Visual Arts - The Light Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Visual Arts - The Light Programme - Essay Example To understand the influence of this modern technology to the present society, and how it had influenced several past evens, there should be an understanding on how it was discovered. Historical Development of Television History and development of the television was inspired by a chain of attempts to develop the device. It was argued further that in order to reach its full invention, one inventor improved on the works of the other to gain his purpose in the invention technology. The television invention first got inspiration from the development of the telephoneoscope by Thomas Edison. The gadget revealed a technology that enabled pictures and sounds produced to be transmitted to a separate location that was not the initial transmission area. The device used a wire to relay the sounds revealing the images through electric camera-obscura. This marked the onset of the first device to transmit sound and images concurrently. Edison had made the initial step towards inventing a light messa ge machine (Smith & Paterson, 1998, 10). Though he did not directly participate in the invention of the current set known currently, this device greatly inspired a chain of inventions that eventually influenced the television set. Zworyki though his mentor Rosing later did experiments on Braun’s cathode-ray-tube to attempt the production of a television set. His efforts at Westinghouse in 1923 failed as he did minimal to convince his superiors on the importance of this invention. Through Sarnoff, Zworyki got the funding he had desired to develop the iconoscope in 1929; this device was invented with the ability to scan pictures. In 1939, he was given allowance to be able to transmit images and sound concurrently where he made major progress in the field finding competition from other inventors like Philo Farnesworth. Farnesworth was a creative inventor of the time who had no funding but his ideas to govern his desire of developing the set. He later saw progress in his inventio n as he got financial aid from Californian businesspersons to promote his ambitious desire to develop television set. By 1927, he successfully managed to transmit splotches of light from the camera tubes he had invented. Though not entirely successful, his method to relay images produced a not clear product but in turn proved that his concept would be successful with proper developments. The developments made were greatly impaired by World War II that saw the haul of the invention process. The process to advance on the technology that these two inventors created found major boosts over the years and prompted the marketing of the idea to the world. The marketing process, in 1939 conducted by Sarnoff greatly changed individual’s perspective into accepting the new communication gadget. He had managed to introduce the set into the market making profits through purchases of the sets by most America households. Sarnoff saw the importance to have television for individual entertainm ent and to boost the businesses of the merchants as it provided a platform to advertise their products. This development later prompted other advances to the set by the â€Å"Radio Corporation of America† RCA, Sarnoffs’s company completing the television set known presently. Major Developments and influences of Television Ever since its invention, the television

The Impacts of the Politeness Principle on Foreign Language Term Paper

The Impacts of the Politeness Principle on Foreign Language Acquisition, Geoff Leech - Term Paper Example An example of these words is the word conduct. If the stress is placed on the first syllable, conduct means â€Å"behavior.† But if the stress is placed on the second syllable, the word means â€Å"to carry out.† Plural words also cause difficulty on the part of the learner. It is sometimes very difficult to explain to the learner why some words can be made plural by adding -s and why some cannot. For example, words like monkey can be made plural by adding -s. But the rule cannot be applied to the word money. The teacher should pay attention to these idiosyncracies to help the learner have a clear idea of when and how to use an aspect of the language being studied. As a result, the learner is able to proficiently and efficiently make use of the language and avoid being misunderstood or hurting the feelings of the person he or she is talking to. This is where the politeness principle comes in. The politeness principle which was developed by Geoff Leech is a series of max ims which help explain how politeness operates in conversational exchanges. According to Leech, â€Å" politeness are forms of behavior that establish and maintain comity or the ability of participants in a social interaction to engage in interaction in a friendly social atmosphere(Leech, 2005). Leech uses two terms for referring to two kinds of illocutionary acts. He calls representatives â€Å"assertives† and directives â€Å"impositives† (Leech, 2005). The politeness principle is comprised of six maxims. Each maxim has a sub-maxim which has less importance (Leech, 2005). These are used to show that negative politeness or avoidance of discord is more important than positive politeness or seeking discord. Leech says that not all the maxims are equally important. He also says that speakers may adhere to more than one maxim of politeness at the same time. The Tact Maxim Theoretical Application The first of the maxims is the tact maxim. This maxim aims to minimize cost and maximize benefit to another person (Leech, 2005). Examples of the tact maxim are â€Å"Peel these potatoes†, â€Å" Hand me the newspaper†, and â€Å" Could you possibly answer the phone?†. According to Leech, there are two levels of politeness in the tact maxim. Commands like â€Å"Sit down†, â€Å"Get a cup of water†, and â€Å" Close the door† are considered impolite while requests such as â€Å"Please sit down†, â€Å"Could you kindly get me a glass of water†, and â€Å"Won’t you have another drink† are considered polite. Leech explains that indirect illocutions are more polite because they give the person being addressed to an option of whether or not to obey. Reiter explains in her book Linguistic Politeness in Britain and Uruguay: A Contrastive Study of Requests and Apology that â€Å"politeness is a form of social interaction, a form that mediates between the individual and the social† (Reiter, 2000). She also adds that politeness assumes that each society has its own prescriptive social rules for different cultural contexts (Reiter 2000). Trosborg in her book Interlanguage Pragmatics: Requests, Complaints, and Apologies that â€Å"politeness is a pragmatic mechanism in which a variety of structures work together according to the speaker’s attention to achieving smooth communication† (Trosborg, 1995). that Leech also explains that the more indirect

China and India

China and India Case study: China and India Question 1: Discuss the innovation implication for the leading developed nations concerning China and Indias rapidly escalating capabilities. It is not unreasonable to consider China and India as crouching tiger and hidden dragon (Engardio 2005) because both countries possess remarkable capabilities that others do not have. The term capabilities are broadly based, encompassing the entire value chain and representing technological and production expertise at specific points along the value chain. (Stalk et al. 1992, cited by Smith 2008, p.1). In other words, capabilities embrace both competences and resources. Foreign companies believe the two countries as ideal destinations to invest, first of all thank to abundant and cheap workforce. Two nations together account for one-third of the worlds population and the average hourly compensation is just a tiny fraction of that found in other commercial partners. In 2005, the labour cost is $1.1/hour in China and $0.9/hour in India (ANON 2009), occupy merely one thirtieth compared with Germany ($34.1), the UK ($26) or the US ($23.8). In addition to human resources strengths, Chinas abundant factor has been low-wage workers, many of whom become factory hands. Indias abundant factor has been the relatively well-educated, English-speaking labor that provides a low-cost gateway to global services (Cox and Alm 2008). This is not to mention technical and managerial skills which are becoming even more fundamental than cheap assembly labor in both nations. China is dominant in mass manufacturing with multibillion-dollar electronics and heavy industrial plants while India stays outstanding in software, design, services and precision industry (Engardio 2005). These capabilities undoubtedly lure foreign investors and also have influence on leading developed countries including giants like the US, Japan and Germany. As Engardio (2005) states these established powers will have to make room for China and India because they will be 21st-century heavyweights in almost every fields such as consumer markets, investors, producers and users of energy and commodities. For example, in the estimated share of global raw materials consumption in 2005, China uses 47% of cement, 37% of cotton, and 30% of coal while the whole world consumes the rest (ibid). The two countries are also racing ahead of the US in numbers of young professionals. According to Engardio (2005), Chinese and Indian engineers are supposed to combine skills: mastery of the latest software tools, a knack for complex mathematical algorithms and fluency in new multimedia technologies, which surpass those in the US. Little wonder the booming growth in young brains in China and India attra ct increasing number of investors to operate business there. Moreover, the rising consumer class contributes to innovation drive as well. Consumers of car and cellphone market in both countries have surged nearly 10 times since 2000 and made up the substantial part in the world market (ibid). Furthermore, young people of two nations are sensitive to fashionable devices and view products as status symbols, as a result, according to Philips Semiconductors Executive (cited by Engardio) these nations will play a greater part in defining global trends. In the future, there might be a change in positions of followers and leaders between these countries and the leading developed nations. Question 2: Evaluate the evolving balance of economic power shift from the West to the East Some economists believe that there is unquestionably a shift of economic power from the West to the East while others argue that Eastern countries are not strong enough to reverse the situation. In the one hand, advocates have a great number of persuasive reasons to support their ideas. Little wonder that the Eastern nations, especially two most populous countries in the world China and India, offer certain competitive advantages and chances to be attractive destinations for investors. Their appeals comprise not only cheap labor which becomes less crucial but also technical and managerial competences (Engardio 2005). In addition, the number of scientists, engineers and young researchers of these nations continues increasing sharply, on the contrary to the consider drop of the US and other Western countries. These factors no doubt contribute to the shift of economic power. In respect to other economic indicators, say buying power and production output, China ranks as the worlds second-largest economy and India is fourth, according to new World Bank data which uses new measurements of countries buying power in U.S. dollars. Also, the banks report of 2008 showed that developing countries now produce 41 percent of the worlds output, up from 36 percent in 2000 and 5 of the 12 largest economies are emerging countries (Wroughton 2008). These figures show the increasing greater role of nations from the developing world especially China and India in the world economy. With successive achievement, the prospective of China and India is definitely bright in the coming years. There is much optimistic estimation of the two economies. In 2012, China might pass the US to be the biggest buyer of luxury brands in the world (Khanna 2007). Also, Wroughton (2008) quoted Eric Swanson, program manager for the World Banks development data group that the domestic market in China is really much larger than people might have thought when they were looking at the exchange rate data said. Or as Engardio (2005) believes, the two nations will reshape the global economy with the percentage of world gross domestic product occupying approximate 50% while the EU makes up 15% and the US 26%. On the other hand, opponents argue that the two countries are facing plenty of obstacles that throw them far off course (ibid). Huge population contributes to their strength of workforce but as a double-edged sword if social, political and environmental challenges are not managed, may lead to increasing unemployment rate. Furthermore, to fulfil the widespread predictions that they will become superpowers, annual growth of at least 8% must be maintained regularly. It is obviously not easy for both to overcome such huge challenges as financial crisis, coups, political backlash, environmental problem, health, plain bad management and war which have derailed many other miracle economies in Southeast Asia and Latin America (ibid). The cooperation between China and India seems to lay the ground for sustainable economic growth and the power of two may reinforce their economic position in Asia as well as in the world market (Cox and Alm 2008). As Khanna (2007) states, there are three reasons for their symbiotic. First, in the past before 1962, they enjoyed close economy, culture, and religion. Second, neighbors trade more than non-neighbors do. Third, despite the same target China and India have different paths to go, thus, cooperation will reduce the competitiveness between them and boost the complementarities. In fact, there are some companies succeeded in making use of both countries capabilities. For instance, the countries state-owned oil companies Sinopec and ONGC have teamed up to hunt for oil together and both of them are powerful in two countries (ibid). Question 3: What are the potential market opportunities for China and India? Also discuss the future competitive threats of China and India for industries in developed countries. As the most populous countries in the world, China and India have major domestic markets that produce for them. They also suggests to other participants in the world economy that they are not only producers of goods but also vast potential markets. said Eric Swanson, program manager for the World Banks development data group (Wroughton 2008). Actually both countries have a great deal of potential market opportunities. One of them is the ability to attract foreign investment which enables the two nations to reduce unemployment rate as well as improve the living standard. Moreover, the approach with developed companies offers China and India valuable chances to learn their modern managerial style and technological advance. Basing on experience of the developed countries, they may learn their lessons and apply to the actual situations. Additionally, some multinational companies like Motorola, Microsoft and GE (Engardio 2005 and Khanna 2007) realize that they must succeed in both China and India at many levels simultaneously to gain competitive advantages. If they fail to view them as symbiotic they may lose their competitive edge not just in these countries but globally. This acknowledgement of international cooperations certainly enhances the key role of the two as key players in the global market. There would be more and more multinational organizations having little choice but being engaged to make use of both nations capabilities. Consequently, the potential market opportunities of China and India brought by the world giants would increase in comin g years. The recently rapid development and increased openness over the past quarter century of both countries, as an indispensable result, poses the competitive threats for industries in developed countries. China and India recognize that the cheap labor edge wont last forever especially in skilled areas and that technical and managerial skills are far more fundamental (Engardio 2005). They will specialize in generating products and services with high-quality but at ridiculously low prices. Companies in the developed world, therefore, would encounter the fierce competition of these kinds of product and service not only in domestic markets but global market as well. In addition, the China and Indias supply of engineers, scientists and researchers has grown considerably in contrast with a drop in the US and Westerner, which may lead to the shift of power balance in many technologies from West to East (ibid). This factor also sweetens the charm of these markets while erodes some industries appeal in developed markets.

Essay --

Pearl Harbor was one of the most motivational events in American history. From the very beginning Japan and America had their own social views and stereotypes about each other that a feud was bound to occur. On December 7, 1941 the nation of Japan sent out a fleet of their Imperial navy to attack the American held base on the island of Oahu. Leading this attack was Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto who was a militarily strategic genius.† Yamamoto was planning on sinking the entire American Pacific fleet so the U.S navy could be put out of the war for the time being and the Japanese navy could continue their expansion in the Southwest Pacific.†(book)(Gordon Prange 136-138) â€Å"Isoroku Sadayoshi later known as Yamamoto was born in Nagaoka Japan August 4th, 1884. He was was the son of an impoverished school teacher, Takano Teikichi, and his second wife Mineko. Isoroku belonged to the Echigo clan, a clan of warriors who had resisted unification of Japan during the reign of the Meiji emperor. He was given the name â€Å"Isoroku† which meant 56 by his father who was that age when Isoroku was born in the small village of â€Å"Kishigun Sonshomura† which was an island that produced mostly sailors which would be an influence in Isoroku’s love of the sea and navy. At age 16, after taking competitive examinations, He enrolled in the Naval Academy at Etajima, off the shore of Hiroshima where he overtook rigorous physical and mental training.Graduating in 1904 as seventh in his class, he fought against Russia's Baltic Fleet at Tsushima, a strait between Japan and Korea, in an engagement recognized by historians as a major decisive battle. As an ensign on the cruiser Nisshin,part of the protective screen for Admiral Togo Heihachiro's flagship Mikasa,Isorok... ...Pacific. In particular, he wanted to thank troops recovering from their ordeal on Guadalcanal. At age 59, he was tired, weary of war, and of life itself: "I have killed quite a few of the enemy, and many of my own men have been killed. So I believe the time has come for me to die too." During the Guadalcanal conflict, his hair had turned snowy-white. In April 1943, U.S. intelligence detected advance reports of general Yamamoto's fleet, Eighteen American Lightning planes were waiting for the first attempt in history to ambush an enemy commander-in-chief in the air. On the 18th, his aircraft, under the escort of nine zeroes, was shot down by a P-38 near Kahili in southern Bougainville. On June 5, the admiral's ashes were honored in Tokyo at the nation wide ceremony, this was the largest tribute in Japan since Admiral Togo and both were in 1934.(Gordon Prange) (343-356)

The Effects of Horror Movies on Children Essay

The implicit, and often explicit, intention of horror movies is to scare people. The fright engendered by horror movies can have residual psychological effects for years. Two studies, â€Å"Tales from the Screen: Enduring Fright Reactions to Scary Media† and another, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), both concluded that exposure horror movies may have long-lasting adverse effects on children. 1. Anxiety The NIMH study reveals direct evidence that in children 5 and younger, especially toddlers, scary movies can produce acute cases of anxiety. The symptoms of this anxiety include sleeping disorders, aggressiveness and self-endangerment. Avoidance Both studies indicated that children exposed to horror films avoided real life situations shown in a fictional manner on screen. The subjects exhibited dread of facing those situations. Some children not only avoided real life situations, but also come to avoid seeing other movies or TV shows dealing with the same situations that instilled the original fear. Obsession A common effect among older children and even tweens and pre-teens, upon viewing horror movies is to obsessively talk about the stimulus that produces the fear. The subject of the obsessive talk may be expressed in either a morbid fascination or a a need to alienate themselves from what they have seen through discourse. Nightmares Probably the most common effect that horror movies have on children is the production of nightmares. Many children as well as adults can be expected to have a nightmare after seeing a horror film, especially one that may be troublesome emotional or features particularly repulsive and upsetting gore. Gore The stimuli found to produce an adverse effect in children most often in  horror films was the representation of blood or physical injury. Almost two-third of respondents report being affected emotionally more by the presence of blood and injury over stimuli such as disturbing images, environmental disasters, scary animals, monsters and aliens. Most Common Symptoms Many symptoms are associated with a reaction to viewing horror films. Among the most common symptoms include crying or screaming, trembling or shaking, upset stomach, clinginess, paralysis, sweating, fever, chills and loss of appetite. The Short-Term Effects of Scary Movies on Children By Brooke Williams, How Contributor Because many children have trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality, parents should not allow their youngsters to watch scary movies or television shows, according to Science Daily, an online science news resource. Although young children aren’t able to understand scary movies, that doesn’t mean they won’t have short-term effects because of the violent scenes. 1. Nightmares It’s typical for children to get nightmares from time to time, but watching scary movies can inspire bad dreams, according to Kids Health. Bad dreams can reflect the plot of a scary dream, and the typical horror movie characters, such as monsters, ghosts and aliens, can play roles in a little one’s dreams. In addition to getting nightmares, scary movies may cause children to have trouble getting to sleep. 2. Anxious Feelings Children who watch horror movies have a tendency to feel anxious and fearful, according to the University of Michigan Health Services. Because many children younger than 8 have a hard time understanding the difference between what is real and what is fake, scary scenes from movies seem realistic. Being nervous or paranoid that a character or situation in the movie can become reality is common after viewing a horror movie. Aggressive Behavior Young children who watch high-action, violent or scary movies are likely to act more aggressively than normal shortly after seeing the film, according to Media Awareness Network, a media education resource. Children imitate characters in violent movies by physically provoking their peers, using negative words and being more active. Because some children may find violent movie characters interesting and â€Å"cool,† imitating these characters may be a short-term effect of watching a scary movie. Intensified Fears It’s common for many children to be scared of the dark, loud noises and creepy-crawly bugs. While these fears typically dissipate with age, they tend to linger or intensify when children watch scary and violent movies. For example, watching a movie about ghosts may make a little one more scared of open closet doors in a dark bedroom. Fears are real to little ones, and if a child does watch a scary movie, it’s important for parents to talk to him about how scary monsters and other characters aren’t real. Remind him multiple times to soothe his fears. Reference http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061031113446.htm Effect of horror movies on student aggressive behavior

Growth Performance Management Essay

In this report I have given a lot of research into the relevant subjects. I think that the way I have looked at the possibilities will help Helen Marsh and Brian Taylor overcome some of the obstacles in their organisation in order to make there business successful. Suggestions on what you should be specifically looking at in order to make your business a success, in my view would be the try to improve employee attitudes and training for employees. I think I have covered all the points that you have given me in depth if I have not apologies on my behalf. Introduction- Aims of the Report The aim of this report is to show Helen Marsh and Brian Taylor the problems of their business in more detail than the report give (case study). I will outline and investigate further into the following matters: * Growth * Performance Management * Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation * Motivation * Rewards * Employee Turnover/Retention * Training and Development * Communication Growth To consider the growth of Brian and Helens company, we will look need to examine into the PEST (Political, Economical, Social and Technological factors) and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis for this company, this will help us identify if the company should continue to grow. By understanding about the SWOT and PEST analysis this will show us key information and help us identify some of the problems with the business. SWOT Analysis: SWOT Analysis is a very effective way of identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses, and of examining the Opportunities and Threats you face. Carrying out an analysis using the SWOT framework helps you to focus your activities into areas where you are strong and where the greatest opportunities lie. SWOT Analysis is a strategic method for identifying your businesses’ Strengths and Weaknesses, and to examine the Opportunities and Threats. These are just some of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats there may be more if you feel that there are, pleases do not hesitate to call me we can discuss these further. By reading the report that you gave me (case study) I found more weaknesses than strengths. This is not ‘bad’ as this shows you that you can improve on these to make your business a success. Read more:  Difference Between Performance Management and Performance Appraisal PEST Analysis: It is very important that an organisation considers its environment before beginning the marketing and decision planning process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The SWOT analysis shows a lot of weaknesses in the business, the points that I have mentioned in the SWOT analysis affect the future growth of the business. I think that if you over come the weaknesses that are outlined in the SWOT analysis this will help improve and develop the company significantly because the employee would contribute to the full potential and would also create a good working environment which means less staff turnover. I suggest that you should postpone in growing for the moment and consider improving on the weaknesses that I outlined in the SWOT analysis. I suggest that you should consider growing in the future rather than now. I found out that: †Weakness are not necessarily indicating bad things of the organization but showing a path to a better future†¦.† ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR (1990) Northcraft. G page 437 You should consider improving the weaknesses into strengths as this would be beneficial in the future when you should consider to grow (it is not necessary yet) by improving weaknesses the business would function better and more advantages would be gained such as more share and profit. Performance Management In the report given to me (case study) I see that you have a problem on monitoring the ‘field based’ staff. This is a important issue as the staff may or may not be doing what you have told them this would cause all sorts of issues with your company for example you may be losing money, valuable resources and time. Field based staff may be difficult to manage but there are ways. Staff that work in the office are easier to evaluate on what and how that are doing. When managing or monitoring employees you have to be aware of their privacy and not to breach that mutual line as this may inevitably cause conflict in the work place. But When you can’t be present to observe employee performance, be sure that you have the right processes in place through which you can learn about how they’re doing this can be undertaken for ‘field based’ staff also. These processes should be open, fair, and understood by everyone. Options for obtaining input about performance in your absence may include, but are not limited to, the following: * Evaluate the output and products of the employee’s work. * Have routine one-on-one meetings with your employee and include discussions of performance. * Every so often review and discuss with your employee the standards of performance for his or her job and your expectations. * Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion. * Obtain feedback from customers – in writing when possible. * Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls to ‘field based’ staff as well as ‘office based’ staff. * Ask an appropriate person who is present day-to-day to serve as a work leader or give the person authority to act in your stead, and ensure that everyone understands the person’s role. * Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work. * Ask for confidential evaluations of employee performance by peers (or direct reports of supervisors). This process should be clearly understood by everyone and applied fairly to all. Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation Performance appraisal systems are designed to serve the company’s and employee’s interests. They are used to inventory the abilities and resources of employees and to let an employee know where he stands so that he will be stimulated to improve his performance. Employee motivation can be enhanced and performance improved with the monitoring of employees’ performance level and the use of feedback to advise those employees about their effectiveness. Performance feedback exchanges can be ongoing and informal, on a day-to-day coaching basis or on a formal basis, annually. I found this statement: ..Employers want to be sure their employees are doing a good job, but employees don’t want their every sneeze or there trip to the toilet logged†¦ Managing People 2nd edition Tomson. R I think that employee monitoring is acceptable to a reasonable level but should nod be exceeded. I used to work at ‘KFC’ (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and the manager was constantly monitoring me and other staff that work there. I can understand this as people in other restaurants have tampered with food for example a ‘Mc Donald’s’ restaurant in USA Mississippi once was shut down because of food tampering. So to some degree a lot of monitoring needs to be undertaken. But I think you should use some of the procedures I have given for example I would recommend these: * Perform routine spot checks of the employee at work. * Obtain feedback from customers – in writing when possible some sort of feed back sheet of possibly a questionnaire * Do brief stand-up check-ins or phone calls to ‘field based’ staff * Ask your employee to do periodic reports and share them with you for discussion. Motivation Staff motivation is the one of the most significant factors in managing people. No one style is better than another for motivating employees, but it is essential that leaders are aware of their staff motivation style and are able to adapt for different circumstances. Some circumstances will call for a strong direction to inspire staff motivation other circumstances will call for staff motivation to be influenced by a more advice-giving approach. The necessary skill is in knowing what motivates people and satisfying the needs of individuals and groups at a given time. Staff motivation in regard to reward and recognition means taking account of and balancing the needs of the organisation and its objectives as well as the needs of the people expected to achieve those objectives. One of the worlds most successful Software and Hardware entrepreneurs stated: â€Å"When we create a desirable workplace and find good ways to have work/life balance, we’ll attract and we’ll retain the best people and that’s our competitive advantage.† Lewis Platt, CEO, Hewlett-Packard (1001 Ways to Reward Employees 2000) Source: www.nelson-motivation.com/hpackard/ceo Hear is an example of a motivational theory: Douglas McGregor, was a American social psychologist, he proposed his famous X-Y theory in his 1960 book ‘ The Human Side of Enterprise ‘. Theory X and theory Y are still referred to commonly in the field of management and motivation. Mc Gregor’s X-Y Theory remains a valid basic principle from which to develop positive management style and techniques. McGregor’s XY Theory remains central to organisational development, and to improving organisational culture. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y THEORY X THEORY Y 1. Workers must be supervised as closely as possible, either through direct oversight or by tight reward and/or punishment systems. 1. People usually do not require close supervision and will, if given a chance to control their own activities, be productive, satisfied, and fulfilled. 2. Work is objectionable to most people. 2. Work is natural and enjoyable unless it is made offensive by the actions of organisations. 3. Most people have little initiative, have little capacity for being creative or solving organisational problems, do not want to have responsibilities, and prefer being directed by someone else. 3. People are ambitious, desire autonomy and self-control, and can use their abilities to solve problems and help their organisations meet their goals. Creativity is distributed â€Å"normally† across the population, just as is any other characteristic. 4. People are motivated by economic factors and a need for security. 4. People are motivated by a variety of needs only some of which involve economics or security. Figure Obtained from: MANAGING PEOPLE R. Tompson, 2nd Ed, Pub: Institute of Management I think that employee motivation in regard to reward and recognition means taking account of and balancing the needs of the organisation and its objectives as well as the needs of the people expected to achieve those objectives. I think that motivation should also have been included in the SWOT analysis. I think you should also consider how you can motivate staff you could use the web site I have given above for more information. The more you motivate staff the better they will work, this will also help with the monitoring of employees. You should also consider looking at the various patterns used by managers to encourage motivation in the work place, for a good example see Appendix 3. Rewards There are a staggering amount of reward types and schemes, you just have to make sure you have the right ones chosen for your business because performance of staff is the key to the success of any organisation. One of the main rewards that I think is relevant for your business is PRP (Performance Related Pay) One of the key contributors to effective performance is a well-designed performance management process. Such a process should incorporate objective setting, the day-to-day management of performance, the review or appraisal of performance, and rewarding performance. Your employees are your most important asset, they are the people who shape and form the company’s future. Rewarding staff can develop healthy in-house competition between individuals, teams or even departments. Another major factor in rewards are employment benefit packages. Reward and incentive programs are a popular part of employee benefit packages. Many employees value such offerings as flexible scheduling, tuition assistance, and child care in order to satisfy personal needs and professional development. I think that you too should consider re designing your employment package. Nowadays society, it is becoming more and more common to support these reward systems with the overall business strategy of an organisation in order to satisfy business needs and to improve shareholder value. In addition, many organisations are developing or restructuring their rewards programs based on employee performance. This trend is likely to continue as costs continue to increase and competition continues to thrive in a highly unpredictable economy. Some other useful reward types that can be used are as follows: Social Rewards: Which include praise, employee recognition, and social acceptance within the business. Psychic rewards: Which include self esteem, job satisfaction, and feelings of accomplishments You could also give piece-rate pay, commissions, merit pay and bonuses. When I was talking about the business and how it will grow in ‘Conclusion of Growth’ in the first part I think that in order for the business to grow you need the best employees you can get. So you would need to have the reward schemes that the employees are looking for. I the way you are rewarding employees at the moment is not working in fact ‘I know it is not working’ I think you should use the PRP (Performance Related Pay) method, and also consider giving annual bonuses. Also if you give PRP (Performance Related Pay) you will sort out the problem you have with the monitoring of ‘Field based staff’ as they too will be attracting more customers for the business. You should also give bonuses if the company is making a stable profit as this would encourage more work to be completed. Employee Turnover/Retention One of the most difficult problems companies had to cope with in the increasingly volatile business climate of the 1990’s was the high rate of employee turnover. When employees, particularly long-term employees leave a company that has made a substantial investment in them, they take with them training, skills, experience, and productivity. Output is inevitably diminished during the training process of new employees, no matter how qualified. additionally, a high level of workplace turnover rends the types of social bonds that encourage other employees come to work and maintain their normal levels of productivity. ..In today’s workplace, employers are not only having a hard time attracting employees, but are also having a difficult time keeping them.. (Harkins, 1998) I found out that employees leave for a variety of reasons, including poor supervision, unchallenging positions, limited advancement opportunities, lack of recognition, limited control over work, perceived pay inequity, and the perception of more favorable opportunities in other companies. Measuring Absence Obtained from: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES J. Weightman, 2nd Ed, (1996), Pub: Cromwell Press This overall figure, however, leaves many questions unanswered. For example, is the absence rate a reflection of a few employees suffering from long-term ill-health or are a substantial number of employees being regularly absent for relatively short spells? A more in depth way to monitor absence and retention is give in Appendix 1. Hear I found some of the ways in which to help with retention: * Align your employees with company goals and visions * Establish department goals and standards * Set employee goals and performance measurements * Conduct performance reviews that test the established goals * Train managers to effectively coach their staff * Identify barriers & find strengths to build upon * Isolate key performance gaps and craft a plan to improve performance * Define the relationship between job satisfaction, goal alignment and individual performance growth I suggest that you should consider some of the points above in order to combat turnover/retention. You should regularly try to monitor staff absence. Try to make the rate as nearer to 8.5 % as possible if it goes over this may be critical to the business. You should have a maximum number of days for employees to comply by, for example I work as Safeway Petrol station in the Penn, employees there are only allocated 50 hours off of work (excluding sick or acceptable absence). You should check out Appendix 1 in how to measure turnover and retention in your organisation. Training and Development There are a number of advantages to training and development and this is another point that was added in the SWOT analysis that needed to be improved in order for the business to function properly and effectively. Training has become the most important feature of a successful organisation. Training is necessary because it improves profitability and/ or more positive attitudes towards profit orientation. Enhances the job knowledge and skills at all levels of the organisation. The work force gets a high morale. Due to proper training employees can identify with organisational goals, corporate image gets improved. Training fosters realism, openness and trust. A boss an the subordinates get to work in a better environment and relationship. Some typical reasons for employee training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or group of employees, for example: * When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed * To â€Å"benchmark† the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort * As part of an overall professional development program * As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the organisation * To â€Å"pilot†, or test, the operation of a new performance management system * To train about a specific topic I found out some key topics for employee Training and Development they are as follows: * Communication- The increasing diversity of today’s workforce brings a wide variety of languages and customs. * Computer skills- Computer skills are becoming a requirement for conducting administrative and office tasks. * Customer service- Increased competition in today’s global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers. * Diversity- Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity * Ethics- Today’s society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also, today’s diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace. By giving the appropriate training and development you can gain a lot of advantages. The general benefits from Employee Training and Development are: * Increased job satisfaction and morale among employees * Increased employee motivation * Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in financial gain * Increased capacity to adopt new technologies and methods * Increased innovation in strategies and products * Reduced employee turnover * Enhanced company image, e.g., conducting ethics training (not a good reason for ethics training!) * Risk management, e.g., training about sexual harassment, diversity training I think that training aids in developing leadership skill, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes and other aspects that successful workers and managers usually display which we discussed earlier in the report. The quality of work is also increased and so is the productivity. Its cost effective as well, it cuts costs in different areas e.g. production, personnel, administration etc. it develops a sense of responsibility to the organisation for being capable and knowledgeable. Labor management is also improved, as workers instead of feeling ignored, feel taken care of which develops a sense of loyalty Communication Effective communication skills are vital for success in a business environment with most business people being engaged in some form of communication activity most of the time reading, listening, writing or talking. Business communication is, however, different from educational or literary writing and speaking it requires precision, clarity and efficiency since business people just do not have the time to savor an idea or an expression. †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Moreover, unethical behavior in the workplaces arising from the lack of ethical communication by the top management to the first-line supervisors proves the fact that employees are either directly or indirectly rewarded for unethical acts or harshly abandoned for going against the norm of practicing corruption†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Zimmerman: Jansen and Von Glinow, 2001, p. 119). As explained in this text that I researched into, Jansen and Von Glinow through their in-depth study that encouraging â€Å"counter norms† in an organisation is also a form of promoting corrupt standards in a company in order to save the firm’s name or to avoid charges by this means reflecting the decreasing ethical communication in organisations. There are many factors that help establish an organisation’s ability and skill in maintaining the stability and organisation among its employees/members. One of these factors includes attaining an organisational communication process through effective communication skills. The most prominent forms used by most organisations are the development of verbal and non-verbal communication since these are the most obvious ways of communication that provide a dialogue for employees and the management in an organisation. However, what is not realized by both the employees and management is that listening is one important communication aspect that precedes verbal and non-verbal communication. I think that in order to attain effective communication verbally or non-verbally, communicators must first learn to listen in order to assess carefully the issues at hand and the required action that must be taken. If you have a look at Appendix 2 it shows you different types of communication processes. I would recommend that you try to focus on the ‘complete network’ as this would make communications in your business better. Overall Report Conclusion and my Recommendations I think overall this is what we should be doing in order to maintain and run a successful business: * Growth- we should not be growing just yet as there are to many problems as indicated in the SWOT analysis. We should be improving on the weaknesses and consider to grow and expand in the future. * Performance Management- monitoring needs to be undertaken but only to some degree that is acceptable by you and the employees. But I think you should use some of the procedures that I have indicated in this previous section (please refer to Conclusion for Performance Management). * Performance Appraisal Systems and Motivation- Performance appraisal systems are designed to serve the company’s and employee’s interests. * Motivation- You have to consider Douglas McGregor Theory X and Theory Y. to offer the best motivation go through the chart that I have drawn and consider what you can do to have a successful motivated staff. Look at Appendix 3 for patterns of managerial approaches to motivation. * Rewards- if you offer better rewards and better benefit packages then Turnover/Retention will be low, and employees will work more and contribute their highest potential. * Employee Turnover/Retention- you need to make sure that you monitor employees sickness and absenteeism and make sure it dose not go over 8% Check Appendix 1. * Training and Development- if you train and develop employees better the function of your business will be better, you should try to encourage more employees to gain different skills and knowledge. You should also try to offer recognised qualifications. * Communication- look at Appendix 2 I recommend that you try to bring in the process of complete network communication. There are numerous factors that help conclude an organisation’s ability and skill in maintaining the stability and organisation among its employees/members, one of these factors includes attaining an organisational communication process through effective communication skills.    References I recommend that you look at the following text as this will help you improve on the factors mentioned in this report and also help you with difficult decisions about your business. I recommend looking at this text: ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR: INDVIDUALS, GROUPS AND THE ORGANISATION I. Brooks (1999) 1st Ed, Pub: Financial Times HUMAN RESOURCE STRATAGIES Salman, (1998) Pub: The Open University MANAGING PEOPLE R. Tompson, 2nd Ed, Pub: Institute of Management ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR: A MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE G.B.Northcroft & M.A.Neale (1990), Pub: Ronda Colour PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT GA Cole, 4th Ed (1997), Pub: Ashford Colour Press MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES J. Weightman, 2nd Ed, (1996), Pub: Cromwell Press The following Web-Sites are useful also: www.bized.com www.hrmang.co.uk www.humanrecourses.co.uk/text/hrissues www.resourcemanage.co.uk

Geophagy (Eating Dirt) - A Traditional Practice

Geophagy (Eating Dirt) - A Traditional Practice People around the world eat clay, dirt or other pieces of the lithosphere for a variety of reasons. Commonly, it is a traditional cultural activity which takes place during pregnancy, religious ceremonies, or as a remedy for disease. Most people who eat dirt live in Central Africa and the Southern United States. While it is a cultural practice, it also fills a physiological need for nutrients. African Geophagy In Africa, pregnant and lactating women are able to satisfy the very different nutritional needs of their bodies by eating clay. Often, the clay comes from favored clay pits and it is sold at market in a variety of sizes and with differing content of minerals. After purchase, the clays are stored in a belt-like cloth around the waist and eaten as desired and often without water. The cravings in pregnancy for a varied nutritional intake (during pregnancy, the body requires 20% more nutrients and 50% more during lactation) are solved by geophagy. The clay commonly ingested in Africa contains important nutrients such as  phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese, and iron. Spread to the U.S. The tradition of geophagy spread from Africa to the United States with slavery. A 1942 survey in Mississippi showed that at least 25 percent of the schoolchildren habitually ate earth. Adults, although not systematically surveyed, also consumed earth. A number of reasons were given: earth is good for you; it helps pregnant women; it tastes good; it is sour like a lemon; it tastes better if smoked in the chimney, and so on.* Unfortunately, many African-Americans who practice geophagy (or quasi-geophagy) are eating unhealthy material such as laundry starch, ashes, chalk and lead-paint chips because of psychological need. These materials have no nutritional benefits and can lead to intestinal problems and disease. The eating of inappropriate objects and material is known as pica. There are good sites for nutritional clay in the southern United States and sometimes family and friends will send care packages of good earth to expectant mothers in the north. Other Americans, such as the indigenous Pomo of Northern California used dirt in their diet they mixed it with ground acorn which neutralized the acid. * Hunter, John M. Geophagy in Africa and in the United States: A Culture-Nutrition Hypothesis. Geographical Review April 1973: 170-195. (Page 192)

Blood Collection Monitor Essays

Blood Collection Monitor Essays Blood Collection Monitor Essay Blood Collection Monitor Essay - Abstract: Blood Collection Monitor  is helpful for accurate blood collection; it’s a compact instrument to provide smooth and gentle rocking of homogenous mixing with anti coagulant ; i. e. without clot formation of blood cells during collection of blood from a donor. BLOOD COLLECTION PROCESS IS HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS. THE CHALLENGE TO PHLEBOTOMIST (One who draws blood for analysis or transfusion) IS TO MAKE EACH BLOOD COLLECTION PROCESS COMFORTABLE AND SAFE WITHOUT COMPROMISING QUALITY. BLOOD COLLECTION MONITOR COMES INTO ROLE HERE; IT IS SPECIALLY DESIGNED TO MAKE STANDARDIZED HIGH QUALITY BLOOD COLLECTION WITH REDUCED WORK LOAD OF PHLEBOTOMIST. BLOOD COLLECTION MONITOR ENSURES CORRECT VOLUME OF BLOOD COLLECTION WITH CONSTANT AGITATION FOR BETTER COMPONENT YIELD. SO, THE CORRECT VOLUME OF BLOOD COLLECTION AND MIXING OF THE BLOOD AND ANTICOGULANT GENTLY AND PERIODICALLY DURING COLLECTION OF BLOOD; CAN BE DONE BY BLOOD COLLECTION MONITOR. 1. - Introduction: B LOOD COLLECTION MONITOR is an advanced device which is aimed to collect the blood prior to collection with use of latest technology in place of earlier, insufficient, conventional methods i. e. without accurate weight by using random movement. The main concept behind this project is use of mechanically provide rocking movement to blood and proper mixing with anticoagulants. Also restrict the blood flow from donor when particular limit is reached. I. e. 350ml or 450ml. This is done by load cell and by comparing signal activate the stopping clamp is activated. As, sensing range of load cell is in mill volts; directly the signal can be given as input to the circuit because it will provide insufficient output. So, it is required to be properly amplified. So, the block diagram is designed taking into account this matter. Then comparing it with reference signal which is decided by many experiments. It activates the clamp and stops the rocking movement of plate when weight in blood bag is presented. It is approximate to the actual design but more function of the instrument by extra features like flow detector, flow rate measurement etc. So, the component specifications may differ from the actual one. fig 1. blood bag fig 2. blood bag on plate of bcm 2. - Requirement of project: As we all know that blood collection monitor is very helpful for collection of accurate blood, it’s a compact instrument that provide smooth and gentle rocking movement of homogeneous mixing with anti-coagulant, so in modern lifestyle most of the doctors prefer these types of instrument for collection of blood very accurately. Blood collection monitor is very helpful to donate blood. hat happen in past that there’s no such types of instruments were present so it is inaccurate random process for doctors to take blood from the donor and also sometimes improper mixing with anti coagulant lead to waste the valuable donated blood that process may not helpful to accurately blood collection. With the help of this modern instrument it is very easy for doctors to take the blood from the donor, and through this instrument may also require d less effort. Collection of blood accurately and safely. 3. - Generalized block diagram AND CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: BLOCK DIAGRAME OFComparator CIRCUIT 5-PIN RELAY DC MOTOR CLAMP MOMENT (OPEN/CLOSE) Blood Collection Monitor POWER SUPPLY AC MAINS INSTRUMENTATION AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT WEIGHT MEASUREMENT UNITS/LOAD CELL DC MOTOR rocking MOMENT OF TRAY BLOOD Donor/BLOOD BAG CIRCUIT DIAGRAME OF Blood Collection Monitor 5-PIN RELAY Each block in briefly†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1. Power supply to give DC supply to ICs and other devices. 2. Mechanical assembly to apply rocking movement of plate. 3. Load cell for blood bag weight measure. 4. Instrumentation amplifier for amplify the signal from load cell. 5. Comparator for obtaining stopping pulse to clamp. . 5-pin relay to connect supply to clamp when stop pulse is obtained. Modifications can be applied†¦ * ADC- Analog-to- Digital Converter, Microcontroller, and display of weight. * Alarm circuit to indicating stopping operations. 4. - DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH BLOCK: 5. 1. POWER SUPPLY: This is the main block in any of the electronic as well as biomedical proj ect. Its Main function is to provide electrical excitation. 5. 2. 1. COMPONENTS USED: * IC 7812, 7912(+12V,-12 V) * IC 7805, 7905(+5V,-5V) * IC 7815, 7915(+15V,-15V) * diode for bridge rectifier (4) capacitors of 1000 micro farads, 50 volts (2) * capacitors of 0. 1 micro farads (2*4) * center tapped transformer 18-0-18 5. 2. 2. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: FIG 3. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM OF DC POWER SUPPLY (+/-5,+/-12,+/-15 V dc) 5. 2. 3. WORKING OF CIRCUIT: The working of this circuit is so simple . Mains supply is given to the 12-0-12 center-tapped transformer. Output of secondary winding is given to the bridge rectifier IC . Then to get peak-to-peak output voltage signal, capacitors are used. In lab-application, variable power supplies are preferred. 4. 2. ROCKING movement of plate and weight sensor: Whole assembly made such that one side of plate is joined with DC motor and U shaped bended rod which can able to push and pull plate from one side as plate is fixed with assembly from center power to DC motor lead rocking or sea show type movement which we want. It is most important part of instrument as mixing blood with anticoagulant properly. Fig 5. DC motor shaft connected to assembly. Fig 4. assembly to provide rocking movement. Sensing weight of blood bag during donating the blood it is most important task as on this basis measuring, displaying, and further stopping of blood flow mechanism works. To measure the blood weight we used load cell as a sensor. In load cell according to change in weight input output in mill volt also changes by using this basic principle weight sensing is done. Load cell has in built bridge balancing circuit with weight sensor. Fig 8. Cantilever beam connection. Fig 7. load cell. Fig 6. Internal circuit of load cell. Fig 9. Original data sheet by Rudra sensors. According to data sheet input 8-12dc volt given to cell and output in changes in millivoltags. Below is data sheet of load cell. 4. 2. 1. COMPONENTS USED: * 12 volt DC motor Wooden and iron assembly * Plate * 12 volt dc supply 4. 3. INSTRUMENTATION AMPLIFIER: This block provides sensor output signal the sufficient amplification so as to drive further circuits properly and without loading. Generally 3 Op-Amp instrumentation amplifiers are employed in biomedical projects. As load cell senses in range of mill volts, we have to amplify it in of 1000 gain. Instrumentation amplifiers are actually m ade up of 2 parts: a buffered amplifier OP1, OP2 and a basic differential amplifier OP3. The differential amplifier part is often essential when measuring sensors. Because a sensor produces a signal between its terminals. The buffered amplifier OP1 and OP2 not only provides gain, but prevents the sensor resistance from affecting the resistors in the op amp circuit, and vice-versa! The gain can be calculated by: Where; R1=R3 and R5/R4 = R7/R6. (R5=RF). * Gain calculations: Gain (A) = (1+ (2*(R1/R2))*(RF/R4) Taking A=1000 diving 1000 as 500*2, 1+2R1/R2=2 2R1/R2=1 2R1=R2 Taking R2=2K, R1 =1K. Now, RF/R4=500K R4=1K, RF=500K =1MOhm || 1MOhm = (1000000*1000000)/ (1000000+1000000) =500 K. 4. 3. 1. COMPONENTS USED: * IC OP07(3) Resistors of 1K (4 no’s) * Resistors of 2K (2 no’s) * Resistors of 1Mohm (2 no’s) * Power supply of 12 Vdc 4. 3. 2. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: FIG. 10 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM OF INSTRUMENTATION AMPLIFIER 4. 3. 3. WORKING OF CIRCUIT: The instrumentation amp offers two useful functions: amplify the difference between inputs and reject the signal that’s common to the inputs. The latter is called Common Mode Rejection (CM R). OP1 and OP2 are the two input amp’s and connected in the non-inverting follower configuration. It is the solution for the high gain and high input impedance. Note: This is of high gain circuit so before soldering it on GPB, connectivity check of all the components as per circuit diagram twice on bread-board is advisable. There may chances of unpredictable o/p due to IC saturation. 4. 4. COMPERATOR: It compares the input signal with reference signal. When input exceed from reference signal it gives positive saturation and negative saturation when less than reference signal. We are using 1 volt as a reference , as from experiment we get 1 volt output from instrument amplifier through load cell under 350ml blood beg. 4. 4. 1. Components used: 1 operational amplifier Op07 * Resistor 10k (3 no’s) * Protecting diodes (2 no’s) 4. 4. 2. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: FIG 11. CIRCUIT DIAGRAM OF COMPERATOR BY USING IC OP07 4. 5 relay: Fig. 12 Basic relay construction A  relay  is an  electrically  operated  switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal (with complete electrical isolation between control and controlled circuits), or where several circuits must be controlled by one signal. Here in our applications operation is must switched from rocking movement to clamp operation. (As comparator detects particular weight in plate rocking movements stops and clamp activated. ) Fig13. Pin diagram of 5pin relay 4. 5. 1. COMPONENT USED: * 5 PIN simple relay 4. 6. Stopping clamp: IV set passing from clamp that restrict the blood flow from donor. Fig 14. Clamp for restrict the blood flow When comparator generates stopping pulse from 5 pin relay it gives supply to DC motor and on its shaft rotation thread connected with clamp is going to pull and clamp is closed. Indicate that blood collection is completed. Also disconnect supply from DC motor that leads stop rocking movement. Fig 15. In our project IV set passing through clamp. In real instrument this type mechanism done by clamp type electromagnet as shown in figure. That pulsed by controller and as magnet generate the clamp force fully attract and it restrict the further blood flow from donor. 4. 6. 1. COMPONENTS FOR CLAMP MECHANISM: 12volt dc motor Plastic clip, Thread, Rubber bend 5. - Application of project: The application of blood collection monitor is very widely used in blood bank and also in hospitals. Now a day’s almost all hospital’s doctor prefer these instrument for accurate collection of blood. Through this instrument we can easily collect the blood of donor and this instrument is also helpful in mixing the blood with anticoagulant so blood does not clot and also to collect the accurate amount of blood. Also indicate flow rate from donor to bag and error in flow rate whether any obstruction in donor vein in any case. Doctors and blood bank technicians prefer this instrument for the accurate collection of blood so we can say that its main application is in medical field and in hospitals. 6. Limitation: Blood collection monitor is a useful instrument for doctors and so accurate for collection of blood so we found no any limitation in blood collection monitor right now. But ours is designed for only 350ml blood collecting, as well as it has no any current weight display, flow indications. Ours angular rocking movement is slightly large and jerky. 7. - FUTURE EXPANS IONS: * In future this instrument will be facilities with more necessary parameters like flow rate, blood temp. Detector etc. Though motor used to rotate the plate not generating much noise but it will be removed in future. * Now a day’s BCM is single unit but in future it may facilities with some storage space of bag. (that will be more useful in mobile blood bank) * In future whole assembly make by fiber that’s making instrument lighter than present model. 8. - CONCLUSION: For Blood collection monitor we can say that it is useful instrument for collection of blood accurately for doctors and safe for donors. And that’s why it’s being more commonly used in most hospitals now a day. From my side I conclude that to design a single unit of instrument is not possible without fundamental knowledge of electronics, controlling, basic of simple principles and last but not the least patience and faith in my work and strength. I also mention that repetitive work on any circuit remove basic doughty and also working problem. My project also teaches me the technical thoughts, human relationship. 9. - References: * Books/manual/ Catalog:- * Manual of blood collection monitor of bioastate pvt. Ltd. * Catalog of Rajas enterprise ltd. * SEARCH ENGINES:- www. google. com * OTHER SITES:- * Google images blood collection monitor. * www. biomedprogects. com * Visited blood bank/industrial estate:- * Guideline of Apollo hospital blood bank. * Rudra sensors Ahmadabad. 10. - cost of project: Item| Description| Quantity| Total| Electronics components| ResistorsCapacitorsVoltage regulator IC, OP-07| 15156, 4| ` 150/-| Load cell| -| 1| ` 950/-| Assembly| Wooden and iron shaft mechanism| -| ` 240/-| Others supporting| GPB, core, connecting leads| 4| ` 20/-| | | | TOTAL AMOUNT: ` 1,360/-| Thank you

Behaviour modification

The Effect of Behaviour Modification on Studying and Procrastination University of Sydney Abstract A study was conducted to determine the effects of behaviour self-modification on the number of hours spent studying and procrastinating. The 141 participants were second year University students studying Psychology. Baseline behaviour was recorded for both studying and procrastination followed by a treatment week where each student selected to modify either studying or procrastination and planned and carried out their behaviour modification. Results were significant, revealing that those trying to decrease procrastination were successful in decreasing this behaviour, as well as increasing the alternative behaviour, studying. Similarly, students trying to increase studying were successful, as well as decreasing their procrastination. Overall, it was found that behaviour modification has significant effects on the amount of time spend studying and procrastinating. The Effect of Behaviour Modification on Studying and Procrastination Behaviour modification is an interesting aspect of Psychology as it gives people the opportunity to alter their behaviour for reasons that may include health, happiness, education or general wellbeing. Many researchers have found that behaviour self-modification programs are especially effective with immediate reinforcement and are more successful than other cognitive methods (Levitz Stunkard 1974; Galscow Klesges 1985). The effectiveness of these programs also depends on other factors such as the person’s commitment to change, the degree of preparation and the management of antecedents. In order to alter behaviour, it is more successful to partake in a behaviour modification program which includes reinforcements or punishments, rather than simply relying on other cognitive processes. One study, involving overweight people, showed a behaviour self-modification program which resulted in greater weight loss than other methods, including nutrition education (Levitz Stunkard 1974). Similarly the effectiveness of behaviour modification is seen in smokers who were able to abstain from smoking using self-reward strategies and positive self-statements at a greater rate than those who used other cognitive strategies (Galscow Klesges 1985). Immediate reinforcers have a much stronger effect on behaviour than a delayed punishment (Martin Pear 2007). Choosing a behaviour which will provide immediate gratification is often more likely to occur than an alternative behaviour, even if the punishment is somewhat severe. This includes cumulatively significant punishments, such as smoking increasing the risk of lung cancer, because the negative effect from each cigarette is too small to notice, whereas the immediate gratification produces enjoyment. This highlights the importance of immediate reinforcement when conducting a behaviour self-modification program. The methods of behaviour modification found to be successful vary, (Perri Richards 1977), however there are steps one can take to increase the likelihood of success. (Martin Pear 2007). Firstly, it is essential that problems are specified and goals are set. These goals should be in quantitative terms so that overall success can be easily determined. Secondly, there should be a commitment to change. This should be evident in the effort made to plan a successful behavioural modification including management of antecedents and appropriate reinforcements. A baseline of behaviour should be recorded for comparison with the following self-control program to quantify success and overall effect. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of behaviour modification on the number of hours spent studying and procrastinating. It was hypothesised that, in the treatment week, there would be a decrease in the number of hours spent procrastinating for the â€Å"decrease procrastination† group, and an increase in the number of hours spent studying in the â€Å"increase studying† group. Studying will be defined as any kind of reading, writing or other preparation which is related to the student’s University course work. It is the desired behaviour; Examples include reading background material for a lecture or tutorial, studying for quizzes or creating course notes. Procrastination will be defined as all other recreational activities with the exception of socialising and exercising. This is the delaying behaviour; Examples include watching TV, browsing the internet for pleasure or playing computer games. Method Subjects There were 715 second-year Psychology University students who were required to take part in this study as a tutorial exercise. Of these students, 628 created online accounts to record their behaviour. The number of students who successfully completed the task by recording data for all 8 days was 141. These 141 students provided all data used in this study. All students used data sheets to record their behaviour for all 8 days of the exercise. This data was logged online. Procedure Students were instructed to choose the behaviour that they wanted to change; They could decrease procrastination or increase studying. Students would, in the first four days, record both their studying and procrastination habits in a results table provided. Students were then required to devise their own strategy to either decrease procrastination or increase studying. These strategies aimed to complete goals set by the student which were improvements from their current state, but realistic and achievable. These plans included, preferably immediate to the behaviour being performed, reinforcement for the desired behaviour or punishment for the behaviour to be decreased. Since often this was not practical, there were options for alternative reinforcement/punishment schedules. Firstly, daily targets could be set to reach, or not exceed, a certain number of hours of study or procrastination. Secondly, rolling targets or limits could be used where appropriate reinforcement or punishment is given when a number of hours of a behaviour is met. Finally, students could use duration limits or targets on how long they engage in a behaviour once they have started. The independent variable was the 2 x (2) mixed design with the between subjects variables being modifying studying or procrastination, and the within-subjects variable being the targeted and non-targeted behaviour. The recorded hours became the dependant variable. Results There were no statistical differences found in the conditions of the baseline week. In the treatment week, time spent studying was found to be significantly different to the time spent procrastinating in the group who tried to decrease procrastination.

Critical Analysis Paper-Ethnographic Observation of a Sub-culture Essay

Critical Analysis Paper-Ethnographic Observation of a Sub-culture - Essay Example The punk subculture is a youth subculture that is based on Punk Rock music. Although the subculture has its own sets of subcultures, there are general features that describe the punk subculture. The observation of the subculture was conducted in New York City on 16th February, 2012, and the observation revolved around a group of punk youths as they hang out together in the evening. An analysis of the group, their similarities and differences clearly indicates that their behaviors fulfill the definition of a subculture. Generally, the behaviors held by the punk members are significantly different from those observable in other people in the mainstream society. They are mainly identified by their theatrical use of hairstyles, clothing, tattoos, extensive body piercing and jewelry. The life of the group members is centered on listening to punk rock and attending live concerts where this kind of music is played. This is an aggressive genre of rock music mainly played in small bands and the punk members like it when it is played very loud. Most of these songs are short and simple and their lyrics express punk ideologies and values. A distinctive feature of the group is the Mohawk hairstyle. Both sides of the head are shaven, but the middle part is left. For some of the members, the middle hairs were very long, protruding as sharp bristles and for some, it was short. Some has also colored these hairs with red dyes. Most group members preferred tartan trousers, tight drainpipe jeans, t-shits and leather jackets that are decorated with metal studs, spikes, pins and painted band logos. Common footwear were boots, skate shoes and converse sneakers. Just as Brake (1985) reveals, squatting is a common thing among punks. They love going put in groups and support one another in terms of shelter and provisions. They form local scenes having few members in small towns and thousands in big cities. Based on observations of language, wardrobe, gender roles, religion,

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 6

Philosophy - Essay Example e worry that this world might too be a dream was famously expressed by the French philosopher Rene Descartes in the seventeenth century in his Meditations. In fact, he specifically sought to doubt whatever could be doubted in order to lay the foundations for true knowledge through reasoning. After pointing out what happens during sleep, he makes his ‘dreaming argument’ when he writes, â€Å"In dwelling carefully on this reflection, I see so manifestly that there are no certain indications by which we may clearly distinguish wakefulness from sleep that I am lost in astonishment. And my astonishment is such that it is almost capable of persuading me that I now dream† (Descartes, 2009: 12). Put simply, the reasoning of his argument is that perceptions during both states are similar, and given that there are no ways to distinguish between them, therefore this raises the possibility that even during ‘waking’ one may be dreaming such that the perceptions du ring ‘waking’ may turn out to be ‘false’ as in dreams. An outline of this argument is presented below. Thus, Descartes doubts both; being presently awake and being ever awake. He refers to the particulars (i.e. what we do) during sleep as false delusions, and the things represented to us in dreams, as â€Å"painted representations which can only have been formed as the counterparts of something real and true †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (ibid). Incidentally, this shows that the non-dream world does have a greater originality than the dream world because what is painted in dreams is not created ex nihilo, but he continues to suggest that all the thoughts he has â€Å"are no more true than the phantasies† of his dreams (ibid: 49). Furthermore, Descartes’ obsessively skeptical approach is rather dubious because in places, it does not make sense, and some of his ideas like the demon are hypothetical. Moreover, it is ironic that after much doubting and casting aside the trustworthiness of the senses, he never once doubts his own

How Samsung Electronics has established its current presence Assignment

How Samsung Electronics has established its current presence - Assignment Example Previous concentration fields include mobile privacy, Internet of Things, clouding communication, and human interface. Businesspersons and inventors will achieve access to Samsung’s distinct ecology and capital. Intense connections inside Samsung’s institutional network both in Asia and across the globe will be required to face the next round of rivalry in the electronics segment. Asia has a fundamental destination for Samsung’s direct investment for several reasons. The company objectives and goals include recovering cost competitiveness by using the low-priced capital accessible in Southeast Asia. Samsung as well is interested in pursuing various chief consumers for its components as some of the world’s most active market. But the weakness of Samsung’s performance in the consumer products segment means that it has established itself with surplus capacity in its offshore affiliations. In reality, this means that the overseas associates are underuti lized, despite the skill to enhance cost competitiveness, since Samsung’s worker assessment structure is slanting towards performance at the plant status (Mortinik, 2012). According to Bloom (2002), Koreans electronics corporations have been assertively engaged in culture and knowledge accumulation over the past two decades. Their consumer products, including color television sets (CTVs), videocassette records (VCRs), and microwave ovens, were capable to remain competitive in the low-end sector of the global markets till the late 1980s. As a result, this created the cash flow required to endorse of more improved technologies. In the current years, nevertheless, Korean products are achieving growing rivalry, especially from Japanese manufacturers that have recuperated their competitiveness by investing in low-priced overseas manufacturing. Growing offshore manufacturing has been a chief part of Korea’s tactic reaction. Korean products channels in Asia now go beyond the ASEAN region to China and India. The overall percentage of offshore production to total production has grown tremendously in current years, from nineteen percent to twenty-seven percent for CTVs from sixteen to seventeen percent for VCRs during the phase 1922-1994. Nevertheless, those of the Japanese electronic competitors grew even rapidly, from 67 percent to 86 percent for CTVs and from 36 to 71 percent for VCRs during the same phase. This as a result kept the rivalry deep in the cost-fueled struggled for low-end markets. In the year 1993, three chief Korean manufacturers, Goldstar, Samsung and Daewoo, declared their objective to expand their offshore production quotient from a standard of 20 percent in 1993 to 60 percent by 2000. This paper will focus on how Samsung has managed to maintain its international presence. The firms involved are all components of Samsung Group, an exceedingly diversified multinational. The key electronic manufacturer is Samsung Electronics Co. SEC and its liaison corporations are Samsung Electron-Devices Co. (SED), Samsung Corning Co.(SC) and Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. (SEM). Lee Bung-Chull first incepted Samsung in 1938, and its primary line was trade. The business operation has persisted to be essential, first with imports, and latter export, beginning in the mid 70s. By

Evaluation of the leadership and management style of Jeff Bezos Coursework

Evaluation of the leadership and management style of Jeff Bezos - Coursework Example From a logical perspective, it can be stated that appropriate development of business processes in the present marketing scenario requires the implementation of change management and change leadership under different situations. For instance, a leader will have to bring in continuous levels of transformation within its leadership style for maintaining the motivational levels of the followers. In a similar manner, the management administering the overall functionality of the workforce will also have to implement varied types of employee motivational techniques through which they can attain their desired goals within a specific timeframe (Kuzic & et. al., 2002). Considering these aspects, the discussion will mainly focus towards evaluating the leadership style and the managerial skills implemented by Jeff Bezos that supported in developing the overall performance of Amazon in the present competitive retail-marketing scenario. The discussion will also encompass the implementation of suitable leadership theories and change management concepts in order to make the understanding levels associated with the same in an effective manner. Through this discussion, a possible attempt will also be made towards evaluating the characteristics possess by Jeff Bezos that until date have paved successful path for this ecommerce business organisation. Jeff Bezos, a technology enthusiast, presently holds the position of CEO of the world’s second biggest e-commerce retailer named Amazon. As known, the brand has been previously involved in conducting online retail business of books and magazines. However, due to the increasing level of business market competition and higher inflow of new market entrants, Jeff Bezos made deliberate efforts in shifting the focus of his e-commerce business process from just being concentrated on retailing books top other retail goods such as

The Parable of the Sadhu Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Parable of the Sadhu - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that extensive surveys and research have indicated the requirement of continuous commitment, enforcement, and modeling of leadership along with defined policies of ethical, legal, and sociocultural conduct can reinforce morality and ethics to a large extent. McCoy’s contemplation on the ethical dilemma experienced during his travel to Nepal and the Himalayas, along with a group of travelers belonging to different nationalities and cultures, draws attention to the reasons and causes that influence human behavior during different situations and different places with similar situations. Although organizations attempt, by large, to define expected codes of conduct in ethical, legal and sociocultural perspectives and specific to the nature of the organizational business, in general ethics cannot be defined. As rightly pointed by Dewey, ethics is not confined to only ‘doing the right thing,’ and is a ‘reflective conduct.â €™ McCoy’s dilemma expressed in this narration is also on similar grounds, encompassing different leadership behaviors and reasons shaping these specific behaviors. Based on individual behaviors, the three-dimensional leadership theory was proposed, and each style was defined based on the traits exhibited by the leaders. The 3 leadership styles include autocratic, democratic and Laissez-faire leadership. Applying autocratic leadership style in the context of the abandoned Sadhu in the Himalayas, if one traveler assumed the role of autocratic leader, he could have made decisions on his own as to how best the Sadhu could have been taken care of.

How Samsung Electronics has established its current presence Assignment

How Samsung Electronics has established its current presence - Assignment Example Previous concentration fields include mobile privacy, Internet of Things, clouding communication, and human interface. Businesspersons and inventors will achieve access to Samsung’s distinct ecology and capital. Intense connections inside Samsung’s institutional network both in Asia and across the globe will be required to face the next round of rivalry in the electronics segment. Asia has a fundamental destination for Samsung’s direct investment for several reasons. The company objectives and goals include recovering cost competitiveness by using the low-priced capital accessible in Southeast Asia. Samsung as well is interested in pursuing various chief consumers for its components as some of the world’s most active market. But the weakness of Samsung’s performance in the consumer products segment means that it has established itself with surplus capacity in its offshore affiliations. In reality, this means that the overseas associates are underuti lized, despite the skill to enhance cost competitiveness, since Samsung’s worker assessment structure is slanting towards performance at the plant status (Mortinik, 2012). According to Bloom (2002), Koreans electronics corporations have been assertively engaged in culture and knowledge accumulation over the past two decades. Their consumer products, including color television sets (CTVs), videocassette records (VCRs), and microwave ovens, were capable to remain competitive in the low-end sector of the global markets till the late 1980s. As a result, this created the cash flow required to endorse of more improved technologies. In the current years, nevertheless, Korean products are achieving growing rivalry, especially from Japanese manufacturers that have recuperated their competitiveness by investing in low-priced overseas manufacturing. Growing offshore manufacturing has been a chief part of Korea’s tactic reaction. Korean products channels in Asia now go beyond the ASEAN region to China and India. The overall percentage of offshore production to total production has grown tremendously in current years, from nineteen percent to twenty-seven percent for CTVs from sixteen to seventeen percent for VCRs during the phase 1922-1994. Nevertheless, those of the Japanese electronic competitors grew even rapidly, from 67 percent to 86 percent for CTVs and from 36 to 71 percent for VCRs during the same phase. This as a result kept the rivalry deep in the cost-fueled struggled for low-end markets. In the year 1993, three chief Korean manufacturers, Goldstar, Samsung and Daewoo, declared their objective to expand their offshore production quotient from a standard of 20 percent in 1993 to 60 percent by 2000. This paper will focus on how Samsung has managed to maintain its international presence. The firms involved are all components of Samsung Group, an exceedingly diversified multinational. The key electronic manufacturer is Samsung Electronics Co. SEC and its liaison corporations are Samsung Electron-Devices Co. (SED), Samsung Corning Co.(SC) and Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. (SEM). Lee Bung-Chull first incepted Samsung in 1938, and its primary line was trade. The business operation has persisted to be essential, first with imports, and latter export, beginning in the mid 70s. By

The Parable of the Sadhu Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Parable of the Sadhu - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that extensive surveys and research have indicated the requirement of continuous commitment, enforcement, and modeling of leadership along with defined policies of ethical, legal, and sociocultural conduct can reinforce morality and ethics to a large extent. McCoy’s contemplation on the ethical dilemma experienced during his travel to Nepal and the Himalayas, along with a group of travelers belonging to different nationalities and cultures, draws attention to the reasons and causes that influence human behavior during different situations and different places with similar situations. Although organizations attempt, by large, to define expected codes of conduct in ethical, legal and sociocultural perspectives and specific to the nature of the organizational business, in general ethics cannot be defined. As rightly pointed by Dewey, ethics is not confined to only ‘doing the right thing,’ and is a ‘reflective conduct.â €™ McCoy’s dilemma expressed in this narration is also on similar grounds, encompassing different leadership behaviors and reasons shaping these specific behaviors. Based on individual behaviors, the three-dimensional leadership theory was proposed, and each style was defined based on the traits exhibited by the leaders. The 3 leadership styles include autocratic, democratic and Laissez-faire leadership. Applying autocratic leadership style in the context of the abandoned Sadhu in the Himalayas, if one traveler assumed the role of autocratic leader, he could have made decisions on his own as to how best the Sadhu could have been taken care of.

Teenage Suicide in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Teenage Suicide in the Middle East Essay Generally-speaking, from the data available, the teen suicide rate in the Middle East is tremendously low – lower in this region than anywhere in the entire world. Part of this, however, may be due to underreporting. Few nations in the Middle East have actually submitted data to WHO as far as suicide rates are concerned, and those that have are characterized by incredibly low rates. Egypt’s last report to WHO was in 1987: a 0.0 youth suicide rate (15 to 24 year olds), statistically-speaking, with only 3 total suicides (1 male, 2 females). Iran’s last report to WHO came in 1991: a 0.3 youth suicide rate with only 34 total deaths (25 males, 9 females). Jordan reported to WHO in 1979: a 0.0 youth suicide rate, zero total suicides for those between 15 and 24 years old for that entire year. Kuwait’s report is the most recent, as it came to WHO in 2001: a 0.6 youth suicide rate, with 2 total deaths (both males). It’s so intriguing compared to the rest of the globe. If the data that has been submitted is accurate and holds true across the region, it actually wouldn’t be that surprising. The Middle East is one of those difficult-to- decipher regions as far as East or West is concerned. As far as its leaders are concerned, it seems to prefer neither, or at least somewhere in between. Going back to Durkheim, this would be considered a moderate region. Its social integration and regulation are both moderate. Again, as Durkheim said, this would mean low suicide rates; the theory seems to be fit. However, what about the center the Middle East is becoming for radicalism in recent years? It has become a base for religious fundamentalism, led by terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and Hamas. These groups use violence to get their points across and it is beginning to catch the eyes’ of the region’s young people. The terrorists know that teenagers are easiest to recruit – they don’t fully have their lives planned out and many of them become attracted to doing something for a greater cause. These teenagers have grown up learning about violence and how it can be glorified. They have been taught by radicals that being part of a suicide bombing is a noble deed that will gain them everlasting life and the adorned title of ‘martyr.’ The textbooks that children currently use in Afghanistan are filled with violence. The books are â€Å"lavishly illustrated with bombs, landmines, guns, and soldiers and filled with [†¦] jihad and other milita nt Islamic teachings† (Sluzki 3). How ironic it is that these books were given to Afghan schools from the United States, in an attempt to increase children’s interest in waging war against the Soviet Union. Now children read these books and become interested in fighting the United States after hearing the repeated call, often propaganda, from nearby terrorist groups. This is just one example of how â€Å"seeds of violence† as Sluzki put it are being instilled in children’s minds (Sluzki 3). For more instances of violence being portrayed to youth, one need not look further than Palestine. Journalist Kenneth Timmerman wrote a disturbing article about the Palestinian Authority under Yasser Arafat. It was producing music videos, meant to appeal to children and teens, that encouraged the young to become martyrs and kill Israelis. The videos were made out of popular music and aired continuously on television. In one video in particular, a young boy is shown on his way to commit a suicide bombing. He says his goodbyes and sings, â€Å"Mother, do not cry for me.† That very line has appeared in at least three actual suicide notes between May 2001 and December 2002 – those who wrote the notes were between the ages of 14 and 17. This makes it clear that the videos were having an effect on teens. The worst part about the videos is that they glorify the act, make it seem painless, and in every way make it positive, an achievement, a holy and honorable act for the Palestinian people. (Timmerman 35) Another article sheds further light on violence and children in Palestine. According to Eyad Serraj, a psychologist in Gaza, many older children and teenagers view martyrdom in a positive light. Serraj says â€Å"that a poll conducted in the summer of 2003 showed that 36% of 12-year-old boys questioned in Gaza said they believed sacrificing themselves for the Palestinian cause was the best thing they could do with their lives† (Blanche 24). Serraj is not surprised by the find: In their minds, the only model of power and glory is the martyr. Palestinian society glorifies the martyr. They are elevated to the level of saints. In the hopeless and inhuman environment in which they live there is the promise that they will have a better life in heaven †¦ There’s a very big pool of potential martyrs. They’re queuing up, and that happens because hope is diminishing. (Blanche 24) To be fair, not all Middle Easterners are in favor of this trend – using children and teenagers as suicide bombers. Even in Palestine, where the act is being most promoted, it is hearing stern criticism from some. An article elaborates on an incident in March 2004 in which a teen, who was about to commit a suicide bombing, was caught before the act. It has stirred a lot of concern and emotion in Palestine. The 16-year old surrendered at an Israeli checkpoint and was held briefly by Israeli forces. A day later, his mother Tamam Abdo issued a statement: â€Å"No one the age of my son should be used to commit such acts [†¦] Maybe if he was 20, perhaps I could understand. At that age, they know what they are doing.† She said he was nothing more than a misguided teenager. Following the incident, several other Palestinians were interviewed and voiced their anger about the young being used as suicide bombers. Mohammed Zeidal, a college student, said that â€Å"to use someone his age is very, very wrong.† Bassem Eid, head of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, went on the record saying, â€Å"It is really shameful for the Palestinian reputation [†¦] to misuse our children and push them to their death.† This is not to say that all are opposed to such acts – as mentioned earlier, there is support for youth suicide bombings in Palestine –, but it should also be clear that there is some resistance to them as well. (â€Å"Teenagers in Suicide Bombings†) This information about terrorism and suicide bombings is not at all meant to overshadow the earlier data, but it is certainly pertinent in a discussion about teen suicide in the Middle East. Again, it must be reiterated that teen suicide rates are indeed among the lowest in the Middle East of any region in the world – at least according to the data that is available (it is scare for the region). The region serves as a living testament to Durkheim’s theory; it fully supports his belief that more moderately structured societies will have lower suicide rates. Teenage Suicide in East Asia Japan It is not uncommon for Americans to think of Japan as a whole different world. After all, it is on the other side of the globe. The similarities though are striking, thanks to the impact of the Western world. After much resistance, Japan finally opened its nation up for trade with the West in the 1850’s, falling to pressure from the United States. Ever since, Japan has adapted to Western life in many forms. It has seen that for it to compete on the global scale it has little choice but to make changes to its traditional way of life. In the 20th century, Japan blossomed with technological advances and finally put itself on the map. It took up competition with the United States and countries in Europe. This history may not seem relevant, but it is important to understanding the development of teenage suicide in Japan. Ever since being exposed to the West, Japan has felt extreme pressures from the outside world. These pressures have forced its people to fight in an ongoing struggle to be competitive. However, they have also done harm to its people. Japanese teenagers especially grow up being reminded of this need to be the best that they can. Sometimes it can be too much to bare. So why not suicide? Everything can end in one instant. The teen suicide rate in Japan has fluctuated considerably over the course of the last 35 years. According to WHO, the Japanese suicide rate in 1970 for 15 to 19 year olds was 7.8 per 100,000. By 1991, WHO reports that the suicide rate for the very same age group had been cut in half to just 3.8. A 1994 study by Zinn, et al, also alluded to a dropping rate, stating that â€Å"suicide is no longer an honorable act† in Japan (7-11). It adds that â€Å"teenagers (10-19 year olds) made up just over 2% of suicides† in Japan in 1992. However, the most recent reports point to Japan’s suicide rate being on the rise, and that includes teenagers. A BBC News article published in 1999 discounts Zinn’s earlier statement, explaining Japan’s increase in suicides in the mid-to-late 1990’s as a result of its â€Å"deeply ingrained culture that regards suicide as an honourable way to atone for failure and express remorse† (â€Å"World: Asia-Pacific Japan on suicide alert†). The article mentions that from 1997 to 1998 â€Å"junior high school student suicides increased by 40 to 102. At high schools, 220 students took their own lives in 1998, an increase of 51.† Japan’s most recent report to WHO in the year 2000 further supports an increase. The youth suicide rate was reported to have jumped to 11.5, higher than the United States rate of 10.2 for that year. While the most recent data encompasses 19-24 year olds in addition to those 15-19, the increase has been consistent with the rise in other industrialized nations. One particular article of interest, as to explicate possible motives for teen suicide, is â€Å"Bullied to Death in Japan† by Lauren Freedman. The article takes a look at the pressures of teenage boys growing up in Japan in the early to mid 1990’s (recent statistics make it probable that these pressures still hold true today). Bullying is the central focus, something that has become a huge problem in the nation, strikingly similar to what bullying has become in the United States. â€Å"Bullying is an old and widespread problem in Japan,† Freedman writes. Katsuyuki Ogawa, a psychologist in Tokyo, went so far as to say just about everyone will undergo the experience of being bullied. According to Freedman, and many Japanese experts who she refers to in her article, society is to blame. Professor Yaichi Wakai put it very bluntly: â€Å"Japan is a competitive society, and bullying is one distorted phenomenon of that severe competition.† (Freedman 25) Taking this into account and looking again at the history explained earlier, hearing that bullying occurs in Japan is not much of a surprise. The fact that it results in suicide isn’t that shocking either when everything is taken into consideration. So Japan, in fact, isn’t a whole different world. Many Japanese parents are forced to bury their teenagers just as in the United States. Although on the other side of the globe, Japanese instances of teen suicide actually mirror that of America in the ways discussed. China Hong Kong China is immensely different than nearby Japan. It isn’t considered a Western nation. Instead, it is deeply rooted in a tradition and history of its own, which of course has included thinkers like Confucius. It strives for excellence and works together as a people. It has continued along these lines into the new millennium and is widely known for its communist government. In such a place, where the individual isn’t strived for, but rather the collective whole, some may initially think suicide does not exist. But this thinking would be absurd. It is absolutely true that, based on the data available, teenage suicide doesn’t occur in rates as high in China as it does in Western nations, but teenage suicide in China does occur. One of the problems to investigating it is simple: it has not been well documented. The fact that it doesn’t appear to be a widespread problem may attribute to the lack of documentation. It seems that teen suicide in China is sporadic and the cases almost very isolated from each other. In China’s 1999 report to WHO, the nation reported a low 6.9 youth suicide rate – 5.4 for males and 8.6 for females. This comprised 1,541 total deaths in that year, 626 males and 915 females. This is the first occurrence of the female rate being higher, possibly suggesting that the high male rate may be associated with Western nations. The reason for the high female rate in China has not been explained, but it could be due to the fact that males are seen so much more important in Chinese socie ty. The â€Å"one-child† rule in China forces parents to give up their daughters, as they usually want sons. Perhaps, and it is only a theory, many of these girls grow up contemplating suicide and ultimately commit the act. If there was more data available, better sense could be made of these figures. In an article about Chinese suicide ideation, the lack of information is mentioned. â€Å"We could find only one study specifically assessing suicide ideation in a community sample of Chinese young people,† it said. That study, conducted in 1996 by men named Zhang and Jin, compared suicidal thoughts between college students in the United States and China. It found that the idea of suicide between cultures differed in many ways, with religiosity ending up the only definitive reason that both cultures would take suicide into consideration. (Stewart 227-240) This leads to the Hong Kong study, which was published in the article mentioned above. Interesting about Hong Kong is that it has been much more wrapped in Western culture than nearby China. After all, it had been ruled by the British for over a century. Once it began adopting Western ideals, teenage suicide occurred more frequently in Hong Kong. Again, the highest rates of suicide have long been associated with the Western way of life. However, as the study points out, it didn’t experience teen suicides rates quite as high as elsewhere. A probable reason for this is that it held onto at least some of its Asian roots, heavily based on Chinese culture. This makes Hong Kong quite a unique and interesting place when we look at suicide among teenagers. Here is a place that is being tugged by both Western culture and its traditional Eastern culture at the same time. Both influences have remained prevalent, at least to some extent. Even more interesting then – what if we took a look at teenagers in Hong Kong who were born in China, and had emigrated? This is precisely what the â€Å"Suicide Ideation† study addressed. The study took a look at 996 Chinese adolescents living in Hong Kong: 500 male and 496 female. They were asked to complete a survey in school and then conclusions were drawn. A significant difference from the majority of suicides in Western nations was uncovered. It was found that those who were considering suicide were doing so not because of reasons like peer pressure or the media. Instead, and overwhelmingly, the Chinese teenagers said they were doing it because of pressure from their parents. This remained consistent between both males and females too. (Stewart 227-240) Although there are many differences between Japan and China, similar to the former, China strives for excellence among its people. A major difference is Japan does it for the good of the individual where in China i t occurs for the good of society as a whole. Nevertheless, this work ethic, deeply rooted in East Asian tradition, is once again creating pressures. But instead of blaming specific, isolated individuals (as in bullying) for their suicidal thoughts, these Chinese students are pointing to the closest collective item they know and constantly come into contact with – their parents. Their parents, mother and father, are pressuring them to do the best they can for society. They hear it over and over from them. They are not attributing the suicidal thoughts to peers or pressures to be â€Å"cool† for instance, but instead to their elders who they are told to follow in every respect. The difference in their state of mind is significant. (Stewart 227-240) Still, as proven by this study, the thoughts do exist, even among Chinese teenagers – that thought of putting an end to one’s life. Perhaps because they have that support group, that collective society, and are not being singled out by others, is why their actual rates of suicide are low. The thoughts exist among Chinese teens, but it seems fewer actually go t hrough with the action.