Fatigue design consideration in columns under wave cyclic loading Research Paper

Fatigue design consideration in columns under wave cyclic loading - Research Paper Example Studies reveal that there are significant calculations and estimations that need to be considered to determine the effects of wave conditions on these structures. The present study focuses on these factors, and the types of fatigues that are possible. This would bring into light the necessity for experts to consider an extensive study on the structures, the materials employed and the conditions of the waves such that effective measures may be applied in the process of construction. Introduction: Considering the issue of cyclic wave loading, it is necessary to understand that both cyclic strains and residual strains or strains that are permanent in nature are developed when a sequence of cyclic loads affect the underground soil. The permanent or residual strains stay behind at the end of each cyclic load reflecting a growing effect that gets accumulated with the effects left by earlier storms. Greater attention has been provided to evaluations of peak cyclic displacements that occur a long with a storm. However there are greater needs for studies on issues of permanent displacement. While considering these issues, it is also necessary to take into consideration the relationships among the properties of the soil, cyclic loading as well as well as the residual strains and the shear stress (Marr et al, 1981, pp.1129-1130). Concrete components used in offshore structures encounter forces of strong wave owing to frequent storms and are open to tremendously rigorous conditions of the environment leading to decay of steel that is fixed in the structure and worsening of the concrete material. Fatigue loading tests are conducted in this regard in order to obtain fatigue properties of column joints that are already stressed, the results of which can then be compared to those obtained from static loadings. Considering joints and columns in the offshore structures, it has been found that many types of offshore structures constituting concrete that is already stressed have be en built up with intentions to make use of the space of the offshore and to take advantage of the natural resources in offshore regions (Kiyomia et al, 1988, p.139). The present study focuses on the concept of fatigue design implemented in columns under cyclic wave loading. Literature Review: Kiyomia et al (1988, pp.139-140) in their studies had discussed about the determination of the conditions of waves for fatigue designs. According to them the waves of sea are an assortment of numerous sinusoidal waves reflecting different periods of time and amplitudes. Moreover, the conditions of the wave vary based on the site of the construction. The conditions of the waves at every location need to be estimated and assessed by statistical procedures by means of wave records. â€Å"The relationships between the numbers of waves and the wave heights are needed to determine the fatigue limit state according to the service life of the facility when using Miner's rule for calculating the fatigu e strength of the joints. To estimate the serviceability of the joints, the wave conditions, expressed as the number of waves and wave heights over a period of 1 month to 1 year, are needed†. A study considered by International Maritime Organization discussed that the likelihood of damages to fatigue designs owing to cyclic wave loading need to be taken concern of in the â€Å"design of self-elevating and column-stabilized units† (International Maritime Organization, 1990, p.72). Such analyses of the fatigue designs are required to be conducted with the studies based on the intended mode and the operations involved in the designs of the units. Also, the analysis needs to consider the life of the intended design and the convenience of individual structural

Behavioral Theory With Reference To Coca Cola Company Business Essay

Behavioral Theory With Reference To Coca Cola Company Business Essay Leadership theories are widely spread around us with their roots emerging from different practical examples and real time implications from numerous organizations. The basic aim for the evaluation of leadership theories is to provoke an environment of successful management and maintain the smooth running of the management with management and leadership qualities. Following leadership theories are quoted from Coca Cola Company, how the company has gained such phenomenal success and a word from CEO. Coca cola Company mainly sees these theories to build the leadership qualities among their employees. Behavioral Theory With Reference To Coca Cola Company: The developers of behavioral theory suggest that leaders can be made, they are not always born. They believe in the fact that leadership qualities can be learned over a period of time and they are not merely innate traits but they are successful behaviors of describable and explainable actions present in the behavior itself. These actions are easier to be learnt rather than adopting numerous different traits. CEO of Coca Cola Company persuades and ensures that the employees are given a chance to learn and develop leadership skills monitoring the improvement from time to time followed by selecting those employees who possess successful leadership skills. Developing a behavioral theory is comparatively easier assessing leaders and leadership success actions. Here CEO can recognize behavior use which raises to failure there it added a second layer of understanding. Trait Theory With Reference To Coca Cola Company: Trait theory suggests that successful leadership is an amalgamation of traits that defines leadership skills and qualities. Companies like coca cola assess the employees on psychological traits focusing on unique qualities. CEO of Coca Cola Company evaluates the employees on the basis of their behaviors and work structures. Trait theory suggests the possession of the following qualities and skills confirms successful goal leaders and Coca Cola Company focuses on retention of them. Qualities Skills Assertive Willing to assume responsibility Energetic Tolerant of stress Assertive Cooperative Adaptable to situation Persistent Desire to influence others Alert to social environment Achievement oriented and ambitious Decisive Persuasive Organized Fluent in speaking Conceptually skilled Diplomatic and tactful Creative Clever Knowledgeable about group work The above list of qualities and skills are essential in achieving organizational goals and serve as an inherent part of a good leader. Participative Leadership Theory: This theory aims at developing an understanding to decision making in different scenarios. The theory suggests that people working in teams must be more collaborative and less competitive. Team based decision making is better and more committed than individual persons. Coca Cola Company uses this theory and focuses on the development of teams for more focused and cooperative decision making rather than being alone. Leaders are selected for individual teams based on qualities as commitment, collaboration, cooperation, motivation friendly behavior etc. different programs are arranged so that the team member can participate and develop those leadership traits. Coca Cola Company effectively inculcates this process. Leadership Theories Development of Leadership Impact Of Managerial Styles On Organizational Effectiveness At Nestle: Democratic and Decentralized Management: This dynamic world is a constant threat to leaders bringing challenges and even opportunities. To achieve organizational effectiveness Nestle has thereby gained insight to developing and ensuring Democratic and Decentralized Management Style pursuing decision making. Nestle delegates the authority of decision making sharing it among the workforce whereby maintain team leaders to adhere to single coherent direction. The team members are all converged to individual participatory roles for full involvement pertaining to organizational effectiveness. It also believes in sharing of vision and goals and participation of all employees to gain operational speed, removing organizational barriers, leveraging strength of people, and focusing on organizational effectiveness. Nestle supports and employs the idea of minimal levels of management so that the information can be flown through all the levels and there is no communication gap pursuing organizational effectiveness. The idea of minimum spans of control and flexible authority and flatter organizations enable people development and also focusing on fulfilling of targets and goals. Nestle focuses on direct personal commitment and encouragement therefore decentralized management style is the best suited for this organization whilst seeking organizational effectiveness when all the employees will feel themselves a part of the organization and work in correspondence to that. All the above mentioned goals cannot be achieved and organizational effectiveness cannot be in full bloom if applied another management style known as Autocratic, which does not allow the information to be shared among workforce and discourages employees involvement in decision making and gives off a centralized organizational structure not suited to Nestle at this stage. http://www.nestle.com/asset-library/Documents/Library/Documents/People/Management-Leadership-Principles-EN.pdf Motivational Theory Impacting Employee Motivation: Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs: Motivation is defined as a driving force initiating a particular behavior in response to drive (external/ internal cues). A motivated employee is significant to organizational success. They make your organization lucrative and are highly productive and essential to different organizational working conditions. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory focuses on the employees internal needs that must be full filled at every level prior going to the next level to motivate their behavior. Considering five basic needs of Maslow involves the fulfillment of these needs along the pyramid as follows: Physiological needs: reflect the basic needs to be fulfilled in the first place which includes food, water, clothing, shelter etc Safety needs: are actually the security needs including medical treatment, adequate wages to support family, better household and the like. Belongingness needs: include the fulfillment of needs of social relationships, maintaining social circles of friends and social networks, being essential part of communities, an active member of society etc Esteem needs: encircle the aspiration for realization, ability, status, and acknowledgment. Self actualization needs: include the upbringing of yourself seeking new opportunities and looking for greater chances of growth in you. If the organization is fulfilling these needs, the employee is motivated and works in order to retain organizational success, development and growth. Example: This motivational theory is found to be in common practice by almost all the firms around the world today including IBM, Pepsi, Coca Cola, Nestle, and General Motors etc ascertaining to employee motivation and morale. http://hotelmule.com/management/html/07/n-2107-5.html Motivating Employees in a Startup Venture from Nataraj Pangal Theories Relating To Work Relationships and Interaction: As the organization continues to grow and expand globally, the evolving work relationships are placed continuously on a broader spectrum. This evolution put forth a challenge to management theory by continually changing the assumptions under which organizations are doing their work. Following theories are focused on work relationships among employees in an organization: Personal Flexibility and Adaptability: This approach is based on the removal of Inter-personal conflicts with its viewpoint to keep the group members appropriate likelihood to develop their own individual comfort zones as being essential part of the group. One way to remove and root out the interpersonal conflicts among the group members is through Mediation approach. http://jethrolmi.com/admin/uploads/attachment-35-J-0031.pdf Systems perspective approach of work interrelationships: This approach delivers the idea that communication is the binding stone as a result of which different systems and subsystems are retained by an organization. Positive synergy: Groups are considered to be more inclined towards performing faster and better when seen in a shared way rather than their individual output expectations. Positive synergy is useful in order to achieve more from the group performance as a whole. Interdependence: Interdependence reveals the fact that all the employees are dependent on each other. The output of one department and employees become the input for other department and employees, if a ball is dropped by one, the group as a whole is likely to meet failure and goals would not be achieved. Homeostasis: Homeostasis refers to the natural tendency of balance, synergy, coordination and equilibrium, maintained among homogenous or heterogeneous groups and teams of employees. Moreover it is also referred to as the propensity for a given system to continue to maintain its stability in the time of change. Politeness Theory: Politeness theory (PT) was developed by Brown and Levinson hence explaining the fact how interactions are maintained and delivered among participants (employees) by using politeness strategies. Based on Goffmans (1967) conception of individuality and face work, in the politeness theory by Brown and Levinson (1978, 1987) verified when, why, and how interpersonal communication is raised through, or in the absence of, politeness. http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/4984_Dainton_Chapter_3.pdf Characteristics of Different Organization Structures: Organizations are established based on various goals that need to be accomplished over the period of its life, and these functional/ operational goals are achieved by synchronizing the efforts of employees and various other participants of the organization according to the following organizational structures. Functional Structure Functional structure is the division of work force and work processes into separate respective departments. The different departments such as sales force, marketing, finance, research and development departments etc have their own functional perspectives pouring a single coherent outcome. Divisional Structure Divisional structure is used where larger organizations are taken into account, and when the larger organization is divided into different divisions and sub areas. For example, the now-defunct Nestle Company is organized into divisions for each geographic area to handle specific needs. Matrix Matrix structure is an amalgam of divisional and functional structure. Organizations like Nestle a large multinational company, the matrix structure allows for the benefits of functional and divisional structures to exist in one organization. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/different-types-organizational-structure-723.html Culture and Structure of Nestle and its Impact On Organizational Effectiveness: Organizational Structure Of Nestle: Nestle is a worldwide dairy and beverages organization tremendously successful across the world. Nestle exhibits a decentralized organizational structure minimizing the span of control and reducing the levels of management. Decentralized Organization: Organizational effectiveness is a function of organizational culture and its structure depending upon the operations it performs. Nestle is a decentralized organization and it contributes to the success and growth of this organization. Nestle allows its employees equal opportunity to enjoy and sustain a high level of autonomy. This gives them enough courage, sense of responsibility and motivation to perform their jobs fulfilling their job responsibilities. Major changes and the strategic decisions are executed and planned at the headquarters level but the daily routine based activities are handled by the employees. The subordinates are allowed to concentrate, derive and implement daily operations. The responsibility of taking operating decisions is pushed down to strategic business units. The employees enjoy a high degree of autonomy with regard to decisions involving pricing, distribution, marketing, human resources, and so on. SBU or regional managers are not allowed to make operational or strategic decisions on anything except for exceptional situations. Nestle follows a traditional top down hierarchical structure of command. The companys executive body is the Board of Directors. Leading the company is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Nestlà © therefore allows the unchanged person to hold both the positions. Organizational Culture Of Nestle: The culture of Nestle comprises of the distinctive behavior patterns and values that makes up the organization differing them from the rest. A simple and quick assessment of the organizational culture can be made by interacting with the people working in the organization and by exploring how people interact with each other and perform their jobs. A number of aspects of Nestlà ©s values and hence working practices relate to interpersonal relationships among employees, nestle believes in maintaining fair and unbiased relations without any disconcert of race, age, gender and other diverse cultures. All the employees are encouraged to embrace the Nestlà © way of working and interacting with fellow employees and subordinates. Nestlà © aims to maintain fair, sincere, direct, and caring work environment for people making up the organization. Nestlà © has therefore successfully developed a fair and unbiased set of values and principles enabling the employees to get maximum fair and honest treatment. These values and principles clinch the involvement and participation of diverse cultures, respecting them and developing long term relationships with all of its suppliers and customers. These values play a major role in building the organizational culture. The culture of an organization will alter and shift over time, both in response to changes in the external environment as well as to internal pressures within the organization. Nestlà © Lesson Plan from The Times 100 website: www.tt100.biz Case Study: Nestles Growth Strategy http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/261835.html Taking the present merger into account the new organization thus formed needs to be restructured on various grounds. I have thereby stated few dimensions that need to be discussed for employee effectiveness in the new organization: Meeting Notes: Organizations can facilitate information and creativity through effective communication and effective HRM. Creativity is at the heart of all organizations and recently has gained a principal focus. For example IBM focuses in innovative engineering and its success and growth depends on creativity in field of technology and newer unique outputs. While recruiting, strategic HRM is concerned with selecting those individuals who continues to elicit high level of creativity in their work, skills and abilities, who knows how to respond to various solutions in unique ways, and undergoing different problem handling parameters. As IBM has reported that one of the greatest achievement for any organization to have leadership competence is through Creativity http://www.cersi.it/itais2009/pdf/TR_3/itais2009_submission_25.pdf http://executivenewswire.com/2011/02/how-can-creativity-and-innovation-be-facilitated-within-a-company-by-emmanouel-perakis/ http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09585192.2012.690567 The importance of learning in organizations has been raised to a point that enables the employees to learn from their mistakes and a new organization that is undergoing restructuring after merger must take into account this parameter for performance. Hero merged with Honda Company in India and went into restructuring of organization leading to organizational learning, to help make the new management learn a blend of new and existing organizational operational styles. Organizational learning brings continuous improvement to employees performance and thereby facilitation organizational success, survival and growth. According to the book The Fifth Discipline  by Senge, explains his point of view as The ability to learn faster than your competition may be the only sustainable advantage for your organization in the long run. Moreover Learning organizations helps in generating and practicing new knowledge. This ability enables companies to stay ahead of change and the competition. http://www.leadershipandorganizationalculture.com/2012/04/importance-of-learning-in-organizations.html Effectiveness of Team Learning: Traditional learning had been the practice of the past when the peer team leader primarily acts as a disseminator of information responsible for ensuring learning, solely. On the other hand, team learning means to empower the team members giving them the opportunity to think, plan and act, enhancing their abilities to perform. According to the researches by various institutes including Stanford University and University of Michigan etc, team based learning is an important evaluator for effectiveness of employees (team members). Sharing of information among team members and flexibility to perform and cooperate within teams is essential to the completion of any task on a regular basis. Through team learning, members freely and easily recognize their shared and individual roles and responsibilities in an effective way. Team Learning Effectiveness is a proven and practical diagnostic tool for assessing team effectiveness and improving work group performance in any organization especially for a new restructured one like this. http://teaching.uncc.edu/articles-books/best-practice-articles/instructional-methods/building-learning-teams http://www.reliablesurveys.com/teameffectiveness.html Approaches To Organizational Decision Making: Valuable information is the building block to organizational decision making. Many firms such as Mckinsey and Co. provide consultation on how firms use the appropriate data. Organizations have preordaining access to large amounts of data, including consumers, economic concerns, employees, stakeholders, financial figures, competitors etc in raw and unstructured format. An organizational setting like this binding into a merger recently needs to focus on evaluating the importance of data collected since past. In order to realize value and to help organizations become more sustainable in the longer term, it is crucial to improve the ways they measure and manage their performance. Such mountains of data make decision making difficult and vague. Therefore value data is extracted from the raw data known as information which is meaningful to the organization when updated, relevant, timely and accurate. Using different information systems and information technology tools make effective decision making. Tools such as Decision Support Systems and Management Support Systems etc are of critical value. http://www.auditcommission.gov.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/AuditCommissionReports/NationalStudies/Cranfield_Information_use_review.pdf Approaches To Risk And Uncertainty In Decision Making: Different workshops are conducted enabling the participants to undergo decision making based on simulated situations. This enables them to perform well under actual circumstances. Workshops increase their level of performance and risk handling under uncertain conditions. In addition to this I also prefer the development of mitigation policies to be pursued under risky and uncertain circumstances while undergoing decision making. Integrated assessments can inform decision makers of the relationship between risk involving factors, adaptation potentials, and costs of emission reductions and the benefits of avoiding uncertain scenarios. These assessments have frameworks to deal with incomplete or imprecise data. As with Unilever and Procter and Gamble they estimate the demand and supply based on pre defined policies to handle the uncertain high or low demand times. http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg3/en/tssts-ts-2-2-decision-making-risk.html Workshop on Risk Assessment and Safety Decision Making Under Uncertainty Evaluation of Effectiveness of Organizational Decisions: Organizations such as International Energy (a masked name) made critical mistakes in decision making incurring extra ordinarily high costs referred to as failure costs. Therefore successful organizations such as Wal-Mart employ a structured approach means establishing assumptions and procedures for the way we make decisions around here. There are five critical elements pursuing effective organizational decisions. The above diagram explains the systematic approach to organizational decision making including criteria, facts, alternatives, commitment, and closure. The main objective of decision making has high lightened that particular goal you want to accomplish in the long run through effective decision making, whereas having vague and incomplete goals leads to failure. Wal-Mart,an online retailer store focuses on goals and makes decisions accordingly. Companies like International Energy focuses on reliable and accurate use of facts when and where required. There is too much data but screening the necessary and vital valued data is an important step t effective organizational decision making. Gaining insight to application of alternatives is essential to making right choices while making critical and great decisions. Seeking for alternatives reinforce the need to examine more than one option and nearly always improves the quality of decision making as the CEO of International Energy reports. Companies like Dow Chemicals, Intel, and Wal-Mart etc embed decisions regarding business-unit strategy in contracts that detail the specific strategic decisions that have been made, the resources required to implement the strategy effectively, and the individuals who are accountable for delivering on the decisions. Moreover when the decision is not communicated,, responsibilities are established with their time frames implementation and a continuous feedback monitoring mechanism for performance, an effective decision will be of no use. Wal-Mart decided not to offer steep discounts during the holiday selling season. On Friday after Thanksgiving, competitors noticed Wal-Marts strategy and began trumpeting their own holiday discounts, sensing an opportunity to draw customers away from the retail giant. But Wal-Mart was closely monitoring results, and its executives figured out that the new scheme wasnt working well enough. They quickly reversed the decision and within days, every store in the Wal-Mart system had returned to the companys traditional practice of holiday discounting. http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/decision-insights-11-how-organizations-make-great-decisions.aspx Analysis of the Effective Management of Change in Organizations: Change management has always been a challenge to the organizations. The dynamic environment surrounding the organizations keeps on becoming uncertain and unpredictable. To manage the flow of events it the principle of change management must be of focal point. Moreover, for an organization undergoing a merger, the new management resulting from the combination of the two pre existing organizations, has to undergo challenging situations of change. This change is necessary as well provoking effective management styles. The change management is about maintaining a dynamic equilibrium within the environment you are operating. By diagnosing the situation which arises as the result of change management one can ensure that: The goals can be achieved as there is enough stability There must be operational continuity so that nothing would be distracted as the result of change The organization is adaptable to different situations and can manage the internal and external events as well as the change There is enough motivation so when the rite time comes the change can be adopted easily The management role is all about coping with the change so that the processes (internal as well as external) should only be minimally disrupted as accelerating change can increase the level of complexity and management problems. It can be a range of activities which can act as a trigger for change like old machinery is beyond repair , changes in legislations , changes in technology , merger and acquisition activity (as in our case) taking place as a consolidation in the banking sector , economic scenarios etc. according to Geliner and Earnst, 1996: The change will bring in Fresh challenges and tasks; this will largely offset the job security situation as more motivation can be gained http://www.mightystudents.com/essay/Managing.Change.Organizations.34325 Summary: The behavioral and traits theories are essential components for understanding the relationship of leadership styles and linking them with innate or learnt behaviors and/ or characteristics. The significance of participative leadership theory is through its implementation at various levels in every organization In addition to this, motivation at every level leads to success and growth promise on part of employees, fruitful for the organization. The different organization styles, structures and diverse cultures operate in large and small organizations. Their base is made stronger with the practice of such rules, policies, structures and cultures making them an inherent part of their organization and allowing new and existing employees to act in unison with them. Lastly the different modes of decision making and the risks in making decisions are also evaluated on experience and judgments based on knowledge and insight. The team based learning helps in better solutions to make the employees perform more collaboratively and less competitively. Conclusion: Lastly I have concluded through my vigorous analysis that leadership theories, motivation styles, organizational culture, structure and styles are most important for the proper functioning of an organization. The effectiveness of decision making factors are also very fruitful and their understanding of flow of information is significant to any organization whether big or small.

Autism :: Papers

Autism Autism or PPD (pervasive developmental disorder) is defined by the Columbia encyclopedia as a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by the inability to relate to and perceive the environment in a realistic manner. The onset of the disorder is in infancy or early childhood, generally before the age of thirty months, and males are affected four times as often as females. Symptoms include impairment in social interaction, fixation on inanimate objects, inability to communicate normally, and resistance to changes in daily routine (Anthes, 1997). Characteristics of Autism Diagnosing Autism is based on four characteristics: difficulty with language, abnormal responses to sensory stimuli, resistance to change and difficulty with social interaction. ?Other characteristics of autism may include: making the same repetitive motion for hours, repeating a sound or phrase, inability to hold a conversation, practicing unusual play patterns, and extreme sensitivity to sound and touch? (Riccio, 1999). Autistics can exhibit any combination of these characteristics in any degree. That is why autism is referred to as a ?spectrum? disorder, because at one end of the disorder a child may be inflicted with some symptoms, while at the opposite end a child may be inflicted with multiple symptoms with many areas in between. Children who display few symptoms may be characterized as ?mildly autistic?. Early signs of Autism may appear in the first months of life. Autistic infants tend to stray away from other people, avoiding touch and become limp or stiff when picked up or help. Autistic children don?t reach maturation as fast as normal children. A normal child will point to objects or smile when seeing their mother before the end of their first year, but children with autism develop this behavior much later. These symptoms may go on unnoticed by parents or doctors in infancy, but by the age of two to three it is clear that something is wrong. History of Autism In 1943, a man by the name of Leo Kanner formally identified autism; he labeled the disorder ?autistic disturbance of affective contact? (?Autism Web? n.d.). Autism was first described in America, officially, in 1980 with the publication of DSMIII (Tanguay, Robertson, Derrick, 1980). There was much confusion, both before and after Kanner's description, regarding the continuity of autism with schizophrenia and other then-recognized forms of psychosis (Lippcott/Williams & Wilkins, 1999). Kanner noticed that autistic infants had a reverse pattern typically observed in normal infants.

12 Angry Men: Emotion Essay

Emotions have significant role in the film 12 Angry Men when the jurors have to come to a decision about whether the boy is guilty or not. The different emotions shown by the jurors hinderstheir perspective and judgements on the case as well as towards the testimonies from the witnesses taken during the trial. Juror #3 was firm and determined that the boy was guilty. He had a powerful hatred towards teens in general after having past experiences with his own son. This makes him look past all the evidence built against the claim that he is guilty. For example, he refused to believe the doubt towards the testimony of the old man. As per the testimony the old man heard the boy yell â€Å"I’m gonna kill you† as well as heard a body hit the floor a split second later. After discussing in detail it comes into consideration that there could have been no way for the old man to hear anything as the el train would have been roaring past his window. As described by Juror #8 one is unable to hear their own thoughts with the unbearable noise of the el train. This clearly brings the old man’s testimony into doubt. Juror #3 is still persistent and stubborn to believe the truth that is being set in front of him solely because of his anger and hatred towards teens. See more:  Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay In contrast, Juror #2 is new to the juror and hence very happy and excited about the case. When he gets the opportunity to talk about the case, he is very open towards any argument that is being made. He thinks logically of every piece of evidence that was not bought in court and makes his decisions regarding that. Therefore with a very unprejudiced happy mind his ability to think logically and reasonably about the case comes into practice. This is how different jurors come to different conclusions through their emotions in the movie 12 Angry Men.

ICT System Specifications

For my database to run efficiently, the luxury car dealership needs a computer with certain specifications in order to run the certain software. I have researched the necessary system requirements for the software I use to create and run databases. These programmes include the operating system (the OS) and the program I use to create the actual databases. Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate * 1Ghz 32-bit or 64-bit processor * 1GB of system memory * Direct X 10 * 128Mb Graphics Card * 40GB HDD with 15GB of free space * DVD-ROM Drive * Audio Output Capability * Internet Access Capability * Keyboard and Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 * 500-MHz or faster processor * 256Mb of RAM or greater * 2GB of Hard Drive Space * DVD Disc Drive * Windows Vista, Windows XP Home, Professional or Media Centre Edition with Service Pack 2 * Super VGA (800Ãâ€"600) Monitor or greater * Broadband Connection * Programmes included are the 2007 versions of: Microsoft Access, Communicator, Excel, InfoPath, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word. Microsoft Office includes all of the necessary programs for the car dealership's database including Microsoft Access to create it and Microsoft Word for the mail merge. It is quite expensive but it is compatible with all documents and is a quality product, used by many businesses every day. I myself use these Microsoft Office programs so it is easier for me to create the database. As well as Microsoft Office, there is also another type of software currently found on the internet and as a free download. The program is called â€Å"Star Office†. This is available for free from a website: www.sun.com, where you can download the program for free. The program can be linked with Microsoft Office, as there is a word processor (Microsoft Word), spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel), presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint), E-Mail Client (Microsoft Outlook) and Databases (Microsoft Access). The system specifications of â€Å"Star Office† are: * 320Mb of Hard Drive Space * 128Mb of RAM * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition/Professional/Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 2 * For Download from the Internet – Broadband Connection * For Installation by Disc – DVD Disc Drive The advantages of using Star Office are that it is free from their website, it includes most of the functions from Microsoft Office and it does not take up a lot of space on the Hard Drive or RAM. The fact that the software is free is that is it not as good as Microsoft Office because it cannot open all the documents, which could be difficult for the dealership if they create a document on Microsoft Office (say from their home) and when they try to upload it onto the computer at work, it might not be able to open. I decided to choose the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 for the company because it is a quality product and it is compatible with all documents. It is also the top of the range version with all of the necessary programs for the dealership, unlike Star Office. It is also much easier to use for both new and existing users of the dealership. However, it is quite expensive but the overall cost is less than using Star Office. The computer's operating system is also made by Microsoft, which is a genuine company and are also the company who make Microsoft Office, so they are compatible. The company users may also have used Microsoft Office before so it would be familiar to them. The company have also asked me to purchase new computers that will benefit them. I have looked at several computer websites and tried to find a computer with at least the exact specifications shown above for Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007. As I have been with the knowledge of computers for a long time, I know which computer manufacturers to trust. I looked at several online stores including PC World, Currys Digital and Sony Centre Online and I have found two PC's that meets my needs and the company itself. I chose Sony as the computer manufacturer as they are very reliable, they build quality computers and they have a superb repair service if the computer crashes. I have found this laptop on Sony's website that suited the company and me: Sony Vaio AR Series with Blu-Ray Disc Drive Specifications * Intel(r) Core(tm) Duo Processor T2500, Supports Enhanced Intel SpeedStep(r) Technology * Microsoft(r) Windows(r) Vista Ultimate * 1920 x 1200 Display * 1024Mb of RAM * Blu-Ray Super Multi Double Layer DVDà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½RW/BD-RE drive * NVIDIA(r) GeForce(tm) Go 7600 GT with 256MB dedicated Video Memory * 802.11a/b/g Wireless Receiver * HDD (Hard Drive Disc) 160Gb This laptop costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2000 from Sony's website or from Sony's store. This might seem quite expensive yet it has all the necessary specifications and more. The RAM (Random Access Memory) is very large – 1024Mb. This means that they can load up a lot of programs at once without any lag time. This will benefit the company as they will be able to open many programs at once e.g. opening the database and Microsoft Word at the same time and they would not have to close a program down to open another. It also has Windows Vista Ultimate. This will benefit the company because most of the users would have used a Microsoft operating system before so all of their documents are compatible and they know how to use Microsoft Windows without any training. It also has a DVD Disc Drive, which means they are able to write and re-write DVD's. There is also a Blu-Ray Disc Drive. The Blu-Ray discs can hold up to 60 GB of data and it is re-writeable. This means that the company can save documents and files on several large discs and is able to re-write any disc placed in it (as long as the disc is re-writeable). This means that they can back-up all of their documents and files onto the disc so that if their laptop crashes, the documents will not be deleted. The laptop is ideal for the company because it is portable, so the manager can load the specifications of the car and show the customers the specifications next to the car, rather than looking at the car then looking at the specifications. The hard drive is also very large – 160 GB – which can easily store all the necessary programs and more programs if the company wish to install more programs. The laptop also has a wireless card built-in which means that if the company has a wireless router, they can access the internet wirelessly. This means that they can carry the laptop anywhere and have a wireless connection. They can show the customers the car manufacturer's website when they are looking at that particular car so that they can see what the specifications are and what the price would be when bought new from the cars dealership. Finally, the laptop has a large screen, which means that there will be no difficulty looking at the screen and not being able to see what is on there. The screen is also backlit so if the room is dark, you can see the screen more clearly and easily. The backlit screen is brighter when plugged into the mains but darker when portable in order to save battery life. The other computer I was looking at was another Sony desktop computer: Sony Vaio VGC Series (Black) * Intel(r) Pentium(r) D Processor 820 (2.80 GHz and 800 MHz FSB) * Genuine Microsoft(r) Windows(r) Vista Ultimate * 250 GB SATA hard disk drive * 1 GB (2 x 512 MB) DDR2-533 SDRAM, maximum 1 GB * 20†³ WXGA (1366 x 768) widescreen X-black LCD screen with double lamp technology * ATI Mobility(tm) Radeon(r) X700 graphics card with 256 MB HyperMemory(tm) * Wireless LAN 802.11b/g * Wireless QWERTY keyboard with pointing device (touch pad type), wireless optical mouse and remote control Between the Sony laptop and the desktop, I have chosen the desktop as the company's new computer. The reasons why I chose the desktop are that the desktop is very slim, similar to the laptop. Also, the desktop's power is from the mains, not from a battery pack which the laptop has and needs recharging every two hours or so. The desktop has a wider screen than the laptop, making it easier to see. The screen is also backlit, similar to the laptop but it is always bright. However, with the laptop, when portable, the screen is dark and not backlit. The desktop has all the necessary requirements and features the company need. The desktop specifications are much better than those of the laptop. Firstly, it has a 250GB hard drive disc, the laptop has 160GB. The desktop also has a 1024Mb which is equal to the laptop. The desktop is bundled with a wireless card so at the company can connect to the internet wirelessly without any Ethernet cables. The laptop has a wireless card yet it uses a lot of the laptops battery life and significantly reduces it to one hour's battery life when connected wirelessly. Finally, the desktop is bundled with a wireless keyboard (useful for typing on desks or when standing), a remote control (to control presentations such as slide shows and picture galleries) and a wireless optical mouse (useful when working on a desk). The most important reason why I chose this desktop was that it was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 cheaper than the laptop – the desktop costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1500. I thought that the selling price was quite good considering that when you buy the desktop; you have higher specifications than the laptop which costs an extra à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500, which has poorer specifications. I chose the computer manufacturer Sony because they make high quality computers with excellent specifications, reliability and at a reasonable price. An alternative to using Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate is using Apple's OS X Tiger 10.4. This is very similar to Windows yet it uses different programs, so the same applications are not cross compatible, so the company's employees would not be able to view documents made on a Macintosh on a Windows PC. I did not choose Mac OS X because the employees and I have no training in using this software. Also, the Mac is more graphically advanced than Windows, yet this is unnecessary because the computer is only needed for running a database and does not have to have a lot of graphical power. Finally, Mac OS X is much more expensive as it includes all the software made by Apple. Most of the software is unnecessary for the dealership so purchasing a Windows Vista PC is more beneficial as the user can choose what programs you wish to purchase. Printers There are two types of printers available to purchase; inkjet and laser. I decided to choose one suitable inkjet printer and one laser printer for the dealership and then work out which would be the best to purchase. I decided to choose â€Å"Lexmark† as the printers manufacturer because they are very reliable, efficient, cheap and a well known brand. I myself have a Lexmark printer and I recommend their printers to all of my customers. Lexmark Z845 * Inkjet Printer * USB Connection * 100 paper tray * 24 pages per minute in black * 18 pages per minute in colour * Windows and Mac compatible * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50 This printer is very cheap – à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50. This is beneficial for the user and the dealership because it would save them quite a lot of money on a laser printer, like the one below. It also prints both colour and black ink so the user can print out documents such as reports as well as print out photos of the cars if he wishes to. The printer can also hold a lot of paper before it has to be refilled which is good because the user could ask the computer to print 100 pages and would be able to leave the printer printing for a long time. However, this printer is inkjet so it takes a lot longer to print both colour and black ink pages than a laser printer which could be annoying and time consuming for the user as he may have to print out the documents as quickly as possible for a customer waiting. The ink also runs out very quickly, which means that the user would have to purchase more and more cartridges. These are also very expensive, which is not beneficial for the company. Lexmark E120N * Laser Printer * USB Connection * 165 paper tray * 20 pages per minute in black * Windows only compatible * à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½80 The alternative to the inkjet printer is this laser one. It holds 165 pages until it has to be refilled – 65 more than the inkjet printer. This means that the user is able to leave the printer for a long time to print out documents until he has to refill the paper. It also prints 20 pages per minute in black which is quite a lot. This means that the user can print off reports very quickly, saving the user time and effort. The toner is also very long lasting and is quick and cheap to change – unlike the inkjets cartridges. This will save the user time and money when the toner has run out. However, this printer only prints in black so the user would not be able to print any colour documents or photos from the printer. It is also more expensive – à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½30 more than the inkjet printer which is not beneficial for the company. I decided to purchase the Lexmark E120N for the company. Firstly, it is laser so it is able to print a lot of black pages very quickly and efficiently, saving the user time and money replacing the cartridges of the printer as the toner is much cheaper. Also, the printer holds more paper than the other one so the user does not have to keep refilling the paper tray as often as using the laser printer. Unfortunately, the printer only prints black pages. However, the company would not need to print out anything in colour as it only needs to print out reports, so buying an inkjet printer would be inadequate. Also, the printer is more expensive but by saving money from buying toner rather than inkjet cartridges, the money is effectively paid back from the saved money. Internet I also decided that the company should purchase a broadband connection for many reasons. Firstly, if the company were to expand in the future, they would be able to communicate with the other dealerships across the region, saving time and money spent on making phone calls to the other dealerships for information. Looking at the software requirements of Windows Vista Ultimate, the company needs to have an internet connection so that they can register their computer and OS with Sony and Microsoft to prevent any illegal copies of it being made. The internet connection also benefits the company as they would be able to update vital downloads on their computers. The internet may also benefit the company because they would be able to compare their prices with other companies who rent luxury cars, so that they know if they are over or under charging for their rentals, benefiting the company and the customers themselves. Also, the company is able to download new information from the car manufacturer's website including new cars and new details. They could also purchase new or used cars from the manufacturers directly through the internet. I recommend to the company that they purchase a fast internet connection of 8Mbps. This would benefit the company and the user because they would be able to download updates from Microsoft very quickly and efficiently, they would be able to access website quickly saving a lot of time for the user, they would be able to surf the web and download items at the same time and it would be future proof for the company so that they would not have to upgrade their internet speed for a long time. However, if the company purchase an internet connection, they would have to purchase some software to protect it against viruses and spy ware. A program they should purchase is Norton Anti-Virus 2007. This can be purchased via the internet or as a software package. This would provide protection for the company's computer against viruses such as â€Å"Trojan Horse† and spy ware which allows other computers to access information and document from your PC, effectively ruining your privacy. If the computer was attacked by one of the 114,000 viruses on the internet, the computer's data could become corrupted and any valuable data could be lost. By purchasing this software, this will prevent any damage happening to the company's computer.

Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur

Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur Too Much French Vocabulary Is the Haute of Hauteur By Mark Nichol Thanks to the longstanding political and social influence of France on what is now the United Kingdom, French and its dialects have had a significant impact on the English language. Linguists estimate that nearly one-third of English words are derived from French, and though some are more efficient or evocative in meaning than words that evolved from Old English, terms that ostentatiously signal their place of origin should be used in moderation. Many words we take for granted stem from French, among them some of the terms most closely associated with the United States, such as equality, justice, and liberty. However, Gallicisms, expressions and idioms clearly identifiable as French (though they often have become naturalized citizens in English), are also numerous. For example, many speakers of American English use one or more phrases beginning with the French word for good: â€Å"bon appetit† (literally â€Å"good appetite,† meaning â€Å"enjoy your meal†), â€Å"bon mot† (literally â€Å"good piece,† meaning â€Å"witty remark†), â€Å"bon vivant† (literally â€Å"good liver,† meaning â€Å"one who lives well†), and â€Å"bon voyage† (literally, â€Å"good journey,† meaning â€Å"enjoy your trip†). The first and last are universally familiar, but â€Å"bon mot† and â€Å"bon vivant† are less widely known. And although most well-educated people understand what a coup de grace is, it would be considered pretentious to write of a coup de foudre (literally, â€Å"strike of thunder,† meaning â€Å"love at first sight†), a coup de maitre (literally, â€Å"stroke of the master,† meaning â€Å"masterstroke†), a coup de theatre (literally, â€Å"stroke of theater,† meaning â€Å"dramatic turn of events†), or a coup d’oeil (literally, â€Å"strike of the eye,† meaning â€Å"glance†). Likewise, many other French terms may be at best vaguely familiar to readers, and though readers may not mind going to the dictionary once or twice, writers should be cautious about annoying them by lacing their work with too many words or phrases such as habituà © (â€Å"one who frequents a place†), â€Å"idà ©e fixe† (â€Å"obsession†), louche (â€Å"questionable, or arousing suspicion†), and manque (â€Å"failure†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before Words8 Writing Tips for Beginners5 Erroneously Constructed â€Å"Not Only . . . But Also† Sentences

Juggling Online Classes and Work

Juggling Online Classes and Work Almost 20 million students are enrolled in college, according to a report from the National Center for Education Statistics. Close to 2.5 million college students are enrolled in distance learning programs, and the vast majority of them are working adults. Staying abreast of academic requirements is a job in itself, but for students trying to balance a job while pursuing a college degree, it’s a Herculean task. Fortunately, with some planning and discipline, there are ways to successfully juggle both school and work.   Dr. Beverly Magda is the associate provost for strategic partnerships at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Harrisburg, PA, and has over 15 years of experience in higher education with a focus on non-traditional, adult learners, continuing education, and online education. She believes that there are three keys to achieving success while working and taking online classes. Change Your Mindset One advantage of distance learning is the lack of time spent commuting to a college campus. Also, students can usually view classes at their convenience. As a result, there is a tendency to view this type of learning as easier, and this mentality can set students up for failure if they take a lackadaisical approach to their studies. â€Å"Students must set aside time weekly, if not a few minutes daily, to dedicate to the online courses,† Magda tells ThoughtCo, adding that online courses – whether core requirements or not - entail more time than most people realize. â€Å"Students think online courses will be easier, but once they get into them, they realize the courses take more work and concentration.† Its a sentiment shared by Dr. Terry DiPaolo, executive dean for online instructional services for the LeCroy Center for Educational Telecommunications at Dallas County Community College District. First, study of any kind isnt easy - it requires a great deal of time, commitment and perseverance, DiPaolo explains.  Ã‚   In some ways, studying online can be harder for some students - feeling isolated from instructors and feeling like they dont get a chance to really to get to know others students is something online students commonly report. Organize/Get a Head Start Staying on top of assignments is critical, and getting ahead can provide a cushion if something unexpected arises (such as contracting a 3-day virus or a temporary increase in work demands). Magda recommends that students start thinking of ways to get ahead. â€Å"As soon as you sign up for the course, read the syllabus and think about what work you can do ahead of time and do it.† Dawn Spaar also works at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Spaar is the director of adult and professional studies, and she tells ThoughtCo that students need to organize and prioritize their academic work. â€Å"Decide what needs to be done today versus next week instead of procrastinating or cramming at the last minute.† Some assignments may include group projects. â€Å"Coordinate early with classmates for group work and/or to get together to finalize an assignment,† Spaar recommends. Creating an effective calendar system will also help students hone their study habits during this juggling act. â€Å"Organize and plan- plan your semester on a calendar that incorporates due dates for projects at work, travel, your childs events, and other events.† Manage Your Time There are 24 hours in a day, and there’s nothing you can do to add more hours. However, as performance coach Michael Altshuler says, â€Å"The bad news is time flies; the good news is youre the pilot.† Managing your time and honing your study habits may be the most difficult part of the juggling online classes and working. â€Å"First, make a plan for the times and places you can complete school work with no or minimal interruptions,† Spaar advises. â€Å"For example, you may find it best to study late at night or early in the morning when the kids are asleep.† Also, Spaar says don’t be afraid to ask your family for some alone time.   While it’s important to stick to your schedule, that’s easier said than done. â€Å"You can be sure that something will tempt you away, but be firm and stick with plan,† according to Spaar. And if you get off track, be willing to make the necessary adjustments. â€Å"Eliminate a favorite TV show and catch it later, and put off the laundry for another day,† she says. The good news is that you don’t need large chunks of time. For example, Spaar recommends finding a quiet place at work to study during lunch breaks. In fact, Dan Marano, director of User Experience at Cengage, tells ThoughtCo that students can study in 15-minute spurts. â€Å"You don’t need to have marathon cram sessions or pull all-nighters to get school work done,† he says. â€Å"Make the most of your commute on public transportation and time spent waiting in line to fit in readings and quick reviews of your course materials.† And Marano advises students to take advantage of the various tools that may be available through online programs. â€Å"For example, many digital course materials come with free mobile apps that make catching up on readings or studying in short bursts easy and convenient on your mobile device, no matter where you are.† Marano warns against underestimating the impact of these short intervals of time – and he says they help students to avoid getting burned out.   The final step in time management may sound contradictory, but you need to schedule breaks. Marano explains, â€Å"Make the most of your free time by planning a fun or relaxing activity ahead of time so you feel less inclined to take unnecessary breaks.† Several studies have shown that taking breaks can boost productivity levels. By effectively managing your free-time and scheduling designated breaks from schoolwork, you can avoid procrastinating and actually increase your productivity level and also spur creativity.