Mobile phones: A blessing or a curse? Essay

It’s been years since someone had to look for spare change in their pocket to make a call out on the street from a pay phone, have we forgotten that mobile phones are somehow a blessing? The question here is whether mobile phones are a blessing or a curse. According to the â€Å"2013 mobile growth statistics† 91% of all people in the world have mobile phones and 56% own a smart phone, also according to mobile growth statistics the average age of owning a mobile phone now is 13. There are over 1.2 billion people accessing the WEB from their mobile devices and 28.85% of emails are being accessed through mobile phones. So basically humans lately have been living through their phones on a daily basis. Mobile phones have become a necessity in our everyday lives, whether for business, education, emergency, pleasure etc. Mobile phones have been under constant development and upgrade since they were first invented. Today most people have mobile phones, which don’t come close to resembling the first mobile phones, which were just a mean of communication with very little variety. A phone is no longer an electronic phonebook it’s a; mobile phone, computer, reminder, calendar, radio etc. Like any other product mobile phones have advantages and disadvantages, and this is why we ask ourselves whether it’s a blessing or a curse. However as a consumer of mobile phones I would say it is a bit of both. The advantages of having a â€Å"smart phone† are dependable, what I mean by dependable is that I can actually depend on my phone; which might seem like technology is making us into lazy human beings but its not. We educate ourselves we try to make everything as easy as possible so we can enjoy life. So what a â€Å"smart phone† does is that it helps me keep my life in order, and we do so by having applications that help with â€Å"ordering things online, having reminders, alarm clocks, social media, the news, having applications to connect with distant loved ones and of course applications that help with boredom.† We now have all of this at the tip of our fingers, at the touch of one button making life more comfortable. We also consider mobile phones a curse, mobile phones have so much to offer and having so much can become distracting and time consuming. I often find myself lost in another world with my phone pinned to my face, just jumping from one application to another surfing the web and I also get easily distracted when my phone keeps on beeping with notifications, text messages and updates. People have a lot of accidents while checking their phones for text messages, calling someone or just checking who’s doing what on social media. It has been one of the two major causes for accidents in Europe and America, just following driving under the influence of alcohol. Another big issue we are facing nowadays is the fact that we’re not facing people while having a conversation; we’re actually facing our phones. This is a problem because we seem to be caught up more in the virtual world rather than the real one, which will make us regret a lot of things in the future. One has to realize and become aware of the distractions a smart phone can offer, its meant to make life easier not more complicating. So smart phones are both a blessing and a curse it’s the consumer that decides whether it will become a distraction or a gadget that will just make things easier. The mobile phone will then be a perk to your life rather than being a burden and a time consuming device. Citations MLA format: Hepburn, Aden. â€Å"Infographic: 2013 Mobile Growth Statistics | Digital Buzz Blog.† 2013 Mobile Growth Statistics. N.p., 1 Oct. 2013. Web. 03 Sept. 2014. .

How to Write a Reflective Essay Essay

This type of essay is aimed to reflect a personal event or experience of the essay author. The main condition is that it has to be a certain personal experience on which the author has his very own perception. This experience or even is revealed in the essay in order to demonstrate its importance for understanding social relations and the essence of people. It may be said that a reflective essay possess the traits of a philosophical analysis of different experiences we face in our everyday life. This type of essay reveals the creativity of the students and their ability to change standard perception to a unique one, to their own unique perception of social issues. Writing a Reflective essay In order to produce an excellent reflective essay it is vital to remember that the reflective is to have a personal character and to relate to certain philosophic categories. This implies a wide range of possible understanding of the topic of the essay. One of the widespread topics for a reflective essay is â€Å"What is love?† in which the author shares his own reflective of this term through the prism of his experience and the common attitude to this social phenomenon. The majority of the questions in such essays are rhetoric Reflective essay structure Reflective essay do not have a certain structure because cannot be written according to a standard essay scheme. This is due to the fact that the thesis statements and the conclusions of reflective essays are often blurry. Here is a probable scheme of a reflective essay: * The aim of the opening paragraph is to get the reader involved in the author’s story including interesting details, personal experiences. The style must be very vivid and therefore to appeal to the reader as if it was a tete-a-tete conversation on the meaning of life or love. * The middle part reveals a good variety of the author’s ideas on the topic. * The concluding sentences summarize the main ideas and experiences of the essay. The author makes a reflective of his general perception of the given topic. Reflective essays topics and ideas. Reflective essays can be written on many different topics which base on the reflection of a personal event or experience of the essay author. Delicate approach to the choice of a topic or keen understanding of the one topic is the key element of good essay writing. If you hesitate either on choosing the essay topic or the idea for Reflective essay please feel free to contact us and we gladly help you any time you need assistance. What is a reflective essay? Think of the word â€Å"reflection†. It means to look back upon a situation and present your findings. It is all about your perspective, post-experience. Whether you are writing a reflective essay about an event in your life, or you are reflecting on a poem that you were assigned to read for your high school english class, reflective essay writing is all about composing your thoughts on the subject. It is different than an informative essay, for which you may research a topic, or have to come up with ways to support your conclusions. Instead, reflective essay writing is unique to the individual. There is really no wrong answer. In fact, this is the kind of essay in which your teacher wants you to explore your creative thoughts and really think outside of the box. What is the format for writing a reflective essay? If you are writing a reflective essay as a school assignment, your teacher may have provided specific guidelines as to how it should be constructed. Before you get started writing, it is important to make sure you read over any information your teacher has provided about the assignment. In general, reflective essay writing should follow the typical format of introduction, body, and conclusion. It is important to keep up the technical aspects of your writing when constructing a reflective essay because it is so easy to ramble and get off topic. The introduction should give the reader an idea of what your essay is about as well as hint at the conclusion. Brainstorming and prewriting This is a very important step that often goes overlooked when writing a reflective essay. Because of the nature of the assignment, it is often not very hard to gather thoughts and begin writing. However, one of the biggest mistakes that writers often make is feeling confident about an assignment and therefore skipping the prewriting and brainstorming process. Prewriting is not just designed to help you come up with things to write about- it is also plays a very important part in providing structure and framework so that your great thoughts are well connected. Choosing a great prewriting activity depends on your personal style as writer. Some prefer bubble maps to connect thoughts, while others enjoy creating an entire first draft and going back in to edit. Whatever your style, prewriting for a reflective essay should be all about finding structure and creating a backbone for your assignment. Some questions to consider If you are having trouble reflecting on a particular event or literary work, here are some questions that will be helpful in getting you going. Remember, do not be afraid to be bold and have confidence in your thoughts. 1. How did this make me feel? What emotions were evoked? (happy, sad, scared, excited) 2. What did this remind me of? Something in my past? Another story Ive read? 3. How was it different from what I thought it would be? Did I have any ideas going into it? Did it live up to my expectations? 4. How could it have gone differently?

A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper Essay Example for Free

A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper Essay ? Many obstacles can be taken when one desired the most is at risk. Phoenix Jackson is an old woman who has the right intentions, but meets many conflicts on the way. In the short story, â€Å"A Worn Path†, Eudora Welty predicts that one never knows where a path will end up leading them through conflict and symbolism. Phoenix Jackson warns that one never knows where a path will end up leading to. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, Phoenix Jackson goes through many obstacles on the path to find medicine for her â€Å"grandson† (Welty). Phoenix is on a mission to retrieve treatment for her grandson. She is willing to face anything that gets in the way of her path leading to her destination. As Phoenix faces her journey she will reach conflicts beyond the way. While on the path to complete her mission phoenix stumbles upon many conflicts. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, Phoenix comes encounter with intimidation of a â€Å"young hunter† in the woods (Heller). The hunter tests the old lady of weakness as he boasts of himself throughout the scavenged woods. Although the hunter has a gun with any possible chance to use it on Phoenix, she resembles courage upon the conflict for going about her business and continuing about her quest. In the short story â€Å"a Worn Path†, old woman Phoenix struggled up a hill â€Å"extricate[ed] herself from a thorn bush†, and crossed a log over a creek (Piwinski). As the woman struggles to get out of the bush she chooses to not give up and continue forward her path. The woods may have brought conflict and obstacles to Phoenix, but that won’t stop her from reaching the end of her journey. A Worn Path Short Story Research Paper. (2018, Oct 26).

Two topices you can choice (The finance of public transportation or Essay

Two topices you can choice (The finance of public transportation or The implementation of recycling programs) about ubran studies - Essay Example What the core problem is that a society in which a recycling program is considered ineffective; actually lacks experience, for these programs provide better and better results with proper development with time. What happens with a common household ‘dustbin’ or a ‘garbage-can’, as most people would refer it to, is that after being filled to its brim it starts to spill the waste out, evidently due to the limited space it has for the purpose of storing garbage. But space doesn’t matter nowadays, does it? One can clearly incinerate the garbage and use the dustbin for collecting more garbage and then incinerate that too, but would the ‘effects’ of that burning garbage be healthy for the environment? Of course most people don’t tend to care about it and consider using their resources to better purposes than caring about the environment, but would the ‘cost’ of constantly burning that garbage, the ‘energy’ used in clearing the bin and the transportation of that garbage be so minor to be easily sacrificed? Our planet is the metaphorical ‘dust bin’ and clearly we (humans) have polluted it for long, but it is only now that emphasis is being laid on the preservation of our resources and our environment; reflecting that our environmental condition has reached a critical point. The latest effort to preserve what’s left of our once rich environment and to clean what we have messed up, includes recycling; the reprocessing of materials to save fresh raw materials, energy and save the environment from numerous pollutants. Recycling programs are methods or ways we adopt which consequently help us recycle. To address the issue of their implementation in urban areas we must first consider the importance and the need of recycling programs in urban areas. Developed cities tend to be more artificial with respect to the natural environment and the more different they are the more harm they cause. Take a big metropolitan

Descartes Mind Body Dualism in 6th Meditation Essay

Descartes Mind Body Dualism in 6th Meditation - Essay Example Although his theory was subjected to a lot of challenges and controversies, yet philosophers mutually hold the consensus that there is a certain level of truth in the theory proposed by Descartes because we would never have felt the existence of our bodies had we never had any minds. Thus, existence of mind was fundamental to the human realization of body. This somewhat promotes the view that mind works independent of the body. The thesis proposed by Descartes is frequently referred to as the substance dualism. The thesis derives its name from its underlying ideology that emphasizes that this world is fundamentally made up of two types of substances, one materialistic and the other mental, with the former being mortal and the latter being immortal. The dual substance theory also reflects in the fact that human mind is free of the principles of nature, while all physical things abide by the principles of nature. Human thinking is quite vast. This paper evaluates the mind-body theory p roposed by Descartes. Human mind does work independent of the body but with certain restrictions. Yes, the mind can exist independent of the body, though it depends which part of the body is lost. This can be estimated from the fact that some people lose parts of their body like limbs, feet, hands in some accident and some are born with these disabilities, yet it does not decrease their mental ability in any way. In fact, in a vast majority of cases in which people suffer from a certain kind of disability, they are able to optimize on their other kinds of skills. For example, an individual that is born deaf is sharper in learning the language of signs than an individual who can hear and speak. Likewise, people that lose their foot and have to walk with the help of crutches increase their muscular strength because of the constant exercise. Hence, losing some part or parts of the body does not deprive an individual of the natural energy. In fact, the mind has the same amount of energy to exert of the remaining body parts due to which, the individual’s performance in other areas improves. An individual’s mind would keep functioning if he/she receives a bullet in his/her hand, feet or leg. But if someone is shot in the heart, the mind would stop functioning soon thereafter because it will lose its source of blood supply. Heart purifies and pumps the blood to all parts of the body. If heart is lost, life is lost. If heart is intact, there is good chance that the individual would survive. In addition to the heart, another area that is very critical and is fundamental to the sustainability of life is the mind itself. Although human mind is a part of the body like all other parts including hands, feet and chest, yet its function is just as important as that of the human heart. Human mind sends messages to all parts of the body through electrical impulses. Therefore, if the mind is destroyed, every system inside the body would stop functioning and the ind ividual would lose life. Hence, mind can exist independently of the body to some extent, but the body can not exist without mind. Another example that proves the statement that mind can exist without body but to a certain extent is the fact that man can survive both in the space and under water, provided that he is equipped with sufficient supply of air. In the space, body loses all its weight and the man begins to float. Losing body

Evaluate the Self Control Theory of Crime Essay

Evaluate the Self Control Theory of Crime - Essay Example Negative feelings such as guilt, shame, inferiority, depression, self-pity, anger, fear, revenge, unforgiveness, resentment, jealousy, envy, etc., are just to name a few that emotionally affects self-control. Man is a rational creature - is the notion assumed at first by self-control theory. A person usually balances sound judgment before making a sensible decision. According to Gottfredson and Hirschi, crimes are restraints or deception that a person continues to do since he gains maximum benefits with little effort. Illegal act or violation of laws pledges great compensation with little harm present. Because of these findings, Gottfredson and Hirschi regarded a person's tendency to perpetrate crimes with their level of self-control. People with low self-control usually can't suppress themselves from the tempting instant gratification. The two authors discussed the root of low self-control prosper at a young age because of futile or defective environment. There are several studies that established on the basis that a man's development is conditioned by his past experiences, specifically the formative years. A healthy, pleasant experience during childhood may be considered as most conduc ive to the development of an emotionally stable and mature individual. Conversely, the growth of a child in a traumatic, unpleasant atmosphere particularly with parents, guardians, siblings and peers conditions the development of personality disorder. Low self-control is a behavioral problem that may be seen among people with childhood hang-ups and traumas. Frail or deficient relation, guidance, and cultivation from parents before the child is eight years old are possible reason of unsuccessful personality. Gottfredson and Hirschi's reports gain support from empirical literature in regards to the connection of low self-control to crime or deviance. Low self-control was considered at least a moderate predictor of crime and deviance, according to Pratt and Cullen's (2000) meta-analysis that was shown in more than twenty studies (Higgins and Ricketts, 2004; Gottfredson and Hirschi, 1990). The following are characteristics of an individual who has weak self-control: adventurous, troublemaker, lack perseverance, involved in prohibited sexual activities, not interested in long-term work and educational goals and has difficulty in keeping a stable work and enduring personal relationships. With respect to crime, people deprived of needed satisfaction and demands when growing are those who resort to violence and commit petty crimes. They engage in such unlawful act to win attention or recognition or just to exercise freedom. Gottfredson and Hirschi also asserted that people who enter into a pseudo-abnormal manner such as smoking or drinking have low self-control. A noted comment or criticism of self-control theory is that it reduces the importance of the outcome of race and economics status instead it was concentrated on parenting as the resort of having low self-control in the early stage of life ("MicroCase exercise

The Importance of Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Importance of Identity - Essay Example In essence, it is argued that although ones identity is associated with good things, there is also a bad side of it. For example, some people may fear being identified with certain race or ethnicity with a perception or a belief that other races or ethnic groups are better than others. In fact, people of a certain race may be discriminated against by people of a different race especially where racism is prominent. Identity is also argued to be ones beliefs and personality. These traits constitute what people are and what they stand for. For example, in leadership, the belief of integrity in leadership may portray a picture of what one stands for, and this is what other people identify a leader with. Another example is that, if one believes in success, it is apparent that such a person would thoroughly prepare for an interview, and because of confidence and the thorough preparation, the interviewer finds a distinct personality in the interviewee, something that is factored into when recruiting people. Talent is also another form of identity, which people are identified with. It is what one is best known for that makes one distinct from others. Most of the things that happen to people are as a result of their identity. Although there is natural and constructed identity, in most cases, constructed identity occupies the biggest part of people’s lives. All in all, identity is vital in people’s

Blackrock Inc. strategic business and model Essay

Blackrock Inc. strategic business and model - Essay Example The study highlights on the development of corporate strategy for BlackRock. Strategic position and Business Model of BlackRock Strategic position helps the organization to influence every aspect of business such as development of product, services provided by the company, location of operation and day to day operations (R. Abrams and R.M. Abrams, 2003). BlackRock believes in the core philosophy that gives paramount importance to the requirement of the clients and their business aims towards managing the assets of the clients based on their requirements only. In this context BlackRock has a team of investment professionals who are experts in global capital market. The focus of the company is on excellent investment and state-of-art analytics, which is complemented by senior level commitment towards service. This helps the company to build dynamic relationship with the client and serving them with a range of services that caters to their liabilities and asset allocation needs (BlackRo ck, 2013). Business model is defined by the operations, policies and technologies used by the business. The business model of an organization describes how the company generates revenue (Morley and Parker, 2009). The business model of BlackRock is very simple. They invest heavily in management and risk management and gives first priority to the interest of the clients. By following this business model they make themselves easily differentiable from their competitors. They do not make any differentiation between the clients whether it is Federal Reserve, insurance company, pension plan, wealth fund or any individual client, everyone is treated with the similar proprietary structure (Fink, 2010). SWOT Analysis of BlackRock Inc. SWOT analysis is the technique that is easily understandable and provides strategic analysis of the company by sorting the ideas about the future and the ability of the firm to exploit the future (Piercy and Giles, 1989). By listing the unfavorable and favorabl e, external and internal issues, the planner can understand how the strength can generate new opportunities and how weaknesses can slow down the progress of the firm and create threat for the organization (Helms and Nixon, 2010). Strength BlackRock looks toward providing opportunities to build a better financial future for its clients. They have a huge unparallel range of passive and active investment strategy among which iShare is the leading. iShare is used by clients to equitize their cash and adopt tactical and core exposures. iShare has recorded the strongest business by generating $18.2 billion new business or an annualized growth of 12% (BusinessWire, 2012). BlackRock has a strong set of expert people who are working with them to provide excellent solution. At the same time they are also backed by â€Å"World class risk management capabilities of BlackRock solutions† (BlackRock Inc., 2011, p. 3). Business Operation Group established by BlackRock ensures that all the op erations are efficient and consistent across the products, regions and client channel. The employees of the company feel that BlackRock has a meaningful and strong cultural base and they have rated themselves as highly engaged. This shows that the employees are also satisfied with the firm (BlackRock, 2013). The reputation and brand name of the company contributes efficiently towards the strength of the company. Moreover the company has strengths in multiple

Analysis of Ethical Decision Making Literature review - 102

Analysis of Ethical Decision Making - Literature review Example Nevertheless, the ethical roles of managers are that their decision-making processes be aimed at maximizing the wealth of the shareholders and the business in general. As such, the utilization of the ethics principal in decision-making processes ensure that the laws are strictly observed and that individuals have no chance to manipulate them through dubious activities such as corruption, fraud among others.   Most businesses across the world have emphasized on ethical leadership which articulates that there must be a combination of personal morality and professional morality in order to generate an ethical decision-making process. In terms of personal morality, there must be a combination of characters such as honesty, trustworthiness, integrity among others. Similarly, the professional aspect should entail forthrightness in relation to the business and society at large. Additionally, morality involves behaviors such as doing the right things, being concern about the welfare of other people, and being open with issues. Consequently, managers are expected to practice various approaches that are related to ethical decision making such as egoism approach, deontology approach and utilitarianism approach which ought to serve as guidance in their profession.  Ã‚   An egoism approach in ethical decision making revolves around the actions of an individual pertaining to making a particular decision. It argues that any good action is best approved by an individual.  Ã‚  

Learning Skill Essay Example for Free

Learning Skill Essay ?The attributes of the learners and how they can help the learners to be successful in an online learning environment Education of children is compulsory, formal and standardized. Adult learning is voluntary and intentional. The purpose of adult education is the independent self-directed learner. Adults tend to resist a learning process which is incongruent with their self-concept as autonomous individuals and does not correspond to their needs and interests. Adults focus on direct application. Given their daily duty in job, profession, family and community, they learn to cope with the pressures and problems of life they are facing. For that reason, the adult educator’s concern is primarily focused on the needs and interests of the learners. Andragogy (adult education) calls for program builders and teachers who are person-centered, who don’t teach subject matter but rather help persons learn (Knowles). Hence, the interests of adults are their real needs. Or the solutions learners have in mind do not solve their problems. The adult educator often has to register into a needs negotiation (Bhola) with learners when teaching new needs about boiled water or a balanced diet, about clean surroundings, preventive health practices or small families. In the dialectical process of needs negotiation the needs as felt by the learners and the needs as seen by the adult educators must be showed together to reach a consensus on the real needs. These real needs must agree to the experience of adult learners. If an adult gets the impression that his experience is not being valued he feels turned down as a person. New learnings take on meaning as adults are able to relate them to their life experience. Experienced adult educators, so, build into the design of their learning experiences provision for the learners to plan and rehearse how they are going to apply their learnings in their day-to-day lives or duties and combine training with transfer and application. A workshop then really can become a workplace where educational materials are produced or evaluation studies are designed. According to Knox’s proficiency theory the learning needs for an adult move upward from life situations and interpersonal communication. Social expectation motivates and empowers an adult to search for more knowledge, better expertness and more suitable performance. Adult learning is based on experience, on the learners’ own experience and on the experience of others. Learning settings of adults usually have a participatory and collaborative basic part. Adults prefer to meet as equals in small groups to explore outcome and concerns and then to take common action as a result of dialogue and inter-learning by discourse. The group becomes the learning co-operative. The group provides the opportunity for inter-learning. Within the group the teacher as well as the other group members plays the task of facilitators. All group members become co-agents (Bhola) in learning. The absence of formal accreditation or certification facilitates collaboration not only on a specific product or outcome but even in structuring and restructuring the learning process according to the needs and interests of the group. The learning process becomes as important as the learning outcome, and a balance between both is often not easy to maintain. How much freedom can actually be given to the adult learner in choice of content and way? Adult learning is life-centered. It is learning by doing, by application and experience, and if need be by trial and error. Adults do not simply to get knowledge created by outsiders, but should examine their own reality themselves and make a positive declaration about it. Praxis is the focus of effective adult learning and praxis means analysis and examination of reality in order to transform it. Adult learning is without interval process of investigation and exploration followed by proccess of doing something grounded in this exploration, followed by reflection on this action, leading to further investigation and so on. The principle is testing not banking (P. Freire) of knowledge. Exploration of new opinion, skills and knowledge take place in the context of the learners’ experience. In settings where skills are being learned, learners become acquainted with skills, apply these in real life settings, redefine hoe these skills may be altered by context, re-apply these in other settings and so on. Adults explained the meaning of ideas, skills and knowledge through the medium of their life-experience and test them in real life settings. To make the learner self-directed is the intention of adult education. But the self-directed learner is neither the one who can retrieve information or locate resources nor the one who appears in group dynamics. The inner-directed, self-operating learner (R. Kidd) is the one who reflects critically on his own assumptions and is keen to find alternative and better solutions. The learning process contributes largely to the success of learning. But learning is more than just the learning process. A participative learning process which fails to assist the learners in  acquiring knowledge and competence is a failure. A participative learning process may take more time because it means active involvement of everybody, discussing all the pro’s and con’s, despite that it must lead to concrete results combining commitment with competence. Education is, as Brookfield points out a â€Å"transactional encounters. That means that the sole responsibility for determining curricula or for selecting appropriate methods does not rest either with the educator or with the learner. If the first acquires, then we have an authoritarian style and a one-way transmission of knowledge and skills. If curricula, methods and evaluative criteria become predetermined solely by what learners say they want, then the cafeteria approach governs the educational process. Accepting the felt needs logical basis without any further inquiry and needs negotiation means that the facilitator has to give up responsibility for the learning process and the accomplishment of learning aims and objectives. Successful learning especially in workshop settings means to keep the balance between the learning process and the learning outcome so that the results justify the efforts and if they are not excellent they should be at least and always â€Å"good enough. Successful distance learners are self-motivated, self-reliant and self disciplined. Distance learning students are the architects of their own learning surrounding, have the ability to manage their study time and schedule. Students can often customize their learning projects to fit their personal interests and there is great chance for personal growth and individual academic success. This requires both internal personal motivation and discipline, and also requires the establishment of a supportive personal learning environment and may require elimination of certain activities to make room for online learning in daily life. Distance learners should be self sufficient, self-directed individuals. The online environment enables students to learn at their own pace, relieving some of the pressure of traditional seated learning and making learning more enjoyable but requires that the student is able to identify learning goals and objectives and focus their attention accordingly. Distance learners become independent problem solvers, doing their own research and expanding their lifelong learning skills. This process helps them to grow critical thinking skills and the ability to interpret and synthesize reading materials, articles and research papers with differing points of view and in the process develop their own positions and beliefs about the subject matter. Some computer and Information literacy is necessary for a distance learner. Distance learners should possess a working knowledge of email, the Internet, and basic keyboard skills. Instructional material within the learning management system will provide all the other skills needed to access and begin the online or distance lesson. Distance learners may be required to develop skills for researching and locating information from several sources and differentiate and assess them for inclusion in distance learning assignments and research projects. Distance learners should be energetic and disciplined managers of their own time. Students must be able to organize and plan their own best study schedule. While individual learners may prefer a different time of day or times in the week to give up to their distance learning study and projects, it is important to devote time each week to course work and it is vital that the distance learner understand that the same amount of time is involved in distance education courses, and traditional seated courses. The distance learner should assess his or her best time of day for study, either it is early morning or evening, every person has a best time of day for learning and thinking. A intentional effort must be made to carve out time in the student’s daily schedule for an optimal study time. Study time should not be the time that is left at the end of the day, unless that is the time when the student is most lively and attentive. All learners and especially distance learners need effective communication skills. The particular nature of distance education requires that communication be done in a written format, whether it is email, written assignments or discussion forums, the written word is vital in distance education. The ability to write clearly and communicate ideas becomes more important since it is the primary means of communication in distance learning. The successful distance learner has a strong sense of responsibility and personal commitment to academic success. Online learning, like many things in life, reaps rewards equal to the energy put into the changes. The independent nature of distance education to insist upon the presence of motivation, and discipline but commitment and follow-through are also vital.

SWOT Analysis and Literature Review of HSBC Bank

SWOT Analysis and Literature Review of HSBC Bank SWOT Analysis A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. Environmental factors internal to the firm usually can be classified as strengths (S) or weaknesses (W), and those external to the firm can be classified as opportunities (O) or threats (T). Such an analysis of the strategic environment is referred to as a SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis provides information that is helpful in matching the firms resources and capabilities to the competitive environment in which it operates. As such, it is instrumental in strategy formulation and selection. The following diagram shows how a SWOT analysis fits into an environmental scan: SWOT Analysis Framework Environmental Scan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  / Internal Analysis  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  External Analysis /   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  / Strengths  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weaknesses  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Opportunities  Ã‚  Ã‚  Threats | SWOT Matrix Strengths A firms strengths are its resources and capabilities that can be used as a basis for developing a competitive advantage. Examples of such strengths include: patents strong brand names good reputation among customers cost advantages from proprietary know-how exclusive access to high grade natural resources favorable access to distribution networks Weaknesses The absence of certain strengths may be viewed as a weakness. For example, each of the following may be considered weaknesses: lack of patent protection a weak brand name poor reputation among customers high cost structure lack of access to the best natural resources lack of access to key distribution channels In some cases, a weakness may be the flip side of a strength. Take the case in which a firm has a large amount of manufacturing capacity. While this capacity may be considered a strength that competitors do not share, it also may be a considered a weakness if the large investment in manufacturing capacity prevents the firm from reacting quickly to changes in the strategic environment. Opportunities The external environmental analysis may reveal certain new opportunities for profit and growth. Some examples of such opportunities include: an unfulfilled customer need arrival of new technologies loosening of regulations removal of international trade barriers Threats Changes in the external environmental also may present threats to the firm. Some examples of such threats include: shifts in consumer tastes away from the firms products emergence of substitute products new regulations increased trade barriers The SWOT Matrix A firm should not necessarily pursue the more lucrative opportunities. Rather, it may have a better chance at developing a competitive advantage by identifying a fit between the firms strengths and upcoming opportunities. In some cases, the firm can overcome a weakness in order to prepare itself to pursue a compelling opportunity. To develop strategies that take into account the SWOT profile, a matrix of these factors can be constructed. The SWOT matrix (also known as a TOWS Matrix) is shown below: SWOT / TOWS Matrix Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities S-O strategies W-O strategies Threats S-T strategies W-T strategies S-O strategies pursue opportunities that are a good fit to the companys strengths. W-O strategies overcome weaknesses to pursue opportunities. S-T strategies identify ways that the firm can use its strengths to reduce its vulnerability to external threats. W-T strategies establish a defensive plan to prevent the firms weaknesses from making it highly susceptible to external threats. HSBC HSBC is a global financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. As of 2010, it is the worlds 6th largest banking and financial services group and the worlds 8th largest company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine. It has around 8,000 offices in 87 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America and around 100 million customers. As of 30 June 2010 it had total assets of $2.418 trillion, of which roughly half were in Europe, a quarter in the Americas and a quarter in Asia. HSBC Holdings plc was founded in London in 1991 by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation to act as a new group holding company and to enable the acquisition of UK-based Midland Bank. The origins of the bank lie in Hong Kong and Shanghai, where branches were first opened in 1865. Today HSBC remains the largest bank in Hong Kong, where the Group Chief Executive is currently based, and recent expansion in mainland China, where it is now the largest international bank, has returned it to that part of its roots. Its primary listing is on the London Stock Exchange and it is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has secondary listings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (where it is a constituent of the Hang Seng Index), New York Stock Exchange, Euronext Paris and Bermuda Stock Exchange. As of August 2010, it was the largest company listed on the London Stock Exchange, with a market capitalisation of  £115.8 billion. History HSBC (acronym origin: the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) was founded in the former British colony Hong Kong (in March 1865) and Shanghai (one month later) by Scotsman Sir Thomas Sutherland (1834-1922). HSBC Holdings plc established in 1990 became the parent company to The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in preparation for its purchase of Midland Bank in the United Kingdom and restructuring of ownership domicile for the impending transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong to China. HSBC Holdings acquisition of Midland Bank gave HSBC Group a substantial market presence in the United Kingdom which was completed in 1992. As part of the takeover conditions for the purchase of Midland Bank, HSBC Holdings plc was required to relocate its world headquarters from Hong Kong to London in 1993. Major acquisitions in South America started with the purchase of Banco Bamerindus of Brazil for $1bn in March 1997 and the acquisition of Roberts SA de Inversiones of Argentina for $600m in May 1997. In May 1999 HSBC embarked on a major acquisition in the United States with the purchase of Republic National Bank of New York for $10.3bn. Expansion into Continental Europe took place in April 2000 with the acquisition of Credit Commercial de France, a large French bank for  £6.6bn. In July 2001 HSBC bought Demirbank, an insolvent Turkish bank. Then in August 2002 HSBC acquired Grupo Financiero Bital, SA de CV, Mexicos third largest retail bank for $1.1bn. The new headquarters of HSBC Holdings at 8 Canada Square, London officially opened in April 2003. Then in September 2003 HSBC bought Polski Kredyt Bank SA of Poland for $7.8m. In June 2004 HSBC expanded into China buying 19.9% of the Bank of Communications of Shanghai. In the United Kingdom HSBC acquired Marks Spencer Retail Financial Services Holdings Ltd for  £763m in December 2004. Acquisitions in 2005 included Metris Inc, a US credit card issuer for $1.6bn in August and 70.1% of Dar Es Salaam Investment Bank of Iraq in October. In April 2006 HSBC bought the 90 branches in Argentina of Banca Nazionale del Lavoro for $155m. In December 2007 HSBC acquired The Chinese Bank in Taiwan. In May 2008 HSBC acquired ILFS Investment, an Indian retail broking firm. SWOT Analysis of HSBC Strengths The bank is well capitalised and this has enabled it to perform relatively well against other banks in recent economic events. The level of capitalisation means that, going forward, the bank is unlikely to need to borrow from the UK government: this will enable it to retain more autonomy. The bank has a strong presence in emerging markets, putting it in a good position to take advantage of future growth in those economies. The banks global presence in Europe, Asia and South America helps to spread risk and offers significant economies of scale. Despite rebranding relatively recently (1999), the HSBC brand has become well-established and is considered particularly valuable within the industry. Weaknesses HSBC associates itself strongly with investment in the small business sector, but the current economic situation has led to increased risks, potentially compromising the activity levels in this area of the operation. The bank was involved with sub-prime markets in the US and has had to write off large figures lent to high-risk borrowers. Despite falls in the UK interest rate, HSBC has increased its mortgage rates. This may be perceived negatively by borrowers and potential borrowers, adds pressure to an already depressed housing market and could ultimately lead to more defaulting as borrowers struggle with higher repayments. A redundancy programme announced recently may affect morale among staff, leading to decreased production and loyalty. HSBCs branding emphasises its global presence, and this may be seen negatively by some customers in its implication of homogenisation and lack of personalisation. Opportunities HSBCs high level of capitalisation places it in a strong position to acquire assets Banks finding trading conditions particularly difficult at present may be available at low cost HSBC also has adequate capital to purchase stronger banks such as Bank Ekonomi in Indonesia, in which it has purchased a stake to continue its Asian expansion despite challenging economic times. HSBCs generally strong position presents the opportunity to outperform competitors during the economic downturn and to build a reputation for being one of the safer banks for depositors, helping to increase resources for lending. Negative press coverage of competitors such as HBOS may encourage customers to choose HSBC instead. Threats Trust in banks has decreased due to financial losses suffered by investors, who may be more inclined to invest elsewhere. Financial losses affecting banks and investors on a global scale have resulted in less credit being available to customers. In the UK this is coupled with increases in living costs resulting in less money being saved. The falling property market has created a rise in numbers of homeowners with negative equity. If a property is worth less than was borrowed to finance its purchase, there is little likelihood that the bank will recoup all its losses if owners default. Claims have been made that HSBC has understated losses resulting from US sub-prime markets, and this could undermine confidence in the bank. Literature Review Article 1: HSBC moves private bank boss Chris Meares to Asia The head of HSBCs private banking business has become the latest of the banks senior managers to move from London to Hong Kong. By Harry Wilson Published: 6:00AM BST 22 Oct 2010 Chris Meares, chief executive of global private banking at HSBC, will move out to Hong Kong as part of a reshuffle of the divisions management, though the businesss will remain headquartered in London. Mr Meares move to Hong Kong follows that of HSBC chief executive Michael Geoghegan at the start of the year. Since then several senior HSBC managers have moved out to Hong Kong, while Stuart Gulliver, who will takeover as chief executive from Mr Geoghegan in January will also move from London to Hong Kong. Mr Gulliver, who currently runs HSBCs global investment banking business as well as its European operations, has spent much of his career in Asia. Speaking recently, he refused to confirm whether HSBCs headquarters would remain in London, with speculation growing that the bank could return to its historic home. In September, Mr Gulliver said he was genuinely concerned that the Government-appointed Independent Banking Commission could recommend the separation of retail and investment banking businesses. Hong Kong is keen to promote itself as an alternative to London and the senior officials from the city have been visiting the UK to promote the advantages of moving business there. Standard Chartered, which has large Asian operations, is also seen as another bank that could move its headquarters out of London and its chief executive, Peter Sands, has made clear his concerns over the increasing amount of regulation in Europe and the UK. HSBCs decision to move of its private banking head to Asia in large part reflects the opportunities the bank sees in capturing a larger slice of Asias growing wealth. In a statement yesterday, HSBC said Mr Meares, along with the other management changes in its private bank was part of a strategy to take advantage of the entrepreneurial wealth creation taking place in emerging markets. Analysis Of Article This article is regarding transfer of chief executive of global private banking,Mr Chris Meares, who is being replaced by Michael Geoghegan at the start of this year. Since the transfer of Mr Meares several more managers of HSBC have moved out of Hong Kong. Mr Stuart Gulliver who is taking over Mr Geoghegan is also moving out of Hong Kong Mr Gulliver, currently running HSBC Investment Banking and European Operation, has spent much time in Asia. He recently, while talking to media, refused to confirm that if the business is moving its headquarters to its native home that is Hong Kong. In September Mr. Gulliver expressed genuine concern over Independent Banking Commission appointed by government to recommend separate banking for Retail banking and Investment Banking. Hong Kong section of HSBC is much interested in promotion itself as an alternate to London. Official of Hong Kong are visiting UK to convey advantages of moving to Hong Kong. Standard Chartered, having large Asian operation is also seeking to move its headquarters out of London and their chief executive too. HSBCs idea of moving its private banking head to Asia reflects the opportunities that the bank is seeing to capture Asias growing wealth. Conclusion Positive Point:- It will help to increase profits for the company. Will help to gain wealth of Asia. Will provide employment Will help to further improvement of the company. Efficient and Effective working of management. Negative Points:- Very risk Can lead to losses Can also lead to demoralisation of other managers. Article 2 : HSBC, Deutsche Bank Complete 1st Yuan-Denominated IRS In HK OCTOBER 22, 2010, 6:01 A.M. ET HONG KONG (Dow Jones)HSBC Holdings PLC (HBC) and Deutsche Bank AG (DB) completed the first yuan-denominated interest rate swap deal in Hong Kong, the U.K. lender said Friday, in another sign of growing activity in the offshore yuan market. The IRS deal, which was completed Thursday, will be delivered in two years and is based on the three-month Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate of 3.37%, HSBC said. HSBC declined to disclose the size of the deal, though a local broker said the deal was valued around CNY5 million. The new deal came amid Chinas efforts to boost yuan circulation in Hong Kong and to internationalize the currency. The market for yuan-denominated instruments outside mainland China has begun taking off as China experiments with loosening its controls on the currency, which isnt freely convertible. Yuan IRS products in Hong Kong had earlier been denominated in the U.S. dollar and were non-deliverable. Analysis HSBC and Deutsche Bank AG completed first Yuan-denominated interest swap rate deal (IRS) which is another sign of growing activity in the offshore yuan market. This deal was completed on Thursday and will be delivering in two years and based on three month shanghai Interbank offered rate of 3.37%. HSBC denied to disclose size of the deal but a local broker estimated this deal for about CNY5 Millions. This deal came after chinas efforts to boost yuan circulation in Hong Kong ant to internationalize the currency. The market for yuan denominated instruments outside china has started to take off as China is experimenting with loosening its control on the currency, which isnt freely convertible. Yuan IRS products in Hong Kong had earlier been denominated in the U.S. dollar and were non-deliverable Conclusion Positive Point:- Growing activity in offshore of Yuan market. Boost yuan denominated instruments outside china. China loosening its control on the currency of yuan. Internationalize the currency. Promote IRS products. Negative Points:- Delivering in two years. Big market of US to compete with,which can result in losses BIBLOGRAPHY http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8079081/HSBC-moves-private-bank-boss-Chris-Meares-to-Asia.html http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101022-704524.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSBC http://www.microfinancefocus.com/news/tag/hsbc .

The Troubled Life of Ernest Hemingway Reflected in His Writing Essay

The Troubled Life of Ernest Hemingway Reflected in His Writing The period between World War I and World War II was a very turbulent time in America. Ernest Hemingway most represented this period with his unrestrained lifestyle. This lifestyle brought him many successes, but it eventually destroyed him in the end. His stories are read in classrooms across America, but his semi-autobiographical writings are horrible role models for the students who read them. Hemingway’s lifestyle greatly influenced his writings in many ways. Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21st 1899. His place of birth was Oak Park, Chicago. There are many places in Oak Park commemorating his life. Ernest was the second of six kids. He was born at 8:00 at 439 Oak Park Avenue in his grandpa’s house. He weighed nine and half pounds and he was twenty-three inches tall. When Ernest was seven weeks old, his family moved to Bear Lake where his dad had bought the house the summer before. Many of the short stories that he wrote later in life were set here (Life and Works 2). Ernest enjoyed a semi-normal childhood. His dad, Clarence Edmunds was a physician and his mom, Grace Hall, was a music teacher. His dad was also an excellent outdoorsman. His mom was very talented in the field of music, but gave it up to raise a family (DISCovering). His mom was not a normal mom though. She constantly humiliated his dad. Ernest believed she drove her dad to kill himself. This had an impact on him later in his life (McDowell 13). As Ernest started high school, he was very insecure about his size. He was only five feet four inches tall. This contributed to his need to always be masculine. This problem did not last long though, as he quickly hit a growth spurt. While in h... ...neis Sons, 1969 "Ernest Hemingway" DISCovering Authors [CD-ROM]. Detroit, MI. Gale Research, 1996 Ernest Hemingway His Life and Works. URL: http://www.ernest.hemingway.com. Gurko, Leo. Ernest Hemingway and The Pursuit of Heroism. Toronto: Fitzhenry and Whiteside Limited, 1968. Hart, James D. ed. "Hemingway" The Oxford Companion to American Literature, 364-395. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965. McDowell, Nicholas. Hemingway. Florida: Rourke Enterprises, 1989. O’Connor, Richard. Ernest Hemingway. New York: McGraw – Hill Book Company, 1971. Parry, Melanie. "Hemingway, Ernest Miller". Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 865. New York: Chambers Harrap Publishers, 1997. Perkins, Georgie, Barbara Perkins, Phillip Leininger. Hemingway, Ernest [Miller] Readers Encyclopedia of America Literature, 438-442. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1991.

Jacksonian Democracy Essays -- essays research papers

Jacksonian Democracy and the Bank War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the things that made Andrew Jackson unique and contributed to the style and tone of the new political age was his commitment to the idea of democracy. By democracy, Jackson meant majoritarian rule. â€Å"The people are the government†, he said, â€Å"administering it by their agents; they are the Government, the sovereign power†. In his message to Congress he announced his creed: â€Å"The majority is to govern,† he declared; and he repeated this commitment at every opportunity. He felt that the electorate should select all its officials in Washington, starting with the President. Jackson advocated a single term of either four or six years for the chief executive and he proposed this change to Congress. Jackson also felt that Senators should be elected to four-year terms by the people, not by the state legislatures. He would even have the electorate select its federal judges for terms of seven years which indicated his commitment to rot ation of office as a means of democratizing the government. (Schlesinger pp.314, 402-406)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jackson’s argument for the principle of â€Å"rotation of office† was the argument of democracy. Offices exist to serve the people, no one has a special claim to office, and there are no elites, therefore, removal from office is not intrinsically wrong. So when the people elect a new President, it is only right that he be given the opportu...

Death Penalty in Canada Essay -- Death Penalty

Canada as a country is always in constant change. Whether it is in government, physicality, entertainment, or economy, Canada is a nation that prides on being unique and receptive to change. But when do these advancements, these abnormalities in comparison to neighboring countries, begin to diminish us as a native land? Or is there always an up side to the refinements and revisions Canada continues to make? Would this question be easier to answer if the consequences of our decisions on change were now life or death? To most, it just makes it that much more complicated. However, the topic of capital punishment is a problem that countries have continued to agonize over for decades, including Canada. So in what regards is capital punishment, and the sentencing of execution a good thing, and is there a line in which first has to be crossed in order to categorize the guilty? These questions have spun through the heads of the government and politicians before, and for now Canada s tands on the against-side of the incredibly blurred line, but as a country always in constant change, should and will Canada ever bring back the death penalty? The death penalty, also frequently referred to as capital punishment is the sentencing of execution for a crime. The most common crime referred to as a â€Å"capital crime† is murder and more specifically, murder in the first degree. In the United States, there have only been two cases in which the convicted was not responsible for a murder (Death Penalty Information Center, 2010). In one of these cases, Patrick Kennedy was found guilty in the aggravated sexual assault case of his step-daughter in 2003, and is now awaiting execution for his actions (Death Penalty Information Center, 2010). Howe... ...out.com/od/deathpenalty/i/DeathPenalty_2.htm Bhatti, S. (2010, October 18). Death penalty pros. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/death-penalty-pros.html Amnesty International USA, . (2010). The death penalty and deterrence. Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/the-death-penalty-and-deterrence/page.do?id=1101085 Jami, . (2010, February 21). General deterrence and the death penalty. Retrieved from http://deathpen.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/chapter-5-general-deterrence-the-death-penalty/ Ontario Consultants on Religious Groups, . (2001, January 3). Policies of religious groups towards the death penalty. Retrieved from http://www.religioustolerance.org/execut7.htm St. Anthony Messenger Press, . (2010). The death penalty and the catholic church. Retrieved from http://www.americancatholic.org/news/deathpenalty/

Globalization of North America, South America and the Caribbean Essay

Globalization is the result of a development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets (http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/globalization). Not everyone is a proponent of globalization. This is especially true for North America. Although the textbook says North Americans have become a highly affluent society by means of transforming the environment and by extending their global, economic, cultural and political reach, the fact remains, that many citizens of North America are not wealth by any stretch of the imagination. The same can also be said about Latin America. The affluence has spread so unevenly, particularly in the United States, that many of the previously middle class have lost their homes and many are now living in tent cities. Recent college graduates are finding it very difficult to obtain employment in their chosen field. Many people have been unemployed long enough that their unemployment benefits have run out. These people are considered to be not actively seeking employment – this is hardly a fair opinion to form. Much of this can be accounted to work being outsourced, mainly to places like Mexico, or even as far as India. â€Å"Multinational corporations are often accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages and poor living and working conditions), as well as a lack of concern for the environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage. † http://www. manufacturing. net/articles/2010/06/the-pros-and-cons-of-globalization. However, there are some benefits of globalization. Some people argue that money is now able to flow freely across boundaries that were once limited. An article found in Forbes Magazine explained how Sony could sell a Playstation game console or TV just as easily in the United States as Tokyo. The same goes for Apple with its iPhones and other tech toys. (http://www. forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2011/09/10/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-side-of-globalization/). The textbook points out how uneven development is in Latin America. Frustrated workers, whether highly skilled or low skilled look to emigration as their only hope. Migrants frequently relocate to the United States, Europe and Japan looking for work. Remittances are sent back to their native countries, which results in billions of dollars annually directed to Latin America.

Organization Learning and Development Essay

Organizational performance depends upon human resources, knowledge and skills of employees. Organization learning and development determine overall success of organizational performance and market position of a company or firm. Changes occurred in technology, marketing, and numerous management techniques, some of which are concerned with human problems. Most of the changes are made in a rather disjointed or piecemeal manner. Following Revans (1980) learning in an organization must be greater than or equal to the rate of change in the environment. The approach emerging today is to use the growing body of ideas and systematic thought to consider innovatory ideas on organization and to adopt a more systematic comprehen ¬sive look at problems, so that we look at the whole instead of looking at separate parts. In modern environment, individuals have a lot of freedom, apart from certain laws of society, but when they join an organization their freedom is restricted and their effort must be joined with those of others to achieve organizational goals through learning and development practices. Change cannot occur if employees do not have sufficient knowledge and skills necessary for new organizational environment. Following Argyris (1977) â€Å"organizational learning as the process of detection and correction of errors† In his view organizations learn through individuals acting as agents for them† (cited Malhotra 1996). In this case, organizational learning becomes a change agent for the organization. Following Polanyi, Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995) identify two types of knowledge, â€Å"tacit knowledge† and â€Å"explicit knowledge†, which influence organizational learning and development. Employees need to acquire tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge in order to meet individual and business goals. Some administra ¬tive apparatus is needed through which managerial authority is exercised. Therefore a hierarchy is formed which issues policy statements to ensure any discretion that individuals may have in their work is exercised in the spirit or attitude of the organization. Without tacit and explicit knowledge, an organization is not able to meet rapidly changing environment. This requirement is somewhat, although not exclusively, dependent upon the first. The level of involvement of employees in the learning process will be necessarily substantial. For the innovation of new ideas to be successful a high degree of integration is needed between all concerned (e. g. engineering, production management and marketing). Organizations that are too rigidly structured may find integration of all necessary activities very difficult (Armstrong 2001). Nick Bontis et al (2002) states that stock and flow of knowledge affect three level in organizations: personal, team and organizational. Direct business needs, which have been identified from the study of the organizational situation might best be met in part by some form of training which cascades down the organization. Selection in such cases is likely to be on a broad basis, because the judgment has already been made that most people need this training. Although there might be discussion with line managers, particularly on who should attend first, selection ul ¬timately should be a central decision, and should be compulsory (Senior, 2001). Following Flood (1999) knowledge and learning allow employees to be better positioned in organization and give them a chance to survive and prosper in different environments. Revans (1980) is right stating that learning in an organization must be greater than the rate of change because learning and development open new opportunities for organizations and allow the staff to meet the criteria set down: persistence and great personal desire to master this knowledge. On the other hand, knowledge develops such important skills as the ability to analyze and synthesize information about the clanging environment. In this situation, employees take into account universal concepts and experience of other people trying to solve his/her life problems or trying to find solution to these troubles (Schuler 1998). Without new knowledge, employees depend upon their own life experience and are limited by prejudices and life scope. Learning cultivates human creativity and helps it to flourish. Organizational learning and development help to create new practical knowledge on the basis of the existing one making employees free from old technologies and views of their peers. Following Weick (1991): â€Å"organizations are not built to learn. Instead, they are patterns of means-ends relations deliberately designed to make the same routine response to different stimuli, a pattern which is antithetical to learning in the traditional sense† (cited Malhotra 1996). Without organizational learning and development, organizations could not benefit from outside worlds depending on their limited world perception. Freedom of choice is the main priority given by education and knowledge. They can choose without knowledge but their choice would be accidental and cannot guarantee the best solution to the problem you are faced with. Organizational learning and development help organizations to get in touch with the society and others which also a key to freedom (Mayo 1998). In the book â€Å"The Fifth Discipline†, Senge (1995) explains organizational development and performance through system theory. Organizations are affected by environment and have a structure which has both formal and informal elements. The analysis of structure will cover how activities are grouped together, the number of levels in the hierarchy, the extent to which authority is decentralized to divisions and units, and the relationships that exist between different units and functions. Senge states that systems thinking method helps organizations to transform their activities and become a learning organization (Organizational Learning and Information Systems 2007). Five disciplines include â€Å"building shared vision, mental models, team learning, personal mastery, systems thinking† (Senge 1995, p. 56). These principles are crucial because these factors allow organizations adapt to changing environments. So, without active learning and development organizations will not be able to compete on the market and adapt changes. Learning process should be prier to change. Bearing in mind the need to take an empirical and contingent approach to organizing, as suggested above, the aim of learning could be defined as being to optimize the arrangements for conducting the affairs. â€Å"A systems orientation is evidenced through common language producing thinking that encourages greater interdependency thus allowing for cross-functional thinking and abilities to be drawn into a productive whole† (Barker, Camarata, 1998, p. 4). To do this, it is necessary, as far as circumstances allow, to: clarify the overall purposes of learning – the strategic thrusts that govern what it does and how it functions; define as precisely as possible the key activities required to achieve that purpose; group these activities logically together to avoid unnecessary overlap or duplica ¬tion. Following Goh (1998) â€Å"Learning organizations not only encourage these practices but also have mechanisms or systems that allow them to happen. Part of this knowledge transfer involves learning successful practices from other organizations and competitors as well† (p. 5). As Katz and Kahn (1964) wrote: ‘Systems theory is basically concerned with prob ¬lems of relationship, of structure and of interdependence. As a result, there is a considerable emphasis on the concept of transactions across boundaries – between the system and its environment and between the different parts of the system† (Katz and K ahn, 1964, p. 48). According to this theory, all organizations have some learning and development which influence market position and innovative approach to performance. Structures incorporate a network of roles and relationships and are there to help in the process of ensuring that collective effort is explicitly organized to achieve specified ends (Mayo 1998). Most employees require much practice to create professional skills and knowledge. Organizations are continually dependent upon and influenced by their environments. The basic characteristic of organizational learning is that it transforms inputs into outputs within its environment. The components of organizational learning include the importation of energy, the throughput, and the systems as cycle aspects of organizations (McNamara 2007). Organizational learning and development include key organizational processes – an organization’s ‘task’ environment includes suppliers, markets and competitors; the wider environment includes factors such as public attitudes, economic and political systems, laws etc; employees and other tangible assets – people, plant, and equipment; formal organizational requirements – systems designed to regulate the actions of employees (and machines); the social system – culture (values and norms) and relationships between employees in terms of power, affiliation and trust; technology – the major techniques people use while engaged in organizational processes and that are programmed into machines; the dominant coalition – the objectives, strategies, personal characteristics and internal relationships of those who oversee the organization as a whole and control its basic policy making (Reed 2001). If organizations are unable to prepare their staff to a coming change, they will be inevitably left behind. Revans is right stating that learning in an ‘organization must be greater than or equal to the rate of change in the environment’ because organizations depend upon the learning and development as a part of change. Following â€Å"as the relationship changes and becomes more complex, the need increases for a relation-based learning organization using communication at all levels and through its various forms† (Barker, Camarata 1998, p. 4). The overall purpose of organizational learning and development is to ensure that the staff is able to achieve success in changing environments. In this case, organizational learning and development can be the source of the organizational capabilities that allow it to learn and capitalize on new opportunities. Ensure that the staff obtains and retains the skilled, committed and well-motivated workforce it needs. This means taking steps to assess and satisfy future people needs and to enhance and develop the inherent capacities of people – their contributions, potential and employability – by providing learning and continuous development opportunities (Nonaka, Takeuchi 1995). It can also involve the development of high performance work systems which enhance flexibility and include â€Å"rigorous recruitment and selec ¬tion procedures, performance-contingent incentive compensation systems, and management development and training activities linked to the needs of the organization† (Mayo 1998, p. 49). An understanding of organiza ¬tional processes and skills in the analysis and diagnosis of patterns of organizational behavior are therefore important. Organizations need to be able to understand the patterns of behavior that are observed to predict in what direction behavior will move (particularly in the light of managerial action), and to use this knowledge to control behavior over the course of time. Effective managerial action requires that the manager be able to diagnose the system he or she is working in. According to Goh (1998): Skill and knowledge acquisition are obviously useless unless they can be transferred to the immediate job by the employee. It is even better if this knowledge can also be transferred to other parts of the organization to solve problems and energize creative new ideas. Part of this knowledge transfer involves learning successful practices from other organizations and competitors as well† (15). Barker and Camarata (1998): underlines that: â€Å"personal mastery is the continual process of growth and development needed for creative work for both the individual and organization. Learning in organizations occurs only through the learning that individuals acquire â€Å"(4). The organization must do all it can to explain why change is essential and how it will affect everyone. Moreover, every effort must be made to protect the interests of those affected by change. Resistance to change is inevitable if the individuals concerned feel that they are going to be worse off – implicitly or explicitly. Management of change will produce that reaction. In an age of global competition, technological innovation, turbulence, disconti-nuity, even chaos, change is inevitable and necessary (Senior, 2001). In sum, learning in an organization must be greater than the rate of change in the environment, because only in this case organizations able to compete on the market and create skilled workforce. Organizational learning and development can be seen as a part of change process which allows organizations to foreshadow coming changes and possible problems. Learning should be greater than the rate of change, because organizations welcome the challenges and opportunities if they have strong human resources and skilled workforce. They are the ones to be chosen as change agents. Reference http://www.brint.com/papers/orglrng.htm

High blood pressure Essay

Smoking does stunt your growth which, as well as it giving high blood pressure. When someone hangs around a smoker, they are actually inhaling the smoke, which would make them a passive smoker. A passive smoker is worse than actually being a smoker because breathing the smoke from the air is worse than taking it in through your mouth as it would cause blockages in the nose. Smoking can always cause headaches and colds and it can also give you very bad cough, also known as smoker cough. The thing that makes smoking so addictive is the nicotine that is inside them. They can be replaced with nicotine patches when and if decided to stop. Smoking also can affect your social life as it can cause arguments and it can also means sometimes it would mean you would be left alone outside smoking away while all your friends are inside as they don’t smoke. Also the lose of money from smoking is becoming more and more as they are increasing the prices of the cigarettes as the government are tying to prevent people to smoke, and so by you wasting your money on small cancer sticks is pointless. Smoking can also leads to drugs, because it first starts with smoking cigarettes and then it would go further and start smoking drugs. This can completely change the individual’s life around. Smoking also affects the eyesight of the individual from the conclusions that they would have to start wearing glasses. Smoking can also be the main causes of strokes, someone collapsing and some to become paralysis. Asthma is the biggest problem when it comes to smoking because smoking damages the lungs and a person who has asthma would already have a bad set of lungs. And so when someone is smoking around them, it could make it even worse and allow them to have a fatal attack. All of this start of somewhere and it is usually when the individual is a teenager because they would want to just try it. And then they would not be able to control themselves and continue smoking for the rest of their lives. With some people smoking doesn’t just happen just like that, they would be either forced through peer pressure or from the attitude just trying it out. Stopping smoking is not easy because it takes a lot of will power and determination because it can be extremely difficult, but the government provides a lot of help because they want the nation to become healthier. That is also another reason for the cigarettes being brought up in prices because they want to try to get people of them. There are products out there that can be brought to help you give up smoking like nicotine patches as well as little sticks that you can inhale which would make believe you that your smoking as it gives you the same feeling but you would not be inhaling any smoke which is safer for you and the people around. With some individuals, they try to stop completely all a sudden but it is them type of people that would either most likely go back and start smoking again, or not touch another one for the rest of your life, but for people who find it hard to stop smoking, there is help provided by the NHS and also on the internet as they would be happy to give advice.

Augustus: Person of the Year

Ryan Weber Mrs. Brannan HUM-2211 October, 15, 2012 Person of the year: Augustus How does one define person of the year? Someone who is appointed this title of great honor above every other man or woman in the world. For what it’s worth, I can sum it all up into one name, Augustus. A brave and loyal leader, educated and intelligent man, a political connoisseur, patron of the arts, and a loving husband, what else could be asked from a man of such great achievement?We will be looking into the life, rule, and accomplishments of Augustus, then finish off with an exclusive interview to give us more of an insider look on the â€Å"Person of the year. † â€Å"On March 15, 44 BC, a group of Roman Senators stood over the dead body of Julius Caesar, bloody knives in their hands. They had murdered the Roman leader in an effort to save the Republic from Caesar's aspirations for sole power† (McGill, Sarah Ann) In spring of 44 BCE Augustus formerly known as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, or Octavious for short, became ruler of Rome.Adopted by Julius Caesar after traveling alongside him for many years and throughout many battles, being the only male relative and it being written in Caesars will, Augustus was heir to the throne and quickly began making an impact on roman society. â€Å"Caesar Augustus rose from near obscurity to become the most powerful man Rome had ever seen, and he became perhaps the single most important figure in Rome's long history. † (Sizgorich, Tom. â€Å"Augustus) Starting his reign at age 18, very young and inexperienced he would have to gain the trust and support of the empire as a whole.Very intuitively and keen, he started at the base of it all, the people. Initiating public games loved by them as a source of entertainment, when a comet flew by on the first day, everyone took it as Caesar’s soul ascending to the heavens, this greatly helped win his popularity among his great uncles army he left and also made him allies within the senate. But with allies, would come opponents, one man in particular, Mark Antony, whom was a close ally with Caesar and fought against the party that assassinated him.Tensions between the two were short after they formed a group to eliminate opposing forces such as the one that killed Caesar, lead by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. â€Å"The alliance between Antony and Octavian could not last, however; after the defeat of the conspirators, Octavian set about building a base of support for himself among the Romans, anticipating the confrontation with Antony that he knew would come. † (Sizgorich, Tom. â€Å"Augustus) â€Å"Octavian began preparing to confront Antony. Antony had angered many Romans because of his relationship with the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra.Octavian took advantage of this anger to gain further support against Antony. † (â€Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. † Ancient Greece and Rome) Acute and sharp as he was, Augustus began to realize the roman public was outraged that Antony had been willingly manipulated by queen Cleopatra of Egypt. He set out to defeat Antony and Cleopatra’s army. When he finally did so, the couple committed suicide and allowed Augustus to finally have full control over all of Rome. He did not want to rule as his uncle did, so in order to convince the public and senate he would not do so he, articulated the â€Å"Princep† title.Deriving from Latin meaning â€Å"first citizen† suggesting that he held only the same power as all others in the senate, but no one was to be above him in ruling. Augustus wasted no time as sole leader of Rome, he extended the borders, instituted construction of new buildings, water systems and roads. He maintained public order and law, supported writers such as Virgil and Livy to bring back more traditional Roman values, and introduced a new religion to society, â€Å"Christianity. † At one point he offered to relinquish a ll of his power to the senate, but they would not oblige.In fact they revered him even more and allotted him with the title Augustus, which is when he adopted the name and dropped the name Octavious. Augustus proclaimed that he had â€Å"found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble. † (â€Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. † Ancient Greece and Rome) By the end of his rule, Rome was flourishing, rich and prosperous was the whole empire. Lined with armies protecting all borders, creating a safe environment for all of Rome, it has been deemed â€Å"Rome’s Golden Age† or â€Å"Pax Romana† and was the period in time when the civilization experienced the most peace and prosperity.Augustus passed away in AD 14 and Tiberius took control over Rome as his stepson. It is easy to see how Augustus was named Person of the year, he accomplished more in his lifetime than any other individual I can name Reforming government and military, restoring Roman tr aditions and values, and vastly expanding the empire. And gaining the love and support of the people, the senate, and the army at the same time, it’s no wonder why the senate held him at the level of a god when he passed. Works Cited * â€Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. Ancient Greece and Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Carroll Moulton. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. 87-91. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. * Sizgorich, Tom. â€Å"Augustus. † World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012 * McGill, Sarah Ann. â€Å"Augustus. † Augustus (2009): 1. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. * â€Å"Augustus, Caesar Octavianus. † Ancient Greece and Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Carroll Moulton. Vol. 1.New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. 87-91. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. * Fears, J. Rufus. â€Å"Augustus. † Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 630-631. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012 * Dunstan, William E. Ancient Rome. n. p. : Rowman & Littlefield, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 15 Oct. 2012 (I was not able to log into this EBook the whole time I have been writing this paper, but you have it down as a required cite. )

Celebrities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Celebrities - Essay Example As a result, there are pros and cons when a company decides to contract a celebrity to be the face of its product or service. Celebrity endorsers are individuals who are known to the public for achievements in areas other than that of the product-category endorsed. The individual enjoys public acknowledgement and who uses this acknowledgement on behalf of a product or service by appearing with it in an advertisement. As well as promoting established brands, celebrity endorsers are used to promulgate new brand images, reposition brands or introduce new ones (Pride, 2013). The use of celebrities has become a common practice for companies competing in today’s cluttered media environment, with one in five marketing campaigns now featuring celebrities. The use of celebrities as endorsers tends to create, attempts to create positive effects in the minds of consumers, operating alongside consumers’ owned culturally formed meanings. Companies invest large sums of money to align their brands and themselves with endorsers. The rising popularity of this phenomenon is due to increasing consumer consciousness and new product proliferation, and encouraging marketers to use attention-creating media stars to assist in product marketing. Initially, the use of celebrity endorsers seemed to be an all-gain/no-risk situation, but as with any dynamic marketing communication strategy, there are potential hazards (Dietrich & Livingston, 2012). Hence, before a company embarks on the process of hiring celebrity endorsers to market its product and services, it ought to critically analyze the pros and cons of using this kind of marketing strategy. Nike is one of the companies that have enlisted the services of celebrity to market its new elite speed mercurial vapor playing boots currently worn by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Pros of celebrity endorsers Celebrity endorsers can create positive buzz and attract both new customers and investors. The exposure companies can get by associating by their products with a celebrity is such a lucrative opportunity such that businesses often give away products in the hope of attracting celebrity interest. Furthermore, celebrity endorsers help to increase mainstream exposure. Most companies are aware the Western culture is infatuated with celebrities. Hence, for a company that has just gained a foothold of the market, the use of a celebrity figure will enable the company to drive a lot of eyeballs towards its product or service. The use of celebrity endorsers will help to increase the credibility of the product. Even though there are celebrities that have developed a love to hate relationship with members of the public, their appearance in various products can help to generate the appearance of credibility for both developing and established companies. A lot of consumers prefer to use that product or service that has a celebrity on it since it signifies that the product has something worth checking out. The u se of celebrity endorsers tends to generate compelling content, which has often, proved to be an elusive aspect for content-driven businesses. As a result, the use of celebrities will enable the company to produce the type of content that can hardly be bought regardless of the amount of money that the company intends to use in marketing the product or servic

Briefly discuss, using specific examples, the issue of vaccine safety Outline

Briefly discuss, using specific examples, the issue of vaccine safety - Outline Example They argue that the effectiveness and safety of vaccines are not guaranteed. Issues surrounding the safety of vaccines are based on the fact that the use of vaccines has been associated with health problems that occur as side effects upon using vaccines. Specifically, autism has controversially been a condition that has been linked to the use of vaccines, with children within the relevant age bracket being the most vulnerable. In this regard, parents have raised concerns over the underlying risks in vaccine use. Governments, states, and more especially medical interventionists are embarking on monitoring health status of most vaccinated patients in a bid to ensure that vaccines remain safe, over and above being effective (Miller, 2009, p.173). While most vaccines have passed safety tests, cases of vaccines that are not safe cannot be ruled out. The occurrence of health problems that result from vaccines also remains an open phenomenon, thereby necessitating intensive analysis of vaccines’ side effects and subsequent health complications that they are likely to

European Union Law - Institutional Balance Essay

European Union Law - Institutional Balance - Essay Example Initially, the crusade was focused on centralizing the coal and steel industries of Europe for better control and protection. It was thus evident at the start that the reason for the amalgamation was economics which explains why the group was earlier created as the European Economic Community.1 Since the interrelations and interactions among the members of the community were embodied in treaties or equivalent covenants, there was a need for an adjudicatory body to ensure that the provisions and terms of those agreements between and among independent territories or jurisdictions were religiously kept and to see to it that the institutions and agencies under the Union formulate and execute acts and deeds which are legally in pursuance of those treaties and covenants. This led to the establishment of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the year 1952. The tribunal is now one of the seven pillars of the European Union and its judicial authority cooperating with the courts of the member states.2 The coordination includes matters of interpretation of the relevant laws and rules. The most important sources of law are legislation and jurisprudence, also called case law or common law. In the case of the European Union, it key institutions have legislative powers. ... even without these law-making bodies, there are already several treaties between and among member states which have been in force and effect and which necessarily become components of European Union Law. Most of these legal agreements are now incorporated in the European Union Consolidated Versions of the Treaty on European Union and of the Treaty Establish the European Community. The European Council Treaty and Protocols which was amended by the Treaties: Merger Treaty, the several Acts of Accession, the Budgetary Treaties and others also form part of the European Union Law. Secondary legislations in the nature of regulations, directives and decisions issued and adopted by the European Council, as well as international agreements for and in behalf of the Union, are also included in the whole legal framework. It is worth to note that the European Council, known today as the Council of the European Union, is composed of the representatives of the Member States who hold ministerial lev el positions. While there is only one Council, it is not a fixed institution and its designation and membership depend on the subject matter then at hand. Hence, if the issue then prevailing is about agriculture, the respective agriculture ministers will be the participants and the body will then be called the Agricultural Council.3 There can therefore also be a Council of Foreign Affairs, or of Finance, or of Home Affairs, etc. It is likewise important to observe that institutional balance is of fundamental significance in the political sphere of the European Union. No less than the key institutions of the union zealously advocate this kind of neutralization in order to conserve and maintain order, working harmony and decorum among all the branches and instrumentalities of the

The Health Care Industry in the Business World Essay

The Health Care Industry in the Business World - Essay Example This essay stresses that NHS is a company that has to improve its communication and intergration of accounting techniques and procedures to improve their level of understanding of how different variables can affect the financial bottom line of a company and how these techniques are able to measure precisely the performance of a company in different operational areas. A conglomarate health care organization which has many units performing different and similar type services has to receice support from all business departments to produce information that enables a company to support the decision making process of the company which is perform by the executive managerial staff of NHS. This paper makes a conclusion that it is difficult for a company to succedd if teamwork and productive synergies are not developed about the varios business units and operation departmetn of a company. Providing supporting services is the responsibility of professionals who work as business adminitrators. Within an organization one of the most influenctial deparments that prepares information regarding the economic activity in a company is the accounting staff. There are many techniques that manipulate information to convert raw data into valuable business reports and information that provides a compilation of the internal financial behavior of an organization as well as other information regarding the industry in which a company operates.

Long term project of French spirit promotion in Germany Essay

Long term project of French spirit promotion in Germany - Essay Example Initially there has been a rumor that Ubi-France intended to purchase more number of shares towards acquisition of the German rival groups. The business situation was therefore tensed, and business relationship between France and Germany stained. Such rumors have been refuted by the officials from the Ubi-France, rather the officials have stressed over the need to secure market shares and achieve customer satisfaction. The company has adopted and implemented â€Å"the use of operational ideas and successful experiences from their operations in France†, and has integrated the after purchase services with the sales network, aimed at the establishment â€Å"of a comprehensive and high-efficiency sales-service network† (Warren, 2001). The German consumer market venture has recorded sales of more than twenty thousand units on monthly basis, which is forty percent greater than the previous solo performance of the company. Ubi-France has felt victim of the sociolinguistic challenges within German market. The multinational companies including Ubi-France have been accused for their involvement in such practices which generate â€Å"creativity-driven shock values, controversy and extreme individualism commonly accepted in the North American and Western European markets†. Ubi-France has experienced severe tribulations due to its â€Å"advertising language as culture-blind and bona fid†, and German market created great hurdle for the industry. It has been important for the company to implement congruence of the values, and avoid the existence of the cultural values in the organization in an implicit manner. It has been observed that the categorization of the organizational, departmental and employee values and behaviors on the basis of the cultural affinity has generated satisfaction among the employees, and has developed positive impact on their â€Å"commitment, absenteeism, turnover, mora le and

Physical and Chemical Structure of Penamecillin Essay

Physical and Chemical Structure of Penamecillin - Essay Example CAS name for penamecillin is (2s, 5r, 6r)-3, hydroxymethyl (2s,5r,6r)-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-6-(2-phenylacetamido)-4-thia-1-azabicyclo(3.2.0)heptane-2-carboxylate , 3-dimethyl-7-oxo-6-[(phenylacetyl) amino]-4-thia-1-azabicyclo [3.2.0] heptane-2-carboxylic acid (acetyloxy) methyl ester. Furthermore, the CAS registry number for penamecillin is 983-85-7, and the compound InChIKey, is NLOOMWLTUVBWAW-UHFFFAOYSA-N (PubMed, ch 1). Â  Penamecillin has a molecular weight of 406.45278 g/mol with a molecular formula of C19H22N2O6. It is a monoclinic crystalline compound (PubChem, ch 4). The compound has a density of 1.376g/cm3, a boiling point of 648.774Â °c at 760 mmHg, with a melting point range of 105.5 Â °c to 111 Â °c, and a refractive index of 1.609 (Gibaldi And Schwartz, 362 ). It is moderately soluble in water but insoluble in petroleum ether. However, penamecillin is very soluble in methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and benzene. It is also readily soluble in dimethylsulfoxide, chloroform, acetone, trichloromethane, and ether. Furthermore, it is an unstructured crystalline white powder with the precise optical rotation of +269 deg, at 20 deg C/D methanol. It also possesses a flash point of 346.2Â °C, with an inflammable limit of 364Â °C when it is a settled powder, and 442Â °C when it is in form of spun powder. Furthermore, it has a slight characteristic odor, and its decomposition temperature is > 105 Â °C. In terms of stability and reactivity, penamecillin is stable at ambient temperatures and should be kept away from heat or ignition sources. It is also a readily biodegradable compound even though it is not a bioaccumulation or eco-toxicity compound (PubChem, ch 4). Â  

Hot Melt Extrusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hot Melt Extrusion - Essay Example HME technique does not require time consuming drying step and compressing step; and therefore, the processing steps are significantly reduced. Due to fewer unit operations involved in HME operation, production time is greatly enhanced. During the HME process, the polymer-melt itself act as a thermal binder. HME eliminates problems arising from poorly compactible materials. An extruded rod obtained from HME procedure can be directly incorporated into tablets after cutting. Uniform dispersion of fine particles is obtained due to vigorous mixing and agitation conditions of HME operation. The energy requirements in HME process are low as compared to high shear granulation. The HME process requires lower investment for equipment as against other processes. HME technique also provides new strategies to increase dissolution rates for sparingly water soluble drugs, enhance bioavailability of the active ingredient, improve content uniformity of dosage formulation, modify drug release, and als o helps to mask the unpleasant taste of the drug (Repka et al. 1043; Crowley et al. 909). A single- or twin-screw extruders are used for HME process. The extruder is composed of a feeding hopper, barrels, single or twin screws, die, screw-driving unit, heating/cooling device for the barrels, conveyer belt to cool down the product, and solvent delivery pump. The monitoring devices on the equipment include temperature gauges, a screw-speed controller, an extrusion torque monitor and pressure gauges. During the HME process, first a dry powder blend of drug, polymer, and other adjuvants/additives is prepared. Then, this soild mixture is fed into the feeding section of the extruder. The material is transferred to the melting section. The heat is applied to the material in the melting section to form the polymer-melt. This molten mass is transferred in the metering section which is then