Free Essays on Problem Solving

Individual Assignment Compare and contrast two problem-solving methodologies, select one of these and apply it to a situation in your organisation. The latter should be written in a `case study` format Introduction – What is a Problem? In an individuals professional and social life, they will have objectives or desired outcomes that they aim to reach. These may be in preparing to take a family holiday or meeting a high sales target at work. During the course of attaining that goal they will encounter either an occurrence or obstacle that prevents the person achieving the desired aim or objective. This "circumstance" or "discrepancy" is a problem. It is preventing the individual from achieving their desired state of affairs in the manner that they had planned or had perceived it would be achieved. The problem solving methodology that an organisation will choose to attempt to solve these problems will determine their strategy and general approach to problem solving. It will determine what tools and techniques they use to assist in their processes. The comparison between a hard systems approach to problem solving and a soft systems approach provides us with two very different outlooks and are based on differing fundamental assumptions on how human beings interact. Hard Systems Thinking - Optimisation In the years after the Second World War, when lessons from military operations were applied to industrial companies and Government agencies, an interest in systems ideas developed in many fields. This interest was signalled by the formation of the Society for General Systems Research in 1954, a group of people who were interested in applying systems thinking in traditional disciplines. The basic principle that a hard system thinking emphasises is the use of quantification and measurement to understand systems. This strategy is intended to reduce the level of uncertainty that is associated with confronting problems and the possi... Free Essays on Problem Solving Free Essays on Problem Solving Individual Assignment Compare and contrast two problem-solving methodologies, select one of these and apply it to a situation in your organisation. The latter should be written in a `case study` format Introduction – What is a Problem? In an individuals professional and social life, they will have objectives or desired outcomes that they aim to reach. These may be in preparing to take a family holiday or meeting a high sales target at work. During the course of attaining that goal they will encounter either an occurrence or obstacle that prevents the person achieving the desired aim or objective. This "circumstance" or "discrepancy" is a problem. It is preventing the individual from achieving their desired state of affairs in the manner that they had planned or had perceived it would be achieved. The problem solving methodology that an organisation will choose to attempt to solve these problems will determine their strategy and general approach to problem solving. It will determine what tools and techniques they use to assist in their processes. The comparison between a hard systems approach to problem solving and a soft systems approach provides us with two very different outlooks and are based on differing fundamental assumptions on how human beings interact. Hard Systems Thinking - Optimisation In the years after the Second World War, when lessons from military operations were applied to industrial companies and Government agencies, an interest in systems ideas developed in many fields. This interest was signalled by the formation of the Society for General Systems Research in 1954, a group of people who were interested in applying systems thinking in traditional disciplines. The basic principle that a hard system thinking emphasises is the use of quantification and measurement to understand systems. This strategy is intended to reduce the level of uncertainty that is associated with confronting problems and the possi...

A fascination for Science Technology in the todays world

A fascination for Science & Technology in the today's world Developed through the technological architecture of electrical engineering and the computational language of mathematics, the science of computer technology has provided considerable recognition and financial gain for many of its well deserving pioneers. Steve Jobs famous quote ‘computers themselves and software yet to be developed will revolutionize the way we learn. He believed that there are tremendous developments and endless possibilities yet to be explored in this field of computer science. I foresee computer science being used as a tool, as mathematics is used, for all the fields of science. It has always been important for physicists, chemists and biologists to have some understanding of specific areas of mathematics to express their ideas, to write down formulas, and to make predictions. Similarly, in the near future, computer software will become an integral part of the research to create new breakthroughs. For instance, all fields of science collect and analyze a large amount of data. Finding patterns in large amounts of data has always been a crucial block. However, by using state of the art of software for data mining and machine learning, hidden trends and patterns may emerge that can help increase understanding and solve problems. All these problems and their seemingly possible solutions have always motivated me to make artificial intelligence as my part and parcel of my life. A fascination for Science Technology and a keen interest in the ever-growing world of technology motivated me to take up engineering. I choose to major in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering with an intense urge to delve into the challenging field. During my undergraduate program, I learned the various fundamentals of Electronics Engineering, I was exposed to various courses with applications like Electromagnetic field, Control systems, Power Electronics, Electrical measurements, Linear Integrated Circuits, Electronics, Digital Signal Processing, Introduction to Operating Systems, Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and object-oriented programming with C++, Analog, and Digital electronics. I was always fascinated about microcontrollers, the fact that it is something that bridges the gap between computer software and real-world mechanical devices, which gives it the potential to sense the surrounding using various sensors and take decisions based on parameters it receives. This fascination inspired me to do a project on Coal Mine Safety System using Atmel AVR microcontroller in my final year. I enrolled myself in the course of CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional ) which introduced me to the world of networking and communications. My knowledge of computer networks and programming skills helped me to get a job in Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. I am working as a part of network planning and optimization team for past 10 months. M y responsibility is to plan and provide optimal indoor solutions for smooth network coverage and data throughput. A quotation attributed to Edsger Dijkstra, states that ‘computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. The design and deployment of computers and computer systems are generally considered the province of disciplines other than computer science. Computer science is the cross-fertilization of ideas between the various computer-related disciplines, and electronic engineering. I believe that combining these two disciplines will give an excellent grounding in both subject areas and will prepare us for a wide range of careers in both or either fields. This cross-discipline study will give the advantage of becoming a multi-skilled professional engineer with a thorough understanding of the concepts and techniques plus the chance to explore the exciting interface between the two. It is in this context that I wish to pursue a Master in Computer Science. The decision to pursue Masters in Computer Science naturally followed after a good deal of self-evaluation, carefully considering my area of interest, and my ultimate professional ambition, which is to pursue a research career, either as a teaching faculty member or in an RD department of an industry. I am confident that a graduate degree specializing in Artificial Intelligence will enable me to achieve the goal and prepare me for a Ph.D. program in the future. I believe that graduate study in a reputed department, such as yours, is important for a person aspiring for a research career. Working for a thesis under the guidance of an expert whose work can serve as a model is the most effective method of transforming a student into a largely independent researcher making significant original contributions. I feel that XX university with its comprehensive facilities and competent faculty doing quality research work in the field of artificial intelligence will be an ideal place for me to pursue graduate studies.

Virtual Team Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtual Team Management - Research Paper Example Research and Development Ââ€" virtual teams offer an environment for enhancing innovations in R&D and also bring in knowledge spillovers in the organizations bridging place and time. Therefore, involving the R&D functional area in a virtual team is not a choice but rather a requirement. The R&D representative conducts the research on the best way to improve the product, organization, and the entire project team.This department operates with a sense of urgency can create and conceptualize quickly. The sales representative will benefit the team and organization by ensuring that the product reaches its intended consumers in the most efficient manner while maximizing profits.Management Ââ€" studies show that virtual teams perform well when executives support the development of the social relationship across the team and thereby enhancing trust among members. The executive management makes sure the team performs optimally and that it returns the expected outcomes.Collaborating with seve ral functional areas in the virtual team have posted some challenges that may slow or inhibit the team's performance. One of these problems is the differences in the cultural background such differing technical skills, and different styles of work. For example, a member from the production area may not have similar technology skill like those with a member from the IT department. This difference brings a challenge in adapting to new communication tools, systems, and applications, as well as learning how to use them.

Choose a company that is involved in international business activities Essay

Choose a company that is involved in international business activities - Essay Example The recent conflicts in the coltan mining Congo have greatly affected the company in numerous aspects (Smith, 2013). Coltan is Columbo-tantalite substance that is used in the production of the modern electronics including smartphones (Richard & Kathreen, 2014). This product is essential in the production of electric capacitors that are used in smartphones because of their capability to hold high electric charges (Cellular news, 2014). The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has the largest world reserve of coltan, and its production has recently been affected by conflicts between DRC soldiers and M-23 militia rebel group (Smith, 2011). The M-23 militia consisted of Rwandese and Ugandan soldiers. This conflict evolved when the M-23 wanted to gain control over the coltan mining areas in DRC (Weebly, 2014). Though the mining of coltan is not large scale, it is mined by a group of men who dig huge craters in streambeds and scrap the dirt in order to get to coltan. The M-23 was involved in the smuggling of coltan from DRC to the neighboring nations. The neighboring countries such as neighboring Rwanda were accused of selling smuggled coltan though there is no coltan available in the country (Smith, 2011). This conflict in the late 2011 caused a decrease in the supply of coltan and an increase in the prices of coltan. Though there are other nations that produce coltan, DRC is the second largest producer and reserve of coltan after Australia (Marlow & Akkad, 2011). The decreased supply of coltan resulted to increased prices that increased the production costs of Apple Inc. by 20% (Weebly, 2014). However, continued conflicts in the area may result to increasing costs of production and may also affect the production level of the company. Additionally, reports by the United Nations indicate that there is a need to institute regulations to limit the production of coltan from conflict-prone areas in order to

Big Bang Theory :: Big Bang Theory Science Religion Creation Essays

Big Bang Theory Fifteen billion years ago, give or take five billion years, the entirety of our universe was compressed into the confines of an atomic nucleus. Known as a singularity, this is the moment before creation when space and time did not exist. According to the prevailing cosmological models that explain our universe, an ineffable explosion, trillions of degrees in temperature on any measurement scale, that was infinitely dense, created not on fundamental subatomic particles and thus matter and energy but space and time itself. Cosmology theorists combined with the observations of their astronomy colleagues have been able to reconstruct the primordial chronology of events known as the big bang. Quantum theory suggests that moments after the explosion at 10 -20 second, the four forces of nature; strong nuclear, weak nuclear, electromagnetic and gravity were combined as a single "super force" (Wald). Elementary particles known as quarks begin to bond in trios, forming photons, positrons and neutrinos and were created along with their antiparticles. There are minuscule amounts of protons and neutrons at this stage; approximately 1 for every one billion photons, neutrinos or electrons (Maffei). The density of the Universe in its first moment of life is thought to have been 1094g/cm3 with the majority of this being radiation. For each billion pairs of these heavy particles (hardens) that were created, one was spared annihilation due to particle-antiparticle collisions. The remaining particles constitute the majority of our universe today (Novikov). During this creation and annihilation of particles the universe was undergoing a rate of expansion many times the speed of light. Known as the inflationary epoch, the universe in less than one thousandth of a second doubled in size at least one hundred times, from an atomic nucleus to 1035 meters in width. An isotropic inflation of our Universe ends at 10-35 second that was almost perfectly smooth. If it were not for a slight fluctuation in the density distribution of matter, theorists contend, galaxies would have been unable to form (Parker). The universe at this point was ionized plasma where matter and radiation were inseparable. Additionally there were equal amounts of particles and antiparticles. The ratio of neutrons and protons albeit small is equal. When the universe aged to one hundredth of a second old neutrons begin to decay on a massive scale. This allows for free electrons and protons to combine with other particles. Eventually the remaining neutrons combine with protons to form heavy hydrogen (deuterium).

In Discipline and Punish, Michel Foucault analyzes the emergence of disciplinary practices

In Discipline & Punish, Michel Foucault analyzes the emergence of disciplinary practices, as they are understood in modern schools, militaries, and prisons. Foucault understands the manifestations of modern disciplines in terms of a power-knowledge relationship. In Discipline & Punish he makes a change in his method of thinking about power-knowledge relations in using a genealogical method. The basic premise of the genealogical approach is that shifts of power in society alter the way knowledge is formed in society. Foucault's specific focus in the genealogical framework will be on the interrelation of non-discursive practices (control of bodies) and discursive practices (bodies of knowledge). In focusing on bodies of knowledge and the controlling of bodies Foucault shows how the greatest difference in the Modern Age of disciplines and the Classical Age is that Modern society is engulfed in disciplinary practices. Foucault believes that there is a misunderstanding by scholars when studying the history of discipline and punishment in the West. The misunderstanding is thinking that there is a progress in the way we treat criminals, or deviants, in compared with the forms of punishment used in the Classical Age. In order to view this misunderstanding Foucault begins Discipline & Punish with a horrific example of public torture that was commonplace treatment of a criminal in the Classical Age, which immediately provokes the reader to feel that the Modern Age has accomplished definite ‘progress'. However, Foucault claims that ‘progress' from a humanist perspective in relation to Modern discipline and punishment would not be accurate but, ‘progress' in being able to perform punishment with the same intensity of the Classical Age and not get the negative reaction that people had towards the public torture is a more accurate picture. Foucault claims that Modern societies aim has been â€Å"not to punish less, but to punish better. † The best model of â€Å"punishing better† has taken place in the Modern Prison. In the Prison the Modern Age changed its aims in punishing the criminal and these aims have carried over into the many disciplines of society. Foucault defines some of those differences in Modern discipline practices that culminate in the prison, but are unlimited in their reach upon society. The first difference is the object of control is no longer focused on the mind, but is more concerned with the body. An example of this is the vast apparatus of the Modern Prison that maintains a cell for each inmate to be placed. The Modern Prison is obsessed with the location of the body, rather than the earlier disciplinary techniques in which the foremost concern was one's ideas. This modern obsession with controlling the body in the Modern Prison is also present in the military apparatus. For example, the barracks or bases are developed to locate the troops in a specific location and keep them from mixing with the outside population. The earlier days when one was called from his house to go out to battle is eradicated by making soldiers subject to a specific location. The second area of development in Modern disciplinary practices is the control of details of specific bodily movements. The control of details of specific bodily movements is most clearly exemplified in the example of the Panopticon that Foucault gives in Discipline & Punish. One of the main characteristics of the Panopticon was to be able to constantly supervise the movements of each prisoner. The goal was to supervise the prisoner, while not allowing the prisoner to see the supervisor. This resulted in the prisoner constantly being aware of each little movement he made because there was always the possibility of being watched. The spread of the form of control of detail into other disciplinary institutions is easily seen in the school when teachers become concerned with the way in which they're students write or their posture in the classroom. The schoolmaster is no longer as concerned with the fact that the student can read and write, as he is with the way in which the pupils perform their task. The third object of focus by modern disciplines that Foucault suggests is new in the Modern Age is the concern with the process of production rather than just the product itself. The goal in the third mechanism is to exercise control over the complete production of an act instead of just the result of the act. The Modern Prison exemplifies this when it keeps a record of the prisoner's movements or affect. The fact that the prisoner does not break the rules is secondary too the way he goes about not breaking the rules. The control of processes is easily seen in the Modern economy. The Modern wage laborer is prescribed a code of ethics, timetable, and a contract. All of the later are mechanisms that concern the production of the product rather than the product itself. It does not matter if one is able to produce a product if does not fit within the proscribed process. The result of the control of the body, the details of bodily movements, and the process of production is â€Å"the docile body. † In order to achieve the function of rendering â€Å"the docile body† the Modern Age has developed distinctive mechanisms. The first of the mechanism's that Foucault mentions that are put in place to achieve a â€Å"docile body† is the Hierarchal Observations. Foucault locates the model of this method in the Bentham's ‘Panopticon. ‘ The ‘Panopticon' has a tower to be located in the middle of transparent cells, which form around the tower itself. The supervisor is to be able to see any prisoner at any time without the prisoner being aware that they are being watched. Foucault claims this gives the body a specific space of ‘subjection' and makes the prisoner constantly aware of there position. The ‘Panopticon' represents a change from the Classical Age of placing prisoners in dark dungeons and makes use of the light of a constant gaze. The hospital is an example of how the mechanism of the Hierarchal Observation spreads from the prison model into other social spaces. Foucault talks about the care that went into the new architecture of the hospital that allowed for the patients to be easily viewed, it separated them from other patients, and had a separate ventilation system that was organized for each patient to avoid the spread of germs. The hospital was no longer the overseer of death, but a whole apparatus of ‘therapeutic' mechanisms. In both the Modern Prison and the hospital, the body and its movements became the target rather than the mind. The mechanism of Hierarchal Observation lays the grounding for Normalizing Judgment, which is another distinctive mechanism of the Modern Age. The mechanism of Normalizing Judgment is to be able to focus in on the errors of a given behavior in order to reform the behavior. The process of Normalizing Judgment allows for codes to be established that can be placed next to the Law and Tradition. The emergence of Normalizing Judgment could be seen in the Modern Prison when the prisoners are subjected to a rigid schedule of prayer, exercise, and education. The prisoner was to stay within the ‘norms' or be judged. The Classical Age was concerned with revenge of the victim, whereas the Modern Age is concerned specifically with the criminal as a deviant or abnormal person. Foucault recognizes the spread of Normalizing Judgment in the rise of the standardized education. Examples of standardized education would be medical schools or law schools. These schools established the general norms of health and law. Thus, if someone deviates from â€Å"the norm† they subject themselves to space where it is appropriate for one to visit the psychologist to get help and on to the many other possible reformist mechanism. The mechanism of Normalizing Judgment enables the framework for the third mechanism, the Examination, to be developed. The Examination is a type of combination of the latter two mechanisms into what Foucault calls â€Å"the normalizing gaze. † This can be seen in the prison as when the prisoner is aware of being visible and â€Å"the norms† simultaneously. It is as if one knows how they ‘should' act and that they will be constantly held accountable through observation. The school examination is a further elaboration of this technique used in the prison. The student is constantly checked to make sure they are in order with â€Å"the norm† by a written or oral examination. The function of the school examination provides the exact same function of the prison examination, but in a new social space. The mechanisms of the Hierarchal Observation, Normalizing Judgment, and Examination ensure that â€Å"the docile body† is achieved. The mechanisms of docility are present throughout the entire stratum of society. Although the Modern disciplinary practices developed in the isolated space of the prison they have spread throughout society into schools, hospitals, factories, courts, and various other spaces. These disciplinary practiced do not just locate the normal form of behavior, but also act as a positive force of knowledge. The mechanisms achieve â€Å"the docile body† that allow for the coding of the individual of any given knowledge. A clue to just how vast disciplinary practices are in the Modern Age is the disappearance of â€Å"the outlaw,† which is now taken up with â€Å"the deviant. † There is no way to get ‘out'side the law, but one remains in a deviant form that is located within the disciplinary space. There is no escaping the mechanisms of power throughout society, as mechanisms of power-knowledge will continue to flourish in many different transformations. However, by not mistaking these transformations as necessary for ‘progress' and getting the mechanism to operate in your favor, one can achieve real progress.

William Shakespeare s The Tempest - 949 Words

Although King Alonso and Antonio unfairly banish Prospero from Milan, he still wrongfully overtakes the island he discovers and the few inhabitants on it. Not only does Prospero take control over Caliban, he also becomes Ariel’s master after saving him from his entrapment, but unlike the favored Ariel, Prospero treats Caliban horribly like a slave rather than a humble servant. Later in the play as Stephano encounters Caliban, he too takes advantage of him because of his gullibility and his fascination with liquor. Overall, Prospero along with Stephano, play the role of usurping European colonizers who make both Caliban and Ariel their deprived colonial subjects in William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Prospero represents one of the invading settlers in this play by his unjust and domineering actions towards Caliban and Ariel. Shortly after his arrival, he frees Ariel and teaches Caliban his language and various features of the island, almost as if he takes him in as his ow n. At one point they existed as equals, and Caliban claims that â€Å"[he] loved [Prospero], and show’d [him] all the qualities o’ th’ isle† (1.2. 460-461). Before Prospero arrived, Caliban ruled only over himself, but was later shaped similarly to a European like his master. They could have potentially coexisted as friends but as time passes, Prospero has second thoughts and enslaves Caliban after he violates his daughter. Caliban is not accustomed to the ethics of Europeans; he simply just wants to populateShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1267 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience. During the Enlightenment Era, William Shakespeare’s writing were a form of social commentary on the English Government. Endorsed by the king, Shakespeare’s works told tales of tragedy and whimsy, incorporating both fiction and nonfiction elements. One trademark of Shakespeare s plays were the subtle allusions to the concurrent events in the English gov ernment. This is evident in his well known and final play, The Tempest. The story of The Tempest tells the tale of Prospero, a fallen dukeRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Tragicomedy The Tempest1935 Words   |  8 Pagesstand alone, frequently including elements from other influences. William Shakespeare’s tragicomedy The Tempest (c:1611) is a play that uses intertextuality to enhance ideas about natural order. Banished to an island, Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, conjures up a tempest that brings him his usurping brother, Antonio in an attempt to restore his Dukedom. The play’s amalgamation of tragicomedy and the pastoral genre allows Shakespeare to warn his audience about unbalance, criticising the lavish lifestyleRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1256 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespare’s The Tempest introduces a dynamic and colorful protagonist, Prospero. Throughout the play, he establishes himself as a multi dimensional character. Prospe ro’s interaction with other characters in the play is vital in uncovering the many different sides of his personality. Prospero displays a different part of his personality when he interacts with Caliban, Ariel, and Ferdinand, all of whom are ploys in his master plan to regain his crown. Prospero assimilates his personality toRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1229 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeare most definitely did not reference Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s Seven Monster Theses when writing his play, The Tempest. One of Cohen’s theses though - thesis four â€Å"The Monster Dwells at the Gates of Difference† - appears quite prominently in Shakespeare’s work. The thesis articulates that monsters are divisive and often arise in a culture to make one group seem superior to another. Further, societies devise monsters in order to create a scapegoat for social and political inequitiesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest Essay1019 Words   |  5 PagesStephen Greenblatt, believes that antagonists such as Caliban from The Tempest represent more than a source of evil. Some theorists argue that Caliban should been seen as a â€Å"colonial other.† I agree, and in this paper I demonstrate and give prime examples as to why Caliban is misunderstood and depicted as a monster when in fact he should be viewed as a native of the island. According to Greenblatt’s argument, in The Tempest, Caliban should be viewed as a colonial other rather than a universal evilRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest886 Words   |  4 PagesIn The Tempest, by William Shakespeare, there is a main issue of whether Prospero or Caliban have the better claim to control the island. In act 1, scene 2, we learn that Prospero, Miranda (his daughter), and Caliban are all located on an island. Caliban states, â€Å"This island’s mine by Sycorax my mother, (1.2.331), which means that he has inherited this island from his mother. However, critic Stephen Orgel has argued that â€Å"Power, as Prospero presents it in the play, is not inherited but self-createdRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest947 Words   |  4 PagesIn Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Caliban is the primitive monster who belongs to the bottom of the power hierarchy on the island claimed by Prospero. Caliban, the original inhabitant of the island, unwillingly becomes Prospero’s slave as he uses magic to take control of the island. Prospero sees Caliban as the savage and monster who does not acknowledge the order of civilization despite his efforts to educate him. Caliban appears as an inferior and beast-like figure from nature in the eyes of the civilizedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest Essay987 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance† (5.1.35-36). This quote from scene five of the Tempest gives the reader a glimpse of Shakespeare’s message regarding humanity. To be human means more than to have two feet, breathe in your lungs, and the ability to communicate. To be human is a choice. Being human means showing compassion and love for those around you. In the play the Tempest, Prospero struggles with his humanity. He possesses inhuman abilities that cause him to lose sight of theRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1499 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s play â€Å"The Tempest† outlines many complex characters. One of which was Prospero, former Duke of Milan and powerful sorcerer. Prospero initially portrays a self-involved personality and God-complex but then throughout the course of the play this personality trait transpires into a more pragmatic approach to his life. All of these traits of this character makes it difficult to analyze the true character of Prospero. In the first Act of the play, we see Prospero using sorcery to drum upRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Tempest1469 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tempest brings out the discussion of rule, in this play the theme of rule is prominent, especially in the beginning of the play where the conversation between Prospero and Miranda (his daughter) lead the actions of Prospero, this paper will be analysing the hierarchy of the characters, the definition of justice for Prospero and who’s the king of Milan. Prospero has magical powers which is seen later in the play, the play starts off by the telling the story of the current king and his crew on