Essay on The Proof of the Existence of God - 1423 Words

The Proof of the Existence of God There are many arguments that try to prove the existence of God. In this essay I will look at the ontological argument, the cosmological argument, empirical arguments such as the avoidance of error and the argument from design. There are many criticisms of each of these that would say the existence of God can’t be proven that are perhaps stronger than those saying it can be. The definition of God for which is being argued is the Christian God who has the qualities of being perfect and who created the universe. The ontological argument follows that God id perfect and no greater being is imaginable. If God did not exist, he would not be the greatest being†¦show more content†¦Descartes argues that the definition of property is an attribute, something that the entity possesses (Ayer. A.J. 1973). God posses the property of existence. The ontological argument argues that God’s existence is necessary and an inseparable quality of the perfect being just like 180o is inseparable from a triangle. But another more logical way of looking at this is that the concept of existence is inseparable from the concept of the Supreme Being. It doesn’t follow that existence is actual in the real world (At VII99; CSM 1172, as cited in Cottingham. J. 1986). Another example used to try and support the existence of God can be proven is Super Pegasus. A horse has the property of existence. Pegasus is a winged horse, and Super Pegasus is a winged horse with the property of existence. But lo oking at this closely it forms a catch 22 situation on itself. As if Super Pegasus existed then there would be no such thing as Pegasus. But Super Pegasus can’t exist without the idea of Pegasus first. Also, another argument which I will look at in more detail later is that everything has a cause and is caused by something which is equal or greater than it. If this were the case then even the idea Super Pegasus would need to be formed from an idea of something equal to or greater than it, which Pegasus is not. This example leads on to the ‘overload objection’. That is that if existence is aShow MoreRelatedAnselm and the proof for the existence of God1129 Words   |  5 Pagesideas of the existence of God but there was one common thing that everyone knew, God existed. Although everyone agreed that God existed, philosophers such Anselm tried to prove Gods existence anyway. In the passage Prosolgium, Anselm is trying to prove the existence of God to Ganilo by givin g two approaches. The goal of the dialog is to prove that the combination accepting that God exists and not believing that God exists is not possible. The conclusion of Anselms proofs are that God exists. InRead MoreThe Ontological Proof Of The Existence Of God1137 Words   |  5 PagesI will discuss the ontological proof of the existence of God. First, I will discuss what ontology is and how it connects to this proof about God. There are two kinds of proofs that are going to be talked about in this essay. The ontological proof was created by Anselm who made this argument that God does exist. To begin this discussion, ontology is a part of metaphysics and concerns itself with the nature of being. Ontology seeks to answer questions about existence, what’s real and what is not realRead MoreAnselm and the Proof for the Existence of God978 Words   |  4 Pagesobjections to his argument altogether. Anselms argument only relies on logical reasoning to prove that his proofs for the existance of God is correct. What makes his argument so strong is that he a â€Å"fool† or the athesists accepts the defintion in which Anselm gives to start the his argument. The argument is str enghtened by the languge that Anselm uses as he gives his argument and the proofs that he describes. Althoguh this seems like a great argumetn there have been many flaws that it contains andRead MoreDescartes Proof Of The Existence Of God1609 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most important ideas upon which Descartes’s proof of the existence of God rests is that rational minds face constraints. While God is the absolute infinite, humans and other beings exist with limitations on their actions. One of these limitations is human intellect, which Descartes names as one component of the cause of our tendency toward error as humans. The finite nature of human intellect, he argues, combines with an infinite will which causes us to seek an understanding of phenomenaRead MoreThe s Ontological Proof For The Existence Of God Essay1134 Words   |  5 Pagesontological proof for the existence of God. In an effort to gain a deeper knowledge and acquaintance with his creator, Anselm set o ut to logically deduce God’s existence from the very definition of God. In the Proslogion he writes, â€Å"God is that which a greater cannot be thought. Whoever understands this properly, understands that this being exists in such a way that he cannot, even in thought, fail to exist† (Anselm, 101). Anselm uses this definition as the fundamental argument for his proof of God’sRead MoreEssay on Descartes Proof For The Existence Of God1543 Words   |  7 Pages Descartes Proof for the Existence of God The purpose of my essay will be to examine Descartes’ argument for the existence of God. First, I will review Descartes’ proof for the existence of God. Then I will examine the reasons that Descartes has for proving God’s existence. I will also discuss some consequences that appear as a result of God’s existence. Finally, I will point out some complications and problems that exist within the proof. The basic problem with most religions in the world hasRead MoreEpistemology 5751: The Proof for Existence of God2976 Words   |  12 Pagesthat God exists. Atheists, on the contrary, do not have any such beliefs and this is the main reason why they are known to not follow any religion. Therefore, the main issue that will be discussed in this paper is pertaining to the existence of God and whether or not a person can be morally correct without being religious or without being a follower of a specific religion. Some of the other aspects, like the intersection of science and religion, will also be discussed in the paper. Proof for existenceRead MoreDescartes Proof for the Existence of God Essay3414 Words   |  14 PagesDescartes Proof for the Existence of God Many readers follow Descartes with fascination and pleasure as he descends into the pit of skepticism in the first two Meditations, defeats the skeptics by finding the a version of the cogito, his nature, and that of bodies, only to find them selves baffled and repulsed when they come to his proof for the existence of God in Meditation III. In large measure this change of attitude results from a number of factors. One is that the proof is complicatedRead MoreAquinas Five Proofs for the Existence of God1933 Words   |  8 Pagesreasoning of God. The existence, simplicity and will of God are simply a few topics which Aquinas explores in the Summa Theologica. Through arguments entailing these particular topics, Aquinas forms an argument that God has the ability of knowing and willing this particular world of contingent beings. The contrasting nature of necessary beings and contingent beings is at the heart of this debate. Aquinas sets up this argument in his discussion of whether or not God exists. His five proofs set upRead MoreKants Refutations of the Proofs of the Existence of God Essay786 Words   |  4 PagesKants Refutations of the Proofs of the Existence of God There are three types of proof for the existance of God: The Ontological Proof: God is the most perfect conceivable being. Existence is more perfect than non-existence. God by definition exists. The Cosmological Proof: Everything contingent must have a cause. If this cause is also contingent, then it too must also have a cause. This chain of causes and effects must have a beginning

Descriptive Analysis - 6093 Words

Descriptive Analyses of the Essays and Short Stories Narration and Description THE STRATEGIES Although the narrative and descriptive essays are often given as separate assignments in composition courses, they are combined in this first section so that teachers can present expressive writing and still reserve time for the many forms of informative and argumentative writing. This choice is tricky because it confirms the folk wisdom about expressive writing and rhetorical difficulty. According to custom, students can write narratives first because they are already familiar with storytelling and can organize a personal experience according to simple chronology. Similarly, students can write descriptive essays early because they can use their†¦show more content†¦THE WRITING The writing assignments that conclude this section ask students to experiment with these strategies in their own essays. As students plan their first drafts, you should encourage them to see the relationship between two lines of action: (1) the events as they happened in real time and space, and (2) the events as they might be arranged and presented in an expressive way. Ask them to consider how certain events in their essays will have to be telescoped or expanded to dramatize the narrator’s conflict or point of view. Once they have plotted the story line, they will be ready to write. Each writing assignment sends students back to one of the essays for advice, evidence, and stimulation. For example, assignment 2 suggests that students explore a personal experience in which they had to perform an unpleasant deed (Orwell), assignment 3 asks students to chronicle their own experiences with storytelling (Goodwin), assignment 4 asks students to parallel surrounding and familial cul tural events (Cofer), and assignment 6 invites students to offer their own proof of the adage â€Å"seeing is believing† (Angelou, Dubus, Adams). MAYA ANGELOU â€Å"My Name Is Margaret† Purpose The purpose of Maya Angelou’s autobiographical novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings—to promote understanding between people of all races—is evident in the excerpted episode â€Å"My Name IsShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Analysis of Statistical Data3004 Words   |  13 PagesFinal Project: Statistics II Descriptive analysis of statistical data INTRODUCTION There have always been crimes, from a treachery to an assassination. Happens in every country you can think of, and every government has to deal with it. It is really stressful to try to understand the nature of the crimes: why are they done and where could they happen next. Out of this preoccupation is that we found studies gathering data from communities; we focused on one specific crime: murders. In severalRead MoreDescriptive Analysis : Prescriptive Analytics1218 Words   |  5 PagesPrescriptive analytics provides the instruction of what to do – and—just as importantly – —what not to do when analytical models are deployed into production environments. Defined as decisions, they are applied to scenarios where there are too many options, variables, constraints, and data for a person to evaluate without assistance from technology. These prescriptive decisions are presented to the front-line worker – —providing the answer they seek, and accounting for the detailed aspects ofRead MoreDescriptive Analysis Of Descriptive And Descriptive Analysis1811 Words   |  8 Pages5.6 DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS TEST RESULTS Descriptive analysis can be used to summarize the data, the data was processed in SPSS and descriptive analysis test was done in order to produce the summary of the data as shown in table 6. The descriptive analysis in the table 6 shows the total number of valid and missing variavles along with its mean, standard deviations. It shall be noted that no question has any missing entry and all elements were analyzed on equal parameter, the survey forms with missingRead MoreHow Personal Responsibility Will Lead to My Success Essay1089 Words   |  5 Pagesresponsibility will lead to my success in and beyond school because it gives me the confidence to succeed, and will lead to a better life for my family and me. Now as to my approach for this paper I am writing this essay according to The Descriptive Essay (2011), The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe an object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc. This genre encourages the student’s ability to create a written account of a particular experience. What isRead MoreCorrelation Analysis And Descriptive Analysis Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscussed in this research. Besides, the statistical analysis consists of four types of test which are descriptive analysis, reliability test, normality test and correlation analysis. Finally, this chapter concludes by summary of the chapter. 3.1 Type of study This study uses correlation analysis and descriptive analysis, but the main type of test that are used in this study are correlation analysis. 3.1.1 Correlation Analysis The correlation analysis are a process to examine whether there are relationshipRead MoreThe Research On Academic Performance1697 Words   |  7 PagesThe MAI regulation of cognition had a very strong correlation with the total MAI score. It was a positive, very strong correlation with a value of 0.92. This correlation would be considered to be almost perfect. Sample Size: 1138 Table 1: Descriptive Statistics for Project Variables Uncertainty Score MAI Knowledge about Cognition MAI Regulation of Cognition Overall MAI Score Mean 48.5 12.8 24.1 37.0 Standard Deviation 19.7 2.6 4.7 6.1 Lowest 0 1 2 12 Highest 100 17 35 52 NOTE 1: Raw dataRead MoreThe Beach Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive Essay- Beach, Vacation The place where I feel most comfortable is a place where I am calm. A place that is peaceful in its own ways. It is the place to go to get away from all my troubles. It is the one place where I could sit forever, and never get tired of just staring into the deepest blue I have ever seen. It is the place where I can sit and think the best. A place where nothing matters but what is in that little moment. The one place capable of sending my senses into an overloadRead MoreBellboy Case2795 Words   |  12 PagesQuestionnaire†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.4 4. Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 5. Conclusions..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..6 2. Part II. Argumentation Two Small Companies; the survey overstates the demand†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 1. Collection of samples†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 2. Research design adopted and procedure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 3. Questionnaire†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 4. Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 Read MoreDescriptive and Predictive Analysis Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesDescriptive Analytics is about describing the historical performance. By applying these techniques to the level of performance, information can be very specific to product, customer, channel, supplier and other key operational areas of focus. This will help validate data to be organized and be used in a repeatable process, in order to have confidence in the information and to make it actionable. This will help companies to evolve from â€Å"standard cost to serve† approach to â€Å"total cost to serve† approachRead MoreDescriptive Epidemiological Analysis Of Lyme Disease Essay819 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive Epidemiological Analysis of Lyme disease Lyme disease is a spirochetal infection, which is transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes ricinus complex ticks. It is brought about essentially by Borrelia burgdorferi in the United States. Lyme disease was initially perceived clinically in 1977 as Lyme arthritis amid investigations of a group of youngsters in Connecticut who were thought to have adolescent rheumatoid joint inflammation. The etiology of Lyme disease was found to be a spirochete

A Trip to Italy free essay sample

Be it sandy beaches, or snowy mountains, for family recreation or for spiritual soul-searching. . . a long vacation tends to be good for the mind. Among the thousands upon thousands of vacation hotspots spread out across the planet, one of the most popular locales is Italy. The country stands proud as one of the most visited places on Earth because there are a large variety of activities one can partake in, as well as a multitude of places to visit amongst the countrys varied landscape. For the humble traveler, a trip to Italy would serve as one of the most memorable and luscious experiences they would ever partake in. Italy is a beautiful country with many reasons why one would travel there, from local cuisine, to a breadth of landmarks detailing the countrys long and interesting history, and a storied culture revolving around family values. Italy is a magnificent vacation area full of excitement and enticing opportunities. We will write a custom essay sample on A Trip to Italy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From Florence to Venice, food and dining is an integral and cultured part of Italys background, and something which any would-be tourist must experience. True Italian food carries with it a large range of emotions which impact the consumer long before it even touches ones taste buds. Walking down the winding, cobblestone streets, or perhaps even sinking down into a gondola during a romantic evening floating through the calming canals, the sights and smells of Italys cuisine are impossible to escape. As smoke and steam bellow out from the various diners, small or large, the sizzling sounds of lean fish with the whitest of meat, and highly-seasoned potatoes dazzle the ears. Upon finding a seat in one of the various beautiful dining destinations scattered across the country, one is sure to be struck by the pure joviality of the eating environment. Much like France, the eating habits in Italy stretch well beyond the need to survive, or the cravings endure for certain tastes. Eating in Italy is as much a cultural pastime as playing baseball in the United States of America. As the smooth texture of Italys various famed pasta dishes lay upon ones tongue, they are engaging in not just a countrys dish, but its lifestyle and culture as well. Once a visitor has had their fill of Italys expertly crafted meals, they can begin the process of true cultural immersion by visiting and learning the history of Italys landmarks. With its mythology and culture stemming from Greece, Italy was once upon a time one of the greatest powers on the planet due to the Roman Empire. Examining the towering heights of the Roman Colosseum or the Parthenon is breathtaking in every sense of the word. The amount of effort and time it must have taken the Roman society to build their landmarks is staggering to consider. With even just the slightest amount of imagination, its easy to picture one of the many genius from the Renaissance slaving away in their workshop, such as the mathematical and architectural pathfinder known as Brunelleschi, or the phenomenal creative genius of Leonardo DaVinci. Recalling the various figures and places from Italian history isnt dismissive of the fact that they are separated by time, but rather it calls to mind the fact that the beautiful tourist destinations that one can experience while visiting the country are the products of centuries, upon centuries of history. Yet, there is much to take away from a trip to Italy, beyond the ideas of delicious foods, wondrous landscapes, and Ferraris. The culture of Italy is something which could easily stick within ones mind well after they have left. Perhaps the most striking cultural aspect of Italian everyday-life is the central role of family and familial values. In the South of Italy, in fact, it is not uncommon for even extended family to live within one home, sharing every part of their life together. While one may not observe the emotional and financial support these families give to each other internally firsthand, there is undoubtedly a sense of pride and respect that stems from these close-knit family ties which extend into societal life, such as the high respect that is held for elders no matter where one occupies Italy. In addition to this, visitors and outsiders are often treated with an immaculate kindness that permeates social gatherings. One could infer that family values in Italy have become so strong that they have stretched beyond literal family, and encapsulate the human race itself instead. Alongside these typical moral values, there is an emphasis on proper form and etiquette in all aspects of Italian life. Social appearance is a very important part of Italian life, as the projection of oneself can extend to represent not just the self, but family and country as well. First-impressions are considered one of the most vital parts of social interactions, because of the thought that said impression will last, and the fear of a tarnished reputation promotes joyous and welcoming greetings. These close meetings with people that one has, perhaps, not even met, are sure to be remembered by the various tourists who come and go. This may be due to other countries comparatively cold salutations, such as in France or the United States, where the people between oneself and destination are just obstacles. Italy is an amazing seaside country with hundreds, if not thousands of ways to attract tourists. The famous fish dishes, pasta, and wine that Italy is host to are, undoubtedly, some of the foremost attractions for outsiders, especially for visitors arriving from the States. . . the colorful and heavily seasoned national dishes are sure to evoke the life within ones palate, a palate that is sure to grow dormant as one becomes accustomed and overly-acclimated to their own local cuisine. Once one is tired of these dishes, if that is possible, they are sure to enjoy the strikingly beautiful landmarks which scatter the horizon, such as the Parthenon, which evoke thoughts of all the brilliant minds which stemmed from the age of the Roman empire and beyond. Lastly, it is thoroughly enjoyable to experience a culture that is in high contrast to ones own. Especially if said contrasts are positive and influential as is the case with Italys family values and social values. Italy holds a vivid beauty that flows throughout all aspects of its culture. Works Cited â€Å"Italian Culture†. Hubpages. com. Accessed on Feb. 10, 2013. Web.

To What Extent Should British Government Take Positive Measures To Encourage Small And Medium

Introduction In Britain, small and medium-sized organizations play a very significant role in the economy. These enterprises play a major role in enhancing sustainable community development and economic growth. The production processes of SMEs are environmental friendly which reduces the level of environmental pollution.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on To What Extent Should British Government Take Positive Measures To Encourage Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, these enterprises are faced with various difficulties which threaten their success. They are sometimes threatened by the market imperfections which significantly affects their performance. Their small size nature also makes these enterprises to be more affected by the change in the economic and social environment in their locations than the larger organizations. This raises concern on their performance. There is a need for the British government to come up with necessary measures to suppress negative impacts of the social and economic situations on these enterprises. These enterprises are also faced with difficulties in getting financial resources for capital or research and development. These limitations hinder them from accessing advanced technologies which reduces their chances of succeeding. Therefore, the British government should promote policies which aim at promoting good business environment in order to facilitate the development of the small and medium size organizations. The British government has the responsibility of initiating measures which are necessary for improvement of products, processes, organizational functions and marketing processes of the small and medium size enterprises. These aspects are essential in determining the performance of the SMEs. Discussion As already seen, SMEs have a significant role in the economy. The British government should, therefore, employ th e necessary measures to promote the performance of these enterprises. According to Spence (2010), government policies significantly determine the performance of the SMEs (p. 5). The British government, therefore, has a role to play in improving small and medium size enterprises. There are several ways through which the British government can promote the SMEs. Taxation One of the measures the British government should consider in promoting SMEs is through taxation. The government can contribute to the success of the small and medium size organizations through taxation in two different ways.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More First, the British government can improve the performance of the SMEs by reducing the taxes charged on them. Stamp taxes and taxes on sales threaten the financial stability of small and medium enterprises and, therefore, are discouraged for the SMEs. The gov ernment need to cut down the taxes charged on the raw materials used by the small and medium enterprises in the production process. By so doing, the government will enable the SMEs to reduce their costs hence maximizing their profits. Another way through which the British government can promote the small and medium size enterprises is by taxing a higher proportion on large enterprises than the SMEs. This will improve the competitiveness of the small and medium size enterprises. This will significantly contribute to their success. Promoting Research and Development and Technology Transfer Research and development has an essential role in determining the performance of the small and middle size enterprises. The British government has the responsibility of facilitating an appropriate infrastructure which has the capacity to encourage research and development by SMEs. For instance, the government can establish intermediary organizations which can promote inter-firm networks. Such organi sation facilitates the linkage of these enterprises with the necessary support services. These organizations also facilitate technology transfer. This contributes in improving their performance. According to Etemad (2004), emerging SMEs suffer from the fact that they don’t have high reputation and their brand is not clearly established (p. 75). Research and development promotes the development of these enterprises by increasing the organisation’s reputation through quality products. Adoption of high level of technology enables SMEs to add value to their products. This increases their market share in the global market. Consequently, this leads to an increase in the level of their revenues. Subsidies Subsidy is a form of assistance in terms of finance or other resources that are aimed at improving a business or an enterprise. The British government should use subsidies to promote the growth of SMEs. One of the subsidies is providing credit facilities at lower interest ra tes. This enables these organizations to increase their investment levels efficiently. This significantly contributes to their success. Low interest credit facilities also encourage research and development in the small and medium size organizations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on To What Extent Should British Government Take Positive Measures To Encourage Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through subsidies, the governments increase the level of competitiveness of the domestic goods and services against the imported goods and services. This significantly contributes to expansion of the market share for the domestic organizations. However, the government should be very careful while providing subsidies to the SMEs. In some cases, subsidies can lead to market distortions which may come along with a very large economic cost. Market Based Industrial Policy Another way through whic h the government should promote the SMEs is by pursuing a market based industrial policy. By so doing, the government will promote the market mechanisms in generating an effective and vibrant industrial structure. The government should only intervene in special cases for instance when there is market failure. Otherwise, the British government should refrain from interfering withy the general market operations. For instance, it should not advocate for lowering of prices below the equilibrium level in favour of consumers. Such act will be discouraging the development of the small as well as the medium sized enterprises in the country. This policy promotes financial support for the developing or declining small and medium size enterprises through research and development. It also targets developing employee training as a way of boosting poor regions to maintain equality in income distribution. In some cases, government intervention due to market failures leads to complexities worse tha n those resulting to imperfect market conditions. In such cases, a government policy becomes impotent. The British government should also promote the development of market externalities which will most likely encourage the SMEs to undertake research and development. For instance, if the social benefit of undertaking a research is greater than that the returns derived by the organisation, then there will be little incentive for the organizations to invest in research and development. In order to promote small and medium enterprise, government should fund the research and development as a way of encouraging these enterprises to invest in knowledge. Research and development plays a very important role in the performance of companies. For instance, research and development improves the quality of goods and services. High quality products attract customers hence expanding the market share for the SMEs. Therefore, continued research assists an organisation in attracting as well as retaini ng customers. Poor research and development are the major factors which obstruct the development of changing industrial base.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is a need to recognize that different SMEs needs different level of support. More attention should be paid on declining enterprises to prevent their complete fall. Industrial approach method of British government intervention can be directed to save these specific enterprises as well as prevention of loss of employment opportunities. The British government can also employ this method to save Small and medium sized enterprises which are declining due to unhealthy competition from large enterprises. While promoting SMEs in the country, the British government should propose measures which enhance the development of the productive capacities of the poor regions. This effort contributes in reduction of the level of unemployment and poverty in these areas. Supporting such enterprises will also contribute in increasing the level of income in the region. Improvement of the Regulatory Processes for Small and Medium Size Enterprises The British government should eliminate regulatory mea sures which are associated with high costs in terms of money and time resources. The government should promote measures which can help the establishment and operations of the small and medium enterprises. This includes establishment of necessary measures to promote the exchange of views between these enterprises with the local authority. This will significantly contribute in the development of the small and medium enterprises at the local level. These measures will also promote the development of a favourable environment which improves the performance of SMEs. Promoting inter-firm cooperation Inter-firm cooperation has a significant role in promoting the development and performance of the small and medium size organizations. Cooperation among the firms offers these firms a benchmark on which they can gauge their individual performances in relation to the overall performance of the industry. For instance an enterprise can gauge itself to determine how far they are behind the leading enterprises. This encourages these enterprises to apply the necessary measures to improve the performance of these enterprises. The British government should therefore consider facilitating cooperation among the SMEs in the country in order to promote their success. One of such organization was SME Task-Force in 1986. This organisation significantly contributed to social and economic growth (Dyson 1989: 17). Giaoutzi et al (1988) noted that the location and the amount of employment opportunities generated by the small and medium enterprises depend on their relationship with larger enterprises as well as the level of independence with respect to large firms (p.164). The British government should not only encourage cooperation among the small enterprises, but also with the large firms. The government can realize this by carrying the necessary measures to provide incentives for interaction between these two categories of enterprises. For instance, SME may be highly innovative and dynam ic. However, it may not have the necessary financial resources to carry out research and development functions. In such a situation, the large enterprise may cover the financial requirements for the research and development for the small enterprise (Giaoutzi et al 1988: 165). This contributes in development of the SMEs. Inter-firm cooperation encourages the agglomeration. When the SMEs come together, they enjoy the advantages of clustering and economies of scale. For instance, by clustering, small enterprises can purchase their inputs in bulk. In the process, they save a lot of money on such discounts. This reduces the operational costs hence increasing the profit margins. Trade Liberalization Another way through which the British government can promote SMEs is through trade liberalization. Trade liberalization plays a significant role in promoting the performance of the SMEs. However, not all SMEs are enthusiastic about the liberalization of trade (Susman 2007: 264). Trade liberali zation may favour larger organizations to relocate their productive factors overseas. This poses a threat to the small enterprises from cheaper imports coming from multinational companies. Therefore, the British government should be very careful with the effects of liberalization of trade. The government should come up with the necessary measures to avoid negative impacts of the trade liberalization on the small and medium enterprises in the country. For instance, the government may suppress negative impacts of liberalization to the SMEs through subsidies. This helps in reducing operational costs of these enterprises hence increasing their competitiveness. According to Susman (2007), a number of small and medium size enterprises have gone out of business due high level of global competition (264). Therefore, the British government should carefully gauge the impact of trade liberalization in every category of SMEs before its implementation. Some are favoured while others are disfavou red by the policy. The government should pay more attention to the organizations which are negatively affected. Others In most cases, the small and medium size enterprises face unhealthy competition from imports. The British government should intervene in the market to protect the SMEs. One of the methods which the government can apply to avoid unhealthy competition is through tariffs. By imposing tariffs on the imports, the government can significantly improve the competitiveness of the domestic goods. This promotes the development of small and medium size enterprises. The registration and licensing processes can also affect the development of the SMEs. High costs of processing licenses Is a big burden on the SMEs. Complicated legal processes and delays also increase the operational costs of these enterprises. Advantages of the Small and medium size enterprises in the British economy One of the advantages of the SMEs is that their small size nature increases their flexibility and a bility to sustain adverse economic situations. This limits the chances of their failure. Another advantage of the small and medium size enterprises is they are more labour intensive than the large sized enterprises. This significantly reduces the level of costs. In other words, the SMEs have less capital requirement compared with the large sized enterprises. Due to their labour intensiveness, these small and medium size enterprises contributes in creating employment in the economy. Role of small and medium sized enterprises In the British economy, the small and medium sized enterprises have a significant role to play. They are major contributors in job creation and innovation in the country. These enterprises therefore play a significant role in maintaining economic stability in the British economy. The small and middle sized organizations play a significant role in the community. They contribute in community development through various ways. They contribute in maintenance of sustai nable development levels in the British economy. Another advantage of the medium sized enterprises is that they create sustainable level of employment in the economy as already noted. According to Damassa (2006), the small enterprises are labour intensive and hence help in reducing the level of unemployment in the economy. On the other hand, the large sized enterprises are capital intensive and therefore do not have a significant role in reducing the level of unemployment. SMEs provide employment and opportunities for millions of people around the world which relatively high compared with the large enterprises (Hillary 2000: p. 148). Through employment creation, small sized enterprises help in maintaining economic stability. In general, SMEs significantly contribute to the competitiveness of the economy. Another important role of small and medium size enterprises is that they promote income equality in the economy. Income inequality is one of the main factors which are used in measu ring the poverty level in an economy. Poor countries are characterized by unequal income distribution. Therefore, by promoting equality in income distribution, small and medium size enterprises reduces the poverty levels in the economy. SMEs also promote innovation since they are associated with a high level of flexibility and ability to take risks. This contributes to economic growth and development through increased exports. Due to the fact that small and medium size enterprises are less mobile than the larger corporations, it leads to the creation of ties of dependence as well as familiarity to the community which cultivates good reputation and relationships among the customers and neighbours (Damassa 2006: par 4 ). Conclusion In conclusion, this discussion has clearly shown that the British government has a significant role to play in encouraging small and medium enterprises. The government has power to formulate policies which can promote the development of these enterprises. I t is, therefore, the duty of the government to come up with the most appropriate measures which will facilitate the development of necessary policies to boost small and medium size enterprises. However, there are certain policies which can promote development of some of SMEs and at the same time poses a threat to others. The British government should critically consider the resultant effects of each policy to avoid unintended results. Reference List Damassa, T., 2006. The Role of Small- And Medium-Sized Enterprises. [Online] Web. Dyson, K., 1989. Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. London, Routledge. Etemad, H., 2004. International Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium Size Enterprises: Orientation, Environment and Strategy. Cheltenham U.K., Edward Elgar Publishing. Giaoutzi, M. et al. 1988. Small and Medium Size Enterprises and Regional Development. London, Routledge. Hillary, R., 2000. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment: Business Imperatives. Sheffield, Greenlea f. Spence, l., 2010. Ethics in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. London, Springer Susman, G., 2007. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Global Economy. Cheltenham, U.K., Edward Elgar. This essay on To What Extent Should British Government Take Positive Measures To Encourage Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises? was written and submitted by user Jaydan Morgan to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Examining The Easy Jet Airline Company Operation Strategy Tourism Essays

Examining The Easy Jet Airline Company Operation Strategy Tourism Essays Examining The Easy Jet Airline Company Operation Strategy Tourism Essay Examining The Easy Jet Airline Company Operation Strategy Tourism Essay Operation Management, Plagrave Macmillan NewYork. 2: Waller, L.D. ( 2003 ) , Operation Management, Gray Publishing Kent. 3: Information available on www.easyjet.com, accessed on 10th December 2010. 4: Information available on www.datamonitor.com, accessed on 25th November 2010. 5: Information available on www.crm2day.com, accessed on 15th November 2010. 6: Afuah, A. and Tucci, C. 2002, Internet Business Models and Schemes: Text and instances, 2nd edition, McGraw Hill 7: Information available on www.businessteacher.org.com, accessed on 15th December 2010.

7 Strategies for Your Side Hustle

7 Strategies for Your Side Hustle In a perfect world, we’d all get paid handsomely to do what we’re most talented at doing, or what we’re most passionate about doing. In our world, however, we often end up choosing jobs and career paths for a more complicated set of reasons: some skills are more marketable than others; bills need to be paid; or maybe there just aren’t enough full-time job openings for someone who makes custom jewelry for hamsters. Whatever the reason, your day job might not be your ideal passion. If there’s something you’re yearning to do, or just want to make some extra money on the side, you have options for creating a fun and profitable â€Å"side hustle† for yourself.Think about what you already have going for yourself.Are you crafty? Do all of your friends come to you for proofreading or grammar advice? Have you developed monster design skills over the years, even though you’re an accountant? You may have skills or interests with earning po tential, even if you don’t realize it yet.Don’t forget that if you have a skill or interest that isn’t fully developed, you can take classes or spend some time honing them into business-ready shape. You don’t need to be ready to launch overnight.Make sure it fits.If you have a skill that might be profitable but you don’t love doing it, then you may be better off not pursuing it. Remember that you’ll likely be doing this in your spare time. If you can’t face the idea of going home after a long day at work and spending three more hours editing the huge batch of photos you were hired to take at your cousin’s friend’s bar mitzvah last weekend, then maybe you’re not ready to start a second career as a photographer.Take a look at your life overall. You’ll need to devote a lot of time to your new side gig: producing goods or performing services, selling and marketing yourself, developing your brand, and dealing wi th the logistics of getting your stuff out there. If you’re already crunched for time for basics like meals, sleep, or family time, chances are you just won’t have enough time for your fledgling business.Check out your potential market.If there are already 18,000 freelance designers in your city looking for jobs on sites like Elance.com, you might want to think twice about entering that fray. Before you start any kind of side business venture for yourself, research the heck out of it! Know what kind of online sales and marketing channels are available to you and what kind of audience you would be serving. Make sure you understand who would be buying from you and what kind of quality they expect.This research is also essential to help you figure out pricing for your business, based on what’s out there You want to make sure you’re not undercharging and costing yourself potential profits or overcharging and scaring away potential customers. See what’s working for other people in your field, and come up with a pricing game plan.Get expert advice.Reach out to other professionals in your chosen area. Ask questions about what’s worked for them and what didn’t, and try to get a sense of what the obstacles are for someone embarking on this- especially part-time. Their advice can not only show you a path forward (or at least let you know where the potholes are on the road), but also give you a sense of how you should package yourself.Don’t let lack of cash deter you from getting started.If you have a brilliant idea and a plan for implementing it but you need money to pay for materials or development, consider crowdfunding it. Sites like GoFundMe or Kickstarter can not only help you raise funds, but also build a network of potential allies and customers to help you bring your vision to the masses.Build your brand.There are so many free online tools you can use to promote your business, there’s no excuse not t o take advantage. This is especially key when you’re just starting out. If you’re not sure yet whether you want to invest your full attention and resources into your new business, start with basics like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram before you invest in creating and maintaining your own website.Develop your business sense.In addition to getting your skills and plan in order, make sure you also know about any legal or financial implications. It can’t be a surprise that Uncle Sam will expect you to pay taxes on your awesome new enterprise, so make sure you’ve done your research about how your taxes will be affected by your status as an independent vendor or contractor. If you want to develop your basic business skills, you can do your own research or take classes online through Coursera or Lynda.com.The hustle is real. As long as you’re doing something that’s fun and stimulating for you (and legal!), there’s no reason you shouldnâ₠¬â„¢t have a mini-career on the side. And who knows? It could turn into your full-time gig somewhere down the line.

Block sox scandal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Block sox scandal - Essay Example Consequently, the eight players were banned from professional baseball (Maas). The events that led to the conspiracy have traces that lead to the club house. The proprietor of the Chicago white sox baseball club, Charles Comiskey, is depicted as a person who had issues in the financial dealings with the players thus more dislikes from all stakeholders in the club. The owner took advantage of the MLB clause of reserve that made it clear for every player to accept any remuneration that is given any player otherwise could not play for any other major team unless the contract ends and subsequent transfer results. The owner also made a fortune since the club was one of the major clubs then and on top of the series (Peter). In addition to the underpayments made to the players, the team had two divisions that were not legal in the genuine structure of the team. One of the side later on known as the Clean Sox went to the extent that mere communication with the other partition of the team was not possible. The conspiracys exposure was by the third baseman known as George Weaver commonly known as Buck. The baseman did not comply with the plan and later on went against the persons taking part and went on to play for the team. The player also experienced punishment under the fact that he never spoke about the conspiracy. Rumors of leaking in the series were already spreading prior to the particular season. However, the propaganda was popular especially among the gamblers. After some time, the rumors spread to the press courtesy of some communicators. On the contrary, the gamblers continued to place their bets on the ongoing games regardless of the rampant anecdotes. Most importantly, most of the fans took the results that each game gave as legit and thus the rumors to them were just false propaganda. Thus, even after the game between Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds, no claims had been put forward that the game was a conspiracy. In other words,

Explain the different reasons why an individual might be tempted to Essay

Explain the different reasons why an individual might be tempted to join a roscas - Essay Example The idea behind making everyone contribute is to make sure that the amount of money in the pool remains constant. Once every member has contributed a certain sum of money, then the pot which is generated out of this contribution is given to one of the members of the community as his savings for a definite period. Average membership among adults ranges between 50 and 95 percent in the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gambia, and villages of Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo, and Nigeria. Although roscas do exist in areas where they are formal financial institutions, there is no denying that they still are the most important form of savings and credit institutions in the rural areas. It is a cycle which repeats itself after every round of distribution of money. So when one member gets the pot, he then has to wait for all the other members to get their share of the pot before his turn comes. This allows for stability and continuity for the community and has a uniform system of savings for the poor people. It is the most common form of informal financial institution in the world. ... â€Å"Rosca members are mostly poor individuals who have little access to formal savings and credit markets because of high transaction costs and incomplete markets. In the literature, roscas are usually regarded as a means for poor people to save money to make an indivisible expense.†(Anderson) Let us now go further into the essay and understand why people are taking up to roscas as a primary means to save money. There are three reasons which shall be looked at the paper, which are as follows: 1. Lack of Self Control 2. Lack of Alternate Commitment Saving Strategies 3. Women’s Role in the Family The first reason talks about the lack of self-control within the community for the rural people. The second reason talks about the lack of other alternatives in such villages which are either too expensive or out of reach for people to have their own savings, and therefore the people indulge in an informal means of savings within their established community. The third reason lo oks at the role of the woman in the family and explains that since they are running the house it is important for them to have a means to save, as their husbands have been notorious with their expenditure and therefore it is required that women save up to generate income in the family. (Roscas as a source of housing finance for the urban poor) Lack of Self Control: â€Å"in the absence of alternative commitment savings strategies, sophisticated people experiencing self-control problems turn to roscas since they would inde?nitely renegotiate with themselves if attempting to save money on their own† Gugerty (2007) One of the most primary reasons regarding the involvement of roscas for the people in the village community is the lack

Thesis for POS Systems Essay Example for Free

Thesis for POS Systems Essay ABSTRACT Several threats affect the survival of small, independent retail companies. Adoption and use of Point-of-Sale (POS) systems may offer important benefits to counter these threats. POS systems are not widely used by these retailers, however. This research investigates the determinants of the adoption of POS systems using a conceptual model based on existing adoption theories. Based on this, a survey has been held among 37 Dutch small, independent retailers, to answer the question what the most important determinants for POS system adoption are. This study furthers theory on IT adoption, specifically for small organizations. The practical relevance is that its findings may help in improving POS system adoption. . INTRODUCTION The Dutch retail sector consists for 94% of small retail organizations (≠¤10 employees), altogether employing around 250,000 persons. The retail sector is noticeably present in the trade-driven Dutch economy and acts as an intermediary between industry and consumer. The sector is an important and relevant subject of study from an economical, social and cultural perspective. In this paper we focus on in-store retailing. The environment of this type of retail trade is under pressure. Several interacting threats, like globalization, demanding consumers, increasing administrative burden and an economic recession force the retailers into action. Information and communication technology (ICT) is a double-edged sword in this context (cf. Turban, King, Viehland and Lee, 2004). On the one hand, it can be a threat to smaller retailers for its disintermediation effects and competition through e-tailing (cf. Chircu and Kauffman, 1999), and by its supply chain management effectuation of the larger(franchise) organizations (cf. David, 2008). On the other hand, ICT likewise provides opportunities to smaller retailers, like opening up new sales channels, reducing administrative tasks and/or enabling strategic management of their enterprise (Turban et al., 2004). A specific type of retail ICT that can be employed to achieve effective store management is a ‘Point-of-Sale’ (POS) system. POS systems are defined in many different ways. On Wikipedia, a retail POS system is defined as â€Å"a computer, monitor, cash drawer, receipt printer, customer display and a barcode scanner†. Webopedia.com defines a POS system as â€Å"the capturing of data and customer payment information at a physical location when goods or services are bought and sold†. YourDictionary.com defines it as: â€Å"A comprehensive computerized checkout system that includes a bar-code scanner, receipt printer, cash drawer, credit and debit card scanner, monitor, and inventory management software. A point-of-sale system tracks sales and identifies inventory levels in real time†. There are many different types and brands of POS systems available. eBay.com and BuyerZone.com provide a web-based ‘Point of Sale System Buying Guide’, containing over 4,000 different POS equipments for retailers, and 91 different types of POS software. The POS system market in The Netherlands contains no less than 150 vendors, each offering their own ‘unique’ software package. POS systems enable retailers to consult more detailed management information compared to traditional cash registers and Electronic Cash Registers (ECRs). As this management information is based on sales figures, retailers can improve their business by maintaining a better product strategy and pursuing a more efficient replenishment process matching customer demand, alleviating what is often referred to as the ‘bullwhip effect’ (Lee, Padmanabhan and Whang, 1997). This enables inventory optimization, minimizing storage space and ‘sold-out’ situations. Moreover, cash slips can be stored electronically and the results can be brought up in the POS system immediately, both reducing time spent on administrative tasks. This is specifically relevant for The Netherlands, where the administrative burden for SMEs has increased through regulations LITERATURE REVIEW: ADOPTION MODELS In this section we review eight different studies on the adoption of information systems, which were found through literature study. The meta literature search focused on theories and models concerning IS/IT adoption, more specifically of small businesses, retail and/or POS systems. Below, as a result, we first describe two generic adoption models with regard to IS/IT adoption. Next, we discuss six models that address adoption within the retail or small business domain. Generic models The first generic adoption model we refer to here is that of Rogers (2003). His Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory describes the adoption of innovations over time. He ascribes the dynamics of adoption behaviour in terms of different groups of people, like innovators and laggards. His theory also indicates how an individual or organisation (i.e. any decision-making unit) decides to adopt (or not) an innovation. This adoption process consists of five different stages: knowledge acquisition, persuasion, adoption, implementation and confirmation. Rogers specifies three groups of determinants that influence this process: characteristics of the decision-making unit, characteristics of the innovation and information channels. Based on DOI theory, factors concerning the decision-making unit that positively influence adoption are e.g. high social status, low age and financial flexibility. According to DOI, important characteristics of an innovation include: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability (the degree to which it can be experimented with), and observability (the visibility of its results). Information channels (personal and mass communication channels) are required to spread knowledge of an innovation. The second generic adoption model is based on Venkatesh, Morris, Davis and Davis (2003), who reviewed technology acceptance models, among which the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1986) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1985). They used elements of each model for a new unified model, called the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. Contrary to Rogers’ model, UTAUT concentrates on the adoption behaviour of individuals. In this model, four constructs are defined as determinants of a user’s acceptance and behaviour. Performance expectancy relates to the degree to which the technology is expected to improve job performance. Effort expectancy concerns the ease of use associated with the technology. Social influence is defined as â€Å"[t]he degree to which an individual perceives that important others believe he or she should use the new system† (Venkatesh et al., 2003). Finally, the construct facilitating conditions deals with the degree to which a support infrastructure for the technology is believed to exist. In addition, these four constructs are modelled to be influenced by four so-called moderators, i.e. gender, age, experience and voluntariness. Retail and SME-specific models We will discuss six main studies and their adoption models below. First, the study by Julien and Raymond (1994) can be mentioned. Their technology adoption model for the retail sector proposes eight organizational aspects as determinants of technology adoption: centralization, complexity, size, status (i.e. independent/affiliated), sector, and assertiveness, rationality, and interaction of the organizational strategy. These determinants were identified in earlier research on technology adoption in small organizations. Technology adoption in this case concerned the use of hardware (business computing, POS systems and telecomputing) and software. In the study 79 firms in food, hardware and clothing were assessed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Clothing firms and large firms were less apt to use POS systems, while firms that had a longer organizational planning horizon used POS systems more often. Secondly, Chau (1995) researched which factors are important for small businesses in software selection. His research focused on packaged software, as small organizations usually do not buy custom developed software, due to their limited resources. Chau argues that owners/managers of small organizations are less focused on budgeting techniques like ‘net present value’ or ‘internal rate of return’ to make decisions on software investments. Instead, they focus more on criteria aimed at the functionalities and popularity of the software. Also, opinions of vendors, employees, consultants or acquaintances are believed to influence decision making. Based on empirical research among 122 small businesses, he found that the importance of selection criteria varied between owners and managers. In general, owners seem to focus more on technical aspects, while managers focus more on non-technical aspects. Third, Thong and Yap (1995) developed a model based on the notion that the adoption process of small businesses differs from that of large firms. CEOs play a major role in small firms as they are the primary decisions makers. In their research, the authors developed a causal model, which assumes that the following factors are positively correlated with the likeliness of IT adoption for small firms: business size, competitiveness of the business environment, information intensity, innovativeness, and attitude towards adoption of IT and IT knowledge. SYNTHESIS: CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND HYPOTHESES In the previous section, a total of eight models for adoption have been discussed. Most models view the (retail) organization and/or its owner as the decision-making unit. In small organizations, the owner-manager/CEO almost by definition determines IT investments and the IT strategy. Thong and Yap (1995), Ekanem (2005) and Chau (1995) all point out this phenomenon. Therefore, we consider personal variables of the owner (like age and gender) as key determinants of POS adoption by retailers. In addition, organizational characteristics (like size and competition) can be considered as additional, contextual determinants of the IT adoption decision.

Oil Spill Recovery Essay -- Energy Environmental Wildlife Essays

Oil Spill Recovery Can you imagine a world where clean water does not exist anymore? Can you imagine going to your kitchen and seeing black water instead of clear coming out of the faucet? Would you still go to the park if the rivers, lakes, and oceans would turn the color of oil and pollution? Would you still take your kids to see the fish and other living species if they were no longer living and floating belly up? How much would you pay to get the clean rivers, lakes, and oceans back? How much would it cost to get the living organisms living again in the rivers, lakes, and oceans? Maybe it is hard to imagine this world today because it is not as bad, water is not black, and living organisms don’t float bellies up when you walk by, but if we don’t think of the long run consequences of our polluting way of life today this horrible world won’t be so hard to imagine. Water covers about 70% of the Earth’s surface. It is the most valuable natural resource we have. For the most part all living organism require water to live, without water we would not exist. Water pollution is a very huge problem. By polluting our rivers, lakes, and oceans we are harming our planet. Organisms are dying at a very disturbing rate. Our drinking water has become greatly affected as well. There are a variety of causes of pollution they include sewage, fertilizers, wash off deposits, pathogens, petroleum, radioactive substances, heat, and other. The enormous accidental petroleum spills are an important cause of pollution especially along shore lines. Off-shore drilling operations contribute to the pollution pool. Certain statistical estimates state that for every million tons of oil transported one ton gets spilled. This paper will concentrate on oil s... ... 3rd edition, pg 373. 6.McKnight, J; Pelstring L. Patuxent River Oil Spill. Road to recovery. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/winter2003/oilspill.html 7.The Website of Hydrocarbons Industry. Lamor Coproration AB - Oil Spill Response and Recovery Equipment. http://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/contractors/environment/lamor 8. Harju, T, High technology Finland. Managing oil spills more effectively (2003). http://www.indixon.com/enkku/rs-harvester.html http://www.hightechfinland.com/2003/energyenvironment/environment/indixon.html 9.Oil Spills at the Water Surfave. Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . 2002 http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/living/surface.html 10Preventing Oil Spills. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/prevent.htm

Education Governance in Bangladesh Essay

This traditional thinking of education as the ticket to the good life emerges in different ways and degrees in Bangladesh. Education is seen as something that is received rather than achieved and it has increasingly become dependent on certificates. Education in the largest sense is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another. The Government of Bangladesh places great importance on education and in this regard the Government has been trying to transform its huge population into human resource. Education for All (EFA) is the constitutional responsibility of the government. The constitution affirms equal rights in education for all. Since independence every government had taken several steps to increase the literacy rate in Bangladesh. But did they really work out? Our neighbor countries like India, Srilanka have made a great progress in literacy rate. But, where as the current literacy rate of Bangladesh is 63. 8 %. If all the steps were successfully implemented, then the rate would be around 80% (daily Janakantho, 24 July, 10). So, here is short description about the whole education system and the role of government in Bangladesh. Governance: Although the term governance is often used synonymously with the term government it tends rather to be used to describe the processes and systems by which a government or governor operate. The term government and governor describe the institutions and people involved. According to the World Bank†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Governance is â€Å"the traditions and institutions by which authority in a country is exercised for the common good. This includes (i) the process by which those in authority are selected, monitored and replaced, (ii) the capacity of the government to effectively manage its resources and implement sound policies, and (iii) the respect of citizens and the state for the institutions that govern economic and social interactions among them. According to the UNDP†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. â€Å"Governance is the exercise of political, economic and administrative authority to manage a nation’s affairs. It is the complex mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights and obligations, and mediate their differences. † Education Governance: Education governance is concerned with how the funding, provision, ownership and regulation of education and training systems is coordinated, and at what level; local, regional, national and supranational. It is government who play the most significant role in coordinating education, the distribution of these responsibilities has been changing in response to calls for greater efficiency, effectiveness, accountability and democracy. Households, communities, and new kinds of private actors, are increasingly involved in many different aspects of education and training governance, raising questions about equity, participation and transparency. Objectives of Education Governance: To inspire and create enthusiasm among the learners in their thoughts, deeds and daily life to establish moral, humanitarian, religious, cultural and social values in personal as well as in national life. †¢ To develop awareness in the learners to protect the independence, sovereignty and integrity of Bangladesh. †¢ To make education pragmatic, productive and creative with a view to bringing about changes in the socio-economic conditions of the country and making the students into a dutiful and responsibl e manpower with scientific outlook and help them develop the qualities of leadership. To give special emphasis on primary and secondary education with a view to expanding education, to instill respect and eagerness for physical labor and enable the learners acquire vocational education for self-employment in all stages of education. †¢ To promote fraternity, moral values, generosity and fellow-feeling in people and make them respectful of human rights. †¢ To promote democratic values through fostering tolerance of one another’s views and help develop life-oriented, realistic and positive attitude for blossoming democratic awareness. To ensure proper quality at every level of education; to strengthen and widen the knowledge, skills and attitude acquired in the previous stage (in accordance with various aims and objectives of education): to enable acquisition of new knowledge and skills and to encourage people to contribute in the system of education, especially in th e field of primary, secondary and vocational education. †¢ To emancipate the country from the curse of illiteracy. †¢ To create equal opportunities for education in accordance with merit and aptitude for the purpose of building a society free from disparity. To ensure gender parity in education and remove barriers of caste, creed and ethnicity in obtaining education. †¢ To ensure constitutional guarantee at all levels of education. †¢ To create awareness about protection of environment. Structure of Education sector in Bangladesh: The education system in Bangladesh is characterized by co-existence of three separate streams. The mainstream happens to be a vernacular based secular education system carried over from the colonial past. There also exists a separate religious system of education. Finally, based on use of English as the medium of instruction, another stream of education, modeled after the British education system, using the same curriculum, has rapidly grown in the metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. However diverse the above streams may apparently look, they have certain common elements, and there exists scope for re-integration of graduates of one stream with the other at different levels. Different Streams in Education The mainstream education system in Bangladesh is structured as follows: – a. One or two year pre-primary education imparted in private schools/kindergartens, and informally in government primary schools for six months. b. Five-year compulsory primary education for the 6-10 year age group, imparted mainly in government and non-government primary schools. In metropolitan cities, however, government and non-government primary schools cater to the educational needs only of the poorer sections of the people, as the better-off families usually send their children to Private English Medium schools/ secondary schools that run primary sections as well. Very few NGOs however impart education for the full 5-year primary education cycle. c. On completion of primary education, students (11+) enroll for junior secondary education that spans over 3 years. At the end of this phase of education, some students branch out to join the vocational stream, offered at Vocational Training Institutes (VTI) and Technical Training Centers (TTC) run by the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Labor and Employment respectively, while students in the mainstream continue in government and non-government secondary schools for a 2 year secondary education in their respective areas of specialization i. . humanities, science, commerce, etc. At the end of their secondary education, the students sit for their first public examination (S. S. C. ) under the supervision of six education boards. The students of religious education and English medium streams also sit for their respective public examinations, Dakhil, and O level, conducted by the Madrasah Educ ation Board, and London/Cambridge University respectively, facilitated by the British Council in case of the latter. d. After 10 years of schooling at primary and secondary level, students (16+) who succeed in passing the Secondary School Certificate (S. S. C. ) examination have the option of joining a college for a 2 year higher secondary education in their respective areas of specialization, or enroll in technical/ poly technical institutes for technical education. After 2-year higher secondary education, one has to sit for another public examination called Higher Secondary Certificate (H. S. C. ) Examination conducted by the Education Boards to qualify for further education. Students of Religious and English Medium streams also sit for their respective public examinations, Alim, and ‘A’ level, conducted by the Madrasah Education Board and London/Cambridge University respectively to qualify for further education. e. Under-graduate education of various duration (2 to 4 years) are offered to 18+ students at a number of public and private universities / degree colleges/technical colleges/ specialized institutions. Successful completion of a degree course is a pre-requisite for appointment to a white-collar civilian job. . Post-graduate education normally of 1-2 year duration is provided at universities and selected degree colleges and institutions. Key Organizations governing the education sector in Bangladesh: Many organizations are involved in the direction of higher education in Bangladesh, and there is no single overarching authority. The President of Bangladesh is the Chancellor of most of the universities and is responsible for the appoint ment of vice-chancellors. The Prime Minister is Chancellor of a limited number of universities. To reduce the burden on the universities, the NU was established to take over and organize the affiliated colleges in all fields except agriculture, engineering and medicine. The Bangladesh Institutes of Technology (BIT) Council (CBIT) co-ordinates the activities of the four engineering colleges that enroll around 3,200 students. It has virtually the same functions as the UGC, only for the institutes of technology. The Association of Universities of Bangladesh (AUB) co-ordinates the activities of universities in both academic and administrative matters. The AUB also leases with the government and the UGC on administrative and financial affairs. Management of the education sector in Bangladesh: Pre-primary education, generally recognized as a useful stage of education to smoothen the transition from home to an institutional environment and thereby contributing to reduced drop out rates at primary level has so long remained outside the purview of official education policy of Bangladesh. Its management therefore lies at present exclusively in the hands of the schools imparting such education and some NGOs running such schools. The Education Policy 2010 did however recognize the need for pre-primary education and recommended its gradual introduction to 5+ children in primary schools with a view to universalizing one-year pre-primary education. As provision of universal compulsory primary education has been recognized by the Constitution of Bangladesh as a state responsibility, the government has assumed direct responsibility of the management of primary education in Bangladesh, particularly in the wake of enactment of Compulsory Primary Education Act in 1990. The overall responsibility of management of primary education lies with the Primary and Mass Education Division (PMED) set up as a separate Division with the status of a Ministry in 1992. While the PMED is involved in formulation of policies, the responsibility of implementation of the same rests with the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) headed by a Director General. The different tiers of administration such as Divisions, Districts and Upazilas are manned by Deputy Directors, District Primary Education Officers (DPEO) and Upazila Education Officers (UEO) respectively. UEOs are assisted by a number of AUEOs each in charge of a cluster of primary schools. At the school level, there exist School Management Committees (SMC) formed as per government directives with certain well defined functions, and Parent Teachers Associations (PTA) playing a supportive role in building favorable teaching-learning environment in schools. The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) and its subordinate offices in the district and upazila are solely responsible for management and supervision of primary education. Their responsibilities include recruitment, posting, and transfer of teachers and other staff; arranging in-service training of teachers; and distribution of free text books, and supervision of schools. The responsibility of school construction, repair and supply of school furniture lies with the Facilities Department (FD) and Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The National Curriculum and Text Book Board (NCTB) is responsible for the development of curriculum and production of textbooks. While the Ministry of Education (MOE) is responsible for formulation of policies, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) under the Ministry of Education is responsible for implementing the same at secondary and higher education level. The NCTB is responsible for developing curriculum, and publishing standard textbooks. Seven regions based Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) are responsible for conducting the two public examinations, S. S. C. and H. S. C. , in addition to granting recognition to non-government secondary schools. DSHE is divided into eight zones, each in charge of a Deputy Director assisted by two Inspectors, and two Assistant Inspectors. District Offices are headed by District Education Officers (DEO). There exist three different levels of supervision. BISEs are responsible for accreditation of non-government secondary schools. However, because of lack of inspection capacity, the work is delegated to Zonal Inspectors and DEOs. The Directorate of Inspection and Audit of MOE with a small manpower of 24 Inspectors are responsible for periodic qualitative and quantitative evaluation of non-government schools. Each zone has two Inspectors and two Assistant Inspectors to inspect all schools covered by the zones. At the school level, in case of non-government secondary schools, School Management Committees (SMC), and at the intermediate college level in case of non-government colleges, Governing Bodies (GB), formed as per government directives, are responsible for mobilizing resources, approving budgets, controlling expenditures; and appointing and disciplining staff. In government secondary schools there does not exist any SMC. The Head Master s solely responsible for running the school and is supervised by the Deputy Director of the respective zone. PTAs however exist essentially for ensuring a better teaching learning environment. The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) is responsible for planning, development and implementation of technical and vocational education in the country. Universities in Bangladesh are autonomous bodies administered by statutory bodies such as Syndicate, Se nate, Academic Council etc. in accordance with provisions laid down in their respective Acts. While the private universities are regulated by the University Grand Commission (UGC). Regulation/Licensing authority Under the President’s Order No. 10 of 1973, which established the UGC, the UGC has the right to visit the public universities or to have them visited by teams of experts as and when necessary for evaluating programs and assessing their needs and requirements. The establishment of a private university requires the formation of a non-profit corporation or foundation and the Private Universities Act stipulates a series of conditions for establishing a private university. Some of them are given below: †¢ A security deposit of Taka 50 million in interest-bearing government bonds. Transnational Report – Case Study: Bangladesh (October 2003) page 18 of 36 †¢ A minimum of two faculties. †¢ Permission to rent office space only for 5 years, before building their own campus. They should own land of at least five acres. †¢ Programs and courses to be offered must be approved by the UGC before students are admitted. †¢ Five percent of places must be reserved for free studentships to ‘poor but meritorious’ students. Following establishment, the UGC has the authority to periodically monitor, visit and evaluate the performance of private universities, regarding the numbers of qualified teachers, library books, facilities, approved curricula, and to recommend de-certification if institutions fail to perform according to agreed-upon standards. The National University reviews and approves the applications of all degree col leges that seek Government recognition. Applications are reviewed against minimum criteria for facilities, teaching staff, and library and laboratory facilities. Approval must be reaffirmed for all institutions each year and institutions can be de-affiliated. Guidelines of Ministry of Education: †¢ Human resource development is at the core of Bangladesh’s development efforts and access to quality education is critical to poverty reduction and economic development. The Government is committed to undertaking structural reforms that are expected to bring significant improvements in the education sector. Bangladesh’s commitment to education has been clearly stated in its Constitution and development plans with education being given the highest priority in the public sector investments. Education sector allocations are currently about 2. 3 percent of GDP and 14 percent of total government expenditure. Maintaining this commitment to the education sector is imperative in order to achieve Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). †¢ The management of the education system falls under two ministries – the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME, responsible for primary education and mass literacy) and the Ministry of Education (MoE, responsible for secondary, vocational and tertiary education). Overall there are more than 17 million students at the primary level, and over 8. 0 million at the secondary level. Enrolments at the tertiary level are relatively small but growing very rapidly. †¢ Bangladesh has made significant progress, especially in regard to increasing access and gender equity, both at primary and secondary levels. Gross primary enrollment rates rose from 90 percent in the late 1990s to 98 percent in 2003, while a corresponding increase in enrollment rates at the secondary level rise to 44 percent. Gender parity in access to primary and secondary education has also been achieved. These achievements are particularly spectacular when compared to countries in the South Asia region and other countries at similar levels of per-capita income. †¢ The Government is strongly committed to alleviating the existing problems in respect of management and quality through reforms across the education system. At the primary level, MoPME is supported by a multi-donor group through the Primary Education Development Program II (PEDP II), which aims to strengthen educational access, quality and efficiency. In order to address issues at the secondary and higher levels, MoE has developed a medium-term framework for the secondary education sub-sector, focusing on quality improvements, policy measures and specific actions needed to reform the system. The development of this medium-term framework has benefited from an extensive range of consultations and workshops with stakeholders at the central, district, and upazila levels. The main objective of reforms being proposed is to address systemic governance issues aimed at raising the quality and cost-effectiveness of service delivery, and improve equity of access in secondary education. †¢ MoE is aiming to move towards a devolved system of governance within the current administrative structure. In this system the central government will be responsible for formulating policies, financing, setting quality standards, and monitoring and evaluation etc. , while lower levels of government will be responsible for administering the system. MoE is empowering officials at the district and upazila levels to take greater responsibility in monitoring school performance and ensure public disclosure of information (e. g. , SSC passing rates, teacher absenteeism, class sizes, etc. ) related to school quality. †¢ To ensure appropriate financial controls, MoE is implementing a Financial Management Reform Program (FMRP). This is intended to increase accountability and transparency in the use of resources Main laws governing education in Bangladesh: The legal basis for higher education is complicated, with some laws deriving from colonial time sand others from the Pakistan era. There may be fundamental change in the governance and administration of higher education in the near future (World Bank, 1999b). Currently, the universities have autonomy (by the parliamentary acts) to work within the UGC-given parameters, and the same is true for degree colleges under the NU. Public Universities Ordinance (1973) is the governance framework for public universities in Bangladesh.

How Information Flows and is Used in an Organization Essay

Going through the three individual courses this week in regards to Data Storage, Security, Recovery and Disposal has given me a new set of eyes on how information flows and is used among an organization’s computer infrastructure. What I found amazing about these processes is just how far we have come in these last few years when it comes to the technology of Digital Data. I will go over the individual topics that show the benefits, but also the drawbacks of such technology the way it is used at my work place, which is one of the largest Financial Institutions in the United States. Data Storage When we look back years ago when computers did not exist, it always puzzles me how is it that banks stored our information. I can only imagine the vast amounts of bank records in immense rooms that if you needed to research a certain transaction you did a few years back, even though I’m sure paperwork was kept in a certain order, it would be a hassle to get to it. Once computers came into play in the recent years and no longer you had to go to your local branch to do all your business, no longer you needed to sign a Signature Card, things have simplified immensely. You can go into any bank location and if you needed a history of your recent transactions, statements from a few months or even years’ back, it is stored in the bank’s centralized mainframe where all data is stored. Data Security When we speak about Data Security today, we seem to forget how things were done back before computers came into play. One example I like to use is Frank William Abagnale Jr., who forged a vast amount of checks. (â€Å"Frank Abagnale – Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia†, n.d.). He was able to do all  that by finding the loopholes in our financial system and used it to his advantage. When you consider today’s digital financial system with credit cards, debit cards, it is of major convenience to everyone that uses it. I can now buy an item through the Internet and the company selling it to me is able to immediately put a hold on the funds at my banking institution, creating a positive experience for both buyer (transaction was processed) and seller (funds were deposited into their account). However, also creates the risk of identify theft if not used properly. Data Recovery I think of Data Recovery something that was non-existant back in the days before computers existed. If you had mailed a check or sensitive financial information over to someone, if it was lost or stolen, there was no way to recover it had the person in possession either burned or ripped the information to pieces. In today’s world, there are so many forms of legitimate back-ups that it doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore. If a certain hard disk where my information is kept ends up failing, there is a backup of it at another disk that will still tell me how much funds I have and my transaction history. And what’s amazing is that all that happens seamlessly without my knowledge. Data Disposal Data Disposal is something that hasn’t really changed with the computer age. However, we are now disposing of the physical item that holds our information, instead of the information itself. Back when I signed my Signature Card at the bank and they kept it at that location, once they moved it over to a digital system, they disposed of that card and transferred it to a digital file in a hard disk drive. Now if they wanted to dispose of the same â€Å"signature card† they can write bits of data over where my signature card was or physically destroy the hard disk where it was stored. It does create the problem where if it’s not properly disposed, another person could retrieve my information. Conclusion In conclusion, I can say that how information is used and flows through an organization today depends how well the people in charge of the system itself are aware of the risks of not properly handling the different terms involved: Storage, Security, Recovery and Disposal. With most organizations  today using computer information systems as opposed to paper how it was used years ago the terms have largely stayed the same, however, with a different focus on how the data is now handled. References Frank Abagnale – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Abagnale

Speech to Inform on Video Games Essays

Speech to Inform on Video Games Essays Speech to Inform on Video Games Essay Speech to Inform on Video Games Essay For almost a century, video games have shaped not just our country, but the whole world. An entire industry was developed and it continues to thrive, even in our rough economic times. Some people fall into the clutches of games’ $60 (or more) price tags, while others wait for titles to drop into the bargain bin. But no matter how you purchase them, video games have become much more than just ways to pass the time. They make us laugh. They make us cry. They make us want to scream in anger and punch a wall. Perhaps that is just the reason why we enjoy them so much. Today, I will be discussing the history of video games, the beneficial effect they have on us today, and the controversies that come with them. Video games have existed much longer than you would realize. The very first video game was actually invented in 1942, and it was called NIM. Although it was only a strategic math game, it was revolutionary at the time. Now, up until 1970, the video games that were being created were simple games such as a game of tic-tac-toe against the computer, or a game called Tennis for Two (an early version of Pong). However, the 1970’s was when the first arcade games and console games were being made. The hit-game Pong was released by Atari in 1972, and was later ported to home consoles. In fact, the very first console used at home was called the Magnavox Odyssey, and it was released in 1972 as well. 1997 saw the rise of second-generation consoles, three of which dominated the North American markets: Atari 2600, Intellivison, and ColecoVision. From 1978-1986, arcade games such as Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man became huge hits, and were being featured everywhere: shopping malls, restaurants, convenience stores. You name it, and they probably had it there. In the 1980’s, many of the still immensely-popular game franchises were introduced, such as The Legend of Zelda, Prince of Persia, Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Super Mario Bros. , Metroid, Castlevania, and Metal Gear. The NES was also introduced in 1983 and became an instant success, reviving the console market. The 90’s saw the release of many important things. Sonic the Hedgehog was released in 1991, becoming one of the most well-known video game characters to this day. The Sims began being published, and eventually became known as the best-selling PC games in history. Then the SNES was released in 1989, revealing games like Mortal Kombat and Star Fox. 1993-2006 brought games like Super Mario 64 and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to the Nintendo 64, while Resident Evil and Final Fantasy VII came to the Playstation. The Playstation 2 was released in the early 2000’s and became an instant success. It still sells steadily on the market to this day. The Xbox came in, and became well known, as they released their first Halo game in the series to come. Sega eventually fell out of the market with the Dreamcast, and now they stick to strictly game-making only. And Nintendo’s GameCube wasn’t doing as well as their newly-release GameBoy Advance. MMORPGs, or Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games, came into rise around this time as well, with games like World of Warcraft. Between 2005 and 2006, many consoles were released. For the handhelds, the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP went on the market. Then the Xbox 360 was released, followed by the Playstation 3, followed by the Nintendo Wii. Microsoft is often criticized for their lack in the handheld department. Now with PC and mobile gaming on the rise, the Playstation Move and the Microsoft Kinect compete to bring gamers back to the home environment. Now in 2011, Sony announced the Playstation Vita, Nintendo already released the 3DS, and Nintendo’s mysterious WiiU is yet to be revealed. Now, video games have become much more than we ever thought they could be. 65% of American households play video games, and 40% of people who play video games are women. Nina Huntemann from Game Over stated, â€Å"You know whats really exciting about video games is you dont just interact with the game physically youre not just moving your hand on a joystick, but youre asked to interact with the game psychologically and emotionally as well. Youre not just watching the characters on screen; youre  becoming  those characters†. Studies have shown that people who play video games have better hand-eye coordination and visuo-motor skills. Visuo-motor skills are like resistance to distraction and better memorization skills. It has also been proven that frequent gamers have improved dexterity and better problem-solving skills as well. On the other hand, there are people who believe that video games can become fatally addictive and look down on them due to their depiction of graphic violence, sexual themes, advergaming (a form of advertising in games), consumption of drugs, consumption of alcohol or tobacco, propaganda, or profanity. However, the ESRB, which is the company that gives ratings to video games, was created in order to categorize such games in the appropriate age groups. There has been history of some gamers taking things little too far and acting them out in real life, but with situations like these, it wasn’t the game that caused it. Some activist groups cite crime, violence, aggressive behavior, deprivation of social development, and addiction as their reasons for being against them. These are all products of the parents’ decision of letting their child partake in these games, not the game developer’s. Sometimes people forget that video games teach lessons and inspire us, too. Like this quote said by Vanille in Final Fantasy XIII: â€Å"Wishes can come true. But not if you just wait for miracles. Miracles are things we make for ourselves. Here, and now. All in all, video games are something that has changed history and society. They’re not just the blood and gore they’re so often criticized for. They involve strategy and puzzle-solving; they require fast reflexes and the ability to adapt to different situations. They continue to evolve over the years. They’ve come so far through their history, affected us today, and even managed to bring along some controversies. But video games will always exist in some kind of form, whether we like it or not. So whether you’re 3 years old or 33, go break out the old 64 and pop in Super Mario. You just might like what you see.

Natural Language - Definition and Examples

Natural Language s A natural language is a human language, such as English or Standard Mandarin, as opposed to a  constructed language, an artificial language, a machine language, or the language of formal logic. Also called  ordinary language. The theory of universal grammar proposes that all natural languages have certain underlying rules that shape and limit the structure of the specific grammar for any given language.Natural language processing (also known as computational linguistics) is the scientific study of language from a computational perspective, with a focus on the interactions between natural (human) languages and computers. Observations The term natural language is used in opposition to the terms formal language and artificial language, but the important difference is that natural languages are not actually constructed as artificial languages and they do not actually appear as formal languages. But they are considered and studied as though they were formal languages in principle. Behind the complex and the seemingly chaotic surface of natural languages there areaccording to this way of thinkingrules and principles that determine their constitution and functions. . . .(Sà ¶ren Stenlund, Language and Philosophical Problems. Routledge, 1990)Essential Concepts- All languages are systematic. They are governed by a set of interrelated systems that include phonology, graphics (usually), morphology, syntax, lexicon, and semantics.- All natural languages are conventional and arbitrary. They obey rules, such as assigning a particular word to a particular thing or concept. But there is no reason that this particular word was originally assigned to this particular thing or concept.- All natural languages are redundant, meaning that the information in a sentence is signaled in more than one way.- All natural languages change. There are various ways a language can change and various reasons for this change.(C. M. Millward and Mary Hayes, A Biography of the English Language, 3rd ed. Wadsworth, 2011) Creativity and EfficiencyThe apparent fact that the number of utterances in  a natural language is  unbounded is one of its more widely remarked upon properties and a core tenet of modern linguistic theory. The classic argument for creativity uses the idea that one can continually add further adjuncts to sentences to establish that there can be no longest sentence and therefore no finite number of sentences (see Chomsky, 1957). . . .This conventional argument for the creativity of natural language is overly strained: who has actually heard a 500-word sentence? In contrast, anyone who studies [natural language] generation has available a far more reasonable and commonsense account of creativity, namely that one continually uses new utterances because one is continually faced with new situations . . .. The counterbalance to creativity is the efficiency of language (Barwise Perry, 1983): the fact that many utterances do reoccur countless times (e.g., Where did you go for dinner las t night?).(David D. McDonald, et al., Factors Contributing to Efficiency in Natural Language Generation.  Natural Language Generation, ed. by  Gerard Kempen. Kluwer, 1987) Natural ImprecisionNatural language is the embodiment of human cognition and human intelligence. It is very evident that natural language includes an abundance of vague and indefinite phrases and statements that correspond to imprecision in the underlying cognitive concepts. Terms such as tall, short, hot, and well are extremely difficult to translate into knowledge representation, as required for the reasoning systems under discussion. Without such precision, symbolic manipulation within the computer is bleak, to say the least. However, without the richness of meaning inherent in such phrases, human communication would be severely limited, and it is therefore incumbent on us (to attempt) to include such facility within reasoning systems . . ..(Jay Friedenberg and Gordon Silverman, Cognitive Science: An Introduction to the Study of Mind. SAGE, 2006) See also CommunicationWhat Is Language?