Ap Euro Essay 2-2

AP European Essay 2-2 The First World War brought about a phenomenon known as â€Å"total war†. Total war is a war fought on all fronts. A total war has the full support of the country and all human resources, from civilians to soldiers, are considered a part of the war effort. Total war during the first world war had a direct impact on the social, political, and economic structures of the European powers. Total war saw many changes in the social structures of Europe. With millions of men at the front unheard of numbers of jobs were available to those who had become accustomed to unemployment and poverty.This type of situation was seldom seen before 1914 where unemployment and poverty had been facts of everyday life. The role of women in everyday life changed immensely with the arrival of total war. With such large number of positions that were typically worked by men opening up many women took roles in society that they had never considered before, such as police officers, ma il carriers, and even industry workers. The presence of Total war also promoted social equality, blurring class lines and closing the gap between the rich and the poor.This greater social equality was very apparent in Great Britain where wartime hardships were never extreme and where the bottom one third of the population actually lived better than they had before the war. The advent of total war also brought about change in the political structure of the European powers. During the first two years of the war both soldiers and civilians supported their governments and saw their county as having a just cause for fighting in the war. European governments employed rigorous censorship and propaganda in order to control the public opinion and maintain popular support.By 1916 the stain of a total war began to wear on the people of Europe and some groups attempted to take advantage of this strain. One group who took advantage of this was the group of Irish nationalists in Dublin in who ros e up against British rule in the Easter rebellion. Similar strikes and protests flared up all over Europe due to inadequate food rations. Total war not only changed the economy of Europe but also helped to bring about a war economy that would have lasting effects.When the war began Germany went about setting up the War Raw Materials Board to ration and distribute raw materials. Under the direction of Walter Rathenau every useful material from foreign oil to barnyard manure was inventoried and rationed. Food also suffered from rationing with those who worked longer, harder days being allotted more food. This rationing of all useful resources facilitated the mobilization for total war and marked the first instance of state socialism functioning realistically rather than as a utopian program.Without these drastic economic changes the total war phenomenon would have never have come to fruition. The effort of both citizen and soldier were vital in bringing about the total war phenomenon. The social, political, and economic structures of the European powers were changed in great ways due to many nations embracing the ideas that make up total war. But through all of the many changes one thing was certain; war is a vital facet in the changing of societies and countries will shape themselves around it. Not only had the lives of Europeans changed due to total war, but war had changed.

Resistance coursework Essay

My Investigation: I choose to do a nichrome wire because during my preliminary work nichrome shows more resistance compared to nickel and copper wire. This is because the electrons collide with the material of the nichrome wire. Measurements: The things I will have to measure are: the volts and amps and on each interval I take to take readings. I will have to take 5 reading of each volts and amps, so I can work out the resistance, and then I will have 5 resistance readings, from this I will work out an average resistance. Also I will be measuring the wire from 100cm down to 10cm. Diagram: This is how I will set up my circuit: There are particular factors that we have to keep the same in order not to alter the correct results.   Do not alter the positions of the devices during the experiment.   Make sure the total length of wire is exactly 1m.   Record the current and voltage accurately, using the correct units. Always place the crocodile clips on the right measurement.   Before you start the experiment, test the devices being used. If any are faulty, change them.   Leave the power pack set at the same voltage for the whole of the experiment. The surrounding room temperature must be kept, otherwise the particles in the wire will move faster (if the temperature increases). Therefore, this will have an effect on the resistance.   The wire along the metre ruler must be straight and exactly 1m long. Bends in the wire may affect the resistance. The reading of the voltage should be taken promptly after the circuit is connected. This because as soon as a current is put through the wire, it will get hotter. I want to test the nichrome wire when heat is affecting it the least. Safety: This experiment is not too dangerous but it could be if not handled with caution and care. Make sure that the electricity is off at the plug socket when connecting and altering the circuit.   Be careful of any sharp edges on the crocodile clips or on the wire cutters or on the wire once cut. If you cut your self make sure you wash the wound and see a medical nurse if needed. If a fire breaks out switch off the power and use a near by fire extinguisher that is not H2O (because of the electricity) to safely stop the fire.   Make sure the coils in the resistance wire don’t touch and short circuit because this will ruin the experiment and may heat up the wire and catch fire. Do not set the power pack voltage to more than 2V. This is a safety hazard.   If you smell burning, promptly switch off the power pack from the mains.   Make sure that when the power pack is switched on, the near by taps are switched off. If there is any water spilt near by the sockets or surrounding areas, wipe it before you start the experiment.   Make sure the power pack cable or the conducting wires aren’t frayed. Reliability and Accuracy: Reliability: I can rely on my results because I have taken 5 different readings and then taken an average. This is so if one of my results goes wrong then I have four other ones to compare it with so I know if a result is abnormal. I am using an Ammeter to get an accurate current reading and not relying on the approximate readings on the power packs variable controls. Accuracy: I will coil the wire so that there are no short circuits in the wire. I will do this by spacing out the coils and checking it regularly throughout the experiment. This is because if the wire does short-circuit then you will be measuring the resistance of the length of that short-circuited piece of wire and not the whole length of wire. I will also take the reading on the voltmeter as soon as possible so the heat does not affect the resistance. Obtaining My Evidence: During the investigation, I changed the length of the wire by 10cm to see if it affects the resistance and the amount of current I was going to use. Initially I had decided to use 2 amps but I changed it to 1 amp because I felt by using a low current I may not get a very good reading voltage and resistance. The Analysis: Explanation of results- As the length of wire increased, the current decreased. As the length of constantan wire increased, so did voltage. Resistance increased as the length of wire did. The longer the length of the wire, the higher the resistance because of the amps. The current flowing the p. d. across it providing the temperature is constant. V=Ii R or I=V/R or R=V/I From the graph which I have produces I conclude that the higher the length of the wire the higher the resistance. The thin wire in 1 amp tends to resist the movement of electrons init. We say that the wire has a certain resistance to the current. The greater the resistance the more voltage is needed to push the current through the wire. The resistance is calculated by Resistance-P. d across the wire/Current through the wire (1) I conclude that as the length of a wire doubles, the resistance also doubles (provided the thickness of the wire is kept constant0. I also conclude that as the cross-sectional area of the wire doubles; the resistance halves (provided the length of the wire stays constant. I conclude this because my graph shows that resistance is inversely proportional to 1 (thickness2) so the theories behind these conclusions are: As the length doubles the resistance doubles. Resistance is caused by electrons bumping into ions. If the length of the wire doubles, the electrons bump into the ions twice as much so the resistance will double. In my investigation I found out that as the length of the wire increased the resistance and voltage increased as well. The only thing that decreased was the current. I think this because the resistance and the voltage has no longer a distance to travel so more volts/amps are needed where as the current has a shorter distance to travel each time so as the same amount of amps are being used they are building up more. From the graph that I have done, I have found a pattern. This pattern draws me to a conclusion that the higher the length of the wire the higher the resistance. I had also stated this in my prediction, in the earlier stages of my experiment, so this means that my prediction was correct. The thin wire I (amps) a lamp tends to resist the movement of electrons in it we say that the wire has a certain amount of resistance to the current. The greater the resistance the more voltage is needed to push a current through the wire. The Ohms law calculates the resistance of a wire by: Resistance (R) = potential difference across the wire (V) Current through the wire (I) There is a resistance in a wire because the electrons bump in to each other in the nichrome wire. So the high resistance is because of the high length of the wire and because of the electrons bumping in the wire. My predictions match my results because I predicted that resistance would increase as the length of the wire increased and that is what happened. I worked it out by using my head. I started to think about this experiment then I thought that the current would have a longer distance as the length increased and that would make the resistance longer. I also found out that the resistance of one amp carries a current of one amp if there is a potential difference of one volt across it. Judging from my results, I can safely say that the majority of my prediction was right. The resistance did change in proportion to the length of wire. This is because as the length of wire increased, the electrons that made up the current had to travel through more of the fixed particles in the wire causing more collisions and therefore, a higher resistance. A thinner wire also means more resistance. Resistance is known to be inversely proportional to the cross- sectional area (diameter). I. e. if the diameter is increased, the resistance decreases. A wider wire means less chance of the free electrons having collisions into atoms and losing energy. Another point of my prediction was that as the length of wire doubles so does the resistance. This proved to be true. I can show this in my graph. The straight line indicates it. I can also see these in my results. E. g. 30cm=0. 95? and 40cm=1. 124 ?. The theories behind these conclusions are: As the length of the wire doubles, the resistance also two folds. Resistance is caused by electrons bumping in to ions. If the length of the wire doubles, the electrons bump into the ions twice as much so the resistance will double. I also want to state the fact that as the length of a wire doubles the resistance also doubles, however providing the thickness of the wire is kept constant. I conclude that, as the cross sectional area of the wire doubles the resistance halves providing the length of the wire stays constant. Evaluating my Evidence: I believe I carried out my investigation very well. I used all the equipment I was supposed to. I set the experiment correctly. Most of my results are accurate. I managed to get reading off both the volt meter and ammeter for each length five times and I used the correct safety precautions. I believe most of my results are accurate. Not all of the readings are correct as at the end the wire got very warm and gave faulty readings. After studying my results, I realise there is one anomalous result. It occurs in the voltage on the sixth voltage. It looks as if the volt meter had some interruptions such as the heat of the wire or the heat of the surrounding area. However this did not affect my predictions as I predicted the longer the wire the higher the resistance and this is what had happened but it had less resistance for that particular one than I had expected. It did not alter the increasing pattern in resistance. I believed that my investigation and the results are mainly accurate because my investigation was carried out very well. I believe that if I had to use my results as evidence I think they show that the longer the nichrome wire the more resistance and the shorter the less. I assume this because my graph shows at 10cm of nichrome wire there is 0. 592(ohms) and at 100cm of nichrome wire there is 2. 386(ohms) there is a difference of 1. 794(ohms) which proves longer the wire the more resistance. I can prove that my experiment was successful because of the graph I drew. It showed length of wire against resistance. If I had to further improve my investigation I would carry it out again and I would do it with a much longer piece of wire at a higher current. If I had to do this experiment again I will probably measure the wire every 5cm’s instead of 10cm’s to make sure it’s accurate and use a more accurate volt meter to get the best and accurate results. . I could also investigate how the diameter of a wire affects the resistance. An extra investigation I can carry out or perform to receive more proof and evidence would be to investigate and look into is the thickness of a wire and evaluate or match up with the length of the wire. Also I could examine if the specific metal materials or properties makes a change in the resistance. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Angels Demons Chapter 109-112

109 Meanwhile, in St. Peter's Square, the wall of Swiss Guards yelled orders and fanned outward, trying to push the crowds back to a safer distance. It was no use. The crowd was too dense and seemed far more interested in the Vatican's impending doom than in their own safety. The towering media screens in the square were now transmitting a live countdown of the antimatter canister – a direct feed from the Swiss Guard security monitor – compliments of the camerlegno. Unfortunately, the image of the canister counting down was doing nothing to repel the crowds. The people in the square apparently looked at the tiny droplet of liquid suspended in the canister and decided it was not as menacing as they had thought. They could also see the countdown clock now – a little under forty-five minutes until detonation. Plenty of time to stay and watch. Nonetheless, the Swiss Guards unanimously agreed that the camerlegno's bold decision to address the world with the truth and then provide the media with actual visuals of Illuminati treachery had been a savvy maneuver. The Illuminati had no doubt expected the Vatican to be their usual reticent selves in the face of adversity. Not tonight. Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca had proven himself a commanding foe. Inside the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Mortati was getting restless. It was past 11:15 P.M. Many of the cardinals were continuing to pray, but others had clustered around the exit, clearly unsettled by the hour. Some of the cardinals began pounding on the door with their fists. Outside the door Lieutenant Chartrand heard the pounding and didn't know what to do. He checked his watch. It was time. Captain Rocher had given strict orders that the cardinals were not to be let out until he gave the word. The pounding on the door became more intense, and Chartrand felt uneasy. He wondered if the captain had simply forgotten. The captain had been acting very erratic since his mysterious phone call. Chartrand pulled out his walkie-talkie. â€Å"Captain? Chartrand here. It is past time. Should I open the Sistine?† â€Å"That door stays shut. I believe I already gave you that order.† â€Å"Yes, sir, I just – â€Å" â€Å"Our guest is arriving shortly. Take a few men upstairs, and guard the door of the Pope's office. The camerlegno is not to go anywhere.† â€Å"I'm sorry, sir?† â€Å"What is it that you don't understand, Lieutenant?† â€Å"Nothing, sir. I am on my way.† Upstairs in the Office of the Pope, the camerlegno stared in quiet meditation at the fire. Give me strength, God. Bring us a miracle. He poked at the coals, wondering if he would survive the night. 110 Eleven-twenty-three P.M. Vittoria stood trembling on the balcony of Castle St. Angelo, staring out across Rome, her eyes moist with tears. She wanted badly to embrace Robert Langdon, but she could not. Her body felt anesthetized. Readjusting. Taking stock. The man who had killed her father lay far below, dead, and she had almost been a victim as well. When Langdon's hand touched her shoulder, the infusion of warmth seemed to magically shatter the ice. Her body shuddered back to life. The fog lifted, and she turned. Robert looked like hell – wet and matted – he had obviously been through purgatory to come rescue her. â€Å"Thank you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she whispered. Langdon gave an exhausted smile and reminded her that it was she who deserved thanks – her ability to practically dislocate her shoulders had just saved them both. Vittoria wiped her eyes. She could have stood there forever with him, but the reprieve was short-lived. â€Å"We need to get out of here,† Langdon said. Vittoria's mind was elsewhere. She was staring out toward the Vatican. The world's smallest country looked unsettlingly close, glowing white under a barrage of media lights. To her shock, much of St. Peter's Square was still packed with people! The Swiss Guard had apparently been able to clear only about a hundred and fifty feet back – the area directly in front of the basilica – less than one-third of the square. The shell of congestion encompassing the square was compacted now, those at the safer distances pressing for a closer look, trapping the others inside. They are too close! Vittoria thought. Much too close! â€Å"I'm going back in,† Langdon said flatly. Vittoria turned, incredulous. â€Å"Into the Vatican?† Langdon told her about the Samaritan, and how it was a ploy. The Illuminati leader, a man named Janus, was actually coming himself to brand the camerlegno. A final Illuminati act of domination. â€Å"Nobody in Vatican City knows,† Langdon said. â€Å"I have no way to contact them, and this guy is arriving any minute. I have to warn the guards before they let him in.† â€Å"But you'll never get through the crowd!† Langdon's voice was confident. â€Å"There's a way. Trust me.† Vittoria sensed once again that the historian knew something she did not. â€Å"I'm coming.† â€Å"No. Why risk both – â€Å" â€Å"I have to find a way to get those people out of there! They're in incredible dange – â€Å" Just then, the balcony they were standing on began to shake. A deafening rumble shook the whole castle. Then a white light from the direction of St. Peter's blinded them. Vittoria had only one thought. Oh my God! The antimatter annihilated early! But instead of an explosion, a huge cheer went up from the crowd. Vittoria squinted into the light. It was a barrage of media lights from the square, now trained, it seemed, on them! Everyone was turned their way, hollering and pointing. The rumble grew louder. The air in the square seemed suddenly joyous. Langdon looked baffled. â€Å"What the devil – â€Å" The sky overhead roared. Emerging from behind the tower, without warning, came the papal helicopter. It thundered fifty feet above them, on a beeline for Vatican City. As it passed overhead, radiant in the media lights, the castle trembled. The lights followed the helicopter as it passed by, and Langdon and Vittoria were suddenly again in the dark. Vittoria had the uneasy feeling they were too late as they watched the mammoth machine slow to a stop over St. Peter's Square. Kicking up a cloud of dust, the chopper dropped onto the open portion of the square between the crowd and the basilica, touching down at the bottom of the basilica's staircase. â€Å"Talk about an entrance,† Vittoria said. Against the white marble, she could see a tiny speck of a person emerge from the Vatican and move toward the chopper. She would never have recognized the figure except for the bright red beret on his head. â€Å"Red carpet greeting. That's Rocher.† Langdon pounded his fist on the banister. â€Å"Somebody's got to warn them!† He turned to go. Vittoria caught his arm. â€Å"Wait!† She had just seen something else, something her eyes refused to believe. Fingers trembling, she pointed toward the chopper. Even from this distance, there was no mistaking. Descending the gangplank was another figure†¦ a figure who moved so uniquely that it could only be one man. Although the figure was seated, he accelerated across the open square with effortless control and startling speed. A king on an electric throne. It was Maximilian Kohler. 111 Kohler was sickened by the opulence of the Hallway of the Belvedere. The gold leaf in the ceiling alone probably could have funded a year's worth of cancer research. Rocher led Kohler up a handicapped ramp on a circuitous route into the Apostolic Palace. â€Å"No elevator?† Kohler demanded. â€Å"No power.† Rocher motioned to the candles burning around them in the darkened building. â€Å"Part of our search tactic.† â€Å"Tactics which no doubt failed.† Rocher nodded. Kohler broke into another coughing fit and knew it might be one of his last. It was not an entirely unwelcome thought. When they reached the top floor and started down the hallway toward the Pope's office, four Swiss Guards ran toward them, looking troubled. â€Å"Captain, what are you doing up here? I thought this man had information that – â€Å" â€Å"He will only speak to the camerlegno.† The guards recoiled, looking suspicious. â€Å"Tell the camerlegno,† Rocher said forcefully, â€Å"that the director of CERN, Maximilian Kohler, is here to see him. Immediately.† â€Å"Yes, sir!† One of the guards ran off in the direction of the camerlegno's office. The others stood their ground. They studied Rocher, looking uneasy. â€Å"Just one moment, captain. We will announce your guest.† Kohler, however, did not stop. He turned sharply and maneuvered his chair around the sentinels. The guards spun and broke into a jog beside him. â€Å"Fermati! Sir! Stop!† Kohler felt repugnance for them. Not even the most elite security force in the world was immune to the pity everyone felt for cripples. Had Kohler been a healthy man, the guards would have tackled him. Cripples are powerless, Kohler thought. Or so the world believes. Kohler knew he had very little time to accomplish what he had come for. He also knew he might die here tonight. He was surprised how little he cared. Death was a price he was ready to pay. He had endured too much in his life to have his work destroyed by someone like Camerlegno Ventresca. â€Å"Signore!† the guards shouted, running ahead and forming a line across the hallway. â€Å"You must stop!† One of them pulled a sidearm and aimed it at Kohler. Kohler stopped. Rocher stepped in, looking contrite. â€Å"Mr. Kohler, please. It will only be a moment. No one enters the Office of the Pope unannounced.† Kohler could see in Rocher's eyes that he had no choice but to wait. Fine, Kohler thought. We wait. The guards, cruelly it seemed, had stopped Kohler next to a full-length gilded mirror. The sight of his own twisted form repulsed Kohler. The ancient rage brimmed yet again to the surface. It empowered him. He was among the enemy now. These were the people who had robbed him of his dignity. These were the people. Because of them he had never felt the touch of a woman†¦ had never stood tall to accept an award. What truth do these people possess? What proof, damn it! A book of ancient fables? Promises of miracles to come? Science creates miracles every day! Kohler stared a moment into his own stony eyes. Tonight I may die at the hands of religion, he thought. But it will not be the first time. For a moment, he was eleven years old again, lying in his bed in his parents' Frankfurt mansion. The sheets beneath him were Europe's finest linen, but they were soaked with sweat. Young Max felt like he was on fire, the pain wracking his body unimaginable. Kneeling beside his bed, where they had been for two days, were his mother and father. They were praying. In the shadows stood three of Frankfurt's best doctors. â€Å"I urge you to reconsider!† one of the doctors said. â€Å"Look at the boy! His fever is increasing. He is in terrible pain. And danger!† But Max knew his mother's reply before she even said it. â€Å"Gott wird ihn beschuetzen.† Yes, Max thought. God will protect me. The conviction in his mother's voice gave him strength. God will protect me. An hour later, Max felt like his whole body was being crushed beneath a car. He could not even breathe to cry. â€Å"Your son is in great suffering,† another doctor said. â€Å"Let me at least ease his pain. I have in my bag a simple injection of – † â€Å"Ruhe, bitte!† Max's father silenced the doctor without ever opening his eyes. He simply kept praying. â€Å"Father, please!† Max wanted to scream. â€Å"Let them stop the pain!† But his words were lost in a spasm of coughing. An hour later, the pain had worsened. â€Å"Your son could become paralyzed,† one of the doctors scolded. â€Å"Or even die! We have medicines that will help!† Frau and Herr Kohler would not allow it. They did not believe in medicine. Who were they to interfere with God's master plan? They prayed harder. After all, God had blessed them with this boy, why would God take the child away? His mother whispered to Max to be strong. She explained that God was testing him†¦ like the Bible story of Abraham†¦ a test of his faith. Max tried to have faith, but the pain was excruciating. â€Å"I cannot watch this!† one of the doctors finally said, running from the room. By dawn, Max was barely conscious. Every muscle in his body spasmed in agony. Where is Jesus? he wondered. Doesn't he love me? Max felt the life slipping from his body. His mother had fallen asleep at the bedside, her hands still clasped over him. Max's father stood across the room at the window staring out at the dawn. He seemed to be in a trance. Max could hear the low mumble of his ceaseless prayers for mercy. It was then that Max sensed the figure hovering over him. An angel? Max could barely see. His eyes were swollen shut. The figure whispered in his ear, but it was not the voice of an angel. Max recognized it as one of the doctors†¦ the one who had sat in the corner for two days, never leaving, begging Max's parents to let him administer some new drug from England. â€Å"I will never forgive myself,† the doctor whispered, â€Å"if I do not do this.† Then the doctor gently took Max's frail arm. â€Å"I wish I had done it sooner.† Max felt a tiny prick in his arm – barely discernible through the pain. Then the doctor quietly packed his things. Before he left, he put a hand on Max's forehead. â€Å"This will save your life. I have great faith in the power of medicine.† Within minutes, Max felt as if some sort of magic spirit were flowing through his veins. The warmth spread through his body numbing his pain. Finally, for the first time in days, Max slept. When the fever broke, his mother and father proclaimed a miracle of God. But when it became evident that their son was crippled, they became despondent. They wheeled their son into the church and begged the priest for counseling. â€Å"It was only by the grace of God,† the priest told them, â€Å"that this boy survived.† Max listened, saying nothing. â€Å"But our son cannot walk!† Frau Kohler was weeping. The priest nodded sadly. â€Å"Yes. It seems God has punished him for not having enough faith.† â€Å"Mr. Kohler?† It was the Swiss Guard who had run ahead. â€Å"The camerlegno says he will grant you audience.† Kohler grunted, accelerating again down the hall. â€Å"He is surprised by your visit,† the guard said. â€Å"I'm sure.† Kohler rolled on. â€Å"I would like to see him alone.† â€Å"Impossible,† the guard said. â€Å"No one – â€Å" â€Å"Lieutenant,† Rocher barked. â€Å"The meeting will be as Mr. Kohler wishes.† The guard stared in obvious disbelief. Outside the door to the Pope's office, Rocher allowed his guards to take standard precautions before letting Kohler in. Their handheld metal detector was rendered worthless by the myriad of electronic devices on Kohler's wheelchair. The guards frisked him but were obviously too ashamed of his disability to do it properly. They never found the revolver affixed beneath his chair. Nor did they relieve him of the other object†¦ the one that Kohler knew would bring unforgettable closure to this evening's chain of events. When Kohler entered the Pope's office, Camerlegno Ventresca was alone, kneeling in prayer beside a dying fire. He did not open his eyes. â€Å"Mr. Kohler,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"Have you come to make me a martyr?† 112 All the while, the narrow tunnel called Il Passetto stretched out before Langdon and Vittoria as they dashed toward Vatican City. The torch in Langdon's hand threw only enough light to see a few yards ahead. The walls were close on either side, and the ceiling low. The air smelled dank. Langdon raced on into the darkness with Vittoria close at his heels. The tunnel inclined steeply as it left the Castle St. Angelo, proceeding upward into the underside of a stone bastion that looked like a Roman aqueduct. There, the tunnel leveled out and began its secret course toward Vatican City. As Langdon ran, his thoughts turned over and over in a kaleidoscope of confounding images – Kohler, Janus, the Hassassin, Rocher†¦ a sixth brand? I'm sure you've heard about the sixth brand, the killer had said. The most brilliant of all. Langdon was quite certain he had not. Even in conspiracy theory lore, Langdon could think of no references to any sixth brand. Real or imagined. There were rumors of a gold bullion and a flawless Illuminati Diamond but never any mention of a sixth brand. â€Å"Kohler can't be Janus!† Vittoria declared as they ran down the interior of the dike. â€Å"It's impossible!† Impossible was one word Langdon had stopped using tonight. â€Å"I don't know,† Langdon yelled as they ran. â€Å"Kohler has a serious grudge, and he also has some serious influence.† â€Å"This crisis has made CERN look like monsters! Max would never do anything to damage CERN's reputation!† On one count, Langdon knew CERN had taken a public beating tonight, all because of the Illuminati's insistence on making this a public spectacle. And yet, he wondered how much CERN had really been damaged. Criticism from the church was nothing new for CERN. In fact, the more Langdon thought about it, the more he wondered if this crisis might actually benefit CERN. If publicity were the game, then antimatter was the jackpot winner tonight. The entire planet was talking about it. â€Å"You know what promoter P. T. Barnum said,† Langdon called over his shoulder. â€Å"‘I don't care what you say about me, just spell my name right!' I bet people are already secretly lining up to license antimatter technology. And after they see its true power at midnight tonight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Illogical,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Publicizing scientific breakthroughs is not about showing destructive power! This is terrible for antimatter, trust me!† Langdon's torch was fading now. â€Å"Then maybe it's all much simpler than that. Maybe Kohler gambled that the Vatican would keep the antimatter a secret – refusing to empower the Illuminati by confirming the weapon's existence. Kohler expected the Vatican to be their usual tight-lipped selves about the threat, but the camerlegno changed the rules.† Vittoria was silent as they dashed down the tunnel. Suddenly the scenario was making more sense to Langdon. â€Å"Yes! Kohler never counted on the camerlegno's reaction. The camerlegno broke the Vatican tradition of secrecy and went public about the crisis. He was dead honest. He put the antimatter on TV, for God's sake. It was a brilliant response, and Kohler never expected it. And the irony of the whole thing is that the Illuminati attack backfired. It inadvertently produced a new church leader in the camerlegno. And now Kohler is coming to kill him!† â€Å"Max is a bastard,† Vittoria declared, â€Å"but he is not a murderer. And he would never have been involved in my father's assassination.† In Langdon's mind, it was Kohler's voice that answered. Leonardo was considered dangerous by many purists at CERN. Fusing science and God is the ultimate scientific blasphemy. â€Å"Maybe Kohler found out about the antimatter project weeks ago and didn't like the religious implications.† â€Å"So he killed my father over it? Ridiculous! Besides, Max Kohler would never have known the project existed.† â€Å"While you were gone, maybe your father broke down and consulted Kohler, asking for guidance. You yourself said your father was concerned about the moral implications of creating such a deadly substance.† â€Å"Asking moral guidance from Maximilian Kohler?† Vittoria snorted. â€Å"I don't think so!† The tunnel banked slightly westward. The faster they ran, the dimmer Langdon's torch became. He began to fear what the place would look like if the light went out. Black. â€Å"Besides,† Vittoria argued, â€Å"why would Kohler have bothered to call you in this morning and ask for help if he is behind the whole thing?† Langdon had already considered it. â€Å"By calling me, Kohler covered his bases. He made sure no one would accuse him of nonaction in the face of crisis. He probably never expected us to get this far.† The thought of being used by Kohler incensed Langdon. Langdon's involvement had given the Illuminati a level of credibility. His credentials and publications had been quoted all night by the media, and as ridiculous as it was, the presence of a Harvard professor in Vatican City had somehow raised the whole emergency beyond the scope of paranoid delusion and convinced skeptics around the world that the Illuminati brotherhood was not only a historical fact, but a force to be reckoned with. â€Å"That BBC reporter,† Langdon said, â€Å"thinks CERN is the new Illuminati lair.† â€Å"What!† Vittoria stumbled behind him. She pulled herself up and ran on. â€Å"He said that!?† â€Å"On air. He likened CERN to the Masonic lodges – an innocent organization unknowingly harboring the Illuminati brotherhood within.† â€Å"My God, this is going to destroy CERN.† Langdon was not so sure. Either way, the theory suddenly seemed less far-fetched. CERN was the ultimate scientific haven. It was home to scientists from over a dozen countries. They seemed to have endless private funding. And Maximilian Kohler was their director. Kohler is Janus. â€Å"If Kohler's not involved,† Langdon challenged, â€Å"then what is he doing here?† â€Å"Probably trying to stop this madness. Show support. Maybe he really is acting as the Samaritan! He could have found out who knew about the antimatter project and has come to share information.† â€Å"The killer said he was coming to brand the camerlegno.† â€Å"Listen to yourself! It would be a suicide mission. Max would never get out alive.† Langdon considered it. Maybe that was the point. The outline of a steel gate loomed ahead, blocking their progress down the tunnel. Langdon's heart almost stopped. When they approached, however, they found the ancient lock hanging open. The gate swung freely. Langdon breathed a sigh of relief, realizing as he had suspected, that the ancient tunnel was in use. Recently. As in today. He now had little doubt that four terrified cardinals had been secreted through here earlier. They ran on. Langdon could now hear the sounds of chaos to his left. It was St. Peter's Square. They were getting close. They hit another gate, this one heavier. It too was unlocked. The sound of St. Peter's Square faded behind them now, and Langdon sensed they had passed through the outer wall of Vatican City. He wondered where inside the Vatican this ancient passage would conclude. In the gardens? In the basilica? In the papal residence? Then, without warning, the tunnel ended. The cumbrous door blocking their way was a thick wall of riveted iron. Even by the last flickers of his torch, Langdon could see that the portal was perfectly smooth – no handles, no knobs, no keyholes, no hinges. No entry. He felt a surge of panic. In architect-speak, this rare kind of door was called a senza chiave – a one-way portal, used for security, and only operable from one side – the other side. Langdon's hope dimmed to black†¦ along with the torch in his hand. He looked at his watch. Mickey glowed. 11:29 P.M. With a scream of frustration, Langdon swung the torch and started pounding on the door.

Supporting viewpoint of employee privacy rights in the workplace Essay

Supporting viewpoint of employee privacy rights in the workplace - Essay Example Moreover, the law tends to favor the employers in litigation, viewing the network and communication devices as the property of the employers (Burnette and Rickman, 2004; Twarog, 2005). Also, employers need to collect data on employers to ensure that their potential and current employees are able to perform their jobs safely and honestly (Quann, 1992). Drug and alcohol abuses by employees would compromise safety and expose the employers to liabilities (Quann, 1992). Dishonest employees might use the company electronic mails for their personal and private use during office hours (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). This will reduce productivity (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). On the other hand, employees too have their rights. Employers can only control them in work related areas. When employers cross the line, they risk infringing employee privacy rights (Quann, 1992). The law favors the employees in such cases. For example, a railroad was slapped with $485,000 in damages for terminating a computer operator on grounds of her refusing to undergo a random drug test (Quann, 1992). The court ruled that the job of a computer operator is "not safety related" and therefore not a business necessity (Quann, 1992). Aside from facing potential costs in damages, employee productivity will also drop if they feel that their dignity have been violated (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). Also, the case for monitoring employees' use of electronic resources is productivity. On the contrary, some scholars claim that monitoring the use of electronic resources by employees is counterproductive (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). The protection of employee privacy rights by allowing them to surf the Internet occasionally without monitoring them can increase employee morale, productivity, and loyalty (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). On the contrary, studies have shown that morale and productivity drop when employers monitor employees' use of electronic resources (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). The drop in morale and productivity is heightened in times of emergency (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). Worse still, the stress of knowing that Internet and electronic mails usage are monitored might lead to higher turnover (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). A high turnover of employees could increase costs in finding replacements for the resigning employees, training the new employees, and decreased p roductivity while the new employees pick up the job (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). Also, the protection of employee privacy rights is important for multinational companies (Frauenheim, 2006). Although U.S. law is relatively silent on this subject, employee privacy rights are well governed by the law in other countries such as in Europe (Frauenheim, 2006). Regulations exist on the type of data employers can gather about their employees, the rights employees have with regards to the data, and the transfer of the data to other parts of the world (Frauenheim, 2006). Moreover, performance evaluation and appraisal might not reflect the true value of the employees to the organization when monitoring employees (Burnette and Rickman, 2004). Surely, inaccurate performance evaluation does not lead to business success. Furthermore, a breach of employee information could be damaging to an organization's reputation (Frauenheim, 2006), which is at odds with

3 paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

3 paper - Assignment Example Various assessment tools exist that teachers can employ in the classroom for students who have developmental issues in both language and communication, such as (CASL). The Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL) assists teachers in assessing four major learning areas of students with language difficulties, which are listening, speaking, reading and writing. This language assessment test focuses on both expressive as well as receptive language options for the students as it enables teachers to identify the problematic areas of their students and concentrate on upgrading them. this test is very simple and a teacher can carry it out within a normal classroom setting, targeting the four main areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and as such covering the four main categories of languages which are pragmatics, syntactic, semantics, and surpralinguistics. Each of the four categories assesses different language development areas. These include the knowledge and use of words and grammar, complex language comprehension, and the appropriate language awareness (Carrow-Woolfolk, n.d.). The teacher focuses on various subtopics on each of these categories while conducting the assessment in order to determine the proficiency of the student, as well as empowering them to overcome their areas of difficulty. Common subtopics used in such assessment procedures include comprehending basic synonyms, idiomatic languages, pragmatic judgment, grammatical judgment, ambiguous sentences among others. This test provides a particular sense of specificity that enables teachers determine appropriately the individual strategies of each of their students. A grade appropriate word wall is a good strategy that teachers in a middle school can employ in order to enable their students overcomes their difficulties in language and communication. A word wall assists students make choices of

Epistemology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Epistemology - Essay Example First and foremost, this paper also deals with how theories are studied so that people may interpret and understand information, and develop them to form their own research studies. This is known as hermeneutics, and phenomenology would refer to how individuals study the philosophies of the world and what exactly it means to them. For this study, it is important to understand that without these theories, human beings would be lost when it comes to how they understand the world. Knowledge has to come from somewhere and this is illustrated in this paper through the mention of various research methodologies and approaches, dispositions and cognitive theories. As the study declares qualitative and quantitative approaches are two main approaches when it comes to research methodology. At this point it is important to first understand both qualitative and quantitative approaches in order to understand how research studies are brought about, as well as the epistemology and ontology approaches when it comes to research work. In a qualitative study, the researcher is not so interested in obtaining a set of facts, but rather is more interested in gaining insight into a perspective (Johnson, 1984). The philosophy of the qualitative approach is that knowledge and facts are subjective and that problems cannot be fully understood in isolation. In this light, should problems arise, they should be viewed as part of a complex pattern of links and relationships.

Credit Crunch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Credit Crunch - Essay Example But on that modest base, it builds an enormous balance sheet of two huge towers of cash: one of money borrowed, and the other of money lent or invested† (Davis). Banks thought that whatever the money they collected from the public in the savings accounts or term deposits need to be lent for a higher rate in order to make profit. So they tried to give loans to anybody approaching them without analyzing or checking the borrower’s financial capabilities. The high spending American people approached the banks for everything whenever they are in financial requirements and the banks were ready to satisfy them. â€Å"The American subprime mortgage firms, who made a rash of bad loans to people with poor credit, can find little to excuse their behavior† (Who is to Blame for Credit Crunch) Repayment period of loans allotted to the public was also fixed by the banks without any vision or purpose. Long periods were allotted to the borrowers for the repayment of loans. Moreover, the government also did everything to encourage the lending habits of the American public. Government encouraged the banks to reduce the interest rates of the loans they sanctioned and also to increase the repayment periods of the loans. Government miscalculated that the increased economic activities across the country would boost the economy. The main problem associated with the current credit crunch is that banks would force to increase the regulations on loans sanctioned to the public in future which will weaken the economic activities.

Investment Portfolio Implementation & Management Essay

Investment Portfolio Implementation & Management - Essay Example The following aspects have been considered before formulating the appropriate asset allocation strategy for the investor: An investment portfolio consists of a number of asset classes which have different levels of standard deviations, returns and yields. The assets that are to be included within an asset allocation model depend largely on the kind of return being expected by the investor and the risk that the individual is willing to bear (Market Watch, 2013). Therefore before preparing the asset allocation model, the first thing that needs to be identified over here is the latest investment benchmark figures of the different asset classes. Considering the above mentioned investment benchmarks, 8% of Dr. O’Hara’s investment should be made behind intermediate bonds as the investor wants to invest $30,000 in an asset that is considered safe and is associated with no expense, sales or early withdrawal charges. This will enable Dr. O’Hara that a guaranteed return is realized at the end of maturity thereby enabling the individual to pay for travel expenses without any inconvenience. Now, considering the fact that Dr. O’Hara wants to earmark $60,000 in an account with higher than current certificate of deposit or money market rates but minimal market volatility, 17% of the total investment sum should be invested in short term bonds. They have a standard deviation value of 0.68% indicates that this asset is less volatile. Therefore, keeping $60,000 earmarked for an investment in short term bonds will enable the investor to enjoy a return close to 0.71%, 1.23% and 2.74% respectively in bonds with 1 year, 5 years and 10 years maturity. The remaining 75% of the investment fund should be distributed appropriately between large cap stocks, small cap stocks, mid cap stocks and international stocks. 27% of the investment fund should be invested

ITM 301 MOD 3 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ITM 301 MOD 3 SLP - Essay Example In addition, tabs such as News, Analysis, Blogs, Videos, and Slideshows are also visible on the home page. Overall look and feel Its overall structure meets the standard of a professional website, and covers wide ranges of technological information. However, the exceeding priority given to advertisements undermines the genuineness of its fundamental objectives. It mainly targets people who are interested in technological innovations or people working in Technical field. It also provides useful information to business executives and other professional individuals who would purchase technical devices. Useful features of the site Obviously, the various tabs on the tope of the home page make the website more user-friendly. Similarly, the CIO provides links to social networking sites such as facebook and twitter. It assists the users to share important information through their favorite social networks. Despite their excessiveness, advertisements seen on each page of the website would aid the users to select their best option. The whole resources on the website are free to users; and evidently, the site meets its maintenance costs and other expenses from advertisers. The search option at the top-right corner of the home page enables the users to access required information by entering a key word or phrase.

Consumer Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Consumer Law - Case Study Example Judges are confined to the law made by the parliament they are to interpret the law according to the context of the case and decide keeping the spirit of the statute Law intact. Since statue law is precise and fundamental it cannot see the roots of the case, therefore the judge made law makes these gaps in deciding the cases in the interest of justice. Consumer law in UK is of 30 years old. It developed as the years passed on. It is now having substantial number of Acts and Regulations to provide the justice to the consumers. Due to the electronic revolution and increased competition and improved marketing system the consumers face a lot of hardships and are subjected to cheating and undue inducements. To protect them from these hardships the consumer laws are expanded to meet requirements. These consumer laws are made so simple and so logical that there is no ambiguity in understanding these laws even by a common man. And the relief it provides is as that what a man of ordinary prudence think with regard to the trader and what he feels just and reasonable. If any trader gives a wrong goods than what you ordered a common man says the price of such goods need not be paid. This is exactly what consumer law also says. Still the knowledge of consumer law is important since it gives more than what customer thinks deserved to get from a trader. In the above example a person without any legal knowledge thinks he need not pay for the product but consumer law says more that he deserves an extra amount from the trader as compensation. Consumer law protects the customers from the negligence, irresponsibility and wrong doings by the traders and there by makes consumers suffer. When can we say that the trader is at fault We can say that they at fault when they do not follow the law relating to the trade and they do not pay adequate attention to the consumer's needs and when they follow the unfair trade practices to gain undue profits at the cost of consumers etc. There are statues and laws made to regulate the trade such laws are Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as am emended), Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. Other laws which are also known as consumer laws and which the consumer shall have a minimum and basic knowledge about them to safeguard themselves. These laws will be discussed later in this issue. These statues lay down principles that the traders should follow and all the traders are to abide by this law. Sale of goods Act prescribes certain conditions that good sold shall comply such as quality, quantity, tim e etc to the satisfaction of the consumers. Sale of goods act is also a contract which mutual agreement between the customer and the trader. The trader is bound to supply the agreed quality, quantity within the agreed period of time. Simultaneously the customer is also bound to pay the amount as agreed once the trader performs his part of agreement. If any defect in the product is made known to the customer and the customer agrees to buy with the defect then later he cannot take shelter of defect in the goods and pray for compensation or exempted from payment of the price. The burden of proof of the trader's failure or wrong is always lies on the customer except in specific condition such as where the trader gives guarantee of the goods of its life and the product does not lost for the guartee time in this condition it is the trader to prove that the product has fulfilled its guaranteed period etc. In every

The Smoking of Tobacco Essay Example for Free

The Smoking of Tobacco Essay The smoking of tobacco became prevalent early in this century. The production of flue-cured tobacco, the development of cigarette rolling machines, and a public health concern over tuberculosis germs being spread through the cuspidors associated with snuff and chewing tobacco, all contributed to an increase in cigarette smoking. As smoking became more common, health problems emerged which seemed to be related to smoking. In the 1950’s, sir Richard Doll, a British researcher, studied the smoking habits of more than 34,000 physicians and found a strong correlation between smoking and disease. Throughout the 1950’s, research data on the effects of tobacco on human health hazard of sufficient importance in the United States to warrant appropriate remedial action. Since then, each Surgeon General has spoken out against smoking; the current Surgeon General proclaims smoking to be the number one preventable cause of disease and death. Medical science is in general agreement that use of tobacco endangers one’s health. Lung Cancer was the first health effect to be linked to smoking. Subsequent research has linked tobacco usage to heart disease, emphysema, and several other forms of cancer. Recent research has even suggested harmful effects to unborn children of smokers and to those non-smokers exposed to the side-smoke of smokers. One of the benefits of a free society is the freedom of choice for adults, so long as this freedom does not deprive other persons of their freedom The decision to smoke might appear to be one of those choices, since it is usually through that the health risks of smoking are borne largely by the individuals making the choice. Factors that complicate the simplicity of this argument are: 1) Smoking is a social custom and when one person smokes, other persons in the area are exposed to the smoke. 2) Adult smoking habits provide a powerful modeling which affects the habits of children and youth. 3) Society must bear some of the social cost (increased insurance premiums and various tax burdens) of death and disability brought about by the use of tobacco. The tobacco plant  is believed to have originated in the Western Hemisphere. The cultivated species most often grown for North American and European tobacco products is Nicotiana tabacum. The leaves of the plant are prepared for smoking, chewing, or sniffing. In addition nicotine tobacco contains over 19 known carcinogens (most collectively known as tar) and more than 2,000 chemicals. Prior to European influence in the Americas, tobacco was used by the Indians of Mexico and Peru for ceremonies, medicinal purposes, and to alleviate Error! Bookmark not defined. pangs during famines. Columbus is credited with introducing tobacco into Europe. Tobacco use became widely accepted by the Portuguese, Spanish, French, British, and Scandinavians. Explorers and sailors who became dependent upon tobacco began planting seeds at their ports of call, introducing the product into other parts of Europe and Asia.

Plato And Augustin Essay Example for Free

Plato And Augustin Essay 1) WHAT IS PLATO’S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BODY? (300 Words) http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/symposium.html   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Platos work SYMPOSIUM there is much subtext to be found under the surface of what seems like a marginally focused conversation among several individuals. What is unique about this work is that within the random bits of dialogue put forth there is a certain unique cohesion that presents itself. That cohesion is present in the way in which the random gives way to the logical and nothing is more evident of this than what is found within Platos concept of the body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The body, at first, refers to the physical appearance of an individual. This physical appearance provides the basis for attraction for a loved one. However, this attraction is very vapid and indicative of a surface level understanding of the individual. However, physical attraction is a strong emotion and while this attraction is devoid of depth it does give way to quantity. In other words, when physical attraction is all that matters to an individual then happiness derives from simply associating with more and more attractive bodies. This is about as vapid of a series of human relationships as one could possibly involve oneself. It also bases relationships on errant randomness as an individual simply bounces from one attractive person to the other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Where Plato does redeem the image of the body is in the way he presents it as a conduit to deeper meaning. In other words, while there is a certain randomness and banality to chasing beauty this chase can lead one to a partner who offers far more than merely what the body offers. Looks then become the conduit to true love, intellectual stimulation or a combination of both. This way the randomness found in the search for the best body merely acts as a transitory function in the sense that it eventually leads to the cohesiveness of a deep relationship. Well, hopefully anyway. 2) HOW DOES AUGUSTINE VIEW HUMAN NATURE? (300 WORDS) http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf102.iv.XII.1.html   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The relationship between God and Gods subordinates has been debated for many years. Much of this debate derives from the fact that there has never been a definitive statement on what God truly intended from those whom God created. As such, much has been left to speculation and interpretation. Regarding human nature, St. Augustine examines the flaws inherent with such nature and links these flaws with fluctuations inherent with reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To a great degree, Augustine notes that it is human nature to be flawed and much of this derives from reason. Augustine is clear to point out that there are a number of factors which separate humans from lesser beings and that while all things created from God are good humans have the capacity to deviate from natural order due to reason and passion. Hence, they can be prone to errors in judgment whereas lesser animals are not. Hence, human nature has the capacity for improvement but it also has the capacity to great harm to the self or others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Augustine points out that often people will use God as a crutch. That is, because it is human nature to draw value from the external many will see themselves as weak and cleave to God because it is God that gives them strength, God that gives them reason, etc. This, however, diminishes the value of the human as the reliance of the self is gone. So, while this cleaving to God may have noble intentions (seek advice from the higher power) it is actually a sign of weakness and a rejection of the free will God has provided. Hence, it represents another aspect of the flawed nature of humanity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Granted, while Augustine views human nature as a flawed entity he does equate flawed with bad. Flawed simply is the state of human nature and is neither good nor bad. It is simply the natural order of things.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Functionalist And Conflict Theory Sociology Essay

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Functionalist And Conflict Theory Sociology Essay Social and cultural theories are often used when studying and applying knowledge to sports. The theories in society often provide a framework for asking research questions, interpreting information and being able to uncover the deeper meanings and stories that are associated with sports, they also enable citizens in the society to become more informed so that we can apply what we have learned from the research and being able to apply it in the world that we live in. Theories also enable people to see things in new angles and perspectives and give us the ability to make informed decisions about sports and how sports participation can be used in our lives, communities, families and societies. The six main theories used in sport have many points and can overlap with each other but only two are going to be discussed in this study. The two theories chosen to compare are functionalist theory and conflict theory. Functionalist theory is a macro sociological theory that is based on the characteristics of social patterns, structures, social systems and institutions such as family, education, religion, leisure, the economy, media, politics and sport. If all these social institutions are organized and co-operate with one another around a set of core values functionalist theorists assume that the entire social system will function properly and efficiently. Society in functionalism has a view that it is an organized system of interrelated parts that are held together by shared values and established social arrangements that help maintain the system in being in a state of equilibrium and balance. When sociologists use functionalist theory they split it into two parts, the first concept of interdependent parts is all of the social institutions (media, religion, sports, politics and economics) and how they are linked together. In the tradition of Talcott Parsons and his conception of functional imperatives (goal attainment, adaptation, latency and integration) functionalists argue that there are four basic system needs for any society in sports (team, clubs etc) to run smoothly and that everyone will benefit. The four principles are Adaptation In order to survive in a society it is essential that members learn to adapt to changes in the social structure and culture. Another important element to survival is the emphasis on being physically fit as it is required for most sports. Goal Attainment This is the motivation of individuals to achieve societys goals through socially accepted means. Sport is preoccupied with tracking the success and failures of its participants however it also teaches participants that if they work hard enough it will lead to victory meaning success. Integration Sport promotes social connections between people and gives them the opportunity to co-operate with each other in a group and a community. It also provides a feeling of social identification as well as a source of personal identity. The society must keep itself together. Latency (pattern maintenance and tension management) Each system must maintain itself in a possible state of equilibrium for as long as it can without any outside disruptive influences. Many forms of pattern maintenance are provided by sport primarily through participation where the participants are taught to accept an authority structure that is well defined for example athletes knowing that referees have the authority over them to make sure they stick to the rules of the sport. Functionalist theory in sport generally leads to the conclusion that it is popular in society because it can maintain the values of character that help to preserve stability and order in social life. Functionalist theory also supports sporting policies that help and recommend the growth of competitive sport programmes, developing coaching education programmes, in the case of youth sport there is an establishment on criminal bureau checks and qualification checks on coaches before working with younger children. The theory also supports the establishment of training centres for elite athletes so they can maintain their top-level performance and making sure to have increased surveillance and drug testing so they are able to supervise and control the actions of athletes by preventing those taking drugs so they cant cheat their way to attaining a better sporting performance. People in society who have positions of power tend to favour functionalist theory as it is based on the assumption that society is organised for benefiting the people in that society of equality and that in any dramatic way it should not be changed. While functionalist theory is a popular approach it does have some weaknesses. The weaknesses of functionalist theory is that it tends to lead to exaggerated accounts of positive consequences of sports and sports participation however it mistakenly assumes that there are no conflicts of interests between the different citizen groups in society such as women, people with disabilities, racial groups and people who are economically poor in society yet it doesnt recognise that sport can privilege or disadvantage people more than others. The theory also ignores the powerful historical and economic factors that have influenced social events and social relationships. Functionalist theory is centered on the idea that there is a consensus in the values and norms of society and that social institutions found within a society are integrated and function together. In contrast conflict theory looks at the role of power and the inequality found throughout society and how sport is shaped by these economic forces and used by people with economical power to increase their influence and wealth. Conflict theory is based on the ideas of Karl Marx (1818 1883) which rose to importance during the 1970s because of the growing disenchantment with functionalist theory. This theory of Karl Marx views sports as being built on the foundations of economic power. In societys that are capitalistic you see that relationships and social arrangements are organised around wealth, money and economic power for example in the United States its easy to point out the owners of the sport teams as they are benefiting financially from the expense of elite athletes, the coaches that work alongside the athletes and the spectators who watch the sport. Like functionalist theory conflict theory is based on the assumption that society is like a social system however conflict theory focuses on the needs of capital rather than the general system needs. Theorists of conflict theory explain that a society which is capitalist will not be able to survive and grow without exploiting any workers for the sake of boosting financial profits; they also suggest that if radical changes are to be concluded in sport and society by prevailing justice and fairness they need to identify the negative consequences that sport has. Once these changes are made sport will become a source of creative energy, expression and physical well-being. People who live in capitalist economies are generally not comfortable with the assumptions and conclusions of conflict theory because they say it has a negative effect and does not fit into their ideas about society and sport as they feel uneasy with the conclusions of calling for radical change in the current organisat ion and structure that they already have. Much of conflict theory is directed at sports which are dominated by spectators. Conflict theorists if they had the choice they would increase the control that athletes and other sporting participants have to promote sport at local community level so that it benefits all classes of people rather than just all elite athletes. Meaning the working class would have more influence of sport than the rich class giving them more motivation for participation and eliminating profits. Many conflict theorists favour players unions that confront pro-team owners and are supporting organisations that help to guard against public tax money being used to benefit wealthy people. Ideally any public resources would be used to help aid sponsoring sports that are designed to improve physical fitness, political awareness and include placing the element of fun into activities. Conflict theorists (Leonard 1980; Rigauer2004) would also campaign for athletes at all levels to have representation with making dec isions about sport in organisations so Olympians would be able to vote on policy questions that concerned the staging of the Olympic Games. Conflict theory also has three major weaknesses. The first weakness is that the theory tends to ignore the possibility that sport in capitalist societies can and may involve experiences that give individuals and groups power. Conflict theorists talk about how sport is organised to maximise the control that wealthy people have over other members in a capitalist society. The conflict theory approach doesnt acknowledge that sport can take many forms of serving interests in the have-not society and denies that any participation in sport can be a personal creative and liberating experience that will inspire members of society to make economic changes that will help to promote equality in exiting capitalist societies. Secondly conflict theory ignores the importance of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age and many other factors when it comes to explaining how people want to identify themselves, how they relate to other members in the society and how they organise the social world in whi ch they live. Often its leading people to overlook the possibility that inequalities and power in any society are based on factors other than economic and social class differences. Thirdly the theory assumes that all aspects of social life are determined economically and is shaped by the needs of having capital in society and profit motive. Theorists of conflict theory focus on the assumptions that of economic factors when studying sport however they tend to overlook participation and recreational port for healthy living. Functionalist theory and conflict theory both focus on the needs of society and how sport can relate to the satisfaction of the system needs. The theories dont inform us about sport in everyday life and the ways in which people are active agents who are participating in the processes of sports and societies that are organised and changed. They both also ignore that sport and social constructions emerge in peoples everyday life when they struggle to decide what is important and how they are going to collect organisation in their lives.

Vinegar :: essays research papers fc

Vinegar Chris Nacey Writing 101 Final draft 2-19-1997 When I was a child, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother. She liked to cook and so did I. Because of this, I learned my way around the kitchen. I knew the place for everything, and I knew the uses of most everything. There was only one paradox, in my knowledge of the kitchen: vinegar. My mother had one bottle of vinegar for as long as I can remember. She never used it in cooking, or taught me how to for that matter. Our bottle of White Wine Vinegar sat in our cupboard: on the bottom shelf, enigmatically, untouched, detached. I knew that my mother wouldn't have it without reason. It was in the kitchen, so I concluded that it must be some sort of, rarely used, cooking staple. I would never have guessed then that vinegar had so many uses. Just the other day, I was in the mall visiting a friend that works at Frankincense and Myrrh. While there, I happened upon some bottles that caught my eye. They were attractive looking ornamental bottles. Each one was filled with mysterious, colored liquids: the colors varied from red to brown to yellow. In the liquids were berries', sprigs of herbs, and things of the such. I thought they looked interesting, so I picked up a bottle that I recognized as having sage in it. I took a look at the label. On the label were listed the ingredients: sage, rosemary, and southernwood leaves. When I read the front of the bottle, I was surprised to find that I was looking at an herbal vinegar hair rinse. Before this I never knew that such a thing existed. After my experience at the mall, I became aware that vinegar didn't just belong in the kitchen. This intrigued me. I decided to find out more about vinegar and its uses. Nobody knows the exact origins of vinegar, but there are many stories and beliefs surrounding this strange liquid.(Oster 3) The Roman Army was recorded to have mixed vinegar with water to make a sort of Gatorade for the soldiers. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century United States, similar drinks known as "shrubs" or "switchels" were made by field laborers. To make these drinks, they mixed either fruit juices or water, with sometimes salt, and fruit-flavored vinegars.(Oster 4) The earliest recorded use of vinegar, however, was in Babylonia around 5,000 B.C. There, it was typically made from dates, and commonplace as a medicine.(Oster 3) Throughout history, vinegar has been used medicinally.

Essay example --

In today’s society, people are debating whether or not gardening is beneficial to one’s health or just a waste of taxpaying dollars. By growing our own food, we know exactly what we are eating and its nutritional value. Gardening is used as an escape from the real world and can be rather relaxing. I, for one, found gardening to be fun. What I enjoyed most was sorting the vegetables to distinguish the good from the bad. There are many pros to community gardening. Some of them include the health benefits, bringing the entire community together, and economic growth. I would first like to point out the health benefits of growing our own foods. How foods are grown or raised can impact both your health and the environment. By growing our own foods, we become aware of how natural the crops are when they are free of pesticides and other chemicals deemed dangerous for the human population’s health. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown in safe soil and farmers are not allowed to use pesticides or harmful chemicals. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, is a leading force in the fight for better ...

Cats Rule :: essays research papers

"A dog is a man's best friend." That common saying may contain some truth, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. For many people, a cat is their best friend. Despite what dog lovers may believe, cats make excellent housepets. In the first place, people enjoy the companionship of cats. Many cats are affectionate. They will snuggel up and ask to be petted, or scrached under the chin. Who can resist a purring cat? If they're not feeling affectionate, cats are generally quite playfull. They love to chase balls and feathers, or just about anything dangling from a string. They especially enjoy playing when their owners are participating in the game. Contrary to popular opinion, cats can be trained. Using rewards and punishments, just like with a dog, a cat can be trained to avoid unwanted behaviour or preform tricks. Cats will even fetch! In the second place, cats are civilized members of the household. Unlike dogs, cats do not bark or make loud noises. Most cats dont even meow very often. They are generally content to lead a quiet existence. Cats also don't often have "accidents." Mother cats train their kittens to use the litter box, and most cats will use it without fail from that time on. Even stray cats generally understand the concept when shown the box and will use it regularly. Cats do have claws, and owners must make provisions for this. A tall scratching post in a favorite cat area of the house will usually keep the cat content to leave the furniture alone. As a last resort, of course, cats can be declawed. Lastly, one of the most attractive features of cats as housepets is their ease of care. Cats do not have to be walked. they get plenty of exercise in the house as they play, and they do their buisness in the litter box. Cleaning a litter box is a quick, painless procedure. Cats also take care of their own grooming. Bathing a cat is almost never necessary because under ordinary circumstances cats clean themselves. Cats are more particular about personal cleanliness than people are. In addition, cats can be left home alone for a few hours without fear.

Kfc Markting Essay

Frame work: In Macro environment there are many factors that will effect the decision making in any organisation. To overcome and analyse these factors organisation can categories it in to PESTLE model which is considered as below. The macro-environmental or external factors of KFC can be identified by using PESTLE analysis which stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technology, Legal and Environmental. Political factors: This factor mainly deals with the government policies and procedures which is worked out through legislation and consists of all legal factors such as How stable is the political environment? Government position on market ethics Government view on culture and religion Government policy on Economy Taxation policy on tax rates and incentives These are some of the political factors that include legal issues, government implementations and define both the formal and informal rules under which the organization must be operated. Economic factor: KFC organization is affected with national and global economic factors such as Cost of labour, Interest and Inflation rates, Economic growth rates, Business cycle stage (e. g. recession, recovery) and Unemployment rates. Due to recession the income of the KFC has consistently dropped down and most of the employees were jobless and the rest employees were employed for very few hours also the organisation had to cut down their budget. Social factor: It includes the cultural and demographic aspects of the external macro environment. The potential of the employees who come from different back grounds and work together in the KFC and customer trends and aspect which the KFC has to consider as per their needs and wants of the customer such as changes in lifestyles, Level of education, Value in society, Demographics (age, sex, race etc. ,) and Change in consumer needs and wants. The U. K people are mostly dependent of the fast food centres as they find very busy with their schedules. Technological factor: This factor is the major driver of globalization which reduces the minimum efficient of production levels and some of the technological factors are recent technological developments, Rate of technology changes, Alternative way of providing services, New discoveries, Communication technology. The technology has now become the most important aspect in KFC as when the customers are mostly delighted and satisfied with service including latest technology that is available in the KFC. The latest Technological methods that are used to serve the customer faster are such as digital screens, wireless headphones for the staff, cooking utensils. Legal factor: The KFC has to maintain the rules and regulations related to the hygiene factors such as like employee proper training regarding the food and safety, personal hygiene, clean work environment and proper use of the utensils. This also deals with the legal environment in which the firms operate like the U. K has come up with the introduction of age discrimination legislation and increase in the minimum wage and greater requirement of recycles. When speaking about the hygiene it’s a very true example were KFC had to bare the high penalty because of failing in maintaining food hygiene. A Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant at the Hernston Business Park in Bridgend has been fined a record ? 24,000 plus costs of ? 2,000 after pleading guilty at Bridgend Magistrates Court to multiple food hygiene offences – the largest penalty handed out to date for such offences in Bridgend County Borough. Bridgend County Borough Council brought two prosecutions against KFC (GB) Lt d resulting from inspections completed by the Public Protection team on 25 September 2005 and 22 May 2006. † Ref: http://www. bridgend. gov. k/web/groups/public/documents/press_release/018326. hcsp http://www. oup. com/uk/orc/bin/9780199296378/01student/additional/page_12. htm Environment factor: KFC by considering the environmental factor has proved to be quite friendly towards environment where it uses the paper material for the food and services carrying instead of plastic to help in reducing the global warming though it cost very high for the organisation to adopt paper materials such as paper plates, paper boxes for food parcel, glasses and cups etc. 3. The Swot Matrix The SWOT analysis is an extremely useful tool for understanding and decision making for all sorts of situation in KFC organisation. The SWOT is acronym for Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats. SWOT provides a good frame work for reviewing stratergy, position and direction of a company or business pr oposition. Need an essay? You can buy essay help from us today!

Estonian Air †Final Essay

Estonian Air is a regional airline carrier headquartered in Estonia in the Baltic region of Europe. The airline’s hub of operations is located in Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn at Tallinn Airport. This airport is the largest in the country. With the state government of Estonia owning a large equity percentage of the airline, Estonian Air is the national airline of the Country of Estonia. The Company currently operates a fleet of four aircraft providing flights to sixteen destinations throughout Europe. Within the airline industry, Estonian Air is classified as a regional carrier. Regional carriers have historically pursued business strategies of specializing on short-haul flights within a limited geographic region. Up until the early 2000’s, regional carriers’ competitive advantages were based on their ability to provide geographically focused route services to smaller, underserved markets where larger airlines had limited exposure. These types of regional carriers were historically able to charge higher ticket prices and were able to avoid price competition. Over the past decade, competition within the European airline industry has increased dramatically. This increase is the direct result of two major factors. The first contributing factor has been the deregulation of the airline industry due to the economic integration resulting from the formation of the European Union. The second factor is the emergence of a new type of business strategy being implemented by several airlines. These airlines are known as Low-Cost Carriers (â€Å"LCCs†). They focus on providing low-cost flights to their customers. This is accomplished, by (i) simplifying fleet designs (to reduce training and maintenance costs), (ii) providing one type of class seating and no other services (i.e. meals), (iii) providing direct point-to-point service, (iv) focusing on shorter routes, and (v) employing non-union workers to lower labor costs. The combination of deregulation and proliferation of LCCs, has directly affected smaller regional carriers who now face greater competition. Although many of these regional airlines are smaller and do not have the economies of scale to compete with the larger airline companies, many have adopted strategies of expanding their fleets and increasing the number of routes they service. While competition has been steady increasing, the economy and business of Estonian Air has experienced quality growth over the past several years. On the contrary, fuel prices have increased 32% over the past three years resulting in higher operating costs and decreasing overall profit. This was illustrated in 2006 when Estonian Air increased its overall number of operating flights and experienced a 12% increase in gross revenue. This resulted in escalating operating costs, most notably fuel costs, which triggered a net loss in 2006 of US$ 5 Million. With the uncertainty of the future economy in mind, Estonian Air must make key decisions to ensure the company will retain positive strategic direction and continue to experience financial growth. The Company’s internal analysis indicates the market will continue to grow 10% – 15% per year for the next several years. In attempts to take advantage of the predicted market increase, Estonian Air is in consideration of expanding its fleet and adding several destinations. This alteration would aid in getting ahead of competition, managing higher fuel costs, and creating economies of scale. While many of these decisions have yet to be answered, management has narrowed its choice of aircraft, if they proceed with expansion. The current options include the Boeing 737 Jet, the Bombardier Q400 Turboprop, and the Saab 340A. The Vice President of Operations, Rait Kalda and the Vice President of Finance, Andrus Aljas, are currently preparing a working financial model and a total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis to break down the different options listed above. These examinations will be presented to the Board of Directors during their next meeting. Mr. Aljas has informed Mr. Kalda of the underlying problem that the Board of Directors is divided on the growth projections for the airline. There are several members who believe the growth projections in the internal analysis are too high and that there may be certain economic headwinds nearby. If these projections are accurate, it would mean an overall economic recession. Expanding the fleet at the time of a major economic contraction could have decidedly negative consequences for Estonian Air. As such, this decision is of extreme importance to the company and will require elite deliberation. Scope of Work ART Consulting Group has been retained by Estonian Air to assist in the decision making process related to the possibility of the company’s fleet expansion. Our main focus will be assisting Mr. Aljas and Mr. Kalda in the formulation of decision-making model, as well as providing recommendations on facilitating healthy discussion leading to the adoption of an effective decision. Mr. Aljas affirmed that due to different opinions amongst the Board members, the management team should strive to ensure that judgment errors, bias ideas, and negative group dynamics do not negatively affect Estonian Air’s ability to make the best decision possible. In addition, the growing uncertainty of both internal and external variables should remain in the company’s consideration. Because of the request by Estonian Air’s management, we will briefly touch on TCO analysis, but primarily focus on decision-making. Strategy & SWOT Analysis Overview In order to better facilitate discussion about the internal and external environment facing Estonian Air, we have provided a brief SWOT analysis. This model provides an overview of the company’s leverages, constraints, vulnerabilities, and problems. Estonian Air’s key strategic goal, as stated in their annual report, is to â€Å"ensure sustainable and profitable growth through target markets, customer satisfaction, fleet renewal, and employee development.† -Estonian Air Annual Report Strengths * Recent Year’s Positive Results * Meeting Industry Standards * Enviable on-time record * Backing of Estonia Government * Lower Borrowing Costs| Weaknesses * Small Fleet * Increasing technical problems and O&M Costs leading to unscheduled downtime * Weakened Balance Sheet * No Economies of Scale| Opportunities * Internal Analysis indicates 10-15% Growth * New Routes| Threats * Economic Downturn * Rising Fuel Costs * Exchange Rate Volatility * Growing Competition| Based on the above analysis, it is clear why Estonian Air is ready to â€Å"implement a growth strategy and invest in the development of its fleet.† Given the opportunity to grow their market, challenged with their small fleet and increasing difficulty of sustaining the maintenance and technical issues of their older planes, it would seem obvious that fleet expansion would be a logical choice. Expanding the fleet would (i) decrease O&M expense, (ii) decrease fuel costs (by obtaining more fuel-efficient planes), (iii) increase economies of scale, and finally (iv) allow the company to expand its route offerings and compete more effectively against the company’s growing competition. In order to quantify a course of action, Mr. Aljas and Mr. Kalda are formulating a Total Cost of Ownership Model, as well as a detailed financial model to assist in deciding how best to proceed. With this said, we have identified several problem areas that should be addressed. Problem Identification The following section outlines the identification of the core problems facing the managers of Estonian Air with regards to this strategic decision. Key Decision with High Risk & Uncertainty The decision to expand the fleet or not to expand the fleet is extremely important. If the company expands and the growth projections are exaggerated, the result could have a seriously negative consequence on the company’s balance sheet. However, postponing expansion could allow competitors a first mover advantage into particular markets and result in increasing opportunity costs to Estonian Air. Two types of decisions that managers face are programmed and nonprogrammed decisions. Programmed decisions are those that are routine and simple. These do not take much contemplation and can be resolved by implementing a new policy. Nonprogrammed decisions, however, are those that are new, complex, and are not routine. The decision facing Estonian Air is observed to be a nonprogrammed decision; primarily because of the complexity of the financial modeling, the obligation of implementing a well thought out decision-making model. Because the decision involves uncertainty and prediction for future events, the decision will and should involve group input. Split Board – Judgment Errors & Bias Mr. Aljas stated to our consulting firm that the Board of Directors, and some members of management, believe that the internal growth projections are overstated. Because of the differences in opinions, we expect a lengthy and potentially heated discussion regarding the best course of action. The circumstances will lend themselves to creating opportunities for judgment errors, individual and group bias to inhibit Estonian Air from making the most effective decision possible. These types of judgment errors could include aspects of (i) groupthink, (ii) group polarization, (iii) anchoring, and (iv) escalation of commitment. Problem Analysis Examining Nature of Decision Models There are three types of decision models including (i) Rationality, (ii) Bounded Rationality, and (iii) the Garbage Can Model. In the figure below, we show the spectrum of decisions extending from pure rationality on the left and the illogical Garbage Can model on the right. Rationality, by definition, is used in situations where a step-by-step logical approach is used to pick the best alternative. In these situations, we assume to know or have at our disposal all necessary information to make an informed decision. On the other hand, we have the Garbage Can model, which states that decisions are random. In the middle, we find something closer to the type of decision facing Estonian Air, which is the suggestion that there are limits to how rational a decision-maker can be. This is known as Bounded Rationality. There are always instances where we are limited to having all the necessary information for the decision. In such cases, we often do not have the ability to understand the complexity of the problem completely. We are then forced to make a decision that is the most optimal. This is known as a decision that satisfices the problem at hand. Understanding the nature of bounded rationality will help Estonian Air understand the context of the decision they are forced with and assist in the formulation of the decision process. Creating the Decision Process – Evaluating Results Estonian Air must quickly develop a decision and define a clear approach to addressing the problem. The following diagram outlines the basic steps in the decision process: Estonian Air Decision Process Identify Problem:Do we believe growth projections? Do we expand fleet or not? Establish Objective:The objective is to make a strategic decision to maximize profit and gain market share. More specifically, we have been given a WACC hurdle rate of 11.5% to consider for investments. The difficulty in this decision is the fact that the Board of Directors is split on the projections of economic growth. Gather Data:We will aid in constructing a financial model and TCO for various options. The model should consist of two areas: operating assumptions and macro-economic assumptions. We suggest in working with the operations crew to get credible operating assumptions. We also recommend constructing a model that is capable of inputting various growth rates so that the model can be stress tested for contingency purposes. The model should list options with each alternative case having an upside, midside, and downside scenario. Evaluate Alternatives:Evaluate alternatives and contingencies Decide on Solution:Make appropriate decision Implement:Implementation of Decision Feedback:Evaluate Results Follow up:Revisit final decision after implementation to ensure company is following protocol. Adjust as needed. Based on the above process, we have constructed the following table showing the scenario case analysis in terms of return on capital. Upside Case:20% Growth Rate Midside Case:10% Growth Rate Downside Case:-15% Growth Rate (Economic Recession) Estonian Air Case Analysis All decisions must meet the company’s required WACC hurdle rate of 11.5%, regardless of case selection. In the upside illustration, scenarios 1 and 5 offer the highest return on capital. Both involve the larger Boeing 737. In the midside case, the maximum return on capital is gained through scenario 5 which involves the combination of the Boeing 737 and the Bombardier Q400. The decision has a lower rate of return, but does have a lower volatility then scenario 1, which has the highest volatility ranking. Finally, in the event of an economic recession, all of the scenarios result in negative returns, but one solution, no fleet expansion at all, results in the less severe decline. If management believes that the economy will go into a recession, then scenario 4 will be the best course of action. Having developed the alternatives, it is clear that the key factors are the projections for growth. Because some of the Board members have opposing views on these internal growth projections, we anticipate that the decision selection portion of the process will include a lengthy and heated discussion. This could lend itself to unhealthy and unstructured decisions. Judgment Errors, Bias, and Individual and Group Decision Making We have constructed a model that is as effective as can be given what we know about the type of decision that we face. We have also identified that the main areas of contention within the model and in the decision process. Groupthink Irving Janis identified groupthink as â€Å"a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment.† This concept describes the negative effects of group cohesion. When members of a group feel pressured into making a significant decision, groupthink often presents itself. Key group members may have influence over other members’ opinions and behaviors towards the decision-making process. Another viability for groupthink to occur is when a group consists of like-minded individuals. The similarities within the group will offer little room for an assortment of solutions. Diversity is important in the decision-making process because the most favorable option may be underlying and unapparent. Groupthink also occurs when members are forced to conclude a decision in a short time frame. This causes members to rush without seeking the most applicable possible number of alternatives. Pursuing outside help for decision-making is another option to decrease groupth ink. This may assist in decision-making because obtaining an outside member’s consolation may offer unbiased, helpful solutions. To prevent Estonian Air from falling into the defective concept of groupthink, we suggest that key decision-makers effectively listen and assess all options, while promoting synergy within the group before making a final decision. This may require mediators to be present when all alternatives are being evaluated. Another suggestion discussed in further detail later in the paper is to seek outside help. We suggest this because of the short time frame as well as the magnitude of the decision. Group Polarization Studies show that groups tend to make more extreme decisions than individuals would for the same predicament. This concept, known as group polarization, emerges from two notions, the social comparison approach, and the persuasive arguments view. The social comparison approach describes the idea that members in the group perceive their data to be more accurate and relevant than other members of the group. However, during the meeting, members realize their ideas are not what they originally perceived. The second notion, persuasive arguments view, details extreme decisions being made due to members of the group supporting other members’ preliminary thoughts of the subject. If not detected early, both explanations may cause radical movements with the decision-making process. To prevent Estonian Air from getting trapped into group polarization, we recommend for decision-makers to individually submit their best possible solutions before collaborating as a team. This will hopefully deplete the pressures of making disastrously extreme decisions. Bias #1 – Anchoring Often, when making a decision, groups or individuals will use what are known as heuristics. Heuristics are mental short cuts that help simplify complex decisions. One of the downsides to heuristics is that they can lead to judgment errors due to the bias and irrational logic. One of the heuristic traps that we perceive might affect Estonian Air is anchoring and adjustment. In this type of heuristic, initial information serves as an anchor, or starting point, to base future decisions. For example, with regards to Estonian Air, the past 3 years of growth and rising fuel prices may form the basis, or anchor, for which future predictions are based. Sometimes past performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance. Bias #2 – Escalation of Commitment In addition to anchoring, another bias or judgment error that could occur escalation of commitment. This occurs when there is an increased commitment to a course of action despite knowledge of contrary information. In this case, if Estonian Air has begun the mental preparation for fleet expansion and they firmly believe in their growth projections and continued positive outlook on the economy, there may be bias opinions to continue this course of action. We already know that the Board is concerned about the growth projections and possible economic contraction. If the managers are set on expansion, there may be a bias to continue despite warning signs about the economy. Management Recommendations In order to ensure that the company makes the most effective decision and avoids judgment errors and groupthink, we recommend that Estonian Air utilize one of the following techniques with regards to their discussion and debate regarding future growth projections. Technique Definition Benefit Brainstorming| Generate as many ideas as possible on a given subject| Could lead to greater creativity with regards to solutions – Promotes Creativity| Nominal Group Technique| Structured approach that focuses on generating alternatives and then choosing one| Good for generating alternatives – but decisions could still be influenced by groupthink or other judgment bias| Delphi Technique| Gathering judgments from experts| Very applicable to, Estonia – Seek outside 3rd Party experts on economics (i.e. investment banks, advisors, Economic development professionals) | Devil’s Advocacy| One person plays the role of critic to different points of view| Should help to prevent groupthink| Dialectical Inquiry| Debate between two opposing points| As there are two sides to the question at hand – this option could prove to be very helpful| In reviewing these different options, we recommend a combination of two techniques from above. We would advice Estonian Air to use the Delphi Technique, but notably by seeking advice from a 3rd Party expert. We suggest that Estonia pay for the service to dissuade unnecessary promoting of decision outcomes that directly benefit the person providing the advice. An example of this would be an investment bank advising on fleet expansion and offering advice to Estonian Air at no cost. This would be considered corruption in efforts to allow the investment bank to underwrite the securities and make a commission on the sale of the securities on the primary or secondary markets. We would also advise the Board of Directors to meet with management to perform a dialectal inquiry that strongly presents the position of both sides. We feel this would be advantageous because both sides would bring alternatives to the table and argue their reasoning. With this meeting, we would advise for a mediator to be present in the event that group polarization would need to be diminished. We feel that the combination of these two techniques, will aid Estonian Air in reaching an effective and satisfying decision. Conclusion Estonian Air faces a difficult and important strategic decision with regards to expand their fleet or not expand their fleet. What makes the decision difficult is uncertainty. We have identified the major variable in this decision as the validity of the internal growth projections, which are based off of assumptions regarding the overall health of the economy. We have formulated a systematic approach to the decision making process and have assisted the company in developing a detailed financial model to assist in this decision. We have recommended that Estonian Air focus on the issue of growth and have advised the management team and Board of Directors to engage in a healthy debate in order to reach an accurate decision. While doing this, we have identified that there may be several potential judgment errors and influencing bias, which might prevent Estonian Air from making the optimal decision. We believe that the use of one or more of the techniques outlined above could help to eli minate the probability of making a strategic error. Post Case Study Update on Estonian Air Following 2007, a major economic hit both the United States and Europe. Estonian Air had decided on a fleet expansion, as well as the addition of several new routes. The effects of the economic recession caused a massive drop in passengers and resulted in the insolvency of the airline. In 2010, the airline received a bailout from the Estonian government. The bailout effectively nationalized the airline further and wiped out nearly all of the private equity in the deal. In addition, a severe austerity plan was implemented that decreased the wages of pilots by over 30%. In the interim, Mr. Aljus became President of the airline around this time. Mr. Aljus resigned from his position in 2011. In 2012, the company experienced massive financial losses and had to lay off nearly half its staff. Through today, the economic troubles of the airline have continued. In March of 2013, another bailout was announced, along with the European Commission looking into previous bailouts as being illegal. The fleet was reduced from 13 to 10 aircrafts and is expected to decrease to 5 by 2015.