How to Create Successful Community Service Projects

How to Create Successful Community Service Projects SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you considered doing somecommunity service work during high school but can't find anything that fits your interests? Do you want to have more ownership over what kind of service work you do? If so, then making your own community service project may be the right idea for you. Read on for a step-by-step guide that will tell you everything you need to know to completeasuccessful community service project. Why Should You Do Community Service? Community service work can be a great way to spend some free time in high school, but did you also know that it can also be a big help when you apply to colleges? Colleges like seeing community service work as an extracurricular activity because it shows that you are actively involved in something that will better yourself and the world. By doing community service, you show that you have a real interest in making a positive change in your community. Community service shows admissions officers that you have a number of the "intangible" qualities that they're looking for in students. For example, through service work, you can show yourability to balance a lot of different activities at once while also maintaining your course load.This shows that you can stay organizedand take initiative. Finally, community service can help with some of the more concrete aspects of your college applications as well. The work you do can be great subject materialfor an application essay, can lead to good letters of recommendation, and - perhaps most importantly - can lead to scholarships! For more benefits of doing community service, see our guide. Why Should You Starta Community Service Project? If you're ready to start doing some community service work, you may want to considerstartingyour own community service project. Usually, students will choose to volunteer their time for a pre-established organization. However, creatingyour own community service project gives you the opportunity to have greater control over what you want to work on and what you want to achieve. Community service projects are different from traditional community service work because they areusually focused around one event or one goal and havedistinct end points. For example, you may decide to host a race to raise money and awareness for a certain disease, or you could plan a blood drive to help out after a disaster. These kinds of projects require a lot of planning and careful execution, so they're best attempted by students who have confidence in their ability to follow through in those areas. Though planning community service projects can be considerably more difficult than traditional community service work, it can also pay off in big ways, especially when considering your college applications: It shows leadership skills. This is a big thing that colleges want to see in your extracurricular activities. According to a DoSomething.org survey, over 50% of admissions officers agree that being a leader in a project or running your own project isthe best way to learn from community service experience. Why do admissions officers love leadership? Remember, they are on the lookout for the leaders of tomorrow. Show them now that you have the gumption to be one! It shows the ability to plan and organize. While leadership can refer to an intangible ability to inspire others, the planning and organization skills it takes to pull off a successful community service project are noteworthy in their own right. To run a large-scale event, you will need to coordinate many people, accurately predict expenses, and create a timeline. All of these are important skills that will help you in college and the future. It shows your ability to work with others. Most community service projects will be undertaken with a group. By organizing one, you are showing that you have great people skills. You can recognize different people’s talents and understand how to use them to maximum effect. You will show initiative and innovativeness. You saw a problem and decided that you were going to be the one to fix it. Moreover, nobody else told you how you were going to go about doing that. This shows great critical thinking and problem-solving skills that colleges love to see. Now that you know some of the reasons for making the effort to do a community service project let's go through the steps of successfully planning a project. 10Steps for Startinga Successful Community Service Project Step 1: Find Out What Is Needed in Your Community There are many ways to do this. Start out by asking your friends and family members if there are things that they have seen that need a solution. Talk to neighbors. Engage in a community discussion board such as Nextdoor.com. Talk to community officials (local government) and police officers, and speak with non-profit groups in the area. Once you have an idea of the issues present in your area, spend some time researching them. What is the history of the issue? Is it a new thing or has it been around a long time? What realistic steps can be taken to address it? What, if anything, have other groups done in the past to fixthe issue? It’s also a good idea to research what kind of events have taken place in your community in the past. What projectswere successful? What sort of activities had nobody show up? You can do this by talking to your local city government or local non-profit groups that have held events. You may also know from personal experience of events that you have attended. Which were the most engaging and resonated with your community? Step 2: See What You Have the Ability to Do It's time to start asking yourself the tough, specific questions. Remember to be honest and realistic as you answer them: What skills and talents do you have? How many people do you realistically think you will be able to get to help you? What skills and talents will they have? How many hours per week can you devote to the project? How soon do you want to do the project? What is a realistic amount of money you will be able to raise for the project? Do you have any materials at hand that will be helpful? Step 3: Choose a Project List your activity ideas. If you have a group of people you're going to work with, allow them to help yourank the ideasfrom most to least important. Vote on or decide which activity you want to do. Make sure it is reasonable, within your means, and that you can actually make an impact. Be honest with yourself and your group when assessing how to make the most impact. For example, imagine that you have decided to build a home for a homeless family. Would the experience of building the home yourselves add any value for the homeless family? On the flip side, could it cause any harm? Would it be more efficient and beneficial for the family if you simply raised the money for the home and allowed professionals to do the work? Be realistic withyour expectations and honest about the best way to reach your end goal. Step 4: Develop a Plan To start, write down exactly what you are hoping to accomplish. This will includea big-picture goal as well as the specific smaller tasks that you will need to doin order to get to that main goal. You also need to go into the practicalities of the project. How much equipment will you need? How many people will you need to successfully complete each part of the project? How much time can each person commit to the project? How will you organize different volunteers? Remember that you're responsible for the success of the project and one large part of that is that it takes place safely and legally. Do some background work to check out your liabilities and research the potential complications that can arise from the project you're planning. Step 5: Recruit Your Volunteers If you don’t already have a group of people helping you, now is the time to get some people involved. You can advertise in local newspapers, online forums, or websites like VolunteerMatch.org. Also, ask friends and family if they know people who would like to be involved. For each person, make sure that you have their contact information (email and phone number), as well as what areas they are best able to help in (making food, publicity, etc.). Get specific time commitments from your members. How much time can they contribute every week? How much time can they contribute on the day of the event? Make sure they are realistic and don’t commit more than their schedules will allow. Step 6: Make a Budget Now that you know your goals, you have to get specific with how much money is going to be needed to make your plan come to life. There are severalprograms out there that can help you make organized, detailed budgets. You can also do this in Excel or Word. Make sure you list the type of items that you need – be specific! How many will you need of each item? What is the cost per item? What is the total cost? Don’t forget that your budget has to includemore than just the physical items involved in your project. If you need a license to have an event or if you are going to pay someone to make an appearance, that will need to be factored into the budget as well. Finally, be sure to consider practical needs, like the cost of transportation and food on the day of the event for your volunteers. Step 7: Make a Timeline You should already have a rough idea of how long your project will take, but now you need to narrow it down to the specifics. Pick an end date for your project that will give you enough time to put it together. Make sure that the date is approved by all necessary authorities. Make specificschedulesfor each of your volunteers basedon how much time each can contribute. This is important – you don’t want to end up having to do everything yourself at the last minute because you assumed that people would be putting in more hours than they actually can! Try to be realistic with your expectations of what can be accomplished every hour. Markspecific goals on your timeline. By a certain date, a certain amount of the project should be completed, etc. Make note of specific things that are critical to success. What are the dates of fundraising events? When will yousend press releases to the media? Step 8: Raise Money There are a number of ways to raise money: street collection, organized events like raffles or an auction, direct mail donations, asking for contributions through church newsletters,and more. Increasingly, people are raising money through crowdfundingwebsites, such as GoFundMe, CrowdRise, DonorsChoose, or Kickstarter. See if any of these are viable options for your plan. You can also contact local businesses for sponsorship. Offer them some sort of advertisement in return. Whatever you choose to do, you will need to develop a strategy. Decide what your plan of attack will be to raise the amount needed. Top Tips for Raising Money: Get in touch with local officials to see if they have any tips, advice, or restrictions on how you can raise money Check into grants. Many charities will give money to projects that benefit their causes. Try to get money from a variety of sources so that you're not too reliant on just one if it happens to fail. Always have a backup plan. Step 9: Get Publicity Make a list of contacts at TV stations, newspapers, blogs, magazines, and radio stations. You are generally looking for journalists and editors. There are a number of ways you can get in touch with people who might be interested in covering your story. Start by looking for journalists who have written about similar causes or events in the past. You may be able to find an email address or other contact information by looking atpreviously-published articles. You should alsocheck local papers to see if there is information about whom to contact for local stories. Finally, you can search websitessuch as LinkedIn, much of which can be accessed even if you don't have an account. Initial contact can be made through social media (such as Twitter), or you can try to call or email the right people. You'll want to talk with them both about the specifics of the project, and why you're doing it. Make sure you let them know who is going to benefit from your project. Once you have your contacts and they're on board with advertising your project, make sure you stick to your schedule. Send out press releases at the appropriate time. Also, keep your contacts updated with any exciting milestones or achievements (such as reaching your fundraising goal). You can also easily advertise on your own. Set up a social media account (Facebook and/or Twitter) for the event. Make up a catchy hashtag you can use when talking about the event, and try to get others to use it as well. Step 10: Do the Project Now it's time toexecute all of your planning! On the Day of Your Event It may seem like the hard work is done at this point, but the actual event needs to go off without a hitch! The first step is to make sure that as much as possible is done and set up the day before the event. Don’t stress yourself out more than you need to on the day of! It’s also good to send out lots of reminders the day before to volunteers, participants, media,and anyone else whois important. Make sure you have a detailed schedule for what you will do the day of the event.Also, make a list of volunteer contact info, vendor contact info, and who will help in emergencies. Keep this with you at all times. Try to enjoy yourself, but stay on top of how things are progressing! Don’t forget to take pictures and stay active on social media during the event. Congrats on finishing your project! What to Do Afterward Once your project is over, you hopefully have experienced and learned new things. Take some time to reflect on this on your ownand also get feedback from the volunteers and participants. What didn’t go to plan? Consider how you could have done things differently and avoided problems. What went well? Why were those things successful? What have you learned about yourself? This can be many things like teamwork, leadership, or planning skills. Also, make sure you stop andconsider if you actually were successful in your goals. Did you help your target group? How can you tell that you have made progress and an impact? Take notes of these things. Finally, take some time to celebrate. You’ve just undertaken and accomplished something that many people would shy away from. 3Tips to Make Your Project Easier If the abovesteps seem daunting, try some of these tips to help make your project a success: Try setting up your project through your school. This may make it easier for you to recruit fellow students to volunteer for your event, and it can also give you a convenient place to meet to work on theproject. Reach out to a wide range of helpers to work on your project. You can do this by advertising in local newspapers, newsletters, through your city government, or on local websites. When your volunteers have a wide range of skills, it canmake certain tasks - like contacting the media or making a budget - easier because there is a good chance that someone will have done it before. Partner with a local charity or non-profit if you have a mutual cause. The charity may already have registered volunteers so you will have to recruit fewer people, and it may be able to either donate money to your projector have ideasthat will make your fundraising easier. What’s Next? If you would like some inspiration for choosing a community service project, see our list of community service ideas. If you want to learn more about why volunteering might be a good choice for you, check out the benefits of community service for teens. Already done a community service project? Learn how to write about your extracurriculars on your college application. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Ayatollah Khomeni essays

Ayatollah Khomeni essays What Were The Significant Influences of Religion Upon Ayatollah Khomeinis Leadership Style? Ayatollah Khomeini was born in 1902. After his initial religious training he taught in the major Shi'i theological school at Qom, but was exiled for his opposition to the government of the Shah, Reza Khan. Living in Paris after 1978 he orchestrated the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran. He became both the political and religious leader of the country throughout the protracted Iran-Iraq war, until he died in 1989. Ruhollah Khomeini can be portrayed as one of the most seminal and enigmatic characters of the twentieth century. In no small way has his influence touched our lives, even, or perhaps especially, here in the detached atmosphere of a western first world country, and herein lies the dilemma: Khomeini represents a type of politico-spiritual leader virtually unheard of in the West save the token titles of ruling monarchs in Victorian England. This, combined with the different social implications of Islam compared to Christianity leaves a wide gap in our perceptions, and therefore our ability, to produce an objective analysis. There are many factors to be considered when evaluating the leadership of an individual, and these will vary significantly in effect from leader to leader, but with one proviso there will always be a single unifying purpose. It is this purpose that drives the individual to greatness, or alternatively, excess, and in Khomeini this manifested itself in the form of religious fanaticism. Religion in the Islamic world governs every facet imaginable of society, from law to education to social customs, and the clerics hold great sway over public opinion. This essay will attempt to address the implications of this religious control when utilised by a charismatic, single-minded individual, and how a sufficiently eloquent orator can twist the emotions of the populace. Now, in the light of recent tra...

Jet Blue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Jet Blue - Essay Example The resources are many in the JetBlue atmosphere, including the opportunities brought on by the shareholders invested in JetBlue, JP Morgan or LiveTv, the wholly owned JetBlue Subsidiary. It seems as though JetBlue has access to many perks based on affiliated companies and partnerships, and work hard to make new partnerships available to learn about and for those who own a company, to participate in. This directly reflects the internal environment of JetBlue, which is based on the strengths of the business being interconnected and in touch with the consumer and corporate strata. At the same time, the website isn’t wholly specific about what resources are directly used in forming the company or its core values, but JetBlue places a lot of emphasis on confidentiality, so it isn’t a huge surprise that this information isn’t readily volunteered. The Capabilities of JetBlue seem staggering, as the company has only been around ten years and already they’ve become a leading provider of commercial aviation services. Along with being capable of making more corporate alliances and to grow as a business, JetBlue also has the capability to serve as an example of a progressive company environment, as shown in the company’s â€Å"Code of Ethics,† community relations and â€Å"Code of Business Conduct.† These points of reference on the website emphasize diversity, company loyalty and a charitableness to the human condition that goes far beyond expectation. For example, there is a specific page on the JetBlue website where you can apply to be a part of the â€Å"we care† program, an opportunity for charities to submit to be on the website and to have customers donate to their causes, if the causes are in alignment with JetBlue’s core values. The core competencies of JetBlue seem to be in order, as well. The JetBlue Airways â€Å"Customer Bill of Rights† outlines the

A path breaking research in the area of Metrics used in IT industry Paper

A path breaking in the area of Metrics used in IT industry and its effectiveness- Developing new metrics for measuring - Research Paper Example Scope becomes sufficiently measured through observation of the changes required during the implementation process. This paper explores the various metrics utilized in assessment of the efficacy in implementation of these unique IT projects. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION 4 METHODOLOGY 4 Planning 5 Controlling 6 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS 6 FINDINGS 9 Project metrics 10 Metrics in IT projects 11 Cost 11 Time 13 Scope 15 CONCLUSION 16 REFERENCES 18 INTRODUCTION The information technology industry represents a unique characteristic for development projects aimed at providing improved technologies, both in software and hardware sectors. The planning process for the projects remains an essential component for minimizing project failure ultimately assuring success. Poor management of IT projects remains the highest cause of project failures within the industry. It is estimated that this accounts for 54% failure with technical challenges causing 3% (Gulla, 2012). Proper management begins with development of proper plans during the initial project stages. The evaluation process seeks to make an assessment of the project progress during implementation. ... The process will be broken down into different stages which shall follow each other. The waterfall methodology being utilized shall be as indicated in the chart below. Measurement of the various metrics involved in the project will be undertaken following completion of each stage and relevant actions taken, based on the results of performance indexes. Figure 1the waterfall methodology Planning The project planning aspect involves the development of a plan providing guideline towards undertaking a desired development project. This marks the beginning stage of any project being implemented. The element of undertaking sufficient planning remains fundamental in assuring success, or causing ultimate project failure. The planning process involves provision of various aspects of the project, commonly through estimations. These estimations provide guidelines during implementation; hence their accuracy remains essential in assuring success. The provided estimates must remain reflective of act ual figures, with minimal discrepancies. During the project evaluation process, the actual figures become measured against the provided project estimates, established during the planning stages. Poor planning remains the fundamental cause for most project failures. While the planning phase remains fundamental in ensuring success, the numerous aspects involved within the planning phase contribute towards successful implementation. Individuals involved in the planning phase of any projects should ensure that the plans suffice the project requirements. This serves in eliminating and minimizing continuous changes during the project implementation phase. The planning phase should provide a

It’s Only Child Abuse if it is Violent Essay Example for Free

It’s Only Child Abuse if it is Violent Essay Child abuse is defined as the physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment of a child. Child maltreatment is defined as acts of omission or commission by parent or any other caregiver which may result to harm or potential of harm as well as harm threat to any child (MedlinePlus, 2010). Most of child abuse are known to occur in the child’s home but smaller occurrences has been noticed in schools, organizations as well as community, which the child is interacting with. Child abuse is not only through violent acts but there are several ways and acts which can be said as abuse to a child. In this paper, I argue that child abuse is not only perpetrated through violent means but also through other nonviolent means. Child abuse is in different forms. It is much more than broken bones and bruises that can be noticed on a child who has been physically abused. Other forms of child abuse such emotional abuse as well as child neglect may also leave a child with long lasting and deep scars, which may not be seen but in the heart of the child (Wolfe, 1999). Some of the signs that can show a child has been abused may be subtler than the others. Smoking in front of children or inside cars which is carrying children may serve as one form of child abuse. This is because one smoking in places where children are present would mean ruining the health of the children as they are not aware of that and even they can not stop you from smoking. Cot deaths in children are linked to mothers smoking while they are pregnant (UNICEF, 2000). In America evidence has shown that many children die as a result of the effects of their parents smoking and is more than the deaths which results from accidents. Neglecting a child is known to be another form of child abuse. Neglecting child encompasses many things which may include non-compliance with the recommendation of health care, depriving a child food which may result to the child being hungry as well as failing to enable the child to thrive physically (Baskerville, 2006). Other areas of concern may include exposure of children to drugs as well as lack of protecting them from the dangers of environment. Furthermore, child abuse can as well include abandonment of child, poor hygiene, inadequate supervision and depriving a child the right of education. In addition, there are several other forms of child abuse which may include ridiculing a child, degrading a child, destruction or torture of child’s pet, destroying personal belongings of a child, criticizing a child excessively, withholding communication with a child as well as humiliating a child (UNICEF, 2000). All these form of child abuse does not mean one is using violence but the fact is that these acts can result to child abuse. This form of abuse can hurt the child internally and may make the child to live uncomfortable life through out his or her life. In conclusion, not all forms of child abuse require one to use violence so as to be considered as child violence. Emotional abuse is one of the worst practices of child abuse since its effect is long lasting and may even cause the life of a child to change completely through out his or her life. Therefore, emotional child abuse and other forms of child abuse that does not involve violence should be considered as equally affecting the life of child negatively.

Introduction To The United States Beer Industry

Introduction To The United States Beer Industry Beer in the United States has had a long and profitable history. Today it is the largest segment of Alcoholic beverages and accounts for millions of dollars in sales every year. Although there have been periods of less demand, the popularity and wealth of the industry has grown significantly. The industry has had to address many challenges and adapt to continuously changing environments which translated into many consolidations and the reduced number of regional brewers. Todays market is heavily controlled by three main players, In Bev Anheuser-Busch, Miller Coors. In the late 19th century, most beer was being brewed by groups or individuals in their respective homes, however with the industrial revolution and the advancements of new technologies in automation, commercial brewers began to enter the market and transform the way beer is made, sold, and marketed as it never had been before. Some of these large national brewers were Anheuser-Busch and Miller as mentioned before. Other large domestic brewers include Pabst, and Schlitz. All of these companies have played a part in shaping the growth, structure and development of the industry over time. Due in part to these large commercial entities, the United States now has the largest number of breweries in the world. Although it is necessary to grasp the industries performance as a whole, it is even more vital that the performance and structure of the industries particular segments. At one point, two types of beers controlled the majority of the market; popular beer which was made and sold inexpensively, and Premium beers which were produced for a similar price yet sold at a higher cost solely for their brand recognition and popularity. Throughout history, as the brewing industry matured, the addition of different kinds of beer multiplied. Today, the types of beer which account for the majority of sales are classified as Light, Domestic Premium, and Imports. This paper will be divided into three parts. In the first section I will take an in-depth look at the Beer Industry as a whole through the use of Porters Five Forces analysis. In the second part I will be focusing on Molson-Coors and its relationship to the industry, its segments, and opportunities for growth and continued success. I will wrap up my paper by comparing and contrasting Molson-Coors position and strategy in the Beer industry to Harley-Davidson in the recreational vehicle industry. Socio-Economic When addressing any industry, it is important to analyze the various external macro-environmental factors which contribute to a companys operations. Through a PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) Analysis, one can better understand the risks associated with growth and decline, as well as its industry position currently and in the future. Politically, the beer industry is dependent on the decisions and regulations of the US Government. One of the most obvious examples of the governments role came in the form of prohibition during the early 20th century. Today, the beer industry is still heavily monitored by the government. One of the most noteworthy controls is that the system requires a middle-man. This limits the power of large corporations to control every aspect of the business chain, and reduces the risk of a monopoly. When it comes to the retail of alcohol, state and municipality governments decide on the type of off-premise vendors that are allowed to sell the alcohol, and how they go about selling in order to raise funds for fighting the abuse and addiction of the product. Currently the state of the United States economy is not helping to provide increased wealth to the industry. With the economic downturn and lower discretionary spending, consumers are spending less on alcohol, beer included. Socially, there are signs within the industry that suggest an increasing demand for alcoholic beverages besides beer. However, within the beer industry itself, Light brands are experiencing increasing popularity due to the heightened importance of consuming fewer calories as well as the risks/consequences of drunk driving. The level of technology change in this industry is low. That said, there are a variety of technological advancements in the industry which are affecting operations. Many of these innovations are changes within the brewing of the beer itself. As efficiency in production was the drive post World-War 2, technological changes which improve quality, lower health risks, and increase the use of sustainable energy are beginning to gain more significance. Porters 5 Forces Threat of New Entrants In the early days of this industry, an individual or family could start up their own brewery with relative ease in comparison to todays standards. The increase in production techniques, beginning post World-War 2 played a large part in creating a high barrier to entry as the working capital requirements increased from several billion to hundreds of millions of dollars. Even greater barriers to entry are created through large brewers control of distribution channels as well as the different state governments regulations and laws attributed to those channels. As production innovation created a barrier to entry in the mid 20th century, marketing and advertising expenditures from large companies in this industry have increased brand loyalty and recognition, creating another high barrier to entry. Amongst these barriers, there exists the possibility of new entrants achieving economies of scale, for example, the Boston Beer Company has taken a relatively foreign approach to the industry as they have focused their attention on its recipes while outsourcing the majority of the other business activities. Although larger companies have also achieved economies of scale and have the ability to increase revenues without increasing input, the emergence of companies such as the Boston Beer Company and trends pointing to consumers trading-up to higher quality products, these barriers could begin to change down the road. Suppliers Suppliers in the brewing industry play a significant role. Starting with the production of the good, suppliers from agricultural industries such as corn, barley, and yeast are key in the production and pricing of the end product. Other suppliers include the glass industry and paper labeling industry. Because of the low concentration in production suppliers, more power is given to the industries main players who are able to strike larger supply contracts for a better price. Most of the key inputs of brewing are highly regulated thus keeping bulk prices steady and allow firms to purchase ingredients over a year in advance. Some differentiation exists in the inputs when it comes to the higher quality ingredients that are used in some premium beers. The effects of substitutes in this industry are dependent on industries such as the performance of wine and spirits as well as imported brands of beer. These are significant substitutes and have been experiencing a steady growth in recent yea rs. Although the brewing industry requires a substantial amount of inputs from suppliers, they do not control those industries as well. Suppliers from the corn/wheat producing industries as well as from the sugar processing industry are not dependent on the beer industry and exist in other markets. As mentioned, the brewing industry is highly regulated and runs in a three tier system which takes away the threat of vertical integration and the possibility of one player gaining the majority power. Looking at the current major players Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors, opportunities to grow exist in marketing and brand awareness, with recent struggles in the economy, access to capital is more difficult but also comes at a lower price with lower interest rates. The industry gained $3.6 billion in 2009 which is significantly better than many industries and will favor them as they seek opportunities to finance growth opportunities. The industry requires skilled workers mostly in the areas of marketing and has usually refrained from unionizing. Overall the power of suppliers is very limited among large firms and the brewing industry is not an attractive industry at this time. Buyers Wholesalers, Super markets, liquor stores, and bars/night clubs account for some of the major buyers in this industry. These buyers can be broken down into two segments, off-premise and on-premise. On-premise locations include bars and off-premise locations include warehouses and liquor stores. These industries are grateful for the position of the brewing industry however on-premise buyers are experiencing a decline in growth as disposable income decreases among consumers. Off-premise wholesalers although protected from being protected from being taken over by large breweries have experienced a loss in power due in part to the rapid consolidation of the brewing industry as well as the increase in popularity of smaller breweries. However, due to factors such as being in the mature phase of its business cycle, these industries are in a good position to grow. Beer will continue to be sold and consumed; buyers will contend with the changing environment and gain more power through diversi fying their product offerings. This may not be the case in on-premise sites as they are more easily influenced by the impact of a down economy. Overall, the power of the buyers is low as they are at this point very dependent on the fluctuations of the brewing industry. Substitute Products As mentioned previously, substitutes to the domestic brewing industry are the wine and spirits industry, as well as imported beers. In the case of this industry, the substitutes play a main role in determining current position and future growth. When looking at the main players in the US market, they may need to shift some of their focus to niches which microbreweries have begun to make popular as well as deal with the constant threat of imports and their growing popularity in the United States. As large brewing companies work to meet the needs of their enormous market, the industry is attractive to smaller breweries seeking a smaller market. Rivalry The US brewing industry has consolidated to be controlled primarily by two main players, the largest being Anheuser-Busch, and the other being MillerCoors. This represents a high concentration which boosts rivalry. In this particular competition, price is not the determining factor, rather massive marketing campaigns to increase brand value. Although there exists two main companies, they are not very balanced as Anheuser-Busch controls the majority of the market share. The diversity among competitors is greatest amongst the craft-beer breweries which focus on recipe rather than brand image. Among the major players there is little product differentiation as they sell primarily the same types of beers. Although there exists a large brand awareness in loyalty to these players, foreign competition such as Heineken have penetrated US markets and have experienced large sales. This industry is very dependent on the segment of selling alcoholic beverages, although segments within the types o f beer can fluctuate, firms focus primarily on the selling of their product. The barriers for exiting this market are high as there are specific markets, and technologies which have been produced specifically for this industry, the best chance for converting to another product would be into the firm of a non-alcoholic malt beverage. Conclusion After looking in-depth into the brewing industry, a number of key success factors stick out. One of the most important that stood out to me is its ability to keep up with trends in domestic markets as well as increasing brand awareness through quality of beer rather than price. Another important factor for success in this industry is the ability to control debt and deal with fluctuations in the economy. Many people questioned how Budweiser could remain Americas beer by being owned by a Belgium company. Furthermore, it is necessary for these large firms to find areas of increasing beer consumption and market their product in an attractive way. Through my analysis of the brewing industry, it seems clear that although the industry has recently experienced slower growth and lower demand, companies have remained profitable and the emergence of new players (Microbreweries) prove to be a good sign for the future growth and stability of this industry. Part 2: Firm Analysis Adolph Coors based out of Golden, Colorado has been in the brewing industry since the late 19th century. It thrived on its focused market in the Western United States as well as the early brand recognition that its premium beer gained with celebrities and athletes. It also was able to differentiate itself from other competitors by focusing on being a self-sustainable company which attempted to provide as much of its own inputs as possible. In 2005 due to increased pressures to consolidate, Adolph Coors merged with Canadian brewer Molson. With this merger, Molson Coors became the fifth largest brewer. In 2008 in an effort to keep up with Anheuser-Buschs recent merger with InBev, Molson Coors merged another time with SAB Miller to form Miller Coors LLC. This merger, is expected to decrease production and distribution costs which will enable the company to remain profitable and able to increase its market share. This however goes hand in hand with the challenge of maintaining its market for smaller brands with more specific niches. External Environment In order to analyze Coors position in the industry it is important to look at the external environment which will affect the way Coors does business. As stated previously there are a number of different factors which are influencing the brew industry at this time. One of the major external threats to Coors and the industry as a whole is in the form of Government regulation. With a variety of different state laws effecting the sales and distributions of beer, this poses as a threat as it could consume an unnecessary amount of time in daily operations and market analysis. With more focus on broader, international markets, the increasing trend of regional microbreweries are also a threat on the domestic market as they could better handle the state laws and their performance within those standards. Technologically, Coors has the opportunity to become an industry leader in this category. Although technologies primarily are focusing on the quality of the beer, Coors could look to expand it s technologies with respect to environmental awareness. Presently, Coors is being most affected by the rivalry within its industry. Once an industry with hundreds of breweries, the US market has consolidated down to two main players. This is forcing Coors into becoming a hybrid international/domestic company at a rapid pace. I think one of the biggest threats that could affect Coors is the difference of the current market in comparison to the original focus and market of their beers. Internal Environment For many years, Coors was a family run business; this was extremely positive for its initial growth and sustained spot as one of the top players in the brewing industry. Another key strength of Coors is its ownership in its own machinery and its obsessed nature on remaining a company which is homegrown. Coors has throughout its history maintained an ability to adapt to current markets and trends as well as foreseeing areas of growth an opportunity. Early on, a weakness of Coors was its inability to attract minority markets and by some cases, they still struggle at this. Another weakness that could affect Coors performance is its history of avoiding debt spending. I believe this to be a weakness even though it could just as easily be a strength of the firm. Coors limits itself in research development as well as other possible market risks by not opening itself up to debt-spending. Another weakness of Coors, in line with the previous idea of debt-spending is that its a company which i s slower to find niche markets and better products in comparison to Goliath InBev/Anheuser-Busch. Marketing In comparison to Anheuser-Busch, Coors has presently and throughout history, struggled at finding a niche market and in turn has had to give up substantial ground to its main competitor in the form of Domestic Sales as well as having strong brand recognition. Anheuser-Busch in its merger with InBev is focusing its advertisement on marketing its large brands such as Budweiser. Coors has experienced a positive trend in its sales of Blue Moon which has been a hit, especially among fans of smaller, quality beers. It has outperformed a similar beer by Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light Lime. Coors, although struggling in some sense to gain market share back from Anheuser-Busch has a better positioning in terms of its distribution and production systems which are the one of the key strengths and highlights of its company, and one of its main areas of focus. Operations/Production Coors has a history of innovation and capital expenditures which have proved equitable to its operations and overall production efficiency. Coors has focused product innovation in the form of technologies which inhibit freshness and quality in its product. To this extent, it seems as though the two competitors are beginning to shift focuses, as InBev tries to beef up product, brand awareness, and market share, while Coors is insistent on being the industry leader for the best beer in America. As Coors focuses its attention on operations domestically, they are able to create a cost advantage between themselves and other main competitors, they will have better control over what they produce and how they go about producing it which in the long run may open up many areas of growth. Finance In the merger of MillerCoors, the company experienced a rapid decline in growth and sales. The positive side of this down-sizing is that they will have better control of their finances and although they still control thousands of employees, the ability to focus on cost cuts will in turn maximize shareholder wealth. In focusing on the quality and production of its beers, Coors has begun to outsource many of its financing and accounting to third party sources. In the upcoming years due to its merger, Coors will be refinancing its debt and looking to use cash from its operations as a way of approaching other strategic investments. It also hopes that refinancing its debt will lead to pension plans for its employees as well as better return to it its owners. Critical Success Factors It is imperative for Coors to become the leader in premium beers produced in the United States. With Anheuser-Busch selling out to Belgium, a great opportunity for Coors to utilize its domestic brewing facilities and resources exists and should be approached. Another factor that is necessary for Coors is to become an industry leader in innovation and social/environmental responsibility. They need to diversify their products to attract a wide variety of people and work hard not to segregate their marketing to specific niches which leave minorities out of the picture. Strategic Problem Management has failed to ensure the long-term survival of Coors because it expanded too quickly and had too ambitious of hopes in competing on a global scale with Anheuser-Busch. With that in mind, Coors with its merger with Miller has the opportunity to regain the domestic strength that it once prided itself on. My recommendation for Coors would be to continue its pursuit of quality within the domestic United States market. It can work to regain capital to spend on future strategic investments such as popular microbreweries with a high-quality, popular taste. The United States although a major player in the production of beers, still lacks the reputation for having a quality product which is globally recognized. Some could argue that Budweiser is this, however others would say that Budweiser lived in the realm of being an inexpensive beer too long before committing itself to the more trendy Lager. Implementation Coors can implement this strategy easily if it can regain its focus on its core mission from its history, the emphasis of self-sustainability as well as product quality. By outsourcing parts of its business to other parties, Coors has removed responsibilities which could have weighed the company down in making strategic and financial decisions. Part 3 Firm-Firm While working on the analysis for this case-study, thoughts of Harley-Davidson continuously entered my mind. Harley-Davidson is a company that thrives itself on its proud history as well as its quality and brand recognition, very much of what Coors itself does. One area in which Coors could mimic HD in terms of its business model is its focus on being the best US American brand available. HD faces similar competition and rivalry as Coors does; only HDs exists in the form of mostly Japanese and Korean companies while Coors deals with primarily European competition. Coors and HD also face similar problems in terms of attracting niche markets. For HD, they have primarily been seen as a white, male, tough-guy brand, while losing out on markets which include women and younger riders. In a similar way Coors needs to be able to attract consumers who prefer a high quality local brew in the United States rather than a watered down beverage from an aluminum can. In closing, Adolph Coors has existed through an array of market changes, downturns, and booms. In a mature industry, they represent the epitome of maturity and market knowledge. If Coors can maintain its mission of becoming US Americas best beer maker, it will have many profitable years to come in the future.

Cognitive Psychology

Psychology has experienced many stages of development and gained momentum with many prominent psychologists attempting to map the human mind and explain the behaviors involved. These individuals have shaped the many theories of psychology and given insight to the vast complexity of the human mind in nearly all walks of life. Up until the 1960’s psychology was dominated with behaviorism and gained popularity with findings by B. F Skinners rate maze (Bjork, 2010). B. F. Skinner believed that the mind was invisible and irrelevant to scientists. He believed that concerns should be focused on end results rather than internal processes. The incomplete analysis of human behavior sparked many questions giving rise the theories of cognitive psychology, which examine the internal processes, problem solving skills, memory and language and the general mystery of how people think, remember, learn and behave (Boeree, 2006). This paper will examine four milestones in cognitive psychology and why the concepts of behaviorism cannot be ignored in the cognitive approach as it relates to human behavior. On the forefront of psychology as a scholarly study is Wilhelm Wundt. His foundation of a formal institution to study the many aspects of human behavior paved the way for the development of the many schools of thought in the field of psychology. His establishment of the first psychology lab at the University of Leipzig separated psychology as a dedicated science field of study and as thus made the development of cognitive psychology possible. Though Wundt was studying the mind through a perspective considered structuralism, his model of studying the various aspects of the human mind, presented a model to be emulated by psychologists around the world. Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, was interested in the growth of human cognitive capacities. Piaget explored how children grow and develop in their abilities to reason and think. His studies were focused on how a child would reach a certain conclusion rather than whether the reached conclusion was accurate. Piaget developed the four stage process of child development and laid out a pattern of how information flows differently during the brain development of humans. These stages are vital to the understanding of physical and mental limitations in the processing of data as it enters the brain. His model of child development serves as guidance for school curriculums and education modules (Huitt, 2003) Albert Bandura initially studied human behavior through the eyes of behaviorism, but realized that the mind absorbs information differently depending on the circumstances surrounding a person, and as such the processing is equally important as the information being fed. (Boeree, 2006). He is often considered the initiator of the cognitive movement, when his realization of the various factors contributing to the retention, processing and memory of information began to emerge in the expansion of studies in psychology (Boeree, 2006). The last noted contributor to the development of cognitive psychology was George Miller. His publication of â€Å"The Lucky Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two† illustrated the limitation of the human brain and its capacity to retain and process data (Miller, 1956). Miller points out the ability to retain a data set exceeding the value of seven becomes more challenging and the average human does not have the capacity to accurately process information in excess of seven. He illustrates this theory by tying it to the numerical representation of the number seven in significant events and happenings around the world. The seven seas, the seven deadly sins, the seven days of the week and the coincidental assignment of seven-digit phone numbers serve as related findings of astonishing fascination. The value of observations in cognitive psychology can not be ignored due to the nature of cognitive psychology. It was founded on the basis of many schools of thought and as such it is the study of the mind, which functions based on external factors as well as internal happenings. Unlike a computer, which functions the same, regardless of how the information was entered, a human being will react and process the information differently. For instance, a computer will carry out a calculation in the same way, without regard to the emotional state the person enters the data. To a computer it is irrelevant how the person feels. A person will process information depending on the state he or she is in and this varying state of mind influences a person’s ability to retain data, misinterpret instructions or react to situations. This can be evident in ability to focus on simple tasks when a person is in strenuous or emotionally charged situations. The observation of behavior in cognitive psychology will give clues on the effects of mental disposition prior to receiving data and the various outcomes. This approach sheds light on the dependence of behavior and attitude towards the ability to simply process data. Without consideration of other factors the field of cognitive science would be unreliable as the physical process of data as it enters the brain results in vastly different reaction in people. This difference can be attributed to personality, experience and other factors of the human mind. Cognitive psychology is a fairly new science, though the many branches have laid the foundation of it over the past centuries. The fascination of human behavior has taken many shape and forms and given birth to the many approaches of study. Cognitive psychology has accepted the challenge to not only look at the behavior or what causes it, but also how this determination is made in the human brain. This perspective of psychology can be challenging and as such, the study will continue for many years, as the observation is not visible to the human eye. With the help of modern technology, the process of translating immeasurable data happening inside the human brain to evidential data in explaining the functions of thinking, reasoning, memory and retention has become vast and continues to inspire further interest in the exploration of the complex human mind. Boeree, George. (2006). Albert bandura. Retrieved from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/bandura. html Boeree, George. (2006). Jean piaget. Retrieved from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/piaget. html Bjork, Daniel. (2010). B. f. kinner (1904 – 1990) behavioral analysis, social service, educational reform. Retrieved from http://education. stateuniversity. com/pages/2421/Skinner-B-F-1904-1990. html Huitt, W. , & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www. edpsycinteractive. org/topics/cogsys/piaget. html Miller, George. (1956). The Magical number seven, plus or minus two: some limits on our capacity for processing information. Retrieved from http://www. musanim. com/miller1956/ Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Psychology Brian Shrum Psy/360 April 11, 2013 Dr. Turner Cognitive Psychology Hermann Ebbinghaus said, â€Å"Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short† (Goodwin, 2008, p. 28). He was referring to the belief that while the study of human thought, emotion, and behavior is firmly entrenched in philosophy, psychology as its own discipline has only been around a short time. During this short time, different branches of psychology have come out, one of them is cognitive psychology, which is only roughly 50 years old.Cognitive psychology expands upon other fields of psychology to further reveal why human beings act in the way they do. This paper will define cognitive psychology, explore key milestones in its development, and discuss the importance of observation as it relates to cognitive psychology. While human behavior has been observed since the beginnings of psychology, the different fields focused only on observable behaviors. In contrast to that, cogni tive psychology is a perspective that looks at the mental processes involved with human intelligence and behavior.These processes include thinking, speaking, perceiving, memory, and problem-solving (Willingham, 2007). This field of psychology researches the unobservable nature of these processes, and uses abstract constructs to better understand these processes (Willingham, 2007). Cognitive psychology has evolved from other fields of psychology, one of which is behaviorism. Behaviorism was a very popular field of study during the early part of the 20th century.Many well-known psychologists like Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner made their mark during this behaviorist revolution. The behaviorist movement was firmly rooted in the scientific method and relied heavily on the observable actions. While behaviorism was a useful tool in explaining behaviors based on instinct and drives, it had several large hold-ups in being useful for humans. First, most of the experiments were done using non-hu man animals such as Pavlov’s dogs, which had no real usefulness in explaining the aspects of human intelligence.The second, and most destructive shortcoming for behaviorism, was that it did not observe, nor could it explain, human language, or intrinsic drives (Willingham, 2007). From these short comings, it became evident that parts of the human psyche had to be studied, which is where cognitive psychology began to form. However, this shortcoming has not been the only development to help cognitive psychology become what it is. The metaphor comparing the human mind to a computer was a big leap for cognitive psychology.It allowed new abstract ideas to formulate on how the human brain works like an information processing center (Willingham, 2007). The basic break down of this is sensory input gives way to processing, and from processing a behavior is chosen and performed. This behavior could be internal or external dependant on what the input necessitates. For instance the comp uter currently being used to write this paper is receiving input from the keyboard. This information is translated as a bunch of zeroes and ones, which are then output to the monitor in the form of the letters being typed on the keyboard.Combine this metaphorical approach with the onset of technology, specifically neuroscience, and cognitive psychology continues to evolve. Neuroscience has tremendously helped cognitive psychology evolve. With the development of brain studying equipment such EEGs, CT scans, and MRIs cognitive psychologists, and scientists, are better able to understand how the brain is used in receiving input. A patient can be hooked up to one of these machines and be asked to perform a task, either physical or mental, and the brain patterns can be observed.While the direct process of the interaction between brain cells cannot be directly observed, the patterns can be. These observations can be used to determine if the inferences made by the observing cognitive speci alist are accurate (Willingham, 2007). Observing how the brain reacts during these experiments can show links between the structure of the brain and the associated functions performed (Willingham, 2007). Even with technology playing a key role in cognitive psychology, behavioral observation does still play a key in cognitive psychology.Behavioral observation is still vital in cognitive psychology. This is because it has shown that two different people may develop different ways to solve similar problems. Through these observations it has been suggested that how people solve problems helps to develop new cognitive skills. Also, without observation, the only tests that can be run are thinking tests, which entails a large amount of logic being applied to the results (Willingham, 2007). Observing how different people handle different situations allows for generalization to not become a problem.The continued technology movement has fueled the cognitive psychology movement. Combing experi ments with a machine that can view the brain functions while the behavior is also being observed has produced many new theories. This cognitive movement has been founded on the failures of the past, and is growing with the technology of the future. References Goodwin, J. C. (2008). A history of modern psychology (3rd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Willingham, D. T. (2007). CognitionL The thinking animal (3rd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Cognitive Psychology Psychology has experienced many stages of development and gained momentum with many prominent psychologists attempting to map the human mind and explain the behaviors involved. These individuals have shaped the many theories of psychology and given insight to the vast complexity of the human mind in nearly all walks of life. Up until the 1960’s psychology was dominated with behaviorism and gained popularity with findings by B. F Skinners rate maze (Bjork, 2010). B. F. Skinner believed that the mind was invisible and irrelevant to scientists. He believed that concerns should be focused on end results rather than internal processes. The incomplete analysis of human behavior sparked many questions giving rise the theories of cognitive psychology, which examine the internal processes, problem solving skills, memory and language and the general mystery of how people think, remember, learn and behave (Boeree, 2006). This paper will examine four milestones in cognitive psychology and why the concepts of behaviorism cannot be ignored in the cognitive approach as it relates to human behavior. On the forefront of psychology as a scholarly study is Wilhelm Wundt. His foundation of a formal institution to study the many aspects of human behavior paved the way for the development of the many schools of thought in the field of psychology. His establishment of the first psychology lab at the University of Leipzig separated psychology as a dedicated science field of study and as thus made the development of cognitive psychology possible. Though Wundt was studying the mind through a perspective considered structuralism, his model of studying the various aspects of the human mind, presented a model to be emulated by psychologists around the world. Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist, was interested in the growth of human cognitive capacities. Piaget explored how children grow and develop in their abilities to reason and think. His studies were focused on how a child would reach a certain conclusion rather than whether the reached conclusion was accurate. Piaget developed the four stage process of child development and laid out a pattern of how information flows differently during the brain development of humans. These stages are vital to the understanding of physical and mental limitations in the processing of data as it enters the brain. His model of child development serves as guidance for school curriculums and education modules (Huitt, 2003) Albert Bandura initially studied human behavior through the eyes of behaviorism, but realized that the mind absorbs information differently depending on the circumstances surrounding a person, and as such the processing is equally important as the information being fed. (Boeree, 2006). He is often considered the initiator of the cognitive movement, when his realization of the various factors contributing to the retention, processing and memory of information began to emerge in the expansion of studies in psychology (Boeree, 2006). The last noted contributor to the development of cognitive psychology was George Miller. His publication of â€Å"The Lucky Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two† illustrated the limitation of the human brain and its capacity to retain and process data (Miller, 1956). Miller points out the ability to retain a data set exceeding the value of seven becomes more challenging and the average human does not have the capacity to accurately process information in excess of seven. He illustrates this theory by tying it to the numerical representation of the number seven in significant events and happenings around the world. The seven seas, the seven deadly sins, the seven days of the week and the coincidental assignment of seven-digit phone numbers serve as related findings of astonishing fascination. The value of observations in cognitive psychology can not be ignored due to the nature of cognitive psychology. It was founded on the basis of many schools of thought and as such it is the study of the mind, which functions based on external factors as well as internal happenings. Unlike a computer, which functions the same, regardless of how the information was entered, a human being will react and process the information differently. For instance, a computer will carry out a calculation in the same way, without regard to the emotional state the person enters the data. To a computer it is irrelevant how the person feels. A person will process information depending on the state he or she is in and this varying state of mind influences a person’s ability to retain data, misinterpret instructions or react to situations. This can be evident in ability to focus on simple tasks when a person is in strenuous or emotionally charged situations. The observation of behavior in cognitive psychology will give clues on the effects of mental disposition prior to receiving data and the various outcomes. This approach sheds light on the dependence of behavior and attitude towards the ability to simply process data. Without consideration of other factors the field of cognitive science would be unreliable as the physical process of data as it enters the brain results in vastly different reaction in people. This difference can be attributed to personality, experience and other factors of the human mind. Cognitive psychology is a fairly new science, though the many branches have laid the foundation of it over the past centuries. The fascination of human behavior has taken many shape and forms and given birth to the many approaches of study. Cognitive psychology has accepted the challenge to not only look at the behavior or what causes it, but also how this determination is made in the human brain. This perspective of psychology can be challenging and as such, the study will continue for many years, as the observation is not visible to the human eye. With the help of modern technology, the process of translating immeasurable data happening inside the human brain to evidential data in explaining the functions of thinking, reasoning, memory and retention has become vast and continues to inspire further interest in the exploration of the complex human mind. Boeree, George. (2006). Albert bandura. Retrieved from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/bandura. html Boeree, George. (2006). Jean piaget. Retrieved from http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/piaget. html Bjork, Daniel. (2010). B. f. kinner (1904 – 1990) behavioral analysis, social service, educational reform. Retrieved from http://education. stateuniversity. com/pages/2421/Skinner-B-F-1904-1990. html Huitt, W. , & Hummel, J. (2003). Piaget's theory of cognitive development. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www. edpsycinteractive. org/topics/cogsys/piaget. html Miller, George. (1956). The Magical number seven, plus or minus two: some limits on our capacity for processing information. Retrieved from http://www. musanim. com/miller1956/ Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Psychology Brian Shrum Psy/360 April 11, 2013 Dr. Turner Cognitive Psychology Hermann Ebbinghaus said, â€Å"Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short† (Goodwin, 2008, p. 28). He was referring to the belief that while the study of human thought, emotion, and behavior is firmly entrenched in philosophy, psychology as its own discipline has only been around a short time. During this short time, different branches of psychology have come out, one of them is cognitive psychology, which is only roughly 50 years old.Cognitive psychology expands upon other fields of psychology to further reveal why human beings act in the way they do. This paper will define cognitive psychology, explore key milestones in its development, and discuss the importance of observation as it relates to cognitive psychology. While human behavior has been observed since the beginnings of psychology, the different fields focused only on observable behaviors. In contrast to that, cogni tive psychology is a perspective that looks at the mental processes involved with human intelligence and behavior.These processes include thinking, speaking, perceiving, memory, and problem-solving (Willingham, 2007). This field of psychology researches the unobservable nature of these processes, and uses abstract constructs to better understand these processes (Willingham, 2007). Cognitive psychology has evolved from other fields of psychology, one of which is behaviorism. Behaviorism was a very popular field of study during the early part of the 20th century.Many well-known psychologists like Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner made their mark during this behaviorist revolution. The behaviorist movement was firmly rooted in the scientific method and relied heavily on the observable actions. While behaviorism was a useful tool in explaining behaviors based on instinct and drives, it had several large hold-ups in being useful for humans. First, most of the experiments were done using non-hu man animals such as Pavlov’s dogs, which had no real usefulness in explaining the aspects of human intelligence.The second, and most destructive shortcoming for behaviorism, was that it did not observe, nor could it explain, human language, or intrinsic drives (Willingham, 2007). From these short comings, it became evident that parts of the human psyche had to be studied, which is where cognitive psychology began to form. However, this shortcoming has not been the only development to help cognitive psychology become what it is. The metaphor comparing the human mind to a computer was a big leap for cognitive psychology.It allowed new abstract ideas to formulate on how the human brain works like an information processing center (Willingham, 2007). The basic break down of this is sensory input gives way to processing, and from processing a behavior is chosen and performed. This behavior could be internal or external dependant on what the input necessitates. For instance the comp uter currently being used to write this paper is receiving input from the keyboard. This information is translated as a bunch of zeroes and ones, which are then output to the monitor in the form of the letters being typed on the keyboard.Combine this metaphorical approach with the onset of technology, specifically neuroscience, and cognitive psychology continues to evolve. Neuroscience has tremendously helped cognitive psychology evolve. With the development of brain studying equipment such EEGs, CT scans, and MRIs cognitive psychologists, and scientists, are better able to understand how the brain is used in receiving input. A patient can be hooked up to one of these machines and be asked to perform a task, either physical or mental, and the brain patterns can be observed.While the direct process of the interaction between brain cells cannot be directly observed, the patterns can be. These observations can be used to determine if the inferences made by the observing cognitive speci alist are accurate (Willingham, 2007). Observing how the brain reacts during these experiments can show links between the structure of the brain and the associated functions performed (Willingham, 2007). Even with technology playing a key role in cognitive psychology, behavioral observation does still play a key in cognitive psychology.Behavioral observation is still vital in cognitive psychology. This is because it has shown that two different people may develop different ways to solve similar problems. Through these observations it has been suggested that how people solve problems helps to develop new cognitive skills. Also, without observation, the only tests that can be run are thinking tests, which entails a large amount of logic being applied to the results (Willingham, 2007). Observing how different people handle different situations allows for generalization to not become a problem.The continued technology movement has fueled the cognitive psychology movement. Combing experi ments with a machine that can view the brain functions while the behavior is also being observed has produced many new theories. This cognitive movement has been founded on the failures of the past, and is growing with the technology of the future. References Goodwin, J. C. (2008). A history of modern psychology (3rd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Willingham, D. T. (2007). CognitionL The thinking animal (3rd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Psychology Brian Shrum Psy/360 April 11, 2013 Dr. Turner Cognitive Psychology Hermann Ebbinghaus said, â€Å"Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short† (Goodwin, 2008, p. 28). He was referring to the belief that while the study of human thought, emotion, and behavior is firmly entrenched in philosophy, psychology as its own discipline has only been around a short time. During this short time, different branches of psychology have come out, one of them is cognitive psychology, which is only roughly 50 years old.Cognitive psychology expands upon other fields of psychology to further reveal why human beings act in the way they do. This paper will define cognitive psychology, explore key milestones in its development, and discuss the importance of observation as it relates to cognitive psychology. While human behavior has been observed since the beginnings of psychology, the different fields focused only on observable behaviors. In contrast to that, cogni tive psychology is a perspective that looks at the mental processes involved with human intelligence and behavior.These processes include thinking, speaking, perceiving, memory, and problem-solving (Willingham, 2007). This field of psychology researches the unobservable nature of these processes, and uses abstract constructs to better understand these processes (Willingham, 2007). Cognitive psychology has evolved from other fields of psychology, one of which is behaviorism. Behaviorism was a very popular field of study during the early part of the 20th century.Many well-known psychologists like Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner made their mark during this behaviorist revolution. The behaviorist movement was firmly rooted in the scientific method and relied heavily on the observable actions. While behaviorism was a useful tool in explaining behaviors based on instinct and drives, it had several large hold-ups in being useful for humans. First, most of the experiments were done using non-hu man animals such as Pavlov’s dogs, which had no real usefulness in explaining the aspects of human intelligence.The second, and most destructive shortcoming for behaviorism, was that it did not observe, nor could it explain, human language, or intrinsic drives (Willingham, 2007). From these short comings, it became evident that parts of the human psyche had to be studied, which is where cognitive psychology began to form. However, this shortcoming has not been the only development to help cognitive psychology become what it is. The metaphor comparing the human mind to a computer was a big leap for cognitive psychology.It allowed new abstract ideas to formulate on how the human brain works like an information processing center (Willingham, 2007). The basic break down of this is sensory input gives way to processing, and from processing a behavior is chosen and performed. This behavior could be internal or external dependant on what the input necessitates. For instance the comp uter currently being used to write this paper is receiving input from the keyboard. This information is translated as a bunch of zeroes and ones, which are then output to the monitor in the form of the letters being typed on the keyboard.Combine this metaphorical approach with the onset of technology, specifically neuroscience, and cognitive psychology continues to evolve. Neuroscience has tremendously helped cognitive psychology evolve. With the development of brain studying equipment such EEGs, CT scans, and MRIs cognitive psychologists, and scientists, are better able to understand how the brain is used in receiving input. A patient can be hooked up to one of these machines and be asked to perform a task, either physical or mental, and the brain patterns can be observed.While the direct process of the interaction between brain cells cannot be directly observed, the patterns can be. These observations can be used to determine if the inferences made by the observing cognitive speci alist are accurate (Willingham, 2007). Observing how the brain reacts during these experiments can show links between the structure of the brain and the associated functions performed (Willingham, 2007). Even with technology playing a key role in cognitive psychology, behavioral observation does still play a key in cognitive psychology.Behavioral observation is still vital in cognitive psychology. This is because it has shown that two different people may develop different ways to solve similar problems. Through these observations it has been suggested that how people solve problems helps to develop new cognitive skills. Also, without observation, the only tests that can be run are thinking tests, which entails a large amount of logic being applied to the results (Willingham, 2007). Observing how different people handle different situations allows for generalization to not become a problem.The continued technology movement has fueled the cognitive psychology movement. Combing experi ments with a machine that can view the brain functions while the behavior is also being observed has produced many new theories. This cognitive movement has been founded on the failures of the past, and is growing with the technology of the future. References Goodwin, J. C. (2008). A history of modern psychology (3rd ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Willingham, D. T. (2007). CognitionL The thinking animal (3rd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Dramatic and Significant in Act 2 Scene 3 Macbeth

Title: How does Shakespeare make this scene both a significant and dramatic moment in the play? In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth there are a lot of dramatic, exciting and tragic occurrences in many of the scenes. Although in the beginning, Shakespeare foreshadowed the tragedies that were to come nothing could have prepared the audience for what took place in Act 2 scene 3. This is the scene in which King Duncan is found murdered causing shock and panic in all the characters on stage.He dramatizes the scene by portraying the discovery of the King’s body, by emphasizing the shock and disbelief of the characters, by the flattering description given of Duncan and by revealing to the audience the deceptive characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Duncan is the King of Scotland. He went to Macbeth’s castle to commend Macbeth in his bravery in the war against Scotland. However what he did not know was that his death was planned before his arrival.Although we the audience on ly meet Duncan briefly Shakespeare provides us with an admirable view of Duncan’s character by the way the other characters describe him. For example when Duncan was found murdered Macduff had expressed his disbelief and outrage with the words: â€Å"Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope/The Lord’s anointed temple, and stole thence/The life o' th' building! † In this quote Shakespeare is comparing Duncan to God’s Temple. This gives the audience an idea of how kind and just Duncan really was.Even Macbeth calls the king â€Å"graceful and renowned† although the audience is not quite sure whether he meant it or not. Macbeth refers to the king’s blood as â€Å"the wine of life† and his body as â€Å"the dregs that remain. † In other words Duncan’s virtuous character was in his blood and now that it has been shed only the shell remained. Macduff was the one who discovered Duncan's corpse. He was very much frightened and sho cked to find his master dead. He had arrived on Duncan's orders to wake him up early only to find the king murdered.He comes out of the king’s chamber traumatized saying â€Å"O horror, horror, horror! /Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee! † To him this is unbelievable. Shakespeare depicts the shocked tone through Macduff’s words â€Å"O horror, horror, horror! † and through the exclamation marks to represent the tone of surprise in which Macduff spoke. There was a lot of commotion after that. Macduff awoken everyone by yelling and by ringing the bell to which Lady Macbeth responds â€Å"What’s the business, /that such a hideous trumpet calls to parley/The sleepers of the house?Speak, speak! † Lady Macbeth demands to know for what reason Macduff rung the bell awakening everyone that was sleeping. As everyone clambers in the tension and disbelief of the other characters start to build up emphasizing the drama of this scene. The aud ience is well aware that Macbeth was the one that killed the King and that Lady Macbeth helped him to accomplish the mission. So when they pretend they don’t know what happened it brings out one of the major themes of this play, deception. This scene reveals the duplicitous characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.Shakespeare portrays Macbeth as a person with a conscience but not a moral one. Macbeth wants to be king but he would rather have someone else do the evil deed and take the fall while he becomes king. He nevertheless kills the king and feigns disbelief when the body is found. He also killed the two innocent guards who were framed for the murder calling it an act passionate fury. Although the characters onstage are yet to find out that Macbeth is deceitful the audience waits tensely for the moment in which all is revealed.Lady Macbeth is also shown as a duplicitous character here in this scene. She is well aware of what took place since it was her master plan but prete nds to be innocent when Duncan's body is found. The irony in this scene is when Macduff trying to protect the Lady tells her â€Å"O gentle lady, /'Tis not for you to hear what I can speak: The repetition, in a woman’s ear, would murder as it fell† little does he know how ironic his choice of the word â€Å"gentle† is. He tells her that if he repeats the news to her she would die because of the tragedy.However Lady Macbeth is not shocked at the news although she feigns it since she herself kept awake to see that the deed was done. Lady Macbeth earlier on the play retorts to Macbeth that she herself would have done it if she wasn’t born a woman; she originally cursed her ‘gentleness’ begging nature to take the gift of giving life away from her. She even advises Macbeth on how to be deceitful when she said â€Å"To beguile the time, Look like the time. Bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue. Look like th' innocent flower, But be the serpent under ’t. this shows that she is the more experienced one in being deceitful which is ironic since it’s Macbeth that is the ‘brave and worthy’ kinsmen. Shakespeare shows her to be a cruel woman who would stop at nothing for her husband’s success. This scene is a very dramatic one leaving most of the audience on their toes in anticipation and suspense dying to know what was going to happen. Later on we discover that Malcolm the crown Prince runs away leaving the throne. This is when the audience fully realizes that the Witches were telling the truth and that their final prophecy came true. Macbeth became King of Scotland.

Stones From the River essays

Stones From the River essays Stones From the River, a novel set in Germany from 1915 until after World War II, is about a Zwerg who discovers that being different is something all human beings share. Trudi Montag, the Zwerg, learns from several people and circumstances that even though not all differences are visual, everyone is Hegi lets the reader experience Trudi's struggle to try to fit into society by creating several circumstances in which Trudi often gets betrayed. The first act of betrayal occurrs when her friend, Eva, talks to her at the pay-library but ignores her at school. Trudi gets betrayed by another friend, Georg, when he does not stop some boys from molesting her in a barn. In her teen years, Klaus Malter kisses Trudi but then acts like it never happened. It takes Trudi awhile, but she eventually gets over her infatuation with Klaus, just as she got over her obsession with growing, and even fitting in because she realizes it will never happen. Years later, Trudi actually falls in love with a man, Max Rudnick, who falls in love with her, too. They keep their love a secret for fear of what people might think. When Max leaves for a trip to another town, and never returns, Trudi is obviously devastated. It is a very emotional part of the novel because the reader expects Max to come back, but he never does... another act of The entire novel is about Trudi trying to fit in, but the fact that everyone is different and there is really no place to "fit in." The viewpoint is original, the events tragic and familiar, the characters an interesting mixture of good and bad combined into ordinary people in an ordinary town during a not-so-ordinary time. Although there are some very tragic points in the novel, the emotional rollercoaster Hegi takes the reader on is what makes Stones From the River ...

The Effect of Global Warming on Thermohaline Circulation Essays

The Effect of Global Warming on Thermohaline Circulation Essays The Effect of Global Warming on Thermohaline Circulation Paper The Effect of Global Warming on Thermohaline Circulation Paper Studies have been conducted in recent years on the effects of increase of greenhouse gases on the thermopile circulation. There are several hypotheses that state that the prolonged effect Of global warming could eventually shut down the thermopile circulation and lead to cooling in certain regions in the North Atlantic Ocean. Several ocean-atmosphere models have been used to predict the effect of increase of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) concentration on ocean circulation. Two such models are discussed and their results are analyzed. 1. Introduction [2] Global temperatures have seen a dramatic increase since the Industrial Revolution. Several climate models have projected an increase of between 1. 10 C to 6. 0 C in the global average temperature due to the continued effect of global warming (EPIC (2007)). Apart from the resulting adverse effect on global climate, increasing global temperatures may result in species extinction, changes in agricultural production, deleterious effects on health, rise in the sea level, reductions in the ozone layer and disruption in the ice shelf. Another possible outcome of global warming is what is now termed as the shutdown of the thermopile circulation. Wallace S. Broker, the man responsible for the term Global Conveyor Belt, called the thermopile recirculation the Achilles heel of our climate system (Broker, 1997). There is much research that focuses on the effect of greenhouse gases on ocean circulation. Two such models are discussed in future sections. Some research has shown that the transfer of heat from regions around the CEQ tutor to the poles is due to the thermopile circulation in the ocean. This implies that Europe does not have the same climate as the poles because of the thermopile circulation. The thermopile circulation therefore plays an important role in regulating the amount of sea ice in the Polar Regions. There re several schools of thought (Eager, Battista, Yin, Gordon, Nazi, Clement and Cane (2002)) that attribute this climate in Europe to its position with respect to the ocean basin and the warm atmospheric waves that blow up north from the tropics. Rhine and Hkeen (2003) challenged this claim. According to Rhine and Hacking, it is the existence of the oceanic heat transport that allows the maritime effect to operate in the northern North Atlantic and to create a milder European climate than in the North America; without the heat transport, ice would likely extend over much greater areas of ocean and land. Much research is currently focused on the role of ocean circulation in the supply of heat to Europe. 2. Thermopile Circulation [3] Ocean circulation is commonly divided into TV parts: the thermopile and the wind driven circulation. In other words, circulation in the oceans is partly due to wind stress, and also partly due to changes in density because of changes in temperature and salinity. The term thermopile originates from thermo for heat and haling for salt, which together determine the density of the water mass. [4] Thermopile circulation originates in pacific areas of the North Atlantic and in the Widely Sea of the Southern Ocean. In the North Atlantic, the evaporative cooling effect of winter is responsible for cooling the upper layers of seawater, increasing the salinity thereby increasing density and causing sinking. The sinking cool water is the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADIA). The denser NADIA flows southwards into the ocean basins. The bulk of the water peels in the Southern Ocean, while some of the deep water causes further upwelling in the North Pacific and Indian Oceans. This movement of the deep water forms a giant conveyor belt hat covers a large part of the open ocean (figure 1). The Gulf Stream, for example, which is largely driven by thermopile circulation, transports warm water from the Caribbean northwards. Figure 1: Thermopile Circulation (Source: Brakes, 1 992, figure 10. 1, p. 186, as taken from Kerr, 1988). 3. Global Warming [5] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (EPIC), in February 2007, submitted a 21 -page report assessing the effect of global warming on global climate. The report stated that: most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations. Emission of infrared radiation warms the Earth surface; the phenomenon is known as the Greenhouse Effect. The dominant infrared absorbing gases in the Earths atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide (ICC) and ozone (03). The interactions between greenhouse gas molecules and radiation can be explained by quantum mechanics. ICC and 03 molecules have vibration motions whose quantum states can be excited by collisions at energies encountered in the atmosphere. Industrial activities, such as fossil fuel ruining and other human activities such as cement production and tropical deforestation has increased the carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. ICC is also a byproduct from automobiles, airplanes and building constructions. The importance of ICC as a greenhouse gas is very apparent and is therefore used as a parameter in determining the effects of global warming. 4. Review of models used to simulate the response of the Thermopile Circulation to increasing ICC [6] Several coupled ocean-atmosphere models have been used to simulate the response of ocean circulation to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Mbabane and Stouffer (1993) conducted one such study; a coupled ocean-atmosphere model was used to simulate the increase of ICC in the atmosphere. Three integrations over a period of 500 years were conducted. In the first integration the atmospheric concentration of ICC was kept constant. The second and third integration involved increasing the atmospheric ICC at a rate of 1% per year, until it reached twice the original value at the 70th year (for the second integration) and four times the original value at the 14th year (for the third integration) and was maintained instant thereafter. The change in ICC concentration caused the gradual disappearance of the thermopile circulation while doubling and quadrupling the concentration of ICC Most notably, in the North Atlantic Ocean, the thermopile circulation nearly vanished during the first 200 years in the coccyx integration (the integration carried out while quadrupling the ICC concentration in the atmosphere). During the first 140 years of the coccyx integration, the thermopile circulation rapidly weakens and continues to do so even after the concentration of ICC is held constant. The integration also showed a decrease in the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water. The result of this integration shows that the gradual disappearance of the thermopile circulation leaves wind driven, shallow cells in the subtropics of the North and South hemisphere. Similar effects were observed in the coccyx integration. The thermopile circulation shows weakening intensity during the first 70 years of simulation, which continues until the 1 50th year, during which there is no change in the ICC concentration. But in the 50th year the thermopile circulation slowly begins to regain its original intensity, although not quite achieving it. 7] Mbabane and Stouffer concluded that the weakening of thermopile circulation in the coccyx integration is not due to its instability, but rather due to the adjustments made by the mechanism to the evolving density structure of the models Atlantic Ocean. This is apparent in the manner in which the circulation slowly regains strength in the later part of the coccyx integration. This does not happen in the coccyx integration, and the thermopile circulation shuts down. There were also notable changes in the Widely and Ross Seas, where he circulation became weak and shallow. This in turn caused weakening of the deep-water formation and the northward flow of bottom water in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans was affected. This weakening of the thermopile circulation is attributed to the capping of the model oceans by relatively fresh water in high latitudes where the excess of precipitation over evaporation increases markedly due to the enhanced pollard moisture transport in the warmer model troposphere. [8] Schmeltzer and Stocker (1998) used a simplified coupled atmosphere-ocean model to study the possible effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The findings were similar to Mbabane and Stouffer, with the model exhibiting a threshold value of ICC concentration beyond which the thermopile circulation shuts down and does not recover. The concentration of ICC is doubled here, and exhibits a shutdown; however the model is less sensitive than that of Mbabane and Stouffer. The model shows that the thermopile circulation breaks down for a value of 750 pump or higher. An equilibrium state is reached characterized by the absence of deep-water formation in the North Atlantic. Mbabane and Stouffer (2003) revisited the effect of carbon dioxide on thermopile recirculation by conducting several integrations using a coupled atmosphere- ocean model for a time period varying between 4000 years to 1 5000 years. Similar to the study carried out in 1 993, the concentrations of ICC are doubled, quadrupled and halved. In each experiment the response of surface temperature increases with increasing latitudes. In the coccyx experiment, thermopile circulation shows weakening before intensifying around the 200-year mark. It fully regains its original intensity in the 60th year. The coccyx experiment shows the thermopile circulation reacting in a animal manner as earlier noted, however, it regained its intensity around the 1000-year mark. The weakening of the thermopile circulation in the coccyx and coccyx experiments is attributable to reduction in the surface salinity of the North Atlantic Ocean. With the warming of the troposphere (due to increased ICC concentrations), the moisture content in the air increases; this in turn enhances the transport of water vapor in the troposphere towards the poles. The precipitation in the high latitudes goes up by a fairly high amount, which reduces the salinity and density of the North Atlantic waters. 5. Conclusion [10] There are several hypotheses that state that the continued effect of global warming could eventually shut down the thermopile circulation and lead to cooling in certain regions in the North Atlantic Ocean. Global warming could lead to an increase of freshwater in the upper oceanic regions, by melting glaciers, and thereby increasing precipitation into the ocean. This increase in freshwater could have an adverse effect on the thermopile circulation which, as mentioned earlier, IS driven by changes in temperature and salinity. In 2004, NASA satellites recorded what seemed to be the slowing f the North Atlantic current. On April 15 of that year, NASA released a press statement stating that the slowing of this ocean current is an indication of dramatic changes in the North Atlantic Ocean climatic?. A study of the ocean circulation in the North Atlantic by Harry Burden (2005) revealed that Atlantic meridian overturning circulation has slowed by about 30 per cent between 1957 and 2004. Burdens finding Was viewed with speculation by the scientific and oceanographic community, especially since measurements conducted post 2005 showed a significant warming of the North Atlantic Current. However, the current overall climate is definitely changing; in particular sea- ice formation is less because of overall global warming. Burden predicts that the shutdown on the thermopile circulation could have severe repercussions on Europe, in that the temperature would change drastically. There could be major climatic changes such as an increase in floods and storms. Warming or rainfall changes in the tropics or the poles could occur. While the rest of the scientific community felt Burdens findings were not credible, Delete Quadrates (2005) felt that there were a few observations that purported Burdens work. Quadrates pointed out that climatic records have shown drops in air temperature by ICC in a few decades possibly caused due to abrupt changes in ocean circulation. Global warming is a very real threat to the human race. The question we face is whether global warming is in fact to going to affect the thermopile circulation. Even though there is a large amount of research that is being conducted in this area, there is an equal amount of opposition to it. Sorrowing (2007) has called the increase of ICC concentrations the Greatest Scientific Scandal of our Time. Sorrowing lams that the EPIC assessment of global warming in 2007 was purely a political move, prepared by governmental and United Nations bureaucrats. In another article in 2007, Sorrowing also claimed that the increase of ICC is not due to human activity but by atmosphere-ocean gas exchange and other causes of natural climatic fluctuations. Numerical models may provide a fairly decent idea of the functioning Of systems, but there is always the danger Of erroneous statistical methods and the use of boundary conditions that dont necessarily reflect the real world. However, at the risk of sounding trite, reversion is better than cure. The risk of man entering a new ice age is very real as of now, and will remain so until research shows otherwise. There are studies that speculate that the shutdown of the thermopile circulation is what previously led to the Younger Dryads (the big freeze) period (Creameries, 2006).