Use of Smartphones

One cannot stop wondering how life would be in the past, especially with the advent of modern technologies that have emerged in the world just recently. These rampant technologies are thought to be the mother of modern technological era where life seems to be easier and exciting than ever.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Use of Smartphones specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Modern generations, especially those who were born in the last two decades when the development of modern technologies was at its threshold, would find it hard to imagine how people managed to communicate with each other at a distance one hundred years ago. The Impact of modern technology has been felt in almost all sectors of life, including in the vast field of communication. This is evident in the current world where the power of mobile phones and other mobile devices has completely changed the way we interact and communicate with each other in life. As a matter of fact, mobile phone devices, which are in use allover the world, have taken over each and every aspect of the current society. As it would be observed, the mobile phone is arguably the most developed device today as far as communication technology is concerned. From the bulky radio-like devices of the past to the slimy, handy smart phones of the modern day, mobile phone devices have come a long way to make our lives more comfortable (Raento Oulasvirta 2009). In regard with mobile phone technology, this paper examines the growing use of smart phones in the world, and the kind of impact these types of phones have on people’s lives. What is a Smart Phone? As it would be observed, there are various definitions for a smart phone, depending on the phone’s model, shape, and features, among other key aspects. All these definitions, however, appear to associate the devices with computers, identifying them as mobile phone devices that combine both teleph ony and computing applications and services. In this regard, smart phones are types of phones having in-built computer applications or features, which are normally characterized by high computing capabilities. Just like computers, smart phones are build into special features and applications that would be certain to make their users remain fully engaged to modern forms of entertainment as if they were near computers (Zheng Ni 2006).Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some of the common features and applications of most smart phones include, but are not limited to, high-resolution touch screens, high-resolution cameras, video and media players, GPS navigation accessibility, web browsers, and high-speed access of data. Just like computers, recent versions of smart phones can run add-on programs and be able to update software, thus giving users the potential to be more product ive in various grounds of accountability. This special characteristic, however, makes smart phones more useful to current generations who are eager to explore and experience every bit of modern technology. The rapid abundance of new innovations in the mobile phone industry has added more exclusive features on these gadgets, making them the most popular electronic devices in the world. Types of Smart Phones There are different types of smart phones in the market today. These differences are mainly determined by aspects such as their models, in-built applications, the operating systems used by the devices, and the manufacturing companies behind their development. Some of the common types of smart phones available in the world include Apple Iphone, BlackBerry Tour, and Samsung Galaxy. As it would be observed, all these types of smart phones differ greatly in terms of their functionality and the type of applications they use, among other aspects. Below are individual summaries for each of the smart phones types highlighted above, whereby their varied functionality and the types of application they use are of much concern. Apple iPhone Just as the name suggests, this is a 3G smart phone which is owned and developed by Apple Inc. The development of the iPhone begun way back in the year 2004, but it was not until at the beginning of 2007 when this superb mobile device was finally unveiled to the public by Steve Jobs, the then CEO for the company, (Low Pittaway 2008). IPhone models come in generations, and currently, there are six of these generations. One special feature which makes this device exclusive is its ability to allow users to engage their friends and family in live video chats directly from the gadgets. Other common special features associated with the iPhone include video shooting, accessibility of the internet, sending as well as receiving emails, playing music, and ability to receive visual voicemail. The phone is enhanced by various add-ons that give users the ability to access and explore Apple Application Store right from the phone’s memory and the internet. The latest versions of the iPhone have come with modified features and improved applications thus giving people improved access of the vast world of entertainment. These include, but are not limited to, a widened display, an 8MP iSight camera, and a faster chip.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Use of Smartphones specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Coupled with their thin and light design, all these impressive features have placed the iPhone in the list of the most valued phones in the world. This explains the resounding sales of these phones that are observed allover the world nowadays. BlackBerry Tour This is a mobile phone device which is designed and marketed by Research In Motion. The device would make its first appearance into the global markets in the mid of 2002. One important thing to note about this phone is that, it is part and parcel of the 9600 device series. Some of the key features associated with this phone include Operating system, GPS navigation, media player, 3.2-megapixel camera, GPRS/ EDGE/ GSM capability, QWERTY keyboard, 3G data overseas, high-capacity audio jack, Bluetooth connectivity, and a memory card slot, among other special features. The Tour is also widely acclaimed for its outstanding battery life and access to the device’s Application World which comprises of a vast array of downloadable programs and software. Samsung Galaxy This is an Android smart phone which is designed and marketed by Samsung Electronics. First released in the market in mid 2010, Galaxy is the latest version of Samsung mobile phone series. Ever since its release into the global markets slightly over two and half years ago, the gadget has won several compliments and awards from various associations, possibly owing to its unique features and specifications. This recog nition has fetched Samsung Galaxy series an international acclaim, thus making them one of the most sold smart phones globally. Some of the common in-build features of Samsung Galaxy include a multi-touch capacity screen, microphone, QWERTY keyboard, ambient light sensors, headphone jack, both rear and front facing VGA cameras, memory card slot, accelerometer, FM radio, and magnetometer. Samsung Galaxies are also known for their support for various multimedia file versions and formats.Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Impact of Smart Phones on People’s Lives As it would be observed, the impacts of these modern devices on our lives are far-reaching. Survey shows the global demand of smart phones to have risen steadily over the last few years. In fact, the sale of these stylish phones is reported to have outstripped that of conventional phones by large margins in the last two years. As more people across the world continue to acquire smart phones, the gadgets are becoming essential equipments in people’s lives (Barkhuus Polichar 2011). No wonder, the devices have become a darling for both the young and adults, with teenagers making a significant impression as the largest possessors of the smart phones. Unsurprisingly, this is owing to their appetite on addictive social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, among other engaging applications that are accessible through the in-build applications of the smart phones. However, this wide usage of smart phones across the world comes with b oth positive and negative impacts on humans. Positive Impacts The use of smart phones has helped to break the barriers of distance for international communication through various interactive applications such as the Web and Bluetooth. For instance, people are able to chat with their families and friends directly through interactive applications in their phones. Some of these social platforms that could be accessible from the smart phones include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn groups, and Google Plus, among other channels of interaction. All these internet applications plays a key role in people’s lives, by enabling them to communicate effectively and exchange important information thus staying connected with each other, irrespective of the geographical barriers between them. In just another perspective, the use of smart phones positively affects one’s productivity in the work place through a number of ways. For example, people can always load their devices with important mobile applications that would allow them work efficiently without having to rely upon their computers or any other assistive equipment. Some of these applications include Microsoft Publisher, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel, all which play a very important role in our day to day lives in the work place. Two very important aspects about these applications are that; they are user-friendly and inexpensive. This, however, makes them a more convenient way of approaching work. More importantly, smart phone users can also use online systems such as IBackup and Dropbox to save important information and documents (Zheng Ni 2010). Apart from working as a backup security for data incase of computer crashes, these systems are also convenient in enabling people gain access to their work-related information while on the go, using their smart phones. Smart phones with QWERTY designs such as the BlackBerry can also be very important, since they can allow users to type important reports and e mails while travelling, even in the absence of their desktop computers or laptops. As a matter of fact, these applications have helped to maintain workforce mobility for regular travelers. This wise usage of smart phones in handling work-related task away from the office is always certain to make people productive, even while they are stuck in traffic jams or waiting in cues in banks. Another positive impact of smart phones is that, they have become all-in-one entertainment tools for many people allover the world, owing to their capability to support all types of multimedia format files. People have also used the power of smart phones to share photos and video, among other types of fun stuff, thus keeping each other motivated and entertained. Negative impacts While it is true that the constant usage of smart phones has helped to improve our lives in various ways, it has also brought bad effects to people’s lives. For instance, reliance on these devices, especially by the teen agers, has contributed to inappropriate use of time as a result of addiction to the devices. The wide array of applications, particularly games, music, video, and the Web, do attract users for entertainment purposes. This, however, would contribute to wastage of time as people embark on searching for unproductive material and stuff. Relentless use of smart phones has also been linked to a number of health problems (Guo Wang 2004). Some good examples here would include muscle disorders, tendons, and spinal disks, resulting from repetitious use of smart phones. The habit of typing on the tiny keypad of a smart phone can also present greater risks of tearing hand muscles. More importantly, constant use of smart phones has also been linked with marriage issues in modern societies. Some of the common aspects and habits arising from usage of these interactive devices, and which have contributed to the above issue include; their fast data processing abilities which enables people to send messages unnoticed, the discreet nature of call and messaging systems of the phones, and increased opportunities enabling people to remain attached to social networking sites for long durations through the devices. Based on these observations, it is arguably clear that smart phones are both a blessing as well as a curse to modern generations. List of References Barkhuus, L Polichar, V 2011, ‘Empowerment through seamfulness: smart phones in everyday life’, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, vol. 15 no. 6, pp. 629-639. Guo, C Wang, H 2004, Smart-phone attacks and defenses, IEEE, New York. Low, D Pittaway, A 2008, ‘The ‘iPhone’induction-a novel use for the Apple iPhone’, Pediatric Anesthesia, vol. 18 no. 6, pp. 573-574. Raento, M and Oulasvirta, A 2009, ‘Smartphones An Emerging Tool for Social Scientists’, Sociological methods research, vol. 37 no. 3, pp. 426-454. Zheng, P Ni, L 2010, Smart phone and next generation mobile comput ing, Morgan Kaufmann, Burlington, Massachusetts. Zheng, P Ni, L 2006, ‘Spotlight: the rise of the smart phone’, Distributed Systems Online, vol. 7 no. 3, pp. 27-33. This report on Use of Smartphones was written and submitted by user Wade E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Americans Spend Over 100 Hours a Year Commuting

Americans Spend Over 100 Hours a Year Commuting At a nationwide average one-way drive-time of about 25.5 minutes, Americans spend more than 100 hours a year commuting to work, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Yes, thats more than the average two weeks of vacation time (80 hours) taken by many workers during a year. This number has increased by over a minute in 10 years. â€Å"This annual information on commuters and their work trips and other transportation-related data will help local, regional and state agencies maintain, improve, plan and develop the nation’s transportation systems,† said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon in a press release. â€Å"American Community Survey data will provide valuable assistance to agencies offering housing, education and other public services as well.† Data has been released through 2013. Compare this with the federal governments estimate of computing the hourly rate based on working 2,080 hours per year. Spending 100 hours commuting adds a significant amount of unpaid time to the work day of the American worker. Map of Commute Times You can find the average commute time for most communities in the U.S. with a map based on the U.S. Census Bureau data provided by WNYC. The color-coded map shades commute times from white for zero minutes to deep purple for more than an hour. If you are deciding on where to move, the map can give you interesting information on your commute times. The data released for 2013 showed that only 4.3 percent of workers had no commute because they worked from home. Meanwhile, 8.1 percent had commutes of 60 minutes or more. A quarter of commuters cross county lines going to and from work. Maryland and New York have the highest average commute times while North Dakota and South Dakota have the lowest. Megacommutes Almost 600,000 American workers have megacommutes of at least 90 minutes and 50 miles. They are more likely to carpool than those with shorter commutes, but that number is still only 39.9 percent. Carpooling in general has declined since the year 2000. However, not all of them are driving as 11.8 percent take rail and 11.2 percent take other forms of public transportation. Long commutes are highest for those in the state of New York at 16.2 percent, Maryland (14.8 percent), and New Jersey (14.6 percent). Three-quarters of megacommuters are male and they are more likely to be older, married, make a higher income, and have a spouse who doesnt work. They often depart for work before 6 a.m. Alternate Commutes Those who take public transit, walk, or bike to work still make up a small part of the total. That overall number hasnt changed much since 2000, although the segments of it have. There has been a slight increase in those who take public transit, with 5.2 percent in 2013 compared with 4.7 percent in 2000. There was a dip in those who walk to work by one-tenth of a percent and growth in those who bike by two-tenths of a percent. But those numbers are still small at 2.8 percent walking to work and 0.6 percent biking to work. Sources: Megacommuters. U.S. Census Bureau Release Number: CB13-41. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2013.

Pandemic avian influenza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pandemic avian influenza - Essay Example Each combination represents a different subtype. All known subtypes of influenza A viruses can be found in birds. The H5N1 subtype of the avian flu is currently causing alarm all over the world. Avian influenza viruses are carried by wild birds in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them. Domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys, are very much prone to infection to avian influenza and it can affect some birds and make them very sick and even kill them. Infected birds spread influenza virus through their saliva, nasal emission, and feces. Domesticated birds can get infected with avian influenza virus through direct contact with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces such as water, fowl feed, feces or cages that have been contaminated with the virus. Two main forms of disease are caused by avian influenza infection in domestic poultry that are distinguished by low and high extremes of virulence. The low pathogenic form may go undetected and usually causes only mild symptoms such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production. However, the highly pathogenic form spreads more rapidly through flocks of poultry. This form may cause disease that affects multiple internal organs and has a mortality rate that can reach 90-100%, often within 48 hours. The H5N1 virus is highly pathogenic. PREVALENCE During 2004, large parts of Asia experienced unprecedented outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, caused by the H5N1 virus, in poultry. ETIOLOGY Most pandemics over the centuries have originated in parts of Asia where dense populations of humans live in close proximity to water fowl, ducks and pigs. In this part of the world, surveillance for both animal influenza and clusters of unusual respiratory disease in humans performs an important early warning function. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY The outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Asia in 2004 are clearly unprecedented in respect of the geographical scale and the endemicity of the virus, which now appears firmly entrenched in parts of Asia. Other unique features of the outbreaks suggest that the complex ecology of influenza viruses may be changing in ominous ways. Domestic ducks are now known to be excreting H5N1 in its highly pathogenic form yet - like wild ducks - appear to be perfectly healthy. They may thus be silently perpetuating transmission of the virus to chickens and other poultry and possibly also to humans. The recent detection of highly pathogenic H5N1 in dead migratory birds - long considered asymptomatic carriers - may suggest another ominous change, but more research is needed before any conclusions can be reached. The factors that determine the interspecies transmission and pathogenicity of influenza

Those Changes that the Underwent through Southern American Literature Research Paper

Those Changes that the Underwent through Southern American Literature - Research Paper Example These river valleys was were civilisation was at peak in this region as it was the location of most of the towns, however, between these valleys and in the least accessible mountainous regions little human activity took place. However, westward expansion through the southern Appalachian turned towards the Ohio valley and North West territory changed this course and people started settling in the mountainous regions. Relationships between families and communities in this region were hostile and although they sometimes united to maintain churches and schools, the memberships of these institutions kept on changing. Slavery in this region was the norm where slaves were got from Africa to work for their American masters in their land or in their homes. In the novel ‘Gone with the wind’, Margaret Mitchell has depicted slavery in the southern America region by dividing the characters in two groups along class lines: the white planter class such as Scarlett and Ashley, and the b lack servant class such as Mammy, Prissy, pork and uncle Peter who acted as house servants. Mitchell goes further to show the subdivisions that were there in different classes such as among the slaves, there were those who worked in the house and stayed with their master; these were considered to belong to the highest caste. In addition, there were those who worked in the farms and did manual work; these were considered to be lower in the caste system of the slaves (Mitchell 24) Southern Belle, which is the traditional reference for a young woman in southern America who belonged to the rich upper class, has been brought up in the character of Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett O’Hara is depicted as an attractive person although not good-looking, which is a perfect description of a southern belle. However, for Scarlett, the perfect description of a southern belle is her mother Ellen whose back is never seen to rest against the back of any seat on which she sit and whose broken h eart is usually mistaken for an innocent composure. The charming nature of a southern belle can be seen in the way that Scarlett is able to manoeuvre the wars and financial misfortunes that happen to her and gain wealth of her own. In addition, despite several of her husbands dying, she was determined to get married and raise a family of her own, a typical characteristic of a southern belle. The battles and confrontations that the southern part of America participated in shaped the history of the area; these battles saw the young men recruited to the army despite the conflicting interests where young girls wished them to remain behind for marriage purposes. Some of the battles that the southern communities were involved in include the seven days battle at Richmond Virginia that lasted between 25th June and 1st July in 1962 and the confederate army won; the battle of Fredericksburg at Fredericksburg, Virginia from December 11th to 15th, the confederate army won. Other battles were th e Streight’s Raid in northern Alabama from April 19 – May 3, 1863 where union colonel was captured by confederate army general, Battle of Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania County in Virginia from April 30 to May 6 where the confederate a

Wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wars - Essay Example tion of the US to Somali, though there is no clear evidence of the fact that the terrorist organizations responsible for the biggest world terrorist acts take their places in either of the countries. On the contrary, the intervention to these countries has caused chaos and disorder. This statement can possibly be denied by the explanation that the war was not the absolutely desirable way out to stabilize situation in the country, and was actually aimed at creating new society with democratic values, but the fact that presence of the terrorist organizations was only suspicion, and it is yet not understood, after so many years of war, whether this war was the best solution for the problems which existed between the two countries. It has caused deaths of thousands people of the common population but has not yet reached its goal of destroying terrorist groups. Thus, suspicion is not enough to start and hold wars. Thus, we come to another argument against wars – innocent people mos tly become the victims of the political games, which often turn into wars. Modern times represent us with the new kinds of wars, which countries and peoples can have against each other, starting from physical (military), and ending with the informational and oil (gas) wars. The issue of the innocent people is more related to the fact when one speaks about military actions. ‘While the image of bombers flying over Afghanistan and bombing a people whose average lifespan is about 45 years of age and who are suffering terrible deprivation already -- not least due to the Taliban, which the U.S. helped create and empower -- is horrifying enough, it is important to realize that death and deprivation come in many forms. Even without widespread bombing, if the threat to attack the civilian population or outright coercion of other countries leads to curtailment of food aid to Afghanistan, the ensuing starvation could kill a million or more Afghans by mid-winter. Is this the appropriate response to

Definition Of Culture By Hofstede Cultural Studies Essay

Definition Of Culture By Hofstede Cultural Studies Essay -Introduction Globalization of a companys hiring process becomes quite critical when it has to deal with external barriers; especially the ones relating to culture. It becomes equally challenging for an employee coming from a different cultural background to adjust in the new country and simultaneously adapt to their culture. However, in this world of instantaneous communication and global interactions, an international perspective can make ones business as well as an individuals career significantly more competitive. In order to have a good experience in the new environment and keeping away from depression one has to learn about the ways of interacting with the culture. This can be done by understanding a few aspects of the culture in the country one is going to. Each culture comes with its own personality, own way of doing things, ways of acting, ways of communicating with the world. Coming from one culture and moving to another, one can often pick out intriguing similarities and disheartening d ifferences. Hence, every culture is unique and depending on it, various behavioural patterns can be observed. In order to facilitate our understanding about the extent of how dynamic a culture is, Hofstedes cultural theory can be used. In the following research, a link will be established between Hofstedes cultural dimensions and how I will use these observations in order to adjust myself culturally to the new environment so that I do not have cross-cultural problems living in Japan for the next five years. Additionally a comparison between my culture (Indian) and Japanese culture will also be discussed. Definition of Culture by Hofstede Culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one human group from those of another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values.- Geert Hofstede (Hofstede, 1991) Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions Power Distance: it is the degree of inequality that is expected and accepted in a given society by subordinates. It relates to power, status, authority that you command from individuals in a given context. For the most part, often the less powerful members are dominated by more powerful members and that dimension is accepted by the less powerful and expected by the most powerful. The societies with high power distance deal with autocratic style of management while the democratic style of management is observed within societies with less power distance. Uncertainty Avoidance: is the degree of risk that is accepted by people in any given society. It is the level to which the members of a society feel uncertain or ambiguous about a particular situation. The societies that avoid uncertainties are often the underdeveloped and the developing ones; whereas the developed societies are more tolerant towards uncertainties. Individualism/Collectivism: a society where everyone is expected to take care of themselves is an individualistic one. Here, me, I is more important as against we, us in collectivist societies. The attachment between people in individualistic societies is very insecurely defined. Society may have a tendency to be materialistic. Individual work is greatly appreciated rather than team work in collectivist societies. Extended families influenced by religion are a peculiar feature of collectivism. Masculinity/Feminism: the degree of difference that is observed between men and women describes this dimension. Societies driven by power, status, competitive depict masculinity, whereas, feminism illustrates values of modesty and concern. The former tends to be less emotional and expressive than latter. Long term orientation/Short term orientation: Long term relates to rewarding responsibility with an intention in mind. However, short term relates to respect for tradition and values. The former is more perseverant and the latter imparts sense security and protects ones reputation. (Hofstede, 1991) Differences between Japanese and Indian Culture according to Hofstede (Hofstede, 2003) Both these cultures instil collectivistic traits. In such cultures the actions of the individual are influenced by various concepts such as the opinion of ones family, extended family, neighbours, work group and other such wider social networks that one has some affiliation toward. The Power Distance Index of India in comparison with Japan is comparatively higher. India is a diverse country with a combination of various cultures and wealth in this country is unequally distributed and hence, there are different types of classes with uneven disposable income. This depicts why the power distance is quite high. On the other hand, Japan is a mildly hierarchical society. Japanese are always conscious of their hierarchical position in any social setting and act accordingly. However, Japan is quite developed and the fact that equality prevails makes the power distance lower than India and uncertainty avoidance higher. Moreover, the absence of corruption, low level of inflation and other econ omic factors make its uncertainty avoidance higher. Comparatively, India is quite corrupt and people are only concerned with making more and more money regardless of the overall growth. People in India generally do not feel driven and compelled to take action-initiatives and comfortably settle into established rolls and routines without questioning whereas the Japanese do not settle for anything less and are very competitive in nature making them more masculine. India is masculine too, but mostly in terms of visual display of success and power. On the contrary, Japanese are very modest and show the strength of power only when necessary. Japan is also a very fast growing economy and the people a very determined to create a living for them expressing why it is long term oriented. The idea behind it is that the companies are not here to make money every quarter for the shareholders, but to serve the stake holders and society at large for many generations to come. India is also long ter m oriented but comparatively lesser than Japan as Indian society has great tolerance for religious views and this culture typically forgives lack of punctuality where nothing is planned from start. (Hofstede, 2003) Dealing with Cultural Shock Living abroad and experiencing all the newness of the society combined with absence of people who can support might cause a degree of anxiety. This type of anxiety is called cultural shock and everyone deals with some degree of it during this stage. Basically it can be divided into four phases. Once familiar with these stages one will be better able to combat it and the willingness to adapt will increase. However, not everybody goes through all these stages or sometimes it is possible to experience these in different order. These stages are: The Honeymoon Stage   This occurs in the first few days of you arriving in your host country.   In this stage everything seems exciting and new. The focus is on the sense of success in being in the new culture; curiosity and interest in the novelty of the new surroundings; and an appreciation and anticipation of the opportunities to be found in the new culture. Most people feel energetic and enthusiastic during this stage. The Cultural Shock Stage In this stage, the primary focus is on the differences between ones home culture and the new culture and the conflicts that arise due to these differences,  including having to use a foreign language, not being sure how to interact with people in authority, not having a clear idea of how to make friends with people from different cultures, finding that food and eating customs are different, religious practices are different, and experiencing either the country is laid back or very fast paced. The Recovery Stage After having spent some time in the new culture, people begin to resolve some of the conflicts they may have experienced and also begin to regain a sense of appreciation that they might have experienced in the first stage. They have learned more about the new culture and are able to have a better understanding of external and internal resources that help in managing demands and conflicts that might arise. Feelings typical of this stage are a mixture of the first two stages. The Adaptation Stage This stage consists of people developing a realistic understanding of the similarities and differences between their home cultures and the new culture, so that they have clearer ideas about what they like and dislike in each. Many people move in the direction of becoming bicultural i.e. being able to value and appreciate the aspects of both cultures that they wish retain or include in their lives. This stage may be characterized by a sense of confidence, maturity, flexibility and tolerance. The Reverse Culture Shock- This is an often unexpected part of the cultural adaptation process. Based on the above stages, people eventually become relatively comfortable with the new culture, and are able to learn and incorporate new attitudes and behaviour that allows them to function better in the new culture. However, when this person returns to their home culture (especially if they have not been back for a while), they may sometimes find that the changes in themselves as well as in the home culture while they were away may create the need for an entirely new adjustment process which can be similar to the process described above. This can be especially confusing if the person is expecting to fit in effortlessly into their home culture and neither the person nor members of the home culture are sensitive to the possibility of reverse culture shock. (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2007)   Adapting to the Japanese Culture Having being transferred to a new country can be very challenging yet fun filled task since one has to start to adjust to a new environment that has never been experienced before. All the more, experiencing a new culture has its own set of problems like cultural shock, communication issues, etc. According to me, the only way to overcome a situation like this is to adapt to the place as soon as possible, as they say When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  I will further mention a few aspects of the local culture that I would wish to observe and understand in order to avoid problems of cross-cultural communication. Adjusting in the new environment culturally will make one familiar to the people, the language and will be lot easier to feel the essence of the place. In this situation, I will rid my mind of the stereotypes I ever perceived about Japan or Japanese people, since this is the first step to willingly accept and respect any culture. I will also try to befriend my colleagues at work and stay with them for a while instead of staying at hotels. Reason being, one gets to understand the true culture of the place only when they live with a family rather living alone. This will provide me emotional support while staying away from my family. Joining gym or any other ways of socially connecting to people would be a good idea here. Moreover, since I belong to a collectivistic society myself, it would be easier for me to trust and exchange ideas with groups of people. With this dimension being quite common in both our cultures, I might feel comfortable understanding the Japanese culture. Also in t his era of the world it is quite easy to stay in touch with family and friends back home through internet facilities providing video calling at cheap rates. Communication is the key here so I emphasize on being an active listener and participating in discussions both at work and leisure time that will let them know about the background of my culture as well. I would definitely involve communicating in Japanese in my routine; that will help me communicate with the locals there. English is not the official language of Japan so it will be wrong on my part to assume that they have clearly understood what I am trying to communicate. Hence, it will be better to listen and understand them. This will build their trust and confidence in me, and avoid misunderstandings at the same time. In situations where I am not able to express myself to a local, I would talk by actions or slow down my speed of language so that my words are clearly understood. I would watch TV and read newspapers to obtain information about the locals and their culture. Working in the IT Company will provide me with an opportunity of making friends where I believe I will be accepted keeping in mind the sense of equality that people in Japan have, according to Hofstede. I would be able to create a good rapport with my seniors too. I may not be as competitive as other Japanese employees in my peer group with regards to my background but I will try to come up to their level and be as competitive as them. However, I may have issues when trying to work since most of them rely on try and tested methods of doing work and no one really wants to bring any change in their environment. As for me, I can adjust to their style but I am more used to prioritizing my tasks according to the situation that comes up rather than planning everything right from start till the end and foresee any circumstances that may interfere with the planning like the Japanese do. In addition, leaving Hofstedes theory aside, there are other grounds on which both these cultures are dissimilar and interaction will be an issue in the beginning. If considering rituals, etiquettes, food, sense of humour, routine, etc., both these cultures are different. In India rituals are given a lot of importance but only to the extent of religion, we do not tend to go as far as having opening and closing ceremonies for each year of schooling as the Japanese do. For Japanese, competition is very important as that shows how one would lead his life later on, however, in India, there is competition but it isnt healthy considering our high level of ignorance at other levels for example caste, creed, sex, etc. As far as etiquettes are concerned, Indians these days might forget to greet others in the traditional style of saying Namaste while pressing palms together and fingers pointing upwards. They might say Hello and greet others since we have been influenced a lot by western cultur e for about two decades or so, whereas Japanese would bow down in order to greet. Another aspect of the local culture that is different but I would absolutely love to observe is the food that they have to offer. I cannot expect the spicy kind of food that I am brought up eating; instead I will have to develop a taste that is less spicy than Indian food. Consequently, spending more time with the locals will make me accustomed to their culture and lifestyle. After working through the day I might as well tour the local places so that I can roam without the help of maps. Furthermore, the environment plays a role in the adaptation of a culture. The level to which a community is ready to accept strangers into their environment is quite important. If a community is not open to new comers, that could hinder a persons ability to adapt in such host culture. Some environments are more accepting of some individual and less accepting of others. However, as per the facts presented about Japan above, it seems that I being an Indian would not go through much of a struggle to adapt as long as I respect them, their culture and stay at par and polite with them.

Compare Carol Ann Duffys Valentine to Andrew Marvells To His Coy Essa

Compare Carol Ann Duffy's Valentine to Andrew Marvell's To His Coy Mistress In this assignment I will be comparing two love poems Carol Ann Duffy's 'Valentine' to Andrew Marvell's 'To His Coy Mistress'. The poem 'Valentine' was written is the twentieth century and in it the speaker uses onion as a metaphor to show her love. The poem 'To His Coy Mistress' was written in the seventeenth century and is about the poet trying to persuade his Mistress to sleep with him. 'Valentine' by Carol Ann Duffy is very different to any other love poem as you would expect to read something romantic, instead she writes about an onion. The poem is divided into four main stanzas and each stanza tells us something new about the relationship and in between there is one or two words in sentence which helps you think about want she is trying to say. The poem starts off with a positive statement 'Not a red rose, or a satin heart'. She states that she will not give her lover a normal valentine present. The poet has chosen to give her lover an onion. She uses the onion as a metaphor for her love. The poet says 'I give you an onion, it is moon wrapped in brown paper,' with this she creates mystery and makes her lover think the reason for this weird present. 'It promises light, like the careful undressing of love.' Here she is telling her lover that their relationship can still survive and she refers to sex as she talks about the undressing of love. The second stanza starts with the use of the word 'Here' makes the reader feel that the poet is in control and that she is actually giving something. She continues with the extended metaphor 'it will blind you with tears',' like a lover, not only will the onion make your eyes w... ...ere are many points we can see this from, but the main one is what the poem does not rhyme which means that it was not thought about when being written, 'To His Coy Mistress' is written to persuade so it is only about one topic 'sex' and there are many religious comparisons to make this look right. This is also done by the poem being divided into three main parts 'if', 'but' and 'so'. The first part of the poem is 'if', the speaker talks about if only he had all the time in the world. This helps him to define his reason to why he is trying to sleep with her quickly as possible. The second part of the poem is about 'but', the speaker talks about the reasons he wants to sleep with her and about how time is running out. In the third part of the poem the speaker goes on to 'so', and dedicates the last part of the poem to tell her that they should have sex.

Stimulation Review

University of Phoenix Material Simulation Review Paper Review the Analyzing Financial Indicators for Decision Making simulation. Prepare a formal 1,050- to 1,400-word paper describing the decisions you made in the simulation. Specifically address the following: Financial Accounting from a Cardiac Care Hospital’s Perspective †¢ Bridge a working capital shortage. †¢ Evaluate funding options for acquiring medical equipment. †¢ Evaluate funding options for capital expansion. Phase I: Capital Shortage †¢ Which cost-cutting options did you select? Why? †¢ Which loan option did you select? Why? †¢ What was the outcome of your decision? Phase II: Funding Options for Equipment Acquisition †¢ Which cost-effective equipment selections did you make? Why? †¢ What was the outcome of your decision? Phase III: Funding Options for Capital Expansion †¢ Which source of funding did you select? Why? †¢ What was the outcome of your selection? Summary and Conclusions †¢ What did you learn from this simulation? †¢ What would you do differently if you performed the simulation again? How will you apply what you learned at your current or future job? Support your ideas, analysis, and conclusions with references to scholarly external sources, such as the texts and journal articles. 1. Individual Assignment: Simulation Review †¢ Resource: University of Phoenix Material: Simulation Review Paper and SIMULATIONS: Analyzing Financial Indicators for Decision Making   Review the Simulation Review Paper docume nt located in the materials section in Week Four on the student Web site. Review the grading criteria located in Week Four on your student website. †¢ Review the Simulation Review Paper and the Analyzing Financial Indicators for Decision Making documents located on the student website. †¢ Write a 1,050- to 1,500-word summary of your choices and the reasons for your choices. †¢ Format your summary consistent with APA guidelines. http://www. oppapers. com/essays/Simulation-Review-Paper/530452? topic

Basel Iii, Solvency Ii

Basel III Basel III is an international regulatory for banks. It consist a set of standards and practices for the bank to make sure the banks maintain the sufficient capital when there is an economic strain. Basel III formed after global financial crisis that happens in year 2008. It was first published in 2009 and will be start implement on 1 January 2013. To make sure the banks have sufficient capital, Basel III has some new regulatory on bank leverage and also its liquidity. Solvency IISolvency II is a basic review of adequacy of capital for the European insurance industry. It aims to revise a set of EU-wide capital requirements and risk management standards that will replace the current solvency requirements. For instance, most European insurers are obliged to implement the full Solvency II requirements by January 2013. As such, it will be a major driver for the development and embedding of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) for the insurance industry. Difference between Basel III and Basel I & II Basel III varies from Basel I and Basel II.Basel I is create and used to strengthen the stability of global banking system while standardize capital requirement by using regulatory control. The weakness of Basel I is banks are expose to excessive risk because of the freedom in giving loan. Basel II develops from Basel I, it makes improvement on standardize the capital regulation and increase the risk management between the banks. Unlike Basel I, Basel II required banks to make analyze on the ability of corporate in pay back the loan before they decided to lending money out.Basel III replace for Basel II which the capital requirement is stricter, so that they can handle the capital fluctuate during financial crisis. Difference between Solvency I and Solvency II The difference between Solvency I and Solvency II is their fundamental based. Solvency II is principle based, whereas Solvency I is rule based. This means Solvency II knows less rules, instead of introduces pr inciples which have to be adopted by the insurers, they all involved actions and decisions. They can no longer hide behind rules, nor is it easy to find holes in the law.Therefore, in order to process these principles into company will be tough therefore time is ticking since it is questionable when all is implemented sufficiently. While for the Solvency II is to protect customers from taking unacceptable risks. This is done by demanding insurers to manage their risks better and be transparent on their financial position and risk. Hence it shows more holistic approach in comparison to Solvency I. Who should comply to Basel III The Basel accords are a range of mutual agreements that are voluntarily given by various global banking authorities.The countries which have signed these agreements would have set it as a common standard. However, some countries which are not the member state may also implement these policies. Besides, in United States of America, the government set the Basel II as a mandatory standard for banks. The banks which have a higher-risk profiles are instead imposed higher and stricter standard under the same accords. Next, Basel III required banks must keep a minimum common equity of 7% of their assets and this percentage covers a capital conservation buffer of 2. %. The countries which have approved Basel III must impose and put the standard. Who should comply Solvency II Solvency II is needed for all the insurance companies and financial institution. Solvency II’s regulation will be control by the respective financial supervisor. Besides, the best practice for insurers is to embed qualitative and quantitative risk management throughout their organization. A process-based risk approach is the best foundation for risk management of market, credit, liquidity, insurance and all operational risks.Solvency II regulates companies according to the risk inherent in the business. Every company must define that the risk profile is in line with t he appropriate governance and risk management processes to meet this risk. Why Basel III is needed? Basel III is needed because it strengthens bank capital requirements by introduces new regulatory requirements on bank liquidity and bank leverage. It help the Bank directors to know the market liquidity conditions for major asset holdings and strengthen accountability for any major losses. Why Solvency II is needed?Solvency II is needed because it can supervise the insurance company and strengthen the power of group supervisor, in order to ensure the wide risks of the group are not overlooked. By having Solvency II, a greater cooperation between supervisors can be made. Besides, Solvency II plays an active role in the development in insurance, risk management, and financial reporting. Objective for Basel III There are three objective of Basel III. Firstly, Basel III enhance the ability of banking sectors in handle stress that arise during financial crisis and economic strain.Secondly , Basel III used to improve risk management and also its governance. Lastly, Basel III reinforces the transparency and exposure of the banks. Objective for Solvency II These are some objectives for Solvency II. Firstly, it improved consumer protection by standardized level of policyholder protection in EU. Secondly, Solvency II transfers compliance in supervise into making evaluation on insurers’ risk profiles and the quality of their risk management and also their controlling systems. Lastly, Solvency II used to raise the international competitiveness of EU insurers.What are the challenges that encounter by the Basel III and Solvency II? The challenges that encounter by the Basel III and Solvency II is there is a mutual relationship between the new capital and the liquidity rules for bank and insurance companies that set by Basel III and Solvency II. Besides that, Solvency II had changed the way of allocate the capital for insurance companies. In example, fair value will be calculated by the risk that insurer take on their investing activities. Solvency II also offered a privileged treatment to bond with short tenure.It impress stricter capital requirement for bond that determined by the investment’s maturity, and credit rating due to the volatility of investment. Lastly, there is an inverse relationship between Basel III and Solvency II. Basel III requires all the financial institution to establish more stable, long term source of funding. In example, Basel III require bank to place their funding in a more stable and long term investment, means they will issue more long term bond. While for the Solvency II, the regulation gives shorter preferential treatment to the bank bond. ?

Stono Rebellion essays

Stono Rebellion essays African Dimensions of the Stono Rebellion When studying the Stono Rebellion of 1739, historians only had one eyewitness report of this. I think the reason they didnt document it very well was because the Southerners were so outnumbered by the slaves, they didnt want the other slaves to get ideas of rebellion. The historians also failed to look at the big picture. What they were in Africa. This played a big role in the Stono Rebellion. To understand the full role of Africa, one has to look at the kingdom of Kongo between 1680 and 1740 rather than just a broad overview of the African culture. This is due to the diversity of the Africans language and culture. Part of this uprising is due to the Spanish Roman Catholic Jesuits. Their job was to convince people to convert back to Catholicism, using violence when necessary. The Jesuits told these Angolan slaves to runaway and then they would have freedom. These slaves probably did what they said because that was their religion. The slaves were from a Portuguese Colony and spoke Portuguese. This language is very close to Spanish. The Spanish most likely told the slaves this so it would weaken the English settlements, maybe the Spanish could have taken over, but well never really know. On the slave trade, one town was almost always on their trip down the West Coast of Africa. This town was Kabinda. They got their slaves mainly from the kingdom of Kongo. There was a lot going on in this region. A lot of civil wars were happening and the defeated were sold as slaves. Because they had wars all of the time; these people were very well trained for war. These people were very proud of their catholic religion. In this Portuguese region, they had very nice schools and churches. When these Angolan slaves got to South Carolina, they must have been outraged. Here these well-educated, very well trained people were slaves now for ignora...

Pauls Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pauls Case - Research Paper Example The story commences with Paul’s faculty hearing after he was suspended from his high school located in Pittsburgh. He arrives at the meeting in outfits that are shabby and debonair at the same time. In particular, he had a red carnation in his buttonhole, which affronted the members of the faculty. As presented in the book, Paul is described as a narrow-shouldered, tall person with large pupils that strike the chord of a drug addict (Cather 7). The members of the faculty had a hard time to coherent their feelings about Paul. They all have a feeling that Paul hates them deeply. His family members view him as a person who had no interest in school. Moreover, the faculty members complain of disturbance caused by Paul in the classroom, and his defiant nature to the student’s council among other bodies. When Paul is still in the presence of the council, he keeps smiling, which makes his accusers feel insignificant. Some of the misdeeds he was identified with included disorder, ill will and impertinence to the staff and his fellow students. Moreover, he is also described as suave due to his nature of raising his eyebrows, which were regarded as irritating, and the brilliance in his eyes, which quivered the teacher’s casual touch (Cather 10). Paul’s drawing master was always on his side claiming that the teacher’s did not understand him clearly. Moreover, he also states that the mother to Paul had died after his birth in Colorado. These statements make the teachers and other members of the faculty ashamed about their ferocious nature towards Paul. Later on, Paul went Carnegie Hall that is located in Pittsburgh where he served as an usher. He had arrived quite early that day, so, he went through the Hall’s gallery to get a view of the paintings of Venice and Paris (Cather 20). In his strolling, he stares at one painting named blue Rico. Afterwards, he proceeds to the changing room together

Recruitment and Selection Processes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Recruitment and Selection Processes - Essay Example Through the process of recruitment, a company tries to locate prospective employees and encourages them to apply for vacancies at various levels. Recruiting thus, provides a pool of applicants for selection. Selection is a process of picking individuals who have relevant qualifications to fill jobs in an organization (Rao, 2005, p-143). The basic purpose is to choose the individual who can most successfully perform the job, from the pool of qualified candidates. 2.1 PepsiCo India: Pepsi is a flat organization. There are a maximum of four reporting levels. Executive here emphasis achievement, motivation, the ability to deliver come what may. As the Personnel manager of Pepsi Foods remarked Recruiters must be capable of thinking outside the box, cutting the cake of conventional barriers whenever and wherever necessary. They must have a winner mindset and a passion for creating a dynamic change. They must have the ability to deal with ambiguity informality. PepsiCo has to tap external sources for various positions. ... (Business Today, 2000, p.129) Recruiters must be capable of thinking outside the box, cutting the cake of conventional barriers whenever and wherever necessary. They must have a winner mindset and a passion for creating a dynamic change. They must have the ability to deal with ambiguity informality. Recruitment process includes PepsiCo has to tap external sources for various positions. Running enterprises have to recruit employees from outside for filling the positions whose specifications cannot be met by the present employees, and for meeting the additional requirements of manpower. The following external sources of recruitment are commonly used by PepsiCo. (i) Direct Recruitment. An important source of recruitment is recruitment by placing a notice on the notice board of the enterprise specifying the details of the jobs available. It is also known as recruit factory gate. (ii) Casual Callers or Unsolicited Applications. The organizations are regarded as good employers draw a steady stream of unsolicited applications in their offices. This serves as a valuable source of manpower. If adequate attention is paid to maintain pending application folders for jobs, the personnel department may find the unsolicited applications in filling the vacancies whenever they arise. The merit of this source of recruitment is that it avoids the costs of recruiting workforce from other sources. (iii) Outsourcing Under this arrangement, PepsiCo India draws the required personnel from the outsourcing firms or agencies on commission basis rather than offering them employment. This is also called leasing of human resources. The outsourcing firms develop their human resource pools by