tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024389151352838852024-03-13T14:47:05.793-07:00How to write synthesis essayEssay Topics On Generalizationjenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-20171209217137879272020-08-25T02:58:00.001-07:002020-08-25T02:58:06.610-07:00There is a movement brewing in the United States Free EssaysThere is a development fermenting in the United States to make English the official language of the nation, yet the entire thought appears to be absurd. All things considered, the English and other people who speak Her Majestyââ¬â¢s tongue would be the first to clarify that what Americans talk isn't English. Best case scenario, the official language ought to be American. We will compose a custom paper test on There is a development blending in the United States or on the other hand any comparable subject just for you Request Now à But the discussion proceeds with in any case. That is the reason we should do whatever is important to keep English from being announced the official language of the United States. The discussion focuses on the idea that a country needs an official language to be homogenous and that proclaiming an official language will imply that the administration no longer needs to print records in twelve distinct dialects. Those for the proposition contend that it will likewise mean we no longer need to push one for English. Advocates guarantee it will spare millions and that it will prompt the total of the nation shaping a solitary personality. Adversaries to the proposition contend that we have worked for a long time without an official dialects and that there is basically no motivation to begin with one at this point. They contend that the idea of an official language is supremacist and assaults the non-Anglo residents of the nation. An official language is pointless and ought not be ordered. There is literally nothing to be picked up by proclaiming English the official language of the United States. Additionally, the time has come to recognize that the vast majority of the nations of the world don't have one authority language, they have numerous. Picking English as the official language of the United States supports the xenophobic an.d elitist mentality that Americans have for quite some time been blamed for around the world. Americans need to get familiar with extra dialects, not power others to learn theirs.â The idea that Americans are so haughty as to expect that every other person ought to need to gain proficiency with their language is offending to non-Anglo residents and the remainder of the world also. Another explanation that announcing English the official language of the Untied States is basically off-base is that a noteworthy segment of the American masses doesn't communicate in English or in any event doesn't talk it well. Ongoing evaluations are that soon the Hispanic populace in the United States will make up as much as 25 percent of the all out populace. The greater part of the migrants don't communicate in English as their first language thus at that point expecting them to possibly communicate in English when managing official government reports or calling to lead any kind of business, is annoying and supremacist. Furthermore, in different nations where most of the people communicates in numerous dialects, the nation has more than one authority language.â If the proposition were to make English and Spanish the official dialects of the nation, it would bode well. At long last, the absolute best contention against making English the official language of the United States is that it is totally opposing to the whole history of the country. American history depends on the idea that America is as a mixture, yet that blend was never planned to make every one of us the same.â We should commend our disparities and praise the wide range of societies that make up our nation, do whatever it takes not to crush them all into the equivalent indistinguishable little box. The idea that a nation made up altogether of settlers could then attempt to conclude that the language of one gathering of outsiders was a higher priority than the language of different foreigners is totally opposing to the establishing standards of the nation. It refutes the very hypothesis of opportunity of decision and opportunity to seek after life, freedom and bliss. Advocates of English as the official language state that while a few nations worldwide have two authority dialects, at the present time the United States has none. The absence of an official language implies that administration records must be introduced in a wide range of dialects, adding to the expense of working together. Moreover, may nations around the globe are adding English to their rundown of legitimate dialects since English is the language of business around the globe. In the event that any language approaches be the language of the world, it is English. Maybe in light of the degree of the British Empire and conceivably due to the monetary intensity of English-communicating in dialects, most business exchanges the world over are directed in English. In this way, it bodes well that America would make English its official language. Just on the grounds that a bit of the people has not set aside the effort to get familiar with the language of business, doesn't imply that they ought to be blamed so as to shield the remainder of the nation from gaining ground. The truth is that the majority of the countryââ¬â¢s business is as of now led in English and the reason that individuals have not yet taken in the language is certifiably not a substantial contention for abstaining from having an official language. At last, indeed, America has consistently been the blend and the place that is known for fresh new chances where individuals can carry their way of life and offer it with others. In any case, over the ages, those workers have consistently embraced the language of the land and the traditions that must be adhered to during the time spent absorbing into their new nation. To state that since we are a country of workers we can't have a uniform language is to placed our individual societies over our aggregate culture. It is the ideal opportunity for our way of life to survive and make an American personality. The choice to name an official language stays pointless when it constrains some piece of the American people to feel that the it is an individual insult. While it might be the ideal opportunity for the nation to build up a national character, it ought not need to be done to the detriment of different individuals from the general public. To put it plainly, American should in any case be the place that is known for new chances at life and the individuals who don't communicate in English as their essential language ought not be victimized just on the grounds that they have not yet taken in the language of trade. What's more, actually any individual who has spoken broadly with individuals who talk the Queenââ¬â¢s English realizes that Americans don't talk a similar English as the rest of the world. American and English genuinely are connected dialects, however not the equivalent. It is totally authentic to recognize English as the language of business and trade, however there is no abrogating motivation to make it the official language of the country. What's more, the primary motivation behind why it is pointless is that basically, weââ¬â¢ve managed without it for a long time. Why change things that work? Instructions to refer to There is a development fermenting in the United States, Essay models jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-4490314151197525192020-08-22T03:02:00.001-07:002020-08-22T03:02:03.997-07:00Home Network Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 wordsHome Network - Essay Example The association of the home system will be through an Ethernet kind of system, whereby, I will have a switch that will coordinate the traffic between the connected gadgets. Ideally, there will be an association of the switch to the dial-in the mood for permitting numerous PCs to share a solitary association with the Internet (Crabtree, Mortier, and Rodden, 2012). Another basic required for associating the gadgets to the web is a solid firewall that will shield the home system from assaults by malignant programmers and clients who will degenerate information. Ideally, I will select to utilize a switch that consolidates the Ethernet organize innovation and an equipment firewall. Another fundamental required when setting up the home system is the system switch that will permit the gadgets associated on the home system to discuss successfully with one another through the Ethernet. An inherent switch will do the trick for the switch. I will likewise incorporate a system connect for interfacing the system jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-15082424415101652662020-07-28T02:09:00.001-07:002020-07-28T02:09:03.746-07:00Learning more than just mathLearning more than just math While its easy to think and talk about the incredible academic opportunities at school when youre, well, at school; its decidedly harder to notice them when youre not. This shouldnt surprise anyone, as its much akin to trying to appreciate the shirt your friend is wearing when you havent seen your friend in a while. Being away from the tvte does afford the opportunity to appreciate all the other ways MIT has impacted you though, and following a recent trip (well get to that) Im reminded about the discovery of an entirely unacademic (and some would argue irrational, dangerous, or perhaps even stupid) passion: Rock Climbing. See, in my home town of Pearland TX, the highest point of elevation is probably the light bar on top of someones jacked-up pickup truck. Driving down some stretches of road are so flat, I swear you can see your own taillights in front of you. Climbing as a sport is essentially non-existent because of the distinct and critical lack of things to climb. Out in West Texas, there are a few famous bouldering places like Hueco Tanks, but thats 800 miles from Pearland. In short, you dont climb in TX. Well thats not entirely true, there was a rock gym in Houston that Id been to a few times with some friends for various excursions, but it wasnt that much different than the sort of thing youd find at your local YMCA, which is quite a bit different from what actual climbing is like. Thankfully though, I had just enough exposure at home to find myself not skipping over the climbing PE class one semester here at MIT. It fit into my schedule well, it wasnt too expensive, and it sounded like it would be a lot of fun. (SPOILER: It was). Fast forward to the end of the PE class, and Im buying shoes, filling my amazon wishlist with gear, and climbing at the gym every chance I get. I was hooked. I then discovered that we also had an MIT Outdoors Club that had a bunch of climbers that took trips to do some real climbing, and I hopped on the first one I could out to Rumney in New Hampshire. Then the second one to Quincy Quarries here in Boston. And then the third, the fourth.etc. Why exactly I find myself so enamored with climbing is an excellent question, but it doesnt really matter. I am. At least in part because Im amazed at the mechanical devices and physics that make it possible. Its downright impressive to be able to orient yourself in such a way that you can stand on a dime-edge thick ledge or steady yourself with nothing more than a knuckle in a pocket. Im so fascinated with it all that I did my undergraduate research project for a class on the effects of knot geometry on the tensile failure strength of static rope. Im constantly passing rocks or walls thinking about the ways that you could climb them, foot there, hand here, the whole way up. Which is why when I found myself out in Oregon for the summer, I had one major goal. Climbing out at Smith Rock. Smith Rock is an absolute mecca for my particular favorite flavor of climbing, which is sport. In sport climbing, routes are bolted and as you climb along, you clip your rope to the bolts so that if you fall the bolt will catch you. Arguably the most famous route at Smith Rock (besides the one on the front of a Clif Bar) is anything that makes you ascend a spire known as Monkey Face. Aptly Named. The first time I hiked around and saw it, I knew I had a goal. So this summer, I spent a lot of time training, and gearing up for one last hurrah and I set out to do it. To scale Monkey Face. Here are the photos: My friend Matt (blue helmet) and I at the base. As it happened, we both have the same shoes and wore white shirts. If only he had worn khaki shorts, wed look like a team. We discussed a game plan and laid out the gear wed need. All that was left to do was get climbing. Easy Peasy. Here Im nearly finished with the first pitch (Im the tiny dot near the notch in the mountain. The route we climbed up monkey face was divided into four pitches. A relatively easy scramble up to the notch. A pretty exhaustingly long, but not terribly difficult pitch up to a cave (visible on the top left here), a difficult overhung traverse out the side, and finally an easy scramble up to the peak. The top of that first pitch leads to this pleasantly wide (though it doesnt look like it) ledge that makes for a great belay station. It was wide and solid enough that I thought Id go ahead and take a picture off the top: Those would be my feet, our rope flaked in front of me, and a long way down. The most bizarre part of climbing big walls is seeing birds flying at eye level or beneath you. I dont think Ill ever get used to it. Interesting thing about my shoes, theyre a good 2 sizes smaller than my street shoes. Theyre uncomfortably tight, but theyre so snug and stiff that I can stand on the smallest of ledges, which understandably helps a lot in climbing. Of course, you cant hang out here forever, weve got spires to climb! So up I went: So here I am cleaning our clips (called quickdraws, or just draws) out of the bolts as I make my way up to the cave. It was a long pitch that was complicated by the occasional gust of wind whipping through the notch. But thankfully I made it: The funny thing about looking at these pictures is that it doesnt seem that high while youre climbing. The whole time youre basically pressed up against the wall inching your way along, so you dont really notice the altitude youre gaining. Well, thats mostly true. At one point along this climb, you have to exit the cave at an acute angle, which means you are forced to look down and realize that youre a few thousand feet in the air. Its aptly named Panic Point. Here I am moving through the aforementioned panic point, which is definitely the hardest part of the climb. The overhang makes it tiring on your arms, compounded by the fact that youre tired from just having done the long pitch all the way up. Nevertheless it was the high point, struggling through that moment where you know that if you can just get past here its smooth sailing is nothing short of a rush. From there it was just a short, easy scramble to the top where Matt and I enjoyed the view and had lunch: Not a bad place to grab a bite if I do say so myself. I highly recommend it. Of course, if the pictures dont do it for you, I also made a slideshow with some video that you can check out here: The move out of Panic Point comes along at 1:13, and of course theres the glorious rappel at the end, which is one of the best parts of any long route like this. All in all, it was a hilight of my climbing experiences so far, and I probably wouldnt have discovered it without being here at MIT. Its one of the most amazing and unsung parts of the community here; the breadth and depth of its diversity. If you have a passion, there are probably others here with it, and if youre looking for a new one you can probably find one. Oh and by the way, Im not the only MIT affiliate who also climbs. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-14816993715231534962020-05-22T13:44:00.001-07:002020-05-22T13:44:02.692-07:00Graduation Speech My Career Life Consuming And Stressful... Freshman Composition has been one of the most time-consuming and stressful classes I have ever taken; however, this has helped me develop my writing from mediocre to superior. As I compare my past work with my more recent work, I can see a dramatic difference. My first few assignments were written in the same manner as assignments from my freshman year of high school. Beginning the semester, I had the most trouble with grammar and punctuation, such as: commas, semicolons, and colons. I also had a tough time making my sentences flow together easily, my essays sounded choppy. Also, it was obvious when I was stretching my sentences to make an essay the required length; I no longer need to do that, now I must work on shortening my essays. This portfolio contains assignments completed in this composition class. These will all show evidence of improved writing from this first draft to the final copy. Throughout the portfolio, four essays and three inferior writing assignments will be found. Each of the writings will be in the order of least impressive to most captivating. The first assignment given was an introductory paragraph in which each classmate would introduce themselves and explain what they plan to do throughout this year and after graduation. This paragraph was to serve as a first impression of my writing skills to the instructor and to help me focus on what part of my writing needs to be improved. Missing commas were the most apparent failures of this assignment.Show MoreRelated65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays 2nd Edition 147256 Words à |à 190 Pages2009 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 CONTENTS Acknowledgments Introduction ix xi I. Defining Moment Stacie Hogya Anonymous Anonymous David La Fiura Anonymous Avin Bansal Anonymous Brad Finkbeiner Anonymous 4 7 10 13 17 20 23 26 29 ii. UndergradUate experience John Coleman Maxwell Anderson Lavanya Anantharman Rosita Najmi Faye Iosotaluno Anonymous Rohan Nirody v 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 Contents III. Career aspirations Jason Kreuziger Anonymous James Reinhart Jemine Rewane Anonymous AparRead MoreCase Studies13817 Words à |à 56 Pages ï⠷ What values are at stake? Do some of the values conflict with one another? CASE STUDY #3 Easy on the Wallet or Easy on the Earth: A Case About Ethics in Sourcing By Meghan Skarzynski Fashionforward! is an online auction site where those who have more style than money can bid on designer apparel. The site registers members for $30, who are then allowed to bid on exceptional deals. 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ISBN 978ââ¬â1ââ¬â59158ââ¬â408ââ¬â7 (alk. paper) ISBN 978ââ¬â1ââ¬â59158ââ¬â406ââ¬â3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Library administrationââ¬âUnited States. 2. Information servicesââ¬â United Statesââ¬âManagement. I. Moran, Barbara B. II. Title. Z678.S799 2007 025.1ââ¬âdc22 2007007922 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright à © 2007 by Robert D. Stueart and Barbara B. Moran All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproducedRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words à |à 604 PagesCHAPTER 1 Changing Nature of Human Resource Management After you have read this chapter, you should be able to: ââ" Identify four major HR challenges currently facing organizations and managers. List and define each of the seven major categories of HR activities. Identify the three different roles of HR management. Discuss the three dimensions associated with HR management as a strategic business contributor. 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Limit of LiabilityDisclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness forRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words à |à 1186 Pagesof Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Concepts to Text Topics Chapter 1 Modern Project Management Chapter 8 Scheduling resources and cost 1.2 Project defined 1.3 Project management defined 1.4 Projects and programs (.2) 2.1 The project life cycle (.2.3) App. G.1 The project manager App. G.7 Political and social environments F.1 Integration of project management processes [3.1] 6.5.2 Setting a schedule baseline [8.1.4] 6.5.3.1 Setting a resource schedule 6.5.2.4 Resource leveling 7.2 Setting jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-5043925698943587632020-05-09T06:21:00.001-07:002020-05-09T06:21:02.741-07:00Critical Success Factors Risk Management - 1439 Words The success of any business or project is mostly determined by its Critical Success Factors. The business dictionary defines Critical Success Factors as a range between 3 to 8 items of characteristics, conditions, or variables that have direct and serious impact on the effectiveness, efficiency, and viability of an organization or project (critical success factors, Businessdictionary.com). Critical Success Factors are distinctive to every project and therefore can be different, it is not a one size fit all. Hillson and Simon wrote in chapter 2 of their book Practical Project Risk Management that ââ¬Å"risk management is too important to be left to chanceâ⬠. They write that for it to work, it should be applied consistently and best achieved using a structured that requires a supportive organization, competent people, appropriate supporting infrastructure and a simple scalable and documented process. More importantly, critical success factors are done for two reasons. One, without them, the company stands the risk of not delivering the benefits to the organization. Two, they increase the chances of risk management being effective and successful and ultimately delivering the full benefits to the organization. (Hillson and Simon, pg. 9) Simply put, not applying these factors to a business or project would endanger it from the start. Some of the major issues with Flayton Electronics stem from their not being PCI compliant which is one of the first lines of defense against dataShow MoreRelatedFactors That Influence Risk Levels On The Hospitality Industry1207 Words à |à 5 Pagesanalyse factors that influence risk levels in the hospitality industry. Further to this, recommendations on risk handling will be put forward to lessen these risks. ISO30100 defines risk as the effect of uncertainty on objectives, ISO30100 goes further to say the risk can be positive, negative or a deviation from the expected. 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According to the authors Srivannaboon.S, and Milosevic.Z.D (2005), the alignment of project management with the corporate strategy is critical to achieve the companyââ¬â¢s short term and long term goals. The main objective of project management is to guide the company towards its goals within the set time frame and cost. In todayââ¬â¢s globalization, business leaders are facing many challenges fromRead MoreAnalysis Of Palmers Concrete Limited Liability Company1205 Words à |à 5 Pagescontemporary management technique as a defensive strategy than reactive. Several contemporary management techniques are analytical to this project, Benchmarking, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), and Business Process Improvement (BPI). Contemporary Management Technique: Rationale Benchmarking. 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But like anyRead MoreThe Critical Success Factor Of British Petroleum1562 Words à |à 7 PagesThe image as well as the operational business reputation of a corporation is c ritical to the survivability of the corporation in todayââ¬â¢s business world. Today we will put our focus on one of UKââ¬â¢s largest multinational oils companyââ¬â¢s. In the case with British Petroleum (BP) as it actively explores oil in 26 countries around the world, due to BPââ¬â¢s lack of focus on the safety issues presented in the 2004 Telos Group report coupled with the oversight and control to correct safety hazards, the TexasRead MoreAssessment On Coffeeville Simulated Business Essay841 Words à |à 4 Pagessimulated business 1. Review I have been appointed as Manager of new Lakes Entrance store located in Collins Street. I have been told to present a review report about the store operations and let the CEO stakeholders and management know about operations need to be performed so risks can be eliminated before it becomes the source of any kind of damage to the company. After having insight into the storeââ¬â¢s operations I noticed some of the errors and operations needs to be performed which are written below:- jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-73713299476400092020-05-06T10:05:00.001-07:002020-05-06T10:05:17.867-07:00Macyââ¬â¢s Inc Free Essays There is not an iota of doubt that Macyââ¬â¢s Inc. is still the leading retail store in the United States.à Nevertheless, this business and marketing achievement of the firm is on for a tough competition given the evolving realities in the retail industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Macyââ¬â¢s Inc or any similar topic only for you Order Now Basing alone from the financial report of the company as of February 2008, the big storeââ¬â¢s net income was down by 10.2% or $893 million compared with the previous fiscal year (Mammarella, 2008). The company has to shape up to parry the business strategies thrown before its doors by rivals in the business. One of the business strategies that the firm has an option to embrace is the lucrative and attractive opportunity given by expanding internationally. Since this business maneuver has been applied by the company several years ago, it can exploit this well-proven strategic move by furthering its presence in the international retail arena. Given that Macyââ¬â¢s Inc. has already set up stores in different countries, adding additional stores in several well-placed territory around the globe can boost its sales and opportunity to increase its financial portfolio. The countries where Macyââ¬â¢s Inc. can apply this strategy are the countries of China and Russia. These two countries basically hold a huge number of population which promises bigger consumer market for the big store. In China alone, there are already several cities that are economically growing at an exponential rate. The company can grab this opportunity by setting up stores in these cities considering that in the dynamics of a healthy economic state the purchasing power and surplus cash of the population is certainly high. As a second alternative for the company, it can pursue a joint venture with rival competitor in the market to consolidate its strength in the industry, both at its home base in United States and internationally. The advantage of negotiating for a partnership with another player in the retail market is the promise of higher percentage of cornering the large portion of the sales in the market. In regards to the companyââ¬â¢s dominance at its home base, United States, one business strategies that is being employed right now, through the leadership of the firmââ¬â¢s Chief Marketing Officer Peter Sachse, is to give more focus and attention on the local market (Zmuda, 2008). Since the company is already a Goliath in the industry, it has somehow alienated most of its consumer based. As a reaction to this observation, Macyââ¬â¢s Inc. makes the strategic business move of re-connecting with the local consumers. This deft business maneuver from the perspective of marketing strategy, will guide the company in making a program that ensures advertising campaigns closely reflect the local tastes and needs. A good example of this initiative to focus on local consumers is the marketing and selling of coats. Macyââ¬â¢s can create a sale more of this kind of product in Minneapolis than, say, in Miami. If the high school prom is approaching, the company in turn can run an ad tailored according to this situation. If the local cheerleading squad for example wins the championship, the firm can place ads on TV, newspapers, magazines, and Internet congratulating them (Znuda, 2008). In the end, the big store can reinforced its brand name in the local community. Another alternative for the company is to slow down on its program of building new stores (Ryan, 2008). This business move will enable the company to speed-up ââ¬Å"same-store sales growth.â⬠At the same time, this will reduce the operational expenses of the company since the strategy will free up 2,550 positions. Moreover, this strategy will give a savings of several million dollars from unnecessary expenses. The alternatives business strategies therefore that are open for Macyââ¬â¢s Inc. are to exploit the opportunity of expanding globally, merging with a rival competitor, a more focus on the local market to reinforce its brand name at its home base and the strategy to slow down on setting up stores in order to free it from unnecessary expenses and at the same time give existing stores the opportunity to boost their sales. Bibliography Mammarella, J. (2008). Macyââ¬â¢s to Slow Store Growth, Boost Interaction. Home Textiles Today. à Vol. 29 (8), p20-20 Ryan, F. (2008). Macyââ¬â¢s P.R. not affected by cutbacks. Caribbean Business. Vol. 36 (6), 10-10, Zmuda, N. (2008). Now a Goliath, Macyââ¬â¢s seeks localized focus. Advertising Age. Vol. 79 (12), 3-29 à à à How to cite Macyââ¬â¢s Inc, Essay examples jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-85995341579353004922020-04-28T17:33:00.001-07:002020-04-28T17:33:02.556-07:00The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Changes Between The 1798 Text And The The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner: Changes Between The 1798 Text And The 1817 Text The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Changes and there effect In the 1798 and the 1817 text of the, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, There are certain changes. Changes that effect the poem and the way that the reader sees the poem. Some of these changes include reading devices called glosses. There are many reasons for the glosses to be put into the poem. One of the reasons is to help the reader interpret lines in the poem that can be confusing. These glosses are a brief interpretation of the stanza, so that the reader will understand it the way that Coleridge intended them to. An example of this is: I woke, and we were sailing on As in a gentle weather ?Twas night, calm night, the moon was high: The dead man stand together The gloss reads as follows The supernatural motion is retarded The mariner awakes, and his penance Begins anew (1817; 61) The reader might not understand how to interpret the stanza; they could interpret however they wanted to. Coleridge placed the glosses in so that the reader would understand the Mariner woke up and realized that he had done his penance. These glosses are also there to make the text look more scholarly. It makes the text look a lot neater also. Another change that was made between the 1798 and the 1817 was the spelling. In the 1798 version of the poem the spelling is very old fashion. It makes the reader feel as if the poem was extremely old. In the 1817 text the spelling in the text is much more modern. It seems as if Coleridge was updating the poem to keep up with the times. I believe he wanted to keep people interested in the story so he updated the language to make it easer for people to under stand. Here is an example: The 1798 version: With throat unslack'd, with black lips bak'd Agape they hear'd me call:(1798,38) The 1817 version is written like: With throat unslacked, with black lips baked Agape they heard me call:(1817,39) The spelling in the 1798 text is obviously more of the old fashion way of spelling and grammar. The 1817 text, which was written 19 years later, is of a more modern grammar and spelling. In the 1798 text, the margins are indented every other line. I believe that Coleridge did this to keep the poem flowing. It looks different to somebody who is reading it. It looks more scholarly and old fashion. It almost seems, when a person is reading it, that the poem is being read to a rhythm. In the 1817 text the entire poem is moved over to the left margin. There are no indentations like in the 1798 text. I think that Coleridge possible changed the format of the poem, again, to a more modern format. The new format in the text makes the poem look more neat, and uniform. The 1798 version of the poem is longer than the 1817 version. I think that Coleridge changed the poem in certain places because he possible didn't feel satisfied with the way that he had written it the first time. He might have thought of different ways to tell the story and so he revised it so that the readers can see the story in a different light. The stanzas that he took out did not affect the story in such a way that it changed it, but it did change the story so slightly, that the reader has a different feel for it. I think that all these changes affect the way that the reader sees the story. It keeps it more interesting for the reader. It also may attract a younger group of readers who understand the text better with all the changes. A younger group of readers may not understand the old version, especially with no glosses, so the newer version helps them to interpret the poem easer. Bibliography Work cited page 1) Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner; Complete, Authoritative Text of the 1798 and 1817 Versions with Biographical and historical Contexts, critical History, and essays from contemporary critical perspectives. Ed. Paul H fry, Boston; Bedford/St Martin's; 1999 jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-59111468738377781902020-03-20T04:51:00.001-07:002020-03-20T04:51:02.859-07:00Marketing Research Report Writing TipsMarketing Research Report Writing Tips Marketing Research Report Writing Tips In every career, report writing tips are taught. These teachings or lectures are given in the colleges. The students are given time to learn about the reports, ask questions and after they have passed they now get employed. Here they learn more tips and they even learn how to apply those that they learnt in the colleges. Marketing research report writing tips are mainly important tips that all the students should learn. This is because they need to know how to help the people who have business and they have not learnt about writing the reports. They also need to show those people how to market their products. The students therefore while in school are taught a number of tips about the writing the marketing research reports. Some of them are as follows. The students should be able to capture the readerââ¬â¢s attention by writing a headline that is powerful in the report. A powerful headline will give many people interest to look at the report. Another thing the students should give a good introduction. This way he will be able to communicate whatever he wants to say. Another thing is that the research should be organized. The readers will be able to read the organized work and they will not be able to let their minds wander because the work is organized therefore they are able to follow up the research. The research also should not have mistakes. Therefore when one is writing the research before he presets it he should go through the work so as to remove the mistakes. This is because if the employer finds a mistake in the research he may not be interested in reading the research therefore if you had aimed to help the company then that will not happen. You should not make your report complex. Keep it simple so that you do not make the reader to start wondering what some of the things mean. Let them get the meaning straight forward. Avoid so much repetition of words. Repeating of words will bore the reader therefore the students as well as employees should avoid this. Ensure that the report you write is believable. Do not give the reader a benefit of doubt. When the reader is reading he wants to see how sure you are in the report that you wrote. Therefore ensure that it is believable. In order to keep the attention of the reader as he goes through the report, personalize the report and use the word ââ¬Å"you.â⬠This will keep the reader listening to you as well as keep the reader reading the report. This way especially the employee will have given at list the best report and if he has done a good job then there will likely be a promotion for him. If you need writing assistance you can get Marketing research report help from professional academic writers who are hired by . jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-36081342875741356702020-03-03T20:36:00.001-08:002020-03-03T20:36:02.812-08:00Definition and Examples of Inflectional MorphemeDefinition and Examples of Inflectional Morpheme In English morphology, an inflectional morpheme isà a suffix thats added to a wordà (a noun, verb, adjective or an adverb) to assign a particular grammatical property to that word, such as itsà tense, number, possession, or comparison. Inflectional morphemes in English include theà bound morphemesà -s (or -es); s (or s); -ed; -en; -er; -est; and -ing. These suffixes may even do double- or triple-duty. For example, - s can note possession (in conjunction with an apostrophe in the proper place), can make count nouns plural, or can put a verb in the third-person singular tense. The suffix -ed can make past participles or past-tense verbs.à Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck, authors of Linguistics for Everyone, explainà why theres overlap:à This lack of distinction in form dates back to theà Middle Englishà period (1100ââ¬â1500 CE),à when the more complex inflectional affixes found inà Old Englishà were slowly dropping out of the language.(Wadsworth, 2010) Contrast With Derivational Morphemes Unlike derivational morphemes, inflectional morphemesà do not change the essential meaning or theà grammatical category of a word. Adjectives stay adjectives, nouns remain nouns, and verbs stay verbs. For example, if you add an -s to the noun carrot to show plurality, carrot remains a noun. If you add -ed to the verb walk to show past tense, walked is still a verb. George Yule explains it this way: The difference betweenà derivationalà and inflectional morphemes is worth emphasizing. An inflectional morpheme never changes theà grammatical categoryà of a word. For example, bothà oldà andà olderà are adjectives. Theà -erà inflection here (fromà Old Englishà -ra) simply creates a different version of the adjective. However, a derivational morpheme can change the grammatical category of a word. The verbà teachà becomes the nounà teacherà if we add the derivational morphemeà -erà (from Old Englishà -ere). So, the suffixà -erà inà modern Englishà can be an inflectional morpheme as part of an adjective and also a distinct derivational morpheme as part of a noun. Just because they look the same (-er) doesnt mean they do the same kind of work.à (The Study of Language, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2006) Placement Order When building words with multiple suffixes, there are rules in English that govern which order they go in.à In this example, the suffix is making a word into a comparative: Whenever thereà isà a derivational suffix and an inflectional suffix attached to the same word, they always appear in that order. First the derivational (-er) is attached toà teach, then the inflectional (-s) is added to produceà teachers. (George Yule, The Study of Language, 3rd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2006) Linguistics for Everyone lists additional examples to drive home the point about placement order of the affixes: For example, the wordsà antidisestablishmentarianismà andà uncompartmentalizeà each contain a number of derivational affixes, and any inflectional affixes must occur at the end:à antidisestablishmentarianismsà andà uncompartmentalized. (Kristin Denham and Anne Lobeck. Wadsworth, 2010) The study of this process of forming words is calledà inflectional morphology. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-58861032839090997872020-02-16T12:02:00.001-08:002020-02-16T12:02:02.707-08:00Worlds Leaders Press the United States on Fiscal Crisis ArticleWorlds Leaders Press the United States on Fiscal Crisis - Article Example The paper "Worldââ¬â¢s Leaders Press the United States on Fiscal Crisis" investigates Worldââ¬â¢s Leaders Press the United States on Fiscal Crisis. The countryââ¬â¢s key economic partners, for example, China, are worried about the economic situation in the United States. If the United States would not revise its debt ceiling, the global economy would slow down in terms of growth. This is because the United States is a key consumer of goods produced across the world. It is as well a key supplier of goods. Failure by U.S to review its national debt ceiling would mean that the level of consumption within the economy would go down. In turn, this would adversely affect the economy in terms of the economic growth. Failing to raise the national debt ceiling would lead to the country defaulting on its financial responsibilities i.e. financing the recurrent expenditure. Defaulting would adversely affect the countryââ¬â¢s credit rating. This is because of the fact that the risk ass ociated with the government bonds would go up. Therefore, it would be costly for the economy to borrow in the future. There is a direct relationship between risk and the rate of interest. In other words, when the level of risk goes up, so does the rate of interest. This means that it would be costly for the U.S government to borrow in the future, if it will not review the debt ceiling. The countryââ¬â¢s is one of the leading across the world in terms of the credit rating. This means that other countries are always willing to lend to U.S.... By raising the debt ceiling the country would be able to meet its short-terms financial obligations i.e. payment of wages to its employees. The country may get back to another financial crisis, if it would not review its current debt ceiling. Critique/ analysis It is important for the United States government to review its national debt ceiling. This is not only important in terms of meeting its financial obligations, but also because of the fact that the level of consumption and government expenditure would go up. According to the Keynesian economists, there is a positive relationship between consumption within an economy and economic growth. Therefore, increasing the limit relating to the level of the national debt would substantially contribute towards the growth of the economy. Both consumption and the government expenditure would go up. Through the multiplying effect an increase in government expenditure or consumption, would result in more than proportionate growth in the level of the gross domestic product. On the other hand, if the government would not review its debt ceiling, consumption and government expenditure would go down, and through a multiplying effect, the GDP would go down by more than proportionate. The article focuses on the short-term solution of the national debt crisis. However, it does not focus on the long-term solutions to the crisis. Although it is important for the government to revise the ceiling, this would only be in the short-run. A long-term solution to the U.S. problem would be important to the country because it would prevent the problem from recurring. One of the long-term solutions would be cutting the budget deficit gradually. In other jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-32824618106943180442020-02-02T20:21:00.001-08:002020-02-02T20:21:03.223-08:00Consumer Health Informatics and Privacy Research Paper - 1Consumer Health Informatics and Privacy - Research Paper Example er increasing demands at the healthcare delivery systems, expectations of the beneficiaries), in order to improve efficiency of clinicians and enhance quality of life of the populace on the planet. It is worth mentioning that there are numerous applications of Information Technology in healthcare and each of them is aimed at empowering all or at least one of the following stakeholders: healthcare delivery systems, clinicians and the patients alike. This research throws light two key issues those have been posing challenges for Consumer Health Informatics ââ¬â one of the applications of information technology in healthcare. The research also lists the steps taken to address the challenges being faced by consumer health informatics. Consumer health informatics has been defined as (Eysenbach, 2000) ââ¬Å"the branch of medical informatics that analyses consumers needs for information; studies and implements methods of making information accessible to consumers; and models and integrates consumers preferences into medical information systems.â⬠The domain of consumer health informatics is majorly centered around the general information and advice from clinicians and other paramedical personnel, and this advice pertains to subjects like nutirition, general wellness, disease management, smoking etc. Users of consumer health informatics are not only those who are suffering from various ailments but even those who have been treated and are willing to share their experiences through bulletin boards, discussion forums and modalities of instant messaging, this kind of information sharing forms a two way communication model as this could take place when the users exchange information with the healthcare service prov iders and other users (Kieschnick, Adler, & Jimison, 1996). Social networking tools and modalities are helping the users of consumer health informatics to share information. IT researchers and practitioners have claimed that on one side IT applications jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-3640353504282828122020-01-25T16:45:00.001-08:002020-01-25T16:45:05.715-08:00Review of IT Project Management Practices in the UAEReview of IT Project Management Practices in the UAE A Study on the UAE IT Industry ABSTRACT I keep six honest serving men, (They taught me all I know); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. -Rudyard Kipling This report presents findings of a research project that explored the distinct approaches of UAE-based IT organisations in following different project management practices to deal with their IT projects. Not too much of project management data on UAE IT industry exists today. Therefore it was decided to do a study on it. The research findings are based on a questionnaire survey conducted between July and August 2008 among 200 organisations of UAE. A total of 48 valid responses were received, representing an overall response rate of 24%. The study achieved a primary aim of explanatory and constructivist research, which is to enhance knowledge and understanding of a phenomenon. An emergent-based, general systems approach was adopted for the whole project. General System theory is a holistic and analytical approach to solving complex problems. It recognizes relativity of perception and is a general science of wholeness (Bertalanffy, 1968). The theory was used to break down the whole research technique into various components yet still maintaining the integrity of the research objective. A key finding was the high amount of failure risks that came along with IT projects. In addition, it was found that project management added a lot of value to IT projects and if carried out efficiently it could help avoid the failure risks. A surprise discovery was that although most of the organisations valued project management a lot, they did not have a dedicated Project Management Office (PMO) in place. Further, it was found out that high involvement of external organisations could be one of the factors responsible for the high amount of risks involved with IT projects. It was observed that 25% of the project managers were not aware of the project management maturity levels of their organisations. Project managers seemed to have tough times managing time, cost and risk in IT projects. Also, most of the organisations did not believe in recording the lessons learned and hence knowledge was not transferred to the new projects from the previous ones. Strong indicators probably exist to warrant further research into investigating the basic reasons behind a high percentage of failed IT projects. Further research into the relationship between project management methodology and project success seems warranted on behalf of the indicators provided by the respondents. INTRODUCTION I have not failed. Ive just found 10,000 ways that wont work. -Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) If your project doesnt work, look for the part that you didnt think was important à Arthur Bloch The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. -Albert Einstein (1879-1955) The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency. -Bill Gates The Roman bridges of antiquity were very inefficient structures. By modern standards, they used too much stone, and as a result, far too much labor to build. Over the years we have learned to build bridges more efficiently, using fewer materials and less labor to perform the same task. -Tom Clancy (The Sum of All Fears) In 1986, Alfred Spector, president of Transarc Corporation, stated that bridge building could be compared to software development. He added, The premise: Bridges are usually built on-time, on-budget, and do not collapse. On the other hand, software never comes in on-budget or on-time. Also, it always breaks down. One of the biggest reasons why bridges come in on-time, on-budget and do not collapse is because their designs are extremely detailed. Once the designing phase is over, it is then frozen and the contractor has very little flexibility in changing the specifications. However, in todays fast moving business environment, having a frozen design in place means no changes in the business practices. Therefore efforts must be made to use a more flexible model. This could be and has been used as an explanation for development failure. But beside 3,000 years of experience, there is another difference between software failures and bridge collapses. When a bridge collapses, investigation is carried out and a report is written on the cause of the failure. It is not so in the IT industry where failures are covered up, ignored, and/or rationalized. As a result, the same mistakes are repeated over and over again. According to the Standish Group report, more than $250 billion is spent every year on IT application development of approximately 175,000 projects in the United States. The average cost of a development project for a small company is $434,000; for a medium company, it is $1,331,000; and for a large company, it is $2,322,000. A great number of these projects will fail. IT projects have always known to be in chaos. The research showed that a staggering 31.1% of projects got canceled before they ever got completed. Further results indicated that 52.7% of projects had cost 189% of their original estimates. The cost of these failures and overruns were just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The lost opportunity costs were not measurable, but could easily be in trillions of dollars. The extent of this problem can be realized by looking at example of the City of Denver. The failure to produce reliable software to handle luggage at the new Denver airport was costing the city $1.1 million per day. Based on this research, in 1995 American companies and government agencies spent $81 billion for canceled software projects. These same organisations paid an additional $59 billion for software projects that were completed, but had exceed their original time estimates. Risk is always a factor when pushing the technology envelope, but many of these projects were as ordinary as a driving license database, a new accounting package, or an order entry system. On the success side, the average was only 16.2% for software projects that were completed on-time and on-budget. In the larger companies, the news was even worse: only 9% of their projects came in on-time and on-budget. And, even when these projects were completed, many were no more than a mere shadow of their original specification requirements. Projects completed by the largest American companies had only approximately 42% of the originally-proposed features and functions which goes to show that these projects lacked scope management. Smaller companies fared much better in this aspect. 78.4% of their software projects got deployed with at least 74.2% of their original features and functions. 48% of the IT executives in the research sample felt that there were more failures during that period than those five years ago. But it was also observed that over 50% felt that there were fewer or the same number of failures at that point of time than there were five and ten years ago. So the Standish Group reported an improvement in IT project success rates and claimed that it was due to an increased ability to know when to cancel failing projects. Standish Group Chairman Jim Johnson commented: The real improvement that I saw was in our ability to-in the worlds of Thomas Edison-know when to stop beating a dead horseEdisons key to success was that he failed fairly often; but as he said, he could recognize a dead horse before it started to smellIn information technology we ride dead horses-failing projects-a long time before we give up. But what we are seeing now is that we are able to get off them; able to reduce cost overrun and time overrun. Thats where the major impact came on the success rate. (Cabanis, 1998) There is a new or renewed interest in project management today as the number of projects continues to grow and their complexity continues to rise. As already observed, the success rate of IT projects has more than doubled since 1995, but still only about a third are successful in meeting scope, cost, and time goals. More and more projects and organisations can succeed consistently by adopting a more disciplined approach to managing projects. Research Objectives This study provides first-hand information on success and failure rates of IT projects in the UAE and on distinct approaches and methodologies followed by all different kinds of IT organisations in governing IT projects. It also aims to survey attitudes of organisations towards distinct project management processes like cost management, time management, risk management, etc. and establish a future direction for organisations so that they realize the value of the most significant process groups of project management and do not neglect them in the forthcoming projects. It could be useful in the following four areas : (1) it can be helpful for relevant government departments in preparing strategies for project management in the IT industry; (2) it can promote the awareness of commercial benefits of project management among managers in IT companies of UAE and encourage them to seriously consider project management in their businesses; (3) it can increase the competence and confidence in applying project management by local companies by providing management guidance on the selection and development of project management methodologies; and (4) it can be beneficial to the educational institutions of UAE for teaching and conducting further research on information technology project management. According to the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS), the IT industry consists of three primary sub-sectors : firstly, Technology Software Services, including companies that primarily develop software in various fields such as the Internet, applications, systems, databases management and/or home entertainment, and companies that provide information technology consulting and services, as well as data processing and outsourced services; secondly Technology Hardware Equipment, including manufacturers and distributors of communications equipment, computers and peripherals, electronic equipment and related instruments; and thirdly, Semiconductors Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers. This particular report is confined to the use of project management among the areas of Technology Software Services and Technology Hardware Equipment only. The research was not conducted on the Semiconductors Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers in UAE. Contents of this Report Chapter Two introduces project management and its significance for any business sector. It then demonstrates the rapid growth in adoption of project management in IT projects. This is followed by a synopsis of the UAE market and the UAE IT industry. The chapter ends signifying the impact of project management on the UAE IT industry. Chapter Three expands on the significance of project management as viewed through academic literature. This outlines how project management is known to add value to IT projects and some characteristics observed by organisations that have gone through the process of formalizing project management (Center for Business Practices). Using past works of the last 20 years, it also highlights the most predominant factors responsible for high failures rates of IT projects. This is followed by views of authors on various project management process groups and methodologies. Having discussed not only the pros of project management but also the problems faced during the entire process, Chapter Four is concerned with the research methodology and detailed analysis of the survey conducted. Chapter Five brings out the key survey findings in detail and compares these with the literature surveyed in Chapter Two indicating the extent to which the survey findings break new ground. Chapter Six builds up on the key findings outlined here, their practical implications, and a look towards how this research could be developed. This includes a brief description of limitations of this study and of recommendations on how these limitations could be overcome in subsequent studies. BACKGROUND Project management is the most critical business skill and competency of today that forms the basic building block of a knowledge based company for businesses and professions in oil and gas, petroleum, petrochemicals, chemicals, metal and mining, infrastructures, buildings, IT, Healthcare, Finance, Telecoms, Manufacturing, and many more services and banking industries. Project management was declared to be the best career on earth by the Fortune magazine. Recently, PMI reported that nowadays more and more organisations and government agencies are adopting and making project management a strategic competency. Information systems (IS) and information technologies (IT) are the fastest growing industries in developed and most of the developing countries. Huge amounts of money are still being invested in these industries (Abdel-Hamid Madnick, 1990). Every organisation wants to gain a competitive advantage, maintain it and lead from the front. Hence, there is a corresponding pressure to increase productivity. To maintain a competitive edge in todays fast-changing world, the success of an organisation depends on effectively developing and adopting information systems. According to Zells (1994) and other studies, approximately 85% of IT projects under-taken in the western countries are at the lowest level of capability maturity model (CMM). The challenges at this level are to have project planning, project management, configuration management, and quality assurance in place and have them working effectively. To improve project delivery performance, a number of organisations are adopting project management approaches and setting up project management offices (Barnes, 1991; Butterfield Edwards, 1994; King, 1995; Munns Bjeirmi, 1996; Raz, 1993; Redmond, 1991). Current literature on IT projects shows that most of the IT problems are not technical, they are of management, organisational or behavioral nature. (Johnston, 1995; Martin, 1994; Whitten, 1995). Fishers (1991) survey of technology firms showed that if project management improved, time and cost could be reduced by more than 25% and profits would increase by more than 5%. This has since been validated by using different project management methodologies and analyzing the extent to which these practices can be adopted, based on internal benchmarking by the companies involved in the field trials. The UAE Market the UAE IT Industry UAE has realised the significance of project management in the IT due to its rapid growth in the IT industry. As expected by Business Monitor International (BMI), the total size of the UAE IT market is to increase from around US$3.4bn in 2007 to close to US$4bn in 2012. With IT a key element of the Emirates development, a number of major local and federal government initiatives together with a strong and diversifying economy should ensure continued growth over the forecast period. Meanwhile, the oil-led boom across the Middle East will continue to be a boost to IT and infrastructure spending in the UAE. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) As per the BMI report, the federal government is also encouraging the development of smart cities, another regional trend. In 2007 the government announced that its target of getting 90% of businesses online by the end of the year was likely to be met. Services are becoming an increasingly significant component of many deployment contracts, as evidenced by recent projects by leading UAE corporations such as Emirates Airlines and the local telecom provider Etisalat. Investment is expected to be strongest in the government, financial, and oil and gas verticals. Other key non-oil sectors driving the economy include banking and finance, which are likely to be the single largest industry vertical in terms of IT investments over the forecast period. Real estate has also experienced a massive investment boom in the past five years, and this is expected to continue and grow, with the National Bank of Dubai projecting at least US$50bn in outlays in property development in the emirate by 2010. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) Industry Developments The BMI report states that the UAE federal governments recently announced UAE Strategic Plan calls for a strengthening of e-government programmes. The focus of the programme is to support implementation of programmes at federal government level. The federal government ministries have often lagged behind progress by the leading local governments, particularly Dubai. As such, Dubai government, which has had many of its departments and services online for some time, will lend expertise to the project. However, local government continues to dominate and accounts for around 20% of total IT Services spending. Dubai Municipality announced that it expects to spend anything between US$1.6mn and US$2.2mn per year over the next few years implementing its plan of getting 90% of government services online. It is likely the organisation will spend at least US$2.8mn annually on e-government initiatives. Abu Dhabi is accelerating its efforts to emulate Dubai, led by the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Committee (ADSEIC), a body created in 2005 to develop and drive initiatives to transform government services in the Emirate. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) From the above trend, it can be observed that the number of IT jobs in UAE has gone up by 5000 percent since 2005. This goes to show how rapidly the UAE IT Industry has grown in the past three years and that it is still going strong. Competitive Landscape According to BMI, with government accounting for as much as 40% of IT spending, and e-government programmes alone around half that, vendors are continuing to find opportunities. Recently the Ministry of Development for the Government sector signed a strategic agreement with Microsoft Gulf whereby Microsoft will support federal e-government programmes with training and technical support. Under the agreement Ministries will also use legal Microsoft software. Meanwhile, the leading body for Abu Dhabis e-government programme, the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Committee (ADSIC) signed an Enterprise Licence Agreement with Oracle. The agreement establishes Oracle as a key technology partner and provides for the Abu Dhabi Government to buy Oracle software solutions and support and maintenance services. The continuing growth in PC sales in 2007 in the UAE did not significantly alter the competitive landscape of a market which accounts for approximately 40% of the overall regional PC sales. Today the market remains dominated by international players such as Acer, Dell and HP with the top five brands accounting for more than 50% of the market. Meanwhile, the share held by local assemblers continues to dwindle, due in part to their relative weakness in the growth area of notebooks. However, local assemblers hope that their future will be brighter since UAE-based firms such as Sky Electronics have already been fighting back. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) Hardware The UAE hardware market is estimated at about US$1.4bn in 2007, which shows a 12% growth from US$1.2bn in 2006, and is one of the largest in the region. Much of the growth is due to small and medium enterprise spending, particular on mobile computers, which are expected to account for around 60% of sales over the forecast period. Notebooks are also proving to be popular with the consumer segment, particularly with the introduction of features such as integrated wi-fi, webcam and entertainment features such as HD DVD. Sales of PC notebooks and accessories have been expected to reach more than US$1bn by the end of 2008, while the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the 2007 to 2012 period as a whole is expected to be in the region of 8%. Current and future investments in education and e-government, fuelled by new oil revenues, will lead to desktop rollouts in schools, colleges and government offices across the Emirates. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) Software BMI estimates that the UAEs software spending will pass US$400mn in 2008, representing around 17% of the IT expenditure. CAGR for spending on packaged software is put at 10% over the 2007 to 2012 period, with the UAE being of the regions fastest-growing ERP markets, as more businesses realise the benefits of efficient management of resources within their internal processes. The UAE also has one of the regions lowest software piracy rates at just 35% according to the Business Software Association (BSA), which has praised the UAE government and Ministry of Economy for its efforts in promoting anti-piracy initiatives. The government has combated illegal software in a number of ways, both through anti-piracy legislation and enforcement measures. Customer relationship management (CRM) will be one of the growth areas with fewer than 2% of small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Middle East region having a specialised CRM application in place. BMI predicts plenty of room for growth in the forecast period as numerous untapped sub-sectors still exist. Key verticals include process manufacturing (mainly oil and gas), followed by the financial services industry. Two other key segments are the telecom and the public sectors. During the next five years high-growth categories are set to include CRM, enterprise resource planning (ERP) business intelligence, s torage and security products. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) IT Services BMI expects that the IT Services market will reach a value of more than US$1,003mn by 2012, with outsourcing accounting for an increasingly large portion of up to 25%. IT services revenues compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the 2006 to 2012 period is expected to be 10%, encouraging vendors to shift their focus away from simply shifting boxes. Services are becoming an increasingly significant component of many deployment contracts, as evidenced by recent projects by leading UAE corporations such as Emirates Airlines and Etisalat. Outsourcing is also predicted to be a growing trend, with recent landmark outsourcing deals awarded by entities such as the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA)and civil service departments. Global vendors such as IBM Global Services are competing for its business with local companies such as Injazat Data Systems, which with its good government connections has grown to be a major force in the market, reporting BPO deals with 13 leading priva te and public organisations. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) E-Readiness The recent Global Information Technology report sponsored by Cisco noted the UAEs success in creating a good ICT environment by placing it top of the rankings for 122 countries. The survey, which looks at the preference of countries to leverage the opportunities offered by ICT for development and increased competitiveness, praised the UAEs good regulatory environment, and clear government leadership in leveraging IT and promoting its use. According to the report, ICT has empowered individuals and revolutionised the business and economic landscape while fostering social networks and companies. Overall internet penetration in the UAE was estimated at close to 40% by the end of 2006, far above the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) average, reflecting the UAEs status as one of the most advanced IT countries in the middle-east. Broadband penetration is around 10% and is expected to rise 60% over the forecast period. In terms of e-government development, additional new phases to be introduced in the project last year (as mentioned in the Industry Developments section) include e-portal, e-project, the HR Management System (HRMS) and the Financial Management Integration System (FMIS) projects. The e-government High Committee has expressed satisfaction with the progress made on implementation of the e-government initiative to date. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) Impact of Project Management on the UAE IT Industry Project management has already had a significant impact on IT organisations in UAE and much more dramatic effects are anticipated for the years to come. Greater attention needs to be paid to the interaction of information technology with business methods, work patterns, employees and organisational culture. It was observed that not too much of research work has been carried out on project management in the IT industry of UAE and this is the precise reason why this study was conducted on the UAE market. LITERATURE REVIEW If we built houses the way we build software, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization. John J. Hamre, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Phillips (2004) states that IT project management could be as as exciting as a white water rafting excursion or as painful as a root canal. In addition, Anthes (2008) points out that IT project management has always earned a high ranking on the annual list of IT managers worries, but in the first-half of the 2008 Vital Signs survey, it took the No. 1 spot. In other words, the process is all about efficiently handling the complexities that come along with IT projects, right from the word go. The study aims to investigate on how difficult it is for organisations to manage IT projects efficiently. Richardson et al. (2006) claims that project failure is based not only on economic criteria but also on requirements, cost and time parameters. He builds up his reasoning by citing examples of the following project surveys : The Robbins-Gioia Survey (2001) The Conference Board Survey (2001) The KPMG Canada Survey (1997) The Chaos Report (1995) According to IT Cortex (2004), the results of these surveys showed that most of the organisations suffered from high project failure rates and that they heavily exceeded the time and budget constraints. Similarly, Schwalbe (2007) reports that IT projects come along with high failure risks. He defends his thoughts with a study which was conducted by the Standish Group (CHAOS) in 1995. In the survey it was found that only 16.2% of IT projects were successful and over 31% were cancelled before completion, costing over US$81 billion in the US alone. However, when the CHAOS study was conducted again in 2001, the results showed improvements in all areas but still only 28% of IT projects succeeded. The 2001 Standish Group report findings as compared to those of the 1995 report were as follows : Time overruns significantly decreased from 222% to 163% Cost overruns were down from 189% to 145% Required features and functions were up from 61% to 67% Successful IT projects rose from to 16% to 28% One of the objectives of this report is to carry out similar work on finding the failure rates of IT projects but on the UAE market, one on which not much research has been carried out till date. In many previous studies, project failures due to time delay, cost overrun, and abandonment of IT projects have been widely reported (Bailey, 1996; Gibbs, 1994; Lucas, 1995; Martin, 1994; Ward, 1994). In other industries, causes of project failures are investigated and reports written, but in the IT industry their causes are either covered up or ignored. As a consequence, the IT industry keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again (Johnston, 1995). This report takes this a step further by observing what percentage of IT organisations in UAE believe in maintaining project reports and lessons learned logs for their subsequent projects. In many previous studies, the most commonly reported causes of IT project failure were traced out. They were as follows (based on a content analysis of the cited literature): Misunderstood requirements (business, technical, and social) (King, 1995; Lane, Palko, Cronan, 1994; Lavence, 1996); Optimistic schedules and budgets (Martin, 1994); Inadequate risk assessment and management (Johnston, 1995); Inconsistent standards and lack of training in project management (Jones, 1994; OConner Reinsborough, 1992; Phan, Vogel, Nunamaker, 1995); Management of resources (people more than hardware and technology) (Johnston, 1995; Martin, 1994; Ward, 1994); Unclear charter for a project (Lavence, 1996); Lack of communication (Demery, 1995; Gioia, 1996; Hartman, 2000; Walsh Kanter, 1988). On the other hand, Karten studies reasons for failure by compiling a list of ten ways that can guarantee project failure : Abbreviate the planning process Dont ask what if? Minimize customer involvement Select team members by seeing who is available regardless of skill Work people long and hard Dont inform management of problems Allow changes at any point Discourage questions from team members Dont give customers progress reports Dont compare project progress with project estimates However, this survey goes a bit deeper and also explores the role of project management methodologies and process groups in helping deliver successful projects. The project management frameworks which are rapidly gaining recognition are ITIL, PMBOK and PRINCE2 (Phillips, 2004). Although Leuenberger (2007) considers ITIL to be one of the worlds best ways to align IT with business objectives, he also claims that his research conducted through IDC shows points out that 60% of mid-sized businesses in Australia either are unaware of, or have no plans to implement ITIL and also that on a global scale, only 20% of the mid-market companies are currently using ITIL. In contrast to ITIL, PMI claims that it has grown to become the most widely recognized and the only global certification for the project management profession with more than 260,000 members in over 171 countries. The survey aims to study the UAE IT industry and clarify such claims made by authors and institutes so that the growth of IT project governance methodologies can in an IT industry of a booming economy can be analyzed. Bainey (2004) states that so many IT projects tend to go over budget, run behind schedule, and deliver products or services poor in quality due to the negligence of integration, consistency and standardization. The report builds up on this by going ahead and investigating the significance of integration management for project managers. Harris (2005) asserts that it is high time that the PMO function is placed in its proper organisational alignment. He believes that not only can it combine the corporate planning process with effective delivery of products and services but also provide external clients with traditional client services for the enterprise as a whole or for respective enterprise business unit Review of IT Project Management Practices in the UAE Review of IT Project Management Practices in the UAE A Study on the UAE IT Industry ABSTRACT I keep six honest serving men, (They taught me all I know); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. -Rudyard Kipling This report presents findings of a research project that explored the distinct approaches of UAE-based IT organisations in following different project management practices to deal with their IT projects. Not too much of project management data on UAE IT industry exists today. Therefore it was decided to do a study on it. The research findings are based on a questionnaire survey conducted between July and August 2008 among 200 organisations of UAE. A total of 48 valid responses were received, representing an overall response rate of 24%. The study achieved a primary aim of explanatory and constructivist research, which is to enhance knowledge and understanding of a phenomenon. An emergent-based, general systems approach was adopted for the whole project. General System theory is a holistic and analytical approach to solving complex problems. It recognizes relativity of perception and is a general science of wholeness (Bertalanffy, 1968). The theory was used to break down the whole research technique into various components yet still maintaining the integrity of the research objective. A key finding was the high amount of failure risks that came along with IT projects. In addition, it was found that project management added a lot of value to IT projects and if carried out efficiently it could help avoid the failure risks. A surprise discovery was that although most of the organisations valued project management a lot, they did not have a dedicated Project Management Office (PMO) in place. Further, it was found out that high involvement of external organisations could be one of the factors responsible for the high amount of risks involved with IT projects. It was observed that 25% of the project managers were not aware of the project management maturity levels of their organisations. Project managers seemed to have tough times managing time, cost and risk in IT projects. Also, most of the organisations did not believe in recording the lessons learned and hence knowledge was not transferred to the new projects from the previous ones. Strong indicators probably exist to warrant further research into investigating the basic reasons behind a high percentage of failed IT projects. Further research into the relationship between project management methodology and project success seems warranted on behalf of the indicators provided by the respondents. INTRODUCTION I have not failed. Ive just found 10,000 ways that wont work. -Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) If your project doesnt work, look for the part that you didnt think was important à Arthur Bloch The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them. -Albert Einstein (1879-1955) The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency. -Bill Gates The Roman bridges of antiquity were very inefficient structures. By modern standards, they used too much stone, and as a result, far too much labor to build. Over the years we have learned to build bridges more efficiently, using fewer materials and less labor to perform the same task. -Tom Clancy (The Sum of All Fears) In 1986, Alfred Spector, president of Transarc Corporation, stated that bridge building could be compared to software development. He added, The premise: Bridges are usually built on-time, on-budget, and do not collapse. On the other hand, software never comes in on-budget or on-time. Also, it always breaks down. One of the biggest reasons why bridges come in on-time, on-budget and do not collapse is because their designs are extremely detailed. Once the designing phase is over, it is then frozen and the contractor has very little flexibility in changing the specifications. However, in todays fast moving business environment, having a frozen design in place means no changes in the business practices. Therefore efforts must be made to use a more flexible model. This could be and has been used as an explanation for development failure. But beside 3,000 years of experience, there is another difference between software failures and bridge collapses. When a bridge collapses, investigation is carried out and a report is written on the cause of the failure. It is not so in the IT industry where failures are covered up, ignored, and/or rationalized. As a result, the same mistakes are repeated over and over again. According to the Standish Group report, more than $250 billion is spent every year on IT application development of approximately 175,000 projects in the United States. The average cost of a development project for a small company is $434,000; for a medium company, it is $1,331,000; and for a large company, it is $2,322,000. A great number of these projects will fail. IT projects have always known to be in chaos. The research showed that a staggering 31.1% of projects got canceled before they ever got completed. Further results indicated that 52.7% of projects had cost 189% of their original estimates. The cost of these failures and overruns were just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. The lost opportunity costs were not measurable, but could easily be in trillions of dollars. The extent of this problem can be realized by looking at example of the City of Denver. The failure to produce reliable software to handle luggage at the new Denver airport was costing the city $1.1 million per day. Based on this research, in 1995 American companies and government agencies spent $81 billion for canceled software projects. These same organisations paid an additional $59 billion for software projects that were completed, but had exceed their original time estimates. Risk is always a factor when pushing the technology envelope, but many of these projects were as ordinary as a driving license database, a new accounting package, or an order entry system. On the success side, the average was only 16.2% for software projects that were completed on-time and on-budget. In the larger companies, the news was even worse: only 9% of their projects came in on-time and on-budget. And, even when these projects were completed, many were no more than a mere shadow of their original specification requirements. Projects completed by the largest American companies had only approximately 42% of the originally-proposed features and functions which goes to show that these projects lacked scope management. Smaller companies fared much better in this aspect. 78.4% of their software projects got deployed with at least 74.2% of their original features and functions. 48% of the IT executives in the research sample felt that there were more failures during that period than those five years ago. But it was also observed that over 50% felt that there were fewer or the same number of failures at that point of time than there were five and ten years ago. So the Standish Group reported an improvement in IT project success rates and claimed that it was due to an increased ability to know when to cancel failing projects. Standish Group Chairman Jim Johnson commented: The real improvement that I saw was in our ability to-in the worlds of Thomas Edison-know when to stop beating a dead horseEdisons key to success was that he failed fairly often; but as he said, he could recognize a dead horse before it started to smellIn information technology we ride dead horses-failing projects-a long time before we give up. But what we are seeing now is that we are able to get off them; able to reduce cost overrun and time overrun. Thats where the major impact came on the success rate. (Cabanis, 1998) There is a new or renewed interest in project management today as the number of projects continues to grow and their complexity continues to rise. As already observed, the success rate of IT projects has more than doubled since 1995, but still only about a third are successful in meeting scope, cost, and time goals. More and more projects and organisations can succeed consistently by adopting a more disciplined approach to managing projects. Research Objectives This study provides first-hand information on success and failure rates of IT projects in the UAE and on distinct approaches and methodologies followed by all different kinds of IT organisations in governing IT projects. It also aims to survey attitudes of organisations towards distinct project management processes like cost management, time management, risk management, etc. and establish a future direction for organisations so that they realize the value of the most significant process groups of project management and do not neglect them in the forthcoming projects. It could be useful in the following four areas : (1) it can be helpful for relevant government departments in preparing strategies for project management in the IT industry; (2) it can promote the awareness of commercial benefits of project management among managers in IT companies of UAE and encourage them to seriously consider project management in their businesses; (3) it can increase the competence and confidence in applying project management by local companies by providing management guidance on the selection and development of project management methodologies; and (4) it can be beneficial to the educational institutions of UAE for teaching and conducting further research on information technology project management. According to the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS), the IT industry consists of three primary sub-sectors : firstly, Technology Software Services, including companies that primarily develop software in various fields such as the Internet, applications, systems, databases management and/or home entertainment, and companies that provide information technology consulting and services, as well as data processing and outsourced services; secondly Technology Hardware Equipment, including manufacturers and distributors of communications equipment, computers and peripherals, electronic equipment and related instruments; and thirdly, Semiconductors Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers. This particular report is confined to the use of project management among the areas of Technology Software Services and Technology Hardware Equipment only. The research was not conducted on the Semiconductors Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturers in UAE. Contents of this Report Chapter Two introduces project management and its significance for any business sector. It then demonstrates the rapid growth in adoption of project management in IT projects. This is followed by a synopsis of the UAE market and the UAE IT industry. The chapter ends signifying the impact of project management on the UAE IT industry. Chapter Three expands on the significance of project management as viewed through academic literature. This outlines how project management is known to add value to IT projects and some characteristics observed by organisations that have gone through the process of formalizing project management (Center for Business Practices). Using past works of the last 20 years, it also highlights the most predominant factors responsible for high failures rates of IT projects. This is followed by views of authors on various project management process groups and methodologies. Having discussed not only the pros of project management but also the problems faced during the entire process, Chapter Four is concerned with the research methodology and detailed analysis of the survey conducted. Chapter Five brings out the key survey findings in detail and compares these with the literature surveyed in Chapter Two indicating the extent to which the survey findings break new ground. Chapter Six builds up on the key findings outlined here, their practical implications, and a look towards how this research could be developed. This includes a brief description of limitations of this study and of recommendations on how these limitations could be overcome in subsequent studies. BACKGROUND Project management is the most critical business skill and competency of today that forms the basic building block of a knowledge based company for businesses and professions in oil and gas, petroleum, petrochemicals, chemicals, metal and mining, infrastructures, buildings, IT, Healthcare, Finance, Telecoms, Manufacturing, and many more services and banking industries. Project management was declared to be the best career on earth by the Fortune magazine. Recently, PMI reported that nowadays more and more organisations and government agencies are adopting and making project management a strategic competency. Information systems (IS) and information technologies (IT) are the fastest growing industries in developed and most of the developing countries. Huge amounts of money are still being invested in these industries (Abdel-Hamid Madnick, 1990). Every organisation wants to gain a competitive advantage, maintain it and lead from the front. Hence, there is a corresponding pressure to increase productivity. To maintain a competitive edge in todays fast-changing world, the success of an organisation depends on effectively developing and adopting information systems. According to Zells (1994) and other studies, approximately 85% of IT projects under-taken in the western countries are at the lowest level of capability maturity model (CMM). The challenges at this level are to have project planning, project management, configuration management, and quality assurance in place and have them working effectively. To improve project delivery performance, a number of organisations are adopting project management approaches and setting up project management offices (Barnes, 1991; Butterfield Edwards, 1994; King, 1995; Munns Bjeirmi, 1996; Raz, 1993; Redmond, 1991). Current literature on IT projects shows that most of the IT problems are not technical, they are of management, organisational or behavioral nature. (Johnston, 1995; Martin, 1994; Whitten, 1995). Fishers (1991) survey of technology firms showed that if project management improved, time and cost could be reduced by more than 25% and profits would increase by more than 5%. This has since been validated by using different project management methodologies and analyzing the extent to which these practices can be adopted, based on internal benchmarking by the companies involved in the field trials. The UAE Market the UAE IT Industry UAE has realised the significance of project management in the IT due to its rapid growth in the IT industry. As expected by Business Monitor International (BMI), the total size of the UAE IT market is to increase from around US$3.4bn in 2007 to close to US$4bn in 2012. With IT a key element of the Emirates development, a number of major local and federal government initiatives together with a strong and diversifying economy should ensure continued growth over the forecast period. Meanwhile, the oil-led boom across the Middle East will continue to be a boost to IT and infrastructure spending in the UAE. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) As per the BMI report, the federal government is also encouraging the development of smart cities, another regional trend. In 2007 the government announced that its target of getting 90% of businesses online by the end of the year was likely to be met. Services are becoming an increasingly significant component of many deployment contracts, as evidenced by recent projects by leading UAE corporations such as Emirates Airlines and the local telecom provider Etisalat. Investment is expected to be strongest in the government, financial, and oil and gas verticals. Other key non-oil sectors driving the economy include banking and finance, which are likely to be the single largest industry vertical in terms of IT investments over the forecast period. Real estate has also experienced a massive investment boom in the past five years, and this is expected to continue and grow, with the National Bank of Dubai projecting at least US$50bn in outlays in property development in the emirate by 2010. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) Industry Developments The BMI report states that the UAE federal governments recently announced UAE Strategic Plan calls for a strengthening of e-government programmes. The focus of the programme is to support implementation of programmes at federal government level. The federal government ministries have often lagged behind progress by the leading local governments, particularly Dubai. As such, Dubai government, which has had many of its departments and services online for some time, will lend expertise to the project. However, local government continues to dominate and accounts for around 20% of total IT Services spending. Dubai Municipality announced that it expects to spend anything between US$1.6mn and US$2.2mn per year over the next few years implementing its plan of getting 90% of government services online. It is likely the organisation will spend at least US$2.8mn annually on e-government initiatives. Abu Dhabi is accelerating its efforts to emulate Dubai, led by the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Committee (ADSEIC), a body created in 2005 to develop and drive initiatives to transform government services in the Emirate. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) From the above trend, it can be observed that the number of IT jobs in UAE has gone up by 5000 percent since 2005. This goes to show how rapidly the UAE IT Industry has grown in the past three years and that it is still going strong. Competitive Landscape According to BMI, with government accounting for as much as 40% of IT spending, and e-government programmes alone around half that, vendors are continuing to find opportunities. Recently the Ministry of Development for the Government sector signed a strategic agreement with Microsoft Gulf whereby Microsoft will support federal e-government programmes with training and technical support. Under the agreement Ministries will also use legal Microsoft software. Meanwhile, the leading body for Abu Dhabis e-government programme, the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Committee (ADSIC) signed an Enterprise Licence Agreement with Oracle. The agreement establishes Oracle as a key technology partner and provides for the Abu Dhabi Government to buy Oracle software solutions and support and maintenance services. The continuing growth in PC sales in 2007 in the UAE did not significantly alter the competitive landscape of a market which accounts for approximately 40% of the overall regional PC sales. Today the market remains dominated by international players such as Acer, Dell and HP with the top five brands accounting for more than 50% of the market. Meanwhile, the share held by local assemblers continues to dwindle, due in part to their relative weakness in the growth area of notebooks. However, local assemblers hope that their future will be brighter since UAE-based firms such as Sky Electronics have already been fighting back. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) Hardware The UAE hardware market is estimated at about US$1.4bn in 2007, which shows a 12% growth from US$1.2bn in 2006, and is one of the largest in the region. Much of the growth is due to small and medium enterprise spending, particular on mobile computers, which are expected to account for around 60% of sales over the forecast period. Notebooks are also proving to be popular with the consumer segment, particularly with the introduction of features such as integrated wi-fi, webcam and entertainment features such as HD DVD. Sales of PC notebooks and accessories have been expected to reach more than US$1bn by the end of 2008, while the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the 2007 to 2012 period as a whole is expected to be in the region of 8%. Current and future investments in education and e-government, fuelled by new oil revenues, will lead to desktop rollouts in schools, colleges and government offices across the Emirates. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) Software BMI estimates that the UAEs software spending will pass US$400mn in 2008, representing around 17% of the IT expenditure. CAGR for spending on packaged software is put at 10% over the 2007 to 2012 period, with the UAE being of the regions fastest-growing ERP markets, as more businesses realise the benefits of efficient management of resources within their internal processes. The UAE also has one of the regions lowest software piracy rates at just 35% according to the Business Software Association (BSA), which has praised the UAE government and Ministry of Economy for its efforts in promoting anti-piracy initiatives. The government has combated illegal software in a number of ways, both through anti-piracy legislation and enforcement measures. Customer relationship management (CRM) will be one of the growth areas with fewer than 2% of small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Middle East region having a specialised CRM application in place. BMI predicts plenty of room for growth in the forecast period as numerous untapped sub-sectors still exist. Key verticals include process manufacturing (mainly oil and gas), followed by the financial services industry. Two other key segments are the telecom and the public sectors. During the next five years high-growth categories are set to include CRM, enterprise resource planning (ERP) business intelligence, s torage and security products. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) IT Services BMI expects that the IT Services market will reach a value of more than US$1,003mn by 2012, with outsourcing accounting for an increasingly large portion of up to 25%. IT services revenues compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the 2006 to 2012 period is expected to be 10%, encouraging vendors to shift their focus away from simply shifting boxes. Services are becoming an increasingly significant component of many deployment contracts, as evidenced by recent projects by leading UAE corporations such as Emirates Airlines and Etisalat. Outsourcing is also predicted to be a growing trend, with recent landmark outsourcing deals awarded by entities such as the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA)and civil service departments. Global vendors such as IBM Global Services are competing for its business with local companies such as Injazat Data Systems, which with its good government connections has grown to be a major force in the market, reporting BPO deals with 13 leading priva te and public organisations. (Marketresearch.com, 2007) E-Readiness The recent Global Information Technology report sponsored by Cisco noted the UAEs success in creating a good ICT environment by placing it top of the rankings for 122 countries. The survey, which looks at the preference of countries to leverage the opportunities offered by ICT for development and increased competitiveness, praised the UAEs good regulatory environment, and clear government leadership in leveraging IT and promoting its use. According to the report, ICT has empowered individuals and revolutionised the business and economic landscape while fostering social networks and companies. Overall internet penetration in the UAE was estimated at close to 40% by the end of 2006, far above the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) average, reflecting the UAEs status as one of the most advanced IT countries in the middle-east. Broadband penetration is around 10% and is expected to rise 60% over the forecast period. In terms of e-government development, additional new phases to be introduced in the project last year (as mentioned in the Industry Developments section) include e-portal, e-project, the HR Management System (HRMS) and the Financial Management Integration System (FMIS) projects. The e-government High Committee has expressed satisfaction with the progress made on implementation of the e-government initiative to date. (Mindbranch.com, 2007) Impact of Project Management on the UAE IT Industry Project management has already had a significant impact on IT organisations in UAE and much more dramatic effects are anticipated for the years to come. Greater attention needs to be paid to the interaction of information technology with business methods, work patterns, employees and organisational culture. It was observed that not too much of research work has been carried out on project management in the IT industry of UAE and this is the precise reason why this study was conducted on the UAE market. LITERATURE REVIEW If we built houses the way we build software, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization. John J. Hamre, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Phillips (2004) states that IT project management could be as as exciting as a white water rafting excursion or as painful as a root canal. In addition, Anthes (2008) points out that IT project management has always earned a high ranking on the annual list of IT managers worries, but in the first-half of the 2008 Vital Signs survey, it took the No. 1 spot. In other words, the process is all about efficiently handling the complexities that come along with IT projects, right from the word go. The study aims to investigate on how difficult it is for organisations to manage IT projects efficiently. Richardson et al. (2006) claims that project failure is based not only on economic criteria but also on requirements, cost and time parameters. He builds up his reasoning by citing examples of the following project surveys : The Robbins-Gioia Survey (2001) The Conference Board Survey (2001) The KPMG Canada Survey (1997) The Chaos Report (1995) According to IT Cortex (2004), the results of these surveys showed that most of the organisations suffered from high project failure rates and that they heavily exceeded the time and budget constraints. Similarly, Schwalbe (2007) reports that IT projects come along with high failure risks. He defends his thoughts with a study which was conducted by the Standish Group (CHAOS) in 1995. In the survey it was found that only 16.2% of IT projects were successful and over 31% were cancelled before completion, costing over US$81 billion in the US alone. However, when the CHAOS study was conducted again in 2001, the results showed improvements in all areas but still only 28% of IT projects succeeded. The 2001 Standish Group report findings as compared to those of the 1995 report were as follows : Time overruns significantly decreased from 222% to 163% Cost overruns were down from 189% to 145% Required features and functions were up from 61% to 67% Successful IT projects rose from to 16% to 28% One of the objectives of this report is to carry out similar work on finding the failure rates of IT projects but on the UAE market, one on which not much research has been carried out till date. In many previous studies, project failures due to time delay, cost overrun, and abandonment of IT projects have been widely reported (Bailey, 1996; Gibbs, 1994; Lucas, 1995; Martin, 1994; Ward, 1994). In other industries, causes of project failures are investigated and reports written, but in the IT industry their causes are either covered up or ignored. As a consequence, the IT industry keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again (Johnston, 1995). This report takes this a step further by observing what percentage of IT organisations in UAE believe in maintaining project reports and lessons learned logs for their subsequent projects. In many previous studies, the most commonly reported causes of IT project failure were traced out. They were as follows (based on a content analysis of the cited literature): Misunderstood requirements (business, technical, and social) (King, 1995; Lane, Palko, Cronan, 1994; Lavence, 1996); Optimistic schedules and budgets (Martin, 1994); Inadequate risk assessment and management (Johnston, 1995); Inconsistent standards and lack of training in project management (Jones, 1994; OConner Reinsborough, 1992; Phan, Vogel, Nunamaker, 1995); Management of resources (people more than hardware and technology) (Johnston, 1995; Martin, 1994; Ward, 1994); Unclear charter for a project (Lavence, 1996); Lack of communication (Demery, 1995; Gioia, 1996; Hartman, 2000; Walsh Kanter, 1988). On the other hand, Karten studies reasons for failure by compiling a list of ten ways that can guarantee project failure : Abbreviate the planning process Dont ask what if? Minimize customer involvement Select team members by seeing who is available regardless of skill Work people long and hard Dont inform management of problems Allow changes at any point Discourage questions from team members Dont give customers progress reports Dont compare project progress with project estimates However, this survey goes a bit deeper and also explores the role of project management methodologies and process groups in helping deliver successful projects. The project management frameworks which are rapidly gaining recognition are ITIL, PMBOK and PRINCE2 (Phillips, 2004). Although Leuenberger (2007) considers ITIL to be one of the worlds best ways to align IT with business objectives, he also claims that his research conducted through IDC shows points out that 60% of mid-sized businesses in Australia either are unaware of, or have no plans to implement ITIL and also that on a global scale, only 20% of the mid-market companies are currently using ITIL. In contrast to ITIL, PMI claims that it has grown to become the most widely recognized and the only global certification for the project management profession with more than 260,000 members in over 171 countries. The survey aims to study the UAE IT industry and clarify such claims made by authors and institutes so that the growth of IT project governance methodologies can in an IT industry of a booming economy can be analyzed. Bainey (2004) states that so many IT projects tend to go over budget, run behind schedule, and deliver products or services poor in quality due to the negligence of integration, consistency and standardization. The report builds up on this by going ahead and investigating the significance of integration management for project managers. Harris (2005) asserts that it is high time that the PMO function is placed in its proper organisational alignment. He believes that not only can it combine the corporate planning process with effective delivery of products and services but also provide external clients with traditional client services for the enterprise as a whole or for respective enterprise business unit jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-10810763979977017672020-01-17T13:09:00.001-08:002020-01-17T13:09:04.999-08:00BlackberryThe product that we have chosen Is Blackberry smartened. The term BlackBerry refers to a line of wireless handheld devices and services designed and marketed by BlackBerry Limited, formerly known as Research In Motion Limited (RIM). Target Markets: Its target markets are Business professionals who opt for high security text messaging and E-mails.Productivity of BlackBerry and why It has Targeted the business professionals: During the early 20005, Research In Motion's Blackberry's were the most popular smartness In the world; since then, though, RIM's market hare In the Industry has been eaten up by Apple's Phone and Google's Android. Still, the BlackBerry remains a popular model amongst business professionals, as It offers not only a fast and powerful processor, but also Blackberry's Enterprise Services.This corporate email system makes it easy and convenient for professionals on-the-go to connect to their respective corporate email accounts and is undedicated by other major smartene d lines like the phone and Android. Visualize and risk taking strategy: Blackberry main strategy is how secure the customer data and E-mails with this agenda they mainly targeted the business professionals which can be called as a Niche market . With the development of new technology and o. The Android smart phones and phone devices which made the technology user friendly with millions of APS. These Android mobiles and phone has targeted each and every individual right from students who are interested in playing games but also the business professionals by integrating and synchronizing treachery in Motion's future grows iffier each quarter as it signs on fewer new customers and has had to discount large numbers of BlackBerry smartness and Playback tablets to clear inventory.The company revealed today that its revenue dropped 25 percent in the last fiscal quarter versus a year earlier, a decrease of $5. 6 billion. RIM executives said they were willing to explore other business models , such as licensing all or some BlackBerry technologies to other companies. Some Investors have suggested that RIM license or sell access to Its secure messaging network or Its BlackBerry Messenger instant messaging service.RIM has licensed there IBM services and made the app available In android and Los this made the Blackberry unique. Santos Krishna Surest shogun Blackberry By Crackerjacks messaging and E-mails. Productivity of BlackBerry and why it has Targeted the business professionals: During the early sass, Research in Motion's Blackberry's were the most popular smartness in the world; since then, though, RIM's market share in the industry has been eaten up by Apple's phone and Google's Android.Still, the BlackBerry remains a popular model amongst business professionals, as it offers not only a fast and powerful processor, but also BlackBerry's Enterprise agenda they mainly targeted the business professionals which can be called as a phones and ââ¬Ëphone devices which made the technology user friendly with millions of PlayBook tablets to clear inventory.The company revealed today that its revenue as licensing all or some BlackBerry technologies to other companies. Some investors have suggested that RIM license or sell access to its secure messaging network or its services and made the app available in android and ISO this made the Blackberry jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-11334937166403717052020-01-09T09:32:00.001-08:002020-01-09T09:32:02.653-08:00The How Of Happiness A New Approach For Getting The Life... The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky is simultaneously an academic book and comprehensive guide about positive psychology and itââ¬â¢s applications in daily life. Dr. Lyubomirsky provides not only facts and figures to back up her science but also includes quizzes and exercises for the reader to learn more about himself or herself in context with the book. The book is broken down into 3 different sections: How to Attain Real and Lasting Happiness, Happiness Activities, and Secrets to Abiding Happiness. In the first part of the book, Dr. Lyubomirsky explains her 40% solution. Think of happiness as 100%. 50% of this is based on genetics and this is a personââ¬â¢s set happiness point. Even when a person experiences extreme emotion like winning the lottery after some time his or her happiness level will return to the set point. 10% is based on a personââ¬â¢s life circumstances such as where he or she lives, how much money he o r she has, how you look, etc. The final 40% is where Dr. Lyubomirsky puts her focus because this is the part of personââ¬â¢s happiness that he or she is able to control; this is ultimately determined by a personââ¬â¢s behavior. If someone wants to be happier, he or she needs to make changes to their behavior not their circumstances. Dr. Lyubomirsky goes into more detail about how a person can make this change in the second part of her book. Firstly, though, she provides the reader with a couple exercises and debunks aShow MoreRelatedThree Steps to the Happy Life: Why this Approach Does Not Work1097 Words à |à 5 PagesThe happy life. What does this mean to me? Kristen Linker, a third year student at Redeemer University College. It begins with balance: trusting God, finding Joy, having harmonious relationships with the people in my life and doing the best I can with what I have at this stage in life. If I would have had to write this paper at the beginning of this semester, I would have had a completely different view on the happy life. However, through this course, I have learned what I think are the most important jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-54662530632689296242020-01-01T05:58:00.001-08:002020-01-01T05:58:03.647-08:00Electrum Metal Alloy or Green Gold Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver with a small amount of other metals. The man-made alloy of gold and silver is chemically similar to electrumà but usually is called green gold. Electrum Chemical Composition Electrum consists of gold and silver, often with small amounts of copper, platinum, or other metals. Copper, iron, bismuth, and palladium commonly occur in natural electrum. The name may be applied to any gold-silver alloy that is 20-80% gold and 20-80% silver, but unless it is the natural alloy, the synthesized metal is more correctly termed green gold,à gold, or silver (depending which metal is present in the higher amount).à The ratio of gold to silver in natural electrum varies according to its source. Natural electrum found today inà Westernà Anatolia containsà 70% to 90% gold. Most examples of ancient electrum are coins, which contain increasingly lower amounts of gold, so its believed the raw material was alloyed further to conserve profit. The word electrum has also been applied to the alloy called German silver, although this is an alloy that is silver in color, not elemental composition. German silver typically consists ofà 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc.à Electrum Appearance Natural electrum ranges in color from pale gold to bright gold, depending on the amount of the element gold present in the alloy. Brassy-colored electrum contains a higher amount of copper. Although the ancient Greeks called the metal white gold, the modern meaning of the phrase white goldà refers to a different alloy that contains goldà but appears silvery or white. Modern green gold, consisting of gold and silver, actually does appear yellowish -green.à Intentional addition of cadmium mayà enhance the green color, although cadmium is toxic, so this limits the uses of the alloy. The addition of 2% cadmium produces a light green color, while 4% cadmium yields a deep green color. Alloying with copper deepens the color of the metal. Electrum Properties The exact properties of electrum depend on the metals in the alloy and their percentage. Generally, electrum has a high reflectivity, is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, is ductile and malleable, and is fairly corrosion resistant. Electrum Uses Electrum has been used as currency, to make jewelry and ornaments, for drinking vessels, and as an exterior coating for pyramids and obelisks. The earliest known coins in the Western world were minted of electrum and it remainedà popular for coinage until about 350 BC. Electrum is harder and more durable than pure gold, plus the techniques for gold refining were not widely known in ancient times. Thus, electrum was a popular and valued precious metal. Electrum History As a natural metal, electrum was obtained and used by early man.à Electrum was used to make the earliest metal coins, dating back at least to the 3rd millennium BC in Egypt. The Egyptians also used the metal to coat important structures. Ancient drinking vessels were made of electrum. The modern Nobel Prize medal consists of green gold (synthesized electrum) plated with gold. Where Can You Find Electrum? Unless you visit a museum or win the Nobel Prize, you best chance of finding electrum is to seek the natural alloy. In ancient times, the chief source of electrum wasà Lydia, around the Pactolus River, aà tributary of the Hermus, now called theà Gediz Nehriin in Turkey. In the modern world, the primary source of electrum is Anatolia. Smaller amounts also may be found in Nevada, in the USA. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-65848290039706154382019-12-24T01:44:00.001-08:002019-12-24T01:44:03.595-08:00Utilizing Qr Code Technology for Emr. - 4005 Words Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List 2012 Utilizing QR Code Technology In Encoding Patient Summary List Fatima Alsaleh and Samir Elmasri PhD College of Computer and Information Systems, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia Abstract: In situations like emergency, where the immediately gained, summarized and accurate information may radically make the difference between life and death, the need for a solution that fulfills this requirement arises. Number of solutions was previously proposed including emergency card and smart cards, but each has number of cons and pros. With the rapid adoption of smartphones, QR codes (Quick Response) is the ideal substitute for the current circumstances. It can be easily read byâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Smart Card is the perfect media that can be used as a health card due to its small size, secure, capability of digitizing a huge amount of personal and medical data [4]. Some attempts have been done by researchers to develop a personal portable healthcare record smart cards and a corresponding framework to simplify maintenance and transfer of patient records [9]. Researchers in the U.K. have created MyCare, a smart card with a fold-out USB plug that can hold a patien tââ¬â¢s medical history. MyCare was developed with open source that enables it to run on different computers and operating systems. Data is protected through PINs and encryption, with a higher level of encryption planned for further stages in the development process [5][6]. These smart card projects work better in countries with nationalized health care. In the US For example, competition among hospitals is a barrier to a smart card system [5]. Smart card technology was not widely spread due to lack of standards (Dash, 2001); the communications between a smart card and smart card reader. The cards also need to be updated constantly which would be hard to enforce [10]. For smart cards, user mobility is only possible if every machine that the user access has a smart card reader attached. The machine must support the same standard smart card reader interfaces or use the same proprietary smart card reader [11]. Research Statement Due to the barriers of smart cards usage including, the high cost value, the jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-78810033909010687342019-12-15T22:13:00.001-08:002019-12-15T22:13:03.032-08:00Reasons Why Investment Trusts Trade at a Discount Free Essays Abstract The fact that investment trusts and close-end funds in general trade at a discount has elicited debates among financial scholars and practitioners, often referred to as the closed-end puzzle. Based on this, this paper explores and explains some of the reasons that investment trusts trade at a discount. It also provides an in-depth explanation of characteristics of close-ended funds and conditions that lead to the classification of the share price as either a discount or a premium. We will write a custom essay sample on Reasons Why Investment Trusts Trade at a Discount or any similar topic only for you Order Now Investment trusts trading at a discount are those trading at prices that are below their net asset value. Those trading at a price higher than the net asset value are considered as being sold at a premium. Some of the main reasons that are explored in this paper include miscalculation of the net asset values of the investment trust, taxes on realized capital gains, agency costs, managerial abilities and investor sentiment. Even with the explanations that are provided in this paper, the closed-end fund prize puzzle continues to be debated upon and researched. Introduction The fact that investment trusts often trade at a discount is an aspect that has drawn interests from academics and practitioners in the field of finance. To have a better understanding of these reasons, it is ideal to provide an exhaustive definition of investment trusts. Investment trusts, which are typical to the United Kingdom, are defined by Barnhart and Rosenstein (2010) as types of investment firms that are formed with the primary aim of holding securities for other companies and the obtainment of capital from the public issue of shares trading on the stock market. They are also referred to as closed-end funds because they only offer a fixed quantity of shares that new investors can purchase from already existing shareholders (Hartzell et al., 2006). The prices of shares of investment trusts are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the share market. As a consequence, there are incidents where the price of a share may either be higher or lower than its net asset valu e. Whenever a share trades at a price that is higher than its net asset value, it is considered to be trading at a premium. On the contrary, if a share trades at a value that is lower that its net asset value, it is considered to be trading at a discount (Berk Stanton, 2007). In this regard, this report intends to discuss reasons why they trade at a discount. Reasons for discounting Investment Trusts One main characteristic of investment trusts and closed-end funds in general is the fact that they are permanent capital ventures and thus, the sharesââ¬â¢ supply is fixed (Chan et al., 2008). Numerous attempts that have been made by researchers and practitioners to explain the investment trust discounts, and have resulted in conflicting results, commonly referred to as the closed-end fund puzzle. Even though these funds are known to trade at discounts, it is important to note that newly opened investment trusts and closed-end funds in general, usually begin trading at a premium of approximately 10% of their net asset value. After their initial premium trading, they shift towards trading at a discount that is at average rate of 10% within the first 120 days. After which, discounts remain substantial. In case closed-end funds are closed or terminated, there is an increase in their share prices, which in turn eliminates the existent discounts (Cherkes et al., 2009). Explanations for investment trust discounts that have been made by researchers include the risk of liquidity, the past and future performance of shares on the market and the miscalculation of the fundââ¬â¢s net asset value. Investor sentiment is also another reason for discount trading in investment trusts (Yanran Liyan, 2007). This section intends to provide a more in-depth discussion of these reasons. Misestimating the Net Asset Value (NAV) This reason has been pointed out by Halkos and Krintas (2006), who argue that such miscalculations of the NAV can result from a possible accumulation of capital gains illiquid assets that had not been realized. The reason why funds with high capital appreciations that have been unrealized ought to trade at a discounted share price is that potential holders of such funds will assume a potential tax liability. In a research that was carried out by Kousenidis et al. (2011) on the effect of liquidity on closed-end funds, he established that there is a possibility of illiquid assets to be traded at a discount to provide higher expected returns. In support of inaccuracy of NAV measurement as a reason for discounts in closed-end fund trading, Yanran and Liyan(2007)suggested that when closed-end funds own large amounts illiquid assets or restricted stock that are not fairly trading in the market, their NAVs can fail to provide an accurate reflection of their true value. As a consequence of this, the shares might either trade at a lower or higher value than the NAV. Investment trust discounts are also affected by restricted stock holdings. However, given that such holdings are often quite small or at a zero value, they do not hold as valid reasons for investment trusts trading at a discount. For investment trusts, there is usually no assurance that there will always be an available market. Therefore, this lack of an assured redemption of shares makes their valuation to be discounted. In addition to this, investment trusts that hold relatively liquid securities are valued lower than their net asset values (NAVs) at the marketpla ce (Cherkes et al., 2009). Putting appropriate measures in place to avoid miscalculation of the trust net asset value is vital to solve this issue. Agency Costs and Managerial Ability Discounts in closed-end funds could be a reflection of poor performance in the management of the fund or an overcharge of management fees (Bradley et al., 2010). Agency costs may also vary according to the agency issues or conflicts that may occur due to different interests between agents and principals. Managerial abilities have also been listed by researchers as being among the main factors that determine whether investment trusts can trade at a premium or a discount. The theory that investment trusts can trade at a discount if the managers charge a fee was originally proposed by Boudreaux in 1973 (Berk Stanton, 2007). He suggested that if fund managers charge investors a fee but fail to add value to their investments, then the value of the fund is likely to be less than its NAV. In a case where managers add value to the investment trust, the reason why it might trade at a discount is when investors are made to believe that the fundsââ¬â¢ managers are not good at investing thei r funds. If investors believe that their money is being managed by people who are good at selecting viable investments, then the fund will trade at a premium. In a research carried out on the ownership of closed-end funds Cherkes et al.(2009) established that investment trusts with larger percentage of insider ownership are likely to trade at higher discounts. This is because investors of funds that are selling at higher discounts stand a chance of receiving windfall gains in case the funds undergo immediate liquidation at their net asset value. He also established that higher expense ratios lead to higher discounts of funds because management fees are considered as being deadweight losses. Thus, discounts are used to represent the capitalization of the management fees value. Management of trusts also affects their future performances in the market, which also determine whether investment trusts are to be traded at a discount or premium. Halkos and Krintas (2006) argue that in cases where investment trusts are managed in a highly professional manner and with a positive track record, investors may have the will to pay a premium for a share of the funds. This is also due to the fact that such trusts are often expected to maintain their superior performances in future. On the other hand, funds that are expected to underperform in the market are expected to be traded at higher discounts, mainly because of the scepticism that potential investors may have for the fund (Berk Stanton, 2007). Estimation of future performance of investment trusts can be done by comparing trends in the NAV, which are estimated on a frequent basis. It can also be done by evaluating the managerial capabilities of the fund. It can be thus argued that investment trusts whose management has a good reputation tend to perform well in the market and therefore, trade at a premium. On the contrary, poorly managed trusts fail to thrive in the market and therefore, are likely to trade at a discount. Taxes Another reason why investment trusts trade at a discount is taxes. According to Jin(2006), full taxes on the realized capital gains of a fund are paid for by the current shareholders, even though the highest percentage of their gains was accumulated before the investors bought the shares. Based on this, it can be argued that funds whose accumulated gains are large ought to trade at a price lower than their NAVs also suggests that investment trusts that have a high appreciation of unrealized capital sell at discounts because holders of such funds assume potential tax liabilities that depend on the holding periods of the investors. Berk and Stanton (2007) posit that discounts in closed-end funds are partially caused by the fact that investors usually lose valuable opportunities to trade tax because of holding shares in closed-end funds. Some of the tax trading approaches include individual portfolio movement. On comparing British and U.S. closed-end funds, Cherkes et al.(2009) establis hed that British funds do not have the freedom of distributing capital gains as the US funds do. In addition, shareholders have no liability in case the invested capital gains tax, except if they decide to put the holdings that they have in the fund up for sale. Yet U.S. and British closed-end funds behave in a quite similar manner. Thus, it can be concluded that discounts in investment trusts and closed-end funds cannot be explained based on country-specific tax factors. Investor Sentiment Many researchers have focused on the aspect of investor sentiment as a reason for discounts in investment trust trading. This hypothesis was proposed Lee, Shleifer and Thaler in 1991 (Yanran Liyan, 2007). According to them, premiums and discounts in closed-end funds are determined by the attitudes of opinions that investors have about them. To explain this hypothesis, two kinds of investors are identified. These are the noise investors and rational investors. Whereas the expectations of rational investors on their asset returns are rational, noise investorsââ¬â¢ expectations are influenced by sentiment. They have the tendency of either overestimating or underestimating the expected returns on investment. Therefore, when investment trust shares are traded, noisy and rational investors make their investments based on their respective judgments. Due to the risk associated with assets and the fact that every investor is risk averse, closed-end funds ought to trade at equilibrium pric es that reflect opinions of the noisy and rational investors, which are often discounts. A proposal was made by Halkos and Krintas (2006) that noisy investors tend to concentrate more on the closed-end fund ownership than on the ownership of the underlying assets of the funds. Pessimism by noise traders on the future of fund drives down its price to a value lower than its NAV. This causes rational investors to avoid the buying the fundââ¬â¢s shares because of the risks associated with trading the funds at a discount. Chan et al. (2008) also argue that the sentiment of noise traders is stochastic and, therefore, cannot be accurately predicted by rational traders. Particularly, it is impossible for rational investors to make a perfect forecast whether noise investors will either be pessimistic or optimistic at the time that they intend to sell their assets. Due to the fact that rational traders are careful about the prices with which they will resale their assets, the unpredictable nature of noise tradersââ¬â¢ sentiment increases the level of risk on the assets they intend to trade (Kousenidis et al., 2011). The biggest risk associated with noise investors is that they will be pessimistic at the time when rational investors intend to sell their assets, causing a drop in prices. Since there is always a risk of an adverse sentiment shift, the possibility of trading shares at a discount is always existent (Yanran Liyan, 2007). Conclusion This paper has provided an in-depth explanation of some of the reasons why investment trusts usually trade at a discount. Apart from this, other aspects of investment trusts have been explained. One of the main characteristics of investment trusts that has guided the establishment of reasons discussed in this paper is that it is a closed-end fund. This means that supply of shares is fixed, regardless of the market dynamics. Therefore, fluctuations of these funds that result into premiums or discounts are mainly caused by demand factors. The main reasons why investment trusts trade at discounts include the attitudes that investors have on the fund, commonly referred to as investor sentiment, agency costs and managerial abilities, taxes and miscalculation of the net asset value of the fund. However, the factor that is contented upon by most researchers in this field of finance is investor sentiment, which is a behavioural approach of understanding this concept. Some of the other reason s that have been cited in several other researchers include the institutional ownership and performance of the trust in the market. In future research, a more specific research could be carried out by focusing on a specific investment trust in the UK. References Barnhart, S.W. Rosenstein, S., 2010. Exchange?Traded Fund Introductions and Closed?End Fund Discounts and Volume. Financial Review, 45(4), pp.973-94. Berk, J.B. Stanton, R., 2007. Managerial Ability, Compensation, and the Closed?End Fund Discount. The Journal of Finance, 62(2), pp.529-56. Bradley, M., Brav, A., Goldstein, I. Jiang, W., 2010. Activist arbitrage: A study of open-ending attempts of closed-end funds. Journal of Financial Economics, 95(1), pp.1-19. Chan, J.S., Jain, R. Xia, Y., 2008. Market segmentation, liquidity spillover, and closed-end country fund discounts. Journal of Financial Markets, 11(4), pp.377-99. Cherkes, M., Sagi, J. Stanton, R., 2009. A liquidity-based theory of closed-end funds. Review of Financial Studies, 22(1), pp.257-97. Halkos, G.E. Krintas, T.N., 2006. Behavioural and fundamental explanations of discounts on closed end funds: an empirical analysis. Applied Financial Economics, 16(5), pp.395-404. Hartzell, J.C., Sun, L. Titman, S., 2006. The effect of corporate governance on investment: evidence from real estate investment trusts. Real Estate Economics, 34(3), pp.343-76. Jin, L., 2006. Capital gains tax overhang and price pressure. The Journal of Finance, 61(3), pp.1399-431. Kousenidis, D.V., Maditinos, D.I. Sevic, Z., 2011. Premium/Discount Of Closed-End Funds As A Measure Of Investor Sentiment: Evidence From Greece. Journal of Applied Business Research, 27(4), pp.29-52. Yanran, W. Liyan, H., 2007. Imperfect Rationality, Sentiment and Closed end fund Puzzle. Economic Research Journal, 3, pp.117-29. How to cite Reasons Why Investment Trusts Trade at a Discount, Essay examples jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-87590629456185063762019-12-07T18:56:00.001-08:002019-12-07T18:56:03.638-08:00Analysis on Exposure Poem free essay sample It portrays the message of the real enemy of the soldiers being the cold and icy conditions. Moreover, it provides us with a lively description of the persistent cold and awful conditions during one of the worst winters in the first world war. It shows that most of the soldiers were exposed rather than shot by enemies. The poem portrays all the opposing facts to make young men not join the war as it is nothing heroic. Owen uses all his senses to describe the frosty atmosphere and sets a lamenting and descriptive tone. The rhyme scheme is ABBA and the stanzas are continuous, emphasizing the continuous suffering of the British. It is written in first person plural, which makes us feel with the soldiers and put ourselves into their position. Exposure transports the reader into the pitiless trench warfare of the First World. It allows the reader to share the experience of having all vestiges of shelter removed, stripped back to the nakedness and feebleness of the human body against the wintry savagery of a snow storm in the dark, at the point of death. It starts by setting the scene of tired soldiers being ââ¬Ëknivedââ¬â¢ by the wind, too worried to sleep because of the unnatural silence. ââ¬Å"Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous, But nothing happens. â⬠The sibilance of the repeated ââ¬Ësââ¬â¢ sound creates the effect of whispering, an attempt to not draw the attention of the enemy, who are futilely using flares to see what is going on. The trenches were protected by rolls of barbed wire, the barbs snagging the clothing and skin of any person trying to manoeuvre through it, delaying their passage and increasing the chances of being shot. Then allowing their comrades to witness their dying agony held up twitching on the wire. Owen uses a simile with naturally occurring brambles. The war continues in the distance but the silence and inactivity in the bitter cold makes it all sound unreal, as dawn brings more snow laden clouds into view. ââ¬Å"Sudden successive flights of bullets streak the silence. â⬠Has the battle started again? It is compared as less ââ¬Ëdeathlyââ¬â¢ than the snow. Are the men staring so hard that they can no longer actually see and their mind accept what is happening. Is this the approach of death, where exposure to the winter cold is so close that a bullet seems less probable? The next lines are a reflection on the comforts of home, but only seen through the chinks in the shutters. The hopelessness of not being allowed into the warmth by the repeated use of closed; ââ¬Å"Shutters and doors, all closed: on us the doors are closed,â⬠The minds of the dying men are driven back to the battlefield because of the fear that if the enemy isnââ¬â¢t conquered that there will never be fires burning in the hearths of home again. He mentions children enjoying the sunshine, another reason that the war is for a just cause, to give security to the generations to come. The final part of the poem relates how the dead bodies will be found frozen with the mud by those designated to handle and remove bodies. Owen describes the unpleasant reality of fulfilling this last duty for comrades, some acquaintances, in these terrible conditions and the numbness of emotions that it would cause. Nature is used throughout the poem, its effect on the body, the coldness of the wind and snow; the fussing of the blackbird, in contrast to the stillness and the silence of the dawn; the innocence of the mice freely enjoying the warmth and comfort of the empty home, while the soldier is away. The exposure is not only to the cruelty of war, but also experiencing the cruelty of nature. How does ââ¬ËExposureââ¬â¢ by Wilfred Owen tackle the Theme of War? ââ¬ËExposureââ¬â¢ is a war poem written by Wilfred Owen in 1917 which describes how it felt like to be a soldier fighting war in the winter season. Owen focuses on the weather and shows how they are suffering more from the cold than getting wounded and hurt from the enemy which is not typical in war poetry. He has used a lot of figurative language and literary techniques to portray the cold and the soldiersââ¬â¢ feelings. Firstly, Owen applies figurative language like personification to describe the cold in the first stanza, where he says: ââ¬ËOur brains ache, in the merciless iced east winds that knife usâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬â¢ This line explains how the winds are so cold and strong that it feels like it is cutting the soldiers. It is like the wind is slowly killing them by stabbing them to death. Owen has also said the winds are merciless showing the wind isnââ¬â¢t showing any pity for the soldiers which is quite similar to the enemyââ¬â¢s attitude towards them. The use of personifying the icy winds creates a sense of suffering towards the soldiers. Furthermore this line of the poem has used a lot of ââ¬Ëiââ¬â¢ sounds like in ââ¬Ëbrainsââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëmercilessââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëicedââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëwindsââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëknifeââ¬â¢ and this ââ¬Ëiââ¬â¢ sound produces a sharp sound which, relating to an earlier point, reinforces the sharpness of the ââ¬Ëknivesââ¬â¢ and how painful the wind was. The assonance applied here has enhanced and has exaggerated the pain for readers to understand. A different way Owen attempts to show the theme of war is in the second part of the poem where many soldiers have died from the cold. Owen writes ââ¬ËThe burying-party, picks and shovels in their shaking graspââ¬â¢ which shows that although the soldiers are very tired and cold they still are willing to bury their unfortunate friends who have frozen to death. This line from the poem possibly suggests that the ââ¬Ëburying partyââ¬â¢ are angry and fed up of seeing soldiers dying because of war as Owen has used plosives like ââ¬Ëburyingââ¬â¢, ââ¬Ëpicksââ¬â¢ and jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-21952709154102677452019-11-30T06:39:00.001-08:002019-11-30T06:39:02.529-08:00Mcdonald vs Burger King Compare and Contrast Essay free essay sample Evidence #2: Burger Kingââ¬â¢s beef are 100% pure and they flame-boils their burgers, while McDonaldââ¬â¢s fries their beef. C) Evidence #3: McDonaldââ¬â¢s cost slightly less than Burger King. IV) *Topic Sentence 3: Their commitment with the community is different. A) Evidence #1: McDonaldââ¬â¢s has House Charities and they give away millions of dollars in scholarship, while Burger Kingââ¬â¢s commitment is to provide good service and products to their clients. V) Conclusion McDonalds vs. Burger King ââ¬Å"We see things not as they are, but as we are conditioned to see themâ⬠ââ¬âGandalf. Far from what we imagined, McDonalds and Burger King have huge differences. Most people perceive them just as the same fast food restaurant with different names. For this reason, ââ¬Å"they create debates on which one of them is the superior restaurantâ⬠(Jeffreyââ¬â¢s blog, 2012, BK vs MC). Although, they have similarities, their differences become undeniable when we analyze deeply their advertising models, their food and their commitment to the community. We will write a custom essay sample on Mcdonald vs Burger King Compare and Contrast Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An advertising model is the set of techniques that the companies use to call public attention to their products. Two of the best fast food restaurants in the world, McDonaldââ¬â¢s and Burger King, invest a lot of money n their advertisements. Despite this, itââ¬â¢s quite remarkable that McDonaldââ¬â¢s is smarter. Whenever we hear golden arches, Ronald McDonald, Big Mac, or extra cheese we think about McDonalds. In contrast, what do we think about when we hear Burger King? Maybe some guy that appear in their commercials, but besides that, there is nothing startling about the advertising their use. Their food seems to be the same, but it isnââ¬â¢t. On one hand, McDonaldââ¬â¢s hamburger weighs less and has only 9g of total fat, while Burger Kingââ¬â¢s hamburger has 12g and they have a saltier taste. On the other hand, Burger Kingââ¬â¢s beef are 100% pure and they flame-boils their burgers, while McDonaldââ¬â¢s fries their beef. Thatââ¬â¢s why they taste different. Concern at cost, McDonaldââ¬â¢s simple burger is lower at $0. 89 while Burger Kingââ¬â¢s has their simple burger at $0. 99. Their commitment to the community is also different. McDonaldââ¬â¢s has House Charities since 1974, where they help thousands of parents stay by their sick childrenââ¬â¢s side. In addition, they give away millions of dollars in scholarship to help people who canââ¬â¢t afford college. On the other hand, Burger Kingââ¬â¢s has some scholar program, which help poor families. However, their strong commitment is to provide good service and products to their clients and to make every Burger King restaurant a place where people love to go everyday. Even though McDonaldââ¬â¢s and Burger King are really similar, they are also really different. They both try to have good advertising but McDonaldââ¬â¢s is, most of the time, ahead. Their food seems to have the same condiments, but again, they are far away to be the same. They appear as the two most famous fast food restaurants around the world, but each one of them has their own techniques and secrets to be outstanding. McDonaldââ¬â¢s, besides the service they offer, they help the community, and Burger Kingââ¬â¢s restaurants are commitment to be the best with their clients. Yes, they are fast food chains, they are famous, they are similar; but they also have huge differences in their food, advertisement, and the way they help the community. Reference: (Jeffreyââ¬â¢s blog, 2012, BK vs MC). http://sites. cdnis. edu. hk/students/043135/2012/01/24/burger-king-vs-mcdonalds/ http://www. burgerlad. com/2013/01/mcdonalds-limited-edition-big-tasty_4872. html http://www. thesaleslion. com/reasons-mcdonalds-crushes-beats-burger-king-year/ jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-36364857579251694502019-11-26T01:33:00.001-08:002019-11-26T01:33:04.430-08:00Battle of the Saintes in the American RevolutionBattle of the Saintes in the American Revolution Battle of the Saintes - Conflict Dates: The Battle of the Saintes was fought April 9-12, 1782, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Fleets Commanders British Admiral Sir George RodneyRear Admiral Samuel Hood36 ships of the line French Comte de Grasse33 ships of the line Battle of the Saintes - Background: Having won a strategic victory at the Battle of the Chesapeake in September 1781, Comte de Grasse took his French fleet south to the Caribbean where it aided in the capture of St. Eustatius, Demerary, St. Kitts, and Montserrat. As the spring of 1782 progressed, he made plans to unite with a Spanish force before sailing to capture British Jamaica. Grasse was opposed in these operations by a smaller British fleet led by Rear Admiral Samuel Hood. Aware of the danger posed by the French, the Admiralty dispatched Admiral Sir George Rodney with reinforcements in January 1782. Arriving at St. Lucia in mid-February, he was immediately concerned about the scope of British losses in the area. Uniting with Hood on the 25th, he was equally disturbed by condition and supply situation of his compatriots vessels. Shifting stores to compensate for these deficiencies, Rodney deployed his forces to intercept French reinforcements and box de Grasse into Martinique. Despite these efforts, some additional French ships reached de Grasses fleet at Fort Royal. On April 5, the French admiral sailed with 36 ships of the line and steered for Guadeloupe where he intended to board additional troops. Battle of the Saintes - Opening Moves: Pursuing with 37 ships of the line, Rodney caught up to the French on April 9, but fitful winds prevented a general engagement. Instead a minor battle was fought between Hoods van division and the rearmost French ships. In the fight, Royal Oak (74 guns), Montagu (74), and Alfred (74) were damaged, while the French Caton (64) took a heavy battering and steered away for Guadeloupe. Using a freshening wind, the French fleet drew away and both sides took April 10 to rest and repair. Early on April 11, with a strong wind blowing, Rodney signaled general chase and resumed his pursuit. Spotting the French the next day, the British bore down on a French straggler forcing de Grasse to turn to defend it. As the sun set, Rodney expressed confidence that the battle would be renewed the next day. With dawn breaking on April 12, the French were sighted a short distance away as the two fleets maneuvered between the northern end of Dominica and Les Saintes. Ordering line ahead, Rodney turned the fleet to head north-northeast. As Hoods van division had been battered three days earlier, he directed his rear division, under Rear Admiral Francis S. Drake, to take the lead. Battle of the Saintes - The Fleets Engage: Leading the British line, HMS Marlborough (74), Captain Taylor Penny, opened the battle around 8:00 AM when he approached the center of the French line. Easing north to remain parallel with the enemy, the ships of Drakes division passed the remaining length of de Grasses line as the two sides exchanged broadsides. Around 9:00 AM, Drakes rearmost ship, HMS Russell (74), cleared the end of the French fleet and hauled wind. While Drakes ships had taken some damage, they had inflicted a severe battering on the French. As the battle progressed, the strong winds of the previous day and night began to temper and became more variable. This had a dramatic effect on the next stage of the fight. Opening fire around 8:08 AM, Rodneys flagship, HMS Formidable (98), engaged the French center. Deliberately slowing, it engaged de Grasses flagship, Ville de Paris (104), in a protracted fight. As the winds lightened, a smoky haze descended on the battle impeding visibility. This, along with the wind shifting to the south, caused the French line to separate and bear to the west as it could not hold its course into the wind. The first to be affected by this shift, Glorieux (74) quickly was pounded and dismasted by British fire. In quick succession, four French ships fell afoul of each other. Sensing an opportunity, Formidable turned to starboard and brought its port guns to bear on these ships. Piercing the French line, the British flagship was followed by five of its comrades. Slicing through the French in two places, they hammered de Grasses ships. To the south, Commodore Edmund Affleck also grasped the opportunity and led the rearmost British ships through the French line inflicting significant damage. Battle of the Saintes - Pursuit: With their formation shattered and their ships damaged, the French fell away to the southwest in small groups. Collecting his ships, Rodney attempted to redeploy and make repairs before pursuing the enemy. Around midday, the wind freshened and the British pressed south. Quickly capturing Glorieux, the British caught up to the French rear around 3:00 PM. In succession, Rodneys ships captured Cà ©sar (74), which later exploded, and then Hector (74) and Ardent (64). The final capture of the day saw the isolated Ville de Paris overwhelmed and taken along with de Grasse. Battle of the Saintes - Mona Passage: Breaking off the pursuit, Rodney remained off Guadeloupe until April 18 making repairs and consolidating his fleet. Late that day, he dispatched Hood west to attempt to head off those French ships which had escaped the battle. Spotting five French ships near the Mona Passage on April 19, Hood captured Ceres (18), Aimable (30), Caton, and Jason (64). Battle of the Saintes - Aftermath: Between the engagements of April 12 and 19, Rodneys forces captured seven French ships of the line as well as a frigate and sloop. British losses in the two fights totaled 253 killed and 830 wounded. French losses numbered around 2,000 killed and wounded and 6,300 captured. Coming on the heels of the defeats at Chesapeake and the Battle of Yorktown as well as the territorial losses in the Caribbean, the victory at the Saintes helped to restore British morale and reputation. More immediately, it eliminated the threat to Jamaica and provided a springboard for reversing the losses in the region. The Battle of the Saintes is generally remembered for the innovative breaking of the French line. Since the battle, there has been great debate as to whether Rodney ordered this maneuver or his fleet captain, Sir Charles Douglas. In the wake of the engagement, both Hood and Affleck were highly critical of Rodneys pursuit of the French on April 12. Both felt that a more vigorous and protracted effort could have led to the capture of 20 French ships of the line. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-87472851739743653862019-11-22T08:56:00.001-08:002019-11-22T08:56:04.832-08:00Analysis of India This is a 8-page paper that analyzes the business climate of India with relations to neighboring countries. As the title says, this essay is a very factual and informative summary of a large list of national statistics. It covers population, religion, trade, politics, labor force, transport and even which fish they catch. It covers some modern internal/external political history and international trade history. A very useful essay for anyone wishing to learn about India especially regarding trade.From the Paper: Situated in the South East Asia bordering with the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, the country India is a country that is linked with Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Belonging to one of the oldest civilizations the Indus Civilizations, its historical setting could be traced up to 5000 years. India has also been subject to a series of conquests like the invasion of Aryans, the Dutch, Portuguese, Turkish and Arabs. They were also subjected to a series of political strife when the country was endeavoring for its independence in the 20th century. Today it has a federal republic government established on 15th August, the country has a President as the head of state, while the head of the government is the Prime Minister. The legal system is ruled by a cabinet of council of ministers who are appointed by the president at the recommendation of the Prime Minister. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-50332514815018164242019-11-20T22:05:00.001-08:002019-11-20T22:05:04.668-08:00The Strategic Management of Economy Hotel in China (Proposal) EssayThe Strategic Management of Economy Hotel in China (Proposal) - Essay Example In the hotel industry a similar approach should be used. This study focuses on a specific part of the hotel industry: the low budget hotels. The strategic management framework of the sectorââ¬â¢s hotels is explored by referring to the case of a specific country: China. The above country has been chosen because of the following two reasons: a) because of its position as a major competitor in the global economy and b) because of its significant achievements in regard to the development of the hotel industry. This study aims to show that the strategic management practices used in the sectorââ¬â¢s hotels in China have a key role in the industryââ¬â¢s development; the improvement of certain of these practices, as suggested in the study, could secure the sectorââ¬â¢s growth, a fact that would highly benefit the countryââ¬â¢s economy. Introduction Economy hotels, as businesses, have been highly expanded worldwide. The strong financial pressures developed in the international market especially from 2007 onwards had a key role in this phenomenon. In addition, the development of technology has led to the radical decrease of distance between regions; travelling for covering various needs, including business, education or health, has become highly popular at the level that the time involved can be quite short. The establishment of hotels of low budget has been considered as a necessity so that the housing needs of an areaââ¬â¢s visitors are covered at low cost; such perspective has been proved to increase the areaââ¬â¢s popularity, as a tourist destination but also as a business center. Under these terms, the growth of economy hotels sector can be considered as expected. Countries that aim to secure their economic growth have emphasized on the development of the particular sector; China is an example of this trend. As in other countries, in China also, the sectorââ¬â¢s rate of growth is not standardized; for example, during the recent global recessi on the profits for the hospitality/ tourist industry in China were reduced (Chon et al. 2013). This study aims to help to identify these problems so that solutions are retrieved based on the low cost philosophy that characterizes the sectorââ¬â¢s businesses. Research Background and Motivation China is considered as one of the most powerful economies worldwide. The flexibility of the Chinese economy seems to be its major advantage. Indeed, the growth of China is not based on strict and standardized economic rules; rather, emphasis is given on innovation and the continuous monitoring of market trends (Freed 2011). Economy hotels have become quite popular in markets worldwide. The growth of the sector is indicated in the figures/ data included in the table of Figure 1 below. Figure 1 ââ¬â Growth of economy hotel sector in China, up to 2012 (Shen 2013, p.1) The willingness to identify the strategic management needs of the economy hotel industry in China has been the key motivatio n for the development of this study. According to a recent report the economy hotels sector represents just 30% of Chinaââ¬â¢s hotel industry, a percentage though that it is expected to be significantly increased in the future (PR Newswire 2013). At the same time, the competition in the sectors seems to be limited, as about 47% of the sectorââ¬â¢s hotels are owned by three brands: ââ¬ËHome Inns Group, Hanting Inns and Hotels and 7 Days Group Holdingsââ¬â¢ (PR Newswire 2013). The strategic management characteristics of the sector should be identified and jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-3211370415687389012019-11-19T02:31:00.001-08:002019-11-19T02:31:03.310-08:00US Dropping of Two Atomic Bombs on Japan Research PaperUS Dropping of Two Atomic Bombs on Japan - Research Paper Example The historical event During the final stages of the World War II (WWII), United States of America dropped two atomic bombs on the Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Under the executive order of Harry Truman, the US president, the US dropped Little Boy, a uranium atomic bomb, on the city of Hiroshima, the 7th largest city in Japan. This was on 6th August, 1945. The uranium bomb was so powerful that within minutes half of Hiroshima city vanished. The city was unbelievably destroyed. Out of its 90,000 buildings, more than 60,000 were utterly demolished (Rezelman et al, 2000 and Adamsand Crawford 2000). Information from Harry S. Truman Library & Museum (1946) reveals that as brief as it was, the flash of the explosion emitted intense radiant heat travelling through the air at the speed of light. The explosion was, therefore, followed instantly by flash burns. The US estimates that 60,000-70,000 people were killed and 140,000 others were injured (Rezelman et al, 2000). On 9th August, 1945, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima, Fat Man, next nuclear weapon was dropped in Nagasaki over the north factory. It was exploded at a height of 1,800 feet above the city in order to attain a maximum blast effect. At its blast, buildings collapsed, there was shortages of electric systems and as a result of this, as well as a wave of secondary fires which contributed to massive deaths. Most of the casualties to the inhabitants of the city were caused by primary heat waves. Many others were burnt and killed when their homes, offices or other buildings were burst into flames. Flying debris also contributed to more injuries. 39% of the buildings standing were destroyed. Air was being drawn back to the middle of the burning area, a firestorm of winds immediately followed and because of this, trees were uprooted. The bomb killed 42, 000 people and injure d over 40,000 more (Rezelman et al, 2000 and Adamsand Crawford 2000). The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (2000) estimates that within the 2-4 months after the bombings, 90-000-166,000 people in Hiroshima were killed by acute effects of the blasts, while 60,000-80,000 were killed in Nagasaki but roughly half of the death in each case occurred on the first day. During the two explosions, the causes of deaths were generally the same. Thousands died instantly from flash or flame burns, falling debris and other secondary causes; over the following months others died from acute radiation sickness and other conditions arising from compounded effects of injuries and sicknesses. Most of the people who died were civilians (Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, 1946). Analysis of the historical and contemporary causes of the event On 7th December, 1941, Japan invaded Thailand. It then moved to invade British Malaya and the Pearl Harbor in the US territory of Hawaii. This war was referred to as the Pacific war or the WWII. The war saw the US, China and UK as members of the Allied Powers coming together against the Empire of Japan. The allied power wanted Japan to withdraw from the WWII. On 26th of June 1945, the Harry Truman, the US president, Winston Churchill, the UK Prime Minister and Chian Kai-shek, the chairperson of the Nationalist government of China, issued a document called the Potsdam Declaration. The Potsdam Declaration document which was agreed upon during the Potsdam conference outlined the terms of surrender for Japan. The ultimatum clearly stated that, if Japan did not pull out of the WWII, it would face quick and utter destruction (Villa, jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-10239469252884304552019-11-16T15:03:00.001-08:002019-11-16T15:03:07.238-08:00Social Stigmas and Gender Roles Essay Example for Free Social Stigmas and Gender Roles Essay Social stigmas accompany every one of lifeââ¬â¢s categories ââ¬â especially male and female. Gender-based stereotypes ââ¬â existent since the beginning of time ââ¬â help in both the advancement and hindrance of the sexes and of society. Gender roles helped create society. They generated a world in which the man went out into the world in order to work and provide monetarily for his family while the woman stayed in the home, working hardly to accomplish the coupleââ¬â¢s domestic responsibilities and to raise the coupleââ¬â¢s children. This traditional notion of the roles of genders enabled families to function in history; however, in the modern-day era, this notion only thwarts progress. As women travel out into the work place, they are not treated as the equals of men. The societal perception of the weak, lesser woman still remains, preventing women to become truly equal. On the contrary, gender stereotypes also inhibit the growth of men, causing them to feel compelled to follow the traditional definition of masculinity. Gender should be seen as fluid (with personality characteristics and preferred hobbies that can be demonstrated and admired by both sexes), rather than as a rigid set of characteristics needed to be met. Societal expectations of gender differences should not be forced upon people. Gender roles played a big role in the formation of history. In prehistoric times, women gathered food near their home while their male counterparts hunted for game. While searching for food, the women took responsibility over the children and the cleaning of the house. These roles followed men and women into modern times. The man ââ¬â venturing out into the world ââ¬â was always considered to be stronger and worldlier, while the woman was considered to be innocent and naive. During the nineteenth century, women were denied the right to vote because it was seen as something that would tarnish their innocence and disrupt the so-called Cult of Domesticity. Women were also denied the right to vote because it was assumed that they would vote for the same candidates as did their husbands and brothers, thus essentially doubling the vote of the male population (Cayton). Roles that once were beneficial to culture ââ¬â as during the prehistoric times when necessary labor could be unquestioningly divided between the sexes ââ¬â now hinder from expansion the very society they created. The same gender ideations that existed in the times of the prehistoric human still determine a lot of todayââ¬â¢s social and cultural characteristics. These roles and preconceptions are dramatically outdated and obsolete. In a world where a woman can be the breadwinner of her family, she should not be looked down upon simply because her cells code for XY chromosome sex characteristics. Vice versa, men should not be expected to be perpetually tough and strong. Men who do not fit the mold are immediately ostracized and ousted from society, mocked for their ââ¬Å"feminineâ⬠traits. However, personality characteristics should not be assigned to different genders. The association of certain inherent qualities with one gender over the other causes a schism in humankind, separating people into two groups of male and female. The mere grouping of people based on common characteristics leads to the assumption that all people in the category must abide by the decided upon characteristics, or said person will be seen as an anomaly and ousted. The necessity to conform places an undue pressure upon the citizens of the world. This stress manifests itself in a myriad of different (sometimes harmful) ways: a person may become depressed or even suicidal. Many people, in response to intense societal pressure break laws and attack others (such as when people rape or murder others, based on their gender or sexual preferences). Societal perceptions of man and woman should be eradicated; they are much too outdated, specific and assuming for a self-proclaimed ââ¬Å"progressiveâ⬠society. Although it is clear that current gender roles are extremely outdated and inapplicable, many people still enforce them. Why does this coercion to conform occur? People from all walks of life buy into the theory that men should do certain tasks and women should do others. Why does a world so partisan about most issues suddenly join together in a crusade to maintain the tradition of the separation of genders? Many people enforce gender roles simply because they are accustomed to such notions. People generally fear the idea of change rather than the aspect that should be changed. Meaning, people fear more the act of change rather than the results of change. The masses usually do not like learning how to accept the new. Fear also fosters intolerance, which then leads to the alienation of the people who have the undesirable trait or traits. Some religions also heavily discourage the expression of traits that deviate from the social normal. Not only are expectations of each gender detrimental to society in an economic sense (as women are often not treated equals in the work force and thus not offered the same occupational and pay opportunities), but they also greatly harm societyââ¬â¢s social integrity. Women are often victimized for their gender, through crimes as heinous as rape and murder. These cr imes are most often committed because women are seen as weak and sinful creatures, according to old notions. In the Bible is the story of Adam and Eve ââ¬â the first humans ever to grace the Earth. One day in the Garden of Eden ââ¬â the cradle of civilization ââ¬â Eve was seduced by a snake to eat the red apple, the very fruit she was instructed by God to avoid. Eve then coerced Adam to eat the apple as well, and both were punished by Godââ¬â¢s wrath accordingly. Whether the Bible tells the truth is up for debate; however, the influence of this book is irrefutable. Religions all over the world follow the word of Genesis as if it were law, reaffirming the belief that women are lesser, irresponsible beings due to the supposed actions of Eve (The Bible). Due to the belief that women are sinful creatures, an excuse ââ¬â a duty ââ¬â arises for the mistreatment of women. Men, usually those who have a mental illness, rape and otherwise attack women because they see something inherently wrong with all women, and see it as their duty to correct it. Society pressures men to be macho, thus giving them the twisted idea that they need to victimize women to be so. Americaââ¬â¢s notion of manhood is ââ¬Å"pitiful,â⬠convincing men that they must be violent and oppressive to be considered men (Theroux). Many women fall victim to female genital mutilation (otherwise known as FGM). Many governments of the world turn a blind eye to this awful human rights violation. One hundred to one hundred and forty girls worldwide are victims of female genital mutilation (WHO). Female genital mutilation occurs usually because women are not respected in society. According to traditional values, males are stronger and more powerful than are females. This notion contributes to why, in some cultures, the genital region of a female is sewn shut. This way the male has to forcible penetrate the female during sexual intercourse, asserting his dominance as a man. Yet in other cultures, the clitoris is removed from the female anatomy before she reaches puberty. This atrocity is committed because the people of these cultures want to preserve the innocence of women. Society expects women to be innocent, pleasant creatures, contributing to some extremes like female genital mutilation. In a gain for the equal rights movement, women can fight in the armed forces (in America, at least). However, this win did not solve all of the problems of women: although they can enlist in and fight for the armed services, they are most often not treated as legitimate soldiers. Not only to they not receive the respect they have earned, but they are also victimized by their fellow soldiers. In 2009, over 2,900 women in the armed forces reported being raped. Out of the 2,974 women who reported a rape or sexual assault, only 292 women even got their day in court, and even fewer got justice. In addition to these shocking statistics, it is estimated that another 80% of women in the military endure a sexual assault but are too scared to report it (Couric). In addition to the rampant nature of rape in the military, officers make it extremely hard for women to report the abuse. The attacker is usually a person of a higher rank so when a victim speaks out, she is disbelieved more than would be for a civilian. These rapes occur for the same reasons civilian rapes occur: men see themselves as of high statuses than those of women. That notion goes back to the prehistoric notions of man and women, and the presumed societal differences between men and women. Women are not taken seriously because of their gender, and thus men try to put them back where the men think they should be through rape and other suck attacks. Although most people see women as getting the short end of the stick as far as societal pressures are concerned, men lose some of their individualism through expectations enforced by society. Males are seen as inhuman, almost, expected to be emotionally stoic and stolid regardless of their situation. Men are traditionally deprived of the privilege of spending time with their children. They are forced out into the cutthroat world of business and finance, giving them little time to spend with their families and forcing them to become the macho, stoic men they are supposed to be. All men do not fit these characteristics; each person has their own personal characteristics that create their being. Personality characteristics should not be associated with a specific gender; the way a person acts is not determined by his or her sex. Men are pressured to be very macho, which leads to them attempting to overpower women and commit many different crimes against them. Also, men portrayed in advertisements are not the average man and the two specimens do not have the same characteristics (Ehrlich). The societal pressure to conform to a specific gender makes many people feel very isolated and alienated from their communities. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people suffer a lot of backlash from society for expressing their true selves. Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people (LGBT) discover ââ¬â from early childhood ââ¬â that the world is not sympathetic to their plight. LGBT teens are bullied, in schools all across the country and all across the world, to the point of suicide. Many feel forced to keep their sexual orientation a secret. Transgendered people especially are tormented for expressing their true character. A transgendered person is someone who feels that they were born in the wrong body; a male feels like a female and a female feels like a male. Recently, more and more studies have been discovered that say that gender is more fluid than it is rigid: for instance, a boy can still want to be a boy anatomically, but he may want to partake it traditionally more feminine activities (Gash). These people feel extremely alienated because of they believe gender is a personal decision. Some transgendered people can feel like a woman one day, and a man the next (Gash). LGBT people further show why society should not push its expectations upon its citizens. Because of the blind hate and fear society projects, LGBT people are ridiculed and tortured all over the world. This form of bullying is one of the most ruthless forms in existence. Researchers show that LGBT teenagers are at greater risks of suicide and depression than are any other category of people (Soulforce). This country was founded on the soul principle of freedom. If even one person doesnââ¬â¢t have the freedom to express him or herself, can the nation ever be truly free? The Constitution of the United States of America was founded to promote and ensure equality amongst its itizens and amongst the citizens of the world. The preamble states that there are certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away from the people by their government: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. If the pursuit of happiness of some citizens is halted because of the pressures and preconceived notions about gender and sexuality, how can Americans claim to live up to the promises of the Constitution (Attendees of the Constitutional Convention). In the Gettysburg Address, late President Lincoln made a speech dedicating a cemetery to fallen soldiers. In the speech, the President referred to a government that was ââ¬Å"of the people, by the people and for the people. â⬠This quotation refers to the fact that the government of the United States of America was founded in order to help the people of the United States of America, and the people first (Lincoln). However, with a government that increases intolerance by throwing around old notions of what a man is and of what a woman is, how can the youth change the future? Gender roles ââ¬â although previously useful ââ¬â should not be implemented in todayââ¬â¢s modern society, because they only lead to havoc and inequality. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-802438915135283885.post-11362488157798618362019-11-14T03:35:00.001-08:002019-11-14T03:35:03.920-08:00Feminist Rhetoric in Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe :: Feminism Feminist Women CriticismFeminist Rhetoric in Uncle Tom's Cabin à à à à à à In considering whether Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, is an example of, or contains remnants of, feminist rhetoric or not, one must first solve the problem of defining what is meant by the term feminist. This is difficult to do when one considers that Uncle Tom's Cabin was written over one hundred and forty years ago, and that feminism has moved through so many different stages since that time. One must resist applying the standards of twentieth-century feminism to Stowe's time, and instead, try to view Uncle Tom's Cabin as it would have been viewed given the sentiment of the time. In order to do this, one must first define feminism within the historical context of the 1850's, when Uncle Tom's Cabin was published. à à à à à Perhaps the term feminist itself was not commonly associated with women's rights in the 1850's, but certainly the ideal was. The climate of the time in which Stowe published her anti-slavery novel was fruitful with unrest, not only because of the slavery issue, but also because of women's rights issues. The focus of the women's rights movement, led by women such as Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, and Elizabeth Stanton, was not only women's attainment of the vote, but also the emergence of women as public citizens, a role that went beyond that of ruler of the domestic, private sector. à à à à à Women's suffrage was first proposed in the United States in 1848 at the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, just two years before Uncle Tom's Cabin was published. At this convention, a Declaration of Sentiments that paralleled the wording of the Declaration of Independence was drafted, insisting on the adoption of a women's suffrage resolution. The Women's Rights movement of this time also advocated more liberal divorce laws, less restrictive clothing for women, coeducation, and the right of married women to control their property. Though it would be seventy years before women would be granted the right to vote by the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution, the Women's Rights movement was in place and active during the time that Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin. à à à à à Even so, Uncle Tom's Cabin is seemingly about slavery, not women's rights, and it is not erroneous to assume that Stowe's intention was to highlight the evils of slavery and the decay of human morality, rather than directly discuss women's roles when she penned the novel. jenniferstew36http://www.blogger.com/profile/15634849079133925917noreply@blogger.com0