The Many Methods Sociological Research †Sociology Essay

The Many Methods Sociological Research – Sociology Essay Free Online Research Papers The Many Methods Sociological Research Sociology Essay In sociology, there are four social research methods used to perform experiments. After a researcher has identified what he or she will be researching, the researcher will choose the best method to use to test their experiment. Each method has different strengths in completing a research. At times, a combination of two will enforce a better result. The four research methods a researcher could use would be experiment research, survey research, field observation, and use of existing data sources. At first, the researcher has to come up with a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a single statement about reality that can be tested (Farley25). This is then used to test a piece of a theory. It is possible to observe whether things happen the way the hypothesis claims that it will occur. A hypothesis is always a statement, never a question (25). There are very many variables, which are used in an experiment. A variable is a concept that can either take on different values or has two or more categories. There are two kinds of variables: independent and dependent. An independent variable is a variable that the researcher thinks is a cause, which influences the other variable. The cause must always come before the effect. For example, a person cannot do something today that will cause something to happen yesterday (26). A dependent variable, on the other hand, is a variable that the researcher thinks is the effect. The first research method is an experiment research. This is research that is carried out in a situation that is under the control the researcher (Farley28). This method is used when the research is based on how a situation may change if and independent variable is added to the situation. An experiment must have two groups that are similar in education, race, and age. There needs to be a control group and an experimental group. An experimental group goes through an experience while a control group goes through the pretest and posttest. Both groups need to be measured before and after the experiment. The control group is measured at the beginning of the period and then measured at the end of the period. But the control group is not put in a different situation that the group began in. The experimental group is measured at the beginning of the period, and then tested through the experiment, and then the group is measured again at the end of the period to see if there was any change to the group. The second research method is conducting a survey to gather information to test a hypothesis. A survey research is any research in which a population is asked a set of questions that are worked out in advance by the researcher. This method is used with a large population or a sample of the population. A sample is a subset of a population that is used to represent the entire population. The survey can consist of a questionnaire, a telephone interview, or a personal interview. Each survey will give a different result because of non- personal interaction and personal interaction. There are two types of questions. The first is a fixed response that is multiple choice and easy to process. The second one is open ended which the person writes his or here own answers in his her own words to the question.In a questionnaire, the people answer the survey by marking answers on the survey form. Theses surveys are very simple and inexpensive but the researcher might not always know when people have a problem understanding the questions. Another disadvantage of a mail- out/ mail- back questionnaire is the low rate response. How many people do you really think would take the time to fill out survey in the mail? A response can be improved if handed to a group to fill out right there on the spot. They can be given out perhaps at work or even in a classroom. A telephone interview has quick results. While the researcher is on the phone, he or she can type in the answers that are given and have results within seconds. Telephone interviews have a better response rate than questionnaires. Out of all of these, a person interview would be the most reliable method to use. The researcher can see the expressions on a person’s face or they can even explain the question better than in a questionnaire. There are some disadvantages in a personal interview, for example, the actual time that has to be spent in doing the interview and the amount of money it cost for the procedure to happen. Surveys and experiments produce numbers that can be used to test a hypothesis. A participant observation is often more subjective in nature and has fewer numbers but a greater knowledge (Farley35). The third research method is field observation. Field observation is where researchers observe human behavior as it occurs in ordinary real- life situations. This method is used to study and observe human behavior in natural setting. There are two main types of field observation: participant and unobtrusive. In participant observation, the researcher contributes in some way in the behavior observed. The researcher may continue by attending meetings or being involved in some types of group activities. A question asked in a participant observation is: should the researcher reveal his or her identity? Some researchers are against identifying his or her identity because when people discover that they are being studied, it can cause them to behave differently (Levin). On the other hand, some researchers consider identifying themselves because they believe people have the right to know that they are being studied. In an unobtrusive observation, the researcher does not in any way become involved in the behavior being observed. The researcher is in a position out of sight, for example, through a window or across the street. An inconspicuous measure is then taken by percentages, for instance, the percentage of male or female that get on a subway. An instance of field observation is how to study how parents treat their children when the child misbehaves. This method allows the researcher to observe the family without conversation. If parents were asked how they discipline their children when misbehaving, the conclusions would be incorrect. Therefore it is understandable that field observation would be the most precise method to use in situations comparable to this one. The last research method would be the use of existing data sources. The researcher does not collect original data because data has already been collected. Researching old documents or studies that have already been done use this method. There is no use of another human, just past information that now may be studied to find changes from then and now. There are three main sources that are used, one of which is archives. Colleges, organizations, and corporations have collected the data already. This has resulted in computerized data archives that are open to anyone (Farley38). Government data would include records of births, deaths, marriages, and even divorces. The information is directly available over the Internet to anyone who wants to use the information. The second source is the U.S. Census, which is updated every ten years. The data is on the population, housing from a street block to the entire country, manufacturing, and wholesale trade. Content analysis would be the last sourc e. This involves some type of systematic examination of the content of books, articles, speeches, movies, and/or television programs. For example, compare the number and types of roles filled by male and female characters in a set of television programs. It can be either quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative is counting the number of words devoted to female characters as opposed to the male characters. Qualitative is a detailed description and analysis of how male and female characters is presented (Farley39). These four social research methods are all used differently in experiments. As explained, experiment, survey, field observation, and existing data are very useful in each type of situation that may be presented to the researcher. The researcher just must know what he or she is studying and what type of research he or she is going to use. Every time research is involved, a method has to be used. Research Papers on The Many Methods Sociological Research - Sociology EssayResearch Process Part OneEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Your Ideal Reader

Your Ideal Reader Your Ideal Reader Your Ideal Reader By Ali Hale If you’re reading Daily Writing Tips, you’re probably a writer of some description. And being a writer means, in the vast majority of cases, that you have – or at least want to have – readers. So, have you thought about your Ideal Reader? What is an Ideal Reader? Your ideal reader is a construct designed to represent your audience. If you’re writing a blog about frugality and budgeting, your ideal reader might be a single mom in her thirties. Alternatively, your ideal reader could be a high school graduate heading off to college. For a short story writer, an ideal reader might be a woman working in a shop, flicking through short stories in her breaks or during quiet times of the day. Alternatively, a short story writer might envisage a very different ideal reader – perhaps an elderly male professor poring over the story in a hushed library, extracting every nuance. Why do I want an Ideal Reader? You might wonder what the point of creating an â€Å"ideal reader† is. Perhaps you think your audience is too diverse, and that there’s no way you could come up with one imaginary character to represent them. But having an ideal reader is well worth the effort, in terms of boosting your writing productivity: â€Å"Consider how much more quickly words flow when you’re writing an email to a friend versus creating a formal business presentation. When you have a specific recipient in mind, you have a much easier time communicating your ideas.† from Why Create An Ideal Reader? Do you ever find yourself struggling to get started an article, blog post, story or poem? Do you worry that the topic will bore your readers, or that your literary allusions will go over their heads? Having an ideal reader in mind makes it much easier to pitch your writing at the right level. Even if you don’t have an audience yet, you’ll still want to think about your ideal reader. When I was planning my new blog, Alpha Student, I put a good bit of thought into my ideal reader: a keen, intelligent, slightly shy, university student who isn’t really into the wilder aspects of student life. This really helped when focusing the blog and deciding on the tone of the articles (I’ve not written about drunken nights or peppered my advice with swear words, for instance!) Who is My Ideal Reader? If you’re writing for a specific publication, you’re in luck. Many magazines publish profiles for prospective advertisers, detailing the demographics of the magazine’s readership. Here in the UK, I find the IPC Media website very helpful for finding these details. For example, for Horse magazine, I’m told that the â€Å"target readers† are horse enthusiast women aged 20-40 from the ABC1 (middle/upper class) categories. This would be a good starting point for creating an ideal reader. â€Å"At a minimum I keep in mind the age and gender of the reader. For example, I sometimes do news articles for a small, local weekly newspaper. Since I live in the neighborhood, I know that we’re an incredibly diverse area, but that the readership of the paper tends to be older women. So that’s who I write for, keeping in mind the others, and occasionally working in some ethnic bits.† from Write for Your Ideal Reader If you’re writing fiction for a particular magazine, look at the advertisements, the editorial, and the letters from readers. This can give you a lot of clues about the gender, age, interests and social class of the ideal reader for that market. Even copywriters and marketers can create an ideal reader – often called an â€Å"ideal customer†. I took Sonia Simone’s excellent Content Class by email (it’s free), and her first lesson is â€Å"Write for One Customer†. She says: If your ideal customer is a little formal, write to her like youd send an email to your Great Aunt Susie. If hes casual, write like youd write to an old college buddy. (Its probably smart to keep it rated-G, though.) Over to You If you have a blog, novel, short story collection, article or any other writing project underway, stop and ask yourself – who am I writing for? Who’s my ideal reader? You can get as detailed about this as you like: try to make it a fun exercise. Give your ideal reader a name, a personality, interests, worries, a birthday. Then, every time you write, write for that one person. Why not tell us about your ideal reader in the comments? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of LanguageEmail EtiquetteWords Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters

Business environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Business environment - Essay Example There are many reasons for this change in the external environment as organizations are fighting their way to reclaim their original position in the market. Large banks such as Northern Rock failed to sustain itself despite support from Bank of England and such the carryover effects are even felt by the organizations working in other sectors of the economy. Subprime mortgages may be just tip of the iceberg as there are other very serious causes of the failure of the financial system. Due to inter-linking of different macroeconomic variables, governments of UK and US even went on to pump in funds into failing organizations in a bid to stabilize the economy. It has also been observed that the different economic policies adopted by the UK and US Government specially after 1970s were largely in favor of free market economy which allowed different organizations to go beyond their capabilities and as such caused the current financial crises within the both these countries. Due to this reason, British Government specially has been planning to reorganize and restructure the mortgage market in a bid to lessen the impacts of the current financial crises. This research paper will provide an analysis of some of the PEST or LEPEST factors which British Government may consider for successful implementation of its plans. Further, this research paper will also discuss how a bank would respond to such influences. As discussed above that the current crises are the crises of confidence and as such not British Government is taking efforts to revive the failing institutions in particular and economy in general. As a part of these efforts, British Government is also undertaking to restructure the existing mortgage market in the country in a bid to rationalize it so that in future no such episodes happen. PEST Analysis in such circumstances can serve as an excellent tool to provide great insight into some of the critical factors required

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS Essay

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS - Essay Example In the contemporary business world, it is almost impossible to ignore the importance of information systems in strategic management. Organisations today require information systems to remain relevant in the business world since they provide strategic opportunities (Daniels 1998, p. 167). Different departments in organisations are now relying on information systems to enhance efficiency and improve business effectiveness. The managerial tasks in the business world today have become complex and this means that the information systems that are used also have to change to meet the demands of an organisation. As such, it has become a necessity for organisations to engage in strategic management of IS (Daniels 1998, p. 170). This paper provides a critical analysis of the role that porter’s strategic advantage competitive theory play in the development of strategic management of IS. In addition, this paper also looks at the significance of studying and reviewing porter’s competitive advantage since it can be used as a model for strategic management of IS. To this end, three important research questions and problems have been identified with regard to the study of strategic management of IS. On the other hand, a literature review related to the topic at hand is important in providing empirical evidence on the key issues that the topic discusses. The key findings identified in this paper are derived from researches in an attempt to understand their implication in the strategic management of IS. Other than the key findings, this paper also looks at the limitations associated with this study, and presents recommendation for further research on the same topic. The conclusion in this paper draws attention to a summary of the key points mentioned and described in this study. This topic brings attention of readers to the importance of information systems in an organisational set up, and how it has evolved over the years. Information

Educational circles Essay Example for Free

Educational circles Essay Lifelong education is a concept not to vague in today’s educational circles. It has been used in many different forms to promote a person’s pursuance to knowledge. It is claimed that life is education, practically speaking when you live you encounter deterrents or resistance in forms of challenges. It is normal for a person to face this situation, in here you will see that ones failure and challenges arise man’s normal tendency is to adapt and move on. Therefore learning and educating himself on the situation he/she has just experienced (Smith M. 1996). The issue that can be seen in pursuing further education is Man’s ability to absorb and effectively comprehending knowledge at a certain age. Man’s psyche changes as it progress deep into the application of his/her field or application. When the application stage of man kicks in he or she finds it difficult to learn new things because his/her paradigm is already stuck on its present state. That’s why preparation to a lifelong education is vital. It features a lot of difference between specializing. Specializing is done when man pursues and therefore encloses himself to a specific study. Not only that, he or she will be engrossed in its application, one reason for this is the field maybe his or her source of income. Examples are doctors, engineers, or architects who pursue to improve knowledge in their respective fields. The difference between lifelong learning and specialization is on it’s the width of its spectrum. A person pursuing a lifelong learning is more open he or she views mistakes as an opportunity of learning. A person pursuing specialization is not close minded but more coherent in their studies, and they usually have a rigid paradigm. The importance of differentiating lifelong learning and specialization is important. Creating standard studies on this topic will give students and educators a point of reference. This point of reference will assist our education system on integrating this to a learner’s life. Show them the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing one side to the other. Or even provide an evolvement study to at some proportion integrate the two different sides together. Reference: Smith M. (1996). Lifelong learning. http://www. infed. org/lifelonglearning/b-life. htm

The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

Theodore Roethek once wrote â€Å"In a dark time, the eye begins to see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This means that in times of great trials and tribulations, when all seems lost; an inner sense of motivation kicks in. You get a new sense of direction and something is keeping you guided. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby illustrates this quote perfectly. In this novel, the characters, the conflicts, and everything in between are all intertwined through characterazation and symbolism. Jay Gatz made something of himself from starting with nothing, and in a time when he met so many new people and reunited with the love of his life, there seemed to be a tremendous â€Å"heat wave†.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From humble beginnings a man was able to elevate himself into the upper echelons of society and take back the only thing he ever loved, just to have it torn from him again; this is the life of The Great Gatsby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Could you imagine a wonderful, rich, and famous life from a poor and wretched boyhood? If you could, Jason Gatz would be the man. Growing up, he was not â€Å"well off†, not even able to make ends meet. He however, had all the tools for success, he was bright, skilled, and perhaps a little to motivated. He enlisted in the army and even became a gentleman, much different than a poor country boy. He found a girl and fell in love†¦he was almost threatening with his love; he loved her perhaps a bit too much. He was a terrible liar too, he lied even to her to make her think he was rich, and when he came back home, he found out that she was gone and married. Jason Gatz was a man of commitment. He got a real job, changed his name to the more fashionable Jay Gatsby, and made millions. The house he bought was â€Å"coincidentally† right across the Bay from Daisy (his ex-love) and her husband Tom Buchannon. He was a desperate romantic, he threw tons of pa rties just hoping that she would show up at one, but she never did. All Gatsby could do, was stare out into the sound, looking at the green light on Daisy’s house. Go! He thought, now is the time to start things fresh, if only him and Nick could go get some lunch, then go get coffee, then they would go home and Gatsby would make his proposal.

Digital Fortress Chapter 94-99

Chapter 94 Midge Milken stood fuming at the water cooler near the entrance to the conference room. What the hell is Fontaine doing? She crumpled her paper cup and threw it forcefully into the trash can. There's something happening in Crypto! I can feel it! Midge knew there was only one way to prove herself right. She'd go check out Crypto herself-track down Jabba if need be. She spun on her heel and headed for the door. Brinkerhoff appeared out of nowhere, blocking her way. â€Å"Where are you headed?† â€Å"Home!† Midge lied. Brinkerhoff refused to let her pass. Midge glared. â€Å"Fontaine told you not to let me out, didn't he?† Brinkerhoff looked away. â€Å"Chad, I'm telling you, there's something happening in Crypto-something big. I don't know why Fontaine's playing dumb, but TRANSLTR's in trouble. Something is not right down there tonight!† â€Å"Midge,† he soothed, walking past her toward the curtained conference room windows, â€Å"let's let the director handle it.† Midge's gaze sharpened. â€Å"Do you have any idea what happens to TRANSLTR if the cooling system fails?† Brinkerhoff shrugged and approached the window. â€Å"Power's probably back on-line by now anyway.† He pulled apart the curtains and looked. â€Å"Still dark?† Midge asked. But Brinkerhoff did not reply. He was spellbound. The scene below in the Crypto dome was unimaginable. The entire glass cupola was filled with spinning lights, flashing strobes, and swirling steam. Brinkerhoff stood transfixed, teetering light-headed against the glass. Then, in a frenzy of panic, he raced out. â€Å"Director! Director!† Chapter 95 The blood of Christ†¦ the cup of salvation†¦ People gathered around the slumped body in the pew. Overhead, the frankincense swung its peaceful arcs. Hulohot wheeled wildly in the center aisle and scanned the church. He's got to be here! He spun back toward the altar. Thirty rows ahead, holy communion was proceeding uninterrupted. Padre Gustaphes Herrera, the head chalice bearer, glanced curiously at the quiet commotion in one of the center pews; he was not concerned. Sometimes some of the older folks were overcome by the holy spirit and passed out. A little air usually did the trick. Meanwhile, Hulohot was searching frantically. Becker was nowhere in sight. A hundred or so people were kneeling at the long altar receiving communion. Hulohot wondered if Becker was one of them. He scanned their backs. He was prepared to shoot from fifty yards away and make a dash for it. El cuerpo de Jesus, el pan del cielo. The young priest serving Becker communion gave him a disapproving stare. He could understand the stranger's eagerness to receive communion, but it was no excuse to cut inline. Becker bowed his head and chewed the wafer as best he could. He sensed something was happening behind him, some sort of disturbance. He thought of the man from whom he'd bought the jacket and hoped he had listened to his warning and not taken Becker's in exchange. He started to turn and look, but he feared the wire-rim glasses would be staring back. He crouched in hopes his black jacket was covering the back of his khaki pants. It was not. The chalice was coming quickly from his right. People were already swallowing their wine, crossing themselves, and standing to leave. Slow down! Becker was in no hurry to leave the altar. But with two thousand people waiting for communion and only eight priests serving, it was considered bad form to linger over a sip of wine. The chalice was just to the right of Becker when Hulohot spotted the mismatched khaki pants. â€Å"Estas ya muerto,† he hissed softly. â€Å"You're already dead.† Hulohot moved up the center aisle. The time for subtlety had passed. Two shots in the back, and he would grab the ring and run. The biggest taxi stand in Seville was half a block away on Mateus Gago. He reached for his weapon. Adios, Senor Becker†¦ La sangre de Cristo, la copa de la salvacion. The thick scent of red wine filled Becker's nostrils as Padre Herrera lowered the hand-polished, silver chalice. Little early for drinking, Becker thought as he leaned forward. But as the silver goblet dropped past eye level, there was a blur of movement. A figure, coming fast, his shape warped in the reflection of the cup. Becker saw a flash of metal, a weapon being drawn. Instantly, unconsciously, like a runner from a starting block at the sound of a gun, Becker was vaulting forward. The priest fell back in horror as the chalice sailed through the air, and red wine rained down on white marble. Priests and altar boys went scattering as Becker dove over the communion rail. A silencer coughed out a single shot. Becker landed hard, and the shot exploded in the marble floor beside him. An instant later he was tumbling down three granite stairs into the valle, a narrow passageway through which the clergy entered, allowing them to rise onto the altar as if by divine grace. At the bottom of the steps, he stumbled and dove. Becker felt himself sliding out of control across the slick polished stone. A dagger of pain shot though his gut as he landed on his side. A moment later he was stumbling through a curtained entryway and down a set of wooden stairs. Pain. Becker was running, through a dressing room. It was dark. There were screams from the altar. Loud footsteps in pursuit. Becker burst through a set of double doors and stumbled into some sort of study. It was dark, furnished with rich Orientals and polished mahogany. On the far wall was a life-size crucifix. Becker staggered to a stop. Dead end. He was at the tip of the cross. He could hear Hulohot closing fast. Becker stared at the crucifix and cursed his bad luck. â€Å"Goddamn it!† he screamed. There was the sudden sound of breaking glass to Becker's left. He wheeled. A man in red robes gasped and turned to eye Becker in horror. Like a cat caught with a canary, the holy man wiped his mouth and tried to hide the broken bottle of holy communion wine at his feet. â€Å"Salida!† Becker demanded. â€Å"Salida!† Let me out! Cardinal Guerra reacted on instinct. A demon had entered his sacred chambers screaming for deliverance from the house of God. Guerra would grant him that wish-immediately. The demon had entered at a most inopportune moment. Pale, the cardinal pointed to a curtain on the wall to his left. Hidden behind the curtain was a door. He'd installed it three years ago. It led directly to the courtyard outside. The cardinal had grown tired of exiting the church through the front door like a common sinner. Chapter 96 Susan was wet and shivering, huddled on the Node 3 couch. Strathmore draped his suit coat over her shoulders. Hale's body lay a few yards away. The sirens blared. Like ice thawing on a frozen pond, TRANSLTR's hull let out a sharp crack. â€Å"I'm going down to kill power,† Strathmore said, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. â€Å"I'll be right back.† Susan stared absently after the commander as he dashed across the Crypto floor. He was no longer the catatonic man she'd seen ten minutes before. Commander Trevor Strathmore was back-logical, controlled, doing whatever was necessary to get the job done. The final words of Hale's suicide note ran through her mind like a train out of control: Above all, I'm truly sorry about David Becker. Forgive me, I was blinded by ambition. Susan Fletcher's nightmare had just been confirmed. David was in danger†¦ or worse. Maybe it was already too late. I'm truly sorry about David Becker. She stared at the note. Hale hadn't even signed it-he'd just typed his name at the bottom: Greg Hale. He'd poured out his guts, pressed print, and then shot himself-just like that. Hale had sworn he'd never go back to prison; he'd kept his vow-he'd chosen death instead. â€Å"David†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sobbed. David! At that moment, ten feet below the Crypto floor, Commander Strathmore stepped off the ladder onto the first landing. It had been a day of fiascoes. What had started out as a patriotic mission had swerved wildly out of control. The commander had been forced to make impossible decisions, commit horrific acts-acts he'd never imagined himself capable of. It was a solution! It was the only damn solution! There was duty to think of: country and honor. Strathmore knew there was still time. He could shut down TRANSLTR. He could use the ring to save the country's most valuable databank. Yes, he thought, there was still time. Strathmore looked out over the disaster around him. The overhead sprinklers were on. TRANSLTR was groaning. The sirens blared. The spinning lights looked like helicopters closing in through dense fog. With every step, all he could see was Greg Hale-the young cryptographer gazing up, his eyes pleading, and then, the shot. Hale's death was for country†¦ for honor. The NSA could not afford another scandal. Strathmore needed a scapegoat. Besides, Greg Hale was a disaster waiting to happen. Strathmore's thoughts were jarred free by the sound of his cellular. It was barely audible over the sirens and hissing fumes. He snatched it off his belt without breaking stride. â€Å"Speak.† â€Å"Where's my pass-key?† a familiar voice demanded. â€Å"Who is this?† Strathmore yelled over the din. â€Å"It's Numataka!† the angry voice bellowed back. â€Å"You promised me a pass-key!† Strathmore kept moving. â€Å"I want Digital Fortress!† Numataka hissed. â€Å"There is no Digital Fortress!† Strathmore shot back. â€Å"What?† â€Å"There is no unbreakable algorithm!† â€Å"Of course there is! I've seen it on the Internet! My people have been trying to unlock it for days!† â€Å"It's an encrypted virus, you fool-and you're damn lucky you can't open it!† â€Å"But-â€Å" â€Å"The deal is off!† Strathmore yelled. â€Å"I'm not North Dakota. There is no North Dakota! Forget I ever mentioned it!† He clamped the cellular shut, turned off the ringer, and rammed it back on his belt. There would be no more interruptions. Twelve thousand miles away, Tokugen Numataka stood stunned at his plate-glass window. His Umami cigar hung limply in his mouth. The deal of his lifetime had just disintegrated before his eyes. Strathmore kept descending. The deal is off. Numatech Corp. would never get the unbreakable algorithm†¦ and the NSA would never get its back door. Strathmore's dream had been a long time in the planning-he'd chosen Numatech carefully. Numatech was wealthy, a likely winner of the pass-key auction. No one would think twice if it ended up with the key. Conveniently there was no company less likely to be suspected of consorting with the U.S. government. Tokugen Numataka was old-world Japan-death before dishonor. He hated Americans. He hated their food, he hated their customs, and most of all, he hated their grip on the world's software market. Strathmore's vision had been bold-a world encryption standard with a back door for the NSA. He'd longed to share his dream with Susan, to carry it out with her by his side, but he knew he could not. Even though Ensei Tankado's death would save thousands of lives in the future, Susan would never have agreed; she was a pacifist. I'm a pacifist too, thought Strathmore, I just don't have the luxury of acting like one. There had never been any doubt in the commander's mind who would kill Tankado. Tankado was in Spain-and Spain meant Hulohot. The forty-two-year-old Portuguese mercenary was one of the commander's favorite pros. He'd been working for the NSA for years. Born and raised in Lisbon, Hulohot had done work for the NSA all over Europe. Never once had his kills been traced back to Fort Meade. The only catch was that Hulohot was deaf; telephone communication was impossible. Recently Strathmore had arranged for Hulohot to receive the NSA's newest toy, the Monocle computer. Strathmore bought himself a SkyPager and programmed it to the same frequency. From that moment on, his communication with Hulohot was not only instantaneous but also entirely untraceable. The first message Strathmore had sent Hulohot left little room for misunderstanding. They had already discussed it. Kill Ensei Tankado. Obtain pass-key. Strathmore never asked how Hulohot worked his magic, but somehow he had done it again. Ensei Tankado was dead, and the authorities were convinced it was a heart attack. A textbook kill-except for one thing. Hulohot had misjudged the location. Apparently Tankado dying in a public place was a necessary part of the illusion. But unexpectedly, the public had appeared too soon. Hulohot was forced into hiding before he could search the body for the pass-key. When the dust settled, Tankado's body was in the hands of Seville's coroner. Strathmore was furious. Hulohot had blown a mission for the first time ever-and he'd picked an inauspicious time to do it. Getting Tankado's pass-key was critical, but Strathmore knew that sending a deaf assassin into the Seville morgue was a suicide mission. He had pondered his other options. A second scheme began to materialize. Strathmore suddenly saw a chance to win on two fronts-a chance to realize two dreams instead of just one. At six-thirty that morning, he had called David Becker. Chapter 97 Fontaine burst into the conference room at a full sprint. Brinkerhoff and Midge were close at his heels. â€Å"Look!† Midge choked, motioning frantically to the window. Fontaine looked out the window at the strobes in the Crypto dome. His eyes went wide. This was definitely not part of the plan. Brinkerhoff sputtered. â€Å"It's a goddamn disco down there!† Fontaine stared out, trying to make sense of it. In the few years TRANSLTR had been operational, it had never done this. It's overheating, he thought. He wondered why the hell Strathmore hadn't shut it down. It took Fontaine only an instant to make up his mind. He snatched an interoffice phone off the conference table and punched the extension for Crypto. The receiver began beeping as if the extension were out of order. Fontaine slammed down the receiver. â€Å"Damn it!† He immediately picked up again and dialed Strathmore's private cellular line. This time the line began to ring. Six rings went by. Brinkerhoff and Midge watched as Fontaine paced the length of his phone cable like a tiger on a chain. After a full minute, Fontaine was crimson with rage. He slammed down the receiver again. â€Å"Unbelievable!† he bellowed. â€Å"Crypto's about to blow, and Strathmore won't answer his goddamn phone!† Chapter 98 Hulohot burst out of Cardinal Guerra's chambers into the blinding morning sun. He shielded his eyes and cursed. He was standing outside the cathedral in a small patio, bordered by a high stone wall, the west face of the Giralda tower, and two wrought-iron fences. The gate was open. Outside the gate was the square. It was empty. The walls of Santa Cruz were in the distance. There was no way Becker could have made it so far so quickly. Hulohot turned and scanned the patio. He's in here. He must be! The patio, Jardin de los Naranjos, was famous in Seville for its twenty blossoming orange trees. The trees were renowned in Seville as the birthplace of English marmalade. An eighteenth-century English trader had purchased three dozen bushels of oranges from the Seville church and taken them back to London only to find the fruit inedibly bitter. He tried to make jam from the rinds and ended up having to add pounds of sugar just to make it palatable. Orange marmalade had been born. Hulohot moved forward through the grove, gun leveled. The trees were old, and the foliage had moved high on their trunks. Their lowest branches were unreachable, and the thin bases provided no cover. Hulohot quickly saw the patio was empty. He looked straight up. The Giralda. The entrance to the Giralda's spiral staircase was cordoned off by a rope and small wooden sign. The rope hung motionless. Hulohot's eyes climbed the 419-foot tower and immediately knew it was a ridiculous thought. There was no way Becker would have been that stupid. The single staircase wound straight up to a square stone cubicle. There were narrow slits in the wall for viewing, but there was no way out. David Becker climbed the last of the steep stairs and staggered breathless into a tiny stone cubicle. There were high walls all around him and narrow slits in the perimeter. No exit. Fate had done Becker no favors this morning. As he'd dashed from the cathedral into the open courtyard, his jacket had caught on the door. The fabric had stopped him mid stride and swung him hard left before tearing. Becker was suddenly stumbling off balance into the blinding sun. When he'd looked up, he was heading straight for a staircase. He'd jumped over the rope and dashed up. By the time he realized where it led, it was too late. Now he stood in the confined cell and caught his breath. His side burned. Narrow slats of morning sun streamed through the openings in the wall. He looked out. The man in the wire-rim glasses was far below, his back to Becker, staring out at the plaza. Becker shifted his body in front of the crack for a better view. Cross the plaza, he willed him. The shadow of the Giralda lay across the square like a giant felled sequoia. Hulohot stared the length of it. At the far end, three slits of light cut through the tower's viewing apertures and fell in crisp rectangles on the cobblestone below. One of those rectangles had just been blotted out by the shadow of a man. Without so much as a glance toward the top of the tower, Hulohot spun and dashed toward the Giralda stairs. Chapter 99 Fontaine pounded his fist into his hand. He paced the conference room and stared out at the spinning Crypto lights. â€Å"Abort! Goddamn it! Abort!† Midge appeared in the doorway waving a fresh readout. â€Å"Director! Strathmore can't abort!† â€Å"What!† Brinkerhoff and Fontaine gasped in unison. â€Å"He tried, sir!† Midge held up the report. â€Å"Four times already! TRANSLTR's locked in some sort of endless loop.† Fontaine spun and stared back out the window. â€Å"Jesus Christ!† The conference room phone rang sharply. The director threw up his arms. â€Å"It's got to be Strathmore! About goddamn time!† Brinkerhoff scooped up the phone. â€Å"Director's office.† Fontaine held out his hand for the receiver. Brinkerhoff looked uneasy and turned to Midge. â€Å"It's Jabba. He wants you.† The director swung his gaze over to Midge, who was already crossing the room. She activated the speaker phone. â€Å"Go ahead, Jabba.† Jabba's metallic voice boomed into the room. â€Å"Midge, I'm in the main databank. We're showing some strange stuff down here. I was wondering if-â€Å" â€Å"Dammit, Jabba!† Midge came unglued. â€Å"That's what I've been trying to tell you!† â€Å"It could be nothing,† Jabba hedged, â€Å"but-â€Å" â€Å"Stop saying that! It's not nothing! Whatever's going on down there, take it seriously, very seriously. My data isn't fried-never has been, never will.† She started to hang up and then added, â€Å"Oh, and Jabba? Just so there aren't any surprises†¦ Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet.†

Culture and Diversity in Decision Making Essay

The definition of the mission and goals of the enterprise is the foundation for any business. Mission – is the answer to the question, what is the activity of the company is and what it intends to do. Procter & Gamble has a pretty clear statement: â€Å"We are there to improve your life† After the mission, the organization needs to define the purpose. In this case, the goal – to produce goods and services of the highest quality and customer value that improve the lives of today’s and future generations around the world. Consumers help to take a leading position in terms of sales, to ensure the prosperity of the business that contributes to the well-being of employees and shareholders, as well as those areas where employees live and work. The goal unites workers for the common cause of the growth strategy. It has great potential due to a simple idea to improve on daily lives of consumers around the world. It is this setting allows P ; G to achieve maximum f ull growth. So, from the above we can highlight the important goals of the company: A. Providing quality products, customer focus; B. Creating a stable, growing company. 3. About the P;G company’s culture signs. The company provides a certain amount of self – dependence divisional governance structure that provides greater flexibility and faster response to changes in the business environment compared to the linear and linear- staff. Managerial responsibility for the activities of the company both in the domestic and foreign market is shared between them. This type of structure combines centralized coordination and control of centrally managed. Key figures in the management of an organization with a divisional structure – not heads of functional units, and the managers in charge of the production department, the so-called divisions. The company groups are formed by categories, each of which includes experts in marketing, sales and advertising. These narrow specialists provide each its part under the direct control of the manager category. The level of the manager is very high. 4. Factors that caused the organization to embody this particular culture. P;G company has been working toward keeping its reputation and standards in all field. Since it was established, P;G has built rich heritage of touching consumers’ lives with brands that make life a little better every day. Here is to motto says â€Å"Do the Right Thing – For each other† The culture of the company is based on the basic moral and ethical values – leadership, striving for the victory, the host’s respect, honesty and trust. These values are not something abstract – they define the actions of the company. 5. What type of leader would be the best? In my opinion there are many reasons that this leader structure will be effective. First, as part of a huge company it managed to create an environment where every employee is interesting to work with. The responsibility of each employee, including the manager is the main driving force effectiveness. And this is the result of the constructed system of management, whose main task is to create conditions for the moral and material interests of each employee. Second, the complexity of management and collective management style in this company is proposed to use a single control method. The management system is structured in a complex of  functional subsystems. That is, they include highlights key subsystems within each of which formed goals, measurable indicators are introduced, developed a system for calculating them are formalized standards, business processes and organizational procedures. Disconnected from the management of the business functions of the company’s managers are moving to a collective system of integrated management of business functions. 6. Imagine that there is a decline in the demand of products. What the change in culture would be need to be in response to this situation. I think company’s CEO should work with the sale’s department. Look up their regular planning and control of the department and its employees, hiring, selection and adaptation of staff; employee motivation, training, exchange of experience, the general debriefing, evaluation of the department, the calculation of cost of sales, cost of sales regulation, evaluation of individual performance of employees. In one word they have to find out their mistake and fix it, because without a reason demand not decreasing itself. References CNBC television channel – Documentary film about Procter ; Gamble company. Retrieved from http://www.hulu.com/watch/286095 Charan, R. (2008, August 26). P;G’s innovation culture: How we built the world-class organic growth engine by investing in people. Retrieved from http://www.strategy-business.com/article/08304?pg=all Procter and Gamble. (2013). Our worldwide business conduct manual. Retrieved from http://www.pg.com/en_US/downloads/company/governance/Policy_Worldwide_Business Conduct_Manual.pdf Schermerhorn, J. R. (2012). Organizational behavior (12th ed.). Danvers, MA: John Wiley ; Sons, Inc

Getting an Equity Card

Getting an Equity Card Having an Equity card basically means that you are a member of the Actors Equity Association. Representing both actors and stage managers, the Actors Equity Association (AEA) has been negotiating wages and benefits for its members since 1913. Benefits According to the AEA, benefits include: Minimum salaries (negotiated rates, overtime, extra pay for additional duties,  free housing or per diem on tour)Work rules (length of day, breaks, days off, safe and sanitary conditions)Health, pension and 401(k) benefitsDispute resolution (including recourse to impartial and binding arbitration)Just cause (penalties for improper dismissal)Bonding (guaranteeing payments to the Actors if the producer becomes insolvent or defaults)Supplemental Workers Comp insurance, which provides additional compensation over-and-above Workers Comp if youre injured on the jobEquity-only auditions via casting call and Equity hotlinesAgency regulationsMember discountsThe Equity News and websiteSeminars and special eventsProfessional name protectionTax assistance through VITAVoting privileges Union membership also includes access to service organizations like The Actors Fund, Career Transition for Dancers, the Actors Federal Credit Union and the AFL-CIO. These organizations offer a host of additional resources such as emergency assistance, seminars, career counseling, low-cost financial services, loans and discounts. Starting a Career Every year, thousands of Broadway hopefuls flock to New York City hoping to break into the theater business. Before you rush off, you may want to stop and visit the Equity website to find out if a union is right for them. If you arent yet an Equity member, you might still land a role on Broadway. But your chances are slimmer. Many theater employers will only hire card-carrying union members. How to Get an Equity Card Gain employment under Equity Contract (this is often tricky because some shows wont let you audition unless you are already an AEA member).Be a member of a sister union such as SAG, AFTRA, or AGMA. Members of these unions can also register for AEA.Utilize the Equity Membership Candidate Program. If you are an actor or stage manager-in-training, you can register with AEA and earn credit towards eventual membership.

How To Make a Crystal Skull

How To Make a Crystal Skull Learn how to make your own crystal skull, for Halloween, Day of the Dead, or just decorating your space. Its an easy crystal growing project that produces an interesting conversation piece. Crystal Skull Materials I choose borax to grow the crystal skull, but you could use any crystal recipe. One interesting option might be to grow a sugar crystal skull and place it in a punch bowl. boraxboiling watersmall paper skull (I got mine at Michaels craft store)bowl deep enough to hold ​the  skull Crystallize the Skull Make sure the bowl is deep enough to hold the skull.Pour boiling or very hot water into the bowl.Stir in borax until it stops dissolving. This project looks cool with clear crystals, but if you like, you can add food coloring to color the crystals of the skull.Place the skull in the bowl of crystal growing solution. Paper or cardboard skulls take a while to absorb the liquid, so the skull may float for a while. This is fine and usually resolves on its own, but you can weight down the skull with a glass or another bowl if it bobs up to much. Another option is to turn the skull periodically to make sure all surfaces get exposed to the liquid.Check the progress of crystal growth every couple of hours. You should have a nice crop of crystals within an hour to overnight, depending on how saturated your solution was and how quickly it cooled. When you are satisfied with the crystals, remove the skull and place it on a paper towel to dry.If you want even more crystals on the skull, take the crystal skull and place it in fresh solution to get a second layer of crystal growth. Make sure the new solution is saturated (no more borax will dissolve) or youll risk dissolving some crystals rather than growing more.

International Insurance law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Insurance law - Essay Example The specific principle has been related mostly to the insurance law. The introduction of the above principle was considered as a measure for increasing the validity of marine contracts, a target that has been achieved but not fully. The examination of the principles’ aspects led to the assumption that the specific principle has led to the introduction of a series of rules; these rules are critically presented in this paper; appropriate literature and case law have been used in order so show the actual characteristics of the principle of good faith and its implications for the marine insurance contracts, to which the principle of utmost good faith is mostly related. It is concluded that the principle of utmost good faith has played a key role in the increase of validity of marine insurance contracts, at least for the side of insured. The weakness of the principle to provide a clear plan of action when a violation has occurred in regard to one or more terms of the contract invol ved is clear. The efforts that the Law Commission developed recently in regard to the protection of consumers in the particular field, could help to control the violations in marine insurance contracts – which are critical for the entire market – and to improve the performance of the principle of utmost good faith, as an element of the relevant agreements. 2. Utmost good faith in the English law 2.1 The context of the principle of utmost good faith The principle of utmost good faith has been derived from the principle of good faith – a common element of contracts. For this reason, in order to understand the elements and the rules of the principle of utmost good faith it would be necessary to refer primarily to the framework of the principle of good faith – as used in the common law. The principle of good faith can be characterized as an indispensable element of contracts. The above principle has been recognized as a valuable criterion for deciding on the validity of a contract – especially in cases where the intention of the parties involved is not easily identified.1 In the Scots law, the principle of good faith, or else the ‘bonae fidei’ is a prerequisite for all contracts,2 even if opposite views have been periodically developed.3 Theorists and researchers have used similar approaches in order to describe good faith. In accordance with the most common view, the good faith can be characterized as ‘acting on the assumption of honest dealing’4. The principle of good faith is not accepted as a general principle; it is rather used in specific types of contracts, like ‘the insurance and employment contracts’;5 Conflicts have been often developed regarding the potential value of the principle of good faith for contracts. In Scotland, the most recent trends, lead to the limitation of the necessity of good faith for contracts; however, there are opposite views supporting the value of good fait h in contracts. The supporters of good faith in Scotland refer to the need for continuation of civilian traditions, as an argument for promoting the use of good faith in contracts.6 It should be noted that the principle of good faith is not strongly supported in the context of the common law; on the contrary, in the civil law, emphasis is given on the use of the principle

Event management to reach a strategic goal Essay

Event management to reach a strategic goal - Essay Example Active, performance of an organization for the purpose of creating required quality of organizational behavior. As we know organizational behavior may be created via trainings, motivation and even punishment sometimes. Any organization should accept proactive position in this context.Therefore, we defined the main factors that may influence organizational behavior. Now it is time to talk how organizational behavior is able to influence the overall performance of an organization. We are convinced that there is no need to explain that low degree of organizational behavior negatively influences the overall performance of a company or some other organization. That is why it is important to provide the channels via which organizational behavior may influence performance. In our opinion, among these channels the following ones can be pointed out:Productivity – the low degree of organizational behavior lowers productivity of employees;Corporate climate – inappropriate organiza tional behavior spoils corporate climate inside an organizations. Spoiled relations lower productivity once again;Inappropriate organizational behavior damages informational flows inside a company. Because of lack and low quality of information, wrong decisions are made and the whole organization suffers;There are usually conflicts between the managers, shareholders and employees. As a result an organization cannot move to a common goal. This factor slows down development of an organization.... The bigger an organization is – the greatest is the number of its employees. It means that relations between them have a lot of levels and can be really complicated. It is a significant challenge to create an appropriate organizational behavior in a big organization; The results of an organization’s performance. Bad results create negative corporate climate and environment. Respectively people are not in a good mood to think about some principles of appropriate behavior; Organizational structure. One of the best definitions of this term is the following. â€Å"Organizational structure is the framework, typically hierarchical, within which an organization arranges its lines of authority and communications, and allocates rights and duties. Organizational structure determines the manner and extent to which roles, power, and responsibilities are delegated, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between levels of management† (Organizational Structure D efinition). Quality of organizational behavior depends on a type and quality of organizational structure. In fact, better organizational structure means better organizational behavior; Industry and a type of performance/business. There are kinds of performance, where employees experience significant pressure and event stresses. That is why it is quite difficult to talk about some culture of organizational behavior in such conditions; The degree of professionalism of employees. We believe that higher professionalism and higher degree of education mean better quality of organizational behavior. People know the required values, respect them and try to implement on practice; Active, performance of an organization for the purpose of creating required quality of