Behavioral Issues Essay

On April 16th, 2007, the world was shocked by the senseless killing of 32 students and staff of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) by a fellow student named Seung-Hui Cho. His actions and subsequent suicide reignited questions on gun control measures countrywide and the ban of weapons on campuses. Public anger was targeted against the campus police and administration for what the public believed were security lapses on their part. The governor of Virginia State appointed a panel to investigate all aspects of the shooting. VPI came under censure for not doing enough to keep Cho away from other students in light of his mental condition. However the blame for the incident was placed squarely on Cho as he failed to abide with the recommendation of the court which would have helped him recover from his condition. Profile of Seung – Hui Cho As a child, Cho was shy and withdrawn. He kept his emotions very much under control and to most people he was considered antisocial. Cho had been diagnosed as suffering from severe anxiety from an early age. His condition was further complicated by selective mutism which caused him speaking difficulties. As a consequence of his speech challenges, the other students derided and bullied him thus contributing to his withdrawal from social activities (Golden, 2007-08-20). He operated as a loner and not much information was known about him or his friends. He received therapy for his condition in junior and middle school but opted to discontinue with the treatment later on in life. Early accounts of his childhood behavior reveal him to have been a bright child who did well in class and was popular with the other children. The transformation to an angry man with suicidal tendencies and distorted thoughts occurred some where along his social development (Bartol, 1999). His anger was so extreme that one of his professors asked that he be removed from her class. He refused to attend therapy despite being advised to so on many occasions by his mentors. The shootings that he carried out were premeditated and carefully planned taking into consideration details concerning the thirty day window before buying a second gun. Rejection by the females he was interested in fueled his feelings of unworthiness and caused him more frustration. Why did Cho gravitate towards criminal behavior? The reason for this change in him was brought about by his exclusion from mainstream society because of abnormalities that he had. The frustration he felt because of the response from the in-group towards his condition made him emotionally insecure (Bandura, 1977). Unloved and despised he developed his own coping mechanisms which were to respond with hostility and anger to any body from the in-group. He had no out – group to socialize with as was the case in the Columbine Shootings otherwise he would have had an accomplice on the fateful day. Cho began to hate society in general but in particular those females who spurned his advances and those who ridiculed him for his speech challenges. Unable to develop a meaningful support system, he relied on other social deviants to be his role models (hence his admiration with the Columbine Shooting students). By identifying himself with Jesus Christ and believing that he was a messiah of sorts, Cho developed delusionary thoughts about who he was. His loss of interest in class and antisocial behavior were common signs of some one with suicidal or destructive thoughts. At that point in life he had no cause for living and looked forward to his release from this world through death (Barlow, 2005). The Role of VPI Campus Police Department Campus police are primarily concerned with the safety and security of the student population and the members of staff. They aim to ensure that criminal acts are prevented from occurring and that action is taken to apprehend the perpetrators of a crime when it takes place. Their roles include responding to cries of distress from any body on the campus and to take the necessary action to ensure that the situation returns to normality as soon as possible (PaperClip Communications, 2007). Campus police receive the same training as normal police offices and are thus well versed in matters of disaster response and first aid. Profiling of any sort is something they are exposed to. Cho had been cited twice for stalking females and been cautioned not to repeat the behavior. Police procedure would have demanded a file be opened and any information about him properly documented. This would have required the cooperation of the administration so that private information about Cho could be put in the file. Based on the analysis of his personal profile, the police would have decided whether or not to put him on their watch list. Close supervision of his activities would have revealed his gun practice outings and alarming writings that would have warranted an administrative decision to revoke his admission at VPI. The lack of coordination between the administration and the campus police contributed to the failure of both parties in identifying Cho as a potential threat to the security of the campus. While it may have required more intense observation of the shooter to accurately arrive at his next course of action, a report from the local authorities charged with reporting gun purchases would have alerted the police to what kind of plan Cho may have been contemplating. Consequently, the blame for the shooting lies with the State of Virginia’s poor enforcement of laws that allowed a mentally challenged person to buy a gun. This incident seems to vindicate those who favor tougher laws regulating gun control and ownership. Further the fact that this purchase was not reported to the campus authorities shows that the agency conducting background checks was not performing its duties meticulously. The fact that a professor had complained about Cho’s behavior and requested he be withdrawn from her class was reason enough for the administration to put the campus police on alert. Cho should have been monitored more closely and any additional complaint form staff or students should have earned him an immediate expulsion. The health bodies that were to handle his case should have taken up the task with more vigor so as to have rehabilitated him and prevented the tragedy from occurring. By setting him loose on society the judiciary must share part of the blame. It appears that the judge was not sufficiently apprised of the danger Cho posed to his fellow human beings. An exhaustive analysis of Cho’s mental condition should have been made and further incarceration ordered in the light of his record. Laws surrounding privacy seemed to have frustrated the efforts to have the various stakeholders arrive at an informed decision. A relaxing of such laws or exceptions to them should be introduced so as to avoid a repeat of such cases. Shortcomings of the key players Profiling of individuals helps to place them in certain categories which identify the basic characteristics associated with that profile. Thus racial profiling may suggest that a black man outside a convenience store late at night might be planning a robbery. Despite the discriminatory nature of profiling, it assists the law enforcement officers to make arrests and in some cases prevent crimes. Similarly, profiling based on behavioral traits may identify potential criminals before they commit a crime. By listing the behavioral traits of criminals, one can be able to pick out those individuals with a likelihood of committing a crime based on their behavior. Antisocial acts, being withdrawn, low self esteem, excessive anger and a tendency to associate with violence are some of the traits that criminals have. Poor support systems and delusionary thoughts contribute to an individual taking up destructive actions. The VPI police were more attuned to dealing with the normal cases of petty crime and harassment to have bothered with a potential case of a mass murderer. A campus setting is not the most likely place to find a serial killer or a rapist. VPI police must have concentrated their efforts on maintaining the peace by dealing expeditiously with any cases of deviant behavior aimed at upsetting the student fraternity rather than profiling students with troubled pasts. This oversight is what led to their failure to notice the alarming trends in Cho’s behavior. It appears that the training they received did not include aspects of criminal behavior. Had they been adequately prepared for such eventualities, they would have identified Cho as a potential trouble maker and taken steps to monitor his behavior. Training in criminal behavior would have helped the police to set up a unit to deal with profiling of suspected students in a bid to prevent any tragedy on the scope that occurred that day (Ellis, 2005). After discovering the two dead bodies the police should have advised all students and staff to take precautionary measures as the killer would still have been at large. As a further measure they should have insisted on checking the bags of any student entering any building to establish if they were carrying any dangerous weapons. The administration on its part should take the concerns of its teaching staff very seriously. From the moment Cho was declared persona non grata in the professor’s class, urgent steps should have been taken to establish the nature of the complaint and whether it would have constituted a major threat to the security of the others members of staff and students. A hotline should be established through which students can report abnormal behavior by their colleagues and have the authorities investigate the claims with a view to taking the necessary action. This will help to identify those students with a potential for criminal behavior. The administration needs to develop emergency measures to be taken in the event that such an incident occurs again. Armed police guards should patrol the grounds and each building should have an armed officer who will deal with such cases. If the police had been in place and armed, they would have confronted the killer and engaged him, thus reducing the collateral damage caused. Behavioral Studies in Campuses Profiling is one of the tools that the VPI police would have used to help them identify Cho as a problem student (Bartol, 1999). By identifying his characteristics, they would have placed him in category that fits his profile correctly. Consequently they would have taken steps to contain any carnage that he would have planned by setting up surveillance around him. Further measures would include accessing the medical records of all students with mental challenges and determining the extent of the disorder ands the potential damage the student would inflict on their colleagues should the worst case scenario be taken. Such students should be closely observed and if there is any conviction that the person presents a threat to the society, their studies should be terminated forthwith. Looking for clue in the student’s essays is another avenue for picking out potential threats to the campus fraternity. By advising teaching staff to forward all essays that contain an alarming reference to violence and death, the police will be able to analyze the thought pattern of the students in a bid to establish the severity of the threat. Recurring violence themes running through a student’s essays are a likely indicator that the student is planning to carry out a violent act (Rogers, 1957). This will inform the police on the need to carry out searches of the student’s room and bags to determine if they are bringing any dangerous weapons to the campus. The police should also liaise with the local authorities to establish if the student has bought any weapons in the recent past and insist that he be blacklisted in the data bases so as to prevent him from accessing any guns. Questioning roommates of suspected trouble makers will help the police get more information concerning the behavior of the person under suspicion. This exercise should be extended to the family members where important records concerning their child can be obtained. It will also help in that the police can raise their concerns with the parents and devise methods to deal with the crisis at hand. Some of the solutions may involve a temporary withdrawal of their child from the campus for treatment. Upon successful completion of the treatment the child can be readmitted to the campus without prejudice. In instances where the treatment is ineffective the student should be permanently removed from the campus to avoid problems arising in the future. Counseling is another option open to the police. Having identified the student’s problem, the rest of the student population can be counseled on how they can assist their colleague deal with his condition. By being more sympathetic and caring, the student fraternity at VPI may have saved Cho’s life. If he had developed a good support system and had understanding friends that did not makes fun of him he may have become happier and more social. Thus as an intervention method, it is important for the staff and students to appreciate the disabilities of their colleagues and work towards making their lives more bearable rather than difficult. Postmortem Had the VPI police identified Cho as a potential threat they should have placed him under close supervision. They may have insisted that he attends therapy for his condition as a prerequisite for continued attendance at the polytechnic. Cho should have been housed in special quarters where he could receive the necessary care and medication for his condition (Prochaska, 2007). If the situation was extreme then he should have been discontinued until a marked improvement in his condition was observed. Close circuit TV should have been installed in all the buildings so that the police could monitor the activities taking place everywhere. This would have made it more difficult for anybody to perpetrate a crime and get away unnoticed. As a deterrent, this measure would have assisted greatly. Metal detectors ands physical searches should have been conducted on anybody leaving or entering a building. All exits and entrances should be monitored and the fewer the better. Police manning the checkpoints should be armed and trained to deal effectively with any threat to themselves or the campus population. As a preventive measure the police should conduct training drills for polytechnic to prepare them for any eventuality. By simulating shooting sprees, grenade attacks and bomb explosions, they can prepare the students and staff about the best action to take when faced with such a crisis. In addition the police should partner with the administration and students to foster close relationships so that concerns like those of Cho’s roommates are reported to the police for necessary action. This will entail the police educating the students for what signs to look for in their colleagues and how to handle them if caught up in a precarious situation. Once Cho began shooting the police should have created a distraction so that his attention was diverted. Such interventions can include the negotiations that take place in hostage situations. VPI police will need a trained negotiator who can talk people out of doing things they had planned to do. If the police knew Cho’s medical history a negotiator would have got to the scene quickly and began to convince him that the carnage was not right and that better alternatives could be found for his concerns. To deal with such case of student violence, more stringent security measures must be put in place (Vossekuil et al. 2002). CCTV should be installed in all buildings and be security centre be manned 24/7. Strict rules on being inn possession of a weapon concealed or otherwise should lead to automatic expulsion of the offender. The administration should share student information with the police so that they can establish profiles for all the students based on criminal, medical or personal information. The profile database will enable the police to narrow down the potential trouble makers and monitor them closely for any disturbing developments. The federal and state government’s should pass laws that make disclosure requirements more explicit and background checks more thorough before a gun can be sold to an individual. A waiting period of not less than one week should be imposed before a license can be issued to own a gun. This will allow for ample time for cross checking of an individual’s background before issuing a gun to him. Restrictions on the sale of guns should extend to students currently enrolled in learning institutions and heavy penalties imposed on gun dealers who break the law. Teaching staff should also be trained on criminal behavior theory so they can identify students who fit the profile of a criminal (Turvey, 1999). This will help the police in their work as the teaching staff are closer to the students and interact with them more often. Further, nationwide campaigns should be held discouraging the use of violence and therapists employed by all institutions to deal with individuals that need counseling. The institutions should be mandated to commit a student to therapy where a professional view demands so. In the event that the student refuses to comply, automatic expulsion should be enforced.

Conventional Elements of Literature Essay

Literature has elements by which we can analyze the piece (book, poem, play, etc. ) written. These elements are; plot, character, setting, theme, structure, point of view, conflict, diction, foreshadowing and symbolism (Scholes, 1991) Three of them will be explained here further. The plot of the literature is the way the story goes, the line of the story, the way it starts, develops and ends. Basically, the plot tells us what happens in the story. The plot can consist of an exposition (setting and characters), conflict (complications that might arise), climax (moment of crisis or the most important part of a story) and a denouement (the resolution, the unraveling). Analyzing the plot and plot changes tell us the whole story and explain the story. Characters make the story; they are the personalities of the story. Characters can be conventional (e. g. human beings, living on earth), science fictional beings (e. g. aliens) or fantastic extra-ordinary beings (e. g. super hero’s or trolls). All these characters can either be fictional (made up) or real. The characters can also be human, supernatural, mythical, animal or divine. Then there is also the ‘depth’ of the character to be considered; characters can be round (developed and complex), flat (no complexity) or stereotypical. They can also be dynamic (changes) or static (they don’t change). Analysis of literature from the characters is an in depth analysis of the whole piece, the characters are one of the most important elements in all literature. Diction, the use of language, is another important element in literature. The dialogues reflect the characters, convey inner thoughts and give meaning to actions. Analysis of the language and the dialogues can give the reader a great insight in the characters and the meaning of the literary piece. A piece of literature can not be analyzed with the use of just one element. To understand literature, you have to analyze at least the plot and the characters to be able to give any meaning to a piece. But soon, there will be other questions as ‘theme’, ‘points of view’ and ‘symbolism’. All these combined will give you an analysis of literature. The main question any analyst has to ask the piece is ‘why’. This will help the analysis and give insight in all the elements. References Scholes, R. (Ed. ), Klaus, C. H. (Ed. ), Comley, N. R. (Ed. ) & Silverman, M. (Ed. ). (1991). Elements of Literature: Essay, Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Film. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.

Alexei’s love for Polina Essay

Symposium is one of those rare works, in which the debate on what Love is becomes the central subject. Symposium is the written version of the discussion between the principal philosophers of Plato’s time, as for what Love is. According to the Greek mythology, and as Plato puts it, there were supposed to be the two different types of Love – common Love and Noble Love. What is the difference then? ‘What then is Love? ‘ I asked; ‘Is he mortal? ‘ ‘No’. ‘What then? ‘ [†¦] ‘He is a great spirit (daimon) and like all spirits he is intermediate between the divine and the mortal’. ‘And what is his power? ‘ ‘He interprets between gods and men, conveying and taking across to the gods and prayers and sacrifices to men; [†¦] for God mingles not with man; but through Love, all the intercourse and converse of God with man, whether awake or asleep, is carried on’. (Plato, Symposium) Thus, this is the citation in relation to the so-called heavenly love. This love, according to Plato is an honorable feeling and has honorable implications; this love is absolutely derived of any sexual attitudes. However, the philosophers accept the idea that there is another kind of love – earthly (common) love, which is the Love between a man and a woman, and thus includes the signs of sexual attraction, lust, etc. Pausanias in Symposium is the supporter of the idea that common love, despite its earthy character, is still to be driven by virtues; otherwise it is ugly common love. On the other hand, it is also possible to assume that the more virtue the Love has, the more heavenly it becomes. However, there is another interesting thought which we meet reading Symposium: ‘†¦love, Socrates, is not, as you imagine, the love of beautiful only. [†¦] love of generation and birth is in beauty†¦ to the mortal creature generation is a sort of eternity and immortality†¦ and if as has been already admitted, love is of the everlasting possession of good, all men necessarily desire immortality together with good: Wherefore love is of immortality’. (Plato, Symposium) What is meant here is that sexual desire and physical love is part of common love, when it is sincere, for the wish to leave the descendants and make them continue your business and teach them life is what love is meant to do. Thus, lust and sexual desire is not denied in this work; on the opposite, it is accepted as a part of common love, but when it is sincere and is driven by virtues; otherwise, love is deception and ugly. Plato appears to be wise enough to put the talk about Love in the form of debate, coming to the conclusion, that Love can be both common (earthly) and noble (of virtue). In addition, Plato writes that no matter whether Love is Noble or Common, it should be defined by virtues, as love without virtue, or based on deception, is ugly. Plato was one of the first authors to speak about the love between rich and poor, thus including the social aspect into romantic feeling. Alexey’s feeling for Polina in â€Å"The Gambler† by Dostoevsky is rather interesting and worth-analyzing. The girl has higher position in the society than his and he has no hope to win her heart without money. He wins the game, got money and brought it to her. After Polina spends a night with him Alexei forgets about her. What does it mean? Does it mean that he had only a passion for Polina? No, if I was so, he would never have left her after one night. Here the passion to the game appeared to be stronger for the young man. So it was not only a passion, the common Love, that Plato calls it. So what was it? After Alexey’s leaving Polina it seems that he just wanted to win the heart of the rich girl for one night and this was not Love with virtue. However, when Polina found him, young man seemed to wake up, understand everything and wants to recover with love for her. Here we see that Alexey’s love for is really Noble Love full of virtue as he believed that he would be able to change his life and his soul for better being together with his beloved.

Separation of church and state Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Separation of church and state - Essay Example In this writing, the second meaning of separation will be used and its importance will be discussed. Different stakeholders have hotly debated over whether the state and church should operate separately or they should operate hand in hand. According to Corbett, 62% of those surveyed during a research conducted in 1995 responded that the church and state should be separated and operate separately (Corbett 223). This means that if 62% are in favor of separation, then the remaining population was either against it or had a neutral view. Those who argue against separation state that religion can provide proper guideline to state and God’s word should be followed. There is a need to separate church and the state; the church should not be involved in guiding the legal principles of the state because it: is unconstitutional, unethical, leads to inequality, leads to irrational decision making and will destabilize United States. Body Church and state should operate separately and the c hurch should not be allowed to influence the legal operations of the state because it is unconstitutional according to the constitution of United States of America. The constitution of the US is a worded document that helps in making legal rules and regulations for the nation. The constitution of the United States comprises of a total of 10 amendments and these amendments are regards as the Bill of Rights and the very first amendments of the constitution states that the congress of the government of United States should not create laws in order to assist any particular religion (Rotunda 309). This means that if congress makes rules and regulations that favor a religious group, then they are indulging in an unconstitutional act. If congress is influenced by Christians and those who belong to churches, there is a higher probability that they will make rules and regulations that will favor only the Christians and such an act by the congress will result in an unconstitutional act. Anoth er reason due to which church and state should be separated is that it is unethical for the church to influence the state and state’s decision making. According o the utilitarian method of ethical decision making, decisions as well as actions should be scrutinized on the basis of benefits and costs they offer to the society and those decisions or behaviors should be regarded as ethical that result in highest amount of benefits and lowest amount of costs for the society as compared to any other decision or act that may be conducted under a particular situation (Pollock 29). If church influences the state and rules and regulations of a nation, it is more likely that a very small portion of the society will benefit and that will comprise of only those who are the followers of Christianity, while people following other religions will end up suffering losses and costs. According to the statistics provided by CIA World Fact Book, there are several different religious groups residin g in United States. Out of these religious groups, the majority is formed by Christians and among the Christians, 51% of people follow the Protestant churches and outnumber people who belong to other churches of Christianity and people who follow other religions (CIA World Fact Book 1). This means that if churches are allowed to make decisions or influence the decision making process in the government, it is more likel

Fundamentals of Reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Fundamentals of Reporting - Essay Example Currently, Regent College teaches degree level courses on a variety of subjects. It has in its roll, a wide range of aspiring learners, many of whom represent the international student community, coming from diverse racial, ethnical and cultural backgrounds. However, their current enrolment falls short of 70 for each course. Clarifying the issue, the source further adds that once this enrolment level crosses the benchmark of 70, the college will be designated as a university. Ms Judith also boasts of specific plans of Regent College to further expand their academic focus on areas such as fashion design and law. The college authorities believe that these are core areas where a dearth is currently being felt for institutions offering quality higher education. This contention appears valid in terms of the recent surge in the demand of seats for these courses, as latest media reports indicate. The leading institutions in the locality, affiliated to Regent College, include European Busine ss School and Regent Business School, London, which core focus is on the area of business studies. Regent American College, London, Webster Graduate School London, School of Psychotherapy & Counseling Psychology, London School of Film, Media and Performance and the Inter-Nexus Language School are the other prestigious colleges in this area, being run under the Regent management. However, the community sustains a setback as there are no major colleges that offer any significant education in the fields of fashion designing and law. Recent trends identify these two branches of academics as potential areas for securing employment opportunities, both in England as well as in the other parts of the world. Besides, it also enhances the potential of attracting overseas students to this institution due to its popularity as a prestigious college with a renowned faculty. Ms Judith further mentions that the college envisages more developmental schemes in the near future. One of the priority ite ms in their agenda relates to the expansion of building and other infrastructure including high end technology, vast library facilities and provisions for better playgrounds, stadiums etc. Though this college is now one of the most respected private colleges in the UK, the management believes that they need to upgrade their facilities so as to provide their students with a state of the art learning environment. Regent currently comprises seven top notch schools plus a world class conference centre within their London campus, which offer their students the best avenues for potentials for personal and professional development. Therefore, the management’s aspiration for further improvement in these facilities is laudable. There is no doubt that elevating this group of institutions to the higher status of a university will go a long way in benefiting the students as well as the community in general. In this modern era, London needs more dignified institutions within its precincts to promote world class educational environment in this area. Besides, the quality education that Regent’s is capable of providing will attract not only students from overseas countries but also eminent academicians from all over the globe. Thus, when Regent becomes a university, it will comprise a diverse group of students as well

Managerial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Managerial Economics - Essay Example In general, the Coarse theory is a legal and economic theory which affirms that, where complete competitive markets with no transaction costs are, an efficient set of outputs and inputs from and to the production-optimal distribution will be selected. This is without paying regard to how property rights are being divided. The parties involved can negotiate or bargain terms beneficial to them than an outcome of a property rights assigned to them (Mankiw, 2007). This is to say that they are not completely obliged by the property rights to trade for as long as they are able to trade and produce an outcome that is mutually advantageous to all of them. For this to exclusively occur, then the cost of bargaining or any cost associated with it such as cost of meetings must be extremely costless as any cost at all will influence the outcome of the bargain. However, no exact definition of the Coarse theorem has been established (Sloman & Sutcliffe, 2003).Theory of the FirmEconomically, a firm is referred to as a legally organized and recognized organization that is designed with the main purpose of providing goods and services to the consumers. Coarse in establishing his theory, used applications based on the activities of the firm and related the same to the planning capability of a firm’s management. This might be metaphorically perceived as the firm being an island of planning in a sea of markets. When firms make decisions regarding production of the goods or services they produce., they do so guided by certain principles and which are as described by this theory proposed by Ronald Coarse (Rasmusen, 2007). This theory of the firm consists of several economic theories that seek to describe, explain and predict the nature of a firm. It seeks to answer questions about the existence of the firm, its behaviors and structures, their organization, the boundaries of firms and the heterogeneity of the performance of the firms. In reality, most firms are known to exist as alternative systems to the market-price mechanism if it can produce efficiently in a non-market environment. Consider an example of the labor market: it can be very costly for firms to produce efficiently if they have to hire and fire their employees based on the demand and supply conditions. Similarly, a shift by employees from one company to another everyday may be seen as costly or when companies shift each day in search of new suppliers (Williamson et al, 1991). This is because any action involves costs in it hence, the essence of firms’ transactions costs. The safest modality for the firm in such scenarios is to engage in long term contracts with either their workers or suppliers so as to be able to minimize on costs and at the same time maximize on the property rights.

Environmental Legislation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Environmental Legislation - Essay Example To critically examine this concept in order to reach an acceptable conclusion of the essay. However, there is need to know exactly what the Subsidiarity concept means not only in a European union perspective but a global perspective as well. Subsidiarity as a principle states that matters need to be handled or addressed by the smallest or lowest(in case of an hierarchical order) competent authority on any given field(Bernie, P. & Boyle, A., 2002). By applying the Subsidiarity principle, we mean that any central authority or government needs to have subsidiary functions performed by officials who are closest to the root problem. This rule however does not overlook the role of a superior authority as long as the superior authority can perform the task more effectively and efficiently at the local level. Subsidiarity is the guiding principle for defining the boundary between Member State and EU responsibilities. If the area concerned is under the exclusive competence of the Community or the Member States, the question does not arise. If instead the competence is shared between the Community and the Member States, the Subsidiarity principle clearly establishes a presumption in favour of devolution. In other words, only if the lower decision-making level (local, regional, national) cannot act sufficiently and effectively, can the Union take action With this respect, the European constitution presently being ratified will provide for the enhancement of the Subsidiarity principle. This will be particularly be done by a means of an outright obligation by the established institutions of the union to directly inform the national governments of all member states, at each and every stage of the legislative process. This will be aimed at restoring the faith within the union as well as being a means of bringing member states closer to the drawing board. On top of this the there will be the establishment of an early warning system. This system will assist in commanding respect for the Subsidiarity principle since it will enable parliaments of all member states to request the commission to review any piece of legislative proposals if the member state feels that it violates the Subsidiarity principle. CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF EU SUBSIDIARITY CONCEPT: The major objective of the European environmental policy is to protect, improve and preserve environmental quality. In addition to this it is also geared towards the protection of human life, with these tasks at stake it also has to ensure that natural resources are utilized sustain ably. It also seeks to enhance international measures to combat environmental problems both regionally and internationally (article 174 of the European commission treaty). For example, a legislation may be passed designed to set allowable levels of emissions or pollution whether water or air pollution (bell, 2006). Other environmental laws and legislations are designed for a preventive role. These types of laws seek to assess and analyse the possible impacts of human activities and devise means to avoid such activities ever-taking place on legal grounds. Environmental law emerged as a distinct system in the 1960s in some of the major industrial nations like the U K, France

Project 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project 4 - Essay Example However, the issue is that advancements are no longer taking its course. We experience change in lifestyles but the entire people do is to be loyal to certain products and companies. As per the video, competition is currently the mode of every entrepreneur of which the adoption and application of technology influence their market penetration. This indicates that without technological change and adaptation to modern practices business may not gain more. Nonetheless, we may see some other aspects influencing the business environment. These aspects include culture and intense use of social media for advertisement and entertainment that can be used to build successful enterprises. Therefore, as per the video we need to embrace technological innovations and creativity for the future is going to be different. Competition also ensures continuity as each company tries to outwit the other in the market. These in turn is advantageous to clients as they will get quality and connect to the world easily through the Internet (Whittaker & Mike 187). The video is based on a number of technological advancements. With a number of current technological innovations, the video keeps us updated on the extent of our vulnerability brought in by such technological advancements. Although we may benefit from all these advances there are serious risks accompanying them. For instance, a simple car has a lot of connections and computer operated systems that work together to boost its efficiency but when one system fails all there is a fatal accident. Thus, Internet attackers are also everywhere are connected or related in one way of the other. Some attackers work very fast to get information and use them within the shortest time possible to lower their rate of being noticed or detected (Whittaker & Mike 211). In our modern days, we all use mobile phones, but the danger is that

Describe the U.S. Foreign Policy and how it affects the citizens Essay

Describe the U.S. Foreign Policy and how it affects the citizens - Essay Example ternational education; and protection of American citizens abroad and  expatriation†. The U.S. doesn’t really have a unified foreign policy goal anymore. The most recent unified foreign policy was the Cold War Strategy of containment of the USSR and of Communism, which pervaded its relation with almost virtually every country. Since then, however, there are different policies that are for different countries. Policies may be divided by continents, United Nations, Foreign Aid, Defense, and Allies and Enemies. The U.S. has a strong foreign policy with The United Kingdom. Its foreign policy affirms this bilateral relationship with U.K. as its most important in the world, which is evidenced in the levels of cooperation in military planning, execution of military operations, nuclear weapons technology, and intelligence sharing with each other. These two countries also share the world’s largest foreign investment partnership, with the U.S. investing in the U.K. reachi ng $255 billion and U.K.’s investment in the U.S. reaching $283 billion. Another alliance is NATO, or North American Treaty Organization, which is a national alliance that consists of twenty-eight countries. Under the NATO policy, the U.S. is compelled to defend any NATO state that is attacked by a foreign power (Cox & Stokes, 2008). There are also foreign policies on different issues, such as terrorism, worldwide health and disease, immigration, foreign aid and others. The foreign policy of worldwide health and disease targets globalized diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, etc. Different organizations have been formed to combat these diseases such as PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), where the U.S. government spends fifteen billion dollars over a span of five years to combat HIV/AIDS. Foreign aid is also another foreign policy. This policy compels the U.S. to spend about 0.18% of its Gross Domestic Product on Official Development Assistance. Un der this, there is also the Millennium Challenge Account, which is a government organization to which developing countries can apply for U.S. foreign aid (Cox & Stokes, 2008). The average American doesn’t know very much about the U.S.’s foreign policies. Most of the public are uninformed, or misinformed. Despite this, it is still a fact that the U.S. foreign policy does affect almost every aspect of the daily lives of Americans. Take for example the price of gasoline. The U.S. gets its oil from other countries such as Libya, Egypt, and other Middle-Eastern countries. In April 2011, fears about the unrest in Libya and Egypt sent oil prices to $113 a barrel. Another example is the life and death of the nation’s soldiers. NATO is compelled to defend any of its states that are attacked by a foreign power, meaning that there will be drafting of soldiers to go to war, which usually results in deaths and loss of resources (Irish & Frank, 2000). Most American citizens b uild lives

Youngs Modulus of Nylon Essay Example for Free

Youngs Modulus of Nylon Essay Introduction This investigation aims to find the value of Youngs Modulus for a specific material, in this case nylon fishing line. Youngs Modulus (E) is a measure of a materials stiffness, determined by the formula: The standard unit of measure for Youngs Modulus is the pascal (Pa). 1 pascal is the same measure as 1 Nm-2 (Nm being Newton Metre). A material always retains the same Youngs Modulus value regardless of how much it is stretched or strained, and this should be revealed in this investigation by gathering a definite value of the modulus for nylon. Hypothesis Through research that I conducted before starting the investigation, I have determined that the correct Youngs Modulus value of Nylon lies in the range 1-7GPa (the large range being due to different make-ups of Nylon with it being a compound). I should therefore be looking at achieving a final result within or very close to this range. Since stress is proportionate to strain in the Youngs Modulus formula, and the modulus value remains the same, I would expect the value of stress and strain to proportionally increase with each other. Experiment Plan In order to carry out this investigation into the value of Youngs Modulus of nylon, I will conduct an experiment to gather the values of stress and strain when increasing force is added to the material, and will take readings as weight increases until the breaking point of the nylon is reached. In order to calculate stress and strain, I will need to record each of the following variables throughout the experiment: Force applied to the material [F] (Newtons/N) Area of a cross-section of the material [A] (Metres-squared/m2) Original length of the material [Lo] (Metres/m) Amount of extension when the force is applied [L] (Metres/m) These variables will then allow the values of stress and strain to be calculated using the following formulas: This leads to a final Youngs Modulus calculation formula of: The set-up I will be using to carry out this experiment consists of the nylon fishing line suspended from a stand using a clamp, and another clamp to ensure there is no movement in the stand itself. I will create a suitable loop at the bottom of the hanging material so that weights can be added but will need to ensure this loop does not weaken any area of the material and cause a drop in the breaking point value, as this would compromise the reliability of my experiment and result in premature breakage of the length of nylon. At each stage of the experiment I will take readings of length using a standard 1m ruler, and will measure the area of a cross section by gathering the diameter value using a micrometer, halving this value to gather radius and then use the formula Before any weights are added, I will need to take a control measurement of the length and area of the nylon before any stress or strain is applied. Once this is done I will proceed to apply weight in intervals of 100g (0.981 N) and record the values of each variable stated at bottom of the previous page after each 100g weight is added, with the exception of original length which is a constant value and only needs to be recorded at the beginning of the experiment. I will continue to add weights until the material reaches its elastic limit and snaps, at which point I will record the force applied to break the object. In order to achieve an adequate number of results from each experiment to make a fair analysis and conclusion to the investigation, I will need to take a minimum of eight readings (i.e the nylon should withstand at least 800g/7.849N). If this fails in the actual experiment then I will need to re-evaluate my plan and decide on a new method of conducting the experiment to me et this criteria. To increase reliability, accuracy and to eliminate possible anomalous results, I will aim to repeat the entire experiment three times to gather average readings. If all three of these experiments were to be perfect then the final Youngs Modulus value would be the same in each, so this will be a good test of how much my investigation has suffered from error when I examine the range in the three values. N.B In my actual practical experiments, I have decided to measure Engineering Stress, as opposed to True Stress. As Engineering Stress does not take into account cross-sectional area changes, this will prevent me from damaging the nylon with repeated micrometer readings, and hence my values for area will always remain the same. Technical List of Apparatus * Nylon Fishing Line * Manual Micrometer (accurate to 0.01mm with a range of 25mm) * Standard Wooden 1m Ruler (accurate to 1mm) * Clamp stand with clamp * Set of Weights with hanging hook (in 100g/0.981N intervals) * G-Clamp Variables In this investigation the variable I intend to be changed is the amount of extension of the piece of nylon, required to calculate the value for strain. Other unintentional variables will also be present in the experiment, notably the cross-sectional area of the nylon wire, which will decrease as more strain is applied and the material stretched. By calculating engineering stress, the effect of this variable can be negated. Safety Whilst the practical side of this investigation does not include any particularly dangerous apparatus or methods, there are still some safety considerations to be taken. Eye protection will have to be worn whilst the nylon has stress and strain applied to it, as the material will be taken to breaking point, which could result in the material whipping back very quickly at this point, posing an eye damage hazard. It is also worth noting that at this point a substantial amount of weight will be dropping so arms and feet should be kept back from below the experiment and all persons in the vicinity should be on their feet to allow them to move back quickly if required. Error Reduction The practical side of this investigation is prone to errors through a number of factors. In order to attempt to reduce the number of errors that will affect the results of the investigation during the implementation of the practical, the following steps will be taken, in addition to the experiment being repeated three times as already mentioned above: * Micrometer should be checked before each use to make sure it lies on the zero value when fully closed. * Double-check all readings to be taken from the micrometer and ruler, and double-check the calculations for area on calculator. * Nylon should not be interfered with once set-up on the clamp, in order to reduce added stress or weakening through factors not related to the intentional weights being added.

Top down and control style management

Top down and control style management In the present economic world management Style can be defined as the style adapted to control or lead a business efficiently for the attainment of objectives set by the business. So the effective management style helps in maintaining the motivation of the employees and as a result enhances productivity. It is very important to look at the prominent management styles and how they function in the real world before we draw in to change process. A top-down/command and control style management can be defined as a style where the leader or small number of people takes all the decisions on their own and employees are told what to do and are closely controlled. The top management does not consult his subordinates or takes their opinion in consideration for decision making and dominates and controls the entire task. The person or persons who possess these personal qualities would be task oriented. In other way this can be described as a centralised way of governance. When the changes needed to be taken place involve high risks and the circumstances request quick and immediate decision making, this kind of management style proves to be the most effective. But it involves the use of power and fair amount of politics than the other management styles. As a result this causes demotivation as it implies the skills and ideas of others being ignored and it can also lead to the alienation of the staff. Typical characteristics of a centralised structure of decision making, or governance within an organisation would be an autocratic structure, because everyone is answerable to the leader or the top management. This brings advantages to the organisation in terms of focus and clarity of purpose; everyone is likely to know the companys goals and what is expected from them. Consistency is often a beneficial by-product, possibly because of lack of variety or maybe the attention to detail that becomes viable. The speed at which decisions can be made and passed down to the relevant persons is an obvious advantage. A high degree of flexibility is also associated with centralisation; the ability to change direction with the market is a valuable characteristic. However, it becomes clear that too much responsibility can be placed upon one person, usually the owner or manager. An autocratic nature usually has very little opinion, points of view or other valuable information passed up the hierarc hy; wholly undemocratic, emphasised by the lack of accountability and scrutiny. Centralised models of decision making tend to only work effectively in small organisations, most of the associated advantages are lost in large organisations, for example, it becomes much more difficult for employees to share one uniting aim or goal, speed of decision and information flow would undoubtedly be adversely affected in larger hierarchies etc, as would flexibility. Implementation of change in the organization will require the leader to weigh resistance to change at both the individual and organizational levels. Because change invariably threatens the status quo, it inherently implies political activity. The following chapter looks at different kinds of leadership qualities and how they managing the change process with in an organization. Leadership is cautiously defined as the process of influencing people and providing an environment for them to achieve team or organization objectives. (McShane, 2002). Effective leaders can help individuals or teams define their goals and identify ways to achieve them. Effective leaders also create conditions that enable others to realize their potential in the workplace. Leadership styles will influence the effectiveness of the change management process by recognizing and varying the style with the specific situation. The identification of when to give directions, times to empathize, times to use stretch goals, and times to involve subordinates in decision making will influence the effectiveness of the change management process under the guidance of specific leader. The Directive leadership style or task-oriented leadership is effective when clarification of performance goals, the means to reach the goals, and identification of the standards used to judge reaching the goals is need ed by the organization undergoing the change. The Supportive leadership style is effective when the need is for a leader that is understanding, approachable, friendly, and is able to guide the employees involved in organizational change through stressful situations while treating them with equal respect and showing concerns for their needs and well-being. The Participative leadership style is effective when employees undergoing change are motivated by involvement with the decisions beyond their normal work activities. The Achievement-oriented leadership style is effective when employees are motivated by encouragement to reach their peak performance and the leader shows a high degree of confidence in their ability to set and achieve change goals. Task structure, team dynamics, employee skill and experience, and locus of control are contingencies that will impact the effectiveness of the leaders impact on the change management process. (McShane, 2002). Over the following paragraphs I will be discussing two examples of participative change processes namely Appreciative Inquiry and Public Conversations Project and how they differ from the command-and-control styles of managing change. 1. Appreciative Inquiry In this process there will be ongoing discussion among the organization members at different levels and they will be actively participated on decision making. This type of process normally follows a problem solving method and involves identification of problem, analysis of causes, analysis of possible solutions and possible treatment. Appreciative inquiry takes off on this idea that how we think about, and talk about, our organizations influences how we work in them. Appreciative inquiry is based on the belief that if we conceive of organizations as problems to be solved, we end up in an endless cycle of problem definition and problem solution. This in turn saps energy for productive change since people end up feeling criticized or accused of having done something wrong. Appreciative inquiry removes organizational habits of distrust, animosity and blame, and replaces them with a willingness to learn, mutual respect, and cooperation. Appreciative inquiry sees organizations as miracles to be appreciated. If we see organizations in this way, we begin to understand what is working well and how this is coming about, and we can intentionally amplify those positive factors. This will create forward motion, positive energy and the possibility for lasting change. There are usually four steps of appreciative inquiry. a.  Appreciating what gives life (appreciating the best of what is) This phase is a quest to identify positive stories and spread them throughout the organization. The discovery phase shifts the attention from what isnt working to what is working and may possibly work in the future. In order to find out what is working, an appreciative interview is generally performed. This involves exploring a persons beginnings with an organization, what they value most about themselves, their work and the organization, and their hopes and dreams for the organizations future. b.  Imagining what might be (envisioning what might be) This phase is a time for groups of people to engage in thinking big, thinking outside the box, and thinking out of the boundaries of what has been in the past. It is a time for people to describe their wishes and dreams for their work, their working relationships, and their organization. This phase takes place in a large group meeting during which data and stories collected in the previous phase are shared. Wishes and dreams for the future of the organization are often acted out to dramatize the positive possibilities envisioned for the organization. c. Determining what will be (dialoguing what should be ) This phase provides an opportunity for large numbers of employees and stakeholders to come together to co-create their organization. This phase allow members to make important decisions on what steps or actions are required to make the dreams come true. d. Creating what will be (innovating what will be) This phase focuses on action planning at both the personal and organizational levels. During this phase, commitments are made to ensure that their dream will be realized. This takes huge commitment from individuals to comply with the action plans, small groups to work on collaboration efforts, and new teams that have been established for new projects. Since all these phases involve large number of employees and stakeholders, the likelihood that these action plans for changes will be accepted and implemented will be high. Appreciative inquiry engages the whole organization in discovering the best of what has been and dreaming about the best of what might be. Appreciative inquiry focuses on what is right and do more of it rather than the traditional approach that focus on what is wrong and do less of it. It focuses on what works and determining how to do more of what works. Positive learning and innovation comes from studying, adapting, and replicating what works. Also, appreciative inquiry is based on the past of all the employees and aims to involve all the employee and stakeholder for the future of the organization. This can only lead to positive attitudes about the organizations future and brings unity among all the members of the organization. Comparing to control command style of management this process takes much longer time to give the result and it is quite obvious as a successful participative change process. 2. Public Conversations Project This is another example of participative change process where the management can work with groups in conflict with in the organization. The main task is to facilitate and create dialogue sessions among the conflict groups or participants and allow addressing their own issues regarding the problematic relationship. Questions like, How did you get involved?, Whats the key issue?, Whats your grey area? Will be asked from both parties. The main objectives are to discuss the popular misconceptions of stereotypes, how to promote better relationships among people and the importance of diversity among people living/working together. The facilitators meet with participants prior to each dialogue, in a pre-meeting designed to exchange their hopes, concerns and experiences. A draft of ground rules being given to the participants intended to prepare them to deal with issues in a way that results in a dialogue rather than debate. Group discussions will be carried out with a facilitator guiding the whole process under his observation, to be start with a series of questions will put forward that each person must answer. The outcome of the dialogue generally will be participants sharing their reflections on the process and exploring implications and next steps. As a main feature of this participation change process members who participated are also asked to fill out evaluation forms and will be requested by the facilitator to participate in follow-up conversations. There will be minimal degree of control, power and command will be involved just to progress with the process. Every participant contributes them selves for the conversation and during the progress a pattern will be identified which will guide them to disclose the information more freely among the members. The facilitator must take action to make sure that every member of the group will be pace with the ongoing conversation so they will be heard. To facilitate change of the information or knowledge they can be asked to interrupt the pattern of conversation or conventions of the group and contribute them selves. Contributions are linked together to conversation will be continued as a joint action. Narrative therapy is another way of participative change process where it views problems as separate from people and assumes people have many values, skills, beliefs, competencies, commitments and abilities that will assist them to change their relationship with problems in their lives. This is a kind of a non-blaming, respectful approach to counselling and community work, which centres people as the experts in their own lives. The client plays an important roll to decide which direction they should take during the consultation, making it more similar to a person centred counselling session. Always maintaining a curiosity stance and willingness to ask questions to which we dont know the answers genuinely are the main features of this process.

Development Of Italian Neorealism Film Studies Essay

Development Of Italian Neorealism Film Studies Essay Italian neorealism developed as a particular form of cinematic expression during the period when Italy was ruled by the Fascists. Italian neorealism developed under onerous circumstances and became a form by which Italian filmmakers could express themselves in a new way. Essentially, the early neorealist filmmakers were doing what they could with the tools at hand and doing it under the watchful eyes of an antagonistic ruling class, From the tensions this arrangement produced, they created something distinctive, allowing them to develop ideas and to do so in a new cinematic style. At the time, Italy was ruled by fascists, who viewed art as valuable only to the degree it was useful. Yet, these films were not made in service of fascist ideas but as a counter to them. The forces that helped shape these films, the style that was produced by these tensions, and some important examples demonstrate the vitality achieved by Italian directors as World War II ended. One of the best-known of what would be called the neo-realist approach to film was Roberto Rossellinis Open City (1945), and many of the characteristics of the movement were evident in this film. These films had an anti-establishment, revolutionary attitude. They had an extemporaneous, documentary quality enhanced in the early era by the materials from which they were madewar-time film stock, cobbled-together equipment, non-professional actors, and location shooting. Open City is a good example of this early period in neorealism, while Vittorio De Sicas The Bicycle Thief (1948) is an expression of the fully developed tradition from the period after the expulsion of the fascists and after the end of World War II. These two films display a challenge to the establishment of the time and a social consciousness that delves into the reality rather than the image of the nation. For this reason, neorealism encountered hostility from the established forces because these films portrayed Italy in a realistic and critical way that was not the sort of image the establishment wanted for the country, particularly to be presented to the outside world. Bondanella sees the development of neorealism as a high point in the history of the film and one that would be highly influential to later works and movements. Bondanella cites critic Andre Bazin, who called neorealism a cinema of fact and reconstituted reportage' which offered a message of fundamental human solidarity fostered by the anti-fascist Resistance. Bazin says that these works often embodied a rejection of both traditional dramatic and cinematic conventions. The filmmakers most often employed on-location shooting rather than studio sets and used nonprofessional actors and documentary effects. Leprohon emphasizes that this cannot be considered a coherent movement in the sense that it created rules or even theories followed by the filmmakers. Rather, the filmmakers were merely trying to express themselves individually in a way that was in the air: Essentially, neo-realism was a product of political and social circumstances. And it is in this revolutionary aspect of neo-realism that I should like to discuss first of all. Before it existed in its own right, with definite aims and sectarian interests, neo-realismwhich was still namelesswas opposed to a state of affairs which increasingly stifled and oppressed the expression of trutha state of affairs that existed . . . long before the Fascist era.   Leprohon notes that the neorealistic style had as its underlying aim making the cinema an extension of the literary realism that had developed at the end of the 19th century. Leprohon looks back at this literary history and finds a precedent for the new form of cinematic expression: Neo-realism was thus a revival of the Risorgimento, the unfinished revolution which the young polemicists intended to complete, while at home and abroad the regime was giving increasingly clear signs of its imminent collapse. Neorealism was itself a revolution. Liehm sees many of the young filmmakers of the time as conscious revolutionaries seeking artistic truth in cinema because the literary scene was too disorganized and scattered to be an effective vehicle:   The struggle had to originate where the strongest weapon was, carried out by film artists whose work was centered in the major cities, mainly in Rome. After twenty-seven years of fascism, no other medium had the stamina to create a social context for a new artistic movement.   Visconti brought the setting of Italy to life, and setting would be an important component in neorealistic films. He made changes from the original Cain story that are significant in showing the intent of the filmmaker. Cains story is naturalistic, with characters encountering the accidental and failing in the face of arbitrary but not divine justice. For Visconti, this is not the way the universe operates; instead, he sees a tragic outcome deriving from the necessary logic of the situation into which the characters are thrown:   Turning Cains parable of arbitrariness into a demonstration of necessity required, however, more than a simple alteration of plot mechanics. It meant creating a new structured framework in which to define the actions of the characters, and consequently making the characters themselves different.   Though the Fascists had accepted the story, they did not accept the finished product, and the censor refused to pass it. The young filmmakers objected and approached Mussolini, who saw nothing objectionable and passed it. However, when the last Mussolini government took refuge in the North, its members took the film with them in a cut version and destroyed the negative. The prints in existence today are from a duplicate possessed by Visconti. Ironically, the film was long unavailable in the West for quite a different reasoncopyright problems because of Cains novel. This element of the social statement was an important component in the leading neo-realist films, and indeed this element was feared by the fascists, who did not want their society depicted in any but the best light. With the end of Italian fascist rule, a different set of critical rulers was put in place. Roberto Rossellinis Open City is a film about Rome during the period of the German occupation, and the conditions under which the film was shot mirror the situation in the film itself.   The film was also important for what it said to the world of film: It so completely reflected the moral and psychological atmosphere of this historical moment that it altered both the public and the critics to a new direction in Italian film. The conditions of its production (relatively little shooting in the studio, film stock bought on the black market and developed without the normal viewing of daily rushes, postsynchronization of sound to avoid laboratory expenses, limited financial backing) did much to create many of the myths concerning neorealism.   Rome at the time was a just-opened city, in that the Germans had just left, and the effects of the Nazi occupation were clearly still felt and contributed to the metaphoric meanings attached to the film. Much of the sense of the title is ironic, in that Rome was not yet an open city at all in the time frame of the film, though that was the condition wished by the people and newly experienced by the filmmakers, who had themselves prayed for that release from the enclosure of the Nazi occupation. The period of the occupation is evoked as a time of great difficulty and trouble, and the term open city then had a different meaning, in that the police wore armbands proclaiming Rome an open city, meaning it was not to be a military target based on the international rules of war. Although the police proclaimed the city open, it was actually a city tightly enclosed by martial law under the Germans. The penalty for nearly every infraction was death, giving the city the aura of an enclosed grave much of the time. Openness thus sometimes has a literal meaning, sometimes a metaphoric meaning, and sometimes an ironic meaning, in that the actuality belies any openness at all.   The contrary nature of the title is evident in the American release version of the film, which begins with an explanation of the problems facing the filmmakers when they made the film, including having to shoot without proper equipment, behind locked doors, and out of sight of the remaining Nazis until the Germans were finally gone from the city. Certainly, this description does not imply openness at all, but it does imply an attempt on the part of the filmmakers to create an openness through their art. In the opening scene, as the Italian partisan, Giorgio, flees his home when the Nazi soldiers arrive, Rossellini contrasts the interior and the exterior, the intrusion of the Germans and the escape of Giorgio, in a way that challenges different ideas about openness. Giorgio has been enclosed in his home, though viewers first see him emerging into the openness of the exterior. He peers down through a crack in the roof to see the Germans as if they were in a small box. In truth, they are standing before his door. The interior of the apartment seems dwarfed by their presence, and they are therefore all the more enclosed by the walls and doorways that seem too small to hold them as they search the apartment. Ironically, the man hunted, a man clearly not free, is out in the open air, while the hunters, who presumably are free, are enclosed within the confines of his apartment. Immediately after this sequence, the explanation of the term open city is given as the commander of the German occupation uses a map to explain that the open city is divided into 14 zones, making controlling the populace with a minimum of force easier. The map itself encloses the open city, and the way the Nazis live in the city also belies its openness as far as they are concerned. Major Bergmann is asked how he met Giorgio, and he says in the usual wayhe met him when he was across the desk from him in the same room, for Bergmann takes pride in being able to bring anyone to his office that he wishes and in himself never leaving that office. He indeed states that he takes a stroll through the city every afternoon without leaving his desk. He is enclosed in his warped task and keeps himself as widely separated from the city and the people as possible. The Nazis in general treat the city as something they pass through, not something of which they are a part. They clearly do not belong, just as they seem out of place in Giorgios apartment, squeezed by the walls as if the walls want them out. The office of Bergmann is no more hospitable, although it is much larger, and he and the Police Commissioner stand and talk together awkwardly, stiffly, with the map of Rome between them, the map divided up by the boundaries of the 14 zones. The Nazis have closed themselves off from the city they occupy, maintaining quarters distant from the people of Rome, avoiding contact, and indeed living separately because that is a mandate imposed on them by their leadership, fearful of fraternization and collaboration on any scale. Scene after scene creates an ironic contrast between the idea of Rome as an open city and the reality of different kinds of closure. The people mass in the streets before shops trying to buy food, yet those shops are closed, with nothing to sell. The streets are open, but the buildings are truly closed, with no provisions and little hope of a changed situation in the near future.   The film presents a certain tension, however, between the realism of its city streets and the underlying attitude taken by the director toward the material: The tone of the work is thus far more indebted to Rossellinis message of Christian humanism than it is to any programmatic attempt at cinematic realism. The good characters are set sharply apart from the corrupt ones by their belief in what Francesco calls an impending springtime in Italy and a better tomorrow: Marina is corrupted by Ingrid not because of political convictions but because she lacks faith in herself and is therefore incapable of loving others.   Cesare Zavattini, who co-wrote The Bicycle Thief with De Sica, is noted as the theoretical founder of Neo-Realism. As early as 1942 he called for a new kind of Italian film that would abolish contrived plots, take to the streets for its material, and do away with professional actors. According to Zavattini, plot was inauthentic because it imposed an artificial structure on everyday life. The unemployed family man in The Bicycle Thief and his son are the lead characters and both are non-actors who were coached by De Sica. Vittorio De Sica directed The Bicycle Thief in 1948, and, although this was after the war and after the expulsion of the Fascists, the film is infused with De Sicas bitterness that few things had changed in society:   While Rossellini was searching for subjective freedom of facts, De Sica tried to find their human face. He discovered it not in the exceptional sorrow of the war but in the misery of daily life where the war was just one aspect of the human lot.   De Sica had trouble interesting any producers in a story about so trifling a subject as the theft of a bicycle, and he had to raise the funding himself by traveling all over Europe.   Though the film is clearly critical of the social conditions of the time and challenged the authorities as a consequence, it is much more than a social document or tract. De Sica sees the problem in the psychology of the people as much as in the structure of their society. He shows bureaucrats, police officials, and church people who have no understanding of the main characters dilemma in having lost his bicycle, and he also shows that members of the mans own class are no more sympathetic towards him.   Bondanella states that De Sica sees a world in which economic solutions are ultimately ineffective in curing what is a meaningless, absurd, human predicament: De Sicas carefully contrived visual effects underline the hopelessness of Riccis struggle, not merely the economic or political aspects of Italian society which have supposedly produced his dilemma.   This is a double indictment of society, including as it does the people themselves as well as the establishment, and such a bleak view had to have an effect on the viewer. Certainly, this was not the picture of Italy that the authorities wanted to have presented to the world. In truth, De Sicas view was not that the authorities themselves were to blame:   Social reform may transform the immediate situation De Sica described in 1948. Economic development will indeed change a society in which a stolen bicycle may signify hunger and deprivation. But no amount of social engineering or even revolution, De Sica seems to imply, will alter the basic facts of lifesolitude, loneliness, and alienation of the individual within the amorphous and unsympathetic body of humanity.   Alfred Bazin was one critic who did not agree with De Sica on this point and who saw The Bicycle Thief as an indictment of the authorities. Bazin called the film the only valid Communist film of the whole past decade. Bazin also said the film represented a new form of pure cinema, a cinema with no actors, no sets, and no storyline in the traditional sense. Open City before had made use of real locations but had included actors and a more traditional storyline. The Bicycle Thief is thus the film that most represents what the world would come to see as the essence of neo-realism. It was also the beginning of a tradition that would be followed by others. The post-war government did not try to exercise the kind of control the fascists had wielded, and the establishment must have felt some ambivalence about a film that, on the one hand, criticized the establishment and all of Italian society in a stark and effective fashion and, on the other hand, brought acclaim and attention to the Italian film industry when it was praised and rewarded around the world. Italian neorealistic directors expressed their antipathy to either the structure of their society or the ways in which that society was controlled and directed in a variety of ways. Rossellini in Open City and De Sica in The Bicycle Thief each created a new form of cinematic expression, related in their underlying intentions and in certain stylistic elements that link them even as other stylistic and thematic elements make them very different from one another. All challenged the prevailing establishment, however, and involved images and themes that many in authority believed did not r eflect well on Italian society. These two films taken together contributed to the mythic view taken of the neorealist period. Open City was shot in a way that was new and different and that inspired a generation of filmmakers, including De Sica, who carried aspects of neorealism to a logical end.

I and Thou Essay -- Essays Papers

I and Thou What exactly is a soul mate? What does this mean, and how do we know if we have found the one we are supposed to live with for the rest of our lives? Is it an instant feeling that you have for another, or is it an instant response and action you have with another? Martin Buber spent much of his life determining questions such as this, yet in a more concise manner. Buber focused on the relationship of man with man and what it ought to be, or perhaps could be. "The relation can obtain even if the human being to whom I say You does not hear it in his experience. For You is more than It knows. No deception reaches this far: here is the cradle of actual life" ( Buber, 1970, p.59). This quote comes from Martin Buber's book I and Thou and is, in essence, connected to his Theory of Dialogue. In class we briefly went over Buber's definition of dialogue and his explanations of an I-Thou dialogue versus an I-It monologue. However, Buber's Theory of Dialogue is the foundation of his theory of hu man existence. intimacy. The I-Thou dialogue is the definition of intimacy. In this paper I will be addressing Buber's Theory of Dialogue and the applications his theory has on every human being's intimate relationships. I will apply Buber's theory to my personal situation and critique the theory's strengths and weaknesses. I will also explain how this theory relates to humanistic and scientific standards, and ultimately explain the significance of Buber's theory. First, it is necessary to receive some sort of comprehension on the different dimensions of Buber's theory. There are two main dimensions that Buber writes about. The preferable relationship, according to Buber, is the I-Thou relationship. Yet, in order to have the I-Thou rel... ... to be this way: that is what choice is for. All in all, I respect Buber's theories and hope to live up to them the best way that I can. I would like to end with a simple quote from Buber (1970) that, I feel, is inspirational considering the argued difficulties of his theories: Believe in the simple of magic of life, in service in the universe, and it will dawn on you what this waiting, peering, 'stretching of the neck' of the creature means. Every word must falsify; but look, thing beings live around you, and no matter which one you approach you always reach Being ... all actual life is encounter (p.67). References Buber, M. (1970). I and Thou. (W. Kaufmann, Trans.). New York: Charles Scribners's Sons. (original work never published in U.S.: written in 1937) Friedman, M. (1960). Martin Buber, The Life of Dialogue. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Capital Punishment is an Effective Deterrent :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Capital Punishment is an Effective Deterrent Throughout history, statistics have proven that Capital Punishment has been an effective deterrent of major crime. Capital Punishment is the lawful infliction of death among criminals and has been used to punish a wide variety of offenses for many years all over the world (Bedau 16). When the death penalty is enforced, it shows society that committing a capital crime has deadly consequences. In early times, many methods of Capital Punishment were used to deter a variety of crimes. For over a century, the uniform method for executing persons in America was hanging, although starvation was very common also. There were exceptions which included spies, traitors, and deserters who would face a firing squad. Then in 1888, New York directed the construction of an "electric chair" (Flanders 11). It was believed that the new harnessed power of electricity would prove to be a more scientific and humane means of execution. The first electrocution took place in New York in 1890. In the past, capital crimes were much different than they are now. Robbery and the selling of alcohol to underage customers was a serious capital crime (McCuen and Baumgart 21). Rape was also a crime where the criminal was sentenced to death. In America, only thirty-seven states authorize the death penalty. In most of those thirty-seven states, murder is the only capital crime. The Supreme Court requires that two conditions must be met in order for a specific murder to warrant the death penalty (Nardo 32). The first condition is that it must be first degree murder, which is the deliberate and premeditated taking of life. The second is that one or more aggravating circumstances must be present. Aggravating Circumstances refer to those aspects of a crime that increase its severity. An example of an aggravating circumstance would be torture in conjunction with a murder. ("Capital Punishment" 32). Every society has faced the problem of what to do with its most troublesome criminals. Many people in the past have argued whether or not Capital Punishment is justified and necessary. Most societies now believe that a criminal should receive punishment proportional to the crime committed. Most societies believe that such a severe punishment was necessary to install fear in others. While more social structures developed, the crimes developed into public and private offenses. Public offenses such as witchcraft and blasphemy, were punished by the state; while private offenses still were answered by acts of personal retribution. The enforcement of Capital Punishment in the early twentieth century declined drastically because of all of the controversy.

Cosmetology School

Every year thousands of people who have a passion for fashion, style and beauty and who enjoy making other people and themselves look amazing and feel appealing enroll in cosmetology schools. Cosmetology school is a place for creative, sociable, ambitious and constantly developing individuals. There are a lot of various directions in the program of a cosmetology school, so every person is free either to choose the subject he or she likes, or to take up several of them: nail technician, esthetician, hair styling, permanent make up specialist, massage therapist, etc.The sphere of cosmetology is multisided and very perspective and rewarding nowadays and there are a lot of reasons why attending a cosmetology school may be beneficial. The most important advantage of having a cosmetology school education is that you will hardly ever be unemployed (unless you will wish to). People would always like to look and feel beautiful, so you will always have enough opportunities to make them be and feel such.The only task you will always have to fulfill is to be always aware of the latest style and fashion trends and the newest techniques, and take any chance to cultivate your creativity and collect precious experience in your job. Another advantage of this career is that you are free to choose time and even place where you are eager to perform your skills.You may make weekends whatever days of week you want and you will never have to get up early in the morning(unless you have a yoga-class), because most of stylists prefer starting their working day in the afternoon, during the lunch break of their clients, or even in the evening, after normal business hours. And even if your working place is in the salon, it is likely that you can set the schedule convenient for you. People say: â€Å"If you want to succeed in business, the best way for you is to make your hobby your own business† – a cosmetologist career is the best example to reflect this view.Working with cl ients’ hair, nails or makeup may be extremely exciting. You meet many different people with different views as for style and fashion and all of them want you to bring their dreams to reality. During this process you practice not only as a cosmetologist, but also as psychologist. And the best reward is a grateful smile on the face of your client. It is also necessary to point out that if you are creative and skillful enough and enjoy trying new provocative styles, it is possible that you will be asked to style the hair and makeup of models and celebrities, or even well-known politicians.You will even have a possibility to work for big companies’ hair shows, such as Joico or Paul Mitchell, or for some prominent modeling agencies, theatres or magazines. You can make various astonishing acquaintances and may be you will be well-known among very important people. In a field of cosmetology your incomes depend on nothing else but type, amount and quality of your own work. The more clients you are eager to have a day the more money you may earn. By the way, if to work hard and make a number of personal clients, there is a possibility of expanding your career by becoming a salon manager or even by opening your own salon.I am hardworking and willful, confident of my abilities and skills, so I hope to open my own spa salon some day. I know that my skills and natural charm and sociability will help me to build a base of clients. Moreover I am planning to open my own blog or even a site, where I will give necessary advice on fashion, style, hair design and nail art and tell people about the newest style tendencies. Probably I will face a lot of competitors on my way, but I am not afraid of that. People like to have their own specialist whether in hair style, makeup or manicure, that’s why, they are searching for the â€Å"right† person, who would meet their needs.I am sociable and flexible enough to meet the needs of different kinds of people an d I am conscious that people will notice that. Attending a cosmetology school can let one build a fun, flexible and very rewarding career. This job allows flexible working hours, high incomes, guarantee of being employed, plenty of room for professional and personal growth, and acquaintance and experience of interaction with various people. It is necessary to keep up with changing style and fashion tendencies to succeed in this field.In order to keep the clients’ interest a stylist should always be in a process of self-improvement and self-education, as well as he should always find common language with clients. A cosmetology education provides a person with an opportunity of expanding his or her career by becoming a salon or spa manager or even an owner of such. Although it will take a lot of efforts to do this and there are a lot of competitors on the way, I am sure that some day my goal of owning a salon will be achieved. I believe that cosmetology school education will he lp me to take the first step to my dream and once I will be proud to call my job â€Å"my hobby†.

Dell Supply Chain Management

Research Publication Date: 12 November 2010 ID Number: G00208603 Case Study for Supply Chain Leaders: Dell's Transformative Journey Through Supply Chain Segmentation Matthew Davis Faced with ever-changing customer needs, product commoditization, unique global requirements and new, low-cost competitors, Dell embarked on a three-year journey to segment its supply chain response capabilities. The company designed its supply chains based on a mix of cost optimization, delivery speed and product choices that customers value, while aligning internally across all functions to execute against this vision. Key Findings Dell's market and business strategies changed, requiring the company to move from a single supply chain to a customer segmentation supply chain approach. A unified, cross-functional business strategy with collaborative, decision-making processes across sales, marketing, product design, finance and supply chain is essential for segmentation. Segmentation is enabled by a cost-to-serve (CTS) methodology to dynamically allocate costs to business decisions, highlight net profitability and drive the right actions for each supply chain. Supply chain segmentation is a multiyear journey enabled by the development and alignment of organizational skills to the needs of the journey's different phases. Recommendations Start with segmentation of your company's customers and channels to understand the different demand rhythms and cycles. Focus on decreasing the time required to sense or shape changes to end-customer demand. Begin the design of your supply chain portfolio by isolating and quantifying costs of an end-to-end supply chain that optimizes for operational efficiency. Repeat this analysis for supply chains that require different supply chain responses (for example, agility rather than efficiency). Use a clear set of goals to align cross-functional metrics and incentives to your portfolio in order to drive the right business decisions for each supply chain.  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. or its affiliates. This publication may not be reproduced or distributed in any form without Gartner's prior written permission. The information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Gartner disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information and shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in such information. This publication consists of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Although Gartner research may include a discussion of related legal issues, Gartner does not provide legal advice or services and its research should not be construed or used as such. Gartner is a public company, and its shareholders may include firms and funds that have financial interests in entities covered in Gartner research. Gartner's Board of Directors may include senior managers of these firms or funds. Gartner research is produced independently by its research organization without input or influence from these firms, funds or their managers. For further information on the independence and integrity of Gartner research, see â€Å"Guiding Principles on Independence and Objectivity† on its website, http://www. gartner. om/technology/about/ombudsman/omb_guide2. jsp Refine and govern your supply chain portfolio continually by establishing crossfunctional review processes between sales, marketing, product design, finance and supply chain. Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 2 of 11 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Dell revolutionized supply chain management with its direct model, configure-to-order (CTO) manufacturing, just-in-time inventory model and impressive cash-to-cash conversion cycle. The company has been a staple in the top five of the AMR Supply Chain Top 25 every year since it started in 2004. But demand for commoditized products, changes in customer channel preferences, emerging market growth, component cost declines, a more capable supply base and globalization have challenged the singular supply chain. In this case study, Gartner examines Dell's period of transformative change as it segmented customer requirements to create a portfolio of supply chain capabilities that provided multiple offerings focused on cost efficiency, speed to customers, choice of features and personalization and/or services. We follow the journey from the perspective of key leaders within Dell's supply chain transformation: Annette Clayton, VP of global operations and supply chain; Jennifer Loveland, disruptive strategy senior manager; Perry Noakes, director of global business excellence and lean; and Bruce Raven, global supply chain optimization senior manager. CASE STUDY Introduction Dell responded to changes in the market by determining how different segments of customers derive value from its products and services. The company's analytics showed customer demand had become quite complex. The B2B market demands predictability, speed, customization, services and precision delivery. Consumers want multiple channel options, the ability to personalize for niche products, low-price options and devices that deliver content. This complexity will only increase as content and virtualization begin to drive the market. To address these issues, Dell segmented its supply chain as part of a multiyear transformation (see Figure 1). Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 of 11 Figure 1. Dell Supply Chain Evolution Source: Dell (November 2010) Historically, Dell was organized by products and/or region. As part of globalization, the company aligned organizations to customer value consistently across regions. In 2008, it began to leverage its partner network of suppliers where capability, quality performance and cost had improved. Dell would retain its in-house network where strategic differentiation was valued by customers and provided a competitive advantage. This work was a precursor for and an enabler of supply chain segmentation. In this research, we review the â€Å"Customer Value — Segmented Supply Chain† portion of Dell's transformation. The Challenge Dell had three main challenges to solve in end-to-end segmentation: Long-term demand sensing to continually refine its portfolio — Dell's direct model provided extensive customer insights, with over two billion online customer visits per year. But the company also had to figure out how to predict where the market was headed, define a three-year outlook of customer needs and support multiple global customer groups. Supply chain design for a new environment — It had to address a changing business strategy, product commoditization and proliferation, emerging markets, global supply networks and multichannel sales and fulfillment. Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 4 of 11 Complexity reduction — Dell had to carve out an end-to-end, â€Å"low-cost† supply chain focused on efficiency, while maintaining its responsive heritage provided by its CTO capability. This required simplification of product designs, configuration management and planning processes. Approach The transformation moved through six different phases, resulting in a governance process focused on continued improvement and portfolio evolution: Identify Customer Values Dell used historical customer knowledge from contracts, survey results, business intelligence (BI) data and platform sales to begin its customer-centric view of value. To provide a robust, outsidein perspective, Dell invested in resources to complete detailed configuration profitability analysis, targeted surveys and external marketing insights from multiple industries. Understand Dell's Strengths As Mr. Raven stated, â€Å"We had to figure out what we needed to change and what we needed to retain based on what customers value. We were trying to identify what skills would be most important for long-term supply chain excellence. † The company identified the following core competencies: deep customer relationships, supply chain agility and a lean culture that continually improved and automated processes. Understand the External Environment An external perspective was provided through partnerships with Dr. David Simchi-Levi (then professor of engineering systems at Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Dr. John Gattorna (then a visiting professor at Cranfield School of Management), cross-industry leaders and various consulting firms. According to Ms. Clayton, â€Å"The perspective of looking outside in is extremely important. We learn from who we believe is doing things best from a variety of industries. † Dell's competitive analysis focused on price points by configuration, new market entrants, such as tablets and smartphones, emerging market requirements and supply chain services. Chart Clear Course and Benefit With a good understanding of customer requirements and the direction of the market, Dell began to design the new supply chain portfolio. It started by defining the supply chain extremes of agility and efficiency (see Figure 2). Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 5 of 11 Figure 2. Chart a Clear Course: Align Product Strategy to Customer Values Source: Dell and Dr. David Simchi-Levi (November 2010) This basic framework was the first step in creating a range of supply chain capabilities. The key was to define the right number of supply chains to fill the gap between most efficient and most agile. Dell went through an extensive exercise to complete this analysis. The company defined 18 potential options, and then simplified to six supply chains. The final result was a portfolio based on a mix of configurations predetermined by Dell and products configurable by customers, paired with â€Å"need it now,† planned and flexible delivery cycle times. Dell also aligned the warranty and services processes to its new portfolio for complete, end-to-end customer solutions. Engage the Entire Organization Segmentation of Dell's supply chain required extensive cross-functional collaboration: IT transformation had to occur in tandem with supply chain transformation, supply chain had to work with finance to enable a CTS methodology and process, and supply chain capability had to be fully integrated with product design throughout the development cycle. Plus, aligning the go-tomarket plans with sales and marketing was essential to driving the desired demand patterns. Continue to Govern and Refine Portfolio The result of Dell's customer channel and supply chain segmentation was the creation of an endto-end model in which multiple capabilities can be arranged in unique configurations to satisfy specific customer requirements (see Figure 3): Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 6 of 11 Figure 3. Engage the Entire Organization: Transformation Is End to End Source: Dell (November 2010) Dell used the â€Å"voice of the customer† value chain to identify the range of capabilities it would need in different functions. The different combinations of these capabilities is what creates the unique supply chain offerings. The company created a standard process to introduce new supply chain requirements. It has a dedicated center of excellence (COE) that intakes requirements from sales, marketing and operations, evaluates the customer benefit and business strategy, and then enables the right changes within product development and supply chain design. Critical to this effort is continuous improvement that utilizes lean methodologies to maintain a focus on what the customers value and conducts benchmarking to provide an outside-in perspective. Results Dell's transformation yielded both financial and qualitative gains: Stronger connection to customers — In Ms. Clayton's words, â€Å"We knew we had to leverage supplier capability and scale, but still control the things that are most important to the customer. We redeployed our resources focused on controlling imaging, delivery and parts of design. We enable best value solutions †¦ giving the customer the exact value they want. † Complexity reduction — Product options had become too complex. In response, Dell reduced configuration complexity in line with customer requirements. As Mr. Noakes stated, â€Å"Product offerings had exceeded customer requirements and were adding unnecessary cost and responsiveness waste in the supply chain. † Improved internal collaboration — Identifying and managing functional interdependencies have driven collaboration across product design, supply chain, marketing, sales and finance. Dell also simplified interactions by centralizing global operations, while aligning to customer verticals. Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 7 of 11 Cost reduction — â€Å"We have realized approximately $1. 5 billion of operational cost reductions between 2008 and 2010. This transformation was a critical factor in that reduction,† said Ms. Clayton. Key drivers in this improvement were leveraging supplier capability and scale, building out new capabilities for the customer, simplified design and reductions in complexity. Improved forecast accuracy — The reduction in complexity and better connection to demand resulted in a three-times increase in forecast accuracy at the product, platform and configuration levels. Critical Success Factors Dell identified four critical success factors: Start with customer value — Historically, customers were segmented by verticals (e. g. , consumer, corporate, government and small business) as well as regions and size. Dell had to look across an aggregated view of these existing groupings to identify shared values relating to product features and supply chain capabilities. A global view was critical to this process. As Mr. Noakes stated, â€Å"[Our] growth markets are not in traditional regions. We need to adjust our model to the new requirements. † A unified, end-to-end business strategy — The Dell team stated this effort was â€Å"truly a corporatewide transformation. † Key to this was the ability to clearly articulate the need for change, the vision and the role of different organizations. To support this communication, several leaders started an internal blog to keep people up to date. Executive sponsorship — The segmentation strategy and potential benefits were shared with the entire executive leadership team to drive cross-functional alignment. Vice Chairman Jeff Clarke was the sponsor of the effort throughout design and implementation. Ms. Clayton added, â€Å"We conduct a weekly, cross-functional executive production governance [meeting] where we spend two-thirds of our time on the future quarters and one-third of our time on how our current quarter plan is being executed. Our planning has become much more unified and strategic. † Dedicated COE — Dell identified 12 key work streams. Each has a VP sponsor, with small teams coordinating and program-managing the change. The company also integrated lean techniques to look across work streams, with four to five value streams to ensure the customer needs were being met by the proposed changes. Lessons Learned According to Mr. Noakes, â€Å"Dell's industry-leading supply chain history has given us the skills to be agile and flexible. It's this history that provides the framework and skills to reach the next levels of success and supply chain leadership. † Five lessons are critical for this evolution: Implementation of Supply Chain Segmentation Is a Journey Dell recognized that the scope of this change would require a multiyear plan and investment. The company set short-term goals to show traction against the overall plan. A key component of the strategy was to pilot capabilities manually, while designing the automated, scalable solution in parallel. This allowed quick wins to build momentum and mitigated risk during the transformation. Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 8 of 11 Different Skills Needed Throughout the Journey Dell had to adapt the following COE skills: Phase 1: vision/design — The skills required are an outside-in perspective focused on customers, knowledge of market and other industries, end-to-end supply chain design and business acumen. Phase 2: change management — The skills required are process design, lean/Six Sigma expertise, data analytics, systems optimization, process automation, program management, organizational influence and communication. Phase 3: orchestrating the ecosystem — Phase 3 denotes a continuously evolving organization focused on translating customer eeds to supply chain capabilities by coordinating and influencing internal and external partners. Cross-Functional Participation Very Necessary Communication across organizations can be difficult, so messages must be tailored to each group. As Ms. Loveland stated, â€Å"The broader the span of communications, the more simplified the message needs to be. † For example, Figure 3, which mapped the portfolio, was simplified when shared across functions (see Figure 4). Figure 4. Engage the Entire Organization: Target Messages by Organization Source: Dell (November 2010) To ensure long-term, cross-functional collaboration, Dell integrated supply chain design into existing product design processes and created a phase-gate review process to standardize future changes to the supply chain. â€Å"Phased releases drive step-function improvements, rather than constant adjustments,† said Ms. Clayton. Finally, metrics across all functions were aligned to the goals of the supply chain portfolio. Transparency of Data Essential Dynamic visibility to customer requirements, demand, cost, materials, forecasts, product road maps, revenue mix and multiple views to margin are required to drive the right decisions. Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 9 of 11 A Balanced Scorecard With Clear Accountability Required Ms. Clayton said, â€Å"We are now able to better balance customer metrics with operational metrics. We're aligned to customer value. For example, we can even provide better ‘green' solutions for customers by balancing logistics nodes with cycle times to take advantage of low-carbon transportation and packaging methodology. The key for Dell is that end-to-end segmentation is an ongoing, evolving journey. Optimization is never done, but rather continuously realigned to changing customer values. RECOMMENDED READING â€Å"Supply Chain Segmentation on the Increase, With High Tech Leading the Pack† â€Å"Supply Chain Strategy for High-Tech Manufacturers: The Handbook for Becoming Demand Driven† â€Å"Supply Chain Segmentation Helps Plexus Evolve From Contract Manufacturer to Pr oduct Realization Partner† â€Å"Top Supply Chain Planning Processes† â€Å"Key Issues for Cross-Industry Supply Chain Leaders, 2010† Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 10 of 11 REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS Corporate Headquarters 56 Top Gallant Road Stamford, CT 06902-7700 U. S. A. +1 203 964 0096 European Headquarters Tamesis The Glanty Egham Surrey, TW20 9AW UNITED KINGDOM +44 1784 431611 Asia/Pacific Headquarters Gartner Australasia Pty. Ltd. Level 9, 141 Walker Street North Sydney New South Wales 2060 AUSTRALIA +61 2 9459 4600 Japan Headquarters Gartner Japan Ltd. Aobadai Hills, 6F 7-7, Aobadai, 4-chome Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0042 JAPAN +81 3 3481 3670 Latin America Headquarters Gartner do Brazil Av. das Nacoes Unidas, 12551 9 ° andar—World Trade Center 04578-903—Sao Paulo SP BRAZIL +55 11 3443 1509 Publication Date: 12 November 2010/ID Number: G00208603  © 2010 Gartner, Inc. and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Page 11 of 11