Monday, December 23, 2019

Liberal Studies Shopping The New Drug Of Choice - 1179 Words

Liberal Studies: Shopping-THE NEW DRUG OF CHOICE Answer the questions. Then talk about your answers: 1. How often do you go shopping (not for food)? a. Two or three times a week. b. Once a week. c. Twice a month. d. Once a month or less. 2. How often do you spend money when you go shopping? a. Almost always. b. Very often. c. Sometimes. d. Rarely 3. How often do you shop in malls? a. Almost always. b. Very often. c. Sometimes. d. Rarely 4. What’s the best thing about indoor malls? a. There are lots of stores. b. You don’t have to think about the weather. c. There are a lot of people. d. There is nothing good about malls. e. Other___________________________________ Article: Addicted to the Mall†¦show more content†¦What is author’s purpose in each article? Why do you think so? To teach readers how to do something To inform readers about something. To describe something to readers. To persuade readers to do something. Reading 1 Author’s purpose: Reading 2 Author’s purpose: 2. Do you think shopping can be an addiction? Why or why not? 3. Would you like to go to Palm Desert? Why or why not? Comprehension: Reading 1 Read the statements and write true (T) or false (F). If it is false please write the correct answer: 1. All people who shop are recreational shoppers. 2. Recreational shoppers go shopping for fun. 3. Recreational shoppers love to own things. 4. Most shoppers dislike shopping. 5. Psychologists compared ordinary shoppers and recreational shoppers. 6. Recreational shoppers go shopping when they are sad. 7. Most recreational shoppers are men. 8. People spend more time in shopping malls than do they do at work. Reading 2 Read the statements and write true (T) or false (F). If it is false please write the correct answer: 1. Palm Desert Mall is in California. 2. This mall has more than 250 different places to spend money. 3. The mall has 43 different buildings. 4. It has 12 different movie theaters. 5. Some restaurants at the mall are expensive. 6. Karen’s Kitchen is a cooking store. Answer the questions: 1. Where can you find the inexpensiveShow MoreRelatedThe Crime Is An Act Essay1394 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough personal experience or daily conversations or more accurately through the media e.g. from films, newspapers and books etc. Media production goes through a process of mediation in which professional producers select and reject which stories are news worthy or not. 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Sunday, December 15, 2019

Problem Solving Critical Thinking †Hdlt Free Essays

Critical thinking and Problem Solving HDLT mini paper It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated. Alec Bourne. According to American educational Psychologist – Robert M Gagne – â€Å"The central point of any education is to teach people to think, to use their rational powers, to become better problem solvers. We will write a custom essay sample on Problem Solving Critical Thinking – Hdlt or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å" Looking at the current model of our own learning, in HDLT 2 class itself – as students of the second semester in the university; we have been exposed to theories of this subject before. It is now time for adapting, assimilating, applying the past knowledge in real life contexts. This adaptation is tested through fresh, innovative learning environments and higher expectations. Let us first determine critical thinking and problem solving and see how are these phenomenon interrelated with each other and the role both these skills play in our lives. Critical thinking (CT) is defined as â€Å" intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and /or evaluating information gathered from or generated by observations, experiences, reflections, reasoning or communication as a guide to belief and action. Scriven Paul, 2007, P 1). Thus simply put, CT is metacognition or thinking about thinking. Problem-solving (PS) is a mental process that involves ascertaining, investigating and solving problems. The eventual objective of problem-solving is to overcome hindrances and find a solution that best resolves the issue. These problems could range from simply crossing the road and reaching safely on the other si de without getting hurt by the oncoming vehicles or solving a Sudoku puzzle or figure out a estimated expenses of a trip or in case of a child, solving a multiplication sum given in the class. The term problem solving ( P S) in educational settings would involve solving well-structured text book problems which are poles apart from ill structured problems which are encountered in everyday life. Thus we can see that in order to effectively solve a problem, one may require to engage with it and critically think about it to find the best solution. Let us now look at certain important broad themes and specific problem solving processes used by children – Broad themes – 1. Task analysis – details of steps taken to actually solve problems. For example a child adds 2 multi digit numbers, the actual process – starting with adding the numbers in the right most column, writing ones digit as a part of the answer, carrying over the tens digit ( if it is so ) †¦ so on and so forth. Task analysis helps in identifying the exact places where child might be encountering difficulty in solving the problem, the nature of the difficulty. Thus it gives an insight into the manner in which the child solves problems; and thus provides scope for rectification. 2. Means – End analysis – Using this methodology, one solves a problem by considering the obstacles that stand between the initial problem state and the goal state. The path to reaching the goal can be achieved by accomplishing smaller sub goals. When all of the sub goals have been achieved – when all of the obstacles are out of the way – then the main goal of interest has been achieved. Thus, means-ends analysis can be seen as a search strategy in which the long-range goal is always kept in mind to guide problem solving. 3. Encoding – this literally means identifying critical information in order to build internal representations. Thus it is very important to train the child to filter out the relevant data from the all the available information. Many children fail because they are not thought how to encode critical information and utilize it. Important processes of Problem Solving- 1. Planning – this is future directed PS, most often used in difficult and new situations. But most often the novelty of the situation also ensures that children often forget to plan. 2. Route Planning – this is done in order to select a most efficient route in order to reach a destination. Children as early as one year of age start showing the development of this ability. Example – an adult figuring out his way in order to reach a new destination; after looking at various maps. The route is figured out post route planning. 3. Causal Inference – many a times problem solving is an attempt to understand the cause of a phenomenon. Humans are curious by nature. A two year old will constantly be in the endeavor to know â€Å"why things happen†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ why do birds fly, whereas animals don’t? so on and so forth. 4. Analogical Reasoning – In problem solving this is predominantly concerned with systemic correspondences, where a solution to a known problem may be applied to solving a structurally similar problem. Analogical reasoning improves with maturation and increase in content knowledge. According to Piaget’s stages of development analogical reasoning only starts developing in the pre operational stage ( ages 2 -7) and gets occasional limited success in concrete operational stage(7-11) and becomes fully developed by formal operational stage (age 11 through adulthood) Stage I (Preoperational) – egocentric responses using idiosyncratic relations. IA – children were unable to form lower-order relations IB – some children able to form lower-order relations, but unable to form analogies Stage II (concrete operational) – occasional, limited success IIA trial-and-error success on analogies, inability to resist false counter-suggestions IIB consistent success on analogies, but inconsistent ability to resist false counter-suggestions Stage III (formal operational) – Success on all aspects of the tasks. Criticism of Piaget – Goswami Brown reasoned that children might fail Piaget’s tasks because they lack knowledge of the relations entailed. On this view, children ought to be able to solve classical analogy problems provided the analogies are based on familiar relations. Practice in analogical reasoning improved young children’s spontaneous formation of analogies. 5. Scientific reasoning: Children question everything as a basic premise,they want to know the why , how of everything; but they are also hugely influenced by the beliefs that they see are carried around them. Whenever they actually do something on their own, they do develop an understanding and rationality regarding the same phenomenon. For example a child understands that sugar takes less time to dissolve in hot milk rather than cold milk. Thus, when they indulge in activities, experiment they develop scientific and logical reasoning. 6. Logical reasoning – It is when a child can apply logical rules in order to solve problems. Logical reasoning requires the child to link each alternative to the main problem by strong reasoning. They may also require using logical structure â€Å"If†¦ , Then †¦. † for example if a child has to climb up two floors, he could either use the lift or the stairs. If the escalator lift for some reason is not working, then either the child could wait till the lifet starts working or take the stairs. The choices have to be logically reasoned out. Both analogical and logical reasoning develop gradually over early and middle childhood whereas scientific reasoning does take more time to develop and take shape as it is much enhanced by experience. Along with certain important processes used in PS some of the others are – Symbolic representation as tools Rule based problem solving etc. Above we have also looked at Piagetian perspective on PS. Let us also look at the Vyogotsky’s perspective on the same. Lev Vygotsky gave some novel ideas regarding childrens learning and their problem solving abilities. 1. Zone of Proximal development (ZPD) – This is the zone where learning takes place. This zone represents the difference the between what the child can achieve on its own and what it can achieve with the help of others. In order, for learning to occur, the elder or peer must provide a challenge that is beyond the child’s own capabilities and yet be assisted. Thus assisted learning or peer learning is an important aspect of children developing the PS abilities. If children have done a task with an adult or under the guidance of an adult (ZPD) they tend to show improvement whilst performing as opposed to those who were attempting it for the first time ( Piaget’s discovery learning ). Vyogotsky also pointed towards the importance of private speech in children, whenever confronted with a novel problem. This speech could be their method of engaging with the problem. As children grow up and get better at symbolic interpretation, this private speech diminishes. Now let us look at how a constructivist classroom helps children in enhancing their PS abilities. Constructivist approaches to learning attempt to generate environments where learners are actively engaged in their surroundings and environments that help them to construct and develop their own understanding, reasoning and knowledge, rather than the teacher interpreting their world for them. The learners interaction with the environment and with the subject matter at hand results them in having their own view about the subject. Thus we can see that collaborative learning is the hallmark of a constructivist classroom. For example – group of students in a chemistry class are learning about properties of organic salts. Instead of directly stating the properties, the teacher will devise questions which will engage the students in challenging their previous knowledge, link it to the other phenomenon that they have already been studying and generate a new level of understanding regarding the topic. During the discussions and promptings, when one student comes with the relevant concept, the teacher would cash on it and hint to the group to further explore this concept. Late, she would sum up ay concluding what the class has learnt, what helped and what did not help them in constructing new knowledge. Question – The biggest question for me is the teaching methodology. In most of the schools, that me and my colleagues have visited during our practicum, we inevitably noticed that instead of focusing on teaching the students how to think, rationalize, develop an understanding. The focus is on what they should think? Conclusion – By providing them everything like â€Å"ready to eat meals†, we seal them from developing their own understanding. In a class room setting children, still encounter structured problems, in real life settings children will be coming across many ill structured problems. The aim of education must be to prepare them for encountering the challenges that they would face everyday. They have to be trained to adequately use their problem solving abilities within the classroom as well as outside it. References – Taylor, L, (2005). Introducing cognitive development. Taylor and Francis: Psychology Press. (Chapter: Thinking and reasoning). Siegler Alibali (2005). Chapter 10: Problem-Solving (pp 341-380). Synder L. Synder J. – Teaching critical thinking and Problem solving skills, The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, Volume L, No. 2, Spring/Summer, 2008 How to cite Problem Solving Critical Thinking – Hdlt, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Issues Stakeholder And Management Approach -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Issues Stakeholder And Management Approach? Answer: Introducation Leadership can be defined as the procedure of social influence by which effective leaders can maximize the efforts of the team members of the followers and thereby ensure achievement of a greater good. Researchers are of the opinion that proper leadership stems from social influence and never from power as well as authority (Rouche, Baker and Rose 2014). For being an effective leader, it becomes important to define and exhibit different ethical as well as moral courage and set a proper example for all the followers working in the organization. Leadership expert namely Warren Bennis was seen stating that leadership can be defined as the capability of translating vision into reality. Great leaders are mainly seen to be possessing dazzling social intelligence along with a zest for change (McCleskey 2014). Above all, leaders should have a vision that will be allowing followers to set their sights on the correct goals and objectives, which require attention. This assignment will first hel p to reflect my various strengths and weakness that will in turn play an important part in the development of an effective leader. I will conduct a self-assessment analysis to depict the different changes required in my attributes so that I can develop leadership skills, which will have the best effect on my team in the organization. Important leadership styles of 21st century: Certain forms of leaderships are criticized by business experts and are usually not followed in the 21st century. One of the leadership styles is the autocratic leadership style. Here the leaders are seen to take the entire decisions without consulting with that of the staffs and the followers (Dong et al. 2017). Most of the power within the teams mainly remains concentrated on the top in the position of the leader only and the followers are in the bottom position, which only follow the rules set by them. It is severely criticized as the team members do not get the scope of giving feedbacks to the leader that affects them emotionally. The members who disagree and do not perform as they are told often punished to keep the systems in the line. When the team members make any mistakes, the autocratic or the authoritarian leaders punish them in front of the peers as examples so that similar mistakes are never repeated. Blame is always provided on individuals even in cases of faulty proces ses (VanDierendock et al. 2014). All these affect the individuals mentally and emotionally for which they lose their confidence. They may also feel that the organization do not care for them which reduces productivity. Therefore, my leadership style will never contain the traits of such leadership theory. I will develop a leadership style that will be a perfect mixture of the traits of democratic leadership and transformational leadership. My leadership style would ensure inspirational motivation to the team members that will involve providing vision of the future to the followers. I will motivate them in ways where they will try to perform beyond expectations. I also believe in intellectual stimulation. This will help my team members to get over the various old assumptions, traditions and beliefs and in place inculcate novel thoughts of achieving success (Moriano et al. 2014). My leadership attribute will also make sure that I have individualized consideration where I would care ab out the needs as well as skills of my followers and try my best to help them sharpen their skills by effective and constructive feedback. I will never put my self-interest above all but will in turn look for the best for the organization. I will try to provide a clear vision of that of the future and motivate the staff members to exceed themselves. Besides, I will also incorporate the attributes of effective democratic leadership. I will encourage the team members to speak up and join the decision-making procedure. I will ensure that a culture of open communication takes place so that all the staff members feel that their voices matter. Followers are given enough space and freedom. They are also given scope to maintain their own personal responsibilities (Breevart et al. 2014). I will also provide effective feedback on the performance of the leaders that will act as guidance for them and help them to handle difficult situations effectively. I will also give them freedom to express t heir concerns and feedbacks, as I believe that a transparent communication system will help to overcome any negative feelings and build a more competitive and enthusiastic working environment. An idol I admire: I can provide an example of a great leader whom I take as my idol. Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin group that controls more than 400 companies. He is a dynamic and symbolic entrepreneur. He has multicolored ideas for advertisements, innovative ideas of leadership and very positive attitude. His followers describe him as fun, anti-establishment, warm, friendly, risk taker, adventurer, opportunist, fast, competitive, hard negotiator and workaholic. He holds a healthy leader-member relationship and believes in effective team working. He welcomes suggestions from employees and even invites them in family parties. He gives his teams freedom to be creative, as he believes creativity can influence effective teamwork. His work system is flat and non-hierarchial. All these had helped him to be successful as a leader (Martins et al. 2016). Trend of globalization and multi-culturism: Moreover, I also believe that the present trend of globalization had resulted in development of many multinational companies. Such organizations require effective communication not only among the multicultural teams within the nation but also with other teams overseas (Weiss 2014). Ineffective leadership with improper cultural competency may affect the members of team from diverse backgrounds. They may get emotionally upset if their cultural traditions, preferences and inhibitions are not cared for (Kohler 2015). Moreover, if effective cross-cultural leadership is ensured, there remains higher scope of work job satisfaction and lesser copes of job stress. With proper cross-cultural leadership, the team members get the scope of providing innovative ideas and creativities as they belong to different backgrounds. This helps in solving different issues as their strategies help in handling the issues in an out of the box way (Storlie et al. 2015). Some of the important traits that I need to master are developing a proper multicultural environment. I should first learn to understand the cultural gaps that exist between the different team members and try to notice the different approaches of the different members. I should also try to understand the language barriers and find out effective ways to help the members overcome the barriers and communicate effectively with the members. One of the most important attribute that I will incorporate in my leadership model is that I will make myself free from biasness and prejudices. I should strictly focus on the performance and results and never of the backgrounds of people. Effective corporate vision, team coordination and cooperation among the team members, humility and patience are some of the aspects that I will focus when I will be the leader. Leaders of the KFC had been successfully able to capture 40% of the Chinese fast food market by developing its product through local tastes and building a strong team of local leade rs and mangers. Starbucks and IKEA are following its footsteps. Johari window and self-analysis: I had conducted self-analysis with the help of the Johari Window which is a psychological tool developed by Harry Ingham and Joseph Luft in 1955. This tool is helpful as one can act use this diagnostic tool for developing self awareness, improving communications, personal development, group dynamics, team development, interpersonal relationships and many others. There are four important quadrants- one is the open area which shows the important aspects which I know about myself and want to share with others. The next is the blind area, which shows the characters I do not know about myself, but others know. I need to take effective feedbacks from my members of the team to be aware of such attributes. Then is the hidden area where the aspects are known by me but are not known to others. Then is the unknown area that shows characters that are neither known by me nor known by others. By using this diagnostic tool, I realized that I lack the skill to undertake self-assessment sessions. It gives scopes to work on the weakness and strengthen the good attributes. I also have sharp perception where I can conduct honest sessions with my team members and understand their perceptions about me, their perceptions about their role in the team, their work pressures, their feelings and others. These help me to handle situations effectively. I also came to know that I am quite responsive of the groups need. I had set proper goals for each of the members according to their credibility and their skills. Some of the effective skills that would help me develop the best leadership model and lead my team effectively is proper communication. Better the communication among the team, the better will be harmony and lesser will be blame games (Martins et al. 2016). Team members will work in a coordinated manner and will develop less stress emotionally. I will also develop proper motivation skills. The more the members are motivated, the better will be their productivity and lesser will be t heir chances of absenteeism (Rosemann and vom Brocke 2015). Moreover, I will also focus on development of my team building skills. I should ask for feedbacks from my team and will try to develop strong bonds among the team members by effective relationship building. I will hold meetings where all the members would be exchanging constructive feedbacks among each other. Effective bonding among members helps them to socialize well which in turn help them to release their stress and share their emotions with each other (Doppelt 2017). This helps in sharing job stress and helps in overcoming barriers. Conclusion: From the entire discussion above, it becomes quite clear that leaders are responsible for leading a team towards success by carefully analyzing the weakness of the team members and turning the weakness into strength. This will ensure meeting the goals of the organization. In order to be an effective leader, I will be developing traits of transformational and democratic leadership. I will also develop proper communication skills by which I can effectively exchange feedbacks with my team. This would help in empowering them so that they can align with the organizational vision and mission. I will also try to maintain a multicultural working environment by providing scopes to all to come forward and share their innovative skills and creativities. Moreover, rather than being judgmental about their performance, I will encourage them to overcome the barriers and try to achieve their goals. I will try to follow a leadership style that will motivate the employees and enhance their skills that will in turn develop their performance and productivity. All these will ultimately help me in being a successful leader who will help the organization to reach the zenith of success. References: Breevaart, K., Bakker, A., Hetland, J., Demerouti, E., Olsen, O.K. and Espevik, R., 2014. Daily transactional and transformational leadership and daily employee engagement.Journal of occupational and organizational psychology,87(1), pp.138-157. Dong, Y., Bartol, K.M., Zhang, Z.X. and Li, C., 2017. Enhancing employee creativity via individual skill development and team knowledge sharing: Influences of dual?focused transformational leadership.Journal of Organizational Behavior,38(3), pp.439-458. Doppelt, B., 2017.Leading change toward sustainability: A change-management guide for business, government and civil society. Routledge. Kohler, R., 2015.Optimization of Leadership Style: New Approaches to Effective Multicultural Leadership in International Teams. Springer. Martins, L.P., Four-Babb, D., Lazzarin, M.D.L. and Pawlik, J., 2016. [Ir] responsible leadership: addressing management and leadership curricula biases. McCleskey, J.A., 2014. Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and leadership development.Journal of Business Studies Quarterly,5(4), p.117. Moriano, J.A., Molero, F., Topa, G. and Mangin, J.P.L., 2014. The influence of transformational leadership and organizational identification on intrapreneurship.International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal,10(1), pp.103-119. Rosemann, M. and vom Brocke, J., 2015. The six core elements of business process management. InHandbook on business process management 1(pp. 105-122). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Roueche, P.E., Baker III, G.A. and Rose, R.R., 2014.Shared vision: Transformational leadership in American community colleges. Rowman Littlefield. Storlie, C.A., Parker-Wright, M. and Woo, H., 2015. Multicultural Leadership Development: A Qualitative Analysis of Emerging Leaders in Counselor Education.Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy,2(2), pp.154-169. Van Dierendonck, D., Stam, D., Boersma, P., De Windt, N. and Alkema, J., 2014. Same difference? Exploring the differential mechanisms linking servant leadership and transformational leadership to follower outcomes.The Leadership Quarterly,25(3), pp.544-562. Weiss, J.W., 2014.Business ethics: A stakeholder and issues management approach. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Roots Of Human Nature Are Sunk Deep Into Our History And Experienc

The roots of human nature are sunk deep into our history and experiences. When in our own lives we are to find the basis of our human nature, we must look to our early years, the formative years. Now take for example if we placed a newborn in the wild or in a high-class, well-mannered, wealthy family. The human nature of the newborn in the wild will be exactly that, wild and chaotic. While on the other hand the newborn in the well-mannered society will be well mannered and moralistic. Human nature is defined by the values that are taught and the values that society defines, if there are no societal values, human nature is doomed and lessened to that of wolves. Society defines the values and morals for its people to live by, common values. These values affect human nature and affect the way an even slightly self-conscious person behaves. An example of one of these societal values is table manners. Society has defined over hundreds of years of history to eat accompanied by utensils. Society also has set the value and that eating with your bare hands is "un-civilized." Another example of a moralistic standard is not to steal. This value is taught by our parents and members of the society, the human society. So human nature has a conscience because of social morals and values. The formation and situation of human nature is dependent on these "guidelines." Some people's human nature may be to steal, maybe to survive but most humans have this as a wrong. Most people have developed a "database" of right and wrong. Although without society or modern civilization, human nature is reduced to a mind-frame of "everyone for themselves" and to basically survive. Without civilization Human nature is the same as the instinctual behavior of any human, eat drink, and sleep. Human nature is what separates humans from monkeys. Human nature as a balance of good and evil, humans can use their brain power for good or evil. Some aspects of human nature I encounter are events such as to decide between right and wrong, cause and effect. Human nature forms its basis of teachings at an early age. If you and I are taught good and right early on then our nature will be more knowledgeable and perhaps better. General human nature is different than individual but not by much. Generally, humans are a species that thrive to better their own lives and if possible others lives also. Human Nature also inhibits the qualities of greed, ambition, pride etc. The job of humans is to conform, to an extent, to society and its standards and values. Humans control or do not present these negative or positive aspects. Individually speaking, some people are more greedy than o thers, some more kind. Even though human nature includes many different aspects, most civilized humans, their nature is to an extent abide by widely accepted moral values. On simple value would be to live and let live, and if possible help. A societal value I am faced with everyday is to be kind and generous or at least to be polite to other fellow human beings. We can think of human nature to follow a kind of moral code such as many religions encourage. Encompassing all, human nature is not the pursuit of humanitarianism but the pursuit of once again, control or present certain qualities of one's characteristics and do this within the guidelines of society or on a larger scale humanity. Human nature is defined by the values that are taught and the values that society defines, if there are no societal values, humans are no different than animals in the wild. Human nature has aspects including love, greed, and ambition which dogs do not. But at the crux, humans do attempt, basically, to survive. Human nature is very complex in the task of approximating individual traits but when speaking of humanity all together its nature is different than animals in that we use our unique characteristics. Humans have wants and desires and also are capable of helping others in need.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Typical Course of Study for 9th-Grade

Typical Course of Study for 9th-Grade Ninth grade is an exciting time for most teens. The beginning of the high school years marks the culmination of their primary education, and the  course requirements for high school students  begin their preparation  to enter college or the workforce after graduation. Curriculum for 9th-grade students shifts to address higher level thinking skills and autonomous study skills. In 9th grade, language arts prepares teens for effective oral and written communication. Typical courses in science include physical science and biology, while algebra is the standard for math. Social studies usually focuses on geography, world history, or U.S. history, and electives such as art become a vital part of a students  education. Language Arts A typical course of study for ninth grade language arts includes  grammar, vocabulary, literature, and composition. Students will also cover topics such as public speaking, literary analysis, citing sources, and writing reports. In 9th grade, students may also study  myths, drama, novels, short stories, and poetry. Math Algebra  I is the math course that is typically covered in 9th grade. Some students may complete  pre-algebra  or  geometry. Ninth grade students will cover topics such as real numbers,  rational and irrational numbers, integers, variables,  exponents  and powers,  scientific notation, lines, slopes, the  Pythagorean Theorem, graphing, and using equations to solve problems. They will also gain experience in reasoning skills by working through reading, writing, and solving equations, simplifying and rewriting equations to solve problems, and using graphs to solve problems. Science There is a wide range of topics that 9th-grade students can study for science. Standard high school courses include biology, physical science, life science,  earth science, and physics. Students may also take interest-led courses such as astronomy, botany, geology, marine biology, zoology, or equine science. In addition to covering standard science topics, it’s essential that students gain experience with science practices such as asking questions and forming hypotheses, designing and carrying out experiments,  organizing and interpreting data,  and evaluating and communicating results. This experience usually results from taking science courses with labs and learning to complete lab reports after each. Most colleges and universities expect high school students  to complete two or three lab sciences.  Ã‚   Two of the most common science courses for ninth grade students are biology and physical science. Physical science is the study of the natural world and includes topics such as the earth’s structure, ecology, weather,  climate, erosion, Newton’s laws of motion,  nature,  space, and astronomy. Physical science may also cover  general science principals such as  the scientific method and  simple and complex machines. Biology is the study of living organisms. Most biology courses begin with a study of the cell, the most basic component of all living things. Students will learn about cell structure, anatomy, taxonomy, genetics, human anatomy, sexual and asexual reproduction, plants, animals, and more. Social Studies As with science, there is a wide range of topics that students can study for ninth-grade social studies. Social studies encompass history, culture, people, places, and environments. Students need to gain experience with  social studies skills such as reading maps, using timelines,  critical thinking, evaluating data, problem-solving, and understanding how cultures are affected by geographic location, events, and economics. Standard high school courses for 9th-grade students include American history, world history,  ancient history, and geography. Students studying U.S. history will cover topics such as the exploration and settlement of America, Native Americans, the foundations of American democracy, the Declaration of Independence, the U. S. Constitution, taxation, citizenship, and types of government. They will also study wars such as the American Revolution and the Civil War. Ninth graders studying world history will learn about major world regions. They will learn about the patterns of migration and settlement in each, how the human population is distributed, how people adapt to their environment, and the effects of physical geography on cultures. They will also study wars such as World War I and World War II.   Geography can easily be incorporated into all history topics. Students should learn map and globe skills using a variety of map types (physical, political, topographical, etc.). Art Most high school coursework now requires art credit. Colleges and universities vary on how many elective credits they expect, but 6-8 is average. Art is  a broad topic with ample room for interest-led, elective  studies. Art studies  for ninth grade students can include visual arts such as drawing, photography, graphic design, or architecture. It can also consist of performance art such as drama, dance, or music. Art studies should allow students to develop skills such as watching or listening and responding to art, learning the vocabulary associated with the art topic being studied, and fostering creativity. It should also allow them to encounter topics such as  art history, famous artists and works of art, and  the contributions of various types of art to society and its impact on culture.

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Rose for Emily Essay Example for Free (#5)

A Rose for Emily Essay A Rose for Emily (76) , Emily Grierson (51) , Homer Barron (38) , Rose (2) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? The Use of Personality Traits to Foreshadow in Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† In William Faulkner’s short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, Emily’s reclusiveness, arrogance and old-fashioned attitude demonstrate her refusal to adapt to the present. Throughout the plot, glimpses into Emily’s life and behavior foreshadow the conclusion of the story. The author uses third person voice and a series of flashbacks to illustrate examples of her reclusive behavior, the arrogance that being a Grierson has instilled in her and how her thinking has remained in years gone past. Although Emily is referred to affectionately as a â€Å"fallen monument† by the unnamed townspeople, she is scarcely known and rarely leaves her house. In her younger years she was seen occasionally with Homer Barron, a contractor hired to pave the sidewalks. While Homer was courting her, the two took Sunday drives in public, which set the town abuzz. After his mysterious disappearance, however, Emily goes into full reclusivity. The town’s politicians are even forced to pay a visit to Emily at home when they finally decide to press the issue of paying property taxes which a Colonel Sartoris had graciously deemed paid in full for the remainder of her life. The Board of Aldermen are briefly admitted into the house and given only a quick glimpse of the woman Emily Grierson has become in old age. Outside of china painting classes Emily gave to the children of some of â€Å"Colonel Sartoris’s contemporaries† (page 48) ten years earlier, it was the most anyone had seen of her in some time. Consequently, when Emily finally passes on, her funeral is attended by a variety of townspeople who are overly curious â€Å"to see the inside of her house† (page 43). At this point, Faulkner has foreshadowed the fact that something monumental will be found there. Emily’s arrogance was ripe fodder for her contemporaries. She retained a Negro servant, Tobe, throughout her life in the tradition of her family, but apparently he was just as committed to being a recluse as she and was only seen on market shopping days, speaking little. Everyone thought the family had always â€Å"held themselves a little too high for what they really were† (page 44) and seemed to relish anything Emily did that could make her seem more human. When a horrible smell developed in the house and wafted through the neighborhood it was chalked up to bad housekeeping because â€Å"a man†¦[cannot] keep a kitchen properly† (page 45). This, the townspeople declared, created a â€Å"link between the gross, teeming world and the high and mighty Griersons† (page 45). They wanted an opportunity to feel sorry for Emily and rejoice in the fact that even though her last name was Grierson, she was human after all. Even so, family name carries enough respect that former Confederate soldiers â€Å"to whom the past is not a diminishing road† (page 49) feel obliged to attend her funeral service. Emily’s arrogance is what keeps the people of the town interested in the details of her life, and death. Perhaps because of Emily’s old-fashioned attitude and ideals, she was used to taking matters into her hands and this, too, foreshadows Homer’s Barron end. Although motor cars are a normal sight in town, Emily never bought one and preferred, instead, to ride about with Homer using an old-fashioned horse and buggy. When postal service came to town some years earlier, Emily would have none of it, refusing to allow a mailbox and numbers affixed to her old house. Anything she needed could be delivered or Tobe was sent out with his market basket on shopping day to bring it back, bypassing modern convenience. Faulkner uses these vagaries of Emily’s personality to foreshadow the conclusion when the townspeople swarm through the house to reach the upper bedroom which has been closed for 40 years. It is because of her reclusiveness, arrogance and old-fashioned attitude that the strange old lady purchases rat poison, kills her lover and locks him inside a bedroom for many years, not to be discovered until her death. A Rose for Emily. (2016, Nov 21).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Retail strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Retail strategy - Essay Example The five changes include, Infrastructure, innovation, Knowledge and trust relationships between the supplier, retailer, and the customer. To validate the reason for a critical evaluation on Dawson's statement is simply to say that the growing retail industry with a powerful attraction for minor retailers proves to be death trap. This is mainly because of the increased competition and the changing conditions in the economy and consumer behaviour. However, the business of retail proves to be threatening for manufacturers creating brands and trying to sustain brand image and brand loyalty as they squeezed by the so- called retailer. In a book by Lars Thomassen, et., al (2006, pg. 1) 'Retailization' begins by saying "We have moved from the age of the brand to the age of the retailer" - a shift that has led many brands to a near chronic state of constant stress and confusion. This is backed with data were the book reports that four major retail chains in the have 75 percent of the grocery market, and one pound in every eight spent is in the retail giant Tesco. Well this overpowering omnipotence of the retail industry had led to fierce competition with individual retailers or minor retail stores crushed to close down. There is constant fight and struggle to keep up profit margins and stay abreast of competition, which makes Dawson's statement true. ... Below is a table that reflects the diminishing share in the grocery sales of individual retailers in this competition over the recent years. The table will talk volumes of the struggle the giant retailers and medium sized establishments are undergoing. The data reported is from the Competition Commission organization in the report of 'Overview of UK grocery retailers' The table is a factual of the share in UK's grocery sales for the different retailers in the country. The Verdict data series used in the table and provides relative sales shares of all the retailers and that of small retailers represented as others. Grocery sales share of UK grocery retailers. 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Tesco 20.2 22.4 23.8 25.4 26.8 27.6 Asda 12.3 12.9 13.3 13.4 13.7 14.1 Sainsbury 12.8 12.5 12.6 12.8 13.4 13.8 Morrisons 3.8 4.2 10.3 9.6 9.7 9.9 Safeway 8.2 7.8 2.4 0 0 0 Somerfield chain 2.9 2.8 3 3.7 4.1 3.9 M&S 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.8 CGL 2.8 3.2 3 2.9 2.8 3.8 Waitrose 2.5 2.6 2.8 3 3.2 3.3 Iceland 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.5 Aldi 0.9 1 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.5 Lidl 1.1 1.1 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 Netto 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 Kwik save 2 1.8 1.6 1.3 0.7 0 Others 24.9 22.1 19.6 20 17.4 14.9 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 Source: Verdict UK Grocery retailers 2008, February 2008.( Overview of UK grocery sales ) The row mentioned 'Others' is emboldened to throw light on their diminishing share of business in the grocery sector and ultimately leading to their destruction. Find a pictorial representation below. Looking closely at the figures of the larger retailers, the Year on Year sales numbers increase only at an extremely marginal pace and retailers like Safeway have their numbers freezed

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Nortel Networks Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nortel Networks - Article Example In 1994, two Nortel executives, anxious over the possibility of the company’s having an empty â€Å"war chest† of novel and innovative product ideas, instigated a restructuring of the company’s business processes. The aim of the stated was the facilitation of the process by which internally generated new product ideas could be evaluated and implemented. Within a span of just over 5 years, Nortel had successfully designed a process-oriented knowledge management strategic paradigm (KM) for its New Product Development (NPD) process.The above-mentioned restructuring was a complex process, involving a umber of clearly defined steps. The first of these steps was aimed towards the testing of the empty war-chest hypothesis through an in-house survey targeting all of Sales and Support, Global Service Planning, and Marketing and Development. An excess of 100 new product ideas were submitted within three weeks. The results, thus, proved that Nortel had the potential for a v ery rich war chest but, the absence of a process for the capitalization upon internally-generated ideas, constrained this potential. It was imperative, therefore, that the company design and develop a paradigm for the exploitation of its internal innovative capabilities.To leverage its knowledge base, Nortel formed a cross-departmental task force, Project Galileo, whose primary objective was the design of system for the facilitation of the new idea submission, evaluation and product development processes.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Jonhson Matthey case study analysis teacher guide Essay Example for Free

Jonhson Matthey case study analysis teacher guide Essay Suggested resources activities related to PEST analysis and Johnson Matthey Full Johnson Matthey case study MP3 of the Johnson Matthey case study External influences PowerPoint Johnson Matthey crossword Johnson Matthey word search Suggested timings for the session 10 mins 5 mins 5 mins 10 mins 20 mins 10 mins Starter e.g. Johnson Matthey crossword Use the external influences PowerPoint to discuss the topic Read the case study Questions Task – mind map What have you learned? Answers to questions 1. What does PEST stand for? PEST stands for: †¢ Political (includes legal) †¢ Economic †¢ Social (includes environmental) †¢ Technological 2. Describe what is meant by the ‘external business environment’. The external environment refers to those things outside of the operations of an organisation which impact upon it but over which the business has no control. 3. Analyse why PEST analysis is used by firms. PEST analysis is used by firms to assess the external business environment in which they operate. Managers and directors can then make decisions on their findings. PEST analysis therefore will inform any new objectives being set and the marketing strategy for the firm. 4. Evaluate the impact that the 2008 banking crisis had on Johnson Matthey. The 2008 banking crisis which lead to the recession: †¢ Meant a fall in demand for its products †¢ Increased efficiency within the company -reducing the use of natural resources and decrease waste through lean production techniques. †¢ Efficiencies made the company more sustainable saving the company money whilst at the same time conserving the planet’s valuable natural resources. What have you learned? Expected learning is likely to include: †¢ Definition of the external business environment †¢ PEST factors †¢ Use of PEST analysis to develop marketing strategy †¢ How firms respond to external factors †¢ Examples of these factors

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Frankenstein as Gothic Literature Essay -- Mary Shelleys Frankenstein

In what ways can Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Be considered as a Gothic novel? Can Gothic literature still appeal to us today? Gothic Literature was most popular from about 1764 until 1832, a period of nearly seventy years. At this time there were many successful and famous authors who wrote books which contained a somewhat 'gothic theme'. These include the famous Brontà « Sisters with the novels 'Wuthering Heights' and 'Jane Eyre', both of which can be found on many modern bookshelves of today. As well as the famous sisters, well know authors, of the time, also included Ann Radcliffe with her 'Mysteries of Udolpho' and Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto'. Amongst the most famous Gothic writers Mary Shelley can also be found with her chilling story of 'Frankenstein'. Each book of this period will have contained some key characteristics to make it distinguishable from other books in history. The characteristics deal with aspects of the story or novel, and are usually very prominent within the book. These include the setting, nature, atmosphere, presence of the supernatural, plot, characters and language of the story. Mary Shelley, when writing 'Frankenstein', may have been influenced by other Gothic writers of her time, as well as ideas and events, which took place around her. At the same time that Shelley wrote 'Frankenstein' there were many new discoveries taking place and scientific research was just reaching a higher level. Shelley had a great understanding of the scientific debates and discoveries of her time and this was due to her inquisitive streak for the new discoveries in chemistry, and the secret life that it might provide. The first stages of the Industrial Revolution were also taking pl... ...periences with a 'creature from another world'. This follows the gothic theme of the supernatural and Stephen King is definitely a very popular author of today and is also well know for his novel 'Carrie', which has also been made into a film. Written in 1974, it is said to be a 'very scary story' where a girl, bullied at school, finds out she has abnormal powers which she uses to seek revenge over her bullies. A typically Gothic theme and yet still very appealing. As well as King there are many other modern Gothic authors including Christine Feeham with her Scarletti Curse (2001), Evelyn Rogers with Devil in the Dark (2001) in addition to The Wolf of Haskell Hall by Colleen Shannon. These are just a few, but in turn they prove that Gothic Literature can still appeal to us today if horror, mystery, supernatural and 'dark' stories are what you like to read.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Swot Analysis of Adidas

SWOT Analysis S (Strengths)Adidas is a globally know brand name.Produce a high quality products.International Brand awareness and recognition.Popular for sports footwear, clothing and accessories.Adidas is the biggest brand in the sport market, so it enjoys long term relations with the Olympics, FIFA World Cup etc.Diversity and variety in products offered.Adidas is known for its innovative and functional designs.The electronic communication of Adidas is well developed. Its website is also user friendly and promotes business.Large market share (16% of global footwear market).Major sponsor for a number of global sporting events.Purchasing of Reebok.SWOT Analysis W (Weaknesses)High prices in some products.Online customer service not â€Å"helpful† or easy to find.High cost due to the small order quantity.Competition from Nike.Loss of trust.Love the brand more than the products.Not utilizing Reebok.SWOT Analysis O (Opportunities)Entering the Asian market, China is the fastest grow ing economy in the world.New product development (like fragrance, equipment)New websites (Adidas global hub video website)Entering the female market.Social trend and popularity of social media sites such as Facebook, allowing Adidas to interact directly and build relationships with potential and current customers.SWOT Analysis T (Threats)Nike competition. Nike has strong reputation in the footwear and apparel industry.Increase in the Price of Raw materials.Continuing challenges in import/export duties.Global economic downturn.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

On the feature of American slangs Essay

Abstract: With the development of the society, slang is accepted by more and more Americans. This thesis analyses features and functions of American slang. The author draws a conclusion that American slang reflects the cultural characteristics of Americans’ humor, informality, self-confidence, anti-authority, innovation consciousness and pursuit for time efficiency. Slang is a sort of informal language, the original purpose is to express vulgarly or use it as a jargon or cant. With the development of the modern American culture, the modern American slang has become a common linguistic phenomenon which is different from jargon and argot, spreading all over any aspects of life. In American English, slang is also one of the major parts in people’s life and can reflect the social life about civilian requirements and characteristics of language expression. According to accurate statistics, the daily American vocabulary is about 10000-20000 words, of which 10% about 2000 words are slangs, these slangs are frequently used in people’s daily life, with strong expression and abundant culture feature, therefore, only by having some certain knowledge on American slangs can we speak American English properly and natively. Here is what I am going to discuss on the characteristics of modern American slang, and the translation of American slang as well, so as to improve people’s understanding and the use of American slangs. The basic characteristics of modern American slang (a) informality The most significant feature is informality, which is the origin of the slang and nature of it. Because of the informal expression of American slang, moreover, comparing the American English with British English, the former is actually more flexible and informal. Therefore, it also determines the informality of American slang and makes it even more apparently. For instance: A:Excuse me. I have to catch some Zs. (Excuse me. I have to take a nap.) B:I thought you just woke up. Sleepyhead.(I thought you just woke up. You are lazy and sleepy.) In this example, a typical slang â€Å"catch some Zs† by the speaker means taking a nap, and â€Å"sleepyhead† means a person who loves sleeping, both of which are limited to oral English expression frequently, generally not used for formal expressions. In addition, common American slang expressions such as â€Å"kiss ass (sycophancy)†, â€Å"hit the road (set out)†, and â€Å"take a dump (defecate)† are typically informal. It is because of its obvious informality that Americans like advocating freedom of expressions in some light-hearted situations that need humorous atmosphere to ease embarrassing scene. Both politicians or ordinary people prefer using slangs to light up the atmosphere. (b) creativity America is a country that desires for freedom. In pursuit of innovation, people are unremitting to new things and new ideas, which creates a large number of novel American slang words and provide a perfect condition. Furthermore, one of the characteristics of American slang is innovative. American slangs always use the original or new words to reflect new things, new development and new concept. Like the word â€Å"jazz† , it was first used to express a kind of music in New Orleans. Along with the development of jazz, Americans soon produced â€Å"bop† (pop), â€Å"far – out† (fashion), â€Å"beat† , â€Å"cool† (modern), etc. Because of the style of jazz, the word â€Å"jazz† generates some new meanings, such as â€Å"exertion†, â€Å"cordiality†, â€Å"frenzy† and so on. The old American drug addicts created the slang nose candy, black stuff, shooting gallery referring to drug. The blacks create and use slang a lot, such as dog juices (cheap wine), cakewalk (a kind of hip-hop dance), breakdancing (break), etc. Since the 1980s, some modern terms have been popular among the young, such as â€Å"bag your faith (left)†, â€Å"big time (serious)†, â€Å"golden (women)†, â€Å"worms (ugly people)†. They are the creative use of the phrases from the slangs. The generation of slang is inseparable from the creative use of the original English vocabulary, and the creation of new words plays a vital role as well. The United States is a multi-national country with immigrants, and constantly the moving in immigrants creates new words, making the American slangs increase rapidly. All of these prove that American slang is innovative. (c)universality In American English, the use of slangs are very common. It has something to do with the pursuit of flexibility, innovation, humor in American English, also with the history of United States. In the history of the United States, â€Å"westward movement in the contemporary† formed the largest population flow, so that the regional dialect and the jargon from all classes including cant have been widely spread. Because the official does not emphasize on â€Å"literary language†, and has made few â€Å"language purification†, thus jargon and sayings which were constantly used , have formed today’s omnifarious slangs that Americans generally use. In the 20th century, American slangs had a development which progressed by leaps and bounds. During the two world wars, the Vietnam war, the Korean war, and the cold war period, a large quantity of slangs generated. Moreover, American social problems, such as racial discrimination, civil rights movement, family disintegr ation, sexual liberation, gay so on and so forth, much more American slangs have mushroomed. English slangs can be defined to common colloquial language, and according to the definition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary (1985), slangs are frequently used as colloquial words and phrases. It cannot be taken as Standard-English, therefore this demonstrates that, slang is Nonstandard-English. Nevertheless, slangs are very popular among the English-speaking countries nowadays. Slangs are spoken by people in daily speech, and even magazine and literary works may find a large number of them. With the development of the society, slangs are widely used by more and more people, especially in America, slang can be found favorable in the Americans’ eyes. It is accepted by both upper-class and lower-class, and especially the college students who tend to use up-to-date words that form a kind of characteristic style of themselves. Slang plays an important part in American English. It is reported that slang accounts for one of the tenth of American average vocabulary. People’s attitude toward slang varies from person to person. Some think that slang cannot be used on the formal occasion, for it is spoken by the illiterate people only and the slang terms are so coarse. Some even think that slang is the filthy language, and advocate abandoning using it. However, others hold the opposite idea. They think that slang play an important role in English language, because of its fresh, lifelike, humor and adequate expressions. One must admit the undeniable fact that slang is spoken by more and more people. In modern times, if one is not familiar with American slang he or she could not capture the slang expressions in the movie and common fictions, and, what worse, one would 0make mistakes when they are talking with the Americans. An example will clarify the fact. A guide asks the tourist â€Å"anybody wants to take a leak?†(Does anybody want to go to the restroom?), and, of course, what the guide said would make the tourist surprise. It is the uneducated vulgarity of expression at all. Therefore, one should bear in mind that it is very important to study language in a sociocultural context; the language has existed in close contact with culture. Fro m the example one can know that misusing slang would result in misunderstanding in the communication. It can not tell others that one is good at English. It is not thus; moreover it shows that one just has half-back knowledge about slang. Americans speak colorful, idiomatic English that may have little resemblance to the language one studied in school. Even a native English speaker might be confused by the combination of slang that characterizes American conversation. So it is very important to capture the American slang expression in order to know others correctly. This thesis starts with the analysis of the cultural condition of American slang, and its purpose is to probe into the features of slang so as to bring the relationship between slang and society culture to light. â…  .American Slang is quite a controversial language, people have different attitude toward it. It is no wonder that the definition of slang is so variety. However, the slang terms have their own characters, and, of course, the definitions of it are more or less described in the same way. A. The Definition of Slang Slang is a rather special parole. It is neither the word that beyond the regular role of grammatical usage, nor rural dialect. Although it is quite different from acrolect which used on the formal occasion, people quite like to use it in daily speech. As a matter of fact, the meaning of most slang is similar to the words of colloquial style. Some consider one word is slang, while others might not think so. For example, the old may believe the word bike is slang, but the youth might not .Bicycle is trisyllabic, while bike is monosyllabic, it is so troublesome to pronounce the word with trisyllabic, and of course, the youth prefer to omit some other two syllables, and bike is spoken by the youth more often. To some certain slang, it is hard to tell the differences between slang and colloquial style. One of the definitions of it is, â€Å"the body of words and expression frequently used by or intelligible to a rather large portion of the general public, but not accepted as good; formal usage by the majority† (Flexner, 1975:3).

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Quality Management in Operation Management

Quality Management in Operation Management Definition Operations management is a comprehensive function in an organization that ensure successful processing of goods from receipt of raw materials to delivery of final goods and services to consumers. Precisely, it aligns production efficiency and optimal use of raw materials in the creation of final goods and services that are of quality.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Quality Management in Operation Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reflectively, it looks at the design of the output, internal processes, and internal checks to improve on the quality of the goods (Collier Evans, 2011). Operations management in an organization focuses on ensuring efficiency in use of resources to generate quality output. Further, it ensures adequate control of internal processes which converts input to output. This results in efficiency. Finally, it focuses on effective delivery of goods to customers. Role Operations management plays a significant role in an organization. Success in operations management ensures the success of an organization. Efficient management of input to generate output ensures that an organization earns profits. Through operation management, an organization is able to manage costs efficiently. Management of internal processes ensures that the organization produces quality output consistently. This promotes customer satisfaction by ensuring the production of quality goods consistently. Further, operations management gives managers the opportunity to influence value provided to shareholders, customers, employees, investors, and the community. Apart from ensuring the provision of high quality good, operations management also assists in creating a safe working environment for the employees. It also motivates employees to focus on their skills and knowledge (Collier Evans, 2011). Applicability Application of operations management varies from one company to another. It depends on the nature of output produced by a company. However, the ultimate goal is to ensure efficiency, cost reduction and creation of quality goods and services. At Ford company, the management focuses on ten key strategic areas. These are, design of good and services, quality management, process and capacity design, location, layout design, human resource and job designs, supply chain management , inventory, material requirement planning, intermediate short term scheduling and maintenance. These ten strategic decision making points are integral part of the operational management at the company. At the design stage, the company uses product layout for the manufacturing processes. The manufacturing plant is arranged in such a way that there is a sequential flow of work. The manufacturing area is divided into several areas these are body build, paint shop, trim lines, final line, pre-delivery area, and shipment.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The production layout ensures efficiency in the internal production process thus reducing time wastage and cost. Other than product design, operation management also focuses on material management function. The company makes use of material requirement planning system to calculate necessary supplies, volumes and specific materials required for production. Further, under material management, the company uses Just-In-Time inventory management for controlling supply of inputs. It  helps in reducing the costs and risks associated with storage. In addition, the company makes use of electronic data interchange to order for input from suppliers. There is also a quality management under operations. Quality management facilitates ongoing improvement of production in the organization. Further, the quality management function takes into consideration the changes in the market. The company focuses on producing cars wh ich are customer driven. Further, checks are carried out in the pre delivery area to verify that the output meets the needs of the customers and various safety standards. Feedback from quality management is incorporated at the design stage. Finally, the company makes use of new technology in most of the internal processes. Effective operations management has enabled the company increase market share and to have a competitive advantage in the market (United Nations Global Compact, 2012). References Collier, S. Evans, R. (2011). OM3. Mason, USA: South Western Cengage Learning. United Nations Global Compact. (2012). Ford Motor Company: The Ford purchasing structure. Retrieved from http://supply-chain.unglobalcompact.org/site/index

Monday, November 4, 2019

Compare the U.S. Criminal Justice System to United Kingdom's (Britain) Research Paper

Compare the U.S. Criminal Justice System to United Kingdom's (Britain) Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example The UK and the United States have extremely similar criminal justice systems, as well as extremely similar elements for a crime. This is because the American system is based upon the UK system, as both systems are based upon the common law. The criminal system is similar, in that, in both jurisdictions, there must be mens rea to be held guilty for a crime, in both jurisdictions a criminal may be exonerated for a crime, or at least held to a lesser standard, if there was sufficient provocation, and, in both systems, there is a thin or eggshell skull rule, although, in the United States, this rule is usually used exclusively for torts. These are some basic similarities to the elements for crimes in both jurisdictions. Beyond this, there are similarities in the systems themselves. Both systems treat mentally disordered offenders similarly, although England appears to have more options for this type of offender. In both systems, the victims ostensibly have rights, although these rights d o not seem to be enforced as much in England as they are in the United States. In both systems, there is some form of restorative justice or reparative justice, which means that the victim gets some type of compensation for his or her distress. American criminal law and English criminal law are very similar, because American law has, as its basis, English common law. Therefore, the elements for committing a crime would be similar in both countries. For instance, in both countries, there must be the proper mens rea that would have to be established for the crime.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The Similarities and Differences Between Three Middle East Countries Research Paper

The Similarities and Differences Between Three Middle East Countries - Research Paper Example Despite this widespread theme, there are some differences in the way how some Arab and/or North African countries are run. This paper will compare the similarities and differences between three Middle East countries: Syria, Israel, and Libya. One of the similarities between Syria, Israel, and Libya is that there is constant fighting at the moment, albeit for very different reasons. The civil war in Syria has continued on for over a year now, with almost 20,000 thought to have been killed by the government supported by Bashar al-Assad. Likewise, Israel had constantly been involved in the conflict with the Palestinians ever since Israel became a country in 1948. Many hundreds of people are killed each year due to battle, and there are occasional flare-ups that result in military activity in order to defend Israel’s sovereignty. Finally, Libya also experienced some violence, with up to 10,000 people killed during an eight-month civil war. Violence is commonplace among all these t hree countries because of the internal conflict that remains. Other countries within the area also experience the same level of violence on a regular basis, so it can be concluded that Syria, Israel, and Libya are just representative of the greater region as a whole. Despite Syria, Israel, and Libya all succumbing to violence and/or civil war, there are some key differences between the three countries. The most obvious one has to do with religion; Israel is predominantly Jewish, but Syria and Libya are Muslim. Besides this, Israel has also largely been unaffected by the events of the Arab Spring. The violence that occurs on a daily basis in Israel comes from longstanding rifts with the Palestinians rather than an uprising of sorts. There is really very little chance of Israel going the same way as either Syria or Libya because it is a sound democracy. The difference between Libya and Syria is that one country still has an ongoing civil war (Syria) while the other one (Libya) is now in the process of changing to a democracy. Also, the western response to each country’s strife has been remarkably different. While NATO support was forthcoming for Libya, the same cannot be said about Syria, whose leader remains defiant despite the introduction of sanctions against his country. Syria, Israel, and Libya all have their differences yet they are defined by certain characteristics. The Arab Spring is a reoccurring theme among these nations, except Israel, has proven to be largely immune from it. The differences between the three countries are confined to religion and the current state of violence within each country. 2. Explain 4 things that the United States, England, and some other European countries have in common. The United States, England, and Ireland all have factors that set them apart from the rest of the world. These factors can be broken down into three categories: political, economic, and military. The most obvious similarity between the United States , England, and France is that they all rely on a democratic system of government. Citizens have the power to elect officials to the highest office and then remove them if they so choose. Additionally, each of these three countries’ justice systems revolves around a common law system. A common law legal system places more power in the hands of judges through the courts rather than judges making decisions solely based on any codes or statutes.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

A direct government action related to Amtrak Research Paper

A direct government action related to Amtrak - Research Paper Example government owned corporation started its operation from 1971. It provides passenger train service in 46 states of U.S.A. and three provinces of Canada. Before 1971 the rail service was provided by several private corporations. Because of the declining financial condition Amtrak was established by U.S. congress. The board of directors’ members is appointed by the U.S. president and the senate of U.S. Most of the track of Amtrak is owned by the freight railroads which is a major source of earning. Amtrak has also its revenue from the ticket sales. In spite of these earning Amtrak needs government subsidies. There were many controversies has taken place about the direct government action. From the inauguration of Amtrak the financial condition was never stable. Despite of several financial aid given by the U.S. government Amtrak has never became self sufficient. This is the main cause of the controversies about Amtrak. But from the year 2007-08 the number of riders increased cont inuously which is a boost for the organization. This paper is an attempt to analyze that whether the government should continue to play a direct role in the operation of Amtrak. Description of Stakeholders The stakeholders of Amtrak are the U.S. government, the employees of Amtrak and the board of directors, the passengers, the taxpayers and the companies who are partners of Amtrak. The government owns all the stock of Amtrak and thus they would get the profit generated by Amtrak, but it is a fact that Amtrak has never been able to generate profit from 1971. The government has to provide subsidies for continuing the operation as it is an important medium of communication. The employees and the board of directors are the major stakeholders of the company. Approximately 19000 employees employee is working with Amtrak till date. They are responsible to provide quality service to its passengers and take steps necessary to improve it and inform the U.S. congress about the operations of A mtrak (duty of inspector general) (Amtrak Office of Inspector General, â€Å"About Amtrak OIG†). The taxpayers are providing tax and funding a major part of the needed capital of Amtrak. Some private companies or other government companies are work as the partner of Amtrak like Access America, AAA, eBags, Continental Airlines, iSeatz, Greyhound. They are the stakeholders of Amtrak as they have certain interest that how Amtrak will perform in the future and it is sensitive decision to continue partnership with them. The passengers are the major stakeholders as they are paying the price of the tickets and receiving the service. They would take the decision whether to continue travelling in the railroad or take some other medium. Arguments in support of Government’s Direct Role According to some critics if Amtrak get privatized then the company would become self sufficient and would generate profit. The private companies would divest the operations which is not so profita ble. But there are also lots of demerits of this decision. These are described as follows. If the transport medium gets privatized there is a high chance that the cost of transport would increase and the common people get affected, as this would cost more. There would be less money in people’s hand and this could be a reason of economic crisis. Though the organization is generating a loss every year the government is providing subsidies to them. The recent increase of riders results in decrease the net loss of the company. If the private sector would be there they would take measures for cost cutting or steps to increase the revenue. They can generate more revenue by increasing the costs of tickets or the cost of advertising and cut down the costs by decrease the budget which may lead to some lower

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Treatment of Heroes in Ancient Poetry and Modern Film Essay

The Treatment of Heroes in Ancient Poetry and Modern Film - Essay Example However, these solutions often leave a wake of destruction behind them. At the base of each man's soul is a deep-seated sense of respect for the tenets of honor and courage. One of these men is Odysseus, king of Ithaca. Agamemnon and Menelaus drag him away from his peaceful home, where he leaves his wife and infant son for a war that will take ten years, and a journey home that will take twice that, stories chronicled in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. The other is Detective Martin Riggs of the Los Angeles Police Department. The Lethal Weapon movie series shows how he tries to find and maintain a sense of personal peace while being pulled into chaos by criminal after criminal. Both of these men fit the description of the hero that has transcended time to become an idea that audiences all over the world have enjoyed since performance art began. The most dominant force in the hero is "competitiveness".1 The ancient Greeks loved athletic competitions, and it is no surprise that Homer's twin epics feature them: Odysseus must watch the games at Phaeacia before he is allowed to journey home, and Odysseus sets up a deadly contest in his own castle in Ithaca, ostensibly to give away Penelope to one of the suitors, but actually to trap all the suitors in his home. These are not just set-pieces used for plot purposes, however; the suitors in Odysseus' home while away the years by having contests of strength and agility virtually every day. In the example of Martin Riggs, the competition is somewhat different. While there are no athletic events in his story, he and his partner, Det. Murtaugh, go back and forth about the relative effects of aging on both of them, and they badger each other in a semi-humorous fashion about which one of them has better aim with a gun, can run faster to catch a criminal, and so on. Each of the movies in the series finds it climax in a hand-to-hand combat scene, using the competitiveness to build suspense within the audience. This idea of competition also appears in the 1959 classic Ben-Hur, where Judah and Messala engage in a friendly spear-tossing contest, aiming at a point where two wooden beams meet in the ceiling.2 Honor, and its attendant condition, fame, are also important to heroes across time. In Greek culture, the winner of a competition would receive "public acknowledgment of his superioritymarked by material tributes and gifts."3 This could take the form of gifts of land, sitting in honored seats, being given the best cuts of meat at feasts, among other honors. The central conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon at the beginning of Iliad is related to the king's prerogative to select the booty from a particular battle. At first, Agamemnon does not want to give back the Chryseis, the priest's daughter that he brought back from their previous war. Once Apollo's command becomes clear, however, Agamemnon gives her back, but only after taking Achilles' new prize, Briseis, from his tent. Achilles' anger over this lack of respect keeps him from fighting with the rest of the Greeks against Troy until Patroklos dons Achilles' armor and is slain in battle, and so the importance of honor and respe ct to the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Automatic Number Pate Recognition System Information Technology Essay

Automatic Number Pate Recognition System Information Technology Essay Automatic number pate recognition system is a mass surveillance method that uses optical character recognition on images to read the license plates on vehicles. System might scan number plates at around one per second on cars traveling up to 100mph(160 km/h).they can use existing closed -circuit television or road-rule enforcement cameras, or ones specifically designed for the task. They are used by various police forces and as a method of electronic toll collection on pay-per-use roads and monitoring traffic activity, such as red light adherence in an intersection. ANPR can be used to store the images capture by the cameras as well as the text from the license plate, with some configurable to store a photograph of the driver. Systems commonly use infrared lighting to allow the camera to take the picture at any time of the day. A powerful flash is inclined in at least one version of the intersection-monitoring cameras, serving both to illuminate the picture and to make the offender aware of his or her mistake. ANPR technology tends to be region -specific, owing to pate variation from place to place. Some concerns about these systems have centered on privacy fears of government tracking citizens movements and media reports of misidentification and high error rates. However, as they have developed, the systems have become much more accurate and reliable. There is an increasing requirement to identify vehicles and track their location for a wide number of applications. These include: Congestion charging Several major cities around the world levy a charge a drive within them Car park management Using the number plate to identify the time of entry and departure of a Vehicle. Counter-terrorism Monitoring the arrival and departures of vehicles at major ports. Literature Review Our literature survey mainly focused on automatic number plate system research papers and its existing system along with its application, image processing technique and neural network recognition. These can be clearly illustrated as follows: Automatic number plate recognition system Javaanpr existing open source code in sourceforge.net Thesis describing research, image processing and neural networking technique along with its algorithm in pdf on javaanpr on sourceforge.net Image processing technique ImageJ -api based on java language for digital image processing Image editor -api based on java language made for image processing JAI api -java advance imaging for image processing from sunmicrosystem at java.sun.com. Opencv- Digital Image Processing (text book from library) Neural networking technique Introduction to java neural network second edition by jfheaton at heatonresearch.com Some ocr samples using neuralnetworking at sourcecode.com and its explanation Study on nepali ocr research conducted by madan puraskar guthi(yala Maya Kendra) Ocr sample developed by Google based for Linux available for windows on dot net (tesseract) Jooneengine-java api on neural network not so well developed and efficient at http://www.jooneworld.com Kohenen -java api on self organizing map applied to compress jpeg image. Somdemo-sample java program for illustration how self organizing map works. Program iterately train to converge with identical color from random samples Artificial neural network text book available at library (low price edition from pearson education. Neural networks systematic introduction by Raul Rojas(from lectures at free university at Berlin and later at the university of Halle) Automatic Number Pate Recognition system a)javaanpr Javaanpr open source available at sourceforge.net worked as prototype for building our Nepali automatic Nepali number plate recognition system. It also contain thesis in pdf format prescribing image processing technique and neural networking technique along with its algorithm. It works well recognizing foreign number plates contained as sample in the site. It was beautifully coded applying sophisticated and specialized algorithms for image processing and neural network technique. It also used xml files to save and retrieve neural network training data. Figure: sample javaanpr at sourceforge.net For more information-http://sourceforge.net Image processing Technique a)ImageJ 1.42 ImageJ was first developed on class files now available on GUI interface. User can just process image using various buttons and entries if prescription is required .programmers can develop own macros and plugins to achieve its intended function if required and compile there within and run the code. It is capable of processing both 2D and 3D interactive image processing. Figure. ImageJ graphical window interface For more information: http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/ b) Image editor Image editor was also found during search for image processing tool. It is also based on java language and available as java API, now class file are available with GUI interface easing its its manipulation. Image editor api seems inefficient and not so capable for our intended operation and not so much researched. C) JAI api the java advance imaging(JAI) API further extends the java platforms (including the java 2D API) by allowing sophisticated, high -performance image processing to be incorporated into java applets and applications.JAI is a set of classes providing imaging functionality beyond that of Java 2D and the Java Foundation classes, though it is compatible with those APIs. JAI implements a set of core image processing capabilities including image tiling, regions of interest, and deferred execution.JAI also offers a set of core image processing operators including many common point, area, and frequency-domain operators. JAI is intended to meet the needs of all imaging applications. The API is highly extensible, allowing new image processing operations to be added in such a way as to appear to be a native part of it. Thus, JAI benefits virtually all Java developers who want to incorporate imaging into their applets and applications. JAI features Cross-platform imaging Distributed Imaging Object-oriented API Flexible and Extensible Device Independent Powerful High Performance Interoperable Initially program coding was done in JAI Later it becomes little inefficient and we again go for another programming method. For further information-http://java.sun.com d) Digital Image processing (text book from library) e) Opencv The OpenCV implements a wide variety of tools for image interpretation. It is compatible with Intel ® Image Processing Library (IPL) that implements low-level operations on digital images. In spite of primitives such as binarization, filtering, image statistics, pyramids, OpenCV is mostly a high-level library implementing algorithms for calibration techniques (Camera Calibration), feature detection (Feature) and tracking (Optical Flow),shape analysis(Geometry, Contour Processing ),motion analysis (Motion Templates, Estimators ), 3D reconstruction (View Morphing),object segmentation and recognition (Histogram, Embedded Hidden Markov Models, Eigen Objects). The essential features of the library along with functionality and quality is performance. The algorithms are based on highly flexible data structures (Dynamic Data Structures) coupled with IPL data structures; more than a half of the functions have been assembler optimized taking advantage of Intel ® Architecture (Pentium ®MMXà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢,Pentium ® Pro, Pentium ®III, Pentium ®4). Why We Need OpenCV Library The OpenCV Library is a way of establishing an open source vision community that Will make better use of up-to-date opportunities to apply computer vision in the Growing PC environment. The software provides a set of image processing functions, As well as image and pattern analysis functions. The functions are optimized for Intel ® Architecture processors, and are particularly effective at taking advantage of MMX†ºÃ¢â‚¬ º Technology. The OpenCV Library has platform-independent interface and supplied with whole C Sources. OpenCV is open. Relation between Opens and Other Libraries OpenCV is designed to be used together with Intel ® Image Processing Library (IPL) And extends the latter functionality toward image and pattern analysis. Therefore, OpenCV shares the same image format (IplImage) with IPL. Also, OpenCV uses Intel ® Integrated Performance Primitives (IPP) on lower-level, if It can locate the IPP binaries on startup. IPP provides cross-platform interface to highly-optimized low-level functions that Perform domain-specific operations, particularly, image processing and computer Vision primitive operations. IPP exists on multiple platforms including IA32, IA64, And StrongARM. Source:-openCV reference manual.pdf Cmgui-wx-2(.net wrapper class) This openCV tool can be easily integrated with .net platform like c#, visual basic etc. Cmgui is an advanced 3D visualization software package with modeling capabilities.Cmgui is a part of CMISS, a mathematical modeling environment initially developed by the University of Auckland Bioengineering Institute.CMISS stands for Continuum Mechanics, Image analysis. Signal processing and System Identification. There are three major CMISS software packages. Broadly speaking the main areas each piece of software deals with are as follows: CM is used for computational modeling Unemap is used for signal acquisition and processing Cmgui is used for model visualization and manipulation For more information:-wiki/getting started with cmgui Neural Networking technique a) Introduction to java neural network by jeff heaton This book along with video lecture helped very much for us to understand neural networks and learn coding technique. It was published form Heaton research center and they have developed encog framework for neural network where programmer can build fast neural network prototype for fast testing and checking since easy and flexible. After parameters have been determined for best operation such as number of hidden layers and number of neurons in each layer coding can be done since it code will be inflexible for such modification. Book contained different chapters on various types of neural networks and also its application. Only first seven chapters are allowed to read online and rests are not. It provides all its source code on site which also helps in learning and testing. Same book is also available in c# language. For more information-http://heatonreasearch.com/ b) On the beginning of project research we also got OCR sample using neural network at sourcecode.com with explanation. It was written at c#, due to compiler problem I didnt stress here much. c) Nepali OCR For us it was good news and opportunity to study research on Nepali OCR conducted by madan puraskar guthi. Different research papers were available on the site along with image processing portion code used to fragment Nepali character Image written on java. It deals with problem issues and complexity faced on Nepali character like devnagari font. For more information -http:// d) OCR engine tessaract by Google This was used by Nepali OCR for its processing and it supports many languages like Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, arabi etc. we didnt research here much. Figure: segmented portion of Figure : Another segmented portion of For more information-make Google search for link d) joone engine joone engine as a api in hope for easy and efficient coding we consider but it seems unworthy for project work. For beginner liking to test some xor operations and similar may find at least satisfactory otherwise unworthy. For more information-http://www.jooneworld.com/docs/engine.html e)Kohenen This sample also seems beautiful in understanding self organizing map or kohenen network. Here it is used to compress jpeg image. It was programmed on seven packages. For more information-http: // f) som demo This sample tries to converge iteratively with similar colors from randomly scattered pixel colors based on Euclidean distance method. Figure: som before training Figure: som after training For more information-link available at reference http://www.ai-junkie.com/ann/som/ g) Artificial neural Network text book (library) h) Neural network systematic introduction (by Raul Rojas) This book is good for understanding neural network systematically and based on lectures at free university at Berlin and later at the University of Halle. For more introduction-reference at http://www.wikipedia.com/selforganisingmap Figure: sample kohenen neural network (3D kohenen feature map) Source: http://rfhs8012.fh-regensburg.de/~jfroehl/index.html Anpr system application around world Police enforcement Germany On 11 March 2008, the Federal Constitution Court of Germany ruled that the laws permitting the use of automated number plate recognition systems in Germany violated te right to privacy. Hungary Several Hungarian Auxiliary Police units use a system called Matrix Police in cooperation with the police. It consists of a portable computer equipped with a webcam that scans the stolen car database using automatic number plate recognition. The system is installed on the dashboard of selected patrol vehicles (PDA based handled versions exists as well) and is mainly used to control the license plate of parking cars, as the Auxiliary Police doesnt have the authority to order moving vehicles to stop. If a stolen is found, the formal police are informed. United Kingdom The UK has an extensive (ANPR) automatic number plate recognition CCTV network. Effectively, the police and security services track all car movements around the country and are able to track any car in close to real time. Vehicle movements are stored for 5 years in the National ANPR Data Centre to be analyzed for intelligence and to be used as evidence. USA In the USA, ANPR systems are more commonly referred to as LPR (License Plate Reader or License Plate Recognition) technology or ALPR (Automatic License Plate Reader/Recognition) technology. One of the biggest challenges with ALPR technology in the US is the accuracy of the Optical Character Recognition (OCR)-the actual identification of the characters on the license plate. From time to time, states will make significant changes in their license plate protocol that will affect OCR accuracy. They may add a character or add a new license plate design. ALPR systems must adapt to these changes quickly in order to be effective. In addition to the real-time processing of the license plate numbers, some ALPR systems in the US collect data at the time of each license plate capture .Data such as date and time stamps and GPS coordinates can be reviewed in relation to investigations and can help lead to critical breaks such as placing a suspect at a scene, witness identification, pattern recognition or the tracking of suspect individuals. Average Speed cameras Another use of ANPR in the UK, Italy and Dubai (UAE) is for speed cameras which work by tracking vehicles travel time between two fixed points ,and therefore calculate the average speed. These cameras are claimed to have an advantage over traditional speed cameras in maintaining steady legal speeds over extended distances, rather than encouraging heavy braking on approach to specific camera locations and subsequent acceleration back to illegal speeds. UK The longest stretch of average speed cameras in the UK is found on the A77 road in Scotland, with 30 miles (48 km) being monitored between Glasgow and Ayr. Italy In Italian highways has developed a monitoring system named Tutor covering more than 1244 km (2007). Further extensions will add 900 km before the end of 2008. The Tutor system is also able to intercept cars while changing lanes. Traffic control Many cities and district have developed traffic control systems to help the movement and flow of vehicles around the road network. This had topically involved looking at historical data, estimates, observations and statistics such as: Car park usage Pedestrian crossing usage Number of vehicles along a road Areas of low and high congestion Frequency, location and cause of road words The UK Company Traffic master has used ANPR since 1998 to estimate average traffic speeds on non-motorway roads without the results being skewed by local fluctuations caused by traffic lights and similar. The company now operates a network of over 4000 ANPR cameras ,but claims that only the four most central digits are identified , and no number plate data is retained. Electronic toll collection Ontarios 407 ETR highway uses a combination of ANPR and radio transponders to toll vehicles entering and exiting the road. Radio antennas are located at each junction and detect the transponders, logging the unique identify of each vehicle in much the same way as the ANPR system does. There are numerous other electronic toll collection networks which use combination of Radio frequency identification and ANPR. These include: Bridge pass for the Saint John Harbor Bridge in Saint John New Brunswick City link Eastlink in Melbourne, Australia Gateway Motorway and Logan Motorway, Brisbane , Australia Fast Trak in California ,United states Highway 6 in Israel Tunnels in Hong Kong etc Charge zones the London congestion charge The London congestion charge is an example of a system that charges motorists entering a payment area. Transport for London (TFL uses ANPR systems and charges motorists a daily fee of  £8 paid before 10pm if they enter, leave or move around within the congestion charge zone. Stockholm congestion tax In Stockholm, Sweden, ANPR is used for the congestion tax of cars driving into or out of the inner city must pay a charge, depending on the time of the day. Other uses ANPR systems may also be used for/by: Section control, to measure average vehicle speed over longer distances. Border crossings Fillings stations to log when a motorist drives away without paying for their fuel. A marketing tool to log patterns of use Traffic management systems, which determine traffic flow using the time it takes vehicles to pass two ANPR sites. Drive Through Customer Recognition, to automatically recognize customers based on their license plate and offer them their last selection, improving service to the customer To assist visitor management systems in recognizing guest vehicles. Circumvention Techniques (drawback) Vehicles owners have used a variety of techniques in an attempt to evade ANPR systems and road -rule enforcement cameras in general. These methods may be Increasing reflective properties of the lettering and so that system might no locate or produce high enough level of contrast to be able to read Use of plate cover or spray Use of dirt to smear their license plate or utilize covers to mask the plate ANPR imaging hardware The frontend of any Imaging hardware is image capturing device that is camera. Retroreflective camera returns the light back to the source and thus improves the contrast of the image. A camera that makes use of active infrared imaging (with a normal color filter over the lens and infrared illuminator next to it) benefits greatly from this as the infrared waves are reflected back from the plate. This is only possible on dedicated ANPR cameras, however, and so cameras used for other purposes must rely more heavily on the software capabilities. Figure: hardware components used in ANPR system Figure source-http://securityautomation.co.uk To avoid blurring it is ideal to have the shutter speed of a dedicated camera set to 1/1000th of a second. License plate capture cameras can now produce usable images from vehicles traveling at 120 mph (190 km/h).threshold angles of incidence between camera lens and license plate are also major consideration to avoid image distortion during installation. Manufacturers have developed tools to eliminate errors from the physical installation of license plate capture cameras. Research on down sampling character For neural network input character image is down sampled into matrix whose value is binary 1 or 0 according to Boolean property of character on matrix region. It showed that no of samples required is not fixed and it varies with thickness of font traced. Figure: down sampling image character o with 7*5 matrix Figure: downsampling same character image o (buffered) with 32 *35 matrix Research works on algorithms A new algorithm for character segmentation of license plate Character segmentation is an important step in License Plate Recognition (LPR) system. There are many difficulties in this step, such as the influence of image noise, plate frame, rivet, the space mark, and so on. This new algorithm presents character segmentation using Hough transformation and the prior knowledge in horizontal and vertical segmentation respectively. Furthermore, a new object enhancement technique is used for image preprocessing. The experimentation results show a good performance of this new segmentation algorithm. Algorithm (steps) Preprocessing Size normalization Determination of plate kind Object enhancement Horizontal segmentation using Hough transformation Vertical segmentation For more information:-a new algorithm for character segmentation of license plate.pdf an adaptive thresholding algorithm for the augmented reality toolkit It is well known that fixed global thresholds have adverse effects on the reliability of marker-based optical trackers under non-uniform lighting conditions. Mobile augmented reality applications, by their very nature, demand a certain level of robustness against varying external illumination from visual tracking algorithms currently AAR Toolkit depends on fixed-threshold image-binarization in order to detect candidate fiducials for further processing. In an effort to minimize tracking failure due to uniform shadows and reflections on a marker surface, a fast algorithm for selecting adaptive threshold values, based on the arithmetic mean of pixel intensities over a region-of- interest around candidate fiducials. Algorithm This works on a per-marker basis and evaluates the mean pixel luminance over a thresholding region-of -interest (ROI), which is defined as bounding rectangle around the markers axis -aligned corner vertices in screen space. If a marker has been detected in any given frame, its bounding rectangle will be used as thresholding -ROI prediction for successive frames. This method yields good thresholding level in practice, given sufficiently high video frame rates. Fig.1.reflection off a markers surface with adaptive thresholding (upper) and a global threshold (lower) For more information:-10.1.1.9.4636.pdf adaptive license plate image extraction This paper represents the automatic plate localization component of a car license plate recognition system. The approach concerns stages of preprocessing, edge detection, filtering, detection of the plates position, slope evaluation, and character segmentation and recognition. Single gray-level images are used as the only source of information. In the experiments Israeli and Bulgarian license plates were used, camera obtained at different daytime and whether conditions. Algorithm (step) preprocessing for plate candidate identification vertical edge detection rank filtering plate candidate segmentation vertical projection acquisition prime clipping of the plate plate skew evaluation horizontal segmentation plate candidate verification Cray-level distribution consistency considerations