Sunday, October 27, 2019
Impacts of the Mass Media on Enculturation
Impacts of the Mass Media on Enculturation Popular America CultureIntroduction Mass media and popular culture are quite interconnected. Mass media has a great influence on culture construction. This term paper discusses the impacts of mass media on enculturation. It will look at the relationships among media and the normative cultural values formation. Finally the paper will discuss the influence of the internet on culture and communication means. Real world examples are given to substantiate the paper. Part IImpact of the mass media on enculturation Enculturation can be viewed as the process through which persons learn the contents of a culture and assimilates them to their lives. Mass media has grown in popularity and has formed part of our daily enculturation. This is due to the huge impact of mass media on enculturation. The Random House Unabridged Dictionary (1997) defines enculturation as a process whereby persons learn group culture by experience, observation, and instruction. The society is accessing technology more easily with time. The mass media communication devices are quickly flooding every corner of the society making dissemination of information quite easily to all the ages of people. Media has been able to make some of the topics which were never discussed freely to be so discussed. This has impacted both negatively and positively on the people receiving the information. Age groups which were not in a position to access some information in the past can access it freely and to whatever level they desire. A lot of research has been conducted on the antisocial and prosocial impact of the media. According to Motion Picture Research Council movies have a potential of causing antisocial behaviors in children. It is claimed that many of the things which are learnt from movies have antisocial overtones. In the 1950s the comic books were also added to the list of the contributors to the antisocial behaviors (Wertham, 1954). The 1950s saw many experiments conducted on the TV shows. These included the Bandura experiments which implicated violent media with aggressive behaviors among children. The Media has also been associated with sex. Some media houses have got programs which exclusively talk about sex. Some TV shows have taught the teenagers and the public in general how to dress sexily and live what is commonly called a sex lifestyle. Walking around in any city it is very easy to meet sexual sentiments. Broadcasts have shaped sex to be a popular way of self expression (Bandura, 1977). The Sesame street program is an example of TV series which has shown much [positive impact among its views. According to Minton (1975) the program was able to prepare children in readiness for school (Minton 1975). According to CBS Broadcast Group (1974) Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was quite helpful in teaching prosocial lessons to children (CBS Broadcast Group 1974). Most action movies for instance Prison break shows how authorities can be successful fooled and any evidence of crime committed erased. This can possibly have a bad impact on some third world countries whose security system are still shaky and people criminals ca n easily imitate what they see in movies with much success. MTV is a good example of a modern influencer on popular culture. This is especially pronounced for the case of the youths who from the major part of viewers of MTV. Take for instance the Saturday Night Show. The program is designed with adverts cutting in e very other minute. Due to the popularity of the show the adverts made surely have the eyes and ears millions listeners. The teenagers who form the majority of the views of this show are prone to be influenced by the adverts. Everyday millions of impressionable teenagers watch a show called Saturday Night Live. Part II The relationship among the media, advertising and formation of normative cultural values In explaining how the media can influence the formation of normative cultural values, Van Evra (1990) proposes the script theory. He argues that since most views have little experience on life matters the media brings these matters to the views frequently. For instance if a person has never experience violence in life, the experience can be felt virtual when one is exposed to the violence in media frequently given pattern of violence is created. This pattern is dictated only by the media being the major source of knowledge of violence to the person watching (Van Evra, 1990). The media, being a major source of information on many issues in life, the views are inclined to adopt the culture portrayed by the media concerning the topic in question. Comstock and Paik (1991) try to shed some light on how the media can help in shaping up a culture among the fans. They argue that in most cases the media portrays life issues in unique, compelling and unusual manner which is likely to attract and arouse the attention of the fans. This makes the way life issues are handled in the media to be the most attractive way of adoption. They quote the social cognition theory which claims that patterns which are portrayed repetitively and redundantly are likely to prompt the fans to adopt the patterns unconsciously (Comstock Paik, 1991). Comstock and Paik (1991) also claims that the way characters are framed in the media makes their way of handling issues the only way of handling a real life issue in which some one has no experience on. It should also be noted that media stars like musicians are popularized by the media. Fans of such stars tend to imitate what these stars do. A good example is the popularity of soap operas especially among the youth. These are mostly based around love issues. Most youth have resolved to adapt to the way love issues are handled in the soaps. Another good example is how music is spreading dressing code among the youth. It is very conspicuous among the black American musicians to dress in a unique way. This is especially for the case rap and hip hop music which is very popular among the youth all over the world. Most youth have adapted to these musicians way of dress codes and way of life especially in the African countries (Comstock Paik, 1991). Part III The social impact of the internet The internet connection has contributed much to globalization. Globalization has much impact on blending different cultures and homogenizing them. Through the internet information flow is possible to all the corners of the earth. Research has shown the usage of internet is quickly replacing the other media especially TV watching. This is because the time traditional dedicated to watching TV is being used for internet surfing (Weaver, 1998). Basically the net is used for information, communication, entertainment and affiliation. The internet is so broad that it covers almost every part and issues of life aspects. The internet is likely to have a great influence than all the other forms of media because of its unique. The internet can actual substitute all the other forms of communication. Through the internet one to one communication is possible almost everywhere. Through the use of blackberry, one is able to get in touch with other people at any time. The internet has all the attractive features of all the media and thus easily influences its users very easily (Weaver, 1998). The internet is also quite addictive due to its unlimited potential of accessing information. A good example of how the internet has influenced its user is through the facebook. Facebook is able connect people who are any distance apart. Their easy to use make them popular and as a result make the dissemination of information faster. Through this features various cultural aspects are exchanges among the users of such sites. Through such sites cultural values are transferable to different parts of the world. Conclusion Media is quite influential in the formation and dissemination of cultural values. This is because media has taken the center stage of information source of any kind. Through the depiction of life issues in a unique way, the users of media are tempted to adapt the media way of doing things and as a result end up adapting a way of life which is depicted by the media probably from a different part of the globe. Through such culture values are spread to different parts of the earth. The internet has of late become the most popular way that information is passed around. References Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. CBS Broadcast Group. (1974). Fat Albert and the Cosby kids. New York, NY: Willey Sons. Comstock, G., Paik, H. (1991). Television and the American child. New York, NY: Academic Press. Van Evra, J. (1990). Television and child development. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Weaver, A. (1998). Net worth Working Woman, 23(1), pp. 20. Wertham, F. (1954). The seduction of the innocent. New York, NY: Holt Publishers.
Friday, October 25, 2019
juniper :: essays research papers
Western Juniper’s Growing Influence in Eastern Oregon Estimated Acreage          1936          1988      > 10 percent cover     420,000          2.2 million      Total area with juniper               6 million Volume of current stand     --------     467 million cubic feet Private landowners own 58 percent of the area and 49 percent of the volume BLM is the principle owner of public lands with juniper – 79 percent of publicly owned juniper forest Over  ½ of the present juniper forest became established between 1850 and 1900 (greatest increase came between (1879 and 1918).      Rate of Establishment           1650 – 1800          2900 acres/year           1800 – 1850          8200 acres/year           1850 – 1900          23,100 acres/year           1900 – 1940           6000 acres/year 52 percent of juniper grows in the 10 – 15 inch precipitation zone 41 percent of juniper grows between 4000 – 5000 ft. in elevation Juniper crown intercepts more that  ½ of the annual precipitation Juniper transpires water year round compared to seasonal transpiration of other vegetation Juniper roots can extend several times the crown diameter Almost 50 percent of juniper forests have crown covers 10-20 percent Juniper woodlands have up to 10 times the erosion rate of sagebrush – grass ecotypes (Buckhouse et. al.) Average cubic volume of wood per acre in juniper forests is 200 cubic feet Over half the area of juniper forests have fewer than 50 trees per acre Counties with more that  ½ million acres of juniper           Crook           857,000               Harney          884,000           Grant          539,000               Jefferson     582,000 Information from: Gedney, D.R. et.al. (1999). Western Juniper in Eastern Oregon. USDA Forest Service. Pacific Northwest Research Station. General Technical Report, PNW-GTR-464, November 1999. Buckhouse, J. et al. (1982). Potential Sediment Production within Vegetative Communities in Oregon’s Blue Mountains. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. Vol. 37, Number 2. Pgs. 120 – 122. Tim Deboodt OSU Crook County Extension Agent Prineville, OR The Drying of Oregon Potential water use of Western Juniper within current juniper area 500,000 acre feet to 920,000 acre feet per year      This is the equivalent of a river flowing year round at 680 to 1000 cfs per day
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Violent Video Games Cause Behavior Problems Essay
Video game violence is an increasing problem in today’s society with violence as one of the most popular themes. Games such as â€Å"Grand Theft Auto†and â€Å"Call of Duty†are among the most popular games and have been scientifically proven to have a major effect on teens. Many people try to argue that there is a difference in the effects between behaviors after engaging with video games. Video games have the same effects as other forms of entertainment, but other forms of entertainment do not get attacked like video games because the other forms are much larger and have a much wider audience. Playing violent video games can alter men’s brain function, cause teens to drive recklessly, and can contribute to aggression. Many people disagree that violent video games cause behavior problems. It seems doubtful to some people that such violence and aggression can be caused from watching flickering pixels on a nineteen-inch television screen. In the scale of t ime, television has existed for less than a wink, and if it is indeed undoing what oral and print cultures have so laboriously built, then those traditions may be far briefer than advertised (Smith). Throughout mankind’s history, each new means of expression has been castigated as the cause of evil in the world such as, books, art, and music (Smith). Some people even believe that violence is linked with aggressiveness and stress rather than with video game violence (Smith). Some may even say, â€Å"If society could just put limits on X, society would have fewer problems with Y.†That is not how life works. People who disagree that violent video games cause behavior problems believe that violence exist because people exist, but their logic is simply not enough (Smith). On the contrary, research on the troubling effects of video games is plentiful and persuasive. There is overwhelming evidence that witnessing and engaging in video game violence is predictive of increases in aggressive behavior. In fact, the research on the effects of exposure to video game violence is in keeping with research conducted over the last half century about the effects on people’s be havior of watching television violence (Wendling). As video games come more engaging, society spends ever-increasing amounts of time playing them (Wendling). In the popular video game â€Å"Grand Theft Auto,†people have the power to solicit prostitutes and then kill them to get their money back, drive down the sidewalk of a virtual city mowing down pedestrians, run around attacking people at random, and all sorts of other demented activities that would be tragic in real life (Wendling). These types of video games make these specific crimes seem okay. A recent study provides parents, physicians, and scientists with data proving that differences in brain function exist in teens that play violent video games, compared with those who do not (Wendling). Dr. Matthews and his colleagues at Indiana University, Indianapolis, randomly assigned the adolescents to play either â€Å"Medal of Honor,†a violent video game, or â€Å"Need for Speed,†an equally exciting but nonviolent video game, for thirty minutes immediatel y before imaging (Wendling). The group that played the nonviolent game showed more activation in the frontal lobes, and the group that played the violent video game demonstrated less activation in the prefrontal lobes (Wendling). There have been numerous studies since the 1970s demonstrating that adolescents exposed to violent media demonstrate aggressive behavior, but because the adolescents in this study were randomized into two similar groups, the findings go more directly to the question of causation than did previous research (Wendling). Playing violent video games can alter men’s brain function, cause teens to drive recklessly, and can contribute to aggression. There have been multiple studies to prove that playing violent video games can alter men’s brain function. In one study, Dr. Matthews and his colleagues demonstrated the short-term effects of violent video games on brain functioning adolescents (Birk). Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed decreased activity in areas of the brain involved in inhibition and attention after thirty minutes of game time (Birk). Dr. Matthews saw that there is a decrease in normal blood flow after a week of playing violent video games (Birk). Violent video games could also lead teens to drive recklessly. Some researchers conducted phone interviews with more than five-thousand teenagers over the course of four years (Correa). Ninety percent of the teenagers they interviewed responded that they were engaged in risky driving habits, including speeding, tai lgating, weaving through traffic, and running red lights (Correa). It is clear that the video game exposure preceded the risky driving because the study began when the participants were playing video games but were too young to drive (Correa). Numerous racing video games make it look cool to drive recklessly, which can cause a great impact on teens to drive in this manner. Lastly, video games can contribute to aggression. School shootings, such as the infamous event at Columbine High School, have stimulated interested in research on the violence of boys and men (Levart). One focus, the effects of violent video games on aggression, has begun to yield some empirical results (Levart). Today, videogames are highly engaging and interactive, putting players in a first-person perspective where they must make a decision to perform a violent act prior to performing the act (Levart). Effects of long-term exposure of violent video games include personality change and beliefs that aggression is an acceptable way to handle a problem (Levart). This may have so mething to do with the obvious that the objective in most video games is to kill. Video game violence is an increasing problem in today’s society with violence as one of the most popular themes. Playing violent video games alters men’s brain function, could cause teens to drive recklessly, and can contribute to aggression. Many people try to argue that there is a difference in the effects between behaviors after engaging with video games. To some, it seems doubtful that such violence and aggression can be caused from playing video games on a nineteen-inch television screen. There are others who totally disagree with that logic. People do not just watch video games, but they interact with them. Works Cited Wendling, Patrice. â€Å"Violent Video Games After Brain Functioning in Imaging Study.†Clinical Psychiatry News Jan. 2007: 39. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Birk, Susan. â€Å"Playing Violent Video Games Alters Men’s Brain Function: From the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.†Clinical Psychiatry News Jan. 2012: 16. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Correa Frances. â€Å"Games Inspire Reckless Driving.†Clinical Psychiatry News Oct. 2012: 28. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Levart, Ronald F. and Kimberly D. Thomas. â€Å"Does the Endorsement of Traditional Masculinity Ideology Moderate the Relationship between Exposure to Violent Video Games and Aggression?†Clinical Psychiatry News Oct. 2012: 20.1. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. Smith, Mark. â€Å"Video game backlash?†Technology & Learning Nov. 2005: 6. Psychology Collection. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Project Management Sample Assignment Essay
The Association for Project Management (APM) suggests that the project business case provides justification for undertaking a project by evaluating benefit, cost and alternative options. The main purpose is to obtain approval and commitment for investment in the project (Association for Project Management 2006, p.129 and MGT8022, USQ 2013). According to Project Management Institute (PMBOK, PMI 2013), the business case describes information from a business standpoint to determine whether or not the project is worth of investment. It is used as a decision making tool by senior leadership. Based on the above, US Toys business case (attached as Appendix I) is being examined with a review of process and process control, project management literature and project management framework. According to Turner (2009), performance improvement can come from sources like operational efficiency, organization effectiveness or higher order strategic issues due to changes in technology or overall busine ss strategy. New capabilities will not solve the problems blocking performance improvement directly but rather it is necessary to achieve intermediate benefits before realizing the main benefit. It is evident from the business case that US Toys has purchased a software solution called Demand Chain Management whose full benefit will be show-caused by integrating it with its legacy warehouse management system. During initial planning phases, appropriate team members or groups should be involved so that they contribute and create auxiliary ideas (Young 2006). Key components of business case like project purpose, objectives and success criteria were established, US Toys business case misses on holistic identification of stakeholders and other critical components. Business case is a recommendation to take a particular course of action supported by benefits, costs and risks analysis (Journal reference). Critical elements of a business case applied to the case scenario are summarized in the following table DefinitionDiscussionUS Toys Business caseA business case should be a recommendationRecommendation should have finely balanced options providing purpose and direction.Business case lists two cost impact options with a nothing option to continue current processes. However, it does not list supporting analysis on why option 3 is recommended. Providing supporting analysis of benefits with the option will influence business decision.For the organisationA business case is worth for significant projects in organisationBusiness case pertains to increased operational efficiency and hence it is a significant project for the organisation.Supported by analysis of benefitsBusiness case requires exegesis of strategic rationale as well as more detailed, systematic analysis of benefitsUS Toys business case lists options but lacks systematic analysis and strategic rationale.CostsCost estimation is the difficult aspect in a business case but without it, the case cannot be madeCost estimates provided in the business case appear to be high level. It would be good if Return on Investment (ROI) and break even duration are provided as an additional supporting analysis.RisksProjects involve risks and understanding and taking ownership of risk is an essential part of a business caseUpon evaluation, US Toys business does not have risk manag ement process or risk scoring methodology. (Adapted from Gambler 2009, Making the business case Table 1.1 on page 2). Upon review of US Toys business case, it is evident that the enhancements to the existing Warehouse Management System are undertaken for achieving operational efficiency and technology as depicted in below figure. Figure Achieving performance improvement (Adapted from Turner, 2009, Chapter 2 figure 2.2) The targeted benefits lists operational efficiency and leveraging new technology in the form of interfaces to purchased package solution. From the above figure, it is evident that performance is directly proportional to the time involved. The higher the targeted performance the more time required. However, US Toys Business case has not included duration of the project. One of the key definition of project is a project will have definite start and end time in other words a fixed duration during which resources, tools and organizational efficiencies are logically grouped to achieve an agreed upon outcomes. The business case provides a consolidated and summary-level overview of the proje ct. It should address objectives, critical success factors, and communication plan and measurement framework to measure the work being undertaken. It will form the baseline from which the project planning can proceed (MGT8022, USQ 2013) The more formal business case contains more quantitative information for decision making purposes. Applying these principles to US Toys Business case, it is evident that it does not include detailed quantitative information. Though SOWT/TOWS analysis has been included in the Appendix, it does not cross reference to the main objectives of the purpose. While presenting the business case to the stakeholders, it is imperative to talk about key strengths of the organization and how they can be leveraged to overcome the weaknesses or to exploit opportunities for the benefit of the organization. In addition to this, benefit analysis is shown for the option being recommended. This gives an impression of being forced to take that option instead of recommendation. By including benefit analysis for the option 2 outright purchase of a pre-packaged application, business case would have provided a comparison for the stakeholders in taking an informed decision. Upon review of US Toys business case, it is evident that risk assessment involves continuous monitoring and assessment ongoing basis. It would be beneficial to use spiral model for the proposed solution. By clarifying on the future risks unknown at the point will be known in the course of time during project execution. This provides a framework to manage risks. Figure (Adapted from Turner, 2009 The Spiral Model Chapter 11, figure 11.3) As depicted in the above figure, by advising an appropriate model like spiral model, will provide a framework of project management methodology being followed for the proposed project. This will clarify to the decision makers that process of risk assessment is continuous and does not end with those listed in the business case. As the project progresses, a mechanism is in place to identify risks and appropriate risk response planning is incorporated. According to Turner (2009), projects has three levels of planning the integrative level, the strategic level and tactical level. The business case would have presented with greater value by defining the objectives at the above three levels like efficiency improvement as strategic level, achieving integration of Warehouse Management System with the recently procured Demand Chain Management system as integration level and reduced cycle times in supply chain as tacti cal level. The summarized objectives as listed in the following table will be value-add to the business case. LevelObjective of the proposed projectStrategicWarehouse operational efficiency improvementTacticalReduced cycle times in replenishment of stock at stores country-wideIntegrativeSynergy by integrating with Demand Chain Management system Based on the above analysis, it is recommended for all future projects, US Toys project management team should employ a systematic project management processes in addressing their deficiencies particularly financials and controls analysis in the formation of business case. The successful project deliverables are dependable upon system thinking approach involving people, structures and application of processes. It is also recommended that to provide an assessment of the Project/Stakeholder relationships to have a better understanding of relationships. References Archibald, R 1992, Managing high technology programs and projects, 2nd edn, John Wiley, New York, USA. Gambles, I 2009, Making the business case proposals that succeed for projects that wo rk, Ashgate, Farnham, UK, pp. 1-20. Gardiner, PD 2005, Project Management A Strategic Planning Approach, Palgrave Macmillan, New York MGT8022 Project-based management, Study book -University of Southern Queensland, 2013. PMI 2013, A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK Guide), 5th edn, Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Turner, RJ 2009, The handbook of project-based management Leading strategic change inorganisations, 3rd edn, McGraw Hill, New York Young, TL 2006, Successful Project Management, 2nd edn, Kogan Page Limited, London. APPENDIX – I US Toys – BUSINESS CASE Introduction US Toys is a leading seller of Toys merchandise in the world with 700 plus stores in United States and 900 plus international stores located in United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, China and Japan. This business case is for proposed enhancements to current Warehouse Management System for increased operational efficiency. Demand Chain Management (DCM) is a Teradata product currently employed by the US business to control inventory flow from the vendor-to-DC (Distribution Centre) and DC-to-store. DCM supports the full automation of these functions by utilizing the RDF (Retail Demand Forecast) forecast and applying proactive inventory management policies. Included in sc ope for the DCM project are enhancements to the International Warehouse Management System (WMS) to enable to efficiently process store replenishment orders generated by DCM. Overview Vision To ship less quantity of an item to stores but more frequently and ensure that forecasted demand (from RDF) is covered, as well as minimum shelf stock (MSS). Organisational Objective US Toys is restructuring its business operations for cost effectiveness and has set a target of improving operational efficiency by 10 by year 2014. By shipping less quantity but frequently will result in reduced idle inventory in stores and distribution centres. Business Case Purpose of Business case DCM will generate new SOQs (Store Order Quantity) each day that will be used to pull goods from DCs to Stores as needed, based on the sales demand forecast from RDF. Instead of processing a large batch of Transfers early in the week, the DCs workload will likely adjust so that smaller waves are processed each day for stores that have a scheduled delivery (Appendix C System Flow). Maximize cross dock ability (to ship the goods to stores, which have been received by Distribution Centre on the same day hence eliminating storage space and effort for put away operations (Appendix C System Flow). Business Case Sponsor This business case is sponsored by Senior Vice President Merchandising Senior Vice President Purchasing Situational Assessment and Problem Statement Current process and its limitations when compared to the proposed solution can be summarized in the following table Operational Process/AttributeCurrent ProcessProposed SolutionFrequencyStores get shipment from DC once in a week which is resulting in huge costs in terms of trailers, labour and storage (floor area)Instead of processing a large batch of Transfers early in the week, DCs workload will likely adjust so that smaller waves are processed each day for stores that have a scheduled delivery.User InterfaceCurrent process has to be run from a legacy terminal and maintenance of these terminals is cost intensive.A new web interface is being proposed for the DC to use to plan and create waves that will process both Transfers and Receivers from Interactive Transfers System (existing Legacy system), as well as SOQs f rom DCM. By having a web interface, wave can be planned and process from any system (like PC or Laptop) instead of current use of legacy terminalsCross Dock EfficiencyCurrently receivers (shipment from vendors) and transfers (shipment from DC to stores) are run independently. This limits cross dock ability.To maximize cross-dock, daily receipts will be processed for all stores, each day. PrioritizationCurrent process does take into account trailer capacity. This results in shipping those goods which are not required immediately. Goods which are required urgently are put onto next trailer which results in a weeks delay.Service Level Maintenance is being proposed through a web interface which will be used as input in generating the wave. If a trailer does not have capacity, low priority goods will be excluded from that days shipment and will be included in subsequent wave.Optimize Case PickCurrent transfer system does not optimize case picks (where a carton has to be opened and ship said individual pieces).The proposed system will utilize current and future needs of a store for optimizing the case picks to a full carton thereby case pick operation is optimized. Assumptions and Constraints Based on SWOT/TOWS analysis as listed in Appendix A, following assumptions and constraints have been summarised. Assumption DCM system is live and in use before building the propos ed system. All web interfaces are being developed for Internet Explorer browser. Proposed enhancements are for International Warehouse Management System and do not include domestic transfers/receipts. Any customisation to DCM is not included in the current scope. Constraints Proposed enhancements will handle multiple distribution centres within a country. Cross country transfers are not possible. Identification and Analysis of Options Identification of Options Following options are available to the organization Option 1Do nothing Option 2Purchase packed Warehouse Management System and interface with Demand Chain Management system. Option 3Enhance the current in-house developed Warehouse Management System. Comparison of Options Key parameter comparison of options is summarized as CriteriaOption 1Option 2Option 3CostNothingUS 1.5 million plus recurring license fee of US 7,500 per instance if purchased instance basis or 25,000 enterprise wide.US 0.5 million and no on-going costs as current support teams can support the enhanced system.HardwareNot applicableServer Infrastructure need to be upgraded costing US 1 million.None as Current infrastructure can handle the enhancements.Benefits to PurchasingNot applicableIntegrated packaged solution will benefit purchasing in making purchasing decisions based on actual stock in DC stores and forecasted demand. Enhanced Warehouse Management System is integrated with DCM thus providing enhanced abilities to make purchasing decision.Benefits to MerchandisingNot applicableOff the shelf package require customization to enable Merchandising to integrate with current legacy systems.Ability to run transfers/receipts on daily basis will result in efficient use of Distribution Centre floor space, trailers and labour. Recommended Option Based on the comparison and benefit analysis in Appendix B, Option 3 Enhancements to Warehouse Management system is recommended for the organization at this point in time. Implementation Strategy Based on the details explained in section 6, Enhancements to Warehouse Management System is scoped as below Project Title Project is being name as iWMS Internet enabled Warehouse Management System Target Benefits Web Interface to plan and create waves to process transfers and receipts. Web interface to maintain service levels for inventory (Prioritization) Optimized case p ick and re-packing Outputs Browser based interactive screen to process transfers and receipts. Integration with DCM system to update replenishment information for future demand forecasting. Budget Cost break down of Option 3 Enhancements to Warehouse Management System. ActivityEstimated Cost (in US Dollars)Initiation and planning25,000Development Costs300,000Testing Unit and integration25,000Implementation Costs including documentation, training and travel.150,000 Appendix A SWOT/TOWS Analysis Strengths-SWeakness-W1. Brand Value1. Inefficient use of floor space in DC.2. Quality Processes2. Delay in shipping high priority goods to stores3. Own trailers3. Stock out in stores even if the stock is in DCO-OpportunitiesSO – StrategiesWO- Strategies1. Efficient Cross Dock Ability1. By cross docking receipts will improve Distribution Centre floor space and stock the goods for seasonal demands.(S2/O1)1. Increase efficiency in customer communication by several mediums like social media and internet (W1, W3, O1)2. Web Interface2. Flexibility to run waves either from PC or Laptop S2,S3/O22. Provide fuel efficient means to process transfers/receipts (W1.O2)3. Prioritisation3. By prioritizing goods, high priority goods are delivered to stores just in time (JIT) – S1,S2, S3/O33. Prioritization of goods will result in efficient trailer utilization (W1, W2, O1,O2, O3)T-ThreatsST – StrategiesWT – Strategies1. Increasing Competition1. By scheduling trailers like small or medium instead of standard 18 wheelers result in fuel efficiency (S2,S3,T1,T2, T3)1. Implementing lean, Kanban quality processes to reduce non-value add processes. (W1, T3, T1)2. Increasing fuel costs2. Focus on selected market segment for long term growth and market penetration (S1,S3, T2, T1)2. With high service quality and shelfs full of products, reduce the risk of losing customers (W1, W2, T1, T3)3.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Learn German Sentence Structure
Learn German Sentence Structure Knowing when to use the dative and accusative in a German sentence is a major hurdle for many students. Equally as important is the sentence structure when using the accusative and dative cases. Compared to English, there are more options, depending on your word choice. For instance, Im giving the mouse to the cat translates to Ich gebe die Maus zur Katze. (Maus is in the accusative, Katze is in the dative.) If you struggle with remembering which prepositions are dative or accusative, heres some good news. In some cases, like this one, you can omit the preposition altogether and still clearly express the intention of the sentence by using proper noun cases and word order. German Sentence Structure Without the preposition zur (zu der), you would write the sentence as follows:Ich gebe der Katze die Maus. (Katze is dative, Maus is accusative.)Or with a pronoun:Ich gebe ihr die Maus. ( Ihr is dative, Maus is accusative.)Ich gebe sie der Katze. (sie is accusative, Katze is dative.)Keep the following rules in mind when positioning your dative and accusative objects in a sentence: The dative object will always come before the accusative object.If the accusative object is a pronoun, it will always be before the dative object. Applying these rules with the correct grammatical case endings is essential. It will help avoid misconstrued sentences, such as Ich gebe der Maus die Katze. Unless, of course, you really did mean to say that you wanted to give the cat to the mouse. A few more examples: Gib dem Hasen die Karotte. (Give the bunny the carrot.) Gib ihr die Karotte. (Give her the carrot.) Gib es ihr. (Give it to her.) Refresher on German Noun Cases Before even worrying about the order of a sentence, make sure you know your noun cases. Heres a rundown on the four German noun cases.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Dogs alleviate stress in humans Professor Ramos Blog
Dogs alleviate stress in humans Dogs are man’s best friend. Dogs have been living closely with human for centuries. Do dogs help people and can they actually alleviate stress in humans. In my report I will give a show five different examples of dogs who assist people while alleviating the stress in their humans. These dogs are very different and assist their humans in very different ways.  I will give evidence to confirm that these creatures alleviate our stress and provide us a better quality of life. Police Dogs Police dogs lower the stress levels of their partners, according to the article â€Å"The Role of police dogs as companions and working partners†by Lynette A Hart and R Lee Zasloff.  Police officers who work with canines spend time with them on the job as well as when they’re off duty. Police dogs have a close relationship with their partners in crime. Police dogs in California usually live at the officer’s homes as a member of the family. Being so close to their human counterparts, these canines serve as a source of social support and protect against stress and loneliness in the workplace. New guide dog owners experience an increase in confidence and self-esteem. Increased exercise in owners as well as increased psychological and fewer minor health problems was directly related to the adoption of the companion dog, in a study over ten months, compared to those without a dog. Police dogs contribute additional motor and sensory abilities resembling their u se by people with disabilities. They are appreciated in their field for offering a source of less than lethal force that may even be more convincing than a weapon. They are effective deterrents as well and very effective for searches. These partners can apparently even enhance the officers perceived ability and capacity to conduct police work. Both Siegal, working with the elderly, and Angelo working with people with AIDS, noted companion dogs can help to buffer stress: in their study, when life stress increases, owning a dog reduces the influence of stressful life events on the human. It’s been documented that officers with police partners exercise more routinely. Police have a very stressful job and having a companion was found to minimize work stress. Police dog teams are being integrated into many community policing programs within the United States. These friends of ours not only reduce our stress but work directly alongside of us professionally. Chemical Detector Dogs According to an article on Science direct.com by Kenneth G Furton, Dogs can also be used to detect chemicals for government agencies, such as explosives and drugs. Based on tomb evidence, the use of dogs as chemical detectors goes back to their use as hunting dogs twelve thousand years ago. Dog handler teams have been used exclusively by the military to locate explosives; this has been going on since world war two. The civilian use of dogs began with tracking individuals and locating drugs and bombs. This civilian use has expanded to include detection of guns, contraband food, gold ore, pipeline leaks, melanomas, brown tree snakes, and the use in the dog scent lineup for forensic evidence. Accelerate detector dogs, dogs trained to detect flammable and ignitable liquid residues, have become widely utilized in the last ten years and their alerts have been proven reliable to be administered as evidence. Using dogs for search and rescue has now become widespread and routine, this also in cludes such things as termite infestation inspection, screw worm detection, and finding the last missing person after the world trade center bombing. Narcotic detector dog studies have shown that dogs likely use volatile odor chemicals associated with drugs rather than the drug itself. In the case of cocaine, Methyl Benzoate, a cocaine decomposition product, was found to be what the trained narcotics detector dogs detect. One of the advantages of detector dogs is the speed of detection which is significantly faster than instrumental methods. These dogs are not only saving and improving the lives of their owners but society as well. We are safer after a detector dog has done his job. They not only alleviate the stress of the humans they are around every day but society can feel a little less stressed knowing we can count on these animals. Therapy dogs According to an article on science direct.com by Andres Hoffman, Companion animals may serve to lower levels of stress and anxiety in clinically depressed patients in inpatient settings. Studies done between dogs and depressed patients in an impatient setting yielded very interesting results. Several authors noticed lower blood pressure in patients when a companion animal is present during stressful activity. Stress parameters such as cortisol has been shown to decrease after a fifteen-minute dog interaction. More drastically the patients waiting for electroconvulsive therapy were found to have a significant reduction in fear after spending only fifteen minutes with a therapy dog. A study conducted in an acute psychiatric facility setting found significant reductions in anxiety after thirty minutes with a therapy dog. Moreover, in adults using wheelchairs, implantation of a service dog has shown to decrease depressive symptoms. Studies supporting the benefits of companion animals have emerged which mostly focused on cardiovascular studies. For this reason, Dopamine, Cortisol, pulse, and blood pressure have been measured over time to change after only fifteen minutes of dog interaction. These findings are not only highly significant statistically but also very significant clinically. These therapy dogs are proven to improve the health of the people they interact with. These dogs relieve stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and fear while simultaneously improving the medical status of the human they serve. Seizure Alert dogs It has been recently documented that dogs have a remarkable ability to anticipate human seizures According to the article â€Å"Seizure-alerting and response behaviors in dogs living with epileptic children†by Adam Kirton. Evidence suggests that some dogs can be trained to anticipate seizures and that owning one of these seizure-alerting dogs (SAD’s) may actually reduce seizure frequency. In dogs living with epileptic patients, seizure alerting behavior may develop spontaneously. In studies regarding dogs living with epileptic children the accuracy of alerting behaviors was high and anticipatory behaviors were never demonstrated without a subsequent seizure. They protected their kids. â€Å"A Sheltie Spitz cross would forcibly sit on her toddler and not allow her to stand prior to a drop attack. An Akita would push her young girl away from the stairs fifteen minutes before a convulsion. A Golden Retriever could anticipate nocturnal events from sleep by up to twenty mi nutes. A Rot Rottweiler would lick his toddler’s feet with absence seizures but forcibly position himself on either side before a drop attack. A Great Pyrenees would attach itself to its three-year-old at the exclusion of all else, including eating and drinking, hours before she had a generalized convulsion†. These are all instances where dogs anticipated the seizure but also protected the child they were with. Owners of seizure sensitive dogs have even reported that licking may stop or even prevent their seizure. Lab results argue that not only is it safe to own a seizure-sensitive dog, but that such a dog may even improve quality of life. Cooper  According to an article found in Harvard Health Publishing by Christine Junge and Ann MacDonald, there is a new therapist who is available in the library to be checked out, a four year old Shih-Tzu named Cooper. Cooper has his own office equipped with a couch, water bowl, and toys. Cooper works with â€Å"Caring Canines†, a nonprofit therapy dog organization, when he’s not at Harvard, that’s where he received his training. This is not just a shaggy dog tale, studies that go back to the early 1980’s support the idea that dogs have huge health benefits for people. Pets have been shown to improve recovery from heart disease, lower blood pressure, even reduce rates of allergies and asthma in children. Pets also improve self-esteem and psychological well-being. Dr. Francisco explains that Cooper is on duty to help students, staff, and faculty members who need a little stress relief. Employees at Harvard can spend up to thirty minutes at a time with Cooper by sh owing their I.D. at the desk. Visitors at the library check Cooper out the same way they do a book, except that he stays in the area all the time. Cooper even has his own entry in the library catalogue; he is categorized as an anti depressive agent and an anti-anxiety agent. Yale Law School was the first to come up with the idea for a library based therapy dog. Dogs are amazing creatures. Not only do we believe so emotionally but science backs it up. These companions go to work with us, assist the clinically depressed, anticipate and protect from seizures, and locate drugs and explosives, all while alleviating stress.  Dogs are a fascinating species. They respond to human emotion and facial cues, but we react to them too, not just with the love we feel but Medically and professionally. This species is not only fun and loving to be around but necessary to make human life better. Annotated Bibliography Furton, Kenneth G., and Lawrence J Myers. â€Å"The scientific foundation and efficiency of the use of canines as chemical detectors for explosives.†Talanta 54.3 (2001): 487-500. Accessed 20 July 2019. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039914000005464 This article gives examples dog’s abilities to detect Explosives. It also gives other examples of these abilities such as detecting drugs and bombs. This shows that dogs have been working closely with the military. This article is from Science direct, a scientific Journal therefore it is reliable. Hart, Lynette A., R. Lee Zasloff. â€Å"The role of police dogs as companions and working partners.†Psychological Reports 2000, 86, 190-202.  Accessed 20 July 2019. This article talks about the close-knit relationship between cops and their canine partners. It mentions having a canine partner can encourage regular exercise thus minimizing work burnout. It also mentions the dogs offer a sense of less than lethal force which is often better than using a gun. This article is from psychological Reports, psychology is scientific and reliable. Hoffman, Andreas OM et al. â€Å"Dog-assisted intervention significantly reduces anxiety in hospitalized patients with major depression.†European Journal of Integrative medicine 1.3 (2009): 145-148. Accessed 20 July 2019. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382009000419 This article mentions studies done on dogs spending time with depressed patients in an inpatient setting. It mentions the patients stress was reduced after spending time with the dog. The health of the patient improved after the interaction with the dog. This article is from Science direct, a scientific Journal therefore it is reliable. Junge, Christine, Ann Macdonald, Eds. â€Å"Therapy dogs offer stress relief at work†. Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard University, 29 Oct. 2015 Web. Accessed 27 July 2019. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/therapy-dog-offers-stress-relief-at-work-201107223111 Harvard offers a therapy dog who is available for checkout in the library. People can spend up to thirty minutes with the Shih-Tzu named Cooper. Cooper is available to students as well as the staff. This website was inside a Harvard Publishing article, I consider Harvard University to be reliable. Kirton, Adam, et al. â€Å"Seizure-alerting and-response behaviors in dogs living with epileptic children.†Neurology 62.12 (2004): 2303-2305. Accessed 20 July 2019. Accessed 20 July 2019. This article talks about the amazing ability of dogs to anticipate seizures in children. It mentions that not only do they anticipate the seizure, they pin the child down depending on the type. This article mentions that licking prior to a seizure may even prevent it from taking place. This study was done by Medical Doctors, this article was found in a neurology Journal. Neurology is Scientific.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
The Best Spotify Playlists for Study
The Best Spotify Playlists for Study Music researchers agree that music for studying should be free from lyrics so the songs arent competing for your brains memory space. Fortunately, there are several lyric-free Spotify stations that are perfect for studying. 1. Intense Studying Creator: Spotify The Review: This station is perfect for keeping that brain sharp and focused, with a mix of sonatas, concertos, and more from classical superstars like Bach, Mozart, and Dvorak. While some classical stations can relax you to the point of feeling like you might fall asleep, this playlist is full of upbeat tempos that will keep you awake and on track. 2. Superior Study Playlist Creator: Taylor Diem The Review: In case you want to listen to a vast selection modern instrumentals (over 900 songs appear on this list), this Spotify station for studying focuses on soundtracks like those from movies like Amelie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and The Hours along with instrumental beats from artists like Explosions in the Sky, Max Richter, and Levon Mikaelian. 3. Workday Lounge Creator: Spotify The Review: Dont let the title fool you; this isnt boring elevator music. Chill out and listen to the mellow beats of artists like ST*RMAN and Azul Grande, which just might be calming enough for someone with a crazy life to feel like they can take a deep breath and pop open the books. 4. Acoustic Concentration Creator: Spotify The Review: Plug in and open up this lyric-free Spotify station to enjoy music from Michael Hedges, Antoine Dufour, Tommy Emmanuel, Phil Keagy, and over a dozen more guitarists who mesmerize with quick arpeggios and harmonizing chords. 5. NO LYRICS! Creator: perryhan The Review: For those who are interested in hearing a mix of more modern songs reworked by instrumental artists, this station has you covered. From 90s grunge classics from bands like Nirvana to songs like Justin Timberlakes Cry Me a River on violin by David Garrett or Adeles Rolling in the Deep on piano and violin by The Piano Guys, theres something youll want to hear. 6. Study Mix (No lyrics) Creator: mogirl97 The Review: This is also a Spotify station relying heavily on remixes of modern songs, remade by instrumental bands. The Vitamin String Quartet, Lindsay Stirling, 2 Cellos, and The Piano Guys play their versions of popular songs like Royals, Pompeii, Back to Black, Chandelier, Let It Go, She Will Be Loved and more. They are great for keeping you energized but wont be as distracting as if you were listening to the original versions. 7. EDM Study No Lyrics Creator: coffierf The Review: Electronic dance music might not be what first comes to mind when you think of studying, but for some students, possibly those kinesthetic learners out there- the kind who need to keep moving to concentrate- this station, with over 50 songs and growing, may be just what you need. Bounce along to tracks by Crystal Castles, Netsky, and Moguai. The Effects of Music While Studying According to Nick Perham, a researcher published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, the best music for studying is no music at all. He says you shouldnt listen to music because it competes for your brains space. Perham recommends that you study in complete silence or ambient noise like from a white machine or even the muted traffic of a highway or soft conversation. However, some disagree with this researcher and believe that music makes the study experience better since it can lift a mood or bump up positive feelings.
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