Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Summarise The Main Development Of A Child Free Essays

Although the development of each child is unique to the individual, there are certain ‘milestones’ that need to be achieved before a child moves on to the next stage of its development. These milestones, or averages, are used to assess the development of an individual child, all the time recognizing that different children will reach these milestones at different times. There are five defined areas of development that can be observed during childhood and these are physical, intellectual, language, emotional and social development. We will write a custom essay sample on Summarise The Main Development Of A Child or any similar topic only for you Order Now I will look at these areas in turn, noting the average milestones that can be expected during the early years. Physical In the first two years of life we see probably the most accelerated physical development in a child’s life. They move from being unable to hold their own head up to being able to walk and run with confidence. When a baby is born it will be very limited in its physical abilities, spending most of its time lying on its back. However by the end of 3 months a baby will begin to lift its own head, kick vigorously and follow the movement of its own hands. By 6 months it will be able to grasp objects, often trying to put them in its mouth. By one year most children will be moving either by rolling, shuffling or crawling (some will even be able to walk unaided by this time). In the second year there will be the further development of mobility skills such as jumping, walking up and down stairs and being able to throw and kick a ball, though they may still lack confidence in catching a ball. Between the ages of 3-5 a child’s physical development will have come on in leaps and bounds – literally! They will be able to run, jump, ride a tricycle, throw and catch a ball, balance, hop and move to music. Their  fine motor skills have developed to the point that their drawings will now resemble the subject. By the age of 8 they will have developed both physically and in confidence so that they will be able to jump from a height, ride a bicycle without the aid of stabilisers and will have grown in agility and coordination. Intellectual In the early months of a new-borns life they will begin to focus on faces and, in time, reach and grasp for objects that are close by. By the time they are 9 months old they will enjoy simple games (such as peek-a-boo) and be amused by more complicated objects. By the end of their first year a child will have begun to imitate those around it and will also be aware of how people react to their moods. Pretend play becomes part of the child’s life by the age of two and will continue in complexity over the coming few years. By three their fine motor skills will have developed to the point where they can hold and control a pencil. Over the next two years their memory and concept of time will develop further and they will begin to recognize letters and numbers, being able to read simple words and count with confidence. For the most part, their inquisitiveness will know no bounds resulting in numerous questions. From age 6-8 they will gain confidence in their numeracy, literacy and motor skills. Language Communication for a 0-3 month old baby is limited to crying, gurgling and cooing. However over the following few months a baby will learn how to laugh and will begin to imitate sounds they hear. By the age of one they will have begun to understand and respond to simple instructions, and may be using simple words themselves. By the age of 2 a child may be using a limited number of words in speech, however they will understand a great many  more. Between the ages of 3 and 5 a child may experience some frustration in speech as they find it difficult to communicate exactly what they are meaning but they will continue to develop verbally and will become more inquisitive, asking questions and often understanding far more than they speak themselves. By the age of 8 a child will be able to converse at a much more mature level and will have a wide vocabulary to draw upon. Emotional The first signs of emotional development are seen when a baby begins smiling at around 5-6 weeks old. They will often respond to the attention given to them by others with a smile and will enjoy the interaction of another’s voice. However in the second half of the first year a baby will begin to show a distinction between those people they know and those they don’t, often becoming distressed if the main caregiver is not within sight. By the time they are 3 they have become much more aware of their own feelings and why they feel a certain way. And by the age of 5 they are able to hide or control their own feelings and are beginning to understand others’ feelings. Between the ages of 6 and 8 years old a child may become more competitive and assertive. This can lead to more demanding behaviour. Social From birth a baby will learn to adapt and respond to the people around them. They will show pleasure at interactions with others but will probably show a preference for their main caregiver\s. By the age of two they will enjoy playing with other children but, as with any other skill, they will need to learn how to socialise, for example, learning to share. Over the next few years a child will grow in confidence and will engage much more in social settings – making friends, taking turns and learning to negotiate. They will become much more aware of ‘self’ – their gender and culture – and will be developing a sense of right and wrong. Between the ages of 6 and 8 some children will become very sociable, forming many friendships, sometimes with one particular ‘best friend’, whilst others will step back from social situations, preferring to spend more time alone. Analyse key social, economic and environmental factors, which may influence development The key social factor for any child that can affect its development, both positively and negatively, is that of relationships. A child in a loving and healthy relationship with a parent or primary caregiver will be more able to form healthy relationships with others; they will be in an environment where they can develop better social skills and be more self-confident. The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (US) states that, â€Å"We have long known that interactions with parents, caregivers, and other adults are important in a child’s life, but new evidence shows that these relationships actually shape brain circuits and lay the foundation for later developmental outcomes, from academic performance to mental health and interpersonal skills.† (Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University: 1) There are a number of ways in which parents or significant caregivers can help to steer the course of a child’s development. These include the way a child is nurtured, stimulated and modeled certain behaviours. For example having developed verbal skills will affect a child’s social development. A child whose parents talk to them frequently will likely be better equipped to engage verbally with other children. Babies listen to their parents’ conversations even before they can understand language and learn the basics of conversation before they begin speaking. Talking to a child frequently can encourage strong verbal skills, which, in turn, will encourage good social skills. Economic factors can also have a substantial bearing on a child’s development. Factors such as persistent poverty, inadequate house and poor nutrition can all have a detrimental affect on a child’s development. A study by Lisa Harker for Shelter in 2006 found that: ’Achild’shealthygrowthanddevelopmentaredependenton many factors, includingtheimmediateenvironmentin which they live. Research has demonstrated thatchildren’slife chances (the factors thataffecttheircurrent and future well-being) areaffectedbythe standard of their housing.’ (Harker, 2006 : 2) The study goes on to outline the effects that poor housing can have on a child’s health, both mental and physical, education and life chances. Poor nutrition is another threat to a child’s continued development. Poor diet during early development (0-3yrs) can lead to learning and memory deficits, lower IQ and school achievement, and behavioural problems in childhood (Mcgregor, (1995), Lui et al, 2005 : 3). Children also require a varied environment in which to interact and explore. Actively engaging all of their senses stimulates brain cells and encourages growth. Therefore stimulation with appropriate toys and equipment in early childhood can have a significant impact on the child’s development. Describe children’s overall development needs. To progress in such a way that a child will reach the majority of their developmental milestones within a given timeframe a child needs, first and foremost, a positive loving relationship with a significant adult(s). This adult will provide for the basic physiological needs of the child (appropriate healthy nutrition, human touch and shelter), the safety needs of the child (keeping him/her safe from dangers in the immediate environment, safe from abusive relationships and making sure the child has access to appropriate health care) and the social needs of the child (unconditional love, room to explore and play and interact with other children and adults and giving them a sense of a place to belong). These foundational building blocks, which the significant adult puts in place in a child’s life, pave the way for a child to be able to develop further in all five of the defined areas of development. How to cite Summarise The Main Development Of A Child, Papers

Sunday, May 3, 2020

International Consortium for Health Outcomes-myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theInternational Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement. Answer: Introduction: ICHOM (The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement) is a non-profit organization which is founded by the three leaders in 2012 Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School, Martin Ingvar of the Karolinska Institute and the Boston Consulting Group, with the theoretical background of providing the value based health care system (ICHOM, 2018). The mission of the organisation is to unlock the potential of value-based health care by defining global Standard Sets of outcome measures that really matter to patients for the most relevant medical conditions and by driving adoption and reporting of these measures worldwide (Dahlberg, 2016). Utilization management The organisation through a certain set of standards is transforming the health care system around the globe with a reduction in the usage of the unnecessary medical resources by measuring and reporting the outcomes of the patients in a standardised way. Utilization management results ICHOM through certain techniques reduces managing cost of the health care without reducing the standards of the care (Klein, 2015). ICHOM through utilization management is to measure the patient outcomes that majorly matters to the patients(Klein, 2015). In terms of the utilization management, the organisation is to arrange groundwork for the significant value based system of the health care organisation. The long term goals of the organisation through utilization management are to deliver the best health care services (Spielthenner, 2015). The main concern of the organisation is to maintain the balance between the quality health care benefits and the medical necessities for getting the value based health care system. Value= Health outcome /Assigned resources Aligning patient, financier and profession interests (Dahlberg, 2016) As a result of the increasing cost of the health care, there are certain changes in the reimbursement strategies which in turn are affecting the services related to the health care. The standardised approach of the organisation helps it to compare the outcomes across the different cultures. This helps the organisation to be focused on the patient's value care and not only to lower the costs. ICHOM through the services is to create such an environment where the patients can ask the health care professionals about the significant outcomes and the professionals can also reply with the answers that are data driven (Kelley, 2015). The focus is to improve the patient and health care professionals relationship with the new definition of the success that transforms the health care system in many significant ways. The review concepts related to the medical necessity are applied by the organisation is for validating the required medical services and if the duration of the services that is requested is within the defined range and the requirement of the services is to be appropriate in the situation (Spielthenner, 2015). ICHOM covers all the surgical and health care services with an eye of improving certain functions in the situations of the future. Reviewing the concepts such as the admission review, preadmission, discharge planning and the high cost management goal is to guarantee that the patients are receiving the most favourable care, but certain inpatient actions are cautiously managed to supply enhanced outcomes while at the same time managing resources. Cautious analysis of patient care consent to the expansion of upgrading plans to optimize conclusion for prospect patients. Developing standards: ICHOM has recognized a certain set of standards for the thirteen different conditions which covers around 35% of the disease burden globally. ICHOM is presently working with the health systems and innovative providers worldwide for supporting the adoption of such standard sets (Kelley, 2015). ICHOM is establishing such healthcare organizations to facilitate and measure Patient-Reported Outcome, and improve, demonstrate better outcomes, earn respect, attract patients and turn out to be leaders amongst their peers (Kelley, 2015). Delphi techniques were used to define, track and measures the outcomes of the patients and improving the outcomes related to the patient care (Snozek, Kaleta Hernandez, 2014). The developing standards encompass the certain range of the outcomes that related to the morbidity, mortality and the health status of the patients that is the functional status, symptoms, and quality of life relate to health (Kelley, 2015). The organisation is developing standards with the reduction in the cost of the health care if the treatment decision that is made by the physician is based on the outcomes than patients are probable to receive elevated quality care (Snozek, Kaleta Hernandez, 2014). This lessens the costs related to the health care with the prevention of the unnecessary treatments and medical errors and is financially improved for payers. It makes sure payers merely pay for services which achieve results so money is not spent on the avoidable costs. Standard sets focus on achieving the health status and then the process of recovery and finally health sustainability (Kelley, 2015). Key performance Indicators: KPIs suitably explain compound organisational goals; the central goal of the health care is helping the patients: cure their illness, alleviate their distress, and help in managing the health over time (Ng Harrison, 2010). Performing this in an efficient and effective way one needs the outcomes data. KPIs such as readmission rates; mortality; infection rates; falls; supporting the decision making as an ethical imperative for the health care professionals for measuring the outcomes and comparing the results (Ng Harrison, 2010). A partnership approach to the patient and the health care professionals is done for treating the critical conditions. Yes, they are the accreditation bodies as it is clinical led and measure the outcomes which matter to the patients at the most. ICHOM globally works under certain standard sets that are international and enables to benchmark the outcomes. (Ng Harrison, 2010). The focus of the Key Performance indicators is to deliver the best health care to th e patients. Conclusion: The organization believes in the standardized approach globally as a result of a reduction in the costs of health care, worldwide collaboration, accommodating globally. The standards of the organizations with reducing the cost of the health care and top completely focus on the care of the patients. Utilization management in the health care transforms the health care standards and thus provides the best health care services globally. References Dahlberg, L. (2016). ICHOM Standard Set for monitoring knee and hip osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis And Cartilage,24, S436-S437. ICHOM, (2018). How we work | ICHOM International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement. (2018).Ichom.org. Retrieved 6 April 2018, from https://www.ichom.org/how-we-work/ Kelley, T. (2015). International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM).Trials,16(S3), 4-5. Klein, V. (2015). Delivering safe and trusted healthcare-Patient-centered and value-based.Journal Of Healthcare Risk Management,35(2), 7-7. Ng, J., Harrison, J. (2010). Key performance indicators for clinical pharmacy services in New Zealand public hospitals: stakeholder perspectives.Journal Of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research,1(2), 75-84. Snozek, C., Kaleta, E., Hernandez, J. (2014). Management structure: Establishing a laboratory utilization program and tools for utilization management.Clinica Chimica Acta,427, 118-122. Spielthenner, G. (2015). The Principle-Based Method of Practical Ethics.Health Care Analysis,25(3), 275-289.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Enron Paper Essays (1440 words) - Enron Scandal, Accounting Scandals

Victoria Sanson Sociology 332: Sociology of Organization Professor Deng April 26, 2018 Enron Scandal Modern formal organizations have taken over the traditional organizations. The modern formal organization has split the atom of private property. This private property consists of two rights, the right to use the property and the right to benefit from the use of the property. Modern organization also consist of two groups of actors, the agents hold the usage rights and the principals retain the right to benefit from that use. While in traditional organizations, there is no such separation between the right to use and the right to benefit from the use, between principals and agents. The modern formal organization is little more than a buddle of contracts signed by multiple principals and multiple agents. Principals are the buyer of the goods or services and for most companies the principals are multiple owners, such as the shareholders and taxpayers. These people want to accomplish a certain goal but lack some of the skills or capacities necessary to do so. In order to accomplish t his goal the principals must find other people with those skills or capacities and obtain their service in return for remuneration of some sort. The agents are the sellers of the goods or services. The agents are all those employed by the corporation, such as CEO and production workers or by the governments, such as the governing officials and employees. Throughout the late 1990s, Enron was almost universally considered one of the country's most innovative companies. Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 20,000 staff and was one of the world's major electricity, natural gas, communications and pulp and paper companies, with claimed revenues of nearly $101 billion during 2000. Fortune named Enron "America's Most Innovative Company" for six consecutive years. At the end of 2001, it was revealed that Enron's reported financial condition was sustained by institutionalized, systematic, and creatively planned accounting fraud, known since as the Enron scandal. Enron is a modern formal organization that was made up of many different contracts. These contracts ranged from electrical, gas, to political relationships. One on the main contracts that Enron had was a natural gas call Enron Oil. Enron made a bet with two different oil trades and due to Enron's political ties with the Bush administration, Enron always won the bet. Enron had one of the most significant relationships between a presidential family and a single corporation. The executives had a connection to the Bush administration, which help Enron secure billions of dollars in government subsidies. This was great for Enron on betting on oil. Once Enron started to make money of their oil industry, many of the higher ups in the company began to put company profit into their personal bank accounts. Along with this action they began to gamble all of Enron's reserved trades. Executives being to manipulate money to make it appear as though there were winning in the gamble. Another major co ntract that Enron had was PGE Electrical. PGE was marketed in California and all profit that PGE gain became profit for Enron. Once Enron began doing business in California things were not always that bright. Enron began creating artificial power shortages in California, which helped trigger an energy crisis in 2000 and 2001. Electricity traders at Enron drove up prices during the California power crisis through questionable techniques. This event cost residents billions of dollars in surcharges and the yearlong energy crisis cost California alone 30 billion dollars. The agents of Enron have maximized their utilities at the expenses of principals' interests. These agents consistent of the top executives of Enron. These executives played the company for their own advantages without worrying about the outcome for the rest of the company. These people have forged the public records of their income to make the public and their shareholders believe that Enron was bringing in more money than they actually were. Marked to Market is the changing of numbers on the public record. This allowed Enron's profit to be whatever the people at Enron wanted it to be. The agents were putting portion of company money in

Friday, March 6, 2020

Singing, Slashing, Sweeney Todd Professor Ramos Blog

Singing, Slashing, Sweeney Todd Throughout the 19th century, the publishing phenomenon of the penny dreadful was in full swing. A penny dreadful was a cheap and popular form of serial literature that was being produced in the United Kingdom. This literature was predominately filled with gruesome violence and horrors that allowed the minds of Victorian readers to run rampant with curiosity. A byproduct of the penny dreadful was a character known as Sweeney Todd in a story called The String of Pearls (1946-47). Todd was a barber in a thriving barbershop on Fleet Street who was a neighbor to a woman named Mrs. Lovett, who colluded with Todd in the murder of several customers that would enter his shop. The character of Sweeney Todd has been adapted into many different forms since its debut. One of the most recent and popularized adaptations of Sweeney Todd is the movie Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) directed by Tim Burton. Through a further exploration of the two stories, it is possible to analyze Todd, not only as a literary character who has garnered a great deal of popularity, but also a monstrosity. By identifying the characteristics and story-based habituality of Todd, there can be a substantial amount of evidence that eludes to Todd being characterized as monster and how the story arch contributed to the development of Todd as a horrendous character. This analysis is derived by utilizing Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s monster theory and its multiple theses and applications to the story of Sweeney Todd. ​To begin, Todd will be analyzed by applying the first thesis of Cohen’s monster theory. Thesis one discusses the idea of the monster’s body as a cultural body. As stated by Cohen, â€Å"[t]he monster is born only at this metaphoric crossroads, as an embodiment of a certain cultural moment.† This allows the monster to create a sense of fear in the audience by prying directly at real-life events. By assimilating itself with real-life events, the relatability is further unlocked to the audience. In terms of Sweeney Todd, as a character, his monstrosity was also derived directly from the realities that were affecting the time. In terms of Todd, as a monster, he was monstrous because of the usually mundane nature of his job, twisted into a fearful false reality of a â€Å"Demon Barber.† It was customary to the time in London, as well as other parts of the world for men to go to barbershops to get a shave. Because of that it made the character of Sweeney Todd appear as a person whom one would not suspect to commit such gruesome acts. In regards to Mrs. Lovett, her character was an example of the indecencies that people may have been experiencing in terms of the food industry of the time. As discussed in an article by Rosalind Crone, called â€Å"From Sawney Beane to Sweeney Todd: Murder machines in the mid-nineteenth century metropolis,† Crone asserts that â€Å"Mrs. Lovett’s pies drew on concerns about the use of diseased meat in products for human consumption, and even more particularly, fears about the vulnerability of urban foodstuffs to corporeal contamination as a result of badly maintained sewage systems and overcrowded burial grounds† (Crone 19). That, to some degree, was why the story of Sweeney Todd was so well received. The stories ability to touch its audience and create a sense of cultural relatability clearly influenced its success in its time. That is just one example of how Sweeney Todd can be analyzed using Cohen’s Monster Theory, now it is time to look at Todd from the next. ​To continue in the analyzation of Todd using Cohen’s Monster Theory, it is important to highlight another one of Cohen’s theses. This is where it is paramount to look at â€Å"Thesis VII: The Monster Stands at the Threshold†¦of Becoming.† The reason why it is important to follow Thesis I with Thesis VII is because it allows a better comprehension of Todd’s development as a heinous creature. In order to fully understand his character, it is important to compare his character and reason for his monstrosity. In the original story, The String of Pearls, Todd is presented as a barber who has taken a man named Lieutenant Thornhill (who is believed to be Mark Ingestrie using a different name) as prisoner, as he comes into the shop for a shave. Mark is then forced to work for Todd in the vault and make pies out of his victims. The story continues by elaborating on all of the ways in which Johanna, Mark’s wife to be, proceeds in finding her belo ved Mark. Johanna does this by disguising herself as a boy, in order to, become an apprentice of Sweeney Todd, following the arrest of his previous apprentice, Tobias, and investigate the disappearance of her betrothed. Once Mark finally escaped the vault by using the lift that the pies are transported on, he gets to the pie shop where he reveals to the customers that Lovett’s pies are made of human flesh. This is where Lovett is then set to be arrested, but Todd has placed poison in her brandy bottle which causes her to die before being arrested. Todd is then arrested and hung, allowing Johanna and Mark to marry and live their lives happily together. This all allows for an interesting story, but the real root of the problem is that Todd is a murderer. Throughout the String of Pearls, the true motive for these murders is never clearly stated, thus leaving the audience to surmise which motive they believe is the most logical or to ponder if these acts were done merely out of m ere insanity. Todd murders people of power and wealth and robs them of their riches. Oddly enough, Todd does not appear to enjoy the killing or the riches, he kills almost emotionless and does so without remorse for his actions. His motives, however, are more heavily supported in the more recent rendition of the story. In Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Todd is given a more in-depth background that allows for a different level of sympathy from the audience than that of the Sweeney Todd in The String of Pearls. His murders are almost justified by a perspective that they are solely vengeance driven, opposed to the killing he does in The String of Pearls, due to what is simply assumed to be because of his insanity. In the new adaptation, most his murders all fall into the background as actor, Johnny Depp, breaks into song. They are depicted with all of their graphicness, but they all seem almost insignificant to Todd because they are not the person that he is longing to kill and finally get revenge on. In the film, the person that Todd is trying to get revenge on is a judge that wrongfully sentenced him to prison time in order to steal Todd’s wife and later on try to marry Todd’s daughter. This is the core reason why Todd is believed to have gone insane in the film.This adaptation of the story allows for the actions of Todd to be justified to some extent. Apart from the murder of the judge, however, it is still unreasonable to try to justify the other numerous murders he performs throughout the film in preparation for his long-awaited revenge. About midway through the film Todd has a scene where he and Mrs. Lovett are in his shop, just moments after he had a chance to kill the judge, where he explains that he is going to â€Å"cleanse† the world of what he believed to be â€Å"vermin.† That is where the film differs greatly from the original and allows the audience to sympathize and understand a deeper storyline in term s of Todd’s murders. ​Finally, the last Cohen’s Thesis VI can be discussed. Thesis VI discussed the fact that the â€Å"Fear of the Monster is Really a Kind of Desire.† The character of Sweeney Todd is an interesting monster in terms of this because in his different portrayals, the characterization differs greatly. That, however, is one thing that has drawn people to the story of Sweeney Todd and for that reason, why there has been several versions and adaptations of the story. The direct description from the original story follows as such: â€Å"The barber himself was a long, low-jointed, ill-put-together sort of fellow, with an immense mouth, and such huge hands and feet, that he was, in his way, quite a natural curiosity; and, what was more wonderful, considering his trade, there never was seen such a head of hair as Sweeney Todds† (Rymer). The character described in that quote was not at all translated to the film adaption, where the character of Sweeney Todd was portrayed by actor, Johnny Depp. The director of the film tried to portray Sweeney Todd as more physically desirable. This allowed for a more engaging portrayal that appeals directly to Cohen’s Thesis VI. This is depicted in the film throughout many different scenes where Mrs. Lovett is still drawn to Todd, regardless of the fact that he is murdering people and in a very dramatic scene even threatens her. Depp’s portrayal of Todd is a clear example of how the character was changed, in order to appeal to the audience and enhance the desire towards Todd. ​ To conclude, there is a plethora of information that exist in regards to analyzing and understanding Sweeney Todd as a monstrous character. The way Todd is used to touch on the cultural fears of the time contributed to the fear he garnered. Next, the character development in terms of how he came to be allowed the audience to interpret the monster that Todd is for themselves. Lastly, the way his characterization affects his monstrosity because the fear he receives from others is also directly correlated to his desirability. Todd falls directly into the category of psychopathic murderer and clearly fits well. Todd is a good example of a murderous monster because his killing, aside from the eventual murder of the judge, cannot be justified. Many other monster murderers that have existed in the past amass fear through the simple explanation that their killing has no reason behind it. So, in terms of that, Todd is a great example of a murderous monster. With that, Todd believed that he had the obligation to cleanse London of all of â€Å"vermin† that roamed the street. Todd’s demon-complex is another intricacy that is intertwined into the story that enables the character of Todd to be seen as a false prophet. Todd, in comparisons, is often paralleled with Lucifer/Satan in regards to them both being casted out and â€Å"return† with the hope of taking the souls of those whose time has come. All of those factors contribute directly to the quality of monster that Sweeney Todd is. For all of those reasons, it is clear to see that Sweeney Todd has been overlooked and should be considered just as monstrous as other murderous monsters such as Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees. Burton, Tim, John Logan, Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Richard D. Zanuck, Johnny Depp, Carter H. Bonham, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Cohen S. Baron, Jayne Wisener, Jamie C. Bower, Laura M. Kelly, Ed Sanders, Anthony S. Head, Peter Bowles, Stephen Sondheim, Hugh Wheeler, and C G. Bond.Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. , 2008. Cohen, Jeffrey Jerome. Monster Theory: Reading Culture. University of Minnesota Press, 1996. Crone, Rosalind. From Sawney Beane to Sweeney Todd: Murder machines in the mid-nineteenth century metropolis.Cultural and Social History7.1 (2010): 59-85. Poore, Benjamin, and Kelly Jones. Introduction to ‘Swing Your Razor Wide’: Sweeney Todd and Other (Neo-) Victorian Criminalities.Neo-Victorian Studies2.1 (2008): 1-16. Rymer, James M, G A. Macfarren, Thomas P. Prest, Edward P. Hingston, and Albert Smith.The String of Pearls, Or, the Barber of Fleet Street: A Domestic Romance. London: E. Lloyd, 1850.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

China is pursuing a policy of 'creeping assertiveness' in the south Essay

China is pursuing a policy of 'creeping assertiveness' in the south China Sea - Essay Example It is considered to be the only place that has the depth and expanse to baffle the Japanese and American navies’ ability to reel in the Chinese navy. In an interesting comparison of China’s maritime geography and that of imperial Germany, they argue (convincingly) that China holds an advantage (strategically) in naval competition and rivalry in the South China Sea (Bussert 2011, p.16). According to Antony (2010, p.24), the South China Sea has been identified as a weakness in the strategy of ‘peaceful rise’ that has been adopted by Beijing. The announcement by Zhou Enlai that the waters of the SCS were a ‘vital interest’, China has used its claims to the water body as a stern warning to other nations that its regional dominance could be more aggressive than is insinuated by Chinese leaders. What has been more surprising (and alarming) is the fact that it is clear Beijing has succeeded in splitting the diplomatic harmony and solidarity in ASEAN w ith regards to the issue. Other powers in Asia should take note because their reaction to this matter stands to play a significant strategic role in Indo-Pacific’s future landscape. ... Key words; Assertiveness, South China Sea, PLA Navy Introduction China is one of the most rapidly economically developing nations in the world with a Growth Domestic Product of 1.8 percent expansion in the first quarter of 2012 (Clarke 2010, p.34). Historically, China’s average quarterly GDP growth has risen from 2.15 percent to a record 2.20 percent (considered the highest in history). China’s economy is rated the second largest in the world after the economy of the United States of America. In the last three decades, China’s economy has varied to a great extent from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to the international business towards a more market oriented mode which has a rapidly growing sector. A major component that supports China’s economic growth been ascribed to its high exports. In the quest to promote more economic development as well as the social advancement within the republic of China, the government has taken measures dir ected towards territorial protection, control and expansion (Cordesman 2007, p.31). Discussion The Chinese government has shown aggression towards territorial expansion especially the South China Sea (SCS) leading to an intensive political concerns and creation of a negative effect on the relationship between China and other countries surrounding it (Klare 2001, p.42). The Chinese government has practically claimed the South China Sea by using modes that may lead to military confrontation between China and the ASEAS such as Philippines. This condition has resulted to unresolved conflict between China and especially the Philippines over time. The claims over the South China Sea by

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Audi's Strategic Capabilities Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Audi's Strategic Capabilities - Case Study Example Tangible resources are the physical resources such as land and building, man and money and intangible resources are non-physical assets such as knowledge, intellectual capital and reputation. Audi is known by its abundant resources in physical as well as non-physical form to differentiate it from its rivals. A large amount of skilled people with right aptitude is the most significant capital of Audi. In a market of many giant car manufacturers with diverse products and product strategies, the first and foremost weapon of every automaker is to keep itself ahead in producing quality products at minimum cost. The strategic management basically relies on the philosophy that difference creates business. This difference from rivals firms can be achieved in many ways. Firms differ in competencies and resources. Cost reduction and efficient production has been the basis of strategic capability for many organizations. Audi has also been very strategic in reducing the cost of their production without sacrificing the quality of their products. This has made the company to turn itself as one of the most sought after automaker in the world. Competitive advantage of an organization is the unique quality which its rivals firms do not possess. These competitive advantages can be attained in any area such as production, marketing or customer relationship management. Firms that possess these competencies in more fields as compared to that of its rivals are said to have competitive edge over others and they are likely to succeed more in relation to its competitors. As regards Audi is concerned, it has built overtime a highly effective and efficient multichannel customer care center across the world which helped the firm to be effective in individualized marketing campaigns, customer process costs. This has further reduced the lead-processing by more than 80 percent. Discusses how the concept of organizational knowledge relates to strategic capability and how it might contribute to competitive advantage of organizations. Organizational knowledge is the aggregate acquaintance accumulated through systems, routines, and activities of sharing across an organization. As such it is carefully accompanying to what has so far been discussed as the competences of an organization. Organizational knowledge has become so important because of several reasons. In the modern business environment organizations have become so complex and larger, as a result of people need to share their knowledge over wide sphere of activities and departments. Moreover, the information technology has improved dramatically so as to pave the ways for more accurate and real time knowledge processing and sharing. Consider the ways in which strategic capability might be analyzed. First consider the concept of the value chain and value network as ways of understanding which activities add value and which do not. Conclude with a SWOT from the point of view of understanding strategic capability in relation to competitors Strategic capability

Monday, January 27, 2020

Impact of Globalization on Translation

Impact of Globalization on Translation Introduction Under the circumstances of globalization, the demand for high-quality and high- speed translations has been increasing worldwide. Satisfying these demands may result of the increasing of time and cost for translators and translation companies. Thus how enhance the quality and productivity with low cost is one of the problems. In order to achieve the time and cost saving, the computer assisted translation (CAT) tools is playing an important role in translation industry. The CAT tools enabling to cover the whole translation process at a time has been created and commercialized by the language industry in recent decades (Austermuhl, 2001). Amongst translation tools, translation memory (TM) systems are considered as the effective tools due to increasing translation productivity by offering previous translation automatically (Austermuhl, 2001). However, there are various TM systems worldwide and which is the most effective may vary depends on individual requirements such as language syste m or text types. This essay will attempt to assess two TM systems, SDL Trados Studio and Wordfast classic, by comparing each feature of operational functions. To compare and assess two TM systems, the concept of TM systems, features of respective TM systems first will be explained as background knowledge of the discussion in this essay. The outline of TM systems Translation memory is a database of multilingual texts which allow to storage both the source and target text segments in parallel and retrieved accordance with the set criteria (Austermuhl 2001 cites Expert Advisory Group on Language Engineering Standards, EAGLES ). Namely, the target text is first divided into segment units and stored in TM through translation process. These stored segments are available to be reused for the new translation project. If the segments stored in TM are perfectly matched or similar to the new source text, TM offers the previous translations automatically to a translator. The translator can decide whether these offered translations should be accepted or not. Also it is possible to revise the previous translations in TM through and after translation. Esselink (2000) points out some disadvantage of TM as follows: The Final layout of translated text is not displayed until finishing the translation. In this case, proofreading after the translation is required. Some problems may occur in TM management, especially in the case of multilingual project. Revising TM after re-converted into the original style is not available, namely, in order to update TM, the translated file is required to be converted into TMs acceptable format again. Time consuming due to the requirement of converting the source text into the appropriate format for translation. TM filter is not updated when the source text is a new file format. As a result, some arrangement is required in order to be accepted. Changing the structure of the text is not available within paragraph. It is necessary to create the file filter depend on the file format if it is different from the default. Considering above mentions, he (2000) suggests that the material text should be examined before translation, and translators should decide whether to use TM, because in some cases, translating without TM is more effective than using TM system. Meanwhile, TM has recognized as effective and time-saving technology for massive translations, especially technical or manual text which include some repetitive use of technical terminology (Mitkov 2007). This is mostly due to the effectiveness against reducing duplicative work and to enhance the uniformity of terms. For example, in the case of the continuous translation project of the specific field, the TM is offered to the translator and the technical terms will be transferred from TM precisely to the new source text. By this means, TM allows translators to share the unique terminology used in the specific field and contributes to maintain the translation quality. The specific features of Wordfast Classic TM operational functions Wordfast Classic is defined as a CAT tool designed as a Microsoft Wordâ„ ¢ add-on. Its lightweight, flexible structure makes it easy to install and use (Wordfast 2010). This CAT tool comprises some useful operational functions, such as terminology management, importing exporting glossary and TM, document conversion, analysis and alignment (Wordfast 2010). Amongst the operational functions, some beneficial features of Wordfast Classic will be explained here. ITI Bulletin (2006) points out that Wordfast Classic is simple to use, which can not only apply to Word but also to Power Point, Access and Excel files by connecting directly with Word application interface. It is also compatible with other machine translation programs such as PowerTranslatorâ„ ¢ and other CAT tools such as Trados, by converting TM into another format which is appropriate for respective program and exporting it (ITI Bulletin 2006). Importing other TM to Wordfast is also available (ITI Bulletin 2006). In addition, alignment function allows editing the translation stored in TM after translation. Since this CAT tool is available of free download to own computer with some limitations, those who are considering to use this tool can try and examine how useful or not for them before paid registration(ITI Bulletin 2006). If download PlusToolsâ„ ¢ and add-in to the source document, Wordfast Classic is available for a variety of file format from HTML/ XLM to other tagged files (Miller 2002). However, there are some important reminders for using Wordfast Classic. One of them is that it is necessary to do clean-up TM after translation for updating the TM database (Miller 2002). Since database is stored as txt. format, revising the translated text is possible without Wordfast (Miller 2002). Thus translators tend to forget to update TM and glossary. As a result, the accuracy of TM will be lost and TM can not apply to other new translation project. The specific features of Trados TM operational functions Trados TM which comprising the source and target segments, is created in the Translation Memories view (Trados 2010). Respective segment pair of the source and target is called a translation unit and it is possible to add some information for each translation unit such as when it was created and updated, and who created it (Trados 2010). Thus it might be useful to manage the translation history. The translation unit is displayed in parallel, which is conducive to comparison of the source and target segment when editing. There are three types of matching function: fuzzy, context and 100% match (Trados 2010). Although the default of Fuzzy matching rate is set at 70% or over, this rate is able to be changed (Trados 2010). Context match is applied when the source text and TM segment match perfectly and have the same context (Trados 2010). 100%match means the source text segment match exactly with the TM segment (Trados 2010). In terms of the segmentation, Trados can customise the segmentation rules depend on respective languages; Chinese, French, English, German, Spanish and Japanese, which are supported by Trados (Trados 2010). Therefore, there is not required to adjust the segmentation each time. As mentioned above, fuzzy match is applied when the matching rate is 70% or over (Trados 2010). This indicates that if the matching rate between the source and the TM segment is less than 70%, TM will not return any translation (Trados 2010). Therefore, if preferring more or less than 70% matching customise of the fuzzy matching rate should be required. Comparison of feature between Wordfast and Trados TM With the avobe description as background, the feature of Wordfast and Trados TM will be compared and assessed. First of all, in terms of using TM in othe tranlation tools, both Wordfast and Trados can import/ export TM database by converting the file type into the acceptable format for respective TM. For example, Wordfast TM is stored in txt. format, while Trados TM is stored in sdltm. format. If converting Trados TM to Wardfast, it is necessary to export to a tmx.file. Then open it with MS Word and open Wordfast, then select it as TM. Likewise, Wordfast also can export its TM by converting TM into tmx.format, open Trados, creating new empty TM and import the txt.file. Secondly, although creating or opening Wordfast TM is almost as simple as that of Trados, Trados TM is enriched with various optional functions, such as Enable character-based concordance search and fuzzy match threshold, compared with Wordfast. However, when compareing the source segment with target segment for translaiton, Wordfast seems to be more useful than Trados. In wordfast, the segment is highlighted with gray color and it is not allowed to jump sentences till click the icon which represent to confirmation each time. By contrast, Trados does not have any specific functions which privent from moving to the next segment. As a result, skipping segment sometimes occur in Trados. Since generally translation project have a tendency to demand for high-speed and quality, translators are often forced to work long hours a day. This will result in a higher rate of translation leakage. Finally, while Wordfast can not allow a user to confirm the translated text layout during translation, Trados can display the finished translation within the edditing window. Therefore, the TM user can available to confirm the translated text layout even during translation. This display function of Trados might be effective to time saving, because the mistranslations or text layout and presentation can be recognized easily and translating and modifying can be available simultaneously in the editing window. Conclusion Although Wordfast and Trados share certain simiralities in those operational functions such as the availability of importing/ exporting TM, some merit and demerit of respective TM were also recognized. It is difficult to recommend which is more excellent CAT tool, bacause the detarmination of merit and demerit is affected by the situation. In the case of the massive translation team project, Trados may be more effective than Wordfast due to a variety of optional function. On the contrary, if translating relatively simple and short text, Wordfast may be convenience due to its simplicity of program configuration process. Therfore, it might be significant to examine which CAT tool is suitable for the translation text or project.