Why Do You Buy A House Essay - 2251 Words

If you are looking to buy a house, now would be a great time to buy! I am sure you have heard that saying from somewhere or another, fact of the matter is, it still stands true. The market is over crowded with foreclosures and short sales, and predictions are that many more are to come. If you have the capital to start investing in real estate, it is still not too late. However, there are a few things that you as the investor need to take care of before jumping in head first. If you have bought a house or rented one in your entire life, you have performed a business deal in real estate. It is however a different game when you are trying to make a profit in it. The good news: you really don t need a degree or any professional education in the field of real estate to make money. To be honest, I am not a real estate professional myself, however, I got into investing into real estate last year and the thought came into my mind to pass on the knowledge and my advice throughout all that I have learned so far. I firmly believe in the saying, learn from other people s mistakes so you don t have to go through them yourself. 1. Planning It is always essential to plan something out before you start it. You wouldn t go on a road trip before planning for it, right? The same goes for investing in real estate. Planning helps you cover all your bases, but more importantly it will give you an accurate picture of where you are, where you want to be, and how you will get there. In yourShow MoreRelatedWhy Can t I Buy A House? Los Angeles? You Do Not Make Enough Money?1703 Words   |  7 PagesWhy can’t I buy a house in Los Angeles? You do not make enough money. Why can’t I find a job? You did not attend a high ranked school. Why did I drop out of high school? 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The Most Important Qualities of Content in Research

There are three important qualities of content that researchers use as an assumption for most every research. The first is the kind of atoms that the content is created up of. You have your fairly neutral components and your substance components. Atom comes from the Ancient term atoms significance inseparable. (Trefil, 2010) Atoms create up everything we can see, therefore content, and atoms have very different qualities within themselves, as well as having different methods of being organized or of connection together, all of which impact the actual and substance qualities of whatever is created up of those atoms. Most components either perform electric current or dont succeed to perform electric current. However, there is a third kind of content that is not a really excellent electric conductor, and simultaneously, is not really an excellent insulator either. These components are known as semiconductors, such as rubber and germanium (Trefil, p. 243). The fairly neutral components h ave the same quantity of protons and electrons, which generally terminate each other out making them fairly neutral. The substance factor offers with mixing more than one factor. The second is the way those atoms are organized. An excellent example of this is by evaluating atoms of fluid and atoms of shades. For example the atoms of fluids shift around freer than atoms of shades which are loaded together. The third is the way the atoms are insured together. There are for key qualities toShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Quality Content On An Ecommerce Site1325 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Quality Content on an eCommerce Site [online vs brick and mortar online vs brick and mortar] The Importance of Quality Content on an eCommerce Site High-quality content ranks as the single most important factor for convincing B2B customers to buy products over the Internet. 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Critically analyze Brandom and Haugeland’s views regarding Cartesianism Free Essays

The concept of Cartesianism is that every and/or any thing that can be doubted must be discarded, and ideally formulated anew in order to be cemented in truthfulness. Doubting is the first way of determining whether something is useful, and if it isn’t, you discard what you know and basically reinvent it in such a way that is useful. We apply this Cartesianism in a social context when we look at society, politics and the interactions of people on any communicative grounds. We will write a custom essay sample on Critically analyze Brandom and Haugeland’s views regarding Cartesianism or any similar topic only for you Order Now This would include linguistics, thinking and any other forms of interaction that form any kind of groundwork for social and societal interaction. Using Cartesianism, we can draw distinctions between such things. We will look at the notions of language, reasoning and thinking, in terms of the works of two philosophers, Robert Brandom and John Haugeland, with the emphasis on comparing and contrasting their unique views. Brandom: Freedom, Norms, Reason and Thought Robert Brandom’s views on personal freedom were rooted in the difference between how he perceived his forerunners on the subject matter; he compared and contrasted Kant and Hegel in his work ‘Freedom and Constraint by Norms’. In this work, he critically observes the foundation from which Kant and Hegel analyzed the ideas of personal freedom, as expressed – or refuted – by norms. In order to set out these principles – freedom and norms – we must first define them. Brandom had this to say about Kant’s viewpoint: One of the most suggestive responses to the first set of concerns has been developed by the Kantian tradition: the doctrine that freedom consists precisely in being constrained by norms rather than merely by causes, answering to what ought to be as well as what is. (1979, p. 187). We assume the fact here that norms are things which become established over time by society/community, and that they determine and decide how things should be done, by the individual and by the community. Where Kant pragmatically argued that society used norms to determine the individual’s actions, Brandom also included how Hegel proposed a different approach, from a different angle: The central feature determining the character of any vision of human freedom is the account offered of positive freedom (freedom to) – those respects in which our activity should be distinguished from the mere lack of external causal constraint (freedom from) †¦ (1979, p. 187). Brandom furthers his argument by taking his proposed solution into the domain of the linguistic. He argues that the basis of norms, with regards to their use in regulating society and the individual’s role therein, requires creative expression from individuals in order to promote the Hegelian concept of idealistic, ‘positive’ freedom. Ultimately, Brandom proposes a post-Hegelian solution, one which builds on Hegel’s initial statements and ideally assists the advancement of individuals within a communal setting. In ‘A Social Route from Reasoning to Representing’, Brandom further explores the generally held principles that individual beings are capable of reasoning and reasonable thought processes. Because of this inherent trait, fostered in the upbringing of each individual, truth by inference or deductive reasoning becomes a cornerstone of the thoughts and actions of every individual. The exploration of the difference between actually thinking and thinking about something is established and represented by the accepted standard that individuals move in social circles, and so influence each other’s ideas and notions of reason. Common ground is found in these motions, or as Brandom qualifies, â€Å"the representational dimension †¦ reflects the social structure †¦ in the game of giving and asking for reason. † (2000, p. 183). Haugeland: Truth, Rules and Social Cartesianism John Haugeland approaches the idea behind the social establishments in much the same way as Brandom. He explores the same set of topics in his work ‘Truth and Rule-following’, where he mentions the idea of norms as being bound to rules and how the social circle comprised of unique individuals see such institutes. These rules are divided into factual and governing, with factual being held as understood and upheld by all and governing as normative; â€Å"how they ought to be† (Haugeland, 1998, p. 306). Haugeland also argues that these norms are upheld by a communal motion to associate and create similarities between individuals: conformity. He further proposes that social normativity can be grounded in biological normativity – the same principles and arguments can be applied, but only insofar as human beings are capable of reason, and that a biological body by contrast follows certain predetermined, preprogrammed sets or rules, while a reasoning mind can necessarily adapt around or expand on conditions and work beyond them, as a biological preset cannot. This supports the idea of governing norms being changeable, separate from objective truth. Also, social norms are enacted through the input of others, in a sense promoting a system where one member of the community checks up on the others, and vice versa. Haugeland’s case is concluded with an emphatic argument for the similarity and union between norms of reason (governing norms) and objective truth (factual norms) boiling down to being the same thing: both are in fact changeable, if in different, subjective ways. With ‘Social Cartesianism’, Haugeland explores the work of three other philosophers, objectifying the reason for his assumptions based on the use of philosophy in language, which all three works – the works of Goodman, Quine and Wittgenstein/Kripke – explore in some form. The reason for this analysis is Cartesian in origin. The first work, by Goodman, is an argument based on defining predicates – accepted rules – and testing the limits of their acceptability, in true, doubtful, Cartesian style. The work of Quine focuses on the elements of translation, of taking personally accepted norms and placing them over a culture with differing norms, thereby defining that culture according to our own way of doing things. Lastly, the debate ventured by Wittgenstein/Kripke is one of skepticism that proposes that all norms are social, not private: â€Å"In sum: if meanings must be normative, but individuals can’t impose norms on themselves, then private, individual meanings are impossible† (Haugeland, p. 219). Haugeland extrapolates that each one of these arguments is fundamentally flawed, based on the conclusion he draws regarding each of the three works’ shortcomings: they all fail to account for the real world, the world that everyone lives in and is affected by. Brandom versus Haugeland Perhaps the most obvious similarity between Brandom and Haugeland’s individual accounts and reasoning is the fact that they approach the same kinds of topics: social situation, individuality, freedom, language and thought. Despite various approaches and held viewpoints, both are compelled to a certain Cartesian way of doing things, of discarding everything or anything that is not beyond doubt and recreating these things anew by using sound reasoning. Brandom is fond of referencing Kant and Hegel and placing them in opposition against each other, most notably in stating their viewpoints from necessity and polarity: Kant held the view that norms dictated freedom and individuality, whereas Hegel was more positive in expressing his views on freedom ultimately determining norms. In a similar fashion, Haugeland approached the subject of norms and normativity, and how they affected individuals, both linguistically and thoughtfully. We will look at the comparison of norms and normativity first, and then spread outward into linguistics and thought. The view of normativity being a deciding factor, most notably on a linguistic basis, for representing the two polarities of norms and facts, is upheld by both philosophers. Brandom sees norms as something which is instituted based on reason, on the idea that they are something that is held by a communal mindset and imposed on the individual. Facts in turn are things which are accepted as a given by not only individuals but also by the community. Focusing on linguistics, Brandom draws on translation, on the action of placing or transposing one set of accepted norms – from, say, one community’s point of view – onto another community’s point of view. Note here that Haugeland also referenced the idea of translation in his critique of Quine’s work. This poses the first real contrast between Brandom and Haugeland’s points of view: Brandom poses the idea that translation promotes assimilation: By translating, rather than causally explaining some performance, we extend our community (the one which engages in the social practices into which we translate the stranger’s behavior) so as to include the stranger, and treat his performances as variants of our own. (1979, p. 191). The act of making something your own, drawing something or someone in from outside your boundaries, speaks of a shift of norms. Logically it can be argued that assimilating something new forces your way of thinking about something to be altered to accommodate what is new, even if what has been absorbed becomes a representation of something completely new and different. In this we see Brandom’s shift to the Hegelian idea of the novel, the new, being created in a positive sense in order to advance and enhance the communal whole. Haugeland contrasts by referencing Quine: â€Å"†¦ although the translations are different, there is no fact as to which of them is the ‘right’ one, because there is no ‘objective matter to be right or wrong about’. † (cited from Haugeland, ). Haugeland would seemingly disagree with Brandom’s use of translation as a means of successfully integrating norms, of taking norm and transforming it into fact. Translation still argues for something similar, not new: it presupposes a universal component that stretches through all languages. Judgment is another key concept, one bound to reason and thought. Brandom cites Kant once more in bringing to the fore the sense that one must act from thought, and that judging and acting requires a commitment, â€Å"staking a claim – undertaking a commitment† (1979, p. 164). Brandom repeats the basis of linguistics, of the game played between people, based on inference and the inherent ability to deduce and conclude. An individual can naturally deduce something spoken or gestured from another individual by making a commitment to do so. This commitment relies heavily on the shared understanding between individuals, the factual norms that are referenced again and again as a means of achieving the communal awareness of similarity. Haugeland agrees here; linguistically, words must have a normal, generic meaning in order for the speaking individual to be understood. There must be common ground. He continues by saying that â€Å"meanings, by their very nature, are normative rules,† and emphasizes this dilemma by citing this example: And the essential problem is that individuals cannot impose norms on themselves. For that would be like taking a dictator, with absolute legal authority, to be bound by her own law. But she can’t really be bound by her own law since, given her authority, if she changes her mind and does something different, that just changes the law – which is equivalent to saying that the law did not bind her in the first place. Similarly †¦ an individual cannot, on his own authority, bind himself by his private norm. (Haugeland, , p. 219). The crux of this comparison between Haugeland and Brandom is that both agree on the fact that law, in a sense, and rules, must be used to bind a norm, albeit a governing one – a norm based on reason. A person cannot be subject to his/her own norms, therefore the norms must be implemented from outside the individual; from the communal. Coming back to the linguistic component again, we can logically assume that language as a means of communication forms a regulating basis here. The words, actions and judgment of others forces a certain conformity, a means whereby an individual can operate and coexist within a community. Thought has always been at the core of the human need to define him/herself. The adage cogito ergo sum (I think therefore I am) has been advanced to more complex statements. Rene Descartes advanced dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum (Latin for I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am) (Persaud, p. 259). Cartesian philosophy dwells deeply on thought processes, so it should be unsurprising that both Brandom and Haugeland spent some thought on the dynamics of applying Cartesian methods on the thought process. Haugeland praised Descartes’ input, going further than the original assumptions made by Descartes and stating that â€Å"The determinacy that matters here concerns not the formal reality of those ideas †¦ but rather their objective reality (roughly their intentional content as representations. ) (Haugeland, , p. 224). In other words, Haugeland implies that human individuals in isolation, as subjectively separate, is fairly unimportant. What matters ultimately is the collective, the union of all individuals in an objective community, not necessarily defined by the community but by their place in it, and their unique contributions to it. Brandom seems to agree by stating: The social dimension of inference [deduction] involved in the communication to others of claims that must be available as reasons [common ground] both to the speaker [individual] and to the audience [collective, community], in spite of differences in collateral commitments, is what underlies the representational dimension of discourse [communication]. (2000, p. 183). Summed up, the previous statement can be matched to Haugeland’s assumptions: the community is not the only important thing, but in order for norms, rules and laws to make sense regarding thought, language and freedom, the community or collective needs to operate on a standard of shared understanding, so that each unique individual can still function and interact with others despite the individuality. Conclusion Through using Cartesian principles regarding the discovery of usefulness, we have come to the conclusion that, with regards to using doubt as a means of determining an outcome or a reality, pragmatism is in fact a necessary element. Reality, as Haugeland would have us believe, is not simply determined by the individuals, communities and their norms only, but rather arises from the world we live in first, before casting a shadow of effects over the individual and the rest. We have argued that Brandom and Haugeland, though often different in their modes of expression and discourse, are nevertheless in agreement on many of the key aspects regarding norms, whether factual or governing, subjective or objective. At the end, Cartesian doubt influences thought, and thought influences language and interaction between people, yielding a collected sense of understanding and finally yielding a system of laws, rules and judgments that govern and regulate society and community. However, in conclusion it is perhaps better to emphasize Hegel’s idealism – as opposed to Kant’s pragmatism: that freedom be positive, to allow for creativity within the system and to not be bound by external causes such as rules and laws only. References Brandom, R. B. (2000). A Social Route from Reasoning to Representing. Articulating Reasons: an Introduction to Inferentialism. Cambridge, Harvard University Press. Brandom, R. B. (1979). Freedom and Constraint by Norms. American Philosophical Quarterly, Volume 16, 13, 87-196. Haugeland, J. (). Social Cartesianism. 213-225. Haugeland, J. (1998). Truth and Rule-following. Having Thought: Essays in the metaphysics of mind. Cambridge, Harvard University Press. Persaud, R. (2002) Ten Books. The British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 181, 258-261, Retrieved May 17, 2008, from http://bjp. rcpsych. org/cgi/content/full/181/3/258. How to cite Critically analyze Brandom and Haugeland’s views regarding Cartesianism, Papers

Corporate Social Responsibility and Its Impact on Society free essay sample

CSR in India and Its Impact on Society Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is about how businesses align their values and behavior with the expectations and needs of stakeholders not just customers and investors, but also employees, suppliers, communities, regulators, special interest groups and society as a whole. CSR describes a companys commitment to be accountable to its stakeholders. With businesses focusing on generating profits, sustainability was not a popular concern among companies up until recently. In this era of globalization, multinational corporations (those that conduct business in more than one country) and local businesses are no longer able to conduct destructive and unethical practices, such as polluting the environment, without attracting negative feedback from the general public. With increased media attention, pressure from non-governmental organizations, and rapid global information sharing, there is a surging demand from civil society, consumers, governments, and others for corporations to conduct sustainable business practices. In addition, in order to attract and retain employees and customers, companies are beginning to realize the importance of being ethical while running their daily operations. The corporate response has often meant an adoption of a new consciousness, and this has been known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) since the 1970s. Key CSR issues include governance, environmental management, stakeholder engagement, labor standards, employee and community relations, social equity, responsible sourcing and human rights. CSR is not only about fulfilling a duty to society; it should also bring competitive advantage. Many CSR initiatives are executed by corporates in partnership with Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are well versed in working with the local communities and are experts in tackling specific social problems. CSR is not a new concept in India. Corporates like the Tata Group, the Aditya Birla Group, and Indian Oil Corporation, to name a few, have been involved in serving the community ever since their inception. Many other organizations have been doing their part for the society through donations and charity events. Today, CSR in India has gone beyond merely charity and donations, and is approached in a more organized fashion. It has become an integral part of the corporate strategy. Companies have CSR teams that devise specific policies, strategies and goals for their CSR programs and set aside budgets to support them. These programs, in many cases, are based on a clearly defined social philosophy or are closely aligned with the companies’ business expertise. Employees become the backbone of these initiatives and volunteer their time and contribute their skills, to implement them. CSR Programs could range from overall development of a community to supporting specific causes like education, environment, healthcare etc. As stated by the department of Trade and Industry in the United Kingdom, CSR represents the integrity with which a company governs itself, fulfills its mission, lives by its values, engages with its stakeholders, measures its impact and reports on its activities. Although most people appreciate the recent advancement of CSR, some argue that corporations are still not doing enough or are only acting in self interest. These people say that multinational corporations are acting ethically in areas that are highly regulated, such as North America, but at the same time, they are acting in an opposite manner in other parts of the world (such as using cheap or child labour). In addition, while corporations must have good CSR policies in order to maintain their reputation, they are also expected to maximize profits for stakeholders such as shareholders, employees, and customers. Therefore, people argue that businesses do not put in a sufficient amount of resources to achieve what they have promised in their CSR policies. ITC’S CSR Initiative One of the leading example of CSR in india is ITC’s Agri Business Division, one of India’s largest exporters of agricultural commodities, has conceived e-Choupal as a more efficient supply chain aimed at delivering value to its customers around the world on a sustainable basis. GlaxoSmithKline CSR Initiative On the other hand GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals’ CSR programs primarily focus on health and healthy living. They work in tribal villages where they provide medical check-up and treatment, health camps and health awareness programs. They also provide money, medicines and equipment to non-profit organizations that work towards improving health and education in under-served communities. IPCA Laboratories Ltd, CSR Initiatives: Healthcare, Education The company is committed to good corporate citizenship. As a part of its corporate social responsibility, the company has undertaken a range of activities in respect of healthcare and education to improve living conditions of people living in the neighborhood of its manufacturing facilities It has also supported several healthcare and educational projects undertaken by charitable institutions and organizations. The company considers safety, environment and health as the management responsblity. Regular employee training carried out in the manufacturing facilities on safety and environment. Indian Oil Limited, CSR Initiatives: At Indian Oil, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been the cornerstone of success right from inception in the year 1964. Every year, Indian Oil sets aside a fixed portion of its profits for spreading smiles in millions of lives across the country through a comprehensive community welfare and development programme. About one-fourth of the community development funds are spent on the welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries. Indian Oil’s community-focused initiatives include allotment of petrol/diesel station dealerships and LPG distributorships to beneficiaries from among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, physically handicapped, ex-servicemen, war widows, etc. The Corporation has also unveiled kisan seva kendras as small-format retail outlets to reach quality products and services to people in the rural areas. Indian Oil has also set up the Indian Oil Foundation (IOF) as a non-profit trust to protect, preserve and promote national heritage monuments. The Corporation also supports a variety of endeavors in arts, culture, music and dance, apart from organizing programmes on its own under the banners of Indian Oil Art Exhibition, Indian Oil Sangeet Sabha and Indian Oil Kavi Sammelan. â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility Practices in India sets a realistic agenda of grassroots development through alliances and partnerships with sustainable development approaches.

Essay On Independent learning free essay sample

Furthermore the Teaching and Learning in 2020 Review Group (2006, 6) provide a definition of personalizing learning, which could be adapted into a perception of independent learning, Learners are active and curious: they create their own hypotheses, ask their own questions, coach en another, set goals for themselves, monitor their progress and experiment with ideas for taking risks, knowing that mistakes and being stuck are part of learning.There are many benefits and barriers to the implementation of independent learning, specifically within the context of the initial training of Communication Systems Operators including the delivery of training at the strategic level, the role of instructors and their relationship with students, the learning environment and resources for the promotion of independent learning and the potential effects of independent learning for students.This essay examines these areas, and shows that many of the barriers for the implementation Of independent learni ng are relevant for Operators; however, in discussing the benefits it appears that independent learning should play a role in the initial training of Communication Systems Operators. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay On Independent learning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page To enable effective independent learning, not only students require the necessary skills, but teachers have need of skills and strategies to promote independent learning (HE 2012). Teachers require the support of the establishment providing appropriate guidance to managers and head cheers within a whole-school policy (Meyer et al, 2008, 3-4). To discern the role of independent learning within the Communication Systems Operator training both benefits and challenges must be realized. The benefits of independent learning are easily recognizable and have been well documented, the majority of benefits for students include, higher academic performance, choosing their own learning style, increased motivation and confidence. This allows students to set their own goals and reinforces what has been learnt in the classroom environment (Meyer et al, 2008, 6; Ceil Language support Network, 2000; candy, 1991).Residential based whole-class learning has a number of barriers to independent learning, Meyer et al (2008, 1) describes One particular barrier as learning being restricted due to being teacher directed. A further barrier described by L akin (201 3, 103-104) are that students may not have the accessibility needed to access information, as the student may not have the cognitive level required in making sense of the information. Fin ally students may not have the correct study skills required, being relatively young, spending less time studying, as with more mature students that have a higher degree of autonomy (Morris, 01 1, 64).Therefore, this can be reflected in the initial training of Communication Systems Operators, which is residential, whole-class learning with an average age of 19 years (DISCS JUST, 2011, 60). Key to the promotion of independent learning is the implementation Of whole-school policy at the strategic level, which currently does not exist in any of the mandated policy documentation that govern the initial training of Communication Systems Operators (Meyer et al, 2008, 8). A paper by DISCS (2013) indicates the challenges to the approach of affordability in times ofDefense financial austerity and how the establishment will move toward contain joyously improving training outputs, by updating training using new technology and learning strategies with the reduction of a number of instructor posts. Now is potentially the time to invest in independent learning as by doing so it lessens the need for students to have direct instructor intervention, with students finding and using learning materials independently creating more cost-effective instruction (Twig, 1995).Not only is the support of the establishment important, but both the allegations of the teacher and the student to succe ssfully promote independent learning (Meyer et al, 2008, 2). To overcome some barriers with independent learning, the teachers must understand that independent learning does not undermine their role as instructors, they must overcome the necessity to direct learning in the traditional method and be open minded to new developing methods of learning (Meyer et al, 2008, 8).To achieve this approach instructors need to be trained in the skills, moving from time taken to usually instruct to time and effort to support the student in learning (Await and Knight, 1996, 73). Particular skills needed for promoting independent learning are not available to Royal School of Signals instructors. Mandated training through DISCS management policies require instructors to complete the Defense Train the Trainer Instructor course conducted at the Army Staff Leadership School where emphasis is placed upon Duty of Care and not the promotion of independence (MOD, 201 2; MOD, 2011).Independent learning not only requires the relationship between the students and instructors, but the physical learning environment, its structure and atmosphere must support independent learning (Keenest, 1987, 21). A study by Broad (2006, 130) posed the question of which environment best gives the most independence, finding that class-based environments are bound by the teacher and resources available, giving less opportunities for independent learning than if learning was conducted in an open environment.It is the authors experience with the learning environment of Communication Systems Operators, finding that attending classes and studying are a regimental activity, something they are forced to do. Th e students must go to lessons, do revision and learn the lesson, as this is what they are paid to do. Many will feel that the students have limited control, which is in the hands of the instructors and in order to become independent learners, students need to develop uncontrolled motivation; developed by instructors, allowing students to set themselves particular goals for the present and future (Skunk et al, 2007, 160-161).Included within the learning environment is the availability of resources and the strictly controlled time environment for Communication System Operators undergoing training. All facilities for learning are strictly controlled due to both the sensitive nature and set times for access, not usually outside f the delivered daily timetable placing boundaries for learning (Macbeth, 1993).Macbeth (1993) also describes the importance of the behavior setting where students have a place where conduct is expected for learning, for example a library, that has the available resources in a central location to which resources are unobtainable elsewhere. Unfortunately the nature of the resources and the practical requirements of the operator course could not allow students to have unrestricted access to sensitive material; students must be supervised (DISCS, 201 1).This is not to say of course that those heretical study requirements could not be met, with some investment of changes to the learning environment within the Royal School of Signals, introducing a central location for the fulfillment of independent learning. The importance of independent learners cannot be f ully described within the limits of this essay; however its value goes beyond that of learning alone, society values individuals who can freely respond to change, being able to better accomplish their roles as workers when they are independent learners (Keenest, 1987).This ability to adapt is important to the role of Operators in avian to perform acquired skills in all weather conditions, by day and by night and essentially during military Operations in environments of conflict, both as an individual and as a member of a team (Capability Directorate Information, 2012). Increase motivation, confidence and the ability to set goals, further emphasis the conditions to which Royal Signals Operators are more than capable of fulfilling and therefore achieving learner independence could play a vital role in the application of training. This however cannot be achieved without the motivation of students, which plays an important role Mega et al, 2013). Students that are used to the classroom setting, can find that it provides the required motivation, structure and accountability, where in the initial training environment newly inducted soldiers have been motivated from the day of joining by instructors and not reliant on self- motivation in the achievement of goals. Without this influence students may abuse the freedoms that would be associated with the introduction of independent learning, making the implementation impossible (Meyer et al, 2008, 7).It is clear, therefore that independent learning can not only be valued by society, but the training of Communication System Operators, but this requires the skills to be effective in ensuring that the benefits are not abused. The relative young age of students could have an impact on the effectiveness of autonomy, with students being used to whole-class learning. In addi tion to the student, the school requires a whole-school policy assisting instructors to promote independent learning, providing those essential skills that are yet to be invested in.Furthermore, cost reduction should be considered, especially in times of austerity for the military producing cost-effective instruction, educing the over reliance on teacher lead instruction. Finally change is required to promote the learning environment, providing key resources for theoretical elements of the training. Barriers will always exist for any establishment to promote independent learning, however; further studies to identify the potential barriers and benefits will allow recognition of the importance of independent learning for the initial training of Communication System Operators.

Roman Colusseum Essays - Violence In Sports, Titus, Free Essays

Roman Colusseum Essays - Violence In Sports, Titus, Free Essays Roman Colusseum Architecture of the ancient Roman Empire is considered one of the most impressive of all time. The city of Rome once was home to more than one million residents in the early centuries AD1. The Romans had a fine selection of building monuments in the city of Rome including the forums for civic services, temples of worship, and amphitheaters for recreation and play. The Romans made great use and pioneered great architecture mechanisms including arches, columns, and even mechanical elements in pulleys and early elevators. However, when one tends to think of great buildings, one building stands out in Rome. This building is the Flavian Amphitheatre, or better known as the Colosseum. When discussing such a great monument such as the Colosseum, it is very important to realize the time, place, and culture in wish it stood to fully understand both its form and function. In the beginnings, Rome was both influenced by the Etruscans of the North and Greeks of Italy and South but had its basic roots from a long time of Samnite domination2. The Etruscans were that of an interesting type as described by Peter Quennell: The Etruscans...combined a passionate devotion to the ordinary pleasures of life with a haunting fear of death. They were cruel, too, and deeply superstitious...their victims were ordered to fight among themselves until the last had fallen. The Etruscans would have a strong impression in Roman lifestyles and philosophies. For example, the purple robe worn by leaders would be later adopted by the Romans. They also were the influence which brought gladiatorial battles of sacrifice into the Roman culture. This was a time of blood thirsty humans who loved the site of battle. Even an early christian named Alypius proclaimed that he took away with him a mad passion which prodded him not only to return (to gladatior events) with those by whom he had first been forced in, but even ahead of them and dragging in others.3 This was a time of paganism, which meant sacrifice and death. Early christians were persecuted for their beliefs in the first few centuries. Clearly in Rome, the focus was not only on religion or the emporer, but we have a focus on leisure and activities. It is said that of a three-hundred and sixty-five day year that one-hundred and fifty days were celebrated as regular holidays, with over ninety days given up t o games4. This type of lifestyle would dominate the cities and architecture of the Romans for some time to come. The people of Rome enjoyed theatres, battles, races, baths, comical events, and of course the game of death. There were many forums, temples, and many amphitheaters in the history of Rome, however only a few stand out even today. The Colosseum is the greatest standing building of Rome, and one of the most recognized worldwide architectural achievements to this day. The amphitheater is a type of architecture that was without Greek precedents. This makes sense since its primary purpose was to hold gladitiator fights and brutal shows which were banned in Athens at the time. Such events held in Roman amphitheaters were horseracing, gymnastics, mock cavalry battles, footraces, prizefighting, wrestling, fights between animals, between men, animals and men, and even naumachiae, or mock sea battles5. One of the first amphitheaters was the Pompeian amphitheater of Pompeii of 30 BC. Like the Colosseum, it was oval in plan. It was supported on great masses of solid earth pierced by a broad corridor at each end. Stone seats were added at one time but most spectators sat on the earth or wooden chairs. Although this amphitheater was a great innovation, it would be eclipsed by the Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the C olosseum. The great building although fitting and plain in design to its surroundings of Rome still stood out due to its sheer monstrosity and oval shape. Although the site viewed today is still a marvel, back in the days of its prime it was a spectacular site that would be difficult to apprehend with only words[TVK1]. [TVK2] The city which held the great structure was full of great examples of the use of arches, columns from every order, and of course sheer size. When traveling the

A critique of Music Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A critique of Music - Assignment Example The Quintet uses a typical four movement format with Allegro, Larghetto, Menuetto and Allegretto giving variation in mood and pace back and forth from fast to slow. Like most classical pieces, there is a clear development in a straight line from start to finish, with repetition here and there which gives it a regular structure. Mozart uses chromatic harmonies but they are not allowed to dominate. One of the most noticeable features of the orchestration is how the clarinet and the other instruments alternate, as if they are playing with each other. A good example of this is the second movement which starts with the clarinet and cello, goes on to use clarinet and violin, and carries on with these changes so that the clarinet pops in and out of the music. It is not just a main clarinet with strings accompanying it. All of the instruments take over the melody and then give it back to the clarinet. The greatest strength of the piece is the lyrical voice of the clarinet which is fully used in all its range and flexibility. If it has a weakness, it is the adherence to the classical format, which is perhaps a little bit predictable. The piece is one of my favourites, especially the second movement because of the sadness that is pouring out of it. According to Wold and others (p. 233) Mozart is â€Å"the most nearly perfect musical creator in the history of Western music† and this quintet is one of his most popular and most perfect compositions and so it is unlikely that it will ever be

Writing Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Writing Assignment - Essay Example The period spanned from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century as a cultural movement that began in Italy before spreading to other parts of the world. In the arts, the period marked the rebirth of both knowledge and the representation of the same in art. The Renaissance represented the end of the middle ages thus making the development of the modern day arts (Klaus 43). Artists that thrived in the period perfected in the use of different elements of arts including space and perspective. Among the most prominent artists of the period were the Italian Giotto di Bondone, Jan Van Eyck and Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino commonly known as Raphael. Each of the artists perfected in different types of arts such as painting and sculpting. In developing their artifacts, they each developed their own critical criticism of the societies and the existing authorities thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge. As Renaissance artists, they used such features of arts as space and perspectiv e differently thereby communicating different messages in their creations. Perspective refers to an individual’s viewpoint on an issue, it is an opinion that one holds on a particular topic thereby influencing his or her presentation of the same. From the definition, perspective thus becomes relative. The different works of the above three artists portray the relativity of perspective as they employed the element in their works. Space on the other hand refers to the portrayal of nothingness; it is an element in arts that help artists develop their concepts. The Renaissance period marked the rebirth of knowledge implying that the period was characterized by development in different aspects of the society. Artists epitomized the development by creating different artifacts. The three artists above were all painters and portrayed their messages creatively depicting space and using perspective to help convey their messages. Giotto for example developed several paintings in which h e portrays his own perspective of the cultural features of the society. In these, he represents space, the boundless three-dimensional amount occupied by objects. One of such works is the painting known as the Marriage at Cana. In the painting, Giotto represents his perspective of the important cultural practice, marriage. The artist portrays the right of passage so exquisitely that it gives details of all the important aspects of the cultural ceremony. In doing this, he portrays a three-dimensional feel of the room; he develops the ceremonial feel of the occasion portraying the importance of the practice. Space helps communicate as it represents the quantity of luxury that characterizes the occasion. Additionally the exquisite portrayal and use of space help communicate the artist’s perspective of the occasion thereby using such to assign the occasion the reputation he felts it deserves. The portrayal of the marriage ceremony is relative since not every marriage had a simila r theme at the time. The artist includes religious leaders at the occasion to help attribute the importance of religion and religious leaders in the process of sanctifying such a union. Jan Van Eyck just as any other artist of the time employed the prevailing technologies to develop his painting. He develops most of his paintings on long lasting materials such as hides and canvas. The artist developed several paintings on which he portrays the relativity of perspective of the trending social and cultural features of the time. He contributed to the development of knowledge as he often forwent classical idealization for faithful observation of nature. One of such works in which he port

HRD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HRD - Essay Example Different strategies are widely used by organizations to help individuals realize their full potential for working so that it will foster the individuality and yet enhance the effectiveness within particular contexts. Swanson and Holton (p. 4) defined HRD as an HRM strategy that focuses on developing and unleashing knowledge, skill and expertise for the purpose of improving individual, team, work process and organizational system performance. According to this definition, HRD is an approach to create and foster high performance working in an organization. International Labour Organisation (p. 1) emphasized that HRD involves issues such as education, training, recruitment, staffing, performance and career development etc. All the different development programs can improve work-standard of the people in an organization, and as a result, the organization would be able to achieve high performance working, as pointed out in the definition of Swanson and Holton. What makes human capital the more powerful assets in the organization? It is the knowledge they have, the skill they are born with, the abilities expertise they earned and so on. Physical development of the human resources in an organization is not as significant as developing their knowledge, skill and expertise. Organizations need to improve these qualities of human capital as these can increase the productivity, work standard and thus to achieve high performance working as well. As Reid, Barrington and Brown (p. 12- 14) education, training, skill-development are some of the main elements in the HRD that are meant to improve the quality human resources. It is simply a strategic approach to effectively utilizing the

Fashion buyer

Fashion buyer Introduction Fashion buyers role is to monitoring the development of a product range targeted at a specific market group and price range. In a small company, buyer may also be involved in the creative and technical areas of developing a product, therefore one criteria to be a buyer is to have product knowledge. The goal of buyer is to deliver consumers a garment with satisfactory in appearance, fit, comfort, quality and price. Technology is said to be the â€Å"foundation of all jobs within the fashion business†. Indeed, technology is extensively used in different processes in the textile pipeline, from fibre to clothing and to consumer. For hundred years, development of fibres and fabrics with specific functions and machineries has been heavily dependent on technology. Digital systems such as CAD are introduced to the design and product development processes. Technology is also essential for communication between retailers, manufacturers and consumers. This study is to evaluate the performance of fabrics during manufacture and use, processes involved in the creation of a garment, the impact of human measurement on the provision of adequate sizing and how CAD system is applied in the stages of product development and visualization and to analyze how technology influents fashion buyers decision on range planning. Creation of garment Before production of garment takes place, the stage of design, product development and sourcing should be completed and provided that all the materials have arrived. There are several processes encompassed in the creation of a garment; beginning with spreading and cutting fabrics, sewing, wet processing and finally applying pressing. Generally before cutting, fabrics including body and interlining, need to be spread and or pre-washed if required, can then be cut into parts and panels, which spreading and cutting can be done by computer-controlled machinery in mass-production and manually for sampling. Spreading is defined as the process of â€Å"superimposing lengths of fabrics on a cutting table† by Glock and Kunz (2005, 402), and â€Å"fabrics may be spread face up, face down or face to face† for there are directional fabrics such as velvet, corduroy and fake fur, even with one or two-way prints and stripes, depending which direction they are viewed and it is important to be distinguished as this will affect the aesthetics of the finished product. Applications of interfacing, which is defined by Frings (2008, p164) â€Å"is a layer of fabric placed directly under the garment fabric for structuring and support†, may be required in different parts such as waistband and pocket openings of a garment especially tailored, helping to maintain shapes and eliminating damages on fabric from radical stretching. Interfacing is also one example of trimmings, and â€Å"use of trimmings varies with each segment of the industry.† (Frings, 2008) Functional trimmings such as elastics and zippers are widely used in sportswear, and decorative trimmings such as embroidery and buttons may be used in childrens wear making the products look more attractive. Stitches are applied to assembling the parts and panels together into pieces. According to British Standard 3870-1:1991, stitches are divided into 6 classes. Class 100 Chain stitch: Brown and Rice (2001) indicated it is flexible but also unravels easily by pulling one end of the thread, mainly used for making button holes. Class 200 Hand stitch: mostly for decorative uses Class 300 Lock stitch: widely used in industry with no problem of seam grin, but puckering, however, more secure and good for setting zippers and pockets. Class 400 Multi-thread chain stitch: can be combined with Class 500 integrating safety stitches with stretchiness. Class 500 Overedge chain stitch: widely used in knitwear industry due to its extensibility Class 600 Covering chain stitch: very extensive and strong and used especially for knitted fabrics. There are variations of stitch types providing different level of functional performance, comfort as well as attractiveness and decision on which types to use is determined by the type of fabric used and purpose of the end product. For example, the combination safety stitch 401.503 is most commonly used for security and neatens the cut edges of both knitted and woven fabrics; hand stitching using thick, colourful threads is very decorative especially for childrens wear. However, sewing faults such as seam puckering and grin, even damages on fabrics may be caused by insufficient use of stitches, thread tensions and machine needles. Moreover, it is mentioned by Chuter (1995, p136) â€Å"a mismatch between thread and fabric causes puckers on washing†, especially for products need to undertake wet processing as a finishing, therefore choice of thread has to be careful particularly in a product designed with decorative stitches, because it cannot be mended once the damages are mad e unless taking out all the seams and start sewing again. The principle of pressing is defined by Cooklin (1997) that is to remove creases from a garment by application of heat, steam and pressure, in order to create a desired final appearance of a product. Pressing may apply during the process of assembling to open seams, or press a hem. However, condition of pressing varies from different fabrics; for example, cotton and linen fabrics requires a hot iron, and can be pressed on the right and the wrong sides, whereas fabrics made from synthetic fibres require a cool iron or they will melt under too much heat. Process of pressing should be held by experts avoiding damages on products. From fibres to fabrics Textile fibres are the basic unit of a garment, contributing to aesthetics, durability, comfort and appearance of a garment. Fibres can be divided into 2 categories, natural and man-made. Natural fibres come from plants consisting of cellulose and animals consisting of protein; cotton, flax, wool and silk are the most commonly used in knitting fabrics. All natural fibres are spun into staple, short fibre yarns (except silk, a filament, long fibre yarn) through specific spinning system accordingly (See Figure 4). Yarns can be twisted into 2 directions: Z for cotton and linen and S for woolen and worsted. It is clarified by Elsasser (2005, p113) that â€Å"twist direction does not affect quality in single yarns.† Man-made fibres, also called manufactured, mentioned by Eberle (2004) can be classified further into cellulosic and synthetics, such as viscose, polyester and nylon, are produced through technology from chemicals (petroleum) and natural sources (wood) that cannot be used in original form, and then into yarns. Elsasser (2005, p14) stated that â€Å"Science and technology have allowed people to create fibres to meet specific end-use applications. For example, the nylon used in auto mobile tired is very different from the nylon used in hosiery.† Several man-made fibres are produced to be substitute of particular natural fibres due to economical and environmental factors; for instance, viscose, a manufactured (regenerated) cellulosic fibre made from natural fibres to chemical solution then extruded through spinneret, is also called â€Å"artificial silk† (Elsasser, 2005) for its fineness and luster and it is very much less expensive than silk; acrylic, a synthetic fibre, ha s properties closely resemble those of wool. Subsequently man-made fibres are spun and twisted into filament yarns by different spinning systems according to fibre type, such as melt spinning, dry spinning, wet spinning (see Figure 5) and many others, which can then be constructed into fabrics and used in wide range of apparels. The most common methods of forming a fabric are weaving and knitting, however non-woven fabrics are also widely used in textile industry. Woven fabrics are constructed in an interlacing structure with 2 sets of threads, which is firm and strong with the least stretch; three basic weaves are plain (e.g. chiffon), twill (e.g. herringbone and denim) and satin. Whereas knitted fabrics can be made by machine and hand, are formed with an interlocking structure in weftwise or warpwise direction by loops of threads, allowing significant stretch and drape but can easily lose shape; three basic knits are single jersey, rib and purl. â€Å"The structure of a fabric, or how it is fabricated, affects its aesthetic and functional performance.† (Brown and Rice, 2001) As well as the structure, fibres carrying different properties determine the performance of a fabric, and thereby different end uses. Elsasser (2005) suggested properties of a fibre maybe classified as physical, mechanical, chemical and environmental. â€Å"Physical properties are properties that can be evaluated with the naked eye or with a microscope† (Elsasser, 2005, p14) including cross section (see Figure 7), covering power, hand, luster and pilling propensity. Abrasion resistance, dimensional stability and resiliency are examples of mechanical properties of that can be determined under textile testing procedures. For example, cotton is soft and comfortable, which can be knitted into a lightweight single jersey fabric making into underwear or a heavyweight denim fabric making into jeans; polyester has a high level of resistance to crea ses and water, it can be knitted to make sportswear, outerwear. â€Å"Chemical properties of a fibre determine how it will react when it is exposed to the many substances used in production and in cleaning (Elsasser, 2005, p22) including absorbency and flammability. Environmental properties are the sensitivity of a fibre to climate and insects. â€Å"Most authorities agree that the colour or printed design of a fabric is the most important factor in the customers decision to purchase apparel of furnishings,† expressed by Elsasser (2005, p172). Brown and Rice (2001, p183) mentioned that â€Å"fabrics can be dyed in the fibre, yarn, fabrics, of garment stage† by dyeing and printing. Dyeing is to be processed by soluble colourants penetrating colours to the core of fibres, and printing is adding colours onto fabrics by pigment, insoluble colourants. There are always some instinctive disadvantages of fibres such as cotton wrinkles very easily; combination of fibres knitted into fabrics is one way of offsetting, at the same time enhancing the fabric with better function and performance. For example, polyester is blended with cotton to provide a certain level of crease resistance to a fabric and improve durability; viscose blending with cotton providing a silky appearance. â€Å"Finishes give textile products properties they do not possess naturally† said Elsasser (2005, p189). Besides blending, weaknesses of fibres maybe overcome by mechanical and chemical finishing processes modifying surface, wearing properties and aftercare. Mechanical finishing includes calendering, raising, cropping and compressive shrinkage, which require machinery to achieve. Chemical finishing includes mothproofing, crease recovery, anti static, flame retardant. Calendering is often applied for a smooth surface if the fabric needs to be printed; moth proofing is most likely to apply on woollen products as a finish. Consumers become more concerned about the quality of textile products nowadays, quality of a garment can be controlled by inspecting raw materials and finished products; a set of lab tests and inspections are carried out to assure the quality â€Å"indicating factors such as fabric and seam strength, colourfastness, shrinkage, and other properties† suggested by Kothari (1999, p7) and there are authorities such as British Standards Institute and International Standards Organization to standardize the levels on test methods, performance and the specification. Sizing â€Å"Body type is the fundamental basis of sizing systems. For apparel sizing, body types are classified by body proportions as related to age and gender† indicated by Glock and Kunz (2005, p139), for example toddlers, juniors and women, there are also additional body types classified as petite, tall or plus sizes. It is suggested by Brown and Rice (2001) that age, sex and body types group together into classification generating the sizing system including a size range and there are sizing methods for the majority mass-produced clothing, e.g. size code. Size code can be expressed in letter (S, M, L) or number forms (10, 12, 14), which represents general body size, however, different numbers or letters are used in a particular garment, for example, in mens dress shirts, sizes are indicated according to the collar and the sleeve length measurements such as 16-34. According to the British Standard of body measurement, size code of the garment should be indicated clearly on a label and securely attached to where it is easily readable on the garment. Brown and Rice soon argued it is lack of standardization on apparel sizing and the numerical codes do not necessarily indicate adequate sizes for many female consumers. Glock and Kunz (2005; p141) enlightened that â€Å"size alone does not determine garment fit. Fit is how a garment conforms to or differs from the body. Fit is sometimes described as garment ‘cut. A well-cut garment conforms to the body in a comfortable and flattering manner.† Silhouette of a garment is often determined by anthropometrics, which is a set of measurement of human body establishing the size, shape and proportion of the body in order to provide and improve for better fit, physical comfort and performance of a garment. Fit is evaluated by Brown and Rice (2005) that can be controlled by five elements: grain, set, line, balance and ease. In order to establishing a good fit, the grain line of fabric needs to be parallel to the length of body; bias may be cut to achieve special effects. A garment with poor set will have wrinkles and folds pinpointing the locations of the fit problem, which the wrinkles caused cannot be eliminated by ironing. Twisted side seams is one example of distortion of the structural lines of the garment where side seams are meant to be hanging down and perpendicular to the floor and this may be caused by poor design or construction. Garments should balance from the front, back or sides and follow the silhouette of the body. Garment containing adequate ease should allow room for ordinary movements such as walking and breathing, and yet it is sometimes a style for a garment to be designed and made with extra fullness. In addition, stretch fabrics are particularly selected for conforming the exact body silhouette than rigid fabrics and manipulation of body scanning technology is introduced in recent years, obtaining more than a hundred measurements of a body in only few seconds and provided with this data, an absolute fit garment can be produced. CAD CAD (Computer Aided Design), an interactive computer design system extensively used in the clothing and textiles industry, is often used together with CAM (Computer Aided Manufacture). They can be distinguished by â€Å"CAD is generally used to support the creative processes in the design studio and CAM is used in the manufacturing process to control machinery or system (such as grading, lay planning or pattern cutting).† (Gray, 1998, p2) and it is suggested by Aldrich (1992, p84) that it has â€Å"an ability to simulate visual impressions†. CAD technology was originally developed for textile industry, and soon introduced into all processes in clothing industry â€Å"from apparel and textile design, pattern making, grading, garment production through to merchandising and data management.†(Burke, 2006, p157) The first stage in the process is often apparel and textile design. Designers uses CAD system in creating fashion illustration by simulating and designing textiles (wovens, knits, prints) and sketching silhouette of garments, presenting visual images of moodboards, colour palettes, fabric swatches, fabric draping, trims, embroidery motifs, stitch structures, scanning and editing images as well as producing higher quality of printouts. Pattern creation is the next stage in the clothing process. As CAD is a computerized system, it enables technicians â€Å"to scan, digitize in or create pattern blocks on screen and redesign pattern pieces where necessary† (Aldrich, 1992, p95), which makes pattern making very much convenience than it was before. Once the basic pattern is digitized into the computer and by inputting a size chart, â€Å"grading, or how each pattern shape changes to allow for different sizes, is automatically achieved.† (Aldrich, 1992, p83) With the digitalized system of pattern developing and grading, a lay plan (also called a marker), which is a cutting template, can then easily be generated of how the patterns should be laid out together â€Å"as closely and efficiently as possible† (Eberle, 2004, p145) to maximized usage of the fabric during the manufacturing process. Depending on the width of the fabric and pattern sizes, the lay can be planned into single size or multi-size. In addition, CAD is also used throughout the supply chain for communication between retailers, suppliers and customers. CAD can be integrated with other information technology systems, generating 2D designs to 3D, carrying out processes excluded in design and manufacturing stage, such as collecting sales orders and controlling stock as well as planning and visualizing shop floor layouts. Discussion Being a fashion buyer, there are some crucial factors of technology which have to be taken into consideration when a new range of products is under development. In term of range, every season retailers have various product categories as ‘fashion, ‘seasonal and ‘staple styles, different terminology maybe used in different retailers, such as ‘classic or ‘key items. Seasonal items are designed in specific themes for weather changes and traditional events including Halloween, Christmas and Easter, usually individual collection is designed for each category. Staple items are usually the basic styles selling in the previous season with more or less the same fitting however minor changes, such as style (from crew neck to V-neck) and colour combos. Fashion items are the unique and trendy items in the collection which only sell for a particular season and buyers are responsible for the selection of the collection including the outlook of items, fabrics used, colo urways by forcasting future trends. Goworek (2001, p20) defined range planning is that â€Å"the stage where buyers define the detail of the range that is to be offered to the customer in terms of styling, fabric, design details, suppliers and prices.† In the stage of planning, buyer needs to make decisions on the followings: Theme, fabrics, trims, patterns and colours to be used in each style; depending on what season and style the garment is in, different types of fabrics and colours may apply accordingly achieving specific outlooks. Size range for individual styles; most of the retailers usually have specific target market groups which the size range is based. However measurements sometimes vary slightly for fashion items. Range selection; the styles to be manufactured, the amount and ratio of styles such as tops and bottoms to be included in each category collection; there are usually hundreds of styles designed every season and only 60-70 styles are in final production list. Origin of the products; buyer considers the techniques to be used in the garments and decides where to place the bulk orders according to the manufacturers capabilities. Selling price; price to be sold in the stores â€Å"A product at any level must achieve the correct balance between price, quality, creativity and wearability†, said by Tungate (2004, p226). â€Å"Quality of textile and apparel products can prove decisive in the success or failure of companies in the fiercely competitive global market† stated by Kothari (1999, p1). Quality to the consumers means fitness for purpose such as comfort, warmth. Comfort can be performed by different sectors of a garment: fabrics, and design fitting. Fabric is the main component for comfort, which influences the presentation of a garment at the same time. Inadequately used fabric may result in not selling, for example an evening gown designed to be shiny and drapes well should use satin or silk not twill fabric, as the garment is worn next to skin, twill fabric is not appropriate for its surface is rough and uncomfortable to wear. Being attractively dressed is not the only reason for people to wear clothes; functional properties such as protection and keeping body warm is also a crucial factor and fabric should be appropriately used in apparel, additional finishing can be applied depending on purpose of garment, may be for different events and weathers, for example, a rain coat should have a waxed finish on the fabric surface protecting body from wet. Therefore, fabric sourcing is an essential process for new development; buyers should have background and update knowledge on fibres and fabrics as there is â€Å"continuous development of specialized fibers or fabrics for specific functions† (Kim and Johnson, 2009), as well as the technology in manufacturing. Since buyers may not be an expert on textiles, designer and the fabric technologists usually participate in the stage of fabric sourcing, it is important to distinguish the fibre contents and the constructions of a fabric as it is under British Standard that the fibre content must be clearly and accurately shown on a label stating what the garment was made of as well as the care instructions. Quality of the fabrics is tested by the authorized laboratory such as SGS, ITS ensuring fabrics achieving the standard of certain requirements in order to satisfy consumers. Brown and Rice (2001, p183) pointed out that â€Å"dyeing and printing are merchandising decisions as much as technical decisions because colour is critical to consumers when considering which garment to purchase.† When consumers first walk into shops, the first component appears to them is colour and the patterns of the garment. Buyers should always keep track on the fashion trend and the latest technology of dyeing and printing as well as competitors movements before making decisions as wrong decisions made may result in no sales and lose money, it is clearly shown by the failure case study of Marks and Spencer choosing the colour ‘grey to be the theme colour of its products. On the other hand, when making decisions, buyers should take into account the cost of the finishings needed to be applied to the fabrics and products, some finishings require special machinery for which not every manufacturer will have and for those who have, will demand a higher price for produci ng. For example, an additional cost of mercerizing process will be added to manufacturing the cotton fabric. Also, most of the time, fabrics are to be dyed into required colours and the cost of the fabric should include the dyeing cost, however for a product designed with garment dye finishing will cost more as manufacturers do not own a dyeing mill. Labour cost will also includes due to the constructions of the products using complicated machinery such as the cost of sewing in lock stitch will be less than sewing five-thread decorative overlock stitch. Cost can be eliminated in such minor sections to keep the whole production cost down, for one of the duties of buyer is to keep manufacturing cost down in order to make most profit for the company. Manually prototypes are manufactured with designated materials, colours and prints, then fitted on a model for buyers and designers reviewing if there should be any amendments, and while clothing designers use CAD systems together with other IT systems such as V-stitcher to perform ideas and stimulate designs by editing details, it is a more convenience and less time-consuming way to visual prototypes and change the materials, colourways, print patterns, trims and even the silhouette of a garment in a 2D and 3D computerized system as efficiency is crucial in this fast fashion industry. However, these digital systems are not affordable for every company. Consumers are concerned about apparel sizing and fit, they tend to purchase garments make them look well dressed and it is indicated by Brown and Rice (2005, p154) that â€Å"manufacturers aim to produce apparel that consistently fits their target market because apparel that fits increases sales and customer satisfaction† as well as gaining customer loyalty for they can expect to find a good fit as found before. The size range of garments available in store maybe different between retailers depending on what their target customer is. Moreover, garment measurements also vary between styles according to the perception of fashion, for example, the latest trend for womens top is oversized, measurement on shoulder of the fashion items will be bigger than a basic crew neck t-shirt. In order to achieve good fit, 3D body scanner can be applied to collect measurements of a model in the retailers target market group and transferring into computer data and collaborating technology of body scanning and V-stitcher, an avatar representing specific target market group is developed in V-stitcher system. Together with CAD system, where patterns are prepared, designers and buyers can review the styles on the avatar by different poses and movement and amend the fitting if necessary. Constructions of a garment can also be demonstrated in this collaboration system by putting specification of stitches and seams onto the prototypes. Nevertheless, it is difficult to examine the suitability use of stitches and seams without an actual finished prototype is produced. Conclusion This study illustrated the application of technology in the clothing and apparel industry from fibres to fabrics and to finished products, it is indeed used throughout all stages by designers, buyers and manufactures with digital and manual systems. Fibres and fabrics are being developed continuously, design and product development processes are becoming more and more dependent on the digital technology systems as demonstrated by Lectra, it is very useful to creating all the virtual images of designs, colourways and materials and generating into a collection in a computerized system. Technology is demonstrated as an advancement of this fast fashion industry. In order to success in the new product development, fashion buyers are responsible for making decisions for a complete collection of styles, based on researching the market for the latest trends, the consumer behaviours, and the most important is the application of technology. Design may be the key factor of a successful product, however, will not succeed without assistance with technology. The key elements of technology that influents fashions buyers decision in a new product development will be the technology achieving better fit and better quality to a garment.

Assistive Technology for Computing Essay -- Essays Papers

Assistive Technology for Computing One thing that programmers generally don’t take into account when they’re typing out code is "How accessible is my program or website going to be for someone who’s impaired in some way?" Unfortunately, this has become a problem in our society which many people are hoping to fix. Already, there’s a huge assortment of products - software, hardware, accessories, etc. - to accommodate those with impairments or disabilities of every sort. Here, we will see the technology in current use that is making computing more universal. Why Do We Need Assistive Technology? If you can imagine being an impaired person trying to use a computer, you might imagine that life could become very difficult. People with disabilities (PWD’s) still need and want to do the same everyday things that people without disabilities do. It’s just a little harder and more complicated to do it. For example, I might go onto the internet to shop for clothes or cd’s, look for movies to watch, or even order medications that I might need. What many of us don’t realize is that since some people are being inhibited from carrying out their everyday activities normally, the internet and computing may become even more important to them for that very reason. The accessibility of information via the internet is so great; they may not be able to afford to not use the internet and their computer. When using programs that aid in internet usage, or even in computer usage, PWD's face different obstacles based on their individual disabilities. For instance, people with hearing disabilities may need programs and websites to be captioned so that they can read what is being said if there's a synthetic voice used in the program that talks to... ...ul to avoid flashing texts and colors for people who may be prone to seizures, and which could cause some sort of disorientation. Also keep in mind that we're trying to make life easier for those who will be using our programs in the future. Works Cited CAT. 2001. University of Buffalo. <http://cat.buffalo.edu/research.php>. Freedom Scientific. 2001. Freedom Scientific. <http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software.asp>. Group 7. 10 Dec. 1999. Virginia Tech, 27 Nov. 2001. <http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/support/Assignments/Final.Assmt.F99/Disabilities/inclass.html> Hyatt, Glenda Watson . Improving Government Access to Web Sites for People With Disabilities . 09 May 2001 <http://www.gov.bc.ca/odi/rpts>. Soaring Eagle Communications. 23 July 2001. Soaring Eagle Communications. 1999- 2000 <http://www.eaglecom.bc.ca/index.html>.

Industrial Effluents in the Water Pollution Essay

Water pollution is caused by emission of domestic or urban sewage, agricultural waste, pollutants and industrial effluents into water bodies. Nowadays, its main source is the waste material discharged by industrial units. Waste materials like acids, alkalies, toxic metals, oil, grease, dyes, pesticides and even radioactive materials are poured into the water bodies by many industrial units. Some other important pollutants include polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, lubricants and hot water discharged by power plants. The pollutants unloaded into the water bodies usually dissolve or remain suspended in water. Sometimes, they also accumulate on the bottom of the water bodies. Another important pollutant, that can endanger marine life, is the oil spilled by oil tanks. As per the estimates of the United Nations, 1. 3 million barrels of oils are spilled annually into the Persian Gulf, and about 285 million gallons are spilled into the oceans every year. In the United States, the industries contribute to more than half of the total water pollution. The industrial effluents contain pollutants like asbestos, phosphates, mercury, lead, nitrates, sulfur, sulfuric acid, oil and many other poisonous materials. In many countries, industrial water is not treated adequately before discharging it into rivers or lakes. This is particularly true in the case of small-scale industries that do not have sufficient capital to invest in pollution control equipment. In many instances, the researches and studies carried out to determine the toxicity of these pollutants are focused on the individual effect of the toxic elements. Therefore, sometimes these researches lead to an underestimation of the total toxicity of these harmful materials. Besides, their toxicity is assessed with the help of tests carried out on bacteria, which also fails to take into account the accurate toxic effects on other organisms. These harmful pollutants are a major contributor to many grave diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis, dysentery and salmonellosis. Besides, many of the pollutants are also carcinogenic i. e. they can cause cancer. Some pollutants like sodium can cause cardiovascular diseases, while mercury and lead cause nervous disorders. DDT is another toxic material which can cause chromosomal changes. Excess fluoride in water may damage the spinal cord, while arsenic can cause significant damage to the liver and the nervous system. In addition to all these, organic compounds present in the polluted water facilitate the growth of algae and other weeds, which in turn use more oxygen dissolved in the water. This reduces the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water and the consequent shortage of oxygen for other aquatic life. In recent times, to control the menace of water pollution, various legislations have been introduced by different countries. The legislations undertaken by the United States include Federal Water Pollution Control Act (1972), the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (1972) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974). Besides, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act was also amended in 1988. For the success of these legislations, cooperation of the citizens and industrial units is an important prerequisite. In addition to the enforcement and proper use of these rules and regulations, availability of efficient and cheaper pollution control techniques is also required to tackle the threat posed by water pollution.

Personal Reflections Essay

The concept of self in the social world has been the subject of psychology studies for decades. Self-concept is defined as â€Å"a person’s answers to the question, â€Å"Who am I?† (Myers, 2010). Several factors, both internal and external, create each individual’s sense of self. Self-concept, self-esteem, self-knowledge, and social self all help create the sense of self. Self-schemas are an important component of one’s self-concept. A schema is simply defined as â€Å"mental templates by which we organize our worlds† (Myers, 2010). Self-schemas are the beliefs one holds, which define who we are. Self-concept The development of our self-concept has numerous influences, which include roles played, social identities formed, comparisons made, personal success and failure, judgments, and cultural surroundings (Myers, 2010). Roleplaying can include what we are in our professional life, as children in school, and into adulthood. The roles we assume may not feel like second-nature in the beginning, however, as we evolve within our roles, we become a more self-confident role player. Social comparison shapes an individual’s self-concept through academics, finances, and looks. The impact the comparison has is dependent who we are comparing ourselves to. Personal success and failure occur on a daily basis at work, school, and home. Judgments made by our peers strongly influence our own perception of self. Positive feedback will result in a positive view of one’s self, as a negative feedback will result in a negative self-concept. Our cultural surroundings impact our self-concept also. Westernized cultures tend to be more self-absorbed than an Eastern culture. â€Å"In many Western cultures, there is a faith in the inherent separateness of distinct persons† (O’Malley, 2002). Individualism and collectivism are two concepts describing how  individuals view their importance within their culture. Individualism is mainly seen in a Western culture, where an individual places personal goals and gains over a group’s goals and gains. Collectivism considers a group’s goal as a priority over an individual’s goal. â€Å"Most cultures native to Asia, Africa, and Central and South America place greater value on collectivism† (Myers, 2010). The interdependent self is defined as the â€Å"view of the self and the relationship between the self and others† (O’Malley, 2002) within a group. Self-esteem Self-esteem is â€Å"a person’s overall self-evaluation or sense of self-worth† (Myers, 2010). People have both low self-esteem and high self-esteem, depending on the variance of difficulties in their life. Poverty, drugs, and abuse can all be considered a factor in a person’s low self-esteem. High self-esteem can also be portrayed a negative trait, especially when the individual is viewed as narcissistic. Narcissism is defined as â€Å"having an inflated sense of self† (Myers, 2010). Self-efficacy Self-efficacy is defined as â€Å"the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations† (Cherry, What is Self-Efficacy?, 2014). Self-efficacy is not the same as self-esteem, which is how valuable an individual perceives themselves to be. An individual’s self-efficacy is the belief they are capable of accomplishing a task, even when the task is challenging. Studies of the Self Various studies of the self in psychology have offered an insight into what is believed to be the center of self-concept. Carl Rogers believed self-image, self-esteem, and ideal self are the three components of self-concept. Self-image is â€Å"how you see yourself† (Cherry, What is Self-concept?, 2014). A person’s self-image can include positive and negative aspects, which may or may not be realistically true. Self-esteem is the how valuable a person believes they are. Comparison between a person’s own successes and another’s can impact their self-esteem in a negative or positive manner. Ideal self is how a person would like to see their self. Ideal self is not necessarily how an individual actually perceives their  self, rather the idealistic version that person dreams of being. Who I am Amanda’s Self-concept By asking myself â€Å"who am I†, I am able to define my self-concept. I am a mother and I love my children. I am a full-time employee at ESCO Corporation. I am a college student at the University of Phoenix, studying Environmental Science. I am not an easy person to get along with, and I tend to take criticism personally. Amanda’s Self-esteem I have low self-esteem. My low self-esteem has been an ongoing issue from childhood. I struggle with my weight, which was not a real issue until I was out of high school. I thought I was overweight as a teen, when in reality I was at a healthy weight. After I had my first daughter at the age of 18, depression slowly took over my carefree and happy personality. I began to eat more in an attempt to feel better about myself. I remember one incident as a Senior which really made an impact on my self-esteem. While changing classes, I waited at my locker for a classroom to finish letting students out. One of the disabled girls from that classroom kept looking at my mid-section. She finally asked me â€Å"are you pregnant or something†. I was not pregnant anymore, and had given birth two months before. Hearing another person say I looked like I was pregnant still brought my feeling of self-worth to the lowest point at that time. Amanda’s Self-efficacy My self-efficacy can be compared to a roller coaster. I do challenge myself to excel at work and school. I believe I can accomplish anything I put my mind to. Over the past decade, I have improved my self-efficacy, with a tremendous improvement over the last five years. The individuals I have chosen to surround myself with, as opposed to in the past, have helped me accomplish my dreams. My fiancà © encouraged me to stand up for myself, especially with my parents. My parents had been involved in raising my children to the point I was not able to make a decision without calling for their opinion first. The feeling of dread would overcome me due to the fact I knew my parents would not approve of my decisions if I did not talk to them first. I finally realized I was holding myself back, and I could make important family decisions without their approval. I signed up for the  University of Phoenix for the reasons I believed were important. I did tell my parents I was going back to school after I had signed up, and I saw the disappointment they felt over not being able to control me with the decision. My fiancà © has been encouraging throughout my studies, and continues to give me the push I need to finish my last five classes. References Cherry, K. (2014). What is Self-concept? Retrieved January 20, 2014, from About Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/sindex/f/self-concept.htm Cherry, K. (2014). What is Self-Efficacy? Retrieved January 21, 2014, from About Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/self_efficacy.htm Myers, D. G. (2010). Social Psychology (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. O’Malley, M. (2002). Hazel Rose Marcus and Shinobu Kitayama, Culture and the Self: Implications for Cognition, Emotion, and Motivation. Retrieved January 21, 2014, from Honors 130: Conceptions of the Self: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/honors130/culture.html