Tuesday, August 25, 2020

About Tjx Assignment

1. Rundown and portray the security controls set up inside TJX Companies. Ans: When security updates are made accessible, it’s in light of the fact that they’re vital, not on the grounds that product designers have concocted some incredible new programming trick. Programmers can sidestep the old frameworks too effectively, so better security is expected to keep the programmers out. TJX overlooked the requirement for better e-security, and even fail to introduce one specific redesign they had bought. 2. What the executives, association, and innovation factors added to these shortcomings? Ans: Management: While one may not consider it a shortcoming, the management’s hesitance to report the taken PC and the substance of the hard drive added to the trouble in finding the PC before the information was undermined. Associations: VA activities ought to have constrained the information available to the workers to just the information required so as to adequately carry out this responsibility. Absence of advancing the affectability of the information prompted an imprudent demeanor with respect to the assurance of the information. Mechanical: at the very least the information ought to have been encoded and secret key secured. As a reasonable measure, the PC ought to have been secured at the BIOS level if that affectability of information was contained. 3. What was the business effect of TJX’s information misfortune on TJX, customers, and banks? Ans: TJX faces shopper and bank legal claims over the introduction of the same number of as 100m client records as the aftereffect of a security break that went on for two particular half year time frames among 2003 and December 2006. Programmers broke into a framework that put away information on charge card, plastic, check, and return subtleties in an assault accused on an ineffectively made sure about remote system in one of its stores. Ensuing charge card cheats have been followed to information swiped because of these breaks, and various captures have been made. 4. How successfully did TJX manage these issues? Ans: Not all around ok. The $40. 9 million store for the banks won’t almost spread he banks’ misfortunes, and I see too little information in the report about what precisely TJX is doing to keep this from happening once more. I see cash being tossed at the issue, yet the executives doesn’t appear to have an away from of a genuine arrangement. 5. Who ought to be held at risk for the misfortunes brought about by the utilization of deceitful charge cards for this situation? TJX? The banks giving the Visas? The buyers? Legitimize you answer. Ans: Obviously TJX is dependable †their careless conduct that made them defenseless against the assaults. The banks and customers can’t be considered dependable †particularly the purchasers! On the off chance that customers were considered answerable for assaults this way, we’d get rid of Visas, hold our cash under our sleeping cushions, and return to making our own garments and food and engaging ourselves by disclosing to one another accounts as individuals did hundreds of years back! At that point where might the banks and charge card organizations be? That’s most likely outrageous, yet so is anticipating that a customer should pay for an immense corporation’s carelessness and a hacker’s wrongdoing.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

IBP Wicked Problem

Talk about how the issues related with broken food frameworks may be comprehended as a mischievous issue. The ideas of social evil issues were first presented in 1973 by Ritter and Webber; two Berkeley teachers who distributed an article in Policy Sciences, that distinguished the qualities that separated underhanded issues from conventional issues (Camellias 2008). Ritter and Weeper's article given 10 properties that can be utilized as a manual for perceiving whether an issue is considered Wicked'.With the moment expanding worldwide populace, issues encompassing food creation and dispersed have become visible, bringing up the issues; is the world's food framework broken? What's more, is it an underhanded issue? Studies have demonstrated that at present the worldwide food transport framework is becoming quicker than the food creation industry itself (Trochaic, et al 2012). Food request is turning into a significant issue among countries, and is just set to proceed in the coming years, with an expected half increment by 2030 (Trochaic, et al 2012).Over utilization in the created world has become a main problem for less fortunate countries who re attempting to give fundamental food arrangements to their kin, Richard Black recognizes that significant governments need to begin acting as soon as possible. â€Å"We need to go past GAP; and it is possible that we can do it deliberately or we'll need to do it since pressure on a limited planet will at long last make us† (Black, 2012). Adding to this, is the way that up to half of food is lost in transportation, featuring the tremendous measure of food wastage happening, which whenever chop down would assist with backing off the interest and flexibly chain (Law, 2011).Climate change and cataclysmic events are another factor adding to the food yester emergency. As the world builds its exchanging and depends more on this framework, components influencing one significant supplier are felt universally. A disastrous dr y season in Russia caused worldwide wheat costs to ascend 70% higher in 2011 contrasted with the earlier year; causing significant issues for the world's least fortunate individuals, who burn through 80% of their salary on food (Ford, 2011).Climate change brought about by people and cataclysmic events add more components to the food framework difficulty, further muddling the quest for arrangements. The primary starvation of the 21st century happened in Somalia, with specialists expressing this would have never occurred as people are creating enough food to take care of the world twice finished (Law, 2011). The report features how the debacle could have been forestalled through early notice frameworks, and a speedier reaction time.Archie Law uncovers two significant issues adding to the starvation; one being the expulsion of significant subsidizing in the rural field; governments overlooking this requirement for more horticulture are basically setting up for future catastrophe. The s ubsequent significant issue is the utilization of land; Saudi Arabians exhausted their springs developing wheat and can longer deed themselves. They are presently buying land in creating nations to develop their own food gracefully (Law, 2011). This strategic maneuver of rich countries includes the issue of legislative issues into the food framework, with those with the most cash continually proving to be the best (Maxwell, 2012).Aid isn't sufficient to fix this issue; increasingly should be done to assist the individuals with helping themselves (Karri, 2005). The world's food framework is plainly broken and should be tended to on a worldwide scale. There is no distinct plan of this perplexing issue and the quest for arrangements never stops. The numerous components making up this unpredictable issue are generally special and no arrangement can bring a 100% fix, adding to this is the measure of partners who have various assessments and expectations.These are on the whole properties of an insidious issue (Camellias 2008), accordingly making the messed up food framework evil.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Spring break in Canada

Spring break in Canada This year, for spring break my friend Yida and I decided to head to Canada! My friend Yida, showing off the giant ramp of the snowboarding Jamboree in Quebec City. We spent three days in Quebec City and four days in Montreal. Montreal is pretty easy to reach from Boston and as such is a popular spring break destination for MIT students. We decided to visit Quebec City as well because I was really amped to practice some French and I wanted to see more of the francophone part of Canada. :D We flew into Quebec on Saturday right after classes ended. The whole trip from take-off in Boston to touch-down in Quebec City was around 5 ½ hours because we had to fly through Newark airport. We got a hotel room in the center of Quebec’s old town, but really it was more like a small apartment. We made sure to get one with a kitchen so we could cook food if we wanted to. Me in our kitchen in Quebec. It was a really short walk to a lot of bustling areas and tourist sites in downtown Quebec, which was really nice. We walked everywhere and only took public transportation once (to go visit some hiking trails out of town). Quebec City was actually a very pleasant place to stay. It felt much more relaxed than the American cities I’m used to, like Boston or San Francisco. The buildings were shorter with more space in between them. The roads were wide and there was surprisingly little automobile traffic. Because the old city was built on top of a hill (the site was first chosen as a French military fort, after all), from certain streets you can get a beautiful viewpoint out over the rest of the city. The city is built overlooking the St. Lawrence River, so one side of downtown opens up to a 180 degree panorama over the ice-peppered river. The city felt quaint and relaxed and was surrounded by natural beauty. A view of downtown Quebec City from the Plaines dAbraham park. The beautiful walkway hugging the border of vieux Quebec and St. Lawrence River. And me being goofy. When we first arrived in the city, we had a really nice Uber driver from the airport (who spoke mostly Frenchâ€"those French classes are finally coming in handy!). He told us that the city was currently celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, that there had been a big parade earlier that day, and that the entire city was decked out in green to celebrate. He also informed us that there was an international snowboarding competition being held there! We decided to do as the Romans do. After eating some poutine for dinner, we got drinks at an Irish pub and watched the snowboarding finals. Downstairs, a duet on the fiddle, outfitted in rock t-shirts and kilts, were performing songs that sounded like a mash-up of traditional Irish folk music and heavy metal. We had fun watching one of the performers strum until the strings on his bow snapped while the bar’s patrons accompanied him with an impressive Irish jig. The next day, we walked over to the competition ground that had been set up for the snowboarding event. Unfortunately, all the events were over, but there was a closing party going on with a band and food stalls and we got to check out the ramp up close. We explored a beautiful church. On the advice of a tourism agent (the people in the tourism office were surprisingly really helpful), we took a long walk overlooking the St. Lawrence river and ended up in a beautiful snow-covered park. Afterwards, we took a stroll along the quaint, cobblestone-lined streets of old Quebec and had a delicious dinner. Yida tried blood pudding, which I was convinced was going to be kinda gross, but she proved me wrongâ€"it was delicious. On Monday, our last day in Quebec City, we planned an ambitious itinerary to make sure we could get everything done we wanted to. We got up bright and early and left the house at 8:30. We caught a half-hour bus ride to La Chute de Montmorency, a waterfall on the outskirts of town. We then took a tour of the Citadelle, an old fortress and still-active military base that is the most salient reminder of Quebec’s history as a military outpost. It was really interesting because the trip highlighted the pride with which the Quebecois regard their French heritage. The colony of Quebec was first founded by the French before it was taken over by the English in the French and Indian War. As such, the predominant language is still Frenchâ€"it’s the language people speak on the streets, and although most people speak English, we still ran into some situations where my French concentration came in handy. The military regiment stationed at the Citadelle, the 22e regimente royale, (the 22nd royal regiment), has roots dating back to WWI, back when the official language of the Canadian army was exclusively English. It was established specially to recruit French-speaking Quebecois soldiers, who up until that point had avoiding enlisting because of the language barrier. During the war, they earned a reputation as a brave and effective regiment after their success at the Battle of Vimy, and the 22e was established as a permanent group. They are still fiercely proud of their francophone heritage; in fact, there is a Canadian law enforcing that the regiment can only be referred to by its French name, leading to its English colloquialization as the vant-dooze. Can you believe how beautiful the view of the St. Lawrence River is? After leaving the Citadelle, we explored some more of the picturesque city and had a fun photo shoot on the boardwalk overlooking the St. Lawrence river. The view was so pretty that we decided to spend a few hours in a restaurant overlooking the scene. After which we went back, cooked some spaghetti, and watched a movie. The next morning, I drank the biggest cup of coffee I have ever seen in my life. I ordered a large cappuccino. It literally came in a soup bowl. On the bust to Montreal, the woman three rows up from me was wearing a brass rat. This was my first brass-rat-in-the-wild spotting! Its a small world. It turns out that our AirBnB was right next to Montreal’s Chinatown. Yida agreed to teach me how to cook some Chinese food, so we went to an Asian market and picked up some ingredients. The chef and her masterpiece. We bought a whole fresh fish (complete with head and eyes and everything) and Yida pan-fried it in soy sauce and Chinese cooking wine. It was sooooooooooooooooooo good. I mean it was some of the best fish Ive ever had. The next day we decided to wander around old Montreal, the picturesque city center filled with decorative buildings. Yida in the lobby of City Hall. I got attacked by a bear. We went to the Centre d’Histoire de Montreal, a small history museum that traced the development of the city. We stopped and ate beautiful pastries in a cute little shop. And then we ate the best noodles I’ve ever had in my life. It was this little hole in the wall restaurant; it was actually in the entrance to the grocery store. The chef was making noodles in the window of the storefront, so you could watch him shaping the dough. I made Yida stand outside the store with me while I watched him make three batches of noodles. He could change the roundness and size of the noodles just by changing the way he pulled and separated the dough. I was sooooooooo impressed. The restaurant was called Nouilles de Lan Zhou and I recommend if you are ever near Montreals Chinatown. Noodles. The next day we went to Montreal’s HUGE botanical gardens. They had a whole greenhouse full of plants from around the worldâ€"tropical plants form the Amazons, bonsai from China, cacti and succulence that look like they could have come out of my garden in L.A. Can you find Yida? They also had an amazing butterfly exhibition. One even landed on my face!!!!!!!! There was also a gorgeous Chinese garden. Yesterday, we just spent some time walking around the city and the park in the middle of it called, appropriately, Mont-Royal. And we found a restaurant that sells spicy drinks that look like Chinese take-out. Today was our last day in Canadaand we went back and got more noodles. Yida was not expecting the bowl of noodles to be that big. I wrote this while chilling in a café chock full of university students finishing their work. I relate! Post Tagged #photography

Friday, May 22, 2020

Pride and Prejudice - 1906 Words

Pride and Prejudice tells a story of a young girl in the midst of a very materialistic society. Jane Austen uses the setting to dramatize the restraints women had to endure in society. As the novel develops, we see how women have to act in a way according to their gender, social class, and family lineage. Elizabeth Bennet’s sisters represent the proper societal lady while Lizzy is the rebel. Through her characters Austen shows how a women’s happiness came second to the comfort of wealth. As the plot develops, events are laid out to illustrate how true love is unattainable when women marry for intentions of wealth. Women have very specific and limited roles in a society where men are the superior. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen†¦show more content†¦While moral Jane remains an invalid, captive at the Bingleys, her satirical sister Elizabeth walks two miles along muddy roads to help nurse her†¦While Jane remains at home, lovesick but uncomplaining, Eliza beth accompanies the Gardiners on a walking tour of Derbyshire. Jane’s docility, gentleness, and benevolence are remarkable, for she suffers silently throughout the entire plot†¦ (Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, 65) Austen compares Elizabeth and Jane to show how differently they are viewed by society. Austin shows that simply being pretty, patient and kind does not guarantee happiness. While Jane was tortured awaiting Mr. Bingely, Elizabeth was chasing her own happiness. Elizabeth wasn’t the prettiest or the sweetest, but certainly was no damsel in distress. Lizzy broke through the restraints of a proper, societal woman in which her sister followed to a tee. Austen opens the novel by telling us, â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.†(7) The act of marriage during this time period an act of comfort rather than love. A woman married a man when it was ensured she would live a prosperous and wealthy life. Affection was not enough for women to marry; however, Elizabeth knew that in order for her to be happy, love must be there. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth was promised of a comfortable life by three gentlemen but turning all three down because her affection wasShow MoreRelated Essay on Prejudice and Pride in Pride and Prejudice1535 Words   |  7 PagesPrejudice and Pride in Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In any literary work the title and introduction make at least some allusion to the important events of the novel. With Pride and Prejudice, Austen takes this convention to the extreme, designing all of the first and some of the second half of the novel after the title and the first sentence. The concepts of pride, prejudice, and universally acknowledged truth (51), as well as the interpretation of those concepts, are the central focus ofRead MorePride And Prejudice By Pride Essay990 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effects of Pride Pride is the feeling of satisfaction when someone achieve something, someone close to you achieves something, or something somebody owns or has is admired by others. Being proud of yourself or someone else is not always bad. However, some believe pride is negative and can change how a person thinks and feels about certain things. It can be taken either way depending on who, why, and when it is. 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This courtship novel begins with the premise that â€Å"a single man in possession of a fortune must be in want of a wife† (pg. 5) Throughout the competition for the single men, characters are naturally divided by the norms of their social standing. However, the use of social conventions and civility further divides them. The characters in need of the most moral reform remain unchanged, leaving a path forRead MoreIrony in Pride and Prejudice995 Words   |  4 PagesIrony in Pride and Prejudice Irony forms the alma mater of Jane Austen’s novels. Likewise, â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† is steeped in irony of theme, situation, character, and narration. Austen uses it to establish the contrast between appearance and reality. As one examines â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†, one discovers the ironic significance of how pride leads to prejudice and prejudice invites pride. 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Although she does eventually fall for him, Elizabeth’s feelings towards Darcy for the first half of the story are vehemently negative, with no detectable amount of affection. Her unequivocal distaste for him plays a major part in her character arc as it slowly gives wa y to fondness. But in Simon Langston’s film adaption of

Saturday, May 9, 2020

The Occupy Wall Street Movement - 1625 Words

Started on September 17, 2011, the Occupy Wall Street Movement began in the Financial District of New York City and has received resonance in other American cities as well as to 82 other countries. Concentrating on how the current economic system has affected peoples’ lives, the movement raised issues about the lack in democracy of the financial system, social and economic inequality, and the connection between financial and political power. The income inequality between the rich and the poor was reaching a concerning proportion, and the unequal wealth distribution is emitted in the movement’s slogan, â€Å"We are the 99%.† Protestors believed that the movement would send the message that the united, the people would succeed against the corporate power of Wall Street (Bashir, 69) and create a revolution in the global financial structure (Brahm). Occupy Wall Street is considered part of a larger protest movement against unequal financial systems, which includes the Arab Spring, the 15M Spanish Movement, and other European social movements. In May 2011, marches were initiated in a few Spanish cities to protest the Spanish democratic system. The protest movement quickly spread to other European countries and eventually reached North America, where Adbusters’ Micah White and Kalle Lasn called for a peaceful gathering on Wall Street. Consequently, a group of 200 people gathered in downtown Manhattan and stayed overnight at Zucotti Park. They held signs such as â€Å"Tax Wall StreetShow MoreRelatedOccupy Wall Street Movement1039 Words   |  5 PagesOccupy Wall Street Movement Moral and Ethical Implications Occupy Wall Street Movement Moral and Ethical Implications The Occupy Wall Street Movement that started in September 2011 in Liberty Square in the Finical District was movement organized by people to expose corruptions in cooperate America. The Occupy Wall Street Movement was known, as the peaceful protest due to it’s non-violent, non-aggressive nature and spread to over a one hundred and fifty cities crossRead MoreOccupy Wall Street Movement1612 Words   |  7 PagesOccupy Wall Street Movement Business Ethics 309 Discuss the moral and economic implications involved in the movement. September 17, 2011 is the day the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement began in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City. The main issues include social and economic inequality, greed, corruption and the undue influence of corporations on government according to The New York Times. The mix of moral foundations based on ideas from the anthropologist Richard Shweder, outline sixRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement1982 Words   |  8 PagesThe Occupy Movement is an international activist movement that fosters social and economic change and originated from the actions of the Occupy Wall Street movement (source #7). The focus is on the Occupy Wall Street movement that was launched on September 17th 2011 and was catalysed by Adbusters activist Micah White. White created a web page about the corruption that was happening surrounding the financial crisis in the United States leading to the most recent recession. Large corporations basedRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement Essay1049 Wor ds   |  5 Pages Occupy Wall Street has been called many things including: unfocused, ungrounded, and silly. Others coin it as â€Å"America’s first internet-era movement† (Rushkoff). In quintessence, Occupy Wall Street is a series of protests and demonstrations that oppose the influence that corporate greed has on American Democracy. The protestors manipulate marches and nonviolent demonstrations to express their dissatisfaction with the state of American Politics and economy. This relates to the political scienceRead MoreEssay on Occupy Wall Street Movement928 Words   |  4 PagesThe Occupy Wall Street Movement that began in New York Sept. 17 and has since spread like wildfire across the world has made an undeniable impact on the social and political climate of the Upper Midwest. | With various Occupy protest committees continuing to spring up across Minnesota and North Dakota, many working people in the region who, previously, might not have come together on other political issues say they have found common ground in the Occupy Movement. Union, non-union, white collarRead More Occupy Wall Street Movement Essay1449 Words   |  6 PagesOccupy Wall Street Movement If heavy student loan debt , soaring tuition fee, climbing taxes, plummeting financial aid, nose-diving employment opportunities, exacerbating inequality between common people and wealthy class, are some of the issues that infuriate you and lead you to blame government’s generous bailing out failed banks and other financial institutions then you cannot not know about Occupy Wall Street(OWS) movement. List all information you know about your subject Occupy Wall StreetRead MoreEssay about Occupy Wall Street Movement1817 Words   |  8 Pageshead: OCCUPY WALL STREET Assignment #1 Occupy Wall Street Movement Brenda Bryant Dr. Obi. Iwuanyanwu BUS309 Business Ethics October 5, 2012 Discuss the moral and economic implications involved in the movement. The Occupy movement was a protest that gathered local organizers, students, and activists in response to the economic disparity of countries around the world. The protest gained momentum after a continuous series of protests took place in Zuccotti Park in New York Citys Wall StreetRead MoreThe Occupy Wall Street Movement and Ensuing Controversy Essay2019 Words   |  9 Pagesin Zuccotti Park, New York which is Wall Street’s financial district under the banner â€Å"Occupy Wall Street†: these three simple words are causing an uproar in America (Engler). Additionally, these three words happen to be protesting the current status of America’s financial condition. With the economy in America being as terrible as it is, and the unemployment rate skyrocketing, it is absolutely necessary for some sort of change to occur. The Occupy Wall Street protesting is most positively a progressiveRead More How the Media Portrays the Occupy Wall Street Movement1000 Words   |  4 Pagesof laws, to grass roots campaigns such as Occupy Wall Street. The Occupy Wall Street campaign has been portrayed negatively by the mainstream media outlets. Newspapers, radio, television, and the internet have painted the movement with offensive undertones, reporting the lows of the movement rather than the revolutionary aspects of the movement. A possible reason that the media has consistently framed this movement in a negative manner is that the movement is operating against the forces of societyRead MoreOccupy Wall Street: Positive Impact of the Protest Movement in USA1235 Words   |  5 PagesOccupy Wall Street Occupy wall Street is a protest movement in the United States of America which began on September 17, 2011 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York Citys wall street financial district. This group was initiated by a Canadian activist and it has led to occupy protests and movements around the world. The Occupy Wall Street movement began as a collective expression due to the current economic conditions in the United States of America. Occupy Wall Street has a slogan which is We

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Communication Failure Free Essays

string(89) " feelings and emotions as well as the feelings and emotions of others \(Goleman, 1998\)\." â€Å"Communication is not an easy process. It involves verbal and non-verbal attempts to assist the other person to understand what we are trying to communicate. Yet it often fails. We will write a custom essay sample on Communication Failure or any similar topic only for you Order Now † The communication occurring between two people as discussed in the statement above is known by academics as ‘interpersonal communication’. Interpersonal communication can be defined as a two-way, transactional process in which two people, occupying a shared space, continue to send information to each other and receive information from each simultaneously. DeVito, 2008; Firth, Berry Irvine, 2010; Hartley, 1999). The above statement refers to the process of interpersonal communication. Three clear assertions regarding the process of interpersonal communication are put forth in the statement above. Firstly, it is declared that the process of interpersonal communication is not simple. Secondly, it is declared that both verbal and non-verbal means are employed to foster the process of interpersonal communication. Lastly, it is declared that the process of interpersonal communication often is unsuccessful. This essay will discuss and analyse the above statement and the three assertions it puts forth in regards to the process of interpersonal communication. The interpersonal communication process is said to be comprised of five basic elements, which are: the sender of the information; the receiver of the information; the encoding of the information by the sender; the decoding of the information by the receiver; and the shared means or channel through which the information is sent (Shannon Weaver, 1949, as cited Firth et al. , 2010). DeVito (2008) states there are additional elements which also have some part to play in the interpersonal communication process, these being: feedback from the receiver; feedforward by the sender; noise or interference impacting the interpersonal communication process; and the context or setting in which the communication process takes place. The statement above states that the process of interpersonal communication is often unsuccessful. DeVito (2008) suggests that such unsuccessful communication would be attributed to some of the elements of interpersonal communication either being present, absent or employed ineffectively by ender or receiver. Due to the process of interpersonal communication comprising of a number different elements, it can be concluded that the interpersonal communication process does have a certain degree of complexity as declared in the statement above. The statement being discussed also declares that for the process of interpersonal communication to be succes sful, verbal and non-verbal forms of information are broadcast by both the sender to facilitate understanding. DeVito (2008) states that verbal forms of information are essentially the actual words used by the sender and are chosen to: convey facts and inferences; express the connotation a word is being used in; and express sincerity or criticism. Hartley (1999) adds that the words a sender chooses to employ can communicate assertiveness and social standing. Though verbal communication is important in the interpersonal communication process, non-verbal communication conveys a far greater amount of information to the receiver (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). DeVito (2008) states non-verbal means of information transfer between sender and receiver include: body movements and gestures such as pointing with a finger; facial expressions and gestures such as smiles and frowns; the amount of and nature of eye contact present such as pupil dilatation and breaking or initiating gaze; the actual physical space between sender and receiver where closer space often indicates a greater level of intimacy between sender and receiver; the presence or absence of touch such as shaking hands or embracing; the use of paralanguage which involves the rate, tone and volume at which the sender speaks or the use of utterances; the sender’s view of the importance of time; artifactual communication which involves how one’s physical appearance, clothing, makeup, and material possessions are made known to the sender; and smell such as the presence of perfumes, deodorants, body odour, mouthwashes. Therefore a great amount of information is sent though v erbal and non-verbal communication, which is also made up of many elements. As indicated before, a greater number of elements often results to a greater level of complexity, which is declared in the statement discussed. Though many forms of verbal and non-verbal information sent intentionally to the receiver, sometimes additional verbal nd non-verbal information sent to a receiver is sent unknowingly and unintentionally (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Most intentional information sent to a receiver is sent verbally and most unintentional information broadcast by a sender is unwittingly sent through non-verbal means (Firth et al. , 2010). Information that is unintentionally expressed by the sender impacts the message decoded and comprehended by the receiver, often leading to ineffective, unwanted or failed communication (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Therefore, if the amount of unintentional information sent during the process of communication is reduced, th e high chance of communication failure, suggested in the statement above, will be lessened to a degree. While encoding and conveying information in the interpersonal communication process, the sender employs a language they deem to be recognisable easily decoded by the receiver in an attempt to foster successful communication (Firth et al. , 2010). A language can be defined as any verbal or non-verbal manner or means employed to transmit information and understanding between groups of people (Firth et al. , 2010). Verbal and non-verbal messages expressed by should ideally have congruency, meaning they complement each other (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Incongruent verbal and non-verbal messages often lead to confusion in the receiver, hindering successful reception and comprehension of the information being communicated and therefore resulting in a failure in the communication process (Devito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Hence, congruent verbal and non-verbal messages encoded and communicated by sender will also aid in reducing the likeliness of communication failure. It has been suggested that a failure or breakdown in the interpersonal communication process can be further reduced if both the sender and receiver possess satisfactory levels of what is termed ‘emotional intelligence’ (Goleman, 1998; Lynn, 2002). Emotional intelligence may be defined as a person’s ability to recognise, control and evaluate their own feelings and emotions as well as the feelings and emotions of others (Goleman, 1998). You read "Communication Failure" in category "Papers" Goleman (1998) states that emotional Intelligence is made up of five lements, these being: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and the possession of social skills. Self-awareness comprises of: the ability to recognise one’s emotions; awareness of one’s strengths, weaknesses and potential; and oneà ¢â‚¬â„¢s ability to maintain a satisfactory sense of self-worth and confidence (Goleman, 1998). Self-regulation involves: one’s desire to maintain honestly; one’s ability to keep distracting emotions at bay; one’s ability to ensure a high level of performance in tasks; and the ability to manage and adapt suit to change (Goleman, 1998). Self-motivation requires one to have: a desire to excel; initiative to grasp given opportunities; and the desire to continue pursing goals whilst barriers are met (Goleman, 1998). Empathy involves one’s ability to: perceive other’s feelings; understand others points of view; and nurture others in developing their abilities (Goleman, 1998). A person with a high level of social skills will be able to: listen openly and effectively send messages; negotiate well with others in times of conflict; inspire, guide others or successfully persuade others; collaborate well with others; bring about change; and effectively deal with change (Goleman, 1998). Therefore, possessing a high level of emotional intelligence involves possessing numerous skills. Lynn (2002) states that possessing emotional intelligence enables one to be aware of their own emotions and abilities, and allows one to hold confidence themselves, enabling the person to communicate confidently and effectively. It can be concluded that someone who possesses emotional intelligence is able to manage how they send, receive, encode and decode information. Elements which are of great importance in the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008). Emotional intelligence in the sender and receiver will also impact the remaining elements of the interpersonal communication process. Feedforward is an element of the interpersonal communication process which enables the sender to attract the attention of the receiver before conveying their full message (DeVito, 2008). Feedforward can indicate to the receiver the nature or the importance of the information which is about to be provided to them by the sender (DeVito 2008). DeVito (2008) states that in the interpersonal communication process, feedforward can: open communication channels; provide a sample of what is about to be conveyed; disclaim the message; and altercast which lets the sender and receiver to assume specific roles during the interpersonal communication process. Feedforward therefore, is a good tactic the sender can employ to gain the attention of the receiver before important messages conveyed, heightening the chance of successful information reception. After conveying their message, the sender can make note of feedback given to them by the receiver (DeVito, 2008). Feedback is an element of interpersonal communication that relates to the information which is continually broadcast either immediately or after short delay by the receiver during the course of the interpersonal communication process (Devito, 2008). Feedback can come in the form of: body language such as hand gestures; eye contact such as breaking or initiating gaze; facial expressions such as smiles; silence which may indicate the receiver is disinterested in the interpersonal communication process; and the variation of distance the which may indicate how involved the receiver wants to be with the sender (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Feedback may be intentional or unintentional just like other forms of information broadcast during the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). By making note of of feedback, the sender can gain and understanding of how the receiver perceives the message (DeVito, 2008). The context associated with communication also affects how messages are encoded and decoded by the sender and receiver in the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). DeVito (2008) makes note of four dimensions communication takes place in: the physical dimension, which is the environment the sender and receiver communicate within and whether or not the environment promotes successful communication; the social-psychological dimension, which deals with the status, class or relationship between sender and receiver and how formal the communication should be; the temporal or time dimension, which deals with whether it is the appropriate time for a sender to convey a message; and the cultural dimension, which refers to beliefs, values, traditions and expectations that exist in the cultures of the sender and receiver whether certain forms of communication are appropriate. The channel or medium through which the information between sender and receiver is relayed has much influence upon successful encoding, decoding and comprehension (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). DeVito (2008) states some channels used in the interpersonal communicat ion process are: verbal; non-verbal; auditory, which relates to sound; olfactory, which relates to smell; and tactile, which relates to touch. Different mediums include: letters; emails; phone calls; mobile phone text messaging; radio; television; the Internet; and print media such as newspapers and magazines (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Proper use of the communication channels ensures that information travels between sender and receiver in a manner that facilitates accurate encoding and decoding (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Therefore, it can be concluded that successful use and management of communication channels would further lessen the significant chance of communication failure that is alleged to exist in the interpersonal communication process by the statement being analysed. Failure in the interpersonal communication process can also be attributed to differing types of noise or interference that work against or and act as a barrier to successful communication (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). DeVito (2008) mentions four categories of noise: physical noise, which includes the noise occurring in the environment around the sender and receiver, along with apparel such as sunglasses which would interfere with eye contact; physiological noise, which includes physical disabilities the sender or receiver may have such as poor eyesight, hearing and tiredness; psychological noise, such as preconceived notions and other mental distractions; and semantic noise, which is where the receiver does not understand the language employed by the sender. It has been shown that the interpersonal communication process comprises of various complex elements which either facilitate or hinder successful communication. Successful communication requires information to be properly encoded by a sender, transferred with all attached meaning through a channel to a receiver who must successfully decode and comprehend the information sent to them as intended by the sender. Though there are barriers that obstruct successful communication, the possession of emotional intelligence, communicating effectively and maintaining congruency between non-verbal and verbal messages have been argued to reduce the great likelihood of communication failure, as declared in the statement being discussed. The success of interpersonal communication is decided heavily by the skills possessed by other the sender and receiver. References DeVito, J. A. (2008). The interpersonal communication book (12th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Firth, G. , Berry, R. , Irvine, C. (2010). Understanding intensive interaction: Context and concepts for professionals and families. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. Hartley, P. (1999). Interpersonal communication (2nd ed. ). New York, NY: Routledge. Lynn, A. B. (2002). The emotional intelligence activity book: 50 activities for developing eq at work. New York, NY: American Management Assosication. How to cite Communication Failure, Papers

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Three Important Qualities Of Christs Life Essays -

Three Important Qualities Of Christ's Life Ever since Jesus was born, he has always been perfect. There have never been any flaws that had to do with him. He had many different characteristics and qualities that were unique about him including holiness, purity, faithfulness, mercifulness, grace, righteousness, love, integrity, divinity, and courageousness. There is nothing that is more powerful than that of the triunity, which consists of God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son. This report deals mostly with God the Son, which is Jesus. Jesus has all these qualities and we are supposed to be following in His footsteps. Most Christians try as hard to have these great characteristics, but there is no possible way that we could achieve such a goal. It is impossible for humans to reach that goal. It says in the Bible "For everyone falls short of the glory of God.". That right there is enough proof to show that we are not worthy of his presence. God is of the Spirit. He is not made of matter and mind, and he does not possess a physical nature. Some think that God is that of a human. There is no possible way that this could be, because in John 4:24 Jesus speaks "God is spirit, and those who worship him just worship in spirit and truth.". Even though Jesus had flesh was of the Spirit he still did have matter. He had flesh which is matter. In this flesh was very important qualities. God still possesses all of these qualities even though He does not have flesh. These characteristics would fit for either God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. They all work in the triunity and have these qualities even though one might display it in a different manner than the other. In the thirty-three years of Jesus' life, He had three very important characteristics that are something we all should try and follow: Loveliness, Faithfulness, and Forgiveness. Very often when people think of Love, they think of Jesus. In John 4:8,16 it says that God is love. This is a paraphrase but it is still stating something that is very important. That verse shows that Jesus had (and still does) mercy and compassion for us. Another verse that shows that God's love as apparent is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.". He has so much love for us that he even gives us life. He could just let us Christians live our own life but, He helps us out with His great grace. Grace is part of the whole effect of God's love. Basically what grace is, is way that God deals with us. It has nothing to do with what we deserve or basis of merit, but it is giving out by how much we need. God deals with them according to his goodness and generosity. That seems similar to benevolence, but it isn't. Jesus' grace is really shown in the New Testament. In Exodus 34:6 it says "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious...". In Ephesians 2:7-9 it says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. In those verses it is saying that God is allowing us to be saved. He doesn't have to save us; He could just let us all go to hell, but he gives each and everyone of us a chance to accept Him. The list goes on and on of different verses in the Bible that shows us of God's grace. God's grace is related to the Mercy that He gives us too. Jesus' mercy was his loving, compassion, tenderheartedness. He has a very tender heart toward the needy. That is the kind of mercy that Jesus has for ALL of us. We are supposed to fear God and Jesus and then they will pity those who fears them. If they did not pity us and have mercy on us we would not be alive. They would have let us die by now. They cannot stand to be in the sinning world that we live in. They would just do away with us if they didn't care about us. Because of all of this care He has for us I feel that we need to have

Friday, March 20, 2020

The History of the Computer Keyboard

The History of the Computer Keyboard The history of the modern computer keyboard begins with a direct inheritance from the  invention of the typewriter.  It was Christopher Latham Sholes who, in 1868,  patented the first practical modern typewriter. Soon after, in 1877, the Remington Company began mass marketing the first typewriters. After a series of technological developments, the typewriter gradually evolved into the standard computer keyboard your fingers know so well today. The QWERTY Keyboard There are several legends around the development of the QWERTY keyboard layout, which was patented by Sholes and his partner James Densmore in 1878. The most compelling explanation is that Sholes developed the layout to overcome the physical limitations of mechanical technology at the time. Early typists pressed a key which would, in turn, push a metal hammer that rose up in an arc, striking an inked ribbon to make a mark on a paper before returning to its original position. Separating common pairs of letters minimized the jamming of the mechanism. As machine technology improved, other keyboard layouts were invented that claimed to be more efficient, including as the Dvorak keyboard patented in 1936. Although there are dedicated Dvorak users today, they remain a tiny minority compared to those who continue to use the original QWERTY layout, which remains the most popular keyboard layout on devices of many types throughout the English-speaking world. QWERTYs current acceptance has been attributed to the layout being efficient enough and familiar enough to hinder the commercial viability of competitors. Early Breakthroughs   One of the first breakthroughs in keyboard technology was the invention of the teletype machine. Also referred to as the teleprinter, the technology has been around since the mid-1800s and was improved by inventors such as Royal Earl House, David Edward Hughes, Emile Baudot, Donald Murray, Charles L. Krum, Edward Kleinschmidt, and Frederick G. Creed.  But it was thanks to the efforts of  Charles Krum between 1907 and 1910 that the teletype system became practical for everyday users. In the 1930s, new keyboard models were introduced that combined the input and printing technology of typewriters with the communications technology of the  telegraph. Punch-card systems were also combined with typewriters to create what were known as keypunches. These systems became the basis of early adding machines (early calculators), which were hugely commercially successful. By 1931, IBM had registered more than $1 million in adding machine sales. Keypunch technology was incorporated into the designs of the earliest computers, including the 1946  Eniac computer that used a punch-card reader as its input and output device. In 1948, another computer called the Binac computer used an electro-mechanically controlled typewriter to input data directly onto magnetic tape in order to feed in computer data and print results. The emerging electric typewriter further improved the technological marriage between the typewriter and the computer. Video Display Terminals By 1964, MIT, Bell Laboratories, and General Electric had collaborated to create a  time-sharing, multi-user computer system called Multics. The system encouraged the development of a new user interface called  the video display terminal (VDT), which incorporated the technology of the cathode ray tube used in televisions into the design of the electric typewriter. This allowed computer users to see what text characters they were typing on their display screens for the first time, which made  text assets easier to create, edit, and delete. It also made computers easier to program and use. Electronic Impulses and Hand-Held Devices Early computer keyboards were based either on teletype machines or keypunches but there was a problem: having so many electro-mechanical steps necessary to transmit data between the keyboard and the computer slowed things down considerably. With VDT technology and electric keyboards, the keys could now send electronic impulses directly to the computer and save time. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, all computers used electronic keyboards and VDTs.   In the 1990s, handheld devices that introduced mobile computing became available to consumers. The first of handheld devices was the HP95LX, released in 1991 by Hewlett-Packard. It had a hinged clamshell format that was small enough to fit in the hand. Although not yet classified as such, the HP95LX was the first of the Personal Data Assistants (PDA). It had a small QWERTY keyboard for text entry, although touch typing was practically impossible due to its small size. The Pen Is Not Mightier Than the Keyboard As PDAs began to add web and email access, word processing, spreadsheets, personal schedules, and other desktop applications, pen input was introduced. The first pen input devices were made in the early 1990s, but the technology to recognize handwriting was not robust enough to be effective. Keyboards produce machine-readable text (ASCII), a necessary feature for indexing and searching by contemporary character-based technology. Minus character recognition, handwriting produces digital ink, which works for some applications but requires more memory in order to save input and is not machine-readable. Ultimately, most of the early PDAs (GRiDPaD, Momenta, Poqet, PenPad) were not commercially viable. Apples 1993 Newton project was expensive and its handwriting recognition was particularly poor. Goldberg and Richardson, two researchers at Xerox in Palo Alto, invented a simplified system of pen strokes called Unistrokes, a sort of shorthand that converted each letter of the English alphabet into single strokes that users would input into their devices. Palm Pilot, released in 1996, was an instant hit, introducing the Graffiti technique, which was closer to the Roman alphabet and included a way to input capital and lowercase characters. Other non-keyboard inputs of the era included the MDTIM, published by Poika Isokoski, and Jot, introduced by Microsoft. Why Keyboards Persist The problem with all of these alternative keyboard technologies is the data capture takes more memory and is less accurate than with digital keyboards. As mobile devices such as smartphones grew in popularity, many differently formatted keyboard patterns were tested- and the issue became how to get one small enough to use accurately. One fairly popular method was the soft keyboard. A soft keyboard is one that has a visual display with built-in touchscreen technology. Text entry is performed by tapping on keys with a stylus or finger. The soft keyboard disappears when not in use. QWERTY keyboard layouts are most frequently used with soft keyboards, but there were others, such as the FITALY, Cubon, and OPTI soft keyboards, as well as a simple listing of alphabetic letters. Thumbs and Voice As voice recognition technology has advanced, its capabilities have been added to small hand-held devices to augment, but not replace soft keyboards. Keyboard layouts continue to evolve as data input embraced texting, which is typically is entered via some form of a soft QWERTY keyboard layout (although there have been some attempts to develop thumb-typing entry such as the KALQ keyboard, a split-screen layout available as an Android app). Sources David, Paul A. Clio and the Economics of Qwerty. The American Economic Review 75.2 (1985): 332-37. Print.Dorit, Robert L. Marginalia: Keyboards, Codes and the Search for Optimality. American Scientist 97.5 (2009): 376-79. Print.Kristensson, Per Ola. Typing Isnt All Fingers, Its Thumbs. The World Today 69.3 (2013): 10-10. Print.Leiva, Luis A., et al. Text Entry on Tiny Qwerty Soft Keyboards. Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. 2702388: ACM, 2015. Print.Liebowitz, S. J., and Stephen E. Margolis. The Fable of the Keys. The Journal of Law Economics 33.1 (1990): 1-25. Print.MacKenzie, I. Scott, and R. William Soukoreff. Text Entry for Mobile Computing: Models and Methods, Theory and Practice. Human-Computer Interaction 17.2-3 (2002): 147-98. Print.Topolinski, Sascha. I 5683 You: Dialing Phone Numbers on Cell Phones Activates Key-Concordant Concepts. Psychological Science 22.3 (2011): 355-60. Print.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Computer Models Show How a Black Hole Eats a Star

Computer Models Show How a Black Hole Eats a Star Were all fascinated with black holes. We ask astronomers about them, we read about them in the news. and they show up in TV shows and movies.  However, for all our curiosity about these cosmic beasts, we still dont know everything about them. They flout the rules by being hard to study and detect. Astronomers are still figuring out the exact mechanics of how stellar black holes form when massive stars die. All this is made tougher by the fact that we havent seen one up close. Getting near one (if we could) would be very hazardous. No one would survive even a close brush with one of these high-gravity monsters. So, astronomers do what they can to understand them from a distance. They use light (visible, x-ray, radio, and ultraviolet emissions)  that come from the region around the black hole to make some very shrewd deductions about its mass, spin, its jet,  and other characteristics. Then, they feed all this into computer programs designed to model black hole activity.Computer models based on actual observational data of black holes help them to simulate what happens at black holes, particularly when one gobbles something up. What Does a Black Hole ComputerModel Show Us? Lets say that somewhere in the universe, at the  center of a galaxy like our own Milky Way, theres a black hole. Suddenly an intense flash of radiation flares out from the area of the black hole. What has happened? A nearby star has wandered into accretion disk (the disk of material spiraling into the black hole), crossed the event horizon (the gravitational point of no return around a black hole), and is torn apart by the intense gravitational pull. The stellar gases are heated up as the star is shredded  and that flash of radiation is its last communication to the outside world before it is lost forever. The Tell-Tale Radiation Signature Those radiation signatures are important clues to the very existence of a black hole, which does not give off any radiation of its own. All the radiation we see is coming from the objects and material around it. So, astronomers look for the telltale radiation signatures of matter being gobbled up by black holes:  x-rays or radio emissions, since the events that emit them are very energetic.   After studying black holes in distant galaxies, astronomers noticed that some galaxies suddenly brighten up at their cores and then slowly dim down. The characteristics of the light given off and the dim-down time came to be known as signatures of black hole accretion disks eating nearby stars and gas clouds and giving off radiation. It was, as one astronomer said, Like a black hole putting up a sign that said, Here I am!! Data Makethe Model With enough data on these flareups at the hearts of galaxies, astronomers can use supercomputers  to simulate the dynamic forces at work in the region around a supermassive black hole. What theyve found tells us much about how these black holes work and how often they light up their galactic hosts. For example, a galaxy like our Milky Way with its central black hole might gobble up an average of one star every 10,000 years. The flare of radiation from such a feast fades very quickly, so if we miss the show, we might not see it again for quite a long time. But, there are many galaxies, and so astronomers survey as many as possible to look for radiation outbursts. In the coming years, astronomers will be deluged with data from such projects as Pan-STARRS, GALEX, the Palomar Transient Factory, and other upcoming astronomical surveys. There will be  hundreds of events in their data sets  to explore. That should really boost our  understanding of black holes and the stars around them. Computer models will continue to play a large part in delving into the continuing mysteries of these cosmic monsters.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

English - reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English - reflection - Essay Example An invention that makes its place in the lives of individuals does not get shunned out unless it is proved to have highly dangerous effects. Therefore, David Suzuki condemns the usage of technology without being sure about its safety and possible side effects. He gave the example of the usage of DDT that is used to eradicate mosquitoes from the environment. Its usage has caused such a diverse range of effects that never could have been predicted by the scientists, for example its concentration in different living things when transferred up in the food chain (biomagnifications), the accumulation of it in shell glands of the birds that causes the thinning of the egg shell, affects of oral contraceptives on women etc. He condemned the latest technologies by stating, â€Å"technological innovations have had detrimental side effects that eventually outweighed their benefits† (347). In his article, he proposed a wishful proposition of appointing certain number of people from the soc iety as representatives who can assess the benefits and cost of any technology before its common usage and decide if it is hazardous or not. The cost and benefit analysis should be done in an unbiased manner with the aim of judging its effects on all living things.

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Sales Force Automation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sales Force Automation - Essay Example "Sales force automation refers to automating all the actions related to sales of an organization or business. This is a coordination of applications that chiefly center on scheduling and contacts management. Sales force automation actions are usually incorporated with other systems that supply the status of orders, inventory and products and other related information and can be a part of a bigger program of customer relationship management." (Trai.org, 2005) There is a wide range of variety available in shape of software and solution for all business levels to gain and transcend their sales forecasts. All these tools eke the process of timely information provision which help the business to audit their present positions and plan their future. The tools available for the sales automation process include personalized software, which are customized according to the specific needs of business. These solutions can be arranged according to the needs of business and sales process of a company. On the management level the sales solutions for executives and management support them in making decisions regarding the sales such as setting goals, auditing the present position of company's sales, providing information about the marketing activities, undertake result assessment and predating more accurate estimation regarding sales of a company. These supporting tools provide the sales personnel with several benefits such as database supervision setting schedules and keep a note of different important documents. These tailored software can be easily indulged in the business system and can be transformed according to the specified needs of a company. The easy application of this software saves time. The implementation of this software also improves the control of management on the sales force. They can analyze the current position of sales activity in effective manner and provide all the important information regarding the current position of the company in the market. Another cutting edge feature of this software is the provision of security to information and data stored. Most of these softwares have in built tools which secure all the information and data stored from the risk of loss or theft. Another important feature is the easy to reach and timely provision of information to the related stakeholders. "SFA packages typically include a Web-ready database, an e-mail package, and customizable templates. A three-tiered architecture is typically used to separate the database, server, and application to reduce programming demands on clients. A module-based design is generally used, to allow users to customize the package to suit their needs.In August 2000, Oracle released a free CRM software package, OracleSalesOnline.com that makes information - such as contacts, schedules, and performance tracking - available online through the included database program. The package is designed for medium-to-large enterprises with mobile work forces.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Normal Occlusion And Its Characteristics

Normal Occlusion And Its Characteristics The development of human dentition from adolescence to adulthood has been the subject of extensive study by numerous dentists, orthodontists and other experts in the past. While prevention and cure of dental diseases, surgical reconstitution to address teeth anomalies and research studies on teeth and development of the dental arch during the growing up years has been the main concerns across the past decades, in recent years, substantial effort has been evident in the field of mathematical analysis of the dental arch curve, particularly of children from varied age groups and diverse ethnic and national origins. The proper care and development of the primary dentition into permanent dentition is of major importance and the dental arch curvature, whose study has been related intimately by a growing number of dentists and orthodontists to the prospective achievement of ideal occlusion and normal permanent dentition, has eluded a proper definition of form and shape. Many eminent authors have put forth mathematical models to describe the teeth arch curve in humans. Some have imagined it as a parabola, ellipse or conic while others have viewed the same as a cubic spline. Still others have viewed the beta function as best describing the actual shape of the dental arch curve. Both finite mathematical functions as also polynomials ranging from 2nd order to 6th order have been cited as appropriate definitions of the arch in various studies by eminent authors. Each such model had advantages and disadvantages, but none could exactly define the shape of the human dental arch curvature and factor in its features like shape, spacing and symmetry/asymmetry. Recent advances in imaging techniques and computer-aided simulation have added to the attempts to determine dental arch form in children in normal occlusion. This paper presents key mathematical models compares them through some secondary research study. Keywords: Dental Arch,Normal Occlussion,Mixed Dentition INTRODUCTION Primary dentition in children needs to be as close as possible to the ideal in order that during future adulthood, the children may exhibit normal dental features like normal mastication and appearance, space and occlusion for proper and healthy functioning of permanent dentition. Physical appearance does directly impact on the self-esteem and inter-personal behaviour of the human individual, while dental health challenges like malocclusions, dental caries, gum disease and tooth loss do require preventive and curative interventions right from childhood so that permanent dentition may be normal in later years. Prabhakaran, S., et al, (2006) maintain that the various parts of the dental arch during childhood, viz., canine, incisor and molar play a vital role in shaping space and occlusion characteristics during permanent dentition and also stress the importance of the arch dimensions in properly aligning teeth, stabilizing the form, alleviating arch crowding, and providing for a normal overbite and over jet, stable occlusion and a balanced facial profile. Both research aims and clinical diagnosis and treatment have long required the study of dental arch forms, shape, size and other parameters like over jet and overbite, as also the spacing in deciduous dentition. In fact, arch size has been seen to be more important than even teeth size (Facal-Garcia et al., 2001). While various efforts have been made to formulate a mathematical model for the dental arch in humans, the earliest description of the arch was via terms like elliptic, parabolic, etc and, also, in terms of measurement, the arch circumference, width and depth were some of the previous methods for measuring the dental arch curve. Various experts have defined the dental arch curvature through use of biometry by measurement of angles, linear distances ratios (Brader, 1972; Ferrario et al., 1997, 1999, 2001; Harris, 1997; Braun et al., 1998; Burris and Harris, 2000; Noroozi et al., 2001). Such analysis, ho wever, has some limitations in describing a three-dimensional (3D) structure like the dental arch (Poggio et al., 2000). Whereas, there are numerous mathematical models and geometrical forms that have been put forth by various experts, no two models appear to be clearly defined by means of a single parameter (Noroozi, H., et al, 2001). DEFINING THE DENTAL ARCH Models for describing the dental arch curvature include conic sections (Biggerstaff, 1972; Sampson, 1981), parabolas (Jones Richmond, 1989), cubic spline curves (BeGole, E.A., 1980), catenary curves (Battagel, J.M., 1996), and polynomials of second to eight degree (Pepe, S.H., 1975), mixed models and the beta function (Braun, et al, 1998). The definitions differ as because of differences in objectives, dissimilarity of samples studied and diverse methodologies adopted and uniform results in defining and arriving at a generalized model factoring in all symmetries and asymmetries of curvature elude experts even today. Some model may be suitable in one case while others may be more so in another situation. In this respect, conic sections which are 2nd order curves, can only be applied to specific shapes like hyperbolas, eclipse, etc and their efficiency as ideal fit to any shape of the dental arch is thus limited (AlHarbi, S, et al, 2006). The beta function, although superior, consider s only the parameters of molar width and arch depth and does not factor in other dental landmarks. Nor does it consider asymmetrical forms. In contrast, the 4th order polynomial functions are better effective in defining the dental arch than either cubic spline or the beta function (AlHarbi, et al, 2006). AlHadi and others (2006) also maintain that important considerations in defining the human dental arch through mathematical modelling like symmetry or asymmetry, objective, landmarks used and required level of accuracy do influence the actual choice of model made. OCCLUSION AND ITS TYPES Occlusion is the manner in which the lower and upper teeth intercuspate between each other in all mandibular positions or movements. Ash Ramfjord (1982) state that it is a result of neuromuscular control of the components of the mastication systems viz., teeth, maxilla mandibular, periodontal structures, temporomandibular joints and their related muscles and ligaments. Ross (1970) also differentiated between physiological and pathological occlusion, in which the various components function smoothly and without any pain, and also remain in good health. Furthermore, occlusion is a phenomenon that has been generally classified by experts into three types, namely, normal occlusion, ideal occlusion and malocclusion. Ideal Occlusion Ideal occlusion is a hypothetical state, an ideal situation. McDonald Ireland (1998) defined ideal occlusions as a condition when maxilla and mandible have their skeletal bases of correct size relative to one another, and the teeth are in correct relationship in the three spatial planes at rest. Houston et al (1992) has also given various other concepts relating to ideal occlusion in permanent dentition and these concern ideal mesiodistal buccolingual inclinations, correct approximal relationships of teeth, exact overlapping of upper and lower arch both laterally and anteriorly, existence of mandible in position of centric relation, and also presence of correct functional relationship during mandibular excursions. Normal Occlusion and its Characteristics Normal occlusion was first clearly defined by Angle (1899) which was the occlusion when upper and lower molars were in relationship such that the mesiobuccal cusp of upper molar occluded in buccal cavity of lower molar and teeth were all arranged in a smoothly curving line. Houston et al, (1992) defined normal occlusion as an occlusion within accepted definition of the ideal and which caused no functional or aesthetic problems. Andrews (1972) had previously also mentioned of six distinct characteristics observed consistently in orthodontic patients having normal occlusion, viz., molar relationship, correct crown angulation inclination, absence of undesirable teeth rotations, tightness of proximal points, and flat occlusal plane (the curve of Spee having no more than a slight arch and deepest curve being 1.5 mm). To this, Roth (1981) added some more characteristics as being features of normal occlusion, viz., coincidence of centric occlusion and relationship, exclusion of posterior t eeth during protrusion, inclusion of canine teeth solely during lateral excursions of the mandible and prevalence of even bilateral contacts in buccal segments during centric excursion of teeth. Oltramari, PVP et al (2007) maintain that success of orthodontic treatments can be achieved when all static functional objectives of occlusion exist and achieving stable centric relation with all teeth in Maxim intercuspal position is the main criteria for a functional occlusion MATHEMATICAL MODELS FOR MEASURING THE DENTAL ARCH CURVE Whether for detecting future orthodontic problems, or for ensuring normal occlusion, a study of the dental arch characteristics becomes essential. Additionally, intra-arch spacing also needs to be studied so as to help the dentist forecast and prevent ectopic or premature teeth eruption. While studies in the past on dentition in children and young adults have shown significant variations among diverse populations (Prabhakaran et al, 2006), dentists are continuously seized of the need to generalize their research findings and arrive at a uniform mathematical model for defining the human dental arch and assessing the generalizations, if any, in the dental shape, size, spacing and other characteristics. Prabhakaran et al (2006) also maintain that such mathematical modelling and analysis during primary dentition is very important in assessing the arch dimensions and spacing as also for helping ensure a proper alignment in permanent dentition during the crucial period which follows the co mplete eruption of primary dentition in children. They are also of the view that proper prediction of arch variations and state of occlusion during this period can be crucial for establishing ideal desired esthetic and functional occlusion in later years. While all dentists and orthodontists seem to be more or less unanimous in perceiving as important the mathematical analysis of the dental arch in children in normal occlusion, no two experts seem agreeable in defining the dental arch by means of a single generalized model. A single model eludes the foremost dental practitioners owing to the differences in samples studied with regard to their origins, size, features, ages, etc. Thus while one author may have studied and derived his results from studying some Brazilian children under some previously defined test conditions, another author may have studied Afro-American children of another age group, sample size or geographical origins. Also, within the same set of samples studied, there are also marked variations in dental arch shapes, sizes and spacing as found out by leading experts in the field. Shapes are also unpredictable as to the symmetry or asymmetry and this is another obstacle to the theoretical generalization that could evo lve a single uniform mathematical model. However, some notable studies in the past decades do stand out and may be singled out as the most relevant and significant developments in the field till date. The earliest models were necessarily qualitative, rather than quantitative. Dentists talked of ellipse, parabola, conic section, etc when describing the human dental arch. Earlier authors like Hayashi (1962) and Lu (1966) did attempt to explain mathematically the human dental arch in terms of polynomial equations of different orders. However, their theory could not explain asymmetrical features or predict fully all forms of the arch. Later on, authors like Pepe (1975), Biggerstaff (1972), Jones Richmond (1989), Hayashi (1976), BeGole (1980) made their valuable contributions to the literature in the dental field through their pioneering studies on teeth of various sample populations of children in general, and a mathematical analysis of the dental arch in particular. While authors like Pepe and Biggerstaff relied on symmetrical features of dental curvature, BeGole was a pioneer in the field in that he utilized the asymmetrical cubic splines to describe the dental arch. His model assu med that the arch could not be symmetrical and he tried to evolve a mathematical best fit for defining and assessing the arch curve by using the cubic splines. BeGole developed a FORTRAN program on the computer that he used for interpolating different cubic splines for each subject studied and essentially tried to substantiate a radical view of many experts that the arch curve defied geometrical definition and such perfect geometrical shapes like the parabola or ellipse could not satisfactorily define the same. He was of the view that the cubic spline appropriately represented the general maxillary arch form of persons in normal occlusion. His work directly contrasted efforts by Biggerstaff (1972) who defined the dental arch form through a set of quadratic equations and Pepe who used polynomial equations of degree less than eight to fit on the dental arch curve (1975). In Pepes view, there could be supposed to exist, at least in theory, a unique polynomial equation having degree (n + 1) or less (n was number of data points) that would ensure exact data fit of points on the dental arch curve. An example would be the polynomial equation based on Le-Granges interpolation formula viz., Y = n Ã¢â‚¬Å"i=1yi Ã‚ [j ¹i](x-xj)/xi-xj), where xi, yi were data points. In 1989, Jones Richmond used the parabolic curve to explain the form of the dental arch quite effectively. Their effort did contribute to both pre and post treatment benefits based on research on the dental arch. However, Battagel (1996) used the catenary curves as a fit for the arch curvature and published the findings in the popular British Journal of Orthodontics, proving that the British researchers were not far behind their American counterparts. Then, Harris (1997) made a longitudinal study on the arch form while the next year (1998), Braun and others put forth their famous beta function model for defining the dental arch. Braun expressed the beta function by means of a mathematical equation thus: In the Braun equation, W was molar width in mm and denoted the measured distance between right and left 2nd molar distobuccal cusp points and D the depth of the arch. A notable thing was that the beta function was a symmetrical function and did not explain observed variations in form and shape in actual human samples studied by others. Although it was observed by Pepe (1975) that 4th order polynomials were actually a better fit than the splines, in later analyses in the 1990s, it appeared that these were even better than the beta (AlHarbi et al, 2006). In the latter part of the 1990s, Ferrario et al (1999) expressed the dental curve as a 3-D structure. These experts conducted some diverse studies on the dental arch in getting to know the 3-D inclinations of the dental axes, assessing arch curves of both adolescents and adults and statistically analysing the Monsons sphere in healthy human permanent dentition. Other key authors like Burris et al (2000), who studied the maxillary arch sizes and shapes in American whites and blacks, Poggio et al (2000) who pointed out the deficiencies in using biometrical methods in describing the dental arch curvature, and Noroozi et al (2001) who showed that the beta function was solely insufficient to describe an expanded square dental arch form, perhaps, constitute some of the most relevant mathematical analyses of recent years. Most recently, one of the most relevant analyses seems to have been carried out by AlHarbi ad others (2006) who essentially studied the dental arch curvature of individuals in normal occlusion. They studied 40 sets of plaster dental casts both upper and lower of male and female subjects from ages 18 to 25 years. Although their samples were from adults, they considered four most relevant functions, namely, the beta function, the polynomial functions, the natural cubic splines, and the Hermite cubic splines. They found that, whereas the polynomials of 4th order best fit the dental arch exhibiting symmetrical form, the Hermite cubic splines best described those dental arch curves which were irregular in shape, and particularly useful in tracking treatment variations. They formed the opinion at the end of their study of subjects all sourced, incidentally, from nationals of Saudi Arabia that the 4th order polynomials could be effectively used to define a smooth dental arch curve which could further be applied into fabricating custom arch wires or a fixed orthodontic apparatus, which could substantially aid in dental arch reconstruction or even in enhancement of esthetic beauty in patients. COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT MODELS FOR ANALYSING THE DENTAL ARCH The dental arch has emerged as an important part of modern dentistry for a variety reasons. The need for an early detection and prevention of malocclusion is one important reason whereby dentists hope to ensure a normal and ideal permanent dentition. Dentists also increasingly wish to facilitate normal facial appearance in case of teeth and space abnormalities in children and adults. What constitutes the ideal occlusion, ideal intra-arch and adjacent space and correct arch curvature is a matter of comparison among leading dentists and orthodontists. Previous studies done in analyzing dental arch shape have used conventional anatomical points on incisal edges and on molar cusp tips so as to classify forms of the dental arch through various mathematical forms like ellipse, parabola, cubical spline, etc, as has been mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs. Other geometric shapes used to describe and measure the dental arch include the catenary curves. Hayashi (1962) used mathematical equations of the form: y = axn + e Ã‚ ¡(x- Ã‚ ¢) and applied them to anatomic landmarks on buccal cusps and incisal edges of numerous dental casts. However, the method was complex and required estimation of the parameters like Ã‚ ¡, Ã‚ ¢, etc. Also, Hayashi did not consider the asymmetrical curvature of the arch. In contrast, Lu (1966) introduced the concept of fourth degree polynomial for defining the dental arch curve. Later, Biggerstaff (1973) introduced a generalized quadratic equation for studying the close fit of shapes like the parabol a, hyperbola and ellipse for describing the form of the dental arch. However, sixth degree polynomials ensured a better curve fit as mentioned in studies by Pepe, SH (1975). Many authors like Biggerstaff (1972) have used a parabola of the form x2 = -2py for describing the shape of the dental arch while others like Pepe (1975) have stressed on the catenary curve form defined by the equation y = (ex + e-x)/2. Biggerstaff (1973) has also mentioned of the equation (x2/b2) + (y2/a2) = 1 that defines an ellipse. BeGole (1980) then developed a computer program in FORTRAN which was used to interpolate a cubic spline for individual subjects who were studied to effectively find out the perfect mathematical model to define the dental arch. The method due to BeGole essentially utilized the cubic equations and the splines used in analysis were either symmetrical or asymmetrical. Another method, finite element analysis used in comparing dental-arch forms was affected by homology function and the drawbacks of element design. Another, multivariate principal component analyses, as performed by Buschang et al (1994) so as to determine size and shape factors from numerous linear measurements could not satisfactorily explain major variations in dental arch forms and the method failed to provide for a larger generalization in explaining the arch forms. ANALYSING DENTAL ARCH CURVE IN CHILDREN IN NORMAL OCCLUSION Various studies have been conducted by different experts for defining human dental arch curves by a mathematical model and whose curvature has assumed importance, particularly in prediction, correction and alignment of dental arch in children in normal occlusion. The study of children in primary dentition have led to some notable advances in dental care and treatment of various dental diseases and conditions, although, an exact mathematical model for the dental arch curve is yet to be arrived at. Some characteristic features that have emerged during the course of various studies over time indicate that no single arch form could be found to relate to all types of samples studied since the basic objectives, origin and heredity of the children under study, the drawbacks of the various mathematical tools, etc, do inhibit a satisfactory and perfect fit of any one model in describing the dental arch form to any degree of correction. However, it has been evident through the years of continu ous study by dentists and clinical orthodontists that children exhibit certain common features during their childhood, when their dentition is yet to develop into permanent dental form. For example, a common feature is the eruption of primary dentition in children that generally follows a fixed pattern. The time of eruption of various teeth like incisors, molars, canines, etc follow this definite pattern over the growing up years of the child. The differences of teeth forms, shape, size, arch spacing and curvature, etc, that characterize a given sample under study for mathematical analysis, also essentially vary with the nationality and ethnic origin of a child. In one longitudinal study by Henrikson et al (2001) that studied 30 children of Scandinavian origin with normal occlusion, it was found that when children pass from adolescence into adulthood, a significant lack of stability in arch form was discernible. In another study, experts have also indicated that dental arches in som e children were symmetrical, while in others this was not so, indicating that symmetrical form of a dental arch was not a prerequisite for normal occlusion. All these studies based on mathematical analysis of one kind or another have thrown up more data rather than been correlated to deliver a generalized theory that can satisfactorily associate a single mathematical model for all dental arch forms in children with normal occlusion. CONCLUSION Factors that determine satisfactory diagnosis in orthodontic treatment include teeth spacing and size, the dental arch form and size. Commonly used plaster model analysis is cumbersome, whereas many scanning tools, like laser, destructive and computer tomography scans, structured light, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound techniques, do exist now for accurate 3-D reconstruction of the human anatomy. The plaster orthodontic methods can verily be replaced successfully by 3-D models using computer images for arriving at better accurate results of study. The teeth measurement using computer imaging are accurate, efficient and easy to do and would prove to be very useful in measuring tooth and dental arch sizes and also the phenomenon of dental crowding. Mathematical analysis, though now quite old, can be applied satisfactorily in various issues relating to dentistry and the advances in computer imaging, digitalization and computer analysis through state-of-the-art software program s, do herald a new age in mathematical modelling of the human dental arch which could yet bring in substantial advancement in the field of Orthodontics and Pedodontics. This could in turn usher in an ideal dental care and treatment environment so necessary for countering lack of dental awareness and prevalence of dental diseases and inconsistencies in children across the world.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Friedman’s Discussion of Globalization and Flattening Essay

Globalization is regarded by its critics as a force which is extending the gap between the world’s rich and poor. In some ways, this has been true, especially throughout the first decade of the post-Cold War Era. The opening of gateways to the East created a relationship between the corporate partners throughout the globe that concentrated the spoils of free-trade into the hands of the wealthy. But in Thomas Friedman’s 2005 meditation on the topic, The World is Flat, there is evidence that in fact, the intended products of globalization such as a greater distribution of knowledge resources and a leveling of the technological playing field are beginning to surface. This latter product of free trade, the ‘leveling’ effect is that which informs Friedman’s title theme. The world has become flat by its increasing smallness. The economic, political, cultural and tele-communicative interconnectivity of nations is gradually eroding many of the geographic obstacles to popular progress. The strands of globalization, the New York Times journalist observes, have contributed to a broadening of access to independent entrepreneurialship and opportunity. Though many of the subjects of the author’s analysis are large American multi-national corporations, there is an evident transition in which knowledge-based internet startup enterprises from across the globe are undermining the more monopolistic proclivities of the American market. In nations such as India and China, American exploitation of lower operational, environmental and labor-oriented costs in the technological sector has caused a proliferation of such resources to the general public. This, in turn, is becoming a hotbed of alternative market action which will ultimately dismantle the superiority of the American economy. According to Friedman’s analysis, a core detriment to the U. S. economy, but a boon to independent operations overseas, has been a disregard for American private conceptions of property rights. From counterfeiting of American name brand consumer goods to pirate telecommunication infrastructural apparatuses, the bureaucratic vulnerabilities to effective globalization are numerous. Both partners in a free-trade circumstance stand to lose economic opportunity in the presence of such market subversions. Thomas Friedman’s text is eye-opening insofar as so many of the matters which he discusses may be directly implicated in the experiences of our everyday lives. In fact, this is the ‘flattening’ principle of which the author speaks, dictating that the public experience rather than simply large institutional abstractions are shaping the context in which we live our lives. Such is to suggest that the technological, educational, informational and recreational freedoms which have traditionally be reserved for those on the upper echelon of both their domestic setting and international geography are increasingly becoming democratic. However, in contrast to Friedman’s general tenor of optimism, his sarcasm only hints at the current consequences of globalization for so many individuals. This discussion is a reflection on Friedman’s text as informed by my own conception of globalization which brings future opportunity at the expense of current human dignity, personal satisfaction and even American prosperity. Therefore, the discussion will be oriented toward elucidating globalization’s internally contradictory nature. Just as it enriches one demographic in a developing nation, it facilitates the targeted abuse of another. Just as it endows us with a heretofore unseen capacity for self-sufficiency, it likewise robs us of the capacity to control the level of satisfaction which we achieve when relating to the commercial world. In the flattening of the global horizon that Friedman lauds as the eventual path to a shared standard of living and prosperity, there is the need for a greater analytical emphasis on the negative forces that are driving individuals to increasingly attempt to find their own pathways to social and commercial interaction. Friedman’s discussion, as we will see, is focused on demonstrating the permeation of benefits to the collective world community in free trade. This is quite supportable from a macrolevel standpoint. Indeed, nations engaged in free trade would do well to support one another in a mutuality of benefit. Certainly, as was illustrated by the economic phenomena of the 1990s’, the expansion of a single large market through a boom of technological progress will have the effect of disseminating to the rest of the free world. This was certainly proved to be true by the dynamic of that decade, when â€Å"there was a massive investment in technology, especially in the bubble era, when hundreds of millions of dollars were invested in putting broadband connectivity around the world. † (Friedman, 6) The result is what is seen as surfacing today. More than the United States, it is the world community which is producing the knowledge workforce of the future. And though Friedman is forthcoming in making that foreboding case, it is important that we expound upon this subject further in this discussion by acknowledging that globalization and the ‘flattening’ effect are not of a uniform pattern. Even as the proliferation which the author discusses is taking place, it has done so with a multitude of consequences that can neither said to have been desire nor can be said to have stimulated greater equality. Friedman, whom by his text we may suggest is a supporter of the ultimate purpose of globalization, makes the technological attribution that â€Å"it was actually the coincidence of the dot-com boom and the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that launched the fiber-optic bubble. † (67) Friedman observes that the collective telecom industry invested roughly 1 trillion dollars in half a decade on ‘wiring the world. ’ (67) The deregulation in the 1996 American domestic legislation, which allowed so many larger companies to enforce hostile consolidation measures in a vast array of theretofore legally unapproachable markets, would coincide with the unfettered capital investment in global internet penetration that has ultimately elevated private sector rights over public rights while simultaneously helping to bring other nations to an eventually greater infrastructural promotion of internet access than would be found in the United States. In some manner, this is borne out by a pattern with incredibly broad-based implications for American consumer and job markets. Today, we have seen and experienced the wholesale transfer of our Customer Service industry to fledgling globalizing economies such as that in India. Here, major computer retailers, cable company operators, wireless communication device providers, bank/credit cards merchants and virtually every other monopolistic corporate industry in America is forced to maintain its competitive advantages by commissioning outsourced Customer Service agents located in India. It is their charge to replicate the experience of an American calling a support technician with an intimate relationship with the product in question. This is accomplished with, as Friedman reveals, intensive training in the adoption of linguistic, dialectic and etiquette-related behaviors designed to facilitate comfort for the American caller. â€Å"The Indian call center operators adopt Western names of their own choosing. The idea, of course, is to make their American or European customers feel more comfortable. † (22) Amongst the many indicators that cultural flattening would play a part in this transition of labor, the concept of taking on an Americanized name in the interests of facilitating the core consumer target is not only remarkable but intensely objectionable from the outside perspective, particularly when this outside perspective is informed by the sense of autonomy and individuality typically affiliated with western philosophy. However, for the subjects described in Friedman’s book, an aspect of the western philosophy perhaps more indicative of its cultural interest is the economic opportunity afforded to the hundreds of thousands of young Indian post-graduates competing for the chance to answer phone calls from Americans concerned with all manner of technical support or target marketing. This relatively low-level and typically micro-managed field in America has become amongst the most competitive entry-level positions in India. And in one sense that Friedman captures in the theoretical framing of his text, this is an opportunity for personal economic mobility which for the young student in India might have been seen as extraordinary and rarified just a decade ago. This may hardly be said to be true today, where â€Å"245,000 Indians are answering phones† 24 hours a day and charged with responsibility of representing themselves as being located somewhere in the United States. (24) From a personal perspective, this has produced an incredible dearth of quality service in the United States, where the usability of our products has become increasingly distant from the quality of the Customer Support which we have received. One of the qualities of our technology which Friedman believes has helped to diminish the relevance of geographical distance to serviceability has been the institution of automated Customer Service. For those of us who have been transferred and given insufficient options for contending with specific categories of problem, this has hardly been an added convenience. And the infallibly polite computerized operator is equally as unflappable or emotionally unresponsive as is the outsourced Customer Service representative. In a particularly telling passage where Friedman observes a woman in an Indian call center as caller after caller hangs up the phone in rage, we can see that there is something about this experience that can be excruciating and even unfair. It may be noted that Friedman does a very effective job at distinguishing between the economic, the sociological and the technological factors which have rendered our current level of global flatness. He acknowledges that there were world events which would make the type of collaboration now essential between the United States and India a natural matter of happenstance. Friedman describes the so-called Y2K crisis in which it was feared that a lack of programming foresight would result in the incorrect resetting of the world’s computer-based internal clocking mechanisms, creating the likelihood of widespread technical failure throughout the world. Thus, â€Å"with Y2K bearing down on us, America and India started dating, and that relationship became a huge flattener, because it demonstrated to so many different businesses that the combination of the PC, the Internet, and fiber-optic cables had created the possibility of a whole new for of collaboration horizontal value creation: outsourcing. † (108) So we must yield to the fact that, truly, globalization can hardly be avoided. The scope of consumer need does truly require a greater scope of consumer service, and the Indian economy does have the correct workforce makeup to address this need. But when combined with the expansion of private rights, courtesy of such legislation as the 1996 Act, this has created a frustrating sense for the consumer that ‘flattening’ requires a considerable decline from the experiences to which Americans have grown accustomed. Perhaps the overarching presence in Friedman’s text is the intimation that these factors which are impacting our lives and the affecting the shift of world order are of an inevitable nature. The ten factors which are identified as the flattening mechanisms of the changing globe are largely technological and economic forces with broad social and cultural implications. However, these latter qualities are merely the secondary consequence of a circumstance committed to by former. Such is to say that the proliferation of western culture, though certainly not accidental, is merely incidental. Referring once again to the problematic case of outsourcing Customer Support services, we can see that the imposition of American culture is only due to the need to cater to the American consumer. In reality, though Indian culture is threatened by subversion, it is American culture which is being co-opted for reasons having little to do with cultural expression. As a result, the American identity has been trivialized and largely represented as being tantamount to the conveyance of commercial interest. One of the core revelations offered by this text, at least when placed in the context of the general American’s everyday experience, is that the flattening which has occurred must necessarily come at the expense of the American’s staunch sense of individuality and belief in personal entitlement. Works Cited: Friedman, T. (2005). The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.