Joy Luck Club Essays - Chinatown, San Francisco, Literature

Joy Luck Club In the novel, The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, it tells of four Chinese women drawn together in San Francisco to play mah jong, and tell stories of the past. These four women and their families all lived in Chinatown and belong to the First Chinese Baptist Church. They were not necessarily religious, but found they could improve their home China. This is how the woo's, the Hsu's, the Jong's and the St Clair's met in 1949. The first member of the Joy Luck Club to die was Suyuan Woo. Her daughter, Jing-mei June Woo, is asked to sit in and take her mother's place at playing mah jong. Memories of the past are shared by the three women left, An-mei Hsu, Lindo Jong and Ying-ying St Clair. June Woo learns of the real secret her mother carried to her grave from her mother's friends. The twin baby girls, her half sisters, Suyuan pushed in a Wheelbarrow as she escaped from the Japanese. Due to sickness, Suyuan can no longer carry her babies, and is forced to leave them on the side of the road. She lives her whole life not knowing if they are alive or dead. In the book, the Woo's left for America to build a better life for themselves. Suyuan Woo wanted to have a daughter like herself, and no one would look down on her. It was important that she speak perfect English and hopefully not share in the same tragedies and sorrows she had known. The movie brought this concept out very vividly. You were able to imagine the time and place and the emotions of the characters. Their anger in the early years, how women and children were treated as possessions. The book spoke of Rose Hsu Jordan, daughter of An-mei Hsu, who had seven brothers and sisters. A very tragic time in her life when her brother Bing drowns at age 1 while she was in charge of watching him. The movie does not touch upon this tragic event and brings out the rich family Rose marries into, and the instant rejection from her boyfriends mother. Rose unhappiness in her marriage with Tod, is similar to the unhappiness her mother had throughout her life. Lindo Jong was a special character in the book , referring to promises she made to her mother as a young girl, and keeping them throughout her life. She was actually abandoned by her family and Lindo was sent to live with her future husband's family. She never complained because she would never dishonor her mother. The movie did an excellent job of showing us the culture during that time in China and how the matchmaker arranged the marriages at an early age. She is a very smart girl and figures out how she could get out of this marriage and still keep her promise to her mother. She puts the blame on the matchmaker and is released from the marriage. When speaking of strong characters in the book, one would have to include Waverl y Jong, daughter of Lindo Jong. She was a bright child who became a famous chess player, which made her mother very proud. The movie brought out her unhappiness in her life and the unhappy relationship with her mother. The two shared similar lives even though they lived in different countries and different times. Ying-ying St Clair, according to the book, was married at an early age and referred to her husband as a bad man. In fact she tried so hard to forget him she forgets his name. She tells of taking her baby before it was born because of the hate she has for her husband. The movie tells the story a little different in reference to her baby. After her husband comes home with his mistress and causes her shame, she drowns her tiny infant while bathing him. A tragic and emotional part in the movie. Lena St Clair, daughter of Lindo St Clair, may not have had such a tragic relationship with her husband as did her mother; but she was unable to find happiness in her marriage. The book and movie were similar in showing us the relationship she had with Harold.

Precursor To vs. Precursor Of

Precursor To vs. Precursor Of Precursor To vs. Precursor Of Precursor To vs. Precursor Of By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Can you please tell me when to use precursor to and precursor of? Is there a difference between the two? Latin praecursor (â€Å"forerunner, advanced guard†) is from a verb meaning â€Å"to run in front of.† Latin cursor means, â€Å"to run.† The noun precursor entered English about 1500, chiefly in reference to John the Baptist as â€Å"Christ’s precursor.† The sense here is â€Å"a person who heralds the approach of another.† In current usage, precursor is used to refer either to a person regarded as someone’s forerunner, or a thing regarded as the prototype of something else. Here are two examples: Gilbert M. â€Å"Broncho Billy† Anderson is regarded by film historians as the precursor to better-known movie cowboys such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. [Dick Tracy’s] wrist radio was the precursor of the cell phone of today. The OED cites â€Å"precursor to† in 1675 and â€Å"precursor of† in 1716. On the Ngram Viewer, â€Å"precursor of† is far more common in printed books until the 1960s, when â€Å"precursor to† begins a marked rise, although it remains below â€Å"precursor of† on the graph. A Google search indicates that â€Å"precursor to† is more common than â€Å"precursor of† on the Web: precursor to (6,330,000 results) precursor of (4,230, 000 results) In my own use, I think I’m more likely to use â€Å"precursor to† when linking people and â€Å"precursor of† in reference to things, but random examples taken from the Web indicate that the phrases are used interchangeably: [The Scarlet Pimpernel] is  seen as a precursor to  the spy fiction and the superhero genres. Only about one in eight people with so-called pre-diabetes, often a precursor to full-blown disease, know they have a problem,   Was Marilyn Monroe a  precursor  of 1960s feminism? Its my belief that  Marilyn Monroe  was a  precursor to  the Womens Movement. Cyclorama paintings served as the  precursor to  movies. Carole Lombard was the  precursor to  all sexy comediennes. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your StoryPeople versus PersonsI wish I were...

The Political Economy of European Integration Essay

The Political Economy of European Integration - Essay Example To start with, we must define the objective that has spurred the nature of economic integration. The primary objective of having or creating a (regional) economic integration is for the said union to form an agreement among its member countries to reduce and remove tariff and non-tariff trade barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and factors of production (i.e. labor, capital and entrepreneur); and also, to attempt to achieve economic gains from the free flow of trade and investment between its neighboring countries. The EU as an organization is comprised of independent European countries whose sole, main objectives are economic and social progress for the European region and its people. That is why they have long-planned on engineering an economic integration program in an attempt to converge all the European regions in order to meet and implement the objectives of the formed union so as to provide a much better living and working environment for its people - the Europeans (Going for Growth, 2003). Economic integration for Europe has definitely brought convergence to this continental region. Since its foundation, the EU had gone through three legal stages for it to achieve its economic objectives, these stages were: the creation of the customs union, 1958-1985, the single market 1985-1992, and the economic and monetary union 1992-present (Hitiris, 2003). Initially, as a customs union, it removed different barriers in trading between member countries of the EC and adopted a common external trade policy in which individual state governments no longer has to determine or make their own external trade policy anymore. Then the Single European Act or the single market implemented in 1987 allowed factors of production particularly labour, capital, and entrepreneurs to move freely from one member country to another. And after a few years, the EU started to launch its full economic objectives by implementing the economic and monetary union policy to its region; through this, it paved the way to the removal of the remaining obstacle to cross border investments. And also, one of the most highlighted criterions made in this final treaty was granting the citizenship of the union - everyone with a nationality of any member country becomes an automatic citizen of the union, giving its people all the rights to move and reside freely among the union' s member countries. With all of these mentioned and guided by the democratic principles of the union, the EU has definitely succeeded in converging its member countries into becoming a prosperous European economic region of the twenty-first century that is continuously grow year by year in terms of economic figures and admitting more and more European countries into the union; and currently, is even ranking second in the growth of world economies next to the United States and preceding Japan. However, it is also important to take stock of the fact that the success or failure of an economic integration depends primarily on its objectives. Therefore, a previously independent country participating in an economic union - converging its economy to other member countries by sacrificing a part of its national sovereignty can only be justified if the union is able to achieve its

Explain the growth in the concentration of media ownership around the Assignment

Explain the growth in the concentration of media ownership around the world - Assignment Example Founded and headquartered in Australia, the company now boasts of being the number one newspaper publisher in the world, with a cumulative daily readership of 14 million in these three countries alone. Murdoch has a near monopoly in the media space in Australia, owning two-thirds of all newspaper circulation in the country. Across the Tasman Sea, in New Zealand, he owns nearly half. Further, he is the owner of two fifths of the Australian Associated Press. (Knowlton & Parsons, 2005, p. 200) These holdings are notwithstanding his considerable market share in Britain and the United States. These statistics bear testimony to the Murdoch’s media monopoly. Between the lines one can read the dangers posed by monopoly in an industry that is crucial to socio-cultural discourse. One of the negative consequences of media concentration is that it nullifies ethical standards of journalism. News Corp’s official Standards of Business Conduct (SBC) document makes some bold claims. But the company’s actual behaviour is contradictory to these claims. For example, in the area of building trust with business partners and customers, it claims that trust and integrity are of utmost importance. The manner in which the company actually functions makes a mockery of these ethical concerns. There are several instances where News Corp had colluded with political organizations to attain favourable deals. One of the first instances of News Corp’s opportunistic use of political connections came to light in1995. Murdoch struck a book deal with the then House Speaker of the United States Congress Newt Gingrich for a substantial sum of $4.5 million. The ethical problem was obvious in this case. Murdoch, who was even at that time an influential and trans-global media personality, owned a newspaper chain and several television stations. He stood to gain enormously through the relationship with the Speaker. It was only after severe public

Characteristics of problems

Characteristics of problems Characteristics of Problems Determining the type of problem to be solved is particularly difficult. From the scientific point of view it has not been treated sufficiently yet.   It is, nevertheless, of fundamental importance because it covers the whole field of creativity, and the problem solver(s) heuristic behavior is contingent on the type of problem.   What is a problem?   This question was asked and answered by Karl Duncker (1945).   Duncker, who was a Gestalt psychologist, defined a problem in these words: â€Å"A problem arises when a living organism has a goal but does not know how this goal is to be reached.†Ã‚   This definition is, no doubt, very useful, because creativity tasks and activities always strive to address a problem.   Yet, Dunckers definition and formulation poses these caveats:   It is necessary to distinguish between a task and a problem.   It is the subjects level of domain knowledge, including his ability to find pertinent knowledge, if necessary, that makes the difference between the two. A task set by a researcher or experimenter may be a problem to certain subjects and no problem to others.  Ã‚   A problem may vanish or be resolved if the subject changes his goal.   A problem does not exist de facto, unless the subject observes discrepancies between his current situation and the goals he pursues. Reitman (1965) proposed that problems be viewed as three-component entities, having an initial state, a final (goal) state, and a set of processes that facilitate reaching the goal, starting from the initial state.   Minski (1961) proposed a distinction between two types of problems, those that according to the nature of the conditions of acceptability of solutions are either well defined or ill-defined.   A problem satisfying Reitmans conditions (Reitman, 1965) is a so-called well-defined problem: it can be solved by applying a systematic procedure that makes it possible to decide whether a proposed solution is correct or not.   It means that it is totally decidable: all pertinent solutions can be evaluated strictly using one binary variable: right or wrong.   The solution can thus be described as an all-or-nothing phenomenon.   There are no intermediate solutions between the functional and non-functional ones.   In general terms, any tests for which there exists a rigorous method of comparison between what is proposed and what is required is a well-defined problem. Examples of well-defined problems are board games, problems in mathematics, or problems in logic.   They may be very difficult to resolve, nevertheless.   Taking mans limited resources, psychologists face the task of explaining how human beings manage to solve problems in chess, mathematics or geometry within reasonable time.   Ill-defined problems are those that are not well-defined.   They result in a multitude of solutions that cannot be classified by using a binary truth-value, but by using a relative qualitative scale.   The response to a requirement thus allows grades, the determination of which is left to the referees.   The majority of problems occurring in everyday life are ill-defined problems: the improvement on an object or an apparatus, a new use of what already is known, the search for a sales idea or a marketing idea, etc. Ill-defined problems arise when some components of the problems statement, in the sense of Reitman, are unspecified, or are vague or fuzzy.   The definedness of problems varies in degree (Reitman, 1965, Ch. 5).   For instance, ‘take a little flower and bake bread for these people, which is vague in terms of the quantity of flower and the number of people, but specifies clearly the method: bake.   Another statement may run like this: ‘Let us overcome the current economic crisis.   This statement does not specify the method: what should be done to overcome the crisis?   ‘Do not just hang around, maximize something is an exhortation taken from a cartoon, in which both the initial state, the method and the goal are shrouded in a mental fog.   Ill-defined problems are more common than are well-defined problems, but it is all the more difficult to explain how to tackle them. It is worth noting that Minskis postulate does not necessarily cover the distinction between problem solving and creativity. For instance, the discovery of a new algorithm, or a new combination of known algorithms, is a creative act. But well-defined problems in the sense of Minsky may lead to an opposition between algorithmic procedures and inferential procedures. As for the ill-defined problems, Reitman (1964) proposed a typology of six classes of problems comprising the transformation or generation of states, objects, or collections of objects.   This taxonomy is not presented as a universal tool covering the whole field of creative situations, but simply as a general structure making it possible to collect the largest number possible of the creative situations.   This attempt at systemization has mainly a descriptive value, but it is not unlikely that it could also be used for deducing hypotheses related to the behavior of effectual solutions. Reitmans work is based on the introduction of the following three concepts: let A be an initial state or object (one which is expected to undergo transformation, modification, complementing, improvement, etc.) and let B be a final state or object (the solution to be obtained, elimination of problem).   Let the symbol à ®Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã…’ denote a process, program, or sequence of operations.   It is then possible to represent a large number of problematic situations parting from these three symbols by representing them by a general vector [A, B, à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢].   Using these three concepts, six types of poorly defined problems can be distinguished. Type I.   The initial and terminal states A and B are well specified: the relevant data are known and the requirements to be satisfied are explained precisely.   The problem then consists in discovering the process à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ that makes it possible to pass from the well-specified state A to a well-specified state B.   For instance: how can a given function be incorporated in a specific device?   This type seems to cover a large class of problem situations. Type II.   The terminal state B is less precisely specified than in the previous type, while A is left entirely at the discretion of the experimenter.   In fact, nothing is said about the state, object or assembly of objects from which to part.  Ã‚   The initial material is largely undetermined and admits only one constraint to aid in constituting the one possible solution.   For instance: what should be done to make traveling by train more pleasurable? Here, obviously, the current state represents some level of train travel comfort or pleasure, and this should be increased.   But what exactly is to be achieved is an open question. Type III.   The initial state A consists in this case of an assembly of constituent parts each of which represents a concrete entity, while B represents a state or object to be achieved which is defined vaguely and is characterized by the fact that one or several of constituent parts of A have lost their separate identities after reaching B.   Reitman cites as an example Napoleons cook who was charged with the task to â€Å"make a good dish† B to celebrate the victory at Marengo using only available ingredients A.   This type is undoubtedly less general than the preceding ones.   Type IV.   A and B are presented as consisting of sub-components and are rather poorly defined.   This type differs from type II in that in the latter case there are no restrictions imposed on search, different analogous paths, and different associative paths the exploration of which can be relatively fruitful.   In type IV it is not like that.  Ã‚   The distinction between sub-components provides constraints within which the problem solution has to take place.   The research is, in other words, more strictly restrained than it is in the problems of type II. Type V.  Ã‚   The initial state A is given by reference to a well defined object, the final state B is given by a set of similarities and dissimilarities with respect to A.   An example given by Reitman to illustrate this type is the following: manufacturer ÃŽÂ ± of some equipment encounters a serious competition from ÃŽÂ ²-companys product.   The first company, ÃŽÂ ±, decides to change the design of the product in point to offer a price that is lower for a comparable quality than what its competitor ÃŽÂ ² asks.   The task thus does not necessarily require an entirely new manufacturing process, because the added cost of the new process would not help to slash the price according to original estimates.   Besides, the modification must be implemented fast because the competing product already is in the market while ÃŽÂ ±-companys sales decrease with each passing day.   The exigencies of this example illustrate the general type V product as a new device that m ust be functionally similar to the old version but must be cheaper. Type VI.   In this case, the final state B is well specified while the initial state A remains essentially empty, unstructured and largely undetermined.   Characteristic examples cited by Reitman comprise: to explain a new phenomenon, discover an alibi for a criminal deed, etc.   This type differs from type II in the degree of precision of the task.   It is thus possible to distinguish among six categories of poorly defined problems resorting to almost formal properties of their application.   A research activity the results of which would show that these categories incite heuristically different behavior on the part of individuals and groups still has to be accomplished.   A relevant taxonomy establishes first some ordering, i.e. introduces some logic in the pertinent knowledge field.   For this purpose the taxonomy distributes the phenomena or the entities considered according to their relevant characteristics, with no ambiguity involved.   It appears that, in general, each taxonomy displays at least two different utility values: First of all, the taxonomy presents a reference value that provides a framework for a certain subset of the universe.   The information already available about the elements of this subset thus cease to be fragmented and simply accumulated: in the continuation they are ordered with respect to one another.   They can be integrated and complemented.   Fragmented knowledge thus becomes systematic. This knowledge also represents an â€Å"operational† or heuristic value of the taxonomy in point. This value becomes apparent when the taxonomy leads to empirical research in order to validate its structure, its principle and its extent, or to uncover which variables of the taxonomy can be expected and unified.   In the case of problem solution and creativity research, one can try to establish some correspondence between certain types of tasks with certain behavioral phenomena, particularly those of psycholinguistic nature.   The first problem differentiation might take into consideration the different objective properties of problems: The problem is algorithmic: it can be resolved using an ordered sequence of specific operations.   It allows, in this sense, a truly coordinated division of labor, and is particularly suitable for groups with the centralized communication structure.   The problem is inferential: it can be visualized by means of trees, but the process of generalization of the trees cannot be decomposed into concatenated elementary operations.   A homogeneous structure is, however, more appropriate.   It can be seen that groups facing a specific situation adopt spontaneously the optimum organization to respond to this situation. Most authors, however, have resorted to local dichotomies based on a multitude of imprecise criteria.   The straightforward problem typologies are the following: Verbal and non-verbal tasks.   Verbal tasks are supposed to mobilize important cultural experience and imply the use of specific functions or hypothetic factors.   Non-verbal tasks are symbolic, or in other ways dependent on non-verbal perceptions. Intellectual and manipulation-dependent tasks.   In intellectual tasks, the principal operator is the brain.   Manipulation-dependent problems require a coordination of the brain and muscular factors.   Unique-solution and multiple-solutions tasks.   Then there are problems having a unique solution and problems having multiple solutions.   The totality of distinctions pertinent to a particular solution domain cannot be generalized, because their underlying criteria are too coarse and do not allow more than just a very summary control of the situation.   Shaws dimensional analysis In an attempt to present various aspects of group tasks in a systematic manner, Shaw (1963) collected a very eclectic set of 104 statements mostly taken from experimental literature.   The statements relate to both ill-defined and well-defined problems, to verbally and non-verbally formulated tasks, etc.   These various statements were evaluated according to six a priori defined dimensions, which can be visualized as continuously varying intervals in which each task occupies a point.   The six dimensions are characterized in the following manner: Requirements of cooperation.   This dimension permits to define the degree to which it is required that members of the group act in a coordinated manner to complete the task successfully.   It is thus a measure of dependence between the goal and the coordinated activity of the subjects.   Verifiability of the decision.   It is the degree to which the â€Å"rightness† or adequacy of the solution can be proved, either by reference to an authority, or by logical procedures (usually a mathematical proof), or by feedback (for instance by examining the consequences of the decision taken). Difficulty.   This is defined by Shaw abstractly as the quantity of effort necessary for executing the task.   Specifically, an indicator of difficulty can be the time required for solution, the number of errors made, etc. Clarity of purpose.   This denotes the degree of precision with which the requirements of the task are presented to members of the group, and how the members perceive the requirements. Multiplicity of approaches to the goal.   This dimension expresses the more or less great possibility to resolve the problem by various procedures.   It is thus a matter of possible paths to the solution, i.e. of the number of alternative solutions. Relationship between mental and motor requirements.   A task that only requires the implementation of intellectual activities will be among the strongest on this dimension.   Conversely, tasks requiring only motor abilities will be among the weakest.   A task requiring both intellectual and motor activities occupies an intermediate position between the two extremes. Intrinsic interest.   Problems are not equally attractive, i.e. they do not mobilize the same motivation.   This dimension is thus assigned the degree to which a particular task appears interesting to the subjects. Operational requirements.   This dimension was introduced to evaluate the number of different kinds of operations, knowledge or abilities required for the completion of the task. Familiarity within the population.   Individuals might have had a previous experience of the task in point, either direct or by means of an analogous task.   This dimension thus evaluates the relative â€Å"rareness† of a class of problems to a population. Multiplicity of solutions.   It is the number of different correct solutions for the problem in point.   That number can in general be evaluated exactly in a well-defined problem, but not if the estimate is very intuitive. This family of dimensions is intended to cover the maximum of traits occurring in every heuristic situation.   Certain dimensions thus relate to formal properties of the task, for instance numbers 2, 5, or 10, while others, e.g. numbers 7 and 9 refer direct to the consequences of applying a particular semantics (second level of determination).   Forty-nine referees, mostly graduate students of psychology, got the task of distributing the 104 sample tasks according to the 10 dimensions shown above.   Eight positions or degrees ordered by their magnitude were defined.   The judgments were consistent, except for the dimension â€Å"clarity of purpose†. With these data, Shaw got two factor analyses that resulted in disclosing five significant factors for task analysis: Difficulty, (factor I), the quantity of required effort displays a close relationship to the number of operations, knowledge, and required abilities for solving the problem.   The forth dimension, the â€Å"clarity of purpose† is equally an important aspect of difficulty: the less clear the goal is, the more difficult is the task judged to be.   Multiplicity of solutions (factor II) is a complex dimension that relates both to the number of acceptable solutions, to the diversity of paths leading to the solutions, and to the verifiability of a solution.   Shaw thinks that the essential aspect is the number of solutions, while the other two merely are its consequences.   While there are several solutions available, there also are several ways how to reach them. Proving the adequacy of each solution rigorously is hardly possible. Cooperation requirements (factor III) correspond exactly to the dimension of the same name.   The degree of completing a task successfully implies a coordinated action on the part of group members. The relationship between intellectual requirements motor requirements (factor IV) constitutes no doubt an independent dimension.   But it only shows a very weak correlation with the familiarity with the task within the population.   Familiarity in the population is considered a separate dimension for the same reason.   Nevertheless, it is necessary to point out that the familiarity seems relatively irrelevant, at least under the particular conditions of this work, where the majority of the tasks were somehow familiar to the subjects. Intrinsic interest (factor V), which corresponds to the intensity of motivation and the attraction exerted by the problem on the group members, too, is a dimension permeated with factor II. The first three of the six dimensions obtained finally seem to be both the most important and the least ambiguous ones.   It is of course possible, as Shaw himself notes, that there are other dimensions, equally important, which continued research could bring forth.   This first attempt will make it possible largely to control the principal components of the situation that comes into being as a problem to be solved is given to the subjects.   This is the only condition under which accumulation of experimental data in this field can be transformed into scientific knowledge. Categorization by Roby and Lanzetta Roby and Lanzetta (1958) proposed a model intended to define and highlight the most important characteristics of a group task.   For this purpose, they distinguish four sets of events occurring in the functioning of any group task system: a. A set Tiof task input data.   Here belong, for instance, the formulation of the problem to be solved and of the material it implies. b. A correlative set Giof initial activities of the group.   These comprise, among others, waiting times, observation, data recording, communication associated with input variables, etc. c. A set Goof outputs produced by the group.   In the creative process these comprise the traces of the heuristic process and solution suggestions. d. A set Toof environmental changes following from the groups activities. Roby and Lanzetta define three general types of properties: Descriptive aspects, including the qualitative nature of various events, their number, and metric properties. Distribution of the events in the space or by relation to other events. Functional aspects of events, i.e. their temporal occurrence as a function of foregoing events (sequential analysis). Each set of events, Ti, Gi, Go and To, can be studied and related to according to these three types of properties.   In theory at least, it is possible to characterize any group task, and in particular any creative situation, using a double-entry table for 12 cases. This is the formal equipment of the descriptive system of group tasks proposed by Roby and Lanzetta.   In an abstract analysis, however, this representation does not make the understanding of a truly psychological meaning of a specific task possible.   This remark led the authors to propose a complementary notion of â€Å"critical exigencies†.   This concept was introduced to cover the fact that each task requires certain behavior on the part of the group to be correctly executed, and calls for certain specific types of activities to be carried out.   The implementation of these requirements should thus help to reduce the discontinuity mentioned between the structural properties of the task and the psychological or psychosocial phenomena generated by its handling.   It is a different manner of contrasting the general and the particular.   In a way, this is what was above called the â€Å"second level of determination†. Roby and Lanzettas intention was not to put forward a theory permitting to characterize the problems rigorously, but rather to present a table for the analysis of systems of group tasks.   Their framework thus permits theoretically to classify any task parting from the values relevant to the task in the 12 boxes of the analysis table, but it does not make it possible to classify the types of tasks using a specific corpus of formal properties.   Thus, Roby and Lanzetta did not forge a typological tool, but, rather, a descriptive tool the general purpose of which is found precisely in the fact that the tool is deemed able to adapt itself to any task.   The goal of their work was not to distribute the generalized variable â€Å"task structure† on an arbitrary scale, but rather to find a set of invariant characteristics that would make it possible to situate the various problems that appear in the life of a working group.   Creative problems constitute in this context evid ently merely a special case.   It follows that the effort to determine the â€Å"invariants† of the analysis is probably of utmost importance and should complement any typological effort. Finally, an adequate taxonomy of poorly defined problems must comprise a meta-linguistic analysis of their formulation in the natural language: it must be possible to establish a rigorous correspondence between a formal type and the multitude of its verbal expressions or concretizations and, in parallel, part from a specific semantics to reach a logical class it illustrates.   Roqutte (1975) sketches the first attempt in this respect. Psychologists studying the ways people solve problem have adopted a reasonable strategy.   They study how people handle seemingly well-defined problems, and then apply theprocedure to the study of ill-defined tasks.   In some instances shortcuts to solving an ill-defined problem are possible: seek a well-defined version of the same problem and try to solve it, or find a new definition of the problem.   Defininition or interpretation of the problem is as important in tackling well-defined tasks as it is in working with ill-defined tasks.   Adversary and non-adversary problems This is another distinction between problems.   An adversary problem is one in which the problem solver is competing with a thinking opponent, or a seemingly thinking opponent, like a chess-playing computer.   In non-adversary problems the battle goes between a thinking problem solver and inert problem features.   The latter may be symbolic or real, but they do not react to what the problem solver does, in order to â€Å"defeat† him, and they do not care about what the human problem solver feels.   Semantically rich and semantically impoverished problems This distinction seems to be increasing in importance.   It was elaborated by Chi and his coworkers (1982).   A problem is semantically rich for the problem solver who brings a significant relevant knowledge to the problem.   The opposite is true of semantically impoverished problems.   As an example, consider a problem given to two problem solvers.   For the domain expert it is a semantically rich problem, for the novice it is a semantically impoverished problem.   This distinction thus expresses the problem-solvers view of the problem situation, or Shaws familiarity within the population. Most puzzles, IQ-tests, and the like, are semantically impoverished for most subjects.   Much of psychological research has been focused on solving semantically impoverished puzzles of the non-adversary type.   The semantically rich non-adversary tasks are increasing in importance.   This category comprises most tasks in computer programming and in physics.  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Ottoman Architecture Essay -- Art, Islamic Architecture

There are few things that actually do last. Legends, arts, beliefs, and architecture are among the few that actually do last. Architecture can be defined as a practice of constructing and designing a building project. However, the Islamic architecture has a distinctive range of both religious and secular styles that have been influenced by the Islamic culture. Furthermore, The structure of Islamic architecture that is used in mosques, tombs, palaces and fountains is unavoidable in sight. The relationship between early Islamic architecture and modern foundation of construction provides a penetrating overview of encompass of Islamic culture in Iran, Tunisia, India, and Turkey. However, Turkey was such a desirable region and preserved of the astonishing site of the structural design of the Ottoman Empire. Originally, the incredible mosques in Turkey have emerged from the wonders of Islamic art such as Suleimaniye Mosque. The sense of gorgeous decoration and quotations from the Quran on the mosque’s interior walls is typically Islamic. The marvelous design of the Ottoman architectural design persists its flourishing in the present day with a combination of luxury and modern art. One of the best examples in modern life is Zabeel Saray Hotel in Dubai, which has the perfect harmony between the old Ottoman architecture and modern luxurious hotel. As the Ottoman Empire emerged, it brought up its own distinctive touch on culture from literature, art, music and most importantly architecture. Ottoman architecture is considered a blend of Islamic Mamluk traditions, Byzantine architecture as well as Iranian architecture. Building techniques at that time were very advanced, architects were able to balance between inner and outer spaces in a... ...nd Polyurethane (a substance made from the foam of sea salt) ( Jumeirah organization, 2001). At the hotel entrance, a â€Å"Tughra† which is a symbol of an ottoman power was used as a part of an exterior design. Moreover, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is a multifunctional hotel it consist of 10 restaurants, bars, 12 boutiques, conference rooms, Mehteran Theatre, and Talise Ottoman Spa that includes a relaxation area and a Turkish hammam ( Jumeirah organization, 2011). As Mahgoub (2009) mentioned,† that air conditioned and glass covered buildings are considered symbols of modernity and civilization†. Modern buildings have advanced safety measures that were not available during the Ottoman Empire. Such as fire staircase, fire extinguishers and emergency exits. As a result, modern and old traditional architecture are combined to satisfy the demand of both new and old generations.

Samsung

Samsung Electronics Co. , Ltd. and its subsidiaries Stevenson Saby & Lesly Castillo American Intercontinental University September 7, 2012 Nicole Pringle Abstract The for-profit organization of interest we selected is Samsung electronics co. , ltd. and its subsidiaries. We researched the unusual or conflicting accounting principle that has impacted Samsung electronics co, Included in this research we present, a review and analyze the organizations published accounting statements of the last two years.Specifically, our research paper will: Identify the core functions of each department, their strengths and weaknesses, and make recommendations for improvement, as appropriate. This paper Identifies and describe the underlying problems, Compares the alternative courses of action, Explain the effects at issues, Recommend options that would be consistent with the organization’s accounting practices, accounting processes, and accounting-related departments. Last includes the last two years of published accounting statementsFrom its inception as a small export business in Taegu, Korea, Samsung has grown to become one of the world’s leading electronics companies, specializing in digital appliances and media, semiconductors, memory, and system integration. Today Samsung's innovative and top quality products and processes are world recognized. This timeline captures the major milestones in Samsung's history, showing how the company expanded its product lines and reach, grew its revenue and market share, and has followed its mission of making life better for consumers around the world. SAMSUNG All rights reserved) To identify the core functions of each department, Samsung organization structure consist of Vice Chairman, US executive team and a Board of directors. http://visiblebusiness. blogspot. com/2009/11/samsung-samsung-ar-2008. html Samsung has recently been involved one of the largest patent laws of its kind, Apple Inc. has sued Samsung for $2. 525 bill ion for copyright infringement of the iPhone and iPad with Samsung’s Android technology smart phones.Apple claims, Samsung owes â€Å"substantial monetary damages† for when they illegally â€Å"chose to compete by copying Apple. † You might hear some comments like â€Å"Apple is better â€Å"or what’s so good about Samsung. First let’s identify, Samsung throughout the years has been very successful in providing consumers with innovative technology. Samsung has revenue of 247. 5billon, Assets of 384. 3 billion, Equity of 224. 7 billion and net income of 18. 3 billion with 344, 00 employees. Samsung Electronics Co. , Ltd. and its subsidiaries) Apple has pulled together 434 LTE patents in order to counter a legal threat from Samsung, according to reports on Tuesday. Samsung has vowed to sue Apple if, as expected, if it unveils an LTE-enabled iPhone 5 during the launch event now confirmed for September 12. Anticipating this, Apple has been acquiring and developing enough LTE patents to combat the legal challenge, according to the Chosun Ilbo website.Samsung is planning to make the air-condition product category more strong with unique technology called ‘Triple protection proposition’ Samsung is the India’s official ‘Olympic partner’ for the 2012 London Olympic and recently launched ‘Olympic Ratna Program’. This will result enhance brand awareness and increase the sales. Samsung Mobile and Home appliance has future plans of launching Customized products for Indian market. This will improve the market share in rural market being that Apple is filling injections on a lot of their products.The Indian youth population is growing and mobile phone sales is expected to increase due to lesser call rates, Its financial position is strong and there is a scope of entering into unrelated diversification. Two years published accounting statements 2011> http://www. samsung. com/us/aboutsamsung/ir/ financialinformation/annualreport/downloads/2011/SECAR2011_Eng_Final. pdf (http://www. samsung. com, 2011) http://www. samsung. com/us/aboutsamsung/ir/financialinformation/auditedfinancialstatements/downloads/consolidated/2012_con_all. df (Samsung, 2012) Samsung’s core functions of each department, their strengths and weaknesses were identified, recommendations for improvement were addresses. We hit on possible course of actions Samsung could take with the drop in market shares as well as the alternative courses of action. Samsung Has been in the Industry to long to make a mistake as big as they did in the lawsuit against apple but they are innovators and will continue to make great products and make profits as represented in the financial statements provided.