Reflective log on communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Reflective log on communication - Essay Example In his writing The Reflective Practitioner, How Professionals Think In Action, Basic Books, Schon highlight the significance of building a reflective dialog in all the environments. As cited by a number of authors, reflective practices are very important tool in today’s world especially in communication and interaction. Managers, leaders and team members encounter a number of challenges while dealing with their customers, clients, staff, and competitors. Besides, the environments of operation usually pose another great threat to the success of managers. For instance managers in the insurance industry embattles with reflective challenges in handling the claims of their clients. Internal staff control is another big shoe for managers as they try to bring together unity and profitability within the working environment. For a corporation to remain profitable and competitive, sales volume is a critical tool. However, achieving the company’s sales target entails conducting an d evaluating the potential customer base, satisfaction and customizing individual needs of the potential clients. Reflective practice is therefore an essential tool in achieving the above mentioned goals. Reflective log practice helps in analyzing clients’ needs and demands. ... A number of models have been proposed to explain the concepts of reflective practices. Schon (1974, p.56) Double Loop Learning) identified single loop and double loop as the most common forms of reflective learning. The theory was founded on amendments and recognition of perceived errors or faults. In the single loop reflective learning, in a more error prone period, companies only embarks on depends on their current strategies to tackle the company crisis and challenges. Double loop learning covers for personalized objectives, goals and strategies which are very comprehensive. It entails problem solving techniques, outsourcing the cause of the problem, advancing prevention mechanism, and making recommendations on possible future strategies for the company prospect. Adaptation of the single and double loop learning model by Argyris and Schon Schon introduced the concept of Reflection-in-action and Reflection-on-action in later time. Reflection-in-action can be explain as the ability of a practitioner to ‘think on their feet’, when there are the problem, thinking ahead, making analyzing, base on my experiencing to getting the point of view in it, after all process to making critically responding. Reflection-on-action on the other hand is the idea that after the experience a practitioner analyses their reaction to the situation and explores the reasons around, and the consequences of, their actions. This is usually conducted though a documented reflection of the situation. Adaptation of the reflective model by Schon Learning log table: (Case Study) Communication Breakdown in an Organization Title Sep 2012 conflict with claims department Meeting with my subordinate -The client apply a medical claims when who is out of

Legal Considerations in the Business Environment Essay Example for Free

Legal Considerations in the Business Environment Essay While there are many legal factors to consider as XYZ Construction (XYZ) transforms from a private to a publicly owned company and expands operations globally, this paper will focus on the employment and labor laws, along with legal considerations that influence company operations. It is important to keep in mind that XYZ uses a mix of manning methodologies throughout the company; a full time staff as the core of the company, while maximizing the use of contracted labor in the execution of projects. Employment Law Employment law is a broad category of law that encompasses all areas regarding employee/employer relationships except for the negotiation process and collective bargaining, which is covered by the narrower focused category of labor law. Employment laws consist of thousands of federal and state statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions that are designed to govern the rights and duties of employers and workers. The US Department of Labor (USDOL) reports that there are 180 federal laws alone managed by 28 different agencies within the department. (United States Department of Labor [USDOL], 2014) Employment laws are focused on providing a safe and fair work place for employees and employers, alike, and have their origins in the constitution. They were founded based on public outcry against oppressive practices during the industrial revolution. The first laws founded in the 1920s were focused on fair wages, compensation for injuries, a standard work week, and on eliminating child labor. In the 1960s and 70s, statutes focused on anti-discrimination and unsafe work environments. Current issues involve employee health care, equal pay for men and women and the current debate on raising the federal minimum wage. There were also several issues addressed by the US Supreme Court of great importance to employment law including workplace discrimination and retaliation (Brill et al, 2013). The predominance of employment law disputes fall into two categories: wage and hour violations and discrimination in the workplace. Federal law provides for baseline rules regarding wage and hour standards, to include a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and 40 hours as the standard work week. Many states have passed laws that establish a higher minimum wage, which is within their constitutional right. In these situations, XYZ is compelled to pay the higher minimum wage of that state. There is an emerging effort across the United States to raise the federal minimum wage to $9.50 per hour. In some  cases, this will place the federal wage higher than some states, meaning XYZ would have to pay the federal wage as it would trump the state legislation. It is prudent for XYZ to negotiate appropriate compensation on multiyear contracts as this new legislation works through the process. The standard work week, on the other hand, is prevalent across the United States and any worker that exceeds this threshold is entitled to overtime pay compensation. These rules exist to control the work environment for employees and mandates that time and a half be paid on every hour exceeding 40 within a given work week. The law also stipulates that XYZ will maintain basic payroll records and post notices to the workers regarding changes in the work environment. As XYZ experiences delays within projects, the pressure to push the work crews to make up these delays grows. While working overtime to meet customer requirements and project timelines are acceptable, supervisors must ensure adherence to the various employment laws; not doing so could lead to unfair labor practice disputes and costly legal battles (Brill et al, 2013). Another area that is a basis of employment law disputes is discrimination in the workplace. Prohibiting discrimination based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, age, or disability was established with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and refined with subsequent legislation throughout the years. The Supreme Court handed down two significant decisions in 2013 that clarify evidentiary standards for discrimination claims, both are viewed as beneficial to the employer. First, the courts ruled that retaliation with discrimination as a motivating factor was not sufficient. The plaintiff must prove that discrimination was the basis for the retaliation, making the burden of proof much greater (Brill et al, 2013). Second, the courts clarified the definition of a supervisor under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. They ruled that the title of â€Å"supervisor† is limited to those who have authority to take a tangible employment action, meaning â€Å"a significant change in employment status, such as hiring, firing, failing to promote, reassignment with significantly different responsibilities, or a decision causing a significant change in benefits.† (Brill et al, 2013, p.4). Having the authority to direct daily work was not sufficient to link the supervisor to the company in regard to damages or actions tied to a law suit or dispute. However, the company is still liable for discriminatory actions of non-supervisory employees,  especially if it was notified and failed to take action to stop the behavior. This is significant considering that the majority of XYZ’s work force is contracted labor. As such it is imperative that XYZ maintain viable and proactive policies focused on preventing workplace discrimination and include a review of these policies prior to initiating any employment agreement. Labor Law Conducting business in a union environment provides for another layer of complexity to company operations. XYZ’s leadership must be aware of and understand the basics of labor law and the collective agreements negotiated with the unions representing the workforce. Failure to operate within the parameters of the agreement will result in an unfair labor practice dispute, which affects the profit margins of the shareholders. Labor law, also governed by federal law, state law and judicial decisions, provides statutes that mediate the relationship between workers, employers, unions, and the government with the goal of equalizing the bargaining power between employers and employee (Legal Information Institute [LII], 2014). Collective labor laws focus on the rights of employees to unionize, collectively bargain, arbitrate, and strike, while individual labor law focuses on employment contracts between employers and employees (Caraway, 2009). Collective bargaining consists of negotiations between an employer and a group of employees, typically represented by a union, to determine the conditions of employment and results in a collective agreement. The main body of law governing collective bargaining is the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which was passed in 1935 (â€Å"Executive Concepts†, 2011). It explicitly grants employees the right to collectively bargain and join trade unions. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is the entity that hears disputes between employers and employees that falls under the purview of the NLRA. The General Council, established by the NLRA, independently investigates and prosecutes cases against violators of the act before the NLRB (LII, 2014). Another aspect of labor law is the act of arbitration, a method of dispute resolution, which is commonly used as an alternative to litigation. A third party arbiter is designated and has binding decision authority for the dispute. While the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) is not applicable to employment contracts, the Uniform Arbitration Act of 1956 was  adopted by 49 states making arbitration enforceable under state and federal law (LII, 2014). There were two key decisions rendered by the Supreme Court that impact labor law, specifically arbitration clauses and class action waivers in contracts (Brill et al, 2013). The Court held that the FAA directive to arbitrate and the arbitration clauses written into employment contracts take precedence over federal requirements to prosecute disputes through the courts. Additionally, this decision strengthens the ability to enforce class waivers written into contracts. While this appears detrimental to employers, the Court balanced this decision with language further defining the rules surrounding class waivers. The court ruled that a class dispute (one brought by more than one plaintiff) can be settled if the primary plaintiff reaches settlement (Brill et al, 2013). In essence, if an XYZ employee files a dispute that is then applied to a class of employees, but a settlement is reached with the initial plaintiff, then the class action is terminated. Effectively, the Supreme Court ruling strengthens the company’s position in regard to employment contracts and protects the company from overzealous claims. As such, arbitration agreements written into XYZ employment contracts should be carefully worded in order to take full advantage of the Court’s decision. Laws specific to the construction industry Several Department of Labor agencies administer programs that are specifically related to the construction industry. Specifically, the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), the Wage and Hour Division, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance all have specified areas of emphasis that regulate XYZ’s primary line of business. OSHA administers all the occupational safety and health standards for the industry. Given the risk to employees across XYZ’s work sites, OSHA regulations are critical to maintain and pose a significant element of cost to the company. While it is prudent to conduct cost-benefit analysis on enacting safety and health policies, sacrificing employee welfare for the bottom line is a dangerous endeavor and can result in unfair labor practices or criminal charges in the extreme. As XYZ competes and wins government construction contracts, there are several statutes that dictate certain conditions for doing business with the federal government that are administered by the USDOL Wage and Hour  Division and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance. The Davis-Bacon Act requires that companies pay the prevailing wages and benefits of the region. Wage rates and other labor standards for employees are set by the McNamara-O-Hara Service Contract Act. The Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act requires materials and supply contractors to pay minimum wages and meet other labor standards. Executive Order 11246 requires equal employment opportunity by all construction contractor firms. Lastly, the Copeland Act’s anti-kickback section precludes any persuasion of an employee to sacrifice any part of their required compensation (USDOL, 2014). These dictated standards all affect the cost of projects and, if not accounted for in the bid and estimation process, will detrimentally impact the profit margins of the company as federal construction contracts are executed. Legal Considerations As XYZ begins the global expansion, it is important to realize that US labor laws are not binding in other countries in regard to foreign workers; the host country laws are in play (â€Å"Executive Concepts†, 2011, p.938). However, Congress expressly extended three US labor laws to expatriates working abroad for US firms. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and Title VII all extend extraterritorially (Nie, 2012). While XYZ’s staff is well versed in US employment and labor law, foreign labor law is country dependent and it is prudent to conduct targeted research on the specific country’s legal environment considered for expansion. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has drafted 182 conventions and 190 recommendations in their effort to standardize labor practices globally. Enforcement of these efforts is a country responsibility, and as such, there are still large gaps in adoption and application of the various standards (â€Å"Executive Concepts†, 2011). While it is enticing to reduce expenses by sacrificing some of the more costly US labor law practices while abroad, this practice could damage the company’s sterling reputation negatively affecting all future business ventures. As countries in Asia make the transition to democratic states, the door has been opened for improvements in collective and individual labor law, resulting in the creation of unions and the strengthening of workers’ rights. However, unions in developing counties depend upon government  support and, as such, are politically focused keeping the gap between internationally acceptable collective labor practices and reality relatively large (Caraway, 2009). Across Asia, individual labor rights are in a better position. There is a direct correlation between the wealth of a country and the enforced rights of its workers (Caraway, 2009). The most notable impact of this situation is the prevailing wage in each country and the impact on XYZ’s financial position on projects. Using the field support offices at the forward locations to gather this information is crucial to accurate project estimation and contract bidding. As the company transitions from privately owned to publicly held, there are considerations to keep in mind. First, corporate governance will adjust to account for a larger base of stockholders. There is risk that the focus of the company will also shift to a more stockholder centric view, discounting the requirements of the stakeholders (the employees) (Ecchia et al, 2012). This has the potential to lead to the creation of unfair labor practices as priority shifts from maintaining collective agreements to maintaining larger profit margins for the stockholders. Second, shareholders with large equities could pressure the company to offload portions of the workforce or reduce the employee’s benefits in order to improve profitability (Ecchia et al, 2012). As the union leadership monitors corporate business practices, this could lead to a revolt in the workforce and create an environment ripe for a strike thereby shutting down operations until resolved. Any financial gains made by the reduction would be lost to stagnated operations, and as such should be managed carefully. Conclusion Conducting business in the 21st Century is comparable to traversing the proverbial minefield. Legal missteps can cause insurmountable fines and legal fees as a company struggles to maintain good business practices. Understanding employment and labor law is paramount to maintaining a strong and viable company through transformation and expansion that produces profits for its shareholders. References Banks, K. (2011). Trade, Labor and International Governance: An Inquiry into the Potential Effectiveness of the New International Labor Law. Berkeley Journal Of Employment Labor Law, 32(1), 45-142. Business Source Complete, Accession Number: 67233021 Barnum, Darold T. (1971) From Private to Public Relations in Urban Transit. Industrial Labor Relations Review. 25(1), 95-115. Business Source Complete, Accession Number: 4459252. Brill, Edward A., Fant, Laura M., and Baddish, Noa M. (2013) U.S. Supreme Court Wrap-Up: Hot Topics in Labor and Employment Law. Employee Relations Law Journal. 39(3), 3-8. Business Source Complete, Accession Numbe:r 91640070 Caraway, Tara L. (2009). Labor Rights in East Asia: Progress or Regress?. Journal of East Asian Studies, 9(2), 153-186. ProQuest Research Library, Accession Number: 43381256 Ecchia, Giulio, Gelter, Martin, and Pasotti, Piero. (2012) Corporate Governance, Corporate and Employment Law, and the Costs of Expropriation. Review of Law Economics. 8(2), 457-486. DOI: 10.1515/1555-5879.1357 Katten, Betsy. (2013) U.S. Supreme Court to Address Labor and Employment Matters in 2013-2014 Term. Employee Relations Law Journal. 39(3), 48-51. Business Source Complete, Accession Number: 91640075 Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. Retrieved from: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/employment Nie, Carrie. (2012). Extraterritorial Application of U.S. Employment Laws: Clearing the Murky Conflicting Foreign Laws Defense. International Lawyer, 46(4), 1027-1043, OmniFile, Accession Number: 90233860 Northcentral University (2011). SKS 7000-Executive Concepts in Business Strategy. Custom edition. Retrieved from: http://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/ United States Department of Labor. (2014) Retrieved from: http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/lawsprog.htm

Species-area Relationship of Herpetofaunas in West Indies

Species-area Relationship of Herpetofaunas in West Indies De Gao 1. Introduction 1.1. Biodiversity and crisis on West Indies Oceanic islands, due to their discrete geographic isolation, differ distinctly from terrestrial  ecosystem, offer great opportunities for species conservation, and are regarded as the natural  laboratory for the study of biogeography and evolutionary ecology (Adsersen, 1995; Crawford  and Stuessy, 1997; Ricklefs and Bermingham, 2008). Island habitat heterogeneity and the gene  flow barrier between the island and its neighboring islands or land are the most important driving  forces leading to new species differentiation and formation (Cherry et al. 2002). The colonized  species from continents or nearby islands are then subjected to unique evolutionary processes,  for example, geographic isolation, character displacement, and adaptive radiation. The  accumulated mutations gradually and ultimately make colonized species into new indigenous  species that are genetically different from the original one. One of the most distinctive features of  the biota on oceanic is lands is the large number of endemics occurring in small areas (Francisco-Ortega et al. 2000). West Indies was identified as a biodiversity hotspot by Myers et al. (2000). A significant  percentage of the Earth’s known terrestrial biota is distributed on islands of the West Indies,  many of these species are endemic to the region, to individual islands, and even to isolated areas  within some islands (Hedges, 2001). But a large majority of the vast complex of islands in West  Indies is changing rapidly, resulting in dramatic alterations of habitats, and nearly all of them are  mediated by human activities (Powell and Henderson, 2012). Small population size, gene drift,  isolated gene flow, and the complexity of island environment have already made the endemic  herpetofaunal species easy to be endangered or extinct, human disturbances undoubtedly worsen  the situation. Therefore, critical conservation concerns in West Indian region are increasingly  important and required. 1.2. Species-area relationship (SAR) The species-area relationship is one of the most fundamental patterns in macroecology and an  important tool in assessing species diversity, extinction rates and species hotspots (Tjà ¸rve, 2009). According to the equilibrium theory (MacArthur and Wilson, 1967), the relationship between  immigration and the extinction of species to island depends on the island size and its distance to  mainland. MacArthur-Wilson’s theory provided impetus for numerous studies on species-area  relationships (SARs) that have provided biological interpretations for several taxa and have  suggested factors and mechanisms that can determine species richness (Simaiakis et al. 2012). And the theory has an enormous influence on perspectives of species conservation and nature  reserves design. The main objective of this chapter is to discuss SARs for herpetofaunas in West Indies regions,  with the aim of discover which factors may determine their distribution over the whole range of  island sizes. We choose to fit some candidate models including the power model and some  sigmoid models to see whether a J-shaped part exists at the lower end of the curve. Small-island  effect (SIE) holds that, on islands smaller than a certain critical minimum area, one cannot  observe an increase in species number with increasing area (Simaiakis et al. 2012). We choose to  fit candidate models including the power model and some sigmoid models to see whether a J-shaped part exists at the lower end of the curve. If the best fitted model has a sigmoid shape, a J-shaped part will exist at the lower end, and then we accept SIE. If the best fitted model has a  convex shape, a J-shaped part will not exist at the lower end, and then we deny SIE. There are  also other reasons why it is so important to know the shape of species-area curve. Based on the  curve shape, we could estimate total species diversity from limited numbers of samples, or  estimate species extinction as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation (Tjà ¸rve, 2003). Candidate species-area models are proposed from two sources. The first source is species-area  literature which has traditionally fit data with power or exponential models, the second source  involves a broader search of the literature for models that increased monotonically to an  asymptote (Flather, 1996). Although the shape of the curve has been extensively debated over the years, power and  exponential curves are the most commonly applied and best known ones, lately, an increasing  number of authors have argued some SARs are perhaps best represented by functions that are  sigmoid in arithmetic space and there are also a number of recent studies where sigmoid models  have been fitted to empirical data (Tjà ¸rve, 2003). Some sigmoid models behave similar with  others, for instance, the Extreme value function behaves quite similar to the Logistic and  Gompertz models; The Cumulative beta-P distribution behaves similarly to the Weibull  distribution (Tjà ¸rve, 2003). 2. Aims In this study, we are trying to solve 3 questions: Question 1: What is the species-area relationship (SAR) for herpetofaunas in West Indies? Is the  SAR same for native and invasive species? And is it the same among each animal group  classification under amphibian and reptile? Question 2: Due to human’s help, invasive species are supposed to have a higher dispersal  ability as compared to the native. So, in the linear form of the power model (LogS/LogA) is there  a higher z-value for the invasive species than the native species? Question 3: What geographic factors may determine species richness over the whole range of  island sizes? Are these factors also applicable to other group of islands that located in similar  latitude areas to determine their species richness? 3. Material and Methods Data on species occurrences originate from Powell and Henderson (2012). Multiple basemaps in  ArcMap 10 and ArcGlobe 10 will be used to digitize islands map. We use different scales to  digitize islands with various areas. Fractal Analysis will be used to estimate the perimeters at a  uniform scale (Farina, 2007). For comparisons of the fit of different models, the Akaike’s  information criterion (AIC) was applied (Burnham and Anderson, 2002). Model selection  analyses will run using â€Å"mmSAR† package (Guilhaumon et al. 2010) for the R statistical and  programming environment (R Development Core Team, 2011). Aim 1: Model selection we use the 8 most general models composed in â€Å"mmSAR† package (Guilhaumon et al. 2010) to  fit the data, which include 5 convex models (Power, Exponential, Negative exponential, Monod,  Rational function) and 3 sigmoid models (Logistic, Lomolino, Cumulative Weibull). Aim 2: LogS/LogA linear regression We analyze the linear function of the LogS/LogA and compare parameter values with vertebrates  from global oceanic islands (Triantis et al. 2012). Aim 3: Find out the geographic factors affect species richness/Steps Initially selected variables are X1 Distance to mainland X2 Latitude of island centroid X3 Longitude of island centroid X4 Island No. within 0.1km X5 Island No. within 0.1-1km X6 Island No. within 1-5km X7 Island No. within 5-10km X8 Islands Area within 0.1km X9 Islands Area within 0.1-1km X10 Islands Area within 1-5km X11 Islands Area within 5-10km X12 Area of the island X13 Perimeter of the island X14 Perimeter/Area X15 Percentage of vegetation X16 Percentage of human area X17 Rivers within the island X18 Invasive spp. within the island X19 Percentage of invasive spp. X1 and X3 are used to examine species dispersal from mainland; X2 is used to examine the  nearness to equator; X4, X5, X6, X7 are used to examine stepping stones in each loop circle; X8,  X9, X10, X11 are used to examine total area of stepping stones in each loop circle; X12 is used to examine area effect; X13 and X14 are used to examine shape (irregularity) of island; X15,  X17 are used to examine habitat quality; X16, X18, X19 are used to examine human disturbance  and invasive species. Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Partitioning Analysis will be made based on the  residuals distribution of LogS/LogA linear regression to examine which geographic factors are  the significant contributions of species richness in West Indies.

The Advancement of Technology Essay -- Military Technology

War has been a reoccurring part of America’s history for the past 230 years. From the 1700s to the present, America has gotten into many different situations and turmoil, which eventually lead to the wars we currently study and know about today. Technological advancements in warfare were necessary and a great obligation during times of war. This was pursued with drastic improvement. From the transformation of the use of smoothbore muskets during the Civil War to the industrial revolution leading to weaponry innovations post civil war, the nature of warfare dramatically changed. These developments proved to be proficient in battle. In the midst of these hundreds of years, while many technological advances demonstrated to be efficient in battle, the machine gun was one of the most significant advancements in technology that changed the face of warfare through its transformation of operations and strategy. During the civil war before the introduction of the machine guns, union soldiers primarily used smoothbore muskets. â€Å"The rifle’s low muzzle velocity and consequent high parabolic trajectory made for difficult long-range shooting, especially since soldiers engaged in little target practice and received virtually no training in estimating distances or in using the adjustable sights to compensate for the bullet’s curved flight. The tangled terrain of most battlefields—and the black powder smoke that engulfed every battle—often rendered enemy soldiers invisible until they were within smoothbore range† (Hess 288). This was assumed to be the reason of why the war was prolonged, and the combat losses were higher during the smoothbore era. Also with an ability of only firing a â€Å"maximum of three rounds per minute† (Howey), this rat... ...Goldsmith, Dolf L., and R. Blake. Stevens. The Devil's Paintbrush: Sir Hiram Maxim’s Gun. Toronto: Collector Grade Publications, 1989. Print. 2. Hess, Earl J. The Rifle Musket in Civil War Combat: Reality and Myth. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas, 2008. Print. 3. Howey, Allan W. "Weaponry: The Rifle-Musket and the Minià © Ball  » History Net." History Net. Weider History Group, Oct. 1999. Web. 12 May 2012. . 4. Lee, Loyd E. World War II. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1999. Print. 5. Popenker, Max R. "Modern Firearms - MachineGuns." Max R. Popenker, 1999-2010. Web. 10 May 2012. . 6. Simkin, John. "Machine-Gun." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. John Simkin. Web. 10 May 2012. .

Benefits of Low Student Teacher Ratio

The Benefits Derived From a Low Student –Teacher Ratio Albert Fuller American Intercontinental University English Composition II What are the possibilities and impacts of a low student-teacher ratio and how can it be beneficial to both students and teachers alike. Imagine yourself in a class of 30 or more students, you are eager to learn but find it hard to grab the attention of the teacher.You feel lost in a class of pupils and you don’t know if you are going to absorb the lesson of the day. Sitting at your desk wishing that your instructor focused more time on the subjects that you didn’t understand; you find yourself looking for opportunities to refocus attention on you. Hoping to gain the knowledge and intellect that will help prepare you for college, you soon realize that your teacher being overworked often times overlooks your progress.Many students in the world today face these problems. There are multiple signs that point to how reducing class sizes will show an improvement in several areas that are affecting educators and students and once these areas are controlled benefits will be shared by both groups. Students benefiting from the personalized learning experience of smaller classes have a higher probability of entering institutions of a higher level of education.A published journal by Finn & Gerber (2005) estimate that the large studies performed by three states comparing smaller to larger class sizes arrived at the same conclusion, â€Å"that smaller class sizes result in substantial gains in student achievement which sustain to graduation and beyond†. These were the STAR study in Tennessee, the SAGE studies in Wisconsin and the CSR studies in California. These combined studies measured how mixed variations of the learning environment have an impact on percentages relating to educational progress.Konstantopoulos (2008) has pointed to a fact that shows that the smaller learning environment in inner city schools has been s hown to provide students more time to learn details of lessons that would otherwise be cut short in larger classes. Teachers from inner city schools have reported that their students, when placed in a smaller class size are retaining information being delivered simply because they are more abled to review the lesson immediately with students that haven’t gasped the delivered concepts Konstantopoulos (2008).The students feel the benefit of education retention from the smaller classes and more prepared when entering college because of the detail in learning that was available to them during secondary education. A direct consequence of the failure to adequately fund public schools is budget restraints and students in low funded states have had to suffer from some of the largest class sizes in America due to this. State level government has been forced to choose between funding school programs and providing competitive pay to teachers.As a consequence of low school funding, many 9th Graders across the U. S. have the lowest percent of college completion. Burtless (1996) Causing educators to lose focus on the quality of education a student receives, many teachers believe that one of many drawbacks to House Bill 2261 is how it eliminated even the inadequate floor for school funding of the Basic Education Act and replaced it with class size funding at whatever level the State legislature wanted to fund schools during a particular year, this was a major one of many drawbacks to Bill 2261.Konstantopoulos and Chung (2009) Many scholars have cited that the percentage based funding the states have devised now leaves low-income areas of a state forced to have higher student-teacher ratios than other areas of the state; this has cause teachers to lose focus on educating students and be more so spending their days completing various paperwork. These teachers enjoy their profession less than teachers in low student-teacher ratio schools. Burtless (1996) Smaller classes would benefit teachers as well.They will have a smaller group of students to manage which with provide less chance of class disruptions and they will be able to progress through planned lessons in a smoother pace. Due to the low funding of some states, teachers with larger classes are focused on following lesson plans and paperwork with no time to use forms of creative instruction Burtless (1996). Without the individuals creative instruction students surveyed have reported that the information being delivered appears repetitive and less interesting causing them to lose focus and not retain the information being delivered.The focused learning experience that the smaller environment provides will boost class participation and will encourage students to have higher educational goals and will benefit these students in future endeavors. Fewer students will feel a lack of learning in a smaller learning environment. The smaller classes have shown improved statistics in academic behavior an d from this change we are able to see the need for structure in the class along with quality one-on-one time with teachers.Konstantopoulos (2008) Students in smaller class settings are able to retain focus and teachers are able to maintain direction. Fewer students in a class would allow teachers to monitor how well students are retaining information, reduce behavior issues and would prevent students from going off task. Parker (2008) With larger classes, teachers spend more time reviewing course material for those that are behind rather than moving on in subject matter.With the smaller class sizes, educators will be able to cover more subject matter and, in turn, students are shown to learn more than has been expected for that grade level. In conclusion, smaller classes are shown to improve the quality of learning that is currently being provided in larger classes. Students across America have taken part in studies discussed in this essay and experts agree that the benefits of a sm aller class have long lasting impacts on student relations with teachers and nourish the mind to achieve higher educational goals.Although funding in some states do not support smaller sized classrooms, reducing the class size has shown to have a significant impact on the effort a teacher uses in education, the participation of students in smaller classes when faced with more one-to-one instruction, behavior changes in smaller classes, and the increase in the level of education smaller students receives. References: Burtless, G. (1996) Does Money Matter? : The Effect of School Resources on Student Achievement and Adult Success ISBN 0-8157-1275-8 Konstantopoulos, Spyros; Chung, Vicki (2009). â€Å"What Are the Long-Term Effects of Small Classes on the Achievement Gap?Evidence from the Lasting Bene? ts Study†. American Journal of Education 116 (1): 125–54. Konstantopoulos, Spyros. (2008). â€Å"Do Small Classes Reduce the Achievement Gap between Low and High Achievers? Evidence from Project STAR. † Elementary School Journal 108 (4): 275–91. Parker, L. (2008). Little Wonders http://www. aeufederal. org. au/Publications/AE/Spr08pp18-20. pdf Finn, J. D. , & Gerber, S. B. (2005) Small Class Sizes in Early Grades, Academic Achievement, and Graduating From High School, Journal of Educational Psychology, (97) (2) 214-223 http://www. apa. org/pubs/journals/releases/edu-972214. pdf

Using PHP and HTML on the Same Page

Using PHP and HTML on the Same Page Want to add HTML to a PHP file? While HTML and PHP are two separate programming languages, you might want to use both of them on the same page to take advantage of what they both offer. With one or both of these methods, you can easily embed HTML code in your PHP pages to format them better and make them more user-friendly. The method you choose depends on your specific situation. HTML in PHP Your first option is to build the page like a normal HTML web page with HTML tags, but instead of stopping there, use separate PHP tags to wrap up the PHP code. You can even put the PHP code in the middle if you close and reopen the ?php  and ? tags. This method is especially useful if you have a lot of HTML code but want to also include PHP. Heres an example of putting the HTML outside of the tags (PHP is bold here for emphasis): html titleHTML with PHP/title body h1My Example/h1 ?php//your PHP code goes here? bHere is some more HTML/b ?php //more PHP code ? /body /html As you can see, you can use any HTML you want without doing anything special or extra in your PHP file, as long as its outside and separate from the PHP tags. In other words, if you want to insert PHP code into an HTML file, just write the PHP anywhere you want (so long as theyre inside the PHP tags). Open a PHP tag with  ?php  and then close it with  ?  like you see above. Use PRINT or ECHO This other way is basically the opposite; its how youd add HTML to a PHP file with PRINT or ECHO, where either command is used to simply print HTML on the page. With this method, you can include the HTML inside of the PHP tags. This is a good method to use for adding HTML to PHP if you only have a line or so to do. In this example,  the HTML areas are bold: ?php Echo html;EchotitleHTML With PHP/title;EchobMy Example/b;//your php code herePrintiPrint works too!/i; ? Much like the first example, PHP still works here regardless of using PRINT or ECHO to write HTML because the PHP code is still contained inside the proper PHP tags.

3 Examples of Confusion Caused by Missing Words

3 Examples of Confusion Caused by Missing Words 3 Examples of Confusion Caused by Missing Words 3 Examples of Confusion Caused by Missing Words By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, omission of a small but key word muddles the statement’s meaning. Discussion after each example explains the problem, and a revision to each sentence provides a clarifying solution. 1. Some organizations still look at privacy and security as a cost/benefit equation, rather than an issue that could create long-term damage. This sentence requires corresponding prepositions preceding the phrases that express conflicting possibilities; otherwise, readers may be unclear as to whether â€Å"an issue that could create long-term damage† is complementary to â€Å"a cost/benefit equation† or whether the former phrase describes something organizations still look at instead of privacy and security: â€Å"Some organizations still look at privacy and security as a cost/benefit equation, rather than as an issue that could create long-term damage.† 2. The agency particularly calls out the need for firms to ensure systems and technologies are resilient to cyberattack and that firms are not exposed to attack during periods of change. The conjunction that is often optional, but it is recommended after ensure so that the reader is not temporarily misled into misunderstanding, for example, that the phrase â€Å"ensure systems and technologies† does not refer to ensuring those things themselves as opposed to ensuring that something about them occurs or is true: â€Å"The agency particularly calls out the need for firms to ensure that systems and technologies are resilient to cyberattack and that firms are not exposed to attack during periods of change.† 3. Respondents from the region are also significantly less likely to believe that the direction of regulatory scrutiny is increasing than other regions. Here, the notion of other regions, rather than a situation occurring in other regions, is compared to the original situation. To clarify the relationship of the key phrases, a preposition should precede â€Å"other regions†: â€Å"Respondents from the region are also significantly less likely to believe that the direction of regulatory scrutiny is increasing than those in other regions.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†List of Greek Words in the English LanguageAffect vs. Effect

Overview of Spanish Verb Tenses

Overview of Spanish Verb Tenses It almost goes without saying that the tense of a verb depends upon when the verbs action takes place. So it shouldnt be surprising that the Spanish word for tense in the grammatical sense is tiempo, the same as the word for time. In the simplest sense, there are three tenses: the past, present, and future. Unfortunately for anyone learning most languages, including English and Spanish, it is seldom that simple. Spanish also has a tense not connected to time, as well as two types of simple past tenses. Overview of Spanish Tenses Although both Spanish and English have complex tenses that use auxiliary verbs, students often begin by learning four types of simple tenses: The present tense is the most common tense and the one invariably learned first in Spanish classes.The future tense is most often used to refer to events that havent happened yet, but it can also be used for emphatic commands and, in Spanish, to indicate uncertainty about current happenings.The past tenses of Spanish are known as the preterite and the imperfect. To simplify, the first is usually used to refer to something that happened at a specific point in time, while the latter is used to describe events where the time period isnt specific.The conditional tense, also known in Spanish as el futuro hipotà ©tico, the future hypothetical, is different than the others in that it isnt clearly connected with a particular time period. As the name implies, this tense is used to refer to events that are conditional or hypothetical in nature. This tense should not be confused with the subjunctive mood, a verb form that also can refer to actions that arent necessarily real. Verb Conjugation In Spanish, verb tenses are formed by changing the endings of verbs, a process known as conjugation. We sometimes  conjugate verbs  in English, for example adding -ed to indicate the past tense. In Spanish, the process is much more extensive. For example, the future tense is expressed using conjugation rather than by using an additional word such as will or shall in English. There are five types of conjugation for simple tenses: Present tenseImperfectPreteriteFutureConditional In addition to the simple tenses already listed, it is possible in both Spanish and English to form what is known as the perfect tense by using a form of the verb haber in Spanish, to have in English, with the past participle. These compound tenses are known as present perfect, the pluperfect or past perfect, the preterite perfect (limited mostly to literary use), the future perfect and the conditional perfect. A Closer Look at Spanish Tenses Although the tenses of Spanish and English are very much alike- after all, the two languages share a common ancestor, Indo-European, with origins dating to prehistoric times- Spanish has some peculiarities in its tense usage: The differences in the past tenses of ser and estar can be especially subtle.Sometimes, the word used to translate a Spanish verb can vary depending on the tense used.It is possible to describe events that will happen in the future without using the future tense.While the English auxiliary verb would is often an indication that the conditional tense is being used, such isnt always the case.Although the conditional tense is a common one, there are also  conditional sentences that use other forms of verbs.By using estar as an auxiliary verb in the various tenses, it is possible to form progressive verbs that can be used in various tenses.

How did race influence the positions of first-wave feminists Essay - 1

How did race influence the positions of first-wave feminists - Essay Example The agenda of feminist activists included such aspirations as equality with men in the fields of â€Å"education, professional careers, and culture; married women’s economic and legal dependence; sexual and moral double standards; women’s lack of control over their bodies; the drudgery of housework; low wages; and not least, women’s exclusion from politics† (LeGates, p.203). It is quite obvious that disparities between racial and ethnic communities do not feature in this list. This suggests that while racial minorities continuously strived for emancipation during this period, their struggles were recorded independent of the women’s movement. This apparent inconsistency is reflected in the fact that the leading activists of the first-wave feminist movement were largely white women of middle-class socio-economic background. A closer scrutiny of the movement betrays a double standard on part of the reformers, who, it seemed, â€Å"were content to accept the restraints of race and class as natural and inevitable†.(LeGates, p.197) The issue of race was more pronounced in North America compared to Europe. At the time of first-wave feminism, North America was largely inhabited by Caucasians who emigrated from Western European nations in the preceding two centuries. The leaders of feminist movement saw new immigrants from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds as a threat to their own position of relative privilege. They were only too willing to perpetrate the racial prejudices and discriminatory practices of their male compatriots. As LeGates points out, â€Å"They used statistics to prove the numerical superiority of n ative-born Anglo-European women in the population, contending that the enfranchisement of all women would offset the foreign vote†. (LeGates, 257) The epitome of such attitudes is captured in the following sentiment expressed by Canadian feminist Margaret McAlpine, who advised the prime minister in 1911 that â€Å"Canadian

Managing Corporate Finance - MBA Programme Research Paper

Managing Corporate Finance - MBA Programme - Research Paper Example With a net debt component of  £679 million in the capital base and  £700 million as equity capital the interest coverage ratio of the company was comfortably placed at 46.0 times in 1996.   However, this ratio could not be sustained for long as in the immediate year it fell to 6.7. This may be due to the additional debt of  £262 million issued by the company in 1997. But in the following two years it discharged its debts worth  £10 million and  £176 million respectively. Interestingly, even after the discharge of this debt, the interest coverage ratio declined to 6.7 times. This may be due to the influence of macroeconomic factors like increase in interest rates. The interest rates prevailing in the UK in 1996 was in the range of 6 - 6.25 %. For the most part of the year, the monetary authority kept reducing the interest rate by 0.25 percent. But thereafter the interest rates in the UK started moving upwards. It reached up to 7.25 percent by the end of 1997. This was an increase of 100 basis points over the last year. This appears to be the main reason for the high-interest amount paid by British Energy in 1997.  After this the company was running in losses till the next two years. It recorded a loss of  £4292 million in the financial year 2002-03. The Executive Chairman tried to assure the investors of the financial stability of the company but this did not pay off as in the Financial Services authority suspended the dealing of British Energy shares. This forced the company to seek government support of  £650 million.  

Comparitive Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparitive Politics - Essay Example This is presumed to be the fairest political system. This system of governance entails two aspects; political participation and contestation (the former is through voting while the latter is through vying for a political seat). There is better attitudes and intentions of freedom of speech and press (Samuels, 2012). The democratic system of governance is a system which has given people the freedom of meeting and freely expresses their political views without fear or intimidation. There are two types of democracies commonly practiced in the world. Direct democracy is a form of government where leadership is vested in the hands of individuals. It’s also known as a government not only by the people themselves but also for the people. Every individual is given the chance to directly influence the policy making process. The second type of democracy is representative democracy. This is a political system where there is an intermediary political actor between the individual and policy outputs of the society. This is done through electoral process where one person or a group is elected, with the task of representing the voters. Democracy has made it possible for voters to participate in policy making process. Citizens are able to choose the right person to lead unlike other forms of governance where leaders are appointed. Through democracy form of leadership interest of those represented are safeguarded because the real power of leadership lies in the hands of the voters. Equity is the main principle where individuals are entitled to equal rights. The freedom of speech makes people air out their grievances without fear, and this enhances good governance. Due to the way democracy is organized, individuals who to lead this system enjoy a lot of stability and efficiency in administration. Democracy has promoted peaceful politics in different areas; this is due to the fact that there is freedom and rights to be enjoyed by all

Level 5 Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Level 5 Leadership - Essay Example 68). Likewise, as explicitly indicated, the definition of the term ‘Level 5’ is â€Å"the highest level in a hierarchy of executive capabilities†¦ that elevate companies from mediocrity to sustained success† (Collins, 2001, p. 68). In an interview with Jim Collins by Stuart Crainer, which was published online on January of 2006, Collins synthesized his definition of Level 5 Leadership: â€Å"The central dimension for Level 5 is a leader who is ambitious first and foremost for the cause, for the company, for the work, not for himself or herself; and has an absolutely terrifying iron will to make good on that ambition† (Dearlove & Crainer, 2006). In addition, there were reported evident exemplifications of duality traits such as shy but fearless, modest, yet willful (Collins, 2001). It can, therefore, be deduced, that for a leader to be identified as manifesting Level 5 Leadership, that leader must exude traits such as extreme personal humility, strong professional will, a committed and dedicated pursuit and resolution to steer the organization to prolonged and sustained success. The Level 5 Leadership style is apparently different from other leadership styles in terms of accurately identifying the unique and distinct duality traits of leaders who were identified to exude these in companies they led towards prolonged success. According to Collins, there are other levels in the leadership hierarchy: from highly capable individuals (Level 1), contributing team member (Level 2), competent managers (Level 3), and effective leaders (Level 4) (Collins, 2001, p. 70), whose differentiating characteristics and traits are not enough to sustain prolonged and unprecedented success to organizations. The importance of having been apprised of the Level 5 Leadership lies in the knowledge and awareness provided to other contemporary

Packaging as an Important Marketing Tool Assignment

Packaging as an Important Marketing Tool - Assignment Example Packaging is important for preserving quality as well as building a communication channel between manufacturers and buyers in the form of information and convenience. For example, packaged food items are often served with information regarding its nutrition level and ingredients as well as are packed in a convenient manner for the customers’ use. It is through these features that manufacturers tend to build a relationship with their ultimate customers with the advantages of packaging. Moreover, packaging also plays important functions with the objective of seeking that products are packaged and distributed to end consumers with appropriate weight, quantity, measure and quality as per the industry standards. Hence, packaging also contributes to the transparency of the production and distribution process (Brody, â€Å"Development of packaging for food products†). In the present business scenario, with the development of different technologies, the packaging is seemed to be playing an effective role in offering different types of products to worldwide customers. Notably, with rising awareness among customers, intensification of competition as well as a greater need for transparency in the distribution process, have essentialized computerized packaging systems. With this development, companies are now able to obtain higher cost efficiency in their packaging process (Brody, â€Å"Development of packaging for food products†). Market Competition: In the recent era, market competition has aroused to a significant level due to the arrival of new companies as well as products. Moreover, companies are observed to be offering products resembling identical features and use in the form of close substitutes. In this respect, companies have focused on developing innovative packaging ideas as a differentiation strategy.  

Should affirmative action be used to eliminate injustice Essay

Should affirmative action be used to eliminate injustice - Essay Example Even though we would like to believe that discrimination of minorities is outlawed, subtle and covert forms of discrimination exist across all societal systems. It exists not just in practise but also in the thinking of man, conscious and unconscious biases regarding minorities undervalue their qualities and overvalue the qualities of the majority. Another point to be noted here is that all the major universities in the world, all major companies in the world, everyone who has a say in the ‘ladder to successes’ is looking for candidates who are academically motivated, confident, have high self-esteem and are goal-oriented. These traits are created, honed and maintained by a system which is mostly majority governed. However, academic motivation is a little hard to come by in public schools where teachers are rarely around. Similarly, notions of confidence, high self-esteem and motivation would never go down well with a single mother who is left with the responsibility of raising her kid on her own. How can we possibly question the goal-orientation of a candidate from a ghetto, if all he could hear in the streets each day was the sound of rapid gun fire? The poverty and economic disadvantage that many minority groups suffer deprive them of the traits that most ideal positions require. But are there any laws written to counter the psychological and social costs of discrimination which rarely end within a single generation? Considering the hue and cry being made over the need for objectivity in the distribution of benefits, isn’t overlooking the differentials that deny access to benefits for certain groups, being subjective? Affirmative action – the way ahead It is under these circumstances of injustices that the author believes affirmative action becomes imperative. Affirmative action works to bridge the gap of discrimination which we knowingly or unknowingly create. Most times affirmative action is not about bringing the competition dow n to the level of the minorities; it is about removing the upper edge majorities have gained, having played the game over centuries. The author believes that affirmative action should be used as a tool to eliminate injustice because affirmative action, per say, is not about being fair, it is about eliminating notions of pride and superiority that come from culturally sanctioned positions, enjoyed unknowingly by a majority due to the accident of birth. It thus helps level a rough playing field, removing barriers from the path of particular groups who have been stunted in their attempt to reach success. Hence, affirmative action helps eliminate injustice by being unjust itself. Answering the critics Critics and proponents of the concept of affirmative action often see it as an act of charity, a generosity shown to justify the wrongs their ancestors had committed; it is from here that the feeling of inferiority creeps in. In the 1950s when a white male was given preference for a job ov er an equally deserving black male, it was never seen as charity. Nor is it considered charity when a government today gives humongous tax breaks to a ‘deserving’

Level 5 Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Level 5 Leadership - Essay Example 68). Likewise, as explicitly indicated, the definition of the term ‘Level 5’ is â€Å"the highest level in a hierarchy of executive capabilities†¦ that elevate companies from mediocrity to sustained success† (Collins, 2001, p. 68). In an interview with Jim Collins by Stuart Crainer, which was published online on January of 2006, Collins synthesized his definition of Level 5 Leadership: â€Å"The central dimension for Level 5 is a leader who is ambitious first and foremost for the cause, for the company, for the work, not for himself or herself; and has an absolutely terrifying iron will to make good on that ambition† (Dearlove & Crainer, 2006). In addition, there were reported evident exemplifications of duality traits such as shy but fearless, modest, yet willful (Collins, 2001). It can, therefore, be deduced, that for a leader to be identified as manifesting Level 5 Leadership, that leader must exude traits such as extreme personal humility, strong professional will, a committed and dedicated pursuit and resolution to steer the organization to prolonged and sustained success. The Level 5 Leadership style is apparently different from other leadership styles in terms of accurately identifying the unique and distinct duality traits of leaders who were identified to exude these in companies they led towards prolonged success. According to Collins, there are other levels in the leadership hierarchy: from highly capable individuals (Level 1), contributing team member (Level 2), competent managers (Level 3), and effective leaders (Level 4) (Collins, 2001, p. 70), whose differentiating characteristics and traits are not enough to sustain prolonged and unprecedented success to organizations. The importance of having been apprised of the Level 5 Leadership lies in the knowledge and awareness provided to other contemporary

Should affirmative action be used to eliminate injustice Essay

Should affirmative action be used to eliminate injustice - Essay Example Even though we would like to believe that discrimination of minorities is outlawed, subtle and covert forms of discrimination exist across all societal systems. It exists not just in practise but also in the thinking of man, conscious and unconscious biases regarding minorities undervalue their qualities and overvalue the qualities of the majority. Another point to be noted here is that all the major universities in the world, all major companies in the world, everyone who has a say in the ‘ladder to successes’ is looking for candidates who are academically motivated, confident, have high self-esteem and are goal-oriented. These traits are created, honed and maintained by a system which is mostly majority governed. However, academic motivation is a little hard to come by in public schools where teachers are rarely around. Similarly, notions of confidence, high self-esteem and motivation would never go down well with a single mother who is left with the responsibility of raising her kid on her own. How can we possibly question the goal-orientation of a candidate from a ghetto, if all he could hear in the streets each day was the sound of rapid gun fire? The poverty and economic disadvantage that many minority groups suffer deprive them of the traits that most ideal positions require. But are there any laws written to counter the psychological and social costs of discrimination which rarely end within a single generation? Considering the hue and cry being made over the need for objectivity in the distribution of benefits, isn’t overlooking the differentials that deny access to benefits for certain groups, being subjective? Affirmative action – the way ahead It is under these circumstances of injustices that the author believes affirmative action becomes imperative. Affirmative action works to bridge the gap of discrimination which we knowingly or unknowingly create. Most times affirmative action is not about bringing the competition dow n to the level of the minorities; it is about removing the upper edge majorities have gained, having played the game over centuries. The author believes that affirmative action should be used as a tool to eliminate injustice because affirmative action, per say, is not about being fair, it is about eliminating notions of pride and superiority that come from culturally sanctioned positions, enjoyed unknowingly by a majority due to the accident of birth. It thus helps level a rough playing field, removing barriers from the path of particular groups who have been stunted in their attempt to reach success. Hence, affirmative action helps eliminate injustice by being unjust itself. Answering the critics Critics and proponents of the concept of affirmative action often see it as an act of charity, a generosity shown to justify the wrongs their ancestors had committed; it is from here that the feeling of inferiority creeps in. In the 1950s when a white male was given preference for a job ov er an equally deserving black male, it was never seen as charity. Nor is it considered charity when a government today gives humongous tax breaks to a ‘deserving’

Outline for Treatment Approaches Essay Example for Free

Outline for Treatment Approaches Essay There are types of approaches to help an individual with recovering from drug and substance abuse. The approaches that are being looked at to help someone recover is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Medication Management, Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), and Community Reinforcement and Family Training Approach (CRAFT). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Cognitive behavioral; therapy (CBT) was developed as an aide to prevent relapse when treating addiction. CBT is based on the principle that the learning process is important in dealing with male adaptive behaviors like substance abuse. It is a process of identifying problematic behaviors and corrects them with various skills to fight addiction. CBT is based on identifying an individual’s problems and helping the individual’s self-control by developing the ways to cope with the problems effectively. This is done by evaluating the consequences of the substance abuse positive and negative, self-monitoring and recognizing the cravings and their triggers, and developing strategies to cope with the cravings and the triggers. Avoiding the trigger situations also help. In CBT an individual may have a support group to depend on during the recovery process. Such a group is helpful while a person is struggling with solutions. The group also gives positive encouragement during stressful times. In CBT an individual addict is encouraged for positive thinking rather than dwelling in negative thought patterns. CBT can help addicts with low self-esteem to improve their self-esteem which helps in fighting addiction. In CBT an individual learns to resist peer pressure. During CBT an individual can continue his/her normal activities which avoids strained relationships and financial crises.  It is a gradual process both in learning, maintaining and being on their own. It is also very cost effective therapy(National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Motivational Enhancement Therapy Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) is a counseling approach that helps individual’s confusing dilemma about the treatment of substance abuse and stopping substance abuse. MET is based on the principles of motivational interviewing. It draws self-motivational statements early on in early discussion and plan for change is built on that. This approach engages the addict in building the plan. Based on their own motivations as oppose to societal. People who cannot follow like 12 –steps may benefit from this therapy. Enlightenment can only occur if an individual wants to learn and MET is centered on this insight. Using peoples own statements about desired better outcomes initial resistance is countered after this is achieved an introduction of behavioral techniques can be introduced to support and individual’s ability to fend for him/herself. MET is often used with other cognitive behavioral approaches. MET could go a long way in offering insights for those effective by many mental illness. With this therapy one can heal from other associated problems like anxiety and depression for life style change (The Ranch, 2014). Medication Management Medication Management is when medical care is an option to help someone reduce the risk of drug abuse. It is usually a pharmacists or physicians that help with medication management by lowering the medications based on the side effects and how the person is with taking the medications. It is that the doctor will ask brief questions about the medications and the feel you need therapy or counseling that will then get set up (McNeece, 2012). Community Treatment Approach (CRA) The Community Reinforcement approach is an alcoholism treatment approach that aims to achieve the addict from looking at positive reinforcement for living a sober free lifestyle and to eliminate all enforcement or influences to drink or do drugs (Miller, 2014). This treatment approach embraces positive incentives to stop drinking or doing drugs verses punishing the addict for the continued abuse (Miller, 2014). Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training Intervention (CRAFT) This approach is an intervention that is based scientifically on intervention strategies designed to help the family members or those concerned with the addict, (CSO), concerned significant others, to help in the facilitation of the addict entering treatment to gain sobriety (Meyers, 2014). This new intervention method was developed with the belief that since family members can, and do make important contribution in other areas of addiction treatment (Meyers, 2014). Conclusion Treatments for people with problems with drug and substance abuse can be helpful when it comes to recovery. The treatment approaches help with managing medications, giving the individual counseling, or even prevention from relapsing back to the addiction. All of these approaches help an individual become healthier and live a longer life. References McNeece, C. A., DiNitto, D. M. (2012). Chemical dependency: A systems approach (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.n.). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/ The Ranch. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.recoveryranch.com/ Meyers, R. (2014). CRAFT. Retrieved from http://http://www.robertjmeyersphd.com/craft.html Miller, W. (2014). The Community-Reinforcement Approach. Retrieved from http://http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/381/1/The-Community-Reinforcement-Approach/Page1.html

Transmission Of A Tv Signal English Language Essay

Transmission Of A Tv Signal English Language Essay In electronics, many different types of carrier signals exists and due to the fact that this signals simply carry data intended for a different audience, which most of the times, are farther than the area of production of such signals. This gave rise to various modulation techniques to ensure effective transfer of these signals bearing information without loss of quality or degradation. This paper deals on how to modulate a Television (TV) signal using 16-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) Keywords include: 16-QAM, TV Signals, Amplitude Modulation, Data, and Attenuation, baseband. 1.0 Introduction Everyday different types of signals transverse the air around us, most of which we cant feel or see, but we see their impact or influence everyday through different electronic gadgets we have or own personally. Most of these electronic gadgets are able to work as a result of them being able to receive a signal and they able to correctly interpret that signal and we in turn appreciate the devices. For the devices to correctly interpret these signals a kind of technique was used and this is known as Demodulation, this being that the devices are designed to receive this type of signals. The processes that led to being able to demodulate is what my focus is on; the process is known as modulation. Why modulation? This is due to the fact that not all intended users of a particular device or service reside close to the production station and also production signals called baseband signals cant travel much and would need a lot of power to transmit them over the air medium and this adds to the operating cost of the station and this is not acceptable. 2.0 Transmission medium for TV signal As with any kind of signal, the most important of that signal is to be received and decoded correctly, so that information encoded can be seen or viewed. The medium of passage of such signals is of consequence, because these helps to know the appropriate modulation to use and what, this information is tied to the channel coding, the advantages of the channel and the noise rate of that channel in consideration. For example, the transmission medium for sound received by the ears is usually air, sound can also travel through solids, liquids and plasma Electromagnetic waves have no need of any material substance for it to propagate but can be affected by the transmission media they pass through at the boundary between the media by absorption, reflection or refraction. Therefore, TV signals are like communicating data sent from one location to another which requires a pathway or medium. These pathways, called communication channels; two types of preferred media are: (a) Cable (twisted-pair wire, cable, and fibre-optic cable) and (b) broadcast (microwave, satellite, radio, and infrared). {Note:- Cable media use physical wires of cables to transmit data and information, while Twisted-pair wire and coaxial cables are made of copper, and fibre-optic cable is made of glass.} 2.1 BASEBAND SIGNAL The definition of a baseband signal is a signal that contains information, which may vary from audio signals, video signals, speech signal, image signal and many different other types depending on application and use. These signals cant move more than a few metres after production; for example, a speech signal; two persons can hear themselves clearly in close proximity to each other, as the distance between them increase, they start hearing faint messages or signals from each other and at a point, they cant hear each other again. Therefore for them to be heard no matter the distance between them there is need to modulate the speech signal generated by each person, so that each person can hear what the other person has said or is saying. A signal can be said to be an analogue data stream with which it varies with respect to space and time; with this property, each signal can be sampled, quantized, and transformed into digital data streams or packets. These processes it goes from being analogue to digital data streams or packet is called modulation. There are different modulation techniques used to carry different signals depending on the transmission medium and the condition inherent in that medium. 2.2 Modulation What is modulation? According to Margaret Rouse, modulation is the combination of signal to an electronic signal carrier, modulation is useful in direct current by turning it on and off to alternating current. Literally, modulation can be said to be a way of quicken the transfer of data or information through a medium. Transmission of sound through air has restricted degree of power generated by the lungs, to give the extent at which the voice can reach there is need to transmit it through a medium such as phone line, radio etc. therefore, the successful conversion of information in this case voice, to pass through a medium such as wire or radio waves is known as Modulation (www.complextoreal.com ). 2.3 TYPES OF MODULATION Modulation helps in many ways and it can be referred to as the process of transposing a signal wave onto a carrier wave in order to carry information. There are 3 three key properties of this carrier wave, which is a sinusoid wave with an amplitude, a phase and a frequency, these properties can be exploited to generate another kind of waveform to carry the intended information which is known referred to as a modulated signal. (www.encyclopediapro.com/mw/modulation) In most part of the world, frequency spectrum is expensive to waste and often its a national property, which means, to use it, the intending user has to be licensed and must follow a protocol process to have that frequency band assigned to him solely and given the channels parameters he can use. This is because, there are many different users competing for the same frequency band, due to the fact that the lower the frequency given, the lower the operating cost of using that frequency band. There are 2 broad class of modulation; they are the analogue modulation and the digital modulation. In analogue modulation, there is a continuous change in response to the signal to be modulated; this can be seen in Phase Modulation, Frequency Modulation, Amplitude Modulation, Single-Sideband Modulation, and Vestigial-sideband Modulation. In digital Modulation, there are changes in the signal position with respect to a starting position, while each position corresponds to a piece of information or symbol and can be represented on a constellation diagram. Examples include: Phase-Shift Key (PSK), Frequency-shift Key (FSK), Amplitude-shift Key (ASK), Minimum-shift Key (MSK), Gaussian minimum-shift Key (GMSK), Very minimum-shift Key (VMSK), Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), this a combination of PSK and ASK. Continuous phase modulation  (CPM) and Trellis coded modulation  (TCM). (www.encyclopediapro.com/mw/modulation) For each of these types of modulation techniques, their phases, frequencies and amplitude are assigned a unique sequence of bits which corresponds to an equal number of bits and make up a symbol that represent that particular phase or code. 3.0 QAM The modulation of interest for the purpose of his paper is the QAM, or Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, from research; it was noticed that QAM has both an analogue and digital modulation properties depending on how its to be applied. QAM is made up of two modulation scheme, namely the Amplitude-shift Keying which is achieved by modulating or changing the state of the amplitude of two carrier waves to carry two analogue message signal or two digital data streams. The other is the Phase-shift Keying, in which the sinusoidal waves are usually out of phase to each other and apart by 90o. When these two waveforms are combined, it results to Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (two different amplitudes two out of phase signals). QAM, this modulation technique is used to encode and transmit digital cable channels, while the simplest of the QAM techniques is the 16-QAM i.e. 24 phase points, this is able to carry 6MHz bandwidth regulated by the authoritys policy. The type of signal interested in is the signal generated from a video source, this type of signal consumes more than the set frequency of 6MHz, a typical video source signal is huge, so using 16- QAM techniques, it is possible to encode the signal onto the QAM carrier wave to carry it and pass through the 6MHz bandwidth limit and still be able to carry additional signals such as the voice signal component of the video signal. However there are different video formats such as the NTSC, PAL, MPEG; this video formats also help in reducing the size of video signal, hereby assisting the 16-QAM to effectively encode the signal without loss of quality and making it noise proof. Other variants of QAM includes 64, 256 phase variants, but as this phases size inc rease, so do they incorporate noise and mismatching often affect the performance of the receiver to be correctly tuned in to receive the sequence of bits sent over the medium. One of the uses of QAM is in the modulation of digital television systems, due to its high spectral efficiencies and the requirement of a cleaner path, and such hybrid fibre coaxial cables are used to deliver digital television signals to homes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAM_tuner, 2012) In the United Kingdom, 2 variants of the QAM are being used, this are the 16 and 64 variants and they are used for digital terrestrial TV like Freeview by British Telecoms Top-Up TV, while for the 256-QAM, is being considered for the HD version of freeview which is delivered over high speed fibre optics links to homes across the country. Therefore, the makeup of QAM is shown via the figure below and the different modulation techniques it uses to modulate and encode its own signal and how it lead to the development of QAM. 3.0.1 Amplitude Shift Keying (Ask) According to N.Vlajic (2010), Ask is the modulation of digital data with changes in the amplitude of a carrier while both frequencies an d phase remain constant; carrier signal is varied by representing the binary with 0 and 1. Also in ASK, the mode of operation is to vary the amplitude of the carrier wave to carry a baseband signal, while the frequency and phase remain constant. Ask has two levels called binary bits of implementing its modulation process and it is often referred to as Binary Amplitude shift keying or on-off keying (B-ASK or OOK). Each binary bit corresponds to a symbol that represents an amplitude level. According to (Glover and Grant, 2004, chapter 11, page 391), they said that in B-ASK, the two digital levels can be one and zero, to represent the pulse of a sinusoidal carrier wave, although any one of the changing amplitude can be inferred to be one and the other zero and from this result, it describes why it also referred to as on-off keying sequence. This method of digital sequence of one and zero can be referred to a switch and was used to transmit Morse codes (Wikipedia) in the early 20th century. In recent times, additional amplitude levels has been developed for enhanced encoding schemes such as a 4 four level encoding scheme to take on two bits or 22with corresponding shift in amplitude, also there is an eight level scheme to represent 3 three bits or 23, and so on. This gives a reduced power required to transmit and hence advantageous to use. (Wikipedia-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplitude-shift_keying) A binary amplitude-shift keying (BASK) signal can be defined by S (t) = A m (t) cos 2pfct. For: (0 Implementation of ASK is relatively cheap and simple but its amplitude is usually affected by noise, distortion s and the propagation conditions on different route which makes the process more difficult. In ASK digital data is transmitted over an optical fiber. Figure 1. ASK signal representation. 3.0.2 Phase shift keying (PSK) Phase-shift keying (PSK) refers to a modulation scheme that is used to carry information by changing, or modulating, the phase of the carrier wave. PSK can still be defined as the modulation of digital data with amplitude at peak, frequency remain constant and phase with carrier signal varied to depict binary 0 or 1, with binary 0 = 180 degree phase and binary 1 = 0 degree.PSK is not sensitive to error and productively make use of bandwidth, so high data rate is possible but has more complex signal detection (N. Vlajic, 2010). This modulation scheme like the Amplitude shift Keying (or ASK) also uses a finite number of distinct signals to represent digital data. Each of the finite phases, is assigned a unique pattern of binary digits that forms a symbol. Phase shift keying comes in two forms, which are binary PSK (this uses two phases which are 180o apart) and Quadrature PSK (this uses four phases and the phases are 45o, -45o 135o and -135o). (Forouzan, 2013 pg 144) 3.0.2.1 Binary PSK In Binary PSK, it has only two signal element said suggested by Forouzan, 2013, pg 142; with each phase set at 0o and the other at 180o. The general form for BPSK follows this equation Sn (t). (wikipedia- H. Stern S. Mahmoud, Communications Systems, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004, p283) s_n(t) = sqrt{frac{2E_b}{T_b}} cos(2 pi f_c t + pi(1-n )), n = 0,1. This yields two phases, 0 and à Ã¢â€š ¬. In the specific form, binary data is often conveyed with the following signals: s_0(t) = sqrt{frac{2E_b}{T_b}} cos(2 pi f_c t + pi ) = sqrt{frac{2E_b}{T_b}} cos(2 pi f_c t)For binary 0 s_1(t) = sqrt{frac{2E_b}{T_b}} cos(2 pi f_c t) For binary 1 [where fc is frequency of the carrier-wave.] Also, the BER of a two signal BPSK in AWGN can be calculated as follows P_b = Qleft(sqrt{frac{2E_b}{N_0}}right) P_b = frac{1}{2} operatorname{erfc} left( sqrt{frac{E_b}{N_0}}right) 3.0.2.2 Quadrature PSK This sub part of psk is such that it uses two separate BPSK modulations to generate a QPSK modulation scheme; this is able to work due to each BPSK band as an in-phase carrier and the other out of phase carrier. The phases are different and the first point is located at 45o, then 135o, then -135o and lastly -45o, the amplitude stays constant at 2 ½. The bit stream is then split into two bit streams I (in-phase) and Q (Quadrature) .The bit stream in-phase (I) is called the even stream and quadrature(Q) is called Odd stream. (http://turboblogsite.com/quadrature-phase-shift-keying-qpsk-modulation.html) QPSK is used mostly to transfer digital data by varying the phases of the carrier signal, the 4 phase points tally with 4 points on a circle and can be so represented. The figure below shows the mapping of the 4 phase points. QPSK diagram showing how four different binary codes can be transmitted Fig: QPSK diagram showing how four different binary codes can be transmitted The list below gives some of the other commonly used forms of phase shift keying, PSK, they are O-QPSK Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying, 8 PSK 8 Point Phase Shift Keying, 16 PSK 16 Point Phase Shift Keying, QAM Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, 16 QAM 16 Point Quadrature Amplitude Modulation and 64 QAM 64 Point Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/what-is-psk-phase-shift-keying-tutorial.php) Figure 2. PSK signal diagram representation 3.1 QAM bits per symbol The advantage of using QAM is that it is a higher order form of modulation and as a result it is able to carry more bits of information per symbol. By selecting a higher order format of QAM, the data rate of a link can be increased. (http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/8qam-16qam-32qam-64qam-128qam-256qam.php) The table below gives a summary of the bit rates of different forms of QAM and PSK. Modulation Bits per symbol Symbol Rate BPSK 1 1 x bit rate QPSK 2 1/2 bit rate 8PSK 3 1/3 bit rate 16QAM 4 1/4 bit rate 32QAM 5 1/5 bit rate 64QAM 6 1/6 bit rate 3.1.1 Quantized QAM using constellation diagram In QAM, the constellation diagram plots are usually arranged in square formation with different spacing and this spacing point represent binary bits per symbol, this spacing point is in the power of 2s. The more the bits per symbol, the more it is to transfer more information over a given channel or medium. But as the bits increase, the points move closer and make the system susceptible to noise corruption, and this gives rise to a high BER ratio, making useless the information sent due to its high noise component. There are different bit positions for the constellation diagram, this diagrams show the different position of each symbol and the states of QAM, and the constellation diagrams for BSPK, 16 QAM. 32 QAM, 64 QAM. Therefore, the figures below show various constellation diagrams: http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/modulation-constellation-bpsk.gif http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/modulation-constellation-16qam.gif http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/modulation-constellation-32qam.gif http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/modulation-constellation-64qam.gif 3.1.2 QAM applications QAM is in many radio communications and data delivery applications. However some specific variants of QAM are used in some specific applications and standards. For domestic broadcast applications for example, 64 QAM and 256 QAM are often used in digital cable television and cable modem applications. In the UK, 16 QAM and 64 QAM are currently used for digital terrestrial television using DVB Digital Video Broadcasting. In the US, 64 QAM and 256 QAM are the mandated modulation schemes for digital cable as standardised by the SCTE in the standard ANSI/SCTE 07 2000. In addition to this, variants of QAM are also used for many wireless and cellular technology applications. 4.0 Conclusion In this review, it is clearly shown that Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) and Phase Shift Keying (PSK) modulation techniques that form Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) ensures effective transfer of TV signals In QAM different combination of amplitude and phase are used to achieve higher digital data rate, the number of bit transmitted per time T (sec) interval can be further increased by increasing the number of levels used References Behrouz A. Forouzan , Data communications and Networking H. Stern S. Mahmoud, Communications Systems, Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004, p283) http://engineering.mq.edu.au/~cl/files_pdf/elec321/lect_mask.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplitude-shift_keying (Accessed 06 December 2012) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAM_tuner, 2012 (Accessed: 28 November 2012) http://turboblogsite.com/quadrature-phase-shift-keying-qpsk-modulation.html http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/8qam-16qam-32qam-64qam-128qam-256qam.php (Accessed 06 December 2012) http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/rf-technology-design/pm-phase-modulation/what-is-psk-phase-shift-keying-tutorial.php (Accessed 06 December 2012) Ian A. Glover and Peter M. Grant, Digital communications, second edition Intuitive Guide to Principle of Communication, www.complextoreal.com Margaret Rouse, July 2005 Merriam Webster N.Vlajic, Instructor, CSC 3213, fall 2010. Analog transmission of digital data (ASK, FSK, PSK, QAM) Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia (Accessed: 28 December 2012) www.encyclopediapro.com/mw/modulation (Accessed: 28 November 2012)

2000 US Presidental Election :: essays research papers

The fourth principle of the rule of law state, "all persons must be given due process, that is, a fair chance to defend themselves against formal charges that they have violated the rules." The premise for this principle is the example that, the official body that hears and renders judgment on the charges may be biased against the defendant instead of impartial. The decision of the United States Supreme Court to discontinue the counting of "undervotes" in the state of Florida was not only a politically biased decision, it was also a decision that violated the rule of law. My argument is based on not so much the dissenting opinion of the minority, but of the concurring opinion of the majority of the Supreme Court. A political trial is one in which political considerations, not simply the law and the facts, affect the proceedings and verdict. Every human being has a certain set of morals and beliefs that they hold to be an important part of their character. This is no different for the judges of the Supreme Court. They too have a set of morals and beliefs that they live by. The difference is that their job description says that they have to make decisions not based on their morals and beliefs, but their decisions must be based on the rule of law. It is obvious to me that many of the judges on the Supreme Court, did not follow their job description and instead of basing their decision of Bush vs. Gore on the rule of law, they based it on who they voted for. Every conservative on that panel voted to stop the recount which in turn helped Bush win, and every liberal on the panel voted to continue the recount which would have given Gore a chance at winning. The concurring opinion of the majority seems to make it evident in some of the arguments they make that their opinion was based on politics and not on law. Much of the evidence they bring up only seems to contradict their decision more than support it. In Rehnquist's opinion, with whom Scalia and Thomas join, concurring, he brings up the case of Anderson v. Celebrezze, (1983), in which the court said ''In the context of a Presidential election, state-imposed restrictions implicate a uniquely important national interest. For the President and the Vice President of the United States are the only elected officials who represent all the voters in the Nation.

Legislative Proposal For New Indecency Language In Telecom Bill :: essays research papers

Legislative Proposal for New Indecency Language in Telecom Bill I. Summary   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the October 16, 1995 legislative proposal purports to regulate â€Å" computer pornography†, the proposal contains fatal flaws which render the proposal at best counterproductive and at worst devastating to on-line communications. First, it prohibits, but fails to define, â€Å"indecent† speech to minors -- a dangerously vague, medium-specific, and, after decades of litigation, still undefined concept, which may include mere profanity. This may tie up successful prosecution of the law in courts for years to come, while courts wrestle to divine a constitutional definition of â€Å"indecent† -- and while companies are left with uncertain liability.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Second, the October 16 proposal may actually hold systems liable for communications over which they have no specific knowledge or control. The proposal purports to target those who â€Å"knowingly† send prohibited communications -- itself a relatively low standard of liability that may not even require actual intent or willfulness. Nevertheless, because the proposal i) defines the elements of criminal liability in vague and contradictory terms, and ii) eliminates safeharbors in the Senate bill that would define a clear standard of care, it might hold systems liable for actions that don't reach even a â€Å" knowingly† standard of liability. As a result, access providers, system managers and operators, and employers may potentially be liable for actions of users over which they have no specific knowledge, intent, or control.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For any company that communicates by computer, the proposal: 1) Creates liability for, but never defines, â€Å"indecent† speech, a dangerously vague standard that could leave companies criminally liable for use of mere profanity; 2) Establishes vague and contradictory standards of liability that could leave innocent companies vicariously liable for communications over which they have no control; 3) Strips workable affirmative defenses from the Senate bill, eliminating a clear standard of care for companies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not only does the proposal endanger companies, it fails to protect children. The indecency standard guarantees that enforcement will be tied up in the courts for years to come. Companies will be particularly reticent to identify and eradicate prohibited communications when they are incapable of discerning which communications are â€Å"indecent† and when the company's consequent knowledge of the communications may actually make them liable. At worst, the proposal will either shut down systems entirely or will shut down any attempts to constructively monitor and screen systems, as providers take a know-nothing stance to avoid prosecution for purported knowledge. II. The â€Å"Indecency† Standard and Uncertain and Conflicting Standards of Culpability Implicate Innocent Companies But Fail To Protect Children. A. The undefined â€Å"indecency† standard is possibly unenforceable and certainly counterproductive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the October 16 proposal purports to regulate â€Å"computer

Htc Paper

Evaluate HTC’s performance to date. What are its competitive advantages and vulnerabilities? Cher Wang’s vision was to develop a hand-held computer like device and HTC eventually developed its first PDA, the iPAQ in 2000. HTC has always been behind the scenes by just selling high-quality, unbranded phones to cell phone manufacturers and wireless network operators. Eventually, HTC was commissioned to be an original design manufacturer (ODM), which means that HTC only had little responsibility for sales, marketing, or inventory management as HTC manufactured smartphones for branded handset companies and it designed phones for service providers such as T-Mobile and Vodafone and it supported operators by helping them build unique value propositions and optimize their services. This helped them differentiate from other ODMs and the mobile phone operator business provided better profit margins. Then HTC took the plunge and started its own brand operations by designing phones, which would be sold with the brand name of HTC. They wanted to differentiate it from competitors and have greater control over the company’s future. They focused on high-end ‘prosumer’ (the overlap of professionals and consumers) market. Revenue had soared from $1. 1 billion to $4. 6 billion in a span of 4 years and the gross profit jumped from a mere $212 million to a staggering $1. 5 billion dollars in the same time with sales in more than 70 countries. In 2009, the global recession threatened to slow down consumer spending but since HTC had a diverse customer base and focused on a high-growth market it expected to remain sales growth. Because price expectancies from a customer point of view were quite low, HTC had to lower its average sales price. It had to increase the share of common components to deliver significant improvements in terms of economies of scale. They tried to do it by using lower ASP, which could help reduce its dependency on operators. They also lowered production cost by opening up a second production facility in Shanghai and moving manufacturing to Mainland China. As far as the competitive advantages are concerned, a dynamic CEO who had laid out a clear-cut vision led HTC. They started out with a PDA device that represented more than 80% of its revenue and they didn’t stop at that point. The CEO was already thinking about the next growth platform, which was the mobile telecommunication market. The influence of the CEO who is driven to achieve stretch goals has shown to be a big strength to the company. Their advanced product innovation gave them the position to compete with big brands as Microsoft, Google and Vodafone. They became the first Taiwanese company to secure a 3G license. All of this led to HTC’s share price to surge 1000% between 2003 and 2006. As far as vulnerabilities are concerned, as one analyst rightly predicted, mobile market is like â€Å"soup du jour: Today one brand is hot, and tomorrow its leftover†. It means that the market is so volatile that a company to be successful, it has to do a lot of investment in R&D to be able to compete and drive product innovation which will eventually make the company stronger. HTC was late to the already crowded mobile market, which could make it a less familiar brand name. The company hardly had any patents, which means that they are bound to make high expenses on royalty payments to other companies. They were so used to selling custom ordered phones for niche market called prosumers and it could weaken the position of HTC due to high costs incurred by the company. Discuss HTC’s Operating systems (OS) strategy. Going forward, should it focus on Android or develop new directions? In 2009, the majority of Smartphones ran on one of five systems- Symbian, RIM’s Blackberry OS, Apple’s OS X, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile and Palm. Despite of the high market share, the operating system of Microsoft, Windows Mobile, shows more disadvantages then advantages for HTC corp. The view of Windows Mobile does not fit with HTC anymore. HTC want to be seen as a firm with high-quality innovative products with attractive designs and function, where as Windows Mobile is seen by as customers as unfriendly with unattractive design. The new Touch Diamond Smartphone of HTC received bad reviews because of Windows Mobile OS and its interface. In comparison, Google Android market is still young. Despite that it has no high market share yet, their share in the Smartphone OS platform market is likely to be doubled by end of 2010. Android phones contribute already more then a third of HTC’s total sale, so this can only benefit both companies in a positive way and Android has no license fee in comparison to Windows Mobile. Creating an own operating system is a good possibility too. Because of the increasing competition on smart phones, HTC needs to establish their brand name more then ever. With its high innovative power, it can create the right system that fits with the view of the company; focusing on a high quality product that is affordable. Because creating an own operating system has major costs, HTC needs to drop Windows Mobile OS and save the operating fees that it has to pay for Microsoft. Having said that, it has to really create an OS that is very different than others and it’s a very big challenge. HTC might anger Google if it decides to create its own operating system and might have to face some trouble. So, there are a lot of pluses and minuses from both sides. Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of creating a new HTC operating system Advantages: †¢The company is highly innovative and the product designs are excellent and have already proven that it could move fast in the rapidly evolving mobile market. †¢Company embraces a culture of constantly experimenting with new ideas and technology. So an own Operating System fits the company, its culture and their competencies. †¢Owning an operating system will establish the brand name of HTC. Disadvantages: †¢It would cost a minimum of $200 million to develop a new OS; double what HTC spent in R&D. Cost is a major disadvantage of creating operating system. †¢The market for mobile OS is already very crowed. The HTC operating system will face severe competition. What are your recommendations for HTC to help it become the leading Smartphone company in the world? HTC has proved itself to be a good competitor in smartphone business and to become the leading smartphone company; it has to enter into developing countries like China and India where 3G networks has just opened up and hardly 5% of its total mobile market owns a smartphone. Geographically, Taiwan is so close to both the countries and since it has already built production and manufacturing facilities in China, it can really make a big difference in supply chain management. If it can come up with a wide variety of smartphones that is affordable by middle class people, it could make a huge difference in its revenue and profit margins. The immediate step to increase the sales would be to target the area where companies/customers are looking for alternatives. One of those target areas should be businesses professionals as currently the offering from RIM is receiving a big beating with its service and HTC could prove to be a better alternative for RIM if it could develop phones that could offer seamless service to customers by offering better compatibility to exchange, IM client and office integration apps. This will make them build a strong customer base and also help HTC to build its brand value in the market place. HTC should also target the niche market with producing smartphones with greater processor speeds, better camera, big screen phones, phones with touch screens, phones with qwerty keypads, phones with better integration with gaming devices like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii, good integration with social networking apps like Twitter, Facebook, Linked In et al. It could also partner with several companies and come up with hardware and software integration apps that are available as part of its OS but the same apps are available for a fee on other phones. An example would be to offer free voice enabled GPS system on every HTC phone by partnering with companies such as TomTom or Garmin and sharing revenue with them. This would create an edge for its products and will be a better alternative for other company phones.