Meno's Paradox Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Meno's Paradox - Assignment Example This evidenced in the argument between Meno and Socrates, whereby, they both agree on prior knowledge. Meno can be referred to as Socratic dialogue written by Plato. It aims to find the definition of arà ªte or virtue. In this regard, it means virtue in general manner rather than particular virtues such as temperance and justice. In response to Meno’s paradox, Socrates comes up with new ideas of immortality of the soul, the theory on knowledge as a recollection, which Socrates illustrates by posing a mathematical puzzle to one of Meno’s slaves. In this paradox, Socrates tries to find a distinction between true belief and knowledge. In this dialogue, Meno suggests that inquiry is not possible. The argument that meno brings forth is known as meno’s paradox. As a solution to this disturbing paradox, Socrates constructs a theory of recollection (Meno 71). Meno asks Socrates whether virtue can be taught. In response, Socrates says that he does not know anything like virtue and in his entire life; he has never known anyone who is virtuous. In their argument, Meno tries to define virtue as power of command with exceptions in that there are virtues for those who command and those who obey and that the power of command must be exercised either justly or unjustly. On his part, Meno is willing to accept that virtue exist and can be taught. On his side, Socrates had no difficulty of admitting that there is virtue of good, and that the goods whether of mind or body are under direction of knowledge. Basing on this assumption, it can be deduced that virtue is teachable. In this paradox, there are two notions involved in that it is possible to overcome Meno’s paradox without difficulty and on the other hand, Socrates theory of recollection which is used as a response to the paradox but as the solution. The Meno’s paradox states that a man cannot inquire either about what he or she does not know or what

Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease Research Paper - 1

Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that food is not only important for the maintenance and development of an individual, but also in the performance and reproduction of life. It has been estimated that during a person’s entire lifetime, a person consumes approximately 30 tonnes of food on proportion in professedly endless dietary categories. However, as digestion takes place, the food is broken down into basic nutrients necessary for the well being of the individual. Therefore, it is safe to assume that food is chemistry. In the process of digestion, the mixture of chemicals present in the food is broken down into four basic categories: nutrients, non-nutritive naturally occurring components (which include antinutritive and natural toxins), man-made contaminants and additives. Taking that into consideration, it is safe to say that nutrients make up for more than 99.9% of the food contents. Nutrients can be classified into carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats, and min erals. These constituents are referred to as macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients can be described as primary sources of strength and building elements for humans, whereas micronutrients, on the other hand, are only required in comparative volumes. Micronutrients can be obtained in vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and are still essential in ample amounts to ensure proper performance of all body cells. Furthermore, micronutrients such as water do not necessarily provide individuals with energy. The majority of micronutrients are critical nutrients for life processes, often synthesized by the body. For that reason, these necessary nutrients can be received from the food that we eat. Most significantly, macronutrients are constituent and indispensable ingredients of our diets, often found in carbohydrates, water, fat, and protein.

Barriers To Effective Communication

Barriers To Effective Communication Barriers to Effective Communication An effective communication barrier is one of the problems faced by many organizations. Many social psychologists opine that there is 50% to 70% loss of meaning while conveying the messages from a sender to a receiver. They estimate there are four basic places where communication could be interpreted wrongly. A few barriers of effective communication in an organization are given below. Physical Barriers One of the major barriers of communication in a workplace is the physical barrier. Physical barriers in an organization includes large working areas that are physically separated from others. Other distractions that could cause a physical barrier in an organization are the environment, background noise Language Inability to converse in a language that is known by both the sender and receiver is the greatest barrier to effective communication. When a person uses inappropriate words while conversing or writing, it could lead to misunderstanding between the sender and a receiver. Emotions Your emotions could be a barrier to communication if you are engrossed in your emotions for some reason. In such cases, you tend to have trouble listening to others or understanding the message conveyed to you. A few of the emotional interferences include hostility, anger, resentfulness and fear. Lack of Subject Knowledge If a person who sends a message lacks subject knowledge then he may not be able to convey his message clearly. The receiver could misunderstand his message, and this could lead to a barrier to effective communication. Stress One of the major communication barriers faced by employees in most of the organization is stress. When a person is under immense stress, he may find it difficult to understand the message, leading to communication distortion. At the time of stress, our psychological frame of mind depends on our beliefs, experiences, goals and values. Thus, we fail to realize the essence of communication. The above-mentioned barriers to effective communication are considered as filters of communications. You can overcome the barriers to communication through effective and active listening. By Maya Pillai Many people think that communicating is easy. It is after all something weve done all our lives. There is some truth in this simplistic view. Communicating is straightforward. What makes it complex, difficult, and frustrating are the barriers we put in the way. Here are the 7 top barriers. 1. Physical barriers Physical barriers in the workplace include: marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not allowed closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for people of different status large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others. Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, nearness to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another. 2. Perceptual barriers The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently. If we didnt, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory perception would take its place. The following anecdote is a reminder of how our thoughts, assumptions and perceptions shape our own realities: A traveller was walking down a road when he met a man from the next town. Excuse me, he said. I am hoping to stay in the next town tonight. Can you tell me what the townspeople are like? Well, said the townsman, how did you find the people in the last town you visited? Oh, they were an irascible bunch. Kept to themselves. Took me for a fool. Over-charged me for what I got. Gave me very poor service. Well, then, said the townsman, youll find them pretty much the same here. 3. Emotional barriers One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to others. Mind your Ps and Qs; Dont speak until youre spoken to; Children should be seen and not heard. As a result many people hold back from communicating their thoughts and feelings to others. They feel vulnerable. While some caution may be wise in certain relationships, excessive fear of what others might think of us can stunt our development as effective communicators and our ability to form meaningful relationships. 4. Cultural barriers When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adopt the behaviour patterns of the group. These are the behaviours that the group accept as signs of belonging. The group rewards such behaviour through acts of recognition, approval and inclusion. In groups which are happy to accept you, and where you are happy to conform, there is a mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact. Where, however, there are barriers to your membership of a group, a high level of game-playing replaces good communication. 5. Language barriers Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may present barriers to others who are not familiar with our expressions, buzz-words and jargon. When we couch our communication in such language, it is a way of excluding others. In a global market place the greatest compliment we can pay another person is to talk in their language. One of the more chilling memories of the Cold War was the threat by the Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev saying to the Americans at the United Nations: We will bury you! This was taken to mean a threat of nuclear annihilation. However, a more accurate reading of Khruschevs words would have been: We will overtake you! meaning economic superiority. It was not just the language, but the fear and suspicion that the West had of the Soviet Union that led to the more alarmist and sinister interpretation. 6. Gender barriers There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in a man and those in a woman. A woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the age of three, have a vocabulary twice that of boys. The reason for this lies in the wiring of a mans and womans brains. When a man talks, his speech is located in the left side of the brain but in no specific area. When a woman talks, the speech is located in both hemispheres and in two specific locations. This means that a man talks in a linear, logical and compartmentalised way, features of left-brain thinking; whereas a woman talks more freely mixing logic and emotion, features of both sides of the brain. It also explains why women talk for much longer than men each day. 7 Interpersonal barriers There are six levels at which people can distance themselves from one another: Withdrawal is an absence of interpersonal contact. It is both refusal to be in touch and time alone. Rituals are meaningless, repetitive routines devoid of real contact. Pastimes fill up time with others in social but superficial activities. Working activities are those tasks which follow the rules and procedures of contact but no more. Games are subtle, manipulative interactions which are about winning and losing. They include rackets and stamps. Closeness is the aim of interpersonal contact where there is a high level of honesty and acceptance of yourself and others. Working on improving your communications is a broad-brush activity. You have to change your thoughts, your feelings, and your physical connections. That way, you can break down the barriers that get in your way and start building relationships that really work. The acronym AIDA is a handy tool for ensuring that your copy, or other writing, grabs attention. The acronym stands for: Attention (or Attract) Interest Desire Action. These are the four steps you need to take your audience through if you want them to buy your product or visit your website, or indeed to take on board the messages in your report. A slightly more sophisticated version of this is AIDCA/AIDEA, which includes an additional step of Conviction/Evidence between Desire and Action. People are so cynical about advertising messages that coherent evidence may be needed if anyone is going to act! How to Use the Tool: Use the AIDCA approach when you write a piece of text that has the ultimate objective of getting others to take action. The elements of the acronym are as follows: 1. Attention/Attract In our media-filled world, you need to be quick and direct to grab peoples attention. Use powerful words, or a picture that will catch the readers eye and make them stop and read what you have to say next. With most office workers suffering from e-mail overload, action-seeking e-mails need subject lines that will encourage recipients to open them and read the contents. For example, to encourage people to attend a company training session on giving feedback, the email headline, How effective is YOUR feedback? is more likely to grab attention than the purely factual one of, This weeks seminar on feedback. 2. Interest This is one of the most challenging stages: Youve got the attention of a chunk of your target audience, but can you engage with them enough so that theyll want to spend their precious time understanding your message in more detail? Gaining the readers interest is a deeper process than grabbing their attention. They will give you a little more time to do it, but you must stay focused on their needs. This means helping them to pick out the messages that are relevant to them quickly. So use bullets and subheadings, and break up the text to make your points stand out. For more information on understanding your target audiences interests and expectations, and the context of your message, read our article on the Rhetorical Triangle. 3. Desire The Interest and Desire parts of AIDA go hand-in-hand: As youre building the readers interest, you also need to help them understand how what youre offering can help them in a real way. The main way of doing this is by appealing to their personal needs and wants.. So, rather than simply saying Our lunchtime seminar will teach you feedback skills, explain to the audience whats in it for them: Get what you need from other people, and save time and frustration, by learning how to give them good feedback. Feature and Benefits (FAB) A good way of building the readers desire for your offering is to link features and benefits. Hopefully, the significant features of your offering have been designed to give a specific benefit to members of your target market. When it comes to the marketing copy, its important that you dont forget those benefits at this stage. When you describe your offering, dont just give the facts and features, and expect the audience to work out the benefits for themselves: Tell them the benefits clearly to create that interest and desire. Example: This laptop case is made of aluminum, describes a feature, and leaves the audience thinking So what? Persuade the audience by adding the benefits .giving a stylish look, thats kinder to your back and shoulders. You may want to take this further by appealing to peoples deeper drives giving effortless portability and a sleek appearance and that will be the envy of your friends and co-workers. 4. Conviction As hardened consumers, we tend to be skeptical about marketing claims. Its no longer enough simply to say that a book is a bestseller, for example, but readers will take notice if you state (accurately, of course!), that the book has been in the New York Times Bestseller List for 10 weeks, for example. So try to use hard data where its available. When you havent got the hard data, yet the product offering is sufficiently important, consider generating some data, for example, by commissioning a survey. 5. Action Finally, be very clear about what action you want your readers to take; for example, Visit www.mindtools.com now for more information rather than just leaving people to work out what to do for themselves. Key points: AIDA is a copywriting acronym that stands for: Attract or Attention Interest Desire Action. Using it will help you ensure that any kind of writing, whose purpose is to get the reader to do something, is as effective as possible. First it must grab the target audiences attention, and engage their interest. Then it must build a desire for the product offering, before setting out how to take the action that the writer wants the audience to take. Stress Interview Stress interviews are used to see how the jobseeker handle himself. You may be sarcastic or argumentative, or may keep him waiting. You may also lapse into silence at some point during the questioning, this is used as an attempt to unnerve the jobseeker. One-On-One Interview In a one-on-one interview, it has been established that the jobseeker has the skills and education necessary for the position. You want to see if the jobseeker will fit in with the company, and how his/her skills complement the rest of the department. In a one-on-one interview the jobseekers goal is to establish rapport with the interviewer and to show that his/her qualifications will benefit the company. Screening Interview A screening interview is meant to weed out unqualified candidates. Providing facts about the skills is more important than establishing rapport. Interviewers will work from an outline of points they want to cover, looking for inconsistencies in the jobseekers resume and challenging his/her qualifications. One type of screening interview is the telephone interview. Lunch Interview The same rules apply in lunch interviews as in those held at the office. The setting may be more casual, but it is a business lunch and the jobseeker has to be watched carefully. The jobseeker must use the lunch interview to develop common ground with your interviewer. Committee Interview Committee interviews are a common practice. Jobseeker will have to face several members of the company who have a say in whether he/she is hired. In some committee interviews, you can ask the jobseeker to demonstrate his/her problem-solving skills. The committee will outline a situation and ask him/her to formulate a plan that deals with the problem. The interviewers are looking for how the jobseeker apply his/her knowledge and skills to a real-life situation. Group Interview A group interview is usually designed to uncover the leadership potential of prospective managers and employees who will be dealing with the public. The front-runner candidates are gathered together in an informal, discussion-type interview. A subject is introduced and the interviewer will start off the discussion. The goal of the group interview is to see how the jobseeker interact with others and how use him/her knowledge and reasoning powers to win others over. Telephone Interview Telephone interviews are merely screening interviews meant to eliminate poorly qualified candidates so that only a few are left for personal interviews. The jobseekers mission in this interviewed is to be invited for a personal face-to-face interview. Informational Interview Typically this is an interview set up at the jobseekers request with a Human Resources Manager or a departmental supervisor in the career field he/she is interested in. The purpose of this interview is to help the jobseeker find out more about a particular career, position or company. He/she is seeking information from these people in hopes that they might refer him/her to someone else in their company or to somebody they may know outside their company who could use your skills. The Informational Interview is a part of the cold-calling process whereby jobseekers are generating their own job leads. Screening Interview Typically this is the first step a company takes after the resumes have been scrutinized. The purpose of this meeting is to assess the skills and personality traits of the potential candidates. The objective ultimately is to screen out those applicants the interviewer feels should not be hired due to lack of skills or bad first impressions. The interviewer must also screen in those candidates she/he feels would make a valuable contribution to the company. Your job during this preliminary meeting is to convince this person you are worthy to take the next step. The General/Structured Interview Frequently the Screening Interview is combined with the General Interview due to time constraints many companies have during the hiring process. Often the jobseeker will meet with the supervisor over the position for which he/she is applying. During this interview he/she will be discussing the specifics of the position, the company and industry.

Light Observations :: essays research papers

Light Observations Made on 2-17-05 From the hours of 1800 to 2200 on Thursday 2-17-05, an inspection of the lights found on the exterior of the warehouses, container lots, pipe yard, and dock took place. After searching all the light fixtures on the outside of the warehouses there were only two found that possibly could cause a hazard to someone. The first one found was at bay door 1A-1, the fixture was hanging loose off the wall with wires exposed. 2B-2 was the other site with a possible hazard. The light fixture was missing it’s covering exposing it to the elements as well as anyone who goes to use it. There were also some lights found that were inoperable upon completion of the inspection. All lights found on the front side of warehouse 1 were in working condition, except for one of the sidelights found on the left of door 1B-3. The same can be said about the backside of the warehouse, the only one that was not working was the one found at 1A-2. Lights 2C-3, 2D-1, 2D-2, and 2D-3 on the front side of warehouse 2 worked, but all others were found to be inoperable. Only one of the sidelights found at 2D-3 on the backside of the warehouse works, but all others were in sufficient working condition. The light post, closest to 95 found behind warehouse 3, had one bulb that was not working. The second light post found at the back of the pipe yard, right next to 95, also looked like it was also about ready to go out. Light coming from that pole was very dim and in my observation not adequate. In J-Lot down by the gate, the first light that runs along the 95 side turns off and on randomly. This could cause a major hazard concern because the line of sight for individuals is greatly depleted. When entering A-Lot the light to the right is out. One of the quad lights found at the back of the lot is also out, along with one of the quads found at the front of the lot, facing the water. The whole container area located in Lot-A closest to the water needs to have more light because there is no light coming from the water side, making it very hard to see. After completing a survey of the dock it was noted that lighting is barely adequate for operation. Light Observations :: essays research papers Light Observations Made on 2-17-05 From the hours of 1800 to 2200 on Thursday 2-17-05, an inspection of the lights found on the exterior of the warehouses, container lots, pipe yard, and dock took place. After searching all the light fixtures on the outside of the warehouses there were only two found that possibly could cause a hazard to someone. The first one found was at bay door 1A-1, the fixture was hanging loose off the wall with wires exposed. 2B-2 was the other site with a possible hazard. The light fixture was missing it’s covering exposing it to the elements as well as anyone who goes to use it. There were also some lights found that were inoperable upon completion of the inspection. All lights found on the front side of warehouse 1 were in working condition, except for one of the sidelights found on the left of door 1B-3. The same can be said about the backside of the warehouse, the only one that was not working was the one found at 1A-2. Lights 2C-3, 2D-1, 2D-2, and 2D-3 on the front side of warehouse 2 worked, but all others were found to be inoperable. Only one of the sidelights found at 2D-3 on the backside of the warehouse works, but all others were in sufficient working condition. The light post, closest to 95 found behind warehouse 3, had one bulb that was not working. The second light post found at the back of the pipe yard, right next to 95, also looked like it was also about ready to go out. Light coming from that pole was very dim and in my observation not adequate. In J-Lot down by the gate, the first light that runs along the 95 side turns off and on randomly. This could cause a major hazard concern because the line of sight for individuals is greatly depleted. When entering A-Lot the light to the right is out. One of the quad lights found at the back of the lot is also out, along with one of the quads found at the front of the lot, facing the water. The whole container area located in Lot-A closest to the water needs to have more light because there is no light coming from the water side, making it very hard to see. After completing a survey of the dock it was noted that lighting is barely adequate for operation.

Readings in Jazz History Essay

Jazz, the music which was born and blossomed in New Orleans at the turn of the twentieth century, later traveled all over the country acquiring new features and forms. The New Orleans jazz style included polyphonic music in which different musical instruments simultaneously play different variations on a particular piece of music and which includes freer rhythmic improvisation. Usually the musical instruments included trumpet, clarinet, and trombone all playing different melody at the same time. Starting from New Orleans jazz traveled to Chicago, Kansas City, New York and others and made them its centers for a certain period. Kansas City jazz flourished in the 1930s, when the town was an entertainment capital during the Depression. The city’s unique sound was largely defined by the reliance of its bands on blues, fast tempos, and simple riff structures. Local bands developed to a high degree in relative isolation from outside influences. The top quality of African-American origin of jazz mattered to many other cities, but did not reach Texas until the middle 1920s. And the impact of the representatives of New Orleans style, so decisive in other parts of the country, was less strongly felt in this region. In contrast, the sound of the blues was pervasive in Texas. Kansas style, distinguished by the rise of larger dance bands, was characterized the inclination for the blues. The Kansas City style as it evolved in the 1920s and 1930s incorporated an informal â€Å"head chart† style relying on simple memorized parts. Among the pioneers of Kansas City jazz were Count Basie band (featuring Lester Young) and Jay McShann band (featuring Charlie Parker). One of the most influential of the Kansas City players from the 1930s was Lester Young. Among his achievements was the change of melodic improvisation in jazz, where he offered an alternative to the hot, syncopated style. Jazz style became distinguished by flowering of cool jazz, a supple manner of phrasing across bar lines, a greater sensitivity to intervals that underlay harmonies, and emotional elevation. Lester elaborated the techniques of jazz improvisation and broadened the music’s emotionality. Among other prominent players was Count Basie whose band worked on refining swing style, music which largely derived from the blues, relied on formal, syncopated arrangements to support soaring, improvised solos. It was propulsive music, infectious and irresistible. Murray’s thesis on the return of Kansas City jazz to its roots in New Orleans seems to be more like nostalgic view. If to look at jazz of the 1930ies more attentively, it will become obvious that it was rather the reconsideration of the true nature of jazz than a throwback. Kansas City jazz again returned to improvisation, to free performance, but improvisation now was intentional, the true jazz musician was that who could play without scores, who could improvise with melody and create off hand. However, if to return to New Orleans’ improvisation, it was predetermined by the lack of education. The musicians of that time were not professionals and many of them just reproduced on the stage the music the way they felt it. So the difference in the grounds for improvisation is the key factor that does not allow the assertion that Kansas style is the throwback to the initial form of jazz to be feasible. â€Å"I can’t stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years. if you can, then it ain’t music, it’s close-order drill or exercise or yodeling or something, not music. † (96) – these words of Billy Holiday convey the general attitude towards the jazz that existed among prominent musicians and jazz critics in the 1930s. The survey of the ideas on jazz music and its nature expressed by such musician as Louis Armstrong, Billy Holiday and Duke Ellington as well as jazz critics Robert Goffin and John Hammond leads to the conclusion that all of them meet in the view on the nature of jazz. Though with different approaches and interpretation both musicians and critics stand up for the idea that real jazz is the music which is not written down and played all times in the same way. In other words all of them uphold the opinion that improvisation is the only key feature of true jazz what makes it easy music. However, as it was mentioned there are still some variances in approaches. Thus, Goffin for example, uses the term â€Å"hot jazz† to define improvised form and claims that â€Å"hot jazz, [is] otherwise known as improvised jazz, a type of music that was in existence long before it was formally tabulated. The epithet â€Å"hot† is applied to any passage â€Å"in which the executant or executants abandon the melodic theme and develop an imaginative structure on the basis of that theme and incorporated with it. † (83) At the same time he points to the problems related to the setting jazz tunes within fixed scores that result in nothing but poor resemblance of real music. He contrasts melodic jazz to hot jazz in favour of latter: â€Å"Melodic jazz has contributed nothing to music and will only be remembered for its unspeakable insipidness; whereas hot jazz is a creative principle which can scarcely fail to affect the music of the future in the most original and unexpected directions†. (84) Special attention Goffin pays to Louis Armstrong, whom he considers â€Å"the supreme genius of jazz† (85). Speaking about Louis Armstrong, he also defends the idea of improvisation to be the true music. He, actually, differentiates between swing and jazz, attributing latter to the contemporary commercialized music. Swing for Armstrong is exactly that type of free music based on improvisation which was practiced in New Orleans thirty years before his time. The same as Goffin does Armstrong rebukes the practice of writing down music, and explains that tendency by the quest for profit of record companies. At the same time, John Hammond distinguishes African-American musical traditions from the popular commercial phenomenon which he refers to as swing that is played predominantly at this time by white bands. He accuses people involved in music business of commercialization of jazz and deprivation it of any value: â€Å"Not the least of the despoilers are the commercial gentlemen, who produce all kinds of ridiculous recorded jazz under the caption â€Å"Swing,† and who are directly responsible for the stunt music that great men like Armstrong play these days. In this society there are always Breakfast Food people to sell their wares by tying them up with something popular†. (103) Hammond stands out in this team by the most fervent wish to surmount racial conflicts in jazz realm. He constantly points out to the fact that Black musicians suffer from being prejudiced by audience and record companies, despite the fact that the jazz is originally black music. Therefore, considering these ideas, we can arrive to the conclusion that all of mentioned participants of jazz world have common understanding of improvised nature of real jazz, and all of them acknowledge that with putting music in the frames of scores the musicians deprive it of its emotional load, feeling and originality. While, the tendency to written scores existed and evolved there must have been an explanation to it. The professionals discussed above agree in view that the main threat to the jazz was the commerce, practiced by record companies that tried to gain maximum profit from popular music of those days. And, as it usually occurs, such practice contributed to the simplification of music. However, looking back, this tendency did not have lethal effect for jazz, while today we can see that jazz did not stumbled in its progress and continues its development appearing in such modern forms as acid jazz, nu jazz etc. Works cited list Walser, Robert. Keeping Time: Readings in Jazz History. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999

Challenges of Electronic Records Management Program

Challenges of Electronic Records Management Program With information technology being popularizes, many organizations start to change handwritten or paper-based record to electronic record and build up their electronic record management system. Electronic record management system can help end user to search useful records easier and convenience. But some organizations has not well prepare the electronic record management system, so have many problem was come out. Therefore, we design the system need to consider many issues when using the system, now we are going to discuss some cases and solutions about this topic.Email with attachments is the lower cost way to keep records. For example: order confirmation, quotation, invoice†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦etc. Many small organizations may not have a faultless email filing plan, they just provide email account which is using POP3 to receive email from SMTP server, even they won’t keep any copy on server if make sure the mail already transmitted to user’s PC. User can print out the hard copy if they think it is a record or they can press delete button on any mail they think it is not useful. But this method have some issues need to beware, if user just pressed the wrong button on some mail, then this mail will not be found anymore.Because we have not any extra copy of this mail, so must be keep the copy on mail server for back up use, we can create destruction period of these extra mail copy, maybe three or six months, it is depends on different company practice. Also, we can provide staff training to teach end user how to operate and fully use email tools to storage email records. Back up schedule for email system also necessary. Some organizations will create shared drive at their work place’s PC network to store or share some centralized files to let multi users read, modify†¦.. etc. This is best way to let users to get the updated information.We need to concern the security and how to protect records consistency, before to create home group network, we need concern how to set up permission of individual user, permission means the user can read, modify, delete files or folder on the network. In general, server’s administrator is allowed to full control the files and folders on shared drive, we won’t allow â€Å"everyone† to full control shared drive’s folder and files. This can avoid someone to destroy any data on shared drive. Also, all data on shared drive need to do the route back up; this avoids the hardware shut down suddenly.Back up can do by manual, copy and paste to external drive, or upload to cloud storage space, or other storage media which can be archival easier. Some organizations need invested many sources and IT support to manage their electronic records management systems (ERMS). For example, hospital and bank, they need storage and process many confidential and private records by daily work. Also, these electronic records system also need link up database to make sure records keep consistency. ERMS can let user to track and store records easier and centralize all the records.User can use sort function to search the records what they need. ERMS can allow multi users to login database. Therefore, should need set up some retractions when design the program. For example, if a record was modifying, system will alert other user this is not updated record. Also, ERMS need keep maximum protection of system to protect any attack from hacker or viruses oppositely. Therefore, these ERMS should need IT support team to monitor the systems daily operation to maintenance systems are operated smoothly and provide urgent support when the system was shut down and solve the trouble issues immediately.Some organizations start to change their paper-based records to digital images. Scanner is the common and user friendly. Their output files can be PDF, TIF†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦etc. We need use software (Adobe reader or window defaulted softw are) to open related files. Normally all scan copy should need contain at lease 200 dpi to ensure the soft copy quality. Digital images record is most convenience way and lower cost way to let user search for records and keep long storage life, avoid data will affected by storage environment. But also need select storage media carefully. We need select storage media consider on records’ retention period and activity level.We suggest keeping same retention period record on same storage media, please don’t mix up different retention period records together. Also, if save the records on external storage media, CD-Rom or DVD, it’s need consider the records privacy level, don’t put the storage media to public place, it is easy to disclose the private data if the record is confidential. For confidential records, we suggest to store or archival records use password to meet the protect purpose. Up to now, store electronic records is seldom, many organizations wer e developing their own electronic record management system.In fact, build up the new system is so easy, but going to maintenance system is hard task. Organizations should be concern and set up some policy is suit for own company to follow. Moreover, disposition procedure of electronic records also very important. If organization decide to use electronic record management system, design workflow of handle electronic records is necessary. Also, staff training is good way to teach end user to use systems to match their daily work for seeking records. This is direct affect records are storage or use well.If electronic records were stored properly, it is totally save organization cost to keep paper-based records and increase staff efficiency. Therefore, build up the faultless system can bring organization many advantages for business, of course need follow above solutions to improve system. If organization can managed electronic records very well, it is bring some confidence to customer; it can earn some goodwill value for business. For the future, we believe paper-less business will be more popularize, that’s why well prepare electronic record management system is very valuable. This can bring organization much future contribution.

The eNotes Blog Watch the Worlds Longest Book DominoChain

Watch the Worlds Longest Book DominoChain Last month the public library of very own hometown, Seattle, broke the world record for the worlds longest book domino chain. Check it out! It took twenty-seven volunteers, seven hours, and five attempts in all, but on May 31st at approximately 11pm the Seattle Public Library successfully toppled 2,131 books, domino style. The awesome number of books used allowed the library staff to get creative with the pathway, too, as books climbed ramps, scaled stairs, and at one point spilled across the floor to spell READ in giant letters. The books truly seem to have a life of their own  as they bypass scenes like a couple sharing a picnic and a woman reading on the beach. In truth, these books were actually given a second life, as all of them had been retired and donated to the library. Now that theyve had their moment in the spotlight, though, all should find a new home, thanks to the librarys ingenious way of getting the books back out there for public consumption: Books used in the record-setting event can be purchased at upcoming Friends of The Seattle Public Library book sales. Each book will have a special sticker identifying that it helped set the book domino world record, as well as the Web address so the book buyer can watch the video. Hopefully this attention-grabbing kickoff to the Seattle Public Librarys summer reading program will have a domino effect on the popularity of reading worldwide. Kudos to the two college students who masterminded the entire event:  Laura DAsaro and  Luke Greenway of Harvard University and Middlebury College.

Nick Carraway as Fifth Business essays

Nick Carraway as Fifth Business essays Fifth business...is the odd man out, the person who has no opposite of the other sex...he is the one who knows the secret of the heros birth, or comes to the assistance of the heroine when she thinks all is lost, or keeps the hermitess in her cell, or may even be the cause of somebodys death if that is part of the plot. The prima donna and the tenor, the contralto and the basso, get all the best music and do all the spectacular things, but you cannot manage the plot without fifth business! It is not spectacular, but it is a good line of work...and those who play it sometimes have a career that outlasts the golden voices. In F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway plays the role of fifth business. There are numerous examples throughout the book of Nicks role as neither the hero nor the villain. He knows the secret of the heros birth, he comes to the assistance of the heroine when thinks all is lost and he has no opposite of the other sex. Throughout the novel, Gatsby is portrayed as the hero. Nick Carraway, the narrator, befriends Gatsby and quickly becomes the one to whom Gatsby shares many of his deepest secrets. There are many rumours about the mystery of Gatsbys past circulating thorough Gatsbys party. Many people say that hes a bootlegger or that one time he killed a man who found out that he was nephew toVon Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil. Very shortly after Gatsby and Nick meet, they make arrangements to go to lunch together. On the way into town, Gatsby tells Nick something about his past. He tells him about his award from the war, and even shows him proof, a tribute from Montenrgros warm little heart. He also tells Nick he attended Oxford university and offers him a picture of him with half a dozen young men in blazers as proof. Later in the novel, Nick recounts more about Gatsby&apo...

Behavioural Perspectives of Mental Health

Question 1: Describe what is meant by a â€Å"behavioural perspective† of mental health and illness. Use examples from the literature to show how medical and behaviourally-based approaches differ. Behavioural perspectives concerning mental health and illness include bio medical and psychological approaches. Bio medical approaches incorporate pharmacological treatments, heritability, criterion – based diagnosis, and the ability to examine structures and functions of the brain. Psychological approaches comprise psychoanalytical, cognitive, non directive psychotherapy, and behavioural analysis.When making a behavioural perspective concerning a client’s mental health and illness it is important to â€Å"distinguish how problems are conceptualised, what is important to target for change, the process of behaviour and how to change the behaviour† (M. Burkhardt, personal communication, 2010). To distinguish how a behaviour is caused physicians need to examine the behaviour and consider the clients environmental antecendents and consequences concerning their behaviour (M. Burkhardt, personal communication, 2010).Behavioural perspectives concerning mental health and illness have changed over time and continually vary in regards to people’s thoughts, point of views, theories and studies. There are many psychological and biological theories and studies that can impact on the treatment decision, conflicting between psychological and pharmacological treatments (M. Burkhardt, personal communication, 2010). The choice of treatment can depend greatly on the client and physicians views and beliefs. Medical approaches are an important and popular intervention for many people who have been diagnosed with a mental health problem. There are many studies and research surrounding mental health and illness in regards to the medical approach of treatment, evidence in support of the medical approach and biological causation generally falls into two categories, family studies and brain structure/ function studies (Wyatt, 2009). Through the use of functional imaging scans researchers have found that there are differences in the activities of the brains with a range of psychiatric illnesses (Leach, 2009).Frith and Johnstone (2003) as cited in Leach (2009) suggest that â€Å"People diagnosed with schizophrenia have noticeable differences in certain aspects of their brain structures compared to others without that diagnosis†. Genetic factors have been linked to making a contribution to mental illnesses, â€Å"both depression and schizophrenia have been linked to differences in brain chemistry, and researches have suggested genetic patterns of inheritance for these conditions† (Leach, 2009).Studies have found that there are â€Å"biological differences to those who are and are not prone to depression, confirmed by the fact that drugs that have no effect on mood in normal people relieve depression in those who are ill, and the observation that a depressed mood can be precipitated in people who are prone to depressive illnesses simply by manipulating the tryptophan content in their diet† (Delgado et al, 1990 as cited in Kendell, 2009). Many clients who seek help for mental illnesses desire medications due to the fact that they are convinced that their illness are caused biochemically or genetically (Wyatt, 2009). Mental illnesses can be explained in many cases to be cause from a ‘chemical imbalance’ within the body, the medical approach to treat these chemical imbalances is through the use of pharmacological and psychotropic medications to improve their condition by re-balancing chemicals within their body. Behaviourally based approaches involving mental health and illness, consist of non-medical approaches studying client’s behaviours and thoughts, why they exist and what they can cause, also discussing and creating alternative measures to overcome these thoughts and behaviours.Behavioural analysis focuses on behaviours a client presents with and the relationship these behaviours have with the environment, by analysing these relationships, scientific principles of behavioural analysis can contribute to helping people change the way they think, feel and behave. Client’s behaviours are a response to particular circumstances and through the use of behavioural therapy these responses can be modified, changing harmful and unhelpful behaviours that the client may have.Behavioural treatment approaches explores the client’s present situation, considering where their distressing thoughts, feelings and behaviours come from, what reinforces them and how they can be changes (Leach, 2009). When examining a mental illness through the use of the behavioural analytical approach the first step is to have an insight of what the client say’s and does to themselves and others, if the client has severe depression and is participating in self injuries behaviours then it is important to find out what these behaviours are.To recognise and solve these behaviours there needs to be an understanding of the client’s physical condition, setting and environment and the events occurring prior and accompanying these behaviours, such as when the client is in a depressive state having feelings that they ‘don’t want to live’ or ‘fe el like this anymore’, that is when they perform these behaviours such as cutting their wrists, this needs to be established by the physician before interventions can be designed. To achieve positive results by decreasing and diminishing these behaviours their need to be consistency with the interventions and scientific methods.Another non-medical approach structured around behaviour is cognitive behavioural therapy, â€Å"the basic premise of this approach it that an individual’s appraisal of personal life events largely determines how she or he feels and behaves† (Leach, 2009). The key purpose of behavioural approaches is to help client’s understand their behaviours, beliefs and thoughts and how they can used interventions and scientific methods to overcome these issues. It is evident that the medical and behavioural aspects concerning mental health and illness differ greatly in the two separate approaches.Medical based approaches are centred around heritability, genetic factors, examining client’s brain structures and functions, and stabilising ‘chemical imbalances’ through the use of pharmacological and psychotropi c medications. In contrast the behavioural approach looks into the client’s thoughts, beliefs and behaviours, the relationship between behaviours and environment are considered, and once the cause and effects of the behaviours are established interventions and scientific methods are put into place to decrease and diminish these behaviours.

Influence of Diverse Culture on Change Term Paper

Influence of Diverse Culture on Change - Term Paper Example The paper tells that there are many changes that occur within organizations, changes that define current and future operations and their impact on company goals and objectives. Technological firms often undergo many changes because of the nature of their products and services. Since technology is a highly dynamic concept, it is vital to keep up with it to guarantee success. An example of a change in a technological organization is systems overhaul, which requires leadership and consensus. Systems are the core of technological and even non-technological organizations, and their status determines the success of current and future operations. Currently, most technological companies are developing ways of cultivating a more appealing image that allows them to connect with their customers in ways that improve their lives. Consequently, they focus on employees with different cultural attributes in order to cultivate a more socially relevant image. Culture and leadership are closely related . In fact, they are so closely related that they can be used interchangeably in some contexts. Some cultures have a gender biased outlook of leadership that affects the way the individuals belonging to those cultures perceive and practice leadership. In addition, some cultures hold that leadership comes with status; that any person with a senior position anywhere is automatically a leader. However wrong this may be, it affects leadership. Individuals often practice what they believe in, and it is generally defined by the beliefs and values instilled in them by their communities.

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Strategy - Essay Example Yahoo was founded by Jerry Yang and David Filo in 1994, mainly as a website which featured a directory of other websites. From that beginning, it spread its operations extensively, making strong presence in certain segments, but still lay behind Google in majority of the segments, as well as in relation to market share and revenue. Actually, in 2000, Yahoo and Google had a working association, with Yahoo using Google for search results. However that was short-lived, and both the companies parted ways and importantly started competing against each other in various segments. Porter’s ‘five forces framework’ Threat of Entrants Any industrial sector will have threat from new entrants, and dot.com sector will be no exception. Actually, the dot.com sector, used to denote the companies that mainly do their operations over the internet with a website and a domain ending with .com, got originated due to the entry of new entrants particularly in Silicon Valley. This being t he case, there will be a constant threat of new entrants in this sector. New entrants are always attracted to industry sectors that are flourishing and that seem to offer the potential for healthy profits, dot.com industry fits that bill aptly. (â€Å"Consulting Tools†). They are targeting various segments in the dot.com industry from emails, video sharing and hosting, etc., Although, Google and Yahoo have consolidated their positions in these segments and hold larger market share, these new entrants by giving widespread services are minor threats. Threat of Substitutes The threat of substitutes will be found more in the dot.com industrial sector, because the lines of control and authority are blurred in the virtual world. With no worldwide authority to detect and stop copyrights infringement and other violation of trademark services, substitutes can come with similar services or slightly modified services, negatively impacting pioneers like Google and Yahoo. However, the fac t is, these two companies were also accused of coming up with substituting services, violating the rights of other players, but that were only minimal. With Internet coverage increasing, the competition for online business also increases, and using this opportunity many players are coming up with substitute services. For example, Google’s Iphone has been substituted by other local mobile phone makers, likewise Youtube has many substitutes like Dailymotion, Yahoomail has been substituted by many pan-national as well as local players. â€Å"The Internet creates new substitution threats by enabling new approaches to meeting customer needs and performing business functions† (Shin). Power of Suppliers In the dot.com industry, quite uniquely, the supplier of product or services as well as user or customer of service will be maximally one and the same. That is, most of the products or services offered by the companies, like websites in search engine results, videos in Youtube , Google Adsense feature, etc., are not created ‘in-house’, instead they are sourced from the suppliers outside. Those same suppliers along with sizable common people will also utilize those services as customers. Thus, the companies by aptly hosting or collecting or arranging those things and even

HOW WE CAN HELP NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR FIGHT WITH ALCOHOLISM IN Research Paper

HOW WE CAN HELP NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR FIGHT WITH ALCOHOLISM IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN FAMILY ON A FEDERAL LEVEL - Research Paper Example Booker T. Washington in terms of overcoming addiction says, â€Å"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles one has overcome trying to succeed.† Therefore, Native Americans who are no doubt facing obstacles but they should get rid of their addiction with alcoholism by overcoming the obstacles. In America, Native Americans have been known to over-indulge in drinking more than any other ethnic groups in the country. As a result of this, statistics indicate that nearly 12% of all deaths among the Native Americans are a result of using alcohol (Schinke et al 319). Most cases of traffic accidents, liver and heart problems, and cases of homicide and suicide are related to alcohol use and to some extent other substance abuse by the ethnic group. The legacy of manifest destiny contributed to the high rates of alcoholism in Native Americans by forcing the Native Americans to highly secluded lands that limited their political voice as intended by the federal government; in totality creating a snowball effect that would lead the Native Americans to decades of self-destruction related to alcoholism. The federal government is now focusing on ways that it can reverse this effect on the Native Americans and see the society to a reformation. Alcohol was a medium of exchange for Native American goods by European settlers during the pre-independence period in America. Because of the easy availability, Native Americans got accustomed to using the drink quite freely. The European traders often tricked the Native Americans into over-indulging in the drink so that they could get unfair trade with them. The effects of the drink were new and widely acclaimed in America so that a number of Native Americans found it fashionable to drink. The trend, however, continued past American independence to date (Sherman 45). Scientists studying these phenomenological high drinking rates have linked the use of alcohol to genetics . Studies have shown that some individuals experience gene mutation, which cause significant reactions to over-drinking alcohol. Those who posses this gene suffer worse side effects when they drink such as nausea, increased heartbeats, headache, and extreme drowsiness. This gene is common among the Chinese and Japanese, explaining their less indulgence in the drink (Young 112). Other groups, such as the Native Americans, however, do not possess this gene that mutates, therefore, do not experience adverse effects associated with drinking. Besides this genetic point of view, the environment and cultural tendencies of the Native Americans have played a great role in making it appropriate for them to indulge. When the European settler moved in to America and took over their land, Native Americans became an oppressed group. The European culture clashed heavily with that of Native Americans, creating a major conflict and depression on the side of the Native Americans. The native culture w as presumed to be inferior to that of the dominant European group, and the Native Americans lost pride in their existence and developed a lack of will to protect their culture (Schinke et al 134). The

Anthropology Short Response Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anthropology Short Response Paper - Essay Example They point out there are many types of literacy, ranging from being able to sign one's name through to being able read contemporary literature. Ahearn adds both visual and cultural literacy to this broad definition as she argues that "Cultural literacy skills predispose people to read situations and texts in certain ways and constrain the types of interpretations they are likely to construct." (Ahearn: 46). Ahearn quotes Mike Baynham on the 'ideological' model of literacy, who states that literacy needs to be understood as a strategic, social practice which defines and confines the choices available to individuals within a particular society. Hence she evaluates the literacy of the Junigau in their own terms, at that moment in their development and history. We are shown the contrast between Sarita and Bir Bahadur's command of language particularly through Bir Bahadur's letters and the impact this has on their relationship as it develops. She examines the villagers' definition of romantic love through a variety of methods including letters, conversations and taped interviews.

Issues in Contemporary media and cultural studies(Journal) Essay

Issues in Contemporary media and cultural studies(Journal) - Essay Example Hacking can be dated back to 1978 in the earlier days of Bell Telephone Companies, where earliest mischief’s of application of modern community were experienced. However, at the moment it was not known as hacking. This paper aptly examines the theoretical and contextual perspective of hacking. It also examines the comparison of various types of hacking and evaluation with their interpretations. It further examines the social and political hacking of media. Hacking comes with different and conflicting definitions. For the purpose of this paper, Hacking is defined to â€Å"unauthorized access to a computer network† (Kumar, 2012, P.1). Hacking can also be defined as the use of various software methodologies using programming experimentation to achieve intended ill gain. According to Kumar (2012), hacking can be stated as unauthorized intrusion; hence the act of gaining access to a computer network with an absence of legal authority. The person who performs the act is a hacker. However, it must be noted that not all hackers are bad (Kumar, 2012), since the government and some huge companies use hackers to maintain their computer network security in order (Rogers 1994).Computer intrusion is regarded as unethical act (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001), and there are laws that have been passed for purposes of prosecuting such acts (Spafford, 1992, p.7), hence it is regarded that once an individual uses his hacking ability to perpetrate a cri me, he is deemed as a criminal (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001). Numerous debates have sparked off in matters regarding to ethical hacking and crime intrusion (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001, p.54). Ethical intrusion is associated with ethical hackers who tend to utilize their knowledge in hacking to improve the system (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001). Conversely, illegal hacking has continued to enjoy triumph celebration from hacking community. According to Leeson, hacking has a long

HOW WE CAN HELP NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR FIGHT WITH ALCOHOLISM IN Research Paper

HOW WE CAN HELP NATIVE AMERICANS AND THEIR FIGHT WITH ALCOHOLISM IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN FAMILY ON A FEDERAL LEVEL - Research Paper Example Booker T. Washington in terms of overcoming addiction says, â€Å"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles one has overcome trying to succeed.† Therefore, Native Americans who are no doubt facing obstacles but they should get rid of their addiction with alcoholism by overcoming the obstacles. In America, Native Americans have been known to over-indulge in drinking more than any other ethnic groups in the country. As a result of this, statistics indicate that nearly 12% of all deaths among the Native Americans are a result of using alcohol (Schinke et al 319). Most cases of traffic accidents, liver and heart problems, and cases of homicide and suicide are related to alcohol use and to some extent other substance abuse by the ethnic group. The legacy of manifest destiny contributed to the high rates of alcoholism in Native Americans by forcing the Native Americans to highly secluded lands that limited their political voice as intended by the federal government; in totality creating a snowball effect that would lead the Native Americans to decades of self-destruction related to alcoholism. The federal government is now focusing on ways that it can reverse this effect on the Native Americans and see the society to a reformation. Alcohol was a medium of exchange for Native American goods by European settlers during the pre-independence period in America. Because of the easy availability, Native Americans got accustomed to using the drink quite freely. The European traders often tricked the Native Americans into over-indulging in the drink so that they could get unfair trade with them. The effects of the drink were new and widely acclaimed in America so that a number of Native Americans found it fashionable to drink. The trend, however, continued past American independence to date (Sherman 45). Scientists studying these phenomenological high drinking rates have linked the use of alcohol to genetics . Studies have shown that some individuals experience gene mutation, which cause significant reactions to over-drinking alcohol. Those who posses this gene suffer worse side effects when they drink such as nausea, increased heartbeats, headache, and extreme drowsiness. This gene is common among the Chinese and Japanese, explaining their less indulgence in the drink (Young 112). Other groups, such as the Native Americans, however, do not possess this gene that mutates, therefore, do not experience adverse effects associated with drinking. Besides this genetic point of view, the environment and cultural tendencies of the Native Americans have played a great role in making it appropriate for them to indulge. When the European settler moved in to America and took over their land, Native Americans became an oppressed group. The European culture clashed heavily with that of Native Americans, creating a major conflict and depression on the side of the Native Americans. The native culture w as presumed to be inferior to that of the dominant European group, and the Native Americans lost pride in their existence and developed a lack of will to protect their culture (Schinke et al 134). The

Issues in Contemporary media and cultural studies(Journal) Essay

Issues in Contemporary media and cultural studies(Journal) - Essay Example Hacking can be dated back to 1978 in the earlier days of Bell Telephone Companies, where earliest mischief’s of application of modern community were experienced. However, at the moment it was not known as hacking. This paper aptly examines the theoretical and contextual perspective of hacking. It also examines the comparison of various types of hacking and evaluation with their interpretations. It further examines the social and political hacking of media. Hacking comes with different and conflicting definitions. For the purpose of this paper, Hacking is defined to â€Å"unauthorized access to a computer network† (Kumar, 2012, P.1). Hacking can also be defined as the use of various software methodologies using programming experimentation to achieve intended ill gain. According to Kumar (2012), hacking can be stated as unauthorized intrusion; hence the act of gaining access to a computer network with an absence of legal authority. The person who performs the act is a hacker. However, it must be noted that not all hackers are bad (Kumar, 2012), since the government and some huge companies use hackers to maintain their computer network security in order (Rogers 1994).Computer intrusion is regarded as unethical act (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001), and there are laws that have been passed for purposes of prosecuting such acts (Spafford, 1992, p.7), hence it is regarded that once an individual uses his hacking ability to perpetrate a cri me, he is deemed as a criminal (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001). Numerous debates have sparked off in matters regarding to ethical hacking and crime intrusion (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001, p.54). Ethical intrusion is associated with ethical hackers who tend to utilize their knowledge in hacking to improve the system (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001). Conversely, illegal hacking has continued to enjoy triumph celebration from hacking community. According to Leeson, hacking has a long

Stakeholder needs Essay Example for Free

Stakeholder needs Essay Excecutive Summary The department of Electrical/Electronics and Aerospace Engineering, as part of the School of Technology of Springfield College has clear notions regarding first-order stakeholders and their requirements. The position of second-order and other stakeholders may not be entirely clear to the entire team and there may be opportunities for improvements. There are harmonised quality standards in place, which meet stakeholder’s requirements but further improvements should be implemented for the benefit of all stakeholders. Continuous improvement and change are generally promoted within the department but the current culture may not support these to the highest standard possible. Introduction This assignment aims to analyse and discuss the meeting of stakeholder requirements to agreed quality standards and seeking improvements, applied to a chosen organisation, i.e. Springfield College – School of Technology (E/E, Aerospace). The report will attempt to examine three main parts, namely, identifying stakeholders and their requirements, applying and improving quality standards, and promoting continuous improvement and  change. Each of these will be presented as a task with additional sub-headings to meet the assessed learning outcomes, e.g. Task 1 – 1.1, 1.2, etc. The report will be of academic nature rather than attempting to provide a narrative. Therefore the focus will lie on critique, analysis and opinion, supported by academic theory. It will also question the processes, benefits and values of methodology adopted by the chosen organisation, underpinned by relevant theory. In part one, the report will discuss who the stakeholders are and their expectations, how the organisation meets them, how these are communicated internally, and what processes for up to date information are in place. Part two will discuss the meaning of quality in the organisation, what organisational quality policies and procedures are in place, how teams are encouraged to improve quality, and what improvements could be made. Part three, will discuss needs for continuous improvement, assess work activities and identify areas for improvement, and discuss how to teams can contribute ideas for continual improvement. Sources of information will be referenced and citations will be used in the report. Task 1 (Be able to identify stakeholders and their requirements) (1.1 Determine organisational stakeholders and their expectations) There are a number of stakeholders attached to the department of Electrical/Electronics and Aerospace, which could be divided into first-order, second order, and other stakeholders, i.e. learners, employers and the local community plus local industry being first-order stakeholders. Second-order stakeholders include teaching staff, college leadership, middle management, awarding bodies, and quality departments. Other stakeholders may include OFSTED, suppliers, admin and support departments, contractors and others. Appendix 1 (Figure 2) shows a stakeholder map of the department. Boddy (2002) divides stakeholders into levels of interest versus levels of power, which is called the power/interest matrix. This tool of analysis applied to the department discussed would suggest that learners, employers, and the local community/industry form the key players; Awarding bodies, OFSTED and QA departments should be kept satisfied, admin and other internal stakeholder should be kept informed and suppliers, contractors and others would fall into the minimal effort category. This leaves teaching staff in a special category, as they support all stakeholders without necessarily interest or  power for themselves. However, in terms of delivery, they are key players. The expectations of stakeholders vary and first and foremost are learners with the expectation of receiving education and qualifications. Employers expect trained apprentices and access to potential qualified employees with good skills, and as they have a choice of provider, they also have power. Figure 1 shows a stakeholder matrix, applied to the department. 1.2 Discuss methods of meeting stakeholder expectations or requirements The methods of meeting expectations of stakeholder requirements range from planning, preparing and communicating to assuring, supporting, and certifying. There are however external, as well as internal factors that affect the operating environment. This means that some are controllable (internal, e.g. staff training, technology updates) and some are uncontrollable (external, e.g. government, economy, unemployment, etc.). Consequentially, there a different methods of responding to stakeholder’s needs, according to the environments. For example, technology advances rapidly and learners get used to being able to access all aspects of their course online. Therefore, departments need to plan their future technology capacity. This is where an external factor influences the internal environment, and a weakness can be turned into a strenght by investing in technology. Figure 1 Stakeholder Matrix of the Electrical/Aero Department at Springfield College Therefore, conducting a stakeholder analysis should highlight and prioritise the focus needed to satisfy each stakeholder’s needs. Methods of achieving this can include direct supervision, standardizing inputs and outputs, defining hierarchies (e.g. first and second line support), setting of rules and procedures, and establishing harmonized information systems, such as central databases. 1.3 Identify methods of communicating stakeholders’ requirements with team members Regular team meetings, all staff meetings, training events, stakeholder polls and evaluations, newsletters, emails, memorandums, site visits, open forums, internal blogs and information sharing activities can all contribute to  communicating stakeholder’s needs to team members. Effective communication is key for this, as is a conducive culture, e.g. a culture that shares information willingly amongst team members, rather than keep it hidden. 1.4 Explain processes for updating information on stakeholder requirements As described in 1.3, effective communication is key and the list of methods aids the updating process of responding to changing stakeholder needs. For example, a company that has a number of apprentices in training with Springfield requires more training for multi-skilling their staff. In this case regular meeting, email communiques, and standardised channels of communication should ensure that this need be fullfilled effectively and timely. Task 2 (Be able to apply and improve quality standards) 2.1 Discuss the meaning of quality to an organisation Johnson and Scholes (2002) put forward the notion that quality is important in the improvement of profit performance – for Springfield achievements mean profit/funding. The best situation appears to be a combination of high share and high product, or service quality, but even organisations with low market shares demonstrate significantly higher profit performance (or achievement rates) if they have offerings of superior quality. In this sense, quality can be a partial substitute for market share in sustaining advantage. For many organisations in the 1990s TQM (Total Quality Management) became the number one concern in terms of productivity as it often supported team-based structures as opposed to merely work-based structures. Team-based structures attempt to combine both horizontal and vertical co-ordination through cross-functionality. Some teams would develop, design, support customers, and research new knowledge and hence build around business processes. This leads to empow erment and increased feeling of responsibility, putting staff at the centre of producing quality out of self-determination. In theory this would create a TQM culture, which would benefit the entire organisation.

Breakdown of the Pestel Analysis

Breakdown of the Pestel Analysis EThames Graduate School (ET) is a modern and dynamic Higher Education institution offering students a complete range of high quality UK recognized qualifications. Our career focused degree programs provide students with the knowledge and skills required to ensure a smooth transition from the classroom to the workplace. Our mission is to develop each students abilities to the full in order to produce outstanding professional and enterprising people for business, industry and professional careers. (Thames, 2011) EThames Graduate School is Europes largest Higher Education institution offering world reputed higher educational qualifications. The EThames Graduate School students come from different countries around the world. The EThames Graduate Schools core business is in its different study areas such as business, finance, computing, health and social care, English and other training programs. 2012 Olympics games are going to be in London and lot of international attractions will comes to the school. Also there will be higher demand for the professional courses which are focusing relative fields focusing the event. Therefore it is necessary to have proper marketing campaign to capture the opportunity. I have discussed the situational analysis, marketing strategy, implications for the ET due to the expecting mega event of the Olympic 2012. Situational Analysis As identified by the marketing audit and summarized in the SWOT analysis within the core market in which ET operates has been significantly affected by the recent rise in competitive pressure. A robust long-term plan must now be created to deliver competitive advantage and reverse the downward sales trend. The events market is reactive, fast paced and heavily influenced by changes in the external business environment; thus a 2-3 year plan is considered a long-term one. The Olympic 2012 event will make lot of influences to the business within few months. 1.1 PESTEL Analysis Political Forecast cuts in public spending Changes in Government attitudes to external meetings Planned rise in VAT to 20% January 2011 Impact of 2012 Olympics London / 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games / 2018 World Cup Increased globalization and associated meeting requirements (both physical and virtual). UK is in 24th place in world globalization rankings High unemployment rate (7.8% / 2.47 million) resulting in less training and development Economic Increasing use of external preferred agencies to make bookings, rather than diplomas direct Event budgets forecast to stay at lower levels than pre-recession Luxury / additional spend forecast to stay low Quantity of delegates forecast to stay flat Increasing commercial awareness in buyers (haggling, negotiation, personalized pricing) Increased reluctance not to commit until last minute Forecast cuts in public spending Legal Market segment legislation (e.g. ABPI guidelines) restricting venue. Planned rise in VAT to 20% January 2011 Events industry remains unregulated ET operate in old buildings meaning significant investment is needed to meet changes in accessibility regulations Technical Rise in video conferencing (Webinars) Rise in virtual events2 Increase in user generated content (venue reviews, social networking sites) Reliance on websites / search engines for venue selection, rather than printed directories and magazines Increasing reliance on AV tools thus high impact on event if fails / non-compatible High rate of technological development venues need to be adaptive to these requirements Social Cultural Increasing demand in some sectors (e.g. online learning) to use ethical venues (CSR) Rise in customer service expectations Increasing commercial awareness in buyers (haggling, negotiation) Increase in user generated content (venue reviews, social networking sites) Demand for meetings to become more objective and measurable Increasing demand for venues to demonstrate sustainability / green / ethical credentials (BS8901standard) Increasing diversity in customer tastes and demands (dietary / cultural requirements) Environmental Increasing demand for venues to demonstrate sustainability / green / ethical credentials (BS8901standard) Public sector travel cuts (e.g. Environment Agency) Carbon cost of business travel under scrutiny Rise in demand for locally sourced produce 1.2 Distinctive competencies (DCs) ET currently possesses 5 Distinct Competencies. These are key internal strengths which have no major countering weakness. Stability ET is part of the wider ET providing underlying financial stability. Staff also has access to a wide pool of specialist in-house resources16 giving advantage over independent competitors. Power ET shows a position of strength as highest value added member and thus an ability to meet changing customer demands (e.g. AV / Catering) by negotiating optimum deals with students. Customer Service ET have an outstanding Customer Service record and are currently no 1 educational center in the UK18, placing them at a distinct advantage to combat the rise in competition. Flexibility The 7S and 7P models19 demonstrate ETs flexible approach to product and pricing. Customer facing staff is adaptive and able to meet changing customer requirements with ease. Product ET offer an upper-middle end service based on proven customer service and added value, rather than price alone. 1.3 Critical success factors (CSFs) Analysis of the opportunities and threats within the micro and macro environments show the groups core markets present 5 critical factors for future success. Price There is strong demand for cost effective events with personalized pricing and competitor matching. This is forecast to continue in the mid-long term future. AV Student demands for the latest in reliable conference technology (both physical and virtual) are forecast to grow, as will their reliance on it to deliver their events (virtual speakers / delegates etc). Agencies Agents are a growing selection method of choice for students. Green credentials Customer preference for environmental sustainability is rising, with industry launching to differentiate which venues are compliant. Customer Service students have a continued requirement for reliable, personalized customer service. 1.4 Benefits of marketing planning It is increasingly important in todays rapidly changing business environment that companies plan their marketing effectively. According to Kotler (2002) sound planning helps the company to anticipate and respond quickly to environmental changes, and to prepare better for sudden developments. ET s core markets are fast paced and increasingly competitive, so it is vital they have a clear plan in place to combat the rise in competitive pressure by meeting customer needs and wants more effectively than rivals. 1) To understanding their business environment: Marketing planning allows ET to fully understand their complex business environment both internally and externally. The early identification of key market changes and threats (such as the rise in competitive pressure or demand for environmental credentials) allows ET to adapt its strategy and marketing mix accordingly. Analysis of the external environment ensures ET understand who their customers are, the factors affecting their purchase decisions and are able to anticipate their needs and wants. 2) To set objectives and give direction: ETs objective hierarchy shows the groups marketing objectives stemming from the corporate objectives, which in turn stem from the Board strategic plan. According to Dibb (2007) a marketing objective is a statement of what is to be accomplished through marketing activities the results expected from marketing efforts.ET activities sit outside the core focus of the ET, so efficient marketing planning is essential to ensure relevant objectives are set. 3) To develop a strategy capable of delivering the objectives set: ET will only meet their objectives with a clear strategy; defined by Kotler (2002) as the marketing logic by which the business hopes to achieve its marketing objectives. A planning gap was identified between growth objective and forecast, so a clear market penetration growth strategy was adopted to bridge it. Without this strategy, the venues may lose focus (e.g. diversifying into the rooms by the hour business); the marketing objectives would not be met, leading to the corporate objectives being missed. 4) To select the right groups of customers to communicate with: According to Jobber (2007) market segmentation is the identification of individuals or organizations with similar characteristics that have significant implications for the determination of marketing strategy. By breaking the market down into customer segments of a similar type, ET can gain greater understanding of its customers, meet their needs and wants more effectively and communicate in a way they are more likely to respond to. 5) To develop tactics and a plan of action Finally, marketing planning provides a detailed tactical plan, giving direction to each of the 7Ps of the marketing mix. By setting a detailed, measurable plan encompassing all elements, ET can combine expertise from both marketing and the business into one organizational effort. This effort will ensure staffs are fully trained, resources are deployed in the right areas, the brand is developed and consistent across the estate and the product meets market requirements (such as BS8901 accreditation). Marketing Plan In order to combat the rise in competitive pressure and plug the planning gap, ET needed to develop a strategy for growth by making alterations to either its product-set (Educational options) or student base. As ET only matched some of the markets, a lower-risk Market Penetration strategy was advised, defined by Dibb (2006) as a strategy of increasing sales in current markets with current products. It was clear from the marketing audit that there were areas of the existing market that ET were not engaging with effectively (e.g. event booking agents) and that there was still potential for growth without costly development of a new product, expansion into a new market or complete diversification. ` 2.1 Growth Strategy To ensure the expecting expansion in 2012 ET must develop a clear growth strategy. The Growth Strategy Analysis within shows the full ET product portfolio and the strategies for growth currently adopted across the organisation. In the medium-long term, ET must adopt a clear Market penetration growth strategy. The groups only match against some of the markets from Asian students; this coupled with the current rise in competitive pressure mean that a low risk strategy is advised. If ET already matched all the markets likely requirements, this could be leveraged to develop a new product or expand into a new market to achieve competitive advantage. It is important that as part of the Market Penetration strategy, tweaks are made to the existing product offering to match the outstanding. Eg: Market Penetration Re-targeting to agents / local students and identification of different customer segments with buying potential (High demanded educational courses). Market development Launch of new ET in other all provinces with the same mix (tiered lecture theatre, city centre location, 5* student service etc) Product development Launch of self-study workshops by the hour product as per diploma requirements and customized visiting lecturers. Diversification Launch a management consultancy firm under the ET name. 2.2 Competitive Strategy In order to protect its growth strategy and ensure efforts could not easily be duplicated by competitors, a competitive strategy was identified in which ET could specialize, defined by Kotler (2002) as a strategy that strongly positions the company against competitors and gives the strongest possible strategic advantage. It was not suitable to adopt a cost leadership strategy as per common schools in London whose low event specific overheads allow them to achieve cost leadership and undercut ET on basic price. This approach is not achievable without putting ETs 5* student Service at risk. A competitive strategy of differentiation was not suitable for ET due to the high costs involved and likely high diploma failure rate due to lack of enough students. The group already has costly overheads in ongoing maintenance for its historic buildings, making it unviable to continuously invest in first to market NPD. The chosen competitive strategy to focus on niche groups for whom premium facilities, excellent student service and reliability are important is the right one as it utilizes ET well and has high potential for repeat and referral business; achieving the sales growth needed to fill the planning gap. 2.3 Marketing Mix Elements Service The core product is not unique as the capital has hundreds of diplomas which fulfill the same basic student need, thus classing it as a carbon copy. However there are many elements in the secondary product portfolio which are unique; riverside location and views, tiered lecture theatre for 500 guests and student service credentials are the key ones to be leveraged. In order to satisfy the newly selected target segments, must develop its secondary product to fill the gap. The diploma must change its attitude towards environmental policy and begin an investment program in order to achieve the sustainable teaching standards Price Of the three pricing strategies available (skimming, intermediate and penetration), ET Place currently operates an intermediate pricing strategy. I recommend that this continues in the medium long term. The diploma holds some USPs such as best in class customer service, high lecture theatre capacities and its panoramic. However some features (seminar spaces video-conferencing facilities) are not unique within the London market. It has a medium break-even point40 within a perfectly elastic market and looks to communicate a position of quality and reliability. One of the venues main USPs is the added value services it provides (such as 1st class customer service), which would be jeopardize by a price penetration strategy. Promotions The promotional objectives to the two new customer groups43 will be to inform and differentiate; educating them about the venue, its product and service attributes and key differentiating factors (such as student service excellence). However, as identified in the Product Lifecycle model, ET London is in the maturity stage thus the objectives for the existing groups will be to remind and persuade them to use ET again or reconsider a previous decision not to. Push partner with 3rd party intermediary brokers, industry magazines and websites to generate business (and awareness of) ET London. Pull communicate directly with target customer groups via an integrated marketing campaign to inform, differentiate and drive enquiries straight to the diploma. Profile increase awareness of ET London and the wider ET Diplomas group to both primary and secondary target groups and the broader industry Place In order to reach and retain the chosen target segments, ET London must alter parts of its place (distribution) strategy. Analysis of the external environment48 shows that buyers are increasingly enlisting agents to place their bookings, so the diploma must change from a Direct to Dual core place strategy, allowing clients to place bookings directly or through their nominated agency. Supported by the promotional tactics, staff will target agents specifically with preferred commission rates, tailored pricing and ensure the product of choice when making booking decisions. Few conflicts exist as the majority of students using agents do so as they have no buying alternative due to their company policy. The venues distribution intensity should remain selective in order to build brand loyalty, emphasize the high levels of quality and service and support their new focused competitive strategy. Unlike mass market / cost leadership competitors whose primary objective is to secure a high quantity of small diplomas, ET should look to build trust-based relationships with students to secure their high-value events on an ongoing basis, thus a selective distribution intensity is advised. 2.4 Controls Based upon ETs existing all we can afford budget structure, I recommend a percentage of sales forecast approach is adopted at 3.5%. Although not ideal, it will ensure marketing budget bids in the short-term are realistic and increase proportionately as the long term objectives become realized. In addition to the action plan, a series of targets and budgets run in parallel to the implementation schedule. The targets will motivate and encourage staff to achieve a positive outcome in small, manageable chunks, but also allow ET to monitor progress against objectives and identify risks early on so corrective measures can be taken. The specific budgets set provide a framework for staff to work within on individual activities, ensuring the overall budget is not exceeded and profitability maintained. Finally, this set of smaller budgets allow the ET Marketing Manager to delegate tasks to colleagues, whilst maintaining overall budget control. Main Barriers and how to Implement 3.1 Barriers in Internal Audits Internal Interviews Geographic spread meant some interviews were held by phone or email making it hard to read reactions and ask supplemental questions accordingly. HR was also not willing to be interviewed for purposes of the audit. Confidentiality Access to staff performance records was not granted so mystery shopper recordings and sales staff observations69 were 2 techniques used to determine broad conclusions, alongside the statistics provided by their managers. Accuracy / consistency of information Staff had been recording financial and enquiry data inconsistently (e.g. internal business levels); both year on year and from venue to venue. A system change meant that customer information (beyond sales figures) for 2012 is also unavailable. Staff availability ET Accountant was unavailable which delayed receipt of key financial data by few weeks. Turnover of staff mid-audit was also an issue. 3.2 Lack of financial resources The decline in sales between 2009 and 2010 could see Senior Management withdraw ET Marketing spend, although the fact that the decline has now stalled and a clear strategy is in place to close the planning gap may alleviate this. In addition, the % of sales forecast marketing budget approach will reassure management that the marketing plan is results driven. There are profile activities within the tactical plan which senior management could see as expendable, so it will be important to emphasize the collaborative effect of the integrated marketing mix so that individual elements are not removed. 3.3 Lack of staff The new strategy is heavily relationship driven; effective targeting of the key commercial conference and Agency groups in particular will only deliver results if staff invests time to nurture relationships, build trust and secure repeat business. ET does not have any pro-active sales staff, so the success of the marketing plan is pivotal on securing 1 sales person at each venue. If this is not acceptable to senior management, existing reactive coordination staff must be reprioritized to a proactive sales approach and assigned key accounts to nurture from within the target customer segments. This will involve some retraining, but will be an opportunity for development. An important part of the staffing change will be to incentivize sales staff with commission as per the industry standard; helping to secure buy-in. 3.4 Lack of time Although senior staff has requested a long-term (2-3 year) marketing plan for ET, they may expect to see quick results (3-6 months). Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen as the plan is built around repeat business and relationship building (supporting the focus competitive strategy and product Positioning). Expectations must be managed throughout the organisation that although the marketing objectives will be realized, it is unlikely to be before the target date of 2012. In addition, time must be dedicated to account management by staff, which will be problematic without the added proactive sales function. If management requires results to be shown before the team can be expanded, key accounts must be targeted first by senior venues staff before distributing lower value companies to junior staff. 3.5 Lack of skills There are certain skills gaps which could jeopardize the implementation of the plan if not mitigated promptly. The shift from a reactive to proactive sales function with key account management is a big change and one which will require intensive training and ongoing mentoring for all staff involved. In addition, the ability to leverage power within the supply chain to secure the best deals from external suppliers is a key advantage which the group is not currently utilizing due to lack of staff skills and confidence. A program of training for staff involved in such negotiations will be essential. Finally, the success of the plan is dependent on the group maintaining their 1st class customer service, thus an ongoing staff training program must be established. Ethical Issues for ETs Marketing Marketing planning allows ET to fully understand their complex business environment both internally and externally. The early identification of key market changes and threats (such as the rise in competitive pressure or demand for environmental credentials) allows ET to adapt its strategy and marketing mix accordingly. Analysis of the external environment ensures ET understand who their customers are, the factors affecting their purchase decisions and are able to anticipate their needs and wants. Examination of its internal environment will identify strengths and weaknesses thus ensuring systems and processes are in place to meet those foreseen customer demands effectively. ET has to realize that they are into the educational industry and it is necessary maintain all the best practices of the industry and they responsible to be an advisable organization. An important but costly element of the plan is to close the gap by securing BS8901 environmental accreditation for all branches, so a separate business case should be prepared highlighting the costs involved and direct benefits to the ET beyond the commercial venue business. The marketing plan poses some key changes in approach for ET and looks to de-priorities certain market segments. This may meet resistance from both management and operational staff initially before the new segments begin to deliver results. A phase out rather than immediate approach to the change over a 6-12 month period will alleviate this. In addition, the ET Marketing Manager should run a series of workshops with staff from all over the business to explain the plan in-depth, its rationale, and key outcomes to ensure buy-in. Bibliography / Referencing: 2008. (Clause 19.1). 1 July 2008 Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry, British Meetings and Events Industry Survey 2010, CAT Publications, October 2010 Dibb, S., Simkin, L., Pride W., Ferrell, O., (2006) Marketing Concepts and Strategies, 5th European edition, South Western Cengage Learning Jobber, D., (2007) Principles and Practice of Marketing, 5th Edition, McGraw Hill Education Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Saunders, J., Wong, V., (2002) Principles of Marketing, 3rd European Edition, Meetings Incentive Travel, Olympic Opportunities: Going for Gold. September 2010. Meetings Industry Association. Pathfinder Report Spring 2010. Northamptonshire, April 2010 Megicks, P., Donnelly, R., Harrison, G., (2009) The Marketing Planning Process, Elsevier Pearson Education Limited

Stereotypes in the Film The Matrix Essay -- Movies Film Feminist Pape

Stereotypes in the Film The Matrix The purpose of this paper is to expose some of the stereotypes present in the film The Matrix, directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski. In order to accomplish this we shall see that although The Matrix is considered to be a film about rebellion, it contains several stereotypical portrayals, which actually make it a film that supports the status quo. We shall also see that the African American characters in The Matrix (the Oracle, Tank, Dozer, and Morpheus) are all depicted in the stereotypical servant roles. Furthermore, the women (Trinity and Switch) in this film are portrayed stereotypically; that is, they are either reduced to a caring/nurturing role or they simply help make up the background (they do not have a voice). Finally, Morpheus’ initial power and leadership is stripped away leaving him to play the stereotypical supporting and buddy role. The Matrix is considered by many people to be a cyberpunk triumph. Declan McCullagh from wired.com writes: "When Neo/Reeves wakes up from his VR slumber and unplugs from The Matrix, he joins a ragtag band of rebels led by the charismatic Morpheus (Lawrence Fishburne). Their plan: To overthrow the artificial intelligences that have robbed humanity of reality" (McCullagh). Entertainment weekly also sees The Matrix as a movie about rebellion against oppression: "Neo is, of course, The One, the prophesied leader of the oppressed who will lead the people of Zion (an underground city populated by the last free humans) from bondage--but only if he can believe in himself and trust in the power of love" (Bernadin). Therefore, although the film appears to send a revolutionary message of a rage against ‘the machine’ or the matrix and its oppression, ... ...premacy should be the starting point of a renewed movement for racial justice" (hooks 118). Works Cited Bernardin, Marc. "The Matrix" 1999. <http://www.ew.com/ew/review/video/0,1683,846,matrix.html> (14 Apr. 2000) [address has moved to: <http://www.ew.com/ew/article/review/video/0,6115,270871~2|7696||0~,00.html> link updated by Dr P. 30 Oct 2002] hooks, bell. Killing Rage Ending Racism. New York: Henry Holt, 1995. McIntosh, Peggy. "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack," in Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998. McCullagh, Declan. "The Matrix: A Cyberpunk Triumph." Wired News. April 02, 1999. <http://www.wired.com/news/news/culture/story/18932.html> Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women. New York: William Morrow, 1991.