Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Psychology - Essay Example In that context the recent usage of scare tactics by some sections of the corporate world, media and politicians is an apt example of the usage of psychology knowledge and knowhow to influence public opinion and approach. The Health Debate It is a known fact that the healthcare is an issue of debate in the current American politics. The Obama administration wants to reform the healthcare system. However, there do exist people in the American political and corporate life who do not want these reforms to succeed. These people want the American people to oppose the healthcare reforms. These people are using the psychological weapon of scare tactics to make the people afraid of reforms and thereby oppose them (NPR, 2009). They are spreading the word that the reforms will make the healthcare system like the way it was during the Great Depression, when only the rich afforded medical care (NPR, 2009). In fact the opponents of health reforms are going as far as to claim that the system that these reforms will create will be somewhat like the health system existing in the communist countries. Some of them have gone as far as to say that the proposed reforms intend to convert the American democracy into a communist system. Thereby, by associating healthcare reforms with something bad that happened in the past or something that people hate and are scared of, these people are trying to scare the masses about the present reforms. This may cause some people to oppose the reforms (NPR, 2009). To put it simply, the opponents of healthcare reforms are using scare tactics. Psychological Importance The psychological importance of the media event under consideration is that it clearly shows the exploitation of psychological tactics by a section of the American politics, corporate life and media to scare people regarding the proposed health reforms and to make them go against the proposed reforms. The psychological weapon used by these opponents of the health reforms to subvert pub lic opinion is popularly known as the scare tactics. Scare Tactics Scare tactics is a psychological weapon that has been used by people since ages. It is based on the simple fact that fear is the most common human emotion. The human brain tends to remember the things or incidents that cause fear. In future when a person comes across a thing or incident that reminds him of the past incident that caused fear, the person responds to this stimulus by getting scared (Goleman, 1996). Suppose a person at some time in one’s life came across a poisonous snake and got scared. Then at some other time in the future the same person came across a rope lying in the dark. That person’s brain may associate that rope with the snake and may cause him to get scared, irrespective of the fact that the rope is not the snake. The use of this psychological phenomenon to achieve results in politics and social life is commonly known as scare tactics. Scientific Explanation of Scare Tactics The p art of the brain that stores the facts pertaining to past incidents and objects is the hippocampus. In contrast the part of the brain that stores the emotions associated with the past incidents and objects is called amygdale. For example if a person comes across a car accident, it is the hippocampus that stores the facts associated with the accident like the stretch of road on which the accident

Changing Role of Hr Management Essay Example for Free

Changing Role of Hr Management Essay The Changing Role of Human Resources Management The ever-changing roles within human resources management (HRM), in response to trends, are from a dynamic environment and the importance of HRM. Every changing organization has a need for a HRM to respond and implement changes. The organizations driven by e-business and technology need to be ready to respond and adapt to the environmental changes and should focus on satisfying the company’s customer needs. In this role, the HRM contributes proactively to the development of global strategic plans and objectives. This essay will explain the changing roles in human resources management to the trends of: (a) globalization, (b) technology, (d) diversity, (e) e-business, and (f) ethics. Globalization The globalization of a business is the major challenge in human resources within the management of the business, new competitive aspects, and the cultural diversities are adding frequently (Gale Group, 1999). To reach the demands, the HRM is developing new business procedures and practices to adopt the shifting patterns of business. The human resources must deal with numerous challenges like maintaining proper coordination from the business activities in multiple locations around the globe. Human resources must prepare and have an understanding of the increase in global competition. The human resources departments are gaining awareness globally for the development of the human resources teams with activities dealing with the multicultural diversity. Technology The performance of HRM relies largely on the technological aspects. With the introduction and use of advanced technologies, the abilities and performances of the human resources are in need of required output. Businesses are incorporating advance technologies for meeting the demand of the consumers. This development has the human resources beginning to train continuously on the newer technologies in an effort to create processes, which are more effective. HRM is requiring changes in its practices to accommodate the advance computerized technologies and information systems (Frantzreb, 1998). All work done manually by the department must change to a more technical form to maintain and control the processes and data for a business to be more effective and productive. The technological skills within the human resources require coordination with the advance technology-based processes. Diversity The multicultural practices in business are making the environment within a business more diversified. In business environment today, a human resources professional come from multiple cultures and are working side-by-side in the same company meeting the same goals. For these professionals, it is paramount in maintaining a complete and thorough understanding of the morals, ethics, and values of the multiple cultures. The human resources professionals are developing innovative ways of managing the knowledge to deal with the diversity of the cultures. In addition, business environments that have diverse cultures are educating the HRM to perform the activities to the local consumer driven demands. Fast implementations in cultures are because of advancing technologies, which are causing the human resources to change its practices (Collins Clark, 2003). E-Business In an effort to eliminate the work burden, businesses are transforming normal operations to the e-business technological form. Business in the electronic form is causing the HRM to transform and develop newer procedures and practices. The human resources of companies have to maintain new skills and change the understanding from the brick and mortar style of business to the more advanced technological business environment, which is in a computerized form. To advance the performance levels, the HRM is starting to incorporate training in information technology to the human resources professionals in an effort to maximize the adaptation to the rapid changes to the practices for the e-business model (Mitchell, 2001). The human resources professional is requiring the computer and Internet-based business technologies to follow the accounting and marketing practices. Ethics In addition to being competitive, business professionals must maintain an even balance with the organizations ethics (Vickers, 2005). The HRM must create a business environment that is suitable with the company’s ethics policies. The HRM must maintain the interests of the stakeholders to an equal level without any discrimination. The first priority must be to the consumers’ best interest. To accomplish and maintain a balance between maximizing profits and maintaining consumers’ satisfaction, the HRM must make the business’s practices in such a manner. Conclusion Human resources management must be a major section within the business’s environment, which must adapt its roles to accommodate the ever-changing trends of the global practices. The HRM roles must not change for only a single aspect, but simultaneously alters according to all the factors. The most important aspect is in globalization. Other aspects like technology, as with e-business, makes the need for the knowledge of professionals within the HRM to be more technologically advanced. The ethics and diversities in business demand the management to maintain the vision of its employees to an equal level.

Invisible Man Essay: Invisible Mans Emergence -- Invisible Man Essays

Invisible Man's Emergence    During the epilogue of Invisible Man, the narrator's invisibility "placed [him] in a hole" (Ellison 572). This leads the reader to ask questions. Why did the narrator descend underground? Will he ever emerge?   By examining his reasons for going underground, comparing and contrasting his emergence versus his staying below, why he would want to emerge, and the importance of social responsibility, one will see that Invisible Man will clearly emerge (Parker ). Before one can determine whether or not the narrator will emerge from his proverbial hole, he must asses Invisible Man's reasons for going underground (Parker ). The literal reason for his initial descent was to escape two white men chasing after him. It is at this point that he says, "I felt myself plunge down, down; a long drop that ended upon a load of coal... and I lay in the black dark upon the black coal no longer running" (Ellison 565). If the reader then thinks back to the prologue, where Invisible Man introduces his living quarters, he sees some irony. During the prologue Invisible Man says, I doubt if there is a brighter spot in all New York...In my hole in the basement there are exactly 1,369 lights, I've wired the entire ceiling, every inch of it (Ellison 6-7). This extreme lighting contrasts with the darkness and blackness that is shown in the hole that he falls into. According to one critic, the brightness connotes an optimistic viewpoint that is new to Invisible Man (Parker ). He believed that "[his invisibility] placed [him] in a hole- or showed [him] the the [he] was in" (Ellison 572). He remained in the cellar to get away from "it all" (Ellison 573), and to contemplate his life and his grandfather's words- to po... ...ng] the foul air out" (Ellison 581). It is here that he wants to put his past behind him and move forward. He says: I'm shaking off the old skin and and I'll leave it here in the hole. I'm coming out, no less invisible without it, but coming out nevertheless. And i suppose it's damn well time (Ellison 581). Works Cited and Consulted Bellow, Saul. "Man Underground" Review of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. Commentary. June 1952. 1st December 2001 Available: http://www.english.upeen.edu/~afilreis /50s/bellow-on-ellison.html Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: The Modern Library, 1994. O'Meally, Robert, ed. New Essays on Invisible Man. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Parker, Robert Dale "Black Identity and the Marketplace of Masculinity" 30 January 2002 Available: http://www.english.cmu.edu/~ Parker/50s/ellison.htm Invisible Man Essay: Invisible Man's Emergence -- Invisible Man Essays Invisible Man's Emergence    During the epilogue of Invisible Man, the narrator's invisibility "placed [him] in a hole" (Ellison 572). This leads the reader to ask questions. Why did the narrator descend underground? Will he ever emerge?   By examining his reasons for going underground, comparing and contrasting his emergence versus his staying below, why he would want to emerge, and the importance of social responsibility, one will see that Invisible Man will clearly emerge (Parker ). Before one can determine whether or not the narrator will emerge from his proverbial hole, he must asses Invisible Man's reasons for going underground (Parker ). The literal reason for his initial descent was to escape two white men chasing after him. It is at this point that he says, "I felt myself plunge down, down; a long drop that ended upon a load of coal... and I lay in the black dark upon the black coal no longer running" (Ellison 565). If the reader then thinks back to the prologue, where Invisible Man introduces his living quarters, he sees some irony. During the prologue Invisible Man says, I doubt if there is a brighter spot in all New York...In my hole in the basement there are exactly 1,369 lights, I've wired the entire ceiling, every inch of it (Ellison 6-7). This extreme lighting contrasts with the darkness and blackness that is shown in the hole that he falls into. According to one critic, the brightness connotes an optimistic viewpoint that is new to Invisible Man (Parker ). He believed that "[his invisibility] placed [him] in a hole- or showed [him] the the [he] was in" (Ellison 572). He remained in the cellar to get away from "it all" (Ellison 573), and to contemplate his life and his grandfather's words- to po... ...ng] the foul air out" (Ellison 581). It is here that he wants to put his past behind him and move forward. He says: I'm shaking off the old skin and and I'll leave it here in the hole. I'm coming out, no less invisible without it, but coming out nevertheless. And i suppose it's damn well time (Ellison 581). Works Cited and Consulted Bellow, Saul. "Man Underground" Review of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. Commentary. June 1952. 1st December 2001 Available: http://www.english.upeen.edu/~afilreis /50s/bellow-on-ellison.html Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. New York: The Modern Library, 1994. O'Meally, Robert, ed. New Essays on Invisible Man. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Parker, Robert Dale "Black Identity and the Marketplace of Masculinity" 30 January 2002 Available: http://www.english.cmu.edu/~ Parker/50s/ellison.htm

Cooking at Home and Eating in a Restaurant Essay

Modern life becomes more and more comfortable, but we are busier and busier with our job, with our business. We don’t have time to prepare and cook meals at home. Someone prefers to eat fast- food or eat food in a restaurant, but some one still prefer to eat at home. Eating out or eating at home has also advantages and disadvantages, so which one is better? Cooking at home is similar to eating in a restaurant in many ways. Despite of cooking at home or eating out, we have to pay money for our food or spend our time to cook or to go to the restaurant to eat. For example, instead of spending your time to cook, you have to drive to go to the restaurant or sometimes you waste of time to looking for the parking. We also can taste the dishes we like even though we eat at home or at a restaurant. That is a period of time which your family enjoy eating after a long day with hard worked. With your family’s meal, everybody can talk together, tell some funny stories, or share their jobs. However, there are several differences between eating at home and eating out. Home-cooked meals are always healthy. The food at the restaurant may contain high in fat, high calories and other ingredients which are very harmful for the health. If you cook food at home, you have more control over the ingredients, and you can select the ingredients that you like. Furthermore, eating at home saves you so much money compared to eating in restaurants. Eating out are usually more expensive than cooking at home. In restaurants, they often serve big plates of food. They are too much more food than you need to eat at one meal and the money you spend can add up. For instance, with the money for a meal in a restaurant, you can buy food for the whole week for home-cooking. You can shop at cheapest markets, and look for sale items. Eating in a restaurant is also advantage way. Many people are very busy with their jobs outside the house, so they don’t always have time to cook. They like the convenience of eating out. For many reasons such as some one is not very good at cooking, or they like international cuisines or different meals, eating out is the best thing. Cooking at home has a disadvantage that is cooking at home also requires your time. You spend your time to prepare everything like you choose and buy ingredients for cooking your meals. After that, you have to wash dishes and clean up the kitchen. However, eating at home is one of the best ways to enhance the relationship inside your family. Life is busier and people don’t have much time to share their time together, even though they are in a family. Eating at home is all members of your family sit around the table and enjoy the dishes that your mother and you prepared and cooked. In your family, when all you prepare and cook meals at home together, you feel warmer and happier. Eating at home and eating in a restaurant are different in many ways, but they have several things in common. It is difficult for us to prefer to. Both eating at restaurants and cooking at home can be satisfying. Both of them can taste good and be enjoyed with your family and friends. I prefer cooking at home because of the money and health issues, but people will make the choice that fits their lifestyle best.

College Transfer

Womack Rd  Dunwoody, Atlanta, GA 30338 October 9, 2012 Dear Emory University Administration: When applying to Georgia Perimeter College (GPC), my initial choice in majoring was dental hygiene. During my first summer session, one of my courses that I had to take was psychology. I realized that it was not only first true academic, but also a personal life passion. I spent my weekends reading psychology related books, experiments, and articles.I counted minutes for my favorite class to start and once it started, I used to get sucked into lectures so deep not realizing how time went by. I became aware and confidant about changing my major to psychology. Upon my second semester of my freshmen year, I learned from the administration that my school does not offer the major I am now planning to pursue. In fact, my school does not even offer bachelor’s degree. I have visited Emory University this summer and even met with some psychology professors.I was impressed of Emory’s hi ghest ranking status among the other universities in southeast region. By attending Emory, I am looking forward in hoping to expand and extend my knowledge in psychology, participate in more psychology related work, and volunteer to work and cooperate with psychology professors. My intentions for transferring are simply for the academic and educational purposes. I have met many good people and made good friends at my currents school. My professors are well educated.I originally choose GPC because it felt like home. It was neither populated, nor far from my house. However, I am willing to push myself for new environment, adventures, and challenges. My academic achievement that shows in my transcripts proves of my ability to meet the standards and readily face the challenges of Emory University. The University and its program in psychology completely match my interests. I am hoping and looking forward in attending a program and pursue my bachelor’s degree in the field of psycho logy.

Self Defeating Behaviours Essay Example

Self Defeating Behaviours Essay Example Self Defeating Behaviours Essay Self Defeating Behaviours Essay They go on to qualify this as Those who engage in a repetitive cycle of failed attempts to fulfill a core human need s range far and wide. For example, a child may be determined to gain attention through naughty behavior, initially this may be positive attention, later negative attention but attention all the same. Perhaps an adult avoiding work they are not looking forward to until it becomes an excessively stressful situation; proving to themselves that it was going to be stressful anyway. It may be someone in repeated abusive relationships or a sports professional who outperforms at home and underperformed in competition. It is, in away, a maladaptive coping strategy. In a positive sense, we would SE ego defense mechanisms to cope with certain situations. However, the mechanism is no longer effective when the outcome is negative for the individual. This cyclical process rotates around an expectation of a negative nature can be either sustained or worsen over time. Self-defeating behaviors ensure we fail to reach our goal(s). Perhaps we are scared to be successful or the process of change is more painful than the end result. Many self-defeating behaviors are managed perfectly well and may never need support of a counselor. Many may be simple unconscious efforts to ensure we gain the desired outcome (I. . Lateness to the interview of a job that doesnt appeal). However, a client may finally decide a change is required. The client may not perceive they themselves have an issue with their mindset or behavior. Mostly likely belief that an outside factor is causing an issue. Types of SOB Psychologists key to the research into Sads include Banister, Ocher and Burglars. The list of types of SUB are lengthy. However, Banister has outlined the some simple classes: Primary Self-Destruction This group includes individuals who intentionally choose an action that will bring harm to themselves. Masochism forms part of this group. De-railing activities may include self-harm, eating disorders, addiction and attempted suicide. Its important to note that anyone falling into this group is referred to their GPO for their primary care plan. [Psychosis. Com -? Self-Defeating Behavior] Trade-off Also known as Self-Handicapping. Creating a balance where in causing harm whilst seeing a beneficial output. Ultimately, the cost outweighs the gain. Most obvious involving health; over-eating, drinking, smoking. Less obvious may be avoidance; such as work or social interaction. A major player in this area is procrastination. Anyone falling into this group may or may not be aware of this trade-off. They do not intend to cause harm to themselves, believing negative affects are long in the future or change is too costly. (Banister) The advantage of giving yourself a handicap is that you can have the illusion of success without having to risk losing it. (Burglars, 1987) Counterpart active Strategies Has no intention of causing any harm to themselves, aiming for a positive outcome. Perhaps a misjudgment in capability or situation. Behaviors formed over time that may have originally been successful. The behavior becomes an automatic thought or response to a situation even if it gains a negative outcome. Choking under pressure is an example. Require careful handling as awareness of performance challenges can further exacerbate self-esteem issues that caused the SUB originally. (Banister) Treatment Models The two models we are looking auto treat are: H. I. N. D. S. I. T. E Honesty, Identification, New Choices, Intervene, Decision, Select, Transition and Empower T. I. M. E Temporal, I ntervene, Multi-modal, Empathetic Using both these models for treatment plans, it becomes clear that both are relevant. Using HINDSIGHT without considering a multimedia approach or originating issue seems unrealistic. Similarly, using TIME without considering the clients honesty or empowerment also seemed unrealistic. Additionally, the subject matter is not an end to end process but more a cycle. Recognizing a first time fix may not often happen, Ive merged the models into one cyclical model (below). The model considers that there may need to be reassessment at any time given a change of information, model, tool and level of success. It is not meant to signify a constant cycle of solution/ resolution, but rather recognize the journey. Figure 1: HINDSIGHT and TIME Models from Chrysalis Courses. Z Fosters interpretation. Within each of the sections, the counselor needs to make a choice appropriate to the client. Maybe starting with ACT to support open conversation; understand client goals, history, values, beliefs, rationale for change and so forth. Equally, psychoanalysis may be used if the issue clearly has roots in the development. Perhaps a Thought Record to identify patterns of behavior ready for the next discussion. However, an easily bored client may need such exploration done during a counseling session as recording issues may feel back facing and counterproductive. Modality may be key; they may like to draw a picture instead of writing a diary. The models above give a path to follow, a guide. Eke many paths; it will not always be a straight line, it may be that the client and counselor need to stop and check their direction or backtrack to take another path. The methods used will always need to reflect the individual. Whilst it can by cyclical, it must not remain so, intervention and challenge to help the client look to their ultimate goal. Some Considerations during Treatment Expectations of the Client Regardless of whether the client is feeling wronged or on a journey to change a belief, expectation is part of the discussion. Honesty is key, but also understanding what can and cannot be influenced. The Circle of Influence can be a useful tool. It can be discussed or printed, depending on modality and retained for reassessment. Here is a version below: Source: Z Fosters interpretation of Circle of Influence The worry tree HTTPS://bridegrooms. Files. Wordiness. Com/2014/07/worrywart. Ping Relapse and Cost of Change -behavioral change is superficial if not accompanied by an alteration Of perception and increase in social interest. Dryden) A challenge in changing any SUB is the price a client pays for change versus the true benefit gained. Behavior can turn into a habit based on a long standing belief system. The client will find it easier to take the well worn path, defaulting to the familiar. Stress or tiredness may exacerbate this. Similarly fear, anger, frustration. The counselor also needs to understand the knock on effect of change to family, friends and colleagues. Understanding the root cause of feelings and how these are restricting change are key. The counselor needs to help the client be open to identifying conflicts when hey arise; understand them and looking to manage them. The two models outlined in HINDSIGHT and TIME both clearly show this journey; demonstrating that there may not be one, but several ways to address a problem. Going through a process of exploration may reveal the best option for the client. I say may, as I?s equally likely that the client does not want to effect a positive outcome and may want to prove that the process will not succeed in support of the SUB. Emotional Desegregation Supporting awareness of where you can/cant ethically treat a client. This scale refers to: an emotional response that is poorly modulated, and does to fall within the conventionally accepted range of emotive response [Wisped Emotional Desegregation] Those who cannot regulate their emotions; in particular strong outbursts or physical aggression may need additional support via the GPO. It may be symptomatic of disorder(s), chronic maltreatment or brain injury. If in doubt the counselor must always take advice from their supervisor. External Factors Obvious factors may include alcohol, drugs, smoking, abusive or unhealthy relationships. Perhaps the clients living circumstances are difficult or dire. Perhaps dealing with a seriously ill loved one or supporting someone dealing tit any of the above. Addiction may be to gambling or even technology; a person may be disconnected from the world around them, but believe they are fully involved using social media. If a client has been abused or raped, caution is required as to how much past can be delved into and how soon they are willing to share. Painful memories may require the counselor to primarily focus on future goal and change in behavior. When looking to make changes to an SUB that has sustained someone, albeit negatively, these factors need active consideration. As always, supervision is key. SUB Relationship to Theory Whilst many theories may be used as part of TIME or HINDSIGHT, here are some connecting thoughts. Not an exhaustive list as there are many tools and theories: Transactional Analysis: Mode in support of SUB (I. E. , parental mode, perhaps moral superiority over being wronged). Psychoanalysis: Relating back to an unresolved crisis at a key period. Not just related to childhood, includes adult crisis (I. . , a failed marriage leading to fear of rejection). Personality: Fundamental personality of a client (I. E. Cognitive may be more self-aware of behaviors; sensory may test how change goes for them and what results hey SEE or FEEL). Client Centered: Understanding past history, opening up discussion, create trust and empathy. May be less effective to instigate change itself. Cognitive: Limiting or damaging beliefs. Clients generally believe the harming factor to be external, but discover during counseling that actually they need to change all or part of a belief. Behavioral: Conditioning of an individual. (I. E. , the perfectionist may have come from parental conditioning). Includes Fight/Flight/Freeze conditioning (amazedly changes). CB and similar: Culmination of above; tools and theory that can be used to instructively build a way forward for the client. Also consider ACT to change conditioned response. REBUT in particular came up as a strong framework for Sods. SUB Relationship to Intervention Validation/Challenge:Asking the client to explain the reasoning behind their beliefs this may need to be cyclical to dive down to the originating belief. Reflection:Repeating what the client has said to help them see their approach in a mirror and develop discussion around its validity. Rehearsal: Recreating a situation where a situation that involves the SUB is created to help understand its process for discussion. Could be utilized with Guided Imagery or Role Play below when looking to make changes. Guided Imagery:Cognitive behavioral technique shown to be effective in helping individuals learn to modify behaviors. In particular, working through the outcome of a changed goal. [Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders] Story-boarding: A step forward from the guided imagery above. A visual story of situation. Role-Play: Allowing the client a safe environment in which to practice any changes and allowing the client/therapist to test methods that may challenge any change. Conditioning: Several methods including placing the client in a situation fully flooding) or progressively. Also reward or punish through changes (this last one not deemed to be a strong method). Thought Record: Understanding when, where, who, feelings, hot thoughts, values. In order to reflect, understand and discuss options. Materials: TO support a clients consideration of belief, challenges and changes. Poems, stories (both real and fictional), even online materials for those who prefer, such as happily. Com This list is certainly not exhaustive and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, approaches would have a regular check and balance via supervision o define the most beneficial approach for any given aspect of the treatment. Conclusions If refer to a quote at the start of this paper may be vulnerable to mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, social isolation, or compensatory exterminating problems (Browns and Hartley) in relation to Sibs. Couple this with a quote from a McKinney paper Changing individual behavior is increasingly at the heart of healthcare. The old model of healthcare -? a reactive system that treats acute illnesses after the fact -? is evolving to one more centered on patients, prevention, and the ongoing management of chronic conditions. (Dixon-File) What are the wider social implications of self-defeating behaviors? Modern society with it benefits and comfort also brings with it an ill; expectations, excess, treatment of one another resulting in maladaptive coping strategies. Such stresses can lead to ill health or even mental disorders over time. Of course, an SUB may also simply be a symptom of a disorder. Gaps have to be to broad shoulders of the T in terms of knowledge. Perhaps the INS requires a training system to consider the broader information from a patient and avoid repeated referrals to different specialists? How would the health service do this? A GPO may see that a patients physical symptoms and/ or stress may be exacerbated by a behavioral issue. Review by specialists to decide upon a holistic approach that may include a mental health specialist such as counseling. Still even if talking therapy is identified, the client/patient needs to want to make a change. Take social avoidance as an example. Low self-esteem and/or personal experiences may have led to a maladaptive coping strategy. This may carry with it secondary issues around lack of exercise, eating habits, and self- dedication or more seriously self-harm. History and originating factors may include conditioning developmental crisis or a specific trauma. They could be under great pressure from relatives/friends to resolve the issue or even conversely supporting the belief that this avoidance will not change. Understanding the reason a client wants to change, the originating cause(s), emotions, beliefs; the counselor and client may then look at understanding an ideal goal/outcome. The therapist may need to consider CB/ACT/REBUT and tools such as a worry tree or goal ladder to help the client find a route forward. Role-play to create a safe environment in which to test scenarios and of course expectation setting that there will be positive and negative experiences whilst the best path is found. Nothing is perfect, but what the above thought process shows is that for any given SUB, there could be many causes, factors and results. The treatment of any SUB brings together all the models we have learnt and key intervention skills to be used. It is also important to remember we can only deal with what the client presents us. It may be that a client is struggling with a task because they have been asked to do something beyond their means rather than they are sabotaging themselves. One can only challenge and reflect with the help their client to consider their statements and honesty. Finally, feel a health warning is again required; a counselor has a great deal of influence once they have understood a client and are entrusted to help with change. The client will want direction. The counselor must be mindful of the clients desires, whilst we will challenge a client, we must not lead them by our own compass but instead support them in finding their own way.

Roman legionnaire essays

Roman legionnaire essays A day in the life of a Roman soldier was hard and tough even for the most resilient men. The men were taken away from their families, friends and away from their comforting homeland. They were expected to protect the provinces located throughout the empire. Some close to home others far, far away. These men had to be capable of enduring quarrelsome natives in foreign countries, who were defending their homelands from invasion. A soldier was expected to embark on gruelling marches across barbaric hazardous terrain in the harshest weather conditions. After this the soldier would then have to fight a long and difficult battle. Above all this they soldiers had to obey all orders without questioning, no matter what the situation involved. Through an examination of the basic training in recruitment, the employment opportunities during peacetime, rates of pay, and punishment; one will easily see what the life of a Roman soldier consisted of. In order to join the military one would have to undergo numerous physical activities in training. The first step of basic training that recruit would encounter is to be taught the military pace for marching. A soldier would often march tremendous distances in a restricted time frame, as a result of this a recruit would be instructed to march twenty roman miles in under five hours at military pace. After that has been reached they would be instructed to march at full pace and they should cover twenty-four roman miles in the same time frame. Physical training also had its place among the soldiers day. Mentions of running, jumping (both long jump and high jump), swimming, and carrying heavy packs. After all of this physical training has been done and passed satisfactorily the recruit would undergo weapon training. The recruit would be ordered to train with a round wickerwork shield, twice as heavy as those of service weight, and use a wooden sword, also twice the weight as one s in servi...

Back Titration in Chemistry

Back Titration in Chemistry A back titration is a titration method where the concentration of an analyte is determined by reacting it with a known amount of excess reagent. The remaining excess reagent is then titrated with another, second reagent. The second titrations result shows how much of the excess reagent was used in the first titration, thus allowing the original analytes concentration to be calculated. A back titration may also be called an indirect titration. When Is a Back Titration Used? A back titration is used when the molar concentration of an excess reactant  is known, but the need exists to determine the strength or concentration of an analyte. Back titration is typically applied in acid-base titrations: When the acid or (more commonly) base is an insoluble salt (e.g., calcium carbonate) When direct titration endpoint would be hard to discern (e.g., weak acid and weak base titration) When the reaction occurs very slowly Back titrations are applied, more generally, when the endpoint is easier to see than with a normal titration, which applies to some precipitation reactions. How Is a Back Titration Performed? Two steps are typically followed in a back titration: The volatile analyte is permitted to react with an excess reagent A titration is conducted on the remaining quantity of the known solution This is a way to measure the amount consumed by the analyte, thus calculate the excess quantity.

The Payback Period as a Tool in Capital Budgeting Decisions Essay

The Payback Period as a Tool in Capital Budgeting Decisions - Essay Example In order to aid managers in making decisions with regards to capital budgeting, tools and techniques have been devised. One of these methods is called the payback method. The payback method is one of the most popular tools in conducting capital budgeting decision. The payback period tells the company the length of time required to recoup the original investment through investment cash flows. This is essentially the time when the company breaks even-the initial capital outlay is equal to the cash flows. For example, if a company invests $100,000 for the introduction of a new product line, then, the payback period reveals when the company will be generating cash flow of $100,000. Considering that the business organization invests in a project which generates the same level of cash flow annually, the payback period is computed as the follows: However, if the investment generates unequal annual cash flows, then the individual annual cash flows are subtracted from the initial investment until a difference of zero is reached. The year when cash flow equals investment is the payback period. Other things being equal, the investment with a low payback period is chosen as it implies less risk for the company. ... As the investment is recouped in a shorter period of time, it also indicates that the investment is less likely to fail. In the payback method, the profitability of the investment is often tied on how fast the investment generates cash inflow for the business organization. If the business organization is eyeing two or more projects to invest into, using the payback as sole decision criterion will make the company choose the project which has the lowest payback. However, if there is only one project to be evaluated, the firm often sets a specific span of time when the initial investment should be recouped. Generally, managers favor projects which have a payback period of less than three years. If the payback period is one year, the project is considered essential. In order to assess really understand how the payback period can be used in decision making, we will use it to evaluate two projects-one which has a fixed annual cash flow and one which generates unequal stream of cash flow. Suppose, XYZ Company is choosing between replacing its old machine used for production or embarking on a new product line. Each of the projects is estimated to require an initial investment of $100,000. Since the company is constrained with only $100,000 budget, the company must pursue only the more profitable option. The primary decision criterion used to evaluate investment decisions is the payback method. The estimated net cash flows are as follows: Year Replace Old Machine Introduce Product Line 1 $25,000 $10,000 2 $25,000 $20,000 3 $25,000 $70,000 4 $25,000 $50,000 5 $25,000 $50,000 A. Constant Annual Cash Flow The replacement of the old machine with the new one is forecasted to yield

Peer Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Peer Response - Assignment Example The only aspect not disclosed, and is considered a relevant aspect of mitigating risks and ensuring privacy and confidentiality of personal information is to be discerning in the information shared on social networking sites to avoid excessive exposure to external risks and threats. The information which discloses that one of the vulnerabilities is the propensity to share excessive personal information through social networking sites should be appropriately addressed. It was noteworthy that through this exercise, online users of internet applications and other technological gadgets are made aware of the risks and vulnerabilities that could expose personal identification credentials to hackers; and thereby, compromise privacy and confidentiality. One strongly believes that there is a need to be more vigilant in terms of sharing information: either consciously or unconsciously (especially when using commercial or public internet shops). Thus, it was good that enhancing selection of password and frequent changing would be a first and relevant

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 9

Report - Essay Example This report is about the development and analysis of a database system for a recruitment agency that is operating worldwide and specializing in short contracts for programming and website development work. This report will offer a deep analysis of the main database design and development aspects for the business of recruitment agency. According to Oz Effy (2008), the processes of decision making and problem solving both are based on information. In addition, the decision making is vital process of everyone’ life, people work, play, communicate or do anything they need and use information. In the same way, in a corporation gathering the correct information efficiently, keeping it properly consequently thus it could be utilized and manipulated when needed, as well as making use of it to facilitate the corporation or individuals to attain personal or business objectives. Consequently, the main intention of database and information systems development and implementation is to have facility and support in the above discussed areas. We can use and apply these understanding and database information for getting success in every department of a business. However, in a corporation information system consists of databases, hardware, data, telecommunications, software, procedures and people. In addition, the use of in formation systems and databases can be seen in every walk of life. Their capacity to facilitate and resolve problems as well as making decisions makes them fundamental in our lives, society, business and management (Oz, 2008; Whitten, Bentley, & Dittman, 2000; Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005). The recruitment agency has carried out a survey among 30,000 people and taken response against different personnel, job and web development related aspects. This data is available in form of flat file database. In other words, the

Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Final exam - Essay Example Therefore, I would do my best to improve employee relations because it would not only help the employees work in a collaborative manner but also it would result in increasing the company’s productivity. I would take a couple of steps to resolve the employee relations issue. First, I would make the marketing manager aware of the breakup between John and Sue. I would tell the manager that Sue does not enjoy working with John anymore because of the breakup. I would also tell the manager that Sue feels very uncomfortable when she finds John hanging around her office. After informing the manager about the nature of working relationship between Sue and John, I would advise him to choose some other employee to work with Sue on the upcoming project. In case the manager stresses on using John with Sue for the project, I would take the second step. The second step would be to improve the working relationship of Sue and John. I would summon John to my office to warn him. I would notify him that his name would be no more on the employee list if I get any complaint about him from Sue. I would also call Sue in my office to tell her that she would be going to work with John on a project and if John shows some unacceptable gesture during or after work to make her feel uncomfortable, she should let me know. Next, I would call both of them in my office together to sign a good working relationship agreement between them. In this way, I would be able to improve their working relationship for the benefit of the company. Labor relations issue is also very important in my view. The reason is that it resolves many of the individual compensation issues as well as employer-employee relationship issues. Labor relations deal mainly with the interchanges between employers and employees. â€Å"While labor relations is most often used to discuss this exchange as it pertains to unionized employees, it may also refer to

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic Research Paper

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic - Research Paper Example It was eventually restored to Persian control between 330 and 100BC, and prospered into the modern era again. The area covered by modern day Iran was then called Persia, and as mentioned in the Bible and in Greek history and literature, it was a proud nation at the heart of a great Empire. Much of our knowledge comes from Greek and Jewish sources because original writings from that location have been lost. This means, unfortunately that some of the historical information is somewhat biased. The Greeks admired the skills of the Persians in producing fine works of art in metal, with precious jewels, and in sculpture, painting and weaving, but at the same time saw them as a threat, and dismissed their culture as â€Å"barbaric.†i Some scholars have noted that the best Greek imperial artefacts of this period such as statues and monuments demonstrate the use of styles and materials, such as gold, which they borrowed from the so-called â€Å"barbarian† culture of Persia.ii Al though very little in terms of writings has survived from Persia in this period, there is fortunately quite a lot of archaeological evidence in the form of metalwork, such as precious armlets in silver and gold, and carved stonework with a distinctive theme: â€Å"The realism of Achaemenian art manifests its power in the representation of animals, as can be seen in the many reliefs at Persepolis. Carved in stone or cast in bronze, the animals served as guardians to the entrances or, more often, as supports for vases, in which they were grouped by threes, their union a revival of the old traditions of tripods with legs ending in a hoof or a lion’s paw.†iii Some of these animal images are realistic, like bulls and horses, while others are more figurative, like griffins and strange creatures with lion’s heads and wings. Another art form that was perfected by the Persians in this period was inlay work, using precious stones that were obtained via the extensive tradi ng networks that the empire had built up over the preceding centuries. The devolved system of government used by the Persians meant that local governors (called â€Å"satraps†) looked after the infrastructure of the empire, and collected taxes. They also made sure that great cities were built and maintained with impressive architecture, including tombs for great leaders, temples for the predominant religion which was Zoroastrianism, and buildings for legal and commercial activity. This infrastructure is evidence of considerable wealth, allowing citizens to learn new decorative trades and arts. The city of Susa, which is often known by its Greek name Persepolis, is a fine example of the high level of planning in city architecture that the Persians were capable of. Another major innovation which the Persians enjoyed was the creation of a postal system, consisting of good roads with posting stations placed a day’s ride from each other.iv Official documents, trade items, a nd all kinds of ideas travelled along this network, making Persia the envy of the civilized world in those days. Reflection It was very interesting to read that even in this early period Persian carpets were famous across the world for their luxurious quality. I think that the cold of the desert areas at night in winter time caused the

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

International Management - Essay Example The present study would analyse the business strategies of Toyota Motors Corporation with regards to achieving global competence. The study would specifically analyse the product offering and product based strategies of the firm and how these have been used by the firm to gain global competitive advantage. The choice of the organization assumes significance considering the fact that Toyota is one of the most formidable brands of the world and has a significant market share in the global car market. The company has a product offering that tends to offer the best products to the customers. It also has operations spread around major consumer markets of the world and is known for its operational and manufacturing excellence strategies. Background About the Company Toyota Motors Corporation is one of the most reputed car makers of the world. The automobile behemoth was established in the year 1937 and is presently one of the most formidable brands of the world with its stocks listed on th e bourses of the US stock exchanges as well as Japanese stock exchange. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and has a capital worth 397.05 billion Yen as of 2010. The company has a total of 320,590 employees on active payroll as of March 2010. The main business area of the organization is in the areas of automobile production and sales. It has a multi product offering that helps in targeting a large number of market segments. The company is known for its innovations in product design and operational expertise that helps it to provide greater value to the customers (Toyota Motors Corporation, 2011). Product Portfolio Mix Toyota Motors Corporation is in the business of automobile manufacturing and sales and has a product offering that caters to almost all sections and segments. The company’s product offering includes cars that includes hatchbacks, sedans as well as luxury SUV’s, hybrid cars, trucks and commercial vehicles. The detailed products under the brand a re provided in the table below: Table 1: Product Offering of Toyota Motors Corporation Cars Models Category Price (US $) Â   Yaris Hatchback 13155 Â   Corolla Sedan 15900 Â   Matrix Hatchback 16700 Â   Camry Sedan 20195 Â   Prius Sedan 23520 Â   Sienna Minivan 25060 Â   Avalon Sedan 33195 Â   Â   Â   Â   SUV RAV 4 SUV 22475 Â   FJ Crusiser SUV 25790 Â   Venza Crossover 27125 Â   Highlander SUV 28090 Â   4Runner SUV 30305 Â   Sequoia SUV 40930 Â   Land Cruiser SUV 68920 Â   Trucks Tacoma Truck 16365 Â   Tundra Truck 24435 (Source: Toyota Motors Corporation-a, 2011) As evident from the table shown above Toyota has a very large product offering that helps it to cater to a large number of customer segments. The prices of the vehicles have been formulated in a manner that would help the firm to target a wide customer audience. On one hand there are highly priced SUV’s and hybrid vehicles as well as price friendly hatchbacks that help it to meet the demands of a large section of the customers. The company’s product strategy follows an innovative approach with focus on looks, design as well as engine capacities. The company has continuously modified its product offering with respect to the changing demands of the consumer audience. The company has made it a part of its vision to produce more hybrid and green vehicles that are environment friendly (Toyota

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic Research Paper

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic - Research Paper Example It was eventually restored to Persian control between 330 and 100BC, and prospered into the modern era again. The area covered by modern day Iran was then called Persia, and as mentioned in the Bible and in Greek history and literature, it was a proud nation at the heart of a great Empire. Much of our knowledge comes from Greek and Jewish sources because original writings from that location have been lost. This means, unfortunately that some of the historical information is somewhat biased. The Greeks admired the skills of the Persians in producing fine works of art in metal, with precious jewels, and in sculpture, painting and weaving, but at the same time saw them as a threat, and dismissed their culture as â€Å"barbaric.†i Some scholars have noted that the best Greek imperial artefacts of this period such as statues and monuments demonstrate the use of styles and materials, such as gold, which they borrowed from the so-called â€Å"barbarian† culture of Persia.ii Al though very little in terms of writings has survived from Persia in this period, there is fortunately quite a lot of archaeological evidence in the form of metalwork, such as precious armlets in silver and gold, and carved stonework with a distinctive theme: â€Å"The realism of Achaemenian art manifests its power in the representation of animals, as can be seen in the many reliefs at Persepolis. Carved in stone or cast in bronze, the animals served as guardians to the entrances or, more often, as supports for vases, in which they were grouped by threes, their union a revival of the old traditions of tripods with legs ending in a hoof or a lion’s paw.†iii Some of these animal images are realistic, like bulls and horses, while others are more figurative, like griffins and strange creatures with lion’s heads and wings. Another art form that was perfected by the Persians in this period was inlay work, using precious stones that were obtained via the extensive tradi ng networks that the empire had built up over the preceding centuries. The devolved system of government used by the Persians meant that local governors (called â€Å"satraps†) looked after the infrastructure of the empire, and collected taxes. They also made sure that great cities were built and maintained with impressive architecture, including tombs for great leaders, temples for the predominant religion which was Zoroastrianism, and buildings for legal and commercial activity. This infrastructure is evidence of considerable wealth, allowing citizens to learn new decorative trades and arts. The city of Susa, which is often known by its Greek name Persepolis, is a fine example of the high level of planning in city architecture that the Persians were capable of. Another major innovation which the Persians enjoyed was the creation of a postal system, consisting of good roads with posting stations placed a day’s ride from each other.iv Official documents, trade items, a nd all kinds of ideas travelled along this network, making Persia the envy of the civilized world in those days. Reflection It was very interesting to read that even in this early period Persian carpets were famous across the world for their luxurious quality. I think that the cold of the desert areas at night in winter time caused the

Ethnicity in Cameroon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethnicity in Cameroon - Essay Example Its relief ranges from desert in the north, Savannah grassland to tropical rain forest in the southern region. (World InfoZone, 2008). It is called ‘Africa in miniature’ as it harbors almost all the political, economic, religious, cultural and relief features of the entire continent. (World InfoZone, 2008). Ethnicity has been a topic of debate in the country for a long period now. With over 250 different ethnic groups having different cultures and local dialects, representative governance and integration becomes difficult and thus has recently become a national topic of debate. This has its roots dating back to 1964 when the late Dr. Bernard Fonlon questioned the former president Ahmadou Ahidjo on the Functioning of the then Federal Republic of Cameroon which was failing. This led to the change of the structure to ‘the United Republic of Cameroon’ in 1972 and later to the ‘Republic of Cameroon’ in 1984. (Culture of Cameroon, 1997). The national question in Cameroon is more an issue of being either being part of the ruling majority and in which case, being submissive, paying allegiance to the powers that be, or being part of the geographically privileged southerners who dominate and control power. (Mentah, 2008). The latest tendency is for the ruling establishment to meticulously fuel ethnic exclusion, articulating ethnic animosity getting isolated entities or ethnic groups for the-right-moment political manipulation. (Mentah, 2008). This means that the system of government is that of little or no patriotism but a struggle to share in the constantly diminishing ‘national cake.’ (Nyamjoh, 1999). Though the country is politically very stable, the question of National unity and integration due to the ongoing ‘politics of regional and ethnic balance, chronic lack of vision as a country, the lack of real commitment to democracy, the propensity to vacillate on most issues of collective

Cloud Computing Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Cloud Computing Research Paper Essay Introduction Cloud computing is the answer for â€Å"affordable† business technology platforms. It is a more affordable solution for media content than any other medium, and this is why Netflix, Amazon.com, and Apple are among the leaders in cloud usage and development. Ultimately cloud computing will be the primary way data services are accessed by businesses and consumers alike. Marston, Li, Bandyopadhyay, Zhang, and Ghalsasi 2009 conclude cloud computing offers companies the opportunity to deploy cutting edge IT services without the enormous upfront costs that deter so many organizations from making the investment in infrastructure. Now that affordable solutions are becoming more readily available it is likely that more small and medium sized businesses will try and streamline their IT services. Small and medium sized businesses will likely be attracted to billing features that only charge for actual usage, as opposed to a flat fee. This format of doing business seems confusing on its surface, which led Kamra, Sonawane, and Alappanavar 2012, to compare Cloud Computing to Municipal Water Departments. Cloud Computing can be explained using a simple example. Many decades ago people used to go to their well to get the water needed to live their lives, nowadays things are different. Municipalities have placed water taps at every door step, so you can turn on and use the service as needed. Cloud computing is the same concept. You do not need to build a Water Plant to have water in your home, and now businesses do not need a massive computer lab to run their IT Services. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon provide a cloud to their customers, business partners and employees that allows services to be provided on a 24/7 basis. Discussion A perfect example of cloud computing would be Yahoo.Com and Gmail.Com e-mail addresses. As recently as seven years ago Microsoft Outlook was a program installed on the hard drive of your computer that helped to facilitate your incoming and outgoing e-mails. Now â€Å"web-based† or â€Å"cloud mail† is what 99% of the people using computers use for e-mail services. A company will be able to use cloud services on a per usage, or metered basis. This is the future of computing and the majority of new services in the future will be based around this type of technology, which leads us to the importance of network uptime and availability. Ambrust et, al 2010, suggest that just as large ISPs use multiple network providers so that failure by a single company will not take them off the air, we believe the only plausible solution to very high network availability is multiple cloud computing providers used simultaneously. I agree wholeheartedly with this concept and this is how Facebook became the powerhouse of a company that it is today. In both the movie â€Å"The Social Network†, and the book â€Å"The Accidental Billionaires†; Mark Zuckerberg, is described as â€Å"convinced† that a network outage as short as one day could irreversibly unravel the entire company. Facebook is revered as an incredibly stable platform. While I do not have inside information with regard to Facebook’s cloud computing strategy, I believe it is a very easy assumption to make that they have multiple ISP and Cloud sources to ensure platform availability. As another example a company like Amazon.Com which has no retail presence, depends entirely on the uptime of their network and website, a disruption of a few hours in service could cost the company millions of dollars in lost sales opportunities. Multiple back up Internet Service Providers is a must. Conclusion Aljabre 2012, suggests the concept of cloud computing in business may sound ideal and easy to implement, but like all new technology being introduced in to a business with an IT system already in place has both negative and positive aspects. Aljabre uses Amazon.com as his example of a company that has successfully utilized this technology. Amazon has 80 million customers, and 17 thousand employees, and has a need for cloud access at the highest possible level. Amazon has a mission critical need for many different people, both employees and customers alike to be able to access the internal network for employees and the website itself for both sellers and buyers. Aljabre considers Amazon to be the number one company on the planet with regard to cloud utilization and the success of the company and high regard for its network stability is a testament to how much cloud computing has advanced in the short time it has been implemented. Virginia Watson Ross 2010 believes today’s organizations are being tasked with finding ways to minimize costs, while their computing and data needs grow, cloud computing is a viable option to consider. With its economy of scale and high performance assets, it has the potential for meeting increased organizational computing and data management needs., and surges in demand, while minimizing costs. The challenge is to determine what factors drive a company’s decision makers to choose or not to choose to employ cloud computing to meet organizational needs. The advantages of cloud computing include cost savings, meeting computing needs, reliability, and centralized security functions. This will lead to overall lower costs, improved information handling, and greater convenience for end users. All of these advantages make cloud computing worth considering. References Marston, Sean R., Li, Zhi, Bandyopadhyay, Subhajyoti, Ghalsasi, Anand and Zhang, Juheng, Cloud Computing: The Business Perspective (November 23, 2009). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1413545 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1413545 Armburts, Michael. A View of Cloud Computing. Communications of the ACM 53.4 (2010):50. Aljabre, Abdulaziz. Cloud Computing for Increased Business Value. International journal of business and social science 3.1 (2012):234. References Ross, Virginia W. Factors influencing the adoption of cloud computing by decision making managers. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms, (2010). :2021. Kamra, Varun. CLOUD COMPUTING AND ITS PRICING SCHEMES. International Journal on Computer Science and Engineering 4.4 (2012):577.

Mike Davis And The LAPD :: essays research papers

The general assumption that people make of the role that police officers play is that they are there to â€Å"Protect and Serve† the community. What people many times do not realize is that in reality a large percentage of police officers in Los Angels, including the Chiefs of Police, do their jobs with a different intention in mind. Police officers as well as politicians claim to be working hard on keeping drugs off the streets when in reality they are bringing on the violence themselves by instigating problems that are not really there. Bringing violence to the community is to their convenience because when crimes are solved and people are arrested police officers are portrayed by the media as the â€Å"heroes†. Not only is the LAPD committing a large number of acts of corruption but they are all set toward youth of color. The ideal role of a police officer is to help and protect the people of the community for which they work to create a safe environment but when members of the LAPD are biased and only interested in their own refinement, innocent youth are left to pay the consequences. Police officers mainly target their corruption scandals toward groups of young males of color because they find it easier to arrest them strictly because of their physical appearance and use probable cause as their excuse. From there, â€Å"Kids are humiliatingly forced to ‘kiss the sidewalk’ or spread eagle against police cruisers while officers check their names against computerized files of gang members.†(Davis, 81) If their names and addresses are not yet entered they are added to the roster as well â€Å"†¦for future surveillance.†(Davis, 81)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are two major Black gangs in Los Angeles, which are known universally as the â€Å"Bloods† and the â€Å"Crips†, they are most known for their â€Å"organization of the sale of crack and out shooting the police with huge arsenals of Uzi and Mac-10 automatics.† (Davis, 81) Because they distinguish themselves by the Bloods color-coding their clothes in red and the Crips in blue, police officers have used this against many black males wearing the color of these gang rivals. Many times the Chief of Police gives orders for the officers to â€Å"stop and interrogate anyone who they suspect is a gang member, basing their assumptions on their dress or their use of gang hand signals.† (Davis, 83) Law enforcement has also been found to be deliberately provoking gang violence by writing over Crip graffiti with red, which is the Bloods color, or Blood graffiti with the Crip color.

Symbolism in Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- The Lottery Essays

Lottery: A Terrifying Trip Symbols can be used to convey a special meaning to the reader by association, especially when a material object is used to represent something abstract. Throughout the years, American writers have been using their works as a way to describe society to their broad audiences. As time periods change, writers as well as readers change their view about society. Several factors affect how readers view society in a piece of literature. To get a better understanding of the society expressed in a piece of literature, one must consider not only the time period in which the work was written, but also the life of the author, the style in which the work was written, and criticism of the piece. In Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery,† the society is demonstrated as unchangeable due to the underlying fear and evil of human nature. By using, main types of symbols represented in this story, are characters' names and objects. Jackson wrote several pieces of literature throughout her life, she is most known for her short story â€Å"The Lottery.† The lottery takes place in a small town on June 27th. The lottery is an annual event handled by Mr. Summers and the postman, Mr. Graves. The night before the lottery, Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves made slips of paper that are placed in an old black box that has been used for the lottery for a very long time. The children are the first to arrive for the lottery, then the men, followed by the women. As Mr. Summers calls the names of the families in the town, heads of the households, the men, come and draw slips of paper from the black box. During the lottery, Mrs. Adams mentions that the other towns are thinking of stopping their lottery, to which Old Man Warner responds it wil... ...l human character. Writers of American literature have many different opinions on the society. In order for readers to understand an author’s view on the society, they must look at many different aspects including the writer’s life and the time period in which the work was written. Though writers have different theories about the society, they express their philosophies into their work. The town who seem horribly uncivilized, where a son stones his mother, yet they can easily be compared to today's society. Following customs blindfolded in any given society does prove to be fatal, and as I would like to say, disgusting. We need to realize that although, we make a society in the end it is painful for the society as a community to conclude life according to a black box. Work Cited Wilson, Kathleen, ed. Short Stories for Students. Detroit: Gale, 1997.

1984 fifty years on – in what respects has the fictitious future vision of George Orwell “come true”?

George Orwell wrote his famous novel Nineteen Eighty-Four between the years 1945 and 1948. Although the title is ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four', the novel wasn't meant to be a detailed description of the exact year of 1984 but a critical, futuristic novel. In Orwell's criticism of a perfect society, his novel became known as one of the greatest anti-utopian novels of all time. Although the novel starts out as a story of a neurotic man, it quickly turns into a protest against a totalitarian government. The novel seems to be a satire at the start, similar to novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, but quickly the reader will discover that it is not wholly satire. Nineteen Eighty-Four is not only criticism of what Orwell saw happening in his country with the coming of English Socialism, but a warning of the consequences of contemporary government actions and what they were threatening to cause. Perhaps the novel seems so bleak because it was written in the conditions and environment in which Orwell lived in 1948, straight after the Second World War. Perhaps people would be more comfortable with the novel if they could forget the thought of the possibility of the prediction becoming real. In year 1984 it seemed to be a huge trend to discuss which aspects of the novel had come true, although the title of the novel was only acquired by switching the last two numbers of the publishing year the other way round. The most obvious feature in the novel that existed -and still exists for example in Cuba – is the totalitarian government. Although Stalin's Soviet Union and Hitler's Nazi Germany obviously gave the model for Oceania, Orwell and no-one else in the end of the 1940s knew what exactly was happening inside these states. For example the truth of Stalin's government came up only after 1952 when the head of the country died. KGB could be linked to the Thought Police in the sense of â€Å"vaporising† people who were against the leader mysteriously during the night. In this sense, Orwell interpreted in his novel quite well the secret actions inside the totalitarian government. Also Orwell's view of television seems to have partly â€Å"come true†. The television was a quite new invention in the end of the 1940s when Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, and therefore Orwell developed the idea of an unswitchable TV, telescreen, for his novel. Although the modern TV's can be switched off and the Party members can't observe us through them, Orwell wouldn't probably have been surprised by the fact that in 1984 the average American household spent over 7 hours in front of the television every evening. The number is even greater for those families who happen to have a cable TV. As Winston in the beginning of the novel is a middle-aged man living alone, and working only because everyone has to, his position resembles the one of a modern, marginalised man. He can't remember his childhood or even his mother clearly. It is possible to see here one Orwell's insight more, even though it is quite unlikely that he actually predicted in 1948 that marginalisation would become a problem fifty years later. The theme of Newspeak and the destruction of language was also one aspect of the future that George Orwell saw in advance. Although the governments of today are not trying to eliminate more and more words from our vocabularies in order to eliminate our ability to unite or conspire against them, the language is changing. Words that sound as if they were the purest Newspeak already exist, for example the word ‘infomercial' (information + commercial) could be straight form Oceania. Also new words come to existence at the same time when old words almost disappear. The disappearing, or forgotten words are usually names of old objects that are not used anymore. New technology in turn brings new products that need new names. No other work of the 20th century has inspired people with such love of liberty and hatred of tyranny. Because of the many predictions of the future that Orwell made over fifty years ago and which later on have actually â€Å"come true†, Nineteen Eighty-Four remains one of the great novels of the previous century.

Ode to the west wind †questions and answers Essay

What is the tone of Stanza I? Explain. Stanza I has a tone of calm and sensuality created in it. The poet is only depicting the real image he sees in front of him, explain the monotony of an Autumn Day â€Å"conversing† with the Wind. There are no feelings involved in the depiction of the nature. How is the wind both destructive and preserver? Shelley characterizes it as a destructive and fearsome force, yet it is also a harbinger of the inevitable coming of Spring. It is, therefore, both Destroyer and Creator, and Shelley sees the West Wind as a symbol of the regeneration which will follow the destruction and â€Å"death† of Winter. The West Wind is celebrated as a harbinger of new creation, manifested in Spring, and also feared for its destructiveness and great power. Æ’Ã ¦What is the tone of Stanza II? How does the author describe the clouds? In Stanza II we find the poet to be rather uncertain and concerned with the violence and terror of air storms. This would also be the tone of this stanza. Shelley seeks to emphasize the terrifying darkness of the storm scene, with its darkness and associations with death. The clouds are described as being dark, stormy, foreshadowing a bad, ill – tempered mood or aura. Why is the poet using the imagery of waves in this poem about the Wind? What is the relationship between the Wind and the waves? The waves are powerful just like the winds are. They forcefully hit anything they encounter. The Wind and the waves disturb the monotony of nature, annoying and disturbing it, sharing this way one similar characteristic. The waves’ power is similar to the one that the Wind has. What is the author asking for in Stanza IV? Shelley likes himself, to a leaf, a cloud, and a wave, subject to the force of the West Wind, and asks to be borne aloft with it. He is asking, in effect, for a return to the raw power and energy he felt and knew as a child. In other words, Shelley is asking the force that provides inspiration to act through him. How does Shelley want to be used by the wind in Stanza 5? What should his role in society be? How do you feel about this poem? At this point Shelley makes the direct connection with his need to be inspired by seeing the wind’s force, and the impact made by the wind on forests, creating harmonies in his own mind and verse. The wind as a form of inspiration will enable him to spread his message across the universe. He hopes that radical social change or rebirth of personal inspiration could be accomplished without violence. I agree with him about accomplishing things without violence, but I am not so sure about the way he describes or wants to achieve it. The final effect of the poem is ambivalent, a mixture of depression and hope. I notice a certain degree of uncertainty in him. He characterizes the wind and the clouds as being violent, spreading terror, and dangerous, while I think that is a very preposterous opinion he has, and should make it obvious that that is just his opinion, and it is not necessarily true because other people might think differently. I sense insecurity in him, and with his poem is transmitting it to the reader. Natural phenomenon has nothing to do with his capabilities as a person. He is getting old, and that is life! I believe he is being very stubborn and unreasonable to ask for power, force, and energy from the Wind, and at the same time give negative qualities to it.

Decision Analysis

CREATE Research Archive Published Articles & Papers 1-1-1980 Structuring Decision Problems for Decision Analysis Detlof von Winterfeldt University of Southern California, [email  protected] edu Follow this and additional works at: http://research. create. usc. edu/published_papers Recommended Citation von Winterfeldt, Detlof, â€Å"Structuring Decision Problems for Decision Analysis† (1980). Published Articles & Papers. Paper 35. http://research. create. usc. edu/published_papers/35 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by CREATE Research Archive.It has been accepted for inclusion in Published Articles & Papers by an authorized administrator of CREATE Research Archive. For more information, please contact [email  protected] edu. Acta Psychologica 45 (1980) 71-93 0 North-Holland Publishing Company STRUCTURING DECISION PROBLEMS FOR DECISION ANALYSIS * Detlof von WINTERFELDT ** University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA Structuring decisio n problems into a formally acceptable and manageable format is probably the most important step of decision analysis.Since presently no sound methodology for structuring exists, this step is still an art left to the intuition and craftsmanship of the individual analyst. After introducing a general concept of structuring, this paper reviews some recent advances in structuring research. These include taxonomies for problem identification and new tools such as influence diagrams and interpretative structural modeling. Two conclusions emerge from this review: structuring research is still limited to a few hierarchical concepts and it tends to ignore substantive problem aspects that delineate a problem it its real world context.Consequently structuring research has little to say about distinctions between typical problem classes such as regulation, siting, or budget allocation. As an alternative the concept of â€Å"prototypical decision analytic structures† is introduced. Such st ructures are developed to meet the substantive characteristics of a specific problem (e. g. , siting a specific Liquid Natural Gas plant) but they are at the same time general enough to apply to similar problems (industrial facility siting). As an illustration, the development of a prototypical analytic structure for environmental standard setting is described.Finally, some typical problem classes are examined and some requirements for prototypical structures are discussed. An introduction to problem structuring Decision analysis can be divided into four steps: structuring the problem; formulating inference and preference models; eliciting probabilities and utilities; and exploring the numerical model results. Prac* This research was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense and was monitored by the Engineering Psychology Programs of the Office of Naval Research, under contract # NOOO14-79C-0529.While writing this paper, the author discussed the problem of structuring exte nsively with Helmut Jungermann. The present version owes much to his thought. Please don’t take footnote 3 too seriously. It is part of a footnote war between Ralph Keeney and me. ** Presently with the Social Science Research Institute, University of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90007, (213) 741-6955. 12 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems titioners of decision analysis generally agree that structuring is the most important and difficult step of the analysis.Yet, until recently, decision analytic research has all but ignored structuring, concentrating instead on questions of modeling and elicitation. As a result, structuring was, and to some extent still is, considered the ‘art’ part of decision analysis. This paper examines some attempts to turn this art into a science. Trees are the most common decision analytic structures. Decision trees, for example, represent the sequential aspects of a decision problem (see Raiffa 1968 ; Brown et al. 1974). Other examples are goal trees for the representations of values (Keeney and Raiffa 1976) and event trees for the representation f inferential problem aspects (Kelly and Barclay 1973). In fact, trees so much dominate decision analytic structures that structuring is often considered synonymous to building a tree. This paper, however, will adopt a more general notion of decision analytic structuring. According to this notion, structuring is an imaginative and creative process of translating an initially ill-defined problem into a set of welldefined elements, relations, and operations. The basic structuring activities are identifying or generating problem elements (e. g. , events, values, actors, decision alternatives) nd relating these elements by influence relations, inclusion relations, hierarchical ordering relations, etc. The structuring process seeks to formally represent the environmental (objective) parts of the decision problem and the decision makers†™ or experts’ (subjective) views, opinions, and values. Graphs, maps, functional equations, matrices, trees, physical analogues, flow charts, and venn diagrams are all possible problem representations. In order to be useful structures for decision analysis, such representations must facilitate the subsequent steps of modeling, elicitation, and numerical nalysis. Three phases can be distinguished in such a generalized structuring process. In the first phase the. problem is identified. The elements which are generated in this phase are the substantive features of the problem: the decision maker(s); the generic classes of alternatives, objectives, and events; individuals or groups affected by the decision; characteristics of the problem environment. This list is pruned by answering questions such as: what is the purpose of the analysis? For whom is the analysis to be performed? Which alternatives can the decision maker truly control?At this stage only very rough relations betw een problem elements are constructed. Examples include organizational relations D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 73 among decision makers, influence relations between classes of actions and events, and rough groupings of objectives. Products of this problem identification step are usually not very formal, and are seldom reported in the decision analytic literature. They may be in the form of diagrams, graphs, or ordered lists. Among the few documented examples are Hogarth et al. (1980) for the problem of city planning and Fischer and von Winterfeldt 1978) for the problem of setting environmental standards. In the second structuring step, an overall analytic structure is developed. The elements generated in this step are possible analytic problem representations. Besides tree structures, these may include more complex structures previously developed for similar problems such as screening structures for siting decisions or signal detection structures for medical decis ion making. Paradigmatic structures of alternative modeling approaches (e. g. , systems dynamics or linear programming) which could fit the problem should also be examined at this step [ 1 I.A creative activity in this structuring phase is to relate and combine part structures, e. g. , simulation structures with evaluation structures, or decision trees of different actors. From the candidate structures and their combinations an overall structure is selected which is judged most representative of the problem and manageable for further modeling and elicitation. Only a handful of analytic structures have been developed which are more complex than decision trees. Gardiner and Ford (in press) combined simulation and evaluation structures.Keeney (in press) developed decision analytic structure for the whole process of siting energy facilities. Von Winterfeldt (1978) constructed a generic structure for regulatory decision making. The third structuring phase coincides with the more traditio nal and limited notion of structuring. In this step the parts of the overall analytic structure are formalized in detail by refining the problem elements and relations identified in the first step. This includes a detailed construction of decision trees, event trees, and goal trees. Linkages between part structures are established, e. g. between simulation and evaluation structures. Decision makers and groups affected by possible decisions are specified together with events or actions linking [l] Although such structures alternatives to decision analytic in the remainder of this paper. structures should be considered, I will ignore 14 D. von Winterfeldt/Structuring decision problems them. Examples of this structuring step can be found in most decision analytic textbooks. This three step structuring process of identifying the problem, developing an analytic structure, and formalizing its detailed content seldom evolves in strict sequence.Instead, the process is recursive, with repeat ed trials and errors. Often the analyst decides on a specific structure and later finds it either unmanageable for modeling or non-representative of the problem. The recognition that a structure needs refmement often follows the final step of decision analysis, if numerical computations and sensitivity analyses point to places that deserve more detailed analysis. Knowing about the recursive nature of the structuring process, it is good decision analysis practice to spend much effort on structuring and to keep an open mind about possible revisions.The above characterization of the structuring process will be used as a format to review the structuring literature. First, the use of problem taxonomies for the step of problem identification is examined. Methods to select analytic approaches are then reviewed as possible aids for the second structuring step. Finally, some recent advances in formalizing part structures are discussed. * Two conclusions emerged from this review and motivated the subsequent sections of this paper: (1) Although structuring research has much to say about analytic distinctions between decision problems and structures (e. . , whether a problem is multiattributed or not), it has little bearing on substantive problem distinction (e. g. , the difference between a typical regulation problem and a typical investment problem). (2) Structuring research is still limited to a few, usually hierarchical concepts and operations. Emphasis is put on simple, operational and computerized structuring. Little effort is spent on creating more complex combinations of structures that represent real problem classes. As an alternative, the concept of prototypical decision analytic structures is introduced.Such structures have more substance and complexity than the usual decision trees or goal trees. They are developed to meet the substantive characteristics of a specific problem, but are at the same time general enough to apply to similar problems. As an illustra tion, IIASA’s [21 development of a prototypical decision analytic [2] International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria. D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 75 structure for environmental standard setting will be described. Finally, several typical classes of decision problems will be examined and some requirements or prototypical structures will be discussed. Taxonomies for problem identification The taxonomies described in the following typically classify decision problems by analytic categories (e. g. , whether a problem is multiattributed or not) and they attempt to slice the universe of problems into mutually exclusive and exhaustive sets. The purpose of such taxonomies is twofold: to facilitate the identification of an unknown element (e. g. , a medical decision problem) with a class of problems (e:g. , diagnostic problem); and to aid the process of matching classes in the problem taxonomy (e. . , diagnostic problems) with an analyti c approach (e. g. , signal detection structures). Thus, by their own aspiration, problem taxonomies should be useful for the early phases of structuring decision problems. MacCrimmon and Taylor (1975) discuss on a rather general level the relationship between decision problems and solution strategies. Decision problems are classified according to whether they are ill-structured or well-structured, depending on the extent to which the decision maker feels familiar with the initial state of the problem, the terminal state, and the transformations equired to reach a desired terminal state. Three main factors contribute to ill-structuredness: uncertainty, complexity, and conflict. For each category MacCrimmon and Taylor discuss a number of solution strategies. These strategies include, for example, reductions of the perceptions of uncertainty, modeling strategies, information acquisition and processing strategies, and methods for restructuring a problem. Taylor (1974) adds to this class ification scheme four basic types of problems: resource specification, goal specification, creative problems, and well structured problems (see fig. 1).Problem types are identified by the decision maker’s familiarity with the three subparts of the problem. Taylor discusses what types of decision strategies are appropriate for each of these problem categories, for example, brainstorming for creative problems and operations research type solutions for well structured problems. Howell and Burnett (1978) recently developed a taxonomy of tasks 16 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring Problem Type Initial State decision problems Terminal State Transformation Type 1, Resource Specification Problems UnfamllIar Type 11, Goal Specification Problems Type III, Creative ProblemsType IV, Well-Structured Problems Varies Varies Unfamihar Varies Vanes Familiar Unfamiliar Familiar Fig. 1. Types of problem structures (Taylor 1974). and types of events with the intention of assessing cognitive options for processing probabilistic information for each taxonomy element. Uncertain events are classified according to three dichotomies: frequentistic – not frequentistic; known data generator – unknown data generator; process external – internal to the observer. Task characteristics are complexity, setting (e. g. , real life us. laboratory), span of events, and response mode characteristics. For each vent/task combination Howell and Burnett discuss how different cognitive processes may be operating when making probability judgments. For example, in estimating frequentistic events with unknown data generators, availability heuristics may be operative. Brown and Ulvila (1977) present the most comprehensive attempt yet to classify decision problems. Their taxonomy includes well over 100 possible characteristics. Decision problems are defined according to their substance and the decision process involved. Substantive taxonomic characteristics are mainly derived from th e analytic properties of the situation, i. . , amount and type of uncertainty, and amount D. von Winterfeldt/Structuring decision problems 71 and types of stakes, types of alternatives. Only a few elements of this part of the taxonomy can be directly related to problem content, i. e. , current vs. contingent decision, operating vs. information act. The taxonomic elements of the decision process refer mainly to the constraints of the decision maker, e. g. , reaction time, available resources. The taxonomy by Brown and Ulvila incorporates most previous problem taxonomies which tried to define decision problems by categories derived from decision analysis.These include taxonomies by von Winterfeldt and Fischer (1975), Miller et al. (1976), and Vlek and Wagenaar (1979). To be useful for problem identification, the above taxonomies should lead an analyst to a class of problems which has characteristics similar to the decision problem under investigation. Unfortunately, the existing probl em taxonomies are ill-suited for this purpose, because they use mainly analytic categories to distinguish problems. Such categories are derivatives of the decision analytic models and concepts, rather than characteristics of real world problems. For example, the analytic categorizations f problems into risky vs. riskless classes is based on the distinction between riskless and risky preference models. Analytic categories create more or less empty classes with little or no correspondence to real problems. For example, none of the above taxonomies allows distinguishing between a typical siting problem and a typical regulation problem in a meaningful way. It appears that substantive rather than analytic characteristics identify real problems. Substantive characteristics are generalized content features of the problems belonging to the respective class. For example, a substantive eature of regulation problems is the involvement of three generic decision makers: the regulator, the regula ted, and the beneficiary of regulation. To become useful for problem identification, taxonomies need to include such substantive problem characteristic& Methods for selecting an overall analytic structure Most taxonomies include some ideas or principles for matching lems with analytic structures or models. MacCrimmon and attempted to match their basic type of decision problems with tive solution strategies, Howell and Burnett speculated on which tive processes may be invoked by typical task/event classes in probTaylor ognicogniproba- 18 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems bility assessment; von Winterfeldt and Fischer identified for each problem category appropriate multiattribute utility models. But in none of these papers explicit matching principles or criteria for the goodness of a match are given. Rather, matches are created on the basis of a priori reasoning about the appropriateness of a strategy, model, or a cognitive process for a particular class of decision problems. Brown and Ulvila (1977) attempted to make this selection process more explicit by creating an analytic taxonomy in correspondence with the problem taxonomy.The analytic taxonomy classifies the main options an analyst may have in structuring and modeling a decision problem. The taxonomy includes factors such as user’s options (amount to be expended on the analysis), input structure (type of uncertainty), elicitation techniques (type of probability elicitation). These categories identify options, both at a general level (optimization, simulation, and Bayesian inference models) and special techniques (e. g. , reference gambles, or Delphi technique). To match problems with analytic approaches Brown and Ulvila created a third taxonomy, called the â€Å"performance measure taxonomy†.This taxonomy evaluates analytic approaches on attributes like â€Å"time and cost measures†, â€Å"quality of the option generation process†, â€Å"quality of communicat ion or implementation†, etc. Different problem classes have different priority profiles on the performance measure categories. Similarly, different analytic approaches have different scoring profiles on the performance measures. The analytic approach chosen should perform well on the priority needs of a particular problem, Brown and Ulvila discuss the ‘goodness of fit’ of several analytic approaches to a number of decision situations in terms of these performance measures.For example, they argue that a contingency type analysis (an element of the analytic taxonomy) is appropriate for decision problems that occur repeatedly and require a fast response (elements of the decision situation taxonomy) because contingency type analysis allows fast calculations (elements of the performance measure taxonomy). Several authors have developed logical selection schemes, which can identify an appropriate analytic approach or model based on selected MacCrimmon (1973), for exampl e, developed a problem features. sequential method for selecting an appropriate approach for multiattrib&e evaluation.The first question to be answered is whether the purpose of the analysis is normative or descriptive. Further questions D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 79 include whether the type of problem has occurred frequently before, if there are multiple decision makers with conflicting preferences, and whether alternatives are available or have to be designed. All questions are of the yes-no type and together create a flow chart for selecting among 19 possible approaches. For example, if the purpose of the analysis is normative, if direct assessments of preferences (e. g. ratings) are valid and reliable, and if the type of problem has frequently occurred before, regression models or ANOVA type approaches would be appropriate. Johnson and Huber (1977) and Kneppreth et al. (1977) discuss a three step procedure for selecting a multiattribute utility assessment approach. In the first step, the characteristics of the multiattribute problem are listed, including discreteness vs. continuity of dimensions, uncertainty vs. no uncertainty, and independence considerations. In the second step the evaluation situation is characterized on the basis of judgments about the task complexity, mount of training required for assessment, face validity required, assessment time, accuracy and flexibility. In the third and final step the profile describing the evaluation problem is compared with a profile characterizing five different generic assessment models or methods. The technique that best matches the situation profile is selected. For example, lottery assessment methods and models would be appropriate if the evaluation problem involves uncertainties, does not require high face validity, and allows for a good amount of training of the assessor. Both the taxonomy riented and the sequential selection methods for matching problems and analysis suffer from c ertain drawbacks. As stated earlier, problem characteristics used in taxonomies typically neglect substantive aspects of the decision problem. Consequently, an analyst may choose an analytic approach based on a match with a spuriously defined problem class. For example, when facing a medical diagnosis problem, an analyst may find that some detailed substantive characteristics of the problem (e. g. , the way doctors process information, the physical format of information, etc. ) suggest a signal detection structure.Yet, as far as I can see, none of the above matching processes would directly lead to such a structure. Advances in formalizing structures Influence diagrams are a recent development in decision analytic structuring (see Miller et al. 1976). Influence diagrams draw a graphical 80 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems picture of the way variables in a decision model influence each other, without superimposing any hierarchical structure. For example, a decision v ariable (price) may ‘influence’ a state variable (demand) and thus ‘influence’ a final state (successful introduction of a new product into market). Influence diagrams have been conceived mainly as an initial pre-structuring tool to create a cognitive map of a decision maker’s or expert’s view of a decision problem. In the present stage influence diagrams are turned into hierarchical structures and analyzed with traditional tools. But research is now underway at SRI International on the use of influence diagrams directly in EV or EU computations. Another generalization of the tree approach is Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) developed, for example, in Warfield (1974) and Sage (1977). In interpretative structural modeling, matrix and graph heory notions are used to formally represent a decision problem. First, all elements of the problem are listed and an element by element matrix is constructed. The structure of the relationships betwe en elements is then constructed by filling in the matrix with numerical judgments reflecting the strength of the relationship, or by simply making O-l judgments about the existence/non-existence of a relation. Computer programs can then be used to convert the matrix into a graph or a tree that represents the problem. Influence diagrams, value trees, decision trees, and inference trees can all be thought of as special cases of ISM.For example, in value tree construction, the analyst may begin with a rather arbitrary collection of value relevant aspects, attributes, outcomes, targets and objectives. Using alternative semantic labels for the relationships between these elements (e. g. , ‘similar’, ‘part of’), an element by element matrix can be filled. Finally, the analyst can explore whether a particular relational structure leads to useful goal tree structure. Besides these generalizations of traditional hierarchical structuring tools, several refinements of special structuring techniques have been suggested, particularly for evaluation roblems. Keeney and Raiffa (1976) devoted a whole chapter to the problem of structuring a value tree. They suggest a strategy of constructing a value tree by beginning with general objectives and disaggregating by using a pure explication logic (i. e. , what is meant by this general objective? ). This approach has previously been advocated by Miller (1970) and others. Mannheim and Hall (1967) suggest in addition the possibility of disaggregating general D. van Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 81 objectives according to a means-ends logic (how can this general objective be achieved? ).Other disaggregation logics (problem oriented, process oriented, etc. ) could be analyzed in the ISM context. There are a number of papers that suggest more empirical or synthetic approaches to value tree construction. Of particular interest is a repertory grid technique described by Humphreys and Humphreys (1975) and Humphreys and Wisuda (1979). In this procedure similarity and dissimilarity judgments are used to span the value dimensions of alternatives. Several computer aids have been developed recently to aid decision makers or experts in structuring decision problems. Some of these are discussed in Kelly ( 1978), and Humphreys (1980).These aids typically rely on empty structuring concepts (decison trees, value trees, inference trees, or influence diagrams) and they guide the decision maker/expert in the analytic formulation of his/her problem. Special aids are OPINT for moderately complex problems which can easily be formulated into a decision tree or matrix structure, the decision triangle aid for sequential decision problems with a focus on changing probabilities, and EVAL for multiattribute utility problems (Kelly 1978). In addition to these structuring and assessment aids, there are now computerized aids under development xploiting the idea of influence diagrams and fuzzy set theory . Influence diagrams, ISM, and computer aids are indicative of a trend in structuring research and perhaps in decision analysis as a whole. This trend turns the fundamentally empty structures of decision trees, goal trees, and inference trees into more operational, computerized elicitation tools, without adding problem substance. There are clear advantages to such an approach: a wide range of applicability, flexibility, user involvement, speed, limited training, and feedback, to name only a few. It also reduces the demands on the decision analyst’s time.There is, of course, the other extreme, the prestructured, precanned problem specific version of decision analysis applicable to essentially identical situations. A military example is Decisions and Designs Inc. % SURVAV model (Kelly 1978) which applies to routing decisions for ships to avoid detections by satellites. Such a structure and model can routinely be implemented with almost no additional training. In turn it gives u p generalizability. Neither extreme is totally satisfactory. Empty general structures must consider each problem from scratch. Substantive specific struc- 82 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring ecision problems tures have limited generalizability. The middleground of problem driven but still generalizable structures and models needs to be filled. Problem taxonomies may help here by identifying generic classes of problems. But as was discussed earlier, existing taxonomies are ill equipped for this task since they neglect substantive problem features. The question of filling in the middleground between ‘too general’ structures and ‘too specific’ structures thus becomes a question of searching for generalizable content features of problems that identify generic classes of decisions.These generic classes can then be modelled and structured by â€Å"prototypical decision analytic structures† which are specific enough to match the generalizable problem feature s and general enough to transfer easily to other problems of the same class. At the present stage of research this search process will necessarily be inductive because too little is known about problem substance to develop a problem driven taxonomy and matching analytic structures. An inductive research strategy may attempt to crystallize the generalizable features of a specific application, . or compare a number of similar applications (e. . , with siting problems), or simply use a phenomenological approach to delineate problem classes in a specific application area (e. g. , regulation). In the following two sections some possibilities for developing prototypical decision analytic structures will be discussed. An example of developing a prototypical structure The following example describes the structuring process in the development of a decision aiding system for environmental standard setting and regulation. The work was performed as part of IIASA’s (see fn. 2) standard se tting project (see von Winterfeldt et al. 1978), which had oth descriptive and normative intentions (how do regulators presently set standards? how can analytic models help in the standard setting process? ). Because of this wide approach of the standard setting project, the research group was not forced to produce workable models for specific decision problems quickly. Consequently, its members could afford and were encouraged to spend a substantial amount of time on structuring. Inputs into the structuring process were: – retrospective case studies of specific mental protection agencies; standard processes of environ- national Railway Corporation energylevelmeasure 3 measurefor aeroplanenoise 1 Japanese dB’ ‘SO†, AT SOURCE RULES ROUTING USE SCHEMES SCHEMES LAND Fig. 2. Regulatory alternatives for Shinkansen noise pollution. IMPLEMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT /I ALTERNATIVE OF HOUSE IN HOUSE IN FRONT lMldB(A) WCPNLl MEAS†6iiA~â€Å"> 30 †“ d&i) MEASURED LEO’ EQUIP- TION FICA- SPECI- MENT SPE:D CONTROL RES+RlCT TIMES OPERATION 84 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems – previous models suggested for standard setting; – field studies of two ongoing standard setting processes (oil pollution and noise standards).In addition, the structuring process benefited much from continuing discussions with leading members of environmental agencies in the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan and the United States. Although the structuring effort was geared towards decision analysis, substantial inputs were given by an environmental economist (D. Fischer), an environmental modeller (S. Ikeda), a game theorist (E. Hopfinger), and two physicists (W. Hafele and R. Avenhaus), all members of IIASA’s standard setting research team. The overall question was: how can standard setting problems best be formulated nto a decision analytic format and model such that the model is specific enough to capture the ma in features of a particular standard setting problem and, at the same time, general enough to apply to a variety of such problems? In other words, what is a prototypical decision analytic structure for standard setting? Since the regulator or regulatory agency was presumed to be the main client of such models, the initial structuring focussed on regulatory alternatives and objectives. In one attempt a wide but shallow alternative tree was conceived which included a variety of regulatory ptions ranging from emission standards, land use schemes, to direct interventions. An example for noise pollution standards is presented in fig, 2. Coupled with an appropriate tree of regulatory objectives, a decision analysis could conceivably be performed by evaluating each alternative with a simple MAU procedure. A possible value tree is presented in fig. 3 for the same noise pollution problem. This simple traditional structure was rejected since regulators seldom have to evaluate such a wide rang e of alternatives and because it does not capture the interaction between the regulators and the regulated.Also, regulators are much concerned about monitoring and implementation of standards, an aspect which a simple MAU structure does not address. The second structure was a narrow but deep decision tree, exemplified in fig. 4 for an oil pollution problem. In addition to the regulator’s alternatives, this tree includes responses of the industry to standards, possible detection of standards violations, and subsequent sanctions. This structure was geared at fine tuning the regulators’ definitions of D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 85 of hospitals, schools, retwement homes MINIMIZE f residential life DISTURBANCE other / EEggF M,NIM,zE HEALTH Hearing EFFECTS < PsychologIcal Synergetic (aggravation of existing illness) Investment for pollution equipment MINIMIZE COST ~—–< Operation of pollution eqwpment RAILWAY CORP. OBJECTIVES Speed MAXIMIZ E SERVICE -< Aeliablllty ClXlllOrt wth mtemational regulation CONSISTENCY OF REGULATION with other national â€Å"cise standards (car, mr. other trams) POLITICAL OBJECTIVES -/ Enwonmental policy AGREEMENT POLICY WITH GOVERNMENT Transportation policy t Ewnomtc growih policy Fig. 3. Regulatory objectives for noise pollution control. he standard level (maximum emission, etc. ) and monitoring and sanction schemes, and to assessing environmental impacts. The structure is specific in terms of the regulatory alternatives. But by considering industry responses as random events, and by leaving out responses of environmental groups, it fails to address a major concern of regulatory decision making. The third structure was a three decision maker model, in which the regulator, the industry/developer and the environmentalists/impactees are represented by separate decision analytic models (see von Winterfeldt 1978).A signal detection type model links the regulator’s decision through poss ible detections of violations and sanction schemes to the the industry model. An event tree of pollution generating events and effects links the developer’s decisions to the impactee model (see fig. 5). The model can be run as follows: the regulator’s alternatives are left 86 EPA average UK aver,, UK maximum Norway average DEFINITIONS OF OIL EMISSION STANDARDS parts per million ofoil No pollution – Grawty Separator c&ugated Plate Inter- equipment Gas Flotation Filters ceptrr n ob STANDARD LEVEL in watt r ofoil POLLUTION EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE o00 patis per milhon in water n First vidabon of No udat#on of standard occurs at tulle DETECTION STATES standard dunng all opemons n t POLLUTION EQUIPMENT DECISION BY THE OIL INDUSTRY PENALTY No pdlution equipment Gravity separator Gas Flotatux corrugated Plate bltw- Pais Filters EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE per million n Second wdation POLLUTION EQUIPMENT DECISION BY THE OIL INDUSTRY No more vidations DETECTION STATES Find eflect s~ on environment (pdlution levels) FINAL EFFECTS – industry (cost) – regulatlx (political) Fig. 4. Segment of a decision tree for setting oil pollution standards. A standard is usually defined by the number of samples to be taken, how many samples form an average, and how many exemptions from a violation are allowed. For example, the EPA average definition is as follows: four samples are to be taken daily, the average of the four samples may not exceed the standard level (e. g. , 50 ppm) more than twice during any consecutive 30 day period. 87 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems REGULATORY 1 DECISION MODEL I U R (0 1 DETECTION OF REGULATION VIOLATION DEVELOPER – SANCTIONS POLLUTION GENERATING EVENTS I IMPACTEE DECISION MODELPOLLUTION EFFECTS Fig. 5. Schematic representation of the regulator-developer-impactee model. 1: variable standard of the regulator d(r): expected utility maximizing treatment decision of the developer a[d(r)]: expected utility maximizing decision of the impactees variable. The developer’s response is optimized in terms of minimizing expected investment, operation, and detection costs or maximizing equivalent expected utilities. Finally, the impactees are assumed to maximize their expected utility conditional on the regulator’s and the developer’s decision. At this point the model stops.The structure only provides for a Pareto optimality analysis of the three expected utilities accruing to the generic decision units. This model allows some detailed analyses of the probabilities and value aspects of the standard setting problem, and it proved feasible in a pilot application to chronic oil discharge standards (see von Winterfeldt et al. 1978). Regulators who were presented with this model, con- 88 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems REGULATOR’S CHOICE Fig. 6. Game theoretic structure of the regulation I problem. sidered it meaningful, and it offered several insights into the standard setting problematique.Yet, there was a feeling among analysts and regulators that the static character of the model and the lack of feedback loops required improvement. The final structure considered was a game theoretic extension of the three decision maker model. The structure of the game theoretic model is presented in fig. 6. In this model the standard setting process in explicitly assumed to be dynamic, and all feedbacks are considered. In addition, transitions from one stage to another are probabilistic. The model was applied in a seven stage version in a pilot study of noise standard setting for rapid trains (Hapfinger and von Winterfeldt 1978).The game theoretic model overcomes the criticisms of the static decision analytic model, but in turn it gives up the possibility for fine tuning and detailed modeling of trade-offs and probabilities. Considering such aspects in detail would have made the running of the model impossible. Therefore, relatively arbitrar y (linear) utility functions and simple structures of transition probabilities have to be assumed. Although the appropriateness of the different structures was not explicitly addressed in this study, two main criteria come to mind when judging structures: representativeness of the problem and manageability for further analysis.Each of these criteria can be further broken down. For example, representativeness includes judgments about the adequacy of the structural detail, and coverage of important problem aspects. The overall conclusions of many discussion with regulators, analysts, D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 89 industry representatives, and the results of the pilot applications led us to accept the third structure as a prototypical decision analytic structure for relatively routine emission standard setting problems. The model is presently considered for further applications in emission tandard setting and an extension to safety standards will be explored. Tow ards a kit of prototypical decision analytical structures Not every decision analysis can afford to be as broad and time consuming as the previous study. Decision analysis usually has a much more specific orientation towards producing a decision rather than developing a generic structure. Still I think that it would be helpful if analysts were to make an effort in addressing the question of generalizability when modeling a specific problem, and in extracting those features of the problem and the model that are transferable. Such an inductive pproach could be coupled with more research oriented efforts and with examinations of similarities among past applications. Such an approach may eventually fill the middleground between too specific and too general models and structures. But rather than filling this middleground with analytically specific but substantively empty structures and models, it would be filled with prototypical structures and models such as the above regulation model, more refined signal detection models, siting models, etc. In the following, four typical classes of decision problems (siting, contingency planning, budget allocation, and regulation) are examined nd requirements for prototypical structures for these problems are discussed. Facility siting clearly is a typical decision problem. Keeney and other decision analysts have investigated this problem in much detail and in a variety of contexts (see the examples in Keeney and Raiffa 1976). A typical aspect of such siting problems is sequential screening from candidate areas to possible sites, to a preferred set, to final site specific evaluations. Another aspect is the multiobjective nature with emphasis on generic classes of objectives: investment and operating cost, economic benefits, environmental impacts, social impacts, and political onsiderations. Also, the process of organizing, collecting, and evaluating information is similar in many siting decisions. Thus, it should be possible to develop a prototypical structure for facility siting decisions, 90 D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems simply by assembling the generalizable features of past applications [ 31. Contingency planning is another recurring and typical problem. Decision and Design Inc. addressed this problem in the military context, but it also applies to planning for actions in the case of disasters such as Liquid Natural Gas plant explosions or blowouts from oil platforms.Substantive aspects that are characteristic of contingency planning are: strong central control of executive organs, numerous decisions have to be made simultaneously, major events can drastically change the focus of the problem, no cost or low cost information comes in rapidly, and organizational problems may impede information flows and actions. Although, at first glance, decision trees seem to be a natural model for contingency planning, a prototypical decision model would require modifying a strictly sequential appr oach to accommodate these aspects.For example, the model should be flexible enough to allow for the ‘unforeseeable’ (rapid capacity to change the model structure), it should have rapid information updating facilities without overstressing the value of information (since most information is free), and it should attend to fine tuning of simultaneous actions and information interlinkages. Budget allocation to competing programs is another typical problem. In many such problems different programs attempt to pursue similar objectives, and program mix and balance has to be considered besides the direct benefits of single programs.Another characteristic of budgeting decisions is the continuous nature of the decision variable and the constraint of the total budget. MAU looks like a natural structure for budget allocation decision since it can handle the program evaluation aspect (see Edwards et al. 1976). But neither the balance issue nor the constrained and continuous characte ristics of the budget are appropriately adressed by MAU. A prototypical decision analytic structure would model an evaluation of the budget apportionment, or the mix of programs funded at particular levels.Such a structure would perhaps exploit dependencies or independencies among programs much like independence assumption for preferences. Regulation covers a class of decision problems with a number of recurrent themes: three generic groups involved (regulators, regulated, [,3] I believe that. Keeney’s forthcoming book on siting energy facilities is a major step in that direction. Of. course, it could also be a step in the opposite direction. Or in no direction at all (see also first asterisked footnote at the beginning of the article). D. von Winterfeldt /Structuring decision problems 91 beneficiaries of regulation), importance f monitoring and sanction schemes, usually opposing objectives of the regulated and the benefrciaries of regulation, and typically highly political o bjectives of the regulator. In the previous section, the more specific regulation problem of standard setting was discussed, and a prototypical decision analytic structure was suggested. A decision analytic structure for regulation in general can build on the main features of the standard setting model. This list could be extended to include private investment decisions, product mix selection, resource development, diagnostic problems, etc. But the four examples hopefully re sufficient to demonstrate how prototypical decision analytic structuring can be approached in general. In my opinion, such an approach to structuring could be at least as useful for the implementation of decision analysis as computerization of decision models. 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