Obtuse Meaning in the Godfather free essay sample

In Roland Barthes’ essay, â€Å"The Third Meaning,† he posits two levels of meaning in a film or photographic image: the first is the simple or informational level which simply tells you everything you can learn from the setting, the costumes, the characters, their relations and so forth; and the second is the symbolic level, which shows you the connotations inside an image. The example he gives is a still from a film by Eisenstein Ivan the Terrible. In the picture, two courtiers are raining down gold over the young Czar’s head. Barthes finds in the image not only the two obvious levels of meaning but also a third level of meaning, which he calls obtuse. It goes beyond the information of the scene and the communication of the scene into something complex and difficult to determine. Barthes calls this the obtuse meaning as opposed to the obvious meanings, which are simple or symbolic. We will write a custom essay sample on Obtuse Meaning in the Godfather or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"OBTUSUS means that which is blunted rounded in form. Are not the traits which I indicated (the make-up, the whiteness, the wig) just like the blunting of a meaning too clear, too violent? Do they not give the obvious signified a kind of difficultly prehensible roundness? † The Third Meaning, Research Notes on some Eisenstein Stills, R. Barthes In his second attempt to make clear his analysis, Barthes returns to the idea of the obvious meaning and uses example from another Eisenstein film, The Battleship Potemkin. In those images we see an old woman with a closed, upturned fist, which signifies her determination to participate in the revolution. Then he shows another image from the same film of two women with their hands over their mouths stifling a sob. What Barthes says is that this doesn’t distract from but accentuates the symbolic meaning, but then he shows another image of the old woman seeming to express something else, an obtuse meaning, something difficult to define, something that eludes obvious analysis. He says that this obtuse meaning has something to do with disguise and lack of intentionality. Things seem to be expressed even beyond what the person intends by their gestures. He even compares the two stills of the same old woman, the one where the image obviously signifies grief, the other here something more complex is communicated: â€Å"I quickly convinced myself that, although perfect, it was neither the facial expression nor the gestural figuration of grief (the closed eyelids, the taut mouth, the hand clasped on the breast): all that belongs to the full signification, to the obvious meaning of the image, to Eisensteinian realism and decorativism. I felt that the penetrating trait- disturbing like a guest who obstinately sits on saying nothing when one has no use for him- must be situated somewhere in the region of the forehead: the coif, the headscarf holding in the air, had something to do with it. (R. Barthes) In the next image, the obtuse meaning vanishes leaving only the communication of grief. I would like to look at some examples of The Third Meaning in the work of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone and Al Pacino as his successor in â€Å"The Godfather†. From the beginning Brando is shrouded in darkness, we see him from behind and before him is a supplicant who comes to ask for a favor. The obvious meaning is the information in the scene the father’s outrage at his daughter’s violation, his hesitancy in approaching the Godfather and so forth. The symbolic meaning is in the fact that the supplicant is the lower or lesser party and the Godfather is the king, they are symbolically separated. There is a third meaning almost immediately in the film indicated by the way Brando is seen gesturing in response to the supplicant’s request. Which makes us immediately wonder why he is so reluctant. We learn later in the movie, that Brando’s entire role as the Godfather fills him with deeply ambivalent, deeply ambiguous and complicated feelings. He would like to be a true American, to do legitimate business, instead he is the head of a Sicilian crime family, forced to wait for respect from people who secretly don’t give it to him, who think him no more than a glorified thug. His gestures in the scene, his slight wave of the hand, his proud demeanor, his pain that after a long life he is still regarded as no more than a common criminal -all of these ambiguities are communicated elusively. They are present in Brando’s response to the situations in which he finds himself. The supplicant has come on the day of Don Corleone’s daughter’s wedding asking him to act like a dog. Instead of throwing him out, he puts the man through a deliberate charade of making him say the right words to respect him. In all the time we cannot but feel that there is something going on in Brando’s consciousness as the Don, which is deeply troubling to him. So we watch the movie from then on, with these three levels of meaning already defined, the simple or informational level in the story, the symbolic level with the supplicant kissing the Don’s hand, and the third meaning or obtuse meaning being what is elusive in Brando’s performance that we can’t yet put a finger on. The film then cuts to the wedding, which all takes place at levels one and two, but we as an audience now know that there are depths to this film and to Brando’s performance that we are going to look out for. Another example of the third meaning happens after Brando has been shot by the rival gang, and he’s informed for the first time about who killed the men who did it. When he’s told that it’s Michael, a look of great pain surfaces on his face, and we understand that he wants to protect his youngest son from the life of crime which has consumed all the other members of his family. The scene is enormously powerful, because Brando has been shot and because we know that Michael has made the fateful decision to be the one who carries out his revenge on behalf of his father. While we think this is a perfectly normal reaction of a son to want to avenge his father’s attempted murder, we are plunged into the same complexities as at the beginning of the film, which is: can Michael stay out of the criminal world and live a normal American life and marry Kay? The third meaning doesn’t inform or symbolize it discloses; it reveals what is going on inside the character, almost in spite of the character’s intentionality. The emotional power of the Godfather, lies in the fact that underlying currents are at play that are deeper than the informational or symbolic levels at which so much of the reality seems to occur. This ambiguity is very clearly brought out in the scenes in Sicily when Michael (Al Pacino) begins to experience what his future life holds for him as a gangster on the run. He’s in Sicily in the Corleone village protected by local peasants, far from the reality he’s known in New York. He meets a beautiful girl and experiences a â€Å"coup de foudre†, they fall in love just by looking at each other, almost immediately Michael has to explain himself to the girl’s father which he does convincingly and instinctively by telling the father in no uncertain terms, that he wants to marry the daughter even before he had spoken to her/ marriages were arranged by men in this patriarchal structure. Michael’s declaration of intent satisfies the father, surprises Michael’s companions and perhaps Michael himself and he endears himself to the family. All of this emotional drama takes place at the informational and symbolic level, the meanings are obvious, Michael is going to marry somebody who symbolizes innocence and purity. We see that in their pre-nuptial encounters and at the wedding, but something very interesting happens during their first sexual intimacies. Michael, in spite of himself is in awe of the girl’s beauty, sensuality and voluptuousness, we feel that Michael treasures his new bride and is straining in himself for the same purity of behavior as she is showing. We also know that Michael has a girlfriend back in New York, we’ve seen him with Kay Christmas shopping, we’ve seen Kay being invited in the family portrait at his sister’s wedding. So the questions that crosses our minds are, is Michael being unfaithful, or is he following some innocent, idyllic romance that is doomed? All of Al Pacino’s gestures at this point of the film are close to the third meaning, is he disguising something about himself, some bad corrupt side to himself, can he really ever be as pure as the girl? In Pacino’s expressions, all of this ambiguity comes out. Finally in the film the third meaning is expressed most convincingly in Brando’s death, we see him playing with a little boy in the garden, trying to be like any other grand-father, a kindly benign old man, and then he clutches his heart and has a heart attack. In the moments leading up to his death, his gestures are all of disguise, in fact he’s a corrupt criminal but in the scene he’s playing a gentle loving grand fatherly figure, straining for redemption by acting normally. Brando’s performance like Pacino’s goes way beyond the symbolic and informational levels into a level of disguise that presents the character in all its complexity. To conclude in the words of Barthes, the third meaning structures a film differently, without subverting the story. The level of the third meaning, that the filmic finally emerges: â€Å" The filmic is that in the film which cannot be described, the representation which cannot be represented. The filmic begins only where language and metalanguage end. – The third meaning theoretically locatable but not describable – can now be seen as the passage from language to signifiance and the founding act of the filmic itself.

Your guide to becoming a Certified Medical Assistant

Your guide to becoming a Certified Medical Assistant Healthcare is a hot industry, no doubt about it. As care becomes more advanced and an ever-growing population needs care in every aspect of health and wellness, these are jobs that will keep growing and demanding qualified professionals willing to take on these crucial roles. And while technology will continue to be a growth area for the field, the most in-demand roles of all may be the ones that handle patient care on the front lines, with and without cutting-edge tech. Certified Medical Assistants are just such professionals, who work directly with medical staff and patients to keep care running smoothly. What Does a Certified Medical Assistant Do?Certified Medical Assistants (or CMAs) are skilled, versatile professionals who may work in patient care assisting doctors, nurses, and other medical team members; in administration; or in a combination of both areas. They can be found in virtually any kind of clinical medical facility (hospitals, clinics, agencies, nursing homes, rehabil itation centers, government facilities) in support roles.A CMA’s tasks may include:Scheduling appointments and lab tests/proceduresAnswering phones and receiving patientsCleaning and preparing exam roomsTaking patient vital signs and medical history informationPreparing patients for specific procedures or testsExplaining treatment plans and follow-up care to patientsGiving injections or medications under the direction of a physicianPreparing patient samples for lab testsEntering patient information into charts and recordsAs you can see, CMAs take a large part in the everyday functions of a medical office, helping to make sure the basics are covered so that patients are receiving high-quality care. Thorough, accurate record-keeping is a large part of the role, as is being able to work equally well with both patients and other staff to make sure that information is clear and correct.Some CMAs have a more administrative focus, with their jobs more heavily weighted toward schedul ing, record-keeping, and managing the office aspects of a medical practice. Others are more oriented toward direct, clinical patient care, handling medical tasks and prep. The focus of the job really depends on the type of medical office and the skills and strengths of the CMA. For example, if you find you’re more inclined toward medical records expertise than drawing blood or taking blood pressure, there are CMA jobs that focus more heavily on administrative tasks.Medical assistants typically work a 40-hour work week, depending on the size and specialty of the practice.What Skills Do CMAs Have?CMAs need to have a pretty diverse skill set, given that their jobs can take on many different tasks.Medical skills: Medical assistants need to have a strong base in biology, anatomy, physiology, and science in general.Patient care skills: In addition to the medical know-how necessary to do the job, medical assistants also need to have strong customer care and service skills. They may be dealing with people as both patients and customers, and so need to have good people skills and bedside manner.Attention to detail: Small details can mean very big things when it comes to medical care, so CMAs need to have an eagle eye for details. This is especially true for administrative tasks like setting appointments and working with patient medical information, as inaccuracies can completely disrupt a medical practice, or a patient’s level of care.Teamwork skills: Medical assistants are crucial members of a whole medical team that may include doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and more. They need to be able to take directions from physicians and help ensure seamless care for the patients.Organizational skills: Efficiency and accuracy are two huge skill areas for medical assistants. CMAs may be juggling a waiting room full of patients on an aggressive appointment schedule, or need to process large numbers of samples for lab testing. Keeping everything calm and orga nized is essential.Communication skills: CMAs need to be able to record complicated medical information, as well as potentially be able to explain instructions or treatment plans to patients. Listening skills are crucial, as is the ability to communicate clearly with people at all points in the process to make sure that patients are getting what they need, and that other medical staff have the information they need too.How Much Do CMAs Get Paid?According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical assistants make a median salary of $31,540 per year, or $15.17 per hour, depending on location and experience.How Do You Become a CMA?Although some medical assistants start their careers right after high school, it is far more common for CMA jobs to require some college, or a certificate from an accredited Medical Assisting program. To become officially certified, candidates also need to pass the Certified Medical Assistant Exam offered by the American Association of Medical Assistants .What is the Outlook for Certified Medical Assistants?It’s a bright one- the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the demand for certified medical assistants will grow by 23% by 2024. This is much faster than average. As the need for quality healthcare doesn’t seem to be shrinking anytime soon, the need for high-quality medical assistants will continue to grow as well.If you’re considering joining a healthcare-related field, and can juggle the many needs of a medical practice, becoming a certified medical assistant could be the natural next step for your career. Good luck!

The Advantage of Pragmatism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Advantage of Pragmatism - Essay Example Thanks this paper   we shall see the theories’ relevancy on Centrica’s progress and how creative thinking in adapting new set of ideas as well as proper utilization of resources and advance technology can greatly contribute to progress. One kind of resource that will be emphasized would be Human resources and that how could this be an asset or a hindrance, on the other side, to company’s goals. We shall be dealing on factors like stress control, support and performance as a key of business improvement and success. Human resource is one of the most essential element of a business or company in the long run including today, whilst the expansion and enhancement of technology. This could be hardly eradicated in business, although they are already experiencing recession, still a company needs a human workforce for it to work (regardless of its size). One main reason for this is because human have the capability to think unlike of machines. We have interesting mental capabilities that only us could analyze and implement solutions and answer to predicaments and that machineries are just by-product of our creative thinking being a secondary source of our solution.

Colombias dispossessed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Colombias dispossessed - Essay Example This social problem plagued almost all of the population everywhere in Latin America, and so as in Colombia. Stories of hardships of families and ethnicity of some native groups and communities of Colombia were best described and stated on books of Latin American authors such as Alfredo Molano. In his The Dispossessed it is clearly stated how the many families and ethnic groups were impoverished and are unlawfully forced out of their homes to work to coca fields and production of drugs though the violent acts of the military and the paramilitary forces. Molano stated the example of the inequality and violence of the military, paramilitary or sometimes local policemen which forces innocent families, communities or sometimes regions to flee for their own safety, not knowing if the next place they settle will mean salvation. For the desterrados, dispossessed families and ethnic groups of Clombia, there is a constant feeling of struggle between whether their original home where they stayed and lived for a long time or the home they make when they are forced to leave is the safer option. It is obvious and frightening that the dispossessed people cannot feel safe due to the ongoing violence of the paramilitaries as well as the guerillas. Either side of the violence could attack any innocent barrio at any time. The violent acts of the military and paramilitary forces some people into hiding in the wilderness where there is no chance of stability. Toà ±ito from Molano’s book: â€Å"I ran until I couldn’t hear the screams anymore† (105), but later he realizes the jungle will not save him either, â€Å"†¦I thought to myself, no, it’s better to go back and look for death than wait for it to find me† (107). Another example of the oppression of the paramilitary and military forces is the forcing of the families to abandon their homes. Imagine how you could live to see that you are being forced to abandon and leave the home you built and stayed for a very long time,

Pancraititis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pancraititis - Essay Example Pancreatitis is the result of an inappropriate release of trypsin, which results in a wide variety of digestion enzymes activating, including autodigestion of the pancreas which causes inflammation, as well as bleeding and can damage the pancreas extensively. Anti-inflammatory agents are released by the body to try and mediate the inflammation of the pancreas. When this happens, other organs can become dysfunctional. In the worst cases, kidney (renal) failure may occur, the patient may go into shock, or acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, can occur. The discovery of the mechanisms that cause exocrine parenchyma to lessen has not yet been discovered yet. How pancreatic acinar and ductal cells occur has not yet been discovered though a lot of effort has been put in to establish the facts. A lot of ideas have been presented by different pathologists on pancreatitis but none of them has seriously been absorbed ((Shrikhande et.al., n.d). Though there is one concept that has been adopted by these doctors. They claim that if alcohol is consumed in large quantities, it leads to a reduced production of lithostatin responsible for the stability of pancreatic juice. This then restricts the formation of protein plugs. It is this restriction of the formation of protein plugs that causes this disease. According to Cheema and Aldeen (2010), there are two levels of pancreatitis: mild, and severe. Mild pancreatitis is defined as a localized reaction. According to Cheema and Aldeen, â€Å"Mild pancreatitis occurs in about 80% of patients, is self-limited, and resolves without complication† (p 1). The remaining 20% of the patients with pancreatitis will develop severe pancreatitis. What this means is that the occurrence of the disease resolves without complication or major medical intervention. On the other hand, severe pancreatitis is diagnosed by the presence of complicating factors. In severe

Starbucks Recruitment and Selection Process

Starbucks Recruitment and Selection Process Starbucks is a speciality coffee house which originated in Seattle. Today the organisation has over 15,000 outlets worldwide. It sells a range of hot and cold drinks, food items and accessories. Its philosophy is to create an experience for the customer and a human connection. With the introduction of the Starbucks Card purchasing drinks, food etc. from the outlets has now been made a lot easier. Customers can top up their cards and use them as a method of payment. Starbucks products are also available from supermarkets. Some of the range includes packets of coffee, coffee makers, gift sets etc. Starbucks is constantly innovating its offer to keep up to date with competition from McDonalds, Cafe Nero, Costa Coffee etc. You are required to answer the following questions making reference to Starbucks. Task 1 – Recruitment, Selection and Retention A Barista at Starbucks must have a number of personal characteristics and skills which will enable them to carry out their role. These skills and characteristics are likely to include friendliness, attention to detail, a commitment to providing customer service and an ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Pilbeam and Coridge indicate that successful resourcing is as much to do with good organisational fit as it is to do with HRM best practice, and therefore the first stage of recruitment should be to undertake a role or person specification in order to establish the skills and attributes necessary for the role. Phillips and Gully suggest that successful recruitment, selection and retention should also be aligned to the strategic objectives of the firm and therefore care and consideration should be given to the most suitable recruitment and selection methods in order to ensure they will attract the best potential candidates and also that the entire process will result in long t erm employee retention. Bratton and Gold state that recruitment is the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organisation. Selection is the process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons more likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements. Accordingly, Torrington et al observe that there are a number of alternative recruitment and selection strategies including interview, assessment centre, and psychological testing. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and therefore it is not uncommon for multiple approaches to be used in combination depending on the seniority of the role in question. However, before recruitment and selection can commence it is necessary to determine a suitable specification for the role. Thus the suggested specification for a Barista at Starbucks is given below:- Figure 1: Personal Specification Template for a Barista at Starbucks (Source, Author) Requirement Essential or Desirable? Qualifications / Education / Training: No essential qualifications required, food safety or food hygiene would be desirable Desirable Experience: Customer service, food handling, retail Essential Knowledge: Some retail knowledge would be desirable, along with a knowledge of various coffees Desirable Skills Competencies: attention to detail; ability to work in a high pressure environment, customer-centric Essential Personal Attributes: open friendly, keen to provide an exceptional customer experience Essential Other: Prepared to go the extra mile to offer exceptional service and use own initiative when necessary in order to promote the brand and concept Desirable The specification is not exhaustive and further attributes may be considered such as an ability to communicate in more than one language, especially if the location of the outlet is such that overseas tourists regularly visit (eg parts of London).   The most cost-effective form of recruitment and selection process for Baristas would be CV and subsequent interview as managers in Starbucks at a local level have a clear idea of their local customer demographic and demand and thus potential applications who submit a CV can be easily screened for desirable and essential skills and attributes. The manager can then interview potential applications before making a decision on selection. An interview has further benefits as it allows the manager to identify the personal attributes and characteristics of the application in order to assess how the application would fit within the existing team, as much of the Starbucks ethos and working model requires a high level of teamwork. Potential questions which might be asked at interview for the Barista would include asking the application to describe their retail experiences to date and getting them to explain how these experiences have relevance at Starbucks. This would test for depth of experience and also organisational fit in terms of focus on the customer experience. Other technical questions might relate to Food safety and handling in order to ensure that the application understands the critical importance of this when delivering an exceptional customer experience. From a regulatory perspective the manager conducting the interview must be sure not to inadvertently discriminate against any potential applications during any stage of the recruitment and selection process. Therefore all applications must be asked identical questions and none should relate to issues of gender, age, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. In short, Starbucks is proud of its heritage as an equal opportunities employer. During the recruitment process potential applications must be offered full opportunity to ask their own questions in order to ensure that they fully appreciate the nature of the role which they may be committing to. Task 2 – Building Winning Teams One of the foremost scholars of team building, Meredith Belbin, identified that in order to function effectively an organisational team requires members with different skills and attributes. In her research she identified that there are nine alternative team roles as she described them (see Appendix for full details). Belbin observed that the most effective teams possessed at least 5 and ideally 7 of the roles, and that an individual member within a team was capable of fulfilling more than one role, but rarely more than two. Tuckman established that when people are first brought together in a team they experience various stages of team development, popularly referred to as forming, norming, storming and performing. This concept is reflected in Figure 2 overleaf. In short, the theory holds that as employee are brought together in a group they experience an evolutionary process whereby they come to understand and appreciate one anothers skills and strengths and then utilise these compl ementary skills for the best advantage of the team as a whole. History has shown that Tuckmans theory has almost universal application, however, when used in combination with Belbins theory it becomes even more powerful as it becomes possible to identify in advance whether or not a group I likely to succeed based on the unique skills and attributes of each team member. For example, if there are too many plants within a group then it is likely that the group will be highly creative but the ideas will rarely be translated into action. Similarly, too many co-ordinations is likely to result in arguments as the co-ordinator role is known to be quite stubborn and even manipulative. When applying these theories and concepts to teams at Starbucks it can be observed that different skills are required for different parts of the operation. Holistic observation of a team working at Starbucks demonstrates the power of team working. Each person has a defined role which they focus upon in order to ensure maximum efficiency and quality of output. For example in any Starbucks outlet one person focuses on taking orders and payments, another one or two (depending on the size of the outlet) focus on making the orders and a further team members is constantly ensuring that the outlet is clean and tidy and well stocked. It can be suggested that this requires a high level of group communication and co-ordination and also a high level of trust as those baristas making the coffee must take on trust the orders given to them by their colleagues. Similarly because two Baristas can work on the same order simultaneously there must be complete understanding and uniformity to the order p roduction process such that they can interchange their roles at any point. Under Tuckmans model it is clear that a team in Starbucks is at the very least in the norming stage of the model and most probably at the performing stage. The concept of team work within organisations has gained increasing prominence in recent years and with good reason as highly effective teams are more efficient and productive. Furthermore, Armstrong identifies the benefits of empowering team members within a role so that they feel more engaged with the organisation and therefore more committed to delivering the best possible experience for the customer or client. At Starbucks one means of achieving this would be to ensure that every team member is fully cross-functional and that they are given stretch performance targets which require them to work as a team. Full cross-functionality means that each team member has an appreciation for other roles and therefore they tend to be more considerate of outcomes. Moreover, a cross -functional team which has accountability for its own results will typically find more effective means of delivering a service in order to reach targets.  Armstrong also discusses how increased responsibility and accountability increase engagement which in turn increases motivation. Some HRM scholars regard the relationship between engagement and motivation as symbiotic, but there is little doubt that engagement and motivation are strong indicators of a high performance team that is committed to exceed expectation and delivering exceptional service. Furthermore, research by Saunders demonstrates that highly engaged teams have lower levels of staff churn. This point is useful as it is closely correlated to the previously discussed matter of recruitment and retention, and thus if the right people are brought into the organisation and they are motivated to stay because they feel the business (for whatever reason) is a good fit for them, then there is reduced churn, increased engagement and greater productivity. In summation, engaged team members are more profitable for the business and thus it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship. Task 3 – Leadership Motivation There is a vast amount of literature and research which embraces the topic of leadership; furthermore, leadership theories have experienced a considerable amount of transition over time as societal perceptions of leadership have changed. Leadership has been defined by Mcquire and Molbherg as the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Theories of leadership range for discussions as to the traits of leaders their styles of leadership and transactional and transformational theories of leadership. One of the most popular theories used to explain leadership style is the Managerial Grid as developed by Blake and Mouton and shown in figure 3 below:- As can be seen in the figure, the Managerial Grid examines the prevailing managerial technique of leaders within an organisation in order to identify their preferred style. In ideal circumstances Blake and Mouton believe that a manager and leader should adopt a team style which is participative and empowering and allows the employees of the organisation to make their own decisions within the remit of the organisations objectives. It can be suggested that the concepts of the Managerial Grid share some parallels with the discussions as to transformational and transactional leadership whereby Burns argues that in the longer term transformation leadership is far more effective because it empowers employees to deliver the best possible performance as they have accountability for their own daily working lives. It is evident that there are close linkages between leadership and motivation insofar as good leaders motivate their employees and team members to succeed through a combination of techniques such as engagement, empowerment and delegation of power. Armstrong and Cheese et al believe that the use of these techniques in conjunction with other factors such as employee voice ensure that individual employees align their personal aims and objectives with those of the organisation and therefore voluntarily strive to ensure that the service provided by the organisation is a success. It should also be acknowledge that several scholars perceive there is a difference between a manager and a leader within an organisation. The distinction is subtle and relates to the fact that managers generally focus on day to day operational tasks and leaders tend to occupy a more strategic role. However the distinction is certainly not clear cut and considerable debate still centres on this division of roles. Furthermore a leader can also be a manager by dint of their role within the organisation, and thus leadership tends to be regarded as a personality trait as opposed to an organisational position. In short, a leader tends to be more effective at motivating and inspiring employees because of their ability to engage them and encourage them to strive for enhanced performance. In times of change and development, and also in times of difficult circumstances such as recession, leadership and talent management skills are highly valued. In application to Starbucks it should be observed that in times of recession when consumers tend to cut back on luxuries such as coffee from coffee shops, Starbucks must strive to offer improved service to customers in order to retain them. The managers (and ideally leaders) of Starbucks must also continually strive to motivate Baristas to deliver exceptional service even when customers become more demanding. This concept is closely correlated with that change management and goal setting whereby engaging Baristas with the process can ensure that they feel empowered to respond to the challenge and that they have responsibility for it. At a local level this may mean running small promotions which would suit the customer demographic in order to attract and retain more customers. Furthermore, if Starbucks wish to retain their emplo yees it is prudent to continue to invest in training and development in order to ensure that they are highly skilled and capable of responding rapidly to changes in customer demand. This might include job exchanges with Baristas from other retail outlets in order to share best practice, or creating a forum where Baristas can put forward their suggestions for improvement. Although these are relatively small steps they can help individual Baristas to progress within Starbucks and this ensures that Starbucks generates a reputation as an employer of choice which fosters home grown talent and treats employees with fairness and respect.  Research into the prevailing management style at Starbucks reveals that they have a relatively flat hierarchy which ensures that it is easy to disseminate information widely and effectively within the organisation. Starbucks has a clear mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time and this is fully evidenced in their training policies and ethos. The structure and leadership style of Starbucks also ensures that the business can be responsive to customer needs because the baristas are in direct contact with customers every single day and also have the necessary mechanisms to ensure that they can provide valid and timely feedback to their managers in order to improve the customer experience. Task 4 – Work and Development Needs and Performance Management Armstrong defines performance management as a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in order to achieve high levels of organisational performance. As such, it establishes shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an approach to leading and developing people which will ensure that it is achieved. It is important to observe that from a HRM perspective performance management is not solely concerned with disciplinary procedures, but rather it is concerned with ensuring that each and every employee has the necessary support to achieve their objectives and potential. Thus, performance management is often closely correlated with learning and development as in order to achieve to their maximum potential employees must continue to expand their skills and to develop their capabilities. Furthermore, scholars such as Benson et al have observed a link between training and development and employee retention, which as previously identified, helps to ensure increased engagement and reduced employee churn. However in order to monitor and improve employee performance it is first necessary to set suitable objectives and targets and to apply metrics and benchmarks to these objectives and targets in order to objectively assess employee performance and development. At Starbucks there are two core elements which form the basis of employee performance; these are technical capability that is to say the ability to consistently produce a high quality cup of coffee, and secondly the ability to interact with other stakeholders including team colleagues and customers. The former can be objectively assessed by observation against agreed performance metrics such as speed of production and consistency of taste. This has benefit to individual employees and Starbucks as a whole because it ensures consistency of service and product quality across the network of franchises meaning that the reputation of Starbucks is maintained and also that Baristas are employable across a range of franchises that they ma y be prepared to travel to, thus increasing their value to the company. The second performance metric to assess is more intangible and pertains to perceived service level and customer and colleague interaction. In terms of colleague interaction this can be assessed through a variety of measures such as 360 degree feedback, line manager observation and self-reflection during a performance review. Research has shown that generally speaking individual employees are reasonably self-aware of their skills and capabilities and it is rare that a performance review highlights anything that the employee was not at least already aware of at some level. However the benefit of performance review is that it can demonstrate to individual employees specific areas where they could improve or would benefit from training to enhance their skills set. For example a food safety certificate to help ensure that an individual franchise was fully compliant with legislation, or perhaps rudimentary book-keeping skills to help ensure that the cash is managed accurately in each store . In terms of assessing Barista performance when interacting with customers this can be achieved through feedback forms and customer incentives. For example it is becoming increasingly common that receipts from retailers encourage customers to provide feedback about their service online. This has the dual benefit of helping the organisation to become more engaged with customers and response more rapidly to customer feedback. It can also be used to gather individual barista feedback if specific questions in the feedback questionnaire relate to performance and service such as speed and friendliness and helpfulness of the Barista. The information gathered from feedback surveys can be fed back to each barista in regular performance reviews in order to help them identify areas of development and subsequently improve performance. As noted at the outset of this section, performance management techniques should not be designed with the sole intention of discipline employees, although it is alm ost inevitable that at some stage a form of discipline may be required for certain employee. However, best practice makes it clear that regular performance reviews can help to forestall any such issues as if they are held regularly and reasonably frequently it should be possible to forestall any problems before they become issues of concern. Finally it is necessary to consider how Starbucks applies principles of delegation in order to motivate Baristas. As discussed previously in this review, Starbucks encourages team working and the creation of stretch targets to help Baristas develop and to take responsibility for their own areas of production. This approach is closely linked to effective performance management because empowering Baristas to set and achieve their own targets helps to motivate them to achieve as they feel in control of their targets and daily responsibilities. Targets can be used to monitor and evaluate Barista performance and at each performance review they can be revised as necessary in order to help the Barista improve. For example in the early days of a baristas employment this could be to improve the speed of production and to obtain a certain customer service rating. In due course this could progress to internal training courses in advanced customer service management and customer experience. This holistic process also helps Baristas to appreciate that they are valued and therefore this leads to them becoming more engaged and motivated and delivering improved performance. References Armstrong, M. (2009) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (11th Edition) – Kogan Page, London  Beardwell, J. Claydon, T. (2007) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach (5th Edition) – Pearson Education, London  Belbin, R.M. (2010) Management teams: why they succeed or fail. 3rd ed. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.  Benson, G. S., Finegold, D., Mohrman, S. A. (2004) You paid for the skills, now keep them: Tuition-reimbursement and voluntary turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 47(3): 315–331.  Blake, R.; Mouton, J. (1985). The Managerial Grid III: The Key to Leadership Excellence. Houston: Gulf Publishing Co.  Bloisi, W. 2007. Management and organisational behaviour. 2nd ed. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.  Boddy, D (2008) Management: An Introduction (4th Edition) – Prentice Hall, London  Bratton, J. Gold (2007). Work and organizational behaviour. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.  Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper and Row Publishers Inc..  Cheese, P., Thomas, R.J. and Craig, E. (2008) The talent powered organization: strategies for globalization, talent management and high performance. London: Kogan Page.  Foti, R.J., Hauenstein, N.M.A. (2007). Pattern and variable approaches in leadership emergence and effectiveness. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92, 347-355.  Govaerts, Natalie, et al. (2010) Influence of learning and working climate on the retention of talented employees, Journal of Workplace Learning 23:1.  Harrison R (2009) Learning and Development, London, CIPD  Hoque, K Noon, M (2004) Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice in Britain in Work, Employment Society vol.18 no.3 pp.481-506  Huczynski A, Buchanan D (2003) Organisational Behaviour: An Introductory Text – Pearson Higher Education, London  Mcquire, D., Molbherg J. K., (2011) Human Resource Development Theory Practice London: Sage.  Murphy, N. (2009) Talent managements role in a time of recession. IRS Employment Review. No 927, 13 August. 5pp.  Phillips and Gully (2009) Strategic Staffing Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, pp12-35  Pilbeam, S. Corbridge, M. (2010) People Resourcing: Contemporary HRM in practice. 4th ed. London: Prentice Hall International. Ch 2  Saunders, M.N.K., (2011) Trust and strategic change: an organisational justice perspective in R Searle and D Skinner (eds) Trust and Human Resource Management. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.  Starbucks (2012) Search and Apply [online] available at http://careers.starbucks.co.uk/job-search-and-apply retrieved 3rd Feb 2012  Starbucks (2012) Mission Statement [online] available at http://starbucks.co.uk/about-us/company-information/mission-statement retrieved 3rd Feb 2012  Torrington, D. Hall, L. Taylor S (2007) Human Resource Management (7th Edition) – Prentice Hall, London  Zaccaro, S. J., Gulick, L.M.V. Khare, V.P. (2008). Personality and leadership. In C. J. Hoyt, G. R. Goethals D. R. Forsyth (Eds.), Leadership at the crossroads (Vol 1) (pp. 13-29). Westport, CT: Praege

Exploring Research Methodologies: Positivism and Interpretivism Essay

Exploring Research Methodologies: Positivism and Interpretivism Before a researcher can initiate a research project, they face the confusion and the range of theoretical perspectives, methodologies, methods, and the philosophical basis that encompasses them all. This seemingly meticulous structure for the research process is in fact aimed toward providing the researcher with a ‘scaffolding’, or a direction which they can go on to develop themselves to coincide with their particular research purposes. (Crotty, 1998) Once a researcher has developed a research question they are seeking to answer, they must consider what methodologies and methods they will employ in the research; what theoretical perspective lies behind the methodology; and what epistemology informs this theoretical perspective. (Crotty, 1998) Before continuing it is important to explain these key terms: Epistemology is ‘the branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge, which seeks to inform us how we can know the world.’ (Jary and Jary: Dictionary of Sociology, 1991) In the context of social research, epistemology is the form of proof one requires to justify a claim to knowledge about the social world. This will have a salient impact on the kind of data one can collect in order to validate their arguments concerning the social world (methodology), as well as the methods one considers in collecting valid data (methods). A researcher’s choice of methods will be conditioned by theoretical perspectives, the way one sees the social world. (Livesey) Researchers of social science use a wide variety of research methods to gain and enhance knowledge and theory. The different types of research methodologies, quantitative and qualitative, are associated with the epistemological and theoretical perspectives the researcher wishes to adopt. This choice the researcher makes determines the way in which research should be conducted. This paper will discuss, critically analyse and compare the epistemological and theoretical perspectives of two research methodologies used for social research: positivism and interpretivism. The various research methods used within the frameworks of each of these will then be discussed. Positivism There are two main types of epistemologies: positivist and anti-positivist. â€Å"Positivist research is an approach which combines a deductive approach w... ... 12.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Love, T. (1998). Value Role in Computer-assisted Designing. Western Australia: Dept of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. 13.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neuman, L.W. (2000). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Sydney: Allyn and Bacon. 14.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Orlikowski, W. J. & Baroudi, J. J. (1991). Studying Information Technology in Organizations: Research Approaches and Assumptions. Information Systems Research, pg 1-28. 15.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pawson, R. & Tilley, N. (1997). Realistic Evaluation. London: Sage. 16.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sarantakos, S. (1998). Social Research. Melbourne: Macmillan. 17.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sharma, B.A.V., Ravindra Prasad, D. & Satyanarayana. (1984). Research Methods in Social Sciences. New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Private Ltd. 18.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Silverman, D. (2000). Doing Qualitative Research. London: Sage. 19.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vrasidas, C. (2001). Interpretivism and Symbolic Interactionism: â€Å"Making the Familiar Strange and Interesting Again† in Educational Technology Research. In Heinecke, W. & Willis, J. (Ed.), Research Methods in Educational Technology. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, Inc. 20.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wainwright, S. P. (2000). For Bourdieu in Realist Social Science. London.

Impact of Technology on Organizational Development Essay

Introduction Technology has left its magical touch everywhere. Business organizations are not out of that magical touch. Organization development and technology are very closely related. Every organization leverages technology to support their overall strategy. Different organizations are using technology to a various extent. By using technology, organizations have become more efficient than organizations before them. Technology allows the organization to achieve their goals. Technological developments enable productivity allowing reorganization of organizational structure, activities and culture. In return, it greatly improves the effectiveness of the organization. However, for this to last and stay a reality, the use of technology should be leveraged at its fullest extent to maximize results. Indeed, the rise in productivity could be a result of organizations having the ability to grasp, appreciate and absorb current technological advances into their structure, creation and culture. Efficient business processes enable business ventures to save money and time. To hold market share, organizations also try to incorporate the latest technologies as much as possible. Organizations should continue to strive to use modern systems that are concurrent with the latest technological advancement. Therefore, regulating modern systems confirms that organizations consistently use up-to-date technological systems to improve business procedures, as well as ensures that those systems and procedures are consistent within the entire organization. If productivity increases, it will be a result of an increase in the efficiency of the business process and decrease in expense which is the indication of an increase in overall income. The scope of technology that a corporation can adopt is immense; starting from buying a personal laptop with an application program, to investment within the latest progressive computer-aided production machinery. No matter the quality of the system or the dimensions of the organization, one factor is for certain – the incorporation of technology or information systems can result in change. Implementation of technological systems will act as a catalyst for change. Literature review Technological use has been widely recognized now. It is very important for an organization’s survival and growth. Among the use of different types of  technology it has been seen that the use of Information Technology (IT) is more frequent. According to Crichton & Edgar (1995), in dealing with the market complexity IT helps an organization to a great extent (Farhanghi, Abbaspour & Ghassemi, 2013). For instance, it has become difficult to run a business in the hotel industry without the help of IT. In the past, the check-in process at a hotel was manual, but now the check-in is performed with the use of software programs. The use of software has made the check-in process easy and time efficient. To evaluate the performance of the employees, hotel businesses are using different software programs such as Small Improvements, TribeHr or HRM Direcct With the help of IT, organizations are able to offer better product offering. Many organizations offer customized products or services to their customers and it is possible only because of technology. Customization in the banking sector can be the best example of customized service offerings. Citibank improved its Internet site in 2002 to provide easy navigation and access for customers, which is the adoption of latest technology in their organization (Mininni, n.d.). This adoption allows the customers of Citibank to set up a customized home page catered to their individual needs and preferences. On the home page, customers can keep the content in a layout that work in the best way for them. Technology plays a vital role in shaping organizational structure. Whisler (1970) argued that increasing vertical information results in centralization of information, and IT impacts the structure of the organization (Farhanghi, Abbaspour & Ghassemi, 2013). According to Church & Waclawski (1998, 2001), people are now in the era of information (Church, Gilbert, Oliver, Paqu et & Surface, 2002). For instance, if an individual wants some information about a specific hotel, he can use a laptop to find information about the hotel. He can reserve a room through online reservation. Hronec (1993), illustrated the role of information as â€Å"vital signs† to drive and evaluate initiatives related to organizational development (OD) and human resource development (HRD) which are more significant now than before (Church, Gilbert, Oliver, Paquet & Surface, 2002). For instance, most organizations are using performance appraisal software such as Trackstar Performance Appraisal, Wingspan, or Empxtrack for the performance appraisal of their employees. Most businesses are now operating either with computers or communication devices. These devices allow the organization to organize information such as data base, personal schedule and so on (McGrath, 2008). In the view of Waclawski & Church (2002), technology has showed a different way to look at OD as a truly data-driven process (Church, Gilbert, Oliver, Paquet & Surface, 2002). Consistent with the view of Tippins (2002), to achieve the advancement in the field of OD, technology has brought more opportunities (Church, Gilbert, Oliver, Paquet & Surface, 2002). Impacts of Technology on Organizational Development Technology has various impacts, both positive and negative, on the development of the organization. Technology definitely has its place among the key parts that form a corporation. The formal structure or arrangements inside a corporation may be plagued by the arrival of recent technology; this does not need to be the case in every circumstances. A change may also occur when businesses change the way they operate. One futurist plan whose views are being validated is that the notion of the virtual geographical point (Kerman, 1995). The basic idea of this concept is that employees are able to work independently and will have accesses to information. The concept of not having a group workplace area definitely would be a modification from the standard routine of being physically present at the workplace from nine to five (ideally) and working. Such a concept would clearly be obsessed on the duty to be accomplished. In the case of virtual work spaces, employees have the autonomy of doing their assigned jobs. Tasks would be more focused, target oriented and the performance evaluation would not be on the basis of face to face interactions rather on the basis of how employees are performing their appointed tasks. Computer networks permit people to react quickly, share ideas, and transfer information regardless of physical locations. This is how technology allows supervisors to monitor the activities of their subordinates without requiring subordinates reporting them physically. Technology provides additional profit to organization, though it has some cost as well. However, in terms of return, it brings more than the cost to the organization. For instance, if a restaurant creates a website and start taking orders online, it would have some costs associated with creation of the website; however the restaurant will be able to tak e more orders than before creating the website. Technology helps to accumulate  ability and reduces duplication of resource. It also enhances career developments and eases the communication among employees of an organization. For example, many organizations use information systems within the organization to allow employees to communicate with leadership and subordinates. Information systems enable easier communication between employees. Technology provides structure making work easier. It increases the safety of recognized sources and interdependencies, allows diversification, and increases accountability between departmental managers. Technology can change the total operating model. For a quality work life, it is important to have a technological advanced setting which supports reduce absences, turnover, and accidents, through the use of prime quality digital computer (Hackman, 1977). Additionally, technology improves company’s sales and services. It improves division work by permitting staff to use personal electronic d evices to make sales displays, transmit orders and client information to the house from workplace. These electronic devices shorten the interval corporations spend receiving and delivering product or services, which can be a competitive advantage for the organization. Corporations can also send sales representatives to multiple markets at a shortest possible time, permitting them to penetrate multiple markets with negligible costs. Each business must use technology to achieve competitive advantage. In today’s environment, time and competence are essential factors in business growth. To survive in business, people should take advantages of technologies. Technology has changed the life of people; it has brought revolutionary changes in each operational sector. Through technological advancement, corporations are able to increase productivity, reduce costs, minimize time, etc. Technological advancement is equally necessary to OD practitioners. OD practitioners can use technology to gather knowledge, analyze actual state of affairs, and provide outcomes. The use of technology within the organization will bring the best result when employees of the organization are connected to the technology. Technological advancement increases competition, fosters rapid growth, and mitigates environmental changes imposing on the organization to reorganize themselves (Cummings & Worley, 2009). Technology dictates the pace of economic process within the space of information and communication technology (ICT) as this is often the main driver of processes. In the 21st century, developing countries are  concentrating on adopting technology as much as possible within organizations. Developing countries are viewing the application of technology in organizations as an economic development. Many organizations from developed countries are doing outsourcing from the developing countries [provide an example here]. These outsourcings are playing a vital role in the economic development of developing countries. Technology has changed the life of people; it has brought revolutionary changes in each operational sector. Through technological advancement, corporations are able to increase productivity, reduce costs, minimize time, etc. Technological advancement is equally necessary to OD practitioners. OD practitioners can use technology to gather knowledge, analyze actual state of affairs, and provide outcomes. The use of technology within the organization will bring the best result when employees of the organization are connected to the technology. Technological advancement increases competition, fosters rapid growth, and mitigates environmental changes imposing on the organization to reorganize themselves (Cummings & Worley, 2009). Technology dictates the pace of economic process within the space of information and communication technology (ICT) as this is often the main driver of processes. In the 21st century, developing countries are concentrating on adopting technology as much as possible within organizations. Developing countries are viewing the application of technology in organizations as an economic development. Many organizations from developed countries are doing outsourcing from the developing countries. These outsourcings are playing a vital role in the economic development of developing countries. Technology helps organizations achieve goals. However, technologies have some blockade. First, technologies are expensive. Second, individuals have to be capable to use advanced technical instruments. Individuals cannot work effectively until there is a free flow of sound data and technology. Proper work results in an increase in profit for the organization. Organizations typically pay a lot for the installation and maintenance of their own technology. Organizations want to keep information secret and safe about their technology. Output will be higher when employees have sound knowledge about the technology within their organization. Organizations have to take initiatives to teach their employees about technology. Once individuals have sound knowledge about technology then they have to know how to apply the application of their  earned knowledge. It is the responsibility of the OD practitioner to find out when individuals need training. OD practitioners try to reduce barriers and increase gains.. Organizations need to provide training about performance, competitions, elaborate program design, and many more. With proper training, employees will be able to make the best use of technology. Thus the organization will be able to achieve the goals. Conclusion In the end it can be said that the installation of a technology in the organization will not be enough to achieve organizational goals. The overall success depends on some other factors as well. Installation of a technology is only the beginning. Organizations have to provide proper training to employees to achieve the maximum advantage from the installation of the technology. Organizations have to have a close look on the performance of the organization as well. OD practitioners play a vital role to get the best result from the use of technology. When a change comes to the organization there will always be some resistant. Some employees may not accept the change. OD practitioners have to deal with these issues. They have to create the readiness for change and overcome the resistance. It is the responsibility of OD practitioners to ensure consistent training for all employees. If training is not consistent among the members of a same group then there could be a probability of conflic t among the group members. OD practitioners have to pay close attention to these issues as well. A combination of effort from all employees within the organization is needed to have the best result from the use of technology. To survive in the present competitive business world technological knowledge is must for any organization.

Christian Rock essays

Christian Rock essays Christian and rock are two words that usually do not accompany each other, my only question is why not? Can Christian music rock? A lot of people steer clear of todays contempary Christian hits because they hear the word Christian and decide that they do not want to drive around listening to the church hymns that their grandparents sing, however, that is not what todays Christian music is all about. In fact a lot of people are guilty of being Christian music fans without even realizing it. Recently gospel music has been breaking into the main stream, and big time Christian hits are being played on anything from the secular radio station to MTV. Bands like Switchfoot, Jars of Clay, Relient K, and Audio A are just a few examples of Christians that rock, their bands have chart topping hits and they, along with many other Christians that rock, will be playing in the Ichthus music festival this year. Along with Ichthus Christians also have their own version of the about everything from th e dance club, to a rave where they play all the most recent Christian music hits. Gospel music's mainstream conversion is a movement in progress. Momentum, however, is definitely building(Mitchell1) no one can deny that recently a lot of Christian music has been going mainstream. I have turned on the radio to secular stations numerous times and heard some of my favorite Christian bands. An example of the recent play would be switchfoot with their song called Meant to Live(Mitchell 1) the song has been topping the secular charts and is actually at the moment included in the top 100 videos at launch.yahoo.com and was in last Decembers top 10 modern rock chart. A lot of people do not realize that switchfoot is a Christian band, but indeed they are, and with the presentation of the facts in the above paragraph, it would be hard to deny that they rock. However switchfoot is just one example of a Christian band that is toppi...

Pure Substance Definition and Examples

Pure Substance Definition and Examples In chemistry, a pure substance is a sample of matter with both definite and constant composition and distinct chemical properties. To avoid confusion, a pure substance is often referred to as a chemical substance. Examples of Pure Substances Examples of pure substances include chemical elements and compounds. Alloys and other solutions may also be considered pure if they have a constant composition. WaterDiamondGoldTable salt (sodium chloride)EthanolBrassBronzeSaline solution Examples of Substances That Are Not Pure In general, any heterogeneous mixture is not a pure substance. If you can see differences in the composition of a material, its impure, at least as far as chemistry is concerned. RocksOrangesWheatLight bulbsShoesSandwiches Common Definition of a Pure Substance To a non-chemist, a pure substance is anything composed of a single type of material. In other words, it is free of contaminants. So, in addition to elements, compounds, and alloys, a pure substance might include honey, even though it consists of many different types of molecules.  If you add corn syrup to the honey, you no longer have pure honey. Pure alcohol could be ethanol, methanol, or a mixture of different alcohols, but as soon as you add water (which is not an alcohol), you no longer have a pure substance. Which Definition to Use For the most part, it does not matter which definition you use, but if you are asked to give examples of pure substances as part of a homework assignment, go with examples that meet the narrow chemical definition: gold, silver, water, salt, etc.

Human Computer Interaction - Usability and Evaluation Essay

Human Computer Interaction - Usability and Evaluation - Essay Example Hartson, Andre, and Williges (2003, p.145) note that usability, also referred to as human factors, or human-computer interface design or user-centered design, has become a major field of interest in both industry and academia. This is attributed to the roles computer play in the daily lives of individuals. That is, the more we need to interact with computers, the more we tend to demand well-designed software interfaces. Software developers play a crucial role in answering such demands. Designing better interfaces have quite a number of commercial merits as having been demonstrated by big companies such as Apple, IBM, Eastman Kodak, SAAB, Rank Xerox and Microsoft just to name but a few. The advantages of well-designed software include increased productivity, reduced human error, as well as making the software use enjoyable (Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi 2006, p143). Nonetheless, usability is sometimes ignored not because it is considered worthless, rather because it is considered very ex pensive, which is a misconception, according to experts. Software developers also sometimes ignore usability, which does not justify the cost of usability testing and evaluation. Ignoring usability in interface design has greater cost attachments, as having been demonstrated in past fatal accidents that has resulted due to the failures of interface to show vital information. One such accident occurred in 1987 when an American airline crashed during takeoff at Detroit killing 156 passengers on board (Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi 2006, p143). The accident, according to investigations, was caused pilot’s failure to recognize the wrong positions of flaps during the aircraft’s takeoff. A skilled interface designer would have proper knowledge of organize an interface in such a manner that vital information cannot be missed. This paper will explore the principles of usability and the methods used to evaluate software interfaces. Finally, the paper will evaluate an Amazon.com we bsite in line with the usability principles. Usability design principles Adebesin (2011) argues that the interactive systems ought to be designed in a manner that supports the user to achieve his or her objectives. To do this, the design team need multi-disciplinary, with practitioners possessing ergonomics, cognitive science, and computer skills among others. This ensures that the team understands physical capabilities, human problem solving, their working environment, and the entire interaction context. A number of design guidelines are used in the software interface development. The design guidelines range from general to application-specific rules. Hartson, Andre, and Williges (2003, p.146) classify the design rules according to their level of authority and generality. According to Hartson, Andre, and Williges, the authority of design rule spells out whether or not the rules are to be followed or not. The level of generality, on the other hand, directs developers in ascertaining whether a particular guideline can be widely applied in different design situations. There are three basic principles of usability identified by Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi (2006, p.145). The first principle of usability design principle, according to Matera, Rizzo, and Carughi (2006, p145), is the principle of unity. The principle of unity in interface design is crucial since ensures congruency in the use of the interface. The unity principle also allows software interfac

Enterprise and Business Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Enterprise and Business Development - Essay Example Business plans are decision-making tools by which a company strives to attaining its corporate goals. A business plan will be tested against and extended to meet new circumstances and opportunities; for this it should take in to consideration- Nature of the business covers the location, type of product and also take in to consideration the over all goals. Marketing includes the quantum of goods produced, advertisement, evaluation and tackling of competition and determining market sector. Financial control covers an idea about the seed capital, Break- Even Point and the projected cash flow and financial statements. Management should focus its attention on the preparation of product reports, handling of accounts and estimation about the actual cost of goods produced. This business plan is based on a fictitious manufacturing company and the product name is â€Å"Maas.† â€Å"The real value of creating a business plan is not in having the finished product in hand; rather, the value lies in the process of researching and thinking about your business in a systematic way.† 1 The initial investment for the proposed company is around four million Hong Kong Dollars (4million HK$). This plan has been prepared to obtain adequate amount of finance to complete the product development. Maas Manufacturing Ltd is a new company, which has developed an automatic electronic light control product. An extensive market survey has revealed that no other products are presently competing with our proposed product. It is prepared to offer equity return for investment in the company in future. Full production can begin within a period of three months from the date of starting up of the company, after obtaining sufficient financial resources. The proposed plan aims to raise finance necessary to further develop, manufacture and distribute the products to its consumers. Consumers, commercial and industrial users etc are all prospective customers for the product. The major potential market