Project Management and Critical Path Essay

What is project management, and what are its main objectives? What is the relationship between tasks and events, or milestones? What is a work breakdown structure? How do you create one? What are task patterns, and how can you recognize them? Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Gantt and PERT/CPM charts. Define the following terms: best-case estimate, probable-case estimate, and worst- case estimate, and describe how project managers use these concepts. How does a project manager calculate start and finish times? What is a critical path, and why is it important to project managers? How do you identify the critical path? What are some project reporting and communication techniques? What is risk management, and why is it important? In Poor Richard’s Almanac, Benjamin Franklin penned the familiar lines: â€Å"For the want of a nail the shoe was lost, for the want of a shoe the horse was lost, for the want of a horse the rider was lost, for the want of a rider the battle was lost, for the want of a battle the kingdom was lost — and all for the want of a horseshoe nail.† Looking at the outcome in hindsight, could project management concepts have avoided the loss of the kingdom? Explain your answers. At Countywide Construction, you are trying to convince your boss that he should consider modern project management techniques to manage a complex project. Your boss says that he doesn’t need anything fancy, and that he can guess the total time by the seat of his pants. To prove your point, you decide to use a very simple example of a commercial con- struction project, with eight tasks. You create a hypothetical work breakdown struc- ture, as follows: Prepare the foundation (10 days). Then assemble the building (4 days). When the building is assembled, start two tasks at once: Finish the interior work (4 days) and set up an appointment for the final building inspection (30 days). When the interior work is done, start two more tasks at once: landscaping (5 days) and driveway paving (2 days). When the landscaping and driveway are done, do the painting (5 days). Finally, when the painting is done and the final inspection has occurred, arrange the sale (3 days). Now you ask your boss to estimate the total time and write his answer on a piece of paper. You look at the paper and see that his guess is wrong. 1. What is the correct answer? 2. What is the critical path? 3. Create a Gantt chart that shows the WBS. 4. Create a PERT/CPM chart. ————- What are the five questions typically used in fact-finding? What additional question can be asked during this process? What is a systems requirement, and how are systems requirements classified? What are JAD and RAD, and how do they differ from traditional fact-finding methods? What are their pros and cons? What is total cost of ownership (TCO), and why is it important? Provide examples of closed-ended, open-ended, and range-of-response questions. What are three types of sampling, and why would you use them? What is the Hawthorne Effect? Why is it significant? What is a functional decomposition diagram (FDD) and why would you use one? Explain how to create an FDD. What are agile methods, and what are some pros and cons of this approach? To what three different audiences might you have to give a presentation? How would the presentation differ for each? ——– A group meeting sometimes is suggested as a useful compromise between interviews and questionnaires. In such a group meeting, one systems analyst meets with and asks questions of a number of users at one time. Discuss the advantages and disad- vantages of such a group meeting. ——- Elmwood College Situation: The school is considering a new system that will speed up the registration process. As a systems analyst, you are asked to develop a plan for fact-finding. 1. List all the possible techniques that you might use. 2. Describe an advantage for each technique. 3. Suppose the development budget is tight. How might that affect the fact-finding process? 4. What are five important questions to use during fact-finding?

AP Chemistry FRQ How to Ace the Free Response Questions

AP Chemistry FRQ How to Ace the Free Response Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Practicing free-response questions is one of the best things you can do to improve your AP Chemistry score. Not only will you excel on the free-response section, but you'll also know the material so well that the multiple-choice questions will be a piece of cake. In this article I'll tell you all about the free-response section of the exam, give you some tips on how to solve AP Chemistry FRQs, and go through a couple of sample problems from recent exams so you can get a feel for what they're like! What’s the Format of the AP Chemistry Free-Response Section? The free-response section of the AP Chemistry exam seems intimidating because it’s longer than free-response sections on most other AP tests, and it includes lots of calculations and experiments that you have to interpret.The most important thing you can do is remain calm and stay focused and methodical in your approach to each question.It’s not as scary or difficult as it looks if you’ve prepared well for the test and use your common sense! Here's an overview of the format of the free-response section: 105 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes) Calculator use permitted Seven questions total Three long response worth 10 points each Four short response worth 4 points each The long response questions always come first! You’ll be tested on the following skills (which may be tied to any topic in the AP Chemistry curriculum): Experimental design Analyzing real lab data to identify patterns and explain phenomena Creating or analyzing diagrams of molecules and atoms to explain observations Translating between different representations of data Following logical steps to analyze and solve problems OK, that all makes sense, but how exactly do you solve these long, complicated questions? In the next section,I’ll go through a step-by-step guide for how to approach the AP Chemistry FRQs. How to Solve AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions It's important to have a game plan for the free-response section. My first piece of advice is not to feel obligated to do the questions in order!Take a couple of minutes (no more than 5-10) at the beginning of the section to look through everything and decide which question you want to tackle first.It’s best to start with your strengths so you'll have more time at the end for challenging questions. You should spend a maximum of 20 minutes on each long free-response question and 10 minutes on each short free-response question.Keep an eye on the time so it doesn’t get away from you! Here are some basic steps you should take to solve free-response questions: Step 1: Figure Out What You Know First, assess the information the question gives you.It can be confusing to extract the data that’s embedded in the introduction over and over again as you go through different parts of the question.Make things easier for yourself by writing down the values you’re given next to the question so that they’re easily accessible when you need them.You should also take time to understand (at least on a general level) the experiment being described so that you don’t feel confused and overwhelmed when you start reading the question. Step 2: Dive Into the Question For each part of the question, read the instructions and ask yourself the following: Do you need to do any calculations? Decide which equations you’ll need (if applicable), and write them down.Do the necessary calculations based on the numbers you extracted in the previous step and any numbers you were given in this part of the question.Make sure you show your work! Don’t erase your calculations, and double-check everything to make sure you have the correct units and your answer makes sense logically. Does the question ask you to justify or explain your answer? If so, DON’T ignore these instructions.In many cases, you’ll only get points for your answer if you can explain it adequately.Use concrete evidence to back up your response (we’re talking hard data).Even if something seems obvious to you, spell it out as clearly as possible to ensure that you earn those points! Do you have to draw a diagram? Even though neither of the free-response questions I'll go over in the next section requiresthis, some questions will ask you to draw diagrams.For example: If you have to answer a question like this, try to be as clear as possible.Draw out your answer on scrap paper first if you feel unsure so that the final product is neat and unambiguous.Here’s the answer, by the way: Step 3: Double Check Look back at the question to make sure you didn’t miss anything or leave out any explanations.Reread each part and connect it directly to its corollary in your response so you’re scooping up all the points you possibly can!You should also walk through how you found each answer to make sure you didn’t make any weird errors you missed the first time around. Finally, check again for appropriate units. Errors in unit conversion are common silly mistakes that are really, really frustrating if you knew how to do the problem correctly otherwise. Did you remember to convert milliliters to liters? AP Chemistry FRQExamples I’ll go through the solution process for a sample question of each type so you can get a better idea of what the test will be like.Notice that these questions look complex and overwhelming at first, but if you stay calm and break them down methodically, they don’t end up being that bad! Long Free-Response Sample Question Here’s a sample long free-response question from the 2014 exam: There’s a ton of information here, so let’s start from the beginning.What we know from the short intro is that the pH of a 0.20 M 50 mL sample of propanoic acid is 2.79 at 25 degrees Celsius.There's alsoan equation that shows how the acid reacts with water and which products are created by this reaction. Now we're ready to tackle part (a): Where’s the conjugate acid-base pair in the equation?There are two pairs that you could potentially list for this answer: CH3CH2COOH (acid) and CH3CH2COO- (base) OR H30+ (acid) and H20 (base) We know that the first compound is propanoic acid, and the loss of the hydrogen atom through the reaction creates the basic compound on the right side of the equation.Conversely, the water in the first half of the equation is a base that becomes an acid when it picks up the hydrogen atom from the propanoic acid. To get this point, you would need to label each compound indicating which is the acid and which is the base. Always read instructions carefully, or you may lose out on points - I can't say this enough! Let’s move onto part (b): What’s the value of Ka for propanoic acid at the temperature indicated in the question?We just need to plug some values into the equation for Ka,which is given to you on the formula sheet for the test: Hmm, looks like we can’t plug in the values yet because we don’t know the molarity of the H30+, which would have to go in the [H+] spot in the equation.We can find that value using this other equation from the formula sheet: This means: -pH = log[H+]10-pH = [H+]10-2.79 = [H30+]1.6 x 10-3 M = [H30+] This value for the molarity of H30+is equal to the molarity of CH3CH2COO-. The same amount of each must be created by the equation because the hydrogen atoms are removed and added in a 1:1 ratio.Armed with this new information, we can go back to the Ka equation: Let's plug in our values: Ka = [H30+][CH3CH2COO-] / [CH3CH2COOH]Ka = (1.6 x 10-3 M)(1.6 x 10-3 M)/ 0.2 MKa = (1.6 x 10-3 M)2/0.2 MKa = 1.3 x 10-5 For part (b), you could earn three points total: One for correctly solving for [H30+] One for plugging the right values into the Ka equation One for solving for Ka correctly OK, now for part (c)! Oh crap, this one has PARTS WITHIN THE PART.Don’t panic; you got this. It’s just true or false plus answer explanations!The explanations on these types of questions are very important. If you don’t explain your answer adequately, you won’t get any points even if the answer itself is correct.You can earn two points total on this question, one for each answer AND explanation. Part (i): In solution, the OH ions from the NaOH will react with the CH3CH2COOH to form water and CH3CH2COO- like so (hydrolysis reaction): The pH of the resulting solution will be GREATER than 7 because of the formation of the new basic compound at equivalence. That means it’s false! Part (ii): If two acid solutions have the same pH, but one is with hydrochloric acid, and the other is with propionic acid, would the first solution necessarily have a lower molar concentration of the HCl? HCl is a strong acid that ionizes completely in solution while propionic acid only partially ionizes.Fewer moles of HCl are needed to produce the same molar concentration of H30+ and reach an equivalent pH level to the propionic acid solution.This one is true! The next part of the question offers up a new scenario, so let’s take stock of what we've learned from the added description.So, the student titrates 25 mL of a ~mystery solution~ (mysterious squiggles added for dramatic flair) of propanoic acid with 0.173 M NaOH and reaches the endpoint of the titration after 20.52 mL of the NaOH has been added. Now onto part (d)! Based on this information, part (d) asks us to figure out the molarity of the propanoic acid. First, how many moles of NaOH were put into the solution?We can find this by multiplying the total volume of NaOH solution by its molarity: (0.02052 L NaOH) x (0.173 mol NaOH / 1 L NaOH) =3.55 x 10-3mol A total of 3.55 x 10-3 moles of NaOH were put into the solution.Since the titration reached the equivalence point at this time, that means that the number of moles of NaOH added would have to be the same as the number of moles of propanoic acid in the original solution.If we divide 3.55 x 10-3 mol propanoic acid by the number of liters of acid in the original solution, we will get the molarity: 3.55 x 10-3 mol propanoic acid / 0.025 L propanoic acid = 0.142 M For this part, you get one point for correctly calculating the number of moles of acid at the equivalence point and one point for providing the correct molarity. Part (e) is a critical thinking question about a new experiment. Would the student have to use a different indicator to figure out the concentration of a solution of an acid with pKa of 4.83?Based on ourKa calculations in part b, we can use one of the equations on the formula sheet to figure out pKa for the original propionic acid and compare the two values. pKa = -logKapKa = -log(1.3 x 10-5)pKa = 4.89 The twopKa values of4.83 and 4.89 are pretty close to one another, so you wouldn’t need to use a different indicator in the new titration.The correct response is to disagree with the student’s claim.You get one point here for disagreeing with the claim and explaining why, and you get a second point for directly comparing the two pKa values. Short Free-Response Sample Question Here’s a sample short free-response question, also from the 2014 exam: As you can see, the â€Å"short† questions aren’t really that short, but they’re not as involved as the long ones.There isn't as much information to digest, and each of the parts of the question is more direct.Each part of this question is worth one point (4 points total). Your response must include the correct answer and the correct justification/methodology to earn points! Starting with part (a): This is a PV = nRT question!Since we want the number of moles of CO2, we’re solving for n.P is 1.04 atm, V is 1.00 L, R is the gas constant (0.08206 L atm mol−1 K−1), and T is 00 K. n = PV/RTn = (1.04 atm)(1.00 L)/(0.08206 L atm mol−1 K−1)(00 K) n = 0.05 mol CO2 Moving onto part (b): In experiment 1, the original number of moles of CaCO3 would be equivalent to 50.0 g / (100.09 g/mol). The 100.09 g/mol number was calculated by adding up the atomic weights of the elements in the compound.This calculation gives us 0.500 mol CaCO3 total. If all of it had decomposed, the figure we calculated in part a for the number of mols of CO2 produced would also be 0.500 mol, but it was only 0.05 mol.This discrepancy means that the student’s claim has to be false! Now let’s tackle part (c): What would happen if more gas was added to the container and the pressure went up to 1.5 atm? Would it go back down to 1.04 atm afterward? Equilibrium was reached in both experiments, and it resulted in a final pressure of 1.04 atm.The reaction would just adjust to the added gas by shifting towards the reactant.The pressure would go back down to the equilibrium figure of 1.04 atm as the excess CO2 was consumed.The final pressure would still be equal to 1.04 atm. Finally, we’ll answer part (d): Can we find Kp with the information we’re given?Yes!The pressure of the CO2 in this experiment determines the equilibrium constant as well because it’s the pressure of the gas at equilibrium.There’s only one gas involved in the reaction, and we already know its equilibrium pressure, which means we also know the value of the constant. Kp = 1.04 How to Practice AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions You can find AP Chemistry FRQsfrom previous years (and their solutions) on the College Board site. The test changed starting in 2014 (seven free-response questions instead of six, and no questions asking you just to balance equations), so keep in mind that only the 2014 and 2015 questions will be completely accurate representations of what you can expect to see on your test. Here's a link to the most recent questions and answer explanations: 2014 and 2015 AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions Note that you have to login to your College Board account for access to the 2015 questions. Even if you don't have an account yet, it's easy enough to create one (and you'll need it eventually anyways!). You can also practice with free-response questions from earlier versions of the exam. While these aren't completely aligned with the current structure of the test, they're still good tools to use in practicing your skills: AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions: 1999-2013 There is no login required for access to these questions. You can also check out my article that lists all the AP Chemistry practice tests and quizzes that are available online (coming soon!). There are a few more unofficial practice tests that include free-response questions modeled after the questions on the real exam. And use a calculator when you practice (you get one for the free-response section on the real test)! Definitely don't use a quill, though. That part of this image is irrelevant and mystifying. Conclusion The free-response section is the most challenging part of the AP Chemistry exam for most students. To do well, you need to have a strong understanding of all the major concepts covered in the course and be able to apply them to a variety of experimental scenarios. Most of these questions look intimidating, but they're manageable if you take them one step at a time and break them down into smaller chunks. Here's a review of how to solve free-response questions: Step 1: Figureout what you know Write down any data that's included in the question Step 2: Diveinto the question Figure out which formulas you need Do the necessary calculations Justify your responses Draw diagrams if applicable Step 3: Double check Make sure your units of measurement are correct Verify that your answers make sense logically Practice your skills on free-response questions from past AP tests until you feel comfortable. Remember, questions from tests before 2014 will be slightly different from the current free-response questions; base your expectations for the real test off the material from 2014 and 2015! What's Next? If you're looking for more AP Chemistry practice, check out my list of the best review books for this year's test.Almost all of them include free-response questions modeled after the current format of the exam. For a holistic look at the most effective way to study for in-class assessments and the final exam, read my ultimate study guide for AP Chemistry. Are you debating whether to start studying now or put it off a little longer? Learn more about when you need to get serious about your study plans for AP tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Chili Peppers - An American Domestication Story

Chili Peppers - An American Domestication Story Chili pepper (Capsicum spp. L., and sometimes spelled chile or chilli) is a plant which was domesticated in the Americas at least 6,000 years ago. Its spicy goodness spread into cuisines throughout the world only after Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean and took it back with him to Europe. Peppers are widely considered the first spice to have been used by humans, and today there are at least 25 separate species in the family of American chili peppers and over 35 in the world. Domestication Events At least two, and perhaps as many as five separate domestication events are thought to have occurred. The most common type of chili today, and likely the earliest domesticated, is Capsicum annuum (the chili pepper), domesticated in Mexico or northern Central America at least 6,000 years ago from the wild bird pepper (C. annuum v. glabriusculum). Its prominence around the world is likely because it was the one that was introduced into Europe in the 16th century AD. The other forms which may have been independently created are C. chinense (yellow lantern chili, believed to have been domesticated in northern lowland Amazonia), C. pubescens (the tree pepper, in the mid-elevation southern Andes mountains) and C. baccatum (amarillo chili, lowland Bolivia). C. frutescens (piri piri or tabasco chili, from the Caribbean) may be a fifth, although some scholars suggest it is a variety of C. chinense. The Earliest Evidence of Domestication There are older archaeological sites which include domesticated chili pepper seeds, such as Guitarrero Cave in Peru and Ocampo Caves in Mexico, ranging in age from 7,000-9,000 years ago. But their stratigraphic contexts are somewhat unclear, and most scholars prefer to use the more conservative date of 6,000 or 6,100 years ago. A comprehensive examination of the genetic (similarities among the DNA from different types of chilies), paleo-biolinguistic (similar words for chili used in various indigenous languages), ecological (where modern chile plants are found) and archaeological evidence for chile pepper was reported in 2014. Kraft et al. argue that all four lines of evidence suggest that chili pepper was first domesticated in central-east Mexico, near Coxcatln Cave and the Ocampo Caves. Chili Peppers North of Mexico Despite chilis prevalence in southwestern American cuisines, the evidence for early use there is late and very limited. The earliest evidence of chili peppers in the American southwest/northwest Mexico has been identified in Chihuahua state near the site of Casas Grandes, ca AD 1150-1300. A single chili pepper seed was found at Site 315, a medium-sized adobe pueblo ruin in the Rio Casas Grandes Valley about two miles from Casas Grandes. In the same contexta trash pit directly underneath a room floorwas found maize (Zea mays), cultivated beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), cotton seeds (Gossypium hirsutum), prickly pear (Opuntia), goosefoot seeds (Chenopodium), uncultivated Amaranth (Amaranthus) and a possible squash (Cucurbita) rind. Radiocarbon dates on the trash pit are 760 /- 55 years before the present, or approximately AD 1160-1305. Cuisine Effects When introduced into Europe by Columbus, the chili launched a mini-revolution in cuisine; and when those chili-loving Spanish returned and moved into the Southwest, they brought the spicy domesticate with them. Chilies, a large part of central American cuisines for thousands of years, became most common north of Mexico in places where the Spanish colonial courts were most powerful. Unlike the other central American domesticated crops of maize, beans, and squash, chili peppers did not become part of southwestern US/northwestern Mexican cuisine until after Spanish contact. Researchers Minnis and Whalen suggest that the spicy chili pepper may not have fit into local culinary preferences until a large influx of colonists from Mexico and (most importantly) a Spanish colonial government affected local appetites. Even then, chilies were not universally adopted by all southwestern people. Identifying Chili Archaeologically Fruits, seeds and pollen of capsicum have been found in deposits at archaeological sites in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico beginning about 6000 years ago; at  Huaca Prieta  in the Andean foothills of Peru by ca. 4000 years ago, at  Ceren, El Salvador by 1400 years ago; and in La Tigra, Venezuela by 1000 years ago. Recently, the study of  starch grains, which do preserve well and are identifiable to species, has allowed scientists to peg the domestication of chili peppers to at least 6,100 years ago, in southwestern Ecuador at the sites of Loma Alta and Loma Real. As reported in  Science  in 2007, the earliest discovery of chili pepper starches is from the surfaces of  milling stones  and in cooking vessels as well as in sediment samples, and in conjunction with microfossil evidence of arrowroot, maize, leren, manioc, squash, beans and palms. Sources Brown CH, Clement CR, Epps P, Luedeling E, and Wichmann S. 2013.  The Paleobiolinguistics of Domesticated Chili Pepper (Capsicum   spp.).  Ethnobiology Letters  4:1-11.Clement C, De Cristo-Araà ºjo M, D’Eeckenbrugge GC, Alves Pereira A, and Picanà §o-Rodrigues D. 2010.  Origin and Domestication of Native Amazonian Crops.  Diversity  2(1):72-106.Duncan NA, Pearsall DM, and Benfer J, Robert A. 2009.  Gourd and squash artifacts yield starch grains of feasting foods from preceramic Peru.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  106(32):13202-13206.Eshbaugh W. 1993. Peppers: History and Exploitation of a Serendipitous New Crop Discovery. pages 132-139. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.),  New Crops  Wiley, New York.Hill TA, Ashrafi H, Reyes-Chin-Wo S, Yao J, Stoffel K, Truco M-J, Kozik A, Michelmore RW, and Van Deynze A. 2013.  Characterization of Capsicum annum Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Based on Parallel Polymorphism Discovery with a 30K Unigene Pepper GeneChip.  PLoS ONE  8(2):e56200. Kraft KH, Luna Ruiz JdJ, and Gepts P. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States.  Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution  60(1):225-232. doi:10.1007/s10722-012-9827-5Kraft KH, Brown CH, Nabhan GP, Luedeling E, Luna Ruiz JdJ, dEeckenbrugge GC, Hijmans RJ, and Gepts P. 2014.  Multiple lines of evidence for the origin of domesticated chili pepper, Capsicum annuum, in Mexico.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  Early Edition. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1308933111Minnis PE, and Whalen ME. 2010.  The first prehispanic chile (Capsicum) from the U.S. southwest/northwest Mexico and its changing use.  American Antiquity  75(2):245-258.Ortiz R, Delgado de la Flor F, Alvarado G, and Crossa J. 2010. Classifying vegetable genetic resources- A case study with domesticated Capsicum spp.  Scientia Horticulturae  126(2):186-191. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2010.07.007Perry L, Dickau R, Zarrillo S, Holst I, Pearsall DM, Piperno DR, Berman MJ, Cooke RG, Rademaker K, Ranere AJ et al. 2007.  Starch Fossils and the Domestication and Dispersal of Chili Peppers (Capsicum spp. L.) in the Americas.  Science  315:986-988. Pickersgill B. 1969.  The archaeological record of chili peppers (Capsicum spp.)and the sequence of plant domestication in Peru.  American Antiquity  34:54-61.

Designer Babies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Designer Babies - Research Paper Example Parents should be allowed to modify their unborn child’s genes only for health reasons, and not cosmetic reasons. There are a number of parents who are not able to give birth to children. This is because it is proven scientifically that the baby will have a genetic disease and the baby will die when they are still young or in some instances the baby might even die before they are born. Parents always wish for the best when it comes to their baby and thus, they should be allowed to modify their unborn babies but only for health reasons. Recent research has shown that by use of various genetic techniques, parents can be assisted in preventing certain genetic diseases. Thus, these genetic techniques save the baby from undue suffering and death as well as assist in reducing emotional strain that is associated in bringing up an ill baby and also reduces medical costs significantly. This will evidently lead to happier parents and their babies. Further research done recently has prov en that there a number of parents who are giving birth to spare part children in few cases whereby if one baby suffers from a serious blood disease, the parents use IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) in selecting embryos in order to give birth to another baby who acts as a tailor-made, future bone marrow or blood donor. Such cases have shown that the baby will be born healthy and will assist the older baby stay well by being a donor (Bliss, 04). Where do we stop with enhancing and engineering unborn children? In instances like the spare part babies, it is unethical since doctors and parents are creating babies who act as an organ-donating factory and this should be discouraged at all cost. It is paramount to note that the fundamental issue of giving birth should be left to Mother Nature and when the spare part baby eventually grows up, they will be depressed once they discover that they born with the sole purpose of being an organ or blood donor. The principle behind giving birth is to ch erish and love the baby for what they are and not for what they can do for others (Naff, 08). Enhancing and engineering unborn children should strictly be done for health purposes only and not for cosmetic or spare part reasons. There is also a possibility of widening the already devastating imbalance between the poor and the rich since genetic techniques are extremely expensive and therefore only the rich can afford. This effectively means that only the rich will be able to eradicate genetic diseases in their families whereas the poor continue wallowing in the sea of genetic diseases (Murray and Dave Holmes, 11). The possibility of breeding a super-human race is indeed a reality since these designer babies will look down on those babies without genetic enhancements. Examples in reality are those people who are born with various disabilities and they are never comfortable when in the company of a normal person. They feel inferior and they also face intolerance. Thus, this discrimina tion against various people who are born with disabilities will evidently increase (Murray and Dave Holmes, 14). There is also the likelihood of parents being carried away in correcting perfectly healthy babies. This is possible since parents will always look for any opportunity to eliminate embryos since they have a gene for a particular disease and a dangerous trend will start

Are gun control policies effective or ineffective Essay

Are gun control policies effective or ineffective - Essay Example Implementing strict and effective gun control measures serve as a platform to reduce the increasing crime and irresponsible behavior. These irrational behaviors cause the deaths of many innocent citizens. According to criminologists, intensified gun control measure of disarming all citizens is considered the most applicable means of minimizing possible effects. I concur with this argument, since this irrational behavior is in existence in developing countries. All citizens seek protection from the state and other communal means of security. In fact, gun controls do not decrease crime; the gist of the matter lies with the enforcement of laws, which is the way forward to solve the dilemma of gun control. I really admire the communal relationship in developing countries; where each individual takes the burden of the other as if it is his own. In most instances, human beings are triggered to act the way they do due to the environment they find themselves in, not really out of their innat e behavior but as environment derived behavior. According to criminologists, the possession of firearms by individuals is perceived to be a factor that contributes to the likelihood of gun fatality. When an individual finds himself in possession of a gun, which probably is not in use, he is moved to formulate ways to utilize it. In this perspective, the person ends up engaging in crime due to presence of unused guns, which could be controlled initially by restricting ownership of personal guns. This has been propagated by the fact that all individuals possess many pressing issues,

The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Hulk and The Incredible Hulk - Movie Review Example The Hulk originated as a superhero in the Ultimate Marvels comic books and has since gained world recognition and gained celebrity status as a movie hero. There has been much discussion and comparisons made between the 2003 Hulk Movie and the 2008 movie The Incredible Hulk and this will be discussed in this essay. It puts a life history to the character; he was adopted after David Banner, his father, accidentally killed his mother after causing an explosion at his lab when the government closed it down due to discovering his dangerous experiments. Baby Bruce was adopted after his father became institutionalised in a mental hospital.The 2008 movie The Incredible Hulk was directed by Louis Leterrier and the Hulk/Dr Bruce Banner was played by Edward Norton. This movie was not to be viewed as a sequel to the 2003 film and also rebooted the history of the character (Lee, 2008). Edward Norton was the screenwriter who rewrote the first draft written by Zak Penn, and attempted to base the story more on the Marvel Comic strip and the TV series than the 2003 movie had been. In this movie the Hulk was developed as a military project, a super soldier as was the Hulks character in the Ultimate Marvels comic books.... The Los Angeles Time movie review called it 'Freud for Dummies' (Dargis, 2003). There are comparisons also to make regarding the profits of the two movies. The Incredible Hulk in the US grossed $134,533,885 at the box office in its first 2 months compared to $132.2 million for the 2003 movie so whilst it appears both films were as successful inflation also has to be taken into account [1]. The films both received mixed reviews and so The Incredible Hulk had to overcome the negativity that The Hulk had received and according to many critics did not succeed its predecessor. In The Incredible Hulk an experiment goes wrong with Dr Bruce Banner being left with gamma radiation poisoning. Banner had been led to believe by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross that the purpose of the experiment was to make humans immune to gamma radiation poisoning and when the experiment fails Banners genes are mutated and he transforms into the Hulk. Like The Hulk film from 2003 the movie sees him avoiding capture by the military forces led by General 'Thunderbolt' Ross. Dr Banner seeks refuge in Brazil where he seeks to find a cure for his condition. Both films provide histories for the character and similarities do obviously occur, his love affair with Betty, and the centre of the story being the alter ego of Dr Bruce. The comparisons lye in the narration of how the Hulk developed into the alter ego of Dr Bruce Banner and the experiences he had. Bibliography [1] http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/id=incrediblehulk.htm Dargis, Manohla. "Hulk" puts a Freudian spin on the dualities of human nature, but this monster is a little too mild" New York Times (20th June 2003) 11th November 2008

Analysing and Applying Business Process Reengineering

Analysing and Applying Business Process Reengineering In the first part of this assignment the meaning of business process reengineering (BPR) is analysed. In more details, it is outlined how business processes might be reengineered to improve company or organizational performance. The themes covered are: The importance of BPR in organizations The objectives of implementing BPR The specific techniques that can be used (like process mapping) The required training The possible problems in implementation (like resistance) As about the second part, a critical evaluation is made concerning the statement of McCabe (2004: 851): BPR does not challenge hierarchical authority, but instead attempts to reconfigure authority and power relations so as to obscure them through the language of consensus. In this section of the assignment it is critically evaluated the proposition that BPR in fact does very little to question the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control and in several important respects simply reinforces them. ANALYSIS OF PART 1. The term of BPR Today the business world is characterized by unpredictable changes, under the global competition and the customers demands. To be successful in such an environment, a firm must operate with speed, flexibility, low overheads and a clearly defined customer focus. The term business process reengineering (BPR) refers to an approach that is used by organizations seeking improvements in their business performance (Anonymous, 2007). The importance of BPR There is a series of driving forces, which trigger companies to undertake reengineering projects. These are customers, competition, change, cost, technology and shareholders and they lead to a requirement of new organizational structures and an alteration of the traditional way of doing business. Organizations consider BPR as an important tool of organizational improvement, as it helps them achieve the radical change necessary for todays volatile business environment. Additionally, BPR stresses the importance of linkages within an organisation. Though its structure integrated processes are generated concerning the nature of peoples jobs and how people are grouped and organized in the working environment. What is more, through BPR peoples jobs become multidimensional instead of narrow and traditional task orientation. When the concept of process is promoted in the BPR, cross boundary teamwork is incorporated and process shifts the goal focus on performance measurement and managerial r esponsibility from a function or responsibility center to an activity derivative process concept. So, BPR defines process teams as an important element in the business environment where work becomes multidimensional, substantive and more rewarding (Anonymous, 2007). It can be concluded that the importance of BPR is found at the fact that it is a dynamic tool for improving operations. BPR provides a process view of the organisation and a way of improving processes. Using this approach a company will be organized based on processes. As a result, processes are simplified, flows are improved and non value added work is eliminated (Schroeder, 2000). BPR is a complete life cycle approach. This provides the scope for problem identification and also solutions to implement the successful business operations. BPR can significantly improve cost, quality, service and speed simultaneously, so important results are provided to customers (Thyagarajan and Khatibi, 2004). It can be supported that organisations should focus on BPR for three key reasons: Firstly, there is much to be gained by improving business process. Secondly, business processes can be controlled and finally business processes are comparatively more important than production processes (Anonymous, 2007). The objectives of BPR BPR is a fundamental element in improving business performance and profitability. The BPR objectives refer to: improved operational performance, by closing performance gaps improved competencies, by closing skill and competency gaps reduced costs and manpower savings, by application of management analysis tools and techniques improved customer services or employee quality of life increased customer satisfaction increased productivity in the workplace continuous improvement of services quality delivered quality goods at competitive prices in a timely fashion (Anonymous, 2010a). The technical tools used in BPR There are different improvement techniques that can be adopted to analyse the BPR. These techniques enable the organization to understand, simplify and improve processes that already exist, not only to meet, but also to exceed the expectations of customers and provide a coordinating discipline for overall performance improvement (Anonymous, 2007). The selection of technical tools for BPR depends upon: (i) the nature of decision areas, (ii) the nature of data to be analysed, and (iii) the background of users. Table 1. The specific techniques that can be used in BPR Areas to be reengineered Techniques used in BPR BPR strategies Decision support system and Knowledge-based models Business process system design Analytical models such as queuing and simulations models Project management PERT/CPM and Flow Charts Reengineering business process Activity-based analysis and workflow model including flow chart Design of information system for reengineering business process Object-oriented models and programming Understanding of the business process system IDEF Models, EFQM Models, Petri-Net Models (Gunasekaran and Kobu, 2002). Process Mapping is a technique known as Process Charting or Flow Charting and is one of the oldest, simplest and most valuable techniques for streamlining work. It is one of the fastest ways to lower errors, increase productivity and affect customer service. It generally follows these steps: Choose a process. Assemble a team. Map out the way work is currently done. Identify problem areas. Brainstorm solutions. Evaluate action steps. Assign responsibilities. Create a master plan. Follow through. (Anonymous, 2010b). Process Mapping is an important tool in examining work flow and customer supplier relationships, which is the foundation for appropriate improvements. Additionally, it is a cost effective training tool for everyone interesting in increasing the efficiency of their organization and improving communication. (Damelio, 1996). Many organizations use this technique as a part of their reengineering projects, as it provides a variety of benefits (figure 1). Figure 1. The main benefits of implementing process mapping technique (Image available at the website http://www.google.gr, accessed 8-10-2010) The BPR training Implementing successfully BPR in an organisations environment is not an easy task, as the appeared changes require changes in attitudes and deep involvement of workforce both in individual and team level. As a result, the fact that a major aspect of BPR is human factor, it makes obvious that appropriate training is required in order to implement successfully BPR in the business environment. Companies should ensure that their employees are suitably motivated and the technology required for training is available in implementing BPR. Training is one of the most frequently used approaches to changing the organisations mindset. A company might offer the suitable training programs so as to effectively implement BPR processes (Daft, 2006) According to White (2010) business process reengineering education and training can come in a variety of ways, including: Learning more about process design at a graduate level. Using online continuing education options for further education. Attending seminars that cover various aspects of business process reengineering. The possible problems in BPR implementation Various radical changes occur when BPR takes place. Hammer and Champy (1993, cited in Anonymous, 2007) have listed the various kinds of changes that occur when a company re-engineers its business process. A shift from functional departments to process teams Job change A reversal of the power relationship: from superordinate to subordinate empowerment . Today markets are characterized by a high flow of information and companies face competitive business environments. Under this reality, organizations must follow effective strategies concerning change management (Robbins, 2001). BPR has to do with improving company or organizational performance, so its implementation requires the changes mentioned above often in a rapid way of implementation in attitudes and deep involvement of workforce both in individual and team level. These changes often refer to redefinition of charts structure and/ or redesign of the workforces roles and responsibilities. The new situation can bring resistance to change, so managers should examine carefully the way BPR implementation will take place. Managers should support understanding and trust concerning the new situation and minimize uncertainty within the workplace. The suggestions for dealing with the possible resistance to change are the following: Determining the goals of BPR implementation. Establishing a clear view about the changes that will occur in the workplace. Applying a direct communication method between managers and employees Checking the procedures of re-engineering, so as to deal with possible problems and find solutions. Focusing on performance measures and compensation shifts Enhancing customer focus as about value change Showing an appropriate management behaviour, through control and supervision Under these suggestions the changes in the business process, lob and structures, management and measurement systems, values and beliefs will result in a flatter organizational structure. As a consequence all the aspects (people, jobs, managers and values) are linked together and the organization will become more responsive in BPR implementation (Anonymous, 2007). ANALYSIS OF PART 2. In this section it will be critically evaluated the statement of McCabe (2004: 851): BPR does not challenge hierarchical authority, but instead attempts to reconfigure authority and power relations so as to obscure them through the language of consensus. In order to make this evaluation, it is essential to introduce the issue of hierarchical authority in an organizations environment. Hierarchical structures are present in most organizations today. Smaller organizations may have only two levels, while larger ones may have a vast number of levels. These structures are used as a method of communications and as the lines of authority. In an organizational environment, the hierarchy mainly apart of a singular/group of power at the top with subsequent levels of power beneath them. Members of such structures chiefly communicate with their immediate superior and with their immediate subordinates. Hierarchical authority structures are providing the opportunity for greater decision-making width for individuals and more flexible definitions of job activities. This is a challenge to existing organizational forms (Zhao, Rosson and Purao, 2007). In a hierarchical organisation employees are ranked at various levels within the organisation, each level is one above the other. At each stage in the chain, one person has a number of workers directly under them, within their span of control. A tall hierarchical organisation has many levels and a flat hierarchical organisation will only have a few (Anonymous, 2010d). At figure 2 a traditional hierarchy is given. Figure 2. A traditional hierarchy diagram (Hierarchical Organisation, available at the website http://www.learnmanagement2.com, accessed 18-10-2010) CHIEF EXECUTIVE MANAGER MANAGER MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF It is obvious that hierarchies within control systems are a clear need for business environments. Without some form of hierarchy, a low level of control can create numerous problems in an organization. There ate two kinds of control systems: flat and hierarchical. Hierarchical architectures have a more indirect coupling of perceptions to actions through a hierarchical control structure. Both kinds of control systems have benefits, but hierarchical structure can support faster learning and a better way to deal with resistance to change (Digney, 1998) Control is a fundamental managerial function. It is the process of regulating organizational activities so that actual performance conforms to expected organizational standards and goals and ensures that necessary corrective action is taken. In fact, control is ensuring work accomplishment according to plans. It is a process of ensuring that activities are producing desired results. We can support that control is an executive function involving three elements, i.e., standards, evaluative and corrective action. BPR is the latest wave in a series of management initiatives to increase managerial control (Gupta, 2010). According to the issues covered in the analysis of part one of this assignment, business process reengineering is proved to be a revolutionary, radical change approach to improving organizational performance through transformation. BPR methodologies aim for a flatter organizational structure, promoting the development of empowered process workers who are encouraged to use information technology in radically new ways to carry out business operations. In BPR approaches, empowerment is inflicted by leadership changing worker values and through the use of information technologies enables managerial control. Empowerment through BPR does not necessarily release control but does change the way control is exercised. Authority is still enforced through hierarchical control of culture. The reengineering approach polishes the management of power relations, when attempts are made to change traditional power structures and everyday power relations through the flattening of the hierarchy (Sayer an d Harvey, 1997). The introduction of reengineering introduces a new relationship of power in the form of a discipline which the reengineering sustains through discourse control. In this new situation any discipline comes with its structures, its hierarchies, its inspections, exercises and methods of training and conditioning (Foucault, 1980, p. 158). BPR is an approach that supports transformation with the notion of producing the flatter organization. Hierarchy and control are still promoted and within BPR, the emphasis lies on changing the formal patterns and using mechanisms of control to change the informal (Sayer and Harvey, 1997). BPR is a strong tool of managerial control. Controlling is the fourth function of management process (the other functions are planning, organizing and leading). Through BPR managers can identify whether the organization is on target towards its goals and can make better corrections if necessary. In BPR, information technology is generally considered as playing a role as enabler of new forms of organizing and collaborating. New information technology can help managers provide needed organizational control without strict top down constraints. A representative example is that of Cisco Systems: By using information technology to coordinate and monitor several aspects of operations, the company keeps tabs on employee and organizational performance without maintaining daily authoritarian control over workers. Cisco employees have amazing freedom to make decision and take actions, but they also know that top managers keep a close eye on what is going on throughout the company (Daft, 2006). Most businesses try to take advantage of BPR concerning dealing with the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control. BPR assumes radical redesign of business processes. Many processes simply can not be further improved in small steps and require a complete redesign in order to improve them in a major way. Hierarchical control is a fundamental element in this effort and managers who desire to organize around outcomes, have people processed their own information, put the decision point where the work is performed and build control into the process, should support the view that BPR can reinforce the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control. BPR is a management system of forced, speedy culture change, highly linked to hierarchical control. In fact it does very little to question the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control and in several important respects simply reinforces them. CONCLUSIONS Business Process Reengineering includes changes concerning both structures and procedures defined in a business environment. Human, organizational, technological dimensions that characterize an organization can change through BPR. Using this approach, organizations can seek improvements in their business performance. As it was analysed at the first part of this assignment, organizations consider BPR as an important tool of organizational improvement, as it helps them achieve the radical change necessary for todays volatile business environment. Additionally, BPR stresses the importance of linkages within an organization. What is more, through BPR peoples jobs become multidimensional instead of narrow and traditional task orientation. In result, the importance of BPR is found at the fact that it is a dynamic tool for improving operations. BPR is a fundamental element in improving business performance and profitability. The main BPR objectives refer to improved operational performance, improved competencies, reduced costs and manpower savings, improved customer services or employee quality of life, increased customer satisfaction, increased productivity in the workplace, continuous improvement of services quality and delivered quality goods at competitive prices in a timely fashion. There are different improvement techniques that can be adopted to analyse the BPR. Among them, Process Mapping is a technique known as Process Charting or Flow Charting and is one of the oldest, simplest and most valuable techniques for streamlining work. It is a cost effective training tool for everyone interesting in increasing the efficiency of their organization and improving communication and is highly preferred by enterprises today. Implementing successfully BPR in an organisations environment is not an easy task, as a major aspect of BPR is human factor. So, companies should ensure that their employees are suitably motivated and the technology required for training is available in implementing BPR. Various radical changes occur when BPR takes place, so managers should carefully examine the strategies in change management so as to achieve the best efficiency and deal appropriately with the possible resistance to change that BPR will bring. The second part included a critical evaluation of the statement of McCabe (2004: 851): BPR does not challenge hierarchical authority, but instead attempts to reconfigure authority and power relations so as to obscure them through the language of consensus. According to the relevant analysis, within control systems are a clear need for business environments. Without some form of hierarchy, a low level of control can create numerous problems in an organization. Hierarchical structure can support faster learning and a better way to deal with resistance to change, so BPR supports the management initiatives to increase managerial control. . In BPR approaches, empowerment is inflicted by leadership changing worker values and through the use of information technologies enables managerial control. Empowerment through BPR does not necessarily release control but does change the way control is exercised. Most businesses should try to take advantage of BPR concerning dealing with the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control. This is because BPR is a management system of forced, speedy culture change, highly linked to hierarchical control. In fact it does very little to question the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control and in several important respects simply reinforces them.