How Far Was the Dispute over Berlin in the Years 1958 â€...

Between the years 1958 and 1961, the dispute over Berlin (often known as the ‘Berlin Crisis’) was one of the main issues between the USA and USSR, and caused a considerable amount of growing tension between the two states. The dispute over Berlin was a continuing issue over who was to occupy Berlin, the capital city of Germany. The city was seen as an important area for both states and led to several conflict issues throughout the time period. It could be argued that this issue and the tension caused by this was the primary reason (or, the main reason) for the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. The Cuban missile crisis was an issue over the placement of nuclear weapons on the island of Cuba by the Soviet Union and brought the world closer than†¦show more content†¦This would force the west to recognise GDR, making the Hallstein Doctrine irrelevant. Although the Western powers refused to be forced into signing the treaty and rejected the ultimatum, it did force them t o attend the Geneva Conference in 1959, where they were willing to discuss the German question. Prior to this, London and Washington statements were signalling their desire for compromise over the German and Berlin crisis. As Khrushchev had succeeded in getting Berlin to be discussed as a separate issue (where he could attempt to influence the West to make concessions over West Berlin), he continued this pressure and renewed his ultimatum. This suggests that in this instance, whereas the USA and UK were open for compromise over the Berlin crisis, Khrushchev’s continued forceful and pressurising attitude meant that he was not as willing to compromise and therefore little was concluded from the Geneva Conference. ‘Between 1959 and 1961, there were more summits than at a time since the Second World War’ (Williamson, 2006) – however little was achieved. Khrushchev often lead with periods of acute crisis and threat making during this time period, in order to in crease this pressure on the West to concede West Berlin. This forceful leadership shown suggests that Khrushchev may have been so focused on the Berlin crisis and forcing theShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesdemarcate historical epochs, the twentieth century does not appear to be a very coherent unit. The beginnings and ends of what we choose to call centuries are almost invariably years of little significance. But there is little agreement over when the twentieth century c.e. arrived, and there were several points both before the year 2000 (the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reunification of Germany, the surge of globalization from the mid-1990s) and afterward (9/11, or the global recession of 2008)Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesPermissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458. Many of the designations by manufacturers and seller to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Whetten, David A. (David Allred) Developing management skills /David A. Whetten, Kim S. Cameron.—8th edRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesSaddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior / Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. Judge. — 15th ed. p. cm. Includes

Sample Technology Essay Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters Free Essays

string(99) " an organization with the aim of accomplishing the organizations main objectives \(Rowley, 2000\)\." ABSTRACT This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online portal (â€Å"Learning Exchange†) as a tool in promoting knowledge sharing at a leading market information firm – Thomson Reuters. The company was having problems with the flow of knowledge amongst different departments across several countries, therefore as the several theorists suggest, a knowledge management system in the form of an intranet was implemented in a bid to promote knowledge sharing. Results obtained from a colleague working within the organization reported that the Learning Exchange has not been as successful as planned due to the low level of trust following the merger, employee unwillingness to share and also the competitive culture that is usually the norm in Knowledge companies, thus confirming several theorists’ view of the reasons behind intranet sharing failures. We will write a custom essay sample on Sample Technology Essay: Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters or any similar topic only for you Order Now A new corporate wide initiative is therefore proposed, to minimize the predominant competitive culture; engage all users in the knowledge management system; and to include an increasing number of relevant information on Learning Exchange. Keywords Knowledge management, Knowledge sharing, Thomson Reuters, Intranet sharing, competitive advantage, market information industry, organizational effectiveness. 1. Introduction a. Organization and Industry The global market information industry, dominated mainly by Bloomberg (33%) and Thomson Reuters (34%), has been described as a duopolistic market that may determine the future trend in global businesses. Drucker (2001) reports that attainment of competitive advantage is increasingly focused on the possession of information and knowledge, as opposed to capital and labour – the norm in previous decades. Thomson Reuters is a global market leader in market information, following the merger between Thomson Financials and Reuters in 2008. It is headquartered in Canada, and operates in 93 countries with over 50,000 staff (Thomson Reuters, 2009). 2008 revenues were ?13 billion. Employees who work in the market information industry are composed mainly of journalists, market analysts, and technology professionals. All three occupations are composed mainly of knowledge workers. Therefore presenting the best opportunity to ascertain the effectiveness of knowledge management systems in such an industry. b. Aims and Objectives This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online portal (â€Å"Learning Exchange†) as a tool in promoting knowledge sharing amongst those that know, and those that don’t, at leading market information firm – Thomson Reuters. Has the intranet tool that was implemented, really done its work in promoting collaboration amongst employees within the organization, and if so, how was that achieved? The importance of this paper lies in its unique approach to the culture within the organization and its aim of drawing up recommendations that could result in substantial benefit to the knowledge management industry. c. Nature of the issue Thomson Reuters, an information company, was having problems with the flow of knowledge amongst different departments across several countries. Evaluating such a question, especially within a global organization, could lead to innumerable results regarding the overall effectiveness of such approaches in that industry, and could set footpaths for recommendations which could change the methods in which such platforms are implemented in the future. Though my eventual findings are not certain, preliminary literature research clearly outlines that the success rate of any Knowledge Management Intranet system is based on the culture of the organization (Ruppel and Harrington, 2001), willingness of staff to accept the application (Goh, 2007), and integration strategies put into place that would encourage all stakeholders to use the intranet (Goh, 2007). d. Paper Structure and Research Limitations In order to verify or discredit such assumptions, this paper would be structured in a way such that it discusses the organizational and industry background in Introduction. Theories relating to knowledge management and sharing would be discussed in the literature review. A methodology section would outline the main procedures within which the author has gathered the data, and the analytical strategy being adopted, while the results and discussion chapter would compare the results from the organization against existing literature. Recommendations and Conclusions would be outlined in following chapters. The major constraint that this paper may encounter, would be gaining access to the core knowledge workers whose information would make the Learning Exchange intranet very effective. What are their views regarding sharing their knowledge within the organization? 2. Literature Review a. Knowledge in Organizations Knowledge, as defined by Ajayi and Leidner (2001, p109), â€Å"is the information processing that takes place in human minds, as well as personalized information related to facts, procedures, concepts, interpretations, ideas, observations and judgements.† Knowledge is a critical resource within organizations that may be used to gain and maintain competitive advantage (Drucker, 2001). There is therefore a high impetus for organizations to â€Å"exploit effective and efficient methods of preserving, sharing and reusing knowledge in order to help knowledge workers find task-relevant information† and also to help hedge the company against future uncertainties in the changing marketplace (Lai and Lui, 2009). Nissen and Levitt (2002) assert that knowledge is unevenly distributed within most enterprises; therefore the flow of knowledge across time, location and departments is critical to organizational effectiveness and performance within a knowledge-based view of the firm. Data and Information may be in abundance within an organization, however the degree to which these result in actionable strategies depend on the level of knowledge being shared in the organization, as illustrated in figure 1 below (Ipe, 2003). Figure 1: Knowledge Heirarchy, Source: Nissen (2002) Data lies at the bottom level and is usually the most abundant resource within an organization, with information at the middle and knowledge being the least available resource (Nissen, 2002). Therefore the higher the collective knowledge base of the organization, the more effective it would be with strategies that properly utilize this core competence (Ipe, 2003). Argote and Ingram (2000) further argue that knowledge that is improperly distributed within an organization is of little importance, and for knowledge sharing to occur, some sort of mutual platform must be present that engages all individuals in the process of knowledge sharing. b. Knowledge Management and Sharing Knowledge Management is concerned with exploiting and developing the knowledge base of an organization with the aim of accomplishing the organizations main objectives (Rowley, 2000). You read "Sample Technology Essay: Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters" in category "Essay examples" Knowledge sharing, defined as the process in which employees diffuse and share relevant information amongst each other within an organization (Bartol and Srivastava, 2002) has been categorized as the most important part of Knowledge Management (Bock and Kim, 2002). The main aim of sharing organization knowledge is therefore to transfer organizational assets and resources between entities in an organization in order to promote streamlined processes, prevent repetitiveness (Dawson, 2001) and gain competitive advantage (Drucker, 2001). Knowledge sharing plays a very important role in a company’s performance and innovation; the willingness to share knowledge within an organization is dependent on the focus of the organization, be it: Job guarantee, Individual performance, Team performance or Team learning (Meng Hsun et al, 2006). Empirical evidence shows that the motivation to share knowledge is highly dependent on the team culture within the organization, and is highest with the team learning culture, whilst lowest with those companies laden with individual performance guarantees. Figure 2 below is a pictographic representation of Nissen and Levitt’s (2002) factors that affect knowledge sharing behaviours. Figure 2: Factors that affect knowledge sharing behaviours. Source: Nissen and Levitt (2002) Huysman and Wulf (2006) noted that individuals might not necessarily opt to share their knowledge in all situations, even if it’s an organizational requirement. Foss et al (2009) also states that an individuals decision whether or not to share knowledge is highly influenced by the benefits and costs associated with each option. c. Promoting Knowledge Sharing Knowledge exists at different levels within the organization, and may be subdivided into individual, group or department level knowledge bases (De Long and Fahey, 2000), therefore an organization’s ability to effectively leverage the knowledge of these subdivisions in accomplishing an organization wide objective is highly dependent on its people and the culture within which the knowledge is created, shared and used (Ipe, 2003). Leveraging this knowledge could result in improved streamlined processes, such as those in a knowledge flow hierarchy as depicted in figure 3. Figure 3: Knowledge flow hierarchy, Source: Zhuge (2002) According to Ipe (2003) knowledge sharing within organizations is highly contingent on the following factors: Nature of the knowledge Motivation to share Opportunities to share, and Culture of the work environment Figure 4: Knowledge sharing triangle, Source: Ipe (2003) The methods by which these factors influence one another in promoting knowledge sharing are depicted in Figure 4. The capacity by which these factors influence organizational knowledge depends highly on the business objectives of the organization, its structure, business processes, rewards systems and culture. The organizational culture has the most influence on the other three knowledge-sharing factors, as it determines to a large extent, how and what knowledge is valued, relationships and rewards associated with knowledge sharing, and also the formal and informal facilities and opportunities that stakeholders have to share knowledge (Ipe, 2003). Bresman et al (1999) asserts that the essential part of knowledge management is the transfer of knowledge across business units, hierarchies, countries, sister units and multicultural environments. Organizations may therefore encounter setbacks with regards to an increase in geographical and cultural distance within the organization. Meng Hsun et al (2006) also asserts that firms may encounter setbacks due to neglecting human nature and the knowledge trading mechanism within the organization. Foss et al (2009) also supports this assumption by stating that an employee’s attitudes and competencies may impede knowledge sharing. Some are ignorant of the importance of sharing knowledge whilst others possess an unwillingness to share that may be due to fear of losing importance, superiority or knowledge ownership (Zhuge, 2002). However, the notion that an individual’s motivation to share is the main determinant for knowledge sharing has been challenged by Hislop’s (2003) study. The results of the study, illustrate that the most important determinant in an employee’s willingness to share, is the employee attitudes towards sharing. Employees working within the sales department of an organization may not be as willing to share knowledge, compared to those working in Marketing. In a bid to curb the negativity associated with Knowledge Sharing, Lin (2006) discovered that the following motivational factors were significantly associated with employee knowledge sharing attitudes: Reciprocal benefits, Knowledge self efficacy and, Enjoyment in helping in helping others. De Vries et al (2006) also noted that eagerness and willingness to share are both positively related to knowledge sharing within an organization. Lin (2006) however asserts that expected organizational rewards do not significantly influence employee attitudes and intentions regarding organizational knowledge sharing. This finding therefore raises the question of what organizations can do to promote a knowledge sharing culture, if objective rewards have no significant effect. d. Knowledge Sharing through Intranets Drucker (2001) nominated the ability to gather and utilize knowledge as an important source of sustainable competitive advantage within an organization. A number of organizations have therefore begun pursuing knowledge management initiatives and making substantial investments in knowledge management systems that encourage a mutual culture of knowledge sharing behaviours (Hahn and Wang, 2009). While knowledge sharing may constitute a number of factors and requirements, a technology-mediated environment is one of the most important promoters of a knowledge sharing culture (Carlson and Davis, 1998). Knowledge management systems are increasingly being deployed through intranets Foss et al (2009). Intranet KMS are knowledge networks with multiple points of entry maintained in a centralized location. Information could be created by, and is available to, all employees within the organization (Chin, 2005). While the possibilities for intranet applications are innumerable, it is still classified as just the backbone for knowledge sharing. The success of any Intranet based KMS is based wholly on its adoption (Ipe, 2003). Successful KMS reflect the organization’s willingness and ability to share knowledge amongst each other, and the knowledge sharing culture within the organization. Unsuccessful knowledge sharing initiatives are not necessarily due to the intranet system, but the culture of the organization and employee’s willingness to share (Chin, 2005) Chin (2005) further asserts that each knowledge management system has to pass through three main hurdles for it to be successful: The technology used to implement and support knowledge sharing The specified business goals that knowledge management seeks to achieve and, A culture that understands the importance of a collective mindset within the organization. Ruppel and Harrington (2001) also assert that the implementation of intranet knowledge management systems is facilitated through an organizational culture that promotes each of the following: Trust and concern for other stakeholders Flexibility and innovation Policies, procedures and information management. Top management seeking to implement these systems should therefore make sure that each of these procedures and cultures are present within the organization in order to obtain a successful adoption of its knowledge management initiative. 3. Analysis a. Research Method Based on the literature that has been reviewed and also on the purpose of this conference paper, the author adopted a positivist philosophy in ascertaining the success rate of â€Å"Learning Exchange† at Thomson Reuters. A deductive approach was also used when comparing data gathered to existing literature review. Data was gathered through a case study analysis of an article written by Logan (2009) on the effectiveness of the learning exchange platform at Thomson Reuters. The author therefore aims to analyse the case study against the literature that has been reviewed on the topic with the hope of ascertaining the main factors that promoted or disrupted the intranet implementation processes at Thomson Reuters. b. Analysis and Discussion Being a knowledge based organization, Thomson Reuters faces the same challenges as outlined by Drucker (2001) – the possession and utilization of knowledge resources. A vast majority of its work force is composed of journalists and technical experts whose major competence is based, to a large extent, on what they know. Judging by Argote and Ingram’s (2000) theory, if journalists across several departments in the organization are unable to coalesce, then individual competences and knowledge would be useless. This realization led the implementation of the â€Å"Learning Exchange† intranet platform, which aimed to create a unified formal platform for the sharing organizational knowledge. However, as Chin (2005) affirms, any knowledge-based intranet is only a backbone, which would only be successful if there is a unified adoption strategy within the organization. According to reports garnered through a friend of mine, working at Thomson Reuters, the adoption of Learning Exchange has not been successful in meeting its implementation objectives. A vast majority of staff were sceptical about the process, especially due to the recent merger between Thomson Financials and Reuters that had occurred in 2008. The newly combined staff felt like it was a means for management to siphon out relevant knowledge from existing staff before they were let go. Thus confirming Ruppel and Harrington’s (2001) assertion that mutual trust amongst stakeholders was a very huge prerequisite for knowledge sharing. The failure encountered with regards to the intranet adoption was also as a result of the predominant culture within the organization. Knowledge based organizations, as depicted by Drucker (2001), are known to be very competitive environments. Therefore employees hoard what they know, for the fear of losing importance, superiority or knowledge ownership (Zhuge, 2002). Some knowledge workers who had most of the relevant information were also hoarding a lot of relevant information. An employee within the organization said â€Å"it is just like a sales environment where you do not want to tell your colleague what you know, for the fear that they may do better than you†. This finding conforms to Hislop’s (2003) theory regarding the environment within which employees are encouraged to share information with one another. It also affirms Lin’s (2006) argument regarding the threat employees’ associate with knowledge sharing. Ipe’s (2003) argument regarding the conditions within which employees share information also has a huge significance with relation to Learning Exchange. The ‘nature of the knowledge’ being shared is very valuable; therefore employees do not necessarily have that much ‘motivation to share’. Though the ‘opportunities to share’ are increasingly becoming available through the Learning Exchange, the ‘culture of the work environment’ does not necessarily permit it. Learning Exchange is therefore increasingly becoming a backbone for knowledge sharing which has no â€Å"front-bone†. The more the knowledge hoarding culture within the organization is continuously being encouraged; the harder it becomes for knowledge workers within the organization to share information. 4. Conclusions Though the initial aim of Thomson Reuters was the encourage organization wide knowledge sharing through the implementation of Learning Exchange, it did not possess the relevant organizational culture or employee willingness that the literature review had suggested. The platform for sharing was present, but its adoption and main objectives have not yet been met. The inability to successfully implement a knowledge sharing culture may lead to an increase in the risk of repetitive and overlapping processes within the organization, and also a lack of competitive advantage. 5. Recommendations Based on the literature review, discussion and conclusions derived, these are my recommendations with regards to the implementation of Learning Exchange at Thomson Reuters. Promote an organization – wide campaign that aims to change or at least minimize the predominant culture within the organization, in a bid to eradicate the knowledge hoarding actions that normally take place, and promote a more team approach. Engage every user in the knowledge sharing intranet network by holding regular seminars and workshops on the importance of knowledge sharing. If possible, hold individual training sessions that educate all users on the benefits of sharing knowledge using the system. Post an increasing number of organization information on Learning Exchange, as opposed to emails or bulletins. Incorporate predominant communication channels such as email and chat with Learning Exchange, in such a way that employees in the organization would have no choice but to adopt it for every day activities, and in the process learn more about its knowledge sharing features; then opt to use it. 6. References Alavi, M. and Leidner, D. E. (2001) Knowledge management and knowledge management systems: Conceptual foundations and research issues, MIS Quarterly Vol. 25 (1) pp. 107–136. Argote, L. and Ingram, P. (2000) Knowledge transfer: A basis for competitive advantages in firms, Organizational Behavior Human Decision Processes 82 (1), pp150–169 Bartol, K.m. and Srivastava, A. (2002) Encouraging knowledge sharing: The role of organisational reward systems, Journal of Leadership Organisational Studies 9 (1) (2002), pp. 64–76. Bock, G. W., and Kim, Y. G. (2002) Breaking the myths of rewards, Information Resources Management Journal, Vol. 15 (2) (2002), pp. 14–21 Bresman, H., Birkinshaw, J., and Nobel, R. (1999) Knowledge transfer in International Acquisitions, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 30 (3), p439 – 462 Carlson, J. R., and Davis, G. B. (1998) An investigation of media selection among directors and managers: From â€Å"self† to â€Å"other† orientation, MIS Quarterly 22 (3),pp 335–362 Chin, P. (2005) Knowledge Sharing: The Facts and the Myths, Intranet Journal, www.intranetjournal.com Davenport, T., De Long, D., and Beers, M. (1998) Successful knowledge management projects, Sloan Management Review, Vol. 39 (2) (1998), pp. 43–57. Dawson, R. (2001) Knowledge capabilities as the focus of organisational development and strategy, Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 4 (4) (2001), pp320–327. De Long, D. and Fahey, L. (2003) Diagnosing Cultural Barriers to Knowledge Management, Academy of Management Executive Vol. 14 (4), pp.113-127. De Vries, R. E., van den Hoof, B., and de Ridder, J. A. (2006) Explaining Knowledge Sharing – The role of Team Communication Styles, Job Satisfaction, and Performance Beliefs, Communication Research, Vol. 33 (2), pp115-135 Drucker, P. (2001) The next society: A survey of the near future, The Economist Vol. 3 (November), pp. 2–20. Goh, A. S. (2007) Integrating Knowledge Sharing Implementation: Toward An Institutionalized Symbiotic Model. International Journal of Applied Knowledge Management, Vol. 1 (1), p16-21 Hahn, J. and Wand, T. (2009) Knowledge management systems and organizational knowledge processing challenges: A field experiment, Decision Support Systems, Vol. 47 (4), pp332-342. Hislop, D. (2003) Linking human resource management and knowledge management via commitment: A review and research agenda, Employee Relations 25 (2), pp. 182–202. Huysman, M. and Wulf, V. (2006) IT to support knowledge sharing in communities, towards a social capital analysis, Journal of Information Technology 21, pp40–51 Ipe, M. (2003) Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: A conceptual Framework, Human Resource Development Review, Vol. 2(4), pp337-359 Lai. C, and Liu, D. (2009) Integrating knowledge flow mining and collaborative filtering to support document recommendation. Journal of Systems Software, Vol. 82(12), pp2023-2037 Logan, G. (2009) Thomson Reuters adopt online knowledge sharing tool, Personnel Today, www.personneltoday.com, (accessed: 12/12/09) Meng Hsun, S., Hsien Tang, T., Chi-Cheng, W., and Chung-Han, L. (2005) A holistic knowledge sharing framework in high-tech firms: game and co-opetition perspectives. International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 36 (4), pp354-367. Nissen, M. E., and Levitt, R. E. (2002) Dynamics Models of Knowledge-Flow Dynamics, CIFE Working Paper #76 Reychav. I, and Weisberg, J. (2009) Going beyond technology: Knowledge sharing as a tool for enhancing customer-oriented attitudes, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 29 (5), pp353-361 Ruppel, C. P., and Harrington, S. J. (2001) Sharing Knowledge through intranets: A study of organizational culture and intranet implementation, IEEE transactions on professional communication, Vol. 44 (1), p37-52 Thomson Reuters (2009) ABOUT US, www.thomsonreuters.com/about, (accessed 10/10/2009) Zhuge, H. (2002) A knowledge flow model for peer-to-peer team knowledge sharing and management, Expert Systems with Applications, Vol. 23 (1) (2002), pp23–30 How to cite Sample Technology Essay: Knowledge Management at Thomson Reuters, Essay examples

The Twig Is Bent Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The Twig Is Bent Essay, Research Paper As The Twig Is Bent After reading the last chapter in As The Twig Is Bent I started believing. What was the whole intent of the existent authorship, What thoughts and attitudes was he seeking to convey and how does Terry Lane the writer form the readers response through different techniques and conventions. So I wondered these chew overing inquiries to myself and I shortly had an reply for the pestilence goaded inquiries that buzzed inside my encephalon The writer, Terry Lane has a truly good thought on what he conceives life to be and how to populate it. From being adopted, to questioning many celebrated people for the traveling into the authorship of a biographical childhood book. During Lane s childhood he ever felt that being adopted wasn t a disadvantage to his life yet a interruption through. He out of all the other kids at the acceptance bureau his parents chose him. We will write a custom essay sample on The Twig Is Bent Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He was the best in the clump. This stating is one that helped determine Lanes life and how he lives it. The chapter as a whole seeks to convey that Terry Lane is non a research worker in child psychological science but is merely an interview Er. And his readings shape the manner you read the text. He ( Terry Lane ) is besides seeking to learn the reader that your childhood is at that place to determine you and to assist you happen who you truly are in this technologically advanced epoch. Some of the techniques he uses to demo this are the big usage of the point that Lane was adopted. And that because of the acceptance he had a secure childhood. While some one life in the streets evidently did non hold a secure life style and their wasn T that excess security cover for the street individual to hold and to keep. If Lane had of decided for a different attack to the existent authorship of this chapter it could of changed the readers positions and made the whole childhood statement unreasonable. For illustration if we started with I feel that Bob Hawke is a adult male with a demonstrated ability to reason and non gone with his opening statement of his childhood acceptance. The whole construct would be unrecognisable. So now we know why people with a good household background and a good childhood are traveling to hold moderately good lives while people that live on the streets are traveling to detest theirs.

Tips to Improve Your French Vocabulary

Tips to Improve Your French Vocabulary Words, words, words! Languages are made up of words, and French is no exception. Here are all kinds of French vocabulary lessons, practice ideas, and tips to help you get better at learning and remembering French words. Resources to Learn French Vocabulary The following resources will help you learn, practice, and master French vocabulary. French Vocabulary: Utilize vocabulary lists and lessons on all the basics and topic areas including introductions, food, clothing, family, and more.Mot du Jour: Learn 5 new French words a week with this daily feature.French in English: Many French words and expressions are used in English, but do not always have the same meaning.Cognates: Hundreds of English words mean the same thing in French, but some are false cognates.French Expressions: Idiomatic expressions can really spice up your FrenchHomophones: Many words sound alike but have two or more meanings.French Synonyms: Learn some new ways to say the same old things and master words like bon, non, oui, petit, and trà ¨s.   Know Your Genders One of the most important things to remember about French nouns is that each one has a gender. While there are a few patterns that let you know what the gender of a particular word is, for most words, its just a matter of memorization. Therefore, the best way to know whether a word is masculine or feminine is to make all your vocabulary lists with an article, so that you learn the gender with the word itself. Always write une chaise or la chaise (chair), rather than just chaise. When you learn the gender as part of the word, youll always know what gender it is later on when you need to use it. This is particularly important with what I call dual-gender nouns. Dozens of French pairs have different meanings depending on whether they are masculine or feminine, so yes, gender really does make a difference. Chance Encounters When reading French, its very likely that youll come across a lot of new vocabulary. While looking up every single word you dont know in the dictionary may disrupt your comprehension of the story, you might not understand anyway without some of those key terms. So you have a few options: Underline the words and look them up laterWrite down the words and look them up laterLook up the words as you go Underlining is the best technique because when you look the words up later, you have the context right there in the case of words with multiple meanings. If thats not an option, try to write down the sentence in your vocabulary list, rather than just the word itself. Once youve looked everything up, read the article again, with or without referring back to your list, to see how much more you understand now. Another option is to look up all the words after each paragraph or each page, rather than waiting until youve read the whole thing.Listening can also offer up a lot of new vocabulary. Again, its a good idea to write down the phrase or sentence so that you have the context to understand the meaning provided. Get a Decent Dictionary If youre still using one of those little pocket dictionaries, you need to seriously consider an upgrade. When it comes to French dictionaries, bigger really is better. Practice French Vocabulary Once youve learned all this new French vocabulary, you need to practice it. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to find just the right word when speaking and writing, as well as to understand when listening and reading. Some of these activities might seem boring or silly, but the point is simply to get you used to seeing, hearing, and speaking the words - here are some ideas. Say It out Loud When you come across a new word while reading a book, newspaper, or French lesson, say it out loud. Seeing new words is good, but saying them out loud is even better, because it gives you practice both speaking and listening to the sound of the word. Write It Out Spend 10 to 15 minutes every day writing lists of vocabulary. You can work with different themes, such as kitchen items or automotive terms, or just practice words that you continue to have trouble with. After you write them down, say them out loud. Then write them again, say them again, and repeat 5 or 10 times. When you do this, youll see the words, feel what its like to say them, and hear them, all of which will help you the next time you are actually speaking French. Use Flashcards Make a set of flashcards for new vocabulary by writing the French term on one side (along with an article, in the case of nouns) and the English translation on the other. You can also use a flashcard program like Before You Know It. Label Everything Surround yourself with French by labeling your home and office with stickers or post-it notes. Ive also found that putting a post-it on my computer monitor helps me remember those terms that Ive looked up in the dictionary a hundred times but still cant ever seem to remember. Use It in a Sentence When you go over your vocab lists, dont just look at the words - put them into sentences. Try making 3 different sentences with each word, or try to create a paragraph or two using all the new words together. Sing Along Set some vocabulary to a simple tune, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and sing it in the shower, in your car on the way to work/school, or while washing the dishes. Mots Flà ©chà ©s French-style crossword puzzles, mots flà ©chà ©s, are a great way to challenge your knowledge of French vocabulary.

DEET Chemistry (Dimethyltoluamide)

DEET Chemistry (Dimethyltoluamide) If you live in an area with biting insects you have almost certainly encountered an insect repellent that uses DEET as its active ingredient. The chemical formula for DEET is N,N-diethyl-3-methyl-benzamide (N,N-dimethyl-m-toluamide). DEET was patented by the U.S. Army in 1946 for use in areas with heavy biting insect infestation. It is a broad-spectrum repellent that is effective against mosquitoes, flies, fleas, chiggers, and ticks. DEET has a good safety record and is less toxic to birds and other mammals than many other insect repellents, but all DEET products should be handled with care. DEET Safety DEET is absorbed through the skin, so it is important to use as low a concentration as is effective (10% or less for children) and as small an amount as is necessary. Up to a certain point, protection against insects increases with higher DEET concentration, but even low concentrations will protect against most bites. Some people experience irritation or an allergic reaction to DEET-containing products. DEET is toxic and potentially fatal if swallowed, so care should be taken to avoid applying repellent to hands or face or anything a child might put in the mouth. DEET should not be applied to areas with cuts or sores or around the eyes, since permanent eye damage can result from contact. High doses or long-term exposure to DEET have been associated with neurological damage. DEET can damage some plastics and synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and acetate, so be careful not to damage clothing or camping equipment. How DEET Works Biting insects use chemical, visual, and thermal cues to locate hosts. DEET is believed to work by blocking the chemical receptors for carbon dioxide and lactic acid, two of the substances released by our bodies that serve as attractants. Although DEET helps keep insects from locating people, there is probably more involved in DEETs effectiveness, since mosquitoes wont bite DEET-treated skin. However, skin only a few centimeters away from DEET is susceptible to bites. Recommendations for Using DEET Despite its hazards, DEET remains one of the safest and most effective insect repellents available. Here are some tips for using DEET safely: Reduce your need for repellent. Avoid behaviors that will attract biting insects (e.g., avoid strenuous exercise or eating lots of high sodium or potassium foods prior to going outdoors, which increase carbon dioxide release).Avoid applying chemicals that attract biting insects (e.g., floral-scented perfumes, scented sunscreens, dryer-sheet-scented clothes).Where possible, apply DEET-containing repellent to clothes rather than to skin.Apply DEET in a well-ventilated area.Avoid applying DEET to hands, the face, or any injured or sensitive skin.Avoid behaviors that will lessen the duration of DEET effectiveness (e.g., perspiration, rain, mixing with sunscreens).When you come indoors, wash off DEET-containing products using warm, soapy water.

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

Hurco - Essay Example Hurco Inc. specializes in providing customized automated programs to the metal industry. Their products cover interactive personal computer (PC) based control systems and software to aide their machine tools (â€Å"Investors – Corporate Profile†). On the other hand, as other market players, Hurco also offers sale and aftersale service. It is important to note that where other firms in the IT industry offer products compatible with the tools and machinery used by their customers, Hurco Inc. has a primary product line comprising machinery tools meant for the metal industry, and software as a peripheral product. Their products are meant to enhance productivity and efficiency in the operations of their customers by introducing user-friendly automation. Their core competency comprises specialization in microprocessor technology and software meant for machines tools used in the metal industry. In addition, interactive programmable software patented by Hurco allows users of th eir programs to produce peripheral software that can be either made part of an actual program through blueprints or computer-aided design and ensure speedy production processes without interruption, with maximum efficiency in operations (â€Å"Investors – Corporate Profile†). ... Due to customization available according to customer’s needs, Hurco is able to cater customers all around the globe. However, they have solely focused on the metal parts industry, which makes them a niche player. Hurco’s strengths and weaknesses along with industry attractiveness can be analyzed with the help of Porter’s five forces analysis. It is important to note that Hurco’s product line comprises machine tools that are considered as capital products or goods. The cyclic nature of the industry makes manufacturers in it highly vulnerable to market changes (Hurco Inc. 2). For supplies, Hurco relies on foreign suppliers and also their own subsidiary (Hurco Inc. 24). Presence of a fully-owned subsidiary makes them less susceptible to delays that can be caused by failure of other suppliers to meet the deadline. On the other hand, buyer’s power leaves Hurco vulnerable. It is important to note that the metal tools industry is greatly dependent on econo mic conditions prevailing in the industry. Therefore, limited buyer’s purchasing power also leaves Hurco to reduce its profit margins. Hurco also faces tough competition in the industry of machine tools. There are quite a few major competitors in United States and many in other countries that have better resources and a bigger capacity of utilizing economies of scale, which makes them capable of providing products that are cheaper than Hurco’s (Hurco Inc. 7). A threat of new entrants will always be faced by Hurco, as any other manufacturer. Although Hurco has patented its programs, there are a large number of IT firms that can provide automated solutions to companies using manually operated machines such as the ones provided by Hurco, without any major

Individual vs Circumstance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual vs Circumstance - Essay Example lity can play a significant role in the history not only when it is more or less adequately expresses (or seeks to express) the interests of the masses, but also when it is guided by purely abstract ideas and ideals, and sometimes even only by its personal interests and ambitions that cannot be rationally confessed by itself. Modern investigators show Lenins personality from different points of view. For a long time Soviet ideology praised Lenin as a role-model person for soviet people, showing him as "the most humane man" and the liberator from the bourgeois-landlord oppression. From the other hand, many writers and historians show Lenin as unprincipled politician, organizer of fratricidal slaughter and starvation, as inspirer of extrajudicial executions and blame him in collapse of his social experiment. Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin came from a family of progressive Russian intellectuals: his father worked as a teacher, was an inspector, and then a director of public schools in the province of Simbirsk, and his mother knew several foreign languages, played the piano well and had a tutor diploma. From his early childhood Lenin exhibited the traits of someone who needed to show others how to do things (Tumarkin, 64). His outlook during first periods of his youth was influenced by family upbringing and parents’ example. He also was under the influence of revolutionary and democratic ideas and learned about the existence of Marxist theory from his brother Alexander Ulyanov, who was later executed for participation in plotting of the assassination on Russian Tsar Alexander III. At the university young Ulyanov established links with the revolutionary-minded students, but then he was arrested for active participation in student gathering in December 1887 and later he was expelled from the University of Kazan and exiled to the village of Kokushkino, where he lived under the secret police surveillance spending his time on self-education. So Lenin’s personality was formed