Informative Speech Oculus Rift Essay

I. Introduction a. According to entertainment software association gaming is a 10.5 billion dollar industry that has influenced the lives of 62% of Americans. This growing industry involves more men & women to play in the variety of new developing consoles and handheld devices. With all these new consoles and games, the introduction of many exciting accessories and devices that help gamers improve their game play will have a big market. b. As seen in Oculusvr.com Oculus Rift is a set of virtual reality goggles that will work with your computer and mobile device. c. The creator of Oculus Rift has made this device affordable for everyone to enjoy and have fun in the game. d. Oculus Rift is an amazing device for gamers that always wanted to feel like they are inside of a game. Transition Statement: How did Oculus Rift begin? II. Body a. It all started with one man named Palmer Luckey. i. Palmer Luckey is the founder and creator of Oculus Rift. ii. Palmer Luckey is a huge gamer and thought it he could build a new device that will change his experience with gaming. 1. Luckey began the invention of Oculus Rift in his parents’ garage located in Long Beach California. 2. After he showed a prototype at age of 21 at the E3 gaming convention in 2012, Luckey founded Irvine, Calif.-based Oculus VR with Brendan Iribe, who became CEO. iii. The two launched a Kickstarter project in August 2012 to sell prototype versions of the Oculus Rift, raising $2.4 million. Transition Statement: Something like this seems too good to be true, but after researching how this product works, Oculus Rift will be a dream come true to all gamers in the near future. b. Picture a set of ski goggles in which a large cellphone screen replaces the glass. The screen displays two  images side by side, one for each eye. A set of lenses is placed on top of the screen , focusing and reshaping the picture of each eye creating a stereoscope 3d image. i. These goggles have sensors embedded into them that monitor the wearer’s head motions and adjust the images accordingly. 1. The latest version of the Oculus Rift is bolstered by an external positional-tracking accessory, which helps track head movement more accurately. The result is the sensation that you are looking around a 3D world. 2. There are several games that you can play in Oculus rift. ii. Andrew Webster a reporter for the verge mention in the article on February 25,2014 â€Å"Pokà ©mon gets a virtual reality makeover for Oculus Rift† He states that Pokà ©mon x and y , Nintendo has finally brought the long running series into the world of 3D. iii. Also, the result is a game that looks like Mashup of minecraft and gameboy game complete with big Chunky pixels. iv. The Oculus Rift team also has plans to update the virtual world with each and every Pokà ©mon from all generations and regions in the series. The game is currently available as a free download. Transition Statement: Now that we understand what Oculus Rift began & how it works . I will like to talk about resent new and the future of Oculus Rift. c. Stuart Dredge a reporter for theguardian.com in the article oculus Rift on march 31 2014. he explains how facebook CEO Mark Zeckerberg was certainly excited , since he agreed to pay 2 billion dollars for the company Oculus Rift. v. † This is just the start; after games were going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences† wrote Zeckerberg as he announced the deal. 1.† Imagine enjoying a courtside seat at a game, studying in classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting a doctor face to face. just by putting goggles in your home.† said Zeckerberg 2. Oculus VR is often seen as a games hardware company, but Its founder , Palmer Luckey, has made it clear that he , too, sees a wider future for VR. vi. It’s to be known that VR has a huge potential for healthcare applications. 1. VR has potential for people who isolates in the real world, from general social anxiety to various phobias. Exposure therapy whether is snakes, rat s ,  spider or even planes. this could be one area to benefit. 2. Luckey has mooted posttraumatic stress treatment as another, while youtube demos shows examples of VR software used to help nervous public speakers practice in front of a virtual crowd. vii. As the VR technology gets more powerful, accessible and affordable, it will spur a new wave of software and studies to understand just how effective it can be for these forms of treatment. 1. in addition , the theory is that with facebook’s resources, Oculus will be able to hire more talented engineers to improve its technology , bring it to market more quickly and affordable to everyone. 2. our parents , teenagers, and kinds will be able to experience one of the most exciting and amazing Oculus Rift games in history. III. Conclusion a. In an industry worth $10.5 billion, Palmer Luckey has created ripples in the virtual gaming world with the Oculus Rift goggles. The potential of Oculus Rift is vast that it ranges from games you can play , teaching students and could even help people fight their phobias. A potential so great that Facebook bought Oculus Rift for $2 billion. b. Oculus Rift is the leading edge of virtual 3D gaming. Soon everyone will be able to play virtually in their own worlds full of adventure, excitement and activity. IV. Works Cited http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/31/oculus-rift-facebook-virtual-reality http://www.edge-online.com/features/eyeing-the-virtual-frontier-the-oculus-rift-games-that-reinvent-play/#null http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/25/5445930/pokemon-3d-oculus-rift

It’s Never Too Late Essay

I’ve always been the student who made decent grades and yet never participated in any extracurricular activities. I danced for a couple of years when I was younger, but as I grew older, I became shy. When I got to high school, I became distracted and my grades starting declining. I knew I had to start joining clubs or be active to have a good resume. I needed a reality check to stop slacking and get serious before it was too late. Finally my junior year came and I had a new attitude. Starting the last week of summer before entering my junior year was volleyball season. At first I was hesitant about playing and I was quite nervous since I’ve never played before. Some of my peers encouraged me to try it and it was the greatest decision I have made in high school. Even though I started playing a sport near the end of my high school career, I don’t regret the route I took. Becoming a student athlete was tough on my schedule but I got acclimated fast. Luckily, my coach was also my math teacher so he was adamant about me being a successful student and athlete. Since I never played a sport I never felt as tired as when I am finish with drills after practice but I kept my grades high. While playing volleyball, I have learned to manage my time wisely. I knew if I had practice until six in the afternoon and there was homework to do afterwards, then there was no time to spare. I now greatly value time management and it has helped me improve in many facets of my life. My outcome of playing volleyball was my greatest achievement in high school. I learned how to schedule my days wisely, be an effective team player and overall better student. It’s true when they say â€Å"your junior year in high school is your hardest year†, but I can say with pride and joy that I overcame that theory. I made the best grades in my first semester in contrast to my academic performance in my freshman and sophomore years. It is now my senior year, I’m playing volleyball again, and hopefully I will be offered many scholarships from different colleges to play this sport.

Formation and Maintenance of Relationship

Describe and evaluate the formation and maintenance of relationships In the field of psychology, the most common relationships are classified into 3 types: * Romantic relationship * Social relationships (Friendship) * Family relationship Romantic relationships Formation: According to the Reward/ Need satisfaction theory of Bryne and Clore in the 1970s, some romantic relationship may develop due to their satisfaction and happiness they achieve when spending time with the other partner. Most people when being asked why they are attracted to their partners would reply back with answers like attentive, attractive, supporting, caring, etc.This suggests that we are more likely to be attracted to people that we are satisfied or gratified to be with. Most stimuli in our lives can be classified into negative and rewarding ones. We tend to search for rewarding stimuli and avoid the negative stimuli. The things that we are most likely going to find rewarding tend to reflect our unsatisfied need s such as the need for company, financial security, an attractive partner and so on. Mutual attractions usually occurs when one meets the other’s needs although one might need company and the other in search for financial security. Maintenance:What keeps relationships going? Some relationship never seem to last and have any passion in while some can be extremely long-lasting and may even last for a life-time. Maintaining relationships was never a one-way process, it involves and requires the interaction of both the participants, each with their own needs and expectations. The partners not only have to serve their own needs but also satisfy the needs of their partners. The social exchange theory by Thibaut and Kelley in 1959: In terms of profit and loss, individuals always attempt to maximise the profit and minimise the effort needed.Rewards that may be received in a relationship can vary from care, money, companionship and sex. The effort needed that is the costs may vary fro m financial investments, time spent and attention given. The reward minus the costs is equal to the outcome or the profitability of the relationship. The stress of a relationship is dependent on the profitability of the relationship. Equilty theory of Walster et al. in 1978: This theory suggests that the most successful and longterm relationships are ones that have a balanced giving and receiving.It had a central assumption that everyone long for fairness in their relationship and when one puts a lot of effort into the relationship but gets little in return, they would feel unfair and inequity would create stress in the relationship, The greater the unfairness and inequity is, the more distress it would create in the relationship. Other theories: Other theories such as the one put forward by Steil and Wletman in 1991 suggests that men and women may judge the equity of a relationship more differently.Studies have shown that when the income is mainly from the male side, the career wou ld become a more important priority and it is usually agreed by both sides. However, when the female earn more than the male, neither partner rated their career as priority. Social relationships: Friendship Interpersonal psychology research object: Psychological relationship between people, is something much deeper than behavior, the relevance and necessity of the law of the behavior of the individual exchanges.Interpersonal theory of psychological research tasks: Is to fully reveal and clarify the general rules and mechanisms of interpersonal development, analyze the theoretical basis of interpersonal figure out individual and personal interaction of individuals and groups, and people in the system of interpersonal functioning explore interpersonal attitudes, social perception, self-perception, psychological control, interpersonal influence, interpersonal attraction, interpersonal conflict and group behavior, interpersonal.To establish interpersonal psychology unique concepts, term inology, category system, to provide a basis for further improve interpersonal psychology scientific theoretical system, accumulation of material for the enrichment and development of psychological theory and methods, this is a long and arduous job. At the same time, but also the interpersonal psychology in China as soon as possible, that is suitable for China's national conditions, after selection – intake – the Chinese way, to establish the actual interpersonal psychology system in line with China's national conditions for reform and opening up.Task of the interpersonal psychological research practice: (1) the right to deal with interpersonal relationships. (2) to adjust the interpersonal relationships. (3) continue to improve interpersonal relationships. (4) the development of new relationships. (5) correct deformity relationships. Interpersonal relations and social relations: (1) interpersonal and social relations are two different concepts, can not be confused.Int erpersonal relationships as a social relationship between the role and any other kind of social relations, is bound by the constraints of the relations of production, but also by other social relations, and thus should be examined in the interpersonal relationships within the social relations. At the same time, we should also see interpersonal relationships is the true reality of social relations phenomenon. 2) interpersonal and objective social relations is generated at the same time, interpersonal outset by the constraints impact of social relations, social relations exist in the relationships among Of course, social relations with the interpersonal concept of two-level has different theoretical generalization force. Emphasize the reality of the relationship between the overall aspects of non-personalized social relations, interpersonal relationships is more individual, personalized to show the reality aspect.Relationships are formed on the basis of the social relations, but not t he same thing. Social relations is the object of sociological research, which on the one hand to study the relationship of the human and material; the other hand, social relations, including the relationship between the ideological, legal relationship, the moral relationship. While interpersonal interpersonal direct psychological relations, it is constrained by social relations, is a reflection of social relations, but it has a certain relative independence.Relationships are a product of social relations: (1) any kind of interpersonal is always social relations. (2) the fundamental nature of human relationships is determined by the nature of the social patterns of social relations of production. (3) changes in interpersonal relationships is determined by changes in social relations. (4) the complexity of the personal relationships is determined by the complexity of the social relations. Necessity of interpersonal Research:Not exist in isolation, the links with the community, is boun d to a variety of relationships, including family relationships, friend relationship, Jacky (students) relationship, the teacher-student relationship, employment relationship, comrades relations, colleagues and leadership and leadership relations. With the thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the process of interaction of these relationships, interaction and communication with others, these relations between different objects will point to different directions.Healthy relationship is to attract and cooperation; but because of the environmental impact of personality factors, psychological factors and other reasons, many people deal with bad interpersonal relationships will inevitably be caught in the contradictions and pain, the relationship between the parties do not have enough wisdom to resolve resulting inner conflict, will be plunged into a crisis of human relationships, even interpersonal psychological barriers, thereby reducing their life happiness index.Important links between interpersonal and psychological health, good interpersonal comes from a healthy state of mind, self-confident, optimistic, calm, fraternity, to help others, humility, tolerance, and so on, these good quality behavior in interpersonal play a very good role in promoting, healthy relationships can also make people relieve stress, calm down, people's personal development, physical and mental health also played a positive role.On the other hand, problems in interpersonal relationships, will be more or less there some psychological problems, even psychological barriers interpersonal, in the interaction between people, they express more conceited, self-esteem negative psychological interference of others, suspicious, sensitive, jealous, resulting interpersonal again and again thwarted. Therefore, to study the psychology of interpersonal relationships came into being.

Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Essay

Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - Essay Example Global statistic shows that approximately 33.4 million of people are currently live with AIDS/HIV among them are 3.3 million of children. Also, approximately 97% of all patients that have AIDS/HIV are from low and middle income countries. The first cases of AIDS/HIV were detected in 1981. Since that time HIV lead to 25 million deaths all over the world. Therefore AIDS/HIV is the most important health challenge nowadays. HIV related to the lentiviruses from Retroviridae family. This genus of viruses mainly characterizes by their ability to transmit quite huge amount of viral RNA into the DNA of the host cell. Also they can infect non-dividing cells. The main targets for HIV are cells of the immune system such as macrophages that are white blood cells and can protect our organism through phagocytosis from outer dangerous substances; dendritic cells that involve in process of antigen production and presenting on the surface of the T cells; T helper cells that play important role in adaptive immune system and immune responses. (Mayo Clinic,2014) HIV damages CD4+ cells that related to the T helper cells and the amount of such cells rapidly decreased. When level of CD4+ cells is lower than a minimal level cell-mediated immunity stops work properly and does not release phagocytes and cytokines as a response to an antigen. This is quite dangerous process that leads to the extremely high susceptibility of organism to opportunistic infections that are not that dangerous and usually do not cause disease in people with a healthy immune system. (Mayo Clinic,2014)

Social Exchange Theory - Communication Theories Essay

Social Exchange Theory - Communication Theories - Essay Example This implies that actions are taken with full knowledge that it would be recognized and reciprocated. Based on the social exchange theory our organization decided to outsource a small part of the work to an external service provider. Ours is in the hospitality sector and we selected a small service provider expecting that we would receive personalized service. This was also the reason that we did not approach one of the recognized firms. However, the communication was not effective. While we wanted to save costs we ended up paying much more as we did not receive the promised services. We had to discontinue with this agent. The evaluation of the service provider is important before signing any contract. In the future we would seek details of the businesses handled and the types of service offered. We did not receive the benefits expected; social exchange was unjust. In the hospitality sector, service excellence counts. The organization recognizes that to deliver excellent service the internal customers have to be focused upon. It is a reciprocal arrangement – the organization focuses on meeting the needs of the employees and the employees deliver service excellence which in turn benefits the organization. To meet this organizational objective, the organization valued their internal customers and provided motivation through different means. The organization was successful in achieving their objective because the employees felt needed and recognized. This served to motivate them and they could deliver their best to the external customers. The employees and the organization, both gained in the process. This example explains the costs and rewards in the relationship, which is the essence of the social exchange theory. On another occasion I needed a day off to attend my ailing brother but was denied the day off. A colleague of mind stood by my side and requested the supervisor to grant me leave. He would extend his working hours and complete my part of the sch eduled task. In exchange he asked for something which relieved me of the obligation while benefitting both of us. He wanted a particular item from the downtown area where I lived and which would cost him the entire day to get it. He would have to take leave instead. Hence, if I could do him this favor, it would save him a day off and the journey downtown which was very far from his place of residence. This example of social exchange involves voluntary actions of individuals motivated by the returns expected. I readily agreed because there was no question of indebtedness or owing to each other involved. Thus in the social exchange two parties are involved and work towards mutual trust, benefit and enhancing relationships. This also forms the basis of how social structures are created. Relational Dialectics Theory Relational dialectics suggests that people in relationships constantly feel the push-and-pull of conflicting desires. These conflicting desires include autonomy and connecti on, openness and protectiveness, and novelty and predictability. Through effective communication they attempt to reconcile these conflicting desires but they continue to have the need for both the opposing pairs. These conflicts, tensions or dialectics cause relationships to be

Reflections Associated with I Just Wanna Be Average Essay

Reflections Associated with I Just Wanna Be Average - Essay Example Rose in this book presents his fellow students as products of environment they are in. During the time he was in vocational school, he is presented to us as an average student who is rarely noticed in class. Mike Rose is not limited by his brains but by his surrounding and the fact that he is a vocational student. It is ironic that in this particular category as student they are not expected to do well even by their own teachers. Students in this surrounding have low expectations and as a result, they perform poorly because that is what they are made to believe. In reality, there is a choice to perform well, but students in most cases follow the standards or levels set by the teachers. What makes this book outstanding is the fact that Mike Rose is placed in these classes as a result of confusion but, due to his strong character and determination he decides to take the enrollment. Even though, a student Rose closely examines his teachers and fellow classmates. Through his essay, he ex plains that his teachers act as if they do not want to teach; in a much-unexpected way, they use violence and lack of teaching plans to control students. This act negates the rule that students need motivation from their environment and especially their teachers. However, Rose looks at these from both sides and states that his fellow classmates do not express any desire to learn. Students in this essay paint learners who are into fights, parties and slacking off as non-performers and lack academic visions (Joy 2008). The value of student determination is illustrated through Rose because he has to travel to school using two buses. His first bus leaves him midpoint from South Los Angeles and second one takes him through forests and lots of flowers as he mentions in the essay. He also discovered some special qualities from his fellow students, which reveals one, fact that students are not as bad as they seem there is always what can be done. One of his classmates that caught his attent ion was Ken Harvey who always gave sincere answers. When asked about his expectations, he states, that he wants nothing but be average. Rose analyzes this situation further why Ken thought in such a way. He attributes these to the difficulties that students go through in their school years. Rose argues that life is wild and confusing at this particular stage of development and that by settling for low standards makes their lives a little bearable. These theory he later confirms when he joints a typical school. The standards that are set are high for him and he feels like he should be a common student, like Ken. The idea that students will always strive to achieve the set standards comes into play when Rose’s Dad dies. He is left alone and feels like he is not going to make it, fortunately at this particular time a man named Mr. McFarland is introduced as their English teacher, these man comes in with disorder and eccentrics. Despite these Rose finds he likes the teacher becau se he has his students at heart and encourages them to work hard. As a result of this attitude rose finds himself interested in learning more than ever, eventually the teacher convinces him to enroll for college education. Through his effort and encouragement from McFarland, Rose ends up perusing college education and finds his true self. This essay reveals many interesting facts about motivation in

Deontological Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Deontological Ethics - Essay Example The deontological moral systems define the reasons why certain actions are performed. Additionally, the systems do not approve following the correct moral rules as sufficient. It demands the people to follow the moral rules with the correct motivation. Furthermore, only the correct motivation could not justify the action in a deontological moral system. Nevertheless, a correct motivation cannot describe if an action is morally correct and cannot determine the correct duty to follow. There are key questions in deontological ethical systems. The key questions include â€Å"what is my moral duty?† â€Å"What are my moral obligations?† And â€Å"how do I weigh one moral duty against another?† Examples of deontological ethical theories include divine command, duty and rights theories, monistic deontology and contractarianism,. Divine command set their moral obligations from a god. For examples, the Muslims believe an action is morally correct whenever it goes hand in hand with the rules established by Allah. Duty theories define their action as morally correct if it abides by some list of duties and obligations. Duty based theories are the most successful and the strongest. Rights theories define an action to be morally correct if it respects the human rights. Contractarianism defines an action to be morally right if it abides by the rules that rational moral agents would observe when entering a social relationship. Monistic deontology defines an action is morally right it abides by some single deontological principle that guides the other subsidiary principles (Richard & Yvonne 150-300). There are many factors that make duty theories the most successful. The theory demands an action to abide by some list of duties and obligations if it wants to be morally right. Immanuel Kant was the philosopher behind Kantian duty based ethics. According to Kant, it would be possible to use

Conventional Wars, Rules of Engagement, Chain of Command Essay

Conventional Wars, Rules of Engagement, Chain of Command - Essay Example The implementation of the rule of engagement led him to victories as his attacks were effectively launched. The chain of command broke down responsibilities based on the allocation of specific responsibilities at each position. In addition, each official reported to the one above them (Bevin, 2014). It shows the flow of duties through ranks, from the commander in chief of the armed forces to the individual soldiers in the field. The rules of engagement define the conduct of opposing sides in a war situation Napoleon’s military had individual soldiers in the field who executed decisions made by senior persons in authority. They were the junior most officials of his military. They formed the basis of every attack. Their fundamental task was going out to the battlefield and fighting their opponents. They focused on defeating their enemies in the shortest span of time. The process involved employing tactical methodologies and strategies in launching their attacks to force the opponents do things against their own will. This has always been the fundamental goal of any war (Greene, 2007). The attacks would be organized in troops that had adopted a policy that involved ambushing supply columns. The military had battalion commanders who would execute command from division commanders. The battalion commanders were second lowest in command. They directed orders to the soldiers in the field, who are a fundamental group to any military unit. They would mentor and coach their subordinate staff officers and company commanders. They would be involved in giving morale, enthusiasm in their organizations and training. This would eventually boost their performance at war and consequently lead them to victories. The battalion was capable of independent missions and operations of a specific period of time and scope The military had division commanders who would receive orders from the general. They directed their orders to the battalion commanders. They

The Political Economy of the European Union Essay

The Political Economy of the European Union - Essay Example Japan in particular has created worrisome situation for European economy and trade, this Asian country "has influenced in monetary and technology domains" (Wayne, 1992). It is essential for the European government and market to realise that it has to re-structure its political and economic policies, the union has to "construct a coherent political presence on the global stage in order to achieve the most attractive accommodation to the new order" (Wayne, 1992). The union shall realise that American economy has been partially able to sustain the implications caused by Chinese and Japanese market, however the political influence of the country supported by its stakes in policy making institutions kept the vital interests of the country protected and intact. The European Union has to take serious efforts to improve its political authority, and has to take political influence driven trajectory to reach a point of influence and dominance, to reign supreme in this world of competition and challenges (Ben, 2000). The major decisions in the history of the union have been influenced by liberal inter-governmentalist, who developed two-stage approach. The initial approach focused upon determination of primary preferences based upon "constraints and opportunities imposed by economic interdependence" (Andrew, 1993). The last approach is based upon the results achieved through intergovernmental negotiations, such achievements "were determined by the relative bargaining power of governments and the function incentives for institutionalization created by high transaction costs and the desire to control domestic agendas" (Andrew, 1993). The agricultural policy of the union is based upon the collective financial interests of the producers, the trade policy is also determined based upon such interests. The sets of such desires and preferences describe the societal limits on the governments, the limits of compromise is also determined through such act. The union has adopted the economic policies similar to the policies practiced by other international groups; the union has decided to improve the efficiency of bargaining through implementation of cost reducing rules. The only difference between the union and remaining international associations is that the union has "delegate and pool sovereignty" (Andrew, 1993), such that the crucial decisions "about linkage out of the hands of national governments" (Andrew, 1993) are taken swiftly. The union has decided to focus upon potential benefits from co-operation, and ignore the domestic political risk. The union has developed "two-level game", such structure is responsible for the rise in the "initiatives and influence of national government by providing legitimacy and domestic agenda-setting power for the initiatives" (Andrew, 1993). The notion of liberal inter-governmentalism has transformed the union into model of politics, which leads to the specification with reference to process integration (Desmod, 2006). The European Union works on joint-decision mode, all the major economic decisions undertaken by the union needs necessary consent of major parties, if not all. The mode of operation, where decisions are taken after joint approval which is integration of intergovernmental

Cultural Considerations in Conveying Bad News Essay Example for Free

Cultural Considerations in Conveying Bad News Essay Abstract I am researching what are the cultural considerations needed, to convey bad news to people of different cultures. Cultural Considerations in Conveying Bad News Bad news is inevitable, but how we convey them is very important. Technology and globalization has made the world much smaller, and we are interacting and doing business with people from different cultures more frequently than we did in past years. Because of this, we also need to very much aware of how we deliver negative messages. The following are some suggestions to delivering bad news across different cultures: â€Å"North Americans prefer to present bad news indirectly, to minimize disappointment. In Asian countries, people try to avoid disrupting the harmony with bad news. To avoid saying ‘no’ Japanese communicators may change the subject or may respond with counter question or with silence. Brazilians as well prefer high-context communication. Maybe or I will try is understood as No in Brazilian culture. But German communicators tend to present bad news directly. Directness is an important aspect in business for Germans. British communicators also utilize the direct approach when it comes to bad news. In Latin countries, however, the question is whether to present bad news, because reporting bad news to superiors is impolite and disrespectful.† From the above examples, we can see that cultural differences must be considered before the message can be sent, if we want the message to be received, and understood by the receivers. References: Sandeep (March 19, 2011) http://presentingbadnews.blogspot.com/ [Designed for Word 97.]

Different techniques of spread spectrum

Different techniques of spread spectrum CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: The idea of this project is to study different techniques of spread spectrum. These techniques include the two processes of direct-sequence spread spectrum and frequency hopping spread spectrum. Both these techniques will be simulated in software called MATLAB. Also a brief mention will be there about the multiple access property of spread spectrum. This project deals with the implementation of spread spectrum using the techniques- direct sequence spread spectrum and frequency hopping spread spectrum. Spread spectrum is a new method of communication. It provides a jam-free network and prevents any kind on interference. It helps to provide immunity to channels by not allowing any kind of interference or disturbance. We will be discussing more about spread spectrum and its technique in the following chapters. The project has been divided into six chapters. The second chapter deals with spread spectrum. It starts of with the history of spread spectrum followed by a basic definition of spread spectrum. Certain characteristics of spread spectrum are discussed along with a mathematical explanation of advantage of spread spectrum over narrow band communication. It then describes the working of a spread spectrum and finally mentions how a spread spectrum can be demodulated. Chapter three describes different techniques of spread spectrum. There are four techniques of spread spectrum namely direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS), chirp spread spectrum (CSSS) and time hopping spread spectrum (THSS). Each of these techniques is described, with a brief mention about its basic mechanism.A brief comparison is drawn between FHSS AND DHSS. A mathematical explanation is given for DSSS under the conditions of noise (jammer). Chapter four discusses different multiple accesses of spread spectrum. These are frequency domain multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access(TDMA) and code division multiple access(CDMA). CDMA is dealt with in a more detail manner and is presented with a mathematical explanation. Chapter five presents a MATLAB simulation of direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS), Frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and Code division multiple access (CDMA). It discusses how a signal when multiplied with a pseudo random noise and put on a frequency wave gets spread. This technique is called direct sequence spread spectrum. Also this chapter presents the MATLAB simulation of Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum where four randomly carrier frequency waves are generated to form a spread spectrum and multiplied with pseudo random generator to determine the frequencies where the information has to be hopped. The information is sent in the form of a BPSK modulated signal. Also a MATLAB simulation on CDMA is presented .It basically shows how CDMA works. Three stations are taken and how they send codes through a single channel by using the property the CDMA. Finally, chapter six winds up the project with the conclusion from each chapter. It mentions in short what has been realized from this project. CHAPTER 2 SPREAD SPECTRUM 2.1 HISTORY OF SPREAD SPECTRUM This chapter talks about spread spectrum. It begins with a brief history behind spread spectrum. It also mentions about the various fields where spread spectrum is being effectively used. Certain characteristics of spread spectrum are also discussed.A basic definition of spread spectrum is discussed in this chapter which basically explains what actually spread spectrum and why is preferred over conventional wireless communication. A brief mechanism of how spread spectrum works is discussed. It also mentions the mathematical reason behind why a spread signal is an effective way to communicate. A comparison is drawn between spread spectrum transmission and fixed frequency transmission. Finally a demodulation technique is discussed mentioning about how demodulation can be achieved. Spread spectrum has become a new commercial communication technique over the past 8-9 years. However the first intentional use of Spread Spectrum came during the period of 1921-1930 by Armstrong. He had used wideband Frequency Modulation. The real use for Spread Spectrum how ever came in World War II. Both the allies and the Axis powers experimented with simple Spread Spectrum systems. The first publically patent on Spread Spectrum came from Hedy Lamarr, the Hollywood movie actress, and George Antheil, an avant gard composer. Lamarr had mentioned to Antheil about her idea for a Secret Communications System that could guide torpedoes to their target without being intercepted by the enemy. This could be done by sending messages between transmitter and receiver over multiple radio frequencies in a varied random pattern. The message would be transmitted at such a high rate that no one would be able to decode it. They sent their invention to National Inventors Council. Instead of developing the patent commercially, they gave it away to the government for the war effort. As a result of which the commercial use of Spread spectrum came many years later [1, 3, 19]. Spread Spectrum was first used for commercial purposes in the 1980s when Equatorial Communications of Mountain View used Direct Sequence for multiple access communications over synchronous satellite transponders [1]. Today, spread spectrum is being used to provide communications in a variety of commercial applications, including mobile communications and interoffice wireless communications. In the coming years hardly anyone will prevent themselves from being involved in one way or the other with spread spectrum communications as it will become an integral part of the communication world. [1, 4]. 2.2 DEFINITION OF SPREAD SPECTRUM Spread-spectrum is a technique by which electromagnetic energy produced over a particular bandwidth is spread in the frequency domain on purpose. Spread spectrum signals are used for transmission of digital information which are characterized by the fact that their bandwidth W is much greater than the information rate R in bits/sec. Hence the bandwidth expansion factor is always greater than unity. This results to provide a signal with a wider bandwidth and a lower power density. These techniques are used for a variety of reasons which include the establishment of secure communications, increasing resistance to natural interference and to limit the power flux density on satellite downlinks. Narrow band signal and spread spectrum use the same amount of power to transmit the same data. However the power density of the spread spectrum is lower as compared to narrow band and it is this property that makes spread spectrum achieve secure and jam free communication. Spread spectrum is a type of wireless communication in which the frequency of the transmitted signal is intentionally varied and changed to achieve a higher bandwidth. This results to provide a much greater bandwidth than that of the signal if its frequency was not altered [2, 5]. A spread spectrum should full fill the following requirements: 1) The message signal should undergo two modulations that produce the wideband spectrum having bandwidth much in excess of the minimum bandwidth needed to send the message. 2) The spreading ,that is the second modulation is caused by means of a spreading signal 3) The receiver should recover the message by the method of de-spreading the signal that is received by using the same spreading signal [23]. Spread spectrum is preferred over conventional wireless communication for many reasons; however there are at least a couple of problems associated with conventional wireless communication. First, a signal whose frequency is constant and not changing is subject to interference. This condition occurs when another signal is sent on, or very near to the frequency of the desired signal. Interference can be accidental (as in the case of amateur-radio communications) or it can be deliberate like during war time. Second, a constant-frequency signal is very easy to intercept or lock and reveal the information it is carrying and hence is not well preferred to applications where the information must remain confidential between the transmitter and receiver. [2]. To minimize troubles and to maintain the confidentiality of the information, transmitted signals frequency can be deliberately varied and changed over the large segment of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum. This variation is done by using a specific and complicated mathematical function. This function is the most important part of the spread spectrum for maintaining the confidentiality. For intercepting the signal, the receiver must be tuned to frequencies that vary exactly to this function. The receiver must have the knowledge of the frequency-versus-time function employed by the transmitter, and must also be provided with the information about the starting-time point of the function. If someone wants to hack or intercept the spread-spectrum signal, that person must possess a transmitter that contains the information about the function and its starting-time point. The spread-spectrum function hence must be well protected for confidential information communication and it this feature of spread spectrum that helps maintaining the secrecy of information. If this function comes in the wrong hands, it can lead to the invasion of secrecy of the information [2]. 2.3 HOW SPREAD SPECTRUM WORKS Spread Spectrum uses wide band which is a noise-like signals and hence are hard to detect. These signals are also hard to lock on to or be tracked by any intruder. Spread signals are made in such a manner that their bandwidth is larger than the information they are transmitting to give them a noise like appearance, hence protecting the information it is carrying and maintain its secrecy and confidentiality [4]. Spread Spectrum signals use fast codes that have a high data rate. These codes are called Pseudo Random or Pseudo Noise codes. These are called Pseudo for the reason being that they are not real Gaussian noise [4]. Spread Spectrum transmitters possess similar transmits power levels to that of narrow band transmitters. Spread Spectrum signals are so wide hence they transmit at a much lower spectral power density which is measured in Watts per Hertz as compared to narrowband transmitters. This characteristic (lower spectral power density)gives spread signals a huge advantage in digital communication and it is this capability that is responsible for the rapid use of Spread Spectrum today [4]. The numerical advantage of wider bandwidth is obtained from the Claude Shannons equation describing channel capacity [4]. (2.1) Where; C=channel capacity of the signal, B=Bandwidth of the signal, S=signal power, and N=noise power. = (2.2) On Applying the MacLaurin series development for (2.3) is usually low for spread-spectrum applications. Assuming a noise level such that

Effect of WWII and Pearl Harbor on the US

Effect of WWII and Pearl Harbor on the US In David Halberstam’s book, The Powers that Be, he states the following quote about World War II and Edward R. Murrow: â€Å"WWII was special and he was special.† World War II was special because it established the United States of America as one of the world’s superpowers, while the events at Pearl Harbor provided an example of how isolationism and detachment can lead to ignorance and subsequently, vulnerability. Murrow was also special, as he united the nation by detailing his experiences in the war front and setting forth a shift towards public transparency and enlightenment. The significance of the World War II and Murrow was their inspiration to achieve a level of awareness of foreign affairs in order to avoid a repeat of the events at Pearl Harbor and the wars influence on the rise of the United States. The hope for the United States to not get involved with World War II was never a realistic option. The conflict between the Axis Powers (Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy) and the Allied Powers (Great Britain and France) were as much ideological as it was territorial. While the ultimate goals of each of the Axis Powers were different, they agreed on the desire to expand and to stop capitalism and democracy. When the United States signed the Lend-Lease bill in 1941, this brought more motivation for the Axis Powers to attack the United States. Later that year, Imperial Japan conducted a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, leading to the United States’ entry into World War II and ending American Isolationism. Not only was the idea of isolationism foolish, but it left the United States unprepared and unwary of an attack by Imperial Japan. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong military whether or not the United States were in war. The significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor is not the attack itself but that it was such a shock and that we were unprepared for it. â€Å"The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor decisively shattered the illusion of invulnerability that Americans had enjoyed ever since the end of the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, page 9). Two lessons military strategists took from this experience was that â€Å"the nation’s military power must never again be allowed to atrophy† and that â€Å"technology and air power had so contracted the globe that America’s vaunted two-ocean barrier no longer afforded sufficient protection from external assault.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, pages 9-10). This episode of World War II not only drew the United States into the war but al so serves as a reminder of how past impartiality and ignorance left the United States vulnerable. While World War II left all the other participating countries devastated financially, territorially and militarily, the United States emerged relatively unscathed and actually stronger. â€Å"Of the major wartime combatants, only the United States emerged from the war stronger than when it began. The United States was the most powerful nation in the world.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, page 1). The total war nature of the war had brought together the people and citizens of the United States for the sole goal of victory. There was no separation between men, women, and children. Preparation of war helped boost the economy and eventually lead us out of the Great Depression. â€Å"The nation’s gross domestic product doubled between 1941 and 1945, bestowing the wonders of a highly productive, full-employment economy on a citizenry that had become accustomed to the deprivations imposed by a decade-long depression.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, page 8-9) . World War II had caused a breakdown of the European Empires and had established the United States as one of the new superpowers of the world. During World War II, a reporter by the name of Edward R. Murrow was broadcasting his first-hand experiences to the people of the United States. Unprecedented in broadcast journalism, Murrow put him and his team on the front line and in the action of the war. When Murrow caught wind that Adolf Hitler was going to Vienna to proclaim Anschluss with Austria, he flew to Vienna personally to cover the reaction of the people of Vienna in a March 13th 1938 broadcast. Murrow was also right there in the action during the dangerous times, such as the London Blitz. â€Å"I’m standing on a rooftop looking out over London For reason of national as well as personal security, I’m unable to tell you the exact location from which I’m speaking. Off to my left†¦ I can see just the faint red angry snap of antiaircraft bursts against the steel-blue sky†¦ Now you’ll hear two bursts a little nearer in a moment. There they are! That hard, stony sound.† (Murrow | M atusow, The Evening Stars, page 53). Murrow’s innovative broadcasts allowed the people of the United States to become aware of what was going on in the war, such as the London Blitz in the United Kingdoms, while America continued to exercise isolationism. Murrow’s ability to captivate the attention of and unify the American people stems from his mastery with words and his keen eye for talent. Murrow prepared his scripts by dictating them, as opposed to writing them, which made listeners feel like he was having a conversation and not just reading something. The details in his reports were stunning and provided listeners with strong visual images. â€Å"He had a flair for those small details that make a scene come alive; once he illustrated the eerie silence between air raids by putting his microphone next a pierced can of peaches, catching the sound of the syrup falling drop by drop.† (Matusow, The Evening Stars, page 52). Murrow connected to the American people by talking about the people they can relate to, the little people. â€Å"But I found that one bombed house looks pretty much like another bombed house. It’s about the people I’d like to talk, the little people who live in those little houses, who ha ve uniforms and get no decorations for bravery.† (Murrow, August 18th 1940). In addition to his prowess as a reporter, Murrow was also an excellent scout who surrounded himself with a strong staff. â€Å"Besides his gifts as a writer, reporter, and dramatist, Murrow was a superb judge of talent in others†¦ He looked for university graduates with a good, solid, print background. He didn’t care much what his recruits sounded like; they had to be able to think, and they had to be able to write.† (Matusow, The Evening Stars, page 53). Through his reporting, the people of America were able to become aware of the events of World War II despite the United States’ initial lack of participation. Murrow understood that the role of the press was to raise the level of awareness in the United States. He believed that news broadcasting was supposed to inform, not to just entertain. â€Å"This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise its nothing but wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful.† (Murrow, RTNDA Speech, 1985). Murrow was special because he knew the importance of being well informed and he made sure to do that throughout his career as a reporter. World War II and Edward R. Murrow were significant because they helped contribute to the rise of the United States while highlighting the need for awareness of foreign affairs. While the United States ended up benefiting the most and losing the least from the war, the surprise attack by Imperial Japan on Pearl Harbor is still disturbing. American insistence on isolationism should not have left the United States so vulnerable to the surprise military strike. However, this event will go on to remind us never to allow ourselves be that ignorant again and to always be aware of foreign affairs. Murrow’s role in reporting also inspired America to be more aware of foreign affairs. His ability to captivate his American audience and articulate the details of the war front allowed the people of the United States to know what was going on in the war and how brutal it was. Had it not been for Murrow’s radio reporting, the United States may have not understood how important it was f or the United States to enter the war and put an end to Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany and continue to exercise isolationism despite the attack on Pearl Harbor. Through World War II and Murrow, the United States not only established itself as a world’s superpower, but also provided the blueprint to maintaining this power.

William Goldings Lord of the Flies :: Essays Papers

Lord of the Flies In the book â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† the author uses the conch as a symbol of unity. At the beginning of the story the conch was spotted by a boy named Ralph who did not know what it was, but the other boy named Piggy sed that it was called a conch. Piggy had an idea to blow it to get other people on the island to come to them. After Ralph retrieved the conch from the lagoon Piggy showed Ralph how to blow it. His first couple of tries were weak, then he bellowed into it. The conch made a deep, harsh noise . After a few blows boys started to come out out of the jungle . The conch is what first united the stranded boys together. The author also used the conch as a sign of power, because after the boys were together they decided that they needed a chief so they chose Ralph because he used the conch to call the others to them. Ralph also used the power of the conch to quiet the boys . When he wanted their attention and for them to be quiet he would hold up the conch and wait for them to be quiet and pay attention. He also used it to call the boys back to camp. At the beginning the boys went out to look for waterbut by the time they found some Ralph had blew on the conch to call them back to camp. The conch was used by Ralph to call the boys to a meeting. During the meetings a person could only speak if they raise their hand and hold up the conch . At the meeting to discuss the fire Ralph blew on the conch to call them to the meeting . After everyone was seated Ralph lifted the conch for them to be silent then he began to explain that they were on an uninhabited island with no grownups so they would have to look after themselves . That’s when Ralph made the rules about the conch at the meetings. He tried to boost there moral by making the island sound fun. In the book when Ralph notices that the conch has been paretically bleached by the sun and had become a creamy-pink color.

Health and Welness for the Employees :: essays research papers

There are many reasons for the employees to get involved in a wellness program. Whether they like it or not overall wellness will affect their everyday life, at home as well as at work. The fact of the matter is that people that are in good health are usually more coherent and are able to enjoy more out of life. With more incentive going towards corporations paying subsidies to encourage employee participation there is increasing demand by employees to have a wellness program implemented. A study of health risk data and medical insurance claims at a paper mill in Canton, North Carolina, revealed that the Canton employees who had taken part in a health and fitness programs spent an average of 30% less on medical claims than non-participants. Having established a clear link between health and fitness activities and lower health care costs, the Canton study led to refine and expand wellness programs. The company took a closer look at all the issues that could affect job performance and determined that the company needed to broaden the concept of wellness to include mental and emotional health as well as physical well being. In short, the company began to recognize that each employee is a whole person who brings much more than job skills to work every day. The company also began to understand that efforts at wellness promotion could only succeed by taking the needs of the whole person into account. Fitness programs can reduce absenteeism. There are many documented situations of fitness and wellness programs are effective. In a one-year study of over 500 employees, each took part in a work place fitness program. The for each employee that worked out as little one day a week, cut their average number of sick days in half, from over ten sick days on average in the previous year without any activity to less than five in the following year. The report also showed that the employees that did not maintain a workout load of at least once a week did not reduce any sick-days. (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1997; 39:827-831) Each of the participants followed a one-hour supervised workout consisting of a warm-up, stretching, calisthenics, cardiovascular and strength-building program. Later in the study Dr. Lilian Lechner, M.P.H. stated, â€Å"While previous studies have found that employees most likely to partake in workplace fitness programs are those who already ge t the most regular exercise and tend to be in better health, the current show that work-based fitness offers added health benefits for employees regardless of their fitness level.

Cruesa, his first wife, is lost at Troy Essay

To analyse the character of Aeneas in comparison to the character of Odysseus we must first recognise that they have both been sent away from home, Aeneas by force after the sack of Troy and Odysseus to fight from the Greek side. To analyse them as leaders and â€Å"good men† we must look at their feats and their strengths as well as recognising their flaws as people and warriors. Both characters are extremely respected as heroes. Virgil presents us with the man that founded the greatest empire of all, the Roman Empire. Odysseus had the idea of the Trojan horse, without which the Greeks would not have won the war. Both are primarily good men who serve their countries well. I found though, that they do this in two very different ways. Odysseus’ nostos and Aeneas search for a new home. Scholars continue to disagree on whether or not Aeneas is presented as a good soldier, although the question itself is certainly far from black and white, complicated by the culturally relative nature of terms such as â€Å"conflict†and â€Å"courage†, as well as by the rather oblique definition that â€Å"good† itself holds. Odysseus respectively. I will argue that Aeneas meets the criteria set by neither model and that, ultimately, he is an emotionally unstable, morally dubious and even an incompetent military leader. However, the very fact that he is the protagonist needs to be stressed: his character is necessarily sympathetic, dynamic and intricate. My intention is not to assert that Aeneas is a villain or a coward; he is quite obviously neither of these things and such an interpretation of the Aeneid, a text rich and ambiguous in meaning, would be nothing short of reductive. And in this way he must, and does, have some positive, somewhat redeeming features. Virgil created in Aeneas a new type of Stoic hero, a point that is perhaps most evident in Book Four when Aeneas leaves Carthage. His speech to Dido is indicative of his determination to suffer both silently, Aeneas did not move his eyes and struggled to fight down the anguish in his heart. â€Å", (Book 4) and willing, â€Å"Do not go on causing distress to yourself and to me by these complaints. It is not by my own will that I still search for Italy. † (Book 4) Emotional restraint and acquiescence in regard to one’s own fortunes and torment is intrinsic to a Roman conception of a role model and leader. Equally, the presentation of Aeneas in Book Four can be seen to parallel that of Odysseus in Book Nineteen of the Odyssey, where the reader is told that, in spite of his wife’s tears, the hero’s â€Å"eyes were steady†. Aeneas, then, does conform to both the Roman and Homeric paradigms in his ability to endure the sufferings that Fate has allotted him. And yet his chief characteristic is not his endurance, as is the case with Odysseus, but rather his pietas, a quality essential for a Roman warrior. Time and time again in the Aeneid he is referred to as pious Aeneas, â€Å"famous for his devotion†(Book 6), so the Sibyl states. This devotion is threefold in that it is not only religious and extends to both his family and to his duty as â€Å"Father† of Rome. The latter of these has already been demonstrated by his separation from Dido, in which he subordinates his personal wishes in order to fulfil his destiny, while one can see the first two aspects of this pietas at work quite clearly in Book Five, in which the funeral games, â€Å"held in honour of the divine father of Aeneas†(Book 5), combine a celebration of the familial and of the holy. Like the â€Å"Father† figure that Aeneas, by fate takes on, Odysseus has great affection for his men. When he loses some of his men at Ismarus he tells us how they sailed on â€Å"with heavy hearts, grieving for the loss of our companions†. As well as this, when all the other ships are lost to the Laestragonians, he states, â€Å"We lay on the beach for two days and nights, utterly exhausted and eating our hearts out with grief†. Odysseus risks his life for them. In book 10 when the first half of his men are transformed into pigs by Circe, he goes alone to rescue them. He goes blind into this plan without any forward planning until Hermes helps him. He is so determined to help that he tells an interfering Eurylochus, â€Å"I shall go. I have absolutely no choice. â€Å". He never abandons his men. In Book 9 when his men eat the fruit of the Locus they lose all hope and want for home. Odysseus literally drags them and ties them to benches on the ship so that they cannot escape. In the cave of the Cyclops, after they have blinded the monster, Odysseus ties all of his men to the bellies of rams and they escape leaving him, he is alone and has nobody to tie him on. He does not care because he thinks about his men before he acts as does Aeneas. In this respect they are very similar except Aeneas makes more mistakes than Odysseus does and loses his wife. As a father figure, like Aeneas, Odysseus is very well respected by his men. Near the Cyclops the men divide the goats between the ships. They give nine to all of the ships and ten to Odysseus’ alone as a sign of their respect for him as their leader. Yet this pietas, as much as it appears to pervade Virgil’s characterisation of the leader, might be called into question. Aeneas, on frequent occasions, seems reluctant to implement himself and also uncertain as to the rewards it offers. In Book Five the poet externalises Aeneas’ thoughts as he wonders â€Å"whether he should forget about his destiny and settle in the fields of Sicily† (Book 5), and throughout the first half of the poem he needs to be constantly prompted to continue in his search for his homeland: by his wife’s shade in Book Two, his father’s shade in Book Five, and twice by Mercury in Book Four. Mercury wasted no time, â€Å"So now you are laying foundations for the high towers of Carthage and building a splendid city to please your wife? Have you entirely forgotten your own kingdom and your own destiny? † (Book 4). These temptations are presented to Odysseus throughout â€Å"The Odyssey† but he does not give into temptation whereas Aeneas marries Dido, falls in love with her. Odysseus has a very strict work ethic, which clearly shows his devotion to Ithaca. He is offered immortality by Nymph Calypso if he just stayed with her, but instead the first image that the reader is given of him is knelt on a beach crying for his homeland. He is tempted again by the witch Circe. Odysseus has the weakness of enjoying women. He stayed with Circe for one year before his men reminded him of home. He also stayed with Calypso for seven years. Although we must take into though that there were reasons why he had to stay with her. Even through these periods of extreme temptation and immensely beautiful women, Odysseus wants to return home. He is driven by the goddess Athene but she is not the true reason for his passionate longing for Ithaca. Aeneas is different. He no longing to go home, he has no home. He does long for his promised citadel but is also a cell for the gods to create a new Empire. Venus’ intervention is what points Aeneas towards leaving Dido who he tells, â€Å"I left you against my will† (Book 6). Aeneas seems rather less than devoted to his duty at this moment. He is shown to be quite contented in Carthage and it seems unlikely that he would have left its â€Å"sweet† shores under his own volition. Dido is Aeneas first serious test, and he seems to give way without a struggle (Book 4), and one may see the character here as close to the antithesis of Odysseus who, in his pig-headed determination to return to Ithaca, even rejects Calypso’s offer of immortality. Indeed, Aeneas, â€Å"whose sword was studded with yellow stars of jaspers† (Book 4) is a picture of decadence. Nor is devotion to duty the only aspect of his pietas that can be found wanting, and as much as Aeneas appears to be a truly devoted son it should be noted that he repeatedly fails to protect his family. When one considers those personages in the poem that could be seen as intimate with Aeneas it must be realised that virtually none survive. Cruesa, his first wife, is lost at Troy; Dido, debatably his second, commits suicide and Anchises, his father, dies in the port at Drepanum.

The King’s Speech

The King's Speech is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays King George VI, who, to overcome his stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an unorthodox Australian speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. The two men become friends as they work together, and after his brother Edward VIII abdicates, the new king relies on Logue to help him make a radio broadcast at the beginning of World War II. David Seidler began reading about George VI after overcoming his own stammer during his youth and, using informed imagination, wrote about the men's relationship. Nine weeks before filming, Logue's notebooks were discovered and quotations from them were incorporated into the script. Principal photography took place in London and other locations in Britain, in December 2009 and early January 2010. The film was released in the United States on 24 December 2010 and in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2011. The King's Speech was the highest earning film for three weekends in a row at the British box office. It has been widely praised by film critics for its visual style, art direction and acting. Other commentators discussed the film's misrepresentation of the historical events it portrays, in particular the reversal of Winston Churchill's opposition to abdication. The film received many awards and nominations, mostly for Colin Firth. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globes, winning Best Actor – Drama for Firth. Furthermore, the film also nominated for fourteen BAFTAs, the most of the other films, winning seven, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Firth, and both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for both Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter, respectively. The film was also nominated for 12 Academy Awards, the most of the other films, and ended up winning four, all in the major categories including Best Picture, Best Director for Tom Hooper, Best Actor for Firth and Best Original Screenplay for David Seidler Plot. The film opens with Prince Albert, Duke of York, known to his wife and family as â€Å"Bertie† (played by Colin Firth), the second son of King George V, speaking at the close of the 1925British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium, with his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) by his side. His stammering speech visibly unsettles the thousands of listeners in the audience. The prince tries several unsuccessful treatments and gives up, until the Duchess persuades him to see Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist in London. In their first session, Logue requests that they address each other by their Christian names, a breach of royal etiquette. At first, the Duke is reluctant to receive treatment, so Logue agrees to make a bet with him that, if the Duke keeps coming to his sessions and they prove effective, he will give him a shilling. He convinces Bertie to read Hamlet's â€Å"To be, or not to be† soliloquy, while listening to the overture from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro on headphones, so that he cannot hear himself talk. Logue records Bertie's reading on a gramophone record, but convinced that he has stammered throughout, Bertie leaves in a huff. Logue offers him the recording as a keepsake. After King George V (Michael Gambon) makes his 1934 Christmas address, he explains to his son the importance of broadcasting for the modern monarchy in a perilous international situation. Later, after a frustrating discussion with his father, Bertie plays Logue's recording and hears himself making an unbroken recitation of Shakespeare, which amazes both him and the Duchess. He returns to Logue, and they work together on muscle relaxation and breath control, while simultaneously probing the psychological roots of his stammer. The Prince reveals some of the pressures of his childhood: his strict father; the repression of his natural left-handedness; a painful treatment with metal splints for his knock-knees; a nanny who favoured his elder brother – David, the Prince of Wales, deliberately pinching Bertie at the daily presentations to their parents so he would cry and his parents would not want to see him; and the early death in 1919 of his little brotherPrince John. As the treatment progresses, the two become friends and confidants. [pic] [pic] Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter as the Duke and Duchess of York On 20 January 1936 George V dies, and David, the Prince of Wales (Guy Pearce) accedes to the throne as King Edward VIII, but he wants to marry Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), an American divorcee socialite, which would provoke a constitutional crisis. At a party in Balmoral Castle, Bertie points out that Edward cannot marry a divorced woman and retain the throne; Edward accuses his brother of a m edieval-style plot to usurp his throne, citing Albert's speech lessons as an attempt to ready himself. Bertie is tongue-tied at the accusation, and Edward resurrects his childhood taunt of â€Å"B-B-B-Bertie†. At his next session, the Prince has not forgotten the incident. In an attempt to console him, Logue insists that Bertie could be king and says the shilling of their wager should bear the Duke's head as monarch. Bertie accuses Logue of treason and, in a temper, he mocks Logue's failed acting career and humble origins, causing a rift in their friendship. When King Edward abdicates to marry, Bertie becomes King George VI. Feeling overwhelmed by his accession, the new King realises that he needs Logue's help and he and the Queen visit the Logues' residence to apologise. When the King insists that Logue be seated in the king's box during his coronation in Westminster Abbey, Dr Cosmo Gordon Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Derek Jacobi), questions Logue's qualifications. This prompts another confrontation between the King and Logue, who explains he had begun by treating shell-shocked soldiers in the last war. When the King still isn't convinced about his own strengths, Logue sits in St. Edward's Chair and dismisses the Stone of Scone as a trifle, the King remonstrates with Logue for his disrespect. The King then realises that he is as capable as those before him. Upon the September 1939 declaration of war with Germany, George VI summons Logue to Buckingham Palace to prepare for his radio speech to the country. As the King and Logue move through the palace to a tiny studio, Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall) reveals to the King that he, too, had once had a speech impediment but had found a way to use it to his advantage. The King delivers his speech as if to Logue, who coaches him through every moment. As Logue watches, the King steps onto the balcony of the palace with his family, where thousands of people assembled for the speech applaud him. A final title card explains that, during the many speeches King George VI gave during World War II, Logue was always present. It is also explained that Logue and the King remained friends, and that, â€Å"King George VI made Lionel Logue a Commander of the Royal Victorian Orderin 1944. This high honour from a grateful King made Lionel part of the only order of chivalry that specifically rewards acts of personal service to the Monarch. â€Å" The King’s Speech The King's Speech is a 2010 British historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. Colin Firth plays King George VI, who, to overcome his stammer, sees Lionel Logue, an unorthodox Australian speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. The two men become friends as they work together, and after his brother Edward VIII abdicates, the new king relies on Logue to help him make a radio broadcast at the beginning of World War II. David Seidler began reading about George VI after overcoming his own stammer during his youth and, using informed imagination, wrote about the men's relationship. Nine weeks before filming, Logue's notebooks were discovered and quotations from them were incorporated into the script. Principal photography took place in London and other locations in Britain, in December 2009 and early January 2010. The film was released in the United States on 24 December 2010 and in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2011. The King's Speech was the highest earning film for three weekends in a row at the British box office. It has been widely praised by film critics for its visual style, art direction and acting. Other commentators discussed the film's misrepresentation of the historical events it portrays, in particular the reversal of Winston Churchill's opposition to abdication. The film received many awards and nominations, mostly for Colin Firth. The film was nominated for seven Golden Globes, winning Best Actor – Drama for Firth. Furthermore, the film also nominated for fourteen BAFTAs, the most of the other films, winning seven, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Firth, and both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for both Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter, respectively. The film was also nominated for 12 Academy Awards, the most of the other films, and ended up winning four, all in the major categories including Best Picture, Best Director for Tom Hooper, Best Actor for Firth and Best Original Screenplay for David Seidler Plot. The film opens with Prince Albert, Duke of York, known to his wife and family as â€Å"Bertie† (played by Colin Firth), the second son of King George V, speaking at the close of the 1925British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium, with his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) by his side. His stammering speech visibly unsettles the thousands of listeners in the audience. The prince tries several unsuccessful treatments and gives up, until the Duchess persuades him to see Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist in London. In their first session, Logue requests that they address each other by their Christian names, a breach of royal etiquette. At first, the Duke is reluctant to receive treatment, so Logue agrees to make a bet with him that, if the Duke keeps coming to his sessions and they prove effective, he will give him a shilling. He convinces Bertie to read Hamlet's â€Å"To be, or not to be† soliloquy, while listening to the overture from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro on headphones, so that he cannot hear himself talk. Logue records Bertie's reading on a gramophone record, but convinced that he has stammered throughout, Bertie leaves in a huff. Logue offers him the recording as a keepsake. After King George V (Michael Gambon) makes his 1934 Christmas address, he explains to his son the importance of broadcasting for the modern monarchy in a perilous international situation. Later, after a frustrating discussion with his father, Bertie plays Logue's recording and hears himself making an unbroken recitation of Shakespeare, which amazes both him and the Duchess. He returns to Logue, and they work together on muscle relaxation and breath control, while simultaneously probing the psychological roots of his stammer. The Prince reveals some of the pressures of his childhood: his strict father; the repression of his natural left-handedness; a painful treatment with metal splints for his knock-knees; a nanny who favoured his elder brother – David, the Prince of Wales, deliberately pinching Bertie at the daily presentations to their parents so he would cry and his parents would not want to see him; and the early death in 1919 of his little brotherPrince John. As the treatment progresses, the two become friends and confidants. [pic] [pic] Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter as the Duke and Duchess of York On 20 January 1936 George V dies, and David, the Prince of Wales (Guy Pearce) accedes to the throne as King Edward VIII, but he wants to marry Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), an American divorcee socialite, which would provoke a constitutional crisis. At a party in Balmoral Castle, Bertie points out that Edward cannot marry a divorced woman and retain the throne; Edward accuses his brother of a m edieval-style plot to usurp his throne, citing Albert's speech lessons as an attempt to ready himself. Bertie is tongue-tied at the accusation, and Edward resurrects his childhood taunt of â€Å"B-B-B-Bertie†. At his next session, the Prince has not forgotten the incident. In an attempt to console him, Logue insists that Bertie could be king and says the shilling of their wager should bear the Duke's head as monarch. Bertie accuses Logue of treason and, in a temper, he mocks Logue's failed acting career and humble origins, causing a rift in their friendship. When King Edward abdicates to marry, Bertie becomes King George VI. Feeling overwhelmed by his accession, the new King realises that he needs Logue's help and he and the Queen visit the Logues' residence to apologise. When the King insists that Logue be seated in the king's box during his coronation in Westminster Abbey, Dr Cosmo Gordon Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Derek Jacobi), questions Logue's qualifications. This prompts another confrontation between the King and Logue, who explains he had begun by treating shell-shocked soldiers in the last war. When the King still isn't convinced about his own strengths, Logue sits in St. Edward's Chair and dismisses the Stone of Scone as a trifle, the King remonstrates with Logue for his disrespect. The King then realises that he is as capable as those before him. Upon the September 1939 declaration of war with Germany, George VI summons Logue to Buckingham Palace to prepare for his radio speech to the country. As the King and Logue move through the palace to a tiny studio, Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall) reveals to the King that he, too, had once had a speech impediment but had found a way to use it to his advantage. The King delivers his speech as if to Logue, who coaches him through every moment. As Logue watches, the King steps onto the balcony of the palace with his family, where thousands of people assembled for the speech applaud him. A final title card explains that, during the many speeches King George VI gave during World War II, Logue was always present. It is also explained that Logue and the King remained friends, and that, â€Å"King George VI made Lionel Logue a Commander of the Royal Victorian Orderin 1944. This high honour from a grateful King made Lionel part of the only order of chivalry that specifically rewards acts of personal service to the Monarch. â€Å"

Differences of Radical Behaviorism, Experimental Analysis of Behavior and Applied Behavior Analysis Essay

The phrase â€Å"radical behaviorism† can either be applied to a philosophy which was created by B. F. Skinner and can also be used to refer to a particular school which became known during the time when behaviorism was in power. It considers behavior as a natural science and that the behavior of animals can be understood and studied beneficially, comparable to the behavior of humans (Chiesa, 1994). On the other hand, â€Å"experimental analysis of behavior† can also refer to a school of psychology founded by B.  F. Skinner or to a philosophy that is basically from the philosophy of radical behaviorism. Data-driven examination of functional relations is one of the central principles which are incorporated in the experimental analysis of behavior. It also includes inductive examination and can be considered in contrast to the kinds of hypothetico-deductive learning theory (Skinner, 1963). â€Å"Applied behavior analysis† is an applied research of behavior and is one of the four domains in the analysis of behaviors. Furthermore, it is the science in which strategy or procedures are derived from the main philosophies of behavior are applied systematically and uses the natural science perspective in terms of its applications. The applied behavior analysis makes the technology for application in a variety of settings available. The diversity of its settings starts from individuals who have autism up to organizational improvement. In addition to this, it is mainly used to enhance the significant social behaviors and that experimentation is employed in determining the variables responsible for modifications or changes (Cooper et al, 2006). These three philosophies under psychology, though they seem to be similar to one another, may also have certain dissimilarities among them. In terms of their underlying principles and philosophy, certain dissimilarities or differences, though somehow related, can already be noticed. The radical behaviorism gained interest because of two proposals or philosophies, one is that all organismic action is determined and not free. Second is that, it refers to the consideration of the â€Å"anti-theoretical†. While on the other hand, the principles or premises utilized as basis for the experimental analysis of behavior includes that â€Å"everything that organisms do is behavior† and that â€Å"all behavior is lawful†. Central to this is the utilization of a Four-term contingency which are utilized to illustrate functional relationships in controlling behavior. The Four-term contingency are motivating operations, discriminative stimulus, behavior as response and consequences. On the other hand, in the applied behavior analysis, it considers behavior as a subject, rather than a natural science and that it is composed of an antecedent, behavior, and consequence (Cooper et al, 2006). While in radical behaviorism, no recognition is given still tat work in traditional psychology has any value or that it can be useful in a unification with behaviorism (Weiner and Freedheim, 2003). The methods, techniques, purposes and service delivery of the three philosophies in psychology also differ from one to the other. In the experimental analysis of behavior, operant conditioning chambers, which are enclosures specifically designed for holding and testing animals, and cumulative recorders, an instrument that graphically records responses from animals or subjects, are used. In the applied behavior analysis, the techniques employed include task analysis, chaining, prompting and fading. On the other hand, radical behaviorism uses operant psychology. Operant psychology is an alternative or replacement for classical conditioning which was observed by Skinner to be non-functional in accounting for behaviors which individuals are most interested of. In the operant conditioning, positive reinforcements and negative reinforcements are utilized and are used to increase the re-occurrence of a behavior. In contrasting an emphasis on the experimental analysis of behavior with an emphasis on interpretive practices in characterizing the heart of radical behaviorism does not involve a denigration of the long-range value of laboratory research (Modgil and Modgil, 1987).

Corporate Finance Homework – Chapter 4

Corporate Finance2 CreditsBU. 231. 620. 62Thursday 6pm – 9pm, 10/18/2012–12/13/2012Fall2, 2012Columbia, Columbia Center, 218| Instructor Shabnam Mousavi Contact Information Phone Number: (410)234-9450 E-mail Address: [email  protected] edu Office Hours Monday/Thursday 10am-noon Required Text and Learning Materials (1) Berk, J. and P. DeMarzo. 2007. Corporate Finance. 2nd Edition. Pearson, Addison-Wesley with MyLab access. The ISBN is 0-13-295-040-5. (2) Lecture Notes. The lecture notes will be posted weekly on Blackboard, before class. 3) MyFinanceLab: All homework and quizzes are posted on MyFinanceLab. Instructions available at the end of this syllabus. Course ID: mousavi28617 Blackboard Site A Blackboard course site is set up for this course. Each student is expected to check the site throughout the semester as Blackboard will be the primary venue for outside classroom communications between the instructors and the students. Students can access the course site at h ttps://blackboard. jhu. edu. Support for Blackboard is available at 1-866-669-6138.Course Evaluation As a research and learning community, the Carey Business School is committed to continuous improvement. Therefore each student must complete the course evaluation as part of the continuous improvement process. Information on how to complete the evaluation will be provided near the end of the course. Disability Services Johns Hopkins University and the Carey Business School are committed to making all academic programs, support services, and facilities accessible.To determine eligibility for accommodations, please contact the Carey Disability Services Office at time of admission and allow least four weeks prior to the beginning of the first class meeting. Students should contact Rachel Hall in the Disability Services office by phone at 410-234-9243, by fax at 443-529-1552, or email: carey. [email  protected] edu. Important Academic Policies and Services * Honor Code * Statement of D iversity and Inclusion * Tutoring * Carey Writing Center * Inclement Weather PolicyStudents are strongly encouraged to consult the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Student Handbook and Academic Catalog and the School website http://carey. jhu. edu/syllabus_policies for detailed information regarding the above items. Course Description The goal of this course is to analyze the major decisions of a corporation. The course deals primarily with a firm’s investment and financing decisions and the firm’s interaction with capital markets. Topics include valuation of future cash flows and risk, capital budgeting, capital structure theory, and pay-out theory.Course Overview About 90% of total revenues in the US economy are generated by corporations. Understanding decision-making within a corporation, whether it is about the choice of investment or about how to raise capital to finance a specific investment, is fundamentally important to understand the key players in todayâ⠂¬â„¢s economy. This course provides the tools to understand efficient decision-making within a corporation by employing the notion of absence of arbitrage (i. e. , the Law of One Price), namely the fundamental principle shaping all aspects of modern finance.While my goal cannot be to make you expert managers in eight weeks, you will be able to evaluate important corporate decisions coherently within the framework of the no-arbitrage principle. Student Learning Objectives for This Course All Carey graduates are expected to demonstrate competence on four Learning Goals, operationalized in eight Learning Objectives. These learning goals and objectives are supported by the courses Carey offers. For a complete list of Carey learning goals and objectives, please refer to the website http://carey. jhu. edu/LearningAtCarey/LGO/index. html. The learning objectives for this course are: . You should be able to price future certain (and uncertain) streams of income. 2. You should be able to us e effectively valuation methods when making capital-budgeting decisions. 3. You should recognize the financial and strategic implications of alternative corporate financing decisions in different environments. 4. You should recognize the financial and strategic implications of alternative corporate pay-out decisions in different environments. 5. You should understand agency problems in the context of corporate financing and pay-out decisions and their ethical implications. Attendance PolicyClass attendance is mandatory. Each student should read the assigned materials and give careful thought to background information prior to each class session. Having done so will not only facilitate class discussion, it will also lighten your workload because the lectures are much easier to follow after the readings have been digested. Assignments Course grades will be based on 3 quizzes (Dates on MyFinanceLab), homework assignments, and a final exam. The quizzes will be available on MyFinanceLab. A maximum of one quiz can be missed. If a quiz is missed, additional weight (10%) is put on the final exam. Missing a quiz only means â€Å"not sitting for it. † For example, it does not mean â€Å"discarding an unfavorable grade ex-post. †) Homework assignments will be posted each week on MyFinanceLab. You can work on these in groups but you do not have to do so, if you so choose. After due date no points will be given for a homework. The final exam will be about 3-hour long. It will be closed-book. A two-sided (A4) self made consolidation-sheet will be allowed. Evaluation and Grading Assignment| Learning Outcome| Weight| 3 quizzes| 1-5| 10% each| Assignments| 1-5| 20%| Final exam| 1-5| 50%|Important notes about grading policy: The grade for good performance in a course will be a B+/B. The grade of A- will only be awarded for excellent performance. The grade of A will be reserved for those who demonstrate extraordinarily excellent performance. The grades of D+, D, an d D- are not awarded at the graduate level. Grade appeals will ONLY be considered in the case of a documented clerical error. Tentative Course Calendar *The instructor reserves the right to alter course content and/or adjust the pace to accommodate class progress. REMARK1: no class on 11/22, and 11/29- ThanksgivingREMARK2: Online material including quizzes, activities, and practices are designed on MyFinanceLab; Always check your MyFinanceLab for assignments; You are responsible for completing online requirements and submitting your work before deadlines. Pre-course readings: Chapters 1 and 2 of Berk and DeMarzo. If you cannot read these chapters for the first class, it is important that you do so for the second class. Week| Content| Reading| 1| (1) Valuing cash flows (2) Net present values| Chapters 3 and 4| 2| * Fundamentals of capital budgeting| Chapter 7| | Quiz1: see dates on MyFinanceLab (1) Debt and equity financing (2) Modigliani-Miller| Chapter 14| 4| (1) Debt and taxes (2) The cost of bankruptcy (3) Optimal capital structure: the trade-off theory (4) Agency costs: time-permitting| Chapters 15 and 16| 5| Quiz2: see dates on MyFinanceLab * Information and pay-out policy| Chapter 17| 6| no class| Online quizzes and assignments (on MyFinanceLab/Blackboard, beyond homework) for minimum total of 3 hours distributed through semester| 7| Quiz3: see dates on MyFinanceLab * More on capital budgeting (with leverage and market imperfections) (1) Risk and return (2) Systematic versus idiosyncratic risk (3) Evaluating the cost of capital| Chapter 18 Chapter 10 and Chapter 12| 8| Final Exam, in Class| Comprehensive| ————————————————- Copyright Statement Unless explicitly allowed by the instructor, course materials, class discussions, and examinations are created for and expected to be used by class participants only. The recording and rebroadcasting of su ch material, by any means, is forbidden. Violations are subject to sanctions under the Honor Code. MyLab / Mastering Student Registration Instructions To register for BU. 231. 620. 62. FA12: 1. Go to pearsonmylabandmastering. com. 2. Under Register, click Student. 3. Enter your instructor’s course ID: mousavi28617, and click Continue. 4.Sign in with an existing Pearson account or create an account:  · If you have used a Pearson website (for example, MyITLab, Mastering, MyMathLab, or MyPsychLab), enter your Pearson username and password. Click Sign In.  · If you do not have a Pearson account, click Create. Write down your new Pearson username and password to help you remember them. 5. Select an option to access your instructor’s online course:  · Use the access code that came with your textbook or that you purchased separately from the bookstore.  · Buy access using a credit card or PayPal.  · If available, get 17 days of temporary access. (Look for a link nea r the bottom of the page. ) 6. Click Go To Your Course on the Confirmation page. Under MyLab / Mastering New Design on the left, click BU. 231. 620. 2. FA12 to start your work. Retaking or continuing a course? If you are retaking this course or enrolling in another course with the same book, be sure to use your existing Pearson username and password. You will not need to pay again. To sign in later: 1. Go to pearsonmylabandmastering. com. 2. Click Sign In. 3. Enter your Pearson account username and password. Click Sign In. 4. Under MyLab / Mastering New Design on the left, click BU. 231. 620. 62. FA12 to start your work. Additional Information See Students > Get Started on the website for detailed instructions on registering with an access code, credit card, PayPal, or temporary access.

Buisness Ethics Case Write Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Buisness Ethics Case Write Up - Essay Example Making such a decision, however, wasn’t easy because the decision would have far-reaching consequences on both the Solidarity Fund and the Gildan Company. This paper discusses and analysis the ethical dilemma that the Solidarity Fund pension scheme, a large pension fund operated by the Quebec federation of labour (QFL), finds itself in following gross misconduct by one of the Companies that the Solidarity fund had heavily invested in. In this case, Gildan Activewear, a Company in which Solidarity fund had heavily invested in was accused of an array of business misconduct ranging from overworking and underpaying workers, excessively high production quotas, and unconducive working environments. Due to the fact the Solidarity Fund had heavily invested in Gildan Activewear and, also, given the fact that the Gildan Activewear investment was the most lucrative investment for the Solidarity Fund, the management of the Solidarity found themselves in a real dilemma in deciding the best course of action to take in response to the Gildan Activewear’s unethical business misconduct. The Solidarity Fund was founded in 1983 by the Quebec federation of labour with the aim of investing its members’ savings in the local Companies. The Solidarity Fund Pension scheme had two core goals. The first goal of the Solidarity Fund was to democratize access to professionally managed retirements accounts, and the second goal was to support jobs creation and growth in Quebec, either through investment in long term and medium sized local companies or by investing in outside companies whose activities were beneficial to the Quebec province.In selecting investment partners, the Solidarity Fund used nonfinancial criteria; the Solidarity Fund sought to invest with the Companies that had conducive working conditions, positive relations with local communities, and commitment to environmental responsibility. Before investing in a Company, therefore, the

Organizational Ecosystem Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Ecosystem Case Study - Essay Example Although an ecosystem could be a source of many benefits, for organizations to thrive in their respective ecosystems, they must understand their individual ecosystems as well as how they function (Townsend, 2014). This is mostly important in avoiding ecosystem blindness. Business ecosystem has many benefits both for small and large businesses. The main aim of these ecosystems is to ensure that all companies stay in business by depending on each other. For a small business, functioning in an ecosystem provides a proprietary advantage that such a business needs so as to compete with larger organizations. Additionally, it provides the mechanism required to lever ideas of excellence in technology, research, marketing, and business in various industry sectors into a global competitive force. This is one of the goals that most businesses strive to achieve and that can be made possible through participation within an ecosystem. Ecosystems are also responsible for providing resistance to inv asions in business. Additionally, ecosystems also provide resilience that many businesses need against external changes especially in dynamic and unstable business environments. Furthermore, the type of adaptation that is necessary in surviving change is usually established and contributed towards by the rapid innovation, which is achievable under ecosystems. Wal-Mart is one of the largest retail companies in the world that have embraced ecosystem due to the benefits that it can gain and those it can pass to other businesses in the same ecosystem. By understanding the functioning of its ecosystem, Wal-Mart has managed to dominate its market. This is mostly because of the approach strategies that the company used in participating within its ecosystem. Ecosystem plays a critical role in Wal-Mart’s innovation efforts in two main ways. While taking the structure of its ecosystem in consideration, Wal-Mart managed to