Adult Development and Substance Abuse

This research paper has been compiled through comprehensive collection of information from five different sources.   The area of substance abuse and its impact on the development progress of an individual has been explored.   This covers the range of personal capacity from social to economic spheres.Serious effects have especially been observed at the work place where by unlike the great need of talent competency required by the advance in technology and globalization, substance abuse is pushy behind the role of individuals in the economy.IntroductionThe substances in question are used for recreation purposes in some instances and for medical purposes in some other instances.   The moderate uses of some of the substances are therefore beneficial to the user while some should never be used at all.Continued and the over usage of these substances consequently becomes dangerous to the health of the user and consequent performance capacity of the user.   Examples of the substance in question with respect to this paper include â€Å"marijuana, hashish cocain or crack, sedatives, tranquillizers, stimulators, analgesics, tobacco†, among others (Finn & Hall, 2004, 34).The abuse in question refers to the use of those substances in the following ways:-Not for medical use, meaning when the user of the substance uses a substance with medical use, but against the purposes; on a personal prescription and without the doctor’s prescription.   The substance may also be used in prescription that are higher than what the doctor has prescribed in terms of quantities or frequencies (Frone, 2006).Effects of substance AbuseWhen a substance is wrongfully used in a way such as the one described above here, the substance becomes illicit whose effects includes impairment which has been found to occur frequently.   In the process of substance use and impairment, gender has been proven to play a vital role.   As regards gender men have been proven to be victims o f abuse and impairment more than women.   Women are only victims in most of the circumstances when there is a secondary factor leading to substance abuse.   Race does not play any factor in drugs abuse.   Education and age are very significant factors of abuse having been proven to posses an inverse variation.The â€Å"executive cognitive functioning of the individual and executive cognitive impairment is related to substance abuse† (Frone, 2006, 89).  Ã‚     The most prominent effects of substance abuse is exhibited in individual in the form of â€Å"anti-social characteristics and social deviance which are expressed in the form of anger, depression temperament, antisocial personality, conduct problems† among others (Frone, 2006, 89).Substance abuse has been observed to be promoted by the individual’s high levels of tendencies to respond to rewards and extremely low levels of tendencies to respond to punishments while disregarding social norms.   Th e abuser of the substance tends to be attracted to the salient more current and instant rewards and ignore the less salient future concurrent effects (Gallop, Crits- Christoph, Ten Have, Frank, Griffin & Thase, 2007).With regards to alcohol abuse excessive drinking is out of excitement associated with the habit.   The drinker imagines that pleasure is derived when poisoned by alcohol.   Alcohol problems tend to be principle causes of social deviance rather than alcohol use.   To become excited alcohol use is more prevalent than alcohol abuse (Gallop, Crits- Christoph, Ten Have, Frank, Griffin & Thase, 2007).Time is also important when it comes to alcohol abuse.   The responsibilities expected of an individual are interfered with when alcohol is taken at the wrong time.   Heavy alcohol intakes are bound to create alcohol problems.   The use of alcohol to excessive extremes affects the individuals self control.   Peer groups are also very influential towards the bad beha viors of alcohol abuse (Jackson, O’Neill & Sher, 2006).History of the family with respect to alcoholism also plays a significant part in areas of measures of seeking for excitement, Social deviance, alcohol related problems and reduced   fluency in speech expression.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The intelligence quotient of the alcohol abuser is also drastically lowered.   The health of the affected person deteriorates, the levels of productivity decreases and the safety of the respective person is greatly undermined (Finn & Hall, 2004).The current global economic position requires people to be effectively competent in their respective talents.   This goal is defeated by the abuse of these substances.   The substance when abused poisons the user and this is intoxication.  Ã‚   The abuse has some adverse negative effects on the functioning of the brain of the affected individual which is impaired.   The impairment brings about some absurd behaviors and some changes in the indiv idual.As the individual develop the habit of use of a substance, the body system devises some tolerance to the effects of the substance in which case the individual adapts to the use of the substance.   The body is in a position to cope with some specific doses of a substance.   The use of the substance beyond this adapted dose is tantamount to the abuse of the substance.The abuse is specifically detrimental to the workers who extend the impairment to their workplace. In the work place, the quality of work is negatively affected by substance abuse.The environment at work develops adverse physical and psychological attributes as a result of illicit drugs by employees (Wiesner, Windle, & Freeman, 2005). The abuse of drugs is bound to generate stress at work.   The extended use of illicit drugs in turn is responsible for very poor productivity levels at the work place.The personality of the individual is also adversely affected, with the individual acquiring some personality trai ts which are guided by the specific type of substance dependence.The personality traits exhibit some similar characteristics across substances that are usually abused High degrees of negative emotionality are directly related to alcohol use disorders, â€Å"high extraversion and low levels of conscientiousness† (Grekin, Sher & Wood, 2006, 79).On the other hand the extended use of cannabis sativa creates some â€Å"low extra versions on one hand and a high degree of openness to experience on the other hand† (Grekin, Sher & Wood, 2006, 77).     Ã‚  The personality of any individual has some positive correlation with the antisocial behavior and the abuse disorder associated with the use of a specific drug.There exists a significant association of personality and substance dependence and the ability to control behavior of negative consequence to the society.   The most affected group in the society by substance abuse ranges from adolescence to the early adulthood, an d a single behavior factor is very influential towards alcohol dependence, dependence on drug and the ‘antisocial personality disorder which is externalizing in nature’ (Frone, 2006,198).The abuse of these substances have been observed to yield such bad behaviors as skipping school, running away from homes, cases of shoplifting, thefts, at work, all these being considered to as deviant and aberrant behaviors.   These behaviors have been mostly observed in men more than in women, and therefore  Ã‚   gender is very significant in novelty seeking and substance abuse.The abuse all result to depression which in turn results to job stress and poor productivity.   This creates some high degrees of boredom at the job, the variety of skills deteriorates, and autonomy becomes significantly low.   There has been reported a linear corelatiship between binge drinking and the job stress, also the abuse of drugs and heavy drug use are positively correlated with stresses at the job (Jackson, O’Neill & Sher, 2006).This in turn results to psychological problems at the work place which is a contributor to risky health environment which is a result of† aversive work conditions† (Frone, 2006, 123).  Ã‚  Ã‚     Some of these conditions include noxious environments, insecurity in the job, being treated in an unfair manner, poor pay lack of benefits and promotions in the work among others.   All these become dangerous work conditions.In conclusion, the substance use Disorders have therefore been seen to have negative affectivity.   Some personality traits have also been found to be differentially correlated to the dependence symptoms associated with the use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco.With respect to abstinence from the abuse of these substances, gender has also been found to be very significant with men being found to have higher oscillations between use and abstinence as compared to women.  Ã‚     Time required for the transitio n between substance abuse and abstinence is very important as the transition cannot be achieved overnight.   This is quite important since the process goes through relapse to recovery.ReferencesEmily R. Grekin, Kenneth J. Sher, and Phillip K. Wood (2006), Psychology of Addictive Behaviors: Personality and Substance Dependence Symptoms, Vol. 20, No. 4, 415–424Kristina M. Jackson, Susan E. O’Neill, and Kenneth J. Sher (2006), Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology: Characterizing Alcohol Dependence, Vol. 14, No. 2, 228–244Margit Wiesner, Michael Windle, and Amy Freeman (2005) ,Journal of Occupation Health Psychology: Work Stress, Substance Use and Depression Among Youth Adult Workers, Vol. 10 No.2, 83-96)Michael R. Frone (2006), Journal of Applied Psychology: Prevalence and Distribution of Illicit Drug Use in the Workforce and in the Workplace, Vol. 91, No. 4, 856–869.Peter R. Finn and Julie Hall (2004), Journal of Abnormal Psychology: Cognitive Abi lity and Risk for Alcoholism, Vol. 113, No. 4, 569–581.Robert J. Gallop,Paul Crits-Christoph, Thomas R. Ten Have, Jacques P. Barber Arlene Frank, Margaret L. Griffin, Michael E. Thase (2007), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology: Differential Transitions Between Cocaine Use and Abstinence for Men and Women, Vol. 75 No 1,95 -103.

Blood Transfusion

BIOPURE INDUSTRIESA Marketing Analysis Based on the data from the case study by Jonn Gourville, Biopure Corporation , HBS, 1998April 20, 2005By Veronica Stepanova Executive  Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Situation AnalysisI. Human  Market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3II. Animal  Market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Marketing Plan  for oxyglobin†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Final  decision†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 7 Appendix 1 A (Excel documents, separate attachment) Appendix 1 B Executive Summary Many opportunities are available in the human blood market due to several disadvantages of thecurrently available alternatives. Even more opportunities exist in the  animal blood market. †¢Oxyglobin should be positioned as a high-quality product designed for middle- to upper-classbudgets. †¢The price for Oxyglobin should be about $200 for the consumer and around $100 for the supplier(animal hospital) to account for distribution markups and other  carrying costs. †¢Distribution should be oriented in the regional  vicinity of the operation and implement largerclinics.In addition, only emergency clinics are to be targeted. Current opportunities are favorable for Oxyglobin’s launch. Situation Analysis I. Human blood market. †¢Patients with acute blood loss from  trauma  and surgery – 40% individuals aged 65+. †¢Chronic anemia  patients (any age) – 1. 5 million for the year 1995. †¢Blood loss, resulting from trauma (e. g. car accident) and exceeding 2-3 units (1 unit = 10% of  total blood content of human body) needs immediate  blood transfusion. †¢Price is largely cost-based (storage, implementation) – blood donation is free.Existing options. †¢Red  blood cells  and their components (hemoglobin, platelets, and plasma) are  collected viadonations, organized by blood collection centers and  then transfused into patients. †¢Current options allow for storage for 6  weeks in refrigerated conditions, consequently disposed of  if unused. Hemoglobin uses oxygen-carrying efficiency by 50% if not used  within the first few weeks. †¢Blood transfusion is subject to blood typing (A, B,  AB, O, positive, negative) andreception/rejection by the body. Incorrect matching may be fatal  for the patient. Infection risks slow down the process of  testing blood prior to its use and are  greater if blood isnot separated into components. Infections include the risks of AIDS, hepatitis B,  and contamination. †¢Blood transfusion is available on-site only (hospital or emergency room); as a  result, 30% traumapatients die prior to operation. †¢Blood supply is lower than demand, especially during peak periods (summer  months and winterholidays, during which car and other travel increases ? fewer donors and more patients). Blood substitutes. †¢3 companies in final stages awaiting FDA  approval (clinical testing). Entrance into market is difficult (all current processes patented) and  time-consuming – may takeup to 17 years (See case Exhibit 3). Potential to replace current blood drawing process by  component separation and purification, aswell as chemical modification and stabilization of hemoglobin. Reduced risk of contamination and increased storage capability of 2 years. Added benefits for patients with constricted or restricted blood vessels (smaller size improvedaccessibility to organs). Possibility of adapting animal blood cells for use in  humans. Risk of toxicity and body rejection (sped up  excretion). Competitors/industry players .A. Baxter &  Northfield Laboratories. †¢Both rely on human blood supply to  derive hemoglobin. †¢Red blood cells obtained from expired banks. †¢Require refrigeration. Baxter: †¢Leader in development and manufacturing of blood-oriented medical equipment. †¢Large facility – production capacity of 1 million units/year, spent $250  million on R&D. †¢Product – HemAssist – to be  priced between $600-$800. Northfield: †¢ Small facility –  10,000-unit production capability but possible expansion into  300,000 units/year. Focus on single product (PolyHeme), $70 million spent on development. B. Biopure Corporation. †¢Specializes in protein purification for pharmaceutical use. †¢Hemopure 2 years away from final approval. †¢Derived from the blood of cattle. †¢Production capacity of 150,000 but  possible production limitations due to expected concurrentusage of production equipment for animal version. †¢Need for removal of  hemoglobin clusters from product? excess process in  production ability. †¢Cost for Biopure at $1. 50 per unit of animal blood, but plan to match Baxter’s price for finalconsumer product.II. Animal blood market. †¢Mainly cats (35%) and dogs (50%). †¢800 dogs were brought to emergency  treatment due to acute blood loss in 1995,  2. 5% severe. Existing options. †¢15,000 veterinary clinics. †¢5% of vet clinics p erform emergency care, with a 75% referral rate from primary care  clinics. †¢Current blood banks insufficient, demand greatly exceeds supply: 2. 5 out of 30  cases treated. †¢93% blood drawn from donor animals (78%  in emergencies) – an ethically questionable practice. †¢150 units of blood transfused per emergency care, 17 per  primary care center (Appendix A). No effective blood typing or cross-matching systems. †¢Blood collection, storage, and transfusion too costly for proper operation. †¢Current cost of clinical care  to animal owners relatively high, undesirable. ? 84% doctor dissatisfaction with current alternatives. Blood substitutes. †¢Biopure’s Oxyglobin currently the only existing  FDA-approved substitute ready for launch. †¢No evident chemical difference in the  production process between animal and human supplement. †¢Animal supplement approved sooner than human equivalent due to less-strict regulations in theanimal consumer market. Production capacity of 300,000 units, $200 million spent on development (combined withHemopure) Marketing Plan for OxyglobinPositioning strategy. Most animal owners (enthusiasts) can be  assumed to be within the middle to  upperincome class, based on the extraneous costs of owning an animal (refer to case Exhibit 8 for a summary of  average costs of keeping a  pet). However, many consumers proved to be  price-conscious about spendingadditional funds on optional services (this will be analyzed further in the  pricing strategy); therefore, nopremium strategy should be used.The product should be positioned as  a high-quality supplement forblood transfusion, available to (affordable by) most animal owners. Pricing strategy. As cited, animal  owners expect to spend limited amounts of money on  animal care; thisis slightly different for emergency situations, where customers are willing to spend more,  as demonstratedby the survey results (Exhibit 8; Table B). The typical cost of a  blood transfusion to the customer iscurrently $100 for the traditional method; however, this price was  said to have been cost-unjustified.Still,veterinarians were cited as the  trusted source for determining a patient’s treatment selection, which putspressure on the new substitute segment to set  a competitive price standard. While profit margins mayprove higher on a higher-priced item, the  product’s sensitivity to reputation for being a supposedlyâ€Å"better, cheaper alternative† to currently available options, which would satisfy the currently largely-unfulfilled demand for blood transfusion, would pressure Biopure to price its Oxyglobin according tocustomer expectations (See â€Å"Existing options†, page 5 of this report).Those expectations, as  we can seefrom the attached appendix (Appendix 1 A and B), are that the price to the consumer be about $200 ($100to the veterinarian – keeping the  50% markup), which would give the company the largest  marginal gainin revenues (higher prices are actually marginal  losses! ), while still retaining the major demand (weconsider emergency care centers more important here,  since they have, proportionally, a much largerdemand than primary care centers).In terms of the  price difference between Oxyglobin and its competitorin the human segment, Baxter, the latter spent $50 million more on R&D than Biopure, so the pricepremium on Baxter can be  justified by higher costs; in addition, Biopure’s per-unit costs are significantlysmaller because it uses cattle blood. In addition, Biopure may price Hemopure slightly higher because of  the extra processing that goes into making it,  as well as the variation in  the segment and target audience(people are willing to spend more on  themselves than on animals). Distribution.Biopure should only target emergency care  practices. Although those only make up 5% of  the overall industry, 75% primary care specialists will refer  an acute blood loss case (such as a trauma)  toone of these centers. Furthermore, Biopure should target large practices (3+ doctors) through regionaldistributors, both of which account for the largest sales in  the industry. Considering the limited volume of  supplies Biopure is going to have, a  national distribution may not be desirable right away, until thecompany at least increases its production capabilities.A regional distributor would be local enough tounderstand the specific needs of its market (e. g. , New England), and a larger vet practice could provemore efficient (and less costly) in  terms of the availability of materials and  the reduction of transfers,thereby also reducing the consumer’s costs and increasing the rate  of success by providing a quicker  service (in other words, it would have more  cases, but more doctors available to  help overall, fewercases per doctor †“ see Exhibit 7).Of course, the drawback is that a large clinic would not be as personal. The 1 million dollar question: Should Oxyglobin be launched? – Yes. †¢Launching early allows for an audience test:? Achieve acclaim/recognition for a break-through discovery that is beneficial because it-Fulfills an unsatisfied/dissatisfied need (better quality blood  transfusion, availability);-Reduces costs to both suppliers and consumers.? Easier entry into secondary (human) market –  Ã¢â‚¬Å"tested on animals† – more trusted  than untestedcompetitors.?Potential to utilize production to full potential (instead of splitting up with Hemopure); later on, dividebased on larger per-unit profit (and  not necessarily the stated 150:300 ratio).? If fails or doesn’t test well: – Would aid in the decision about improving current human version (complete discontinuation notan option due to  the immense initial investment in R&D);- Reduce the shock of having to change both formulas (processes) simultaneously – longer timespan gives better flexibility and more time for testing and improvement – less drastic. Hemopure and Oxyglobin,  although similar in purposes, are meant for two completelydifferent segments; they should not be compared based on price because price expectations aredifferent for humans than they are  for animal needs; the demand for Oxyglobin  is clear andsignificant, while the demand for the same product in the human market is questionable. Therefore, stick with Oxyglobin – which already has the approval – and launch it.

African Americans Played a Key Role in Vietnam War Essay -- African Amer

I. African Americans involves in the army a. Irregular percentage of African Americans drafted in the military b. The role of blacks in the Army c. The Vietnam War as a genocide II. Discrimination Issues a. Armed Forces dominated by whites b. Personal racism c. Racist practices against blacks d. African Americans in combat III. Black Women in the Armed Forces a. Segregation in working areas b. Black women and their assignments IV. The Black Power a. Response to racism b. The new black culture c. Black’s own terminology V. Consequences of Black response a. Banned Manifestations b. Widespread of racial violence c. Transferring people to other areas Hidden Heroism Racial discrimination in the United States is not a new issue. African Americans have been discriminated against since 1619, when the first Africans were brought to Jamestown and served as slaves. After being killed, segregated and treated inequitably in 1965, the government gave equal opportunities to African Americans for the first time. Yet, the opportunity given was once again to serve the country. Their duty was to defend the nation during the Vietnam War. African Americans played a key roe in Vietnam and, in the process, changed the complexion of the U.S. Armed Forces. The fulfilled an extraordinary record of military service, regardless of the fact that they served under unequal conditions and were segregated with second-rate equipment (Young 333). The Vietnam War had the highest percentage of blacks ever to serve in an American war (Jason). In the early years of U.S. invole. Johnson, Jesse J. Black Women in the Air Forces: 1942-1974 A Pictorial Histo ry. Jonhsonn: Hampton VA, 1974. Kirby, Jason R. Rev. of Equlity or disrimination?: African Americans in the U.S. Military During the Vietnam Ward, ed. Natalie Kimbrough. The Journal of Military History. Sept. 2007. 26 Nov. 2007 http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/libweb/curriculum. Westheider,James E. The African American Experience in Vietnam: Brothers in Arms. Rowman and Littlefield: United Kingdom, 2008. Westheider, James E. Rev of The Brothers’ Vietnam War: Black Power, Manhood and the Military Experience, ed. Herman Graham. The Journal of Southern History. Nov. 2004. 26 Nov. 2007. http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/libweb/curriculum/do/document. Young, Marilyn B. Buzzanco Robert. Eds. A Companion to The Vietnam War. Blackwell: Malden MA, 2002

Evidence based practise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Consistency in Building and Fire Plan Review Essay

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Health care law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Benefits of the iPhone5 to an Architectural company Essay

Benefits of the iPhone5 to an Architectural company - Essay Example (Tech gadgets, n. d.). In order to evaluate how the iPhone 5 can serve an architectural company, data/information management needs persisting in the architectural industry are closely analysed. It is observed that the weakness in information management and communication can negatively affect an architectural company’s market competitiveness. An architectural company cannot deliver effective services to its clients unless there are improved information and communication management systems in operation. In the next session, the paper discusses how these needs of an architectural company can be met using the iPhone. ... By the turn of the 20th century, the business world became highly competitive, and subsequently many business firms went out of business due to their insufficient competitive capabilities. In order to manage the high level growth, companies are required to pay particular attention to construction activities and infrastructure development (Ruth, n. d.). It is obvious that infrastructure development is very crucial to attract potential investors and hence to ensure sustainable business growth Government of the Rostov Region, n. d.). Therefore, architectural companies have immense growth opportunities in today’s business world. In addition to the explosive business growth, the increasing need for housing also offers potential opportunities for architectural firms (The Hindu Business Line, 2012). Today, a large number of architectural companies are active in the industry so as to take advantages of the emerging infrastructure development opportunities. However, these companies can not promote their business growth unless they remain competitive and innovative. In other words, an architectural company has to show its creativity in project design, project development, and information management (Black architects, 2005, p.114). Managing inflow and outflow of information is one of the most difficult challenges for an architectural company to face (Oracle, 2012). In order to effectively confront with market rivals and thereby ensure long term business sustainability, architectural companies must get proper access to information when required. Currently, these firms depend on online information storage systems that are capable of meeting information needs quickly and conveniently. It is clear that architects cannot often develop

Animation Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Animation Critique - Essay Example Hanna and Barbera received eight Emmy and seven Academy awards. Hanna-Barbera in 1967 was acquired by Taft Broadcasting at a value of $12million. Hanna and barbera headed the company upto 1991, when Turner Broadcasting System bought it. In 1996, Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner merged; Hanna and Barbera performed advisory roles in the new company. The animator applies philosophical aspects of semiotics, ritual, psychology, aesthetics and myths in his works. Semiotics involves creating meaning through symbols or signs. The meaning illustrated in most animation works is funny entertainment; for instance Tom and Jerry. Aesthetics entails beauty appreciation. The Jetsons majorly applied the aesthetics concept. Myths explain traditional issues or stories. For instance The Flintstones shows the ways of life if the historical stone age or cave man. Psychology involves understanding the mental functions or human behaviors. The animator applied this concept in identifying funny issues in the society that can be applied in animation. For instance; the jokes illustrated in Tom and Jerry or Scooby-Doo. Ritual entails sequence of related activities done in sequence; for instance the laboratory tests illustrated in the Dexter’s Laboratory (Lenburg 43). Joseph Barbera applied three significant animation principles in his work. These are; squash and stretch, anticipation and staging. The objective of squash and stretch is to illustrate features of weight and flexibility in drawn objects. This is illustrated in works like Dexter’s Laboratory (Mallory 107). Anticipation is applied in preparing viewers for action; and ensures the action seems realistic. This concept is applied in film versions like Scooby-Doo (2002). Staging principle is used to attract and direct the attention of the audience, to the important aspect of the animation. The main focus of attention in the work The Ruff and Reddy Show is the unlikely

Othello a tragic hero Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Othello a tragic hero - Essay Example Othello is a valiant soldier, a Black Moor from Cyprus, who now owes allegiance to Venice, and has been elevated to a position of General and is the admired protector of the city. He has been raised to this position of eminence by the White Senators of the city who see in him the savior of the city. Othello has taken Desdemona, daughter of Barbantio, as his wife, with her will, and the father is grieved at this match of his white daughter to the black Moor, who he considers a foreigner despite his polished manners and exalted position. Iago, a soldier Othello trusts, but who is not chosen as his lieutenant, is jealous of Othello on two counts. One he presents as not being chosen as his rightful lieutenant, and second his own lust for Desdemonia whom he desired but was denied by Desdemona herself. Seeking vengeance, Iago spins a deceitful plot by tainting Desdemona as unfaithful and having an affair with Cassio, the lieutenant Othello had chosen in preference over Iago, and Othello fa lls into the trap. Othello dismisses Cassio from his service and when Desdemona pleads with Othello for his reinstatement, it merely serves Iago’s cause and firms up his allegation about her in Othello’s confused mind. Othello then confronts her with the accusation of unfaithfulness and refuses he plea of innocence and kills her. Iago had earlier used Emily his wife, who unwittingly aided him, but when realization dawns on her she tries to make amends and clarifies her role and that of Desdemona to Othello, but it is too late.

Blog 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blog 2 - Essay Example In their book, International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, Margaret and Mingst expounds on the nature of IGOs and their contribution towards global governance. To better understand their arguments, the paper incorporates the existing interstate conflict in Sudan and the efforts put by IGOs to end the conflict. Created through formal agreement between three or more states, IGOs may be established to serve a specific purpose such as in the case of OPEC or for multiple purposes such as in the case of UN. Among the many roles played by IGOs is the role of collecting and analyzing information so as to help build cooperation between states, solve interstates disputes and create a good foundation for operational activities (Margaret & Mingst, 2010). Such is the kind activities being done by IGOs in Sudan. These organizations include but are not limited to the United Nations (UN), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) which comprises of the Western Equatorial and Lake States. A major question here is the extent of success that these IGOs have registered in solving the existing conflict in Sudan. Notably, IGOs bargain and execute agreements that serve both the interests of individual states and the community as a whole. Through collective participatio n, IGOs usually strive to establish norms of behavior amongst the states while at the same time maintaining their sovereignty. By setting agendas both internationally and nationally, IGOs force state governments to decide on critical issues. Over the last few years, there has been an international outcry for international intervention to â€Å"Safe Darfur†. Given the nature of events and conflict in Sudan, and the creation of a new sovereign state that saw the division of the country into two, what role has IGOs played in the lose of

United Arab Emirates Essay Example for Free

United Arab Emirates Essay United Arab Emirates represent a federation of seven Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm-al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, al-Fujairah. It was in the year 1971 the federal set up of these individual emirates was established which was the ninth year after oil was successfully exported from this Middle Eastern region. Until then the emirates remained tiny independent nations with no boundaries or basic necessities of newspapers, telephones, and even electricity (Tomkinson, 1975; Taryam, 1987; Codrai, 1990). Within a short span of time the export of oil has made the United Arab Emirates an extremely rich nation in that the country was ranking the wealthiest nation in the world at one point of time, on the basis of per capita income. The Gross National Product (GNP) of the nation at that point was US $ 28,000 – approximately close to US $ 100,000 considering the UAE nationals alone (Abdullah, 1985). The revenue from the oil exports accounted for almost 88 percent of the total income of the nation during the period 1975 – 1985 (Faris, 1996). With the help of ‘Oil’ UAE could break regional, and even international records in respect of the pace of urban development and the rate of economic growth. Despite the economic superiority the socio-economic scenario of the country poses a striking contradiction. It is a surprising fact that still 80 to 90 percent of the advance urban population coexists with some of the traditional systems of social interaction, gender-segregation, and tribalism. The socio-institutional format of the present day UAE is characterized by the mixed presence of tribalism, Islamism, urbanism, modernism, consumerism, and the welfare state which represent the vitally important components of the economy.

Investigation into transition metals as catalysts Essay Example for Free

Investigation into transition metals as catalysts Essay Hydrogen peroxide decomposes slowly to form water and oxygen gas. Transition metal oxides will catalyse this reaction. A catalyst speeds up a reaction without being used up. The best catalyst for a reaction increases the rate of reaction the most. The rate of reaction can be measured by the amount of product formed divided by the time of the reaction. If 40 ml of oxygen were produced in 30 seconds (0. 5min), then the rate of reaction would be 80 ml/min. Planning- the apparatus available will be: 20 volume hydrogen peroxide solution (irritant), copper dioxide (harmful), iron oxide, manganese dioxide (harmful), spatulas, ele4ctronic balance, measuring cylinder, trough (water bath), stop watch, thistle funnel, delivery tube, bungs to take funnel and tube, boiling tubes. Safety Precautions   Wear goggles.   Make sure that the hydrogen peroxide does not make contact with skin and/or hair.   Wipe bench thoroughly after experiment. Variables Each catalyst should be tested twice, however the catalyst should be altered after each experiment. Constants. Volume/concentration of hydrogen peroxide (10cm3 of 20 vol. hydrogen peroxide + 10cm3 of water).   Amount of each catalyst (1g).   Time left for/intervals at which gas is measured (every 5 seconds for 50 seconds).   Same general apparatus. NB. Wash apparatus after each experiment. Measurements The volume of gas (oxygen) produced will be measured during each test at 5-second intervals- this will be done by measuring how much water is displaced in the measuring cylinder by the gas. Each catalyst will be tested twice, and the test will last for 50 seconds on each occasion. Results Manganese. Time (secs) Experiment 1 (vol. of Oxygen cm3) Experiment 2 (vol. of Oxygen cm3) Average (vol. Of Oxygen cm3) Copper Time (secs) Experiment 1 (vol. of Oxygen cm3) Experiment 2 (vol. of Oxygen cm3) Average (vol. Of Oxygen cm3)   Iron Time (secs) Experiment 1 (vol. of Oxygen cm3). Experiment 2 (vol. Of Oxygen cm3) Average (vol.Average rate of reaction Average rate= volume/time=.. cm3/sec Manganese dioxide= 96/40= 2. 4 cm3/sec. Copper oxide= 27/50= 0. 54 cm3/sec. Iron dioxide= 27/50= 0. 54 cm3/sec. 20 vol. of hydrogen peroxide means that each cm3 gives off 20 cm3 of oxygen gas. We diluted it to 10 vol. Using water and so we would have expected 100 cm3 of oxygen. Hence manganese dioxide as well as being the best catalyst also caused more hydrogen peroxide to break down. Evaluation Although the results obtained were fairly good, there were quite a few problems during the experiment, which affected them. These were:   It was difficult to fill the measuring cylinder with water, as well as insert it into the trough (water bath) without any escaping and creating difficulties in measuring the gas produced.   The largest measuring cylinder was only 100 cm3. This was very relevant as one of the tests for manganese dioxide exceeded 100 cm3 in gas produced, therefore a larger cylinder was needed. The catalysts were very fine powders, which made it difficult to measure out exactly 1g.   When gas was being produced and coming off fast, it was difficult to read the measurements accurately as the surface of the water wasnt steady. (It was also difficult when a gas bubble came up while the gas volume was being measured). In act to improve the experiment and thus make the results more accurate, the following could have been done: A wider measuring cylinder used so that gas being produced rapidly would not disturb the water surface as much, making the volume of gas easier to measure. A larger measuring cylinder used so that gas volumes exceeding 100 cm3 could be measured and therefore the results not interrupted with.   Repeat testing (i. e. 3 tests for each catalyst) carried out so that there is less room for error whilst obtaining results. This would also make them more reliable. When the results were obtained, there were some noticeable abnormalities i. e. anomalous results. These were; the measurement of gas after 5 seconds when testing iron dioxide, and the tests when using manganese dioxide. This was because when manganese dioxide was being tested, there were large differences in measurements at each time interval, therefore experimental errors must have occurred (after 40 seconds on the first test, the gas volume also exceeded 100 cm3, whilst in the second test this did not happen until after the 50 second limit). The other anomalous result was when testing iron dioxide, as after the first 5 seconds, there was a large difference in the volume of gas between the 2 tests carried out (30 cm3 : 20 cm3). The cause of these anomalous results is most likely related to the surface area of the catalyst in correlation with each test carried out i. e. the powdered catalyst may have been slanted up the boiling tube during one test, but not on the other, resulting in different surface areas. Shaking the boiling tube before each test and/or using a wider testing tube, could have however prevented this. From the results obtained, you can also not definitely state the best catalyst for his reaction, as all 31 transition metals were not tested. Therefore to extend this investigation to find the best catalyst for producing oxygen gas from hydrogen peroxide solution, all the transition metals could have been tested as well as repeat tested for verification. This, in conclusion, would have found the best catalyst for this particular reaction.   Daniel Powell. 10k. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Using a Pencil for Drawing

Using a Pencil for Drawing DESCRIPTION: A pencil is an instrument that you can use it for writing or drawing. People use pencils in the schools, offices, houses to write anything they want on a white sheet of paper. By moving the pencil on this sheet of paper using your hand you can make marks with different shapes and different sizes. Since you are able to draw this marks, you can control the way you move the pencil and draw a variety of shapes and write a specific word by any language. The Pencil has the shape of a narrow cylinder, it also looks like a pipe or a thin piece of wood. It made in that shape to be easy for use, also to hold and grasp it easily, and to control your handwriting. Pencil components are made of different materials, and each part has its own job. There is another type of pencil called the mechanical pencil which has complex components than the wooden pencil since it works by metallic parts and requires a different method to use it.  Ã‚   The components of the wooden pencil The graphite (lead): graphite is the most important part of the pencil since it is the material that produces the marks or the writing on the paper. Graphite is made of carbon and it is the inner part of the pencil, and you can find it in difference sizes. The difference in sizes is giving a difference in the color degree. The lead scales are (0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm,etc) it also can find as (HB, B, 2B, 3B,etc) as the numerical scale get higher the lead get harder and the mark get darker. Number 2 pencil is the standard degree of graphite which is using in most of the countries such the U.S. The wooden body: the wooden cylinder that covers the graphite is made of wood that must be hard and must be able to resist bending and stand for a long time without any cracks. It also must be able to sharpen easily to give you the perfect mark. This wooden piece protects your hand from touching the graphite. It covers with a thin skin of color that gives it a good appearance. The Eraser: you can find the eraser in the bottom of the pencil. This soft part has the ability to erase what you have written on the white sheet. The eraser is made of rubber and has difference colors. You can also buy a separate eraser and use it since the pencil eraser is small and it may consume in a short time. Metal ferrule: this small piece of metal has the shape of a cylinder and it surrounding the end of the pencil and the eraser. It also secures the eraser, and it made from aluminum.  Ã‚   FIGURE 1: Pencil Components Operations: The process of using the pencil for writing or drawing is so easy since you start practicing it, it should be easy for you. You will also learn different techniques of using the pencil, and how to control your handwriting. Step 1: first you have to choose the right pencil. Since pencils have different shapes and sizes and different qualities. Based on your activity you will be able to choose your pencil and determine which number is appropriate for you. Step 2: second you have to sharp the pencil using a pencil sharpener. A sharpener is a tool that has a small razor and has a hole to put your pencil in, and then turn the pencil left or right to get the graphite out of the wooden body. Step3: to use the pencil easily, you have to hold it the way you fill comfortable with. Whether you are left handed or right handed, the common way to hold a pencil is to grip it with your thumb, middle, and index fingers. If this method doesnt fit you, you may try another method until you get a perfect way. Step4: to write on a white sheet of paper you have to press down with an angle using the pencil. You shouldnt put much pressure on the graphite since its very thin and it may break. Try to start with straight marks, and then try to draw some shapes like squares, circles, and triangles. In order to master writing with the pencil, you have to practice every day. Safety precautions: The Pencil is a writing tool which shouldnt be used for any other activity. The graphite (lead) in the pencil is a toxic material which may be dangerous if you applied it to your body. Dont use the pencil to write or draw on your skin or your clothes Dont use the pencil while cooking or preparing food. Dont use the pencil for any medication activity. Dont put the pencil in your mouth, and dont try to chew or nibble it. Dont try to harm someone using the pencil. Always wash your hands after using a pencil.

oppertunity costs :: essays research papers

In today’s society, economic decisions made involve the concept of scarcity. There are â€Å"opportunity costs† associated with any choice that you make. In order for an economy to produce more of one type of product, it will be forced to sacrifice units of production of another product. The shifting of resources from the production of one good to another involves increasing sacrifices of the first good in order to generate an equal increase of the second good. This is known as the â€Å"law of increasing opportunity costs.† The economic rational for the law of increasing opportunity costs is that economic resources are not completely adaptable to alternative uses. The opportunity cost of producing a product tends to increase as more of it is produced because resources less suitable to its production must be employed.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prices are a measure of opportunity cost because they provide information about the value of one product in relation to another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The shape of the Productions Possibility Frontier, (PPF), illustrates the principle of increasing opportunity costs (Graph 3). As more of one product is produced, increasingly larger amounts of the other product must be given up. In Graph 3, some factors of production are suited for producing both Product A and Product B, but as the production of one of the other brands increases, resources better suited to production of the other must be diverted. Producers of product A are not necessarily efficient producers of product B and just the opposite, so the opportunity cost increases as one moves toward either extreme on the curve of the production possibility frontier. If two products are very similar to one another, the production possibility frontier may be D’Orlando 2 shaped more like a straight line (Graph 2). As an example, let’s say that two brands of wine are produced, Brand A and Brand B. These two brands of wine use the same grapes and the production process is the same. The only thing that is different is the name on the label. The same factors of production can produce either brand equally efficiently. If an increase in production of Brand B goes from 0 to 3 bottles, the production of Brand A must be decreased by 3 bottles. In this case, the two products are almost identical and can be produced equally efficiently using the same resources. The opportunity cost of producing one over the other remain constant between the two extremes

Who We Are Essay -- essays research papers

What is position do Black American hold in society today? If Black Americans were to just disappear without a trace, would it effect America economically, politically, and socially? The answer is yes, but we would not have the power to survive on our own. The only power that we truly have is buying power in America. Black Americans are infamous for putting their money into things that are materialistic rather than things that will turn their money over. Things that will build up the community such as black owned establishments. Despite the economic set backs we place ourselves in, politically we have no strong voices and our social leaders do not seem to understand how to elevate the problems that continue to plaque our society. Who can we turn to? I am convinced that if we trace back to learn theories of past African America leaders on these issues then we can eventually come to new heights. This paper will identify the primary economic, political, and social needs of African Ameri cans at the turn of the century and determine if the philosophies of Booker T. Washington, WEB DuBois, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X can eliminate some of these issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The number one problem in for Black societies is the lack of economical development. True, there are Black owned business, but the businesses do not provide longevity in the communities. For example, in my community there was a soul food restaurant that just open up and before you could blink an eye it seem as if some on else other than Black American bought out the owners. Eventually that business will be passed down through the bloodline of whoever bought it and the person who has sold it has depleted the profit that they made form the business. That profit would have bestowed money that could have provided different venues of business therefore supplying more jobs in the community. Black Americans can build an economic standing community by increasing blacked own businesses, investment, money management, and the reduction of governmental policies that are race specific. In other words the government must provide equal access to quality education, employment fo r all Americans ( Williamso 332). Our present economic status can be blame on our past if there is blame is to be made. Other races are able to identify with home countries to improve their economic status, for example thr... ...ther racial violence. For example, in St. Louis 20 police bullets attacked two young men (Farrow 1). This situation is happen to often ,when we are suppose to be more equal, but yet we are not being treated as such. How should we address these issue of police brutality? I feel if Black American have the economic standing and political the social will follow. As stated before, money is definitely power, therefore by economic gain we should be to have power or all that is destructive. I am not suggesting that Black American should go out as vigilantes, but I am recommending that Black American use the ideas of Leaders as Malcolm x, Martin, Washington and Du Bois to excel ourselves. Martin Luther King has also was believed that Black American should fight back in none violent way (Dolan 45). Unfortunately, he has lost his life to the one thing that he strong did not believe in, true his effort did not be come unnoticed, but what was he really fighting for? Black Americans need to wa ke and realize that importance of status economic, political, and social and realize that they all depend on one another and that we must start with one to have all of them come to new heights. Who We Are Essay -- essays research papers What is position do Black American hold in society today? If Black Americans were to just disappear without a trace, would it effect America economically, politically, and socially? The answer is yes, but we would not have the power to survive on our own. The only power that we truly have is buying power in America. Black Americans are infamous for putting their money into things that are materialistic rather than things that will turn their money over. Things that will build up the community such as black owned establishments. Despite the economic set backs we place ourselves in, politically we have no strong voices and our social leaders do not seem to understand how to elevate the problems that continue to plaque our society. Who can we turn to? I am convinced that if we trace back to learn theories of past African America leaders on these issues then we can eventually come to new heights. This paper will identify the primary economic, political, and social needs of African Ameri cans at the turn of the century and determine if the philosophies of Booker T. Washington, WEB DuBois, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X can eliminate some of these issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The number one problem in for Black societies is the lack of economical development. True, there are Black owned business, but the businesses do not provide longevity in the communities. For example, in my community there was a soul food restaurant that just open up and before you could blink an eye it seem as if some on else other than Black American bought out the owners. Eventually that business will be passed down through the bloodline of whoever bought it and the person who has sold it has depleted the profit that they made form the business. That profit would have bestowed money that could have provided different venues of business therefore supplying more jobs in the community. Black Americans can build an economic standing community by increasing blacked own businesses, investment, money management, and the reduction of governmental policies that are race specific. In other words the government must provide equal access to quality education, employment fo r all Americans ( Williamso 332). Our present economic status can be blame on our past if there is blame is to be made. Other races are able to identify with home countries to improve their economic status, for example thr... ...ther racial violence. For example, in St. Louis 20 police bullets attacked two young men (Farrow 1). This situation is happen to often ,when we are suppose to be more equal, but yet we are not being treated as such. How should we address these issue of police brutality? I feel if Black American have the economic standing and political the social will follow. As stated before, money is definitely power, therefore by economic gain we should be to have power or all that is destructive. I am not suggesting that Black American should go out as vigilantes, but I am recommending that Black American use the ideas of Leaders as Malcolm x, Martin, Washington and Du Bois to excel ourselves. Martin Luther King has also was believed that Black American should fight back in none violent way (Dolan 45). Unfortunately, he has lost his life to the one thing that he strong did not believe in, true his effort did not be come unnoticed, but what was he really fighting for? Black Americans need to wa ke and realize that importance of status economic, political, and social and realize that they all depend on one another and that we must start with one to have all of them come to new heights.

Insanity is Independence Essay -- Analysis, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s

Conformity, whether good or bad for society, is never beneficial for the individual. In the late 40’s and 50’s people conformed or they were excluded. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a novel about non-conformists, the people who can’t be the same, and more who didn’t want to be identical. These are the insane ones. The sane ones are the authoritative figures who mentally, physically, and sexually abuse the patients, but they are also the people who decide what is right and healthy for the insane. Ken Kesey demonstrates that those in power become corrupted to argue that the fate of individuals in society should be determined by the persons themselves. Nurse Ratched is propelled by a desire to have complete control over the patients rather than the goal to save the patients and so exacerbates residents in the ward. Her need for control is exemplified by her battle with McMurphy, where her only aim is to quell the rebellion started by the â€Å"intolerable Ward Manipulator† (28). She conceals her true motives under the pretense of the goal of sanity, but her true purpose is to maintain control over all her patients. Doctor Spivy, an expert on mental health, does not receive a share of authority. Even in the group discussion the doctor’s comments are censored. For instance, when he comments on the prospect of a therapeutic carnival in the ward, Miss Ratched dismisses the possibility because it is a topic that â€Å"should be discussed in [the] staff meeting† (109). Nurse Ratched becomes inseparable with her delusion of complete control instead of with her occupational objectives. Her behavior with the pat ients on the ward indicates her feelings toward those in her care. She nods curtly in an â€Å"automatic gesture† only to preser... ...ht [herself] to be a God† (318). This sudden change of heart for both the doctor signifies self-empowerment. Self-empowerment, a rejection of conformity and fostered by McMurphy, gave the former residents of the ward a sense of purpose. Kesey argues for independence and non-conformity. The happiness for the patients came only when they could decide their own destiny. An independent man or woman does not need the advice of the Combine to know what they want in life. So often is the things that are desirable in life are only wanted by a very few. It is tragic that many different people, gays, women, blacks, Asians, have had to wait for the approval of the white men in charge for their own actions. The moral of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is that only an individual knows what is right for him or her, so it is up to that person to decide their own fate. Insanity is Independence Essay -- Analysis, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Conformity, whether good or bad for society, is never beneficial for the individual. In the late 40’s and 50’s people conformed or they were excluded. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a novel about non-conformists, the people who can’t be the same, and more who didn’t want to be identical. These are the insane ones. The sane ones are the authoritative figures who mentally, physically, and sexually abuse the patients, but they are also the people who decide what is right and healthy for the insane. Ken Kesey demonstrates that those in power become corrupted to argue that the fate of individuals in society should be determined by the persons themselves. Nurse Ratched is propelled by a desire to have complete control over the patients rather than the goal to save the patients and so exacerbates residents in the ward. Her need for control is exemplified by her battle with McMurphy, where her only aim is to quell the rebellion started by the â€Å"intolerable Ward Manipulator† (28). She conceals her true motives under the pretense of the goal of sanity, but her true purpose is to maintain control over all her patients. Doctor Spivy, an expert on mental health, does not receive a share of authority. Even in the group discussion the doctor’s comments are censored. For instance, when he comments on the prospect of a therapeutic carnival in the ward, Miss Ratched dismisses the possibility because it is a topic that â€Å"should be discussed in [the] staff meeting† (109). Nurse Ratched becomes inseparable with her delusion of complete control instead of with her occupational objectives. Her behavior with the pat ients on the ward indicates her feelings toward those in her care. She nods curtly in an â€Å"automatic gesture† only to preser... ...ht [herself] to be a God† (318). This sudden change of heart for both the doctor signifies self-empowerment. Self-empowerment, a rejection of conformity and fostered by McMurphy, gave the former residents of the ward a sense of purpose. Kesey argues for independence and non-conformity. The happiness for the patients came only when they could decide their own destiny. An independent man or woman does not need the advice of the Combine to know what they want in life. So often is the things that are desirable in life are only wanted by a very few. It is tragic that many different people, gays, women, blacks, Asians, have had to wait for the approval of the white men in charge for their own actions. The moral of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is that only an individual knows what is right for him or her, so it is up to that person to decide their own fate.

Case #1: Cca (Board of Directors)

BUSN7045: Corporate Governance Case Study 1 Jiachen Lyu u5264027 1 Evaluation of the Board of Directors of Coca-Cola Amatil Jiachen Lyu Student ID: u5264027 1. Basic analysis – a macro perspective From the publicly open information, the member composition of the Board Of Directors (BOD) of Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) can be summarised as the following table (Table 1- 1). It can be easily seen that non-executive directors account for the majority of the board.According to Tricker (1994), this particular composition is of a typical American kind, which is specifically designed to emphasis the independence among members in the board and their loyalty to the shareholders. Table 1-1 Composition of Board of Directors Compan y Name Total direc tor No. Executi ve director Nonexecuti ve directo r Composition of non-executive directors Exper t direct ors Chairma n of other compani es Investment agency representati ves Individu al investor s Coca- Cola Amatil 9 1 8 8 2 3 0 However, it is wort h noting that this particular formation is a result of the highly developed American capital market.In such a market, the frequency of hostile takeover is so common a market phenomenon that masks the lack of BOD’s function. In American companies’ management practice, people focus more on centralisation and expert system, which reduces the importance of executive directors. Comparing with the U. S. , both the turnover of Australian stock market and the frequency of hostile takeover are low, which posts a shadow on the adaption of Cola’s American empirical practice into Australia. 2. Focus on non-executive directorsThe non-executive directors are directors who are employed from the outside. They are normally specialist in areas such as strategic management, finance, investment, legal and public relation. In order to better fulfil the duties of a BOD, National Association of Corporate Directors Blue Ribbon Commission emphasises that each director should contribute his knowledge in at least a field listed below: (1) accounting and finance, (2) judgment, (3) management skills, (4) crisis response, (5) industrial knowledge, (6) experience in international markets, (7) leadership, and (8) strategic vision.According to this point of BUSN7045: Corporate Governance Case Study 1 Jiachen Lyu u5264027 2 view, it can be analysed from the information available on the CCA’s website as Table 2-1: Table 2-1 Appraisal of CCA’s non-executive directors D. G . I. A . C. B . A. F . M. J . G. K . W. K. D. M . Judgment Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Management skills Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Crisis Response Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Industrial Knowledge N N N Y Y Y N N Experience in the international market N N N Y Y Y N NLeadership Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Strategic vision Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Abbreviation: David Gonski (D. G. ), Ilana Atlas (I. A. ), Catherine Brenner (C. B. ), Anthony Froggatt (A. F. ), Martin Jansen (M. J. ), Geoffrey Kelly (G. K. ), Wal King (W. K. ), David Meiklejohn (D. K. ). From Table 2-1, it is clear that some finance and law background non-executive directors (i. e. D. G. and I. A. ) lack of knowledge in beverage industry and have little experience in international markets.When they were facing situations that need industrial judgement and global vision, the limit of their knowledge would be likely to hurt the interest of shareholders. Most non-executive directors, due to their insufficient knowledge about the inner working of the company, tend to rely on financial criteria rather than innovation criteria to evaluate the long-term management of the enterprise, which may lead to short-sighted decisions and further hurt the goodwill and innovation of CCA.Furthermore, most aforementioned non-executive directors are quite busy as they may be managers of other companies or partners of investment banks, they therefore do not have sufficient time to collect detailed management information about CCA. Consequently, the most probable channel of their source of CCA’s information is from the managers. Ironically, while the purpose of establishing a BOD is to solve principleagent problems between the ownership and management, the possible information asymmetry between manager and BOD (thanks to the large proportion of busy nonexecutive directors) may result this vehicle into null.From a strategic perspective, on the other hand, all these non-executive directors as experts in finance, investment, legal issues and science have long term experience, most of whom are over 50 year’s old. They can provide more specific knowledge and advice in terms of strategic management. This is the positive effect of having eight nonexecutive directors in the BOD of CCA. References: Bol Tricker. , Corporate Governance, An International View, p. 20, Prentice Hall, 1994.

Against Space Program Funding Essay

Opening Statement: The government uses approximately 17.6 billion dollars of the taxpayers money to fund NASA every year. We shouldn’t be funding NASA that money when our economy is the worst it’s been since the Great Depression; we need to focus and spend our money on the problems here on Earth. NASA hasn’t done anything significant in space in years. And it’s incredibly risky and dangerous going up there. Arguments: 1)Our economy is the worst it’s been since the Great Depression, why are we even considering funding NASA 17.6 billion dollars when we have big problems here?! Barack Obama, our soon to be President, agrees. We elected him so he must be doing something right with the changes he wants to make. Millions of Americans die from preventable diseases all because they don’t have healthcare, and millions more go to bed hungry at night because they can’t afford to eat. If we took that 17 billion dollars and used to help people get health insurance at least our world would be a better place. Also, global warming & issues like that are happening. If those NASA scientists used their knowledge to figure out a way to better help the earth instead of space, we’d be so much better off. 2)NASA hasn’t made any kind of discovery in recent years that’s been of any kind of use to us. Sure, finding out Pluto doesn’t really count as a planet is cool and all, but how does that help us in anyway?! It doesn’t make a difference if we know how many planets there are right now, what matters is that we use our money to help stop destroying the Earth & try to fix the damage we’ve done. It’s great that we have the technology and skills to travel into space, but it’s becoming unaffordable and we have bigger expenses on our hands. 3)Its incredibly risky and dangerous traveling to space. Remember the space shuttle Columbia tragedy? Also, the radiation on Earth and Space is very different and the radiation in space can cause damage to human cells and possibly cancer. Osteoperosis is another risk. Because of microgravity, bones become brittle and a full recovery when arriving back on Earth may not occur. Space travel can also cause temporary and sometimes permanent hearing loss. And the biggest danger while in space? The debris that is constantly orbiting earth  travels at high speeds and can be deadly if collided with. Closing Statement: Before we continue any more exploration in space, we need to focus on exploring the ways we can help the Earth. We don’t need to spend 17 billion on NASA to find out facts that aren’t of great importance, to put the astronauts and people on the launch site in danger, and when we have so much work to do on Earth. The money will be better spent on fixing the economy and making the Earth a better place.

Creative Thinking

Much of the thinking done in formal education emphasizes the skills of analysis–teaching students how to understand claims, follow or create a logical argument, figure out the answer, eliminate the incorrect paths and focus on the correct one. However, there is another kind of thinking, one that focuses on exploring ideas, generating possibilities, looking for many right answers rather than just one. Both of these kinds of thinking are vital to a successful working life, yet the latter one tends to be ignored until after college. We might differentiate these two kinds of thinking like this: Critical ThinkingCreative Thinking nalyticgenerative convergentdivergent verticallateral probabilitypossibility judgmentsuspended judgment focuseddiffuse objectivesubjective answeran answer left brainright brain verbalvisual linearassociative reasoningrichness, novelty yes butyes and In an activity like problem solving, both kinds of thinking are important to us. First, we must analyze the problem; then we must generate possible solutions; next we must choose and implement the best solution; and finally, we must evaluate the effectiveness of the solution. As you can see, this process reveals an alternation between the two kinds of thinking, critical and creative.In practice, both kinds of thinking operate together much of the time and are not really independent of each other. What is Creativity? An Ability. A simple definition is that creativity is the ability to imagine or invent something new. As we will see below, creativity is not the ability to create out of nothing (only God can do that), but the ability to generate new ideas by combining, changing, or reapplying existing ideas. Some creative ideas are astonishing and brilliant, while others are just simple, good, practical ideas that no one seems to have thought of yet.Believe it or not, everyone has substantial creative ability. Just look at how creative children are. In adults, creativity has too often been s uppressed through education, but it is still there and can be reawakened. Often all that's needed to be creative is to make a commitment to creativity and to take the time for it. An Attitude. Creativity is also an attitude: the ability to accept change and newness, a willingness to play with ideas and possibilities, a flexibility of outlook, the habit of enjoying the good, while looking for ways to improve it.We are socialized into accepting only a small number of permitted or normal things, like chocolate-covered strawberries, for example. The creative person realizes that there are other possibilities, like peanut butter and banana sandwiches, or chocolate-covered prunes. A Process. Creative people work hard and continually to improve ideas and solutions, by making gradual alterations and refinements to their works. Contrary to the mythology surrounding creativity, very, very few works of creative excellence are produced with a single stroke of brilliance or in a frenzy of rapid activity.Much closer to the real truth are the stories of companies who had to take the invention away from the inventor in order to market it because the inventor would have kept on tweaking it and fiddling with it, always trying to make it a little better. The creative person knows that there is always room for improvement. Creative Methods Several methods have been identified for producing creative results. Here are the five classic ones: Evolution. This is the method of incremental improvement. New ideas stem from other ideas, new solutions from previous ones, the new ones slightly improved over the old ones.Many of the very sophisticated things we enjoy today developed through a long period of constant incrementation. Making something a little better here, a little better there gradually makes it something a lot better–even entirely different from the original. For example, look at the history of the automobile or any product of technological progress. With each new mode l, improvements are made. Each new model builds upon the collective creativity of previous models, so that over time, improvements in economy, comfort, and durability take place.Here the creativity lies in the refinement, the step-by-step improvement, rather than in something completely new. Another example would be the improvement of the common wood screw by what are now commonly called drywall screws. They have sharper threads which are angled more steeply for faster penetration and better holding. The points are self tapping. The shanks are now threaded all the way up on lengths up to two inches. The screws are so much better that they can often be driven in without pilot holes, using a power drill.The evolutionary method of creativity also reminds us of that critical principle: Every problem that has been solved can be solved again in a better way. Creative thinkers do not subscribe to the idea that once a problem has been solved, it can be forgotten, or to the notion that †Å"if it ain't broke, don't fix it. † A creative thinker's philosophy is that â€Å"there is no such thing as an insignificant improvement. † Synthesis. With this method, two or more existing ideas are combined into a third, new idea.Combining the ideas of a magazine and an audio tape gives the idea of a magazine you can listen to, one useful for blind people or freeway commuters. For example, someone noticed that a lot of people on dates went first to dinner and then to the theater. Why not combine these two events into one? Thus, the dinner theater, where people go first to eat and then to see a play or other entertainment. Revolution. Sometimes the best new idea is a completely different one, an marked change from the previous ones. While an evolutionary improvement philosophy might cause a professor to ask, â€Å"How can I make my lectures better and better? a revolutionary idea might be, â€Å"Why not stop lecturing and have the students teach each other, working as teams or presenting reports? † For example, the evolutionary technology in fighting termites eating away at houses has been to develop safer and faster pesticides and gasses to kill them. A somewhat revolutionary change has been to abandon gasses altogether in favor of liquid nitrogen, which freezes them to death or microwaves, which bake them. A truly revolutionary creative idea would be to ask, â€Å"How can we prevent them from eating houses in the first place? A new termite bait that is placed in the ground in a perimeter around a house provides one answer to this question. Reapplication. Look at something old in a new way. Go beyond labels. Unfixate, remove prejudices, expectations and assumptions and discover how something can be reapplied. One creative person might go to the junkyard and see art in an old model T transmission. He paints it up and puts it in his living room. Another creative person might see in the same transmission the necessary gears for a multi-sp eed hot walker for his horse. He hooks it to some poles and a motor and puts it in his corral.The key is to see beyond the previous or stated applications for some idea, solution, or thing and to see what other application is possible. For example, a paperclip can be used as a tiny screwdriver if filed down; paint can be used as a kind of glue to prevent screws from loosening in machinery; dishwashing detergents can be used to remove the DNA from bacteria in a lab; general purpose spray cleaners can be used to kill ants. Changing Direction. Many creative breakthroughs occur when attention is shifted from one angle of a problem to another. This is sometimes called creative insight.A classic example is that of the highway department trying to keep kids from skateboarding in a concrete-lined drainage ditch. The highway department put up a fence to keep the kids out; the kids went around it. The department then put up a longer fence; the kids cut a hole in it. The department then put up a stronger fence; it, too, was cut. The department then put a threatening sign on the fence; it was ignored. Finally, someone decided to change direction, and asked, â€Å"What really is the problem here? It's not that the kids keep getting through the barrier, but that they want to skateboard in the ditch.So how can we keep them from skateboarding in the ditch? † The solution was to remove their desire by pouring some concrete in the bottom of the ditch to remove the smooth curve. The sharp angle created by the concrete made skateboarding impossible and the activity stopped. No more skateboarding problems, no more fence problems. This example reveals a critical truth in problem solving: the goal is to solve the problem, not to implement a particular solution. When one solution path is not working, shift to another. There is no commitment to a particular path, only to a particular goal.Path fixation can sometimes be a problem for those who do not understand this; they become overcommitted to a path that does not work and only frustration results. Negative Attitudes That Block Creativity 1. Oh no, a problem! The reaction to a problem is often a bigger problem than the problem itself. Many people avoid or deny problems until it's too late, largely because these people have never learned the appropriate emotional, psychological, and practical responses. A problem is an opportunity. The happiest people welcome and even seek out problems, meeting them as challenges and opportunities to improve things.Definition: a problem is (1) seeing the difference between what you have and what you want or (2) recognizing or believing that there is something better than the current situation or (3) an opportunity for a positive act. Seeking problems aggressively will build confidence, increase happiness, and give you a better sense of control over your life. 2. It can't be done. This attitude is, in effect, surrendering before the battle. By assuming that something canno t be done or a problem cannot be solved, a person gives the problem a power or strength it didn't have before.And giving up before starting is, of course, self fulfilling. But look at the history of solutions and the accompanying skeptics: man will never fly, diseases will never be conquered, rockets will never leave the atmosphere. Again, the appropriate attitude is summed up by the statement, â€Å"The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer. † 3. I can't do it. Or There's nothing I can do. Some people think, well maybe the problem can be solved by some expert, but not by me because I'm not (a) smart enough, (b) an engineer, or (c) a blank (whether educated, expert, etc. Again, though, look at the history of problem solving. Who were the Wright brothers that they could invent an airplane? Aviation engineers? No, they were bicycle mechanics. The ball point pen was invented by a printer's proofreader, Ladislao Biro, not a mechanical engineer. Major a dvances in submarine design were made by English clergyman G. W. Garrett and by Irish schoolmaster John P. Holland. The cotton gin was invented by that well known attorney and tutor, Eli Whitney. The fire extinguisher was invented by a captain of militia, George Manby. And so on.In fact, a major point made by recent writers about corporate excellence is that innovations in industry almost always come from individuals (not research groups) outside of the area of the invention. General Motors invented Freon, the refrigeration chemical, and tetraethyl lead, the gasoline additive. Kodachrome was invented by two musicians. The continuous steel casting process was invented by a watchmaker (fooling around with brass casting). Soap making chemists turned down the problem of inventing synthetic detergents: those detergents were invented by dye making chemists.In a nutshell, a good mind with a positive attitude and some good problem solving skills will go far in solving any problem. Interest in and commitment to the problem are the keys. Motivation–a willingness to expend the effort–is more important than laboratory apparatus. And remember that you can always do something. Even if you cannot totally eradicate the problem from the face of the earth, you can always do something to make the situation better. 4. But I'm not creative. Everyone is creative to some extent. Most people are capable of very high levels of creativity; just look at young children when they play and imagine.The problem is that this creativity has been suppressed by education. All you need to do is let it come back to the surface. You will soon discover that you are surprisingly creative. 5. That's childish. In our effort to appear always mature and sophisticated, we often ridicule the creative, playful attitudes that marked our younger years. But if you solve a problem that saves your marriage or gets you promoted or keeps your friend from suicide, do you care whether other people desc ribe your route to the solution as â€Å"childish? † Besides, isn't play a lot of fun?Remember that sometimes people laugh when something is actually funny, but often they laugh when they lack the imagination to understand the situation. 6. What will people think? There is strong social pressure to conform and to be ordinary and not creative. Here are some overheard examples: Creative Person: â€Å"I like to put water in my orange juice so it's less sweet. † Ordinary Person: â€Å"You're weird, you know? † Ordinary Person: â€Å"What are you doing? † Creative Person: â€Å"We're painting our mailbox. † Ordinary Person: â€Å"You're crazy. † Creative Person: â€Å"Why don't we add a little garlic? Ordinary Person: â€Å"Because the recipe doesn't call for garlic. † Ordinary Person: â€Å"Why are you going this way? It's longer. † Creative Person: â€Å"Because I like the drive. † Ordinary Person: â€Å"Did anyone ever t ell you you're strange? † The constant emphasis we see in society is toward the ruthlessly practical and conformist. Even the wild fashions, from those in Vogue to punk rock, are narrowly defined, and to deviate from them is considered wrong or ridiculous. Some peoples' herd instinct is so strong that they make sheep look like radical individualists. So, what will people think?Well, they're already talking about you, saying that your nose is too big or your shoes are funny or you date weird people. So, since others are going to talk about you in unflattering ways anyway, you might as well relax and let your creativity and individualism flow. Almost every famous contributor to the betterment of civilization was ridiculed and sometimes even jailed. Think about Galileo. And look what happened to Jesus. Quotation: â€Å"Progress is made only by those who are strong enough to endure being laughed at. † Solutions are often new ideas, and new ideas, being strange, are usually greeted with laughter, contempt, or both.That's just a fact of life, so make up your mind not to let it bother you. Ridicule should be viewed as a badge of real innovative thinking. 7. I might fail. Thomas Edison, in his search for the perfect filament for the incandescent lamp, tried anything he could think of, including whiskers from a friend's beard. In all, he tried about 1800 things. After about 1000 attempts, someone asked him if he was frustrated at his lack of success. He said something like, â€Å"I've gained a lot of knowledge–I now know a thousand things that won't work. † Fear of failure is one of the major obstacles to creativity and problem solving.The cure is to change your attitude about failure. Failures along the way should be expected and accepted; they are simply learning tools that help focus the way toward success. Not only is there nothing wrong with failing, but failing is a sign of action and struggle and attempt–much better than inactio n. The go-with-the- flow types may never fail, but they are essentially useless to humanity, nor can they ever enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes after a long struggle. Suppose you let your fear of failure guide your risk taking and your attempts.You try only three things in a year because you are sure of succeeding. At the end of the year the score is: Successes 3, Failures 0. Now suppose the next year you don't worry about failing, so you try a hundred things. You fail at 70 of them. At the end of the year the score is Successes 30, Failures 70. Which would you rather have–three successes or 30–ten times as many? And imagine what 70 failures will have taught you. Proverb: Mistakes aren't fun, but they sure are educational. Myths about Creative Thinking and Problem Solving 1. Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer).The goal of problem solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it is a good solution. There may be other solutions thought of by other people, but that doesn't make your solution wrong. What is THE solution to putting words on paper? Fountain pen, ball point, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, Xerox machine, printing press? 2. The best answer/solution/method has already been found. Look at the history of any solution set and you'll see that improvements, new solutions, new right answers, are always being found.What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, the SST? Is that the best and last? What about pneumatic tubes, hovercraft, even Star Trek type beams? What is the best way to put words on paper? The word processor? Is that the last invention? How about voice recognition, or thought wave input? On a more everyday level, many solutions now seen as best or at least entrenched were put in place hastily and without much thought–such as the use of drivers' licenses for ID cards or social security numbers for taxpayer ID numbers.Other solutions are entrenched simply for historical reasons: they've always been done that way. Why do shoe laces still exist, when technology has produced several other, better ways to attach shoes to feet (like velcro, elastic, snap buttons, and so on)? 3. Creative answers are complex technologically. Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems you'll meet with require only a thoughtful solution requiring personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require a technological solution can be addressed in other ways.For example, what is the solution to the large percentage of packages ruined by the Post Office? Look at the Post Office package handling method. Packages are tossed in bins when you send them. For the solution, look at United Parcel. When you send a package, it is put on a shelf. The change from bin to shelf is no t a complex or technological solution; it's just a good idea, using commonly available materials. As another example, when hot dogs were first invented, they were served to customers with gloves to hold them. Unfortunately, the customers kept walking off with the gloves. The olution was not at all complex: serve the hot dog on a roll so that the customer's fingers were still insulated from the heat. The roll could be eaten along with the dog. No more worries about disappearing gloves. (Note by the way what a good example of changing direction this is. Instead of asking, â€Å"How can I keep the gloves from being taken? † the hot dog server stopped thinking about gloves altogether. ) 4. Ideas either come or they don't. Nothing will help. There are many successful techniques for stimulating idea generation. We will be discussing and applying them. ________________________________________ _______________________________________ Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking and Problem Solv ing 1. Prejudice. The older we get, the more preconceived ideas we have about things. These preconceptions often prevent us from seeing beyond what we already know or believe to be possible. They inhibit us from accepting change and progress. Example problem: How to connect sections of airplanes with more ease and strength than using rivets. A modern solution is to use glue–glue the sections together. We probably wouldn't think of this solution because of our prejudice about the word and idea of glue.But there are many kinds of glue, and the kind used to stick plane parts together makes a bond stronger than the metal of the parts themselves. Another problem: How can we make lighter weight bullet proof windows? Thicker glass is too heavy. Answer: Use plastic. Again, we are prejudiced against plastic. But some plastics are not flimsy at all and are used in place of steel and in bullet proof windows. Another problem: Make a ship's hull that won't rust or rot like steel or wood. Solution: Use concrete. Our prejudice is that concrete is too heavy.Why not make lightweight concrete? That's what's done. Final example: How to divide a piece of cake equally between two kids so they won't complain that one kid is preferred over the other: â€Å"You gave him the bigger piece; you like him better! Waaaah! † Solution: Put the kids in charge of dividing the cake. Our prejudice is that immature, selfish kids can't do the job. But the solution, one cuts the cake, the other has first choice of pieces, works very well. 2. Functional fixation. Sometimes we begin to see an object only in terms of its name rather in terms of what it can do.Thus, we see a mop only as a device for cleaning a floor, and do not think that it might be useful for clearing cobwebs from the ceiling, washing the car, doing aerobic exercise, propping a door open or closed, and so on. (Later on in the semester, we will be doing â€Å"uses for† to break out of this fixation. ) There is als o a functional fixation of businesses. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the railroads saw themselves as railroads. When automobiles and later airplanes began to come in, the railroads didn't adapt. â€Å"That's not our business,† they said.But if they had seen themselves as in the people transportation business rather than in the railroad business, they could have capitalized on a great opportunity. Similarly, when the telephone began its rise, some of the telegraph companies said, â€Å"That's not our business; we're telegraph companies. † But if they had said, â€Å"Hey, we're in the communication business, and here's a new way to communicate,† they would have grown rather than died. Compare Western Union to AT&T. And have you heard of those big calculator companies Dietzgen or Pickett? No? Well, they were among the biggest makers of slide rules.But when electronic calculators began to rise, they didn't know what business they were in. They thought they were in the slide rule business, when they were really in the calculator business. They didn't adapt, they didn't accept the challenge of change and opportunity, and they fell. And there's a functional fixation of people, too. Think a minute how you react when you see your pastor mowing his lawn, or your auto mechanic on a television show promoting a book. Stereotyping can even be a form of functional fixation–how many people would laugh at a blonde quoting Aristotle?Too often we permit only a narrow range of attitudes and behaviors in other people, based on bias, prejudice, hasty generalization, or limited past experience. Think of those statements like, â€Å"I can't believe he said that,† or â€Å"Imagine her doing that,† and so on. But recall the proverb, â€Å"The goal of my life is not to live down to your expectations. † 3. Learned helplessness. This is the feeling that you don't have the tools, knowledge, materials, ability, to do an ything, so you might as well not try. We are trained to rely on other people for almost everything. We think small and limit ourselves.But the world can be interacted with. If you are in need of information, there are libraries, bookstores, friends, professors, and, of course, the Internet. And there are also city, county, and state government agencies with addresses and phone numbers and web sites. There are thousands of government agencies that really exist and that will talk to you. Contact the EPA if you're working on air pollution or pesticides. Get some government publications. Call your state senator or federal congressman for help on bills, information, problems. Contact the manufacturer of a product to find out what you want to know about it.If you are technologically poor, you can learn. Learn how to cook, use tools, make clothes, use a computer. You can learn to do anything you really want to do. All you need is the motivation and commitment. You can learn to fly an airpl ane, drive a truck, scuba dive, fix a car–name it. 4. Psychological blocks. Some solutions are not considered or are rejected simply because our reaction to them is â€Å"Yuck. † But icky solutions themselves may be useful or good if they solve a problem well or save your life. Eating lizards and grasshoppers doesn't sound great, but if it keeps you alive in the wilderness, it's a good solution.Perhaps more importantly, what at first seem to be icky ideas may lead to better solutions–de-ickified analogues of the original. When doctors noted that some unsophisticated natives were using giant ant heads to suture wounds, they imitated this pincer-closing technique by inventing the surgical staple. Psychological blocks prevent you from doing something just because it doesn't sound good or right, which is a pretty ridiculous thing. Overcoming such blocks can be really beneficial. Navy commandos in Vietnam overcame their blocks and put on women's panty hose when they marched through the swamps and jungle.The pantyhose cut down on the friction and rubbing from the plants and aided in removing the dozens of leeches after a mission. Overcoming the block to using your own blood to write a help note could save your life someday if you got kidnapped. Positive Attitudes for Creativity 1. Curiosity. Creative people want to know things–all kinds of things– just to know them. Knowledge does not require a reason. The question, â€Å"Why do you want to know that? † seems strange to the creative person, who is likely to respond, â€Å"Because I don't know the answer. † Knowledge is enjoyable and often useful in strange and unexpected ways.For example, I was once attempting to repair something, without apparent success, when an onlooker asked testily, â€Å"Do you know what you're doing? † I replied calmly, â€Å"No, that's why I'm doing it. † Next, knowledge, and especially wide ranging knowledge, is necessary for cr eativity to flourish to its fullest. Much creativity arises from variations of a known or combinations of two knowns. The best ideas flow from a well equipped mind. Nothing can come from nothing. In addition to knowing, creative people want to know why. What are the reasons behind decisions, problems, solutions, events, facts, and so forth? Why this way and not another?And why not try this or that? The curious person's questioning attitude toward life is a positive one, not a destructive one reflecting skepticism or negativism. It often seems threatening because too often there is no good reason behind many of the things that are taken for granted–there is no â€Å"why† behind the status quo. So ask questions of everyone. Ask the same question of different people just to be able to compare the answers. Look into areas of knowledge you've never before explored, whether cloth dying, weather forecasting, food additives, ship building, the U. S. budget, or the toxicity of laundry detergents. 2. Challenge.Curious people like to identify and challenge the assumptions behind ideas, proposals, problems, beliefs, and statements. Many assumptions, of course, turn out to be quite necessary and solid, but many others have been assumed unnecessarily, and in breaking out of those assumptions often comes a new idea, a new path, a new solution. For example, when we think of a college, we traditionally think of a physical campus with classrooms, a library, and some nice trees. But why must college be a place (with congregated students and faculty) at all? Thus, the electronic college now exists, where students â€Å"go† to college right at home, online.Correspondence courses have existed for years, too, beginning with the challenging of the school-as-centralized-place idea. When we think of an electric motor, we automatically think of a rotating shaft machine. But why assume that? Why can't an electric motor have a linear output, moving in a straight line rather than a circle? With such a challenged assumption came the linear motor, able to power trains, elevators, slide locks, and so on. Problem: We make brandy, and for this special edition of our finest kind, we want a fully-grown pear in one piece inside each bottle. The bottle is narrow necked. How can we do it?As you think, watch for the assumptions you are making. Possible solutions (assuming fully grown pear): close the neck or bottom after insertion, use a plastic bottle like heat-shrink tubing, change to a wide mouth bottle. If we do not assume a fully grown pear: grow the pear from a bud inside the bottle. 3. Constructive discontent. This is not a whining, griping kind of discontent, but the ability to see a need for improvement and to propose a method of making that improvement. Constructive discontent is a positive, enthusiastic discontent, reflecting the thought, â€Å"Hey, I know a way to make that better. Constructive discontent is necessary for a creative problem sol ver, for if you are happy with everything the way it is, you won't want to change anything. Only when you become discontent with something, when you see a problem, will you want to solve the problem and improve the situation. One of the hallmarks of the constructively discontented person is that of a problem seeking outlook. The more problems you find, the more solutions and therefore improvements you can make. Even previously solved problems can often be solved again, in a better way.A constructively discontent person might think, â€Å"This is an excellent solution, but I wonder if there isn't another solution that works even better (or costs less, etc). † Another mark of constructive discontent is the enjoyment of challenge. Creative people are eager to test their own limits and the limits of problems, willing to work hard, to persevere and not give up easily. Sometimes the discontent is almost artificial–they aren't really unhappy with the status quo of some area, but they want to find something better just for the challenge of it and the opportunity to improve their own lives and those of others. 4.A belief that most problems can be solved. By faith at first and by experience later on, the creative thinker believes that something can always be done to eliminate or help alleviate almost every problem. Problems are solved by a commitment of time and energy, and where this commitment is present, few things are impossible. The belief in the solvability of problems is especially useful early on in attacking any problem, because many problems at first seem utterly impossible and scare off the fainter hearted. Those who take on the problem with confidence will be the ones most likely to think through or around the impossibility of the problem. . The ability to suspend judgment and criticism. Many new ideas, because they are new and unfamiliar, seem strange, odd, bizarre, even repulsive. Only later do they become â€Å"obviously† great. Other ideas, in their original incarnations, are indeed weird, but they lead to practical, beautiful, elegant things. Thus, it is important for the creative thinker to be able to suspend judgment when new ideas are arriving, to have an optimistic attitude toward ideas in general, and to avoid condemning them with the typical kinds of negative responses like, â€Å"That will never work; that's no good; what an idiotic idea; that's impossible,† and so forth.Hospital sterilization and antiseptic procedures, television, radio, the Xerox machine, and stainless steel all met with ho-hums and even hostile rejection before their persevering inventors finally sold someone on the ideas. Some of our everyday tools that we now love and use daily, were opposed when they were originally presented: Aluminum cookware? No one wants that. Teflon pans? They'll never sell. Erasers on pencils? That would only encourage carelessness. Computers? There's no market for more than a few, so why build them?R emember then that (1) an idea may begin to look good only after it becomes a bit more familiar or is seen in a slightly different context or clothing or circumstance and (2) even a very wild idea can serve as a stepping stone to a practical, efficient idea. By too quickly bringing your judgment into play, these fragile early ideas and their source can be destroyed. The first rule of brainstorming is to suspend judgment so that your idea-generating powers will be free to create without the restraint of fear or criticism. You can always go back later and examine–as critically as you want–what you have thought of.Proverb: â€Å"A crank is a genius whose idea hasn't yet caught on. † 6. Seeing the good in the bad. Creative thinkers, when faced with poor solutions, don't cast them away. Instead, they ask, â€Å"What's good about it? † because there may be something useful even in the worst ideas. And however little that good may be, it might be turned to good e ffect or made greater. Example problem: How can we get college students to learn grammar better? Solution: Spank their bottoms with a hickory stick. This isn't a good solution, partly because it's probably illegal. But should we just toss it out? Why not ask what's good about it? 1) it gives individual, attention to the poor performers, (2) it gives them public attention, (3) it motivates other students as well as the student being spanked, (4) it's easy and costs nothing. The next question is, Can we adapt or incorporate some of these good things into a more acceptable solution, whether derivative of the original or not? We easily fall into either/or thinking and believe that a bad solution is bad through and through, in every aspect, when in fact, it may have some good parts we can borrow and use on a good solution, or it may do inappropriately something that's worth doing appropriately.And often, the bad solution has just one really glaring bad part, that when remedied, leaves qu ite a good solution. In the above example, changing the physical spanking to a verbal spanking changes the entire aspect of the solution while keeping all the good points we identified. 7. Problems lead to improvements. The attitude of constructive discontent searches for problems and possible areas of improvement, but many times problems arrive on their own. But such unexpected and perhaps unwanted problems are not necessarily bad, because they often permit solutions that leave the world better than before the problem arose.For example, the first margarine was made from beef fat, milk, water, and chopped cow udder. It wasn't extremely tasty or healthy. Then about the turn of the century a shortage of beef fat created a problem. What to use? The margarine makers turned to vegetable fats from various plants and the soybean, corn, and sunflower oils they used are still used today. The margarine is healthier and tastes better. Or think about exams or papers. When you don't do as well a s you want, you think, â€Å"Oh no! † But actually, you have a good insight into what you don't know and still need to learn.You are aware of the geography of your knowledge in a much more detailed form than before the errors showed up. 8. A problem can also be a solution. A fact that one person describes as a problem can sometimes be a solution for someone else. Above we noted that creative thinkers can find good ideas in bad solutions. Creative thinkers also look at problems and ask, â€Å"Is there something good about this problem? † For example, soon after the advent of cyanoacrylate adhesives (super glue), it was noted that if you weren't careful, you could glue your fingers together with it.This problem–a permanent skin bond–was soon seen as a solution, also. Surgeons in Viet Nam began to use super glue to glue wounds together. Another example, also involving glue: 3M chemists were experimenting with adhesives and accidentally came up with one that was so weak you could peel it right back off. Hold strength, shear strength, all were way below the minimum standards for any self-respecting adhesive. A glue that won't hold? Quite a problem. But this problem was also a solution, as you now see in Post-It Notes. 9. Problems are interesting and emotionally acceptable.Many people confront every problem with a shudder and a turn of the head. They don't even want to admit that a problem exists–with their car, their spouse, their child, their job, their house, whatever. As a result, often the problem persists and drives them crazy or rises to a crisis and drives them crazy. Creative people see problems as interesting challenges worth tackling. Problems are not fearful beasts to be feared or loathed; they are worthy opponents to be jousted with and unhorsed. Problem solving is fun, educational, rewarding, ego building, helpful to society. Miscellaneous Good Attitudes 1.Perseverance. Most people fail because they spend only nine mi nutes on a problem that requires ten minutes to solve. Creativity and problem solving are hard work and require fierce application of time and energy. There is no quick and easy secret. You need knowledge gained by study and research and you must put your knowledge to work by hard thinking and protracted experimentation. You’ve surely read of the difficulties and setbacks faced by most of the famous inventors–how many filaments Edison tried before he found a working one, how many aircraft designs failed in the attempt to break the sound barrier.But planning to persevere is planning to succeed. 2. A flexible imagination. Creative people are comfortable with imagination and with thinking so-called weird, wild, or unthinkable thoughts, just for the sake of stimulation. During brainstorming or just mental playfulness, all kinds of strange thoughts and ideas can be entertained. And the mind, pragmatist that it is, will probably find something useful in it all. We will look at several examples of this later on. 3. A belief that mistakes are welcome. Modern society has for some reason conceived the idea that the only unforgivable thing is to fail or make a mistake.Actually failure is an opportunity; mistakes show that something is being done. So creative people have come to realize and accept emotionally that making mistakes is no negative biggie. One chief executive of a big American corporation warns all his newly hired managers, â€Å"Make sure you make a reasonable number of mistakes. † Mistakes are educational and can lead to success–because they mean you are doing something. Sir Francis Pettit Smith, one of the early developers of the screw propeller, tried one design in 1836.During the test, half of it broke off–what a failure–but then the boat increased in speed substantially, revealing the efficiency of a new design, formed from a mistake. In sum, as Vergil once said, â€Å"They can who think they can. † Havin g the proper positive attitude about generating new and useful ideas and solving problems is really a large part of the whole process. A few years ago, the pipes in my mom's house had finally rusted through and I was faced with the task of finding a plumber to get a bid. Knowing how much they charge for small repairs, I knew that doing a whole house would cost a fortune.I thought, â€Å"You know, I'd really like to do this job myself, but I wonder if I can. † My neighbor happened to be around once when I said this, and he said, â€Å"Oh, you can do it. † Just that simple expression gave me the positive attitude I needed to do it. So I did. Characteristics of the Creative Person †¢curious †¢seeks problems †¢enjoys challenge †¢optimistic †¢able to suspend judgment †¢comfortable with imagination †¢sees problems as opportunities †¢sees problems as interesting †¢problems are emotionally acceptable †¢challenges assumptions â € ¢doesn't give up easily: perseveres, works hard Creative Thinking 1. If you had the power to transform the educational system to more effectively develop critical thinking abilities, what suggestions would you want to see implemented? You should focus on only one level. Draw upon the research and principles presented in Chaffee’s book and identify the specific processes that you wish to encourage. If I had the power to transform the educational system to more effectively develop critical thinking abilities, I would start to familiarize children with the concepts as early as possible. In the past when I was growing up, the emphasis for learning was placed largely on memorization. Since then, however, there is a trend toward teaching critical thinking skills in the classroom. These skills emphasize more than memorizing. They emphasize analysis and logic. If I were revamping the education system I would have classrooms begin to teach these concepts as early as kindergarten. â€Å"Being open to new ideas and different viewpoints means being flexible enough to change or modify your ideas in the light of new information or better insight. † (Chaffee p. 56) This would be an important concept to foster in kindergarten because at that age children are still open to new ideas and concepts. To teach them at that age to be open to new ideas would help them when they get older. This would help the child to grow as a thinker. Having children become critical thinkers at an early age can be accomplished by asking questions that have more than one correct answer. This teaches the child that they can answer the question without being afraid of being wrong. Another important method for teaching young children is to have them work in groups. This exposes them to others’ thoughts and ways of thinking. This is where being flexible comes into play. Young children are naturally flexible in their thinking and open to new ideas. If we emphasize the importance of being flexible at this young age, the child will have an easier time remaining flexible in their thinking and be more open to new ideas later on in life. Even though working in groups is important, encouraging young children to think independently is also important. (Chaffee p. 71) This can be encouraged in a young child by giving them various ideas and having the child arrive at his own thoughtful conclusion. The reason I would start so young is that I feel that the earlier children are exposed to these concepts the earlier they will be able to use a combination of cognitive abilities, basic attitudes nd thinking strategies. These skills enable a person to clarify and better understand the world. (Chaffee p. 71) 2. Imagine that you were born in a different sociocultural context. Describe the factors that would influence your chances of achieving creative breakthroughs. Emphasize whatever domain you feel best reflects your potential. Be sure to also include the cognitive and developmental notions that are discussed by Csikszentimihalyi. For this question I imagined that I was alive during the depression era and was not part of the wealthy class of that time. My domain would be the writing of novels because I have always liked writing stories. The following factors would influence my chance of achieving a creative breakthrough. One factor is exposure. One can’t be creative in a domain without being exposed to it. For example, â€Å"No matter what mathematical gifts a child may have, he or she will not be able to contribute to mathematics without learning its rules. † (Csikszentimihalyi p. 29) What this means is that if I was not able to be exposed to writing, books or famous authors through school, I would not be successful in writing myself. If I don’t learn the rules of grammar and spelling it would be very hard for me to write anything worthwhile that anyone would want to publish. Chance, perseverance or being at the right place at the right time is also important. Conditions might not be favorable for me as a writer during the depression. Times were hard for everyone and everybody was struggling just to put food on the table. There might not be much opportunity for chance no matter how much I persevere. Also, I might not have much energy to put into writing after spending the majority of my time earning enough money to live. No matter how gifted a person is, he or she has no chance to achieve anything creative unless the right conditions are provided by the field. â€Å" (Csikszentimihalyi p. 330) The book gives the example of Michael Jordan and stated that if he â€Å"had been born in a country where basket ball was not practiced, he would not have been able to refine his skills and would not have been recog nized. † (Csikszentinihalyi p. 331) Also, I would need to have hope. If there is no hope to use my skill, I will not be successful. It is extremely difficult to make a living as a successful writer. If I don’t have hope, I will not have much of a chance. One of the most important things I would need is luck. Without luck on my side, my book won’t ever be read by an editor. One would have to have luck for the publisher to choose my manuscript out of the many they receive. It is very important to be at the right place at the right time. The book gives the example of a painter who made an important contact at a party. Using this example, if I go to a party, I might make an important literary contact which could start my career. If I choose not to attend this party for any reason, I may never meet that contact person and therefore never jump start my career. It is the luck of being at the right place at the right time. Cognitive variables may make me more predisposed to become a writer. I may have more of a strength for writing and less of a strength for math. Writing may come easy to me and if I was exposed early to books, authors and good writing, I may be able to develop this inherited potential. Overall, I feel that it would be extremely hard to become a successful author during the depression unless luck was on my side and I was able to persevere. . The last chapter in Chaffee and the last two chapters in Csikszentimihalyi discuss improving creativity. Analyze the differences and similarities between the two authors on this issue. How does critical thinking facilitate creativity and what else, beyond critical thinking is necessary for creativity to occur. Chaffee states that both thinking critically and creatively are â€Å"two essential and tightly interwoven dimensions of the thinking process. These two forms work as partners to produce effective thinking enabling us to make informed decisions and lead successful lives. Chaffee p. 276) Both Chaffee and Csikszentmihalyi have views on creativity. There are both similarities and differences to these views. Csikszentmihalyi feels you should be be surprised and surprise others frequently while Chaffee feels that a person should expect the unexpected. Both authors agree that the creative person should follow up on ideas that create a spark of interest when they emerge. They also agree that it is best to look at a problem from multiple perspectives and that this can be done by using the confirmation of other people. Csikszentimihalyi suggests the following for improving creativity. First of all he suggests both keeping notes of your interests and having specific goals. He also suggests that a person interested in improving their creativity do things that are enjoyable but also have some challenge to them. Also, by taking charge of your time, being open and focused, allowing time for relaxing and making a space conducive to the creativity you are trying to achieve you will be able to be more creative. Both Chaffee and Csikszentimihalyi feel that establishing a creative environment is important. This would be a physical environment that allows the person to be more creativ Chaffee feels that in order to improve creativity, one should begin by understanding how the creative process works. He also states that by allowing yourself to be absorbed by the task and the more knowledge you have on the subject in which you wish to be creative the more prepared you are to be creative. Chaffee feels that it is also important to stop thinking about the subject and let the subconscious take over. A person’s mind will continue to work on the subject in the background. He also says in his book to become aware of our negative voice which he calls the â€Å"voice of criticism†. This is a danger to a person’s creativity and the creative person has to learn to recognize the voice of criticism and to ignore it. A person can create a positive voice to put in place of the voice of criticism. When a person thinks of different ways to solve a problem, they are using creative thinking. The evaluating of these alternatives is the critical thinking process. Beyond critical thinking, having the ability to choose freely and decide in what area you choose to be creative facilitates creativity. To exercise genuine freedom, you must possess the insight to understand all of your options and the wisdom to make informed choices. † (Chaffee p. 293) Chaffee goes on to state â€Å"You can learn to redefine your daily life in a new light and enhance its value through free choices derived from thinking critically and creatively. â€Å" (Chaffee p. 293 ) Sources Chaffee, John. Thinking Critically A Concise Guide. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. Print. Csiksentmihalyi, Mihaly. Creativity:Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1996. Print.