The eNotes Blog Ashes to ashes, Bones to iPhones Qingming Festival in Modern Culture and ClassicalText

Ashes to ashes, Bones to iPhones Qingming Festival in Modern Culture and ClassicalText China celebrates one of its many public holidays today, though this one sounds of the more macabre sort. Qingming Festival, as it’s known in China and other parts of Southeast Asia, where it’s celebrated, also goes by the names â€Å"Tomb Sweeping Day† and â€Å"Bone Polishing Day.† Don’t worry; it doesn’t entail dusting off femurs or sipping green tea out of skulls. Instead, it’s marked by fireworks- let off to ward away evil spirits- and paper effigies. The burnt effigies symbolize the material goods that can be used in the afterlife. Paper cars, money, and food are all examples of offerings made to one’s ancestors. But there’s a new trend to keep up with at the bustling graveyard†¦ This year, thousands of Southeast Asians will honor their ancestors with gifts of paper iPhones and iPads. Whats even more uncanny is that stocks of these $2 versions, much like their real life counterparts, are selling out of stores, leaving some unlucky customers to peruse over the less desirable paper Blackberrys and Androids. Will the ancient Chinese ancestors appreciate the new iPads enhanced retina display, let alone be able to use it? Who knows. Maybe we should get cracking on that ancient Chinese translation of you know, for when the spirits arent too busy playing Fruit Ninja or Scramble with Friends in the afterlife. On a more literary note, the Qingming Festival is frequently mentioned in Southeast Asian literature. Below is a beautiful excerpt from the Vietnamese epic poem The Tale of Kieu, written at the beginning of the 19th century. It describes the setting of a pivotal moment in the tale, when the protagonist encounters the ghost of an old lady on the day of the festival. Swift swallows and spring days were shuttling by; Of ninety radiant ones three score had fled. Young grass spread all its green to heavens rim; Some blossoms marked pear branches with white dots. Now came the Feast of Light in the third month With graveyard rites and junkets on the green. As merry pilgrims flocked from near and far, The sisters and their brother went for a stroll. (Nguyá »â€¦n Du, 1820)

45 Idioms with Roll

45 Idioms with Roll 45 Idioms with Roll 45 Idioms with Roll By Mark Nichol Roll, ultimately derived from the Latin noun rota, meaning â€Å"wheel,† is the basis of numerous idioms about movement, many of which are listed and defined below. 1. a rolling stone gathers no moss: a proverb meaning that one who remains active will not become complacent or hidebound 2–4. get rolling or get/start the ball rolling: get started 5. heads will roll: said in reference to a reckoning, such as a mass firing at a business, alluding to decapitations such as those that occurred during executions by guillotine after the French Revolution 6. let it roll: an exhortation to make something move or allow it to move 7. let the good times roll: an expression perhaps originating with (and directly translated from) the Cajun French saying â€Å"Laissez les bons temps rouler,† associated with Mardi Gras 8–9. let’s rock and roll/roll: slang exhorting others to join in starting an endeavor 10. on a roll: a reference to being on a lucky streak 11. ready to roll: prepared 12. roll along: a reference to smooth operation 13. roll around: slang for â€Å"arrive or occur again,† as in the case of an anniversary 14–15. roll back/rollback: return to a previous state; an act of returning to a previous state 16–17. roll back the clock/years: a reference to going back in time 18. roll by: move past, as in a reference to the passage of years 19. roll call: reading of a roster of names to determine who is present in a group 20. roll (one’s) eyes: a reference to the expression one makes to signal annoyance, derision, or disbelief 21. roll in: appear or arrive, especially in large amounts or numbers 22. roll in the hay: a euphemism for sex, from the notion of a pile of hay in a barn being used in lieu of a bed 23. roll off the tongue: a reference to how easily or awkwardly a word, phrase, or expression can be spoken depending on the juxtaposition of consonants and vowels 24–25. roll out/rollout: introduce something, such as a product; an act of introducing something 26. roll out the red carpet: a reference to providing an elegant experience, from the association with red carpets set out at the entrance to an exclusive event 27. roll out the welcome mat: show friendliness and hospitality 28–29. roll over/rollover: reinvest; a reinvestment 30. roll over and play dead: idiom related to surrendering or to feigning death 31. roll over in (one’s) grave: a reference to how a revered deceased person would be agitated if he or she were to become reanimated and be aware of how something associated with that person has supposedly become degraded (spin is sometimes used as an intensifier of â€Å"roll over†) 32. roll the bones/dice: a reference specifically to casting dice in the gambling game of craps or in general to taking one’s chances 33. roll up (one’s) sleeves: a reference to preparing to work hard, from the notion of protecting shirtsleeves from materials that may damage or soil them or of ensuring that they do not get caught in machinery 34. roll up in: slang referring to someone approaching in a distinctive vehicle (one that is described subsequent to the phrase) and coming to a stop 35. roll up the sidewalks: a jocular reference to the lack of nightlife in small towns, with the notion that sidewalks are put away at a certain time each night because there is no longer any foot traffic 36. roll with it: said as advice to someone to accept, and perhaps take advantage of, a situation 37. roll with the punches: adjust to difficulties, from boxing slang for moving as a punch is delivered toward one to minimize the impact 38. rolled into one: a reference to something having multiple purposes or uses 39–41. rolling in dough/it/money: said of someone wealthy 42. rolling in the aisles: said in reference to something extremely amusing, from the notion that audience members at a performance are laughing to the extent that they fall out of their seats and tumble into the aisles 43–44. rolling on the floor/rolling on the floor laughing my ass off: a reference, usually abbreviated ROTFL/ROTFLMAO, to one being so amused that one falls to the floor and rolls around, laughing helplessly; the latter phrase is an intensifier 45. rolling stone: a restless or itinerant person Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†Adverbs and Hyphens

Management case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management case Study - Research Paper Example This paper will highlight some of these strategies and the possible outcome in its recommendation (Griffin) Zynga is a social gaming provider headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company develops social games that operate on mobile phone platform such as Apple iOS and android. In 2009 the company reached 10 million daily active users within six weeks (Abbey, 2009).The management of zynga need to put in place certain measure in order to double its customers and revenue. This case study will highlight the achievement of the company, and future planning to help the company compete favourably with others and stay afloat (Abbey, 2009). The company has a record of hitting 10million active daily users in the first six months, this is a great achievement but to maintain this number and even double them the management of the company need to put in place certain measures. This paper highlights some of the considerations that need to be put in place in order to achieve more. The company strength will rely mainly on formation of synergies with other companies where the synergy is the urge to form partnership relationship with other companies of similar goal and interest. There is positive and negative consequence of synergies and group cohesion needs to be considered. As a group become more cohesive, communication between members increases. In addition satisfaction increases as the group provides friendship and support against outside threat (Hitt & Jamie, 2007). There are negative aspects of group cohesion that affect the decision made by individual parties hence affecting group effectiveness. Issues may arise such as risk shift phenomenon, where there is a tendency of a group to make risky decision that an individual party would have handled. There may also be polarization, individual in a group can have moderate stance on an issue, and having discussed in a

An Assessment of the Current Economic Conditions of Africa Essay

An Assessment of the Current Economic Conditions of Africa - Essay Example However, the continent managed to present a 5% rise in economic activity. This was as a result of greater metal and oil prices, significant boost in formal development aid and enhanced economic stability. In 2011, the economic growth of Africa fell. The current economy of Africa seems to be recovering from a ‘devastating’ situation, following the economic performance decline in 2011. The African region has been shaken by the natural phenomenon as well as critical civil wars within countries, among other human activated activities. When all this is combined, it will always impact into a region’s economy either in a positive, or a negative manner. In a span of one decade, we have seen the continent’s economy fall and with no time able to recover again. Africa’s economy was not at its worst in 2011 as many would think; holding 3.4% GDP growth from 5% in 2010. Tracing back to 2009, the economy was even lower with 3%; a percentage lower than in 2011 befor e shooting to 5%, which means that the continent has the capability to put itself back to a better position, which would contribute to an increase in the total world economic growth. This is the reason to disagree with the position that the decline was devastating; instead it is better to term the decline as average though the impact was deeply felt by the population of the continent. Africa is a continent with about 54 countries, and over one billion people living at different levels of life. This prompts the need for development in the countries that have loopholes in governance among other necessities, to fasten the growth. In one way or the other, all the countries new and existing need to co-operate and focus on one mission of strengthening the economy. Africa’s economic situation in the 1st phase of 2012 shows a forecast of recovering process by end of 2012. â€Å"With the gradual recovery of North African economies, Africa’s average growth is expected to reboun d to 4.5% in 2012 and 4.8% in 2013† (â€Å"African economic outlook 2012: Macroeconomic† 15). North African economy had been compressed following the political problems, social tension and civil wars experienced. These are countries with credible sources of oil depositories where the pressure within was felt in the whole of Africa. In South Africa, the 2010 GDP growth was at 2.9%, with an estimated increase to 3.1% in 2011(â€Å"South Africa† africaeconomicoutlook.org). However, due to basic local weaknesses and the weak global economic recovery, there was an expected slowdown in growth in 2012. In 2013, the GDP growth of South Africa was estimated to rise to 3.6% (â€Å"South Africa† africaeconomicoutlook.org). In 2011, the rate of consumption and investment grew by 3.5% and 5.2% respectively(â€Å"South Africa† africaeconomicoutlook.org). Africa was the largest beneficiary of the IDA (International Development Association), World Bank’s fun d in 2011, with a $ 7.0 billion financial commitment to improve the economy and population’s living condition to eradicate poverty (â€Å"The World Bank Annual Report 2011† 3). Much remains to be achieved in the continent despite the huge borrowing and aids received in the region. Even after the debt relief in 2005 that was a ‘salvation’ of the African countries, debt seems to be on the rise though the act the suppressed rate of borrowing. Today more than ever, the continent has changed the rate and pattern of borrowing. African countries are keen on the interests and conditions involved when taking development funds, this has resulted to China being preferred over the World Bank on financial lending in Africa. However, Africa still remains fragile where the total expenditure in most countries

Kant philosophy Essay Example for Free

Kant philosophy Essay For this case, I will be using Kantian ethics to pinpoint the rationally correct action to take. Before discussing Kantian ethics in relation to the case, we must first explore what Kantian ethics is. Kantian ethics comes from the deontological school of thought, which focuses on the moral correctness of the act in itself (Johnson, 2013). This means that the judgment on the act is done a priori. This is contrasted to the consequentialist school of thought, which focuses on the results of an act as the factor that would qualify the rightness or wrongness of an action (Sinnott-Armstrong, 2012). A consequentialist would make a judgment on an act a posteriori. Kant utilized a concept called the Categorical Imperative, which states that that which is moral is that which is rational (Johnson, 2013). Therefore, a moral act is one that follows from a rational agent. An immoral act, as it follows, is that which is irrational (Johnson, 2013). Another significant factor to consider in Kantian ethics is that the most important value that they seek to preserve is autonomy. Contrasted to a Utilitarian, a Kantian would promote autonomy rather than happiness. The Categorical Imperative contains three main elements. One element of the Categorical Imperative is the formula of universalizable maxims. The formula of universalizable maxims states that a right action is that which can be universalizable (Johnson, 2013). The question here would be: would an action be acceptable if everyone did it? To test this, a person would need to imagine a twin world wherein that action is the norm for everyone. Then that person would need to see if such a world is conceivable and rational. Another important factor for this experiment would be to see if the universalized act would inhibit other people’s freedom. If the universalized act or maxim doesn’t infringe on other’s freedom then this act is acceptable (Johnson, 2013). Another element under the Categorical Imperative is the Humanity Formula. This concept states that humanity is a means in itself and should never be treated merely as a means to an end (Johnson, 2013). This means that each human being must be respected because he or she has his or her own inherent autonomy and dignity (Johnson, 2013). This formula stipulates that a person may not be manipulated by another as a means to achieve a particular goal. Realistically, though, you cannot help but use people as means to an end (Johnson, 2013). This happens everyday, for example, when we use shop clerks to purchase food. In this example, we are using the shop clerks as a means to get the ends, which is food. The reason as to why this particular case of using a person as a means to an end is acceptable is because of the idea of consent. A shop clerk has freely chosen to pursue his or her own line of work and this entails being a means through which people can purchase food. Thus, the shop clerk consents to being a means to this particular end. The third element under the Categorical Imperative is the Kingdom of Ends Formula. This formulation states that an agent exists in a community that is made up of equally rational agents who have just as much say in the maxims that become universalized (Johnson, 2013). The universalized maxims become the law and every agent in this community agrees to conform his or her actions to the law. B. DISCUSSION OF CASE For this particular case, we are dealing with the maxim of taking cognitive enhancing drugs to increase productivity output. If we were to test this particular maxim using the formula of universalizability, we would have to imagine a world wherein every person would do this particular action. In this world, everyone would use cognitive enhancing drugs to meet deadlines or to finish their work faster. In the face of stress, instead of overcoming the obstacle through the person’s own hard work and will, he would only merely need to pop a pill. As mentioned in the case, this kind of accepted behavior could create a new kind of neuro-society. This new neuro-society would be filled with people popping pills like Adderall or Ritalin to focus on their work on hand. There is essentially nothing wrong with increasing the ability of a person to focus on a particular task. The downside of this kind of society would be that it would become a society of drug dependency. Designer drugs like the ones previously mentioned would act as a quick fix for people. Instead of relying on their own wills and capacities, people would be relying merely on the drug to be able to produce an output. This dependency goes against the value the Kantian holds above everything else: autonomy. By allowing a drug-dependent society to prosper, we would be limiting our own freedom by slowly becoming more dependent on drugs. In this world where using cognitive enhancing drugs is the norm, imagine if the drug would suddenly be taken away. People would not know how to focus or get their work done without the drug. In the face of stress, people wouldn’t know how to act since they have lost the drug that previously did all the work for them. This is because they supplemented their own shortcomings with the drug instead of developing themselves into becoming fully functioning and autonomous adults who could deal with their problems. This maxim being universalized would stunt our own development and would, in turn, create an infantilized society. This thought experiment aims to show that the maxim of using cognitive enhancing drugs does not pass the test of universalizability. Secondly, in this world with this universalized maxim, the using of cognitive enhancing drugs may become a norm not only for college students or adults, but also for children. Children are vulnerable in the sense that their autonomy is still limited. Because a Kantian would uphold autonomy as the most important value, he or she would feel an obligation to protect vulnerable parties who have limited autonomy. In this world, there may be over-achieving parents who want their children to be competitive in the world of academics. If the using of cognitive enhancing drugs becomes the norm, then these kinds of parents might try to get their children to take these kinds of drugs to get ahead in their studies. A Kantian would see that the children must be protected from these kinds of actions since they cannot utilize their autonomy in the full capacity. Another point for this argument is that if children are put on cognitive enhancing drugs from an early age, then they will grow up never knowing what it is like to function without these drugs. Furthermore, they will become extremely dependent and they will never be able to realize their own full potential and capacity. This means that their autonomies will always be somewhat limited. Therefore, a world wherein cognitive enhancing drugs are the norm, not just for adults but also for children, must be avoided. Therefore, based on the twin world test, the use of cognitive enhancing drugs should not become a norm since it creates a dependent society and it creates an opportunity for vulnerable parties to remain vulnerable and never reach their full autonomies. Thirdly, another reason as to why this particular maxim would not be acceptable for a Kantian is because it goes against another element of the Categorical Imperative: the Human Formula. As previously stated, this formulation asserts that humans should not be used merely as means to an end. This formulation includes disallowing agents in using themselves as a means to an end (Manninen, 2006). The act of taking cognitive enhancing drugs reduces the person to merely a means to an end. Instead of respecting one’s own capacity to achieve one’s full potential, a person merely reduces himself to something akin to a machine that will produce output in the quickest way possible. Instead of the person using his or her own capacity in facing the challenge, the act of using a cognitive enhancing drug will circumvent the process of self-development and will skip the opportunity for personal growth. In this manner, the person will accomplish the short-term goal of churning out an output without actually developing his or her own talents. As noted in a journal article by Manninen (2006), when drugs are treated as a miracle solution to the stressful emotions an agent is feeling, this stops the agent from growing and overcoming the stress by himself or herself. This sacrifices an important aspect of being human: the capacity to engage in personal development. This stunts personal growth and, in turn, society is left with people who do not know how to deal with problems by themselves. Instead, they turn to using drugs as an emotional crutch. In conclusion, we see how a Kantian would view the maxim of using cognitive enhancing pills in response to stress or a heavy workload. Since the most important value for the Kantian is autonomy and the development of this, he or she would see this maxim as something that limits and stunts autonomy. Therefore, to make this maxim into a universalized law would be irrational. In my opinion, I think that Kantian ethics did pinpoint the morally correct response in this case. This is because the using of cognitive enhancing drugs would reduce the agent to a mere means. This is not morally correct since human beings are not mere means nor machines but rather rational agents who deserve respect and the chance to grow. References: Johnson, R. (2013). Kant’s Moral Philosophy. In E. Zalta (Ed. ), The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/kant-moral/ Manninen, B. A. (2006). Medicating the mind: A kantian analysis of overprescribing psychoactive drugs. Journal of medical ethics, 32(2), 100-105. Sinnott-Armstrong, W. (2012). Consequentialism. In E. Zalta (Ed. ), The stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Retrieved from http://plato. stanford. edu/cgi-bin/encyclopedia/archinfo. cgi? entry=consequentialism.

The Impact of Marijuana Use :: Interview Essays

The Impact of Marijuana Use I conducted each of the following interviews. I obtained verbal consent from the individuals and informed them that their confidentiality would be completely protected. To insure their confidentiality is protected I am using pseudonyms for the individuals interviewed. They were also informed that they could stop the interview at any time with no questions asked and there would be no penalty of any kind if they chose to do so. Interview number 1; female, 47 years old, Africa Board Question (Q): Why do you use? Answer (A): (There is a long pause) †¦it's hard to put into words. I like it obviously, it seems to keep me centered and focused. (Q): What do you get out of it? (A): It is a solitary thing more than a group thing so it is not social, it's not a party thing. I like the quiet, and the focusing. (Q): How long have you used? (A): On and off since I was a teenager. (Q): What are the positives of using? (A): The focusing, it seems like my creativity is increased, and I like getting in touch with nature. (Q): What are the negatives of using? (A): Society's attitude, it seems like there is a lot of judgment placed on marijuana that is not necessarily fair or accurate. (Q): Why do you think society has a particular attitude towards marijuana? (A):I think because of the 1960s when people were experimenting with lots of drugs, people were dropping out of school. The establishment did not like people thinking for themselves so they medicated people with television and propaganda that inaccurately portrays marijuana. (Q): Do you feel addicted? (A) No because there have been times where I haven't smoked. When I went to Mexico I didn't use, it's not worth the risk, not worth jail time. I quit when I was pregnant and sometimes I just don't feel like using. Interview Number 2; female, 29 years old, Jasmine Grant (Q): Why do you use? (A): I don't anymore. It was a social thing. All of my friends were doing it so I thought "why not". (Q): What do you get out of it? (A): It made me feel accepted, not just because of peer pressure but also because my words seemed to flow better and I felt less self-conscious. I liked the way it took the edge off reality. It numbed a small piece of me and allowed me to relax. (Q): How long have you used?

Industrial Dispute Tribunal

The Industrial Dispute Tribunal was conceptualized as an established permanent body for easier access to arbitration, an alternative to industrial action, and as an avenue for economic growth through its dispute settlement and income policy potential. According to George Phillip in his book A-Z of Industrial Relations Practice at the work place â€Å"Dispute may be defined as a quarrel between a worker and an employer or between a trade union and employer or between groups of unions and employers, relating to terms and condition of employment†. Industrial relations had its roots in the industrial revolution which created the modern employment relationship by initiating free labor markets and large-scale industrial organizations with thousands of wage workers. As society wrestled with these massive economic and social changes, labor problems arose. Low wages, long working hours, monotonous and dangerous work, and abusive supervisory practices led to high employee turnover, violent strikes, and the threat of social instability. In Jamaica 1938 the frustration of the working class which had built up over the years, became explosive. A wave of industrial unrest swept the country, with workers on the waterfront, in the sugar industry, transportation sector and the government service taking industrial action. Between January and June of 1938, there were several outbreaks of disturbances, beginning with a strike by cane cutters on the Serge Island Sugar Estate in St. Thomas. Other riots included the general strikes on the Kingston waterfront on May 21st and the strike by street cleaners on May 23rd. There were also other general strikes by dock and transport workers, municipal employees, as well as food and tobacco workers. However, one of the major industrial action that took place during this time was the Frome Riot of 1938. This riot had left six dead, fifty wounded and 89 charged with rioting. Frome was the breaking point in the seething unrest island wide over pay and conditions of work and massive unemployment. It was also the start of a series of strikes, demonstrations and disturbances in which Sir Alexander Bustamante played a major role. The riots which occurred throughout this period proved to be very significant as they were the catalysts for the improvement of working conditions for the working class. This was achieved through the formation of trade unions and political parties which lobbied for increased workers’ benefits and rights which eventually led to the granting of Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944, which was the right of all adults, regardless of class, sex, race, religion, etc. to vote. With all this labour unrest taking place there became a need for some sort of regulation that would govern the working condition and treatment of workers. As a result a law was instituted that govern labour relations in Jamaica. Industrial disputes in Jamaica were now settled through the route of Arbitration, provided for under the Public Utility Undertaking and Public Services Arbitration (PUUPSA) Law and the Trade Disputes Arbitration and Enquiry Law. The PUUPSA law established that it was illegal for workers to strike or for employers to declare a lockout in connection with any trade dispute. Unless the dispute had been properly reported to the Labour Minister and the Minister had failed to act within the time specified in the law. However, there were certain deficiencies in the law. One of these was the possibility of a strike occurring where there was no industrial dispute as defined and such action would not be illegal. Another was the absence of penalties written into law for the enforcement of awards. Also the arbitrator acting under the Arbitration Act did not have the power to reinstate a worker. It was even difficult to select an arbitrator by parties and this sometimes result in a very long process. Perhaps one of the major deficiencies is that Arbitrations only took place in the essential service under the PUUPSA, and in the event where the workers were represented by a union and the grievance procedure allowed for arbitration. The workers became very discontented with the manner in which grievances were handled by Arbitrators. The Government now felt that it was necessary to have a modern and permanent State machinery to determine and settle disputes expeditiously. In 1975 the PUUPSA law was repealed and incorporated into Labour Relations and Industrial Dispute Ac that sought to correct the omissions. This Act was passed in 1975 after much discussion and debate, the Act gave strength to companion Laws, which have generally assisted in improving living standards and giving more justice to workers as active participants in the Industrial relations process in the country. Under the Labour Relations and Industrial Dispute Act an employer is required to grant bargaining rights to a trade Union which secures a simple majority of the votes of employees eligible to vote in representational ballot. The Ministry of Labour conducts the ballot provided that is it satisfied with the claimant union has made out a prima facie case of representation following a comparison of the audited list submitted by the union or its membership in the establishment with the list of employees submitted by the employer. The LRIDA provided principally for the establishment of an Industrial Disputes Tribunal (IDT) as a final arbiter of disputes; compulsory recognition and protection against discrimination in respect of union membership; recognition of trade unions; settlement of disputes in the essential services; the setting up of a Board of Enquiry; a Labour Relations Code; and vesting the Minister of Labour with authority to declare a dispute to be one which is likely to gravely endanger the national interest and give him power to have the dispute put to compulsory arbitration. The Tribunal was also established to determine and settle industrial disputes and to promote industrial harmony. The industrial Dispute Tribunal consist of a Chairman and two deputy Chairmen and not less than two members representing employers and two representing workers and such special members as may from time to time be appointed to form a Special Division of the Tribunal. The appointments of the Chairman and Deputy Chairmen must be made by the Minister after consultation with organizations representing employers and employers and workers. The Minister may increase the number of persons comprising the tribunal if work increase and its necessary. The members representing employers and workers are appointed from panels supplied to the Ministry by organization representative of employers and workers, respectively. If there is no such panel the Minister may constitute a panel as he deems fit. These are now several divisions of the tribunal. In the case of a special Division of the Tribunal to settle disputes affecting the nation interest, the Chairman is appointed by the Minister on the joint recommendation of the parties involved and the other two members are appointed, respectively on the recommendation of the employer organization and the trade union involved. Reference of disputes to the Tribunal must be made through the Minister including the determination of the entitlement of categories of person to participate in a ballot under the procedure for settlement of representational claims to the Tribunal, when other mean of settlement failed to resolve the issue in disputes. In a reference by the Minister to the Tribunal of representational dispute, it shall be lawful for the Tribunal to determine the bargaining unit in which the workers may be included. In disputes affecting the Nation Interest the Minister may make an order calling on the parties to refrain from taking or continuing any industrial action for a period of 30 days. If there is no settlement within those 30 days, the Minister shall call upon the parties to select the chairman of a special Arbitration Tribunal with the employers and workers selecting their representative, respectively, which shall sit as a special division of the Tribunal to hear the dispute. If there is no agreement on the selection of the special Tribunal, the Minister shall refer the dispute to the Tribunal. In other disputes, reference to the Tribunal will be made on request of all the parties to the dispute where the Minister is satisfies that other means of settlement provided by Collective Agreement have failed to resolve the issue in the dispute. By the amending act of 1978 and a further amendment in 1986, the minister is empowered on his own initiative to refer a dispute to the Tribunal of he consider that the dispute should be settled expeditiously and where he is satisfied that attempts were made without success to settle the dispute or if, in his opinion, all the circumstances surrounding the dispute constitute such an urgent or exceptional situation that it would be expedient to do so. The Tribunal is not empowered to hear disputes relating to the appointment removal of or disciplinary action against any person holding public office. Disputes over representational rights of government employees are also not referred to the Tribunal. The award of the Industrial Dispute Tribunal are binding, except on a point of law, and shall not be inconsistent with national interest or any enactment regulating or controlling terms and conditions of employment. An award may be made with retrospective effect form a date earlier that the date on which the dispute first arose. Thus is particular so in the case of any claim with respect to a new bargaining unit. Roles & Functions Industrial Dispute may be defined as a quarrel between a worker and an employer or between a trade union and employer or between groups of unions and employers, relating to terms and condition of employment. Where a dispute has been referred to the Tribunal and the parties reach full agreement before the tribunal begins to deal with the dispute, the parties will have to furnish the Tribunal with a copy of the signed agreement and also a letter of request to the Minister to withdraw the dispute. If both parties did not reach an agreement the IDT will therefore initiate the procedure in settling the dispute. The secretary of the IDT will advised the parties (union/individual vs. firm) that a matter with stated terms of reference has been referred to it by the Minister of Labour. The parties may be then summoned to a preliminary hearing usually on a mutually agreed date. The hearing is conducted by a panel consisting of a chairman and two other members, as well as a secretary and one or two recording steno typist. Undertakings from both parties are given to provide written briefs in a specified period. Alternatively the IDT may by letter invite the parties to submit briefs within a specified period, written briefs must be concise and accurate. In the event that either party cannot prepare a brief by the deadline date, an extension of time must be sought in writing from the IDT. When the briefs are prepared by the party the company and/ or the union may wish to be represented at the hearing by an attorney-at- law or industrial relations professional. If so, the parties must supply the representatives with all the pertinent facts to ensure accuracy of detail in preparing briefs, submission maybe elaborated verbally at the hearing. When the briefs have been submitted by both parties, the Tribunal will schedule a meeting. Opening submission from aggrieved side, usually the union will begin the hearing. Witnesses maybe summoned, documents maybe presented along with all relevant evidence submitted in support of the case. When the hearing is completed an award is handed down. Arbitrators are governed by the term of reference. The Tribunal must ensure that awards are capable of being implemented. If it is, at least two members of the panel a simple majority must sign the award in order for it to be binding; this award from the IDT is binding on all parties. If there is a disagreement among members of the panel about the terms of the award a minority report may be submitted but the members disagreeing with the award should consider whether it is appropriate to write a minority report. This may be necessary where the arbitrator feels that his reputation maybe damage or where he feels that it is essential to set out his reason. His disagreement is recorded on the award document. If all three disagree the award maybe handed down by the chairman. The chairman of the panel might also seek clarification of the award in doing this he might sit alone or with other members and invite all parties to attend the sitting. Clarification of the awards may also be provided by the panel in writing, but without out a sitting. On the contrary, the awards may be appealed in the Supreme Court if there is a breach of law, insobriety of one or all panelists; or insanity of panelists. The decision made by the Supreme Court on an appeal is binding on all parties, but there are provisions for further appeals through the judicial machinery to the Privy Council in England. An award may be retroactive but it must not precede the date when the dispute first arose. Tribunals have the function of a civil court to enforce the law but are not restricted by the rules and procedures of an ordinary court. The Industrial Dispute tribunal has the advantage of being quicker, cheaper, and more informal, have great discretionary power and can be staffed by expert in the field. On the other hand, IDT have disadvantages by being less precise than the ordinary court. All the matter arises in Industrial relations are referred to the TDT because tribunal only deals with civil law. Employee rights such as redundancy payment, discrimination, unfair dismissal and maternity leave are matters that are referred to the tribunal. Often it is the interest of both parties to resolve the situation as quickly and as cheaply as possible. To this end tribunals serve a useful purpose. The Industrial Dispute Tribunal performs its task on its own merit and as such they have the power to make awards that are binding and are deemed to be final. These awards can only be overturned on a point of law this means only where the decision of the tribunal may be in error can an appeal be made. The tribunal also has the power to summon any person before to give evidence or produce documents and records in control of that person. Another function of the tribunal is that it may also administer an oath or take an affirmation of any witness appearing before it; the tribunal may conduct it hearing in private for the purpose of hearing evidence. If industrial action is threatened or has begun and the dispute is referred to the tribunal it can order that such industrial action not take place or cease from such time. If the order is disobeyed, offenders may be prosecuted. No action may be taken against members of the tribunal in respect of action done during the course of operations. Where three of the members are selected to constitute a division of the Tribunal and the chairman is one of those members, he shall preside over that division, and where the chairman is not one of those members, a deputy chairman shall preside. In addition where three members of the Tribunal constitute a division thereof and any one of those members dies or is incapacitated after the division begins to deal with the industrial dispute in relation to which it was constituted but before it has made its award, another person shall be selected in accordance with the provisions to fill the vacancy; thereafter the proceedings of the division shall be begun de novo unless all the parties to the dispute agree in writing that those proceedings may be continued as if they had not been interrupted by reason of such death or incapacity. A division of the Tribunal may, by agreement between the chairman of the Tribunal and the parties to the dispute with which the division proposes to deal, be assisted by one or more assessors appointed by the employer or an organization representing the employer and an equal number of assessors appointed by the trade union representing the workers. Where any division of the Tribunal is being assisted by assessors and any vacancy occurs in the number of assessors, that division may, by agreement between the person presiding and the party which appointed the assessor whose place has become vacant, either act not withstanding such vacancy or permit another assessor to be appointed by that party to fill the vacancy. Any industrial action taken in contemplation or furtherance of an industrial dispute in any undertaking which provides an essential service is an unlawful industrial action unless that dispute was reported to the Minister in accordance and he failed to comply or that dispute was referred to the Tribunal for settlement and the Tribunal failed to make an award within the period specified in. The Minister may, as soon as he is satisfied that any unlawful industrial action in contemplation or furtherance of an industrial dispute in an undertaking which provides an essential service has begun, refer that dispute the Tribunal for settlement. Where an industrial dispute exists in any undertaking which provides an essential service and the Minister is satisfied that the dispute relates to the appointment of any person to a public office or to removal of, or disciplinary action taken against, any person holding or acting in a public office, the Minister shall not refer the matter of that appointment, or removal or disciplinary action to the Tribunal but shall cause to be served on the parties directions in writing requiring them to follow, in respect of that matter, the procedure provided by or under the Constitution of Jamaica.

Marketing Mini Stories

Several years ago I had a friend who worked for a Hilton hotel. At the time, fitness and low calorie or high protein meals were popular trends and a concern of travelers. Hilton, as well as other hotel chains, produced a marketing concept to address the needs of guests traveling for business by ensuring that each franchise provided a â€Å"fitness kit† which could be delivered up to a guestroom. Developed by Bally Total Fitness, it contained a yoga mat, hand weights, and an exercise band. Or, if the guest requested it, a treadmill could be delivered for use in the guestroom. The food & beverage outlets in each franchise hotel also had to undergo a change of menu to accommodate this marketing concept. The Hilton Eat Right program required low-fat and low-calorie meals such as seared tuna with a salad be added to the menu. My friend wasn’t too happy about having to provide these extra services, but guests of the hotel seemed to like it. I ate dinner in a rather upscale restaurant recently. Since I’ve worked in a restaurant before, I tend to notice the little things on the table that other patrons might ignore. At this restaurant, the table was set with linen napkins, and nice silverware, the usual condiments, etc. and in the middle of the table was a tent card advertising the â€Å"wine of the month†, which was a Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay. Knowing how distribution channels in the food & beverage industry work, I immediately surmsied the tent card was the result of promotions from a marketing intermediary. The alcohol wholesaler buys directly from the manufacturer, such as Kendall-Jackson, and then markets the product to the retailer, in this case the restaurant. The restaurant itself was also functioning as a marketing intermediary by placing the tent cards on the table and incentivizing servers to offer their â€Å"wine of the month†, which was probably purchased at a reduced price. The last time I moved to a new house, some of the items I needed to consider buying were cable television, telephone service and the access to the Internet through an Internet service provider. While my choice of company was limited, I realized that all companies advertising such items had begun to take a systems selling approach to offering packaged services. For instance, Qwest, traditionally known as the provider of telephone service, has branched out to include Internet access as well as teamed up with DirecTV for satellite television service. By using systems selling, Qwest has greatly increased its income potential. By partnering with DirecTV, Qwest does not need to produce the components for satellite television themselves, but can rely on its partner for inventory control and production. Since most customers wish to purchase all these items, especially when moving to a new location, the decision to package them all together makes perfect sense and the bundled price appealed to me. My friend that worked at the Hilton hotel made me aware of a fact I previously didn’t know – hotels continually use marketing segmentation to keep their guestrooms full. After being informed of this approach, it made shopping for a hotel room for my last vacation a different sort of venture. Knowing that a resort hotel targets one market – leisure travelers – on the weekend and another market – business travelers – during the week when occupancy levels are lower, I opted to plan my vacation over the course of a week rather than choose a weekend stay, when rates would be higher. By using marketing segmentation, most hotels offers specific packages aimed at each different market. The resort hotel I chose last spring had a special midweek package consisting of the guestroom plus breakfast and two tickets to a local amusement park at an attractive price. By targeting my market segment of leisure travel during days when the hotel typically wouldn’t be full, the hotel was able to gain revenue not normally expected. When it comes to brand, McDonald’s has this concept firmly in place. A friend and I went to McDonald’s just last week to buy a quick lunch and we were inundated with their brand, image, and logo. The golden arches outside the place themselves are part of the brand and this symbol appears on everything – from the hamburger wrapper of the Big Mac I ordered, to the cup holding my soft drink, to the menu displayed behind the order counter. As well, brand is incorporated in more subtle ways. The colors of yellow and red are seen throughout and many of the shapes inside the restaurant – from the seating to the kid’s play area – are reminiscent of an â€Å"m†. After leaving McDonald’s we stopped at a Dairy Queen to order ice cream for dessert. Walking into that restaurant made me even more aware of how pervasive McDonald’s brand presence is; there is no way McDonald’s products could be mistaken for those at Dairy Queen. That same upscale restaurant I’d eaten dinner in recently had a section reserved for bar patrons. Since there was a bit of wait before my friend and I could be seated, we passed the time at the bar having a beer and munching on a snack mix in a bowl on the table. It was really very tasty – a mix of crunchy squares and peanuts and spicy sesame pieces. I inquired of the bartender where I could purchase the same mix being served in the restaurant and he replied that it was available only wholesale. If I wanted to buy some of the snack mix for myself, I would have to find someone who worked for a wholesaler to order it for me as it was not an item I could buy in a retail store. Of course this made sense – why would I want to return to the bar and sit there to munch on the snack mix if I could buy it and eat in the privacy of my own home? Some time ago, I realized the value of public relations. As a consumer, it’s sometimes not enough incentive to patronize a company that offers good products at a low price; sometimes it is also how the company responds to bad press that influences my buying decision. At the time I was living in a town with a Wal-Mart and not much else in the way of available stores. There was a story I’d read in the newspaper regarding a customer of the local Wal-Mart who had gone into a rest room at the store and not come back out several hours later. The customer’s wife was frantic with worry and she contacted the store to help her locate her husband. The man was found, dead as the result of complications from a medical condition, in the rest room stall after a search was performed. However, it was the direct result of Wal-Mart’s ineffective public relations department that caused further problems as they refused to take any responsibility or even offer an apology to the customer’s wife for the incident. Because Wal-Mart doesn’t present a caring attitude towards their customers, I will think twice before shopping there again. E-marketing is big business these days. I happen to know an author who broke into the writing business as a result of her book being contracted with an e-publisher. Because she gets excited by this opportunity, I’ve often listened to her ideas for promotion, which include a great deal of e-marketing. According to my friend, these days, an author does not need to go to a bookstore and set up a book signing to promote her book, instead she can schedule a â€Å"virtual book tour† in which she makes appearances on several blog sites and answers questions about her and the book. Another form of e-marketing she uses is to be involved with readers’ forums whereby she can promote her book by posting online excerpts and talking it up with readers. This type of marketing can also include personal pages on websites such as My Space and Facebook and results in the ability to market from her own home. My mother is a big collector of Coca-Cola products. Her kitchen is filled with items bearing the Coca-Cola logo, in all its various forms – from dish towels to plates to banks, clocks, playing cards, etc. While some of the items are antiques, many of them were bought brand new from retail stores. It was when I was shopping for a Christmas present for my mother that I became aware of just how widely Coca-Cola products are licensed. Gibson is one manufacturer that is licensed to produce dishes and kitchen ware bearing the Coca-Cola logo, while additional companies are also allowed to produce different items, such as straw dispensers and napkin holders, with the distinctive colors and logo. Through this wide distribution of licensing agreements, Coca-Cola has certainly increased revenues incrementally. I watched the Super Bowl this year with a group of friends. Although I wasn’t particularly interested in either team playing, I was interested in the advertising during commercial breaks. Having previously read some of the buzz surrounding the company Go Daddy, I was aware of its past troubles producing a commercial which would appease the television censors. Go Daddy’s approach this year was an excellent example of innovative marketing. Not only does the company depend on the buzz from its commercials not being accepted by the censor boards, it decided this year to post the rejected commercial on its website. The Super Bowl commercial itself was cheaply produced and directed watchers to log on to the Go Daddy website where they could watch the commercial that didn’t make it to air time. This truly innovative marketing approach was so successful that it contributed to the down time of Internet services during the Super Bowl as consumers rushed to the website to view the commercial.

Major Courses Needed for a Statistics Degree

Major Courses Needed for a Statistics Degree So you want to study statistics in college. What courses will you need to take? Not only will you be taking classes that pertain directly to statistics, but you will also take classes that are similar, if not identical, to those taken by students majoring in mathematics. Below is an overview of courses that commonly make up the core of a Bachelor’s degree in statistics. Requirements for a degree vary from one  institution to another, so be sure to check with your own college or university catalog to be certain what you will need to take in order to graduate with a major in statistics. Calculus Courses Calculus is foundational for many other areas of mathematics. The typical calculus sequence involves at least three courses. There is some variation on how these courses segment the information. Calculus teaches problem-solving and develops numerical competency, both skills that are important for statistics. In addition to this, a knowledge of calculus is necessary to prove results in statistics. Calculus One:  In the first course of the calculus sequence you will learn to think carefully about functions, exploring topics such as limits and continuity. The main focus of the class will move to the derivative, which calculates the slope of the line tangent to a graph at a given point. Towards the end of the course, you will learn about the integral, which is a way to calculate the area of regions that have strange shapes.Calculus Two:  In the second course of the calculus sequence you will learn more about the process of integration. The integral of a function is typically harder to compute that its derivative, so you will learn about different strategies and techniques. The other major topic of the course is typically infinite sequences and series. Intuitively, this topic examines infinite lists of numbers, and what happens when we try to add these lists together.Calculus Three:  The underlying assumption of calculus one and two is that we deal with functions with only o ne variable. Real life is much more complicated with several variables in the most interesting applications. So we generalize the calculus that we know already, but now with more than one variable. This leads to results that can no longer be depicted on graph paper but need three (or more) dimensions to illustrate. Other Mathematics Courses In addition to the calculus sequence, there are other courses in mathematics that are important to statistics. They include the following courses: Linear Algebra:  Linear algebra deals with the solutions to equations that are linear, meaning that the highest power of the variables is the first power. Although the equation 2x 3 7 is a linear equation, the equations that are of most interest in linear algebra involve several variables. The topic of matrices is developed to solve these equations. Matrices become an important tool to store data in statistics and other disciplines. Linear algebra also directly pertains to the area of regression in statistics.Probability:  Probability is foundational for much of statistics. It gives us a way to quantify chance events. Starting with set theory to define basic probability, the course will move on to more advanced topics in probability such as conditional probability and  Bayes theorem. Examples of other topics may include discrete and continuous random variables, moments, probability distributions, the law of large numbers and the central limit theorem.Real Analysis:  This co urse is a careful study of the real number system. In addition to this, the concepts in calculus such as limit and continuity are developed rigorously. Many times theorems in calculus are stated without proof. In analysis, the goal is to prove these theorems using deductive logic. Learning proof strategies is important to develop clear thinking. Statistics Courses Finally, we arrive at what you want to major in, statistics. Although the study of statistics is heavily dependent upon mathematics, there are some courses that do specifically pertain to statistics. Introduction to Statistics:  The first course in statistics will cover basic descriptive statistics such as average and standard deviation. In addition, some topics of statistical inference such as hypothesis testing will be encountered for the first time. Depending upon the level and aims of the course, there may be a number of other topics. Some courses overlap with probability and will involve a study of different types of probability distributions. Other courses are more data-driven and will focus on how to use computational software to analyze the statistics of these data sets.Mathematical Statistics:  Here the topics of the introduction to statistics course are dealt with in a mathematically rigorous fashion. There may be few if any data involved in this course. Rather the ideas from most if not all of the mathematics courses are used to deal with statistical ideas in a theoretical way.Specialized Courses:  There are a variety of other courses that you could then take to earn a degree in statistics. Many colleges and universities have entire courses built around regression, time series, actuarial studies and biostatistics. Most statistics programs require that you complete several of these courses in specialized topics.

Intonation Phrases in Phonetics

Intonation Phrases in Phonetics In phonetics, an intonation phrase is a stretch (or chunk) of spoken material that has its own intonation pattern (or tune). Also called an  intonation group, phonological phrase, tone unit, or tone group. The intonation phrase (IP) is the basic unit of intonation. In a phonetic analysis, the vertical bar symbol (|) is used to represent the boundary between two intonation phrases. Examples and Observations When speakers produce words in a row, we can usually observe that they are structured: individual words are grouped together to form an intonation phrase... Intonation phrases can coincide with breath groups..., but they do not have to. Often a breath group contains more than one intonation phrase. As with all other phonological units, it is assumed that speakers have a mental representation of intonation phrases, i.e. they know how to produce speech structured into intonation phrases and they rely on this knowledge when listening to the speech of others. Within an intonation phrase, there is typically one word that is most prominent... Some utterances might contain just one intonation phrase, others might contain several of them. Moreover, speakers can put utterances together to form larger stretches of speech or discourse... Intonational phrasing in English can have a meaning-distinguishing function. Consider utterances 11a and 11b: (11a) He washed and fed the dog. (11b) He washed | and fed the dog. If the intonation phrase He washed and fed the dog is produced as one intonation phrase, its meaning is that a person both washed and fed a dog. Conversely, if the same utterance is produced as a sequence of two intonation phrases with an intonation boundary after washed (indicated by the symbol |), the meaning of the utterance changes into someone who washed himself and fed a dog. (Ulrike Gut, Introduction to English Phonetics and Phonology. Peter Lang, 2009) Intonation Contours Intonation often does serve to convey information of a broadly meaningful nature . . .. For example, the falling pitch we hear at the end of a statement in English such as Fred parked the car signals that the utterance is complete. For this reason, falling intonation at the end of an utterance is called a terminal (intonation) contour. Conversely, a rising or level intonation, called a nonterminal (intonation) contour, often signals incompleteness. Nonterminal contours are often heard in the nonfinal forms found in lists and telephone numbers. (William OGrady et al., Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction, 4th ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2001) Tonality (Chunking) The speaker does not necessarily have to follow the rule of an IP for each clause. There are many cases where different kinds of chunking are possible. For example, if a speaker wants to say We dont know who she is, it is possible to say the whole utterance as a single IP ( one intonation pattern): We dont know who she is. But it is also possible to divide the material up, in at least the following possible ways: We dont know | who she is. We | dont know who she is. We dont | know who she is. We | dont know | who she is. Thus the speaker may present the material as two, or three, pieces of information rather than a single piece. This is tonality (or chunking). (J. C. Wells, English Intonation: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2006) The Position of Intonation Phrase Boundaries The position of intonation phrase boundaries shows a good amount of variability. These have been studied in English on the basis of positions of possible pauses within clauses (Selkirk 1984b, Taglicht 1998 and references there) and positions of obligatory pauses (Downing 1970). . . . The core result is that root clauses, and only these, are bounded by obligatory intonation phrase breaks. (Root clauses are clauses [CPs] not imbedded inside of a higher clause that has a subject and a predicate.) (Hubert Truckenbrodt, The Syntax-Phonology Interface. The Cambridge Handbook of Phonology, ed. by Paul de Lacy. Cambridge University Press, 2007)

Lean operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Lean operations - Essay Example Some scholars argued that the differences between the service and manufacturing (product) firms may interfere with the effectiveness of lean operations for the service sector (Atkinson, 2010; Lee et al., 2008). Services are intangible and can hardly be evaluated after â€Å"production,† so evaluation of efficiency and effectiveness can render complications. Other scholars stressed that lean operations are viable in the service firms, but important â€Å"actors,† such as managers, champions, enthusiast converters and implementers, must have fully prepared a change management plan (Esain, Williams, & Massey, 2008; Hines, Martins, & Beale, 2008). This essay explores how lean operations can be applied to the service industry, particularly to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS). The NHS has applied Six Sigma and lean operations concepts to develop process and quality improvements. This paper begins with an overview of operation management, and then it d iscusses the theory of lean operations and lean operations at the NHS. This paper also identifies the advantages and disadvantages of lean services. Operation Management Operations management generally refers to managing processes that produce products or render services (Greasley, 2008, p.3). During the twentieth century, developments in the theory of operations management progressed. ... Factory management slowly evolved into operations management on the supposition that manufacturing ideas could also be implemented for service organizations (Seddonand, & O'Donovan, 2010, p.34). Operation management has increasingly adopted quality management philosophies, such as Just-in-time (JIT) or lean operations and Six Sigma. These management philosophies or strategies have different objectives, but they generally agree about continued incremental quality improvements that will streamline operations and make production of goods and services more effective and efficient (Coronad et al., 2004; Dean, et al., 2009). They also have the same perspective on being part of the broader strategic management objectives of the company, and the lack of this integration has led to many lean operations efforts (Seddonand, & O'Donovan, 2010, p.34). Theory of Lean Operations Lean operations started from the theory of â€Å"lean manufacturing† that was popularized by Toyota’s Produ ction System (TPS). In the 1950s, Toyota created a set of techniques that concentrated on the supply chain side of production (Lee et al., 2008, p.973). Founder of Toyota and a renowned inventor Sakichi Toyoda started the development of the lean manufacturing concept, where the management focused on constantly improving work flow to reduce costs (Karanjkar, 2008, p.10.1). With his son Kiichiro Toyoda, they perfected the operations management concept of lean manufacturing (Karanjkar, 2008, p.10.1). Nevertheless, although lean operations is closely connected with the Japanese, in reality, some elements of its framework can be linked to Henry Ford’s production system, who also designed his production system, so that he could make customized products by