Dell Supply Chain Management Essay

1. Introduction Companies, nowadays have to face global competition in order to stay in the market. To be competitive, they have to employ new strategies based on new technologies. Supply chain management plays an important role in the success and growth of an organization. Efficient capitalization of supply chain management enables an organization not to bother about competitors in same line. Customer’s needs and demands play a vital role in making and implementing new strategies and reviewing the made ones time and again in order to stay in a market. Innovational steps in carrying out supply chain Management of an organization will help a lot to be competitive and leading in a same type of activities like enabling the organizations to transact online by improving transactions on traditional supply chain management arena to a technologically improved supply chain management. Web equipped supply chain management is an improved shape of technology these days. Dell a renowned follower of web equipped supply chain management technology is becoming famous among customers due to its real time dealing. Dell since 1984 is proving itself a hot cake for the customers all over the world. Disintermediation, just in time and technologically web based supply chain management made this product a real time choice of professionals. This results in competitivity growth, higher profits and more satisfied customers. 2. Literature Review First supply chain management will be viewed in the terms of already made studies and then Dell’s whole online operational process will be discussed including its founder, history, background, online process, supply chain management, benefits from online processing like just in time technique and its benefits towards human beings. A supply chain is a mixture of all participants involved, directly or indirectly, for providing convenience to customer request (Chopra and Meindl, 2003). We can say that a supply chain involves all organizational components that merge themselves to extract and furnished a complete package for the final customer. Supply chains can manage their structure differently in size, complexity and comprehension of relations between the participants of their carriage mean the operators and the location. In this sense supply chain has two main shapes: spontaneous or direct, in which only one supplier and one member of a party involved. Extendedly it works beyon d a supplier and a customer involving supplier’s supplier and a customer’s customer. Second the normal or general the supply chains have different appearances responding to the demand and thus involve systematically flowed information, gadgets i.e. products and resources between different stages (Lee, 2000). Supply chain management continues its journey with a motive to handle the appropriate needs and demands in the appropriate volume at the appropriate competitive cost (Cutting-Decelle et al., 2006), a situation that would respond highest level of services for the customer and highest reputed performance for the organizations. This proclaims that supply chain management considers the optimal appropriate management of operations between and among participants of the supply chain for the purpose of optimal profitability through the supply chain management’s operations.(Chopra and Meindl, 2003). Mentzer et al. (2001) suggested that Some researchers view supply chain management as a management interaction with structure approach, strategically oriented and custo mer oriented as its key focus, others used it in a sense to elaborate the group the systematic steps to disciplinal implementation of management concepts with integrated tendencies, commonly information sharing, risks and rewards, mutual understanding and collaboration of hardcore activities. Then the third step is a group of management activities (Chopra and Meindl, 2003). In this activity the researcher will follow the third term because it coordinates the others. Fugate and Mentzer (2004) described that the Dell’s phenomenal agenda related its supply chain is â€Å"the right mergence of activities and people elements† (Refer Table 2.1). This is clear from Michael Dell’s sense that â€Å"our research and development (R&D) keenly interested in activities and quality betterment in manufacturing† and that â€Å"one of our biggest challenges is finding managers who can share and respond to rapid changes† (Magretta, 1998). Michael Dell became the father of Dell in 1984, in spite that he was a student at the University of Texas in Austin. Initially the Michael Dell adopted the direct sales model. During this era the computers were sold over the phone and parts were joined according to the customer’s demands and specifications (Kramer et al., 2000). Retail channel was also introduced during the 1990 to 1994 and Dell again returned to direct model and furnished the Dell rapidly in the mid 1990s, In 1999 this made him the number one PC seller in the US and number two in the whole world (Kramer et al., 2000). Dell’s success was incredible because he made the Dell conceit. It became a big company of approximately 35,000 employees and over 25.000 million dollars’ sales in 2000 (Koehn, 2001), thus competing big rivals such as IBM and HP. By 2008, Dell had attained annual revenues of $61 billion and net income of $2.9 billion (Dell, 2009). Dell has decided to enter into new regions and to expand its product line i.e. Servers, workstations, printers, flat-screen TVs and digital cameras. Due to these certain reasons Dell changed its name in 2003 from â€Å"Dell Computer Corporation† into â€Å"Dell Inc.†, to â€Å"reflect the evolution and growth of the company from a computer manufacturer to a company that operates a wide variety of technology-related services† (Rivkin and Giorgi, 2004). The core ingredients of Dell’s business structure are its direct sales model, usually named as â€Å"direct model†, and the build-to-order mean just in time str ategy. Dell has operational facilities in Austin, Limerick, Ireland, and Penang, Malaysia. To make sure the uninterrupted flow of production supplies into these facilities, Dell has developed a two-ended strategy that follows different sourcing arrangements and supply schedules for custom and system parts. According to a recently published report by research firm IDC (Appendix 1), Dell’s hard competitors in its vital corporate PC market are IBM and HP. It faces competition from fellow direct vendor Gateway HP and Apple in the consumer and small business market. In the portable PC business, the key competitors are Toshiba, Lenovo, and HP. In the critical server and Internet infrastructure markets, Dell competes with Sun Microsystems, HP, and IBM. In Internet hosting, it faces competitors like Exodus and Corio, some of whom may also be Dell customers. Outside the United States of America (USA), Dell competes with regional and local vendors in many markets, such as NEC, Fujitsu, and Toshiba in Japan, Fujitsu-Siemens and Acer in European, and Lenovo in China. It also faces hard competition from HP and Acer in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. Dell now has 13.7 percent of the world market, down from 14.6 percent for the same period a year ago. Kraemer and Dedrick (2001) claimed that the superior supply chain is driven by Information Technology (IT), e-commerce and virtual corporation. Online selling strategies are backed by online support and Infrastructure. According to Kraemer and Dedrick (2001), the mandatory principles for Dell’s business process are Build-to-order i.e. just in time, direct sales, customization, quality, quantity and periodical made changes. 3. Supply Chain Management Supply chain management is the systematic, strategic collaboration and coordination of the business functions that requires flow of materials, final goods and interrelated information among suppliers, company, retailers and ultimate consumers. The supply chain system must be rejoinder of customer specifications. Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) defines the supply chain management as it comprises the planning and management of all jointly held activities involved in sourcing, procurement, conversion, and logistics management. It also shows respect for the core elements and components of coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which are suppliers, intermediaries, service providers i.e. third party, and customers. Managing a supply chain is ‘supply chain management. A supply chain is a set of organizations directly linked by one or more of the upstream and downstream flows of products, processes, services, finances, information and operational model from a specific source to a customer. 4. Components of Supply Chain Management The under explained are five basic components of supply chain management. * Plan— This is strategically oriented phase of supply chain management. Organizations require a strategy for managing all the resources which are needed toward satisfying customer need and demand for their product or service. A big piece of supply chain management planning is developing a set of techniques to monitor the supply chain so that it is efficient, costs less and delivers high quality and value to customers. * Source— secondly companies have to choose suppliers after an in-depth evaluation to deliver the goods and services they need to manufacture their product. So, supply chain managers must develop a set of pricing, delivery and payment integrations with suppliers. * Make— This is the manufacturing and operational phase. Supply chain managers schedule the activities compulsory for production, assembly, testing, packaging and preparation for delivery. * Deliver— This is the part that many supply chain management examiners see it as logistics in which companies make sure to coordinate the receipt of orders from customers, develop a network of warehouses, and intelligently considers carriers to get products to customers and to set up an invoicing system to receive payments. * Return— This can be a head aching part of the supply chain for many companies. Supply chain planners have to create a responsive and flexible enough network for receiving defective and excess products back into their hunt from their customers. 5. Process approach in Business through SCM According to Lambert and Cooper (2000), in many companies management has reached the conclusion that optimal product flows cannot be managed completely without implementing a process approach to the business. The core supply chain processes stated by Lambert and Cooper (2004) are: * Customer service management * Procurement * Product development and commercialization * Manufacturing flow management/support * Physical distribution * Outsourcing/partnerships * Performance measurement * Warehousing management * Customer service management process The Customer Relationship Management totally explains the coordination and the relationship between the organization and its customers. Customer service is the only authentic source of customer information. It also provides the customer with real-time information on scheduling and product availability with the company’s production and distribution operations. Successful organizations follow the following steps to determine customer relationships: * Mutually backed goals for organization and customers * establish and maintain customer rapport * produce and prevail positive satisfactory feelings in the organization and the customers * b) Procurement process Strategic plans are planned in accordance with suppliers to support the manufacturing phase and the development of new products. The desired outcome is a mutual win-win relationship where both sides benefit, and a reduction in time span for the design circle and product development. The purchasing advancements developed a truly rapid communication system, such as electronic data interchange (EDI) and Internet linkage to transmit possible requirements. Obtaining products and materials from outside suppliers involve a number of activities like resource planning, supply sourcing, negotiation, order placement, inbound transportation, storage, handling and quality assurance, many of which include the responsibility to coordinate with suppliers on matters of scheduling, supply continuity and research into new sources or programs. * c) Product development and commercialization In recent days as product life cycles shorten, the quality products must be developed and successfully launched with ever shorter time-schedules to remain competitive. According to Lambert and Cooper (2000), managers of the product development and commercialization process must have to: * interrelate with customer relationship management to identify the actual customization * Arrange materials and suppliers appropriately with procurement. * d) Manufacturing flow management process Manufacturing processes have to be responsive to daily based occurring market changes and must address mass customization. Orders are processes operating on a just-in-time (JIT) basis. Activities like planning the essentionals, scheduling and supporting manufacturing operations which controls an array of activities like work-in-process storage, handling, transportation, and time phasing of components, inventory at manufacturing sites and maximum flexibility in the coordination of geographic and final assemblies of physical distribution operations are carried out in this process. * e) Physical distribution The customer is the final destination of a marketing channel in this phase. This phase requires the availability of the product/service of each channel stakeholder’s marketing tiredness. Due to the physical distribution process the time and space of customer service become a vital part of marketing, so it coordinates a marketing channel with its customers (e.g. manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers). * f) Outsourcing This is not just about outsourcing the strategic planning of materials and components, but also outsourcing of services. The reason behind this tendency is that the company will surely shift its focus on those activities in the value chain where it has a distinctive competitive advantage i.e. expertise, and will outsource everything else. This movement has been particularly evident in logistics where the provision of transport, warehousing and inventory control is increasingly subcontracted to specialists which are named as logistics partners. * g) Performance measurement Competences taken from supplier capabilities and diagnosing a long-term supply chain commitment with a tacklance of customer relationships can both be interrelated with organizational performance. A.T. Kearney Consultants (1985) noted that firms engaging in comprehensive performance measurement realized improvements in overall productivity. Internal measures are generally collected and analyzed by the firm itself including; * Cost * Customer Service * Productivity measures * Asset measurement * Quality. External performance measurement is examined through customer shifts and benchmarking. * h) Warehousing management Warehousing management as an important source of reducing company cost & expenses is carrying the valuable role in company’s success. Storing and office with all facilities, reducing manpower cost, dispatching authority with on time delivery, loading & unloading facilities with proper area, area for service station, stock management system etc. 6. Dell Computers Dell Computer Corporation founded in 1984, headquartered in Austin, Texas. Dell is now reputed as one of the world’s most preferred computer system icons and a provider of products and services that customers globally need to set up their information-technology and Internet infrastructures conveniently as Dell always favors the customization. Dell is only the owner of the market leadership ladder because it has a strong and persistent focus on delivering the best possible customer requirements. Direct online selling from manufacturer to consumer is a vital element of its strategy. The company was incorporated on a basic idea that Dell is at its best to efficiently understand consumer needs and to provide the most effective and suitable customized computing solutions. This online business model eliminated retailers because all the computer related dealing is totally made through internet and phones. This activity saved time and cost because each and every system was made regarding the made order, offering customers powerful, richly configured systems at competitive prices. With the passage of time Dell introduced the latest technology much more quickly than competitors with slow-moving and turning over inventory an average of every four days. Now Dell has become the number-one retailer of personal computers, outselling IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Compaq. 7. Direct to Customer Model Dell Computer’s strength is its unique direct to customer model. Through the implementation of model, the company outsourced all the components but it still performs the assembly. In this process the Dell eliminated retailers and directly delivered the computers from its assembly to end customers. This activity enabled Dell Cost leadership holder among the players in the arena. By eliminating the retailers, consumers were buying from Dell without the extra payment to retailers. Another Dell’s strength is its better access to technology compared to its competitors. Dell introduces the latest technology much more quickly than companies with slow-moving indirect distribution channels. Currently Dell’s initiatives include moving even greater volumes of product sales, service and support to the Internet, using the Internet to improve the efficiency of Dell’s procurement, manufacturing and distribution process and further expanding an already broad range of valu e-added services. 8. Dell’s value chain The value chain of a company is its entire product flow from the suppliers to the customers and managing the information flow in such a way that the customer receives maximum satisfaction while the company maximizes its profits. Dell Computer’s value chain is quite different because company sources all its components from vendors across the world and it undertakes the final assembly and sells it directly to the consumer. Dell’s direct model of selling and build-to-order supply chain i.e. just in time strategy have been the core at its policies and practical that have enabled it to gain competitive advantage in the computer industry. The value chain makes sure that all aspects are coordinated into attaining the firm’s stated goals. Dell makes sure that it monitors the value of its initiatives. Dell makes use of online value chain system. Such system helps the company control and coordinate business processes. It provides the company with a system with faster capabilities and lower cost and it eliminates the unnecessary steps which do not contribute the value chain and this also helps the Dell to make a decision regarding its employs’ promotion or demotion. 9. Dell’s Supply Chain Management Supply chain is an integral part of any business because through it raw material is systematically transformed into finished goods; these products are then sold to consumers for the company to have profit. In Supply chain management having a record of supplies is a valuable activity. Having a secured record of supplies gives a company benefits such as efficient list of supplies. Here products are received from a company’s suppliers and they are stored until they are needed on the assembly line of Dell then goods are moved around the organization. Dell relies mostly on its highly reliable supplier, where Dell formulates its operation and relies on its computer monitor supplier to ship directly to the customer. As long as its supplier retains its leadership position, Dell would collaboratively work with it to achieve mutual success. Dell’s Process This process starts when Dell receives an order for a PC, it faxes or phones its requirements to suppliers who pick the ordered parts and pack them in reusable bins with cards attached. Trucks on a continuous connection between suppliers and Dell, known as a â€Å"milk run† deliver the sorted parts to the computer maker’s plant for final assembly. This process frees Dell from having to manage inventories and the costs associated with stock. Dell has made efforts to ensure that suppliers don’t get stuck with much inventory. The computer maker allows suppliers to participate in a â€Å"revolver program,† where they can sell parts stored at the warehouse to other customers than Dell. Dell’s supply chain competency comprises of four qualities which includes demand management, internal collaboration, leveraging partners, and financial fundamentals. Dell’s direct model enables the company to fully hold at demand management. The process of selling d irectly to customers and building product to order creates opportunities for true real-time collaboration between manufacturing and sales. Being in direct contact with the market, Dell can quickly see changes in customer demand. This allows Dell to respond more quickly to customer demand than its competitors can and this true demand management allows for highly accurate forecasts. Second integral aspect of Dell’s success is its ability to collaborate internally. This competency flourishes in a culture which values information sharing and empowers all employees. At Dell, â€Å"direct† refers not only to how the company sells but also to how team members communicate and attack issues to solve. Dell leverages its partners by linking suppliers’ planning and execution activities with Dell’s systems. The company uses information technology to gather and share a constant stream of data on supply and demand trends. Finally and lastly Dell’s entire supply chain is focused on fundamental business performance. Operating margin and not just profits or growth rate is the number that Dell cares about most to ensure long-term profitability. Dell thought differently because when Dell introduced the direct model at the same time its competitors were selling computers to end consumers via distributors. Dell sells directly to consumers and is continuously communicating with them and benefiting. Dell capitalizes the opportunities whenever they arise like seeing sales trends and learning about unmet customer needs. The company also relies on customers’ knowledge of what they want to purchase and when they want to complete the transaction to drive the direct business model i.e. totally customized. The Dell supply chain management system handles a number of transactions and pieces of information, and includes multiple core components necessary to keep operations running smoothly. Some very important components are as follow: †¢ Configuration management; This component manages approximately over 1 million Dell part numbers every year with tackling approximately 200 product families, and over 2 million bills of materials (BOMs) every year. BOMs listing component part numbers are created for manufacturing facilities to build assemblies and subassemblies for Dell products. †¢ Procurement; The procurement component manages approximately 1.8 million purchase order lines every year from more than 5,000 suppliers worldwide. To smoothly process the procurement phase, Dell uses an automated application activity that includes workflow approvals and vendor communication and also enables services such as defective part replacement. †¢ Cost; This element runs smoothly to calculate the costs to Dell for all BOMs. The specific activity runs weekly, monthly, and quarterly, with each job aggregating total material costs. †¢ Inventory; The inventory component manages more than 3 million inventory movements daily from stock rooms to factory floors across all Dell sites. Dell also manages corresponding over 3 million messages transmitted to different systems for reporting, analysis, and factory scheduling. †¢ Accounts payable; this specific measure handles approximately 15,000 items per day which includes payments to Dell suppliers, invoices, and receipts. This component contains some important information under certain categories like vendor information section includes vendor ID number, location, negotiated terms, and contact 9. Significance and Advantages of supply chain management with a glance on disintermediation and Just in Time Explanation Dell’s supply chain consists of only three stages and these stages are the suppliers, the manufacturer (Dell), and the end users. The company’s direct contact with customers allows them to properly identify target markets demands, analyze the target requirements and profitability of each assignment and develop more accurate demand forecasts. Dell matches supply and demand because its customers order computer configurations over the phone or online. These computer systems are built from components that are available in suppliers’ jacket. Dell’s strategy is to provide customized, low cost, and quality computers that are delivered as on ordered time. Dell managed and implemented this strategy through its efficient manufacturing operations, better supply chain management and direct sales model. Dell reduces the cost of intermediaries of distribution channels that would otherwise add up to the total cost of PC for the customer by taking orders directly from the customers. This strategy also saves time on processing orders that other companies normally suffer in their sales and distribution syste m. By directly dealing with the customers Dell gets a clearer indication of market trends and relishes. This helps Dell to plan for the future and forecast properly besides better managing its supply chain. Another integral advantage Dell holds by directly dealing with the customer is that it enables itself to get the customer’s requirements regarding the software to be loaded. The elimination of a PC support engineer to load software, the customers gain both in time and cost. Dell computers have perceived 100% performance in performing a number of important activities which includes on-time delivery, and fill rate. Dell’s supply chain management most efficient trends include increasingly powerful private trading networks, increased transparency in measuring and monitoring the value chain performance, and outsourcing of non-core activities. Cost management techniques with taking practical performance improvement initiatives Dell have revolutionized the entire supply chain management process. Dell uses different software to follow and track its entire activities like Dell uses i2 Technologies software to track its supply chain activities. Dell monitors its supply chain time and again and this activity enables the Dell to make immediate changes (within hours) to respond the fluctuations in consumer demand. The software also alerts Dell to any supply shortages and Dell rapidly communicates order information including automatic replenishment requests to its suppliers through the internet. The company also uses the Web to interact with suppliers this interaction enables the suppliers to be up to date with its volume expectations and long-term planning data. Master production schedule updated after every two hours. Dell’s mass customization program enables 100,000 different computer configurations, 455 annual work-in-process turns, 52 annual inventory turns and a zero finished goods inventory. Dell Computer Corporation successfully uses a build-to-order(just in time) manufacturing program to hold down its inventory to only a five-day supply while shipping 95 percent of customer orders within eight hours. This strategy gives Dell an important competitive advantage as a low-cost producer. Dell can reap the benefits of lower material costs almost immediately and reflect that benefit in its consumer product prices. The Just-In-Time organization has a distinctive culture that gives it a competitive advantage which clarifies its standings among competitors. When big things change in its environment, Dell adapts successfully. People in the Just-In-Time organization are typically motivated more by values and pride in their company. The Coherence Index specifically measures the coherence or consistency of your organization’s strategy. Most Just-In-Time organizations will score moderately high in this area. Coherent companies have a clear set of capabilities that are in line with their strategy and that they use over and over again in their operations. The following are common patterns of behavior in just-in-time organizations. Just-in-time organizations often are often headed by a strong sense of mission. They want to chart new territory, inspire change, and make a big difference. Just-in-time organizations follow two different strategies. first the adventure-seeking and the more cautious professional managers. Adventure-seekers regard the unstructured environment and strained resources of the organization with a certain fondness. Second managers keep the joint running. What they lack in pure passion, they make up for in discipline and managerial skills. They are the more stable and reliable sorts. A great sense of urgency exists in the just-in-time organization. Everything is â€Å"life or death,† and the immediate emergency inevitably takes higher priority over so-called road building for the future. Every day brings fresh fires that need to be put out, and that’s where everyone directs their attention, even though yesterday’s still-smoldering ashes are not yet extinguished. 1 0. Cost effective and consumer friendly SCM of Dell A time when Dell was an infant its IT group ran its supply chain management database applications on large, expensive, proprietary servers based on the UNIX ® OS. As the company grew, servers lacking the necessary capacity had to be replaced with even larger, more powerful servers. The increased performance of industry-standard Dell PowerEdge servers has enabled Dell IT to create cost-effective, highly scalable systems using Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) 10g. By sharing a large database across multiple PowerEdge servers, Dell IT can easily deploy additional low-cost servers when necessary to handle increased workloads rather than buying additional large, expensive, proprietary UNIX-based servers. Supply chain management is essential to Dell operations around the world, with both factory operations and internal systems dependent on supply chain management systems to provide real-time information about key business functions. Running these systems on Oracle RAC 10g clusters of industry standard Dell PowerEdge servers enables Dell IT to scale them efficiently and cost-effectively to handle increased workloads. By moving the systems to Dell servers when it did, Dell IT avoided significant additional expenditures for proprietary UNIX-based servers, enhanced performance, and provided a clear path for future growth. 11. Conclusion and recommendation The rapid development of Worldwide Web (WWW) technologies, Internet, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have generated the evolutionary online business solution and electronic-commerce (ecommerce) both of which are to provide support for both information and workflow control, and process management as well as enhance the communication. E-commerce technologies are perceived as a mainstream to improve productivity and information flow and communications which all have to process through a systematic phase of supply chain management. Technology based SCM allows the creation of extra value for the customer and have the goal to satisfy the client requirements in the best possible way and in real time. Migration to a technological based approach for SCM applications is required for streamlining Supply Chain activities, maintaining a consistent quality of service and controlled distribution of the data which otherwise cannot be achieved. A technological based supply chain management must have the components like ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system which forms groups of business software functions like production, purchasing, CRM. These applications have to be interconnected so that to provide complete reports on customers, demand, suppliers, supply, finance, manufacturing, delivery, etc. 12. Reference Fugate, B.S. and Mentzer, J.T. (2004) ‘Dell’s supply chain DNA.’ Supply Chain Management Review, Vol.8, No.7, p.20-24 Chopra, S. and Meindl, P. (2003) Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning and Operation. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Maney, K. (2003) ‘Dell Business Model Turns to Muscle as Rivals Struggle’. Online. USA Today. Available: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-01-19-dell-cover_x.htm [18 Jan 2009] Maguire, J. (2003) ‘Case Study: Dell.com’. Online. Ecommerce-Guide.com. Available: http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/news/news/article.php/2013731 [18 Jan 2009] Magretta, J. (1998) ‘The power of virtual integration: An interview with Dell computer’s Michael Dell.’ Harvard Business Review, Vol.76, No.2, pp.73-84 Lee, H.L. (2000) ‘Creating value through supply chain integration.’ Supply Chain Management Review, Vol.4, No.4, pp.47-54 Kraemer, K.L. and Dedrick, J. (2002) â₠¬ËœDell computer: Organization of a global production network’. Irvine, California: Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations. Online. Available: http://repositories.cdlib.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi Aitken J.M. (1999). Supplier Associations, A Methodological Opportunity in Supply Chain Research, Belfast and Dublin, United Kingdom and Ireland, 13-22. Ghiassi, M., Spera, C., 2003. Defining the Internet-based supply chain system for mass customized markets. Computers and Industrial Engineering 45, 17–41. McKnight, H.D. and Chervany, N.L. 2002. What trust means in e-commerce customer relationships: an interdisciplinary conceptual typology. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, Forthcoming. Saab S.S., W. Mhanna, and S.Saliba, â€Å"Conceptualisation Study for Using RFID as a Stand-alone Vehicle Positioning System,† Intl. Journal of Radio Frequency Identification Technology and Applications, vol. 2, issue. 1/2, pp. 27-45, 2009. Ross, F. (200 3), Introduction to e-Supply Chain Management, engaging

Poetry Response Essay

I really love this poem by Wendy Copes because of the message that it tells me. For some reason there are those people who wish to pull someone down. Sometimes it is because of jealousy, envy and pride. In reality, no matter how hard you try to be good and to appreciate everyone, you really cannot please anybody. There will always be those who are against you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poem tells me that I should not let anyone interfere with what I am doing or to let anyone block my way to greater heights. That I should always do my best and show everyone what I can do, what I am able to do, my talents and abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Everyone has his or her own goal in life and we must focus on that goal, not looking to anyone but on that goal alone. We should not get our attention off our goal and let someone mess with that. We should always remain focused in achieving that goal or else we may not be able to achieve it. It is true that no one can live alone and that we need others to be able to live and be happy. Still we should not let those who dislike us or envy us to be the reason for our failure, if we do so, we will certainly achieve nothing. Every time that an opportunity for us to be recognized is given grab it. We should not favor or look onto anyone who wants the same opportunity like us. Every opportunity is a stepping stone in achieving our goal, our desire, and our future. The world is a place wherein the strongest is given greater opportunity over the weak, the talented above those that are not, and the wise over the fools.   We should let our light shine, and our talents to be revealed in order to be acknowledged both by man and society. Also, the poem tells us that we should not be move or hindered by anyone. We should not be ashamed in showing our talents and as well as emotions. We must be true to ourselves and not compromising to anyone. If we are glad let it show in our own way. Dance or jump or shout if you want to. We should not let anyone to be reason for our sadness and downfall. Works Cited The British Council. No date. â€Å"Wendy Cope†. November 19, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     

My Trip to America Essay

The plane was taking off. Gravity pulled me lean on the back of the seat. Seeing the trees, roads, cars and buildings became more and more blurry in my sight, I felt my brain was blank. â€Å"Hey, I’m really going to leave tomorrow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I called my best friend the night before I left. â€Å"Don’t forget to swim across the Pacific Ocean to visit me. † She said after the long silence. Yes, for me at that time, America was truly just Hollywood and Disneyland on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. But soon enough, I would find out the real America by myself. Before I knew, I was already breathing the air of San Francisco, my first stop. The Hip-Hop music coming from the radio was really loud, and people were trotting. I could even feel the fast beat of that city in the car. Something was not in that rush though — the pigeons. They were taking a walk leisurely on the street, did not afraid of people, as though if the hurry did not belong to them at all. That scene was never to be seen in my country. When the last piece of furniture was moved into my apartment, my dad signed: â€Å"we have a home in America now. † â€Å"chicago il. † In the first summer, I used to touch the unacquainted address on the envelope every time we got letters, practiced to recite telephone number and close my eyes to feel the wind. So my new life just had begun unconsciously. Almost nothing fitted what I imagined about the High School. Because it was a lot better than what I supposed. I thought I would be lonely, no one would talk to me, but actually at the end of the first of school, I already had known someone who I could consider as friend. Things were indeed not easy though. I held the map of the school building, and finally found my way to classroom after asking three people for direction. Teachers were nothing like the strict teacher in China, they were patient and funny. They were willing to be students’ friends. I used to say, â€Å"Sorry, my English is very bad. at the beginning of the school year every time when I finished talking with someone. Once I was sitting outside of school gate on the stairs and talking to a girl, when I said my formal conclusion sentence, she said â€Å"Oh no, your English is very good! † and gave me a shinny smile. In my memory, the sky of that afternoon was as limpid as a lake with glittering sunshine†¦ Honestly, I did not understand or feel much every morning when we put our right hand on the left chest and say the oath towards the flag. Until one day the school showed the commemoration of 9. 11 on the TV, I saw many teacher cried. I suddenly realized that America is their home, was just like someone attacked their home and hurt their sister or brother. The oath to the Stars and Stripes is not just about a verb, a pose; it’s about the feeling of home. Most sunny days of chicago are mild. I will sit in front of the desk and look up to those cotton-candy-like clouds through the window. Or I will always take a walk in the dusk on some clean and quiet bypath, the tip of the church, which is tinged by the orange afterglow and the tall Chinars along the path, which sings softly in the wind, always make me think I have crashed in to a fairyland. I know that I felt and still feel the love when I was singing the national anthem of my country, China. And America is where I live and study now. It is my second home. I am getting the excellent education here, I have met lovely and patriotic people here, and I have seen the charming scene here. I am experiencing a totally different lifestyle here. Close my eyes, I still can see the tears on my grandparents’ face in the airport; I can still smell the thick Natee on every street of San Francisco; I can still remember once there was a girl who was too nervous to decide whether to wear a pink or white T-shirt on the first day of school. After a year and a half living in America, I’m still that happy little girl, except when I think about America, it is not more far away across the Pacific Ocean, it is where my new life is, it is my home. And another thing is that I can be the person to show others the direction to the classroom now.

The Bio-Ecological Model of Human Development Research Paper

The Bio-Ecological Model of Human Development - Research Paper Example It is a model that traces the development of an individual throughout the life course of an individual. It is with this genesis that a summary of the four systems and their influence on the development of a child will be evaluated. Consequently, the differences existing in the model with be delineated and the factors outside the model that influence that development of a child discussed. Moreover, the relationship and interactions of the systems will be delineated in bid to address the impact of the relationships in the development of a child. The Bio-ecological model and its related research designs is an evolving theoretical system for the scientific study of human development from the perspective of individuals and groups. This paper will be aimed at addressing the thesis statement: Bioecological model has a significant role in a child’s development (Berns, 2009). Summary of the Four Systems and the Influences that they have on a Child’s Development To place the bioe cological theory of human development in its wider context, it is important to note that many of the perspectives postulated as a body of the theory are integral parts of other relevant thoughts on empirical enquiry into the concept of human development. ... lly its interdisciplinary and integrative approach to development through the age periods of childhood and adolescence is important in formulation of policies and programs necessary in promoting youth and family development. The bioecological model aims at unifying the research studies that have been conducted and affirms that the development of an individual is influenced by four ecological systems. This includes: macrosystem, microsystem, mesosystem and exosystem. These four systems interact in a manner that shapes the development of an individual throughout the life course. These systems work in harmony in shaping the intra-individuality of a child, depending on the contexts in which the child is exposed to. In order to garner an in depth understanding of the bioecological model, each system will be reviewed and its influence on child development explained in bid to address the thesis that the bioecological system influences the development of a child (Bronfenbrenner, & Morris, 20 06). Microsystem: is the initial context (primary) which the child is exposed to at the first stages of his development. It entails the interpersonal relationships that the child experiences during development as the child interacts with the social and physical aspects of context. The microsystem is the layer closest to the child encompassing all the structures in direct contact with the child. It therefore defines the relationships and interactions that a child develops within its immediate surroundings. These factors either enhance or inhibit the development of the child. Being the initial development environment, it also influences the development of the child in other subsequent environments. The micro environment includes the child’s family, school, peers and religious activities

Choose the topic in the document Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose the topic in the document - Essay Example In addition, many of the music artists, despite the fact that they did most of the work, tended not to gain as much as the recording companies for which they worked. This created a situation where artists who were very talented often lived on a hand to mouth basis; where they barely kept themselves from being sucked into poverty. Song writing was done on an individual basis where the artists wrote and performed their own songs, mostly without any help from the companies with which they worked. In 1946, there were barely any companies dedicated to music and this is because of the fact that it was yet to be taken seriously as a many making venture. All this changed within the next decade as more music companies were formed as the music industry started becoming competitive and as new talent was discovered and nurtured (Garofalo 320). However, by 1956, all this had changed as the marketing of the music produced was not only done at a local level, but marketing campaigns were also done a t a regional, national, and international level. The diverse marketing of music by the various music producing companies ensured that the music of even less known artists reached a wider audience than it would normally have if marketing were done at only the local level, as was the case in 1946. The professionalism of the music production companies also increased and this made the latter to be able to compete effectively against other record companies attempting fight for the music market. The song writing was no longer the domain of musicians as many of them ended up singing songs that were written by other people. In addition, the production of music was done at a larger scale as more people became attracted to music that was not created in their own localities, and instead started looking far afield to gratify their tests. Furthermore, radio station played music on a larger scale than before and this was done because of the popular demand for music from the listeners. This create d a situation where it was much easier for the record companies involved to assess the fan base of all the songs that they produced and look for potential markets. This trend continued in the music industry for decades to come and it has become the norm as music has gained a worldwide audience. Q4 One of the greatest and most unappreciated roles that rock and roll music played was that of helping to undermine the power of the Soviet Union as well as that of its satellites. This form of music ensured that the west, which was demonized by the soviet bloc as being occupied by inhuman individuals whose only goal was the accumulation of personal wealth, was humanized. It created a situation where individuals in the soviet bloc began to look at the west differently, and it enabled rock and roll to be listened to even in the eastern bloc. The success of rock and roll was so great that it was able to have a wide audience in the soviet bloc even though this block had many political and socia l rivalries with the west. One would go as far as to say that rock and roll may have played a huge role in ensuring that the west was marketed as being a place where individuals could live in peace, enjoying all the freedom that was theirs from birth. This is perhaps the reason why despite living in rival states, the people of the west and of the east were brought together for the love of rock

Inequality in Brazil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inequality in Brazil - Essay Example The country has a very diverse social setting with the population consisting of white people who arrived during the era of migration and discovery, black people who arrived during the slavery period and various diverse indigenous communities. The black population has been the one mainly discriminated by the white dominating population. The country has the second most populous black population in the world after Nigeria. The inequality in the country date back to the slave period of which the country had been under Portuguese colonization for hundred of years making the injustices deep rooted and to be accepted as a norm. Unlike in the US or South Africa where inequalities had legal backing, inequality in Brazil takes a cultural twist with the white people exercising cultural domination. Black population together with other non-white indigenous population have come to accept some of the practices regarded as social injustices, as a norm and civilized way of behavior (Smith 76). The no n-white population has been discriminated in almost all sectors, especially in socio-economic and political spheres. With discrimination in education, all other areas are affected. Afro-Brazilians have been greatly sidelined in education system making the acquisition of jobs very hard. Public schools do not have the capacity of providing quality education with the well-established and advanced white schools only affordable by the white elites. Since these Afro-Brazilians cannot secure good schools, they are deprived off the chance of obtaining objective knowledge, many abandoning schooling altogether. The lack of schooling at young age dashes the hopes of ever acquiring higher education in colleges and universities. This institutionalized form of discrimination affects all other areas of the Afro- Brazilians, leading to poor living conditions. The system of education has thus become an institution structured and systematically regulated to make sure the Afro- Brazilians do not gain enough knowledge to enable them to earn decent wages. With no sustainable wages, the black population has very limited economic influence, the majority barely making the stipulated quarter of the minimum wages. In turn, the Afro-Brazilians are artificially put at a disadvantage and cannot escape absolute poverty no matter what they do. This economic subjugation leaves the Afro- Brazilians with no other option rather than to take up the roles domestic laborers as an occupation. Many have become homemakers and lowly servants of the elite oppressive society. This has been argued as total humiliation; as they are forced to work in the homes of their oppressors where they continue to be deprived further (Salardi 3). Brazil is among the countries of the world that inequality has continued to thrive unchecked. The majority of black women have no formal employment with about eighty percent working in the manual sector, which is very challenging to these women forcing them to sometimes negle cting their homes. They are specifically employed as domestic servants or domestic task and are among the lowest paid workers in the country and in the developing emerging economies of the world. With such low unreliable income, poverty becomes inherent, passed from one generation to the other, in the Afro- Brazilia

Macroeconomics. Price level Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Macroeconomics. Price level - Essay Example Economists have noted that in long run, inflation and unemployment becomes increasingly unrelated to each other. That means a change in the unemployment seems to have little or no effect on the inflation and vice versa. Inflation is also inversely proportional to the total consumer spending. As inflation goes up consumers are wary of spending and hold their purchases as dearly as possible. This is due to the fact that when prices rise there is also a hike in the expected price levels in the future that has an adverse effect on the consumer spending. When prices increase the consumer spending power comes down and disposable incomes are significantly lower. When unemployment is low and there is an increase in price level, wages will rise in response to higher prices. This is because in low unemployment situation, employees can successfully demand full compensation for the higher prices. This has spiralling effect on both the wages and general input costs along with the rate of inflation. All these factors tend to leapfrog each other under low unemployment. When unemployment is moderate, however, the employees will not be compensated in full and will have to settle for less, and so the wage costs do not rise as fast as prices when unemployment is high. ... This will stop the rise of the prices and rate of increase in inflation. Under full unemployment, the wage costs will be sufficiently low to hold the prices down and unless the regulatory authorities step in the market will go into a deflationary mode. In between the full and low rate of unemployment there is a certain level that's just high enough that costs and prices rise at the same level, so that inflation remains a stable level. (Pettinger). This unique rate of unemployment is called the non-accelerating-inflation rate of unemployment or NAIRU in short. Economists note that in developed economies such as Australia, the tendency of the rate of unemployment automatically has a tendency to reach the NAIRU rate of employment. Whenever there is inflationary pressure, the unemployment in the long term adjusts itself towards NAIRU rendering the short term Phillips curve invalid. The below figure shows that "an extra one percentage point of unemployment pushes the inflation rate down by about 0.4 percentage points in the following year--more in some years, less than others." (DeLong, 2002). Expectation of a price rise' & its impact on consumption spending: When inflation is on the rise and prices of commodities increases, it raises the expectation of the price level also. Initially higher inflation expectations can have an emotional effect because when consumers expect a generalized rise in prices across essential goods and services, then it makes them accelerate their spending to prevent paying higher prices later, providing a near-term increase in consumption. However provided the interest rates are not changed, the consumptions comes down as people adjust their spending to match their dispensable income until they

Nursing Practice Gap Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nursing Practice Gap Paper - Essay Example This is important in guaranteeing the quality of nursing practice. Linking theory to practice would also make it easy for nurses to carry out their work in a professional way. Identification of nursing practice area In modern nursing, more nurses and health organisations are finding it necessary to work with the society as a way of improving the way the health services are delivered to the patient. This involves working closely with the family of the patient in order to ensure that the patient is getting the right care. This practice is based on the fact that when a member of the family is sick, the whole family is affected, and the whole family must be taken care of to be able to restore the health of the individual as quickly as possible. Lack of theory Although many healthcare institutions are trying to apply this practice, there is very little theoretical support for the practice. This means that, there is no guidance on how nurses should be able to apply this practice. It also m eans that, there is no standard template, which can be applied to this practice and this in turn means that individual healthcare institutions will try to implement this in their own different way (Allmark, 1995). Lack of a theoretical framework has also meant that the application of this practice in nursing is also devoid of ways in which to measure the outcome of the practice. There is, therefore, a deep need to come up with a theoretical framework, which will be a guiding master-plan on how this should be carried out (Basford & Slevin, 2006). In applying this practice without a well researched and developed framework, there is a risk that this will be applied the wrong way, and this may affect the quality of the healthcare given to patients. Current theories Although there are no scientific theories, which can be used to elucidate this practice, the science of unitary human beings theory as developed by Martha E. Rogers is one of the theories, which can be used to understand this area of practice. The Science of unitary human beings theory looks at the human body as a unit of energy, which relates with the rest of the universe, including living and non living things. This by extension can be used to explain how patients relate to their family members during the recovery period. Science of unitary human beings theoretical framework is a grand theory, which covers a lot of mini-theories about nursing. The importance of this is the fact that it focuses on the individual and how the individual relates with the world around them. Rationale for theory for this practice There is a need to develop a theory which will guide on this nursing practice. This is due to a number of important reasons. To begin with, as discussed in the introduction, practice without theory is blind. It is necessary to develop a theoretical framework, which will be a guiding motif for nurses to implement the practice. Developing a theoretical framework will aid nursing processionals to know how to practice this and how to get the best results from using the practice in nursing (Scully, 2011). Measurability through laid out expectations of the practice will also be achieved through the development of a theoretical framework. One of the fundamental uses of theory in nursing is to be able to

Personal health and safety at the construction site Essay

Personal health and safety at the construction site - Essay Example A high level of risk is inherent in the construction work. The heavy equipment, channels of electric supplies, and mechanical operations all make construction work very risky from the point of view of safety. Almost a third of all fatalities in the construction projects happen during the execution of a project (hes.gov.uk, n.d.). If the CDM coordination is not done appropriately, the finished structure might be unsafe for use and maintenance, and lack its potential to deliver good value for investment to the client. Ideally, the CDM coordinator is appointed while the project is in its conceptual stage before the completion of the initial design work of the project (hse.gov.uk, n.d.). This provides the CDM coordinators with an opportunity to decide the feasibility of the project and identify possible constraints related to client’s expectations and project’s execution. It is crucial to appoint a CDM coordinator before the commencement of the detailed design. The client h as to appoint a CDM coordinator when the duration of a project is more than 30 days or when the number of person days of work exceeds 500 (cdm-regulations-uk.co.uk, n.d.). This requirement also stands for the planning supervisor, though a CDM coordinator, unlike a planning supervisor, needs to help the client fulfill the duties, particularly the adequacy of arrangements of other duty holders. Before the appointment of a CDM coordinator, nothing more than the initial design work should be completed. The CDM coordinators that are appointed on the construction sites assume the responsibilities declared in the CDM 2007. These responsibilities include cooperating and coordinating with the organizations for the personnel’s health and safety benefits. The CDM coordinators need to ensure that their training is up-to-date and the work is done safely. They need complete briefing before doing work that is high in risk. The CDM coordinators should get appropriate certifications to do the work competently (newlifecleaning.com, n.d.). A CDM coordinator can provide a principal contractor with assistance in numerous aspects of health and safety including development and implementation of a documented plan and rules of the construction site, advice on the facilities of site security, evaluation of the appointees’ competence, and advice on the site induction training (SHERWOOD SURVEYORS, 2013). Evaluation of the duties and responsibilities of a CDM coordinator suggests that he assumes a major role in the entire project life-cycle starting from the concept of the project through to the feasibility studies, design, execution, monitoring and control, and the delivery of the project. As the name of this job suggests, the CDM coordinator ensures coordination between the design, construction, and management of the project. This includes all aspects that are directly or indirectly related to the work, such as management of health and safety of the personnel, protection o f environment, and flow of communication between the project parties. Analysis of these responsibilit

Case study Analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analysis - Case Study Example This lays emphasis on the individual importance and conception development of immanent truth. Some of the major theories he developed was his recurrent theme of the subjectivity importance’s which mainly concerned of how individuals related to the truth. The summary of Soren’s works entails different concepts such as the notion of despair, repetition, dread, rotation and the aspect of faith. Since ethical principles are general guidelines that can apply to decision making in nursing practice, it contradicts the Soren Kierkegaard theory since it is not generally practical to make reference to the whole ethical theories for making a decision. Usually making critical decisions based on a firm and sound ground of ethics is an important aspect of practising nursing in all the settings and specialities. Taking into consideration the significances that ethical practice contributes to the safety of a patient and quality of care, American Nurses Association (ANA) has Codes of ethics that govern them in their work which are also supported by Soren’s theory (Hope, 2004). Some of the sections that are supported by his theories are the nonmaleficence where the dentist have the duty and responsibility of protecting the patient and restraining in any activity that might harm the patient and, therefore, the dentist have the obligation of updating their skills to the

My trip Essay Example for Free

My trip Essay SIMRAN: Good morning Mr. Keith, teachers and my dear friends, we are here today to share our experience on our eventful trip to France. On the 4th of this month, 41 French students from grades, 8 to 11 and 5 dedicated teachers embarked on their journey to, Le Centre Mediterranean Detudes Francais or CMEF, located in Cap Dail, Nice for a week long programme.Our days started with us, waking up to a breathtaking and scenic view of the Cote DAzur, very often we would watch cruises sailing peacefully in the ocean. We would then gather in the spacious campus cafeteria, to guzzle down some yummy breakfast. After satisfying our appetites, we would dash off to our entertaining, interactive and educational French lessons, where we were divided into 3 batches (A1, A2 and B1) according to our level in French. The classes were fun filled, enjoyable and most of all, highly enlightening. Throughout our classes we conversed in French and only French. Our classes included us carrying out role plays, learning about France, French music and even French culture. The A1 class even got to go grocery shopping, where they bought goods with the help of only French words. After the first half of our class we were given half an hour of recreation where we all chatted away, flaunting the new, fancy French words we learned. We would then run uphill, to get back to our classes! ALI: Once we concluded with our classes, we would run down to the cafeteria to have mouth-watering and delicious varieties of Continental food. Lunch, although delightful was often eaten in haste as many wanted to play an intensive and dedicated match of football, which we would eagerly look forward to everyday. While we played, the others were supportive and boosted our spirits, by cheering for us during our matches. We even had an exciting football tournament on one of the latter days. After spending an hour daily on football we began our excursions, under the leadership of Tolgahan and Astrid, our friendly, talented and understanding coaches. PARTHA: Every day, we visited a different town, encountered different people and we got the opportunity to taste some scrumptious French cuisine, like the Croque Monsieur for example. We went to places like: The Picasso Museum and Jean Cocteaus Museum, where we got to see artwork beyond our explanation. We also went to educational and informative places like, The  Glass Factory and The Perfume Making Factory. In Fragonard (the perfume making factory), we were taught the art of making perfume. There we were introduced to various fragrances of perfume and their components. Altogether, we travelled to Nice, Monte Carlo and Monaco, which are few of the most stunning, brilliant and lively cities in France, with picturesque beaches and monumental places. SANJANA: After couple of hours we would return to the centre and rush to the cafeteria. When done with dinner we would all form our own individual groups and play a variety of games, like: Uno, Truth or Dare, and sometimes we would even start our own flash mobs. An hour later we would be called back to the cafeteria which would have gotten transformed into a Disco room or a Games hall, by the very dedicated staff at CMEF. Each day we would have a fun, gripping and spirited activity to perform, for example, we would have a really competitive music quiz, a lesson of French folk dancing where we did manage to teach the others our traditional dances without fail and we also had other exciting activities like crepe and waffle making, or I should rather say crepe and waffle eating. NEUSHA: After these activities, nearing our curfew time, we would all return to our rooms to catch some sleep and prepare ourselves for the next day .During this trip we got the opportunity to interact with two other groups, the Italians and another Dubai based school. This trip was a wonderful experience for us to have, and we have made memories that will remain with us for forever. The best part of this trip was the special bond created among the 41 students of various grades which we would have never got to know otherwise. We, the students, and our fantastic teachers, had become a little French family! To be honest, we did not know we were making memories, we thought we were just having a good time! We surely have memories etched for a life time. Now kindly watch a video on our trip.

The One That Works Best Essay Example for Free

The One That Works Best Essay There are a lot of factors that influence how one grasps information. Each and every person is unique in their ability, interest and background knowledge and it is safe to assume that there is a preferred style of learning that works best for them. The common styles of learning are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic but a style can be determines in further depth through many different evaluations. I have learned a few things about myself and my own personal learning style which I will share with you in this essay. There are three basic learning styles which are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners retain information best through visual aids such as graphs, pictures, films and demonstrations. Auditory learners absorb the most from hearing the material through lectures or oral discussions. The last of the three is Kinesthetic learners who learns best through physical demonstrations rather than seeing or hearing. Based on the completion of Learning Style Inventory (Bixler, 2010), I have determined I am a Kinesthetic learner also known as a tactile learner. My preference of learning is through a hands-on method. When I reflect on my study habits I found that this is true. I retain information better through moving, doing or touching. How can I make this learning style work best for me? I can make studying a more physical task. Instead of sitting down and reading I could stand, or snack while listening to lectures. Playing music in the background is something I often do and is also a useful habit to acquire for kinesthetic learners. One of the down falls of being a tactile learner is that I am easily distracted but allowing myself frequent study breaks will help with staying on track with any assignment. Through the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire (Felder Soloman, n.d.), I have determined that I am not only a well-rounded learner but I also have very strong learning preferences that may affect my grasp on content. My results reflected that I am an active learner. I use a â€Å"Let’s try it out and see how it works,† study mentality. The questionnaire also reflected that when it comes to sensing and intuition I am a little bit of both. I like learning facts as well as theories. I have discovered through this questionnaire that  I am also well rounded when it comes to being a visual and verbal learner. Visual and verbal learning is the primary method of learning in today’s school system. I believe I reflected being fairly balanced in both because this is the learning style I’ve known based on the teaching style offered. Last, the questionnaire showed me that I am a sequential learner as well as a global learner. This result is accurate because different topics require a different way to complete or learn them whether it is step by step or absorbing bits and pieces to get the big picture. I have always known that I learned things better through hands-on experience. After taking both evaluations I realized I actually prefer many different learning styles but I am predominately a kinesthetic or active learner. I am sure this has changed many time based on my situation. Understanding what style works best for me is the first step in success. Being a physical learner will make taking online classes a bit difficult because online learning isn’t a hands-on kind of learning environment. My style may change throughout this course based on the situation or I will adapt my current learning style to somehow work with this environment. Throughout life we evolve and adapt to the different situations we are put in. This type of evolution occurs when it comes to our learning styles. As learners we adapt to the learning environment because it is more likely that our learning style will change before the teaching style changes. Every individual has a preferred learning style that works best for them based on their current situation. Each and every one of us is different and every different person has a different situation from the other which brings us to the conclusion that everyone has a different learning style. References Bixler, B. (2010). Learning style inventory. Retrieved from http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm Felder, R. M., Soloman, B. A. (n.d.). Index of learning styles. Retrieved from http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html Reiner, C. Willingham, D. (2010). The myth of learning styles. Retrieved from http://www.changemag.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/September-October%202010/the-myth-of-learning-full.html

Linebacker I and Linebacker II on the Outcome of the War

Linebacker I and Linebacker II on the Outcome of the War A paper submitted to the Faculty of the Naval War College in partial satisfaction of the requirements of the Department of Strategy and Policy based on the following assigned topic: Question #7: In light of how the Paris Peace Accords were reached in 1972-1973, what effect did Linebacker I and Linebacker II have on the outcome of the war? The contents of this paper reflect my own personal views and are not necessarily endorsed by the Naval War College or the Department of the Navy. Signature: _____________________ December 15, 2016 Seminar 20 Moderators: CDR John Sheehan Professor Michelle Getchell To quickly end the Vietnam War and withdraw American troops in an honorable fashion, the Nixon Administration engaged in a strategy of diplomacy and cocurrent military pressure. The focus of the diplomatic track was to negotiate a formal agreement between belligerents. This diplomatic track ultimately resulted in the accord known as the Paris Peace Accords. The military track endeavored to persuade the North to come to the negotiating table in by destroying its will to resist and war-making capabilities through a demonstration of Americas superior air power and unwavering commitment to a free and independent South Vietnam. The series of air raids conducted in support of this goal are known as LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II. Both LINEBACKER I and LINEBACKER II had an effect on the war, but both had different results. LINEBACKER I disproved the theory of victory for the North due to their misinterpretation of timing in switching from Phase II to Phase III of Maos strategy, and understa nding of the level of support President Nixon would have from key North Vietnam allies. LINEBACKER II was ultimately successful in bringing all belligerents to the negotiating table, the North by deteriorating the will to fight and further degrading North Vietnamese Warfighting capabilities, and the South due to the waning support of the new U.S. Congress for the war. In early 1972, the North began to shift military tactics from Phase II guerrilla warfare to a much more conventional Phase III form of according to Maos three phase strategy.1 This change is seen in the Easter Offensive that launched on March 30 which was brought about by the success the North enjoyed in Lam Son 719. Because of the Souths need for security and poor military execution, and communication, Operation Lam Son 719 collapsed when faced with resistance from the Northern commanders. The campaign was a disasterous for the South, demostrating their deficiencies and proving that the best units of the South could be defeated by the North.2 North Vietnam conducted the Easter Offensive to take the initiative and weaken Americas commitment to South Vietnam with a significant impact on negotiations producing more favorable terms for them at negotiations. The general feeling was that once troop reduction had reached a certain level the U.S. would have insignificant influence to affect the strategic situation.3 Prior to this the North Vietnamese were on Stage II of Maos three-stage plan for war. The decision to initiate the strategic counter-offensive in the Easter Offensive was premature. The South Vietnamese and U.S. still held a position of greater military power and changing phases at that point was counter to the Maos theories.4 In this second stage, enemy troop morale should continue to deteriorate, which it was in the case of the U.S. Due to American support. The position of North Vietnam in contrast to South Vietnam had not progressed far enough to give an advantage that would support Phase III, and international support should also have grown for the North Vietnamese. Due to the Easter Offensive and lack of willingness to negotiate on the part of the North Vietnamese the International support was not there. Having fulfilled only two of the three requirements to change phase, it was not the proper time, and the North Vietnamese hurt their war efforts. As a result of early North Vietnamese action, President Nixon announced the negotiations between North Vietnam and the United States taking place in Paris as well as the concessions the South Vietnamese and United States were willing to conceed to. Failure of these negotiations allowed the President to put the blame on North Vietnam for refusing to negotiate a peaceful end to the war. This address would do several things, first put diplomatic pressure on North Vietnam by announcing the negotiations in progress and placing North Vietnam in the position of the faithless party. Second, the speech demonstrated that America had exhausted all diplomatic options, which had already been initiated, and set the stage for military action if North Vietnam continued to insist on continuing inflexibility. Hanoi rejected the peace terms offered which gave Nixon the legitimacy he needed to turn to military pressure, the very thing that the North had discounted in their calculations.4 Another problem facing the North at this time is the increasing warmth of relations between the U.S. and the Norths patrons Russia and China. While China was using the U.S. to balance against Russia they were forced to realign forces and took support from North Vietnam. Concurrnetly, Russia was stepping up dà ©tente and viewed China as an enemy.5 This increasing cooperation with Northern allies isolated the North and presented an opportunity for a series of painful military strikes against the North Vietnamese that would decimate entire infantry units and nearly all of the Norths armored vehicles.5 With waning support from their key allies aquiring replacement equipment was difficult and outright victory in a conventional campaign was al but imposssible. President Nixon stated that the U.S. was going to continue fighting until the Communists agreed to negotiate a fair and honorable peace or until the South Vietnamese were able to defend themselves on their own whichever came first. 5 Immediately prior to the 1972 elections, peace talks between Hanoi, Saigon, and Washington began to deteriorate. As a result, President Nixon authorized a follow on air campaign against North Vietnam that would be called LINEBACKER II. The objective of LINEBACKER II differed from LINEBACKER I in that it was intended to destroy Hanois will to fight, and demonstrate Americas commitment to South Vietnams independence after the withdrawal of American troops. Many of the LINEBACKER I targets were attacked again during LINEBACKER II. However; LINEBACKER II had a purpose other than interdicting Northern forces. Military commanders wanted the bombers to cause distress to the civilian population in an effort to disuade them from committing to the fighting on the side of the North while avoinding civilian casualties. To degrade North Vietnamese will to fight, U.S. leadership wanted the people of Hanoi to hear the bombs.6 The ability of a nation to fight is military force and the will of the pe ople. In the case of North Vietnam the millitary force had been signifigantly reduced and that left the will of the people to force settlement. With congressional support waning, North Vietnam adjusted its actions to delay negotiations until after the newly elected Congress was sworn in, believing that support to continue the war in Vietnam would wane. Nixon thought the only way to break the Norths inflexibility and bring them back to the negotiating table was to raise the cost of their reluctance in negotiation. The President commented, We have now reached the point where only the strongest action would have any effect in convincing Hanoi that negotiating a fair settlement with us was a better option for them than continuing the war.7 The strongest show of force in this case was the use of the B-52 Stratofortress. This decision was the optimal choice for attacking the will of the populace. President Ninxon and his advisers desired to inflict maximum psychological impact on the North Vietnamese, supporting the South and reducing the cost to the U.S. in american lives.8 The B-52 could carry a massive conventional payload, was capable of carrying nuclear weapons which sent a message in itself, and had all-weather capabilities making it a perfect tool to deliver a psychological blow to the enemy. The B-52 could attack at altitudes of over 30,000 feet, rendering it impossible to be seen or heard by North Vietnamese troops on the ground allowing for attacks that happened without warning. The suddenness of the attacks along with their intensity had a telling effect. Recalling personal experience with LINEBACKER IIs bombing campaign one Viet Cong member said, The first four times I experienced a B-52 attack it seemed, as I strained to press myself into the bunker floor, that I had been caught in the Apocalypse. The terror was complete. One lost control of bodily functions as the mind screams incomprehensible orders to get out.9 During the LINEBACKER II operation, military leaders had authority to use air power to end the war effectively and the results were apparent. The Norths transportation network was decimated. Aircraft attacked and destroyed storage warehouses, electric power generating facilities cutting their capacity by three-quarters, and petroleum facilities reducing that capability by one-fourth.10 LINEBACKER II inflicted significant damage to North Vietnams war-making capability, but more importantly accomplished its primary purpose of unsettling the civilian population. As a result of LINEBACKER II, the belligerents came back to the bargaining table after eleven days of intensive bombing. The scale and success of the operation persuaded the North to accept terms that included some of Thieus newly added provisions. Congressional outcry over the scale of LINEBACKER II caused the South to realize that support for the war might be running out, making this an opportune time to accept peace and retai n as much as possible ensuring survival.11 Linebacker I was politically and practically a remarkable success. Asa result of the bombs dropped during the campaign, the Northhad a shift in thought. For the first time in the war the U.S. had used air power in a way that influenced the will of the North to continue the fight. The North had been convinced that the warwas becoming too costly for them. Some would argue that the North Vietnamese theory of victory was not disproven and they were not forced to go to the negotiating table. Their theory of victory was only put on hold by the actions of LINEBACKER and the U.S. was never in a position to win. The results LINEBACKER II did not force the North to the negotiating table but enabled them to transition back to Phase II, along with the withdrawl of U.S. forces and lack of support to the South ultimately enabled them to succeed in their bid to unite the Vietnamese people. The LINEBACKER I operation had left the Norths conventional forces decimated.10 The North had unsuccessfully tried persecuting the war by conventional means but U.S. air power had proven its worth and destroyed the majority of Northern troops and armored vehicles.11 Though costly to the North, the theory of victory through conventional means was not disproven, only delayed. To the conventional adversary this would have led to a cessation of hostilities due to lack of ability to continue the fight, but one of the strengths of the North was was in followingd the theories of Mao. These theories garnered the support from the local populace. The North Vietnamese forces understood that Vietnamese pesants had endured hundreds of years of oppression and rule.12 The Souths treatment of the pesants was similar to outside forces which had oppressed them with little attempt to understand them. In contrast the North Vietnamese forces dutifully followed Maos teachings, politely asking for supply a nd helping work for their repayment as well as proclaiming their belief in land reform, equality and governmental reform.13 The South by contrast was rife with corruption, inefficiency, and greed often setting themselves above the peasantry stealing supply and food. In this way the South Vietnamese were their own worst enemy. Their lack of support to the peasants drove them to the side of the North for protection against the unjust rule of the state. This led to not the hills menacing the villages, hills were the villages.13 The Cause of the North had become an ideal that the pesantry had bought in to and they had become the insurgents sho would continue to fight for their cause, overthrow of the local elites, good treatment and increased living standards enjoyed by the pesants through the efforts of the North. This dynamic created a situation in which it was difficult to tell who was the enemy and who was the villager. The U.S. was never in the position to win a lasting peace in this situation for several reasons. We lacked an understanding of the people and what they desired.14 Without the proper understanding of the desires of the people the U.S. could try to secure villages, give out aid and try to reinforce the government, but the government was a primary reason for the insurgency. More importantly, the U.S. was viewed as an unwanted foreign presence. Since the Vietnamese had fought against and suffered foreign opression for so long there was initial distrust and with our self imposed lack of cultur al awareness we would not be able to destroy the idea that was the root cause of the war. LINEBACKER II did not force the belligerents to the nogotiating table, it just provided the North with the opportunity to regroup revert to Phase II and wait for the U.S. to withdraw its forces leaving the North in a more advantageous position from which to rebuild for the next Phase III and the reunification of the Vietnamese people that they desired. The misinterpretation of their success in Lam Son 719 led the north to the Easter Offensive and as a result cost them a good deal of men and equipment. The only thing that they had left was the pesant population which it enjoyed great support from.14 Realizing their tenuous position the North signaled that it wished to resume peace negotiations and as a result the LINEBACKER II raids immediately ceased. In the absence of these continued the attacks the North would secure a political victory at the peace table by keeping Northern forces in the South.15 During this time they would be able to rebuild and strengthen their forces and would, in time, translate this into a full-scale military conquest of South Vietnam upon their transition back to Phase III. Not long after the end of Linebacker II, the U.S. withdrew its forces from the war in Southeast Asia and returned home. Two years later the North, knowing that it no longer faced any realistic threat of another Linebacker II, invaded South Vietnam across a broad front.16 The Communist forces of the North entered Saigon on April 30, 1975, and unified the two Vietnams under one government. A full application of airpower in a Linebacker could have achieved military victory, prevented the long and costly U.S. involvement and saved South Vietnam as a nation. While the North had went to the table to negotiate, it was to buy time and gain an advantageous position, not in good faith. 1 Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, (1980), III 5. 2 Carl von Clausewitz. On War: Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton. Princeton University Press, (1976), 618. 3 Ibid., 186. 4 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016). 5 Paul M Kennedy. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York. Humanity Books, (1976), 242. 6 Ibid. 245 7 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016). 8 Paul M Kennedy. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York. Humanity Books, (1976), 245 . 9 Ibid. 248 10 Kevin McCranie. The War at Sea.(presentation, Strategy and War Course, Naval War College, Newport, RI, 14 December 2016).), 147. 1 Elliot A. Cohen and John Gooch. Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War.New York. Free Press, (1990), 134. 12 Ibid. 134. 3 Carl von Clausewitz. On War: Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret. Princeton. Princeton University Press, (1976), 177. 4 Elliot A. Cohen and John Gooch. Military Misfortunes: The Anatomy of Failure in War.New York. Free Press, (1990), 136. 5 Admiral von Holtzendorf. German History in Documents and Images. Selected Readings. Naval War College, Newport, RI, (2016), 2.       6 Ibid. 3. 7 Ibid. 4.

Who or what is Edward Hyde? Essay -- English Literature

Who or what is Edward Hyde? Due to the Victorian background of this book we are led to believe Edward Hyde is a completely different character to Henry Jekyll but we soon start to find out that they are actually one person, but with just a slight physical and mental change. Some readers in Victorian times would have interpreted the story as a struggle between good and evil, with Jekyll being the 'hardworking, normal guy' and Hyde being the 'twisted, evil person'. This was emphasised by the Christian belief of humans having a divided soul. If your soul had been good, on judgement day you would be saved into heaven where as if it was bad you would be damned to hell. During 1859 Darwin was showing his ideas of humans descending from apes or simpler forms of life this confused and scared many Victorians, they were know longer unique they were part of one species among many. Stevenson's own experiences may also help us to tell who or what Edward Hyde is. Stevenson grew up in Edinburgh, which in itself had two faces. There was the up and coming 'new town' which was the re-generated modern part of town and the 'old city', which was covered with disease and poverty. Stevenson also lived a double life by day he would be studying in the 'new town', but by night he would go out to the 'old town' until late at night. This could be interpreted as the character Jekyll in the story actually being like Stevenson. Jekyll would work in his lab by day but at night he would go out to the towns of Soho. There are many connections between Jekyll and Hyde. On first appearance we learn that Hyde is a short, ugly and not like any other ordinary man, he also seems strong and unstoppable. People reacted to Hyde with a stro... ...feel any slight bit of emotion. Also 'audibly shattered' implies the shear force of Mr Hyde and even though he is able to hear the shattering of the bones inside the body it still doesn't make him stop, he continues with the beating just so he is able to get his 'kick' out of seeing someone in pain. Having understood the need for scientific experimentation, do we assume all experiments are necessary? In the case of Jekyll I think he needed to find out the unknown, so he could be satisfied by his evil side, which he had locked up for years. If the experiments had been more closely controlled in the beginning this could have been a better ending. I think that taking potions (drugs) to dabble with mans dual nature is never a recommended path. The best method of release is always the natural way, let the inner good and evil show itself when it is necessary.

Parent-Child Relationship Essay -- Self Esteem, Struggle for Control

Parents play a major role in the development and the life of a child. According to the Encyclopedia of Psychology, parenting practises is universal because of three common goals: ensuring children's health and safety, preparing children for life as productive adults and transmitting cultural values. Although, the modern days inventions as well as peers pressures are affecting children's behavior,however parents that are not overly controlling can use these traits to develop their children for the good. Perhaps this is why Amy Tan's story, â€Å"Two Kinds,† is so interesting. This story helps us to better understand relationships between parents and children by showing us how parents struggles for control with their children, why parents fight child for control, and why parents cannot control their children , but can only guide them. To begin with, â€Å"Two Kinds,† helps us to better understand relationships between parents and children by showing us how parents struggles for control with their children. First, Amy Tan, a second -generation Chinese describes parents and children using power and control to get their needs and wants met. She demonstrates that as children grow, they try to gain power in order to get control over their lives. For example in the story her mother believed that she could be anything in America. Consequently, she wanted her to become a prodigy. Amy would take tests from her mother every night. However, she was frustrated with every test and the drive inside her began to vanish as she decided to be disobedient to her mother. â€Å"And then I saw what seemed to be the prodigy side of me because I had never seen that face before. I looked at my reflection, blinking so I could see more clearly. The girl staring b... ...hild development may help parents give children choices to help parents give children choices to help them develop their guidelines as they matures. However, parents need to take responsibility for the choices they make. Excessive control is not a forced decision. With the adequate public information and dedication, parents can guide their children to become productive citizens. When a parent confront an obstinate child, all it takes is for her not to take it personally, or overreact by saying abusive things, giving her severe punishments or physically hurting the child. Work Cited Tan, Amy. â€Å"Two Kinds.† Literature Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2013. 687-695. print. Kazdin, Alan E., Phd. Encyclopedia of Psychology, Volume 8, March 2000. Parent-Child Relationship Essay -- Self Esteem, Struggle for Control Parents play a major role in the development and the life of a child. According to the Encyclopedia of Psychology, parenting practises is universal because of three common goals: ensuring children's health and safety, preparing children for life as productive adults and transmitting cultural values. Although, the modern days inventions as well as peers pressures are affecting children's behavior,however parents that are not overly controlling can use these traits to develop their children for the good. Perhaps this is why Amy Tan's story, â€Å"Two Kinds,† is so interesting. This story helps us to better understand relationships between parents and children by showing us how parents struggles for control with their children, why parents fight child for control, and why parents cannot control their children , but can only guide them. To begin with, â€Å"Two Kinds,† helps us to better understand relationships between parents and children by showing us how parents struggles for control with their children. First, Amy Tan, a second -generation Chinese describes parents and children using power and control to get their needs and wants met. She demonstrates that as children grow, they try to gain power in order to get control over their lives. For example in the story her mother believed that she could be anything in America. Consequently, she wanted her to become a prodigy. Amy would take tests from her mother every night. However, she was frustrated with every test and the drive inside her began to vanish as she decided to be disobedient to her mother. â€Å"And then I saw what seemed to be the prodigy side of me because I had never seen that face before. I looked at my reflection, blinking so I could see more clearly. The girl staring b... ...hild development may help parents give children choices to help parents give children choices to help them develop their guidelines as they matures. However, parents need to take responsibility for the choices they make. Excessive control is not a forced decision. With the adequate public information and dedication, parents can guide their children to become productive citizens. When a parent confront an obstinate child, all it takes is for her not to take it personally, or overreact by saying abusive things, giving her severe punishments or physically hurting the child. Work Cited Tan, Amy. â€Å"Two Kinds.† Literature Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2013. 687-695. print. Kazdin, Alan E., Phd. Encyclopedia of Psychology, Volume 8, March 2000.

Urban Legend of Bloody Mary :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories

Bloody Mary Often, the story of â€Å"Bloody Mary† is the first story of supernatural form that is told to many individuals as young children. When I was in 3rd grade, a group of friends and I got together to have a sleepover; naturally, we all went to my friend’s basement and started telling scary stories. One of my friends told me that if I went into the bathroom without any lights and said â€Å"Bloody Mary† three times in front of a mirror, a bloody figure would appear. This urban legend was told by a nineteen year old woman at the University of Maryland who is originally from West Point, New York. She is currently a sophomore majoring in architecture. On the night of March 30, 2007, a group of friends and I got together in the 4th floor lounge of LaPlata. In the midst of discussion, the topic of scary stories came up, and at about midnight, the storyteller started telling her version of â€Å"Bloody Mary.† She paused for a moment and started talking about the origins of the urban legend. She said that â€Å"Bloody Mary† is a reference to Mary Queen of Scots, a Scottish monarch. Apparently, Mary Queen of Scots would bathe in the blood of virgins in order to look young and vibrant. The storyteller said that virgins were viewed as being pure, so exposure to their blood would make an individual look beautiful. The storyteller paused and said, â€Å"Now it’s time to get to the good part.† She said that an individual needs a candle, a lighter, a dark room, and a mirror. An individual would take the unlit candle and put it in front of the mirror with the lighter in his or her hand. The individual would spin around while chanting â€Å"Bloody Mary† seven times. As soon as he or she finished, the individual would immediately turn to the mirror and light the candle. After the candle is lit, a figure with a bloody face would appear in the mirror and kill the individual! As we all looked in awe, I asked her if she ever tried it, and she said that she was never able to do it because she was too frightened. Even though many of her friends did it and came out alive, the storyteller said that she could never have the courage to do it because it was too scary for her. Urban Legend of Bloody Mary :: Urban Legends Ghost Stories Bloody Mary Often, the story of â€Å"Bloody Mary† is the first story of supernatural form that is told to many individuals as young children. When I was in 3rd grade, a group of friends and I got together to have a sleepover; naturally, we all went to my friend’s basement and started telling scary stories. One of my friends told me that if I went into the bathroom without any lights and said â€Å"Bloody Mary† three times in front of a mirror, a bloody figure would appear. This urban legend was told by a nineteen year old woman at the University of Maryland who is originally from West Point, New York. She is currently a sophomore majoring in architecture. On the night of March 30, 2007, a group of friends and I got together in the 4th floor lounge of LaPlata. In the midst of discussion, the topic of scary stories came up, and at about midnight, the storyteller started telling her version of â€Å"Bloody Mary.† She paused for a moment and started talking about the origins of the urban legend. She said that â€Å"Bloody Mary† is a reference to Mary Queen of Scots, a Scottish monarch. Apparently, Mary Queen of Scots would bathe in the blood of virgins in order to look young and vibrant. The storyteller said that virgins were viewed as being pure, so exposure to their blood would make an individual look beautiful. The storyteller paused and said, â€Å"Now it’s time to get to the good part.† She said that an individual needs a candle, a lighter, a dark room, and a mirror. An individual would take the unlit candle and put it in front of the mirror with the lighter in his or her hand. The individual would spin around while chanting â€Å"Bloody Mary† seven times. As soon as he or she finished, the individual would immediately turn to the mirror and light the candle. After the candle is lit, a figure with a bloody face would appear in the mirror and kill the individual! As we all looked in awe, I asked her if she ever tried it, and she said that she was never able to do it because she was too frightened. Even though many of her friends did it and came out alive, the storyteller said that she could never have the courage to do it because it was too scary for her.