Affirmative action debate pt2 Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Affirmative action debate pt2 - Thesis Example The enforcement of affirmative action in admission into universities and higher education for those minority groups in the community will act to motivate those oppressed by the discrimination to join in the campaign for its implementation and to work even harder in school. Children of immigrant parents and children from poor families will benefit from the affirmative action. Awareness creation campaigns can be carried out through the media and at the local government level to ensure that the minority groups understand how they can benefit from the action and can therefore support the debate of implementing this action in all institutions of higher education. There has been existing stereotypes that only whites are high achievers and the elites of the US society. This has been majorly because the other races have not been having equal access to higher education equally as the white people. If affirmative action is enforced therefore, this will soon change and the stereotypes will be abolished. One way of ensuring this is by having the stereotyped races sign petitions for the implementation of this policy. If the signatures are more, the policy can be passed to be a law for all states and all institutions of higher learning. In most employment sectors (especially the prestigious jobs), there is domination by certain genders only and the other minority gender (mostly women) are crowded in lesser positions of authority. This has been the case because fewer women have been accessing certain causes in universities and colleges which may lead them to authority positions in the job market. Most women are concentrated in art courses, home economics and secretarial courses, whereas men are in the managerial and science courses. If affirmative action is present in admission into these institutions, there can be an equal number of men and women in certain professionals hence reducing the discrimination and

Phar-Mor Fraud Essay Example for Free

Phar-Mor Fraud Essay Phar-Mor, Inc was a thriving discount grocery store in the late 1980’s. Phar-Mor was moving product quickly but profit margins were not significant enough to pay the bills. By the early 1990’s, Phar-Mor declared bankruptcy due to fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of assets, making it one of the largest frauds in U.S. history. Below, we will use auditing standard AU 316.85 Appendix A in conjunction with the video â€Å"How to Steal $500 million† to analyze how incentives/pressures, opportunities, and attitudes/rationalizations allowed for fraud to start and continue at Phar-Mor. Incentives/Pressures Annual reoccurring losses due to small margins put pressure on the CFO and controller to divide the overall loss incurred by Phar-Mor upon each of the individual stores, making the dollar amount of loss per store appear much less material than the millions actually incurred. Phar-Mor’s threat of facing bankruptcy was an incentive for the president, CFO, accounting manager and controller to find ways to â€Å"cook the books†, such as overstating the price of inventory. Each character involved had significant incentive and felt a lot of pressure to allow the fraud to continue. At one part in the documentary, the controller for Phar-Mor even stated that he, â€Å"feared physical harm,† should he not go along with the fraud. It was the president, who was the one who initially decided not to post the losses, but told his CFO and controller to hide the company’s losses in a separate subledger while continuing to tell the CEO and board members that the company was in good financial standing. The president felt significant pressure as the business model was his, and the simple notion of pride can sometimes propel people to do the wrong thing. Appendix A.2 of AU 316 lists several factors that incentivize and pressure employees into committing fraud. It states that if â€Å"Financial stability or profitability is threatened by economic, industry, or entity operating conditions,† one may be more inclined to perpetrate fraud. Obviously, all those involved realized that Phar-Mor would not be able to remain in business should they report the losses. In an industry as highly competitive as the discount grocery/retail business, declining margins are a death sentence. Appendix A.2 also states that if â€Å"Excessive pressure exists for management to meet the requirements or expectations of third parties,† there will be more incentive to purposely misstate transactions/reports. In the case with Phar-Mor, management not only felt pressure from an upcoming IPO (which will be analyzed in the subsequent paragraph), but also from vendors who sold products at Phar-Mor. If the vendors knew that Phar-Mor was experiencing losses too big to recoup, they would pull their line from Phar-Mor locations and that would spell the end to Phar-Mor. Another incentive/pressure described in Appendix A.2 states that the company may be committing fraud if â€Å"Information available indicates that management or the board of directors’ personal financial situation is threatened by the entity’s financial performance.† In the midst of the substantial misstatements that were being done by Phar-Mor management, the company was preparing an IPO, from which upper-management, namely the president and CEO, were set to make millions. This was a strong incentive to allow the fraud to continue. Most associated with the fraud never meant to start it, but they never did anything to stop it until they were about to get caught. Once they started following orders from the president, they were under increased pressure to continue covering up the fraud or risk being harmed, financially or physically. Personal financial obligations of those involved in the fraud allowed for them to justify the misappropriation of assets. Opportunities When the CFO informed the president that Phar-Mor was in the red, Phar-Mor’s president knew of ways to fraudulently report the losses on the financial statements and misappropriate the assets. A trusting board of directors and no internal audit committee allowed fraudulent financial statements to be reported for many years. The organizational structure of Phar-Mor was ineffective and lacked many control activities including: segregation of duties, authorization, documentary and IT controls. As a result, Phar-Mor’s president had a stronghold on certain upper level management and executives which gave him the opportunity to control the fraud and hide it from other members of the organization and supposedly Phar-Mor’s auditors, Coopers and Lybrand LLP. Phar-Mor was a large grocery story and had thousands of inventory items on hand at each store which processed significant amounts of cash each day. The organizational structure of Phar-Mor allowed for inadequate and fraudulent recording keeping of assets as well as authorization and approval of purchasing transactions. Phar-Mor’s IT system of event logs was not robust enough to see which transactions had been modified, deleted or created, which allowed Phar-Mor to overstate the value of inventory. Appendix A.2 also lists several factors that could provide opportunities for management/employees to commit fraud. One factor that could lead to fraud is if, â€Å"There is ineffective monitoring of management as a result of: domination of management by a single person or small group without compensating controls.† The auditors should have taken notice of the lack of controls and segregation of duties with respect to Phar-Mor’s president. He had far too much control and was able to perform his duties without any internal controls to limit his ability to affect the financial statements. The Appendix also states that fraud opportunities could arise if â€Å"Internal controls components are deficient as a result of: inadequate monitoring of controls.† Obviously in the case of Phar-Mor, the internal controls were deficient. The monitoring of controls was woefully inadequate which allowed for the president and others to continue perpetrating the fraud for years. One of the reasons that Phar-Mor was able to commit such a substantial amount of fraud for as long as it did was its business model was highly unique and perhaps not well understood. The more â€Å"complex† a company is, and the harder it is to understand, the easier it will be for said company to commit fraud. The CFO, accounting manager, and controller were all presented with â€Å"opportunities† to perpetrate the fraud, simply due to the fact that the president himself instructed them to misstate the financial statements, or simply â€Å"go along with it.† However, it was the lack of internal controls that provided the opportunity for the president to initiate the fraud in the first place. Attitudes/Rationalizations As noted in Appendix A of AU 316, the â€Å"risk factors reflective of attitudes/rationalizations by board members, management, or employees, that allow them to engage in and/or justify fraudulent financial reporting, may not be susceptible to observation by the auditor. Nevertheless, the auditor who becomes aware of the existence of such information should consider it in identifying the risks of material misstatement arising from fraudulent financial reporting.† It would be hard for any auditor to identify any members of management or employees who may be rationalizing their involvement in an act of fraud. As stated in the video, Phar-Mor’s external auditors said their job is to be a watch dog, not a bloodhound, in reference to finding misstatements in the reported assets or financial statements. However, the documentary was able to shed light on the many different rationalizations made by those involved with the fraud at Phar-Mor. Phar-Mor’s president and those associated with the fraud made plenty of rationalizations to continue justifying material misstatements on the financial statements and misappropriating company assets. When employees make rationalizations related to committing fraud, an auditor will have a hard time detecting the fraud because the employee will do everything in their power not to get caught. In Phar-Mor’s case, when a group of employees with so much power and authority in the company collaborate to commit fraud, an auditor will have an even lower chance of detecting the fraud At the onset of the fraud it was initially rationalized by those involved because according to them, they were just â€Å"buying time† and eventually they would be able to improve efficiency and all would be well. Also, while the first misstatements made by the president/CFO were illegal, they were initially made on an internal document, so Phar-Mor was in essence only, â€Å"lying to its owners†. As time went on, several of those involved still felt that there were ways to fix the problem, but eventually it got to the point where most realized that it was a lost cause. Conclusion The president of Phar-Mor instilled a very negative â€Å"tone at the top† which trickled down to his direct reports. His attitude and disregard for internal controls by continually overriding transactions scared the employees involved with the fraud. Most importantly, he never wanted to correct the overridden controls, digging the fraud hole bigger and bigger every year. Even when he knew Phar-Mor was in financial trouble he continued to use company money to fund his personal investments such as LPGA events and the World Basketball League. The president’s lavish lifestyle created an illusion to investors, creditors, and customers that Phar-Mor was doing well financially. He bullied suppliers into giving him a certain amount of product for a lower price per unit, as well as large sums of money in order not to sell a certain competitors products. He would then misstate the actual price of inventory by increasing the cost and use the difference, plus the extra money given by suppliers, to pay expenses. The documentary makes the point that our society likes that our entrepreneurs are inherent risk takers. However, there is a fine line between an aggressive, calculated risk taker and an irresponsible gambler. It is incumbent upon an auditor to determine whether individuals in management positions have crossed that line in order to fully assess the fraud risk associated with a company. In the case of Phar-Mor we fully opine that the company’s president acted irresponsibly and crossed the line with regards to legality and risk. We also believe that it was incumbent upon the CEO, CFO, account manager, and controller to correct any misstatements and put an end to any fraudulent/illegal activity as soon as they became aware the fraud was occurring. An auditor’s consideration of fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of assets happens throughout every audit. Using the three risk factors stated above (incentives/pressures, opportunities, and attitudes/rationalizations), an auditor will assess the risk for each job accordingly. The auditors of Cooper and Lybrand LLP did not do a thorough job in assessing the amount of risk Phar-Mor’s financial statements were materially misstated or assets were misappropriated. Using horizontal and vertical analyses, the auditors should have modified their planning and audit procedures to further investigate large increases in certain accounts which could have detected fraudulent transactions much sooner.

Burns :: essays research papers

Burns Epidemiology: US – 2M seek serious burns  70k require hospitalizations, 5k die Usually caused by careless and ignorance, nearly half are smoking or alcohol -related. Goal: well healed durable skin with normal function and near-normal appearance. Pathology Cutaneous burns – caused primarily by the application of heat to the skin resulting in coagulative necrosis of some or all of the epidermis and dermis. Depth of burn – depends on heat of the burn source, thickness of the skin, duration of contact, and the blood flow. Classifications: Shallow burns †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First Degree – involve only the epidermis; no blisters; painful and erythematous due to dermal vasodilation; erythema and pain subsides in 2-3 days; desquamation occurs in day 4 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Superficial Dermal Burns (Second Degree) - include the upper layer of the dermis; form blisters at the interface of the epidermis and dermis; when blisters are removed, wound is pink and wet, and currents of air passing over it cause pain; wound is hypersensitive and blanches with pressure; if without infection, spontaneous healing in 5% TBSA in any age group 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Electrical burns including lightning injury 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chemical injury 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inhalation injury 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns of any size in patients with pre-existing medical disorders that could complicate management, prolong recovery, or affect mortality 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns with concomitant mechanical trauma (e.g. fractures) where the burn injury poses the greatest risk of morbidity and mortality 10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns in children if there are no qualified personnel or equipment for pediatric care at the initial hospital 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns in patients requiring special social, emotional, and/or long-term rehabilitative support, including cases of suspected child abuse, substance abuse, etc Emergency Care Airway – initial attention must be directed to this; if patient is rescued from a burning building or exposed to a smoky fire, place on 100% oxygen by tight-fitting mask; if patient unconscious, place ET tube attached to a source of 100% oxygen Once airway is secured, assess patient for other injuries and transport to the nearest hospital. Begin fluid administration of crystalloid solution at a rate of approximately 1L/h. Wrap patient in clean sheet, remove constricting clothing and jewelries. Cold application is used in smaller burns, particularly scalds. Ice should not be used. Assessment of Inhalational Injury - suspect for patients with a flame burn, esp in enclosed space. Hoarseness and expiratory wheezes are signs of potentially serious airway edema or smoke poisoning; inspect mouth for swelling, blisters, soot; copious mucus production and carbonaceous sputum are signs of smoke inhalation and other products of combustion; get ABGs and carboxyhemoglobin levels (if >1, smoke inhalation) Burns :: essays research papers Burns Epidemiology: US – 2M seek serious burns  70k require hospitalizations, 5k die Usually caused by careless and ignorance, nearly half are smoking or alcohol -related. Goal: well healed durable skin with normal function and near-normal appearance. Pathology Cutaneous burns – caused primarily by the application of heat to the skin resulting in coagulative necrosis of some or all of the epidermis and dermis. Depth of burn – depends on heat of the burn source, thickness of the skin, duration of contact, and the blood flow. Classifications: Shallow burns †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First Degree – involve only the epidermis; no blisters; painful and erythematous due to dermal vasodilation; erythema and pain subsides in 2-3 days; desquamation occurs in day 4 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Superficial Dermal Burns (Second Degree) - include the upper layer of the dermis; form blisters at the interface of the epidermis and dermis; when blisters are removed, wound is pink and wet, and currents of air passing over it cause pain; wound is hypersensitive and blanches with pressure; if without infection, spontaneous healing in 5% TBSA in any age group 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Electrical burns including lightning injury 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chemical injury 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Inhalation injury 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns of any size in patients with pre-existing medical disorders that could complicate management, prolong recovery, or affect mortality 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns with concomitant mechanical trauma (e.g. fractures) where the burn injury poses the greatest risk of morbidity and mortality 10.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns in children if there are no qualified personnel or equipment for pediatric care at the initial hospital 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burns in patients requiring special social, emotional, and/or long-term rehabilitative support, including cases of suspected child abuse, substance abuse, etc Emergency Care Airway – initial attention must be directed to this; if patient is rescued from a burning building or exposed to a smoky fire, place on 100% oxygen by tight-fitting mask; if patient unconscious, place ET tube attached to a source of 100% oxygen Once airway is secured, assess patient for other injuries and transport to the nearest hospital. Begin fluid administration of crystalloid solution at a rate of approximately 1L/h. Wrap patient in clean sheet, remove constricting clothing and jewelries. Cold application is used in smaller burns, particularly scalds. Ice should not be used. Assessment of Inhalational Injury - suspect for patients with a flame burn, esp in enclosed space. Hoarseness and expiratory wheezes are signs of potentially serious airway edema or smoke poisoning; inspect mouth for swelling, blisters, soot; copious mucus production and carbonaceous sputum are signs of smoke inhalation and other products of combustion; get ABGs and carboxyhemoglobin levels (if >1, smoke inhalation)

Rene Descartes Essay

Rene Descartes is one of the most influential thinkers in the history of modern Western philosophy. Not only did he contribute significantly in the area of mathematics and physics, but he also created a systematic approach to philosophy that is still followed today. During his time, he rejected much of the Aristotelian traditions of the medieval age and took philosophy in a new direction, attempting to integrate it with the sciences that were just beginning to come into their own. He also contributed to the theological discussion by studying the nature of God cosmologically and ontologically in his work Meditations. When one first reads Meditations on the First Philosophy: In Which the Existence of God and the Distinction Between Mind and Body are Demonstrated by Descartes, being aware of his reputation for being the â€Å"Father of Modern Philosophy,† and his claim to have arrived at a method of gaining knowledge about the world which had the same kind of certainty as knowledge of mathematics, they may be initially disappointed because of his refusal to completely abandon religious thought in favor of humanist ideology. In the Preface to Meditations Descartes states his aim is to explain the nature of the human soul and demonstrate the existence of God. To demonstrate the latter, Descartes presents multiple proofs of God’s existence, the cosmological and the ontological arguments. Descartes cosmological argument as to the existence of God first comes to light in the third part of Meditations and begins and ends with the existence of God as the initial cause of everything, including human reason capable of ideation of different realities. Following his maxim â€Å"Cogito ergo sum,† which translates into â€Å"I think, therefore I am,† Descartes begins with himself as existing, with existence perfect, and his existence caused by something. According to Descartes: â€Å"In order that an idea may contain this objective reality rather than that, it must doubtless derive it from some cause in which is found at least as much formal reality as the idea contains of objective; for, if we suppose that there is found in an idea anything which was not in its cause, it must of course derive this from nothing† (Med.  III, par. 14). Though Descartes can know himself, and he can know of perfection, even believing himself to be perfect, he is not perfect and could not be the cause of himself. To him, only God as a perfect being can truly possess infinite knowledge of perfection. As he states: â€Å"Although my knowledge increase more and more, nevertheless I am not, therefore, induced to think that it will ever be actually infinite, since it can never reach that point beyond which it shall be incapable of further increase† (Med. III, par. 27). As his knowledge of perfection is limited, and God is perfect, his idea that God is perfect is only possible if God preceded the idea and made it possible. Descartes follows causation from his existence back through the reasons for it, from his parents, to their parents, and so on, finally concluding that at the beginning there must be God, as only nothing can come from nothing. While Descartes’ cosmological proof that God exists relies on causality for its foundation, in part five of Meditations he also provides ontological proof to back it up. Descartes’ ontological argument takes a markedly different approach than his cosmological proof of God’s existence. Descartes’ ontological argument begins with his idea of God as being a perfect being of infinite substance as put forth in the third part of Meditations: â€Å"the idea by which I conceive a God [sovereign], eternal, infinite, [immutable], all-knowing, all-powerful, and the creator of all things that are out of himself, this, I say, has certainly in it more objective reality than those ideas by which finite substances are represented† (Med.  III, par. 13). To Descartes, objective reality is more perfect than ideas about reality, and because his idea of God is that He is a perfect being that nothing more perfect can possibly be imagined, he must be more real than any of his nonexistent thoughts. In essence, Descartes logical argument for his ontological proof of God’s existence is that he can experience the idea of God as a the most perfect being, existence is part of God’s essence and His existence is more perfect than human thoughts about it, so therefore God exists in reality as the most perfect being: â€Å"because I cannot conceive God unless as existing, it follows that existence is inseparable from him, and therefore that he really exists†¦the necessity of the existence of God, determines me to think in this way: for it is not in my power to conceive a God without existence, that is, a being supremely perfect, and yet devoid of an absolute perfection† (Med. V, par. 10). As the essence of Descartes’ idea of God is existence, much as having three sides is the essence of a triangle, God exists. While Descartes presupposes the perfection of existence and the idea that God is the most perfect being, his ontological argument fails to provide the sound reasoning as his cosmological one and speaks more of his Catholic assumptions than his intellectual emphasis on reason. Descartes arguments for the existence of God are born from equal parts philosophy and religion. While this could largely be explained by Descartes’ Catholicism, it might be equal parts of his realization that any potential thought that contradicted the Church would be met with punishment. The Mediations were published just a few years after Galileo was accused of heresy during the Inquisition for supporting the Copernican view of the solar system, in which the earth revolved around the sun, rather than the Ptolemaic view, in which the sun moves around the earth. Descartes even makes reference to his treatise on natural sciences in Part 5 of the Discourse, but in Part 6 specifically says he decided not publish it because of the condemnation of Galileo. With emphasis on proving the existence of God, Descartes assured himself protection from such persecution imposed on Galileo and other scientists and philosophers considered heretical, but also presented two arguments for it of varied questionability. The cosmological argument put forth by Descartes has far more credibility philosophically than his ontological argument. While a Catholic philosopher trying to prove the existence of God, it is impossible to expect atheistic indifference concerning the subject, but the ontological proof requires far more faith than the cosmological argument, which relies more on reason. The cosmological argument, rather than presupposing the perfection of existence and therefore the perfection of God as a perfect being that exists, questions the causality that brought Descartes to the point of even being able to question the existence of God in the first place. Through reason, he is able to deduce that there must be a cause for his thought, his life, his parents, the world, and all of existence, and seeks to trace the origins back to the beginning. While scientists and philosophers today would trace it back to the big bang or a cyclical theory of existence, Descartes only had knowledge of God to explain the origins of existence. The cosmological argument is one that had origins long before Descartes and continued to be posed long after him. Descartes ontological argument is far less convincing than his cosmological argument. He asks that too many presuppositions be made to justify accepting the existence of God. Instead of following with a line of thought that establishes human reason as the unshakable foundation of existence, Descartes asserts that a good God could not possibly deceive, and that therefore humans could confidently accept all the perceptions which the method of doubt had just led humans, including Descartes, to challenge. This begs the question that if the arguments for the existence of God are not valid, than will the whole system collapse? It also asks that existence be considered perfect, though provides little justification for this claim, while contradictorily offering gradations of perfection as a thing in itself. The cosmological question that examines the causality of existence and leads to the proof of God is far more convincing than the ontological argument that lacks its scientific and philosophical reasoning. For Descartes, God is the justification for accepting the evidence of human senses. But in practice very few people ever doubt the evidence of their senses. Even though reality can be warped by senses, which can often mislead, it is only discovered when reflecting on other evidence from the senses. By using his reason to argue for the existence of God, Descartes showed that faith needed not be the only tool used in the matter. His cosmological argument is far stronger than his ontological one, for the universe and everything in it must have started somehow, whether God or a prime mover. The ontological argument that proves the existence of God merely because humans can conceive of Him is not as strong, because the richness of imagination can create countless things that are not real outside of the mind. Even in recent years, as scientific discovery uncovers the Big Bang billions of years ago, Descartes’ cosmological argument still holds up, as God may have been the initial cause for the bang and all that followed.

Wired and Wireless Networks

Wired and Wireless, What’s the Difference? The main difference between a wired and wireless data communication infrastructure is the existence of physical cabling. The same or similar techniques are employed for both types of data communication infrastructure in terms of the core elements of essential network services. The basic difference between a wired and a wireless network is self-explanatory. A wired network uses wires to communicate whereas a wireless network uses radio waves. Another difference and how one technology gets an edge over the other. Wired networks are easy to set up and troubleshoot where wireless networks are comparatively difficult to set up, maintain, and troubleshoot. Wired networks make you immobile while wireless ones provide you with convenience of movement. A third difference, wired networks prove expensive when covering a large area because of the wiring and cabling while wireless networks do not involve this cost. Wired networks have better transmission speeds than wireless ones. In a wired network, user does not have to share space with other users and thus gets dedicated speeds while in wireless networks, the same connection may be shared by multiple users. One of the most common questions we have to answer on a daily basis is the difference between wired and wireless networks. Wired is the communication between two devices via cables. Wireless is the communication between two devices without cables. Now, is it that simple? Each method of networking has its own pros and cons. Wireless networks do not use any form of cable. The transmission of data occurs over radio waves just like cordless phones or the Bluetooth headset that came with that phone you purchased . There are many advantages, but the major advantage of having a wireless device is the mobility and freedom that comes with it. There is less clutter and fewer wires to worry about. But, you sacrifice in most cases on speed and security. Wired networks on the other hand have been around for some time now. Officially known today as the Ethernet, the cables usually connect these devices using CAT5 cables. The speed and security in this scenario are greatly enhanced. The latest Ethernet routers can support up to 1000Mb/s or a Gigabit/second, that’s ten times faster than the widely used 100 Mb/s router. However the overall cost of a wired network is lower and provides high performance and better security than wireless networks. As home users, wireless networks have become the choice. A wireless network saves your time and efforts in installing a lot of cables. Also, if you need to relocate a client machine in your office, you only need to move the computer with wireless network. Wireless networking is very useful in the public places, libraries, hotels, schools, airports, train stations. A drawback in the wireless internet is that quality of service, it is not guaranteed if there is any interference. Then the connection may be dropped. Wireless local area networks allow users in local area, such as in a university or a library to join a network and gain wireless access to the internet. A temporary network can be formed by a small number of users without the need of access points. Service Set Identifier acts a simple password by allowing WLAN network to be split up into different networks and each having a unique identifier. These identifiers are configured in multiple access points. To access any of the networks, a computer is configured in such a way that each is having a corresponding identifier for that network. If they match between the two computers or networks then access is granted. This is a good security method but it is mainly involved in the small wireless networks because there is more manual work is involved, entering the MAC address into the Access point. Wireless networking is very popular in home networking and more than 20 percent of homes with broadband internet are using wireless networks and this number is increasing. In a general estimate worldwide hotspots have now reached more than 30,000 and will grow about 210,000 in the next few years. Most large hotels already offer Wi-Fi and the business travelers are willing to pay for the wireless access. 802. 11 is the next Wi-Fi speed standard. It is set to offer bandwidth around 108Mbps and is still under development. With the speed of 70 Mbps and a range up to 30 miles, the 802. 1 standard, known as Wimax is sure to give a boost to wireless networking. The term wireless networking refers to technology that enables two or more computers to communicate using standard network protocols, but without network cabling. Any technology that does this could be called wireless networking. This technology, fueled by the emergence of cross-vendor industry standards such as IEEE 802. 11, has pro duced a number of affordable wireless solutions that are growing in popularity with business and schools as well as sophisticated applications where network wiring is impossible, such as in warehousing or point-of-sale handheld equipment. An ad-hoc, or peer-to-peer wireless network consists of a number of computers each equipped with a wireless networking interface card. Each computer can communicate directly with all of the other wireless enabled computers. They can share files and printers this way, but may not be able to access wired LAN resources, unless one of the computers acts as a bridge to the wired LAN using special software. Each computer with a wireless interface can communicate directly with all of the others. A wireless network can also use an access point, or base station. In this type of network the access point acts like a hub, providing connectivity for the wireless computers. It can connect (or â€Å"bridge†) the wireless LAN to a wired LAN, allowing wireless computer access to LAN resources, such as file servers or existing Internet Connectivity. That’s the different between wired and wireless network. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. http://computer. howstuffworks. com/home-network2. htm 2. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Wireless_network 3. http://www. broadbandbuddy. com. au/wireless-broadband/wireless-networks-vs-wired-networks

Earn an Online Certificate From an A-List School

Earn an Online Certificate From an A-List School Did you know that you could earn a certificate from Harvard, Stanford, or Cornell without leaving your house and without having to meet rigorous enrollment requirements? Several prestigious schools offer open-enrollment distance learning certificate programs targeted to working professionals that dont have time for lengthy residencies. The coursework can be challenging. However, a certificate from a prestigious school can make your resume stand out from the crowd.Consider these certificate programs:​Stanford – Stanford offers a variety professional and graduate certificate programs that may be completed through distance learning. Many of the distance learning courses must be completed by watching live video broadcasts through the internet. Some of the science and technology based professional certificates such as the Computer Security Certificate Program (off-site link) may be earned in just a few hours online. This can be a particularly quick way to get formal recognit ion for skills you already have. Harvard - Through the Harvard Extension School, students can choose from dozens of distance learning courses each semester and even earn a graduate certificate by taking a series of five courses in a particular field. Certificates in sustainability, strategic management, web technologies, and religious studies education may be earned completely online.Cornell – eCornells distance learning website offers certificates in over twenty different subjects and five fields including Leadership and Strategic Management, Financial Management, Management Skills, Human Resources, and Hospitality and Foodservice Management. Some certificates such as the Financial Management Certificate (off-site link) ask students to complete as few as four courses. Others require more.Earning a distance learning certificate can be an effective way to improve your resume and your skills. Dont forget to mention it at your next job interview.

Natural Acid and Base Indicators

Natural Acid and Base Indicators There are many common household products and garden plants that can be used as pH indicators. Most plants contain pH-sensitive anthocyanins, making them perfect for testing acid and base levels. Many of these natural pH indicators exhibit a broad range of colors. Plants You Can Use to Test pH Levels The natural world has given us numerous plants, from beets to grapes to onions, that can be used to test the pH levels of a solution. These natural pH indicators include: Beets:  A very basic solution (high pH) will change the color of beets or beet juice from red to purple.Blackberries:  Blackberries, black currants, and black raspberries change from red in an acidic environment to blue or violet in a basic environment.Blueberries:  Blueberries are blue around pH 2.8-3.2, but turn red as the solution becomes even more acidic.Cherries:  Cherries and their juice are red in an acidic solution, but turn blue to purple in a basic solution.Curry Powder:  Curry contains the pigment curcumin, which changes from yellow at pH 7.4 to red at pH 8.6.Delphinium Petals:  The anthocyanin delphinin changes from bluish-red in an acidic solution to violet-blue in a basic solution.Geranium Petals:  Geraniums contain the anthocyanin pelargonin, which changes from orange-red in an acidic solution to blue in a basic solution.Grapes:  Red and purple grapes contain multiple anthocyanins. Blue grapes contain a monoglucoside of malvinidin, which changes from de ep red in an acidic solution to violet in a basic solution. Horse Chestnut Leaves:  Soak horse chestnut leaves in alcohol to extract the fluorescent dye esculin. Esculin is colorless at pH 1.5 but becomes fluorescent blue at pH 2. Get the best effect by shining a black light on the indicator.Morning Glories:  Morning glories contain a pigment known as heavenly blue anthocyanin, which changes from purplish-red at pH 6.6 to blue at pH 7.7.Onion:  Onions are olfactory indicators. You dont smell onions in strongly basic solutions. Red onion also changes from pale red in an acidic solution to green in a basic solution.Petunia Petals:  The anthocyanin petunin changes from reddish-purple in an acidic solution to violet in a basic solution.Poison Primrose: Primula sinensis has orange or blue flowers. The orange flowers contain a mixture of pelargonins. The blue flowers contain malvin, which turns from red to purple as a solution goes from acidic to basic.Purple Peonies:  Peonin changes from reddish-purple or magenta in an acidic solution to deep purple in a basic solution. Red (Purple) Cabbage:  Red cabbage contains a mixture of pigments used to indicate a wide pH range.Rose Petals:  The oxonium salt of cyanin turns from red to blue in a basic solution.Turmeric:  This spice contains a yellow pigment, curcumin, which changes from yellow at pH 7.4 to red at pH 8.6. Household Chemicals That Are pH Indicators If you dont have any of the materials above at hand, you can also use some common household chemicals to test pH levels. These include: Baking Soda:  Baking soda will fizz when added to an acidic solution such as vinegar, but will not fizz in an alkaline solution. The reaction doesnt readily reverse itself, so while baking soda can be used to test a solution, it cant be reused.Color-Changing Lipstick:  Youll need to test your color-changing lipstick to determine its pH range, but most cosmetics that change color respond to changes in pH (these are different from cosmetics that change color according to the angle of light).ExLax Tablets:  These tablets contain phenolphthalein, which is a pH indicator that is colorless in solutions more acidic than pH 8.3 and pink to deep red in solutions more basic than pH 9.Vanilla Extract:  Vanilla extract is an olfactory indicator. You cant smell the characteristic scent at high pHs  because the molecule is in its ionic form.Washing Soda:  As with baking soda, washing soda fizzes in an acidic solution but not in a basic solution.

Make Your Own Flash Paper (Nitrocellulose)

Make Your Own Flash Paper (Nitrocellulose) If youre a chemistry enthusiast with an interest in fire or history (or both), you probably ought to know how to make your own nitrocellulose. Nitrocellulose is also known as guncotton or flashpaper, depending on its intended purpose. Magicians and illusionists use flash paper for a fire special effect. The exact same material is called guncotton and may be used as a propellant for firearms and rockets. Nitrocellulose was used as a film base for movies and x-rays. It may be mixed with acetone to make nitrocellulose lacquer, which was used on automobiles, aircraft, and musical instruments. One unsuccessful use of nitrocellulose was to make faux ivory billiard balls. The camphored nitrocellulose (celluloid) balls would sometimes explode upon impact, producing a sound much like that of a gunshot. As you might imagine, this didnt go over well in gunslinger saloons with pool tables. Its unlikely you will want to make your own exploding billiard balls, but you might want to try nitrocellulose as a model rocket propellant, as flash paper, or as a lacquer base. Nitrocellulose is extremely easy to make, but be sure to read through the instructions carefully before proceeding. As far as safety goes: Any protocol which involves strong acids should be performed by qualified persons wearing proper safety gear. Nitrocellulose cannot be stored for long periods of time, as it gradually decomposes into a flammable powder or goo (which is why many old films have not survived to the present day). Nitrocellulose has a low autoignition temperature, so keep it away from heat or flame (until you are ready to activate it). It does not require oxygen to burn, so once it ignites you cannot put out the fire with water. With all that in mind, heres how you make it. Key Takeaways: Make Nitrocellulose or Flash Paper Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable polymer. It is also known as flash paper, guncotton, or flash string.All you need to do to make nitrocellulose is treat cellulose with nitric acid or any other strong nitrating agent. The cellulose can come from paper, cotton, wood, or other plant matter.Nitrocellulose was first made by Alexander Parkes in 1862. This was the first man-made plastic, which was named Parkesine.While useful as a plastic, nitrocellulose is equally popular for its flammability. Flash paper burns almost instantaneously and leaves no ash residue. Nitrocellulose Materials Christian Friedrich Schà ¶nbeins procedure has been widely used. It calls for 1 part cotton to 15 parts acid. concentrated nitric acidconcentrated sulfuric acidcotton balls (almost pure cellulose) Nitrocellulose Preparation Chill the acids below 0 °C.In a fume hood, mix equal parts nitric and sulfuric acid in a beaker.Drop cotton balls into the acid. You can tamp them down using a glass stirring rod. Dont use metal.Allow the nitration reaction to proceed for about 15 minutes (Schà ¶nbeins time was 2 minutes), then run cold tap water into the beaker to dilute the acid. Allow the water to run for a while.Turn off the water and add a bit of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to the beaker. The sodium bicarbonate will bubble as it neutralizes the acid.Using a glass rod or gloved finger, swirl around the cotton and add more sodium bicarbonate. You can rinse with more water. Continue adding sodium bicarbonate and washing the nitrated cotton until bubbling is no longer observed. Careful removal of the acid will greatly enhance the stability of the nitrocellulose.Rinse the nitrated cellulose with tap water and allow it to dry in a cool location. Shreds of nitrocellulose will burst into flame if exposed to the heat of a burner or a match. It doesnt take much (either heat or nitrocellulose), so dont get carried away! If you want actual flash paper, you can nitrate ordinary paper (which is primarily cellulose) in the same manner as cotton. Chemistry of Making Nitrocellulose Nitrating cellulose proceeds as nitric acid and cellulose react to produce cellulose nitrate and water. 3HNO3 C6H10O5 → C6H7(NO2)3O5 3H2O Sulfuric acid is not required to nitrate the cellulose, but it acts as a catalyst to produce the nitronium ion, NO2. The first order reaction proceeds via electrophilic substitution at the C-OH centers of the cellulose molecules.

Module 5 case assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 5 case - Assignment Example The new strategies aim at eliminating promotion of products and focuses on selling the recognized brands. The promotion based pricing strategy was initially adopted by the company but latter the company undertook mark-up pricing strategy which made room for promotional discounts. However, the new everyday pricing strategy helped the company to set prices at a lower range and eliminated the need for higher sales price. There are several changes in the pricing structure of the company as the prices no longer ended in decimal number such as $9.99 etc rather whole figures are used for the products. The price tags of the products employed only one price and did not print the retailing price of the manufacturers. This trend of printing the retailing price in the product provided greater comparison pertaining to the amount of product that should be sold. The retailer has made important changes in assorting merchandise (Hess, 2011). The company focused on its mini-stores within larger ones and evaluated that the mini-stores are selling higher than the larger one. The new pricing strategy never gained any attention and thus it is unsuccessful in making any change to the situation. The consumers are not happy with the pricing strategies and the sales of the company declined steadily as time passed. The company encountered a loss of $3.3 billion in the first year of sales of Johnson plan. The amount increased as it approached the second year. The annual revenue of the company in 2011 declined 25% a sharp decline after 1987 (Henricks, 2010). As a result of the decline the CEO announced that the company will not use the everyday pricing strategy anymore and would return to the previous coupons and discounts and would focus on advertised sales (Henricks, 2010; Hill, 2010). 1) Everyday pricing is not correctly executed by the company as it sells many products and does not concentrate on a unique one. Everyday pricing is

Ethical Dilemmas Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical Dilemmas - Assignment Example Due to her experience and her reputation on evaluation, Fiona is the best person to deal with the case as she will combine her prowess with the interests of her department and come up with a sound decision. Ethical behavior is not so much a matter of following principles as of balancing competing principles (Stake & Mabry, 1998). I would ensure that ethical values are observed and that they are balanced with the commissioner’s goals. I would critically assess the Human services program, how funds are used, whether there are areas where funds were wasted and if some projects are not benefitting the program. I would then moderate the usage of funds in the projects, ensure that all the resources are used effectively, and get rid of projects that are not important to the program. As a result, I would have cut back on the meaningless projects, retained useful projects, and ensured that there was effective use of resources. Fiona’s benefits after the evaluation process include job security during the commissioner’s period in office. There may also be other advantages such as salary increments and more jobs from the commissioner’s office. She will also able to make decisions based on her principles and the needs of the branch even if she is expected to cut back on the budget eventually. The implications include judgment from her team who may think that she is being influenced when making decisions. They may not trust her decisions in future. She will also start questioning her principles and wondering if she made the right decision. The agency shall benefit because its most urgent needs shall be met during the budget cuts. However, program cuts may lead to the loss of jobs because it may get rid of some projects that would have been important to the program in the long

Health Administarion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Health Administarion - Essay Example Identifying ones intentions in a way to ensure â€Å"what one has to say goes along with what one wants to accomplish in the communication plan† (Booher, 2007; p.11). After this, one should identify the message addressees. When the audience is known, it becomes a little easier when planning a communication plan this is because different audiences require different messages. The next thing to consider is the message, where one should check on the content in regard to the audience, the ambiance one wants to create for the audience, the language which should match that of the audience and lastly the channel to be used in the communication which should be placed where the audience is likely to come across it (Booher, 2007; p.19). A good communication plan will take into consideration the resources to be used which should be reasonable. If one is going to spend money or any other form of resource, one should ensure that the plan will be worth the expense. The fifth thing is that one must always be ready for any mistake that should occur which could cost in plan for effective communication (Booher 31). What follows is the creation of media representatives to help in conveying the messages. Of importance is also preparation of a plan of action that entails spreading of the message. The last thing to do is to gauge the plan so that one can make changes as they arise. In this way miscommunication will be

Social and Cultural Impact on the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro Essay

Social and Cultural Impact on the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro - Essay Example â€Å"Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil is home to the world's most famous carnival, and what many people consider to be the world's biggest and best party. The basis of Rio’s Carnival is the samba schools, which social clubs are named after the famous Brazilian samba dance† (Richard 2011). Samba schools are found in various places of Rio de Janeiro, and competition between them is fierce. Members work all through the year to make the best floats, themes, costumes, and dance performances. â€Å"Education and rehabilitation are among the primary responsibilities that these samba schools undertake† (About Rio Samba Schools: Understand Overview of Samba Schools 2011). During the four day carnival, schools parade and struggle against each other in the Sambadrome, a building that can hold nearly 60,000 spectators. Millions of people get involved in merry making all through the city, especially on Rio's famous beaches, Copacabana and Ipanema. â€Å"Rio de Janeiro and the carn ival the two attractions are inseparable. Although the carnival in Rio is very commercial nowadays, it still is the carnival in Brazil, even though there are more authentic celebrations held elsewhere. Five days of samba and partying make the event as famous over the world as the World Cup or Olympics. Rio de Janeiro is also an attraction worth of seeing† (Tourism in Brazil Essay 2012). Social Impact on the Carnival of Rio De Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro is remembered for its strange natural beauty and excitement of popular culture. â€Å"Carnival has a different effect on each person, but it was created just with one objective for everyone, and that is to have a lot of fun, to forget our routine life, worries, responsibilities and to adventure at least once in our lives, because this experience no one will ever forget† (Kathyvargas 2004). The city is also marked by tremendous differences, reflecting a high degree of social disparity. The gap between the poor and the rich an d their close geographic nearness, characterized Rio. â€Å"Rio de Janeiro has major social problems, in the same neighborhood, such as Gavea for example, there is a difference that has developed over 60 years. Opposing realities are seen within a few meters of each other. On one side we have the upper class, with its mansions and high levels of education, and on the other side groups who in poor conditions, living in shacks, without even a basic education† (Social Problems in Rio De Janeiro 2012). This chasm of disparity makes many other impacts in the day-to-day city life. Crime, violence, police corruption, drug trafficking, deficiencies in health, inefficient transportation systems defective and education form the crux of Rio’s daily routine. The city has high levels of crime, particularly homicides. â€Å"Between 1978 and 2000, almost 50,000† (The Top 10 Most Dangerous City Breaks 2012) citizens were killed in Rio, the majority of victims being affected by stray bullets, and drug trafficking. There is a huge burden of teenage homicides, the age for the majority at risk in the drug gangs for and those who endure most from police fighting. â€Å"In 2010, Rio received 800.000 visitors during carnival which represents an R$ 950 million industry for the city† (Carnival of Rio De Janeiro 2012). Urban violence is an increasing problem that that has influenced every

Demographic Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Demographic Assignment - Essay Example Other than all formal meetings, I like to wear T-shirts and loose pants to give the impression of carelessness. Having tight budgets, I tend to travel by bus and train rather than airline. Part II. Select and watch 2 hours of television (does not have to be continuous), including the commercials. Based on what you’ve seen, provide a viewer profile for each show and discuss your findings. During the two hours, multiple programs are shown on Television. They include reality shows, news programs, commercials and entertainment shows. The audience of every type of program is different. Businessmen are mostly interested in current affairs; house wives are interested in commercials, while people of all age and profession are attracted by entertainment shows. It is because, it provides them an opportunity to change their mood and relax from the busy hectic daily routine. News headlines are attractive to all, while the detail is often skipped. Understanding of demographics will help firms to better design their products and marketing activities to fit customer preferences. They will design commercials to attract the specific target group and schedule their commercials keeping in view their

Social and Cultural Impact on the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro Essay

Social and Cultural Impact on the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro - Essay Example â€Å"Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil is home to the world's most famous carnival, and what many people consider to be the world's biggest and best party. The basis of Rio’s Carnival is the samba schools, which social clubs are named after the famous Brazilian samba dance† (Richard 2011). Samba schools are found in various places of Rio de Janeiro, and competition between them is fierce. Members work all through the year to make the best floats, themes, costumes, and dance performances. â€Å"Education and rehabilitation are among the primary responsibilities that these samba schools undertake† (About Rio Samba Schools: Understand Overview of Samba Schools 2011). During the four day carnival, schools parade and struggle against each other in the Sambadrome, a building that can hold nearly 60,000 spectators. Millions of people get involved in merry making all through the city, especially on Rio's famous beaches, Copacabana and Ipanema. â€Å"Rio de Janeiro and the carn ival the two attractions are inseparable. Although the carnival in Rio is very commercial nowadays, it still is the carnival in Brazil, even though there are more authentic celebrations held elsewhere. Five days of samba and partying make the event as famous over the world as the World Cup or Olympics. Rio de Janeiro is also an attraction worth of seeing† (Tourism in Brazil Essay 2012). Social Impact on the Carnival of Rio De Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro is remembered for its strange natural beauty and excitement of popular culture. â€Å"Carnival has a different effect on each person, but it was created just with one objective for everyone, and that is to have a lot of fun, to forget our routine life, worries, responsibilities and to adventure at least once in our lives, because this experience no one will ever forget† (Kathyvargas 2004). The city is also marked by tremendous differences, reflecting a high degree of social disparity. The gap between the poor and the rich an d their close geographic nearness, characterized Rio. â€Å"Rio de Janeiro has major social problems, in the same neighborhood, such as Gavea for example, there is a difference that has developed over 60 years. Opposing realities are seen within a few meters of each other. On one side we have the upper class, with its mansions and high levels of education, and on the other side groups who in poor conditions, living in shacks, without even a basic education† (Social Problems in Rio De Janeiro 2012). This chasm of disparity makes many other impacts in the day-to-day city life. Crime, violence, police corruption, drug trafficking, deficiencies in health, inefficient transportation systems defective and education form the crux of Rio’s daily routine. The city has high levels of crime, particularly homicides. â€Å"Between 1978 and 2000, almost 50,000† (The Top 10 Most Dangerous City Breaks 2012) citizens were killed in Rio, the majority of victims being affected by stray bullets, and drug trafficking. There is a huge burden of teenage homicides, the age for the majority at risk in the drug gangs for and those who endure most from police fighting. â€Å"In 2010, Rio received 800.000 visitors during carnival which represents an R$ 950 million industry for the city† (Carnival of Rio De Janeiro 2012). Urban violence is an increasing problem that that has influenced every

Degree in Economics, Finance and Management - Managerial Accounting Essay

Degree in Economics, Finance and Management - Managerial Accounting - Essay Example The roles they currently play have become increasingly huge and difficult. They are the center of the decision making in both business firms and organizations. They are currently solely responsible for setting up and keeping the financial policies as well as being responsible for management of information system. The support they provide is essential because they work together with other management colleagues to ensure that all matters financial are equitably managed. Basically the work of the management accountant is to forecast on the future by ensuring that the advice they give is for the interest of the future growth and stability of the enterprise. They look at how the business is progressing and offer an advice on how problems can be effectively managed and on how to adapt to modern changes in business trends in order to remain relevant in the market industry (Smith, 2005). To achieve this dreams the management accountant look at ways of reducing business costs both operational and production cost and how to set up more and implement more viable strategies. Their work is not limited to specific sections but it cuts across the organizations. Manager’s information need differ with regard to the nature of entities operations and their role within the organization. Much of information that touches on management accountancy is based on both qualitative and quantitative data. This emergence was first instigated by a perceived disconnect between the theory and the practice of management accounting, and more specific on the most common perception that the traditional wisdom of management accounting textbooks is not widely used in practice. However the belief was based on few published work. Yeshmin and Das, research that was carried out in 2009 in Bangladesh showed that managers of the financial institutions are more comfortable when they apply both variance and budgetary control analysis to measure their performance among the

Organizational Structure Essay Example for Free

Organizational Structure Essay In this paper, I will analyze the elements of a job analysis and discuss its significance to the hiring and employee development aspects of human resource management. I will describe the importance of a PAQ, proposing two ways the results can be used to redesign a customer service job for efficiency. I will develop two strategies that HR professionals can in the selection for a customer service position using a Fleishman Job Analysis System. I will examine the challenges for designing this job for efficiency and suggest two ways to redesign it. Finally, I will propose three ways a HR manager can use the information from a job analysis to measure the performance of customer service representatives. One of the most important aspects of human resources is recruiting. In order to recruit the best applicants, job recruiters have to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the position. The best source of information about a position comes from a job analysis. A job analysis is the process of getting detailed information about jobs. A job analysis helps recruiters to match job requirements with the best applicants. It is also essential in employee development, performance appraisals and compensation. A job analysis includes many steps but only three elements. Those elements are the sources of job information, the job specification and the job description. The first element of the job analysis is the source of information used. In doing the analysis, human resource professionals gather information about jobs through interviewing employees, observing performance of certain tasks, asking employees to fill out questionnaires and worksheets, and collecting information about a job from secondary sources. Other sources within the company include existing job descriptions and supervisors. Some of those  secondary sources include existing job analysis information from a competitor and O*NET. Next, the job specification includes the tasks that make up the job, the conditions under which the job is performed and what the job requires in terms of aptitude, knowledge, skills and abilities (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014). This will provide a lot of data. It measures the amount of time the employee spends on major duties. It provides a description of the major duties in order of importance. It determines whether any licensures, certificates or security clearances are needed to perform the job, as well as the physical, environmental and mental demands of a position. This information is essential in creating a job description. The last element is the job description. â€Å"A job description is a list the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that a job entails (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† A well-written job description can sell jobs to perspective employees and develop training programs as a job position evolves. Sometimes the needs of business changes and therefore some duties may change within a position. â€Å"For the employer, the job description is often used as a recruiting tool and by supervisors to outline position expectations. The job description may be used to indicate salary or reporting structure and as a reference during performance evaluations (Richards, 2014).† Once all the information has been assembled for a job analysis, it can be further analyzed by using a position analysis questionnaire (PAQ). â€Å"A PAQ is a standardized job analysis questionnaire containing 194 questions about work behaviors, work conditions, and job characteristics that apply to a wide variety of jobs (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† The purpose of the questionnaire is to measure the job characteristics and its relation to the human characteristics. The PAQ can be used for a few different things. Common uses include developing a compensation model, selection criteria for a specific job and to study the nature of work (PAQ.com, 2014). A PAQ can be used to redesign a customer service job to be more efficient and improve quality. â€Å"Using the PAQ provides an organization with information that helps in comparing jobs, even when they are dissimilar (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† In making those comparisons, analyzers might find ways to be more efficient. The collected data from this approach helps in developing or revising a job description. In the customer service business the needs of each customer can vary. Therefore, responsibilities of a customer service representative can vary to meet those needs. Those things might not be listed in the job description but will need to be added in order to keep the job description updated. Furthermore, information learned from the PAQ helps in evaluating the position for appropriate classification. A good source to use for worker requirements is the Fleishman Job Analysis system. The Fleishman Job Analysis system (F-JAS) is a job analysis technique that asks subject-matter experts to evaluate a job in terms of the abilities required to perform the job (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, 2014).† Because the results of a F-JAS, provides a picture of the ability requirements of a job, than recruiters know what abilities to scan for when reviewing resumes. Typing skills might be a skill that is important in a customer service position. The F-JAS can give us an idea of just how important typing is to a job so that we would be able to make reasonable accommodations for an applicant with disabilities. Human resource professionals can also use F-JAS to update job descriptions. As processes change the need for some abilities change as things may become automated, therefore job responsibilities change. â€Å"Kannisto adds, â€Å"With the compliance environment and legal implicati ons, the stakes are a lot higher for job descriptions to be crystal clear with essential responsibilities. If you have a measure of performance that doesn’t appear on the job description and you have a case brought against you, depending on the agency [involved], there could be punishment,† he explains (Tyler, 2013).† When considering the job of a customer service representative (CSR) who handles consumer inquiries for a company that sells items online and by catalog, a few challenges of designing this job for efficiency, come to  mind. The first challenge that comes to mind is monotony. Over time, employees will be bored of doing the same job over and over. Even more so if the job is divided into departments, such as sales, returns and customer service, employees will lose interest. A suggestion for redesigning the customer service representative position is job enlargement. Employees might find the job more engaging if all the calls came through on department. We could cross-train employees to be able to handle all the calls that come through the queue. Another suggestion is job rotation. Maybe every week, we could rotate the tasks. We could also make some customer services responses automated for customers. So if a customer wanted to check status on an order, we could generate a system automa ted response so that those calls don’t come into the call center. Another challenge for designing a customer service representative job is defining authority. Sometimes, customer service requires problem solving and quick decisions. Waiting to speak to a manager can be frustrating for the customer and it makes the employee look incompetent, because it increases hold time. The employee probably feels impotent having to get permission to make a decision, especially when they know what to do. A suggestion for redesigning the CSR’s position is job enrichment. CSR’s need a certain amount of authority when it comes to resolving customer service issues. This is a way to raise productivity levels and employee satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in taking ownership of problems and meeting the challenge of increased responsibility. A human resource manager (HRM) can use the information obtained from job analysis to measure the performance of a customer service representative. Job analysis is a set of procedures or methods for determining what workers actually do on the job and for describing which aspects of worker knowledge, skill, ability, and other characteristics are needed for job performance. This process defines a productive employee and gives human resource managers a place to start for measuring performance. One way HRM can use this information is in making personnel decisions. This tool can help determine whether an employee should receive a promotion, transfer, pay increase or be fired. It can also be used for employee development. A performance  appraisal will determine the strengths and weaknesses of employees. This is key to helping our CSR’s grow, because we can create training programs to increase their skills levels. Taking the time to strengthen their weaknesses will make them perform better, which is great for the company. Finally, the performance appraisal can be used as documentation to protect a company from lawsuits, because it is used as the basis for personnel decisions. In conclusion, the job analysis is the foundation of most human resource functions. With its use, job descriptions are created and updated which standardizes recruiting. It is a perfect outline for measuring performance of new and existing employees. Job analysis provides training and employee growth opportunities. Personnel decisions are also validated by job analysis, because it creates a system of checks and balances for hiring, performance appraisals, promotion and demotion and/or firing. Works Cited Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 103). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 107). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright, (2014). Fundamentals of Human Resource Management. (5th ed., p. 108). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. PAQ.com. (2014). The paq program. Retrieved from http://www.paq.com/?FuseAction=Main.PAQProgram Richards, F. (2014). Key parts to job descriptions. The Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/key-parts-job-descriptions-12366.html Tyler, K. (2013, Jan. 01). Job worth doing: Update descriptions. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/2013/0113/pages/0113-job-descriptions.aspx

Working Across Boundaries: Advantages and Disadvantages

Working Across Boundaries: Advantages and Disadvantages This paper examines the perspective of working across boundaries from the lens of Hunan Resource Management. The paper is split into four main parts. The Introduction which provides the background to working across boundaries as it applies in HRM today. A definition section that examines the different aspects of working across boundaries i.e. social, physical, knowledge and mental. Further examination of some theoretical perspectives including the work of Heracleous. The reason that modern organisations need to work across boundaries together with consideration of strategy and leveraging capabilities. A section that looks at the advantages and disadvantages of working across boundaries with a focus on the public sector including healthcare organisations and local authorities. The conclusions summarise the key points. DEFINING WORKING ACROSS BOUNDARIES During the last decade, the concept of working across boundaries has become a popular concept. The basic premise is that individuals and organisation need to traverse boundaries if they are to achieve their goals. Essentially earlier concepts of fixed organisational demarcation lines no longer apply in modern day business concepts. Within the organisational framework the concept of boundaries can become a reasonably complex issue. There still remains an active debate as to whether the definitions of boundaries are realistic, objective or imagined. The concept has become more complex with the use of outsourcing and Public/Private partnerships in terms of lines of demarcation and authority. (Bishop, 2003) The concept of boundaries within organisations takes on different shapes and forms. Much of this has to do with social and knowledge boundaries. The explosion in technological and communication advances has simplified the concept of working across boundaries. Despite the fact that organizations still are challenged to collaborate and share information, nevertheless individuals seem much more liberated in this regard with advancement in social media. Russ Linden is one author who has investigated this, with particular focus on Public sector organisations. (Linden, 2003). The old fashioned concept of organizational design was the creation of silos or departments where functions, roles and responsibilities would be clearly defined within the context of a hierarchical matrix. For example Sales, Finance, Production would each be self-contained units within the organisation and clearly defined lines of demarcation within the business. The Heads of these Departments would be Senior Managers and expected to collaborate with one another but not trespass into the other domains. The holistic business strategy relied upon each unit to fulfil its role within the overall strategic plan. As organisations involved in size and complexity this model posed serious shortcomings and new thought processes were required. This required improved leadership thinking and more collaboration across boundaries. (Stevens, 2006). Working across boundaries remains an important part of Public Sector relationships and impose significant challenges to business operations but they create distinctive value sets and improved goals in the business relationships (Sullivan, 2007) Concepts of working across boundaries In management terms boundaries are often classified as lines of demarcation that often impose constraints. Those items that determine managerial effectiveness. For example: how a business works within the confines of a specific environment; the concept of specific leadership styles and the influence on organizational behaviour. It was Heracleous  [1]  who pointed out in 2004 that both organisations and the environments they function in are inter-related. They create structures and social orders that assist in the definition of the business and its purpose. (Heracleous, 2008) Understanding social boundaries This essentially relates to the relationships that are formed between groups of individuals within an organization. Heracleous maintained that boundaries have remained central to the thinking of social scientists in the establishment of social boundaries between groups and individuals. Particular reference made to that of transactions costs and how modern technology like sophisticated communications and the internet have had a profound impact here. It has directed whether the boundaries have either diminished or enlarged and the effect on production costs has influenced important decisions like that of outsourcing or internalisation of specific tasks. (Heracleous, 2004). Understanding social change can be studied by the adoption of Lewins Forecefield Analysis. There are numerous models that you can adopt to examine the impact of Change to the Organization. One common method approach is that of Lewins Forecefield Analysis. Fig 1 provides an example of the model. Figure Force field Analysis exampleThis enables you to examine both the driving and restraining forces that emerge as a result of the proposed changes. The model is particularly good for identifying forces that are considered to be polarized i.e. a change in one condition creates an equal and opposite effect in the other. The model was designed by Lewin to assist the Process Analyst to guide people through the unfreeze, move and refreeze stages of business process analysis. It is also an excellent means of demonstrating the dynamics that are in play. So by completion of the Force field Model you have acquired the data in order to complete Lewins Three Step Model. In the Unfreeze you examine the status quo and those driving forces for change. You can decrease the resisting forces against change. The move element involves taking actions and moving people. The freeze means make the changes permanent and establish new ways of doing things. Introduce concept of rewards for achieving the d esired outcomes. Understanding knowledge boundaries The sharing of knowledge has both an internal and external boundary. For example in the internal model it is desirous for information to be shared between the Sales and Marketing departments. This empowers both department to do a better job. Externally, there is the sharing and collaboration of knowledge and information between allies. For example a UK based company and its overseas subsidiary. In order for an organization to be successful it must manage its four pillars of knowledge. These being Leadership, Organization, Technology and Learning. Information Technology (Pillar 3) has achieved an amazing impact in the promotion and dissemination of knowledge in the business environment. Unfortunately Technology has had a greater influence on guiding the strategic planning of organizations, as opposed to the other way round. One example being that of Enterprise Planning Systems like SAP and J.D. Edwards One World system. Organizations have re-engineered their knowledge base and business processes in order to meet the integrated demands of the software application. (Bixler, 2002) Knowledge Managers need to understand that despite the many advantages Information Technology (IT) has to offer the workplace it is not a magic utopian panacea. Equally any Information Technology application that undervalues Knowledge Management will equally fail in the business place. (Mohammed). If Knowledge Management is to be considered effective with IT in business it must be treated as its equal partner. Knowledge Managers have criticised IT as being lacking in areas like tacit knowledge. Hence there is a need to incorporate items of behavioural consideration and cognitive function. (Bixler, 2002) There is an increasing demand and challenge being placed upon the CIOs of business organizations and as such Managers need to become more vocal about their expectations and use the four pillars as a framework in order to further improve the integration of knowledge in the organization. Understanding physical boundaries The concepts of boundaries are important because it is these that represent challenges which organisations must overcome. Although organisations are essentially construed as open systems and these providing a continued interface with their environment. Many academics still believe that it is management that defines the physical boundaries and how you differentiate between internal and external items. (Schnieder, 1987). In reality it is difficult for management to define these boundaries as organisations have multiple stakeholders; such only by the integration of the combined needs can you truly obtain an understanding of the organisational identity. AS such those members of the organisation are of a precarious nature and there are many different ways in which they may be depicted as being inside or outside of the organisational composition. (Lane, 2000). Understanding Mental boundaries Mental boundaries essentially relate to individual perception of what is considered to be internal or external to the organisation. This being what is considered to be acceptable and that which goes beyond this to the realm of external control. It is this form of cognitive schema that helps individuals to create and understand the different social boundaries within an organisation. These differentiations often create perceptions of attitudes related to us and them and the formation of symbolic boundaries that enable distinctions to be drawn. (Heracleous, 2004). The need to work across boundaries Essentially the need to work across boundaries relates to that of collaboration with other entities in order to help the development and growth of the organisation. This may range from that of strategic business alliances, creation of partnership arrangements, developing business networks and other forms of collaboration and communication in order to benefit the business. Further, the concept of business transformation and organisational change can promote the need to work across boundaries. Hence regardless of the barriers created, being real or imaginary, we are almost compelled to work across them. Advantages and Disadvantages of working across boundaries Advantages of working across boundaries There are numerous advantages to working across boundaries, particularly within the Public Sector environment. Briefly, these may be enumerated as follows: Increase in working collaboration Integration of partnerships with the Private Sector Reduction of costs and process improvements Expanding networks and building knowledge Response to complex public policies Leveraging strategy and operational capabilities Aligning organisations and cultures Improvement of leadership capabilities balancing risk and reward (Blackman, 2010). Increase in working collaboration Historically the concept of collaborative working was rarely recognised as having any strategic importance. Silos were created in both Public and Private sector organisations and many of these departments functioned self-autonomously. In modern day context this has all changed and it is recognised that collaborative working both inter and intra the organization has significant benefits. In particular the organisation is better equipped for: Dealing with business transformation and change Ability to provide better service levels and customer support Optimization of resources and cost reduction strategies Ability to innovate and create by improved knowledge acquisition Easier to transition to new change requirements Increased flexibility and ability to share successes and failures The concept of collaboration is an enabling function that allows you to bring people together with different views and opinions. This concept of diversity enriches the decision making process and improve the dynamics in business working relationships. This has been successfully introduced in the Health Sector in Wales. Here different local authorities were required to formulate med-long term strategic plans. Direct collaboration between the authorities enabled the sharing of knowledge and ideas which facilitated rationalization and a more improved overarching holistic result. (Sullivan, 2007). Another example of collaboration is the ability to bring key stakeholders together in a collaborative environment. This has been effective in both local and central government projects. Bringing the stakeholders together creates greater synergy and improved policy implementation with the organisational setting. Collaboration has extended into areas of joint policy making, as opposed to just sharing information. Geoff Delamare from Surrey County Council states there are some distinct learning points from collaborative working i.e. Creating the level of trust between partners, ensuring transparency in communications and sharing knowledge; admitting mistakes, creating a collaborative environment and not imposing a ruling regime. (McCann, 2012). Integration of partnerships with the private sector Partnership approaches have increased in popularity over the last decade. In the public sector they have obtained wide political support. This has been seen as a means of making process improvements whilst optimizing cost expenditures in order to provide improved value for money. The UK Audit Commission is an example of where they have crossed boundaries to embrace working relationships with counterparts in the European Union (EU). This has been effective in collaboration to help improve inter-governmental policy implementation. (McQuaid, 2000). Reduction of costs and process improvements In these difficult financial times both Central Government public sector bodies and local authorities have been faced with managing tight budgetary programmes and reducing costs. The latter meaning resource and cost optimization in order to show the best returns on investment for monies expended. This has focused attention on streamlining processes in order to create improved efficiencies and eliminate redundancies. In addition, concepts of outsourcing to reduce resource costs and capital expenditure. Local Authorities in the UK have been very active in this area. Barnet Council is implementing an outsourcing plan in order to save  £120m . Others like Cornwall Council have been examining strategic partnerships to outsource both front and back office functions. IT departments remain particularly vulnerable because they are capital intensive and expensive to both operate and maintain. (Terry, 2013). Expanding networks and building knowledge In order for an organization to be successful it must manage its four pillars of knowledge. These being Leadership, Organization, Technology and Learning. Information Technology (Pillar 3) has achieved an amazing impact in the promotion and dissemination of knowledge in the business environment. Unfortunately Technology has had a greater influence on guiding the strategic planning of organizations, as opposed to the other way round. One example being that of Enterprise Planning Systems like SAP and J.D. Edwards One World system. Organizations have re-engineered their knowledge base and business processes in order to meet the integrated demands of the software application. Knowledge Managers need to understand that despite the many advantages Information Technology (IT) has to offer the workplace it is not a magic utopian panacea. Equally any Information Technology application that undervalues Knowledge Management will equally fail in the business place. If Knowledge Management is to be considered effective with IT in business it must be treated as its equal partner. Disadvantages of working across boundaries The main disadvantages of working across boundaries are enumerated as follows: Complexity and Commonality People, Culture and Leadership Power and Politics Performance Accountability and Budgets Complexity and commonality The success to working across boundaries is where sufficient empathy exists to recognise shared goals and values in order to predicate a desired outcome. Where there is a lack of sufficient commonality this can be a serious barrier towards attaining a successful outcome. The importance of shared or common goals is therefore of paramount importance in any collaborative venture. Trying to force collaboration in the wrong environmental setting will most likely incur resistance and ultimately force of costs and resource effort providing little return on investment. One particular example in the Public sector relates to the large failure of IT projects that have often lacked sufficient commonality. In 2003 in the UK a poll stated that only one third of all IT projects were successful. Nearly 70% of all projects being severely challenged or failing in their entirety. (Post Report 200, 2003). People culture and leadership The people issue is extremely important when working across boundaries as it requires a structured but flexible work group that are able to collaborate over both hard and soft structure. In the public sector the staff need to develop cross-boundary skills in order to facilitate inter agency co-operation. These however can be highly influenced by both policy and political agenda. It has been argued that within the public sector the influence of Human Resource Management (HRM) groups have created significant barriers to cross-party working relationships. Lack of good leadership skills in the public sector provided the inability for many senior leaders to work across boundaries and manage complex business transformation programmes. This prevented optimum leveraging of resources between different organisations. Good leaders are important enablers as they are important for leveraging resources, motivating people and ensuring that the work gets done. As such poor leadership constitutes a serious barrier in order to enable working across boundaries. This results in what has often been referred to as silo management style, the inability to progress beyond your own defined domain. Power and Politics The concept of working across boundaries may have a serious influence on the reshaping of power and politics within an organisation. This can be particularly potent where an area is perceived to be under threat. In this sense both politics and power are intertwined and political endorsements have the ability to create tremendous barriers. Ministers set the signals for civil servants to work across boundaries but this is often towards the attainment of specific political agendas. These can be very fickle and subject to change, hence the civil service has to be articulate in how this is both managed and interpreted. Performance in accountability and budgets Improved performance targets have been very popular in recent years. This has meant working across boundaries to optimise business processes and resource effort. Failure in the reconfiguration of performance systems can create significant barriers and a great deal of disruption in provision of remedial action. Budget attainment has equally been criticised in terms of holding Managers responsible for achieving budget figures, despite the fact that cross border relationships have provided them with only limited control and influence over the finances. (Parton, 1998). CONCLUSION The concept of working across boundaries is not a new concept but one that has been with us for many decades. Technology has created more enablers in terms of making this more operationally efficient and the ability to share information and knowledge. The reality of globalisation, struggling financial markets, the need for cost cutting and austerity measures have increased the need for more collaborative working. The use of sharing information in a collaborative environment often results in better outcomes and an improved managed risk portfolio. Leadership skills have become of paramount importance and in particular the skills required to motivate and influence others in a collaborative teamwork environment. Local authorities have been particularly successful in working with private sector relationships in order to enhance service provision, increased efficiencies and implementation of cost reduction programmes.

The Ear And Hearing Loss Essay -- essays research papers

The Ear and Hearing Loss The ear is the organ of hearing and balance in vertebrates. The ear converts sound waves in the air, to nerve impulses which are sent to the brain, where the brain interprets them as sounds instead of vibrations. The innermost part of the ear maintains equilibrium or balance. The vestibular apparatus contains semicircular canals which in turn balance you. Any movement by the head, and this apparatus sends a signal to the brain so that your reflex action is to move your foot to balance you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ear in humans consist three parts: The outer, the middle, and the inner portions. The outer ear, or pinna, is the structure that we call the ear. It is the skin covered flap of elastic cartilage, that sticks out from the side of the head. It acts like a funnel catching sound and sending it to the middle portion of the ear. The middle portion contains the ear drum and the connection between the pharynx and the drum, the Eustachian tube. The inner ear contains the sensory receptors for hearing which are enclosed in a fluid filled chamber called the cochlea. The outer and middle ears purposes are only to receive and amplify sound. Those parts ofd the ear are only present in amphibians and mammals, but the inner ear is present in all vertebrates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ear can hear in several different ways. They are volume, pitch, and tone. Pitch is related to the frequency of the sound wave. The volume depends on the amplitude or intensity of the sound wave. The greater the frequency, the higher the pitch. Humans can hear about 30 and 20,000 waves or cycles per second. High pitch sounds produce more of a trebly sound, while low pitch sounds produce a rumbling bass sound.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a person loses these abilities to comprehend sound, it is referred to as deafness. It can be caused by disease, toxic drugs, trauma, or an inherited disorder. Those causes can be classified as conductive, sensorineural, or both. A conductive hearing loss results from damage to those parts of the ear which transmit sound vibrations in the air to the fluids of the inner ear. This type of damage is usually to the eardrum or small bones known as ossicles. Ossicles conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea. They cannot perform such an action if the eardrum is perforated, if the middle ear cavity is fill... ...lly there may be a school in a hospital.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hearing devices are also available. Hearing Aids operate on battery. They amplify the sound waves that the ear would normally receive. They range from $500 to $6000. INTERVIEW Question: How did you become about this disability? Answer: I was born with a hearing disability Q: When we talk, what exactly do you hear? A: The sound volume is lower but no distortion Q: Would you consider yourself hard on hearing? A: No, and I say no because I can hear when I pay attention but when I am not paying attention, it is like I am in my own world. Also, sometimes, I can see their lips moving which signals me to listen closely. Q: Did you ever go for any treatment? A: No, I didn't feel that it was necessary since it was just a matter of paying attention. Q: Do you wear any hearing devices? A: No, (same reason as last question) Q: Was it hard at all to communicate either as a child or as an adult? A: All the time I face the problem of someone talking to me and I don't even know it. Once someone mistakenly accused me of ignoring them. Q: Do you know what your overall score was on an audiometer? A: No, I was never tested

Erwin Chargaff

My name is Erwin Chargaff and I discovered the structure of DNA. After reading Oswald Avery’s report, in 1944, about how genes were composed of DNA I become motivated to begin work on the chemistry of nucleic acids. I started researching with the belief that DNA from different species are different so I had to come up with an experiment to examine the DNA from different species. It was hard for me because I couldn’t get large amounts of DNA so it took awhile for my experimenting. After about 2 years I was able to come up with a solid procedure containing three steps.First, I had to separate the DNA mixture with chromatography paper. Then I converted the separated components into mercury salts and last but not least I was able to identify the purines and pyrimidines ( the building blocks of nucleic acids) by using their ultraviolet absorption spectra. I tested this method several times and was finally able to use it to examine the DNA of yeast and pancreatic cells. About a month later, I submitted two papers on my findings of the DNA of calf thymus and beef spleen and tubercle bacilli and yeast.My papers were rejected so I decided to improve my procedure and by doing that I was able to examine more species. I summarized what I found on nucleic acids in a review and finally in 1950, my experimenting lead to me discover important facts. I came up with three rules that I named as Chargaff’s rule. The first rule is that the number of Adenine always equals the number of thymine. The second is that the number of guanine always equals the number of cytosine and the last one is that the purines (adenine and guanine) always equal the number of pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine.I was also able to prove that the DNA of various species are different from one another. I did not collaborate with anyone for my experiment but two years later I explained my findings to Watson and Crick who were then later to come up the with DNA structure. I was a bit surpri sed that I wasn’t included in the Noble Prize since I did share my information with Watson and Crick and with that they were able to come up with the model. So, after Watson and Crick won the Nobel Prize, I withdrew from left my lab and started to write essays and lectures.

1. Discuss Dr. Faustus as a tragedy Essay

Ans—Understanding of Christopher Marlowe’s Elizabethan tragedy, Dr. Faustus, can be framed in terms of the Renaissance philosophy and the Elizabethan tragedy, which takes a different turn on some points from the Aristotelian tragedy, for instance such as the Elizabethan tragedy’s requisite death of the tragic hero. Dr. Faustus demonstrates the Renaissance philosophy that pits the dichotomy of good, angelic humanity against evil, depraved humanity. Marlowe’s play also is a model of the Elizabethan tragedy. Marlowe constructed the character of Dr. Faustus to represent within himself both characteristics of the Renaissance view of humanity as divinely good and hellishly evil. First, Dr. Faustus is presented as a scholar of all things including divinity, the highest Renaissance scholarly discipline. Then, Faustus is shown as dissatisfied with the limitations of humanity and grasping for unlimited knowledge, which is a Biblical allusion to Adam and Eve who ate of the Tree of Knowledge. Throughout the play, Faustus descends to lower and lower planes of knowledge in his pursuit for the â€Å"power† and â€Å"omnipotence† that comes from knowledge. At the beginning, Mephistopheles answers all Faustus’ questions but draws the line on talk of the universe, which can be seen to stand for astronomical and cosmological studies–the very studies that science is deeply involved in today: CERN; Hubble; SoHo; etc). Faustus must be content with merely mapping the universe instead of understanding it. Marlowe ultimately shows in Dr. Faustus the futility of the quest for ultimate knowledge and the inevitable end result of abandoning moral integrity for omnipotent knowledge. Dr. Faustus also represents a Classic Elizabethan tragedy. First, the tragic hero has a flaw or makes an error in judgment that leads to his own doom. It’s hard to say whether Faustus had a fatal flaw in his character or whether he was doomed by a faulty understanding that lead to a fatally disastrous error in judgment. All along the way, Faustus has doubts and hesitations which speak for an integrity of his moral character. If he has a fatal flaw, it might be that he did not reckon the power of evil highly enough, that he thought that with omnipotent knowledge, he could free himself from the chains of evil he wrapped so blithely around himself. Adam and Eve also fell to the punishment from the lure of knowledge. Of course, quite often Faustus’ fatal flaw is said to be greed and irreverent disregard for goodness. One clue to forming a literary stance on the question lies in examining his hesitations and second thoughts. In addition to this, the questions addressed in Marlowe’s play are nobel universal questions pertaining to the highest order of considerations: the meaning of life and death, the quest for knowledge, the respective power of of good and evil. In further accord with elizabethan tragedy, the play Dr. Faustus employs comedic relief through the presence of clowns that also acts as a means of giving information about the characters and the action of the play. The clowns in Dr. Faustus are Rafe and Robin. In Elizabethan tragedy, the clowns (rural, country simpletons who misuse language accidentally) and fools (urban dwellers who play with language and â€Å"misuse† it intentionally for wit) generally replace the Greek Chorus that carried the task of moving the st ory along with information not performed on stage, but in Dr. Faustus, Marlowe employs both the Greek-style Chorus and Elizabethan clowns. Finally, in keeping with Elizabethan tragic form, Faustus gets himself in so deep, his tragic flaw or error in judgement is so aggregious that it leads ultimately and necessarily to his death, thus fulfilling the fate of an Elizabethan tragic hero. Since Faustus has overestimated what he can attain from an arrangement with Lucifer and since he underestimated the power of Lucifer’s evil, his ultimate end must be and is death even though he recognizes his mistakes and pleads for pardon.