Decision making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Decision making - Research Paper Example The paper uses the two concepts to analyze three mediation efforts in the Arab - Israeli conflict: the Camp David Accords I, Oslo Accords and the Camp David Accords II. In the findings of the research indicate that in all the agreements reviewed, both sides held on to their strengths and privileges to make demands. In areas that either party had weaknesses, they were ready to make risky demands, sometimes at the expense of breaking down the negotiation process. It was therefore conclusive that in mediation in international conflicts, parties use the prospect theory to take decisions on the demands to make. On the other hand, the rational theory is still important. Hence, mediators can only succeed if they guide the parties to the rational choices. Introduction Dealing with interstate conflicts has become a high priority, not only between disputants themselves, but on the global arena as well. The approach and the way by which conflicts are decided to be managed is a crucial issue. â €Å"Mediation is one of the oldest forms of conflict resolution and has been used extensively worldwide by individuals, states and organizations to bring about peaceful resolution to interstate and intrastate conflicts† (Siniver and Thomas, 2011 p2). Typically, mediation involves a third party helping two parties in a conflict to come up with solutions to their disagreements. Mediation aims at promoting a less adversarial method of dealing with conflicts in international relations. Terris and Maoz identify that third party negotiations have been used in 35% of post-World War II militarized disputes (Terris& Maoz 2005 p563). This underscores the importance of mediation as a tool for diplomats to solve conflicts and tensions between nations and states. I see high importance in understanding the perspective role of international mediation as a future conflict resolution tool. Since the demands of each side of the conflict must be heard in mediation, the method with which parties come up with decisions on the demands they put forward is important in determining the success of the process. Thus, each party might need to come up with decisions on the condition to present in the mediation. A simple decision making model involves diagnosis of the problem, search for options and choice, revision through a critical assessment, evaluation of options, choice of a given option and the implementation of choice or demands (Maoz, 2012 p5). The simple decision making model form the basis of the traditional or orthodox negotiation framework known as the Theory of Rationality. The Theory of Rationality is based on an attempt to attain a win-win outcome or the best solution for both parties with the long term interest of the parties. This is steeped in the Expected Utility (EU) Theory, which seeks the best good for the largest numbers of people (Milburn& Isaacs, 1995 p335). However, other theories like the Game Theory which is steeped in probabilities and choices come be u sed to arrive at the rational theory (Coombs& Avrunin, 1998). The Prospect Theory on the other hand, involves an individual negotiating to get the maximum net gains for himself (Bazerman et al, 1985). In other words, each group in the negotiation table will present demands that serves his or her needs best. And as such, we seek the best interests for ourselves. Thus, one must be expected to negotiate for his or her best interest. This makes the Prospect Theory the

Operational Difference †Major company stake is owned by franchises Essay Example for Free

Operational Difference – Major company stake is owned by franchises Essay As I went through the historical span of Burger King History, the franchises of Burger King played a major part in expansion of the parent company from the early 1960’s till date. The relation of franchises and management has always been influential and significant in success and failures of Burger King History. Primarily, the company operated with major investment from franchises and minimal from the company, so the decisions and relationship with franchises was crucial. Flame broiler a unique device that improved with decades in Burger King history The company was set-up on the basis of the oven called ‘Insta-broiler’ for cooking burgers. The purpose had been inspired from McDonald’s speedy service. It was further mechanised into a gas grill without changing patties and self functional by means of a conveyor belt. Further, the device was also customised and technologically advanced to produce Chicken sandwich, Chicken Whopper, Veggie burger, etc. Drive –thru service The company though was working hard on franchises and unique device to meet operational needs; it was mainly oriented to meet demand of production at ‘Drive-thru’ restaurants. This was because the company had major part of its sales revenue i.e. 70 % from ‘Drive-thru’ operations. Later this competence was adapted by McDonald and other competitors as well. However the effectiveness and efficiency of Burger King’s ‘Drive-thru’ was easily highlighted. Competitive methods of Burger King The purpose of its competitive strategy is to build a sustainable competitive advantage over the organization’s rivals. It defines the fundamental decisions that guide the organization’s marketing, financial management and operating strategies. As there were many significant changes in the history of Burger King, eventually there were different competitive methods used in different span in history. Some of the significant competitive methods are listed as follows: 1} Initial decade in Burger king’s history, ‘Insta-broiler’ a device competitive in making burgers and technological advancements in the same gave it a competitive advantage. 2} High amount of franchises worldwide executed major ownership stake and customised operations in the outlets. This was tightened and a new company structure was formed, followed by a new competitive aptitude. [Year 1963 -1967] 3} Push sale approach led increase in competitive breakfast market and thus improve in position in market. Burger King moved to second position in US fast food market after McDonald. [Year 1982-1985] 4} Launched a Burger King Kids Club program that help the company to increase sales and successful entry into a new market segment. [Year 1990-1995] 5} Introduction of a TURNAROUND PLAN named ‘Go Forward Plan’, which was significant to attain objectives like increasing profit, create a customer image, teamwork, etc.[Year 2000]. One more advantage Burger King introduced was ‘Revamped Chicken Whopper’, helpful to compete with other competitors. Burger King McDonald’s (BK is simply not as big as McD) Some of the basic company facts and objectives of both the companies, help us understand how Burger King is not as big as McDonald’s in global terms. Facts Burger King McDonald Founder 1941 by Richard and Maurice McDonald 1953 by Keith J.Cramer Present chain 12,150 outlets in 50 states and US territories and 74 countries More than 31,000 outlets in 119 countries Revenue $2.5 Billion Number of employees 360,000 employees 1,500,000 employees (1.5 million) Customers 11.8 million customers daily worldwide 58 million customers across the globe Products offered Flame-broiled burgers including the Whopper, Burger King also offers chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, French fries, onion rings, salads, chicken fries and Croissanwiches for breakfast. McDonald’s predominantly sells hamburgers, various types of chicken sandwiches and products, French fries, soft drinks, breakfast items, and desserts. In most markets, McDonald’s offers salads and vegetarian items, wraps Calorie content A Burger King Double Whopper has around 920 calories A McDonalds Big Mac consists of 540 calories Objectives Burger King McDonalds Market share 21.9 % in US fast food industry 44% in US fast food industry Value for money More bigger product for reasonable price Product size is smaller with inexpensive price Franchising More than 90 % of the outlets are franchised A little less than 30 % Suppliers The suppliers vary with various franchise in different locations worldwide. McDonald chooses best suppliers and type and quality of meat varies with country culture. Advertising The BK adverts were quite confusing and sending wrong messages in potential market which affected cultural values and also brand image at times. McDonalds often had appropriate ways of advertising and were supportive to increase sales and popularity of the brand. Issues relating to Burger King The case study is very critical in understanding the issues related with Burger King’s history. Some of the prominent issues from past to present can be listed as follows: Franchise management – The company found it difficult to manage more than 90% franchise in the business of Burger King products and services. Crucial reason was also the percentage of stake ownership , which was initially 38% and was improved to 42% by Donald Smith, former McDonald executive. Changes in leadership – The history of Burger King marked approximately 20 changes in management. The changes in short term span affected oragnisation focus over goals and objectives, affected brand image adversely and lacked consistency in operation. Unhealthy food – The Company came prominently in highlight during the era from 2003 as potential customers had responded to be health conscious. The period marked spread of mad-cow disease and obesity levels among children was a rising concern. Market recession – The US economy faced economic recession from 2006 and needs brand to take effective measures to sustain and avoid losing loyal customers to competitors. Recommendations for future development in UK The Burger King opened its first branch/outlet in UK in 1977 on Coventry Street in London. Since then till date Burger King has 654 restaurants in UK ( out of which 73 are owned) whereas it has 139 ‘drive-through’ restaurants. Considering the present fast food environment in UK, following recommendations come in lime-light: HEALTHY FOOD – Burger King UK has currently many problems within the environment in company and surrounding, however one of the prime concern is healthy food. The company needs to produce fast food with less saturated fats and salt content. The problem of obesity in UK is high as well and addressing to this concern is the need of demand to survive over the competitors. PRIME LOCATIONS and EVENTS – Burger King needs to increase its influence and market share in UK, by serving at prime hot spots as well as at travel destinations. The presence of Burger King on high streets and at various national rail stations and airport is reasonable, however it needs to be accessible at hot tourist spots and business oriented commercial areas. SPEED – Burger King needs to increase its speed of delivering products and services to customers, as it has been competing with McDonalds over more than 50 years and still lacks speed during peak periods. Speed in operations helps to generate revenue in coping zone. Schools of strategy – Burger King’s evolution (analyse critically) Strategy formation is judgmental designing, intuitive visioning, and emergent learning; it is about transformation as well as perpetuation; it has to include analyzing before and programming after as well as negotiating during †¦Ã¢â‚¬  – Henry Mintzberg However there is a difference in perspective leading to strategy arguments. Mintzberg identified this and tried to debate and answer different perspectives through his 10 Schools of Strategy/Thinking. The burger King History prominently highlights two of them, explained as follows: 1] The Power School – Strategy Systems as Processes of Negotiation According to the power school, strategy systems are described to be mainly shaped by power and politics, whether as a process inside the enterprise itself or as the behaviour of the enterprise as a whole within its external environment. Strategies that may result from such processes tend to be emergent in nature, and take the forms of positions and actions more than perspectives. On the one hand parts of the power school (‘micro power’) see strategy making as the interplay, through persuasion, bargaining, and sometimes through direct confrontation, among narrow scope interests and shifting coalitions, with none dominant for any significant period. On the  other hand other parts of power school (‘macro power’) see the enterprise as promoting its own welfare by controlling or cooperating with other enterprise (such as Franchises), through the use of strategic manipulation as well as collective strategies in various kinds of networks and alliances. EXAMPLE – Burger King at different period in history, tried to take control over franchises by executing greater control over their operations and direct confrontation with various industry giants/ suppliers. These various processes implemented to achieve power through strategy highlights ‘THE POWER SCHOOL’. 2] The Configuration School – Strategy Systems as Process of Transformation The school follows a formation approach wherein the organisation is transforming into one type of decision making structure into another. The school interrupts the period of stability by some process of transformation. It has configuration of strategy formation from other nine schools which are – Design school – Strategy formation as an architecture process Planning school – Strategy formation as a formal process Positioning school Strategy formation as an analytical process Entrepreneurial school – Strategy formation as a visionary process Cognitive school – Strategy formation as a mental process Learning (or Emergent) school – Strategy formation as an emergent process Power school – Strategy formation as a process of negotiation Cultural school – Strategy formation as a collective process Environmental school – Strategy formation as a reactive process The school recognises a appropriate combination of any one or more of them taking into context a particular type. EXAMPLE – Burger King history marks use of Positioning school in year 1980 -1983 to create a brand image and achieve second position in US fast food market. Click here to Continue Reading this Article Rate This Article Tags: burger king, free essay Category: Business, Free Essays Similar Articles Kicl students’ perceptions on the consumption of McDonalds, KFC and Burger Kings Analysis of Marks Spencer’s International Strategy Role of Advertisement and Sales Promotion in ELP: Subscribe If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it. Including student tips and advice. Subscribe via RSS Feed Connect on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Connect on LinkedIn Connect on YouTube Click here to ask a question about this article.  « Management Function: Critical Analysis of the role of a modern industrial manager Shareholder-Wealth Maximization model (SWM): a Financial Report on Luton Brickworks Plc.  » Similar Articles Kicl students’ perceptions on the consumption of McDonalds, KFC and Burger Kings Analysis of Marks Spencer’s International Strategy Role of Advertisement and Sales Promotion in ELP: Analysis of Marks and Spencer’s Past Failures and Present Developments Strategic Analysis of Marks and Spencers Plc (MS) Looking for Something Similar? Get Student Advice We send regular advice and updates for students. We promise not to spam. Subscribe via RSS Feed Connect on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Connect on LinkedIn Connect on YouTube

Disability as Power in the Works of Mary Duffy, Frida Kahlo, and Vassar

What do you do without either of your arms? What do you do for a living constrained to a wheelchair? What do you do without control over your own body? Many people in the world today spend their lives wishing things were not as they were, attempting to forget how they are, or trying to change how they are going to be. When "disabled" people succeed, it is commonly thought that those individuals are amazing for overcoming their disabilities and thriving in life. Is this really what they are doing? The following three women, Mary Duffy, Frieda Kahlo, and Vassar Miller transform their disabilities into the ability to create complex forms of art that force the audience to gain a different perspective on disabilities. Their disabilities become their power. The artists use this power to force their audiences to look at their disabilities in an utterly new way using the "stare and tell" method. These women do not succeed despite their disabilities, but instead succeed because of them . The "stare and tell" is a term that Rosemarie Garland Thomson, a disability studies scholar and writer, has created to explain a method in performance art that forces the audience to look at disabilities in an entirely new light. She states "As a fusion of both seeing and telling, disability performance art foregrounds the body as an object both to be viewed and to be explained." The artist first beckons the audiences to break the social "normative" and forces the audience to stare at the artist?s disability. Once the attention of the audience is solely on the artist and his or her disability, the method then takes on the "tell" aspect and enables the audience to become aware of what exactly the artist has to say in his or her own words. Mary Duff... ...ly amazing affects she had on her audience. Although she died in 1998 at the age of seventy-four, her poetry is still gaining fame and affecting people across the United States. Often, many people do not know of such individuals. If one has heard of them is it most likely in the category of amazing individuals who are able to overcome life?s most challenging obstacles and succeed in ways never imagined. This is just not so. These women do not succeed in spite of their disabilities, but instead succeed because of them. Mary Duffy, Vassar Miller, and Freida Kahlo have all forced their audiences to visually give attention to their disability and thus have challenged societies stereotypical assumptions, whether on stage, in writing, or on a canvas. Their endeavors are summarized in the words of Frieda Kahlo, "Feet, what do I need them for, if I have wings to fly?"

Violence in the Media Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Violence in the Media      Ã‚  Ã‚   Gina Marchetti, in her essay "Action-Adventure as Ideology," argues that action- adventure films implicitly convey complex cultural messages regarding American values and the "white American status quo." She continues to say that all action-adventure movies have the same basic structure, including plot, theme, characterization, and iconography. As ideology, this film genre tacitly expresses social norms, values, and morals of its time. Marchetti's essay, written in 1989, applies to films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Rambo: First Blood II. However, action-adventure films today seem to be straying farther away from her generalizations about structure, reflecting new and different cultural norms in America. This changing ideology is depicted best in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), which defies nearly every concept Marchetti proposes about action-adventure films; and it sets the stage for a whole new viewpoint of action in the '90's.    Until recently, most action-adventure films, to some extent, fit Marchetti's general guidelines. In the case of iconography, she states that all action-adventure films are set in exotic locations, for example decaying temples or rainforests. Most modern American films, though, are set in American cities and towns in which much violence occurs. Natural Born Killers is filmed entirely in New Mexico, Arizona, and Illinois, with dry desert land forming most of the visual scenery. Why is America no longer as interested in exotic and foreign places? Perhaps the modern movies are more realistic, and therefore can solve real American social problems in the realm of fantasy.    In the case of characterization, Marchetti claims that the most st... ...sening up in this country, although not quite to the extreme as in Natural Born Killers. Despite the controversy caused by the assumed message that "killing is cool," there is important ideology embedded within the film. There is sanity within the insane. The film, in a sense, displays the consequences caused by the suppression of the inner, free soul. We've all seen instances of people "cracking" under the pressures of modern society. I'm not suggesting that we live like wild animals, but I do think that Natural Born Killers is an excellent movie which made a natural attempt to kill standard ideology.    Works Cited Natural Born Killers. Dir. Oliver Stone. With Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, and Robert Downy Jr. Warner Bros., 1994. Marchetti, Gina. Action-Adventure as Ideology. Cultural Politics in Contemporary America, 1989.

Katzenbach and Smith’s Essay

Using Katzenbach and Smith’s article as a guide, what might you do if you wanted to encourage team performance? What risks would you face in doing this, and what would you have to be careful of? What I would do to encourage team performance is to set goals for them, in the Katzenbach and smith’s article, they have mentioned the 4 main elements that make team functional, common commitment and purpose, Performance goals, Complementary skills and Mutual accountability. Team functional, common commitment and purpose, this is like given the team a goal for them, having a goal can let the team work more effectively as they can achieve something, the more meaningful the goal is, the more likely the team will live up to the performance potential. For a team, it is very important to have almost everyone doing what they are best at, everyone has what they are good at and is important to have them using their own skills, in this way the job will be done more efficiently. Also the team needs to meet the deadlines, also to attend all the meetings, this is because the team will need to be update to all the new information so the team will understand what they are doing and having group discussion, also to know if the competitors has any new moves on their business. If the team can spend a lot of time together, in this way the team will get to know each individual’s working method or getting to know each other, in this way the relationship will be better which will make a much better team. A specific goal for any individuals can let them stay focus on one subject, this is so all the control for this person can focus on one thing which can give a much better result. Also the reward they can get from working to its performance potential, a reward can be very differently; it can be the manger will buy the team a dinner or give bonus, or even a promotion, this can improve the behaviors of the team, also will encourage them to work better or faster for the reward they can get. But the methods above doesn’t always work, having goal doesn’t mean that the team can achieve it, in the long term if they cannot achieve, is common sense that people will start to give up on the task, I think the task needs to be achievable and the team must know before they start how badly things can be, if they knew this, the chances of the problem will is less. People in the team will always dislike someone in the group, this can always happens and the disadvantage of this is the information between them might not be shared  which can cause problems. The rewards can also be a bad thing for the team, most people would like to have a promotion, but having promotion mean cause problems in the team, teammates can be fighting for the promotion and this can break the relationship between them.

SAT - PrepScholar 2016 Students Encyclopedia

SAT - PrepScholar 2016 Students' Encyclopedia SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The SAT is one of two major tests used for admission to 4-year colleges and universities in the United States. Colleges selecting for academic ability often use the SAT, or its counterpart, the ACT, as acriticalfactor when deciding whether or not to grant admission to prospective students. Table of Contents IntroductionFunctionOverall StructureCritical ReadingMathematicsWritingSAT Question TypesSAT LogisticsSAT PreparationSAT Scoring and PercentilesSAT / ACT ComparisonsSAT History Editor's Note: This article is the home page of the SAT PrepScholar's Students' Encyclopedia, 2016 Edition. This guide is updated annually to provide an encyclopedic range of facts on SAT topics with a focus on content relevant to students and parents. Introduction In addition to measuring academic ability, the SAT is meant to evaluate students' college readiness. Its Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing sections are designed to test the skills of math and literacy that students need to succeed in college level courses.Students may prepare for the SAT through their classroom learning and SAT-specific preparation, which may involve SAT books, tutoring, and/or online prep programs. Over 1.67 million high school graduatesin the class of 2014 tookthe SAT. Some middle school students also take the SAT as practice or to qualify for talent competitions, like the Duke Talent Identification Program and Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. The SAT is administered by the nonprofit organization, College Board. The current version of the SAT, which consists of three sections and allows for a maximum composite score of 2400, has been in place since 2005. Starting in March of 2016, a redesigned version of the test, commonly referred to as the new SAT, will be administered. The new SAT will feature changes in format, content, and question type, as well as returnto a pre-2005 1600 scoring system. According to College Board, these changes were made in order to more accurately reflect the skills students are learning in their classrooms, as well as to ensure greater equity in achievement across diversesocio-economic backgrounds. SAT commentators have noted that the new SAT will more closely resemble the ACT in many ways, perhaps reflecting College Board's attempt to remain competitive with the increasingly popular ACT. The current version of the SAT consists of three sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing, which includes an essay. Each section is scored on a scale from 200 to 800 in 10 point increments. The lowest possible composite score is a 600 total, while the highest is a 2400 total. The sections aredivided into 25, 20, or 10 minute subsections, each of which is strictly timed. The total examtime is 3 hours and 45 minutes. The actual test-taking time is longer due to time given toproctor-led instructions and three 5 minute breaks. Students register for the SAT online through their College Board accounts. It is also possible to register by mail (this method of registration is required for students under the age of 13). The cost for students in the U.S. is $54.50, while international fees vary by country. Students for whom the registration fee presents a financial obstacle may be eligible for fee waivers, which waive both the cost of the test and official score reports sent to colleges. Students with documented disabilities may also request special accommodations, the most common of which is additional time. In the U.S., the SAT is offered seven times throughout the year, in January, March (or April), May, June, October, November, and December. Technically, students may register for and take the SAT an unlimited number of times.At least half of all students take the SAT twice, with others opt to take the SAT additional times. Students may use College Board's Score Choice to report only the score reports of their choice to colleges unless the college is one of the few that don't allow Score Choice. Students are statistically likely tosee score improvements when they retake the test. SAT preparation has also been shown to lead to significant score improvementson the test. Function The SAT is meant to be a standardized assessment of the academic and reasoning skillsthat students need to succeed in college. Muchof a college application is based on local data, such asGPA and course selection. The SAT is largely used to give anational perspective to students'abilityand college readiness. Many 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S. require the SAT or ACT as part of students' applications. Admissions officers consider SAT scores alongside other aspects of a student's application, including his/her grades, extracurricular involvement, teacher and counselor recommendations, and personal essay. Schools differ in how they consider SAT scores, soit benefits students to research their colleges' policies and incorporate theminto their SAT preparation and test-taking schedules...[Read more here] Overall Structure The SAT has three main sections, Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. It tests the skills of reading comprehension, problem-solving with algebra, geometry, and probability, rules of English grammar, and expositorywriting. The main sections are divided into a total of ten subsections, which might be 10, 20, or 25 minutes in length. One of these sections is experimental, or variable, and is used to develop material for future tests and ensure scoring accuracy. The experimental section is unscored and may be Critical Reading, Math, or Writing. The SAT is allmultiple choice questions, with the exception of a 25 minute essay and ten student-produced Mathematics questions.Each section is scored on a scale from 200 to 800, with a maximum possible composite score of 2400. The entire test is 3 hours and 45 minutes, though administration is typically about 4.5 hours to include instructions and breaks...[Read more here] Critical Reading The Critical Reading section tests students' skills of reading comprehension and understanding of vocabulary. Itpresents short, long, and paired passages and asksquestions about main purpose, author perspective, and vocabulary, among otherquestiontypes. Critical Reading questions also require the ability to understand relationships within sentences and to insert appropriate vocabulary words when prompted. Critical Reading comprises 70 minutes with two 25 minute sections and one 20 minute section. It asks 48 passage-based questions and 19 sentence completions. Typical preparation for this section involves a review of literary terms, studying high level vocabulary words, and taking timed practice tests...[Read more here] Mathematics The Mathematics section of the SAT asks students to solve problems by applying or combining skills from pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and probability. Interpretation of data from graphs and charts is also tested. Students who have taken a high school level algebra and geometry class have likely learned the requisite concepts to succeed on the SAT Math section. There are two 25 minute sections and one 20 minute section in SAT Math. In total, these sections contain 44 multiple choice and 10 student-produced questions, commonly referred to as grid-in questions. Students are allowed to use a calculator on this section, though most questions do not require complex calculations...[Read more here] Writing The Writing section targets skills of English grammar and essay writing. To succeed in this section, students must be able to identify and revise grammatical errors and improve the sequence of ideas within paragraphs. Highly scoring essays typically follow a 5 paragraph structure and support a clear point of view with well-developedand relevant examples. The Writing section consists of a 25 minute essay and 25 minute and 10 minute multiple choice sections. The essay is always the first section on the SAT, and the 10 minute multiple choice section is always last. Students receive a subscore for their essay, which counts for approximately 30% of their Writing section score. The multiple choice makes up the remaining 70%...[Read more here] SAT Question Types There are a total of 170 questions on the SAT, plus the essay. 160 of these questions are multiple choice, each with five answer choices. The other 10 are student-produced math questions, which are answered in a special section of the answer sheet.Most questions are arranged in order of increasing difficulty, with the exception of passage-based Critical Reading questions, which follow chronologically with the passage(s) to which they refer. SAT score reports show students how many questions they answered correctly and incorrectly by question type and difficulty level. Students can alsorequest College Board's Question and Answer service for an additional fee, which will give them a detailed report of how they answered each individual question on their test...[Read more here] SAT Logistics The SAT is offered seven times throughout the year, in January, March (or April), May, June, October, November, and December. The spring date, which alternatelyfalls in March or April, is not available internationally.The cost of the SAT is $54.50 and students typically register online through their College Board accounts. Students may request fee waivers if the test poses a financial barrier, as well as accommodations for documented disabilities. Additional fees apply for late registration, standby testing, registration changes, scores by telephone, or Question and Answer service. In order to report their scores to colleges, students must send official score reports through College Board. Depending on their colleges' policies, students may be able to use College Board's Score Choice option to select which score reports are sent...[Read more here] SAT Preparation SAT preparation has been shown to lead to score improvements on the test. The main methods of test preparation are self-studying from books, SAT classes, one-on-one tutoring, and, more recently, online programs (which may contain a one-on-one tutoring component). All of these approaches have strengths and weaknesses, and students benefit from choosing the method that is most effective for them....[Read more here] SAT Scoring and Percentiles Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale from 200 to 800. The minimum composite score is 600, while themaximum is 2400. Students receive one point for every correct answer, zero points for skipped answers, and a deduction of 0.25 points for wrong answers. Their raw scores areconverted to scaled scores through a process called equating, which takes into account the performance of all students who took the test on a given administration. In addition to their scaled scores, students receive a percentile ranking that compares their results with other students. Colleges rarely publicize that they requirea minimum SAT score, but they dotypically release data on the average SAT scores of accepted students. (Full article to come soon!)...[Read more here] SAT / ACT Comparisons The SAT and ACT are accepted equally by colleges as admissions tests. Historically, students on the East and West coasts took the SAT and Midwestern students took the ACT. More recently, the number of test-takers for each exam isapproximately equal. While both tests are meant to measure academic ability and college readiness, they differ in content, format, scoring, and overall structure. Students benefit from choosing the test that will help them achieve the stronger score for their college applications. (Full article to come soon!)...[Read more here] SAT History The SAT was first administered to college applicants in 1926. It was developed from an Army intelligence test used for recruitment during World War I. The SAT was initially developed in order to assess students' abilitiesregardless of social or financial background. The SAT has undergone numerous changes and revisions throughout the years, with a significant redesign set to take effect in March of 2016. The SAT has been at the center of both controversies and cheating scandals. Critics of the test maintain that it favors students from uppersocio-economic backgrounds whose parents have a high level of educational attainment. College Board maintains that the SAT is a fair standardized assessment of students' skills and college readiness, and that the redesigned SAT will further align with the content knowledge and skills students are learning within their classrooms...[Read more here]

Free Essays on Psychological Egoism

Psychological egoism is the view that people are always selfish. When was the last time you did a good deed? Did you do it for its own sake, or for your own? The egoist says that all of us are necessarily self-regarding. I shall argue that this view is incorrect. First we should ask, what kind of claim is this? Is it an a priori claim, or a generalization from experience? If it were the latter, we could never conclusively prove it: we could never show that necessarily all actions are selfish. So it must be a priori. But no a priori claim could be substantive: a priori truths are all analytic (that is, the predicate is contained in the subject). So if this claim were analytic, it would become trivial. (It is worth noting that Kripke’s claim that there are a posteriori necessary truths does not show that a priori truths are not analytic.) The situation is paralleled by pseudo-sciences such as Freudian psychoanalysis. As Karl Popper has argued, any theory can be maintained so long as it is drained of empirical content. Like psychoanalysis, psychological egoism makes no genuine claims and can never be refuted. But it purchases certainty at the price of becoming vacuous. I shall have more to say on this below. The simplest way to see the egoist’s mistake is to distinguish between the side-effects of an action and the reason for which it was done. Suppose we grant that in doing a good deed, we usually get a pleasant feeling (though I suspect this is false). Even so, this would not show that that feeling was indeed the motivating factor in our behavior; it could simply be a side effect of doing the good deed. Compare the case in which someone types for hours on a philosophy paper and gets a cramp in his hand. Did I type in order to get the cramp? Of course not. To be sure, it was a foreseeable result of my typing, but it was not the motive for my heroic efforts. Perhaps we can go further in refuting the egoi... Free Essays on Psychological Egoism Free Essays on Psychological Egoism Psychological egoism is the view that people are always selfish. When was the last time you did a good deed? Did you do it for its own sake, or for your own? The egoist says that all of us are necessarily self-regarding. I shall argue that this view is incorrect. First we should ask, what kind of claim is this? Is it an a priori claim, or a generalization from experience? If it were the latter, we could never conclusively prove it: we could never show that necessarily all actions are selfish. So it must be a priori. But no a priori claim could be substantive: a priori truths are all analytic (that is, the predicate is contained in the subject). So if this claim were analytic, it would become trivial. (It is worth noting that Kripke’s claim that there are a posteriori necessary truths does not show that a priori truths are not analytic.) The situation is paralleled by pseudo-sciences such as Freudian psychoanalysis. As Karl Popper has argued, any theory can be maintained so long as it is drained of empirical content. Like psychoanalysis, psychological egoism makes no genuine claims and can never be refuted. But it purchases certainty at the price of becoming vacuous. I shall have more to say on this below. The simplest way to see the egoist’s mistake is to distinguish between the side-effects of an action and the reason for which it was done. Suppose we grant that in doing a good deed, we usually get a pleasant feeling (though I suspect this is false). Even so, this would not show that that feeling was indeed the motivating factor in our behavior; it could simply be a side effect of doing the good deed. Compare the case in which someone types for hours on a philosophy paper and gets a cramp in his hand. Did I type in order to get the cramp? Of course not. To be sure, it was a foreseeable result of my typing, but it was not the motive for my heroic efforts. Perhaps we can go further in refuting the egoi...

Half Price Books Summer Reading Program for Kids

Half Price Books Summer Reading Program for Kids Updated for the Half Price Books 2019 Summer Reading Program The Half Price Books summer reading program for kids gives out free Half Price Books gift cards to kids who read for at least 300 minutes during the months of June and July. This program is available  to kids preschool through middle school. The Half Price Books summer reading program for 2019 is called Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program and it runs from June 1 to July 31, 2019. Looking for more summer reading programs that will score your kids some freebies? Check out my list of the best summer reading program freebies  where you can get free stuff from Barnes and Noble  and more. Rewards Available From the Half Price Books Summer Reading Program If a child reads at least 300 minutes during June and July they can submit their reading log to get $5 worth of HPB Bookworm Bucks for each month. These can be applied to a pre-tax amount of a single transaction. How to Get Free Gift Cards From the Half Price Books Summer Reading Program Visit the Feed Your Brain Summer Reading Program website, and download the Feed Your Brain Reading Log. Theyll need two logs, one for June and one for July. Each day your child reads during June and July have them write the number of minutes theyve read on that day on the calendar. The goal is to read at least 15 minutes each day of the week. At the end of each week, kids can add up their weeks total minutes and have a grown-up initial it. Total minutes for the month can be added up at the bottom of the calendar. After the child has read at least 300 minutes, fill out their name, age, and total minutes, as well as your name, email, and location information. Cut out the completed part of the form and bring it to your local Half Price Books to get your reward. The reading logs are due no later than August 29, 2019. Encouraging Your Child Through the Half Price Books Summer Reading Program When your kids are finished with a week, a month, or the whole program, you can fill out a Half Price Books Feed Your Brain Reading Award to keep them encouraged about their progress.   If you want to make some suggestions on what your child reads this summer, Half Price Books has put together a list of staff picks by grade level, best alphabet books, 40 books every child should read, and 21 books to start babys library. Limits to Be Aware Of The reading program is for kids 14 years of age or younger, in 8th grade or under. Theres a limit of one reading log per month, for each child. The HPB Bookworm Bucks expire August 31, 2019.

Last philosophy paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Last philosophy paper - Essay Example nce, if a philosopher asks whether knowledge originates in the senses or in the mind, this presupposes the philosopher has the right concept of knowledge, of mind, of senses, and of origination. Without these more basic concepts, the philosophical enterprise is doomed to wander aimlessly. An equally popular example of a philosophical question is, naturally, What is the meaning of life? Likewise, this question presupposes an understanding of the terms involved, and through a realized insight into what the terms refer to, one might come to understand the answer to the question. The question I am asking reflects on that existential quest for meaning. However, the quest for meaning I am concerned about deals not with life in general, but with the subject of a life. What is the meaning of my life? By changing the question, I have introduced a new term, but one which simplifies the issue and makes my life in particular something which must be grasped before attempting to answer the question. However, it is unclear is how I am to understand my life. As opposed to life in general, my life is defined by particular values and experiences that are not shared between different people or cultures. For example, my career as a Director of Sales and Marketing is driven by my experiences, knowledge, and values that I alone possess. My individuality reduces the issue to one of narrowing down what is important to me and finding values in those experiences. Asking the question in terms of my life provides a certain methodology for understanding how to answer the question, for if life shares certain essential characteristics, then it would not matter if it were my life the question asked about, or my neighbors life. This is the existentialist slant in trying to find an answer to the question. The philosopher Sà ¸ren Kierkegaard called this kind of answer a â€Å"leap of faith†1, and that the values, which belong to individuals, vary enough to give themselves, and their lives,

Disneyland in Qatar (Global Marketing Plan) Case Study

Disneyland in Qatar (Global Marketing Plan) - Case Study Example The strategic fit of the market opportunity to the company’s capabilities has been highlighted. The report ends with the identification of a market opportunity in the Qatari market that is worth pursuing, which becomes the stated objective of the global marketing strategy plan. Introduction For organizations to maintain competitiveness, they need to adapt to the diverse needs of customers as well as the communities within which they operate. Foreign investment is a costly move that requires a large capital outlay. An organization has to set strong marketing strategies to enhance its survival. It is important to evaluate the important aspects of the internal environment that may influence success such as the organizational structure, the product line which is the theme park in this case, the status of the market, as well as the distribution and supply chain. Moreover, assessment of the external environment is significant in the planning process especially when the organization plans to venture in to the global market. The PESTEL analysis helps managers to set strategies to cope with challenges in the operating environment. The SWOT analysis helps managers to capitalize on their strengths to utilize available opportunities as well as to realize the weaknesses that need to be addressed. It is also an important planning tool for establishing potential threats in advance. These analyses will be significant in determining the strategic fit of Disney to establish a theme park in the emerging Qatari market. Internal Situation Company Structure Walt Disney Company operates in a functional structure with several affiliates and subsidiaries in different countries globally. The various sections include; theme parks, resorts, media networks, amusement studios, consumer goods and interactive media services. These sections provide different products under centralized management. Disney’s theme parks control a wide resource base with regards to materials that are significant in generating value for customers (Keller, 2001). Tangible assets are supplemented by intangible assets such as a strong brand name, brand equity, patent rights and customer loyalty. Each resource is uniquely positioned to serve a particular group of consumers and hence difficult to imitate. Disneyland was able to strategically develop capabilities that can be utilized in a competitive environment, for example, copyrights have helped in the retention of profits for every character in its studios (Capodagli & Jackson, 1999). Disney’s Theme Park The theme park comprises of mainly entertainment attractions and rides suitable for family leisure. The theme park entertainment is suitable for adults and children. Generally, creativity management has been significant in the success of Disney’s theme parks (Mulcaster, 2009). The theme park strategy was developed in 1952 and took advantage of the tremendous impact of television in awareness creation among consumers. Since then, the eleven theme parks have been established globally mainly in the US, Europe and Asia. Innovation and target oriented approach have significantly contributed to the growth of the Disney theme parks (Wasko, 2004). Current Market for the Theme Parks The current market for Disney’s products is based on people’s willingness and ability to spend on entertainment and leisure. The them

Big Data, Business Intelligence, and Data Analytics in Decision Making Essay

Big Data, Business Intelligence, and Data Analytics in Decision Making - Essay Example It resources and strategies have therefore contributed the following to the companies. It is the interest of businesses to thrive the most in terms of dominating the market share of where they aim to dispose their products. This cannot take place if the company does not understand some of the dynamics that it experiences over time and respond to them appropriately as a management concern. Understanding of these dynamics can lead to designing of better strategies to shelve the main competitors in the scramble for better ways of bringing a widening the market base of the products. To make a good understanding of the dynamics, the companies much understand all the data related to the company so that they can make a much more informed decision. Analysis of these data can only be done with the assistance of IT knowledge (Sathi, 2012). In this sense, IT software is able to process heavy bundles of data from all types and subsequently unravel the hidden correlations and patterns associated with the data. This information will be helpful for companies to create a way of having a competitive advantage over the rivals in the business enabling them to enjoy benefits that comes with business such as effective marketing strategy as well as revenue increment for the company (Sathi, 2012). IT services such as those given by the Big Data Analytics are of paramount importance to businesses in the sense that they make it easier for business to make decisions based on material facts. IT services enable the business to make rational conclusion on some of the data that are not tapped by the conventional businesses intelligence systems that have been used to help in making business decision (Ohlhorst, 2012). Without IT assistance in the business, huge volumes of data that relates to the business can go unattended to given the fact that traditional business intelligence analysis cannot process them so that important inferences can be drawn from them. Information such as those from We b servers, activities drawn from the social media reports, details of the mobile phone calls, information extracted from sensors, and the information from the internet click stream (Ohlhorst, 2012). Big data and bid data analytics are able to use this unconventional data to allow business make informed choices on how to go about their businesses in terms of making steps ahead of their competitors and increasing their revenue base over time. It is thus advisable for companies that have long-term strategies in business to go the IT way in most of their activities. This is in conformity with the fact that timely information in business, more so those that are in a highly competitive landscape is an essential tool in shielding the competitors off the game (Ohlhorst, 2012) A case Study: Wal-Mart Stores Wal-mart stores is one of the leading private companies in the world with the highest number of employees according the report released by the fortune 500. As such, the company has to put a lot of spirited fight in the market to keep with the standard it has set over the last years. In view of such, the company must engage the services of the Bid data to provide them with the critical information that will help them make decision regarding what strategies they should use to satisfy the demand of their customers. For example, though the services of the IT, they are able to know which grocery is liked by many

3D printing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

3D printing - Essay Example 3D printing can best be understood by defining a 3D printer. According to Kelly, "A 3D printer is a printer that prints in three dimensions" (5). Deriving from this definition of a 3D printer, 3D printing is therefore printing objects in three dimensions. This technology has transformed printing from the conventional two dimensional methods which lacked height to three dimensions that comprise of height (Kelly 5). To further differentiate between the conventional method of 2D and modern 3D printing, Kelly asserts that whereas ink is used in 2D printing, 3D printing mainly uses plastic in order to achieve a three-dimensional object (7). Through 3D printing, it is easier for individuals to modify products according to customers instructions and needs. This advantage is reiterated by Stephanidis who posits that customized products can easily be created and produced in large quantities through an uncomplicated process made possible by 3D technology (300). Additionally, merchandise can be produced more rapidly and precisely as the process is computerized. People can today purchase a 3D printer at a cheaper price for use at home. It is worth noting that people in the modern world have divergent needs and requirements and hence may require to create specific products to meet their specific needs. An individual can therefore create a product to meet his own need at home and thus making life easier. This saves resources as money that could have otherwise be spent through purchasing the particular product from a shop or other manufacturers is used for other purposes. 3D is today used to create prototypes. In fact, Battersby and Grimes assert that approximately 70 percent of 3D usage today entails prototyping (831). In laymans terms, a prototype is a model or sample that is created for experimentation. Through the use of 3D, an individual can create as many prototypes as possible at a cheaper price until the specifications of the desired product are achieved. There are

Management of Change Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management of Change - Case Study Example However, the management failed in addressing the short-term health risks of the long-sleeved shirts especially during the hot summer. It is true that there are many risk-behaviours, incidents and injuries that occur in the construction industry thus Main Roads department must focus on the occupational health and safety of its workforce estimated at 5,000 workers. There are some organizational barriers to change since the department of Main Roads has a centralised policy of resource allocation, bureaucratic procedures and a hierarchical structure thus hindering flow of information and fast decision-making. However, the Main Roads department claims that it cooperates with other government departments in implementation of policy agenda through consultations with stakeholders and external agencies. Surprisingly, the department did not consult with Cancer Council on the sun-safe strategies that will ensure workers are protected from skin cancer in the workplace, but relied on World Health Organization (WHO) advice on and figures that point out the Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer. On the other hand, Cancer Council recommends that all workplaces to have ultraviolent (UV) radiation protection program that entails comprehensive policy and strategies of early detection and prevention of skin cancer. It is a fact that construction wo rkers have higher risk of skin cancer that all other workers due to long exposure to radiation from direct sunlight and UV rays. The Main Roads department has a positive culture that aims at protecting workers from health risks. The department has certain shared norms, customs and practices. However, the outside workers have the mentality that ‘as soon as the sun comes out you take your shirt off’. The department has created a powerful coalition â€Å" A Safety Leaders Group† that will steer the efforts of promoting positive safety staff attitudes in the

3D printing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

3D printing - Essay Example 3D printing can best be understood by defining a 3D printer. According to Kelly, "A 3D printer is a printer that prints in three dimensions" (5). Deriving from this definition of a 3D printer, 3D printing is therefore printing objects in three dimensions. This technology has transformed printing from the conventional two dimensional methods which lacked height to three dimensions that comprise of height (Kelly 5). To further differentiate between the conventional method of 2D and modern 3D printing, Kelly asserts that whereas ink is used in 2D printing, 3D printing mainly uses plastic in order to achieve a three-dimensional object (7). Through 3D printing, it is easier for individuals to modify products according to customers instructions and needs. This advantage is reiterated by Stephanidis who posits that customized products can easily be created and produced in large quantities through an uncomplicated process made possible by 3D technology (300). Additionally, merchandise can be produced more rapidly and precisely as the process is computerized. People can today purchase a 3D printer at a cheaper price for use at home. It is worth noting that people in the modern world have divergent needs and requirements and hence may require to create specific products to meet their specific needs. An individual can therefore create a product to meet his own need at home and thus making life easier. This saves resources as money that could have otherwise be spent through purchasing the particular product from a shop or other manufacturers is used for other purposes. 3D is today used to create prototypes. In fact, Battersby and Grimes assert that approximately 70 percent of 3D usage today entails prototyping (831). In laymans terms, a prototype is a model or sample that is created for experimentation. Through the use of 3D, an individual can create as many prototypes as possible at a cheaper price until the specifications of the desired product are achieved. There are

The role women played in todays society Research Paper

The role women played in todays society - Research Paper Example As a result, more women were more open to the idea of sticking to the traditional perception of women as housewives and PAs, as opposed to high flying career women (Empey 152). While women ascribed to feminist opinions that suggested otherwise, many still harbored conservative perceptions which characterized them as having intrinsic limitations and therefore unable to choose between careers and marriage (Empey 152). In high schools and colleges, young women were found to have aspirations that saw them stick to the traditional roles regarding family and gender. A further study carried out on a sample of 1194 girls spread across high schools and colleges in Washington revealed that 80% of them preferred marriage to careers, while only 8% preferred careers to marriage (Empey 152); the remaining 12% was unsure about where they stood. The overwhelming majority of the sample stated that the most important role of women in the society was to get married and raise a family. The small remaini ng percentage favored both career and marriage as being a woman’s most significant obligations to society (Empey 152). Some other responses to the survey that support this stance include the opinion of majority of the surveyed women that they would not take up jobs to which their significant others were opposed; they would not move away from their families immediately they had settled, in pursuit of better career prospects elsewhere; and they felt a greater sense of accountability towards preserving the repose of their families (Empey 152). Fast-forward to the 1970s and the number of women pursuing professional postgraduate programs upon completion of their college education rose sharply in the United States (Goldin and Katz 730). Expectedly, the age at which women got married for the first time also escalated drastically (Goldin and Katz 730). Beginning in the 1970s, more and more women began to venture into professional courses such as law and medicine; a scenario which saw the number of female law graduates increase by well over 26% between 1970 and 1986 (Goldin and Katz 730). In the same breath, the number of married women among college graduates began to take a dip (Goldin and Katz 731). While Goldin and Katz attribute this phenomenon to the increased popularity of the birth control pills, what is agreeable is that more and more women postponed the decision to get married to much later years than before. The pill was seen by women as giving them more sexual freedom without facing the consequences of unwanted pregnancies and hence facilitating the ability of women to invest in their careers in the long term. More women found that the pill enabled them to delay marriage and engage in establishing their careers, as the pill greatly reduced the cost of doing this in what Goldin and Katz refer to as â€Å"reducing the cost is the marriage market† (731). The overall effect was that women could delay marriage for as long as they pleased. The number of women graduating from college and getting married within two years of leaving college plunged (Goldin and Katz 731). Consequently, more women compared to men began to pursue professional courses after graduation from college. In the present the day, the situation has changed even more significantly. According to Wallop, more and more women are getting married in their 30s and 40s than ever before (telegraph.co.uk). The mean age which women found appropriate to get married in 2008 was 29.9

Borderline Personality Disorder Essay Example for Free

Borderline Personality Disorder Essay In 1938, the term â€Å"borderline† was first used by A. Stern to describe individuals â€Å"on the border† of psychosis (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). Individuals afflicted by Borderline Personality Disorder, BPD, have unstable sense of relationship, mood, and identity. They exhibit low confidence on professional, sexual, and family relations and frequently experience depression, disappointments, and anxiety. In connection to these, BPD patients are inclined to substance abuse, antisocial acts, erratic lifestyles, suicidal attempts, and self-mutilation. Specifically, BPD patients of ages below than 18 years are commonly diagnosed with identity confusion. The BPD cases have a prevalence of about 0. 2-4 percent in the general public and approximately 15-25 percent among the hospitalized psychiatric cases with co-occurrence of eating disorder and substance abuse (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). Different hypotheses offer a possible etiology for BPD. Some of which ascribed it to the brains constitutional defects in different neurotransmitter systems like in the serotonergic, andrenergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic systems while other hypotheses associated it to the history of learning disabilities, encephalitis, head trauma, severe hyperactivity, and epilepsy (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). On the other hand, in terms of developmental perspective, the excessive frustrations during childhood, physical-sexual abuse, constitutional predisposition, early parental loss, arrest in normal development, traumatic separation from parental figure and post-traumatic stress disorder are considered as contributing factors in the BPD development (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). Meanwhile, a long term psychotherapy involving reality-oriented or analytic techniques along with drug medications which include mood stabilizers, antipsychotic, and antidepressants is the therapeutic mainstay. Borderline Personality Disorder and Marital Relations Borderline Personality Disorder is a mental illness which causes unstable behavior, self-image, moods, and interpersonal relationships to the affected individuals. Eventually, these instabilities will result to disruption of self-identity, family life, long-term planning, and work performance (Sholevar and Schwoeri, 2003). As well, a BPD patient may experience anxiety, violent bouts of anger, and depression for several hours or even a day leading to substance abuse, aggression, and self-injury. About two percent of adults, mostly women, affected by BPD suffer from instability of emotion regulation which often leads to self-injury and suicidal attempts (Sholevar and Schwoeri, 2003). Consequently, the disruptions of self-identity and cognition of the affected individual cause distortion on his or her gender identity, long-term goals, jobs, values, jobs, and career plans and in the long run may result to unworthy or bad perception about his or her self. As such, the afflicted individuals, more often than not, feel low self-esteem, empty, mistreated, bored, and misunderstood. In severe cases, BPD patients tend to feel lack of social support and isolated which may lead to impulsive avoidance of perceived abandonment. In relation to these, individuals with BPD are susceptible to turbulent social relationships (Sholevar and Schwoeri, 2003). They are prone to frequently agitated relationships and tend to abrupt shifting of attitude from love and admiration to anger and hate towards their family and friends. Hence, they easily idealize and develop attachment to other person; however, in the occurrence of conflict, their attitudes suddenly shift to anger and hate the person they are formerly attached to. In addition, even to their family circles, BPD patients are sensitive to rejection and separation issues. They tend to exhibit other behavioral problems such as risky sex, excessive eating, and extraneous spending (Sholevar and Schwoeri, 2003). The American Psychiatric Association (2000) postulated that a BPD patient most probably may have a chaotic and unstable marital relation which is attributed to the distortions in his or her affects, thoughts, and behaviors. Since, children in this kind of marriage are negatively affected by the behavioral exchanges between the couple, BPD treatment in terms of its cost and mandated implementation became a significant issue. Moreover, the study of Daley, Burge, and Hammen (2000) suggested that the presence and the degree of a personality disorder largely predict the impairment of an intimate relationship. As such, the results of their study fundamentally supported the significance of BPD perspective as not merely just a categorical diagnosis but as a continuum of severity. Whereas every woman in their study was diagnosed with BPD potential, women with more subclinical BPD characteristics tended to practice maladaptive romantic lives (Daley, Burge, and Hammen, 2000). This observation generally implied that the utilization of categorical approach in BPD assessment through systematic diagnostic threshold in inadequate in the detection of variations in the relationship behavior among individuals. Nonetheless, at subclinical levels, the BPD symptoms were not directly linked with dysfunctional marital relationships (Daley, Burge, and Hammen, 2000). Even though every personality disorder has an association with romantic dysfunction, the BPD symptoms failed to generate significant contributions beyond the other Axis II pathology (Daley, Burge, and Hammen, 2000). This signified the crucial role of a factor which underlies every personality disorder under the Axis II pathology for the determination of relationship adjustment. Borderline Personality Disorder and Dysfunctional Marriage In 1938, the relationship between personality disorder and dysfunctional marriage was first noted by Terman, Wilson, Johnson, Buttenweiser, and Ferguson (South, Turkheimer, and Oltmanns, 2008). They hypothesized that the unique attributes of every individual impart them the possibility for relationship dissatisfaction. In 1995, the vulnerability-stress-adaptation model for marital relations was proposed by Karney and Bradburry (South, Turkheimer, and Oltmanns, 2008). This model illustrates the role of individual differences along with interpersonal processes in the achievement of marital satisfaction. The model postulated that personality traits and couples vulnerability directly determine the couples endurance and their behavioral exchanges with respect to the stressful circumstances in their marriage. In relation to these, the symptoms of personality disorder have been tied up with serious couples conflict and marriage violence. Specifically, the partner-violence studies through behavioral analogue and factor-analytic techniques found that borderline personality and antisocial traits of individuals are predictors of the occurrence of violence in married life. Nevertheless, through developmental research, the relationship of personality traits during childhood and adolescent years with temperament and abusive behaviors in an intimate relationship has been reported (South, Turkheimer, and Oltmanns, 2008). For someone married to a partner with BPD, the frequent turmoil in their relationship can either make their bond stronger or at worst, result to hatred and divorce. More often than not, dealing with the love-hate nature of marital relations is exasperating for every couple. In particular, an individual can hardly understand a partner who at one time offers love and adorations then all of a sudden will just lose temperament and fall into horrific rages. This scenario would make the spouse of the BPD patient dumbfounded for the hastily anger may seem came from nowhere at all. The relatives of a BPD patient may experience stress and feel helpless as they witness their loved one suffering from self-destructive BPD symptoms (Sholevar and Schwoeri, 2003). The immediate caregivers, the parents or the spouse are more susceptible to chronic stress due to the pitiful condition of the patient which at worst may even lead to psychological trauma especially for the patients children. For instance, as the patient engages into self-destructive behaviors like self-injury, burning, or suicidal attempts, the immediate caregivers are vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder because they directly observe the patients high-risks behaviors as they respond for help. In line with this, the spouse of the patient may experience guilt as he or she tries to figure out the cause or his or her liability in the BPD development of the patient. Meanwhile, close relatives may want to support the patient but are afraid to do so because of the harm they may possibly beget from the self-harm behaviors of the patient. As well, family members may become impatient due to the patients disruptive behaviors. Nonetheless, family members, friends, and relatives may have inadequate knowledge about BPD; thus, they can hardly understand and give empathy to the patient. In the long run, the relationship turmoil between the couple along with the stress and guilt of the patients spouse cause impatience, hatred and may even lead to divorce. Still, the atmosphere at home has a great impact on the personalities of the couples children. For example, the eldest among the siblings are often tasked to look after the needs of the patient while the youngsters are instructed to keep away from the patient to avoid emotional trauma or the possible physical harm they may beget. Moreover, the extended family like uncles, grandparents, and close friends can also be affected as they relay aegis to the patients family. Couples Therapy An individual with a spouse afflicted with BPD can adapt to the behavioral problems of his wife or her husband by understanding the nature of BPD. Along with drug medications, therapeutic counseling is widely used to save marital relations from the consequences of BPD behaviors. Both Lachkar and McCormack in 1998 and 2000 respectively, suggested the creation of â€Å"holding environment† for couples with one partner having BPD (Oliver, Perry, and Cade, 2008). In this approach, each partner, rather than withdrawing or projecting, is conditioned for the recognition of his or her subjective experiences. In particular, Lachkar proposed three fundamental functions: containment, empathy versus containment, and self-object (Oliver, Perry, and Cade, 2008). In containment, the counselor mirror and defuse the negative affects and projections in order to provide new means of images and experiences to the couple. On the other hand, the empathy or mirroring versus containment is necessary for the containment balance. The couple also needs to experience empathy and mirror-back their statements and behavior to them. Thus, the counselor must know how to employ either one or the other so as to facilitate the effective relationship functioning and the healing process of traumatic experiences. Lastly, the self-object functions are designed for the structural repair of the self. In 2003, Fruzzetti and Fruzzetti identified the five functions for a complete dialectical behavioral therapy (Oliver, Perry, and Cade, 2008). Skill acquisition or enhancement is the first function in which specific skills are taught to individuals in every session. Next in line is the skill generalization wherein the learned skills are applied to real life setting through planning and telephone advising. The client motivation or behavior change is the third function which requires the collaborative effort of the client and the counselor in identifying and changing the dysfunctional patterns. Then, the crucial skills and high level of motivation are the required functions in the development of enhancement and motivation capabilities of the counselor. Finally, the environment structuring is a required function to ensure the desired outcomes. Gottmans Approach In 1999, Gottman proposed the different levels for a sound relational house which include: marital friendship foundation which consists of admiration and fondness, cognitive space for ones spouse, and turning toward versus turning away; override of positive sentiment versus the override of negative sentiments; conflict regulation which involves dialogue establishment and physiological soothing; and the creation of shared system of meaning such as meshing narratives, dreams, metaphors, and rituals (Oliver, Perry, and Cade, 2008). Furthermore, Gottman argued that resistance can hardly be avoided in the therapy because it resulted from the disruptions in the various level components of a sound relational house of the relationships internal working model (Oliver, Perry, and Cade, 2008). Hence, BPD patients suffer from the distortions of internal working models with respect to relationships and the self. Gottman further believed that the resistance due to the psychopathology of the individual is brought by his or her stable steady state, characterized by high negativity, and by the disruptions in the individuals means of influencing and influence acceptance (Oliver, Perry, and Cade, 2008). Dialectic Behavioral Therapy In 1980s, at the University of Washington, Marsha Linehan developed the Dialectic Behavioral Therapy or DBT after the failure of the standard behavioral therapies she has employed in treating women with chronic suicidal attempts (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). The DBT is an intensive and multimodal approach in the treatment of BPD. This form of therapy incorporated the cognitive-behavioral techniques with the time-tested Western contemplative and Eastern meditative medication approaches. These approaches with opposing notions, acceptance, and change were all integrated by means of a dialectical framework which can serve as a guide in the formulation and implementation of medication strategies. Since then, DBT has been utilized in the treatment of parasuicidal behavior among BPD cases and in other psychotic disorders. On the basis of biosocial maintenance and etiology of BPD, the DBT was developed in order to provide a plausible explanation for the BPD attributes with consistency on behavioral theory and empirical research findings (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). As posited by the biosocial theory, the BPD development is triggered by a dysfunction in the emotion regulation system during childhood brought by the interaction of the emotionally susceptible child to the invalidating environment. The immediate individuals in the childs environment, either unknowingly or intentionally, invalidate the childs emotional experiences which in turn result to the elevation of the childs emotional responses which aggravate the environmental invalidating responses. Further, the biosocial theory argued that the child and the environment have biodirectional relationship; thus, both influence the continuous elevation and deescalation of the borderline behaviors. The DBT treats BPD behaviors as spontaneous products of dysregulated and maladaptive attempts of emotions regulations (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). This model illustrated the characteristics of both individual and environment wherein the latter inhibits the development of the capabilities and potentials of the former. As such, BPD patients have low distress tolerance, interpersonal, and self-regulation skills. Hence, for any treatment approach, the development and enhancement of skills, capabilities, and motivation of every patient must be given prime importance. On the other hand, the therapeutic relationship between the BPD patient and the therapist poses a dialectic tension in which they can find themselves at the opposite sites of a particular issue. The therapeutic process then attempts to synthesize these opposing views resulting to a new dialectical tension. For instance, the therapist may perceive that the suicidal tendency of the patient is the root cause of the problem while the patient may take this behavior as the solution. The possible synthesis of these positions may result to the notion that committing suicide is a maladaptive solution to the problem at hand. Then, this new position may necessitate the learning of new skills so as to smoothly adapt the patient into the present state of life. DBT Treatment Stages Since DBT is a multimodal approach, the treatment is categorized into several stages, each of which has its own goals (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). In Stage I, the behavior is out of control as the individual possesses debilitating and pervasive problems. The first stage aims to facilitate the achievement of action control and stability as well as the natural life expectancy by preventing suicidal behavior, the development of the capability of helping individuals in reducing severe impediments, and the achievement of necessary skills for such tasks. In the following stage, the individuals have attained reasonable action control. The Stage II then intends to gain understanding and at the same time to reduce the impact of early traumatic experiences, and to strengthen the individual’s endurance in emotional experiences in the absence of psychological trauma. In the third stage, the focus of treatment is on the resolution of residual problem behavior which hinders the attainment of personal goals. The BPD patient, with self-trust and respect, takes a pivotal role. Finally, Stage IV aims for the sustenance of personal freedom and goals. This last treatment stage facilitates the patient’s achievement of spiritual fulfillment, vast awareness, and connection to the universe. Empirical Findings The randomized controlled DBT trials proved its efficacy on BPD behaviors such as suicidal tendency, substance abuse, depression, binge eating, anxiety, and other personality disorders across various populations (Koerner and Linehan, 2000). In addition, a substantial number of nonrandomized controlled DBT trials have shown efficacy similar to the randomized controlled. Thus, in general, the results of DBT studies indicated its superiority against non-DBT controlled trials in the prevention and reduction of problem behaviors like substance abuse and suicidal behavior as well as treatment dropout and hospitalization, and the improvement of the general and social functioning of the BPD patients. References American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. Arlington, VA: APA. Daley, S. E. , Burge, D. , and Hammen, C. (2000). Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms as Predictors of 4-Year Romantic Relationship Dysfunction in Young Women Addressing Issues of Specificity. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109 (3), 451-460. Koerner, K. and Linehan, M. M. (2000). Research on Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23 (1), 151–167.

High Turnover Rate in Long-Term Care in Nursing

High Turnover Rate in Long-Term Care in Nursing Lisa Krier Introduction There is a serious problem in this nation, and it is only getting worse. By the year 2030, the number of elderly in the United States, 85 years or older, is expected to reach 8.9 million (Barondess, 2007). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, two-thirds of people reaching the age of 65 will require the services of a long term care facility at least once during their lifetime (Harris-Kojetin, Sengupta, Park-Lee, Valverde, 2013). As the population continues to age, the population of those over the age of 65 is projected to soar to 88.5 million by the year 2050, and the oldest of the old, those 85 years and older, is estimated to reach 17.9 million and account for 4.5% of the U.S. population (Harris-Kojetin, Sengupta, Park-Lee, Valverde, 2013). The 85 and older population often have the highest disability rate and their need for long term care placement is the greatest (Harris-Kojetin, Sengupta, Park-Lee, Valverde, 2013). Unfortunately, the number of women who are 20 to 50 years old, the population most likely to provide the work force of direct care staff, is only expected to increase less than 10% during this same time (Barondess, 2007). In the United States, the shortage of direct-care staff is a serious problem that is worsening (Barondess, 2007). Recruitment and retention of direct- care staff is extremely challenging and is exacerbated by the growing division between the number of those needing care the number of those providing the care (Barondess, 2007). Discussion Long term care facilities experience very high turnover rates among direct-care staff (Barondess, 2007). This problem is costly, threatens the quality of care provided to patients, increases workloads, and can lower morale among the remaining direct-care staff, with all of this contributing to continual and increased turnover (Barondess, 2007). According to the Institute of Medicine’s website, among direct-care staff there was a 71% turnover rate nationwide in 2008 and they were more likely to not have health insurance and to use food stamps (IOM, 2008). The high turnover rate of direct-care staff costs employers on average $4.1 billion annually (IOM, 2008). Direct-care staff contributes greatly to the physical and mental health of long term care patients (Stone Wiener, 2001). Patients depend on staff for assistance with activities of daily living and direct-care staff is the ones providing this care (Stone Wiener, 2001). According to the CDC, in 2012, direct-care staff spent on average 2.46 hours per day per patient, while RNs spent 0.52 hours per day per patient, and LPNs spend 0.85 hours per day per patient (Harris-Kojetin, Sengupta, Park-Lee, Valverde, 2013). As the direct-care staff spends much time caring for the patient, real attachments between the care givers and patients can occur (Eaton, 2000). Direct-care staff potentially can help to improve the patient’s health and psychosocial functioning by providing positive interactions (Eaton, 2000). In this regard, high turnover rates in the long term care setting can affect patient care and patients may suffer both physically and emotionally as a result (Hayes et al., 2006) . Staff turnover in the long term care industry increases the cost for caring for those patients and affects the quality of care provided (Rosen, Stiehl, Mittal, Leana, 2011). In order to increase the retention of nursing assistants, administrators need to address the problem of low job satisfaction among these employees (Rosen, Stiehl, Mittal, Leana, 2011). The following is a plan of action developed to address the problem of low job satisfaction and the high turnover rate of direct-care staff. Core Competency The core competency that will be addressed is managing patient-centered care (IOM, 2003). In 2003, the Institute of Medicine identified patient centered-care as: â€Å"identify, respect, and care about patient’s differences, values, preferences, and expressed needs; relieve pain and suffering; coordinate continuous care; listen to, clearly inform, communicate with, and educate patients; share decision-making and management; and continuously advocate disease prevention, wellness, and promotion of health lifestyles, including a focus on population health† (IOM, 2003). In order for patient-centered care to be effective the staff must collaborate and coordinate care (Finkelman, 2012). Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes The KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes) that will be utilized for the Leadership Development Goal is team building conversations. High staffing turnover rates threaten the quality of care provided to patients and increases the financial burden of caring for those patients in long term care (Rosen, Mittal, Leana, 2011). When direct-care staff has been asked what promotes the best care, the staff rated communication highest (Scott-Cawiezell et al., 2004), and also rated communication as the greatest weakness in the organization (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009). Direct-care staff believes that they have a greater influence on quality of life for the patient than any other staff (Kane et al., 2006), and that high turnover rates undermine their relationships with patients (Bowers, Esmond, Jacobson, 2000). Direct-care staff believes that the quality of care for patients is reflected in the quality of care for staff by the leadership (Burke, Summers, Thompson, 2001). Given how direct-care staf f feel about their ability to affect patient care and their need to feel supported by the leadership, sitting down with them and having conversations about how best to build the team is essential (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009). Leadership SMART Goal I will examine the high turnover rate of direct-care staff in this long term care facility and meetings will take place with the direct-care staff and the management to begin building a strong team by engaging the direct-care staff in conversations regarding job satisfaction, reviewing peer-reviewed articles and credible websites, and to obtain information regarding job satisfaction from the direct-care staff through the use of employee surveys administered during the first meeting. SMART Goal Format Specifically, all direct-care staff, consisting of Certified Nursing Assistants and Medication Assistants, will sit down with management on a monthly basis to have team building discussions. The goal is to retain the direct-care staff by improving job satisfaction through providing access to authority, information, and teamwork (Boudrias, Gaudreau, Laschinger, 2004), and therefore allowing the direct-care staff to have involvement in decision-making (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009). These meetings will be scheduled during the first week of every month in the facility’s classroom and will occur at different times during the week to accommodate the direct-care staff from all of the shifts. The effects of these meetings, improvement in job satisfaction (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009) and the retention of direct-care staff (Rosen, Stiehl, Mittal, Leana, 2011) will be measured by selecting five direct-care staff members from each of the three shifts and having them participate in a series of surveys (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009). The employees selected to participate in the surveys must have completed the probationary period of employment. The first survey that will be administered is a psychological empowerment survey which consists of four categories, meaning, impact, competence, and self-determination (Spreitzer, 1995). Each category contains three questions and when all of the responses from each category are combined, an overall empowerment score is obtained (Spreitzer, 1995). Each item is rated on a seven point scale and higher scores represent opinions of increased empowerment (Spreitzer, 1995). The second survey that will be administered to the direct-care staff is the Organizat ional Cultural Inventory (Cooke Rousseau, 1988). This inventory assesses what the direct-care staff believes to be the behavioral expectations of them in the facility (Cooke Rousseau, 1988). The direct-care staff’s beliefs of service quality, commitment, role clarity, and role conflict are assessed on a scale from 1-5, or â€Å"not at all† to a â€Å"very great extent† (Cooke Rousseau, 1988). High scores are indicative of stronger validation of the construct (Cooke Rousseau, 1988). The third survey that the direct-care staff will be asked to complete is a nursing assistant job satisfaction survey (Ejaz, Noelker, Menne, Bagakas, 2008), which includes 18 items that measure the employee’s satisfaction with recognition and communication time, the time allotted to complete tasks, resources available to staff, teamwork, and leadership practices (Ejaz, Noelker, Menne, Bagakas, 2008). High levels of job satisfaction are related to high scores on the survey (Ejaz, Noelker, Menne, Bagakas, 2008). This goal is attainable as consistent meetings will take place on a monthly basis with direct-care staff and those in management. The direct-care staff will have the ability to have direct input and will have access to peer-reviewed research articles and evidence-based research provided by the management of the facility. During the first meeting, the credible websites of the Center for Disease Control (CDC, 2014) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2008) will be reviewed for vital information regarding staffing issues in long term care. During the second meeting, which will take place during the first week of the second month, the research article The Relation Between Psychological Empowerment, Service Quality, and Job Satisfaction Among Certified Nursing Assistants, published in the Clinical Gerontologist (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009) will be reviewed in correlation with the results of the surveys taken the previous month. The results of the surveys will be reviewed with the direct-care st aff and an initial plan of action will be drawn. The articles Some Potential Solutions to High Direct-Care Staff Turnover Rates published in the Annuals of Long-Term Care (Barondess, 2008) and Stayers, Leavers, and Switchers Among Certified Nursing Assistants in Nursing Home: A Longitudinal Investigation of Turnover Intent, Staff Retention, and Turnover published in The Gerontologist (Rosen, Stiehl, Mittal, Leana, 2011) will be discussed and made available for the staff to review at the third meeting, taking place during the first week of the third month. After the plan of action is created, it will be discussed at each monthly meeting to determine if the plan is succeeding in the goals set forth as well as any revisions that may be necessary. This goal is realistic as perceptions of empowerment and service quality have been shown to be strongly and positively related to job satisfaction (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009). Communication with management also affects job satisfaction (Scott-Cawiezell et al., 2004) as direct-care staff has consistently rated communication as the greatest weakness of their facility (Kostiwa Meeks, 2009). Suggestions made by the direct-care staff will be reviewed with management and changes will then be implemented with input and discussion from the staff as well as management. The time frame related to this goal will consist of monthly meetings with the direct-care staff and management both present. These meetings will take place during the first week of each month, with varying times to accommodate staff from all shifts. The surveys will be administered during the meeting in the first month, and then at six month intervals to measure whether or not job satisfaction rates are increasing. The program will be evaluated at the end of the first year to determine if the job satisfaction has increased and the turnover rate has decreased. Any changes to the program will be made at the end of the first year. Conclusion As the baby boomers retire and the population is expected to become much older, with 2/3rds of individuals over the age of 65 needing long term care services at least once in their lives, it is imperative that there is a sufficient workforce to care for these individuals (Harris-Kojetin, Sengupta, Park-Lee, Valerde, 2013). As the population of women aging 20 to 50 years of age, the population most likely to provide the work force of direct-care staff, is only expected to increase less than 10% over the next 20 years, it is imperative to see job satisfaction rates improve and the turnover rates decline in this workforce (Barondess, 2007). With a comprehensive plan that includes involving the direct-care staff in the decision making process, having management and the direct-care staff participate in team building conversations on a monthly basis, and utilizing credible websites and peer-reviewed journal articles to obtain valuable information, this is one problem that can have a succe ssful resolution. References Barondess, L.H. (2007). Some potential solutions to high direct-care staff turnover rates. Annuals of Long-Term Care, 15(10). Retrieved from http://www.annalsoflongtermcare.com/article/7860 Boudrias, J. S., Gaudreau, P., Laschinger, H. K. S. (2004). Testing the structure of psychological empowerment: Does gender make a difference? Educational and Psychological Measurement, 64(5), 861-877. Bowers, B. J., Esmond, S., Jacobson, N. (2000). The relationship between staffing and quality in long-term care facilities: Exploring the views of nurse aides. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 14(4), 55-65, 73-55. Burke, G., III, Summers, J., Thompson, T. (2001). Quality in long-term care: What we can learn from certified nursing assistants. Annuals of Long-Term Care, 9(2), 29-35. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Fast stats: Nursing home care. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/faststats/nursing-home-care.html Cooke, R. A., Rousseau, D. M. (1988). Behavioral norms and expectations: A quantitative approach to the assessment of organizational culture. Group Organization Studies, 13(3), 245-273. Eaton, S. C. (2000). Beyond ‘unloving care’: Linking human resource management and patient care quality in nursing homes. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(3), 591-616. Ejaz, F. K., Noelker, L. S., Menne, H. L., Bagakas, J. G. (2008). The impact of stress and support on direct-care workers’ job satisfaction. The Gerontologist, 48(Special Issue 1), 60-70. Finkelman, A. (2012). Leadership and management for nurses: Core competencies for quality care (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Harris-Kojetson, L., Sengupta, M., Park-Lee, E., Valverde, R. (2013). Long-term care services in the United States: 2013 overview. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Hayes, L.J., O’Brien-Pallas, L., Duffield, C., Shamian J., Buchan, J., Hughes, F., et al. (2006). Nurse turnover: A literature review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 32(2), 237-263. Institute of Medicine (2003). Health professions education. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Institute of Medicine (2008). Retooling for an aging America: Building the health care workforce. Retrieved from http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2008/Retooling-for-an-Aging-America-Building-the-Health-Care-Workforce.aspx Kane, R. L., Rockwood, T., Hyer, K., Desjardins, K., Brassard, A., Gessert C., et al. (2006). Nursing home staff’s perceived ability to influence quality of life. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 21(3), 248-255. Kostiwa, I.M., Meeks, S., (2009). The relation between psychological empowerment, service quality, and job satisfaction among certified nursing assistants. Clinical Gerontologist, 32, 276-292. doi:10.1080/07317110902895309 Rosen, J., Mittal, E.M., Leana, C.R. (2011). Stayers, leavers, and switchers among certified nursing assistants in nursing home: A longitudinal investigation of turnover intent, staff retention, and turnover. The Gerontologist, 51(5), 597-609. Scott-Cawiezell, J., Schenkman, M., Moore, L. Vojir, C., Connoly, R. P., Pratt, M., et al. (2004). Exploring nursing home staff’s perceptions of communication and leadership to facilitate quality improvement. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 19(3), 242-252. Spreitzer, G. M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 38(5), 1442. Stone, R. I., Wiener, J. M. (2001). Who will care for us? Addressing the long-term care workforce crisis. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

Netscape Analysis Report Essay -- essays research papers

Netscape Analysis Report I. History Netscape Communications Corporation, originally named Mosaic Communications Corporation (MCOM) was founded in April 1994 by Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen. They released their first browser products free to Internet users in September 1994. Jim Clark is chairman of Netscape Communications Corporation. Before founding the company, Clark was the chairman of Silicon Graphics, a computer hardware manufacturer he founded in 1982. Marc Andreessen is vice president of technology for Netscape Communications. He helped develop the original graphical World Wide Web browser, Mosaic, while he was at the University Of Illinois at Urbana/Champlain. The Internet is a global network connecting thousands of networks by use of high speed digital lines called ATMs, T3s and T1s. It was just being introduced to the general public at the time of Netscape's conception and they would NOT have been successful if they had not had this timing advantage. II. Location Netscape's corporate headquarters are in Mountain View, California -- in the heart of the Silicon Valley. However, due to the nature of the global networks its software transmits over, Netscape is able to sell worldwide via the Internet. There are virtually no walls to its "retail outlets." Its software products are also distributed through computer stores worldwide. III. Product Line Netscape Navigator is a software program to browse information available on the Internet. It is available for all common computer system platforms, including 16-bit PC, 32-bit PC, Macintosh, and all UNIX systems. Navigator also allows people to check their e-mail on the Internet through use of a password (MIME) encoding scheme. Netscape Server is a piece of software that installs on UNIX and Windows NT based systems that allows serving of data on the Internet's World Wide Web. It also provides for secure transactions such as those involving credit cards. IV. Corporate Structure The founders, Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen, own 35% of the company. There are other major shareholders, and it is also publicly held. The board of directors and other executive management are listed in the following table: James H. Clark- Chairman of the Board James L. Barksdale- President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Marc L. Andreessen- Vice ... ...quarter of 1995, Netscape showed a profit. VIII. Graph Please see attached sheet IX. Other Information A. Netscape is involved in a project to put all of California's public schools on the Internet. (Star Ledger, "Net Day ‘96") B. America Online entered into a partnership with Netscape to have Netscape's browser software available to AOL users. (3/12/96, DJIN) C. CompuServe entered into a licensing agreement with Netscape to let CompuServe's users use Netscape as their primary browser software. (3/11/96, DJIN) X. Conclusion I would suggest this stock as a good investment in the Stock Market Game because its price fluctuates enough to earn a decent profit from trading it. I would not, however, suggest Netscape as a good investment in real life until its price becomes lower, because it seems to be on a downward trend. (Although Netscape is a good long-term investment as well, because of its potential and the demand for the Internet) Works Consulted Netscape 10Q Quarterly Report (4th quarter 1995) Netscape 1995 Annual Report Netscape Prospectus for Public Offering Of Stock Star Ledger, "Net Day ‘96", ? Dow Jones News Retrieval Service, (3/11/96, 3/12/96)