Psychology in Modern Hostage Negotiation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2779 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Abstract The position of this paper is that psychologists have a role of mental health consultation and bigger consultation role at the situation of the hostage. Over the past few decades, there has been a record of increased hostage incidents involving perpetrators with a variety of motives which include economic and political. According to this paper, psychological knowledge has proven to be of great value considering the way one is supposed to deal with the subject of hostage negotiations. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Psychology in Modern Hostage Negotiation" essay for you Create order This article explain that psychological knowledge also helps to guide the negotiator on the steps that should be undertaken in order to negotiate with hostage takers and the required steps to go about the negotiation. The incident of hostage can be referred to a case where a perpetrator holds one or more individuals against their desires in places known to police. Around 25 years ago, policies of hostage or crisis negotiations were developed and they are being used continuously in field application. According to this article, there are less than 25% incidents that have been resolved and nobody is killed in cases of law enforcement on serious incidents. This article also explains that the negotiators ought to be in a position to direct the subjects who will express their perspectives into stating clearly the idea of their doubts and difficulties and speaking up their requests and demands to make work easier for the law enforcers to address them. In the United States the negotiator mus t be able to withstand any form of deployment that is extended to complex as well as demanding situations and incidences. The position of this article is therefore, clear that the psychological principles have enabled the police to employ active techniques for listening, maintain an approach that is open minded as well as create a rapport that can influence the counterparts of an individual. Introduction Involvement of psychologists in the police department has increased significantly over the past two decades. This is considering the fact that psychology plays a very important in cases of the hostage in matters of negotiation. Development of psychological negotiation strategies is a key factor that should be considered in regard to the dynamic nature of hostage incidents that have been happening in the world in the past three decades. Understanding motivation and goals of the situation must be put into consideration before developing the required negotiation strategies. Taking a little bit some time is also important in order to give space for the highly emotional states and give time for informed decisions on how to intervene the strategies. This also allows the security departments to obtain adequate resources, and give chance on gathering any background information on the matter. In this case, the most important point is allowing the relationship between the hostage-takers time t o develop. Therefore, development of negotiation strategies in cases of hostage and crisis is very important to the negotiator as the way of protecting the captives. The psychological knowledge has proven to be of great value considering the way one is supposed to deal with the subject of hostage negotiations. It has also been discovered that those individuals who are specialized in these areas are gaining rapid acceptance in most of the hostage cases. Therefore, the role played by the psychologist in hostage negotiation is very clear to all individuals. Researchers have defined that the crucial role of the psychologists is balancing the mental status of the hostage-takers and the best direction to address them in order to ensure that the mission of protecting the hostages is successful Strentz, (2011). However, it is important to understand that there has been no universal agreement between mental health specialists on the importance of consulting the hostage-taker. Their doubts have been considering the fact that psychologists dont have a lot of experience compared to anybody else in situations of hostage and it might be a way of confusion if t hey can be trusted when they claim that hostage negotiation is part of their profession. Moreover, they claim that the role of psychologists in cases of hostage have been ignored despite the fact that there has been the continued training of negotiators more especially in New York. Though it is of great significance to understand that the role psychology is mainly to make the police understand the personalities of the hostage-takers which is very important in cases of hostage and crisis intervention. The position of this paper is that psychologists have a role of mental health consultation and bigger consultation role at the situation of the hostage. According to research, the psychological knowledge not only helps at the time of hostage incident but also they have enough knowledge that can be used to train negotiators in order to deal with cases of hostage and crisis intervention. In addition, it is important to understand that negotiating with hostage takers is all about psychology and those who are in most cases successful in the process are psychologists who are very experienced Lynch, (2012). Considering the scenario of a typical hostage, lives of the captives are at pending chances of violent death at the hands of the hostage taker which normally takes place in the uncontrolled environment. Situations of hostage can take hours, days or weeks of intense negotiation and these cases require skilled negotiators in order to save the captives from the hands of the hostage-takers hence psychology will be great role when considering such situations. In fact, according to studies and records, it is very clear that negotiation yield 90% success in resolving hostage crisis without any one among the hostages being injured by the hostage takers and this is a remarkable condition considering life-saving intervention of crisis strategy. Psychological knowledge also helps to guide the negotiator on the steps that should be undertaken in order to negotiate with hostage takers and the required steps to go about the negotiation. This steps include reducing background distractions to ensure clarity of the communication, introducing yourself clearly and tell them the reason why you are calling, address them using sir or madam since in most cases you will not be aware of their names and most important monitor your tone to set a mature conversation between yourself and them. This is very important in hostage situations since the main goal of hostage negotiation is to maintain verbal strategies and utilize time in order to control the emotions of the hostage takers and make ensure that there is increased rationality. The intention is to make sure the hostages are saved without any injuries and if possible the hostage takers are arrested in a non-violent way, this situation will only work if psychological knowledge is applied in such cases. According to the studies that have been conducted, it is clear that negotiation is among the best channels that can be used to resolve hostage. Research has confirmed that less than 5% such cases will result in death if there if good negotiation skills are employed. Since negotiation relies on the knowledge of psychology, therefore, psychology is very important in modern hostage negotiation. According to Miller (2005), there are less than 25% incidents that have been resolved and nobody is killed in cases of law enforcement on serious incidents. This condition has been improved with good negotiation strategies Miller (2005). Although every hostage situation appears different, they all have general similarities on how they are carried out and reasons of the practice. In some cases, hostage takers will uses hostages to attempt robbery and sometimes it is impossible for them to get away without the assurance of the hostages. Sometimes if law enforcement acts lethal towards such cases, the robbers might decide to kill the hostages before they are caught or before they kill themselves. Therefore, psychological knowledge will be very important in dealing with such situation to ensure that hostages lives are saved and if possible the hostage takers are arrested in a non-violent manner. Consequently, the psychological knowledge on hostage negotiation has been used for quite some period of time and there is a positive response in regard to its use. Considering such cases it is, therefore, important to ensure that more negotiator is trained with psychological knowledge since there are many cases of the hostage that are being experienced every day. The knowledge is also used in order to prolong the negotiation so as to give the chance of other tactical options to be used. On the other side, it is important to note that in most cases the negotiators are used to buy time for alternative options to be considered and this has been regarded to be very important considering a number of such cases. For hostage negotiations to take place modern psychology must be applied. A psychological study conducted by Greenstone in 2013 revealed that, in any hostage situation, the lives of people are at a violent risk of death due to a homicidal, cold blooded, suicidal or even a depressed, drug controlled hostage taker. This happens in a chaotic family or a work place environment that is uncontrolled. As per Greenstone (2013), resolving the hostage situations and crises often take a lot of hours or even multiple days of intense negotiations and need the psychological principles to enable skilled communication. Notably, the use of the principles of modern psychology has changed the manner in which the police negotiate in hostage situations in various ways. First, it has enabled the police negotiator to work hand in hand with the individual involved in the crisis or the hostage situation towards a solution that is peaceful, and that which was viewed as impossible previously. This implies that psychological principles have enhanced the reconciliation of a counterpart issues with an aim of maintaining peace for a whole community. Secondly, the psychological principles have enabled the police to employ active techniques for listening, maintain an approach that is open minded as well as create a rapport that can influence the counterparts of an individual. The principles have also changed the manner in which police negotiate to putting a lot of determination on the nature of the dynamic activities, negotiation skills and communication tools to use for the response of the hostage situations. By practicing this, a rapport and trust is built by the police negotiators with the takers of the hostages thus enabling the police negotiators to put together a lot of information that is useful concerning the hostage takers (Greenstone, 2013). This information gathered will, in turn, enable the determination of appropriate decision methods, communication, and negotiations. Apart from that, through the use of modern psychological principles, the police negotiators have come up with important skills of negotiations to be use d in the hostage situations. These skills include the motto that says ‘talk to me’ to emphasize the essence of communication as an essential technique in the police negotiation in hostage situations. This creates a rapport to help the situation. The second skill is patience which aids in limiting the police negotiator from rushing to conclusions as well as jumping into resolutions. There is also the active listening that employs both the effective as well as the affective skills to build trust with the police negotiators and the negotiating counterparts and establish rapports. With the use of modern psychological principles, police negotiations changed to being respectful to enable the counterpart feel that the negotiator is there to listen and address her concerns (Greenstone, 2013).   Despite that, the police negotiations have adapted to being calm, a technique that is so quick to master by the hostage negotiator. By use of an understanding, calm or even a respectful tone, the subject realizes that an alternative way exists. Self-awareness is also a skill that enables the police negotiators to create and up bring a healthy relationship with a person he or she has never met while maintaining a strategic communication that its nature is purposeful. Lastly, in matters relating to the adaptability of the police negotiator, police negotiator adapts to the varyin g circumstances and reacts to those circumstances accordingly. The respond should not only ensure that the trustworthy relationship built with the negotiating counterparts is preserved but also bring the negotiating goals closer to them. Generally, on the arrival of the negotiators at a scene of a crisis so as to begin the negotiations, they have to put in mind that the subject is in the middle of an internal turmoil that is considerable (McMains Mullins, 2014). In order to get rid of the crisis, the negotiators should first appreciate the aspects that might have brought the situation. Among the practical psychologist, the most skilled are the crisis negotiators who have had a successful trend. A negotiator has to enforce the law by creating a conversation with the suicidal people, the takers of the hostages and any other individual who is barricaded. These psychologists have a role of participating in training, development and personnel selection as well as operational assistance in the course of a crisis intervention. They also monitor the progress of negotiation and memory of the people at the hostage situation. The negotiators put into use the primary technique of negotiation. This technique depends on the issues constructing and affecting the hostage resolutions for negotiation. (Spence Millott, 2016). In addition, the negotiators put emphasis on the criminal as well as on the behavioral of the hostage takers who are involved in the scenes so as to decide if they can be taken as expressive or rather instruments. A negotiator fits in the field of crisis intervention within the United States in the following ways. First, the negotiator must be able to withstand any form of deployment that is extended to complex as well as demanding situations and incidences. This is a specification training that is challenging, however, the public and even the service administrators in the United States, expect that the trained and the deployed negotiators are useful and purposefully fit. They, therefore, provide negotiators who have the skills necessary to eventually minimize serious injuries, life loses and be successful. This is the fulfillment of their primary objective that is to preserve life. The other aspects such as subject confinement and arrest are important secondarily. (Spence Millott, 2016). Secondly, to fit in the field of crisis intervention in the United States, the negotiator must be of a high standard with developed skills after going through training. Apart from that, the negotiator needs to be able to integrate in order to deliver of their skills and their knowledge as well especially in critical outcomes where the environments require pre-evidencing. This is reinforced particularly by the amount of money and time I invested in training including the consequences of the unexpected and poor performance. On the other hand, the negotiator should be able to determine and implement the decision making and negotiation strategies in a different manner depending on the nature of the situation they are dealing with. This is in order to be able to fit in the crisis intervention in the states. The situation of the hostages can be expressive or even instrumental (McMains Mullins, 2014). Furthermore, the negotiators ought to be in a position to direct the subjects who will express their perspectives into stating clearly the idea of their doubts and difficulties and speaking up their requests and demands to make work easier for the law enforcers to address them. Also, they have to adopt a technique in negotiation that is designed to elicit information and provide a skill that can be useful in helping the communicative subjects sort out the doubts and their scattered feelings and thoughts as well. The negotiators ought to be in a position to use an active skill of listening to alter the negotiat ion tone. To employ the listening skills in a successful manner, it is mandatory for the negotiator to understand the situation at hand first. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is clear that modern psychology should be applied in every hostage negotiations. The psychological principles are important, as they have enabled the police to employ active techniques for listening, maintain an approach that is open minded as well as create a rapport that can influence the counterparts of an individual. It has also enabled the police negotiator to work hand in hand with the individual involved in the crisis or the hostage situation towards a solution that is peaceful. Additionally, the use of the principles has enabled the police negotiators have come up with important skills of negotiations to be used in the hostage situations. It is also clear that, for a negotiator to fit in the field of crisis intervention, he/she must be highly skilled, able to withstand any form of deployment and lastly, should be able to determine and implement the decision making and negotiation strategies.

Family and Household Essay - 973 Words

Family and Household nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The word family comes from the Latin word familia which means household. This seems to be fitting since they both seem synonymous. In the dictionary the definition of family is a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head or a group of persons of common ancestry. The definition of household is those who dwell under the same roof and compose a family or a social unit comprised of those living together in the same dwelling. Even the definitions are very similar, yet they have come to mean two very different things in our modern day world. As time evolves so does the clarity of what makes up a family and the function of family and household are.†¦show more content†¦nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the Dada tribe they live by a patri-local custom of always living with the husbands family. Although this custom sometimes causes problems between the woman and their in-laws it is still a practice that they maintain because having the m en move away would threaten the economics of their community and their well-being (Abrams amp; Bishop 1994: â€Å"Family and Householdâ€Å"). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the Asante tribe they are also patri-local, in the sense that the new wives must move and live with their husbands family but in their customs all inheritance is through the mother and they also practice polygamy so the fathers are often not involved with the complete well-being of their children. Because of this many mothers set up their own individual household and create work for themselves in order to earn something to give to their children (Abrams amp; Bishop 1994:†Family and Household†). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Both of the above examples provide examples of how family means different things but mostly because their culture has different needs than that of another. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The term household and how it relates to each culture is a little harder to define. In America household usually means the nuclear family and where they reside. Household is very independent and for the most part, does notShow MoreRelatedas family and household2649 Words   |  11 PagesIf the family exists (as Murdock says it does universally), then it must be performing some function(s) or fulfilling some purpose(s). A number of functionalist sociologists have presented accounts of the way in which this happens. 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Aristotle wrote Politics intending to guide and influence rulers and statesmenRead MoreDomestic Violence Is The Violent Confrontation Within A Family Household1195 Words   |  5 PagesValentina Marmol Women’s Literature Ms. Bruno 6 June 2016 Domestic Violence Domestic violence is the violent confrontation within a family household including physical abuse or sexual assault. This assault usually occurs in former spouses or relationships. Approximately four million women have faced sexual assault from a significant other in our world today. Even though domestic violence is defined as the physical abuse inflicted by someone onto another individual, but it also relatesRead MoreA Study Of The Economic Forecasting Of New One Family Households1758 Words   |  8 PagesA STUDY OF THE ECONOMIC FORECASTING OF NEW ONE FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS SOLD IN THE US – AN ANALYSIS Context and Objective of the Analysis The US housing industry has witnessed a downward trend post 2005 due to deteriorating macroeconomic conditions in the United States. The steep decline in the last 5 years has led to investigations on the future of the industry and understands the way forward for the industry. The report answers the following questions: How long is the fall in the industry going toRead MoreExamine the Reasons for the Increase in Uk Family and Household Diversity in the Last 40 Years2165 Words   |  9 Pages. 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Digital Fortress Chapter 63-65 Free Essays

string(22) " he moved toward her\." Chapter 63 Becker’s newly purchased Vespa motorcycle struggled up the entry road to Aeropuerto de Sevilla. His knuckles had been white the whole way. His watch read just after 2:00 a. We will write a custom essay sample on Digital Fortress Chapter 63-65 or any similar topic only for you Order Now m. local time. As he approached the main terminal, he rode up on the sidewalk and jumped off the bike while it was still moving. It clattered to the pavement and sputtered to a stop. Becker dashed on rubbery legs through the revolving door. Never again, he swore to himself. The terminal was sterile and starkly lit. Except for a janitor buffing the floor, the place was deserted. Across the concourse, a ticket agent was closing down the Iberia Airlines counter. Becker took it as a bad sign. He ran over. â€Å"El vuelo a los Estados Unidos?† The attractive Andalusian woman behind the counter looked up and smiled apologetically. â€Å"Acaba de salir. You just missed it.† Her words hung in the air for a long moment. I missed it. Becker’s shoulders slumped. â€Å"Was there standby room on the flight?† â€Å"Plenty,† the woman smiled. â€Å"Almost empty. But tomorrow’s eight a.m. also has-â€Å" â€Å"I need to know if a friend of mine made that flight. She was flying standby.† The woman frowned. â€Å"I’m sorry, sir. There were several standby passengers tonight, but our privacy clause states-â€Å" â€Å"It’s very important,† Becker urged. â€Å"I just need to know if she made the flight. That’s all.† The woman gave a sympathetic nod. â€Å"Lovers’ quarrel?† Becker thought a moment. Then he gave her a sheepish grin. â€Å"It’s that obvious?† She gave him a wink. â€Å"What’s her name?† â€Å"Megan,† he replied sadly. The agent smiled. â€Å"Does your lady friend have a last name?† Becker exhaled slowly. Yes, but I don’t know it!† Actually, it’s kind of a complicated situation. You said the plane was almost empty. Maybe you could-â€Å" â€Å"Without a last name I really can’t†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Actually,† Becker interrupted, having another idea. â€Å"Have you been on all night?† The woman nodded. â€Å"Seven to seven.† â€Å"Then maybe you saw her. She’s a young girl. Maybe fifteen or sixteen? Her hair was-† Before the words left his mouth, Becker realized his mistake. The agent’s eyes narrowed. â€Å"Your lover is fifteen years old?† â€Å"No!† Becker gasped. â€Å"I mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Shit. â€Å"If you could just help me, it’s very important.† â€Å"I’m sorry,† the woman said coldly. â€Å"It’s not the way it sounds. If you could just-â€Å" â€Å"Good night, sir.† The woman yanked the metal grate down over the counter and disappeared into a back room. Becker groaned and stared skyward. Smooth, David. Very smooth. He scanned the open concourse. Nothing. She must have sold the ring and made the flight. He headed for the custodian. â€Å"Has visto a una nina?† he called over the sound of the tile buffer. â€Å"Have you seen a girl?† The old man reached down and killed the machine. â€Å"Eh?† â€Å"Una nina?† Becker repeated. â€Å"Pelo rojo, azul, y blanco. Red white and blue hair.† The custodian laughed. â€Å"Que fea. Sounds ugly.† He shook his head and went back to work. David Becker stood in the middle of the deserted airport concourse and wondered what to do next. The evening had been a comedy of errors. Strathmore’s words pounded in his head: Don’t call until you have the ring. A profound exhaustion settled over him. If Megan sold the ring and made the flight, there was no telling who had the ring now. Becker closed his eyes and tried to focus. What’s my next move? He decided to consider it in a moment. First, he needed to make a long-overdue trip to a rest room. Chapter 64 Susan stood alone in the dimly lit silence of Node 3. The task at hand was simple: Access Hale’s terminal, locate his key, and then delete all of his communication with Tankado. There could be no hint of Digital Fortress anywhere. Susan’s initial fears of saving the key and unlocking Digital Fortress were nagging at her again. She felt uneasy tempting fate; they’d been lucky so far. North Dakota had miraculously appeared right under their noses and been trapped. The only remaining question was David; he had to find the other pass-key. Susan hoped he was making progress. As she made her way deeper into Node 3, Susan tried to clear her mind. It was odd that she felt uneasy in such a familiar space. Everything in Node 3 seemed foreign in the dark. But there was something else. Susan felt a momentary hesitation and glanced back at the inoperable doors. There was no escape. Twenty minutes, she thought. As she turned toward Hale’s terminal, she noticed a strange, musky odor-it was definitely not a Node 3 smell. She wondered if maybe the deionizer was malfunctioning. The smell was vaguely familiar, and with it came an unsettling chill. She pictured Hale locked below in his enormous steaming cell. Did he set something on fire? She looked up at the vents and sniffed. But the odor seemed to be coming from nearby. Susan glanced toward the latticed doors of the kitchenette. And in an instant she recognized the smell. It was cologne†¦ and sweat. She recoiled instinctively, not prepared for what she saw. From behind the lattice slats of the kitchenette, two eyes stared out at her. It only took an instant for the horrifying truth to hit her. Greg Hale was not locked on the sublevels-he was in Node 3! He’d slipped upstairs before Strathmore closed the trapdoor. He’d been strong enough to open the doors all by himself. Susan had once heard that raw terror was paralyzing-she now knew that was a myth. In the same instant her brain grasped what was happening, she was in motion-stumbling backward through the dark with a single thought in mind: escape. The crash behind her was instantaneous. Hale had been sitting silently on the stove and extended his legs like two battering rams. The doors exploded off their hinges. Hale launched himself into the room and thundered after her with powerful strides. Susan knocked over a lamp behind her, attempting to trip Hale as he moved toward her. You read "Digital Fortress Chapter 63-65" in category "Essay examples" She sensed him vault it effortlessly. Hale was gaining quickly. When his right arm circled her waist from behind, it felt like she’d hit a steel bar. She gasped in pain as the wind went out of her. His biceps flexed against her rib cage. Susan resisted and began twisting wildly. Somehow her elbow struck cartilage. Hale released his grip, his hands clutching his nose. He fell to his knees, hands cupped over his face. â€Å"Son of a-† He screamed in pain. Susan dashed onto the door’s pressure plates saying a fruitless prayer that Strathmore would in that instant restore power and the doors would spring open. Instead, she found herself pounding against the glass. Hale lumbered toward her, his nose covered with blood. In an instant, his hands were around her again-one of them clamped firmly on her left breast and the other on her midsection. He yanked her away from the door. She screamed, her hand outstretched in futile attempt to stop him. He pulled her backward, his belt buckle digging into her spine. Susan couldn’t believe his strength. He dragged her back across the carpet, and her shoes came off. In one fluid motion, Hale lifted her and dumped her on the floor next to his terminal. Susan was suddenly on her back, her skirt bunched high on her hips. The top button of her blouse had released, and her chest was heaving in the bluish light. She stared up in terror as Hale straddled her, pinning her down. She couldn’t decipher the look in his eyes. It looked like fear. Or was it anger? His eyes bore into her body. She felt a new wave of panic. Hale sat firmly on her midsection, staring down at her with an icy glare. Everything Susan had ever learned about self-defense was suddenly racing through her mind. She tried to fight, but her body did not respond. She was numb. She closed her eyes. Oh, please, God. No! Chapter 65 Brinkerhoff paced Midge’s office. â€Å"Nobody bypasses Gauntlet. It’s impossible!† â€Å"Wrong,† she fired back. â€Å"I just talked to Jabba. He said he installed a bypass switch last year.† The PA looked doubtful. â€Å"I never heard that.† â€Å"Nobody did. It was hush-hush.† â€Å"Midge,† Brinkerhoff argued, â€Å"Jabba’s compulsive about security! He would never put in a switch to bypass-â€Å" â€Å"Strathmore made him do it,† she interrupted. Brinkerhoff could almost hear her mind clicking. â€Å"Remember last year,† she asked, â€Å"when Strathmore was working on that anti-Semitic terrorist ring in California?† Brinkerhoff nodded. It had been one of Strathmore’s major coups last year. Using TRANSLTR to decrypt an intercepted code, he had uncovered a plot to bomb a Hebrew school in Los Angeles. He decrypted the terrorist’s message only twelve minutes before the bomb went off, and using some fast phone work, he saved three hundred schoolchildren. â€Å"Get this,† Midge said, lowering her voice unnecessarily. â€Å"Jabba said Strathmore intercepted that terrorist code six hours before that bomb went off.† Brinkerhoff’s jaw dropped. â€Å"But†¦ then why did he wait-â€Å" â€Å"Because he couldn’t get TRANSLTR to decrypt the file. He tried, but Gauntlet kept rejecting it. It was encrypted with some new public key algorithm that the filters hadn’t seen yet. It took Jabba almost six hours to adjust them.† Brinkerhoff looked stunned. â€Å"Strathmore was furious. He made Jabba install a bypass switch in Gauntlet in case it ever happened again.† â€Å"Jesus.† Brinkerhoff whistled. â€Å"I had no idea.† Then his eyes narrowed. â€Å"So what’s your point?† â€Å"I think Strathmore used the switch today†¦ to process a file that Gauntlet rejected.† â€Å"So? That’s what the switch is for, right?† Midge shook her head. â€Å"Not if the file in question is a virus.† Brinkerhoff jumped. â€Å"A virus? Who said anything about a virus!† â€Å"It’s the only explanation,† she said. â€Å"Jabba said a virus is the only thing that could keep TRANSLTR running this long, so-â€Å" â€Å"Wait a minute!† Brinkerhoff flashed her the time-out sign. â€Å"Strathmore said everything’s fine!† â€Å"He’s lying.† Brinkerhoff was lost. â€Å"You’re saying Strathmore intentionally let a virus into TRANSLTR?† â€Å"No,† she snapped. â€Å"I don’t think he knew it was a virus. I think he was tricked.† Brinkerhoff was speechless. Midge Milken was definitely losing it. â€Å"It explains a lot,† she insisted. â€Å"It explains what he’s been doing in there all night.† â€Å"Planting viruses in his own computer?† â€Å"No,† she said, annoyed. â€Å"Trying to cover up his mistake! And now he can’t abort TRANSLTR and get aux power back because the virus has the processors locked down!† Brinkerhoff rolled his eyes. Midge had gone nuts in the past, but never like this. He tried to calm her. â€Å"Jabba doesn’t seem to be too worried.† â€Å"Jabba’s a fool,† she hissed. Brinkerhoff looked surprised. Nobody had ever called Jabba a fool-a pig maybe, but never a fool. â€Å"You’re trusting feminine intuition over Jabba’s advanced degrees in anti-invasive programming?† She eyed him harshly. Brinkerhoff held up his hands in surrender. â€Å"Never mind. I take it back.† He didn’t need to be reminded of Midge’s uncanny ability to sense disaster. â€Å"Midge,† he begged. â€Å"I know you hate Strathmore, but-â€Å" â€Å"This has nothing to do with Strathmore!† Midge was in overdrive. â€Å"The first thing we need to do is confirm Strathmore bypassed Gauntlet. Then we call the director.† â€Å"Great.† Brinkerhoff moaned. â€Å"I’ll call Strathmore and ask him to send us a signed statement.† â€Å"No,† she replied, ignoring his sarcasm. â€Å"Strathmore’s lied to us once already today.† She glanced up, her eyes probing his. â€Å"Do you have keys to Fontaine’s office? â€Å"Of course. I’m his PA.† â€Å"I need them.† Brinkerhoff stared in disbelief. â€Å"Midge, there’s no way in hell I’m letting you into Fontaine’s office.† â€Å"You have to!† she demanded. Midge turned and started typing on Big Brother’s keyboard. â€Å"I’m requesting a TRANSLTR queue list. If Strathmore manually bypassed Gauntlet, it’ll show up on the printout.† â€Å"What does that have to do with Fontaine’s office?† She spun and glared at him. â€Å"The queue list only prints to Fontaine’s printer. You know that!† â€Å"That’s because it’s classified, Midge!† â€Å"This is an emergency. I need to see that list.† Brinkerhoff put his hands on her shoulders. â€Å"Midge, please settle down. You know I can’t-â€Å" She huffed loudly and spun back to her keyboard. â€Å"I’m printing a queue list. I’m going to walk in, pick it up, and walk out. Now give me the key.† â€Å"Midge†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She finished typing and spun back to him. â€Å"Chad, the report prints in thirty seconds. Here’s the deal. You give me the key. If Strathmore bypassed, we call security. If I’m wrong, I leave, and you can go smear marmalade all over Carmen Huerta.† She gave him a malicious glare and held out her hands for the keys. â€Å"I’m waiting.† Brinkerhoff groaned, regretting that he had called her back to check the Crypto report. He eyed her outstretched hand. â€Å"You’re talking about classified information inside the director’s private quarters. Do you have any idea what would happen if we got caught?† â€Å"The director is in South America.† â€Å"I’m sorry. I just can’t.† Brinkerhoff crossed his arms and walked out. Midge stared after him, her gray eyes smoldering. â€Å"Oh, yes you can,† she whispered. Then she turned back to Big Brother and called up the video archives. Midge’ll get over it, Brinkerhoff told himself as he settled in at his desk and started going over the rest of his reports. He couldn’t be expected to hand out the director’s keys whenever Midge got paranoid. He had just begun checking the COMSEC breakdowns when his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices coming from the other room. He set down his work and walked to his doorway. The main suite was dark-all except a dim shaft of grayish light from Midge’s half-open door. He listened. The voices continued. They sounded excited. â€Å"Midge?† No response. He strode through the darkness to her workspace. The voices were vaguely familiar. He pushed the door open. The room was empty. Midge’s chair was empty. The sound was coming from overhead. Brinkerhoff looked up at the video monitors and instantly felt ill. The same image was playing on each one of the twelve screens-a kind of perversely choreographed ballet. Brinkerhoff steadied himself on the back of Midge’s chair and watched in horror. â€Å"Chad?† The voice was behind him. He spun and squinted into the darkness. Midge was standing kitty-corner across the main suite’s reception area in front of the director’s double doors. Her palm was outstretched. â€Å"The key, Chad.† Brinkerhoff flushed. He turned back to the monitors. He tried to block out the images overhead, but it was no use. He was everywhere, groaning with pleasure and eagerly fondling Carmen Huerta’s small, honey-covered breasts. How to cite Digital Fortress Chapter 63-65, Essay examples

Analysis Is an Important Part of Business †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: How To Analysis Is an Important Part of Business? Answer: Introduction This report basically discusses about the environmental analysis of famous company of the health sector named Blackmore limited. The objective of this report is to analyze the internal business environment of the company including external operating environment in the market. Blackmore Limited is the famous Australian company which is involved in the manufacturing of Vitamin supplements and the Dietary supplements. In the present time, the company is operating in many countries in all over the world. The company is involved in the production of vitamin supplements which are the main product of Blackmore Limited. The supplements products made by Blackmore are very popular among the customers of the Australia. In the healthcare sector, Blackmore is operating since last 80 years so, it is the oldest company in the industry producing vitamin and dietary supplement. The vitamin supplements are very famous and the company is the most trusted brand for the customers in the market. One of ke y factor of success the company is that prices of the products are not too high and they are affordable for everyone (Blackmore, 2013). It is well known that there is the strong competition in the healthcare sector. There are many competitors for the Blackmore Limited in the Australian market i.e. Swisse, Natures way and Cenovis Berocca etc which are in the good position and giving strong competition to the Blackmore. These companies also provide the vitamin and dietary supplements and popular among the customers. So, there is the need to do the effective analysis of the internal and external environment of the company to stay competitive in the Australian market. Along with this, the competitors are trying to achieve the first position in the healthcare industry. Based on a survey done in 2014, Blackmore is considered as the most trusted brand by the people of Australia. Now, company is targeted almost 76.5% of the total population in the Australian society. Along with this, company is also focusing any other countries i.e. Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and many other countries in the Asia specific reason (Ibis wo rld, 2016). External environment analysis There are some environmental factors which are not in control of the company. These environmental factors affect the performance of the company and its strategies. The factors also affect the decision making process of the company. Basically, the external environmental factors include all those factors which affect the company by the outside factors. These external factors affect the objectives, business model, direction and the strategy of the company in the operating market. The external environmental analysis of Blackmore Limited based on macro and micro analysis is described below (Lovelock, 2011). Marco Analysis PEST analysis Political Factor- There is the strong impact of government rules and policies on the business of Blackmore. The company operates in various countries and there are different rules and regulations in the countries. Those rules impact on the business of the company. There are some political factors such as exchange rates, political stability, inflation rate, unemployment rate, tax policies, and international trade regulations which affect business operations of the Blackmore Limited (Gilligan Hird, 2012). Economic Factor- GDP is the key factor which affects the economic and financial performance of the company in the international market. Another key factor is the inflation rate which has been increased over the last 7 years. The inflation rate is dramatically high due to the combination of various local and global factors. The Blackmore is affected by the inflation rates including high prices. Unemployment rate is relatively high in some countries because of high population rates. So, sometimes Blackmore has to face wrong distribution of working power in the labor market. Social Factor- The age-structure and education system also play an important role in the business of the Blackmore Limited. More educated people are able to understand the need of dietary and vitamin supplements in the regular life. Further, age structure and life expectancy improve the quality of the business of Blackmore (Casimir, 2009). Technological Factor- Having strong RD and advanced technology, Blackmore is able to gain competitive advantage in the market. Implementation of communication technologies in the business, Blackmore is able to reach each and every customer in the market. Blackmore is spending lots of amount in the RD department for effective business. Porters five forces Rivalry with the competitors- There is aggressive competition in the market of Australia. There is the strong competitor of Blackmore Limited i.e. Swisse Vitamins. Along with this, there is highly fragmented marketing having strong competition in which the product can be easily reformulated by the competitors. So, it can be said the rivalry of Blackmore with other companies is on high level. Threats of new entrants There are many restrictions for the new entrants in the market. There are barriers to enter which are restricted by the high requirements of CAPEX and various legal restrictions. In the current state, it is not easy for the companies to enter in the VDS market. So, the threats of the new entrants are relatively low in the market. Threats of substitute- There is the minimum threat related to the substitute products because customers always trust on concentrated nutrients which are lacking in their diets. Along with this, customers always trust on the old brands so the substitutes provided by the new companies are not so effective for the customers. Although there are many Chinese medicines available in the Australian market which can be the significant threat for the Blackmore Limited. But, it can be said that the threats of substitute is relatively low for the Blackmore Limited (Sullivan, 2012). Bargaining power of suppliers- The bargaining power of the suppliers is relatively low in the healthcare sector. Most of the inputs used by Blackmore Limited are not highly specialized and that is the reason the bargaining power of the suppliers remain weak in the company. The choices of the suppliers can be expanded by the expansion of the company into Asia Region. Bargaining power of buyers- Due to the launching of online sales of the products by the Blackmore limited, the company has got strong position in the market. Online sales are the only direct selling channels and by this, company is able to maintain good relationship with the major buyers in the market. Those buyers are important for the company because they generate more than half of the revenue. Further the supermarket chains also have significant power over the Blackmore Limited because of their economies of scale. So, it can be sail the bragging power of the buyers is relatively high in the Blackmore Limited. Micro Analysis SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is the important factor in analyzing the internal and external factors of the company in the market. SWOT analysis basically includes Strength, Weakness, opportunities and threats of the Blackmore Limited in the operating market (Taylor, 2016). Strengths- Brand name is the strong factors which must gain by each and every company in the market. So, Blackmore has the positive and strong brand name in the Australian market which is very helpful for the company in attracting the customers for the dietary and vitamin supplements. Blackmore is considered as the most trusted and famous brand for the vitamin and dietary supplements by the customers. Along with this, the prices of the products in the company are not so high. It means the company has set the affordable prices so that every person can get the benefit of these supplements and stay healthy. Further, it is well known that in terms of dietary supplements, Blackmore is recognized as the one of the oldest brand in the Australian market which is operating from last 80 years. Effective supply chain is also the key strength of the Blackmore Limited. In its supply chain, customers are able to deal directly with the warehouses of the company. Now, the company has gained number one position in the Thailand and Malaysia in terms of Vitamin Supplements (Stapleton, 2016). Weakness- Having much strength in the business operations, Blackmore Limited has some weakness also which must be addressed by the company effectively. The operational strategy of the Blackmore Limited is not defined clearly as the company is using common operational strategy for its business. Further, Blackmore Limited has very limited distribution channels. There are only three retail stores of the company that sell only 57% of the Blackmore products. The business model of Blackmore Limited is not so effective in the Australian market. The company is relying on the partnership with the many local companies for the Asian expansion which can affect its brand image in the market. Opportunities- Blackmore Limited has the opportunity to open the retail stores. By this opportunity, company will be able to increase the sales of its products in the market. Along with this, Asian market can be the biggest opportunity for the Blackmore. For this, company has launched its dietary and vitamin supplement products in the Mainland China. Further, Blackmore is planning to launch new types of products related to the pet care (CFA Institute, 2012). Threats- There are many hurdles for the company while operating the business in the Australian market. In the business of diet and vitamin supplements, there is very strong competition in the Australian market. The competitors in the market are trying to improve their market position and their marketing activities to stay competitive in the market. There is one more threats i.e. chemist in the country may ask for the lower prices to adopt the discounted strategy in the business (Uweguro, 2014). Internal environment Analysis Internal Environmental analysis can be described as the factors of the company which can be controlled by the company itself. Senior manager quality Managers play an important role in the growth and success of Blackmore Limited. Blackmore is now operating in the 11 markets of Asia-Pacific Region. The long-term growth of the company depends upon the creative 10 years vision. There are highly qualified managers in the company who diversified the business and built new sources of growth. The managers in the company are supporting in the Australian business to connect with the customers for improving profitable growth, innovation and building an effective leadership position in Blackmore Limited. The managers are continuously improving the operational effectiveness and cost profile of Blackmores business. The priorities of the business are communicated clearly with the every staff members. According to a recent survey, in Blackmore Limited, 95% of the employees are aware about the goals of the company (Donaldson, 2015). Resources Blackmore is the powerful brand in the pharmaceutical industry having long lasting reputation. By the analysis of resources of the company, the core competencies and the strategy of the company can be analyzed (Fifield, 2012). Core strategy- The aim of the Blackmore Limited is to provide vitamin and health supplements to the every person who needs extra diet. The policy of the company is maintaining strong relations with the customers. So, company is focusing to provide quality products by working closely with the suppliers and the customers. The strategy of the company is to improve the share prices of the company in the market and company is successful in doing so. The success of the company can be seen in graph. Figure 1: Share Prices of Blackmore (Source: Grioli, 2015) There are some innovative strategies used by Blackmore i.e. responding the preferences of the customers, introducing new products of pet care and vitamin supplements to provide extra health support to the customers (Johnson Scholes, 2002). Competency- By the core competency, the aim of Blackmore Limited is to maintain the strong brand image, provide effective customers services and excellent quality control as compared to the competitors. Blackmore limited has competitive advantage in terms of shareholders equity, return on asset and in cash conversion over the competitors which can be seen by the graphs. Figure 2: Growth of Blackmore Limited (Source: Blackmore, 2016) The development of quality of vitamin supplement will be very helpful for the company to identify new resources. Along with this, Blackmore Limited has rigid management structure which is helpful in handling the change market conditions (Armstrong Cunningham, 2012). Capabilities Due to top-down management structure, Blackmore Limited is capable to find out new business opportunities for the success and growth in the market. There are many new resources for the company i.e. self-sufficiency for store managers, and various buying procedures which are helpful for the company in dealing in various markets. Restructuring of the business is also key capability of the company which is designed to reposition the company in the market. By these capabilities, company is able to improve the key resources of the business. By the restructuring of business, company is also able to maintain good and strong relationship with the customers and suppliers (Turnbull Valla, 2013). Physical- Blackmore is engaged in the development, sales and marketing of the health related products including herbal, vitamin and nutritional supplements. The resources are its products catagories i.e. pet health, super foods, bone and muscles, cold, flu and immunity and everyday health etc. the company understands the needs of the people and provides the best health supplement according to that. Financial- Blackmore has got strong financial position in the market. The growth of the company can be seen by the income statement of the company. Figure 3: Income Statement (Source: Blackmore, 2013) The company is enjoying sales growth continuously in the market. In the financial year 2013, company had launched 50 new products in the market. The company has 11 years of record sale. Blackmore holds leadership of 24% of market share (Blackmore, 2013) Human- As discussed above, the human resource managers are engaged with the strategic priorities, profitable growth, innovation and building the product leadership in the company. Along with this, HR also plays an important role in helping the local workforce. HR plays a leading role to make to employee comfortable within the company. HR team has play a crucial role in the 13 years of strong sales growth of Blackmore by ensuring right people in the company. Conclusion This report describes the environmental analysis of famous Australian pharmaceutical company Blackmore Limited. By the above discussion, it is observed that the company Blackmore limited is the trusted brand among the customers and serving the pharmaceutical industry from last 80 years. The company is doing well in the market. From the external and internal analysis, it is observed that famous brand for the vitamin and dietary supplements by the customers having low cost of the products. Along with this, due to effective supply chain customers are able to deal directly with the warehouses of the company. References Armstrong, G., Cunningham, M. H., (2012), Principles of marketing, Australia: Pearson publication Blackmore, (2013), Blackmores Limited Presentation to Goldman Sachs Emerging Companies Conference 15 May 2013, accessed on 15th May 2017 from file:///C:/Users/Guest/Downloads/analystbriefing.pdf Casimir, M.J., (2009), Culture and the Changing Environment, NY: Berghahn Books CFA Institute, (2012), Blackmores Limited, accessed 15th May 2017 from https://www.arx.cfa/up/post/926/University-of-Sydney-Sydney.pdf Donaldson, C., (2015), HOW HR DRIVES BLACKMORES BUSINESS GROWTH AND SUCCESS, accessed 15th May 2017 from https://www.insidehr.com.au/how-hr-drives-blackmores-sales-growth-and-business-success/ Fifield, P., (2012), Marketing strategy (2nd edition), Berlin: Reed educational publishing Pvt Ltd Gilligan, C., Hird, M., (2012),International Marketing Strategy and Management,(Vol. 17) Ibis world, (2016), Blackmores Limited - Profile Company Report Australia, accessed 15th May 2017 from https://www.ibisworld.com.au/enterprisefull/segments.aspx?entid=1165 Johnson, G., Scholes, K., (2002), Exploring Corporate Strategy, (6th), Harlow: Prentice Hall, pp. 97-102 Lovelock, C., ( 2011),Services Marketing (7th edition), India: Pearson Education Stapleton, M., (2016), Blackmores and managing growth: Lessons from the big end of town, accessed 15th May 2017 from https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/blackmores-manage-growth-lessons-big-end-town/ Sullivan, A. (2012), Blackmore Alive! Trade Presenter, accessed on 15th May 2017 from https://issuu.com/alice.sullivan/docs/blackmores_alive__trade_presenter Taylor, N., (2016), SWOT Analysis: What It Is and When to Use It, accessed on 24th August 2016 from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4245-swot-analysis.html Turnbull, P. W., Valla, J. P., (2013), Strategies for international industrial marketing. USA: Croom Helm Uweguro, (2014), MICRO ENVIRONMENT, accessed on 24th August 2016 from https://uweguro.wordpress.com/2014/11/04/micro-environment/

Everything You Wanted To Know About Generating a Technobabble-Free Press Release But Were Afraid To Ask - The Writers For Hire

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GENERATING A TECHNOBABBLE-FREE PRESS RELEASE BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK Imagine yourself in the following situation: You’re the chief engineer of an up-and-coming technology company, and you’ve just led the launch of a ground-breaking systems control software package. You’re excited. You know your new product can meet a wider range of needs for industrial operators than competing solutions. You’ve published a detailed press release, and now you’re waiting to hear back from the tech press and trade publications. And †¦ crickets. Your big announcement does not seem to have drawn any attention or comments. You ask your team members to look into the matter, and they tell you sheepishly that only a handful of newspapers and blogs have taken note of your announcement. Moreover, they inform you that these outlets have either run the company’s statement in full or have condensed it into a brief blurb that uses exactly the same wording. You’re disappointed – and not sure what to do next. You’re proud of your new product and confident that it can find an audience. So far, though, your audience seems to be yawning. What happened? Perhaps you’ve fallen victim to technobabble. That is, perhaps you – and your communications team have spent enough time in the company of your fellow engineers, coders, systems architects, and other technical experts that you’re defaulting to the jargon you use with each other in the office. And as a result, the message you were trying to send out to potential buyers, not all of whom have the same level of familiarity with technical terms that you do, has been lost in a thicket of acronyms, abbreviations, and neologisms. Luckily, you aren’t alone.   Many, many other companies have written press releases that are all but incomprehensible to the average reader. Take, for example, this statement from Borealis: This press release is a difficult read for several reasons: The headline, â€Å"Borealis inaugurates EUR 15 million investment project mtm plastics GmbH,† gives few details about the topic at hand.The first paragraph devotes more space to describing the companies involved than to explaining what exactly is happening.The text is heavily loaded with technical terms.Most of the results of an internet search for more information on the topic consist of articles that are slightly reworded versions of the press release. Press Releases: Like Doing a Root Canal But how much does it matter if your press release is a difficult read? And if technobabble is truly a problem, how can you avoid it in press releases? To answer these questions, The Writers For Hire spoke to Joel Alpert, the founder and strategic and creative director of MarketPower, an Atlanta-based branding and marketing consultancy. Alpert, who worked for multiple weekly newspapers in the New York City market before moving into consulting, pointed out that press releases have their own problems even if they’re light on technobabble. â€Å"Most press releases are like doing a root canal,† he said. â€Å"They’re incredibly painful to listen to [or] to read. They’re terrible. They do the wrong things †¦ Just in the course of [working in journalism], you learn to hate press releases.† Journalists and editors are in a better position than most to critique public statements from businesses because they see so many of them, he explained. â€Å"Years ago in New York City, we certainly worked with press releases,† he said, referring to his past experience. â€Å"We got hundreds each week. You’d go through them; you’d throw most of them away. You’d edit them, and then you’d publish [them] in some form. When you do that often enough, you develop a sense of taste – of tolerance – for what you’re willing to put up with.† Your takeaway here? Journalists get a ton of releases, and many are poorly written. So make their job easier, and they’ll be more likely to pay attention to you.Tweet this Telling Your Story Unfortunately, the communication problem is not limited to interactions with the press. Companies that struggle to draw the attention of journalists and editors are also likely to have difficulty making a good impression on potential clients and customers. According to Alpert, the best way to avoid boring copy is to tell a story. When telling that story, a strong start is crucial, he remarked. â€Å"The first thing to do is to make the story interesting. And it’s got to be enjoyable, preferably fun,† he added. â€Å"The lead has got to be very strong [and go] right into a story that really engages the reader. Otherwise, the reader will probably throw it away immediately.† To achieve this aim, he said, companies may need to move beyond describing their newest products and services in a straightforward, just-the-facts-ma’am manner. Potential customers – even those who are looking for technological solutions to complex problems – may respond more positively to a different approach, he said. â€Å"You might not tell a story about the brand or about the company,† he said. â€Å"[Instead], you can tell something that expands on your brand or your interests by telling something that’s interesting. It could be a customer experience. So while that doesn’t seem, at face value, to be about the brand, it really is because you’ve told about how a customer interacted with the brand.† HelloPackage seems to be thinking along the same lines, if its press release dated September 14 is any indication. The package management system platform’s statement succeeds on several fronts: The headline and first paragraph draw attention to an easily relatable problem – namely, that of keeping track of more and more packages thanks to the expansion of delivery options.The second paragraph provides data to support the company’s argument without leaving readers to drown in a sea of numbers.The overall tone is collegial and engaging – and non-technical, despite the technical nature of the product.The statement explains clearly how the company can help resolve a real-world problem. If Borealis had taken this approach, the first paragraph of its press release might have read as follows: â€Å"For both manufacturers and consumers, plastics are cheap and convenient. They are also disposable – and piling up around the world, creating environmental hazards. Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the chemical industry, is contributing to clean-up efforts through the expansion of a plastics recycling facility in Niedergebra, Germany.† The Eyes Have It Hitting these high notes may seem like a tall order for companies involved in complex, high-tech operations. But there are concrete ways to optimize the content of press releases to help them reach laymen and experts alike, Alpert told The Writers For Hire. One technique is to keep press releases and other marketing materials brief, he said. â€Å"Keep it short because if you’ve got something that can be told more [succinctly], you’re getting that story published the way you want to have it, [rather] than getting it sliced to bits because someone feels like they have to take a pen or cursor to it,† he said. Another helpful strategy is to seek out striking imagery, he said. â€Å"There’s something you can do that really helps a lot, and that is [to be] visual,† he said. â€Å"Instead of saying something like ‘we’re growing quickly,’ you say ‘we’re growing in leaps and bounds.’ If that happens to [catch the readers eye], it’s a little more visual.† Even companies involved in heavily technical projects should make use of striking imagery, Alpert asserted. â€Å"Everything has an angle that can be made interesting,† he said. â€Å"I worked for a client in insurance compliance consulting, which is pretty dry stuff. And we had a whole theme of getting through the jungle of insurance compliance that was very visual, with all kinds of illustrations about escaping from the paper tiger in the jungle and cutting through the jungle with machetes. Everything became a way of cutting through the bureaucratic clutter that this industry is known for, and we made that interesting. And this particular client’s business started growing radically once we started doing this kind of stuff because it has a way of gaining the attention and interest of the target audience.† He continued: â€Å"[Something] that’s more engaging and more entertaining and more interesting will gain the attention of your audience – wherever it is, every single time, no exceptions. There’s no industry that can’t create some interesting thinking or analogy.† Borealis would probably have benefited from this approach. For example, the German company could have tweaked its statement to include a more evocative headline, such as â€Å"Borealis to scoop up more litter with EUR 15 million push to expand plastics recycling facility.† Likewise, with a few modifications to the original text, it could have offered a clear and succinct explanation of its investment program. More specifically, it could have used the following as its second paragraph: â€Å"The company is set to spend EUR 15 million on the expansion of a plastics recycling facility that it acquired through the acquisition of another German firm, mtm plastics GmbH, in 2016. The project aims to boost the capacity of the plant, which is located in Niedergebra, Germany, while also improving its ability to navigate the high-end market of plastic re-granulates.† Maintaining Credibility When reworked in this fashion, press releases can do a better job of capturing readers’ interest. But if the topic at hand is technical in nature, will an overhaul really do justice to it? According to Alpert, avoiding technobabble doesn’t have to entail a loss of credibility. â€Å"Sometimes a company has something that’s highly technical and it’s a big innovation, and you have to explain to [readers] why this big innovation has value,† he said. â€Å"That can and should be able to be done. That can also be made interesting and engaging.† He explained: â€Å"Sometimes in the cases of a technical product, you can be a little more technical in what you do because you want to gain some credibility †¦ [Your press release] may be seen by a CFO as well as a CTO, or it may be seen by a programmer or someone in customer service, and [those] audiences are really different. They have different tolerances for what they want to read.† Even so, he said, the desire to cater to expert readers is no excuse for a badly crafted press release. â€Å"No matter who it is, even if they have a technical background, they still want to be able to read it like a normal sentence and not [have it] sound like they’re sitting in a science class looking at the periodic table of elements,† he commented. This target is not out of reach, as the organizers of a technology conference in Wuxi, China can demonstrate. In this press release, the Organizing Committee of 2018 World Internet of Things Expo has accomplished several important goals: In the headline and first paragraph, it uses evocative phrases such as â€Å"pivotal leap,† â€Å"great breakthrough† and â€Å"years of cultivation.†It presents readers with a striking visual image by referring to the event as the â€Å"pearl† of Wuxi.The statement explains how consumers can benefit from the technologies showcased at the event.It references new technological developments without taking refuge in technobabble. Borealis would have done well to adopt a similar approach. For example, it could have played up the positive environmental impact of its plans by playing up the theme of cleaning up litter along the following lines: â€Å"The expansion project will add value to mtm plastics GmbH, which is already in the vanguard of efforts to recycle items that might otherwise be sent to landfills, including mixed post-consumer plastic waste and as one of Europes largest producers of post-consumer polyolefin recyclates.† Cross-Fertilization In any event, companies should certainly aim to stand out, given that media markets have changed so much over the last two decades. â€Å"I don’t think it’s a secret to say that press releases have been fighting for their survival for years,† Alpert said. â€Å"In electronic media, there are so many places to go for information, and social media tends to dominate over press releases. So press releases are not as popular as they used to be.† Even so, companies can attain the best of both worlds by writing press releases that bear more resemblance to social media posts. Alpert explained: â€Å"A press release tends to have a more corporate style, and social media tends to be more conversational. I would argue that press releases should be more conversational, or if not conversational, then minimally they should be engaging and absolutely interesting and readable.† The press release mentioned above serves as a good example of this informal approach. In similar fashion, this September 13 statement from MyRepChat strikes a friendly note: Instead of listing the software’s technical features at length, it uses brief summaries and quotes from its CEO to highlight the ways that the software helps its users. By contrast, Borealis uses a quote from its acting CEO that comes across as plodding and overloaded with buzzwords: â€Å"This investment in our mechanical recycling capabilities at mtm is key in realising our growth ambitions in the circular economy, and it underlines our continuing commitment to mtm. We need stepwise expansion projects to minimize down time, but also need to maintain existing facilities and business.† The company might have done better to preface this statement with something more descriptive, such as: â€Å"Borealis’ acting CEO Alfred Stern emphasized his company’s dedication to expanding its activities in the area of plastics recycling – and doing so without forcing mtm plastics GmbH to take a break from the important business of responsible handling of post-consumer waste.† Content Management In short, according to Alpert, avoidance (or judicious use) of technobabble is valuable for any company looking to bolster its bottom line. Clear communication â€Å"absolutely leads to sales,† he said. â€Å"That’s why we have so much marketing communication [and] so much chatter across every imaginable medium, from email and Twitter and Facebook on your phone to electronic billboards and ads in elevators.† As noted here, good writing skills are a crucial part of the solution, especially for companies involved in complex and technical industries that are not easy to describe to laymen. But they do not have to be the only tool in use. Indeed, technology – in the form of content management systems (CMSs) – can play a role. CMSs are software packages or apps that allow their users to collect, store, manage, and publish information, including text, graphics, and other materials. As companies accumulate collections of press releases and other public statements, they can use CMSs as an archive that stores older material: as a smart index that tags text and graphics so that they can be used in the most effective context, as a template that generates new material and calibrates it to specific audiences, as a sounding board that allows staff members to update and comment on press releases and other public statements, and as a publishing solution that formats material attractively. Pimcore, a German open-source software vendor, has pointed out that these systems help companies access the technological resources needed to streamline the process of composing and releasing marketing materials: â€Å"You don’t need to know HTML or any other programming language to build a website using a CMS. All you really need to know is how to use Microsoft Word and you will be able to create (using) your CMS to create web pages, blog posts, news articles, landing pages, and press releases.† (hyperlink to https://pimcore.com/en/resources/blog/why-you-should-be-using-a-content-management-system-cms_a981) In other words, CMSs can be a helpful complement to good writing skills. They can streamline the process of drafting press releases by helping companies to draw on their most successful marketing campaigns and statements of the past. Through tagging, they can help companies tailor their press releases to different audiences with different tolerances for technical information, while ensuring that the final product is well formatted and visually appealing.

Final Project Ms. Z Assesment Essays - Psychology, Free Essays

Final Project Ms. Z Assesment Essays - Psychology, Free Essays Final Project an Assessment of Ms. Z February 24, 2019 Final Project an Assessment of Ms. Z Introduction Ms. Z was referred to us pursuing a recommendations and advisement on returning to school to receive a four-year degree to further education goals and future employment opportun i t ies (Project Vignette two, n.d). She is also seeking diagnostic insights to enhancing her quality of life and dealing with her mental health issues. Ms. Z is a 35-year-old female of African American decent and is married with two children. She has received her high school diploma and has completed two years of college. C urrently she is employed at a local insurance agency as an office manager and her husband works there as well (Project Vignette two, n.d). Ms. Z has been dealing with mental health issue for approximately 17 years first receiving services at age 18 for "mood swings". Within the past three years she has experienced increased depression and was treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which did offer short-term relief. Ms. Z has also been admitted into a psychiatric hospital following a suicide attempt (Project Vignette Two , n.d) . Currently she is receiving anti -depressant medications and her husband offers a strong support system who currently assumes household duties when depression is unmanageable. However, her depressed moods continue interfering with daily activities (Project Vignette Two, n.d) . In order to better understand and receive a clearer picture of Ms. Z's educational and employment needs along with needed insights on her mental health issues she was administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV). Test and Assessment Development Analysis : Test One Administration Administration of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) consists of 567 statements that are answered true or false and takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete (Benet, 2016). T he MMPI-2 is administered, scored and interpreted by a psychiatrist who had separate training in MMPI use or a professional such as a clinical psychologist (Benet, 2016). The test can be either a computerized version or paper and pencil and be either a group setting or administered individually . The MMPI-2 is used to assess a wide-range of emotional, behavioral and personality disorders (Benet, 2016). However, it has also been utilized in other areas not associated to clinical psychology. Normed Populations The normative sample for the MMPI-2 involves 2,600 individuals ( 1,138 males and 1,462 females ). Individuals who are ages 18 and older and are selected representatives of the United States population with similar samples that originate from s everal military bases and federal Indian reservation (Benet, 2016; Butcher et al., 2001). What the test yields The MMPI-2 was d esigned to use as an unbiased personality test for the measurement of mental disorders. Furthermore, the MMPI-2 is used to the same degree as an assessment, screening, selection, and prediction applications in research and clinical settings (Benet, 2016; Butcher et al., 2001). The original MMPI was fostered to assist in the assessment of adult psychiatric patients, describing the severity and nature of their disorder also to measure any changes over time (Brokaw, 2013). Reliability and Validity Reliability is measured with test-retest data o f 82 males and 11 females , a retest was done after a median of 7 days (Benet, 2016; Wise, Streiner, and Walfish, 2010) . The c orrelation coefficients ranged from .67 to .92 for males (median r = .82), and from .58 to .91 for females (median r = .79) (Benet, 2016; Wise, Streiner, and Walfish, 2010). Development of additional validity indicators were developed for MMPI-2. Individuals who complete inventory in an invalid approach are identified by F B (Back F) scales (Benet, 2016; Wise, Streiner, and Walfish, 2010). Additionally, delivering an index of a client's tendency to react in ways that are not only inconsistent but also contradictory is identified as a Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) scale was designed to identify random responding and a True Response Inconsistency (TRIN) scale was designed to identify fixed responses (Benet, 2016; Wise, Streine r, and Walfish, 2010). Cut Scores With the MMPI-2 answers are scored on four validity scales which evaluate the client's general test-taking manner and if

Applying Alpro herd management system (information system) to a small Term Paper

Applying Alpro herd management system (information system) to a small dairy farm - Term Paper Example The system has also assisted dairy farmers to monitor and keep the health of their herds. The system has been designed to be user-friendly and to fit in with the routines of dairy farmers all year round. The system also impressively withstands the aggressive gasses and the high humidity that is usually present in the dairy unit environment. A dairy ranch with a herd size of approximately 150, one manager, and two skilled laborers can be managed using the ALPRO System. The side opening milking parlor used here may be organized to allow the 80 milking cows to exit or cross over to a single return lane on one side. Using a single return lane reduces the cost of parlor and the facilities used when catching or sorting the cows leaving the parlor. The single return lane allows the cows to be released individually after milking. For a six-stall side opening milking parlor, the ALPRO system is efficient and comfortable. It shortens the udder to milker distance making it easy to see and reach the cows during milking and avoid the sideways twitching related to udder inspection or cluster attachment. The layout allows for smooth movement between the cows and complete view of the cow in monitoring feeding during and after milking. It also allows easy separation of cows that need special individual attention. The system adapts to v arious cow traffic patterns, and milking routines for it is versatile. It widens the choice of building a suitable layout and makes the utilization of an existing farm building more practical. The ALPRO System incorporates simple electronic photocells that track the progress of the milking cows through the side opening milking parlor and transmits the information to an ALPRO controller. After a cow leaves a particular milking stall, the system automatically closes the gate behind the cow and opens the entry gate for another cow to enter thus preventing traffic in the milking parlor. Similarly, the automation reduces the need

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Ethical Legal Dilemma Advanced Practice Nursing Case Study I Week 3 - Assignment Example Though it may seem callous to say, the main objective is to draw a line that crosses both an ethical and a legal aspect of such a scenario in order to negate any sort of liability that may befall the hospital should anything happen (Grant & Ballard, 2011). Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is a very controversial subject with both sides holding strong arguments on why it should or should not be accepted. On one hand its seen as the simple and outright killing of another individual yet on the other it can be said that such an act cannot be considered to be murder as it involves the willing participation of the so called victim (Lachman, 2010). What can be considered to be the best option as a result is the creation of a strong outline for the circumstances under which PAS is allowed for an individual (Calandrillo, 1998). This is due to the fact that in some cases an individual who is bound to die in the end is simply being given a choice of suffering through out till the end or choosing to go in a more peaceful manner but earlier than would have been the case. An individual should have the right to be able to make such a decision for themselves (Lachman,

Alfred The Great Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alfred The Great - Research Paper Example King Alfred the Great is said to have quoted â€Å"I desired to live worthily as long as I lived, and to leave after my life, to the men who should come after me, the memory of me in good works." Alfred the Great is best remembered by many historians for his military feats. His victories against the Danes prove his capabilities as a great warrior. He is credited with having built the first royal navy to combat the Danes. Alfred adopted the Danish strategy of building fortified bases. The Danes were defeated by the army of Alfred in May 878 in the Battle of Edington. When Alfred finally managed to defeat the Danes, instead of avenging the attacks, exhibited true statesmanship. He entertained the defeated Danish monarch and signed the Treaty of Wedmore, whereby he accepted the Danish occupation of East Anglia. Wessex was secured for Alfred and this resulted in lasting peace. According to the peace treaty, Guthorn was baptized into the Christian faith and is troops from Wessex. Alfred Recognize the Danish control of East Anglia and a few parts of Mercia. In another treaty signed in 886 called the â€Å"Danelaw† the partition of England was formalized. After this, Alfred began fortifying his kingdom with forts to secure it from invasions. To augment his defenses, Alfred constructed a fleet of ships and thereby came to be famously called the â€Å"Father of the English Navy.† (Britannia) The life of King Alfred is a life of â€Å"quiet virtue and unobtrusive success.† (Alfred the Great: The Truth Teller, Maker of England, 848-899 by Beatrice Adelaide Lees). He does not arouse strong feelings of passion that inspire poetry. Instead he is remembered as a friend of the poor, an ally of the clergy and a scholar king. Being a scholar himself, he is known to have translated many Latin books into the tongue of the Anglo Saxons. One of Alfred’s contemporary works that was left unfinished was a Latin account by Asser, a Welshman who was Alfred’s

Implementation of a Remote Access Water Laboratory

Implementation of a Remote Access Water Laboratory   Introduction As information and communication technologies rapidly advance, so too does the spectrum of resource used in the field of education. One such resource is the use of online learning material and remote access laboratories for distance learning courses. One of the hallmarks of a distance learning course is the separation of teacher and learner in space and/or time, allowing the learner self-paced study at convenient times, and locations [1], [2]. Since its inception, distance learning has become a powerful tool for students in pursuit of education [4]. Context of Project The Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) at Loughborough University is the largest and leading sustainable energy research centre in the UK, it has overseen the research and development of the most progressive renewable energy technologies [6]. The centre was the first in the UK to offer a postgraduate degree programme in the field of renewable energy systems technology, along with its innovative distance learning adaptation [6]. Laboratory exercises play a critical role in the education of science and engineering [11], it is important for effective distance learning courses to provide a hands-on laboratory experience [12]. Due to the influence of information, communication and computational technologies; remote labs are considered one of the five major shifts in engineering education over the past 100 years they have the capacity to provide a hands-on experience for distance learning students with significant advantages in accessibility, availability and safety [20], [21]. Problem Statement Figure 1-1 outlines the scope of the project. Water power has been exploited by human beings for many centuries; early water wheels driven by rivers or tides were used to grind wheat or drive machinery. As technologies matured and with the advent of electricity, water wheels had become water turbines designed to generate electricity from the energy stored within the water resource [8]. Over 70% of the earths surface is covered by water, with such a vast resource potential the importance of studying water turbines becomes apparent [9]. The current distance learning laboratory assessment for the Water Power module suggests the use of a simulation software to model a water turbine under different conditions; this is not sufficient for understanding the physical behaviour of the turbine as simulation labs can only produce preprogrammed results [4]. A remote lab utilises a software that allows students to gain experimental data using real instruments set in a lab on-campus using only a PC with the aid of the internet [7]. For distance learning students to gain a truer understanding of water turbine behaviour, it is proposed that the on-campus laboratory be modified for use as a remote lab. Aims and Objectives The aim of this project is to design a system that can be used in conjunction with the on-campus axial water turbine instrumentation, allowing remote access and control of the lab for distance learning students. The main objectives to facilitate this aim are outlined below: Identify the dynamic, controllable elements of the on-campus laboratory instrumentation. Design and build a system by which the dynamic elements can be controlled. Implement a method by which this system can be remotely accessed through the Learn server. Integrate the system with the current software used for the laboratory. Literature Review Remote Laboratories Introduction For 20 years remote access laboratories have been used in science and engineering education though they have since greatly impacted pedagogy in these fields, their potential in support of distance learning courses and the student autonomous learning experience has yet to be fully realised [10], [11], [15], [16]. Definition It can be difficult to assert what remote laboratories encompass as definitions provided in the literature are at times inconsistent [10]. A clear definition of remote laboratories will be established in the context of this project in order to avoid ambiguity. A remote laboratory is the framework that enables students to carry out a laboratory experiment, using real instruments, through the medium of the internet; eliminating the time and space constraints imposed by hands-on laboratories [14], [17]. Building Blocks There are four critical building blocks that form the foundations of a remote laboratory these must be well understood in order to achieve the desired aim [12]: Scheduling: Distance learning courses necessitate the flexibility of allowing students to decide when the can fit labs into their schedule. Remote-Access: It is necessary that the students can make a secure connection to the lab environment The Operating Environment: It is essential that the user interface of the system is easy to use and understand. Laboratory Assignment: The student must realise the aim of the lab and subsequently make the connection between theory and application. In Distance Learning Remote laboratories offer a very high level of flexibility, with access usually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; meeting the needs of distance learning courses [10].   According to certain studies; remote labs have been as effective and had a comparable impact on students to hands-on labs [26]. Remote laboratories are not free of short comings; they require space, devices, and maintenance at times even greater than hands-on laboratories [13]. They are also designed as single-user applications; this removes the elements of interaction that hands-on laboratories offer. Other Laboratory Methods Simulated Laboratories Simulated laboratories; usually justified by their cost effectiveness and spatial advantages, have been shown to inspire cognitive thinking by allowing students greater freedom to explore and experiment [18], [19], [23], [24]. This however comes with its disadvantages; simulated laboratories are usually designed as single-user applications, subsequently isolating the students. Simulated laboratories are shown to not be equal in their standard across institutions [22]. Though they serve well in some cases; they are not an adequate substitute for hands-on laboratories, as they do not provide the range of possibilities produced when manipulating physical matter the results produced are preprogrammed [4]. Hands-on Laboratories Hands-on Laboratories have been shown to be a corner stone in engineering education as engineering students identify themselves as being essentially practical [25]. The results gathered from conducting a hands-on experiment provide natural results, and in this regard are far superior to those of simulated laboratories. Though the benefits of hands-on laboratory experiments are clear; disadvantages are also present. Laboratory management can be expensive, equipment requires regular maintenance and qualified staff are needed to supervise experiments [13]. The constraints of accessibility and availability render hands-on laboratory sessions impractical for distance learning students [20]. Conclusions Remote laboratories utilise software allowing students to gain experimental data using real instruments set in a lab on-campus using only a PC with the aid of the internet [7]. This allows the students to gain practical results from experimentation, eliminating the disadvantages of simulated labs while retaining its advantages. Proposed Methodology Figure 3-1 represents the overall approach that will be taken for this project. Figure 3-1 Overview of Methodology for Project Proposed Deliverables The final deliverable will be in the form of a completed system having integrated both hardware and software and having met the following requirements as shown in Table 4-1. Table 4-1 Requirements for System # Requirements Explanation 1 Easy to Use The system must be easy to access through the Learn server with an intuitive, and simplistic user interface. This allows the student to interact with the software without any great difficulty. 2 Easy to Maintain The system should have easy access points in case of failure parts should be replaceable. 3 Durable The system should have a high finish with sufficient build quality to last several years. 4 Reliable The system should have minimal components and moving parts, this reduces the chance of failure of the system as a whole. Projected Resource Requirements The projected resource requirements are shown in Table 5-1 below. Table 5-1 Projected Resource Requirements Hardware Requirements Software Requirements Technical Expertise MyRIO Hardware Package LabVIEW Electronics Understanding Electric Motors AutoCAD LabVIEW Competency Exterior Machined Parts Engineering Workshop Cost: The maximum cost of the hardware is expected to be in the region of  £600. Software should incur not cost. The maximum cost of machining of parts is expected to be in the region of  £400 Total maximum cost will approximate  £1000. References Perraton H. A theory for distance education. Prospects. 1981 Mar;11(1):13-24. Perreault H, Waldman L, Alexander M, Zhao J. Overcoming barriers to successful delivery of distance-learning courses. Journal of Education for Business. 2002 Jul;77(6):313-8. Cropley AJ, Kahl TN. Distance education and distance learning: Some psychological considerations. Distance Education. 1983 Mar;4(1):27-39. Hamza MK, Alhalabi B, Hsu S, Larrondo-Petrie MM, Marcovitz DM. Remote labs. Computers in the Schools. 2002 Dec;19(3-4):171-90. Feisel, L.D. and Rosa, A.J. (2005) The role of the laboratory in undergraduate engineering education, Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), pp. 121-130. doi: 10.1002/j.2168-9830.2005.tb00833.x. Loughborough. Loughborough University. [place unknown: publisher unknown]. Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology [cited 2017 Feb 21]. Available from:. Sancristobal E, Castro M, Martin S, Tawkif M. Remote Labs as Learning Services in the Educational Arena. Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON). 2011. Duckers L, Watson S. Water Power 1. 1st ed. Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology: Loughborough University; [date unknown]. Oceanic N, Administration A. [place unknown: publisher unknown]. How much water is in the ocean?; 2013 Jun 1 [cited 2017 Feb 22]. Available from: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanwater.html. Gomes L, Bogosyan S. Current trends in remote laboratories. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. 2009 Dec;56(12):4744-56. Cooper M, Ferreira JMM. Remote laboratories extending access to science and engineering curricular. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. 2009 Oct;2(4):342-53. Rigby S, Dark M. Designing a Flexible, Multipurpose Remote Lab for the IT Curriculum. Proceeding SIGITE 06 Proceedings of the 7th conference on Information technology education. 2006 Oct 19:161-4. Bochicchio MA, Longo A. Hands-on remote labs: Collaborative web laboratories as a case study for IT engineering classes. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. 2009 Oct;2(4):320-30. Hua J, Ganz A. Web enabled remote laboratory (r-lab) framework. InFRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2003 Nov 5 (Vol. 1, pp. T2C-8). STIPES. Gravier C, Fayolle J, Bayard B, Ates M, Lardon J. State of the art about remote laboratories paradigms-foundations of ongoing mutations. International Journal of Online Engineering. 2008 Feb 18;4(1):http-www. Trevelyan J. Lessons learned from 10 years experience with remote laboratories. InInternational Conference on Engineering Education and Research 2004 Jun 27 (Vol. 11, p. 2007). Garcà ­a-Zubà ­a J, Là ³pez-de-Ipià ±a D, Orduà ±a P. Evolving towards better architectures for remote laboratories: a practical case. International Journal of Online Engineering, Special Issue REV. 2005 Nov 8. Corter JE, Esche SK, Chassapis C, Ma J, Nickerson JV. Process and learning outcomes from remotely-operated, simulated, and hands-on student laboratories. Computers Education. 2011 Nov 30;57(3):2054-67. Balamuralithara B, Woods PC. Virtual laboratories in engineering education: The simulation lab and remote lab. Computer Applications in Engineering Education. 2009 Mar 1;17(1):108-18. Marques MA, Viegas MC, Costa-Lobo MC, Fidalgo AV, Alves GR, Rocha JS, Gustavsson I. How remote labs impact on course outcomes: Various practices using VISIR. IEEE Transactions on Education. 2014 Aug;57(3):151-9. Froyd JE, Wankat PC, Smith KA. Five major shifts in 100 years of engineering education. Proceedings of the IEEE. 2012 May;100(Special Centennial Issue):1344-60. Budhu M. Virtual laboratories for engineering education. InInternational Conference on Engineering Education 2002 Aug 18 (pp. 12-18). Manchester, UK. Pyatt K, Sims R. Learner performance and attitudes in traditional versus simulated laboratory experiences. ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. Proceedings ascilite Singapore. 2007 Sep:870-9. Powell RM, Anderson H, Van der Spiegel J, Pope DP. Using webà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ based technology in laboratory instruction to reduce costs. Computer Applications in Engineering Education. 2002 Jan 1;10(4):204-14. Edward NS. The role of laboratory work in engineering education: student and staff perceptions. International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education. 2002 Jan;39(1):11-9. Corter JE, Nickerson JV, Esche SK, Chassapis C. Remote versus hands-on labs: A comparative study. InFrontiers in Education, 2004. FIE 2004. 34th Annual 2004 Oct 20 (pp. F1G-17). IEEE.