Saturday, August 31, 2019
Analysis of Client/Consultant Interaction in the Case of Healix Consultancy Essay
Healix Risk Rating, the innovator of Healix Travel Black box ââ¬â an anvanced tool in assessment of medical risk in travel insurance, is planning to launch the product into new market. As one of their appointed marketing consultancy team, we carried out the maket research and formulated a marketing plan for this project. During the implementation of the project, there are two main types of interaction involved that affects outcome of the project: intra-group interaction and client/consultant interaction, in which the later will be more focused. Based on my experience in this assignment, this reflective report is aimed to express my understanding of the applicability of learnt models and theories in client/consultant relationship as well as the limitations of the marketing consultancy service that we involves in. Key factors that determine a good consultancy project are not only the capability of consultants; financial capacity and readiness of clients; but also a strong collaboration from both sides and great emphasis on actual results instead of heavy focus on scope of work. Company description The Healix Travel Black Box offers the means for sellers of travel insurance to accurately and efficiently underwrite the increased risk associated to travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. The service is designed to be fully incorporated into the online sales processes and integrated into call centre sales processes, which allow customers to declare health conditions on the phone or online without making separate assessment with underwriters or waiting for doctorsââ¬â¢ report. In other words, The Healix Travel Black Box provides a fully automated assessment and rating of medical risk which can be done in a couple of minutes. The Healix Travel Black Box has come as a global solution to travel insurance industry. The package is available to all regions where the public can directly buy travel incurance. The adoption of this technology is quickly spread across the globe, such as Australia, New Zealand , Canada, Denmark. And Healix Risk Rating in still on the way to seek new market for this advanced product. Summary of client/consultant process The situation in which our marketing consultancy came is when the company wants to efficiently market and launch the new product Black box into new travel insurance markets. This stage can be defined as Development stage ââ¬â when client needs help at early stage of a new program. Early intervention of consultant show signs of consulteeââ¬â¢s insightfulness and openness (Dewayne J. Kurpius, Dale A. Fuqua and Thaddeus Rozecki, 1993). Prior to the marketing plan, our team had to agree on a country of choice to market and sell the Black box. And then, we have to make a market research on that target market based on the following topics: (1) market value, (2) existing channels of distribution, (3) consumer buying behaviours, (4) average policy medical benefits and (5) how the handling of pre-existing medical conditions is currently dealt with. After obtaining the understanding of the target market, we worked out on problem identification, particularly the feasibility of the Black box launch in the country. Based on the market research, a outlined marketing plan was made prior to any detailed ones that were done later. As a marketing consultancy project done by a marketing consulting team, there are two main interaction factors during the implementation that influence the success of the project: intra-group interaction and client/consultant interaction. Intra-group interaction During the implementation, although our team had experienced many difficulties in order to obtain the relevant marketing information related to the topic, most team member is patient and very participative. We did have a clear plan to make the report in order to allocate the work to each member fairly. In order to make the job more efficiently, each member is encouraged to pick the piece(s) of work of his/her favour. Though the work of the some members is not as expected, however it is controlled promptly, thanks to regular meetings and good communication between team members. Client/Consultant interaction One of the shortcomings for us during the making of marketing plan for Healix is a lack of our understanding regarding the business situation, product development and financial capacity of the client. It is suggested that insuf? ient understanding of the client is key problem of most poor client-consulting relationships (Ford, 1985). Our limited knowledge regarding the product and business condition of Healix Risk Rating may expose us to risk of mis-identification of the real problem and consequently leading to an inapprorpiate marketing plan. On the other hand, ther is a lack of interaction from the client. The reflective practitioner model (Schon 1983) argues problems have to b e identified and solutions must be formulated in collaboration between client and consultant. During the knowledge transfer, the situation of the client should be clearly understood by the consultant, then the consultant will help the client reflect and understand the rationale for the clientââ¬â¢s actions (Schon 1983 as cited in Nikolova, 2007). Clients then must work as reflective practitioners themselves. This reflective communication must be exchanged between client and consultant to facilitate expertise sharing. (Ibid p. 301). Schon views that Knowing-in-action implies that consultants would apply their knowledge gained from actiivities they have undertaken or situations they have experienced before. But for new and extremely sophisticated problems, the reflection-in-action is proper practice that consultant and clients need for the formulation of innovative solutions. In reflective practitioner model, the interaction between client and consultant is seen as a reflective communication. Schon views both consultants and clients as interdependent. Consequently, the relationship between client and consultant improves when expertise sharing and mutual understanding are focused. Client and consultant should closely collaborate during problem solving process to work the best out of their knowledge and experience. The relationship becomes equilibrated as knowledge and help are fairly exchanged. (Schon,1983) Furthermore, several models have been developed to gain valuable knowledge regarding how to improve cooperation between client and consultant. For example, the interpretive model established by Nikolova is to help clients and consultants to gain a better understanding of their interaction (Nikolova, 2007). Nikolova suggests that this model would be useful to explain the complexity of client-consultant relationship. This model emphasizes that clients have to be aware of the changing roles that consultants would play during the different phases of the project. This model was built based on prior generally accepted models: Expert model (Oââ¬â¢Farrell and Moffat 1991 cited in Nikolova, 2007), critical model and reflective practitioner. It should make consultants and clients highly aware of undiscovered problems through their interactions during consultancy process. According to interpretative model, it is too simplistic to consider consultants as experts (expert model), impression managers (critical model), and reflective practitioners (reflective practitioner model). The play role of consultants depends on which context the they are in and which problems needed to be solved. For this matter of client/consultant relationship, McLachlin (1999) has several suggestions on some aspects that are necessary for a successful consulting project. Consultants must have strict discipline towards integrity in working for the best interest of clients . Besides, clients must also participate in the project and prepare a readiness to change. It is key that there are specific project requirements and expectations to be met. However, the Healix consulting project is more task-focused rather than based on expectations of the client. Schaffer (2002) also describes the ââ¬Å"implementation gapâ⬠, which is the discrepancy between the clientââ¬â¢s needed solution and the capability of the consultant to create that solution. He suggests that ? ve factors that most likely lead to ââ¬Å"implementation gapâ⬠during consulting process: (1) consulting projects are de? ned and priced ased on the scope of work to be done by the consultants or the ââ¬Å"productâ⬠delivered by the consultant, not in terms of speci? c results to be achieved; (2) project scope is focused mainly on the problem identification and solution recommendation with little consideration for the clientââ¬â¢s capability and readiness to change; (3) the cons ultation aims for a radical solution rather than incremental value (4) The cooperation is more of a sharp division of responsibility between consultant and client rather than a solid collaboration from both sides; (5) instead of leveraged use, the consultancy make labor-intensive use of consultants. Conclusion As generally accepted, the way we as marketing consultants formulate the consulting process will affect the interaction and relationship between the consultant and client and consequently the outcome of the project. Based on multiple generally accepted empirical studies and models, it is suggested that consulting will produce good results if possessing the following success factors: Highly capable consultants; Great emphasis on client results/ satisfaction; Willingness from both sides for strong collaboration; Visible executive support; A solution adaptation that fits client capability and readiness; A full understanding of the clientââ¬â¢s business environment. I understand that consulting approaches have to be customized based on out marketing expertise, thorough understanding of the clientââ¬â¢s situation, intensive market research on the target market as well as an highly applicable marketing plan . Besides, the costs and benefits of client and consultant should be aligned by defining critical results with clear and measurable short-term goals. Therefore, we admit that our proposed marketing plan to Healix Risk Rating is very preminlinary and subjective due to the simplification of the scope of work and lack of interaction from the client.
Friday, August 30, 2019
A review of `act of violenceââ¬â¢
Frank Enley (Heflin) who is a soldier of World War II, comes back home from the warfare after surviving a German POW campsite whilst the rest of his companions have been assassinated. What he is not aware of is that Joe Parkson (Ryan), one of his jail friends has survived. Parkson recognizes that Enley assisted the Nazis in exchange for foodstuff whilst at prison, and Parkson is a manhunt to demolish the so-called ââ¬Å"war heroâ⬠(Briggs J, 2003, 177)Enley, who is at the moment married to Edith (Leigh), ought to confront his dark history as well as the fact that he is a coward not a hero of war. In the meantime, Parkson gets closer and close to attaining his revenge. Enley then sets out hiding by leaving behind his bewildered wife and surviving on the lam. Enley enlists the help of a prostitute, Pat (Mary Astor) as well as a Hitman (Berry Kroeger) (Briggs J, 2003)A comparison of Robert Ryanââ¬â¢s acting/story lineââ¬ËAct of Violenceââ¬â¢ must have been fascinating in 1948 when its idea was fresh. Enley is tracked by Parkson to a mountain lake and then Parkson pursues him home, pulling his lame leg around the home like Lon Chaney's Mummy ogre and driving Edith Enley partially wild with fear. Edith recognizes that something essential is awry when Frank declines to call the police or take any apparent safety measures against Parkson; his plan is to merely avoid him, as if going missing might resolve the problem. (Briggs J, 2003)Parkson has no difficulty tracing his mine to a contractor's convention in the city center of Los Angeles. Drunk, terrified and not to able to face his own guiltiness, Enley is selected up by a trio of skid line lowlifes. B-Girl Pat (Mary Astor, seven significant years following The Maltese Falcon) sets up Enley for a dishonest lawyer (Taylor Holmes) and a slimy hit man (Berry Kroeger) who searches for profit by getting rid of Parkson for cash. (Briggs J, 2003)The film's dramatics are peculiarly unresolved. Both principal ma le characters are crippled. Parkson is a physical/emotional mess of vengeance motivations, and Enley is a moral weakling. Detached from the root source, the women ought to look beyond their own understanding to realize what to do.Parkson's loyal darling Ann Sturges (Phyllis Thaxter) battles his revengeful expedition every step of the way, whereas Enley's unfortunate wife Edith has a more difficult predicament. She's disgusted when her handsome husband discloses himself to be gutless and guilty, but never goes beyond passively yielding to his desires, even when he repetitively deceives her, ââ¬Ëgood reasons' or no.Enley's whining explanation of the deadly wartime incident is so dreadful that Edith has no immediate reply. Her husband teamed up with his Nazi captors to live, a choice taken for individual survival and streamlined by the assertion that he was trying to defend his fellow prisoners. The consequence was that all of his bunkmates were unpleasantly murdered; Parkson surviv ed merely by pure luck. (Briggs J, 2003)Enley has managed a relaxed denial for three years, believing that all of the men affected by his fault were dead. But as quickly as Parkson materializes, he disintegrates into a whining child, alternately excusing and condemning himself, and most unforgettably weeping out in a downtown L.A. subway for Parkson not to pass away.Inquisitively, Enley's bad ruling in the P.O.W. campsite no longer appears so unforgivable, only in draconian rules of honor are starved men anticipated to die silently, remaining fully accountable for their actions as they give in. (Briggs J, 2003)
Thursday, August 29, 2019
The American Experience Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
The American Experience - Term Paper Example Thus, there were some forms in the eighteenth-century writing that did not conform to the general notions about genres and other forms. There were many interesting themes which could be found in the text of Letters from an American Farmer. The features included the nature of an American character such as their work ethic, the duties of an individual, anti-intellectualism, the farmer seen as a prototype representing the American character, the treatment of the slaves, the way of viewing new immigrants together with their ethnicity, literary resonances that showed the escape from the civilization as in Letter XII and stereotypical nature of the American characters. The Letter was divided into twelve sections that depict the way American soil, its life, slavery, and culture was perceived by Crevec?ur. He was probably the first writer who described Europeans by employing different American English terms. He emphasized the life seen on the American frontier and tried to explore the idea b ehind the so-called American Dream. In his writings, he portrayed American society to be characterized by the principles stressing on the equal opportunity as well as self-determination. His work was successful in providing a lot of useful information together with an understanding of the presumed "New World" which helped in creating utopian American identity (Crevecoeur xi). This was done for the prevailing European minds by describing the area as an entire country and not just another regional colony. The writing in The Letters celebrated the American ingenuity and its uncomplicated lifestyle. It was written to describe the inclusion and the acceptance of religious dynamics in a society that was created from several varieties of ethnic as well as cultural backgrounds. The letters that were written by him depicted the rural life of America. He introduced the cultivation of several European crops, notably the alfalfa, in the American country and the American potato in Normandy. He t ried to understand America from the purview of a farmer. He tried to find the answer to the question what actually consisted of American, this new American man. ââ¬Å"He is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holdsâ⬠(Crevecoeur 54). ââ¬Å"The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must, therefore, entertain new ideas, and form new opinions. From involuntary idleness, servile dependence, penury, and useless labor, he has passed to toils of a very different nature, rewarded by ample subsistence. --This is an Americanâ⬠(Crevecoeur 56) Literary analysis Crevecoeur in his letters portrayed his love for nature from the perspective of a farmer. His respect towards nature and his compassion towards all living beings are obvious and is the principal backdrop of all his letters. Crevecoeur feels that man and natur e are interlinked, and without the right balance in nature, man cannot survive. Similarly, manââ¬â¢s compassion and caring attitude can preserve the sanctity of nature. He also feels that Americans do not display their compassion towards nature in the way that is needed.Ã
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Freedom in Huck Finn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Freedom in Huck Finn - Essay Example Huck has his daily freedoms denied to him by the well meaning but suffocating Mrs. Watson. Huckleberry Finn, the young hero and narrator behind the book, feels like a prisoner in Mrs. Watson's house with her insistence that he conform to the expectations of society. These social expectations according to Mark Twain, is what takes away our freedom and joy in life. Huckleberry Finn Huck is also the prisoner of an alcoholic father who beats him and curses everyone, "Then the old man got to cussing and cussed everything and everybody he could think of, and then cussed them all over again to make sure he hadn't skipped any" (Ch 6) In other words, by virtue of being white, Huck's father who was a rotten drunk was free to do and say whatever he liked. (In sharp contrast to Jim the slave.) To escape the paradox Huck would seek refuge in nature and Tom's company, "Then I slipped down to the ground and crawled in among the trees, and, sure enough, there was Tom Sawyer waiting for me." (4) To Huck, Tom Sawyer is a symbol of freedom and adventure. He enjoys the time they spent freely expressing themselves. By contrast Jim, who is the first of a long line of runaway slaves, became a runaway to avoid being sold by his mistress to new owners in New Orleans.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Market Segmentation and domino effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
Market Segmentation and domino effect - Essay Example The strategy formulation is when the revelation of business strengths and weaknesses, for the growth of a wide range of strategic plans for the successful administration of environmental openings and threats. The corporate projects are redefined by signifying attainable goals, emergent strategies, and setting execution procedure. Strategy formulation is germane both for organization's proposal in general and for individual product. Economic Conditions: economic conditions of the area or territory where the company market their product can affect the sales of the product. Thus it is important to understand the economic conditions such as unemployment rate, inflation rate, interest rate etc. before launching the product Innovation is the process of creating a commercial product or process and also an invention of the product. Thus, in terms of creating value, an invention's potential is reached only when a firm develops and sells a product that satisfies customer's current or unmet needs. McDonalds is known a the most popular fast food chain, with more than 3000 franchises in almost every country of the world. The global annual sale of McDonald is 57 billion dollars while more than 25 billion dollars only in America (Arndt, 2007: 64-72). Committed to stringent standards of product quality, service and cleanliness, McDonalds uses value pricing (the source of relatively low costs to customers) while offering menu and storefront variety and relying on the power of its brand name (sources of differentiation). Globally, McDonalds seeks to provide its combination of relatively low costs and some levels of differentiation in a culturally sensitive manner. In India, for example, the Maharaja Mac, which is made from lamb, substitute for the beef-based Big Mac. Popular corn soup is offered on the chain's menu in its Japanese units (MacArthur, 2001:13 -53). McDonalds marketing strategy mainly focus on children, parents having young children, teenagers and business workers. Market Segmentation for McDonald's new burger The company which practice the strategy of market segmentation is discouraging broad segmentations sections because minor segmentation helps in focusing and better understanding of the consumers. An advertising company states, "there will be no market for products that everybody likes a little, only for products that somebody likes a lot" (Cutler, p.76, 1989). While other marketers are of the view that market segmentations are very important (Linneman & Stanton, 1991: 50-67). McDonald has been in the fast food industry for a long time and it has ample experience of new food products. Statistics have depicted that the size of fast food industry has reached, to the annual growth of 4.8% in the industry of fast food. McDonald's per year income is almost 102.4 billion dollars, along with the global
Monday, August 26, 2019
A) How successful has the government of the Irish Republic been in Essay
A) How successful has the government of the Irish Republic been in running it's economy over the last three years b) Describe and evaluate the main macro econo - Essay Example ââ¬Å"Because Ireland is a small country, FDI The housing market helped helped to sustain growth in the recent years as housing investment has reached almost 16% of GNI, but the market has turned since 2006.on the basis GNI growth is expected to decline from 5% in 2007 to 3% in 2008. The housing market weakness also effected badly on increasing the rate of unemployment from 4% in 2006, to 5.5% in 2008. Ireland enjoyed spectacular growth in tax revenues over the past years but this is affected by the economic declining, the government surplus of 3.5% of GNI has reduced in to .5% in 2007due to the lower property related receipts the real government expenditure has expanded rapidly In the year 2005, Irelandââ¬â¢s employment rates reduced from 14% to 4%, due to the growth in GDP. But in the year 2006 the unemployment rate increased to 4.4% Ireland faces a problem of sustainability from other countries because of the generation gap in population aged over 65, relating to working age population .the current system will unsustainable even with the national pension fund The growth rate in GDP has reached 10%from 1997 to 2000; which in 2005 has reached $169 billion, above the average of EU 25. However, since year 2006 Irelandââ¬â¢s economic growth started to slow down, due to the lower investment spending and more moderate consumption, which is 5.6%, in 2007 at 4.7% and it is projected to slow down further in the coming years. In the past years economic activity remain strong by the strong domestic demand but it is now easing in the short step should be taken to attract the foreign investment. In the longer run, stronger productivity growth and continued increase in participation rates will be needed to sustain a fast pace of real income growth. The easing activity has slow down government revenues and a sharp drop in the fiscal surplus
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Organisational Strategy & Decision Making Essay
Organisational Strategy & Decision Making - Essay Example Marketing efforts is a dynamic concept and demand company to regularly monitor and assess marketing capabilities. The assessment of the strategic and marketing position is done with the help of strategic tools and techniques like Ansoffââ¬â¢s matrix and Porter generic competitive strategies. The recommended strategic actions are also provided in accordance with the strategic analysis done with the help of above mentioned tools and techniques. 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Introduction Starbucks Corporation, a global and reputed American coffee company engages in the selling of coffee, hot and cold drinks, other beverages and items such as cups, tumblers, and mugs. The coffee products of the company hold big image and reputation across the world with the market capitalisation of $40 billion and with the sales of 1.2 billion pounds (Starbucks Jumps as Profit Increases on U.S. Sales Gain 2012). Starbucks Corporation functions on the basis of mission statement-ââ¬Ëto inspire and nurture the human spirit, one cup and one neighbourhood at a timeââ¬â¢ (Starbucks Corporation 2012). The company is dedicated towards sourcing finest quality coffee beans in order to deliver enriched quality coffee to its customers and known for their genuine service, pleasing atmosphere, and superior quality. The underlying essay aims at analysing and reviewing strategic position of the company in order to determine its strategic position. Internal and external audit has also been performed in order to gain idea about the internal and external environment of the company. Analysis of strategic position helps in outlining appropriate strategic action that should be adopted by the company in coming period. Internal and external audit Internal and external audit analysis of the business organisations are performed with the purpose of gaining idea about their existing capabilities and limitations. Business plans and strategies are formulated in light of assessed capabilities and limitations. In this regard, tool named SWOT analysis has been used in order to gain idea about their existing strategic capabilities. SWOT analysis represents strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. Strength and weakness analysis will represent internal audit for company while opportunities and threats will provide external audit of the company. Internal audit The most apparent strength for the company is strong brand image and identity of the company in the coffee business. Starbucks owns an impeccable and recognisable brand image in the coffee business. The strong brand image and identity facilitate the company to gain strong foothold and enters new markets across the globe. The company owns deep product portfolio with distinct features like Gourmet Coffee, regular drip coffee, Frappuccino blended coffee, and many more. The deep product portfolio enables the company to target wide customer base and delivering enriched purchase experience. The product quality and excellent customer service complements and support the existing brand image of the company (Starbucks raises 2013 forecast, defies industry trend 2012). The regular and active involvement of company in environmental and ethical practices acts as another strength for Starbucks. Eco-friendly practices related to energy conservation, climate controlling and maintenance are some of such eco-friendly practi
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Exploration Of Organizational Memory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Exploration Of Organizational Memory - Essay Example The auditing procedures were universally recognized thus rendering the list to be scientifically acceptable. The memory carriers where then revised and incorporated into a more updated quality standard practice to enhance in-company quality competition. The whole research team worked together with the company management and two research members who actually conducted interviews with twenty-eight employees to establish changes in organizational memory which were measured in two stages. A proposal of a longitudinal study using an independent group and complex design experiment to conduct a single case design is used for the Dutch electronics firm using data analysis and interpretation that is both quantitative, and qualitative (Van Der Bent et. al.). Determination of whether organizational learning took place at this company was methodized as follows: (a) a qualitative report of a couple of change strategies were identified and analyzed in order to observe changes; (b) a quantitative across-the-board access was secured allowing observation and effective documentation of cases; (c) specific memory carriers or vehicles are listed to create procedures which are measured to detect and develop variations; (d) a measuring tool is devised to establish different forms of learning, unlearning, and non-learning. The first stage (1982-1986) was composed of an in-depth case study where one research member was a participant observer from the beginning to completion of the qualit y change process. The second stage revisited the original 1980s change process and lasted another two years for a total of eight years of research. The last two years involved qualitative research in which members of the organization were questioned about their learning and memory related to change. The measures of change where accomplished using tools that measured periods of time-related to the rules, culture, system, and structure of the organization.
Post-War Evolution of The Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Case Study - 1
Post-War Evolution of The Aircraft Manufacturing Industry - Case Study Example The speed was required in both the military and commercial jets. The piston engine was improved into a powered engine that could propel the jet at a speed higher than that of sound. The jet engine is based on Newtonââ¬â¢s law of motion. The reactor in engine generates thrust through propulsion that makes the jet to move very fast. This was a very great milestone to the jet evolvement. Throughout the development of aircraft engine, engineers faced the challenges of trial and error where they overlooked some of the key aspects that they had to review. The new jets with high power engines lacked hydraulic flight control systems that were very important in a flight, air conditioning and ejection seats among others. Engineers had to come up with other models that would accommodate new modifications for a stable flight. The engineers wanted to make a jet that could easily maneuver on air. During this period, many different jets became obsolete before they made the great innovation due to the trial and error. After World War II, the engineers decided to improve the reliability of the aircraft that could be used for both military and commercial purposes. They wanted a jet that can fly under harsh weather conditions without losing its stability. To achieve this engineers spend lots of time to perfect on the high power engines. There was also the challenge of making the engine power without increasing its weight. The bigger the engine, the more powerful it is. The engineers had to choose the effective materials that would make a big, reliable and light engine The engineers also faced the challenge of making an engine that will be economical in fuel consumption. With time, the engineers came up with an engine that could propel the plane across the ocean with less fuel than what the piston engine consumed (Albert and Army War College, 1997). The development of this engine had a very great social impact on the people.Ã
Friday, August 23, 2019
Multinational Corporations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Multinational Corporations - Essay Example Globalization-brought about by advancement in technology, transport, and communication- has made it possible for multinational corporations to spread very fast. MNC have both negative and positive impacts on developing countries. Below I have discussed the impacts starting with positive impacts and lastly negative impacts. Employment It is a common thing in developing countries for the governments to actively seek for foreign investors. Multinational corporations provide both direct and indirect employments to developing countries which is a major challenge in these countries. Banking and telecommunication companies are some of the most common companies which have developed over large regions. Due to the size of these companies they create more job opportunities. Creating these job opportunities also account for increased domestic expenditure and income. These companies introduce new technologies to the employees and sometimes even provide training to their employees. This reduces th e cost of the government in training its citizens. Taxation revenues One of the major challenges facing developing countries is provision of social amenities to their citizens. This is due to poverty and lack of enough revenues for the government to provide such amenities as education and health services. Lack of basic education for these countries is one major cause of why they lag behind in terms of development. Poor health services contribute to high mortality rates especially to children under the age of five years. Foreign companies seeking to invest in these developing countries have always been welcomed so that they can help these countries add on to their revenues. Taxation adds to the domestic economy of the country where MNCs have invested. Due to this investment there is a direct flow of capital in the host country. Where these corporations are producing companies, they may save the host countryââ¬â¢s revenue in terms of import. The companies may produce products that were previously imported to an extent of transforming them into exports. This will in turn earn the host country more revenue. Another source of revenue for the host countryââ¬â¢s government is the money taxed directly from the salaries of workers. Previously we saw that multinational corporations provide employment to citizens of the host nations. The government earns revenue from salaries of all its workers in the country. From this discussion it is clear that presence of multinational corporations in a country has a significant impact on the host nation. Growth and efficiency Capital is a basic need of production; however, this is a rare commodity in underdeveloped and developing countries. MNCs offer foreign direct investment (FDI) to these countries. Developing countries may have enough natural resources available in their countries but lack resources in terms of capital and equipment. In mining, for example, most developing countries cannot afford the machinery required lea ve alone the capital. This is the opportunity for large MNCs specialized in the field to chip in. The host nations in this case have got no choice but to enter into partnership with the company. Another long term advantage to the host nation is improvement in technology. Most developing countries lack the technology needed in many industries. Introduction of foreign technology into these countries is always an advantage. The machinery and structures built, in the long run, will belong to the host nation. Sometimes the new technology is transferred the
Thursday, August 22, 2019
How To Make Your Car Shine Essay Example for Free
How To Make Your Car Shine Essay Detailing a car is like art. You start off with a filthy car. Put some hard work and sweat into it. You, the artist, can turn it into a masterpiece! When I was a young boy, I would help my Dad detail his car every weekend. When I was fifteen, I got my driverââ¬â¢s permit and started detailing cars. I made a simple flyer with colored wording and flashy pictures of exotic sports cars and posted it in my neighborhood. At sixteen with my driverââ¬â¢s license and a car, my business took off. I have quite a bit of experience detailing cars and would like to share with you how to do it step by step. To detail a car properly, you must first start by doing a thorough cleaning of the interior, exterior, and finally by clay barring and waxing it. The first thing to do is to make sure you have a shaded area to work in, so your car wonââ¬â¢t water spot while drying it. Having a garage is ideal. Remember to keep hydrated if itââ¬â¢s hot. Open all the doors and trunk. Remove any floor mats and give the carpet and upholstery a good vacuuming. While vacuuming use a skinny nozzle on the tube of the vacuum, so you can get in the hard to reach places, for instance in between the seat and center console and the under the seats and in between the seat crevasses. A lot of times when you vacuum sand is the most difficult to get out because itââ¬â¢s so small. There is also a lot of pebbles and dirt that get stuck in between the crevasses. It just requires diligence and patience with the vacuum to get this pesky filth out. Next wash the floor mats. If theyre rubber, use a brush and soap. Move the front seats full fore and aft to get to all the accumulated dirt and loose change. If the carpets are clean, except for a minor stain or two, use a foaming cleaner to get the stains out. Saturate the stain with cleaner, working it in with a damp sponge. Let it sit awhile and then blot it out with paper towels or a dry cotton cloth. When you remove the stains from the carpet a lot of times the cloth will turn brown or whatever the color of the stain is. That is a good indication to know if the stain is coming out. Repeat if necessary, and then go over the area with a damp sponge before final blotting. Dont over saturate the carpet and risk getting mildew. Next move onto the seats of the car. If the seats are made of cloth, just do a thorough vacuuming. If there are stains you wish to remove, I recommend using a foam carpet and upholstery cleaner. Some good brands for that product are Armor All and Meguiars. If the car seats are leather, use a leather cleaner/ conditioner. I recommend using Ice Total Interior Care. It is great for all interior surfaces including leather, vinyl, and even carpet stains. It cleans and conditions and doesnââ¬â¢t leave a slippery residue or smell. Apply the cleaner to a microfiber cloth or cotton cloth. But microfiber is the best. Then do circular motions on the seats. Leather seats tend to accumulate elbow grease, which makes lighter colored seats brown and gives it that greasy feeling. So it is good to be thorough and use generous amounts of leather cleaner/ conditioner. The color will be the same when it comes off on to the cloth. You may need to do a lot of rubbing and circular motions, to remove the grease/ dirt. Also it is good to fold over the cloth and use the clean side because you donââ¬â¢t want to rub off the dirt on the dirty side back on to the seat. Make sure you cover all the seats surfaces thoroughly to achieve maximum cleanliness. Frequently add more interior cleaner to the cloth and check the color of the cloth, as it will turn to a brown or black color depending on how dirty the seat is. It is good to fold the cloth to the other side so that you donââ¬â¢t wipe dirt back on to the seats from the dirty side. In worst case scenarios you may have to use more than one cloth. Also wipe down the dashboard real good because those tend to get dusty. In some instances some leather seats are really old and can be dry and cracked. I recommend using a leather conditioner and apply generously. Next move on to the windows. Use two clean microfiber cloths. I recommend using a product called Invisible Glass, because it is clean and easy to use and leaves hardly any residue. Spray the glass cleaner onto the cloth and wipe the windows thoroughly. Then use the second cloth to wipe off the excess film residue. Windows are tricky because you canââ¬â¢t always see film residue. You have to go back and check them and wipe again. My recommendation is work in good lighting. The last step in detailing the interior is to get q-tips. Dip them in water and get in between the air vents and all the small corners and crevasses because there will probably be dust in there. You will be surprised how black the q-tips turn if your air vents havenââ¬â¢t been cleaned in awhile. The next step is to clean the exterior of the car. To do this you will need a bucket, car wash soap (donââ¬â¢t use dishwasher soap as it will strip the car of wax), a sponge, brush and a lug nut brush. Start off by spraying down the rims. Sometimes rims have a lot of break dust that gives it a black color. This is especially common on European sports cars like BMWs, which are notorious for this. If your rims are really dirty and have a lot of brake dust, thatââ¬â¢s hard to remove. I recommend using a tire and rim cleaner, which is a foam or spray that you put on the rims that helps to loosen the dirt. Use the sponge to clean the rims. Make sure you get the corners double-check them because rims with complex designs make it easy to miss a spot. Use the brush for the tires and lug nut brush to get in between the lug nuts. When removing brake dust using a sponge from the kitchen is the best because itââ¬â¢s small and easy to get into the small crevasses. Brake dust gets baked into the rims from the sun and heat. Which makes it annoyingly hard to get out. I like to use a sponge where half of it is rough, and the other half is smooth. Lightly use the rough side of the sponge and make light small circular motions on the stubborn brake dust to remove it, and that usually doest the trick. Then spray down the car and wash the car with the carwash soap and sponge. Make sure to frequently spray down the car, as you donââ¬â¢t want the water to dry on the car and cause water spots. Then move the car inside and dry with a good-quality chamois or a soft thick-nap terry cloth towel. Open all the doors and the trunk and use the cloth to wipe off the water inside the spaces and corners. Then you can spray tire shine on to the tires to make it look jet-black. Finally its time to clay bar and wax. This is the most tiring part of the process, but is also the most rewarding, because it makes the biggest difference in your carââ¬â¢s finish. Clay barring removes all the contaminants from your paint that are stuck onto the clear coat. These contaminants make your paint feel rough. These contaminants include deposits from acid rain, bird poop, dust, and tree sap. Clay barring makes the paint as smooth as glass and makes it shiny. The kit you need for doing this is called Meguiars Clay Barring Kit. First start by spraying the quick detail bottle evenly onto the paint surface. Use the bar of clay with back and forth motions until the bar starts to move freely across the paint. Frequently check the clay, as it will get dirty from picking up all the contaminants. Fold the clay over to a clean side and pinch off the real dirty pieces. When the car feels smooth, use a microfiber cloth to buff the paint. It should feel smooth as glass. Lastly use wax to protect your paint and give it the ultimate finish. I highly recommend using Turtle Wax Ice Liquid Polish because it goes on clear and doesnââ¬â¢t leave white dust. Use an applicator pad to apply the wax evenly on parts of the car. I like to wax half the car at a time. Then let it dry for a few minutes and then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Detailing a car is not an easy job and that is why many people pay someone to do it for them. The reason I detail cars is, because people pay well for car detailing services. If you follow the steps above, you will probably put in two to three hours or more and your car should be smooth and sparkling. When I return it to a customer and see the smile on their face and receive great compliments I receive great satisfaction knowing that the job was well done. Plus I am greatly rewarded with hard cash! I hope these instructions help you to achieve great car detailing!
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Impact Of Mass Media On The Society Media Essay
Impact Of Mass Media On The Society Media Essay Media relationships with policymakers showed different shapes of dealings with informations since long ago. In the past it was understood that the medias impact on policy happened in a direct approach, mostly when journalists were detached from the leading decisions. Media inquiries introduced by common public feelings usually help in spreading the public view, individuals act together in order to force the government to reform public policies according to the general public requirements. For example in France, during the presidential election many French citizens were against most laws concerning retirement benefits. Massive protestations forced the government to change some laws. Another example is that, linear concept has been lately labelled by the Mobilisation Model instead of being labelled Popular Mobilisation. This concept suggests that peoples play major roles in policymaking practices; other political scientists views were different, some propose that exceptional interest g roups and further influential political leaders control the policymaking progressions but not the citizens. Protess, Curtin, Gordon, Leff, and Miller (19) share the same point of view and state that policymaking reforms frequently take place regardless the public opinion. They involved some ethnographic investigations of reporters and policymakers to demonstrate how prepublication cooperation published by journalism and policymakers may influence policy outlines and decisions, not the common public impression. For example the website of the Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Carl Bernstein posted a sample of the cooperation between the CIA and the Media stating that, Joseph Alsop, known as one of the American famous columnist working with a specific association, proceeded to the Philippines in 1953 to report news concerning the election. He wasnt asked to attend the event by his association however the journal concerned to post his column. Reasonably, he was there due to the CIA demand. During the past two decades over four hundred American journalists operated secretly for the sake of CIA Central Intelligence Agency, as some tasks were directly assigned by the center of operations at the CIA. They were attending as some detectives used to go in most Communist countries. Journalists serviced their assistance to the (CIA) during a long period of time as a matter of fact; copyreaders and reporters shared their works with CIA members. In several cases, CIA papers indicate that reporters were involved to achieve duties for the CIA with the permission and agreement of the administrations of Americas leading newscast establishments (Bernstein). Such relationships were realized to have a major consequence on policy establishment. Sometimes they use it for what can be called policy opportunities. By getting or constructing all the information in advance, they are more able to control their media reportage to exploit and defused positive advertising for their policies. In this way, they could be viewed as part of the solution even if they initially created the problem Protess, Curtin, Gordon, Leff, and Miller 166-185. This interdependent relationship, involving dynamic cooperation between presses and policymakers to govern policymaking outlines has been called as coalition journalism. Moltosh, Protess, and Gordon would totally stand against this way of being a journalist. The influence of policymakers in the cinema industry is also relevant according to The Guardian One of the UKs leading newspapers in 2012-08-29. The conservative right-hand transparency group, Judicial Watch, expressed in August 2012 a new bunch of papers presenting how president Obama management showed evidence and data to Hollywood film-makers concerning for example Bin Laden attack. To be politically supportive, Obama administrators intended to allow the creation of a pre-election film regarding that heroic assassination. Although at the same time, many attorneys and also lobbyist asserted to media channels that no revelation was allowed because the attack was classified. This illustrates how policymakers could influence film-makers to produce intended films that control the flow of the public opinion and govern their own policies Guardian. The impact of the CNN effect is also very obvious in the foreign policymaking. A lot of revisions have determined that the media has a crucial role in affecting some countries foreign policymaking procedures done by the concept of CNN effect, Gilboa 27-44. Not related only to the CNN effect on policymaking, but relatively on the influence of global media systems to govern political progressions through a specific way of reporting matters and information. This is mainly significant, as lots of people depend on the media to more about foreign news Brown, and Vincent 65-79. Robinson in year 2000 developed the policy-media interaction model, using the structure of press-state relations. This theory was developed by Hallin in 1986 and Bennett around1990. It was used for some of US humanitarian involvements, in the year 1990. The outcomes indicated that serious reportage by the media with a powerful personal point of view on the subject had a significant impact on the public opinion. History shows that, policymakers were inexact sometimes regarding their deeds. For example, most of these interferences caused the US to defend Bosnian, especially Gorazde (1995) but to make alliances with their enemies in Kosovo in (1999). Consequently, the impact of the CNN effect would look to be different relying on the presence of unified policies concerning foreign policy issues Robinson 613-633. On the social level, currently, the media is far and wide wherever the society fits, this century experienced a huge increase in communication gadgets. Within a blink of an eye, individuals can know what their contacts are doing on Facebook, or what they writing on Twitter. Technology has offered publics tools to have access to the whole world The Telegraph. The facility to continually recognize what is fashionable and stylish with superstars, how they act, what they eat, how they look, and what are their concerns, influences dramatically the whole society. Adolescents and teens always make the buzz around for them-self, uniqueness, and a sense of worth with a cool image. The supremacy of the media is a mechanism that powerfully controlled teens. According to Gauna most of them will end up with negative impacts. Teens spending times on Facebook and further social media channels are five times more expected to smoke and tree times more expected to drink alcohol than others not using social links according to CASA. However a number of investigators interrogated whether accessible practices on the net could essentially and possibly exposed teens to drug use. They assumed that there is no linkage between the two. A survey was held questioning about five hundred parents and two thousands of teens. The result indicated by CASA was that approximately seventy (70%) of the teens use social networks and about fifty (50%) of those seventy (70%) view photos of drunken teens and those who use drugs. Teens who do not utilize social networks can still view such photos but are less expected to be influenced. According to CASA only about 14% will be affected by what they see on internet. Actually, social media was expected to make life easier, but it seems not convince the majority of people. Now everyone feels more relaxed when talking to others behind the screens and less comfortable to communicate personally in front of each other. Older generations maybe different and are more able to make distinctions between the social network environment and the true social world, but current generations wont be able to realize it. When they are grown, they will have a confusing opinion about the true social communication. In worst cases, their minds will create a wrong figure of socialism and they will not be able to differentiate between the true world and the social network life. New generations should definitely be concerned by their futures. Most teenagers have difficulty to understand fundamentals that guide social media principles. On the other hand, Dependence on social media has diminished the interactions between students and instructors as a result of emails communication. Just a message without any emotions or even voice tones would certainly create an interesting link. Dr. Kelley Crowley, an instructor of public relations states that students have become restrained and uncomfortable to talk to her in class. Relatively, they prefer and feel more relaxed to contact her via emails, behind a monitor which is detached and does not have any perspective. To concludes, I think I said the same thing earlier in my thesis statement, and I wrote that before I read any of this research informations. Crowley, as well adds that ducking personal communications damages the capability of younger generation. Lack of eye contact in talks and conferences in addition to poor grammar practices influences negatively their professionalism. Most students have to reduce usage of social networks and be obliged in a way or another to interact with their professors in person, with colleagues and friends through school events, clubs or trips Meagan.
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Child Support Agency: Critical Analysis of its Current State
Child Support Agency: Critical Analysis of its Current State Support that Needs Supporting: A Critical Analysis of the Current State of the Child Support Agency Abstract: On November 17, 2005 Prime Minister Tony Blair stated to the House of Commons that the CSA has fundamental problems. And this is the current opinion amongst many of the users of the service. This project will critically analyse the issues which have caused the agency to fail in its provision of support to some of the most vulnerable people in society; children. Table of Contents (Jump to) Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Investigation Chapter 2: Adjudication Chapter 3: Enforcement Chapter 4: Technological and Staffing Problems Chapter 5: The Future for the CSA Conclusion Bibliography Table of Cases and Statutes Preface This dissertation examines the current state of operation of the United Kingdom Child Support Agency, an organisation beset with criticism and administrative difficulties. It was hoped that the CSA, which has the two-fold role of assessing and collecting child support payments, would solve many of the problems of the court-based regime it was designed to replace. However, after 13 years of operation and several intervening attempts to reform the Agency these early ambitions have not proved well founded. In the following paper various areas of institutional weakness are identified and discussed, and conclusions are drawn on the basis of the observations made. Introduction The Child Support Agency (ââ¬Å"CSAâ⬠) commenced operations in April 1993. It is an executive agency of government and a branch of the Department for Work and Pensions. The CSA is obliged to implement the 1991 Child Support Act and all relevant legislation relating to child support.[1] Child support, which is more popularly known as child maintenance, can be defined as the contribution made by a non-resident parent towards the financial costs of raising their child and it is usually paid to the person (usually the other parent) with whom the child resides. Before the establishment of the Child Support Agency disputes regarding child maintenance were dealt with by the courts. It was hoped that the introduction of the CSA would solve many of the problems associated with the old system in particular its inability to trace parents and its tendency to impose arbitrary and unfair settlements. The CSA was charged with the duty to assess payments on a consistent basis against a standard formula and thereafter to collect and distribute child support in an efficient manner. There is no doubt that this is a very sensitive and difficult area of public policy to manage but it is hard to avoid the assertion that the Child Support Agency has performed poorly. Criticism has been levelled at the CSA since its inception. In 1998, Prime Minister Tony Blair accepted that the CSA had ââ¬Å"lost the confidence of the publicâ⬠. He described the Agency as ââ¬Å"a mess, in need of urgent reformâ⬠.[2] Various costly and comprehensive reforms were indeed implemented but the Agencyââ¬â¢s performance deteriorated yet further over time. In November 2004, Doug Smith, the head of the CSA, resigned after wide-ranging criticism of the CSA systems..[3] Chairman of Work and Pensions Committee Sir Archy Kirkwood was moved to describe the situation at the CSA as: ââ¬Å"a systemic, chronic failure of management right across the totality of the agency..â⬠In November 2005, confronted by reports that for every à £1.85 that is collected for child support, the CSA spent à £1 on administration, Tony Blair acknowledged that the CSA was ââ¬Å"not properly suitedâ⬠to its function.[4] Blair proceeded to admit to the House of Commons that the CSA has ââ¬Å"fundamental problems.â⬠It is submitted that this is now the view of the overwhelming majority of commentators and clients of the CSAââ¬â¢s services. There is now a strong likelihood that the CSA will be subject either to radical reform or be scrapped altogether. At the time of writing in June 2006 it is anticipated that the governmentââ¬â¢s plans for the CSA will be laid before Parliament before Parliament rises for the summer. These are therefore important weeks for the Agency. This project will critically analyse the issues which have hindered the CSA in its efforts to provide support to some of the most vulnerable people in society; the children of failed relationships. Chapter 1: Investigation ââ¬Å"â⬠¦I make no defence of the current situation. The CSA is in an extremely difficult positionâ⬠¦it is the investigating agency, then it is the adjudicating agency, then it is the enforcement agencyâ⬠¦.The basic problem remainsâ⬠¦It is extremely difficult to make this operation cost effective when the agency is the investigating, adjudicating and enforcing authorityâ⬠¦.The truth is that the agency is not properly suited to carry out that taskâ⬠Prime Minster Tony Blair House of Commons, 16 November 2005[5] Perhaps the first point to make is that the CSA caseload is very heavy. Changes in society are producing more and more broken families and thus child support claims, and many of these may prove to be highly complex cases. The investigation-stage of a case is clearly resource-intensive and the plain fact of the matter is that staffing resources and internal efficiency protocols have never been adequate to meet the demands of the burgeoning caseload. It needs hardly be said that the process of investigation of child support cases is often a very difficult and thankless task. Non-resident parents will often make great efforts to conceal and misrepresent facts so as to circumnavigate, obfuscate and frustrate the work of the Child Support Agency and it is unfair to blame the Agency for the behaviour of those with whom it is charged with dealing. Anecdotal evidence suggests that parents have taken extreme steps such as changing jobs or rendering themselves unemployed to defeat CSA investigations aimed at building a case to require them contribute financially to the upbringing of their children. It is likely that evasive or duplicitous parents create many times the amount of work for the Agency that a cooperative parent does and it is perhaps unreasonable to lay that responsibility at the door of the CSA. However, it is submitted that the style of management and administration systems operative at the Agency has exacerbated the profou nd external difficulties it faces, magnifying inevitable difficulties and allowing other problems that could be avoided under a tighter and more cogent regime to manifest themselves causing additional costs and delays. Perhaps the greatest weakness in the CSA investigation system the policy organisationââ¬â¢s policy that ââ¬Å"the non-resident parent has a right to be believedâ⬠which ties the hands of Agency staff. This policy is clearly in place to reduce the administrative burden on the CSA but it is manifestly susceptible to abuse, if not, frankly, ripe for it. If a parent with care is fully aware that the non-resident parent has several jobs but has disclosed only one job to the Agency, then telephones the Agency to disclose this fact, the Agency will respond by repeating the aforementioned mantra and refuse to take further action unless ââ¬Å"pay-slips from other jobs can be providedâ⬠, which in almost every case is an impossible demand. This is a ridiculous state of affairs, and one that gives non-resident parents full and open licence to deceive the Agency and avoid paying the proper amount to the children who are supposedly the priority in the system.. It is also submitted that the CSA, being an administrative entity, is not best suited to dealing with some of the highly complex and contentious cases that fall for its attention.. Such cases, which would probably be better suited to solution within the court system, serve as logjams in the Agencyââ¬â¢s workload, and delay the progress of many more straightforward cases.[6] CSA investigations have been hampered not only by clumsy managerial procedures and organisation, but also by the information technology systems upon which it relies. The problems with the CSAââ¬â¢s IT systems have been well-publicised and are so extensive as to merit specific discussion later in this paper.[7] However, with regards to the issue of case investigation in particular, it has been impossible for management accurately to scrutinise and evaluate the performance of the Agency, and thus set in place long term strategies and goals, because of failings and incongruities within its information technology infrastructure. As the Commons Work and Pensions Committee commented in 2005: ââ¬Å"It is difficult to exaggerate the Agencyââ¬â¢s already low reputationâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ .[8] It is submitted that the credibility of the CSA is perhaps one of the greatest obstacles to its case investigation work. The Agency does not enjoy the unqualified respect of parents on either side of the child support equation, and this probably understates the truth. The CSA is widely perceived to be a disorganised and failing entity. Given that effective investigation is heavily reliant on prompt and fulsome compliance by parents, the credibility of the Agency itself has become a major factor in reducing its effectiveness as an organisation. In simple terms, parents are not scared of the CSA or intimidated by the consequences that dilatory or obstructive behaviour on their part might provoke. When one contrasts the reputation of the CSA with that of the Inland Revenue or the Police it is clear that the Agency is its own grea test enemy, in particular in regards to its role as investigator something which is so dependent on its relationship with and image in the eyes of parents, many of which already harbour a recalcitrant agenda. CSA investigation has also been hampered by weaknesses and omissions in the range of powers made available to the Agency for the fulfilment of its case investigation work. For example, Liberal Mps David Laws and Danny Alexander recently claimed that the CSA has had to shelve 46,000 cases where the non-resident parent cannot be traced, noting, almost incredulously, that there is no obligation on non-resident parents to inform the Agency when they change either their job or their address.[9] This position has been labelled as ââ¬Å"absurdâ⬠by the Work and Pensions Select Committee.[10] It can be argued that such lacunae in the powers awarded to the CSA have made a significant contribution to the inefficiency of its case investigation operations.. Moreover, in this regard it should be noted that the ability of the Agency to obtain information about a non-resident parentââ¬â¢s income at the investigation-stage from Government bodies and other organisations and is woefully inadequate, and this weakness predictably generates a huge amount of unnecessary delay. The CSAââ¬â¢s inability to access confidential information such as credit cards records clearly hampers the organisationââ¬â¢s activities although there is a limit on just how far enhanced legal powers could assist in bringing the most assiduously evasive and duplicitous non-resident parent to book. Ironically, given that the future of child support may well lie in that direction, it is submitted that there has to date been poor communication and ineffective cooperation between the Child Support Agency and the Inland Revenue.. Unfortunately, even in cases where both parents offer full cooperation, due to the CSAââ¬â¢s parlous communication networks families rout inely have to wait many months before a child support assessment is made and a maintenance liability is established, and of course over this period extensive arrears may build up. Another factor which has frustrated CSA investigation work is that the rules and frameworks under which it operates have been subject to constant and comprehensive change over the course of the life of the Agency. Seemingly well-meaning ââ¬Å"reformsâ⬠have been implemented with such regularity that the CSA is in a constant state of learning. For example, The Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 introduced a wholly new system[11] (known in the literature as the new schemeâ⬠) which entered into force for new cases as of March 2003. The intention was that the new scheme, which incorporated much simpler calculations, would elevate the problems of the Agency, however, it is submitted that this attempt to improve the situation at the CSA only made things worse, because the Agency now had to deal with a new an unfamiliar system alongside the old rules which remained applicable to earlier cases. Further work was generated by the need to convert cases from the old system to the new. These demands inevitably had a negative effect on the on-going case investigation work of the Agency, further depleting morale and resources. Other weaknesses in the investigation process may prove simply intractable. Under the rules of the CSA men are liable to start paying maintenance from the moment they are named by the mother as the father of the child. Unfortunately, almost one in five men who challenge the claim and ask for a DNA test discover that they are not the father of the child in question (3034 of 15909 1998-2004).[12] Refunds to the men are paid by the taxpayer, no attempt has been made by the CSA to recover any of the money wrongly paid over to the women in question. Labour MP and ex-social security minister Frank Field has commented: ââ¬Å"The situation in the CSA is getting so absurd that even Lewis Carroll would have rejected it as a script for Alice in Wonderland.â⬠[13] However, this is just one example of the difficulty faced by the CSA in attempting to impose an administrative framework and order in its investigative case work over such complex, sensitive and fraught personal relationships. The very latest report on the Child Support Agencyââ¬â¢s performance, published on 27 June 2006 by Independent Case Examiner (ICE) Jodi Berg (who is charged with the responsibility of monitoring the CSA) expresses ââ¬Å"deep concernâ⬠about the standard of its investigation work and the weakness of the basic administration of the Agency.[14] Berg reported that complaints against the Agency rose 5 per cent over the past year and noted that more than fifty per cent of all complaints were associated with delays or errors in the case investigation process. This increase in complaints follows on the back of record increases in the past two years.[15] Given the problems identified above this is perhaps not surprising. Berg recommended in more than half of all complaints ultimately investigated (1,348 over the last year) that the CSA should offer some form of financial recompense to the complainant.. The examiner concluded that the Child Support Agency would only be able to deal wi th its poor levels of customer service if it achieved the establishment of ââ¬Å"sound fundamental administration processesâ⬠.[16] It is submitted therefore, in summation on this issue, that the CSA operates under a weak and pregnable administrative system, and that holes and ambiguities in the system are exploited by non-resident parents determined to avoid paying child support by any means. This commentator asserts that this combination of factors is in large part responsible for the poor performance of the Agencyââ¬â¢s work on case-investigation. Chapter 2: Adjudication Alongside its role as investigator, the Child Support Agency is charged with the responsibility to adjudicate the cases that come before it. It is clear that the Agency has dramatically under-performed in this area just as it has in other spheres of its activity. The National Audit Office (NAO) has qualified its opinion on the CSAââ¬â¢s account in every single year since the Agencyââ¬â¢s inception due to the level of error detected in maintenance assessments.[17] The NAO has reported that more than a quarter of receipts from non-resident parents and, astonishingly, more than three quarters of maintenance assessment debts are incorrect under the CSAââ¬Ës accounts. The NAO has also estimated that overstatement errors run to more than à £20 million pounds per year and that understatement errors may amount to around twenty times that amount.[18] This is an appalling state of affairs, and one which prejudices, in particular, the interests of children which the CSA is supposedly duty bound to hold high. The CSA Standards Committee provides the Chief Executive with a independent review of the quality of decision making within the Agency, and on the mechanisms in place for quality assurance. The Committee expected an improvement in the standard of adjudication achieved by the CSA after transition from the old to the new scheme, however it noted in its 2003/04 annual report that the new IT system was unable to deliver the anticipated results.[19] The report indicates an overall accuracy figure of 81.8%, which is below the 90% target imposed by the Government. It is submitted that this figure, which suggests mistakes in around 20 per cent or one fifth of all adjudications is unacceptable and that it cannot be explained merely by blaming IT difficulties. It is argued that staffing issues and poor management and surveillance play a significant part in erroneous adjudications and this is one aspect of the work of the Agency that cannot be defended by pointing at the behaviour of recalcitra nt non-resident parents.. The accuracy of decisions exclusively made in maintenance assessments is put at 79.8 per cent by the Committee, which is a steadily improving figure. (accuracy was put at 75% in 2002/03 and 71.6% in 2001/02). The report suggests that the primary causes of ââ¬Å"inaccuracyâ⬠under the old scheme were: miscalculation of earnings errors regarding housing costs supersession errors[20] insufficient documentary evidence..[21] The Committee expressed disappointment that similar errors appeared to be creeping into the operation of the rules under the new scheme, and reported that these included mistakes in the setting of effective dates, elements of client contact and erroneous earnings calculations.[22] In March 2005 the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee delivered its report: The Child Support Agency: Government Response to the Committees 2nd Report of Session 2004ââ¬â05. In this report the Work and Pensions Committee expressed continued concern at the ââ¬Å"lower than expected level of accuracy of maintenance calculationsââ¬Å". The Select Committee noted, the findings of the Agencyââ¬â¢s Standards Committee as discussed above and recommended adherence to policies set down in the Transformation Programme designed to smooth the problematic transition from the old scheme to the new. These policies include double-checking for the most commonly made errors, and measures ensuring that all decisions are correctly documented (inadequately documented decisions are classified as inaccurate even if the calculation is correct). The Select Committee noted that a series of measures would be developed to further improve the adjudication process and these include: The adoption of a Standardised Adjudication Form ââ¬â completion of which should be mandatory in the case of all ââ¬Å"off-line decisionsâ⬠unsupported by the system. It is submitted that this should support the documentary trail supporting these decisions. The introduction of a risk-based checking system ââ¬â It is suggested that this policy should target surveillance and quality control resources on stages in the adjudication process known to be error-prone. In terms of opportunity-cost it is clearly prudent to make such stages a priority in this regard, but that is not to say that other less commonly arising mistakes should be ignored. Centralised Checking Teams ââ¬â It is submitted that, in theory at least, this is also a well-founded policy. A centralised quality assurance mechanism, could more efficiently improve consistency and standardisation within the Agency and it is perhaps surprising that such a resource has not been in place within the CSA since its inception. Introduction of Quality Support Officers ââ¬â again it is surprising that it took 12 years of operation before the creation of such posts were seriously considered. It is argued that the prior lack of such officers goes someway to explain the poor performance of the Agency since its establishment.. Such officers could quickly draw adjudication errors to the personal attention of the decision maker and the relevant Team Leader to ensure that misunderstandings are promptly and effectively rectified through focused coaching and targeted support.. Enhancements in Staff Training ââ¬â Again it is noted that the User Education Programme concentrates on training aimed at eliminating the top five errors, but it is submitted that improvements aimed at eliminating the propensity to err in general should also be implemented if the Agency is really to address the mistakes plaguing its adjudication processes. As has been argued was the case in the context of the Agencyââ¬â¢s case-investigation work the transition from the old scheme to the new scheme rules has proved problematic.. Efforts to improve the quality of the adjudication process have been hampered by the change from one system to the next and by the fact that the two quite different systems run in parallel and must be administered as such within the organisation.. These effects have been felt not only in the UK CSA but in its Northern Ireland counterpart. In the Annual Report on Decision Making in the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency (2003-2004)[23] the Independent Standards Committee reported that whereas under the old scheme around 1 in 4 decisions contained an error, under the new scheme almost half of adjudications contained a flaw, although curiously financial accuracy is reported to be 92 per cent in both cases. This suggests that most errors are either procedural in nature or to be found in the inaccurate/incomple te recording of decisions and this is very much a management issue. Ultimately, it is argued that it is the senior management team of the CSA that should be held responsible for the general tendency of the Agency to err in its adjudication role.. It is the function of the leadership of the Agency to set in place the appropriate systems and cultures necessary to ensure accuracy. After thirteen years of operation one would, it is submitted, properly expect that teething troubles in the adjudication process should have been long-since identified and rectified, but that does not appear to have been the case. Indeed the management malaise at the CSA, while perhaps most obvious in the context of poor adjudication standards, translates into below-par performance in other fields of activity beyond the largely internal scope of the adjudication process, with even greater force due to the determination of non-resident parents to hamper the administration that lax management has left pregnable.. Chapter 3: Enforcement Enforcement is the third of the CSAââ¬â¢s three main functions in the field of child support.. Yet again however, it is submitted that the Agency has been found lacking and criticism of its efforts in this arena has been both extensive and far-reaching. The CSA has consistently exhibited a disturbing failure properly to enforce maintenance payments. In an enforcement monitoring exercise supervised by the Child Support Agency Standards Committee in 2003 it was discovered that only 10 per cent of enforcement cases were dealt with in a correct manner. This, it is argued is a simply disgraceful state of affairs. Moreover, the National Audit Office has qualified the CSAââ¬â¢s Client Fund accounts in every single year since the Agencyââ¬â¢s inception and this is an indefensible situation that would have led to collapse and investigation if it had occurred in the private sector in the context of any normal commercial undertaking.[24] Part of the blame can be laid on the behaviour o f obstructive non-resident parents but the lions share of the responsibility for this appalling record of failure must lie with the management and administration system dedicated to enforcement that those reluctant payers seem to find so easy to exploit. In principle, where a non-resident parent fails to pay regular maintenance, the Agencyââ¬â¢s policies dictate that so-called ââ¬Å"front-line staffâ⬠should endeavour to negotiate an arrears agreement. If such an agreement cannot be reached on a voluntary basis, and the non-resident parent is in employment, a debt manager may be called upon to impose a Deduction from Earnings Order on his or her salary. If this action proves ineffective the case will be referred to an Enforcement Team which will consider legal proceedings (this decision and the form of such proceedings is at the discretion of the Enforcement Team). The Child Support Agency Standards Committee have found numerous errors occurring at this important stage..[25] Among the errors the most commonly occurring include a failure to use the full range of powers available to the Agency to obtain information to allow the conversion of a case from an interim maintenance assessment to a full maintenance assessment.. In this regard it should be noted that section 14A of the Child Support Act permits criminal proceedings to be brought against those failing to provide information or who offer false information. It is argued that cultural factors within the management of the organisation deter resort to criminal action in some cases and that this tendency coupled with the fragile administrative superstructure is deleterious both to t he CSAââ¬â¢s performance and its reputation. Another frequently noted error is the incorrect application of Liability Orders, which are necessary to obtain legal recognition that a debt is owed as a precursor to further enforcement proceedings against the non-resident parent. In many other cases no action is taken after the issuing of a letter warning of enforcement action to an unresponsive non-resident parent.. There is strong anecdotal evidence and a commonly held public perception that the Agency takes a very tough and rigorous line on non-resident parentââ¬â¢s willing to cooperate and make payments, but a far less assiduous approach to uncooperative and evasive parents. It is submitted that there is a widely held belief that the CSA pursues this line with a view to the preservation of its own resources and the improvement of its own performance figures and the Agency is routinely criticised for disregarding the interests of children and single parents as a consequence. Indeed, the CSA has been roundly criticised by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman for this engrained pattern of behaviour.[26] However, that is not to say that the Agency has not made progress in some fields of enforcement activity. Prompted by recommendations made by the Standards Committee the CSA has sharpened its policies to some extent. For example the à £250 de minimis[27] debt threshold for enforcement action (imposed presumably for administrative and cost efficiency) has been abolished and new fines have been introduced along with the option to seek the withdrawal of driving licences from non-payers. That said, by 2005 the Agency had only used its power to withdraw driving licences 11 times in the five years since the introduction of the penalty[28], and given that over that period well in excess of 250,000 non-resident parents had become habitual non-payers, this must be viewed as a lamentable if not disgraceful record. Unfortunately the developing picture became even gloomier despite the increase in resources made available to the Agencyââ¬â¢s enforcement teams. Billions of pounds have now been written off by the Agency as ââ¬Å"uncollectableâ⬠. It is submitted that the Agencyââ¬â¢s political overseers must take some of the blame alongside the senior management of the organisation. Under Tony Blairââ¬â¢s Labour administration the amount of the uncollected child maintenance had tripled from à £1.1bn in 1997 to à £3.3 billion by 2005. It is clear that the Agency puts insufficient emphasis on compliance and that, for some inexplicable reason it resorts to middle-order procedures to compel regular payments in far fewer instances than should be the case. The parent with care is typically forced to make numerous complaints before any enforcement action is taken by the CSA and even then there is no guarantee that effective measures are put in place. For example, it has been asserted that only around 19 per cent of long-term defaulting cases are subject to a Deduction of Earnings Order.[29] It has also been noted that the sheer amount of complex regulation confuses both parents with care and non-resident parents, and that the latter group has become skilled in the art of exploiting the convoluted appeal system so as to either evade payment or delay it for as long as possible.[30] This commentator is spoilt for choice in the selection of statistics for mention in this paper on the CSAââ¬â¢s enforcement performance but perhaps the most damning fact of all is that the Agency Enforcement unit retrievedjust à £8 million in 2005 but costà £12 million to operate.[31] That really speaks for itself. Again it is pertinent to restate the fact that non-resident parents have exacerbated difficulties over enforcement by their obstructive and often duplicitous behaviour, but this does not justify the results obtained by the Agency. If the CSA was using the full range of its powers to their full effect and achieving poor results, this commentator would indeed dwell more on the behaviour of parents and the agenda of the Government which awards and delimits the powers. However, it is manifestly clear that the Agency does not use its powers effectively something best evidenced by the stated statistic on the incredibly low use of the driving licence withdrawal option. Such a threat is obviously a potent weapon in the arsenal of the CSA, and while it may not always be appropriate, perhaps because the non-resident parent relies on his or her licence in order to generate an income, this commentator simply refuses to accept that it has only proved ap
Monday, August 19, 2019
The Extraordinary Jimi Hendrix Essay -- Art
The extraordinary performances, recording, and lyrics of James Marshall Hendrix have made him impossible to forget. This American rock music guitarist made a legendary mark not only in the history of rock 'n' roll but also on the pop culture as a whole (Ross 32). With unique techniques never seen before and blatant sex-related performances on stage, he became one of the most influential music figures of the 60s (Kamin). Hendrix was not born into stardom nor was it given to him by any means. He strived all throughout his life to be the very best. Johnny Allen Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington to Al and Lucille Hendrix, and not until four years later did his father change his son's name to James Marshall Hendrix. He certainly did not lead an easy life with his sporadic schooling and his parents' divorce in 1958. Added to the building pressures, his mother died just one year later ("Jimi", Rolling 42). Hendrix purchased his first guitar in 1958, probably to relieve tensions as it was the same year his parents divorced. It was a used acoustic for which he paid only five dollars. At the age of seventeen with only one year's playing experience, he joined his first band, the Rocking Kings. It may be hard to imagine because of his image, but Hendrix was also in the Army for a brief period of time. He was soon discharged as a result of "medical unsuitability" after a parachuting accident in which he landed on his ankle ("Jimi", Rolling 42). He ventured back to his hometown of Seattle and began playing with Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers (Wolters, "Pre-Experience"). He seized the opportunity to go on the road after being discovered by Little Richard in 1963 but soon regretted the decision because... ...-seven years old. He became ill from a mixture of wine and quinalbarbitone, a sleeping pill prescribed not to Hendrix but to his girlfriend (Wolters, "Discography"). When the ambulance was called, they rushed to his London hotel and dashed him back to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The attendants had carelessly laid him on his back; as a result of their ineptitude, he asphyxiated in his own vomit ("Jimi", Rolling 94). Fortunately, the tragic death of this young man came after rather than before he had contributed so much to the rock 'n'roll era of the 60s. Not only did he inspire black musicians to persevere in their careers, but he also influenced the entire pop culture with his unprecedented music and stunning performances. In the eyes of many Americans, the legendary rock music guitarist Jimi Hendrix will live on forever (Kamin).
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Ethnography :: Ethnography Reflexivity Anthropology Essays
Ethnography Works Cited Missing Reflexivity has recently been designated as an indicator of postmodernism in anthropological texts. In this context, the practice is attacked as self-indulgent narcissism, but its true scope reaches much further. While some ethnographic texts exhibit an overemphasis on the author, and his position within the work, this is one extreme of the range reflexivity, which also serves as a methodological tool, unincorporated into the writing, and as a means to account for the ethnographers biases and affects on his informants. This entire span of meaning is shown in anthropological research and writings, in varying manners and to different ends. An poignant example of reflexivity in writing is the much critiqued and criticized essay by Renato Rosaldo, ââ¬Å"Grief and a Headhunterââ¬â¢s Rageâ⬠, wherein he explores his reactions to and understanding of Ilongot headhunting, as based on his personal experiences with death, or lack thereof. He argues that ââ¬Å"most anthropological studies of death eliminate emotions by assuming the position of the most attached observer,â⬠a precarious position which often leads to ââ¬Å"actual indifference.â⬠(15) He also acknowledges that reflexivity can easily slip into self-absorption, wherein one loses sight of differences which do exist. Despite attacks, by Michaelson and Johnson, that ââ¬Å"Micheleââ¬â¢s death gives Renato a newfound sense of ethnographic authority, a sense that he is ââ¬Ëcapable of feeling everything that the Ilongot do,â⬠he never, in fact, makes this claim. (Behar, 171) Rosaldo, after sharing his experience of his wifeââ¬â¢s death, and the grief that followed, emphasizes that the ââ¬Å"statement should not lead anyone to derive a universal from somebody elseââ¬â¢s personal knowledge.â⬠(15) The authorââ¬â¢s own experience does not give him a full understanding of the Ilongot, nor does he claim that it does so, but allows him to understand his informants explanations of headhunting which he had previously dismissed, not equating grief with rage. ââ¬Å"Ilongot anger and [his] own overlap, rather like two circles, partially overlaid and partially separate.â⬠(10) Or, as Marcus states it, ââ¬Å"in any attempt to interpret or explain another cultural subject, a su rplus of difference always remains.â⬠(Marcus, 186) Renato also briefly addresses the question of authority raised by reflexivity, and the admission of oneââ¬â¢s shortcomings. What was once accepted as absolute truth is now being questioned, as the ethnographer acknowledges his own subjectivity, and ââ¬Å"with the realization that [the] objects of analysis are also analyzing subjects who critically interrogate ethnographers.
Essay --
Kayla McCarthy Period 2 History Mrs.Dowd 1/6/14 Disagreements Between the North and South Secession between the North and the South was very different. The secession led to the Confederate States of the United States. The Confederate States Constitution closely resembled the Constitution of the United States and it states that it, ââ¬Å"protected and recognized slavery.â⬠The southerners feared that if they did not succeed that an end to their entire way of life was at hand because they felt that they needed to preserve slavery. Succeeding seemed to be the only way of saving slavery. Many other southern states began to succeed when they learned that slavery was going to be removed in the South. For example,Compromise of 1850, Compromise of 1820, the Dred Scott Decision, Raid at Harpers Ferry, ââ¦â" Compromise, Kansas Nebraska Act, and Missouri Compromise were some of the compromises and decisions made at the time to deal with disagreements many of these people had over slavery(Batten). Slavery was relied on very much in the south because the slaves were their way of making money. The sl...
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Signs and symptoms
Keep child calm and help them take medicine. Phone parent and if it worsens call 999 Sickle cell anemia Fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, cold hands and feet, pain Refer to care plan and phone parent If needed Diabetes Passing urine more often than usual, tiredness, thirsty Refer to care plan and phone parent if needed Chicken pox Fever, rash, itchy Try to stop child scratching, phone parent Conjunctively Itchy sticky eyes, red eyes, green go Stop child rubbing eyes, phone parent CroupDifficulty breathing, short barking cough Keep child calm and encourage to breathe, call parent if it persists Persistent Diarrhea and sickness Pale, lifeless Encourage child to drink small sips of water, keep them calm in a quiet area. Phone parent Very pale and lifeless appearance URGENT Phone parent and 999 Phone parent Eczema Itchy dry rash Stop child scratching and distract them Impetigo Fluid filled blisters, itchy rash, red sores Call parent Measles Slight cold, sore throat, swol len glands, pink rash MeningitisFever, headache, confusion, affected by light, stiff neck, rash Call 999 and parent Unconsciousness Lifeless, unresponsive Check for breathing put in recovery position call 999 and parent Continuing high temperature/Febrile convulsions Keep calm in quiet place call 999 and parent Severe headache Nauseous, vomiting, sensitive to light Persistent or strange crying Shock.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Coolest thing i ever did Essay
The coolest thing Iââ¬â¢ve ever done or should I say the dumbest thing I ever done was run my motherââ¬â¢s car into our house. It was the end of summer starting my freshman year at Destrehan High School and I wanted to do something that would have made me seem cool to the kids around the neighborhood so I decided to steal my motherââ¬â¢s car. My mom owned a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder that she didnââ¬â¢t really use, usually just my step dad would use it to go to work and my mom used the truck so I didnââ¬â¢t see a problem with them riding together one morning so I can have the car for myself for the day. One morning during the beginning of the week my step dad had set the key down on the table and it was just a key so I could have easily took it and have everyone else think he misplaced it. For two days straight my parents was looking for the key and I acted as though I had no idea of what they was looking for but he just used the spare key. The third day I woke up and I looked out my window and I saw the car outside knowing I still had the stolen key under my mattress. I was a little too anxious because I knew I had the car to myself and I couldnââ¬â¢t get caught for taking it. It was around eleven oââ¬â¢clock when I got up and went get in the car. A free adventure I took and I thought I was a grown driver driving on the road with other drivers but I wasnââ¬â¢t it was very illegal but I didnââ¬â¢t careâ⬠¦ I felt cool. An hour went by and I traveled all over Destrehan I felt like my cool patch should have been given to me that day because it took a lot out of me to do something that crazy. I arrived back to my place without being stopped by the police or pulling up to the truck in the driveway, I felt so bad even hammer couldnââ¬â¢t touch me. My step dad always parked the car really close to the end of the driveway so that was my goal to do, I pulled in, parked the car, and got out. Then I realized I wasnââ¬â¢t close enough and they would have notice something funny. So I decided to get back in the car and park it correctly. Backing up I didnââ¬â¢t notice that I was that far away so I pushed on the gas because our driveway was more of a hill so I needed a little help getting up there. When I pushed the gas I went to fast and had hit the trash can that was in front the house, I thought it was funny and didnââ¬â¢t really worry about it because I could have switched it out with someone elseââ¬â¢s. I got out and I noticed I parked the car correctly so that was a good thing but when I walked towards the trash can I heard some noise behind it and I saw that the front window was shattered, thatââ¬â¢s when I realized things just got real. I started to panic and come up with lies to explain the window since the car didnââ¬â¢t look damage. My friend Shawn came outside and stared making fun of me because he knew I was going to get in trouble. As he walked in my house to go get something to drink he noticed something that I should have took a look at. His exact words were ââ¬Å" umm Laci I think you should come take a look at thisâ⬠I know I was inside but I couldnââ¬â¢t understand why I could see outside, thatââ¬â¢s when I knew I was dead but I still felt cool for some reason. Explaining this to my mom wasnââ¬â¢t easy at all so I stayed a few feet away from her. When my step dad arrived home he did a little bit more investigation and saw that not only did I brake the trash can, the window, and ran the car through the wall but I also smashed the hose pipe that was connected to the house inside the bricks so there was no water in the house at all. It took them a long time to forgive and trust me again and it also took a lot of butt whippings to relive all that anger out of my mom. Out of all that happened in that week in a weird way I still felt pretty cool for that since it was a fun story to tell to the class. So I am glad to say that was the dumbest, scariest, and coolest thing I ever done.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
This paper presents an implementation
Abstraction: This paper presents an execution of Multistructure PIDFLC. Modification has been made to construction of the proposed PIDFLC in order to do it acts as PDFLC, PIFLC or PIDFLC depending on two external signals. Two versions of this accountant have been designed utilizing VHDL linguistic communication for FPGA execution. A new bundle has been designed in VHDL codification to implement trigonometric maps and fourth-order Runge-Kutta method to prove the proposed design with nonlinear systems. The accountant was able to bring forth an end product in 0.3 millisecond for additive workss and 0.7 millisecond for nonlinear works. Therefore, the proposed accountant will be able to command many systems with high trying rate. Keywords: PIDFLC, FPGA execution, nonlinear systems, Altera. Categorization: XYZ ( Electronic instrumentality and control )T. Jain, V. Patel and M.J. Nigam â⬠Execution of PID Controlled SIMO Process on FPGA Using Bacterial Foraging for Optimal Performance â⬠International Journal of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 2, P: 1793-8198, June 2009.V. Tipsuwanporn, S. Intajag and V. Krongratana â⬠Fuzzy Logic PID accountant based on FPGA for procedure control â⬠Proc. IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics, Bangkok, Thailand, Vol. 2, pp. 1495-1500, 4-7 May 2004.Obaid Z. A. , Sulaiman N. and M. N. Hamidon ââ¬Å" FPGA-based Execution of Digital Logic Design utilizing Altera DE2 Board â⬠International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, VOL.9 No.8, P: 186-194, July 2009.Obaid Z. A. , Sulaiman N. , M. H. Marhaban and M. N. Hamidon ââ¬Å" FPGA-Based Fuzzy Logic: Design and Applications ââ¬â a Review â⬠International Journal of Engineering and Technology, vol. 1, figure 5, P : 491-502, December 2009.Leonid Reznik, ââ¬Å" Fuzzed accountants â⬠, Newnes, first edition, 1997.1. IntroductionThe simplest and most usual manner to implement a fuzzed accountant is to recognize it as a computing machine plan on a general intent computing machine. However, a big figure of fuzzed control applications require a real-time operation to interface high-velocity restraints. Software execution of fuzzed logic on general purpose computing machines can non be considered as a suited design solution for this type of application higher denseness programmable logic devices such as FPGA can be used to incorporate big sums of logic in a individual IC. Semi-custom and full-custom application particular integrated circuit ( ASIC ) devices are besides used for this intent but FPGA provide extra flexibleness: they can be used with tighter time-to-market agendas [ 1 ] , [ 2 ] , [ 3 ] , [ 4 ] .2. Layout of the Proposed AccountantBy and large, this accountant accept two types of end products, the first 1 is the works ( Yp ) and the 2nd 1 is the coveted end product ( Yd ) , both of them is digital signals, and present the control action signal as a digital end product. It besides accepts four 8-bit digital signals that represent the addition parametric quantities needed by the accountant ( relative addition Kp, derivative addition Kd, built-in addition Ki, and end product gain Ko ) , and other two one-bit signals to choose the type of the accountant ( PD fuzzy logic accountant, PI fuzzy logic accountant, or PID fuzzy logic accountant ) . Fig. 1 shows the general layout of the accountant bit in a unity feedback control system. Fuzzy accountant applications do non necessitate high truth. Accuracy of 6-9 spots is adequate and is rather sufficient for different applications. Many designed FIS french friess use this scope of spots [ 5 ] , since two versions of the accountant have been designed to do a comparing in which version is closest to Matlab-based design: the first one uses 6 spots for each input and end product variables, and 4 spots for rank grade, while the other uses 8 spots and 6 spots severally.3. Structure of the Proposed PIDFLCBy and large, to stand for PID fuzzed logic accountant, it was required to plan a fuzzed illation system with three inputs that represent the proportional, derivative, and built-in constituents, and each one of them can hold up to eight fuzzy sets. So that the maximal figure of the needed fuzzy regulations to 83=512 regulations. To avoid this immense figure of regulations, the proposed accountant has been designed utilizing two parallel PD fuzzy logic accountants to implement the PID fuzzy logic accountant. The 2nd PDFLC has been converted to PIFLC by roll uping its end product. Fig. 1 shows the construction of proposed PID fuzzy logic accountant. Both accountants, PD fuzzy logic accountant and PI fuzzy logic accountant, receive the same mistake signal. The mistake signal is calculated by deducting work s end product ( yp ) from the desired end product ( yd ) . The chief block in the PD fuzzy logic accountant is the fuzzed illation block. The proposed fuzzy illation block is two inputs, one end product fuzzy system of Mamdani type that uses singleton rank maps for the end product variable. The first input is the error signal vitamin E ( n ) , and the 2nd input is the rate of alteration of mistake signal defined as the difference between two back-to-back mistake values. Before come ining the fuzzed illation block, each one of these two inputs have been multiplied by a addition coefficient inside the PD fuzzy accountant ( Kp and Kd or Kp and Ki ) . In similar mode, the end product of the fuzzed illation block is multiplied by a addition coefficient inside the PD fuzzy logic accountant, ( Ko ) . At the same clip, the end product of the fuzzed illation block in the 2nd PD fuzzy accountant is multiplied by a addition coefficient so accumulated to organize the uPIFLC. Both end products ( uPD and uPI ) are added together to organize the PIDFLC end product ( uPID ) . Since each PDFLC has its ain additions and regulations, the concluding design could work as a PDFLC, PIFLC or a PIDFLC ) depending on the two choice lines sw1 and sw0 ââ¬â ââ¬â , where, sw1sw0= 00, gives PD fuzzy logic accountant, sw1 sw0= 01 gives PI fuzzy logic accountant, and sw1 sw0=0x gives PID fuzzy logic accountant. The chief constituents in the proposed PD fuzzed logic accounta nt are: Input/Output block, Fuzzifier block, illation engine block, and Defuzzifier block.4. Test Bench and Simulation ResultsFor the intent of simulation symmetric triangular fuzzy sets and singleton fuzzy sets with 8 lingual variables have been used for input and end product variable severally, in add-on to govern tabular array of 64 fuzzy regulations. At first, a trial is performed to do certain that the fuzzed illation system used inside the FPGA-based design is working decently This trial is performed to do certain that the fuzzed illation system used inside the FPGA-based accountant ( 6FBC or 8FBC ) is working decently. This trial involves bring forthing control surface utilizing fuzzed sets and regulation tabular array, this trial has been used to do a comparing between both types of FBC with Matlab-based ( MSBC ) , and shows that 8FBC is superior to 6FBC and it ââ¬Ës much close to MSBC. Case Study 1: Second order theoretical account may stand for procedure such as place control of an ac motor [ 7 ] Equation ( 1 ) shows the mathematical works theoretical account, distinct transportation maps of this theoretical account has been obtained utilizing ZOH method, and the selected sampling period ( T ) is 0.52. The values of Kp, Kd, Ki, and Ko used in this trial were selected utilizing test and mistake. The accountant gives action at 0.3 à µs ; when PIDFLC applied for this system, as shown in Fig. 2, 8FBC response is near to the responses utilizing MSBC, with zero mistake and small overshot. The Average differences between MSBC and 6FBC for Step response and control action are -0.0256 and -0.0009 severally, and The Mean differences between MSBC and 8FBC for Step response and control action are -0.0030 and 0.0021 severally, since the 8FBC is superior to 6FBC and its much stopping point to MSBC. Case Study 2: This instance is considered as a particular instance with the proposed design, because of VHDL accepts four mathematical operation merely, add-on, minus, division and generation, since it ââ¬Ës hard to stand for non-linear elements like trigonometric maps. In this instance, a mathematical theoretical account of nonlinear works has been used to prove the proposed accountant with unity feedback control system ; this theoretical account is characterized by Equation ( 2 ) and Equation ( 3 ) . The first order filter on U to bring forth u represents an actuator. Assume the initial conditions y ( 0 ) = 0.1 radians ( = 5.73 deg. ) , y? ( 0 ) = 0, and the initial status for the actuator province is zero. For simulation of the fourth-order, Runge-Kutta method has been used with an integrating measure size of 0.01. Again, this works has been designed utilizing MATLAB package ( for simulation in MATLAB ) , and in non-synthesizable VHDL codification ( for simulation in ModelSim ) . A particular bundle was designed in VHDL codification to implement trigonometric maps and fourth-order Runge-Kutta method which are non available in Quartus II ( or in ISE ) criterion libraries. The values of Kp, Kd, Ki, and Ko used in this trial were selected utilizing test and mistake. The accountant gives action at 0.7 à µs after the input latching. When utilizing nonlinear system for trial, both versions ( 6FBC and 8FBC ) supply by and large good responses though there is some oscillation. ( one mu st non be deceived by the steady province mistake that appears in Figure ( 4 ) , since it represents less than 1 % of the end product scope in the instance of 6FBC and less than 0.5 % of the end product scope, in the instance of 8FBC ) . The absolute mean difference between the nonlinear works response, utilizing MSBC, and the nonlinear works response, utilizing 6FBC, is less than 0.0155. The absolute mean difference between the nonlinear works response, utilizing MSBC, and the nonlinear works response, utilizing 8FBC, is less than 0.0085 as shown in Fig. 3.5. Execution of the Proposed PIDFLCThe proposed PIDFLC has been implemented utilizing Altera DE2 board, this board offers a rich set of characteristics that make it suited for usage in a research lab environment for university and college classs and can used for any design executions, every bit good as for the development of sophisticated digital systems by utilizing hardware description linguistic communication ( HDL ) . All con nexions are made through the Cyclone II 2C35 FPGA device in order to supply maximal flexibleness for the user. Therefore, the user can configure the FPGA to implement any system design.6. DecisionSimulation environments have been built utilizing non-synthesizable VHDL codification for the intent of simulation in ModelSim, and the same design is coded in Matlab for the intent of simulation in Matlab ( MSBC ) . Two version of the accountant has been designed, the first one is 6-bits which uses 6-bits for each input/output variables ( 6FBC ) , while the 2nd uses 8-bits each input/output variables ( 8FBC ) . Two instance surveies have been used in order to prove this accountant. From these consequences, 8FBC is superior to 6FBC and it ââ¬Ës much close to MSBC. The accountant was able to bring forth an end product in 0.3 millisecond ( after input latching ) for additive workss and 0.7 millisecond for nonlinear works. Therefore, the proposed accountant will be able to command systems w ith high trying rate.RecognitionsThe writers would wish to thank foremost, our God, and all UPM staff and all friends who gave us any aid related to this work. Finally, the most thank is to our households and to our states which born us.
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