The Indian Entertainment and Media industry Essay

The Indian Entertainment and Media industry - Essay Example The year 2006 has reported to be proved one of the most successful years for the Indian Film Industry as not local audience responded to the industry but also the foreign markets were more responsive to the new movies too. It was because of this reason that the industry has been able to witness consolidation through formation of formal companies as well as new firms entering into the market. Similarly the television channels in the country are getting mushroomed too as more and more niches are being developed to cater the various segments of the market. Apart from that the increased digitalization has allowed Indian T.V. Channels allowed them to deliver customized contents to their audience. Similarly the radio industry has evolved too with more and more FM stations are being started to again cater the various market segments. The above situation suggests a strong performance and expectations from the Indian Media industry and its capability to deliver. This work will undertake a det ailed SWOT analysis as well as PESTL analysis in order to explore further the industry. A good SWOT analysis would outline that the organization aiming to enter into certain sector should have the capabilities to exploit the strengths of the industry as well as utilize its strengths to overcome its weaknesses also. Similarly Opportunities must be fully utilized to cater to the threats which the industry is facing. 1) Media industry in India is one of the most booming industries in the economy having large customer base. All the segments of the industry including TV, Films and radio have the large customer base to cater to. Any company willing to penetrate into the market will not have to divert their resources in the development of the market as the readily available market is readily available.

Evolution of the Piano Essay Example for Free

Evolution of the Piano Essay One of the more popular musical instruments is the piano. In Youtube alone, a popular video sharing website, type ‘piano’ in the search box and result will show 574,000 uploaded videos. From the modern grand piano that people are grown accustomed to, it is interesting to find that piano began its journey from three things: hammer, string and soundboard. Dulcimer, an instrument originating in Iran after the birth of Christ, is said to be the inspiration for the creation of the piano (Concert Piano Pitch Services 2008). The dulcimer shares the same principles as the piano, with hammers striking/ beating strings placed in a flat soundboard (2008). However, in place of mechanical hammers, players used sticks (2008). Crusaders brought it to Europe during the Middle Ages (Marcie Wallis 2008). The term ‘dulcimer’ comes from the Latin ‘dulce melos’ which means â€Å"sweet sound† (Marcie Wallis 2008). An image of dulcimer is seen below. Image 1. Dulcimer (Marcie Wallis 2008) By the tenth century, pipe organs were the rage in churches (Goode 43). To play, a key is depressed, sending air into the pipe, thus producing a sound (Wright 47). The pipes are arranged in groups, with each group specializing in one tone (48). The pipes have a switch, called stops (48). When all stops are pulled, a forceful sound is produced. An image of a pipe organ is seen below. Image 2. Pipe Organ (Quimby Pipe Organs. com 2008) During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, another keyboard instrument became popular- the virginal (Goode 43). The virginal is a box with strings (43). A quill was used to pluck the strings. The term ‘virginal’ is said to be a compliment to the Queen. Young ladies used to play the virginal. The virginal was placed on a table as seen in the image below or held in the lap. Image 3. The Virginal (BBC 2008). In 1400, the world was introduced to the clavichord (Concert Piano Pitch Services 2008). It is one of the oldest keyboard instruments. It works according to a simple principle: The player depresses a key which in turns strikes a string with a metal blade called tangents, thereby producing sound (Marszalek and Panagakis 2006). It is a rectangular box with keyboards on the side and strings stretched across (Kelly 1998). Once a key is depressed, the player can also change the pitch to create a vibrato (1998). A clavichord player can make it â€Å"fretted†, striking strings in a succession manner of â€Å"unfretted† to produce one note (Piano Keyboard 2003). Widely used in Europe, clavichords were popular during the Renaissance period (1998). The Renaissance (1450-1600) was a period of rebirth, curiosity and individualism (Kamien 75). In this time, the focus was on human life (75). Thus, vocal music was given importance, with instrumental music taking a backseat (78). Given its small design, the clavichord was usually played in small audience (Get Piano Lessons. com 2008). Despite its limitations, the clavichord was a popular instrument especially in German households (2008). The oldest surviving clavichord is from the year 1543 (Piano Keyboard 2008). An image of the clavichord is seen below. Image 4. Clavichord (Get Piano Lessons. com 2008) Instrumental music saw its rise during the Baroque period (Wright 103). In this time, one instrument stood out- the harpsichord. The harpsichord originated in Northern Italy in 1400 but reached its peak during the Baroque period (Wright 48). It is the largest keyboard instrument. Some harpsichords had two keyboards (Marszalek and Panagakis 2004). Like the clavichord, the harpsichord is played by depressing a key, which in turn â€Å"forces a pick to pluck a string† (48). The plucking produces a sound (103). However, its level mechanism limits the harpsichord in controlling the forte (48). When a key is depressed, the sound and volume is still the same. Hence, harpsichords that were usually used had two keyboards to make sound gradations (48). This shortcoming exemplified the way Baroque music sounded: straightforward, uniformity continuity, no abrupt changes (103). It was during the Baroque period that Johann Sebastian Bach rose as the greatest composer, and harpsichordist of his time (Kamien 125). His Bradenburg Concerto no. 5, written around 1721, gained importance for being the first piece wherein a harpsichord had a solo role (104). Usually, in a concerto grosso (the term used for small group of soloists), the instruments used were string instruments. In the Bradenburg Concerto, the harpsichord is played in the final section. An image of the harpsichord is seen below. Image 5. Harpsichord (Get Piano Lesons. com 2008) Henry Purcell, another famous musician from the Baroque period, was chosen to be the organist of the Chapel Royal in London (UK Piano Pages 2008). By this time, the spinet had become popular. The spinet also came from the harpsichord family (Piano Keyboard 2003). The spinet was different from the harpsichord in size and its keyboard, which was placed on the long side of instrument (2003). An image of the spinet is seen below. Image 6. The Spinet (Piano Keyboard 2003) In 1709, the harpsichord was replaced with the pianoforte or piano for short (Get Piano Lessons. com 2008). Bartolomeo de Francesco Cristofori, an Italian harpsichord maker, was responsible for creating piano (2008). Instead of plucking, hammers hit the strings and a level mechanism allows the player to produce soft and loud sounds, thus the term ‘pianoforte which translates to ‘soft-loud’ (Wright 48). During the Classical Period, the piano became the key keyboard of most musicians (Kamien 150). In fact, major compositions of Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven used the piano (150). Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major, one of the best known concertos of all time, was completed in this period (186). Image 7. Cristofori Pianoforte (Piano Keyboard 2003) Gottfried Silbermann, a German was touted as the maker of the first successful pianoforte (Piano Keyboard 2003). In 1742, square pianos were made (2003). An image of a square piano is seen below. Image 8. Square Piano (Piano Keyboard 2003) In 1739, the first upright piano was made by Domenico dela Mela (UK Piano. org 2008). The first upright piano is much more similar to a grand piano, though (2008). In 1768, Johan Christian Bach gave the first ever piano recital (2008). By 1800, John Isaac Hawkins created the first true upright piano (2008). Piano’s popularity continued until from then on. When Jazz music became popular in the 1890s to 1915, ragtime piano was developed (Kamien 360). Ragtime was played by black pianists in saloons and dance halls (360). Among the famous ragtime player at that time was Scott Joplin. One of his more prominent pieces was â€Å"The Entertainer â€Å"(360). The 1960s saw the birth of the electronic keyboard (Surovec 2002). Electric organs were used followed by amplified pianos (2002). From the spinet, virginal, clavichord and harpsichord which pluck the string, the invention of piano led to hammering the strings to produce sounds. Levers are used to work the hammers and dampers. The present piano has an iron frame which attaches the metal strings. When key is depressed, the felt-tipped hammers strike the strings, causing it to vibrate and make the sound. A piano also has tuning pins for tightening the strings. It has an 88-note keyboard and two or three pedals (Kamien 25). Half a million videos of people playing the piano is more than enough evidence that the popularity of piano has not faded. In fact, it has become more popular than ever. Music is part of our everyday lives. Be it the chirping of the birds, the machinery hum or the sound of one’s sweet singing voice. And with the invention of musical instruments, music has never sounded so pleasant to listen to. Works Cited BBC. 2008. The Virginal Piano. 7 April 2008. http://bbc. co. uk Concert Piano Pitch Services.2008. Piano. 7 April 2008. http://concertpitchpiano. com Get Piano Lessons. com. 2008. How the Renaissance Time Period Shaped the History of the Piano. 7 April 2008. http://get-piano-lessons. com Goode, Ruth. The International Library of Piano Music. Vol. 14. New Jersey: University Society, Inc. 1967. Kamien, Roger. Music An Appreciation. 3rd ed. USA: McGraw-Hill, 1998. Kelly, Robert. Dec. 1998. Clavichord Technique and Performance Practice. 7 April 2008. http://geocities. com/Vienna/3624/clavichd. htm Marszalek, C. S. and B. Panagakis. 23 August 2004. Clavichord. 7 April 2008. http://twingroves. district96. k12. il. us Piano Keyboard. com 2008. Piano History. 7 April 2008. http:/pianokeyboard. com Quimby Pipe Organs. com. 2008. Pipe Organs. 7 April 2008. htp://quimbypipeorgans. com Surovec, Sabrina. 2002. Electronic Music . 7 April 2008. http://essortment. com UK Piano. org. 2008. Piano History. 7 April 2008. http://uk-piano. org Wallis, Marcie. 2008. Dulcimer. 7 April 2008. http://marciewallis. com Wright, Craig. Listening to Music. Minnesota: West Publishing Company, 1996.

The concept of earning ones citizenship Essays -- essays research pape

The Concept of Earning One’s Citizenship Citizenship is defined as a being a citizen or a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state. Citizen preferred for one owing allegiance to a state in which sovereign power is retained by the people and sharing in the political rights of those people. The concept of which in one of its earliest was given to us by the Romans, who had just began to understand the importance of a populace contributing to the decisions of its own fate. Modern American citizenship as we know it today was defined for us in the constitution of this nation by the founding fathers. Citizenship as they had envisioned it even back then was not free, but came with a price. A citizen was expected to carry out certain civic duties and responsibilities such as the defense of the republic, participating in state and local government, and voting on affairs of the nation as a whole. Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunc h. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!† Given all the communication technology; receiving and sending information has never been easier, however civic involvement is at one if its lowest points in the past 100 years. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote of her husband, that Theodore Roosevelt taught by precept and example that men owed something at all times, whether in peace or in war, for the privilege of citizenship and that the burden rest equally on rich and poor. He said that, no matter what conditions existed, the blame lay no more heavily on the politician and his machine controlling city, state, or nation, than on the shoulders of the average citizen who concerned himself so little with his government that he allowed men to stay in power in spite of his dissatisfaction because he was too indifferent to exert himself to get better men in office. In order to maintain such a jewel of democracy, a new superior breed of citizen is required, one that has stepped forwa rd and reached out to carry the torch of freedom and guard it from those that would seek to extinguish it. He or she must wear his or her citizenship like a badge of honor. For citizenship to be so greatly prized it must be earned. One should have to make great sacrifices in order to be awarded the status quo of a class that steers and maintains the republic for the greate... ... â€Å"Democracy and the Public Service† Oxford University Press 1968 The scope of this book is to tie in â€Å"protected† non-electoral public service with being responsive to the public, and operating in a manner compatible with a democratic society. It explains how public service is the last industry to grow and take advantage of the increasing knowledge of every generation of workers’ and changing advances in regards to technological, and social concepts. Noteworthy: this book looks at the problem from both the publics and the public servants point of view. Eleanor Roosevelt â€Å"Good Citizenship: The Purpose of Education† Pictorial Review, April 1930: 4,94,97 Reprinted Online. Internet. Available http://newdeal.feri.org/er/er19.htm 4 oct. 2002 Eleanor writes to us about the problems she saw already manifesting in the civil populace of her time. She provides us with insights and lessons from her husband and his political career. Her ideas and concerns are not that far removed from the quotes that evolved in the hearts and minds of our countries great theologists. Bolie Williams IV â€Å"Robert A. Heinlein† 7 August 2001 Online. Internet. Available 4 oct. 2002   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Fuzzy Logic

Overview The reasoning in fuzzy logic is similar to human reasoning. It allows for approximate values and inferences as well as incomplete or ambiguous data (fuzzy data) as opposed to only relying on crisp data (binary yes/no choices). Fuzzy logic is able to process incomplete data and provide approximate solutions to problems other methods find difficult to solve. Terminology used in fuzzy logic not used in other methods are: very high, increasing, somewhat decreased, reasonable and very low. [4] [edit]Degrees of truth Fuzzy logic and probabilistic logic are mathematically similar – both have truth values ranging between 0 and 1 – but conceptually distinct, due to different interpretations—see interpretations of probability theory. Fuzzy logic corresponds to â€Å"degrees of truth†, while probabilistic logic corresponds to â€Å"probability, likelihood†; as these differ, fuzzy logic and probabilistic logic yield different models of the same real-world situations. Both degrees of truth and probabilities range between 0 and 1 and hence may seem similar at first. For example, let a 100 ml glass contain 30 ml of water. Then we may consider two concepts: Empty and Full. The meaning of each of them can be represented by a certain fuzzy set. Then one might define the glass as being 0. 7 empty and 0. 3 full. Note that the concept of emptiness would be subjective and thus would depend on the observer or designer. Another designer might equally well design a set membership function where the glass would be considered full for all values down to 50 ml. It is essential to realize that fuzzy logic uses truth degrees as a mathematical model of the vagueness phenomenon while probability is a mathematical model of ignorance. edit]Applying truth values A basic application might characterize subranges of a continuous variable. For instance, a temperature measurement for anti-lock brakes might have several separate membership functions defining particular temperature ranges needed to control the brakes properly. Each function maps the same temperature value to a truth value in the 0 to 1 range. These truth values can then be used to determine how the brakes should be controlled. Fuzzy logic temperature In this image, the meaning of the expressions cold, warm, and hot is represented by functions mapping a temperature scale. A point on that scale has three â€Å"truth values†Ã¢â‚¬â€one for each of the three functions. The vertical line in the image represents a particular temperature that the three arrows (truth values) gauge. Since the red arrow points to zero, this temperature may be interpreted as â€Å"not hot†. The orange arrow (pointing at 0. 2) may describe it as â€Å"slightly warm† and the blue arrow (pointing at 0. 8) â€Å"fairly cold†. [edit]Linguistic variables While variables in mathematics usually take numerical values, in fuzzy logic applications, the non-numeric linguistic variables are often used to facilitate the expression of rules and facts. 5] A linguistic variable such as age may have a value such as young or its antonym old. However, the great utility of linguistic variables is that they can be modified via linguistic hedges applied to primary terms. The linguistic hedges can be associated with certain functions. [edit]Example Fuzzy set theory defines fuzzy operators on fuzzy sets. The problem in applying this is that the appropriate fuzzy operator may not be known. For this reason, fuzzy logic usually uses IF-THEN rules, or constructs that are equivalent, such as fuzzy associative matrices. Rules are usually expressed in the form: IF variable IS property THEN action For example, a simple temperature regulator that uses a fan might look like this: IF temperature IS very cold THEN stop fan IF temperature IS cold THEN turn down fan IF temperature IS normal THEN maintain level IF temperature IS hot THEN speed up fan There is no â€Å"ELSE† – all of the rules are evaluated, because the temperature might be â€Å"cold† and â€Å"normal† at the same time to different degrees. The AND, OR, and NOT operators of boolean logic exist in fuzzy logic, usually defined as the minimum, maximum, and omplement; when they are defined this way, they are called the Zadeh operators. So for the fuzzy variables x and y: NOT x = (1 – truth(x)) x AND y = minimum(truth(x), truth(y)) x OR y = maximum(truth(x), truth(y)) There are also other operators, more linguistic in nature, called hedges that can be applied. These are generally adverbs such as â€Å"very†, or â€Å"somewhat†, which modify the meaning of a set using a mathematical formula. [edit]Logical analysis In mathematical logic, there are several formal systems of â€Å"fuzzy logic†; most of them belong among so-called t-norm fuzzy logics. edit]Propositional fuzzy logics The most important propositional fuzzy logics are: Monoidal t-norm-based propositional fuzzy logic MTL is an axiomatization of logic where conjunction is defined by a left continuous t-norm, and implication is defined as the residuum of the t-norm. Its models correspond to MTL-algebras that are prelinear commutative bounded integral residuated lattices. Basic propositional fuzzy logic BL is an extension of MTL logic where conjunction is defined by a continuous t-norm, and implication is also defined as the residuum of the t-norm. Its models correspond to BL-algebras. Lukasiewicz fuzzy logic is the extension of basic fuzzy logic BL where standard conjunction is the Lukasiewicz t-norm. It has the axioms of basic fuzzy logic plus an axiom of double negation, and its models correspond to MV-algebras. Godel fuzzy logic is the extension of basic fuzzy logic BL where conjunction is Godel t-norm. It has the axioms of BL plus an axiom of idempotence of conjunction, and its models are called G-algebras. Product fuzzy logic is the extension of basic fuzzy logic BL where conjunction is product t-norm. It has the axioms of BL plus another axiom for cancellativity of conjunction, and its models are called product algebras. Fuzzy logic with evaluated syntax (sometimes also called Pavelka's logic), denoted by EVL, is a further generalization of mathematical fuzzy logic. While the above kinds of fuzzy logic have traditional syntax and many-valued semantics, in EVL is evaluated also syntax. This means that each formula has an evaluation. Axiomatization of EVL stems from Lukasziewicz fuzzy logic. A generalization of classical Godel completeness theorem is provable in EVL. edit]Predicate fuzzy logics These extend the above-mentioned fuzzy logics by adding universal and existential quantifiers in a manner similar to the way that predicate logic is created from propositional logic. The semantics of the universal (resp. existential) quantifier in t-norm fuzzy logics is the infimum (resp. supremum) of the truth degrees of the instances of the quantified subformula. [edit]Decidability issues f or fuzzy logic The notions of a â€Å"decidable subset† and â€Å"recursively enumerable subset† are basic ones for classical mathematics and classical logic. Then, the question of a suitable extension of such concepts to fuzzy set theory arises. A first proposal in such a direction was made by E. S. Santos by the notions of fuzzy Turing machine, Markov normal fuzzy algorithm and fuzzy program (see Santos 1970). Successively, L. Biacino and G. Gerla showed that such a definition is not adequate and therefore proposed the following one. U denotes the set of rational numbers in [0,1]. A fuzzy subset s : S [0,1] of a set S is recursively enumerable if a recursive map h : S? N U exists such that, for every x in S, the function h(x,n) is increasing with respect to n and s(x) = lim h(x,n). We say that s is decidable if both s and its complement –s are recursively enumerable. An extension of such a theory to the general case of the L-subsets is proposed in Gerla 2006. The proposed definitions are well related with fuzzy logic. Indeed, the following theorem holds true (provided that the deduction apparatus of the fuzzy logic satisfies some obvious effectiveness property). Theorem. Any axiomatizable fuzzy theory is recursively enumerable. In particular, the fuzzy set of logically true formulas is recursively enumerable in spite of the fact that the crisp set of valid formulas is not recursively enumerable, in general. Moreover, any axiomatizable and complete theory is decidable. It is an open question to give supports for a Church thesis for fuzzy logic claiming that the proposed notion of recursive enumerability for fuzzy subsets is the adequate one. To this aim, further investigations on the notions of fuzzy grammar and fuzzy Turing machine should be necessary (see for example Wiedermann's paper). Another open uestion is to start from this notion to find an extension of Godel’s theorems to fuzzy logic. [edit]Fuzzy databases Once fuzzy relations are defined, it is possible to develop fuzzy relational databases. The first fuzzy relational database, FRDB, appeared in Maria Zemankova's dissertation. Later, some other models arose like the Buckles-Petry model, the Prade-Testemale Model, the Umano-Fukami model or t he GEFRED model by J. M. Medina, M. A. Vila et al. In the context of fuzzy databases, some fuzzy querying languages have been defined, highlighting the SQLf by P. Bosc et al. and the FSQL by J. Galindo et al. These languages define some structures in order to include fuzzy aspects in the SQL statements, like fuzzy conditions, fuzzy comparators, fuzzy constants, fuzzy constraints, fuzzy thresholds, linguistic labels and so on. [edit]Comparison to probability Fuzzy logic and probability are different ways of expressing uncertainty. While both fuzzy logic and probability theory can be used to represent subjective belief, fuzzy set theory uses the concept of fuzzy set membership (i. e. , how much a variable is in a set), and probability theory uses the concept of subjective probability (i. . , how probable do I think that a variable is in a set). While this distinction is mostly philosophical, the fuzzy-logic-derived possibility measure is inherently different from the probability measure, hence they are not directly equivalent. However, many statisticians are persuaded by the work of Bruno de Finetti that only one kind of mathematical uncertainty is needed and thus fuzzy logic is unnecessary. On the other hand, Bart Kosko argues[citation needed] that probability is a subtheory of fuzzy logic, as probability only handles one kind of uncertainty. He also claims[citation needed] to have proven a derivation of Bayes' theorem from the concept of fuzzy subsethood. Lotfi Zadeh argues that fuzzy logic is different in character from probability, and is not a replacement for it. He fuzzified probability to fuzzy probability and also generalized it to what is called possibility theory. (cf. [6]) [edit]See also Logic portal Thinking portal Artificial intelligence Artificial neural network Defuzzification Dynamic logic Expert system False dilemma Fuzzy architectural spatial analysis Fuzzy associative matrix Fuzzy classification Fuzzy concept Fuzzy Control Language Fuzzy Control System Fuzzy electronics Fuzzy mathematics Fuzzy set Fuzzy subalgebra FuzzyCLIPS expert system Machine learning Multi-valued logic Neuro-fuzzy Paradox of the heap Rough set Type-2 fuzzy sets and systems Vagueness Interval finite element Noise-based logic [edit]Notes ^ Novak, V. , Perfilieva, I. and Mockor, J. (1999) Mathematical principles of fuzzy logic Dodrecht: Kluwer Academic. ISBN 0-7923-8595-0 ^ â€Å"Fuzzy Logic†. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University. 2006-07-23. Retrieved 2008-09-29. ^ Zadeh, L. A. (1965). Fuzzy sets†, Information and Control 8 (3): 338–353. ^ James A. O'Brien; George M. Marakas (2011). Management Information Systesm (10th ed. ). New York: McGraw Hill. pp. 431. ^ Zadeh, L. A. et al. 1996 Fuzzy Sets, Fuzzy Logic, Fuzzy Systems, World Scientific Press, ISBN 9810224214 ^ Novak, V. Are fuzzy sets a reasonable tool for modeling vague phenomena? , Fuzzy Sets and Systems 156 ( 2005) 341—348. [edit]Bibliography Von Altrock, Constantin (1995). Fuzzy logic and NeuroFuzzy applications explained. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR. ISBN 0-13-368465-2. Arabacioglu, B. C. (2010). â€Å"Using fuzzy inference system for architectural space analysis†. Applied Soft Computing 10 (3): 926–937. Biacino, L. ; Gerla, G. (2002). â€Å"Fuzzy logic, continuity and effectiveness†. Archive for Mathematical Logic 41 (7): 643–667. doi:10. 1007/s001530100128. ISSN 0933-5846. Cox, Earl (1994). The fuzzy systems handbook: a practitioner's guide to building, using, maintaining fuzzy systems. Boston: AP Professional. ISBN 0-12-194270-8. Gerla, Giangiacomo (2006). â€Å"Effectiveness and Multivalued Logics†. 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Discuss the Reasons We Forget, and Give at Least Three Examples of How We May Improve Our Memory.

Memory refers to the processes that are used to store, retain and later retrieve information; these processes are known as encoding, storage and retrieval. However with memory comes the natural phenomenon of forgetting which refers to the inability to regain, recall or recognise information that was, or still is, stored in long-term memory. There are many reasons that we forget information but these can be grouped into four main categories; retrieval failure, interference, failure to store and motivated forgetting (Loftus 1999).Although there are also many strategies that we can use in order to improve our memory. Retrieval failure is one of the most common causes of forgetting and one possible explanation of this is known as the decay theory. This theory gives an explanation of forgetting as a problem of availability – that is, information is lost completely from the memory system through disuse and passing of time which as examined by Hebb in 1949. It is biological processes in the brain which cause the trace decay until eventually the message it carried is lost.This theory has led to further research by scientists to look at how neural circuits change when long-term memory forms and furthermore, how changes such as this could decay over time (Villarreal et al. , 2002). However it has been also been criticised in the sense that we do still recall things we haven’t thought about for a long time such as riding a bike: although we’ve not been renewing the physical memories in the meantime the memory is still there.Also, some professional actors are able to recite lines from productions they were in two years earlier despite having learnt other scripts since (Noice and Noice, 2002b). The interference theory proposes that we forget information due to other items in long-term memory impairing our ability to retrieve it (Postman and Underwood 1973), two types of this are known as proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive interference hap pens when old information blocks disrupt the remembering of related new information.An example of this would be if you changed passwords – you may continue to enter your old password and struggle to remember your new one due to the memory of your old password interfering with your ability to retrieve the new one. Retroactive interface happens when new information blocks or disrupts the retrieval of old information, for example after having your new password for two months if asked to recall your old one you may struggle to remember it. Interference can occur due to the brain taking time to change hort-term memories into long-term memories and some researchers have proposed when new information enters the system it can interfere with the conversion of older information into long-term memories (Wixted 2005). Others have said that once long-term memories are created retroactive and proactive interference happens due to competition among retrieval cues (Anderson and Neely, 1996). When dissimilar memories become related to similar or identical retrieval cues, confusion can result and accessing a cue may call up the wrong memory.In forgetting, failure to store is also known as encoding failure which occurs when information isn’t processed enough in order to reach long-term memory. A well-known experiment asked participants to identify the correct U. S penny out of a group of incorrect pennies (Nickerson and Adams 1979). The coins appearance doesn’t serve significance to many of us meaning we may not notice specific details no matter how often we see them every day, the only details needed to distinguish pennies from other coins are encoded in our long-term memory.We tend to notice information but fail to encode it deeply because we turn our attention to something else. Angelica Bonacci and Brad Bushman (2002) conducted an experiment where they randomly selected three hundred and twenty-eight adults to watch either a sexually explicit, violent or neutral television programme. During each programme there were nine adverts, immediately afterward and again a day later the researchers tested viewers’ memory of the advertisements. On both occasions the viewer that watched the sexually explicit and violent programmes remembered the fewest number of adverts.One factor that could explain this is encoding failure; although all the viewers saw the advertisements participants watching the sexually explicit and violent programmes were preoccupied with thoughts about the content of the shows. Motivated forgetting takes place when people actively work to forget memories, especially of those traumatic or disturbing experiences. There are two basic forms of motivated forgetting: suppression, a conscious form of forgetting and repression, an unconscious form of forgetting.Psychologist Sigmund Freud witnessed many of his patients during therapy to recall long-forgotten traumatic events. He recorded one patient remembering with great s hame that as she stood over her sisters coffin thinking to herself ‘Now my brother-in-law is free to marry me. ’ Freud proposed the idea that this memory was so shocking that the woman repressed it until being rediscovered years later. Repression is used by humans to protect ourselves in a sense by blocking the conscious recall of negative memories.However the concept of repression is debatable due to some evidence supporting and some rejecting the theory (Karon, 2002). Although people often forget unpleasant and traumatic events they also forget nice ones. This point raises the question whether a person not remembering a particular anxiety-arousing experience is due to repression or normal information processing failures (Epstien and Bottoms, 2002). Overall it’s difficult to study scientifically whether repression is the cause of memory loss for negative events that have occurred (Holmes 1990).Amnesia is known to be one of the most significant types of forgettin g. This occurs when someone suffers memory loss due to special conditions such as brain injury, illness or psychological trauma . In his book ‘Human Memory: Theory and Practice’ (1997) Baddeley refers to Amnesia as ‘not an all or nothing condition’ in the sense that amnesiacs can appear to be relatively normal. He speaks of a man called Clive Wearing who, after being stricken with encephalitis causing him to be unconscious for many weeks from an attack, suffered from Amnesia.Although Clive looked healthy his Amnesia was so severe he couldn’t remember more than a few minutes earlier, when his wife left the room on her return he would greet her as if he’d just woken from his coma despite it being months after. Another type of forgetting is Dementia – when impaired memory and other cognitive deficits accompany brain degeneration and interfere with normal functioning. There are many causes of dementia one of which being Alzheimer’s d isease which is a progressive brain disorder most commonly found among people over the age of sixty-five.This disease spreads across temporal lobes to the frontal lobes and other cortical regions and as it progresses working and long-term memory get worse. Although there will be things that we forget in time there are strategies we can use to improve our memory, one of which being through organization and imagery. Ericsson and Polson (1988) researched a man known as JC who was a restaurant waiter that was able to take complicated orders from up to twenty people and remember them perfectly without writing them down. They discovered that JC had created an organizational scheme to help his memory.He would divide customers into four categories (entree, temperature, side dish, dressing) and use another system to encode the orders in each category, for example he encoded dressing by its first letter so the orders of Thousand Island, oil and vinegar, blue cheese and oil and vinegar would b ecome ‘TOBO. ’ Organizing information in a scheme such as this is a useful way of improving memory. Organizing information into hierarchies’ highlights the principle that memory is improved by associations between concepts (Bower et al. 1969). Hierarchies help us understand how individual items are related; as the information is processed from top to bottom each category prompts our memory for the item below it. Due to hierarchies having visual organization, imagery can be used as a supplemental memory code. Chunking is another valuable concept used to enhance memory and is when individual items are grouped together into larger units of meaning making information easier to rehearse, keep active in working memory and transfer into long-term memory.One idea that has been proposed is that information is stored in long-term memory in two forms; verbal codes and visual codes (Allan Paivio 1969). Paivio had a dual coding theory which claimed encoding information using both verbal and visual codes improved memory due to the odds increasing because at least one of the codes is available later to assist recall. However dual coding can be difficult to use with particular types of stimuli, for example constructing a mental image of love is difficult to do due to it being an abstract concept rather than a concrete object (Paivio et al. , 2000).Memory experts have however encouraged the use of imagery in dual-coding information. Method of loci, created by ancient Greeks, acts as a memory aid by associating information with mental images of physical locations distinct to the individual, such as their campus. If using this process the individual would link each location with an item that they were trying to remember such as the components of working memory. In this instance the administration building could be known as the central executive, an art studio (visuospatial sketchpad), the music room (phonological loop) and the newspaper building (episodic buf fer).This concept would take practise however there are many studies which support it showing its validity (Wang and Thomas, 2000). It appears that forgetting tends to happen soon after first learning information; however the time frame and degree of forgetting can vary broadly due to a variety of factors, those of which the assignment has discussed. It is a guarantee that no individuals’ memory can hold each and everything that they learn, however that doesn’t mean that their memory cannot be improved through various experimenters’ strategies thus decreasing the amount forgotten.

Company Law The WritePass Journal

Company Law Abstract Company Law Abstract1.0. Introduction2.0. Civil Liability3.0. Criminal Liability4.0.Conclusion5.0. Bibliography5.1. Legislations5.2. Court casesRelated Abstract Companies and corporations exist as single entities with the capacity to sue and be sued. The premise of lawful ways under which a company may be sued for acts or omissions ensuing to injuries or demise of individuals lies in the personality of the company as a single entity. The law recognizes companies as solitary entities that have a detached personality from the individuals that comprise the company. This means that a company can transact as a solitary entity with the capacity to make claims against another company. Concomitantly, it is possible that the company becomes the subject of a legal suit falling under civil or criminal liability as deemed applicable. The determinants that establish whether to affix legal responsibility to the company for acts or omissions vary based on the legal jurisdiction pertinent to the circumstances. For instance, corporate law makes provisions for regulating the relationship of a company with that of its employees and other staff within the compa ny. This law does not apply to third parties that operate or affect the company externally. On the other hand, criminal and civil laws have jurisdiction over the affiliations of the company with external parties. 1.0. Introduction The process of holding a company legally responsible for acts or omissions resulting in injuries or death of individuals is a multifaceted tool. Since companies exist as solitary entities under law, responsibility falls on the company depending on the situation applicable. For situations that fall within the company, corporate laws have provisions for holding the company liable. In cases where external parties exist, then the jurisdiction shifts to civil and criminal laws. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that civil laws that cover aspects of tort, contracts and compensation apply to companies, as well as individuals’.[1] The provenance encompassing legal responsibility for corporations is rather challenging, as the legal provisions under this jurisdiction of law do not obligate contemplation of a liability. This is usually the case in negligence, which falls under tort laws because the evaluation of liability is objective on supporting legal responsibility of a compan y. On the contrary, criminal law entirely depends on appraisal of moral liability in support legal responsibility on the side of the company. Holding a company criminally liable is not easy because legal responsibility is not via reimbursement, but through penalties that look into intent, negligence and premeditation. This research shall discuss grounds on which a company can be sued for acts or omissions resulting in death or injuries based on provisions of laws such as the Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007, and Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. Three principles provide for reasons to hold a company liable. One is the agency principle where the company must own up responsibility for acts or omissions of its employees or staff working as agents to the company, hence be sued for damages. The blame acknowledgment principle establishes that the company’s top executives assume responsibility for acts or omissions perpetrated by the company, implying that such executives whose decisions lead to acts or omissions that result in death or injuries can make the company be held liable. However, acts or omissions by junior staff in the company do not fall under this jurisdiction.[2] The third principle is the company culpability based on its way of transacting business, its systems, as well as culture. While the agency and the blame acknowledgement principles attach individuals to company liability, the company culpability based on its procedure and culture isolates individuals from the company. This implies that companies cannot be held liable for acts or omissions perpetrated by individuals, but rather the culture and procedure of the company. All these principles provide grounds for criminal and civil charge against companies. 2.0. Civil Liability Tort law attaches a civil liability to companies as long as it can be proven that the company perpetrated the act or omissions that resulted in serious injuries or death. A claimant could also file a criminal suit against the company based on the provisions of deliberate acts, negligence or omissions. Under civil laws, parties involved exist as private individuals, and the courts have the ultimate prerogative to determine whether the parties’ perpetrated injury or death based on evidence provided. The rights and obligation existing between the parties, in this case between the company and the plaintiff form the basis for a legal suit. Similarly, remedies for civil suits are damages that could be financial on non-financial, and the burden of proof depends on tangible evidence indicating that the act or omission was committed. Tort law attributes the legal responsibility of a company to acts or omissions that fall under civil wrong. Acts or omissions committed by the employee di rectly fall under the responsibility of the employer as discussed under the agency principle.[3] This means that vicarious liability shifts to the employer while personal liability rests on the shoulders of the employee. Under civil law, the claimant must provide proof that the defendant (the company) perpetrated the act or omission deliberately or negligently. The claimant must also provide proof that they suffered injuries or damage. For the claimant to attach a liability to the company the injury must be adjoining to the act or omission and the series of events must be continuous. In Rylands vs. Fletcher (1868), the contractor ignored vertical shafts in the course of construction of a dam.[4] As they later filled the dam with water, the shafts gave way to water that flooded a nearby mine. The court ruled that the corporation was legally responsible for damages caused due to negligence even if it was not intentional. As such, filing a civil suit against a company works best for claims on damages because they attribute direct liability to the company. 3.0. Criminal Liability Health and Safety at Work Act, the Corporate Manslaughter and the Corporate Homicide Act of 2007 provide avenues of filing a criminal suit against a company. These Acts have the same scope of jurisdiction for attributing a company to criminal liability and can be used simultaneously used. Section 37(1) of Health and Safety at Work Act has provisions that cover personal injuries at the work place.[5] The Act lays down measures requiring companies to incorporate policies and measures to avert personal damages or injuries at the work place. This Act does not make provisions for holding companies liable for deaths or personal injuries, but rather criminalizing acts or omissions that result in injuries and deaths. Section 37(2) of the Act prohibits companies from engaging in negligent and deliberate activities that may lead to personal injuries and deaths of its employees. This section attaches liability to the company’s management in cases where their decisions are connected to ac ts or omissions that result in death. However, the Corporate Manslaughter Act has stringent legislation on cases where a company’s activities lead to death due to gross negligence. As such, the Corporate Manslaughter Act provides exclusive provisions for attaching a criminal liability to companies for their acts or omission that result in death due to outright negligence. If the evidence presented before the court proves that negligence on the part of the company resulted in death, then the company can be held criminally liable for the act or omission that led to death. Section 1(1) of this Act reveals that the company is liable when the act or omission amounting to a criminal offence resulted in death.[6] However, there must be evidence of gross misconduct and violation of duty of care on the part of the company. In case of a successful claim in court by parties representing the deceased, which leads to the indictment of the company, Section 1(6) of the Act establishes a limitless fine as the punishment toward th e company. The duty of care for employees is the sole responsibility of the company. In situations where there is negligence of duty of care resulting in death, the plaintiff representing the deceased party can invoke sections of the Corporate Manslaughter Act to claim justice. Various cases have elucidated what duty of care means. Caparo Industries Plc vs. Dickman (1990) identified three elements that clarify what duty of care far as attaching a criminal liability to a company is concerned.[7] The elements include imposing reasonable duty of care on the plaintiff, foreseeing injury and establishing a close link between the plaintiff and the defendant. Determination of criminal intent (mens rea) also forms as a basis for holding a company criminally liable. The claimant must establish criminal intent as it was the case in Salomon vs. Salomon (1897) where the court had to identify the companys officers responsible for the acts or omissions that resulted in death.[8] However, it was quite a chall enge, which explains the reason why it is difficult to file a criminal suit against a company under the Corporate Manslaughter Act. 4.0.Conclusion Civil and criminal laws present suitable avenues for suing companies for acts or omissions that lead to injuries or death. Strict or vicarious liabilities apply in civil suits and could be direct in through the actions of the company’s agents or direct through the actions of the company regardless of culpability. Under criminal liability, Health and Safety at Work Act provides avenues for suing a company for negligence or failure to prevent personal injuries. The Corporate Manslaughter Act and the Corporate Homicide Act provide avenues for suing a company in situations where acts or omissions result in demise of an individual. 5.0. Bibliography Glazebook, P. R., A Better Way of Convicting Business of Avoidable Deaths and Injuries. The   Ã‚  Ã‚   Cambridge Law Journal, 16(2), (2002) pp 405-422. Barrett, B., Liability for safety offences: Is the law still fatally flawed? Industrial Law Journal,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   37(1), (2007) pp 100-118. 5.1. Legislations Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 5.2. Court cases Salomon v. Salomon Co Ltd, AC., Law Review, 2, (1897), pp 22 Rylands v. Fletcher, Law ReviewL. 3, (1868), pp 330 Caparo Industries plc v. Dickman, Law Review AC, 2, (1990), pp 605

Simple Tactics on How to Make Friends in High School

Simple Tactics on How to Make Friends in High School Building friendship isnt always as easy as we would like it to be, especially in high school. New people and new environment make it even more difficult. However, finding a friend at the new school will be much easier if you take a look at some tips on how to make friends in high school we’ve gathered for you. Join a Club or Sports Team Being a part of a team is one of the best ways to build new relationships. With its friendly atmosphere, a club is a place where you can learn how to be more social. You can meet people who have the same interests and hobbies as you, so dont be afraid to check what opportunities for self-expression your school offers. It may be: 1. Musical clubs bands, choir, orchestra. 2. Drama performing arts or pantomime. 3. Dance classes tap dance, hip-hop. 3. Fine arts and architecture clubs. 4. Literary and language clubs speaking and travel clubs, book clubs, writers clubs. 5. Game clubs chess, video games. 5. Sports and social activities football, basketball, swimming, Ã' heerleading. 6. Science and math clubs. 7. Historical reenactment. If a kind of club you would like to attend doesnt exist at your school, you can start your own club. Don’t be afraid that no one will join you! Youll definitely find people who share your interests. If you establish your own club, you will get to know students with whom you already have something in common. Attend Social Events Social events will certainly help you feel more comfortable with new people and teach you how to be better at socializing. Attending events like sports, parties and dancing evenings is a great way to make people know you better as they see you more often. Use this chance to make new friends even if you are a shy and not really an outgoing person. You may find it challenging at first, but you can bring someone with you to make it less stressful. Participating in events is also a great way to prove yourself and stand out in a crowd. If you have a talent for something - show it! Be Yourself Its very common advice, but being yourself is a key to find people who will like your personality. Some people pretend to be someone who they are not. Its better not to follow their example. Try to find people you feel comfortable with instead of searching for friendship with people who don’t understand and actually know you. Dont Be a Chatter-box Too much talking or joking will not make the best first impression of you. Telling your whole life story to a person you see the first time in your life is not the best idea. People tend to see a too chatty person as the one who is self-obsessed and narcissistic. Stay Positive and Approachable Be open to new people and start conversations with friendly vibes. Dont let your shyness hold you back. Give a pleasant smile and let people get to know you better. Connect Online Social media is your best assistant. Find people from your school online and get information about what your schoolmates like or what hobbies they have. Add them to your friend list and chat about classes or events they are going to attend. Put the information about your hobbies and interests on your page so that your classmates know how to start a conversation with you. Online vs. Face-to-Face Social media will help you to cope with the stress of talking to schoolmates as its much easier to reach a person via the internet and start a conversation online rather than doing it in person. You can also do vice versa if you are getting along with someone in your school, ask them to add you to their friend list on Facebook or follow you on Instagram. Ask and Listen Speaking to another person - especially a stranger - may be intimidating. If youre trying to make a good impression, being a good speaker is not enough - you must be a good listener, too. Memorize small details. Be attentive when people are talking to you and dont interrupt them. Listen carefully and hold eye contact. Its important to remember what people are telling about themselves - their interests and hobbies, about their friends, family or school life. Talk up. Giving a compliment is also a good way to make the first move and often the way to show that youre a nice and friendly person. You can compliment a persons good look or their performance in class. You shouldn’t flatter, but a good compliment wont hurt anybody. Take the initiative. Ask someone out to a movie or lunch - this will give you an opportunity to meet outside the school and get to know each other better. Show your interest. Asking questions is a great way to become closer with someone. People like to talk about themselves, so you should ask questions about their hobbies, pets, families, and clubs they attend. Ask open questions instead of the simple yes/no questions. Closed questions often tend to make an awkward pause in the conversation. Dont be too intrusive. Try not to insist on answering if a person doesnt want to so that he or she doesnt think that you interfere with their personal business. Also, when someone asks you a question, try not to respond in brief sentences - people may think youre not willing to communicate. Making new friends is not easy and takes some time. Be patient and dont be depressed if it doesnt go smoothly. We are sure youll manage to find good friends in school!

How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech

How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech A narrative essay or speech is used to tell a story, often one that is based on personal experience. This genre of work comprises works of nonfiction that hew closely to the facts and follow a logical chronological progression of events. Writers often use anecdotes to relate their experiences and engage the reader. In doing so, you can give your narrative a level of emotional appeal. It can be serious or humorous, but this emotional appeal is essential if you want to  give your audience some way to connect with your story. The most successful narrative essays usually share these three basic traits:They make a central point.They contain  specific details  in  support  of that point.They are clearly  organized  in time. Constructing the Essay Magazines like the New Yorker and websites like Vice are known for the pages-long narrative essays they publish, sometimes called long-format journalism. But an effective narrative essay can be as short as five paragraphs. As with other kinds of essay writing, narratives follow the same basic outline: Introduction: This is the opening paragraph of your essay. It contains the hook, which is used to grab the readers attention, and the thesis or topic, which youll detail in the next section.Body: This is the heart of your essay, usually three to five paragraphs in length. Each paragraph should contain one example, such as a personal anecdote or noteworthy event, that supports your larger topic.Conclusion: This is the final paragraph of your essay. In it, youll sum up the main points of the body and bring your  narrative to an end. Writers sometimes embellish the conclusion with an epilogue or a takeaway. Narrative Essay Topics Choosing the topic for your essay may be the hardest part. What youre looking for is a particular incident that you can recount in a well-developed and clearly organized essay  or speech. We have a few ideas to help you brainstorm topics. Theyre quite broad, but something will surely spark an idea. An embarrassing experienceA memorable wedding or funeralAn exciting minute or two of a football game (or  another sporting event)Your first or last day at a job or new schoolA disastrous dateA memorable moment of failure or successAn encounter that changed your life or taught you a lessonAn experience that led to a renewed faithA strange or unexpected encounterAn experience of how technology is more trouble than its worthAn experience that left you disillusionedA frightening or dangerous experienceA memorable journeyAn encounter with someone you were in awe of or afraid ofAn occasion when you experienced rejectionYour first visit to the countryside (or to a large city)The circumstances that led to the breakup of a friendshipAn experience that showed that you should be careful of what you wish forA significant or comic misunderstandingAn experience that showed how appearances can be deceivingAn account of a difficult decision that you had to makeAn event that marked a turning point in your life An experience that changed your viewpoint on a controversial issueA memorable encounter with someone in authorityAn act of heroism or cowardiceAn imaginary encounter with a real personA rebellious actA brush with greatness or deathA time that you took a stand on an important issueAn experience that altered your view of someoneA trip that you would like to takeA vacation trip from your childhoodAn account of a visit to a fictional place or timeYour first time away from homeTwo different versions of the same eventA day when everything went right or wrongAn experience that made you laugh until you criedThe experience of being lostSurviving a natural disasterAn important discoveryAn eyewitness account of an important eventAn experience that helped you grow upA description of your secret placeAn account of what it would be like to live as a particular animalYour dream job and what it would be likeAn invention youd like to createA time when you realized your parents were rightAn account of your earliest memory Your reaction when you heard the best news of your lifeA description of the one thing you cant live without Other Types of Essays Narrative essays are one of the three major essay types. The others are: Argumentative: In these essays, the writer makes the case for a specific opinion on a topic, using research and analysis to persuade the reader.Descriptive: This kind of writing relies on detail to describe or define a person, place, thing, or experience. Writing may be either objective or subjective.Expository: Like argumentative essays, expository writing requires research and analysis in order to expound upon a subject. Unlike argumentative essays, the intention is not to change the readers  opinion but to inform the readers. Sources Angelli, Elizabeth; Baker, Jack; and Brizee, Allen. Essay Writing. Perdue.edu. 9 February 2018.Beck, Kate. Instructions to Write a Narrative Essay. SeattlePI.com.Santa Barbara City College staff. Structure of a Personal Narrative Essay. SBCC.edu.

Significant influence that the 1900,1904,1908,1912 and 1916 Olympic Research Paper

Significant influence that the 1900,1904,1908,1912 and 1916 Olympic games had in the world - Research Paper Example At a political level, the games bring together people from many nations, with different religious, cultural and economic backgrounds. This makes the Games a mosaic of the entire gamut of human civilization. (Wallechinsky, 2004) This essay will pertain itself those episodes of the Olympic Games that took place in the early decades of the twentieth century. These episodes are quite significant in that they played an influential role in shaping social and political developments to follow. The rest of this essay will further elaborate on this thesis. The 1900 Summer Olympic Games was a very colorful event, given that it took place in the cultural capital of Europe – Paris. In the Olympic events of this period, there were no awarding of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Hence, medals were awarded to the top three athletes retrospectively. It then emerged that France, the host nation won most of the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, followed by the United States and Great Britain. Compe titions were held for a total of 20 disciplines. These disciplines included Archery, Tennis, Rugby, Swimming, Athletics, Sailing, Equestrian, Polo, Golf, among many others. (Kamper & Mallon, 1992) But most importantly, it included events for women athletes and in this respect can be viewed as a path-breaking event. ... (Wallechinsky, 2004) The next edition of the Games was held in the United States, which was at the time an emerging global power. Hosted by St. Louis, Missouri, this event cemented United States' status as an important imperial power in global politics. New sports such as Dumbbells, Freestyle wrestling, Decathlon and Boxing were introduced in this event. The host nation won a majority of the medals, followed by Germany and Cuba. Since many of the athletes were amateurs at this time, their long naval voyage across the Atlantic had sapped them of energy and fitness. This made the competition skewed in favor of host nation's athletes, who easily won on many occasions. Yet, Germany managed to upstage other European nations in the medals tally – a sign of its growing stature in Europe. The political relations between America and European countries was amicable at this stage. But it would turn uncertain in a few years time, as the United States and Germany would be facing off on opp osing sides during the First World War. (Crowther, 2007) The following edition of Summer Olympics saw the Games' return to Europe, with London being the host city. It is interesting to note that all the nations that played host to the Games during the early decades of the twentieth century were imperialist powers with global political ambitions. So the Olympics were not merely an exhibition of sporting talent, as there was also national pride and political prestige at stake. The number of participant teams increased in this edition. As expected Great Britain, the host nation, topped the medals tally, with 56 Golds, 51 Silvers and 39 Bronzes. It was followed by the United States, Sweden and France. The historical diplomatic relations between Great Britain and the United States, which

Lighting and Consumer Perception in Retail Design Thesis

Lighting and Consumer Perception in Retail Design - Thesis Example A specific example of this is how digital interaction with shoppers could be implemented in retail without constraining the use of space and movement (Manuelli 2006, p. 37). Take the case of the ‘magic mirror’ and the ‘Privalite wall’ in Prada’s Beverly Hills Epicenter Store – these examples are based on interactions driven by technology involving body movements that result in a playful, spontaneous interaction with the consumers. Another key retail technology development is the use of the RFID technology wherein tags and labels are developed as â€Å"active,† embedded with computer chips and responding to different environmental conditions. Some of the other inventions in retail system designs are reliable and secure systems based on efficient automated product replenishment and environmentally friendly and cost effective solutions (Salvador, et al., 2006). Most of these technologies help retain current customers and attract new custome rs by keeping the store well stocked. In addition, the profile of the modern shopper has also evolved and diversified. Today’s modern shopper demands more from their purchases and more from the establishments providing their merchandise. Because of this, retailers are forced to offer consumer-specific features and functions in order to gain competitive advantage. For instance, convenience stores classify areas in their store according to age groups. Generally, the two major design components a retailers store must focus on are the physical design of the interior (walls, structures, etc.) and the design of a favorable environment for effective visual communications (Retail Systems, n.d.). Thus, a good retail space must be able to create the synergy between technologies and design to achieve optimal delivery of consumer service and increased margins in the business. As previously stated, good customer service means value for the customer, a variable pivotal in attracting

Reflection of Gender and Power in the Salem Witchcraft Trials Essay

Reflection of Gender and Power in the Salem Witchcraft Trials - Essay Example An analysis of the event, with reference to the cultural norms prevalent during the era, reveals that gender is one among the salient factors that contributed to the culmination of the Salem Witchcraft Trials. In colonial New England women were considered as promiscuous and female children were assigned the lowest social status. Thus, it transpires that in a male dominant society, through implicating women in witchcraft, men have actually attempted to demonstrate their power within a patriarchal system by punishing the hapless females from the lower strata of society in the name of the Salem Witch Trials. During the trials, many including Constable Joseph Herrick deposed that they either had seen or were informed that one of the main accused, Sarah Good, had gone â€Å"barefoot and bare-legged† and â€Å"afflicted† Elizabeth Hubbard and other young girls (Godbeer 77). This contention has also been substantiated by the afflicted Elizabeth Hubbard, who testified that she had seen Sarah Good’s apparition â€Å"afflicting the body† of other girls (75). It transpires that the neighbors of the accused had malevolent intentions towards her and in connivance with the governing class that held the power, she was implicated in witchcraft. In this context, it needs to be recalled that Puritans held the notion that the native inhabitants of New England â€Å"belonged to the Devil† until the arrival of the Protestants and that religion had exercised power over the government (17). Thus, women like Sarah Good have been falsely implicated with witchcraft, tried and executed in Salem, which is a reflection of misuse of power during that regime. Another major factor to be considered is that religion has played a crucial role within the society in colonial America and religious leaders had a dominating presence due to which their â€Å"advice extended beyond spiritual matters† and, hence, they had a say in â€Å"economic and political c oncerns, as well as gender relations† (Parrillo 52). Thus, in the absence of a â€Å"civil government of its own† religion assumed the power in governance, which it could use in any manner to attain its objectives (Godbeer 19). Such was the power of the church that the affected young girls actually believed that they were possessed and were â€Å"fighting a war against their inner demons† (23). Under the circumstances, the afflicted persons, who believed that their neighbors caused the problem, had to choose between the options of either spiritual retribution or taking legal action against them. Thus, the decision of â€Å"subjecting a supernatural crime to judicial scrutiny† was taken, for which strong evidence is required. However, since religion wielded a higher power than logic, women who were assigned a lower social status within the social system were tried and put to death by the powerful church, to restore the faith of more prominent citizens. Anot her major factor to be considered in Salem Witchcraft Trials is that for a mysterious occurrence in a village, the entire community implicated members of one gender as if women were to be blamed for all that was bad and men to be praised for all the good. This notion stems from the patriarchal system in the society, which never wanted to recognize the significance of women within in the familial and social contexts. For the powerful church and male chauvinists as well the government it was an easy way out to blame women from the lower social strata like Sarah Good and

HS630 Conf Week 3 Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HS630 Conf Week 3 Question - Essay Example In the Dam sector, various systems plus redundancies are in use to prevent risk occurrence; cyber insecurity results to threat of safety (McGrath, 2011). Control systems in Dams are vital systems when they are in improved form. Improved control systems occur in suitable designs and work in a manner that is safe and free from cyber insecurity (Stewart et al., 2011). There exists information sharing criteria in the Dam sector that pertain cyber and physical coercion plus procedures for protection. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive 7 (HSPD-7) has ensured presence of a National infrastructure Plan (NIPP) leading to development plus improvement of backup systems (McGrath, 2011). The Federal Emergency Management Agency ensures the existence of web associated training courses. These entail various issues of safety concerning Dams. It is difficult to maintain strong partnerships between the private and the public bodies that ensure proper sharing of authorities plus resources in order to implement strategies (McGrath, 2011). Application of appropriate technology becomes a challenge because various complexities may emerge. Existence of unreliable safeguards results to damages due to flooding and other aspects (McGrath, 2011). A climatic change presents challenges because it results to a variance in the flow of rainfall. This change affects dam structures because parameters used during design will need adjustment to conform to the existing variables (Stewart et al.,

Charles Jencks and Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Charles Jencks and Postmodernism - Essay Example For Jencks, Postmodernism hybridizes modernism by reweaving the recent modern past and local culture in to a single entity. He defines Postmodernism as the reaction against the monolithic architectural principles of Modernism. Postmodern architecture is a return to the sense of meaningful or referential function of architecture. It is a renewed awareness of the suppressed linguistic or connotative dimension in architecture and is expressed with contextualism and with a collaborative use of modern as well local or historical or referential elements in design. In spite of its opposition to modernism, Postmodernism has its roots in modernism which as we know rejected all old Victorian ideals of how art should be made, interpreted and what it should mean. Architects tried to get away from the philosophical, ethical and formal dictation of the rationalism by a playful and ironical association with construction forms, architectural historical quotations and stylistically contamination and this eventually lead to Postmodernism. The movement largely has been a reaction to the orthodoxy, austerity, and formal absolutism of the International Style. Postmodernism describes the returning tendency of assembling organic narration and historical references in architectural designs by a process of assimilation and re-interpretation; the assimilation of the essence of historical works and reinterpreting the same in combination with the modernist style, thus creating a hybridized form of art. Hence Postmodern architecture is characterized by the incorporation of historical details in a hybrid rather than a pure style, by the use of decorative elements, by a more personal and exaggerated style, and by references to popular modes of building. This ty pe of architecture where reference and ornament have returned to the facade, replacing the aggressively unornamented modern styles, has also been described as "neo-eclectic". This Post modernity in architecture is generally thought to be heralded by the return of "wit, ornament and reference" to architecture in response to the formalism of the International Style of modernism. It is a rejection of strict rules set by the early modernists and seeks exuberance in the use of building techniques, angles, and stylistic references. Postmodern architecture is a return to the sense of meaningful or referential function of architecture, a renewed awareness of the suppressed linguistic or connotative dimension in architecture. Jencks was on of the first to transfer the term 'Post Modern' from literary expression, where it was first used in 1975 to architecture. And in this manner he is the first to theorize postmodernism from the perspective of architecture. Jencks and some other post-modernists believe that post-modernism really began to emerge in the counter-culture of the 1960s. In the West it was a period of questioning and challenging rules and norms, and of embracing spiritual and artistic modes from other cultures that had previously been ignored. According to Jencks's earlier definition, postmodernism describes anything that was build after 1972, the year in which the Pruitt-Igoe project in St Louis for low-income housing was eventually destroyed with dynamite. Jencks's Concept of Modernism and its Shortcomings Jencks claims that modern architecture developed from the interests of large corporations on account of the progress in

Film--Fog Of War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Film--Fog Of War - Essay Example The first pointer involves the role of the U.S in the Vietnam War. McNamara was one of the principal U.S leaders that orchestrated the war which resulted in the deaths of 3 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans. In the documentary, 85 year old McNamara (playing himself), speaks about the Congressional resolution that gave credence and legality to the Vietnam War. It was later learnt that the U.S Congress, Kennedy and McNamara himself all wrongly interpreted the torpedo incident in the Gulf of Tonkin, which never took place in the exaggerated fashion it was reported (Petrakis). The second pointer to the film’s theme involves the firebombing of 67 Japanese cities by the U.S in 1945 that killed nearly 1 million Japanese (Turan), including a single event in which about 100,000 Japanese were scorched to death in Tokyo. Colonel Curtis Le May, who directed the military operations, along with McNamara (his assistant at that time), were both convinced that the firebombing would bring about a speedy end to World War II. McNamara supports the decision of LeMay and himself that led to so many horrific Japanese deaths by exemplifying it to one of the 11 lessons he learnt in life, namely, â€Å"In Order to Do Good, You May Have to Engage in Evil† (Petrakis). The last pointer to the documentary’s theme involves the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Colonel Curtis LeMay and McNamara actively featured in it. This time however, the two leaders managed to pull back inches from the brink of what would have been an outright nuclear war between the U.S and the Soviet Union. Leaders of both superpowers were certain of their individual interpretations of the crisis that did not deserve such certitude, and if it were not for Nikita Khrushev’s backing down and withdrawing Soviet missiles from Cuba, and Kennedy’s decision to take the advice of Tommy Thompson who had an acute insight into

Charles Jencks and Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Charles Jencks and Postmodernism - Essay Example For Jencks, Postmodernism hybridizes modernism by reweaving the recent modern past and local culture in to a single entity. He defines Postmodernism as the reaction against the monolithic architectural principles of Modernism. Postmodern architecture is a return to the sense of meaningful or referential function of architecture. It is a renewed awareness of the suppressed linguistic or connotative dimension in architecture and is expressed with contextualism and with a collaborative use of modern as well local or historical or referential elements in design. In spite of its opposition to modernism, Postmodernism has its roots in modernism which as we know rejected all old Victorian ideals of how art should be made, interpreted and what it should mean. Architects tried to get away from the philosophical, ethical and formal dictation of the rationalism by a playful and ironical association with construction forms, architectural historical quotations and stylistically contamination and this eventually lead to Postmodernism. The movement largely has been a reaction to the orthodoxy, austerity, and formal absolutism of the International Style. Postmodernism describes the returning tendency of assembling organic narration and historical references in architectural designs by a process of assimilation and re-interpretation; the assimilation of the essence of historical works and reinterpreting the same in combination with the modernist style, thus creating a hybridized form of art. Hence Postmodern architecture is characterized by the incorporation of historical details in a hybrid rather than a pure style, by the use of decorative elements, by a more personal and exaggerated style, and by references to popular modes of building. This ty pe of architecture where reference and ornament have returned to the facade, replacing the aggressively unornamented modern styles, has also been described as "neo-eclectic". This Post modernity in architecture is generally thought to be heralded by the return of "wit, ornament and reference" to architecture in response to the formalism of the International Style of modernism. It is a rejection of strict rules set by the early modernists and seeks exuberance in the use of building techniques, angles, and stylistic references. Postmodern architecture is a return to the sense of meaningful or referential function of architecture, a renewed awareness of the suppressed linguistic or connotative dimension in architecture. Jencks was on of the first to transfer the term 'Post Modern' from literary expression, where it was first used in 1975 to architecture. And in this manner he is the first to theorize postmodernism from the perspective of architecture. Jencks and some other post-modernists believe that post-modernism really began to emerge in the counter-culture of the 1960s. In the West it was a period of questioning and challenging rules and norms, and of embracing spiritual and artistic modes from other cultures that had previously been ignored. According to Jencks's earlier definition, postmodernism describes anything that was build after 1972, the year in which the Pruitt-Igoe project in St Louis for low-income housing was eventually destroyed with dynamite. Jencks's Concept of Modernism and its Shortcomings Jencks claims that modern architecture developed from the interests of large corporations on account of the progress in

PERFORMANCE APPRASIAL AT KFSH&RC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

PERFORMANCE APPRASIAL AT KFSH&RC - Essay Example Feedback process 23 1. Importance of feedback 23 2. The re-engineering process of the Human Resource Department 24 3. Results of survey 26 4. Discussion 33 5. Conclusion 35 6. References 38 Executive Summary This dissertation comes in two parts. Chapter 1 reviews whether there is a need to change or update the existing performance appraisal being used by the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. Under the present environment of technological and communication advances, there are many changes noted in the use of the traditional system. The study also shows that the PAS of the KFSH&RC is not consistent with the social and cultural idioms of the hospital as it is patterned after the American environment which is totally different from that of Saudi Arabia. Data gathering from published literatures, studies and opinions of noted authors is done to amplify the recommendation and conclusion that an update is needed under the circumstances In chapter II of the study, the reco mmendation in part I has been followed so that the design of the Human Resources at King Faisal Hospital Science & Research Center is being re-engineered by the management. A memorandum to this effect has been sent by the Human Resources Department to all managers and supervisors to take part on the exercise, training and proper information. As one of the basis for the re-engineered design, a feedback information is desired by management to complete the structure of its design plan. Knowing what the personnel feels will equip them with the knowledge of what is really going on inside the organization and what is really needed and thus be able to correct deficiencies in the system. To gain insight of the personnel’s perception on the performance appraisal and also to find out the needs of personnel on training and development, a survey was conducted to 139 personnel of the hospital representing 2% of the total number of personnel of KFHSRC. The number of sample has been limited due to limitations of time and resources to conduct a larger number of sampling. Result showed majority of respondents believed on the validity of performance appraisal for rating performance. Survey shows training and development are needed by some respondents while some respondents do not understand their job responsibilities. Findings of the study can be used as references by the Human Resource Management in correcting deficiencies of performances and developing programs for development of personnel. A REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM AT KFSH&RC Introduction The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center appraisal system has been developed by the hospital in 1988. It is a system based on the American Appraisal system that has been adopted by the hospital in 1975. The pros and cons of the present appraisal system of the hospital are reviewed to determine if there is a need to update or replace or the PAS totally. Chapter 1 of the study presents the overview of the KFSH&RC, the present performance system and its benefits. This section also presents a review of literature that includes the criticisms, studies and researches that argue about instituting new measures of performance evaluation of employees and gauging employee job satisfaction. Chapter II discusses the implementation of the re-engineering project for the human

Kindergarten and Children Essay Example for Free

Kindergarten and Children Essay The early year’s sector was not developed by government policy with specific aims but was created in response to the requirements of families to change economical and social factors. Therefore public expenditure focused on families with social needs and difficulties. Local authority day nurseries catered mainly for children who were at risk from harm mainly in deprived areas. The Private sector held childminders, nannies and private nurseries available. The playgroup movement developed during the 1960s where parents set up and ran provision for their own children to learn through play in village halls and other community facilities. Families requirements for their children vary some parents want care for their children so that they can return to work, some parents want to stay with their children while they socialise, some parents want their children in settings which offer services aimed at learning. Others may want their children to be in a home based environment but unfortunately not every family can afford to pay provision fees, therefore the early year’s sector has various forms of provision to meet the needs of all families. The childcare provision includes: Mother and toddler groups  A place were the toddler can socialise with other children their age, whilst the mother or father can stay and learn more ways to look after and help with the childs development Pre-school A private nursery, one that is paid for by the parent do not hold compulsory hours, the child doesn’t have a primary school place already. This is for a younger child to gain confidence at an early age. Day care A day care is for children from the age of 3 months to 5 years, they have different classes for children of different ages and the parents can drop off the child and pick them up when they wish. Some parents only take the child in for one or two hours a day so that they have some interaction with other children and have new experiences. Creche A creche is a drop in centre childcare provision, the parents do not pay a monthly fee they only pay when they need such childcare, creche’s are in many different places such as gyms, shopping centres and churches, in these areas the children are looked after whilst the parents can work out, shop or pray. The childcare sector has changed vastly in the last 50 years along with society. Mothers have stopped staying at home and also passed on primary care to nannies or child minders. More childcare settings have been needed as a result of this. The government offer all 3-4 year old children free day care in nurseries such as my setting for up to 15 hours a week, this means mothers can go to work etc. leaving their child there in the care of nursery teachers, practitioners and nursery nurses. Identify current policies, frameworks and influences on the early years sector [pic] [pic] [pic] United nations convention on the rights of the child. Founded in 1989 by world leaders who decided that children needed a special convention for those under 18s because they often need special care and that the government has a responsibility to take measures to make sure children’s rights are protected, respected and fulfilled. All children have a right to adequate food, shelter, clean water, education, health care, leisure and recreation. The act also protects children’s rights by setting the standards in health care, education and legal, civil and social services. The four core principles are: Non-discrimination. Devotion to the best interests of the child The right to life Survival and development Respect the views of a child All children up to the age of 18 are protected regardless of race, religion, gender, culture, whether they are rich or poor have a disability, what they do and don’t say and what language they speak, no child should be treated unfairly. The best interests of the child must always come first when making decisions that can affect them. The EYFS works at setting the standards for learning ensuring that children make progress and no child gets left behind. The education Act Free childcare provisions were introduced for under five year old children as stated briefly previously. Since September 1st 2010 this rose from 12 and a half hours a week to 15 hours a week. The free entitlement provides access to education and care and the hours can be flexible over the week, all childcare provisions must use the EYFS and help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes. Describe what is meant by evidence-based practice and give examples of how this has influenced work with children in their early years. Evidence based practice is a framework of decisions made from effective information researched that influences practice and allows practitioners to apply their knowledge to a situation which allows them to make a well informed decisions on future actions. Professional practice requires these findings and research to be kept up-to-date and a consideration as to how these can be applied to settings. Sometimes, we need to be sure of what we find out before taking action as it might not be real or true. This is why it is so important for me to communicate and concerns or queries to my team. My everyday practice is influenced by what I have found out or learnt previously as a mother but also professionally through watching my nursery teacher and practitioners and learning as I go. It has been interesting to see that I am heading in the right track as a parent but excited to learn things I hadnt even thought of previously for my own children that I can not only use in the setting but also bring home for my children to benefit from. An example of how research has influenced working with children is The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) which is the first main study in the UK that focuses on the effectiveness of early years education and studies young childrens intellectual, social and behavioural development at age 3 to 7, collecting a wide range of information on more than 3000 children, their parents, their home environment and the pre-school they attended. Its findings found that children who had attended early years provision were more likely to have better cognitive, social and behaviour skills when they started formal education than those who had no early years provision, also confirming the value of early learning through play especially from low-income families. Key Elements of effective practice (KEEP) is another example. It stressed that effective learning in children is dependent on secure relationships. Learning through play and forming secure relationships are both key elements to the EYFS. With formal and non formal observation schedules and reflective practice, there is quality of care, learning and development and accountability as staff may require training and review of procedures and policies in order to keep up to date with new evidence in the provision of health and education. Explain what is meant by Diversity Diversity is the differences between individuals and groups of people in societies. These differences could be gender, ethnic origins, social cultural or religious background, family structure, disabilities, sexuality or appearance. Equality Equality means that individuals in society experience opportunities to achieve which are as good as the opportunities experienced by other people. Inclusion Inclusion is a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging. Explain the importance of anti-discriminatory/anti bias practice, giving examples of how it is applied in practice with children and carers The curriculum within settings should represent the different cultures of the children within it to promote anti-discriminatory and anti bias practice, as does my setting. We include positive images within the play areas for example in books and on posters which allows our children to view pictures of different races, disabilities, sex and age which promotes an anti-bias view of the world we live in. We also have children within the setting who have special educational needs which also brings it to life for all the children to encourage this acceptance into their lives. The setting creates an environment which is acceptable to all children regardless of their background, along with being able to make them feel welcomed. We ensure they are all valued and have access in every aspect of the provision. We also have had the pleasure of meeting practitioners who are from different countries which also helps the children relate to equality within their lives. Explain how the active participation of the children in decisions affecting their lives promotes the achievement of positive outcomes. Children need to actively participate in decisions that will affect their life. Children that are young need to make simple choices that enable them to find out their likes and dislikes not only for themselves but for us to then plan activities that meet their needs and challenge their abilities, it can be as simple as having a choice between an apple and a pear. This will enable them to express their needs and wishes. Letting the children make choices builds a child’s confidence, self esteem and their social skills. In our setting the children make choices all the time, this will be when a child makes a choice on what they want to do or who they want to do it with, these are simple choices that a child of pre-school and nursery age can make for themselves. This will enable the child to develop more and make choices later on in life that are more important such as, relationships, what course to take at college, whether to gain a qualification, what job they may undertake or even when to get married etc. These choices will all be big decisions that could affect the rest of their life. We as practitioners need to actively listen to the child’s choices and other ways that they may be able to communicate their wishes such as pointing, pictures, signing and any other non verbal means of communication to find out what the child or family actually want or need. We need to understand that children have voices and that they should be heard. Providing that they or others are not in any significant harm, their wishes should be listened to and followed. Examples of how children in our setting actively participate in their own choices include area of play, choice of activities during free flow time, choice of healthy food and drink available to them, choice of actions (good or bad, with intervention when necessary). Again, by giving them these choices it will help them to make small decisions in life and will enable them later in life to extend this to bigger decisions that affect their lives and will help future experiences. It also enables our children to learn to build up confidence, self-esteem and social skills by themselves and sometimes, with our guidance. Explain the importance of reviewing own practice as part of being an effective practitioner The quality of provision in any early years settings is dependent on the skills, attitudes, knowledge and experience of everyone who works there. Reflective practice is the key to quality improvement as it helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different aspects of a setting’s provision. Reflective practice is the term used to describe the way in which professionals evaluate their own work and consider ways of improving their work. It is important to do this, as each year a different set of children and parents join the setting. They may have different needs, expectations or interests. Activities, routines and polices may have to be changed or updated to accommodate the new families. Reflecting on practice will help to see where changes need to be made. Staff are developing all the time too. Their knowledge and skills may change due to extra training or new staff having new ideas. National standards and frameworks may also change so this may have an impact on how the setting is run. To reflect on my own practice I tend to critically question what I do and see whether it works or whether there is room for improvement by asking my team for feedback and advise. I am also new to childcare as a profession rather then parent so I am constantly taking things in and using support from my team as motivation to improve my own strengths and target my weaknesses. I tend to observe the reactions of children, parents and the team to help think about my effectiveness, but at the end of the day voicing any concerns is the best policy and my team will always come to me when needed. Especially in areas I may think are working well, I like to think about what skills and knowledge are helping me achieve this or whether I can become more efficient. In areas of weaknesses I always think of ways to improve and pick up hints and tips from my brilliant colleagues who are more then happy to advise. I may need more training in the future when I fell more experience is needed such as first aid etc. I find reflecting on my practise helpful as it gives me a clearer picture of what I actually do within my work role for my setting, and how I can make myself a valuable asset to my team. This itself gives me more confidence of my ability as practitioner and confidence to know that everybody can improve to provide the best care for all our children as I reach higher standards as I progress. Undertake a reflective analysis of own practice Being a reflective practitioner involves thinking about how you currently work and evaluating what you do in order to improve your practice. The reflective practitioner stands back, takes a balanced view and recognises what works well, but is also able to acknowledge what could be changed. To be a reflective practitioner you need to be self aware and able to look as objectively and honestly as possible at how you work with children, colleagues and parents. This is not easy, but taking a proactive role, reflecting on and analysing your own practice is far more rewarding than relying on someone in a more senior position to do this for you. Evaluating your own practice helps to put you in control of the changes that should be made, enables you to identify your professional development needs and will increase your confidence and feelings of job satisfaction. Reflective practice and self evaluation are fundamental to the Ofsted inspection process. By completing the Self Evaluation Form (SEF) managers and setting leaders are able to provide a snapshot of what happens in a setting. Through the SEF they can clearly identify the setting’s strengths and highlight what it does well. At the same time they can acknowledge any weaknesses in provision and plan the changes and improvements to be made. However, managers cannot achieve this alone. They are reliant on all practitioners in the setting taking responsibility for the quality of their individual practice and aiming for continuous improvement. As practitioner I want to be a good role model for the children in my setting by being enthusiastic to their efforts, positive and optimistic towards their abilities and good choices but also as I understand children are active learners I wish for them to be as enthusiastic as I am with their learning and development. I always aim to show a relaxed expression and warm tones in my voice that I can pitch higher as I express enthusiasm. I try to get the children eager to get involved especially in planned activities that are designed to assess the children individually as it is important for me to know each childs specific needs etc. I am aware that my relationships with the children, parents and colleagues are not only important for the setting environment but also for our children to understand how to treat others and how peers and teamwork is important in life. I treat others how I wish to be treated and respect all my team as individuals professionally as well as getting to know them and enjoying their company during work hours. It is a pleasure to work with a great group of people who are passionate about giving our children a great start in life which, in turn also gives me the motivation to thrive and provide the best care I can for my colleagues and children. I actively listen and am taking in lots of information and advise given verbally or through watching others. This is active learning and it is a cycle within the work setting. When I talk to my colleagues it is in a professional manner with interest and respect. I am also willing to help in any way I can to maintain an efficient smooth running setting. When I talk to the children in the setting I try to relate to them, coming down to their level with interest and listening to anything they have to say. They will always ask questions that I will answer as honestly as I can. I am always intrigued to know their likes and dislikes and by getting to know each individual child helps in this area. It is always nice to following up on their ideas by discussing every thing with the nursery teacher who will then advise. I try my hardest to make every parent feel welcome and at value what they tell me especially when it is about the importance of their individual child. It is important to maintain relationships with everyone as not only does it help me provide the best care I can but it also makes the place a very strong place to be as we are helping these children thrive and flourish to take these abilities with them through life. I try to help the setting by being proactive in solving problems as they arise but I will come to my team in times of need. I definitely need to continue to actively learn through my team but also establish a personal style and accept we are all different and all give a different benefit to the team. I started off with little confidence as a parent you never quiet know what boundaries you can cross with other children such as how stern to be when they make bad choices etc. Now I am much more confident and relaxed in my approach but I am always learning, every day I learn something new. I need to communicate and not be afraid to ask my nursery teacher if I misunderstand a task given to me. I made the mistake of setting out an extra activity that didnt help what the nursery teacher had planned as I assumed bowels were left out for it when in fact they were forgotten about and not put away. The nursery teacher was busy and so I tried to use my initiative but it was not a good decision. I should have waited to speak to my tutor and seek advice. This is what I shall do in the future. I tend to learn from my mistakes! Develop strategies to deal with areas of difficulty and challenges encountered in professional practice in early years settings Examples of areas of difficulty and challenges that may arise in the work setting between myself and parents of children include: Parents not collecting their child on time getting later and later Parents with outstanding fees Parents with a complaint e. g. they claim a child has hit their child Speaking to a parent about a concern you have about their child (you feel that the child has specific needs, and you are worried how they may accept/not accept it). Parent has been discriminating against another parent (possibly verbally to the other parents). These issues are not only very sensitive to each individual family but they all require handling with professionalism and respect as a parent myself you need to feel valued and listened to and made aware that the dilema will be dealt with promptly and effectively and in confidence. This is why having full and comprehensive policies and procedures within my setting is important and relevant at these times to follow. When speaking to parents, if they came to me with a concern or complaint I would listen, really listen, even if they start to shout, often they just want to say their piece. Then if they have cause to complain or bring something up I may be able to deal with it there and then by speaking in a professional manner, without making it personal. If I am able to resolve it, I will try, if not I would this to the nursery teacher as she is a very good active listener and always wants the best for our children, parents and team. It is very important to maintain relationships as we would hate to tarnish the settings name we really do enjoy our involvement and helping our children the best way we can. To me it doesnt matter how small the concern is its important for that child and their parents, and I want to assure those parents I take things very seriously in order to resolve issues. When a parent needs addressing for issues such as a concern about their child or fees are owed then the nursery teacher will deal with this matter by forms of letters or arranging a meeting to speak in confidence regarding the above. If a parent has come to me or the nursery teacher with a complaint about another parent I would have to have a quiet word or arrange a meeting to say It has been brought to my attention that you have been speaking about another parent unkindly/discriminatingly. They may interject here and say who said, they are lying? But I would just have to remember to say something such as I am not at liberty to say, but whether it is true or not I must remind you we are an equal opportunity setting who celebrates diversity and cultural beliefs. Remember to explain sensitively and nicely that you are duty bound to make sure all the children and families are treated equally, and you would do the same for their child, if you felt they needed your support. But currently it is the responsibility of the nursery teacher and so I would talk to her about any such issues.