Tools and Skills for Performance Consulting

Useful Tools and Techniques for Performance Consulting Many researchers have developed experiments within several organizations that demonstrate the right approach to effective performance consulting. Bell and Jones (2008) reported that â€Å"Research and theorizing recognizes that a manager's identification and judgment of a moral problem is a subjective, socially constructed process that can be influenced by principles, theories, and values†(p. 503). Furthermore, research also offers suggestions that serve as a useful guide when engaging in the consulting process.However, when consulting there are seven critical skills that must be used when consulting, and they are as follows; one must define clear objectives and goals, maintain confidentiality, involve people that will be affected by project, forge a partnership, have clear communication, develop contract, and also have a strategy. The purpose of this research paper is to correlate different ways that prove some technical and critical skills of consulting. This paper also intends to give examples and offer techniques used through research that can help one to consult flawlessly.There are several different strategies that can be used during the performance consulting process. When engaging in performance consulting the consultant should find out some information about the company prior to meeting with the client. According to Thamain (2004), effective consultants are social architects who foster a climate of active participation by involving people at all organizational levels in the assessment of the existing system, and in the planning and implementation of the desire change.They also build alliances with support organizations and upper management to assure visibility, priority, resource availability, and overall support for sustaining the organizational improvement beyond its implementation phase†(p. 42). The first section highlights and analyzes the seven critical skills needed to consult. T he second section suggests guidelines for the five tools and techniques which can be used to consult flawlessly. Lastly, the final section acknowledges some leadership behaviors that can be used to help organizations meet their needs.One of the key concepts to consulting is to understand the basic needs of a client. When making initial contact with the client, the purpose of the project must be defined immediately. In addition to that, it is good to make sure that both the consultant and client are clear of what the objective of the project is. From the start be sure to develop a mutual understanding of what the issue is, and if there are any underlying problems that contribute to this. If employees need to be involved, it is best to relate the intervention being used to the companies’ goals or mission statement.Employees show much more interest knowing that their involvement will help for the better of the organization and not just one individual. According to Thamhain (2004 ), â€Å"Organizational members are more likely to engage in a development initiative if they perceive it to be clearly related to the goals of the company. Clear linkages between the intervention and company mission, goals, and objectives create enthusiasm and desire to participate, as well as lowering anxieties and helping to unify the people behind the intervention†(p. 42).The employees must feel confident about the interventions that are going to be used if not they will be less reluctant to offer insight. The consultant must also inform the client to keep staff informed on the status of the project so that the client feels they’re playing a role in the consulting process. Understanding the basic needs of the client could help the process to get executed in a timely manner. During the consulting process one must expect some resistance at some point, because employees may feel like the consultant hasn't made them feel confident about the outcome of the project.Anoth er key aspect of consulting is to maintain confidentiality. In addition to that, the client must feel that any information that is revealed in the project will not be leaked out to anyone outside of the organization. This is a useful tool to help to ensure buy in from the client and any employees that might be involved in the project. If client does not feel that the companies’ information is secure then the information provided will not be accurate. Confidentiality can be linked to several aspects of the consulting process, in that it can help you to understand what clients value most.According to Parker (2003) , when you develop a better understanding of what clients value it can increase both client satisfaction and help improve a organization’s performance (Parker, 2003). By understanding your client’s needs it will help link objectives of the project closely to the goals of the company. Consequently, this will help to gain more support from not only clients , but also the consultant will receive even more support from individuals within the organization. By understanding the client’s needs it increases the probability of getting to the root of the problem.In the end this will help to make implementation and feedback go smoothly. Thamain (2004 ) reported that â€Å"Consultant’s will have a better chance for smooth implementation and for gaining organizational acceptance of the new system if they can show that the newly developed process is consistent with already established values, principles, and practices, rather than a new order to be imposed†(p. 43). In the consulting process it is very important to involve any party who will be affected by the project. By involving all parties who will be affected by project it will help to obtain a better outcome.Once employees know that there is something in it for them, they feel obligated to offer information. Throughout this process the employer must value their employees ’ opinion, as well as offer support and recognition. This will help to enhance employee engagement on the regular issues that come up on a daily basis. Thamhain (2004) reported that, â€Å"While expert based consulting has dominated the project management field, it is critical to also engage in more process oriented consulting, ensuring that relevant organizational members are part of the intervention† (p. 3). In addition to that Sussman and Norton (2009) reported that â€Å"to achieve excellence, organizations must seek and implement effective tools and techniques to transform quality from an abstract concept to a shared value embedded in the fabric of everyday part of an organization† (p. 7). It is important to involve anyone who will be affected because they are the best change agents when it comes to assessing the situation, searching for solutions, and evaluating new tools and techniques.One of a consultant’s most useful tools is being capable of for ging a partnership with the client. This is useful in that once this is established it helps create a joint effort in executing the issue and discovering what the objective will be. It is very important to learn some background information about your client prior to your first meeting. Lacey, Thompkins, and Egan (2007) reported that â€Å"Internal practitioners must understand the language and culture in which they operate.In business organizations this means a working knowledge of key business processes including strategy formulation and implementation within a global context. While Consultants are not hired to be experts in strategy, they must have an understanding of the unique expertise that offers in ensuring the success of strategic initiatives† (p. 2). With that being said, this is one of the key concepts to successful consulting in that it assures the client that you are serious about affecting change within the organization.In addition to that, clients tend to feel m ore comfortable when they are confident that you are looking out for their best interest. Furthermore, from beginning to the end of the consulting process both parties must have clear communication, and both the consultant and client should make all phases of the process clear to everyone involved in the project. Having clear communication can help establish what direction the project will go in and will also build up the client’s confidence of having a successful outcome.By establishing this you will better understand what the clients expectations are, and you will already have an idea of what it will take to get there. According toThamhain (2004), team members will be more likely with implementing new management processes, tools, and techniques to cooperate with necessary organizational requirements, if management clearly articulates the criticality to business performance and the benefits to the organization and it’s members (Thamhain 2004).Communication helps both the client and the consultant feel more comfortable and it also leaves room to receive honest feedback from all parties involved in the process. According to Mellor and Dewhurst (2009), when you establish a line of sight, an effective internal communication function helps make sure the strategy is clearly defined and supports people translating the business strategy into action (Mellor and Dewhurst, 2009).Furthermore, effective communication helps everyone be accountable for the objectives or any measures that they come across, and whatever get measured usually gets done. Several companies have discovered that when consulting the contract is one of the most important things of the process. It helps to protect both the client and the consultant. This serves as the agreement where the consultant and client define each other’s roles in executing the project. Norton Jr. nd Sussman (2009), reported that â€Å"contracts, agreements in principle, and letters of understanding are ex amples of documents designed to transform implicit assumptions into explicit behaviors; however, each prescribes expectations or behaviors at the individual level rather than the team level† (p. 9). When consulting another critical skill is having a strategy set up in a way that both the consultant and the client understand how to move forward. Communication is key because it helps everyone involved in the process understand what is expected of them by opening clear barriers of communication.According to Sussman and Norton (2009), when one is communicating a strategy an effective team uses tactics that enable managers and employees to discuss, engage and internalize the strategy so that they can bring it to life, understand what it means and translate it into everyday actions and behaviors (Sussman and Norton, 2009). Therefore, consultants must understand that using strategies and brainstorming is one of the key concepts of the consulting process, and if this is not establishe d from the beginning the entire project will be a disaster.It is also important to establish rapport with the client in that it will help to build a stronger collaborative working relationship throughout the process. Owen, Goldwasser, Choate, and Blitz (2008) reported that â€Å"by translating the business strategy into operational goals, and by creating structures and processes to enable collaboration across all segments of the organization, innovation leaders can motivate and enable new behavior† (p. 40). Furthermore, research often suggests several types of critical steps that are involved in consulting, however, it is solely up to the consultant to assess the situation before he or she enters it.In addition to that, researchers also identify the right approach to performance consulting as well as different techniques that have proven to be successful. Critical steps to consulting also can serve as a useful guide to making the process much smoother to both the client and t he consultant. Research has been done and it has proven that when entering the consulting process, it is key to find out information about the organization prior to meeting with them. As stated earlier in the paper organizational members are more likely to engage in a development initiative if they perceive it to be clearly related to the goals of the company.Thamhain (2004) reported that â€Å"it is crucial, however, that these team initiatives be integrated with the overall business process and supported by management† (p. 44). Therefore, any of the tools listed above must be supplemented into the continuously changing of business processes. In addition to that these tools must be updated and tested on an ongoing basis. In the consulting process a tool can be considered as a model, checklist, or a series of steps that can help guide both the client and the consultant through the process.Furthermore, successful consulting requires consultants to use tools and techniques that are useful in executing the process. Thamhain reported that (2004) â€Å"successful implementation of new project management tools and processes often requires modifications of organizational structures, policies, and practices† (p. 44). In addition to that it is very important to have support of management when coming up with team initiatives. However, to gain the benefits of a new project management’s tool or technique it is also important that everyone involved perceive this as a win-win situation.Some ways to ensure this is to carefully plan with all parties involved during all of the consulting phases. Consultants should also be open for suggestions, and hold open discussions which encourage all parties to be more proactive in the future. Therefore five tools and techniques that can aid to consult flawlessly are alignment, commitment, contracting, and authenticity, and empathy. According to Owen, Goldwasseer, Choate, and Blitz (2008), to avoid the pitfalls of col laborative innovation, our research and experience show the best building blocks of consulting are: alignment, boundaries and commitment, which they call the ABC’s.Alignment entails synchronizing the strategic vision and innovation goals with the implementation of these throughout the organization, focusing on collaboration both vertically and horizontally (Owen, Goldwasser (Lawrence Owen, 2008), Choate, and Blitz, 2008). When consulting from the start of the process the consultant must define what each other’s roles will be throughout the entire process. It is very important to understand what the client’s expectations are and then work solely off of what the client wants and what the he hopes to accomplish.Owen, Goldwasser, Choate, and Blitz (2008) stated that â€Å"Alignment is a key step in ensuring that the business strategy is communicated and enabled throughout the organization both vertically and horizontally. Alignment also requires looking at the orga nization from the perspective of innovation objectives, and then using the insights gained to position the organization to meet those objectives† (p. 39). Vertical alignment helps to explain the business strategy objective and also transforms it into an organizational strategy as well as an implementation plan.This helps to provide both the client and consultant comfortable about change in the future. Horizontal alignment requires the implementation of a new organizational unit for redefining the existing one. Thamhain (2004) reported that â€Å"If at all possible the introduction of new management tools and techniques should be consistent with the established project management practices within the organization. The more the new order of operation is congruent with the existing practices, procedures, and distributed knowledge of the organization, the more self sustaining and successful the change intervention will be† (p. 4). This is where the highest level of acceptan ce is found because these useful tools are added incrementally. When implementing new tools and techniques they should be tested on smaller projects with those who are more experienced. Thamhain (2002) suggest that â€Å"ensuring that organizational members are more proactive and aggressive toward change is not an easy task but must be facilitated systematically by both consultants and management. Any project management tool or technique, for example must be integrated into the continuously changing business process† (p. 6). When coming up with new techniques it is also important to ensure that the client understands what role he or she will play during the implementation stage. To avoid these problems one must conduct a thorough assessment of the problem, and he also must have some background information on the company. Commitment is one of the most important things in the consulting process. In that it helps the consultant obtain buy in from the client and members who becom e a part of the project.In addition to that, this helps to ensure that everyone is working towards one common goal, and it will alleviate all confusion between the consultant and client. Owen, Goldwasser, Choate, and Blitz (2008) reported that â€Å"organizations that are serious about collaboration for innovation make an ongoing commitment to transformation and change. Creating a collaborative culture happens over time through leadership communication and reinforcement, the development and ongoing tracking of key measures, and institutionalized learning and knowledge management to continually develop the capabilities needed for collaborative innovation† (p. 1). The consultant should be able to facilitate change whereas it will foster a climate for continuous learning and improvement. Furthermore, this means that the consultant and client should maintain collaboration and reuse it. Over time this will help to establish processes to learn and change. Consequently, this will he lp the client be able to aid himself in solving issues within the company in the future internally. One of the most important aspects of consulting is empathy which means understanding the nature of the client’s problem.This is important because it will make your client feel much more comfortable about revealing important information. The consultant must also get to the root of the problem and find any underlying issues that may be making the problem get worse. According to Parker (2003) research suggest that work with a client can often be extended simply by gaining a better understanding of where the client wants to go and what impedes getting there—a process that requires explicit exploration with the client of these broader aspirations and related frustrations.While this may be stating the obvious, consulting teams often become so focused on the engagement at hand that they don’t consider the client’s broader needs until the end of the assignment (Par ker, 2003). Research has been done by Kostman and Schiemann (2005), which suggest that the most commonly used principles and techniques include continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, loyalty measurements, and project management (Kostman and Schiemann, 2005).In addition to that, after conducting surveys and research, it was found that organizations who receive the highest marks for successful implementation of quality initiatives are those that have support from top leadership, possess and quality culture and do a good job of managing their people effectively. Research has the shown the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance. Kostman and Schiemann reported that (2005) â€Å"engaged employees –those more highly connected and committed to their organization –dramatically outperform their peers on numerous measures, including their attention to quality and service.They further said that this does indeed contribute to the successful implementation of quality initiatives but is only one part of the bigger picture† (p. 40). Furthermore during the consulting process, there are several techniques that can be used, however one must look deeper into the problem and decide what approach is suitable to help circumvent the problem. During the consulting process, tools such as commitment and being able to facilitate change are key concepts because this is what will help keep the collaborative effort throughout.It is also important when using these tools to have some of the goals of the project linked closely to the goals of the organization. Kostman and Shciemann (2005) reported that â€Å"gaining top leadership support, developing quality minded cultures and more effectively managing the hidden driver of quality—people equity—are the critical difference between success and failure† (Kostman and Schiemann, 2005). Lastly, consulting requires a lot of action research that the majority of the tim e helps uncover any underlining problems or issue in the organization that may cause the entire project to collapse.Therefore, to consult flawlessly these tools will help to obtain buy in as well as maintain confidentiality, and it helps all parties feel more comfortable in presenting authentic information. When one serves as the leader of an organization it is important to understand your employees and leave open communication so that employees feel that they are capable of consulting their boss when they need help. In addition to that a leader must acknowledge his employees’ at all times to help them to feel more comfortable and appreciated for their performance.Further, a leader must be authentic with his staff especially when it comes to on the job assigned duties. It is important to be able to not only reward your staff but encourage your staff to exceed all aspects of the job for the better of the organization. Fleet and Griffin (2006) stated that â€Å"if a top manage r is commonly known to be untruthful, if a leader does not respect the rights of others, or if the leader puts profits before all else, others in the organization will likely recognize the signals.As the signals get institutionalized throughout the firm, it’s culture will become increasingly dysfunctional†(p. 704 ). Most organizations are centered around the leader or CEO, and the example he sets or how he leads the company can have a major impact on his or her employees. Consequently, leaders play a major part in how the company and its employees function within the organization. It is important for the leader to be open to receiving ideas from his staff in that it helps employees to feel like opinion count and that they can make a difference in the company.Harris and Kuhnert stated (2008) that â€Å"acknowledging the ideas of others is paramount to increasing success within the organization and makes leaders at this level more effective. This level of development is not without drawbacks, because leaders still depend on input from outside sources to make decisions. The opinions of others matter more, and leaders risk making decisions by depending on those who lack the appropriate expertise† (p. 50). Seeking information from leaders have a better probability and it also is much less riskier than seeking advice from someone who is unaware of what’s going on in the organization.However, leaders must recognize that for an organization to be successful the example that he sets forth must help his staff in meeting all of the companies’ needs as well as keep their performance on a consistent level. Reward and punishment plays a major in the behavior of your employees as well as how leaders delegate to their staff what is expected. According to Bell and Jones (2007), a rule or behavior is conventional if it is recognized to be valued in one group but not necessarily applicable to thers, or moral if it is considered necessary to be f ollowed by everyone regardless of group membership or local preferences (Bell and Jones, 2007). Furthermore, leaders also must help his staff adapt to change and he should paint his employees a mental picture of his vision and where he would like for the company to be on an ongoing basis. Harris and Kuhnert (2008) reported that â€Å"leading change encompasses the ability to challenge the status quo, and higher level leaders do not define themselves by how others see them.Effective leaders acquire their source of understanding within, that is, who they are and can relinquish ties with outside sources to make effective decisions† (p. 61). The main goal of a consultant is to affect changes in their clients which will help achieve the purpose more effectively. In addition to that, a consultant should know what his client is capable of doing and what he actually can do. For leadership to achieve business needs, they must increase staff morale to improve employee performance, and must not allow employees too many options for when company goals aren’t being met.Schaffer (1999) stated that â€Å"to ensure success each project should be constructed to produce plan that the client is ready, willing, and able to implement. Also instead of tackling a huge project all at once, the client and the consultant can carve off sub-projects, each focused on a near term goal that both parties are reasonably certain can be achieved. It is important for leadership to be aware of what is working well and what is not working well. However, they must also have an idea of what an improved system might look like, and facilitate learning to the employees so that they help to keep this system consistent.According to Kendra and Taplin (2004), â€Å"the primary tool for change is education that is designed to increase people ideas, beliefs, and behaviors, which will bring about new approaches to organizational challenges† (p. 23). Many consultants try studying a problem in whole and offering a complete remedy before the problem is diagnosed, or before uncovering any underlying problems. Moreover, consultants define the project in terms of their expertise and not in terms of the clients specific results that need to be achieved.What’s more important is that leaders must understand what their employees are contributing to the company and they must be effective in helping them meet company goals. Fleet and Griffin (2006) stated â€Å"some important factors that help management achieve business needs are, how leaders reward and punish employees, agendas that are set for meetings, how they react to problematic situations for change, whether they follow the companies’ code of ethics, and how they decide who gets promoted or receives special privileges† (p. 704).As a result, it is important for consultants to examine how leaders construct meaning out of particular situations because it may help clarity why some leaders are effective while others are not. Harris and Kuhnert (2008) stated that â€Å"evaluating leadership effectiveness can prove quite difficult due to the complexity of organizational success indicators, difficulty in obtaining such information, and external factors often beyond the leader’s control. Therefore some suggest a 360 degree feedback can serve as a proxy measure for leadership effectiveness, because it provides us with a well-rounded measure of performance† (p. 1). Also leaders need to be comfortable with dealing with conflict at all levels, and they must be able to handle people’s resistance to change. Besides if leaders aren’t capable of facilitating change they won’t be considered as effective change agents. According to Harris and Kuhnert (2008), research suggest that to improve a organizations’ functions one should involve individuals from within the organization which may further develop individuals and lead to a larger organizational chang e (Harris and Kuhnert, 2008).Consequently, leadership plays an undeniably central role in the successful operation of a company. Also leadership responsiveness to employee requests will result in more favorable employee attitudes and behavior. The environment that the company provides plays a major role in leadership behaviors. Moreover flawless consulting involves many critical steps and useful tools that were provided in this paper, which was supported by research. In addition flawless consulting requires clear communication, authenticity, and confidentiality.Consultants must realize that with all projects you must have an objective and a ultimate goal that needs to be accomplished in the end that is measurable. However, consultant and client must have a collaborative effort from the start of the project. Further they must establish each other’s roles and map out a game plan and put it in writing. This serves as a agreement that can be referred to throughout the entire proc ess. Facilitating change is another tool that will prove to be effective throughout your project.As a result, to consult flawlessly consultants must involve everyone who will be affected by the project. Therefore, when it comes to consulting there are several rules of engagement that must be adhered to in order affect change within an organization. Antonio Tencati, L. Z. (2008). The Collaborative Enterprise. Journal of Business Ethics , 367-376. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Global on February 24, 2009 Chris M. Bell, J. H. -J. (2007). Power, Self-Regulation and the Moralization of Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics , 503-514. Retrieved from ABI Inform Global on February 29, 2009Antonio Tencati, L. Z. (2008). The Collaborative Enterprise. Journal of Business Ethics , 367-376. Chris M. Bell, J. H. -J. (2007). Power, Self-Regulation and the Moralization of Behavior. Journal of Business Ethics , 503-514. Dewhurst, V. M. (2009). A Definitive Framework for Internal Communication. Strategic Communication Research Forum , 16-19. Griffin, D. D. (2006). Dysfunctional Organizational Culture. Journal of Managerial Psychology , 698-708. Lauren S. Harris, K. W. (2007). Looking through the Lens of Leadership: A Constructive Developmental Approach.Leadership and Organizational Development Journal , 47-67. Lawrence Owen, C. G. (2008). Collaborative Innovation throughout the extended Enterprise. Emerald Group Publishing , 39-45. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Global on March 30, 2009 Miriam Y. Lacey, T. C. (2007). Curriculum Implications Based on Analysis of Internal Consulting Best Practices. Organizational Development Journal , 199-233. Parker, S. (2003). Understanding What Clients Value. ABI Inform Global , 5. Schaffer, R. H. (1999). Replacing Recommendations with Results. Consulting Psychology Journal , 242-251.Sussman, W. I. (2009). Team Charters: Theoretical Foundations and Practical Implications for Quality and Performance. The Quality Management Journal , 7-17. Taplin, K. A. ( 2004). Change agent Competencies for Information Technology Project Managers. Consulting Psychology Journal , 20-34. Ted Shore, T. S. (2006). Leadership Responsiveness, Equity, Sensitivity, and Employee Attitudes and Behavior. Journal of Business and Psychology , 227-241. Thahmain, H. J. (2004). 15 Rules for Consulting in Support of a Client Project. ABI/Inform Global , 42-46.

Firestarter

Firestarter is the 8th novel written by Stephen King/Richard Bachman and the 10th to be adapted into film. It came out in 1984 right on the heels of four other adaptations of King works released between 1983 and 1984 namely Christine, Cujo, The Dead Zone and Children of the Corn. Unfortunately, the commercial success of the book did not translate into box office receipts in spite of how closely it followed the book. Then again, it could also be said that its faithful adaptation diminished the impact it could have since film is a different medium altogether.The book’s plot followed a formula – that of a government experiment gone wrong. An experimental drug code-named Lot Six was administered by The Shop, a shady government agency, to twelve college volunteers. They wanted to see if psi ability can be stimulated by drugs and bring about telekinesis, thought transference and mental domination. The action in the film and in the book started when The Shop decided to bring i n the McGee family particularly Charlie McGee, the eight-year old child who was the result of the union of the only two remaining relatively healthy subjects who took Lot Six. The others had died or lost their minds and maimed themselves during the experiment or later committed suicide. Far from being an ordinary child, Charlie could make fires with her mind.As in the book, the movie used flashbacks to provide the background on how things came to be. In the book, this approach was used effectively since it can put in as much detail as it can not merely to explain the how and why, but also to gain sympathy for the characters’ plight. In the movie, however, this approach limited the development of the character. As it was, the characters became mere representations of the institutions they stood for. Perhaps, it was assumed that the stellar cast and their acting reputations would create audience empathy. It failed to do that, however.Stanley Mann’s script paid homage to the original lines found in the novel. It was necessary to create closer affinity to the book. No updating was necessary since the setting and context was still relevant at the time the movie was made such as the anti-Russian comment against warrant less searches. The Cold War was still very much felt in the 1980s. Aside from being a King novel, one other reason that this was made into a movie was its potential for spectacular effects of fire and explosions. Its target audience were obviously the fans of the Stephen King’s books who would most likely be curious how the fiery scenes would be pulled off. This was why the script followed the book as faithfully as it can so as not to alienate the purists as Stanley Kubrick did with The Shining. However, the book Firestarter is in itself not compelling.The origins of Charlie’s extraordinary ability was explained early on hence there was not real tension or suspense to be had. Once the pursuit started, their capture and the eventual escape were already predictable. The good guys and the bad guys were firmly established that there could only be one ending. King may have wanted the basic premise to be thought-provoking, that of inflicting unethical experiments on unsuspecting victims. The book focused on the consequence of the experimentation. However, the movie seemed to have focused more on reaching its climax than to pursue this premise. In the movie, there was no exploration of Andy and Vicky’s unease after their psychedelic experience. There was no feeling of dread over what had transpired. There was not feeling of common guilt of being responsible why Charlie turned out to be a firestarter.The director banked on Drew Barrymore to carry the movie and show the incongruity that such an angelic face can carry an ability that can only destroy. Dr. Wanless diatribe and should have explored   the horror of the immensity of her probable power but it just came out as politically preachy. Had the ap proach been altered so that it followed a chronological and continuous tale from the 1969 experimentation up to the pyrotechnic display, perhaps a certain suspense could have been maintained with the audience and the characters could have been developed more clearly which the audience can relate with. Also, the visual tricks of physical turmoil used in the movie such as the nosebleed on top of his facial contortions seem over the top. King did not use both devices in the book. He just made him turn pale and very tired and if we wanted something more visual, there were the explorations of numbness on his face.With Barrymore, her face was fully exploited. In the book, her character was becoming drawn, but in the movie she was in the peak of health. Every time she hurls fire, she gets a close u and her golden hair would be blown away from her face (the better to see you, my dear, so to speak) so one can be mesmerized by how beautiful she was as she hurled her fireballs of death. The so undtrack by Tangerine Dream also helped set the mood as its synthesized music shifts from slow to mysterious to panicky as appropriate with the action taking place on screen. The unilateral explosion of the cars in the Manders farm visually showed he spontaneity and the lack of control by Charlie over her powers as compared to the deliberate way made her fireballs and directed them towards specific subjects at The Shop’s compound.The choice of George C. Scott as John Rainbird was a notable deviation from the book. While Scott was truly effective as the assassin sociopath, being able to transform from a kindly orderly who’s afraid of the dark to the ruthless killer who can just as easily â€Å"strike her across the bridge of the nose, breaking it explosively, and sending bone fragments into her brain,† his native American ancestry was stretching the realm of make-believe quite a bit.   In the movie, his face was not deformed.His eyepatch was a perfunctory disgu ise and not used to actually cover up an eyeless socket. The book explained his deformity as a result of the stupidity of his stoned fellow soldiers in Vietnam. One can only guess why these details were left out. A true Native American may not have been chosen so as not to stir up any resentments and controversy for portraying a crazy man. Moreover, his lack of deformity would avoid questions as to how he got his battle scars. In 1984, moviegoers were not yet primed by Oliver Stone’s Platoon which came out in 1986 to the harsh realities of war.Then, there was Martin Sheen’s depiction of Hollister. The book had him losing his mind in the end, seeing things that were not there, a negative after-effect of Andy’s mind domination if he â€Å"pushed† too hard. Instead, he was made to play it like a fool in the movie, mindlessly following orders with no manifestations of incipient craziness.The ending was also rather stilted. After the climax and after running f or almost two hours, the movie just had to end quickly. There were no speculations as to what would happen to the Manders couple whose farm was the scene of the first outburst, and which The Shop knows about once Charlie sought sanctuary with them. There was no speculation about The Shop nor to the effects on Charlie who just lost her father and killed a lot of people (in self defense). The book showed The Shop running after her again and Charlie, on her own, found the Rolling Stones magazine to tell her story. It could be that the movie audience can reconcile it better if Charlie had adult supervision.Works CitedFirestarter, Dir. Mark L. Lester. Perf. David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Martin Sheen, George C, Scott. Universal Pictures, 1984.King, Stephen. Firestarter. New York: Signet, 1980.

Investment analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Investment analysis - Assignment Example Efficient portfolio calls for an optimal investor to adopt an efficient combination of investment that minimizes the level of risk subject to returns on that investment. A major limitation is that the decisions on capital expenditure are based on the expectation, and no facts are available at the time of decision-making. Although information is the basis for decision-making, efficient portfolio creates another element of risk because it is not always true that the expected returns will actualize (Reilly 52). The investor, therefore, may undertake an investment with a higher expected return but in the end it yield unfavorable outcome. The concept of optimal portfolio does not take into account transaction cost and investors may not yearn to change their portfolio as often as the model suggests. Derivatives are instruments in finance whose characteristic and value depends upon the value and characteristic of an underlie such as a commodity, equity, bond or currency. These financial instruments include security derived from a debt instrument share, risk instrument, loan or contract for differences of any other type of security (Reilly 131). Derivative derives its value from the index of price of underlying securities. If the value of the underlying changes, the price of the derivative also changes. In nature, derivatives are not a product or commodity. The price of gold futures contract is obtained from the price of the underlying asset such as gold. The future outcome of all investable assets including derivatives is at stake and is based on so many uncertainties. The expected value of derivatives is faced with the risk and therefore there is a need to adjust these returns for risk giving rise to risk-neutral probabilities. The concept of risk neutrality pricing of derivatives generally means taking both long and short position in the derivatives market (Weaver 89). It does not depend on risk disposition of the investor. It takes into account the

Fieldwork observation report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fieldwork observation report - Essay Example The classroom has four walls with a blackboard. The classroom has mathematics section, writing center and the class schedule. There are also artifacts and that students made displayed in the window. Students also have desks arranged in the middle of the classroom as the teacher’s desk stay next to the blackboard. The teacher does not spend so much time on the board. Instead, the teacher takes most of her time assisting students who seem not to have understood. Both teacher-centered method and learner-centered ones are used in the classroom. For instance, the teacher allows students to work independently as well what the teacher gave them (Bonjour, 2010). The teacher involves at least one student at a time in during class work to attend to students with individual differences. In addition, the teacher uses question and answer method to check mastery. Further, the teacher is female and ensures positive reinforcement of knowledge by praising and rewarding those who perform or behave well in the classroom. The teacher also helps students to develop their motor skills and enhance learner-centered type of instruction when the school exposes learners to experiments. Co-curricular activities are not exception; learners get a five minutes opportunity to play during before resuming class work. There are students with different cultural backgrounds in the school. Some students come from Spanish Americans, others from African American, white Americans while others come from among the American Jews. The school is a private special school located in the Long Island. In the classroom, students mainly depend on working as individuals for class work. The teacher gives them work through PowerPoint presentation of through their computers. The teacher is in charge throughout, provides instructions on what students need to learn. She also commands the learners to possess handouts, workbook, and pencil. The teacher follows up the students

Warehousing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Warehousing - Essay Example addressing this question is that it appears as though Coca Cola does not utilize one standardized warehousing method across all the countries that it operates in. According to the Coca Cola Company website the business model utilized by the company is that it utilizes bottling partners that often function as independent companies. These independent companies are responsible for producing, packaging storing selling and distributing them. So whether or not the company utilizes an efficient warehousing method depends entirely on which independent bottling contractor is doing the work. In the Canadian context the company hast ten independent bottling partners but by far, the largest organization is Coca-Cola Ltd. (CCL) which is the Canadian subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company (Coca Cola website, 2010). According to the Business Wire 2004 it is the case that Coca-Cola Canada built a massive new distribution center/ warehouse in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. This structure amounted to a 7,000 square meter building in the Hawthore industrial park of Ottawa. However it is the case that according to the Canadian press (2004) there were already a significant number of warehousing facilities across Ontario with eleven warehousing facilities and 2,300 employees working in a warehousing capacity for this Market. Moreover, according to The Canadian press 2004 it is the case that the new facility represents a serious investment in modernization at a cost of over $9million. The building will be large enough to support over 100 fleet vehicles However it could be argued that investing in this newer modernized facility represents a systematic approach that involves constant business process improvements across the organization. One additional warehousing situation for Coca Cola is that it is not warehousing one simple product. Again, using the Canadian context, according to the Company website (2010) the company stocks Coke Products (Coke classic, caffeine free, coke zero, diet coke

Research paper for Health Economics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

For Health Economics - Research Paper Example If the medical profession is viewed as health care service being a public or civic activity, it can capture the true purposes of the service. The ethical practices of health care is a strong debate in this field of study and incorporates both the commercial aspects as well as the social and ethical aspects of health policies, health reforms, and moral medical practice meaningfully (Jennings and Hanson). 3 Introduction Health care is a debated topic in the current decade and the discussion over today's health care system revolves around the views that consider â€Å"health care services as commodities† (Jennings and Hanson). These debates involve discussions about how reforms can be brought about in this sector. This point of view takes care of the economic objectives of the reforms in the health care system but obscures the other portion of the purposes of providing efficient health care: the morally vital attributes of the medical profession and the health care provision. If the medical profession is viewed as health care service being a public or civic activity, it can capture the true purposes of the service. ... The price of these products and their availability are specific characteristics making them similar to other normal economic commodities. Although these characteristics are advantageous for some consumers in the US that have coverage of health insurance and also for those that manufacture medicines and medical equipment, the specificity of the characteristics places other parties, such as uninsured consumers and the government, at a disadvantageous position. Racial disparities play an important role in the status of the health care system in the US and are considered as an unrelenting and disconcerting problem for the country. Health status of the average population in a country reflects the economic health of the country, and it is a serious problem since ample policy efforts have yet not been able to rectify the situation. On the contrary, African-Americans and other ethnic and racial minorities are often reported to receive less than the desired level of care. The quality of medic al attention also differs from the care received by their white skinned counterparts (Jha). This makes the situation worse. The hypothesis made in this context is that racial disparities can be eliminated and a better health care system can be established in the States. The questions studied through this research are: what causes these disparities to exist and what steps might be taken in order to do away with the gap and reduce the disproportion in the country’s health system. The study has been carried out by collecting secondary data and making qualitative analysis of the same. Secondary resources available on online and print media such as books, journals, newspapers and online articles,

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Marketing plan - Essay Example The contemporary marketing is largely influenced by technology, competition, globalization and customers’ ever-changing specific requirements. Therefore, a marketer has to foresee how these significant variables can impact its marketing domain and how they can effectively be managed in order its marketing activities to be successful and to help it create long-term sustainable competitive advantage. This paper presents a marketing plan for ‘Green Pizza Restaurant’ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising of major marketing and situational analysis and relevant description of marketing objectives and marketing strategies. This paper uses SWOT analysis and PEST for analyzing both internal and external environmental factors to the business. With relation to marketing objective, segmentation, target market and positioning strategy (STP) and marketing mix strategy including its sub-elements of product, price, promotion and place are detailed in this paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 INTRODUCTION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 SITUATION ANALYSIS (Internal to the company) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Company’s mission, objectives and growth strategies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ... 9 Competitor Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 9 The Economic Environment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Technology Environment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Social and cultural environment †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 SWOT Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 Marketing Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 DEVELOPING MARKETING STRATEGIES †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 Pizza Products and its use †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 Segmentation Strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 Targeting Strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15 Positioning Strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 16 Product Strategies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16 Pricing Strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 18 Promotional Strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 19 Supply Chain Strategies †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦ 20 IMPLEMENTING AND CONTROLLING THE MARKETING PLAN†¦ 20 Action plan †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 20 Responsibility†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 21 Budget †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 21 Time Line †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 21 Evaluation and measuring the performance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 22 CONCLUSION†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 22 REFERENCES †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 23 Introduction Planning is an extremely important and critical element to successfully performing a marketing or any other

Chinese new year Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chinese new year - Essay Example An analytical explanation of the Chinese New Year festivities establishes the validity of this statement. The Chinese New Year is lunar, commencing on the first day of the new year containing a new moon and concluding fourteen days later with the Latern festival. Years rotate in accordance with both a 12-year cycle of animal zodiacs and a 10-year cycle of heavenly stems, in addition to bi-annual rotating stems. The animal zodiacs are comprised of the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The elements consist of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water and the heavenly stems are ying and yang. This means that depending on the date, the new year assumed the name of an animal, a particular element and is categorized as ying or yang. Within the context of Chinese culture and religious belief, the nature of a year determines one's fortunes, depending on whether or not it is in harmony with one's birth year (Ki, 2005). As earlier noted, the Chinese new year unfolds over a fourteen day period, calculated by some as fifteen since preparations commence on the day before.

American Civil Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American Civil Exam - Assignment Example Things came to a head in 1968, when Johnson, who had inherited Lincoln’s Cabinet when Lincoln was assassinated, decided to fire his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, who publicly supported the radical Republicans over Johnson. Under the 1867 Tenure of Office Act, Johnson was prohibited from firing any of his staff who’d been approved by the Senate for their position. After a gentlemanly stand-off in the War building between Stanton and his appointed replacement, the House voted to adopt and Impeachment Resolution, citing Johnson’s disregard of the Tenure of Office Act as well as other â€Å"high crimes† and misdemeanors.† The Republican argument was simple: Johnson had openly violated the Tenure of Office Act. Plus, the House went on to add, he was â€Å"an accidental Chief† and the â€Å"elect of an assassin.† By this time, the House was openly hostile — a fact that historians say might have hurt their case.

Yeasts Case Study Essay Example for Free

Yeasts Case Study Essay Yeasts are eukaryotic microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described[1] (estimated to be 1% of all fungal species).[2] Yeasts are unicellular, although some species with yeast forms may become multicellular through the formation of a string of connected budding cells known as pseudohyphae, or false hyphae, as seen in most molds.[3] Yeast size can vary greatly depending on the species, typically measuring 3–4 Â µm in diameter, although some yeasts can reach over 40 Â µm.[4] Most yeasts reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding. By fermentation, the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae converts carbohydrates to carbon dioxide and alcohols – for thousands of years the carbon dioxide has been used in baking and the alcohol in alcoholic beverages.[5] It is also a centrally important model organism in modern cell biology research, and is one of the most thoroughly researched eukaryotic microorganisms. Researchers have used it to gather information about the biology of the eukaryotic cell and ultimately human biology.[6] Other species of yeast, such as Candida albicans, are opportunistic pathogens and can cause infections in humans. Yeasts have recently been used to generate electricity in microbial fuel cells,[7] and produce ethanol for the biofuel industry. Yeasts do not form a single taxonomic or phylogenetic grouping. The term yeast is often taken as a synonym for Saccharomyces cerevisiae,[8] but the phylogenetic diversity of yeasts is shown by their placement in two separate phyla: the Ascomycota and the Basidiomycota. The budding yeasts (true yeasts) are classified in the order Saccharomycetales.[9]

The Moroccan Goumiers: Origin and History

The Moroccan Goumiers: Origin and History INTRODUCTION Linguistically speaking, the term Goum comes from the Arabic word () pronounced with a Maghrebi accent which means stand up. This term is going to define a military unit that was formed by the French army to be used first internally for pacification purposes and then externally for fighting the Axis powers. The Goums were predominantly Berbers from the region of the Middle as well as High Atlas, their simple lifestyle and isolation from the lowland in Morocco distinguish them from the other Moroccans mainly the Arabs and Arabized Berbers. Their way of fighting made them fierce warriors that were admired by the French militarily and feared by the Germans and Italians, in addition to the fact that they condoned many barbarous acts that they were doing to their enemies. They regard war as a way of living to the extent that they were assiduous in their missions by perfecting their fighting methods. The Goums made a reputation as redoubtable warriors both in Morocco, North Africa and Euro pe with the testimony of many military officers. This research papers will analyze the emergence Goums by dividing the papers into three parts. The first one is devoted to the origin of the Goums, the second to the contribution of the Goums within the French Army in World War II and the last to the fate of the Goums after the end of World War II. The Origin of the Goums and the Pacification of Morocco The Goums were first recruited from the Berber tribes that were objected to the French army such as Ait Warayn, Ait Seghrouchn, Imermuchn, Ichqirn, Izayyan, Ait Yahyathe Goums are: hawk faced Moroccan troops whose specialty is mountain fighting. Their especial value is their uncanny gift for moving silently through trackless mountain country. Their method of working is similar to the action of an incoming tide on a series of sand castles. These waves of Goums could be unloosed on a shapeless mass of mountain country that orthodox troops would find impassable. They would move up silently on any opposition that presented itself, dispose of it and push on regardless of what was happening to those on their right or left. They had a habit of bringing back evidence of the number of victims they had killed, which made them an unpleasant enemy to face.[1] The origin of the Goums goes back to the area of the pacification of Morocco, they were used against the resisting Berber tribes in the Atlas Mountains until 1934, the end of the pacification. The birth of the Goums is going to be in 1908 when the French General D`Amande recruited six Goums in the regions of Chaouia to fight the resistance against France in tribal area.[2] The first resident general in Morocco was General Louis-Hubert Lyautey who intended to rule Morocco indirectly by using the Moroccan elite that would govern the country for the benefit of France. However, his idea of indirect rule did not prove to be successful as the Makhzen under the sultan was not able to control the regions outside its realm (Blad Siba) such as the Atlas Mountains, where tribal societies were either with the central power or against themselves.[3] Lyautey realized that diplomacy is not working with the tribes in the mountains therefore he resorted to organizing North African French troops such as the Tirailleurs and Spahis to fight insurrections. Under these circumstances the Service Des Affaires Indigenes et Renseignements (AIR) came into being, the service divided auxiliaries recruited from the tribes into three distinct groups: Partisans, Mokhaznis and Goums.[4] The Goums were the elite of the French colonial force and their assigned mission was to police the rebellion areas among their tribal areas and was used as Groupes Mobiles,[5] pacification soldiers that performed the task of inspection as they know their areas more than the French. The Atlas Mountains proved to be a difficult mission for Lyautey due to the harshness not only of its mountains but also of its inhabitants, to the extent that the French Morocco was separated from the Atlas Mountains by the River of Oum er Rebia[6], thus deemed a region off the French Control. When Lyautey started his military campaign against the tribes in the Atlas Mountains staring from the city of Khenifra, he encountered a fier ce resistance from the Zaini tribe mainly from Moha ou Hammou, Moha ou Said and Ali Amhaouch.[7] Lyautey relied on Goums as well as Algerian and Senegalese Tirailleurs to get Moha ou Hammou.[8]But the price was high as the French military was subject to many defeats with its pinnacle in the Battle of Lhri. Regarding the ethnic composition of Goums, when they were first formed in 1908 in the region of Chaoia they were a mix of both Arabs and Berbers. However in the late 1920s, the French are going to confine the recruitment of Goums to be mainly from the Middle as well as the High Atlas. From this perspective the Goums were distinct from other colonial troops such as tirailleurs and saphis by being distinctly Berbers, a reason that made France to use them as police officers against any resistance.[9] The Berber tribe of Ait Seghrouchn is going to be the most favored by the French to recruit the Goums. The tribe was attacked by the French and many of its inhabitants decided to enlist in the French army due to the death of their family. The Berber name of the tribe ouchn means wolf. The way of their fighting is derived from their attribution to this animal. According to Barbara erenchih the origin of war goes back to the area of Mesolithic when in fact game animals were scares and a holocaust of animals occurred, and psychologically the prey animals are revered. In Scandinavia the warriors were leaving their human form and assuming the form of a bear when they go to fight. From which the origin of the word berserk came.[10] Consequently, when the Goums of Ait Seghrouchn went to fight they assume the form of a wolf and leave behind their human form. The Goums were noticeable for their quality of loyalty to the extent that they remained faithful to their officers during the dissents in Morocco. As it is stated by Edward L. Bimberg during all these turbulent years the Goums remained steadfast. While the tribes of their origin vacillated loyal to the French one day, fighting them the next the Goumiers remained faithful, not to France, but to their officers, the Frenchmen to whom they owed their fealty.[11] The tribes proved to be a difficult task for the French, but Eventually, it was nature that defeated the tribesmen. The French dammed the streams that ran through the Berber positions, cutting off their water supply.[12] And by 1933, the last of the dissident tribes, the Aà ¯t Abdi, the Aà ¯t Sokhlman and, toughest of them all, the Aà ¯t Haddidou, came down out of their mountain strongholds and submitted to the French generals. The pacification of Morocco was complete.[13] After the end of the pacification, the Goums became ob solete and there was the idea of discharging the Goums as they were no longer needed. However, due to their ferocity and trustworthiness the French agreed to keep them as gendarmerie (police officers) in case new dissents aroused and by the start of World War II the Goums were going to have a new mission where they built a reputation of being fine warriors.[14] Tunisia In 1939 Germany invaded Poland ushering the start of the Second World War and it is obvious that France will be using its colonial troops such as Tirailleurs, Spahis and Zouaves to fight the Axis powers. The Goums were also on the picture, however they were used as a police rather than military force but eventually they were sent to Tunisia to fight the Italian and German forces in its border with Libya. unlike the French, the Berber when they were fighting the Germans had no natural or historical animosity towards them, on the other hand they just fought for the sake of fighting and the fact of being paid for their service was a motivation for them to fight savagely against the Germans.[15] When the French realized the power of the Goums they organized them in tabors to be used in military missions, the tabor came to be used in hand with the word irregular.[16] The Goums were deployed in Tunisia two times. First, In 1940 Tunisia was menaced to be attacked by Italians from its East-South border with Libya. Therefore, in May 1940 the Goums were deployed to Tunisia to fight against the Italians. However, when France lost in the phony war, it negotiated an armistice that allowed the Vichy France to head the country of France. It is worth mentioning that in contrast to the Italians who were being wary of the Berbers as a threat the German did not regard the Berber as a menace but rather a band of peasants. Additionally, France pointed to the Germans that they were used as gendarmerie. Thus they were allowed for their continuation in France Vichy; in the meantime the Goums were the resort of France to build its army without any interference from Germany.[17] The fact of being situated in the mountainous region of Morocco made the action of French officers unnoticeable. What made the Berbers to be highly regarded by the French was their loyalty to the extent that they remain loyal even during their defeat by Germany and under Vichy France. As it is stated by Moshe Gershovich This manifestation of Berber loyalty towards the France`s worst moments in history was celebrated as shining proof of the common bond which had been forged between the two peoples, the ultimate fruit of colonial genius and benevolence.[18] Second, in 1942 the Goums were redeployed in Tunisia where they acquired a reputation as brave and fearsome warriors who showed to the allied forces their skill in infantry They helped capture the city of Bizerte and Tunis, to the extent that Horrocks described the Berbers as The toughest of allon whom pain and discomfort seem to have no effect whatever.[19] The Goums fighting performance in Tunisia made them the suitable candidate to fight the Axis powers in Italy. The Mission in Italy After their participation in Tunisia which showed to the allied forces the fierceness and warrior quality of the Berbers they were taken to Sicily on what was called operation Husky[20] the 4th tabor that went was composed of 58 French officers and 678 Goums.[21] Sicily did not prove to be a hard terrain for the Goums as its rugged and mountainous terrain were similar to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Nevertheless, they did found the Island hellishly hot, unbelievably dusty and malarial besides.[22] The 4th tabor was essential at helping the American 1st division that were heavily attacked by Italians.[23] The Sicilian campaign ended after the capture of Messina, which proved to be a crucial battle for the Goums as it is proposed by Edward L. Bimberg It was their first adventure overseas, the first time in their history they had fought outside Africathey had overcome what may have been some- thing of an inferiority complex, a sense of being country bumpkins fit to fight only in African wars. One way or another, for the Moroccan irregulars Sicily was an important breakthrough.[24] The fall of Sicily paved the way for the fall of Sardinia and Corsica. The French were aware of the power of the Goums and their competence in war and after their deployment in Tunisia the French army added a metal unit insignia in which it was written Who Laughs Last Laughs Best[25] which served as a reminder for its enemies about the glorious victories of Goums against Germans. In 1943, due to the success of the Goums in Tunisia and Sicily with four tabors being under the command of the allied forces, a new position was created under the name of the Commandment des Goums Marocains (CGM) with Colonel Augustin-Leon Guillaume as its commander.[26] Its role was to maintain communication between those four tabors. The American relied on CGM which would be a part of the fifth army of Clark to invade Italy under the codename of Avalanche.[27] The Goums did not find the new invasion to be hard for as the allied forces did not like the terrain the Goums find an advantage. As it is stated by Edward L. Bimberg, as far as mountain fighting was concerned the Goumiers were at no such disadvantage. The Italian peaks and ridgesmeant nothing to the Moroccans.[28] And while the Germans regarded the mountains as a barrier for defense against the allies, the Goums did not find difficulty in their specialty as mountain warriors. While the Goums did a remarkable job of fighting the Axis powers, a new element of their charater was revelaed by their misconduct that was noticeable by Italians. As it is stated by Edward L. Bimberg: They were not popular with the Italians. This was the result of the off-duty conduct of some of them in the mountain villages and isolated valley farmscertain elements among the Moroccans had engaged in a wild spree of rape and pillage across the Italian countryside when they were not busy killing Germans.[29] In the movie La Ciociara which is based on the novel La Ciociara by Alberto Moravia, the group rape of two women by the Goums after the battle of Mosseni was portrayed. These brutal events were engraved in the memory of Italians as an Italian word marocchinare came to describe those events. In 1964 a monument was erected in the city of Roca di San Pietro, named Mammai Cioria to remind Italians of the atrocities committed by the Goums. The reasons behind the misconduct of the Goums has to do with the fact such things as rape and loot can be explained through the isolation of the Berber tribes in the Atlas Mountains. The reason why the people went to war in the first place was to rape and loot, to the extent that Alexander the Macedonian was portrayed as being gay for not indulging into rape during his conquests.[30] Barbara Ehrenreich stated that war not only depart from the normal; it inverts all that is moral and right: in war one should kill, should steal, should burn cities and farms, should perhaps even rape matrons and little girls. [31] She even pointed out that rape has been endemic wherever warriors rule and was even legalized in medieval Europe as the feudal lord`s droit de seigneur[32] Edward L. Bimberg stated that: Not that they had anything against the ItaliansTheir origins, however, can-not be forgotten; to the Moroccan tribesman, that was the way war was waged. To the victor belonged the spoils, and the Goumiers were somewhat puzzled by the restraints put upon them by their officers.[33] This misconduct of the Goums was used as justification by the French authorities for its brutal policies when dealing with tribal people in Morocco.[34] The Moroccans indulged in rape, theft, pillage and murder, consequently Clark, the head of the Fifth American division under which the Gums were supervised, ordered the execution of law transgressors. Accordingly, 15 Moroccans were executed while 54 were imprisoned to various sentences.[35] The action committed by the Goums came as a surprise to the French officials Alphonse Juin, commander of the French Expeditionary Corps (CFE), and Guillaume. Therefore, the French decided to bring Berber women to Italy through the US Navy LST to prevent future misconducts by the Goums, to the extent that they were the only soldiers in WWII that brought their women with them.[36] Surprisingly the policy did help in quelling rape and pillage but the disgrace did not disappear.[37] Apart from their misconduct in Italy, the Goums were also known for the fact that during the night they would sneak in the American tents and steal their stuff.[38] Additionally, their way of fighting involved also the pro cess of cutting throats and ears which was reminiscent of what the Trojans did to their enemies,[39] the basic aim of these practices was to take souvenirs.[40] The Goums succeeded in chasing the Germans down and reached the cities of Rome and Siena where they fought their last battles in Italy. After that, the Goums have to go to Naples to be embarked directly in southern France to fight the German in what was called Operation Dragon.[41] Italy was an opportunity for Berbers to distinguish themselves again after Tunisia as worthy warriors who can survive under any conduction. As it is pointed out by Edward L. Bimberg: The Italian campaign was the supreme testing ground for the Moroccan Tabors. Could these lightly armed primitive tribesmen survive in modern warfare? Their officers maintained that they could and did, that their performance in the mountains of Italy was proof of their value, even in the most difficult circumstancesSupply alone, with one air drop and 4,000 mules, was in itself an almost magical accomplishment.[42] When the Goums preparing to be embarked in Southern France, the French`s inspector general`s department published a report about the Goums, which mentioned their strong points as well as weak points. It pointed to the qualities of Berbers in warfare such as scouting and patrolling[43] particularly in Mountains, Overflowing or swarming, or what is called by French as de`bordement[44] which means being fast to attack with the element of surprise, in addition to Adaptability, endurance and cleverness in making booby traps.[45] The major weak points of the Goums tend to be lack of inventiveness especially in the absence of French chiefs,[46] the fact of taking orders instead of improvising is a constant characteristic of the Goums, In addition to their reluctance to attack a well-equipped target as they prefer war of movement to a sedentary siege.[47] Another interesting fact that is mentioned in the report is the Goums` dislike and contempt of the tank,[48] which is normal as any warrio r society fears new weapons because not only do they menace their life but also the survival of their groups as fighting elite that is redoubtable and in need of in addition to the fact that a man who fights through a tank is hiding in a machine. For instance, the samurai had the same feelings as they were abhorred by the invention of guns to the extent that they banned it.[49] The report was made with the intent of finding solutions to the weak points as well ameliorating the strong elements of the Goums, for instance by equipping them with anti-tank rifles.[50] The Mission in France The participation of the Goums in operation dragon (also known as Anvil) was at doubt not because the French doubted the warfare power of the Goums, but out of fear from their reputation as being prone to rape and plunder like in Italy, to the extent that Pope Pius XII in Vatican had protested against the use of Goums in Europe.[51] However, General Guillaume defended the Goums and asked for their participation in the French soil. [52] In France, the Goums were going to be under the command of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny who unlike Giraud, Juin and Guillaume was neither African nor having an experience of fighting in North Africa. Another issue that was an obstacle for the deployment of the Goums in southern France is the military nature of Operation Dragon which was gigantic as it included five battleships, nine escort carriers with 216 aircraft, 122 destroyers and escort vessels and 466 land- ing craft, all from five navies American, British, French, Australian and Greek and an imposing fleet of transports and supply ships as well. [53] Finding room for the Goums among this vast military along with their mules and horses was a cumbersome one. Many officers showed their opposition to the inclusion of the Goums in the ships as well as undermining their capacity as warriors based on their looks. For instance, General Alexander Patch of the American force was against their deployment. Nevertheless, the need for Goums attested to be vital for the Allied forces as General De Lattre convinced the officers that opposed the Goums Deployment in the operation, mainly the Americans. He pointed out to their specialty of mountain warfare which would be useful in getting along the mountain ranges surrounding the two cities: Toulon and Marseille, in addition to the Alps and the Vosges in Alsace.[54] To put things differently, regardless of their look or reputation as rapist and plunderers, the Goums were crucial for the success of Operation Dragon. Moreover, regarding the issue of rape and pillage De Gaulle agreed to the deployment of Goums in France as long as they were not used in cities.[55] Eventually, 6000 Goums along with 1200 mules were embarked in the ship heading towards the shores France.[56] The German forces that were stationed in France to defend the South were the 19th army under the control of General Friedrich Wiese. The major German power was stationed in two major French cities Marseille and Toulon. In the former, it was the 244th Infantry Division as well as naval and Luftwaffe ground units and the latter it was 242nd Infantry Division and the Kriegs-marine.[57] The cities captured by Germany such as Marseille were used as fortresses while the leading roads to the city were fortified by artillery, machine guns, mines and wire.[58] What made the invasion more difficult is due to the fact that the Germans followed Hiller`s rule of fighting to the last man. Regardless of the way the German fought, the Goums had the advantage of identifying war as a reason for their life therefore making the best of it. What was noticeable regarding the Goums in contrast with the allied forces is their Berber character that can be seen from their clothing: djellaba, rezzas and mule-r iding. To the extent that De Lattre described their march toward Marseille as trotting along in single file with their mules, bare footed, their hob-nailed boots hanging about their necks or slung at their belts with their tin helmets. The endless striped djellabas gave the landscape an African appearance.[59] The Goums proved to be worthy of their reputation as fierce warriors, they were mostly used in areas that involved inhospitable terrains such as the Mountains of Alps where the Goums were stationed to guard the eastern border of France with Italy, their mission was to prevent any infiltration of Axis powers to France from the Alps to the Col de Larche while the allied forces guarded the less harsh border between Col de Larche and the Mediterranean Sea.[60] The Alps proved to be a strenuous terrain for the Goums, as it is acknowledged by Edward L. Bimberg The Alpine terrain in that area was particularly difficult, even for the Goumiers. They found the footing around the Col de Larche and the Plateau des Bouchieres extremely unstable. It was all shale, a rock made of densely packed clay that split easily into layers, of a type unique to the territory and strange to the Moroccans They had never before experienced this kind of stone that sheared off underfoot as they marched, making the uphill going doubly difficult and the down- hill even more dangerous.[61] The fight in Alps was an arduous one that generated many casualties from both sides. However, the Goums remained in the Alps only for a month and then replaced by units of the FFI (). As the German received heavy losses in Southern France mainly by losing Toulon, Lyon, Grenoble and Marseille Hitler ordered his troops to evacuate Southern France.[62] The next mission of the Goums in France after the Alps is going to be in the Vosges Mountains. The new terrain was different from the Atlas Mountains as it was heavily forested, dark and dank,[63] to put it in other words Its terrain was perfect for defense, and the Germans had made the most of it.[64] So, De Lattre expected a long battle in the area which was hindered by the weather as well as the harsh terrain, however the general relied on deceiving the German to think that their aim is at the Vosges instead of Belfort Gap, an aim in which he succeeded at. In order to do that, the Goums were kept busy by fighting the German on the mountains,[65] and eventually the victory paved the way to freeing Alsace and getting the Colmar Pocket.[66] The Mission in Germany Obtaining Alzace was not enough for the French, for that reason De Gaulle urged his army to go further, beyond the Alsace in the Rhine to capture the capital of Wà ¼rttemberg and Baden province, Stuttgart. However, there was an obstacle as the other bank of Rhine is settled by the mountainous, wooded terrain of the Black Forest.[67] But that was not obstacle for the Goums whose reputation did not stop at Italy and Tunisia but arrived to Germany too as the people were more fearful of the Goums than the regular allied forces. As it is affirmed by Edward L. Bimberg, The German civilians were, understandably, totally cowed, and the white bed sheets of surrender were displayed everywhere. They were particularly fearful of the Goumiers, whose hooded djellabas and scraggly beards made them seem like some avenging medieval monks.[68] As the French army occupied such cities as Karlsruhe and Pforzheim, the next step is to invade Stuttgart. However, the American forces under the command of Gen eral Devers were engaged in fighting the Germans in the north. De Lattre was recalcitrant to the orders of his superiors and preferred to go to the mission without informing the Americans, his plan was to surround the city by isolating it like a siege and the Goums were used effectively in that matter.[69] Just like Alsace, getting Stuttgart was not enough for the French but they sought something further which is Ulm, the basic interest of French is based on its pride, it wants to be known in history that France reached as far in Germany as the Danube River.[70] Another city that De Latter was after is Sigmaringen, the headquarters of the French Vichy government in exile, under the command of Marshal Petain.[71] Although the two cities were missions for the American Seventh Army De Latter made it a personal mission to get the honor of France as well as capturing the traitors: Marshal Petain and Pierre Laval.[72] Once the Allied forces captured German cities, there was a task that the Goums were skillful at that it was always performed after the fall of each German city, the task was mopping up or what is called in French ratissage.[73] The final place where the Goums along the allied forces fought the German is in the Voralberg Massif in the Austrian Alps.[74] After the End of World War II The Goums fought with the French amry in the world wr two with loulaty and efficiency however Germany was not the last mission where the Goums served but they also went as far as Indo china in 1948 1854.[75]unitl where they severed a heavy defeat in the Tonkin Region in the north, ten tabors were snet to the area, the reason for the deafet is due to the guereilla warafer tactic empoloeyed by the northern vitnamese as weel as the terrain that was unprecendt for the Goums. In the oprocess many leflet were given to the goums incldung other nother African soldiers to join the veitanoimie military by referring to them as comrade. When the Goums were discharged from the French army due to the end of World War II and the changing time in Morocco as Moroccans ask for Independence under the PI, The Goums preferred to support the Pasha of Marakesh, El Glawi in contrast with the supporters of Mohemmed V. the king went into exile and Mohammed Ben Arafa became the sultan for a short period and by the independence.[76] Conclusion The Goums were good at fighting and helped the allied forces in their war against the axis power, they were used under the command of French officers, and they proved their warrior spirit in Tunisia, Italy and Germany. To the extent that only four of the Goums have became prisoners of war during their experiences in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, France , Germany and Austria.[77] The Goums are specialized in mountain warfare however during their deployment in Europe they proven to be adaptable to other types of warfare. The Goums are not mercenaries but military unit under the international law and a basic evidence of that is the fact that the Goums were fighting in Europe for the sake of France to the extent that When one Goumier was offered a monetary reward, he refused it saying, It is for France.[78] Their reputation seems to be tarnished by the brutal events of Ciociara and the defeat in but still they did a difficult work of helping the allied forces freeing Europe from the Axis power s. Bibliography Augustin-Leon Guillaumes Goums in a Modern War. Military History Quarterly. Winter 2007. http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/20_21_century/ 4644596.html?featured=yc=y Maanouni, Ahmed El dir. Les goumiers marocains(Moroccan Goums). with Eric Deroo and Alain de Sedouy. GMT Productions, 1993. Bimberg, Edward L. The Morrocan Goums: Tribal Warriors in a Modern War. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999. Eisenhower, John S. D. They Fought at Anzio. Columbia, Missouri: University of Missouri Press, 2007. El Merini, Abdelhak. L`armee marocaine a travers l`histoire (Moroccan Army through the History). Rabat: Dar Nachr El Maarifa, 2000. Ehrenreigh, Barbara. Blood Rites: Origins and the History of the Passions of War. Henry Holt and Company: New York, 1997. Gershovich, Moshe. Collaboration and Pacification: French Conquest, Moroccan Combatants, and the Transformation of the Middle Atlas. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East 24.1 (2004): 139-146. Gershovich, Moshe. French Military Rule in Morocco: Colonialism and its Consequences. London: Frank Cass, 2000. Ilahiane, Hsain. Historical dictionary of the Berbers (Imazighen).The Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland, 2006. Maghraoui, Driss. The Moroccan Colonial Soldiers: Between Selective Memory and Collective memory, in Ali Abdullatif Ahmida, ed., Beyond Colonialism and Nationalism in the Maghrib: History, Culture, and Politics (Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave, 2000): 49-69. Maghraoui, Driss. Nos goumiers Berbà ¨res: the ambiguities of colonial representations in French military novels. The Journal of North African Studies 7: 3 ( 2002): 79-100. Bouchareb, Rachid. Indigà ¨nes (Days of Glory). with Jamel Debbouze, Roschdy Zem and Samy Naceri. Tessalit Productions ,2006. Van Creveled, Martin. The Tansformation of War. New York: The Free Press, 1991. De Sica, Vittorio dir. La Ciociara (Two Women). with Sophia Loren and Jean-Paul Belmondo.Compagnia Cinematografica Champion, 1960.

Curves - Situation Analysis Essay -- essays research papers

Situation Analysis: Client Analysis Curves International is a world-renowned women’s only fitness center, a pioneer in the â€Å"express workouts†. Curves target client base consists of all types of women; from the busy executive to the ultra busy soccer mom, and most importantly, Curves caters to women who overall want to be healthy. Curves makes exercise fun and beneficial for women regardless of fitness goals. Curves clients perceive it more than a â€Å"gym†, but as a support group and a social outing for some. It’s a place that for an hour a woman can feel good about herself and the goal she’s working towards. Customers like the â€Å"no frill†, â€Å"no hassle† workouts. It’s a place where women could feel comfortable. Curves offers a haven where women can feel comfortable to let their guard down and have a good sweat. Women are also drawn to Curves because Curves has strong brand equity. Their quality of service, revolutionary design to the â€Å"express workout† is number one in the women’s fitness industry. In today’s day and age, there are more women in the workforce, along with more working mothers, all which lead to a fast paced life style trying to juggle career, family, and home, which represent a very similar lifestyle for women in National City. The market for women’s fitness services and products has never been greater and continues to grow. Women represent 50.8% of the US population. National City has a population of 56,472, with 50% of the population being female. Of the ...

John Locke and Human Nature :: Second Treatise on Civil Government

In The Second Treatise of Government, Locke defines political power, discusses the inalienable birth-rights of man, and the need for both in the formation of a legitimate government. John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government defines a legitimate government in relation to the protection of inalienable rights. He views a valid government as one which upholds his three main natural laws of life, liberty and property. In defining political power, Locke insists that it is proper to make laws â€Å"for the regulating and preserving of property,† and adds, that if necessary, â€Å"the execution of such laws, and in the defense of the common-wealth [sic] from foreign injury.† This is needed â€Å"for the public good.† (Locke, Sec. III) Defined, Locke’s political power is the ability to uphold a constitution. Locke’s reasoning for the creation of a government arises in the need to protect life, liberty and justice. Locke concludes that â€Å"the reason why men enter into society, is the preservation of their property; and the end why they choose and authorize a legislative,† but adds that the citizens â€Å"have a right to resume their original liberty †¦ by the establishment of a new legislative† (Locke, Sec. CCXXI) when those rights are threatened. The protection of life, liberty and justice then becomes the reason for a â€Å"new legislative.† The value Locke places on property is only furthered in his discussion of the will of the populace. Locke discusses in his chapter Of the Beginning of Political Societies the effect which the majority has on the betterment of the community: â€Å"For when any number of Men have, by the consent of every individual, made a Community, the have thereby made that Community one Body, with a Power to Act as one Body, which is only by the will and determination of the majority† (Locke, Sec.

The Nature of Logic and Perception Essay -- Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is used to describe thinking that is purposeful, reasoned and goal directed - the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihood’s, and making decisions when the thinker is using skills that are thoughtful and effective for the particular context and type of thinking task. Thus, critical thinking involves: following evidence where it leads; considering all possibilities; relying on reason rather than emotion; being precise; considering a variety of possible viewpoints and explanations; weighing the effects of motives and biases; being concerned more with finding the truth than with being right; not rejecting unpopular views out of hand; being aware of one's own prejudices and biases, and not allowing them to sway one's judgment. The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate viewpoints, and solve problems. Since all three areas involve the asking of questions, we can say that critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or resolve. Critical thinking includes the ability to respond to material by distinguishing between facts and opinions or personal feelings, judgments and inferences, inductive and deductive arguments, and the objective and subjective. It also includes the ability to generate questions, constru...

Credentialing System Implementation Essay

The previous two parts of this three-part assignment, the systems analysis and application architecture and process design aspect of the credentialing software project at TPI Health Systems (TPI) was explored. This last paper will explore the implementation stage of the systems development life cycle (SDLC) as it related to the credentialing project at TPI. There are six major steps to the implementation phase of the SDLC: (1) coding, (2) testing, (3) installation, (4) documentation, (5) training and (6) support. The text actually details five steps and breaks-out the last step, support, into its own phase (Satzinger, Jackson, & Burd, 2004, p. 626). The first phase, coding, is done in any of three development styles: (1) input, process, output, (2) top-down, (3) bottom up. The input, process, output (IPO) method is defined by first doing the activities that require external input followed by elements that process the input and concluded by programs that produce output (Zachman, 1987, p. 279). The IPO is effective in developing user interface first and simplifies testing. It does have a disadvantage of late output modules (Satzinger et al. p. 629). The top-down and bottom up methods produce the needed top or bottom modules, respectively. Top-down coding has the advantage of having a working version of the program. Poor utilization of programming personnel in the beginning of the project is disadvantage of the top-down development method. The bottom-up method puts programming personnel to work immediate, utilizing resources effectively. Unfortunately, this method also requires additional programming to test the modules, as well as an overall delay of testing by waiting for the top modules to be developed. The credentialing project at TPI used a weak IPO method of coding. The major attention was placed on converting the data in the existing Visual Fox format to Microsoft SQL 2000 compatible data. The company, SyMed, made no provision for any user interface changes. The process of how a credentialing application flowed through the TPI credentialing process was observed in the analysis phase of the project and the project team had wanted some user interface changes to accommodate TPI processes. These changes did not fit into the SyMed project plan, so the TPI process was changed to accommodate the pre-written user interface of the SyMed system. Testing is the next phase of the implementation phase. A comprehensive testing program includes a stepwise process starting with unit testing, followed by testing of group components called integration testing and concluded with entire systems test (Satzinger et al. , 2004, p. 640). Individual units or modules are tested prior to integration with more advanced modules, using driver modules. Once a set of modules are put together, integration testing can take place. These test include checking for interface compatibility, run-time exceptions, parameter values and unexpected state interactions (Satzinger et al. , p. 644-645). Jeff Theobald suggests that an effort should be made to concentrate not on just errors in a single application or module, but also the system as a whole and between systems (Theobald, 2007). After these tests are completed, the project goes on to system testing. System testing often involves daily â€Å"build and smoke† tests, where the system is set to run and is observed for â€Å"smoke† or errors (McConnell, 1996). The TPI credentialing system was tested in this manner. The project made it through the first two testing phases (unit and integration), but never made it out of systems testing. It â€Å"smoked† and never stopped due to a basic inability of the data store to handle the TPI method of placing multiple doctors in multiple entities. The SyMed development team called in the architect of the system and a step back to the analysis phase was made. Their entire development team, along with the architect, made a trip from Nashville to Louisville to redo the initial analysis. The team went back to Nashville with the new data and called back to say they could not do the project. The end of the project consumed uncounted person-hours, 7 months on the calendar and about $25,000 dollars. The next part of the implementation phase is installation. This phase is accomplished by several methods. The first is direct installation. This is where the new system is installed and implemented and the old system is â€Å"turned off. † This is a simple but risky way for a new system to be deployed. The next possible method of installation is parallel. This method is demonstrated by keeping both systems going for an extended amount of time. This is a low risk but high cost implementation scenario. Phased installation is the last method and is characterized by multiple possible pathways to final installation. Phased installation is also low risk, but can become quite complex due to the multiple pathways (Satzinger et al. , 2004). The TPI credentialing system, had it made it to this phase, was to be a parallel installation. Documentation is the next phase of implementation and usually consists of user documentation and systems documentation. User documentation is descriptions to users on how to work together with the system. It is typically how to startup and shutdown the system, the keystrokes necessary to do specific tasks, functions necessary to perform a specific procedure and troubleshooting tips (Satzinger et al. , 2004). System documentation usually consists of information necessary to maintain and re-implement the system in the event of a disaster. System documentation includes maintenance and upgrade procedures, analysis methods and in some cases, the source code and testing data (Satzinger et al. ). The TPI credentialing program had available pre-printed manuals of SyMed’s existing user interface and command sequences. The SyMed systems documentation was never provided. The next phase of implementation is training. Training can consist of formalized classes or presentations; self paced learning or group training. This training should be hands-on and emphasize actual applications that the system was created to perform. Timing of training is important. Training can be performed too early in the implementation progress, leading to unnecessary training that may need to be un-learned. Training is often seen as a luxury by some companies and is sometime omitted. This can be a costly mistake (Satzinger et al. , 2004). The TPI credentialing system was scheduled to have two days of formalized onsite training. The final phase of the implementation phase is support. As mention earlier, this phase s sometimes broken-out as its own stage. It is also often rolled into the training phase. Support is usually considered some form of help desk for most software development, though some companies offer only online documentation and troubleshooting. For this premise to work, the documentation needs to be robust and thorough. The TPI credentialing system never got to this phases and was unable to utilize either system. The failure of the TPI credentialing system software project had many contributors. Poor analysis and implementation of the SDLC was paramount, as well as budgetary issues. To sum it up, the failure was mostly due to TPI not knowing exactly what they wanted and needing more abilities than they had resources for, coupled with SyMed’s inability to recognize their limitations. The failure outlined above could have been mitigated by the knowledge and utilization of the capability maturity module (CMM). The CMM is a matrix that defines an organizations maturity of software processes Anderson, 2001). CMM is a process identification whose goal is to use defined and repeatable processes in software development. TPI would have scored a one and SyMed may have scored a two. Figure 1 illustrates the five modules of the CMM. Figure 1. Capability maturity module. This tool can be utilized by both software clients and vendors to identify potential success in a given software project. Additionally, IBM has developed the Rational Unified Process (RUP) for the object-oriented approach of software development. RUP is designed to make designed and repeatable processes easier. There are individuals who disagree with contention of repeatability for both CMM and RUP, claiming that like movies, software development success is not always repeatable.