Charles Murray Essay

The New Right came from the work of the American Sociologist Charles Murray who viewed welfare payments has causing lone parenthood which in turn created an underclass. Charles Murray visited the UK in 1989 and said it has a developing underclass. Murray said: â€Å"the underclass are defined by their behaviour. Their homes are littered and unkempt. The men in the family are unable to hold down a job. Drunkenness is common. The children grew up ill-schooled and ill-behaved and contribute to a disproportionate share of juvenile delinquents† Murray saw underclass as behaviour a lifestyle choice, a disease which infects certain groups of people. ‘When I use the term ‘underclass’ I am indeed focusing on a certain type of poor person defined not by his condition, for example, long-term unemployment, but by his deplorable behaviour in response to that condition, for example, unwilling to take jobs that are available to him.’ This shows how members of the underclass define themselves as different by their own behaviour. Murray singles out three forms of behaviour that define underclass status: * Parenting behaviour * Criminal behaviour * Labour market behaviour Specifically, it is illegitimate births to young women, habitual crime and particularly violent crime, and the refusal of young working class men to enter employment that determines the existence of an underclass. ‘If illegitimate births are the leading indicator of an underclass and violent crime a proxy measure of its development, the definitive proof that an underclass has arrived is that large numbers of young, healthy, low-income males choose not to take jobs. (The young idle rich are a separate problem).’ (Murray, 1990) Since, in his analysis, it is the poor themselves that are to blame for their poverty, because they either choose to act in a certain way, or are conditioned to do so by over-generous government welfare, the policy solutions that flow from this analysis are, not surprisingly, aimed at changing the behaviour of the poor. The alternative, improving the effectiveness of the welfare programmes, is not considered. Indeed for New Right theorists, the welf are state is a major part of the problem. What such theorists would seek is the dismantling of the welfare state, and a situation set up that would make it dysfunctional for individuals to act in deviant ways. David Marsland Sociologist David Marsland has adopted the new right approach and does not believe that poverty is as bad as others are making out. He claims that groups such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation purposely confuse poverty with inequality and completely exaggerates the extent of poverty. He argues that there is only absolute poverty and that relative does not exist. Marsland is very critical about universal benefits and services such as health care, education and child benefits. He believes that people who are on low income are results of the state being too generous in their benefits and services rather than the individual’s inadequacy to work (Haralambos & Holborn, 2008). A quote from Marsland : â€Å"the expectation that society, the state, the government, â€Å"they†, will look after our problems tricks us into abdicating from self-reliance and social responsibly† (Marsland 1989). However, Marsland has been criticised by Bill Jordan who says that he is wrong to b lame the culture of dependency to universal welfare provision. He argues that selectively means testing benefits can trap people in a life of poverty. It often turns out that people are better off on benefits than they would be in work. It also can exclude the individual from the rest of society and make them feel ashamed and embarrassed that they receive benefits. Also, if education and health care are private then people with disability and unskilled workers may not be able to afford or find work. Jordan also claims that societies that rely upon means-tested benefits and private health care, tend to develop a large underclass, who have little chance of escaping from poverty; this is the case in countries such as America. Jordan states that poverty is a result of societies being too harsh. He argues that the only way to break the cycle of poverty is by universal benefits that are at a high enough standard so people can afford to work and get back up on their feet (Haralambos & Holborn, 2008). Despite this, the New Right approach has been influential across Western countries, and the Conservative party is in power in Britain today.

America Today is More Unhappy Essay

America today is more disillusioned than back in the 1920’s. I believe that America today is more unhappy because of divorce rates, technology, and people being materialistic. Today in America everyone gets divorced now. I also believe that technology today drives people to become more distant from their family and friends. People being materialistic today in America has caused relationship problems. That is why I believe that America today is more disillusioned and unhappy than America in the 1920’s. People being materialistic causes America today to be so unhappy and disillusioned because the majority of people have to keep up with what’s new and always try to get the latest trends. Being materialistic has caused Americans to become greedy and also causes to ruin a lot of relationships. People tend to be so materialistic because they want to impress other people. Wanting to look rich is something that almost every American desires in the world today. Back in the 1920’s, yes some people were materialistic but it wasn’t as bad as it is today. Being materialistic also can ruin relationships. â€Å"Materialism is actually correlated with unhappiness in marriages.†, stated the author in an article. People today think it’s no big deal to get a divorce, in fact it happens quite often now. This is why America today is more unhappy/disillusioned. In the 1920’s it was very uncommon and considered to be very weird and different if you heard that someone was getting a divorce. But today getting a divorce is not a big deal. If talks about getting a divorce no one acts as surprised or shocked because it’s very common. In an article the author says, â€Å"Couples marrying for the first time have approximately a fifty percent chance of divorcing.† Couples today just throw marriages away like it’s nothing. They basically just get married for the fun of it. People just â€Å"fall out of love† as stated in an article. They don’t have the time to communicate with their loved ones because they are too distracted with their jobs, technology, etc. Today America has the highest divorce rate of all times. Technology is also another big reason why America today is more unhappy. All the time you see people’s eyes glued onto their phones and drowning the whole world out. People get so distracted from technology and they don’t really care about what’s going on around them, people tend to grow distant from people. When you go somewhere just look around, everybody has their phone or some other device in their hands, and if it’s not in their hands it’s near them. Americans are so attached to technology that it literally drives us away from families/friends. In the 1920’s this wasn’t a problem at all. They didn’t have the high technology that we have today but they still had phones and it didn’t cause them to grow distant from people. They would still go out and have a good time. But today, if you can’t have your cell phone with you, it’s like the end of the world. in the article â€Å"Smartphone Dependency: A Growi ng Obsession With Gadgets†, the writer says, â€Å"For others, being away from their phone will almost certainly cause separation anxiety.† This truly shows how attached americans are to their phones. Some people might say that America in the 1920’s was more unhappy/disillusioned because of the unemployment rate. In the 1920’a the Great Depression â€Å"caused 13 to 15 million American’s to be unemployed.†, stated in an article. That is a lot but, also today there are plenty of people who are unemployed. It’s a big deal in America today than it was back in the 1920’s because today everything is so much more expensive and you need to have money for every little thing you do. We rely on money so much today. In the 1920’s you didn’t have to rely on money for every little thing you did. Some people might Also say that crime rates in the 1920’s lead to disillusionment. I have to disagree because today we have a huge percent of crimes that happen. In the 1920’s there were a lot of mobs and gangs. You don’t hear of there being mobs and gangs today as much but there is people who just go and kill people randomly today. More people go and just randomly kill people than they did in the 1920’s. In an article I read the writer said that â€Å"†¦there were more gangs in the 1920’s but today there is more people who go on random killing sprees and kill hundreds of people.† I believe that the 1920’s did have high crime rates, but today in America the rates are even higher. I truly believe that America today is way more disillusioned and unhappy than America in the 1920’s. People are so much more unhappy because of the use of technology. People have grown so attached to their phones that they will text you when you are sitting right across from them. Being materialistic has caused America to also become more disillusioned. Back in the 1920’s people didn’t have to have the best of everything like americans do today. Also America today is more unhappy because of the divorce rates. This has caused America to become unhappy because so many people get divorced today. I believe that the people in the 1920’s were not as unhappy as people are today.

Strategic Marketing Managment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Strategic Marketing Managment - Case Study Example (Barnes, 2006) As mentioned by Jobs, he has big marketing plans for Disney and people will surely love the experience of a new electrifying world within next five years. Another positive thing is, CEO of Disney Robert A. Iger possesses a kindred strength. He is self-affirmed early adopter who loves his one hundred and twenty channel Sirius satellite radio fitted in his automobile. According to Iger, he got a call from the Apple CEO who wished him well and showed interest in working together. At the same time, this coalition has ample of risks, too. Jobs will have to find a way to keep away from conflicts as he administers Apple and remains present on Disney's board too. Steve will also need to prove he can take on the new responsibility of supporting player. The similar thoroughness that helps him in manufacturing great products may make it tricky for him to stand by if somebody is doing something that he thinks is wrong. Iger does not look much secure either. He has refurbished his management style for Disney and implemented some improved operations too. Moreover, Disney’s stock is nearly the same as it used to be few years ago. (Sultana and Arun., 2006) Lots of people wonder how Jobs will utilize his distinctive skills of strategic marketing management to media industry. Jobs undoubtedly have too much to present to Walt Disney. During past few years he has exhibited a methodical justification of his thoughts and leadership. Steve Jobs has already experienced an outstanding expedition in which he has seen several ups and downs however ultimately he has always accomplished something while working for his brands. In the beginning Disney and Pixar had to face inter-organization opposition. But undoubtedly, Jobs is making every effort to give Apple and Pixar a radical drive by using his intelligence, policies and procedures to capture market. This coalition of Jobs with Disney is full of promises. Through this association or this direct horizontal strategic affiliation there is an expectation that if it works well then Disney will soon turn out to be the leading group in world of media. Another major assistance of this coalition is public likeness of Steve Jobs that will definitely help Disney in long run. Steve is famous for acquiring latest strategies for manufacturing and then marketing his products considering the preference of customers. He believes he has to launch great products in order to get great sales and heavy profits for the company. (Sultana and Arun., 2006) Steve highly prefers quality on quantity. After this coalition of Steve and Disney, it is expected that he will make his center of attention the products, which are made under the name of Disney since if he makes an Apple iPod or an animated film, he strongly believes if the manufactured good is accurate then the business will also do accurate in terms of profit. Jobs is also willing to exhibit the dedication of Apple and Disney for marketing each other. Since both these companies always showed interest in acquiring the most up-to-date technology in order to deliver their best in their products. (Finki, 2011)For instance: according to the plan free of cost advertisements of Disney movies will be publicized on various products of Apple that will enlarge their target market and will also bring an advantage above its other

How to extend and enchance a childs learning Essay

How to extend and enchance a childs learning - Essay Example Basing from relevant information and sources of knowledge, this case study shall attempt to identify ways of enhancing learning on ‘Child A’. The case shall also shed light on relevant theories on learning, and how they contribute to enhancing learning on ‘Child A’. The case study shall also attempt to relate the learning theories to classroom situation of ‘Child A’, as well as conducting an assessment on brain, gender, race, and environment, and contribution in learning. ‘Child A’ is a five year old male of Somali origin. He is newly arrived to the U.K. from Norway (6 months) and has never been to school in England before. He comes from a large family of Mother, Father, two older siblings, male of 9 years and female of 7 years and then two younger female siblings of 3 years and 6 months old. Only father and two older siblings are English speaking in the family, therefore, most of their conversation in the homes is in Somali language. He started in reception in September and is already making excellent progress considering his initial lack of English. From the above background information, it is an obvious assumption that the tutor needs to come up with methods that ‘child A’ of Somali origin will acquire concepts taught in the learning environment. The move for supporting the student must be in concurrence with active learning of the child. As evident in the work compiled by Kay (2005), and Wigfield & Wentzel (2009), direct input in the child’s learning solely depends on the communication mechanisms applied in the school setting. It is evident that once a child attends school, they receive instruction with different languages in different settings, as well as receive instruction from a dissimilar source, as opposed to their parents or caregivers. Additionally, Arnold (2005) and Golper (2012) caution that in an event that the caregivers completely shift focus to the educators, learning may not take

Analysis of Vodafone and its competitive environment Essay

Analysis of Vodafone and its competitive environment - Essay Example Conclusion 10 5.1 Summary 10 5.2 Final analysis 10 5.3 Conclusion 11 5.4 SWOT 11 References 12 Appendix 13 1. Introduction The continuous increase of competition in all industries worldwide is one of the major challenges that modern organizations have to face. The ability of a particular firm, Vodafone, to secure its market position is reviewed in this paper. Particular emphasis is given on the competitive environment of the organization but also on the firm’s current strategies for competing its rivals. The report aims to show the potentials of the organization to increase its competitiveness; at the same time, effort is made to show whether there are any factors, in the firm’s internal or external environment, that could threaten the organization’s performance, either in the short or the long term. A series of theories and frameworks are employed in order to explore the issues described above: the Porter’s Five Forces and the Life Cycle Analysis are used for analysing the industry in which the firm operates; the analysis of the industry in which the firm operates is included in the first part of the paper. ... 2. Overview Competition in the UK telecommunications industry is strong. The findings of the industry analysis and of the internal analysis lead to the assumption that Vodafone has developed appropriate strategies for securing its market share in UK. Despite its significant performance, Vodafone needs to identify strategies that would help to the standardization of the firm’s performance in the future. The firm’s existing strategies seem to be quite satisfactory, in terms of their value in supporting the organization’s competitiveness. Still, there are certain issues related to the firm’s internal and external environment that need to be addressed appropriately, aiming to improve the firm’s position towards its competitors. 3. Industry analysis 3.1 Porter’s five forces Porter’s five forces model aims to help the identification of industries, which are highly offered for organizational growth, since the risks involved are limited (Barne y 1991); thus, the operations of a firm that would decide to enter such industry would not be threatened. Another important characteristic of the particular model (Figure 4, Appendix) is the following one: it helps to understand the effects of ‘a firm’s attributes on its environment’ (Barney 1991, p.100). After identifying the conditions in a firm’s environment, it would be easier to check whether the firm has achieved ‘to establish a value created strategy which is quite difficult for competitors to duplicate’ (Barney 1991, p.102), i.e. whether it has a ‘sustained competitive advantage’ (Barney 1991, p.102) or not. In order to understand the potentials and the

Bowling for Columbine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bowling for Columbine - Essay Example Michael Moore unveils that in modern world, many teenagers follow the example of adults and film heroes trying to obtain guns and use force against innocent citizens. For most of them, guns represent "adulthood", a stylish and trendy way of life. According to Jasis Ordonez-Jasis (2003) "Moore's film explores issues of violence and fear in U.S. society, particularly surrounding the Columbine tragedy of the morning of April 20, 1999, when 12 high school students and one teacher were killed, and dozens of others were wounded, by two fellow classmates" (Jasis and Ordonez-Jasis, 2003, p. 127). In this documentary, Moore uses specific techniques and methods to unveil the message of the film. Traditional definition of a documentary states that "the film is only the sum of the facts recorded on film, or, if you like, not merely the sum, but the product, a 'higher mathematics' of facts" (Michelson cited Bruzzi, 2000, 11). In "Bowling for Columbine", Moore goes beyond traditional documentary practices and norms using elements of fiction. Some critics accuse him in using "false" facts and "deception" which help Moore to influence perception of viewers (Hardy, 2002, Galupo, 2002). For instance, Hardy comments that "Moore leads the reader to draw inferences which he must have known were wrong. Indeed, even speeches shown on screen are heavily edited, so that sentences are assembled in the speaker's voice, but which were not sentences he uttered. Bowling uses deception as its primary tool of persuasion and effect" (Hardy, 2003). Taking into account "Bowling for Columbine", the mix ture of different styles and tools can be interpreted as a specific style of Moore which distinguishes him from other filmmakers. Critics suppose that "Bowling for Columbine" "analyzes with irony and poignancy the corporate, media, and government involvement in creating a climate of pervasive paranoia, exacerbating threats, while glorifying, justifying, or trivializing violence here and abroad" (Ordonez-Jasis, Jasis, 2003, p. 127). To prove this idea, Moore uses military and diplomatic actions conducted by the USA. Throughout the film, Moore uses dramatization and summarization as the main methods to create the message in "Bowling for Columbine". From the very beginning, the signs in the film suggest that maybe evil can prevail even in the presence of good. The severity of this notion carries much weight in the "real" world. The documentary and gritty feel of the film also gives realistic mood and that might signify the reality of everyday life. The trend towards more graphic violence in movies parallels the transition of the general viewing audience to a higher shock level. Viewers are shocked by facts and events depicted in the documentary. Critics criticize Moore for "using too much jokey music, and also for making himself the focus of the story once or twice too often. Mostly, though, he listens to people, in sorrow and outrage and raucous amusement; and what he hears, he communicates without a dull moment, except maybe one" (Klawans, 2002, p. 44). In "Bowling for Columbine", Moore selects the most impressive facts and events creating atmosphere of fear and terror. Some critics (Hardy, 2002, Galupo, 2002) accuse Moore in subjectivity, because he presents one side of the problem only. This method is not typical for documentary films (Bruzzi, 2000), but it helps Moore to depict the gap between expected,

Artistic Freedom, Commercial Demands, and Ethical Responsibility Case Study

Artistic Freedom, Commercial Demands, and Ethical Responsibility - Case Study Example The media has its own justification of releasing such content. These justifications will be elaborated upon in this paper along with its impact on the moral, artistic and commercial landscape of the media. A discussion on censorship will also be covered within this paper. Justifying Questionable Content The media has been quite vociferous in justifying questionable content. They present their perspective of the story which does not completely alleviate the concerns of responsible citizens. One argument presented by the entertainers is that the impact of media is not as strong as is being propagated by anti-media parties. They argue that while there may be a relationship between violence and media, this relationship is not properly understood. It may be possible that people with a violent streak may be more inclined to watch violent movies (Smith, 2002). In such cases, it is not the media that is impacting the person but rather the person being attracted to media for what is provides to the individual. The individual may even live out his fantasy of violence by watching the movie and may not commit such acts in his real life. However, the media cannot make a strong case that its content does not impact the minds of the young consumers who have little knowledge of differentiating between right and wrong. The media does not take into account its moral duty (Ganguzza and Morgensten, 1992). Entertainers and their supporters also argue that questionable content could not be completely removed from media as this would subsequently harm the freedom of speech of the media. Preventing the media from freely expressing their content is a violation of their First Amendment Act (Magoon, 2010). The media is entitled to its own opinions even if they are objectionable to certain groups. For example, Eminem may be producing questionable content according to certain people but entertainers argue that he is merely expressing his opinions. The voice of Eminem represents the voice o f millions of black people and to silence this voice is to prevent the media from being truly free (Christians, et. al, 2012). Moral, Artistic and Commercial Relevance of the Argument If considered morally, the presence of questionable content is destroying the fabric of the society. It is doing this by promoting a culture that is filled with violence, hate and sexual overtones. While the society stresses on the importance of morality and ethic, the media is promoting a culture that is just the opposite. For example, it gives the lesson through a variety of films such as Kill Bill, that a common man may arise above the law and take revenge for the wrong inflicted upon him. If the media is allowed to go unchecked, the youth will have a completely different and distorted view of morality. When parents check mortality, it is sometimes quite the opposite of what children watch on the media. This will lead to doubt in the minds of the children and may even impact the authority of the par ents (Eden, Grizzard and Lewis, 2012) However, the artistic freedom of the media is sometimes comprised if they are not able to truly depict their opinions and views. If

The High Australian dollar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The High Australian dollar - Essay Example Even if it becomes difficult to overcome these issues in the short run, Australian economy can be stabilized by providing better education training, tightening the fiscal policy, job opportunity and better standard of living. Over the last few decades, the rise in value of Australian dollar has become a subject of discussion among the economists. The appreciation in real exchange rate refers to the increase in the price of the average domestic goods or services relative to the price of average foreign goods and services. It leads to increase in current account deficits and rising in foreign debt (Henry, 2010). The rise in Australian dollar has both positive and negative impacts on foreign money market and its transactions. Since the value of Australian dollar is high, domestic people have the advantage of buying more products with fewer dollars while travelling in the foreign countries. However, dollar appreciation makes export more expensive in comparison to the other countries and at the same time, value of foreign investment goes up. Though Australia is a large and wealthy country, the value of goods and services produced within the country is not sufficient to meet the demand for its local customers. Thus, foreign trade to exchange of goods and services has become an inevitable part for Australia to survive in the present scenario. However, fluctuation in dollar value has been one of the important factors in deciding the volume of foreign trade and in effect is an indirect indicator of balance of payment and monetary & fiscal policy of the Australian government. The current essay seeks to analyse the extensive implication of currency appreciation of Australian economy over its foreign trade. As per the economic theory, appreciation in the real exchange rate has both positive and negative impacts on an economy. In most of the cases, the impacts are diverse and extensive. In short run, major implication for increase in

Summury and response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summury and response - Essay Example Only 87 students that were of Chinese descent graduated from the university 5 years ago, while 2224 will graduate from the same university this year. Enrollment of international students has grown tremendously in the last years by over 6 percent with china having the highest figures of over 20 percent that prefer the big public colleges. This figures help to give an insight into the metamorphosis of the public universities in America in a time when support from the state has reduced. There are about 25 campuses that have amplified international enrollment to more than 40 percent in the last five years according to data collected by the Institute of International Education except one public university. The enrollment in Indiana has gone over 6,000 to 15 percent of the students in the university while in Illinois it has reached 9,000 and consequently it has been ranked as the second in the country. These universities are perceived to put importance on having international students and the ideas that they bring since they pay all their fees and don’t need financial aid. The universities have discovered that the fees paid by the international students can enable them continue to offer scholarships to help the local students even after funding is cut. As at last year, there were over 700,000 international students in the campuses in the US most of them coming from China and the rest from India and South Korea. The number of students from Saudi Arabia is fast growing since their government has established a lucrative sponsorship program. These students bring in over 22 billion dollars to the economy and most of them remain behind after they graduate either to work or continue with their studies. Indiana prefers international students since the rate that they pay in fees is three times what the local ones pay though this denies the local students from getting chances that are offered in this

PSY 435 Full Course Material Essay Example for Free

PSY 435 Full Course Material Essay

Various Types Of Robots Computer Science Essay

Various Types Of Robots Computer Science Essay A Robot is man-made mechanical device that can move itself, whose motion must be modeled, planned, sensed, actuated and controlled, and whose motion behaviour can be influenced by programming. Robots are called intelligent if they succeed in moving in safe interaction with an unstructured environment, while autonomously achieving their specified tasks. This definition implies that a device can only be called a robot if it contains a movable mechanism, influenced by sensing, planning, actuation, and control components. It does not imply that a minimum number of these components must be implemented in software, or be changeable by the consumer who uses the device; for example, the motion behaviour can have been hard-wired into the device by the manufacturer. 12.2 Three Laws of Robotics Science-fiction author Isaac Asimov is often given credit for being the first person to use the term robotics in a short story composed in the 1940s. He suggested three principles to guide the behavior of robots and smart machines.- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. 12.3 Components of robotic systems This figure depicts the components that are part of all robotic systems. The real robot is some mechanical device (mechanism) that moves around in the environment, and, in doing so, physically interacts with this environment. This interaction involves the exchange of physical energy, in some form or another. Robotics as an integrated system of control interacting with the Figure : components of robotic system Both the robot mechanism and the environment can be the cause of the physical interaction through Actuation, or experience the effect of the interaction, which can be measured through Sensing. Sensing and actuation are the physical ports through which the Controller of the robot determines the interaction of its mechanical body with the physical world. As mentioned already before, the controller can, in one extreme, consist of software only, but in the other extreme everything can also be implemented in hardware. Within the Controller component, several sub-activities are often identified: Modelling- The input-output relationships of all control components can (but need not) be derived from information that is stored in a model. This model can have many forms: analytical formulas, empirical look-up tables, fuzzy rules, neural networks, etc. The other components discussed below can all have models inside. A System model can be used to tie multiple components together, but it is clear that not all robots use a System model. The Sensing model and Actuation model contain the information with which to transform raw physical data into task-dependent information for the controller, and vice versa. Planning- This is the activity that predicts the outcome of potential actions, and selects the best one. Almost by definition, planning can only be done on the basis of some sort of model. Regulation- This component processes the outputs of the sensing and planning components, to generate an actuation setpoint. Again, this regulation activity could or could not rely on some sort of (system) model. The term control is often used instead of regulation, but it is impossible to clearly identify the domains that use one term or the other. 12.4 Parts Concept required for Robot Generally robots have at least the below mentioned parts and concepts: Sensors Most robots of today are nearly deaf and blind.   Sensors can provide some limited feedback to the robot so it can do its job.   Compared to the senses and abilities of even the simplest living things, robots have a very long way to go.  The sensor sends information, in the form of electronic signals back to the controller.   A sensor also gives the robot controller information about its surroundings and lets it know the exact position of the arm, or the state of the world around it.  Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell are the kinds of information we get from our world.   Robots can be designed and programmed to get specific information that is beyond what our 5 senses can tell us. For instance, a robot sensor might see in the dark, detect tiny amounts of invisible radiation or measure movement that is too small or fast for the human eye to see Switch Sensors Light Sensors Polarized light Resistive Position Sensors Effectors An  effector  is any device that affects the environment. Robots control their effectors, which are also known as end effectors. Effectors include legs, wheels, arms, fingers, wings and fins. Controllers cause the effectors to produce desired effects on the environment. Two basic ways of using effectors: to move the robot around =>locomotion to move other object around =>manipulation Actuators Actuators, also known as drives,  are mechanisms for getting robots to move. Most actuators are powered by pneumatics (air pressure), hydraulics (fluid pressure), or motors (electric current).  Most actuation uses electromagnetic motors and gears but there have been frequent uses of other forms of actuation including muscle-wires and inexpensive Radio Control servos. To get a motor under computer control, different motor types and actuator types are used. Some of the motor types are Synchronous, Stepper, AC servo, Brushless DC servo, and Brushed DC servo.   Radio Control servos for model airplanes, cars and other vehicles are light, rugged, cheap and fairly easy to interface. Some of the units can provide very high torque speed. A Radio Control servo can be controlled from a parallel port. Controllers The robot connects to a computer, which keeps the pieces of the arm working together. This computer is the controller. The controller functions as the brain of the robot. The controller can also network to other systems, so that the robot may work together with other machines, processes, or robots Arms common effectors known as Arms. The robot arm comes in all shapes and sizes and is the single most important part in robotic architecture. The arm is the part of the robot that positions the End Effector and Sensors to do their pre-programmed business. Many (but not all) resemble human arms, and have shoulders, elbows, wrists, even fingers. This gives the robot a lot of ways to position itself in its environment.   Artificial Intelligence The term artificial intelligence is defined as systems that combine sophisticated hardware and software with elaborate databases and knowledge-based processing models to demonstrate characteristics of effective human decision making. The criteria for artificial systems include the following: functional: the system must be capable of performing the function for which it has been designed; able to manufacture: the system must be capable of being manufactured by existing manufacturing processes; designable: the design of the system must be imaginable by designers working in their cultural context marketable: the system must be perceived to serve some purpose well enough, Mobility Industrial robots are rarely mobile. Work is generally brought to the robot. A few industrial robots are mounted on tracks and are mobile within their workstation. Service robots are virtually the only kind of robots that travel autonomously. Research on robot mobility is extensive. The goal of the research is usually to have the robot navigate in unstructured environments while encountering unforeseen obstacles. Some projects raise the technical barriers by insisting that the locomotion involve walking, either on two appendages, like humans, or on many, like insects. Most projects, however, use wheels or tractor mechanisms. Many kinds of effectors and actuators can be used to move a robot around. Some categories are: legs (for walking/crawling/climbing/jumping/hopping) wheels (for rolling) arms (for swinging/crawling/climbing) flippers (for swimming) Types of robot 12.5.1 Mobile Robot- Mobile robots are able to move, usually they perform task such as search areas. A prime example is the Mars Explorer, specifically designed to roam the mars surface. Mobile robots are a great help to such collapsed building for survivors Mobile robots are used for task where people cannot go.   Mobile robots can be divided in two categories   1.1 Rolling Robots:   Rolling robots have wheels to move around.   These are the type of robots that can quickly and easily search move around.   However they are only useful in flat areas, rocky terrains give them a hard time.   Flat terrains are their territory 1.2 Walking Robots:   Robots on legs are usually brought in when the terrain is rocky and difficult to enter with wheels.   Robots have a hard time shifting balance and keep them from tumbling.   Thats why most robots with have at least 4 of them, usually they have 6 legs or more.   Even when they lift one or more legs they still keep their balance.   Development of legged robots is often modeled after insects or crawfish. Stationary Robots Robots are not only used to explore areas or imitate a human being.   Most robots perform repeating tasks without ever moving an inch.   Most robots are working in industry settings.   Especially dull and repeating tasks are suitable for robots.   A robot never grows tired; it will perform its duty day and night without ever complaining.   In case the tasks at hand are done, the robots will be reprogrammed to perform other tasks Autonomous Robots Autonomous robots are self supporting or in other words self contained.   In a way they rely on their own brains. Autonomous robots run a program that gives them the opportunity to decide on the action to perform depending on their surroundings.   At times these robots even learn new behavior.   They start out with a short routine and adapt this routine to be more successful at the task they perform.   The most successful routine will be repeated as such their behavior is shaped.   Autonomous robots can learn to walk or avoid obstacles they find in their way.   Think about a six legged robot, at first the legs move ad random, after a little while the robot adjust its program and performs a pattern which enables it to move in a direction Remote-control Robots An autonomous robot is despite its autonomous not a very clever or intelligent unit.   The memory and brain capacity is usually limited; an autonomous robot can be compared to an insect in that respect. In case a robot needs to perform more complicated yet undetermined tasks an autonomous robot is not the right choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Complicated tasks are still best performed by human beings with real brainpower.   A person can guide a robot by remote control.   A person can perform difficult and usually dangerous tasks without being at the spot where the tasks are performed.   To detonate a bomb it is safer to send the robot to the danger area Virtual Robots   Ã‚   Virtual robots dont exist in real life.   Virtual robots are just programs, building blocks of software inside a computer.   A virtual robot can simulate a real robot or just perform a repeating task.   A special kind of robot is a robot that searches the World Wide Web.   The internet has countless robots crawling from site to site. These WebCrawlers collect information on websites and send this information to the search engines.    BEAM Robots BEAM is short for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics and Mechanics.   BEAM robots are made by hobbyists. BEAM robots can be simple and very suitable for starters. Key Points Robotics  is a branch of engineering that involves the conception, design, manufacture, and operation of  robots. Field of robotics overlaps with electronics, computer science,  artificial intelligence  , mechatronics,  nanotechnology  , and bioengineering. MITs Kismet: an expressive robotic creature with perceptual and motor modalities tailored to natural human communication channels. In the future, robots will have a high level of intelligence, such as feeling and emotions, or the ability to make a rational decision on their own. Exercise Q.1 Discuss the Laws of Robotic system? Q.2 What are main components of any robotic system? Q.3 What kind of tasks a robot can perform? Q.4 What is the difference between Automation and Robots? Q.5 How can we measure performance of any robot? Q.6- What is degree of freedom? How much degree of freedom is required for 2D and 3D motion?

The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Theodore Roethek once wrote â€Å"In a dark time, the eye begins to see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This means that in times of great trials and tribulations, when all seems lost; an inner sense of motivation kicks in. You get a new sense of direction and something is keeping you guided. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby illustrates this quote perfectly. In this novel, the characters, the conflicts, and everything in between are all intertwined through characterazation and symbolism. Jay Gatz made something of himself from starting with nothing, and in a time when he met so many new people and reunited with the love of his life, there seemed to be a tremendous â€Å"heat wave†.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From humble beginnings a man was able to elevate himself into the upper echelons of society and take back the only thing he ever loved, just to have it torn from him again; this is the life of The Great Gatsby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Could you imagine a wonderful, rich, and famous life from a poor and wretched boyhood? If you could, Jason Gatz would be the man. Growing up, he was not â€Å"well off†, not even able to make ends meet. He however, had all the tools for success, he was bright, skilled, and perhaps a little to motivated. He enlisted in the army and even became a gentleman, much different than a poor country boy. He found a girl and fell in love†¦he was almost threatening with his love; he loved her perhaps a bit too much. He was a terrible liar too, he lied even to her to make her think he was rich, and when he came back home, he found out that she was gone and married. Jason Gatz was a man of commitment. He got a real job, changed his name to the more fashionable Jay Gatsby, and made millions. The house he bought was â€Å"coincidentally† right across the Bay from Daisy (his ex-love) and her husband Tom Buchannon. He was a desperate romantic, he threw tons of pa rties just hoping that she would show up at one, but she never did. All Gatsby could do, was stare out into the sound, looking at the green light on Daisy’s house. Go! He thought, now is the time to start things fresh, if only him and Nick could go get some lunch, then go get coffee, then they would go home and Gatsby would make his proposal.

Behavior Changes and Side Effects in LSD Users Essay -- Hallucinogens

Behavior Changes and Side Effects in LSD Users In 1938, Albert Hofmann created lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD- 25) at Sandoz pharmaceutical laboratories in Basel, Switzerland. It was initially created to aid as a circulatory and respiratory stimulant, and it was discovered to stimulate contraction of the uterus. In 1943, it was unintentionally absorbed into Hofmann's skin, and he discovered that it was an extremely potent hallucinogen. Although a true hallucinogen is when a person sees or hears something (without sensory cues) that does not exist, and believes that the perceptions are real, LSD is considered a hallucinogen which merely alters the perception of existing sensory stimuli while most users are aware that their distorted perception is caused by the drug, (Henderson, 37, 45). LSD temporarily alters an individual's normal mode of perception, reasoning, memory, thoughts, and feelings, while producing a flood of intensified sensations. Colors, sounds, and visual imagery become more intense, subjective time is altered, and visual illusions including perceived movement of stationary objects are experienced. "The primary emotional response may be of euphoria and contentment, or less often a side effect of confusion, fear, anxiety, and despair" may result, (Henderson, 2). "Hallucinogens have been used for centuries by various people often in sacred rituals (Henderson, 37). LSD's most profound psychic effect, the sense of contacting some profound universal truth, cosmic consciousness, or transpersonal state, often described as feeling that the mind is transcending the boundaries of the individual self, with space, time, and identity all disarranged, is often the motivation f... ...e oxidase inhibitors or lithium. Behavioral Brain Research, Vol. 73, Issues 1 and 2, p. 229-233, (1995). Daw, Jennifer. Why and how normal people go mad. American Psychological Association, Vol. 33, No. 10 (November 2002). Halpern, J.H., and Pope, H.G., Jr. Do hallucinogens cause residual neuropsychological toxicity? Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Vol. 53: p. 247-256, (1999). Henderson, L.A. and Glass, W.J. LSD: Still With Us After All These Years. New York: Lexington Books, 1994. Kalat, J.W. Biological Psychology. Canada: Wadsworth a division of Thomson Learning Inc., 2004. Ungerleider, J.T., M.D. The Problems and Prospects of LSD. Illinois: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1968. www.drugabuse.com; NIDA Research Report Series: "Why do people take hallucinogens?" www.streetdrugs.org/lsd.htm www.usdoj.gov/dea www.usdoj.gov/ndic

Drug Abuse Essays -- Drugs Narcotics Research Papers

Drug Abuse   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Drug Abuse is generally defined as the use of a drug with such frequency that the user has physical or mental harm or it impairs social abilities. The substances that are discussed in this report are called psychoactive drugs; those drugs that influence or alter the workings of the mind, affect moods, emotions, feelings, and thinking processes. Drug Dependence/Addiction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three basic characteristics that indicate that the user is dependent on a drug. First, the user continues to use the drug for an extended period of time. Second, the user finds it difficult to stop using the drug. They may drop out of school, steal, go to jail, lose their jobs, or leave their families in order to keep using. Finally, the user has withdrawal symptoms when drug use is stopped. They may undergo physical pain or mental distress. The drug mimics a natural process in the brain called neurotransmission. This is when a brain cell releases a signal to another brain cell. The signal then returns to the first brain cell. The signal is called a neurotransmitter. One major neurotransmitter is called dopamine, which is involved in feelings of pleasure. When the drug is released into the brain, it blocks the dopamine from returning to the first brain cell. Repeated use changes the brain cells so that normal messages can't be sent between brain cells. The drug must always be present in order for neurotransmissions to take place. The user is only able to feel pleasure from the cocaine rather than the things he/she used to find pleasurable. This is called drug addiction or dependence. Drug Classification Drugs are generally categorized into two groups, stimulants and depressants. Stimulants are drugs that speed up signals through the nervous system. They produce alertness, arousal and excitability. They also inhibit fatigue and sleep. They include the amphetamines, such as cocaine, caffeine, and nicotine. Depressants slow down the signals through the nervous system. They produce relaxation, lowering of anxiety, drowsiness, and sleep. They include sedatives (such as barbiturates, alcohol, and tranquilizers) and narcotics (heroin, morphine, opium, codeine), which dull the mind's perception of pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some drugs are not included in the stimulant/depressant categories. An example is the hallucinogens, such as PCP and LS... ...nclude nausea, diarrhea, and pain, but they vary between drugs. Cocaine users report depression when denied the drug. Since heroin is a very addictive drug, it has many withdrawal symptoms. For example, insomnia, muscle cramps, nausea, sweating, chills, panic, tremors, loss of appetite, yawning, runny nose, and watery eyes. Drug Treatment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A drug addict generally goes through denial before he/she accepts his/her drug addiction. When they are confronted by a family member or friend, they refuse to accept that they are addicted. This is sometimes called a mental block. The user isn't ready or able to deal with thier addiction. The time period of denial varies from person to person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the person has come to accepting their problem, they may go to therapy for treatment. Group therapy has had excellent results. They learn to come to terms with their problem with the support of other people who are going through the same thing that they are. They also learn tools that they can use to help them through the recovery period, such as prayer, excercise, and meditation. Drug abuse is a serious problem, but through treatment and therapy, it can be overcome.

Tesco Information Systems

Tesco Information System Name of Student: Robert Onyango Course Instructor: Mr. Bonoko Course: Date of Submission Introduction This paper is generally about information systems in an organisation. To illustrate this further, the author will specifically look at Tesco, an organisation of choice. This paper intends to highlight a specific information system––management information systems––and explore it thoroughly using the various analytical models in relation to Tesco. The illustrations will draw from various related information system schematics and draw examples of how the organization in question – Tesco – has put them into use. Description of the Organization (Tesco) Founded in the year 1919 in London, Tesco is a grocery and merchandising retail chain. The organisation is without a doubt the largest retailer in Britain by local and global market shares and sales. The organisation originally dealt with foodstuff, but they have since ventured into other circles, for example, financial services, software, internet services, clothing, car and health insurance, and consumer electronics. Tesco appears on the London Stock Exchange and it also headlines the FTSE 100 Index. As at 23rd December 2011,the organization had bagged an astounding ? 31. 3Â  billion in terms of the Market Capitalisation and consequently ranked the 14th-biggest organization on London’s Stock Exchange. Looking at the competition in the retail industry, it is very important for organisations to establish operational strategies that are efficient. Information System (IS) covers a complex sample of Information Technologies and the professionals who apply the fastidious technology in he sustenance of an assortment of organisational functions (Williamson, Harrison, and Jordan 2004, 376). Structure of Management Information System This kind of information system––MIS––entails information technology application to managerial and organisational needs. It constitutes determining the type of information technology to be beneficial to organisation and development and application of business solutions in relation to it (Seilheimer 2000; Walsham 1993). The strong point of this kind of information system is that in combines the business understanding with information system and technology knowledge to help an organisation––Tesco––compete successfully or restructure on-going operations. [pic] Fig. 2. The Role of MIS in Tesco Source: Tesco Annual Report, 2010. Professionals who are conversant with this type of IS use their backgrounds that are business based in working with users and managers to recommend and pinpoint technological improvements that may be beneficial to an organisation. Their work is to codify, analyse, design, implement, and manage modern telecommunications, business, and many other computerised information systems. Moreover, traditional processing systems are maintained. Professionals in this discipline are also assigned the duty of dealing with exhilarating growth technologies, for example, the design and management of telecommunications systems, e-business, using and developing server systems for the consumer, data warehousing and database development, and finally, developing web-based technologies for other applications in business inclusive of electronic commerce (Trinder, 2007). MIS is the primary source of information required to keep an organisation running effectively and efficiently. This kind of IS has three main resources: information, technology, and people, although in recent times, data, procedures, hardware, and software (programs) have since been added to that list. Management information systems stand out from the rest of the pack as they are employed in the analysis an organisation’s operational activities. In the spheres of academics, the term usually refers to the set of information methods of management linked to the automation or propping peoples’ ability to make decisions, for example, expert systems, executive information systems, and decision support system. Before the in-depth investigation into Tesco, it is important to highlight the various management information systems available as most of these systems specialise in exact industrial and commercial segments, structure of management, or features of the project, and Tesco is no different. At the top of the food chain is the management information system, which comes up with reports that are preset and have standard schedules founded on summarised data that was retrieved from the organisation’s transaction processing systems to operational level and middle management for information of semi-structured and structured decision setbacks and also classify them. The second are the marketing information systems (MIS) purposefully for management of marketing elements of the organisation. Thirdly, there is the executive information system (EIS), which is a reporting instrument that gives hasty access to recapitulated reports stemming from all echelons in the organisation and is usually a host to operations, accounting, and human resources departments. Decision support system (DSS) is the fourth typology. These are computer applications utilised by the middle management in the anthology of information from vast source ranges to catalyse making of decisions and solving of problems. Last is the office automation system (OAS), which is meant to aid productivity and communication via eradicating log jams and automating the flow of work. This typology can be put to practice at all and any echelon of management (Cronholm and Goldkuhl 2003). How IMS Supports Tesco’s Organizational activities For market success, an organisation has to be efficient in its customer service. To get to this goal, Tesco saw it necessary to boost its efficiency pertaining to the customers by processing their orders from its compound conduits. Moreover, the firm had to place a maintenance limit to its cost. Information systems have developed into a vital feature in running an organisation, considering it is an impetus to the organisation’s supply chain (Stapleton and Murphy 2003). Furthermore, it gives an arena for the amalgamation of the whole organisation into a single block. Following the rapid innovations of technology, information systems are growing by the day. The end result is the emergence of various information systems that have already been stated above. In a calculated move aimed at elevation of its competitiveness, Tesco has integrated a transaction processing system (TPS) into its supply chain (Friedlos 2007), which has been made possible via the development of Tesco Direct (Tesco 2009). The invention is assisting clients to place orders of non-edible stuff that the organisation is dealing with before ensuring that the goods are delivered to clients’ residences. The organisation has since introduced an official webpage, and this has amplified the efficiency of this service (Amatya 2005, 5). Individuals were definitely enjoying a comfortable process of consumption thanks to Tesco direct products. The major challenge that the organisation faced while implementing this policy is that they had to ensure customer satisfaction by making sure their expectations were met. This cannot be disputed as it can be confirmed that Tesco has managed to supply high-quality products to its consumers via its Tesco. com service and eventually deeming it as reliable to customers. Besides, guaranteeing that the new product will propel the organisation’s retail operations was one of Tesco’s objectives. Before scrutinizing Tesco’s application of management information systems, it is helpful to understand its role, which is data conversion from external and internal sources into information that can be utilised in effective decision making in light of planning, organizing, and directing the activities linking them with responsibility. Tesco has several information systems, some of which they utilise on a day-to-day basis to make operational decisions. Others are also used in coming up with strategic and tactical decisions. Performance and Order Management System In addressing these challenges, the organisation resorted to developing a system of processing the orders placed by customers. This was bent on hastening the processing speed of such orders. The ever escalating customer base of the organisation prompted the need for a more efficient system of processing orders. Considering that Tesco was pitting the development against a time frame, the organisation had put in double efforts to beat their deadline. A team comprising of ten engineers was therefore assembled, and after working in-house for six months, the project was done. Tesco also had to do outsourcing from IVIS group and Microsoft Gold Certified. Eventually, this saw the birth of order management system (OMS) (Tesco 2009). Decision making model Tesco is a worldwide organisation whose IT organisation is basically managed from India and the United Kingdom. This is a major hindrance to ease of decision making as most of the persons involved and the stakeholders cannot come together to table and discuss strategies and policies, and this could be only pinned on the time factor. Mike Yorweth, who is the Chief Architect, organised a worldwide meeting using Cisco TelePresence, and the purpose of this meeting was to brainstorm; all the members agreed on the organisation’s use of a global IT strategy. Later, Yorweth stated that the TelePresence had enabled the meeting to take place in three hours, whereas the absence of the TelePresence technology would have resulted in the organisation’s managers waiting another six months to proceed with a face-to-face meeting. Yorweth also confessed to the TelePresence, enabling the members to come to an understanding faster than in the meetings that had proceeded Decision making is one of the basic sub-branches of organisational models. In management of an organisation of Tesco’s calibre, there exists two types of decision making: structured and unstructured. The former is usually routine and repetitive, and standard methods are used while dealing with them. On the other hand, the latter need evaluation, insight, and judgement. Important decisions usually exist in Tesco, considering its wide customer base, and sadly, there exists on preset measures in cracking them. CIPSODAR; decision-making and communication models It should be highlighted that making abstract and unstructured decision is a procedure that is assigned a given time frame following gathering of information from relevant sources. Tesco managers, especially the middle ones, go through a series of steps before coming up with a concrete decision. The first step is usually acknowledgement and acceptance that a problem exists. A good information system will point the managerial team in the right direction by providing all sorts of information needed and also underlines where there lays a problem following evaluation of the organisation, which is readily available online with the introduction of modern technological innovations. At this echelon, Tesco’s policy of exception reporting is vital. This is to say that only situations that require to be addressed immediately are reported. For example, a drastic increase or decrease in sales in comparison with a similar time frame at a previous year, consumers with outstanding balances, and staff resigning in big numbers. The second step is to check out all the possible solutions. In-depth analysis is usually handy at this juncture, and much information is also needed. Tools that can model the impact of various solutions like price variations and salary increments, such as the spread sheet, may be required. It automatically follows that the third stage is choosing a decision and consequently implementation of the solution. In some cases, it requires the formation of a new information system biased towards management to keep an eye on the solution progress. [pic] Fig 2. The Decision Making Process in Tesco Source: Tesco Annual Report, 2010. Decision making is not a smooth process as many a people may assume, especially when dealing with a global organisation such as Tesco. Occasionally, one has to take steps backwards when it is evident that the decision is not applicable and is bound to backfire. This may be also brought about by discovery of helpful new information that offers better alternatives. Conversely, structured decisions are straightforward as Tesco’s information systems provide the correct information, and a manager would have to be a goof if they made the wrong decision(s). How the System Produces the Required Information Web interface was the tool designed to cover online processes (Shneiderman 1998). The OMS processes the order right after they are sorted. This begets an increase in flexibility, something that can assist the organisation to replace the system online while they have removed it for maintenance. A number of channels that could be either online or offline send orders that are received by the system in order for it to be operational (Larson and Davis 2003). Tesco has several warehouses within it that make use of the OMS; therefore, employees have an easy time monitoring and managing processes of the workflow as the system automatically makes it available for them. Technology model Hardware and Software in Use The software that was used by the organisation is BizTalk Server 2006 to put into operation the OMS development, which was a sub-channel to Tesco Direct. This particular program gives an organisation the capability to merge various systems, resulting in an efficient process of business (Chappell 2005, 3). This boosts circulation of information between factions where vast software ranges come into play. The software’s ability to be interpretable is solely responsible for this. A good example is highlighting the ability of Tesco to use its former Tesco. com in communicating despite the fact that it was using Microsoft SQL server version in 2005. Moreover, the efficiency of processing the orders is amplified, considering that the software is able to support a variety of data formats. The health and activity tracking system is also used effectively by the OMS system. The former refines debugging and monitoring of the processes and applications besides keeping a track on performance statistics on every system components. Plus, the slipups that may possibly arise from the process of procurement are resolved after being recognised by the HAT. The system reliability is also refined in the process. Subsequently, the BizTalk server is also made manageable by the OMS. Tesco’s communication with the varied applications of the warehouse utilised by the suppliers of the organisation is improved by the server, both externally and internally. Tesco’s direct service has comfortably integrated the OMS. Four computer servers that are installed with Windows Server 2003 operating system are employed to make certain the operation of the implemented OMS. Conversely, the databases are managed by the SQL server version 2005. Performance – Positive Aspects Tesco’s retail procedures have been thoroughly refined, courtesy of the ordering system. The OMS has brought the following advantages to Tesco: improvement in order processing capacity. The ability of Tesco’s performance pertaining to processing of orders has skyrocketed. As per the latest statistics, Tesco’s reliability in relation to processing orders has shot up to approximately 5,000 orders in an hour. It is without a shred of doubt that the BizTalk Server 2006 is responsible for pulling these strings, proving that it is much more superior to the mainframe-based Tesco. com. Tesco has also experienced reduced hardware costs. This is made possible as the OMS has ensured a massive drop of the cost of the hardware involved in the organisation’s chain of supply. This sprouts from the fact that the OMS is capable of performing processing of orders by using a minute fraction of the server (estimated to be about 20–25 per cent). Consequently, the organisation has been handling huge customer numbers with ease and escalated reliability. What is even more fascinating is that if Tesco decided to broaden its consumer base, they will not have to spend anything on the hardware, i. e. , the server. Moreover, there are very high chances of the organisation further developing its processing of orders. These probabilities stem from the acknowledgement that distributed processing is enhanced by Window Server 2003. Supplier relationship is maintained. This is the third advantage that cannot be overlooked. It is mandatory for any organisation to maintain its flexibility with regards to the replacement of their suppliers within the supply chain so as to not to have an impact on the operation of the organisation (Williamson, Harison, and Jordan 2004). Sundry business developments that have been effected by its partners in business are accommodated by the BizTalk Server used in propping the OMS. The outcome is evidently positive as Tesco is experiencing finesse in communication with their business partners. At this juncture, it is already evident that the integration of BizTalk Server within Tesco’s information system has improved and augmented the reliability with which Tesco is handling processing of orders. Taking into the consideration that the server possesses elements of coupling loosely with the Internet and interoperability, it is safe to make a suggestion of removing the OMS for maintenance without necessarily affecting the purchase activities and processes for the customers. Formal information systems are important to Tesco as they give exact answers to recurrent questions on the screen or via monthly, weekly, or daily reports. High ranking Tesco managers are bound to use new information via a new method of data analysis or by outsourcing the information. The Tesco design management team designed their MIS to have the following characteristics that make it stand out from the rest. It is very elastic, which provides for various methods of data analysis and information evaluation (Remenyi and Sherwood 1999). They have the capacity to prop up a scope of knowledge and skills. They make the managers’ work asier via interpersonal communication with organisation members besides not needing too much concentration as managers are always busy and give them the time to focus on other things. Work is easily interrupted and could be easily resumed at a later time, and finally they ensure managers are out of scope for overload of information. It can therefore b e safely concluded that the system is a success. Analysis of Failure and Success It is general knowledge that management information systems are compound, and in the process of selecting, implementing, and designing them usually require many people, both from within Tesco and outside it. The managerial team charged with the responsibility of making sure the system pulls through ought to have a clear understanding of the system and have a very close relationship with the organisation (Croholm and Goldkuhl 2002). Managers ought to be knowledgeable on the probabilities Offered by the ICT systems are the challenges that they may come across, and they should be able to understand the need of having the necessary measures in place to make sure that the organisation is operating smoothly. Failures A good amount of money is required to ensure that the OMS is operational and maintained despite the fact that it brings alongside many positive attributes. There exists an interrelationship between the implementation and purchase of the system with the cost. For example, if Tesco might be needed to carry out an all-inclusive investigation into the system before it is implemented, outsource of professionals and consultations are mandatory. Moreover, Tesco will have to be carrying out maintenance of the system regularly, and that is considerably costly. Despite Tesco having the cost slip-ups only, there are several others factors that can cause the failure of a management system that they ought to be wary about. The first one is inadequate analysis. This is likely to surface when potential setbacks, particular needs, and limitations are not wholly comprehended prior to the design and selection of a new information system. Another factor is absentia of the management in design. It is very important that all the members and persons intending to gain or benefit from the design should be entirely immersed in its development (Monk, Wright, Haber, and Davenport 1993). Failure of which leads to destruction or collapse of an organisation as information that is of no interest to anyone is provided; worse still, information that cannot be comprehended by anyone may be produced. This also has a negative effect on the managerial team in that they are left waiting for an information system that will never see the day or light. The third factor is placement of emphasis on the computing system. It is rather obvious that this entails choosing the proper hardware and software, especially for modern computers, and this is very crucial to any corporation regardless of its size. Before implementation of a system, it should be noted that measures dealing with both data output and input should be established. The organisation needs to clearly spell out the aims and objectives of the new system. For no reason at all, users may decide to ask for the field population on a database and are fond of asking for reports about the organisations’ management that are never read or are completely useless. Fourth, is the lack of teamwork. An ICT manager needs to be able to integrate all the departments under his/her jurisdiction to operate as one single unit (Naranjo-Gil 2009). Some of the departments under an organisation include marketing, accounts, and dispatch and storage departments. Conclusion When an organisation decides to incorporate the management information system, it is bound to fuel the achievement of being highly competitive (Manning and Raghavan 2006). This is founded on the basis that operations linked to chain management are refined. By using the OMS, Tesco has climbed the charts of market positioning. Moreover, the relationship between Tesco and its suppliers and customers has immensely improved Tesco should consider doing a couple of things to ensure that they reach the peak in working with the OMS. The first one is to conduct a research on whether OMS culminates into shrinkage with regard to operational costs. Secondly, they should undertake research on the market that is continuous to establish the efficiency with which the organisation is effective in its undertakings. Reference List Amatya, L. , 2005. Information systems of Nepal Telecom for customer service. Nepal: Elsevier Limited. Chappell, D. , 2005, Understanding BizTalk Server 2006. New York, NY: Microsoft Incorporation. Cronholm, S. and Goldkuhl, G. , 2002. Actable Information Systems – Quality Ideals Put Into Practice. Presented at the Eleventh Conference On Information Systems (ISD 2002). 12-14 September, Riga, Latvia. Cronholm, S. and Goldkuhl, G. , 2003. Six Generic Types of Information Systems Evaluation. Linkoping, Sweden: Department of Computer and Information Science, Linkoping University. Larson, R. and Davis, M. , 2003. M UC Berkeley, IS 202 Information Organization and Retrieval. online] Available at: [Accessed 27 December 2011]. Monk, A. , Wright, P. , Haber, J. , and Davenport, L. , 1993. Improving Your Human-Computer Inter-face. New York: Prentice Hall. Manning, C. and Raghavan, P. , 2006. Stanford University CS276 / LING 286 Information Retrieval and Web Mining, Fall. Naranjo-Gil, D. , 2009. Management Information Systems and Strategic Performances: The Role o f Top Team Composition. International Journal of Information Management, 29(2), pp. 104-110. Remenyi, D. and Sherwood-Smith, M. , 1999. Maximise Information Systems Value by Continuous Participative Evaluation. Logistics Information Management, 12(1/2), pp. 14-31. Seilheimer, S. D. , 2000. Information Management During Systems Development: A Model for Improvement in Productivity. International Journal of Information Management, 20(4), pp. 287-295. Shneiderman, B. , 1998. Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective User Interface Interaction. 3rd ed. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Longman Stapleton, L. and Murphy, C. , 2003. Revisiting the Nature of Information Systems: The Urgent Need for a Crisis in IS Theoretical Discourse. Transaction of International information systems, 1(4), pp. –14. Tesco, 2009. Online Ordering System that Processes 5000 Orders per Hour. London: Tesco Incorporation. Trinder, P. , 2007. UK F29IF1 Database and Information Systems. Edinburgh, Scotland: Heriot-Watt University. [online] Available at: [Accessed 27 December 2011]. Walsham, G. , 1993. Interpreting Information Systems in Organisations. London: Wiley & Sons. Williamson, E. , Harrison, D. , and J ordan, M. , 2004. Information System Development within Supply Chain Management. International Journal of Information Management, 24(5), pp. 375-385.

A Women Of No Importance Essay

Explore the ways Wilde presents late nineteenth century women. What he is saying about the fashionable women of the time, their interests, ideas, attitudes and treatment in A Women f No Importance? A woman of no importance is a play about the upper and middle class. Wilde uses the women to portray is attitudes and views on the society of the nineteenth century. He portrays women in a way women would not have behaved at that time; this gives a comical atmosphere to the audience. In 1893 A women of no importance would have been very entertaining to watch, the audience would have found the play amusing however they would have been laughing at themselves as Wilde wrote the play to criticize the society. The play’s first setting is a female home with conversation between women; Wilde may have done this to show the importance of women. Lady Caroline is the first character the audience meet; Wilde may have also done this for a purpose. From the title ‘Lady’ we know Lady Caroline is a wealthy and high up in the aristocracy in England. She is a typical member of the high society; she has a very dominating overbearing personality and shows pride in her position. The Audience would have immediately recognised this from Lady Caroline’s conversation with Hester. She speaks down to her American guest, Hester who is travailing alone, â€Å"you have no country houses, I am told, in America?† Another theme that Wilde conveys through women is the theme Hypocrisy and double standards. This is again shown through Lady Caroline and her attitudes towards the puritan Hester. Lady Caroline criticises lady Hunstaton choice of guests â€Å"But Mrs Allonby is hardly a very suitable person† but then praises Lady Hunstaton for inviting her to a pleasant party, Wilde is effectively satirising members of high society. Hester vocalises her opinion that she dislikes Mrs Allonby but Lady Caroline patronises Hester â€Å"I am not sure, that foreigners like yourself should cultivate like or dislikes.† suggesting that Hester is not a valued member of society. Wilde mocks the attitude of the high society through the ignorant women. Lady Caroline is not as knowledgeable as she likes to make out, she continually keeps getting the name of the politician wrong, mistaking him for ‘Me kettle’ â€Å"Kevil, my love kevil.† The audience would mock Lady Caroline for this foolish mistake she keeps making. Hester Worsley’s title is changed as the play progresses. Hester is first referred to as ‘Miss Worsley’ then she becomes known as the ‘American’ and finally ‘A puritan’. Hester is a contrast to all the other women in A women of no importance and all the women take a dislike to her she told me yesterday, and in quite a loud voice, that she was only eighteen. It was most annoying.† She has strong morals, values and opinions which she is not afraid to express ‘I dislike London Dinner Parties’. Wilde may have used Hester’s character to present his on views on the English aristocratic society. Members of the high society frown upon those who are unmarried â€Å"I don’t think that England should be represented abroad by unmarried man† being married is more socially accepted. This gives the audience an impression of how shallow the society was and how status and social position dictate how people lived their lives. Lady Caroline’s and Sir Johns is very different to a traditional Victorian marriage. Usually the man is the dominant one and women were known as men’s property. However Wilde contrasts this view, by Lady Caroline having control over her husband, being the dominant one in the relationship â€Å"John you should have your muffler. What is the use of my always knitting mufflers for you if you don’t wear them?† Their relationship is clearly showing a lack of love and affection. Their relationship is more like a child and parent relationship because of the idea of Lady Caroline ‘spoiling’ Sir John. Wilde is suggesting that they are together out of convenience and presentation. Lady Caroline gives her husband orders in the same way lady Hunstaton orders her servants â€Å"you had better go and put your overshoes at once.† During the Victorian times when A women of no importance was written, women rights were begging to increase. In 1857 the matrimonial causes Act was established, in 1882 married women’s property act was confirmed, which gave women more rights and power over themselves, property and their children. These factors contributed to the way Wilde presented certain women especially Lady Caroline and Mrs Allonby. Mrs Allonby is very similar to lord Illingworth they are both described as ‘dandies’ they use language which is intended to shock the audience. At the end of act one is it clear that Mrs Allonby is flirting with Lord Illingworth â€Å"What a thoroughly bad man you must be!† Wilde creates Mrs Allonby as a character who considers being a person who restricts the morals and norms of the society, in Victorian times there would have been very strict morals and social codes. â€Å"Women adore failures, they lean on us† Mrs Allonby is going against the stereotype, the man having control within Victorian marriages. At the end of Act one Lord Illingworth reads Mrs Arbuthnot’s letter, he says â€Å"no one in particular A Woman of no importance†, the title of the play, which demonstrates Wilde’s views on the treatment of women in society. Act 1 ends giving the audience an impression of a self-concerned, hypocritical society. Wilde presents these ideas through the use of comedy which give a strong message to the audience.

Argumentative essay: Sex education in school Essay

In the U.S, more than 750,000 girls ages 15-19 become pregnant every year. More than 80 percent of these are unintended pregnancies, according to dosomething.org. That is a great amount of teenagers that could have potentially dodged a bullet with a little more sexual education. Will a lack of sexual education continue to play a role in the overwhelming amount of teenage mothers in America? In my opinion of course it will. Just like the article states, sex education is rising in American schools, and this is in favor of my argument on how I greatly support this upward movement my reason is we are just falling way behind! Further thought out and well presented sex education will reduce teen pregnancy and spread of sexual diseases. How exactly will better sex education in the states lead to fewer sex incidents within the sexually active community? Simply by education. Lack of education in anything will not give you positive results. Although it is said that there is no strong proof tha t teaching sex education will have any effect on teenagers and young adults, there is proof. Ex. Hechinger writes â€Å"Analysis in sex education in Sweden, Holland, France, Great Britain and Canada show us lagging far behind† (143). Reading the article and noticing the particular countries mentioned, I went to research. The countries mentioned are up to par with America as far as development and economy go, but fall way behind when it comes to all things sexual! We not only have higher teenage birth rates, we also have higher sexually transmitted diseases and lower use of oral contraceptives. The statistics and education don’t lie. I would have personally benefited from a more well put together sex education class and many other young lady’s would agree. (Rodriguez 2) I’m sure now the reader is wondering if there is a deeper reason for my argument. Yes there is. I am teen mother, I am a statistic, one of the person that adds on to the lack of sex education in America. One of the many teenager girls that had a lack of sexual education. I thought it could never happen to me just like in the article, ex, Hechinger writes â€Å"They believe ‘It can’t happen to me’.† (144). It wasn’t arrogance or ignorance it was my lack of understanding and me not wanting to ask questions related to sex. I now ask myself how many pregnant teenagers had the same questions I did? Lets follow in the countries listed in the article’s foot steps, in fact we have already started, considering sex education has increased dramatically in the last 5 years. Let it keep rising! I stand by my argument, lets give these confused teenagers the knowledge to rely on, just like Sweden, Holland, France, Great Britain and Canada have. They are statistically doing better the article speaks on it and so I stand by my argument. I give my full su pport to the growth of sexual education, I wonder if Laredo agrees with me? (Rodriguez 3) Hechlinger, Fred M. â€Å"The First Step in Improving Sex Education: Remove the Hellfire.† Reading and Writing Short Arguments.Ed. William Vesterman. New York: Mayfield Publishing, 1994. 143-146

Childhood Christmas to Adulthood Christmas Essay

Christmas as a child for me was very fun. I got many presents from Santa as well as many from relatives. Christmas was probably my favorite holiday of the year, to me it meant that if I was good enough Santa would bring me presents. Most of the time I was very good and never got into trouble. In my family when you go from childhood to adulthood it becomes a big deal. For starters you open presents with the adults. You also don’t have to worry about leaving with the other kids while the adults open presents. Seeing that I do not have kids I am sort of at a mid point of whether or not to look forward to this holiday. One of the many reasons I love Christmas is because my grandmother makes the best food. There is more food than any of us can eat and we have leftovers for days. My grandma makes most of the food and some people bring a favorite dessert. All of the food is set out on the dinning room table buffet style. We gather around to bless the food and then us kids get our pla tes first, most kids are picky I sure was at that age. You couldn’t hardly get me to eat anything as a kid so my plate was full of mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, rolls and probably green beans since I was not much of a turkey eater as a youngster. After we filled our plates with food we are free to eat wherever we please and since we are kids we normally go down into the basement away from the adults. After we eat then the dessert comes out. My favorite dessert would have to be pumpkin pie with cool whip on top. I could probably scarf down a whole pan of that stuff. There are only a few people in my family that like pumpkin pie so all of the leftover pie went to me. Every year we have Christmas lunch and presents at my grandparents house in Atwater California. My grandparents house is huge, they built it sometime before I was born. It is a three story house not including the attic, the first floor has a bathroom, living room, dinning room, and kitchen which has a door leading to the huge basement that could be more living space if needed. Then you have the second floor, that has three bedrooms, an office and 2 bathrooms. I love having Christmas at this house because it is the almost the perfect size for everyone to fit. My family’s very funny, they love to joke around with people. They are also very laid back and always on schedule. Every year we have almost the same people during the holidays. A few years ago we lost my great grandma and my great grandpa a few months after that. Four years ago my aunt Nikki and her husband Gary left for Georgia because that is where he got stationed. My eldest sister Elysebeth got married and has two children and they join us for family holidays. Some of my moms side of the family comes and that’s when things get loud considering we are very obnoxious and you basically need a hearing aid to hear anything. Over the past seven years I have gotten used to the change from childhood to Adulthood Christmas. I thought it was so cool to finally open presents with the adults. A few years went by and I started realizing that the transition was not exactly what I had been hoping for, and I did not want to be with the adults but by then it was to late so I got ov er it. Its not as fun as it used to be but I try to do the best I can for the little ones in the family who still believe in Santa. The downside of the food as an adult is that you have to wait for all the kids to get done filling there plates before you can fill yours. Yes, that sounds greedy but I love my food! Something that can also be a downside is where to sit, at this point all the little kids want to sit up at the table right next to you. The only problem with that is there are not enough seats for everyone to sit right next to you. So you have to be the bad guy and tell someone no. The setback about having Christmas at my grandparents house is that there are a lot of people and it can become crowded and overwhelming. From children running around to presents spread out everywhere. Everyone is either sitting in a chair, on the floor or standing up because there is no where to sit. With everyone catching up and bonding the walls sometimes echo and it’s to cold to have be in the backyard. A fly in the ointment for me about there being a lot of people is that I now start buying presents for everyone, which normally isn’t a bad thing because I love buying things for people but I have an enormous family. When you count all of us together during this holiday there is a total of about eighteen, which is a lot of money to spend! Over the span of time since I have joined the adults in the opening of presents has made me realize that it isn’t necessarily about the gifts. Its being thankful for what you have and the people around you. The  overall exp erience for is a great one because it brings family together and shows you what the holidays are really about rather than just opening presents, eating and leaving. I love my family and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

The effects of cell phones in the busness workplace Research Paper

The effects of cell phones in the busness workplace - Research Paper Example It is based on observation and anecdotal evidence, with some recourse to published material as cited. Chapter 1: The Effects of Cell Phones in the Business Workplace Early adopters of the cellular phone, as it was originally and briefly known, pioneered a new era of business communication, even if at some considerable expense. Not unusually for breakthrough technology, the cost of a Motorola DynaTac in 1983 was $3,995.00, which, in today’s terms and taking inflation into account, would be in the region of $8,500. (1) The cost of acquisition, however, was overall perceived to be outweighed by the benefits of the new technology and the status conferred on those who used it. The race to produce more affordable, smaller and more versatile handsets for a market that could only grow is till showing little sign of slowing. Gartner Says Worldwide Mobile Phone Sales Grew 17 Per Cent in First Quarter 2010. (2) Figures released in 2002 by the International Telecommunication Union (3) rev eal that, in terms of units per person, Taiwan topped the list at 106.45 per 100, with Burma at the bottom. Weighted average was 59.3 per 100, with the United States at 48.81. The cost of initial models confined sales almost exclusively to the business sector, and indeed the benefits were immediate and enormous. On another level, the magical new device lent an aura of power to its owner; if you were in a position to purchase one of these vastly expensive, exotic devices, you clearly needed to communicate with other powerful, decision-making corporate warriors. Either that, or you were a very savvy criminal (3), which, to some sideline observers not yet equipped to enter the game, was also an exotic and enviable career. So we can safely say that the cell phone changed business for the better as soon as it became clear that to not have one was a disadvantage. Let us call this ‘Effect One’, the addition of a vital tool to the company toolbox, sometimes one you had to earn by distinction until the price enabled the purchase of a handset for personal use. It needed little to no effort to sell this new, potent symbol of progress and dynamism. It also introduced a set of changes in etiquette and behavior, both in and beyond the workplace, which can be referred to as ‘Effect Two’. Effect Two, like most changes to social norms, started with a minority who took on the role of being at the forefront of change, leading the charge, brushing past the fuddy-duddies on the way to wherever it was they were going. And, for a while at least, the alpha males in the workplace were the ones who got the cell phones, and who changed them as soon as the next model with better features came along. The rest waited their turn and resigned themselves to being followers. Here, like a well-cut suit, an expensive wristwatch and hand finished shoes, was an accessory that set the owner apart, allowed them to adopt a different attitude. Indeed, the new power prop had a far more immediate effect than good tailoring or discrete and tasteful jewelry, as its appeal to many lay in its ability to be the opposite of discrete and sophisticated. Chapter 2: Now, whereas in conventional ordered, civilized workplaces it would once have been considered rude or inappropriate to ignore, interrupt loudly or suddenly terminate a conversation with a colleague, the

Impact of urbanization on the climate in developing countries Research Paper

Impact of urbanization on the climate in developing countries - Research Paper Example Today, urbanization has been expanded globally. Its rapid expansion has been related to climate change; the phenomenon is more intensive in developing countries. The effects of urbanization on the climate change in developing countries are presented and analyzed in this paper. The literature related to this subject has been critically reviewed in order to identify all aspects of the relationship between urbanization and climate change, in regard to the developing countries. It is proved that urbanization is highly involved in climate change in these countries; however, the level at which urbanization has influenced the climate of developing countries is not standardized. Certain of these countries have been proved as better prepared to control the expansion of urbanization in their territory. Other countries, such as China, face difficulties in managing the effects of urbanization. Due to its radical expansion worldwide, urbanization has been extensively explored as of its environmental effects. In fact, it has been proved that urbanization can impact the environment in regard to all its elements, meaning ‘the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere’ (Joseph 2009, p.11). More specifically, under the influence of urbanization, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere can reach extremely high levels, depending on the density of local population (Joseph 2009). At the same time, urbanization leads to the reduction of the O2 available in atmosphere, due to the limitation of green areas where O2 is produced (Joseph 2009). In terms of the hydrosphere the expansion of urbanization is reflected to the following fact: the needs for water in urban areas can be quite high (Joseph 2009). The potentials of local water depositories to respond to these needs are often limited (Joseph 2009). In addition, urbanization can affect lithosphere: extensive land areas are

Biography of an American Public Activist Elizabeth Birch Essay

Biography of an American Public Activist Elizabeth Birch - Essay Example In 1992, as she narrates in her interview, Lotus Development Company had extended their services for the provision of domestic partner benefits; an initiative that she thought would highlight the company’s commitment to its employees, who she believed deserved the same. She contends that as the attorney for gay employees, she felt conflicted on whether she could stand by the gay people and still maintain professionalism as an advocate. This was because in Apple Inc there was normal grassroots process within which employees were building cases for domestic partner benefits. The experience of this woman offers the exact case in regards to how gays were being viewed by the majority or some of the individuals in the state. This then offers an analytical basis of stating the perception and the stereotypes held at the time. Elizabeth narrates that once employees were to provide the cases for the domestic partner benefits they built their cases and sent it to the human resource depar tment. This, she notes, was the undoing of the Apple gay and lesbian community as the human resource department came up with excuses of how not to implement such. Some of the excuses were that for the implementation of such to take place, it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The consequences of this were highlighted by the rejection by Apple’s board of directors. This decision enraged Elizabeth who notes that since she was well known worldwide as the advocate for the gay and lesbian and for providing institutions and municipalities with advice regarding the implementation of sexual non-discrimination policies and domestic partner benefits, the move by the Apple board of directors was unacceptable and was in contradiction with what she believed.  

Due 1 aug Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Due 1 aug - Assignment Example We shall also discuss some diseases or conditions which women are likely to have due to this process. According to Fox – Spencer and Brown (2006), menopause is the point when a woman has her last period which happens when her  ovaries  stop releasing eggs, and for some women, it happens all at once but for many women, it is a gradual process. If a woman has not had a period in more than a year, is not pregnant, or does not have another illness, she may have most likely reached menopause and this typically, this happens when the woman is in her fifties. Planned Parenthood, in their website state that perimenopause is the gradual change that leads to menopause which usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 but it is not unknown to begin as early as 40, a time when menstrual periods usually become less predictable and they may become more or less frequent or may be heavier or lighter. Women who smoke have a higher possibility of going into perimenopause earlier than those women who do not smoke. Perimenopause is a process that can last for few months or can go on for up to 12 years depending on the physiological make up of the woman involved. If a woman has not had a period for more than a year or two, then this marks the end of the perimenopausal stage and the beginning of menopause. Surgical menopause occurs with the removal of both ovaries in women who have yet to undergo menopause and this induces menopause because they suddenly experience the symptoms of menopause without the normal gradual changes that occur. Women with surgical menopause experience the following changes: hot flashes; sweating at night; the drying of the vagina; heart palpitations; frequent mood swings; unexplained depression; constant fatigue; and some changes in their sexual desire. Stress menopause is caused by the constant stress experienced by a woman on many occasions

Is there is any differences between UK Accounting Ethics Standards and Essay

Is there is any differences between UK Accounting Ethics Standards and US Accounting Ethics Standards - Essay Example To the extent that the ASCs pronouncements, known as Statements of Standard Accounting Practice (SSAPs), have not been replaced by FRSs, they remain in force. The ASB has a formal exposure process for proposed standards. Early concepts are issued as Discussion Papers. These are released to the public and comments invited. Where a new standard is to be proposed, a Financial Reporting Exposure Draft (FRED) is released for comment. The standard in final form is only issued when comments have been incorporated or addressed. This aims to address the criticisms levelled at the ASC, whose comment process was less rigorous. Issues that require an immediate solution are considered by the Urgent Issues Task Force (UITF). The UITF comprises a number of senior figures from industry and accounting firms. It meets as necessary to consider pressing issues and issues Abstracts which become binding immediately. The principal legislation governing reporting in the UK is laid down in the Companies Act 1985 (as amended by the Companies Act 1989 and subsequent statutory instruments), which incorporates the requirements of European law. The Companies Act sets out certain minimum reporting requirements for companies and, for example, requires limited companies to file their accounts with the Registrar of Companies who makes them available to the general public. From 2005, this framework changed as a result of European law requiring that all listed European companies report under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). In the UK, companies which are not listed have the option to report either under IFRSs or under UK GAAP[2]. Recently issued UK FRSs have, in any case replicated the wording of corresponding IFRSs, reducing the differences between the two sets of standards significantly. Each of the current UK accounting standards are explained below