BEIT 336 (Formal Report) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

BEIT 336 (Formal Report) - Essay Example BEIT 336 (Formal Report) As the array of available flexibility options broadens, contemporary companies are under immense pressure to evaluate how each scheduling program affects their performance in terms of employee performance, as well as, managers’ and supervisors’ perception or acceptance of the program. Understanding the association between flexible scheduling of work and consequent organizational performance is imperative in selecting the most appropriate flexible working technique. Such comprehension is also pertinent to development of flexible working policies that would, in turn, guarantee optimization of projected benefits like increase in employees’ productivity, elevation of morale, reduction of absenteeism and decline in turnover. In addition, understanding this relationship would go a long way towards challenging or confirming assumptions made in regard to flexible work hours and in quantifying the current state of an organization to determine its readiness for implementat ion of a flexible work schedule. Most importantly, outcomes of the employee and organizational performance measurement have implications vital to the future development of flexible work programs in a company. If there is a positive connection between flexible working and employee performance, as illustrated in this research, companies can utilize the information to facilitate change in working culture and plan more effective schedules in the future.

Analyze How Embraer Has Structured Itself Economics Essay

Analyze How Embraer Has Structured Itself Economics Essay This paper will focus on the commercial aircraft industry. The report will analyze how Embraer has structured itself and gained competitive advantage in lower end segment of the aircraft industry and then the analysis of cost of capital of Embraer will be projected. The commercial aircraft industry has faced a tough times in recent past which resulted in failures, mergers and joint ventures. The aircraft industry has faced a lot of competition from two of the giants Boeing and Airbus which have dominated the whole aircraft market and has maximum market share. These two giants have huge pool of investment, better infrastructure and government support and because of that they are dominating the aircraft market. All these companies see the current business environment possessing the challenges of a weak global economy and demand due to the economic turmoil, high and unstable fuel costs, and lack of foreign investments. Brazil PEST Framework: Political: Federal Republic framework which is similar to that of United States of America. The federal republic has three independent branches independent branches: executive legislative and judicial. The President heads the executive branch. The increasing divergence between US and Brazilian foreign policy creates high geopolitical risk. This will lead to increasing confrontations between the US and Brazil and the continued decline of foreign direct investment. The main source of violence in Brazil is criminal rather than political. Personal security is poor as there is an extremely high rate of criminal activity in major cities. Police fails to assure safety for citizens as well for business. Brazilian legal system is not very effective and has several faults in them. Honest government is also a big problem in Brazil for ex. the impeachment of a former Brazilian president Mello in 1992 who have been involved in an extortion scheme, and the current corruption scandal of the ruling party of Lula. Inefficient government policies towards economic development of a country for ex. continuous budget deficit, negative net income, high external debt, etc. Poor and inefficient public health and safety conditions infant mortality and mal-nutrition are the leading reasons. Inefficient education system both lack of quality and quantity are the main issues and government is not paying much attention towards this issue. Government regulations favour the minority shareholders. Government policies towards globalisation and openness to market had favoured exports. Economic: Brazil is considered to be as the worlds tenth largest economy and one of the largest economies of South .Its GDP (PPP) per capita is $10,200, putting Brazil in the 105th position in the world. The inflation rate in Brazil is 4.2% which has decreased from 5.9% in 2008. Major export products include aircraft, electrical equipment, automobiles, ethanol, textiles, footwear, iron ore, steel, coffee, orange juice, soybeans and corned beef. The country has been expanding its presence in international financial and commodities markets, and is one of a group of four emerging economies called the BRIC countries. Economic environment still considered volatile as compared to more stable economies. Complex tax policies and regulations. Multiple taxes affecting business plans and increasing risks of contingencies. Considerable bureaucratic rules and regulations for certain businesses and industries. High demand for investments in the distribution channels and infrastructure. Difficulties in reorganizing companies quickly, including high costs for employee terminations. Lack of local financing coupled with high real interest rates. Economic growth risks are high. Private consumption will be constrained by high unemployment and continued erosion of real earnings. The risk of a significant decline in foreign exchange reserves is high because of the economic turmoil. Investment risk in Brazil is much higher than generally perceived. High public debt exposed to domestic interest-rate trends and maturity that is still too short Lack of investment in infrastructure building. Social: The culture of Brazil is very much similar to that of Portuguese culture. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese which is spoken by almost all of the population. Important cultural customs, including a different perception of the due diligence process. Semi-skilled and unskilled labor in certain developing areas. Unequal distribution of wealth a significant portion of the population not participating in the consumer market. Socio-political obstacles to necessary structural reforms (education, social security, job market, taxes, regulations). Technological: In Latin America, Brazil is a leading nation in the field of science and technology. Sectors like bio fuels, agricultural research, remote sensing and aircrafts manufacturing Brazil operate as a global leader. Government put more emphasis on the development of research labs and innovation and RD in these particular sectors to foster growth and development. Overall Risk Assessment of Brazil: Positive Brazil has abundant natural resources. Fiscal and monetary policy has been prudent and realistic. Domestic market potential and low labour costs have continued to attract foreign investors. The current level of growth foster Brazilian companies to be competitive. Strong international financial support. Policy of maintaining fundamental macroeconomic equilibrium. Size and potential of the domestic market. Broad industrial base and a diversified economy. Government policies favoured globalisation. Negative External financing needs are too great in comparison to currency earnings due to the debt amortisation burden. Socio-political obstacles to necessary structural reforms (education, social security, job market, taxes, regulations) Lack of investment in energy, rail, road, port, and airport infrastructure Exposure to fluctuations in world prices for certain staple commodities. Economic environment still considered volatile as compared to more stable economies. Complex tax policies and regulations. Improper financing regulations. Commercial Aircraft Industry Analysis: Embraer is now the worlds third largest aircraft manufacturer they had gained competitive advantage by creating cost- efficient and innovative aircrafts in the lower end segment. Competitive rivalry among existing players: The competitiveness in the aircraft industry is very high but the competition is not very fierce because most of the market is shared between Boeing and Airbus and rest is with Embraer and Bombardier. The aircraft industry is truly a global industry so each of the manufacturers has to think globally. Barrier to exit is very high because of huge investment and high specialised equipments. Boeing and Airbus had gain market share from each other using prices, product design, advertising, and direct selling efforts. Due to the intensity of the rivalry among Boeing and Airbus, the profits are shared. The industry is technically very sound i.e. there is not much differentiation between the players and their products hence, there is much price competition. Threat of new Entrants: Enter into aircraft manufacturing market is very tough because it requires huge capital investment and knowledge of technical know-how. Cost advantages of big players like Boeing and Airbus because they have enormous experience and knowledge about the industry. These two giants have dominated the entire aircraft industry and they also have strong brand loyalty of their products because they are the best in the business. They have a proper network of loyal supplier and distributor for their products and long term after sales service contracts. Threat of substitutes: No immediate substitutes are present for aircraft manufacturers. The players and their products in the industry are substitutes of one another. Bargaining power of Customers: The bargaining power of customers is relatively low in aircraft industries because most of the buyers in the aircraft industries are government of different countries and some private airlines. Aircrafts are very expensive commodities and show high in cost when switching aircrafts because of that the bargaining power is low in aircraft industry. But because of intense competition between Boeing and Airbus the bargaining power of buyers is moderately higher between these two companies otherwise its relatively low in terms of industry. Bargaining power of Supplier: The aircraft industries is dominated by two big giants Boeing and Airbus and they are such big companies that they have more bargaining power than their suppliers so because of this reason the bargaining power will be low in the aircraft industry. The aircraft industry needs huge investments and high class technology the forward integration is very low or impossible for the suppliers. According to this analysis the main components which are needed to compete in aircraft industry are global strategy, cost effectiveness, innovative and high class technology and huge capital. Core Competencies of Embraer which helps them to compete in Aircraft Industry: Country Factor: The Brazilian government has had a strong affect on Embraer. As mentioned, the company was founded by the government in 1969. Before its privatization in 1994, Embraer had established several partnerships abroad and was very focused on exporting its aircraft to new markets. The government does have strategic power and has ability to refuse certain decisions. Global Strategy: Embraer has proven itself a truly global company in many ways. Embraer has more than 90% of its sales outside Brazil. It has a worldwide operation network. It has appeased global investors because it deals mostly in US dollars. Embraer focuses on business growth, solid corporate culture, and strategic partnership to operate globally and market analysis before entering a new market. Economies of scale: Embraer is proved to be a very efficient company in the aircraft industries because Embraer recognises that China has skilled cheap labour and technology intensive manufacturing centre so they have opened their research hubs and manufacturing units in China. Embraer has been able to design common platforms for its aircrafts with superior performance capabilities which helped them to compete in the aircraft industry and now they have become the worlds third manufacturers and they have overtook Bombardiers in several aspects. Innovation: Embraer has focused its RD on the development, systems engineering and integration of the more than 28,000 parts and components that make up an aircraft. Embraers strategy has been to focus its RD funds on key technologies that it can effectively produce in house. It has outsourced the production of components that other companies can manufacture more efficiently. Embraer trains its engineers, not only in aeronautics, but also in market research and finance, allowing a broader understanding of the industry. Determined Approach: Embraer has very determined company they are very much determined of what they are doing and thats why they have succeeded to gain market share from their competitors like Boeing and Airbus. Embraers ability to continually and successfully forecast future global demand and its ability to meet that demand in unique and innovative ways will be the keys to its future success. Cost of Capital Analysis of Embraer: Cost of capital is the minimum required rate of earning or the cut off rate for capital expenditure. Soloman Ezra. To calculate cost of capital we have to calculate cost of equity and cost of debt. Cost of Equity: The minimum rate of return that a firm offers to its shareholders is called cost of equity. Formula: Cost of equity = Risk free Rate + Beta (Mature Market Premium) + Country Risk Premium First to calculate Beta for Embraer: Average Beta = 1.19 Market D/E Ratio = 22.94% Tax Rate = 20.05% Unlevered Beta = 1.00 Cash/ Firm Value = 7.90% Unlevered Beta corrected for cash = 1.09 To calculate Levered Beta the formula is: Levered Beta = Unlevered Beta (1 + (1- tax rate) (D/E ratio) = 1 (1+ (1-.2005) (.2294)) = 1.18. Risk free Rate = Market Interest Rate Default Spread (Brazil) = 8.75 2.60 = 6.15% Equity Risk Premium Brazil = 4.79% * 25.83% / 15.27 = 8.10% Country Risk Premium Brazil = 8.10% 4.79% = 3.31% Cost of equity = Risk free Rate + Beta (Mature Market Premium) + Country Risk Premium = 6.15 + 1.18(8.10) + 3.31 = 19.01% Cost of Debt: (Rf + credit risk rate)(1-T), where T is the corporate tax rate and Rf is the risk free rate. Cost of debt Emerging Market company After Tax= Riskless Rate + Country Default Spread + Company Default Spread (1-T) = (6.15 + 2.25 +2.60) (1- .2005) = 8.79% Sovereign Bonds of Brazil = 2.25 Corporate Bonds of Brazil = 2.60 Country Rating of Brazil is Baa3. WACC Calculation: The WACC equation  is the cost of each capital component  multiplied by its proportional weight and then summing: WACC = E/V * Re + D/V * Rd * (1- T) Where: Re = cost of equity Rd = cost of debt E = market value of the firms equity D =  market value of the firms debt V = E + D E/V = percentage of financing that is equity D/V = percentage of financing that is debt T =  corporate tax rate = 20.05% Market Value of Embraers Equity = 5970531 Brazilian Real for year 2008. Market Value of Embraers Debt = 6990127 Brazilian Real for year 2008. V= 12960658 Brazilian Real WACC = 5970531/12960658 * 19.01 + 6990127/12960658 * 8.79 * (1- .2005) = 10.71%

Biological Rights Essay -- essays research papers

Biological Rights What is a parent? A parent is someone who will love and nurture a child, and help mold it into the best that child can be. At least that is what society would like to believe. If someone adopts a child, does that make him or her any less of a parent? Is it not possible that they will love that child more then its biological parent could? Unfortunately, once adoption is final some biological parents try to fight for their child back. This can only bring confusion into the child’s life period. Tearing a child away from the parents it knows, is a cruel, unhealthy and immoral act. Every state has their own set of laws concerning adoption. The one part that each state varies the most is the â€Å"Waiting Period†. The â€Å"Waiting Period† begins when both sets of parents sign papers signifying the beginning of the adoption. â€Å"Typically, the waiting period ends six months after the child is placed in the home. The temporary decree is replaced by a final one. The most important feature of this decree is that it is final. The biological parents now have no legal relationship to the child.†{Bolles 94} Some biological parents, however, just do not understand that. They fight to get their child back, that they so willingly gave up. They don’t care about the feelings of the child, only their personal needs that they feel the need to satisfy. â€Å"Children are compared to property rather then a person†.{Bolles 36} These children, who live with the adoptive parents, who are now in ...

Poems: Poetry and Film Karate Kid Essay

Good morning teachers and students, our understanding of Hamlet takes many turns and the most important of these is in act 3 scene II. As a pivotal scene in William Shakespeare’s play, audiences gain an understanding of the characters and their actions leading up to this point. Many of the themes in the play come to light in this scene as the plot gathers pace and it is for all these reasons I chose this scene. Our understanding of a text is greatly affected by the context in which scenes take place. Act 3 Scene 2 transpires after a series of turbulent events and the increasing surveillance of Hamlet’s life. In the preceding scene Hamlet considers suicide in the â€Å"To be or not to be,† soliloquy after learning that his father’s sudden death was in fact a murder by his uncle Claudius’s hand. He plans to prove the ghost’s word by watching his uncle’s reaction to a play that follows the events of Hamlet’s father’s death. Hamlet also confronts Ophelia and denounces her and women in misogynous diatribe overheard by the spying Polonius and Claudius. After hearing this Claudius decide to export Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, as â€Å"madness in great ones must not unwatched go†. The latter gives audiences insight to later events in the play. Context is the basis of our understanding of certain lines, soliloquies and actions and overall affects our understanding of the entire play. The ‘Play within a play’ scene is a pivotal scene in Hamlet and its significance resounds throughout the rest of the play. It is a scene dripping in dramatic irony because Hamlet triumphs over the king in full public view while Claudius deals in secret to obtain information. The scene comes as the action following Hamlet’s musings of death, and the relative inaction of the first two acts. Knowing he was correct about his father’s murder Hamlet is emboldened and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern then sets out to confront his mother fracturing numerous relationships. Furthermore, Claudius’s sudden exit from the play raises the question whether he was reacting to the guilt of murdering his brother or to the act of Lucianus, the murdering nephew of king Gonzago in the Mouse Trap, possibly foreshadowing his own death. Either could be the trigger of Claudius’s decision too have Hamlet killed in England. The significance of this particular scene is undeniable because of its importance is upheld throughout the rest of Hamlet and this is why it affects audiences understanding of the entire play. As a pivotal scene, many themes in Hamlet are present including action versus inaction, espionage, revenge and deceit. These mix into a tangible cocktail to which audiences are more likely to pay attention to and gain better understanding. The scene provides the first ‘action’ in the play after driving uncertainty of the first two acts, the audiences reaction epitomised in a player’s line â€Å" so after Pyrrus’ pause, a roused vengeance sets him to work†. Revenge is the motive behind Hamlets writing of the play. Espionage makes another appearance in Hamlet’s urging Horatio to ‘observe my uncle. If this occulted guilt do not unkennel itself in one speech, it is a damned ghost we have seen† Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deceitfulness comes to an end when Hamlet turns the tables on them using the metaphor of how he was played like a pipe then later abandoning and sending them to their deaths. The presence of themes allows audiences to make connections with dialogue and leads to heightened understanding of the play and this is why act 3 scene 2 is crucial to the understanding of the entire play. A plethora of literary devices is used throughout the scene causing the meanings of numerous lines to be left up to the audience’s interpretation. Use of dramatic irony, alliteration, metaphor, pun, repetition and others highlights lines that are of greater importance for example, Hamlet’s mocking â€Å"what, frightened with false fire! † to his uncles reaction to the murder as well as the extended metaphor of hamlet being a pipe played upon by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The dramatic irony of the scene is important, as it is Hamlet’s action that snowballs into the different outcomes. Hamlet’s rhyming flattery to Horatio is full of literary techniques like alliteration (need example), possibly highlighting his desperation to keep one faithful friend by his side or adoration or want of Horatio’s balanced character. Hamlets jovial punning makes light of all that said to him by authority figures, this being an attempt at showing possible rebelliousness or more likely showing his enthusiasm for the outcome of the play’s impact on the king. We do not know which part of the play Hamlet scripted so it can be assumed that some of his own feelings are showing through the repetition of love and fear whether this be about his love of Ophelia or incestuous thoughts about Gertrude. Understanding of act 3 scene 2 is crucial to our understanding of Hamlet. This is assisted through the uses of literary techniques, the presence of many themes to capture audience’s attention, the significance of these and the context in which the scene takes place. These combine to make this scene of upmost importance to our interpretation of the entire play and that is why it was chosen. 5min14secs Matt: I’ve re-worked your speech below using as much as possible, cutting out the repetition, and suggesting where examples from the play are needed to illustrate your point. We can add these in tomorrow as I want you to go through this process of selecting appropriate egs with me. Apologies for typos – something is rotten in the state of our computer (ref to the play, sorry! ) â€Å"The play is the thing in which I’ll catch the conscience of the king† [Good morning teachers and students, our understanding of Hamlet takes many turns and the most important of these is in act 3 scene II. As a pivotal scene in William Shakespeare’s play, audiences gain an understanding of the characters and their actions leading up to this point. Many of the themes in the play come to light in this scene as the plot gathers pace and it is for all these reasons I chose this scene. Too vague: needs a more dramatic opening eg rhetorical question, or fabulous quote or natty and relevant anecdote or recent current happening that you can relate to this scene to catch the audience attention. The intro needs also not to waste words that could refer to specific context, themes, dramatic techniques, particular character development and plot development. Adding language aspects into this intro may be overdoing it but the word play on the idea of the â€Å"play† and â€Å"play within the play† might work. ] e. g. Can you think of a more delicious irony or more dramatic way of catching out a murderous hypocrite like Claudius than putting on a play in full public view that shows two audiences – the court of Denmark and us – how he killed the rightful king? Especially since we know that Claudius has set up all those who are closest to Hamlet, except for the faithful Horatio, to spy on him in secret! I chose this play within the play scene – Act 3 Scene II – for a number of reasons: firstly, for the lovely dramatic irony I just mentioned; secondly, it is pivotal in terms of resolving Hamlet’s doubts and advancing the plot towards the final bloody end; thirdly, it is very satisfying drama, with lots of action following on from the lengthy musings and relative inaction of Hamlet’s famous. â€Å"To be or not to be† soliloquy; in addition it reflects a number of key themes and preoccupations of the play, including that of surveillance; and finally it is incredibly dramatic and beautifully written, with lots of the fantastic and funny word play, vivid images and other literary and dramatic techniques we all love about Shakespeare. This scene, as I said in the introduction, is pivotal in terms of the action of the entire play, and also in terms of Hamlet’s evolution, from inactive to hyperactive. In the preceding scene Hamlet considers suicide after learning from the Ghost that his father’s sudden death was in fact a murder by his uncle Claudius. The Ghost is a mysterious character about whom there are considerable doubts – does he represent the troubled state of Denmark following the death of a beloved and heroic king and/or does he represent H’s traumatised mind following the sort of tragedy that would unhinge most of us. [ref to a critic here? ]. Whatever we say about Hamlet and his tendency to overdo the thinking aspect of life, he does approach problems with a fair and scientific mind: he does resolve to kill his father’s murderer, but, fair enough, as death is reasonably permanent, even for Shakespeare’s religious audiences, he set up the play within the play as a kind of controlled test for his uncle, whom the Ghost purporting to be King Hamlet has said killed him: He tells Horatio to observe his uncle during the  play as well and â€Å"after we will both our judgments join in censure of his seeming†: this does indicate that Hamlet, despite his understandable hatred of Claudius, is a fair man, who is also aware of the seriousness of killing the man who is now King of Denmark. Elizabethan audiences would have recognised Hamlet’s hesitation about killing the King as reasonable, just as they would have seen his vengeance once his suspicions had been confirmed, as justified. This scene also follows Hamlet’s misogynist confrontation of Ophelia which is overheard by the spying Polonius and Claudius, who decides at this point to export Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, since â€Å"madness in great ones must not unwatched go†. Since Ophelia had also been encouraged to spy on Hamlet, we now have his dastardly uncle, his school friends, and his fiance, not to mention his mother, keeping a close watch on Hamlet: no wonder he needed a theatrical outlet! However, seriously, we see here a recurring and important theme in the entire play, that of spying and surveillance. The Michael Almereyda directed film version of Hamlet with its constant CCTV cameras and Hamlet’s speaking into the cameras provide the perfect representation of the sense of inescapable surveillance that Hamlet feels he is under throughout the play. : FIND QUOTES re SPYING IN THIS SCENE. Another key theme of this play within the play scene. amd to the entire play, that relates to the spying is that of deceit, and of illusion masking the reality. The play Hamlet devises to catch the King out is called â€Å"The Moustrap†, and its aim is to depict the exact way in which Claudius killed his brother, that is, by pouring poison into his ear, not the commonest way to kill someone! If King Claudius reacts is a guilty manner, presumably this demonstrates his guilt. So Hamlet’s goal is to unmask his uncle in front of the entire court, including the wife he has won so wrongfully. Plays are a theatrical form of illusion, masquerading as reality, just as Claudius in killing the rightful king, marrying his widow and acting as a legitimate King, is masquerading. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are similarly masquerading as Hamlet’s friends, while in reality they are deceitfully reporting on his actions and words to his treacherous uncle. The play within the play traps Claudius just as Hamlet himself must have felt trapped within this world without honesty and fidelity. The theme of honesty and reliability, those qualities that Hamlet craves and finds in no-one but his friend Horatio, provides a key to a deeper understanding of Hamlet’s apparently cruel behaviour towards his mother and also Ophelia, and also to Polonius and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. â€Å"Give me that man/That is not passions’s slave .. and I will wear him/ in my †¦ heart of hearts†: Hamlet, having suffered the worst tragedy one can imagine, finds no person in his circle whom he can trust except for Horatio. [ repetition Our understanding of a text is greatly affected by the context in which scenes take place. Act 3 Scene 2 transpires after a series of turbulent events too vague – what events? References like this read like padding and markers know it! ] and the increasing surveillance of Hamlet’s life. The play within the play leads us to a focus on another potent theme of this scene and of the entire play: revenge! â€Å" So after Pyrrus’ pause, a roused vengeance sets him to work†. Revenge is the motive behind Hamlet’s writing of the play, and once his suspicions have been confirmed, Hamlet is ready to turn his vengeful thoughts into action. This scene is brilliant drama! There is beautiful dramatic irony in Hamlet’s selection of a play to trap the guilty king. And there is lots of discussion of theatrics, and how the players should speak their lines, which reveals Shakespeare’s own deep understanding of the craft of acting, the more realistic version being more like his own preferred style: â€Å"Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand †¦ the purpose of playing,.. is to hold the mirror up to nature†, that is to act as one would speak and act out such lines in reality. Critics say that Shakespeare is having a go here at the plays of Chrsitopher Marlowe and the players such as Edward Alleyn at the Rose Theatre, who was known for a rather exaggerated approach to acting. Whatever the origins of these descriptions of how NOT to act, they are very funny, and must have made an Elizabethan audience as well as myself, a 21 century lad, laugh! â€Å"O it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters: etc. [we need egs of each of these Use of dramatic irony, alliteration, metaphor, pun, repetition and others] Shakespeare’s literary teachniques also work brilliantly in this scend. As well as the dramatic irony, we have superb play on words combining wioth the extended highlights lines that are of greater importance for example, Hamlet’s mocking â€Å"what, frightened with false fire! † to his uncles reaction to the murder as well as the extended metaphor of hamlet being a pipe played upon by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The dramatic irony of the scene is important, as it is Hamlet’s action that snowballs into the different outcomes. Hamlet’s rhyming flattery to Horatio is full of literary techniques like alliteration (need example), possibly highlighting his desperation to keep one faithful friend by his side or adoration or want of Horatio’s balanced character. Hamlets jovial punning makes light of all that said to him by authority figures, this being an attempt at showing possible rebelliousness or more likely showing his enthusiasm for the outcome of the play’s impact on the king. We do not know which part of the play Hamlet scripted so it can be assumed that some of his own feelings are showing through the repetition of love and fear whether this be about his love of Ophelia or incestuous thoughts about Gertrude. Understanding of act 3 scene 2 is crucial to our understanding of Hamlet. This is assisted through the uses of literary techniques, the presence of many themes to capture audience’s attention, the significance of these and the context in which the scene takes place. These combine to make this scene of upmost importance to our interpretation of the entire play and that is why it was chosen. 5min14secs Character development – in this question

HR Dissertation †Iconicity and hubris

Abstract This paper outlines the importance of iconicity and hubris in the context of modern architecture. Significant applications of the phenomenon identified as Starchitects and their contribution to developing a new mode of architecture are presented in this study. The main objective of the study is to explore the failures of iconic buildings created by Starchitects, by focusing on various aspects including economical and political, social and ethical, and environmental and evolutionary. In order to meet these research objectives, the researcher uses non-empirical research method in the sense of collecting relevant information from secondary resources. The most important conclusion presented in the study is that iconic buildings are perceived as egocentric representations of the improperly constructed ambitions of Starchitects. Chapter 1: Introduction In the 21st century, global developers have demonstrated their strong willingness to use the potential of Starchitects in order to create monumental buildings. The boom of Starchitects in modernity can be explained with the rapid process of globalisation as well as economic progress and development (Marshall, 2000). Designs of such architects are usually perceived as iconic dominated by extensive visibility and unique characteristics that contribute to the appeal of these buildings. It has been argued that the use of Starchitects is an innovative way to expand tourism in different sites across the world. The design of prestige buildings around the world has been marked by the simple idea to make a difference in producing specific landmarks for cities (King, 1990). The motives for the establishment of particular landmarks adhere to the specificity of Starchitects who are a product of their sponsors and organisations, which actively seek to present continuous innovation in the architec tural field. Different examples of iconic buildings can be found globally, such as the Imperial War Museum North (2002) based in Greater Manchester, UK, and the Seattle Central Library (2004) based in Washington, US. Similar buildings have been highly criticised since the time of their construction. This implies the existence of controversies surrounding some of the most famous buildings around the world especially at modern times. Perceived as an attitude, modernity can coexist with traditional architectural patterns. Modernity is mainly concerned with transformation of the present and tries to ensure such an aspect in emblematic buildings. Modern architectural patterns as evident in the pieces created by Starchitects implement the latest in composite materials and composite structural technology (Marshall, 2000). Accordingly, the growth of the cities has generated the needs for the incorporation of all the elements that define a developing civilisation, allowing them to seek out identity in the infrastructural resources that are found within them and their capability to communicate with others and represent themselves in international entrepreneurial matters (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009). While the development of the architectural landmarks creates the possibility of increasing the tourism attraction to the sites, expositions and events are necessary to highlight and showcase these developments thus creating a means of investment for the local authorities and foreign investors. The main aim of the study is to provide a relevant understanding of the aspects of iconicity and hubris as applied to the work of Starchitects. The following objectives have been outlined for the study: To outline the economic and political failures of iconic buildings; To discuss the impact of social and ethical failures of iconic buildings; To present environmental (urban & natural) failures of iconic buildings; To explore the relevance of evolutionary perspectives Chapter 1 is introduction and sets the context for the present study. Chapter 2 is the literature review providing adequate information relating to the explored topic in the thesis. Chapter 3 outlines the research methodology used in the study. Chapter 4 consists of research findings, discussion and analysis of findings. Chapter 5 concludes the study and provides specific recommendations pertaining to the main research questions and objectives. Chapter 2: Literature Review Three important subject matter terms identified in this thesis are Starchitects, iconicity and hubris. A Starchitect is referred to as an architect who is quite famous as a result of the high-profile creations being presented by him or her to the public (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009). Iconicity is a term relating to the specific characteristics of an icon or something emblematic in the context of architecture (Glendinning, 2012). Hubris indicates a high level of self-assurance and thus is identified as extensive pride or self-confidence. In a book by Glendinning (2012), the focus is on the pitfalls of global modernism demonstrated in the creation of various architectural buildings globally. The main argument introduced by the researcher is that architecture has been apparently spectacularised, which has led to alienated architectural pieces and individuals. It has been indicated that the so-called iconic buildings have insignificant social and historical integrity, implying that the aspect of iconicity has been replaced by triviality that shows inappropriate identified architectural objectives (Jacobs, 1961). The type of iconic buildings created by famous Starchitects has expanded criticism in recent years, as outlined by Glendinning (2012). These buildings have been presented as competing for attention on the skyline and in the mass media. Similarly, Sudjic (2005) indicates doubts in the authenticity and properly intended purpose of iconic buildings. Moreover, researchers have considered iconicity as a distinct type of architectural tourism, which reflects in buildings intended for urban travel destinations (Specht, 2014). Kent (2010) implies that architecture’s status has been changed from iconic to extraordinary in the process of exploring architectural buildings’ effect on a sense of place. Such a sense has been explored by Rybczynski (2008) with a focus on the Bilbao effect or the Bilbao anomaly representing a costly iconic failure. The Bilbao effect, as shown in an article by Martin (2013), creates controversies and thus the researcher presents a warning about the perceived negative impact of Starchitects’ iconic buildings on local cities and states. Iconic architecture has been identified as a substantial failure, as argued in an article by Romaniuk (2010). The author of the research has presented convincing arguments relating to the manipulation of the mass media trying to create a desirable vision of iconic architecture. Such manipulation is evident in emotionally charged architectural projects including the Freedom Tower for Ground Zero (Romaniuk, 2010). It has been argued that the decline of belief and the extensive growth of pluralism have led to the emergence of iconic buildings that are unable to fulfil the objectives of authentic iconography (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009). In addition, the legitimacy of identifying particular buildings as iconic can be judged with time, disregarding the mass media’s projected implications of successful architectural buildings solely based on sociological and financial profitability. Based on the major studies presented in the literature review, it can be concluded that buildings shou ld be constantly assessed in terms of the values with which they are associated. Chapter 3: Research Methodology The type of research methodology used in this study is non-empirical research design, which is suitable to explore the relationship between iconicity and hubris. Arguments are based on evidence and credible opinion provided in secondary resources (Yanow and Schwartz-Shea, 2006). The major aspect relating to non-empirical research is the focus on data previously gathered by researchers in the field of architecture rather than gathering a new set of data. This research framework is often associated with the purposes of humanities and natural philosophy. One of the most important elements of this type of research methodology, as applied in the present study, is review of existing literature as the focus is to provide sufficient arguments in order to accomplish the previously stated research objectives (MacNealy, 1998). The systematic review of existing literature on the subject implies not only prior knowledge and adequate research skills but also ability to use a distinct form of meta- analysis in an attempt to reach conclusions which are important for the study. It has been noted that non-empirical research analysis suggests a significant amount of varying interpretations of the information obtained from secondary resources. A strong sense of intellectual inquiry is essential in this type of research because the process of acquiring knowledge is accomplished through valid critical and analytical interpretations of the research material (MacNealy, 1998). In fact, it is important to emphasise on the reinterpretation of consolidated information on the issues of iconicity and hubris within the new framework presented in this study. Thus, critical reflection is part of non-empirical research analysis, which is demonstrated in the present research. There is a solid focus on propositions for theory relating to the iconic dimensions of modern buildings across the world (Yanow and Schwartz-Shea, 2006). The development of a particular approach to the present study is a well-structured process that starts with the identification of a focal issue, in pa rticular the exploration of iconicity and hubris including their impact on the perception of emblematic buildings created by Starchitects. Once the first step outlined in the research approach is completed, it is important to move into a direction of identifying key forces contributing to a better interpretation of the research problem. The researcher is expected to postulate such driving forces as well as to present the factors that have been considered the most significant for the completion of the research (Deleeuw et al., 2010). In addition, it is anticipated that systemic logic should be used to present critically the major arguments obtained from secondary resources. The final step of the presented research approach is to submit the entire research to critical consideration (Yanow and Schwartz-Shea, 2006). It can be concluded that the acquisition of non-empirical knowledge can facilitate the process of obtaining relevant information, which would further expand the research to a new stage in the sense of providing an adequate answer and explanation to the research question. Chapter 4: Research Findings & Discussion and Analysis of Findings The main research findings obtained from the critical evaluation of secondary resources are grouped in different subsections of this chapter in order to focus on emerging aspects relating to iconicity and hubris in a more direct manner.Economical and Political Instances/ Cases of FailureA significant research finding demonstrated in this study is that of the impact of creating iconic buildings on the economy. Specific cases indicating hubris refer to Calatrava and Valencia, as Valencia has been recognised as a city of arts and sciences. Starchitects’ sense of hubris is evident in these cases and comes to show that architecture has entered a new mode of development. Although praised by some and rejected by others, the emblematic buildings created by Starchitects imply a substantial amount of efforts invested in presenting the philosophy of iconicity in architecture (Glendinning, 2012). According to Martin (2013), the opening of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao serves as a releva nt example of how iconicity has been used as a substantial indicator to measure the direct impact on the economy. It can be suggested that the creation of iconic buildings around the world, such as in locations in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Albania and Brazil, has raised the question of the perceived economic effect of similar activities (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009). The dimension of commercialisation cannot be disregarded, as the sole motivating factor behind the so-called iconicity and hubris can be found in the idea of generating substantial profits from architectural tourism, which is dominated by emblematic building. Another essential aspect can be also indicated in terms of considering Starchitects’ intention to fill vast spaces, but this tends to create a negative effect among some individuals. According to researchers, the hostage of international mega events is one of the most powerful tools that a city can use for show-casting of resources and development, as well as the development of architectural identities that have come to be defined within the industry as ‘destination images’ (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009). In this context, specific contemporary events have come to be synonymous with commercial rivalry between cities as well as the transnational environment, as different regions struggle to attract more investors and consumer spending. In light of this, with the increase in pressure for the cities to expand their entrepreneurial stance as they aim at increasing their attraction to mobile capital, the cities have to make considerations on their investments. It would be less economical for them to carry out development if they are not going to realise monetary gain after the renovations. Strong competition is existent within most of today’s cities-th e competition being amongst the city investors themselves as well with other cities that may wish to host different events and expositions that are aimed at increasing the economic wellbeing of the region. For this reason, the completion of iconic buildings by Starchitects has increased from the regional and local scenes, stemming into international and global scales and requiring the integration of the political, social and infrastructural frontiers (Glendinning, 2012). Accordingly, the growth of the cities has generated the needs for the incorporation of all the elements that define a developing civilisation, allowing them to seek out identity in the infrastructural resources that are found within them and their capability to communicate with others and represent themselves in international entrepreneurial matters (Martin, 2013). While the development of the architectural landmarks creates the possibility of increasing the tourism attraction to the sites, expositions and events ar e necessary to highlight and showcase these developments thus creating a means of investment for the local authorities and foreign investors. For the most part, the mere presence of a beautiful square or a religious monument within a city cannot be enough for the modern city. In order to gain recognition as a modern city of the 21st century, a large portfolio of architectural development projects is necessary so increase the output, aesthetics and general appeal of the city to the outside world, as it is illustrated in the case of iconic buildings (Glendinning, 2012). The portfolio includes various strategies that are used by the local development councils in increasing the architectural resources found within the premises as well as the input by multinational organisations within this development in lieu of the rules that are used by Starchitects. As growth is experienced in today’s cities, individuals can witness how similar design implementations are used in different cities, with transformations of the existent architectures aiding in the provision of superiority and identity (Marshall, 2000). The last two decad es have seen the rise of the ‘megacity’ phenomenon, with small scale and often ‘off the grid’ cities being uplifted to city stardom through the regeneration of existent architectures and the inclusion of socio-cultural events around the creation of these resources. As global cities develop, cultural and communal events have been moved to these venues creating a sense of appreciation for their existence and a need for their improvement. Another finding that emerged from the research is that iconic buildings are perceived as a powerful tool to redefine the economical and political image of cities and countries in which they are constructed (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009). The economic impact of these buildings has been extensively considered in order to present adequate conclusions about the state of regional economies. It cannot be denied that the presence of many iconic buildings in different locations across the world has improved the economic well-being of residents. Based on the results obtained from conducting non-empirical research, it can be argued that there are both cases of economical and political successes and failures associated with the construction of iconic buildings. This finding is confirmed in a research by Reutskaja and Nueno (2009) who provide evidence of the positive impact on employment in the region due to the emergence of iconic buildings and the essential element of hubris attached to them. The construction of such buildings is directly linked with the creation of a substantial number of jobs in different countries as well as greater contribution to the local government budgets in terms of taxes and duties. Another positive economic impact is related to additional employment in manufacturing processes for organisations that are responsible for the construction of iconic buildings. However, the negative economic effects of the erection of emblematic buildings should not be ignored (Rybczynski, 2008). For instance, a significant economic drawback is associated with the higher fees that are usually charged by Starchitects, indicating their egocentric factors of motivation used in the construction of similar buildings. A consideration of the challenges of cost estimations and over-budgeting should be considered in order to determine the precise economical and political impact of iconic buildings.Social & Ethical Instances/ Cases of FailureThe representation of iconic building s has been also linked with specific social and ethical implications. There are extensive examples that indicate hubris of the involved Starchitects. These are Zaha Hadid’s Qatar Stadium and Patrik Schumacher’s rant at 2014 architecture biennale. It appears that the mentioned buildings carry out the ‘pride’ of their creators in terms of involved efforts to make a lasting impression on the public. Moreover, it has been discovered that the aspect of public alienation is among the main factors contributing to the increasing social and ethical instances of failed iconic buildings. Starchitects have been identified as losing their appeal because they have consistently adhered to the philosophy of constructing architectural buildings of excess (Glendinning, 2012). As a result, it frequently appears that architectural design of certain buildings around the world is dominated by excessive elements, which create an irrelevant perception among people. The present st udy also indicated that architecture is in a new era of development in the sense of focussing on the possibilities that technology has to offer. Yet, this raises the question whether such modern architecture succeeds in serving the needs of humanity (Kent, 2010). The answer to this question is complex considering the multiple effects created by the specific line or mode of architecture followed by Starchitects. However, it can be stated that architecture apparently emerges as an art that cannot be avoided by any means. An ethical instance of failed iconic buildings is related to the morality and controversy of such pieces of modern architecture. For example, Patrik Schumacher was accused of being motivated by an aspect identified as ‘misguided political correctness’. It has been argued that architects should try their best not to confuse architecture and art. A relevant finding revealed in this context is that architecture is actually found in charge of the specific form of the built environment (Glendinning, 2012). It is important to emphasise that one of the major duties of architects in contemporary society is to deliver a strong aspect of social justice. However, it should be indicated that Starchitects’ works have raised a series of ethical and moral concerns (Martin, 2013). In Qatar, migrant workers died at a stadium which is currently under construction, as this intensifies social anxiety and fear relating to the purpose and means utilised by Starchitects in their egocent ric representations found in modern buildings. It has been claimed that architects are not responsible for the death of these migrant workers, but the question of the moral and ethical parameters of such iconic buildings still remains persistent in the minds of individuals.Environmental and Evolutionary Instances/ Cases of Failure & Evolutionary PerspectivesThe issue of discussing Starchitects’ hubris reflects in numerous examples, such as Lloyds building and Calatrava & Valencia. The main aspect that was revealed in the study from an environmental perspective is that of the creation of defective masterpieces of architecture. It can be argued that such architectural creations have been resulted of the over-ambition of Starchitects (Glendinning, 2012). The example of Lloyd’s of London as anticipating leaving its iconic headquarters clearly illustrates the assumption of environmental failure. In fact, it has been indicated that the major problem with this building is its exposure to the elements making it an extremely costly structure (Martin, 2013). Cases of failure like this one point out that the technological advances of modern architecture have outpaced the simple ability of Starchitects to adeptly utilise them. The failure of emblematic buildings to meet strict functional requirements is indicative of their inappropriate environmental impact. Another example of a failed iconic building, as seen through the environmental lens, is seen at Calatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia. Only eight years after the completion of this project, certain parts of the construction started falling off. Such an instance of architectural failure confirms major findings outlined in the literature review section regarding the failures of contemporary iconic buildings (Reutskaja and Nueno, 2009; Romaniuk, 2010). The research findings indicated that both architects and developers are extensively focussed on erecting icons, but the results frequently turn out in a negative direction. The ambitions of Starchitects seemed to have contributed to the emergence of inappropriately maintained pieces of architecture in modernity (Romaniuk, 2010). In this sense, it can be argued that the architectural fabric is completely disregarded by Starchitects. Yet, a main problem created with iconic buildings is that they often produce one-lined response, which has become rather problematic for the entire functioning of the cities where these buildings are situated. Assessing the environmental impact of iconic buildings is a complex process relating to the interrelations of factors such as place, function and history (Rybczynski, 2008). Based on the research findings outlined in this study, it is important to state that iconic buildings have completely changed their status in the sense that people more and more start abandoning the idea of iconicity attached to similar pieces of modern architecture. The negative environmental impact of emblematic buildings cannot be ignored in the discussion of the ambitions of Starchitects and how those ambitions reflect in the buildings constructed by them. Changing the status of Starchitects’ buildings from iconic to extraordinary one is indicative of the way the public has altered its perceptions regarding the contributions of modern-day architects. Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations This paper explored the implications of iconicity and hubris relating to architectural pieces created by Starchitects. Numerous aspects associated with this issue have been thoroughly investigated to include different perspectives and instances of hubris, such as economical and political instances of failure, social and ethical instances as well as environmental instances of how the concept of iconicity in modern architecture has been unsuccessful. It has been concluded that these architectural creations are merely economically and socially disruptive egocentric representations of the irrelevant ambitions manifested by Starchitects. The study illustrated how these emblematic constructions built by Starchitects have presented main failures with long-term social and ethical implications (Glendinning, 2012). As a result, it was demonstrated that the creations of Starchitects cannot be perceived anymore as iconic, as the aspect of iconicity has been simply replaced by so-called extraordi nary dimensions of perceiving similar buildings (Martin, 2013). The research method used in this study referred to the framework of non-empirical research analysis, which has been found suitable to meet the study’s main aim and objectives. This type of method allowed for greater flexibility in exploring specific concepts related to the impact of iconicity and hubris on the development of modern architecture (Sudjic, 2005). Moreover, the study identified that architecture has entered into a new stage of development with both positive and negative aspects that should be discussed thoroughly to understand the specific impact of Starchitects’ ambitions (Glendinning, 2012). However, certain limitations can be identified for the present study. The major limitation refers to the use of non-empirical research method. Instead, the researcher could have utilised empirical research method that could have contributed to achieving greater credibility and reliability of research findings (MacNealy, 1998). Another limitation relates to the specific literature that has been selected for obtaining results. Broader literature could have been used to cover the main arguments illustrated in the study (Yanow and Schwartz-Shea, 2010). In terms of recommendations, it is essential to note that the explored subject is quite complex and thus requires the implementation of multiple perspectives to understanding the wide array of impacts relating to the architectural works of Starchitects. Thus, it is recommended to conduct an in-depth primary research involving modern architects from different countries, as they can provide insightful suggestions regarding the development of a modern era in architecture (Glendinning, 2012). This recommendation also indicates a solid focus on including suggestions for future research in the field in order to bring the topic of iconicity and hubris of architectural buildings to new horizons of research exploration (Martin, 2013). A potential subject that may be investigated in a future research refers to people’s opinion on the impact of iconic buildings for the long-term development of their cities. References Deleeuw, J., Meijer, E. and Goldstein, H., eds. (2010). Handbook of Multilevel Analysis. Santa Monica, CA: Springer. Glendinning, M. (2012). Architecture’s Evil EmpireThe Triumph and Tragedy of Global Modernism. London: Reaktion Books. Jacobs, J. (1961). The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House. Kent, F. (2010). Toward an Architecture of Place: Moving beyond Iconic to Extraordinary. Project for Public Spaces [online]. Available at: http://www.pps.org/reference/toward-an-architecture-of-place-moving-beyond-iconic-to-extraordinary/ [Accessed on: 18 Oct. 2014]. King, A. D. (1990). ‘Architecture, Capital and the Globalization of Culture’. Theory, Culture and Society, vol. 7, pp. 397-411. MacNealy, M. S. (1998). Strategies for Empirical Research in Writing. London: Longman. Marshall, R. (2000). Emerging Urbanity: Global Urban Projects in the Asia Pacific Rim. London: Spon Press. Martin, J. (2013). The Bilbao Effect: If You Build It, Will They ComeThe Economist [online]. Available at: http://www.economist.com/node/21591708/comments [Accessed on: 18 Oct. 2014]. Reutskaja, E. and Nueno, J. L. (2009). ‘Starchitects, Emblematic Buildings and Their Effects on Urban Economics’. IESE Business School, University of Navarra, pp. 1-20. Romaniuk, O. (2010). Failure of Iconic Architecture. Living Space [online]. Available at: http://www.livingspace360.com/index.php/failure-of-iconic-architecture-12484/ [Accessed on: 18 Oct. 2014]. Rybczynski, W. (2008). When Buildings Try Too Hard. The Wall Street Journal [online]. Available at: http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB122731149503149341 [Accessed on: 18 Oct. 2014]. Specht, J. (2014). Architectural Tourism: Building for Urban Travel Destinations. Wiesbaden: Gabler. Sudjic, D. (2005). Can We Still Believe in Iconic BuildingsProspect Magazine [online]. Available at: http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ [Accessed on: 18 Oct. 2014]. Yanow, D. and Schwartz-Shea, P., eds. (2006). Interpretation and Method: Empirical Research Methods and the Interpretive Turn. New York: M. E. Sharpe.

Learning Vocabulary With Word Forms

Learning Vocabulary With Word Forms There are a wide variety of techniques used to learn vocabulary in English. This learning vocabulary technique focuses on using word forms as a way to broaden your English vocabulary. The great thing about word forms is that you can learn a number of words with just one basic definition. In other words, word forms relate to a specific meaning. Of course, not all of the definitions are the same. However, the definitions are often closely related. Start off by quickly reviewing the eight parts of speech in English: VerbNounPronounAdjectiveAdverbPrepositionsConjunctionInterjection Examples Not all eight parts of speech will have a form of each word. Sometimes, there are only noun and verb forms. Other times, a word will have related adjectives and adverbs. Here are some examples: Noun: studentVerb: to studyAdjective: studious, studied, studyingAdverb: studiously Some words will have more variations. Take the word care: Noun: care, caregiver, caretaker, carefulnessVerb: to careAdjective: careful, careless, carefree, carewornAdverb: carefully, carelessly Other words will be especially rich because of compounds. Compound words are words made up by taking two words and putting them together to create other words! Take a look at words derived from power: Noun: power, brainpower, candlepower, firepower, horsepower, hydropower, powerboat, powerhouse, powerlessness, powerlifting, powerpc, powerpoint, superpower, willpowerVerb: to power, to empower, to overpowerAdjective: empowered, empowering, overpowered, overpowering, powerable, powered, powerful, powerlessAdverb: powerfully, powerlessly, overpoweringly Not all words have so many compound word possibilities. However, there are some words that are used to construct numerous compound words. Heres a (very) short list to get you started: airanybackballroomdayearthfiregrandhandhomelandlightnewsrainshowsandsometimewaterwind Exercises for Using Your Words in Context Exercise 1: Write a Paragraph Once youve made a list of a few words, the next step will be to give yourself the opportunity to put the words youve studied into context. There are a number of ways to do this, but one exercise I especially like is to write an extended paragraph. Lets take a look at power again. Heres a paragraph Ive written to help me practice and remember words created with power: Writing a paragraph is a powerful way to help you remember words. Of course, it takes plenty of brainpower. However, by writing out such a paragraph you will empower yourself to use this words. For example, you might find creating a paragraph in powerpoint on a PowerPC takes a lot of willpower. In the end, you wont feel overpowered by all these words, youll feel empowered. No longer will you stand there powerlessly when confronted with words such as candlepower, firepower, horsepower, hydropower, because youll know that they are all different types of power used to power our overpowering society. Ill be the first to admit that writing out a paragraph, or even trying to read such a paragraph from memory might seem crazy. It certainly isnt good writing style! However, by taking the time to try to fit as many words made up with a target word youll be creating all sorts of related context to your word list. This exercise will help you imagine what type of uses can be found for all these related words. Best of all, the exercise will help you map the words in your brain! Exercise 2: Write Sentences An easier exercise is to write out individual sentences for each word in your list. Its not as challenging, but its certainly an effective way to practice the vocabulary youve taken the time to learn.

Nursing health assessment is an important role for a patient being diagnosis and give appropriate treatment The WritePass Journal

Nursing health assessment is an important role for a patient being diagnosis and give appropriate treatment Nursing health assessment is an important role for a patient being diagnosis and give appropriate treatment IntroductionCase scenarioAssessment of abdomen  Health history and lifestyle health practicesPhysical examination of abdomenInspectionAuscultationPalpationDocumentationPast health history and lifestyle practicePhysical examinationAction and responsesConclusionReferenceRelated Introduction Nursing health assessment is an important role for a patient being diagnosis and give appropriate treatment (Bellack, 1992, p.12). In my past clinical practice, only some simple assessments were conducted as it is able to reduce the affect of the problem but not solve it. After studied nursing health assessment, some more extensive and specific assessments should be done to identify patient’s health status. The actual problem, strengths deviations and the risk of the health problem are explored at a detail and in-depth way. This article is going to discuss about the specific nursing health assessment for a patient suffered from abdominal pain, who was met in my past practicum placement. Case scenario Ms. Ma, Age 54, housewife, admitted via AE and complained she was having abdominal pain for 5 days. Sharp pain starts at mid-abdomen and then at right lower quadrant. Level of pain increased when coughing. She had had Panadol 500mg an hour ago but pain can not relief. Nausea and vomited small amount of undigested food twice in the past few days. No diarrhea. She feels tired but can not sleep because of the sharp pain. Her vital signs are: pulse 98, blood pressure 148/85 mmHg, temperature 39.2oC. Her skin is warm and dry. Rebound pain occurred at the right lower quadrant of abdomen. She has hypertension and need to take medicine 2 times per day. Ms. Ma was diagnosed with acute appendicitis. Keep NPO and IV 500ml normal saline is established. Blood test, abdominal X-ray and ultrasound abdomen are planned. Assessment of abdomen In the past clinical practice, I only give analgesics by doctor’s order and the patient may sometimes relief pain after medication. However, abdominal assessment skills are necessary to identify Ms. Ma‘s condition for getting at the root and having a better outcome. There are five important steps for evaluating abdomen: take health history, inspection, auscultation, percussion and palpation. These assessment skills will be discussed one by one in the following paragraphs.   Health history and lifestyle health practices First, find out the patient’s chief complaint, record the details and observe Ms. Ma‘s general appearance. Then, assess the abdomen pain by COLDSPA- character, onset, location, duration, severity, pattern and associated factors. It is the most accurate measurement to identify whether it is parietal peritoneal pain, visceral pain or referred pain (Judy, 2008). After that, collect individual and family past and current health status. Ask if there was any injuries or trauma may cause the pain, any eating disorder, any abdominal surgery was done before, any food allergy, history of suffering inflammatory bowel disease, family history of cancer and chronic disease, etc. Also, collect Ms. Ma‘s lifestyle and health practices. Ask her if smoke, drink or not, her eating habit, bowel pattern and movement, the amount, colour and texture of stool, any change in appetite, weight and abdominal girth recently and her stress level (Medical Education, 1998). Past history and current lifestyle health practices are the useful information to identify the risk factors of the problem. After collecting all background information, the physical examination should be proceed. Physical examination is using senses to collect objective data. It is used to identify the actual and potential health problems, discover patient’s abnormalities and diagnosis the problem (Nursing 2010 Magazine, 2010). For physical examination of abdomen, Ms. Ma needs to empty her bladder first in order to avoid the bladder irritation then, place Ms. Ma in a supine position. The hands should be at aside and knees slightly bent. Tell her keep relax of the abdominal muscles. The assessment should be started in the right lower quadrant of abdomen and then proceeding in a clockwise direction. Also, the examination should go forward in the order of inspection, auscultation, palpation and finally percussion for avoid affecting the quality of bowel sound and increase peristalsis (Bellack, 1992). Physical examination of abdomen Inspection Inspection is systemic visual examination. For abdominal examination, it should be started at the mouth, which is the beginning of gastrointestinal tract, and finally the rectum and anus (Bellack, 1992). First, ask Ms. Ma opens her mouth and says â€Å"Ar† or use tongue depressor to inspect the structure of mouth cavity to see whether any inflection, ulcer or not. Then, give a swelling test to Ms. Ma for examine the swelling ability. Place a spoon with some water on the middle part of her tongue and ask her to swell the water slowly to observe any choking or water leaks out. After that, inspect the texture of abdomen, the condition and colour of skin, any bruises or scars presence on abdomen. Normally, abdomen is homogenous in colour. If redness or yellow orange appear, it may indicate inflammation or liver disease respectively. Normal abdomen should also be symmetry from side to toe, flat and have normal movement when smooth respiration. If the abdomen is asymmetric, obesity, abnormal enlargement of organs, fluid distention or even intestinal obstruction may be suffered. Also, aortic pulsation should be present as Ms. Ma is having hypertension. Finally, ask Ms. Ma to take a d eep breathe and hold it, it is used to inspect the presence of hernias or not (Bellack, 1992). Auscultation Auscultation of abdomen is used to define the bowel sound, which are caused by the movement of air or fluid at small intestine, by stethoscope. The examination is started at the right lower quadrant, where the clearest bowel sound can be heard. Normal bowel sounds are at high-pitched, bubbling sound and occur five to thirty times per minute. If hyperactive bowel sounds occur, it indicates diarrhea or early stage of gastroenteritis. If hypoactive or even absent of bowel sounds for five minutes, it indicates intestinal obstruction, peritonitis or pneumonia. Besides bowel sounds, vascular sounds of aortic, renal, iliac, and femoral arteries can also be auscultated. It is an important examination to assess hypertension patient such like Ms. Ma whether she suffers from portal hypertensive and liver cirrhosis or not. If the vessels constricted or dilated, a bruit can be heard when blood flows (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2008). Palpation Palpation is using sense of touch to collect data. For abdominal examination, finding out the location of pain is a great help of diagnosis abdominal pain. Light palpation and deep palpation are used to assess the abdominal organs, to define the tenderness and presence of mass. It is essential to assess the liver and spleen in abdominal examination. Light palpation which is not more than 1 am deep on each quadrant. Normal abdomen should be smooth and consistent. If broad-like hardness appears, it states peritoneal irritation is suffered. Deep palpation, which is press deeply from5cmto8cm, is used to indicate the abdominal organs and detect some obscure masses. Palpate the liver to test Murphy’s sign of cholecystitis. Palpate on the right upper quadrant at midclavicular line and parallel to the midline. If Ms. Ma feels pain and has inspiratory arrest, it states positive Murphy’s sign and indicate cholecystitis. Then, palpate the spleen at costal margin on left upper quadrant to feel if the spleen is enlarged and Ms. Ma will feel pain when the peritoneum is inflamed. Finally, as the rebound tenderness was being tested to Ms. Ma, that is pushing 90o angle at the right lower quadrant deeply and then release quickly. It is the reliable test of peritoneal inflammation if the patient feels sharp pain when the force released (Watkins, 2010). Besides, obturator test and iliopsoas test can also be done for diagnosing appendicitis. For obturator test, Ms. MA need to hold her right leg above the knee at 90o angle, grasp the ankle and rotate her leg laterally and medically. If she feels pain, it states obturator muscle is irritated. For iliopsoas test, straight up Ms. Ma’s right leg and press deeply on her upper thigh and ask her to oppose the pressing force. If she feels pain, it states that she is suffering from appendicitis (Beltran, 2009). Percussion Percussion collects data by vibrations and sounds. For abdominal examination, percussion is used to assess the amount of fluid or gas, the location of mass, the size of liver and spleen. Normally, tympanic sound is found at hollow organs such as stomach and intestine; dullness sound is found at liver, spleen or masses. To estimate the liver is enlarged or not, the normal distance of liver is 6 to12cm, which depends on the body size and gender, at the midclaricular line. To estimate the spleen by percussing behind the left midaxillary line. If the distance is greater than7cm, it states that the spleen is enlarged due to infection, mononucleosis or trauma. Moreover, test of shifting dullness and fluid wave to assess ascites. If the ascites of abdomen is more than 500ml, shifting dullness will be found. Normally, tympany is produced at abdominal midline (Bellack, 1992). However, for the abnormal case, dull sound is produced because of the cumulated fluid. Ask Ms. Ma rolls to right side and percuss from top to bottom. If the fluid is present, sound will change from tympanis to dullness and fluid wave will be generate when percuss on a side of the abdomen. It also has great variate in the abdominal girth. Documentation After the physical examination, documentation is necessary for the findings and development of care plan. Current of illness Ms. Ma states that her abdominal pain started five days ago. On the pain scale from 0 to 10, as 10 being the worst, she rates her pain is 7. Sharp pain occurs at mid-abdomen and then at right lower quadrant continuously. Level of pain increases when coughing. She has no known drug allergy and food allergy. She had Panadol 500mg an hour ago but pain can not relief. Nausea and vomited small amount of undigested food twice in the past few days. She has loss of appetite and lost about 3 pounds of body weight. No change in her abdominal girth. She has no diarrhea. She feels tired but can not sleep because of the sharp pain. She is having fever as her vital signs are: pulse 98, blood pressure 148/85 mmHg, temperature 39.2oC. Past health history and lifestyle practice Ms. Ma is a non-smoker and non-drinker. She has hypertension and need to take medicine 2 times per day. No abdominal surgery was dome before. She denies any injury or trauma occurs recently on her abdomen. She does not have history of suffering inflammatory bowel disease or family history of cancer and chronic disease. She states that her eating habit is health and the amount, colour, texture of stool are normal, but constipation sometimes. She does not feel stress or depression. Physical examination Ms. Ma has normal structure of mouth cavity and good swelling ability. There is no bruise or scar presence on abdomen. Her abdomen is symmetric and homogenous in colour. Her skin is warm but dry. By using the stethoscope, her bowel sounds are normal and no bruits are heard. Ms. Ma has rebound tenderness at the right lower quadrant of abdomen, pain occurs at obturator test and iliopsoas test when palpation.   Normal tympanic sound is produced at abdominal midline when percussion. Action and responses Ms. Ma is hospitalized. IMI 50mg Tramadol is given and her pain is temporary relief. Blood test was done and the result shows the level of white blood cell is high. The abdominal X-ray and ultrasound abdomen show her appendix is enlarged Ms. Ma is booked for an urgent operation for appendectomy. Conclusion In conclusion, some early symptoms of disease are not obvious, which will be easily misdiagnosed. Therefore, collecting health history and physical examination are very important as the data collected are in-depth and specific. It helps to have fast and accurate diagnosis in order to provide appropriate treatments to solve the patient’s problem and the symptoms at the same time. Reference Bellack, J.P. (1992). Nursing assessment and diagnosis (2nd ed.).Boston : Jones andBartlett Publishers. Beltran, M. (2009). Give this diagnostic test if appendicitis is suspected: early acute appendicitis may be difficult to diagnose. ED Nursing, 12 (5), 56ï ¼ 67. Judy, B. (2008). Pain evaluation and assessment. London : Piper Books in association with Heinemann. Medical Education. (1998). Nursing Assessment [Videotape].America: Meridian Education Corporation. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. (2008). Appendicitis [Brochure].England:Newcastle Health Information Centre. Nursing 2010 Magazine. (2nd ed.). (2010).America: AuthorBio Publishing Group Ltd. Watkins, J. (2010). Recognizing the signs of acute appendicitis. British Journal of School Nursing, 5 (10), 488ï ¼ 91. [/level-freee-rstricted]

3 Scams to Avoid When Job Hunting

3 Scams to Avoid When Job Hunting Job hunting can be hard enough, and sometimes it feels as though the world must simply be against you. In the following three cases, at least, you would be right. These notable scams target job hunters at their most vulnerable. Learn them and remember them, so as not to be suckered in by predators taking advantage of your desperation to get hired. Scam  #1: Application FeesBeing out of work can be humiliating enough; don’t fall victim to a scam this outlandish. This is illegal in most states, and could even be considered a form of discrimination. If a company, even an employment agency or placement service, asks for this, you’ll know immediately that it cannot be trusted. Stick to reputable channels.Scam #2: Identity ThievesAs if it’s not enough to have to be on the lookout for people trying to take your money, you should probably also watch out for anyone trying to get any personal information they could use for identity theft purposes. No job will ask you for your social security number, for example, until the hiring process has already begun. Do not disclose this information any sooner.Scam  #3: The Recruiter is Overly EnthusiasticMeeting an enthusiastic recruiter can feel like gift from the heavens. Still, it’s best to be wary. It could very well be too good to be true. Avoid giving out any personal information here too, and ask as many questions up front as you can. That way you’ll never think you’re going in for a fancy â€Å"marketing† job to stand around giving out smoothie samples in the mall.

The data search assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Human Resources Management - Essay Example Due to the diverse nature of the roles played by the human resources department of any organizations the unit could consist of several individuals based on their career roles. Recruiting and placement manager are in charge of sourcing for the right candidates to serve in the organization (Mathis & Jackson, 2008). This is mainly done through advertising for available positions, conducting the selection process through interviewing and making an employment decision based on the evaluation of shortlisted candidates (Mathis & Jackson, 2008). A development and training specialist are in charge of orientation for new employees in the roles, they are expected to play in the organization. They also analyze employee performance to identify any deficits. The feedback obtained in applied in planning, coordinating and conducting training for capacity building (Mathis & Jackson, 2008). A career as a compensation and benefits specialist involves providing legal information to employees and the company on labor organization regulations in terms of employee remunerations, benefits offered, and compensations recommended. They are in charge of wages and salaries administration. Strategic planning based on company performance and growth projections is done to evaluate the ability of available resources to sustain the set targets. Health, safety and security specialist ensures that the HR department is informed of current employee working conditions in the organization and possible improvement to create an environment that motivate opt imal productivity (Mathis & Jackson, 2008). For effective performance of the HR department, a strategic plan is essential since it links the HR management to the organization overall strategic planning (Armstrong, 2011). It guides future decisions in integrating HR strategies towards meeting the organization mission and vision while sustaining the needs of employees and other stakeholders (Armstrong, 2011). This plan ensures

Marketing Research Degree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing Research Degree - Essay Example On the other hand it is also important to have the knowledge of how to present the product in effective manner in order to reach the customer in an effective manner. With the changing business needs the new marketing techniques such as product differentiation, branding and advertising are also gaining immense importance. The successful product positioning and promotion is only possible if all the required information in this lieu is gathered and used in the right direction. In order to fulfill modern information needs, new information technologies have also been evolved. The information regarding the buyer preferences and behavior plays an important part in helping the management to take important decisions regarding the product such as pricing, promotion, competition etc. It is important for the company to establish a system in order to acquire a large amount of information for the marketing managers. "Competitive companies study their managers' information needs and design marketing information systems (MIS) to meets these needs. A marketing information system (MIS) consists of people, equipment, and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate, and distribute needed, timely, and accurate information to marketing decision markers. To carry out their analysis, planning, implementation, and control responsibilities marketing managers need information about developments in the marketing environment. The role of the MIS is to assess the manager's information needs, develop the needed information, and distribute that information in a timely fashion, the information is developed through internal company records, marketing intelligence activities, marketing research, and marketing decision support analysis." (Kotler, 2000) In the case of Dairy Products Limited the MIS can play an important role in successfully marketing the new dessert which the company is planning to launch. An effective MIS will also help in enhancing the exposure level of the company from local market to national market. It is important for the company to design the MIS system in an effective manner. In most of the cases the companies lack information sophistication. Some of them collect a large amount of information but the data is not stored in a proper way to be handled easily. Without an effective marketing information system it will become impossible for the Dairy Products limited to reach to the desired customer. The MIS will help the company in understanding the customer's perception, taste, needs and desires regarding the new product. Without the proper MIS the investment in the production and innovation will not be of any use. "The MIS represent a cross between what managers think they need, what managers really need, and what is economically feasible." (Kotler, 2000) The MIS will provide support to the management in the areas of reduction of price risks, planning for an effective and cheap marketing strategy with technology assessment and development, particularly in evolving and popularizing food product offered by the company. An effective Marketing information system can help in the company in motivating distributors, retailers, and other intermediaries to pass along important intelligence. Through the components of MIS the Company will able to collect information regarding

Family Health Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family Health Assessment - Essay Example â€Å"Partnership, participation and equality† of the nurse health visitor and the family could be promoted (WHO, 2001). Even if there were no health needs at the first visit, the health visitor would be notified when there were any. Planning and delivery of the services comprising of the most effective care was possible. The nurse health visitor could practice the ethics of equity in her approach to care. Social justice could be meted out. Through collaborative association with the community, other agencies and professionals, she would deal with the issues at hand. I have selected Mr. Edwin’s family for assessment. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin had two children and the grandmother staying with them. a).Values and Health perception To my questions about illnesses, the obvious answer was that there was nobody ill in that house. My perceptions were against this notion. Mr. Edwin and Mrs. Edwin and Mr. Edwin’s mother Clara, looked undernourished. The elder boy of five, John, l ooked normal and appeared naughty. The baby of eight months seemed okay but she did not have dentition yet. Their health needs had not yet been recognized by them. Seventy-eight old Mrs. Clara was definitely unable to look after herself due to her confusion, memory loss, incontinence for stools and urine. This family had health-seeking behaviors with incomplete health maintenance. Each had to have a health regime management to support them (Weber, 2005). b). Nutrition At eight months, the baby had only milk (both breast and otherwise) and she had not been weaned yet. This could answer for her lack of dentition. John had been introduced to the food of the house which included fruits, vegetables and cereals but his preferences of chocolate and ice-cream were given value and it made things easier for the mother, what with the baby to look after. Mr. Edwin had alcoholism which caused his malnourishment. Mrs. Edwin who was breastfeeding did not bother to have sufficient milk or extra veg etables or fruits to support her health. Mrs. Clara had to take her own food as the others were too busy. Due to her memory loss and poor executive functions, she was irregular in food intake, hardly bathed and was generally looking fatigued and dirty. Her skin was terribly wrinkled due to dehydration and inadequate nutrition. They could all be described as ready for enhanced nutritional metabolic pattern (Weber, 2005). Mrs. Clara had a risk for impaired skin integrity due to her age and her dehydrated state (Weber, 2005). Her skin was turning red at pressure points even though she was still ambulant. Impaired nutrition, delayed weaning and impaired skin integrity were the diagnoses for this family where nutrition was concerned (Weber, 2005). c) Sleep/Rest Mrs. Clara indicated a readiness for enhanced sleep pattern (Weber, 2005). She had a disturbed sleep pattern probably due to her changed neurological functions. Mrs. Edwin had sleep deprivation because she was the only one looking after the baby and her mother-in-law kept calling her for some reason or the other as her sleep was disturbed (Weber, 2005). Her husband did not participate in any of these duties. Mrs. Edwin at times used to give her mother-in-law sleeping pills to enable her to sleep so that Mrs. Edwin herself could get some sleep. Mr. Edwin’

Work personalities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Work personalities - Research Paper Example The concept of work performance dependence on personality is a subject of much conjecture, and many studies have been carried out to ascertain this prognosis. Personality is considered an essential component of individual performance and satisfaction at work. In addition, it contributes to the aggregate, of the structure, strategy, and culture of organizations (Schneider, 2007). Dahl (2014) alludes the existence of two entities in any particular individual: the actual you and the work you. Each of this personalities exudes distinct traits that can be successfully differentiated (Awadh & Ismail, 2012). However, not all studies support the correlation between personality and work performance. About five hierarchical personality traits termed â€Å"big five† are widely recognized; introversion, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, neuroticism and conscientiousness (Wayne Musisca & Fleeson, 2004). Personality is believed to be inherent in an individual. Moreover, it is inferred that certain personalities are more preferable in certain work types. This assertion creates the possibility of persons feigning personalities contrary to their nature when situations require it. This paper discusses studies on the influence of personality on work and performance. Personality has a significant influence on an individual’s environmental preference and is a determinant of the roles they ascribe to. Personality influences an individual’s interactions and activities (Awadh & Ismail, 2012).At work, organizational culture dictates how a person fits into the organization and their overall output. Moreover, the culture will substantially influence personality and behavior. Conscientiousness and Neuroticism, are associated with a workers performance (Woods et al., 2013). People with higher conscientiousness are portrayed to be more achievement oriented with a greater commitment to

Course work Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Course work - Coursework Example The value could be either too small or too large. In a data set of exam results where all students score between 65 percent and 80 percent except one student with 23 percent, the 23 percent is an outlier because it is too small, compared to the other values (Mann 2010, p. 82). Correlation is a statistical measure for association between variables and shows strength and direction of the association. Regression, like correlation, is a statistical measure for association between variables, but also offers a model for the relationship. Correlation coefficient is however a measure of strength of association between variables (Miller & Yang 2007, p. 428). One of the features of r is its magnitude that lies between -1 and 1. The measure is also â€Å"independent of change of scale and origin† for both x and y variables of points (Sharma 2009, p. 281). The statistic is also a â€Å"geometric mean of two regression coefficients,† and the extent of association between two variables â€Å"is symmetric† (Sharma 2009, p. 282). Forming the committee requires selection of ten members, by profession, and these can form the committee in any order. Combination will help in determining possible arrangements from each profession, followed by multiplication of the arrangements. The 10 members are arranged without regard to order and without

Work personalities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Work personalities - Research Paper Example The concept of work performance dependence on personality is a subject of much conjecture, and many studies have been carried out to ascertain this prognosis. Personality is considered an essential component of individual performance and satisfaction at work. In addition, it contributes to the aggregate, of the structure, strategy, and culture of organizations (Schneider, 2007). Dahl (2014) alludes the existence of two entities in any particular individual: the actual you and the work you. Each of this personalities exudes distinct traits that can be successfully differentiated (Awadh & Ismail, 2012). However, not all studies support the correlation between personality and work performance. About five hierarchical personality traits termed â€Å"big five† are widely recognized; introversion, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, neuroticism and conscientiousness (Wayne Musisca & Fleeson, 2004). Personality is believed to be inherent in an individual. Moreover, it is inferred that certain personalities are more preferable in certain work types. This assertion creates the possibility of persons feigning personalities contrary to their nature when situations require it. This paper discusses studies on the influence of personality on work and performance. Personality has a significant influence on an individual’s environmental preference and is a determinant of the roles they ascribe to. Personality influences an individual’s interactions and activities (Awadh & Ismail, 2012).At work, organizational culture dictates how a person fits into the organization and their overall output. Moreover, the culture will substantially influence personality and behavior. Conscientiousness and Neuroticism, are associated with a workers performance (Woods et al., 2013). People with higher conscientiousness are portrayed to be more achievement oriented with a greater commitment to

Equity and Debt Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Malay Speech Corpus

Malay Speech Corpus CHAPTER 3 MALAY SPEECH CORPUS 3.1 Introduction The knowledge related to the structure of the rules and grammar for any language must be understood in depth prior to the development of any Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems. This chapter is intended to discuss the related issues concerning the Malay language and its speech sounds.   The Malay corpus and the test collections used for this study are also presented in the following sections. 3.2Malay Speech Sounds and Language Rules Malay is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra and also known locally as Bahasa Melayu. It is the official language of Malaysia and is an agglutinative language, meaning that the meaning of the word can be changed by adding the necessary prefixes or suffixes that will be explained through out of this section. The smallest unit in any language is known as phoneme.   The substitution of this unit for another might make a distinction of meaning (Nong et al. 2001).   Integrating the phonemes produces the syllable and words.   Generally, phoneme classification for Malay language is divided into three major groups that consist of Vowels (V), Consonants (C) and other miscellaneous (Manaf Hamid 1996).   This structure is relatively same with the English language as shown in Figure 3.1 (Karim 1996). The vowel class comprises of six vowels that is: /a/, //, /i/, /o/, /u/ and /e/.   The vowel sound is produced when the air exit from the lunges and mouth without ant noise. The second category, which is consonant class, can be further divided into seven different categories that is the stops or plosive group, affricates, nasals, glides, liquids, fricatives and the semivowel.   The sounds from consonants are produced by air from lungs and consist of noise.   The noise is generated in mouth and nose, for instance, phoneme /p/and /b/.   Figure 3.2 describe the consonant utterances classification for the Malay language. The last category, miscellaneous category, consists of the diphthong and vowel functions.   Vowel function is a combination of two different vowel (ia, io and iu) and most often used in words absorbed directly from its English equivalent such as radio and audio, and in some original Malay words such as nyiur (coconut), hias (decorate) (Hussain, 1997). 3.2.1Malay morphology Malay morphology is defined as study of word structures in Malay language (Lutfi Abas, 1971). A morpheme is the term used in the morphology. A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit in a language. In another words, morpheme is a combination of phonemes into a meaningful unit. A Malay word can be comprised of one or more morphemes. When we talk about Malay morphology, we cannot avoid from discussing the process of word formation in Malay language. It is a language of derivative which allows the addition of affixes to the base/root or primary word to form new words. The language itself is different from the English. In English language, the process involves the changes in the phonemes according to their groups. The processes of word formation in Malay language are in the forms of primary words, derivative words, compound words and reduplicative words. 3.2.1.1Primary word Primary or root words are either nouns or verbs, which is does not take any affixes or reduplication. A primary word can be comprised of one or more syllables. A syllable consists of a vowel (V) or a vowel with a consonant (C) or a vowel with several consonants. The vowel can be presented at the front or back of the consonants. In Malay language, primary word with one syllable accounts for about 500 only (Nik Safiah Karim et al. 1995). Some of the primary words are taken from other languages such as English and Arabic. The structures of the syllable are shown in Table 3.1. Primary words with two syllables are the majority in the Malay language. The structures of the words are shown in Table 3.2 with example of words that illustrated as in Figure 3.3. Primary words with three and more syllables exist in a few numbers. Most of them are taken from other languages as shown in Table 3.3. Table 3.1:   Structure of words with one syllable Syllable Structure Example of word CV Ya (yes) VC Am (common) CVC Sen (cent) CCVC Stor (store) CVCC Bank (bank) CCCV Skru (screw) CCCVC Skrip (script) Table 3.2:   Structure of words with two syllables Syllable Structure Example of word V + CV Ibu (mother) V + VC Air (water) V + CVC Ikan (fish) VC + CV Erti (meaning) VC + CVC Empat (four) CV + V Doa (pray) CV + VC Diam (silent) CV + CV Guru (teacher) CV + CVC Telur (egg) CVC + CV Lampu (lamp) CVC + CVC Jemput (invite) E R + T I V C + C V J E M + P U T C V C + C V C C Consonant V Vowel Table 3.3:   Structure of words with three syllables or more Syllable Structure Example of word CV + V + CV Siapa (who) CV + V + CVC Siasat (investigate) V + CV + V Usia (age) CV + CV + V Semua (all) CV + CV + VC Haluan (direction) CVC + CV + VC Berlian (diamond) V + CV + CV Utara (north) VC + CV + CV Isteri (wife) CV + CV + CV Budaya (culture) CVC + CVC + CV Sempurna (perfect) CVC + CV + CVC Matlamat (aim) CV + CV + VC + CV Keluarga (family) CV + CVC + CV + CV Peristiwa (event) CV + CV + V + CVC Mesyuarat (meeting) CV + CV + CV + CVC Munasabah (reasonable) V + CV + CVC + CV + CV Universiti (University) 3.2.1.2Derivative word Derivative words are the words that are formed by adding affixes to the primary words. The affixes can exist at the initial (Prefixes), within (Infixes) or final (Suffixes) of the words. They can also exist at the initial and final of the words at the same time. These kinds of affixes are called confixes. Examples of derivative words are â€Å"berjalan† (walking), â€Å"mempunyai† (having), â€Å"pakaian† (clothes) and so on. 3.2.1.3 Compound word Compound words are the words that are combined from two individual primary words, which carry certain meanings. There are quite lots of compound words in Malay language. Examples of compound words are â€Å"alat tulis† (stationery), â€Å"jalan raya† (road), â€Å"kapal terbang† (aeroplane), â€Å"Profesor Madya† (associate professor), â€Å"hak milik† (ownership), â€Å"pita suara† (vocal folds) and so on. Some of the Malay idioms are from the compound words such as â€Å"kaki ayam† (bare feet), â€Å"buah hati† (gift), â€Å"berat tangan† (lazy), â€Å"terima kasih† (thank you) and so on. 3.2.1.4 Reduplicative word Reduplicative words, as its name suggests, are the words that are reduplicated from the primary words. There are three forms of reduplication in Malay language: full, partial and rhythmic. Examples of reduplicative words are â€Å"mata-mata† (policeman), â€Å"sama-sama† (welcomed) and so on. 3.3Malay Speech Corpus Design Malay speech design basically involves the proper selection of speech target sounds for speech recognition.   The Malay phonemes can be analyzed according to the descriptive analysis and distinctive feature analysis.   Generally, the descriptive analysis is preferred over the distinctive feature analysis because it is easier to be implemented. To develop a baseline system for spoken Malay utterances or word model, we need database for isolated spoken Malay words.   However, very little of the literature and reference material in Malay is available in raw electronic form to support research and development work. These materials are sometimes not suitable for the real life speech recognition system due to their setting environments and most of these materials are recorded the planned or read text.Since no spoken Malay database exists, we develop the Malay corpus based on Hansard documents from Parliament of Malaysia. The hansard documents consists of Dewan Rakyat(DR)Parliamentary debates session for the year 2008.   It contains spontaneous and formally speeches and it is the daily records of the words spoken by 222 elected members of DR. The hansard documents comprises of 51 huge raw video and audio files (.avi form) of daily recorded parliamentary session and 42 text files (.pdf form). Each part of parliamentary session contains six to eight hours spoken speeches that surrounded with medium noise condition or environment (less than 30 dB), speakers interruption (Malay, Chinese and Indian) and different speaking styles (low, medium and high intonation or shouting).   The reason of chosen this kind of data is due to their spontaneous and natural way of speaking in a formal or standard Malay speech during the debates session. The analysis has been done to the whole recorded session from mid-term until the end 2008 of hansard documents. Out of 42 text documents and 51 video files, only 22 text documents and 22 video files were being selected due to their perfect matched in terms of the contents of video and audio source files. The remaining of the text documents and video files have not been chosen due to the missing of some text documents that could not be downloaded, some video files having corrupted during recording session and some of the recorded video having missed sounds.   This study focused and concerned to the video that have audio sounds since it will be used to develop the Malay corpus and to evaluate the performance of isolated spoken Malay speech recognition system. The quantitative information analysis, about the videos and text documents being selected is given in Table 3.4. Table 3.4: Quantitative information of Hansard documents selected. No. Video Text Documents No. of Topic No. of Speakers Total Words 1. DR28052008 (MEI) 11 129 40,283 2. DR29052008 (MEI) 15 114 39,612 3. DR24062008 (JUNE) 13 154 49,212 4. DR25062008 (JUNE) 10 118 38,053 5. DR30062008 (JUNE) 10 175 58,013 6. DR02072008 (JULY) 14 187 67,906 7. DR03072008 (JULY) 12 120 48,411 8. DR07072008 (JULY) 16 210 72,890 9. DR10072008 (JULY) 13 132 42,350 10. DR28082008 (AUGUST) 10 123 40,780 11. DR03112008 (NOVEMBER) 17 232 78,750 12. DR04112008 (NOVEMBER) 11 136 43,440 13. DR10112008 (NOVEMBER) 10 105 39,560 14. DR20112008 (NOVEMBER) 16 109 42,795 15. DR26112008 (NOVEMBER) 10 186 38,880 16. DR27112008 (NOVEMBER) 10 147 41,450 17. DR01122008 (DECEMBER) 7 118 38,430 18. DR02122008 (DECEMBER) 9 176 56,815 19. DR03122008 (DECEMBER) 12 152 48,616 20. DR04122008 (DECEMBER) 11 192 56,780 21. DR10122008 (DECEMBER) 6 130 38,677 22. DR11122008 (DECEMBER) 10 143 52,369 TOTAL The process of documents analysis shows that the majority of the Malay words are comprised of primary word with two syllables and mono (one) syllables. Among the Malay words, the syllables structure of VC, CV and CVC are the most common.   These structures are preferred because they are easy to be pronounced exactly as its written and their number is quite substantial in the hansard documents. In order to get a good distribution of consonants and vowels for the dataset from the hansard documents, the most frequently primary (root or base) words spoken by speakers during Parliamentary debates are used. As mentioned previously, most of the root words are the primary words that are either in nouns or verbs without adding any derivations (affixes and suffixes) or reduplication to the root words. Thus, from the text documents analysis, we determined 100 primaries words that mostly spoken by the committee members during the debates that consist of 10 primary words of one syllable, four p rimary words from three or more syllables structures and 86 primary words that form two syllables structures as depicted in Table 3.5. The details quantitative analysis of each words distribution is represented in Appendix A. Each primary word has maximum number of 50 repetitions that uttered by same or different speakers. Thus, there are a total of 5000 isolated spoken Malay words used for this research. The challenging task is to capturing and segmenting the exact words being uttered accordingly to the audio sounds in the video files. The process of creating isolated spoken Malay corpus is illustrated as in Figure 3.4 and briefly explained in the following sections. Table 3.2: Selection of 100 isolated spoken Malay words as the speech target sounds. No. Words Structures No. Words Structures 1 ADA V + CV 51 LAGI CV + CV 2 AHLI VC + CV 52 LAIN CV + VC 3 AKAN V + CVC 53 LAMA CV + CV 4 AKTA VC + CV 54 LANGKAH CVCC + CVC 5 ARAH V + CVC 55 LEBIH CV + CVC 6 ATAS V + CVC 56 MAKLUM CVC + CVC 7 ATAU V + CVV 57 MANA CV + CV 8 BAGI CV + CV 58 MASA CV + CV 9 BAIK CV + VC 59 MASIH CV + CVC 10 BAKAL CV + CVC 60 MESTI CVC + CV 11 BANK CVCC 61 MUNGKIN CVCC + CVC 12 BARU CV + CV 62 NANTI CVC + CV 13 BEKAS CV + CVC 63 OLEH V + CVC 14 BERI CV + CV 64 ORANG V + CVCC 15 BINCANG CVC + CVCC 65 PADA CV + CV 16 BOLEH CV + CVC 66 PIHAK CV + CVC 17 BUAT CV + VC 67 PRINSIP CCVC + CVC 18 BUKAN CV + CVC 68 PULA CV + CV 19 DALAM CV + CVC 69 PUN CVC 20 DAN CVC 70 RAMAI CV + CVV 21 DASAR CV + CVC 71 RIBU CV + CV 22 DATANG CV + CVCC 72 RUJUK CV + CVC 23 DENGAN CV + CCVC 73 SAH CVC 24 DIA CVV 74 SAMA CV + CV 25 EKONOMI V + CV + CV + CV 75 SANGAT CV + CCVC 26 ESOK V + CVC 76 SAYA CV + CV 27 HADIR CV + CVC 77 SEBAB CV + CVC 28 HAK CVC 78 SEBUT CV + CVC 29 HAL CVC 79 SEDANG CV + CVCC 30 HARI CV + CV 80 SEDIA CV + CVV 31 HENDAK CVC + CVC 81 SUDAH CV + CVC 32 IAITU VV + V + CV 82 SUSAH CV + CVC 33 IALAH VV + CVC 83 TADI CV + CV 34 INGAT VC + CVC 84 TAHU CV + CV 35 INGIN VC + CVC 85 TAHUN CV + CVC 36 INI V + CV 86 TIDAK CV + CVC 37 ISU V + CV 87 TANYA CV + CCV 38 ITU V + CV 88 TELAH CV + CVC 39 IZIN V + CVC 89 TENTANG CVC + CVCC 40 JADI CV + CV 90 TERIMA CV + CV + CV 41 JANGAN CV + CCVC 91 TIDAK CV + CVC 42 JAWAB CV + CVC 92 TIPU CV + CV 43 JUGA CV + CV 93 TUAN CV + VC 44 JUTA CV + CV 94