Comparative projects Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Relative activities - Assignment Example In this way, social orders that on a very basic level watch matrilocality and matrilineal drop will respect ladies with higher social capacities than in one where their custom accommodates patrilocality and patrilineal plummet. The living courses of action upon marriage and the request for legacy have an immediate connection to the status of ladies in the gathering. The acts of the Minangkabau of Indonesia and the Yanomamo of Venezuela lights up on these distinctions as hypothesized by Scupin. Matrilineal social orders don't really infer that ladies are the focal point of intensity in this setting. This recommends in opposition to the conviction of male predominance, ladies have an increasingly dynamic job and cooperation in the public arena. Lewis Henry Morgan in his work Ancient Society which propelled no not exactly Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels guesses that matriarchy had consistently been the standard during before times. Yet, there was a development toward man centric society as embraced by men so as to make sure about that their property gives to their male ancestry as opposed to the matriarchal framework where property is public (as refered to in Scupin, 2012, p. 228). Peggy Reeves Sanday in her investigation of the Minangkabau goes up against the Western thoughts of man controlled society. She composes that the ladies in this culture are seen in a libertarian way instead of being repressed individuals from the clan (as refered to in Scupin, 2012, p. 230). Then ag ain, Yanomamã ¶ are patrilineal and the men hold the most force. The regular framework in their endurance follow the normal origination of a man centric framework where the men set up the timberland for farming while simultaneously shielding everybody from interlopers and the ladies watch out for the vegetation and gathering of harvests as they at the same time back the kids (Scupin, 2012, p. 175). The Minangkabau is perceived as the biggest matrilineal society on the planet and contemplated

Organisation and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Association and Management - Essay Example Presently the basic point to comprehend here is the way that learning can not exclusively be at the most significant level, rather the information the executives can even happen at the center unit and the exceptional trainings help at putting forth a valiant effort undoubtedly. An association which can learn can comprehend what are its obligations concerning the general public, the earth, its partners and clients, its capacities and various procedures which must be looked down up at with a lawful and moral point of view. This implies the association frees its working techniques in accordance with its previously set qualities and good standards. Additionally, it recognizes what are its commitments and impulses towards all the previously mentioned. The association is continually willing and anxious to gain from its errors, prepared to acquire more up to date and new procedures inside its folds and continually promising its partners and workers to put away more cash and time, individually. Dealing with an association is additionally a significant capacity which goes under the learning standards. It has contextual investigations and best case situations to gaze upward to at whatever point there is an issue or inconvenience close by and it knows who the opportune individual is to contact at whatever point there is some disparity inside the framework. Add to that the association attempts to keep its contacts, regardless of in which limit they are, at a maximal point and consistently continues expanding in order to turn into a socially dynamic player inside the applicable business. The administration viewpoint additionally originates from the way that its information base is unblemished and recognizes what is expected of it. This information base has the job of ceaselessly improving the frameworks and working approachs. It likewise has the best accessible center administration representatives who know the specialized premise of running the association and whose potential c an generally profit the sound functions of the organization. Accordingly it is very

UROP Deadlines and Openings

UROP Deadlines and Openings A reminder: Fall 2005 UROP Direct Funding (Funds from UROP) Deadline: Thursday, Thursday September 15, 2005. Keep in mind that there are three options when doing a UROP: UROP for Pay: Up to $1,250 per semester, which works out to $9.00/hour, when you are funded by the UROP office. Need to fill out some paperwork. Your project may also qualify for special funds http://web.mit.edu/urop/students/mit/awards.html, for example last year I was funded by the Cathy M. Comeau Memorial Fund which supports women UROP students pursing research in the School of Science. Its pretty easy to apply for one of these awards, just write that you are applying for the award on your proposal coversheet. If youre lucky, you can get supervisor funding. UROP for Credit: Paperwork is due by November 3, 2005. Register on Reg. Day or fill out an Add/Drop form. You can register as a pass/fail UROP or as a graded UROP. But, note that if you are doing a Course 6 or Course 8 UROP or if you are a freshman, then you cannot get graded credit. UROP for Volunteer: Paperwork is due on November 3, 2005. This is the easiest way to get a UROP, most people will be more willing to hire you and there is not a lot of hassle with filling out timecards. All of this information can be found on the UROP Guidelines website. For a list of available Fall 2005 UROPs, click here. I chose some listings that freshmen might be qualified for. UROPs that dont require much prior experience (yes, they do exist!!!): 1) Comparative Media Studies / HyperStudio Faculty Supervisor: Prof. William Uricchio Exploration of Early Cinema Through Paper Prints Seeking an independent and highly motivated student to help (a) animate digital paper prints of early silent Shakespeare films held by the Library of Congress, (b) explore issues of copyright, preservation and restoration of early films, and (c) produce a website to draw in experts on the subject to contribute and discuss their ideas. This UROP project will be for credit or pay. Prerequisites: An interest in early cinema, silents, or film studies. Proficient in HTML, Flash, Photoshop, and FileMaker Pro. Must be well organized. Previous animation experience a plus. Contact: Please send CV to Belinda Yung, [emailprotected] 2) Humans and Automation Lab Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Missy Cummings Human-System Interface (HSI) prototype development for next generation lunar lander vehicle Due to technology advancement over the past thirty-five years since the Apollo Landings, the role of the human and automated systems in a new lunar lander system must be reevaluated and redesigned. The Humans and Automation Lab (http://halab.mit.edu) is seeking a UROP student to actively participant in the new HSI prototype development for next generation lunar landing vehicle. As a member of MIT HSI team, this person will interact with teams from NASA, Draper, JPL and Honeywell. This is a unique opportunity to directly influence the design of the next lunar lander. Prerequisites: Skills in interface prototyping (VB6 or VB.net), team collaboration, technical writing, and presentation. Programming and User Interface design experiences are highly desirable but not necessary. Contact: Dr. Enlie Wang, [emailprotected], 617-452-3038 3) Computional Cognitive Science Lab Faculty Supervisor: Prof. JoshuaTenenbaum Bayesian models of learning and reasoning We study the computational basis of human learning and inference. Through a combination of mathematical modeling, computer simulation, and behavioral experiments, we try to uncover the logic behind our everyday inductive leaps: word learning, generalization of novel facts, learning causal relations, and inferring behavior of intentional agents. We approach these problems through two complementary routes: the development of formal models using Bayesian statistics (and other mathematical tools) and behavioral testing of children and adults. Our work is driven by the complementary goals of trying to achieve a better understanding of human learning in computational terms and trying to build computational systems that come closer to the capacities of human learners. We are open to UROPs of all skill levels. Most important to us is that you are interested, motivated, and able to work independently. Basic requirements for all UROPs will include helping to test experimental participants. You will also read papers relevant to ongoing projects in the lab, help design experiments, and be given an introduction to computational modeling. Exact details will vary with your interests, skills, and experience. Prerequisites: Please be interested and motivated. Math and/or computer programming experience are desirable but not necessary. Contact: Patrick Shafto, [emailprotected] http://web.mit.edu/cocosci/ 4) Fall 2005 Faculty Supervisor:Stefanie Shattuck-Hufngel Combined Linguistics and EECS/RLE Speech Group UROP: This project involves identifying disfluent regions in large files of digitized speech, and analysing them as evidence to help evaluate proposed linguistic grammars, theories of sound change, and models of the speech production planning and speech perception processes. Related aspects of the project include learning to label the music of spoken language (i.e. the intonation and rhythm, also called prosody), close acoustic analysis of the speech signal, classification of error types, and labelling of speech-accompanying gestures in video recordings of the speaker, in order to align head and hand gestures with the spoken prosody. Some knowledge of phonology/phonetics, acoustics, signal analysis, music, computer science and/or cognitive science will be a plus. Positions available for pay or for credit; some possibility of continuation into IAP, the spring term and a summer position. contact: Stefanie Shattuck-Hufngel, Speech Group, RLE ([emailprotected]) or Adam Albright ([emailprotected]) Between Sept 9 and 13, please contact Prof. Albright 5) McGovern Institute/ BSC/ Kanwisher Lab (Course 9) Faculty Supervisor: Prof. Nancy Kanwisher Neuroimaging studies of scene perception There are two openings for UROPs in the Kanwisher Lab. 1) Network Modeling Software Development: This project will involve developing software which will enable analysis of functional MRI data using support vector machines and independent component analysis. The individual would need a high level of mathematical and programming knowledge (and a keen interest in statistical learning theories). 2) Functional MRI Analysis: This project will involve the analysis of fMRI data using existing statistical packages as well as the opportunity to be directly involved in the acquisition of MRI data from subjects. The individual would need to be familiar with Matlab and Unix environment. Prerequisites: Interest in Neuroimaging, Interest in Perception, Familiarity with Matlab and Unix, Good organizational skills. Contact: Contact: Mark Williams, [emailprotected]

Overview Of Hard Disk Drives - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 14 Words: 4302 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? LITERATURE REVIEW The suspension manufacturing process is an important research area. So, this chapter presents: An introduction physical components in HDD Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Overview Of Hard Disk Drives" essay for you Create order An introduction component of suspension Finite Element Method Principle types of bending Bending Methods Theoretical Bending Models Design of Experiments Experimental Analysis 2.1 Physical component in HDD The computer hard disk drives (HDD) are used to store a large quantity of information for retrieval as and when required. Figure 2.1 shows the main components of Hard disk drives. A Hard disk drive consists of three important mechanical components such as a fly head mechanism, a head positioning mechanism, and a disk spindle mechanism. However, Read/Write operations on a magnetic disk are performed by the rotational motion of the recording and the radial motion of the recording head using the swing arm actuator. [6]. Figure 2.1: Components of hard disk drive assembly. Table 2.1: Function for component of Hard disk drives Components of hard disk drive Functions HEAD ARM The magnetic element reads/writes magnetic signals SLIDER The strategically shaped block of graphite that carries the head READ/WRITE HEAD It is integrated with slider, which is mounted on the head of suspension. This device used to record information on the disk or read information from it. SUSPENSION The head is attached to this components and it is the carrier for the Slider that allows the head to fly over the disk surface. VCM The VCM or actuator is the device used to position the head arm to different tracks on the surface of the platter. DISK/MEDIA/PLATTERS A thin round aluminum or glass substrate that is coated with a magnetic material. The head writes and reads to/from the disk. SPINDLE/MOTOR Disks are stacked along the length of the spindle and the motor spins the disks at a consistent RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). 2.2 Component of suspension The suspension interconnects carries signals from the write driver to the write head and from the read head to the preamplifier. Therefore, the components of Hard disk drive are composed of Load beam, Mount plate, and Flat flexure circuit as shown in Figure 2.2 [7]. Figure 2.2: The component of the suspension. 2.2.1 Suspension Functions All magnetic Hard disk drive require suspensions to hold/support the Read/Write head and provide precise preload angle (GL) [8]. Figure 2.3: Suspension Functions. A suspension assembly holds recording heads over the spinning disk surface but instead flyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? at a precise very small height above the disk surface. It is the suspension that allows the head to fly less than 0.01 micrometer above the disk surface that is rotating continuously at speeds range between 5,400 to 20,000 rpm as shown in Figure 2.4. Human hair~50 mm Dia. Fly height 0.01mm Dust particle ~5 mm Dia. Figure 2.4: The precise very small height above the disk surface. 1. The flying height concern, the ability of the head to read or write data, while insufficient flying height causes the head to scratch the disk surface and destroy the magnetic coating and the data on the disk. The head is able to stay precisely at the correct flying height because of the equilibrium of the upward force of the air driven under the head and the downward force controlled by the suspension assembly as shown in Figure 2.5. Preload angle DGL DGLL Figure 2.5: Force balance on suspension operation. Spring rate is both the output of individual standard Gram load and the displacement, because the individual standard Gram load and displacement are directly affected the spring rate whether low or high Spring rate. The range of changing DGL has low spring rate. On other hand, the range of changing DGL has high spring rate. However, low or high spring rate will be displacement Dz in z direction, if we consider low spring rate better than high spring rate. 2. The suspension must also hold the head at the correct angles in two axes PSA and RSA simultaneously. 3. The suspension must also optimize resonance for provide less off-track movement during seek. 4. Others critical parameters as customer requirement. 2.3 Finite Element Method 2.3.1 Introduction Considered to the direct methods, the finite element technique further offers the idea of discretization, this time of the very structure or solid under investigation. This allows broadening the class of problems amenable to solution so as to include those dealing directly with modern technology. On the other hand, a sufficiently fine mesh and/or high order of approximation within elements ensure that the error is kept reasonably small. This technique requires the processing of extensive data and may efficiently be implemented with the help of computers only. 2.3.2 Fundamental Concepts FEM cuts a structure into several elements (pieces of the structure). Then it reconnects elements at à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“nodesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? as if nodes were pins or drops of glue that hold elements together. This process results in a set of simultaneous algebraic equations. Figure 2.6: Many engineering phenomena can be expressed by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“governing equationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“boundary conditionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Figure 2.7: FEM Resolution way; FEM approximates problem equations to a set of algebraic equations. K = Property U = Behavior F = Action Figure 2.8: Behavior is the unknown parameter of the problem. 2.3.4 Basic steps in the Finite Element Method The basic steps involved in and finite element analysis consist as shown in Figure 2.9 [9]. Post-processing Phases Solution Phase Preprocessing Phase Figure 2.9: Basic steps in the Finite element method. 2.3.4-1 Preprocessing phase 1. Create and discretize the solution domain into finite element; that is, subdivide the problem into nodes and elements. 2. Assume a shape function to represent the physical behavior of an element; that is an approximate continuous function is assumed to represent the solution of an element. 3. Develop equation for an element. 4. Assemble the element to present the entire problem. Construct the global stiffness matrix. 5. Apply boundary conditions, initial conditions, and loading. 2.3.4-2 Solution phase Solve a set of linear or nonlinear algebraic equations simultaneously to obtain nodal results, such as displacement values at different nodes or temperature values at different nodes in a heat transfer problem. 2.3.4-3 Post-processing phase Obtain other important information. At this point, we may interest in values of principal stresses. 2.4 Principle types of Bending 2.4.1 Introduction Sheet-metal parts are typically produced by a sequence of bending operations. The bending process starts with a flat part and ends up with a three-dimensional object of interconnected planes. Sheet metal bending and metal forming is performed with the use of a metal bending machine called press brake, using various tool and holding resources. Tools consist of dies and punches of different shape and length. There is also a need of grippers that hold the part during operations. The workpiece to be metal formed is placed in the machine and the shoes are raised with elevation levers. The work is then slid into place, and the shoes lowered back down onto the piece to be formed. Metal bending occurs by applying force to the bending lever on the bending brake as shown in Figure 2.10. Adjustment bolts determine the radius of the metal bend. Minimum bend radius is a function of the ductility and thickness of the material being worked. It is needful to bend the work slightly beyond the desired angle because the sheet metals will springback. Sheet metal bending is carried out in metal fabrication shops [10]. (a) (b) (c) (d) Figure 2.10: Sheet metal bending process. (a): position part on the die; (b): position punch on the part; (c): perform bending; (d): take out the part. 2.4.2 Design parameters The problems associated with forming high strength steel often are created during the design stage, when products are designed in such a way that they cannot be manufactured using conventional stamping methods. Or the product requires numerous or special offline operations, such as annealing or normalizing. Further, few of the most important part characteristics that need to be addressed during the design stage [10]. 2.4.3 Bending Radius and Bending Angle Bending dies should be designed so as to avoid sharp bent edges. The inside bending radius ri1,mm depends on the sheet metal thickness s [mm] and should be selected to be as large as possible, because sharp bent edges may lead to material failure. On principle, the bending radius should assume the values recommended by DIN6953. When bending sheet metal, particular attention should also be paid to the rolling direction for bending is transverse to the direction of the sheet metal, r1, min [10]. Figure 2.11: Elastic recovery after Bending. Remember that a small profile radius not only may cause an embrittlement fracture, but also can reduce the metal flow inward. Metal that is not in radial compression has very little resistance to flow. For example, the side walls of a deep-draw box have very little resistance to flow and are not as sensitive to the limiting draw ratio; however, the corners of the box are in radial compression. This radial compression causes a resistance to flow. Increasing the radius size reduces the amount of compression, resulting in increased metal flow inward [10]. 2.4.4 Springback When designing a bending die, it is necessary to consider springback that occurs after unloading. The material has a tendency to partially return to its original shape because of the elastic recovery of the material as shown in Figure 2.11. This is influenced not only by the tensile and yield strengths, but also by thickness, bend radius and bend angle. Springback occurs with all types of forming by bending, when bending in presses, folding, roll forming and roll bending. As a result of springback, the bending die angle a does not correspond precisely to the angle desired at the workpiece a2. The angle ratio is the so-called springback factor kR, which depends on the material characteristics and the ratio between the bending radiuses and sheet metal thickness (r/s) [10]. 2.5 Bending Methods There are so many types of bending operation. Most common methods for bending metal sheet are: Wiping Die Bending, Double Die Bending, and Roll Bending [11]. 2.5.1 Wiping Die Bending Wiping die bending is also known as flanging. One edge of the sheet is bent to 90 while the other end is restrained by the material itself and by the force of blank-holder and pad. The flange length can be easily changed and the bend angle can be controlled by the stroke position of the punch. Figure 2.12: Wiping Die Bending. 2.5.2 Double Die Bending Double die bending can be seen as two wiping operations acting on the work piece one after another. Double bending can enhance strain hardening to reduce springback. Figure 2.13: Double Die Bending. 2.5.3 Roll Bending The operations described in this section use rolls to form sheet metal. Roll bending is an operation in which large sheet-metal parts are formed into curved sections by means of rolls. As the sheet passes between the rolls, the rolls are brought toward each other to a configuration that achieves the desired radius of curvature on the work. A related operation is roll straightening in which nonflat sheets are straightened by passing them between a series of rolls. The rolls subject the work to a sequence of decreasing small bends in opposite directions, thus causing it to be straight at the exit [12]. Figure 2.14: Roll Bending. 2.6 Theoretical Bending Models Bending along a straight line is the most common of all sheet forming processes; it can be done in various ways such as forming along the complete bend in a die, or by wiping, folding or flanging in special machines, or sliding the sheet over a radius in a die. A very large amount of sheet is roll formed where it is bent progressively under shaped rolls. Failure by splitting during a bending process is usually limited to high-strength, less ductile sheet and a more common cause of unsatisfactory bending is lack of dimensional control in terms of springback [15]. 2.6.1 Variables in bending a continuous sheet To consider a unit width of a continuous sheet in which a cylindrical bent region of radius of curvature à ? is flanked by flat sheet as shown in Figure 2.15. The bend angle is ÃŽÂ ¸, and a moment per unit width M, and a tension (force per unit width) T are applied. We note that the tension T is applied at the middle surface of the sheet. The units of M are [force] [length]/ [length] and of T [force]/ [length]. Figure 2.15: A unit length of a continuous strip bent along a line. 2.6.2 Geometry and strain in bending In bending a thin sheet to a bend radius more than three or four times the sheet thickness, it may be assumed that a plane normal section in the sheet will remain plane and normal and converge on the centre of curvature as shown in Figure 2.16. Figure 2.16: Deformation of longitudinal fibers in bending and tension. In general, a line CDO at the middle surface may change its length to CD if, for example, the sheet is stretched during bending; i.e. the original length lO becomes. A line AB0 at a distance y from the middle surface will deform to a length. The axial strain of AB is where ÃŽÂ µa is the strain at the middle surface or the membrane strain and ÃŽÂ µb is the bending strain. Where the radius of curvature is large compared with the thickness, the bending strain can be approximated as, The strain distribution is approximately linear as shown in Figure 2.17. Figure 2.17: Assumed strain distribution in bending. 2.6.3 The pure bending calculation of beam The pure bending operation mention as below section, which is calculated for the theoretical bending moment [13].The simple case of pure bending is examined that the possessing a vertical axis of symmetry, subjected to equal and opposite and couples as shown in Figure 2.18. Figure 2.18: Pure bending. The stress is needed to assured that is consistent with the boundary conditions at ends. These condition are required the results of the internal forces be zero. Therefore, the bending moments about the neutral axis equal the applied moment, : , An expression for normal stress can be written as follows. This is familiarly elastic flexure formula applicable to straight beams applicable. Since, given section, I and M are constant; the maximum stress is obtained by taking: Where S is the elastic section modulus, these formula is widely employed in practice because if its simplicity and facilitate its use also. This,, is regularly used as a measure of the bending strength of materials. 2.6.4 Plastic deformation Unlike elastic deformation, during which, for example, a rod under a tensile load returns to its initial length as long as a defined value (elastic limit of the material) is not exceeded, a workpiece which is plastically deformed retains its shape permanently [14]. Figure 2.19: Tension test bar change in length under stress. 2.6.5 Deformation resistance The resistance to be overcome during a deformation is composed of the flow stress and the friction resistances in the tool, which are brought together under the term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“resistance to flowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? [14]. Kf=Flow stress which is direct variation as follows material, type of force, true strain, strain rate, and Temperature. Kr=Friction between tools with material which is direct variation as follows lubricate, surface by surface between tools and material, Temperature, Specify compression stress between tools work piece. Ki= the geometric of forming area, from stress of forming area and relations between Kf and Kr. 2.6.6 Choice of material model for forming In the experiment, the material model for the bending have as actual stress-stain curve. In general material will have an elastic, plastic strain-hardening behavior [15]. Figure 2.20 shows that several example of material behavior are given in many cases. The magnitude of the strain is depending on the bend ratio, this is defined as the ratio of the radius of curvature to sheet thickness,. Figure 2.20: Material models for bending. (a) An actual stressà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"strain curve. (b) An elastic, perfectly plastic model. (c) A rigid, perfectly plastic model. (d) A strain-hardening plastic model. 2.6.6-1 Strain-hardening model The preload forming process deforms the stainless steel material into some angles, which use a strain-hardening plastic model [15]. Other material of preload forming is not formed by forming tools, which is only assembled with the stainless steel. So, we will describe its behavior as shown in Figure 2.20(d), the strain-hardening model is large the strain. The elastic strains can be neglected, and the low strain hardening model is used, the model expresses as following. Where is strength coefficient Table 2.2 Typical values of strength coefficient K and strain hardening exponent n for selected metals. Material Strength Coefficient, K Strain Hardening Exponent, n MPa lb/in2 Aluminum, pure, appealed 175 25,000 0.20 Aluminum, alloy, appealeda 240 35,000 0.15 Aluminum, alloy, heat treated 400 60,000 0.10 Copper, pure, annealed 300 45,000 0.50 Copper alloy,brassa 700 100,000 0.35 Steel, low C, appealeda 500 75,000 0.25 Steel, high C, appealeda 850 125,000 0.15 Steel, alloy, appealeda 700 100,000 0.15 Steel, stainless, austenitic, appealeda 1200 175,000 0.40 2.6.6-2 Bending without tension The workpiece is bent by a pure moment without any tension or compression being applied, the neutral axis will be at the mid-surface [15]. The pure bending process is examined here for elastic bending and strain-hardening as the following. 2.6.6-3 Elastic bending The linear elastic is bent of sheet shows the material models in the Figure 2.21. The material model [15] of elastic bending as shown in Figure 2.21(a) where the yield stresses- is S. The relationship of stressà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"strain relation is given as . The distribution shown in Figure 2.21(b), the distribution of stress in Figure 2.21(c). Figure 2.21: Linear elastic bending of sheet showing the material model (a), the strain distribution (b), and the stress distribution (c). The stress at a distance y from the neutral axis, is The moment at the section for elastic spring back, is Figure 2.22: Moment curvature diagram for elastic bending. Where is the second moment of area for a unit width of sheet, and is the curvature. The limit of elastic bending is when the outer fibre at reaches the plane strain yield stress S. The limiting elastic moment is given by The curvature at this moment is; From Figures 2.22 shown that the moment, curvature diagram are within this elastic range, which is a linear. 2.6.7 Elastic unloading and spring back If a sheet is bent by a moment to a particular curvature, as shown in Figure 2.23, and the moment then released [15]. There will be a change in curvature and bend angle. The length of the mid-surface is This will remain unchanged during unloading as the stress and strain at the middle surface are zero. From this, we obtain in which = constant, we obtain Figure 2.23: Unloading a sheet that has been bent by a moment without tension. 2.7 Design of Experiments In engineering, experimentation shows an important role in new product design, manufacturing process development, and process improvement. The object in many cases may be to develop a robust design. In this study, design of experiments (DOE) will be used to optimize composite design tools to minimize variation in forming process. Usually, experiments are performed to gain insight about a process so that conclusions and decisions can be made to develop design tools, and mathematics model. Statistically designed experiments make it possible to test several process key parameter input variables (KPIV) simultaneously in order to assess the effect of each on the process key parameter output variables (KPOV). At composite manufacturing, processes are geared towards factors significant and as-significant production runs. This approach is known as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“sequential experimentation. In general, experiments are used to study the performance of design. The design can be represented by the model as shown in Figure 2.24. We can usually visualize the process as a combination of machines, methods, people, and other resources that transforms some input into an output that has one or more observable responses. Some of the process variables x1, x2 and so on are controllable, whereas other variables z1, z2 and so on are uncontrollable. Inputs (KPIV) X1, X2, X3, X4à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Xn Outputs (KPIV) Y Design forming Process Figure 2.24: General mathematical model of process and design. The process variation or error, e, will be some function of many component errors. e = e1 + e2 + e3 + à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ en The central limit theorem states that the distribution of the linear function of errors will tend to normality almost irrespective of the individual distributions. The error in an experiment or process can arise in an additive manner from several independent sources; consequently, the normal distribution becomes a plausible model for the combined experimental for process error. 2.8 Experimental Analysis In this section, we will focus on the HDD suspension and the researches that relate for background of this thesis, these topics are discussed follows. Esat et al. (2002) Finite element analysis of spring in bending of aluminum sheets [2]. In manufacturing industry, the bending operation involves with springback. Therefore, it is a practical problem to predict the final geometry of the workpiece after elastic springback recovery and also the design a appropriate tools in tools for compensate for springback , So, this research uses the commercial software for finite for finite element method (FEM) to analyze plastic strains and the equivalent von misses stresses are presented. The results of FEA are comparing with the empirical data, which is a good agreement of its result. The numerical method analyze and design bending dies, punch, and others parameter. Because of it uses very short period of time, the FEA is possible to obtain suitable dies that compensate for springback. On the other hand, the manufacturing process are trial and error procedures that a long time and the result wastage of material and effort. Chou,I.N Hung, C. (1997). Finte element analysis and optimization on springback reduction [3].Several springback reduction techniques used in the U-channel bending processes were analyzed with the finite element method, which included are bottoming, pinching die and spanking and movement techniques. The relationship between the amount of springback and the forming parameters in each technique was first established through finite element simulations, and then the optimization analysis was coupled with the finite element analysis to find the optimum forming parameters for each springback reduction technique. Siwakorn Srisawat (2008). He study simulation model for reducing residual stress in HDD suspension during forming process [16]. One component of the HDD suspension is the flat TG, which is formed into a curved TG during the TG forming process. This process leaves residual stress in the TG walls. This residual stress could affect the head gimbal assembly at factories and also the response of the HDD operation. A simulation model in finite element analysis is proposed in this paper to address two aims. The first is improved prediction of elastic springback as forming TG is an elastic-plastic recovery phenomenon during unloading that leads to springback. The second aim is to reduce the residual stress that occurs in TG during its forming process. Kazan Recep al. (2002) Prediction of springback in wipe-bending process of sheet metal using neural network [17]. The wipe-bending is one of processes the most frequently used in the sheet metal product industry. Furthermore, the springback of sheet metal, which is defined as elastic recovery of the part during unloading, should be taken into consideration so as to produce bent sheet metal parts within acceptable tolerance limits. Springback is affected by factors such as sheet thickness, tooling geometry, lubrication conditions, and material properties and processing parameters. In this paper, the prediction model of springback in wipe-bending process was developed using artificial neural network (ANN) approach. Here, several numerical simulations using finite element method (FEM) were performed to teaching data of network. The learned network is numerically tested and can be easily implemented springback prediction for new cases. Tekiner Zafer. (2004) the examination of springback of sheet metal with several thicknesses and properties in bending dies [18]. The bending die has an importance in the sheet metals product industry. However, the springback of the sheet metal may be taken into consideration in the bending die design for an experimental study. There are two types of the bending die have been conducted to study that is V-bending die and this is a subdivided into corner bending in the air. The springback must be known in order to produce bent sheet metal part within the acceptable tolerance limits. In this research carried out on the determination of amount springback of bent products. The modular V-bend die many induces the several sheet metal with the bending angles for the amount of springback. The amount of springback results are in line with the result of pervious researches. Ekaratch et al.(2008) Vibration analysis of suspension in HDD with FEM [19] the vibration of slider or Read/Write head is one of the major concerns for hard disk drive manufacture. R/W head is an important part that performs read/write data on the media. The air pressure, caused by air flow through the gap between R/W head and media, sustain the flight height of slider above the media, called air bearing. In general, the gap between the head and the media is very small. Thus, if the vibration level of the Head-Suspension is too high, the head and the media could come into contact and damage both components. The main objective of is work is to study the mechanical vibration of suspension that holds R/W head. The Finite Element model of suspension is conducted having air bearing stiffness between the Head and the media as a combination of linear springs. The natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the combined system are employed to use in conjunction with mechanical t roubles and cost occurred for testing physical models. Kajonsak et al. (2009) He had studied of HGA behaviors after mounted with Shipping Comb [20]. In Head Stack Assembly process, a shipping comb is mounted to HAS adjacent the HGA area. This is to prevent the vibration of the sliders, attached at the end of suspension, when joining HAS to the other parts or conduct the measurements, storage and transportation. This work is aimed to study the behaviors of HGA when shipping comb. Having various dimensions and shapes, is mounted on using Finite Element analysis for analysis and comparison Gram load value. The components of Shipping Comb are 5 parts Swage shuttle fixture, fixture, Spreader pins, Load cell and Gripper.

The Insider Secret on Reporting Essay Topics Exposed

The Insider Secret on Reporting Essay Topics Exposed Question marks go outside the finished quotation mark in the event the full sentence asks the question. Begin a list of questions which you'd love to have answered. Now, as soon as you pick a topic, be prepared to set the structure and draft. Your topic is largely dependent on the kind and length of the paper you should write. The Fundamentals of Reporting Essay Topics Revealed Professional shoplifters account for a small proportion of shoplifting. Reliable info, the credibility of details, and superb format will always make an enduring impression. Wherever reports are necessary, software businesses have sought to automate the practice. With a properly executed risk analysis and assessment, a business is going to have the wisdom and information necessary to acquire a comprehensive security and loss prevention program. The simple fact there are different financial systems involved can ensure it is difficult for an outside user, since it's not possible for them to fully understand the financial reporting system which is adopted by another nation. If you would like to understand how to compose a business file, you must learn everything about the key sections to be included. The sole intention of a report is to objectively present readers with all the appropriate info in regard to a particular matter. Studying should consist of task of essay that argues a specific idea. If you're interested in your topic, learning about it is going to be more pleasurable and you'll write with increased passion, so select your topic thoughtfully. Argumentative essay is about arguing and debating on a subject, which is debatable. Test essay questions will be dependent on the topic, needless to say. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand it's critical to at all times be critically considering the world around us. Recent argumentative essay topics that are related to society is going to do. If you're thinking that you require someone to compose my essay at the moment, you can merely rely on our honest reviews. Don't neglect to bring a strong hook at the beginning (introduction paragraph) and wind up with an impressive conclusion to create the reader want to talk about the interesting persuasive essay topics of your selection. Only then, once you have answered the question, in case you present your supporting reasons. If you sit down and maybe spend merely a little time planning out what you'd write if a specific dot-point was asked for in the essay, you will have basically covered all of your bases and ensured you are able to effectively answer any question. How to Get Started with Reporting Essay Topics? Report writing is important for the evolution of every business as the assessment of particular issues, financial operations and circumstances ought to be achieved in a specific report writing format to work. Politically our candidate has turned out to be somewha t skilled. An argumentative essay is a kind of academic papers that students write in the center school. Education scholars are continuously evolving the way that they think about how we learn and what's taught. Students may write about print, television and internet reporting. Read my essay writing service reviews and my guide to selecting the ideal service for everything you want to understand about how to pick the best writing businesses. To get the absolute most out of your short time with an executive, you want to create your recommendation first of all. Once you get your topic, approach identified and conducted your initial research a good way to start is to list out each of your important findings and supporting data. It's critical that the service you decide on knows for sure they're only selecting the ideal essay writers.

Csr of Ibm Free Essays

A report on Corporate Social Responsibility of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) SUBMITTED TO Rabeya Sultana, Assistant Professor, Department Of MIS, University of Dhaka SUBMITTED BY Akibul Kowser Pahlowan Student ID: 61222-15-055 Summer Semester 2012 Department of MIS. University of Dhaka. Candidate’s Declaration I certify that the report entitled â€Å"A report on Corporate Social Responsibility of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)† submitted as a term paper of the course Introduction of Business is the result of my own research, except where otherwise acknowledged and this project report in whole or in part has not been submitted for an award including a higher degree, to any other University or institution. We will write a custom essay sample on Csr of Ibm or any similar topic only for you Order Now Name: Akibul Kowser Pahlowan Signature: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION| 4| 2. What is corporate social responsibility? | 5| 3. Company Profile:| 6| 4. Case Study:| 7| . Other Example of CSR Activities of IBM:| 8| 6. Why IBM involved with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? | 8| 7. Why IBM involved with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? | 9| 8. Conclusion:| 9| INTRODUCTION : Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming an increasingly important activity to businesses nationally and internationally. As globalization accelerates and large corporations serve as global providers, these corporations have progressively recognized the benefits of providing CSR programs in their various locations. CSR activities are now being undertaken throughout the globe. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the responsibility of an organization for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society, the environment and its own prosperity, known as the â€Å"triple bottom line† of people, planet, and profit. Not only do responsible, sustainable and transparent  approaches help build brand and reputation, they help strengthen the community and therefore the marketplace. A solid business plan, embedded into the business culture, reflecting organizational values and objectives through strategic CSR application, will help to build a sustainable and profitable future for all. What is corporate social responsibility? The term is often used interchangeably for other terms such as Corporate Citizenship and is also linked to the concept of Triple Bottom Line Reporting (TBL), which is used as a framework for measuring an organization’s performance against economic, social and environmental parameters. The rationale for CSR has been articulated in a number of ways. In essence it is about building sustainable businesses, which need healthy economies, markets and communities. The key drivers for CSR are1: Enlightened self-interest -creating a synergy of ethics, a cohesive society and a sustainable global economy where markets, labor and communities are able to function well together. Social investment – contributing to physical infrastructure and social capital is increasingly seen as a necessary part of doing business. Transparency and trust – business has low ratings of trust in public perception. There is increasing expectation that companies will be more open, more accountable and be prepared to report publicly on their performance in social and environmental arenas. Increased public expectations of business – globally companies are expected to do more than merely provide jobs and contribute to the economy through taxes and employment. † Company Profile: IBM is the world’s largest information technology company. It is a leader in developing computer servers, software, storage devices and microchips. It also fields a large business consulting division. The company has operations in more than 60 countries. It has a major presence in New York with headquarters in Armonk, research facility in Yorktown Heights, and a massive chip-making facility in Fishkill. IBM is a world leader in research and development and number of corporate patents received annually. The company was founded in 1911 as the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation through a merger of three companies: the Tabulating Machine Company, the International Time Recording Company, and the Computing Scale Corporation. CTR adopted the name International Business Machines in 1924, using a name previously designated to CTR’s subsidiary in Canada and later South America. Its distinctive culture and product branding has given it the nickname Big Blue. In 2012, Fortune ranked IBM the #2 largest U. S. firm in terms of number of employees (433,362), the #4 largest in terms of market capitalization, the #9 most profitable, and the #19 largest firm in terms of revenue. Globally, the company was ranked the #31 largest in terms of revenue by Forbes for 2011. Other rankings for 2011/2012 include #1 company for leaders (Fortune), #1 green company worldwide (Newsweek), #2 best global brand (Interbrand), #2 most respected company (Barron’s), #5 most admired company (Fortune), and #18 most innovative company (Fast Company). IBM holds more patents than any other U. S. -based technology company, and has nine research laboratories worldwide. Its employees have garnered five Nobel Prizes, six Turing Awards, nine National Medals of Technology, and five National Medals of Science. Famous inventions by IBM include the automated teller machine (ATM), the floppy disk, the hard disk drive, the magnetic stripe card, the relational database, the Universal Product Code (UPC), the financial swap, SABRE airline reservation system, DRAM, and Watson artificial intelligence. The company has undergone several organizational hanges since its inception, acquiring companies like SPSS (2009) and PwC consulting (2002), spinning off companies like Lexmark (1991), and selling off product lines like ThinkPad to Lenovo (2005). Case Study: IBM and Thai Red Cross Strike Socially Responsible HIV Partnership. In 2010 2. 7 million became infected with HIV, bringing the total tally to 34 million HIV positive people in the world. Despite the fact that medication to treat the condition has increased the life expectancy of those infected with the virus and delayed the onset of AIDS, the best way to fight the problem is avoiding infection in the first place. Thailand is seen as success story in terms of policies to stop the spread of the virus. During the 1990s the government introduced a comprehensive program that resulted in a reduction of visits to commercial sex workers, made condoms popular and reduced the spread of other sexually transmitted diseases. As a consequence, infection figures dropped from 143,000 in 1991 to 19,000 in 2003. Currently, just over 500,000 people live with HIV in that country while new infections stand at around 16,000 per year. The latest step in the fight against HIV in Thailand is an agreement between the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Center and IBM. The socially responsible deal is part of a drive to make Bangkok a zero HIV infection city by 2015. IBM will be donating its business analytics software and technology expertise to enable TRCARC to design more effective intervention strategies to help end the spread of HIV/AIDS. The partnership is part of a wider global move to end HIV infections called Getting to Zero, which was launched by UNAIDS. The objective of the campaign is not only to stop new HIV infections, but also to fight discrimination against people living with the virus. â€Å"HIV infection is one of the most serious public health threats Thailand is facing. Unfortunately, only 40 per cent of the HIV infected population knows they are living with the HIV or AIDS and gets access to antiretroviral treatment services. This situation results in continuing spread of the life-threatening virus and new infections are rising every year,† said TRCARC’s director, Professor Emeritus Praphan Phanuphak. IBM’s software will enable the center to access information and share outputs with collaborating agencies such as the Department of Disease Control and Ministry of Public Health, which will then be able to strengthen HIV prevention efforts. Previous campaigns to prevent and deal with HIV cases were hampered by the use of outdated information. IBM’s software will help researchers make more informed decisions and will help staff share knowledge and skills. One of the key aspects of the software is that it creates an online behavioural survey with high-risk groups, which can be used as the basis for a database. The IBM DB2 database software makes data retrieval time a lot faster, reducing it from two months to five minutes. It can also develop advanced, fully automated reporting with the use of IBM Cognos business intelligence software that enables better analytics and reporting of behavioral records associated with people with high risk of infection. Other features include table and maps to help staff make better decisions and implement more effective strategies based on real-time analysis. Elsewhere IBM is also lending its expertise to HIV drug research. The company’s World Community Grid, a network that provides researchers with the spare computing power of two-million PCs owned by 600,000 individuals and organizations, has enabled the Scripps Research Institute to discover two new compounds that could lead to medicines for those infected with HIV. Other Example of CSR Activities of IBM: Creating innovation that matters for the world: The primary focus of IBMs corporate citizenship activities is on developing initiatives to address specific societal issues, such as the environment, community economic development, education , health, literacy, language and culture. We employ IBM’s most valuable resources, our technology and talent, in order to create innovative programs in these areas to assist cities and communities around the world. For example, IBMs Corporate Service Corps program annually deploys teams of selected high potential employees to emerging regions to work with government, nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations on critical local projects. Since the program began in 2008, nearly 300 IBMers from 44 countries have been placed on 29 teams in 9 countries: Brazil, China, Ghana, Malaysia, the Philippines, Romania, Tanzania, Turkey and Vietnam. Teams have completed projects around water quality, disaster preparedness and project management. Our World Community Grid initiative utilizes grid and cloud computing technologies to harness the tremendous power of idle computers to perform specific computations related to critical research around complex biological, environmental and health-related issues. Another example of IBMs citizenship activities is On Demand Community, our employee volunteer initiative. Since its inception in 2003, over 140,000 employees and retirees have registered and per-formed over 9 million hours of volunteer service around the world. In a study of the program published by the Points of Light Foundation, On Demand Community is identified as the archetypical model for a new approach to corporate community involvement, calling it a â€Å"model without peer. † â€Å"When the tsunami and earthquake struck Asia, IBM didn’t just cut a check for relief funds and call it a day. The company used its techno-logical expertise and skilled people to create what government and relief agencies could not: information systems to effectively track relief supplies and reunite families,† said Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor at Harvard Business School, in her book, SuperCorp. Why IBM involved with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? A key driver for IBM’s approach to CSR is the need to maintain its market position in a changing business environment. IBM recognises that CSR benefits the company’s business by helping enhance a company’s reputation so increasing its brand value. Further benefit from CSR comes from demonstrating thought leadership. For IBM thought leadership includes being recognised as contributing to shaping the agenda of policy and practice outside of the company, whereby IBM is recognised for both great products and great ideas. The people at IBM are persuaded that CSR helps drive shareholder value. Businesses that get CSR right â€Å"will have a significant advantage attracting investors, talent and customers, developing new products and services, and gaining access to new markets and new opportunities. It also will help them improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, and meet regulatory requirements, which can allow them to qualify for incentives and avoid penalties† Conclusion: IBM has been a leader in corporate social responsibility for nearly 100 years, contributing technology, talent and cash to nonprofit organizations and educational institutions around the world. Our activities are designed to help people to become smarter, and to develop future leaders capable of improving the quality of life for themselves and in the cities where they live—making for a smarter planet. How to cite Csr of Ibm, Essay examples

Why Organized Sports Are Benificial Essays -

Why Organized Sports Are Benificial 25 million American children can not be wrong. Even though at least 20 million of these kids will suffer injury by the age of 15, only 10% of the injuries are serious enough to require more than one visit to the doctor. I have been playing baseball as well as other organized sports for almost 15 years; and in my opinion, sports develop friendship and self-esteem. I believe that coaches should take a how-to class on what a coach should and should not do. Injuries occur for three main reasons. First, because parents push their children past their natural ability level, thus it causes injury to the over worked body parts. Second, an accident occurs such as a turned ankle or a ball taking a bad bounce and hitting a player. The third, and most common reason, a coach teaches a player the wrong way to perform specific task. For example, when I was 12 years old, my baseball coach taught me the wrong way to throw a curve ball. After repeatedly throwing the wrong way, I tore a ligament in my right elbow. If my coach at that time, would have taken some kind of class, he would have known the proper way to teach the technique. Nevertheless, I feel that sports should greatly benefit a child's self-esteem. Competition also builds self-esteem because children grow both emotionally and physically and sports help to develop a positive view of both themselves and their athletic skills. As long as children feel that they are beneficial to the team, they are developing self-esteem because they see their personal role in the team as important to the whole cause. If a child is not athletically gifted, he can always take up a more non-competitive sport such as jogging or weight-training. This will also build self-esteem because the child can see his improvement and relate to others at the same time (Michelli and Jenkins). As well as building self-esteem, sports can help develop life-long friendships. Children form all different ethnic and religious backgrounds come together to play a game. This makes a good place for children to mingle with others of the same age. This can in turn give each child a sense of belonging and camaraderie between different races. Athletics also allow children to learn about their abilities as compared to other children of the same age. Children learn about talent that otherwise may have gone unnoticed. If I had not been involved in sports from an early age, I may have never discovered the talent that I have in baseball. I loved playing baseball from the first day I stepped on the field. I feel that most every child has a good time being around children of their own age. If not for the fun of playing the game, then for the fun of being around children that are different from them. In conclusion, children have fun while building self-esteem and making new friendships. I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far. That is why I believe we should let kids have fun, and learn about themselves while doing it. Religion

Operations Management Case Study Essays

Operations Management Case Study Essays Operations Management Case Study Essay Operations Management Case Study Essay Operations Management Case Study Questions Maria Yee, Inc. Read the case study and then spend time browsing mariayee. com. You will also need to research additional material related to Maria Yee, Inc. , as well as Ikea, the Forest Stewardship Council, etc. Answer the following questions: 1. Research and attempt to assess the corporate culture at Ikea. Does the culture at Maria Yee, Inc. appear to be different than the culture at Ikea, or are the two cultures similar? 1.Which aspects of Maria Yee’s personal background do you think instilled in her the passion that she has for environmental issues in general, and for building furniture in a way that is less impactful to the environment? 2. Research some ways in which other furniture companies have organized their supply chain operations. Provide some examples of companies that still produce furniture within the U. S. (including cutting, millwork, assembly, etc. ). Does it appear to be common for furniture companies to OWN offshore factories? Do you think that owning and running its own factories gives Maria Yee Inc. competitive advantage, or is this vertically-integrated approach inefficient? 3. Ikea’s business model relies heavily on assembly by consumers (i. e. , minimal case goods are carried by Ikea). Does Ikea promote any green products or processes? Are Ikea and Maria Yee Inc. targeting the same market segments? Explain. What other international companies specialize in producing furniture requiring assembly by the consumer? For example, most of the furniture sold in Wal-Mart comes in this manner, but who actually makes it? 4. How would you characterize the personal management style of Ms. Maria Yee?Is this management style beneficial or detrimental when it comes to running and improving operations at her two Chinese factories? 5. On page 7, in the second paragraph, the statement is made, The company used a made-to-order’ model in which nothing was pre-made and it essentially held no inventory. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Do you think Maria Yee Inc. still uses this practice today? See if you can get an estimate of the lead time for a typical Maria Yee product. For example, check the Crate Barrel website, etc. 6. Do any other furniture companies tout certification by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)?List a few, if any are found. 7. In the case, Maria Yee stated, We don’t think going green has to be premium-priced. Do you agree with this statement? How does Maria Yee Inc. manage to keep prices on its furniture within the upper-middle price point? Do you feel that green products generally cost more money? 8. Bamboo has steadily moved up the value chain (as stated on page 10), thanks in part to the efforts of Maria Yee Inc. Is there any supply chain risk associated with creating furniture using higher-quality bamboo and eco-friendly glue and finishes?

Definition and Examples of Theme-Writing

Definition and Examples of Theme-Writing Theme-writing refers to the conventional writing assignments (including five-paragraph essays) required in many composition classes since the late-19th century. Also called school writing. In his book The Plural I: The Teaching of Writing (1978), William E. Coles, Jr., used the term themewriting  (one word) to characterize empty, formulaic writing that is not meant to be read but corrected. Textbook authors, he said, present writing as a trick that can be played, a device that can be put into operation . . . just as one can be taught or learn to run an adding machine, or pour concrete. Examples and Observations: The use of themes has been maligned and vilified in the history of writing instruction. They have come to represent what was bad about the Harvard model, including an obsession with correcting the themes in red ink, but the womens colleges typically used themes to get students writing regular essays based on common topics. . . . Theme writing, as David Russell notes in Writing in the Academic Disciplines, 1870-1990, continued to be a model for required composition courses at small liberal arts colleges much longer than it did in the larger universities, in large part because the universities could no longer keep up with the labor-intensive practice of having students write multiple essays over the course of a semester or year.(Lisa Mastrangelo and Barbara LEplattenier, Is It the Pleasure of This Conference to Have Another?: Womens Colleges Meeting and Talking About Writing in the Progressive Era. Historical Studies of Writing Program Administration, ed. by B. LEplattenier and L. Mast rangelo. Parlor Press, 2004) Camille Paglia on Essay Writing as a Form of Repression[T]he present concentration on essay writing at the heart of the humanities curriculum is actually discriminatory against people of other cultures and classes. I think its a game. Its very, very obvious to me, having been teaching for so many years as a part-timer, teaching factory workers and teaching auto mechanics and so on, the folly of this approach. You teach them how to write an essay. Its a game. Its a structure. Speak of social constructionism! Its a form of repression. I do not regard the essay as its presently constituted as in any way something that came down from Mount Sinai brought by Moses.(Camille Paglia, The M.I.T. Lecture.  Sex, Art, and American Culture. Vintage, 1992)English A at HarvardHarvards standard, required composition course was English A, first given in sophomore year and then, after 1885, moved to the first year. . . . In 1900-01 writing assignments included a mix of daily themes, which were brief two- or three-paragraph sketches, and more extended fortnightly themes; topics were up to the student and thus varied widely, but the dailies usually asked for personal experience while the longer ones covered a mix of general knowledge.(John C. Brereton, Introduction. The Origins of Composition Studies in the American College, 1875-1925. Univ. of Pittsburgh Press, 1995) Theme Writing at Harvard (Late 19th Century)When I was an undergraduate at Harvard our instructors in English composition endeavored to cultivate in us a something they termed The daily theme eye. . . .Daily themes in my day had to be short, not over a page of handwriting. They had to be deposited in a box at the professors door not later than ten-five in the morning. . . . And because of this brevity, and the necessity of writing one every day whether the mood was on you or not, it was not always easyto be quite modestto make these themes literature, which, we were told by our instructors, is the transmission through the written word, from writer to reader, of a mood, an emotion, a picture, an idea.(Walter Prichard Eaton, Daily Theme Eye. The Atlantic Monthly, March 1907)The Chief Benefit of Theme-Writing (1909)The chief benefit derived from theme-writing lies probably in the instructors indication of errors in the themes and his showing how these errors are to be corrected; for by these means the student may learn the rules that he is inclined to violate, and thus may be helped to eliminate the defects from his writing. Hence it is important that the errors and the way to correct them be shown to the student as completely and clearly as possible. For instance, suppose that a theme contains the sentence I have always chosen for my companions people whom I thought had high ideals. Suppose the instructor points out the grammatical fault and gives the student information to this effect: An expression such as he says, he thinks, or he hears interpolated in a relative clause does not affect the case of the subject of the clause. For example, The man who I thought was my friend deceived me is correct; who is the subject of was my friend; I thought is a parenthesis which does not affect the case of who. In your sentence, whom is not the object of thought, but the subject of had high ideals; it should therefore be in the nominative case. From this information the stud ent is likely to get more than the mere knowledge that the whom in this particular case should be changed to who; he is likely to learn a principle, the knowledge of whichif he will remember itwill keep him from committing similar errors in future.But the theme from which one sentence is quoted above contains fourteen other errors; and the forty-nine other themes which the instructor is to hand back to-morrow morning contain among them about seven hundred and eighty-five more. How shall the instructor, as he indicates these eight hundred errors, furnish the information called for by each one? Obviously he must use some kind of shorthand.(Edwin Campbell Woolley, The Mechanics of Writing. D.C. Heath, 1909)

Real Estate Price Volatility Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Real Estate Price Volatility - Research Paper Example In this context, the present paper attempts to discuss about one of the early developed models that is still prevalent in the present economic scenario. The model was developed by R. Engle in 1982, which came to be known as Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH). The paper also attempts to through lights on how effective is the model in the present real estate climate in the United States of America with particular reference to California. The paper takes an analytical approach wherein the model is suggested with a brief explanation of its application, merits and demerits. The various stakeholders (participants) in the real estate market comprising of real estate investors, banks, non-bank financial institutions, portfolio managers have always been curious to predict the local housing prices. Naturally, they have always encouraged the attempts to evolve mathematical models that can prevent the losses and chaos from the volatility of real estate prices. Parties who are also interested in housing prices estimating models include managers of banks, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and homebuilding companies. Prior models have tried to incorporate many of the macroeconomic variables including the bubbles and crashes in the stock market. Experts such as Alan Stockman and Tesar Linda, Lane Philip and Girouard N and Bl'ndal have described the housing price behavior from a dynamic general equilibrium point of view (Stockman and Tesar, 1995, Girouard and Bl'ndal, 2001 and Lane, 2001). Studies undertaken by Driffill John and Sola Martin explored the model in the context of market bubbles (Driffill and Sola 1998). Attempts have also been done to evolve a model that incorporate the interaction of an array of variables such as transactions in the real estate sector, changes in the demography of participants, and macro factors comprising of diversity in the income distribution and changes in the economic activity as a whole. For example, Francois Ortalo-Magne and Rady Sven have studied these aspects through a significant research (Ortalo-Magne and Rady 1998, 1999, 2003a and 2003b). Economic Analysis The model developed by R. Engle in 1982 is found relevant in the present scenario where traditional models that describe variables such as location factors, structural variables and floor area and income are no longer valid (Engle 1982). This model was coined as Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH). The basic contention of this model is that housing price prediction should take care of time-varying volatility and studied through time series analysis. The Model The ARCH model was developed using mathematical and statistical notations and theories. For a better understanding of the model, the ARCH process consisting of conditional mean process and a conditional variance process will have to be known. The conditional mean process is developed in conformity to the standard Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) equation (Engle 1982). Where, Rt is the return on average home prices on a monthly basis, e, and s2 are constants. Through this model, Engle try to analyze and incorporate the pricing behavior with two

The Privatization of Intelligence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

The Privatization of Intelligence - Term Paper Example The conventional intelligence cycle is characterized as fragmented and Clark argues for a more conjoined intelligence cycle under what is described as a target-centric approach to intelligence collection and sharing. However, one of the significant post-9/11 changes made to the intelligence cycle was the outsourcing of intelligence to the private sector. The Department of Homeland Security explained that since 9/11 the DHS has enhanced private sector involvement for â€Å"facilitating more effective and rapid communication with key organizations† and as a means of â€Å"bolstering regionally-focused information sharing efforts†. Russell argues however, that the intelligence community remains fragmented in that a number of agencies are responsible for collecting intelligence. For example, the National Security Agency is responsible for intercepting and decoding â€Å"communications†; the National Geospatial-Intelligence is responsible for analysing satellite images; the Defense Intelligence Agency is responsible for running â€Å"military defense attachà © collection abroad;and the Department of State oversees the collection of information from diplomats abroad. Moreover, the CIA has its own collection functions and also recruits spies for the benefit of US security. Complicating matters,the different agencies within the intelligence community have a tendency to jealously guard their information. While putting a tight lid on information can be justified on the grounds that it is too sensitive to risk unauthorised leaks, often times, information â€Å"hoarding† is cultivated by â€Å"petty bureaucratic rivalries†.8 This is problematic since analysts are required to make informed assumptions on the basis of information received from all the various sources of intelligence.9 Intelligence that merely informs decision-makers of what is taking place abroad or at home has less intrinsic value than intelligence that informs of what might be happening.10 The outsourcing of intelligence functions to the private sector can only serve to further fragment the collection and

Mental Health Service User Case Study

Mental Health Service User Case Study 1.1 Decision making by nurses is now firmly established in practice, policy and educational agendas. New constantly evolving, roles, and a policy context that is challenging traditional professional boundaries mean that, more than ever, nurses are being given autonomy and power to be able to exercise their decision choices (Thompson, 2001). 1.2 Clinical decision making may be defined as having a variety of options and choices and a process that nurses undertake during their everyday activities whilst caring for service users. It usually involves nurses making judgements about the care that they provide to service users (Thompson et al, 2002). Similarly ONeill et al (2005) argues that clinical decision making is a complex activity that requires nurses and other health professionals to be knowledgeable in relevant aspects of nursing, to have access to reliable sources of information and to work in a supportive environment. 1.3 Shared decision-making on the other hand is an interactive collaborative process that occurs between the nurse and the service user that is used to make health care decisions. Adams and Drake (2006) note that in shared decision-making the nurse becomes a consultant to the service user, helping to provide information, to discuss options, to clarify values and preferences and to support the service users autonomy (p.88). 1.4 Policy changes and trends in professional development within the last decade have reiterated the importance that nurses and other relevant health professionals need to recognise that the decisions they make have a direct impact on health care outcomes and service users experiences (DH, 2000). 1.5 Decisions can be easily examined in the form of decision trees which provide a highly effective structure within which many different options can be explored (Goetz, 2010). Goetz (2010) further argues that the decision tree encourages people to think through their options, to act consciously and with consideration. It has also been suggested by Corcoran (1986, cited in Bonner, 2001, p.350) that the decision tree is able to provide a clear structure which helps to assess a range of actions that health professionals may choose when making decisions regarding the care and treatment of a service user. 1.6 In contrast, Bonner (2001) argues that the decision tree is under researched within the scope of mental health practice. He does acknowledge that the use of the decision tree in practice allows nurses to examine the options available to them in more detail, whilst also considering the complex variables that influence the decision-making process. 1.7 It would be expected that the decision tree is hierarchically structured and spans a specific period of time which will be determined within the Justifications section of this report. 2. Methodology 2.1 The purpose of this report is to identify a service user with whom one was currently working with in practice. Using a decision tree, the service users journey will be detailed from their current health needs from the point of referral to mental health services to the current point in time. Once the decision tree is formed, it will then be essential to identify up to three critical decision points and analyse the decision making process for each decision chosen. 2.2 The information required to form the decision tree is to be gathered during a 60-minute unstructured interview with the service user, which can be thought of as a guided conversation. The reason that this type of methodology will be utilised is because unstructured interviews allow a particular focus on specific areas through asking open-ended questions but also allow for probes and follow-up questions to be used in order to effectively obtain more information to construct the decision tree as accurately as possible (Streubert Carpenter, 1999). 2.3 In order to ensure that the information gathered is accurate, it will be beneficial to form a lifeline with the service user, looking at major life events and decisions that have been made. This lifeline can be found in Appendix 1. 2.4 It will also be essential to explore the service users medical notes (with their consent) in order to gain a clearer idea of events that have occurred, the vital decision points and whether service user involvement was evident throughout. 2.5 The decision tree that was formed can be found in Appendix 2. 3. Justification 3.1 The service user that will provide the focus of this report will be referred to as Sarah (a false name in order to maintain confidentiality). 3.2 Sarah is a 43-year old lady who has a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. She has had multiple admissions to psychiatric units including admissions under the Mental Health Act (See Appendix 3 for supporting information). 3.3 Sarah was chosen because it was felt that the she would be able to provide a good history and account of events that have occurred in her past in relation to the care and treatment that she has received. Sarah was also deemed to have capacity and was therefore suitable to take part within this piece of work. 3.4 The timescale that the decision tree covers will focus upon a 6-year history whereby Sarah began her first contact with adult acute mental health services. This will be explored up to the current point in time. 3.5 During the gathering of information, both primary and secondary sources were used. Primary sources refer to first-hand accounts of events that have occurred (i.e. interview with service user). In comparison, secondary sources refer to information that has already been documented from the past (i.e. medical/nursing notes). It was decided to use both sources as they would provide information richer in validity and ensure the reliability of the findings. 3.6 The report will cross the boundaries between in-patient care and community services within the North of England. The key decision points that have been chosen for analysis within this report were chosen because it was evident that some decisions had a certain degree of service user involvement in comparison with others whereby service user involvement did not seem to be present. This does however introduce a debate in regards to service user involvement because those decisions that did not involve Sarah and that were made on her behalf, can be argued were made in the best interests of the individual i.e. admission to hospital to ensure Sarahs safety and well-being. 3.7 Each of the decisions will now be individually analysed with a specific focus upon the decision itself, the issues that they may involve and the concepts that they may introduce. 4. Referred and taken onto caseload with a Community Mental Health Team following gate-keeping assessment (See Appendix 4) 4.1 Sarah was referred to her local community mental health team following a visit to her General Practitioner (GP) whom was worried about the self-harming thoughts that Sarah was currently experiencing. The General Practitioner was very concerned about Sarahs apparent deterioration in her mental health, therefore he felt that it was necessary to refer her to the community mental health team who would then be able to offer assessment and work from that point onwards. The GP discussed this with Sarah who did admit to being a little apprehensive beforehand however after a short period whereby she was able to reflect on her current circumstances, Sarah was agreeable to this. 4.2 Borg et al (2009) argues that service user involvement has a crucial significance especially for individuals that work within a community mental health setting as this involves accessing patients in their own homes (p.285). Sarah did feel that she had developed a good rapport with her community psychiatric nurse because Sarah was always offered choices in terms of her care and treatment and she felt actively involved in the decisions that were made. The therapeutic relationship that was developed between Sarah and her community psychiatric nurse also played a vital role in Sarahs care as Reynolds and Scott (2000) argue that it is through this therapeutic relationship that we can assess the needs of the patients that we work with and then plan future care to assist in their recovery. 4.3 An important consideration is the potential risk involved in maintaining Sarahs mental health in the community. This was clearly documented within Sarahs treatment plan with specific actions outlined and crisis contact numbers provided to both Sarah and her Husband. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2009) provides guidance on risk assessment in patients with a diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder. It informs that the risk assessment should take place as part of a full assessment of the patients needs and this is exactly what occurred due to the high level of risk involved and potential self-harm of Sarah within the community. 4.4 The main influences behind the decision to make a referral to the local community mental health team was Sarahs safety and how able she was to maintain this. Also if the GP felt that Sarah required a hospital admission and there were no hospital beds available, then a referral to the community mental health team or crisis resolution would be necessary. This therefore would indicate that care and treatment is dependent upon what resources are available at that specific time. 4.5 In order to ensure that the correct decisions are made, the specific team must have an effective leadership style and a variety of skills amongst team members. The New Ways of Working practice implementation guide (DH, 2007) outlines how a team can effectively achieve their maximum potential. In order for this to be achieved, a number of measures must be addressed which include; Focusing upon skills and matching these to the needs of service users; Distributing responsibility fairly amongst the team rather than delegating; Focusing on ability and competence of team members rather than role. 4.6 The policy discussed in section 4.5 appears to be utilised well within this team because Sarah was allocated to a senior care coordinator that had a large amount of experience of working with individuals with a diagnosis of personality disorder. The health professional was also able to engage and was competent in carrying out Dialectical Behavioural Therapy with Sarah which is a specialised treatment suitable for those with a diagnosis of personality disorder (Comtois et al, 2007). 4.7 There are many alternate decisions that the General Practitioner could have made in order to ensure that Sarah received the treatment that she required to meet her needs. A referral to the local crisis resolution home treatment team could have been made who would offer assessment and then decide a plan of action. Brimblecombe (2001) argues that a team such as this could have the potential to reduce the number of hospital admissions, therefore utilising resources and funding more effectively but at a cheaper cost. 4.8 Another possible course of action could have been to make a referral to the acute community day services (day hospital) who would be able to provide care throughout the day for Sarah if she required support. This would be a less restrictive alternative than hospital admission and Sarah may be more likely to engage with this service based in the community. 4.9 Alternatively, the GP could have chose to not do anything except review Sarah after a few weeks to assess whether her mental health was still deteriorating however this may be seen as unethical especially if Sarah was suffering due to her experiences and self harming thoughts, which ideally should be resolved as soon as possible. 5. Voluntary (informal) admission to acute psychiatric hospital following presentation in Emergency Department (See Appendix 5) 5.1 When Sarah becomes acutely unwell, the most common course of action is to admit her to hospital for her own safety and well-being but also the safety of others. This particular hospital admission was informal which therefore indicates that Sarah was willing and agreed to go into hospital, having been assessed by a team which specialises in self-harming behaviour. 5.2 The Mental Health Act (2007) refers to informal patients as those that accept and agree to go to hospital without the use of compulsory powers. Sarah was not detained therefore she was permitted to have leave from the ward to spend at home with family. This was Sarahs choice and was discussed in collaboration with the Consultant Psychiatrist until an agreement was made. 5.3 The decisions to admit Sarah to hospital was made by a health professional that assessed Sarah in the Emergency Department following an incident of self-harm. Sarah did feel that she was fully involved within the decision because alternatives to hospital admission were discussed with Sarah however she felt that hospital admission was the most appropriate action to ensure her safety at that specific time. Furthermore the Nursing and Midwifery Council code states that as a professional, nurses are personally accountable for actions and omissions in their practice and must always be able to justify their decisions (NMC, 2008). 5.4 The main influences behind this decision were the levels of risk involved due to an escalation in Sarahs self harming behaviours within the community. The Ten Essential Shared Capabilities (DH, 2004) aimed to set out the shared capabilities that all staff working in mental health services should achieve. Promoting safety and positive risk taking is one of the major points within the document with the hope of empowering individuals to determine the level of risk that they are prepared to take with their health and safety. Ideally this includes working with the tension between promoting the individuals safety and positive risk taking which should be detailed within the individuals care plan. 5.5 Positive risk taking and risk management has been largely debated within the scope of mental health nursing. Parsons (2008) argues that people learn through a process known as trial and error. This therefore suggests that if Sarah self-harmed so significantly that her life was endangered then she would not carry out this behaviour again. This theory however can be largely critiqued in regards to Sarahs case because the self-harming behaviour is a regular occurrence with Sarah in full knowledge of the consequences that this may have. 5.6 A study carried out by Bowers et al (2005) examined the purpose of acute psychiatric hospital wards and they concluded that in most circumstances, patients are admitted because the possibility of harming themselves or others had increased significantly. They also found that when an individual is experiencing a severe mental illness whereby their behaviour is unmanageable in the community, this provides the requirements for a hospital admission. 5.7 In contrast, the quality of care on acute psychiatric hospital wards has largely been questioned in regards to the usefulness that hospital admission can actually have upon a person (Quirk Lelliott, 2004). In some circumstances, many individuals will receive high-quality care whilst in hospital however recent studies have suggested that for some individuals, the experience of hospital admission was rather negative (Baker, 2000; Glasby Lester 2005). 5.8 The Royal College of Nursing (2008) acknowledges that every nursing decision made has an ethical dimension and furthermore that ethics and ethical decision making abilities are applicable to every aspect of nursing practice. The decision to admit Sarah to an acute psychiatric hospital ward does introduce ethical dilemmas because it can be argued that it is unethical to admit a person to a locked ward and therefore restricting their freedom. 5.9 Beauchamp and Childress (2001) developed a framework which consists of four main principles. The first principle outlines the respect for an individuals autonomy i.e. respecting the decisions that they make and the reasons for making a particular decision. Sarah was given a choice in regards to hospital admission because she could have been detained under the Mental Health Act (2007) however she agreed to hospital admission and was therefore admitted as an informal patient. 5.10 The second principle is that of Beneficence which examines the benefits of having a particular treatment against the risks involved. This was discussed with Sarah and the reasons for hospital admission were fully explained which were to ensure Sarahs safety. Sarah understood the health professionals concerns and worries and did accept hospital admission therefore the health professional was acting upon beneficence. 5.11 The third principle is Non-Maleficence which refers to the avoidance of causing harm to an individual. It can be argued that any treatment can have to potential to cause harm however the benefits of the treatment must exceed this which in this case, the benefit plays much more of a vital role. 5.12 The final principle within the framework is Justice which examines the distribution of benefits, risks and costs equally. It therefore indicates that individuals should be treated fairly in similar circumstances and offered the same intervention/ treatment. In terms of hospital admission, the choice would be to go in as an informal patient or be detained under the Mental Health Act using compulsory powers. This decision would be given to most individuals however when capacity becomes a concern then detention may be required. 5.13 There are many alternate decisions to a psychiatric hospital admission which may have been decided. Sarah may have been referred to an acute community day service (day hospital) which offers assessment and treatment for working age adults that are experiencing acute mental health difficulties. A systematic review of randomised controlled trials of day hospitals within the United Kingdom, concluded that day hospital treatment is generally cheaper, the outcomes are greater and that there was greater satisfaction with treatment compared with in-patient care (Marshall et al, 2001). 5.14 Another alternative decision to hospital admission may be a referral to a crisis resolution home treatment team that would be able to provide 24-hour care. The Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide (DH, 2001) informs that the crisis resolution team is for adults between the ages of 16-65 with a severe mental illness or experiencing an acute crisis that without the involvement of a crisis resolution home treatment team, hospital admission would be necessary to ensure the safety of the individual. This however had been attempted in the past and Sarah did not feel that she benefitted greatly from the service because although they provide a 24-hour service, they cannot offer the same kind of interventions that a hospital ward could offer. 6. Diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (See Appendix 6) 6.1 Sarah was diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder whilst an in-patient on an acute psychiatric ward. The decision to change Sarahs primary diagnosis of deep depression with psychotic episodes was made by the Consultant Psychiatrist that was involved in Sarahs care and treatment. 6.2 The National Institute of Mental Health (2001) describes emotionally unstable personality disorder as a serious mental health illness that is characterised by a pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image and behaviour. The symptoms of emotionally unstable personality disorder are maladaptive behaviour learnt to make sense of the world and to manage the constant negative messages experienced (Eastwick Grant, 2005). It is important to note that Sarah did experience sexual and psychological abuse from an outsider of the family during her childhood which she did not disclose to her family until she was an adult. Sarah recognised that this was a major factor in the way that she perceived the world and was directly linked to her self-harming tendencies. 6.3 During this period of time, Sarahs behaviour became increasingly unsafe to manage in the community therefore warranting a hospital admission. Her self-harming tendencies had increased and there was a great concern for her safety mainly expressed by her family who were worried about Sarahs deterioration in her mental health. 6.4 When Sarah was given the diagnosis, she was unhappy due to the non-apparent involvement within the decision as she was not consulted in regards to the diagnosis or asked about her thoughts and feelings. Bray (2003) argues that decision making and service user involvement cannot always occur with individuals that have a diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder due to the varying symptoms that they may experience i.e. impulsive behaviour which can diminish responsibility. 6.5 Once the diagnosis was made, Sarah felt that peoples opinions and attitudes had changed towards her including ward staff. According to Nehls (1999) individuals with a diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder have described health professionals as being unhelpful, displaying negativity and generally being unhelpful. 6.6 A consultation document known as New Horizons (DH, 2009) outlines a cross Government vision in the hope of eradicating the stigma that surrounds mental health and improving the quality and accessibility of services, ensuring that services are service user friendly. The document stresses the importance of mental health and encourages individuals to understand that mental health problems should be equally as important as physical health conditions. 6.7 Services that are provided by the National Health Service (NHS) are commonly built upon effective partnerships between those providing care and those accessing care. The Department of Health (2004) informs that better healthcare outcomes are achieved when the partnership between health professional and service user is at its strongest. Within this particular decision, there was no partnership as Sarah was not involved in the decision making process in regards to her care and treatment and decision to make a diagnosis without consultation with Sarah. 6.8 An important consideration is that of power because the Consultant Psychiatrist that made the decision, created a position of power over the service user through expertise and knowledge. Pyne (1994) argues that knowledge is a form of power, therefore if we share this knowledge with the patients that we work alongside, then this can promote the process of empowerment in patients. The author then progresses to a stage whereby he questions why nurses do not always demonstrate this behaviour in practice. In comparison, McQueen (2000, cited in Henderson, 2002, p. 502) argues that power associated with special knowledge, that created a barrier between health professionals and patients is slowly diminishing. Furthermore, McQueen believes that both nurses and patients need to be seen as respected autonomous individuals with something to contribute towards an agreed goal. 6.9 There are alternate decisions that could have been undertaken rather than making a diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder. The Consultant Psychiatrist may have decided to not make a formal diagnosis however this could therefore have an effect on Sarahs care and treatment as she would not receive the correct care and treatment to meet her needs. Sarahs previous diagnosis of deep depression with psychotic episodes may have remained the same however it cannot be determined how long this would have lasted due to the frequency of self-harming behaviours and multiple hospitals admissions due to an increased concern for Sarahs safety. 7. Comparisons 7.1 It has become evident that the three chosen decisions for analysis had common themes running through each decision. Power has become an important consideration because although Sarah had a degree of power within each decision, the overall decision was made by those within higher positions i.e. hospital managers and leaders. This can therefore provide the service user with a false misinterpretation of the power that they actually withhold as it is clear that the final decision is not made by the service user and instead it is those with more power i.e. the GP making the referral to the community mental health team and the Consultant Psychiatrist changing Sarahs diagnosis to emotionally unstable personality disorder without consulting Sarah beforehand. 7.2 Leadership has been defined many ways in the literature reviewed, however several features are common to most definitions of leadership and the forms that it can take. Faugier Woolnough (2002) argue that leadership is a process which usually involves a certain degree of influence, but also with a focus upon the attainment of goals .The leadership style mostly present within each of the key decisions is that of a democratic style because there was a degree of consultation with staff on proposed actions before an actual decision was made. 7.3 The care and treatment provided to Sarah was driven by resource availability and this was clearly evident within each decision. If resources are not available, this would impact on the decision whether to allow Sarah to have the treatment. The admission to an acute psychiatric hospital for example would be dependent upon the capacity of that specific organisation because if there was not a bed available for Sarah then other alternatives would have been considered. Fortunately there were resources available for Sarah, however the outcomes may have been different if this was not the case. 7.4 Sarah had also had a large amount of input from a number of services and there was a large amount of movement through mental health services. It can be argued that this is not beneficial towards service users as they are not able to sustain good therapeutic relationships with health professionals which can often be a reason as to why an individual may relapse. 8. Conclusion 8.1 Decision-making within practice takes place in many ways i.e. often the service user is consulted throughout their care and treatment however in some circumstances the service user can be made a recipient of their care and treatment which is not good practice. This report has identified a patient that one is currently working with and using a decision tree, their journey through mental health service was detailed. Three decisions were chosen for analysis and provided the basis of this report, considering factors that influence the decision-making process and also the alternatives that could have occurred. 8.2 Barker et al (2000) argues that the experience of being mentally unwell can be a disempowering period of time because choices can be taken away due to a number of reasons and the patient may feel a recipient of their care and treatment, rather than actively involved in the decision making process. 8.3 Defining decisions as good or bad is problematic, mainly because nurses operate in an environment that is characterised by uncertainty (Buckingham et al, 2000). Baron (2000) further suggests that the best decisions are those that produce the best outcomes for achieving a patients goals and wishes. 8.4 Sarah did feel the majority of time that she was involved in her care and treatment, including reviews and meetings held about her care and treatment whilst an in-patient and within the community. There were times however when Sarah did not feel involved in the decision making process i.e. when her diagnosis was changed without any consultation or discussion. 8.5 Clancy (2003) argues that there is a great tendency in decision-making to bypass a thorough analysis and jump too quickly into solutions. This seems to be evident at times within the chosen decisions for analysis because some decisions were made on behalf of Sarah and there was no consultation or service user involvement. 8.6 Throughout this report, the main aim was to analyse the decision-making process of three key decisions, taking into consideration concepts such as; autonomy, power, leadership and empowerment. It became apparent that they key to successful decision-making was to involve the service user and carers within the decision-making process, listening to their thoughts and opinions and respecting their right to choose between different alternatives. 8.7 It has also become apparent that those within higher positions and those that uphold a certain degree of power were leading the decision-making in Sarahs care. This is obviously not the way that things should work as the service user should be actively involved in all aspects of their care and treatment including decisions that are made. 8.8 Overall I feel that the whole process was an enjoyable one and I feel that I worked well in collaboration with the service user throughout. Collating the decision tree was a rather time-consuming activity, however I understand the importance that they hold and the benefits they possess. I have also become more aware and gained a greater understanding of how the decision-making process can impact on the lives of service user and carers, especially when service user involvement is not evident. 9. Recommendations 9.1 There should be a greater focus upon the decision-making process and how it can affect the service user. Decisions should be decided in collaboration with the service user to promote the nurse-patient relationship and allow good rapports to establish. Service user and carers should be actively involved in the decision making process. Decision making should be an identified topic for pre-registration nursing students to equip them with the desired skills. Decisions are to be based on the best available evidence and regularly discussed with users and carers ensuring that an understanding has been reached. Service users thoughts, feelings and opinions to be clearly documented to inform future nursing practice in regards to decision-making.