Contribution toward ENG 105 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contribution toward ENG 105 - Essay Example Like for many students, expressing ideas through writing seems enjoyable to me and it is therefore important to establish the different writing accomplishments throughout the semester. Beginning my college experience this semester, I felt that I had performed at a slightly lower level pertaining the reading and writing proficiency. The justification for this rating can be based upon my first assignment on the response to the â€Å"front and back matter† of RGRW and Real Boys which required students to have a definite introduction, conclusion, thesis, and of course, transitions, quotations and organization. My references were incomplete, they did not follow an alphabetical order and the paper did not only lack in text citations, but also the works cited page in the reference section. I used a rather simple business writing style in writing up the assignment, a style that I had been using to write for the past couple of years. In addition, the paragraph transitions were to a large extent non-existent and prolixity was such a big problem. All through the college experience, taking the Basic English and literature classes have enabled me to address the issue of competency. For instance, the English 105 class has enabled me to learn on the various essentialities of both the spoken and written language. From the class, I have been able to gain knowledge on how to cite references and use proper works cited pages. Besides, I have also learnt the different writing formats such as the MLA, Harvard and APA for typing papers. The argument-based English class that I took equally enabled me to realize that every paper needs to have a flow and transition with specific points to highlight and echo on. In my second assignment, the instructor gave us a paper that was based on the observations made on the different aspects in the campus. This assignment enabled me to gain the ability to make a

Return on Investment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Return on Investment - Assignment Example It is highly essential that trainers are able to estimate the ROI, cost benefit analysis and break even analysis as they need all these to assess the financial viability of training projects. A high ROI project may definitely be worth it but computing the cost benefit analysis side by side would also enable a trainer to estimate how much benefit can be obtained per unit of cost and decide if the project is even worth entering into (Powell, 2008). As for breakeven analysis, trainers need to use this measure to figure out when exactly will they be able to cover the costs they have spent in training and then start making profits as they might need this information for project budgeting and planning needs. Further on if a choice is to be made between mutually exclusive projects, than these measures would aid trainers in deciding what’s the best project to go ahead with. Thirdly and finally, the computation of these measures will aid training endeavors when they alter/re-plan their training projects to achieve the maximum benefit out of it or to cut down on their costs (Young and Aitken,

Effectiveness Of Customer Care Policies For Hospitality Industry Marketing Essay

Effectiveness Of Customer Care Policies For Hospitality Industry Marketing Essay Customers service we have to provide our customers there necessary requirements. Needs to address the business requirement. We have offered them the service on which they can keep their trust. We have to full fill their demands. Customer care- serve them beyond their expectation create the trust in them that we can serve them better. Make them comfortable so that they can always come back. Adapt the policy according to the guest demands. Importances the customers care policy in hospitality industry hospitality business is the word personalizes service to their precious customers .and them that customers are always right. Customers are like god. To make the customers happy the planes can be for internal and external customers if you want to expand your business then your internal and external customers also has to be very satisfied coz then only you can become a successful organisation. And your organisation can stay at the top for longer time of period. The reason of every big successful company is the ways they make their customers policies the policies which they make in their organisation those are favourable to the customers. These policies are helping the customers to archive their own goal or their targets .they analysed their weakness and strengths which are external problems. Need of customer care policies plans- Uninformed customer prospect incorrect or lacking market studies could guide the miss present the customers expectation causes frustration. To keep the customers happy or to complete their demands and wish some essential factors need to be handle carefully Trust promise -customers trust is very important it is everyone responsibility to deliver what they have promise to the customers errors can happens while doing the work. There are different pollicises for every department Service routine -service show could be dissatisfying because of staff not open-handed reason for this is they dont know their job well so they cant perform well. Poor knowledge and lack of coordination between employees. Low excellence principles -If the organization has set some principles then those could be unlike shapes the customers prospect and management. It may have the wrong self awareness about their customers needs. The effectiveness of customer care policies for hospitality industry It can help to know about the customers desire and their needs To know our competitors exact position in the market. We can identify the latest trends in the market. By this we can progress the examiners standards The effective customer care can improve the business. Hotel industry customers every hotel has the different customers their need also different they visit the hotel according to their needs and how much they can effort its all depend on customers. Customers have the different types they can be business customers tourist, leisure, student, disable, local etc. Business customers they dont select the same hotel often they select the according to their needs depends on what kind of business they are going to do it what facilities are they expecting from the hotel. Also business people travel all around the world they dont stay for long time in one hotel. They have to move according to their client their meetings. so their needs are different from other customers. Leisure client- leisure customers have more time to spend then business people. Their stay normally is long stay because they come to see the places they have enough time to spend the money and use the luxury facilities of the hotels. Leisure customers normally are couples, newly married, or rich people. Tourist client the name itself defines their identity tourist customers come to see the places their stay can be long or can be short depends what plane they have in their mind. Tourist people can be friends families. Etc mostly they choose the normal hotel or we can call it as budge hotels. Only the tourist who have more money to spend they prefer the luxury hotels. Citizen the local people also visit their historical places or for change they visit the places in their states only this people most of the time their stay is short they also prefer the budget hotels. Royalty card holder the name says itself royal means these customers are very important customers they need to treat differently than other customers. we have to give them special attendance they always stay in a luxury hotels their visit to the hotel can be frequent .they are the card holder of the big hotels also they provide the business to the hotels . How dose these points can be applied to the McDonalds case study ? As they serve the different types of customers in one organisation Kids and young generation- the main customers of the McDonalds are the young people and the kids their main motto is to serve them better way so they can come back again and again. They have really effort able prizes because the young people and kids they dont have lots of money to spend on their food. So MC Donalds suits their budget. Mc Donalds is the place where people can come and have a causal meeting or just for relax also they got different Varity in fast food. Families -as compare with the other fast food chain competitors they have Varity and a very effort able prize food every single kid want to go to the MC Donald and have some food. Business people-business people are very busy especially in the morning so they dont have time cook at home or spend some time is restaurants so they also prefers the fast food like MC Donald provides . Traveller -for travellers MC Donalds they provides the maps and happy meal in very low prize. So travellers can come and have the happy meal in quick time and thats how they can save their time. Disable people-for the disable people mc Donald have special facilities like they have special setting arrangement also discount in prizes. Health conscious people-people are very health conscious now they want to have salads, and less oil, no junk food in their daily meals so for them mc Donalds have different salads and other Varity food menu. Importance of customer care culture-the recent survey shows that they have done some evaluation of customer care program. 90% staff found that program is helpful. 92 % are saying that they learn out of it and now they have some knowledge about the hospitality industry. 80% have found the hand book was very important to them By getting some knowledge the customer care has been improved Evaluation of customer care program- Analyse recent customers needs of the market. Mc Donalds has to know what current position in the market is there. Where they are standing in the market. Identify their resources and they have to know their recourses from where they can get the business. Mc Donalds can be use as a customer care finest perform. For example bench marking. Mc Donalds have their own goals. they want to expand their business They need to examine the result and if there any problem then they needs to find out alternative solution for it. Analyse the feedback in regular intervals. KPI-key performance indicator Customer feedback is very important every organisation has to encourage their customers to give there feedback so that the organisation will come to know in which area they are lacking. The customers feedback can be verbal or non verbal. Verbal feedback- it can be face to face , telephonic Non verbal feedback-questioners, comment card, E mail feedback, feedback from staff Face to face-this can be direct interact with the guest this can be very quick way to get the feedback you can get the exact feedback from the guest. Telephone feedback-as we can use the latest technology so we can use it to give the feedback telephone feedback is one of them in this the customers can call the organisation and give their feedback. Questioner method -this is the principle which is given to the customers what they think about the company what are their expectations from the company every one cant express their feelings because of the language problem but questioner method help them to express their views and they can share their knowledge with everyone. Email feedback-today every hotel has their own website we can go to that website and can have a look of that hotel or organisation thats why Email feedback is very important you can give your feedback after visiting that hotel or that particular organisation. Comment card -this is an easy way to find out the customers feedback after every service or every visit you can give the customer ,feedback card and can request them to fill the feedback card . Guest history record -the guest history record helps to keep the estimate the helpfulness of the customer care policies this deals with the keeping the customers personal records, so that if they come next time then you already have their records. By keeping guest records can be very useful because if the customer knows that you really take care of them you already knows what they like and what they dont like then they will always come back to your organisation may be they will recommend Advantages of direct dialogue- This method helps to get the personal view and personal thoughts about the organisation. Or service Straight talk with the guest can help you to better understand the guest needs. Full keep count information is composed from the customers by using this method. Disadvantages of direct dialogue This process is very lengthy as customer point of view because business class people dont have that much time. Communication gap can occurs in this Advantages of telephone feedback- This is very quickest way and this can save the time also Customers can give there feedback direct on the phone after finish the stay in hotel. Disadvantage of telephone feedback- While talking on the phone with the customers if we cant understand what is the other person is saying then it can create the problem because you dont know what feedback customers is giving .so this can be disadvantages of the telephone feedback. This can be incomplete feedback You cant get the detail information on the phone. Advantages of questioner methods This is easy way to get the feedback from the customers This is also quick way to get the feedback from the customers you can get the data or some notes from the customers. This is low cost method compare to the other methods. Disadvantages of questioner method Sometimes customers dont feel comfortable to fill up the form This method can bring the verbal communication barriers Some time if the customers dont understand the question properly then he cant give you the perfect feedback. Advantages of Email feedback This can be easy way to give the feedback also this is more rapidly and cheaper way. Also we can easily communicate with the business client The words which we use in the e mails it can be easily read and easy to understand. Also we can give the detail information in the e mail. Email reply can be very fast and convenient Disadvantages of email feedback The main threats of the email feedback are the virus if the emails contain virus then you cant open that email so you cant have the feedback or you can lose the important data. Sometimes Emails can be very big, for the business client big emails are not good, because they dont have time to go through that email. Email sending is not useful to the tourist people simply because they dont have an access to the internet while travelling. Advantages of comment card This procedure gives the immediate feed back This card you can give the guest when they check out because that time they can give the feedback the reason for this is they already use the facilities what we have offered so they can give the feedback. Disadvantage of comment card Sometime the comment card information can be lost because you have to keep all the records all the documentation work, and if we lost that work then we cant get back to the customers. Sometimes if one particular person has got the bad guest feedback then that feedback form may be he will not give to his superiors if that happens then this can be loss for the company. Comment card feedback is not useful to the business people because they comes for short meeting or quick lunch or dinner that moment they dont have the time to fill the comment card. Advantages of guest history records This method is useful to the company to know their guest needs very well Also the guest will also feel very good that the company giving so much of respect so they will always want to go to that same company May be they can suggest the other people to go that particular organisation. This is how they can expand their business. Disadvantage of guest history records You have to keep so much of records for example you have to keep their birthday date, anniversary date etc. To keep that record up to date may be you need to appoint one extra person to do that job. Effectiveness of feedback method It can give the customers full detail information You can know what your customers expecting from you what their expectations. Customers likes and dislikes It apprises the service excellence It helps to know the current trends which are going in the market. Also help to improve the customer care policies Guest can give their feed back as much time or whenever they want at any time. Self empowerment Self empowerment means it allows all the staff of the organisation a

The Apology Essay -- Greek, Socrates, Plato

In this paper I will be discussing the four charges brought against Socrates in Plato’s essay The Apology# and why exactly each of these charges is completely fictitious. The four charges brought against Socrates were that he argued the physical over the metaphysical, he argued the weaker claim over the stronger claim, he went against the gods, and he was corrupting the youth (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). Each of these four charges is false for varying reasons and I will be addressing each explanation on why each charge is a complete sham, after discussing each charge. The first charge made against Socrates was that he argued the physical over the metaphysical (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). This charge says that he believed in reason and science over the teachings of the gods. This alleged crime helped form the basis for the hatred and distrust the Athenians felt toward Socrates (Plato, p. 51). Socrates’ accusers claimed, â€Å"Socrates is an evil-doer and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in the heavens† (Plato, p. 51). This claim is completely false for multiple reasons. Primarily, Socrates simply did not argue the physical over the metaphysical; he just wanted to find true knowledge. He did not have any interest in this argument at all (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). In Socrates opening statement to the court, Socrates identified the first charge to be false by directly confronting the philosophers who actually did this style of teaching. He stated,† I will ask you then to assume with me that my opponents are of two kinds: one more recent, the other from the past. I will answer the latter first, for these accusations you heard long before the others† (Plato, p. 51). In this statement Socrates was referr... ...s statement by Melatus illustrates that Melatus doesn’t have any knowledge on how to help the youth and that his main intention is to get Socrates sentenced to death (Plato, p. 54). In this paper I talked about Plato’s essay The Apology, in which Socrates was accused of committing four crimes against the people of Athens. These four charges were that he argued the physical over the metaphysical, he argued the weaker claim over the stronger claim, he went against the gods, and he corrupted the youth (Singer, lecture, 9-15-11). Each of these claims was completely erroneous for their own reasons, however the court sentenced him to death anyways (Plato, p. 61). The fact that he was executed despite being falsely accused and the fact that he accepted death instead of abandoning his beliefs helped make him the philosopher that is loved and revered still to this day.

System Thinking and Action Research

System Theory and Action Research Susan M Ross Dr. Tyler Zerwekh September 15, 2012 Abstract Public health practices and policies are largely influenced by the population involved and seek to improve the overall health of the public. Achieving success in systems thinking requires making strategic decisions about what processes will best achieve the public health goals. Systems Theory Information Technology Systems Theory evaluates the relationship between information systems, and information technology, and people.Action Research is used in the field of public health to alleviate adverse conditions in communities by addressing the determinants of health, community-wide interventions, and health promotion. Examples of Action Research evaluate the computer usage and health information technology and health collaboration groups as well as promotion of information health management techniques. An emphasis on relationship is the heart of systems orientation.Systems thinking involving huma ns require an understanding of the nature of the system and its dynamics requires and an understanding of the people involved and the interaction with each other in the applicable network of the system. Action Research is a participatory, democratic process concerned with developing practical knowledge in the pursuit of worthwhile human purposes, theory and practice, in participation with others in the pursuit of practical solutions to issues of pressing concern to people, and more generally the flourishing of individual persons and communities. Reason & Bradbury, 2001). This paper will present a demonstration of a thorough analysis of a systems theory, action research, and an action research proposal to analyze the theory in relation to Caucasian socio-economic group. Systems Theory Fundamental systems-thinking perspectives and approaches that are shared across different fields are: (1) increased attention to how new knowledge is ained, managed, exchanged, interpreted, integrated, and disseminated; (2) emphasis on a network-centric approach that encourages relationship-building among and between individuals and organizations across traditional disciplines and fields in order to achieve relevant goals and objectives; (3) the development of models and projections, using a variety of analytic approaches in order to improve strategic decision making; and (4) systems organizing in order to foster improvements in organizational structures and functions (Leischow, et. al, 2008).Achieving success in systems thinking requires making strategic decisions about what processes will best achieve the public health goals for the designated population and how new discoveries can be disseminated effectively, and what structures and functions are needed to deliver the new knowledge. Effective knowledge flow results in better network performance, which allow for the achievement of systems-level change. Systems organizing have evolved from traditional management theory to a learn ing organizational theory, or an adaptive-systems perspective within other systems environments.Information Technology Systems Theory Information Systems (IS) theory is de? ned as concepts that speculate on social and technical relationships between Information Technology, Information Systems and social outcomes. Much IS theory originated in other disciplines and has been re? ned or applied to examine IT/IS issues. IS theory would also be classified as to include the technology acceptance model (TAM) and structuration theory and IT productivity models as applied to IS/IT phenomena (Chiasson, Davidson,2004) . Over the past years public health systems have evolved significantly.As personal computers became more powerful and operating systems became more usable with the advent of Microsoft Windows, Computer information systems were updated to make use of more modern features, capabilities and software. Public health agencies began to recognize that information technology was a legitima te target for investment to improve their ability to perform core public health functions. As agencies began to upgrade replace or create new systems that were more robust and specialized using modern database management systems and tools on more reliable platforms, and the Internet began to come into its own.The Center for Disease Control promoted its first System wide area communication and system integration projects through its Information Network for Public Health Officials (INPHO) initiative in 1993. (Artz, Salkowitz, 2007). Computer technology moved fairly quickly from the glass confines of the dedicated computer room to the general-purpose office. Over the past thirty years standards for technology have become an important fixture of organizational computing life.Enforcement of standards also varies greatly depending on the political support for Information Technology (IT). As applications became more network-aware and network dependent, the need to leverage network investme nts became critical. Public health agencies became more ambitions as technology became more enabling. Computer Information Technology has a lot to offer Public Health agencies: existing data sets may be consolidated and population-based, including experiences negotiating data sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding.With advancing technology national and international standards are being quickly developed to guide this functionality. (Artz, Salkowitz, 2007). Standards with compliance for patient information data sharing among different agencies, and back-up systems in the event of system failure and crisis are also among the concerns for globalizing Information Systems. Action Research Action research is a collaborative approach to research that provides people with the means to take systematic action in an effort to resolve specific problems.Action research focuses on methods and techniques of investigation that take into account the study population’s history, cult ure, interactive activities and emotional lives. Although action research makes use of many traditional data-gathering strategies, its orientation and purpose are slightly different. The basic action research procedural routine involves four stages; (1) identifying the research question (s), (2) gathering the information to answer the questions (s), (3) analyzing and interpreting the information and (4) sharing the results with the participants (Berg, 2004).Action Research is used in the field of public health to alleviate adverse conditions in communities by addressing the determinants of health, community-wide interventions, and health promotion. Indeed, action research is less a methodology and more a set of guidelines for the roles of the researcher and collaborators, interweaving theory and action and the function of the research knowledge.There are many subtle variations and iterations of action research, but a gross distinction could be made between action research that is co nducted by a researcher implementing an intervention at a community level for the dual purposes of change and knowledge outcomes versus community based participatory action research where those affected by the change and other important stakeholders participate in all stages of the research from design, implementation, and data gathering to analysis.Participatory action research approaches often have the additional goal of promoting critical consciousness where through cyclical stages of dialogue participants attain a greater understanding of their situation, which in turn may result in political or major social change (Mullett, Fletcher, 20). Critics of Participatory Action Research (PAR) have questioned whether the reality of participatory research is ideal for promoting a healthy community.The language of participation in health promotion research, and the inattention to gender, social and cultural (as in the use of universal terms like â€Å"the oppressed†) differences in participation in research processes do not always comport with the outcome values of PAR. Further, while participatory approaches can stimulate capacity building and community development, they can also bring unequal players to an uneven table to participate in difficult predetermined decision making (Minkler, 2000).Action research also called participatory research is an alternative philosophy of social research. Three particular attributes are often used to distinguish participatory research from conventional research: shared ownership of research projects, community-based analysis of social problems, and an orientation toward community action. Critical action research expresses a commitment to bring together broad social analysis—the self-reflective collective self-study of practice, the way in which language is used, organization and power in a local situation, and action to improve things.Critical action research is strongly represented in the literatures of educational action research, and there it emerges from dissatisfactions with classroom action research that typically does not take a broad view of the role of the relationship between education and social change. Critical action research has attempted to take account of disadvantage attributable to gender and ethnicity as well as to social class in its initial point of reference (Kimmis, McTaggart, 2007). Examples of Action Research Lau and Hayward (1997) used an action research approach in a study to explore the structure of Internet-based collaborative work groups.Over a two-year period, the researchers participated as facilitators in three action research cycles of problem-solving among approximately 15 instructors and project staff, and 25 health professionals from various regions striving to make a transition to a more community-based health program. The aim was to explore how Internet-based communications would influence their evolution into a virtual collaborative workgroup. The first phase was taken up with defining expectations, providing the technology and developing the customized workgroup system.The next phase saw the full deployment of the system, and the main lesson learned was that the steepness of the learning curve was severely underestimated, with frustrations only minimally satisfied by a great deal of technical support provided by telephone. The final cycle saw the stabilization of the system and the emergence of the virtual groups. The interpretations of the study suggest that role clarity, relationship building, information sharing, resource support, and experiential learning are important aspects in virtual group development.There was also a sense that more research was needed on how group support systems can help groups interact with their external environment, as well as on how to enhance the process of learning by group members. Comstock and Fox (1995) have written about their experiences in integrating computer conferencing into a learning co mmunity for mid-career working adults attending a Graduate Management Program at Antioch University in Seattle. Their findings relate to establishing boundaries to interaction, creating a caring community, and building collaborative learning.Students were expected to use the system for collaborative learning using three forms of conversation – dialogue, discussion and critical reflection. Dialogues were enjoined as a result of attempts to relate classroom lessons to personal situations at work, with a better understanding provided by multiple opinions. Discussions, distinguished by the goal of making a group decision or taking an action, required a fair degree of moderation, insofar as participants found it difficult to reach closure.The process of reflecting critically on ideas was also difficult – participants rarely took the time to analyze postings, preferring a more immediate, and more superficial, conversational style. The authors conclude with four recommendatio ns: 1) be clear about the purpose of the computer conference and expectations for use; 2) develop incentives for widespread and continuous participation; 3) pay attention to affects of the software on the way the system is used for learning; and 4) teach members of the community how to translate face-to-face collaborative processes to the on-line environment (Reason, & Bradbury, 2001).Action Research Proposal The Affordable Care Act calls for a greater reliance on the internet as a means of communicating health and coverage information, yet variations in the current usage of the internet by some populations have important implications for implementation. Based on the results of The Washington Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard University Race and Recession  Survey(2011),  six in 10 adults overall say they have ever used the Internet to access health information, and access differs by race and  income.Forty-three percent of Hispanics report having ever used the Int ernet to access health information, while 56 percent of blacks and 65 percent of whites report doing so. The differences are even more striking among those with lower incomes. Just three in ten Hispanics with incomes under $40,000 say they have ever used the Internet to access health information, compared with 44 percent of blacks and half of whites with similar incomes. More than 70 000 websites disseminate health information; in excess of 50 million people seek health information online, with likely consequences for the health care system.The Internet offers widespread access to health information, and the advantages of interactivity, information tailoring and anonymity. However, access is inequitable and use is hindered further by navigational challenges due to numerous design features (e. g. disorganization, technical language and lack of permanence). Increasingly, critics question the quality of online health information; limited research indicates that much is inaccurate. Meag er information-evaluation skills add to consumers' vulnerability, and reinforce the need for quality standards and widespread criteria for evaluating health information (Kline, Haynes, 2001).An action research project evaluating the effects of the information technology theory on Caucasians over a period of time would be helpful in providing evidence based research for the Information Technology Systems Theory. The research project would review a group of Caucasian males and females in the same age range, the same level of computer skills and education. The focus of the research is to determine if the majority of access to healthcare was through the use of Information Technology would it create a healthier group then a group with minimal access to healthcare period.The group would be evaluated for a year. During the time frame the group would have an in-person visit with a doctor once every six months except for an emergency. The visit would include a complete physical and required wellness checks. Follow-up visits would be via Skye or video-conferencing. The group would be deemed physically and mentally fit excluding family history of health issues. The group would be given a pass to a fitness center for a year to maintain their health, and would have to maintain contact with a nutritionist and their physician via the computer e-mail o a regular basis.The group would also have access to the Internet anytime they want for the evaluation time. The rest of the environmental and social aspects would be determined by each participate of the research project, meaning that each participates could be local or global as long as there is consistent monitoring of the all of the participates. The evaluation would incorporate Action Research and Critical Action research as some instances would take into account the social economic status of the participants. Given that the largest percentage of whites used the computer and there is a large portion of people that lack acce ss to healthcare in all races.Minimizing variables, such as computer knowledge and education levels and providing all necessary tools to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Researchers would have options to focus the variable changes if there are any on the social economic condition of the individual participants. In conclusion Systems thinking involving humans require an understanding of the nature of the system and its dynamics requires and an understanding of the people involved and the interaction with each other in the applicable network of the system.Public health agencies began to recognize that information technology was a legitimate target for investment to improve their ability to perform core public health functions. Computer Information Technology has a lot to offer Public Health agencies: existing data sets may be consolidated and population-based, including experiences negotiating data sharing agreements and memoranda of understanding. Action research approaches can stimulat e capacity building and community development in designated social status groups if the focus is correctly designated. References Arzt, N. H. Salkowitz, S. M (2007), Evolution of public health information systems: Enterprise-wide approaches, p4-6, 11-13, 18-22. Berg, B. L. , (2004), Qualitative research methods for the social sciences, retrieved on August 23, 2012, from http://digilib. bc. edu/reserves/sc210/piat/sc21007. pdf Chaisson, M. W. , Davidson, E. , (2004), Pushing the contextual envelope: developing and diffusing IS theory for health information systems research, Elsevier Ltd. pg 157, retrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://www. butlercommonplace. org/thoughts/images/d/d0/Chiasson_et_al_2004__Info_and_Org. df Comstock, D. , ; Fox, S. , (1995),  Ã‚   Computer conferencing in a learning community: opportunities obstacles. †Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www. seattleantioch. edu/VirtualAntioch/DRAFT7HT. HTM (14/04/1998). Kemmis, S. , McTaggart, R, (2007), Participatory action r esearch, Communicative action and the public sphere, retrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://www. corwin. com/upm-data/21157_Chapter_10. pdf Cline, R. J. W. , & Haynes, K. M. , (2001) Consumer health information seeking on the Internet: the state of the art, Oxford Journals, Volume, 16, Issue 6, pp671-692, etrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://her. oxfordjournals. org/content/16/6/671. long Lau, F. , and Hayward, F. (1997). â€Å"Structuration of Internet-based collaborative work groups through action research. Retrieved on September 13, 2012 from   http://search. ahfmr. ab. ca/tech_eval/gss. htm (11/4/1998). Leischow, S. J (2008), Systems thinking to improve the public’s health, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, retrieved on September 9, 2012, from http://dccps. nci. nih. gov/brp/scienceteam/ajpm/SystemsThinkingImprovePublicsHealth. pdf. Mullett, J. Fletcher, S. , (2011), Action research in public health, Oxford Index, retrieved on September 13, 2012, fr om http://oxfordindex. oup. com/view/10. 1093/obo/9780199756797-0018 Minkler, M. , (2000) Using participatory action research to build healthy communities, Public health reports, Focus on healthy communities. Retrieved on September 13, 2012, from http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC1308710/pdf/pubhealthrep00022-0089. pdf Reason, P. , ; Bradbury, H. (2001). Handbook of action research: participative inquiry and practice. London: SAGE. Retrieved on September 7, 2012

Explain the Impact of the Stanford Prison Experiment on Psychology and Behaviour Essay

The Stanford prison experiment ,led by professor Philip Zimbardo, was aimed at seeing the effect on people on becoming prisoners or prison guards. The idea was to see what happens to people when they are put in relatively ‘evil’ places. Do the people themselves become evil or is there no net effect? The results indicated that in fact people adapt to their role exceptionally well. It was observed that the prison guards became overly tyrannical to the level of sadism. In consequence the prisoners were seen to be under severe stress to the extent that they became crazy or depressed. 24 volunteers were selected that had no psychological problems, health issues or any past crime accounts. They were brought to a mock prison set up in the basement of the Stanford university’s psychology building where they were randomly assigned to be prisoners or guards. 3 prisoners each were given rooms that they had to live in for 24 hours of the day and the guards were given 8 hour shifts to work in. The study was observed upon using cameras and microphones. They study was supposed to last for 14 days but had to be halted after 6 days due to extreme unethical practices in the prison. The Stanford prison experiment showed us that human beings alter to the situation they are put in. The guards won total control over the prisoners who blindly followed orders. All of this in just 5 days of experimental conditions. Zimbardo said that the prisoners had internalised their roles and thus continued to participate in the experiment on their own will. One example of this is when they introduced themselves to the priest with their serial number rather than their real name. Another example would be of the prison consultant who took on the role of an autocratic head of the parole board. After the experiment was over he was said to be disgusted at the person he had become. In essence there were two groups created among the volunteers, therefore, according to social identity theory ,people in the in-group would exhibit in-group favouritism and a sense of discrimination of the out-group. This can explain the unanimity between the guards themselves and their certain dislike towards the inmates. To further build on this ,the idea of the prison guards being a group may evoke the feeling of anonymity, which would allow the guards to be more free and aggressive as they could shake off responsibility for their actions. This is called deindividuation theory. It may be a cause of the violence occurred on the prisoners by the guards as there is a diffusion of responsibility. The Self-fulfilling prophecy states that when a person is given a label we often live up to that expectation. In the same way ,as the volunteers were given labels, they tried to live up to that expectation and thus acted in the way they thought they should. Furthermore it can be said that the volunteers had set stereotypes on the idea of a prison guard and prisoner. It can be assumed that these stereotypes illustrated the prison guards to be strong and authoritative. It could also be an illusionary correlation made by them through watching films or through media (which means that they attribute the behaviour of the prison guards to their disposition rather than situation :FAE). The theory of cognitive dissonance can also be used to understand why the prisoners and guards acted this way. They had to alter their mind-set(attitudes) to match with their behaviours so that there was no tension in their self identity. The situation put the prisoners in certain set roles that they tried to live up to and thus they changed their behaviour. This experiment along with Milligram’s shock experiment demonstrates the fundamental attribution error which says that there is a overestimation of dispositional factors and under-estimation of situational factors when we attribute. It changed the way we looked at psychology in a socio-cultural aspect. This experiment has helped us understand how good people do bad things such as the torture of Iraqi prisoners in the Abu Gharib prison, which was a real life example of the same results obtained by Zimabardo. It was also used to investigate matters such as prison riots and abuse of juveniles in many prisons. Young adults are also known to be power hungry. Their lust for power might have changed the way they would have normally behaved. The prisoners were made powerless and thus started to behave in such a way. They became depressed ,helpless and unstable. Thus it can be said that power also affected their behaviour. In relation to gender I believe that there would not have been much difference in the experiment as people, male or female, tend to have similar schematic processing when it comes to social perceptions of a certain group or individuals. If conducted with only females it is more likely that there would have been lesser violence as it has been researched that testosterone, which is much more predominating in males, is a cause of sexual arousal and aggression. Culture would not affect the behaviour as everybody needs some power in their life and if power is stolen from us we tend to become unstable. Lastly, it can be argued that all the volunteers of the experiment were college students. These students are more likely to be aggressive, as they would have higher testosterone levels compared to older guards in regular prisons. The volunteers were mostly white males who were on average ,financially stable, which when compared to regular prisoners would not equate well as people in prisons are usually financially unstable. It goes without saying that this experiment was extremely unethical. It did harmed the volunteers both physically and mentally as they were put under severe stress as well as physical torture. Their consent forms were not complete as it id not involve the details of the experiment. The volunteers did not know what they were getting themselves into , for example strip searched which is a violation itself. They were also ,without prior knowledge ,arrested. Zimbardo himself became the super-intendant and did not abide by his role as a psychologist ,which should have been the case to have an unbiased study. The experiment had no controls and thus is therefore severely criticised. Therefore the validity and ethics of this experiment, relating to its method are questioned. In conclusion, the experiment was a path breaking exercise that opened our eyes to show us the vulnerability of our race in terms of conformity and how we adapt to our situations especially when it comes to the fight for power.

Bobby Knight essays

Bobby Knight essays Bobby Knight, arguably the best college basketball coach ever and definitely one of the most controversial coaches ever. With a record of 661 wins and 240 losses at Indiana University as head coach, he ended his career there with a .734 % winning percentage. As I will show you, Bobby may have been controversial but with a record like that, he must have been doing something right and the Indiana Basketball program will never be the same. As Newsweek writer Pete Axthelm puts it, Bobby Knight is a boiling blend of brilliance and loyalty, fanaticism and temper. Frank Deford, a writer for Sports Illustrated magazine, says that Bobby always wanted to be a coach, officially expressing this desire in an autobiography he wrote when he was a junior in high school. Deford describes the especially close relationship between the young Knight and his basketball coach, Bill Shunkwiler. When other kids were hanging out, chasing, Bobby would come by Shunkwilers house and the two of them would sit and have milk and cookies and talk coach talk. After graduating from Ohio State in 1962, Knight was offered two coaching jobs at high schools in Ohio. The most lucrative of these involved coaching both basketball and football. The other offered less salary but was exclusively basketball. Knight chose the latter because, as he later told SI, I thought, if Im going to be a basketball coach I cant be diverted. I wanted vertical concentration. This single-mindedness benefited Knight almost immediately. Within a year he became assistant basketball coach at the United States Military Academy, and two years later, at age 24 he was elevated to head coach; a promotion that, according to Deford, stunned everybody. The youthful coach proceeded to take army, hardly a basketball power according to Time, to 4 National Invitational Tournament playoffs in 6 years. Ending his tenure at ...

Colleges Requiring All SAT Scores Sent Complete List

Colleges Requiring All SAT Scores Sent Complete List SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you putting together your college application list? One factor you might not have considered is which schools require you to send your entire SAT testing record.Unfortunately, you can't always hide your rotten SAT scores! So if youhave some less-than-stellar scores, you might avoid (or at least think carefully) before applying to those schools. We have a complete list of which schools require your complete SAT testing record. Read on for this list as well as exclusive advice for applying to these schools. Sending SAT Scores to Schools: All Scores vs.Score Choice Nearly all colleges require you to send at least one SAT or ACT score as part of your application for admission. But colleges differ on how they handle students with multiple sets of scores- for example, if you had two sets of SAT scores. Some colleges require you to send your entire testing record, even if that means sending not-so-great scores. (However, if you took the SAT in middle school or earlier as part of a talent-search program, you do not have to send those scores.) Other colleges do not require you to send your full testing record (though they often recommend it anyway). At these schools, you can take advantage of SAT’s Score Choice policy, which allows you to send only your best scores. So what happens if you want to apply to a college that requires all SAT scores? What could be the benefits and drawbacks of revealing your entire testing record? What Difference Could Sending All SAT Scores Make? You might be wondering why it matters if colleges see all of your SAT scores. Couldn't it help your chances of admission if colleges see your complete testing record, including your highest section scores? Indeed, colleges consider the entire testing history when it’s given, generally paying most attention to your highest scores achieved.However, when colleges specifically require you to send all of your scores, this means they're considering your lower scores as well. They aren't just looking for low scores and throwing your application out, but the higher all of your scores are, the better. Back when I was contacting colleges to conduct research forour new SAT investigation, I asked dozens of admissions officers if members of the class of 2018 could take the SAT and submit it for admission. This would mean taking the SAT early, during or before sophomore year. Many of the admissions officers cautioned against taking the SAT that young. â€Å"We’re still going to see those scores,† an admissions officer from Cornell told me, implying that potentially lower scores could, in fact, hurt your application. While I want to take colleges at their word that even if they require all scores they only look at the highest ones, they wouldn't require all scores to be sent unless they wanted to consider them all- including the lower ones. Whatever you do, don't wing the SAT. Careful preparation is key! How Does Sending All SAT Scores Affect Your Test-Taking Strategy? If you’re applying to schools that require all SAT scores, you need to be very careful each time you take the SAT because you will have to send any scores you get, even if they’re low. If you’re reading this and aren't sure which schools you’re applying to yet, we recommend taking a careful look at the schools that require you to send all scores. If any of the schools might be a top choice for you, adjust your test-taking policy accordingly. In general, we only recommend taking (or retaking) the SAT after you’ve studied and are certain you'll get a decent score. But you'll have to be extra careful if you’re applying to an â€Å"all scores† school. Don't take the SAT for the first time as practice,or to get used to the test. Colleges will see your "practice score." (Not to mention it's a waste of the money to take the test for this reason only!) We recommend taking the PSATyour sophomore and/or junior year to get the experience of taking the SAT and to receive a score without compromising your actual SAT score. Also, make taking strictly timed, full-length SAT practice tests part of your study regimen so that when you sit down to take the SAT for real, it won't feel as though it's your first time taking it. If you have to retake the SAT, be sure to continue to study for bothsections (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and Math),even if you're only trying to bring up one section's score. You wouldn't want the score from your other section to drop dramatically on a retake! For more tips on how to study effectively, read our guides onhow long you should study for the SAT and how to set an SAT target score. By keeping this advice in mind and only taking the SAT after careful studying, you should be able to apply to "all scores" schools without worrying about lower scores weakening your application. Notable Colleges That Require You to Send All SAT Scores Before we get to the complete list of colleges that require all SAT scores, we'll highlight some top schools you might be interested in. We include quotes from their admissions websites to give you an idea as to how serious they are about their scoring policies. Bold emphasis is mine. Georgetown University â€Å"Georgetown University does not participate in the Score Choice option available through the College Board. Georgetown requires that you submit scores from all test sittings of the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests. " University of California System â€Å"In the College Board's Score Choice module, ensure that all scores are sent to UC.We require all scoresand will use the highest scores from a single administration." This is the policy for all schools in the University of California system,including UC Berkeleyand UCLA. University of Pennsylvania Penn used to require all scores but has since altered its policy somewhat: "Although we permit Score Choice, we encourage students to submit their entire testing history for both ACT and SAT exams." Yale University "Applicants who have taken the SAT or ACT exam multiple times should report all scores from whichever test they choose to report. Applicants who choose to report scores from both the SAT and ACT should report all scores received on both tests." Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Complete List of Colleges That Require All SAT Scores Below is the complete list of four-year colleges and universities that require you to send all SAT scores, grouped by state. Look through this list carefully. If any of the schools here are your top choices, that means you need to be especially careful about SAT retakes. For a complete list of all colleges (including community colleges) that require all SAT scores, check out the official College Board PDF. School Name City State University of North Alabama Florence AL Southern Arkansas University Magnolia AR University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock AR Mills College Oakland CA Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego CA Scripps College Claremont CA Soka University of America Aliso Viejo CA University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA University of California, Davis Davis CA University of California, Irvine Irvine CA University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA University of California, Merced Merced CA University of California, Riverside Riverside CA University of California, San Diego La Jolla CA University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara CA University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA University of Colorado Denver Denver CO Holy Apostles College and Seminary Cromwell CT Quinnipiac University Hamden CT Sacred Heart University Fairfield CT Yale University New Haven CT George Washington University Washington DC Georgetown University Washington DC Howard University Washington DC Delaware State University Dover DE Barry University Miami Shores FL DeVry University- Miramar Miramar FL Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee FL Hobe Sound Bible College Hobe Sound FL Southeastern University Lakeland FL Stetson University DeLand FL Fort Valley State University Fort Valley GA Wesleyan College Macon GA Chaminade University of Honolulu Honolulu HI Dordt College Sioux Center IA MacMurray College Jacksonville IL Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais IL Saint Xavier University Chicago IL Trinity Christian College Palos Heights IL Grace College Winona Lake IN Indiana Wesleyan University Marion IN Oakland City University Oakland City IN University of Saint Francis Fort Wayne IN Kansas Wesleyan University Salina KS University of Saint Mary Leavenworth KS Kentucky Christian University Grayson KY Grambling State University Grambling LA Louisiana State University of Alexandria Alexandria LA Louisiana State University Shreveport Shreveport LA Nicholls State University Thibodaux LA Saint Joseph Seminary College Saint Benedict LA University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe LA University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell MA Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg MD University of Maryland College Park MD Andrews University Berrien Springs MI Cornerstone University Grand Rapids MI Sacred Heart Major Seminary Detroit MI Oak Hills Christian College Bemidji MN Central Methodist University Fayette MO Saint Louis University St. Louis MO Blue Mountain College Blue Mountain MS William Carey University Hattiesburg MS University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte NC Jamestown College Jamestown ND Mayville State University Mayville ND Grace University Omaha NE Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Galloway NJ Barnard College New York NY Cazenovia College Cazenovia NY City College of New York New York NY Colgate University Hamilton NY Cooper Union New York NY Cornell University Ithaca NY Hunter College New York NY Long Island University Brooklyn New York NY New York School of Interior Design New York NY Queens College (City University of New York) Flushing NY Syracuse University Syracuse NY United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point NY Wagner College Staten Island NY Art Academy of Cincinnati Cincinnati OH Cincinnati Christian University Cincinnati OH Cameron University Lawton OK East Central University Ada OK Rogers State University Claremore OK Southwestern Oklahoma State University Weatherford OK Western Oregon University Monmouth OR Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh PA Curtis Institute of Music Philadelphia PA Duquesne University Pittsburgh PA Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana PA Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg PA Susquehanna University Selinsgrove PA University of Puerto Rico at Cayey Cayey PR University of Puerto Rico at Humacao Humacao PR University of Puerto Rico at Ponce Ponce PR Columbia International University Columbia SC The Citadel Charleston SC Tennessee Technological University Cookeville TN Tennessee Temple University Chattanooga TN Dallas Christian College Dallas TX Howard Payne University Brownwood TX LeTourneau University Longview TX Midwestern State University Wichita Falls TX Rice University Houston TX St. Edward's University Austin TX Tarleton State University Stephenville TX Texas AM University College Station TX Texas AM University- Kingsville Kingsville TX Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth TX University of Texas at Brownsville Brownsville TX Neumont University Salt Lake City UT Utah State University Logan UT Averett University Danville VA Castleton State College Castleton VT University of Washington Seattle WA Washington State University Pullman WA University of Wisconsin - Platteville Platteville WI Alderson-Broaddus College Philippi WV Fairmont State University Fairmont WV West Virginia University Institute of Technology Montgomery WV What’s Next? In addition to SAT and ACT scores, some colleges require you to send SAT Subject Test scores. Get a complete list of which colleges require SAT Subject Test scores. Not sure if you need to retake the SAT or ACT? Find out what a good, bad, or excellent SAT/ACT score is based on the schools you are applying to. If your score falls short, consider a retake. Need tips for studying? Get a rundown of the overall best strategies to use for the SAT. For SAT/ACT resources, check out the best SAT/ACT study websites you should be using. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

The Wind Tapped Like a Tired Man by Emily Dickinson

The Wind Tapped Like a Tired Man by Emily Dickinson The enigmatic Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) saw only ten of her poems published while she was alive. Most of her work, more than 1,000 poems with their odd capitalization, liberal use of em dashes and iambic pentameter rhyming structure, was published after her death. But her works have helped to shape modern poetry. Life of Emily Dickinson Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, Dickinson was a reclusive figure, who took to wearing all white clothing and stayed confined to her home later in life. Whether she was eccentric or suffering from some kind of anxiety disorder is a matter hotly debated among Dickinson scholars. She did not live her entire life at her familys Amherst home; she spent a year at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary but left before completing a degree, and visited Washington, D.C. with her father when he served in Congress.   Dickinsons body of work also included correspondence with friends. Many of these letters contained original poems.   After her death, her sister Lavinia collected Emilys vast collection of writing and attempted to organize it. Although early editors tried to normalize Dickinsons writing, taking out the unusual punctuation and random capitalized words, later versions of her work restored it to its unique glory, em dashes and all.   Emily Dickinsons Poetry With titles like Because I Could Not Stop for Death, and A Narrow Fellow in the Grass, its clear that Dickinsons poetry has a foreboding undertone.  Many academics believe that all of Dickinsons poems can be interpreted to be about death, some overtly, some with more subtle turns of phrase. Indeed, Dickinsons correspondence shows she was troubled by several deaths of people she was close to; a school friend died very young of typhoid fever, another of a brain disorder. Its not outside the realm of possibility that young Emily withdrew from social life because she was deeply affected by her losses. Questions for Study of The Wind Tapped Like a Tired Man Is this an example of a Dickinson poem in where she appears to be writing about one thing (the wind) but is actually writing about something else? In this poem, does the wind represent a man, or does it represent an existential fear of death, ever present and able to blow in and out as it pleases? Why is the man tired? Here is the full text of Emily Dickinsons poem The Wind Tapped Like a Tired Man The wind tapped like a tired man,And like a host, Come in,I boldly answered; entered thenMy residence withinA rapid, footless guest,To offer whom a chairWere as impossible as handA sofa to the air.No bone had he to bind him,His speech was like the pushOf numerous humming-birds at onceFrom a superior bush.His countenance a billow,His fingers, if he pass,Let go a music, as of tunesBlown tremulous in glass.He visited, still flitting;Then, like a timid man,Again he tappedt was flurriedlyAnd I became alone.

Information Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information Security - Research Paper Example Lack of awareness and execution to protect company’s information assets can result in loss of revenues, bad reputation for the company and probable law suits by the customers for not being able to protect their data. 2. Threats and Vulnerabilities There are numerous types of threats and vulnerabilities that are required to be considered for the protection of information. Data breach is defined as the disclosure of information to unauthorized individuals in an intentional or unintentional manner. Verizon Business Risk Team (2009) stated that the degree of data breaches is the highest in the modern times than it has ever been. Figure 1: Percentage of Different Types of Data Breaches from 2004 to 2008 (Verizon Business Risk Team, 2009) Data breaches tend to threaten the confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of the data. Confidentiality aspect requires the data to be hidden from unauthorized third parties to protect the privacy of the individual. Hash, Bartol, Rollins, Robin son, Abeles and Batdorff (2005) explained that integrity of data provides the assurance that it is not tampered with or modified at any level as a result of malicious intent. Authenticity of data also ensures that the data is complete and accurate. The absence of such attributes of data makes the data unreliable and may prove to lead to misleading directions and results for the management of the organization. Data breaches may result from outside or inside sources. Moore, Cappelli, Caron, Shaw and Trzeciak (2009) defined insider theft as instances when employees (current or ex-employees) may disclose information for personal motives or as a result of lack of awareness of required information security measures. Employees might help the outside intruders gain unauthorized access to sensitive data by leaking passwords or loopholes in the security systems. Such employees may also damage or destroy the data as a result of personal conflicts or grudges against the management. Outside sour ces of threats and vulnerabilities include denial of service (DOS) attack, virus and worms attacks. Houle and Weaver (2001) explained that DOS attacks are directed to impair the IT services and resources so that legitimate users cannot avail them. Common sources that are witnessed to become targets are bandwidth, data storage services and computing power of a resource. Abundant fake requests are sent to the server to make it incapable and unavailable to cater the requests from legitimate users. Viruses and worms are also common threats that reside in a computer without the knowledge of the owner and perform spiteful actions to harm the data. Viruses and worms are automatically installed on the system if the user opens a compromised email attachment, visits an unreliable website, opens an infected image or clicks on a compromised online advertisement etc. Non-repudiation was defined by Hole (2009); it ensures that the transfer of messages between participating parties is valid and re al. Effective security measures need to be taken by companies to ensure that sender and receiver cannot deny the transfer and receiving of the messages, respectively. 3. Counter Measures for Improving Security Cannady and Harrell (n.d.) proposed a technique to tackle the threat of insider theft; they recommended that ‘user profiles’ should be developed and stored in the server. These user profiles are developed on the basis of routine activities

Adaptive Portfolio Management using Evolutionary Algorithm Essay

Adaptive Portfolio Management using Evolutionary Algorithm - Essay Example Introduction: Portfolio management is the process of managing assets i.e. stocks, bonds, etc., such that a large return with a low risk is obtained. Forecasting price movements in financial markets is an important part of constructing portfolios. Most traders believe that the financial markets are not fully efficient and that there exist temporary predictability, which could be exploited for collecting excess returns above the market average [1]. Consequently, many financial institutions have developed decision support systems to help traders and analysts make decisions about portfolio management more quickly and more effectively. Technical indicators use statistics to determine trends in security prices and are often used by financial markets and private traders to assist with portfolio management. A survey of foreign exchange traders in London [2] estimates that up to 90% of traders use some form of technical indicators and trading rules in their daily trading. Technical indicators assume that securities move according to trends and patterns that are continued over a short periods of time until another trend is triggered by the change in the market condition. The success of technical indicators depends on how one interprets the signals. Expert human traders are capable of combining several technical indicators and trading rules to arrive at composite strategies which are used in portfolio selection, execution and risk management. The process of arriving at such strategies requires high experience, expertise and often long and tidies hours of observation of historical and current market data to test and fine-tune different combinations of technical indicators and trading rules. Although there are agreements that financial markets do sometimes show periods where certain trading rules work [3], it is very hard to find evidence that a single trading strategy can function over an extended period of time. This can be due to the fact that financial markets are const antly evolving, and that when a trading rule is found to work it would not take long before it is exploited until it no longer harvests a significant profit. This forces the traders and technical analyst to constantly create new strategies or retune the existing strategies so that they would work under the new market conditions. The goal of my research would be to create a system that emulates human behaviour in combining a set of simple rules and technical indicators to create sophisticated trading strategies. The system then would constantly evolve those strategies or creating new strategies that would adapt to changing market conditions. 2. Motivation: In the past several years, there has been a notable increase in the use of financial modeling and optimization tools such as algorithmic trading and automated portfolio management in financial industries. In addition to the pressure on asset management firms to reduce costs and maintain a more stable and predictable performance in the aftermath of the downturn in the world’s markets in recent years, three other general trends have contributed to this increase. First, there has been an increase of interest in predictive models for asset returns. Predictive models assume that it is possible to make conditional forecasts of future returns—an objective that was previously considered not achievable by classical financial theory. Second, the wide availability of sophisticated and specialized software packages has enabled generating and exploiting

Compare and contrast leadership and management styles of the United Research Proposal

Compare and contrast leadership and management styles of the United States Air Force and Cephalon, Inc. and how it impacts the c - Research Proposal Example This study would discuss the leadership skills they have taken for their country. Management controls or directs people/resources in a group according to principles or values that have already been established. A set of understandings or meanings shared by a group of people that are largely tacit among members and are clearly relevant and distinctive to the particular group which are also passed on to new members. â€Å"A set of common understandings around which action is organized†¦finding expression in language whose nuances are peculiar to the group† (Becker and Geer 1960). (Strategic Leadership and Decision Making: Organizational Culture, n.d). Purpose of study: This research is done to compare and contrast leadership and management styles of the United States Air Force and Cephalon, Inc. This research is done for finding the leadership styles and management styles of the USAF and Cephalon, Inc. This study includes the history, mission, vision, core values, raining p rocess, and opportunity of the organizations. Body: The most important responsibility of the USAF is national security, and their primary focus remained or strategic bombing, and plans for aerial release of nuclear bombs against the Soviet Union close air support to the Army to the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons on the combat zones. I’m retired Air Force and now an Air Force civilian at Pope AFB NC. Airman Raymond Losano and Tech .Sgt. John A.

The Role of Central Bank of Saudi Arabia in the Global Crisis Dissertation

The Role of Central Bank of Saudi Arabia in the Global Crisis - Dissertation Example The experience of the banking system of Saudi Arabia during the global financial crisis which ravaged the financial markets globally since mid-2007 is required to be answered. While many economies around the globe were negatively and severely affected, especially developed countries, during the crisis in 2008 and 2009 but the Saudi economy has shown resilience and strong growth of the economy. The experience of Saudi Arabia in respect of domestic financial intermediation and international banking was relatively positive during this tough time. Though being affected moderately by the deteriorating conditions of global financial markets, the domestic financial market of Saudi Arabia continuously functioned in an efficient and effective manner. The Central Bank of Saudi Arabia has played a vital role in keeping the strength of the economy during the crisis period. So, the hypothesis to be tested is the measure taken by the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia to maintain sound economic growth d uring the crisis period also.Economic developments of Saudi Arabia during 2008 and 2009 During the five year period 2004-08, the economy of Saudi Arabia fared well by international standards reflecting 4.4% growth rate in real GDP and 19% average surplus in government fiscal. All economic sectors were propelled with this, especially the banking sector which showered great benefits. In 2008, growth in real GDP was 4.5% with 4.8% growth in the oil sector.

Strategic Corporate Finance. All about IPOs Essay

Strategic Corporate Finance. All about IPOs - Essay Example Another option is to raise capital from the public. A corporation is a legal entity separate from the lives of its owners and if conditions are favorable, it can raise capital through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the equity market or alternatively through issuing bonds in the debt market. Obviously the public response would depend on the viability of the company, its future prospects and line of business, as well as the reputation and business acumen of its management. Types of IPOs, Advantages & Risks Generally speaking, at the present time there are two options as to how an IPO can be made. The first, as indicated above, is to make a public offering so that all interested investors can read the prospectus and apply for the shares through the stock market. However nowadays things are a little bit more complicated as the IPO is usually conducted by investment banking firms in return for commissions and fees. One of them acts as an underwriter, guaranteeing to take up all share s not applied for. This helps the company raise the required capital regardless of the amount of public response. An underwriting fee is charged as per agreement made with the IPO company. With the large size of corporate entities and the phenomenal sums involved in share flotation, it is not surprising that there could be a number of investment firms involved in the IPO process and they then direct the flow of ownership to popular and moneyed entities so that initial funds to the firm are ensured. However this could lead to lack of diverse ownerships and control problems in later years. The second option in vogue today- and that chosen by Google and Morning Star- is to raise initial capital through an open auction process. As can be imagined, almost anyone interested in bidding can do so by applying for the minimum amount of shares offered in a lot. This can truly diversify ownership as there is no telling who will make a bid for shares (Carter, 2005). It is then up to the registra r to decide who gets the final allotment of shares. However a competitor or an unscrupulous individual or firm may also get hold of a sizeable number of shares this way, so it sometimes makes sense to use the services of investment banks. It could cost a little more to organize road shows, seminars and the like to get people interested, but in the long run more diverse ownership in the hands of the public is guaranteed. It also leads to greater liquidity and the company may not have to resort to stock splits later to dilute values and promote marketability and capitalization (Rao, 2011). A Brief History of Avaya Avaya is a spinoff of Lucent Technologies. Lucent Technologies is itself a spinoff from AT&T. Alcatel-Lucent is the parent company of Bell Laboratories, and like Bell, Avaya is also involved in providing networking, communications and information technology solutions to its worldwide customers. It is considered by experts to be a world leader in hardware maintenance, enterpr ise messaging, range audio conferencing, operating a contact center and using Unified Communications and Enterprise Telephony. The company was created in 2000. It is headquartered in New Jersey, USA. Avaya has offices in 145 countries (Avaya Group, 2011). Since its creation, Avaya has successfully bid for a number of companies such as Tenovis, Nortel, Ubiquity Systems, Sipera Systems and Aurix. The company is at present privately owned by TPG Capital and Silver Lake Partners, who acquired it on 26 October 2007 for $8.2

The shortage of nurses in the NHS Scholarship Essay

The shortage of nurses in the NHS - Scholarship Essay Example 6. Work Climate, which includes: a. Dissatisfaction with pay b. Increase in workload c. Lack of empowerment d. EU Legislation e. Poor working conditions 7. Poor Perception of Nursing as a profession The dissertation also discusses solution to this problem like better workforce planning, recruitment effort, focus on international recruitment and improvement of nursing as a profession. 1. Introduction As pointed by O'Brien-Pallas et al (2001) state that "the cycles of shortages and surpluses, which have been a source of frustration for nurses in practice, planners, researchers, administrators and funders, are intimately linked with the quality of nurses' work life, the health of nurses and the quality of care they are able to provide. The quality of work life can affect not only the system's ability to recruit and retain nurses, but also overall system costs related to the productive use of available nursing resources". And therefore a need to study this phenomenon of shortage of nurses, its causes and possible solutions is important. It is widely acknowledged that NHS has been facing a growing shortage of nurses. While some parts are experiencing shortage at a higher rate than others (London for example), it has been accepted that there is a national shortage. It is believed that UK may be a on a downhill road on the issue of lack of nursing staff and that it is no more a problem of organizations alone, but that of the leaders and law makers of the country. It is said that NHS is unable to deliver good quality healthcare due to the pressure it faces on account of lack of nursing expertise. Need for nurses is depicted as cyclical in nature. Mullen (2003) points out that that the Department of Health recognizes this... It is widely acknowledged that NHS has been facing a growing shortage of nurses. While some parts are experiencing shortage at a higher rate than others (London for example), it has been accepted that there is a national shortage. It is believed that UK may be a on a downhill road on the issue of lack of nursing staff and that it is no more a problem of organizations alone, but that of the leaders and law makers of the country. It is said that NHS is unable to deliver good quality healthcare due to the pressure it faces on account of lack of nursing expertise. Need for nurses is depicted as cyclical in nature. Mullen (2003) points out that that the Department of Health recognizes this problem and NHS has revisited its targets to increase the nursing workforce in all clinical professions in 2000. Mullen (2003) points out that "a report published by the Audit Commission (2002) drew attention to the seriousness of the workforce shortage, stating that '' the biggest constraint the NHS f aces today is no longer a shortage of financial resources. It is shortage of human resources" (p.346). The previous three decades have seen a fluctuation in the nursing workforce strength in UK. There was a dearth of nurses till the 80's and then a sharp rise from 80's through the 90's.

Strategic Corporate Finance. All about IPOs Essay

Strategic Corporate Finance. All about IPOs - Essay Example Another option is to raise capital from the public. A corporation is a legal entity separate from the lives of its owners and if conditions are favorable, it can raise capital through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the equity market or alternatively through issuing bonds in the debt market. Obviously the public response would depend on the viability of the company, its future prospects and line of business, as well as the reputation and business acumen of its management. Types of IPOs, Advantages & Risks Generally speaking, at the present time there are two options as to how an IPO can be made. The first, as indicated above, is to make a public offering so that all interested investors can read the prospectus and apply for the shares through the stock market. However nowadays things are a little bit more complicated as the IPO is usually conducted by investment banking firms in return for commissions and fees. One of them acts as an underwriter, guaranteeing to take up all share s not applied for. This helps the company raise the required capital regardless of the amount of public response. An underwriting fee is charged as per agreement made with the IPO company. With the large size of corporate entities and the phenomenal sums involved in share flotation, it is not surprising that there could be a number of investment firms involved in the IPO process and they then direct the flow of ownership to popular and moneyed entities so that initial funds to the firm are ensured. However this could lead to lack of diverse ownerships and control problems in later years. The second option in vogue today- and that chosen by Google and Morning Star- is to raise initial capital through an open auction process. As can be imagined, almost anyone interested in bidding can do so by applying for the minimum amount of shares offered in a lot. This can truly diversify ownership as there is no telling who will make a bid for shares (Carter, 2005). It is then up to the registra r to decide who gets the final allotment of shares. However a competitor or an unscrupulous individual or firm may also get hold of a sizeable number of shares this way, so it sometimes makes sense to use the services of investment banks. It could cost a little more to organize road shows, seminars and the like to get people interested, but in the long run more diverse ownership in the hands of the public is guaranteed. It also leads to greater liquidity and the company may not have to resort to stock splits later to dilute values and promote marketability and capitalization (Rao, 2011). A Brief History of Avaya Avaya is a spinoff of Lucent Technologies. Lucent Technologies is itself a spinoff from AT&T. Alcatel-Lucent is the parent company of Bell Laboratories, and like Bell, Avaya is also involved in providing networking, communications and information technology solutions to its worldwide customers. It is considered by experts to be a world leader in hardware maintenance, enterpr ise messaging, range audio conferencing, operating a contact center and using Unified Communications and Enterprise Telephony. The company was created in 2000. It is headquartered in New Jersey, USA. Avaya has offices in 145 countries (Avaya Group, 2011). Since its creation, Avaya has successfully bid for a number of companies such as Tenovis, Nortel, Ubiquity Systems, Sipera Systems and Aurix. The company is at present privately owned by TPG Capital and Silver Lake Partners, who acquired it on 26 October 2007 for $8.2

Philips Electronics Singapore Essay Example for Free

Philips Electronics Singapore Essay Manufacturing of common everyday utilities that span from household appliances, business equipment, and industry machineries require massive labor force that may span from a few hundreds to several thousands. This type of organization would typically have a wide operational staff base as there is the need to deal with production of goods. This is followed by different management levels and the top management whose functions vary from one another. A very important aspect in the landscape of organizations, to which manufacturing is not an exemption, is motivation as it has a direct impact on the organizational and individual effectiveness. Motivation in work, according to Muchinsky (2006), is in reference of the use of the different motivational strategies in the workplace. Furthermore, the same author, in the discussion of work motivation, included the following statement: Work motivation is a set of energetic forces that originate both within as well as beyond an individual’s being, to initiate work-related behavior, and to determine its form, direction, intensity, and duration. (Pinder as cited in Muchinsky, 2006, p. 381). Motivation inside the workplace is said to take on different forms and strategies that are identified based on the management style, needs of the organization, characteristics of the employees, and the nature of the organization. The definition mentioned above places a wide scope that reaches all sectors and all levels in the work industry and likewise places emphasis on the fact that this is geared towards the goal of improving the productivity of the employee, which is a view espoused by the Scientific Management (Kelly-Heidenthal, 2002). On the other hand, with the introduction of the Human Relations perspective, work motivation shared a slightly different view from that of the Scientific Management era where the focus is now placed on the employee and their individual needs (Kelly-Heidenthal, 2002). The Human Relations perspective, the forerunner of which is Elton Mayo with his Hawthorne study, places a new element which is job satisfaction as â€Å"a major determinant of productivity or performance† (Hoque, 2006, p. 20). The component of job satisfaction, being an important aspect in productivity and performance, is a major consideration in the motivation strategies (Doran, 2003). New trends in motivation have led managers to continually seek for creative ways to motivate their subordinates according to their needs. These new trends are composed of a mix of the older theories that continually evolve to suit the emerging needs and new trends in the field today. Background of the Organization The Organization  In the year 1951, Royal Philips Electronics, which was established in Eindhoven, the Netherlands in the year 1891, decided to give birth to Philips Electronics Singapore by setting up one of their branches in the said country (â€Å"Philips in Singapore,† n. d. ). The company served as one of the â€Å"pioneer investors in Singapore and has been in the country for 56 years† and it received its status of an Operational Headquarters 38 years after its inception (â€Å"Philips in Singapore,† n. d. ). The organization has received several awards that are indicative of their outstanding performance as recognized by different sectors. The organization received three awards from the Singaporean government namely the Distinguished Partner in Progress Award in 1992, Singapore Quality Award for its Philips Tuner Factory in 1998, and Singapore Quality Award for the Domestic Appliances and Personal Care Factory in 2000 (â€Å"Philips in Singapore,† n. d. ). Likewise, the company was able to earn the Singapore Innovation Award for its Video and Multimedia Applications division in 2006. In the same year, the Domestic Appliances and Personal Care Factory became a finalist in the Manufacturing Excellence Award and received the Singapore Advantage Award for the said event (â€Å"Philips in Sinapore,† n. d. ). Their sterling record with regard to the field of human resources development is, likewise, recognized by the National Trades Union Congress and they were given the May Day Plaque of Commendation – Gold Award in the year 1995 (â€Å"Philips in Singapore,† n. d. ). In consonance with the award given by the National Trades Union Congress, Philips continues to wield its way into becoming the preferred employer, according to the Ministry of Manpower (2007). The company does this by fostering an environment that leads to an organizational culture where people are oriented towards their performance, provision of incentives driven by market, and a holistic approach with their theme of â€Å"think total rewards† (Ministry of Manpower, 2007). The 4 Value Statements The said company espouses 4 values that they carry with their mission and vision. These values are to delight the customer, deliver on commitment, develop our people, and depend on each other. As can be discerned from the values mentioned above, they are after the welfare of the stakeholders they feel accountable to and thus, adhere to a holistic approach to their endeavors. Likewise, this confirms their â€Å"think total rewards† statement where they show that they are a company that is meant to address the concerns of the different sectors that they continuously interact with. Organizational values are considered as the â€Å"values that are shared to some extent across a firm† (Gillilan et al. , 2003, p. 6). Organizational values are at times equated to two things: a) the culture of the organization and b) the values that the top management holds (Gillilan et al. , 2003). For Philips, their values are carried by almost everyone in the company as they carry out their responsibilities and serves as their guiding principle, which extends to the organizational culture. It should be noted that organizational culture defines how the members of the organization do things or accomplish their tasks (Muchinsky, 2006). The Activity Groups The company has four main activity groups namely the Philips Innovation Campus, the Regional Competence Centers, the Sales Organization, and the Industrial Operations and Support (â€Å"Philips in Singapore,† n. d. ). These activity centers serve as the gateway for learning, training, support, and production for the company to ensure that it goes well with its operations. The Products  It concentrates on electronic consumer products that include home entertainment system components, personal computer products, communication gadgets, household appliances, accessories, lighting, and a few professional products and services (â€Å"Philips,† n. d. ). The list of professional products and services cater to the medical sector, businesses with special needs, and lighting (â€Å"Philips,† n. d. ). The presence of the brand has enabled it to establish its reputation as a maker of electronic goods and continues to be such after more than a hundred years since it was first created, which as in 1891 (â€Å"Philips in Sinpapore,† n. . ). The stability of the company is attributed to the fact that they have scattered their specialties into different fields and this diversity provides a stable support for its overall structure. The Challenges The company faces several challenges which stem from internal and external sources. First, there is a need to make sure that they always have their best foot forward with regard to their Human Resources policies while looking into its impact for the concerned stakeholders. With the previously mentioned desire of the company to become the first in terms of employee preference, they always keep abreast of the trends and issues that the field is facing. Their HR department needs to identify these issues, the impact to the employees, and measures to mitigate the effects. Some of these global issues include cultural diversity and negative work behaviors that sometimes lead to disruption in the workplace. Second, the company, despite their efforts to foster a healthy and fair working environment, also has to deal with employee turnover. According to Mathis and Jackson (2006), turnover is the â€Å"process in which employees leave an organization and have to be replaced† (p. 73). Employee turnover is inevitable to an organization as the present generation of workers, the Generation X, considers job-hopping as â€Å"essential for advancement† (Lovely et al. , 2007, p. 52). Likewise the Millenials group, the phenomenon is predicted to become ordinary for them (Lovely et al. , 2007). Since job-hopping can not be prevented as it has become a characteristic of the organization, the need for programs and policies that enhance employee retention is greater for the organization’s HR department. With the nature of the organization where they are in need of the talents, as well as the manpower, they should be able to retain the best of the best as the competition and the need to stay updated among the current trends in the technology would mean that they have to keep the greatest minds and the most efficient and skilled workers they have. For example, an employee working on the technical department such as an engineer who becomes their asset would be a big loss for them if he/she decides to move on to other careers and other organizations. This turnover of employees would also mean a turnover of skills, knowledge, and abilities from their organization to another. Likewise, the cost for employee turnover, according to a survey of employers, 45% of them reported that they incur a cost of more than $10,000 for every employee who leaves the company because of this phenomenon (Mathis Jackson, 2006). The cost for Philips Electronics Singapore would vary certainly depending on the value of the person to the organization and the amount they spent to invest in the employee’s skills and training. Likewise, the disruption of work operations and the need for the remaining workers to take on increasing volumes of work also poses certain costs for the company (Locke, 2000). The said problem of turnover is to be addressed through the assessment of employee motivation (Orlikowski, et al. , 1996). The interlocking relationship between job motivation, job satisfaction, and employee retention is at the forefront of the HR concerns of Philips Electronics Singapore due to their nature and the competitive industry they are in. The Nature of the Electronics Industry The Singaporean economy is a very dynamic economy buzzing with life and competition stays firm for the few multinational companies who sell and produce electronic goods. There is a wide product base in the said industry of the country that includes from the smallest computer chip to automated industry machineries. The different companies in the electronic industry of Singapore account for one third of the entire manufacturing sector of the country and utilizes 25% or a quarter of the labor force to continually produce the goods being demanded in the local and international market (â€Å"Electronics,† n. d. ). The massive output of the industry enables it to have a fair competition in catering to the needs of a greater population. They are not restricted to one sector or one locale but is rather responding to global demands that even reach outside countries and this makes creating demand easier. Likewise, the general reach of the products has created a ready market for the producers and the only thing they have to deal with is the brand preference that the customers have with respect to a number of considerations that include quality and affordability. In addition to this, the industry also has the responsibility of taking their products to greater heights with the purpose of making life easier for their clients. Modern technologies incessantly come into existence through laborious research and development. The electronics industry of the country relies on the new breakthroughs they meet through their research facilities for them to provide innovative solutions to different needs of the society. According to the Economic Development Board chairman Lim Siong Guan, â€Å"given the cost factors in Singapore, we’re going for capital-intensive, knowledge-intensive, innovation-intensive activities† (as cited in â€Å"Singapore – Base for Complex Manufacturing,† n. d. ). The statement of the EDB chairman and the focus on innovation emphasized by Philips Singapore runs parallel with one another.

Importance of Natural Product Synthesis

Importance of Natural Product Synthesis History of medicine dates back practically to the existence of human civilization. Historically, the majority of new drugs have been generated from natural products and from compounds derived from natural products. Natural products, including plants, animals and minerals have always been a source of therapeutic agents for many years. Natural products sometimes exhibit pharmacological or biological property that can be of therapeutic benefit in treating diseases. As such, natural products are the active components not only of most  traditional medicines  but also of many newer medications. Furthermore, synthetic analogs of natural products with improved potency and safety can be prepared and therefore natural products are often used as Lead Copmpounds for  drug discovery. In fact, natural products are the inspiration for approximately one half of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs. The birth of the natural product synthesis dates back to 1828 when Friedrich Wà ¶hler synthesized urea, a naturally occurring substance from ammonium cyanate. This event as trivial as it may seem by today’s standards not only gave birth to a boundless science called organic synthesis but also contributed to a demystification of mother Nature by burying the fact that synthesis of nature’s molecules is her exclusive domain. The second major achievement in the field of organic synthesis is the synthesis of acetic acid from elemental carbon by Kolbe3 in 1845. It is historically significant because Kolbe coined the word Synthesis for the first time to describe the process of assembling a chemical compound from other substances. The total synthesis of naturally occurring pigments alizarin in 1869 by Graebe and Liebermann and indigo in 1878 by Baeyer represent landmark accomplishments in the field. Probably, after urea, the most spectacular total synthesis of the nineteenth c entury was that of Emil Fischer’s (†¡)-glucose not only for the complexity of the target but also for the considerable stereochemical control that accompanied it. Figure 1: Although the precedent was set in the nineteenth century, it was only in the twentieth century the field of total synthesis started to flourish when Robert Burns Woodward synthesized Quinine. This event ushered in the modern era of total synthesis and Woodward who received the 1965 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for several brilliant examples of total synthesis such as his 1954 synthesis of strychnine, cholesterol5 is regarded as the father of modern organic synthesis. Figure 2: Today the art of organic synthesis has improved to astoundingly high levels of sophistication. Through its practice, chemists are able to synthesize organic molecules of all types of structural motifs and for all intents and purposes. Some modern classical examples of total synthesis include the synthesis of prostaglandin PG2ÃŽ ± and Ginkgolide by E. J Corey, Ingenol by Wood, Brevetoxin by Nicolaou, Vancomycin by Evans, Taxol by Holton6, Nicolaou7, Wender and Danishefsky8 groups independently. The discipline of natural product synthesis today, is an important field of investigation whose dividends stretch from new scientific knowledge to practical applications. Considered by many as the flagship of organic synthesis, natural product synthesis symbolizes the power of chemical synthesis at any given time and defines its scope and limitations. It also serves to improve chemical synthesis by attempting to push its frontiers into higher molecular complexity, diversity, and efficiency. they can synthesize not only the molecules of nature and their analogues, but also myriad other organic molecules for potential applications in many areas of science, technology and everyday life Introduction to THF-containing natural products Tetrahydrofuran (THF)-containing natural products widely occur in several important families of biologically active compounds, such as the annonaceous acetogenins [1] and polyether antibiotics isolated from Streptomyces organisms (ionomycin, lonomycins A–C, or monensin) [2]. It’s worthwhile at this juncture to discuss few THF ring containing natural products such as which have been of paramount importance to the mankind and also to the researchers who have been actively involved in the synthesis and isolation of these natural products. Acetogenins Acetogenins abbreviated as AAGs are a group of THF-Containing natural products isolated from Annonacae species which are vastly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. They exhibit different biological activities such as antitumor, ant-imalarial, anti microbial, anti protozoal, pesticidal activities2. The common structural features of acetogenins include several free hydroxy groups with various stereo centers, differently located oxygenated functional groups and tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring(s) along the long hydrocarbon chain with an ÃŽ ±, ÃŽ ²-unsaturated ÃŽ ´-lactone moiety at the end. Uvaricin, a bis THF acetogenin was the first of the AAGs isolated from Uvaria acuminata in 1982. It exhibited potent anti-cancer activity by inhibiting NADH cells in the mitochondrion. The total synthesis of Hexepi-Uvaricin was published by Hoye in 1994 and subsequently first total synthesis was achieved by Keinan in 1998. Montanacin D is a non classical acetogenin isolated from the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Annona Montana16 by Qin group in 1999, possessing a 4,8-cis THP ring along with a 16,19-trans THF ring. Ionomycin Amphidinolides Amphidinolides constitute a series of unique cytotoxic polyketide macrolides obtained from marine symbiotic dinoflagellates of the genus Amphidinium, which are symbionts of Okinawan marine flatworms Amphiscolops spp.1 They exhibit potent cytotoxic activity against murine lymphoma L1210 cells and human epidermoid carcinoma KB cells. Given below are some important Amphidinolides that incorporate a THF-ring in their structure Pectenotoxins Pectenotoxin (PTX)-group toxins are a group of polyether macrolide compounds found in microalgae and bivalve molluscs of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and some parts of Europe. Their presence in shellfish was discovered due to their high acute toxicity in the mouse bioassay after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of lipophilic extracts of shellfish. Pectinotoxins are exclusively produced by Dinophysis species. In shellfish they are always accompanied by closely related okadaic acid (OA)-group toxins. The common structural features of (PTX)-group toxins include a spiroketal group, three THF-rings, a bicyclic ketal and a six-membered cyclic hemiketal (Allingham et al., 2007). PTX2 is beleived to be the main precursor, from which many PTX-group toxins are derived through biotransformation during metabolism in the gut of bivalves. It is suggested that an oxidation of PTX2 occurs, leading to the formation of other PTX-group toxins, including PTX1, PTX3, and PTX6 PTX-group toxins have been shown to cause cell cycle arrest, cell death and apoptosis. The wide range (10-9 and 10-6 M) of effective concentrations of PTX-group toxins as well as the apparent resistance of some cell lines to the cytotoxic effect of PTX-group toxins indicate the existence of cell-specific factors affecting the sensitivity of biological systems to this group of natural compounds. Studies have confirmed that PTX2 induces apoptosis in several cell lines through multiple mechanisms, involving the perturbation of the cell cycle machinery, inhibition of mitotic separation and cytokinesis through the depolymerization of actin filaments. Oscillariolide and Phormidolide Oscillariolide is a halogenated macrolide isolated from a marine blue-green alga Oscillatoria sp. from Gokashowan-Bay, Mie Prefecture. It exhibits significant cytotoxic activity in the echinoderm egg assay. Phormidolide, a closely related macrolide was isolated from the extract of a laboratory culture of an Indonesian isolate of the cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. It displayed cytotoxicity towards drine shrimp with a LC50 of 1.5  µM. The characteristic features of both oscillariolide and phormidolide include a trisubstituted bridged THF macrolactone with a long polyhydroxy chain containing a unique terminal bromo diene. Structural elucidation revealed that the polyhydroxy side as well as THF ring of both compounds have same stereochemistry Chagosensine Chagosensine is a sixteen-membered chlorinated macrolide isolated from the methanolic chloroform extract of a bright yellow sponge Leucetta chagosensis usually found in the coral reefs of Red Sea, Aqaba Gulf (Israel). the extract of the Leucetta sp. sponge exhibited potent ability to inhibit the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway. A new mechanism for the action of naamidine A and inhibition of tumor cells was shown.