Wednesday, October 30, 2019

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

International Management - Essay Example The key opinion/position or argument of the author is that women expatiates perform well as women are good at interpersonal adjustments; but all these are true when women expatriates are truly determined to pursue an expatriate career. Women’s ability to establish good public relationships and their determination, assures the possibility of their success in their foreign assignments; proving that they can be as good, if not better than, their male counterparts. As evidenced by research, results show that women managers get their motivation from the setting and achieving of organizational goals that promotions, and are more interested in challenging tasks that involve personal growth (Alamo –Metcalfe, 1995). Women also have no problem adjusting internationally, as stated by Bochner (1981), in the study conducted, results show that female expatriates, even as a newcomer, are aware of when and how to display appropriate behaviors in the country they work in and act as sources of information, facilitating understanding. This is also one proof that women expatriates have overcome language barriers, a factor that determines how well one can adjust internationally. Due to the innate nature of women of establishing good relationships, women are indeed capable of pursuing an international career or assignment. In addition, due to the fact that women have always been compared with men in terms of what they can or cannot (able and not able to) do, women are also innately motivated to prove themselves; but their motivation is not on how many promotions are possible for them to achieve, but on the satisfaction of being able to handle and perform a job as well (if not better than) as men. Although women are as determined as men, and performs well too, the author was not able to present the side on whether family concerns are

Monday, October 28, 2019

Ancient Greece Location Essay Example for Free

Ancient Greece Location Essay Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (ca. 600 AD). Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the period of Classical Greece, which flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries BC. Classical Greece began with the repelling of a Persian invasion by Athenian leadership. Because of conquests by Alexander the Great, Hellenistic civilization flourished from Central Asia to the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. Classical Greek culture had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, which carried a version of it to many parts of the Mediterranean region and Europe, for which reason Classical Greece is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of Western culture. Land: Greece has very hot, dry summers. Rain only falls in winter. This restricts crops in many areas to grapes and olives and the animals to sheep and goats. However, there are also rolling plains that are ideal for growing crops like wheat and barley. As only a certain amount of food could be obtained locally, the Ancient Greeks built boats to fish and to trade what they had. There was no sugar, so honey or boiled grape juice were used as sweeteners. There were often wars when cities wanted to take over the land of a neighboring city. Mountains Greece is made up almost entirely of mountainous land with only small areas of lowlands. The mountains are beautiful but made it hard to farm and make a living. They also made it hard to travel and communicate with people a distance away. The mountains divided the cities in Ancient Greece and each city had its own customs and ideas. Greece consists of a large mainland at the southern end of the Balkans; the Peloponnesus peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth); and numerous islands (around 3,000), including Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Euboea and the Dodecanese and Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea as well as the Ionian sea islands. Greece has more than 15,000 kilometres of coastline and a land boundary of 1,160 kilometres. About 80% of Greece consists of mountains or hills, thus making Greece one of the most montainous countries of Europe. Western Greece contains lakes and wetlands. Pindus, the central mountain range, has a maximum elevation of 2,636 m. The Pindus can be considered as a prolongation of the Dinaric Alps. The range continues by means of the Peloponnese, the islands of Kythera and Antikythera to find its final point in the island of Crete. (Actually the islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once consisted an extension of the mainland). The Central and Western Greece area contains high, steep peaks dissected by many canyons and other karstic landscapes, including the Meteora and the Vikos gorge the later being the second largest one on earth after the Grand Canyon in the US. Mount Olympus forms the highest point in Greece at 2,919 metres above sea level. Also northern Greece presents another high range, the Rhodope, located in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace; this area is covered with vast and thick century old forests like the famous Dadia. Plains are mainly found in Eastern Thessaly, Central Macedonia and Thrace.Greeces climate is divided into three well defined classes the Mediterranean, Alpine and Temperate, the first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures rarely reach extremes, although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in Athens, Cyclades or Crete during the winter. Alpine is found primarily in Western Greece (Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia as well as central parts of Peloponessus like Achaea, Arkadia and parts of Lakonia where the Alpine range pass by). Finally the temperate climate is found in Central and Eastern Macedonia as well as in Thrace at places like Komotini, Xanthi and northern Evros; with cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers. Its worth to mention that Athens is located in a transition area between the Mediterranean and Alpine climate, thus finding that in its southern suburbs weather is of Mediterranean type while in the Northern suburbs of the Alpine type. About 50% of Greek land is covered by forests with a rich varied vegetation which spans from Alpine coniferous to mediterranean type vegetation. Seals, sea turtles and other rare marine life live in the seas around Greece, while Greeces forests provide a home to Western Europes last brown bears and lynx as well as other species like Wolf, Roe Deer, Wild Goat, Fox and Wild Boar among others. Ancient Greece We begin to look at the geography of ancient Greece by examining how Greeks lived on their farms, why they traded, road systems, and the plant life that ancient Greece had. Geography has always had a great influence on Greece and its inhabitants. It is largely responsible for numerous continuities in its extensive history. While the mountains that split the Greek lands have contributed to localism they have been a major barrier to unity as a nation. The struggle of communication by land and the significant presence of the sea have made mariners out of Greeks for numerous generations. The natural resources ensure a steady flow of abundance and guarantee sustenance if governed wisely. Farming In ancient Greece, many cities had land that was used for farming within the city, but most of the people lived in small towns and villages outside of the city. Archeological survey indicates that there were even smaller settlements such as hamlets (very small villages), and isolated farms which were only lived in seasonally. According to this information, there would have been many villages, hamlets, single farms, and occasional small towns scattered over the land; as can still be seen in Crete. The Greeks had their private space that consisted of the agricultural fields in the territory of the polis and their houses compacted in settlements, whether in the central town of the city-state, in smaller towns, or villages. Ancient Greeks preferred to live in such compacted settlements, even when agriculture was their main source of support. Occasionally, there has been evidence of how agricultural land was organized by the residents of the settlements in rectangular and equal lots. The idea was that each family would farm a single plot of land. But, there was a tendency for farmland to become divided and for a landowner to own many plots of land scattered all over the community. The land was organized for mules and donkeys with built mule-tracks reaching every settlement. Since the Bronze Age, there had been chariots and wagons with roads that that were easy to drive on, but the roads were not easy to drive on. Classical Greek roads were more complete with grooves cut for the wheels in steep and rocky places. The road system, the landscape, the markets, and the farms were all part of the geography of ancient Greece. Greece has thousands of islands Ancient Greeks became a sea-going people due to the close proximity of the sea to most Greek city-states. These merchants and traders developed a sense of freedom and independence not seen before. Map of Phoenician and Greek colonies at about 550 BC In Ancient Greece, colonies were sometimes founded by vanquished people, who left their homes to escape subjection at the hand of a foreign enemy; sometimes as a sequel to civil disorders, when the losers in internecine battles left to form a new city elsewhere; sometimes to get rid of surplus population, and thereby to avoid internal convulsions. But in most cases the motivation was to establish and facilitate relations of trade with foreign countries and further the wealth of the mother-city (in Greek, metropolis). Colonies were established in Ionia and Thrace as early as the 8th century BC.[7] More than thirty Greek city-states had multiple colonies around the Mediterranean world, with the most active being Miletus, with ninety colonies stretching throughout the Mediterranean Sea, from the shores of the Black Sea and Anatolia (modern Turkey) in the east, to the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula in the west, as well as several colonies on the northern coast of Africa with the overall sum[citation needed] being 1500 from the late ninth, up to the 5th century BC. There were two similar types of colonies, á ¼â‚¬Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± apoikia (pl.: á ¼â‚¬Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ¹, apoikiai) and á ¼ ÃŽ ¼Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿Ã ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± emporia (pl.: á ¼ ÃŽ ¼Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿Ã ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ¹, emporiai). The first type of colonies were city-states on their own; the second were Greek trading-colonies. The Greek city-states began establishing colonies around 800 BC, at first at Al Mina on the coast of Syria and the Greek emporium Pithekoussai at Ischia in the Bay of Naples, both established about 800 BC by Euboeans.[8] Two flushes of new colonists set out from Greece at the transition between the Dark Ages and the start of the Archaic Period, one in the early 8th century BC and a second burst of the colonizing spirit in the 6th century. Population growth and cramped spaces at home seem an insufficient explanation, while the economical and political dynamics produced by the competitive spirit between the frequently kingless, newly introduced concept of the Greek city-states, striving to expand their sphere of economical influence better fits as their true incentive. Through this Greek expansion the use of coins flourished throughout the Mediterranean Basin. Ancient Greek colonies on the northern coast of the Black Sea, c. 450 BCE Influential Greek colonies in the western Mediterranean included Cyme (Aeolis), Rhegium (Rhegion) by Chalcis and Zankle (c. 8th century), Syracuse by Corinth/Tenea (c. 734 BC), Naxos by Chalkis (c. 734 BC), Massalia (what millennia later became Marseille, France) by Phokaia (c. 598 BC), Agathe by Phokaia (shortly after Massalia), Elea (Velia) by Phokaia and Massalia (c. 540 BC), Emporion (nowadays Spain) by Phokaia/Massalia (early 6th century), Antipolis (nowadays France) by Achaea, Alalia (Corsica) by Phokaia/Massalia (c. 545 BC) and Cyrene (North Africa) by Thera (762/61 and 632/31 BCE).[9] Several formulae were generally adhered to on the solemn and sacred occasions when a new colony set forth. If a Greek city was sending out a colony, an oracle, especially one such as the Oracle of Delphi, was almost invariably consulted beforehand. Sometimes certain classes of citizens were called upon to take part in the enterprises; sometimes one son was chosen by lot from every house where there were several sons; and strangers expressing a desire to join were admitted. A person of distinction was selected to guide the emigrants and make the necessary arrangements. It was usual to honor these founders of colonies, after their death, as heroes. Some of the sacred fire was taken from the public hearth in the Prytaneum, from which the fire on the public hearth of the new city was kindled. And, just as each individual had his private shrines, so the new community maintained the worship of its chief domestic deities, the colony sending embassies and votive gifts to the mother-citys principal festivals for centuries afterwards. The relation between colony and mother-city, known literally as the metropolis, was viewed as one of mutual affection. Any differences that arose were made up, if possible, by peaceful means, war being deemed excusable only in cases of extreme necessity. The charter of foundation contained general provisions for the arrangement of the affairs of the colony, and also some special enactments. The constitution of the mother-city was usually adopted by the colony, but the new city remained politically independent. If the colony sent out a fresh colony on its own account, the mother-city was generally consulted, or was at least requested to furnish a leader. Frequently the colonies declaring their commitment to the various metropolitic alliances formed in the Greek mainland and for religious reasons would pay tribute in religious centres, like Delphi, Olympia or Delos.[10] It is worth noting that the Peloponnesian War was in part a result of a dispute between Corinth and her colony of Corcyra (Corfu). The cleruchs, known in Greek as klà ªrouchoi, formed a special class of Greek colonists, being assigned individual plots of land in the place to which they had been assigned. The trade factories set up in foreign countries, such as Egypt, were somewhat different from the ordinary colonies, the members retaining the right of domicile in their own fatherland and confining themselves to their own quarter in the foreign city.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Symbols and Symbolism Essay - Symbolism in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Symbolism is what makes a story complete. And it is used through "The Great Gatsby." Virtually anything in the novel can be taken as a symbol, from the weather, to the colors of clothing the characters wear. There are three major symbolic elements used in the novel, they are water, colors, and religion. Water to me seems to mean "wasted, and or lost time." I believe this because of several reasons. One being that he is separated from Daisy by an island sound. Gatsby wishes that the island sound be gone so that there will be no obstacle between him and Daisy, and he also wishes for time to be gone, the island sound seems to represent the distance of "lost time." Another is that in one of Gatsby's parties people start dancing in the water, displaying how they waste their time day after day with no real purpose. Gatsby's only purpose and ambition in life was to get back with Daisy, but after he starts to realize that it will not happen and that he has been consumed by wasted time he goes for a swim inside a pool he had never before used and is murdered. Another symbolic element is color. Several colors if not all are symbolic in the great Gatsby the more noticeable being white, green, and yellow. The first time Nick meets his cousin Daisy at Tom's and Daisy's home, she was dressed totally in white. So as the house and its furnishings are also tuned in light shades. This fact might be interpreted as beauty, cleanliness, wealth, innocence, virginity and also laziness. Daisy's color is white, she wears white dresses and recalls her "white girlhood", and this use of color helps her to characterize her as the unattainable "enchanted princess" who becomes personified as Gatsby' s dream. The green light at the end of Daisy's Buchanan' s dock, becomes a key image in "The Great Gatsby." The initial appearance of the green light occurs when Carraway sees Gatsby for the first time, standing in front of his mansion and stretching out his arms to `a single green light, minute and far away that might have been the end of dock' (p.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

National Development Essay

We are here to debate on our country and its developments.The citizens of India have the basic responsibility to think and do his best for the development of the country. In one sentence , te secret of development of india can be achieved on set up of Industries and thereby generation of Employment and value addition of Produce goods and for this infra stature of Good Roads and transportation mode has to be good enough . We need good governence in turn for the development of the nation. For a good Goverence , we need Good Government and a set of good Politicians form a good Government . As the post † Politicians † it self gives a sign of freedom to act politically / changing faces ., our politicians are have multi faces to manage money for SELF but NOT for the nation. We need good Governors and not Politicians . they shall be treated as Public Servents but not Social servents . A good pay for a lavish life style has to be given first , so that they earn and live at the highest level of life style , as the ae the Managers / Governors / care takers for a given area. To select these so said Governors ,there shall be a scale to measure the crediantial and mere being a Citizen of the nation. Even a Peon , whose work is to keep the office clean and place the work desk in order need basic educition , and why not a leader/ governor doesnt need !! If not education , he should have done good enough for the nation and † Not on Mere records â€Å". So we have to concerntate on selection of these Leaders/ Governors.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Discuss the various perceptions of love in Shakespeare’s Romeo Essay

Discuss the various perceptions of love in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Then choose two contrasting examples from scenes you have discussed and explain how you would stage them to show these contrasts. William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in 1595. When it was written, Shakespeare was quite young, 31, already five years into his career. Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne at the time, and many of the characteristics of Elizabethan lifestyle are included within the play. In the Elizabethan times, it was not unusual for people to get married and have children young. In the play Lady Capulet says, â€Å"By my count, I was your mother much upon these years,† to Juliet, who appears to be about 12 years old. She is telling Juliet that she was already a mother at Juliet’s age, implying she should be getting ready to marry now. Women were also not considered of much importance in those days. They were not as ‘important’ as men, and just used for sex, which plays a big part in the topic of conversation between characters throughout the play. Women/girls also had to obey their fathers until they got married, and then obey their husbands when they did get married. It was a very male dominant era. Romeo and Juliet is partly a comedy, tragedy and history. It is a tragedy obviously because of all the death in it. It is a comedy because of the irony and contrast the characters raise, and also because of the humour some characters like Mercutio and the Nurse bring into the play. It is a history as well because of the fact it was written a long time ago, and has historical contents in it. There is a great deal of love and passion in this play, but not all the same. Different characters have different perceptions of love, and different passions. The play is also as much about hate as it is about love, which is a very important element. Shakespeare puts emphasis on themes such as the relationship of love and hate and old and young. This is what I will be analysing in the essay. The play tells the story of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet; the children of two rival families living in Verona, who fall in love and get married without their families knowing. The hatred felt by their families leads to the death of five people. Two of who are Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers who die because they want to be together but cant be. It shows the young as they struggle to escape from the morass of hatred created by their elders. The ancient family feud makes Romeo and Juliet’s union even more significant as they both hate each other’s families, but manage to overcome it when they meet each other. This play represents ‘true love’ because it shows pure hatred turn into pure love. Romeo and Juliet went against everything they were brought up with and gave up their lives to be together. Romeo is a very passionate person when we first meet him, and his passion stays throughout the play. We do learn however, that Romeo is very impulsive, and acts on this impulsive streak very often, and it leads him to do some stupid things, which I will show further on in the essay. The first reference to love in the play is in the opening scene where we meet Sampson and Gregory (two Capulet servants). They are both very vulgar and crude characters and show this straight away when they are talking about the Montague women. In lines 17-20, Sampson says, â€Å"Tis true, and therefore women being the weaker vessels are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. † This is where the punning becomes sexual. He is implying that he will assault the Montague maids against the wall. Later on in lines 27-28, he says, â€Å"Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads- take it in what sense thou wilt. † Here he is saying that he will either chop off the heads of the Montague maids, or rape them, depending on what he feels like. Their behaviour shows that they do not actually think of love itself, and only think of sex. They view women as mere objects to serve their pleasure. They are not the only bawdy characters in the play to have this perception of women and love thought. In act two, scene one (lines 34-38); Mercutio is making fun of Romeo’s talk of love for Rosaline. He talks about a ‘Medlar tree’, and describes sex as a ‘Medlar fruit’. He is saying that Romeo really wishes Rosalie were a Medlar fruit, even though he says he loves her, all he really wants is sex. This is probably because this is all Mercutio sees love as. The Nurse is another one of these characters. She constantly talks about the physical side of marriage. To her, love is merely about sex and having babies. For Sampson, Gregory, Mercutio and the Nurse, love is something non-emotional, and they have obviously never experienced love like Romeo and Juliet’s. Love for Romeo and Juliet is very emotionally bonded, and they cannot live without each other. This however does not mean there is no physical element to their relationship. Romeo and Juliet eagerly look forward to the physical side. This can be seen in act three, scene two, lines 1-30, where Juliet is looking forward to her wedding night, or her â€Å"love-performing night. † But even this is altered by their love into something of which Mercutio, the Nurse and the servants know nothing of. In act one, scene one, Romeo’s parents show parental love when they are concerned about him. The first evidence to show they care about Romeo is in lines 118-119, where Lady Montague says, â€Å"Right glad I am he (Romeo) was not at this fray,† meaning she was glad that Romeo was not involved in the fight that had just happened. In lines 133-144, Montague talks about Romeo’s worrying behaviour. He says that he is always crying, distances himself from everyone else, and shuts out light, making himself â€Å"an artificial night†. Montague is obviously worried about his son’s behaviour, and asks Benvolio if he could talk to Romeo because he does not understand him. This doesn’t mean however, that he does not care how Romeo feels, but he evidently does. It just shows the contrast between young and old. The first time we meet Romeo, he seems very sad and down (in the exact state his father describes him to be in). he is sad because he is ‘in love’. For Romeo, being in love (at this stage in the play) is a very painful, negative thing, especially because here there is a situation of unrequited love. However, by studying Romeo’s language in this scene, I believe that he is not in love with ‘Rosaline’, but infact in love with the idea of love itself. The fact that he does not say Rosaline’s name once, but talks about being in love, shows that the she is irrelevant. Romeo’s doting over Rosaline is introduced to show the difference between love and infatuation. He talks about love as a painful situation to be in, as shown in lines 195-196, â€Å"A madness most discreet, a choking gall, and a preserving sweet. † This changes drastically though, when he meets Juliet. From the second he sees Juliet (in act one scene five); you can see he has changed. He suddenly speaks in a more positive tone, with more positive views on Juliet not just of love. â€Å"O she doth teach the torches to burn bright. † Romeo is referring to Juliet as an actual person, whereas before he was talking about being in love (supposedly with Rosaline), but never refers to her as a person. On meeting Juliet he experiences ‘love at first sight’. He goes on to say, â€Å"For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night†. This shows that he has forgotten about Rosaline already, almost like she never existed. Romeo constantly compares Juliet to a saint throughout the play, â€Å"O then dear saint. † He has made Juliet out to be the most important person (to him), in the matter of minutes. In their first meeting, Romeo and Juliet share a sonnet (lines 94-107). This immediately shows the connection of love and harmony that exists between them. In the sonnet, love as a religion seems to be the key subject, and Romeo talks about it so passionately. He refers to Juliet as a â€Å"holy shrine†, and his lips â€Å"Two blushing pilgrims†. By studying Romeo’s language here, and that of which he used when we first met him, you can see that his feelings have gone from being self-centred, self deceiving and essentially negative, to less self-centred, genuine and sincere passion, positively approached when he meets Juliet. The love between Romeo and Juliet is different from any other in the play, because both share the same view on love. It is so strong that they fought through everything to be together and when they weren’t they felt empty and sad. No one else in the play shows love for anything this deep. The words Romeo and Juliet use when flirting with each other emphasise their love for one another. They use words to do with the body â€Å"lips, hands, palms†, religion â€Å"pilgrims, saints, prayer, devotion and holy† then they put both ideas together, â€Å"holy palmers’ kiss† and â€Å"saints lips†. Romeo is trying to ‘woo’ Juliet with romantic gestures.   

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Amazing American Beaver Facts

Amazing American Beaver Facts The American beaver (Castor canadensis) is one of two living species of beavers- the other species of beaver is the Eurasian beaver. The American beaver is the worlds second largest rodent, only the capybara of South America is larger. Fast Facts: Beavers Scientific Name: Castor canadensisCommon Name(s): Beaver, North American Beaver, American BeaverBasic Animal Group:  MammalSize: About 29–35 inches longWeight: 24–57 poundsLifespan: Up to 24 yearsDiet:  HerbivoreHabitat:  Wetland areas of North America outside of the California and Nevada deserts and parts of Utah and Arizona.Population:  6–12 millionConservation  Status:  Least Concern Description American beavers are stocky animals that have a compact body and short legs. They are aquatic rodents and have a number of adaptations that make them adept swimmers including webbed feet and a broad, flat tail that is covered with scales. They also have an extra set of eyelids which are transparent and close over their eyes enabling beavers to see while underwater. Beavers have a pair of glands located at the base of their tail called castor glands. These glands secrete an oil that has a distinct musk odor, making it great for use in marking territory. Beavers also use the castor oil to protect and waterproof their fur. Beavers have very large teeth in proportion to their skull. Their teeth and are super-sturdy thanks to a coating of tough enamel. This enamel is orange to chestnut brown in color. Beavers teeth grow continuously throughout their lives. As beavers chew through tree trunks and bark, their teeth get worn down, so the continuous growth of their teeth ensures they always have a sharp set of teeth available to them. To further assist them in their chewing endeavors, beavers have strong jaw muscles and significant biting strength. Stan Tekiela Author / Naturalist / Wildlife Photographer/Getty Images Habitat and Distribution American Beavers live in the riparian zone- along the edges of wetlands and bodies of fresh water including rivers, creeks, lakes, and ponds and, in some cases, in and around brackish estuaries. American beavers inhabit a range that extends throughout most of North America. The species is only absent from the northernmost regions of Canada and Alaska as well as the deserts of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Diet Beavers are herbivores. They feed on bark, leaves, twigs and other plant material which is plentiful in their native habitat. Behavior Beavers are well-known for their unusual behaviors: They use their strong teeth to fell small trees and branches which they use to build dams and lodges which have a significant impact on the path and health of waterways. Beaver dams are structures built with logs, branches, and mud. They are used to block up flowing streams to flood grasslands and forests, thus turning them into beaver-friendly habitats. In addition to providing habitat for a wide range of animals, beaver dams also reduce waterway erosion. Beavers build lodges, dome-shaped shelters made of woven sticks, branches, and grass that are plastered together with mud. Lodges can be burrows built into pond banks or mounds built in the middle of a pond. They can be up to 6.5 feet tall and 40 feet wide. These elaborate structures include an insulated, wood-lined lodge chamber and a ventilating shaft called a chimney. The entrance to a beaver lodge is located below the surface of the water. Lodges are generally built during the warmer months, during which time beavers also gather food for the winter. While they do not migrate or hibernate, they do slow down during the winter months. Reproduction and Offspring Beavers live in family units called colonies. A beaver colony commonly includes as many as eight individuals including a monogamous breeding pair, newborn kits, and yearlings (kits from the prior season). Members of the colony establish and defend a home territory. Beavers reproduce sexually. They reach sexual maturity at about three years of age. Beavers breed in January or February and their gestation period is 107 days. Typically, three or four beaver kits are born in the same litter. Young beavers are weaned at about two months of age. Zoran Kolundzija/Getty Images Conservation Status Beavers are considered to be of Least Concern, meaning that there is a large, thriving population of beavers in North America. This has not always been the case; in fact, beavers were overhunted for many years and beaver fur was the basis of many large fortunes. More recently, however, protections were put in place which allowed beavers to re-establish their population. Beavers and Humans Beavers are a protected species, but their behaviors can make them a nuisance in some settings. Beaver dams can cause flooding to roads and fields, or block the flow of waterways and the fish that swim in them. On the other hand, beaver dams are also important for controlling erosion and runoff during storms. Sources â€Å"Beaver.†Ã‚  Smithsonians National Zoo, 23 Nov. 2018, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/beaver.Sartore, Joel. â€Å"Beaver.†Ã‚  National Geographic, 21 Sept. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/b/beaver/.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Oxford English Dictionary to go online only (probably) - Emphasis

Oxford English Dictionary to go online only (probably) Oxford English Dictionary to go online only (probably) The next edition of The Oxford English Dictionary probably wont appear in print, according to the Oxford University Press (OUP), the dictionarys owner. Instead, it is likely that the third edition will be accessible only electronically. OED3 wont be ready for at least another decade, and the decision is not yet final. But when asked if it would appear in print, OUP Chief Executive Nigel Portwood said, I dont think so [] The print dictionary market is just disappearing. No surprise that this is down to the increasingly ubiquitous presence of the internet and the latest alternative ways to read and access information. The second edition of the reference guide considered the worlds most definitive work on the language was published in 20 volumes in 1989. Its also been available online (by subscription) for over ten years, where it receives two million hits a month. It seems inevitable that new technology like the iPad will revolutionise our reading habits, but how happy are we all about it? Are those of us sentimental about the feel of paper between our fingers just holding on to a fast-receding past? Simon Winchester, author of The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary, has come reluctantly round to that way of thinking. Until six months ago I was clinging to the idea that printed books would likely last forever he said. Since the arrival of the iPad I am now wholly convinced otherwise. And even bibliophiles like him are naturally evolving past pages. I have two complete OEDs, but never consult them I use the online OED five or six times daily. So it looks like the end of the printed word could indeed be nigh. Is it time, then, for techno-sceptics to stop wringing their hands over the demise of books in order to embrace this paperless future?

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Learning about Kickstarter for indie authors

Learning about Kickstarter for indie authors Kickstarter for Indie Authors - Talking to Maris Kreizman of Kickstarter Publishing Just like digital publishing, crowdfunding is something that makes being an indie creative totally feasible. Kickstarter  is basically synonymous with crowdfunding, and the first place anyone should look when they’re getting ready to raise.Kickstarter has a whole section of their site dedicated to publishing projects. This is both an awesome way of supporting the community of publishers, and also a great place to go find cool books by new authors!Maris Kreizman is Publishing Project Specialist at Kickstarter. We talked about what’s most important to running a successful Kickstarter campaign, how you set the budget for your campaign, and everything you need to think about before getting started. It’s a trove of advice for indie authors - enjoy!REEDSYWhat do authors need to keep in mind when they’re trying to get funding for a great publishing project?MARIS KREIZMAN There are three important parts to doing a Kickstarter. The first one is telling a good story. That includes having a wonderful video, and telling potential backers who you are and why you want to do the thing you’re trying to do.The second part is rewards - making sure that potential backers are able to share in the project in some meaningful way.The third part is having a relationship with your backers, which means doing a lot of updates, keeping the lines of communication open, and being really transparent about what you’re doing.REEDSY The relationship creators have with their backers sounds really cool. It’s more than just ‘goodies’ but an ongoing relationship.MARIS KREIZMAN One of the most common misperceptions about Kickstarter is people think you need to have a t-shirt or a tote bag. Certainly those are wonderful, but especially in book publishing projects most people want to get the book, the actual thing that’s being made. Experiential rewards are also really wonderful, whether it’s a Skype chat or a little QA with the author - anything that builds a relationship.REEDSY It seems like there’s two kinds of projects on Kickstarter. You get people coming in with their audience from somewhere else, like Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. And then you get people who are starting without that pre-existing community. Does this affect how creators should be planning to share their projects?MARIS KREIZMAN Regardless of who you are and what you’re trying to do, coming in with some sort of base audience is key. So even if you haven’t fully established yourself, have a base level of supporters. That’s maybe just people you know - sending out a link to your family and your friends who want to support you -or, it could go a little deeper, trying to be a part of the community that you’re writing about, posting to blogs, coming in with an email list, stuff like that. I think that Kickstarter is wonderful in helping you spread your message and making your audience bigger.REEDSY Even if it involves potato salad!MARIS KREIZMAN *laughing* If you look at it, he did a really lovely job in putting the project together! It was very simple, and maybe not the most exciting, innovating way to use Kickstarter, but he did a good job and he was really good at communicating with the people who though his idea was clever! I’ve read you elsewhere talking about ways Kickstarter isn’t just about raising funds to cover publishing costs for a single book - could you talk about that a little?MARIS KREIZMAN There are so many different cool ways to use Kickstarter in publishing. I’ve been talking to a lot of small literary presses and magazines about funding a season - â€Å"Help us do Spring 2015† and whatever that encompasses, whether that’s a couple of books or a couple of issues. Book tours for sure. Being able to do research is a huge deal. Think of Kickstarter like a grant - if you’re writing non-fiction and you have research to do it absolutely makes sense to raise money to do that, even if you’ve already figured out how you’re going to publish.REEDSY You were talking about creators telling their story on Kickstarter - what does that mean exactly?MARIS KREIZMAN I think one of the best experiences about Kickstarter is it allows people to follow the artists and creators that they admire. Telling the story can be simply ‘Who am I, why do I love this project, and why do I want to do it.’ Or, it can be more about ‘Here’s how I make the thing, here are the steps I need to take to actually do this.’ And of course ‘This is what the book is going to be.’REEDSY There seems to be a wide variety of budgets for publishing projects, both very high and very low. How should writers budget their projects for Kickstarter?MARIS KREIZMAN I think the most important thing is to go back and really plan out exactly how much money you’ll need to do the thing that you want to do in the way you want to do it, and ask for that amount. That way, if you don’t raise it you won’t have to worry about doing it half-heartedly. And then if you do go above and beyond you can worry about that whole other great kind of problem!REEDSY How important is it for writers to be investing in specialist help for things like producing an introductory video? Is something with extremely high production values essential?MARIS KREIZMAN This is a challenge for any publishing project on Kickstarter, basically. Kickstarter is a visual platform, and not every writer is going to be good at that kind of stuff. I’d say that it’s very important to give backers a feeling of what you’re trying to do, but also to allow the words to speak for you. If you’re not a video expert or an artist, it’s still OK.I’ve seen projects work with a video taken from a phone that really captures a mood, and I think that is enough. The video is important, but it doesn’t have to be really ‘well-produced’ or ‘beautiful looking’ - I think it’s really helpful to just give a sense of who you are and what the thing you’re making is.REEDSY What sort of things do you like to see in a project?MARIS KREIZMAN Particularly if you’re an individual, it’s very important to talk about how you plan to actually get the thing made.REEDSY What does that plan consist of?MARIS KREIZMAN That they’ve talked to publishers, that they have a price quote for how much it would cost to print x amount of books†¦ I often say that self-publishing is not something that you should really do on your own. The idea that you might have an editor or designer lined up, or that you yourself are already a wonderful designer and can show that to us.It’s about ‘Has this person thought through the practicalities of getting this book out?’ Backers are really skilled at picking out the projects that they think will succeed, and where they’ll end up with whatever reward they’ve put in for. Anything you can do to communicate to backers that you have a plan for this whole thing, and to get them the rewards that they want, is key.REEDSY Do you have any advice for authors on how to structure the rewards they’re offering?MARIS KREIZMAN I would say that rewards should have a few different tiers - like offering the digital version for $10 or so. Depending on whether you’re going to do the paperback or the hardback or both, do one for $20, one for $30. If you want to do a special edition that looks really pretty and fancy, charge an extra $20 for that. Signed copies are good. One of the things that I always tell people is â€Å"Make sure that the thing you’ll be working on is making the best project that you can,† and not so much â€Å"How will I ship out all of these rewards?†REEDSY Are there any resources authors can go check out, or somewhere the can send you questions?MARIS KREIZMAN If you want publishing specific advice, you can email publishing@kickstarter.com. That’s how you can reach me. I would recommend though looking on the Kickstarter site. There’s a creator handbook that really goes into some of the nitty gritty details of how to do a successful Kickstarter project.REEDSY Thanks for your time Maris.Have you ever tried crowdfunding for a book or a series? What have been your takeaways? Do join the discussion in the comments below!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Economy - Essay Example At the same time the sociological factors for divorce, single parents and even lesbian and gay marriages has entered into the equation, further increasing choices and complicating matters. When the marriage roles were highly specialized, it gave more power to both man and wife. However the dilution of these roles was necessitated by changing economic circumstances and uncertainty, which led to the evolution of dual income families and its negative impact on family life. Opportunities for women had expanded by the end of the war since some of them had trained to take over male dominated jobs in factories, shops and other establishments. Social acceptance of cohabitation, sex outside marriage and divorce had impacted upon the role of the family. From a high point in the 1960s, marriage had plummeted to lower rates in the 1970s but steadied somewhat since the 1980s (Blau, Ferber & Winkler, 277). Today people prefer to cohabit with or without marriage or children. Recent trends indicate that the median age of marriage has also gone up since people defer getting married till they are well settled individually. There is a marked decline in the space between first and second marriages for the lower segments of the population. While black women are lifting themselves up through education, black males are still falling victim to crime, criminal activities and blame them perhaps erroneously on lack of opportunities for blacks. When it comes to divorce, the specialization of labour roles and opportunities for increasing incomes to become self-supporting has been seen as a reason to walk out of an unhappy marriage. Lack of support in the home and sudden loss of jobs impacting incomes have also been factors for increasing rates of divorce. The trend is that divorce has shown an increasing trend from the 1960s to the 1980s, then steadied somewhat and has declined to 3.6 per 1000 couples in 2006 (Blau et al, 280). As regards cohabitation, while this was taboo and frowned upon in the 1960s, it has become commonly accepted today. Research suggests that it is a prelude to marriage in the USA, with as much as 50 percent of cohabiting couples deciding to get married eventually. Recent trends suggest that young couples today are more inclined to experiment with cohabitation for the short or long term as a prelude to marriage. As regards the comparatively recent trend of same sex marriages and cohabitation, this relationship is not without its problems, as the separation of gender roles is less pronounced and one person may be not willing to step into a defined role for the long term for the mutual benefit of both. When it comes to the question of fertility, the important factor is not only biological, as it does impact on cost of raising a family, juggling responsibilities, career sacrifices, work life balance and quality of children raised. The legalization of abortion, social acceptance of cohabitation with or without children and even rules for child suppo rt has affected the decision to have children. Dual income families have a number of advantages over single parent families, including the full development of the children resulting from the relationship. In Chapter 11 of the book, the authors discuss policies affecting paid employment and the family. The discussion starts off with the former US Welfare program entitled AFDC or Aid to Families of Dependent Children began in the 1960s. Originally started with a view to support widows, the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Blogs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blogs - Coursework Example Basically, there is no conflict of interests between the two agencies. A couple of wrong approaches by the police officials should not be cited to brand the entire police force as wrong. KC Veatch(2008) in his article â€Å"The Effect of Collective Bargaining on the Use of Innovative Policing,† makes mention about â€Å"three methods of innovative policing: citizen review boards, early warning systems, and the use of in-car camera systems.†(Paper 14)The public is interested in getting service. In substance, it is not interested whether the powers are with the union representatives or with the management officials. But progressively, more and more powers are wrested by the latter as such they would be concerned in retaining the goodwill of the public. Policing is a responsive function. Just because there are bad elements in the public, policing becomes necessary. In an ideal society free from violence and negativities the question of policing does not arise. But to attai n such a perfect state is impossibility and the question of law enforcement comes to the fore. In the conditions obtaining today, unions continue to expand as such the community of utilizing collective bargaining has come to stay and will expand and it will be beneficial to law enforcement. The provisions of Constitution of America apply uniformly for all its citizens. There are no divisions like ordinary citizens and police citizens. When a police officer is being investigated, he is entitled for all the benefits of a fair trial like any other privileged citizen. Police officers work under tremendous stress and at times the disposition of the investigating officer seem bad, but finding solutions to the tough cases is not kindergarten stuff. The life of a police officer is filled with uncertainties and he too is aware of his constitutional duty to maintain

Distinguish between and discuss McGregor's Theories and Essay

Distinguish between and discuss McGregor's Theories and Maslow'hierarchy of needs in relation to modern marine management practice - Essay Example Any marine management company would like to keep individuals working for the company engaged and motivated in their work. However, the process of engaging individuals as well as providing the motivation to all concerned parties is not an easy one since motivation is based on several different facets depending on the needs of the individual. Understanding this process of motivation requires careful management, a view of the psychological contract and understanding the work-life balance which prevents employees from burning out (Erdogan, 2005). In terms of individual motivation, people who are better able to create and understand abstract motivational symbols for themselves will have better responses to both internal and external factors that help in the process of motivation (Brown, 1999). For instance, the symbol of money can be understood by any civilization which has a basic economy but the idea of pleasure and other higher order needs may vary from individual to individual. The same is the case with the idea of pain; therefore, an individual may not seek out pleasure or avoid pain in a rational way if they are not clear about the symbolic value of these concepts or if the symbolic connections for the individual are completely different as compared to the ideas upheld by the world around them (Weiner, 1992). In that scenario, the humanistic theory can applied to the concept of motivating individuals towards better performance since it takes a baseline of needs which all human beings have. Maslow is considered to be the authority when it comes to applying the Humanistic perspective to motivation. The central contribution made by Maslow deals with the pyramid of needs which was described by him to show the hierarchy of motivational factors for human beings (Maslow, 1971). The first level of needs that have to be satisfied for an individual are physiological, i.e. Oxygen, nourishment, warmth and other necessities which are required for

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Physical Activity and Wellness Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Physical Activity and Wellness - Research Paper Example Since the establishment of the physical activity, several factors influence the level of exercise behaviors of people. Physical activity entails bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that results in energy expenditure above resting level. Several guiding framework are put in place to aid in understanding the multiple elements at each level. Individual factors are core when it comes to factors influencing a person’s involvement in exercise. The factor is innate to each person and differs from person to another such as a person’s genetic make-up, sex, growth and development as well as socioeconomic status among others. Social factors influence the physical activity of a person as fellow peers encourage one another to participate in exercise regime. Yet another influence is the environmental factor, ones surrounding such as walk paths encourage people to walk to work or shopping centers and even at times just for leisure. To build an environment suitable for physical activity opts to be an objective when setting up settlement units for it supports an active lifestyle. For example, safer streets that support biking, jogging and wider walking causes majority of the population to engage in some form of exercise reducing bad health outcomes. Controlled environment especially at workplace ensures employees access to existing communication channels and networks that improves levels of physical activity at all instances such as encouraging people use staircase instead of use of elevator.

Military Force and Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Military Force and Terrorism - Essay Example However, in order to reduce such type of illegal activities, varied types of laws and acts are introduced by different governments but still the pace of terrorist activities are expanding rapidly. After undergoing extensive research, it can be summarized that in order to reduce the negative impacts of terrorist activities on society by major terrorist group of the world such as Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Irish Republican Army, Lashkar-E-Taiba, Al-Umma Organization, Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) etc, governments of all countries need to focus on improvement of the living standards of the terrorists by fulfilling their basic needs and demands. Implementation of strategic actions might prove effective for the government to reduce the impacts of terrorism over the citizens of a specific nation. If it is possible that any government can come up with strategic political negotiations with the leaders of terrorist groups, then many common people’s lives might be saved and the social, political and economic condition of the nation may also be improved considerably. Therefore, it is essential for any nation to reduce the negative effects of terrorism in order to amplify the gr owth and prosperity of the nation. Terrorism is described as a sort of violence, against the general civilians in order to impose influence and power. Terrorist attacks are caused by a specific group of individual over the citizens of a nation in order to fulfill their own interests and motives. This is done mainly by a specific group of individual of different culture and religion whose prime aim is to improve their life style and living standard as compared to native citizens of the nation. Moreover, terrorist attacks also try to create fear and terror within the minds of the native individual in order to increase the rate of ‘out migration’. This might prove effective for the terrorist individual to get job

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Physical Activity and Wellness Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Physical Activity and Wellness - Research Paper Example Since the establishment of the physical activity, several factors influence the level of exercise behaviors of people. Physical activity entails bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that results in energy expenditure above resting level. Several guiding framework are put in place to aid in understanding the multiple elements at each level. Individual factors are core when it comes to factors influencing a person’s involvement in exercise. The factor is innate to each person and differs from person to another such as a person’s genetic make-up, sex, growth and development as well as socioeconomic status among others. Social factors influence the physical activity of a person as fellow peers encourage one another to participate in exercise regime. Yet another influence is the environmental factor, ones surrounding such as walk paths encourage people to walk to work or shopping centers and even at times just for leisure. To build an environment suitable for physical activity opts to be an objective when setting up settlement units for it supports an active lifestyle. For example, safer streets that support biking, jogging and wider walking causes majority of the population to engage in some form of exercise reducing bad health outcomes. Controlled environment especially at workplace ensures employees access to existing communication channels and networks that improves levels of physical activity at all instances such as encouraging people use staircase instead of use of elevator.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Impressionist Artists Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Impressionist Artists - Essay Example The essay "Impressionist Artists" discovers the artists of impressionism. Their works display the use of short brush strokes and unmixed colors which are commonly observed in impressionist artworks. Compared to the romantic art, the impressionists, as the word implies, used general impressions of their subjects to show their expression of the art as opposed to the traditional, photographic means of painting. One of the works of Camille Pissarro is his painting entitled Church and Farm at Eragny, completed in 1890. This pictures a farm with cattle grazing among the grasses near the trees. There is a couple walking towards the church located behind the trees and bushes, partially shown, with the steeple as the dominant figure that makes it recognizable as a church. Near the church, behind the trees, are houses which suggest the homes of the farm owners. Behind the houses is portrayed a cloudy sky which generally give other colors used in contrast to the dark and gloomy colors used in t he painting. Pissarro used thin, short strokes to give a general impression of the picture of his artwork’s title, the farm and church at Eragny. This consequently gives vague images. The lines are not well defined as to give more details to the images captured in the painting rather just gives an idea of what they really are. For instance, the carabaos and horses do not show details of their horns or other parts so that they may difficult to determine what kind of cattle they are. The short brush strokes used to give the impressions.

World Music Industry †A Background Essay Example for Free

World Music Industry – A Background Essay There are three major segments in the world music industry; the industry that deals in the recorded music, the industry that is involved in the broadcasting of the already recorded music and the industry that attends to live performances. There are other less significant segments which are concerned with the broadcast rights for live performances and so on. Revenue is generated at each of these stages of the value chain. The earning of the revenue starts with a composer and lyricist with a song written and composed. In some cases the lyricist will sell the music on his own or he may decide to sell the rights may be transferred to another party. Then the song is played by the performers and at this point the revenues start flowing from two different directions – one from the performance recorded in a studio and the other from the live performances. In this process there are certain costs incurred which makes the presence of the companies specialized in the recording business as a prerequisite for channelizing the music performed. These costs include: Cost of rent for studio time and recording equipments Professional service charges payable for the sound engineers, technicians and operators Cost of transferring the recordings to tapes or compact discs and Cost of distributing the music as saleable commodities Since these costs are very high it is not possible to complete the value chain without the participation of these high profile companies. Usually these recording companies sign a contract with the performers. Under the contract the performer agrees to produce a certain number of recordings. The performer also agrees to take part in the promotion of the music product and is also under an obligation not to take part in recordings with other companies during the contract period. The record company undertakes to incur the cost of â€Å"producing, duplicating, packaging, distributing and marketing† of the products. The record companies distribute the products to the retailers who further sells to the consumers. In this value chain the authorized listeners who purchase the music product by paying the specified charges as remuneration to the copyright holders share their copy of the product with other listeners who do not make any payment for listening to the music. Traditionally the occasions on which the copying of the music was done were less which was in an informal way by making illegal tapes to share with friends and relatives. In this case there will be no earnings for any party in the value chain including for the â€Å"publishers, performers, recording companies and retailers†. There may not be any revenue arising for the person who has purchased the product legally and this depends on whether he charges for the copies he makes for the use of his friends. With the rapid changed in technology, the traditional market for the music was changing its dependence from cassettes, LPs, singles, compact discs, mini discs, MP3 and DVDs. These changes in the selling media have acted as strong barriers to the new entrants in to the market due to the reasons like: The international distribution network had proved very capital intensive involving huge investments. Despite the large investments, there was always the risk that the network must suit to the sudden changes in the customers’ demand. This often necessitated the trading off of international rights to music to international distribution as a measure to avoid the risk of change in preferences. (Kretschmer et al. , 1999). There were large costs associated with the marketing of the music worldwide. Firms had to incur marketing expenditure running in to millions of dollars in this respect. This is evident from the fact that releasing chart-bound albums have resulted in huge marketing costs in the national markets of UK and Germany. The composition of the products is so vulnerable that sometimes as low as 10 percent of the music products would account for almost 90 percent of the turnover and nobody could really assess the reasons for the success of certain products. (Caves, 2000) The competition from large players from other industries like consumer electronics, television and other media, entertainment and telecommunication industries using latest technologies of digital and networking also act as a barrier for new firms entering the music products market in the traditional set up. Examples of such organizations include the Time Warner, Disney, and Sony etc.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Requirements of a Job Description

Requirements of a Job Description Shari M. Kern Dental Assistant A job description allows an organization to put up boundaries for a purpose and assists as an interaction tool between the employer and the employee to make sure of a clear understanding of expectations. According to Youssef (2015), a job description identifies characteristics of a chore to be done in terms of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities to be fulfilled. A job description has three chief functions. The first component of a job description emphases on key roles and the purpose of the position within the organization (Youssef, 2015). The second component of a job summarizes the job (Youssef, 2015). The third component of a job description gives a detailed list of the functions, tasks, duties, and obligations associated with the business, and the final item is other duties as needed, that communicates the need for flexibility and adaptability. (Youssef, 2015). The following is a sample job description for a Dental Assistant. Position Summary Under the direct oversight of the Dentist, the Dental Assistant will perform a range of responsibilities that will be approved by the Dentist. The Dental Assistant will assist the Dentist with all clinical procedures. The Dental Assistant will abide by current OSHA regulations and guidelines related to infection control and universal precautions. The Dental Assistant will also assist in some front desk responsibilities for the Dental Receptionist. Tasks Prepares dental instruments and materials; cleans and sterilizes instruments. Keeps track of inventory on all dental supplies. Greet patients in the reception area and accompanies patients to the operatory. Reviews patients medical and dental history. Reviews the daily schedule to set up dental trays and instruments. Assists the dentist with all dental procedures, including periodontal charting, taking impressions, and pouring models and other chairside tasks. Keeps track of incoming and outgoing labs. Responsible for keeping operatory stocked with dental supplies. Delivers dental hygiene instruction. Provides any support needed to the front office; pulling charts, filing, answering phones, collecting payments, scheduling appointments. Perform additional duties as delegated by the Dental Office Manager or the Dentist. Tools and Technology The Dental Assistant will be knowledgeable in Dentrix, or other dental software programs. The Dental Assistant will also be familiar with Schick Digital x-rays, Panoramic x-ray, and AED. Knowledge The Dental Assistant is required to be knowledgeable in all matters of the dental office and procedures including dental health issues. Skills and Abilities Takes and reads digital x-rays, including panoramic images (NC x-ray certification required). Certified in CPR (Current CPR certificate required) and is trained in all emergency procedures including AED. (Office defibrillator). Teamwork Creating a safe and effective work environment. Dental health promotion and maintenance. Education Requirements High School Diploma or GED. Minimum of five years experience in a dental office, and have a Certified or Registered Dental Assistant Certificate. Proof of CPR certificate, North Carolina X-ray safety certificate required. Previous Dental Assistant experience in implant placement and Periodontics greatly recommended. There are various methods an organization use to begin the recruitment process to fill an open position. Organizations can find talent internally and outwardly. Internal recruitment can include promoting within, employee referrals, and lateral transfers. Externally recruitment can include advertising, employment and temporary offices, web recruiting, business fairs, college, and universities and so on (Youssef, 2015). For filling a dental assistant position, placing an ad on a career website is the common method that it is utilized to fulfill a spot. Some other method that is usually used is contracting a dental assistant on a temporary basis with the option to hire through a dental agency that is exclusively geared towards dental personnel. Two methods of assessment for a dental position that are commonly used are structured interviews and work sample tests. Structured interviews are interviews that consist of a specific set of questions that are designed to assess critical KSAs that are required for a job. The author also states, Work sample tests consist of tasks or work activities that mirror the tasks that employees are required to perform on the job. Like job knowledge tests, work sample tests should only be used in situations where candidates are expected to know how to perform the tested job tasks prior to job entry (Pulakos, 2005). In conclusion, preparing a job description is vital to an organization to put up boundaries for a role and helps as an interaction between the employer and employee to make sure of a clear understanding of expectations. A task description should be clear, concise and define a specific job function and expectations that gives the potential employee a sense of the priorities involved. It not only offers a readable image of the situation for potential candidates, but is likewise a utilitarian instrument for appraising performance and a critical reference in the consequence of disputes or disciplinary matters.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Sutton&Anderson Pastoralism Summary :: essays research papers

Sutton Anderson Chapter 8 Pastoralism is the form of agriculture where the domestication and use of animals are used for the primary means of food production. There is a relationship among the animals and humans. The humans give the animals’ protection and guaranteed reproduction. Animals give humans food and other products. Most pastoral groups are loose tribes moving around, yet the household is the primary organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Three types of pastoralism exist, (1) nomadic (groups are very mobile and rely heavily on their animals), (2) semi-nomadic (groups are less mobile and animal products are supplemented by horticulture), and (3) semi-sedentary, (groups that are not very mobile and horticulture is a major aspect to the way of life). Herdsman husbandry and sedentary animal husbandry are components of larger agricultural systems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Herbivores are used in pastoralism; animals include reindeer, horses, sheep, camels, cattle, and others. The origin of pastoralism is unknown; however it is believed that it arose from an agricultural system. The animals live in pastures and feed there. Grazers primarily eat grasses and low-growing plants. Browsers eat primarily foliage from bushes and trees. This makes it possible to have different species on the same pasture (habitat) while occupying different niches. Careful management of the pastures is essential for the group’s survival. Animal products include meat, blood, milk, hides, hair, wool, and dung. Most groups supplement these products with horticulture, trade and wild resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unmanaged or poorly managed use of pastures can led to damage of ecosystems. The current practice of changing forest into pasture lands is causing considerable damage. The Maasai of East Africa provide us with an example of properly managed pastures. The Maasai burn brush to create pasture land, when the herd must be moved so that the pasture can regain its strength, other animals such as deer and small wild pigs enter the fallow fields, thus creating another resource of food for them. The governments of Kenya and Tanzania took about 75% of the Maasai lands to use for tourism. The land soon began to grow over and the brush took over. The large game that the government was counting on to create revenue from the tourists began to leave to find more suitable land. The governments are slowly giving the Maasai people their land back in hope that their properly managed pastures can bring the large game back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Navajo of the American Southwest are an example of semi sedentary pastoralists.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Literature Review Celebrity Chef Essay

This review should bring all relevant facts about the subject and facilitate practitioners and highlight areas for further research. In short celebrity endorsement is about endorsing products with the help from a celebrity. Consumer association towards a celebrity endorsed produced increases their purchase intention as many see the celebrity as a role model. However, it is important that the consumer can identify with the celebrity and that the celebrity? s image fits with the produced he or she endorses, only then will celebrity backing be an effective advertising strategy. . 2. Background and Definition Nowadays, celebrities are used in advertising in almost every context. Athletes such as Michael Ballack (Adidas) or Tiger Woods (Rolex) or models such as Cindy Crawford (Omega) or Heidi Klum (Katjes) endorse several products. These celebrities act as a spokesperson in order to advertise and promote products (Kambitsis et al. , 2002). Celebrities can create more positive responses to wards advertising and greater purchase intentions than non-celebrity endorsers (Byrne et al. , 2003). Using celebrity as an endorser for a given product can either be positive or negative for a company/brand. A campaign that turned out successfully was the campaign with Jamie Oliver as an endorser for the supermarket chain J. Sainsbury. The successful format of the TV production â€Å"The naked chef† provided an ideal platform to use for the advertising campaign within a context relevant for J. Sainsbury? s desire (Byrne, 2003). An example of a campaign that did not turn out successful was when J. Sainsbury used the actor John Cleese in the â€Å"value to shout about† campaign in 1998. Employees and customers alike felt that Cleese was not the right personality to personify the supermarket’s quality image (Whitehead, 2003). In the literature there are two different definitions of celebrity endorsers used. The definitions used are: â€Å"A celebrity endorser is an individual who is known to the public (actor, sports figure, entertainer, etc. ) for his or her achievements in areas other than that of the product class endorsed†. (Friedman, 1979, p. 63) â€Å"Any individual who enjoys public recognition and who uses the recognition on behalf of a consumer good by appearing with it in an advertisement†. McCracken, 1989, p. 310) In other words these definitions says that an individual who is known to the public in different ways. The individual is famous and utilizes his or her publicity to advertise a product that does not have anything to do with the individual fame. I consider McCracken? s definition as the most informative one as it is short and concise. The definition gives a clear view of what a celebrity endorser is. Previous studies have been done on consumers? response to celebrity endorsement in advertising. Results of these studies show that celebrities make advertising believable and enhance message recall. Furthermore, when celebrities are recognized with brand names, it creates a positive attitude toward the brand and a distinct personality for the endorsed brand. In the following chapter the method used for this review will be introduced. The chapter will start with how a literature review is defined, followed by the literature search, method problems and quality standards. 2. 1. Definition of literature review Conducting a literature review is about understanding a topic that has already been addressed, how it has been researched by other authors, and what the key issues are (Hart, 1998). According to the author Chris Hart (1998) the definition of a literature review is the selection of available documents; both published and unpublished (in my review I will only study published academic documents), on the topic, which contains information, ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint. 2. 2. Literature search, methodology used When searching for articles I used the databases Emerald, Ebsco and ProQuest. These databases were used because of the highest ranked journals in the field of marketing were listed there. I used the article Journal quality list (2008) issued by Harzading. com, research in international and cross-cultural management. High ranked journals increase the validity of the thesis, as validity is defined as â€Å"The ability of a scale or measuring instruments to measure what is intended to be measured†(Zinkmund, 2000). I also tried to find books relevant to the topic by using the library here at Les Roches International School of Hotel management as well as the library database google. scholar. . 3. Description of sub-topics Purchase intentions: Describes what impact the celebrity endorser has on the consumers purchase intentions. A consumer is more likely to purchase complex or expensive products which are endorsed by celebrities rather than by non-celebrities. Daneshvary and Schwer (2000) point purchase intention as an environment of associations between endo rsement and consumer, depending if the consumer can identify with that association and purpose. Consumers? association to celebrity endorsement/endorser: How consumers associate/have a connection towards the celebrity endorsement/endorser. If a company want a consumer to associate to an endorsed product it is important to choose an endorser who uses the product and where that use is a reflection of professional expertise (Daneshvary and Schwer, 2000). A formula 1 driver endorsing helmets is good, while a tennis player endorsing car polish is less good (ibid). Consumers? attitudes towards the endorser: The consumers? often have a positive attitude towards the product and the celebrity, despite the fact, that it is well known, that the endorser earned a lot when promoting the product (Cronley et al. 1999). Effectiveness of celebrity endorsement/endorsers: How effective is the usage of celebrity endorsement. It is, most likely, more effective to use celebrity endorsement constantly to increase the strength of the link between the celebrity and the endorsed brand. It is also more effective to use a celebrity who is not associated with another product (Till, 1998). Positive/negative effects of celebrity endorsement: the usa ge of celebrity endorsement can be both positive and /or negative, which can influence the company / brand in the end. For example, using celebrities can be very costly; also, celebrities might switch to a competitor, which would then increase the risk of a negative impact (Agrawal and Kamakura, 1995). However, in can be said that celebrities in advertising are widely spread and persistent and the marketing executives continue to utilize celebrity endorsement as an advertising strategy (ibid). Profitability of celebrity endorsement: The use of celebrity endorsement will hopefully lead to increased profitability. A study indicates that there is a positive impact of celebrity endorsement on the expected future profits, which recommends marketing managers to use celebrity endorsers in their advertising campaigns (Agrawal and Kamakura, 1995). Friedman/Friedman (1979)Does effectiveness of celebrity endorsement depend on the product? Interviews with 360 house wives Celebrity endorsements are not effective for all products Till (1998)What are the effects of celebrities endorsing more than 1 product? Case study with 99 students, who were shown different advertisings using the same celebrity endorserThe use of the same celebrity endorser to advertise for various products has got a negative impact on the efficiency of the ad, the product and the endorser. Atkin / Block (1983)Is celebrity endorsement effective in advertising and how does it influence customer purchase intentionsExperiment with 196 test persons, where each participant was shown 3 versions of an ad. Each version featuring a celebrity endorser and a non-celebrity. Advertising using celebrity endorsement is under special conditions more effective than using non-celebrities. Choi et al. (2005)How can celebrities be used successfully in advertising? How effective is the recall-value and the emotional response to celebrity advertising? Experiment with different groups of test persons. Advertising with celebrities is more effective than using non-celebrities under special conditions. Sanbonmatsu / Kardes (1988)How does the credibility of a celebrity affect the consumer purchasing intention? Interviews with 542 persons. Consumer purchasing intentions are more effected using celebrities than using non-celebrities. Tripp et al. (1994) How do consumers judge the celebrity endorsement, the ad and the brand, if the celebrity endorses various products? What are the effects on purchasing behaviour? First Study: interviews with 461 students. Second Study: Interview with 10 test persons. Simultaneous advertising trough the same celebrity has a negative effect on the ad, the product and the celebrity. Agrawal/Kamakura (1996)Which economical effects on advertising are there when using celebrities? Event-Study in regards to the effects on share prices trough the announcement of celebrity endorsementCelebrity endorsement can have a positive and a negative effect on share prices. Agrawal/Kamakura (1995)Can a single celebrity have a positive effect on the company? s value? Analysis of the share price of a company after announcing a celebrity endorserCelebrity endorsement can have a positive and a negative effect on share prices. Charbonneau / Garland (2005)How does a company find the right celebrity endorser for its products? Which criteria should be considered? Questionnaires: 414 marketing managers at 148 advertising companies.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

System integration

>The term integration is inserted in technical papers, e-mail messages, correspondence, proposals, and even causal conversations. After many years of project work, and many misunderstandings and failed meetings and workshops, it can only be stated that the word has multiple and misunderstood meanings. For technical papers (research and trade), the term must be provided with context, or it is impossible to have a meaningful conversation. Next, multiple alternative definitions (that are valid in the literature for the appropriate context) are presented and explained in some detail.Research limitations/implications – The paper is not exhaustive, since new definitions of integration may exist or may emerge. Originality/value – The main contribution of the paper is that it yields clarity on a key term that is frequently used in information systems research. The paper is useful to any researchers or practitioners who are focused on enterprise system implementation. Keywords I ntegration, Interface management, Applications, Information systems, Research Paper type General review Introduction and importance Integration is a common term in the enterprise systems literature.Seldom does a meeting occur when the word is not used multiple times and often within quite technical contexts. Unfortunately, our experience is that individuals often have a different understanding of the meaning of the word. Loosely speaking, there is a general consensus that integration concerns making applications work together that were never intended to work together by passing information through some form of interface. This is certainly part of the context, but this paper argues that there is more to be said.Since the earliest days of computing, the term â€Å"integration† has been seed in both the trade and academic literature to describe a process, a condition, a system, and an end-state. Given that these competing labels have very different meanings, their indiscriminate usage is often obscure and invites confusion. For example, a sloppy conflation of process and condition encourages circular definitions that possess little explanatory power. Consider the following advertisement (Figure 1) from the Oracle Corporation and the corresponding quote from the Oracle CEO, Larry Ellison.Figure 1 is clearly an appeal for a type of integration that we call â€Å"Big l,† having all relevant data aligned with a ingle data model and stored only once. The implication is that you can place all of your data for the set of business processes listed in the middle column of Figure 1 inside of the Oracle E-Business Suite and significantly reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). In fact, the advertisement claims that Oracle saved over $1 billion USED per year by implementing Big l.And also, there are the problems with complexity and managing scope integrity across multiple data sources (Gulled and Summer, 2004). Consider Figure 2 from an unnamed company. Figure 2 shows a situation that is described in the literature as â€Å"systems integration;† . E. The interfacing of systems together so they can pass information across a complex technology landscape. We call this type of integration a form of â€Å"Little I,† and we note that this form of Little I (point-to-point interfaces) is an expensive proposition.Data must be constantly harmonize and cleansed across multiple data sources, and any changes to one system can lead to complex and costly re-testing or even re-design and coding of interfaces. Clearly, we have presented two extremes, and by and large both have been rejected by large organizations world wide. Most organizations do not want to include all of their data in one application (e. G. Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, etc. ) for a number of different reasons, but at the same time, no one wants the problems that are associated with implementations like that shown in Figure 2.There are other options. In fact there are many options , and that is the point of this paper. All of the options (including the two above) are called integration. So what is integration? As one might guess, it depends on the context, and the usage must be qualified. Big I may not achievable, and it may not even be appropriate. If Little I is appropriate, what type of Little I is appropriate, given the situation and the state of 7 Figure 2. Interfacing systems components to define an enterprise solution emerging technologies?This paper addresses those questions, and it also categorizes the most used forms of Little I in the context of enterprise system implementation. This categorization and associated discussion is essential, or it is impossible to have a meaningful discourse about application integration. Integration – Big I To establish a baseline, the following definition is proposed for integration. Integration (Big l) – integration implies that all relevant data for a particular bounded and closed set of business proc esses is processed in the same software application.Updates in one application module or component are reflected throughout the business process logic, with no complex external interfacing. Data are stored once, and it is instantaneously shared by all business processes that are enabled by the software application. This is a rather comprehensive and restrictive definition that revives memories of first generation enterprise resource planning (ERP). The business process implications of Big I are discussed in some detail by Gulled and Summer (2003).To preserve clarity throughout this paper, the above definition will always be referred to as â€Å"Big l. † Big I is definitely the goal of management, especially for mundane business processes. This implies â€Å"one source of truth† for those business processes that are enabled by core ERP solutions. The concept is simple: if all data are stored once and shared, then integrity issues are less likely to occur. The TCO is sig nificantly less, since interfaces across application components are not required. Furthermore, complexity is significantly reduced. MEDS 8 Figure 3 shows how Big I relates to Little I for a simple example related to US Army Logistics. In this example, Army Logistics processes are scoped with the SAP solution as Big l; I. E. There is no interfacing across the SAP components. However, some of the logistics business processes flow outside of the Army. In this case, we indicate the transportation processes that are part of the end-to-end logistics business processes, but they fall outside of the Army, and they are managed by the US Transportation Command (TRANSOM).The systems that support this segment of the end-to-end process are not SAP, and they are not even owned by the army. This is a classical composite application[3] and some form of Little I is must be implemented in order to preserve the integrity of the business process logic[4]. Figure 3, even though a simple picture, shows m uch about integration. First, it suggests that large and complex organizations are unlikely to place all of their business processes in a single application.While assertions of Figure 1 are accurate, there are at least two reasons why single instance ERP will not occur in most firms: (1) he internet opened more options for Little I; and (2) the culture and control of the internal and external system integration communities will not allow such consolidation. Like it or not, given the current state of technology, we are going to have to live with is a mixture of Big I and Little I, at least as long as the current trends continue.The reality of this situation is reinforced by the fact that the larger software providers are â€Å"opening† their products and making them more flexible for mix and match Figure 3. An example of Big I and Little I in the same enterprise opportunities with Little I. This is evidenced by such products as the Oracle Data Hubs and SAP Interweave technolog ies. While it is true, Just as Figure 1 shows, that the TCO could be reduced by moving to Big l, most organizations do not have the flexibility nor the desire to do that. However, this does not mean that Big I is dead.There will always be pockets of Big l; connected by Little I, to other pockets of Big l. This is not a technical assertion, but is directly related to common sense. For example, one would never â€Å"rip† a product like SAP core ERP apart and then interface it back together again. This is self inflicted main, and it can be avoided by Just implementing the product the way it was intended to be implemented[5]. Preserve the integrity of the product by implementing Big I whenever possible, and use Little I to include those components that cannot be included in the integration domain.One would never dream of separating financial from materials in an SAP implementation, and then interface it back together again. Or even worse, it makes even less sense to stand up inde pendent SAP solutions in different divisions of a company, operating as a family or fiefdom, with the absence of an enterprise orientation. We will revisit implementation options later, but before doing that, we must further explore the options for Little I. The choice of a particular little I technology has significant implications for the types of mix and match options that are available for consideration.Integration (Little I) As previously mentioned, all forms of Little I are some form of interfacing, even though they are loosely called â€Å"system integration. † Much has been written on the subject, so we only focus on those types of Little I that are most relevant for the implementation of enterprise systems: point-to-point integration; database-to-database integration; data warehouse integration; enterprise application integration (EAI); application server integration; and business-to-business (BIB) integration.Point-to-point integration This is the most expensive for m of integration. Point-to-point integration is the pair wise development of interfaces among systems. The data model of the target and source system are known, and someone (e. G. A system integrator) develops the code for passing information back and forth. Sometimes accelerator products are used, a good example being the IBM Miseries of middleware products that are now included as a part of Webster. Miseries does require writing code at both the source and target system.The approach to point-to-point integration is well known, most frequently involving changing both applications to use a middleware layer, by rewriting the transaction handling code to communicate across the two applications. The traditional model of interaction is through remote function calls. The largest problem with point-to-point integration is shown in Figure 4, a situation that Schafer (2002) attributes to a customer situation. 9 10 Figure 4. Example of point-to-point integration As the number of interfaced c omponents is increased, the number of interfaces to be maintained increases dramatically.The TCO likewise increases. As a real example consider the financial interfaces to a Navy SAP solution that is shown in Figure 5[6]. Figure 5 is a good example of the previously mentioned case that can arise when financial are separated from materials or assets in an enterprise solution and then must be interfaced back to the ERP product, violating the integrity of the solution. While Figure 5 is reality and could not be easily avoided, the SAP product was never intended to be implemented in this way. The integrity of the product is violated by destroying the Big I that is engineered into the product.For all of the reasons previously mentioned, point-to-point integration should be avoided and only be used when there are no other options. Database-to-database integration This form of Little I, requires the sharing of information at the database level; hence, providing interoperable applications. The basic replication solution leverages features built into many databases to move information between databases as long as they maintain the same schema information on all sources and targets. There are companies that provide middleware to accelerate this process.Database and replication software are provided by companies such as Pervasive Integration Architect and Denominator's Constellate Hub that permit moving information among many different database products with different schema. Figure 6 shows the conceptual layout for this form of Little I. While this integration procedure may work well for database applications, it does not work so well for enterprise applications. Most enterprise applications have 11 Figure 5. From defense financial and accounting services to the US Navy Pilot SAP implementations Figure 6.Conceptual layout for database-to-database 12 multi-tiered architectures, where even though the applications reside at a separate tier, the business process logic is â €Å"bound† to the master data. So, if one simply passes information at the database level, it is easy to create data integrity problems. Enterprise software vendors typically publish application program interfaces (Apish) that allow interfacing at the application level, and it is best to use these Apish. If you update the database without using the Apish, then you are violating the Big I that is engineered into the product, and integrity problems are a likely result.See that Anonymous (1999) article in enterprise development where some of these difficulties are discussed within the context of interfacing with SAP's R/3 product. For enterprise implementations, this form of Little I should be avoided. Data warehouse integration This form of Little I is similar to database-to-database integration, but instead of replicating data across various databases, a single Martial database† is used to map the data from any number of physical databases, which can be various brands, m odels, or schema.In other words, a new data warehouse is created, and information is aggregated from a number of sources, where it may be analyzed or used for report generation. The effectiveness of this approach depends on the sophistication of the tools that are used and the quality of the data that is pulled from the various sources. Once the data are aggregated, reporting is straight forward; however, if business process logic must be applied to the aggregated data, then that logic must be created at the data warehouse level.The basic layout for data warehouse integration is shown in Figure 7. Figure 7. Conceptual view of data arouses integration If the integration is at the database level, the same problems associated with database-to-database integration that were mentioned above still apply. If the integration is at the application level, then data warehouse integration is similar to point-to-point integration, and the problems with that approach also apply. This form of inte gration is quite popular, even though it is expensive to maintain.The reason that data warehouse integration is popular, is that it allows all parties involved to maintain their individual stove-piped environments while sharing selective data in a auteur environment. In short, one is trading Big I for autonomy. An example of a large data warehouse integration effort in the US Army is shown in Figure 8. The logistics integrated database (LIDS) contains aggregates information from many stand-alone systems, with the objective of providing enterprise-level analytics. As the fugue indicates, the input data are aggregated from many sources, and output data are pushed to many sources.Constant cleansing and harmonistic is required in order to avoid integrity problems. Many enterprise solutions, like those from SAP and Oracle, use data warehouse lotions for reporting and enterprise analytics. However, this static view of enterprise data are not the same as Big l. Even if the concept is exten ded to include a federated query capability with the data warehouse being a virtual repository of metadata, this is still no substitute for Big l. However, the big problem, as previously mentioned, is the maintaining of business process logic at the data warehouse level.While this option preserves organizational autonomy, it is indeed costly. The data that are pushed into the warehouse must be constantly monitored for quality, and NY changes in any one of the target or source systems create significant testing and/ or additional coding problems. 13 Figure 8. A conceptual view of the LIDS 14 Figure 9. Hub and spoke architecture for enterprise application integration Enterprise application integration EAI is the sharing of data and business process logic across hetero/homogeneous instances through message-oriented-middleware (MOM). EAI may be managed by packaged vendors (e. . SAP and Oracle) or through solutions provided by third party vendors (e. G. MM, Webmasters, etc. ). EAI is som etimes called application-centric interfacing. EAI is used to connect multiple systems at the application or database levels, using a form of middleware that is sometimes called a broker. The middleware moves information in and out of multiple systems, using pre-engineered â€Å"connectors. † The connectors are a source of competitive advantage for EAI software providers, because if a connector already exists for the target and source application, the cost of interface development can be reduced.The problems associated with point-to-point integration are reduced by adopting a hub and spoke model for sharing information. The EAI Middleware allows one to rite a single interface between each application and the middleware, instead of individually connecting each application to every other application. An example of a hub and spoke architecture is shown in Figure 9. Once the information is extracted, it is sent to a central server using some sort of messaging system, where the in formation is processed and routed to the target system.If there is a gap in required business process logic, the logic can be created on the central server for execution. In theory, any-to-any document swap is possible, considering the business process logic in the source and target systems. Using â€Å"connectors,† the EAI software processes messages from packaged applications, databases, and custom applications using a queuing engine. When an event occurs (e. G. A transaction in an ERP package or a database table update), a message is published to the queue about the event.Subscribers to queue access the event envelope, analyze the content, and if it is intended for processing in the target system, the envelope contains everything necessary for recreating the event in the target system. The queuing engine ensures that all events are processed in the correct sequence, ensuring transactional integrity. Many companies provide pre-packaged EAI solutions, and the market is extre mely competitive. The hub and spoke model using connectors has been operational for many years, and the products have reached a mature level.However, we note that EAI is still interfacing, and while this is a significant improvement over point-to-point integration, EAI can be costly to implement and costly to maintain. The main benefits flow from being able to use â€Å"partially configured† connectors, while leverage industry partnerships which yield certified interfaces. Tremendous consolidation has occurred n recent years in companies that provide EAI solutions as the larger software providers have moved in to provide EAI solutions that interact with their Big I products.For example, SAP now supports EAI as part of its Interweave[7] solution, where previously SAP had used third party providers like IBM and Webmasters to provide EAI capabilities. It is also important to note that EAI is typically used inside the enterprise, as opposed to across the enterprise. For this reas on EAI is sometimes called application-centric interfacing. The objective is to interfaces processes and share data within the enterprise. The inter-enterprise model falls under a class of solutions that are called Business-to-Business commerce, and this form of interfacing will be discussed in a later section.Application server integration This is the most sophisticated form of Little I that is discussed in this paper. Think of application server integration as the creation of a single, centralized application (logical or physical) that can provide a common set of services to any number of other remote applications. These â€Å"services† are common business objects that are shared across enterprise applications. The sharing and reuse of services is the goal of distributed objects and applications servers.Application server integration enables the enterprise by sharing services across the enterprise. The concept of application server integration is shown in Figure 10. Modern systems invoke shared objects to share business logic and interact with resources (such as databases, ERP systems, or queues). In modern ERP systems these shared objects may be more highly aggregated as â€Å"wrapped† transactions. For example, when configuring the SAP solution, one aligns transactions with process steps. A process step could be associated with one or more transactions.If the transactions associated with a process step are bundled together and â€Å"wrapped† as a web service, then they may be shared across other SAP and non-SAP components. SAP calls this aggregated object an â€Å"Enterprise Service,† and it is the basis of SAP's Enterprise Services Architecture (SAP GAG, 2004). Application integration occurs through the sharing of business logic, as well as through the back-end integration of many different applications and resources. The application server â€Å"binds† the data from a relational or relational-object database to he commo n shared objects.The main advantage of application server integration is that 15 16 Figure 10. Application server integration concept the interfaced applications or components are tightly coupled to each other by sharing methods. By our assessment, application server integration is Little I, but given the limits of current technology it is the best approximation that we can provide to Big l. This is because the data integrity checks and business logic bound to the objects are always shared, and therefore, never circumvented. The SAP example is not unique. Most of the major software vendors have a similar tragedy.For example, Figure 11 shows the Oracle strategy for application server integration. The key component of Figure 11 for our discussion is in the right-center of the figure. The Oracle Application Server manages the shared objects and during runtime â€Å"Top Link manages persistence between Java objects and database tables. † At the conceptual level the integration ap proaches pursued by Oracle and SAP are similar. The widely accepted disadvantage of using this application server integration is that significant changes may have to be made to all source and target applications to