Mobile Phone Buying Behaviour in the UK Research Paper

Mobile Phone Buying Behaviour in the UK - Research Paper Example This study looks at the buying behaviour of mobile phone customers in the U.K. using analysis of secondary research data to test the hypothesis that such behaviour is rational. Based on findings from the latest annual industry survey conducted by the Communications Management Association of the U.K., feedback on a consumer website (www.ciao.co.uk), and a review of relevant literature on mobile phone buying behaviour, the study concludes that U.K. consumers exhibit predominantly rational characteristics. Buying decisions, however, are affected by hedonic factors that are emotional in nature, and also by other considerations such as age group, financial capability, and the capabilities and image of the mobile phone model being offered. Consumer decision-making therefore combines the rational assessment of the phone plan, the perceived service quality, and the phone's technology.2. To determine which of the following features have greater influence on the customer's decision to buy a mo bile phone: the plan (tariffs, free minutes, network coverage, etc.), the phone itself (capabilities, image, or advertising), customer service, or a combination of any or all three factors.Conventional marketing theory predicts that buying behaviour of mobile phones follows a rational process because a mobile phone is a high-technology product, it is useful, and it is a personal item that a consumer has close at hand for many hours during the day. The study aims to test the hypothesis that the mobile phone buying behaviour is rational. Proving our hypothesis would mean that customers who buy mobile phones follow a rational decision-making process that marketing theorists summarise as a five-stage process of Awareness Interest Evaluation Trial Adoption. In order to determine whether the buying behaviour is rational, this study looks at each stage of the buying process according to a set of basic rational and emotional factors as shown in Tables 1 and 2. Using secondary research based on U.K. consumer data and their decision to buy a mobile phone service, it would be possible to compare responses with the rational and emotional factors and test our hypothesis based on the results. The hypothesis can be confirmed if the results show that rational factors consistently score higher than emotional factors. Otherwise, the hypothesis is false. Research Methodology and Literature Review The research study used three secondary data sources. The first data source is the latest annual survey of the Communications Management Association (CMA, 2006), a U.K.-based professional organisation of companies in the telecommunications sector, which includes mobile phone suppliers such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, and Motorola; and mobile service providers such as Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, and Virgin. The CMA has been conducting an annual survey since 2003 and publishing the results on its website (www.thecma.com). The CMA conducted its last annual surveys in 2006, and part of the data gathered from the survey are the factors that make up consumer decision-making and satisfaction, consumer concerns, and image perceptions towards mobile phone suppliers and mobile service providers. The second source of data is ciao.co.uk, a shopping intelligence

Brand new adventure park Essay Example for Free

Brand new adventure park Essay Afan Valley Adventure Park is a brand new adventure park opening soon in Afan Valley South Wales. The park is home to many exhilarating rides, but not only thrill seekers will enjoy Afan Valley, as there is a large on site petting zoo for the youngsters. Afan Valley is also home to one of the biggest wooden roller coasters on Britain! Its loops and hoops will make you dizzy with excitement just looking at it! But Afan Valley does not just cater for the thrill seekers of the family, under 5s can enjoy the gentler pace of our tree tops kiddies roller coaster or our Teletubbies flying aeroplanes. After all the excitement of the rides you can relax in one of our many bar/restaurants while the kids play safely in one of our supervised cri ches. You can also take an after dinner stroll on one of our scenic country walks, which we have proudly been awarded the David Bellamy Gold award for conservation. There are many items available to hire at A. V. A. P for a small fee, such as mountain bikes, childrens buggies and hiking boots. These are available to reserve before you arrive at the park. Included on the following pages is an application form for membership to Afan Valley. There are many benefits of becoming a member for the very reasonable fee of i 15 a month. You will receive a regular newsletter telling you about all of the up dated facilities and new rides and also included will be a map of the park, for you to find your way around. Another special benefit of becoming a member is free entry to the park as much as you want and also free car parking. So all you have to pay is the once a month payment of i 15. I intend to use the database to sort members into different categories and to find contact numbers easily. I also want to use the database to sort for members who have not paid their subscriptions.

Comparing Hate in The Jewel in the Crown and Wuthering Heights :: comparison compare contrast essays

Hate in The Jewel in the Crown and Wuthering Heights While reading the two works, The Jewel in the Crown and Wuthering Heights, it was impossible to miss the blatant prejudice. The terms used to describe other races were offensive, I also noticed the treatment of many of the characters because of their skin color. One of the novels was set in 1801 and the other in 1942 still they both illustrate horrid prejudices. Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights is a classic novel from the 1800's. It was shocking at first to read about the Gypsy boy that Mr. Earnshaw brought home referred to as." a gift of God, though it's as dark almost as if it came from the devil." (Pg 28. Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Norton Critical ed. 3rd ed. Ed William M. Sale, jr., and Richard J. Dunn. New York: W.W. Norton, 1990) Not once in the first meeting of this child did they call him a child or even as him they referred to him as "it" (Pg 28,29. Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Norton Critical ed. 3rd ed. Ed William M. Sale, jr., and Richard J. Dunn. New York: W.W. Norton, 1990) When Mr. Earnshaw was explaining why he brought the boy home he used phrases like "seeing it starving" "inquired for its owner" and "whom it belonged". (Pg 29. Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Norton Critical ed. 3rd ed. Ed William M. Sale, jr., and Richard J. Dunn. New York: W.W. Norton, 1990) The horrible way the people thought about the Gypsy child Heathcliff offended me at first and then I remembered the period of the novel. That was unfortunately, standard practice for the era although despicable normal for the era. The trend continued for one hundred years because the novel The Jewel in the Crown had the same tones about the Indian people in the novel. Lady Chatterjee was not allowed in a club because she was an Indian. (Pg 106 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown. [1996.] Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet. Rpt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.) Many times in this novel, as well there are blatant prejudices. Sister Ludmila felt it "an unnatural context the attraction of white to black, the attraction of an opposite" of a white woman and an Indian (black) man. (Pg 150 Scott, Paul. The Jewel in the Crown.

Implementing a Wearable Computer ID Card System Essay -- Security and

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background ï  ® In order to improve the time & attendance and security of Global Products LLC a wearable based ID card system has been proposed ï  ® We have considered up to date time and attendance systems, different types of wearable technology and scanning technology ï  ® The option in this business case was suggested due to the advantages to the companies quality, safety, productivity and cost saving systems Strategic Alignment ï  ® This proposal is aligned with discussions with HR and senior management ï  ® The purpose of this proposal is to gain approval for installation of computer based identification card system and security system. ï  ® If the proposal is unsuccessful the company will continue to experience challenges in its time sheet recording system. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 Wearable Computing ID cards at Global Products LLC 4 What are Wearable Computing based ID cards 4 How can Wearable Computing be utilized 5 Associated risks 6 Infrastructure 6 How we manage wearable cards 7 BUSINESS CASE 8 Overview of activity 8 Consultation 8 Financial Model 9 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS 11 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 15 REFERENCES 16 â€Æ' Wearable Computing ID cards at Global Products LLC What are Wearable Computing based ID cards †¢ Computing based ID cards also known as RFID †¢ Radio frequency identification, or RFID, is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify people or objects †¢ Direct line of sight is not needed for reading †¢ More than 1 card can be read at a time †¢ Information is stored on the card that communicates with a reader (see attached picture) †¢ Information from the card can be stored in the reader for quick access or on a net... .../mobile/mobile-applications/how-enterprises-can-plan-for-wearables/d/d-id/1127827. [Accessed 21 March 14]. RFID Journal. 2014. Frequently asked questions. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.rfidjournal.com/site/faqs. [Accessed 22 April 14]. Office of the privacy commissioner Canada. 2008. RFID in the workplace. [ONLINE] Available at:https://www.priv.gc.ca/information/research-recherche/consultations/2008/rfid_e.asp#Part1-1. [Accessed 04 April 14]. Sage HRMS. 2013. Punching in for Improved Workforce Management: The Top Seven Benefits of an Automated Time and Attendance System. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.dresserassociates.com/pdf/whitepapers/Sage-HRMS-Top-Seven-Benefits-of-Automated-Time-Attendance-System.pdf. [Accessed 04 April 14]. Rawlinsons, RP, 2010. Rawlinsons Australian Construction Handbook. 28th ed. Osborne Park, WA: Rawlinson Publishing

Data Preprocessing Essay

Data Preprocessing 3 Today’s real-world databases are highly susceptible to noisy, missing, and inconsistent data due to their typically huge size (often several gigabytes or more) and their likely origin from multiple, heterogenous sources. Low-quality data will lead to low-quality mining results. â€Å"How can the data be preprocessed in order to help improve the quality of the data and, consequently, of the mining results? How can the data be preprocessed so as to improve the ef? ciency and ease of the mining process? † There are several data preprocessing techniques. Data cleaning can be applied to remove noise and correct inconsistencies in data. Data integration merges data from multiple sources into a coherent data store such as a data warehouse. Data reduction can reduce data size by, for instance, aggregating, eliminating redundant features, or clustering. Data transformations (e. g. , normalization) may be applied, where data are scaled to fall within a smaller range like 0. 0 to 1. 0. This can improve the accuracy and ef? ciency of mining algorithms involving distance measurements. These techniques are not mutually exclusive; they may work together. For example, data cleaning can involve transformations to correct wrong data, such as by transforming all entries for a date ? eld to a common format. In Chapter 2, we learned about the different attribute types and how to use basic statistical descriptions to study data characteristics. These can help identify erroneous values and outliers, which will be useful in the data cleaning and integration steps. Data processing techniques, when applied before mining, can substantially improve the overall quality of the patterns mined and/or the time required for the actual mining.

arminianism vs calvinism Essays

arminianism vs calvinism Essays arminianism vs calvinism Essay arminianism vs calvinism Essay Arminianism and Calvinism Christian Doctrine Calvinism Historically, the doctrine of Calvinism arose out of the teaching of John Calvin. Five point Calvinism as it is exposed by its followers today was not taught by Calvin, but instead implied by those who carried his teachings to what they considered to be their logical conclusions. Calvinism is often called Reformed theology, and is founded in John Calvins Institutes of the Christian Religion. The Puritans and independent Presbyterians of Great Britain were heavily influenced by Calvins writings, but some of its greatest followers were Dutch. Most Baptist, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches base their doctrine off of John Calvins teachings. Calvinism can be summarized using the acronym TULIP, which stands for the following: 1 . Total depravity, is the belief that man is dead in trespasses and sins and totally unable to save himself. Many advocates of Calvinism carry this a step further, saying that man cannot even desire a relationship with God apart from His working in their hearts. 2. Unconditional election is the belief that in eternity, God chose or elected certain people to obtain salvation. Some Calvinists (although not all) carry this belief further nd teach what is referred to as double predestination, the teaching that God selected some people to go to heaven and others to go to hell, and there is nothing anyone can do to change Gods election. John Calvin taught this, but called it a terrible doctrine. 3. Limited atonement is the Calvinist teaching that Jesus did not die for the sins of the entire world, but that He only died for those that He elected to go to heaven. The argument is that Christs work on the Cross must be efficacious, that is, it must work for all for whom He died, that He could not have shed His blood for hose who are lost. Some Calvinists have gone to great lengths to explain limited atonement, saying, for example, that Jesus died for all, but does not pray for all, or tnat HIS aeat n tneoretlcally could save everyone, out Is eTTectlve only Tor tne elect. The end result is the same in each case the belief that Jesus only died effectively for some people, not all. 4. Irresistible grace is the doctrine that teaches that God will draw to Himself those whom He elected regardless of their rebellion against Him. It is the belief that man cannot resist the drawing of God to Himself. . Perseverance of the saints, or eternal security, is the doctrine that often attracts people to Calvinism because it is the belief that a true born again Christian cannot lose or give up his salvation because salvation is entirely Gods work, not mans. Arminianism Jacobus Games) Arminius was a Dutch theologian who lived from 1560-1609. Arminius taught that man is only guilty of Adams sin when he sins voluntarily . Arminius started out as a strict Calvinist, but later modified his views, which were expressed in a document called The Remonstrance in 1610. Arminianism is the heological basis for the Methodist, Wesleyan, Nazarene, Pentecostal, Free Will Baptist, Holiness, and many charismatic churches. Arminianism teaches: 1 . Election based on knowledge, the belief that God chose those who would be saved in eternity past based on His foreknowledge of those who would respond to and receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Arminianism rejects the concept that God elected anyone for hell. 2. Unlimited atonement is the belief that Jesus died on the Cross for all people, that His blood is sufficient to pay the penalty for the sins of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived. Thus, all mankind is savable. 3. Natural inability is the teaching that man cannot save Himself, but that the Holy Spirit must effect the new birth in him. Strict Arminians do not believe that man is totally depraved and condemned as a result of Adams sin. . Prevenient grace is the belief that the preparatory work of the Holy Spirit enables the believer to respond to the Gospel and to cooperate with God in the salvation of that person. 5. Conditional perseverance is the belief that man can choose to reject God, and therefore lose his salvation, even after he has been born again. Rather than the once saved always saved doctrine of the Calvinists, the Arminian believes that you must abide in Christ to be saved, and that you can ch oose to walk away from God. Arminius himself, and his early followers, stated that they were unsure of this doctrine and that it required further Biblical study. Evaluation of the Doctrines At the heart of the controversy between Calvinism and Arminianism is the emphasis on the sovereignty of God by the Calvinists and on the free will of man, or human responsibility, by the Arminians. Arminians teach that man has free will and hat God will never interrupt or take that free will away. They say that God has obligated Himself to respect the free choice with which He created us. Calvinism, on the other hand, emphasizes that God is in total control of everything, and that nothing can happen that He does not plan and direct, including mans salvation. Both positions are logical, both have Scriptures to back up each of their five points, and both have truth to them. Both are right in what they claim, but both are wrong in what they deny. If truth is pressed to the point of excluding another truth, it becomes an error. The Bible presents a theology that is more man centered than calvinists make it out to be, and theology that is more divine than arminianism present it as. Certainly, the Bible does teach that God is sovereign (Psalm 135:6; Daniel 4:35, Ephesians 1:1 1), and that Dellevers are preaestlnea ana elected Dy (Romans B) to spend eternity wltn However, the bible never associates election with damnation. Scriptures teach that God elects for salvation, but that unbelievers are in hell by their own choice. Every passage of the Bible that speaks of election deals with it in the context of salvation nd not damnation. It is simply not biblical to say someone is elect for hell. The idea of total depravity is consistent with Scripture (Ephesians 2:1, Romans 3:1 1), but the doctrine of limited atonement, that Jesus did not die for the sins of the whole world, is clearly anti-Biblical Cohn 3:16, I Timothy 2:6, II Peter 2: 1, I John 2:2). The Bible teaches that Jesus died for everyones sins and that everyone is able to be saved if they will repent and turn to Christ. Limited atonement is non-Biblical doctrine. Cohn 3:16,17; Romans 5:8, 18; II Corinthians 5:14,15; 1 Timothy 2:4; 4:10; Hebrews 2:9; 10:29; II Peter 2:1; I John 2:2; 4:14. Irresistible grace is taught by some, who do not understand the concept, to mean that God drags people to Himself contrary to their wills. Actually, the Biblical view, and the view of most Calvinists, is the belief that God works on our wills so as to make us willing to surrender to Him. In other words, He makes us willing to come to Christ for salvation. Many Scriptures teach that a true believer is safe and secure in Christ, tha t salvation doesnt depend on our ability to keep ourselves, but on Gods ability to keep s. l John 5:11-13; John 10:28; Romans 5:1 and 8: 1). The only condition for salvation is faith in Christ Cohn 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). On the other hand, the Bible teaches us that we must abide in Christ Cohn 15; Luke 13:14; Colossians 1:29; II Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 6:4-6; I Peter 1:10) to persevere in salvation. Finding a Balance The truth of Gods Word flows between the extremes of Calvinism and Arminianism. Both Calvinism and Arminianism have truth in their argument, yet both contain error. Election and predestination are Biblical doctrines. God knows verything and therefore He cannot learn anything or be surprised by anything. He knows, and has known from eternity past, who will exercise their free will to accept Him and who will reject Him. The former are the elect, the latter are non-elect. Every person who is not saved will have only himself to blame; God doesnt send anyone to hell, people choose to go there by exercising their free will to reject Christ. On the other hand, no one who is saved will be able to take any of the credit. Our salvation is 100% Gods work, and is based entirely on the work of the Cross. We were ead in trespasses and sins, destined for hell, when God in His grace, drew us to Himself, convinced us of our sin and our need for a Savior, and allowed us to call Jesus Lord. God will do everything short of making humanity puppets in order for Him to draw us towards salvation but this does not mean that His grace is irresistible. The concept of a limited atonement, that Jesus only died for the elect, and not for the sins of all people, is clearly unbiblical. The Bible is very clear that Jesus death on the cross was for all people, and that there is sufficient power in His blood to cleanse way every sin. Whosoever will may come is meaningless if man has no free will and no ability to choose God. The question of whether or not a Christian can lose or walk away from salvation is academic. When a person who claims to be a Christian and shows some fruit of salvatlon turns nls DacK on ana llves tne IITe 0T a pagan, tne Armlnlan says ne was saved and is now not saved, while the Cal vinist would say that he was either never really saved to start with, or that he is severely backslidden, but his salvation is secure. Ultimately, no one knows the truth but God. The true believer in Christ never has to doubt his salvation. He can rest in the perfect assurance that God saved him and will keep him, and nothing will ever separate him from Gods love in time or eternity. We are secure in Christ, kept by the His loving grace. It is important to remember that both Calvinism and Arminianism are systems of theology devised by godly, devout, Bible-believing men. Both systems are based on the word of God, and both contain important elements of truth, but neither can be substituted for reading and believing the word of God. The New Testament church new nothing of either system, they simply believed what God had revealed in His word. The problem arises when it seems that some of what God has revealed contradicts something else He revealed. How can man be absolutely free and God absolutely sovereign and in control at the same time? How can salvation be entirely Gods work, yet simultaneously require the cooperation of men? These questions are ultimately unanswerable. The Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. It teaches what appears to be unconditional perseverance in some places and conditional perseverance in others. The human mind can never understand the balance between these points because God is simply too big for us to understand. Both systems of theology emphasize one set of chapters or verses while ignoring or twisting another. We are not called to understand God, only to believe Him. We are free willed creations, responsible for our own sin, hopelessly lost. Jesus not only died for us, He drew us to Himself with love and grace. Jesus died for all of us and desires fellowship with all of us. Gods election excludes no one; Jesus atonement includes everyone. Its as if we are looking at two sides of the same coin. Election is Gods side, free will is our side. Rather than interpreting the Bible based on any theological or philosophical structure, we are to simply read and believe it. As we teach the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, verse by verse, in context, we will at times sound like devout Calvinists, preaching passages which emphasize Gods sovereignty, while at other times we will seem like Arminians, when we preach the passages which emphasize mans responsibility. The key is to find a balance to stay focused on the Word of God, and not become distracted by the doctrines of men.

A Few Greek Gods Essays - Titans, Greek Mythology, Names Of God

A Few Greek Gods Essays - Titans, Greek Mythology, Names Of God A Few Greek Gods subject = History 9th grade title = A Few Greek Gods The Ancient Greeks believed in a series of myths which explained nature, set up a moral code for the people, and were just folk lore of the people. In this paper, the beginnings of myths, the Greek gods themselves, and several myths concerning morals, nature, and old lore of the Ancients will be discussed. Because the myths and details about the gods were passed along by word of mouth, some myths or gods might be interchanged or different. The Greek myths started as folk lore until it began to explain nature and storytellers integrated a moral code into the myths. Many myths started out as fairy tales. As new and more efficient farming methods became available to the Greek people they were faced with more time in which to do other things. A people who have waste develop a culture all their own. Because Greece was divided into different city- states, many of the myths are different. The culture of storytelling began to involve explanations of nature such as the creation of the horse, spider, and such changes as winter and fire along with the creation of man himself. Slowly, as with any longstanding government, the morals and laws of society leaked into Greek myths in the form of, "The slain shall be avenged by Nemesis (a force which causes people to get revenge)," or just, "Kindness and humbleness are rewarded by the gods." Some myths were even created to support other myths. The myths started with storytelling and developed into a complex system of morals and explanations. The Greek myths were almost fruitless without the intervention of the gods. The gods controlled nature and fought their own battles on the earth, which sometimes caused problems. The first god was the most powerful one until he had children. The first god is called Oranos or in some myths Uranus. He was the first ruler among the gods. Uranus was the heavens and Gaea was the earth and thus they were married. The couple gave birth to many different and odd children but Uranus was cruel to them. Then, Chronos was born as the youngest titan. Chronos dethroned his father and soon after married his sister, Rhea. He didn't want his children to dethrone him so he ate them. However, Zeus overthrew Chronos and established the first real empire of the gods. Zeus settled disputes between the other gods and made sure the humans weren't treated in the wrong way. Zeus and Hera gave birth to Ares and Hermes along with other minor gods. Hera was a cruel type person in most myths and in one she led a rebellio n against Zeus and almost defeated him when he was rescued. Her favorite sign is the peacock feather and that is her unique sign. Zeus and Hera were the first lasting god couple. Zeus had two brothers, Poseidon and Hades. After Chronos had been defeated, the three brothers threw dice for who would rule in which realm. Poseidon chose the sea because there was the source of the most adventure. Zeus chose the sky where he would rule on Mount Olympus. Hades had no choice and took the underworld because he was notoriously unlucky. Poseidon created many odd sea creatures and the dolphin. He also created the horse and horselike animals. Poseidon had many children by two nymphs and his first son, Achilles, was greater than himself. Hades ruled the underworld and chose what to do with the souls of the people who came across the River Styx. They were judged on what they did in life. He was unloving and terrible and he rarely left the underworld. His only wife was Persephone. She was the daughter of Demeter, goddess of corn, grain, and weather to an extent. Demeter is a minor god except for the great influence she has on the earth. Because her daughter, Persephone, is abducted every year, the crops wither and winter takes control of the land. There were quite a few lesser gods who ruled over small parts of nature. Aphrodite is the goddess of love and passion. She was formed of the foam off the genitals of Neptune which fell into the sea. She manipulated men and was known for her enchanted golden apples. Her son was Eros, where we get the word erotic. Eros is the Greek form of Cupid, the Roman god of love. Aphrodite also has a magical girdle that makes

How to Register for the PSAT 3 Simple Steps

How to Register for the PSAT 3 Simple Steps SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Every autumn, sophomores and juniors have the opportunity to take the PSAT. But how exactly does the PSAT registration process work? Does everyone have the same PSAT sign up date? What does it cost to take the PSAT? Here, we'll teach you everything you need to know about PSAT registration. We'll start with a brief overview of how registration works and then go over the three key steps you need to take in order to register for the PSAT. We'll also touch on how to register if you’re homeschooled or living outside the US before finishing with our toptips for ensuring a smoothPSAT registration process. PSAT Registration: Overview Unlike the SAT, for which you register online through the College Board, you will register for the PSAT through your own high school. Exactly how the PSAT sign up process works will depend on yourschool. Basically, though,here's how it works: schools inform their students when the PSAT registration deadline is, and then give instructions on how to register and pay for the test. The PSAT is offered three times a year in the autumn on a primary date, Saturday date, and alternate date. Your school will select the date on which it will administer the PSAT. Most schools choose the primary date, but some might insteadadminister the PSAT on one of the two alternate dates should the primary date not workwell with the school’s schedule. Here is the 2019 PSAT testing schedule, confirmed by the College Board. For information on future PSAT test dates, refer to our guide. Primary Date Saturday Date Alternate Date Wednesday, October 16, 2019 Saturday, October 19, 2019 Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Many schools will require you to register for the PSAT around September. Unfortunately, not all schools administer the PSAT.If your high school isn't going to offerthe PSAT, you may take the test atanother nearby school that is offeringit. Next, we'll walk through the PSAT registration process and look athow to search for high schools offering the PSAT in case your school doesn't plan toadminister it. How to Register for the PSAT: 3-Step Guide Here, we go over the three steps required to register for the PSAT at your (or a nearby) school. Step 1: Determine Whether Your School Will Offer the PSAT First, you must determine whether your high school will actually administer the PSAT. The easiest way to check this is to use the College Board'sschool search tool,whichlooks like this: With this tool, all you have to do is type in the name of your school and its city, state (if applicable), zip code, and country. Once you click "Search," you'll getan entry with the name and address of your school as well as its assessment and test date. On the drop-downmenu, click "PSAT/NMSQT Fall 2019." (If fall 2019 dates aren't available yet, click "Fall 2018" to see whether your school offered the PSAT last year.) Here’s an example of a school in Houstonthat offered the 2016 PSAT on that year's primary date: If you know for sure your school will not be offering the PSAT or if you’re a homeschooled student, you can instead search for your city, state, and zip code to see which schools around you will be offering the PSAT.This type of search can help narrow down your options, ultimately allowing youto select the school that's most convenient for you. Alternatively, if you don't want to use this search tool, you can ask your counselor whether your school will be offering the PSAT or whether they know of any nearby schools that plan to offer it. Step 2: Find Out Your PSAT Registration Deadline and Test Date Most high schools opt forthe primary test date, which is always a weekday in early or mid-October.However,some schools might choose the Saturday PSAT date or the alternate test date instead to accommodate special schedules or religious observances. To find out when your school will be administering the PSAT, consult your counselor or look at the 2019 PSATadministration date for your school using theschool search tool. Here’s an example of two schools in the same city with different administration dates. One school administered the 2016 PSAT on the primary test date, whereas the other administered the test on the Saturday date: Your school should inform you prior to the PSAT test dates when the examwill take place. If you haven’t heard anything by early or mid-September, talk to yourcounselor. Step 3: Sign Up and Pay for the PSAT Your next step is to register for the PSAT. Simple, right? Here's the kicker, though: PSAT sign up methods vary by school.So while some schools might require you to registerand pay for the test in person, others might require you to go online and register through a website. (You'llnever register for the PSAT through the College Board.) For example, in 2016,this high schoolrequired students to register for the PSAT online and pay for it later in person, whilethis school requires students to register and pay for the PSAT all in person. Whatever the case, your school should offer clear instructions on how to completeyourPSAT sign up.Schools typically hand out or email PSAT registration information to students inthe early fall. If you're planning to take the PSAT at a different school, you'll need to call thatschool or contact one of itscounselors to inquire about the PSAT registration process and see whether the process differs for students who do not attend that school. When registering for the PSAT, you’ll typically provide basic identifying information, including your full name, home address, phone number, email address, grade level, and student ID number (if applicable). The PSAT costs $16 per student,butsome schools might cover all or part of this fee. Likewise, some schools might charge more than $16 in order to compensate for the use of proctors and test administrators. Either way, your school should tell you how much you'll need to pay for the PSAT and how to submit your payment. Most schools accept cash or checks, but what is considered an acceptable form of payment will vary depending on the school. Checks will most likely be addressedto your school (never to the College Board). Finally,if you're alow-income junior, you might qualify for a PSAT fee waiver. To confirmyour eligibility, talk withyour counselor. Only schools- not students!- maycontact the College Board to request fee waivers. If you have any questions or concerns about PSAT registration or paying for the PSAT, it's best to consult your counselor directly. And there you have it: everything you need to know and do in order to register for the PSAT! Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? Check out our best-in-class online PSAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your PSAT score by 150 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also feature thousands of practice questions and two official PSAT practice tests. Check out our 5-day free trial: How to Register for the PSAT If You’re Homeschooled If you’re homeschooled, you can still register for the PSAT- you just need to find a school that administers it.Here are the steps to follow: Step 1: Get in Touch With a Local High School Use theCollege Board’s high school search tooltolook for schools offering the PSAT or to confirm that the high school you want to test at will be administeringthe PSAT. The College Board recommends reaching out to schoolsfour months beforethe testtoensure you'll have ample time to work out registration logistics and solidify your test-taking plans. Step 2: Request a Copy of the Official Student Guide From the School This free guide will tell you everything you need to know about the PSAT and even comeswith a full-length practice test. You can alsodownload the PSAT guide from the College Board website. Step 3: Determine Whether You Qualify for a Fee Waiver Generally, those who qualify for PSAT fee waivers are low-income th graders. I suggest reviewing the eligibility requirements and then consulting a counselor at your selected school to determine whether you're eligible. Note that homeschooled students may not request fee waivers directly from the College Board. How to Register for the PSAT If You’re Living Outside the US You don’t need to be a current resident of the US or even a US citizen to take the PSAT. Unfortunately, non-US citizens and non-permanent residents are not eligible for National Merit scholarships, so there's not much incentive for international students to take the exam outside the US. On the other hand, if you're a US citizen (in the th grade or equivalent) who is currently living abroad, you are eligible for National Merit consideration. Here's how you can register for the PSAT abroad: Step 1: Contact a Local School That Offers the PSAT If you’re not sure which schools are offering the PSAT, use the College Board’s school search tool to look for schools. Make sure you start this process early- you should ideally reach out to schools in your area at least four months before the primary PSAT test date. Step 2: Contact an English-Speaking Educator This educator should guide you through the PSATregistration process and help you pay for the exam at your selected school. Step 3: Request a Copy of the Official Student Guide From the School Your school should give you a copy of this guide once you’ve registered for the PSAT. This free test guide contains a full-length practice PSAT in addition to tons of information on what the PSAT is and what kinds of skills it tests. Alternatively, you can download it from the College Board website. How to Request PSAT Accommodations for a Disability Students who have documented disabilities may request special accommodations for the PSAT. Examples of accommodations include braille booklets, large-type test booklets, additional time, and extended breaks. To request an accommodation, ask your school counselor to submit an official request to the College Board Services for Students with Disabilities on your behalf. The process usually takes about seven weeks,so be sure to start early. If you're given any accommodations for your disability withouthaving received prior approval from the College Board, your PSAT scores will be canceled. So don’t dawdle- talk to your counselor as early as possible to secure theaccommodations you need for test day! 5 Tips for Ensuring a Smooth PSAT Registration Process Before you register for the PSAT, follow our five tips below to ensure asmooth and error-free registration process. #1: Start the Process Early Unless your counselor has confirmed your school's PSAT intentions, you can't just assume your school will be offering the PSAT. This is why I suggest starting the PSAT process early, ideally at the end of your sophomore year. During this time, ask your counselor whether your school will be administering the PSAT and when. If you know that your school won’t be offering the PSAT (or if you are homeschooled), start looking for schools in your area that will be offering it, and get in touch with them as soon as possible. Remember, it's necessary to give yourself plenty of time to contact schools, especially if you'll be asking about fee waivers or requesting special accommodations for a disability. #2: Keep Your October Schedule Open Usually, all PSAT dates are scheduled for October, so you'll want to keep your October schedule fairly empty in order to accommodate the PSAT- particularly if your school hasn't yet announced the exact date on which it will administer the test. To avoid conflict, don't schedule dentist or orthodontist appointments on Wednesday mornings, and don't plan any weekend getaways in case your school chooses the Saturday test date. #3: Ask About Fee Waivers Many students fail to realize they qualify for a PSAT fee waiver, which is why we suggest talking to your counselor early in the PSAT registration process about discounts for low-income th graders. Note that PSAT fee waivers apply to all sorts of students, including homeschooled students, US citizens testing outside the US, and non-US citizens testing in the US. There is a caveat, though: fee waivers only cover the actual cost of the exam ($16) and not any additional fees that might be required by the school. So even with a fee waiver, you might still have to pay a nominal fee in order to take the PSAT. As always, check with your school for details. #4: Decide Whether You’ll Take the PSAT as a Sophomore Most students take the PSAT as juniors, but some choose totake the PSAT as sophomores toget afeel for the format of the test and what you’ll be expected to know. The downside?Sophomores are not eligible for National Merit scholarships, which target high-scoring juniors only, so there is no monetary benefit to taking the PSAT as a sophomore. Despite this con, taking the PSAT early can help familiarize you with ;the structure and content of the exam, ultimately increasing your chance of qualifying for National Merit as a junior. So if you truly want to give yourself your best shot at qualifying for National Merit in the future, go ahead and register for the PSAT as a sophomore! #5: Consult Your Counselor for Questions Last but not least, always consult your school counselor if you have any questions about the PSAT, such as when the test is, how to submit your payment, and how to request fee waivers and special accommodations. Ultimately, when it comes to your school, your counselor will be the most reliable PSAT resource available! Recap: How PSAT Registration Works All students register for the PSAT through their high schools or through a local school should their own school not administer the exam. Each school conducts its own PSAT registration process and will explain to students when the test is and how students can sign up and pay for it. Fee waivers are usually available to low-income th graders. If you are homeschooled or do not currently reside in the US, you can still take the PSAT. To register, contact a local high school that’s administering the PSAT and ask whether you can take it there. If you need special accommodations for a disability, you can request these ahead of time through your counselor. Finally, don't forget these five essential tips guaranteed to help your ;PSAT registration proceed as smoothly as possible: Start early and confirm that your school actually offers the PSAT Keep your fall schedule, especially October, relatively empty to account for all PSAT test dates Ask your counselor about fee waivers and see whether you’re eligible for one Decide whether you’d be interested in taking the PSAT as a sophomore Direct any PSAT-related questions to your counselor What’s Next? Need a rundown of the PSAT before you register for it? Check out our in-depth PSAT guide to learn what the test is, how it's scored, and what kinds of skills you'll need to master to achieve a great PSAT score on test day. Want to learn about PSAT scoring? Our complete guide explains everything you need to know about PSAT score distribution, percentiles, and cutoff scores for National Merit consideration. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example In this regard, the business objectives might encompass enhancement in sales turnover, increment in profits and accomplishment of superior competitive position over chief business market competitors (Westwood, 2002). The imperative advantages of an effectual corporate plan that is initiated by different organizations are adopting as well as implementing better decisions, saving operational costs, focusing upon fulfilling long-term goals and most importantly attaining desired business targets (Chary, 2009). It has been viewed that a corporate plan may assist an organization towards attaining success in future, if it is incorporated with the significant concern of manpower planning. In this similar context, the notion of manpower planning denotes a systematic procedure of placing appropriate personnel in the suitable work or operational departments. This particular concept of manpower planning is also acknowledged as ‘Human Resource (HR) Planning’ that supports different organizations to attain their expected business targets by a considerable level. In other words, manpower planning is fundamentally described as an effective strategy for the attainment, enhancement, implementation and retention of the human resources of a specific organization (Price, 2007). In this paper, a detailed assessment of the assertion that "unless there is a corporate plan for the organization integrated with the manpower plan, manpower planning is worthless" will be taken into concern. Moreover, the valuable linkage between HR planning and the corporate plan of an organization and the different features of HR planning that must help the procedure of organizational change will also be discussed in this paper. The assertion i.e. "unless there is a corporate plan for the organization integrated with the manpower plan, manpower planning is worthless" principally depicts that the notion of manpower planning would become much beneficial for

Organizational Culture and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Organizational Culture and Ethics - Essay Example Critically evaluate this case in the context of the organization’s culture. How were Enron's business ethics and business operations influenced by the organization’s culture? Specifically, what went wrong? The company, i.e. Enron, experienced a sharp decline which ultimately resulted in its collapse. Senior executives of Enron, namely Kenneth Lay, Jeffrey Skilling and Andrew Fastow, were repeatedly found to appear in the cover story of various business magazines. Kenneth Lay was the earliest Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Enron who was quite well known for introducing an effective innovative structure in Enron, which helped it to survive in the initial years (Scribd Inc., 2012). The visitors entering the head office of the company situated at Smith Street in downtown Houston often were attracted by a striking poster in front of the office. The banner related to the company’s R.I.C.E principle, i.e. Respect, Integrity, Communication and Excellence. It was often believed by the visitors that the principles of the company reflected its corporate culture. However, in reality Enron hardly shared any association with the stated principles. In 1985, Enron was formed by the merger of two natural gas companies situated in Houston. This union was mainly debt-financed, which implies that Enron initiated its corporate life with a large amount of debt. Therefore, from the beginning, Enron was considered as a company which exemplified high risk. Enron operated under high business risks which were mainly encountered from the highly competitive and deregulated natural gas market. Subsequently, the company also witnessed a high financial risk owing to the merger which was persuaded by heavy debt loads (Macmillan, 2005). The business functions of Enron were operated by freshly hired business management graduates from the leading business schools of the United States. These skilled employees promised the company instant earning of profits as well as carried out the business under advanced form of operations. The Performance Review Committee (PRC) developed and sustained Enron’s corporate culture (Scribd Inc., 2012). Enron Corporation was a leading American energy company situated in Houston, Texas. The company operated with 21,000 workers and was one of the largest international providers of natural gas, electricity, pulp & paper along with communication. Enron performed quite well in the market and earned $110.9 million in 2000. The company enjoyed a high value or price for its shares along with gaining an effective position in the market. The various workers and staff of the company were quite satisfied and it was also found that qualified and skilled individuals preferred to work with Enron. Enron earned a higher degree of success which further gave rise to grave issues within the organizational operations. Enron made the decision of transforming their organizational structure by recruiting new employees in the higher positi ons, who were entitled to make big decisions regarding the company’s business operations, which entailed the chances of directly

Case Analysis of Tata Motors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Case Analysis of Tata Motors - Essay Example It was a very conscious effort considering the situation of global car market and the company’s competitive advantages. Nano has been marketed as the â€Å"World’s Cheapest Car† and the company has adopted a very unique development and business model for this special child of it. One of the most important advantages that the company enjoys is that it has more than enough knowledge about its home market i.e. India, its competitors and its suppliers. Tata Motors and its chairman Ratan Tata want Nano to create same magic that Mini did in Britain and Beetle did in Germany. Furthermore, the company and its visionary management could foresee the future of global car market which is expected to be very much dominated by the low-cost as well as ultra-low-cost cars. This paper includes the answers of four questions that are based on a case of Tata Motors and its Nano. The paper aims to discuss the reasons behind the Tata Motors’ decision to enter the market of ultr a-low-cost cars, competitive advantages of Tata Motors as well as Nano, probable screening criteria for the Nano’s IMS process and the potential market for Nano beyond India and China. Main Reasons for Tata Motors entering the ultra-low-cost car market Global car industry and its competitive landscape have been experiencing significant alterations which are permanent and dramatic. One of the main reasons behind this is the change in nature of demand of the end users across the globe. A completely new and unique class of car buyers has been emerging in the industrializing countries like China and India. Such incident has created a huge potential for cars which can be found in the price range of $2500 - $5000. Such cars are popular among the manufacturers and buyers as ultra-low-cost cars. A report of A. T. Kearney says that till 2020, almost 16 million cars from this category will be sold every year. India and other Southeast Asian countries will be the key market for such typ e of cars (A. T. Kearney, 2008). Chinese and Russian consumers are expected to look beyond ultra-low-cost cars as they have moved ahead of their Indian counterparts in terms of income level. This new category of cars is likely to experience tremendous demand especially from India. In 2005, almost 208 million Indian had an income that theoretically allows them to buy a car that costs in between $2500 - $5000. It is expected that by the end of 2020 there will be around 439 million people who will be looking for these ULCCs. It is important to mention that most of these people will be ‘first time buyer’ of car. Research shows that if the car is priced at around $4000 then almost 270 million Indians will be in a position to buy it, whereas if the starting price is set at around $2500 then the number moves up to 530 million (A. T. Kearney, 2008). Tata Motors, being an India based car maker knows the market more than any other company. The company is very much aware of the ab ove mentioned facts and figures; hence this huge potential of ULCCs has definitely influenced Tata Motors to make an entry in ULCC market. Tata Motors did its own research before coming up with the plan of Nano. The company targeted the market that no other auto maker in the country has done it. It has targeted the two wheeler owners. India is such a country where people use two-wheelers as their

Pair-wise Sequencing Alignment Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pair-wise Sequencing Alignment - Math Problem Example Answer = 0.0 1.e. Are there any other results having the same E-value? If so, how many? Answer = Yes, 19others 1.f. What is the Max score for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 4693 1.g. What is the Total score for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 4693 1.h. What is the Query coverage for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 100% 1.i What is the Max ident for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 100% 1.j Are there any other results compared to the top BLASTN search result that have the same E-value, same Max score, same Query coverage, same Max ident, same Total score? If so, how many? Answer = Yes, 1 other 2. Using the sequence provided at the bottom of this document, Perform BLASTX using Database option set to "Reference proteins (refseq_protein)". Keep all other settings and parameters at the default value. 2.a. How many Blast Hits do you get for the sequence? Answer = 1 2.b. What is the sequence most similar to? Provide the Sequence Accession as your answer. Answer = XP_003433170.1 2.c. ... Answer = 58% 2.g. When you inspect the first alignment for the top BLASTX search result, what is the % Gap listed? Answer = 6% 2.h. When you inspect the first alignment for the top BLASTX search result, what is the Frame indicated? Answer = -1 Sequence to use: >

Analysis of the book hunger of memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of the book hunger of memory - Essay Example And in the case of Mexican-American author Richard Rodriguez this concepts appears apt because his autobiography titled, Hunger of Memory highlights the problems he faced from his childhood to adulthood. So, this paper will discuss how the book’s style, language, tone and the way it was written was influenced by the separation Rodriguez faced in his childhood and youth. Rodriguez, son of Mexican immigrants, was born in San Francisco but spoke only Spanish as his language of communication in his childhood. So, when he joined the Catholic school in Sacramento, California, at the age of 6, he had speaking vocabulary of just 50 English words. Because of this limited knowledge of English, he became a confused and reticent boy with low confidence level. So, his autobiography, Hunger of Memory details those tough times in his school and the resultant separation, in a pathetic as well as sympathetic style, language and tone. Throughout the book and specifically in the chapters, Aria, Achievement of Desire, Credo and Complexion, Rodriguez’s insecurities in English, the resultant isolation or separation and the role played by his family and Catholic Church, have lead to a self-absorbed style with a lot of strain flowing. This style brings up a lot of feelings and emotions that got built up in Rodriguez’s mind, in that phase of his life. Due to the separation he firstly suffered in his class, his emotion bordered on the feeling of loss and that got incorporated into the work. Also, this being the bad phase of his life, he distances from it and so uses the style of aloofness in these chapters. Since, Richard is also a victim of cultural clashes; he brings these elements in these parts of the work. That is, while describing how Hispanic background created the obstacles for him and prevented him from socializing with the fellow students, he uses

Pair-wise Sequencing Alignment Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pair-wise Sequencing Alignment - Math Problem Example Answer = 0.0 1.e. Are there any other results having the same E-value? If so, how many? Answer = Yes, 19others 1.f. What is the Max score for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 4693 1.g. What is the Total score for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 4693 1.h. What is the Query coverage for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 100% 1.i What is the Max ident for the top BLASTN search result? Answer = 100% 1.j Are there any other results compared to the top BLASTN search result that have the same E-value, same Max score, same Query coverage, same Max ident, same Total score? If so, how many? Answer = Yes, 1 other 2. Using the sequence provided at the bottom of this document, Perform BLASTX using Database option set to "Reference proteins (refseq_protein)". Keep all other settings and parameters at the default value. 2.a. How many Blast Hits do you get for the sequence? Answer = 1 2.b. What is the sequence most similar to? Provide the Sequence Accession as your answer. Answer = XP_003433170.1 2.c. ... Answer = 58% 2.g. When you inspect the first alignment for the top BLASTX search result, what is the % Gap listed? Answer = 6% 2.h. When you inspect the first alignment for the top BLASTX search result, what is the Frame indicated? Answer = -1 Sequence to use: >

Business Plan - Universal Marketing Limited Essay

Business Plan - Universal Marketing Limited - Essay Example It is situated in New York in the United States. It is an advertising office that aids the working of the brand notoriety. The business manages offers of the drinks from the coca cola organization. The business hopes to get clients generally from the neighboring territories and from the other intrigued purchasers around the nation. The organization plans to start as a medium estimated one and falls under the deals and promoting part. A few social stages utilized as a part of the promoting so that the clients may end up noticeably mindful of the item that we are putting forth and we are relied upon to have infantrymen. There is the innovation connected in the business practice is current and is relied upon to pass by the requirements of the clients. The organization means to utilize capital of $ 100,000 which is required to procure benefit which will then be utilized to grow the business. The business is viewed as feasible on the grounds that it's situated in a region where there are numerous exercises that outcome to the need of the drinks that individuals normally consider as a frame easing themselves from thirst while others consider it to be reasonable for delight minutes. In spite of the fact that there is rivalry there is no firm that helps out the business through a deals and promoting organization as our image is relied upon to get higher number of the clients. Thusly there is high probability of the business development.

Integration of Aristotles Four Causes and Ego Psychology Essay Example for Free

Integration of Aristotles Four Causes and Ego Psychology Essay Ego Psychology Theory is based on Freud’s structure of mind model of identity, ego, and superego elaborated in more detail. Individuals have different ego controlling between primitive drives and realities. Individuals always deal with identities, drives and egos. However, if one has good control with ego, they can express their desire, drives and morals in realistic and socially appropriate ways. If failed, one confronts difficulties such as conflict with inner self and loss of mature interpersonal relationship. However, throughout lifetime, individuals change their feelings and behaviors to better fit their needs or minimize their conflict between primitive drives and realities. The material cause for ego psychology is identity and ego. Individuals are born with primitive drives, sexual desires, and egos which enable to organize their identity, drives and synthesize judgment, defined as decisions toward another in feelings, or to be aware of drives that affects feelings in accord with reality. In other words, ego can give a right direction for or control identity drives, whether it is satisfied or not in light of reality. The formal cause of ego psychology is ego development which is follows by means of the individuals needs, e. g. , affiliation with others, learning, etc. Hartmann says that we must develop â€Å"autonomous ego-development† (Hartmann, 1958, p, 101). The ego must be understood in relation with the individuals needs and drives, traits, expectations, and values. According to Hartmann, peoples defense mechanism develop their ego. Hartmann pointed out that â€Å"the defense processes may simultaneously serve both the control of instinctual drive and adaptation to the external world. † (Hartmann, 1958, p. 51) The efficient cause is adaptation â€Å"reality mastering† and a reciprocated relationship between an individual and his or her environment. The outcome of successful adaptation implies â€Å"fitting together† (Hartmann 1958, p, 36). If individuals overcome their conflicts, they are lead to their functions which are more or less closely related to the perceive reality. Therefore, successful adaptation embeds an individual in an environment. Also, it solves conflict among individual needs, capacities, and their environments due to the complicated tendencies of defensive egos. In early stages the ego is focused on differentiating itself from others and on affirming its separate existence though expression of drives. Later, the individuals begin to learn rules of conduct to follow in order to avoid group criticism (Martin,1981). The impact of interpersonal and environmental factors is thought to be crucial to the evolution of mature ego functions during the lifelong developmental process. The final cause of ego psychology is to find better adaptation and sustain ego function with regard to individual needs to adapt to their environments, drives, traits, and expectations. Other manifestations of social functioning problems and self regulation and control of drives affect other peoples perceptions is central to the development of an individuals behaviors and are appropriate in certain circumstances. People, because of their inevitable and requisite relationship with the world, are subject to change their attitudes, behaviors, and even their egos in order to cope with the changes and demands of other people around them and in the group they belong in. References Irving M. Rosen. (1968) Ego psychology of the adult years.Journal of Religion and Health, Volume 7, Number 3 PDF (243. 6 KB) Retrieved May 2, 2008, from SpringerLink database. Hartmann, Heinz. (1958) Ego psychology and the problem of adaptation. New York, NY: International Universities Press. Martin A, James. (2000) Ego psychology notes. Retrieved Apr. 2, 2008, from http://www. brynmawr. edu/Acads/GSSW/jam/switr/991415. htm Martin, Grotjahn. (1981) The therapeutic group process in the light of developmental ego Psychology. Group, Volume 5. Retrieved May 2, 2008, from SpringerLink database.

Roberto Assagiolis Psychosynthesis: Role in Counselling

Roberto Assagiolis Psychosynthesis: Role in Counselling Murray Sheret Students will examine the ideas of one of the theorists introduced in class. They will relate these ideas to their own meaning-making process and their conception of the role of the counsellor and the practice of counselling. The essay will contain reference to the relevant body of academic literature, including both primary and secondary sources. Roberto Assagiolis Psychosynthesis â€Å"The mystical is not how the world is, but that it is.† Ludwig Wittgenstein This essay will explore the concepts and practice of psychosynthesis while relating these ideas to my own meaning-making process and my conception of the role of the counsellor and the practice of counselling. Psychosynthesis, the practical psychological approach founded by Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli, integrates the wisdom of an eclectic array of psychological and philosophical traditions, including Jungian psychology, psychoanalysis, existential psychology, Buddhism, yogic traditions and Christian esoteric study (Brown, 1983, p. 30). Psychosynthesis recognises two fundamental dimensions of human growth which are the personal and transpersonal dimensions. The personal dimension is concerned with â€Å"the meaning and integration of our personal existence, with the experience of being significant and effective in the world† (Brown, 1983, pp. 30-31). The transpersonal dimension of growth involves â€Å"spiritual study and practices, artistic and creative expressions, contemplation and questioning of ultimate, universal meaning in which we seek the meaning and purpose of the larger reality† (Brown, 1983, pp. 31). Included in both the other dimensions is the interpersonal dimension which is integral to achieving balanced growth in both dimensions as it means â€Å"fulfilling interpersonal relationships within our families, our circles of friends, and our communities† (Brown, 1983, p. 31). Assagioli conceived of the individual as being a dynamic interrelation of ; â€Å"The lower unconscious, the middle unconscious, the higher unconscious or superconscious, the field of consciousness, the conscious self or â€Å"I†, and the higher self† (Assagioli, 2000, pp. 15-17). The attributes of these various aspects comprise of various psychological, emotional, psychic, emotional, sensate and spiritual functions. However, of most pertinence to mention here are the attributes of the conscious self or â€Å"I† which Assagioli asserts is â€Å"the point of pure self awareness, the centre of our consciousness which is not to be confused with the changing contents of ones consciousness (thoughts, feelings, sensations etc)† (Assagioli, 2000 p. 16), and the higher self which is â€Å"the conscious, permanent, ever present centre the true self† (Assagioli, 2000, p.16). Psychosynthesis works to discover sub-personalities which are considered to be â€Å"constellations of behaviours, feelings, and thought that are left over from a time when they were needed for survival, to meet lower level needs† (Brown, 1983, p. 27). Once discovered the work then becomes â€Å"assisting the â€Å"I† to disidentify from the sub-personalities enough so that one can then recognise and honour its initial purpose† (Brown, 1983, p. 27). A multi staged meditation style disidentification exercises are used to achieve this. Psychosynthesis teacher Molly Brown explains the larger aim of this exercise, â€Å"The â€Å"I† can then reclaim this purpose and its â€Å"Will† energy while letting go of the specific behaviours and attitudes that no longer serve† (Brown, 1983, p. 27). A range of psychotherapeutic methods are used to explore the depths of the lower unconscious in order to â€Å"uncover the childish images that silently domina te us, the â€Å"phantasms† and fears that paralyse us and the conflicts that waste our energies† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 19). The regions of the middle and higher unconscious that house our unknown abilities and higher potentialities are likewise explored. The first stage of the psychosynthesis process involves ascertaining the â€Å"unique existential situation of the client† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 5). The therapist and client work together to jointly gain a thorough knowledge of the clients personality. Then follows the activation of their latent aspects and functions along with the development of the weak ones through the use of the active techniques suitable for each task (Assagioli, 2000, p. 5). Psychosynthesis uses many techniques aimed at the â€Å"development and perfection of the personality and its harmonious ongoing unification with the Self† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 94). Among these are, Self-identification, disidentification, development of the Will, training and use of the imagination, visualisation, auditory evocation of other sensations, technique of ideal models and symbol utilisation and the technique for the use of intuition. Next the individual learns to gain control over the various elements of their person ality. The psychological principle this is based on may be formulated as: â€Å"We are dominated by everything which our self becomes identified. We can dominate and control everything from which we dis-identify ourselves. The question becomes then â€Å"to what extent can we identify ourselves with the true Self and disidentify ourselves from the non-self† (Gerard, 1961, p. 3). The work is then aimed at assisting one to become aware that their â€Å"conscious self is not their ultimate reality and identity, this then allows them to realise their true Self, the discovery of their unifying centre† (Gerard, 1961, p. 4). As psychosynthesis utilises a range of therapeutic approaches it is therefore capable of attending to symptoms at many different levels of consciousness, this approach means the therapist is less likely to interpret a deeper state of consciousness as pathological or to apply an inappropriate therapeutic technique based on such misinterpretation (Brown, 1983, p. 7). I appreciate Assagiolis therapeutic disposition here as this mode of therapy seems to conceive of the psychological and emotional struggles of the client as being symptoms of an existential difficulty with living rather than a pathology awaiting categorisation. The central purpose of psychosynthesis is brought about in concert with the work of developing and activating the various aspects and functions of the individual. Assagioli described this as â€Å"the harmonisation and integration into one functioning whole of all the qualities and functions of the individual† (Assagioli, 2000, p.5). What follows is the development and training of the Will, the concept of which is central to psychosynthesis. Assagioli defines the use of Will as, â€Å"the ability to develop that strategy which is most effective and which entails the greatest economy of effort, rather than the strategy that is most direct and obvious. The most effective and satisfactory role of the Will is not as a source of direct power or force, but as that function which, being at our command, can stimulate, regulate, and direct all the other functions and forces of our being so that they may lead us to our predetermined goal† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 47). Assagioli asserted that â€Å"The Will is that function which is most directly related to the Self- the individual generally is not aware of his Self, and consequently he is just as unaware of the direct function of the Self, the Will (2000, p. 111). The psychosynthetic concept of Will marries beautifully with my understanding of the human condition which I have arrived at through my own lived experience. Seemingly one remains a victim of circumstance when they are operating though old ways of functioning that have become ways of coping rather than living. When old wounds and outdated ways of being are sufficiently apprehended and integrated the individual is offered an opportunity to align themselves with their Will and their spiritual essence, the â€Å"conscious self† and the â€Å"higher self† as psychosynthesis refers to them. To be aligned with ones Will in this way is to have life live itself through you, the individual becomes more akin to hollow bamboo, a cond uit through which spirit may express itself. Though this is an ongoing process of unfoldment rather than a final destination to be arrived at. I feel we are indeed beings that tend towards ever increasing levels of integration and self-actualisation and as such, by denying part of our being or experience we subvert our potential and hinder our capacity for adaptive living. With sufficient attainment one may begin to live their highest purpose with creativity, spontaneity and love. Psychosynthesis teacher Molly Brown asserts that â€Å"The development of the Will involves the union of its various aspects, strength, skill and goodness which then becomes loving Will, the expression of love through our willed acts† (2004, p. 121). There are several stages for the development of the Will, the first consists of setting a goal or finding a purpose to be achieved and then setting an intention as to what purpose or goal towards which the Will is to be directed (Assagioli, 2000, p.113). Then follows valuation and motivation. The consideration of motivation involves â€Å"the uncovering of unconscious drives as the function of the Will is to utilise them and insure their cooperation in the attaining of the chosen purpose† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 113). Motivation inevitably implies valuation as the aim or purpose towards which the Will is to be directed must have an intense positive valuation (Assagioli, 2000, p. 113). This process is then followed by a period of deliberation and consideration of various factors relating to the value and attainability of the goal or purpose (Assagioli, 2000, p. 113). The next stage in the use of the Will involves making a volitional decision, a conscious choice to direct the Will at a particular purpose. Assagioli stresses that this is a difficult stage as it â€Å"involves choice and the difficulty in making a voluntary decision is that the individual, either clearly or obscurely, realises that decision involves responsibility, that decision is an act of freedom which inevitably involves responsibility† (2000, p. 114). The next step is affirmation which involves the cultivation of faith. Assagioli avows that â€Å"this is not simply a â€Å"belief† but a living dynamic faith, even more, an assured conviction† (2000, p. 114). He goes on to affirm that, â€Å"At the very least there must be a willingness to â€Å"attempt†, to take risks, in a spirit of adventure† (2000, p. 114). The affirmation becomes a â€Å"command or declaration made to oneself with intensity as the power of the affirmation determines the de gree of its effectiveness† (Assagioli, 2000, p. 114). Meaning is inherent in this embodiment of choice and responsibility. This is the act of consciously taking command of one’s power and asserting it in the world while perceiving one’s own actions as valuable, meaningful and worthy. The following stage of psychosynthesis is planning in which ones activity, the steps of which having been previously visualised, is organised in a clearly outlined program that is aimed at the realisation of the ultimate purpose or goal (Assagioli, 2000, p. 114). The final stage is the direction and execution of the action which requires two qualities in particular of the Will, firstly, the dynamic power of the Will (one pointed driving energy), and secondly, persistence or endurance (Assagioli, 2000, p. 115). The culmination of these processes results in one discovering their unifying centre, the realisation of their true Self. They experience psychosynthesis itself, â€Å"the formation or reconstruction of a personality around the newly discovered centre† (Gerard, 1961, p. 4). The process of psychosynthesis speak directly to my highest ideals of counselling as I was once pulled aside by a wise man who put me through a similar process. Aside from giving me the opportunity to face the limiting beliefs I had long held about myself he gave me permission to take myself seriously. This was a profound act. I was compelled to disidentifiy with many limiting sub-personalities and thought forms that had kept me from living my purpose. What more meaning could there be than to identify ones authentic path in life and set about dissolving that which is not in service to it. While the healing of emotional wounds is a worthy initial goal for counselling the directing of the newly integrated self towards its highest purpose is a much richer objective. To see people not only heal but to consciously expand and thrive is the raison detre of my work as a counsellor. As each has been shaped by their subjective experience, the therapist and client may have widely different ideas about the social meaning and function of therapy. A client may only recognise therapy as a service capable of little more than lessening the effects of troubling symptoms, though I would consider the lessening of ones symptoms to be a small part of their larger process of becoming or self-actualisation. However, such notions need not be made overt in the course of therapy if they are irrelevant to the contextual needs of the client. By its very nature, counselling confers an obligation on its practitioners to reflect on their own ideologies and refine their epistemology. A therapist must wrestle with the existential reality of being, to confront the nature of suffering, love, death, hope, emptiness, consciousness and transcendence. Assagioli argued that â€Å"a human psychology cannot be complete without including the so-called spiritual dimension, our relationship to the cosmos and to our highest ideals† (2000, p. 34). Constructivist psychologies orientation towards the exploration of human beings tendency toward â€Å"creating systems for meaningfully understanding their worlds and experiences† (Raskin, 2002, p. 1) is a positive element to be adding to my therapeutic approach, though the schism between differing constructivist positions must first be resolved. A therapy that values above all the primacy of the clients felt experience is able to transcend the dichotomy that exists between realism and idealism, epistemological constructivism and hermeneutic constructivism while still engaging the utility each unique perspective provides when it’s appropriate to the client’s needs. Whether or not we can know a thing independently of the mind or not matters little in the face of whatever the client’s felt experience happens to be. The meaning the client is making of their experience is primary to the therapeutic task. The question of; to what degree can constructions of rea lity be discovered through observation and to what degree are such discoveries â€Å"heuristic fictions† (Raskin, 2002, p. 3) is of far less concern than the lager question of; is the meaning thats being created or discovered by the client life enhancing or life negating? My own opinion is that there are indeed fundamental truths to be known and engaged with. Whether or not these truths exist independently of my mind or not is of little consequence for the purposes of my growth. What matters is that these truths are experienced as fundamental to me, my meaning making, my felt experience, and in this way they may well be, as philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein said, â€Å"true enough† (1998, p. 43). The hermeneutic constructivist notion that â€Å"knowledge and truth are contextually verifiable rather than universally valid, socially negotiated rather than cognitively and individually produced† (Raskin, 2002, p. 4) highlights the lack of capacity human beings have to share â€Å"a truth† with one another should they stumble upon one. Philosopher Terence McKenna eloquently encapsulated this sentiment when he said â€Å"What hubris it would be to expect that the small-mouth noises of English could encompass being. No, these are lower dimensional slices of a reality that is ultimately unitary, ineffable, unspeakable, and dazzling† (McKenna, 1992). Assagioli affirmed his respect for the ineffable nature of transpersonal realities when he averred, â€Å"Psychosynthesis does not aim nor attempt to give a metaphysical nor a theoretical explanation of the great mystery- it leads to the door, but stops there† (Assagioli, 2000, pp. 6-7). Inspired therapy impels clients towards meaningfully understanding their lived experience as among its treasurers meaning offers understanding, a sense of locating oneself in one’s story and ultimately arriving at the empowering conclusion that they have taken a position of authorship. The practice of psychosynthesis beautifully honours the clients â€Å"inner world of subjective experience† (Bugental, 1987, p. 46) by ascertaining and working with the unique existential situation of each client. Psychosynthesis is an act of love which assists the client to identify with their authentic self while striving for the realisation of their highest aspirations that which is imbued with greatest personal meaning. The various experiential processes enhance perspective and catalyse inspired and adaptive living while connecting one to that function which is most directly related to the Self – the Will. Once sufficiently aligned with their Will a person may experience thems elves in a world infused with meaning and filled with purpose. There may even be, in the corner of their eye, beyond their confident stare, a flicker of knowing that they themselves are Willing their own reality into existence. Reference List: Assagioli, R. (2000). Psychosynthesis: A collection of basic writings. Massachusetts, USA: Synthesis Centre Editions. Assagioli, R. (1974). The act of will. New York, NY: Penguin. Brown, M. (2004). Unfolding self: The practice of psychosynthesis. New York, NY: Allworth Press. Bugental, J. (1987). The art of the psychotherapist: How to develop the skills that take psychotherapy beyond science. New York, NY: Norton Company, Inc. Gerard, R. (1961). Psychosynthesis: A psychotherapy for the whole man. Massachusetts, USA: Synthesis Centre Editions. McKenna, T. (Speaker). (1992). Hermeticism and alchemy. (Digital recording). Colorado, USA: Sounds True Publishing. Raskin, J. (2002). Psychology, radical constructivism, and social constructivism. American Communication Journal, 5 (3) 1-4. Wittgenstein, L. (1998). Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. New York, NY: Dover Publication Inc. Lyndon B Johnsons Great Society Programs: Analysis Lyndon B Johnsons Great Society Programs: Analysis Were Johnson’s great society programmes a failure? In 1969, President Lyndon Baines Johnson left office after having earlier declared that he would not seek, or accept the democratic nomination for the next presidential election. It was an acrimonious end for an administration that boasted greater social legislative achievement than any that preceded it and fundamentally altered the basis on which American social policy was formed. The primary debacle that can be said to account for the demise of the Johnson presidency was the protracted and costly US involvement in Vietnam. Although it was under the Kennedy administration that the US first became embroiled in Vietnam, it was Johnson who accelerated such developments and therefore has gone down in history as the primary protagonist in one of America’s most divisive conflicts. However, are such calamities enough to justify the claim that Johnson’s great society programmes were a failure? After all, the legislative vigor with which he attempted to address America’s pressing social issues was admirable. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial discrimination in public places, such as hotels, restaurants and public transport. It also developed significant political rights, in particular franchise extensions for America’s less advantaged. As a parallel drive, Johnson also announced his ‘war on poverty’ which was institutionalized with the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and Economic opportunity Act of 1964. Following an overwhelming election victory in 1964 Johnson accelerated the great society programmes with a spate of legislative achievements. 1965 saw 115 presidential recommendations for legislation, with an above average 90 being approved. However, although in 1965 the great society programmes appeared to be a re sounding success, later assessment has cast doubt over just how much praise should be lavished upon the Johnson administrations legislative achievements. The overriding issue that dominates the discussion on the success of the great society is Vietnam. As Ira Katznelson has noted, both the great society programmes and the war Vietnam were formed on the same ideological basis. This basis was the establishment and conservation of democratic principles abroad, whilst simultaneously reinvigorating the democratic process at home. As such, she argues that the two drives were so interconnected and reliant upon one another’s success, that it was impossible to hope that the great society could be successful in light of the failure in Vietnam. This is an accurate assessment which is adhered to by a majority of writers on the subject and one to which I offer my own endorsement. However, leaving aside the volatile issue of Vietnam and its repercussions on the great society initiatives, is it possible to see successes if we look at the great society programmes in their entirety. Prominent amongst the voices of dissension is the leading academic George Gilder, who argues that above all the great society legislation (and the New Deal and Fair Deal that preceded it) created a situation that led to a reliance on state security benefits. Ultimately, the great society legislation was formed on an historical basis that had begun with Roosevelt’s New Deal and played a significant role in halting progress in terms of ‘societal betterment’. Gilder asserts that although Johnson’s war on poverty was well motivated, it nonetheless did more to prolong and exacerbate America’s poverty problem than alleviate it. A climate of dependency was therefore created that allowed people living in poverty to continue doing so, instead of achieving prog ress and betterment through their own endeavor. As such, Gilder argues that there developed a necessity, to reverse the great society legislation and the negative impact it had on US societal progress. The Reagan administration, along with its emphasis upon the individual was the inherent result of this situation and the overall failure of the great society programmes. However, although Gilder’s arguments present a coherent and systematic approach to the question, he still fails to highlight the groundbreaking nature of the great society programmes. Gary Gerstle, although operating from a point of view relatively similar to Gilders offers us a further detailed assessment. He argues firstly that the great society programmes failed to address the question of income distribution adequately and as such had a long term impact upon the problem. This impact was so widespread, affecting in particular black communities that even before the election of Ronald Reagan in 1981 there was a significant divide between rich and poor in America, which could easily be traced along racial lines. As such, Gerstle sees the inability to redress this imbalance as the primary failure of the great society. In conclusion, it is clear that there were serious flaws in the great society programmes initiated by Lyndon Johnson. Many of these deficiencies took years to present themselves and impacted greatly on the America that developed in the post Vietnam period. However, it is also the case that the great society heralded a new era in the relationship between the individual and the state. Just as with the post war Labour government in Britain, the great society ushered in a revolutionary way of conceptualizing state intervention and although the seeds for such a transition may have been sown much earlier, it remains nonetheless a marked achievement of the Johnson administration. It would be easy to conclude that such developments came to abrupt halt and even reversal in the 1980s with the Reagan administration. However, I feel it is short sited to view this era as one of rolling back the achievements of Democratic Party of the 1960s. It is true that significant revisions were made to the g reat society legislation; however the bulk of it remained unchanged. Therefore, it remains the foundation on which modern American democracy and equality stand. Bibliography Fraser, Steve and Gerstle, Gary. The Rise and Fall of the New Deal Order: 1930-1980. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1989. Katz, Michael B. Ed. The â€Å"Underclass† debate: Views from history. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1993. Schulman, Bruce J. Lyndon B Johnson and American Liberalism: A Brief Biography with Documents. Boston: Bedford Books, 1995.

Compare and Contrast: ‘A desirable society’ Essays -- Literary Analysi

Both Andre Brink’s ‘A Dry White Season’ and James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’ display two very different societies undergoing artistic, cultural and political transitions. In 1914, Ireland saw the Nationalist party at its peak, where Irish society was desperately searching for a sense of cultural identity and political stability. Joyce takes an apolitical approach in order to objectively show Dublin to his fellow Dubliners in his ‘nicely polished looking glass.’ Andre Brink, in comparison, documents a temporal shift into 1976, during the Soweto uprising, in which the non-white population of South Africa protested against the Nationalist Party’s apartheid regime. Brink, like Joyce, draws upon this inspiration to offer a truthful commentary upon South African society. Although both novels are placed within entirely contrasting contexts, both display similar themes of political unrest and social division, which reveals two very flaw ed and undesirable societies. In this essay I will compare and contrast the ways in which Joyce and Brink portray the societies that they are a part of. I will compare the treatment of colonisation, segregation and both cultural and nationalistic identity in each novel, and argue the integrity of each author’s commentary and critiques upon two transforming nations. Colonisation plays an important role in both Brink’s A Dry White Season and Joyce’s The Dead. Brink bases the events of his novel around the Soweto uprising, in which South Africa’s non-whites fought against the Nationalist Party’s apartheid regime. The main conflict was over the Nationalist Party proposing schooling in non-white schools to be carried out in both English and Afrikaans languages. The non-white student population much preferr... ...ue of national identity, with the influence of colonisation and conflicting ideas. One detail that is consistent in both Joyce’s The Dead and Brink’s A Dry White Season is the completely apolitical and factual approach the authors take. Without forcing any ideas upon the reader, Joyce and Brink allow us to construct our own opinions upon the way in which their societies operate. Works Cited Deane, Seamus. 1982. Joyce and Nationalism. Sussex: The Harvester Press Diala, Isidore. 2002. History and the inscriptions of torture as a purgatorial fire in Andre Brink’s fiction. Texas: University of North Texas Levenson, Michael. 1994. Living History in â€Å"The Dead.† New York: St Martin’s Press Pecora, Vincent P. 1986. â€Å"The Dead† and the Generosity of the Word. PMLA 101.2 Schwarz, Daniel R. 1994. â€Å"The Dead† A Critical History. New York: St Martin’s Press

Dell Computer Sustainability Performance Metrics Essays -- Business, S

Dell Computer Sustainability Performance Metrics Dell Computer Corporation is the world’s largest supplier of personal computers (Fleming, 2006). Dell’s goal is to be â€Å"the greenest technology company on the planet† (Ball, 2008, p. 1). Hence, Dell, like many corporations today, establish sustainability initiatives to persuade regulators, stakeholders, and consumers of their commitment to protect society and the environment. However, companies must support these claims with tangible performance metrics. Thus, some of the processes, programs, and reports Dell using to identify and measure performance is examined. Performance Measures Dell Computer Corporation believes stakeholders must be given long term value by ensuring the company commits to and integrates economic, social, and environmental sustainability into its business practices (Litten, 2005). Hence, Dell’s commitment to this goal is evidenced by becoming a Ceres company (Fleming, 2006). Ceres is a national coalition of investors, environmental groups, and public welfare organizations assisting companies with sustainability efforts. Thus, Dell was lauded for being the first in the computer industry to partner with Ceres (Fleming, 2006). Moreover, companies involved with Ceres must agree to the following terms: discuss sustainability issues with shareholders and stakeholders, release sustainability reports to the public, and commit to continuously improve sustainability efforts (Fleming, 2006). Thus, an assumption can be made based on Dell’s definition of sustainability and its Ceres affiliation that industry standards, sustainability performance, and shareholder reaction are key performance drivers. Consequently, aspects of this assumption are found in Del... ...ould be measured or what constitutes a â€Å"footprint† (Ball, 2008). Consequently, Dell is no different than other corporations attempting to calculate emissions on their own terms. Conclusion The relevance of sustainability is clear. Regulators, stakeholders, and consumers expect corporations to account for the impact their business practices have on society and the environment. Hence, corporations must not only promise to act they must also provide realistic, tangible performance metrics that magnify their level of commitment. While this is a challenge all corporations face Dell has embraced the challenge. Dell’s sustainability performance is measured, monitored, tracked, and made public through its annual sustainability reports. Inasmuch as sustainability is continuous more work needs to be done. However, Dell’s overall scorecard is impressive.

International Multimedia Conference Essay

Camuri, A. , Mazzarino, B. , Ricchetti, M. , Timmers, R. , and Volpe, G. (2004). Multimodal analysis of expressive gesture in music and dance performances. In Gesture-Based Communication in Human-Computer Interaction, 2915, 357-358. The article focuses on research concerning the analysis of expressive gesture from the perspective of multimodal interaction and the development of systems of multimodal interaction by considering the role that non-verbal expressive gesture would play in the communication process. The multimodal analysis focuses mainly on dance and music because they provide a comprehensive emotional and expressive content. The authors explained the involvement of auditory and visual gestures in demonstrating the expressive purpose of the performers. They tested the model of auditory and visual gestures by making a comparison of the performances with the ratings of audiences of the same dance and music performances. Other topics that students can get from the article include the definition of the expressive gesture, framework for multimodal analysis of expressive gesture in terms of the ability of performers to relay their emotions to the audience, and automated extraction of auditory and visual cues. Dowling, R. G. , Dowling, R. , Reinke, D. , & National Cooperative Highway Research Program (2008). Multimodal level of service analysis for urban streets. Washington, D. C. : Transportation Research Board. The authors highlighted the findings of a study on how the public can interpret the quality of multimodal service offered by urban streets. The study focuses mainly on various factors that influence or affect the perception of various travelers when it comes to the level of service of urban streets, particularly the perceptions of automotive drivers, bicycle riders, bus riders, and pedestrians. The authors stressed the importance of using models of level of service in analyzing the benefits that urban travelers can get from context-focus street designs. The book will help widen the knowledge of students in applying multimodal analysis to urban streets. It provides students with insights into the definition of urban streets and transits, techniques of analyzing the level of service for urban streets, and economic and safety aspects of level of service. Other topics covered in the book include the integration of four models of level of service in order to have the same level of service rating system and suggested level of service for bicycle riders, transit passengers, and pedestrians. Foote, J. , Boreczky, J. , Girgensohn, A. , & Wilcox, L. (1998). An intelligent media browser using automatic multimodal analysis. International Multimedia Conference. Proceedings of the Sixth ACM International Conference on Multimedia, 375-380. The article provides a way to automatically analyze multimedia using an intelligent browser. The automatic multimodal analysis allows users to have informed decisions on various interests in the field of media in order to avoid searching areas outside the scope their interest. The article provides explanation on two types of automatic multimodal analysis, the audio similarity to identify the speaker and the frame differences to detect shot. Recognition of gesture, motion, and face in the browsing scheme and the combination of audio and video analysis are integrated in the automatic multimodal analysis. The article can enhance the knowledge of students on automatic analysis of multimedia resources by providing various ways to make noisy and erroneous automatic estimates more applicable to the user. Some examples of multimedia resources include digital ink, closed captions, audio, video, and text annotations. Kress, G. & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: the modes and media of contemporary communication. Arnold, New York: Oxford University Press. The authors provided insights into the role that the communication theory will play in the era of interactive multimedia. They compared how the design thinking and production thinking will interact during the design and development of communicative messages. They explained that design thinking and production thinking are two important types of thinking processes that take place during an individual’s interaction with resources and media he or she utilized. The book is very relevant to the research concerning multimodal analysis because it helps widen the knowledge of students and readers in the field of communication, language, and media. Moreover, students will learn to take the challenge brought by the emergence of multimedia, multimodality, and multi-skiing. The book will supplement students’ understanding of designing multimedia that was learned in school. It is not only catered to students but all types of professionals who are interested in multimodal design such as journalists, designers, photographers, and other people who are connected to the of science and mathematics. O’Halloran, K. L. (2006). Multimodal discourse analysis: systematic-functional perspectives. London, England: Continuum International Publishing. The book discusses important research in the field of multimodal texts and multimodal discourses. It focuses mainly on the development of the theory and the methodology of analyzing discourses by utilizing various semiotic resources like visual images, architecture, language, and space. The book provides an explanation on how the multimodal discourses are produced through the interaction of different semiotic modes of communication. Different modes of communication may include static and dynamic visual images, language, electronic media, architecture, electronic print, or electronic film. The book provides explanation on phase and transition, interaction of body movement and camera, use of color, typography, and layout. Other topics covered in the book include the development of multiple integrated semiotic model, visual semiosis in electronic films, application of system-functional theory in various semiotic resources, and analysis of three-dimensional space such as the Sydney Opera House. Ventola, E. , Charles, C. , & Kaltenbacher, M. (2004). Perspectives on multimodality. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Co. The authors provided a background on various perspectives about multimodal discourse by focusing on methodological and theoretical issues such as multiple semiotic systems, mode hierarchies, and multimodal corpus annotation. The advent of computer and the growing use of the Internet allow scholars to be particularly interested on the characteristics of different modes of communication and the way these modes of communication can function semiotically and integrate in the emerging discourse analyses around the world. The book can help widen the understanding of students on the similarity between language and non-linguistic semiotic mode of communication, different signs of nature within the multimodality perspective, role of text imaging in providing positive outcomes for the learners, and the influence of semiotic transformation in the formal language of mathematics on the effectiveness of science to provide description of the physical world. Moreover, students can learn how to apply multimodal analysis in various fields such as entertainment, medicine, mathematics, design of buildings, and translation. References Camuri, A. , Mazzarino, B. , Ricchetti, M. , Timmers, R. , and Volpe, G. (2004). Multimodal analysis of expressive gesture in music and dance performances. In Gesture-Based Communication in Human-Computer Interaction, 2915, 357-358. Dowling, R. G. , Dowling, R. , Reinke, D. , & National Cooperative Highway Research Program (2008). Multimodal level of service analysis for urban streets. Washington, D. C. : Transportation Research Board. Foote, J. , Boreczky, J. , Girgensohn, A. , & Wilcox, L. (1998). An intelligent media browser using automatic multimodal analysis. International Multimedia Conference. Proceedings of the Sixth ACM International Conference on Multimedia, 375-380. Kress, G. & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: the modes and media of contemporary communication. Arnold, New York: Oxford University Press. O’Halloran, K. L. (2006). Multimodal discourse analysis: systematic-functional perspectives. London, England: Continuum International Publishing. Ventola, E. , Charles, C. , & Kaltenbacher, M. (2004). Perspectives on multimodality. Amsterdam, Netherlands: John Benjamins Publishing Co.