Role And Importance Of Operations Management

Role And Importance Of Operations Management Operations Management is very important for managing large firms and running them successfully. Operation management is mainly related to production of goods and services in an organisation. The main purpose of the operations management is to run the business operations successfully, smoothly and effectively by using the minimum resources and meeting customer expectations. Thus we can say that operations management is the process of converting minimum input like raw materials, labour to produce maximum output like products, goods and services. Operations Management is very crucial factor in order to increase companys profit. Operations management is not only responsible for producing goods but also take control of distribution of services. Operation management is just not related to organizations it can be seen in our daily activities of life also. The following quotation explains how operations management is found in our daily life Operations management is about the way organizations produce goods and services. Everything you wear, eat, sit on, use, read or knock about on the sports field comes to you courtesy of the operations managers who organized its production. Every book you borrow from the library, every treatment you receive at the hospital, every service you expect in the shops and every lecture you attend at university all have been produced. (Slack et al, 1995) Some examples of operation management can be like A carpenter who uses a piece of wood , cuts and planes it, and then polishes it to produce a piece of furniture When u want to book a holiday a tourist operator finds and provide information to you and helps by giving advices on places to visit and stay. ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF OPERATIONS MANGEMENT IN AN ORGANIZATION Operations management plays a very crucial role in organisations as they produce professional managers which are capable of achieving organisations strategic goals in a defined period of time. Operations management is the heart of any organization as it controls the whole operation system of the organization. Operations management handles issues like design, operation, and maintenance and improvement of the systems used to produce companys vital products and services. Operations management has clear management responsibilities like in marketing and finance. Operations management is very necessary in an organisation to manage the activities. With the help of Operations management an organisation is able to make good use of their resources like human labour and inputs are used as required. Operations management helps an organization to achieve its main goal of making profit and maximising its shareholders through its activities. Cost of production is reduced to ensure that tangible and intangible assets are not over stretched or wasted in an organisation. Organisations make good use of its product and services management through Operations management. Product management includes a wide range of activities starting from the point when a new idea for the product is developed to eventually provide customer support to those who have purchased the product. Every organisation conducts product management no matter it is done intentionally or unintentionally. Another important aspect of Operations management is quality management. Every organisation is very much concerned about the products which are manufactured or developed for the customers in the market. Quality management is very important to have efficient operations management, mainly if it is for continuous improvement in order to go with the consumers taste and preferences. Lately benchmarking and quality management, outsourcing and reengineering has taken operations management to an advanced level to produce high quality. Adoption of reengineering and benchmarking by the organisation helps them to be a leader in their category of products in the market. Benchmarking is considered as the best internal auditing process which the company uses to identify its weaknesses and then converting them into strength in order to increase its customers in the market. One cannot think of Operations management in an organisation without Management control and Coordinating function. Management control and coordination includes different types of activities to make sure that the companys goals are constantly being met in an effective and efficient way. Organizations mainly make use of organizational coordination and control in order to adopt a systematic approach to figure out if it is actually doing what it wanted to be doing or not. Some of the major approaches to the companys organizational control and coordination include product evaluation, product distribution, advertising and promotion, sales and service and product development. Organizations use advertisements as a most important instrument to reach the customer and reorient the awareness of customers about its products. In this fast expanding and competitive marketplace, the company make certain that its products and services are significantly in the minds of their customers and clients. Thi s takes place as a result of ongoing advertising and promotion by the organization. Facilities management is also a necessary function and is of great importance in operations management. Effective operations management in the companys activities highly depends on a great deal of effective management of facilities, such as buildings, computer systems, signage, lighting and plants and machinery. In a situation of high demand which could call for higher or mass production, facilities needs to be managed in producing large quantities of products which must be standardized to meet the market demand at specific period. Well managed facilities like plants and machinery in the company help in production speed, lower per unit cost, ease of manufacture and control and the efficiency in the companys production process Task 19.1.b The strategic objectives of Toyota are Profit Quality and Innovation Image and reputation Social issues Satisfying customers Market power Survival SWOT ANALYSIS OF TOYOTA A SWOT analysis is a simple but widely used tool that helps in understanding the strengths , weakness , opportunities and threats involved in a project or business activity. It starts by defining the objective of the project or business activity and identifies the internal and external factors that are important in order to achieve the objective. Internal factors can be divided into strengths and weakness and opportunities and threats can be identified as external . STRENGTHS Toyota is the worlds largest automobile maker by sales. Toyota also owns and operates Lexus and Scion brands and has a majority shareholding stake in Daihatsu and Hino motors. Toyota also provides financial services through its Toyota Financial Services and also builds robots. Toyota Motor Corporation (including Toyota Financial Services) and Toyota Industries form the bulk of the Toyota Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the world. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ OPPURTUNITIES Should increase their shareholdings in Fuji Heavy industries, Isuzu Motors , Yamaha motors, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation WEAKNESS On May 8, 2009, Toyota reported a record annual net loss of US$4.2 billion, making it the latest automobile maker to be severely affected by the 2007-2010 financial crisis Manufacturers need to make sure that it is their models that consumers want versus competitors. Sales has been affected by the financial crisis Failure of Toyota production system based on the current recalls. Company needs to cautiously keep producing cars in order to retain its operational efficiency, especially in the case of the Prius, which the case study states that it needs reprogramming of its Abs system. THREATS In January 2010, Toyota announced it was recalling up to 1.8 million cars across Europe, including about 220,000 in the UK, following problems with defective accelerator pedals Many Toyota models were involved, covering the 2007-2010 model years. Toyota subsequently recalled the Prius model for reprogramming of its ABS system. The U.S. Sales Chief, James Lentz, was questioned by the United States Congress committees on Oversight and Investigations on February 23, 2010, as a result of recent recalls On 6 April 2010, The US government sought a record penalty of US$16.375 million from Toyota for its delayed response in notifying the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the defective accelerator pedals The company said the recalls could cost the company up to US$2 billion (GB £1.25 billion) in lost output and sales TASK 19.1.C A company main aim should be to satisfy its customers requirements for fast and dependable services at reasonable price, as well as helping its own suppliers to improve services they offer. There are five basic performance objectives and they apply to all types of operation: Quality Speed Dependability Flexibility Cost (Slack, N. et al, 2001). These operations performance objectives are analysed here in accordance to Toyota. Toyotas record has been successful all around the world as it has been chosen by different market research and analysis for the car of the year for many years. Toyotas success went on growing because of the high quality which thereby leads to the largest maker of the automobiles based on the sales throughout the world. Toyota have also produced cars which are of better qualities which are suspended and do not release unlikeable smoke. For example more than 40 emission- managing systems and equipments which has enhanced passenger car protections. (Ahmed, A., 2003,). Another main task is speed which signifies to reduce the time between the instruction and accessibility of the product and services which thereby leads to the speed benefits for the customers.Toyota performance is focused on tasks by using small and simple machines which reduce complications which are flexible and vigorous. By rescheduling the plans and the stream to improve simplicity and the swiftness of manufacturing. In the late 1980s, it is reflected in the statistics that the productivity per employee compared to the US and European plants is as much as two or three times higher than them. The third presentation aim is dependability which means completing the tasks in time for the customers so that they receive their merchandise and services on the date and time as been promised. The Just -in-Time (JIT) production system allows the engineers to deliver products of highest quality through their Kanban control system. Toyota needs to improve its efficiency and quality as it is important for managers, technicians and employees and b doing this customers will feel more reliable about the products of the Toyota. A clear result of responding to a dynamic environment is that organisation change their products and services and changes the way they do business. This performance objective is known as flexibility. (Peters, T., 1998) argues that we must learn to love change and develop flexible and responsive organizations to cope with the dynamic business environment. In the Toyota plant it means the ability to adopt its manufacturing resources so that it can launch new models. The coursework analyses that, Toyota was able to achieve high level of flexibility, producing relatively small batches of different models with little or no loss of productivity or quality. Toyota during the years has provided a range of options that customers are able to choose. One major operations objective, especially where companies compete with prices is cost. Low price is a universal attractive objective to customers, which can be achieved by producing goods at lower costs. In order to do things cheaply, Toyota seek to influence the cost of goods and services, so for the future Toyota has planned to shift their production of multipurpose vehicles and pick-up trucks on different countries around the world (e.g. Argentina, South Africa). Also, internally, cost performance is helped by good performance in the other performance objectives that Toyota has managed to produce high quality vehicles at a reasonable prices. By using and improving quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost operations performance, TMC has seen a global growth and high percentage of customer satisfaction. Because of the success of these operation performance objectives Japanese style (Toyotism) of manufacturing and product developments has come to be studied and emulated around the world . TMC is world leader in supply chain management, and to keep its production at the high quality, maximum speed, on time delivery, flexibility and at the lowest cost TMC works with its suppliers to make sure that they are also the best suppliers in the industry. Shifting its operation in different countries searching for cheap inputs (row material and labour) makes it easier to produce products at a lower cost and good quality. Operating continentally also gives dependability advantage to its customers by making it easy to deliver its production in the market place. Using these operation performance objectives TMC has managed to k eep its customers happy and compete successfully with others companies in global market. Task 19.2.a Toyota uses lean manufacturing system to produce continuous goods and services. Tools like just in time, cellular manufacturing, total productive maintenance, single minute exchange of dies. Lean manufacturing system came into Japan after World War II when they were run out of material, financial and human resources. This system is also known as Toyota Production System which is now recognized all over the world. The basic ideas behind lean manufacturing system are waste elimination, cost reduction, and employee empowerment. Employee empowerment of Toyota can be seen through the fact that the company employs approximately 320,000 people worldwide. The lean manufacturing system aims to work in every aspect of the value stream by eliminating waste in order to reduce cost, generate capital and bring in more sales and remain in competitive in a growing global market which can be seen through the fact that Toyota is the largest automobile maker by sales. Task 19.2.b As defined by the Praxiom Research Group, an audit is an evidence gathering process. The main purpose of the Quality Audit is to establish maximum evidence in order to find out whether or not the company is in control of its processes and documents. This kind of evidence is collected through observations, interviews, and requests for documentation. Full training is provided to auditors so they can exactly find out if corporate quality management systems are in compliance with preset standards. Toyotas recall problems indicate that there has been a general quality defect because of poor decision making and supply chain management. In my view Toyota should have third part audit which is done by an external because I think as company has some malfunction in their production system so it is better if a professional agency do their audit so next time there should be no flaws in the models which are going to be developed and it can be assured that the raw materials and products which are m anufactured are safe. Task 19.2.c Quality culture generally means inclusion of quality in the overall system of an organization which creates a positive internal environment and provides guarantee customer satisfaction. A good decision making at all levels of management is very necessary for maintaining such quality culture in the organization which can be attained by self realization at the top level or by trainings and workshops or following of benchmark organizations. Toyotas quality culture is to produce best products in the very first attempt. Innovation also forms a very important part of quality culture in Toyota and meet challenges with courage and creativity for the continuous improvement. Customer satisfaction is also a very important aspect of quality culture in Toyota. Another important aspect of the quality culture is keeping track of consumer complaints and analysing them for quick fix. In my view Toyota should not compromise with quality of their product and give growth more importance over quality. In a run to make more products they are not giving 100% in the manufacturing of their products. In order to achieve their growth targets and to become the worlds largest automotive manufacturer Toyota lost sight of the key values that gave company the reputation in the first place. Task 19.3.a Toyota Motors Corporation all throughout its history from Kaizen to Toyota Production System to further Kaizen has strived not only to maintain its current market position, but to improve it as well. The engineers should make sure that they make best products in the very first attempt. The organisation should not make haste in manufacturing the products just in order to increase the growth. Task 19.3.b In Toyota Motors Corporations 2008 Annual report, the company said that As the automobile industry faces a turning point in its history, Toyota aims to achieve sustainable growth by building a more flexible and stronger corporate structure to meet the challenges ahead (p. 1). The real question remains. That is, what specific strategies shall Toyota adopts in order to build a more flexible and stronger corporate structure when time and business environment dictate that its Kaizen, Further Kaizen, and Toyota Production System are no longer enough for the current and future demands of the marketplace? Blue Ocean Strategy In the preface of their book, Blue Ocean Strategy, W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, succinctly wrote that there are no permanently excellent companies, just as there are no permanently excellent industries (2005, p. x). Hence, no matter how successful Toyota Motors Corporation is over its 70 years existence does not guarantee the same success in the next 70 years. The authors, therefore, proposed a new management theory blue ocean strategy. The Blue Ocean Strategy is, according to Kim and Mauborgne, Blue ocean strategy challenges companies to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition by creating uncontested market space that makes the competition irrelevant. Instead of dividing up existing-and often shrinking-demand and benchmarking competitors, blue ocean strategy is about growing demand and breaking away from the competition (2008, p. x) The most startling conclusion of the blue ocean strategy is well depicted by the authors conclusion on Cirque du Soleils circumstances: the circus company succeeded because it realized that to win in the future, companies must stop competing with each other (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 4). In Toyotas history it is clear that its management has not arrived at the same conclusion. This can be ascertained from the Chairmans, Fujio Cho, message in Toyota Motors Corporations 2008 Annual Report: Toyota aims to achieve sustained, long-term growth by providing high-quality vehicles to people everywhere, and by contributing to the realization of a bountiful and nurturing society (2008, p. 6). What is not aligned with the blue ocean strategy in this phrase is that every other automobile company Ford, GM, Honda, etc. are also saying the same thing or the likes of it. Clearly this strategy is not going to work in the long run at all if Toyota wants to remain as one of the top ten in Fortune Global 500. In contrast, the blue ocean strategy goes out of just mere providing high-quality vehicles which are what everyone else is providing. As shown in the figure below blue oceans have the most impact on profit though least impact on revenue compared to red oceans. Figure 1 Blue Oceans vs. Red Oceans Source: Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 7 The changing environments as presented by Toyota in its presentation for its financial results for 2008 and as discussed in the earlier part of this paper, and as outlined by the Blue Ocean Strategy presents several driving forces behind a rising imperative to create blue oceans (Kim Mauborgne 2005, p. 8). These driving forces, unfortunately, will not disappear, hence Toyota must act now and create its own undisputed market in the automobile industry. To fully realize the benefits of the blue ocean strategy a strategy canvas must be created. The canvas is the central diagnostic and action framework for building a compelling blue ocean strategy (Blue Ocean Strategy 2008). Total customer experience is now the new differentiator (Mascarenhas, Kesavan Bernacchi 2006, p. 397) which is exactly the point in the blue ocean strategy. Toyota Motors Corporation, in its current and future business environment, must deliver total customer experience. However, there is a need for care in interpreting each customers total experience: Obviously, by definition, TCE is customer-dependent and hence, is different for each customer. Compared with service outlets such as restaurants, hotels or banks, there is potential for great diversity in customer experience, because the customer may seek a wide variety of different services or products. Each stage of this consumption-journey involves an experience that the provider must try to optimize and the customer must [capitalize] (Mascarenhas, Kesavan Bernacchi 2006, p. 415). The key therefore is to attain an accurate understanding. Task 19.3.c More than ever, the human resource strategies, objective, systems and processes of the organization must be integrated and synchronized with the overall Toyota Motors Corporations strategies, objective, systems and processes and the rest of the organization. Human resource as one of the key success factors in implementing the blue ocean strategy must be able to support and not detract the company from it. Hence, the personnel selection, training and development, and performance appraisal processes should be seamlessly integrated into the whole organizational structure ad systems to ensure that all these systems are working towards the same goal: creating uncontested market space and making the competition irrelevant. Mondy Noe defined recruitment as the process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, in sufficient numbers, and with appropriate qualifications, and encouraging them to apply for jobs with an [organization] (2005, p. 199). The objective of the selection process for any type of [organization] is selecting the best individual suited for a particular position and the organization (Mondy Noe, 2005, p. 162). Hence, for TMC the goal of the organizations selection process should be selecting the best individual suited for the vacant position and have the necessary capability to help the company in its quest in making the competition irrelevant. On the other hand, the performance appraisal system is a formal system of review and evaluation of individual or team task performance (Mondy Noe, 2005, p. 252) to determine who should be promoted, demoted, transferred, or terminated (Anthony, Kacmar Perrewe, 2002, p. 354). Several of the factors that affect the effectiveness of an appraisal system are job-related criteria, performance expectations, standardization, trained appraisers, continuous open communication, performance reviews, and due process (Mondy Noe, 2005, pp. 270-272). Managing employee performance is one of the more difficult and complex activities within an organization. Unlike the other resources of a business, the human resource is not very easy to control: people think and act accordingly. Anthony, Kacmar Perrewe wrote that an effective performance appraisal system are not only tools for evaluating the work of employees but also for developing and motivating employees (2002, p. 351). These benefits are central to why the performance appraisal system was developed in organizations: employees need to be motivated and developed in order to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, the appraisal system of a company can also be used to determine who needs formal training and development opportunities (Anthony, Kacmar Perrewe, 2002, p. 354). In the end, all of these will result to a better equipped human resource. Hence, for Toyota Motors Corporation its performance appraisal system must be redesigned to fit the blue ocean strategy of the company. As a vital component in motivating its employees, the human resource performance appraisal system of TMC should not operate in a vacuum, rather it must support the goal of developing organizational competencies to make the competition irrelevant. What had Toyota Motors Corporation done for its worldwide human resource management is admirable it developed HRM practices to sustain the Toyota Production System (Winfield 1994, p. 41). However, today it is no longer enough. It is time that Toyota models its human resource management practices to sustain the blue ocean strategy. The researcher believes that TPS is a component of blue ocean strategy; hence it should not be the end goal in designing the companys human resource management system and its other systems. The four goals as promoted by the companys existing human resource management practices are employee commitment, workforce flexibility and adaptability, quality (Winfield 1994, p. 50) in the blue ocean strategy perspective are only several of the factors needed in creating an uncontestable market as opposed to the current practice (these four goals are the main goals). Task 19.3.d As competition become more and more intense, companies such as Toyota Motors Corporation which are leaders in their industries can not afford to become complacent. Rather they must again pioneer developments in their fields. These companies have to integrate all their resources, use these resources efficiently and effectively to attain organizational goals. As the workforce becomes varied and as competition within industries becomes more intense, the need to effectively and efficiently manage human resources to gain, develop and sustain competitive advantages is becoming more important. In integrating the blue ocean strategy to its overall strategy, Toyota Motors Corporation must not forget that the most important factor in order for such strategy to succeed is its human resource.

Education and Globalization

Education and Globalization Globalization brings many changes to peoples lives all over the world. There are several definitions of globalization however the Merriam-Webster meaning is as follows. Globalization is the process by which businesses and other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale. From shifting social norms around the globe to changing how countries do business, technological advances, and intensifying competition in the workforce, as well as, the educational field; effects of globalization are everywhere and far reaching (Carnoy, 2002). Globalization effects education all over the world. For example, due to intricate technological advances many jobs have been digitized. This means that the skill set thats required for jobs have changed dramatically. Subsequently, jobs that could once be sustained by someone with a high school diploma or less have disappeared. These global and economic changes cause shifts in the job market and are essentially changing what is needed from the education system. We now need to prepare students for jobs that require different skill sets. Employees must now be knowledgeable on foreign languages, cultures, and overall way of business to be successful in their career. For the most part the United States has been a leader in education compared to other countries. Being the first country to achieve mass collegiate education, the United States of America always had the highest number of qualified people in its labor force. This is how the American economy was able to thrive and take advantage of the global market. But does this globalization led to development or division in education? (Welch Mok, 2003) Well, in recent years countries around the world have refocused on expanding education, many of the smaller, more impoverished countries actually working together to do so. Since graduating high school is now the standard in most countries, many are now setting goals to increase the number of college attendees even working with the United Nations to provide education for all countries! Although the United States has a greater number of older workers that are well educated, many other countries have a greater number of young workers with college degrees. Nonetheless, with more high school graduates chasing college degrees and older people pursuing higher education after so many years of being out of school; this is changing too. People of all ages are pursuing higher education all over the world and with education standards changing as well, we are truly living in an era like never before. We are all preparing for an interconnected world that globalization has brought to us and education is just one small stepping stone for the high skill economy of the future (Young 1998, Brown et al. 2001). The growing importance of education is more than wanting our citizens to be smart. Countries are wanting their citizens to get educated in order to build for a future in which we are one global citizen class that works together economically and otherwise to grow our countries. This can help with foreign policy and international business transactions and trades. To be knowledgeable of a certain country is to be more accepting and understanding of said countries culture and beliefs. Appearing welcoming and friendly to different cultures will attract investments from foreign countries. This will boost the countrys economy (see OECD 1998, Campbell 2000). With a larger economy a countries revenue with increase and strengthen the country (ideally). This is another reason why the quality of education is so important. While education systems all over the world are working on improving and developing new ways to teach people; there is another way people are gaining more and more knowledge in today society. The internet. Not only is the use of computers and the internet now more common in the classroom it has also grown more common in everyday life (Martin Carnoy, 1999, pp.15-17). By using the internet society has access to different kinds of information instantaneously. This makes gaining knowledge for students as well as non-students easier and faster than ever before. This is great when used as a means for students struggling to comprehend course material or certain concepts, but with such a wide variety of information available, and it is important learners are able to distinguish between dependable and untrustworthy resources. However for countries such as China or Iran who have limited to no access online; this can make a learning different concepts or gaining certain knowledge difficult becau se their governments often block or edit information. Therefore citizens of those countries or countries similar may actually have a skewed since of the truth because not all information is given to them. In a way this widens the gap between the education progress of a developed country and an underdeveloped country/country who may be banned from viewing certain material. With technological advances making their way all around the globe (globalization), eventually all countries will have access to any information they desire. Globalization is a powerful and important process that influences economies, education systems, politics, and even social customs. With a growing sense of oneness; or we are all global citizens in one world outlooks, globalizations positive and increasing impact on education and societies growing desire to become more educated is obvious. REFERENCES Globalization. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/globalization Lloyd, C., Payne, J. (2003). The political economy of skill and the limits of educational policy. Journal of Educational Policy, 18(1), 85-107. Pang. N. S. (2013). Globalization in the one world: Impacts on education in different nations. BCES Conference Proceedings, 11, 17-27. Suarez-Orozco, M. (2007).Learning in the global era: International perspectives on globalization and education. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, Ltd.

Human Rights Violations of Chinas One Child Policy Essay -- Chinas

Abstract The purpose of this research is to highlight to what extent government policy has violated the human rights of women in China. Government policy is important to the organization of countries. Government policies work to aid in political, economic, and social issues that can become detrimental to the function of a country. Flourishing government policies prove to be efficient and effective when implementation is deemed successful. The One Child Policy proved to be successful in reducing population size. As past policy rules have now been eased, family planning officials in the region have begun drafting less strict family planning protocols. Though it has proved to be a successful policy in curbing population growth, the One Child Policy targeted women of China. A review of government policy, and its affect on the female population shows a link in population policy and its discrimination towards women. Although China reduced the stipulations of its One Child Policy, the enforcement of this policy has impeded the natural human rights of women due to the imposition of restricted childbirth. Introduction Following a thirty five year policy which was geared towards improving economic and social concerns within the region, the Peoples Republic of China has begun to facilitate its family planning regulations. Prior to the establishment of China’s population policy, the population experienced massive increases and decreases of its magnitude. Consequences of civil and global wars before 1949 led to high death rates in the country. As country conflict came to an end, and new leadership, population growth was greatly encouraged by Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong. During this time, the size of Chinas population grew subs... ...ssed May 1, 2014). †¢ UN General Assembly, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, 217 A (III), available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3712c.html [accessed 9 March 2014] †¢ "What are Human Rights." What are Human Rights. http://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/pages/whatarehumanrights.aspx (accessed April 29, 2014). †¢ World Bank. (2014). Fertility rates, total (births per woman) Data retrieved May 1, 2014, from World Databank: World Development Indicators †¢ Yang, Dennis Tao. 2008. China's agricultural crisis and famine of 1959-1961: A survey and comparison to soviet famines. Comparative Economic Studies 50, no. 1: 1-29, http://search.proquest.com/docview/201687756?accountid=15070. †¢ Yu, Jiangxia and Jingwei Liu. 2009. The new biopolitics. Journal of Academic Ethics 7, no. 4: 287-296, http://search.proquest.com/docview/521178676?accountid=15070.

DaVinci code Essay -- essays research papers

The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my book report I read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. The Da Vinci Code has one main character and many supporting characters. The main character is Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist and professor. He is a tall American with coarse black hair and blue eyes. He is very intellectual and very modest. He is a quick thinker under pressure and doesn?t give up easily. He is careful with his words.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most important supporting character is Sophie Neveu. She is a cryptologist the and granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere, the murder victim. She has blond hair and green eyes and is French. She is very independent and commanding. She is also very intellectual, fluent in two languages, and good at breaking codes. She is a very determined person and does not give up with out a fight. She is also very quick witted. She is a very good liar, very convincing. She likes to take matters into her own hands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second most important supporting character is Leigh Teabing. Sir Leigh Teabing is a avid researcher of the Holy Grail. He has bushy red hair and hazel eyes. Both his legs are in metal braces. Leigh is a sly Englishman, who is obsessed with discovering the hiding place of the Grail. He is a very good actor and loves to exaggerate. He is never at a loss for words.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another main supporting charater is Bezu Fanche. He is the officer who is leading the search for the murderer and suspectcs that it is Langdon. Fanche is a large cold man who is desperrate to find this culprit. He grealt needs this case to be solved because his reputation is on the line here. He made a few too many mistakes and needs to restore his reputataion or he risk losing his job.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also believe that another imortant supporting character is Jaucques Sauniere. He is murdered in the first chapter, however throughout the book Jaucques Sauniere affects the story line dramatically. Jaucques Sauniere is man who really believes that you need to work for what you get and nothing should come easily to you. He is an amazing code specialist and when he hides something it will stay hidden unless he wants you to find it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Da Vinci Code is about the journey Robert and Sophie take to find the Holy Grail. It begins in the Louvre Museum of Art where Jaucques Sauniere who was a curator in the Louvre. He was also the master of a secret organiza... ... to smash the box because inside lies a small glass vile containing vinegar which will dissolve the parchment on which the message is written. Once Langdon, Shopie, and Teabing open the first cryptex another lies inside.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He also never lets the story slow down or stop moving. There is always an unexpected twist which will astound you yet make perfect sense. Such as Teabing betrayal. It was totally unexpected yet it fit Teabings personality perfectly. He always wishes to have the upper hand. Another unexpected twist was that the Grail really wasn?t hidden in Great Britain in the Rosslyn which all the clues seemed to lead. Another unexpected twist was that both Opus Dei and the Priory of Sion both wished to keep the contents of the Grail hidden.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dan brown is also good at gathering real information and joining it together to make a story that seems possible. His story is based on facts which he has distorted to make fit to what he wishes to achieve. You can never tell what is coming next or what the outcome of an action will. He constantly keeps you guessing and I enjoy that. I give this book two thumbs up. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown, DoubleDay publishing 2003.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   DaVinci code Essay -- essays research papers The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my book report I read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. The Da Vinci Code has one main character and many supporting characters. The main character is Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbologist and professor. He is a tall American with coarse black hair and blue eyes. He is very intellectual and very modest. He is a quick thinker under pressure and doesn?t give up easily. He is careful with his words.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most important supporting character is Sophie Neveu. She is a cryptologist the and granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere, the murder victim. She has blond hair and green eyes and is French. She is very independent and commanding. She is also very intellectual, fluent in two languages, and good at breaking codes. She is a very determined person and does not give up with out a fight. She is also very quick witted. She is a very good liar, very convincing. She likes to take matters into her own hands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second most important supporting character is Leigh Teabing. Sir Leigh Teabing is a avid researcher of the Holy Grail. He has bushy red hair and hazel eyes. Both his legs are in metal braces. Leigh is a sly Englishman, who is obsessed with discovering the hiding place of the Grail. He is a very good actor and loves to exaggerate. He is never at a loss for words.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another main supporting charater is Bezu Fanche. He is the officer who is leading the search for the murderer and suspectcs that it is Langdon. Fanche is a large cold man who is desperrate to find this culprit. He grealt needs this case to be solved because his reputation is on the line here. He made a few too many mistakes and needs to restore his reputataion or he risk losing his job.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also believe that another imortant supporting character is Jaucques Sauniere. He is murdered in the first chapter, however throughout the book Jaucques Sauniere affects the story line dramatically. Jaucques Sauniere is man who really believes that you need to work for what you get and nothing should come easily to you. He is an amazing code specialist and when he hides something it will stay hidden unless he wants you to find it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Da Vinci Code is about the journey Robert and Sophie take to find the Holy Grail. It begins in the Louvre Museum of Art where Jaucques Sauniere who was a curator in the Louvre. He was also the master of a secret organiza... ... to smash the box because inside lies a small glass vile containing vinegar which will dissolve the parchment on which the message is written. Once Langdon, Shopie, and Teabing open the first cryptex another lies inside.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He also never lets the story slow down or stop moving. There is always an unexpected twist which will astound you yet make perfect sense. Such as Teabing betrayal. It was totally unexpected yet it fit Teabings personality perfectly. He always wishes to have the upper hand. Another unexpected twist was that the Grail really wasn?t hidden in Great Britain in the Rosslyn which all the clues seemed to lead. Another unexpected twist was that both Opus Dei and the Priory of Sion both wished to keep the contents of the Grail hidden.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dan brown is also good at gathering real information and joining it together to make a story that seems possible. His story is based on facts which he has distorted to make fit to what he wishes to achieve. You can never tell what is coming next or what the outcome of an action will. He constantly keeps you guessing and I enjoy that. I give this book two thumbs up. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown, DoubleDay publishing 2003.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Ornament Essay -- History, Kazakh Ornaments

Ornament is one of the oldest forms of decorative art. Its history goes back to thousands of years ago. Translated from the Latin ornamentum, it means â€Å"trappings, adornment, embellishment† (â€Å"Ornament†). However, in its infancy, the ornaments have a deeper meaning. Art critics are trying to decipher ancient images and understand the hidden meaning of signs and symbols. So far, it is believed that the key to understanding many of them have long been lost, and, nevertheless, the interest to the ancient art continues being unabated. Many ornamental motifs were passing from generation to generation, and they have remained almost unchanged for centuries. In ancient times people believed that the iconic images help them communicate with the other world of gods and spirits, and fulfill the role of a mediator between the worlds. Often, ornamental images were â€Å"the impulse to adorn stems from a deep rooted sensibility to mark every occasion of life with auspicious symbols, designs and figures to obtain good fortune and protection from evil† (â€Å"The Ideal of Ornament†). Each nation created its own unique decorative style. The originality and national color can accurately determine its membership of any group. In the East, the art of ornament was most extensively developed, and this is due primarily to the ancient traditions. In the second half of 1000 BC, nomadic tribes in Kazakhstan had Scythian style of ornamentation. According to Wikipedia, it was â€Å"often the central ornaments for shields carried by fighters. In the most notable of these figures, stags are displayed with legs tucked beneath its body, head upright and muscles tight to give the impression of speed† (â€Å"Scythian art†). These figures of fighters signified the victory of the sun... ...ament is important - they should rotate in a certain order. The indiscriminate distribution of colors even in the original ornament can make it gray and expressionless. â€Å"White background on goods or on the main figure of ornament is a symbol of the white path of truth and happiness. Red color is a fire, scorching power of the sun and love, black color for the power, majesty and well-being† (Turganbayeva). Blue has always been a symbol of heaven, yellow is the symbol of wisdom or sorrow, and green is a symbol of youth and spring. During the centuries, the ideas of the ancient art carefully preserved and passed down from teacher to student. That way, it has become a tradition, and ornaments preserved to our days. A wide variety of decorative styles and motifs have been developed for architecture and the applied arts, including pottery, furniture, metalwork (Art).

Homelessness and Solutions Homeless People

Let’s all help the homeless During the past decade there may have been an increase in homelessness due to the struggles of daily life. People have many ideas on ways that the government or communities can help improve these situations. It is not easy to help the homeless but any help can improve their lives and our streets. It may not take them completely off our streets but it can help them to get back on their feet.In a New York Times article, â€Å"Rooms of Their Own† on January 21, 1990 by Anna Quindlen, she reports that after observing people on the streets that all they want it a safe place to live to call home where they can have some privacy. She describes that many are mentally ill that the government cannot support any longer. Some homeless are former inmates that just need a little help getting back into society. Anna argues that the government should have to help by housing them in small studio like room to help them get back on their feet.By doing this it m ay get them back in the community and working soon to be on their own and not need the help any longer. Stuart D. Bykofsky complains in Newsweek, â€Å" No Heart for the Homeless†, on December 1, 1986 that he is fed up with the homeless laying around in the streets and making his community disgusting and unsafe to walk. He argues that why should individuals settle for these kinds of people living on there property for free and get away with it. He believes that it is not fair that they get to live on the streets for free and whileRivas 2 tax payers are getting fined for any reason. Stuart explains that the homeless need no excuse to live on the streets if there is a shelter to go to. It is their choice to go but if they choose not to then they should be fined for it as well. Not all homeless are the same because they all have different situations on why they have become homeless. Some of them have gotten laid off and simply cannot find w a job to support their families. This is all a part of Steven’s Vanderstaaty claim in his book, â€Å"Solutions Homeless People Seek†.He reveals that these unemployed people just want to work so they can get back into the community, but believe they shouldn’t have to go through all different kinds of training and programs for a job that they already have experience in. He points out that what homeless need is help getting back to society by their certain situations they may face of drug and alcohol programs or resources to help each individual that may need help mentally, physically or financially.After reading all three essays I find that any help would it be, donating time or money would help the homeless. It would show that the community does care for them as well as their surroundings to make it a cleaner and a safer place to live. Homeless or not everyone needs help may it be financially, emotionally or physically the government should have resources to help everyone!

Mathematical Interpretations of Keynes’s General Theory

IntroductionMany changes had occurred in the in conclusion century in every science. economic science was not the exception and a transformation into the theoretical approach took place in the 30s. In 1936 Keynes published The worldwide conjecture of Employment, involution and M unmatchedy. Its chief(prenominal) ideas hazard the al-Qaidas of macroeconomics and had influenced economics since.Unfortunately, Keynes had (and has) a bad news report as a writer, because of this there has been unvarying analysis and readings of what he meant. Economists affirmed that Keyness innovating urinate, as any new approach, had virtu on the wholey inconsistencies. Further, the book had small use of maths and, and then, had small proof of what it stated. Therefore, these ideas need variation and testing into the objective world.Keynes main(prenominal) IdeasKriesler and Nevile (2000) define the books main points as followsin a capitalistic thriftiness example, and hence unemploy ment, is determined by effective submit decisions about turnout and investment are made on the basis of expectations, and pecuniary variables influence real variables such as output and employment and real variables, in turn, influence monetary ones.One of the most daunting tasks was to knack up a numeric foundation of the cited Keyness works. The most important economists who performed this transaction were, in a crossed dressing process as Heller (2000) points it, Roy Harrod, jam Meade and mainly John Hicks. In fact, in 1937 Hicks published an influential article, Mr. Keynes and the Classics A suggested translation that rapidly became the abideard of Keynesian economics theory.Mathematical FoundationsThe Keyness ideas stated in the paragraphs to a higher place turned into simple numeral molds of the macro-economy and the most long-lived and flexible, the IS-LM model, came from John R. Hicks (Morgan 2001). notwithstanding that, some authors suggest that Harrod and Mea de had inspired the IS-LM model proposed by Hicks (Young, qt. in Heller, 2002)1. Others suggest that Champernowne and Reddaway likewise had some contribution into the models formalization (Barens 1998, qt in Heller, 2002)Besides the multiple interpretations of Keyness work, Hicks one remains as one of the most important.As pointed by Heller (2000), the models proposed as explanations had similar expressions which are organizations of simultaneous equations. And the mathematical formulations success of Keyness General surmise is because of the mathematical refinement and the exact nature of systems of simultaneous equations, which umteen consider alike and particularly to Hicks who was the save when one in representing the theory by diagrams. (Heller, 2002)As pointed, Harrod was some other economist who performed a mathematical foundation for Keyness work. According to him, Keynes system corrects the traditional theory allowing the Income level to be not given, the price level does not depend on the money, and money demand is divided in two. Due to all of this Harrod states that Keynes system is better than the traditional one. Keynes had a very positive view of Harrods development of his own work, which Harrods presented in the corresponding conference where Hicks did. Hence, Keynes thought that Harrod works construe correctly his own ideas.But these authors success in interpreting Keyness ideas is not slack of detractors. Kriesler and Nevile (2000) made a clear stand of this economists reject the IS-LM framework as being neither a valid decrease of the arguments in the General Theory nor a reliable model for analyzing macroeconomic issues. Economists calculate the IS-LM model ignores expectations and it is not useful to crush a particular economy beside the noneffervescent equilibrium2. They also affirm that Hicks took Keynesian macroeconomics to another direction from the one intended by the works author. The same authors call forth that Keyn ess own vision on Hicks model did have the faults that post Keynesians typically ascribe to IS-LM.3ConclusionKeyness work and the stern mathematical development gave, to governments and to economists, answers that can be easily explained and understood by everyone only using analytical tools as diagrams or simple mathematics. What is more, those ideas were beyond the economic gross sense of the time governments can fall during depressions.Affirming if these formalizations of the model are what Keyness work pointed might be intimidating. Regardless of this and the dissimilar views, Hicks simplification and formalization of the model is useful, and catches the tenderness of the work. As any first-year interpretation improvements were (and still are) made but the first task was accomplished.ReferencesHeller, Claudia, The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money According to Brian Reddaway Economia em Revista, Vol. 10, pp. 15-32, 2002Heller, Claudia, The General Theory Syn thesis According to Roy Harrod in Mr. Keynes and conventional Theory, Revista de Economia (Curitiba), Vol. 23, pp. 27-49, 2000Keynes, John Maynard, The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (New York Prometheus Books, 1997).Morgan, Mary, The formation of Modern economic science Engineering and Ideology, Department of Economic History, capital of the United Kingdom School of Economics, May 2001, Available at http//www.lse.ac.uk/economicHistory/home.aspx1 Young proposed that to call it the IS-LM Harrod-Meade model. 2 It is important to make clear that many have pointed discerning expectations as one of the inconsistencies in Keyness work. 3 Post Keynesian economists main critic to the IS-LM model is its static equilibrium nature, thus has no means to deal economys path of adjustment.