Athens Put Socrates and Philosophy on Trial

Athens Put Socrates and Philosophy on Trial Introduction Philosophy is an ancient field of study that entails systematic study of knowledge, nature, existence, reality, mind, and reason through logical and rational arguments. Philosophers use logical and rational arguments when explaining their perception of life and their existence. For centuries, humans have been accumulating knowledge about their existence in a bid to understand the nature of life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Athens Put Socrates and Philosophy on Trial specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Athens, Socrates was the most prominent philosopher who examined the lives of Athenians and found that they were groping in the darkness of ignorance since they did not understand their existence. Thus, Socrates argued that ‘unexamined life is not worth living’ after observing the how the Athenians lived. As he tried to enlighten the people, Athenians leaders observed that Socrates was spoi ling the minds of the youths, and thus guilty of using his philosophies inappropriately. Hence, this essay argues that Athenian leaders put Socrates and his philosophy on trial, for they did not like to examine and assess their lives using philosophy. Unexamined Life Socrates was an Athenian philosopher who made a significant contribution to the development of the Western philosophy. Although Socrates was one of the wisest men in Athens, he considered himself as ignorant. He argued that gaining wisdom only begins when one understands own ignorance as it forms the basis of knowledge. During his life, Socrates observed that Athenians lived miserable lives since they could not understand the essence of life. Thus, Socrates decided to examine the lives of the Athenians and teach the youths on how to attain better lives as he envisioned. According to Socrates, ‘unexamined life is not worth living’ because people are groping in the dark, and thus unable to attain real meaning of life or live worthy lives. Therefore, Socrates talked to Athenians while examining their lives and teaching youths on how to gain wisdom and live worthy lives. Socrates used the Allegory of the Cave to describe how Athenians are groping in the darkness without hope of attaining real meaning of life. In the allegory, Socrates argues that Athenians are seeing illusions in life and taking them as reality, just as prisoners in the cave assumed that shadows are real people walking across the wall.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The prisoners in the cave have accustomed to the shadows until they could not differentiate reality and illusions. In this view, Socrates asserts that philosophers like him are among people who have come out of the cave and are able to differentiate reality and illusions. Hence, the work of Socrates was to enlighten the Athenians so that they can tra nsform their understanding of life from cave illusions to the reality in the world. Although Socrates tried to enlighten the youths, Athenian leaders had a different perception. The Athenian leaders perceived that Socrates was spoiling the minds of the youths with philosophical doctrines that are against laws and regulations of the Athenian empire. In essence, what Socrates did was to examine the lives of the Athenians in a bid to enhance their understanding of life and resolution of issues affecting their lives. Despite Socrates’ important role in enlightening the youth, the Athenian leaders charged Socrates and dismissed his philosophy as destructive. In response, Socrates protested that the jury did set the penalty very high that he could not afford to pay, and thus putting him and his philosophy on trial. Despite his plea and protest, the jury still sentenced Socrates to death. In the course of examining the lives of the Athenians, Socrates also questioned the existence o f the piety. Socrates analyzed Euthyphro concept and asserted that the gods love pious things and hate impious things. In his argument about piety, Socrates came up with the Euthyphro dilemma since he wondered whether the gods loves pious things or the gods make things pious by loving them. Socrates believed that things are pious on their own and independent of the gods. Hence, piety is an inherent attribute of things and not gods. The Euthyphro dilemma attracted massive criticisms from Athenians because it touched on a sensitive matter about the Athenian gods and their deity roles. If god cannot make anything pious, it means they have no ability to transform the lives of people from impiety to piety. Such dilemma made the Athenians charge Socrates for introducing new doctrines that are against their gods. Hence, Athenians accused Socrates of introducing foreign gods while relegating Athenian gods. Conclusion Socrates was a noble philosopher who examined the lives of the Athenians a nd realized that they were ignorant about life. According his assessment, Socrates argued that ‘unexamined life is not worth living’ because people grope while searching for the real meaning of life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Athens Put Socrates and Philosophy on Trial specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite the fact that Socrates examined the lives of youths and taught them, Athenian leaders accused him of corrupting their minds while introducing foreign gods. Eventually, the jury sentenced Socrates to death for alleged destructive teachings and impious philosophy. Thus, the Athenians put Socrates and his philosophy on trial when they sentenced him to death and rejected his philosophy as destructive.

Presidents Without a College Degree

Presidents Without a College Degree There are very few presidents without college degrees in American history. Thats not to say there havent been any, or that its impossible to work in politics without a college degree. Legally, you can be elected president of the United States  even if you didnt go to college.  The U.S. Constitution  does not set forth any education requirements for presidents.   But its a  pretty extraordinary achievement for a president without a college degree to be elected today. Every chief executive elected to  the White House in modern history  has held at least a bachelors degree. Most have earned advanced degrees or law degrees from Ivy League schools. In fact, every president since George H.W. Bush has held a degree from an Ivy League university.   Bush was a graduate of Yale University. So was his son, George W. Bush, the 43rd president, and Bill Clinton. Barack Obama got his law degree from Harvard University. Donald Trump, the billionaire real-estate developer and businessman elected president in 2016, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, another Ivy League school. The trend is clear: not only do modern presidents have college degrees, but theyve also earned degrees from the most elite universities in the United States. But it wasnt always common for presidents to have earned degrees or even attended college. In fact, educational attainment wasnt a prime consideration among voters. Education of Early Presidents Fewer than half of the nations first 24 presidents held college degrees. Thats because they just didnt need to. For much of the nation’s history a college education was a prerequisite for the rich, well-connected or both; of the first 24 men who became president, 11 had not graduated from college at all (though three of those had attended some college without earning a degree), wrote  Drew DeSilver, a senior writer at the Pew Research Center. The most recent president without a college degree was Harry S. Truman, who served until 1953. The 33rd president of the United States, Truman attended business college and law school but graduated from neither. List of Presidents Without College Degrees George Washington: The nations first president never took college courses but did earn a  surveyors certificate.James Monroe: The nations fifth president attended William Mary College but didnt graduate.Andrew Jackson: The seventh president did not attend college.Martin Van Buren: The nations eighth president did not attend college.William Henry Harrison: The ninth president of the United States  attended both  Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; he didnt graduate from either.Zachary Taylor: The nations 12th president did not attend college.Millard Fillmore: The 13th president did not attend college.Abraham Lincoln: The 16th president did not attend college.Andrew Johnson: The 17th president did not attend college.Grover Cleveland: The 22nd president did not attend college.William McKinley: The 25th president took courses at both Allegheny College and Albany Law School but did not graduate from either.Harry S. Truman: The 33rd presiden t took courses at Spaldings Commercial College  and the University of Kansas City School of Law but didnt earn degrees from either. Why Presidents Need College Degrees Now Even though nearly a dozen U.S. presidents - including some very successful ones - never earned degrees, every White House occupant since Truman has earned at least a bachelors degree. Would the likes of Lincoln and Washington be elected today without degrees? Probably not, wrote  Caitlin Anderson on CollegePlus, an organization that works with students to earn degrees.  Our information saturated society believes education must take place in the traditional classroom setting. Having a college degree makes candidates attractive. It makes anyone attractive. It’s essential.

Comparison of the four bric emerging markets. Brazil, Russia, India Assignment

Comparison of the four bric emerging markets. Brazil, Russia, India and China - Assignment Example Emerging markets are indeed becoming points of focal call for most global expansion agenda for various multinational companies. This is largely due to the potentials that each of them uniquely possess. A major component of emerging markets is the four BRIC emerging markets represented by Brazil, Russia, India and China. This paper identifies the unique properties of each of the markets and makes a conclusion on the two most viable for any investor seeking to undertake massive business expansion to an emerging market. Coincidentally, each of the four BRIC countries is heavily populated with population running beyond 100 million people. However, for Brazil, it is not just a matter of heavy population but a highly strategic population concentration that serves as major advantage for investors. In the first place, Insch & Steensma (2006) admires the kind of population concentration in Southeastern and Northeastern regions, which are made up 79.8 million inhabitants and 53.5 million inhab itants respectively. Because of the population concentration, most of the vibrant economic activities take place in these two regions. For new entrants, the advantage this offers is that proximity will not be a challenge. Distribution channel also becomes more focused and less expensive. What is more, the population in the two economic regions has a near 100% literacy, which means that skilled labour is abundant in Brazil (Khanna, Pallepu & Sinha, 2005). All in all, cost of starting business in Brazil is cheaper because several expenses such as transportation, distribution, and labour are cut down significantly with government supporting with several trade incentives. The greatest strength of Russia among the four BRIC countries is that the country is made up of a highly diverse economic drive. What this means is that the concentration of the country, in terms of trade and economics is not focused on only few sectors (Goldman, 2007). In comparison to Brazil where tourism and agricul ture seem to dominate in the trade and economic aspects, Russia boasts of highly active trade economization in sectors including agriculture, energy, transport, science and technology, and space exploration. This situation creates as readily adaptable business environment for almost every kind of business. The disadvantage that this may carry however has to do with the fact that there is very high competition for new entrants, who demand extra strategy to cope in the economic environment. In the absence of this, Russia practices a free education system, which has for years helped in boasting the human capital of the country and that of industries. Just like Brazil, Russia has a very promising labour force, with the Indian labour force described as the world’s second largest, even though the country is overtaken by China. But the reason India’s labour force will be used for argument for the country as its major advantage to investors is the fact that this labour force i s relatively cheaper if compared to that of China. It is not surprising that India is regarded by the International Monetary Fund as having the third-largest purchasing power parity (Pelle, 2007). Because of the active nature of the labour force, India has actively been involved in both import and export, meaning that new entrants whose area of concern is in manufacturing will have no problem with the presence of raw materials the exportation of finished goods thereof. Currently, India is regarded as being the world's tenth-largest importer and the nineteenth-largest exporter (Chrystal & Lipsey, 2012). China on the other hand seem to have a part of all the advantages that each of the other countries bear. But for investors whose focus is active manufacturing that focused around science and technology, China will be the most prudent destination (Hitt & He, 2008). This is because the country has over the years taken up science and techn

The Representation of Mental Illness Within Film Dissertation

The Representation of Mental Illness Within Film - Dissertation Example The popular cinema happens to serve two important purposes that are projecting the salient mass perceptions towards some individuals or groups and on the other hand informing the target audience regarding the factual information pertaining to some sections of the society. In that context, when it comes to people suffering from mental illnesses, the cinema has certainly furnished the masses with the content associated with these two expectations. That is on the one side cinema has served an important role regarding informing the masses about the facts associated with mental illnesses and on the other hand cinema has also played a big role in ossifying the stereotypical notions pertaining to the individuals and groups suffering from mental illnesses (Wahl, 1995, p. 5). It goes without saying that the way mental illnesses get represented and reflected upon in films is an issue of paramount importance as it pertains to the well being and representation of a salient section of the human p opulation (Hinshaw, 2007, p. 202). In that context the role played by cinema in the representation of mental illnesses has been mixed and ambivalent. Mental Illnesses and Expectation from Cinema It is a fact that cinema does play a pivotal role in constructing and shaping the popular mass perceptions (Rafter, 2000, p. 62). Hence, before delving on the larger issue of the representation of mental illnesses in cinema or films, I will be more appropriate to delineate the ideal expectations that an informed individual could have when it comes to the representation of mental illnesses in films. It is a fact that there is a dire need to change and alter the public perceptions about people suffering from mental illnesses, if one goes by the general public attitude towards mentally ill people. Thereby, it is expected from cinema to give way to a salubrious climate in which not only the issues related to mental illnesses get openly discussed, but which also comes heavily on the generalized s tereotypes usually associated with people ailing from mental illnesses (Rogers & Pilgrim, 2005. P. 36). For the first appropriate step in this direction will be to enhance public knowledge regarding the mental illnesses. This is because people tend to garner the knowledge and information regarding the issue of mental illnesses from a wide range of sources that could be the first hand experience, news media and print literature and the characters suffering from mental illnesses as they are represented in films or stage presentations. It is also true that it gets really difficult for cinema to facilitate a factual portrayal of the characters suffering from mental illnesses, when the popular perception tends to be so replete with standardized stereotypes. Hence, many a types, the films are in a way pushed into perpetuating the negative stereotypes about mental illnesses, shaped to a large extent by the already existent popular stereotypes and the audience expectations about the way the y want to see mentally ill people being depicted in them (Paquette, 2003). Yet, it is also true that all the creative professionals actively associated with film making, are they directors, producers, actors, script writers or editors, could indeed play a positive and realistic role in reframing the way people think and perceive mental illnesses (Chinball & Petley, 2002). By doing so they will not only be setting the scores correct regarding an issue that is of immense public importance, but as have many films shown, the films could still accrue box office records by depicting the mentally ill

Finance valuation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance valuation - Research Paper Example In 2006, the company had a high amount of equity shareholders of 2618000. However this figure has reduced until the year 2013 when it is at a negative figure which is (1414500). This shows that over time, the company is reducing the rate at which it relies on external sources of funding. This shows that the company might have found other sources of cash or it is slowly building up its assets and therefore does not need external monies to fund its growth. The company has a high capital surplus and an increase in the amount of retained earnings. The amount of retained earnings in 2006 was 2904000 and in 2013, this figure had increased to 3793000. This shows that in the next 10 years, the company will have very limited requirements for external funding. This is a good sign for any investor as it shows that in future the business will be able to meet its financial obligations. The retained capital can further be used to to expand the business and grow its operations and this shows that in the long run it is the shareholders who will benefit from such a move. The key assumptions that are made in this regard is that the business environment of the business will remain the same as it is. It is assumed all the stakeholders involved in the business will not have any major policy changes that will impact the rate of growth in the business operations. It is further assumed that the management will always have in place policies that ensure that the company is on a growth phase for the next 10 years, it is only in this way that the profits that the business is earning can be maintained over the long term. The recruitment policy should also ensure that only the best and most qualified people are hired in the company so as to ensure continuity in a certain level of success. A major factor that affects all businesses is government policy it is assumed that the regulations in regards to the business will remain the same. This is

The company culture of Pixar Animation Studios

The company culture of Pixar Animation Studios Introduction The origin of Pixar is traced back to 1984 when John Lasseter the Chief Creative Officer of Disney and Pixar joined the computer graphics division of Lucasfilms. Two years later Steve Jobs bought this unit and renamed it Pixar that went on to produce award winning short films, commercials and documentaries. The Company expanded its creative potentials to make its first computer animated movie, Toy Story in 1995 that marked the beginning of a new era in animation film industry. Pixar re-defined the meaning of success with major triumphs in the form of The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2, and many others to follow. The Company was acquired by Disney in the year 2006, a strategic alliance that expanded the creative potentials of Pixar to further heights. The success of the company has been termed as dramatic and inspirational for other firms in the creative industry segment. The much talked about Pixar culture provides an interesting insight into how an organization can nurture t he creative talents of its employees across different levels. Research issue The research paper explores the different dimensions of the Pixar culture and its open door policy to understand the ways in which the organization has expanded its creative potentials to become one of the most innovative organizations in the industry. The objective of the paper is to analyse the impacts of the people management practices adopted at Pixar in promoting a creative work environment. Theoretical analysis framework Theoretical analysis provides any research work with the necessary facts and evidence that support the research findings and implications. In this section, the paper will focus on analysing the organizational culture of Pixar through two distinctive models the organizational aesthetics model and Handy (1985) or Harrison (1972) Model of culture. The study of these two theoretical dimensions enable a deeper insight and understanding of how the structural design and practices within an organization shapes its workplace environment and employee attitudes. The study and understanding of these two theoretical dimensions have been used to analyse the Pixar culture that promotes creativity through an enabling work culture. Organizational aesthetics model Aesthetics offers a new look into organizations, and a look at alternative ways of expressing and making meanings that deeply influence organizational interactions, behaviours, and understandings (Taylor Hansen, 2005). Aesthetics relate to our senses and contextual experiences that shape our knowledge and beliefs. Organizational activities and strategies are to a wide extent influenced by the social and contextual environment in which they exist. The underlying assumption of the aesthetic approach to the study of organizations is that, although an organization is indeed a social and collective construct, it is not an exclusively cognitive one but derives from the knowledge-creating faculties of all the human senses (Linstead Hopfl, 2000). According to this approach organizations are created through the re-definition and application of knowledge processing skills that are harnessed for productive gains. Since the organizational processes are widely impacted by the individual perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, opinions, values and reflections of the workforce that drive operational efficiencies. These are indicators of organizational aesthetics that bind the various elements into a more cohesive structure that helps in the production of goods and services for the larger community. Recent Trend in Organization Aesthetics The significance of such models is underlined by the increasing diversity of the workforce in present business environment and the difficulties faced in integrating the skills of individuals from varied knowledge sectors to develop a single product. Research studies have established that an understanding of the organizational aesthetics can help in improving managerial abilities to lead the team towards a more effective performance. Studies have revealed that the understanding of organizational aesthetics can help managers to identify the parameters of how to analyse and approach any issue. This particular aspect enables the organization to pursue a strategy well defined and supported by an understanding of human values and dimensions that impact work performance. Organization Aesthetics in Pixar Bill Capodagli, the author of Innovate the Pixar Way: Lessons from the Worlds most Creative Corporate Playground in an interview with the Enterpriseleadership.org (2010) stated that Pixar has a set of deeply rooted values that champion excellence, tap innovation, and encourage collaboration. Following this observation, it can be inferred that the organizational practices and strategies adopted by Pixar have been a vital factor in promoting its creative talents. The question that this observation raises is what kind of organizational design and practices Pixar has that promotes such creativity. Organizational structure plays a critical role in nurturing individual talent and providing the employees with the opportunity to deliver their true potentials Edgar Schein in 1985 observed that organizations can be broadly categorised into two types Organization A that adopts an open environment facilitated by free flow of communication and less formal atmosphere; and organization B that supports a closed door structure featured by formal work procedures and low interactivity among employees. Pixar belongs to the Organization A type that exhibits an open culture (Schein, 2004). This kind of organization supports team based work culture. The success formula of Pixar is based on team work, collaboration and free flow of communication between individuals. The high level of interaction and flow of communication within the organization is promoted by its flat organizational structure. The organization is founded on remarkable management practices that discourage hierarchical system of r eporting. The non hierarchical organizational structure promotes responsibilities and motivates the employees to put in their best at work resulting in high performing organizations. However, such work culture demands strong commitment and high level of energy from the employees. The operating principles of Pixar is based on freedom to communicate with anyone, a work environment that is safe for everyone to offer ideas, and staying close to innovations happening in the academic community (Catmull, 2008). The creative focus of the organization has been on harnessing its human resource potentials to the optimum through the application of aesthetic organizational principles (McElroy Morrow, 2010). This involves providing its employees with a work environment that is most informal with all amenities and luxuries that enable the stimulation of the creative senses of the workforce (Buzalka, 2006). The company adopts a non-hierarchical organization structure that encourages associates to actively participate in the decision making process at all stages. The organization supports employee empowerment in the form of supportive management practices that focuses on employee skills development and promoting participative leadership style. The lack of formal reporting lines and accountability of employees is compensated with mentors who assist the new comers into the organization and guide them through various stages of career progression. The ability of the organization to create and sustain in novation at work is dependent on speed, transparency and accountability (Hamilton, 2005). Organizational design is to a large extent guided by the flow of information across various levels and departments. Entrepreneurs re-engineer business processes to accommodate a flatter form of organization structure that necessitates free flow of information and knowledge to the workforce. Organizational structure plays a pivotal role in determining organizational culture and values, communication lines and the extent of employee involvement in decision making process. The levels of reporting and accountability framework of a company determine the corporate culture and work environment existing within the company. In current business context, entrepreneurs re-engineer business processes to accommodate a flatter organization structure that necessitates free flow of information and knowledge to the workforce. Knowledge and learning culture forms the key to business success in todays competitive industry. Pixar has managed to leverage existing technology tools to create competitive adv antage through enhancing its competencies and skills to adapt to new systems and innovate work processes for launching and creating new ideas. The effectiveness of such work processes is largely impacted by employee skills, competencies and access to relevant information. In the organizational context, knowledge is a tool that helps the organization to achieve strategic goals and objectives. These goals include generating a reputation for technical expertise, translating expertise into new business ideas, gaining new experience in specific areas to achieve cost advantage and optimum use of internal resources. At Pixar the open organization design facilitates interaction between employees that promotes teamwork. Such initiatives contribute to organizational productivity by providing the employees with a suitable physical environment to work in. Pixar presents a fine blending of learning and team work assisted by an open organizational design that enables the company to roll out new ideas and creative products for their target audience. Advantages of Organizational Aesthetics Workplace design and physical office environment plays a significant role in enhancing organizational productivity and performance. Research studies have concluded that improvements in office design and management are not the only consideration for organizational productivity, but they have an important role to play; offices should be considered as a potential asset rather than just a space to house employees (Charles Zweirzchowski, 2004). Organizational aesthetics take into account the need for designing workspaces to meet the work process requirements. Adequate space designing for privacy of work, open office plans to promote teamwork and interaction between co-workers support the organizational goals by providing the employees with the desired workspace. Technology has created new expectations and influenced consumer behavior to include a wide gamut of options and possibilities that can be explored by organizations to launch new trends and range of products. Such business models are supported by increased collaboration and interaction between employees across different departments. The open design office structure supported by Pixar enables the employees to communicate and discuss freely the work issues and details. Discussions and deliberations on work issues are effective in promoting work efficiency and enable the companies to come up with million dollar ideas. The right mix of design and functionality while planning office spaces can have a positive impact on organizational productivity and performance through reduced operational costs in the form of shared resources and effective teamwork. Types of office design The conventional office design and workplace layout have undergone massive transformations over the past few decades. The previous sections have elaborated on the significance of organizational aesthetics in developing creative potentials within the firm and the analysis highlights the impacts that structural design has on employee productivity and performance. Efficient workplace design can positively impact employee motivation levels and satisfaction. Theoretical frameworks in this context have emphasized the significance of workplace design and office layout plans in supporting organizational goals, work processes, innovative culture and business values. Bill Capodagli in an interview with the Credit Union Magazine recently commented that the success behind Pixar lay in its conceptualisation of a corporate playground that enabled its employees to relax and enjoy within the organization. When you go there, you may see people playing football or swimming in an Olympic sized pool. It has created an atmosphere where work is fun working hard and playing hard (Capodagli Credit Union, 2010). Pixar has adopted an open office design that enables its employees to share ideas, conceptualise new designs and initiate new practices for effective results. An analysis of the effectiveness of the office design theories put forward by Duffy (1997) reveals interesting insights into the Pixar model. Duffy (1997) in his works had proposed four distinct types of office design namely den, club, hive and cell. The matrix given below illustrates the extent to which these four office design types support interaction and autonomy in organizations The work culture at Pixar shows a high degree of team work and interaction between employees. The organization as studied in the previous sections supports a participative decision making process. The daily work of the employees is reviewed by peers and managers for assessing the effectiveness of outcomes (Capodagli, 2010). Hence the work environment at Pixar supports limited autonomy combined with high level of interactivity that is characterized by the Den office design as postulated by Duffy (1997). The effectiveness of such office design is emphasized by its contribution in motivating and inspiring employees towards creativity. Such workplace design according to Van der Voodt (2004) promotes a transparent organizational structure, enables employee empowerment, encourages team work, promotes learning, facilitates free flow of information, allows increased collaboration at work and creates a motivational environment. It can be inferred from the above discussion that organizational design and workplace layout must focus on enabling increased collaborative environment within the departments and hierarchies. Organization Culture and Workplace Environment The previous section highlighted the significance of organizational aesthetics and workplace design in shaping the Pixar work culture. However, the analysis of the success mantra of Pixar cannot be complete without an insight into its organizational culture that is reflected in its workplace environment. Organization culture defines the organizational belief, values and norms shared by the employees. An organization is shaped by the culture that predominates in work environment, employee behaviour and managerial attitude. Pixar adopts an organization culture that defies all traditional theories related to managing and running a business establishment. Conventional management practices focused on bureaucratic controls and centralised decision making system that demarcated distinctive roles for each individuals. The evolving concepts of organizational culture and practices focus more on employee welfare and development plans that inspire the workforce to display proactive behaviour at work. One of the distinctive challenges faced by all organizations today is motivating its employees to achieve higher levels of performance and build a work climate that induces positive attitude to work amongst its employees. Motivation is a key area where the organizational management needs to stand out in order to achieve a high degree of employee creativity skills in solving business problems. Opportunity oriented, reward oriented, freedom to explore and work on their own are some of the factors which contribute to a high degree of motivation which gives solidarity to the company and promotes a good organizational culture. A high degree of employe e motivation ensures that employees work freely and without reservations in achieving their desired goals. They are also given the freedom to work on their own to allow creative ideas and hence innovative practices to grow. This would not be possible in a restricting environment where the employees do not have the room to develop and grow their intrinsic creativity skills. Pixar adopted the innovative and creative approach to expand its market potentials and gain new grounds in an emerging industry. The promoters of the Company ensured that the team based work approach promoted creative talents of its employees and nurtured the potentials of the workforce through an enabling corporate learning environment. This is a new kind of movie studio that not only invents its own technology, much like a whiz-bang Silicon Valley Company, but also comes up with new production methods and organizational innovations that bring unheard of discipline to the crazy business of making movies (Schlender, 2004). Model of culture Different models of organizational culture have been proposed by researchers and academicians. Such models provide the basis for understanding the context in which organizations operate within the existing business environment. One of the models proposed by Roger Harrison (1972) suggested that organizational culture is primarily of four types that include power, role, task/achievement and person/support (Cartwright Cooper, 2000). This model was further researched by Handy to provide four distinctive categories of organization culture. The four categories have been identified as role culture, power culture, person culture, and task culture. The role culture reflects bureaucratic organization that takes into account the procedures and position of employees to define the existing work culture. The power culture is influenced by the control of individuals at the head who run the whole show for the business. The person culture is shaped by the leader-subordinate relationship that accounts for the existing work culture. The task culture is based on impact of individual knowledge and expertise that influences the work culture and environment (Itzen Nerwman, 2005). The organizational culture displayed at Pixar focuses on increased collaboration and team work culture. The creativity at Pixar is fostered daily by an open collaborative atmosphere in which every member of the team is engaged in the process and commited to a common goal in this case, a good entertaining story (Kiedaisch, 2010). The company adopts an integrated approach towards its people development strategies based on group learning initiatives and team work focus. One of the mechanisms adopted by organizations today is the reinforcement of team work that provides the individuals with the autonomy and freedom to act according to the need of the hour. Teams at Pixar are an integral part of operational processes and the organization relies extensively on teams to perform strategic functions. The team learning process is not only innovative and inspiring to the members but it also helps the organization devise new strategies and creative ideas that can work wonders for the business. Hence it can be concluded that Pixar displays task culture where individual expertise and skills are integrated with organizational capabilities and resources to produce new ideas and product designs. The task culture brings individuals working on specific tasks together to contribute to the completion of a bigger task. The work approach focuses on completing the job at hand successfully and more emphasis is given to a collaborative approach that necessitates the coming together of differently skilled people to accomplish the goal. Hence this kind of work culture promotes an informal work environment where decision making is usually reached through discussions and consensus between the employees. This type of work culture is also characterized by increased interaction and exchange of information between members. Suggested applicable solutions In order for an organization to remain relevant and to compete in pursuit of its mission, management of organizations must pay attention to both ends of the process, generating creative ideas frequently and utilizing its innovation process to realize the potential value of those ideas (McLean, 2005). Organizations operating in a competitive business environment depend on innovation and creativity through the adoption of latest technology tools and applications to drive market advantage in their favour. Management of technology and its judicious application in work processes facilitate the firms to deliver high quality products and superior work performance that is driven by an enabling work culture. Adopting work practices that promote creativity and innovation within firms can be a challenging task since the application of such business models are impacted by the human resource strategies, managerial capabilities and resource availability (Gilmartin, 1999). Studies of such business models in creative organizations have proved the effectiveness of these strategies that promote innovation and a positive work culture within the workforce. An analysis of the competitive industry environment provides a clear picture on the existing market environment and its current trends. The driving economic forces that guide the market movements and emergent technology trends are significant to the analysis of markets and help organizations like Pixar to define appropriate strategies to retain competitive advantage. Futuristic technologies are envisioned to create better and increased utility of existing products and services for improved applications and heightened consumer satisfaction. However, the effective utilisation of such technology trends depends on the creativity of its manpower. Creativity contributes to the generation of new ideas and help companies in distinguishing their products and services from their competitors in the market. Pursuing a creative organization approach must focus on developing the human resource of the organization. Conclusion The analysis of Pixar work culture and organizational aesthetics have highlighted some significant points in context of strengthening the innovative capabilities of a company. While office workspace design and structure play a significant role in influencing a positive work environment the role of organizational culture and strategic practices involving team work, participative leadership approach and employee empowerment in promoting creativity among employees cannot be ignored. The guiding principle behind managerial strategies and focus of the organization has been nurturing relationships and building trust among employees that helps in creating an amiable and creative work environment. If we get that right, the result is a vibrant community where talented people are loyal to one another and their collective work, everyone feels that they part of something extraordinary, and their passion and accomplishments make the community a magnet for talented people coming out of schools or working at other places (Catmull, 2008).

A Case Analysis of Calyx and Corolla Essay -- Flower Companies Busines

A Case Analysis of Calyx and Corolla This analysis focuses on the case study of Calyx & Corolla, a mail order flower company. Calyx & Corolla is a relatively new company that utilizes a different distribution channel than conventional companies for fresh flowers. Calyx & Corolla mails flowers direct from the growers to the customers via Federal Express and eliminates the middleman (Appendix A). This permits Calyx & Corolla to provide fresher, longer-lasting flowers to consumers. The management of Calyx & Corolla is contemplating a change in their long-term business strategy as they examine their ability to compete with more traditional outlets such as retail flower shops and wire services like FTD. Ruth Owades, the founder of Calyx & Corolla, has hired Marketing Consultants (MarCo) to assess the strengths and weaknesses of her business and make recommendations on how her company can fully develop their mail order concept. Background: Calyx & Corolla is a small mail order flower company that was founded in 1988 by Ruth Owades. Ms. Owades secured $2 million in capital from approximately 18 different investors in order to launch the company. By 1991, Calyx & Corolla exceeded $10 million in annual sales and Owades and her associates were reassessing the firm's long-term growth strategy (Wylie and Salmon, 1991). Up to this point, Calyx & Corolla was primarily a mail order company, but management is now considering expanding their market and is unsure of how they should proceed. Recently, a well-financed venture capital-backed start-up failed and Calyx & Corolla acquired some of its assets. Another unproven competitor recently entered the market, financed by a large Japanese conglomerate. The company's success is primarily due to a few key employees. Ruth Owades plays a major part in the selection and pricing of flowers and other merchandise that appears in the catalog. Fran Wilson, the vice president of operations, is responsible for customer orders and service, day-to-day communications with growers, systems development, and finance. Ann Hayes Lee is responsible for merchandise development and catalog creation and production. She is also responsible for non-direct mail initiatives that are aimed at accelerating the growth of the business. Calyx & Corolla espouses the values and creativity of these individuals and their employees. Taking into consi... ...ists will cost $20 C&C could find (1000) floral shops interested in selling C&C products at a substantial profit. C&C would allow floral shops to keep 30% of the sale Particpating floral shops would sell (1) C&C product per week The average sale at the florist shop would be $47.63 (from Appendix B) The average COGS at the florist shop would be $10.95 (from Appendix B) Sales Revenue Estimated C&C Estimated Floral Shop Number of Rate of Number of Sales Revenue Sales Revenue Catalogs Customer Orders per Order @ per Order @ Distributed Response Received $47.63 x 0.7 Average Sale $47.63 x 0.3 Average Sale 1000 52 52000 $1,733,732 $743,028 Costs of Goods Sold (COGS) Number of Rate of Number of Estimated Catalogs Customer Orders Cost of goods sold Distributed Response Received @ $10.95/sale 1000 52 52000 $569,400 Florist Derived Catalog Business Sales and Marking Costs (SMC) Number of Production & Number of Costs for Costs for Total Sales & Catalogs Mail Costs @Order Shipping Handling Marketing Costs Distributed $20/Catalog Received Orders Orders per Group 1000 $20,000 52000 $468,000 $260,000 $748,000 Sales Revenue - COGS - SMC for Catalog Sales for C&C = $416,332

Roles, Responsibilities, and Boundaries as a Teacher

Part 1 Part A (1 & 2) – Roles, responsibilities and boundaries As a Training Consultant (TC) and teacher my main role and responsibilities are to educate and deliver effective training and impart my skills and knowledge in my specialist area which is Childcare. This is needed to support the learner either directly or indirectly and to maintain an inclusive, fair/just and motivating learning environment. I understand that as a teacher I am primarily responsible for the health and safety also the moral and physical welfare of my students/learners.I am also responsible for teaching students with Special Educational Needs. I provide Training to Learners within their workplace which can be either in a nursery, a school, Residential Care setting/Children's home or any setting that looks after and educates children. The qualifications I deliver are Certificate (level 2), Diploma (level 3) Children's and Young People's workforce alongside Functional skills; Maths. English and ICT at l evels 1 and 2, and Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR).This I deliver both in the workplace and in the classroom. I am employed in a full teaching role. I am required to perform all aspects of the teaching and learning cycle as outlined in the â€Å"Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector†0 As the teacher I am responsible for following company policies and procedures and for attending promotional events, for example: A Career day at local school . This would be to show our potential students the benefit of taking up training with our company.Whilst attending these kind of events I will need to have an up to date and sound knowledge of my specialist subject and at all times follow the Institute for Learning (IFL) code of professional practice as this may be my first contact with potential learners/students. When delivering the Qualifications I use the teaching and learning cycle which is made up of the following five sections; identifying needs, planning tr aining, facilitating learning, assessment, quality assurance and evaluation. This would also help me to judge the abilities of my students and would be helpful for my own self evaluation. 1.Identifying needs: this will start with the initial face to face contact with potential learners/students which is considered the most important as this will create the very first steps of building a bond with the learner/student. This will be a major step in understanding their needs and recognising their potential. Each learner is different due to different previous experiences. To identify their educational background and level I would form a discussion on what previous knowledge they already have and would facilitate communication in such a way that all learners are encouraged to participate in the discussion.Whilst the process of identifying needs is taking place, there are some boundaries that may affect the process. The lack of information regarding learners' requirements can make the proc ess of assessment very difficult because I do not know the background knowledge of the student before starting an initial assessment and this can have negative effects on the process of assessment. Students/ learners may be mature student. Therefore there may be funding constraints. Nursery managers have to adhere to Ofsted’s ratio requirements so staffing arrangement can be stretched having an affect on visit lengths and times.There are many boundaries to teaching. Liaising with other professionals. When liaising with other professionals I will need to remain professional at all times. I frequently liaise with other teachers within our organisation this will include one of our functional skills teachers. She knows her specialist subject well. When needing expert advice on delivery or assessments relating to functional skills I would ask her. This is to ensure that I have to correct information to pass on to my learner, so I do not put them at a disadvantage.I have to deal wi th eternal professionals such as Learning Links this is a agency that deals with young adults who have had a difficultly finding a job for variius reasons such as acholoca, drug abuse. Part B – Legislation and Codes of Practice The legislation that impacts my teaching are the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 this Act provides a frame work for all employers and employees outlining their roles and responsibilities to ensure everyone's safety. Equality Act 2010 is a discrimination law that protects people from unfair treatment and creates a fairer and more equal society.Data Protection Act 1998 is a law to protect people's personal information. It is important that I demonstrate that my standards of teaching constantly meet or exceed all Approved Codes of Practice (ACOP) set out by my employers or other professional bodies if compliance is ever called into question. The codes of practice I follow are: Institute for learning (IFL) mentioned above and Early Years and Childcare c ode of practice. A professional code for child carers, providing advice for professionals carrying out their duties and responsibilities within their working role.Firstly, in accordance with Professional practice, members should ensure that no action that they take will be detrimental to the Child's welfare, safety or will hinder the child development. Secondly, members should aim to maintain the highest possible standards of performance, to aim to improve their knowledge, skills and competencies by taking advantage of training. 3As Institute of learning (IFL) points out specific behaviour expected from the member for the benefit of learners, employers, the profession and the wider community. They are as follows: Integrity, Respect, Care, Practice, Disclosure and Responsibility.This is what all members should adhere to, to ensure that good quality teaching is carried out. Thirdly, members should constantly evaluate and reappraise their own methods, policies and practices and keep up to date with current developments in light of changing needs and circumstances. Lastly, member should be aware of the need for confidentiality within their professional practice. Part C – Equality, Diversity and Ways to Promote Inclusion The Department for education and skills have a handout called The learning Journey this is a vital tool for all assessors.This clearly shows the process to follow when meeting with the learner/student for the first time. I need to acquire as much information as possible to identify any support needs of the learners. During the discussion, as a teacher I encourage learners to seek initial and further learning and to use services within the organisation. This is called Signposting. This is when I will direct the learner on where to find additional information, guidance and advice or learning resources. Another service within the organisation is Referral.This is when I will direct them to an outside agency depending on the kind of support they require. If they have mental health issues I would direct them to Children and adolescence mental health service, Portsmouth if they are 18 years of age and under and Health recovery, Solent, Portsmouth, if they are 18 years of age and older If they had alcohol, drug or gambling problems I would refer them to Addction within this organisation they have a specialist team to counsel, support both the individual and those closest to them. Once the learner/ tudent has the correct information and agrees with the referral I would either make the appointment or I would give the learners/ students details to the agency. I would then contact the agency to ensure everything is in order. I would then record details and ensure the learner knows what arrangements have been made. I must not discriminate against a learner and must provide every opportunity for every learner that learning will be achieved. To be able to do this properly I need to have prior knowledge of my students through the init ial assessment process.Facilitate Learning: Within the initial meeting I would then make sure that the learners are on the right programme, checking their eligibility for funding, giving advice, guidance and appropriate information, keep records of discussions and agreements, maintain confidentiality and undertake a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check, if required. Being a Teacher is extremely rewarding. The quality of learning the advice and guidance on the programme they wish to undertake is very important.What is also necessary is supporting the students' individual needs, applying and adapting my teaching methods to suit the students' preferred learning styles, level of skill and abilities. In doing this, I would be motivating my students to progress and achieve their desired qualifications. Part D – Core skills Functional Skills consist of Math’s, English and ICT. They provide the foundation of knowledge and skills to enable the learner to function at the required level, confidently and independently in everyday life.For example, they help us recognise good deals when making purchases, in writing a CV or application letter, or when using the internet for emails and online banking. Functional Skills qualifications can be achieved at Entry level, Level 1 or Level 2. Some learners may already have achieved at school but it is still important that the teacher embeds the elements of Functional Skills into the subject. It is important to embed Functional skills into everyday work life. Maths is embedded into everyday tasks such as working out ratios, room measurements and nursery fees.English is embedded into everyday during training sessions and work – based tasks. ICT skills include using computers, using email for communication and word processing. It is important that a teacher has competence of their Functional Skills. If handouts were produced with spelling mistakes or the teacher could not operate a computer, it would cause the learn ers to lose confidence in the teacher and lack of credibility. Part E – Environment I need to create a safe, non-threatening, good atmosphere at all times.To quote from Teaching and Teacher education hand-out from PTLLS course3 â€Å"having a safe, supportive environment provides a foundation for maintaining the productive relationships†. I agree with this statement as I frequently come across this situation with my learners, especially in childcare. If there is not a suitable environment for teaching and giving feedback then the learner remains in the formal stage and will not move into the informal stage where most of the learning takes place. Therefore, this would mean I have failed to empower and motivate the learner.With this in mind 5Maslow's hierarchy of needs clearly states â€Å"that we must satisfy each need in turn starting at the bottom and working our way up† Please see Maslow's triangle below. If the physical, emotional and wellbeing needs are not met then the higher order needs are not considered. So as a Teacher it is important to meet these needs in the first or second meeting and throughout out the length of the programme. I will make sure the learner’s needs are met when planning the initial meeting. Therefore at the same time make sure all parties involved i. managers, supervisors and mentors are made aware and that they agree with the length of meeting and the meeting place for both the learner and I. Part F – Ground rules Ground rules need to be set to establish boundaries for students starting a course, knowing some basics about what is expected during the length of study. In all teaching and training sessions ground rules are necessary to ensure that all learners have the same expectations on how to behave. The ground rules can be established by talking through behavior expectations of the learner and myself.By involving the learner they are more than likely to take ownership and empower the students. Ground Rules that can be : Such as punctuality, mobile phones of or on silent, confidentiality and most of all respect. Parts G and H, Effective Feedback, Engaging and Motivating Learners For every individual there is a variable driving force. Not all students are naturally motivated. Some need to be challenged, inspired and stimulated to learn and see a task through to the end. Not all learners are motivated by the same things some students are motivated by the approval of others or self challenge.To encourage students to become self-motivated, independent learners, as a teacher I can do the following: Give frequent, early,positive and constructive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well. Support learners that need it, keeping in mind their attention span limits and discuss and set together SMART targets. Furthermore, whilst demonstrating all the above and showing respect for the learners/student individuality will in itself be a motivator to learn. Within th e assessment plan you will be making an Assessment decision along with feedback: When giving feedback all learners will need to now how well they are getting on and what they have achieved. I always use the praise sandwich feedback method. This is Praise- Corrective feedback – Praise. This method ‘softens' the impact of the corrective feedback. The key to give effective feedback is to give feedback straight away and to do so with respect, understanding and action. 9As it states in PTLLS handout â€Å"Giving and Receiving Feedback† ‘Feedback is an important communication tool that can improve the way we work with one another. ‘ My organisation requires me to write down feedback on my assessment plans and on formal reviews.Task 3, Part 2 Part A Principles of assessment Initial Assessments are used to check the learners/students Literacy, language and numeracy skills to determine the level at which the learner/student is at and if they have any prior nee ds that need to be addressed before and during the programme. Diagnostics give a more thorough indication of the level and also the specific aspects for development as well as strengths. Identifying learning styles as a part of the initial assessment will help me determine the learning approaches to use and effectively complete the learners Individual Learning Plan (ILP).This is the students' timetable for learning and resources required. There are two well-known types of learning styles questionnaires that are commonly used with in our organisation. They are Visual Audio and Kinaesthetic (VAK) and Multiple Intelligences test. To begin with Fleming (2005) stated â€Å"that people can be grouped into four styles of learning: 6Visual, Aural, Read/write and Kinaesthetic (VARK). Not all learners fall into one style they can be the mixture of the four. In the second place Honey and Mumford (1992) suggests that learners are a mixture of the fours styles: Activist: Love challenges and are enthusiastic, enjoy dealing with new problems Pragmatist: They apply what they have learned to practical situation and enjoy the logical reason for doing something. Theorist: prefer to read lots of material first liking things that have been tried and tested. Reflector: like to think things in depth and then try something then reflect on the activity again. All information gathered from the initial assessment will help complete the ILP.Knowing your learners/students learning styles will help you adapt your teaching to suit their needs and in turn motivate them. Assessment activity: There are various types of assessment methods used both formal and informal . Formal assessment methods include assignments, case studies, essays, exams, multiple choice questions, observations, professional discussions, projects, tests and witness testimonies. Informal assessment methods include; discussions, gapped hangouts, journal diaries, peer assessments, puzzles and crosswords, self assessments, q uestions – oral and written, quizzes, role play and worksheets.I have to choose assessment methods accordingly depending on the student prior attainment and level of programme they are studying. Observation is a good way of assessing the learner within the workplace to assess learners' competence, attitudes and skills. This can then be followed up with oral questioning to confirm why they did or dealt with a certain situation in a particular way, checking their knowledge and understanding and encouraging them to reflect on their practice. If the observation was within a group situation then peer and self-assessment could also be used in conjunction with the observation.By using these methods the student are acquiring listening, observing and questioning skills. . Parts B and D – Creating Assessment Opportunities and Involving Learners in the Assessment Process Planning Training: My role is to plan what will be taught and when. This is a two- way process between me and my student. After completing the initial assessment I progress forward onto Assessment planning. This type of assessment is formative – reviewing progress throughout the programme until the end or when the learner leaves. I will plan what we are going to do so the student knows what is expected of them.If the students are working on assignments then I would need to set targets for completion. Moreover, if students are going to be assessed at work, either by an observation or simulation, then I would need to consider who, what, when, where, why and how to ensure we are both aware of the requirements. When planning I will need to ensure that all assessments are valid, authentic, reliable, current, and sufficient (VARCS). If I do not consider these aspects when planning then I will not know what I am assessing is necessary, credible, fair and relevant.The ILP is a personalised, flexible map to guide the learners journey. Within the ILP there will be results of the initial, and d iagnostic, assessment and learning styles. This will also include learner’s targets, timescales, details of resources and details of how and where the learning will take place. The ILP is a working document and should be used as an aid for both learners and students to record, negotiate and plan, review, assess and reflect on the learning experiences throughout their programme. Summative ssessment ——————————– Part C – Strengths and Limitations of Assessment Methods Assessment: There is a large variety of assessment methods available for assessing learners’ achievements. These include: observation, oral and written questioning, product evidence, discussions, witness testimony, recognising prior learning; skills tests, written assignments and case studies. Choosing the most appropriate assessment methods is vitally important to help and support and maintain motivation.Direct Observation: Allows the assessor to see the candidate in action and may be able to cover several aspects of the qualification during a single session (Holistic) the observation can take place within the learner’s normal working hours so there is minimal disruption as they are able to continue to do their job while being assessed. This should be planned in advance to suit both the learners and the assessor. This will also have to be arranged with the manager. The observation will have to be recorded in some way such as hand written, typed or recorded on DVR.Learners may â€Å"perform† differently as they are being watched. After the observation it is good practice to ask oral questions to clarify the reasons behind the actions. Questioning can take a number of forms. They can be delivered orally or in written form. Oral questions may suit learners with dyslexia or poor literacy skills. Workbooks can be produced to cover all knowledge questions for mandatory and optional units. After Observation the learner can be asked to explain why they did something; this gives them an opportunity to expand on things like procedures, policies or legislation.Part E Peer and self-assessment I use self – assessment on a regular basis as this promotes students involvement and responsibility and encourages reflection which is an integral part of the role as a childcare practitioner. However there are also limitations depending on the students as some students may lack confidence in their own ability and they may think that they have achieved more than they actually have Peer and self-assessment could also be used in conjunction with an observation. To make this a reliable assessment method he student will have to fully understand the assessment criteria and how to be fair and objective. There are many advantages and disadvantage of peer assessment. Students are focused on the criteria and this will empower each student to take ownership of their own learning and understan ding. A disadvantage is that student might be friends with their peers therefore being subjective rather than objective. Part F – Keeping Records of Assessments Quality and Evaluation: Record keeping. Is a part of quality assurance and is a process that has to be followed.This proves that the qualifications are being delivered and assessed fairly, consistently and accurately. This is in line with the Ofsted requirements. Within our organisation we use a variety of methods to maintain quality assurance. Our policies and procedures are revised yearly in order to test their current effectiveness and legality. If they need to be changed due to changes in legislation then this would be actioned immediately. The TC will be observed at regular intervals and scored using the Ofsted grading process.Staff Continuous Professional Development (CPD) records are kept up to date. Standardisation of practice takes place this is when will compare and conform procedures. Learner retention is m onitored along with complaints and appeals. During the course learner and employers surveys are completed. Quality Assurance is necessary to evaluate and Maintain high teaching standards. On all visits I will need to complete an assessment plan, records must be up to date, accurate, legible and factual.This is similar to a written contract between me and my learner but this can be reviewed and changed at any time. All assessment plan will be shared with my manager and mentor to confirm progress and to point out any areas of development needed for the learner to progress. Both the learner their manager will sign and be given a copy Word Count References Anne Gravells (2012), Preparing to Teach in the Life long sector: London,SAGE. 11. 1. Handout from Pttls course Teaching and Learning. 2. Handout from Pttls course Insitute For Learning. . Handout form Pttls course Teaching and teacher education. 4. Handout from Pttls course, The Learning Journer. 5. Handout from Pttls course, Maslow Hierarchy of needs. 6. Handout from Pttls courser VAK testing. 7. Anne Gravells (2012), Preparing to Teach in the Life long sector: London,SAGE. 32. 8. Anne Gravells (2012), Preparing to Teach in the Life long sector:London,SAGE. 112. 9. Handout from Pttls course giving and recieving feedback, Bibliography Anne Gravells (2012), Preparing to Teach in the Life long sector,: London,SAGE.

Computer Integrated Surgery essays

Computer Integrated Surgery essays The ever-increasing requirement for intricate, meticulous, and minimally invasive surgery is driving the hunt for ways to use computers for linking preoperative plans and human tools. Computer-Integrated Surgery (CIS) systems transform preoperative images and other information into models of individual patients. Through the aid of CIS systems, clinicians are able to develop an optimized patient intervention plan, register preoperative data to the actual patient in the operating room, and then use a variety of means, such as robots and image overlay displays, to assist in the accurate execution of the planned interventions. CIS systems also perform complex postoperative analysis of these interventions. CIS systems are not designed to replace healthcare professionals, but to enhance surgeons dexterity, visual feedback, and information integration. In some cases, surgeons can supervise CIS systems that carry our specific treatment steps, such as inserting a needle or machining bone . In other cases, CIS will provide information to help surgeons execute tasks manually, such as using computer graphic overlays on a surgeons field of view. In the usual course of events, CIS systems are able to provide new capabilities that transcend human limitations in surgery. This paper will focus on the robotics technology and imaging involved with orthopedic procedures (eg. total hip replacement). The growing demand for intricate, exact, and modestly invasive surgery is driving the search for ways to use computers for linking preoperative plans and human tools. Computers, used in conjunction with advance surgical-assist devices, will fundamentally alter the procedures carried out in the future. Computer-Integrated Surgery systems log and track all relevant data, which lead to new levels of quantitative patient outcomes. CIS transcend human motor skills; enable less invasive procedures with real-time image feedback, and they s...

Explain why Britain was able to continue to hold out against Germany from June 1940 until the end of June 1943 Essay Example

Explain why Britain was able to continue to hold out against Germany from June 1940 until the end of June 1943 Essay Example Explain why Britain was able to continue to hold out against Germany from June 1940 until the end of June 1943 Essay Explain why Britain was able to continue to hold out against Germany from June 1940 until the end of June 1943 Essay The Germans attempted on many occasions through different strategies and offences to invade and gain superiority over Britain. However, various factors such as technology, tactics, weapons, leadership and overseas aid from the U.S, contributed greatly to Britain being able to hold out against Germany from June 1940 until the end of June 1943.Technology played an immense part in both the Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic. Both battles were crucial in the survival of British independence but for very different reasons. A victory in the battle of the Atlantic allowed Britain to maintain vital contacts and supply routes from America, which was critical at that time of need. The battle of Britain ensured air superiority over Britain, which was essential in stopping a German ground invasion. One of the technological advancements unique to Britain (invented by Robert Watson-Watt) was radar. The development of radar had been going on since 1935 in dead secrecy under the cover of RDF radio-direction finding. The radar worked by transmitting radio waves that bounced back off approaching aircraft. Experienced radar operators could accurately estimate the size and speed of an approaching aircraft. In previous campaigns, the Germans had been able to destroy most of their enemies aircraft on the ground.Britains investment in radar in the 1930s meant the R.A.F planes were not caught on the ground as the Luftwaffe approached and were able to get fighter pilots into the air and direct them to intercept enemy attacks. Radar totally transformed the ability of defence to anticipate and thus defeat a bomber attack. The German intelligence however, was poor as they did not attempt in any real depth to develop the same technology as Britain and they did not realize how important radar was. Consequently they were unable to gain control of the skies and had to delay invasion plans. Short wave radio also contributed greatly to Britains success in the Battle of Atlantic as it could pick up U-boats on the surface, which previously proved to be elusive. In the year of 1942, 1661 Destroyers and Convoys were lost but after the use of short wave radio, British losses dropped drastically. It linked ships and aircraft, which were fighting U-boats and enabled them to get in touch with their onshore commanders who made use of the latest intelligence information. Radar and short wave radio were an important technical break playing an essential part in Britains success.Leadership on both sides played a priceless role in determining the survival of Britain. Goering, head of the Luftwaffe was very shortsighted as a tactician; many of his decisions contained major practical flaws. He was blind to reality and guilty of misplaced over confidence. He did not really understand how modern air warfare worked and regularly shifted the focus of attacks, causing confusion among pilots. Hitlers poor prioritisation was also a significant help to the British. His fear of Russ ian power led to an increasing interest in creating Lebensraum in the East.As Russia became his main concern, Britain was only considered as a secondary target, which enabled them to hold out longer against the Germans because less attacks were focused on them. Britains success in the Battle of the Atlantic was also due to Hitlers bad decision of keeping the U-Boat fleet in Norway in order to protect German supply routes instead of putting the full force in the Atlantic. He feared that the destruction of his armed forces in a war campaign against the British would ruin his chances in a successful war offensive against the Russians, which he regarded as more important. His weak hope of Britain surrendering was shattered when Churchill refused to strike a deal with him. Churchill had learnt well from World War One about the importance of taking control of the Ministry of Defence. Churchill brought the nation together in a time of panic and crisis when Britain was under invasion. His p assionate speeches about the bravery of British soldiers boosted the morale and courage of people during the Blitz.He introduced Lord Breaverbrook onto the scene of aircraft production because he realized the necessity for a high rate of industrial production, especially that of much needed fighter planes. Though anti-communist, he was pragmatic in quickly acknowledging Soviet Russia as a partner once Hitler had invaded. Churchills role in gaining U.S support was vital as although he knew Britain would be able to resist Hitlers armies, complete victory would be impossible without financial aid, supplies and weapons from the U.S. British success in the Mediterranean was largely due to U.S grants and weapons. U.S Shermans were very powerful tanks, which more than matched their German counterparts. Churchills invaluable knowledge as a military leader as well as prime minister made him realize that diplomatic ties with the U.S was necessary in coping with the German invasion.In terms of weapons, Britain had the upper hand in the Battle of Britain. Luftwaffe bombers were too small and they did not cause enough damage to their targets to put them completely out of action. German fighter planes also only had enough fuel on board to guarantee them thirty minutes of flying time over England. Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding led the R.A.F. He had been planning Britains air defence system since 1936 and had brought in many important technical developments such as bullet-proof windscreens and command and communication systems which could be quickly and effectively directed to meet enemy attacks. The Luftwaffe had plans to build long-range heavy bombers but Goerrings poor financial planning meant that they were incapable of being followed through. This was fortunate for Britain; as such bombers could have devastated airfields and aircraft factories. The main R.A.F fighter planes were the Spitfires and the Hawker Hurricane, both having eight .303 inch machine guns. They were more than a match for the Luftwaffe aircraft.Only the Messerchschmitt 109 (20mm cannons and two 7.9mm machine guns) could compare with the Spitfire. R.A.F fighters were organised into regions so that they could meet attacks quickly, even if they came from different directions. In the battle of the Atlantic, corvettes were small warships of less than one thousand tons created new capability for the royal navy. The occupation of Iceland also gave the British valuable Atlantic bases from which to launch new air operations against the German destroyers and surfacing U-Boat. Another crucial weapon invented by the British, was the Hedgehog. They gave destroyers the new option of dropping depth charges at the front of the ship (as well as the side), which could combat the preferred attacking option of incoming U-boats. Before the invention of the Hedgehog, the defensive capabilities of the British destroyers had been severely limited solely to a side on depth charge attack on the U-bo ats. It is clear that Britains weapons were a lot more sophisticated than the Germans, which consequently turned out to be a major factor that greatly contributed to their survival during the war.With the aid of these new weapons and technological advancements, Britains tactical war could also change and advance. The main priority for the British in the Battle of the Atlantic was to fight the U-boats. Special support groups of destroyers were created, fitted with radar and listening equipment to pick up radio signals of U-boats. Hitler and the German Navy were very unprepared for the war. Rommel, Germans Military commander was only given four divisions of troops because it was not considered to be a high priority as the Russian invasion was more of a concern to Hitler. The German navy had few battle ships, cruisers and destroyers and the Blitzkrieg tactics that had been working in France and Poland were not possible due to the channel. The Luftwaffe changed tactics from air attacks on the naval and air bases, to attack main British cities. (Including Belfast, Portsmouth, Hull, Plymouth and London).Their aim was to interrupt industrial production and undermine morale and they succeeded in doing so. However, in the long run, it was a necessary sacrifice as it gave time to the R.A.F to recuperate their forces, regain control of the skies and prevent any further invasion. British tactics in the Atlantic were to fight U-Boats and make sure convoys carrying vital supplies were not destroyed. Fortunately, from late 1941 onwards, British code breakers at Bletchley Park got better at decoding German codes. Breaking codes enabled them to know the whereabouts of U-Boats and so convoys could be guided away from the U-Boat wolf packs. Consequently, between May 1942 and May 1943, Britain managed to steer out of 175 convoys across the Atlantic without any interference from U-Boats. The success of Britains tactics and the failure of Germanys proved to be a key factor in Brita in holding out against them.In conclusion, Britains ability to hold out against Germany was partly due to U.S financial aid and material support, along with failure from the German tactics, Hitlers poor leadership and weapons. However, without Britains tactical thinking, weapons and great leadership, it would never have been possible for them to keep their independence.

Financial analysis report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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FRESHPLUS SUPERMARKETS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

FRESHPLUS SUPERMARKETS - Research Paper Example The planning of business operations in a successful manner is important for higher productivity (Jacobs and Chase, 2011). Every morning the previous day’s workings are analysed by the manager and this way the manager is well aware of the status of work progress of the supermarket. By conducting a check on the previous day’s sales, the manager accordingly plans the task for the current day. All issues that were present in the previous day’s working that took place in his absence are addressed by the manager and the way it was handled is reviewed by the manager. After reviewing these tasks, the manager then takes a round in the supermarket and visits the shop floor and the morning staff and asks if they have any problems or any issue that they want to discuss. He asks the employees if everything is working in order and also about if they require anything of any sort for conducting their job properly. The manager’s future planning regarding his job role is that he wants to continue working as a store manager for further two years and then he would like to get promoted to a higher level. He would like to get promoted in the head office as a CEO or General Manager of Freshplus Supermarkets in future. Mr Mohamed Buday has planned his future career on a 5 year timeline and he has sets his personal goals and objectives so that he accomplishes his future career plan. He has organized his priorities according to the level of importance and follows it accordingly. Organising is another major function of management and this is one of the most critical functions as through proper planning and organising of tasks, further work can be progressed (William and McWilliams, 2010). For achieving the goals successfully, the manager needs to organise all work tasks in a systematic manner and accordingly assign tasks to each employee so that productive results can be attained. The organising of tasks and employees