Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Privacy and Freedom essays

Privacy and Freedom essays The Fourth Amendment search and seizure is mainly about privacy, and has been implemented to protect against unreasonable searches and seizures by State or Federal law enforcement agencies. This amendment has been changed many times to suit the needs of the people. There are unlawful searches going on every day by sheriffs, police officers, undercover agents and other city officials. Some of those are searching cars, mobile homes, trash cans and even cell phones that are meant to be conducted with consent. The Fourth Amendment states that: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. The Fourth Amendment can be broken down into three sections, first is to provide protection for a person, their home and belongings, second, to prohibit unreasonable searches and seizures, and thirdly, warrants must be based on probable cause and specifically describe as to what must be seized. These guidelines set in our U.S. Constitution are constantly challenged and regularly broken. In the case of Spinelli v. United States (1968) agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were issued a search warrant to assist in uncovering evidence of defendant William Spinelli, who was suspected of conducting illegal gambling activities. FBI agents stated the defendant was known to "local law enforcement officials as a bookmaker." The agents later stated they "had been informed by a confidential informant that William Spinelli is operating a handbook and accepting wagers and disseminating wagering information by means of the telephones." These agents were granted a search warrant fo r Mr. Spinelli's property on the testimony of one single man, with no true evidenc ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Definition and Examples of a Lingua Franca

Definition and Examples of a Lingua Franca A lingua franca (pronounced LING-wa FRAN-ka) is a language or mixture of languages used as a medium of communication by people whose native languages are different. It is from the Italian, language Frankish and also known as a trade language, contact language, international language, and global language. The term English as a lingua franca (ELF) refers to the teaching, learning, and use of the English language as a common means of communication for speakers of different native languages. Examples and Observations Where a language is widely used over a relatively large geographical area as a language of wider communication, it is known as a lingua francaa common language but one which is native only to some of its speakers. The term lingua franca itself is an extension of the use of the name of the original Lingua Franca, a Medieval trading pidgin used in the Mediterranean region. (M. Sebba, Contact Languages: Pidgins and Creoles. Palgrave, 1997) English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) The status of English is such that it has been adopted as the worlds lingua franca for communication in Olympic sport, international trade, and air-traffic control. Unlike any other language, past or present, English has spread to all five continents and has become a truly global language. (G. Nelson and B. Aarts, Investigating English Around the World, The Workings of Language, ed. by R. S. Wheeler. Greenwood, 1999)Even though everybody around the world speaks Englishsort ofin their dealings with American media and business, politics, and culture, the English that is spoken is a lingua franca, a Bodysnatched English to be carefully scrutinized as to its meanings when it is used by a foreign culture. (Karin Dovring, English as Lingua Franca: Double Talk in Global Persuasion. Praeger, 1997)But what do we mean by the term English as a lingua franca? The term lingua franca is usually taken to mean any lingual medium of communication between people of different mother tongues, for whom i t is a second language (Samarin, 1987, p. 371). In this definition, then, a lingua franca has no native speakers, and this notion is carried over into definitions of English as a lingua franca, such as in the following example: [ELF] is a contact language between persons who share neither a common native tongue nor a common (national) culture, and for whom English is the chosen foreign language of communication (Firth, 1996, p. 240).Clearly, the role of English as the chosen foreign language of communication in Europe is an extremely important one, and one that is on the increase. . . . It is important to note that this means that both in Europe as well as in the world as a whole, English is now a language that is mainly used by bi- and multilinguals, and that its (often monolingual) native speakers are a minority. (Barbara Seidlhofer, Common Property: English as a Lingua Franca in Europe. International Handbook of English Language Teaching, ed. by Jim Cummins and Chris Davison. Spr inger, 2007) Globish as a Lingua Franca I want to draw a distinction between a language which is spread through nurture, a mother tongue, and a language that is spread through recruitment, which is a lingua franca. A lingua franca is a language that you consciously learn because you need to, because you want to. A mother tongue is a language that you learn because you cant help it. The reason English is spreading around the world at the moment is because of its utility as a lingua franca. Globisha simplified version of English thats used around the worldwill be there as long as it is needed, but since its not being picked up as a mother tongue, its not typically being spoken by people to their children. It is not getting effectively to first base, the most crucial first base for long-term survival of a language. (Nicholas Ostler quoted by Robert McCrum in My Bright Idea: English Is On the Up but One Day Will Die Out. The Observer, October 31, 2010) Cyberspace English Because the cyberspace community, at least at the moment, is overwhelmingly English speaking, it is appropriate to say that English is its unofficial language. . . .The colonial past, imperialistic stealth, and the emergence of other language blocs in cyberspace as it grows will minimize in due time the preeminence of English as the de facto language of cyberspace. . . .[Jukka] Korpela sees another alternative to cyberspace English and a constructed language. He predicts the development of better language machine translation algorithms. Such algorithms will result in efficient and sufficient quality language translators, and there will be no need for a lingua franca. (J. M. Kizza, Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age. Springer, 2007)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Response Week 13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Response Week 13 - Essay Example For example, she has mentioned the training employees on how to avoid and the effects of money laundering, implementation of money laundering laws and the need for Money Service Businesses (MSBs) to know how money laundering schemes work. In addition to what she has mentioned, I believe there are other techniques that organizations or the government can do to prevent these criminal activities. For example, more countries or organizations should meet to coordinate and share their models of legislation, trends and multilateral agreements. Currently only a few countries are active in these discussions. If all countries were to meet for such discussions, it would work because certain financial watchdogs such as the Financial Action Force (FATF) emerged from member countries having such international discussions. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2003), the establishment of FAFT took place in year 1989 and it is an inter-governmental body. Its objective is to promote effective implementation of laws and measures that combat threats related to financial systems of member states (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2003). However, this is a preventive measure that would occur on a large-scale level. On a small-scale level, the due diligence for individuals matters. To remove ambiguity from a lower level, customers should prove their identity when carrying out financial transactions with valid personal identification documents, not only by using payment cards. When it comes to organizations, White (2013) asserts that businesses with legal documents of operations also engage in money laundering. Therefore, the best technique would be to have rules that require businesses to provide information about their intended transactions, nature of transactions and purpose of the business

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Performance Measures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Performance Measures - Research Paper Example Forensic Psychology is understood as a mixture of both psychology of the brain and the legal psychology in any given location. The field is important in that it assists in the assessment and the understanding of people that may be diagnosed with a mental condition and involved in crimes (Ryan, 2007, 98). The field developed after the acknowledgement of the fact that many people had been sent to prison and were not in the proper state of mind. This has had scientists involved in finding means through which these sick people can be sent to mental institutions for the resolution of their issues other than send them to prison to suffer. This is from the fact that they do not deserve a sentence and their mental conditions should stand up in court. Diversion is a major part of Forensic Mental Health (Samuels, 2011, 167). This is a term that is used to refer to the change of custody of a patient with extreme mental conditions from the legal Justice System and straight to the health system for assistance. Psychosocial issues have been of great importance with relation to forensic mental health. Psychosocial issues are the ones that relate to the mind in a psychological manner and thus directly link to Forensic Mental Health. Most of these issues involve the engagement of various job descriptions and locations in an effort to assist people with severe mental conditions. Association of the community with these mentally impaired people is very important for the maintenance of the patient’s character (Candice, 2010, 109). This is a major psychosocial issue in that when these people do not feel at ease with the person, he begins having ideas that he is all alone and that nobody is interested with his company. This may put the person in a worse mental state and drive him to committing another crime of which the justice system does not act on as leniently as the first case. Another sector that has a big role to

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Historical experience leader was not trusted Essay Example for Free

Historical experience leader was not trusted Essay Terry finished from college as an engineer with excellent grades. He got jobs with several companies within the space of two years after graduation. He decided to change job because of harsh environment conditions of the location of the companies. After staying at home for three months, he got another job with a university as an IT assistant, in charge of networking and system repairs. He was enjoying himself in this company: a young university graduate with bright future. He was very dedicated to the discharge of duties. Because of dedication to duty, he was loved by all and sundry. He actually also had good human relationships. During his stay in the company, he had three major plans: settle down for a family with his girl-friend. He wanted to continue his education by bagging a postgraduate degree in Information and communication technology. He also had a business plan to accomplish that would be open the door for his self-employment and own his company. Because of these, he was ready to get as much experience as possible. He was poised to learn as mush as would come his way. And he did. However, he started developing problems with his Unit director who felt he was outshining him in the Unit. They argued on several occasions about they had to do on network problems affecting the University Internet access. At last, he got a sack letter. He left the company. He did not particularly see the sack as a major problem: it was an opportunity for him to actually work on his plans. So, he set forth. He drew up his business plan: got fund from the savings and investments he had made while gainfully employed, from friends and family members. He got a vantage position for his IT Company that provides information and services on Website designs, PC sales and repairs, Internet access and Computer training. He got started with a number of hardworking staff. He made them understand that since the business is new, they had to see themselves as part of a team that must work hard to see that customers are satisfied, their requirements met and services delivered effectively. These workers understood and dedicated their time and energy to the progress of the Company. They trusted his knowledge and managerial skills. They were also ready to make sacrifices for the Company. I got employed into the company as a Customer Service agent in charge of customer relations and keeping a journal of order delivery status. I noticed that Terry had a problem with his girlfriend and he had to break up. This affected his mood and outlook to work in the office. During this time, he lost his vigor and strength. We got talking about many things, including our personal lives. He was articulate and intelligent. But he could not keep to schedule nor meet appointments. A lot of customers and some members of staff complained on this. He promised to change. But he did not. Apart from this, he refused to pay salaries for the first two months. This was not surprise to us as we knew that the Company was getting up and we understood that a lot of money had to go into the running of a new company. After the third month, we met to discuss why salaries had not been paid. The Accounting unit reported that the Company could pay its workers. Against his will, they also told those present that some people have been selectively paid. This got the ‘unpaid’ workers annoyed and seriously vexed. We demanded for an explanation form the Boss. He was ready, as usual to give excuse and sweet-tongued us into this same old story: the Company is just catching up, and soon, all will be well. He supported his point with facts and figures convincing those paid are on special contract. He also used the opportunity to chastise workers who had not been working, especially those he had proposed to and they refused his advances. It later dawned on us that the company leader was making advances to many female workers in the office; those who agreed got paid and those who did not were chastised for their disobedience and were also not paid salaries. I was disappointed to come to this conclusion. I was learning a lot on the job, so I did not want to leave. After five months of endurance, we were paid for three months. I make proposal to opt out of the company because the situation grew worse daily. I called him several times to advise him but he would tell me I was young and had limited experience. Complaints by staff intensified daily. He sacked some, and others opted out willingly . The Situation became embarrassing: virtually everybody in the company knew about the ordeal. After series of threats, all salaries were paid. By then, he had lost a lot of resourceful workers. I also left the Company but not without lessons: little disappointments add up to big distrust. Trust is a major tool that makes communication effective. Anyone that loses this all-important trait is building a castle on sand, it would not last. It’s only a matter of time: it would fall. The company no longer exists. It has now been closed down. Terry had to get a paid job to pay his debts.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Perspective of Plato and Aristotle on the Value of Art Essays

The Perspective of Plato and Aristotle on the Value of Art    As literary critics, Plato and Aristotle disagree profoundly about the value of art in human society. Plato attempts to strip artists of the power and prominence they enjoy in his society, while Aristotle tries to develop a method of inquiry to determine the merits of an individual work of art. It is interesting to note that these two disparate notions of art are based upon the same fundamental assumption: that art is a form of mimesis, imitation. Both philosophers are concerned with the artist's ability to have significant impact on others. It is the imitative function of art which promotes disdain in Plato and curiosity in Aristotle. Examining the reality that art professes to imitate, the process of imitation, and the inherent strengths and weaknesses of imitation as a form of artistic expression may lead to understanding how these conflicting views of art could develop from a seemingly similar premise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both philosophers hold radically different notions of reality. The assumptions each man makes about truth, knowledge, and goodness directly affect their specific ideas about art. For Plato, art imitates a world that is already far removed from authentic reality, Truth. Truth exists only in intellectual abstraction, that is, paradoxically, more real than concrete objects. The universal essence, the Idea, the Form of a thing, is more real and thus more important than its physical substance. The physical world, the world of appearances experienced through the senses, does not harbor reality. This tangible world is an imperfect reflection of the universal world of Forms. Human observations based on these reflections are, therefore, highly suspect. At b... ... the definition derived by each philosopher is profoundly different. In order to construct a coherent, wide-ranging philosophy, art and its impact on society must be reckoned with, whether as an imitation of a system far removed or a system in our midst. The process of imitation is used in both cases to promote the particular version of reality espoused by each man. While such a study is beneficial in tracing the philosophical conflict regarding the usage and importance of imitation in art, what is most apparent, perhaps, is the discovery that language itself is an imperfect imitation of meaning, capable of fostering such conflicts. Works Cited: Aristotle. "Poetics" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989. Plato. "Republic, Book X" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Year-Round Schooling

Year-round school presents a very controversial issue that school districts struggle with every year. The same arguments, facts, and statistics are presented annually, and somehow a conclusion is never reached. Many people believe that year-round school would be a step in the right direction. Although there are many positive innovations to year-round school, the advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages of cost, breaks, vacations, employment, and scheduling. The traditional school calendar as been the same since the 1800s. This calendar is the traditional 180-day system with a two month break for summer. It was not operated on the year-round system way back when because farmers needed their children in the summertime to help tend the farms. Many people believe that this traditional style should change because it is outdated, but why should we change the schedule that our ancestors made if it still works without any flaws? Year-round school operates on a 180-day system, the same as the traditional calendar. The main difference between the two systems is the amount of time on break. There are many forms of the year-round calendar, as each individual school district may choose whichever plan they believe will fit their schools the best. The most popular examples of these schedules include: 45-15, 60-20, and 90-30 (Kelly). These represent the number of days attending school to the number of days off. These schedules would repeat over and over year-round, so the students would only get small breaks periodically throughout the year. Although these periodic breaks would add up to the same amount of days students would get off during a summer break, research says it would not help the academic achievement of the students. In other words, it is not how long the kids are in the classroom, it is how engaged in learning they are while there are there (Morin). Another example of why year-round schooling would not be a good idea is because it would separate American families that are used to traditional summer vacations. Families have always been accustomed to planning summer activities like vacations, reunions, and summer camps. If students were in school for the greater part of the summer, it would make it very difficult for families to plan these activities and typical childhood memories would get lost in the shuffle of year-round school. It is very important for children's development to spend quality time with family and friends and with year-round schooling, this simply would not happen. Not only would it make hurt your average family during the summer, it would also hurt the school's employees. Year-round school would put more demand on school staff such as cafeteria, custodial and maintenance services because they would have to make special accommodations for events such as graduation and dances. Also, teachers who would usually continue their own educational careers during the summertime would have to find alternate forms of education due to their now unusable schedule (Vandewater). Along with significant disadvantages, there are also distinct advantages associated with year-round schooling. Some year-round school advocates suggest that a shift in the time designated for teaching and learning will help students achieve more by minimalizing summer learning loss, allowing for innovation and implementation of creative programs, and by providing the time needed to assist children who need extra help (Lynch). By having breaks that are more consistent, some say that shorter vacations might also help students retain information they would've forgot over a two-month break. Basically, shortening breaks will improve student achievement. Another pro would be how year-round schooling could replace summer school, which many districts have cancelled due to budget cuts. For students that traditionally attend summer school because they need remediation, year-round school allows remediation to be addressed throughout the year. In conclusion, schools shouldn't convert to year-round schooling because it wouldn't help any with learning loss over summer break, it would separate families by discontinuing the traditional childhood summer, and it would hurt the schools' employees. Although year-round schooling sounds as if it might have some potential, there are too many flaws involved with it right now to confirm that it would making schooling better.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Performance Measurements Essay

Performance measurements are used to characterize and define performance in a project. They are used to track and manage progress toward achieving specific project goals. Performance measurements help determine how decision-making processes of a project led to its success or failure, understanding these can help organizations make future improvements. It is a project manager’s responsibility to measure performance based on the triple constraints of time, budget, and quality of a project. There are many performance measurements a project manager can use based on the type of project at hand, this paper compares and contrasts the following measurements – * Earned Value * Customer Satisfaction * Requirements Performance Earned Value Earned Value measures work performed in terms of schedule and budget of a project. It helps identify schedule and budget mishaps in all areas of a project. â€Å"Earned Value is an approach where you monitor the project plan, actual work, and work-completed value to see if a project is on track. Earned Value shows how much of the budget and time should have been spent, with regard to the amount of work done so far† (Haughey, 2013). It measures current performance in a project, which helps project managers determine what the future performance will be. Using earned value, project managers can determine how much work is completed vs. , how much was expected to be completed at a certain point in a project. Based on the earned value, project managers can make changes to the way the project is progressing in terms of specific tasks, schedule, and budget to bring it back on track for successful completion. Earned Value provides the project manager with an objective way of measuring performance and predicting future outcomes. This can enable him or her to report progress with greater confidence and highlight any overrun earlier. This in turn, enables the management team to make cost and time allocation decisions earlier than would otherwise be the case†Ã¢â‚¬  (Haughey, 2013). Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a performance measure that determines if customer expectations are being met. At the end of a project, customer satisfaction is what determines if a project was a success or a failure. Project-driven organizations must consider customer satisfaction as a critical success factor. Organizations that deliver projects that disregard customer needs create negative experiences and ultimately cause huge problems for the organization† (Karim, 2012). Project managers must make sure customer expectations and requirements are in line with the project continually during the life of a project. Following are some of the steps he or she can take to ensure customer satisfaction – * Balance customer needs with company’s customer service needs. Make sure customer requirements are deliverable and clearly communicate those that aren’t. * Gather continual feedback from customers to measure their satisfaction and improve current processes. * Customer satisfaction should be given as much importance as time, budget, and quality in project. * Include and inform customers when any changes are made in a project. * Effective communication between the customer and Project manager, and between the project manager and project team is very important. Requirements performance Meeting requirements is a key factor in measuring project performance. It is important to make sure that the right requirements have been gathered, and they are detailed as clearly as possible. Requirements in a project can be both functional and non-functional. If a project is meeting all of its requirements, it can be a key factor that indicates if it will be a successful one. â€Å"To measure this factor you need to develop measures of fit, which means the solution completely satisfies the requirement. A requirements performance index can measure the degree to which project results meet requirements†¦ Fit criteria are usually derived some time after the requirement description is first written† (Pennypacker, n. d. ). In conclusion, there are many ways to measure project performance and each project has its unique set of performance measurements. Performance measurements are important to track the progress of a project and to make sure the project is on target. Performance measurements are used to monitor and control a project to ensure its successful completion.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Example

Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Example Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Toyota Production System and 5s Essay Introduction Brief outline of the organization Implementation of 5S with respect of TQM and complement ISO Organizational culture and change undertaken in implementing 5S Content Define 5S Importance of 5S in the organization Culture that supports the 5S in the organization Methodology of 5S implementation How it can complement TQM and ISO certification Recommend organizational change that can to be undertaken to further improve quality Conclusion Outlook of 5S for the organization Evaluate the organizational culture and change in implementing quality. Management prospective on 5S in regards to quality. An example of 5S by Toyota Definition of 5S 5S, the brainchild of Hiroyuki Hirano from Japan, is widely considered as being the basis for Lean Manufacturing as it is concerned with stability and standardization to bring about improved safety, quality, delivery performance and cost control. Why a basis for Lean? Lean Manufacturing is a methodology derived from the Toyota Production System TPS) which originated in post World War II Japan. It came about when Kiichiro Toyoda and Taiichi Ohno amongst others explored means of making a high variety of quality cars at minimal cost, given the lack of capital expenditure available at the time. The fundamental principle of TPS is to increase productivity and generate product flow through the value stream by a disciplined and focused effort on eliminating waste. The foundation for TPS is stability, i. e. minimal process variation, this being achieved by standardization of work practices. What is Waste? Waste (Muda) in lean terms is described perfectly by Wikipedia as being any expenditure of resources for means other than the creation of value for the presumed customer. Waste can include anything from excessive motion and transport of materials to defects, over-production and inventory. Most literature now describes the 8 wastes, although Toyota have classified many more. What are the 5Ss? 5S is a systematic approach to workplace organization. The 5Ss are: 1. Sort (Seiri) sort out what is needed and get rid of what isnt 2. Set (Seiton) a place for everything and everything in its place 3. Shine (Seiso) clean and maintain so always looks like the photo 4. Standardize (Seiketsu) make it the standard and instill discipline 5. Sustain (Shitsuke) audit the system and improve it (start again) It should be mentioned for accuracy that Toyota uses 4S. Sustainability, the fifth S, is already encompassed within the TPS continuous improvement culture. Beside the improvements on safety, quality, delivery and cost mentioned above, there are also additional behavioral benefits associated with 5S, such as increased pride and sense of ownership in the workplace, increased discipline and higher employee motivation. Where does 5S succeed? Hirano is reported to have said that good workplaces begin with 5S and bad workplaces fall apart beginning with 5S. So why is this? 5S only works when there is top-down commitment from senior management to operator level. Without this any 5S program is doomed from the outset. Also there needs to be an infrastructure in place for sustainability and continuous improvement (time and resources, ideas scheme etc. ) otherwise the best youll achieve is 4S before the system stagnates. 5S will not work if it is not correctly understood. It is not simply a tidying up exercise and if it is believed as such then the program will only succeed to the second S before eventually being considered a failure. It works when management understand 5S as being fundamental to good performance rather than secondary to it. 5S succeeds in environments where there is discipline and self regulations in place to ensure standards are kept, this being owned by the workforce itself. Standards are typically maintained through a simple daily auditing system of different areas, or zones, with a person or small team being responsible for each. Even with all this in place, long term sustainability will only be possible if the system is continually measured and improved and if members of senior management carry out periodic inspections of each area. One common error by senior management is never being visible on the factory floor. How to Implement 5S 1. Sort The first step, Sort, begins with selecting a dedicated area for focus (could be an office environment, not only a factory floor) and assigning red tags to items that are either no longer needed or their usefulness is unknown. A quarantine area needs to be assigned for all red tagged items if they cannot be thrown away immediately, or if there is a lot of uncertainty as to whether items are still required. This both frees up space in the workplace and provides time to decide whether to keep or discard the items in question. Theres a tendency at this stage for magpies to want to hang onto stuff that hasnt been used for a long time. Critical reflection is required to ensure that emotional ties do not get in the way of logic. 2. Set The second step, Set, involves finding a place for everything that is left over after Sort, keeping in mind work place effectiveness, safety and ergonomics. The following questions should be answered: Where should the item be located? Ease of access is required. Keep passageways clear and avoid cables and piping on floor. How large and heavy is the object? Avoid reaching, bending and lifting where possible. How frequently is the item used? Organize by frequency of use and keep frequently used items close to hand. Set involves providing means for organizing items such as shadow boards, shelves, cabinets and containers. It also involves implementation of visual management to highlight to anyone whether a normal or abnormal state exists. The simplest of examples is a petrol gauge in a car. Green signals good, red signals bad. Another would be floor markings and labels indicating where an item should be found if not being used. 3. Shine The third step, Shine, requires items and the workplace to be cleaned and in a good state of repair. It is also about inspecting, as during inspection you will tend to find risks to safety and quality, for example due to damaged tools or faulty equipment. Shine does not just apply to material objects, but also people. Ensuring good condition of the correct clothing and that the correct PPE is being worn is equally important. For example gloves, hard hats, safety glasses and steel toe caps. 4. Standardize The forth step, Standardize, is about putting in place procedures and ensuring that a workplace is always how it should be. It provides visual management aids and daily checks in order to easily recognize whether the standard developed in the first three steps is being maintained. Visual management display boards in the work areas, creation of an address system and labelling of all equipment are key parts of this step. 5. Sustain The final step, Sustain is essentially about involving and motivating all members of the organization in assuring that the standards are applied and improved through employee empowerment and autonomy. Lean Manufacturing is as much about engaging and empowering the full intellectual capacity of the organization as it is about tools and methods. The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) or Demin Cycleis the methodology adopted by most lean organizations for continuous improvement activity. Sustain not only involves daily auditing of the workplace by those that work in it, but also periodic inspections by all management levels. For example by local managers on a weekly basis to ensure all check sheets are signed off, and by the senior managers on a monthly basis. Many companies have recognition or reward schemes in place to encourage healthy competition between work areas or between factories within the same organization. This also serves to help generate and turn improvement ideas into action.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Definition and Examples of Deep Structure in Grammar

Definition and Examples of Deep Structure in Grammar In transformational and generative grammar, deep structure (also known as  deep grammar  or  D-structure)  is the underlying syntactic structure- or level- of a sentence. In contrast to surface structure (the outward form of a sentence), deep structure is an abstract representation that identifies the ways a sentence can be analyzed and interpreted. Deep structures are generated by phrase-structure rules, and surface structures are derived from deep structures by a series of transformations. In  The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar  (2014), Aarts, Chalker, and Weiner point out that, in a looser sense: deep and surface structure are often used as terms in a simple binary opposition, with the deep structure representing meaning, and the surface structure being the actual sentence we see. The terms deep structure and surface structure were popularized in the 1960s and 70s by American linguist Noam Chomsky, who eventually discarded the concepts in his minimalist program in the 1990s.   Properties of Deep Structure Deep structure  is a level of syntactic representation with a number of properties that need not necessarily go together. Four important properties of deep structure are: Major grammatical relations, such as  subject  of  and  object  of, are defined at deep structure.All  lexical  insertion occurs at deep structure.All transformations occur after deep structure.Semantic  interpretation occurs at deep structure. The question of whether there is a single level of representation with these properties was the most debated question in  generative grammar  following the publication of  Aspects  [of the Theory of Syntax, 1965]. One part of the debate focused on whether transformations preserve meaning.(Alan Garnham,  Psycholinguistics: Central Topics. Psychology Press, 1985) Examples and Observations [Noam] Chomsky had identified a basic grammatical structure in Syntactic Structures [1957] that he referred to as kernel sentences. Reflecting mentalese, kernel sentences were where words and meaning first appeared in the complex cognitive process that resulted in an utterance. In [Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, 1965], Chomsky abandoned the notion of kernel sentences and identified the underlying constituents of sentences as deep structure. The deep structure was versatile insofar as it accounted for meaning and provided the basis for transformations that turned deep structure into surface structure, which represented what we actually hear or read. Transformation rules, therefore, connected deep structure and surface structure, meaning and syntax.(James D. Williams, The Teachers Grammar Book. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999)[Deep structure is a] representation of the syntax of a sentence distinguished by varying criteria from its surface structure. E.g. in the surface structure of Children are hard to please, the subject is children and the infinitive to please is the complement of hard. But in its deep structure, as it was understood especially in the early 1970s, is hard would have as its subject a subordinate sentence in which children is the object of please: thus, in outline [please children] is hard.(P.H. Matthews, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Linguistics. Oxford University Press, 2007) Evolving Perspectives on Deep Structure The remarkable first chapter of Noam Chomskys Aspects of the Theory of Syntax (1965) set the agenda for everything that has happened in generative linguistics since. Three theoretical pillars support the enterprise: mentalism, combinatoriality, and acquisition... A fourth major point of Aspects, and the one that attracted most attention from the wider public, concerned the notion of Deep Structure. A basic claim of the 1965 version of generative grammar was that in addition to the surface form of sentences (the form we hear), there is another level of syntactic structure, called Deep Structure, which expresses underlying syntactic regularities of sentences. For instance, a passive sentence like (1a) was claimed to have a Deep Structure in which the noun phrases are in the order of the corresponding active (1b): (1a) The bear was chased by the lion.(1b) The lion chased the bear. Similarly, a question such as (2a) was claimed to have a Deep Structure closely resembling that of the corresponding declarative (2b): (2a) Which martini did Harry drink?(2b) Harry drank that martini. ...Following a hypothesis first proposed by Katz and Postal (1964), Aspects made the striking claim that the relevant level of syntax for determining meaning is Deep Structure. In its weakest version, this claim was only that regularities of meaning are most directly encoded in Deep Structure, and this can be seen in (1) and (2). However, the claim was sometimes taken to imply much more: that Deep Structure is meaning, an interpretation that Chomsky did not at first discourage. And this was the part of generative linguistics that got everyone really excited- for if the techniques of transformational grammar could lead us to meaning, we would be in a position to uncover the nature of human thought... When the dust of the ensuing linguistic wars cleared around 1973 . . ., Chomsky had won (as usual)- but with a twist: he no longer claimed that Deep Structure was the sole level that determines meaning (Chomsky 1972). Then, with the battle over, he turned his attention, not to meaning, but to relatively technical constraints on movement transformations (e.g. Chomsky 1973, 1977).(Ray Jackendoff, Language, Consciousness, Culture: Essays on Mental Structure. MIT Press, 2007) Surface Structure and Deep Structure in a Sentence by Joseph Conrad [Consider] the final sentence of [Joseph Conrads short story] The Secret Sharer: Walking to the taffrail, I was in time to make out, on the very edge of a darkness thrown by a towering black mass like the very gateway of Erebus- yes, I was in time to catch an evanescent glimpse of my white hat left behind to mark the spot where the secret sharer of my cabin and of my thoughts, as though he were my second self, had lowered himself into the water to take his punishment: a free man, a proud swimmer striking out for a new destiny. I hope others will agree that the sentence justly represents its author: that it portrays a mind energetically stretching to subdue a dazzling experience outside the self, in a way that has innumerable counterparts elsewhere. How does scrutiny of the deep structure support this intuition? First, notice a matter of emphasis, of rhetoric. The matrix sentence, which lends a surface form to the whole, is # S # I was in time # S # (repeated twice). The embedded sentences that complete it are I walked to the taffrail, I made out NP, and I caught NP. The point of departure, then, is the narrator himself: where he was, what he did, what he saw. But a glance at the deep structure will explain why one feels a quite different emphasis in the sentence as a whole: seven of the embedded sentences have sharer as grammatical subjects; in another three the subject is a noun linked to sharer by the copula; in two sharer is direct object; and in two more share is the verb. Thus thirteen sentences go to the semantic development of sharer as follows: The secret sharer had lowered the secret sharer into the water.The secret sharer took his punishment.The secret sharer swam.The secret sharer was a swimmer.The swimmer was proud.The swimmer struck out for a new destiny.The secret sharer was a man.The man was free.The secret sharer was my secret self.The secret sharer had (it).(Someone) punished the secret sharer.(Someone) shared my cabin.(Someone) shared my thoughts. In a fundamental way, the sentence is mainly about Leggatt, although the surface structure indicates otherwise... [The] progression in the deep structure rather precisely mirrors both the rhetorical movement of the sentence from the narrator to Leggatt via the hat that links them, and the thematic effect of the sentence, which is to transfer Leggatts experience to the narrator via the narrators vicarious and actual participation in it. Here I shall leave this abbreviated rhetorical analysis, with a cautionary word: I do not mean to suggest that only an examination of deep structure reveals Conrads skillful emphasis- on the contrary, such an examination supports and in a sense explains what any careful reader of the story notices.(Richard M. Ohmann, Literature as Sentences. College English, 1966. Rpt. in Essays in Stylistic Analysis, ed. by Howard S. Babb. Harcourt, 1972)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Evaluate change management in Telecommunications sector omantel in Essay

Evaluate change management in Telecommunications sector omantel in Sultanate of Oman - Essay Example For example, a country with many international companies and businesses could be perceived as an economically progressing organization that employs highly technical and skilled employees. This indicates that the country is highly advanced and privatizations of government owned corporations indicate a liberalization of government economic and trade policies. However, not all organizations keep up with the social, economic and political changes in the country, there are those who remain in touch with methods and resist change. But if an organization wants to achieve progress and growth, it must remember that change is inevitable. Change in the organizational structure, management and use of technology indicates that the organization is moving towards better measures of effectiveness and paving its way towards progress and prosperity. â€Å"Change will not disappear nor dissipate; technology, civilizations and creative thoughts will maintain their ever-accelerating dive onwards† (Paton & McCalman 2008, p. 5). As with any process involving transition and transformation, change in the structure and strategies of an organization is often met with negativity and apprehension. Even if the change is for the greater good of the company, there will always be those who will remain anxious about its consequences. Organizational change is brought about by a number of factors; this could be from mergers and acquisitions, a government take-over or the privatization of the organization. The anxiety provoking aspect in any organizational change is not actually the transformation of the organization or the change in management but the fact that the employees have to leave their old ways of doing things; it is the learning of new tasks, new protocols and new operating procedures that threaten employees. By definition, change means discarding the old and embracing the new, and the new may not always be accepted and appreciated by the employees. â€Å"Traditionally, analysis of organizational change has been built around the organism metaphor in which organizations are analyzed as if they were living organisms operating in an environment to which they need to adapt to ensure survival† (Lesson 37: Organizational Change n.d., p. 1). Anxiety and apprehension to some extent is the natural reaction to change, as our body responds to external stimuli both physically and psychologically. This response or reaction to change is welcomed by the agents of change as an opportunity to make the employees aware of the undertakings taking place in the organization. It is the time when questions could be answered, when professional thirsts could be quenched, when fears and doubts could be placated and when employees are engaged as advocates of the process of change as they now possess the knowledge and information that they can share with other employees who face the same challenges. Change Management in an organization is all about the actions necessary for an o rganization to recognize, organize, execute and take