PESTLE Analysis Ford Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PESTLE Analysis Ford - Lab Report Example The major product segment of the company includes cars, trucks and utility vehicles (Ford, 2013b). Ford cars are perceived as affordable as well as luxury cars in the market. The large product portfolio, including products such as Sedans, Hatchbacks and SUVs, cater to large group of customers. The company has differentiated itself from other automobile companies though its vision and understanding of the impact of culture on the automobile industry in future. In the present report, the current strategies and tactics implemented by the company are discussed and analyzed. A macro environmental analysis has been done to find out the present socio-cultural and environmental factors affecting United Kingdom and how the organization needs to make strategies in order to cope up with these situations. Methods and Reasons The company embraces all the traditional objectives which were given by its founder. However, looking at the current environment and continuously changing business and polit ical culture, the brand has also established many strategies to compliment with the change. Ford is the current leader in innovative cars (Ford, 2013c). Features concerned with safety, advanced technology and effort for energy and efficacy are important factors which influence the strategies of the company. Employees in the organization work together as a team and as a global and lean enterprise for leadership in automobile (Mistry, 2005). The company operates by aggressively structuring with the objective of profitable operations. The current demand for automotives is very volatile and the mix of models has to be constantly changed to meet the demands of the customers. The organization focuses on accelerating developments of those products and services which are valued by their customers. To remain profitable and well as growing, the company always makes sure that financial planning is appropriate and the balance sheet is continuously improving. The brand operates on the goals of p roviding profitable growth. The brand has its presence in over 30 countries and the company has taken all measures in providing exact requirements of the different market. Looking at the different market preferences, the company has specialized in providing personalized designs and models suiting the geographic and demographic profiles of the markets where the organization is operating. PESTLE Analysis Political Continuous growth in campaigning and elections has widened the political environment in the United Kingdom. Presence of small clusters of specialty groups makes it extremely difficult for a large organization to concentrate on one political group. Factors such as exchange rates, oil prices and free trade flows have a direct impact on the functioning of automobile sector. In the present political scenario, volatility in oil prices due to various political unrest in Arab as well as major oil producing countries, have resulted in revamping of the strategies and budgeting by maj or automobile companies. Foreign regulations and laws and foreign ownership regulations may also impact the overall revenue generation of the company in the countries where it is operating. Economic Like the rest of the automobile companies, Ford motor has also suffered huge losses due to the current recession and volatile economic and business environment. The recession that occurred in 2008 was followed by downfall of the banking industry. However, Ford has been able to stay afloat and keep a profitable business during

Analysis of Cross Cultural Management of Ericsson Company Assignment

Analysis of Cross Cultural Management of Ericsson Company - Assignment Example The different countries have different beliefs, traditions, and religions giving rise to a wide array of the cultures. The management of the companies has grown keeping in view with the culture of the different countries giving rise to the cross-cultural management. It has become a prime concept in the context of the modern business environment for the development of the business. The corporate culture today is involved in understanding the essence of the different cultures of the countries. It has become important for the companies to understand the cultures of the countries they operate and influence the operations of the companies. The companies in the different countries employ the people of the country who are influenced by the domestic culture. It is important to understand the culture to understand the operations and the activity of the employees in the countries. The management has to get a hold over the culture to influence the change in the organization and to look into the development of it. It has become an integral part of the organizations in the world over and it is not merely an â€Å"add-on†. (Lakomski, 2005, P. 42; Tjosvold & Leung, 2003, P. 156)   The paper will deal with the business case of Ericsson. Ericsson is a Swedish telecommunications company and a firm in the industry that can offer end-to-end solutions in the sector. The company has been successful in its operations in the world over and India, as a market held a good proposition for the country. In fact, about 40% of the total calls made in the world are routed through the networks of Ericsson.  This underlines the size of the company and the prospect, which the company possesses. In the case of India, Ericsson has entered the market at the start of the 20th century. The company dealt in the switches in the electric board. India, as a market of the mobile technology, took a giant step in the decade of the 1990s

The Absence Of Mr Glass English Literature Essay

The Absence Of Mr Glass English Literature Essay In May 29 1874, Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born in London, England. In 1887, He enrolls as a day student at St. Pauls Preparatory School and begins writing and sketching in journals. His time there was not outstanding like his writings. He lacked the capability to direct his attention to subjects that did not interest him. Physically he was a large and clumsy boy, and in athletics he won no distinction whatsoever (British Writers, 1983, Vol. 6, P.335-246). He was depressed, which triggered his thoughts of suicide. Though he was intelligent, his academic career was not going so well. However, he blossomed with his writing and with the encouragement of his friends. He enjoyed debating and journalism. In 1893 however, when he joined the Slade School of Art, he experimented with an Ouija board and became almost fascinated with diabolism. In 1895 Chesterton left University College without a degree and worked for the London Publisher Redway and T. Fisher Unwin (Gilbert Keith Chesterton-Biography and works). In 1899, war broke out against two small Dutch South African Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Chesterton had strong political interests (Biography: G K Chesterton, writer). Chesterton opposed this war, not because he was a pacifist, but because he thought that this was an unjust war. Chestertons liberalism was always a liberalism of belief in small unites. He hated imperialism and large units and the uniformity that imperialisms tyranny imposed upon people of different traditions. He was in violent reaction against the popular imperialism of the day (British Writers, 1983, Vol. 6, P.335-246). In 1896, he fell in love with a girl named Frances Blogg only to fin d him in a spiritual crisis in 1900. Then, in 1901 he married Frances Blogg, who pulled him out of his spiritual crisis. In 1901, he begins writing a regular Saturday column for Daily News, much to his journalisms delight. He was then asked to preach in 1905 at St. Pauls Church, along with entering a 30-year public debate with George Bernard Shaw (Chestertons Literary Life). He was officially received into the roman Catholic Church in 1922, but had been writing from a Roman Catholic point of view for a long time before that( G K Chesterton, Writer). Though he was a journalist, Chesterton wrote many fiction novels. He wrote books like the Father Brown Mystery novels, and the adventure story The Man Who Was Thursday. The tone of the story, as of every Chesterton story, is strongly affected by the exuberant style of the author (G K Chesterton, Writer). Chesterton was influenced by many people in his lifetime. In his childhood, when he was struggling, he surrounded himself with a group of friends. One of these friends would be recognized later in life as E.C. Bentley; who created a light verse known as the clerihew and helped formed the Junior Debating Club. He was also influenced by his family, which gave him his liberal nature concerning politics. His parents were Unitarian in religion; but that was something he did not inherit. However, his little brother Cecil joined the Roman Catholic Church in 1913 (Chestertons Literary Life). Unfortunately, just five years later in 1918, Cecil dies in war. The next year he traveled with his wife Frances to Jerusalem, the Continent, and North America. He fell gravely ill in 1914, which it is unknown to as whether it related to his death in 1936. He died the 14 of June in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. During his life he published 69 books and another ten of them would be published after his de ath (Chestertons Literary Life). Overview/Summary of Father Brown Mystery Stories: Mr. Glass This story is from a collection of the Father Brown Mystery Collection. The story begins with a scientist by the name of Orion Hood is reading a grand collection of novels. The novels whereabouts and identities were emphasized strongly in this story. The Doctor was suddenly interrupted by a disheveled man, stumbling over heavy load of luggage and an umbrella. It was Father Brown, the priest, who had come to see him. Father Brown then begins to explain the situation that he has come for advice on, because Dr. Hood has assisted criminologists and detectives in his career, because he was a genius in his department and in his studies. So Father Brown, a detective as well as a priest, came to him with a case. He asks for the help of the doctor to solve a case involving a young couple, Mr. Todhunter and Ms. MacNab. They are planning a wedding and the mother of Ms. MacNab is complaining about the profession of young Todd. She says that he spends hours in his room, talking to an unknown pers on named Mr. Glass, who is described as a tall dark stranger with a silk top hat on. The young man denies these accusations and says that his trade will be revealed before the wedding. The young woman suddenly interrupts the discussion, saying that Todd had been tied up and a murder could have occurred. Naturally, Father Brown and Dr. Hood rush to the seaside hotel and investigate the so called murder. What they find when they arrive is a man tied up with scarves on the floor, presumed to be Mr. Todd, of course. They examine the room intensely to understand the gravity of the situation, and find several key items. First, they discover two wineglasses on the table and then a smashed one on the floor. Then they also discover a sword with a drop of blood on the tip, along with a silk top hat, much too large for Mr. Todd, with no trace of hair inside of it. There were playing cards scattered across the floor as well. Dr. Hood deduces that the sword was the murder weapon of Mr. Glass, and the glasses on the floor were from their session together. The hat belonged to Mr. Glass, and he was evidently bald because there was no hair on his head and he was also elderly. He al so deduced that Todd could break free from his binds at any time, and that this was his cover up for killing Mr. Glass, who was evidently buried somewhere in the garden or stuffed up the chimney (Chesterton, Gilbert Keith). But when the clever man thinks he has solved the case, Todd begins laughing because of the accusations Dr. Hood placed on him. Father Brown then figures out the truth: Todd is really a magician. The hat was too big for him because it wasnt meant to be worn, it was meant for pulling rabbits out of. The glasses and the conversations between him and Mr. Glass were really Todd juggling and saying one, two, three, missed a glass, not Mr. Glass. The playing cards scattered all over the floor was him trying to perform card tricks. Lastly, the sword with blood was him trying to swallow swords and falling. As for the scarves, he was trying to perform a Houdini and escape from them successfully. Critical Analysis: Influences Throughout Chestertons childhood he wasnt athletic or popular. He had trouble academically, which I believe was the influence on the character Dr. Hood, who was extremely intelligent and at the end of the story, was dumbfounded because his deductions are wrong and Father Brown figured out the truth. When Chesterton went to college he struggled with skepticism and depression in 1893 and during this period he experimented with an Ouija board and grew fascinated with diabolism. (Gilbert Keith Chesterton) These events may have influenced his writing of Heretics or the mystery stories he wrote in collections called The Father Brown Mystery Stories, or the Wisdom of Father Brown. . Chestertons religion also came into play with his writings. He wrote many speeches for churches and books that often the character struggled for good morals and godly behavior. His novel, the man who was Thursday, was an anarchist named Thursday who struggled with his self and his religion. There is also a character named Sunday who is considered to resemble God in his characteristics. That was partly influenced by his experiments with the Ouija board and with his wife, Frances Blogg, who was a major part in pulling him out of his crisis (Gilbert Keith Chesterton). .Critical Analysis: Main Themes The main themes of Chestertons novels revolve mainly around religion and changing circumstances. In his novel, The Man Who was Thursday, the main theme of it is focused mainly on the character Sundays shifting perceptions of Sunday. The detective initially experiences a vague sense of evil in the presence of this godly figure, but is later replaced with respect for the man, who is thought to represent the human failure to completely fathom the paradoxes of life and nature (The Man Who Was Thursday). In his short story The Absence of Mr. Glass the themes that are evident are the changing circumstances. The circumstance changes drastically when Dr. Hood indicts the murder of the pseudo Mr. Glass on Todhunter, but the truth was ironically discovered by Father Brown when he points out the truth of the murder objects. His novel The Man Who was Thursdays theme also focused on spiritual struggle, something Chesterton himself also experienced during his years of college that he ended up dropping out of. Religion is a theme for most of his stories because of his own struggles with it, when he became fascinated with diabolism (Gilbert Keith Chesterton) and when he was writing from a Catholic point of view when he was accepted into the church in 1922 but in 1905 when he was asked to speak for the churchs behalf. Critical Analysis: Stylistic Devices All authors use some method of literary and stylistic device. G.K. Chesterton was no exception. In his story he incorporated many devices, such as similes. But if one took a volume of Chaucer or Shelley from that rank, its absence irritated the mind like a gap in a mans front teeth. (Chesterton, Gilbert K.). He used such devices like synesthesia, which is words describing different sensations. For example, in his story he uses heathen holiness (Chesterton, Gilbert K.). The effect of synesthesia is meant to be poetic and to provoke thoughts to the reader. Chesterton also uses rhetorical questions in his writing, such as Maggie MacNab and young Todhunter want to get married. Now, what can be more important than that? (Chesterton, Gilbert K.). The effect of a rhetorical question is the emphasis of the subject. Chesterton enjoys using a lot of allegories in his writing, for example in The Man Who Was Thursday. The suffering of the main character was contributed to Chesterton, who also suffered from depression during his college days at Slades Art School, and claimed afterwards that he wrote this book as a strange confirmation that goodness was at the heart of every aspect of the world. He also used aspects of the bible in this work, Sunday, the character that represented God, sits on a throne in front of the other members of the anarchists. His last words were, can ye drink of the cup that I drink of?, and that is the same question that Jesus asks James and John in Mark 10:38-39, because he wanted to challenge their commitment in becoming his disciples. Critical Analysis: Characters Since the Father Brown mystery stories were short stories, the characters were not as plentiful as are in longer stories. But the characters that are mentioned are Father Brown, Maggie MacNab, Mr. Todhunter, Dr. Orion Hood, and Mrs. MacNab. Father Brown was the detective, and he added to the story because he introduced the idea to the doctor and was demeaned somewhat by the presence of the scientist and logical sense of Dr. Hood. He seems rather disorganized, as well as not as intelligent as Dr. Orion Hood. Maggie MacNab did not add much to this thrilling short story except she was the one who informed the Father and doctor of her courters current situation. Mr. Todhunter was the innocent magician; he was practicing his tricks and was wrongly accused of murder by Dr. Hood. Dr. Hood was the brilliant scientist, who deduced a wrong persecution of Mr. Todd from a convincing set of clues. When the doctor was contradicted of his intelligent assumption it was rather of a shock to the reader because he was seemingly as intelligent as Sherlock Holmes. Lastly there is Mrs. MacNab, mother of Maggie MacNab, who misheard the mutterings of the magician as she nosed in on his room whilst he was practicing his magical arts alone. She interpreted ventriloquism and Mr. Todd saying missed a glass into a second person named Mr. Glass into the conversation with Mr. Todhunter. In the story, Maggie MacNabs mother overheard some conversations between Mr. Todhunter and the fictitious Mr. Glass. She hears Mr. Todd talk, then overhears a strange, high pitched voice. She assumes it to be another person, but is actually Mr. Todd practicing his ventriloquism, for he is a magician. Mr. Glass was rumored to be a tall, strange man in a silk top hat with a strange spectral quality to his presence. Such rumors were false, of course, because Mr. Glass was nothing more than misinterpreted dialect of the magician with himself. The point of Mr. Glass was that he was a made up character by the household to explain Mr. Toddhunters strange behavior as a reticent magician.

gatcolor Color Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

Color Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Colors can symbolize many different things. Artists use colors in their paintings when they want you to see what they are trying to express. Like if an artist is trying to express sorrow or death he often uses blacks blues, and grays basically he uses dreary colors. You automatically feel what the artist is trying to express. When the artist uses bright colors you feel warm and you feel happiness. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald is like an artist. He uses colors to symbolize the many different intangible ideas in the book. He uses the color yellow to symbolize moral decay decadence and death. Then he uses the color white to symbolize innocence. He also uses the color green to express hope. Fitzgerald's use of the color green the strongest. Although these are not the only colors that Fitzgerald uses for symbolism, they are the ones that he expresses the most. This book is a very colorful book in the sense that it uses colors to cover so many different aspects of peoples lives. Fitzgerald uses the color yellow to symbolize moral decay. On (Page 18) he writes " The lamp-light, bright on his boots and dull on the autumn-leaf yellow of her hair." He is talking about Tom and Jordan Baker, and he is suggesting that tom might be heading for moral decay. In the book there are several things that Tom does that might prove this. First of all Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson. A second thing is that he does not like Gatsby, and several times he tries to prove that he is not who he says he is. Tom even hires a detective to prove this. Gatsby had a Rolls Royce that was yellow "His station wagon scampered like a yellow brisk-bug . . ." (Page 39). Gatsby's car was referred to many times in the book, but it was always referred to as "The yellow car" (Page 157). The color yellow was used most frequently when there was a death. One of the first things that Fitzgerald wrote about when Myrtle died was when they laid her on a table in the garage.

Careers in Psychology; Opportunities in a Changing World Essay

It is usually very vital for one to consider the choice of their career path very carefully. One should consider his or her interests in the career, the job market as well as their education qualifications. It is equally important for one to carefully examine the merits and demerits that come with each career option. This is the sole reason why career talks have become part of the school curriculum in many countries in the world. This paper will analyze three case studies of individuals who are about to complete their Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology, after which it will critically analyze the options the three cases have laid on the table by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of each. Denise is considering a couple of options; Master of Arts/ Master of Science in Clinical Psychology Master of Arts/ Master of Science in Counseling Psychology Master of Education in Counseling Psychology Master of Social Work Master of Science in Pastoral Counseling Master of Science in Counseling. Important to note is where the interests of Denise lie. She has an interest in reading research materials or findings related to children, however this interest is not that much. Denise is also not very interested in doing research work. Considering the fact that Denise has a passion in desire to counsel youth and children is not enough when deciding to choose the next degree program the best option for Denise would be a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling. The merits of this program are that it is in all ways related to the interests of Denise. It would give Denise the best opportunity to counsel youth and children. The degree does not require a lot of research work, rather it r equires more of reading research work. This would by all means be the best for Denise. However, a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling would be tricky if matters of spiritual faith are put in consideration. It is not clear where her faith lies. It would be unbeatably the best if her spiritual faith lies along the pastoral line, or if she had pursued a degree in theology. CITATION Tar12 l 1033 (Kuther, 2012)A Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology would be advantageous in the sense that it has a wide job market and it is in line with the passion of Denise. However, this degree would not be the best for Denise since it requires a lot of research, which Denise is not very good at. Another disadvantage of this is that it would not limit her exactly to youth and children the way she would like it, older people have psychological problems as well. A Master of Science in Counseling Psychology would also not be advisable for Denise. This degree, just like the one in Clinical Psychology would require a lot of research work. Denise does not like research work and it would be very difficult for her to excel in this program. However, it could be really advantageous in the sense that it requires reading research materials and this is one major stronghold for Denise. A Master Degree in Clinical Psychology would have the same limitations as a Master Degree in Counseling Psychology. However, she loves reading research materials on youth and children. This would favor her in the case that she chose this career path. This leaves the best option for Denise as a Master Degree in Pastoral Psychology. CITATION Rob07 l 1033 (Sternberg, 2007)It would be very difficult for Raul to change what he wanted to do all his life to something else. However, the policy when choosing career paths is always no mistakes. This is when the purpose of internship comes out very clearly. All his life, Raul has been interested in counseling psychology or clinical psychology. He should be very careful when making a choice for the nest career step. This is owing to the fact that for one to excel in a certain career path, he or she ought to have the desire and passion for it. Passion does not just grow within a day and Raul does not have much time to make a decision. However, the volunteer work that he did in the psychiatric clinic seems to have helped him a great deal. The interview that he had with counselors and psychologists seems to have opened his eyes to the real career world. It is very important for Raul to make a decision before it is late since he is about to graduate from school. The interests of Raul are very important is deciding his career path. The fact that he has a wife and children makes it very necessary for him to take a career path that would help him a great deal financially. The best option for Raul in his career path would be to pursue a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. This is owing to the fact that he has interests in researc h which is very vital to the program. Moreover, counseling would give him a wider job market and would therefore sustain him financially. CITATION Don08 l 1033 (Super, 2008)Having been in the cooperate world is indeed a milestone for John in the career world. As much as he was laid off, he is way ahead of a number of individuals. His experience in the cooperate world must have equipped him with a number of skills that will help him a great deal I n future. This is considering the fact that he would love to integrate his career path of psychology with business. For instance, one of the options that John is laying on the table is Industrial Organizational Psychology. I could not agree more with John on this one. Industrial Psychology would indeed be a very good way for John to combine what he learnt in the cooperate world together with Psychology. However, John should always keep in mind that this is a competitive world. The field of Industrial Psychology is just one of the fields tha t experience a lot of competition when it comes to pursuing a graduate program in the field. However, the best advice for John would be to first of all take a professional course that is related to business or rather the cooperate world. Such courses include Business Management, Business Administration, Marketing or even Certified Public Accounting (CPA). In this way, he would be able to prove his skills in the cooperate world, not just by word of mouth or experience but by Certified Professional Courses. This, together with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology would raise his bar much higher. Having done any of these professional courses, John would not only be fit to pursue Industrial or Organizational Psychology but he would also be able to compete with other individuals. CITATION Tho05 l 1033 (Wadsworth, 2005) References l 1033 Helms, J. L. (2011). Majoring in Psychology. New York : New York University Press. Kuther, T. (2012). Careers in Psychology; Opprtumities in a Changing World. New York: New York University Press. Sternberg, R. J. (2007). Career Paths in Psychology. Oxford University Press. Super, D. (2008). Opportunities in Psychology Careers. Oxford University Press. Wadsworth, T. (2005). Your Career in Psychology; Industrial /Organizational Psychology. New York: New York University Press. Source document

Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the workplace. Essay

Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in the workplace requires co-operation from both employers and employees to ensure that the workplace is a healthy and safe environment. Both employees and employers are required to co-operate by the rights and responsibilities that are set for them. OH&S is the safety procedures in place in every enterprise to ensure both the health and safety of each and every employee. It is the responsibility of employers, who are legally (due to the OH&S Act 1996, 2001 amendment) and morally obliged to provide a safe and healthy environment. It is also the employee’s responsibility to co-operate with employers in maintaining health and safety at work. Read more: Measures that prevent fires from starting essay Employers are required to: -Provide a safe and healthy workplace -Provide and maintain a safe system of work -Provide the required resources (safety clothing & equipment) -Provide information and training for employees to work in a safe and healthy environment -Provide a process to identify, assess and then eliminate unsafe practices and hazards -All relevant laws must be followed -Ensure that employees carry out workplace rules. In the same way, employees have the right to be provided with the above-mentioned elements from their employers. It is also the employee’s obligation to abide by these regulations. Any employee who fails to meet their responsibilities can be disciplined under award conditions. WorkCover is also responsible for safety in the workplace. They are required to conduct regular checks in the workplace to ensure that the OHS act is being followed and that hazards are kept to a minimum. In most states, workers are represented through either an OHS representative or an OHS Committee depending on the size of the enterprise. Hazards are categorised into 4 different sections; Physical, Chemical, Ergonomic and Biological. It is important to be aware that a hazard does not have to be seen for it to exist. Quite often hazards you can’t see – such as ultra violet radiation, are only appreciated when it is too late to prevent damage. Many hazards have been made known in the workplace. Some of these include:  ·Exposed wires  ·Power leads on ground  ·Equipment in walkways  ·Temperature often too hot or too cold  ·Glare from windows and lights These hazards can be fixed by ensuring that the OHS committee is kept informed of these problems, and they can then ensure that they are fixed, in cases such as exposed wires. Things such as anti-glare screens can help the prevent the glare on the computer screens, and also moving employees desks  away from the air-conditioning vent can help with the temperature problems. Another cause for concern is the ergonomic factors. People do not sit in their chairs correctly and are causing backaches and injuries. To prevent injuries you should have;  ·Feet flat on the floor  ·Knees at a 90 degree angle  ·Back at 90-100 degrees  ·Relaxed shoulders and;  ·Forearm support Employees should take regular breaks and use their workstations ergonomically so that fewer injuries occur. There are also a few more Acts such as the Anti Discrimination Act (1977) and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and Workers Compensation Act 1987, which are all there to protect employees in the workplace. The Anti Discrimination Act aims to protect all employees in the work environment from being discriminated against on many things such as:  ·Race  ·Colour  ·Religion  ·Gender  ·Age  ·Sexuality If an employee feels as though they are being discriminated against, for any of the fore mentioned things then they should first try to approach the perpetrator and ask them to stop. If this behaviour continues, or they feel they cannot approach the perpetrator then they should report immediately to their employer or supervisor for further action. The Sex Discrimination Act aims to protect employees from being sexually harassed by someone in the workplace. Sexual harassment is any unwanted attention in an incorrect manner, whether it be:  ·Making sexual comments  ·Making sexual gestures  ·Asking someone out on a date continuously  ·Sending inappropriate materials Again if this happens, you should approach the perpetrator and let them know how you are feeling. If this behaviour continues, or they feel they cannot approach the perpetrator then they should report immediately to their employer or supervisor for further action. The Workers Compensation Act is where employers insure workers against the possibility of suffering injury arising out of or in the course of employment. If an injury does occur the worker can apply for Workers Compensation where they can receive money to cover their losses, and to pay for medical treatment. Workers Compensation can also be paid to the families of workers who die because of a work injury. In conclusion, it is evident that co-operation from both employers and their employees is needed to ensure that the work place is a healthy and safe  environment, with the help of legislations along the way.

Antoinette Johnson essays

Antoinette Johnson essays All month long in honor of Black History Month, we've been bringing you profiles in courage. Tonight, a woman who helps make the "American Dream" come true for people across South Florida. (WSVN) It's one thing for someone to tell you that you're going to get a house. But to actually see your house ..I think that was the thing that really got huh...." Tears trickle from the eyes of thirty-three year old Antoinette Johnson as she tells a story that flows from her heart. A story about her trials ... and her triumphs. Antoinette Johnson says, "They are tears of joy and happiness .. remembering where I've come from and where I am now." For Antoinette Johnson, there once was a time when the thought of owning her own home seemed impossible. But now, this single mother of two knows *anything* is possible. She says, "I've been through a lot .. trying to raise two daughters is very hard. It was very hard." It was difficult for Antoinette to raise her daughters, fourteen year-old Jasmine and eleven year-old Jalissa. Antoinette says, "I'm not saying it's not hard now. But it's a little bit easier. It's a little bit easier." Easier, because Antoinette and her children have found safety in their home here in Fort Lauderdale....Away from the danger they once found at this apartment complex in Lauderhill. She says, "People chasing my kids down the street coming home from school. The kids were terrified to even walk home from the bus stop which was right down the street." For Antoinette and her daughters there really is no place like home. A house made possible by Habitat For Humanity of Broward County two years ago. now, Antoinette sits on the Habitat For Humanity board of directors and two committees committed to selecting and helping others each achieve the same dream. Antoinette says, "If I don't do anything but help another family to get a home I'm happy." She adds, "I enjoy seeing them when the ...

Headline after the discovery of the bodies of Holly and Jessica, missing 10 year olds Essays

Headline after the discovery of the bodies of Holly and Jessica, missing 10 year olds Essays Headline after the discovery of the bodies of Holly and Jessica, missing 10 year olds Essay Headline after the discovery of the bodies of Holly and Jessica, missing 10 year olds Essay Essay Topic: Bishop the Fish The Year Of the Flood Wars, earthquakes, racial violence, terrorism crowd our newspapers. No news is good news and in our society this is often the case, as just about every evening the television news brings into our homes reports of senseless murders, great injustice and events that can only be described as evil. At some point in everybodys life they will be subjected to some form of suffering, however much we feel we are familiar of that pain it still shocks and scares us when we are confronted with it. By suffering we generally mean the pain and sorrow caused by sickness, physical handicap, mental handicap, death, poverty etc.Is God really there? If he is, does he care? And if he does, is he helpless to do anything? Why does a God of love permit suffering?The dictionary describes evil as, wickedness, a force doing something which is socially harmful or morally wrong. The word evil tends to denote the baser human emotions such as hatred, prejudice, greed, jealousy, rage etc. The bible teaches us that e vil is the opposite of good and right. It is a destructive force. It is important however to distinguish between two types of evil: natural evil and moral evil. While the two however can often be intertwined, moral evil tends to be the actions of free creatures (theft, rape, murder etc) whereas natural evil is the result of a natural event (earth quake, floods etc).Suffering and evil is unquestionably one of the greatest obstacles to Christian faith. John Stott said, the fact of suffering and evil undoubtedly causes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith. Christianitys very symbol is that of Christ suffering and dying on the cross to save us. To a Christian there is no bigger test of faith than trying to accept the fact that the God who loves them permits them to suffer at times even in excruciating ways. Why does a God allow his creatures, and even his children to suffer? There is so much pain in the world it is hard to see how a fair, kind loving God would create a u niverse with the potential for so much suffering.Where was god when 6 million Jews were slaughtered in the holocaust, when Nazi prison guards threw babies and small children into gutters of boiling human fat rather than waste time gassing them, where was God when the remains of the slaughtered were scavenged- hair cut off to stuff pillows for their killers head rests, skin dried out to make lampshades and gold tooth fillings pulled out and turned into jewellery? Where was he when, in the Ukrainian town of Chernobyl, an explosion occurred that may yet cause up to 300000 deaths and the effects of which could take up to 200 years to remove? Where is he during famines and wars? These are just a few examples of extraordinary human suffering.Christians believe that God is omnipotent. This believe however would imply that, if correct, then he must not be loving enough to use his powers to cease evil and suffering. If God were good, He would wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and i f God were almighty, He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore, God lacks either goodness, or power, or both C.S. Lewis People often find themselves rejecting the word of God due to suffering.The book of Genesis in the Bible describes to us that the first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve), lived in the Garden of Eden, a world of happiness, without fear, shame or evil. It is obvious that God did not intent for there to be suffering in the world; it was not part of his created order. He did however give humans what many would describe his greatest gift, Free will. You may eat the fruit from any tree in the garden, but you must never eat from the tree which gives the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat from that tree then you will die! Genesis 2:16-18 As you can see, God lets man decide for himself whether he should obey him, and through giving him this decision, evil entered the world, there was no suffering in the world until humanity reb elled against God. It would be the view of the fundamentalist (literal belief of the bible) and the Old Testament writers that it was due to Adam and Eve that sin entered the world.Iranaeus was the Bishop of Lyons in Gaul and lived about 125-202. His view was that God created evil. He claims that God does indeed exist, yet explains him to be responsible for the occurrence of evil as he created us to be imperfect. He believes this however to be essential as evil is the only method of creating greater good. The earth is a place for the perfection of souls before their entry into blessedness. The trials of this world are like a refiners fire; they temper, strengthen and purify our natures to fit us to dwell with God.He suggests that the reason that we have such difficulties with suffering and evil is largely due to our imbalance between our concepts of good and evil. He felt that if our concepts were more balanced then we would have created the best possible world for soul making. He d oes, however, support Gods morals in that he believes that free will could not (and would not) exist without the perseverance of evil, as many evil occurrences are a result of people acting through their own free will and without. He therefore concludes that humanity is only partially responsible for suffering.John Hick who stresses the developmental nature of life, especially human life, has further developed the iranaean argument more recently. Believing that humans are not born perfect and that perfection comes at the end of the process. Virtue is not given, it has to be achieved.St. Augustine (354-430) would completely disagree with Iranaeus argument. He believed that God did not create evil but its occurrence just serves as a privation of good. He believed that all suffering was due to humanity who had abused Gods gift of free will. He believed that the creation of evil was largely due to the fall. The fall effected all of creation and the gap between man and God was eventually made to be so big that man began to depart from God and this is where the creation of evil arose. If God is good then he is neither the author of evil, nor its helpless victim. Rather, precisely because of His goodness He chooses to co-exist with evil for a time. Augustine eventually came to the conclusion that evil must be a result of soul deciding through human free will. Aristotle (384bc-322bc) supports Augustines view, believing himself that God could not be responsible for the existence of evil. God is an all powerful and good being, and man cannot ever be to his standard, no one will ever have the same moral values as God.This all would imply that human suffering must be a cause of our disobedience. This said, how can we justify innocent suffering, natural disasters. Events in which human interference has no obvious position?Natural disasters. We hear about them often, earthquakes, floods, famines, landslides, they can wipe out thousands of innocent lives. Starvation and its related diseases causes one person per second to die. 75% of them are infants and children under 5. The suffering caused by floods, hurricanes, earthquakes etc cannot largely be blamed on other people. However its sometimes due to the mistakes of others that natural disasters happen as natures laws are stretched to their limit. Natural disasters are often called acts of God. Again many Christians believe that natural disasters are caused by the fall, a consequence of the disruption of the perfection of Gods original creation.Natural disasters are a result of disorder in creation. However, if you take time to think of a recent natural disaster, such as the Earthquake in El Salvador (Feb 2002) a 6.6 magnitude earthquake resulted in at least 315 deaths and around 3,400 people being injured we cannot begin to believe that are loving god is responsible. Nature is often seen, as it is in the New Testament as natural in Gods eyes. Hanson and Hanson would agree with the sentiments that natu ral suffering is inexplicable. The basic theory to be learned is that nature is not moral and humanity is, therefore, as our world is continually changing however much we strive we will never achieve a perfect world as the natural laws will always follow their own course. God neither allows or forbids evil, it is just part of the way the world is, an event which humanity must put up with if they choice to live on this planet.Although most see suffering as something which is painful and not at all enjoyable, some would believe that there is a reason for it, that it is a privilege, that if you are submitted to great suffering and overcome it you are fulfilled in the eyes of God, you are fit to become a disciple. Christ himself undertook great suffering on the cross to save us and many Christians believe that the suffering they undergo themselves is closely linked with the pain suffered by Jesus, We share in many sufferings of Christ. In the same way, much comfort comes to us through C hrist. If we have troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation, and if we have comfort, you also have comfort. This helps you to accept patiently the same sufferings we have 2 Corinthians 1:5Suffering can also been seen as a test of faith. It is felt but those of the Christian faith that those who are subjected to suffering will eventually be brought closer to God. It has once been said that if we as Christians cannot bear the cross then we will not wear the crown. This is in connection with the above theory of suffering being a method of making oneself fit in the eyes of God to be a disciple. There are references in the bible to how suffering my be a test by God, for example in the Old testament Jesus tests Jobs loyalty to him by inflicting suffering upon him. Job overcomes this suffering and is therefore rewarded for the pain he had experienced. The Lord blessed the last part of Jobs life even more than the first part Job 42:12. God had established that Job would stay true to hi m, even through the greatest suffering.This story of Job you would think would go some way to proving that suffering is not a punishment, as with Job, it just brought him a deeper and more meaningful understanding of God. Still however it is often viewed as a punishment, a way for God to retaliate for humanitys sin. It is common belief, especially in the Old Testament, that evil was solely created for use to punish people who went against Gods wishes. A substantial amount of our suffering is due to our own personal sin, for example, if a person abuses drink and then drives a car recklessly and injures himself then their injuries are obviously partially due to their own personal sin. However what can be said when suffering is subjected to a person who has made no obvious sins in theirs life?When pious people suffer from sickness, bereavements etc the question is often raised, what did I do to deserve this? And when children suffer, such as the disappearance of missing 10 year olds Ho lly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were later found dead in an area near their home, how can it be possible that their deaths were a punishment for there sin? The problem with coping with bereavement also is that people tend to think, why them and not me?Much of the suffering in the world is caused by others sins however. So much suffering is caused by murder, adultery, theft, sexual abuse, unloving parents, reckless or drunken driving, slander, unkindness or selfishness of one kind or another. It has been estimated that 95th percent of the worlds suffering can be accounted for in this way. As was told with the story of Job however, the bible disagrees with this opinion, the story of job recognises that the wicked often prosper and if we are to believe that the way in which we suffer is a direct mirror of the way in which we live our lives we would be much mistaken as this would be an unfair judgement of Jobs life. God shines on good and bad alike.One of the most important counter a rguments to that of suffering being a punishment is to remember that Jesus himself suffered. He led a perfect life, and yet he still suffered an excruciatingly painful death, Our suffering is not worthy of the name off suffering. When I consider my crosses, tribulations and temptations, I shame myself almost to death, thinking what they are in comparison to the sufferings of my blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ. Martin Luther King. God can be seen to work through suffering. Those who nailed Jesus o the cross did so for evil purposes, but God intended it for good. The cross stands ultimately as a victory because it holds the key to salvation. Christians are taught not to be afraid of suffering and death, and to turn to their faith as, let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid for I am with you always even into the end of the world John 14.Many are unsure as to where the suffering will end. Despite all our talk of the great injustice of human suffering many people are unwill ing for it to end, live is something to be enjoyed in many cases. However the spectrum is wide in that respect as some people are faced with great injustices whereas others lead mainly trouble free lives. Will those who deserve to suffer pay for there sins after death and those who suffer innocently in life rejoice? It is the view of the New Testament that those who have not received salvation will continue to suffer after death, have to endure eternal torment. The Roman Catholic Church, however, believes that when death becomes us we will enter a period of purgatory where we will pay for our sins, but eventually will be rewarded with a life with God.It is the feeling by many Christians that whatever suffering we have to endure on this earth will be fully compensated through the resurrection. That our, light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all 2 Corinthians 4:17. This develops the test of faith theory even more strongly as it take s great religious faith to undergo suffering and still be aware that there will be a greater glory waiting. Gavin Reid, the bishop of Maidstone, tells of a boy who shattered his back falling down a flight of stairs at the age of one and consequentially spent the majority of his life in hospital, when asked the question, is that fair, he simply stated that God had all eternity to make it up to him. The New testament is full of promises of how wonderful heaven will be, so with this knowledge, our suffering should only be making us more fit for the reward that we shall receive.So, if we choose to accept that evil does indeed exist what is it, what form does it take? The New Testament gives the impression of God being at War with evil, or more specifically, a war between the Devil and God. This dualist view that is taken by many people and by religions such as the Zoroastrians of ancient Persia, in which states that the lord of light is locked in perpetual combat with the lord of darkne ss Other religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam remain monistic, in that they are of the opinion that the devil is one of Gods creatures, as the Lord created all. There is a very stereotypical view of the devil, which stems from medieval time. This paints the devil as being a humorous creature with read face; horns and pitchfork but the bible would present it very differently. He is referred to often as Satan, the Hebrew word for enemy.Some would say that one of the synopsis of our sin is our desire to be as God; and wanting all the answers. When looking at the situation with suffering and evil I feel it would be a some what naive and narrow minded view to take that, because of the great suffering endured by so many people that there cannot be a god. As this existence of God is unlikely to be proved and is purely based o n faith it would be wrong to strike of any of the points discussed in this essay as invalid to the situation, all or none may be of relevance.

Make Hot Ice From Vinegar and Baking Soda

Make Hot Ice From Vinegar and Baking Soda Sodium acetate or hot ice is an amazing chemical you can prepare yourself from baking soda and vinegar. You can cool a solution of sodium acetate below its melting point and then cause the liquid to crystallize. The crystallization is an exothermic process, so the resulting ice is hot. Solidification occurs so quickly you can form sculptures as you pour the hot ice. Fast Facts: Hot Ice Science Experiment MaterialsBaking SodaVinegarConcepts IllustratedSupercoolingCrystallizationExothermic Chemical ReactionsTime RequiredFrom start to finish, this experiment takes about an hour. Once you have the hot ice, you can quickly melt and recrystallize it.LevelBeginner to Intermediate LevelNotesThe chemicals in this experiment are non-toxic. However, because liquids are boiled, adult supervision is recommended. This project is best for middle school and above. Sodium Acetate or Hot Ice Materials 1-liter clear vinegar (weak acetic acid)4 tablespoons baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) Prepare the Sodium Acetate or Hot Ice In a saucepan or large beaker, add baking soda to the vinegar, a little at a time and stirring between additions. The baking soda and vinegar react to form sodium acetate and carbon dioxide gas. If you dont add the baking soda slowly, youll essentially get a baking soda and vinegar volcano, which would overflow your container. Youve made the sodium acetate, but it is too dilute to be very useful, so you need to remove most of the water. Here is the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar to produce the sodium acetate: Na[HCO3]– CH3–COOH → CH3–COO– Na H2O CO2Boil the solution to concentrate the sodium acetate. You could just remove the solution from heat once you have 100-150 ml of solution remaining, but the easiest way to get good results is to simply boil the solution until a crystal skin or film starts to form on the surface. This took me about an hour on the stove over medium heat. If you use lower heat you are less likely to get yellow or brown liquid, but it will take longer. If discoloration occurs, its okay. Once you remove the sodium acetate solution from heat, immediately cover it to prevent any further evaporation. I poured my solution into a separate container and covered it with plastic wrap. You should not have any crystals in your solution. If you do have crystals, stir a very small amount of water or vinegar into the solution, just sufficient to dissolve the crystals.Place the covered container of sodium acetate solution in the refrigerator to chill. Activities Involving Hot Ice The sodium acetate in the solution in the refrigerator is an example of a supercooled liquid. That is, the sodium acetate exists in liquid form below its usual melting point. You can initiate crystallization by adding a small crystal of sodium acetate or possibly even by touching the surface of the sodium acetate solution with a spoon or finger. The crystallization is an example of an exothermic process. Heat is released as the ice forms. To demonstrate supercooling, crystallization, and heat release you could: Drop a crystal into the container of cooled sodium acetate solution. The sodium acetate will crystallize within seconds, working outward from where you added the crystal. The crystal acts as a nucleation site or seed for rapid crystal growth. Although the solution just came out of the refrigerator, if you touch the container you will find it is now warm or hot.Pour the solution onto a shallow dish. If the hot ice does not spontaneously begin crystallization, you can touch it with a crystal of sodium acetate (you can usually scrape a small amount of sodium acetate from the side of the container you used earlier). The crystallization will progress from the dish up toward where you are pouring the liquid. You can construct towers of hot ice. The towers will be warm to the touch.You can re-melt sodium acetate and re-use it for demonstrations. Hot Ice Safety As you would expect, sodium acetate is a safe chemical for use in demonstrations. It is used as a food additive to enhance flavor and is the active chemical in many hot packs. The heat generated by the crystallization of a refrigerated sodium acetate solution should not present a burn hazard.

Short primary source essay World War II & the post-war world

Short primary source World War II & the post-war world - Essay Example The World War II severely razed lots of civilians making it a backcloth for genocide killings. It involved the killings by Nazi Germany and other mass slaughters of non-combats. Japan did an extermination of millions of Chinese and Korean nationals. The Soviet Union also carried out mass killings internally with Allies bombing no-combatants in Germany and Japanese. The war ended with the number of dead being more than fifty million. World War II involved battles that were fought in the air, on land and at sea. Among the well documented wars are as follows; Battle of Britain (1940), Stalingrad, El Alamein (1942-1943), Battle of Bugle (1944-1945) and Iwo Jima (1945). In 1944, there was a famous D-Day landing that was considered a turning point in the event of war. It did result to deliverance of Paris, and giving room for Allied forces to draw near Germany. The years after the end of the World War II have seen a remarkable change in Europe and the entire world it once dominated. Before the war, the world was in two spheres led by an exterior power: western sphere by United States and Eastern sphere by Soviet Union. The European countries that dominated colonial empires since Renaissance did lose their power for good. It is in these years that new European initiatives like economic cooperation between countries and political unions were been formed to exceptional extents. It brought the most possessions in the European history. Though Europe’s mighty declined, its impact continues overseas. World War II did leave a power gap in Europe. Initially, Germany, France and Britain were Europe’s leaders and world’s superpowers. The weakness resulting from the World War II left them outranked by United States and the Soviet Union. The two superpowers used Europe as their ground for conflicts. There emerged a cold war between the superpowers with the first round in 1949

Sensory Perceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Sensory Perceptions - Essay Example Knowledge alone cannot provide the wisdom and thoughtfulness to take the right decision but experience plays a vital role. One must have the ability to delineate what one must know and what not to act accordingly. Self belief provides confidence to trust perception. When an individual touches any hot object, reflex action works and immediately hand is withdrawn before any mishap occurs. This is based on knowledge that a person acquires, things burn if they catch fire and an experience further strengthens knowledge to stay away from hot objects, such an approach safeguards the individual from any jeopardy. This is based on accuracy of information and experience gained. In a similar manner if there is a leakage of cooking gas, a person immediately senses the potential danger of some mishap and by trusting the accuracy of sensory response an immediate action is taken based on the knowledge, to switch off the regulator and to open the doors and windows. Sense of perception empowers one to drive safely on the road. By trusting the accuracy of sensory response of sight, judgement to drive with precision and to manage the traffic turns up and enables an individual to avoid road accidents. This is based on knowledge, road sense and accuracy in driving. Experience plays a vital role in taking certain decisions, for instance if an individual had an argument with his neighbour and he happens to see his neighbour talking with one of his close friends, immediately a thought enters his mind that the neighbour must be talking about the incident of argument. This perception could be inaccurate as they may be talking about something else. Such perception depends on the nature of the individual, the psychological upbringing which frames the thoughts and hence it is based on the nurture of the individual. In some cases sensory data is interpreted inaccurately. For instance, one may judge the depth of the ditch on the road as shallow and presumes that he can cross

Article Abstract 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Article Abstract 8 - Essay Example The empirical analysis is carried out on a racial basis. The conclusion of the research is that race has no significance whatsoever where the price of a rookie baseball card is concerned. This conclusion was reached after lack of evidence of customer discrimination on racial basis for the blacks or Hispanics research subjects (Gabriel, Curtis and Timothy 228). The estimation of the results of the research analysis has been well broken down and articulated well. This is especially so after the results being differentiated for the hitter and pitchers and the composite indexes of the prices well indicated. The estimated results also differentiate between the card price of Hispanics and that of the blacks in the descriptive statistics. The researchers did not clearly explain the sample size, population or even the sampling technique used in this particular research. The other thing that should have been present but lacked in this research is more literature review. The researchers only dwelt on literature by one group of researchers and hence making the research not

The Vietnam War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Vietnam War - Essay Example The effects on the mental health of these soldiers has led to unemployment, drug addiction, divorce, suicide, and a range of mental illnesses. A key difference between the Vietnam War and previous wars was the intensity of the level of stress. War has always presented the combat veteran with a difficult situation in regards to stress. However, in World War II the soldier would engage in a battle that would last in terms of days. As the battle subsided, the front lines moved and combat ceased for a period of time. The battles lines were clearly marked and the enemy clearly defined. In Vietnam the soldiers faced a shadowy enemy with no front lines. They were in threat of losing their life 24 hours a day for every day they were in the country. There was no reprieve from the immediate threat of death. In past wars there were always cases of 'battle fatigue' or 'shell shock', but the Vietnam War redefined this as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) and its associated symptoms. While PTSD affects approximately 1 percent of the general population, it is as high as 15 percent among Vietnam veterans 35 years after the end of the war (Mollica et al. 2058-2059). PTSD in Vietnam veterans manifests itself through a variety of symptoms. These include social maladjustment, social phobia, guilt, difficulty controlling anger, joblessness, homelessness, and family strife (Frueh et al. 26). The Vietnam veteran is often faced with a lifetime of substance abuse, acute anxiety, and an inability to fit into a normal social setting. A problem that faced the returning Vietnam veteran was the negative attitude that society held for a veteran returning from an unpopular war. Army Captain Max Cleland, a soldier who lost both legs and was later elected a US Senator from Georgia explains, "To the devastating psychological effect of getting maimed, paralyzed, or in some way unable to reenter American life as you left it, is the added psychological weight that it may not have been worth it; that the war may have been a cruel hoax" (qtd. in Nicosia 159-160). This effect was even more magnified for the minority veterans who served in disproportionate numbers and came home to face the additional burden of racism. Limited opportunities for blacks after the war resulted in conflicting feelings about the brutality waged against the Vietnamese and resulted in rates of PTSD among black veterans that were significantly higher than among whites (Allen 55). The Vietnam veteran faced the difficulty of PTSD in a world that was unsym pathetic and ill-equipped to diagnose and treat the illnesses that the war had inflicted. The Veteran's Administration (VA) has been traditionally reluctant to recognize and adequately treat PTSD. The VA currently publishes estimates that indicate that as many as 30 percent of the Vietnam veterans suffer from PTSD, which is in excess of some other more conservative estimates ("How Common is PTSD"). However, the availability of resources has not been sufficient to meet the need. The American Psychiatric Association has reported that the reported cases of PTSD have risen by 42 percent in recent years, but funding has only been increased by 22 percent (Mulligan). The problem of under-treatment is also complicated by under self-reporting. Veterans may feel that if they

Ethnograph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethnograph - Essay Example The researchers’ decision to use observational and qualitative research method directly addressed the research questions such that research interview is the best choice to determine what care is like from the patients’ point-of-view whereas observational method is the best choice in determining how a patient receives assistance from the unit staff aside from determining the nurses’ perception about the patient satisfaction and quality of care and how care on the unit was organized, pure observation method was used in the study. Upon going through how the researchers conducted the ethnographic study in evaluating the patient satisfaction with the quality of care they received from the health care professionals, readers are expected to have a better understanding about the factors that could significantly affect the quality of care each patient is receiving in the surgical-medical unit. Ethnography is a common research strategy used in the study of social sciences like description of individual cultures (Dictionary.com, 2010). By conducting participant observation, research interviews, distribution of research survey questionnaires, and the collection of supplementary data like photographs, measurements, and patient records, this particular research strategy gathers empirical data regarding the nature and issues about the history of human culture and societies in writing (Maynard & Purvis, 1994, p. 76). In terms of biological sciences, the use of ethnography is similar to a case report or field study except that the study focuses on the patterns of thoughts and behavior of the research participants (Berwick, 2004; Boaz & Wolfe, 1997, p. 150). In relation to the use of ethnography, the article â€Å"Dance of the Call Bells† which uses ethnography in evaluating patient satisfaction with quality of care will be evaluated in terms of its accuracy and efficiency in

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 55

Summary - Essay Example It is argued secondly that hope is caused by merits, and therefore doesn’t qualify as a virtue. However, Aquinas contends that the occurrence of hope in itself is not based on merits but instead on the desire for happiness, which is virtuous. The last stated problem with hope being a virtue is the imperfect nature of hope, explained as a wish for something that is lacking. Aquinas states that while the desire is imperfect, hope is perfection in that it is reflective of faith in God’s rule and influence. The second article questions if eternal happiness is indeed the object of hope. Objections include denial that humans need to hope for eternal happiness since it is a constant state of the soul, examples of hope being for things other than eternal happiness, and the suggestion that hope deals with many difficulties other than eternal happiness. The replies to these issues state that eternal happiness is veiled and thus not experienced as a constant state by humans, prayers should not be for things other than eternal happiness, and all other desires should seem small in comparison to eternal happiness. In article three, Aquinas discusses the possibility of one person wishing for the eternal happiness of another. He argues that this is not possible since hopes for another person are not acts of hope at all, but are instead acts of love. Article four investigates the lawfulness of being hopeful in another person. The author’s position is that hope may be placed in a person as long as it is not believed to be virtuous hope, which is reserved for God. Discussion of the fifth article is very similar to the first. In response to arguments against the nature of hope as a theological virtue, Aquinas relates several examples that are meant to relate hope as being divinely based regardless of its superficial appearance. The distinction of hope from other theological virtues is the topic of article six. It is suggested that this

Ethnograph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ethnograph - Essay Example The researchers’ decision to use observational and qualitative research method directly addressed the research questions such that research interview is the best choice to determine what care is like from the patients’ point-of-view whereas observational method is the best choice in determining how a patient receives assistance from the unit staff aside from determining the nurses’ perception about the patient satisfaction and quality of care and how care on the unit was organized, pure observation method was used in the study. Upon going through how the researchers conducted the ethnographic study in evaluating the patient satisfaction with the quality of care they received from the health care professionals, readers are expected to have a better understanding about the factors that could significantly affect the quality of care each patient is receiving in the surgical-medical unit. Ethnography is a common research strategy used in the study of social sciences like description of individual cultures (Dictionary.com, 2010). By conducting participant observation, research interviews, distribution of research survey questionnaires, and the collection of supplementary data like photographs, measurements, and patient records, this particular research strategy gathers empirical data regarding the nature and issues about the history of human culture and societies in writing (Maynard & Purvis, 1994, p. 76). In terms of biological sciences, the use of ethnography is similar to a case report or field study except that the study focuses on the patterns of thoughts and behavior of the research participants (Berwick, 2004; Boaz & Wolfe, 1997, p. 150). In relation to the use of ethnography, the article â€Å"Dance of the Call Bells† which uses ethnography in evaluating patient satisfaction with quality of care will be evaluated in terms of its accuracy and efficiency in

Hotel Security Essay Example for Free

Hotel Security Essay Hotel Security Matthew Acevedo July 10, 2011 HTT/200 Hotel Security Security came forcefully to the attention of hotel operators in 1976 when a well-known singer, Connie Francis, was raped at knifepoint in a Long Island motel.(online reading, pg.309) Good security is what makes are breaks a good hotel. To insure that you have great security you have to address where its needed the most, where it might be an issue and what are the biggest threats to your guest. According to many different websites identity theft is becoming a major with hackers breaching computers in major hotel chains and gaining access to thousands upon thousands of guests personal information including; home addresses, credit card numbers and personal phone numbers. (Bates, 2008) To help reduce the risk of hackers it would be smart to make sure your database is secured through a well-known and respected company that deals with internet hackers. Though its impossible to fully stop hacking you can make sure you minimize the risk significantly with the right resources. A big issue with security would be fraud and theft. According to the U.S. Department of Justice Statistics, identity theft is now passing up drug trafficking as the number one crime in the nation. (Itrc, 2006) To solve some of these solution the easy steps would be to makes sure to check every guests ID and credit card against each other and have a fake ID decoder behind every desk to insure that no one gets away with using someone elses credit card. Theft is also a big concern with guests that stay in hotels. Many hotels have an open-door policy that lets maids prop open doors for hours on end while they clean that floor. That leaves room wide open for anyone to just walk into a room and take whatever they want or rack up huge bills on movie rental or minibar items. According to a study done in 2003 many hotels have not changes there policies after the attacks of 9/11. Many hotels that were rated higher with security had already established good security and didnt need to make changes. (Myers, 2003) There is no base-line for hotel security so its hard to say if the standard went up after the September 11 attacks of 2001. Conclusion Most of the security issue seems to be that of theft, either of personal items or identity. To help solve the ongoing issue there are dozens of companies working to shut down the cyber-attacks of hotel databases around the world. Until then it is the job of the hotel to take every precaution necessary to insure that guest feel as safe and comfortable as possible while staying in their establishment. References

Implementing Theories of Management in an Organisation

Implementing Theories of Management in an Organisation Organizations are a set of people arranged socially to perform and achieve a common goal. These organizations form the essential building blocks of modern society. Such organisations across the globe are constantly evolving and the rate of evolution changes from one country to another. Organisational Behaviour can be best explained as the study of the ways individuals and groups act at work, which also includes the analysis of interrelationships and interaction between individuals and groups with their environments (Cole, 1995). In this essay, I wish to explain certain behavioural practices that had existed in my previous organisation and implement two theories (motivation and organisational culture) to my work situations.   Ã‚   First let me give an insight into my background. I was born and educated in a city called Chennai in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. I graduated bachelor in Mechanical Engineering in the year 2013. After graduation, I was trying for job placement in various companies. During one of my interviews in a company called ETA General Private Limited, my answers were noticed by a silently observing gentleman who did not participate in the interview process. I had no idea who he was so but after my interview, he spotted me in the waiting room, asked for my CV and after a few minutes of going through it, offered me a job in Dubai. He introduced himself as Mr. HMT, head of a polymer division of ETA group of companies. Now I understood why he was present here, it is because General Air Conditioners is also a part of ETA group. I was surprised but I felt it was a very good offer and didnt want to miss it. Shortly thereafter, I received my offer letter which promised a good salary, decent accommodation and proper working condition. Despite being an engineer, I opted to do a non-engineering job as a sales assistant. Mainly because the salary package was compelling and moreover an opportunity to gain work experience in the Gulf was like a big deal for a fresher. Thus I landed my very first job. Emirates Trading Agency LLC, shortly known as ETA is a major corporate group headquartered in Dubai. ETA is a joint venture between UAEs Al Ghurair group and a South Indian company. ETA provides contracting, manufacturing, construction, property development, commodity trading services, power projects etc (Built on trust, 2017). It has operations in Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, South East Asia, Far East, North Africa, parts of Europe etc. ETA had approximately 70 individual divisions and each division has its own business unit heads. The particular business unit which I had the opportunity to work for is called Green Star Polymer. Green Star Polymer (GSP) was a commodity trading company which is the polymer trading wing of ETA. It was formed in 1998 by ETA to buy and sell polymer cargo all around the world. GSP had a 400,000 sq ft warehouse in Abu Dhabi for processing polymers. It also was doing waster paper business domestically. Mr. HMT was heading all these operations and was the Senior General Manager (SGM) of ETA. He belonged to the family of the Indian partners so he was very influential within ETA. The Arab partner, Al Ghurair, invest money and the Indian partners run the business in ETA. Like most Arab and Asian companies, ETA is also a family run business. So the business unit heads are the Indian partners who predominantly belong to the same family. Around mid-2013, ETA was in a huge liability and there was difference opinion among the Indian Arab partners. To reduce cost, ETA was closing/selling many businesses and sacking several employees. Dozens of lawsuits were also filed between partners. This casted a very bad image on the entire company in the market. There was lot of uncertainty among employees and ultimately Mr. HMT was dismissed and GSP division was closed down in 2015. Mr. HMT began his own business in mid-2015 and I was the only one from GSP that he trusted and employed for his company. Sigmund Freud argued humans are provoked to act by unconscious forces within us. These forces within us make us act in a certain way to achieve a goal. Motivation is the cognitive decision-making process through which goal-directed behaviour is initiated, energized, directed and maintained (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001). Work Situation I: Moving to Dubai for work was the first time moving away from family and the comfort of my home, so I was nervous and excited about my new venture. When I landed in Dubai, I was received from airport by my HR coordinator who dropped me at my accommodation. When I reached my new home, from the outside, I can easily say this is the oldest apartment I had seen in the brief time I was in Dubai. Inside was not good either. The HR guy handed me the key and left. When entered into the room, I was surprised to see 3 people asleep in 2 double cots with one lower cot left vacant for me. The room was half the size of my room in Chennai and 3 others with one bathroom/toilet to be shared. Anyway, I was tired so badly I went to sleep. Next morning, I had a conversation with my roommates as they informed me the rules of the accommodation, office directions, morning timings for using the single bathroom etc. They all worked for ETA but in different divisions. There was no kitchen or pantry available so food had to be purchased from outside. I soon learned the whole building belonged to ETA and occupied by its staffs and also it had been standing there for more than 35 years which is very old compared to UAE standards. All the staffs had been living in unpleasant conditions. I went to my new office that day. I was introduced to all staffs by the HR coordinator. We exchanged greetings and my immediate boss briefed me about the business activities of GSP and about my job. Later I met with Mr. HMT, who welcomed me to the company and handed my employment contract to me. I was shocked to notice that the contract had much lesser salary than what had been promised. It also stated my visa category as simply sales. No executive, no assistant, nothing. I later found out this category of visa is possibly the lowest, more or less equivalent to a clerk. Practically no company should employ me under that category owing to my qualification. I was even rejected to apply driving license with this visa. But my superiors were quick to convince me this is normal. Even though so much was not right, I still didnt express my disappointments to others (I usually dont). I was instructed to be trained for probation period of 6 months. In the very first week, I also learned GSP staffs are working more than 8 hours even after 6pm. I didnt have a clue so I left promptly at 6pm. My line manager called me one day and enquired about me leaving early. I was puzzled and tried to justify that I dont leave during office hours, but even though he advised me to stay until other staffs leave. Again I soon learned the reason behind it. Mr. HMT arrives office at 11am and stays in office till 8pm. He might need some staffs randomly after 6pm so most of them stayed in office till 8pm even though they arrive at 9am in the morning. No policy for overtime pay in place for staffs. Couple of managers quit their jobs within two months of my recruitment but their vacancies were not filled. So I was also assigned additional responsibilities in operations department as GSP was understaffed. Eventually I recognized I was deprived of all the promises made to me. No proper salary, no decent accommodation and no proper working condition. This is when I lost all hope and was very depressed. I was considering to quit my job and go back to India. Applying Motivation Theory: Abraham Maslow argued the content theory which aims to rectify the confusion between drives and motives. He claims that we have innate needs or motives (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001). The Fig 1 shows the hierarchy which Maslow framed in detail. Figure 1: Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (Source: Maslow and Lewis, 1987) Physiological needs are to the basic elements to survive for any human being which needs to be satisfied before aspiring for the next need which is social and security. Then comes affiliation needs and self-esteem. If these needs are satisfied, we can feel confident whereas if not, we tend to feel inferior and helpless. Self-actualization is the ultimate goal for any individual (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001). Recommendations: In my case, I began to feel de-motivated because I was cheated with false promise of better salary, accommodation and decent work condition. What I failed to understand initially was that I already have satisfied physiological and safety/security needs. I earned enough to feed myself and had a safe place to live and work. Secondly, I maintained good relationship with my colleagues and housemates, also made few friends. Moreover, I realised I was more confident in communication and analytics at work than my colleagues. All these factors combined, gave me a self-realisation that I am doing good for my age and the little experience I have gained. It motivated me to push harder. I felt proud and appreciated by Mr. HMT when I achieved the sales target the very first month I was given full responsibility when my boss was on holiday. Organisational Culture is the collective values, traditions and practices that are relatively similar among the employees of an organisation. Culture varies from one organisation to another and it is argued that the culture also affects the performance of an organisation. Therefore it is essential for managers to control organisations culture (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001). Work Situation II: Although ETA is a MNC, its employees are predominantly South Indians. This is mainly because the South Indian business heads are more comfortable working with people from this region. I was also comfortable learning from those people since I am also a South Indian. But there are certain practices that I cannot agree with them. I noticed most of the employees of GSP were servile to Mr. HMT. It was obvious for me to notice these employees behaviour. They are so obsequious to please Mr. HMT. But I couldnt understand if Mr. HMT is not noticing this or if he is oddly comfortable with it. This behaviour of those employees (including few managers) can be attributed to their expectations to progress in work, pay etc. Some employees even degraded themselves to the level of doing household chores for Mr. HMT. There were even few cases where these managers tried to make me oblige to this custom which I had politely refused to do in multiple instances. This behaviour shocked and disgusted me. When Mr. HMT was dismissed in 2015, none of the so-called loyal employees were willing to join him in his new company. They all wanted to transfer to different divisions within ETA for accumulating end of service gratuity and other reasons. After I and Mr. HMT quit from ETA, I brought this matter to his attention during a casual conversation. He confessed that he knew but was oblivious to it and this culture was prevailing within the organisation since he started working in ETA 27 years ago. His realisation about his employees was already too late. Applying Organization Culture Theory: Edgar Schein argued organisations have three levels of culture as depicted below in fig2. The first level is the surface manifestation of culture where the organisations culture is most visible to its customers, visitors and employees. This may include artefacts, ceremonies, norms etc. Second level are the organisations values which underpins the surface manifestations. Although not visible, individuals could be made aware and it distinguishes one organisation from another. The behaviour of all the employees are guided similarly and given a common direction by the values of the organisation.. These values affect the final level which is the basic assumption, which according to Schein is the culture of the organisation. Assumptions are the behavioural aspects which are preconscious, unseen and taken for granted (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001). Figure 2: Scheins three levels of culture (Source: Schein, 1985) Recommendations: In case of GSP, many staffs sought benefits by other means, rather than by improving work performance, it also had an impact on the overall performance of the company. This behaviour can be attributed to Scheins theory as basic assumption of ETA employees were less than noble. Since I was new to the company, initially I could only see surface manifestation level of ETA and when I coped up to work with these people, I could clearly see what their basic assumption of working for this organisation was and how their values affected it. As the head of GSP, Mr. HMT needed to have addressed this culture at his level when he had the chance. Moreover it should have been controlled by the senior management of ETA and maintained a healthy culture before it infuriated the Arab partners and the companys reputation was damaged. Better work environment can be achieved by applying organisational theories. All employees are directly affected by whatever is happening in an organisation. It is all attributable to human behaviour. With better understanding of organisational behaviour, managers can effectively influence employee behaviours to do achieve better outcome as discussed in these above scenarios. References Built on trust (2017) Available at: http://www.etaascon.com/ (Accessed: 24 January 2017). Cole, G.A., 1995. Organisational behaviour: Theory and practice. Cengage Learning EMEA. Huczynski, A.A. and Buchanan, D.A. (2001) Organizational behaviour. 4th edn. Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education. Maslow, A. and Lewis, K.J., 1987. Maslows hierarchy of needs. Salenger Incorporated, p.14. Schein, E.H. (1985) Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

The Spanish Flu in Remission :: Journalism Influenza Health Medical Essays

The Spanish Flu in Remission For many it appears like there is finally reason to take a deep sigh of relief. The deadly Spanish Flu, now believed to have begun on the battlefields and in the military hospitals of the war, appears to be in remission. In the previous two days the death tolls has gone from 302 down to 269, and it today reached a remarkable low of only 17. Still the business men's advisory committee and our local Health Commission say that we must "keep up the fight so long as there is a case of influenza." The eradication of this illness is the responsibility of every citizen and does not simply rest with the physician. Many are preparing to proclaim an end to this devastating illness which has already claimed the lives of millions world-wide, and has forced many Los Angeles residents to isolate themselves. The disease was known in the battlefields in which it originated as "three-day fever,". Since then the name stuck. It can attack in an instance without warning, and leave those it infects dead in less than a week. John C. Acker, a Sergeant within the 32nd Division American Expeditionary Force, described the course of the illness in greater detail: "It runs its course in a week or more. It hits suddenly and one's temperature nearly chases the mercury thru the top of the M.D.'s thermometer, face gets red, every bone in the body aches and the head splits wide open." The disease has been the source of enormous tragedy, and sadly has claimed the lives of some of our nation's greatest young men, who have successfully fought to push back imposing enemy armies despite tremendous difficulties. After these soldiers returned home a new battle confronted Uncle Sam, as the dark shadow of flu claimed countless the lives of countless civilians and military personnel. Fortunately Los Angeles' reaction to this scourge has been swift. Quarantine has been the official policy. This week such measures continue as nearly all downtown churches announce that they will not hold their regular Children's Sunday School classes since large meetings could endanger the lives of the youth. While the measures are only temporary it has been yet another sign of the inconveniences that quarantine measures have produced. The churches which made this decision hail from virtually every denomination.

My Big Break :: Personal Narrative Music Popularity Essays

My Big Break I'll never forget the time I made it into my high school's variety show during my freshman year. Every student has dreams of being the most popular kid in school. I was the quiet kid in school. I never caused any trouble, I never asked questions and I never started conversations. I wanted to be popular, but I knew that I needed a new image. I always enjoyed music; I always thought the drums were cool, so I began to play the drums. I formed a band with a few of my friends in hope to gain little popularity. In order for us to get our peer's attention, we had to try out for the variety show. I would have never imagined that playing in the variety show for my peers would transform me from a nobody into a somebody. I had two main goals that I wanted to get from being in the variety show: to gain recognition from the students and to play music on stage in front of a large audience. I formed a band with my friends from middle school. Matt Bochicchio, one of my best friends, played guitar. He was always the hardest to get to practice because he was on the high school soccer team so it was difficult for him to find any free time to practice. Matt was so good on guitar that we made him the lead guitarist. Ian Williams, who was a wanna be badass, played rhythm guitar. Ian was always getting himself into trouble with the teachers. Ian wasn't as good as Matt which I found ironic because Ian had been playing guitar a lot longer than him. Fritz played bass and he was the most terrible bass player that I had ever played with in my entire life. Fritz is his last name; his first name is Matt. We called him Fritz so there wouldn't be any confusion. He only wanted to be in a band so he could get chicks, but his plan didn't work out. Nick Naro, a lady's man in his time, was our singer. He wasn't a really good singer, but he had a PA system and back then, that's all that matte red. The band was originally mine and Matt's, but we lost control of it to Nick whom loved the spotlight. He let his ego go to his head and we would get the impression from him that we didn't matter.

Identity: Wild Cat Falling by Colin Johnson, Pleasantville (1998)

Who am I? The question sounds cliche, but let’s be serious. Don’t you believe there is something inside you that you can’t describe, but seems to say, â€Å"This isn’t who I am, or who I planned to be†. The texts I have read emphasise the belief that socialization creates a mask, a false identity concealing the self and who we are to be. However, it is widely believed that identity is a product of socialization- that the self changes through our individual experiences. The persona of WCF is a victim of these processes. CJ’s use of shifting temporal frames allows us to review the persona’s past whilst retaining the present, demonstrating the impact of his childhood experiences on his identity. Jesse Duggan was an influential figure in protagonist’s formative years; her fear of the western culture lead her to condition her son into white society: â€Å"they belong to the white side of the fence. You’ve got to prove you do and don’t you forget it†. She isolates him from his traditional culture and instils in him the stigmas of the lesser breed. The persona’s frequent self derogatory remarks about being â€Å"a mongrel† and â€Å"born under the curse of Ham† indicate how society’s treatment of ‘Noongars’ has affected him. Socialization has isolated the protagonist, denying him his cultural identity and stifling his hopes. Throughout, the persona also remains anonymous, insinuating that his identity is amorphous. Yet we clearly see his mask; â€Å"I took a long look at him and sneered back in my best Hollywood crim voice†. His tone is satirical, as if he knows, his ‘crim’ act is not a true reflection of his identity. And in spite of this mask, his ‘core’ identity can also be seen: â€Å"I stood on the bed, face pressed to the bars, gulping the salt-sea tang until I became part of its crashing surf and soundless depths. † His mask hides his true nature, nonetheless it is revealed through his poetic sensibility. Eliot’s 1911 poem ‘Prufrock’ is a dramatic monologue of a middle-class English-man. For him, socialization demands his conformity to social norms, making him feel imprisoned by its mediocrity: â€Å"for I have known them all already, known them all; have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons†. The repetition of ‘known them all’ portrays life as routine without purpose. â€Å"my morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin; my necktie rich and modest† the detail of his dress elaborately conceals his identity and his true feelings about society. Ironically, the repetition of ‘my’ implies an illumination of identity, rather than its suppression. It seems the Prufrock is afraid reveal his identity may ‘disturb the universe’: â€Å"do I dare, and, do I dare? Avoiding this ultimate question, he seeks peace in oblivion: I should have been a pair of ragged claws; scuttling across the floors of silent seas†. We are gregarious creatures, and Prufrock’s desire for isolation is untenable to us. Socialization has trapped him in a rock and a hard place: he may choose the peaceful oblivion of a void anyday, but he is too scared to reject a mask that he despises in case it may change his world: oh the irony! The 1998 film Pleasantville explores the effects of stepping out of a uniform society. they just happen to see something inside themselves that’s different†. This shot is taken from below, establishing this as a powerful argument and putting David in a position of power over the crowd. He is persuading Pleasantville that embracing your core values defines you as unique; special. He also ‘colours’ George Parker, by revealing to him his intrinsic values: â€Å"don’t you think she looks just as beautiful as the first day you met her? Now don’t you wish you could tell her that? The proxemics in this shot exaggerates David’s emotions and influences his father’s reaction. A shot of David is taken from the court’s POV, which allows for tension to rise before he moves to the side to reveal his ‘coloured’ father. The diagetic tone of shocked voices, coupled with the non-diagetic, soft music that swells at this new revelation, is us ed to highlight the importance of this scene as unearthing your inner self. It seems to say: this is the moment of epiphany, the moment when you discover this universe holds something wonderful and rare, just for you. In David’s own words â€Å"if you just have the guts† to look inside yourself, you’ll find all that â€Å"who am I to be† crap alot easier to handle. WCF’s persona began to confront that ‘song’ or ‘dream’ that had always been with him. Prufrock decided he’d rather drown than face the vast emptiness of his identity. But by giving Pleasantville the choice of change, it instituted profound normative values in people: love, passion, knowledge, peace, expression. All the colours of the rainbow. Though the belief that socialization morphs a person into who they are is predominant in society, it is hard to say that this is truly the case. These texts seem to emphasise the belief that socialization creates masks to conceal our core identities. Of course, socialization can shape us. Would a beggar have the same choices as a rich man? From my perspective, socialization may have us prepare that â€Å"face to meet the faces that you meet† but it may never alter our core identity, which is inevitably revealed when we confront our true emotions.

DropBox it just works

I was searching for a new opportunity that was more Drop client software to a Windows, Mac, or Linux PC or to an phone, pad, Blackberry, or Android mobile device, the software created a local Drop folder for accessing files of any size or type via an encrypted Internet connection from other Drop-enabled devices or from any web browser. The client software tracked changes in real-time to any file in the user's local Drop folder, then instantly synchronized a copy of the file on Dropsy's servers, updating only the portions of he file that had changed, in order to save bandwidth and time.Likewise, within milliseconds, copies of the file were synchronized in local Drop folders on all other devices connected through the user's account. â€Å"We engineered Drop so it just worked, all of the time,† Drew explained, â€Å"We supported all the major operating systems and handled all kinds of obstacles, from flaky wireless connections to corporate firewalls, which was not an easy task. † The company adopted a fermium business model, that is, it offered both free and premium accounts.Users got 2 gigabytes of storage for free and had the option to ay $10 per month for 50 gigabytes or $20 per month for 100 gigabytes. Industry observers estimated that 2% to 3% of Dropsy's users were paying customers, which implied a $10 million to $15 million annual revenue run rate in mid 2010. 1 At that time, the company had 25 employees, most of whom worked in engineering or support functions. Drop had raised $7. 2 million in two rounds of venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital and Cell Partners.Market Overview Drop was a late entrant to the fiercely competitive online backup and storage services space. The first firms in the space, which had small companies as customers, ere launched in the late asses by startups offering outsourced storage at remote decanters. As costs declined, services also became available for consumers seeking to backup their data online. Most ear ly users were technically adept, for example, college students downloading music from peer-to-peer file sharing services.Few firms in this first wave of services survived the dot. Com crash, but by late 2006 the market was crowded again with new competitors. In July 2007, the tech blob Amassable published a list of more than 80 online backup and storage services. 2 Market research vendors like DC fueled the hype by predicting that the worldwide market for online backup services would grow to $71 5 million by 2011. 3 Investor interest in online storage surged when Muzzy was acquired by EMCEE for $76 million in late 2007.Houston was confident that Drop could succeed in the face of intense competition. He reasoned that Drop would be able to collect revenue from some users, because consumers generally understood that storage cost money, whether it came in the form of a physical drive or an online service. When challenged by endure capitalists to explain why the world needed another clou d backup company, Houston asked them, â€Å"How many of those services do you personally use? † The answer from Vs. was almost invariably, â€Å"None of them. 4 Houston asserted that direct experience with rival services, which often failed to transfer data across firewalls and sometimes balked with big files or large numbers of files, was helpful in innovations that contributed to these advantages: 2 The first generation of cloud storage services was based on a simplistic model, where file accesses were redirected over the Internet instead of to your computer's hard rive. Your operating system and all your applications assume that accessing your hard drive is cheap and fast, but when these requests are instead routed to a server thousands of miles away, they can take an order of magnitude longer.This subtle but critical distinction explains why when working remotely, even simple actions like browsing a directory can freeze your computer for seconds at a time. We needed to t ake a completely different approach by storing files locally and updating the cloud copy in the background using a number of time- and vindications optimizations. Launching Drop It's hard to imagine Tom Cruise in Minority Report sending himself files via Gamma or lugging around a USB thumbprint. Ђ? Drew Houston After his frustrating experience on the bus, Houston started working on Drop full time in late 2006. He said: I needed it badly. I worked on multiple desktops and a laptop and could never remember to keep my USB drive with me. I was drowning in email attachments trying to share files for my previous startup. My home desktops power supply literally exploded one day, killing one of my hard drives, and I had no backups. I tried everything I could find but each product inevitably suffered problems with Internet latency, large files, bugs, or Just made me think too much. To help with the project, Houston recruited Rash Overdose, who dropped out of MIT and later became Dropsy's co-founder and chief technology officer. The pair spent the next four months coding a prototype in a tiny Cambridge apartment. With a working prototype in hand, Houston came up with an innovative approach for testing demand for a minimum viable product. He had produced various recruiting videos for his college fraternity; with this know-how he created a three-minute crassest of a product demo and uploaded it to Hacker News, a popular forum for developers. â€Å"l did this out of necessity.There was no way I could ask for people's files before we were 100% sure our code was reliable. But I had a prototype that showed off the product's best features. â€Å"7 Houston used the screens to recruit beta testers and to solicit feedback on features that Drop might include. He added, â€Å"Not launching is painful, but not learning can be fatal. We got a lot of feedback through that video, so we were learning while we were building. † Houston had another reason for posting the video on Hacker News: he hoped to ND selective Y Combinatory seed fund and incubator program.He recalled, â€Å"l had Just submitted my application to Y Combinatory and as a gambit to get their attention, I submitted the video to Hacker News. I hoped it would work. â€Å"8 It did: in April 2007, Drop received $15,000 in funding from Y Combinatory (see Exhibit 1 for excerpts from Dropsy's Y Combinatory application). In exchange for a small percentage of a startup's common equity-?usually 2% to 10%-?Y Combinatory provided up to $20,000 of seed capital as well as mentoring, workspace, and introductions to other advisors ND investors over a three-month period.Many startups applied to Y Combination's program, which had a track record for matching strong technical teams with elite venture capital firms. 3 Upon conclusion of the Y Combinatory program in September 2007, Drop raised $1. 2 million of convertible debt from Sequoia Capital. â€Å"We fit into Sequoia's sweet spot: we were two youn g technical founders, working out of an apartment, targeting a big market. It helped that we were ranked at the top of our Y Combinatory cohort,† Houston recalled.He and Overdose moved to San Francisco to continue building the many, but despite the capital infusion, they continued to run lean. Drop delivered its service through Amazon's SO cloud storage platform, avoiding the need for infrastructure investments and positioning the company to scale rapidly. The co- founders created a private beta program for a limited group of users who registered through a simple landing page. The page contained a short description of Drop and requested an email address from visitors interested in participating in the beta test (Exhibit 2).Houston commented: There's a spectrum of well-informed opinions about when to launch your product. At one end, Paul Graham tells entrepreneurs, â€Å"Launch early and often† to accelerate learning. At the other end, [respected software guru] Joel Spoo ky says, â€Å"Launch when your product doesn't completely suck. † We were managing people's files, and it's a big deal if you lose or ruin them. That meant moving toward Spooky end of the spectrum and keeping our beta test small. Next, Houston devised ways to generate demand for the beta service.In a guerilla marketing move, he produced another short demo video and posted it in March 2008 on Dig, a site that showcased web content deemed popular by Digs users. Houston felt it was essential to communicate in an authentic manner with the tech enthusiasts who frequented Dig. He sprinkled â€Å"Easter eggs† into the video, for example, references to Chocolate Rain (a Youth phenomenon), TIPS reports used in the movie Office Space, Mitt's Gillian Hall, and the 09 IF key for decrypting Blurry disks (dissemination of which, in the face of movie studio legal threats, was a hacker crusade).With this tongue-in- cheek nod to its tech-sway audience, the Drop video soared to the top of Dig, few days. Overnight, the list for Dropsy's private beta Jumped from 5,000 to 75,000 Ames, far exceeding the team's expectations. Building the Company Make something people want. -? Y Combinatory motto Based on consumer response to the second video, it appeared that the promise behind Drop-? â€Å"It Just works†-?resonated with potential early adopters, especially those who were familiar with the performance limitations of existing online backup/ storage services. Houston shifted his focus to product development.The Drop team was comprised almost entirely of engineers during the first two years of the firm's existence. Early on, board members tasked Houston with hiring a reduce manager to help coordinate engineering efforts and prioritize features. Houston reflected: If you ask ten people what a product manager is, you'll get ten different answers. They tend to fall on a continuum with the end points being â€Å"poet† and â€Å"librarian. † A librarian i s focused on blocking and tackling, coordination, and facilitating communication. This type of PM is inherently organized and follows up relentlessly.A poet PM listens to the voice of the customer during usability tests and focus groups and based on that insight formulates an aesthetic vision, a grand strategy, and a product roadman. Our first product manager was 4 more of a librarian than a poet, because we needed a librarian's discipline: even today we don't have enough of that DNA in the company. But he Just drove people nuts. It was painful, but we had to let him go after six months. For the next year, until Drop hired another product manager, the company relied on Houston and Overdose to drive the product roadman.Development proceeded more slowly than Houston had originally expected. In his April 2007 Y Combinatory application, Houston had projected availability of a version that he could charge for thin 8 weeks, but launching Drop to the public actually took 18 months. Houston said, â€Å"As a result of doing a few things well, we left a lot of other things behind. We had no business people, we were terrible at getting mainstream PR, and running fast and loose didn't make for the most predictable engineering organization. 9 Public Launch Drop opened its beta to the public in September 2008 at Outstretched, an annual competition showcasing high-potential startups. Drop was one of 50 startups selected to present at the event from a pool of over 1,000 applicants. ND also provide a product development deadline for the team. Houston mused that since Drop was following a tried-and-true blueprint for launching a consumer Internet service, his next step would have to be devising a marketing plan. Drop retained an online marketing consultant to help with this task.Houston said, â€Å"What do most web companies do? Apply to Outstretched, check. Buy Towards, check. Get real marketing people, check. â€Å"10 Early on, Drop attempted to acquire new customers throu gh paid search advertising. However, incumbents had bid up the cost per click for obvious search keywords. As a result, it cost Drop more than $300 to acquire a paying customer (Exhibit 3). This was not sustainable, since an annual subscription for 50 KGB service was priced at $99. Drop had tweaked its sign-up process to increase the conversation rate from free user to paying customer.The company also experimented with hiding the free service option for visitors who arrived via search ads. Houston recalled, â€Å"Our average acquisition cost per paying customer went from thousands of dollars to hundreds, but we still had a problem with our economics. And we didn't feel good about doing sneaky things to our users to get them to pay. 11 Sequoia Capital and Cell Partners subsequently led a $6 million Series A round of financing in October 2008, but even with additional capital in the bank, relying on paid search would not be a viable long- term option.In addition, the team had experim ented with display ads and affiliate programs, but these efforts also yielded unacceptably high acquisition costs per paying customer. Houston realized that with a fermium strategy, optimization of marketing messages and pricing would be critical to Dropsy's success; consistent with this priority, the company hired an analytics engineer as its eighth employee. Inspired by the Backbone â€Å"growth† team dedicated to user acquisition and engagement, Houston later assigned 30% of engineering resources to optimizing customer acquisition efforts.This team closely tracked metrics across Dropsy's conversion funnel by cohort,a for example: the percent of landing page visitors who registered as free users; the percent of registrants who still were active free users after X months; and the percent of free users who upgraded to paid subscribers after Y months. Houston said, â€Å"We run our business based on the ‘Startup Metrics for Pirates' framework developed by investor Dave McClure. He says firms should a A cohort was a set of prospects or users acquired at the same time and/or via the same marketing method. Closely track metrics around the acquisition of landing page visitors; activation of those visitors into users; retention of users; referral of new visitors by satisfied users; and revenue earned from users. † The team used A/B testing to fine tune page layouts free storage given to users. Analytics showed that gigabytes were not necessarily the best measure of value for Drop users. â€Å"We had all kinds of people paying us for Drop but not even bumping against their quota,† Houston said. Analytics likewise revealed that few users were accessing past versions of their files, all of which-?including deleted files-?were being permanently stored by Drop at a significant and rapidly growing cost. The company modified its policy, offering 30 days of undo history free of charge and making unlimited undo history a premium option. Houston sai d, â€Å"Just a tenth of a percent improvement in conversion rates, or a small decrease in the cost of serving a customer can have a huge impact on profitability. Premium is a spreadsheet game-?one you win with lots and lots of little moves . â€Å"13 Fourteen Months to the EpiphanyDespite improvements through analytics, Houston and his colleagues struggled to make the company marketing programs profitable. Nevertheless, the service grew rapidly, reaching 200,000 users ten days after launch and 1 million users seven months later. The vast majority of these users were acquired through word-of-mouth referrals and viral marketing efforts, rather than paid advertising. A relentless focus on ease of use and reliability had paid dividends in the form of loyal users who encouraged friends, family, and co-workers to try Drop. Houston commented, â€Å"The power of focus can't be understated.If you look at a feature matrix of Drop versus everyone else, we would never come in first. We woul d rather do a few things well rather than present Drop in a confusing way. â€Å"14 To identify ways to improve ease of use, the Drop team tracked support forums closely. Houston said, â€Å"We get feature requests for things we already have. These are particularly bad because it means that even though we've implemented something, our users can't find it. We pay close attention when that happens. â€Å"1 5 The company also maintained a â€Å"Vote† on its site, allowing users to vote and comment on treasures they would like to see added.Since the team gained insight on users' preferences through support forums and the Vote, the company did not conduct regular consumer surveys, but it did conduct occasional usability tests. In one instance, the entire team watched as not one of five typical consumers recruited from Scraggliest could successfully install and interact with the application. Houston recalled: Watching them fail was excruciating. Imagine if your coffee maker Just spit coffee all over the counter every third time you used it or your car stopped in the middle of the road. That's the computer experience for a normal person.The PC is always conspiring against you to lose your stuff or break in some weird way. You have no idea what happened or what you did wrong. Watching those five consumers struggle to try to figure out how to use our product was probably the most painful day we ever had as a team, but afterward, we created a list of 70 things to fix. B A/B tests divided a set of similar individuals into a control group that experienced a status quo product and a test group that experienced a product with one modified element, to determine if the modification yielded a statistically significant DropBox it just works I was searching for a new opportunity that was more Drop client software to a Windows, Mac, or Linux PC or to an phone, pad, Blackberry, or Android mobile device, the software created a local Drop folder for accessing files of any size or type via an encrypted Internet connection from other Drop-enabled devices or from any web browser. The client software tracked changes in real-time to any file in the user's local Drop folder, then instantly synchronized a copy of the file on Dropsy's servers, updating only the portions of he file that had changed, in order to save bandwidth and time.Likewise, within milliseconds, copies of the file were synchronized in local Drop folders on all other devices connected through the user's account. â€Å"We engineered Drop so it just worked, all of the time,† Drew explained, â€Å"We supported all the major operating systems and handled all kinds of obstacles, from flaky wireless connections to corporate firewalls, which was not an easy task. † The company adopted a fermium business model, that is, it offered both free and premium accounts.Users got 2 gigabytes of storage for free and had the option to ay $10 per month for 50 gigabytes or $20 per month for 100 gigabytes. Industry observers estimated that 2% to 3% of Dropsy's users were paying customers, which implied a $10 million to $15 million annual revenue run rate in mid 2010. 1 At that time, the company had 25 employees, most of whom worked in engineering or support functions. Drop had raised $7. 2 million in two rounds of venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital and Cell Partners.Market Overview Drop was a late entrant to the fiercely competitive online backup and storage services space. The first firms in the space, which had small companies as customers, ere launched in the late asses by startups offering outsourced storage at remote decanters. As costs declined, services also became available for consumers seeking to backup their data online. Most ear ly users were technically adept, for example, college students downloading music from peer-to-peer file sharing services.Few firms in this first wave of services survived the dot. Com crash, but by late 2006 the market was crowded again with new competitors. In July 2007, the tech blob Amassable published a list of more than 80 online backup and storage services. 2 Market research vendors like DC fueled the hype by predicting that the worldwide market for online backup services would grow to $71 5 million by 2011. 3 Investor interest in online storage surged when Muzzy was acquired by EMCEE for $76 million in late 2007.Houston was confident that Drop could succeed in the face of intense competition. He reasoned that Drop would be able to collect revenue from some users, because consumers generally understood that storage cost money, whether it came in the form of a physical drive or an online service. When challenged by endure capitalists to explain why the world needed another clou d backup company, Houston asked them, â€Å"How many of those services do you personally use? † The answer from Vs. was almost invariably, â€Å"None of them. 4 Houston asserted that direct experience with rival services, which often failed to transfer data across firewalls and sometimes balked with big files or large numbers of files, was helpful in innovations that contributed to these advantages: 2 The first generation of cloud storage services was based on a simplistic model, where file accesses were redirected over the Internet instead of to your computer's hard rive. Your operating system and all your applications assume that accessing your hard drive is cheap and fast, but when these requests are instead routed to a server thousands of miles away, they can take an order of magnitude longer.This subtle but critical distinction explains why when working remotely, even simple actions like browsing a directory can freeze your computer for seconds at a time. We needed to t ake a completely different approach by storing files locally and updating the cloud copy in the background using a number of time- and vindications optimizations. Launching Drop It's hard to imagine Tom Cruise in Minority Report sending himself files via Gamma or lugging around a USB thumbprint. Ђ? Drew Houston After his frustrating experience on the bus, Houston started working on Drop full time in late 2006. He said: I needed it badly. I worked on multiple desktops and a laptop and could never remember to keep my USB drive with me. I was drowning in email attachments trying to share files for my previous startup. My home desktops power supply literally exploded one day, killing one of my hard drives, and I had no backups. I tried everything I could find but each product inevitably suffered problems with Internet latency, large files, bugs, or Just made me think too much. To help with the project, Houston recruited Rash Overdose, who dropped out of MIT and later became Dropsy's co-founder and chief technology officer. The pair spent the next four months coding a prototype in a tiny Cambridge apartment. With a working prototype in hand, Houston came up with an innovative approach for testing demand for a minimum viable product. He had produced various recruiting videos for his college fraternity; with this know-how he created a three-minute crassest of a product demo and uploaded it to Hacker News, a popular forum for developers. â€Å"l did this out of necessity.There was no way I could ask for people's files before we were 100% sure our code was reliable. But I had a prototype that showed off the product's best features. â€Å"7 Houston used the screens to recruit beta testers and to solicit feedback on features that Drop might include. He added, â€Å"Not launching is painful, but not learning can be fatal. We got a lot of feedback through that video, so we were learning while we were building. † Houston had another reason for posting the video on Hacker News: he hoped to ND selective Y Combinatory seed fund and incubator program.He recalled, â€Å"l had Just submitted my application to Y Combinatory and as a gambit to get their attention, I submitted the video to Hacker News. I hoped it would work. â€Å"8 It did: in April 2007, Drop received $15,000 in funding from Y Combinatory (see Exhibit 1 for excerpts from Dropsy's Y Combinatory application). In exchange for a small percentage of a startup's common equity-?usually 2% to 10%-?Y Combinatory provided up to $20,000 of seed capital as well as mentoring, workspace, and introductions to other advisors ND investors over a three-month period.Many startups applied to Y Combination's program, which had a track record for matching strong technical teams with elite venture capital firms. 3 Upon conclusion of the Y Combinatory program in September 2007, Drop raised $1. 2 million of convertible debt from Sequoia Capital. â€Å"We fit into Sequoia's sweet spot: we were two youn g technical founders, working out of an apartment, targeting a big market. It helped that we were ranked at the top of our Y Combinatory cohort,† Houston recalled.He and Overdose moved to San Francisco to continue building the many, but despite the capital infusion, they continued to run lean. Drop delivered its service through Amazon's SO cloud storage platform, avoiding the need for infrastructure investments and positioning the company to scale rapidly. The co- founders created a private beta program for a limited group of users who registered through a simple landing page. The page contained a short description of Drop and requested an email address from visitors interested in participating in the beta test (Exhibit 2).Houston commented: There's a spectrum of well-informed opinions about when to launch your product. At one end, Paul Graham tells entrepreneurs, â€Å"Launch early and often† to accelerate learning. At the other end, [respected software guru] Joel Spoo ky says, â€Å"Launch when your product doesn't completely suck. † We were managing people's files, and it's a big deal if you lose or ruin them. That meant moving toward Spooky end of the spectrum and keeping our beta test small. Next, Houston devised ways to generate demand for the beta service.In a guerilla marketing move, he produced another short demo video and posted it in March 2008 on Dig, a site that showcased web content deemed popular by Digs users. Houston felt it was essential to communicate in an authentic manner with the tech enthusiasts who frequented Dig. He sprinkled â€Å"Easter eggs† into the video, for example, references to Chocolate Rain (a Youth phenomenon), TIPS reports used in the movie Office Space, Mitt's Gillian Hall, and the 09 IF key for decrypting Blurry disks (dissemination of which, in the face of movie studio legal threats, was a hacker crusade).With this tongue-in- cheek nod to its tech-sway audience, the Drop video soared to the top of Dig, few days. Overnight, the list for Dropsy's private beta Jumped from 5,000 to 75,000 Ames, far exceeding the team's expectations. Building the Company Make something people want. -? Y Combinatory motto Based on consumer response to the second video, it appeared that the promise behind Drop-? â€Å"It Just works†-?resonated with potential early adopters, especially those who were familiar with the performance limitations of existing online backup/ storage services. Houston shifted his focus to product development.The Drop team was comprised almost entirely of engineers during the first two years of the firm's existence. Early on, board members tasked Houston with hiring a reduce manager to help coordinate engineering efforts and prioritize features. Houston reflected: If you ask ten people what a product manager is, you'll get ten different answers. They tend to fall on a continuum with the end points being â€Å"poet† and â€Å"librarian. † A librarian i s focused on blocking and tackling, coordination, and facilitating communication. This type of PM is inherently organized and follows up relentlessly.A poet PM listens to the voice of the customer during usability tests and focus groups and based on that insight formulates an aesthetic vision, a grand strategy, and a product roadman. Our first product manager was 4 more of a librarian than a poet, because we needed a librarian's discipline: even today we don't have enough of that DNA in the company. But he Just drove people nuts. It was painful, but we had to let him go after six months. For the next year, until Drop hired another product manager, the company relied on Houston and Overdose to drive the product roadman.Development proceeded more slowly than Houston had originally expected. In his April 2007 Y Combinatory application, Houston had projected availability of a version that he could charge for thin 8 weeks, but launching Drop to the public actually took 18 months. Houston said, â€Å"As a result of doing a few things well, we left a lot of other things behind. We had no business people, we were terrible at getting mainstream PR, and running fast and loose didn't make for the most predictable engineering organization. 9 Public Launch Drop opened its beta to the public in September 2008 at Outstretched, an annual competition showcasing high-potential startups. Drop was one of 50 startups selected to present at the event from a pool of over 1,000 applicants. ND also provide a product development deadline for the team. Houston mused that since Drop was following a tried-and-true blueprint for launching a consumer Internet service, his next step would have to be devising a marketing plan. Drop retained an online marketing consultant to help with this task.Houston said, â€Å"What do most web companies do? Apply to Outstretched, check. Buy Towards, check. Get real marketing people, check. â€Å"10 Early on, Drop attempted to acquire new customers throu gh paid search advertising. However, incumbents had bid up the cost per click for obvious search keywords. As a result, it cost Drop more than $300 to acquire a paying customer (Exhibit 3). This was not sustainable, since an annual subscription for 50 KGB service was priced at $99. Drop had tweaked its sign-up process to increase the conversation rate from free user to paying customer.The company also experimented with hiding the free service option for visitors who arrived via search ads. Houston recalled, â€Å"Our average acquisition cost per paying customer went from thousands of dollars to hundreds, but we still had a problem with our economics. And we didn't feel good about doing sneaky things to our users to get them to pay. 11 Sequoia Capital and Cell Partners subsequently led a $6 million Series A round of financing in October 2008, but even with additional capital in the bank, relying on paid search would not be a viable long- term option.In addition, the team had experim ented with display ads and affiliate programs, but these efforts also yielded unacceptably high acquisition costs per paying customer. Houston realized that with a fermium strategy, optimization of marketing messages and pricing would be critical to Dropsy's success; consistent with this priority, the company hired an analytics engineer as its eighth employee. Inspired by the Backbone â€Å"growth† team dedicated to user acquisition and engagement, Houston later assigned 30% of engineering resources to optimizing customer acquisition efforts.This team closely tracked metrics across Dropsy's conversion funnel by cohort,a for example: the percent of landing page visitors who registered as free users; the percent of registrants who still were active free users after X months; and the percent of free users who upgraded to paid subscribers after Y months. Houston said, â€Å"We run our business based on the ‘Startup Metrics for Pirates' framework developed by investor Dave McClure. He says firms should a A cohort was a set of prospects or users acquired at the same time and/or via the same marketing method. Closely track metrics around the acquisition of landing page visitors; activation of those visitors into users; retention of users; referral of new visitors by satisfied users; and revenue earned from users. † The team used A/B testing to fine tune page layouts free storage given to users. Analytics showed that gigabytes were not necessarily the best measure of value for Drop users. â€Å"We had all kinds of people paying us for Drop but not even bumping against their quota,† Houston said. Analytics likewise revealed that few users were accessing past versions of their files, all of which-?including deleted files-?were being permanently stored by Drop at a significant and rapidly growing cost. The company modified its policy, offering 30 days of undo history free of charge and making unlimited undo history a premium option. Houston sai d, â€Å"Just a tenth of a percent improvement in conversion rates, or a small decrease in the cost of serving a customer can have a huge impact on profitability. Premium is a spreadsheet game-?one you win with lots and lots of little moves . â€Å"13 Fourteen Months to the EpiphanyDespite improvements through analytics, Houston and his colleagues struggled to make the company marketing programs profitable. Nevertheless, the service grew rapidly, reaching 200,000 users ten days after launch and 1 million users seven months later. The vast majority of these users were acquired through word-of-mouth referrals and viral marketing efforts, rather than paid advertising. A relentless focus on ease of use and reliability had paid dividends in the form of loyal users who encouraged friends, family, and co-workers to try Drop. Houston commented, â€Å"The power of focus can't be understated.If you look at a feature matrix of Drop versus everyone else, we would never come in first. We woul d rather do a few things well rather than present Drop in a confusing way. â€Å"14 To identify ways to improve ease of use, the Drop team tracked support forums closely. Houston said, â€Å"We get feature requests for things we already have. These are particularly bad because it means that even though we've implemented something, our users can't find it. We pay close attention when that happens. â€Å"1 5 The company also maintained a â€Å"Vote† on its site, allowing users to vote and comment on treasures they would like to see added.Since the team gained insight on users' preferences through support forums and the Vote, the company did not conduct regular consumer surveys, but it did conduct occasional usability tests. In one instance, the entire team watched as not one of five typical consumers recruited from Scraggliest could successfully install and interact with the application. Houston recalled: Watching them fail was excruciating. Imagine if your coffee maker Just spit coffee all over the counter every third time you used it or your car stopped in the middle of the road. That's the computer experience for a normal person.The PC is always conspiring against you to lose your stuff or break in some weird way. You have no idea what happened or what you did wrong. Watching those five consumers struggle to try to figure out how to use our product was probably the most painful day we ever had as a team, but afterward, we created a list of 70 things to fix. B A/B tests divided a set of similar individuals into a control group that experienced a status quo product and a test group that experienced a product with one modified element, to determine if the modification yielded a statistically significant