Sympathy for the Devil in Nathaniel Hawthrone´s The...

Although not commonly associated with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the devil is mentioned the classic American novel. Hawthorne describes Satan as a tall, black man who lives in the woods, interacting with humans and witches to corrupt their souls. Portrayals of Satan throughout history have given him many different associations, one of the most well-known displays of him being in Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, Inferno and Peter Cook’s comedic film, Bedazzled. In these two depictions, the devil is shown malicious yet tragic figure, although his reaction his punishments vary. Satan, as in most pieces of literature and media, is depicted as a root of evil in the Inferno and Bedazzled. In Dante’s Inferno, the deepest circle of the†¦show more content†¦Dante describes the devil as trapped in a frozen lake, endlessly flapping his wings in an attempt to escape his prison, only to further solidify the ice that encases him. Although it seems th at Satan’s place in Hell seems just, Dante notes that the devil is crying, â€Å"With six eyes he wept, The while a sinner in each mouth he kept†¦ tears and foam unite with dribbling blood, that spurts from every bite Down his three chins,† (Dante). Dante demonstrates that Satan is not the ruler of Hell, but rather suffering in it as well. While many depictions of Satan view him as the ruler of all suffering, Dante suggests that Satan himself also suffers in Hell, sobbing for all eternity at his harsh punishment. Peter Cook’s devil is much less sympathetic, as he roams the earth free to rein torment on all of humanity. However, George Spiggott’s resentment toward God inspires sympathy in viewers as Spiggott describes God’s omnipotence and unjust power. Spiggott explains to Stanley, â€Å"All God has to do is raise his finger and he has a million sycophantic little angels to do his bidding; all I have is anger and sloth,† (Cook). Althoug h George Spiggott is a terror to all who cross his path, it is still possible to view him as a tragic figure inspired to rebel against God, as is Dante’s Satan. The devil is not typically viewed as a tragic figure, though Dante’s Inferno and Cook’s Bedazzled has Satan react differently to this. As stated

My Goals My Career Goals - 1375 Words

As a student, employee, son, brother, and Christian I have many responsibilities. The most important responsibility is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. My personal goals are to be married and have a child or children by the age of 30. Secondarily and far less pressing is to drive a full sized truck, and to comfortably afford it. My academic goals are very unclear. They directly correlate with my career goals which have not been set. But for the sake of this paper my academic goal is to first get my AA. And if I still have no set career goal, to move onto UCF to either study physical training or business. My career goals that I have set have more to do with retirement. This is due to the fact that I do not know what I would like to spend the rest of my life doing. One of my biggest Goals is to retire by the year 2042. That would put me at the age of 45. I think that leaves me with a lot of my life left to do what I’ve always wanted. And I can be very involved in my younger kid’s lives. My long term personal goal is to have a happy God gratifying family with my wife and kids. This goal is more important to me than any of my other goals. As I’ve grown older and out of my rebellious stage I have really seen the error of my ways and how I have been sinning very much. However now that I’m in college, I have my own job, my own car, I pay for everything that pertains to me including gas and insurance, and I have my own college plan that I pay for on my own I have really takenShow MoreRelatedMy Goals For My Career Goals1199 Words   |  5 Pageswonders how his or her life is going to end up; however, I know how my life is going to unfold because I am aware of my goals, challenges, and strengths. I have many goals for my career and life that will help me find new paths and dreams to pursue, and I will be able to find my ideal job and lifestyle. Also, it will allow me to succeed in a topic or subject. Although I do have many personal challenges which could set me back, I am sure my individual strengths will help me overcome the setbacks and willRead MoreMy Goals For My Career Goals910 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A goal defines a plan of action, acts as a continuous progress report on how well you are doing as you move toward chosen goals, it identifies exactly what achievement or success is for each person, and it tells you when its time to reset goals† according to Dennis Congos. Goals play an important role, when you’re in college. I have many goals but my top three goals for my educational career at Colorado Christian University are, getting an average of a 3.9 GPA in every class, staying in school andRead MoreMy Career Goals : My Goals1184 Words   |  5 Pagesto yourself. No one can ever take your Knowledge away from you. With me earning my degree I am one step closer to my career field, which is the business side of the health field. Also, my family is my motivation, they are the reason I’m striving to do bett er in life. And that’s why I want to continue my academic success. My educational goal that I wish to achieve is obtaining my 4 year degree. Achieving this goal will make me feel like the best mother ever. I know it will be hard at times becauseRead MoreCareer Goals : My Career Goal905 Words   |  4 PagesCareer Goal: My career goal is to become part of a major computer engineering corporation. Objective 1: Obviously my first objective would be to obtain experience in my computer field. One reason to do this first is to make sure I have the education I need and, in addition, the background experience. The reason I want background experience is because, most computer companies require two years of experience in the field before they will hire you. This is the case in most cases, whether you haveRead MoreMy Career Goal : Career Goals1203 Words   |  5 PagesMy career goal is to receive my doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy. I would like to work with geriatric population because they are more vulnerable to disabilities from chronic illness that results in them being put into nursing facilities. I want to specialize my education on physical disabilities. I have experience working with the geriatric patients who are physically disabled and I hope to help them keep their independence. My goal is to help geriatric patients gain valuable skills in orderRead MoreMy Goals For A Career1626 Words   |  7 PagesWe all have goals that push us forward in life. My overall goal when it comes to a career is to pursue something where I can be happy and enjoy what I do, while also making enough money to live comfortably. This career for me is either a psychologist or a lawyer. Nonetheless, one may assume they are quite different but in fact, psychology is in every aspect of life, and even if I do not necessarily become a therapist, I know I will still be able to use aspects of it in whichever career I decide toRead MoreCareer Goals : My Career Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagespsychology, my career assessments test showed me many options for my career goal path. For starters, my career interest profile results are broken into six main categories which are: social, artistic, investigative, enterprising, realistic, and conventional. According to my results, my career matches are as followed: preschool, primary, secondary, and special education teacher. I am 28% soc ial, 22% artistic, 17% investigative, 11% enterprising, 10% realistic, and 9% realistic. According to my PhoenixRead MoreMy Career Goals For A Career1142 Words   |  5 Pagesin your career you need to work within different business-related industries. Consequently, as a business manager working with multi-national companies for gaining more knowledge in the scale of economy with a profit advantage. It is believed that obtaining communication and international trading skills are necessary for self-entrepreneurship by experiencing from a related and specific environment such as working in large companies and learning skills. This report will be describing about my journeyRead MoreCareer Goals : My Career1861 Words   |  8 Pages Career Paper Phenix Patton In this paper, I will review my career choice, why I chose that career, why I believe I am fit for that career, and what I have to do to have the career I want. I will explore the advantages of my career, the disadvantages of my career, and how difficult leading a life with that career would be. I will also go over the results of several assessments I have taken in order to assess my best career interests, my aptitude for the career I choose, and a personality test. AllRead MoreMy Goals For A Career863 Words   |  4 Pages My goals for the start of my internship were simple, but quickly evolved. My goals were to gain experience and build my resume, while bringing the lessons I have absorbed in college, and using my skills as an engineer to assist the department of public works. Now my goals have become more specific; I would like to learn more about sewer system, I would like to develop my computing and design skills using the tools available to the Hydraulic section and I would l ike to mature as an engineering professional

Constructivism And Discovery Learning Education Essay Free Essays

In 1960 Bruner publishedA The Procedure of Education. This was a landmark book which led to much experimentation and a wide scope of educational plans in the 1960 ‘s. Howard Gardner and other immature research workers worked under Bruner and were much-influenced by his work. We will write a custom essay sample on Constructivism And Discovery Learning Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the early 70 ‘s Bruner left Harvard to learn at University of Oxford for several old ages ( 1972 – 1979 ) . He returned to Harvard in 1979.A Subsequently he joined the New York University of Law, where he is a senior research chap ( at the age of 93 ) .A TheoryA Bruner was one of the establishing male parents of constructivist theory.ConstructivismA is a wide conceptual model with legion positions, and Bruner ‘s is merely one. Bruner ‘s theoretical model is based on the subject that scholars construct new thoughts or constructs based upon bing cognition. Learning is an active procedure. Aspects of the procedure include choice and transmutation of information, determination devising, bring forthing hypotheses, and doing intending from information and experiences.A Bruner ‘s theories emphasize the significance of classification in acquisition. â€Å" To comprehend is to categorise, to gestate is to categorise, to larn is to organize classs, to do determinations is to categorise. † Interpreting information and experiences by similarities and differences is a cardinal concept.A Bruner was influenced byA Piaget’sA thoughts about cognitive development in kids. During the 1940 ‘s his early work focused on the impact of demands, motives, A ; outlooks ( â€Å" mental sets † ) and their influence on perceptual experience. He besides looked at the function of schemes in the procedure of human classification, and development of human knowledge. He presented the point of position that kids are active problem-solvers and capable of researching â€Å" hard topics † . This was widely divergent from the dominant positions in instruction at the clip, but found an audience.A Four Key subjects emerged in Bruner ‘s early work: A Bruner emphasized the function of construction in larning and how it may be made cardinal in learning. Structure refers to relationships among factual elements and techniques. See the subdivision on classification, below.A He introduced the thoughts of â€Å" preparedness for larning † andA coiling course of study. Bruner believed that any topic could be taught at any phase of development in a manner that fit the kid ‘s cognitive abilities. Spiral course of study refers to the thought of revisiting basic thoughts over and over, constructing upon them and lucubrating to the degree of full apprehension and mastery.A Bruner believed that intuitive and analytical thought should both be encouraged and rewarded. He believed the intuitive accomplishments were under-emphasized and he reflected on the ability of experts in every field to do intuitive leaps.A He investigated motive for larning. He felt that ideally, involvement in the capable affair is the best stimulation for larning. Bruner did non like external competitory ends such as classs or category ranking.A Finally Bruner was strongly influenced by Vygotsky ‘s Hagiographas and began to turn away from the intrapersonal focal point he had had for acquisition, and began to follow a societal and political position of larning. Bruner argued that facets of cognitive public presentation are facilitated by linguistic communication. He stressed the importance of the societal scene in the acquisition of linguistic communication. His positions are similar to those ofA Piaget, A but he places more accent on the societal influences on development. The earliest societal scene is the mother-child couple, where kids work out the significances of vocalizations to which they are repeatedly exposed. Bruner identified several of import societal devices including joint attending, common regard, and turn-taking.A Bruner besides incorporated Darwinian thought into his basic premises about acquisition. He believed it was necessary to mention to human civilization and archpriest development in order to understand growing and development. He did, nevertheless, believe there were single differences and that no standard sequence could be found for all scholars. He considered direction as an attempt to help or determine growth.In 1996 he published The Culture of Education.. This book reflected his alterations in point of views since the 1960 ‘s. He adopted the point of position that civilization shapes the head and provides the natural stuff with which we constrict our universe and our self-conception.A Four characteristics of Bruner ‘s theory of instruction.A 1. Sensitivity to larn†¦ . This characteristic specifically states the experiences which move the scholar toward a love of larning in general, or of larning something in peculiar. Motivational, cultural, and personal factors contribute to this. Bruner emphasized societal factors and early instructors and parents ‘ influence on this. He believed acquisition and job work outing emerged out of geographic expedition. Part of the undertaking of a instructor is to keep and direct a kid ‘s self-generated explorations.A 2. Structure of cognition†¦ .it is possible to construction cognition in a manner that enables the scholar to most readily hold on the information. This is a comparative characteristic, as there are many ways to construction a organic structure of cognition and many penchants among scholars. Bruner offered considerable item about structuring knowledge.A Understanding the cardinal construction of a topic makes it more comprehendible. Bruner viewed classification as a cardinal procedure in the structuring of cognition. ( See the subdivision below on classification. ) A Detailss are better retained when placed within the competition of an ordered and structured pattern.A To bring forth cognition which is movable to other contexts, cardinal rules or forms are best suited.A The disagreement between get downing and advanced cognition in a capable country is diminished when direction centres on a construction and rules of orientation. This means that a organic structure of cognition must be in a simple adequate signifier for the scholar to understand it and it must be in a signifier recognizable to the pupil ‘s experience.A 3. Manners of representation: ocular, words, symbols.A 4. Effective sequencing- no 1 sequencing will suit every scholar, but in general, increasing trouble. Sequencing, or deficiency of it, can do larning easier or more difficult.A Form and tempo of reinforcementA Classification: A Bruner gave much attending to classification of information in the building of internal cognitive maps. He believed that perceptual experience, conceptualisation, acquisition, determination devising, and doing illations all involved categorization.A Bruner suggested a system of coding in which people form a hierarchal agreement of related classs. Each in turn higher degree of classs becomes more specific, repeating Benjamin Bloom ‘s apprehension of cognition acquisition every bit good as the related thought of instructional staging ( Bloom ‘s Taxonomy ) .A CategoriesA are â€Å" regulations † that stipulate four thing about objects.A 1. Criterial attributes – required features for inclusion of an object in a class. ( Example, for an object to be included in the class â€Å" auto † it must hold an engine, 4 wheels, and be a possible agency of transit, A 2. The 2nd regulation prescribes how the criteral properties are combined.A 3. The 3rd regulation assignees weight to assorted belongingss. ( Example, it could be a auto even if a tyre was losing, and if it was used for haling lading it would be shifted to a different class of â€Å" truck † or possibly â€Å" new wave † .A 4. The 4th regulation sets acceptance bounds on properties. Some properties can change widely, such as colour. Others are fixed. For illustration a vehicle without an engine is non a auto. Likewise, a vehicle with merely two wheels would non be included in â€Å" auto † .A There a several sorts of classs: A Identity categories – classs include objects based on their properties or features.A Equivalent classs ( supply regulations for uniting classs. Equality can be determined by affectional standards, which render objects tantamount by emotional reactions, functional standards, based on related maps ( for illustration, â€Å" auto † , â€Å" truck † , â€Å" new wave † could all be combined in an inclusive class called â€Å" motor vehicle † ) , or by formal standards, for illustration by scientific discipline, jurisprudence, or cultural understanding. For illustration, and apple is still an apple whether it is green, mature, dried, etc ( individuality ) . It is nutrient ( functional ) , and it is a member of of a botanical categorization group ( formal ) .A Coding systemsA are classs serve to acknowledge centripetal input. They are major organisational variables in higher cognitive operation. Traveling beyond immediate centripetal informations involves doing illations on the footing of related classs. Related classs form a â€Å" cryptography system. † These are hierarchal agreements of related categories.A Bruner ‘s theories introduced the thought that people interpret the universe mostly in footings of similarities and differences.A This is a important part to how persons construct their alone theoretical accounts of the world.A ApplicationA Bruner emphasized four features of effectual direction which emerged from his theoretical constructs.A 1. Personalized: direction should associate to scholars ‘ sensitivity, and facilitate involvement toward larning, A 2. Contented Structure: content should be structured so it can be most easy grasped by the learnerA 3. Sequencing: sequencing is an of import facet for presentation of materialA 4. Support: wagess and penalty should be selected and paced appropriately.A Intellectual DevelopmentA Bruner postulated three phases of rational development.A The first phase he termed â€Å" Enactive † , when a individual learns about the universe through actions on physical objects and the results of these actions.A The 2nd phase was called â€Å" Iconic † where acquisition can be obtained through utilizing theoretical accounts and pictures.A The concluding phase was â€Å" Symbolic † in which the scholar develops the capacity to believe in abstract footings. Based on this three-stage impression, Bruner recommended utilizing a combination of concrete, pictural so symbolic activities will take to more effectual learning.A Bruner, J. ( 1960 ) . The Procedure of Education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University PressA Harley, 1995A hypertext transfer protocol: //tip.psychology.org/bruner.htmlA LeFrancois, 1972A Sahakian, 1976 The Importance of Language Language is of import for the increased ability to cover with abstract concepts.BrunerA argues thatA languageA can code stimulations and free an person from the restraints of covering merely with visual aspects, to supply a more complex yet flexible knowledge. The usage of words can help the development of the constructs they represent and can take the restraints of the â€Å" here amp ; now † construct. Basically, he sees the baby as an intelligent A ; active job convergent thinker from birth, with rational abilities fundamentally similar to those of the mature grownup. Harmonizing to Bruner the kid represents the universe to himself in three different ways. Educational Deductions of Bruner ‘s Theory For Bruner ( 1961 ) , the intent of instruction is non to leave cognition, but alternatively to ease a kid ‘s thought and job resolution accomplishments which can so be transferred to a scope of state of affairss. Specifically, instruction should besides develop symbolic thought in kids. In 1960 Bruner ‘s text, A The Procedure of EducationA was published. The chief premiss of Bruner ‘s text was that pupils are active scholars who construct their ain cognition. Bruner ( 1960 ) opposedA Piaget’sA impression of preparedness. He argued that schools waste clip seeking to fit the complexness of capable stuff to a kid ‘s cognitive phase of development. This means pupils are held back by instructors as certain subjects are deemed to hard to understand and must be taught when the instructor believes the kid has reached the appropriate province of cognitive adulthood. Bruner ( 1960 ) adopts a different position and believes a kid ( of any age ) is capable of understanding complex information: A ‘We Begin with the hypothesis that any topic can be taught efficaciously in some intellectually honorable signifier to any kid at any phase of development ‘ . ( p. 33 ) Bruner ( 1960 ) explained how this was possible through the construct of theA coiling course of study. This involved information being structured so that complex thoughts can be taught at a simplified degree foremost, and so re-visited at more complex degrees subsequently on. Therefore, topics would be taught at degrees of bit by bit increasing difficultly ( hence the coiling analogy ) . Ideally learning his manner should take to kids being able to work out jobs by themselves. Bruner ( 1961 ) proposes that scholars ‘ construct their ain cognition and make this by forming and categorising information utilizing a cryptography system. Bruner believe that the most consequence manner to develop a cryptography system is to detect it instead than being told it by the instructor. The construct ofA find learningA implies that pupils construct their ain cognition for themselves ( besides known as a constructist attack ) . The function of the instructor should non be to learn information by rote acquisition, but alternatively to ease the acquisition procedure. This means that a good instructor will plan lessons that help student detect the relationship between spots of information. To make this a instructor must give pupils the information they need, but without forming for them. The usage of the coiling course of study can help the procedure ofA find acquisition. Bruner and Vygotsky Both Bruner and Vygotsky emphasise a kid ‘s environment, particularly the societal environment, more than Piaget did. Both agree that grownups should play an active function in helping the kid ‘s acquisition. Bruner, like Vygotksy, emphasised the societal nature of acquisition, mentioning that other people should assist a kid develop accomplishments through the procedure ofA scaffolding. The term scaffolding foremost appeared in the literature when Wood, Bruner and Ross described how coachs ‘ interacted with pre-schooler to assist them work out a block Reconstruction job ( Wood et al. , 1976 ) . The construct of staging is really similar toA Vygotsky’sA impression of theA zone of proximal development, and it non uncommon for the footings to be used interchangeably.ScaffoldingA involves helpful, structured interaction between an grownup and a kid with the purpose of assisting the kid achieve a specific end. Difference Between Bruner and Piaget Obviously there are similarities betweenA PiagetA and Bruner, but an importantdifferenceA is that Bruner ‘s manners are non related in footings of which presuppose the 1 that precedes it. Whilst sometimes one manner may rule in use, they co-exist. Bruner states that what determines the degree of rational development is the extent to which the kid has been given appropriate direction together with pattern or experience. So – the right manner of presentation and the right account will enable a kid to hold on a construct normally merely understood by an grownup. His theory stresses the function of instruction and the grownup. AlthoughA Bruner proposesA phases of cognitive development, he does n’t see them as stand foring different separate manners of idea at different points of development ( like Piaget ) . Alternatively, he sees a gradual development of cognitive accomplishments and techniques into more incorporate â€Å" grownup † cognitive techniques. Bruner viewsA symbolic representationA as important for cognitive development and since linguistic communication is our primary agencies of typifying the universe, he attaches great importance to linguistic communication in finding cognitive development. BRUNER AGREES WITH PIAGET BRUNER DISAGREES WITH PIAGET 1. Childs are PRE-ADAPTED to larn 1. Development is a CONTINUOUS PROCESS – non a series of phases 2. Childs have a NATURAL CURIOSITY 2. The development of LANGUAGE is a cause non a effect of cognitive development 3. Children ‘s COGNITIVE STRUCTURES develop over clip 3. You can SPEED-UP cognitive development. You do n’t hold to wait for the kid to be ready 4. Childs are Active participants in the acquisition procedure 4. The engagement of ADULTS and MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE PEERS makes a large difference 5. Cognitive development entails the acquisition of SYMBOLS 5. Symbolic idea does NOT REPLACE EARLIER MODES OF REPRESENTATION How to cite Constructivism And Discovery Learning Education Essay, Essay examples

Strategic and Operational Roles of Procurement within DHL

Executive Summary The aim of this paper was to analyze the strategic and operational roles of procurement at DHL. The company’s procurement function was analyzed using various procurement tools and concepts. Furthermore, secondary data was collected from a variety of sources that included the company’s website, peer reviewed journals and textbooks to complete the analysis.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Strategic and Operational Roles of Procurement within DHL specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The results of the analysis indicate that DHL uses a centralized procurement system to reduce costs. Its subsidiaries in overseas markets also participate in the procurement process by implementing the decisions made by the headquarters. The company has also embarked on implementing supply base optimization initiatives in order to reduce operating costs. DHL’s Procurement System DHL is the largest mail and logistics company in the world. The company was founded in German where its headquarters are located. Since its inception, DHL focused on rapid expansion by joining different markets in every continent. As a result, the company currently operates in over 200 countries and employs nearly four hundred thousand employees. DHL’s vision is to â€Å"remain the postal provider for Germany and become the logistics company for the world† (DHL 2013). In order to achieve this vision, the company focuses on providing excellent services. These include â€Å"dialogue marketing, press distribution, and corporate communications solutions† (DHL 2013). Moreover, the company provides mail delivery, transport/ logistics, and supply chain management services. Organizational Structure As a multinational company, DHL relies heavily on the effectiveness of its procurement department to access all the supplies that it requires to meet the needs of its customers. Currently, the company is organized into four divisions that have semi-autonomous divisional headquarters (DHL 2013). However, procurement and other functions such as finance and personnel are centralized. Figure 1: DHL’s organizational structure Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Procurement plays a vital role at DHL by facilitating effective and efficient sourcing of products/ services, supporting functions such as marketing and reducing operating costs. For instance, the procurement unit often assists the company’s sales team to perform activities such as reviewing response to requests for proposals (RFP) (DHL 2013). In order to leverage the capabilities of its procurement unit, the company has embarked on innovation and use of advanced technology. Furthermore, the company is collaborating with its suppliers to help them to achieve innovation, which in turn improves eff iciency in its supply chain. Business Conduct and Operational Activities DHL has strategically chosen to simplify its procurement system in order to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in its business and operational processes. The company’s procurement strategy focuses on the use of advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) and partnering with only a few certified suppliers. ICT is important to DHL’s procurement unit because it facilitates efficient flow of the information that is required to complete transactions such as placing orders. DHL’s business strategy is to streamline its operations in the markets it operates in by working with selected suppliers who are able to help it to reach customers in different geographical areas (DHL 2013). The company expects to reduce its direct and indirect costs by working with a limited number of suppliers. In particular, purchasing various supplies in large quantities from a single or a few suppliers is likely to reduce costs through discounts (Pooler, Pooler Farney 2004, p. 47). Working with a few suppliers also helps in centralizing procurement functions (Benton 2006, p.92). DHL has centralized its procurement functions in order to avoid duplication of roles in processes such as selection of suppliers and supplier relationship management. This leads to reduction of indirect costs associated with duplicating procurement activities (Weele 2009, p. 89).  Although DHL’s global procurement decision–making processes are centralized, the company encourages the participation of its overseas subsidiaries in strategy formulation (DHL 2013). In most cases, the company’s purchase decisions are made at its headquarters. However, the subsidiaries in various regions are responsible for implementing the decisions. For instance, the company has worldwide contracts with providers of services such as printing and labeling to enable its subsidiaries to purchase their supplies easily (DHL 2013). This strategy also reduces the costs associated with shipping materials from a centralized purchasing unit to the overseas subsidiaries (Ogden Carter 2008, pp. 5-28).Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on Strategic and Operational Roles of Procurement within DHL specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Analysis of DHL’s Procurement Function The effectiveness of the procurement unit is partly determined by its position in the organizational structure (Yin Khoo 2007, pp. 7-24). The organization of the procurement unit illustrates the extent to which it is integrated into the business strategy (Yin Khoo 2007, pp. 7-24). In addition, the organization of procurement function determines its relationship with other departments, which in turn affects its effectiveness (Ashenbaum, Maltz, Barratt 2009, pp. 169-186). Figure 1 shows that DHL’s procurement function is a department under the globa l business services unit. In this regard, the head of procurement unit has limited ability to influence procurement strategies and policies since he or she reports to the head of global business services, who in turn forwards his concerns of the CEO. Generally, DHL’s procurement function plays a facilitation role since its involvement in various business processes is moderate. In particular, the procurement team is mainly concerned with the purchase of goods and services that facilitate the operation of other departments. (DHL 2013) These include printed materials such as envelops, as well as, maintenance, repair, and operational (MRO) services (DHL 2013). The effectiveness of the facilitation model that has been adopted by DHL’s procurement unit can be evaluated based on its effect on supplier selection, supplier relationship management, and purchase decisions. An ideal â€Å"procurement organization must balance the desire to leverage purchasing power through comple te ownership with the need to maintain the flexibility of individual business units† (Noor, Khalfan Maqsood 2013, pp. 802-826). This balance can be achieved by adopting an appropriate organizational structure that aligns procurement processes to the company’s needs (Noor, Khalfan Maqsood 2013, pp. 802-826). Moreover, procurement roles, responsibilities, and decision rights must be distributed in a manner that prevents tensions among business units (Pushmann Alt 2005, pp. 34-51). The facilitation model adopted by DHL is effective since it leads to distribution of decision rights according to what is being purchased. The limited involvement of the procurement unit enables the functional units to participate actively in the purchase of complex equipment such as aircrafts (DHL 2013). In this case, the executives in the air freight division are allowed to perform duties such as product specification and most of the sourcing activities. The rationale of this strategy is th at the functional units have good knowledge of each of the complex equipment that they use (Stolle 2008, p. 67). Thus, their involvement in the purchase process helps in avoiding the mistakes that might occur due to the limited knowledge of the procurement team (Stolle 2008, p. 68).Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For products or services that are â€Å"less business specific such as repair and maintenance, the facilitation model promotes cooperation between the procurement team and the business units† (Stolle 2008, p. 69). For instance, DHL’s procurement team often provides technical assistance such as evaluation of requests for proposals, whereas the business units identify the product’s specifications. At the corporate level, DHL’s procurement team manages the entire process of purchasing standardized products and services such as office supplies. The advantage of this strategy is that it helps in reducing procurement cycle time and costs (Nicosia Moore 2006, p. 91). However, it can lead to tensions between the procurement team and other business units since the later is hardly involved in the purchase of standardized products. Centralization versus Decentralization The choice between a centralized and a decentralized procurement system is often difficult to ma ke because each system has its advantages and disadvantages (Farmer, Crocker Jessop 2008, p. 123). DHL uses a centralized procurement system where most of the purchase decisions are made at its headquarters. The subsidiaries and each division participate in the procurement process by identifying their supply chain needs and making purchase requests to the head office (DHL 2013). Moreover, they participate in product or service specification and make recommendations to the procurement team.  The centralized approach has the following advantages. Apart from reducing procurement costs, centralization facilitates control of contracting terms and practices (Farmer, Crocker Jessop 2008, p. 123). This helps in maintaining good relationships with the suppliers and sealing the loopholes that can lead to fraud. In addition, centralization leads to specialization and development of skills such as negotiation among procurement staff (Zaman 2011, p. 78). This has enabled DHL to secure the be st deals for its supplies throughout the world (DHL 2013).  Despite its benefits, the centralized system is likely to create the following problems. To begin with, it leads to delays when the company’s subsidiaries are making ad hoc purchases since requisitions have to be processed by the headquarters (Wincel 2004, p. 93). This can adversely affect operations if the goods are needed urgently. DHL has responded to this challenge by providing its subsidiaries with purchasing cards that allow them to spend a limited amount of money to make ad hoc purchases. This has enabled the company to reduce its purchasing costs by 50% and to acquire its supplies in time (DHL 2013). Nonetheless, a decentralized system would enable the company to achieve faster approval of ad hoc purchases (Cherif Maira 2011, pp. 860-877). Involvement of the Procurement Team According to Anderson and Katz (1998, pp. 1-13), the procurement team should be strategically involved in the purchase process at an early stage. Early and strategic involvement enables the procurement team to improve efficiency and reduce costs in processes such as planning and negotiation (Seshadri 2005, p. 98). Thus, DHL focuses on promoting cooperation and effective coordination of the activities of its procurement unit and other departments. This includes using advanced information technologies to share transaction information between departments (DHL 2013). In addition, the company has introduced training programs to improve its procurement team’s managerial skills. The training programs are expected to improve the procurement managers’ ability to work strategically with the functional leadership teams of the company’s suppliers. Apart from improving efficiency, early and strategic involvement creates clarity of the procurement objective that has to be achieved (Moser 2007, p. 145). Furthermore, it enables the procurement team to make accurate product or service specifications, which in turn leads to development of the best technical solutions (Sollish Semanik 2011, p. 117). However, pursuing strategic objectives in procurement is likely to eliminate the possibilities of cost reduction at DHL. Since the company works with a few certified suppliers, the difference between the prices quoted by the highest and the lowest bidders is likely to be very small (Sollish Semanik 2011, p. 119). In this case, the company will not be able to save on procurement costs. In addition, failure to achieve high savings is likely to have negative effects on the motivation of the procurement team since their effort is often measured in terms of cost performance. The procurement team will not be rewarded if they are not able to realize meaningful savings. Thus, they will have little or no incentive to participate in strategy formulation at the corporate level. Supply Base Optimization Supply base optimization refers to the process â€Å"of determining the right mix and number of supp liers to maintain† (Ogden Cater 2008, pp. 2-28). The objective of supply base optimization is to identify the ideal number of suppliers who are able to deliver the required goods in a timely and cost-effective manner (Ogden Cater 2008, pp. 2-28). DHL’s approach to supply base optimization involves switching suppliers and reducing the number of tier one suppliers (DHL 2013). In order to select the right mix of suppliers, DHL incorporates supplier development functions in its supply base optimization process. The process begins with identification of the company’s strategic supply chain needs. Once the needs are identified, the company recruits competitive suppliers and sets performance metrics to assess their achievements. The company uses a problem-solving approach to develop its suppliers. This approach involves cultivating open relationships with suppliers through feedback and sharing of information (DHL 2013). Supply base optimization initiatives can only be effective if they are supported by an appropriate supplier evaluation system (Chang, Tsai Hsu 2013, pp. 34-51). In addition, the company must be able to reward its suppliers by awarding them long-term contracts. This is likely to be a challenge to DHL since it lacks a clear guideline for rewarding its suppliers. In addition, DHL is likely to lose its competitive advantage by entering into long-term contracts with suppliers of commodities such as oil whose prices keep fluctuating (Vagstad 2000, pp. 949-963). For instance, the company might not be able to benefit from price reductions in the market after entering a contract for the supply of a particular commodity at a specific price. Recommendations DHL should consider the following recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of its procurement unit. To begin with, the procurement unit should be allowed to play a strategic role in the organization (Ukalkar 2000, p.78). The company should reorganize the procurement function by allo wing it to operate as an independent unit that reports directly to the CEO. This will improve the process of making strategic decisions by enabling the head of procurement unit to participate in strategy formulation at the corporate level.  The company should also rethink its supply base optimization objectives because reducing the number of suppliers does not necessarily lead to a reduction in costs. Specifically, the company should have an optimal number of suppliers in order to reduce costs (Weber Ellram 1993, pp. 3-14). The gist of this perspective is that the competition between suppliers will be minimal if their number is very small. Consequently, the possibility of reducing costs through low bids will be diminished. On the other hand, having a large number of suppliers will increase the cost of supplier relationship management. Apart from identifying the right number of suppliers, DHL should establish a better reward system for its procurement team. Cost performance should be used in conjunction with other metrics to evaluate the achievements of the procurement team (Benton 2006, p. 137). This will motivate them to participate in strategy formulation in order to improve the company’s efficiency.  DHL should also improve its supplier development approach by adopting advanced technologies such as e-learning. Currently, the suppliers are supported through periodic training programs and incentives to innovate. However, better performance can be achieved if advanced information technologies are used to enable supplier to access the company’s knowledge base to improve their performance (Doherty, McConnell Chadwick 2013, pp. 495-515). In addition, the company should establish a proper supplier reward system that recognizes performance and innovation. This will enable the company to benefit from its supply base optimization initiatives. Implementation Plan The company should begin its restructuring process by identifying its procurement need s and setting appropriate objectives. Once the procurement objectives are clearly specified, the company should redefine its organizational structure by establishing the procurement function as an independent unit that reports directly to the CEO. The Unit should be allowed to shape policy and to set guidelines for procurement functions such as purchasing and evaluating suppliers. Adopting advanced information technologies to support the suppliers should be considered as a strategic spend and a long-term corporate objective (Murray, Rentall Geere 2008, pp. 540-555). The company should focus on incremental improvement of its supplier development model through systematic acquisition and implementation of user-friendly information systems. The incremental approach will help in alleviating the resistance that is likely to be experienced if the improvements are implemented as a revolutionary change. Conclusion The procurement function is central to the success of DHL since it enables it to access key supplies that determine the quality of its services. However, the procurement function has not been given adequate recognition by being allowed to operate independently. The company has adopted a centralized procurement system to reduce its operating costs. Similarly, it has embarked on supply base optimization to reduce the costs associated with managing suppliers. However, these initiatives might not lead to cost reduction if they are not implemented effectively. For instance, a significant reduction in the number of suppliers will eliminate the opportunities for cost reduction through competitive bidding. Thus, the company should rethink its supply base optimization objectives and improve its supplier development model in order to achieve a competitive advantage in procurement. References Anderson, M Katz, P 1998, Strategic Sourcing, International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 23 no. 2, pp. 3-14. Ashenbaum, B, Maltz, A Barratt, M 2009, Organizational Alig nment and Supply Chain Governance Structure: Introduction and Construct Validation, International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 20 no. 2, pp. 169-186. Benton, W 2006, Purchasing and Supply Management, Sege, London. Chang, H, Tsai, Y Hsu, C 2013, E-procurement and Supply Chain Performance, International Journal of Supply Chain Management, vol. 18 no. 1, pp. 34-51. Cherif, O Maira, S 2011, Collaboration as an Anti-crisis Solution: The Role of the Procurement Function, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, vol. 41 no. 9, pp. 860-877. DHL 2013, Annual Report 2012. Web. Doherty, N, McConnell, D Chadwick, F 2013, Institutional Responses to Electronic Procurement in the Public Sector, International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 26 no. 6, pp. 495-515. Farmer, D, Crocker, B Jessop, D 2008, Procurement Principles and Management, MacMillan, London. Moser, R 2007, Strategic Purchasing and Supply Management, Butterworth-Heinemann. London . Murray, J, Rentall, P Geere, D 2008, Procurement as a Shared Service in English Local Government, International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 21 no. 5, pp. 540-555. Nicosia, N Moore, N 2006, Implementing Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, Butterworth-Heinemann, London. Noor, M, Khalfan, M Maqsood, T 2013, The Role of Procurement Practices in Effective Implementation of Infrastructure Projects in Pakistan, International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 6 no. 4, pp. 802-826. Ogden, J Carter, P 2008, The Supply Base Reduction Process: An Empirical Investigation, International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 19 no. 1, pp. 5-18. Pooler, V, Pooler D, Farney, S 2004, Global Purchasing and Supply Management, Routledge, New York. Pushmann, T Alt, R 2005, Successful Use of E-procurement in Supply Chains, International Journal of Supply Chain Management, vol. 10 no. 2, pp. 122-133. Seshadri, S 2005, Sourcing Strategy: Principles, Policy and Designs, Sage, London. Sollish, Fred Semanik, J 2011, Strategic Global Sourcing Best Practices, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Stolle, M 2008, From Purchasing to Supply Management, McGraw-Hill, New York. Ukalkar, S 2000, Strategic Procurement Management, McGraw-Hill, New York. Vagstad, S 2000, Centralized vs. Decentralized Procurement: Does Dispersed Information Call for Decentralized Decision-Making, International Journal of Industrial Organization, vol. 18 no. 6, pp. 540-555. Weele, A 2009, Purchasing and Supply Chain Management, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Weber, C Ellram, L 1993, Supplier Selection Using Multi-objective Programming: A Decision Support System Approach, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, vol. 23 no. 2, pp. 3-14. Wincel, J 2004, Lean Supply Chain Management, McGraw-Hill, New York. Yin, X Khoo, L 2007, A Hierarchical Model for E-supply Chain Coordination and Optimization, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 18 no. 1, pp. 7-24. Zaman, N 2011, Procurement Management, Palgrave, London. This coursework on Strategic and Operational Roles of Procurement within DHL was written and submitted by user Emilia Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Description Origins of Inflation Theory

Description Origins of Inflation Theory Inflation theory brings together ideas from quantum physics and particle physics to explore the early moments of the universe, following the big bang. According to inflation theory, the universe was created in an unstable energy state, which forced a rapid expansion of the universe in its early moments. One consequence is that the universe is vastly bigger than anticipated, far larger than the size that we can observe with our telescopes. Another consequence is that this theory predicts some traits- such as the uniform distribution of energy and the flat geometry of spacetime- which was not previously explained within the framework of the big bang theory. Developed in 1980 by particle physicist Alan Guth, inflation theory is today generally considered a widely-accepted component of the big bang theory, even though the central ideas of the big bang theory were well established for years prior to the development of inflation theory. The Origins of Inflation Theory The big bang theory had proven quite successful over the years, especially having been confirmed through the discovery of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. Despite the great success of the theory to explain most aspects of the universe which we saw, there were three major problems remaining: The homogeneity problem (or, Why was the universe so incredibly uniform just one second after the big bang?; as the question is presented in Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang)The flatness problemThe predicted overproduction of magnetic monopoles The big bang model seemed to predict a curved universe in which energy wasnt distributed at all evenly, and in which there were a lot of magnetic monopoles, none of which matched the evidence. Particle physicist Alan Guth first learned of the flatness problem in a 1978 lecture at Cornell University by Robert Dicke. Over the next couple of years, Guth applied concepts from particle physics to the situation and developed an inflation model of the early universe. Guth presented his findings at a January 23, 1980 lecture at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. His revolutionary idea was that the principles of quantum physics at the heart of particle physics could be applied to the early moments of the big bang creation. The universe would have been created with a high energy density. Thermodynamics dictate that the density of the universe would have forced it to expand extremely rapidly. For those who are interested in more detail, essentially the universe would have been created in a false vacuum with the Higgs mechanism turned off (or, put another way, the Higgs boson didnt exist). It would have gone through a process of supercooling, seeking out a stable lower-energy state (a true vacuum in which the Higgs mechanism switched on), and it was this supercooling process which drove the inflationary period of rapid expansion. How rapidly? The universe would have doubled in size every 10-35 seconds. Within 10-30 seconds, the universe would have doubled in size 100,000 times, which is more than enough expansion to explain the flatness problem. Even if the universe had curvature when it started, that much expansion would cause it to appear flat today. (Consider that the size of the Earth is large enough that it appears to us to be flat, even though we know that the surface we stand on is the curved outside of a sphere.) Similarly, energy is distributed so evenly because when it started out, we were a very small part of the universe, and that part of the universe expanded so quickly that if there were any major uneven distributions of energy, theyd be too far away for us to perceive. This is a solution to the homogeneity problem. Refining the Theory The problem with the theory, as far as Guth could tell, was that once the inflation began, it would continue forever. There seemed to be no clear shut-off mechanism in place. Also, if space was continually expanding at this rate, then a previous idea about the early universe, presented by Sidney Coleman, wouldnt work. Coleman had predicted that phase transitions in the early universe took place by the creation of tiny bubbles that coalesced together. With inflation in place, the tiny bubbles were moving away from each other too fast to ever coalesce. Fascinated by the prospect, the Russian physicist Andre Linde attacked this problem and realized there was another interpretation which took care of this problem, while on this side of the iron curtain (this was the 1980s, remember) Andreas Albrecht and Paul J. Steinhardt came up with a similar solution. This newer variant of the theory is the one that really gained traction throughout the 1980s and eventually became part of the established big bang theory. Other Names for Inflation Theory Inflation Theory goes by several other names, including: cosmological inflationcosmic inflationinflationold inflation (Guths original 1980 version of the theory)new inflation theory (the name for the version with the bubble problem fixed)slow-roll inflation (the name for the version with the bubble problem fixed) There are also two closely related variants of the theory, chaotic inflation and eternal inflation, which have some minor distinctions. In these theories, the inflation mechanism didnt just happen once immediately following the big bang, but rather happens over and over in different regions of space all of the time. They posit a rapidly-multiplying number of bubble universes as part of the multiverse. Some physicists point out that these predictions are present in all versions of inflation theory, so dont really consider them distinct theories. Being a quantum theory, there is a field interpretation of inflation theory. In this approach, the driving mechanism is the inflaton field or inflaton particle. Note: While the concept of dark energy in modern cosmological theory also accelerates the expansion of the universe, the mechanisms involved appear to be very different from those involved in inflation theory. One area of interest to cosmologists is the ways in which inflation theory might lead to insights into dark energy, or vice versa.

Power to the people - Emphasis

Power to the people Power to the people People power counts for a lot in writing. One in a hundred people is likely to produce a much bigger reaction from readers of your reports than one per cent, even though they obviously mean the same thing. Before you dismiss this as another example of general ignorance, you should know that experts are not immune to this effect. One study showed that it could trip up forensic psychiatrists, for example. They were twice as likely to refuse to release a patient if they were told that 20 out of 100 were likely to be violent after release than if they were told that there was a 20 per cent chance of this happening. One individuals story is likely to override even the most powerful numerical evidence at least if youre writing for the general public. And even if youre not, mentioning people (lawyers, for example) rather than groups (the legal profession) will give your writing much more impact. Charities know this when they use heart-rending case studies to get your support for their causes. And governments know this when they use the term collateral damage to play down accidental loss of life (by avoiding mentioning people at all). You can use people power to make your writing more effective. If you leave people out, you will almost certainly reduce its impact. Which do you want to do?

Compare and contrast Karl Marx's and Max Weber's ideas about Essay

Compare and contrast Karl Marx's and Max Weber's ideas about capitalism. Which points does Weber against to Marx - Essay Example Class divisions persevere as a vital structural characteristic of modern human culture, influencing an individual’s life chances. The study of capitalism by both Marx and Weber related directly to its affect on society. Their works have been viewed by many as the basis by which the structure of society within a capitalist system is best comprehended and have become the subject of much sociological debate. Marxism theorizes that as capitalism persists, it exacerbates the misery level for working class individuals. The level of working class misery is termed only in relation to the distance between them and the capitalist classes and not meant to imply all persons of labour are necessarily unhappy. â€Å"†¦ although the enjoyments of the worker have risen, the social satisfaction that they give has fallen in comparison with the increased enjoyments of the capitalist. Our desires and pleasures spring from society; we measure them, therefore, by society and not by the objects which serve for their satisfaction† (Marx & Engels, 1968). The central concepts of Marxist economics include the theory of labour value, the disposition of production and the inevitable conflicts between the classes. Conflicts will always persist because the upper class can never totally control the lower classes. Lesser concepts include the idea of increased misery, the obsession with possessions and the consequences of economic alienation. Marx’s theories of labour value combined with his concepts of capitalism endeavour to clarify how the revenue system operates to the benefit of the upper classes and the detriment of the lower classes. Marx defines wealth as something produced by labour from resources originating in the natural world. In terms of capitalism, wealth becomes a vast accrual of possessions. Commodities are articles of wealth created solely as a means to exchange other objects so as to enhance wealth. The instruments of production such as factories,