Individual Work Versus Team Work - 1731 Words

INDIVIDUAL WORK VERSUS TEAM WORK Virtually every working person I’ve ever come across believes in teamwork. At least they say they do. Sadly, a scarce few of them make teamwork a reality in their organizations; in fact, they often end up creating environments where political infighting and departmental serenity are the norm. And yet they continue to flaunt their belief in teamwork, as if that alone will somehow make it magically appear. I think that only a small minority of companies truly understand and embrace teamwork, even though, more than one in three of the Fortune 500 publicly declares it to be a core value. â€Å"I would like to start by asking a question – What is a TEAM? I would say it’s an ‘Allegedly Cohesive Summation’ of†¦show more content†¦Taking an exactly opposite scenario, muse over a very dedicated and overworking employee who gives his 200 % towards work everyday , he just gets disembarked to a team full of dimwits with an equally dimwit TL. What do u infer about his enthusiasm towards work? This example is not only across the executive hierarchy – try and judge the above mentioned scenario among all chains of command. Can u imagine the utmost level of pandemonium, I am sure u can actually visualize this scenario in 3-D without even wearing 3D glasses. If you consider any organization – even after Democratic leadership being scribbled in bold on the Mission Statement – we all know that any leader always goes on his own gut instinct and verdict after taking a consensus from his team (this example is more inclined towards lower rungs of the hierarchy ladder). People whose opinions are slightly considered and taken into account are very happy – but what about those who views are vomited back on them with interest in front of their team mates. Now consider a call centre with individuals working instead of a team, each individual given a certain target to meet and incentives proportional to the amount of the target mark crossed. The ones with enthusiasm will continue to work harder in order to achieve more recognition and incentive and the dimwits can be easily spotted in the stack and kicked off or retrained. Each individual responsible forShow MoreRelatedIndividual Work Versus Team Work1743 Words   |  7 PagesINDIVIDUAL WORK VERSUS TEAM WORK Virtually every working person I’ve ever come across believes in teamwork. At least they say they do. Sadly, a scarce few of them make teamwork a reality in their organizations; in fact, they often end up creating environments where political infighting and departmental serenity are the norm. And yet they continue to flaunt their belief in teamwork, as if that alone will somehow make it magically appear. I think that only a small minority of companies truly understandRead MoreThe Seven Dimensions Of Culture1746 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy of IBM and how they adapted to work in different cultures of the world and the differences Hofstede found. Further discussing how these dimensions were measured against values, which are normally developed by the age of 10. These values stem out to national culture and usually remain set and unchanged. However work set values can be flexible and adapted, IBM strived to change work values and not the set values of their workers. However we wil l examine how work related values differ in each cultureRead MoreCommunicating Effectively As A Team In The Workforce Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesCommunicating Effectively as a Team in the Workforce Abstract Behavior is a key factor in the performance and effectiveness of a team in the workplace. The ability to detect warning signs of conflicting personalities is beneficial in a strong team. Business owners should work with an employees personality and behavior to promote a positive and profitable work environment. Creating a focused, directed, and engaged team will build the connection between communication and personality styles insteadRead MoreLeadership And Hofstedes Six Dimensions1151 Words   |  5 Pagesto develop four cultural dimensions from this study, those were, Power Distance (PDI), Individualism versus Collectivism (IDV), Masculinity versus Femininity (MAS) and Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI). Later based on research by Michael Bond a fifth dimension, Long Term Orientation versus Short Term Normative Orientation (LTO) was added. Finally in 2010 the sixth dimension of Indulgence versus Restraint (IND) was added from the research performed by Michael Minkov. Dimensions of National CultureRead MoreUs And Japan Business : A Culture Of Progress1575 Words   |  7 Pagesis no doubt there are some very key differences. Many of these differences can be attributed to cultural differences within each of the countries. While many of these countries work together in global business efforts, cultural differences would certainly have a significant impact on management style, leadership and even work ethic of the employees. The United States and Japan are both strong economic powers that hold to a capitalistic economic system. Their management styles, however, are very differentRead MoreThe Classical School Of Management1343 Words   |  6 Pagesimportance of three elements: coordination, self-management and collaboration . In the article the author highlights the work environment at Google and how the employees are treated. For instance, â€Å"Google promotes less managerial oversight and more employee freedom†¦A product manager’s jo b is to work together with the people†¦Google has tried to keep the same structure with a team-based approach†¦Google gives their employees plenty of freedom and uses communications as a tool to keep everyone movingRead MoreBenefits Of The Individual Environment And The Team Environment929 Words   |  4 Pagescan be accomplished by an individual alone, but usually bigger ideas need a team to see it through. Working in a team environment can have its drawbacks, but it also has many benefits. In this paper I am going to provide research to support the setbacks and benefits of both the individual environment and the team environment. I found that what an individual may lack is a team’s gain, vice versa. The important result is the success achieved by either a team, or an individual. In the InternationalRead MoreErikson s Theory Of Social Involvement Across The Entire Lifespan Essay1553 Words   |  7 PagesTrust versus mistrust (first 24 months), Toddlerhood: Autonomy versus shame and doubt (2 to 4 years old), Early School Age: Initiative versus guilt (4 to 6 years old), Middle Childhood: Industry versus inferiority (6 to 12 years old), Early Adolescence: Group identity versus alienation (12 to 18 years old), Later Adolescence: Individual identity versus identity confusion (18 to 24 years old), Early Adulthood: Intimacy versus isolation (24 to 34 years old), Middle Adulthood: Generativity versus stagnationRead MorePolarity802 Words   |  4 Pageswith continuing disputes. Polarities include conflicts between individual and team, critical analysis and encouragement, being clear and being flexible, planning and action, and individual responsibility and organizational responsibility (Noll, 2002) just to name a few. Within this paper, we will discuss the polarity of Cost versus Quality. The Polarity Map K The key to this polarity mapping of Cost versus Quality is to see the entire picture in order to manage theRead MoreMasculinity And Its Impact On Society1008 Words   |  5 Pagesyou might have greater success if you appointed a male employee to lead the team and had a strong male contingent on the team. In country like Sweden, there are more to feminine side. They will focus a group which can balance in terms of skills rather than gender significance. 2.1.5 Time Orientation Time orientation initially known as ‘Confucian dynamism’, but now are commonly referred as long-term orientation (LTO) versus short-term orientation (STO). A long-term orientation will focus towards the

The Road Not Taken Vs. Mother To Son Essay - 517 Words

Paths are Like Stairs nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although they portray two very different writing styles, Robert Frost’s â€Å"The Road Not Taken† and Langston Hughes’s â€Å"Mother to Son† have a few things in common, especially their meanings. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In â€Å"The Road not Taken† Frost speaks of a time in his life where he had to make a choice, a choice of which direction his life was about to go: â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood / And sorry I could not travel both† (1-2). â€Å"Mother to Son† also speaks of life in a metaphorical way, but as a staircase rather than two paths: â€Å"Well, son, I’ll tell you / Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair† (1-2). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Later in â€Å"The Road Not Taken† Frost describes†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Mother to Son† also ends with a moral, a moral to her son. She tells him how hard the climb was and how she is still climbing to this day and that’s what he will have to do. She warns him never to rest or be content where he is at and never to fall off the staircase of life: â€Å"Don’t you set down on the steps / Don’t you fall now / For I’se still goin’, honey / I’se still climin’† (15,17-19). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The writing styles in these two poems are very different as you can see. Hughes uses a lot of slang while Frost is rather proper in his word use and sentence structure. But the moral of these two poems are the same. Whether it be a path or a staircase, there is always an easy way out. But taking that easy way might not be the best decision. Tough paths take more effort to walk just as tough staircases take longer to climb, but they both build character and that makes it all worth while. Work Cited Frost, Robert. â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 1999. 567 Hughes, Langston. â€Å"Mother to Son.† Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 1999.Show MoreRelatedCrossing Af Mark Slouka Essay950 Words   |  4 PagesCrossing The short story, ‘Crossing’, is written by Mark Slouka in 2009, and takes up father and son relationship together with man vs. nature. From the beginning of time fathers have taken their sons on camping trips or similar to pass on their knowledge about how to conquer Mother Nature. But more important it binds them closer together, and this is exactly these two purposes the father here wishes to obtain. Through a third person limited narrator the reader is presented to a father who hasRead MoreEssay on Grendel1169 Words   |  5 Pagesthe reader by giving an interesting view of order and chaos, good and evil, hero and monster, allowing the monsters point of view to be seen. On July 21, 1933 John Gardner was born in Batavia, New York. He was the son of a preacher and diary, and his mother taught English. They were very fond of Shakespeare and loved to recite literature. Gardner spent his early days attending school, playing French horn, and working on his dads farms. In April 1945, Gardners brother was killed inRead MoreGender Is A Very Hot Button Issue In 2017 America. Many1689 Words   |  7 PagesKenny and Cartman are the two other characters who play important roles throughout the series as well. Cartman is usually regarded as the antagonist in almost every episode, partly because his ideals and Kyle’s are polar opposites in being a morality vs amorality argument. Cartman’s pure lack of morals and psychotic tendencies throughout most of the series has shown viewers that he may never change. 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Michael, the son of Shani Clark used to drink at least four 500ml cans of Mother a day along with four to five cups of coffee. Found behind the wheel of road in Perth slumped behind the wheel of his 11-ton truck. Michael died of a heart attack and caffeine toxicity the young truck driver was only of 35 years old . Other cases associatedRead MoreMichael Gows Away3204 Words   |  13 PagesSurrounds 3 families Roy and Coral – lost their son in the Vietnam War (resort = wealthy) Vick, Harry and Tom – dealing with Tom’s Illness (camping ground in tent = average) Gwen, Jim and Meg – Gwen is head of the household (Caravan Park) Away is about reconciliation and the power of healing through love and compassion This play is about the experiences of a dying school boy, it is a celebration of life and the power to heal through gaining insight. 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In the test Exploring Literature, a symbol is defined as â€Å"In literature, a person, place, or thing that suggest more than its literal meaning. Symbols generally do notRead MoreRiddle of My Life2133 Words   |  9 Pageswhat socialization would call normal. My mother a twenty-five year old female who was told would never have children, been married and divorced, then married again to who would be my father. Six months into the marriage she left him be cause my father and his families’ social status was that of fruit pickers in the late 60’s. That was poverty in her eyes and she just could not live like that anymore. She returned to Oregon to live with her foster mother. On the first of March she went to see a

Criminal Punishment Utility vs. Retribution Free Essays

Eva Rivera 3/7/13 Phil 108 – EthicsShort Paper #2 Criminal Punishment: Utility vs. Retribution Chapter 10 – Topic #3 The practice of punishment is part of our society and functions to maintain social order. However, there are a couple different view points regarding how to appropriately carry out punishment. We will write a custom essay sample on Criminal Punishment: Utility vs. Retribution or any similar topic only for you Order Now Retribution and Utilitarianism are two philosophies that have very different views on the theory of punishment. Philosopher Immanuel Kant asserts that Retribution is the model for punishment. Kant argues that punishment should be governed by two principles: 1. people should be punished solely for the reason that they have committed a crime and 2. punishment is to be in proportion to the severity of the crime (Rachels 142). For example, a small punishment is suitable for a small crime and a more serious punishment is suitable for a more serious crime. Furthermore, Retribution means that a person committing a crime will be held responsible for their actions. Kant’s moral theory states humans, having the capacity to reason and make choices for themselves, need to be held accountable. If we don’t, then we are treating them as if they were not rational, reasonable agents. Furthermore, justification of punishment comes from the nature of the crime and does not consider if the consequences are good or bad, just that the person pays the penalty for having committed the crime. This view point is vastly different that the Utilitarian model of punishment (Bzdak PP). The Utilitarian view point always considers the consequences of punishment. The foundation of Utilitarianism is that happiness is the ultimate goal and we need to do whatever we can to maximize this. Punishment is wrong (immoral) because it is, inherently, an unhappy circumstance. However, punishment is moral if the good outweighs the bad. Punishment should lead to good consequences; it should help the person being punished so both society and the criminal benefit. The principle of rehabilitation is at play here and the goal is to do whatever is needed to make the criminal a productive member of society. The view of Retribution not only differs with Utilitarianism on the view of consequences but also human integrity or dignity. The Utilitarian justification of rehabilitation is not in line with Retribution. Retributivists would say that it is disrespectful to humans to treat them as though they were not rational beings and because of this, need to be rehabilitated. As stated before, there are only two principles governing punishment – having done the crime and receiving an appropriate punishment – disregarding other reasons like consequences. In my opinion, I think that retribution is more appealing than the utilitarian view. The biggest factor that sways me to retribution is the concern of those who don’t commit crimes. Retribution is only concerned with those who commit crimes be held accountable. Utilitarians can easily justify punishing an innocent person on the grounds that it would benefit the greater happiness of the world. References Rachels, S. , Rachels, J. (2012). The elements of moral philosophy (7th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. How to cite Criminal Punishment: Utility vs. Retribution, Essay examples

Generic Strategies Price Elasticity of Demand

Question: Discuss about theGeneric StrategiesforPrice Elasticity of Demand. Answers: Introduction Price elasticity of demand is defined as the percentage change in quantity demanded due to one percent change in price, while other things remaining unchanged. Here the price elasticity of demand is -.8 Therefore, P/Q*dQ/dP = -.8 110/Q*(dQ)/ 10 =-.8 110/Q*dQ=-8 dQ= -(8Q/100) Therefore, the percentage change in quantity demanded will be 8%. The first and foremost advantage that a first moving company in the market enjoys is that it acquires a position in the market that its competitors will not be able to match. As the total demand for the product is increasing at a steady rate, in the first year the demand for the product was 100000 and in the next year it became 104500. From this it has been calculated that the growth rate is 4.5%, [(104500-100000)/2] = 4.5%. In the next year it again increased to 109200 and from this the growth rate is calculated to be 4.5% again, [(109200-104500)/104500] = 4.5% approximately. Thereby, keeping this growth rate constant in can be predicted that next year the demand for the product will be 114114. Now, order to gain 32% market share in this year the amount of units that are needed to be sold will be equal to, 36516.48. The main theme underlying the suggestions on the ways to decision making errors arising out of group discussion activities will be Engage in consensus building activities. If the long run average cost of a firm increases by 15% because of 8% increase in the production level, it is quite evident that the firm is experiencing diseconomies of scale. As in this case with the increase in the level of output long run cost is increasing at a greater rate. Year Calculation Cash Flow(In/ Out) 2004 32*20 -640 2005 0 0 2006 0 0 2007 0 0 2008 .50*20 10 2009 .50*20 10 2010 .50*20 10 2011 .50*20 10 2012 1.10*20 22 2013 1.10*20 22 2014 1.10*20 22 2015 82.80*20 1656 Now, the calculated internal rate of return (IRR) is calculated to be 10%. Sales Description Costs measured in dollars Sales Price (per unit) EPRA 105 Sales Price (per unit) HPRA 73 Sales Volume (per period) EPRA 713000 Sales Volume (per period) HPRA 2139000 Total sales amount (EPRA) 74865000 Total sales amount (HPRA) 156147000 Variable costs Cost per unit (EPRA) 77.4 Cost per unit (HPRA) 49.2 Forecasted sales of (HPRA) 2139000 Forecasted sales of (EPRA) 713000 Cost of EPRA 55186200 Cost of HPRA 105238800 Contribution per unit (EPRA) 27.6 Contribution per unit (HPRA) 23.8 Units in million Dollar Sales Sales Price (per unit) EPRA 105 Sales Price (per unit) HPRA 73 Sales Volume (per period) EPRA 713000 Sales Volume (per period) HPRA 2139000 Total sales amount (EPRA) 74865000 Total sales amount (HPRA) 156147000 Variable costs Cost per unit (EPRA) 77.4 Cost per unit (HPRA) 49.2 Forecasted sales of (HPRA) 2139000 Forecasted sales of (EPRA) 713000 Cost of EPRA 55186200 Cost of HPRA 105238800 Contribution per unit (EPRA) 27.6 Contribution per unit (HPRA) 23.8 Fixed Costs Advertising EPRA 7.5 Advertising HPRA 6 EPRA RD 5 HPRA RD 4 Process investment 9 Sales rep. expenditure 5.5 Shipping and warehouse 11.5 Administration expense 4 Fixed cost of EPRA 12.5 Fixed cost of HPRA 10 Total cost HPRA 105238810 Total cost EPRA 55186213 Margin of HPRA 50908190 Margin of EPRA 19678788 Cost of the HPRA is much lower than that of the EPRA; however the amount of forecasted sales of HPRA is much higher than that of the EPRA. Hence, I will focus more on producing and selling more of the HPRA products. The race to be the first mover may lead to a situation like Prisoners Dilemma in the Cornell Management Business Case. Achieving differentiation through a sustainable competitive advantage will help the organization to avoid situations like Prisoners Dilemma.

Gonzales V Kalaw Katigbak Digest Essay Example

Gonzales V Kalaw Katigbak Digest Essay DOCTRINE: Press freedom may be identified with the liberty to discuss publicly and truthfully any matter of public concern without censorship or punishment. The general principle is that freedom of expression is the rule and restrictions the exemption. The power to exercise prior restraint is not to be presumed, rather the presumption is against its validity. FACTS: * The principal petitioner is Jose Antonio U. Gonzalez, President of the Malaya Films. * The respondent is the Board of Review for Motion Pictures and Television (BRMPT), with Maria Kalaw Katigbak as its Chairman and Brig.Gen. Wilfredo C. Estrada as its Vice-Chairman, also named respondents. * On October 23, 1984, a permit to exhibit the film Kapit sa Patalim under the classification For Adults Only, with certain changes and deletions enumerated was granted by a sub-committee of the BRMPT. * Motion for reconsideration was filed by petitioners stating that the classification of the film For Adults Only was without basis. F or petitioners, such classification is without legal and factual basis and is exercised as impermissible restraint of artistic expression.The film is an integral whole and all its portions, including those to which the Board now offers belated objection, are essential for the integrity of the film. Viewed as a whole, there is no basis even for the vague speculations advanced by the Board as basis for its classification. † * The respondents in their answer submitted that the standard of the law (Executive Order 878) for classifying films afford a practical and determinative yardstick for the exercise of judgment. For them, the question of the sufficiency of the standards remains the only question at issue. ISSUE: WoN the standards employed by the BRMPT are sufficient and conform to what the Constitution ordains. HELD: * YES. Petition dismissed. RATIO: * The importance of motion pictures as an organ of public opinion is not lessened by the fact that they are designed to entertai n as well as to inform. There is no clear dividing line between what involves knowledge and what affords pleasure. If such a distinction were sustained, there is a diminution of the basic right to free expression. * Press freedom may be identified with the liberty to discuss publicly and truthfully any matter of public concern without censorship or punishment.However, this freedom is not absolute. It can be limited if there is a clear and present danger of a substantive evil that the State has a right to prevent. * Censorship or previous restraint is, except in exceptional circumstances, a sine qua non for the meaningful exercise of the right of free speech. However, for the purposes of this litigation, the emphasis should rightly be on freedom from censorship. Freedom of the press consists in the right to print what one chooses without any previous license. * Therefore, to avoid an unconstitutional taint on its creation, the power of respondent Board is limited to the classificatio n of films.It can, to safeguard other constitutional objections, determine what motion pictures are for general patronage and what may require either parental guidance or be limited to adults only. That is to abide by the principle that freedom of expression is the rule and restrictions the exemption. The power to exercise prior restraint is not to be presumed, rather the presumption is against its validity. * Censorship, especially so if an entire production is banned, is allowable only under the clearest proof of a clear and present danger of a substantive evil to public safety, public morals, public health or any other legitimate public interest. On the matter of obscenity, the Court cited Roth v. US: * All ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance have the full protection of the guaranties, unless excludable because they encroach upon the limited area of more important interests. But implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity a s utterly without redeeming social importance. † * The early leading standard of obscenity allowed material to be judged merely by the effect of an isolated excerpt upon particularly susceptible persons. The Hicklin Test) * However, in determining what is obscene, the Court follows Roth: â€Å"whether to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest. † * Moreover, citing US v Bustos, the Court held that while recognizing the principle that libel is beyond the pale of constitutional protection, it left no doubt that in determining what constitutes such an offense, a court should ever be mindful that no violation of the right to freedom of expression is allowable. In the applicable law, Executive Order No. 876, reference was made to respondent Board applying contemporary Filipino cultural values as standard. † On the question of obscenity, therefore, and in the light of the facts of this case, such standard set forth in Executive Order No. 876 is to be construed in such a fashion to avoid any taint of unconstitutionality. There can be no valid objection to the sufficiency of the controlling standard and its conformity to what the Constitution ordains. Respondent board sumits that the adult classification given the film serves as a warning to theater operators and viewers that some contents of Kapit are not fit for the young. Some of the scenes in the picture were taken in a theater-club and a good portion of the film shots concentrated on some women erotically dancing naked, or at least nearly naked, on the theater stage. Another scene on that stage depicted the women kissing and caressing as lesbians. And toward the end of the picture, there exists scenes of excessive violence attending the battle between a group of robbers and the police.The vulnerable and imitative in the young audience will misunderstand these scenes. † * That there was an abuse of discretion by respondent Board is evident. Moreover, its perception of what constitutes obscenity appears to be unduly restrictive. Nonetheless, there are not enough votes to maintain that such an abuse can be considered grave. Note: This ruling is to be limited to the concept of obscenity applicable to motion pictures. Television calls for a less liberal approach.

Free Essays on Explication Of “The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock

The heart-breaking monologue of a depressed and insecure man who craves affection, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,† by T.S. Eliot, is an eloquent and imaginative poem. Too insecure to act upon his desires, Prufrock, fantasizes about making a personal connection with a woman. His fear of scrutiny and rejection, however cause even his fantasy to be a disappointment. By contrasting images of loneliness metaphors for affection and attention with allusions pertaining to death, Prufrock reveals his torturous dilemma. Throughout the poem, Eliot uses metaphors to describe Prufrock’s fears and desires. T.S. Eliot used the term objective correlative to describe the projection of tone onto inanimate objects. He begins the poem by describing the evening as, â€Å"spread out against the sky/ Like a patient etherized upon a table.† This simile indicates the numbness and immobility that Prufrock is experiencing and shows how he projects his self-pity onto things around him Prufrock then asks the reader to accompany him through a dirty, desolate, and lonely city. Describing, â€Å"Streets that follow like a tedious argument/ Of insidious intent† Prufrock reveals the extent of his depression, which is so intense that even walking down the street is a wearisome, even treacherous task for him. The next stanza metaphorically describes the dirty fog and smoke that surrounds the house as a feline lavishing attention upon the house. Due to the feminine nature associated with a cat, this passage clearly illustrates Prufrock’s deep yearning for love and attention. He claims, â€Å"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,† showing how prevalent and pointless social events have been in his life. Describing the scrutiny and judgments of his peers, he compares himself to a scientific specimen as insignificant as an insect: â€Å"when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, when I am pinned and wriggling on the wall.† He wonders how he c... Free Essays on Explication Of â€Å"The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock Free Essays on Explication Of â€Å"The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock The heart-breaking monologue of a depressed and insecure man who craves affection, â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,† by T.S. Eliot, is an eloquent and imaginative poem. Too insecure to act upon his desires, Prufrock, fantasizes about making a personal connection with a woman. His fear of scrutiny and rejection, however cause even his fantasy to be a disappointment. By contrasting images of loneliness metaphors for affection and attention with allusions pertaining to death, Prufrock reveals his torturous dilemma. Throughout the poem, Eliot uses metaphors to describe Prufrock’s fears and desires. T.S. Eliot used the term objective correlative to describe the projection of tone onto inanimate objects. He begins the poem by describing the evening as, â€Å"spread out against the sky/ Like a patient etherized upon a table.† This simile indicates the numbness and immobility that Prufrock is experiencing and shows how he projects his self-pity onto things around him Prufrock then asks the reader to accompany him through a dirty, desolate, and lonely city. Describing, â€Å"Streets that follow like a tedious argument/ Of insidious intent† Prufrock reveals the extent of his depression, which is so intense that even walking down the street is a wearisome, even treacherous task for him. The next stanza metaphorically describes the dirty fog and smoke that surrounds the house as a feline lavishing attention upon the house. Due to the feminine nature associated with a cat, this passage clearly illustrates Prufrock’s deep yearning for love and attention. He claims, â€Å"I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,† showing how prevalent and pointless social events have been in his life. Describing the scrutiny and judgments of his peers, he compares himself to a scientific specimen as insignificant as an insect: â€Å"when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, when I am pinned and wriggling on the wall.† He wonders how he c...

Hotel accounting system Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hotel accounting system - Case Study Example The lodging industry was apparently one of the first industries to enlarge â€Å"definitive standards to provide precise regulation to accountants and operators. The standards evolved since consistency of layout and arrangements were, and are, still not strained under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)." Those standards were and are controlled in the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI), which is published by the American Hotel and Motel Association. The USALI itself provides for up to 30 departmental statements, which include, in addition to those previously mentioned: telecommunications, garage and parking, golf shop, golf pro shop, guest laundry, health center, swimming pool, tennis, tennis pro shop, other operated departments, rentals and other income, human resources, information services, security, franchise fees, management fees, rent, property taxes and insurance, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, income taxes, house la undry, salaries and wages and payroll taxes and employee benefits. (Collins, M. & Parsa, H. 2006)The principal differences between hotel's transactions and internal control and those of additional businesses are found in the revenue cycle. Room revenue is the mainly significant source of income to hotel. The front desk is the center of the hotel's operation and the place where the guest ledger, which abridges and accrues all charges to guests using the hotel facilities, is maintained. Several of the functions executed by front desk employees are registering guests, recording room revenue, recording food and beverage and other guest charges, checking out guests, and settling guests' bills. Ceria Holiday Ceria Holiday, which is positioned in tourist area in North America, operates guesthouses. The fee charged to Ceria's guests includes both accommodation and all meals. The management of Ceria applies strict financial control of its activities in consideration of the competitiveness of the industry and the seasonal nature of the business. In this meticulous case, the area that needs constant monitoring on the costs is the restaurant. The manager of the restaurant is given an annual budget at the beginning of each year. Each month he/she receives performance statement with the following postulations: The budget has been calculated on the basis of 30-day calendar month with the costs of rent and depreciation being an apportionment of the fixed annual charge. The budgeted catering wages presume that: There is one member of the catering staff for every 40 guests staying at the complex; The daily cost of member of the catering staff is RM30 All other budgeted costs are variable costs based on the number of guest days. While services at the Ceria Hotel are provided by the property, revenues are recorded and charged to the barter accountability. On the other hand, the expense is offset against the barter asset account when the service is acknowledged. For peripheral reporting purposes, USAL recommends that the asset and legal responsibility accounts be netted and reflected as contemporary asset or accountability. This will result in revenues and expenses connected with the barter transaction being reported in different periods. Ratio analysis, in common, comprises the same types of ratios used in approximately any industry. Nevertheless, there are few industry specialized ratios peculiar to hotels and/or restaurants of which one ought to be aware. Average Room Rate = Rooms Revenue divided by Paid Rooms Occupied. Average Food Check = Total Food Revenue divided by Number of Covers. Covers refer to guests served in the food operation during the interlude.(Collins, M. & Parsa, H. 2006) current vital addition is "RevPar", which stands for Revenue per Available Room. It is calculated as moreover: Rooms Revenue divided by Rooms Available for Sale, or as Rooms Revenue div

The influence of the movie on the society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The influence of the movie on the society - Essay Example Remember that Sontag believes movies lost their "art" in her time, and Norma believed movies lost their "art" once sound came in - in the late 1920s. Are they right? By means of looking into one’s own experience of being transported by the motion picture and allowing it to gain momentary control of human reflexes within the span of film’s length, the moviegoer manages to prove the truth behind Susan Sontag’s conviction through a varying insight to the encounter with the story and the audio-visual effects projected across the big screen. Typically, since movies are created to depict a dynamic narrative of life under a rare perspective with striking parallels to the circumstances of reality, the watcher becomes gradually kidnapped by such an essence that occurs to fulfill the movie’s objective of getting the viewer seek profound relevance. As the movie serves a vehicle that takes one to reflect with vivid imagination and pertinent emotion at depth, the act o f kidnapping, as Sontag puts it to be the principal role assumed by the film, is sustained. On the other hand, Norma’s observation that movies lost art during the arrival of the talkies in the late 1920s tends to signify reference to the aesthetic value of a motion picture.

Managerial complexity in project based operation Essay

Managerial complexity in project based operation - Essay Example The decision to undertake any meaningful project comes with a lot of challenging complexities that the project manger has to overcome to achieve success.Attempts to get a single concise definition for the term managerial complexity have virtually failed because there are no specific tools to measure levels of complexity of individual project. The Rational Rhapsody observes that â€Å"Levels of complexity can be measured in all kinds of ways, including the number of team members or components, complexity of the design, integration of legacy code, type of content management used, and geographical distribution of the team.† The complexity of projects varies in demand and input. However, an attempt to give a concise measure of complexity has been done by Carver et al (2008). In doing this, Kailash (2008) observes that the writers â€Å"present a qualitative empirical model which captures both structural (static) and dynamic elements of   managerial complexity in projects.† The major themes introduced in the model are structural complexity and dynamic complexity. Structural complexity The Carvers model tries to make the understanding of the structural complexity of project management look easier by introducing a model that serves as the benchmark for determining the complexity of the structure of every project. In determining the structural complexity of a project, the writers put forth five (5) major dimensions from which the structural complexity of a project would be measured. The five dimensions, Mission, Organisation, Delivery, Stakeholders and Team. These are dimensions that help in determining the structural complexity of managing a project. Since the model helps in determining the structural complexity of a project, it is referred to as structural complexity model. To make it easier to remember the dimensions upon which the structural complexity is determined, an acronym, MODeST was developed to represent the first letter of each of the dimen sions and the first two letters of ‘delivery’ in the dimension. The model represents an empirical basis for measuring the complexity of projects globally. This is because typical challenges faced by complexity in project and programme environments in the management of all major projects around the world can be measured on the basis the dimensions of MODeST. Project managers are putting behind traditional project management strategies to get adapted to the realities of the structural complexity as proposed by Carvers et al (2008). â€Å"Until now, project management has lagged behind other corporate processes in its quest for simplicity while global entities have embraced complexity, even chaos† (Management Concepts, 2011). A typical real life example can be given with the setting up of an iPhone industry. With the establishment of an iPhone industry as a case study, such an industry follows the structure of MODeST as discussed above. To with, the company starts w ith a mission, starting their aims and objectives for venturing into business. These aims and objectives lays bare their vision and what they want to get out of the establishment of the business. As part of their mission, there is scale of operation which includes long timescale. Stating a mission would of course not be complete or valid without stating what possible uncertainties and constraints are there to be face. Some of these constraints include legal acquisition of licence. Such as business are would also put an organisational structure in place. As part of their organisation, the company would specify time frame of operation, trade or market space, and possible restructuring that would have to take place in the company either immediately or in the nearest future. Next, the industry will consider their delivery mode after production starts. To do this, they get an administration and management in place to take care of all duties that has to do with major decision making. Ther e would also be a mapping strategy to determine the project

The drug metabolism

The drug metabolism Introduction: If an exogenous microorganism enters the human body, this invokes the immune system to produce antibodies to come into contact with the foreign potentially pathogenic species and lead to its destruction. Although when drug molecules enter the human body this does not result in the synthesis of antibodies, due to their relatively small molecular weight. This is why the endogenous metabolism of drugs is vital in ensuring no or the minimum toxicity from a very broad spectrum of xenobiotics i.e. molecules/compounds which are found in a given organism, but are not synthesized naturally by it and or normally found within it. We can define drug metabolism as the enzymatically catalysed conversion of exogenous drug molecules into generally less active metabolites, which have a faster rate of clearance from the body. (While this is true for the majority of metabolites it is important to acknowledge that some metabolites actually are of higher toxicity than their precursors.) This occurs throu ghout nearly every organ (excluding ectodermal tissue) in the human body, but specifically the gastro-intestinal tract, lungs, kidneys and most importantly (and abundantly) the liver. While drug metabolism is essential in preventing a specific toxicity being produced from the accumulation of a drug(s), there are drawbacks that need to be addressed; a given drug may be a xenobiotic, but it is taken (or administered) in order to produce some degree of a therapeutic effect for its specifically targeted disease/pathology. Thus drug metabolism can inhibit the therapeutic benefit of a given molecule that ideally needs to be retained in a particular tissue of the body for a set period of time, to bring about a therapeutic effect. This is mainly due to the fact that a large number of drug molecules do mimic the structure of endogenous molecules close enough for the corresponding specific enzymes to target them as well as nonspecific enzymes which only identify certain molecular groups as opposed to the entire pharmacophore of a given drug. This unexpected drug metabolism could result in an undesired decrease in the bioavailability of a drug which would lead to increased d oses or dosage frequencies; this would cause a decrease in patient compliance which in the current medicinal environment is vital. Absorption and clearance: In the case of drug absorption into the desired tissues of the body generally a lipophilic character is required. This is because regardless of the site of drug uptake, it must pass through the cell membranes of targeted cells. These cell membranes are lipophilic in nature as they consist of a phospholipid bilayer. The inside of this bilayer is made up of hydrocarbon tails which are straight chain hydrocarbons which interact with each other via Van der Waal interactions and London forces. Thus drug molecules are designed to have sufficient lipophilic character that they can form these interactions with the lipid bilayers and pass into cells. Unfortunately this means that they are of limited hydrophilicity and either do not go into dissolution in an aqueous environment at all or do so at a very slow rate. As previously mentioned as this is unacceptable due to the accumulation of a given drug that would occur and produce toxicity, the drug must undergo a series of transformations that serve to increase the hydrophilic nature of the drug molecules. This predominately occurs in liver cells (hepatocytes) in processes known as phase I and phase II metabolism. Phase I and Phase II: Phase I metabolism is constituted of oxidative, reductive and hydrolytic reactions. These serve to produce primary metabolites that are susceptible to other reactions, which consist of the following conjugations; glucuronic acid, sulphate, amino acid, glutathione, water, acetyl, fatty acid and methyl. These occur via the corresponding conjugating agents and are known as phase II reactions. They aim to produce secondary metabolites that are far more hydrophilic nature than their precursor drug counterparts. This is with the addition of e.g. amine, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl groups as well as others, simply to increase the number of very electronegative atoms (with lone pairs of electrons) in a given species. Thus these metabolites can from a greater number of hydrogen bonds with the aqueous medium of the nephronal filtrate of the kidneys and be excreted at a faster rate via the passing of urine. The main constituent of phase I transformations are oxidative reactions, as they activate the selected species in generally one of two ways; hydroxylation and epoxidation. We can define oxidation as the gain of oxygen in a molecule or more precisely the loss of at least one electron from a species reacting with molecular oxygen. This is true for the two general mechanisms mentioned above as adding either a hydroxyl group or an epoxide ring to a molecule increases the number of oxygen atoms that the molecule contains. Firstly this increases the ability of the newly formed metabolite to act as a nucleophile due to the lone pair of electrons available for covalent bond formation (from the oxygen atom added to the molecule). Secondly it increases the chances of attack by an electrophilic species, because of the high electron density of the lone pair of electrons on the oxygen atom. Oxidation Properties and mechanisms of the Cytochrome P450 isoenzyme superfamily: The majority of these oxidative metabolic reactions are carried out by a superfamily of enzymes known as cytochrome P450, this can be displayed as: RH + O2 +NAD(P)H + H+ ? ROH + H2O + NAD(P)+ [1] The P450 enzymes catalyse the biodegradation of other exogenous species that are not drugs such as; organic solvents, ethanol (or consumed alcohol), anaesthetics, pesticides and carcinogens [1]; While endogenous molecules such as organic acids, steroids and prostaglandins are also biodegraded [1]. These enzymes are intracellular hemoproteins that function as external monooxygenases (mixed function oxidases) enzymes that serve to incorporate a single atom of molecular oxygen into a lipophilic xenobiotic substrate (i.e. a drug molecule), with the concomitant reduction of the other atom to water [1]. While internal monooxygenases take two reductive equivalents from the substrate in order to reduce one atom of molecular oxygen to water, this is normally done with an external reductant for external monooxygenases [1]. In eukaryotic cells the P450 enzymes consist of around half a thousand amino acid that compose their quaternary structure, these hemoproteins are membrane bound and have a heme prosthetic group at their centres. It is thought that the reason the enzymes can be bound to the cell membranes is the N-terminus of the enzymes tertiary structure has numerous hydrophobic amino acids (i.e. ones which contain aromatic/cyclic groups and have few very electronegative atoms such as oxygen and sulphur) that can interact with the lipid bilayer of the cells. Most hemoproteins in mammalian cells have nitrogen atom from the histidine residues imidazole group to form a ligand with the iron-heme prosthetic group. While for P450 enzymes this ligand is formed between the prosthetic group and the thiol group of a cysteine residue which is located near the C-terminus of the protein. This ligand activates the porphyrin ring (four conjugated pyrrole rings) to nucleophilic substitution by an oxygen atom. This is because the thiol group has an electron inductive effect due to its high electronegativity and so makes the carbon atom it is directly bonded to very electropositive and thus of greater electrophilicity/susceptibility of nucleophilic attack by the lone pair of electrons from the oxygen atom, so allowing oxidation to take place. The general process of the catalytic oxidative cycle of the cytochrome P450 enzyme superfamily: The substrate binds to a specific P450 enzyme and is followed by the first electron of the coenzyme NADPH via the electron transport chain. This is then followed by the binding of an oxygen atom that accepts the second electron from the coenzyme to produce a ferric peroxy anion [1]. The anion forms a ferric hydroperoxy complex via protonation, which in turn is heterolytically cleaved to form a Fe(V)=O species [1]. The newly formed highly electrophilic iron-oxo intermediate then attacks the substrate to form a hydroxylated metabolite. This product disassociates to allow another substrate to bind and the oxidation cycle to continue [1]. Schematic organisation of different cytochrome P450 systems. Upper row, left: bacterial system, right: mitochondrial system. Lower row, left: microsomal system, right: self-sufficient CYP102 (P450-BM3).[1] Aromatic hydroxylation: This leads on to the first major constituent of oxidative reactions; aromatic hydroxylation. This is simply the addition of at least one hydroxyl group to a given substrate although depending on the chemical environment that the product is formed in (e.g. pH) the hydrogen atom may be lost from the hydroxyl group. Aromatic compounds are first metabolized to the corresponding arene oxides; this is by electrophilic addition of the aromatic ring (of the previously mentioned iron-oxo intermediate) to produce either a carbocation species. This carbocation would be formed via the movement of an electron to the Fe(IV) species, giving a Fe(III) species bound to a the mentioned carbocation; or by formation of a radical which serves as a tetrahedral intermediate. The produced arene oxides then take on further transformations, which involve removal of the epoxide group that was added and introduction of a hydroxyl group and potentially another nucleophilic substitute. The simplest transformation is simply intramolecular rearrangement to for a para-arenol. Also hydration can take place in the presence of water and using the enzyme epoxide hydrolase. This causes opening of the epoxide ring and formation of a trans-3,4 arenediol. These primary metabolites can also undergo attack by large macromolecules which serve as nucleophiles. This is because the oxygen in the epoxide ring serves to make both the meta and para carbon positions electropositive and electrophilic in nature. Although any nucleophilic substitution that does go on to occur is at the para position, due to greater resonance stability of the formed secondary metabolite. Another example of aromatic hydroxylation would be the metabolism of isoliquiritigenin. It is a chalcone found in licorice roots and other plants [3] which has shown potent antitumor, phytoestrogenic activity and antioxidant properties. [3] Schematics for its metabolism can be shown below. [3] The metabolism of aromatic compounds that get hydroxylated can be slowed by using para-substituted aromatic compounds with either chlorine or a fluorine atom in the para position. While electron withdrawing groups deactivate the ring towards electrophilic substitution and activate it towards nucleophilic substitution; electron donating groups activate the ring towards electrophilic substitution and deactivate it towards nucleophilic substitution. While most ring deactivators go in the meta position, halogens direct ortho-para, i.e. the same as ring activators. This is because the halogens, especially fluorine and chlorine are very electronegative and thus have an electron inductive effect and decrease the electron density of the ring. This inductivity is far greater than the resonance stability that the halogen can give the ring thus deactivating it. Thus the addition of these halogen atoms decreases the nucleophilic nature of the ring and decreases the rate of metabolism. This can b e shown with the metabolism of the drug Diclofenac (shown below [4]) which is an anti-inflammatory drug as it is has a half-life of around one hour. While its derivative fenclofenac which has a para-substituted chlorine atom has a half-life twenty times longer. Alkene epoxidation: Epoxidation of alkenes occurs readily, because they are more volatile than the ? bonds of aromatic compounds, this simply involves the addition of an epoxide ring to a molecule in order for it to then undergo further transformations. For example the drug Coumarin has been used clinically at high dosages in humans in the treatment of high-protein lymphedemas (Jamal and Casley-Smith, 1989) and as an antineoplastic agent in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (Marshall et al., 1994) and malignant melanoma (Marshall et al., 1989). [5] It and its 3/7-hydroxy isomers undergo epoxidation and then either glutathione conjugation or non-enzymatic intramolecular rearrangement [5] to secondary metabolites. This is shown schematically below. [5] It is also vitally important that environmental carcinogens are broken down via drug metabolism, in particular by the P450 enzymes. For example acrylonitrile (AN2) is widely used in the production of acrylic and modacrylic fibres, plastics, rubbers, resins, and as a chemical intermediate in the synthesis of many other industrial products (IARC,1999). Early epidemiological studies have suggested that AN may increase the incidence of lung, colon, and stomach cancers among exposed workers (Thiess and Fleig, 1978; Blair et al., 1998).[6] As a result P450 epoxidation is vital for preventing carcinogenic action of AN. While the metabolic basis of the acute toxicity of AN has not been fully elucidated, it is generally attributed to its metabolism to CEO (cyanoethylene oxide) and cyanide, and glutathione depletion. The primary target of acute toxicity of AN is the central nervous system due, at least partially, to the liberation of cyanide (Ahmed and Patel, 1981; Benz et al., 1997). [6] The below diagram illustrates how AN is metabolised by the P450 enzymes, specifically the CYP2E1 isoform.[6] Alcohol and aldehyde metabolism: Alcohols and aldehydes can be metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes to aldehydes and carboxylic acids respectively, but the majority of these transformations are catalysed by alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. These enzymes are predominantly in the liver and require the coenzyme NAD+ or NADP+. General equations for these reactions are shown below. [Alcohol Dehydrogenase]Ez + RCH2OH + NAD + RCHO + NADH + H+ [Aldehyde Dehydrogenase]Ez + RCHO + NAD+ + H2O RCOOH + NADH + H+ Reduction: Cytochrome P450 enzymes are used along with reductases to metabolise drugs that have a carbon atom that is able to be reduced such as a carbonyl or an unsaturated carbon, a nitro group or a compound with an azo group. In addition upon reaction usually a specific stereoisomer is formed. The structure of the rest of the compounds often attribute to which stereoisomer is formed. Some stereoisomers can prove to be toxic. Carbonyl compounds: Carbonyl compounds are reduced by cytochrome P450 into alcohols and are NADP or NADPH dependent. The enzymes involved in the reduction of carbonyls are classified based upon their gene sequence, 3-D structure and cofactor dependence into superfamilies of; medium-chain dehydrogenases/reductases, aldo-keto reductases, short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases which include carbonyl reductases. The majority of these enzymes are present in the cytosol however there are some that are found in the microsomes and mitochondria. Short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs) and aldo-keto reductases (AKR) are the most common enzymes used in drug metabolism. These enzymes also exhibit high specificity for the drugs that they reduce. Saturated ketones reduced to alcohols whilst in an unsaturated ketone both the ketone group and the double bonds are both reduced. Steroidal drugs undergo oxidoreduction of the hydroxy/keto group at C17[7]. This makes the compound more water soluble and hence easier to be excreted. Some metabolising enzymes behave differently and undergo different types of reactions when in different cells. An example is carbonyl reductases within tumour cells and normal cells. These have become a target of new drugs such as oracin in the treatment of breast cancer [9]. The enzymes within the cancer cells metabolise oracin and doxorubin more effectively than in normal cells hence reducing the efficacy of the cytostatic effect of the drugs. Some carbonyl compounds however do not undergo reduction via the cytochrome P450 pathway but are rather reduced by other pathways including the aldo-keto reductases (AKR). An example is a drug containing a 1,3-diketone derivative S-1360 which upon reduction produces a key metabolite HP1 which constitutes a major clearance pathway[9]. Nitrogen compounds: The reduction of nitrogen containing compounds are reduced to amines in order to aid excretion as amines are more water soluble than their nitro groups. Azo compounds on the other hand may be metabolised within the body to produce the active drug as opposed to the precursor which may be formulated to get pass the first pass effect or the hydrophilic barrier in order to enter their target cells. The azo group provides 2 compounds with amine groups which can be further metabolised like any other amine. Both of these functional groups are both reduced by cytochrome P450 enzymes and are NADPH dependent. Hydrolysis: This is part of the Phase I metabolism pathway. The metabolites produced are all susceptible to Phase II conjugation and thus being excreted after the conjugation. The functional groups of the drugs that are metabolised by hydrolysis include esters and amides, which produce carboxylic acids, alcohols and amines. Esters are hydrolysed quicker than amides in vivo. Unlike oxidation and reduction the reactions are typically not carried out by the cytochrome P450 system. The most significant enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of the esters and amides are carboxylesterases and arylesterases, cholinesterases and serine endopeptidases. The active site of the enzymes involved may be stereospecific as to which enantiomer of the drug is metabolised and in addition which enantiomer of the drug is generated. Some of these products are toxic and dangerous to the body. Amino acid reactions Several phase I reactions produce a carboxylic acid metabolite. Xenobiotic carboxylic acids can be metabolised before elimination by amino acid conjugation. Glycine; the most common conjugating amino acid forms ionic conjugates that are water soluble with aromatic, arylaliphatic and heterocyclic carboxylic acids. In these reactions, first the xenobiotic carboxylic acid is activated by ATP to form the AMP ester by the enzyme acyl synthetase. Then the AMP ester is converted to a Coenzyme-A thioester. Next, an amide or peptide bond is formed between the thioester and the amino group of glycine. The latter reaction is mediated by the enzyme acyl transferase. These reactions are shown in figure 1. The amino acid conjugate produced is ionic and therefore water soluble, hence it is easily eliminated in the urine and bile. (1) Glutathione conjugation Glutathione is a protective compound in the body that removes potentially toxic electrophilic compounds and xenobiotics. Drugs are metabolised by phase I reactions to form strong elecrophiles that can react with glutathione to form conjugates that are not toxic. This phase II reaction differs from others since electrophiles are subject to conjugations rather than nucleophiles. The nucleophilic thiol group on the glutathione compound (figure 2) attacks elecrophiles (electrophilic carbons with leaving groups). Compounds that can be conjugated to give thioether conjugates of glutathione: Epoxides Haloalkanes Nitroalkanes Alkenes Aromatic halo- and nitro- compounds Glutathione-S-transferases (GST) are enzymes which catalyse the reactions above. There are thirteen different human GST subunits which have been identified and they belong to five different classes. They are located in the cytosol of the liver, kidney and gut. The enzyme GST is thought to increase the ionisation of the thiol group of glutathione, leading to an increase in its nucleophilicity towards electrophiles. (1)(2) Once formed, GSH conjugates may be excreted directly or more often they are further metabolised to N-acetylcysteine conjugates which can then be excreted via phase III metabolism. Phase III Metabolism further modification and excretion Before being excreted in the urine, most xenobiotics are made less toxic and more water soluble as polarity increases by metabolising enzymes in phase II reactions. In phase III metabolism water soluble compounds are excreted in the urine. However, some drug compounds are not metabolised and therefore are not excreted. These non-metabolised compounds are readily reabsorbed from the urine through the renal tubular membranes and into the plasma to be recirculated. (3) Some xenobiotic conjugates from phase II reactions are further metabolised during phase III metabolism reactions. Glutathione-S conjugates may be metabolised further by hydrolysis of the glutathione conjugate (GSR) at the y-glutamyl bond of the glutamate residues by y -glutamyl transferase (y -GT) followed by hydrolysis of glycine residues resulting in a cysteine conjugate containing a free amino group of the cysteine residue. This then undergoes N-acetylation to form mercapturic acid. The final products; mercapturic acids are S-derivatives of N-acetylcysteine synthesised from glutathione (figure 4). (1)(2) First-pass Metabolism The metabolism of many drugs is dependent on the route of administation therefore orally administered drugs are subject to first pass metabolism and consequently their bioavailablity is reduced. This occurs as a result of the orally administered drugs entering the systemic circulation via the hepatic portal vein, so the drug is exposed to the intestinal wall and the liver, which is thought to be the main site of first-pass metabolism of orally administered drugs. Other possible sites are the gastrointestinal tract, blood, vascular endothelium and lungs. First-pass Metabolism in the Liver During first-pass metabolism, the cytochrome P450 enzymes family represent the most significant of the hepatic enzymes. It has been estimated that the endoplasmic reticulum of the liver contains approximately 25 000 nmol of cytochrome P450. Although there are several human P450 subfamilies and multiple individual isozymes within subfamilies, only five P450 enzymes are shown to be significant for the process of first-pass metabolism: CYP1A2 CYP2C9 CYP2C19 CYP2D6 CYP3A4 Cytochrome P450 drug substrates are commonly highly extracted during first-pass metabolism. Examples of these drugs are; morphine, verapamil, propranolol, midazolam, lidocaine. Drugs that are highly extracted such as lidocaine have a low bioavailability when taken orally therefore they are not administered orally. CYP3A4 is the most commonly active isozyme against P450 drug substrates. This is possibly due to the enzymes abundance and broad substrate specificity. Highly extracted substrates for conjugative, reductive or non-P450 oxidative enzymes are less common. These include labetalol, morphine, terbutaline, isoproterenol and pentoxifylline. The gut is also an important organ involved in pre-systemic metabolism. Metabolism here for drugs with high first-pass metabolism leads to a reduced bioavailability. Some metabolizing enzymes such as CYP3A4 is found at a higher level in enterocytes than in the liver. Recent findings state that gut wall metabolism is the major cause of low bioavailability of certain drugs. Intestinal First-pass Metabolism Various drug metabolizing enzymes found in the liver are also found within the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract. These include cytochromes P450, glucuronosyl transferases, sulfotransferases, N-acetyl transferase, glutathione S-transferases, esterases, epoxide hydrolase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The small intestine contains high amounts of three cytochrome P450 enzymes; CYP3A, CYP2D6 and CYP2C. Unlike the liver which has a relatively uniform distribution of P450enzymes, the distribution of P450 enzymes is not uniform along the small intestine and villi. Proximal mucosal P450 content is normally higher than distal mucosa P450 content. Therefore it has been established that protein level and catalytic activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the small intestine are generally lower than those in the liver. This has been demonstrated by comparison of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver and the small intestine. The extent of first-pass metabolism can result from interindividual variability: Genetic variation Induction or inhibition of metabolic enzymes Food increases liver blood flow. This can increase the bioavailablity of some drugs by increasing the amount of drug presented to the liver to an amount that is above the threshold for complete hepatic extraction Drugs that increase liver blood flow (similar effects to food) and drugs that reduce liver blood flow Non- linear first pass kinetics, i.e. dose Liver disease increases the bioavailability of some drugs with extensive first-pass metabolism (4) To avoid first pass metabolism a drug can be administered sublingual and buccal routes. These routes lead to drugs being absorbed by the oral mucosa. During sublingual administration the drug is put under the tongue where it dissolves in salivary secretions. An example of a sublingual drug is nitroglycerine. During buccal administration the drug is positioned between the teeth and the mucous membrane of the cheek. Both of these routes avoid destruction by the GI fluids and first pass effect of the liver. Drugs may also be administered via other routes to avoid first-pass metabolism, for example; rectal, inhalation, transdermal, intravenous. (5) Prodrugs Many drugs require metabolic activation in order to exert their pharmacological action; these are described as pro-drugs. There are two types; type I and type II which has subtypes A and B dependent on the site of activation. Type I prodrugs are converted intracellularly at the target cells (A) or at tissues that usually metabolise compounds (B). An example of a type IA prodrug is Zidovudine and type IB prodrug is captopril. Metabolic activation of type I prodrugs is usually linked to phase I metabolic enzymes. Type II prodrugs are converted extracellularly in GI fluids (A) or in the systemic circulation (B). An example of a type IIA prodrug is sulfasalazine and type IIB prodrug is fosphenytoin. Type II prodrugs are very popular as they are involved in overcoming bioavailability problems, which are commonly experienced with many drugs, by improving permeability and reducing the first pass effect. (6) Type I Prodrugs are used to target a drug to its specific site of action; an example of this is the drug used in Parkinsons disease levodopa; the inactive form of the drug which is metabolised in the neurone by the enzyme dopa decarboxylase to the active form; dopamine. Dopamine does not cross the blood-brain barrier so it is given as the levodopa precursor which is lipophilic so it can cross the barrier and then metabolized in vivo to dopamine. (7) Another example of the use of prodrugs is the pharmacological activation of a type II prodrug Azathioprine to mercaptopurine which is a chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of leukaemia. When mercaptopurine is administered, its clinical usefulness is restricted because of its rapid biotransformation by xanthine oxidase to an inactive metabolite 6-thiouric acid. Therefore larger doses have to be given as it has a low bioavailability, this leads to toxicity. By administering mercaptopurine as its cysteine conjugate, the limitations can be overcome. This ionic form of the pro-drug conjugate is selectively taken up by the renal organic anion transport system. The kidney B-lyase enzyme system then cleaves the prodrug conjugate to give the active mercaptopurine in the kidney (figure 5). (8)(9) To conclude, prodrugs can be metabolised in different ways to form the active drug. They can be used to target specific sites, improve absorption and improve oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. They can also be used to avoid first pass metabolism in drugs with high first pass extraction and reduce toxicity. (6) Factors affecting metabolism There are several factors that can affect drug metabolism. Age, sex, inducers and inhibitors are some of which can effect drug metabolism which are mentioned below. How does age affect drug metabolism: There are many physiological changes that occur with ageing. The changes have the potential to affect both drug disposition and metabolism. Drug metabolism is mainly functioned by the liver, its size, blood perfusion and synthetic capacity for proteins which all determine the rate of hepatic drug elimination[5]. Paediatric population Phase one and phase two metabolic pathways may not be active at birth due to maturational changes. The paediatric population and elderly population have differences in their capacity to metabolise a drug which can therefore produce a lower or higher plasma concentration of active substances compared with adults depending on the enzyme system used. There are examples of metabolites produced by therapeutic agents in children that are not usually seen in adults. The metabolites produced maybe the reason for some of the efficacy and or toxicity visible with drug administration in children. An example is: caffeine production in a neonate receiving Theophylline. Other therapeutic agents which show changes in metabolite production in children are; Valproic acid, paracetamol, Chloramphenicol, Cimetidine Salicylamide. In most cases the differences that occur between children and adults are in the ratios of the metabolites relative to the parent drug rather than in new metabolites individual to the paediatric population with some exceptions. The paediatric population shows the same set of enzymes as the adult population. (1) In general age related changes in drug metabolism have been shown to occur due to a consequence of diminished enzyme activities within the elderly human liver due to the size of the liver decreasing and hepatic blood flow decreasing. With age the liver blood flow is generally reduced by about 20-30% and there is a decrease in liver size by about (17-36%). Currently there is no clear pattern; however there are two general trends that influence the rate of metabolism. One trend is that drugs that are undergoing hepatic microsomal oxidation are more likely to be metabolised slowly in the elderly and those which are conjugated are not likely to be influence by the age factor. Secondly, drugs that have high hepatic clearance, extraction ratios example-Chlormethiazole, and Labetalol and undergo extensive first pass metabolism whilst oral absorption may show a large increase in bioavailability in the elderly. Elderly population In general in the elderly population hepatic blood flow decreases up to 40% and there can be a considerable reduction in the amount of drug reaching the liver per unit. Studies have shown that the effect of ageing on liver enzymes with particular drug

Charlemagne’s Will: Church, Empire, and Intellect :: Essays Papers

Charlemagne’s Will: Church, Empire, and Intellect â€Å"†¦and [I] shall first give an account of his deeds at home and abroad, then of his character and pursuits, and lastly of his administration and death, omitting nothing worth knowing or necessary to know.† – Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne Charlemagne—Charles, King of the Franks—obviously has a fan in Einhard. His powerful work, The Life of Charlemagne, details the king’s life from the building of his empire, through the education of his children, and culminating in his final living words: the division of his possessions and the instructions for the preservation of his kingdom. At first glance, the inclusion of Charlemagne’s will seems an odd choice to end an essay that demonstrates thoroughly the specifics of the great man’s life. After all, who needs to know which child gets his gold, and which archbishop he favored the most. Einhard reveals the ignorance in this assumption by doing just the opposite: using Charlemagne’s will as the final and most convincing illustration of the king’s life and character. Einhard divides his discussion of Charlemagne into three distinct sections, perhaps in imitation of the king’s will, which is also partitioned into the same three underlying themes: church, empire, and intellect. Throughout his essay, Einhard makes constant references to Charlemagne’s piety. He notes that the king â€Å"cherished with great fervor and devotion the principles of the Christian religion.† Charlemagne built the basilica at Aix-la-Chapelle, and â€Å"was a constant worshipper at this church.† (Einhard, 48)†¦. He embodied the Christian doctrine to give to the poor, and had close relationships to the popes in Rome. A pessimist might find reason to believe these actions were purely opportunistic or at least had mixed motives—his relationships with the Vatican were monetarily beneficial—but Einhard’s inclusion of Charlemagne’s will removes all doubt. â€Å"In this division he is especially desirous to provide†¦the largess of alms which Christians usually make.† (Einhard, 52). In death, Charlemagne gave much of his wealth to the Church via the archbishops of each city in his empire, and further stipulated tha t upon the death of one of them, a portion of the remaining inheritance should go directly to the poor, as should the profit of the sale of his library. Charlemagne’s Will: Church, Empire, and Intellect :: Essays Papers Charlemagne’s Will: Church, Empire, and Intellect â€Å"†¦and [I] shall first give an account of his deeds at home and abroad, then of his character and pursuits, and lastly of his administration and death, omitting nothing worth knowing or necessary to know.† – Einhard, The Life of Charlemagne Charlemagne—Charles, King of the Franks—obviously has a fan in Einhard. His powerful work, The Life of Charlemagne, details the king’s life from the building of his empire, through the education of his children, and culminating in his final living words: the division of his possessions and the instructions for the preservation of his kingdom. At first glance, the inclusion of Charlemagne’s will seems an odd choice to end an essay that demonstrates thoroughly the specifics of the great man’s life. After all, who needs to know which child gets his gold, and which archbishop he favored the most. Einhard reveals the ignorance in this assumption by doing just the opposite: using Charlemagne’s will as the final and most convincing illustration of the king’s life and character. Einhard divides his discussion of Charlemagne into three distinct sections, perhaps in imitation of the king’s will, which is also partitioned into the same three underlying themes: church, empire, and intellect. Throughout his essay, Einhard makes constant references to Charlemagne’s piety. He notes that the king â€Å"cherished with great fervor and devotion the principles of the Christian religion.† Charlemagne built the basilica at Aix-la-Chapelle, and â€Å"was a constant worshipper at this church.† (Einhard, 48)†¦. He embodied the Christian doctrine to give to the poor, and had close relationships to the popes in Rome. A pessimist might find reason to believe these actions were purely opportunistic or at least had mixed motives—his relationships with the Vatican were monetarily beneficial—but Einhard’s inclusion of Charlemagne’s will removes all doubt. â€Å"In this division he is especially desirous to provide†¦the largess of alms which Christians usually make.† (Einhard, 52). In death, Charlemagne gave much of his wealth to the Church via the archbishops of each city in his empire, and further stipulated tha t upon the death of one of them, a portion of the remaining inheritance should go directly to the poor, as should the profit of the sale of his library.

Anna Avalon Character Sketch Essay

Anna Avalon, the adventurous and admirable main character of â€Å"The Leap’ written by Louise Erdich has many traits that prove her to be a very admirable woman. Her daughter is very grateful to have her as a mother. Throughout this short story, it is quite easy to see that Anna Avalon is talented, careful and brave. Considered to be â€Å"The surviving half of a blindfold trapeze act† (Pg. 190) Anna Avalon is very talented. She had previously been a performer. â€Å"Anna of the Flying Avalon’s† She had been involved in many performances and was definitely a crowd favourite, Anna had performed many â€Å"Double somersaults and heart-stopping catches† (Pg. 90) However, one day there had been a tragic accident. While seven months pregnant, lightning struck a pole resulting in three deaths. â€Å" Lightning struck the main pole and sizzles down the guy wires, filling the air with a blue radiance† (Pg. 192) Anna was the only one who survived this tragic accident, this showing her talent. Along with talented, Anna Avalon is very careful. She is an elderly lady living in New Hampshire, with sightless eyes. Although blind, â€Å"she has never upset an object or as much as brushed a magazine onto the floor. She has never lost her balance or bumped into a closet door left carelessly open. The â€Å"catlike precision of her movements’ (Pg. 190) is probably due to her early training. When caught in a house fire, Anna was willing to risk her own life in order to save her daughter. This shows that she’s a brave and courageous woman and would do anything for her child. Several years ago, Anna Avalon’s house caught on fire, when her daughter was just seven years old. The staircase to her upstairs room had been cut off by flames so everyone was outside thinking there was no rescue. â€Å"Outside, my mother stood below my dark window and saw clearly that there was no rescue. (Pg. 195) However, Anna Avalon did everything in her power to assure her daughter would be safe. â€Å"Standing there, beside Father, who was preparing to rush back around to the front of the house, my mother asked him to unzip her dress. When he wouldn’t be bothered, she made him understand. He couldn’t make his hands work, so she finally tore it off and stood there in her pearls and stockings. She directed one of the men to lean the broken half of the extension ladder up against the trunk of the tree. † (Pg. 195) Anna had well thought out a way to save her seven year old. She leaped through the icy-air and â€Å"was hanging by the backs of her heels from the new gutter†. (Pg. 195) She then tapped on the window to let her daughter know she came to rescue her. Although she was only in her underclothing, she had bigger things to worry about, such as saving her daughter. She successfully saved her daughter, showing her true heroism and bravery. Throughout â€Å"The leap’ it’s clear that Anna is very admirable. She has done many things in her life to help others and we see that she is a wonderful person. From her actions, Anna Avalon is talented, careful and brave.

Fahrenhiet 451 essays

Fahrenhiet 451 essays 1.Montag is a very easily influenced and changing person. Even such a seemingly insignificant person such as Clarisse had the most profound affect on him. One Second he his following the path of his society, and the next he his starting to doubt his ways after a few chats with a young girl. In the beginning of the book Montag is described in dark and gloomy tones, but at the same time is described with the fire symbols, which foreshadow the changes that will be taking place throughout the book in Montag. Montag starts out a very gloomy and thoughtless person that conceals his unhappiness with a mask just going through life like he has been told do all his life. As the story goes on and he talks to Clarisse he starts to change. He begins to drink the falling rain, which represents that he will be reborn in a sense that his views will change. He starts to look at the stars, not just for fun because he his becoming confused about what he needs to do and is looking for guidance which he finds in Faber. In the very end of the novel Montag jumps into the river not only for the obvious reason to escape the hound, but most importantly to show the reader that Montage is beginning a new life. He will never have the same securities, easiness, or comforts that he has experienced for his whole life until now. Montag, instead of being described in, is now realizing the darkness and chaos that everybody is consumed in. The whole book, from cover to back, is filled with changing symbols and colors that are used to represent Montag in that point in time of the book. He is never the same person at any time in the novel. ...

The Great Gatsby Movie Adaptations

'The Great Gatsby' Movie Adaptations The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the great novels in American literature, but into which formats (and multimedia) forms have the novel been adapted? The answer is several. In all, there are six film versions of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald: 1926 - The Great Gatsby Distributed by: Paramount PicturesReleased: Nov. 21, 1926Directed by: Herbert BrenonProduced by: Jesse L. Lasky and Adolph ZukorSilent movie, based on a stage adaptation written by Owen Davis. Also written by Becky Gardiner and Elizabeth MeehanStarring: Warner Baxter, Lois Wilson, and William Powell.No copies of the entire film are known to exist, but the National Archives has a trailer for the film. 1949 - The Great Gatsby Distributed by: Paramount PicturesDirected by: Elliott NugentProduced by: Richard MaibaumStarring: Alan Ladd, Betty Field, Macdonald Carey, Ruth Hussey, Barry Sullivan, Shelley Winters, and Howard Da SilvaWriters: Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume (also the stage adaptation by Owen Davis)Music by: Robert Emmett DolanCinematography: John F. SeitzEditing by: Ellsworth Hoagland 1974 - The Great Gatsby Distributed by: Newdon Productions and Paramount PicturesRelease date: March 29, 1974Directed by: Jack Clayton (In MemoirsTennessee Williams wrote: It seems to me that quite a few of my stories, as well as my one acts, would provide interesting and profitable material for the contemporary cinema, if committed to ... such cinematic masters of direction as Jack Clayton, who made of The Great Gatsby a film that even surpassed, I think, the novel by Scott Fitzgerald.)Starring: Sam Waterston, Mia Farrow, Robert Redford, Bruce Dern, and Karen Black.Screenplay by: Francis Ford Coppola 2000 - The Great Gatsby Directed by Robert MarkowitzMade-for-TV movie.Starring: Toby Stephens, Paul Rudd, and Mira Sorvino. 2002 - G Directed by: Christopher Scott CherotModernizedStarring: Richard T. Jones, Blair Underwood, and Chenoa Maxwell 2013 - The Great Gatsby Directed by: Baz LuhrmannRelease date: May 10, 2013Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire.

Write about a contemporary song about small-town life and talk about Essay

Write about a contemporary song about small-town life and talk about it and relate it to Our town by Thornton Wilder - Essay Example In his song, Mellencamp brought forward a message that someone does not necessarily need to live in a city for him or her to experience a full life. According to him, living in the countryside was something of value that anyone should appreciate because that is where the family and close friends live (Mellencamp, 43-45). According to Franklin (254-255), the play ‘Our Town’ by Thornton Wilder is about the fictional American small town of Grocer’s Corner. The play explores the kind of lives for the people in small towns, where the normal life revolves around birth, marriage, and death. The theme in the play is quite similar to the lyrics of the song by Mellencamp as they both depict the graceful lives of people in the countryside. I agree with their views of small town life because it is our duty to maintain our originality and appreciate the simple and peaceful life in the countryside. It is something that those from the city should envy, as there is no anonymity in the countryside. Just as you know everyone, everyone knows you in the small town life. People should appreciate others and the little things they do as they are actually among the most important ones. The ‘Small Town’ song by Mellencamp, rhyme in terms of the subject matter with the play ‘Our Town’ by Thornton, as they both tell of the life experience in a small town setup. The play and the song give a positive outlook of a unique and admirable

Formal report and work plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Formal report and work plan - Assignment Example Miller, F.W., Alfredsson, L., Kostenbader, K.H., Kamen, D.L., Nelson, L.M., Norris, J.M., and De Roos, A.J. (2012) Epidemiology of environmental exposures and human autoimmune diseases: Findings from a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences expert panel workshop, Journal of Autoimmunity, 39 (4), 259-271. McMichael, A.J., Neira, M., Bertollini, R., Campbell-Lendrum, D., and Hales, H. (2009) Climate change: A time of need and opportunity for the health sector, Lancet, Retrieved from http://wwwlive.who.int/globalchange/news/our_lancet_viewpoint.pdf Pleil, J.D. (2008) Role of exhaled breath biomarkers in environmental health science, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Science, Part B, 11: 613-629. 5. Information to be provided to Consultants: Definition of career Environmental health science has been defined as â€Å"the study of the linkage from environmental pollution sources to eventual adverse health outcomes† (Pleil, 2008, p.613). ... duties of an environmental health professional include, apart from diagnosing and treating environmental health problems, â€Å"promoting public understanding, monitoring and reporting the health effects of environmental change, and proposing and advocating local adaptive responses† (McMichael, Friel, Nyong, and Corvalan, 2008, p.193). Personality types Professionals with social and environmental awareness and commitment are good for this profession (McMichael, Friel, Nyong, and Corvalan, 2008, p.193). Placement opportunities The major opportunities in this sector have been evolving from the adverse impacts of climate and other environmental changes (McMichael, Neira, Bertollini, Campbell-Lendrum and Hales, 2009, p.1). Health inequalities caused by environmental pollution are on the rise and â€Å"health professionals have a vital contributory role in preventing and reducing the health effects of global environmental change† (McMichael, Friel, Nyong, and Corvalan, 2008, p.191). Hence this career field presents placement opportunities in almost all industries and institutions. 6. Additional Resources a) The website, www.environcorp.com b) The government website, www.dhhs.ne.gov.com c) The Registered Environmental Health Specialist Program of the government in California. d) National Environmental Health Association and their website, www.neha.org e) Environmental Health Services Program f) Environmental health specialist registration norms of different state governments g) Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, UK 7. Graphics An instance of environmental health assessment: Environmental Health Specialist job trends: Alcoa-Kofem Environmental, Health and Safety Strategy: A graphical model Cover Page A Guide to Career of Environmental Health Specialist Prepared for:

System Information System Planning & Management Essay

System Information System Planning & Management - Essay Example The methodology section entails different mechanisms through which the company will employ to achieve the info for success. The report findings will provide the actual issues for analysis. There will be discussion of the issues and conclusion basing on the rationale. Finally, the recommendations will be suggested to allow for the actual specifications of the report stipulations and measures for improvements. Introduction GLM is a company that deals with the production of a large range of small products made from plastics and their customization. The business has managed to hire competent personnel who have in turn availed viable ideas that have seen the business navigate challenges and manifest excellent performance. The Greens Lime Mouldings (GLM is a business that began as a single entity, but has experienced significant economic revolution through better service offerings to the clients. The business deals in the production of plastic products through the involvement of an appropr iate technology. The systems incorporate persons, technology and data. The information systems are essential in the in provision of options for decision-making. The business targets full satisfaction of the workers through provision of best services on time. The objectives of the report an the business; i. To provide excellent services to the customers ii. To lead in innovation of products iii. To operate in the global scope iv. To utilize best technologies in its operations The Mission Statement To provide the best production and information system services in the globe. The vision statement To provide the best products with a commitment to competence and life- changing services which are critical whole the world through the application of appropriate technology. Even though the company has strategized and formulated the procedures, the company requires clear understanding on the impacts of deviations from its stipulations. The company cannot attain its objectives without strict fo llow up of the set policies. Nonetheless, there are other factors that have to be regarded to as being potential and without their considerations there cannot be significant improvements, instead, there can be decline in the business performance. Considering the role of IS/IT in the enterprise The information technology and the information systems fit in all departments of the company. The information systems help in the improvement of management. For instance, information management systems assist in the decision making process of the business after a critical evaluation of the prevailing situation. The transaction processing systems assist the company’s billing systems in obtaining and disbursing payment to different individuals or companies. The negotiation support systems involve in he exchange of direct information and from the company and into the business. The information technology provides efficiency to individual and improves the accuracy of the operations in the bu siness. A description of your choice of the 3 most important areas of technology for GLM’s business and the benefits and opportunities provided by each of the technologies in relation to GLM’s information systems strategy and aligned business strategy Mobile Technologies Mobile technologies refers to variant types of cell communication know -how. The mobile technology has transformed rapidly in the past few years. The GPS connection device has also enable the connection has

The Bravest Girl in the World Essay Example for Free

The Bravest Girl in the World Essay Malala Yousafzai was just 15 years old when she was shot in the head by the Taliban. The article The Bravest Girl in the World by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb was presented in the December 9, 2013 issue of the upfront magazine. The article explained that the Taliban imposed harsh laws in the Pakistan region-including the banning of schooling for girls. Malala Yousafzai and her father defied those laws and spoke out about every girls right to attend school. Their defiance earned them many admirers and enemies. One day, while she was returning home from school, she was shot by the Taliban. She survived the attack and has become more famous-enabling her to spread her message to the entire world. I am honestly appalled at how a girl going to school is such a big deal in Pakistan. I completely agree with Malala and her dad, girls have the right to have an education and they should be treated equally to boys. I feel this way because education is empowering and can help girls and boys alike to grow up and achieve their dreams- why would anyone want to smash a young girls dream? Reading this story really makes you count your blessings and be thankful to have the privilege of going to school without worrying about your brains being blown out. I can connect to this situation because Im a girl, the main character is also a girl, and we have both been against sexism at one point of our lives. The only reason they had for opposing her learning was that she was a girl.  If it were a boy, they wouldnt have cared one bit about him learning. There are some things that I havent been allowed to do simply because I was a girl. (Paintballing is the only thing I can think of at the moment but I know there were more occasions.) Thankfully, its not to the extreme point of not being allowed to go to school. However, I remember a few years ago my sister wanted to go away to college and all my relatives disapproved because shes a girl and shouldnt go away by herself. My dad still let her go and she happily went to college, got her bachelors degree, and is now working on receiving her Masters degree. The writer communicated her message effectively by using narration. She told us what happened as if it were a story- she was also very descriptive. I noticed that the writer utilized similes; that doorway was like a magical entrance; epithets Bhai Jan, or brother'; and dialogue in the article. The use of these devices helped me understand the story better and made the article more interesting. Why do the Taliban despise the thought of women learning? Is it because they are afraid that its one step closer to equality? Was the gunman ever identified? After a bit of research, I found out that 10 men were arrested in connection to the shooting. Because of this tragedy, I think that laws that protect school children should be implemented. A law should be made against stopping in the middle of the road for random strangers- especially if they have half their face covered. Also, I believe that the best way to respond to this is to have ALL the girls go to school with protection. That way, the chance of another tragedy happening is alleviated. Yousafzai, Malala, and Christina Lamb. The Bravest Girl in the World. _The New York Times_ _Upfront_ 9 Dec. 2013: 12-15. Print.

Study of Internet Banking in Malaysia

Study of Internet Banking in Malaysia Introduction. Background of study: Many scholars claim that electronic banking started in the 1970s. However, evidence showed that the first visible ATM machine was introduced in the year 1981. The ATM- Automated Teller Machines- are a great component of internet banking. They serve as a great alternative to the brick and mortal branches. Afterwards, tele-banking followed suit it yet another delivery channel for branch financial services via telecommunications devices connected to an automated system of the bank by utilizing Automated Voice Response (AVR) Technology. Before the introduction of internet banking in Malaysia in June 1, 2000, banks operated under an unconsolidated system. It was very difficult to conduct an interbank transaction. The bottleneck system was too frail to face the ever rising global competition from it international counterparts of who, by then, most have gone e-banking. To fully utilize the benefits of internet banking, the Malaysian central bank decided to consolidate its commercial banks. Prior to the implementation of this policy, there were about 23 banks in Malaysia in the banking system. However, after the consolidation and the implementation of internet banking, only 10 core banking groups survived, though some merged. The introduction of Internet system into the banking sector, drastically shoot up the performance and competitive advantage of Malaysian banking system. Inter and intra banking transactions became more flexible and faster. Banks are now able to grant loans to firms and individuals through faster an d easier means à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"e-banking. Individuals and firms are able to pay from and deposit money to their account without having to pay a physical visit to their banks. Almost all banking transaction can now be made at home at anytime on a system that runs almost 24/7.amybank became the first domestic bank to offer internet banking services. In Malaysia, this service is currently provided to individual customers at a 128-bit encryption technology to allay fears of security among consumers. The services provided in this portal includes bill payment, banking enquiry functions, , funds transfer, and accounts rundown, credit card payment as well as operation history. Customer support service is made available via e-mails in addition to telephone lines. Bellow is summary table of internet banking services provided by 6 Malaysian commercial banks BANK SERVICE TRANSACTIONS Southern Bank PC Banking Real-time fund transfers, credit-card payments, access account balances and auto alerts. Hong Leong Bank [emailprotected] Fund transfers, balance enquiries, statement download, bill payments, cheque-book request, cheque-status enquiry, stop cheque and credit-card payments. ec-banking Account Summary, Funds Transfer, Credit Card Service, Bill Payments, Service Request HSBC Bank Hexagon A desktop-banking system via the HSBC Groups proprietary worldwide communications network. Services include transfer of funds within own accounts and third-party accounts. Multi-Purpose Bank Multi-Link Basic banking services account balance enquiry, fund transfer, bill payments and product info. Also offers desktop share-trading via JB Securities Sdn Bhd. PhileoAllied Bank PALDIRECT PALWORLD Provides banking, share investing, news and information, utility-bill payments, insurance, travel, electronic shopping and communications services. RHB Bank RHB OnLine Balance enquiry, fund transfer, remittance services, fixed-deposit placements, credit-card payments, brokering and bill payments. Source: Internet Banking Patronage: An Empirical Investigation of Malaysia by Suganthi, Balachandher and Balachandran. Despite the many complaints about the slow transmission of data, mobile e-banking using the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) has increased the ease with which transactions are made. The introduction of Global Packet Radio Services (GPRS) and 3G phones has help in defeating the speed problem. Thus, speed is no longer a problem. Bellow is a table of summary of banks three banks and there (3) Malaysian commercial banks. BANK NAME SERVICES OCBC Bank i.wap Banking transactions balance enquiry, transaction history, statement request, fund transfer, cheque-book request, stop-payment request, bill payments. Others news, banking rates, treasury news and credit-card services. Philoe Allied Bank Palworld WAP Banking transactions, bill payments, news, share trading. United Overseas Bank Mobile-phone banking Banking transactions such as balance enquiry, statement request, increase in credit-card limit and others. Source: Internet Banking Patronage: An Empirical Investigation of Malaysia by Suganthi, Balachandher and Balachandran. Despite the benefit that concomitantly associates with e-banking, it success largely depends on the reception its get from the people that use it, i.e. customer, retail and corporate alike. Its of no disputable doubt that many bank account holders have signed up for the internet banking facilities. In fact in Malaysia, CIMB for instance, almost all account holders à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"i.e. more than 90%- have opted for internet banking due to the ease and flexibility it possesses. Problem statement: However, this success story has only been achievable due to the much resource being invested in creating awareness and expanding the capacity and speed of the system. The questions, Does the result or performance of e-banking justify the resource been used to promote it? How good is the response of the customer, and How well is the system running? Objectives of study The following are the objective of this paper: General Objective: To measure the performance of e-banking in Malaysian economy Specific objective Measure the security level of the system from both the customer and bankers perspectives Measure the level awareness amongst Malaysian denizen Measure the level of convenience in regard to accessibility and speed the users enjoy. Literature Review The advent of internet banking in Malaysia and its rapid growth and adoption has been a popular subject amongst modern researchers. Internet banking has attracted increasing attention since the 1990s. Partly fostered by technological advance, banks started to use the internet as an innovative payment method and as a way to reduce costs, enhance profits and increase customer convenience. Between the 1997 and 2001 Deyoung (2005) the internet banks had started and they managed to identify which online banking have been effective, and the study had shown that most of the internet banks had low profit but the study showed that the internet banks had been growing so fast, and to make these banks survive they need a competitor but the consequences in market share will be limited. Electronic banking (e-banking) is the newest delivery channel of banking services all around the world and has become a vital necessity. The definition of e-banking varies amongst researches partially because elect ronic banking refers to several types of services through which a banks customers can request information and carry out most retail banking services via computer, television or mobile phone (Daniel,1999; Mols, 1998; Sathye, 1999). Burr, 1996, for example, describes it as an electronic connection between the bank and customer in order to prepare, manage and control financial transactions. Many authors appreciate that Internet banking (e-banking) is defined to include the provision of retail and small value banking products and services through electronic channels as well as large value electronic payments and other wholesale banking services delivered electronically. Electronic banking can also be defined as a variety of the following platforms: (a) Internet banking (or online banking), (b) telephone banking, (c) TV-based banking, (d) mobile phone banking, and (e) PC banking (or offline banking) (LuÃ…Â ¡tÃ…Â ¡ik; 2004:9). Electronic banking (e-banking) is the newest delivery channel of banking services. The definition of e-banking varies amongst researches partially because electronic banking refers to several types of services through which a banks customers can request information and carry out most retail banking services via computer, television or mobile phone (Daniel,1999; Mols, 1998; Sathye, 1999). Burr, 1996, for example, describes it as an electronic connection between the bank and customer in order to prepare, manage and control financial transactions. Many authors appreciate that Internet banking (e-banking) is defined to include the provision of retail and small value banking products and services through electronic channels as well as large value electronic payments and other wholesale banking services delivered electronically. Electronic banking can also be defined as a variety of the following platforms: (a) Internet banking (or online banking), (b) telephone banking, (c) TV-based banking, (d) mobile phone banking, and (e) PC banking (or offline banking) (LuÃ…Â ¡tÃ…Â ¡ik; 2004:9). Financial service customers are getting further away from the providers of those services. Petersen and Rajan (2002) found that small business lending, which has been the specialty of local relationship lenders, has been moving further from their customers over time, due in part to remote banking technologies. Remote access technologies in financial services have long been used to increase the geographic market of the financial service provider. Remote access technologies in financial services have long been used to increase the geographic market of the financial service provider. Hannan and McDowell (1990) showed that banks adopted ATMs in order to expand their market share or protect their market against those banks that offered ATMs. Similar arguments have been made about other forms of remote banking technologies by Bouckaert and Degryse (1995), and Degryse (1996). Financial service customers are getting further away from the providers of those services. Petersen and Rajan (2002) found that small business lending, which has been the specialty of local relationship lenders, has been moving further from their customers over time, due in part to remote banking technologies. Remote access technologies in financial services have long been used to increase the geographic market of the financial service provider. Remote access technologies in financial services have long been used to increase the geographic market of the financial service provider. Hannan and McDowell (1990) showed that banks adopted ATMs in order to expand their market share or protect their market against those banks that offered ATMs. Similar arguments have been made about other forms of remote banking technologies by Bouckaert and Degryse (1995), and Degryse (1996). According to the birch and young, they can use the internet to get new channels to reorganize the structure of the banks, they also planning to use electronic channels to be above retail banks. The new delivery channels can help to solve all the problems that the traditional Branches have, which are going to help to provide a lot of services and assistance which is to lead to the growth of electronic commerce. (Jayawardhena and foley) (2000). Referring to sulivan (2000) Furst (2000) that most of the traditional banks are not affected by the channels and they had a study between the existence of the internet baking and the profit that they make. Its acceptance is likewise great for example Sanmugam (2005) in his paper presents the side view of the Internet banking users in Malaysia based on a large-scale study. The large-scale survey was conducted in 2004 to examine selected individual characteristics of over 800 bank customers. He used a logistic model o estimate the probability of a bank customer adopting Internet banking. He suggested that his method is very basic and can help banks in gaining in-depth understanding of their internet banking customers. He also borrowed a leaf from Rogers (1995) in classifying innovation adopters into five broad categories i.e. Innovators, Early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Innovators are the first adopters, who are interested in technology itself and possess positive technology attitudes while early adopters are also fascinated by technology and are keen to take risks. Both early and late majority consist of mainly young working adults. And lastly the laggards we re found to be predominantly older people. He found out that there was a marginal effect made by social economic factors on the predicted probability of the typical adopter. Also, he found that among social economic environmental limitations, non-availability of Internet services in the rural areas is definitely a significant constraint, reducing the predicted. On the other hand, Bauer (2008) holds that the early adoption by customers of this technology was disappointing to most having this in mind; he resorted to examining the demand for remote access to banking accounts by consumers. He focuses mainly if not solely on the consumer perspective and sought to attain the main determining factor in deciding whether or not to use the internet banking facility. He used the micro-economic theory of consumer utility maximization to replica how consumers decide whether or not to use internet services provided by the banks. His findings reveal that when the technology is new, the traditional risk return models including variables allowing for heterogeneous risk add power in modeling the adoption decision. He stressed the importance of perceived risks in internet banking and claim that it is responsible for some of the hesitation to adopt. He also discovered that younger consumers are found to be early adopters only when they have relatively high lev els of risk tolerance. Ironically, older consumers are found to be less likely to adopt internet banking regardless of their risk tolerances. Also, Maugis et al (2004) examined the pre-e-learning period of internet banking. They sought to measure the significance and extent of e-readiness data from banks from ten (10) countries. They develop a conceptual framework for the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"next generation e-readiness à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" focusing on different e-Business applications in different economic contexts with potentially different pathways. in concluding, they made the following propositions: (i) different countries (or economies) are characterized by diverse e-Readiness profiles or inclinations distinct by their individual access and capacity setting; (ii) given the range and diversity of characteristics, there may well be a wide array of variables that shape propensities for both admittance and capacity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" a propos some opportunity; (iii) such propensities facilitate the pursuit of precise applications within the broad opportunity context that a country may have at any moment. Frame and Silber (2004, 2009) Silber (1983) the reason that the banks entered this field was because its going to help them and make their work easier. They also managed to offer a service which gone help to deposit and hold accounts and other staff and another service to reduce depositors to help them to compete with other banks. They had been trying to get new deposits so they made a new web service to help them and make their transaction easier and successful. They tried to put all the information about the new market shares to update their customers with every new thing and that have been done with most of the new banks. The rapid growth of the internet indicates that greater competitive pressure contributes to the adoption of Internet banking. They been trying to make banking market more open which they gone make the use of the internet banking more important, the more they used the internet it reduce the interest deposits, there was also a study that they are planning to make everything with technology such as PCs and other staff for people. Some still say otherwise about internet banking (Pavlou, 2003  ; Rotchanakitumnai and Speece, 2003) as the basic model of  «Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  TAM  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ » was extended in many studies by others factors as trust, perceived risks, awareness about Internet Banking, perceived costs. Through these studies, some obstacles to the adoption and the usage of Internet Banking were identified such as the lack of security the human contact, perceived risks Moreover, in order to identify the profile of Internet Banking user, a number of researchers have found that comparing to non users; users rated Internet Banking as being easier, more useful, more trustworthy Also comparing to non users, users are less concerned with human contact, security, perceived risks. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1: Introduction This chapter explains the design and methodology of this research. It begins by identifying this researchs theoretical model, and then followed by a brief discussion on the theoretical framework of the research study. The dependent variable is performance while the independent variables are; security, convenience and speed, trust and awareness of E-banking. The dependent and independent variables will be discussed under the theoretical framework. The second part of this chapter will be the hypotheses developments which are based on the variables. 2: Theoretical Framework Based on the conceptual framework below, it can be seen that there is a total of 4 independent variables which will be analyzed towards one dependent variable in this study. The dependent variable which is, performance of E-banking would be affected in a positive or negative manner based on the independent variables influence. Performance of E-banking Awareness of E-banking Trust Convenience and speed Security 3: Hypothesis Development Dependent variable Performance of E-banking: This deals with the performance measurements for Internet banking and how different people perceive its importance, usefulness and its impacts either negative or positive. Independent variables Security: With the growth of electronic banking have come new forms of security risks which often make users of the this new way of banking H1= Security positively influences performance of E-banking. Convenience and speed: H3= Convenience and speed positively influences performance of E-banking. Trust: H4= Trust positively influences performance of E-banking. Awareness of e-banking: H5= Awareness of e-banking positively influences performance of E-banking. Sampling method We used convenience sampling as our sampling method. Convenience sampling refers to the collect information from the members of the population who were conveniently accessible and available to provide it. For us it was quiet an effective and quick method, most importantly the best as we could attain information from the members of the population swiftly. We used questionnaire method to collect data from our respondents. Sample size The sample size we selected is around 250, we choose this quantity because we felt it was the best and was suitable for the population this is so because in research it has been stated that a sample size between the range larger than 30 and less than 500 is appropriate. The smaller the group size, the harder it is to be certain that the normal curve assumptions have not been violated (Todman and Dugard, 2001). We felt the sample we have elected is a valid and reliable one to carry out and base our investigation on. Sharon K. Ninness (2002) stated this in their research that Roscoe and Siegel and Castellan suggest that in the absence of an unambiguous demarcation between large-n and small-n studies, there is a commonly held assumption among parametric statisticians. Data Collection Method Our data collection methods are two in number. We used both questionnaires and interview to get our data. The questionnaires were distributed to e-banking users in order to get their own rating of the performance of e-banking, while the interview was to ascertain the bankers view of their system. Thus we collected and used primary data. Summary This chapter of the research is basically about the methodology of the project as a whole, it starts off with identifying the theoretical framework model, then a briefly discusses the theoretical framework of the research. The independent and dependent variables have been discussed and elaborated under the theoretical framework, then followed by the development of hypothesis for this research study. Other aspects that make the methodology successful have been also talked about.