Thursday, December 26, 2019

1.)Key Concepts Of The Framework . Cognitive Behavior

1.) Key concepts of the framework: Cognitive behavior therapy also referred to as CBT is one of the most practiced forums of evidence-based therapy used today. CBT approaches in therapy have demonstrated a high degree of success rates in treatment. CBT is known for treating anxiety, alcohol and substance abuse, and depression among many other difficulties one might experience (Padesky, 2012). Cognitive behavioral therapy maintains the belief that what people believe holds significant value. A person’s belief has a strong influence on how the person feels and acts upon those feelings (Corey, 2017). Around the mid-1970’s therapists started emphasizing the interaction between behavioral, affective, and cognitive dimensions which led to the†¦show more content†¦REBT believes that people contribute to his or her own psychological problems. According to Cory, the basic assumptions of rational emotive behavior therapy are that cognitions, emotions, and behaviors have a reciprocal cause-and-effect type relationship. Albert Ellis said that the basic framework for REBT is the hypothesis that a persons emotions stem directly from his or her beliefs, which then impact the interpretations made causing the reactions a person has to specific life events (Corey, 2017). The A-B-C framework as described in our textbook is a model that is used primarily to understand a client’s feelings, thoughts, events, and behavior. The A-B-C model is a tool that encompasses five different stages of the process. The existence of an activating event or adversity, or a inference about an event by the individual is the A of the framework (Corey, 2017). The B of the framework is considered to be the individual’s beliefs about the activating event. Thus causing C which is the emotional and behavioral consequences of the individual, this is mainly created by the person’s beliefs (Corey, 2017). After A, B and C then D and E are created to help balance the framework. D basically disputes or c hallenges the beliefs using three components: detecting, debating and discriminating which are used to dispute the irrational beliefs. Clients are then encouraged to develop anShow MoreRelated1.Provide A Brief Overview Of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy1462 Words   |  6 Pages1. Provide a brief overview of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Your definition should include key concepts/assumptions of CBT as well as the therapeutic process (e.g., structure, therapist role, client role). Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a mixture of both Cognitive Therapy (CT), which deals with a person’s thoughts and Behavioral Therapy (BT), which concentrates on an individual’s overt or outside personality. According to Barbara P. Early and Melissa D. Grady, CT specializes in theRead MoreMajor Categories Of Direct Practice1306 Words   |  6 Pagestheories is to translate insights into personality changes within the client. The second category is cognitive-behavioral theories, which connects the cognitive processes and their influence on behaviors and focuses on the present with hopes to improve the future. These theories focus on the current conditions of the client and identify distortions, beliefs, and misconceptions that contribute to the behaviors and symptoms of the client. The third theories are the humanistic theories which are theories concernedRead MoreThe Theory Of Reasoned Action1529 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationship between attitudes and behaviors with human action. This theory is also used to predict how people will behave based on his/hers pre-existing attitudes and behavioral intentions. The decision to engage in a particular behavior is based on the outcomes the individual expects will come as a result of performing the behavior. Behavioral intent is allegedly created or caused by two main factors, which include our attitudes and our subjective norms. Some key constructs for this theory include;Read MoreAdult Learning Is The Best Known Of These Theoretical Approaches Essay1333 Words   |  6 Pagesbeen several theoretical approaches to adult learning which have proved to be beneficial for the research on adult learning. Some of the frameworks have helped researchers think about practices across various contexts of adult learning. Andragogy is arguably the best-known of these theoretical approaches. Malcolm Knowles is credited with bringing this framework to attention. Andragogy has been broadly debated by scholars, but s till remains one of the most enduring and widely cited theories of adultRead MoreLanguage Acquisition : The Perspective And The Cognitive Perspective1348 Words   |  6 Pagesthere are several methods for the most effective way English Language Learners (ELLs) understand and retain new information. The two main camps concerning language acquisition are the sociocultural perspective and the cognitive perspective. From there, there have been many frameworks and theories that have stemmed from these two perspectives: The Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), Krashen’s input (comprehension) and monitor approach, Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development. TeachersRead MoreCognitive Behavior Therapy : The Traditional Form Of Behavior1166 Words   |  5 PagesCognitive behavior therapy has emerged from the traditional form of behavior analysis. Psychotherapist Albert Ellis began implementing an approach he referred to as rational emotive therapy in 1955 (now cal led rational emotive behavior therapy, or REBT). With credit given to certain aspects of Adlerian therapy, REBT is generally considered as the foundation of today’s cognitive behavior approaches. With a concept that emotions stem from our personal beliefs and impact interpretations to real-lifeRead MoreComplex Performance Related Tasks Are Ideal Essay1329 Words   |  6 Pagesto higher success rate especially when associated with goals that are relatively complex (Latham Seijts, 1999). The social cognitive theory has been contributed to the work of Albert Badura, who recognized that cognitive learning is a key aspect that separates humans from other forms of life. This phenomenological approach analyzes the understanding and changing behavior in people, through observations, motivation, past experiences, and cognition. The following will give a further explanation ofRead MoreLearning Theory1759 Words   |  8 Pagesmade and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (January 2010) In psychology and education, learning is commonly defined as a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in ones knowledge, skills, values, and world views (Illeris, 2000; Ormorod, 1995). Learning as a process focuses on what happens when the learningRead MoreTheories2900 Words   |  12 PagesTheories 1 Theories Individual Counseling Theory Techniques Lamar University Theories 2 Theories Adlerian, Cognitive Behavioral and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy are three major theories that are used extensively in the counseling world. Some counselors use each as a single treatment approach while others chose to blend things from two or more together. The theory or approach that is chosen by a counselor must be one that they are knowledgeable in and feel comfortable withRead More Childhood Play Behavior and Cognitive Development Essay1717 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood play behavior is an important part of every child’s life. Starting in infancy, children begin to explore their world through play. This behavior can serve as an indicator of the child’s cognitive and social development. The research on play and development is a key to helping caregivers understand the importance of childhood play. This paper will focus on the psychological aspects of childhood play behavior and its relation to cognitive development. According to the cognitive development

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art - 1484 Words

In the Metropolitan Museum of Art, two paintings are exhibited taking place in the 1800s. These artists have similarities and differences viewpoints of the environment in their painting and it helps people get a glance of what the 1800s were like. The first painting was by a man named George Caleb Bingham. Bingham was born March 20, 1811, Augusta County, Virginia to Mary Amend and Henry Vest Bingham and died July 7, 1879, in Kansas City, Missouri. Bingham was a self taught artist. He’s well known for his painting like The Country Election. He was actually a Democratic activist and used his art to demonstrate his position. Bingham’s nationality was American. His famous art piece was titled Fur Traders Descending the Missouri. This†¦show more content†¦Three specific details that indicate that the artist is a close observer are one, the blood marks on the duck that one can assume his son shot at in order to eat on their way to their trade point. Two, if observed closely, one can see a flock of birds flying toward the sunlight draw lightly to demonstrate the illusion of afar. Three, one can see native symbols on the quilt that the son is leaning on. The painting is painted as if the viewers are on land watching the father and son rowing the boat towards possibly the end of the Mississippi river. The water is clear and it reflects everything in the boat. Both the father and son are calm. The son is lounging and the father is smoking a pipe giving off a calm mood. The artist uses curves to help demonstrate the son’s boredom by making look as if he’s slouching. Bingham made the father and son’s body to connect and make a semicircle. Bingham uses spring colors, happy colors, to portray a relaxed mood. He uses soft colors, for instance the soft red color of the father shirt and the matte color black of the cat’s fur the keep the tranquil feeling. The second painting was by a man named Winslow Homer. Homer was born in February 24, 1836, Boston, Massachusetts to Charles Savage Homer and Henrietta Benson Homer. He attended the National Academy of Design, which helped him develop as an artist. Homer was very artistic he did drawing, wood engraving, oil painting, and watercolor paintingShow MoreRelatedThe Metropolitan Museum Of Art Essay1598 Words   |  7 PagesYork City, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest and most influential art museums in the world. The Met houses an extensive collection of curated works that spans throughout various time periods and different cultures. The context of museum, especially one as influential as the Met, inherently predisposes its visitors to a certain set of understandings that subtly influence how they interpret and ultimately construct meanings about each individual object within the museum. Brent PlateRead MoreThe Metropolitan Museum Of Art1480 Words   |  6 PagesLamass us at the Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has two lamassus in the Ancient Near Eastern Art Gallery that are standing near the reliefs that line the walls that come from various rooms in the Assyrian palace of Ashurnasirpal II. The Human-Headed Winged Lion and the Human-Headed Winged Bull is from the Assyrian city of Nimrud in the Ancient Near East during the year 883-859 B.C. The Lamassus were placed outside the palace, on the sides of the doorway likeRead MoreThe Metropolitan Museum Of Art1458 Words   |  6 PagesCountless art has been sought-after throughout history. Explorers, scientists, art collectors, politicians, and entrepreneurs from Western nations have sought out and removed art from the lands of great civilizations, often with the assistance and participation of local people and governments. Even as cultural property faces immediate danger today in conflict zones like Syria and Mali, there is circumstantial evidence that some nations are awakening to the political and foreign policy benefits thatRead MoreThe Metropolitan Museum Of Art Essay1486 Words   |  6 PagesNew York City, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the largest and most influential art museums in the world. The Met houses an extensive collection of curated works that spans throughout various time periods and different cultures. The context of museums, especially one as influential as the Met, inherently predisposes its visitors to a set of understandings that subtly influence how they interpret and ultimately construct meanings about each individual object within a museum. By analyzing twoRead MoreThe Visit At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art1310 Words   |  6 PagesOver the thanksgiving break I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met is an art museum in New York City that has a variety of ancient artwork from different cultures and time periods. There is paintings and sculptures from Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and Greece. The museum is additionally home to artwor k from many different time periods including ancient Near Eastern Art, Middle Ages and Europe during the Renaissance. The Met also has artwork from many different religions such as ChristianityRead MoreEssay A Day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art918 Words   |  4 PagesA Day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art I. Jan van Eyck’s â€Å"Last Judgment† Jan van Eyck was active since 1422 and died in 1441. He was the most celebrated painter of the fifteen-century in Europe. One of his famous works is â€Å"The Last Judgment†. At first sight this work immediately attracted my attention. The painting’s stunning colors and the fact that it reminded me of a previous similar work I have seen, triggered in my mind. The material that is used is oil on canvas, transferredRead MoreDatabase Analysis : The Metropolitan Museum Of Art878 Words   |  4 Pagesis the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. On April 13, 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was opened to the public. Located in New York City, it is the largest museum in the United States, with a collection of more than two million works of art, spread among seventeen departments. According to their website, â€Å"the Museum’s two-million-square-foot building houses over two million objects, tens of thousands of which are on view at any given time†. (The Metropolitian Museum of Art, 2000-2014)Read MoreMy Experience At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art Essay1528 Words   |  7 Pagessights and scenes. Many of you already know that I m famous for the mystical experiences I’ve had with Jesus and God in the past. Perhaps you’ve read my book? The Book of Margery Kempe? Yes, I Margery Kemp, got the opportunity to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. There s over thousands of beautiful artwork, one visit won t suffice. I was captivated by everything I saw, but I was especially drawn into the magnificent gallery number 305. From the moment I stepped intoRead MoreAnalyzing The African Art Galleries On The Metropolitan Museum Of Art867 Words   |  4 Pages This paper will be describing and analyzing the African Art Galleries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The galleries that will be critiqued in this paper are 350, 351, and 352. Gallery 350 (Samuel H. and Linda M. Lindenbaum Gallery) is an averaged size rectangular room that spans about the length of a sidewalk. The gallery contains several carved wooden sculptures, primarily located in the center of the gallery that immediately take over upon entering. While most objects are not enclosed in casesRead MoreMetropolitan Museum of Art Critical/Research Paper2303 Words   |  10 PagesThis work of art measures about 42 inches x 52 1/2 inches (â€Å"Venus and Adonis; Titian...†). The art was created using oil paint, a medium composed of pigments and varying types of vegetable oils, such as poppy, bear-seed, walnut, and linseed oils (Fra nk 122). The painting was done on stretched canvas, and thus it gives the painting a slight textured quality. The technique in which Titian painted this work accounts for the soft appearance of the colors. It can be observed that the paint is very well

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Unthinkable a New Kind of Love Song by Alicia Keys free essay sample

Unthinkable by Alicia Keys is a phenomenal song on her new album As I Am. â€Å"Why give up before we try Feel the lows before the highs.† It motivates me to try and become the virtuous women she is. It talks about not giving up and deserving to be treated right. IT’S ABOUT TIME A WOMAN IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY STANDS UP FOR WHAT OUR WOMEN DESERVE!!! Every time it comes on the radio I blast it. This song is my jam and I think I am getting all my friends hooked on it too. This song is not one of the slow boring love songs and that’s why I like it; it has a nice little tune to it. Ghee I am tired of hearing about how men cheat on women and how they move on and find something better and blah blah blah. JUST WAIT your guy will come; ever consider that’s why all of your choices haven’t been working? Singing about it isn’t going to change much; other than letting out what you feel inside, but the choice you made is going to remain the same. We will write a custom essay sample on Unthinkable a New Kind of Love Song by Alicia Keys or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Monday, December 2, 2019

Toyota Supply Chain Management

Introduction Supply Chain Management is the management of activities (both up-stream and down-stream) involved in the production of goods and services for the ultimate consumption of the end-user. The management of these activities plays a very important role in the profitability and survival of an organization, to such an extent that its failure may mean the failure of the organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Toyota Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is especially true in the present competitive business environment. Toyota motor industry has realized the importance of efficiently managing its supply chain in order to keep its costs and prices low and ultimately remain competitive in the overall motor vehicle industry from experience. Toyota has achieved this so successfully that other organizations, even those outside the industry, have taken its measures and implemented them in their own production systems (Toyota, 2011). History and Background of Toyota Japanese known as Kiichiro Toyoda started Toyota in 1937. The company first landed in America in 1957. Seven years later, it was already competing with the domestic manufactures quite fairly. Toyota has since grown to become the leading carmaker in the world, ahead of other giants in the industry, for instance, General Motors. It has since started manufacturing plants in North American states such as Alabama, Indiana, Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky, California and West Virginia. Its growth has also seen the increase in the models of vehicles it produces for instance Prius, Corolla, Innova, landcruiser, Lexus, Camry, Fortuner and many more (Toyota, 2011). To say the least, Toyota has redefined the motor vehicle manufacturing industry through low cost production, numerous models and the spread of its activities around the globe. The Toyota Way/Toyota Production System has not only transformed the motor veh icle manufacturing industry but has been providing guidance on management issues for the past 5 decades or so. Other firms across all industries are increasingly adopting the principles provided in the Toyota Production System in their quest for managerial effectiveness and efficiency (Toyota, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Supply Chain in Toyota Toyota has a reputation world over for its unique Supply Chain Management system known as the Just-In-Time system or the Toyota Production System. Theirs is a method of obtaining raw materials at exact time of need and in exactly the amount required and producing finished products in exactly the right quantity. This helps to avoid overproduction. Selling them at the right time to the right customer minimizes waste. This method identified wastes that otherwise go unnoticed as waste. However, its impact to the cost of producti on is tremendous. They include; transportation, motion, wait, inventory, over production, over processing and defects. Its main goal involves avoiding these wastes. Kiichiro Toyoda first introduced this method and besides starting the Toyota Company, it is perhaps his greatest contribution. In addition to the JIT system, Toyota applies the V4L principles in managing its supply chain. The V4L principles include the following (Toyota, 2011). 1. Variety in the products developed in order to meet a wide range of market demand therefore ensuring that Toyota has a large market share. Variety also ensures that all the stakeholders (suppliers included) are involved to ensure that the information provided clearly depicts the needs of the market. As a result, Toyota is able to produce/manufacture vehicles that are suitable for use by different members of the population across the globe. This involvement of different stakeholders in the development of new products creates balance in the produc tion system by helping to avoid waste and consequently reduces the cost of production (Halldorsson et al. 2007). 2. Velocity of the production flow is another key principle. Toyota uses a rate-based approach in enhancing the speed of production. Along with high levels of automation, this approach enables Toyota to mass produce vehicles and is therefore able to deliver its products, according to demand.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Toyota Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Toyota also has established distribution channels structured around its numerous manufacturing plants all around the globe and therefore ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in the distribution of its automobiles (Burt, Petcavage and Pinkerton, 2010). 3. Toyota is also very keen when it comes to the variability of deliveries and orders. It seeks to reduce variability and consequently reduce supply cost. For instance, m ost of its vehicles spare parts. With this concept, the number of suppliers greatly reduces and the cost involved too. Visibility- this means that Toyota scientifically controls all processes to ensure that they are right and to enhance the process of learning from the processes (Burt, Petcavage and Pinkerton, 2010). Development of New Products Toyota is among the leading investors in research and development with their research and development budget being billions of dollars in North America alone per year. However, this is not the only avenue that Toyota relies on when it comes to developing new products. It relies heavily on the information that the various stakeholders collect from the market. With this information, Toyota is able to produce products that suit the diverse needs of its customers. Supply Chain Management ensures quality in new products development through supplying quality raw materials, employing superior material handling methods to avoid damage, acquiring the services of reliable suppliers and providing feedback to enhance production (Toyota, 2011). Purchase of Capital Equipment Toyota applies its lean system of Supply Chain Management in all its production area. Purchasing of capital equipment is amongst those areas. Toyota buys machines, plant and hires employees on a need-to basis.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This involves replacing the machines and hiring employees in a controlled manner to continue with optimum production immediately and at the same time avoid idle machines and labor. Toyota procures capital equipment mainly through tendering or using previous suppliers who have had a relationship with the company in the past. Outsourcing Outsourcing has become a trend in today’s business environment and Toyota is no exception of the firms that are increasingly outsourcing goods and services. It is not possible for the firm to produce every component that it requires in the production of its vehicles and even if it was possible to produce all this components it would be more expensive as it may mean having other all different plans and work set-ups (Halldorsson et al. 2007). Outsourcing also allows the firm to concentrate on the core business of the firm and hence giving the firm room to be more efficient and effective in doing its core business. It also allows the firm to gain access to higher-level expertise and experience. This may be unavailable within its staff or which is expensive to employ. Other benefits include legality of the process done on contractual basis, risk avoidance, tax benefit, commoditization and many more. An example of components that the firm outsources includes wheels and oil. Toyota, a multi-national company, gets its suppliers all over the word as long as they provide what the company requires and for a reasonable price in accordance with the firm’s intentions (Liker, 2004). Legal and Contract Issues Since Toyota is a multinational company, it has to be very carefully in the implications of the different legal climates on its activities. It also has to take caution so that its activities do not adversely affect any third party and the environment in which it operates. Therefore, Toyota exercises careful measure such as signing of contracts between the firm and its customers before effecting transactions and bearing losse s that may arise from the sale of erroneous vehicles. To this effect, Toyota has severally recalled defective vehicles for repair consequently incurring the costs involved in order to avoid lawsuits (Halldorsson et al. 2007). Toyota is also a heavy investor in the campaign on preserving the environment. It is in fact among the first automobile manufacturer to direct its efforts at manufacturing eco-friendly vehicles especially with the introduction of its Prius model. Moreover, it has a very strong legal department, which irons out any legal issues that the firm may face. In addition, all of its transactions with outside parties are on contractual basis. This helps to seal any legal loopholes that may arise. Production and Inventory Control Measures Toyota Production System requires great measure in controlling the inventory. This is because the firm operates at the least inventory level possible. If not well managed Toyota Production System could end achieving the exact opposite of what it was initially intended to achieve. This could be in form of very low inventory levels such that it leads to production paralysis. This could lead to delayed delivery of finished goods to customers and therefore loss of market share and goodwill and ultimately the risk of having to stop operating altogether. Therefore, Toyota employs Toyota Production System carefully so that the firm does not risk falling out of business. Moreover, the firm has to have trusted suppliers for it to implement the Toyota Production System successfully. This is because suppliers are an integral part of this type of supply chain in that they tend to interact with the firm on a more frequent basis unlike in other Supply Chain Management Systems (Toyota, 2011). Scheduling Scheduling involves deciding when to make a certain program and which staff and machines to use in the process of making the product. It is a very important function of a production process because it helps to reduce the costs of production and the time used in the production of a certain product. This process perfectly fits into the Toyota Production System as it seeks to eliminate waste of both time and costs same as the Toyota Production System. Toyota use both forward and backward scheduling, whereby it produce some vehicles based on the orders placed (backward scheduling) and others it produces based on resources availability (forward scheduling). This ensures that it delivers the vehicle ordered on time and at the most efficient cost possible and at the same time produce other vehicles such as new unknown models to cater for those customers who have not placed orders. However, with the increased demand for customization of vehicles and other goods for that matter, backward scheduling is better preferred to forward scheduling to achieve customer satisfaction (Halldorsson et al. 2007). Product scheduling helps to increase efficiency in the production process by saving both time and resources. It also hel ps achieve customer satisfaction and hence loyalty by helping to fulfill the firm’s delivery dates immediately, this helps the firm to maintain its market share. Proper scheduling also helps to keep inventory very low and as a result saves costs (Halldorsson et al. 2007). Demand Systems The Toyota Production System operates on the principles of pull demand systems. This is where the firm seeks to find out what the consumer wants and then goes ahead to produce based on that information. This is possible because of the fact that customers can place their orders and then wait for the manufacture of their vehicles. With the help of the internet and the efforts towards market research, Toyota has been able to operate in this type demand system to achieve its high sales. However, Toyota also employs the push system of demand especially when selling new models and selling to those customers who have not placed their orders. The pull system’s intention is to avoid overproducti on, which in itself is a waste. Inventory Functions and Analysis The Toyota Production System highly discourages keeping or holding any kind of inventory unless it is necessary to do so. Along with transportation, motion, overproduction, over processing, defect and wait, inventory is seen as capital outlays that has not borne any profit or return to the firm and for this reason its highly discourage. This system of production encourages the firm to keep minimal levels of inventory in order to avoid incurring inventory costs, which include keeping capital idle (Halldorsson et al. 2007). However, it is almost impossible for a firm to operate with zero levels of inventory. At one particular time the firm will require more resources than it can deplete in a day and it will therefore hold the extra even if it’s just overnight. Another time the firm will not complete it work on a product in one day and will therefore keep holding it until it has finished working on it. Normally whe n the firm has finished working on a product, the product does not go on sale immediately and as a result, the firm has to hold the product until it can sell it or send it to the distributors. The above examples show that holding inventory is sometimes necessary and important. In addition, the firm holds inventory to cushion itself against any unforeseen demand change and avoid missing new markets. Relationship between Supply, Demand, and Logistics in Toyota Part of the major roles of the Supply Chain Management Department is to be able to harmonize demand and supply of the products affecting the firm. In Toyota, it is not any different. The demand for vehicles has been rising exponentially over the past decades this has prompted Toyota to respond by increasing its supply of vehicles to the market. Toyota opened plants in countries all over the world. In some countries, the company opens multiple plants. This development has seen Toyota rise to become the leading automobile producer in the world. This is mainly because of its efforts to manufacture vehicles even for low-income earners in economies across the globe (Hanson et al. 2011). Logistics is the process of managing the flow of activities, goods and services that are involved in the production process. It involves transportation of the resources and people from one point to the other, holding and managing inventory, packaging and security. The Toyota Production System discourages any unnecessary transportation either within or outside the plants. Therefore, it seeks to design work lay outs that minimize the amount of movement while a product is being worked on. It has also built plants all over the globe nearer to the resources in order to avoid transporting the raw materials over long distances. This effort enables Toyota to keep its production costs at a very low level and with this in place; it is able to sell its vehicles at a reasonable lower price than most of its competitors (Hanson et al. 2011). Conclusion Toyota Production System has really revolutionized the Supply Chain Management of the whole world. It has led to companies avoiding waste, reducing the lead-time, improvements in quality assurance and greatly strengthened the relationships between firms, its suppliers and customers by providing an avenue for interactions. It has also helped reduce uncertainty as firms can now produce their products according to orders (Toyota, 2011). Strengths Toyota Production System has many benefits to the organization in which it is applied. Firstly, it strengthens the relationship between the organization and its suppliers as the suppliers are busily involved in the development of the vehicles. Secondly, it reduces waste (muda) involved in the production process, which may be in terms of inventory, motion, transportation et cetera. Thirdly, it ensures maximum utilization of the available resources such as maximum employment of machines to ensure optimum production and having employee s with multiple skills working at different sections of the production process allowing workers to work where they are required when they are required. Lastly, Toyota Production System allows regular supply over the production process, this allows for modification of the supplies to suit the demand. It is therefore easier to customize the vehicles to meet customer demands (Toyota, 2011). Weaknesses Toyota Production System advocates keeping very low or no inventory. This means that replenishing inventory should be continuous. However, uncertainty affects this process, which may lead to the interruption of the production process. In addition to the interruptions, the constant buying of inventory may see varying prices of the inventory due to variations of demand, which occur almost daily. It is also not possible to clearly ascertain what to order, in what quantity and when in all the processes of supply chain. This is because some products are not in Toyota’s control entirely. For instance, a farmer who deals with wheat cannot exactly determine the amount of wheat he is going to harvest in the next season because he depends on the rain to which he has no control. Moreover, demand is highly uncertain and companies have to keep some level of inventory in order to cushion themselves from unforeseen changes in demand. Even with the Toyota Production System, Toyota has to hold inventory to some level. For instance, Toyota’s iron or steel mining is not possible for any particular order specification. However, mining and storage for future use is possible (Liker, 2004). References Burt, D. N. Petcavage, S. D. Pinkerton, R. L. (2010). Supply Chain Management. London: Prentice Hall. Halldorsson, A. et al. (2007). Complementary Theories to Supply Chain Management. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, Volume 12(4): 284-296. Hanson, D. et al. (2011). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. Southbank, Victoria: Cengage. Liker, J . (2004). The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer. New York: Prentice Hall FT. Toyota. (2011). Toyota Company Website. Retrieved from https://www.toyota.com/ This essay on Toyota Supply Chain Management was written and submitted by user Kaiden I. 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. Toyota Supply Chain Management Introduction Today, the Toyota Company has the best supply chain management framework many companies in the world use as a model and benchmark to implement their supply chain management practices. The best practices are based on Toyota’s supply chain management‘s lean thinking techniques.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Toyota Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rationale is efficiency and lean thinking to achieve effectiveness and customer satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to discover how Toyota’s supply chain management approach is implemented, the significance, and negative impact of the supply chain management practices. Toyota’s Supply chain management, Isn’t It Obvious It is obvious that the study raises questions on the meaning of supply chain management and how Toyota implements its supply chain management practices to position the c ompany in the market and be globally competitive. In answer to the questions, supply chain management, in the context of lean thinking, embodies techniques and strategies to improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness in the production, supply, and delivery of products and services to the customers (Ohno, 1988, p.3). Toyota operates on a global scale based on the concept of lean thinking in the steady stream of activities that contribute to the company’s supply chain management processes to optimize the production and delivery of vehicles to the global market (Huntzinger, 2002, p.23). In answer to â€Å"how† Toyota does the supply chain management, it is critical to note here that Toyota’s company executives have all the secrets about the lean thinking techniques the company employs in its supply chain management. The key words â€Å"lean thinking† underlies the efficiency that defines Toyota’s supply chain management framework. Flow syste m Flow is a concept underlying Toyota operational efficiency and success. Here, the company ensures that any point in the production and supply chain framework that hinders any process is removed from the entire system (Drogosz, 2002, p.4). The underlying model is to ensure that the production of different models of vehicles, the supply of materials required for the production of vehicles and the components needed proceed uninterrupted. In this case, a one-piece-at-a-time production process is facilitated creating a lean manufacturing and supply chain environment (Liker, 2004, p.4).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The way Toyota implements its supply chain management strategies is by facilitating the behavior and principles which facilitate production focused on long term results and not on short term gains (Drogosz, 2002, p.5). From the perspective of Toyota’s s upply management framework, the flow concept forms the basis for the company’s success and enables the company to eliminate losses from the large inventory of unused equipment, products, and labor (Huntzinger, 2002, p.21). In addition, the company’s cost per piece production system works by assigning specialized tasks to qualified employees and provides a separation of duties and responsibilities within the company framework, which contributes to the success of the company. In this case, the products are made in quantities that are in demand. The benefits include short lead times and the making of specific products to address specific needs of the customer. To be lean, Toyota uses a tool that requires each employee’s commitment in eliminating wastes that leads to errors, injuries, and defects. In addition, the necessary training, knowledge, and motivation are provided to workers by improving the workplace environment (Drogosz, 2002, p.4). The key elements in thi s approach are management commitment, appropriate training and development, and inculcation of organizational culture that supports the top management commitment and involvement to continuous improvements. In each case, problems could are brought to the surface and solutions to address the problems formulated on time. Pulling from the customer On the other hand, the concept of pulling from the back of the customer is a crucial component in Toyota’s supply chain management strategy. All the lean activities are integrated into the system where products are supplied according to the current need and use. Typically, the products are delivered in the right quantities and at the right time to the right destination. The logistics is crucial because it reduces the lead time and costs (Drogosz, 2002, p.4). A question on the strategy the company uses to implement the pull from the back approach occurs. The answer is obvious. The underlying principle is the just-in-time (JIT). The princ iple provides the basis for material replenishment, minimal effort and warehousing inventory, based on what is taken by the customer to make small replenishments and ensuring responsibility in the day-to-day changes in the demand for products. The solution is to integrate computerized information systems for inventory processing purposes (Huntzinger, 2002, p.22). The pull concept is crucial in the entire supply chain management process because the entire workforce uses stable and repeatable methods to ensure regular output, predictability, and timing which form the foundation of the pull and flow concept (Drogosz, 2002, p.5).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Toyota Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The question arises then, how is the lean concept realized in the supply chain of the company in the context of the pull and flow approaches? The answer is that the lean concept becomes a su ccess by ensuring that wastes are eliminated in each phase of the supply chain cycle. The company ensures that employees and the entire supply chain system is not overburdened (Huntzinger, 2002, p.17). All production and supply chain schedules are evenly distributed to minimize unnecessary burden on the system so that the work is evenly leveled. Talk time Talk time is one of the concepts that are the foundation of Toyota’s lean concept in the supply chain management exemplified in the way the management talk about the need to eliminate waste. The management ensures non-value adding activities are avoided to eliminate wastes to reduce lead time, excess inventory, and other delays. It enables the company to avoid overburdening people and machinery which leads to quality and safety problems. The people are encouraged to talk with qualified and trained group leaders on the problems and challenges encountered and possible solutions to the problems. Significance of supply chain man agement One can learn the significance of supply chain management from the above discussion and the way Toyota undertakes the supply chain management process embedded in the lean thinking strategy. Supply chain is critical in the total management of each of the phases involved in the supply chain to eliminate wastes and ensure effectiveness and efficiency (Huntzinger, 2002, p.12). In addition, supply chain is important because the management is able to identify and align effective inventory management, inbound transportation, material handling, warehousing, and transportation service procurement based on Toyota’s supply management lean thinking strategy (Huntzinger, 2002, p.5). Toyota, through an effective supply chain strategy embedded in the company’s lean thinking concept has made the company grow in its revenue base (Bolles, 2003, p.3).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the company has experienced effective asset utilization, effective cost management and controls, and enhance customer product and service delivery. As discussed above, Toyota’s growth is strongly correlated to its supply chain management because perfect orders are given for the right market, with after sales services easily within reach of the customer (Huntzinger, 2002, p.7). In addition, reduced inventory as stated above leads to working capital reductions where delays in the delivery of products and services are minimal or lacking completely. Investigations show that Toyota’s supply chain management strategy leads to fixed capital efficiency by optimizing the supply network leading to a global tax minimization and cost minimization. However, the negative side of supply chain management exists (Huntzinger, 2002, p.5). Negative impact Studies show the negative impacts include the risks resulting from the macro economic trends which have the possibility of magnifying the problems that arise because of the complex nature of the supply chain methods (Bolles, 2003, p.3). In addition, other problems include margin erosion and changes in consumer behavior and sudden changes in demand, which makes the supply chain management worse, and the lack of new technologies to absorb the sudden changes (Bolles, 2003, p.3). Conclusion In conclusion, Toyota’s supply chain management is embodied in the lean manufacturing concept developed by the company for efficiency and effective delivery of products to the market. The significance of Toyota’s supply chain management is valuable and acts as a tool for efficiency and effectiveness in product and service delivery. The key pillar of the effectiveness of Toyota’s supply chain management is the lean thinking concept which has many benefits despite the negative impact of the supply chain management. References Bolles, R. N. (2003). What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for J ob –  Hunters and Career-Changers. Revised edition. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. Drogosz, J. D. (2002). Applying Lean above the Factory Floor. Journal of Ship  Production, 18 (3), 159-166. Huntzinger, J. (2002). The Roots of Lean: Training Within Industry: The Origin of  Kaizen. Target, 18 (1), 1-20. Liker, J. K. (2004). The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World’s  Greatest Manufacturer. New York: McGraw-Hill Ohno, T. (1988). Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production. Portland, OR: Productivity Press. This term paper on Toyota Supply Chain Management was written and submitted by user Remy Blankenship 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.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Biography of Edward Low, English Pirate

Biography of Edward Low, English Pirate Edward Ned Low (1690–1724) was an English criminal, sailor, and pirate. He took up piracy sometime around 1722 and was very successful, plundering dozens if not hundreds of ships over the course of his criminal career. Low was known for his cruelty to his prisoners and was greatly feared on both sides of the Atlantic. Fast Facts: Edward Low Known For: Low was an English pirate known for his viciousness and brutality.Also Known As: Edward Lowe, Edward LoeBorn: 1690 in Westminster, London, EnglandDied: 1724 (place of death unknown) Early Life Low was born in Westminster, London, probably sometime around 1690. As a youth, he was a thief and a gambler. He was a strong young man and would often beat up other boys for their money. Later, as a gambler, he would cheat brazenly: if anyone called him on it, he would fight them and usually win. When he was a teenager, he went to sea and worked for a few years in a rigging house (where he made and repaired ships ropes and rigging) in Boston. Piracy Tiring of life on land, Low signed on board a small vessel that was headed to the Bay of Honduras to cut logwood. Such missions were risky, as the Spanish coastal patrol would attack them if they were sighted. One day, after a long days work cutting logwood, the captain ordered Low and the other men to make one more trip, so as to fill the ship faster and get out of there. Low became enraged and fired a musket at the captain. He missed but killed another sailor. Low was marooned and the captain took the opportunity to rid himself of a dozen or so other malcontents as well. The marooned men soon captured a small boat and turned pirate. The new pirates went to Grand Cayman Island, where they met a pirate force under the command of George Lowther on board the ship Happy Delivery. Lowther was in need of men and offered to let Low and his men join. They did happily, and Low was made lieutenant. Within a couple of weeks, the Happy Delivery had taken a big prize: the 200-ton ship Greyhound, which they burned. They took several other ships in the Bay of Honduras over the next few weeks, and Low was promoted to captain of a captured sloop, which was outfitted with 18 cannons. It was a quick rise for Low, who had been a junior officer on board the logwood ship only weeks before. Not long after, as the pirates refitted their ships on an isolated beach, they were attacked by a large group of angry natives. The men had been resting on the shore, and although they were able to escape, they lost much of their loot and the Happy Delivery was burned. Setting out in the remaining ships, they resumed piracy once more with great success, capturing many merchant and trading vessels. In May 1722, Low and Lowther decided to part ways. Low was then in charge of a Brigantine with two cannons and four swivel guns, and there were some 44 men serving under him. Over the next two years, Low became one of the most successful and feared pirates in the world. He and his men captured and robbed dozens of vessels over a wide area, ranging from the western coast of Africa to the southeastern United States. His flag, which was well-known and feared, consisted of a red skeleton on a black field. Tactics Low was a clever pirate who would use brute force only when necessary. His ships collected a variety of flags and he would often approach targets while flying the flag of Spain, England, or whatever other nation they thought their prey might be from. Once close, they would run up the Jolly Roger and begin firing, which was usually enough to demoralize the other ship into surrendering. Low preferred to use a small fleet of two to four pirate ships to better outmaneuver his victims. He could also use the threat of force. On more than one occasion, he sent messengers to coastal towns threatening an attack if they were not given food, water, or whatever else he wanted. In some cases, he held hostages. More often than not, the threat of force worked and Low was able to get his provisions without firing a shot. Nevertheless, Low developed a reputation for cruelty and ruthlessness. On one occasion, as he prepared to burn a ship he had recently captured and no longer needed, he ordered the ships cook tied to the mast to perish in the fire. The reason was that the man was a greasy fellow who would sizzle- this proved amusing to Low and his men. On another occasion, they caught a galley with some Portuguese aboard. Two friars were hung from the Fore-Yard and jerked up and down until they died, and another Portuguese passenger- who had made the mistake of looking sorrowful at the fate of his friends- was cut to pieces by one of Lows men. Death In June 1723, Low was sailing in his flagship Fancy and was accompanied by the Ranger, under the command of Charles Harris, a loyal lieutenant. After successfully seizing and plundering several ships off of the Carolinas, they ran into the 20-gun Greyhound, a Royal Navy ship on the lookout for pirates. The Greyhound pinned down the Ranger and shot down its mast, effectively crippling it. Low decided to run, leaving Harris and the other pirates to their fate. All of the hands on board the Ranger were captured and brought to trial in Newport, Rhode Island. Twenty-five men (including Harris) were found guilty and hung, two more were found not guilty and sent to prison, and eight more were found not guilty on the grounds that they had been forced into piracy. Historians are not quite sure what happened to Low. According to the National Maritime Museum in London, the pirate was never captured and spent the rest of his life in Brazil. Another history suggests that his crew tired of his cruelty (he supposedly shot a sleeping man he had fought with, causing the crew to despise him as a coward). Set adrift in a small ship, he was found by the French and brought to Martinique for trial and hanged. This seems the most likely account, although there is little in the way of documentation to prove it. In any event, by 1725 Low was no longer active in piracy. Legacy Edward Low  was the real deal: a ruthless, cruel, clever pirate who terrorized transatlantic shipping for about two years during the so-called Golden Age of Piracy. He brought commerce to a halt and had naval vessels searching the Caribbean for him. He became, in a sense, the poster boy for the need to control piracy. Before Low, many pirates were either cruel or successful, but Low was a sadist with a well-armed and organized fleet. He was hugely successful in pirate terms, plundering well over 100 ships in his career. Only  Black Bart Roberts  was more successful in the same area and time. Low was also a good teacher- his lieutenant Francis Spriggs had a successful pirate career after absconding with one of Lows ships in 1723. Sources Defoe, Daniel, and Manuel Schonhorn. A General History of the Pyrates. Dover Publications, 1999.Konstam, Angus. World Atlas of Pirates: Treasures And Treachery On The Seven Seas- In Maps, Tall Tales, And Pictures. The Lyons Press, October 1, 2009.Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. First edition, Mariner Books, June 30, 2008.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Example Problem of Enthalpy Change of a Reaction

Example Problem of Enthalpy Change of a Reaction This example problem shows how to find the enthalpy for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Enthalpy Review You may wish to review the Laws of Thermochemistry and Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions before you begin. Enthalpy is a thermodynamic property that is the sum of the internal energy that is added to a system and the product of its pressure and volume. Its a measure of the systems capacity to release heat and perform non-mechanical work. In equations, enthalpy is denoted by the capital letter H, while specific enthalpy is lowercase h. Its units are usually joules, calories, or BTUs. The change in enthalpy is directly proportional to the number of reactants and products, so you work this type of problem using the change in enthalpy for the reaction or by calculating it from the heats of formation of the reactants and products and then multiplying this value times the actual quantity (in moles) of material that is present. Enthalpy Problem Hydrogen peroxide decomposes according to the following thermochemical reaction:H2O2(l) → H2O(l) 1/2 O2(g); ΔH -98.2 kJCalculate the change in enthalpy, ΔH, when 1.00 g of hydrogen peroxide decomposes. Solution This sort of problem is solved by using a table to look up the change in enthalpy  unless its given to you (as it is here).  The thermochemical equation tells us that ΔH  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹for the decomposition of 1 mole of H2O2 is -98.2 kJ, so this relationship can be used as a conversion factor. Once you know the change in enthalpy, you need to know the number of moles of the relevant compound to calculate the answer.  Using the Periodic Table  to add up the masses of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in hydrogen peroxide, you find  the molecular mass of H2O2 is 34.0 (2 x 1 for hydrogen 2 x 16 for oxygen), which means that 1 mol H2O2 34.0 g H2O2. Using these values: ΔH 1.00 g H2O2 x 1 mol H2O2 / 34.0 g H2O2 x -98.2 kJ / 1 mol H2O2ΔH -2.89 kJ Answer The change in enthalpy, ΔH, when 1.00 g of hydrogen peroxide decomposes -2.89 kJ Its a good idea to check your work to make sure the conversion factors all cancel out to leave you with an answer in energy units. The most common error made in the calculation is accidentally switching the numerator and denominator of a conversion factor. The other pitfall is significant figures. In this problem, the change in enthalpy and mass of sample both were given using 3 significant figures, so the answer should be reported using the same number of digits.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

GAAP versus IFRS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

GAAP versus IFRS - Research Paper Example IFRS stands for International Financial Reporting Standards. It includes the accounting standards proposed by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and International Accounting Standards (IAS). IFRS is becoming the international standard for the preparation of financial statements especially of public corporations (Haris, 2013). Now the question is why corporations are conversion new standards of IFRS from GAAP? There are some benefits which IFRS is offering to corporations. Some of the benefits are as follow: According to Julie (2013), IFRS enable corporations to present its financial statements on the same basis as its international competitors are adopting, it makes the comparison easier. To facilitate more accurate comparisons to foreign competitors, some U.S. companies may view IFRS as an opportunity to supplement their current reporting with reporting or commentary based on IFRS. Most of the U.S. Corporation’s glance at new markets therefore they have to take on with IFRS in order to secure licenses, raise capital, or comply with requirements of local regulators. Overseas clients, merchants, or lessors might too involve IFRS financial statements. IFRS is beneficial for the firm who want to raise the capital abroad or it is most beneficial for the corporations who have international investors. Corporations having subsidiaries in countries require having IFRS in order to use one accounting language company-wide. Haris (2013) stated that the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is using in more than 110 countries. Majority of the countries among these 110 countries are developed. So IFRs must have some key distinction from the U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) which are as follow: IFRS is more of a principle based accounting standards where as GAAP has more rule based accounting standards. Principle based accounting standard has the capability to effectively corresponds and detain the economic

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Empirical Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Empirical Project - Research Paper Example Methodology The study is based extensively on secondary research. The secondary information is from the gold reserves of gold holding IMF countries from a Book and few websites. Literature Review The gold reserve of a country is that gold held by the central bank or nation depicted as a commodity to redeem which assures for the depositors to pay and note holders. Gold is treated as a liquid money which is mainly used for trading purposes against any currency. The gold reserves as on date are exclusively helps in the settling the international transactions. The central banks by the end of 2004 and investment funds held 19% of all above-ground gold as bank reserve assets. It is predicted that the gold mined by the end of 2009 sum up to 165,000 tonnes. Fixed at US$1000/oz. as price, it exceeded in 2008 and 2009, one tonne of gold has a value of approximately US$32.15 million. The overall gold mined so far would exceed US$5 trillion. IMF gold holdings The International Monetary Fund by J une 2009 held 3,217 tonnes (103.4 million oz.) of gold, which is constant over many years. In 2009, the International Monetary Fund announced that it will disburse 12.5% of the gold holdings, a maximum of 12,965,649 fine troy ounces (403.3 tonnes) based on the recent income model as agreed in April 2008, and further declared the sale of 200 tonnes to India, 10 tonnes to Sri Lanka, and further 10 Metric tonnes of Gold was also given to Bangladesh in September 2010 and 2 tonnes to the Bank of Mauritius. These gold were sold in stages at existing market prices. The IMF reiterates book value of its gold which is far below the market value. This book value was SDR 35 in, or about US$47 per troy ounce in the year 2000. Further the resale value of gold reserve value which faced challenge for various causes. In fact, Canada no idea of revaluing the gold reserves, as it may be pushed to sell the gold on the open market and further decline of gold prices may be the result. Officially reported gold holdings Gold reserves per capita The International Monetary Fund’s data on national assets of various countries is give in the following table. The data are put into use by the World Gold Council to systematically rank and report the gold holding of countries and official organizations. The gold holdings given in the table for each country is not physically stored in the country listed, because the central banks did not allow the audits and reserves independently. World official gold holding for some important countries as of December 2010 Rank Country/Organization Gold (tonnes) Gold's share of national forex reserves (%) - Euro Area 10,792.6 60.7% 1 United States 8,133.5 73.9% 2 Germany 3,401.8 70.3% 3 IMF 2,846.7 - 4 Italy 2,451.8 68.6% 5 France 2,435.4 67.2% 6 Switzerland 1,040.1 16.4% 7 Japan 765.2 3.0% 8 Netherlands 612.5 57.5% 9 India 557.7 8.1% 10 ECB 501.4 27.9% 11 United Kingdom 310.3 16.8% 12 Spain 281.6 38.6% 13 Belgium 227.5 36.8% 14 Singapore 127.4 2.5% 15 BIS 120.0 - 16 Australia 79.9 8.1% - World 30,562.5 - Privately held gold As of October 2009, gold exchange-traded funds held 1,750 tonnes of gold for private and institutional investors. Gold Holdings Corp. a publicly listed gold company estimates that the amount of in-ground verified gold resources currently controlled by publicly traded gold mining companies is roughly 50,000 tonnes. Serial Correlation The correlation between the successive

Sunday, November 17, 2019

If You Have to Ask and Pleasant Personality Essay Example for Free

If You Have to Ask and Pleasant Personality Essay 1.What Is A Pleasant Personality? No matter what you create in life before you can create it you have to know and understand what it is that you are creating. If you are not consciously creating then you will create through default with the outcomes being random, unpredictable and often unpleasant. A personality is your set of characteristics which is made up of your attitudes, your beliefs, your knowledge, your perceptions, your behaviours, your interests and other personal traits that you hold. Your personality communicates your quality as a person . Your pleasant personality distinguishes you and is what makes you appealing to others. We have all met and interacted with those who have unpleasant personalities and have experienced the upsets created that come from our exchanges with them. In order to consciously create your pleasant personality you must first be aware of what your attitudes and behaviours are towards people and life. You have to take ownership of your knowledge rather than pretending not to know or worse, refusing to acquire knowledge and skills . You have to examine your beliefs and your attitudes . Further, what mood level do you operate in? Can you move easily through the different moods or are you chronically stuck or fixed in a low mood level or in the pretense of a high mood level that you really dont feel? 2. Your Pleasant Personality  Your pleasant personality is defining you for those with whom you come in contact or interact with. What do you want people to know about you? How do you want to be perceived by others? What characteristics do you have? Are you helpful? Are you an inspiration to others? Do you have a sense of humor? Are you dependable? Are you empathetic? Are you friendly? Each of us has a unique blend of characteristics that contribute to our individual personalities. Draw on the best of these characteristics, the most positive of them and use your attributes and abilities to create your own, one of a kind, pleasant personality! Make a list of them if you have to. Your pleasant personality will shine through whatever identity you are wearing, be it your business identity, your spousal identity, your parental identity, your friend identity or any other number of identities you wear as you play your games in life. You may not wear the same identity to MacDonalds as you would to the Four Seasons but your pleasant personality will co-ordinate with any identity that you consciously and purposefully choose to wear. 3. Why Develop A Pleasant Personality? You can be the smartest person in the world and you can be willing to tackle whatever task is at hand but if you have failed to develop a pleasant personality you will be hard pressed for an audience and it is unlikely that you will be chosen as a vital member of a team. It is therefore vital that you develop a pleasant personality. It is essential as you go out and about in life that you be aware of what your personality is saying and demonstrating about you. Whether you like sales or not every time you interact with another or others you are giving a sales pitch. You are building a reputation and you are telling others who you are not just by your name but by the knowledge you have and the level or responsibility you take for that knowledge. Of equal importance is the personality you use to convey your messages to others. 4. What Are The Consequences Of Having A Pleasant Personality? From the above you will have identified the characteristics of your pleasant personality. If you find that your personality has been predominantly unpleasant ask yourself, What have been or could be the consequences of having an unpleasant personality? Keep asking yourself that question until all the consequences of having an unpleasant personality have been brought to view. Then, with your identified characteristics of a pleasant personality ask yourself, What have been or could be the consequences of having a pleasant personality? Keep asking yourself that question until all the consequences have been brought to view. If you find that you already have a pleasant personality your having defined the characteristics of that personality will allow you to take full ownership of and empower your pleasant personality. Ask yourself, What have been or could be the consequences of having a pleasant personality? Keep asking yourself the question until you have viewed all the consequence thereby acknowledging yourself while raising your confidence level. Having a pleasant personality and using it to its full extent will empower you in life and it will serve to empower and inspire others. Then, as Dr. Seuss so aptly put it, Oh the places you will go.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Greedy Needs :: Essays Papers

Greedy Needs Imagine a life with no food, no shelter and no family. This is hard because most people have never been without these basic needs. Some people however, find it hard to imagine a life with these needs, as in â€Å"The Ultimate Safari† by Nadine Gordimer. This story takes place during civil war, where the greed of bandits along with the greed of rebels cause conflict which can only be solved through sharing and co-operation. The greed of the bandits causes many conflicts with the people that are not in the war by taking away their food, shelter and thus causing illness. The villagers have nothing to eat because the bandits have taken it all for themselves. â€Å"But the third time they came back there was nothing to take, no oil, no food, so they burnt the thatch and the roofs of our houses fell in.† (page 120) as Gordimer writes. The people can not eat on their long journey through Kruger Park because although they find food to cook, they must not make a fire as it will draw attention to themselves. They have no food to take on the trip, so the people find fruit and eat it which results in illness, as it is poisonous. The greedy bandits take away the shelter of the villagers by burning their houses. This means the people must go to find food and shelter elsewhere. The people must walk farther due to bandits on the lookout for them near the fence, which means more nights spent in the animal-filled park without any shelter to stay in. Having no shelter in the park creates a safety risk to the people, for there are hungry lions surrounding them. Sickness is inflicted upon the people by the bandits stealing their food and taking away their shelter. Being cold and hungry can cause a serious sickness to the people. The bandits are not the only people who conflict with the people, the rebels also inflict a great deal of problems. The rebels are greedy in that they escalate the conflict for the people, they cause consequences to the others from the government, and they force the villagers into refugee camps. The rebels, only thinking of themselves cause conflict to expand within the others. The children that are growing up in the war environment, will see fighting as the only way to solve problems.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Mate Selection Process Questions Essay

1. Do you find that your parents tend to promote free choice selection or arranged marriages? 2. Do you prefer to find a man that you think would be a good father? 3. Do you tend to choose woman based on the fact that she could bear a healthy child? 4. Is it attractive to find an intelligent man/woman? 5. When deciding on a man/women to date do you tend to be attracted to a person with similar social background? 6. Do you tend to have an image of an ideal mate formed in your head? 7. Do you believe that it is possible for anyone to get mate in his/her life because attraction is based more on reality than fantasy? 8. In your opinion do you think arranged marriages are more successful than dating or vise versa? 9. When you decide to marry another person do you truly believe you will be together for the rest of your life? 10. Does being in a relationship and more specifically marriage make you worry you will need to give up your dreams? 11. Do you show your resources to prove that you are good provider (men only)? 12. Do you display qualities that make you desirable and seem nurturing (women only)? 13. In your opinion do you think having gained a disposable income and cars has made dating more fun and easier to do? 14. When you date do believe that it is unethical to date more than one person at a time? 15. When you date more and more do you find that your expectations grow higher and higher to the point where you feel satisfied in the relationship?

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Religion is the Key to Success Essay

Religion should have an impact on everyone’s life. According to Karen Armstrong, without religion, people would not be able to discover their own personal reason of life with a pure reason or purpose set by any guidelines. As a result of obtaining a good foundation of faith in your religion, it will not only positively affect your life on a personal level, but the community as a whole. If we look back at human antiquity, we commonly find that people of many different religions, traditions, and cultures had one main goal of finding the meaning of peace and purity in their own â€Å"selves†. In the seventeenth century BCE, the Hindus created a book of philosophical texts called the Upanishads, holding the main idea of finding ones sacred self, or atman. This sacred book led tranquility and serenity into the everyday lives of many Hindus. According to Armstrong, the purpose of religion has been and always should be to help us live peacefully, creatively, and even joyously. Armstrong also states that by engaging in religious practices and forms of life, people can live their lives on a higher divine plane and thus discover their own true selves. Karen Armstrong believes that religion does help people to find beneficial meanings in their lives and does allow people discover their inner selves. Throughout the passage â€Å"Homo Religiosus† written by Karen Armstrong, there are many historical events coming from various cultural and religious backgrounds that support her belief in which religion does and should play a crucial part in everyone’s lives. However, not only does religion bring harmony and principle in people’s lives, but religion also aids people in finding a legitimate meaning in their life and in the world. It helps to positively strengthen the relationship between the people leading to the elimination of greed, hatred, and pride in communities. Like Confucius beliefs, the Buddhists had a state of peace of their own. Nirvana was the natural result of a life lived according to the doctrine of Buddha’s anatta. Anatta required Buddhists to live as if though the self did not exist, which led to corruption fading away. It is stated, â€Å"His (a monk’s) greed fades away, and once his cravings disappear, he experiences the release of the mind† (Miller and Spellmeyer 37). This text states that when the people heard about annata, their hearts were occupied with joy and they immediately experienced Nirvana. As a result, people were living between each other with love, care, and ease towards one another which led to a better life style overall. The famous Confucius practice Golden Rule is also another example of religion brining peaceful meanings in ones life. Confucius, the most famous religious icon in Chinese history, clarifies the meaning behind the Golden Rule. The Golden Rule states that an individual should treat another the same way he/she would like to be treated by others. Confucius would later explain that the practice of the Golden Rule would bring people into a state of ren, which is a state of compassion and love. Although ren did bring peace and love between the people of Confucius, it is stated that it was so hard to entirely be in this state. It was stated that people had a hard time achieving a full state of ren. Nonetheless, people desired being in this pure state. Yan Hui, Confucius’s greatest student, said with a deep sigh, Yan Hui stated, â€Å"The more I strain my gaze towards it, the higher it soars. The deeper I bore down into it, the harder it becomes. I see it in front, but suddenly it is behind. Step by step, the Master skillfully lures one on. He has broadened me with culture, restrained me with ritual. Even if I wanted to stop, I could not. Just when I felt that I have exhausted every resource, something seems to rise up, standing over me sharp and clear. Yet though I long to pursue it, I can find no way of getting it all† (Miller and Spellmeyer 38). This passage explains how hard people were trying to obtain this state. Religion as defined by the mentors of great countries like India, China, and the Middle East was not something impossible, yet it was a realistic one. It was not about believing in a God or believing in a divine being. Religion was based on physical activities, disciplined work, and robust undertakings on a daily basis. Back then, religion had its real meaning of organizing ones life and basing ones life on religion. Sadly, religion has its own different inappropriate meaning nowadays. Which leads to my point of Karen Armstrong talking about how many people find the concept of God and religion so troublesome simply because they have lost sight of this important understanding. She also explains how for each separate religion, there is an ontological approach to understanding it. Many people have simply just given up on God because of self-corruption like greed, stubbornness, and impatience. In Greek mythology, it is stated, â€Å" No god can survive unless he or she is actualized by the practical activity of ritual, and people often turn against gods who fail to deliver. The rites and practices that that once made him a persuasive symbol of the sacred are no longer effective, and people have stopped participating in them. He has therefore become otiosus, an etiolated reality who for all intents and purposes has indeed died or gone away† (Miller and Spellmeyer 31). If God does not comply the peoples needs, then they will turn against this god and he/she will no longer be effective. In the passage, it is also explains how religion requires a disciplined cultivation of a different mode of consciousness. This basically means that before you perform any religious task, you must pursue ekstasis, which literally means stepping out the norm you are accustomed to. Unfortunately, nowadays people are either to lazy or lost desire to seek any religious salvation simply because many things have taking over our world like media, entertainment, sports, music etc. They pursue other means to stand outside the norm. It is like they almost feel free when they are listening to the type of music they desire, or play the type of sport they seek, or are entertained by media that they desire. Karen Armstrong proves her point â€Å" Today people who no longer find it in a religious setting resort to other outlets: music, dance, art, sex, drugs, or sport. We make a point of seeking out these experiences that touch us deep within and lift us momentarily beyond ourselves. At such times, we feel that we inhabit our humanity more fully than usual and experience an enhancement of being† (Miller and Spellmeyer 27) In conclusion, Armstrong strongly anchors her belief of religion having a positive influential affect on people’s lives, helping them find a purpose in their life, and aiding them in discovering their true selves. She has her belief backed up by many famous religious icons from different backgrounds like Buddha, Confucius, and even Greek mythology. She explained how it helps organize people’s lives, better the relationship between two people and last but not least, it helps purify a person’s whole entire life. Reassuringly, religion, does quite in fact, impacts the lives of many. Works Cited 1)Miller, Richard E., and Kurt Spellmeyer. â€Å"Homo Religiosus.† The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Lyn Uhl, 2009. 38. Print. 2) â€Å"Vinaya Texts, Part I (SBE 13) – Mahà ¢vagga – First Khandaka.† Internet Sacred Text Archive Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2013. 3) Miller, Richard E., and Kurt Spellmeyer. â€Å"Homo Religiosus.† The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Lyn Uhl, 2009. 37. Print. 4) Miller, Richard E., and Kurt Spellmeyer. â€Å"Homo Religiosus.† The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Lyn Uhl, 2009. 27. Print. 5) Miller, Richard E., and Kurt Spellmeyer. â€Å"Homo Religiosus.† The New humanities reader. 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: Lyn Uhl, 2009. 31. Print. View as multi-pages

Friday, November 8, 2019

3 Easy Ways to Write More Concisely

3 Easy Ways to Write More Concisely 3 Easy Ways to Write More Concisely 3 Easy Ways to Write More Concisely By Mark Nichol Writers can employ various categorical strategies to make their writing more active and concise. Here are three simple types of unnecessary wording to keep in mind (and out of one’s writing). 1. Extinguish Expletives An expletive is an indirect phrase that only delays a reader’s acquaintance with the writer’s point. Expletives include â€Å"There is,† â€Å"there are,† â€Å"there was,† and â€Å"there were,† as well as any of these phrases with it substituting for there. It is not necessary to always delete expletives, as the current sentence demonstrates, but they should be employed judiciously. In most cases, simply sweep the expletive away and begin with a subject, as in revision of â€Å"There are other steps a company can take before an economic downturn to protect against its impact† to â€Å"A company can take other steps before an economic downturn to protect against its impact.† 2. Adjust Adjectives to Adverbs Business-speak, when rendered as text, is often notoriously stilted and verbose. One class of wordy wording often found in business writing is represented by such adjective-noun phrases as â€Å"on a daily basis,† which is easily replaced by the adverbial form of the adjective (which in this case is identical: daily). Regarding similar usage, â€Å"This issue will be resolved on a case-by-case basis† is easily converted to â€Å"This issue will be resolved case by case.† (Again, the replacement is identical, though the hyphens are now superfluous.) Sometimes, the writer must replace the adjective, as in the case of timely, which is seldom used as an adverb and does not stand as such on its own: To render â€Å"in a timely manner† more concise, for example, simply substitute promptly. 3. Avoid Adjectives Some adjectives and adverbs themselves are extraneous. Such qualifiers as currently and different almost never contribute to comprehension. For example, in â€Å"We are currently accepting applications,† the verb are clearly represents that acceptance of application is a current state, meaning that currently serves no useful purpose, and â€Å"These shirts come in seven different colors† provides no more information than â€Å"These shirts come in seven colors,† and different can therefore be omitted without negative consequences. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?Italicizing Foreign WordsPhrasal Verbs and Phrasal Nouns

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Mandarin Vocabulary - Answering Questions

Mandarin Vocabulary - Answering Questions Mandarin does not have specific words for saying â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no.† Instead, the verb which is used in the Mandarin question is used to make a positive or negative reply. For example, if the question was: Do you like rice? The answer could be: I like.orI don’t like. Answering Mandarin Questions Mandarin questions can be answered with the question verb. This verb can be either positive (to answer â€Å"yes†) or negative (to answer â€Å"no†). The positive form of the verb is simply the verb repeated: Q: NÇ  xÇ huan fn ma?Do you like rice?ä ½  Ã¥â€"Å"æ ­ ¡Ã© £ ¯Ã¥â€"Ž?A: XÇ huan.(I) like.Ã¥â€"Å"æ ­ ¡ If you want to say you don’t like rice, you would say bà ¹ xÇ huan. The Mandarin No To answer â€Å"no† to a question, the negative form of the question verb is formed using the particle ä ¸  (bà ¹). The only â€Å"irregular† verb is æÅ"‰ (yÇ’u - to have), which uses æ ²â€™ (mà ©i) for its negative form. Mà ©i is also used for negating Functive Verbs (action verbs) when talking about past actions. In this situation, mà ©i is a short form for mà ©i yÇ’u and either form can be used. Mandarin Questions and Answers Q: NÇ  yÇ’u bÇ  ma?Do you have a pen?ä ½  Ã¦Å"‰ç ­â€ Ã¥â€"Ž?A: Mà ©i yÇ’u.No (don’t have).æ ²â€™Ã¦Å"‰Q: NÇ  yo bà º yo mÇŽi?Do you want to buy (it)?ä ½  Ã¨ ¦ Ã¤ ¸ Ã¨ ¦ Ã¨ ² ·?A: Yo.Yes (want).è ¦ Q: JÄ «ntiÄ n shà ¬ xÄ «ng qÄ « yÄ « ma?Is today Monday?ä »Å Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¦Ëœ ¯Ã¦ËœÅ¸Ã¦Å"Ÿä ¸â‚¬Ã¥â€"Ž?A: Shà ¬.Yes (is).æ˜ ¯

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Allstate evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Allstate evaluation - Essay Example However, Pride, Hughes and Kapoor (2008) advise that these targets should be quantifiable and attainable in order to prevent the employees from retracting to their old unproductive habits. Allstate goal setting process entails setting of goals and subsequently making certain that the respective leaders are held accountable for the end results, which is in itself one of the ways of attracting the employees’ attention. Just like any other business enterprise, Allstate also regards the diversity policies and as a result, it has made great efforts in attempting to estimate the effects of diversity based on overall cooperate running. As part of its strategy, the company has two major diversity focus strategies; external and internal diversity. The former is mainly concerned with all efforts aimed at ensuring that labor force is at par with market background and sensitivity, whereas the latter aims at making certain that workers have the appropriate machineries and resources at their disposal so as to unlock their full capability (Don & Slocum, 2010). The firm’s superb goal setting process can also be realized through their provision of educational training, m entoring as well as coaching services to workers, which allows them to develop or enhance skills essential for their career advancement. Moreover, their goals setting process also creates room for the workers to balance between personal life and their respective professions. As a matter of fact, they offer onsite child-care services at the company’s head office in Illinois, dry-cleaning, catering as well as parent discounts at adjoining child care centers. This creates a sense of belonging in the workers who will be more appreciative to the firm and would in turn be more than willing to work towards taking the company to greater heights. Indeed, it will also breed loyalty among the workers who will want to be more of assets than liabilities to the firm. In addressing the issue of

Friday, November 1, 2019

Master of Business Administration Personal Statement

Master of Business Administration - Personal Statement Example For deals worth more than three million dollars, I work with a team in order to come up with proposals and pricing strategies. All of the opportunities that I handle are highly competitive. My company is in the commodity business. This means that prices are the deciding factor whether we achieve deals or lose them. The role I play in the company is vital. When I bid on an opportunity, finding the right price is crucial to winning business. It is important to find the line between a low enough price to win business and a price high enough to make a profit. Personal accountability in this field is the only way to achieve positive results. It is imperative to remember while going after new business, that one must also retain current customers. The competitive personal computer market needs employees that inspire customer loyalty. This makes retaining customers a top priority for me. It is my goal to generate good relations with new customers, while maintaining the same constructive relationship with current customers. This aspiration sometimes can be tedious, but I work hard to accomplish this objective. A long term intention is to use my sales and marketing experience to pursue a career in product management. While I am comfortable with numbers, working with product management would be more fulfilling.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Regional Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Regional Paper - Essay Example This trend of regional integration, irrefutably, posts opportunities for business organizations and gives birth to multinational companies. The formation of free trade zones and regional blocs irrefutable lowers the cost of business operation because generally, it encourages countries to attract the inflow of foreign direct investments through tax holidays and other financial incentives. It should be noted that this practice is very common especially in developing countries where foreign direct investment is viewed as a way to curb unemployment, increase local competition, enhance the efficiency of the domestic industry players and stimulate the whole economy. Regional integration also opens doors for other business activities through joint venture, licensing, franchising, and others. Regional integration also posts opportunities of costs savings to business organizations. Through trade blocs, companies are also able to take advantage of lower input costs of certain materials which can be readily imported from other countries since tariffs and quotas are eliminated. It should also be noted that globalization also made possible the transfer of service from one country to another. Coupled with the rapid development and wide popularity of the internet and other advance technologies, business organizations are able to lower their costs of operation by outsourcing various back-office services from countries which have relatively lower wage requirements but with a pool of skilled workforce. Through business process outsourcing, companies enhance their profitability by incurring lower operational expenses while enabling them to focus on their major activities and core competencies. The North American Free Trade Agreement is a regional bloc with members including Canada, Mexico, and United States (North American Free Trade Agreement 2006). It is apparent that the countries comprising this regional bloc present different stages of economic development. During the time of integration, the United States is already recognized as one of the economic superpowers in the world with its high level of GDP and wages. The United State's largest sector in the economy is the services which employs almost 75% of the entire population (US Department of State 2007). Similarly, Canada is one of the world's wealthiest nations with its high per capita income. This country has been growing rapidly in the past years with low unemployment rate and large government surpluses on the federal level. The country has remarkably maintained the best economic performance in the G8 since the recession in 2001. It should be noted that Canada is the second largest nation in the world next to the United States (US Department of State 2007). Mexico, in comparison, lags behind its trade partners in terms of economic performance. Even though it recently manages to improve its income, Mexico still suffers from the large disparity of income between the upper and lower social classes. Compared to its trading partners, the country has a far lower wage rate (US Department of State 2007). With its establishment in the 1994, this agreement has brought numerous developments in each of the countries' business sector. For one,

Monday, October 28, 2019

Exploring An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

Exploring An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge The short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge has received more critical attention than any other single work written by Ambrose Bierce. This is most likely because of the way the story combines into one text the best components distributed among much of Bierces fiction such as narrative, plot, imagery, the exposure of human-deception, and a surprise ending (Stoicheff 1). In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Bierce differentiates between internal and external worlds and illustrates that the mind can create its own realities and escapes. He does not tell the reader that Farquhar is hallucinating, but instead expects the reader to evaluate the story and realize the impossibility of events described in the final events of the story. With such literary techniques, Bierce opposed many of the literary trends of his day in both his journalism and his fiction. He believed any view of life which ignored the unconscious processes of mind could not call itself realistic (Davidson 2). Bierc es works reflect his obsession with ironic, unnecessary, and strange death, as well as his cynical, disillusioned attitude on the meaninglessness of life (Habibi 2). He detested war and saw firsthand the absurdity and insanity of it. This emerges as a connecting theme in several of his writings. His protagonists are usually antiheroes and they make conscious decisions based on flawed thinking, which ultimately lead to tragic predicaments (Habibi 2-3). Bierce is known for his use of literary elements and skillfully uses third person narrative, a quickly paced plot, realistic detail, and blends fantasy and reality to lead the reader into believing in Farquhars escape. Therefore, the reader is unable to interpret Farquhars true fate until the very end of the story. Bierce cleverly chooses to write this story in third person narrative. By using third person narrative, the author is able to do a variety of different things to capture the readers attention and keep them guessing. He most likely chooses this course of action to convey to the reader the main characters feelings and emotions and to conceal his death. This perspective, often called limited omniscience, tells the story from an observers standpoint (Samide 1). By definition, this narrator knows all things important in the story, even a characters own thoughts. Therefore, the reader is able to get a more in depth look into how the main character is feeling, as well as tell the reader the outward world of the story (Samide 1). In this story, the author chooses to focus on the mind of only one main character, Farquhar, and enters it extensively throughout the course of the story. At any given time, the narrator may also move in and out of the chosen characters mind and thoughts, or inform the reader about what is happening in the outer world of the story. Because the author chooses this point of view, it is difficult for the reader to know Farquhars escape is unreal until the last line of the story, when the narrator emerges from his mind to tell the reader Farquhar is dead (Samide 1). Bierce skillfully forces the reader to believe in Farquhars hallucinated escape and therefore, is able to surprise the reader with Farquhars death. It enables Bierce to take the reader inside Farquhars mind to demonstrate how emotional confusion alters not only the way the mind interprets the reality of a situation, but also the way it perceives the passage of time. Bierce also uses a rapidly paced plot to keep the reader from figuring out the surprise ending. He quickly paces the plot in order to distract the reader from closely examining Farquhars unlikely escapes from death. Before the reader has time to consider the likelihood of a broken neck from the rope or some other injury, Bierce has Farquhar struggling not to drown. He sinks deep into the water, his hands still tied together and the noose still wrapped around his neck. So instead of thinking about his broken neck or suffering from another injury, the reader focuses on his new problem of drowning. Then, somehow, Farquhar is able to free his hands from the rope and slips off the noose. But again, the reader is relieved that Farquhar escapes drowning that he does not fully examine the likeliness of this escape. Then, Farquhar bursts to the surface of the water for air and must start dodging bullets, diverting the readers attention once more from the previous escapes from the ropes and dr owning (Samide 3). Therefore, by using a rapid paced plot, Bierce is able to distract the reader from examining the likeliness of the escapes by creating new diversions, making it more believable for the reader. Another literary device Bierce uses in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is the element of imagery. Bierce relies heavily upon imagery throughout the story, centering on sight and sounds to make his tale more convincing. Bierce goes to great lengths to describe the opening sequence in terms of its military arrangement. He provides vivid images of group formations and soldier stances such as a single company of infantry in line, the barrels inclining backward against the right shoulder, the hands crossed upon the stock, at parade rest the butts of the rifles on the ground (Bierce 72). These descriptions show Bierces past military experience in various wars and battles, giving the story a sense of realism. Also by using such realistic details, Bierce is able to make Farquhars escape more believable to the reader. After the first round of shots from the soldiers, when he hears the captain give orders to fire, Farquhar dives deep into the water. Some of the bullets, still warm from the g uns, spiral down into the water beside him (Samide 3). One lodged between his collar and neck; it was uncomfortably warm and he snatched it out. (Bierce 75) These few examples of realism lead the reader to believe that Farquhar is really escaping. When he comes to the surface again, the current has taken Farquhar out of shooting range of personal weapons, but he must now worry about the cannon being used. The first shot misses, but sprays him with water. The second shot is a much better shot that will surely hit him, but suddenly, the current whirls him around a bend in the river and throws him up on the bank, out of aim of the cannon (Samide 3). While the rapid series of dangers has caused the reader to consider the probability of each escape, the authors use of imagery and realistic detail convinces the reader that he is out of danger and is now on his way to finishing his escape by losing himself in the dense forest and getting back home to his wife and family (Samide 3). The res t of the story goes on to describe Farquhars long trip home. He continues on his journey through the forest and finally arrives to the gate of his own home. He sees his wife and she holds out her hands in joyous welcome. As Farquhar reaches out to embrace her, he feels a stunning blow to his neck, sees a blinding white light, hears a sounds like the shock of a cannon-then all is darkness and silence (Bierce76). At this point in the story, the limited narrator moves out of Farquhars mind and returns to the objective world on the bridge, revealing to the reader the shocking last line and revelation that, all along, the escape was Farquhars hallucination (Samide 3-4). Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge. (Bierce 76) One of the literary elements Bierce uses that he is most known for is his blending of fantasy and reality. Bierce mixes the external world of death with Farquhars internal world, resulting in the success of his hallucination. Farquhar, in his mind, is imagining his incredible escape when he is actually dying. Bierce skillfully uses metaphors and similes in order to secretly describe the true fate of Farquhar. For example, Bierce uses the pendulum not only as a significant metaphor for time, but also as a simile for Farquhars body, which swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge (Bierce 76). Farquhar is conscious of motionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ of a vast pendulum because his body literally traces, and therefore senses it. Similar intrusions of other objective stimuli into Farquhars experience occur throughout the rest of the story. The sharp report of the firing gun, its slightly later dulled thunder, and the alleged explosion of the cannon that was cracking and smashing the branches in the forest beyond are all Farquhars hallucinated revision of the sound of his own neck breaking. Bierce successfully emphasizes the association, describing the literal event of Farquhars neck breaking as occurring with sound like the shock of a cannon. Farquhars sensation of rising rising toward the surface of the water is the dreamers understanding of the slight bounce the body experiences after reaching the extremity of its flexible rope; the feeling of almost drowning in the creek modifies the fact of strangulation itself; the horribly aching neck and the uncomfortably warm bullet impossibly lodged between his collar and his neck under the water reinterpret the pain of hanging; the counter-swirl that spins him around in the current refers to the twisting at the end of the rope; the projecting point which concealed him from his enemies transforms the bridge now above him; the sensation of his own tongue thrusting forward from between his teeth into the cold air registers its grotesque protrusion during strangulation; the inability to feel the roadway beneath his feet is a similarly accurate feeling, dutifully revised into an understandable fatigue, thirst and numbness near the end of his narrative of escape (Stoicheff 3). Thus, a key element in the story is the distention of time and the blending of fantasy and reality. The reader is left with a range of reactions: the element of surprise, the promise and loss of hope, the tragedy of death, the ultimate coherence of objective reality, and acknowledgment of Bierces carefully constructed deception (Habibi 1). Bierce skillfully blends the third person point of view that conceals Farquhars death until the very end, a rapidly paced plot of narrow escapes from death that distract the reader, concrete details that make the final escape seem real, and the technique of blending fantasy and reality (Samide 4). Bierces usage of narrative, plot, imagery, and blending of fantasy and reality make it hard for the reader to detect Farquhars true fate until the final line of the story. In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Bierce distinguishes between the internal and external worlds of Farquhar and shows the reader that the mind can create its own realities and its own escapes. He expects the reader to evaluate the story and realize on his own the impossibility of events described in the final events of the story (Davidson 2). Bierce purposely uses these elements of fiction in order to create a suspenseful ending that connects with the central theme of the human need to escape death. Work Cited Welty Bierce, Ambrose. An Occurrence at Owl Creek. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. 9th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009, 71-76. Samide, Daniel E. Anatomy of a Classic: Ambrose Bierce Cleverly Used Some Key Literary Tools in Crafting His Civil War Tale An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. The Writer May 2005:42. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 5 Apr. 2010. Habibi, Don Asher. The experience of a lifetime: philosophical reflections on a narrative device of Ambrose Bierce. Studies in the Humanities 29.2 (2002): 83+. Academic OneFile. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. Davidson, Cathy N. Ambrose (Gwinett) Bierce. American Short-Story Writers Before 1880. Ed. Bobby Ellen Kimbel and William E. Grant. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. Dictionary of Literary Biography Vol. 74. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 10 Apr. 2010. Stoicheff, Peter. Something Uncanny: The Dream Structure in Ambrose Bierces An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Studies in Short Fiction 30.3 (Summer 1993): 349-357. Joseph Palmisano. Vol. 72. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 10 Apr. 2010.