Walt Disney Essay Example For Students

Walt Disney Essay Walt Disney, American cartoonist and motion picture producer, has made a big impact on todays animated motion picture industry. His great talent as a cartoonist and producer has inspired many of todays great film-makers. Here is a short summary of the early beginning and career of probably the greatest animator and film writer of all time. Walt Disney, in full Walter Elias Disney, was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. At age 16, he left highschool and later studied briefly at art schools in Chicago and Kansas City. In 1923, Disney, along with his brother, Roy, created a small animation company in Hollywood, California and began producing animated motion pictures. Their first production, a series called Alice in Cartoonland, combined animated characters with a living actress. In 1926-28, Disney produced a series called Oswald the Rabbit, for Universal Pictures. In 1928, Steamboat Willie was produced by his own company and introduced Disneys most popular character, Mickey Mouse. This film was also the first to utilize sound in an animated cartoon. Besides Mickey Mouse, Disney created such cartoon characters as Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. We will write a custom essay on Walt Disney specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In 1937, Disney originated the feature-length cartoon with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Within the next five years, he produced other feature-length cartoons such as Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi. In 1961, Disney was the first to produce a color television series which was called, Disneys Wonderful World of Color. In the 1950s and 60s , Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. , with Disney as executive producer, was one of the major producers of films for motion-picture theaters and television. Still today the company produces more animated motion pictures than any other. From all of Disneys accomplishments from his career in animation and motion pictures, he received a total of 39 Academy Awards. Disney died in 1966 at the age of 65, and since then the Walt Disney Company has produced a new series of animated feature films and in 1995 purchased Capital Cities/ABC Television. Youve just heard a brief synopsis of Walt Disneys contribution to the film industry. Theres no doubt that his creativity and vision in the area of film-making has inspired many young talents and will continue to do so in the years to come.

Free Essays on Stage Manager

Job Description There is no single definition or job description for the tasks performed by the person who accepts the title of Stage Manager for any theatrical production. Every theatre or production company has different ideas and expectations regarding the Stage Manager's role in the production process. Each Producer or Director may ask different things of the Stage Manager for each individual production. Therefore, the individual who accepts this position must be as flexible as the job description itself. The Stage Manager is to perform the following duties: Calls all rehearsals, before or after opening. Assembles and maintains the Prompt Book. Works with the Director and the Department Heads to schedule rehearsal and outside calls. Assumes active responsibility for the form and discipline of rehearsal and performance, and is the executive instrument in the technical running of each performance. Maintains the artistic intentions of the Director and Producer after opening. Keeps any records necessary to inform the Producer of attendance, time, welfare benefits, etc. Maintains discipline. A Stage Manager's success generally can't be measured in quantitative terms. There are, however, some basic qualities and character traits of good Stage Managers, which remain constant. A Stage Manager is someone who desires and accepts responsibility. A Stage Manager is a tactful communicator with a sense of humor. A Stage Manager is organized, adaptable, and thinks quickly on her feet while keeping the goals and priorities of the artistic staff in mind. A Stage Manager is often privy to confidential information such as salaries, disciplinary action or health problems. As a condition of this knowledge, a Stage Manager knows when to keep his or her mouth shut and his or her eyes and ears open. A Stage Manager creates positive energy and inspires those around him or her to g... Free Essays on Stage Manager Free Essays on Stage Manager Job Description There is no single definition or job description for the tasks performed by the person who accepts the title of Stage Manager for any theatrical production. Every theatre or production company has different ideas and expectations regarding the Stage Manager's role in the production process. Each Producer or Director may ask different things of the Stage Manager for each individual production. Therefore, the individual who accepts this position must be as flexible as the job description itself. The Stage Manager is to perform the following duties: Calls all rehearsals, before or after opening. Assembles and maintains the Prompt Book. Works with the Director and the Department Heads to schedule rehearsal and outside calls. Assumes active responsibility for the form and discipline of rehearsal and performance, and is the executive instrument in the technical running of each performance. Maintains the artistic intentions of the Director and Producer after opening. Keeps any records necessary to inform the Producer of attendance, time, welfare benefits, etc. Maintains discipline. A Stage Manager's success generally can't be measured in quantitative terms. There are, however, some basic qualities and character traits of good Stage Managers, which remain constant. A Stage Manager is someone who desires and accepts responsibility. A Stage Manager is a tactful communicator with a sense of humor. A Stage Manager is organized, adaptable, and thinks quickly on her feet while keeping the goals and priorities of the artistic staff in mind. A Stage Manager is often privy to confidential information such as salaries, disciplinary action or health problems. As a condition of this knowledge, a Stage Manager knows when to keep his or her mouth shut and his or her eyes and ears open. A Stage Manager creates positive energy and inspires those around him or her to g...

School Workload and Sleep Deprivation in Adolescent Tardiness Research Paper - 3

School Workload and Sleep Deprivation in Adolescent Tardiness - Research Paper Example this study are the dependency at participants’ honesty, inability to directly manipulate the participants’ daily workload and sleep time, inability to manipulate â€Å"time of school† as sub-variable of school workload, and the inconclusiveness on the effects of increasing school workload to adolescent tardiness. Further larger-scale researches on school workload and sleep deprivation in committing tardiness is being aimed by this study. No experimental research so far was conducted on the effects of school workload and sleep deprivation in tardiness. However, two experimental literatures, plus three supporting non-experimental studies, will be used by this study to serve as guides in formulating the design of this study to be conducted for the first time. The experimental study Sustaining Female Helicopter Pilot Performance with Dexedrine during Sleep Deprivation (Caldwell, Caldwell & Crowley, 1997) investigated the effects of a stimulant drug dextroamphetamine on the flight stimulator performance of sleep-deprived female aviators. The sample participants were exposed to 40-hour sleep deprivation, but the experimental group received the drug while the control received a placebo. The independent variable is the drug administration while the dependent variables are the performance, level of alertness and mood of the participants. They found out that the experimental group is able to sustain performance, alertness and mood than the control group. This study provides a good background information on the effects of sleep deprivation that the drug is hypothesized to eliminate: poor performance, lower level of alertness and lower mood. This study provides a hypothesis that sleep deprivation affects student’s performance, which includ es tendencies of being tardy. Another experimental study, The impact of Cross-Training and Workload on Team Functioning: A Replication and Extension of Initial Findings (Cannon-Bowers et al, 1998). Other than cross-training, they

MRP Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MRP - Assignment Example (Axsater, 2006). Especially in case of manufacturing industry, proper and efficient inventory management is one of the most important tasks. (Miller, et al, 2010). Therefore, various inventory management systems and procedures have been devised to assist the organizations with this challenging job. Some are manual; others are computer-based; while some can be used both ways. (Heisig, 2002). One of the popular inventory management systems is Material Requirements Planning. MRP or Material Requirements Planning basically focuses on managing the manufacturing process in terms of consumption of inventory and effective and efficient production of final goods. It is a computer based system; however, it can also be handled manually, if needed. (Heisig, 2002). It is a system that helps make sure that the right amount of raw materials and other required resources are available for production of the final goods, at all times in order to avoid any delays. (Axsater, 2006). It also helps minimize the level of excessive inventory and helps chart the near-to-exact amount of inventory needed for manufacturing process.

Inside a Computer Laboratory Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Inside a Computer Laboratory - Lab Report Example Some offer specialized functions such as transaction processing, discrete mathematics, statistical data analysis while others simply offer an internet connection. Additionally, computers can use for gaming and entertainment and develop software. Purchasing a laboratory or business PC can be sometimes a frightening experience and sometimes very confusing. When making the purchase, it is probable that you will have a general idea of what you may want in the PC and how you would like to make the configurations work for you. Computer systems as you may be aware consist of both software and hardware. The hardware components are tangible components of the system: main memory, CPU, peripherals such as a monitor, video display etc. The software part is the set of instructions that define what the actions of the computer hardware (Alagar and Peryasammy 2011). Typically a computer requires both the system software In the process of purchasing it is important to that you ask yourself some quest ions regarding the computer specification. First, you need to list down how the computer is going to be used. Secondly, the software that will be used can follow and here you determine whether any specialized functions are going to be used. ... The ICT department decided to purchase Desktop PCs with the following specifications: Central processing unit AMD, Hard Drive Storage - 80 Gigabytes Random Access Memory - 4GB SDRAM Hard Disk Speed: (5400 RPM) Visual display unit -Graphics Card. Motherboard Monitor – Liquid crystal display. Operating System - Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Desktop Case Optical Drive: DVD Reader and Writer Justifying the above selection. Central Processing Unit (CPU) - AMD A highly effective processor assists the computer to function optimally. The CPU is the center or brain of the computer and it executes and controls the highest percentage of the work done by the PC. CPUs are major of two types; Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel processors and the procurement manager in the ICT department made the choice from the options. CPUs are commonly defined by their processing speed and power- gigahertz (GHz) or in megahertz (MHz) - and this directly refers to the number of commands and operations they can execute per second (Shiva 2007). The higher the processing speed value, the faster and more efficient the PC will perform and it follows that it will be more expensive. The most recent dual-core CPUs have two processors embedded on a single chip and they operate more efficiently at lower speeds, for example, AMD’s Athlon X2 CPU and Intel’s Pentium family. Most recently more scalable and powerful processors that use a 64 Bit internal architecture, compared to the previous 32 Bit internal architecture models, have been deployed in the market. Computers built with a Dual-core CPU can perform comparatively faster than those using Mono-core processors, specifically when multitasking. It is therefore advisable to make the choice of computers

Issues And Assumptions Of Hotel Mangement

Issues And Assumptions Of Hotel Mangement The following report is a thorough analysis of the outrigger Hotels and Resorts case that describe the current Information Technology (IT) being used by this firm and the Information System resources that are being employed by Outrigger Hotels and Resorts. We will first start by giving a brief background history of the company and then analyze the current business structure and the Information System currently being employed. Key Issues and assumptions are identified from the case and thoroughly analyzed. Additional SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis questions are answered and finally, additional recommendation on how Outrigger can improve their current IS and IT infrastructure are provided to improve the future outcome of Outrigger Hotels Resorts. INTRODUCTION: Outrigger Hotels and Resorts is a management company that is owned by its holding corporation, Outrigger Enterprises. It is one of the largest, privately-held leisure lodging and hospitality firm in the Asia Pacific and Oceania. With rapid growth, Outrigger is expanding its presence throughout the Hawaiian Islands and the south pacific. By the dawn of the 21st century, the industry was estimated to have exceeded $295 billion in sales (Outrigger, 2010). With more than 60 years of hospitality experience, Outrigger has a diverse product portfolio that include highly successful, multi-branded line of hotels, condominiums and vacation resort properties, including Outrigger Hotels resorts, OHANA Hotels Resorts and Outrigger Condominium Collection (Outrigger, 2010). It is considered as one of the leading destination and vacation spots in the Hawaiian market with above average performance levels of the global industry (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 106). KEY ISSUES AND ASSUMPTIONS: Main focus is to gain competitive advantage. Currently in waves 1 and 2 of the Waves of Innovation development of its electronic interfaces with their wholesalers. But not all wholesalers were interested in automating The firms integrated CRS/PMS (Central Reservation System/Property Management System) IT infrastructure Stellex, failed to migrate with a modern platform that was thought to simplify connectivity with the other off-the-shelf computer systems Having a Central Reservation Office (CRO) operating in Denver, Colorado. Reservations were centralized for all properties in Hawaii and beyond Hawaii, reservations was taken at each property. Issues with distance, high telecommunication costs and unacceptable reliability of international network led to a decentralized structure. Competitive pressures raising the importance of integration as larger branded hospitality and resort companies are entering the market. travel agents and wholesalers were finding the condominiums hard to sell advancements in technology and the overall internet boom proving a challenge for outrigger to keep up with and jeopardizing Outriggers future stability Detailed description: The main concern that Outrigger had was to analyze the current outriggers business strategy and to come up with an appropriate IS vision, IS architecture, and a strategic IS plan for outrigger hotels and resorts that not only gives Outrigger competitive advantage but also ensures future stability and success of the firm. When looking at IT and how it is used by industries and enterprises, waves of innovation chart is used (provided in the appendix, figure 4) that identifies the current evolution of IT within a firm (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 46). Currently, it is our assumption that Outrigger Hotels and Resorts are in Wave 1 and Wave 2. Their main goals are to reduce costs (Wave 1) and in leveraging investments (Wave 2) that focus on cutting cost through organizational effectiveness while increasing corporate assets and profitability (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 47). Outrigger achieved in reducing costs by automating manual processes to wholesalers such as billing and invoicing generating organizational effectiveness. They gained competitive advantage by implementing the electronic interface to be used by wholesalers. As shown in Figure 4, both Wave 1 and Wave 2 are below the line as this identifies that systems were developed mainly for administration, finance, and manufacturing (McNur lin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 47). Furthermore, with the outsourcing of their website and web services, they introduced online chat to better help their customers and provide more information to them. Although this can be regarded as Wave 5 under the Waves of Innovation as it shows how IT is used to communicate directly with consumers, thereby leading to new marketing, distribution and service strategies (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p 47). Also what can be considered under Wave 5 is the adoption of a dynamic package that Outrigger serves that appeals to travellers, suppliers, even travel agencies. It provides the option and flexibility to choose air, hotel, car rental and even activities, ticketed independently and then priced out as a bundle to the buyer. This is another example of how Outrigger is reaching consumers and creating opportunities (Wave 5 in Waves of Innovation) by directly communicating with their prospective clients, making use of internet and e-commerce (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 47). Outrigger Hotels and Resorts historically maintained a highly centralized organization structure. As the firm grew in size from Hawaii locations and expanded internationally such as Australia, Outrigger remained consolidated and offered centralized services where possible such as in accounting, IT, finance, engineering, purchasing etc. The challenge that was presented with their Australian resorts was of distance and real-time coordination of the reservation system with the central reservation service. Within the IT infrastructure, the firm felt that its current centralized IT infrastructure was the source of competitive advantage. Their software Stellex was an integrated Central Reservation System/Property Management System (CRS/PMS) which was upgraded to Stellex 2.0 in 1992 to provide revenue management functionality and reservation center support. But with the expansion of the firm internationally, they ran into issues such as high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii and the unacceptable reliability of international networks. Therefore, they did not extend their centralized model to their operations in Australia and the Pacific. Outriggers IT professionals did minimal application development wrote customized reports, and configured and interfaced with off-the-shelf applications. Even their website development and web services were outsourced and hosted by a third party in Portland, Oregon. Their main competitive advantage that outrigger had was the development of real-time electronic interfaces with wholesalers as mentioned above. Outrigger felt that with the use of technology, electronic interfaces will generate substantial efficiencies, including automatic billing and invoicing without human handling and thus lowering costs. But not all wholesalers were interested in automating reservation processing. The lack of interest was generated from those doing small operations or those for whom Hawaii and the Pacific represented a small percentage of business. Not only that, but the electronic interfaces proved to be expensive to maintain and replace and didnt provide the expected goals that Outrigger envisioned to gain to get beyond their competitors (Piccoli, G. 2005, P 113). System integration is the trend that allows different departments to have communication and information flow amongst each department and thus making technologies and systems co-exist with one another to work together. This is usually accomplished by implementing and ERP system that provides the accessibility of working from a single computing platform integrating different departments and functions across an organization (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p. 333). With stellex software though, it failed to migrate with the modern platform that integrated other off-the-shelf application prompting outrigger to re-evaluate Stellexs role. Additionally, Stellex also failed to interface with outriggers Point of Sales (POS) system which were old and needed to be upgraded first. Therefore, the whole project was aborted. Outriggers management is also in need of change management. They had this misconception that they did not want to extend their centralized model in operations because of high telecommunications cost and the unacceptable reliability of international networks. They had no central servers, stand alone systems and their use of outsourcing was limited to website development and hosting. Their data management systems consisted of data marts setup to hold detailed information for a maximum of three years, and later they would consolidate this data for aggregate analysis. Overall, Outriggers management felt that their IT function was enabling them complete success and that their IT function would be able to operate more efficiently than its competitors. QUESTIONS: What are Outriggers most important internal business strengths and weaknesses, as well as, the external opportunities and threats to their competitive environment? Strengths: Through Partnerships and management agreements with third party owners, Outrigger added properties on Maui and Kauai and grew to 26 locations in the Hawaiian Islands. Furthermore, through partnerships, joint ventures, acquisitions, and new developments the firm grew internationally adding properties in Guam, Fiji, Tahiti, Australia, and New Zealand thus becoming geographically dispersed. They also begain to diversify their product portfolio by adding condominium resorts The changing of their name from Outrigger Hotels Hawaii to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and rebranding their off beach hotels in Waikiki to launch a new hotel brand name OHANA Hotels of Hawaii. OHANA became the largest Hawaii-owned operator in Waikiki catering to budget travelers looking for value on off-beach properties. Even though they were expanding their firm and buying properties (both on-beach properties/condominiums and off-beach budgeted properties) their commitment in their identity remained the same. Providing hospitality and sense of place to their guests visiting and a leisure experience that is rich in culture and the characteristics of their destination. 2004 data showed outrigger as being the stronghold in the Hawaiian market with performance levels above the average of the global industry. By 2005, Outrigger had a portfolio exceeding US $1.4 billion and approximate revenues of US $45 million. It awarded their success of their destination markets and to the well-being of airlines serving its destinations. Being quite isolated from any large population pool, Hawaii is a classic destination market with an exclusive fly-in customer base. Their Stellex software proved to be an anchor from which all operational systems connected, including telephone switches, call accounting, and in-room entertainment. All the Hawaiian islands had access to Outriggers centralized IT system which was served from the Honolulu-based data center, through the firms Wide Area Network. Their management of their multicultural and multilingual employees and guests in a multicultural environment adding to the richness and culture of their organization. Also, engaging in a non-unionized business in a heavy unionized Hawaiian labor market. Operating properties that have good location, strong travel distribution network and employees who provide hospitality from the heart adds value and creates a differentiated product. David Carey Use of outsourcing was limited to website development and hosting. Weaknesses: Even though condominiums represented an increasingly important share of the total portfolio of properties, travel agents and wholesalers found them hard to sell. Not only are condominiums expensive, but they were also complex and proved to be a non-standard product from what Outrigger offered. It appealed to independent travelers and are built to serve as primary or vacation homes for the tenants offering little office or staging space for management companies to operate in. They also lacked typical hotel services and departments such as food and beverage, room service, laundry, and daily maid services. Thus, there was a lack of reasoning involved on Outriggers behalf when they decided to expand their firm into condominium market and acquiring expensive properties. As Outrigger started to diversity their product portfolio, the profile of their customers and competitors also changed. Traditionally targeting to middle class travelers and families with income below $100k a year, they became to target towards leisure travelers. A typical guest staying at their premium brand was often a multigenerational customer with a sense of loyalty to the brand and an income exceeding $75,000. Their guests became exclusive leisure travelers. Outrigger still relied on the traditional system of faxing. Reservations were taken at each location and almost all the reservations were faxed to the property. Although Outrigger was expanding rapidly, they had yet to find an integrated solution for international properties namely for operations in Australia and Pacific. Having centralized stand alone systems or legacy systems. It created high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii, as well as international networks proved to be unreliable. Their Stellex software failed to migrate to a more modern platform that was thought to simplify connectivity with the other off-the-shelf computer systems. Point of Sales (POS) systems were not centralized and couldnt be interfaced with Stellex software as they were old and needed to be upgraded first. This resulted in inefficiency as a manual charge voucher had to be manually written. Data marts were setup to hold detailed customer information for three years, but later this data would be consolidated and it would only provide aggregate analysis. Outsourcing was done to website only. Opportunities: Investments in condominiums provided a way for expansion to expensive properties. It created value to on-beach property location spots Condominiums also appealed to independent travelers and couples who desired privacy. Hawaii is a classic destination market Competitive pressures will raise the importance of integrated system and the benefits that come along with it within Outriggers IT infrastructure. Better integrating of its international properties is a crucial stepping stone to the firms continued success. With the increasing competition in its key markets, outrigger should also look towards strengthening their electronic presence and relationships with their distributers, improve their trademark hospitality and customer service. Threats: More competition from larger brand competitors entering into the market. Hawaii is the classic destination spot and many competitors are entering into the Hawaiian market. More larger branded hospitalities and resorts are entering into the Hawaiian market Not all the wholesalers were interested in automating the service of billing and invoicing for small operations IT infrastructure needs to be upgraded and changed to keep up with modern platforms. Competitive pressures will raise the importance of integration systems within Outriggers IT infrastructure The change in the overall hospitality distribution is also rapidly changing. Historically, travel agents would provide significant amounts of information, counseling, and reassurance to leisure travelers, but more and more consumers are turning to the internet for this information. Thus, Outrigger should challenge populating the new electronic world and create a powerful presence. The emergence of online agencies such as Expedia has created significant opportunities and threats. Explain the strengths and/or weaknesses of Outriggers existing infrastructure i.e. Information Systems Technology, People (users and IS staff), and Data. Include your assessment of its performance today as well as how well equipped it is to support future needs. Outrigger existing infrastructure includes the overall establishment with their Stellex software. It was introduced in 1987 as a COBOL application and guaranteed complete redundancy and 24/7 uptime. Later in 1992, and update to stellex, Stellex 2.0 was introduced by Outrigger which ran on Sun Microsystems UNIX platform and provided revenue management functionality and reservation center support. They also implemented JD Edwards ERP system as a foundation for their back-office operations. This led to Outrigger having a competitive advantage by having centralized IT infrastructure (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 111). All of the properties in the Hawaiian Islands had access to the Outriggers centralized IT systems and was served through their Wide Area Network based in Honolulu. Stellex provided the anchor to which all other operational systems connected, including telephone switches, call accounting, and in-room entertainment. Due to the high telecommunication costs to and from Hawaii and the unreliability on the international networks, Outrigger did not extend this centralized model to its operations in Australia and Pacific. The properties in Australia and New Zealand which were all condominiums, used standalone Property Management Systems (PMS). None of the properties in Hawaii had a server on property and these other regions used standalone PMSs and on-property reservations. Additionally, Outriggers IT professional engaged in interfacing off-the-shelf applications and writing customized reports with minimal application development. The use of outsourcing was limited to the Web site that was developed and hosted by a third party in Portland, Oregon. But to maintain the integration of the direct channels, Stellex served as the booking engine behind Outriggers Web site. The development of electronic interfaces with wholesalers was considered a key initiative and was custom-developed by the firms IT group using XML (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 113). This provided real-time electronic interfaces for wholesalers allowing them to check availability, to get reservations instantaneously, to provide automate billing and invoices, and ultimately lowering any estimated costs. However, not all wholesalers were interested because of Outriggers small percentage of business. In 2001, business intelligence software, a data mart and analytical tools, were acquired from E.piphany and the application ran on Windows 2000 platform. Their data management system could hold data for up to three years, and then it would get consolidated for aggregate analyses (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 118). Being able to harness the analytical power of E.piphany to do forecasts and generate business intelligence, outrigger could better use the data for marketing and operational analysis as well as incorporate information into their daily operations with improved efficiency and service to their customers. With regards to their IT staffing and organization as a whole, an organization chart has been provided in the appendix section detailing the distribution of duties and responsibilities among Outriggers IT staff. The overall IT function was organized along user needs one IT professional in charge of Australian properties application needs. The hardware support was contracted out to local vendors. Outriggers senior executives found technology a great asset to enable communication and felt confident that the IT function was enabling the firm to compete effectively and that they were operating more efficiently than their competition (Piccoli, G., 2005, p. 116). As the firm was expanding aggressively, they still had yet to find an integrated solution for their international properties. Some even questioned the viability of reinvesting in Stellex. The IS group felt that their legacy system namely their ERP, integrated PMS/CRS, and electronic interfaces with distribution partners was serving the firm quite well. They were prompted to re-evaluate the role of Stellex after a failed attempt to migrate a more modern platform thought to simplify connectivity with the other off-the-shelf computer systems in the portfolio. Outrigger engaged in limited formal technology training and relied mainly on on-the-job training when it came to software applications. This approach however created difficulties for people who were hired from outside the firm. With the latest advancements in technology, even the guests who arrive to resorts expect to have access to their technological needs. Eg wireless access and thus outrigger should look into future to provide that feasibility to their guests. Additionally, it would be best to strengthen their internet presence and populate the electronic world strengthening their electronic relationships with their distributers, improving their own trademark hospitality and customer service. Although currently their firm is doing well, but for the future, a better integrated system that connects all the international properties is a crucial step in enabling the firms continued success. Developing a right kind of information strategy and developing a clear vision for the role of IS and a solid IS architecture are a crucial step in enabling these goals. Based on your assessment of the case, state your key recommendations and rationale to Outriggers senior management to ensure that it competes successfully. To compete successfully in the future, a key recommendation for Outrigger is to implement a change in their overall current IT and IS systems and strategy and look towards the advantages that are offered by a complete ERP system. An ERP system aims to integrate corporate systems by providing a single set of applications from a single application (McNurlin, Sprague, Bui, 2009, p332). Although Outrigger has already implemented the JD Edwards ERP as their back-office operations, its more advantageous to have the ERP system integrating the whole overall different departments and properties together with one module and have information flows in real time. These days, an ERP system is used extensively in almost every major organization whether it be in manufacturing or distributing services, an integrated ERP system allows a firm to gain competitive advantage. Not only that but competitive pressures have raised the importance of integrating business processes and thus, the underlying info rmation system. Additional motivations for ERP implementations are provided in Figure 4 outlining the advantages of an ERP system implementations. To realize the benefits of ERP, Outrigger must therefore change its organizational structure and culture. APPENDIX CASE 1: OUTRIGGER HOTEL RESORTS Outrigger Organization: Figure : Organization Chart Outriggers Infrastructure: Figure : Timeline of Major Infrastructure Developments at Outrigger Waves of Innovation: Picture2.jpg Figure : Waves of Innovation Motivations for ERP implementations: Figure : Motivations for ERP implementations

Capital Punishment Essay: Controversy Distorts Capital Punishment :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Controversy Distorts Capital Punishment    Is it just me, or have we become totally fixated with the issue of capital punishment? Save abortion, I can't think of a single issue with more passionate advocates on each side. Waiting for the controversy over capital punishment to be resolved is like waiting for Godot.    What amazes me most about all of this passion and fervor is the fact that, on the grand scale of things, it really doesn't make a lick of difference. Oh sure, it matters to the guy who gets the needle in his arm, and it's an issue of concern to the families of his victims, but it doesn't really touch the rest of us one way or the other.    Do proponents of the death penalty really think death is a worse punishment than life in prison? Have you seen the state of our prison system these days? These places are so purgatorial that Dante should be taking notes. I'd say that execution is a merciful and favorable alternative to being incarcerated with this mà ©lange of Darwin's elite. Any sensible person would rather be skewered to death by toothpicks.    The interests of justice aren't perverted just because a murderer spends 40 years dying of dysentery rather than getting a shot of Liquid Plumber in his veins. Either way, the guy's not going to be making the same mistake twice.    On the other hand, opponents of the death penalty make it seem like all we've ever done is execute innocent grandmothers. Of course, there are probably a significant amount of innocent people getting whacked each year by the state. But as I said before, the alternative to dying for something you didn't do is spending the rest of your life as some 7-foot tall Neanderthal's girlfriend.    Critics of the death penalty often claim that it's a racist system, evidenced by the fact that African-Americans make up 12 percent of the general population but 55 percent of death row inmates in Texas. But men only make up 48 percent of the population and they consist of 98.5 percent of the death row population. If we're going to point out the prejudices of the system, sexism seems like a much more plausible complaint.    I'll admit that when you look at the numbers, it certainly looks like a racist system. Capital Punishment Essay: Controversy Distorts Capital Punishment :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics Controversy Distorts Capital Punishment    Is it just me, or have we become totally fixated with the issue of capital punishment? Save abortion, I can't think of a single issue with more passionate advocates on each side. Waiting for the controversy over capital punishment to be resolved is like waiting for Godot.    What amazes me most about all of this passion and fervor is the fact that, on the grand scale of things, it really doesn't make a lick of difference. Oh sure, it matters to the guy who gets the needle in his arm, and it's an issue of concern to the families of his victims, but it doesn't really touch the rest of us one way or the other.    Do proponents of the death penalty really think death is a worse punishment than life in prison? Have you seen the state of our prison system these days? These places are so purgatorial that Dante should be taking notes. I'd say that execution is a merciful and favorable alternative to being incarcerated with this mà ©lange of Darwin's elite. Any sensible person would rather be skewered to death by toothpicks.    The interests of justice aren't perverted just because a murderer spends 40 years dying of dysentery rather than getting a shot of Liquid Plumber in his veins. Either way, the guy's not going to be making the same mistake twice.    On the other hand, opponents of the death penalty make it seem like all we've ever done is execute innocent grandmothers. Of course, there are probably a significant amount of innocent people getting whacked each year by the state. But as I said before, the alternative to dying for something you didn't do is spending the rest of your life as some 7-foot tall Neanderthal's girlfriend.    Critics of the death penalty often claim that it's a racist system, evidenced by the fact that African-Americans make up 12 percent of the general population but 55 percent of death row inmates in Texas. But men only make up 48 percent of the population and they consist of 98.5 percent of the death row population. If we're going to point out the prejudices of the system, sexism seems like a much more plausible complaint.    I'll admit that when you look at the numbers, it certainly looks like a racist system.

Development in Language Learning Essay

Language educators in mono-linguistic societies world-wide face a commonly held myth: children are only able to handle one culture and one language at a time. No doubt this is due to the fact that these perceptions are largely formed by adults who have been brought up and conditioned to think in the modes of a one-language, one-culture society. Yet research has shown that children are much more flexible in these areas than most adults would give them credit for. Children world-wide learn two, three and more languages in their early years and while there may be some short-term developmental delay the long-term benefits from learning other languages is considerable. In the great majority of cases parents are the principle teachers of one or two of these languages and as the children’s main caregivers are ideally suited for the job. Parents, the most prestigious people from a child’s perspective, are the most important factor in molding a child in the pre-school years. The purpose of this paper is to take lessons learned from bilingual homes and apply them to second language learning at preschool. The core elements discussed will be the benefits of bilingualism and pre-literacy programs in the preschool years. There is no doubt that early literacy gives a marked advantage to children entering into primary school. It follows that the advantage would be double if literacy was promoted in two languages. What this paper seeks to show is that this can be done by using methods taken from successful bilingual households and mimicking them in second language education for preschoolers. Additionally, by providing early reading and listening activities linking the home and the second language, schools can make use of the one of the most powerful factors in the learning of a second language by preschoolers, parental support. Before these activities are outlined it is essential that we summarize the benefits of pre-reading skills in bilingual households. Discussion and Summary of Research 1. Benefits of Early Reading in Diverse Languages There is no doubt that given the environment and the proper motivational tools young children show an interest in reading and being read to. Parents who incorporate the reading of stories into a preschooler’s daily activities will see the increased chance of literacy at a young age. Theorists for years have been telling us about the benefits of reading to our child. Mackler (1997) claims that the more enjoyable a child’s experience with early reading the greater is the possibility that they will read with frequency in the future. She states that, â€Å"Young children’s self-initiated interactions with print at home are important behavioral indexes of emerging motivations for reading. Shared storybook reading plays an important role in promoting reading motivations; when the socioemotional climate is positive, children are more interested in reading and more likely to view it as enjoyable† (p. 69). Andersson (1977) concludes that â€Å"Parents who read, study, and discuss interesting or important subjects in the presence of their children and who answer their children’s questions create a close relationship with their children, a relationship which older children are quick to adopt with their younger siblings. † It only follows that if reading in one language to a child is profitable to the child’s future education reading in two languages is even more profitable. Andersson (1977) claims that early reading for children and their parents is an experience that brings joy and self-esteem to a child and that this is doubly so for children who have the opportunity to enjoy literature in two languages. In his study on family reading in two languages Andersson (1977) researched the early reading process of three families. He concludes that, â€Å"far from being a double burden, learning to read in two languages is a double joy, leading to a positive self-image. † Meier (2003) adds that children being read to in two different languages tend to learn about the distinctive cultures of the two languages. She claims that â€Å"From these book reading experiences, many children acquire an extensive book-based vocabulary and absorb important cultural lessons about things like gender roles, family relationships, and the nature of friendship† (p. 242). She also claims that these early reading experiences help children adapt to the school environment by teaching them to listen quietly and attentively, raising their hand when they wish to speak and remembering their questions until the end of the story (p. 243). One study done on low-income Spanish speaking immigrants and their children showed that reading done within the family helped considerably in expanding vocabulary of Spanish at home with a group of three-year-old children (Akers, Boyce, Cook, Innocenti, Jump & Roggman, 2004, p. 371). Forty-seven mothers and their three year old children were analyzed while they shared reading time. The conclusions were that their children’s attention was expanded and that conversation and interaction within the family were enhanced (Akers, Boyce, Cook, Innocenti, Jump & Roggman, 2004, p. 383). The most significant change was that the children’s vocabulary was significantly broadened (p. 384). Yet it is important to emphasize that investigation shows that while literacy can improve upon second language learning, bilingualism does not necessarily improve upon literacy. Bialystok (2002) contends that much of the literature surrounding literacy and bilingualism in fact argues that bilingualism promotes literacy and that this is not necessarily the case. She concludes that the relation between bilingualism and literacy depends to a large extent on certain skills developed by teachers and parents and that in this sense bilingualism at the time literacy begins can result in â€Å"an advantage and sometimes a disadvantage for bilingual children. Bilingualism clearly affects children’s development of literacy, but its effect is neither simple nor unitary† (p. 159). 2. Bilingual Families: What We Can Learn Although there is a great deal of literature on the benefits of learning a second language the deep grained fear in mono-linguistic cultures is that learning two languages at the same time is trying for that child. But some theorists claim that language learning for bilingual children is in fact quite the same for monolingual children (Paneque, 2006, p. 171). What is more important for authors such as Paneque (2006) are other factors such as â€Å"who provides the language input, or when the second language is introduced† (172). She adds that while some children may start the process of becoming bilingual at birth other start in their preschool years but that â€Å"Either way, both methods of becoming bilingual can be effective† (p. 172). Other studies claim that the fear of slow development caused by bilingualism causes children to know neither of the languages well. Mclaughlin (1995) claims that, in fact, it is uncommon that both languages be in balance. He claims that, â€Å"One language typically predominates in use and exposure. When this happens, elements of the other language can quickly be lost. The child can forget vocabulary and even rules of grammar† (p. 4). The author concludes that it is only a question of time before the other language catches up and evens out the results (p. 4). Genesee, Paradis and Cargo (2004) conclude that children are more than capable of learning more than one language, either at the same time or one after the other. While many people focus completely on teaching methodologies authors such as Walqui hold that the psychological side of second language learning is in fact just as important. Stresses and fears brought out in the home and school environment can result in problems for the bilingual child. Walqui claims that, â€Å"While many discussions about learning a second language focus on teaching methodologies, little emphasis is given to the contextual factors—individual, social, and societal—that affect students’ learning. There is no doubt that the success with which bilingual children develop both languages depends largely on two factors: school support and home support. While at home a child may speak one language at school they may speak another. In order for them to become proficient in the home language they must have the support of their family. Walqui (2000) claims that support from family is essential to second language learning. She states that â€Å"Some educators believe that parents of English language learners should speak only English in the home. However, far more important than speaking English is that parents value both the native language and English, [and] communicate with their children in whichever language is most comfortable. † There are a couple of important conclusions to make on the research done up until this time. The first is that the literature has shown us that the natural process of becoming bilingual can lead to inequalities in the learning of one language or the other at certain times. The second conclusion is that given the right support by the family and education institutions children can learn both languages to the satisfaction of both. The third is that communication through conversation and shared reading can greatly enhance a child’s vocabulary in either language. What we can take from these three points of bilingualism in preschoolers is that if the same circumstances of sharing and reading with bilingual children are applied to children learning a second language out of the home the possibilities of success would be enhanced. Application of Research Activities That Use the School and the Home to Promote a Second Language Playschool support, home support and shared reading are the three elements of the program this work will propose to use to develop the second language abilities of preschoolers at an age in which they may learn the basics of literacy in their second language at the same time they do so with their first language. Although there is debate on the language learning window and when it closes Paneque (2006) concludes that early childhood does seem to be the optimal time for language learning. She claims that it is â€Å"when the child’s mind is still open and flexible, and not cluttered with all sorts of other learning, not to mention the society’s views on which languages are ‘prestige’ languages, and which ones are regarded by the society as of little or no importance† (p. 171). Before we go into the particulars of the proposed program first we should mention that it works around the presumption that the first priority to the family of a second language learner is to push their maternal language and excellence in that language. Indeed, Fortune (2003) states of English speaking students in immersion programs that parents must provided an atmosphere which will enhance their development of the English language. She claims that principally they should read and play games with them that will develop their literacy and vocabulary in English. She concludes that â€Å"Research shows that the stronger the development of the native language, the greater the proficiency in the immersion language, so children who enter an immersion program with a strong base in English will succeed more easily than those whose English skills are not as strong. † What is proposed here is that parents simply use one of the tools of promoting that language, pre-reading skills, to incite their preschoolers to open their mind to another language. So how can pre-reading be incorporated into a family that may not even understand the basics of the language being learned by the preschooler? This can be done by organizing a pre-reading program which connects the home and the preschool. Throughout the year teachers will choose a variety of simple word books that incorporate vocabulary the children have already learned in class. The teacher will read the story to the children and attempt to encourage their participation on discussing its characters, ideas and plot. Over the course of time they will do various activities that will work with the stories vocabulary and plot. These types of activity will obviously be dependent on the age group the teachers are working with. When the teacher is finished working with the story they will send the project on to its second stage – home discussion. The story will go home with the preschooler where it will be incorporated into family reading but it will not be the parents reading the story but rather the preschooler. The preschooler will be required to re-tell the story or act out the story as they remember it but by translating it into the families language. The family will be encouraged by the school to ask the child to instruct them on new vocabulary in the outside language. It is through activities like this that parents can help to support the second language by showing pride and accomplishment in what their child has learned up until that moment. Preschoolers in particular will be pleased that they have the opportunity to â€Å"teach their family. Bilingual books may be used to further help the parents with the activity. Meier (2003) also provides an outline for choosing and presenting the chosen books that would help preschool and kindergarten teachers gain more interest from their students. She recommends that first and foremost a teacher choose a book that â€Å"relates to children’s lives† (p. 248). Secondly she recommends that teachers ask â€Å"creative and open ended questions† to stimulate interest in the story (p. 248). Lastly Meier believes that if a teacher makes a book come a live by using props it will garner a far greater interest in the story (p. 248). Summary It is through pre-reading programs like this that playschool teachers teaching a second language might harness the most powerful factor in a young child’s life, parental support, without disrupting the important mode of communication that is the maternal language. It is undeniable that both the reading and the acquisition of languages are of great educational importance. By combining the two and providing the right support at preschool and at home teachers and parents may be creating an atmosphere where these young children can take advantage of the flexibility their young minds allow them in language learning. References Akers, J. F. , Boyce, L. K. , Cook, G. A, Innocenti, M. S. , Jump, J. F. & Roggman, L. A. (2004). Sharing Books and Learning Language: What do Latina Mothers and Their Young Children Do? Early Education and Development, 15 (4), 371-386. Andersson, T. (1977). A Guide to Family Reading in Two Languages The University of Texas at Austin Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, California State University, Los Angeles, http://www. ncela. gwu. edu/pubs/classics/preschool/iii. htm Bialystok, E. (2002). Acquisition of Literacy in Bilingual Children: A Framework for Research Language Learning, 52 (1), 159–199.

How Roy Hobbs Personal Flaws Lead to his Becoming an Anti-he essays

How Roy Hobbs Personal Flaws Lead to his Becoming an Anti-he essays How Roys Personal Flaws Lead to His Becoming an Anti-hero In his novel The Natural, Bernard Malamud presents a paradox of a character in Roy Hobbs. Roy is the perfectly talented athlete who, despite his good intentions, fails to live up to the worlds expectations of him. For all of his physical tools, Roy cannot overcome his personal flaws. The question for Roy then is this, is he an anti-hero because of 1) he is caught in a no-win situation or 2) does he have too many flaws to overcome? Throughout the book it becomes more apparent that it is due to the latter. It also becomes more apparent what these flaws are: lack of maturity outside of baseball, lack of a work ethic, and poor decision making. But I dont understand why you should make so much of that. Are your values so-? (Malamud 150) Iris Lemon asks Roy this by the lake after they have just met in person. Roys answer to this question is the same throughout the book. Whenever he is asked what his goals in life are, Roys answer is always to either be the best there was or to break as many records as possible. For Roy there is no life outside of baseball. His lack of maturity off the playing field is in stark contrast with his physical maturity on it. One thing Roy has no maturity with is women. He fails to read between the line in his relationship with Memo. He is oblivious to the fact that she has never had any true feelings for him until she spells it our to him. You filthy scum, I hate your guts and always have since the day you killed Bump.( Malamud 230) Another woman Roy has trouble with is Iris Lemon. Iris is the only woman in the book who treats Roy with any respect. Her beauty and affection attract Roy, but her maturity drives her away. Only when he learns that Iris is a grandmother does his attraction fade. Roy is scared that beginning a relationship with Iris would force him to mature. He thought, I never ...

Things Fall Apart Symbolism

Things Fall Apart Symbolism The novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† takes a central role on the changing system of contemporary literature in Africa. The author refutes a widespread stereotype claiming that before colonization, Africa did not have a culture. It represents political and social background in a detailed realistic method. The foundations of African oral tradition which include proverbs, tales and symbols are frequently used in this novel.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart: Symbolism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More â€Å"Things Fall Apart† is an exhilarating novel that uses vast literature styles such as symbolism to illustrate the principles of African cultural erosion as a result of embracing the western culture. By use of symbols, the author illustrates how the African culture was shattered by European style of life when Christianity was embraced in the African society. In this book, numerous symbols are used as discussed below. Yams This is a crop that is commonly grown by men. Growing of this crop requires intensive labor, and the work ethics of a man can be measured by the portion of field and harvest obtained. In the African set up, the sole objective of growing yams is to acquire wealth and feed the family. They symbolize a man’s ability to provide. In this novel, a man who was in possession of bulk yams was portrayed as not a failure like Unoka-he had a large barn full of yams (Chinua, 1958, p. 4). Nwakibie refuses to give the young men yams citing that they would dump them on earth rather than taking care of them as a man would do for his family to flourish. Yams are very precious and would only be owned by hardworking individuals. The central positioning of the yam highlights the defining traits of the tribe. The symbolic meaning is illustrated by its use as a source of satisfaction. Owing to the intensive efforts needed in cultivating it, bulk harvest represents yea rly achievement gained from the nature. A yam’s image is brought out as an essential necessity of the culture. Folktales According to Okonkwo, most of the folktales in the novel featuring small animals symbolize women’s behavior, for example the Ekwefl’s tale that talks about the birds and the tortoise who were invited for a feast in the sky. This blocked out the tortoise since he had no wings to fly and the birds were aware of his ungratefulness and cunning behavior, thus could not help him out. The tortoise was starving and had to sweet talk the birds in order to nurture his hunger. In their journey, the tortoise claims of a custom that demands them to take new names though the idea was to acquire the most respectable position. Since the women were all inferior, they gave in and the cunning tortoise ended up feasting on the best food leaving leftovers for the birds. The tales depicts indecisive character of women and also provides useful morals in the society. Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fire Okonkwo is compared to fire by other characters and the narrator; he is branded â€Å"Roaming Flame in the town† (Chinua, 1958, p. 122). According to him, fire is a symbol of strength. While seated in his hut after a quarrel with his son Nwoye, Okonkwo stared on a log fire and felt a strong feeling to rise up, take up a machete and clear the Christians who Nwoye was associating with. Whenever Okonkwo would gaze at fire, a wild feeling of strength would fill his body. Mother of the spirits Mother of the spirits can be viewed as personification by the clan of Umofia and the mother of Egwugwu. At this juncture, the style of life of Umuofia is deeply disregarded and the damage committed is irreparable. The mother of spirits mourns her son’s death loudly after the unmasking night. A comparison between the clan and Mo ther of spirits is drawn, â€Å"†¦it seemed as if the very soul of the clan wept for the great evil that was coming its own death†(Chinua, 1958, p. 145). Its imperative that the Mother of spirits does not revenge her son’s death but rather mourns and weeps. People of Umuofia would not revenge for crimes committed against them. Okonkwo He symbolizes masculinity; a character deeply opposed to the Christian belief of love. The spirit of African people is represented collectively by his personality. Just like the Igbos, he is a strong person who is very independent. Weinstock and Ramadan (1978) pointed out the following in regard to Okonkwo: Okonkwo is consistently associated with masculinity, and he virtually always mistrusts, opposes and attacks anything feminine or linked with femininity. Christianity embodies and stresses the qualities Okonkwo considers to be womanish- love affection, and mercy; and he characteristically valuates the missionaries as a lot of effem inate men clucking like old hens (p.128). Okonkwo fights courageously against ideologies opposing what he valued. The death of African culture is symbolized by Okonkwo’s death. Achebe decided to illustrate the hands of Africans’ giving in to Christianity to take charge by the act of Okonkwo committing suicide rather than being killed and subsequently wiping out the culture of Africa. It is a conspiracy to have written a whole book about negativity of colonization that the last statement in the book could belong to the Britain District commissioner. He makes a remark on the suicide act by saying it was possible to dedicate Okonkwo a paragraph in his book. This slightly contradicted the theme meant by Achebe since portraying Africans as primitive differed from what Achebe wanted to demonstrate. By using the symbol of Okonkwo’s death through suicide, Achebe points out that Africans should also be blamed for letting in foreign ideologies to develop in their land.Adv ertising We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart: Symbolism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nwoye’s personality Nwoye’s personality was a symbol of Christianity. His father always fought against feminine behavior. His conversion to Christianity was to strengthen the symbol created by Achebe. Okonkwo’s joy and pride was his family while Nwoye’s conversion to Christianity was the last pain he would endure. Owing to his son’s rejection of his lifestyle, the only option left was to cease living. Nweoye’s adoption22 of a new name His decision to take up a new name, Isaac, with the importance it carried confirms his loyalty to Christianity religion. Though the exact name that he picks imply significance beyond the immediate sense of personal salvation, it brings out memories of the Biblical story of Abraham where an animal was substituted for his son, Isaac. Adoption of this name by Nwoye’s portrays the complete meaning of his conversion which was the key sign of liberation from limitation of the family creation. Weather Weather takes up a crucial role in the lives of Nigerians especially the Igbos. Availability of rain or its unavailability illustrates that the tribe was dependent on weather for survival. Weather limits the extent to which their crops grow and the flow of the rivers which in turn influence their water and food supply. On sunny days, the sun is utilized by the crops and in warming up things. Nevertheless, excess rain or sun is likely to cause damage (Rand, 1966). Locust invasion Invasion by locusts symbolizes grand invasion with devastating destruction. Two important events are considered to establish the locust link. In the text â€Å"†¦At first, a fairly small swarm came†¦ implying that †¦they were the harbingers sent to survey the land†¦ (Chinua, 1958, p. 43). He pointed out the first arrival of whites and othe rs on the way. This link of events was done deliberately. The cognition gulf is linked up by the myth of locust through establishment of the unknown and known. People were not aware of locusts though it was the myth behind them and the danger of economic failure. The author illustrates the locusts that invaded the village using allegorical phrases which foreshadowed the coming of white men in African land. Their intentions were to exploit all the resources of Igbo tribe. Owing to the fact that Igbo consumed locust, it shows that they are not offensive. In the same way, individuals who were simulated to Christianity overlooked negative impacts; the white people’s culture would impact to their culture. The language used by Achebe in describing the locust invasion depicts their symbolic reputation. Use of repetitive style draws emphasis on the pervasive presence of locusts and a hint in the manner in which the white settlers would occupy Igbo’s land by surprise. It is not ed that the locusts were too heavy, and that is why they broke the branches of a tree. This was a symbol of how the traditions and culture of the Igbo’s would fracture on attack by colonialism as well as white settlement (Oyekan, 1993).Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Okonkwo death The death of Okonkwo is a heroic death that is analogous to a warrior who is attached to his people. This symbolizes catastrophic demise that great people face. This is because committing suicide is regarded as abomination contrary to the earth and thus should not be buried by clansmen. But in the right of African style, Okonokwo’s death could not be considered as a heroic death; rather, it can only be seen as a shameful death. The irritating final words Obierika casted to the District Commissioner hold indisputable ambiguity within Igbo point of view, in memory of heroism and shameful act of killing himself (Okonkwo). From the novel, he was portrayed as the greatest man in Umuofia and was forced to commit suicide and buried in a disrespectful manner (David, 1998). Conclusion Things Fall Apart is a thrilling novel that uses symbolic literature style to demonstrate the credo of Africa cultural erosion through embracing of the western culture. Most of the Africans were not ready to give in to the white man’s way of life, and as such, Okonkwo would rather cease living than adopt the white man’s way of life. Colonization plays a bigger role in the society, and the culture takes up a central role. Symbolic events and characters are used to help the reader have a deeper understanding of the society. References Chinua, A. (1958). Things Fall Apart. New York: Heinemann Education Books. David, K. (1998). The African Novel and the Modernist Tradition. New York: Peter Lanng publishers. Oyekan, O. (1993). A History of Twentieth-century African Literatures. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska. Rand, B. (1966). Contributions in afro- American studies. Greenwood: Greenwood press. Weinstock, D., Ramadan, C. (1978). Critical Perspectives on Chinua Achebe. Washington D.C: Three Continents Press.

Pain and the Role of the Nurse in Helping Patients Manage Factors Assignment - 1

Pain and the Role of the Nurse in Helping Patients Manage Factors affecting it - Assignment Example Pain is difficult phenomenon to define. This is because of it is a personal and subjective experience and no tow people will experience pain in exactly the same way. It has been defined in many ways. The International Association of Pain (IASP) defines it as â€Å"an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.† A second definition defines pain as â€Å"†whatever the experiencing person says it is, and existing whenever the person says it does.† Al these explain to us that acrually there is no standard definition of pain but it can be seen as something that makes a person uncomfortable and therefore necessitates the individual to seek medical attention because they are unable to stand the its effects. There exist behavioural and emotional factors that contribute to pain. The behavioural factors include any habit or action of an individual that contributes to the pain syndrome. The factors can be contorlled by the individual, they are modifiable and thus can respond to behaviour modification programs. These may include factors such as improper jaw opening, continuous application of pressure on body parts, gum chewing etc. on the other hand emotional factors are the psychological factors that contribute to pain and these include stress, depression and anxiety among others. These factors result in pain in many ways and it is important to deal with the root cause of each facotr if the pain is to be managed effectively .

The Just Culture Model on Patient Safety Research Paper

The Just Culture Model on Patient Safety - Research Paper Example This is called the punitive approach model. It shuts off the necessary information required to identify the fault in the system and create safer systems. In such a system people do not learn from their mistakes. Discussion of need/purpose for A Just Culture Model for Patient Safety To improve the quality of overall health care system, there is a need to improve on the culture of safety within the health care. This is an essential component when it comes to reducing errors. A just culture can thus be said to be one that is supportive of shared accountability. It holds the organization responsible for systems that it has chosen to design and for how they choose to respond to the behavior of staff in a just and fair manner (Manasse et al, 2005). For their part, the staff are the ones who are accountable for the quality of the choices that they make and for the reporting of the errors they make and the vulnerabilities of the system. This paper aims at discussing the concept of the just m odel and its application in the health system cultures (Manasse et al, 2005). ... These components include, Empirical Outcomes, Transformational Leadership, Exemplary Professional Practice Empowerment, Innovations and Improvements, New Knowledge and Structural Just Culture (Manasse et al, 2005). â€Å"Just Culture† is not discussed in this context; however, it is in tandem with the case model. In reference to transformational leadership, it fronts for advocacy as an attribute of patients as well as leaders in nursing. In terms of Professional Engagement, imminent evidence in this case is that which would promote organizational leadership as part of nursing (Technology, 2012). Objective(s) The major focus of just culture is to increase the safety of patients; this is done through effective reporting, modification of the system, accountability and remediation. The objectives of the just culture are to increase the number of medical personnel, who report information regarding medical malpractice, increase remediation that is sponsored by the employer to incorp orate the culture in the review of complaints regarding malpractice, create a patient safety database for the whole state, assist in the development of the national safety database and increase use of practice intervention and improvement program, which is an alternative to the discipline program (Reiling, 2007). The main objective of the just culture is to establish a mindset that is organization-wide which will positively influence the workplace environment and the work outcome in many ways. This concept promotes culture where mistakes and errors in the workplace do not result in automatic punishment but a process from which the source of the error can be established. The objective of this culture is promoting an