs more than 212000 individuals in the global economy. Right form 1931 to 2007 GM has been awarded as the leading car producer in America (GM, 2013). Wholly owned subsidiary companies sell the cars of GM in most of the economies outside America. However, it should be considered that the company sells its cars in the emerging market of China via joint ventures. The company claims in its vision that by enjoying the source of large financial base, it would offer best cars to its customers and would always provide utility to its partners, employees and shareholders. The cars and trucks manufactured and traded by GM are not only said to be of efficient in quality and cost, but are also fuel economic and safe. It makes sure that its manufactured vehicles are never subjected to recalls in the market. By providing good cars with modern unique designs, the company attempts to build lifelong relations with its customers. This helps the company park potential affluent clients, who tend to repeat their purchases in GM (Creswell, 1998). The company invests large sums of money in research and development purposes. This helps it to make more technologically advanced models of cars and invent new models of vehicles. GM provides long term value in investment s to all its investors. The big business of the company continuously expands in terms of scale and scope, which gives complete confidence to the shareholders to invest in the shares of the company. Moreover, 212000 workers in the company, makes trading in more than 20 time zones in the globe possible, by acquiring the capability to communicate in more than 50 languages (Murphy, 2013). The company makes changes in its business operations according to the external business conditions in the global economy. It is empirically observed that since the last few years, the price of petrol is soaring significantly, moreover the extent of air pollution created by the traditional cars are also increasing rapidly. Since cars and petrol are complementary products, the demand for cars in the current market is falling due to the rise in price of petrol. Taking into consideration all such factors, GM has now started manufacturing electric cars that would run by battery or power. Such cars would not only be sustainable but would also avoid its dependence on petrol (Nieuwenhuis & Wells, 2003). B: Brief History of General Motors In July 13th 1956, China Central Committee along with the active support of Soviet Union established the first automobile manufacturing company in China named as First Automobile Works (FAW). Changchun China

Ethical and Legal Issues in the Workplace Essay - 1

Ethical and Legal Issues in the Workplace - Essay Example In this age of globalization it is believed that a diverse workforce increases the effectiveness of an organization but it is also realized that the issues related to HRD need to be tackled efficiently by the HRM. HRD improves the business performance by harnessing the individual talents of the employees from diverse background. The talents are no more limited to a particular demographic group and a diverse culture in workplace enhances organizational potential by exploiting individual potentials. Therefore, HR managers need to promote positive relationship among the employees of diverse background for both individual and organizational growth and performance. HRD is beneficial for organizations in many ways but it poses many threats and challenges also for the organization and HR managers need to have insight for these threats and challenges to harness the benefits of diverse workforce ( Balogun, 2003 ).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversity is increasing with time and presently 25% of the American workforce is represented by a foreign-born or a minority and women comprise almost half of the workforce. The increasing trend of diversity in workplace has influenced the human resource management and development in an organization substantially posing specific issues and challenges for hiring, management, development, and/or retention practices. The aim of the paper is to address to these issues and challenges. For this objective, a case study of â€Å"Managing diversity at Cityside Financial Services†Ã‚  is done in the paper and specifically one ethical and one legal issue to strategic talent management and development is described for better understanding of the issues and recommendations for tackling those issues and challenges by the human resource management are also made in the paper ( Balogun, 2003 ).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diversity in workplace is beneficial in many ways for organizations, but it poses some

The Anglo French Concorde Project

The Anglo French Concorde Project 1.1) Introduction Faster than the speed of sound comes the plane of the future. It has cost at least fifteen times the original estimates. It is described as a commercial disaster by a review committee of one of the countries that built it. It is besieged by the environmentalists. The Concorde is the benighted offspring of Anglo-French diplomacy and once-and-future dreams of glory in the skies. Now its builders are trying to keep it from crashing in a sea of red ink (Gillman 1977). Concorde was one of the greatest man made engineering design projects of the twentieth century. It was made by the successful handshake between British Aerospace and French Aerospatiale and was therefore termed as the Anglo-French collaboration. Their engineers and designers had put lot of hard work in producing the worlds first supersonic passenger aircraft, which can fly with the speed twice as much of the sound. It was so fast that it could cover the distance between London and New York in almost 3 hours (Design Museum 2006). In 1962, when the project began, its expected cost was between  £150 and  £170 million. It took nearly 20 years to put in front the first ever supersonic aircraft, which was quite efficient than the normal jet planes. Concorde had a take-off speed of 250mph and cruising speed of 1350mph at a height up to 60,000 feet. During its 27 years of service, it was considered as the economic pride for both the nations and also made emotional attachments with the people as it made them cherish, whenever they spotted it in the sky (Design Museum 2006). It was a 2 billion pound project started in 1962 and was completed in 1976. There were a total of 20 Concorde constructed: 14 for commercial service development and 6 for development. The key features about Concorde, was its Delta wings, pinpoint movable nose and sonic boom. Its wings were made by French, engines by British, the centre section by French and the middle section by the British; therefore it was a total collaboration between the 2 nations. It was an aircraft built for the people to whom Time is Money like big Celebrities. But was also protested by some people due to the amount of noise pollution it causes during its flight. In 1990 it earned a profit of almost 20 million pound a year and was considered as one of the safest aircraft and had become peoples attraction (BBC-The Concorde Story 2001). But on 25th July 2000 Concorde had its first massive crash killing about 113 people and all the 100 passengers including the crew members. Thus the aircraft lost its majesty as the peoples confidence on it was shattered and were frightened to fly. Later after much of the investigations the Concorde was finally grounded in both the nations because of the safety reasons stating that there were some design flaws in its construction. Thus it was the end of the 27 years of great service that this aircraft has provided (BBC-The Concorde story 2001). 2) Stakeholder Analysis Stakeholders are any individual, group or an organisation that has demonstrable interest in the outcome of the project. They are the people who actually participate in the project and are actually affected by its results. So, the most critical task of a project is to identify its stakeholders as this would help to predict the demands of the stakeholders which would help in running the project successfully. The following analysis is done by using the STEEPLE model (Mansfield 2008). The major stakeholders concerned with the Concorde project are as follows: 2.1) Environmentalists: Concorde was considered as an environmental disaster as it degrades the ozone layer and thereby lets the suns rays to enter into the environment, which ultimately cause diseases like skin Cancer etc. And the amount of noise that it produces was also intolerable for the human ears and not suitable for the people living nearby. Also, Concorde often creates a shockwave, which is actually a sonic boom and so if it passes over the populated areas, then it could also shake buildings, break glasses and can cause harm to the eardrums which often made people angry. Therefore it was routed only over oceans (Scott 1997, Happenheimer 2008). Their attitude was like Terrorists towards the project. (Mansfield 2008). 2.2) British and French Government: It was recognized as a powerful symbol of ultra modern technology and was considered as a symbol of national pride to most of the people in Britain and France As before this, only USA and Russia were the superior leaders in making of the supersonic aircrafts. So, the British and French wanted to make an aircraft more powerful and faster. This made both the countries to collaborate with each other in the interest of economy and efficiency .So, it was a clean chit given to it by the French and the British government without looking at the economical and environmental effects. Thus an agreement was formed between them as an Anglo-French collaboration. Also they had to overcome with the culture and language barrier, which was also a big challenge (Knowledgerush.com 2003, Design Museum 2006, Beginnings 2008). Their attitude was like Saviour towards the project (Mansfield, 2008). 2.3) Economists: It was considered as an economic white elephant (Owen 2001: 8). It was also considered as a economic disaster as it was failed to complete within the time specified as it got passed the original estimate by millions. The air routes above the sea level also causes intolerable effects to the people living nearby, because of the amount of noise it creates. Another factor that made it uneconomic was that it required heavy fuel consumption as it was launched when the fuel crises was at its highest peak, therefore it was unable to enter into the lucrative trans-pacific market. Thus all these factors like production delays, noise pollution, increase in price of fuel due to its shortage has made the task of selling it more difficult and due to its unaffordable cost, many airports have refused to buy a Concorde. Therefore it was difficult to operate it on an economic standpoint (BBC News 1969, Arnold 2003). Their attitude was like Irritant towards the project. (Mansfield 2008). 2.4) Local Population: The Concorde became the peoples attraction and was residing in almost every heart because of its beauty as well as its speed. It was a marvellous aircraft which belong less to the modern world than to the future. In its 27 years of commercial service, it became one of the best loved engineering design projects of the 20th century. It carried out an example of technological brilliance. The people were so emotionally attached with it, that when they saw it in the sky, they used to cherish a lot by taking photographs of it. Overall it was considered as a safe plane by the people. As it was considered as a national symbol so it made them get closer and gave them an exciting sensation (Design Museum 2006). Their attitude was like Acquaintance towards the project. (Mansfield 2008). 2.5) Stars and Businessman: Concorde was a great boon to them as faster the speed less the time and time is money for them, and if a plane is fulfilling and actually implementing that concept so it was the only medium that they were looking for, which actually they got it in the form of Concorde, which was providing them speed, which was twice the speed of sound and also the comfort that the businessman requires (Supersonic proving, 2008, BBC-The Concorde Story 2001). Their attitude was like Friend towards the project. (Mansfield 2008). 2.6) Global Population: People in Antarctica and other countries were protesting against this project as the amount of noise it generates was intolerable for them and also the speed with which it goes by creating the sonic beam i.e. it pushes the air out by creating a shockwave, which can cause disturbance to the people living in populated areas. So, it was highly opposed by them. Their attitude was like Irritant towards the project (Mansfield 2008). 2.7) Global Government: countries like India ,Russia and Africa didnt allowed this aircraft to reach there because of its certain flaws like noise pollution and depletion of ozone layer done by it, which can cause harmful affects to the human body. Their attitude caused Concordes route to be limited to some places only. Their attitude was like Irritant towards the project (Mansfield 2008). 2.8) Americans and Soviet Union: They were the main rivals for the Concorde project. There were many people in United States who were willing to bubble out the Concordes network to expand due to its noise and environmental pollution. US had a fear that if, Concorde would be able to capture the market forecast for supersonic transport, then USA would be forced to surrender world civil transport leadership and also to face payment deficits (Owen 2001:143pg). Their attitude was like Timebomb towards the project (Mansfield, 2008). Based on the above analysis, I have made a mapping of the stakeholders according to their Level of Interest and Level of Power. L E V E L O F I N T E R E S T LEVEL OF POWER LOW HIGH LOW Local public Stars and businessman Economists HIGH Global public Global government British and French Govt. Environmentalist Americans and Soviet Union Figure: Stakeholder Mapping (Mansfield 2008). According to the above mapping, we can summarize it in the form of Stakeholders Analysis: Stakeholders Analysis Stakeholder Groups Interest Power Environmentalist High High British and French Government High High Economists High Medium Local Public Low Low Stars and businessman High Low Global Public Medium High Americans and Soviet Unions High High Global government Low High 3) Financial slippage Slippage is a minute delay in the progress of a project. If its a single one then it can be managed but it becomes a combination of many slippages then it is often difficult to manage as it becomes overwhelming. So, its the responsibility of all the people associated with the project to report any slippage, no matter how small it is. There were certain reasons behind the financial slippage of the Concorde project: 3.1) Lack of commitment to the Project: There was an overall lack of commitment in the project. The original estimate that was made was around  £150 million for 4 years. But in 1963, when first major design took place then there was first official appraisal of costs which was raised to  £275 million compared with the maximum estimate of  £95 million. Then there was an additional redesign in 1965, where by 1966 the costs were given as  £45 million. As, the effort progressed, there was some problems related to the payload, which represented only 6% of the overall plane weight. As each time the design hurdle increased, the percentage was further reduced. As the original payload was for 150 passengers but was soon reduced to 130. But by 1968, it was observed that it was unattainable so they had to once again design the fuselage, undercarriage and wings. In 1969, due to redesigning, the cost rose up to  £730 million. And finally by 1975 the cost rose to  £1096 million, with a total of around 100 seats (Gillman 1977). 3.2) Too frequent changes: The rise in the cost of Concorde, was not because of the inaccurate estimation of the investors but it was because of increase in inflation rate which was around 37%, 31% due to the change in specifications; and nearly 20%on the new technology. Thus, they had to pay extra cost for reserved resources and have to make modifications in it according to the situation (The Concorde Project 1974). 3.3) Waste of time and resources: As during the making of Concorde, the time and resource management were not given more importance. Knowing that the plane having 4 engines could cause harm to the environment, they were continually investing on it. According to Journalist Mary Goldring, Concorde was a waste of resources on her understanding of airlines at the time which questioned if signing up to Concorde would be financially viable. She says that the project was a waste of time and a waste of resources (Goldring 2008). 3.4) Unrealistic targets objectives: In 1962, when the collaboration between the two nations began, it was estimated to cost between  £150 and  £170 million and for making this huge supersonic aircraft they planned just 4 years as a deadline. But actually, this project was so complex that it took much longer time and cost (Design Museum 2006). 3.5) Inadequate Resources: There was a lack of firm orders, which made workers to believe that their jobs are at risk and enable them to turn out the available work as long as possible. 3.6) Costs of being late 3.6.1) Loss of reputation: During the start of the Anglo-French collaboration, several airlines from different parts of the world, expressed their interest in ordering Concorde. But due to its periodically increasing cost and increasing price, almost all of them stepped back and by the end of its development only two airlines were left to buy planes for a mammoth cost of  £23 million each. They were the two respective national carriers, British Airways and Air France (Design Museum 2006, Gillman 1977). 3.6.2) Extra cost for retained resources: It was developed at the time when the inflation rate was about 37% so ultimately cost of the booked resources also got higher. Thus, the project managers had to put extra cost into it (The Concorde Project 1974). 3.6.3) Maintaining existing equipment to extend its life: As after its development and running for several years, it had no supersonic competitors. So, there was no pressure to improve Concorde or to make investments in new sub-contractors and suppliers. As a result of that the maintenance expenditure had risen progressively, which made it impossible to take a flight because of the increasing expenses. Therefore on April 10 2003, both Air France and British Airways announced that they were withdrawing Concorde from service by the end of year. And finally on 24th October 2003, Concorde retired, being acknowledged as the fastest passenger aircraft in the world (Design Museum 2006). 4) Project Management Methodology Every Project which is going to implement is associated with some particular types of risks. These risks cannot be overlooked but can be reduced to some extent. Thus, we can foresee and avoid these risks by doing proper doing Risk Analysis. 4.1) Risk Analysis Risk Analysis is the systematic use of the available information in determining the occurrence of specific events and characterizing the risks involved in it (Mansfield 2008). Risk Analysis also helps in judging the impact of those risks on the project which may bring either positive or negative effect on the execution of it Several risks and their avoidance are given below Risk Description/Prevention Probability (1-5) [P] Severity (1-5) [S] Score [PxS] Financial Risks Description As per the case study, the project must be completed with the total budget of  £150 million. So, if the project is not completed in specified budget then it can cause the budget to go high resulting in a big loss. Prevention To avoid over budgeting, they must always need to have an eye on their budget. 4 4 16 Political/ Legal Risks Description Usually due to the Governments instability there is always a risk associated with the project. As if the government changes, then it can also result in the loss of contract. Prevention There must be proper deed, stating the security of the order, which can be helpful in minimizing these types of risk. 4 3 12 Scope creed Risks Description This risk is due to poor management and unpredicted moves in the target. This can cause lack of communication between the peers and the higher management Prevention There must be an effective communication channel between the employees of the company. 3 3 9 Environmental Risks Description Natural disasters like noise pollution, earthquakes etc can sometimes obstruct the progress of the project. So, the Concorde project must take all these factors into consideration, as it can lead to loss of money, material and time. Prevention Before proceeding with the project, analysis about its environmental impact must be done. 3 5 15 Technical Risks Description As a project involves different types of technologies, so while designing a product, technical risks must be kept in mind. As one failure can cause redesigning of the product and thereby increase in its manufacturing cost. Prevention To avoid any failure, each step towards the progress must be taken with proper assistance of the supervisor and higher officials. 3 4 12 Quality Risks Description As it was an Anglo-French collaboration, to design the worlds fastest passenger Aircraft, so they need to put lots of efforts in giving out a quality product. If the quality is poor, then they have to suffer from huge losses. Prevention Good quality and environment feasible aircrafts should be made so as to avoid loss of reputation and also several quality checks must be planned on timely basis, so as to avoid any problem. 3 2 6 Time Schedule Risk Description As per the case study, the Concorde project must be completed in 4 years of time. So, if the project is not completed in specified time then it can cause various hurdles and barriers in getting the orders from different airlines and also their payments. Prevention To prevent this to happen, a proper schedule must be prepared, so as to avoid redundant delays. It should be created in such a way that the activities that are more complex and time consuming should be done first. 4 4 16 5) Success and failure of the project 5.1) Success The meaning of success: It is an axiomatic that the goal of project management is to be successful; otherwise the incurring of this management overhead, and the training of staff to do it is a valueless exercise. (Knutson 2001:356pg). If a project doesnt meet all its objectives or achieve its certain objectives, does not mean that the project was a failure. It is also about whether what you are doing is infact the right thing to do (Knutson 2001:356pg). Though, the projects success is not only defined in terms of acceptability of the project deliverables like scope, quality, etc., but also in terms of the internal processes like time, cost, efficiency etc. Thus, success must always be assessed in terms of its contribution to the organisation that is doing the project. It is a multidimensional construct, which means different things to different people (Knutson 2001:356pg). There are four dimensions of success in which the project can be related 5.1.1) Project efficiency: Concorde project was considered as a success because it succeeded in providing the high standards of comfort to the passengers and provided them deluxe travel experience. It was hailed for its beauty and speed and it seemed to belong more to the future than to the modern world. During its 27 years of flying, over 2.5 million passengers have enjoyed the unique experience of travelling at a speed which is twice the speed of sound. Thus, it was quite efficient in reducing the time of the flight. As it made people to fly from London to New York in less than 3 hours. Even though the project was completed well out of its estimated budget but still it was recognized as a powerful symbol of ultra modern technology and was considered as a symbol of national pride to most of the people in Britain and France. Thus, the project was efficient in proving the needs and giving a promising start to the people (Design Museum 2006, Rowell 2008, Knowledgerush.com 2003). 5.1.2) Impact on customer: The Concorde had a great positive impact on the customers. It became the peoples attraction right from its first flight and captured itself into the peoples heart. It was considered as a beautiful, marvellous aircraft because of its quality service and the speed with which it travels. Due to this feature, it provides hours of extra time to the passengers, for some extra amount. It was more meant for the people, who were less fare-conscious, but more time conscious and they welcome those extra hours like stars, as for them Time is Money. Thus, Concorde made a strong emotional relation with the people, which often made them cheer whenever they spotted it in the sky (Supersonic Proving 2008, Design Museum 2003). 5.1.3) Business and direct success: As Concorde was cherished and loved by all the people so it was regarded as a successful project. Although it was an over budget project which took large amount of money and time in its completion, yet it was successful in giving out the final model of a supersonic aircraft, which can actually fly with the speed twice as much of the sound. On an average Concorde earned a profit of about  £30-50 Million per year for British Airways from the first class passengers. British Airways reportedly received  £1.75 Billion in revenue for Concorde services against an operating cost of around  £1 Billion. However, Air France made a much smaller profit with respect to that of British Airways (Concorde FAQ 2008). 5.1.4) Preparing the future: Concorde had no supersonic competitors, so its maintenance costs was raised steadily, which made BA and manufacturers to discuss about the maintenance programs, if they wanted the aircraft to continue the service. Finally it was decided to ground the aircraft, because of the increasing maintenance cost (Design Museum 2006). Thus, BAs chief executive Rod Eddington said: Concorde has served us well and we are extremely proud to have flown this marvellous and unique aircraft for the past 27 years (Concorde grounded for good 2003). So, even though it was retired, it was still considered as a Success. 5.2) Failure of the project A failure is caused if there is an inconsistency in its specification right before the beginning of the project and that inconsistency is overlooked. It can also be caused due to unrealistic and conflicting objectives. It is often caused due to poor planning and management, lack of understanding of contract strategy and process and underestimating costs to get the project to be approved (Mansfield 2008). The Concorde project was a failureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ As technically the project was considered as powerful symbol of very modern technology, but it had more of the negative effects than the positive in terms of: 5.2.1) Environmental Feasibility: According to Environmental Scientists, the Concorde flights causes erosion to the ozone layer, which ultimately causes the incidences of skin cancer and also the noise it produces when it passes by was absolutely intolerable for human beings. Also it produces a shock wave, which tends to shake buildings, break glasses and can often cause damage to the ear drums. This made other airlines also to move backwards, in buying this disastrous aircraft, as during the beginning of this project they showed their keen interest in ordering it. Thus, it was considered as environmental disaster (Scott 1997). 5.2.2) Uneconomic: As per economic point of view it was considered as an economic disaster. The project took large amount of time and cost in its completion. As it had a range of around 4,143 miles and has a capability to carry 26,286 gallons of fuel, which was around 5,638 gallons of fuel during each hour of flight. This can be calculated as 6 gallons of fuel for every mile and also 1 gallon of fuel can take 1 passenger 16.7 miles only. So, none of the airlines wanted to by Concorde because of the shortage of fuel and rapid increase in its price (Rowell 2008, Design Museum 2006). This was also quoted by Journalist Mary Goldring in a way that: While the venture might be impressive technically, it would in fact prove to be a hugely expensive mistake. As the plane takes its final commercial flights, she says she was proved right. (Goldring, 2008). 5.2.3) Cost Inefficient: There were lots of financial problems associated with this project. It was the project that was started in 1960, with cost estimation between about  £150 million and  £170 million. Of which, France had to complete 60% of work on airframe and 40% of the engine and remaining was to be completed by Britain. But the development was so complicated that it took far more cost and time (Design Museum, 2006). As with the increase in inflation rate which was around 37%, 31% due to the change in specifications; and nearly 20% on the new technology, which made its estimated cost much higher, nearly double, and ultimately Britain fell into the financial crises. Then Britains new prime minister, Harold Wilson tried to cancel the partnership but he couldnt do it as France could collect the funds from London as a charge of breaking the partnership, so fearing from that, he continued the partnership. Therefore the project cost went up year by year causing the project to be over budget (The Concorde project 1974, Happenheimer 2008). 5.2.4) Commercial Impact: As per commercial point of view, the Concorde project was also a failure. Various factors like: The production delays, the environmental pollution, the shortage of fuel and its rapid increase in price, had made the selling of the aircraft more complicated, which was due to the cost estimate of  £20 million that made it quite expensive for the other aircrafts to buy. Thus at last only two of the airlines wished to buy the plane, were the 2 respective national carriers, British Airways and Air France. Thus, it had very limited routes to cover as it was opposed by almost all the nations (Gillman 1977). In a statement, BA said Concorde would cease flying in the autumn because of commercial reasons, with passenger revenue falling steadily against a backdrop of rising maintenance costs for the aircraft (Concorde grounded for good 2003). As the price of fuel was increasing, so was maintenance cost of the aircraft. So, continuing the service with Concorde was increasingly expensive. From this statement: BA has decided that such an investment cannot be justified in the face of falling revenue caused by a global downturn in demand for all forms of premium travel in the airline industry. (Concorde grounded for good 2003). It is clear that, it was no longer profitable, therefore British Airways and Air France decided to retire the renowned aircraft after 27years of its service. 5.2.5) Lack of coordination of activities: The Concorde project also had several problems related to their jobs, resources, orders and cultures like the languages and tradition of the people from Britain and France. And it is clear from the following statements. This statement shows that there was a risk about the future of the project in the mind of the workers. The PM was told by the Department of Trade and Industry, The main reasons are all too clear. A lack of firm orders, and a consequent belief by the workers that their jobs are at risk, causes them to spin out the available work as long as possible (BBC News 2004). The following statement shows that there was no communication medium between the managerial hierarchies. The number of people deployed on the project steadily increased to nearly 50,000. Most of these thousands were able to get on with their work without reference to anyone except their immediate superiors. But their efforts could only be effective so long as there was coordinated direction at the top and close liaison at all executive levels throughout the international organization (Beginnings 2008). These all factors made the project to lack in coordination of activities. 5.2.6) Successive slippages: The Concorde project was considered as the project with many continuous slippages, which made the project to go out of control, which ultimately made it to cross the barriers of its estimated time and cost. As it was scheduled to complete in 4 years of time with the budget of about  £150 million but it actually took 14 years with the increased budget of  £1096 million. It was all due to lack of planning as their milestone was quite blurred and were not set accurately. And also the reason behind their continuous slippage was continuous change in the design and inadequate objectives, which was the ultimate reason for its slippage (Wysocki 2007:331pg, Mansfield 2008). 6) Conclusion According to me the Concorde Project was a Failure Concorde was the first supersonic aircraft to travel with the speed twice as that of the sound, which offers its passengers the ultimate travel experience. And based in this quality it became the peoples attraction and was considered as the safest and luxurious plane ever made. During its 27 years of service, it provided unique experience of travelling faster to more than 2.5 million people. Thus, it was considered as a symbol of national pride to most of the people in Britain and France. However, only fast travelling is not the only factor which declares it as a success. There are certain other factors in which this project was a complete disaster. First of all, the Concorde aircraft was an economic disaster as it was outdated and incredibly fuel inefficient plane. Also it was too costly for any normal airline operations to buy it. And as this aircraft was unique and had no competitors, so its cost of maintenance was rising was increasing year by year. Thus, keeping the aircraft in service would be quite expensive for the British government. Therefore they took the brave decision to finally ground this aircraft and keep it out of service. Another factor was its hazardous impact on the Environment. While flying, it often causes erosion of the ozone layer, which gives rise to various diseases like skin cancer. And also the amount of noise that it produces was intolerable for the human ears. Also it produces a shock wave which can cause damage to the ear drums, shake buildings and break glasses. Therefore it was not possible for it to fly over cities and towns. Th