Logic and perception to knowledge Essay

Knowledge is a theoretical or practical understanding of information, in a particular subject. In order to obtain this understanding; one may use the various processes. Perception and logic are both tools for acquiring knowledge. Without the invaluable tools of logic and perception, in many cases, the conclusions, understandings, interpretations and lessons gained through knowledge may be unattainable. Perception is defined as a mental consciousness, a way of intuitive understanding, regarding, or interpreting knowledge. Perception is broken down into two methods, subjective and objective. From this, we can see the value of perception as it creates a connection from information to knowledge. Humans use perception to interpret knowledge from one’s individual perspective using emotion, and opinion. Perception is crucial for determining an individual’s knowledge of the subject at hand. Perception allows for various interpretations of a piece of information as each individual has different insights on a single subject. This is valuable in the world of obtaining knowledge as it creates contradictions between individual’s perceptions which leads to further exploration within a subject and thus bringing out all perceivable conclusions from the subject. For example, in the world of business, people meet and discuss a topic and draw conclusions as each party perceives the idea at hand. This is essential for proving knowledge and portraying the concept to others and thus exploiting the importance and value of perception to knowledge. Logic is defined a way of thinking or explaining something and enables one to take information and employ it as useful knowledge. From the definition itself, we can see the link from logic to knowledge as it has great value in understanding information. Logical thought is broken down into two methods; induction and deduction. The base of deductive logic is comprised of part A, B, and C. Fundamentally; all information processed trough deductive logic goes through this process. If A and B are true, then C must be true. For example, if two pieces of information are presented, A: All people are mortal, and B: I am a human, and this is processed through logical deduction, one can determine that C: I am mortal. This process is employed through more complex information; however it is extremely important and valuable in creating knowledge from information. The other form of logic is induction. Induction is comprised of simple methodology, but it often creates a degree of uncertainty. New knowledge through induction is created by taking past events and occurrences and creating new knowledge. For example if every time I walk through Middle Inglis, no body is ever there, I can, using inductive logic deduce that no one lives there. I have taken past occurrences and processed them through logic and determined new information. Logically, I have determined that in order to create or realize new knowledge using facts and information, one must employ the various tools to do so. As, new knowledge is constantly desired, the value and use of perception and logic is ubiquitous.

Environmental Speech Essay

My speech will be about Global warming, this is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. In 2011 the emission of carbon dioxide and was the highest it had ever been before and it had also taken a similar jump in 2012. Over all, emissions of carbon dioxide had jumped 3 percent in 2011 and in 2012 it was estimated that it had jumped another 2. 6% in 2012. Scientists are 90% sure that Humans are the cause global warming from producing greenhouse gases produced by human activity like using a car which is burning fossil fuels and also is caused deforestation. Since the early 20th century the Earth’s average temperature has increased by 0. 8 degrees centigrade. The effect of an increased temperature will result in the rise of sea levels. Global warming is strongest in the arctic and causes a more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events such as heat waves, heavy rainfall, droughts and species extinction. How do we stop Global Warming? Turning the thermostat down a few degrees can make a big difference in decreasing our carbon dioxide emissions. Replacing a regular light bulb with compact florescent lights will save you ? 15 over the life of the bulb and reduce global warming. Driving less and using public transport more often will reduce the carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels which are burnt every day from transportation vehicles. Decorating your house with plants and trees will help as they take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.

Parental Separation

Brianna Golez Professor Fraga English 1A 23 July 2012 Parental Separation The parents' sole duty is to raise and, by definition, nurture their children as a whole unit. Compromising on decisions and communication are the factors that contribute to a healthy and comfortable environment for families. But what repercussions surface when endless disagreements and lack of toleration disrupt that peace while the parents are still legally imprisoned in their â€Å"marriage†? Unlike divorce, the separation between parents is harder to cope with for any adolescent or child and causes more anxiety and stress upon the household.While divorce is thought of to be a quick procession, it can take an average of six months for it to be finalized. By the end of the documentations and meetings, the children involved are used to the idea of living separately and most likely knowing how to cope. Contrarily, separation comes before the need of the divorce and is the time where emotions for adolesce nts and any minors in that situation are at its peak of denial and unease. Many things can stress a marriage and even before the decision of a separation, give the minors within the household the feeling of anxiety and forthcoming of downhill events.Dr. William Doherty of the Family Science Department at the University of Minnesota found that forty percent of long separated couples regret their decision and thought it could have been prevented. It is common children are susceptible to feeling guilt over their parents' reason of becoming distant and argumentative; however, main characteristics for separation included a low level of education and couples that had entered marriage at a younger age. Over one in every four children have had to endure the separation of their mother and father.The stresses and perplexity of the situation is more difficult as they try to adjust to new settings, surroundings, and living arrangements. The difficulty of adjustment puts pressure upon the minors because it involves the parents trying to come to agreements without the engagement of legal enforcement. For teenagers, they are in a state where the independence that is trying to be established can be jeopardized by them having to mature faster than normal and assume greater responsibilities. As well as feeling the need to run the household and fill the role of that missing parent.This turmoil can go on to cause problems on their attitudes towards school, people, and the relationship with their parents. Research done by a team from King's College London found that over half the children who lived separately had optimistic views because they had been â€Å"active in decisions about these arrangements and were more likely to have positive feelings about moving between households†. It has also been found that drops in health, high school dropout rates, teen births, and teen suicides also increase to twice as likely due to parental separation.Not only do children of split mar riages feel the helplessness of their predicament, they feel the want of a better communication between them. According to a subject of parental separation, Brittney Golez, stated â€Å"it was an emotional time where you were not sure what would happen next and if things were going to get worse†. The months prior to the divorce are the hardest and become less likely for reconciliation as she later goes on to say, â€Å"things would be easier if they were back together, and it only creates more stress for me when I don't know what more I can do†.This common point of view on the life before a divorce for an adolescent illustrates the uprooting of living in two households at one time; therefore making for an unstable environment. The relationship that is most crucial for the well being of children and adolescents are frequently disrupted by the complexity of separation. Stress in the parents is what only increases the stress levels of their offspring and in turn provide m ore frustration and risk towards the family's health.Complications continue to arise in this epidemic for the twelve million children among the country and the one in ever four who experience it. Cited Works 1. Golez, Brittney T. â€Å"Parent Separation. † Personal interview. 21 July 2012. 2. Kiln, Laura. â€Å"Parental Separation. †Ã‚  Familylawwebguide. com. Family Law WEB Guide, 27 Nov. 2008. Web. 23 July 2012. ;http://www. familylawwebguide. com. au/news/pg/news/view/545/index. php;. 3. Lundstrom, Karin, and Andreas Raneke. â€Å"Family Structures and Separations Among First Time Parents.   Scb. se. Statistics Sweden, 30 Mar. 2012. Web. 21 July 2012. . 4. â€Å"On Children and Separation. †Ã‚  Separatedfamiliesmatter. org. uk. Both Parents Matter, 2009. Web. 21 July 2012. . 5. Rooks, Linda. â€Å"Statistics On Separation and Divorce. †Ã‚  Separation. N. p. , 9 June 2003. Web. 21 July 2012. .

Economics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economics - Research Paper Example On micro level economy does not affect our business. We are the leading cement manufacturers in the region and have more than 65% of the sales. Export and local requirement for cement remains constant until economy faces a major crunch. We are the trend setters in the industry. The requirement for research and development to produce new products makes it a competitive industry. And this cut throat competition makes me enjoy my business and triggers me to think something different and new all the time. We have state of the art systems at plants for all the process, from extraction of raw materials to manufacturing and sales of the products. Entire production is monitored by automated systems. Offices are less advanced in IT and use basic information systems to perform day to day work. My future goals for the company is to expand its production capacity, export of cement to Asia wide countries. To implement a system that will analyze the bulk capacity of cement in market and warehouses. And increase the growth rate of the company with more educated staff and efficient capacity. We provide three kinds of call centre services to the industry. Call centre services, automated voice hosting services and call centre consulting services. We provide out sourced services and services to local companies as well. We market our products to companies looking for out sourcing their call centre services. Our target market are local companies. We prefer local companies because it is cost effective to provide assistance with our local resources. We have a qualified staff of 800 people who are fluent in Arabic and English for providing call centre solutions. Segment of marketing different products generates the maximum profit. More than 60% of the companies take services of call centers to sale their products. It also satisfies the customers quickly leading to increase in sales figures. Changes

CAUSES OF RENT ARREARS IN SOCIAL HOUSING -- (A LITERATURE REVIEW) review

CAUSES OF RENT ARREARS IN SOCIAL HOUSING -- (A ) - Literature review Example This is usually due to the low income that the renter is on, but there are other reasons which will be discussed in this essay. The causes of rent arrears in social housing is important because knowing the causes can help show why people have problems, if social housing rental prices need to be lowered, and how the agencies involved can help social housing tenants. Reducing the causes of rent arrears could lower the amount of rent arrears, causing less stress for the tenants and less financial burden on the government or supplying agency. Rent arrears might also lead to homelessness in cases when people have no other option, and this is something that needs to be avoided. The information is also interesting because it will help illustrate some social problems that these people have and this could be used in a wider context to understand social housing and perhaps rent arrears in general. The literature used in this review will be mainly found in housing journals, but some information will be found from other journals if they contain relevant information. Using this information, the essay will uncover the main reasons why people go into arrears on their rent in social housing by finding the key themes in the literature. This review is limited to research since the year 2000 because the most recent research is usually the most relevant to the situation, and the 21st century is interesting in many ways. Key Themes in the Literature One of the main themes in the literature is that rent arrears are a really important reason for many peoples homelessness. Crane (2000) suggests that 7% of all homeless men are homeless because they were evicted for rent arrears from social housing and a 29% more of these were in arrears to other companies. This suggests that many people struggle with financial management in social housing and this one of the main reasons why people get into rent arrears in social housing. There are suggestions that the government should sponsor some ed ucation for financial management (Collier, 2005) because this would help reduce one of the main causes of rent arrears. Research by Anderson & Christian (2003) also suggests that a number of people are homeless because they had gotten into rent arrears and often this was in social housing, although it does not give the specific causes of the rent arrears. A related theme is that some people in social housing may just not be able to afford it. Although the government or another agency does subsidise the cost of the rent, it may still be too expensive for some people. These people may have several children, no benefits, no job or many other things. This topic is found in the work of Milligan (2003) who suggests that the problems in Australia with rent arrears are mainly due to these factors and that work needs to be done on providing the housing at an even lower cost if possible. This will be the only way that rent arrears will be less common. This problem was also found in the United Kingdom and talked about by Hills (2007), who again suggested that the costs need to be lowered to make rent arrears less common in the UK. Priemus & Dieleman (2002) show that rent arrears due to the high cost of social housing are found throughout Europe and that prices are rising. More evidence from Yates & Wulff (2000) suggests that the amount of low cost social housing is being reduced meaning that more people are forced to take on housing which is too expensive for them and this

Compair and contrast between the hawk and the Lady in red Essay

Compair and contrast between the hawk and the Lady in red - Essay Example This paper discusses the differences and similarities between the two stories with respect to the major characters. Stressed, lonely, and living in regret, the Lady in Red character re-lives memories of what life used to be when he had money. From trips to Europe, having the best car, friends, and house, but all these seem to have faded and reduced him to a street beggar. The character portrays life on the fast lane and life on the street. The astounding factor in this story is that life is unpredictable, as the character puts it, â€Å"today, you could own the best car, and tomorrow you could be begging on the streets† (LeMieu45). He used to have many friends who would join in the thanksgiving celebration and drink the finest wine. Additionally, loving family members would show up on different occasions and have a good laugh. However, life turned against the professional sports writer, and salesman who had excellent skills in business. All that he was left with was his old car, and his dog, Willow, who never left his side. From begging on the streets and being chased from stores he used t o shop, the character seems to have lost hope and the zeal to live again. However, he finds closure when he packs his car in the usual sanctuary where many homeless people stay. This gives him the motivation that he is not the only one in the universe going through pain and suffering. Similarly, the Hawk character goes through the same tribulations despite having a prosperous past. The Hawk character sleeps in a tent inside a community football pitch. He used to be a reputed football player back in the day, and received recognition from community members. However, after going into business, things failed to work in his favor, and he ended up homeless. Luckily, people of the community were compassionate and let him stay in the field as long as he would not interfere with the daily activities taking place. He once had a caring heart, but all

Utilitarian versus Retributivist Views Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Utilitarian versus Retributivist Views - Essay Example The essence, focal points, main ideas and the merits of these two main theories are therefore to be discussed forthwith, in the ensuing discourse. Primarily, utilitarianism places focus on the consequences of the punishment, while retributivism is concerned with the retributive justice which is associated with the infliction of harm on the transgressor. Ideas Used In Utilitarian or Retributivist Theories Given that that utilitarianism is both a theory of punishment and ethics, it mainly takes on a consequentialist nature, because of its particular focus on the consequences of actions that have been executed by a particular group or an individual. Because of this, the moral theoretical standpoint of utilitarianism is that the balance of good and bad in a given action generates either good or bad. Under the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number, pain stems from the bad, while pleasure, from the good. Because of this, pain and pleasure are taken by utilitarians as the y ardsticks for values in a utilitarian system. The import of this is that utilitarians deem punishment as being evil in itself, or intrinsically evil. The evil that utilitarians see in the infliction of punishment is premised on the assumption that punishment heralds suffering or unhappiness. Utilitarians hold it that despite the negative connotations of punishment, yet its consequences can be positive, and hence, justifiable (Ewing, 1927). On the converse, retributionists see punishment as being intrinsically good. In fact, so convinced are retributionists about the goodness of punishment that that they assert that even if it appears that nothing beneficial will come from the meting out of punishment, yet it is expedient. This is to the extent that Emmanuel Kant waxes polemical that even if the end of the world should be imminent, yet the need to execute the last murder convict in prison is still indispensible. To retributivism, the meting out of punishment is intrinsically good sin ce: it is needful for the dispensation of justice; it allows people the chance to be treated in the manner that they deserve; and it allows people to treat one another with utmost respect, as autonomous agents, given that their choices and actions determine how they will be treated, in turn. In this case, there is justification of punishment since it is premised on a rational individual’s action. To utilitarians, the retributional approach to punishment and justification is unfavorable since it only increases the extent of suffering in the world, instead of abating it. Again, utilitarians posit that by vouching for the meting out of punishment, instead of reducing the suffering of this world, retributionists compound them, without making any reimbursements for them. Because of this, the retributionist approach does not move the world towards utmost happiness (the greatest pleasure for the greatest number), but away from it. The gravity of this is that utilitarianism takes awa y from the justification of punishment, given that punishment imposes suffering (Leo, 2006). Instead, for the utilitarians, the justification

Medical equipment lifecycle ( Medical Equipment & Technology Services Essay - 1

Medical equipment lifecycle ( Medical Equipment & Technology Services Management) - Essay Example The technology life cycle of a medical component initiates in the design and acquisition phase, by means of the acceptance process. The technology life cycle of the medical component extends through its application in the clinical environment . Subsequently, it reaches the obsolescence phase where it is replaced and discarded after reaching its maximum life utility. The acquisition, approval and obsolescence of a medical technology occurs only once in its useful life (Chan, 2003, p. 13). The optimal application of technology incorporates a number of occupations and can occur over a variety of instances. This optimal application of medical technology can be deconstructed into two sub cycles. These sub cycles are the acquisition and application sub cycle. The acquisition sub cycle consists of the following events: Technology evaluation- Technology evaluation is a classification of policy study which reviews the short term and long term outcomes which are societal, ethical, legal and economic. These aspects constitute the comprehensive evaluation of the technology (Banta, 2009, p. 8). The gold criteria for clinical research assessment of novel medical technology is historically recognized as the Randomized Control Trial (RCT) (NHTSA, n.d.). A primary tenet of technology evaluation is â€Å"buying smart, not cheap†(University of Boston Massachusetts, 2010, p 9). In the technology evaluation, the following details are delineated: Guiding adaptation and application in medical equipment technology goes hand in hand. The important factor in being successful is carrying out a comprehensive and thorough planning procedure (NSBA, n.d.). Efficient technology designs are directed towards applications, instead of technology. The technology should be based on inputs and not results (See, n.d.). A new medical technology equipment system

European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

European Union - Essay Example However, the idea of Europe cannot be entirely appreciatedwithout having the mentality of historical evolution of the Europe continent prior tothe periods of World War II and by extension the recent integration process that has been realized in the United States of Europe. By definition, stagnation in economic sense implies that there is a noticeable cease in motion, progress or generally activity. The progress as well as stagnation has been both customary and yet understandable stages in the expansion of the European Union and its antecedent, the European Communities (EC). European integration has had a kind of stop-and-go or an oscillating developmental pattern since the inception of the idea after the First World War (Louis Meuleman 2008; p. 401). Several factors have worked in a bid to understanding and shaping the composition and the future of the Union, for example issues like the adoption of a Constitution for the EU; the extension of EU membership to slot in ten new Member States; the ballot vote to the European Parliament; as well as the recommendation of a novel European Commission. In the 70s there was huge realization of lack of advancing the idea of EU among the member states. Citizens of independent member states were duly considered the then obstacles to the strong establishment and expansion of the EU. For instance, citizens of nations like the Netherlands and France at one time are in record having voted for their countries to pull out of the EU, leaving the reform process. In this regard at least according to Cini, (2007, 442); Citizens continue to disengage from the EU institutions, including what is ostensibly 'their' Parliament; the richer member states are seeking to reduce their contribution to the EU budget rather than increasing it to allow equitable treatment of the then new entrants in cohesion and agricultural aid. In fact the EU integration crisis in 70s Cini, (2007, 442) continue to declare, precipitated a situation dabbed Eurosclerosis. Eurosclerosis she explains further that it is the time period when the political integration in Europe mired. Fundamentally, it was the outcome of authority decisions in member states and by extension acute prevailing lack of public concern in regarding the condition of the European integration. There was also member state party politics as well as ethnicity issues (Bache, Ian & Stephen George 2006; 273). The principal issue here was how member states made policy decisions to shape their preferences regarding the EU (Folke, C., T. Hahn, P. Olsson, & J. Norberg, 2005; 361). The independent member states held varied political culture as well as big picture opinions of their national interest and preferences. These factors are by extension shaped by complicated bundles of issue-specific factors which further depends on negotiations between the EU27 members and t he apparent constantly shifting patterns of domestic politics within each member states. A pretty good example, according to Cini (2007, p. 450) is the French 'Non' to the Constitutional Treaty motivated by the then president. The French resisted the recommended liberalization of services in the Single Market which has been a prime EU policy, commonly called Bolkestein Directive. There is therefore divergent views on

Cause And Effect Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cause And Effect Paper - Essay Example Before the internet revolution era, available lines for communication were not only expensive but also slow and cumbersome; these lines were also subject to physical damages and other interference hampering their applications. However, revolutionized internet allows million users to share costs of high-performing circuits, reduce the number of lines and provide automatic re-routing of information in case of any interference. Internet has significantly contributed to effective and timely communication across the globe. Some of its significant contributions include timely sharing of information. Sharing information and occurrences across the world is an undemanding experience. Access to global news is easy using internet connectivity. Social networking renders it easy to access news through platforms such as Google+, Twitter and Facebook. Besides easy sharing of information, obtaining relevant and educational literature from online scholarly databases is easier and efficient for its users to access than before internet invention. Nearly all forms of literature are now easily retrievable from the internet. Easier retrieval of information from the internet is a cause of revolution in the education sector (Livingstone, 2009). Learners can do online research using information from Google books, academic database and other scholarly sites. Communications within cities, across borders and overseas is now easier and faster with internet than before the invention of internet. E-mail services render sending of information easier, faster and cheaper compared to conventional methods. The internet is a platform that provides convenience undertaking online transactions. Online business transactions improve lives; business partners need not to physically acquire goods and services after invent of online transactions. In some insta nces, people need no to be physically present at

Should cigarette smoking be banned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Should cigarette smoking be banned - Essay Example More than 18% of US adults smoke cigarettes, translating to approximately 42 million people and the number could be higher if underage smokers are put into consideration (Ostermann 35). Cigarette smoking is legal in the US, notwithstanding the fact that it is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths. This paper is a critical evaluation on why cigarette smoking should be banned. Cigarette smoking should be banned because it is harmful for the smoker’s health as well as that of those close to them. Cigarettes contain approximately 4000 harmful chemicals, some of which are carcinogens, meaning they can lead to development of cancer in smokers. Statistics indicate that more than 400000 people, in US, lose their lives every year due to smoking related illnesses, including cancer (Chen 44). When one inhales smoke from a burning cigarette, it gets into the lungs where chemicals are absorbed and distributed to other parts of the human body. The chemicals damage the DNA structures in different organs leading to abnormal cell growth and multiplication, which over time develop into cancer. Lung cancer is the leading consequence of cigarette smoking, followed by others such as; mouth cancer, kidney cancer and larynx cancer among others. Research shows that deaths arising from smoking related complications are far much higher than those resulting from abuse of a lcohol, road accidents and illegal substances, such as cocaine and heroin, as well as HIV/AIDS (Ostermann 68). Apart from cancer, studies show that regular smoking results to the depositing of chemicals in the blood vessels, which lead to blockage and interference in the blood flow. This means that the supply of oxygen to the brain, lower limbs as well as other important organs is inhibited. Consequently, the person suffers conditions such as dementia, impotence, high blood pressure, deterioration of the heart among others, which reduce the quality of life for the person involved. If a person

Programming Solution Proposal Essay Example for Free

Programming Solution Proposal Essay Computer programs can help us solve everyday issues that might seem impossible. Household budgeting is an issue that burdens many Americans. Every individual is ultimately responsible for managing his or her finances. Developing a computer program that can help individuals manage their budget will greatly improve their life quality. The program would have to follow the program development cycle model and use the modular approach. Identifying Budget Issues The biggest challenge that many American families are facing after the 2008 recession is managing a monthly budget adequately. The fact is that many families increased their debt by borrowing more than their allocated budget. Americans need to learn to live base on how much they earn. Our first reaction, when in debt, would be to make up excuses as to why we are in that situation. Some of us will even try to blame relatives or credit card companies when faced with excessive debt. It is families, who do not budget properly, that end up losing their homes and vehicles to banks or lenders (msn, 2009). Who is Responsible? The task of managing your budget according to your earnings is a decision and responsibility that is ultimately yours. The first step to take when budgeting is to acknowledge your debt problem and stop finding justifications for it. The problem can be excessively stressful and it is recommended to seek assistance through friends, family, or even better from an organization that guides people through debt reduction. A non-profit organization, such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, will probably be the best option. To start getting a handle of the problem, one must establish a number of how much is owed (msn, 2009). Developing a Program Technology, at present day, is an important tool that can be used to our advantage to solve almost any issue. Many families that might be facing budgeting and even foreclosure issues might not be aware that such tools exist. The process of creating a computer program that will help us budget our monthly income can greatly improve our quality of life. Such program must follow the program development cycle and contain the three main components of a computer program; input, process, and output (Venit Drake, 2009). Program Development Cycle The first step of the program development cycle is to analyze the problem. We need to fully understand the problem that needs to be solved. We also need to analyze which information is available to us. The initial information available to us is our monthly net pay, and our monthly economic obligations. We also need to establish our desired output, establishing a budget, and determine how our known information will help us achieve those results. At this point we might also become aware of information that is not included but is necessary in order to identify the problem properly. Such information may include unexpected expenses, depositing money into a savings account, etc. (Venit Drake, 2009). The next step of the cycle is designing a program to solve the problem. The designing step of the program development cycle will yield a flowchart that will outline how the actual program is executed based on the known variables. The flowchart will include a starting point, inputs, assignments, If conditions, loops, outputs, and an ending point. The evaluation of each step of the program development cycle might yield additional subtasks that might need to be added to the original flowchart. This step also involves writing an algorithm in pseudocodes which will instruct the program on what to do. The last two steps of the cycle involve writing the pseudocode statements in program code. The program code will depend on which computer language is chosen. Finally the program needs to be executed to determine if it runs properly. A re-evaluation of the program might be needed if the program does not execute properly (Venit Drake, 2009). The goal of the program is to aid the average household to adequately manage a budget. Modular Approach The modular approach that will be taken to create this budgeting program will ensure the creation of the proper program to solve the issue. The approach will first consider the major tasks that need to be accomplished. A module will be created for each task in the program. The tasks can later be broken down into sub-tasks as deemed necessary by the programmer. These sub-tasks will then be assigned sub-modules. The amount of sub-tasks is determined by the complexity of the problem and how many are needed to solve the problem. The purpose of breaking down tasks is to make the program much easier and simpler. The model that is used to break down tasks is called the top-down design (Venit Drake, 2009). Conclusion Developing a computer program that can help individuals manage their budget will greatly improve their life quality.

Total Quality Management And Excellence Management Essay

Total Quality Management And Excellence Management Essay Over the last two decades organisations have witnessed great variations in markets, tremendous competition, rapid globalisation and economic turbulence. With customers becoming more demanding, satisfaction of customers has taken priority in running a successful business (Porter and Tanner, 2004). As a result, organisations have embraced a range of quality initiatives into every conceivable aspect of organisational work (Wilkinson and Willmott, 1995). In the older sense, Jurans edited work [2] on A History of Managing for Quality relates quality to meeting the requirements of a person obtaining a product or receiving a service. In a wider sense, Fisher and Nair(2006), refer toQuality as the way an enterprise goes about its business, inspired by a theory that acts as a guiding principle for behaviour and informed by the knowledge and knowhow needed to make it occur. In an attempt to survive competition and sustain a competitive advantage, many firms have witnessed the implementation of various quality management systems and standards like the ISO9000, the growth of total quality management(TQM), Business Process Re-engineering(BPR), business excellence, US Baldrige Model, European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM), lean thinking, Six Sigma etc.,(Porter and Tanner, 2004). What is TQM? Total Quality Management (TQM) has been on the agenda for a very long time. The concept of TQM has origins in the 1920s where product quality control was dealt with the application of statistical theory. Moving forward, the concepts developed in Japan in the 40s and 50s piloted by Americans, like Deming, Juran and Feigenbaum who gave a broader picture beyond quality of products to quality across the organisation which pioneered the beginning of TQM (DTI). TQM is an approach aimed at improving quality to establish effectiveness and efficiency across the firm. It defines ways of planning and organizing every activity associating it to every member at every level of the organization. (Oakland, 2003). Thus, despite the comprehensiveness and fullness of the TQM framework, there seems to be a decline in interest. This essay aims at critically analysing and discussing two works (a book by Wilkinson, Willmott (1995) and an article from Dale et-al (2000)) and evaluating the arguments stated i n them with respect to the emergence of more recent so-called Excellence Frameworks. This leads us to another question. What is excellence? With the evolution of Quality awards, principles of continuous improvement and organisational performance improvement became top priorities. The model devised by the European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM), supporting the European Quality Award offers a greater focus on business results and hence, Business/organisational Excellence is generally associated to EFQM(Poter and Tanner). The core themes of excellence are heavily influenced by TQM principles. These forms a management system stresses on leadership for attaining quality by formulating policies strategies for developing and managing personnel in order to implement process with a customer focus to achieve excellence in business results. The article by Dale et-al (2000) essentially discusses about the fallen star image of TQM. It highlights the tampering of TQM models to develop excellence frameworks like EFQM and MBNQA. Dale et-al (2000) dismiss the new models for building fads and bringing about futile cosmetic and peripheral changes to the excellence models. The authors also critique the emphasis on point-scoring system which is drawing focus away from the quintessence of quality management and only aim to win quality or excellence awards. The article draws similarities between the key ingredients of TQM philosophy and the principles of excellence. It challenges that excellence is essentialy only a replacement to words like quality and TQM. However, Adebanjo(2000) has a different view about the shift of focus from TQM to Excellence Models and asserts that they both complement each other. He maintains that quality never actually died. While Dale et-al (2000) attributes the failure of TQM to managers, Deming (1986) argues that poor leadership is the cause for poor performance. Adebanjo(1997) discusses this further stating that the failure is partly because managers are often hard to convince, didnt have a clear understanding, demonstrated resistance or viewed TQM as a responsibility of the quality departments . The failure rate of TQM was as high as 75% (Cao et-al, 2000). Fisher (1995) emphasises that TQM doesnt really help everyone, unless the commitment to TQM is across the organisation which is difficult to attain. The introduction of other models like TQMEX, MBNQA further support the view that excellence models are the necessary and sufficient route towards business excellence Ho(). But the overshadowing of TQM by glamorous excellence models doesnt exactly translate into quality performance (Dale et-al, 2000). In terms of the link between excellence models and performance, MBNQA was criticised for the reasons like: winning rewards involves high resource commitments and expense, failure to lead to superior quality standards and winning these certifications does not necessarily result in improved results. Its quite difficult to find companies with good bottom-line results and good quality initiatives (Zairi,Oakland1994). Despite the apparent confusion of terms- TQM, excellence, continuous improvement- all these eventually mean one thing making things better. The article by Wilkinson, Willmott (1995) also suggests that the fluid meanings assigned to quality initiatives make it elusive. In the attempt to introduce quality into manufacturing and service deliveries, quality management techniques like quality control, quality circles and (more holistically) TQM have been sought. TQM has also been critiqued for paying more attention to processes, procedures and policies of the business with little focus on people management, support and culture (Wilkinson, 1991). Rees (1993) also highlights this issue stating that there is little detail interms of how employees perceive TQM. Quality initiatives do not essentially give employees collective sense of objectives, instead it bounds them to procedures and goals defined by the managers who expect them to deliver performance based on the objectives laid down for every job role. A balance between the hard and soft approaches of TQM philosophy seems to be reconsidered and reviewed in recent times. Oakla nd (199), emphasises the importance of motivation and quality required to serve both internal and external customers. TQM strives to introduce quality into every aspect of the business. Wilson-Willmott (1995) also argue that TQM is not directly associated to work-design or employee empowerment and instead follows an iron-clad hierarchal structure. Oakland(2004) stresses on the need for effective communication and leadership for the development and accountability of all employees to implement TQM philosophies successfully. The article also draws attention on the importance of culture on to support Quality Management. Employees associated with strong organisation culture have clarity of their job roles. Thus the culture-strategy fit should hold good for any philosophy to be implemented. Irani(2004) highlights the relationship among culture, quality, and competitiveness. Sluti et al. (1995),studies indicate that corporate culture contributes to quality and performance, but there is alw ays an element of doubt about the level of organisational commitment that is required for TQM implementation. Oaklands(2003) addresses this through a modified TQM-framework for achieving high quality performance using business excellence approach, through people, planning and processes with the soft outcomes of culture, communication and commitment. Wilkinson-Wilmott(1995) also discuss the contributions of various authors. To highlight a few, Stephen Hill relates effective implementation of TQM to business productivity, reduced wastage, better decision-making and sustainable competitive advantage . To develop a rounded approval of TQM, he brings up the subject of social effects of TQM, and its adoption or non-adoption to de-staffing. Walsh challenges the implementation of TQM in service sector because of the difficulty involved in measuring quality as per monitoring levels of customer satisfaction. Webb and Munro highlight the managerial authoritarianism and challenges the effectiveness of the participative scenario during economic slump. McArdle et-al takes this further stating how power-centred participation was replaced by task-centred forms of involvement over the years. Dawson challenges the culture improves commitment aspect of TQM and its success in countries with cultural-pluralism. Kerfoot Knights discuss empowerment a nd assumptions about employee behaviour and argue that control over employees is a consequence of the inconsistency of engineering-like model of firms than that of TQM. Both articles provide strong views on the subject of quality management. In order to evaluate how different TQM actually is from the more recent models, this essay aims to compare and contrast it with the Excellence Frameworks, Lean and Six-Sigma programmes. In the 1980s, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award started gaining popularity. This aimed at identifying US companies that have achieved quality excellence. The framework focuses on customer and market-driven excellence to achieve business results. It focuses on harnessing te talents of employees through effective leadership and management. (Oakland, 2004). The EFQM is a model developed in Europe and it recognises the need to improve processes by involving people and continuous improvement of processes. (Oakland, 2004). Ho(), also advocates a need for an integrated approach to support the process of continuous improvement through the companys commitment to managing by quality and proposed the TQMEX model that encompasses 5-S, BPR, QCC, ISO 9000 and TPM, thus forming a basis for company-wide TQM implementation. Traditional TQM approaches and excellence models are based on rational paradigms, where traditional and normative, research data, includes survey responses associated with deductive theory and testing.(McAdam et-al, 2006). To address complex socio-political events and phenomena, a strategic TQM has been developed representing the dynamic nature of business and environment. Quality initiatives date back to after World War-II and the bombings in Japan. Unable to imitate the US practice of manufacturing in masses due to limited capital, Toyota developed a Production System, minimising waste across its operations, a technique now known as Lean Manufacturing. Lean Manufacturing overlaps TQM significantly. The TQM process orientation eventually leads to almost the same results as lean manufacturing. But, TQM starts with quality which may or may not be the most critical area or the area that produces quickest results. http://www.strategosinc.com/tqm_benefits_0.htm A more recent model gaining favour in industries is Six-Sigma. Its a model developed by Motorola. Motorola was also cited as the first winner of MBNQA in 1988. Six-sigma is efficient, often statistical, techniques are used in a systematic way to reduce variation and improve processes and there is a focus on results including customer-related ones that lead to enhanced marketplace performance and hence improved bottom-line financial results. (Klefsjo ¨ et al. 2001). Mikel Harry[1], developer the Six Sigma program at Motorola, has defined Six Sigma as a disciplined method of using extremely rigorous data gathering and statistical analysis to pinpoint sources of errors and ways of eliminating them. and is all about improving customer and business results by linking the tactical with the strategic. The improvement model follows DMAIC and has 5 phases as illustrated below: C:UsersuserDesktopUntitled.jpg Six-sigma is a subset of TQM and not an alternative to TQM. It is a methodology within TQM which also considers the dynamic nature of the management system (Klefsjo ¨ et al. 2001).In contrast to TQM, six-sigma aims at delivering breakthrough tangible benefits in the short-term and doesnt focus on a step-by-step improvement(Oakland, 2004). Both excellence models and six-sigma can complement eachother where the former baselines the phase for improvement and the latter attains excellence through delivering breakthrough strategy, leadership, learning, innovation, customer-market-business-focus and continuous reinforcement. (Oakland, 2004). Demand for Lean has surpassed six sigma by almost 35%. This indicates that most companies are looking at Lean techniques to face the challenges of the economic slump. (Avery Point Group,2010) To conclude, heres a warning: TQM may not be the in-thing for most organisations anymore. But it is here to stay. As firms gear themselves up to rapid advancements interms of its operations and information management and to meet customer needs, there will always be a challenge to make products or deliver services faster through a reliable system. That kind of a system can be established only by getting the basic TQM philosophies right. The underlying objective is to make things better, both for the customers and the organization. The means of achieving this may slightly vary through quality or excellence models. However, it is all about Do the right things right the first time, every time. . http://qualitytricks.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/introduction-and-implementation-of-total-quality-management-tqm/ Ans2: IMPLEMENTING BUSINESS EXCELLENCE IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: This essay particularly focuses on implementing BE framework in the hotel industry which is a service industry. To attain customer satisfaction and excellence in an industry, various models ranging from EFQM, Lean, Six-Sigma, TQM could be implemented. However, among the available models, this essay proposes to use the model devised by EFQM, to analyse the quality perspective of both management and customers of the Tristar Group, a chain of 3-star hotels. Oaklands (1999) Total Organisational Excellence (TOE) framework for performance-based measurement embraces all areas like strategic planning, process analysis, self-assessment, benchmarking measurement, people, teamwork, and continuous-improvement (Oakland, 1999). While EFQM helps benchmark core processes for a limited period in time and defines current standing, TOE focuses on continuous improvement for achieving organisational excellence. Every sector exists in a highly competitive market. Succeess is largely dependent on delighting customers important (Irani,2004). In order to understand the how the quality frameworks can be implemented in Hotel Tristar, it is primarily important to understand the customers and their needs with respect to Tristar. Who are our customers? The hotel must recognise the needs of all its clients the value of the guest as a paying customer; the importance of its employees as internal customers; the expectations of the local community as an environment conscious corporate citizen and its responsibility to the owners and operators as a producer of high profit margins with an all round positive image. The key external customers are from the commercial,corporate and M.I.C.E((Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events) segments.. Tristar also has customers on business and leisure travel from international and domestic markets. The target market is currently divided as follows: What do our customers want? Customers desire better quality services, but it is always difficult to reaching an agreement on the conformance to specification, mainly because measuring quality in the service sector isnt easy (Wilkinson,Willmott,1995). However, to state a few basic services any hotel is expected to provide: Good value for money, reliability and efficiency High standards in terms of its facilities and pricing. Quality personal service, home-like experience and on-time delivery of services. Good IT systems to make reservations and bookings quick and easy. A luxurious, pleasing environment to relax or conduct their business. Complimentary breakfasts and free in-room wireless internet. Customers treated with basic courteousness, kept informed and not to be passed around Effective feedback and suggestion systems. Conduct responsible business, both on the social and environmental fronts. The Hotels success in the current environment will depend on corporate contract business, tourism and customer loyalty to the brand. To address this Oaklands (1999) framework for TOE helps the organisation achieve business excellence by implementing the following steps. 1. The effectiveness of an organisation depends on efficient leadership and commitment from the people to perform their roles aimed at moving towards common goals and objectives. TOE involves comprehensive planning for gaining competitiveness through people management and employee involvement. The top management must demonstrate commitment to improvement and leadership through supervision, training and process management. There must also exist a shared motive of need for change to attain excellence among the top management and the stakeholders of Tristar. 2. The next step involves developing a clear strategy for implementation. The vision describes the strategic intent of the organisations existence. Hotel Tristars vision involves commitment to creating extraordinary customer value by ensuring quality and responsiveness of customer services. The mission statement is used to communicate this vision for the organisation of where it is going. Tristars mission is dedicated to provide hospitality service through motivated human resources and inspired leadership. The goal to ensure financial strength and sustainable growth can be achieved by focusing on domestic and international markets through innovation and technology and Tristar must strive to create value for owners and shareholders and operate as an environment conscious corporate citizen. 3. The next step is identifying critical success factors (CSFs). CSFs are what must the organisation accomplished to achieve the above mission The CSFs for Hotel Tristar can be recognised as: Positioning and guest profile Site and location On-time and Quality customer service Motivated and skilled staff/ efficient management Quality suppliers and effective distribution channels Identification of potential business opportunities and markets 4. The Key Performance Indicators support the mission and CSIs to help translate the directional statements to clear targets. They help monitor progress and the KPIs for Hotel Tristar can be identified as: Yield Management and Differential pricing Job rotation and training for timely delivery of services Brand Recognition and marketing methods Optimal resource utilisation and cost effectiveness 5. The next step is understanding the core processes. The top management team identify the action plan on how the organisation must institutionalise the mission and meet its CSF. For Hotel Tristar, the core process can be identified as: Revenue Wealth Management Process for the operations Reservation process: from the time a guest makes a booking until they arrive at their room. Asset Management Process for brand extension Event management process: from the time the organizers book the banquet/conference room to the completion of the event. Selection and Recruitment process Advertising and Brand promotion process Each of these processes could have a sponsor from the management team. The process sponsorship can be owned up by the existing Managing Director, Financial Controller, HR Manager, COO and CEO of the Hotel. 6. This step involves breaking down the core process into sub-processes, tasks and activities and formulating improvement teams. To illustrate the breakdown of a CSF to individual task through an example: CSF: On-time and Quality customer service KPI: Job rotation and training for timely delivery of services Core- Process: The event management process, from the time the organizers book the banquet/conference room to the completion of the event. Sub- Process: Develop an event concept and determine the feasibility Activity: Formulate budget and monitor finance Task: Prepare a chart to track progress of the event 7. The people and processes identified must be aligned to integrate excellence into business strategy. This is through a policy deployment or goal translation process. For Tristar, the top team must study the customer preferences to understand how the goal of creating quality customer service can be achieved. Once the core processes and the sub-processes are identified, they must be successfully analysed to lay foundation for systems and procedures. A process classification framework for a generic view of the business process is documented for systematic development of mapping and flowcharting the processes. The core-processes need to be self-assessed and benchmarked. The EFQM framework is used to self-asses Tristar to figure out what the hotel is good or bad at and where there is a need for improvement. EFQM Model Implementation: The European quality model highlights the significant strengths and weaknesses and the relationship among people, processes and outcomes. The model represented in Figure 2, People and customer satisfaction and positive impact on society provide a competitive advantage. There are nine factors to evaluate the level of excellence of a company, The primary problem is related to the first element in the model, that is leadership. The management and directors showed very little interest in quality management initiatives. This absence of commitment and lack of conviction results in failure to recognise good performance, inability to efficiently guide culture changes, less interaction with customers and suppliers, little involvement in running a sustainable and responsible business. This problem also raises concerns at the strategic level in the policies strategy element of the model. The external strategic analysis explains problems in the context of the hospitality industry. The challenges relate to the changing patterns in travel tourism during recession. The decline in business travelling and the re-location of the airport in Hyderabad have hit the business hard. Internal strategic analysis highlights problems of incorporating very little total quality measures into policies strategies. Lack of audits and process plans d o not support continuous improvement. Personnel Management is another key element in hotel industry. The companies HR policies, training and retention are factors that determine successful implementation of any TQM project. Hotel Tristar has staff on temporary or contract basis. This hinders effective implementation of training activities and results in low employee commitment and motivation. Resource Management through optimization of technical, financial, infrastructural resources should generate cost and quality benefits. However, Hotel Tristar lacks effective asset management system to improve return on capital employed and reduce cash-flow volatility. Processes should be continually reviewed and redesigned for successful implementation of quality policies aimed at customer satisfaction. Effective customer feedback system does not exist, thus making it impossible to assess the existing quality of services provided to various customers (rooms, banquets, restaurants and leisure gu ests). Quality does not necessarily mean luxury. Improvement programs aimed at services that provide value for money should be top priority during the recession period. The social impact with regard to responsible trading is largely emphasised in the hospitality industry. CSR activities and eco-hospitality are gaining popularity and Hotel Tristar has a long way to go at implementing sustainable and environmental friendly practices aimed at energy conservation, waste management etc., Economic results have shown a dip in ROCE and steady decrease in productivity. Thus, this model highlights a serious problem of lack of coordination of various operations and initiatives that run independently without synergy therefore impeding continuous improvement. (1) After the identification of the potential areas of improvement, the next step involves defining improvement opportunities and prioritizing the actions needed. This requires effective use of tools and techniques by the workforce. The employee commitment and involvement is attained through effective performance management systems implemented by the management team. This involves clarifying roles, providing training, developing action plans and setting targets. Teamwork is key in hospitality industry. Besides demonstrating leadership and commitment, the pioneers of TOE must also be proactive in visualizing ideal processes and competent in the mechanics of business process re-engineering. For Tristar, this must be focussed on identifying prospective clients in the right sectors, understand their needs, and implement processes to service these needs by involving the people. Potential problems with implementation: Implementing changes in the organisation can potentially face the following problems: 1. Employee resistance to change: Change efforts usually experience human resistance. There are many reasons for employees to resist change. These could range from a desire not to lose something of value, a fear of making mistakes, risk-averse, a misinterpretation of the change and its benefits and implications, a belief that the change does not add value to the organization or a general low tolerance for change. 2. Lack of senior management interest and support: For implementing change of any magnitude, it is essential to clearly communicate strategies and objectives of change to all the stakeholders. Some managers view quality management as just another managerial fad or fashion (Wilkinson and Redman, 1994). Hotel Tristar lacks effective pioneers to responsibly lead this change process and confidently implement practices to achieve continuous improvement. 3. Emphasis on Short-term results: Implementing a change is a time consuming affair. It is a matter of concern that the stakeholders involved usually hold a short-termist attitude (Wilkinson and Redman, 1994). Hotel Tristar, which is classified in the luxury segment, is constantly facing demands for quicker results interms of increased cash-flows and profitability. 4. Inflexible and rigid organisation hierarchy: Tristar is a 27 year old family-run business with deep-rooted culture and inter-group relationships. Any decision making process resulting in disturbing the complex hierarchy and deviating from the traditional methods is bound to face strong resistance and confrontation. It is a challenging task to overcome traditions. This is true when employees do not see the relation between their traditions and an existing problem. (http://www.themanager.org/strategy/Change_Problems.htm) 5. Lack of individual development opportunities: High performance seeks appropriate skills and capabilities. This requires creating effective training and learning opportunities for the employees or recruitment of new labour. Tristar lacks appropriate training structure and also has a high attrition rate due to the fluid market conditions. 6. Unfavourable Market Conditions: Tristar has faced sudden plunge in its sales due to the re-location of the Airport. This has resulted in an urgent need to refocus on its target market segment to lay more emphasis on repeat customers and business customers. The changes in demographics and customer spending also pose as potential barriers to achieving competitive advantage. 7. Lack of resources and cost constraints: Inefficient management of financial resources and assets could pose some serious problems in implementing organisational excellence. According to Wilkinson et al., (1994), Quality management appears to suffer from resource limitations. Keeping up-to-date with the latest information and technology will be challenging for Tristar. During the recession, there is also a major emphasis on value for money. The training and implementation of quality management process is a costly affair. 8. Problems in measuring quality : Lack of complete and accurate information makes it difficult to convince the employees of long term gains of implementing best practices. In service industry, it is always difficult to measure quality. If customer satisfaction is used as a yardstick to measure quality, what level of satisfaction can be attributed to high quality? Plans for overcoming these problems Kotter and Schlesinger(2008) have highlighted methods for dealing with change. These are can be applied to Hotel Tristar as follows: Training and Communication: One of the most effective ways of dealing with resistance to change is by educating and clearly communicating the goals and strategies of the organisation to all the members. This will help people understand the need for change. Tristar could conduct group presentations, individual discussions, pass on reports and statements to the concerned employees, to facilitate the same. Employee Empowerment and involvement: It is highly effective to actively involve the employees with the quality management process and decision making. This gives the participants a sense of responsibility and commitment to achieving excellence. The MD could ask the 2nd and 3rd level managers to recommend changes in the current event management and reservation system of the hotel. Facilitating and Supporting: The managers could also support those who are resisting change by listening to their concerns and taking actions to address those concerns through appropriate training and development. So, Tristar could talk to the members about their re-focus strategy towards customer service and identify beforehand who would have difficulty in adjusting to new roles. Measure quality efforts: By investing in reliable and accurate information to identify effective information gathering and analysis techniques. TQM is based majorly on rational thinking and problem solving (Oakland, 1999), thus the probable best solution is to provide a balanced mix of information and creative ideas. Emphasis on long-term goals: Tirstar can overcome the short-termist attitude of the stakeholders involved by communicating the budget, financials involved and the pace of change generated. Thus, by encouraging transparency, the stakeholder gain the broader picture and understand the long-term gains of quality programmes. Trial Runs: To identify teething problems before releasing the change systems across the departments and to rectify these, as very often, first impressions are considered last impressions.

Statistics with Aviation Application

Statistics with Aviation Application Christopher Wright   A. Type ofstatistical testyou planto conduct(check one, and giverelevantdetails) à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¨ 1-sample t-test a) Target population: b) Research variable: c) Research question: d) Expected result: à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¨ matched pairs t-test a) Target population(s): b) The research variable will be the difference between and c) Research question: d) Expected result: à ¢Ã…“â€Å" 2-sample t-test a) Target populations (2): Total travel time between Midway and Denver Houston and Denver b) Research variable: Average total travel time c) Research question: Is the average total travel time flying into Denver from Midway and Houston the same? d) Expected result: The average total travel time is not the same. B. Data collection plan(check one,and give relevant details) à ¢Ã…“â€Å" I will use data from a file. Give name of file and details below. I will be using the Southwest Airline Data found in StatCrunch to test my hypothesis. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¨Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  I will obtain data from a website(s). Give Name of website(s), full URLs and details below. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¨ Other data collection plan: Give specific details below. Project plan is: NOT Accepted x AcceptedDate 3/2/17 Instructor Initials SH Introduction The intent of this t-Test project is to study and determine the average total travel times between Midway International airport (MDW) and Denver International airport (DEN) William P. Hobby airport (HOU) and Denver International airport (DEN). Geographically speaking, both routes travel nearly the same distance with the final destination being DEN. This begs the question, is the average total travel time flying into DEN from MDW and HOU the same? To test this question, this paper will review a random sample of travel times between both routes of travel. Common sense tells us that even though the distance traveled to DEN for both routes is nearly the same, there are other variables (ex. ground delays, maintenance and weather) that can affect the total travel time of an aircraft. Therefore, the hypothesis will be that the average total travel time between the two routes will not be the same. This study will only be discussing all Southwest Airline flights departing from MDW and HOU traveling to DEN. A random sample of 50 routes will be collected and tested. The focus variable will be the average total travel time between the two respective locations and will be collected and calculated in minutes. It is important to note that the result of this test will only be valid within the test parameters. (Source: ForeFlight) Study Design The study will be conducted as a two-sample t-Test with a 95% confidence interval and a 0.05 level of significance. Hypotheses:H0: ÃŽÂ ¼1 = ÃŽÂ ¼2 (MDW-DEN and HOU-DEN routes have the same mean travel time) Ha: ÃŽÂ ¼1 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   ÃŽÂ ¼2 (MDW-DEN and HOU-DEN routes do not have the same mean travel time) To test whether the total travel for both routes is the same, we will state that the null hypothesis is that the total travel time for both routes is the same. The alternative hypothesis will propose that the total travel time for both routes is not the same. The formulation of the hypothesis for this study will produce a two-tailed (left and right) result. Data The data for this study was collected and is maintained by Embry-Riddle. It is located on the StatCrunch website under the MATH 211/222 data set group. The data that was collected was a sample of overall operations with Southwest Airlines at the Midway (MDW), Houston (HOU), and Dallas Love (DAL) airports. Southwest airlines operates from these airports almost every day and at multiple times during the day. For the sample to be representative of the overall population, it would have to mimic these population parameters. The sample that was collected does just that. It is representative of the overall population of all Southwest Airline operations at MDW, HOU, and DAL because the data includes information from different days and times. This fact also lends itself to the avoidance of bias. The other key with avoiding bias is to be as random as possible while still representing the parameters of the overall population. Furthermore, for the purposes of this assignment we will assume that the appropriate steps were taken by Embry-Riddle to provide its students that avoided bias to the best extent possible. From the large compilation of data, we will now shift the focus to the specific data to be tested. The data from Figure 1, located in the appendix, is the 50 specific data points that will be tested and includes the total travel times of both routes. To continue with preparation for the t-Test, we will ensure that the samples are independent and that the size is normal. The samples are independent because you can only be on one route of flight at a time, either traveling from MDW or HOU to DEN. Finally, for the purposes of this study will say that 50 data points (meeting the assignment requirement) is large enough, and therefore normal. Figure 2 Figure 3Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6Figure 7 Descriptive Statistics After ensuring that the data meets all conditions required for our particular confidence level of 95%, it is important to describe the data through statistical analysis and graphs (Figures 2 through 8). Figures 4 and 7 show that both sets of data have symmetrical distribution with little skew in either direction. Note thought that figure 4 displays Figure 8 a greater standard deviation. The boxplots (figures 3 and 6) help better describe figures 2 and 5, but are more effectively displayed with a side by side plotting as shown in figure 8. There we see that the medians are within 5 minutes of each other and that the data is not vastly separated. We can see that most of the data points from the HOU-DEN route would fit within the MDW-DEN IQR; and that all of the HOU-DEN sample data would fit within the bounds of the min and max data points for MDW-DEN. This side by side comparison makes a strong argument that even through there are differences between the data of both routes, those diff erences may not be statically large enough to reject the null hypotheses. Findings Original Question: Is the average total travel time flying into DEN from MDW and HOU the same? Hypotheses:H0: ÃŽÂ ¼1 = ÃŽÂ ¼2 (MDW-DEN and HOU-DEN routes have the same mean travel time) Ha: ÃŽÂ ¼1 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚   ÃŽÂ ¼2 (MDW-DEN and HOU-DEN routes do not have the same mean travel time) As we previously discussed, the initial look and plotting of the data showed that even though the routes were different, the data was close enough that it may not be statistically different enough to reject the null hypotheses. When looking at figure 10 and 11 to comparing the p-value (0.1627) to the significance level (0.05), we find that the p-value is larger and therefore we do not reject the null hypothesis. This supports the expected findings and shows that even though the data between the two routes was slightly different, it was still not statistically different enough to reject the null hypothesis. In figure 9, the 95% confidence interval is 4.885  ± 3.445, or about (-1.44, 8.33). This confidence interval includes 0 and therefore both the null and alternate hypothesis are plausible. Only after conducting the hypothesis test were we able to conclude not to reject the null hypothesis. Confidence Interval and Hypothesis Test Results Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Final Discussion In conclusion, we see that the average travel times between MDW and DEN HOU and DEN are very similar. So similar that we were unable to reject the alternative hypothesis that they were not the same. The results we obtained in the test were expected, especially considering that the distance traveled for each route is nearly the same. The biggest take away from this project is how close all of the data was for both routes. This shows just how accurate Southwest Airlines can be when it publishes the average times of travel for these routes, and also how effectively the can plan out their flying schedule. Specifically for the test conducted, we can see just how consistent their average flying time is between destinations separated by the same approximate distance. Appendix Total Travel Time Samples MDW-DEN Time HOU-DEN Time 151 154 157 149 144 140 146 141 163 136 146 135 148 143 133 134 131 135 136 132 135 135 128 142 127 141 139 146 138 138 131 148 144 153 145 144 163 146 131 165 150 151 147 143 144 166 149 149 148 151 Figure 1 Sources: ForeFlight. Vers. 8.2.3. N.p.: ForeFlight, 2007-2017. Computer software application StatCrunch. Computer software. www.statcrunch.com. Pearson Education, 2007-2017. Web. 6 Mar. 2017. Southwest Airline Data. StatCrunch Data analysis on the Web. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2017. .

Rorschach Essay -- essays research papers fc

many, the word Rorschach is quite unknown and to others it is simply known as the inkblot test and even then, the real meaning of the Rorschach test is never acknowledged. The Rorschach inkblot test is a psychological projective test of personality in which a subject’s interpretation of ten standard abstract designs are analyzed as measure of emotional and intellectual functioning and combination. Also, like other projective techniques, â€Å"it is based on the principle that subjects viewing neutral, ambiguous stimuli will project their own personalities onto them, thereby revealing a variety of unconscious conflicts and motivations.† (Aronow; p 25)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This test, which is administered to both adolescents and adults, can also be used with children as young as three years old. The test provides information about a person’s thought process, perceptions, motivations and attitude toward his or her environment. It can also detect internal and external pressures and conflicts as well as illogical or psychotic thought patterns. There is a lot of confusion on the actual first creator and/or founder of this famous test.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Rorschach was named after a Swiss psychiatrist named Hermann Rorschach. He was born in 1884 in Zurich and died in 1922 due to complications with appendicitis. He was the original developer of the inkblots, but he did not use them for personality analysis like they are used today. Throughout his lifetime, Hermann took a deep interest in psychoanalysis, and during the early 1900’s he published several psychoanalytic articles. It was just in 1911 that he had begun experimenting with the interpretation of ink blots as a mean of determining introversion and extroversion. Although some people would think he was the first to do so, Rorschach was not the first one to study ink blots; among his famous forerunners of the inkblots are Leonardo da Vinci and Jusinus Kerner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1921 the first edition was actually published by Ernest Bircher. The test appeared under the name of a book called Psychodiagnostik, which had actually been first written by Hermann Rorschach in 1919 but he had problems finding a publisher so it was not well received when it first came out. Since 1927 Hans Huber has been the publisher of the Rorschach test and the related book Psychodiagnostics (English ... ...ut turning the cards at odd angles or covering portions of the cards is considered as signs of brain damage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, even though the test was developed for purposes totally unrelated to accessing character structure and personality problems, psychologists today have found ways to use this test in order to help access personality and probe the unconscious mind. Also, despite all the controversy that is caused by this test regarding the results and if they are meaningless, there are still findings that even though throughout the decades it is used less, to this day it is still a number one choice to assess a personality. WORKS CITED Aronow, Edward. The Rorschach Perceptional Basis Content- Interpretation and Applications. Needham Heights, MA; Allyn and Bacon, p 24-40, 1994 James, W. Psychology; the briefer course. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1985 Piotrowski, Z. A. The movement responses of Rorschach Psychology. (2nd edition) Rickers-Ovsiankina,M.,(Ed) New York; Krieger Publishing, p 189-228 Sullivan, H. The Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry. Perry, H and Gawer, M (ed) New York: W.W. Norton and Co. p 79, 1953

Abraham Lincolns Assassination Essay -- slavery, abolition, confedera

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States was elected president on November 6, 1860. Not even on the South’s ballot, Lincoln received 40% of the popular vote. As a strong republican, Lincoln believed in the abolition of slavery. Lincoln became president in the highest conflict between North and South in history, and wanted to preserve the Union. He believed that the South should not be punished after the Civil War, because he thought that they had already been punished enough. Abraham Lincoln’s lenient policies along with the effects of the Civil War led to his assassination. In the 1860’s, disputes began to arise about the amount of power that should be given to the State and Federal governments. During this time, the South believed that slaves were private property, and were necessary to their economy; whereas the North wanted to preserve the Union. Just before Abraham Lincoln was about to become President, South Carolina seceded from the Union because they thought the nation was falling apart. Then just two months later, in February of 1861, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana seceded, creating the Confederate States of America. The Confederates, also known as the Southerners then established a capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, electing Jefferson Davis as their President (Miers, E. S. 1865). On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was re-inaugurated for his second term as the President of the United States. During the War, the Confederates’ general was Robert E. Lee; the best general in the United States, and the Union’s general was Ulysses S. Grant. After several Union victories, including those of Vicksburg and Gettysburg, Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy fell ... ...man, D. J. (2012). Lincoln's last days: the shocking assassination that changed America forever. New York: Henry Holt and Co.. Somerlott, R. (1998). The Lincoln assassination in American history. Springfield, NJ: Enslow Publishers. Swanson, J. L. (2006). Manhunt: the 12-day chase for Lincoln's killer. London: Portrait. The Death of President Lincoln, 1865. (n.d.). The Death of President Lincoln, 1865. Retrieved October 12, 2015, from http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/lincoln.htm The Effect of President Lincoln's Death on National Affairs. (1865, April 17). The New York Times. The Lincoln Assassination and its Aftermath. (n.d.). American Civil War. Retrieved October 14, 2015, from http://www.americancivilwar.asn.au/conf/2006/lincoln_assassination.pdf Redford, R. (Director). (2011). The conspirator [Motion picture]. United States of America: Lions Gate Films.

The American West

I believe this cartoon was published in the early 1840's to persuade people to not become Mormons. The Mormons were unpopular during the 1840's as they had different beliefs to the rest of the settlers. They believed they had found the second part to the bible in America, no one really considered the Mormons a serious religion until Joseph Smith set up a church. People were often jealous of the Mormons as the Mormons believed in working hard to obtain success and money. Mormons also followed polygamy like the Native Americans, people disrespected them because of this and as the picture shows the man hiding from his many wives, who are fighting and the children, which are crying on the floor. I believe this cartoon was published in the early 1840's to persuade people to not become Mormons. The cartoon shows an un-ideal life as everyone is making chaos, this would deter people from becoming Mormons as it shows people what is supposed to go on inside the Mormon life. Because people hated the Mormons for whatever reason, the man is put across as a coward as he is hiding away from what is happening. This cartoon was probably used to create a general impression of the Mormons. I think the Mormons were able to complete their journey across the Great Plains and into the Rockies from what I am shown in the source as the Mormon's seem to be well supplied and travelling in large groups. You can tell that the Mormon's were well supplied and organised because they built log houses to keep warm and safe during the winter, we can also assume that the journey was taking them a long time as the log houses are permanent building which would not have been easy to build or move. I don't think the Mormon population suffered that badly during the crossing despite losing 700 people to illness or starvation as due to polygamy there was a lot of children who would grow up to continue the Mormon faith. I think so many people died because of starvation because in the photo there is no evidence of food or any sources of food. The source shows us a scene in which the Mormons seem to be doing quite well as the have shelter, protection and transport as well as this because the Mormons were friendly with the Native Americans they didn't have the fear of raids. Source C tells us that some Mormons didn't find Salt Lake as impressive as they first assumed. They said that the land was beautiful, but there were no resources for building and they were relying on the land to be fertile, otherwise they would have no food. Some of the Mormons would think of ideas that could work, they would then work hard to achieve them as this is what they believed in. Some of the Mormons will have seen prospect in the land and others will have tried to make the most out of what they could see, ‘There is little prospect for log houses, but we can make Spanish bricks', from the journal of William Clayton from the Mormon Pioneer Band which reached Salt Lake first. I believe that the Mormons were disappointed in the appearance of Salt Lake. However they also believed that there was prospect in the land and surrounding area, so they made the most of what they had and since the rest of the settlers hated them they could start a purely Mormon society.

Al Capone and the Prohibition

In the United States, the Prohibition marked the time when the production and sake of alcohol was banned.   This ban was the result of the perception that alcohol was a moral and social threat.   The Prohibition sought to decrease crimes and other unlawful acts.Unfortunately, the end result was the opposite of the objective.   Crimes increased, as people clamored for illegal alcohol.   The situation also caused the domination of gangsters, which provided the banned commodity.   Among all gangsters who played a role in the Prohibition, Al Capone was the most influential.   This research paper aims to discuss Al Capone and his effect on the Prohibition.The Prohibition was also known as the Noble Experiment (Kerr 564; McWilliams).   The period spanned 13 years, from 1920 to 1933 (Kerr 564; McWilliams; Poholek).   During this time, the  Ã‚   â€Å"manufacture, transportation and sale† of alcoholic beverages were banned (Clark 1; â€Å"Prohibition†; Kerr 56 4; Poholek).   The term â€Å"prohibition† was used to identify the moments in history when the alcoholic ban was in effect (Clark 1).In 19th century America, especially 1820s, citizens of the United States were consuming an average of seven gallons of alcohol per person every year (Clark 1).   This statistic had begun to bother political and religious figures alike.   They believed that alcoholic beverages were threatening society's institutions, especially the family and the community (Clark 1; Kerr 564).   Alcohol was considered as the â€Å"devil's advocate,† the cause of poverty, crime and death (Poholek).As a result, the Anti-Saloon League of America (ASL) was formed; this group brought the alcohol question in the political arena (Clark 1).   By 1916, U.S. Congress was dominated by dry members who were backed by ASL.   Supporters of the Prohibition were called â€Å"dry,† while opponents were referred to as â€Å"wets† (Clark 1; Kerr 564 ).   In 1917, the 18th Amendment was proposed; the amendment was about the prohibition of alcohol (Clark 2; â€Å"Prohibition†).   Two years later, the Volstead Act was passed to enforce the amendment (Clark 2; Poholek).   The Prohibition officially began on January 16, 1920 (Clark 2; Poholek).On the contrary, the Prohibition was characterized by the very elements it sought to avoid.   In the words of Mark Thorton: â€Å"Prohibition did not achieve its goals.   Instead, it added to the problems it was intended to solve† (qtd. in Poholek).   The deprivation of alcohol in American society exacerbated the social problems.   Despite the ban, the consumption of alcohol was at an all time high (McWilliams).   The period was also characterized by utmost disregard for law and an increase in crime rates (Clark 2).   The Prohibition failed in its endeavor, and in the process, made matters worse.The Prohibition actually paved the way for gangsters to gain power and authority.   Since alcohol was made illegal, the gangs found the situation as an opportunity to conduct business and earn money by providing the contraband (â€Å"Prohibition†; Poholek).   Because of the banning of alcohol, the public had to get their supply from gangsters; this made gangsters very rich, as bootlegging liquor proved to be a lucrative endeavor (Poholek).   Among all the bootlegger gangsters, Al Capone was the most famous and influential (Poholek).Alphonsus Capone was born on January 17, 1899 (Chicago Historical Society [CHS] 1).   He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.   At a young age, he was already part of gangs.   He dropped out of school at an early age and worked several menial jobs.   Near Capone's home stood the headquarters of Johnny Torrio, a gangster and future mentor of Capone (Bardsley 4).   While working his multiple jobs, Capone also did favors for Torrio.   In the process, the young Capone earned not only money, but also Torrio's trust.   In 1909, Torrio left New York for Chicago (Bardsley 4).   For a while, Capone and Torrio's paths did not cross.Back in New York, Capone worked for another gangster, this time it was Frankie Yale (CHS 1).   However, in Chicago, Torrio had made himself an influential underground boss (Allen 5).   With the Prohibition in full effect, Torrio saw the potential of an illegal alcohol industry.   He recognized how profitable the venture would be with the Chicago market.   However, he had to consider the competition, such as the rival gangs.   He had to find the right man to deal with his competitors (Allen 5).

Employee Monitoring Essay

Employee Monitoring: Employer Safeguard or Invasion of Privacy? Employee privacy has been a controversial topic especially with the rise in internet usage, the popularity of social media increasing, and the addition of GPS to mobile devices. With these advances in technology there are numerous ways for employers to monitor their employees’ time at work. According to Evans (2007) as many as eighty percent of the employers, who employ twenty percent of the American population, monitor employees’ telephone conversations, e-mails, and voicemails. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technology has made tracking the whereabouts of employees easier rather than tracking only information passed between employees and other individuals. The United States does offer privacy laws to help safeguard employees’ expectations of privacy; however, the laws are formatted around the physical realm such as desk drawers or an employee’s home, not an employee’s computer files or even social networking site (Riego, Abril, & Levin, 2012). It has become apparent that social media is here to stay. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have changed how people communicate in their daily lives and even how organizations do business. Employers have begun using social networking sites not only to market themselves but also as a human resource tool, making themselves accessible to potential customers and employees alike. Some of the ways employers have begun utilizing social networking include orientation, training, faster innovation of products and services, and improved efficiencies of operations through employee collaboration (Mello, 2012). Although there are clear advantages for employers using social networking sites, there are some murky areas that are becoming increasingly common when using these sites as an instrument to monitor and screen employees as well as applicants. The Social Norm of Employee Monitoring In the digital era of today’s working environment, almost all employees are aware their employer is performing some form of monitoring with email monitoring being the most expected. However, the degree of monitoring employers partake in varies. With the lines between personal lives and the  work environment blurring, employers are taking advantage of the array of technology they have at their disposal. A heightened awareness of this blurring requires employers to become more probing towards their employees. This becomes apparent with the discovery of 85% of employers recognizing their employees’ use of social networking and personal internet usage during work hours (Mello, 2012). There are many ways that employers utilize applicable technologies, including GPS and social networking sites. GPS: Advantages and Disadvantages Employers have a legitimate reason to need and want to monitor their employees. GPS systems can be useful for organizations that have a mobile workforce. Installing GPS systems can be used to help cut cost as well as unauthorized usage of company vehicles (Towns & Cobb, 2012). Most GPS systems not only have the ability of pinpointing locations within 100 feet but also track speed and inform the drivers of the current speed limit. Major cost savings can be seen due to increased productivity of employees due to more effective usage of their time when employees are aware of employers tracking their movements. Likewise, when employees follow the speed limit it can be translated in savings in fuel costs and decreased number of accidents (Towns & Cobb, 2012). Like most advancements in technology, when there is a positive use there is also a negative misuse. While there is a potential for efficiency to increase with GPS usage, there is also the potential for employers to set irrational time frames and quotas to try to increase efficiency (Towns & Cobb, 2012). This can place unwarranted pressure on employees. Some employees start to be concerned about the lack of privacy with the use of GPS tracking. It is often a necessity for mobile workforces to use their company vehicle to facilitate breaks such as lunch. GPS systems have the potential to disclose personal information about employees when used during such nonworking hours. All travels tend to be recorded with the use of GPS tracking which can lead to an employer knowing detailed information about an employee’s personal life such as preferences or appointments. To avoid conflict with the use of GPS systems, Towns and Cobbs (2012)  suggests taking the following steps. Incorporate GPS usage with other policies by publicizing a policy limiting the use of company property, including electronic devices such as phones and computers as well as vehicles, to work related purposes. Combined with policies, employers should inform their employees of their right to monitor their usage of such property. However, employers should proceed with caution when monitoring with GPS technology by informing employees that GPS systems and tracking are specifically being used. Obtaining employees’ consent to use tracking systems can assist in preventing employees from feeling scrutinized. Limiting the use of GPS to working hours only will also help employers and employees alike. This can be done by placing a timer or an on/off switch on the device to prevent tracking when an employee is on personal time. Finally, maintain both equipment and records that pertain to GPS systems. Restricting access to these items will ensure privacy for the employee and continue a positive working relationship between employee and employer. The Use and Abuse of Social Networking Sites Most monitoring of employees is done electronically. Software programs are available to track time, content, and size of data being shared through e-mail or viewed on the internet alleviating the need for manual monitoring. The electronic monitoring that is being conducted manually is primarily done through search engines or social networking sites. According to Mello (2012), an average of 26% of human resource departments admit to using search engines while 18% use social networking sites to screen and disqualify applicants rather than recruit them. Riego, et al. (2012) discovered reports that many employers were requesting job applicants to make login and password information to their social networking sites available during the interview process. This kind of monitoring of employees and applicants is not only detrimental to morale and trust by making individuals feel violated due to lack of privacy but also can leave open a wide range of legal issues. The American legal system currently does not adequately regulate privacy issues as related to modern technology (Evans, 2007). US law and courts struggle with current privacy laws to incorporate employees’ rights to a  degree of privacy within such technologies and employer’s â€Å"legitimate interest, rights, and concerns† in obtaining relevant information (Riego, et al., 2012). However, questions as to the motivation of an employer’s searches into private lives of current and potential employees could come into play. When the information obtained from such monitoring is not job performance related, speculation starts to rise on how the information gathered is going to be used. Despite the cost effectiveness and ease of this type of monitoring, ethical issues also arise. Employers defending the appropriateness of these searches argue on behalf of due diligence and the desire to provide the fit for both applicant and the company (Mello, 2012). They use their right of having a legitimate business interest as grounds for justification due to the cost of recruiting, hiring, and training employees being too high if the working relationship is terminated by either party due to an improper fit. Organizations also claim this use of monitoring on current employees helps expose misconduct in the workplace during work hours. Global Stance The US is not the only country to face dilemmas posed by breaches of privacy by employers due to modern technology. However, most countries focus on the dignity of privacy rather than the physical aspect (Reigo, et al., 2012). The dignitarian approach emphasizes the fundamental human right to privacy with respect to their personal life (Evans, 2007). Due to this approach, most employers in other regions of the world have allowed for a certain amount of digital private space in the work environment if properly labeled as such. Some countries have gone so far as to issuing guidelines for social networking background checks, recognizing that the employees and employer are not equally leveraged once information from such searches has been ascertained. The ability of the US to use foreign regulation on privacy issues as related to technology in order to draft one of its own is feasible. Disclosure to applicants and current employees of social networking monitoring, both before and after the search, should be required just as it is for a criminal and credit background check. Provisions for â€Å"clear remedies and preventative  measures against such intrusions† (Reigo, et al., 2012) are an immediate necessity as more aspects of employees lives become digital. Conclusion Until there are clear rules and regulations put into place concerning privacy issues in the digital age of the work environment, employees and applicants alike should be aware of the potential use of their electronic data. If employees and employers are both willing to respect one another’s needs a mutual understanding can be easily reached. Employers have the right to know how their property is being used and where with the assistance of GPS tracking and software monitoring. Nevertheless, employers also need to recognize employees’ rights to maintain some autonomy in their personal life with concerns to their social media outlets. References Evans, L. (2007). Monitoring technology in the American workplace: would adopting English privacy standards better balance employee privacy and productivity?. California Law Revie, 95(4), 1115-1149. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Mello, J.A. (2012). Social media, employee privacy and concerted activity: brave new world or big brother?. Labor Law Journal, 63(3), 203-208. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Riego, A.D., Abril, P.S., & Levin, A. (2012).Your Password or Your Paycheck?: A job applicant’s murky right to social media privacy. Journal of Internet Law, 16(3), 2-3. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database. Towns, D.M. & Cobb, L.M. (2012). Notes on: GPS technology; employee monitoring enters a new era. Labor Law Journal, 63(3), 165-173. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.