Gender Differences in Multitasking: Texting During Lectures

Gender Differences in Multitasking: Texting During Lectures Today, the communication technology has been growing widely to the extent that we can communicate with each other anytime and anywhere. As long as there is Wi-Fi or network coverage, our smartphones, tablets or computers can be used as a communication tool or a gadgets for us to receive new information in the world. Consequently, this function is so easily accessed by all, we are able to receive text messages, phone calls, emails and social network notifications throughout the whole day. However, this can be either a blessing or a curse. As we are exposed to all these information and entertainments, these can be a distraction in our daily tasks. To be specific, students in college are able to access to all these functions most of the time, it has pushed students to multitask more often in their daily lives. These might interfere with their studies as multitasking involves in switching tasks from one and another as well as the attention (Judd, 2013). In a study done by Wilkes University, 95% of the students bring their phones to college every day and 91% of the students admitted to using their cellphones during lectures (Harris, 2013). This has shown that most students tend to multitask in class as they listen to the lecture and use their phone at the same time for either text messaging, social networking or any other purposes. However, research on multitasking have proven that the human has no ability to perform more than one overlapping task at the same time due to the interference occurs in human information processing system (Levy Paschler, 2001; Wood et al., 2012). In other words, students can hardly concentrate in class if they are using their phone at the same moment. This explanation is consistent to the findings of Bowman, Levine, Waite Gendron (2010) that students who instant message while reading take longer time to finish the task. For generations, the stereotype of women are better at multitasking is debated across the world. Although scientist in University of Pennsylvania has supported this statement by discovering females’ brains are connected from left to right, while men has more intense movement in certain part of the brain (Spencer, 2013), many research done on multitasking has rejected the idea. Buser and Peter (2011) reported that women suffer as much as men while multitasking and have no significant differences in productivity of tasks. Not only that, even Conner, Laws, O’Connor and Stoet (2013) found that women outperform men in multitasking, they pointed out that their results cannot be generalized as the empirical studies on gender differences in multitasking is insufficient. Theoretical Framework Living in this world where we are overwhelmed by all perceptual information, our human information processing system can detect, recognize and identify chunks of stimuli at the same time (Hedge, 2013). As so, in this context, attention has given the model a function to either enhance or inhibit information, in other words, our attention chooses which certain information for further processing or ignore (McClelland, 2007). However, when two information are presented and are asked to process at the same time, the ability to attend both fully will be impaired as there are insufficient capacities in the information processing system; this attempt of trying to focus on multiple stimuli at one time is also known as divided attention (McClelland, 2007). One of the example of divided attention is multitasking, which can be defined as performing more than one task simultaneously or switching from one task to another back and forth (APA, 2006). In the human mind, multitasking is managed by a process called executive control; and to decide which cognitive processes and when it is performed, the executive control system will go through two stages – the goal shifting (decision of what to do) and role activation (action of switching task) (Meyer, Evans Rubinstein, 2001). Hence, people tend to repeatedly switch between tasks to achieve two things at a time without constant awareness; although it might seems productive and efficient, it is explained that multitasking leads to more mistakes and more time consumed as there will be brief mental blocks during switching of tasks (Meyer, Evans Rubinstein, 2001). Past Research Many past research have shown that multitasking in class can lead to poor academic performance. Junco (2012) conducted a research examining the relationship between in-class multitasking and academic performance, by giving out survey forms to a large number of students (N = 1,839) measuring their technology usage in class and internet skill to be compared to their grade point average (GPA). He then reported that constant multitasking in class (which include surfing social networking website, chatting and text messaging) has a significant negative correlation with students’ over semester GPA (Junco, 2012). Additionally, Carrier, Cheevar, Lim and Rosen (2011) did an experimental study on the frequency of text messaging interruption during a lecture has found that students in High texting group (16 messages or more) scored significantly lower than the Moderate texting group (8 to 15 messages) and No or Low texting group (0 to 7 messages) in the quiz after a 30 minute videotaped l ecture. Through the cross-cultural analysis of surveys results on mobile phone etiquette and multitasking in class, it showed that Americans and Chinese students both believe using cellphone in class will not interfere their learning but Americans students find it more appropriate to text in class than the Chinese; additionally, no gender significant difference is found (Rosenfeld, 2014). Many other research have furthered this study by doing an experimental study on multitasking in class with the awareness of cellphone distraction. Even many students did not believe that using their smartphones in class is a distraction from their learning, the scores of the short quiz given after the same lecture between students who use cellphones in class and students who listen to lecture without cellphones have a significant difference where students who anticipate in communication technology have a lower score (Elder, 2013). This result is consistent to the findings of a mixed experimental study on th e relationship between self-regulation, attention and cognition learning ability in classroom learning, which reported that college students who constantly self-regulate tend to have a better cognition learning by sustaining their attention during lecture as they text less (Klausner, Wei Wang, 2012). Besides, during an accounting principle lecture in Columbus State University, the half of 62 students who are allowed to multitask in class in the form of communicating with each other through texting did worse in the exam than the other half of students who are not allowed to use their cellphones during lecture (Ellis, Daniels Jauregui, 2010). Although in this study they did a comparison between male and female, they found that gender has no significant impact on learning ability without taking account of whether they multitask or not (Ellis, Daniels Jauregui, 2010). This research is similar to a recent experimental study which both groups of psychology students, who are asked to text and to switch off their phones during a short 20-minute lecture, are then given a short quiz to test their learning ability; the researchers concluded that texting in class is a strong distraction during lecture like other past research, but no gender comparison is done (Dietz Henrich, 2014). Howeve r, in the research of gender difference on multitasking have shown that women suffer as much as men in divided attention while completing multiple task at the same time and choose to avoid multitasking upon free will (Buser Peter, 2011; Strayer, Ward Watson, 2013). Description of Study Although many research has done on student multitasking capabilities in class (Carrier, Cheever, Lim Rosen, 2011; Ellis, Daniels Jauregui, 2010; Gingerich Lineweaver, 2013) and gender differences in multitasking (Buser Peter, 2011; Conner, Laws, O’Connor Stoet, 2013), there are limited research that compared male and female students’ academic performance if they multitask in class. In this study, we will be examining the gender difference in multitasking during a lecture. The aim of this experimental study is to see whether male or female students can multitask better while learning. All participants recruited for the study will be separated to different groups based on gender and will undergo one experiment each, either texting during lecture or no texting during lecture. As all participants will have to attend a half an hour English Literature class, the no texting group will not be allowed to access to their cellphone. However, for the texting group, each participant will receive a text message every 5 minutes and is required to reply. At the end of the experiments, all four groups of participants will be given a quiz to test their understanding of the lecture. Based on Carpenter et al. (2012) and Ellis, Daniels and Jauregui (2010), we hypothesize that texting in class will lead to a poorer performance in the quiz. Then, based on Buser and Peter (2011) and Strayer, Ward and Watson (2013) on gender differences in multitasking, we hypothesize that there will be no differences in both gender on performance in quiz for texting during lecture. Method Design The independent variable of this study is gender differences in multitasking, with two levels, male and female; the dependent variable is quiz scores. This is a between subject design as the participants will be separated to different groups and only go through one experiment either texting during lecture or no texting during lecture. Participants Approximately 80 male participants and 80 female participants, from all races, will be recruited from different private colleges in Penang for the experiment. This is because all the past research used participants less than this amount. A total of 62 participants of both gender are tested on the study by Ellis, Daniels and Jauregui (2010); and a total of 67 participants are used in the study of Gingerich and Lineweaver (2013). The age of the participants will be 18 to 25 (M = 21.25), which most people in this age attend college. The participants are recruited through purposive sampling where they have to meet the 2 following criteria, enrolling in an undergraduate program and is able to understand English perfectly. The students will be participating the experiment voluntarily. Materials A half an hour lecture of English Literature Studies will be given to all participants. As the participants recruited are from variety of courses, this is to ensure that the students have not been to the lecture before and have no prior knowledge in it. At the end of the experiment, a 20 multiple choice question quiz based on the lecture will be given to the participants to answer. As for the treatment group, a total of 6 text messages will be send to the participants which consists of basic conversation questions, such as â€Å"What is your hobby?† Procedure This experimental study will be done in a big lecturer hall with a clear projector screen and perfect sound system. Before the experiment is conducted, all the participants will be asked to sign the inform consent form. After that, they will be divided into four groups, the male control group, the female control group, the male texting group and the female texting group. The students will be told whether or not they are receiving text messages. For all four groups of experiment (the female control group, the male control group, the female texting group and the male texting group), the lecturer and the English Literature lectures given will be same. However, on the treatment group for both genders, each participant will receive a text message every 5 minutes and they are required to reply the message before the next message comes. After the 30 minutes lecture is finished, all participants will be asked to take a short multiple choice questions quiz based on the class conducted. Once the students have finished the quiz, they are allowed to leave. Statistical Analysis As this experimental study only consist of one independent variable and one dependent variable, the data will be analyzed using SPSS with independent one-way ANOVA; and to see if there is significant differences between two means of independent groups. History: The Act Of God Defence History: The Act Of God Defence The Law of Tort is a developing and ever dynamic field and is a conception evolving through centuries. This field is used with principles under which tortuous liability can be demanded. Simultaneously, certain other principles are used, to oppose these claims for compensation. These counter claims, or defences are used to evict those innocent citizens from tortious liability who have been unfairly implicated with claims imposed on them. These defences were framed from time to time to keep up with the very basis of imposition of tortious liability on an individual- i.e, creating a sense of deterrence while keeping up with the basic values of justice. One such defence which will be discussed elaborately with cases subsequently is ACT OF GOD. MEANING Act of God means an event which happens independently of human action such as death from natural causes (Actus dei nemini facit injuriam), storm, earthquake, tides, volcanic eruptions etc., which no human foresight or skill could reasonably be expected to anticipate. For example, damage from a tornado or a lightning strike would be considered an act of God. Damage would not be considered an act of God if it is caused by the property owner. Vis is a Latin word meaning any kind of force, violence or disturbance to person or property. Vis major is an act of God. The doctrine states that a person is absolved of liability if it was directly caused by vis major. LEGAL DEFINITION Act of God was first judicially defined in Tennet v. Earl of Glosgow Lord Westbury, was first recognised by Blackburn J. in Rylands v. Fletcher and was first applied in Nichols v. Marsland and many other cases. Blacks Law Dictionary defines an act of God as An act occasioned exclusively by violence of nature without the interference of any human agency. A natural necessity proceeding from physical causes alone without the intervention of man. It is an accident which could not have been occasioned by human agency but proceeded from physical causes alone. Vis major is similarly defined, as A greater or superior force; an irresistible force. A loss that results immediately from a natural cause without the intervention of man, and could not have been prevented by the exercise of prudence, diligence, and care. According to Salmond act of God includes those acts which a man cannot avoid even by taking reasonable care. Such accidents are are the result of natural forces and are incoherent with the agency of man. Thus it is an act which is due to natural causes directly and exclusively without human intervention, and that it could not have been prevented by any amount of foresight and pains and care reasonably to have been expected from him i.e. the defendant . Accor ding to Lord Mansfield, it is something in opposition to the act of man. Conclusion: It has been said that it would be probably never be capable of complete, exact unassailable definition. But it has also been said that this untheological expression is well understood by lawyers. It is such a direct, violent , sudden act of nature that no man could forsee and if he can, he cant prevent it. ELEMENTS NATURAL CAUSES An act of God is an uncommon, extraordinary and unforeseen manifestation of the forces of nature, or a misfortune or accident arising from inevitable necessity. An act of god cannot be prevented by reasonable human foresight and care. The effect of ordinary natural causes may be foreseen and avoided by the exercise of human care. For example, the fact that rain will leak through a defective roof is foreseeable. In case of foreseeable causes, failure to take the necessary precautions constitutes negligence, and the party injured in the accident may be entitled to damages. An act of God, however, is so extraordinary and devoid of human agency that reasonable care would not avoid the consequences. Therefore in such cases the injured party has no right to damages. Acts of god are generally attributable to forces of nature. They are generally in the nature of accidents caused by tornadoes, perils of the sea, extraordinary floods, and severe ice storms. Snowstorms of great violence have been held to be acts of God. Whether freezes are acts of God depend on the locality and season of the year in which they occur, i.e., their foreseeability is affected to a greater extent than other natural occurrences by these factors. Catastrophic earthquakes and volcanic eruptions should be defined as acts of God since they measure up to the accepted definitions of act of God in every respect. However, fires are generally not considered acts of god unless they are caused by lightning. Whether or not a particular natural event warrants such an adjective is a function of such things as the intensity of the event, characteristics of the area, and climatic history. UNUSUAL VIOLENCE- BOTH SUDDEN AND IRRESISTIBLE AN OCCURRENCE NOT REASONABLY FORSEEABLE The basic and prime element of an act of god is the happening of an unforeseeable event. For this, if the harm or loss was caused by a foreseeable accident that could have been prevented, the party who suffered the injury has the right to compensation. However, the damage caused by an unforeseen and uncontrollable natural event is not compensable as it could not have been prevented or avoided by foresight or prudence of man. Moreover, courts are of the opinion that the act of God defence exists only if the event is so exceptional and could not have been anticipated or expected by the long history of climate variations in the locality. It is constructed by only the memory of man i.e. recorded history. The courts may even demand expert testimonies to prove that an event was unforeseeable. IMPOSSIBLE TO PREVENT BY ANY REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS AND ABSENCE OF HUMAN AGENCY CAUSING THE ALLEGED DAMAGE It means practically impossible to resist. Negligence constitutes failure to take the necessary precautions. In an incident where a human factor was present, even though the harm could not be prevented, the fact that the human factor exercised reasonable care and precautions to prevent the harm has to be proved if the defence of act of God has to prevail. If negligence is alleged and proved, the defence of act of God will fail. If a home owner was negligent in properly maintaining a tree that fell on a passerby, he cannot be exempted from liability by act of God principle. In Clark v. Multnomah, the Court made a decision that the flooding of a house was not an act of God where it was caused by the breakage of a pipe fitting in the house. The cause of harm was evidenced by the fact that a repairman had worked with the part that broke just hours earlier. ESSENTIALS There must be operation of natural forces like exceptional rainfall, storms, tempests etc. without any human intervention. The incident must be extraordinary and not which could be anticipated and reasonably be guarded. ORIGIN HISTORICAL EVOLUTION The term act of God occurs and is described in holy texts dating back to the 13th century, specifically referring to acts that God has undertaken. The act of God referred is that which is used in legal and insurance circles when discussing any act which is outside human control and governance and therefore not the responsibility of any individual or corporation. The term was first used in this way in the mid-19th century. Peter Simmonds Dictionary of Trade Products, 1858, uses the term: Force-majeure, a French commercial term for unavoidable accidents in the transport of goods, from superior force, the act of God, etc. In July 1803, The Times included this legal ruling given in a court case by Lord Ellenborough, which is in terms that we are now familiar with from our own household insurance policies: By Common Law, Carriers are insurers against every loss of property entrusted to their care, except losses arising from the Act of God, or the Kings enemies. Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, drought and a deadly tsunami are a long series of natural calamities of seemingly large proportions have been witnessed by us . Lives are lost, properties destroyed , and emotions shattered when these forces of nature tragically strike. The natures blow may be so intense that it may come as a total shock and baffle both to the direct victims of the disaster and, subsequently, to the accused tortfeasors Defendants are quick to claim act of God as a defence to these lawsuits. For three centuries, the act of God defence has been accepted in negligence and strict liability cases. Act of God, as a legal concept shows up not only as a defence, but also in discussions of duty and causation. At first glance, the act of God defence seems a simple, direct concept with few gradations or intricacies. Consequently, all too often, many lawyers have misused the phrase act of God to mean any unfortunate act of nature. In a sixteenth century opin ion, in the Shellys Case best known for the famous property law doctrine, the court wrote in terms of performance becoming impossible by an act of God, which was the death of one of the parties. In an attempt to give life to this notion of fairness, the courts in Shelleys Case and other early decisions drew lines between those acts which were natural and those which were caused by man, so as to forgive man for those acts that were beyond his anticipation or control. The court stated: It would be unreasonable that those things which are inevitable by the Act of God, which no industry can avoid, nor policy prevent should be construed to the prejudice of any person in whom there was no laches. No further explanation of the phrase, Act of God, was provided by the court. The phrase again appeared in the 1702 case of Coggs v. Bernard, which invoked liability for a bailment by a common carrier. Justice Powell opined that a bailee shall answer accidents, as if the goods were stolen; but not such accidents and casualties as happen by the act of God, as fire, tempest for the bailee is not bound, upon any undertaking against the act of God. The act of God defence expanded from common carriers into other areas of strict liability. The Courts then extended the act of God defence to cases of negligence. The act of God defence received prominence in decisions construing the common-law liability of common carriers who were treated as insurers of the goods they carried. In 1785, Lord Mansfield delivered a unanimous opinion in Forwardv. Pittard which involved an accidental fire for which the carrier was in no way at fault. The court clearly established a rule of strict liability for common carriers: It appears from all the cases for 100 years back, that there are events for which the carrier is liable independent of his contract. Again, in Forward, the English courts limited the act of God defence by excluding acts of man. In addition, the burden of proof was shifted from the plaintiff to the defendant to establish the existence of the act of God defence. Although the courts subsequently split on the liability issue for common carriers whose delay subjected its freight to damage from an act of God, there was a consensus that liability would result if the common carriers knew that the force of nature was coming. CASE LAW: In Nichols v. Marsland(1875)( Discussed in judicial cases section) APPLICATION Act of God is often a difficult defence to establish. It requires both the exclusion of human agency and unforeseeability to establish an act of God. For an event to be a legal act of God, the natural event must have been the sole and immediate cause of the injury, with no co-operation of man, or any admixture of human means. Generally speaking, then, the vis major defence can apply to a case involving damage or harm by a natural force, but only in circumstances in which that force is strong enough to overcome and nullify any potential contributory cause by a human agency. The issue is whether the magnitude of force is reasonably foreseeable such that a defendant should have taken precautions to avoid personal injury or property damage resulting from it. For example, a 55-mile-per-hour wind gust, though rare, is reasonably foreseeable in Wisconsin. However, a 200-mile-per-hour tornadic wind is probably not; the vis major defence would apply to personal injury or property damage caused by such a force, even if a human agency (for example, a product such as a window or door) was involved. With respect to rain: An hourly rainfall of three inches, while heavy, is not unforeseeable in Wisconsin; an eight-inch hourly rainfall probably is. A basement collapse would probably implicate the vis major defence in favour of a basement contractor in the latter circumstance but not in the former circumstance. When property damage or personal injury is caused in part by a natural force and in part by a human instrumentality, the plaintiff should argue that the natural force was foreseeable and should have been anticipated in a manner that would have avoided the damage. The defendant then has the burden to establish that the natural-force component of the cause was so huge and so monumental that it was not reasonably foreseeable. The point is that the occurrence of natural phenomenon need not be unique, nor need it be one that happens for the first time; it is enough that it is extraordinary or exceptional and so as it could not be reasonably anticipated and also it must be free from human conduct. The word vis major imports something abnormal and with reference to the context means that the property by the act of God has been rendered useless, for the time being i.e. it was rendered incapable of any enjoyment. Vis Major to afford a defence must be the immediate cause, the causa causans, and not merely a causa sine qua non of the damage complained of. The mere fact that vis major co-existed or followed on the negligence is no adequate defence. Before an act of God may be admitted as an excuse the defendant must himself have done all he is bound to do. The legal maxim Actus dei nemini facit injuriam means the Law holds no man responsible for the act of God. The important thing in regard to vis major is not the positive intervention of natural forces but a process of nature not due to the act of man and it is this negative side which deserves emphasis. It is thus a negation of liability. Complete exclusion of human cause is a difficult standard for a defendant to overcome, which likely explains why the defence is not commonly argued or upheld. As a result, modern courts sometimes characterize acts of God as unavoidable accidents because, although the terms often are synonymous, unavoidable accidents need not be free from human agency. ACT OF GOD AND INEVITABLE ACCIDENT DISTINGUISHED Every act of God is an inevitable accident but not vice versa. An Act of God is discrete and distinct from inevitable accident. In order that an accident may be an act of God it must have followed directly from natural causes without human intervention. In Nugent v. Smith, Cockburn, C.J. said All causes of inevitable accident, casus fortuitous meaning an uncontrollable accident, may be divided into two classes: Those which are occurred by elementary forces of nature not connected with the agency of man or other cause [Act of God] Those which arises either wholly or in part by agency of man. [Inevitable Accident] Example- 1. If a ship is pushed ashore by a violent storm, this is the Act of God; but if it is run ashore during a fog by mistake, however unavoidable on the part of captain, this is the act of man. If a building is set on fire by lightning, this is an act of God; but not so if it is done by human through falling of a lamp even though this was due to no negligence. INEVITABLE ACCIDENT ACT OF GOD Could not be prevented by the exercise of ordinary care, caution and skill A direct violent, sudden and irresistible act of nature as could not, by any amount of human care and skill have been resisted is Act of God. May be controlled by human beings 2. Not controlled by human beings. 3. Strict liability can be imposed on the tortious liability occurred due to inevitable accidents 3. Even strict liability can also not be Imposed in cases of torts arising out of acts of Gods 4. The courts have discretionary power in determining the defendants tortuous liability 4. No discretionary power Conclusion : The defence of inevitable accident is a more general defence and is distinct from the act of God in so far as it is dependent on human agency and not on natural forces and in the degree of unexpectability. ACT OF GOD NEGLIGENCE Negligence, in law, especially tort law, is the breach of an obligation (duty) to act with care, or the failure to act as a reasonable and prudent person would under similar circumstances. Both these defences (act of God Negligence) are based on reasonable foreseeability. In terms of foreseeability, the question is not whether a similar event has occurred before, but whether the risk that this particular mishap may occur is foreseeable. Thus, a flood, earthquake, hurricane, or other natural force need not have previously struck a particular location for negligence to exist. Liability may still exist if reasonable design, construction, operation, inspection, or maintenance. For a plaintiff to recover damages, this action or failure must be the proximate cause of an injury, and actual loss must occur. In cases of joint causation, where both human negligence and act of God have a role to play, the traditional sine qua non (but for), substantial factor, or legal causation tests apply. If the act of God is so overwhelming that its own force produces the injury independent of the defendants negligence, then the defendant will not be liable. If the damages suffered are incurred solely due to natural causes without any known fault, there is no liability because of the act of God. There are two ways of viewing this situation. The act of God either supersedes the defendants negligence, or the defendants negligent act is not a cause in fact of the injury. In either case, the defendants act did not cause the damage since the injury would have occurred anyway. The party injured in the accident may be entitled to damages. An act of God, however, is so extraordinary and devoid of human agency that reasonable care would not avoid the consequences; hence, the injured party has no right to damages. Accidents caused by tornadoes, perils of the sea, extraordinary floods, and severe ice storms are usually considered acts of God, but fires are not so considered unless they are caused by lightning. JUDICIAL CASES Nichols v. Marsland  [1]   In this case, The defendant had constructed certain artificial lakes on her land by damming up a natural stream at appoint higher up than the defendants land. An extraordinary rainfall, greater and more violent than any within the memory of witnesses, caused the stream and lakes to swell to such an extent that the artificial banks burst and the escaping water rushed on to the plaintiffs land and carried away four county bridges. Nichols, the plaintiff brought an action for damages on the plea that the defendant was liable under the rule in Rylands v. Fletcher  [2]  . HELD: The contention was rejected and the defendant was held not liable. The Court of Exchequer Chamber held that she ought not to be liable for an extraordinary act of nature which she could not reasonably foresee. It was said that one is only bound to provide against the ordinary operations of nature, but not against her miracles. Greenock Corpn. V. Caledonian Railway Co.  [3]   The facts were that the corporation in laying out a park constructed a pool for children in the bed of a stream and there altere its course and obstructed its natural flow. Owing to rainfall of extraordinary intensity, the stream overflowed at the pond and great volume of water poured down a streetand flooded down the property of a railway company. HELD: It was held that this was not damnum fatale and the Corp. was liable. Nichols case was distinguished on the ground that in that case it was the storing of water in a reservoir and not with interference with the course of natural stream and that anyone who does interfere with it must provide against even an extraordinary rainfall. State of Mysore v. Ramachandra  [4]   In this case, the State had constructed a reservoir for the supply of drinking water for the villagers of Nipani. But the construction was not completed and the over-flow channel linked with reservoir was partially constructed. Land and crops were damaged due to flow of water resulted from rain. The plaintiff filed the suit for damages. HELD: The State resisted the suit that it was the act of God. But, the court rejected the defence and observed Assuming an act of God such as flood wholly unprecedented, the damage in such a case results not from the act of man in that he failed to provide a channel sufficient to meet the contingency of the act of God. But for the act of man there would have been no damage from the act of God. T. Gajayalakshmi v. Secretary, PWD, Govt. of T.N.  [5]   The deceased, a cyclist, who was going on his way was electrocuted by the falling of an overhead electric wire. HELD: The court rejected the contention of Electricity board that it was an unexpected event due to rain and wind and that the snapping of the electric wire was an act of God. It also rejected the plea that the death took place due to the negligence of the deceased in his leaving the home that day in rain and wind. Mahindra Nath Mukherjee v. Mathuradas Chaturbhuj  [6]  . A cinema advertising board was placed on the roof of the defendant which fell down and injured the plaintiff. Plaintiff brought a suit against the defendant and contended that the board fell due to storm of unusual severity. But, it was observed that during the season of monsoon a storm of this magnitude is not uncommon. The defendant had not ensured or foresee that the fixing of banner on such a height is strong enough to face the pressure of storm during monsoon season. The Calcutta High Court held that such a storm cannot be said to be so unexpected that no human foresight could reasonably be expected to anticipate it and cannot be regarded as vis major or act of God. Hence, the suit was allowed and the defendant was found negligent. Before the act of God can be admitted the defendant could have taken reasonable care and done all that what he was bound to do. Kallulal v. Hemchand  [7]   The defendant constructed a building and it was collapsed and as a result of it, two sons of the plaintiff were dead. Before the day the building collapsed there was a heavy rain. The defendant pleaded the rain as an act of God HELD: The court observed that the Acts of God must be apparent on the face of the records. They must be known and affect largely to entire public. The defendant was held liable. The act of God or vis major can also be explained mathematically as follows: (i) Unprecedented + Unforeseen + Irresistible = Act of God (As it has been discussed in this Chapter in the cases Nichols v. Marsland; Mahindranath v. Mathura Dass) (ii) Unprecedented + Foreseen + Irresistible + Act of God (Nichols v. Marsland case) (iii) Precedented + Unforeseen + Irresistible = Act of God (Greenock Corporation case) (iv) Precedented + Foreseen + Irresistible = Act of God (Greenock Corporation and Mahindranath cases) EXAMINING ACT OF GOD PRESENT SITUATION Vis Major as a defence depends on two ; lack of predictability and lack of control. If either criteria is missing, the defence fails. Both were solidly based for centuries on the lack of scientific knowledge. Man not only lacked the ability to predict the forces of nature, but also the ability to guard against, control, or otherwise minimize their impacts. In the words of the ancient mime writer Publilius, it is vain to look for a defence against lightning. Today, foreseeability is based not only upon the past, but also upon that which modern technology and science allow us to project into the future. Science has advanced to the point where we can understand many forces of nature, such as precipitation and flooding. Historically, we know which areas have been subjected to specific forces of nature. Scientifically, we can predict the areas which may be subjected to such forces. At first glance, the act of God defence should continue to play a role in strict liability cases. Part of th e underlying purpose of the act of God doctrine was to ameliorate strict liability. In strict liability a number of exceptions have evolved. Whether a particular occurrence amounts to an Act of God is a question of fact, but the ambit of this defence is somewhat restricted. Increased knowledge seems to limit the unpredictable. Natural hazards are no longer a mystery to us. Hence, the applicability of the act of God defence has shrunk in inverse proportion to rapidly expanding concepts of foreseeability. Conversely, environmental changes at the global level have left some scope for Vis Major as a defence. Unforeseen disasters like the July 26, 2005 floods in Mumbai or the devastating Tsunami on 26 December 2004, which was the result of severe earthquake with its epicentre at Indonesia can still be attributed to acts of God. These disasters were completely unforeseen and any prior intimation about the same would not have helped bring the situation under control. Such natural catastrop he has left some scope for the use of Act of God as a defence. Flaws in The Common Laws Approach to The Act Of God Defence 1. The Problem of Increasing Event Foreseeability In terms of Event Foreseeability, there are two independent trends which suggest a strong possibility that climatic events which historically qualified as Acts of God may become increasingly foreseeable: improved meteorological techniques and the effects of climate change. It is undeniable that there is increased data available and increased forecasting powers inherent in the continuing development of meteorological science. This trend has two impacts on the foreseeability of such climatic events for purposes of the Act of God defence: (1) defendants can increasingly know that the hurricane or storm is coming with time to take some precautionary steps in response because they will be warned of it (so that it will be more difficult to say that the event was unexpected or unanticipated); and (2) climatic data of past storms will continue to accumulate (so as to support conclusions that the event is not unusual for the location at that time of year). In short, the climatic events which historically may have been considered Acts of God will be more foreseeable in the future and thus less likely to support the defence simply because we will know more and more about the weather. In short, as climatic change increases the frequency and intensity of hurricanes, heavy storms, and the flooding associated with such climatic events, it appears that it will be harder for defendants to claim that the events themselves or the consequences of those events were not foreseeable. Thus, the defence is likely to be diminished in its utility simply because it will be harder to satisfy the legal requirements relating to the Event Foreseeability necessary to invoke the defence 2. The Problem of Response Forseeability As the climatic events themselves become more foreseeable, Response Forseeability becomes more critical to the Act of God defence because the burden is on the defendant to show that it took reasonable precautions in light of the foreseeable risk. It is here that foreseeability in the context of the Act of God defence really breaks down because of the inability of the defendant to foresee what the adequate response is before the climatic event occurs. To illustrate the problem, consider a fact pattern taken from the Act of God case law: a warehouseman holding goods for a customer in a Gulf Coast state in which a hurricane could strike. Given that a significant climatic event (i.e. a hurricane in the Gulf) is foreseeable, the court will have to analyze whether the defendants actions were reasonable in light of the foreseeable risk. CONCLUSION Although the act of God defence that a defendant is insulated from liability for personal injury or property damages caused by a natural cause is rarely used, it may become more common and general in the future if predictions of disastrous weather events caused by global warming prove true. One prediction related to global warming is that catastrophic weather events such as hurricanes, tornados, and torrential rains will occur more often. All of these have the potential for causing extensive personal injury and property damage and consequently mental trauma. Therein lie the core for more frequent, common and general use of the vis major defence. Is it still viable? How might it apply as a defence to tort? The act of God defence is as common today as ever. Though, it is still not relied on very often, likely because of the difficulty of proving that human elements played no role in causing an injury. The potential application of vis major will expand if meteorological predictions concerning climate change through global warming come to accomplishment and realization. However, as these events become more common, the standard of what constitutes a reasonably foreseeable natural force will doubtless itself expand. This again would confine application of the vis major defence insofar as defendants become obligated to anticipate and account for effects of more extreme and dangerous natural phenomena, especially those associated with the weather. However, in the era of global climate change, courts can hardly pretend that causation can be determined to be natural or human. Storm patterns and frequencies are changing. Growing seasons are shifting. Glaciers are melting and seas rising. Global climate change will present courts with the kinds of difficult factual situations that make it impossible to pretend the old act of God divide should stand untouched. Even though a particular defendant in a given case may not have been demonstrably at fault, the act of God doctrine remains analytically flawed because it requires that nature be the sole cause of a phenomenon to the exclusion of all human action

Airbus Strategy of Assembling an Aircraft Essay

Airbus is a multinational company, with its headquarters in Toulouse, which coordinates all activities and controls the progress in all corporate functions. Its main actions are focused on four EU members: France, Germany, UK, Spain (Airbus online: 2012) France includes four manufacturing sites and three assembly lines. As one of the founder members France has the biggest number of employees. Germany has an important role in the development and engineering of all aircrafts. Hamburg is the Centre of Excellence for cabin and cargo customisation. (Airbusonline:2012) The main contribution of the United Kingdom is the expertise in the design and manufacturing of wings. The assembling of wings for all Airbus aircrafts takes place in the UK. Spain contributes the expertise in weight-saving, composite materials and in innovative manufacturing technologies. However, non EU members like China, Japan, USA or Russia have become more and more attractive in terms of working conditions and tax policy. (Airbusonline:2012) These international collaborations emphasize the multinational thinking of Airbus and indicate the EU as an important partner in terms of creating attractive general conditions. It has to be noticed that Airbus’s operations are one before and one after the implementation of the Sup@irWorld Program. In the next, are listed some of the advantages and disadvantages of the its implementation. Pros: * Improved productivity of its operations to effectively cater to the changing requirements of its customers. * Cycle time reduction of manufacturing aircrafts from 7.5 to 6 years * Smart buying- Reduced its supply cost base: The aim of this program was sharing risk with their suppliers and thus make them more responsible for the overall performance of Airbus. * Improvements in Supply Chain * Improved efficiency through new implemented technology in the supply chain * Quality standards * Economies of scales * Better scope for interoperability between its several entities * Fewer but dedicated suppliers and service providers * Introduction of the Supply Chain Quality Improvement Program (SQIP) to achieve the best performance in the industry such as supply chain efficiency, quality and on time delivery. Cons: * Job cuts -10,000 employees out of 87,000 across its plants were fired when implementing the power8 program * Lack of standardization before the introduction of sup@irWorld. This was leading to inefficiency in its operations with its different manufacturers, ordering the same spare fro different suppliers and using several logistic providers. Airbus recently introduced a ‘maintenance, repair and overhaul’ (MRO) strategy supporting RFID adoption for â€Å"value chain visibility,† by tracing both flyable and non-flyable components over their total lifecycle. According to Carlo K. Nizam, Airbus’s head of value chain visibility, the increasingly competitive global market, and the need to reduce costs and streamline business processes in order to remain competitive has driven the firm to adopt RFID. Airbus introduced the RFID-technology to increase their overall supply chain transparency and visibility to improve their general reactivity. Its goal is to â€Å"error-proof and automate† its supply chain and manufacturing operations to reduce aircraft production and maintenance costs. †¢ Minimize unplanned maintenance and detect malfunction early †¢ Manage and reduce airline parts inventories †¢ Establish audit trails for each uniquely identified object †¢ Ensure that the correct part is being used in the right place †¢ Mechanics can access document, task, and parts data, and locate and track approved spare parts in real time †¢ Identify and track tool location, usage history, and repair requirements †¢ Improve safety and security by authenticating components Benefits of utilizing RFID to Airbus: * Visibility: getting automatic updates of events in the value chain and an unprecedented high level of information * Process Benefits: the cycle times are shorter and less inventory is needed * Business Benefits: reduction in inventory, capital assets and stock reconciliations, and an increased labour productivity and supplier monitoring Drawbacks of utilizing RFID to Airbus: * High Costs * Standardization Issues: It can be very challenging to manage multiple readers and hardware, especially across many facilities * Potential Data Interference and Overload Issues: whether multiple passive RFID devices can cause interference to aircraft systems, whether a strong and undesired signal can activate all devices simultaneously, and the corresponding effects on aircraft systems * Environmental factors: emperature, presence of liquids or metals, such as foil packaging and liquid detergents, can affect the ability of readers to work reliably * Resistance to Change from Barcode System

Show Choir - 2695 Words

Show Choir Learning Design Information Project Title: Show Choir Developer(s): Amy Hanson Development Date: 06/15/1998 Revised By: Amy Hanson Revision Date: 10/19/1998 Organization: Shawano-Gresham School District Department: music Instructional Area: Music Arts Instructional Level: 6-8 Total Credits: 0 Target Population 6th-8th grade students Course Description Show Choir is an elective class that integrates choreography into the choral experience. A varied repertoire of 2 and 3 part music is memorized, choreographed and then performed in a concert setting. Vocal technique, developing the ensemble and dance are the main emphasis of this class. Various†¦show more content†¦Develop ability to sing and dance alone and in a group Procedure b. Sing accurately and with proper breath control Procedure c. Match pitch accurately Procedure d. Demonstrate correct singing posture Process e. Perform music expressively Concept f. Participate in solo and ensemble alone or in a small group Procedure 3. Sing with technical accuracy Properties Domain: Psychomotor Level: Practice Difficulty: Medium Importance: Essential Linked Core Abilities Utilize informational resources for life-long learning Communicate effectively through speaking and writing in all areas Use problem solving skills in real world situations Criteria - Criteria - Performance will be satisfactory when: o learner sings correctly alone and in their section Conditions for Assessment - Competence will be demonstrated: oShow MoreRelatedShow Choir : A Long Struggle With Many Roadblocks1946 Words   |  8 PagesShow Choir The road to show choir nationals was a long struggle with many roadblocks. There were many times when I dreaded going to rehearsal, and when I got there, I just wanted it to be over so I could leave. Show choir started to feel like a chore to me and I didn’t enjoy it like I did last year. That is, until March 31st. We started learning our show choir songs at the end of August, rehearsing every day after school for an hour. Then during the last two weeks of September, both show choirsRead MoreGlee Is a Hoax 1345 Words   |  5 Pagesspark notes, in reality 90% of choir kids are theater geeks and really want to help train their voices, while in glee it seems like they just sing then go to the Gym. Show choir is so much more than just busting out in song; it’s about making friendship doing something you really love to do and to make a lasting impression on someone’s life. If we continue to let glee gives us the idea of what show choir is, then the real show choir world will fall into a myth. Show choir is a lifestyle to most itRead MoreA Brief Biography of David Dickau823 Words   |  3 Pagestheir faculty. In 2008 he was awarded with the Distinguished Faculty Scholar award, And later in 2012 he was elected as ‘Teacher of the Year’ by the students attending the college. Before that he taught High School Choirs, and Conducted church choirs and a twin cities based chamber choir. He has a very good musical education with high degrees from Northwestern University, and the University of Southern California. Dickau’s compositions appear in many different venues. He commissions in many differentRead MoreThe Role Of Choral Music And How Communication Occurs Within The Choral Setting1515 Words   |  7 Pagesshould show the variety between ancient choral music and that of the common era. With this understanding in mind, therefore, one can enter the discussion of communication with amenable thought. Communication To begin with, it is important for one to understand how choral assembly can be related to communication, and how communication occurs in the choral setting. There are three major varying ways this happens: choir to the audience, director to the choir, and choir member to the choir memberRead MoreConcert At The Pennfield Performing Arts Center1518 Words   |  7 Pagesfeaturing specific choirs, such as the composition Girl Power, which featured the Women’s Choir. This was an evening full of medleys with unique twists that made the concert quite entertaining. Having never attended a choral concert, other than ones that I have personally performed in, it was very nice to enjoy one as an audience member! There were quite a few aspects of this performance that I enjoyed! The first being that all five choirs performed with choreography. This made each choir active in theirRead MoreRace, Gender, And Women892 Words   |  4 Pageshowever, there was only a few women in pants; all women wore shirts that did not show very much (if any) cleavage—some women (around ten) wore black, white, gray, or brown veils over their heads—at first I believed that the veils were a sign that the women wearing them were preparing to become nuns; however, several small children were wearing the veils over their heads, and according to Lauren, the veils are symbolic—they show respect to the Saints and God by allowing women to observe submissiveness andRead MoreThe Performance Of The Symphony1242 Words   |  5 Pagestheme of the symphony revolved around the human conditions and unity (Swafford, 2014). I think the performance of the orchestra was above average. I enjoyed all aspect from when the conductor was welcomed by members of the orchestra to when the choir joined towards the grand finale. Both the orchestra and the audience played their role exceptionally. I watched the orchestra play over and over trying to grasp the meaning of every movement while enjoying the choral. By looking at the members ofRead More A Report on Lifeline for Children’s Choir Directors Essay3119 Words   |  13 Pagesexaggerating consonants as they whisper words. (ps. 22-3) This reminds me of the Fred Warning emphasis on good pronunciation. She gives some reasons why a children’s choir may sing flat or sharp, and then gives some mechanistic ways to fix them. (p. 27) A choir director must fix his own hearing, before they can get to ’first base’, with their choir members. They can do this by listening to some Bach chorales, then leave them for a week, come back and play them several times, then write them down on a manuscriptRead MoreArticle Critique Of Joshua Palkki1232 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstand and meet the needs of their Latino/a students, and Palkki (2015) researches approaches that would aid music educators, specifically high school choir directors, in reaching and serving this population in his article â€Å"If it fits into their Culture, then they will have a Connection: experiences of two Latina students in a select high school choir.† Palkki (2015) presents a qualitative case study regarding two Latina students in which Palkki (2015) seeks to learn about their choral experiencesRead MoreEssay about stretching865 Words   |  4 PagesMonday, November 6, 2000. In performance was Kantorei directed by Janna Brendell, ECU Men’s Ensemble Blackbeard’s Ghost directed by Sean Berg, ECU Concert Choir directed by Matthew Harden, and special guests Leesville Road High School Chorus directed by Diane Covington. The whole program was entertaining and very impressive. All the choirs were very professional in both their physical appearance and their sound. In each group the first impressions, which are so important to a performance, were

The Determinant Of A Successful Career - 1221 Words

The sports industry is an intense, highly competitive field of work which involves a great deal of patience, dedication, and hard work. Not a lot of people have what it takes to stay in the business for long but Mike Tomlin knows exactly what it takes. He is a wonderful role model for people looking to do something similar or to be a coach like himself. Being able to communicate properly with the players as well as other people in this area of work is what will be the determinant of a successful career. By watching how Tomlin conducts himself I can learn what I have to do in order to be a successful coach one day. Mike Tomlin was born in Hampton, Virginia, on March 15th, 1972, and is currently 44 years old. He has two brothers and is the youngest in his family. In high school, Tomlin was an all-star, he set his school record with 20 touchdown catches. Due to his success in high school, he continued his academic career at the College of William and Mary. During his time in college, he joined the fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi and was also a member of the football team as a tight end and wide receiver. In 1994, he was a second team All-Yankee Conference selection. Also during college, Tomlin coached for the Virginia Military Institute for the wide receivers. The next year he was a coach for the defensive backs and special teams as graduate assistant for the University of Memphis. In 1997, Tomlin worked for Arkansas State University, where he was a coach for theShow MoreRelatedThe Role Of Socioeconomic Status And Behavior As Determinants Of Health999 Words   |  4 Pageslived in an underserv ed community in Ghana where there is a disproportionate burden of disease, so I understand the role of socioeconomic status and behavior as determinants of health. This inspires me to pursue a career in public health where I can help to control epidemics in Africa and other underserved communities worldwide. My career interest is to work in conjunction with non-profit organizations to research the etiology of diseases, distribution, and preventive measures, and to increase publicRead MoreThe Hr Trend : Greater ( Job ) Mobility1692 Words   |  7 Pagesmobility); between occupations and steps on the career ladder (occupational mobility); between different types of contracts; and in and out of employment (employment mobility). Employees, especially Millennial or Generation Y workers, want to stay in a company that provides a range of professional opportunities and career paths where they can grow their careers (Internal Mobility Benefits Employees and the Business | RPO Intelligence Blog, n.d.), lack of career advancement opportunities is one of theRead MoreGender And Social Stigma Of Loneliness Essay1349 Words   |  6 Pagesroles in the community. 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When cohesion and alignment is off, the company goes off course, wastes time, energy, and the resources that were invested (Rick, 2014). Employee Competencies Career competencies include the knowledge, skills and attitudesRead MoreMyths of Aging1021 Words   |  5 Pageschanges with age, other people show highly successful aging in which few signs of change occur† (p. 16). An analysis of Dr. Woolf’s myths of aging quiz will show several different areas to consider in regards to the journey that this dynamic and growing population undertakes. I will show my results of taking this quiz and my knowledge of the topics; as well as discuss what I find most interesting; the myth that chronological age is the most important determinant of someone’s age. Let’s firstRead MoreRecruitment And Selection Processes At Mcdonald s The American Fast Food And Hamburger Chain1465 Words   |  6 Pagesprepares a comprehensive job description outlining the typical responsibilities and duties that the successful candidate would perform, as a way of identifying the minimum personnel specifications that the successful candidate should possess. â€Å"Hiring an employee who fits in well at the workplace, performs the position’s duties competently, and adds value to the organization is a sign of a successful recruitment and selection process† (Foster, 2015, Lesson 13, Notes). Focus on high performance ratherRead MoreRelationship Between Health Care And Justice950 Words   |  4 Pagesdata collection, examining the effect of dementia on autonomy, and reviewing substitute decision-making agreements with participants. Since the CLSA is concerned with the individual and combined effects of biological, social, and psychological determinants of health, I participated in many conversations on the lack of holism in Canadian health care. Participants felt that Canada’s utilitarian acute care model ignored the disabled, elderly, and individuals struggling with terminal illness. They sharedRead MoreManagement748 Words   |  3 PagesMonitor , spokesperson , disseminator Decisional : -Entrepreneur , Disturbance handler , recourse allocator Management Skills Technical / conceptual / Human skills Effective vs Successful manager Traditional management / networking / communication / Human resource management Effective – More communication Successful – more networking Average – all three balanced. Organization Behavior :- is a field of study that investigate the impact that individual , group and structure have on the behaviorRead MorePersonal Statement : My Underlying Fear901 Words   |  4 Pagesbe there to support her no matter what. Interviewee 2 also said the same thing about his mother, which drives me to my next point. Both interviewees had strong, maternal figures that had made several sacrifices to make sure that their kids were successful, and, as a result, both respondents regarded their mothers with a very high amount of respect and admiration. Both believe that relationships need to have at least some common interests in order to succeed, whether it be the same television showsRead MoreReporting Studying senior social science subjects was the most influential factor which provided a1600 Words   |  7 Pagesconducting experiments, analysing results, and evaluating research processes. After additional research, I became aware of various viable career paths associated with psychology, and this had allowed me to establish specific goals (e.g., completing an undergraduate and master’s degree in psychology and becoming a registered psychologist) to reach the ultimate career goal (e.g., becoming a research psychologist). Thus it was the perceived capabilities and aptitude and expectations of stability and contentment

Ethics of Human Cloning and Genetic Engineering Essay

INTRODUCTION When the Roslin Institutes first sheep cloning work was announced in March 1996 the papers were full of speculation about its long-term implications. Because of this discovery, the media’s attention has focused mainly on discussion of the possibility, of cloning humans. In doing so, it has missed the much more immediate impact of this work on how we use animals. Its not certain this would really lead to flocks of cloned lambs in the fields of rural America, or clinically reproducible cuts of meat on the supermarket shelves. But it does force us to ask questions about the way we are using animals with new technology, and the kinds of assumptions we make. To create Dolly (the cloned sheep), Scottish researchers simply took†¦show more content†¦The amount of animals and the amount of milk is very small compared with conventional meat or bulk milk production. Imagine you are a commercial breeder of cows or hogs, and over many generations you have bred some fine and valuab le animals with highly desirable characteristics. One possible application of Roslins work could be to clone such animals from the cells of one of them, and sell the cloned animals to finishers - those farmers who simply feed up the animals for slaughter, rather than breed them to produce more stock. Again, the breeder might want to clone a series of fast growing, highly productive animals in a breeding program, in order to test how the same genotype responded to different environmental changes. ANALYSIS Would cloning narrow genetic diversity too far? Before we look at the ethics, there are some practical problems to consider. One of the fundamental rules of selective breeding is that you must maintain a high enough level of genetic variation. The more you narrow down the genetic pool to a limited number, the more you run two risks. One is that you could also have accidentally selected for some other not-so-desirable characteristic along with the one you wanted. (Klug, 1996) The selected lines could have certain disadvantages in some other genetic trait. These would be evened out in normal genetic diversity of selective breeding, but if animals were cloned, there would be no selection. The second risk is thatShow MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering : The Field Of Human Biotechnology1490 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is a set of techniques for isolating, transforming, multiplying and recombining genes from different organisms. Simply put, it i s the process of manually adding new DNA to an organism. Genetic engineering originated in the 1970s as a result of the discovery of several key techniques in molecular genetics. It is also referred to as recombinant (rDNA) technology. Genetic Engineering enables geneticists to transfer genes between species that belongRead MoreGenetic Engineering : Medical Perfection Or Playing God1280 Words   |  6 PagesThesis Statement â€Å"Genetic engineering differs from cloning in key ways. Whereas cloning produces genetically exact copies of organisms, genetic engineering refers to processes in which scientists manipulate genes to create purposefully different versions of organisms—and, in some cases, entirely new living things†, duplication of genetic cells is known as human cloning. Development of genetic engineering biotechnologies undermines the natural autonomy of life. Does genetic engineering interfere withRead MoreThe Controversy Of Genetic Engineering1369 Words   |  6 Pages Genetic Engineering, for most individuals not knowledgeable on the topic, conjures visions of sci-fi movies and humans being grown in a lab far off in the future. What more and more individuals in the early 21st century are coming to realize is that Genetic Engineering has already exceeded our wildest imaginations in a dark corner of a lab, outside of the view of the main stream public. Indeed, in 2017, genetic engineering is in full swing on both plant and animal life. Only from hearingRead MoreGenetic Engineering : Genetically Modified Food1229 Words   |  5 PagesGenetic engineering is a technique which uses biotechnology to change an organism s genome. Currently, this technology has been used in an abundance of fields, for example medical science, agriculture and industry. Furthermore, numerous countries have never stopped the research on genetic engineering because they think the technology of gene will become the main competitiveness in the future. As a result for the rapid development of genetic engineering. With the development of this technology, someRead MoreThe Genetic Engineering Debate Essay1411 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscussions of genetic engineering, a controversial issue has been whether genetic engineering is ethical or not. In â€Å"The Person, the Soul, and Genetic Engineering,† JC Polkinghorne discusses about the moral status of the very early embryo a nd therapeutic cloning. J. H. Brooke’s article â€Å"Commentary on: The Person, the Soul, and Genetic Engineering† comments and state opinions that counter Polkinghorne’s article. On the other hand John Harris’s â€Å"â€Å"Goodbye Dolly?† The Ethics of Human Cloning† examines â€Å"theRead MoreThe Benefits of Genetic Engineering Essay1459 Words   |  6 Pagesanother controversy broke out, do humans have the right to make life? Most of the concern comes from the fear of control over the production and development of human beings. But, those who are against cloning would most likely look the other way if they needed gene therapy after receiving a grim diagnosis. There are many aspects of genetic engineering and to thoroughly understand it looking into each is absolutely necessary. In order to understand genetic engineering, the key terms in this controversyRead MoreIs Human Cloning Legal? Essay1147 Words   |  5 PagesHuman cloning has n ot been legally used in humans because many people and experts are still discussing its effectiveness, worthiness and effect on humanity. Human cloning, also known as human genetic engineering, can be divided into two main types, which are therapeutic cloning, growing cloned tissue from individual, and reproductive cloning, genetically identical copy of an individual. Human cloning have drawn people’s attention because people are become more concerned about health problems andRead MoreEthics And The New Genetics1048 Words   |  5 Pages#1: Response Paper Dear Mr. Dalai Lama, In your excerpt, â€Å"Ethics and the New Genetics,† you presented the discovery of the advancement in genetic technology. You mentioned how scientist are able to change the genetic makeup of living things. Another key point presented in your article is the idea of cloning, where one is therapeutic while the other is reproductive. The article discussed that the advancement in technology and genetics should only be used to benefit people. However, you believedRead MoreThe Ethical Concept Of Genetic Engineering1157 Words   |  5 PagesThis assignment will discuss the ethical concept of genetic engineering and how it demonstrates its relevance to midwifery professional practice and maternity care. Before analysing genetic engineering and looking at the arguments as to whether it is ethically right, an understanding of what the terms and lawful procedures mean should be determined. In order to construct this assignment, multiple resources were accessed. These resources included analysing books, both hard copies and electronicallyRead MoreThe Ethics of Human Cloning Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesHuman cloning is separated into two major categories; reproductive cloning, which uses cloning technology to create a human embryo that will produce an entire human, and therapeutic, which adopt cloning into field of medical practices to find a cure for many diseases (Kass). Reproductive cloning requires a somatic cell, a DNA-less egg, and a surrogate mother; as a result, it creates a new individual with the same genome, or genetic coding. The idea originated in Germany in 1938, but the first successful

Advantage of Using Mobile Free Essays

Health Effects Electromagnetic radiation from cell phones may cause health problems. Rigorous studies are being carried out to know about the negative effects of cell phones. Sleep deprivation, stress and brain problems have been linked to overuse of cell phones, and are considered as the possible effects of cell phone radiation. We will write a custom essay sample on Advantage of Using Mobile or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some studies have reported that cell phone usage can trigger male infertility symptoms. But nothing has been proved yet, though we can lessen mobile use to some extent. Children Suffer Children have been found to have some worrisome effects of mobile phone usage. Since they have weaker immune system, thinner skin and developing nervous system, waves generated from mobile phones can harm their body cells. It has been found that children can absorb radio waves to a far greater extent than adults. Legal Issues Mobile phones come with cameras and hence this has led to hundreds of thousands of cases pending in courts about privacy problems. There have been instances in the past, in countries like Saudi Arabia, Japan, Korea, where a ban was imposed on camera phones, making it a strict rule to sell only those cell phones that come with an appreciable click sound! Moreover, crime rate has also increased with miscreants like robbers and terrorists pursuing their nefarious schemes through mobile phones. Driving and Mobile Phones If not anything, this is certainly one of the most dangerous disadvantages of cell phones. In the US, cell phone and driving have become a major concern among traffic officials. The seriousness of this issue in the eyes of the federal government was highlighted when a US court in 2009, imposed a whopping million dollar fine for talking on phone while driving, on a Texan driver. It is the highest fine imposed in the world, for someone using mobile phone while driving. Many accidents can be averted if people are cautious, and avoid cell phone usage while driving. Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phones in Business Here are some advantages of mobile phones in business. †¢It’s easier to contact employees, staff members and clients. Mobile phone is useful in sales and marketing business. †¢For business people, mobile number is the first thing their clients/customers ask, in case, they’re interested in the business idea/product. †¢In business, you can’t meet everyone. With cell phones you can contact the person and even talk as per his time and convenience. Moreover, you can have more time at your disposal to talk. †¢Business people can check emails, keep reminders about meetings, conferences and record details of business etc. even in small gadgets like mobile phones. †¢With inexpensive phone plans for corporate firms, business networking has been redefined. Mobile phones come with several disadvantages in business. They are as follows. †¢Business people can often feel stressed due to constant calls. This is true for telemarketers. Even consumers get baffled due to various calls. Some employers who give the facility of cell phones to their employees are often afraid of potential costs that the firm has to bear. But then, these days, call rates are pretty inexpensive and people avoid using business sim cards for their personal usage. Hence, this disadvantage is not a big concern. †¢In general, landline numbers still indicate authenticity and if you glance around, every large business group will, for sure, have a landline number. For an effective business firm, landline number is important. Any change that transforms our society (for the good or bad, both) effect every age group. Several schools of thoughts have raised their voice for various advantages of mobile phones for students. Being in touch with parents and for seeking help during emergencies, are some of the advantages of mobile phones in school but more than that, I don’t think students must be allowed to carry cell phones in schools. Cell phones for kids: pros and cons are many, and the school management and parents must consider properly before allowing kids to carry mobile phones in school. Studies have reported that mobile phones have been used by students for cheating in tests, arranging drug deals, thereby causing distraction in studies. Till today, cell phone use in schools is a highly debated topic. This was all about the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. Certainly, too much of everything is bound to have negative implications. Since the last few years, cell phone radiations have been said to be a prominent problem and as the number of cell phone users are increasing day by day, medical threats are bound to increase. While we can wait and watch for more medical and scientific evidences supporting medical concerns about mobile usage, as an individual, we can try to restrict mobile phone usage. How to cite Advantage of Using Mobile, Papers

Product Life Cycle of Samsung-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthlep.Com

Question: You are required to submit an Individual report by selection an Organisation with which you are familiar. Conduct a Strategic analysis on the Organisation. Answer: Introduction Samsung is one of the largest brands that are available in the market. The main aim of the company is to safeguard the leadership in the industry and to earn the competitive strength by taking into consideration manufacturing of product, design, marketing and sales. The name of the company is popular in the market and it is known as one of the top brand that is also popular among the customers. The meaning of the Samsung in Korean is three stars. Samsung also gave focus on the trade exports. The company operates its activities in 58 countries and the company has total 2,800 employees. The company offers products in the field of Tele communication, digital equipment and also in the sector of digital media. The essential part of the Samsung is the electronic segment. The company also wants to attain the top five positions in the world by 2020 and the vision of the company is to enhance the revenue. The company gives emphasis on exploring the other markets like health, medicine and bio technology. The headquarter of the company is located in korea and Samsung has a sales network in 65 countries globally. The major product of the company is mobile phones that have a large market share globally. The company operates its function on the large scale (Woo-Seok et al., 2014). Macro environment analysis The macro analysis of Samsung consists of the PESTLE analysis that describes political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors of the organization. Political factor This factor has a proper control on the regulations of the organization that consist of the regulations implemented by the government. The regulations that are implemented by the government is important to be considered by the business. In United States it is seen that political environment is stable to conduct the operations in effective manner. Policies that are given by the government like taxation and also the rise in the petrol prices has given impact on the buying pattern of the individual. The industrial policies that are related to korea also plays an important role for guiding international competitiveness to transfer technology, so that the market can easily operate its activities (Erguler,2015). Economic factor The economic factor plays a very significant role in marketing the products. The recession has given negative impact on the spending power of the individual. The importing prices can be enhanced when the sale continuously reduces and also the exchange rate of the mobile phones declines. The micro environment in which the Samsung conduct the operations is uncertain and it is important to reframe its strategies according the competitive environment. The saving grace for the company is related to tap the consumers disposable income in the developed world by enhancing into developed markets (Scholes, 2015). Social factor By considering the recent scenario, it is seen that people have strong passion and obsession for the latest technology introduced in the market. Mobile phone plays a significant role to satisfy the demand of the children. The interest of the children towards study reduces when they become addicted of the mobile games. Samsung is considered as a family owned on a multinational platform. This means that despite of the global recognition it still conduct the activities from Korea. There are many aspects to its global operations and some consist of adapting itself to the local conditions. Samsung has to give focus on the products so that the customer preferences can be adopted by taking into consideration different markets. The importance is that the company operates in the market niche that is influenced by the preferences of the consumers and also the social factor is taken into consideration in various countries (Peppard and Ward, 2016). Technological factor The mobile industry has been considered as one of the popular growing. The company introduces various mobile phones with different models in the market. Each model has a different and new feature that induces customers to buy the product. Samsung is popular for mobile phone. The customers purchase the product by taking into consideration innovative features introduced by the company in the market. Samsung has a great advantage to harness the power of technology and also drives innovation for sustainable business advantage that is concerned with it (Wheelen and Hunger,2017). Legal factor Intellectual property is becoming an important aspect for the organization. There are huge chances of the conflicts that can take place like in case of the apple conflict with the goggle nexus one. The issue that arises is due to the patent. Samsung itself won a dispute with the company and the dispute is related to the patent issue that was initiated in year 2007. The company also has to face many penalties that are related to the imitation of the apple iPad and this has given impact on the consumer perceptions. It is seen that how the company operates the activities in developed markets by taking into consideration various laws and procedures implemented by the government. The company has major threats of the legal factors (Jung, 2014). Environmental factor Now a days consumers are aware towards the enhancement in the energy efficiency and also with the dangerous radiation. There are many cases that take place in other mobile companies. The mobile phones blast due to some technical problem. With the enhancement in the ethical consumer needs, the company gives focus to be aware of the need to make its products ethical for the consumers. It is related to the pay given to the labors who are engaged in making the final products. The pay should be given according to the performance of the employees who are working in the organization (Grant, 2016). Analysis based on the PESTLE analysis By analyzing the macro environment of the Samsung it clearly indicates that Samsung has its own strategies to navigate and attract the consumers towards the product. The company prepares to enhance its global footprint. The company can easily compete with the other companies by introducing more innovative products in the market (Kanonov and Wool, 2016). Five force model The Porter five force model is used to evaluate the business strategies related to the Samsung. This tool is used to access the market drivers. The company like Samsung should take into consideration the proper research of the markets they want to approach and should also conduct the activities accordingly. Five forces are industry rivalry, barriers to entry and exist, power of the buyers, power of suppliers, and threat to substitutes (Ramkumar and Sharma, 2017). Industry Rivalry This element plays a great role by taking into consideration the Samsung Company. There are many competitors like Nokia, Motorola and apple in the market. It is difficult for the organization to take a proper stand by taking into consideration all the competitors. Also there are many cold wars faced by the company in the competitive environment. This has given direct impact on the dimensions that are strong for the Samsung (Bharadwaj et al., 2013). Barriers to entry and exist The white goods industry is considered as a high barrier to entry and also the low barriers to exist the market. It is very difficult for many organizations to enter into the market as the distribution network and supply chain is not maintained easily. It is also evaluated that the company entered into many market but existed the markets that are not profitable. This is only the reason that the companies like Samsung often consider the diligence before entering into the emerging markets (Choong et al.,2014). Power of Buyers The power of buyers by taking into consideration the Samsung Company is a mixed bag. It is seen that the buyer has many options and also there are many companies that provide the same features at low cost. Also the buyers approach to the companies for after sale service and also for the spare parts. The power of the buyers is on the companies, as at the time of purchasing the item it is seen that the buyers have many options to choose from before reaching to the final decision. This simply elaborates that both the buyer and companies need each other to conduct the activities in a smooth manner. Power of the suppliers In many markets in which the Samsung conduct its activities has many suppliers who are offering the services and products at discounts. This does not mean that the companies can give pressure on the suppliers as it is seen that if the supply chain is established, then it takes a lot of time to create a new supply chain. This is only the reason why the companies like Samsung analyze the market before setting up the shop and also take help of the consultancies in arriving to the decisions (Verbeke, 2013). Threat of Substitutes This element is considered as high as there are many companies in the market. The buyers can easily substitute the products as there are many substitutes flooded in the market. Samsung has to remain careful to decide the marketing strategy that can be beneficial for the organization. Samsung takes into consideration differential pricing so that the customers get attracted towards the company. This also gives focus on many companies that offers products at low cost (Teimouri, Fanae et al., 2016). Analysis of porter five force analysis By conducting the analysis it is seen that as the global economy and more merging markets open up the companies like Samsung attain the advantage because they have already established the operations in the new market. It is also analyzed that every market is unique and the company should not adopt one strategy for all the market (Bhushan, 2016). Strategies considered by the organization Limited growth strategy This strategy helps the organization to gives emphasis on the current products that are produced and are supplied in the current market. Innovative ideas are taken into consideration to enhance the growth of the organization. Samsung basically depends on four growth strategy like market penetration, market development, product development and innovation. Market penetration: The Company maintains its market share in a proper manner and also the organization innovates and attracts customers towards the product. In this way the satisfaction level of the customer is enhanced and the company attain large market share (Kumar, 2017). Product development: Samsung gives targets to the old customers with a new product. By launching a new product it will attract more customers and also enhance the market share. The advertisements are also given that enhance the awareness about the product between the customers. Example: launching of s5 mobile phone in the market (Chen and Ann, 2016). Market development: Samsung enters into a new market that enhances the market growth and also the market share. By taking into consideration this strategy they can easily enter into a new market by targeting the customers in areas. The new market for samusng can be a new country like for example: the company introduces its products in a village or a new country (Blackburn et al.,2013). Product life cycle of Samsung mobile phone By giving focus on the figure it is seen that there are 3 stages of the Samsung mobile phones. The three stages are introduction, growth and maturity. Introduction stage In the introduction stage the company introduced Samsung R220 in 2001 and it is available in the market till 2006. The company Launched very less models due to the less demand and innovation. The first model launched by the company is R220 with blue display. The company competed with the competitors like nokia and Motorola (Mithas et al., 2013). Growth stage (2006 to 2011) In this stage the company launched mobile phones without the external antenna and also has better features like games, alarm and color display. Wide range of simple and dual sim mobile marked beginning of the growth stage. The touch screen mobile phones are also launched. The company followed price penetration strategy at the beginning of the growth stage. Launch mobile phones with the price of 2000 and 4000. In this stage the pre-paid connections were given free with select of any model of Samsung (Choi, 2013). Maturity (2011 and till now) Android smartphones were launched and also with the galaxy series. The launched of the windows phones to give tough competition to nokia window mobile. The main focus is also given on the galaxy s series phones so that the organization can compete effectively. Evaluation of the strategy It is evaluated that the company takes into consideration limited growth strategy. It is the strategy that helps the organization to sustain in the competitive environment and also to accomplish the goals and objectives of the organization. By relating the strategy with the pestle analysis and by taking into consideration environment factor it is seen that the company can easily enhances and offered effective products to the society. It has enhanced the lifestyle of the people. The market development is also done by taking into consideration legal and economic factor of the market in which the company is conducting the day to activities of the organization (Fan et al., 2015). Core Competencies The competencies of Samsung are: Creative people, technology and innovative culture. If the focus is given on big companies, then it is seen that they are like big trees and also there are some branches that are related to the final product. Tree offer nutrients and also support fixation of the root is the main competency of the organization. The design of Samsung products are very orientation and also it meet the demand of the consumers. The product of the company has a good quality and also introduces new and latest technologies and new products. The competitive advantage of the company is that it reduces cost and it has the ability of innovation. Recommendation Samsung should take into consideration effective tools so that it can easy to accomplish the goals and targets. Also to grow in the market it is important to keep the prices low and offer effective features. It will give direct impact on the sale of the product. Samsung should give focus on advertisement, so that the customers can easily get knowledge about the product available or launched in the market. The company should also prepare to provide information technology as it is used to reduce the competition level in the market. If proper marketing and distribution channel is conducted then it can possible for the organization to attain the goals and objectives of the organization. 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