Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Essay on Cognitive Science and Its Link to Artificial...

Cognitive Science and Its Link to Artificial Intelligence In recent years, researchers in the field of psychology have turned their collective attention to the developing field of cognition. The term comes from the Latin word cognoscere, meaning â€Å"to come to know†, and today is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as â€Å"the act or process of knowing, including both awareness and judgment†. Cognitive psychology seeks to identify and examine the elements composing human intelligence. This includes the study of human learning or intellectual development, problem solving, memory, the human language, and the processing and comprehension of information. These functions are often taken for granted as part of human existence. Yet,†¦show more content†¦A world without language seems inconceivable. But how is language connected to our thoughts? A central controversy in linguistics surrounds the relationship between our language and our thoughts. Does thought determine language, or does language determine tho ught? To analyze this question, linguists have first examined the structure of human language. Language can be broken down into several layers of linguistic elements. Phonetics is the most elementary. Phones are the sounds produced by the human articulatory system. All humans can articulate the same set of phones, but languages differ in their individual use of this set. [1] The two main categories of phones are consonants and vowels. These phones differ greatly in the place of articulation a human makes in producing them, as well as manner of articulation, tongue height and tongue position. Phonetics leads to phonology, which specifies how different phonetic sounds produce word differentiation. A phoneme is a collection of similar sounding phones that are perceived by the human ear as a single distinctive sound in the language. These units of speech are then combined into meaning with morphology. A morpheme is a word that cannot be broken down into a smaller word or unit. Morphemes can be free (an independent word such as â€Å"bird† or â€Å"leg†), or bound. Bound morphemes are dependent upon free morphemes for standing in a language (such as prefixes likeShow MoreRelatedDefinition : Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence )1099 Words   |  5 PagesDefinition (intelligence, Artificial Intelligence) American psychologist Lewis M. Terman and Edward L. Thorndike differed over the definition of intelligence, Terman stressing the ability to think abstractly and Thorndike emphasizing learning and the ability to give good responses to questions. More recently, however, psychologists have generally agreed that adaptation to the environment is the key to understanding both what intelligence is and what it does. Effective adaptation draws upon a numberRead MoreComputer Science And Artificial Intelligence1712 Words   |  7 PagesComputer Science Computer science can be defined as a many number of technological variables, but is primarily defined as the science and processes of information processing in computer hardware and software, as well as its applications within. Computer science is comprised of many aspects that form a larger whole, that take a practical and theoretical approach to the capabilities of computers and how they process input and output information. With computers being conceived as early as the 1830’sRead MoreHow The Society Values Computer Technology1716 Words   |  7 PagesNS160014. Computer and the Society How the Society values Computer Technology Question: Google SDK/Artificial-Intelligence: Is it Good or bad? Table of Content 1.0 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦1 1.1 My theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 1.2 Respondents opinions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 2.0 Summary and Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..10 Figures Fig 1.2.0 Do you interact with artificial intelligent systems? ........................................5 Fig 1.2.1 is it possible for human thinkingRead MoreArtificial Intelligence Concepts : The Future Of AI1711 Words   |  7 Pagessupporter of symbol manipulation. Mr. Skep Ticks is a skeptic of the aforementioned concepts and believes that AIs cannot be intelligent. Intelligence, he believes, can only be simulated by systems but not created. Having all of you seated in front of me brings about the unique opportunity to ask if either of you believe that a machine can achieve intelligence. Ayala: In order to answer this question, one must have a bit of some context information. For example, what is good old-fashioned AI? WhatRead MoreEvolution of Cognitive Psychology1105 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: EVOLUTION OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY PAPER Evolution of Cognitive Psychology PSYCH 560 Latrice T. Colbert Julie Bruno, Psy.D September 6, 2010 Cognition is a term referring to the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and comprehension, including thinking, knowing, remembering, judging and problem-solving. Not only is cognitive psychology central to everything a person does in his or her everyday life, it is also central to psychology’s quest to understand how peopleRead MoreSpeech Conversion Using Neural Networks1063 Words   |  5 PagesCS 549 TOPICS IN ARITIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TEXT TO SPEECH CONVERSION USING NEURAL NETWORKS Project Report Firstly, Artificial Intelligence was used in 1956, at the Dartmouth conference and from then it is expanded because of various proposed theories and many new principles developed by its researchers. It is an area of computer science that focusses on creating machines that can engage on behaviors of humans, solve the computational models for complex problems. Here Neural Networks are a computationalRead MoreSnapshot1702 Words   |  7 Pagesoverarching model in psychology, however, gave way to a new dominant paradigm: cognitive approaches. Humanism and existentialism Humanistic psychology was developed in the 1950s in reaction to both behaviorism and psychoanalysis. By using phenomenology, intersubjectivity and first-person categories, the humanistic approach seeks to glimpse the whole person--not just the fragmented parts of the personality or cognitive functioning. Humanism focuses on uniquely human issues and fundamental issuesRead MoreCatherine Malasa2300 Words   |  10 PagesCHRESO UNIVERSITY DISTANCE EDUCATION NAME OF SCHOOL: FACULTY OFBUSINESS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT: SOCIAL SCIENCES COMPUTER NO: PROGRAM: BARCHELAR of SCIENCE IN ECONOMICS COURSE CODE: PSY 501 LECTURER: SIKABELE CHIKUBA STUDENT: CATHERINE MALASA SEMESTER: 1ST SEMESTER 1ST YEAR ASSIGNMENT: NO 1 DUE DATE:Read More The Role of Connecting Unrelated Events in Developing Intelligence2420 Words   |  10 PagesOn the Shoulders of Giants: The Role of Connections in Developing Intelligence Abstract This paper provides motivation for making connections between unrelated events as a basis for intelligence. The ability to apply this extended information as a problem-solving technique instantiates the true nature of intelligence. Therefore, it is obvious the field of artificial intelligence should use the same approach. The way these connections are made and the occasional necessity for their modificationRead MoreKnowledge Management and Organization Behaviour8403 Words   |  34 Pagesindividuals and how individuals in turn influence organizations. Organizational behaviour is an inter-disciplinary field that draws freely from a number of the behavioural sciences, including anthropology, psychology, sociology, and many others. The unique mission of organizational behaviour is to apply the concepts of behavioural sciences to the pressing problems of management, and, more generally, to administrative theory and practice. The quest for technologies with strategic value for the organi zation

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Employee Selection and Training Essay - 792 Words

Employment Selection and Training and Development Programs HRM/420 July 2, 2012 Travis King Employment Selection and Training and Development Programs Employers face many risks in association with selection processes. Organizations must ensure that statements, overtures, and advertisements are not suspect, and its selection process is free of discrimination (Moran, 2008). There should be no references to age in the selection process, or any use of terms such as, high school student, college student, recent college graduate, boy, girl, or any terms pertaining to age in the company’s advertisement of a job description (Moran, 2008). The use of preference in advertisements in reference†¦show more content†¦The strategy the firm currently uses increases the risk to the company by dismissing other qualified applicants without justifiable reason. The law firm is recruiting a selected group which put the firm at risk of violating Title VII, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, excluding a selected class of qualified individuals. An alternative to the firmâ⠂¬â„¢s current selection process could include using more resources to recruit qualified applicants, including Internet, newspapers, and the colleges to attract a diverse group of candidates and to minimize or risks of discrimination. This process may also attract candidates whom are a better fit within the organization because the firm’s recruiting process is no longer limiting the firm to a selective group. In the last selection process, Excelsior Bank requires every new applicant to take a test, scoring the applicant on his or her psychological profile to determine whether to hire the applicant or not. The sole purpose of this test is to see if the applicant works well under pressure as a determining factor of whether the applicant is right for the job or not. Excelsior Bank did not hire Susan Morgan, who was otherwise qualified for the job because she made a low score on the test. Susan is accusing Excelsior Bank of using the test to discriminate against minorities because the test is notShow MoreRelatedEmployee Selections and Training Paper1809 Words   |  8 PagesEmployee Selection and Training The following paper will cover three real world examples of how organizations have used industrial/ organizational psychology to select and train employees. These examples are human resource departments with companies, and more specifically, Taco Bell and McDonald’s. There will be a discussion of methods used to measure the levels of success of each training program. Lastly there will be a discussion of any legal and or ethical concerns that may arise in the implementationRead MoreEmployee Testing and Selection, Training and Development Essay536 Words   |  3 Pagesexample, the practice of depending on employee referrals as a source of job applicants tends to produce job hunters who will be similar to current employees. Once the process of recruiting has developed a pool of job seekers, the next step in the process of human resource management is to decide who is the best qualified for the position. Processing an applicant for a position needs a series of steps and divergent firms will have different processes for selection. Most organizations will judge theRead MoreHuman Resource Management Summary Paper1632 Words   |  7 Pageshuman resource department. Some of the more important functions of the human resource department are recruiting, training, performance evaluation, and employee motivation. In addition, the human resource department may provide services that improve an organizations communication and workplace safety. One of the largest roles of the HR department is personnel recruiting and training. The HR managers develop plans and strategies for finding and hiring the right people for the organization. TheseRead MoreHuman Resources And Human Resource Management1679 Words   |  7 Pagesat their fingertips. So vendors keep focusing on technology to make things simpler and faster for the applicant and the recruiter. E-Selection Now that we have an understanding of e-recruiting and how it has changed Human Resources and the way they do business. We can talk about e-selection and what it does for a Human Resources department. Most people see e-selection as the perfect online tool for selecting an applicant for a certain position in an organization. [â€Å"A sophisticated web-based applicationRead MorePersonal Protective Equipment ( Ppe ) Program Project1663 Words   |  7 Pagespresent, we will as far as it is reasonably practicable remove or eliminate the hazards or exposure through engineering control. Where this is not feasible, we will select the type of PPE that will protect the employee, require that the PPE is used by the employee and communicate the selection decision to the employees. The purpose of this PPE program is to protect our employees by ensuring that the workers are trained on the use, and maintenance of the appropriate PPE. We will ensure that the PPERead MoreHuman Resource - Escape to the Wild1638 Words   |  7 PagesFINDINGS 1. 4 HR Activities Employee Relations When good employee relations are in place they can help to maintain a happy and motivated workforce. This function will be responsible for putting company policies and procedures in place regarding grievance/discipline, recruitment and selection, employee welfare, training and development, absence management/reporting and negotiating terms and conditions. Doing this will minimise conflict, ensure staff are treated fairly and creates rules thatRead MoreHr Assessment 2 Escape to the Wild1695 Words   |  7 PagesRecruitment Selection The purpose of recruitment and selection is to reduce the risk of poor selection and attract well qualified candidates to the job. Systematic planning and preparation will increase the likelihood of employing the right person for the job. Recruitment and selection is crucial to the organisations success and selection techniques such as psychological tests, practical tests and numeracy tests can be used to determine the best candidate for the job. Recruitment and selection activitiesRead MoreHuman Resources Management– Case Study1421 Words   |  6 Pagesmanagement refers to a series of human resources policies and the corresponding management activities. These activities include corporate human resources strategy, employee recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, compensation management, staff flow management, employee relationship management, employee safety and health management, etc. Namely: enterprise modern management method, is used to obtain (candidate), human resource development (education), maintain (retention)Read MoreThe Importance Of Managing The Challenges Of Recruitment And Selection Process Essay1405 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Challenges Recruitment and Selection It is important to manage the recruitment and selection process because when an organisation hires the right person who has the right skills and competencies to the job it reduces turnover. Having interviews and reference checks to ensure that the organisation employs a candidate who is reliable and carries out the objectives you planned for providing good quality work. The main objective of the recruitment and selection process is for an organisation toRead MoreBarclays Bank Five Forces Analysi of Porter1132 Words   |  5 Pagesand selection * Training and development * Motivation and rewards * Discipline and grievances * Diversity * Performance * RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF EMPLOYEES * Recruitment is concerned with inviting potential candidates to apply for a vacancy in an organisation. * Selection is concerned with choosing the most suitable of qualified candidates or applicant to fill the vacancy. * THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS; The recruitment and selection process

Monday, December 9, 2019

Essay for Consequentialist and Deontology-myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theEssayfor Objectivist, Consequentialist and Deontology. Answer: Professional Code of ethics in ICT for IT professionals helps to fill the gaps in the rules and regulations and help them to conduct business in an ethical manner (Brady 2014). These codes act as guiding principles for the IT professionals. These ethics are widened and that are more than human beings, their intentions, actions and characters. It includes rights, virtue, relativist, objectivist, consequentialist and Deontology. These professional codes of ethics explain the ethical considerations that are required for IT professionals to work ethically. They are important for the ICT industry and therefore, the following essay deals with the explanation of the theories and their relation to the professional code of ethics and practice in ICT industry. Rights in the ethical theory states that the rights established by the society must be protected on highest priority. These rights are considered to be ethically valid and correct as they are being endorsed by a large section of population. A major complication of this theory on larger scale is the members of the society who are designing this ethical theory of rights must try to decipher the characteristics of rights in the society. The characteristics of the rights can only be framed based on the society goals and their ethical priorities (Ruggie 2013) The ethical theory of Virtue judge a person on the basis of his or her character and not by the action that may at times deviate from the his or her normal behaviour. Thus the ethical theory of virtue or the Virtue theory is a particular approach of ethics that gives immense importance on an individuals character. It considers the individuals character as one of the key element in thinking rather than rules about the acts of themselves (Deontology) or their consequences (Consequentialism). There are three main domains of the Virtue Ethics Eudaimonism: It is the classical formulation of Virtue Ethics. Eudaimonism deals with happiness, well-being and good life and the virtue of good life is practice of goodness and well being for achieving practical wisdom and this will resolve the associated dilemmas and other conflicts. Ethics of Care: It emphasises the importance of solidarity, community and relationships rather than focusing of the universal standards and impartiality. Agent Based Theories: It is based on the virtue of the common sense intuitions (Russell 2013). As per the ethics of rights, one person may allow his or her friend to borrow the laptop for a certain span of time and the friends who has imparted the ability of borrowing the laptop has the right over the laptop up to the afternoon only. On the other hand, the ethics of virtue preach that if a person has written a plagiarised algorithm and were later detect by a peer, the peer who knows the person inside out will judge this act of copy right issue accordingly. If the plagiariser normally abide by the copyright rule and has a good reputation among friends then the peer will be able to judge the plagiariser more leniently. Perhaps the software developer found guilty in this case has to work late at night and has mistakenly overlooked to credit the source appropriately (Donnelly 2013). In Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Industry the ethics of rights states that the one must observe a highest degree of transparency and professionalism while dealing with the client. The company gas given the authority to client to avail the service of the company and now the said employees of the ICT industry is bound to abide by the right of privilege given by the company to the client. The employees must respect the individual differences and diversity while maintaining the confidentiality of the client. In the domain of ethics of virtue, the ICT Company consider a persons previous performance before judging him or her the basis the action committed for a particular day (Durkheim 2013). The connection between the code and the theories states that the if a person is given some right or the privilege to enjoy something then he or she has the full right to enjoy the same but that too within the stipulated deadline only. On the other hand the ethics of virtue states that if the a person shall never be judged on the basis of a particular act of negligence committed for the first time. The judging is based on consideration of his or her future performance. Relativism is a particular view that states that the moral principles are being driven by the culture (conventionalism) or by the mindset of the individual (subjectivism). Since different culture nurture different principles, one particular culture has no right to judge the morals of the other culture. Thus relativism states that the moral principals are valid but vary from culture to culture (Quintelier and Fessler 2012). Objectivism states that moral principles are valid for all individuals and cultures however; there are different levels of objectivism (Bjrnsson 2012). Ethical relativism rejects the idea of universal morality. The moral principles according to the concept of relativism are contextual, depending on the individual or the society. If the concept of subjectivism holds true, then the law and the court will have nothing to do as because the only standards by which a person can be judged is by his own. However, there lies a criticism above this argument for example slaveholders were dominant in the cultures and as per their culture holding slaves was right. On the other hand, as per the objectivism, the views that are universal are valid for all the people for all times (Workman 2012). The personal code of ethics as per the ICT industry on the light of relativism states that what is right or wrong depends on the mindset of that particular individual. This claims that the opinions, which are being generated by different persons, vary substantially depending on the subjectivism and conventionalism. On the other hand, the ethics of objectivism states that moral facts are not personal, rather physical and does not depends on what a particular person thinks about it. The objectivism theory is further subdivided into to domain Duty Based Theories (or Deontological Theories): What is morally right or wrong depends on the kind of act Consequentialist Theories (or Teleological Theories: What is morally right of wrong depends on the surrounding environment and the consequences (Durkheim 2013). The connection between the codes and the theories lies in the fact that the if a person is doing something wrong, he or she will be judged on the basis of the surrounding consequences that have compelled him or her to perform such acts. (Teleological/Objectivism) will be judged based on his or her mindset where his or her, upbringing, culture and the point of thought will be taken in consideration (relativism). The consequentialist vs deontology is dominant theories in the contemporary normative ethics. These are dominant theories that are relevant to the ICT industry and act as guiding principle for the IT professionals. Deontology as explained by Immanuel Kant states that rightness is determined by rightness of the act rather than its outcomes (Stahl et al. 2014). On the other hand, consequentialism explains that one might sacrifice innocent for the greater good. For example, while solving an ethical question, consequentialism states that one might have to sacrifice the innocent for the good whereas, deontology forbid one to act on the grounds that it violates the rights of the innocent person and violates his or her moral constraint. Consequentialism gives more importance to the results rather than action. Moreover, it focuses on the fact that best outcomes mean best action (Burmeister et al. 2014). On a contrary, deontology and virtue ethics completely rejects consequentialism and focus es on actions rather than outcomes. If actions were justified, hence the best outcomes would be achieved. This is the major difference between deontology, virtue vs consequentialism in code of ethics. For example, deontology solves an ethical question on the basis that whether he has broken the moral values and consequentialism would condemn the convict based on his actions that has caused real harm. A major criticism on consequentialism explains that it is not bothered by intentions or motivations, as an action done with the best intention is considered morally wrong if the results are sour. Conversely, a deontologist favors the sinister intentional acts if it is morally right and brings positive outcomes. Consequentialism is criticized in a way where it is judged on actions that are already being performed and results are out rather than explaining that right action is that one ought to do (Himma and Bottis 2014). Conversely, deontological accounts for the moral values like virtue ethics on the persons character, however, in ICT, Hon Michael Kirby points out those ICT professionals who work outside these external regulations helps to maximize the benefit to the society (Weckert and Lucas 2013). While solving problems, deontology ethics is concerned with good outcomes that pose ethical problems. It is concerned with the persons outcomes against the imperative or some duty. In IC T, it is the principle guiding rule or the IT professionals. According to Kant, it is the fundamental ethical rule to respect ones dignity being a categorical imperative. Concisely, the ethical model of deontology states that in ICT, it is important for IT professionals to follow moral absolutes bounded to rules where moral decisions should be taken based on rights of others and ones duty. In this era of ICT, inventions have both negative and positive impacts on the society. Therefore, professional code of ethics is designed to explain the actions of IT professionals in the ICT industry. The ethics of right and ethics of virtue provides benefit to the person for whom the right has been designed and judge the person based on future performance. The ethics of objectivism propose to judge a person based on the surrounding consequence and relativism judge the person from point of upbringing, culture and mindset. The ethics of virtue measures action on a set of virtues to explain that are these actions being intended by virtues or not. On a contrary, the right ethics explains that it is the innate ability of a human being to judge actions based on right and wrong that cannot be same for all human beings. The virtue ethics aligns with deontology and rejects consequentialism strongly. Relativism ethics explains that moral principles are considered valid, however vary in diffe rent culture, therefore, the question is how a person can be judged as argued by Ruth Benedict, the conventionalist (Floridi 2013). On the other hand, objectivism holds the viewpoint that although moral principles vary in different cultures, certain moral values are valid for all cultures and individuals. References Bjrnsson, G., 2012. Do objectivistfeatures of moral discourse and thinking support moral objectivism?.The Journal of ethics,16(4), pp.367-393. Brady, D., 2014. Ethics: IT Professional Pillar or Pillory!.Mondo Digitale, p.2. Burmeister, O., Al-Saggaf, Y., Schwartz, M. and Johnson, L., 2014. Internet resources to help Australian ICT professionals identify and solve ethical challenges. ACIS. Donnelly, J., 2013.Universal human rights in theory and practice. Cornell University Press. Durkheim, E., 2013.Professional ethics and civic morals. Routledge. Floridi, L., 2013.The ethics of information. Oxford University Press. Himma, K. and Bottis, M., 2014. The Digital Divide: Information Technologies and the Obligation to Alleviate Poverty. InEthics and Emerging Technologies(pp. 333-346). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Quintelier, K.J. and Fessler, D.M., 2012. Varying versions of moral relativism: the philosophy and psychology of normative relativism.Biology Philosophy,27(1), pp.95-113. Ruggie, J.G., 2013.Just Business: Multinational Corporations and Human Rights (Norton Global Ethics Series). WW Norton Company. Russell, D.C. ed., 2013.The Cambridge companion to virtue ethics. Cambridge University Press. Stahl, B.C., Eden, G., Jirotka, M. and Coeckelbergh, M., 2014. From computer ethics to responsible research and innovation in ICT: The transition of reference discourses informing ethics-related research in information systems.Information Management,51(6), pp.810-818. Weckert, J. and Lucas, R., 2013.Professionalism in the information and communication technology industry. ANU Press. Workman, M., 2012. Rash impulsivity, vengefulness, virtual-self and amplification of ethical relativism on cyber-smearing against corporations.Computers in Human Behavior,28(1), pp.217-225.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Television Essay Example For Students

Television Essay TelevisionThe start of the television market all began in 1897 by K.F. Braun. Heinvented the cathode ray tube which would become the screen of most televisionsets. In 1925 C. Francis Jankins had used some ideas from a Scottish engineer,A. A. Campbell, to create images on the screens. The United States navy usedthis new technology to transfer images back and forth to its ships. In 1929 David Sarnoff invested $50 million dollars into the developmentof television sets. In 1935 Sarnoff committed RCA to the development oftelevision sets. Several networks had to begun to form in Europe such as theBritish Broadcasting Corporation which provided the first television service. We will write a custom essay on Television specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Programs were only shown for 3 hours per day. During the next year the unitedstates set up eleven television stations. RCA demonstrated a television set atthe New York Worlds Fair were Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke before a camerabecoming the first president to appear on television. In 1940 the Colombian Broadcast company demonstrated its example ofcolor television. World War II brought the development of television to a standstill. All materials had to go to the war effort. At the end of the war NBCmade the first made for television movie. During the time between 1946 and 1951 the radio market was over taken bythe demand for televisions. Over 3 million sets had been sold by 1951. 1950s were the beginning of the color broadcast. They were done atnight during the week days. In 1957 the first newscast was taped on videocassette changing the way television shows would be produced forever. In 1957Public Television was formed. Since then color television has been reinvented but still remains colortelevision. Music and Movies

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Gun Control vs. Gun Rights essays

Gun Control vs. Gun Rights essays Since the days of the pioneers of the United States, firearms have been part of the American tradition as protection and a means of hunting or sport. As we near the end of the 20th century the use of guns has changed significantly. Because of fast and steady increase in crime and the fight for the right to own a hand gun, the introduction of legislation for gun control, to try to reduce the crime in the United States, has been a hotly debated issue in recent years. Although many people feel that gun control violates the right of the people, given in the second amendment "the right to bear arms", controlling distribution and sales and the registration of guns and gun owners is necessary because of the homicide rate involving guns and the violence by Many people feel that gun control violates the right of the people given in the second amendment the right "to bear arms". Opponents of gun control, including the National Rifle Association, better known as the NRA, argue that the "right To bear arms" is guaranteed in the second amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and licensing restrictions penalize law-abiding citizens while in no way preventing criminal use of handguns. It is also argued that by making it difficult for guns to be bought and registered for the American public there is a threat to the personal safety of American families everywhere. However controlling the sale and distribution of firearms is necessary because of the homicide rate involving guns. In 1988 there were 9000 handgun related murders in America. Metropolitan centers and some suburban communities of America are setting new records for homicides by handguns. Larger Metropolitan centers have ten times the murder rate of all Western Europe. For example in Washington,D.C. there was an estimated 400 In addition gun control has been seen ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Surprising History of Black People in Germany

The Surprising History of Black People in Germany The German census does not poll residents on race, following World War II, so there is no definitive number of the population of black people in Germany. One report  by  the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance  estimates there are 200,000 to 300,000 black people living in Germany, although other sources guess that number is higher, upwards of 800,000.   Regardless of the specific numbers, which dont exist, black people are a minority in Germany, but they still are present and have played an important role in the countrys  history.  In Germany, black people are typically referred to as Afro-Germans (Afrodeutsche) or black Germans (Schwarze  Deutsche).   Early History Some historians claim that the first, sizable influx of Africans came to Germany from Germanys African colonies in the 19th century. Some black people living in Germany today can claim ancestry dating back five generations to that time. Yet Prussias colonial pursuits in Africa were quite limited and brief (from 1890 to 1918), and far more modest than the British,  Dutch and French powers. Prussias South West African colony was the site of the first mass genocide committed by Germans in the 20th century. In 1904, German colonial troops countered a revolt with the massacre of three-quarters of the Herero population in what is now Namibia. It took Germany a full century to issue a formal apology to the Herero for that atrocity, which was provoked by a German extermination order (Vernichtungsbefehl). Germany still refuses to pay any compensation to the Herero survivors, although it does provide foreign aid to Namibia.   Black Germans Prior to World War II After World War I, more blacks, mostly French Senegalese soldiers or their offspring, ended up in the Rhineland region and other parts of Germany. Estimates vary, but by the 1920s, there were about 10,000 to 25,000 black people  in Germany, most of them in Berlin or other metropolitan areas. Until the Nazis came to power, black musicians and other entertainers were a popular element of the nightlife scene in Berlin and other large cities. Jazz, later denigrated as Negermusik (Negro music) by the Nazis, was made popular in Germany and Europe by black musicians, many from the U.S., who found life in Europe more liberating than that back home. Josephine Baker in France is one prominent example. Both the American writer and civil rights activist W.E.B. du Bois and the suffragist Mary Church Terrell studied at the university in Berlin. They later wrote that they experienced far less discrimination in Germany than they had in the U.S. The Nazis and theBlack Holocaust When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1932, the racist policies of the Nazis impacted other groups besides the Jews. The Nazis racial purity laws also targeted gypsies (Roma), homosexuals, people with mental disabilities  and black people. Precisely how many black Germans died in Nazi  concentration camps  is not known, but estimates put the figure at between 25,000 and 50,000. The relatively low numbers of black people in Germany, their wide dispersal across the country and the Nazis focus on the Jews were some factors that made it possible for many black Germans to survive the war.   African Americans in Germany The next influx of black people to Germany came in the wake of World War II when many African-American GIs were stationed in Germany.   In Colin Powells  autobiography My American Journey, he  wrote  of  his tour of duty in West Germany in 1958 that for ... black GIs, especially those out of the South, Germany was a breath of freedom -   they could go where they wanted, eat where they wanted and date whom they wanted, just like other people. The dollar was strong, the beer good, and the German people friendly. But not all Germans were as tolerant as in Powells experience. In many  cases, there was resentment of the black GIs having relationships with white German women. The children of German women and black GIs in Germany were called occupation children† (Besatzungskinder) - or worse.  Mischlingskind  (half-breed/mongrel child) was one of the least offensive terms used for half-black children in the 1950s and 60s.   More About the Term 'Afrodeutsche' German-born blacks are sometimes called Afrodeutsche (Afro-Germans)  but the term is still not widely used by the general public. This category includes people of African heritage born in Germany. In some cases, only one parent is black But just being born in Germany does not make you a German citizen. (Unlike many other countries, German citizenship is based on the citizenship of your parents and is passed on by blood.) This means that black people born in Germany, who grew up there and speak fluent German, are not German citizens unless they have at least one German parent. However, in 2000, a new German naturalization law made it possible for black people and other foreigners to apply for citizenship after living in Germany for three to eight years. In the 1986 book, Farbe Bekennen  -   Afrodeutsche Frauen auf den Spuren Ihrer Geschichte, authors May Ayim  and  Katharina Oguntoye  opened up a debate about being black in Germany. Although the book dealt primarily with black women in German society, it introduced the term Afro-German into the German language  (borrowed from Afro-American or African American) and also sparked the founding of a support group for blacks in Germany, the ISD (Initiative Schwarzer Deutscher).

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Research Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Research Methods - Assignment Example The research is divided into various topics that clearly explain each theme that the research is based on. Firstly, it focuses on various causes of absenteeism in schools. In this the roles of parents, teachers and the community at large of ensuring that students are always in schools are analyzed. Secondly, the article gives a connection between the absenteeism and exam failure. In this case, the essay explains in depth how school work accumulated up to a level that the student can no longer catch up with other students. Lastly, the study highlights the kind of life that the student lives once they clear school. In this case, the essay demonstrates how the student fails to fit well into the community. According to the research, the student will end being not very useful to the society should measures to restore them are not considered. The intention of this study was to probe the effect of constant communication on the general performance of online modules. The article makes an argument around the worth of effective communication in online units and the rationale of the achievement a scholar experiences when they succeed in an online course. The purpose the research is to find justification, to some aforementioned interests. Accordingly, the researcher was conducted in eight week through the analysis of students of an online module. This investigation incorporated the following strategy to observe classroom activity and online communication amongst student’s geographical location, maturity and cultural diversity are the most imperative fundamental dynamics. Additionally, the considerable statistics gathered by Mouffe, (2013) in their study describe the prospective consequences of failures and success was predictable. The research paper is divided into two parts; the first part investigates extent of the relationship between tutors and online students. In this the paper finds out various channels and

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Chinese literature paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese literature paper 2 - Essay Example eturn, there is an understanding of the accepted identity of the time frame, specifically as it relates to the cultural and social concepts that are a part of China. Questioning how identity is formed and how it relates to other aspects of the culture not only provides a story used through this time, but also shows a deeper meaning of the concepts associated with the lifestyle of this time frame. The Story of the Stone is known as a unique literary work because of the time frame it was written in. The story was written in the mid 18th century at the height of the Qing Dynasty. The story is also known to be based on the biography of the writer and his lifestyle during this time with regard to the memorial of those that are around him. The focus is on the women that Cao knows through his lifetime and the identity that they hold within his life and in society. This is specifically associated with the Qing Dynasty, which was known for changing the social and economic status into the present day. The dynasty was built on establishing a centralized system and reached the golden age of the emperors from the establishment. The social construction that is a part of this leads to contradictions of the past traditions as well as the movement into more contemporary establishments. The foundation of the social standing begins to change with specific aspects that are linked directly to th e movie and the social reform that was continuing to accommodate to society at this time (Rowe, 5 – 30). The Story of the Stone is one that is representative of the transitions of the Qing Dynasty and shows how the identity of the characters in the book reflects the transitions. The women that are in the book reflect both the traditions of the old dynasty as well as the newer and modern reforms that were a part of the social changes of the time. The stories and the autobiographical recounts of the author are able to display the lifestyle at the time, the sense of identity that is

Sunday, November 17, 2019

An overview of the history issues and laws on runaway children and teens Essay Example for Free

An overview of the history issues and laws on runaway children and teens Essay Runaway Kids When children and teens have to deal with abuse, family, depression, or any other issues for an extensive period of time without getting the help they may run away. When a kid has these problems and they are unable to get help then why would they stick around and wait for dad to come home? The process in which our government finds and helps runaway children is not up to a standard that keeps them from falling into the streets and succumbing to sex, drugs, and violence. Runaway children and teens who have been recorded for centuries. Whether it is due to controlling parents forcing their kids into arranged marriages or legally disowning them for various reasons. During the Great Depression Era, children of all ages would leave home looking for work or food to provide for their families or themselves. Ever since the government passed the child labor laws, children could not help provide for their families through a job. So their families either kicked them out or sent them out to find better fortune somewhere else. They would travel together, hopping from train to train, therefore they were called the Box Car Kids. A little later around 1945 to 1963 sterilization laws were passed which allowed institutions to sterilize individuals against their will. Runaway kids would get detained and if a guardian or parent did not pick them up then they would be sterilized. The era this occurred in was called the Eugenic Era, it spawned from the thought of making a utopian society. Drug ridden, crazy, violent, scared children were not fit to reproduce. Issues for these children usually begin at home, with abuse acting as a major component. When abuse is not noted and solved, or the child isnt removed from the environment, then the child may feel like it is their responsibility to solve this when no one else will. No kid should have to face this, when they finally realize that they can’t deal with an abusive parent, sibling, or guardian at home then they resort to fleeing the situation. Some kids are brought up in homes that have been broken for generations, ridden with drug or alcohol abusing parents. Throwaways are children that parents do not want and have kicked out of their homes. This makes things even more difficult when police finally bring the kid back home but the parent does not want them there. This causes mental issues to occur or grow in the child. These problems include diseases such as depression, anxiety, which could branch into self-harm, self-image issues, acting out, drug abuse, underage drinking, along with many other harmful activities. Teens may turn to drugs and or drink at sometimes a very young age to cope with the hardships they face at home, school, or with personal issues. Whether they turn to them before running away and being exposed to the streets or beforehand, there is a high likelihood of it. The law about runaways differs from that of abductees. This matters because of the effort put into each one, for example, amber alerts, and simply the effort put into finding the child. A private investigator says, â€Å"that since the kids just ran away and do not seem to be abducted it is a lot harder to get help from the law enforcement, or get the word out by using the Amber Alert System.† (Janis, 2) An amber alert is only put out for abductees because the state knows they are in imminent danger and that they know for a fact that they do not have time to waste in finding them. There should be an alert sent out that is almost as mainstream as an amber alert. Although they are not in the clutches of a specific person or group of people, there is an extremely high possibility of them being in the same situation soon. The NCMEC or National Center for Missing and or Exploited Children is who people are supposed to call to help find their children along with the police. The problem is that this board is not very familiar with, at least not nearly as much as the amber alert system. Another problem is that the police cannot chase these kids across state lines with no leads or jurisdiction. There are far too many missing children alerts in police headquarters for all or even half to be noticed at one time and be helped. If the child gets outside of the county to city limits past state lines, to possibly across the country that is just lessening the chance of them being found. The further away from the last place they were seen the less the state and government can or will do for them. Depending on how much effort the family puts in, the story will fade out and they could be lost for an extended period of time whether the child is attempting to be gone that long or they got hurt, legitimately lost, trapped, or killed. Children who run away usually attempt during the summer. Due to obvious reasons such as, they are not freezing, they can sleep, can travel outside with more leisure, and stay away from home for a longer amount of time. Whereas in colder temperatures these things are not available, they usually go back home in a matter of days or weeks. Most runaways return home in 48 hours to two weeks generally, warm or cold climate. If a child has run away before he or she is likely to run away again for the same reasons; if they feel trapped or pressured again by something/ someone else as they did before. On the other side of the spectrum, this is not what happens when the child runs away, the consequence of them coming back home, it is why they felt like they could not live at home anymore. Now sometimes a child will just leave home out of spite, adventure, petty reason or argument. These children will usually return home in a short amount of time, if not the same day. But for the children/young teens that leave home in fear of their own safety, or have gotten kicked out may feel the need to stay away for a longer period of time. A child may have to throw away their own innocence at such a young age and act on their own to take care of themselves, and in so being subjected to a very dangerous environment. When many runaway kids flock to large cities to hide perhaps find fortune that they lacked at home. There are far too many stories of children running to cities such as Los Angeles. There are cars waiting at mega bus stops to pick up these kids and befriend them then trap them into prostitution, drug trades, or gangs; this frightens kids even more. The streets in these places are totally different at night, and in some areas, you don’t want to be walking around in any period of the day. Being alone and young they are vulnerable to mugging, rape, abduction, etc. At night they may have to stay in an abandoned building because youth shelters will be full or not allow teens under 18 to stay there. They are a liability, they are under their parent’s jurisdiction. If kids go to these shelters then social services will get involved, and they will make them go back home. If the home is not safe then they will find temporary housing until the service gets a court order. But if t he child does not wish to do that they will hide out in abandoned places where other kids, or older homeless people, junkies, or gangs stay. One in three girls is solicited for drugs within the first 72 hours of hitting the streets. The longer they are out there the harder it is to leave. Drugs seem like a place to go for solace when living in the harshness of the streets. Kids and adults use drugs as a way to escape their problems, but in reality, the drugs only decrease their ability to survive and find a job if they are over eighteen. Once these kids get hooked on drugs such as heroin, cocaine, meth, it is hard to get out of the cycle of needing a fix. Another factor that is brought into the child’s life is prostitution. Being dragged into sex trafficking just brings up so many terrible things that happen with this such as disease and rape. â€Å"But run where when there are 30,000 teenagers who have fled their homes in New York and only 400 emergency shelter beds, 13,000 runaways in New Jersey with a safe haven for only 300, and 10,000 in Connecticut with room for just 115? Even if a runaway finds a bed in a crisis center, where does he or she go after reaching the 30 days federal limit for sanctuary in an emergency shelter?† (Gross, 1) It is a sad thing that these are ordinary numbers, that these numbers for runaway children are realistic at all. There are not enough youth shelters, for kids to be able to flee to a haven when their home isn’t safe. Children need a place of solace and safety so they do not feel the need to turn to the streets and drugs. Unfortunately, shelters have run out of space. This has occurred so drastically that some cities have had to start using hotels to house all of these kids. This is a temporary and weak plan with many holes that should not have to happen in the first place. A government should spend more money on building bigger shelters and hiring professionals to turn these children’s lives around. Instead, the state is using hotels with empty space to let children roam as they please, and spiral out of control. Really this is simply giving them an upgrade to living on the streets, it is a drug house. â€Å"The Capri Motel is one of the places child and family services house kids in care. But listen to how one teen, a girl we are calling Katrina, describes the hotel she was placed in for several months (Barghouti, 1).† â€Å"Sometimes there would be other hotel rooms open through johns and hookers and older people, I guess to drink or party (Katrina, 1).† â€Å"That you guys saw (Barghouti, 1).† â€Å"Yeah, a lot of the kids would go hang out with them and do drugs and party with them (Katrina, 1).† When children do get back home or get placed into a foster care they have a lot of catching up to do with their family and lives. If therapy didn’t cost nearly as much as it does, then maybe the country could be impacted on a really widespread level. People can make a change to alter the mindset of the government to show this growing problem. One of these countries priorities is to keep people off the streets and in jobs, but with diminishing futures, for these kids, that priority is not going to be fulfilled. Treating teenagers like children but trying them as adults need to stop. Children becoming runaways or throwaways has to be prevented and the signs are seen early so that they can get help. Having someone to listen to them and see signs of abuse, and depression; This can save a child’s life from being taken by the streets. Work Cited Blanchard, Jayne. Cast shines despite Polaroid Stories. Washington Times, The (DC). Article. 2 August. 2003. Janis, Linzie. REAL-LIFE ROMEO AND JULIET Good Morning America (ABC.) 5 Sept. 2013. Article. 12 Dec 2014. Gross, Jane. Fleeing Abuse to the Streets; Shelters Cant Keep Pace With Increase in Runaways. The New York Times. The New York Times, 17 Dec. 1997. Web. 07 Jan. 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/18/nyregion/fleeing-abuse-to-the-streets-shelters-can-t-keep-pace-with-increase-in-runaways.html?pagewanted=2. Moseley, Wendy. Teens in CFS care in Winnipeg hotels say theyve seen prostitution, drugs. National (CBS Television). Article. Sept. 9, 2011. Teen Runaways- Parenting Teens. Teen Runaways- Parenting Teens. N.p., n.d. Web. 30. Dec. 2014 http://www.teenhelp.com/parenting-teens/teen-runaways.html.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Essay --

My long-term goal is to transition into academia and ultimately become a full Professor in Epidemiology at an academic institution. My goal is to develop a nationally recognized research program, engage in extramurally-funded multidisciplinary research, teach intermediate or advanced graduate level epidemiology courses, mentor graduate students, and engage in university and professional service. Several themes have emerged in my life that make me well suited for a career in Epidemiology, a passion for research and a strong desire to make an impact on the lives of others. My primary interest in public health is chronic disease epidemiology, mainly the underlying etiologies of and effective preventive measures of chronic diseases. I am particularly interested in researching cardiovascular disease and diabetes in traditionally disadvantaged or underserved populations. As an epidemiologist, I want to master the skills of effective research, work to improve the processes of epidemiologic research, and successfully educate minority populations so they are empowered to choose healthy lifestyles. As a lifelong student, learning must precede anything I do. When I first came to the United States, I fell in love with the English language and wanted to be able to speak eloquently. To pursue my goal I immersed myself in books and media, mainly Schoolhouse Rock to acquire grammatical and syntactical knowledge. Then I worked persistently to learn the proper mechanics of the language. Today, the area of my pursuit is different, but the principle is the same. Through extensive study and practice I want to discover novel, paradigm-shifting approaches to addressing health disparities in the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of common chronic dis... ...because there seems to be endless opportunities for personal and professional growth within its multiple research institutes and centers as well as hospital partners and clinics. Additionally, the health disparities concentration offered to students by the School of Public Health caters to my future career goals as well as provides me the opportunity to enhance my skills. As an English learner, I am accustomed to uncertainty but have also experienced the payoff of staying the course and not being afraid to face adversity. As a child, whenever I would become overwhelmed with phonetics or grammar, I would repeat the mantra, "Today I am a student and tomorrow I hope to be a better one." Continued learning is also essential to becoming an epidemiologist. I have no doubt I will carry on this perseverance, tenacity and work ethic in order to thrive as a PhD student.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Drowsy Chaperone

The Drowsy Chaperone The Drowsy Chaperone is an interesting show that was performed from October 31st to November 4th at Westminster College. The show is a parody of people in the 1920’s. The story revolves around a middle aged man in a chair who is a theatre fan who plays his favorite record for the audience to hear. The record is The Drowsy Chaperone and from start to finish the audience is in for a unique experience within this play. This play is comedic, upbeat and has a heartwarming story.The whole show mainly focuses on the relationship between the glamorous show girl Janet Van De Graaff and the handsome, poised Robert Martin; the main characters of the show in Westminster’s productions were played by Hannah Timm and Ian Davis. They did an extraordinary job in all of their appearances. Being involved in The Drowsy Chaperone was a special experience for me. This was the first show that I had speaking lines in, acted and performed in and was involved in helping with the construction and deconstruction of the set pieces. I have been involved in musicals and theatrical productions for six years now.Within those six years this year the year I was involved in The Drowsy Chaperone by far was my favorite production. This is due to the fact that I was highly involved in different aspects of the show. I greatly enjoyed being involved within the production of The Drowsy Chaperone as much as I was. I believe by being highly involved within the production of The Drowsy Chaperone, it has given me a better perspective to the work involved other than acting into developing a show. There is a ton of the work that goes into developing a play and I was always highly aware of this.However, now I am much more aware about the set design and it makes me appreciate the actual show much more because of it. At times I thought things were unnecessary when we were producing the set pieces for example the day when we would paint all of the trim multiple times in various colors. First we painted the molding in a bright yellow, then a light brown then dark brown also, an orange glaze may have been added if I remember correctly. I did not understand the point in painting the molding so many times. I vaguely remember thinking we should just have bought dark brown paint and just used that.I was thinking it would save us a lot more time and we could move onto a different more important project. Now, I understand that everything is important when producing a set this includes the smaller details. By repainting the molding numerous times it added depth to the wood. This helped add to the overall look to the set. Every minor detail is important even if it seems unnecessary at the time it reality it is important. Once the whole set was built and completely done I understood why so much time and effort was devoted to the set and how important the minor details were.I have been in numerous productions in the theatre since middle school. I always knew that tim e was devoted into producing a set; however, I did not have a deep appreciation for the set. My opinion has changed drastically since being involved in the production of The Drowsy Chaperone. By being involved with in the construction process and set design I now have a better understanding of what it entails. The set pieces tell their own story within the actual show. Everything that is designed and placed within a set has a purpose.There is a reason as to why it is placed and a reason to why it was designed in the first place. I learned numerous things while working on the set. Some of these things were; learning how to use the power tools, panting techniques, how to putty, building and helping construct certain objects. I had the pleasure of working on various projects I worked on the following things; constructing a door, painting the walls, painting the molding, helping construct the bed, working on the refrigerator, helping hang the mirror, helping hang the curtains, painting the statute pieces, helping with the windows.When the opening night of the show came I became nervous for the audience to see the sets and backdrops, this was the first time that this had ever happened to me. , The Drowsy Chaperone is a unique show that is revolved around the 1920’s. Westminster College did a production of the show this year. The performers within the show did a memorable job. I enjoyed being involved within this show because I was involved in other things besides acting. The time and dedication to put on the show and the effort of the performers, workers, and faculty is shown. The Drowsy Chaperone is truly a memorable experience.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Kamkhya Temple Essay

The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation. Shakti is known as Kamakhya. The Kamakhya Temple, which is situated high up on a hill called Neelachal Parbat or Kamagiri in the city of Guwahati, is one of its several religious landmarks, which speaks volumes about the rich historical treasure over which the state of Assam is settled. This sacred temple in the heart of the capital city of Assam holds more than it meets the eye of the spectator. The Kamakhya Temple had been built in admiration to Goddess Kamakhya or Sati, who was one of the numerous incarnations of Goddess Durga or Goddess Shakti. History The temple is situated a few kilometers away from the Guwahati Railway Station, and is open for visitors throughout the year. The exact date of the original temple is not known. It is believed that, the temple is an ancient temple. The Temple was rebuilt in 1665, after being destroyed by Muslim invaders. It was probably an ancient Khasi sacrificial site, sacrifices are still very much part of worship here. Group of devotees arrive each morning with goats to offer to Shakti. Although little is known about the early history of the temple, the first reference to the place has been traced back to the Allahabad inscriptions of Emperor Samudragupta. There is a legend attached to the history of the temple, which goes way back to the mythological age. According to the legend, Sati the wife of Lord Shiva (one of the holy Trinities in Hindu mythology) took her life at a `Yagna` ceremony that had been organized by her father Daksha, because she could not bear the insults hurled at her husband by her father. On hearing the news of his wife`s death, Shiva, the destroyer of all that was evil flew into a rage and punished Daksha by replacing his head with that of a goat. Torn between misery and blind fury, Shiva picked up the corpse of his beloved wife Sati and performed a dance of destruction called the `Tandava`. The intensity of the destroyer`s fury was so overwhelming that it took several Gods to pacify his anger. In the midst of this struggle, Sati`s corpse accidentally got cut into 51 parts by the disc in the hands of Lord Vishnu (also one of the Trinities in Hindu mythology), and her female genitalia or `Yoni` fell on the spot where the Kamakhya temple stands today, forming one of the many Shakti `Peethas` adorning the rest of her body parts. But the place where her uterus fell was not known till the god of love, Kamadeva, searched it out to rid himself of a certain curse of Brahma`s. Kama regains his body here. The place came to be known as `Kamarup` and the presiding deity as `Kamakhya` or one worshipped by Kama. Another legend says that the demon Narakasura fell in love with Goddess Kamakhya once and he wanted to marry her. But as a goddess cannot marry a demon or asura, Goddess Kamakhya played a trick to save herself. She laid a condition that she would marry him only if he builds a temple for her within one night. Narakasura agreed to it and almost finished building the temple overnight. This scared Goddess Kamakhya and before the final steps of the temple were completed, a cock was sent to cry cock-a-doodle-do to announce the arrival of the morning, before it was actually dawn. This made Narakasura very angry and he killed the cock on that spot. But according to the condition Narakasura couldn`t marry Goddess Kamakhya after that. It is said that the present Kamakhya temple is the same that Narakasura had made for the Goddess. Still another Legend says that Shakti, the mother Goddess, challenged the supreme creative power of Bhrahma and that Brahma could thereafter create, only with the blessings of the Yoni, as the sole creative principle. After much penance, Bhrahma brought down a luminous body of light from heaven and placed it within the Yoni circle, which was created by the Goddess and placed at Kamarupa Kamakhya in Guwahati. Site & Architecture King Nara Narayana of Cooch Behar rebuilt the temple in 1665 after it had suffered destruction at the hands of foreign invaders. The temple consists of seven oval spires, each topped by three golden pitchers, and the entrance spirals down to a curvy path of some distance, which specially links the main road to the temple. Some of the sculptured panels of the temple carry depictions of Gods and Goddesses of Hindu pantheon carved in a delightful pattern. Tortoises, monkeys, and large number of pigeons have made the temple their home, and loiter around the premise, being fed by the temple authorities and the visitors. The cryptic, as well as the peaceful ambience of the temple combine together to soothe the nerves of visitors, and take their minds to flights of inner salvation, and this is the very reason that people come here for. Images of gods and goddesses of Hindu religion are carved on the walls. The image of the Goddess along with other deities is kept on a th rone. The current temple structure was constructed in1565 by Chilarai of the Koch dynasty in the style of medieval temples. The form of the earlier structure, destroyed by the Kala Pahar, is unknown. The temple consists of three major chambers. The western chamber is large and rectangular and is not used by the general pilgrims for worship. The middle chamber is a square, with a small idol of the Goddess, a later addition. The walls of this chamber contain sculpted images of Naranarayana, related inscriptions and other gods. The middle chamber leads to the Sanctum sanctorum of the temple in the form of a cave, which consists of no image but a natural underground spring. The spring emanates from a fissure in a large rock that symbolizes a Yoni. In summertime the water runs red with iron oxide resembling menstrual fluid, an occasion for the Ambubasi festival. Though the temple is aligned facing east like most Hindu temples, the worship of the yoni is performed facing north. The Kamakhya Temple has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured section seen here are of interest. There are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, dancing features etc. The temple is a natural cave with a spring. Down a flight of steps to the bowel of earth, is located a dark, mysterious chamber. Here, draped with a silk sari and covered with flowers, is kept the â€Å"matra yoni†. There is no image of Shakti here. Within a corner of a cave in the temple, there is a sculptured image of the Yoni of the Goddess, which is the object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist. Other temples on the Neelachala hill include those of Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneswari and Ghantakarna With all its enigmatic splendor and picturesque locale, the Kamakhya Temple is one of the most astounding structures, not only in Assam, but also in the whole of India. Durga Puja is celebrated here annually during Navaratri in the month of September- October. It is a three-day festival attracting several visitors. A unique festival observed here is the Ambuvaci (Ameti) fertility festival wherein it is believed that the Goddess (mother Earth) undergoes her menstrual period.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Differences between Aristotle and Machiavelli essays

Differences between Aristotle and Machiavelli essays Differences between Aristotle and Machiavelli Of the philosophers that we have studied: Plato, Aristotle and Machiavelli, it is evident that they all have differing opinions about certain concepts. In the following paragraphs I will be discussing the different views of Aristotle and Machiavelli concerning the issues of politics and human nature. For Aristotle, a political community is one in which there are arguments and dialogues over what is advantageous and harmful, and just and unjust. The mail goal for the community is happiness for each other. Aristotle is not an idealist like Plato was. He believes that nature disposes us to set rules living in a community. For him, arguments or conflicts are what makes things run; but he sees in this the goal of construction. In short, Aristotle believes politics are worthy of pursuing and carrying out for the common good, to prevent chaos, and for happiness, virtue and equality. Contrastingly, for Machiavelli in politics the only rules that should be followed are those that help a person gain security and power. The idea of the common good is irrelevant to Machiavelli. He believes that people only go into politics for power and who ever the ruler may be; he should be forceful and manipulative. In terms of human nature, Machiavelli believes that we all came into this world naked, unprotected, insecure, and alone. He says nature provides each of us with an inclination towards evil but creates a condition of scarcity that makes each of us fundamentally alone in the universe. He thinks that human beings are selfish, antagonistic towards others and inclined to evil. It is our nature that inclines us to try and defeat others and only those things that further our power and increase our ambition are in our best interest. Machiavelli also believes that human beings are divided by reason and desire. It is natural to him that our reason obeys our desires. We are not rational an...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind Useful inventions of all time If asked about the biggest invention of our time, people would probably name the Internet. It allows us to connect with friends around the world and establish connections we never knew existed. You want to talk to your favorite celebrity or find out what has been going on in Eastern Asia? - Google will help you! A hundred years ago, we could not imagine the luxury of interacting with people miles away from us. The credit goes to Lawrence Roberts, the inventor of the first Internet prototype. However, apart from the global communication system, what can we name as the greatest invention? You may argue about the usefulness of this or that device, but we can assure you they have all made a fair contribution to our routine. Where would the mankind be, if it was not for the phone or text messages we are used to exchanging whenever we want to share information? On top of that, we should include some of the things that were necessary for the development of the human race: The wheel. The wheel is truly one of the inventions of the humankind, the value of which cannot be overlooked today. The concept of the first wheel was developed in 3500 B.C., and it was a blessing for everyone. People had massive problems with transporting goods and moving them from one town to another, so we guess this discovery was by far one of the most expected in the history of human civilization. These days, wheels are used everywhere, and the history we know was shaped with the help of this tool. The compass. Do you remember Captain Jack’s compass that showed the thing you wanted most? Well, magic aside, sailors used to navigate by the stars. Suffice to say, it was not a very safe methodic, as it forced them to skip their craft on cloudy evenings or in the daytime. Before the invention of the first compass, captains were bound to obey the mere changes of the weather, and had to wait until the sky was clear again. The situation changed, however, when the compass we know today was invented. The secret to successful navigating is the magnetized needle, which points north. The printing press. As we know, very few people had access to books back in the Middle Ages. The printing press appeared as a revolutionary device and changed the way we perceive printing today. Johannes Gutenberg decided to alter the course of history by inventing a special machine, which pressed ink to the paper so that the paint remained on the surface for long. This is another invention that led to the development of the human race, the importance of which cannot be overstated. The printing devices we have today allow us to immerse in the world of literature and become educated individuals through reading. The telephone. The invention of this device presents a series of experiments, which all led to failure. Many scientists struggled to build an electronic device, which would allow people to communicate via wires. However, electronic transmission did not seem possible until Alexander Graham Bell took the initiative in his hands. He invented the phone in 1876, and was awarded a patent for his discovery that led to revolutionizing the world of communication. He had a lot of successors, who tried to improve the said gadget, and fortunately, phones as we know them today allow to transmit electronic signals at long distances. The light bulb. It is hard to imagine our daily lives without this device. Electricity was in poor state when Thomas Edison decided he would change the face of the world we know. Of course, we cannot attribute this success to his personality alone, as many people played a significant role in inventing the light bulb, but generally, the credit belongs to Edison. Prior to this, we depended on natural lightning and the light of the candles. That was romantic, in some ways, and uncomfortable as well, as people had to work during the day and finish their chores before the sun went down. Now, we can sit up all night and be sure the lightning is bright and comfortable, thanks to the invention that Thomas Edison proudly patented. Penicillin. The story behind the invention of Penicillin is awesome. In 1928 there was a Scottish scientist named Alexander Fleming, who conducted a series of experiments in his private laboratory. During one of the experiments, he left a lid on a dish with bacteria opened. Later, he discovered that bacteria were dead as the dish became contaminated with mold. Later, Fleming found out that the mold was called fungus Penicillium, and it was cleared and purified by scientists to turn it into a strong medication, which changed the course of science and was a big history turn in the first half of the 20th century.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 32

Case Study Example They even put their own ego aside just to make sure that the work flows smoothly. Their commitment to the task leads them to using a variety of resources so that the task is achieved in time. So it cannot be said that success of a group should be attributed to all group members playing different roles. However, the extent to which different group members contribute also depends upon the leadership and supervision of the group. Having different personalities as part of the team helps in the development of a holistic approach toward the achievement of goals. Personality depicts the thoughts, opinions, perceptions, and reactions of an individual toward the challenges at hand. So when people with different personalities ponder over a matter, they are able to identify far more opportunities than anyone could have done individually. For example, a person who is very social can easily form ties with others. His/her oratory skills and friendly personality helps him/her acquire the most suitable resources for the task at hand. Social people are also generally very friendly, so people find it easy to approach them and discuss all kinds of issues with them. This helps deter confusions and promotes mutual understanding among the group members. On the other hand, people with dominating and aggressive personalities help a group achieve its goal by keeping everything on track. They have the power to command others, and thus are skilled in taking work from others. Balancing a team of people with different personalities is a leadership skill. A leader should have a fair understanding of the personalities of different group members, and he/she should decide and assign them roles accordingly. For example, a leader should give more authority to sharks and dolphins compared to the puffer fish. When forming a task force, a leader should ensure that there is at least one member of each kind of fish in it. It

Friday, November 1, 2019

Solar and Renewable Power in the UK Literature review

Solar and Renewable Power in the UK - Literature review Example The work also provides an overall idea about the consumption of energy in various sectors. According to the information, transport industry is the biggest consumer that accounts for 33% of the total consumption in 1990. It was followed by domestic sector with 28% and industry with 26%. By 2001, there was a rise in energy consumption in transport, domestic and services sectors. To illustrate, in transport and services, the use rose by 1% and in domestic sector, it rose by 2%. Now, when the energy consumption is analysed according to the purpose, it becomes evident that in 1999, 38% of the total energy went to space heating and 22% was used for processes. To light appliances, 12% was used, and 8% of the total energy was consumed by water and lighting/appliances. All other purposes take up one fifth of the total energy. By 2000, there was a rise in the use of electricity for water, space heating and lighting. They rose by 1%, and 2% respectively. On the other hand, the process use decli ned by 7% (ibid). A look into the UK oil reserve and consumption through the Busby Report (2002) provides a picture that is grim. The country has a mere 0.3% of the global oil reserve. In addition, its oil production had peaked in the year 1999, and by 2010, it tailed off by 54%. Though the nation faced a decline in consumption by 12% in the period, it had to import 15.8% of its oil from other nations (ibid). Thus, it becomes evident that the nation is getting more and more dependent on imported oil. Similar is the case of natural gas in UK. The UK gas reserve fell considerably from 0.74 trillion cubic meters to 0.66 trillion cube meters between 2000 and 2001. By the year 2010, the reserve is just 0.25 trillion cubic meters. Thus, the nation’s 57.1 billion cubic meters of gas production is far behind its requirement of 93.8 billion cubic meters. As a result, the nation meets 39% of its gas requirement by import (ibid). Thus, the report points out that as a result of this increased need and decreasing oil and gas reserves, there is a rise in global demand for supplies of coal and oil. As a result, the nation will be forced to reduce its energy consumption by 75% if newer ways are not developed. In order to meet this issue, the article suggests certain solutions. The first one is the increased use of bio-diesel. It is pointed out that producing adequate amount of bio-diesel means utilising 8.5% of the agricultural land in UK for growing rape and beet. Another form of energy is landfill gas. Presently, it provides

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Management Information Systems IP One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Information Systems IP One - Essay Example It enhances transparency, reliable and also ensures lower energy consumption. To manage information flow in smart grids, technology is required. There is need to establish network and switches for power management, sensor and monitoring gadgets to follow energy usage and supply trends. The grids should also require systems to supply consumers and suppliers of energy with usage data, communication systems to transmit data along the whole energy supply system as well as systems to run programmable devices when energy is cheaper. The most probable challenge that could hamper the development of smart grids is opposition by consumer advocates. Consumer advocates are out to stop smart grids if it increases energy cost for consumers who are unwilling or unable to pay to use Web portals. Their argument is that smart grids interfere with consumers’ right to use devices without revealing facts about their usage to others. The implementation of smart grids will ensure sustainability of e nergy supply through facilitation of uses of renewable energy sources (Friedrichs, 2011). I would want my house or community to be fitted with smart grids for many reasons. It is believed that smart grids enable smart decision-making on energy consumption. It reduces energy cost and pollution. Smart grids can also detect sources of power outages faster and precisely at individual house level, which will enable utilities to respond swiftly and efficiently to problems. It will allow households to generate their own power. CASE STUDY 2: Collaboration and Innovation at Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble’s business strategy is to develop new brands and maintain brand recognition with distinct business innovation. Collaboration and innovation facilitate development of new ideas, which is crucial for product development and improvement of existing products to meet emerging market needs. Because the company’s business centers on brand creation and administration, it is crucial for the company to establish collaboration between researchers, marketers and administrators. Procter & Gamble focuses on consumer goods, which demand extensive research for better innovative approaches to develop new ideas. For a giant corporation like Procter & Gamble, identifying effective collaboration approaches is often an intimidating task. For this reason, the company has established information systems that promote effective collaboration and innovation to facilitate product development ideas. The collaboration technologies that the company is using include: e-mail: this is a presumable tool for communication that enables the sender to control information flow. Many people are accustomed to e-mails. Blogs: this collaboration method is open and permits any interested party to access its contents. It also enables interested users to comments on the blog contents. SharePoint: it enables to share bookmarks and tag content with descriptive phrases that feature in successive sear ches and enhance social networks of coworkers to enable them locate and share information effectively. InnovationNet: contain numerous search related documents (5 million) in digital format accessible through a browser gateway.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Customer Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

Customer Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay The Study mainly reviews and discusses the topic of customer satisfaction and its application to the Hospitality and Tourism industries. Defines the concept and analyzes its importance to services and its importance to serves in general and to hospitality / tourism services in particular. Following a discussion on the dimensions and attributes of satisfaction, lists the main methods of measuring satisfaction and concludes with a review of global and cross-cultural issues that affect satisfaction in hotel industry. Customer satisfaction is the leading decisive factor for determining the quality and standard which is actually delivered to the customer through the product, service or by the accompanying servicing. (Vavra, 1997); Its simply stated, Customer satisfaction is essential for corporate survival Several studies have found that it costs about five times as much in time, money and resources to attract a new customer as it does to retain an existing customer (Neumann, 1995). This creates the challenge of maintaining high levels of service, awareness of customer expectations and improvement in services and product. Hayes states that Knowledge of customer expectations and requirements is essential for two reasons it provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of services and products, and facilitates the development of a customer satisfaction questionnaire (Hayes, 1997, p7). Furthermore, customer satisfaction is recognized as of great importance to all commercial firms because of its influence on repeat purchases and word of mouth recommendations (Berkman and Gilson, 1986). The researcher interest is to carryout a study of customer satisfaction at Express by Holiday Inn, London. Research Problem Customer satisfaction research is not an end into itself. The purpose, of course, in measuring customer satisfaction is to see where a company stands in this regard in the eyes of its customers, thereby enabling service and product improvements which will lead to higher satisfaction level. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and not everyone gets the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. The reason is that customers have different needs, objectives and past experiences that influence their expectation. The results of a customer satisfaction survey need to be evaluated to determine what needs to be improved. Goals should be as specific as possible. Hotels are often challenged on how to best increase guest satisfaction, and how to optimize both price and occupancy. Employee satisfaction, guestroom cleanliness, amenities, appearance, food and services all contribute to customer satisfaction, and increase customer satisfaction is a proven driver of guest retent ion and higher occupancy rates. Understanding customer experience through research is widely recognized as a key factor in improving long-term business performance. Express by Holiday Inn Hotel had a requirement to obtain daily feedback at an individual level by rooms/reception questionnaire in general for its GSTS (Guest satisfaction tracking system). It has to introduce web based questionnaire survey to create an opportunity to built feedback interface for general public to get provided a cost-effective and practical methodology so hotel future guest see the reviews in term of past feedbacks. In the customer arena, we believe that regular, quantitative measurement of customer satisfaction provides a much better lead indicator of future organizational health than profitability of market share change (Tom Peters, Management guru) Objectives of the Study The main objective is to conduct the customer satisfaction and its measurement in the hotel industry with special reference to Express by Holiday Inn Hotel, London. Subsidiary Objectives Analyses of costs demonstrating that customer retention is substantially less expensive than customer acquisition. Customer behaviourists in the area of lodging, restaurant, food services and tourism. Customer satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and service with pre purchase expectations about anticipated performance. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and everyone is not getting the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy and Tangibles. Significance of Study Customer Satisfaction measurement (CSM) consists of on two major roles Providing Information Enabling Communication with Customer The initial or primary reason for taking the time to measure customer satisfaction is based on to collect the information. It means that what customers say that need to be done differently or on the other hand to assess how well an organization is currently meeting its customer needs or requirements. But the secondary is not less important function of CSM in hospitality industry that by surveying customers. An organization is emphasis its interest in communicating with its customers. In hotel industry, its always finding out customers needs, pleasures, displeasures and overall well being. Though it is impossible to measure the satisfaction of every single customer needs. The customer satisfaction may different from organization to organization or hotel to hotel. Here we would like to quote Neumann (1995) five objectives suggestions as follows: To get close to the customer Measure continuous improvement To achieve customer driven improvement To measure competitive strengths and weaknesses To link Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) data to internal systems Hypothesis Customer Satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and services with pre purchase expectations. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not Universal phenomenon. Recognition of the employees who contribute to the Customers satisfaction Customer based improvement goals Plans for improving operational variables Incorporation of customer satisfaction skills into employees training programme Measurement and plan for improvement of employee satisfaction Importance of my Study To satisfy each and every customer or to meet his / her expectation every time is not an easy task especially in hotel industry. This work is to investigate and examine the psychology of the customer, their expectations and behaviour. Methodology My methodology of research will be based on experience, day to day operation of the hotel, customer complaint, customer satisfaction standard, theory, hypothesis, observation and confirmation. Universe of the Study The research would be conducted Hotels based in London, utilizing my own experience but the mainly focused on the Customer Satisfaction Measurement. Sample Design My sample will be comprised of the Customer Satisfaction Measurement in Express by Holiday Inn Hotel, London Data Usage In my research I would like to go for primary data collection, secondary data collection, quantitative and qualitative data collection. Tools of data Collection The data collection would include the use of questionnaire, scheduled interviews, guest feedback, and management feedback, guest services track system (GSTS), guest survey, and personal experience along with personal observation. In the questionnaire design, I will use the respondent completes short closed ended questions and long open ended questions. In the interview design, I would like to use personal forms, sharing their experience and work directly with the respondent. In the guest feedback, I would like to get the guest feedback while they are checking out from the hotel, compare their past and current experience. In the management feedback, I would like to get the information from management regarding the standard and complaint level of the guest activities in the hotel. Hypothesis Testing My hypothesis is Customer Satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and services with pre purchase expectations. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not Universal phenomenon. I would like to test this hypothesis with my proper research along with my personal experience with respect to the Customer Satisfaction Measurement theory. Research Design and Timing Feb 2010 In the month of Feb 2010 I will finish my primary data collection (questionnaire, interviews, guest feed back, and management feedback, guest services track system, guest surveys, personal observation and experience) Feb 2010 In the month of Feb I would like to finish my complete data collection and I will systemize the data in the proper form according to the distribution of report. March 2010 In the month of July I would like to finish my final report writing and I will make it ready for the submission at the end of March 2010. Structure of the Report Chapter No 1 : Introduction Chapter No 2 : Literature review Chapter No 3 : Theory base (all theoretical background) Chapter No 4 : Analysis of the findings Chapter No 5 : Discussions Chapter No 6 : Conclusion and Recommendations Monitoring and Evaluation Feb, 2010 by Researcher Feb, 2010 by Supervisor March, 2010 by Researcher March, 2010 by Supervisor Literature Review My literature review comprises of theories, models, customers satisfaction surveys and related information. Brief and summarized form of my most important literature review is given below: Satisfaction Theories: Satisfaction Models: Satisfaction Surveys: Express by Holiday Inn Hotel Experience of Guest Satisfaction: Recently, numerous researchers have attempted to apply CS theories developed by consumer behaviorists in the areas of lodging in order to investigate CS applicability to the hospitality and tourism industries. The majority of these theories are based on cognitive nine distinct theories of customer satisfaction. The majority of these theories are based on cognitive psychology; some have received moderate attention, while other theories have been introduced without any empirical research. The theories include: Expectancy Disconfirmation Assimilation or cognitive dissonance Contrast Assimilation Contrast Equity Attribution Comparison level Generalized negativity Value precept Cognitive state of reward Customer satisfaction can also be defined as satisfaction based on an outcome or a process. Outcome definition of customer satisfaction characterizes satisfaction as the end-state resulting from the experience of consumption. This end state may be a cognitive state of reward, an emotional response to an experience or a comparison of rewards and costs to the anticipated consequences. Vavra also puts forth a definition of customer satisfaction based as a process, emphasizing the perceptual, evaluative and psychological processes contributing to customer satisfaction. In this definition, assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory Richard Oliver has developed the expectancy disconfirmation theory in 1980. According to his theory, customers purchase goods and services with pre-purchase expectations about anticipated performance. Once the product or service has been purchased and used, outcomes are compared against expectations. When outcome matches expectations, confirmation occurs. On the other hand when there are differences between expectations and outcomes then disconfirmation occurs. Negative disconfirmation occurs when product / service performance is less than expected. Positive disconfirmation occurs when product / service performance is better than expected. Satisfaction is caused by confirmation or positive disconfirmation of consumer expectations, and dissatisfaction is caused by negative disconfirmation of consumer expectations. Basically we may say that Customer satisfaction is a psychological concept that involves the feeling of well-being and pleasure that results from obtaining what one hopes for and expects from an appealing product and/or service. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and not everyone gets the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. The reason is that customers have different needs, objectives and past experiences that influence their expectations. Therefore, it is important to gain a clear idea of the customer needs and objectives that correspond to different kinds of satisfactions. This necessitates the segmentation of the market, because no service or product can offer everyone the same degree of satisfaction. Experience may result from changes in the perception of the actual quality of outcomes received, or from changes in the expectations against which these outcomes are compared. The components of satisfaction Most hospitality experiences are an amalgam of products and services. Therefore it is possible to say that satisfaction with a hospitality experience such as a hotel stay or a restaurant meal is a sum total of satisfactions with the individual elements or attributes of all the products and services that make up the experience. Reuland Model of Satisfaction There is no uniformity of opinion among marketing experts as to the classification of the elements in service encounters. Reuland suggests that hospitality services consist of a harmonious mixture of three elements: The material product in a narrow sense which in the case of a restaurant is the food and beverages; The behavior and attitude of the employees who are responsible for hosting the guest, serving the meal and beverages and who come in direct contact with the guests, The environment, such as the building, the layout, the furnishing, the lighting in the restaurant, etc. Reuland et al. (1985, p. 142) Czepiel Model of Satisfaction On the other hand, Czepiel suggests that satisfaction with a service is a function of satisfaction with two independent elements, the functional element, i.e. the food and beverage in a restaurant, and the performance-delivery element, i.e. the service. To prove the independence of the two elements from each other, the authors claim that restaurant clients are quite capable of having responses to each element that differ one from the other: The service was great, the food poor or conversely. (Czepiel et al) (1985. P. 13) David and Stone Model of Satisfaction Davis and Stone divide the service encounter into two elements: Direct Services Indirect Services For example, direct services may be the actual check-in/check-out process in hotels, while the indirect services include the provision of parking facilities, concierge, public telephones for guests use, etc. (Davis and Stone (1985, p.29) Dimensions of satisfaction In service organizations, the assessment of the quality of a service is made during the actual delivery of the service usually an encounter between the customer and a service contact person. Parasuraman identified the following five generic dimensions of service quality (SERVQUAL) that must be present in the service delivery in order for it to result in customer satisfaction: Reliability the ability to perform the promised services dependably and accurately. Responsiveness the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance the knowledge and courtesy of employees as well as their ability to convey trust and confidence. Empathy the provision of caring, individualized attention to customers, and Tangibles, the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials. The model conceptualizes service quality as a gap between customers expectations (E) and the perception of the service providers performance (P). According to Parasuraman that service quality should be measured by subtracting customers perception scores from customer expectation scores: (Q = P E) The greater the positive score represents the greater the positive amount of service quality or vice versa. The gap that may exist between the customers expected and perceived service is not only a measure of the quality of the service, but is also a determinant of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Measuring the gap between expected and perceived service is a routine method of utilizing customer feedback. Measuring service quality via customer satisfaction Hayes states that Knowledge of customer expectations and requirements is essential for two reasons: It provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of service and products and facilitates the development of customer satisfaction questionnaires. (Hayes, 1997) Customer satisfaction is recognized as of great importance to all commercial firm because of its influence on repeat purchases and word of mouth recommendation (Berkman and Gilson, 1986). Satisfaction, reinforces positive attitudes towards the brand, leading to a greater likelihood that the same brand will be purchased again, but on the other hand dissatisfaction leads to negative brand attitudes and lessens the likelihood of buying the same brand again (Assael, 1987) Guest Expectation from Express by Holiday Inn Hotel Expectations can be described as a mutable internal standard which is based on a multitude of factors including needs, objectives, past personal or vicarious experiences with the same establishment restaurant, with similar establishments, and the availability of alternatives. To recapitulate what we have established by now is that an individuals satisfaction with outcomes received from a hospitality experience results from a comparison of these outcomes with expectations. Some hotels / restaurant attributes are more likely to earn guest complaints than compliments. Availability of parking, hours of operation, traffic congestion, noise level, and spaciousness of the establishment all appear in the top-ten complaint list. In contrast, guests express appreciation for high performance in some areas, but rarely complain when performance is so-so. The survey results suggest that guest react favorably to a clean neat restaurant, neat employees, ample portions, and responsiveness to complaints. The quality and quantity of service, food quality, helpfulness of the employees, and the prices of drinks, meals and other services appear in both the list of most frequent complaints and the list of the most frequent compliments. Cadotte and Turgeon attribute model of performance Cadotte and Turgeon divided the attributes into the following four categories: Satisfiers Dissatisfiers Critical Neutral Satisfiers were those attributes where unusual performance apparently elicited compliments and satisfaction, but average performance or even the absence of the feature did not cause dissatisfaction or complaints. Large-size food portions, smartly dressed employees, clean and neat restaurants are all examples of a restaurant satisfier. Normal food portions, regularly dressed employees and not so neat restaurants do not cause dissatisfaction. In contrast, large food portions and well-groomed and smartly dressed employees please the restaurant guest. Satisfiers, represent an opportunity to shine, to move ahead of the pack, and to stand out from the crowd Dissatisfiers were more likely to earn a complaint for low performance or absence of a desired feature than anything else. But an operation that exceeds the threshold performance standard apparently will not receive compliments on the attribute. Parking and excessive noise are good examples of dissatisfiers; they have to be provided and maintained at a minimum or sufficient level. But efforts to achieve a higher performance level will not be appreciated by customers nor will it cause them satisfaction. Dissatisfiers particularly require management control to prevent poor performance. Minimum standards should be established, and the focus should be on maintaining these standards. Be as good as your competition, but do not waste resources trying to be better. Critical attributes were capable of eliciting both complaints (dissatisfactions) and compliments (satisfactions), depending on the situation. Quality of service, food quality and helpful attitude of employees ranked high in eliciting both complaints and compliments. Critical factors deserve special attention, because of their potential for both hurting and helping a business. Like dissatisfiers, minimum standards must be set to avoid negative responses to your service. For the critical attributes, the objective is to raise performance beyond the norm Neutral attributes neither received a great number of compliments nor many complaints, therefore probably indicating that they were either not salient to guests or easily brought up to guests standards. Cadotte and Turgeon draw our attention to the fact that the classification of these factors is not permanent but constantly changes. Some dissatisfier type attributes were probably critical at one time. Higher industry standards, though, may have improved performance to the extent that most restaurants are able to meet guest requirements on these factors. For example, in warm climates, the availability of reliable air conditioning in hotels or restaurants was a critical factor; today, with the advent of modern refrigeration technology, all hotels and restaurants in such climates will have it. Having more of it will not satisfy anyone, but when air-conditioning breaks down, suddenly everyone becomes dissatisfied. Resources I would like to use limited resources for my research. I will use internet, complete media library, company visits, interviewing with different guests who are staying in different hotels or regular guests and frequent flyers, news papers, journals, books, telephone and other possible resources which are easily available and easily accessible. Possible outcome of my study I would like to say that my research work on Customer Satisfaction Measurement will bring new turn and increase the satisfaction level in Central Park Hotel Hyde Park, London. More importantly, my study will analysis the guest satisfaction level and will point out the main causes, how to improve and bring the level of customer satisfaction up to the mark. Limitations of the Study My study on Customer Satisfaction Measurement in hotel industry will be limited only as well as on Express by Holiday Inn, London and other Hotels in London.