Communication Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Communication - Assignment Example Dr. Stern proposes opposite view by advocating the marriage institute. She delivers authentic reports from reliable sources Such as Harris polls report. Both of them are very much accurate in providing factual information about traditional and non-traditional marriages in America. Observation comes under the category of qualitative research whereas inference is more associated with quantitative research. Both of their points have a strong platform of observations and inferences. The observation of Prof. Weiss is presented through the example of Adam & Rachael, a couple living together without marriage. The insurance company denied combined policy to them just because they were not married couple. Weiss advocates the theory of individualism with this example, and further points out the same traditional values applied in changing circumstances. The inference is presented by him with legal system of America, Germany and Netherlands. When Dr. Stern propagates her viewpoints, her arguments also are supported by strong evidences and observations. Through her observations she talks about the adverse effect of domestic partnership of society. She also gives the authentic report of Harris Poll about same sex marriages. (57% Americans are against same sex marriage) First person is Prof. Weiss. His observation is based on the case study of a couple living together without marriage and how the law and social system do not legalize their relationship. Second persons observation is naturalistic which is based on the behavioural pattern of individual in natural context. The arguments propounded by both speakers come under deductive arguments. A deductive argument is intended by the arguer to be valid. It provides an assurance of truth in its conclusion. The conclusion made by the two speakers is very strong which has a strong base of evidences of observations and inferences. Prof. Weiss has an

Panera Bread Business Strategies Essay Example for Free

Panera Bread Business Strategies Essay â€Å"Thirty years ago, Ron Shaich set out to change the world by changing the way America eats. He’s done that with not one, but two successful restaurant brands. By co-founding Au Bon Pain, Co. Inc. and founding Pan-era Bread, Shaich shook up the industry by offering an antithesis to fast food – hand made, artisan food served in warm and welcoming environments by people you can trust. †(KANAI, 2012) This quote describes how Shaich and colleagues started to create their cafe bakery and change the way Americans eat. Pan-era was the first to come out with the calories on the menu board to ensure that Americans were aware of how healthy Pan-era was and the intention to re maim forthcoming about what was in the food we eat. Shaich and his colleagues did not follow the six step process they focused on the four areas food, setting, customers, and the workforce which made sense for capitalism. Shaich also thrived to make sure the customers and employees were well taken care of because they also played a big role in the success of Pan-era and lets not forget to acknowledge the community and their involvement in the success. Conscious Capitalism is an expression of how Shaich has found success in the restaurant industry if the whole society and corporate society would think of themselves as a corporation things would be better for everyone. Shaich is able to offer a word of advice if you were to get involved with conscious capitalism â€Å"Believe in yourself and why you got into it. Believe in those things that attracted you to the industry which makes a big difference in the lives of our guests. (ROMEO, 2012) For many years Pan-era has focused on the principal of conscious capitalism or what they like to call â€Å" enlightened -self interest† in two ways by delivering value to customers, vendors , employees, investors, and the community and to focus on a higher purpose above and beyond short term results. Meaning providing our customers with the artisan bread , delicious and nutritional food on a daily basis. Then Shaich and all his colleagues wanted to know how to challenge conscious capitalism and they figured out somethings that they are already doing like donating the day old bread to homeless.

From James Joyces Stephen Hero to After The Race - Blending Narrator

From James Joyce's Stephen Hero to "After The Race" - Blending Narrator and Character James Joyce's fragment of a novel, Stephen Hero, leaves the reader little room to interpret the text for themselves. The work lacks the narrative distance that Joyce achieves in his later works. Dubliners, a work Joyce was writing concurrently, seemingly employs a drastically different voice. A voice which leaves the reader room to make judgments of their own. Yet it is curious that Joyce could produce these two works at the same time, one that controls the reader so directly, telling not showing , while the other, Dubliners, seems to give the reader the power of final interpretation over the characters it portrays. By changing voice from a narrator who tells the reader to a narrator who shows the reader in Dubliners, Joyce has seemingly relinquished considerable control over his vision of Dublin. However, Joyce's change of narrator yields him alternative forms of authorial sovereignty. In fact, Joyce guides the reader in a much more powerful way in Dubliners; without the reader's knowledge. Through quick shifts in point of view and interjections that seem to be the voice of a character, yet are not directly linked to it, Joyce controls the stories in Dubliners more subtly and with more effect than the bold declarations in Stephen Hero ever do. In her essay "'Oh She's A Nice Lady!'": A Rereading of "A Mother" Jane E. Miller addresses the issue of judgment in the story. Although told in an aloof and anonymous third-person, the narrativeis always shifting, almost imperceptibly, from an objective stance to less neutral observations which, because of their perspective or particular choice of words, appear to be those of Mrs. Kearney. (Miller,... ...f him in the narration. These interjections in "After the Race" are not the complete rupture of objectivity that they are in Stephen Hero. Still, the effect is much the same. They channel the reader rather than tell the reader how to judge. They offer the reader a guide to the reading of "After the Race" in much the same way a legend acts for a map. This is not to say that phrases like this operate in every story of Dubliners as they do here. But in the story "After the Race" they give the reader "important directions for reading" much like the narrative language does in "A Mother". In addition, these phrases seem to be a much more polished version of the blunt preaching Joyce does in Stephen Hero. They operate on the reader subtly, blending the voice of character and narrator to produce a guide to the reading, not a usurpation of, as in Stephen Hero, the text.

African Americans in Pop Culture Essay

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Banning Guns Is Not the Answer: Gun Control Is

Banning Guns Is Not the Answer: Gun Control Is Gun control is and has been a controversial issue for many years. Many American citizens believe that if gun control is strictly enforced it would quickly reduce the threat of crime. Some people believe that gun control is a plot to take away guns. Other People state they would not be able to hunt. Many citizens want to be able to protect their home or family. The Second amendment grants Americans the right to bear arms. Many people believe that with gun control it would be harder for dangerous people to get guns. Gun control may lead to mutual agreement. As an American you have the right to bear arms. But not everyone should have the right to own a gun. In order to clearly understand why some gun control may be the answer it is important to understand the history of gun control. Many gun control activists believe that the solution is simple; ban all guns and there won’t be any crimes committed with guns. This solution seems to be simple and could quickly be implemented. There are a lot of people that know this would never work. Criminals appear to have the association to sleazy persons to get guns. A criminal does not care if the crime he or she is committing is with an illegal weapon or not. The criminal is already committing a crime, having an illegal weapon is not going to encourage or discourage the action of the criminal. A majority of crimes committed with guns are committed with illegally bought firearms. If the law were to ban guns completely the only people that would not have guns are the laws abiding citizens who want to protect themselves. The U. S. Department of Justice reported in 1992 offenders armed with handguns committed a record 931,000 violent crimes. Handgun crimes accounted for about 13% of all violent crimes. From 1987 to 1992 victims reported an annual average of about 341,000 incidents of firearm theft. Enforcing gun banishing is not going to have an effect on the crime rate, because it will not keep criminals from purchasing or stealing weapons. If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Many people say the government is plotting to take away guns. That statement is a chant by extremist. Research found this was opinion only and bore no valid facts. Unfortunately these types of people do get attention. However, one must keep in mind that there are radicals on both sides of the picture. While on group states taking away our guns is a overnment plot, the other group believes these people are plotting to kill Americans. Until the middle of the 20th century, most constitutional scholars held a Collective Rights position. They believed that the Second Amendment only protects the collective right of the states to maintain armed militias. This is regarded as the liberal stance. Conserv ative scholars hold an Individual Rights position. They believe that the Second Amendment also grants an individual's right to own guns as personal, private property, and that many restrictions on buying and carrying guns unconstitutionally impede individual rights. The National Rifle Association (NRA)’s mission is the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights. The NRA also promotes firearm ownership rights marksmanship, firearm safety, the protection of hunting, and self-defense in the United States. The NRA has many supporters (lawyers, politicians, actors †¦) that work to ensure people the right to be able to hunt and that Citizens will be able to protect their home and family. The NRA actively supports the second amendment. The Second amendment grants Americans the right to bear arms. The Second Amendment reads: â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. † There are many lawsuits that have been filed against the second amendment. Not many of the cases against the second amendment have been won. Many key acts have been produced. The history of gun control is important to understand. While many disagree with gun control it is obvious why there is some type of gun control needed. Listed are Acts that have been passed in respect to gun control: †¢In 1934 the â€Å"National Firearms Act† was passed. This law imposed a tax on the sale of machine guns and short-barrel firearms. This law was initiated in reaction to public rage over gangster activity. The main reason for this act was to stop American gangsters who were members of a crime syndicate organizations dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging of liquor and other illegal activities during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s. †¢In 1938 the â€Å"Federal Firearms Act† required licensing of gun dealers. †¢The assassinations of John F. and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr brought political focus on U. S. gun control laws. In 1968 the â€Å"Gun Control Act† expanded laws to include licensing and record-keeping; banned felons and the mentally ill from buying guns; and banned the mail order sale of guns. †¢In 1993 Brady Bill implemented the creation of a system to complete background checks to help prohibit domestic violence. †¢In 1972 â€Å"The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms† was created to oversee federal regulation of guns. †¢1986 the â€Å"Firearms Owners Protection Act† eased some gun sale restrictions, reflecting the growing influence of the NRA under President Reagan. In 1993 the â€Å"Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act requires gun dealers to run background checks on purchasers. This Act establishes a national database of prohibited gun owners. †¢In 1994 the â€Å"Violent Crime Control Act† banned the sale of new assault weapons for ten years. The Act was sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Rep. Carolyn Mc Carthy (D-NY), However, the Republican-led Congress allowed the law expire in 2004. †¢In 2003 the â€Å"Tiahrt Amendment† protects gun dealers and manufacturers from certain lawsuits. †¢In 2007 the National Instant Criminal Background Check System was initiated. Congress was able to close loopholes in the national database after the mass shooting at Virginia Tech University. Banning guns is not the answer. As Americans, our forefathers created the second amendment for a reason. Times have not changed enough that we can completely feel safe in our homes. Many people believe that by banning guns it would be harder for dangerous people to get guns. But the fact is criminals will still be able to acquire guns. Banning of guns, as shown above by the U. S. Department of Justice, would not reduce crime. Hunters do have the right to hunt for food and pleasure. Americans do have the right to protect their home and family. As an American you have the right to bear arms. But not everyone should have the right to own a gun. Gun control, not banning of guns needs to be the answer. Reference: U. S. Department of Justice, http://www. ojp. usdoj. gov/bjs/guns. htm, accessed 29-11-2009. US Liberals, Pros and Cons, http://usliberals. about. com/od/patriotactcivilrights/i/ProConGunLaws. htm, 28-11-2009. National Rifle Association, http://home. nra. org/#/home, 29 11 2009.

Sir Sanford Fleming essays

Sir Sanford Fleming essays Sir Sandford Fleming was born on January 7 , 1827 in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. At the age of only 14 Sandford Fleming was a student learning the trade of engineering and surveying from John Sang. On April 24, 1845 Sandford Fleming at only the age of 17 years immigrated into Upper Canada with his brother and cousin. When they arrived to Upper Canada they settled in Peterborough. Richard Birdsall a surveyor then hired Sanford Fleming. Later on Fleming worked with John Stoughton Dennis another surveyor in Weston, so that he could be recertified to be a surveyor, which was a requirement of the Dominion Government. To help generate income before Fleming got his certificate he made maps of Peterborough, Hamilton, Cobourg, and Toronto. Then in 1851 Fleming invented Canadas first stamp. The stamp, which was, called the Threepenny Beaver. In 1852 the Northern Railroad hired Fleming as an assistant engineer. The Northern Railroad was being built to Georgian Bay from Toronto. Fleming and his boss Cumberland did not really get along to well, and in 1855 Cumberland fired Fleming from the Northern Railroad. In 1863 Fleming was hired to survey a route for the Intercolonial Railway. This railway was to connect the Maritimes with the Province of Canada. Fleming was hired as chief engineer of the Intercolonial Railroad. Fleming remained chief engineer of the Railroad until it was completed in 1876. But during the year of 1871 Fleming was appointed the chief engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The CPR was to go all the way through Canada to the Pacific coast. Fleming thought that it would be ideal if he was to survey the land to the Pacific coast to find a suitable route. Then in 1880 Sir Charles Tupper, who was the minister of railways and canals, dismissed Fleming. Sir Charles Tupper dismissed Fleming due to him being considered a political liability be ...

The Social Brain essays

The Social Brain essays The ability of humans to learn and retain knowledge is an incredible power source and also a dominant characteristic of the human species. The intricate abilities of the mind allow for humans to learn skills and to have the power to control and dominate the world they live in by means of learned behavior. The two cerebral hemispheres of the left and right specialize in motor and sensory skills which specialize the socialy established beliefs and behaviors unique to humans. In writing The Social Brain Michael Gazzaniga proclaims an understanding of the principle of both the right and left brain hemispheres by examining split brain patients. Gazzaniga believes in cognitive dissidence and studies the modularity of the brain structure. The modularity is the independent functional traits that contribute to the skills and tools of language and writing. The contribution of individual modules is evident in the perception of a human belief system and the evolution of the sophisticated civil ized life of a human being. The two cerebral sides of the brain operate with their own selective areas of domination, but depend on eachother for reference, information, and influence which yields continuation of human evolution of increasing brain activities. Michael Gazzaniga writes chronologically as he studies the aspects of a split brain and the distinct behavior that humans have developed unique cognitive styles and the brain modules allow them for infer and differentiate . Gazzaniga believes that the free will of humans allows the species to choose and control their environment. The progress of his studies of the split brain, is by isolating the separate hemispheres to see if one influences the other. The interests of his studies of the effect of the sensory abilities of both the right and left hemisphere takes him around the world. The course of the book covers the studies of a lifetime from an inquiring student about the possibilit...

11 High Paying Jobs That Dont Require a College Degree

11 High Paying Jobs That Dont Require a College Degree we don’t all have the luxury of going straight to college or university after high school. but if you can’t (or shouldn’t, for personal reasons) go to college right away, you don’t have to settle for low-paying work. here are 11 high-paying  jobs that don’t require a college degree.real estate brokeryou will need to acquire a license, but you can apply for your first position with just a high school diploma. you may have to log a lot of evening, weekend, and holiday hours to start, and you might not generate income for a while. but when you get your stride, you can make over $180k per year. it’s a competitive field, and the low range of the salary field is just over $30k per year. but if you have the talent, luck, and dedication, you could thrive.air traffic controllerbecause the job is incredibly stressful and the stakes (and responsibilities) are high, this is a very high paying position. an average of just under $159k annually. thereâ₠¬â„¢s a lot of pre-employment screening to get through, but it pays handsomely.small business ownerif you have the capacity to start your own business, and the wherewithal to get through the difficult early stages (and, importantly, you have a valuable product or service to offer the market), this could be a good option for you. set your own hours, write off many expenses on your taxes, and make as much as you possibly can. the sky’s the limit.fire chiefyou’ll have to work your way through the ranks of this challenging and physically demanding career, but if you’re comfortable with high risk and lots of time away from home, then you could succeed in scaling the ladder to be chief. the salary range is approximately $42k to $119k per year.construction managerif you like working construction, you don’t have to worry about switching careers to something better. construction companies often promote from within. if you truly like the work, you could consider st icking it out and working your way up the ranks to management. expect to make anywhere from $41k to $131k per year.plumberlearn this trade through apprenticeships or technical school. it’s super high demand, and salaries can soar to over six figures very quickly.network/it manageras long as you’re up on the latest technology and talented with gadgets, networks, and computers, you can excel in this field. it’s stable work with good benefits and salaries ranging from $53k to $125k per year.hotel executive chefobviously, you’ll have to start at the bottom and work your way up. you’ll have to deal with impossibly long and grueling hours. but if you have the passion and the talent and can get to the executive level, you can easily make six figures.radiation therapistyou’ll need a two-year associate’s degree or a certificate in radiation therapy, but not a traditional four-year degree. you can make as much as $116 per year.court reporterif you can transcribe 250 words per minute, and spell, and have absolute and precise attention to detail, then you can make anywhere between $29k and $104k. you’ll have to take some training classes in transcription, as well as pass some stringent background checks, but it could well be worth it.pilotif all of these jobs sound good, but just not glamorous enough for you (and you have perfect eyesight), then you might consider becoming a pilot. the average salary is $110k per year, but many pilots, depending on their training, experience, and license, can make over twice that.if you’re willing to work hard and dedicate yourself to excellence in your chosen career, then you can easily make six figures without a traditional degree.

Self reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Self reflection - Essay Example I observed that choosing the appropriate equipment for would care and explaining the necessity of such a task to the patients took a long time but interesting. It is quite helpful to be aware of the determinants of health as far as the 3EB patients are concerned: I spend some time identifying the socio-economic factors that may affect the quality of nursing treatment they received. I also looked at their physical environments and their personality/characteristics in order to determine the appropriate nursing attention that would be of utmost usefulness to them. I worked hard on my communication skill as I gently prodded the patients to voice out their concerns. I was able to achieve some success in this regard because I showed absolute interest in the patients and expressed my willingness to help them by actively listening to their health-related complaints (Thomas & Pollio, 2002). I adjusted my tone to the patients’ so as to win their hearts and trust. In the course of this process, I was able to quickly pass their requirements to other health officials that were directly connected to their treatment. I realized that the individual factors could either hinder or assist the smooth application of clinical treatment on the patients (Thomas & Pollio, 2002). If I have decided to be selfish and uncaring, the patient would be reluctant to communicate with me. But since both the patient and I felt the individual responsibility to communicate meaningfully, it was possible to elicit vital information that would help the patient to recover. I reckoned that the bulk of nursing activities I carried out at 3 EB required that I first of all paid serious attention to the patients’ needs, and then mapped out my solutions to whatever health problems using my mini care plan. This involved collective action from both the patient and I: I was ready to help, and the patient was ready to be submissive to my care. I also learned about the importance of time management and

The Philosophy of Kitsch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Philosophy of Kitsch - Essay Example Kitsch philosophy states that fine art or art is a sole concept. This philosophy does not support the use of fine art or art in physical manifestation. In 18th century, Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher, highlighted the concept of the using fine art for doing physical manifestation. During 1998, the philosophy of Kitsch became very popular and the Kitsch painter gave huge effort in separating art from craft . The art theorists Hermann Broch, Clement Greenberg and Theodor Adorno popularized the word Kitsch from 1930s. These theorists were against the philosophy of Kitsch. The huge popularity of Kitsch philosophy became a threat for the art world. The culture of the art world was getting changed by the philosophy. Various people contradict the philosophy of Kitsch and place their views against the philosophy. The philosophy of Kitsch emphasizes on the antithesis of modern art . The philosophy of Kitsch is related to human nature, senses etc. In the book â€Å"On Kitsch† the philosophy of the author was highlighted by paintings.The philosophy of Kitsch is closely associated with the idea of art in the modern times. Earlier in Greece, the word â€Å"art† means beauty and skill. In the modern era, art became a form of expression thoughts . Kant was considered as most influential person who developed the modern and post modern philosophy of art. The philosopher, Hegel supported the theory of Kant. Earlier it was thought that art must be developed by true man who does not have skills.

Evaluation of legal and ethical impacts on quality and access to Research Paper - 1

Evaluation of legal and ethical impacts on quality and access to patient care in managed care practices - Research Paper Example f both state and federal standards with regards to the healthcare industry and by analyzing the key trends that exist within the industry as a function of seeking to hire or contract legal expertise and advice to the requesting entity (Lynk et al 2008). Such an understanding is useful for the purpose of this proposed research due to the fact that the author hopes that by proving that a verifiable link exists between the level of legal representation within the industry and the level and quality of care provided, the researcher will be able to demonstrably prove that this is a key determinant within healthcare and its overall improvement and offerings to the end consumer; both within specialized fields such as secondary care and elsewhere. Similarly, the second work of scholarship that this brief analysis has chosen to review is that of the National Academy of Sciences, â€Å"Legal Issues in Quality of Care Oversight in the United States: Recent Developments†. As such, the piece seeks to track the level of legal changes that are manifesting themselves throughout the United States while at the same time seeking to analyze how, if at all, these changes are providing for an increase or decrease in the quality of care (Jost 2003). As a means of measuring this, the authors set out to approach the issue from both a legal requirement standpoint as well as one of economic sustainability; much the same as the one which has been utilized in the first article that has been reviewed. It is of course the intention of this author that this piece, as well as the proceeding piece will help to draw specific levels of analysis with regards to the levels that current and past legal obligations and their subsequent implementations within the field of healthcare have affected the quality of care provided. It should be further noted that the authors of these pieces have stated that the economics of further regulation and legal obligations that the current environment necessarily

Employment Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employment Law - Assignment Example Subsequently, these employees had approached the Managing Director, who confirmed their dismissal, without making any further investigations into the case. He approved the dismissal by simply going through the available paper work relating to the issue. Thereafter, the company had received an ETI claim form and ET3 response form from the Employment Tribunal. Several basic and radical changes were effected to the law pertaining to workplace grievance and disciplinary issues, by the Employment Act 2002. These changes were implemented by the Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004, and became effective from 1 October 2004 (Duncan, 2005). The advantage of employing the rules and procedures for addressing disciplinary and grievance issues lies in the fact this promotes fairness and transparency. Such rules and procedures have to be stipulated in a written and unambiguous manner. The development of rules and procedures should involve the employees or their representatives (Code of Practice 1 ACAS Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, 2009). Analysis Under the present statutory provisions, in order to qualify for protection against unfair dismissal, an employee must have completed at least one year of continuous service with the same employer, if he had been appointed prior to 6 April 2012. For those appointed after this date, the qualifying period is 2 years. The sick leave period, holiday period and maternity leave period are also included in the period of service of the employee in the company (Compact Law, 2012). In our present problem, Janice Hall had been working with the company for more than a year. Hence, she is eligible for making a claim of unfair dismissal under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act. However, Kelsey Fields cannot make a claim for unfair dismissal, as she had been working for the company for less than a year. Although, employers are not required to adhere to any statutory disciplinary procedure, the Advisory, Concil iation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures that specify the fundamental principles relating to a fair procedure. An unreasonable failure by an employer to adhere to the provisions of this code can cause the tribunal to enhance the compensation awarded by it to the extent of even 25% (Employment Law Advice, 2011). An employee is entitled to be provided with written notice of dismissal, provided that employee has worked for at least one year in the business establishment of that employer. This is with regard to employees who had commenced work prior to 6 April 2012. However, with regard to employees who had started to work after this date, they should have worked for at least two years (Citizens Advice Guide, 2012). Although Janice had worked for 2 years, no notice of dismissal had been served upon her by the company. This constitutes a gross violation of the statutory fair procedures by the company. At the very least, employers, wh ile addressing disciplinary issues, should carry the required investigations for establishing the facts; convey to the employees the root cause of the problem; conduct a meeting to enable employees to present their case; permit the employee to be accompanied at the meeting; and allow the employee to appeal the decision. In addition, there should be no unreasonable delay and

VARK Learning Styles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

VARK Learning Styles - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  in reference to the VARK scores of the group, it is clear that my ideal and favorite learning techniques include visual and kinesthetic. In the visual assessment, I scored 25% as compared to the group/class score of9%.my kinetic score was 25% as compared to the class score of 21%. The group on the other hand did well on audio and reading techniques. The group/class score in audio assessment was 46% as compared to my 31% score. In audio assessment, the groups cored 24% while I scored 19%. These score differences can be explained through Fleming’s findings.  According to the report  individuals who perform well in the visual assessment are known to prefer assessments or evaluations that include diagram, grids, tables, and pamphlets. Individuals who perform well in Kinesthetic have been observed to prefer assessments that include illustrations, models, laboratory tests, academic expeditions, like to experiment on new things, prefer inc orporation of their own logic and intelligence in learning.  Fleming’s findings showed that individuals who perform when presented with debates, arguments, tutorials, harangues, and dialogues.  These are characteristic of group techniques of erudition. Those individuals who perform well in reading and writing assessments fancy using references in-print, thesis, and instruction booklets, and prefer doing research through the internet.  ... In the visual assessment, I scored 25% as compared to the group/class score of9%.my kinetic score was 25% as compared to the class score of 21%. The group on the other hand did well on audio and reading techniques. The group/class score in audio assessment was 46% as compared to my 31% score. In audio assessment, the groups cored 24% while I scored 19%. These score differences can be explained through Fleming’s findings. Individuals who perform well in the visual assessment are known to prefer assessments or evaluations that include diagram, grids, tables, and pamphlets. Individuals who perform well in Kinesthetic have been observed to prefer assessments that include illustrations, models, laboratory tests, academic expeditions, like to experiment on new things, prefer incorporation of their own logic and intelligence in learning. This explains why I did well in visual and kinesthetic. Results from Fleming’s study showed that individuals who perform when presented with debates, arguments, tutorials, harangues, and dialogues (Fleming and Bauma, 2006). These are characteristic of group techniques of erudition. Those individuals who perform well in reading and writing assessments fancy using references in-print, thesis, and instruction booklets, and prefer doing research through the internet. These techniques are easily and effectively accomplished as a group and that’s why the group performed well. Advantages and disadvantages of the different learning styles The main advantage of visual erudition is the fact that an individual is able to follow and grasp issues promptly. The disadvantage of this technique of learning is that some features and aspects of a certain topic

Employment Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employment Law - Assignment Example Subsequently, these employees had approached the Managing Director, who confirmed their dismissal, without making any further investigations into the case. He approved the dismissal by simply going through the available paper work relating to the issue. Thereafter, the company had received an ETI claim form and ET3 response form from the Employment Tribunal. Several basic and radical changes were effected to the law pertaining to workplace grievance and disciplinary issues, by the Employment Act 2002. These changes were implemented by the Employment Act 2002 (Dispute Resolution) Regulations 2004, and became effective from 1 October 2004 (Duncan, 2005). The advantage of employing the rules and procedures for addressing disciplinary and grievance issues lies in the fact this promotes fairness and transparency. Such rules and procedures have to be stipulated in a written and unambiguous manner. The development of rules and procedures should involve the employees or their representatives (Code of Practice 1 ACAS Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, 2009). Analysis Under the present statutory provisions, in order to qualify for protection against unfair dismissal, an employee must have completed at least one year of continuous service with the same employer, if he had been appointed prior to 6 April 2012. For those appointed after this date, the qualifying period is 2 years. The sick leave period, holiday period and maternity leave period are also included in the period of service of the employee in the company (Compact Law, 2012). In our present problem, Janice Hall had been working with the company for more than a year. Hence, she is eligible for making a claim of unfair dismissal under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act. However, Kelsey Fields cannot make a claim for unfair dismissal, as she had been working for the company for less than a year. Although, employers are not required to adhere to any statutory disciplinary procedure, the Advisory, Concil iation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures that specify the fundamental principles relating to a fair procedure. An unreasonable failure by an employer to adhere to the provisions of this code can cause the tribunal to enhance the compensation awarded by it to the extent of even 25% (Employment Law Advice, 2011). An employee is entitled to be provided with written notice of dismissal, provided that employee has worked for at least one year in the business establishment of that employer. This is with regard to employees who had commenced work prior to 6 April 2012. However, with regard to employees who had started to work after this date, they should have worked for at least two years (Citizens Advice Guide, 2012). Although Janice had worked for 2 years, no notice of dismissal had been served upon her by the company. This constitutes a gross violation of the statutory fair procedures by the company. At the very least, employers, wh ile addressing disciplinary issues, should carry the required investigations for establishing the facts; convey to the employees the root cause of the problem; conduct a meeting to enable employees to present their case; permit the employee to be accompanied at the meeting; and allow the employee to appeal the decision. In addition, there should be no unreasonable delay and

College still matter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

College still matter - Essay Example However, the necessity for college level education in employment has brought with it the dilemma of widening the gap between low, middle and upper class citizens. Those poor people, who have intelligent children, but cannot afford to get them into college, suffer from the disadvantage that their children cannot get into decent workplaces. College education basically points toward the middle class position in society, and hence, necessitating college education for employment would mean that people from middle class and upward are only eligible for good opportunities in employment. The gap may not have increased in middle and upper class citizens, but has definitely increased in lower and other classes because they will not be preferred in employment. Educational institutes may not have a role, but the government definitely has a role in making education available and affordable for all people of society, so that those of low socio-economic status may also be able to avail education an d employment opportunities just the same as other

Christmas - 8th Grade Expository Example Essay Example for Free

Christmas 8th Grade Expository Example Essay â€Å"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style†¦ In the air, there’s a feeling of Christmas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My favorite holiday has always been Christmas. I love everything about it! One of the best things about Christmastime is that we get such a long time off from school. In addition to that, my family flies back home to Pennsylvania in December, so we always get to see snow. We also spend time with family and friends playing games and exchanging gifts, which is always a lot of fun. Of all the holidays, I think Christmas is the best! Towards the end of December, we all really need a break, and Christmas Break comes at just the right time, lasting just over two weeks! It’s so nice to have off from school at a time when there’s great holiday music on the radio and great sales in all the stores. Not to mention the fantastic foods filling my plate as I go to all the holiday get-togethers. I don’t like too many gatherings, though, sometimes I just like to rest. I try to spend most of my time on the long break relaxing and enjoying family. Speaking of family, I get to fly back home to Pennsylvania over Christmas Break to visit my relatives. It is always snowy in Pennsylvania in December, so that’s an exciting part our vacation for my sister and me. We go to my cousins’ house and ride four wheelers in the snow, pulling inner tubes behind them. Our parents usually get some great videos of us playing in the snow. Last year we stayed outside so long in a snowstorm, that our hair was caked with snow by the time we came in! It looked like we had white dreadlocks! It is always so fun having adventures with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents back home in Pennsylvania. In addition to all of our snowy adventures, we also spend lots of time indoors with famil y and friends playing games and exchanging gifts. My grandma buys tons of little gifts – mostly candy and dollar store items, but a few nice things, too – that she wraps up and uses as prizes in a game that the whole family plays. There are about twenty of us sitting around her long dining room table, and we roll dice for about two minutes. Whenever anyone rolls doubles, they get to take a present. When all the presents are gone, but there’s still time on the clock, you get to steal someone else’s present! It’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s the most fun our family has at the holidays. Spending time with all of my family over Christmas Break is a great time that is very special to me†¦and getting little gifts is an added bonus! Just like most people I know, I think Christmas is the best holiday ever! Having such a long time off from school is a much-needed break in the middle of the school year. Because the break is so long, my family can fit in time to fly back home to Pennsylvania to have some fun playing in the snow. The fun continues indoors with family games and gifts, always a highlight of the vacation. This vacation is something I look forward to all year round. Christmas brings me so much happiness†¦just like those Silver Bells. â€Å"Ring-a-ling†¦.Hear them ring†¦ Soon it will be Christmas Day.†

Cost Volume Profit Analysis: Advantages and Disadvantages

Cost Volume Profit Analysis: Advantages and Disadvantages â€Å"Cost Volume Profit Analysis is not appropriate in an environment where companies produce many diverse products†. Cost volume profit analysis is the study of the effects of output volume on revenue, costs and profit (Horngren, Sundem and Stratton). The most common use of cost volume profit analysis is to find break-even point in terms of number of units sold. In its simplest form cost volume profit analysis works for single product companies. But most of the companies produce more than one product. Sales mix is the relative proportion of quantities of different products that comprise total sales. When sales mix changes, break-even point changes and so does the profit. Like any model, cost volume profit analysis is based on certain assumptions. This paper looks at the applicability of the assumptions, especially for a company producing more than one product. Most of the assumptions in cost volume profit model are based on the linearity of cost and sales with units. Major elements impacting cost are sudden increase in fixed costs, gain in worker efficiency and higher bargaining power of the company. Similarly revenues are non-linear because companies give varying discounts to different customers. Assumptions made in cost volume profit analysis: Unit selling price remains constant. This implies that the price of the product or service will not change as sales volume varies. In reality the situation is different as reduced selling prices are normally associated with increased sales volume and this supports the supply-demand hypothesis which states that lowering of price will result in higher sales and vice-versa. It is a common practice in the business world to offer different discounts to different customers based on the volume of purchase and the strategic importance of sale. Companies offer bulk discounts to larger customers. Managers often reduce prices as volume increases to attract more customers. Also stiff competition means selling product at discounts during lean periods or during festive times. Bigger companies producing more than one product have often more than one sales manager and they have their own targets. Each sales manager would adjust his sales volume and price to maximize his products profits and this may not result in ideal sales mix for the whole company. Hence the assumption of constant sales price is rarely applicable in today’s dynamic world. The realistic sales-output relationship is more like a curve than a straight line. And when a company is selling more than one product, the analysis of break-even point under multiple non-linear relationships becomes more difficult. The behavior of costs is linear (straight line) over the relevant range. This implies the following assumptions: Costs can be categorised as fixed or variable. In a large organisation with multi-product it becomes very difficult to organize costs into fixed and variable. Not only there are a large number of costs involved but also there are a large number of cost drivers acting on those costs. Under such circumstances segregating costs into fixed and variable is a very tedious and time consuming job. Unit variable costs are fixed and constant. It is possible that unit variable costs remain fixed under circumstances like where a company produces just one standard product. Most businesses enjoy benefits of economics of scale as their production increases in terms of Higher trade discounts; Better credit and financing terms. The above benefits result in reduction of variable cost per unit with increase in number of units. The assumption of linear variable costs doesn’t hold true in reality and will result in a situation where the relationship between variable cost and output is a non-linear relation (Williamson). Also when a company sells many products, unit variable costs can’t be identified properly and hence not known. It is hard to classify variable cost to each product. As an example, a superstore sells thousands of products at different prices. Calculating break-even point in terms of number of units sold would be meaningless. In such scenarios, companies can use total sales and total variable costs to calculate variable costs as a percentage of total sales. Fixed costs remain fixed over a wide range of activity. Companies, based on their experience and studies, can analyse fixed cost over a range of activity. But it would be improper to assume that fixed costs would remain constant over a wide range of activity. In a multi-product company, different products will take different unit time of various production facilities. A change in sales mix may not be met by existing fixed capacity and involve setting up of further facilities resulting in higher fixed costs. Many times fixed cost has a step change and a particular fixed cost is applicable for a range of production only. Because of sudden change in fixed costs, unit costs can vary a lot just near the step change point. In case of multi product companies, because of change in sales mix, it becomes difficult to access which product has caused the change in fixed costs. The efficiency and productivity of the production process and workers remain constant. Under economics of scale, efficiency of production processes increases with increase in production of units. Higher production levels should result in lower variable cost due to higher productivity. This means that assumption of constant unit variable costs doesn’t hold true when there is a change in productivity and efficiency. It is easier to calculate efficiency gains in a single product business. But for a company involved in multiple products, it becomes difficult to track efficiency gains in each process. In multi-product organizations, the sales mix remains constant over the relevant range. It is hardly a scenario where all products perform as per budget expectations in terms of number of units sold. Let’s first examine the scenario where sales-output relationship is a straight line. If products have different contribution percentages, change in sales mix would change overall contribution. A change in sales mix is now basically a question of working out new contribution to sales ratio which is a weighted average based on the number and contribution percentage of each product sold. Change in sales mix would change the contribution ratio and hence the break-even point. If now sales-output relationship is a non-linear one, it becomes much more difficult to calculate contribution percentage at different sales mix. The use of computer programming has made the task of calculations much easier but managers can miss the learning by just focusing on overall break-even point and profits. Fearon (1960) reasoned that the problem of maintaining a constant product-mix in a multi-product company may not be that serious because of the following main points: Break-even analysis is not just to give exact answer, it is more to throw light on the problem areas for management; Break-even point should be used as approximation and as an area rather than a point; Over time, multi-product companies reach a stable product mix which changes slowly. Hence constant product mix could be a good approximation for such scenarios; and Also if company uses constant margin over the cost for all products, then it is much simpler to use cost volume analysis. For companies adopting this pricing strategy, sales mix is not a complex issue. Ignores the time value of money. Cost volume profit analysis doesn’t take into account the time value of money. All cash flows are taken at face value. In real world, there are differences in timing of cash inflows and outflows. Companies have to pay for buying stock, workers salary, marketing and distribution before they can realize sales. Companies pay interest on any money borrowed to finance their working capital. Companies operating in high margin products can still manage to ignore the time value of money but companies with low-margin products have to take into account interest charges. There is no change in inventory levels at the beginning and end of the period. This is hardly the case as most of the companies have work in progress at the beginning and end of a period. It can be a coincidence that the inventory levels are same at the beginning and end, but very rarely a company would plan inventory levels in such a way so that there is no net change in inventory during a period. The task of managing inventory with multiple products is even more difficult. This is not a major issue as companies do stock taking at the end of a period for financial records. But the change in prices over the period and interest on working capital should be taken into account for proper cost volume profit calculations. Fearon (1960) suggested some techniques to incorporate the product mix in a multi-product company for cost volume profit analysis. Though he suggested five different ways of adopting simple cost volume profit analysis in a multi-product company, he himself wasn’t fully satisfied with any of those solutions. But he mentioned that the sales mix could be approximated to benefit from the cost volume profit analysis. With all its shortcomings and assumptions, cost volume profit analysis can be used to look at the profitability levels. Companies producing multiple products in today’s dynamic world should carry on the analysis with a view to look at the results as an approximation and not the definite answer. Management should use the results to highlight problem areas. CONCLUSION Cost volume profit analysis is a common tool used to find break-even point in terms of number of units sold. Assumptions used in cost volume profit analysis are debatable because of linearity of cost and sales price. In real world, both cost and sales price remain fixed only over a narrow range and are impacted by elements like improvement in worker efficiency, bulk discounts both in purchasing and being offered to clients and competition. When a company produces more than one product, a change in the relative proportion of quantities of different products changes the break-even point and profit. Because of the non-linearity and change in sales mix, cost volume profit analysis will not give a correct answer but could be a good approximation of what levels of production should a company target to break-even or to make certain level of profits. Management should use the analysis to look more at the problem areas and profitability of products rather than finding exact profit numbers. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fearon, H. E. (1960). â€Å"Constant product mix – A limiting assumption in B-E analysis†, National Association of Accountants, NAA Bulletin, July 1960, Pg. 61 Horngren, C.T., G.L. Sundem and W.O. Stratton. â€Å"Introduction to management accounting†. Prentice Hall International, Eleventh edition. Williamson, D. â€Å"Cost Volume Profit Analysis: Its assumptions and their pitfalls†, (http://business.fortunecity.com/discount/29/cvpass.htm), date 21 January 2007

Clinical Genetic Disorder: Beta Thalassemia Essay -- Genetic Blood Dis

John and his wife Mary decided that after 3 years of marriage it was time for them to bring a child into their life. John and Mary lived on the coast of Italy, where the weather was always sunny and warm and the water not but a stone toss away. John and Mary decided that it was the right time, then, 9 months later they conceived a son, they named him Henry. During the first two years of Henry’s life John and Mary noticed abnormalities in Henry’s development. Henry did not gain weight or grow as he was expected to. He also exhibited signs of weakness and fatigue. Henry had always been pale, and this alone was never enough to alarm suspicion; but Henry’s paleness started to shift to a more yellowish tint, and along with these other signs raised enough suspicion to take Henry to the hospital. The doctor took blood from Henry to be tested. After the test result came back the doctor concluded that Henry had an enlarged spleen and liver. He was suffering from a heredit ary disease called beta-thalassemia. John and Mary in complete dismay questioned the doctor as to how their son suffered from a hereditary disease that neither of them suffered from. The doctor informed the grieving parents that both of them must be carriers of the mutated HBB gene. During the conception of Henry, John and Mary must have passed on the mutated recessive gene on: thus with the presence of two mutated recessive HBB genes caused Henry to develop Beta-thalassemia. The doctor continued to explain that the beta-thalassemia causes the beta-globin, a subunit of hemoglobin, to not be produced creating non-functional hemoglobin. Without sufficient hemoglobin, red blood cells do not develop properly, causing a shortage of mature red blood cells. This lack of red bl... .... MedicineNet, "Beta Thalassemia (A Genetic Blood Disorder)." Accessed January 27, 2014.http://www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/diseases/thalassaemia-mediterranean-a nemia-cooley. Palit, Sarmi, Robiul Bhuiyan, Aklima Jannatul, Raju Dash, and Talha Emran. Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy, "A study of the prevalence of thalassemia and its correlation with liver function test in different age and sex group in the Chittagong district of Bangladesh ." Last modified December 31, 2012. Accessed January 30, 2014. http://www.jbclinpharm.org/article.asp?issn=0976-0105;year=2012;volume=3;issue=4;spage=352;epage=357;aulast=Palit. Virtual Medical Centre, "Thalassaemia (Mediterranean anemia; Cooley’s anemia)." Last modified 11 2, 2008. Accessed January 27, 2014. http://www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/diseases/thalassaemia-mediterranean-anemia-coole'ys-anemia/130

Morality in the Bible?

Many speculations and debates had been flourished about the base morality in the bible. The Holy Bible has been there for centuries but still many condemns it by not believing to what is writer. Many take the teachings into their personal interpretation and practice without proper understanding of what they are undertaking. Bible is said to be the base or foundation in solving human morality. It has all the solutions to the chaos and conflicts. Let’s take into account of one controversy: Stated in Leviticus 17: 10-14, â€Å"And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood; neither shall any stranger that so journeth among you eat blood. For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.† This verse explains well how important blood represents in the Bible. Like an example, the blood of Jesus Christ was used as the cleansing of the sins of the world. This believe is of the Christians. â€Å"Is it morally right for blood to be transfused from one person to another? Most religions permit it, but the Jehovah's Witnesses argue that biblical principles properly understood condemn it. Who is right? When the Bible was being written, the technology for transfusing blood didn't exist, so the Bible did not directly address this problem. The same is true of numerous other technologies now available to us. The transplantation of body organs (including even cross-species transplants), artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, genetic mapping, gene splicing–these are all technologies that were developed after the Bible was written, so what is the â€Å"correct† moral position to take on these issues? Through processes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transplantations, a woman in USA gave birth to her own grandchildren. Was it morally right for her to do this? What does the Bible say? Well, of course, the Bible doesn't say anything about this or any of the other technological procedures mentioned above. If we asked a hundred theologians to take their Bibles and resolve the moral dilemmas posed by these technologies, we would find ourselves hopelessly trapped in a maze of confusion when all of their answers were in (Till, Farell).† Many tribes across the world eat blood by including the blood in foods. Some drink it fresh. There are many ways how people intake the blood. What are the differences in blood transfusion and taking it in as food? Will this resolve the problem of moral ethics with regards to the notion of blood as sacred? As we may see, many views to this argument rise. This depends to how a person views this topic and has them believe as to what has been set by the norms. List of References Till, Farell. No Morality without the Bible. 28 Nov. 2003. The Skeptical Review Vol.5 #1. 01 December 2006 ;http://www.infidels.org/library/magazines/tsr/1994/1/1front94.html;. The American Stan

History of Death Penalty in the Philippines Essay

The history of the death penalty was extensively discussed by the Supreme Court in People vs. Echegaray.[1] As early 1886, capital punishment had entered the Philippine legal system through the old Penal Code, which was a modified version of the Spanish Penal Code of 1870. The Revised Penal Code, which was enforced on 1 January 1932, provided for the death penalty in specified crimes under specific circumstances. Under the Revised Penal Code, death is the penalty for the crimes of treason, correspondence with the enemy during times of war, qualified piracy, parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping, rape with homicide or with the use of deadly weapon or by two or more persons resulting in insanity, robbery with homicide, and arson resulting in death. The list of capital offenses lengthened as the legislature responded to the emergencies of the times. In 1941, Commonwealth Act (C.A.) No. 616 added espionage to the list. In the 1950s, at the height of the Huk rebellion, the government enacted Republic Act (R.A.) No. 1700, otherwise known as the Anti-Subversion Law, which carried the death penalty for leaders of the rebellion. From 1971 to 1972, more capital offenses were created by more laws, among them, the Anti-Hijacking Law, the Dangerous Drugs Act, and the Anti-Carnapping Law. During martial law, Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 1866 was enacted penalizing with death, among others, crimes involving homicide committed with an unlicensed firearm. In the aftermath of the 1986 revolution that dismantled the Marcos regime and led to the nullification of the 1973 Constitution, a new constitution was drafted and ratified. The 1987 Constitution provides in Article III, Section 19 (1) that: Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua. Congress passed Republic Act No. 7659 (entitled â€Å"An Act to Impose the Death Penalty on Certain Heinous Crimes, Amending for that Purpose the Revised Penal Code, as Amended, Other Special Penal Laws, and for Other Purposes†), which took effect on 31 December 1993. [edit] Illustrative cases As a result of the abolition of the death penalty, existing penalties for death were reduced to reclusion perpetua, within the possibility of parole. Here are illustrative cases: The case of People of the Philippines vs. Quiachon[3] involves an accused who raped his 8-year old daughter, a deaf-mute. Under Article 266-B of the Revised Penal Code, the imposable penalty should have been death. With the abolition of the Death Penalty, however, the penalty was reduced to reclusion perpetua, without the possibility of parole under the Indeterminate Sentence Law. The case of People of the Philippines vs. Santos[4] involves the rape of a 5-year old child. The accused was meted the penalty of death because rape committed against a ‘child below seven (7) years old’ is a dastardly and repulsive crime which merits no less than the imposition of capital punishment under Article 266-B of the Revised Penal Code. The sentence was also reduced to reclusion perpetua, without the possibility of parole. The case of People vs. Salome[5] involves a rape of a 13-year old girl (who got pregnant), committed in a dwelling and with the aid of a bladed weapon. The imposable penalty should have been death, but with the abolition of the Death Penalty, the Supreme Court reduced the penalty toreclusion perpetua, without the possibility of parole. The case of People of the Philippines vs. Tubongbanua[6] involves the murder of a victim who suffered 18 stab wounds which were all directed to her chest, heart and lungs. Considering the existence of the qualifying circumstance of evident premeditation and the aggravating circumstances of dwelling, and taking advantage of superior strength without any mitigating circumstance, the proper imposable penalty would have been death. However, with the abolition of the death penalty law, the penalty imposed was reclusion perpetua, without the possibility ofparole. http://phbar.org/wikilaw/index.php?title=Death_Penalty_Law (1) Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua. In mid-1987, a bill to seeking to reinstate the death penalty for 15 ‘heinous crimes’ including murder, rebellion and the import or sale of prohibited drugs was submitted in Congress. 1988 In 1988, the military started lobbying for the imposition of the death penalty. Then Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief General Fidel Ramos was prominent among those calling for the reintroduction of the death penalty for rebellion, murder and drug-trafficking. The military campaign for the restoration of the capital punishment was primarily against the CPP-NPA, whose offensives then included urban assassination campaigns. Anti-death penalty groups including Amnesty International opposed the bill, but the House of Representatives voted for restoration by 130 votes to 25. 1989 Three similar bills were put before the Senate. After a bloody 1989 coup, President Aquino certified as urgent one of these bills on the prompting of Ramos. The said bill again proposed death penalty for rebellion, as well as for sedition, subversion and insurrection. 1990 Ramos administration A series of high profile crimes during this period, including the murder of Eileen Sarmenta and Allan Gomez, created public impression that heinous crimes were on the rise. The Ramos administration succeeded in restoring death penalty. 1992 President Fidel Ramos during his first State of the Nation address declared that his administration would regard the restoration of the death penalty a legislative priority, and urged Congress to take speedy action. 1993 Republic Act No. 8177, which mandates that a death sentence shall be carried out through lethal injection, was approved on March 20, 1996. Estrada administration Seven death convicts were executed during the Estrada administration before he announced a moratorium on executions. 1999 Leo Echegaray, 38, was executed by lethal injection on February 5, 1999. He was the first to be executed after the Philippines restored death penalty. It was the Philippine’s first execution in 22 years. Six more men followed within the next 11 months. 2000 On March 24, 2000, Estrada imposed a de facto moratorium in observance of the Christian Jubilee Year. He also granted 108 Executive Clemencies to death convicts. On December 10, 2000, Human Rights Day, Estrada announced that he would commute sentences of all death convicts to life imprisonment. He expressed his desire to certify as urgent a bill seeking a repeal of the Death Penalty Law. Arroyo administration Please see Gloria Arroyo on death penalty–a timeline While the Arroyo administration has been characterized by a flip-flopping stand on death penalty, no death convict has been executed under her watch. Voting separately, the two Houses of Congress on June 6, 2006 repealed the death penalty law. Arroyo signed Republic Act 9346 on June 24, 2006. Section 1. The imposition of the penalty of death is hereby prohibited. Accordingly, Republic Act No. Eight Thousand One Hundred Seventy-Seven (R.A. No. 8177), otherwise known as the Act Designating Death by Lethal Injection is hereby repealed. Republic Act No. Seven Thousand Six Hundred Fifty-Nine (R.A. No. 7659), otherwise known as the Death Penalty Law, and all other laws, executive orders and decrees, insofar as they impose the death penalty are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. Sec. 2. In lieu of the death penalty, the following shall be imposed.(a) the penalty of reclusion perpetua, when the law violated makes use of the nomenclature of the penalties of the Revised Penal Code; or (b) the penalty of life imprisonment, when the law violated does not make use of the nomenclature of the penalties of the Revised Penal Code. Sec. 3. Person convicted of offenses punished with reclusion perpetua, or whose sentences will be reduced to reclusion perpetua, by reason of this Act, shall not be eligible for parole under Act No. 4180, otherwise known as the Indeterminate Sentence Law, as amended.

Movie Review: Gomorrah Essay

The film features five people whose lives are influenced by organized crime. Don Ciro is a fearful middleman who dispenses money to imprisoned gangsters. In a delivery, Ciro is attacked by two gangsters who seek revenge from their traditional affiliate clan. To save his own life, Ciro offers his services to the two gangsters. Ciro explains that he can lure the clan to a trap where they can kill them. The two gangsters attacked the clan headquarters and killed everyone. Ciro is spared. Totois a delivery boy who witnesses drug dealers dump a bag of drugs and guns during a police raid. He takes the bag and returns it to the gang. The gang convinces him to join them. Toto agrees. Toto attends the initiation rites. After which, he is accepted as a member of the gang. At a particular instance, he witnesses one of his gang killed by a drive-by. The gang decides to exact revenge by choosing a particular victim. Maria Nazionale is chosen as the victim because her son joined a rival gang. Salvatore lures Maria to a particular place where she is killed. Roberto is a skilled worker working in a waste management firm. Franco, his immediate boss, illegally dumps toxic wastes in abandoned quarries. In a particular operation, toxic waste is accidentally dispersed on a driver. Instead of saving the driver, his boss hires a group of children to drive the trucks. Roberto resigns from his position in disgust. Pasquale is a skilled tailor who works for a garment factory proprietor (who is associated with the Camorra gang). He accepts a night job at the garment factory. Because the factory is a rival of the Camorra factory, hired gunmen open fire on his car. He escapes the gunning and leaves town for good. Marco and Ciro are teenagers aspiring to be top gangsters. They profit from buy and sell of drugs from African clients. The two infuriates the top bosses who conspire to kill them. Finally, the two are killed in a supposedly disguised operation. Success and Arrogance. Marco and Ciro’s success has infuriated the top mafia bosses in town. Their immediate boss warned them not to engage in rouse behavior in the street. Ignoring the warning, the two steal a set of weapons owned by the Camorra gang. To celebrate their success, the two fire off rounds in the banks of a canal. At a club, the Camorra gang warns them to return the stolen weapons. The two remain arrogant. The bosses try a different strategy. One of the bosses offers them to work for the mob. The boss offers them 10 000 Euros in exchange for the stolen weapons and a murder request. The two immediately accept the offer, not knowing that this is a pre-conceived trap. At the supposed target, the two are gunned down. Success, in this case, is manifested by the following behavior: 1) cheating the Africans of the volume and price of drugs, 2) firing off rounds in the banks of a canal, and 3) accepting the offer of the local boss. ‘Basking in immediate successes,’ the two are confident that they could outwit the local bosses. Indeed, their rouse behavior has infuriated every gangster in town including their immediate boss. Their successes are not sustained by rational speculation. Indeed, the two perceive the offer as an additive to their success, failing to realize that it was a pre-conceived trap. In any case, their successes have left a powerful impression on their egos. Both are confident that success is part of their self-consortium – that failure does not exist within their self-imposed bounds. In reality, this is a prelude to a tragedy. Arrogance is the mirror image of self-reinforced success. Arrogance is manifested by the following behavior: 1) ignoring the warning of their immediate boss, 2) refusing to return the stolen weapons to the Camorra gang, 3) ignoring the threat of the gang, 4) refusing to negotiate with the local bosses, and 5) failing to realize the existence of a trap. The environment of the scene can be described as serene, non-violent, beautiful, and economically prosperous. Yet, behind this aura of calmness lies a great evil. The town is a bastion of organized crime. From a macro perspective, crime organizations have persistent influence on the police, the local government, and the neighborhood. At night, drug dealers roam on the street looking for potential clients. At day, the local bosses engage in illegal transactions. The neighborhood is subservient to these bosses because they offer protection. The police is reluctant to arrest the bosses because of fear. Synchronous Sound. Sound is matched temporarily with the movements occurring in the image, as when dialogue corresponds to lip movements. A case example: when Ciro and Marco are gunned down, the credits rolls down to the song ‘Herculaneum’ (by Massive Attack). The thematic content of the song corresponds to the scene itself. Backlighting. Backlighting is deemphasized because the environment is serene and condescending. Backlighting is essential in scenes where hasty drug transactions are depicted.

Network design and simulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Network design and simulation - Essay Example More importantly, it will be analyzed and properly assess to estimate the cost of networking. Study and recommendations for appropriate networking topology based on physical structure of the building. The advantage and disadvantage of such recommended topology. The works include surveys, cabling, server, workstations and network adapter configurations, installation of switches in strategic locations, operating systems, utilities and application software and commissioning. Installation of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in the Network Server. It is a multipurpose operating system competent of handling a varied set of server roles such as file and print serving functions. In the anticipated expansion it will provide World Wide Web services such as e-mail, terminal, streaming media, remote access and virtual private networking. Dependable, "Windows Server 2003 is the fastest, most reliable, most secure Windows server operating system ever offered by Microsoft. Windows Server 2003"(Microsoft, 2002). It provides IT infrastructure that delivers fundamental value: improved reliability, better availability, and increased scalability. This includes application platforms with built-in traditional application server functionality on top of "extensive operating system capabilities and integrated information worker infrastructure that helps keep business information... This includes application platforms with built-in traditional application server functionality on top of "extensive operating system capabilities and integrated information worker infrastructure that helps keep business information secure and accessible" (Microsoft, 2002). The business will now have a LAN that combines intranets and Internet sites (in the future). This will also increase system security, which is critical in a network. 2. Workstation Operating System Along with the Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, the installation of its Client on every workstation in the network will be implemented. The client also have the same reliability and functionality that would match modern computer applications. 3. Document Processing The installation of Microsoft Office 2003 that includes business solutions such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. A complete package that would enable worker collaboration, file sharing that would increase workers productivity. Question 3: Comparative Traffic Flow Rates (to use the information I send to you by the "Estimating traffic volumes and patterns) Traffic Volume The proposed network will be divided into understandable segments. Using the White Box approach let us identify the 5 segments of the proposed networks with their estimated usage of various applications : (since the network currently do not have remote access, computations will be base on local traffic only) 1. Accounts a. word processing - 50% b. spreadsheets - 90% c. files- 10% 2. Sales a. word processing - 50% b. spreadsheets - 90% c. files - 10% 3. Service a. word processing -20% b. spreadsheets - 20% c. files- 60% 4. Customer Service a. word processing - 70% b. spreadsheets - 20% c. files - 10% 5.

Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Art History - Essay Example Herein, it should be noted that criteria of Claire Bishop, Jacques Rancià ©re, and Willi Bongard will be applied in this paper to assess the position of Tracy Emin. As a matter of fact, various research works have been carried out in order to assess the impact that artists have made on the art market. At the same time, art market has been greatly impacted by demand of quality. It is due to this reason that a number of viewpoints were inhibited to assess and judge art work. Thus, the subjective nature of judgments is further questioned as far as dematerialization of arts is concerned. At this point, Claire Bishop’s criterion rather helps in judging a work to be good in the contemporary arts. Claire Bishop stated that any art work can be considered as good if only it tends to follow roots of aesthetics and it allows enough space that can help one argue and question. In addition, Claire Bishop also marked that a good work creates a hope for development anew. Claire Bishop, who is a well-known curator and art critic, maintains the viewpoint that art rather became a collaborative practice for most of the artist in the beginning of 20th century. It was the era when communism collapsed from the society. At this point, there was little or no difference between art and society itself. The criterion of Claire Bishop notes that there are two significant wings of art revolution. Firstly, it is the painting and sculpture that is being created for the need of art market while on the other hand; there are creative artists of the modern world who are able to undertake radical work. Bishop has been observed to call modern artists to be avante-garde. As per the analysis of Claire Bishop of a good art work, it comes to understanding that an art work needs to be defined within the context of aesthetes. In this case, Tracy Emin can notably regard as a generator of good art. It is because her artistic works

HCM367-0801B-01 The Health Care Organization - Phase 2 Project Essay

HCM367-0801B-01 The Health Care Organization - Phase 2 Project - Essay Example own lovingly as Doc Vinny is well respected and admired by both the board of directors and the other senior leaders of Vitruvian health plan and Vitruvian physician partners. A change in the environment brought along with change in the senior management is always hard to accept at first; however it becomes easy if the change brings out more positive outcomes than negative consequences. Doc Vinny is a very pleasant and affable person, which makes it easier for the patients and the workforce to get along wit him. He seems to be the type that will allow everyone to perform their tasks with their control and allow freedom of decision making but under a strict eye. A lot of success and growth of Vitruvian Health plan can be accredited to his personalized of way of dealing with people. When it comes to being a leader, your human skills are as important as your technical knowledge. Doc Vinny fulfills both criteria at par. As a CFO, I know how important business clients are to this organizat ion; it is not only the patients but people who invest in the company that matter. Dr. Durro’s leadership style appeals to all and he has used his style to make relationships and ties that have helped him to build a several related companies that contributed to his "healthcare for all" philosophy that he has believed in ever since has graduated from medical school. His leadership style is more participative and democratic, which I think in today’s world is the key to success. His leadership style will have a positive impact on the people of VH as well people from VPP as his easygoing nature and people skills will keep the team close to each other. he is capable of creating an open and friendly organizational culture. (Clark, 1997) Doc Vinny, unlike Dr. Montenegro is completely inspired by technology. Dr. Montenegro did not believe in investing in expensive technology and investing in the computer systems. He was used to working with more traditional methods of management. Since

Quitting Smoking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quitting Smoking - Essay Example One of the major reasons for reverting back to smoking is that it has become a source of leisure time for me and an excuse to get outside the house for a breath of fresh air, a walk around the block or to the store. Still, the endeavors of quitting smoking have been a result of the realization of the financial, as well as the health problems related to it. The cost of a cigarette pack may seem trivial to an occasional smoker but the small amount of $7 tends to have a significant effect on the budget of a serious smoker who has greater consumption than an occasional one. Alongside the monetary effect of the addiction, smoking tends to increase one’s chances of getting cancer. It is usually witnessed that some instances prove to be life altering and compel the individual to adopt different paths. One such incident also took place in my life that made me realize that the harmful habit of smoking tends to effect the smoker, as well as the people around him. This notion was realized when I had to face the dilemma of having a 17 year old move into my mother’s house. His transition into my mother’s house not only meant that a teenager was being exposed to smoking all the time, it also brought up the situation in which he wanted me to sponsor his smoking. When this occurrence was revealed to my sister, she was very concerned about her son’s well being and disappointed in me for being an unconstructive influence on her son’s life. After suffering ethical issues and disappointment from my family, I finally took the decision of quitting smoking and trying to relieve myself from its addiction. Alongside making the decision of quitting smoking, I encouraged my nephew to quit too but my nephew turned a deaf ear to all of my reasoning of quitting smoking. My decision also proved to come in between my relationship with him since our common ground of communication had disappeared. Still, I stayed persistent and

The relationship between iron and zinc status and treatment of ADHD Essay

The relationship between iron and zinc status and treatment of ADHD (subject to modification) - Essay Example Diagnosis is therefore rather subjective and obtaining epidemiological data is cumbersome. Co-morbidities are often present and these make diagnosis even more difficult (Rowland, Lesesne et al. 2002). Despite these limitations, there are valid data that suggest that ADHD seems to have a higher rate of occurrence in white children than in black children in the USA (1.7% to 4.4% in 1997) according to treatment records obtained by physicians. (Olfson, Gameroff et al. 2003). Also, the national epidemiological survey in UK showed a lower prevalence of ADHD in black children than in white children (0.4% to 1.6%) (Meltzer, Gatward et al. 2000). There is the postulation that cases of ADHD in black children could possibly have been under-diagnosed in these societies simply because black families possibly lack access to health facilities due to poorer economic status. This argument may not be valid considering that even higher access to facilities by black families have not resulted in increas ed diagnosis of cases of ADHD in them. Moreover, the U.K epidemiological survey cuts across racial and socioeconomic barriers. ... The ADHD Help-Seeking model is a basis of understanding factors that are predictive of service access and utilization, with a view to using such understanding to break the barrier to service utilization in ADHD treatment (Eiraldi, Mazzuca et al. 2006). The model proposes that for effective treatment, there must first be problem identification on the part of the affected, and then the decision to seek help must follow. Also, service selection and service access by the affected are integral parts of the model pathway. It is believed that through its predictive nature, the model will provide answers to various questions regarding disparities in access to healthcare by various ethnic and racial groups. (Eiraldi, Mazzuca et al. 2006). The model however needs to be made stronger by reconstructing it on factors that are less general and are more specific for affected groups, so that individual needs could be more effectively met (Eiraldi, Mazzuca et al. 2006). Cultural influences could play a very significant role in the Teacher and Parent Ratings across cultural divides (Olfson, Gameroff et al. 2003). The prevalence rates for ADHD from 1997-2001 among African American, Hispanic and White children (6-11 years old) were obtained using a National Health Interview Survey. Information was obtained from parents about health and socio-demographic characteristics of their children. Drug therapy history was taken. Again, White children were found to have the highest rate of ADHD than any other ethnic group, though occurrence of learning disability was higher in the African American and Hispanic children. About 1% of Hispanic children were reported to have ADHD without LD, against 4% white children. Compared to white children, the percentage of

Throughout Ken Keseys tremendous novel Essay Example for Free

Throughout Ken Keseys tremendous novel Essay It is another meeting though with McMurphy which causes the most drastic and evident change to Chief Bromdens character. In the midst of a bed time conversation with the Chief, McMurphy gives him a packet of chewing gum, the Chief replies Thank you. The chief then goes on to state this again. This comment from the Chief can be taken in two separate ways; metaphorically the Chief has said thank you to McMurphy, but, on the other hand he has thanked McMurphy for the allowing him to open up and talk and realise that he is not, in fact, insane. As well as that, it also shows how all along McMurphys inclination about the Chief was right. During that night time conversation with McMurphy the Chief talks about how small he is, demonstrating how the combine has affected him. Youre lot bigger, toughern I am. McMurphy then replies, You stand a head tallern any man on the ward. There aint a man here you couldnt turn every way but loose, and thats a fact! The Chief then dismisses this comment No. Im way too little. I used to be big, but not no more. Youre twice the size of me. This repetitive negative, Not no more, illustrates how he feels negative towards himself too, and how broken a man he is due to his time spent in the combine. McMurphy realises that, with the size of the Chief, he could use him to lift the control panel which he hadnt been able to lift at the beginning of the novel. He begins to build up the chiefs morale by complementing him in a descriptive metaphor, giving an image of how life will change for the good, Oh man I tell you, youll have women trippin you and beatin you to the floor. He offers him a free place in his special body-buildin course, and as McMurphy walks down the hall to sign the Chief up for the fishing trip he pulls the covers off him and states Look there, Chief. Haw what did a tell ya? You growed a half foot already. This again is used by McMurphy to build Chief Bromdens self image. Due to the character building of McMurphy and the Chiefs ability to find the cause of his illness he grows into a new man, a man able to be rebellious and able to pull away from the tight grasp which the combine has upon him. This point of rebellion expresses the Chiefs refusal to mop the hall. They stuck a broom out for me to do their work up the hall, I turned around and walked back to the dorm, telling myself, the hell with that. This emphasises the change in Chief Bromdens character as he is now confident enough to refuse duties from the black boys. This alliteration in the description of the boys is used extensively throughout the novel, emphasisng there colour, in 1962 (when it was first published) there was a lot of racism, white people were far more superior, and also their age, showing how even boys are running the institute, telling the white men what to do. But the main change to the Chief is his ability to laugh. I could look down and see myself with the rest of the guys and watch them, us, swinging in laughter. This is an effective use of imagery, as this metaphor emphasises how the Chief has grown mentally stronger as a man, as earlier on in the novel he states, You cant really be strong until you can see the funny side to things. His mental strength is illustrated through his physical strength in the shower room. So I picked him off and threw him in the shower. He was full of tubes; he didnt weigh moren ten or fifteen pounds. Demonstrating how McMurphys plan of making the Chief grow back to his real size is working. The character of Chief Bromden develops even further as when he notices a fog being produced by the combine and refuses to, slip off and hide in it. No never again, as he knows, this time I had them beat, thus emphasising how he has nearly recovered from his sickness. Finally the Chiefs transformation is complete, when McMurphy comes back down to the ward after his lobotomy the chief kills him out of compassion and escapes by throwing the control panel at the screened window. After the lobotomy, McMurphy states that he cannot do things like he used to, hobbled like this, the metaphor highlights that the institute has now got total control over McMurphy, even though he is not literally hobbled, as in cannot walk properly, he cannot think for himself, is a vegetable, he is hobbled. However though, the path the Chief ventures out on after escaping from the hospital is the same as the ill fated dog took earlier on in the novel when chasing a goose as it met the oncoming headlights of a vehicle, thus emphasising the battle between animals and machinery and how machinery will always win. In conclusion Chief Bromdens character develops extensively through out the novel from being a fully fledged member of the chronics to conversing with McMurphy and even going on a fishing trip with the other patients. As the novel develops the Chief grows back to his original size, commits an empathy killing on McMurphy to save him from the life of a chronic and escapes from the grasp of the combine. However, the reader is left in a state of uncertainty at the end of the novel as they are unsure whether the story is being told by the Chief as a free man out with the hospital or if the combine have taken him back into their tight grasp and he is telling the story from recollection to another inmate. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Ken Kesey section.

Estimation Model And Decomposition

Estimation Model And Decomposition In this lecture we introduce project estimation to estimate project resource requirements, time duration, human effort, and cost. We also discuss the models and techniques used in the project estimation. We also discuss the estimation methods such as comparative, top-down, bottom-up (engineering), historical analogy and expert judgment. Then we presented decomposition technique to break down the project into tasks to assist us in estimating the project. We focus on the work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposition method. Learning Outcomes Understand estimation model Understand decomposition technique and planning tools 1.0 Introduction In this lecture we continue discussion of project management in software engineering. We start by introducing the project estimation to estimate project resource requirements, time duration, human effort, and cost. We discuss the models and techniques used in the project estimation. We also discuss the estimation methods such as comparative, top-down, bottom-up (engineering), historical analogy and expert judgment. Then we present decomposition technique to decompose the project into tasks to assist us in estimating the project. We focus on the work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposition method. 2.0 Estimation Model Project estimation is a highly subjective and person-dependent process. A project task could be done in one day by one person but could take a few hours by another person. Hence, different estimates could be given by different persons of the time it takes to perform a task. After actual execution and performing of the task, the time it has taken to be performed is a measured, actual and real time. Accordingly, any time estimate to performing the task that is not close to the actual time is inaccurate. Project estimates are established at early in a project by the software development team and corporation management. These estimates are required for project resources, work to be done, project cost, project schedule, and time to delivery. Project estimates are required during project planning which is a crucial phase of the project lifecycle. Project estimating techniques are available based on metrics accumulated from past similar project experiences. Projects should be estimated in a structured and formal way, otherwise, estimates are inaccurate and projects could be handed in late. Structured and formal project estimation methods that use sound techniques and understanding have the following advantages: They make estimates more accurate They allow the project team to reach a consensus on the estimates They improve the accuracy of those estimates They make it much more likely that projects will come in on time Project planning requires estimates of the: Resource requirements Human effort- in person-months Time project duration- in calendar time Project cost and budget In practice, project history and past experience are often used as a guide in estimating the above values. The estimation usually requires breaking the project into pieces. At early stages in a project the software development team and management team must establish estimates for resources required (human resources, equipment, software, space, tools, etc.), work to be done and time to product delivery. Cost, time, and resource estimating techniques are available based on metrics accumulated from past similar project experiences. Usually, several approaches and methods are used to estimate these values. Then, estimated values that result from different estimation methods are compared. If these values vary widely, then this variance is taken as an indication of the need for more information. Projects could fail due to different causes related to project estimation. For example, the initial estimation of the budget needed for the completion of the project could be too little or too much. This can also be applied to the duration of the project, as some projects fail due to too little time being assigned for completion. As well as this, another factor that leads to project failure is ill planning, where the whole project is not planned out right from the start. Also, the goals and objectives of a project, which are developed at the start of the project may be regularly altered/changed which as a result causes confusion within the workforce. In addition to this, due to technology being a fast-paced industry, the personnel of the project need to stay up-to-date with this rapid change in order to use the correct the technology for the project. Finally, a lack of or ineffective communication between the workforce of the project, regardless of their role and position, can also l ead to broken interactions and project failure. Estimates could be inaccurate due to different reasons including people injury, sickness, or resign. Project development teams could run into unexpected technical problems, etc. Therefore, the objective of estimation is that people in the organization who have the training and knowledge to give an honest, well-informed opinion of the effort (time, cost, resources, etc. ) required to do a task. The uncertainty about the project could be reduced and more accurate estimates could be generated by producing well-documents about the project scope and vision by the organizations management and by reaching a consensus on the tasks that must be performed by the development team members. This consensus could be reached through discussion of assumptions. The following are some project estimation techniques (models): Source Lines of Code (SLOC): Source Lines of Code (SLOC) is the oldest metric for estimating project effort and thus is the primary input of older cost estimation models. The accurate estimation of a software project estimate is based on size of the project to be built. Project size is translated into human effort, time and money. Software Equation: In software equation estimate data is collected for thousands of similar projects and a the estimation model is a software equation as given below: EPM = (L x Sk(1/3) / PP)3 x (1/d4) Where EPM- is the Effort in Person Months L is the number of code Line Sk is the factor of Special sKills PP is the Parameter of Productivity D is the project Duration Using SLOC as input for cost estimation has some disadvantages because estimating the SLOC early in the software development lifecycle can be difficult. Therefore, if the SLOC estimate is inaccurate, the output of the dependant cost estimation model will be inaccurate. Software LIfecycle Management (SLIM): SLIM was developed in the late 1970s. Wideband Delphi: Wideband Delphi is an effective technique in estimating software tasks. Proxy Based Estimating (PROBE): This is an estimation method that looks at the history of a person in terms of components he has built in the past. It states that a person constructing a component that he has previously constructed (or one similar to it) then the amount of effort that will go into building this component will roughly be the same. The Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO): COnstructive COst MOdel (COCOMO) is a software cost and schedule estimating method which was developed in the early 1980s. It was developed through an experiment which involved the analyzing and evaluating of results for 63 software development projects. COCOMO was updated in 1991 for modern development life cycles, in order to accommodate larger sets of data. It is calculated on the basis of 15 cost factors. These factors, sometimes called variables, cover the cost of the software needed, any computer hardware that will be used, and the cost of labor (wages). These are inputted into the model and as a result, an output is arrived at estimating the size and effort that need to be put into the project for it to succeed. The Planning Game: The Planning Game is the software project planning method developed by Extreme Programming (XP). It was developed in the 1990s. It is basically used to manage the negotiation between the development team and the stakeholders (Business customers). Unlike Delphi, PROBE, and COCOMO, the Planning Game does not require a documented description of the scope of the project to be estimated. Rather, it is a full planning process that combines estimation with identifying the scope of the project and the tasks required to complete the software. Estimates use comparative estimate, grass roots estimate, engineering estimate (bottom-up), top-down estimate, historical analogy estimate, expert judgment estimate, models estimate, and/or rules-of-thumb estimate. Typically, estimates are made using some combination of these/some of these estimate methods. These estimate methods are described in the following paragraphs. Comparative estimate: Comparative estimate compares project with past similar projects. One advantages of this method is that estimates are based on actual experience. One disadvantages of this method is that truly similar projects must exist. Engineering estimate (Bottom-up): Engineering Estimate (Bottom-up) assigns different components of the project to individuals to estimate. Then, component estimates are summed to obtain total estimate of the project. Advantages of this method include generation of accurate estimates because of detailed basis for estimate, promotion of individual responsibility, and support of project tracking. Some disadvantages of this method are that the method is time- consuming, detailed data is needed which may not be available, especially before the project starts or early in the project, and integration costs may be disregarded. Top-Down estimate: Top-Down estimate partitions the project into lower level components where life cycle phases begin at highest level. Some advantages of this estimate are that it is more applicable to early project estimates, it considers system level activities, it is faster, and easier to implement. Some disadvantages of this estimate is that it is less accurate than other methods, it tends to overlook lower-level components, and it provides little detail. Historical analogy estimate: Historical analogy estimate is based on using the software size, effort, or cost of a comparable project from the past. The comparison is made using measures or data that has been recorded from completed software projects. Analogical estimates can be made at high levels using total software project size and/or cost for individual Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) categories in the process of developing the main software cost estimate. Expert judgment estimates: Expert judgment estimates specifies that software development team consults with one or more experts. Some advantage of this estimate is that little or no historical data are needed, and it is good for new or unique projects. Some disadvantages of this estimate is that experts tend to be biased, and their knowledge level is sometimes questionable. This is a subjective estimate based upon what the estimator remembers from previous projects and gets modified mentally as deemed appropriate. If the estimator has significant recent experience in both the software domain of the planned project then, expert judgment can be relatively accurate. Model-based estimate: Model-based estimate uses mathematical relationships or parametric cost models. Parametric cost models are empirical relationships derived by using statistical techniques applied to data from similar previous projects. Rules-of-thumb estimate: Rules-of-thumb estimate come in a variety of forms and can be a way of expressing estimates as a simple mathematical relationship (e.g. cost = Lines_of_Code / 10) or as percentage allocations of effort over activities or phases based upon historical data (e.g. coding task is 22% of Total Effort). The popular project estimates approach is to use several methods and compare values. If these values vary widely, then this variance is taken as an indication of the need for more information. Model-based estimates along with high-level analogies are the principal source of estimates in early conceptual stages. At early stages of the project or before it starts, we usually do not have a clear estimates, but as a project matures and the requirements and design are better understood, analogy estimates based upon more detailed functional decompositions become the primary method of estimation, with model-based estimates used as a means of estimate validation or as a correctness check. Whatever method is used, it is most important that the assumptions and formulas are documented to enable more thorough review and to make it easier to revise estimates at completion of the project when assumptions may need to be revised. Expected Value for Software Size is computed as follows: Suppose that: Expected value for estimation variable (size) estimate = S, Weighted Average of Optimistic estimate = (S opt) Most likely estimate (S m) Pessimistic estimate (S pess ) Then, S can be computed as: S = (S opt +4 S m + S pess)/6 The calculation of the effort put in, in terms of persons-month, in a dynamic multi variable model can be defined as follows: Software Equation (E) = [LOC * B0.333/P]3 *(1/t4) Where: E is effort in person-months, t is the duration of the project, B is special skills factor, P is productivity. 2.1 Decomposition Technique Decomposition technique is used to estimate the project as presented in the previous section. After decomposing the entire project into a number of smaller tasks, we make project estimates. It is easier to handle smaller tasks than to handle a very larger project as a whole. So, the entire project (problem) is broken down into number of smaller tasks (problems) and then each smaller problem could be solved easily. Decomposition technique is used as a technique or model for cost and project estimate. It is difficult to estimate the project as one task. Therefore, the project is decomposed into smaller tasks and each task is estimated individually and then the partial estimations of project tasks are added up for the whole project. Decomposition technique is used as a technique or model for cost and project estimate. It is difficult to estimate the project as one task. Therefore, the project is decomposed into smaller tasks and each task is estimated individually and then the partial estimations of project tasks are added up for the whole project. A sound and formal estimate starts with a work breakdown structure (WBS). A WBS is a list of project major phases, deliverables, and work components (tasks) that will be built by the project that, when completed, will produce the final product. These work components/tasks can then be broken down into the activities that are required to build them. The concept of this technique is to break down the work into smaller tasks. Each task can in turn be broken down further. This technique is very useful for the project development team and project management team to become familiar with the scope of the project, identifies work tasks, needed resources, and cost estimation. It also helps to monitor the projects progress. Project managers use the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to estimate projects and make complex projects more manageable. Some advantages of using WBS include: Assists with more accurate project estimation in cost, effort, resources, and schedule Assists with project organization Helps with assigning responsibilities to project development team members. A WBS that is correctly designed allows for the easy assignment of tasks to a specific element of the WBS, cutting down on confusion/duplication of assigned tasks. Shows the control points and project milestones Helps explain the project scope to customers and stakeholders Assist in planning and control of the project Tasks and Subtasks are related to each other in the sequence of project task networks. Project Task networks graphically visualize the tasks/sub-tasks and their relationships. Project Task networks are also known as activity networks. The Work Breakdown Structure is a tree structure. The root of the tree is the whole project and the children of the root are the main tasks at first level of the tree which compose the project. At level 2 of the tree are the sub-tasks of the main tasks of the project at level 1. The rest levels of the tree are constructed similarly. Using the tree structure of the WBS allows the determining of secondary costs for tasks, resources, etc., into their advanced level parent tasks, materials, etc. The WBS is the basis for dividing work into defined tasks from which the, schedule, cost, and labor hour reporting can be established. There are many ways to decompose a project into tasks. Different project break-down ways lead to different estimates. If the generated WBS is incorrect, then the project estimates are wrong and time is wasted in doing the estimates. The project can be broken down by feature, by project phase (requirements tasks, design tasks, programming tasks, QA tasks, etc.), or by some combination of the two. WBS uses similar previous projects history and previous experience of projects that have been developed to generate project t estimates. Large projects are broken into more tasks than smaller projects or they can be broken into larger tasks than smaller projects. WBS, when created, is used by the project team to create an estimate of the effort required to perform each task. The most accurate estimates are those that rely on similar projects history and prior experience. Team members should review previous project results and find how long similar tasks in previous projects took to complete. Sources of delays in the past should be taken into account when making current estimates. The level of granularity of WBS varies depending on the level of abstraction and what information is available. At lower-levels of the WBS, expert judgment is the primary method used, while at higher levels of the WBS model-based estimates are more common. It is not possible to define a task set for the project uniquely. No set of tasks is appropriate for all types of projects. Project breakdown into tasks is dependent on the size of the project, complexities involved in the project, constraints of the projects and the skill set and capabilities of the team members working on the project. Project tasks have to be properly distributed according to the needs of the project deadlines and schedule. To develop a project schedule, a task set must be distributed on the project time line. The project set of tasks is defined based on the category of the project which is dealt with by the development team. Summary In this lecture we introduce project estimation to estimate project resource requirements, time duration, human effort, and cost. We also discuss the models and techniques used in the project estimation. We also discuss the estimation methods such as comparative, top-down, bottom-up (engineering), historical analogy and expert judgment. Then we presented decomposition technique to break down the project into tasks to assist us in estimating the project. We focus on the work breakdown structure (WBS) decomposition method. Exercises Is it possible to create a realistic estimate before the project team has agreed on the technical design for the software? When the team is working together to generate an estimate, should the testers estimate tasks which will be performed by the programmers? List three models of project estimate. What is estimated using project estimate? Describe the objectives of using decomposition technique? List advantages of decomposition technique for company managers. Describe the Source Lines of Code (SLOC) estimation method. List two advantages and two disadvantages of using The Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO). What is the difference between Engineering estimate (Bottom-up) and top-down estimate? Explain decomposition techniques. How do you define a task set for the software project? What are project task networks?