How the Internet Has Affected Communication Behavior Essay

How the Internet Has Affected Communication Behavior - Essay Example From the essay it is clear that prior to the Internet were video games, which over time became more and more sophisticated. The social impact of video games spawned a plethora of studies on human behavior and interaction, especially regarding young people and families. As the Internet began to take hold, people began to be able to communicate and play games over long distances, in real time. It was felt that this activity interrupted family and social life. This study proposes to further examine how the internet is changing the way people communicate with each other on an everyday basis, both for better and for worse. Internet use decreases social interaction. According to a recent study by Stanford University, frequent Internet users report a drop of 15% in traditional social activities, and as much as a 25% drop in use of the phone for talking to friends. While this may be startling at first, history reflects that increased use of the telephone also decreased personal visiting and social activities. There are many variables affecting increases in social Internet use, such as savings in long distance telephone calls and less time spent in the car. This could be interpreted as social isolation if one is simply looking at the numbers and not the reasons behind the numbers. A discouraging report indicated that only 22% of Internet users of two or more years had ever made a new friend online. While this study downplayed the potential value of online friendships, it also encouraged more rigorous study in the area of balance between online communication and person-to-person communication.... 5), frequent Internet users report a drop of 15% in traditional social activities, and as much as a 25% drop in use of the phone for talking to friends. While this may be startling at first, history reflects that increased use of the telephone also decreased personal visiting and social activities. There are many variables affecting increases in social Internet use, such as savings in long distance telephone calls and less time spent in the car. This could be interpreted as social isolation if one is simply looking at the numbers and not the reasons behind the numbers. A discouraging report (Scott Sleek, 1998) indicated that only 22% of Internet users of two or more years had ever made a new friend online. While this study downplayed the potential value of online friendships, it also encouraged more rigorous study in the area of balance between online communication and person-to-person communication. A more recent study (David E. Rohall, et.al, 2002) looked for links between Internet usage and self esteem issues in the realm of person-to-person contact. Again, further research was encouraged, yet the outcome of the study was much more positive. This could lead us to believe that as use of the Internet is integrated into everyday life, a balance could create itself simply through adaptation and users' natural inclinations. These examples provide a clue as to the concerns of our society in terms of interrelationships; it is indicated that in the dawning days of the internet there was trepidation regarding how internet communication would affect person to person communication, yet research has shown that much of the communication taking place by email and chat rooms on the part of college students and others took place within the context of an already existing social

Trusts Law And Reasons For Appeal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Trusts Law And Reasons For Appeal - Essay Example 2. The facts of the High Court case are as follows: Vallee the plaintiff was an adopted child of the deceased. She was staying in France, but one day she called on the deceased before his demise in the third quarter of 2003. She promised him that she would return during Christmas, to which he answered that he did not contemplate to live up to the time and that his desire was to hand over his house to her upon his death. The deceased handed over the title deeds to the land on which the house was built and a key to the estate to her. He also gave her a plastic container with his war treasures and a photo album. Four months later, he passed on. The defendant was informed of her father’s demise by the Coroner’s Office, which regretted that the deceased had not left any valid will specifying how the estate would be divided. 3. In 2006, the defendant directed lawyers, who contacted the treasury solicitor in writing to claim the property on the grounds that her father had given it to her by a donatio mortis causa; which is a gift whose ownership remains conditional until the death of the donor. The treasury refused her claim and proceeded with an advertisement for any potential claimants.  The defendant, a clinician who was running a business organization named â€Å"Celtic Research Limited†, established through his â€Å"heir hunting† that the deceased had a surviving male sibling, Mr. Mykola Bogusz. He acquired a power of attorney from the surviving Bogusz and made applications for, and was given documents for administering the property on October 8, 2009, â€Å"for (his) use and benefit.† The treasury solicitor permitted Mykola Bogusz’s claim and placed a caveat on the property against further claims. Ms. Vallee filed proceedings in court seeking to claim the property by a donatio mortis causa. 4. The case came before the Oxford County Court on 26th October 2012 and was presided over by Justice Harris.

UK Cheese Market Analysis

UK Cheese Market Analysis Assignment about The Cheese and its Determining Factors on the Market Executive Summary Economy in the real world is not just a subject in the university, but the major basic of a modern day business. â€Å"The large set of inter-related economic production and consumption activities which aid in determining how scarce resources are allocated.† (Investopedia.com, 2014) The report describes the cheese market in the United Kingdom. Highlight the relationship between wine and its compliment, the cheese and how the actual market responsive to economical changes, such as demand, supply, elasticity and equilibrium. Table of Contents Introduction.4 Main Body5 1.The aspects which influencing the amount of cheese..5 2. About Elasticity and Inelastic6 3. About Equilibrium.7 4. Example for the cheese` prise changing..8 5. Recently used marketing strategy..9 Conclusion..10 Bibliography.11 Introduction This report created by the Author –Mr. Istvan Csuha– on the request of Northampton University on the behalf of its subsidiary the London School of Business and Management and their lecturers in respect Prof. Bruce Johnson to clarify the position of the cheese market in the United Kingdom, the key economic factors which influences marketers and consumers in the decision making process. Main Body The aspects which influencing the amount of cheese The aspects influencing the amount of cheese that shoppers request can be categorised four main parts (Begg, D. & Ward, D., 2007, P.26-32), such as: Costs of surrogates: relates to researches (Fitday.com. 2013). there are some options to alternate cheese, but the prices of those merchandises is higher and do not give back the same taste, as cheese, therefore only a small amount of clients will leave â€Å"the cheesy side†. Salary of the clients: an investment banker demand is completely different, then a street cleaner and one of the key motivator is what they can afford; ASDA have been closely monitored and the finding is, individuals can purchase cheese products from  £2 up to  £20, therefore cheese products widely accessible to everyone (ASDA.com. 2014). Various flavours: Every single human being different from the other, so as their tastes and conclusion of that, they required different products. Value: is the product worth the sum of money what the retailer asking for it; if the answer is yes, then highly possible the quantity demanded by a consumer is higher. About Elasticity and Inelastic The characteristics of the magnitude of cheese that manufacturers and retailers supply is strongly related to the previous part of the report, but a new economic term has to be considered, Elasticity: â€Å"Price elasticity of supply measures the relationship between change in quantity supplied and a change in price.† (Tutor2u.net. 2014). There are Inelastic is the modification in the price indicates a proportionately minor modification in the quantity required. (Begg, D. & Ward, D. 2007, P.35) Elastic is the modification in the price indicates considerable larger modification in demand. (ibid, P. 32-35) There is another very important factor what every supplier have to consider regarding the amounts need to supply and is called a well-known PESTEL analysis -macro-environmental aspects, what a supplier cannot change, only can adapt to them. Assuming there are alterations in the purchasers â€Å"tongs†: Consumer demand decreasing= retailer profit decreasing also. Overcome on that retailers has to start manufacturing products, therefore they have to enter a new segment of the market. Avoid failure Porters five forces advisable to considered, -designed to evaluate the possibilities of the company upon entering to a new market and/or segment. Assuming there are modifications in the manufacturers technology, -that is a technological factor from the mentioned PESTEL analysis-: In that occasion the retailer or the consumer only can adapt to that factor, in that case keep purchasing products, but less quantity (if the technology is not as cost-effective anymore, therefore the price of the product rising too), or find a substitute (either retailer or substitute product). Therefore price elasticity applied. About Equilibrium Equilibrium of â€Å"cheese market wise†, when the manufacturer selling the product for the price, what a retailer is demanded, or the distributor selling the merchandise for the price, what a consumer demanded. (ibid, P.76) According to worldwide known economists and authors of many books the forces that drive the market in the direction of its equilibrium are: The connection between the alteration of need and supply and prices: if the need of cheese products rising, supply has to follow, then retailers raise their prices too, therefore the equilibrium will balanced again. Need for cheeses falling, then traders have to reduce their activity, therefore prices will fall too. That is the optimal market scenario. (ibid, P.88) Example for the cheese` prise changing Assumption: a hypothetical situation, when the price of wine increases. First we have to clarify the right questions. The author of these report was that fortunate, came from the family which have long-lasting history –and himself spent over ten years as well- in the Hospitality and Catering Industry; worked from kitchen porter through sommelier assistant to night manager in various countries and several high-end catering event as well (for example: wine-waiter at the House of Parliament in Hungary), therefore to clarify and answer this questions was his table. Why wine and cheese related to each other? How the supply of wine and cheese will change? How the needs of wine and cheese will change? Will the prices of cheese change? Are the amount of cheese and wine supplied and demanded will change? The answers are the following: Many countries –especially the ones with long-lasting histories and more mature cuisine i.e.: France and the United Kingdom- use cheese, as a substitute of desserts, also another reason possibly, because the weather colder than for example Italy and Spain. Those countries, consuming mostly wine for/and throughout the meal, if their choice for the dessert is any sweet, -such as ice cream or crà ¨me bulee-, they choose a light and sweet liquor, or a dessert-wine; but when they choose cheese, then the wine has to be semi-dry, or dry light white-wine. When the price of wine increasing, in the short term the supply will be the same, until marketer realise the equilibrium turned into a disequilibrium –at this occasion the proper term is surplus, when the supply of goods greater than its demands-, and they want to balance again; therefore marketers reducing supplies. The needs of cheese and wine at the event of the price of the wine increase can be: The increase of the price will be minor, therefore only small amount of purchaser decide to discontinue consuming those products, therefore inelasticity occur. When the needs of cheese and wine reactive to the price change, then â€Å"massive† amount of purchasers decide to discontinue purchasing products= elasticity occurs. The price of the cheese can be reactive to the wine price (elastic), or non-reactive (inelastic). When: The quantity of demand reactive to the price change: yes= elasticity; The amount of need non-reactive: no= inelasticity; Marketers want to balance the equilibrium, yes, when the demand decreases, the quantity of supply has to follow, therefore the price will change to; when equilibrium reached, demand is increasing, supply increasing, prices increasing. 5. Recently used marketing strategy Companies nowadays like to use a new marketing strategy. Organisations evaluate the demand and the quantity of demand, they producing less quantity of product, therefore artificially create shortage and they can raise the prices too, i.e.: entry-tickets for pop-concerts. (ibid, P.85-86) Conclusion The report found the cheese market very responsive for price changes, which is depending on various factors. Found also the definition of economy; clearly concluded the meaning / variations of elasticity, moreover described the definition of equilibrium. Bibliography ASDA.com. (2014). Asda Groceries. Available: http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore/landing/home.shtml?cmpid=ahc-_-ghs-sna1-_-asdacom-dsk-_-hp#search/cheese/7/price_asc. Last accessed 11.12.2014. Begg, D. & Ward, D. (2007). Economics for Business. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. p26-p32. Begg, D. & Ward, D. (2007). Economics for Business. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. p32-p35. Begg, D. & Ward, D. (2007). Economics for Business. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. p76. Begg, D. & Ward, D. (2007). Economics for Business. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.p85-86. Begg, D. & Ward, D. (2007). Economics for Business. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. p88. Fitday.com. (2013). Substitutions for Cheese. Available: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/substitutions-for-cheese.html. Last accessed 11.12.2014. Investopedia.com. (2014). Definition of Economy. Available: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/economy.asp. Last accessed 11.12.2014. Tutor2u.net. (2014). Elasticity of Supply. Available: http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/elasticity/elasticity_of_supply.htm. Last accessed 11.12.2014. LON 15403546Mr. Istvà ¡n Csuha

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz :: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz In the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Mordecai Richler clearly intends to portray his main character as a failure.   Duddy understands perfectly well that a man must pursue his dreams, which is why he is one of the most motivated young man of his time.   From the moment Duddy hears his grandfather say, "A man without land is nobody,† he is prepared to seek the land of his dreams.   This aspiration of Duddy’s is very respectable, but unfortunately his methods are totally inappropriate, and that leads to him being a failure.      The moment that Duddy began to immerse himself into the establishment of his film company, it could be seen that he was willing to do anything to get money, even if he had to lie.   For example, the film Duddy made for the bar mitzvah was of extremely poor quality, and as a result, the product was an obvious failure.   Duddy himself knew that well: â€Å"Duddy didn’t say a word all though the screening but afterwards he was sick to his stomach.† (Page 148). Later, Duddy said to Mr. Friar: â€Å"I could sell Mr. Cohn a dead horse easier then this pile of _† (page 148).   After this particular incident, Duddy does not even speak honestly to his clients.   In conclusion, the only way Duddy sells his waste films is by telling lies.   He always lies to gain money, and that’s all that Duddy cares about.        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Duddy has never been loved in his family, so originally he was quite content to know that Yvette cares about him.   At the beginning, Yvette and Duddy are in love.     Ã¢â‚¬Å"It’s so nice to see you lie still for once, she said.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Your always running or jumping or scratching.     Duddy was surprised and flattered to discover that  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     anyone cared enough to watch him so closely.† (Page 92)      As time passed by, however, Duddy began to use Yvette as a tool.   The main reason for that is Duddy was striving to get the land, and since he could not legally own it as a minor, he employed Yvette to act as a figurehead in his purchase.   This treatment of Yvette, combined with her breaking ties with her family due to Duddy being a Jew, is what ruins their relationship.

Assignment: Leadership and Cost Company Essay

COST Company tried their best to grasp the sophisticated technology, thus the COST Company used highly to training the professionals, like the geologists, geophysicists, and the engineers. The COST Company also trained the skilled and semiskilled labor that run the company’s field operations. On the other hand the professional labor and the skilled labor, the two groups always occurs the clashed. As Martin Bouchard as the present and CEO in the COST Company, and his top goals was to introduce teams as a way of solving the morale and productivity problems at the company’s Alberta field operations site. According to those problems the COST Company hired Algoma Howard, who is a First Nations descendant, to be success in solving teamwork. Howard invited Carlos Debrito as the leader worked for the Alberta pilot program, and Debrito is a long-time employee in the COST Company who was highly respect by the employees in the Alberta Office, and Debrito was looking for one final challenging project before his retiring. There are three functional groups at the Alberta site; they are â€Å"operations† group, the â€Å"below ground† group, and the â€Å"maintenance† group. The â€Å"operation† group included the hourly workers who operated and maintained the equipment; the â€Å"below ground† group, which are the professionals include the engineers, geologists and geophysicists; the â€Å"maintenance† group who are the employees always on call. As the Howard and Debrito were the leaders in the COST Company, they tried their best to solving the morale and productivity problems for the Alberta field operations site. The first step was the â€Å"fireside chats† which is to get the employees together, ask them to give several ideas to solve the problems. As many people join the â€Å"fireside chats† and almost every session came to fisticuffs until Debrito announced someone needed to go out. Moreover, during the next session, Debrito and Howard established the â€Å"rules of engagement† which is better for them to organize. The next step for the Howard and Debrito is to introduce the official â€Å"problem busting† teams, which is the temporary team, and the team members are coming from each of the three functional areas and from various hierarchical levels, and each was assigned a team leader. Their aims are to help the COST Company solving the problems, and after they finishing the work, the team disbanded. Moreover, the problems what they addressed, which within certain cost guidelines and without the management approval. After this the COST Company identified the Colorado office as their next facility, Howard want to introduce her leadership of the cross-functional teams that was successful in the Alberta, however, the employees are all stressful in the Colorado. On the following paragraph, I will focus on what the Howard and Debrito did in the COST Company. 2. 0 Team development stages The role of Algoma Howard and Carlos Debrito in Alberta As we can see from the case, the COST Company hired Algoma Howard, who was the First Nations descendant. He tried his best to develop the teamwork program which is better for the COST Company to improve the productivity as well as the morale at the Calgary facility. Howard was success before by using the teams, he tried his best to bring the people together, and tried his best to coordinate the employees and everything, to let them understand one another’s problems and challenges, and coordinate their effort to achieve the organizational goals. Furthermore, his teamwork idea was success and was implementing at other COST locations after the pilot project. As we can see from the case, Carlos Debrito, he was a long-time COST employee who was highly respected by the other employees in the Alberta office. As he was a skilled and experienced employee, he was looking for a big final project before his retiring. Debrito has served in every possible line and staff position at the COST in his 26 years career timing. He is an experienced leader who knows the problems workers faced on both technical and business, thus Howard invited Debrito as a leader, who served for the Alberta pilot program. Therefore, as we can see the relationship from the Algoma Howard and Carlos Debrito in Alberta sites, Howard as the president in the Alberta pilot program, and Debrito as the leaders who served in every possible line and staff position at the Alberta pilot program. Thus we can say that Algoma Howard and Carlos Debrito are the leaders in the Alberta pilot program, who want to develop the teamwork in the Alberta sites. â€Å"Fireside chats† The first step what the Howard and Debrito decided was to get these different groups talking to each other and share the ideas together; this was the main purpose of the â€Å"fireside chats†. The chats were held in the cafeteria during the late afternoon, and the people who show up the chats have the free coffee/tea and some snake which were all bought by Howard and Debrito. Furthermore, the idea was to give the employees a chance to share the difficulties and unresolved problems in such relaxing time and relaxing places, if the employees get together and share the difficulties and the unresolved problems together, maybe they can solve the difficulties, or share the creativity ideas with the unresolved parts. Initially, there are only two people who attend the â€Å"fireside chats†, gradually, more and more people attended the meetings. At first, the early session was focused on the employees saw their needs, as well as the problems in working with other group. The disadvantage of the early session was that the sessions came to fisticuffs until Debrito announced that somebody had to go out, however, after this session, Howard and Debrito established the guidelines which are the rules of the engagement. Within the six months development, the â€Å"fireside chats† had involved lively problem-solving discussions focus on the three important groups. â€Å"Problem busting† The nest step for Howard and Debrito to introduce was the â€Å"problem busting† teams, which was the temporary team. The temporary team included the members who from each three functional areas as well as from various hierarchical levels, and which were assigned by the team leaders. The training by the team leader was including in team-building, shared-leadership, as well as the creative problems-solving techniques. The team was established for the solving the problems which from the â€Å"fireside chat†, after solving the problems, the teams were disbanded, furthermore, the CEO in the COST announced that the problems addressing by the â€Å"problem busting† team within the certain cost guidelines without seeking management approval. After a year and a half into the team-building program, the entire workforces in the Alberta were empowering to make their owner decisions as well as to select their own leaders. Team development â€Å"Team development creates a captivating atmosphere by encouraging co-operation, teamwork, interdependence and by building trust among team members. † (Motivating, Bonding & Aligning team, 2012) Actually the team goes through five stages of the team development, the each stage present its own challenge and in each stage, the leaders should adapt the challenging and developing the needs of the group. The team development has five stages, which are the forming stage, storming stage, norming stage, performing stage and adjourning stage. On the following paragraph I will talk about each stage, and I will combine the case together to analysis the each stage of the team development, and what the leaders need to do in the stage. First of all, I will show the graph, as we can see: Performing: Cooperation, problem solving Leaders: facilitates task accomplishment Performing: Cooperation, problem solving Leaders: facilitates task accomplishment Storming: Conflict, disagreement Leaders: encourage participation, surfaces differences Storming: Conflict, disagreement Leaders: encourage participation, surfaces differences Norming: Establishment of order and cohesion Leader: helps clarify team roles, norm, and values Norming: Establishment of order and cohesion Leader: helps clarify team roles, norm, and values Adjourning: Task completion Leaders: brings closure, signifies completion Adjourning: Task completion Leaders: brings closure, signifies completion Team development: Forming: Orientation, break the ice. Leaders: facilitates social interchanges Forming: Orientation, break the ice. Leaders: facilitates social interchanges The first stage is the forming stage, â€Å"during this stage, group members maybe anxious and adopt wait-and see attitude, they will be formal towards each other. There would be no clear idea of goals or expectations. Besides, they may not be sure why they are there† (Susan M. Heathfield, 2012) as we can see from the forming stage which is the orientation stage and the members in teams tried their best to getting the acquainted. The members in the team tried their best to know each other and for the friendship possibilities as well as the task orientation. In the forming stage, the team leaders provide time and place for the members to understand each other, to encourage them for the social discussions. The second stage which is storming stage, â€Å"during this stage, team members are eager to get going, conflict can arise as people tend to different ideas of how to accomplish goals. At this time, they notice differences rather than similarities. This leads to some members dropping out mentally physically. (Susan M. Heathfield, 2012) During the storming stage, the members in the team become more assertive in clarifying their roles, thus in this stage, there exist a lot of conflict and disagreement. The members in the team maybe disagree with teams’ goals; maybe disagree with the partners and so on. What the leaders need to do in this stage is to encourage the participation by each member. â€Å"Mem bers should propose ideas, dis agree with one another, and work through the uncertainties and conflicting perceptions about team tasks and goals† (Richard L. Daft, 2012) The third stage is norming stage, â€Å"this stage is when people begin to recognize ways in which they are alike. They realize that they are in this together. Hence, they tend to get more social and may forget their focus in favor of having a good time. This is the time to help with training if applicable. It becomes important to encourage them in order to feel comfortable with each other and with systems. Also, the group needs to stay focus on goal† (Susan M. Heathfield, 2012) As we can see from the norming stage, in this stage the conflict is resolved and the tem is getting harmony and unity emerge, and what the leaders need to do is to help clarifying the teams’ values and norms. The fourth stage is the performance stage, â€Å"this stage is when tea members are trained, competent, as well as able to do their own problem-solving. At this time, ways need to be looked t in order to challenge then as well as develop them. The team is mature now. The members understand their roles and responsibilities. † (Susan M. Heathfield, 2012) during this stage, it is emphasis on solving the problems and accomplishing the assigned task. Members are all committed to the teams’ mission, the members are coordinated with each other for the problems solving. During this stage, the leader should concentrate on the higher task performances. The last stage is the adjourning stage, in this stage we can see that the team has limited task to perform and disbanded eventually. In this stage, it is emphasis on the wrapping up and gearing down. The members in this stage feel heighted emotionality, strong cohesiveness and regret for the teams’ disbandment. During this stage, the leaders should signify the team has disbanded. Combine the COST Company’s case According to the case we can see that the Howard and the Debrito are the leaders in the Alberta pilot program. As we can see that the Howard and Debrito established the â€Å"fireside chats† which is open for the employees, and it is the optional meetings provide for the employees and to getting the acquainted, and to get the different groups together to share the ideas, this is the idea for the â€Å"fireside chats†, and the fireside chats was established in the cafeteria which provide the free coffee, tea and snake for the employees. First of all, the only people who showed up the meeting were the couple of engineers. Thus Debrito and Howards go to a small talk with the couple of the engineers, thus we can see that the first day of meeting was the forming stage of the team development. After the first meeting, the words spread, and gradually, many people attended the meetings, thus the early sessions focused on talking about the each group’s needs, and the problems in other groups. This is also the forming stage in the team development, however, during the one session, there exist the fisticuffs during the meeting, the fisticuffs stopped until the Debrito announced that someone need to get out, therefore, we can see that the â€Å"fireside chat† became the storming stage in the team development which the team occurring the conflict for each other. Furthermore, during the next session, Debrito and Howard establish the â€Å"rules of engagement† which is the guidelines to avoid such conflicts happened in the meeting again, thus we can see that the stage is the norming stage, which is for the leaders to solve the conflict and let them form the norms as well as the values in the company. As we can see that the next step for the Howard and Debrito is to establish the â€Å"problem busting† team which is the temporary teams for solving the problems which was unsolved in the â€Å"fireside chats†, thus we can see that the team was in the performance stage, which is the cooperation, and for the problems solving. Finally, the operation workers suggested that the team members should get rid of the weekly sessions and they could focus on their job, and limited problems for solving. Thus we can see the program already in the last stage which is adjourning stage; the team is facing the disbanded. 3. 0 member roles and leadership approach Member roles In the team there are two types of roles one is task specialist and the other is the socio- emotional, the two roles are different, they focus on different part. First of all we can see that the specialist role in the team which is focus on the task accomplishment by the human needs. On the other hand, we can see that socio-emotional role in a team which is focus on the people’s emotion needs. Task specialist is an employee who is assigned to the development of valid and reliable tasks for other people working for one and the same organization. † (Glossary, 2012) as we can see that the task specialist who focus on the task accomplishment over the people’s needs, thus the â€Å"task specialist knows and understand task management standard, performance measure, and assessment practices required for identifying and developing tasks descriptions and for use by dedicated human resources† (Glossary, 2012) there are several behaviors which display the task specialist. First of all, the task specialists are the persons who always propose the new solutions for solving the team problems, which is so called initiate ideas. Secondly, the task specialists are the persons who provide the opinions on the task accomplishment, also give the fair chances to others’ suggestions. Thirdly, the task specialists are the persons who always seeking the information which is asking for the task-reverent facts. Fourthly, the task specialists are the persons who get a various ideas of the problems at hand, and summary them together, that is so called summarize. Last but not at least, the task specialists are the persons who encourage the team into action when the teams’ interest dropped. â€Å"Socio-emotional is a process that consists of variations that occur in an individual’s personality, emotions and relationships with others during one’s lifetime; Socio-emotional role team members devote their time and nergy to supporting the emotional needs of team members and to maintaining the team as a social unit† (Santrock, 2007) the people who adopt the socio-emotional role are the person who support the team members’ needs over the task accomplishment. There are several behaviors which are for the socio-emotional display. First of all, the socio-emotional roles are the persons who are warm and well to receipt the others’ ideas, and also forth others to m ake the contribution for the team. Secondly, the socio-emotional roles are the persons who are well for harmonize the groups’ conflict, as well as help the teams to achieve the agreement. Thirdly, the socio-emotional roles are the persons who help the team reduce the tension; they help the team to reduce the tensional environment, like telling the jokes. Fourthly, the socio-emotional roles are the persons who always go along with the team, and always agree the team members’ ideas, that’s we called follow. Last but not at least, the socio-emotional roles are the persons who always shift their own opinions which are better for maintain the teams’ harmony. In the COST Company’s case (Carlos Debrito) As we can see from the COST Company’s case, Carlos Debrito who is a long-time COST employee who is highly respected by the employees in the Alberta office and he was also looking for the final project before his retiring and Algoma Howard invited the Debrito as a leader for the Alberta pilot program. Debrito did a lot of things to help the Howard to achieve the goals, as far as I am concerned, Carlos Debrito displays the task specialist as well as the socio-emotional roles. As we can see from the case, that Debrito tried his best to help the Howard to achieve the goals which is to solving the morale as well as the problems of productivity. Thus Debrito established the â€Å"fireside chats† and also established the â€Å"problem busting† team, which helped the Company to achieve its goals, according to this situation; we can see that Debrito is the task specialist, who help the team to realize the task accomplishment, and he always proposed the solutions which is â€Å"fireside chats† and â€Å"problem busting† team, to help the team solve the problems. Furthermore, he always was seeking the information for the relevant task which is better for the team to solving the problems, and Debrito always encourage his members when their interests are dropped. Moreover, we can see that after the â€Å"fireside chats†, we can see that Debrito always helped the team to summarize the relevant ideas and summarize the perspectives for the organization. On the other hand, we can see form the case that, Debrito displays the socio-emotional roles in the team, and he supports the team members’ emotional needs. As we can see from the case, that Debrito find several ways for the team to solve the conflict between the labor and the professionals, moreover, Debrito tried his best to make the compromise which shift his opinions to maintain the harmony of the team. Thus we can say that Debrito display both task specialist roles as well as the socio-emotional roles, Debrito not only achieve the organizational goals, but also do a lot of things to consider the team members’ emotional needs. Leadership approach â€Å"participative leadership is a style of leadership that involves all members of a team in identifying essential goals and developing procedures or strategies for reach those goals† (wiseGEEK, 2012)as we can see that the participative leadership which is the leadership approach required all the members join the team to solving the problems as well as making the decisions together. As we can see from the COST Company’s case, which the Algoma Howard and the Carlos Debrito tried their best to achieve their goals. The goals of the COST Company are to solving the morale as well as to solving the productivity problems. Thus Howard and Debrito established the â€Å"fireside chats†, which is for the optimal meeting provided for the employees to understand them each other. At the first time, there are only two people join the meeting, Howard and Debrito established a small chatting with them and talk to them. After the first meeting finished many people know the meeting and want to join the meeting, thus gradually many people join the meeting, and the meeting becoming very important in a team. As we can see that the meetings are very important in the organization, and many people join the meetings. Furthermore, we can see that during the meeting many team members share the ideas each other, and talk to each other with the departments’ needs, making the decisions together, and solving the problems together. During this process we can see that the leaders using the participative leadership approach to help the organization to achieve their goals. Situational leadership is a leadership style that has been developed and studied by Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey. The situational leadership refers to when the leader or manager of an organization must adjust his style to fit the development level of the followers he is trying to influence. † (Small Business, 2012)As we can see th at the situational leadership approach is the leadership style which depends on the situation, it is focus on the situations as well as the development of the company and the members in the company As we can see from the COST Company case, in this case we can see that the Howard and Debrito using the â€Å"fireside chat† to help the employees understand each other as well as share the ideas for each other, however, when the â€Å"fireside chat† are famous in the organization, there exist some conflicts between the member, thus according to this situation, Debrito establishes the â€Å"rules of the engagement† which include the guidelines that to let the employees obey the rules for the meeting. Furthermore, during the â€Å"fireside chat† developing, Debrito established another team which is â€Å"problem busting† team. This team is established for solving the problems which discovered the in â€Å"fireside chat†, thus according to this situation we can see that leaders who is according to the situations of the organizational development. Furthermore, as we can see that, as the â€Å"fireside chat† developed, and after this the members find the information is limited to share and the employees have limited problems to share, according to this situation, the leaders reduce the frequency of the â€Å"fireside chat† times. Thus we can say that the leaders who is Howard and Debrito are using the situational leadership approach as well as the participative leadership approach, which ask the members to join the â€Å"fireside chat† and share the ideas each other, and the leaders also adjust the leadership style according to the development of the â€Å"fireside chat† as well as the members’ emotions. Do you agree the project will succeed or not? As far as I am concerned I disagree with Algoma Howard that just has a Carlos Debrito in the Colorado project. As we can see from the case, Carlos Debrito is the employee who worked in the Alberta office in the COST Company, and he is respected by the employees in the COST Company, as we can see from the case he served in every possible line and staff position at COST Company, thus he know the COST Company well, for the each possible line and the staff’s position. Furthermore, as we can see from the case, that he understand the problems what the staffs facing now, and the technical problems that the company facing now, thus he is an skilled as well as the experienced employees in the Alberta office in the COST Company. Furthermore, he worked 26 years old in the Alberta office in the COST Company, and he knows the COST Company well. Moreover, as we can see from the case, Howard invited Debrito as the leaders in the Alberta project, and during the project, he point many methods to help the organization to achieve the goals, as well as to help them solving the conflict between the labors and the professionals. Although Debrito know how to solve the problems during the Alberta offices, Debrito know how to solve the conflict between labors and professions, and he has ability, he has knowledge and he a skilled as well as experienced employees and leaders. When happened in the Colorado the situations are different, as Debrito worked just in the Alberta office, and he do many researches on the Alberta office, and although he understand the problems of the employees, but he do not know the details in the Colorado office, thus if Howard just has Debrito in the Colorado project, as far as I am concerned it is not enough. The best way for the Howard is to invite the leaders who understand the Colorado project well, and combine the leader with Debrito together to solving the problems and help the COST Company solving the problems as well as achieving the goals. . 0 Conclusion: work team effectiveness What is team effectiveness? â€Å"Team effectiveness refers to the system of getting people in a company or institution to work together effectively. The idea behind team effectiveness is that a group of people working together can achieve much more than if the individuals of the team were working on their own. † (WiseGEEK, 2012) As we ca n see that it is better for the company to achieve the team working effectiveness, if the companies make the team effectiveness, they can solve the problems effectively and they can achieve the goals effectively as well. There are several ways for the organization to testing their team effectiveness, on the following paragraph I will focus on the methods what to testing the team effectiveness as well as give some recommendations for the COST Company to develop their team effectiveness. First of all, is the right mix skill, â€Å"team effectiveness depends in part on bringing together people who have different skills that somehow complement each other. † (WiseGEEK, 2012) as we can see that it is important for the company to bringing all the skilled, experienced together in a team to help the company solving to problems as well as to help them achieving the goals. Thus as we can see from the COST Company, when the Howard became the CEO in the Alberta office, he invited Debrito as a leader in the Alterta’s project, and Alberta is the employee who respect by the employees and he is the skilled people and experienced people. Moreover, as far as I am concerned, the COST Company should invite more skilled and experienced people, who can help the COST Company solving the problems as well as to help them achieve the goals. The second is the right motivation, â€Å"team effectiveness is directly linked to the interest that the group has on the project. If the job is too easy or too difficult, or if the rewards for achieving the end result do not seem worth the effort, the team may end up working half-heartedly in the project. † (WiseGEEK, 2012) As we can see that the motivations are very important to the team, if the team leaders always do the motivations for the employees, the employees will worked well and will help the organization solving the problems as well as to achieving the goals. Thus in the CSOT Company, the leaders in the organization should do a lot of things to do the motivations for the employees, make sure every employees are happy working in the organization, and to improve their working effectively. Last but not at least, â€Å"is the ability to solve conflicts without compromising the quality of the project, the team work has one major downfall. Sometimes groups end up making decisions they know are not in the best interest of the project, just so they can keep the process moving. Conflict is innate to any work done in group, and should be taken as part of the challenge rather than as something to be avoided by compromising. †(WiseGEEK, 2012) as we can see that if want make the team effectiveness, the organization has to solving the problems of conflict, as we can see from the COST Company, in Alberta project, the leaders tried their best to solving the conflict between the labors and the professionals. Moreover, as far as I am concerned, the team has to solve more conflict between the labors. All in all, the organization want to make the team effectiveness, they must organize the skilled person together, and to provide the motivation for the employees, moreover, to solve the conflict in the organization. If the organization establishes the effectiveness team, they can solve the problems as well as to achieving the organization goals. Bibliography 1. Susan M. Heathfield (2012) what are the stages of team development [Online] Available at: http://humanresources. about. com/od/teambuilding/f/team_stages. htm (Accessed date: 15th Nov, 2012) 2. MSG (2012) Team Development- meaning, stages and forming an effective team [Online] Available at: http://www. managementstudyguide. com/team-development. htm (Accessed date: 15th Nov, 2012) 3. Center for Management & Organization effectiveness (2012) Team Development & Team Building [Online] Available at: http://www. cmoe. com/team-development. htm (Accessed date: 15th Nov, 2012) 4. Harvard Business Review (2012) Choose the right leadership approach [Online] available at: http://business. time. com/2012/07/27/choose-the-right-leadership-approach/ (Accessed date: 15th, 2012) . JoomlArt (2012) Five Approaches to Leadership [Online] Available at: http://www. roxburghmissionalnet. com/index. php? option=com_content&view=article&id=139:five-approaches&catid=45:leadership&Itemid=89 (Accessed date: 15th Nov, 2012) 6. WISEGEEK (2012) what is Team Effectiveness? [Online] Available at: http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-team-effectiveness. htm#lbss (Accessed date: 15th N ov, 2012) 7. Mind Tool Ltd (2012) Team Effectiveness Assessment [Online] Available at: http://www. mindtools. com/pages/article/newTMM_84. htm (Accessed date: 15th Nov, 2012)

What Are Some Techniques

Integrating Sources Techniques for Paraphrasing When you write a paraphrase, you restate other's ideas in your own words. That is, y oh write the meaning of the author's ideas. You use some of the author's key terms, but you use many of your own words and sentence structures. You include in- text citation, including the author's last name and year of publication. Following are some techniques you can use to help you paraphrase. An effective par phrase includes more Han one of these techniques.If you use only one of these techniques when paraphrase aging, you have not paraphrased effectively. 1 . Change a word from one part of speech to another Original: Medical professor John Swanson says that global changes are influencing t he spread of disease. Paraphrase: According to John Swanson, a professor of medicine, changes across the globe are causing diseases to spread dames, 2004). 2. Use Synonyms Original: The U. S. Government declared that the AIDS crisis poses a national security thr eat.The announcement followed an intelligence report that found high rates of HIVE infection c could lead to widespread political desalination. Paraphrase: The government of the United States announced that AIDS could harm t he nation's security. The government warned the population after an important governmental study conch dude that political problems could result from large numbers of people infected with HIVE (Snell, 2005). 3. Change numbers and percentages to different forms Original: Minority groups in the United States have been hit hardest by the epidemic.African Americans, who make up 13 percent of the U. S. Population, accounted for 46 percent of the AIDS cases diagnosed in 1998. Paraphrase: The AIDS epidemic has mostly affected minorities in the United States. F or example, in 1998, less than 15 percent of the total population was African, but almost half of the people diagnosed with AIDS

Destruction of Nature by Humans essays

Destruction of Nature by Humans essays We as human beings are very fortunate to be living on this planet that we call Earth. We toil over the land, and in return we receive provisions off of which we live. Even though we get all that we need from this bountiful land, we still for some reason feel like we need to alter it. In doing so we also end up ruining the land that we thrive on. We reshape the world to fit our individual needs, and the earth just doesnt work that way. Everything on this planet has a purpose, from the largest animal to the microscopic bacteria, and without it, it is impossible to live in harmony. In Arizona and New Mexico, a text written by Aldo Leopold, he talks about how man has developed the untouched land in the White Mountains of Arizona and killed animals in New Mexico, and now the lands are trodden on and it is not at all the way it used to be. In A Very Warm Mountain, a text written by Ursula K. Le Guin, she writes about how the earth is destroying itself because of what the human s have already done to the land, by the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens and there is nothing that we as humans can do about it. The Earth is being destroyed everyday whether it is by humans or the earth itself. There are both devastating and dramatic affects that come about when the Earth is changed in such a tremendous way. I believe that the common element in Le Guin and Leopolds text would be the theme of the destruction of Earth. The destruction Le Guin wrote about came about naturally because it was the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens. Although the eruption was a natural event, Le Guin blamed it on the fact that the mountain was angry because we abused the land with our human hands. The farmers took it especially hard, with six inches of ash falling on their crops during this natural disaster. Everybody takes it personally. Some get mad. Damn stupid mountain went and dumped all that dirty gritty glassy gray ...

The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them

The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you’re faced with a scientific problem, solving it can seem like an impossible prospect. There are so many possible explanations for everything we see and experience- how can you possibly make sense of them all? Science has a simple answer: the scientific method. The scientific method is a method of asking and answering questions about the world. These guiding principles give scientists a model to work through when trying to understand the world, but where did that model come from, and how does it work? In this article, we’ll define the scientific method, discuss its long history, and cover each of the scientific method steps in detail. What Is the Scientific Method? At its most basic, the scientific method is a procedure for conducting scientific experiments. It’s a set model that scientists in a variety of fields can follow, going from initial observation to conclusion in a loose but concrete format. The number of steps varies, but the process begins with an observation, progresses through an experiment, and concludes with analysis and sharing data. One of the most important pieces to the scientific method is skepticism- the goal is to find truth, not to confirm a particular thought. That requires reevaluation and repeated experimentation, as well as examining your thinking through rigorous study. There are in fact multiple scientific methods, as the basic structure can be easily modified.The one we typically learn about in school isthe basic method, based inlogic and problem solving, typically used in â€Å"hard† science fields like biology, chemistry, and physics. It may vary in other fields, such as psychology, but the basic premise of making observations, testing, and continuing to improve a theory from the results remain the same. The History of the Scientific Method The scientific method as we know it today is based on thousands of years of scientific study. Its development goes all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and India. The Ancient World In ancient Greece, Aristotle devised an inductive-deductive process, which weighs broad generalizations from data against conclusions reached by narrowing down possibilities from a general statement. However, he favored deductive reasoning, as it identifies causes, which he saw as more important. Aristotle wrote a great deal about logic and many of his ideas about reasoning echo those found in the modern scientific method, such as ignoring circular evidence and limiting the number of middle terms between the beginning of an experiment and the end. Though his model isn’t the one that we use today, the reliance on logic and thorough testing are still key parts of science today. The Middle Ages The next big step toward the development of the modern scientific method came in the Middle Ages, particularly in the Islamic world. Ibn al-Haytham, a physicist from what we now know as Iraq, developed a method of testing, observing, and deducing for his research on vision. al-Haytham was critical of Aristotle’s lack of inductive reasoning, which played an important role in his own research. Other scientists, including AbÃ… « RayhÄ n al-BÄ «rÃ… «nÄ «, Ibn Sina, and Robert Grosseteste also developed models of scientific reasoning to test their own theories. Though they frequently disagreed with one another and Aristotle, those disagreements and refinements of their methods led to the scientific method we have today. Following those major developments, particularly Grosseteste’s work, Roger Bacon developed his own cycle of observation (seeing that something occurs), hypothesis (making a guess about why that thing occurs), experimentation (testing that the thing occurs), and verification (an outside person ensuring that the result of the experiment is consistent). After joining the Franciscan Order, Bacon was granted a special commission to write about science; typically, Friars were not allowed to write books or pamphlets. With this commission, Bacon outlined important tenets of the scientific method, including causes of error, methods of knowledge, and the differences between speculative and experimental science. He also used his own principles to investigate the causes of a rainbow, demonstrating the method’s effectiveness. Scientific Revolution Throughout the Renaissance, more great thinkers became involved in devising a thorough, rigorous method of scientific study. Francis Bacon brought inductive reasoning further into the method, whereas Descartes argued that the laws of the universe meant that deductive reasoning was sufficient. Galileo’s research was also inductive reasoning-heavy, as he believed that researchers could not account for every possible variable; therefore, repetition was necessary to eliminate faulty hypotheses and experiments. All of this led to the birth of the Scientific Revolution, which took place during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In 1660, a group of philosophers and physicians joined together to work on scientific advancement. After approval from England’s crown, the group became known as the Royal Society, which helped create a thriving scientific community and an early academic journal to help introduce rigorous study and peer review. Previous generations of scientists had touched on the importance of induction and deduction, but Sir Isaac Newton proposed that both were equally important. This contribution helped establish the importance of multiple kinds of reasoning, leading to more rigorous study. As science began to splinter into separate areas of study, it became necessary to define different methods for different fields. Karl Popper was a leader in this area- he established that science could be subject to error, sometimes intentionally. This was particularly tricky for â€Å"soft† sciences like psychology and social sciences, which require different methods. Popper’s theories furthered the divide between sciences like psychology and â€Å"hard† sciences like chemistry or physics. Paul Feyerabend argued that Popper’s methods were too restrictive for certain fields, and followed a less restrictive method hinged on â€Å"anything goes,† as great scientists had made discoveries without the Scientific Method. Feyerabend suggested that throughout history scientists had adapted their methods as necessary, and that sometimes it would be necessary to break the rules. This approach suited social and behavioral scientists particularly well, leading to a more diverse range of models for scientists in multiple fields to use. The Scientific Method Steps Though different fields may have variations on the model, the basic scientific method is as follows: #1: Make Observations Notice something, such as the air temperature during the winter, what happens when ice cream melts, or how your plants behave when you forget to water them. #2: Ask a Question Turn your observation into a question. Why is the temperature lower during the winter? Why does my ice cream melt? Why does my toast always fall butter-side down? This step can also include doing some research. You may be able to find answers to these questions already, but you can still test them! #3: Make a Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess of the answer to your question. Why does your toast always fall butter-side down? Maybe it’s because the butter makes that side of the bread heavier. A good hypothesis leads to a prediction that you can test, phrased as an if/then statement. In this case, we can pick something like, â€Å"If toast is buttered, then it will hit the ground butter-first.† #4: Experiment Your experiment is designed to test whether your predication about what will happen is true. A good experiment will test one variable at a time- for example, we’re trying to test whether butter weighs down one side of toast, making it more likely to hit the ground first. The unbuttered toast is our control variable. If we determine the chance that a slice of unbuttered toast, marked with a dot, will hit the ground on a particular side, we can compare those results to our buttered toast to see if there’s a correlation between the presence of butter and which way the toast falls. If we decided not to toast the bread, that would be introducing a new question- whether or not toasting the bread has any impact on how it falls. Since that’s not part of our test, we’ll stick with determining whether the presence of butter has any impact on which side hits the ground first. #5: Analyze Data After our experiment, we discover that both buttered toast and unbuttered toast have a 50/50 chance of hitting the ground on the buttered or marked side when dropped from a consistent height, straight down. It looks like our hypothesis was incorrect- it’s not the butter that makes the toast hit the ground in a particular way, so it must be something else. Since we didn’t get the desired result, it’s back to the drawing board. Our hypothesis wasn’t correct, so we’ll need to start fresh. Now that you think about it, your toast seems to hit the ground butter-first when it slides off your plate, not when you drop it from a consistent height. That can be the basis for your new experiment. #6: Communicate Your Results Good science needs verification. Your experiment should be replicable by other people, so you can put together a report about how you ran your experiment to see if other peoples’ findings are consistent with yours. This may be useful for class or a science fair. Professional scientists may publish their findings in scientific journals, where other scientists can read and attempt their own versions of the same experiments. Being part of a scientific community helps your experiments be stronger because other people can see if there are flaws in your approach- such as if you tested with different kinds of bread, or sometimes used peanut butter instead of butter- that can lead you closer to a good answer. A Scientific Method Example: Falling Toast We’ve run through a quick recap of the scientific method steps, but let’s look a little deeper by trying again to figure out why toast so often falls butter side down. #1: Make Observations At the end of our last experiment, where we learned that butter doesn’t actually make toast more likely to hit the ground on that side, we remembered that the times when our toast hits the ground butter side first are usually when it’s falling off a plate. #2: Ask a Question The easiest question we can ask is, â€Å"Why is that?† We can actually search this online and find a pretty detailed answer as to why this is true. But we’re budding scientists- we want to see it in action and verify it for ourselves! After all, good science should be replicable, and we have all the tools we need to test out what’s really going on. #3: Make a Hypothesis Why do we think that buttered toast hits the ground butter-first? We know it’s not because it’s heavier, so we can strike that out. Maybe it’s because of the shape of our plate? That’s something we can test. We’ll phrase our hypothesis as, â€Å"If my toast slides off my plate, then it will fall butter-side down.† #4: Experiment Just seeing that toast falls off a plate butter-side down isn’t enough for us. We want to know why, so we’re going to take things a step further- we’ll set up a slow-motion camera to capture what happens as the toast slides off the plate. We’ll run the test ten times, each time tilting the same plate until the toast slides off. We’ll make note of each time the butter side lands first and see what’s happening on the video so we can see what’s going on. #5: Analyze Data When we review the footage, we’ll likely notice that the bread starts to flip when it slides off the edge, changing how it falls in a way that didn’t happen when we dropped it ourselves. That answers our question, but it’s not the complete picture- how do other plates affect how often toast hits the ground butter-first? What if the toast is already butter-side down when it falls? These are things we can test in further experiments with new hypotheses! #6: Communicate Your Results Now that we have results, we can share them with others who can verify our results. As mentioned above, being part of the scientific community can lead to better results. If your results were wildly different from the established thinking about buttered toast, that might be cause for reevaluation. If they’re the same, they might lead others to make new discoveries about buttered toast. At the very least, you have a cool experiment you can share with your friends! Key Scientific Method Tips Though science can be complex, the benefit of the scientific method is that it gives you an easy-to-follow means of thinking about why and how things happen. To use it effectively, keep these things in mind! Don’t Worry About Proving Your Hypothesis One of the important things to remember about the scientific method is that it’s not necessarily meant to prove your hypothesis right. It’s great if you do manage to guess the reason for something right the first time, but the ultimate goal of an experiment is to find the true reason for your observation to occur, not to prove your hypothesis right. Good science sometimes means that you’re wrong. That’s not a bad thing- a well-designed experiment with an unanticipated result can be just as revealing, if not more, than an experiment that confirms your hypothesis. Be Prepared to Try Again If the data from your experiment doesn’t match your hypothesis, that’s not a bad thing. You’ve eliminated one possible explanation, which brings you one step closer to discovering the truth. The scientific method isn’t something you’re meant to do exactly once to prove a point. It’s meant to be repeated and adapted to bring you closer to a solution. Even if you can demonstrate truth in your hypothesis, a good scientist will run an experiment again to be sure that the results are replicable. You can even tweak a successful hypothesis to test another factor, such as if we redid our buttered toast experiment to find out whether different kinds of plates affect whether or not the toast falls butter-first. The more we test our hypothesis, the stronger it becomes! What’s Next? Want to learn more about the scientific method? These important high school science classes will no doubt cover it in a variety of different contexts. Test your ability to follow the scientific method using these at-home science experiments for kids! Need some proof that science is fun? Try making slime!

North American River Otter Facts

North American River Otter Facts The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family. While it may simply be called the river otter in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. Fast Facts: North American River Otter Scientific Name: Lontra canadensisCommon Names: North American river otter, northern river otter, common otterBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 26-42 inches plus a 12-20 inch tailWeight: 11-31 poundsLifespan: 8-9 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Watersheds of North AmericaPopulation: AbundantConservation Status: Least Concern Description The North American river otters body is built for streamlined swimming. It has a stocky body, short legs, webbed feet, and a long tail. In contrast to the European otter, the North American river otter has a longer neck and narrower face. The otter closes its nostrils and small ears when submerged. It uses its long vibrissae (whiskers) to find prey in murky water. North American river otters weigh 11 to 31 pounds and range from 26 to 42 inches long plus a 12 to 20 inch tail. Otters are sexually dimorphic, with males about 5% larger than females. Otter fur is short and ranges in color from light brown to black. White-tipped hairs are common in older otters. River otters use their tails as rudder while swimming. Hailshadow / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution North American river otters live near permanent watersheds throughout North America, from Alaska and northern Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico. Typical habitats include lakes, rivers, marshes, and coastal shorelines. Although largely exterminated in the Midwest, reintroduction programs are helping river otters reclaim part of their original range. Diet River otters are carnivores that hunt fish, crustaceans, frogs, salamanders, waterfowl and their eggs, aquatic insects, reptiles, mollusks, and small mammals. They sometimes eat fruit, but avoid carrion. During winter, otters are active during the daytime. In warmer months, they are most active between dusk and dawn. Behavior North American river otters are social animals. Their basic social unit consists of an adult female and her offspring. Males also group together. Otters communicate by vocalization and scent marking. Young otters play to learn survival skills. River otters are excellent swimmers. On land they walk, run, or slide across surfaces. They may travel as much as 26 miles in a single day. Reproduction and Offspring North American river otters breed between December and April. Embryo implantation is delayed. Gestation lasts 61 to 63 days, but young are born 10 to 12 months after mating, between February and April. Females seek dens made by other animals for giving birth and raising young. Females give birth and raise their pups without aid from their mates. A typical litter ranges from one to three pups, but as many as five pups may be born. Otter pups are born with fur, but are blind and toothless. Each pup weighs about 5 ounces. Weaning occurs at 12 weeks. Offspring venture out on their own before their mother gives birth to her next litter. North American river otters reach sexual maturity at two years of age. Wild otters typically live 8 or 9 years, but may live 13 years. River otters live 21 to 25 years in captivity. Baby river otter. ArendTrent / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies North American river otter conservation status as least concern. For the most part, the species population is stable and otters are being reintroduced into areas from which they vanished. However, river otters are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) because the species may become endangered if trade is not closely regulated. Threats River otters are subject to predators and disease, but human activities are their greatest threat. Otters are highly susceptible to water pollution, including oil spills. Other important threats include habitat loss and degradation, illegal hunting, vehicle accidents, trapping, and entanglement in fishnets and lines. River Otters and Humans River otters are hunted and trapped for their fur. Otters pose no threat to humans, but in rare cases they have been known to attack dogs. Sources Kruuk, Hans. Otters: ecology, behaviour and conservation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-856586-0.Reid, D.G.; T.E. Code; A.C.H. Reid; S.M. Herrero  Food habits of the river otter in a boreal ecosystem. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 72 (7): 1306–1313, 1994. doi:10.1139/z94-174Serfass, T., Evans, S.S. Polechla, P. Lontra canadensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T12302A21936349. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T12302A21936349.enToweill, D.E. and J.E. Tabor. The Northern River Otter Lutra canadensis (Schreber). Wild mammals of North America (J.A. Chapman and G.A. Feldhamer ed.). Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982.Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

Single Parenting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Single Parenting - Essay Example Parenthood has now taken a sharp turn and cases of children being brought up in single families have increased significantly. This has been as a result of divorce cases or children born out of wedlock. In other cases children are born by parents who are just cohabitating and are not legally married. Such children face a lot of challenges both at family level and society level. Such children are usually considered by societies to be illegitimate and thus highly condemnable. These children are therefore born with illegitimacy stigma and are therefore faced by several problems and negative altitudes. Thus, the school counselors should consider such children as a special group when dealing with them so that they can better address their problems (Katz, Dunham & Zimmerman, 1997). Research has revealed that there is a relationship between the changing family structures and children in respect to examination performance, the research shows that children who are brought up by both parents perform better are more resistant to peer pressure influence whereas students from single families... They also have a higher rate of dropping out of school as compared to those children brought up in a family structure consisting of both parents; they also have greater psychological and social problems. Variation of deviant behavior among the children from single families depends on what caused the single family structure. Studies have shown that those as a result of divorce are more likely to be more deviant as compared to the children raised in single families where one of the parents may have died or born of single mothers. The worst case of deviant behavior is when a child is raised by either a step mother or a step father who mistreat them in their early development stages. Such children develop very negative altitudes in life which often accompany them throughout their lives. While dealing with such children, the school teachers and counselors should consider their plight, so as to be able to assist them in an attempt to prevent them from engaging in deviant behavior (Shih, 20 08). Single parents are faced with numerous problems in raising their children, they sped a lot of energy and time in practicing parenting and yet their results usually have numerous shortcomings. With out help from the other spouse and society single parents try to raise their children effectively. However, monitoring discipline among their children is quite difficult since the burden is laid on one person who is also expected to provide for the entire family with all their needs. The children can therefore take advantage of their parents and engage in practices that are considered to be defiant. It might not be possible for the parent to monitor each child closely and therefore the children who have a propensity of misbehaving have an opportunity to do

Does Violent Video Gaming Have an Effect on Children Research Paper

Does Violent Video Gaming Have an Effect on Children - Research Paper Example Kim et al (2010) have mentioned that â€Å"excessive playing of video games may result in impaired academic performance (Kim et al, 2010). It is an accepted fact that most of the modern videogames are thought provoking and hence it can improve children’s skills such as numerical ability, problem solving, decision making, synthesis, analysis etc. At the same time, it should be noted that spending too much time for playing videogames may have detrimental effect on children as far as the academic achievements of the children are concerned. The increased influence of video games will force the children to decrease the time spent for learning academic topics. In other words, children who spent more time for playing videogames may spent little time for doing their home works, assignments or project works. Failure in doing home works may result in poor academic performances of the children in schools. Poor academic performances of the children may generate criticism from family and teachers which may generate frustration in the minds of children. Increased frustration may often come out in the form of violent behaviors. In other words, even nonviolent videogames can generate violent behavior indirectly among children. Children may discuss the themes of the violent videogames they played even at schools and they may try to implement it in their real life also. For example, Grand Theft Auto is one of the most popular videogames among children at present. The theme of this videogame is a motor vehicle theft as the name indicates. Same way Mortal Kombat is another videogame in which the major theme is fighting. Such videogames will definitely encourage children to do the same activities in their real life as they... Children of current generation are not much keen in playing physically hardworking sports and games; they are more interested in spending as much time in front of the computers, mobile phones or television sets for playing videogames. According to Gouzouasis et al (n. d), â€Å"the type of extra-curricular activities like playing an instrument versus playing video games has differential effects on the person’s skill acquisition and personality development†. The themes of majority of the videogames currently available are violence. Many people believe that violent videogames play a vital role in the personality development of children. Moreover, many of the school violence incidents are happening as a result of the increasing influence of violent videogames upon children. Children who engaged in playing violent videogames may try to practice violence in their real life also. At the same time many other people believe that violence in videogames may not affect childrenâ⠂¬â„¢s attitude or character very much. Videogames playing may have some utility as far as the mental development of the children are concerned. However, playing violent videogames may always affect the children negatively. Unknowingly children may develop violent behaviors as a result of continuous playing of violent videogames. Since children have less awareness in segregating good and evil, they may often try to practice the themes they observed in the violent videogames in their real life. Many of the school violence incidents are taking place as a result of the increasing influence of violent videogames upon children. In short, videogame playing, especially the violent videogame playing should be restricted among children. Parents and teachers should focus more on student activities and they should assist the children in the selection of videogames for playing.

Murder of Westerman as a Catalyst of the American Civil War Cruelty Coursework

Murder of Westerman as a Catalyst of the American Civil War Cruelty - Coursework Example The alliance of Southern slave states was named as the Confederate States of America, and this alliance was a result of secession of slave states from the Northern American States. There are many books that have narrated the brutal and significant events of Civil War; however, Tony Horwitz’s book Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War is a considerably appropriate and successful book in which Horwitz has narrated the events in contemporary and personal context. In describing the Civil War Horwitz wrote that, â€Å"Historians are fond of saying that the Civil War occurred in 10,00 places. Poke a pin in a map of the South and you're likely to prod lose some battle or skirmish or another tuft of Civil War history† (Horwitz 18). The storytelling acquired by the author illuminates the criticality and impact of the Civil War in contemporary American Society (3-27).In the Civil War, the murder of Michael Westerman who was a supporter of confederate s is considered as one of the most significant events which had intensified the Civil War. This paper will discuss the event of the assassination of Westerman, and it will also explicate the happenings in response to this murder. It is also aimed to describe the social and emotional reasons for the murder of Westerman along with reasons which intensified the war after the murder of Westerman in the light of Horwitz narration in his book Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War.Michael Westerman was during a journey with his wife Hannah just after she gave birth to twin children. Westerman was driving a red pickup truck on which a confederation flag was mounted. He was in Todd County which is a county located in Kentucky. Kentucky was not declaredly a part of Confederation States of America; however, there were many significant similarities present in the conduct of Kentucky with the ideals of Confederation States. Westerman stopped at a gas station for ref illing the fuel in his vehicle. At the gas station, there was a group of black teenager who noticed the Westerman’s vehicle with a confederation flag mounted on it which the group of black American teenagers considered as an offense (89-91). The Confederation flag was considered offensive because of the ideology of racial inequality that the Confederation States followed. Westerman was followed by the group of black teenagers who harassed him on the road several times. Westerman increased the speed of his vehicle to escape the encounter with the group of teenagers. Westerman did not know that he was being chased by another car driven by black teenagers. As soon as the car came near to Westerman's car, a teenager shot a bullet on his car. The gunshot targeted Westerman, and he was murdered in the middle of the road in Kentucky (90-93). Horwitz metaphorically displays the intensity and brutality of civil war along with his interest in it by stating, â€Å"The War’s actu al landscape was lush with color and beauty† (15).

An Important Person in History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

An Important Person in History - Essay Example The South African federal government had always implemented the policy of racial separation, with keeping the black people of South Africa far way from attaining their rights, including the right to vote (Nye). However, in the year 1990, nelson Mandela was discharged from the prison and subsequently, was permitted to negotiate with the president of South Africa of that time, that is, Frederik Willem de Klerk, regarding the rights of the black people, especially the right to vote. And subsequently, the negotiation resulted in the elimination of Apartheid, with the influx of the multi-racial elections, in the year 1994 (Ebrahim) The true achievement for the black people of South Africa was that they managed to attain their rights without any such major riots by the people who were against the decision of the government to issue the black people of South Africa, their rights, which they deserved to attain, despite the fact that south Africa had a long history of racial aggression and vi cious police force. Nelsen Mandela in his entire life had to fight against his own countrymen, to regain the rights of the black people of his country. However, besides that, there are also some other ways as well, which nelson Mandela adapted, in order to assist his country to transform itself, for a better future (Benson) As the struggle started by Mandela for the purpose of helping the black people of South Africa to regain their rights was almost a peaceful effort, hence this made nelson Mandela earned him the  1993 Nobel Peace Prize. The revolutionary effort of nelson Mandela assisted South Africa to officially convert itself into a democratic state (Mandela) As besides introducing world’s one of the most progressive constitutions, South Africa also empowered the black people to contribute their skills and expertise in the growth and development of South Africa. And as a matter of

Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Essay - Assignment Example Moreover, the modernism paradigm is inherently intertwined with culture and Eysteinsson and Liska argue that in terms of literary criticism, â€Å"modernism constitutes one of the most prominent fields of literary studies today† (Eysteinsson and Liska, 2007:1). Indeed, leading anthologist Rainey asserts that in literary terms â€Å"modernists were giants, monsters of nature who loomed so large that contemporaries could only gape at them in awe† (Rainey 2007, p.xix) However, whilst modernism is instrumental in approaching literary context, it is evident that â€Å"it is however, a field that stands in a very ambiguous relationship to the present literary and cultural situation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ scholars and critics are seeking to draw a balance sheet with modernism† (Eysteinsson and Liska, 2007:1). The concept of modernism in the cultural consciousness evolved through the end of Queen Victoria’s reign between the nineteenth and twentieth century. Indeed, Gillies and Mahood (2007) refer to publisher Grant Allen’s remarks in 1889 that â€Å"everybody nowadays talks about evolution. Like electricity, the cholera, women’s rights, the great mining boom, and the Eastern question, it is â€Å"in the air† (In Gillies & Mahood, 2007: 3). To this end, it is evident that the cultural transition between the nineteenth and twentieth century towards a modernist socio-cultural model is a central causal factor in explaining the particular distinction of early twentieth century literature in the modernist discourse. For example, if we consider this proposition contextually, Gillies and Mahood refer to Aldous Huxley’s female protagonist Lucy Tantamount in â€Å"Point Counter Point† (1928) comments that â€Å"living modernly’s, living quickly†. Moreover, constant references to â€Å"make it new† meshed â€Å"itself in ever increasingly formalised definitions of

Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison - Essay Example Deforestation has been an ongoing process on this planet from time immoral. The transformation of forested lands by human activities is one of the major reasons for global environmental change and biodiversity loss. There are several reasons for which forest and its natural resources are exploited and overexploited. Forests are cleared, degraded and fragmented by timber harvest, conversion to agriculture, road-building, human-caused fire, and in numerous other ways. Deforestation is a local problem that can have global consequences and is a treat to human civilization. This paper compares the impact of deforestation in China and Amazon. Economic growth and environmental degradation continues to coexist in China. This has resulted in unsustainable rates of deforestation, high levels of air pollution, and low levels of water quality and quantity (Siciliano, 2006). Deforestation in China has not been a recent issue it had started with the expanding agricultural activities to support human life. Robert Marks in his book entitled Tigers, Rice, Silk, and Silt examines the correlations between economic and environmental changes in the southern imperial Chinese provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi (a region historically known as Lingnan, "South of the Mountains") from 1400 to 1850. Marks in-depth analysis show the impact of population growth on land use patterns, the agro-ecology, and deforestation; the commercialization of agriculture and its implications; the impact of climatic change on agriculture; and the ways in which the human population responded to environmental challenges (Marks, 1998). Earliest history of agricultural activities in Lingnan shows that this region was known for the cultivation of sweet potatoes till the end of seventeenth century. Planting sweet potato required no fertilizers and less labor and could be planted in the hilly, sandy

Essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Essay - Assignment Example Moreover, the modernism paradigm is inherently intertwined with culture and Eysteinsson and Liska argue that in terms of literary criticism, â€Å"modernism constitutes one of the most prominent fields of literary studies today† (Eysteinsson and Liska, 2007:1). Indeed, leading anthologist Rainey asserts that in literary terms â€Å"modernists were giants, monsters of nature who loomed so large that contemporaries could only gape at them in awe† (Rainey 2007, p.xix) However, whilst modernism is instrumental in approaching literary context, it is evident that â€Å"it is however, a field that stands in a very ambiguous relationship to the present literary and cultural situation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ scholars and critics are seeking to draw a balance sheet with modernism† (Eysteinsson and Liska, 2007:1). The concept of modernism in the cultural consciousness evolved through the end of Queen Victoria’s reign between the nineteenth and twentieth century. Indeed, Gillies and Mahood (2007) refer to publisher Grant Allen’s remarks in 1889 that â€Å"everybody nowadays talks about evolution. Like electricity, the cholera, women’s rights, the great mining boom, and the Eastern question, it is â€Å"in the air† (In Gillies & Mahood, 2007: 3). To this end, it is evident that the cultural transition between the nineteenth and twentieth century towards a modernist socio-cultural model is a central causal factor in explaining the particular distinction of early twentieth century literature in the modernist discourse. For example, if we consider this proposition contextually, Gillies and Mahood refer to Aldous Huxley’s female protagonist Lucy Tantamount in â€Å"Point Counter Point† (1928) comments that â€Å"living modernly’s, living quickly†. Moreover, constant references to â€Å"make it new† meshed â€Å"itself in ever increasingly formalised definitions of

African American and American Society Essay Example for Free

African American and American Society Essay Is Racism a Permanent feature of American Society? Derrick Bell argues in this issue that the prospects for achieving racial equality in the United States are â€Å"illusory for Blacks. Bell reminds us despite the fact of the progress of blacks in United States; the legacy of slavery has left a portion of the race â€Å"with life-long poverty and soul devastating despair†. Bell believes that race consciousness is so imbedded in whites that it is virtually impossible to rise above it. He also argues that â€Å"few whites are able to identify with blacks as a group† and tend to view blacks through â€Å"comforting racial stereotypes†. Bell feels strongly that critical and proper examination of the history of black-white relations supports his conclusion that racism is a permanent feature of American Society. Bell makes some good point about racism in the American society today. The fact that the psychical part of racism is gone does not mean that racism as permanently left American Society. The fact that racism still â€Å"exist† is does not reflect on blacks’ success any longer. Majority of whites had a head start because their generation of success goes so many years back, were as for blacks success was not allowed at a point in time. Blacks have come a long ways over the years but there is still racial discrimination that â€Å"affects† the black population. Dinesh D’Souza does not agree with Bell, he believes that racism is not a permanent Strain of fabric in the American Society. D’Souza distinguishes between racial discrimination that is â€Å"irrational, motivated by bigotry† and which is â€Å"rational from the point of view of the discriminator. † D’Souza admits that such discrimination may be harmful to individual blacks but he rejects any casual linkage between the lagging indicators of blacks’ overall progress with racial discrimination. He believes race is a diminishing force within American society, D’Souza argues that factors other than racial discrimination are the sources of lagging process toward the American Dream. D’Souza reasoning for blacks not achieving more in America is because blacks fail to observe and embrace certain cultural norms of the dominant American Society. He implies that those who are successful exhibit cultural values that promote success. He states blacks need to place a much greater emphasis on overcoming cultural barriers rather than continuing to assert that race is being held by a persistent racism that afflicts America. Black’s generation has come a long way in American Society. Racism shouldn’t be the excuse for the failure in African American success when in 1919- current we have African American first. Slavery started around 1808 and ended in 1865 due to Lincoln Emancipation Proclamation. Racism was still in effect because the fact that blacks had rights was new. Still in all there were blacks who succeed shortly after that time. Madame C. J. Walker was the first African American female who was a self-made millionaire. In 1893 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was the first black to perform open heart surgery. In 1908 Jack Johnson was the First African-American world heavyweight Champion. In 1993 Toni Morrison was the first African-American to win the Nobel Prize for literature. In 2009 Barack Obama was the first black president of the United States, with the support of some whites. Racism still is â€Å"permanent† due to history but it is not an excuse for Blacks not becoming successful. Derrick bell major argument is that blacks are faced at the bottom of the well. Bell exclaims despite undeniable progress for many, no African American is insulated from incidents of racial discrimination. He states because of our color we are threaten through our lives, careers. Dinesh D’Souza states racism undoubtedly exists, but it no longer has the power to thwart blacks or any other group in achieving their economic, political, and social aspirations. The arguments relates to the overall theme because yes, racism still occurs but it should not pun Blacks from achieving their aspiration. Bell major point is as a Black he experiences the racism. Blacks can work in a white community and experience racism because whites fear the superiority of blacks. D’Souza points out in his argument that racism is the least bit worries blacks should have, when there are black on black crime occurring. Racism should not be such an excuse for â€Å"underclass† blacks not achieving their goals. D’Souza points out the facts where African Americans now live in a country where black man, Colin Powell, who three decades ago could not be served in restaurants, is now a Joint chief staff. Also a white man who supported the nomination of Clarence Thomas, a black man married to a white, for the Supreme Court. D’Souza question is if white racism controls the density of blacks today, how one segment of black community has prospered so much over the past generation. Some unsupported claims in bells argument was he says, â€Å"Modern discrimination is, moreover, not practiced indiscriminately. † Bell implies whites idolize black athletes and entertainers but refuse to hire and work with blacks. Bell also states whites who number individuals blacks among their closest friends approve, or do not oppose, practices that bar selling or renting homes or apartments in their neighborhood to blacks they do not know. Then in his argument he also states that most hotels and restaurants, who offer black patrons courteous treatment, uniformly reject black job applicants. Bell defense for this was â€Å"When did you last see black waiter in a really good restaurant†. These are unsupported claims because this may be true but there are no proven facts that racist is the cause of these arguments. In D’Souza arguments there were not any unsupported claims really found. D’Souza stated his arguments and had accurate information to support his defense. D’Souza makes great points and has a lot of validity in his arguments. He states if blacks are going to reform their community, they have a right to expect that they will be treated equally under law. Hypothetically speaking D’Souza implies if blacks were refused hire on every baseball team in America, blacks would suffer most because they would be denied the chance to play professional baseball. Fans would also suffer because the quality of games would diminish. He says â€Å"But what if a few team-say the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers- refused to hire blacks? † African Americans has a group would hardly suffer at all, because they would offer there service to other teams. D’Souza saying the Yankees and the Dodgers would suffer a great deal, because they would be deprived of the chance to hire talented blacks’ players. Eventually the competitive pressure would force those teams to either hire blacks or suffer losses in games and revue. Then he makes another valid point he referenced from Gary Becker pointed out, in free market, selective discrimination imposes the heaviest cost on the discriminator where it should be. Some whites will undoubtedly discriminate against blacks but with deal with them because of the law and taste for profit. *Dinesh D’Souza is an Indian American conservative political commentator, public intellectual and current president of the King’s College in New York City. He graduated from Dartmouth College, where he graduated with a B. A. in English. D’Souza also published a book in 2007 called The Enemy at home: the cultural left and its responsibility for 9/11. In his argument D’Souza used government documents, books, articles and oral very frequently. D’Souza would state his opinion and have facts and documents to support his defense. No, the reading did not significantly add to my knowledge because these are issues that has been discussed for many years. In the article I did learn some new ways of thinking of Racism. This article did broaden my thoughts with the factual evidence the authors used to support their defense. I would recommend this article to be read to those who do not have a clear understanding of the term racism. The subject that was focus on in this case study is racism a permanent feature of American Society? The case study focused on political, social and economic issues. Bell argued blacks will never gain full equality in American and D’Souza argued that blacks have equality and racism is not important issue blacks should be worried about in today society.

Problems and Challenges Facing the Construction Industry

Problems and Challenges Facing the Construction Industry There are numerous important challenges facing todays construction industry that are motivating the adoption of new technologies such as RFID and sensors technology. Some are new to the industry, and some are centuries old. Many of these challenges are a direct result of construction operations, while others a result of indirect, peripheral activities. Some of the construction issues include workforce considerations, safety, time constraints, and the changing nature of the work. Non-construction challenges that construction industry faces that are part of the business landscape include legal issues, government regulations, environmental concerns, and socio-political pressures. Also in addition to these challenges, the construction industry is highly competitive, and firms must continually improve their productivity to remain competitive. At present, a chronic problem in the construction industry that requires urgent attention is construction supply chain. The construction supply chai n network can be classified as a big and complex organisation that is difficult to manage. This is because the operations or activities involved in the construction network consist of multidiscipline groups and tasks. The concept of supply chain management is about managing information and material flows, plant operations, and logistics through a common set of principles, strategies, policies and performance metrics throughout its developmental life cycle. As part of the back bone for the supply chain processes, the logistics play a critical role in optimizing the flow of materials, equipment and people. The construction logistics is one of the significant management factors in order to precede construction project. If materials which are needed in construction project do not supply in right place on time, it can make problems such as delaying schedule, increasing the cost of construction and reducing productivity. The identification of material, identifying materials moving flow in logistics and tracking materials location are needed for successful project management in construction. A report Improving Construction Logistics published by the Strategic Forum for Construction in August 2005 revealed that quite a considerable amount of waste produced in the construction is caused by poor management of materials delivery services (e.g. from supply logistics to site logistics), inventory, communications and human resources. The consequences of poor construction-logistics are the following setback; about 30% of losses in overall construction cost, contributing to the bad image of the industry, poor quality of product, increased project duration and added risks to workers health and safety. The use of Information Technology (IT) and learning from other industries were part of the recommendation and action plans suggested by the Strategic Forum committee for better logistics processes. Jang et al (2003) and Rebolj et al (2008) also suggested that a great deal of improving the construction-logistics must be focused on the materials and information delivery in order to ach ieve better productivity, avoiding delays and reducing waste. In contrast to manufacturing industries, which profit from long-lasting partnership with suppliers and customers, construction-logistics supply chains are considerably more difficult to manage and optimize due to various factors such as diversification of projects (i.e. various materials, methods, project location) and technical complexity of a project. References Ahuja V. and Yang J. (2005): Towards IT Enabled Supply Chain Communications in Construction Project Management, International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management in a Global Economy, May 2005, pp. 289-302 Ribeiro F. L. And Lopes J. (2001): Construction Supply Chain Integration over the Internet and Web Technology, 17th ARCOM Annual Conference, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Salford, Reading, Vol.1, pp. 241-252, September 2001. Jang H., Russell J.S. and Yi J. S. (2003): A Project Managers Level of Satisfaction in Construction Logistics, Can. J. Civ. Eng. 30, pp. 1133-1142 (2003) Rebolj D., Babic N. C., Magdic A. Podbreznik P. and Psunder M. (2008): Automated Construction Activity Monitoring System, Advanced Engineering Informatics. Balqis Omar, Tabarak Ballal, INTELLIGENT WIRELESS WEB SERVICES: CONTEXT-AWARE COMPUTING IN CONSTRUCTION-LOGISTICS SUPPLY CHAIN. Journal of Information Technology in Construction, ITcon Vol. 14 (2009), pg. 289-pg. 308 - Fast development in information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a key driver and thus provided the opportunity for construction companies to be more sensitive towards their business strategy and productivity (Ahuja and Yang, 2005, Ribeiro and Lopes, 2001). The amount of project data and information generated during construction periods are enormous and uncontrolled due to the nature of fragility in the construction processes. The traditional paper-intensive method of processing and transferring data and information is still being practised due to high investment capital cost on ICT facilities, lack of supporting interoperability between hardware-software within organisations and culture of most construction organisations. Communication technology, materials handling, transportation and warehousing are known as the critical services that serve the logistics operation processes. These include services in facilitating Just-In- Time (JIT) operation, optimising the movement of raw materials, work in-process and finished goods, optimising the transportation mode and locating and designing facilities to meet customer service levels respectively. - One of the recent paramount issues that have been a growing concern in the construction industry is the role of logistics in managing the supply chain (ERABUILD, 2006). Logistics, appropriate or inappropriate, to a great extent influences the efficiency of construction activities with materials and equipment being essential building blocks of construction projects. Among the elements that comprise the construction process, construction materials may account for 50-60 per cent of the total cost of a project and most directly represent project progress (Song 2005, Song et al. 2006). Successful delivery and subsequent distribution of these materials to various interconnected points where they are required is an important aspect of the overall project duration. Intensecomp (2005) reported that a wrong delivery arrangement of materials causes general disorder on construction sites. This disorder is often accompanied by a need for unplanned facilities and/or activities such as additional site storage, work interruption, extra handling, breakage, and loss. Similar challenges were also reported by the Strategic Forum for Construction in 2005. The report suggests that 50% of skilled craftsmen time is spent on unskilled tasks, time that they could have otherwise devoted to supervising workers. A research by BSRIA noted in this report shows that 10% of working hours on site is wasted due to inefficient logistics management. The effects of the logistic related waste thus result in 30% of extra construction cost and exceeded project duration. Other industries depend on and are progressively improving efficiency in logistics to achieve smooth processes, programme certainty and cost predictability. Honda-UK Manufacturing Ltd (HUM) for instance has initiated what could be one of the largest Ultra-High-Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) installations in the automotive industry (Bacheldor 2006). The company used the technology to track components as they traverse HUMs supply chain, moving from suppliers through out Europe to HUMs manufacturing plant in England. In the similar way an RFID smart box developed by DHL in conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation can tell users what it contents are, and with Global Positioning System (GPS) and later, Galileo where it is located. The system can identify the boxs cargo and location, as well as internal environmental conditions (Wessel 2007). References Song, J. (2005). Tracking the Location of Materials on Construction Projects, Ph.D. Diss.,  Graduate School, the University of Texas at Austin. Intensecomp Pte Ltd. (2004). Construction Material Tracking System: Bringing Complex  Tasks to Simple Routine, 5pp. Smith, H. and Konsynsky, B. (2003). Developments in Practice X: Radio Frequency  Identification (RFID)-An Internet for Physical Objects. Communication Association for  Information System, 12, 301-311. Wessel, R. (2007). DHL to Market RFID Enabling Smart Box. RFID Journal (available at:  htt://www.rfidjournal/article/articlereview/2945/) Bacheldor, B. (2006). Honda UK To Track Component Through The Supply Chain. RFID  Journal (available at: htt://www.rfidjournal/article/articlereview/2703/. Milan Radosavljevic , Dauda Dan-Asabe, HOW COULD CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY CHAIN BENEFIT FROM RFID/GPS INTEGRATION: A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, CIB W102 3rd International Conference 2007. Information technology (IT) is important in successfully controlling and managing construction projects, particularly in enhancing communication and coordination among participants. Communication and coordination must be maintained to support resource and competency sharing within the network of a construction chain or the construction chain network. Furthermore, integrating promising information technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDA), radio frequency identification (RFID) scanning and data entry mechanisms can help improve the effectiveness and convenience of information flow in construction supply chain systems. Problem statements Project management and control performance can be enhanced by enabling participants to share information with each other. However, two major key aspects of information sharing are information acquisition and information communication. Information acquisition problems in a construction project follow from most of the data and information being gathered from the construction site, which is an extension of the construction chain. The effectiveness of information and data acquisition influences the information flow between the office and the construction site. However, on-site engineers generally use written documents, drawings, contracts, specifications and shop drawings for job sites. Consequently, a time and space gap between the job site and the office causes duplication of data and information, lack of data and information, and associated confusion. Restated, existing means of processing information and accumulating data are not only time-consuming and expensive, but also compromise project management performance in information acquisition. Furthermore, construction contractors normally depend on interactions via telephone or fax to communicate with suppliers, subcontractors and designers. Consequently, transactions are frequently lost or misunderstood. Such means of communicating information between sites and offices, and among all participants, are ineffective and inconvenient. System implementation This section illustrates the implementation and module of the RFID-enabled PDAs system. Inventory management module The Inventory management module is an easy-access and portable environment in which on-site engineers can trace and record all information on the status of materials in the warehouse or on the scheduled delivery list. This module enables on-site engineers to improve inventory management on construction sites. Quality and inspection module On-site engineers can download the most up-to-date quality tests from the Internet, and can enter test results directly via PDA. Additionally, PDAs display the code and/or checklist for each important component and work. On-site engineers also can plot unacceptable positions on a drawing and choose relevant items from the lists in the PDA. The module has the advantage that on-site engineers can enter/edit quality and inspection test result on the construction site and all test records can be communicated between the PDA and the portal via real-time synchronization, eliminating the need to repeatedly enter the same data. Progress monitor module This module is designed to help managers and on-site engineers monitor the progress of the key components. Furthermore, managers, on-site engineers and project related participants can share the current progress or delivery condition of these critical works and components. The schedule management module provides an easy-access and portable environment in which on-site engineers can trace and record all information on the status of components delivered to the warehouse or on scheduled for delivery. References Lung-Chuang Wang a, Yu-Cheng Lin a,*, Pao H. Lin Dynamic mobile RFID-based supply chain control and management system in construction. Advanced Engineering Informatics 21 (2007) 377-390